National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
Latest available findings on quality of and access to health care
Data
- Data Infographics
- Data Visualizations
- Data Tools
- Data Innovations
- All-Payer Claims Database
- Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP)
- Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS)
- AHRQ Quality Indicator Tools for Data Analytics
- State Snapshots
- United States Health Information Knowledgebase (USHIK)
- Data Sources Available from AHRQ
Search All Research Studies
AHRQ Research Studies Date
Topics
- Access to Care (6)
- Behavioral Health (3)
- Cancer (2)
- Cardiovascular Conditions (3)
- Children/Adolescents (2)
- Chronic Conditions (2)
- Communication (2)
- (-) COVID-19 (25)
- Diabetes (1)
- Diagnostic Safety and Quality (1)
- Disabilities (1)
- Disparities (2)
- Elderly (1)
- Emergency Department (2)
- Healthcare Delivery (8)
- Health Information Technology (HIT) (25)
- Hospitalization (1)
- Hospitals (1)
- Implementation (1)
- Maternal Care (1)
- Medicare (1)
- Medication (1)
- Nursing Homes (1)
- Opioids (1)
- Patient-Centered Healthcare (1)
- Patient Adherence/Compliance (1)
- Patient Experience (1)
- Policy (1)
- Practice Patterns (2)
- Pregnancy (1)
- Primary Care (3)
- Sickle Cell Disease (1)
- Stroke (2)
- Substance Abuse (1)
- Surgery (1)
- (-) Telehealth (25)
AHRQ Research Studies
Sign up: AHRQ Research Studies Email updates
Research Studies is a compilation of published research articles funded by AHRQ or authored by AHRQ researchers.
Results
1 to 25 of 25 Research Studies DisplayedPowell KR, Winkler AE, Liu J
A mixed-methods analysis of telehealth implementation in nursing homes amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
The objective of this study was to investigate the implementation of telehealth in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Researchers conducted a secondary analysis of data from a national survey of nursing home administrative leaders using six survey questions and semi-structured interviews. Their conclusions indicate that training, restructuring teams and tasks, and adaptation of work processes to support communication could improve usability and sustainability of telehealth in nursing homes.
AHRQ-funded; HS02249.
Citation: Powell KR, Winkler AE, Liu J .
A mixed-methods analysis of telehealth implementation in nursing homes amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
J Am Geriatr Soc 2022 Dec;70(12):3493-502. doi: 10.1111/jgs.18020..
Keywords: COVID-19, Elderly, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Nursing Homes, Implementation
Beetham T, Fiellin DA, Busch SH
Physician response to COVID-19-driven telehealth flexibility for opioid use disorder.
This study surveyed physicians who provide opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment on their preferences and practices regarding telehealth that have evolved during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 1141 physicians who were publicly listed buprenorphine-prescribing physicians were surveyed. Most respondents found telehealth to be effective, with 54% who found it more effective than expected. Overall, 85% were in favor of temporary telehealth flexibility being permanently extended, and 77% would be likely to use telehealth after the COVID-19 pandemic is over.
AHRQ-funded; HS017589.
Citation: Beetham T, Fiellin DA, Busch SH .
Physician response to COVID-19-driven telehealth flexibility for opioid use disorder.
Am J Manag Care 2022 Sep;28(9):456-63. doi: 10.37765/ajmc.2022.89221..
Keywords: COVID-19, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Opioids, Substance Abuse, Behavioral Health, Medication
Reeves SL, Patel PN, Madden B
Telehealth use before and during the COVID-19 pandemic among children with sickle cell anemia.
This study’s goal was to determine telehealth use before and during the COVID pandemic for children ages 1-17 years old with sickle cell anemia (SCA). The authors identified children with SCA continuously enrolled in Michigan Medicaid from January 2019 to December 2020. The study population consisted of 493 children with SCA with a mean age of 8.7 years at study entry. Pre-pandemic there were 4,367 outpatient visits, with all but 19 in-person. Telehealth visits peaked in April 2020 and then began declining. The majority of telehealth visits were with hematologists, followed up adult subspecialists (27%) and pediatrics/family medicine.
AHRQ-funded; HS027632.
Citation: Reeves SL, Patel PN, Madden B .
Telehealth use before and during the COVID-19 pandemic among children with sickle cell anemia.
Telemed J E Health 2022 Aug;28(8):1166-71. doi: 10.1089/tmj.2021.0132..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, COVID-19, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Sickle Cell Disease, Chronic Conditions, Access to Care
Shao CC, McLeod MC, Gleason LT
Inequity in telemedicine use among patients with cancer in the Deep South during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The authors’ goal was to characterize telemedicine use among a large oncology population in the Deep South during the COVID-19 pandemic. They found that telemedicine use, specifically with video, was significantly lower among historically vulnerable populations. They concluded that understanding barriers to telemedicine use and preferred modalities of communication among different populations will help inform insurance reimbursement and interventions at different socioecological levels to ensure that the continued evolution of telemedicine will be equitable.
AHRQ-funded; HS013852.
Citation: Shao CC, McLeod MC, Gleason LT .
Inequity in telemedicine use among patients with cancer in the Deep South during the COVID-19 pandemic.
https://www.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35348793
Oncologist 2022 Jul 5;27(7):555-64. doi: 10.1093/oncolo/oyac046..
Oncologist 2022 Jul 5;27(7):555-64. doi: 10.1093/oncolo/oyac046..
Keywords: COVID-19, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Cancer, Disparities
Ward MJ, Shuster JL, Mohr NM
Implementation of telehealth for psychiatric care in VA emergency departments and urgent care clinics.
The purpose of this AHRQ-funded, mixed-methods study was to evaluate an emergency telehealth intervention in emergency department (ED) and urgent care clinic (UCC) settings within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) in March 2020. The Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework was utilized to compare the 3 months preimplementation of the telehealth intervention (December 1, 2019 through February 29, 2020) with the 3 months postimplementation of the telehealth intervention (April 1, 2020 through June 30, 2020), and then assess sustainability through January 31, 2021. Qualitative data from surveys and semistructured interviews were conducted and analyze. The telemental health intervention was used in 83% (319) of unscheduled mental health consultations in the postimplementation phase, with no adverse trends in length of stay, 7-day revisits, or 30-day mortality. In the sustainability phase, use of the intervention was high with 82% (n = 1,010) of all unscheduled mental health consultations performed by telemental health. The study concluded that the use of unscheduled telemental health intervention was highly acceptable and sustainable in ED and UCC settings and did not impact the safety and efficacy of mental health consultations.
AHRQ-funded; HS025753.
Citation: Ward MJ, Shuster JL, Mohr NM .
Implementation of telehealth for psychiatric care in VA emergency departments and urgent care clinics.
Telemed J E Health 2022 Jul;28(7):985-93. doi: 10.1089/tmj.2021.0263..
Keywords: COVID-19, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Behavioral Health, Emergency Department
Andino JJ, Zhu Z, Surapaneni M
Interstate telehealth use by Medicare beneficiaries before and after COVID-19 licensure waivers, 2017-20.
This study analyzed trends in interstate telehealth use by Medicaid beneficiaries during 2017-2020, which covers the period both directly before and during the first year of the pandemic. Although the volume of interstate telehealth use increased in 2020, out-of-state telehealth only made up 0.8% of all outpatient visits, and 5% of all telehealth visits overall. For individual states, out-of-state telehealth made up between 0.2-9.3% of all outpatient visits. Most out-of-state telehealth visits were used for established patient care, and a higher percentage of out-of-state telehealth users lived in rural areas compared with beneficiaries who stayed with in-state care (28% versus 23%).
AHRQ-funded; HS027632.
Citation: Andino JJ, Zhu Z, Surapaneni M .
Interstate telehealth use by Medicare beneficiaries before and after COVID-19 licensure waivers, 2017-20.
Health Aff 2022 Jun;41(6):838-45. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2021.01825.
AHRQ-funded; HS027632..
AHRQ-funded; HS027632..
Keywords: Telehealth, COVID-19, Health Information Technology (HIT), Medicare, Healthcare Delivery
Fraze TK, Beidler LB, De Marchis EH
"Beyond just a supplement": administrators' visions for the future of virtual primary care services.
The purpose of this study was to examine what health care organization administrators think about the future of virtual primary care services post-pandemic. In March-April 2021, the administrators of 17 health care organizations participated in semistructured qualitative phone interviews. The researchers explored how the administrators thought their organizations would offer virtual services after the pandemic. The study found that all the participants anticipated that their organization’s virtual primary care services would exist after the pandemic, with the main goals of 1) optimizing medical services; 2) enhancing the patient experience; and 3) increasing loyalty among patients, and the primary motivation being to remain competitive and financial solvency. The researchers concluded that administrators of health care organizations are examining how virtual services can continue after the pandemic, and what roles they will play in the delivery of services.
AHRQ-funded; HS024075.
Citation: Fraze TK, Beidler LB, De Marchis EH .
"Beyond just a supplement": administrators' visions for the future of virtual primary care services.
J Am Board Fam Med 2022 May-Jun;35(3):527-36. doi: 10.3122/jabfm.2022.03.210479..
Keywords: Primary Care, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Healthcare Delivery, COVID-19
Chen J, Li KY, Andino J
Predictors of audio-only versus video telehealth visits during the COVID-19 pandemic.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, most health insurance companies reimbursed telehealth visits; both video and audio-only (i.e., phone). Post-pandemic many of these organizations may discontinue coverage for phone visits, yet the impact of doing so on different patient subgroups is not clear. The purpose of this study was to identify the patient subgroups that are more likely to use phone vs video to access telehealth services. The researchers conducted a retrospective study on a cohort of all patients at a United States medical center who had a telehealth-eligible outpatient visit from April 2020 through June 2020. The primary measure was the effect of patient geographic, demographic, and socioeconomic characteristics on the probability of phone visits vs video visits. The study found that of the 104,204 total patients with at least one telehealth visit, 45.4% received their care through phone visits only. Patient age, being African American, needing an interpreter, having Medicaid as their primary insurance, and living in a zip code with low broadband access were all characteristics associated with a lower likelihood of using video visits. In addition, the majority of patients had more than one characteristic which further reduced their likelihood of using video visits. The study concluded that patients with the characteristics identified are less likely to use video visits when compared to phone visits. The researchers state that for patients with one or more of those characteristics, elimination of insurance coverage for telehealth phone visits may decrease telehealth access.
AHRQ-funded; HS027632.
Citation: Chen J, Li KY, Andino J .
Predictors of audio-only versus video telehealth visits during the COVID-19 pandemic.
J Gen Intern Med 2022 Apr;37(5):1138-44. doi: 10.1007/s11606-021-07172-y..
Keywords: COVID-19, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT)
Huang J, Graetz I, Millman A
Primary care telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic: patient's choice of video versus telephone visit.
The goal of this study was to examine the association between patient characteristics and primary care telemedicine choice among integrated delivery system patients self-scheduling visits during the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings showed that patients of Black or Hispanic race/ethnicity, or living in low socioeconomic status or low internet access neighborhoods were less likely to schedule video visits. Also, patients 65 years or older, with prior video visit experience or mobile portal access, or visiting their own personal provider were more likely to schedule video visits. While video adoption was substantial in all patient groups examined, differences in telemedicine choice suggested the persistence of a digital divide.
AHRQ-funded; HS025189.
Citation: Huang J, Graetz I, Millman A .
Primary care telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic: patient's choice of video versus telephone visit.
JAMIA Open 2022 Apr;5(1):ooac002. doi: 10.1093/jamiaopen/ooac002..
Keywords: COVID-19, Primary Care, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Access to Care
Hays RD, Skootsky SA
Patient experience with in-person and telehealth visits before and during the COVID-19 pandemic at a large integrated health system in the United States.
Researchers sought to compare patient experience by visit type and before and during the pandemic. Using CAHPS® data, they found that patient experience with telehealth visits was as positive as or more positive than that with traditional office-based visits. Doctor communication on telehealth visits was viewed as slightly more positive than that of in-office or telephone visits. Telehealth visits were also slightly more positive than in-office visits for care coordination, overall rating of the doctor, and willingness to recommend to family and friends. Office staff were viewed less positively on the telephone than telehealth or in-office visits. Further, patient experience was similar before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
AHRQ-funded; HS025920.
Citation: Hays RD, Skootsky SA .
Patient experience with in-person and telehealth visits before and during the COVID-19 pandemic at a large integrated health system in the United States.
J Gen Intern Med 2022 Mar;37(4):847-52. doi: 10.1007/s11606-021-07196-4..
Keywords: COVID-19, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Patient Experience, Healthcare Delivery
Kalwani NM, Wang KM, Johnson AN
Application of the quadruple aim to evaluate the operational impact of a telemedicine program.
This study compared the operational impact of a telemedicine program called CardioClick at a preventive cardiology clinic compared to traditional clinic visits. The authors examined data for 134 patients enrolled in CardioClick with 181 video follow-up visits and 276 patients enrolled in the clinic’s traditional program with 694 in-person follow-up visits. The Quadruple Aim was used to evaluate CardioClick. Both cohorts were similar in characteristics in terms of age, gender balance, and baseline clinical characteristics. Video follow-up visits were shorter in time for clinicians (median 22 vs 30 minutes) than in-person visits and total clinic time (median 22 vs 68 minutes). Video visits were more likely to end on time than in-person visits as well. Physicians more often completed video visit documentation on the day of the visit.
AHRQ-funded; HS026128.
Citation: Kalwani NM, Wang KM, Johnson AN .
Application of the quadruple aim to evaluate the operational impact of a telemedicine program.
Healthc 2021 Dec;9(4):100593. doi: 10.1016/j.hjdsi.2021.100593..
Keywords: Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Cardiovascular Conditions, COVID-19
Hayden EM, Davis C, Clark S
Telehealth in emergency medicine: a consensus conference to map the intersection of telehealth and emergency medicine.
Through the 2020 Society for Academic Emergency Medicine's annual consensus conference, experts in emergency medicine (EM) and telehealth created a research agenda to explore how EM should intersect with telehealth. The multiyear process resulted in consensus with a final set of 24 important research questions. The primary finding from the process was the breadth of gaps in the evidence for telehealth in EM and telehealth in general. The consensus process identified priority research questions for the use of and evaluation of telehealth in EM to fill the current knowledge gaps.
AHRQ-funded; HS027528.
Citation: Hayden EM, Davis C, Clark S .
Telehealth in emergency medicine: a consensus conference to map the intersection of telehealth and emergency medicine.
Acad Emerg Med 2021 Dec;28(12):1452-74. doi: 10.1111/acem.14330..
Keywords: Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Emergency Department, COVID-19
Hsueh L, Huang J, Millman AK
Disparities in use of video telemedicine among patients with limited English proficiency during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The authors hypothesized that limited English proficiency (LEP) would be associated with lower video use compared with telephone, especially among patients without prior video visit experience. They found that one-third of patients with LEP scheduled a visit by video instead of telephone. Patients with LEP chose video less often than patients without LEP, even after adjusting for technology factors. However, among patients with prior video visit experience, no significant difference in video visit use by LEP was found.
AHRQ-funded; HS025189.
Citation: Hsueh L, Huang J, Millman AK .
Disparities in use of video telemedicine among patients with limited English proficiency during the COVID-19 pandemic.
JAMA Netw Open 2021 Nov;4(11):e2133129. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.33129..
Keywords: COVID-19, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Disparities, Communication
Cibrian FL, Monteiro E, Ankrah E
Parents' perspectives on a smartwatch intervention for children with ADHD: rapid deployment and feasibility evaluation of a pilot intervention to support distance learning during COVID-19.
This paper explores how smartwatch technology, including timing notifications, can support children with ADHD during distance learning due to COVID-19. The researchers used a Digital Health Intervention which included a smartwatch and a smartphone. Their results demonstrated that children successfully adopted the use of the smartwatch, and parents believed that the intervention was helpful, especially in supporting the development of organizational skills in their children. The authors included suggestions to help professionals teach children with ADHD to use smartwatches to improve organization and task completion, especially as it applies to supporting remote instruction.
AHRQ-funded; HS026058.
Citation: Cibrian FL, Monteiro E, Ankrah E .
Parents' perspectives on a smartwatch intervention for children with ADHD: rapid deployment and feasibility evaluation of a pilot intervention to support distance learning during COVID-19.
PLoS One 2021 Oct 27;16(10):e0258959. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0258959..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, COVID-19, Behavioral Health, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Patient Adherence/Compliance
Zachrison KS, Yan Z, Schwamm LH
Changes in virtual and in-person health care utilization in a large health system during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This cross-sectional study evaluates how the growth of virtual care has impacted health care utilization in an integrated delivery network.
AHRQ-funded; HS024561.
Citation: Zachrison KS, Yan Z, Schwamm LH .
Changes in virtual and in-person health care utilization in a large health system during the COVID-19 pandemic.
JAMA Netw Open 2021 Oct;4(10):e2129973. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.29973.
.
.
Keywords: COVID-19, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Healthcare Delivery
Portney DS, Zhu Z, Chen EM
COVID-19 and use of teleophthalmology (CUT Group): trends and diagnoses.
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic altered how clinicians care for patients. Ophthalmologists saw an estimated 81% drop in volume, the most of any specialty during the initial pandemic and public health restrictions. This study demonstrates the characteristics of telehealth use in ophthalmology on a large scale with primary data before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
AHRQ-funded; HS027632.
Citation: Portney DS, Zhu Z, Chen EM .
COVID-19 and use of teleophthalmology (CUT Group): trends and diagnoses.
Ophthalmology 2021 Oct;128(10):1483-85. doi: 10.1016/j.ophtha.2021.02.010..
Keywords: COVID-19, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Healthcare Delivery
Zachrison KS, Sharma R, Wang Y
National trends in telestroke utilization in a US commercial platform prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In this study, the objective was to describe characteristics of telestroke consultations among a national sample of telestroke sites on one of the most commonly used common vendor platforms, prior to the COVID-19 public health emergency. The investigators concluded that among spoke sites using a commercial telestroke platform over a seven-year time horizon, times to consult start and alteplase bolus decreased over time. Similar to academic networks, duration of telestroke participation in this commercial network was associated with faster alteplase delivery, suggesting practice improves performance.
AHRQ-funded; HS024561.
Citation: Zachrison KS, Sharma R, Wang Y .
National trends in telestroke utilization in a US commercial platform prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis 2021 Oct;30(10):106035. doi: 10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2021.106035..
Keywords: COVID-19, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Stroke, Cardiovascular Conditions, Practice Patterns
Misra-Hebert AD, Hu B, Pantalone KM
Primary care health care use for patients with type 2 diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This study sought to examine factors associated with total and virtual primary care use for patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study used electronic medical records in the Cleveland Clinic Health System comparing prepandemic use from August 2019 to March 2020 (baseline period 0) to two pandemic periods: March to June 2020 (period 1) when in-person visits were converted to virtual; and July to November 2020 when in-person visits resumed (period 2). Demographic characteristics were obtained including age, sex, race, insurance type, median income estimated by zip code and baseline HbA1C. The study included 76,015 patients with T2D who completed a primary care visit in baseline period 0. Cohort median age was 66.2 years, 50.7% women, 21.7% Black, 71.0% White and 7.4 Other. Insurance distribution was 43.2% private, 46.5% Medicare, and 9.5% Medicaid. Median income was estimated at $59,000 and baseline HbA1C was ≤ 7% for 59.6% of patients. There were higher odds of Black patients, those with uncontrolled T2D, and those with Medicare and Medicare using virtual visits during the 2 postpandemic periods suggesting that virtual visits may be a preference for those groups. Older and male patients had lower odds of visit completion.
AHRQ-funded; HS024128.
Citation: Misra-Hebert AD, Hu B, Pantalone KM .
Primary care health care use for patients with type 2 diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Diabetes Care 2021 Sep;44(9):e173-e74. doi: 10.2337/dc21-0853..
Keywords: COVID-19, Diabetes, Primary Care, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Healthcare Delivery, Access to Care, Chronic Conditions
Chao GF, Li KY, Zhu Z
Use of telehealth by surgical specialties during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This study’s objective was to determine telehealth use by surgical specialty before and during the pandemic period starting in March 2020. Insurance claims from a Michigan statewide commercial payer for new patient visits with a surgeon from 1 of 9 surgical specialties during one of the following periods: prior to the COVID-19 pandemic (period 1: January 5 to March 7, 2020), early pandemic (period 2: March 8 to June 6, 2020), and late pandemic (period 3: June 7 to September 5, 2020) were analyzed. For new patient visits, 1182 surgeons (26.8%) in any patient context used telehealth. Telehealth use peaked in April 2020 and facilitated 34.6% of all new patient visits during that week. Urology was the specialty with the highest telehealth conversion rate (14.3%).
AHRQ-funded; HS027632.
Citation: Chao GF, Li KY, Zhu Z .
Use of telehealth by surgical specialties during the COVID-19 pandemic.
JAMA Surg 2021 Jul;156(7):620-26. doi: 10.1001/jamasurg.2021.0979..
Keywords: COVID-19, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Access to Care, Practice Patterns, Surgery
Stevens JP, Mechanic O, Markson L
Telehealth use by age and race at a single academic medical center during the COVID-19 pandemic: retrospective cohort study.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many ambulatory clinics transitioned to telehealth, but it remains unknown how this may have exacerbated inequitable access to care. Given the potential barriers faced by different populations, the authors investigated whether telehealth use was consistent and equitable across age, race, and gender. The investigators concluded that their findings indicated that the rapid implementation of telehealth did not follow prior patterns of health care disparities.
AHRQ-funded; HS024288.
Citation: Stevens JP, Mechanic O, Markson L .
Telehealth use by age and race at a single academic medical center during the COVID-19 pandemic: retrospective cohort study.
J Med Internet Res 2021 May 20;23(5):e23905. doi: 10.2196/23905..
Keywords: COVID-19, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT)
Legler S, Diehl M, Hilliard B
Evaluation of an intrahospital telemedicine program for patients admitted with COVID-19: mixed methods study.
This pilot study’s objective was to evaluate an intrahospital telemedicine program along with its impact on exposure risk and communication for patients admitted with COVID-19. Virtual care was the main primary exposure variable and patient characteristics, PPE use rates, and their association with virtual care were assessed. Out of 137 total patients in their primary analysis, 43 patients used virtual care. There were 82 inpatient days of use, and 401 inpatient days without use. Surveys of 41 patients and clinicians showed high rates of recommendation for further use. A significant reduction in PPE use and physical exam rate was associated with virtual care. However, there are limitations in usability, medical assessment, and empathetic communication.
AHRQ-funded; HS026732.
Citation: Legler S, Diehl M, Hilliard B .
Evaluation of an intrahospital telemedicine program for patients admitted with COVID-19: mixed methods study.
J Med Internet Res 2021 Apr 29;23(4):e25987. doi: 10.2196/25987..
Keywords: Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Hospitals, Hospitalization, Communication, COVID-19
Peahl AF, Powell A, Berlin H
Patient and provider perspectives of a new prenatal care model introduced in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.
The authors evaluated institutional-level adoption and patient and provider experiences with a coronavirus disease 2019 prenatal care model. They found that reduced visit schedules and virtual visits were rapidly integrated into real-world care, with positive experiences for many patients and providers. They recommended future research to understand the health outcomes and care experience associated with alternative approaches to prenatal care delivery across more diverse patient populations outside of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic to inform broader health policy decisions.
AHRQ-funded; HS025465.
Citation: Peahl AF, Powell A, Berlin H .
Patient and provider perspectives of a new prenatal care model introduced in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.
Am J Obstet Gynecol 2021 Apr;224(4):384.e1-84.e11. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2020.10.008..
Keywords: Maternal Care, Pregnancy, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Healthcare Delivery, COVID-19
Etherton MR, Zachrison KS, Yan Z
Regional changes in patterns of stroke presentation during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The authors sought to determine the effect of the coronavirus pandemic on patterns of stroke patient presentation and quality of care. They analyzed data from 25 New England hospitals: one urban, academic, comprehensive stroke center and telestroke hub, and 24 spoke hospitals in the same telestroke network. They included all telestroke consultations from the 24 spokes, and stroke admissions to the comprehensive stroke center hub from November 2019 through April 2020. They compared rates of presentation, timeliness presentation, and quality of care pre- versus post-March 2020. They also examined trends in patient demographics, stroke severity, timeliness, diagnosis including large vessel occlusion, alteplase use, and endovascular thrombectomy among eligible subjects. Among 1248 patient presentations, telestroke consultations and ischemic stroke patient admissions decreased through the hub and spoke network. Age and stroke severity were unchanged during the study period. However, rates of adherence for the quality measures dysphagia screening, early antithrombotic initiation, and early venous thromboembolism prophylaxis were reduced during the pandemic.
AHRQ-funded; HS024561.
Citation: Etherton MR, Zachrison KS, Yan Z .
Regional changes in patterns of stroke presentation during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Stroke 2021 Apr;52(4):1398-406. doi: 10.1161/strokeaha.120.031300..
Keywords: Stroke, Cardiovascular Conditions, COVID-19, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Healthcare Delivery
Davis K, Wilbur K, Metzger S
Symptom and needs assessment screening in oncology patients: alternate outreach methods during COVID-19.
This initiative’s goal was to develop alternate outreach methods to cancer patients without access to an electronic portal during COVID-19. The authors implemented a standardized telephone outreach process targeting patients without active electronic portal accounts to improve remote symptom monitoring. A total of 172 screens were completed, identifying 110 needs for 63 individuals. Twenty-eight patients completed patient enrollment, with outreach calls capturing a higher percentage of Black patients (34%) and older adults age 61-80 years old (69%) compared to portal users.
AHRQ-funded; HS026170.
Citation: Davis K, Wilbur K, Metzger S .
Symptom and needs assessment screening in oncology patients: alternate outreach methods during COVID-19.
J Psychosoc Oncol 2021;39(3):452-60. doi: 10.1080/07347332.2021.1890663..
Keywords: COVID-19, Cancer, Access to Care, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Diagnostic Safety and Quality
Valdez RS, Roger CC, Claypool H
Ensuring full participation of people with disabilities in an era of telehealth.
This paper discusses the benefits and drawbacks that the widespread use of telehealth resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic has on people with disabilities. For some it may result in reduced barriers to care, but for others inadequate attention to the design, implementation, and policy dimensions may be detrimental.
AHRQ-funded; HS023849.
Citation: Valdez RS, Roger CC, Claypool H .
Ensuring full participation of people with disabilities in an era of telehealth.
J Am Med Inform Assoc 2021 Feb 15;28(2):389-92. doi: 10.1093/jamia/ocaa297..
Keywords: Disabilities, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Access to Care, Policy, COVID-19