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AHRQ Research Studies
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Research Studies is a compilation of published research articles funded by AHRQ or authored by AHRQ researchers.
Results
1 to 25 of 78 Research Studies DisplayedQuigley DD, Qureshi N, Palimaru A
Content and actionability of recommendations to providers after shadow coaching.
This paper examined the content of the recommendations given to shadow-coached providers aimed at improving provider-patient interactions, to characterize these recommendations, and to examine their actionability. Using CAHPS data, the study’s findings showed that patient experience surveys were effective at identifying where improvement is needed but are not always informative enough to instruct providers on how to modify and improve their interactions with patients. Analyzing the feedback given to coached providers as part of an effective shadow-coaching program provides details about implementation on shadow-coaching feedback.
AHRQ-funded; HS025920.
Citation: Quigley DD, Qureshi N, Palimaru A .
Content and actionability of recommendations to providers after shadow coaching.
Qual Manag Health Care 2022 Oct-Dec;31(4):199-209. doi: 10.1097/qmh.0000000000000354..
Keywords: Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS), Patient Experience, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Practice Improvement, Clinician-Patient Communication, Communication
Quigley D, Qureshi N, Rybowski L
AHRQ Author: Ginsberg C
Summary of the 2020 AHRQ research meeting on 'Advancing Methods of Implementing and Evaluating Patient experience improvement using consumer assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS®) Surveys'.
The purpose of this AHRQ authored paper was to discuss the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality research meeting on using Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS®) data for quality improvement (QI). The author reports on 3 topics addressed, including: lessons learned about organizational factors/environment for improving patient experience; 2) organizational use of data to improve patient experience; and 3) information provided by evaluations utilizing CAHPS data and their use in implementing successful programs to improve patient experience. The author further identified key themes, including: Early and frequent engagement of providers and stakeholders, QI process standardization, complementing CAHPS data with other data, and compiling dashboards of CAHPS scores to identify and track improvement. The author concluded that much can be learned and achieved from organization-level studies.
AHRQ-authored; AHRQ-funded; HS025920; HS016978.
Citation: Quigley D, Qureshi N, Rybowski L .
Summary of the 2020 AHRQ research meeting on 'Advancing Methods of Implementing and Evaluating Patient experience improvement using consumer assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS®) Surveys'.
Expert Rev Pharmacoecon Outcomes Res 2022 Sep;22(6):883-90. doi: 10.1080/14737167.2022.2064848..
Keywords: Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS), Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Patient Experience
Fowler FJ, Brenner PS, Cosenza C
How responding in Spanish affects CAHPS results.
The purpose of this study was to examine the associations of language and ethnicity with responses to CAHPS surveys and assess the effect of responding to CAHPS surveys in Spanish. The researchers surveyed patients who had received care at a Connecticut community health center within 6 or 12 months of being sent a CAHPS survey that asks about care experiences. Three hypotheses were tested: 1. Spanish speakers are more likely to choose extreme response options. 2. The meaning of the Spanish translation is different than the English version of the questions, with Spanish speakers providing different answers because of meaning differences. 3. Spanish speakers have different expectations regarding their health care than those who answer in English. Researchers evaluated any differences by ethnicity and language. The study found that those answering in Spanish gave significantly more positive reports than the other two groups on three of the five measures, and higher than the non-Hispanic respondents on a fourth. The study concluded that subjects answering in Spanish gave more positive reports of their medical experiences than Hispanics and non-Hispanics answering in English.
AHRQ-funded; HS016978.
Citation: Fowler FJ, Brenner PS, Cosenza C .
How responding in Spanish affects CAHPS results.
BMC Health Serv Res 2022 Jul 8;22(1):884. doi: 10.1186/s12913-022-08262-1..
Keywords: Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS), Cultural Competence, Patient Experience, Quality of Care, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Schwartz ML, Rahman M, Thomas KS
Consumer selection and home health agency quality and patient experience stars.
The objective of this study was to compare the impact of the introduction of two distinct sets of star ratings, quality of care, and patient experience, on home health agency (HHA) selection. The investigators concluded that the introduction of quality of care and patient experience stars were associated with changes in HHA selection; however, the strength of these relationships was weaker than observed in other health care settings where a single star rating was reported.
AHRQ-funded; HS026440.
Citation: Schwartz ML, Rahman M, Thomas KS .
Consumer selection and home health agency quality and patient experience stars.
Health Serv Res 2022 Feb;57(1):113-24. doi: 10.1111/1475-6773.13867..
Keywords: Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS), Home Healthcare, Patient Experience, Quality Measures, Quality of Care, Provider Performance, Quality Indicators (QIs)
Quigley DD, Elliott MN, Slaughter ME
Shadow coaching improves patient experience with care, but gains erode later.
Health care organizations strive to improve patient care experiences. Some use one-on-one provider counseling (shadow coaching) to identify and target modifiable provider behaviors. In this study, the investigators examined whether shadow coaching improved patient experience across 44 primary care practices in a large urban Federally Qualified Health Center. The investigators concluded that shadow coaching improved providers' overall performance and communication immediately after being coached.
AHRQ-funded; HS025920.
Citation: Quigley DD, Elliott MN, Slaughter ME .
Shadow coaching improves patient experience with care, but gains erode later.
Med Care 2021 Nov;59(11):950-60. doi: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000001629..
Keywords: Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS), Patient Experience, Provider Performance, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Primary Care
Roberts ET, Song Z, Ding L
Changes in patient experiences and assessment of gaming among large clinician practices in precursors of the merit-based incentive payment system.
Medicare's Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS), a public reporting and pay-for-performance program, adjusts clinician payments based on publicly reported measures that are chosen primarily by clinicians or their practices. Within precursor programs of the MIPS, this study examined 1) practices' selection of Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) patient experience measures for quality scoring under pay-for-performance and 2) the association between mandated public reporting on CAHPS measures and performance on those measures.
AHRQ-funded; HS026727.
Citation: Roberts ET, Song Z, Ding L .
Changes in patient experiences and assessment of gaming among large clinician practices in precursors of the merit-based incentive payment system.
JAMA Health Forum 2021 Oct;2(10). doi: 10.1001/jamahealthforum.2021.3105..
Keywords: Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS), Patient Experience, Medicare, Provider Performance, Payment, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care
Shintani Smith S, Cheng BT, Kern RC
Publicly reported patient satisfaction scores in academic otolaryngology departments.
Despite controversy regarding their impact and validity, there is a rising national focus on patient satisfaction scores (PSS). In this retrospective cross-sectional study the investigators described the landscape of online PSS as posted by academic otolaryngology practices. The investigators concluded that patient satisfaction with otolaryngology providers at academic institutions was consistently high, as demonstrated by high online PSS with little variability.
AHRQ-funded; HS023011.
Citation: Shintani Smith S, Cheng BT, Kern RC .
Publicly reported patient satisfaction scores in academic otolaryngology departments.
Laryngoscope 2021 Oct;131(10):2204-10. doi: 10.1002/lary.29557..
Keywords: Patient Experience, Quality of Care, Provider Performance
Quigley DD, Slaughter ME, Gidengil C
Usefulness of child HCAHPS survey data for improving inpatient pediatric care experiences.
Quality improvement (QI) requires data, indicators, and national benchmarks. Knowledge about the usefulness of Child Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (Child HCAHPS) data are lacking. In this study the investigators examined quality leader and frontline staff perceptions about patient experience measurement and use of Child HCAHPS data for QI. The investigators surveyed children's hospital leaders and staff about their use of Child HCAHPS for QI, including measures from other studies. They compared scale and item means for leaders and staff and compared means to other studies.
AHRQ-funded; HS025920.
Citation: Quigley DD, Slaughter ME, Gidengil C .
Usefulness of child HCAHPS survey data for improving inpatient pediatric care experiences.
Hosp Pediatr 2021 Oct;11(10):e199-e214. doi: 10.1542/hpeds.2020-004283..
Keywords: Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS), Children/Adolescents, Hospitals, Patient Experience, Quality Improvement, Quality Measures, Quality of Care
Quigley DD, Qureshi N, AlMasarweh L
Using CAHPS patient experience data for patient-centered medical home transformation.
The purpose of this study was to examine how primary care practices used the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) survey and its patient-centered medical home (PCMH) items during their PCMH transition. The investigators concluded that CAHPS surveys were considered actionable for PCMH transformation and used in standardizing and coordinating care. The CAHPS PCMH items were considered integral to the continuous QI needed for moving beyond formal PCMH recognition and maximizing transformation.
AHRQ-funded; HS016980; HS025920.
Citation: Quigley DD, Qureshi N, AlMasarweh L .
Using CAHPS patient experience data for patient-centered medical home transformation.
Am J Manag Care 2021 Sep;27(9):e322-e29. doi: 10.37765/ajmc.2021.88745..
Keywords: Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS), Patient Experience, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Primary Care, Practice Improvement, Healthcare Delivery, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care
Meyers DJ, Rahman M, Mor V
Association of Medicare Advantage Star Ratings with racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities in quality of care.
This cross-sectional study looked at racial/ethnic minority and socioeconomic disparities in ratings for Medicare Advantage (MA) plans, which disproportionately enroll these populations. A total of 1,578,564 enrollees were included in this analysis that used 22 measures of quality and satisfaction at the individual enrollee level, aggregated into simulated star ratings from 2-5 stratified by socioeconomic status (SES) and race/ethnicity. Low SES enrollees had simulated stratified star ratings 0.5 stars lower than individuals with high SES in the same contract. Black enrollees had simulated star ratings that were 0.3 stars lower and Hispanic enrollees had 0.1 lower simulated star ratings than White enrollees in the same contract. There was a larger difference in ratings with 4.5 to 5-star contracts with Black and Hispanic enrollees with Whites, and no statistical difference in 2.0 to 2.5 star-rated contracts. There was only low correlation between simulated ratings for enrollees of low SES and high SES.
AHRQ-funded; HS02705101.
Citation: Meyers DJ, Rahman M, Mor V .
Association of Medicare Advantage Star Ratings with racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities in quality of care.
JAMA Health Forum 2021 Jun;2(6):e210793..
Keywords: Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS), Medicare, Patient Experience, Disparities, Quality Measures, Provider Performance, Quality of Care, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Hung DY, Mujal G, Jin A
Patient experiences after implementing lean primary care redesigns.
The authors examined the effect of Lean primary care redesigns on patient satisfaction with care and timeliness of care received. After implementation of Lean redesigns, they found that patients reported a 44.8 percent increase in satisfaction with the adequacy of time spent with care providers during office visits. They also reported 71.6 percent higher satisfaction with their care provider's ability to listen to their concerns and a 55.4 percent increase in perceived staff helpfulness at the visit. The amount of time elapsed between a patient request for a routine appointment and the scheduled visit day decreased. On the day of the visit, patient wait times to be seen also decreased gradually.
AHRQ-funded; HS024529.
Citation: Hung DY, Mujal G, Jin A .
Patient experiences after implementing lean primary care redesigns.
Health Serv Res 2021 Jun;56(3):363-70. doi: 10.1111/1475-6773.13605..
Keywords: Patient Experience, Primary Care: Models of Care, Primary Care, Workflow, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care
Willard-Grace R, Knox M, Huang B
Primary care clinician burnout and engagement association with clinical quality and patient experience.
Burnout and engagement are commonly conceptualized as opposite ends of a spectrum, and there is concern that high clinician burnout and lack of engagement may adversely impact patient care. In this study, the investigators matched self-reported data on burnout and engagement for 182 primary care clinicians with data on clinical quality (cancer screenings, hypertension and diabetes control) and patient experience (Clinician and Group Survey-Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems [CG-CAHPS] communication scores, overall rating, and likelihood to recommend the clinic).
AHRQ-funded; HS026067.
Citation: Willard-Grace R, Knox M, Huang B .
Primary care clinician burnout and engagement association with clinical quality and patient experience.
J Am Board Fam Med 2021 May-Jun;34(3):542-52. doi: 10.3122/jabfm.2021.03.200515..
Keywords: Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS), Burnout, Patient Experience, Patient and Family Engagement, Provider: Clinician, Provider: Physician, Quality of Care, Provider: Nurse, Provider: Health Personnel
Ahmedov M, Pourat N, Liu H
Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS®) survey of experiences with ambulatory healthcare for Asians and non-Hispanic Whites in the United States.
This paper discusses the results of the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS®) Clinical and Group (CG-CAHPS) Adult Visit Survey 1.0 which includes data on care experiences to compare specific aspects of care of Asians and Whites. Most surveys were administered by mail with a sample comprised of 64% female, 89% White, 2% Asian, 39% 65 years or older, and 32% were high school graduates or less. Asians reported worse access, lower scores on office staff courtesy and helpfulness and rating their doctors, and were less likely to recommend their doctors to family/friends than did Whites.
AHRQ-funded; HS016980; HS016978.
Citation: Ahmedov M, Pourat N, Liu H .
Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS®) survey of experiences with ambulatory healthcare for Asians and non-Hispanic Whites in the United States.
J Patient Rep Outcomes 2021 Mar 24;5(1):29. doi: 10.1186/s41687-021-00303-3..
Keywords: Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS), Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Patient Experience, Quality of Care, Ambulatory Care and Surgery
Cefalu M, Elliott MN, Hays RD
Adjustment of patient experience surveys for how people respond.
Researchers provided a practical overview of adjusting patient experience survey results to address bias related to patient case-mix, extreme response tendency, and mode of survey administration. They discussed options for adjustment for biases in how people respond to patient experience surveys. They concluded that it is best practice to evaluate known source of bias when analyzing patient experience surveys; failure to adjust for patient case-mix, extreme response tendency, and survey mode in patient experience surveys may lead to erroneous comparisons of providers.
AHRQ-funded; HS025920.
Citation: Cefalu M, Elliott MN, Hays RD .
Adjustment of patient experience surveys for how people respond.
Med Care 2021 Mar;59(3):202-05. doi: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000001489..
Keywords: Patient Experience, Quality of Care
Nguyen KH, Trivedi AN, Cole MB
Receipt of social needs assistance and health center patient experience of care.
The goal of this study was to examine the degree to which community health center patients report receiving social needs assistance and compares measures of access and quality. A nationally representative sample of 4,699 nonelderly adults receiving care at community health centers out of 12.6 million patients was studied from the 2014-2015 HRSA Health Center Patient Survey. Social needs assistance was defined as a patient receiving community health center assistance accessing social programs such as applying for government benefits or obtaining basic needs such as transportation, housing, or food. From the sample, 36% reported receiving social needs assistance. Patients receiving assistance were more likely to report their usual source of care as a community health center and to report perceived quality of care as “the best”. They were also significantly less likely to use emergency departments as their usual source of care.
AHRQ-funded; HS000011.
Citation: Nguyen KH, Trivedi AN, Cole MB .
Receipt of social needs assistance and health center patient experience of care.
Am J Prev Med 2021 Mar;60(3):e139-e47. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2020.08.030..
Keywords: Social Determinants of Health, Vulnerable Populations, Patient Experience, Quality of Care
Meyers DJ, Trivedi AN, Wilson IB, DJ, Trivedi AN, Wilson IB
Higher Medicare Advantage Star Ratings are associated with improvements In patient outcomes.
Researchers examined CMS' five-star rating system for the overall quality of Medicare Advantage (MA) contracts. They found that enrollees experiencing a one-star MA rating increase were 20.8 percent less likely to leave their plan voluntarily to enroll in another plan or traditional Medicare. When hospitalized, enrollees were 3.4 percent more likely to use a higher-quality hospital and 2.6 percent less likely to be readmitted within ninety days. These findings suggest that MA star ratings may capture key domains of an MA plan's quality.
AHRQ-funded; HS027051.
Citation: Meyers DJ, Trivedi AN, Wilson IB, DJ, Trivedi AN, Wilson IB .
Higher Medicare Advantage Star Ratings are associated with improvements In patient outcomes.
Health Aff 2021 Feb;40(2):243-50. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2020.00845..
Keywords: Patient Experience, Provider Performance, Medicare, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Outcomes
Quigley DD, McCleskey SG
Improving care experiences for patients and caregivers at end of life: a systematic review.
End-of-life care is increasing as the US population ages. Approaches to providing high-quality end-of-life care vary across setting, diseases, and populations. Several data collection tools measure patient and/or caregiver care experiences at end of life and can be used for quality improvement. Previous reviews examined palliative care improvements or available measures but none explicitly on improving care experiences. In this study, the researchers reviewed literature on improving patient and/or caregiver end-of-life care experiences.
AHRQ-funded; HS025920.
Citation: Quigley DD, McCleskey SG .
Improving care experiences for patients and caregivers at end of life: a systematic review.
Am J Hosp Palliat Care 2021 Jan;38(1):84-93. doi: 10.1177/1049909120931468..
Keywords: Palliative Care, Caregiving, Patient Experience, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care
Heinze K, Suwanabol PA, Vitous CA
A survey of patient perspectives on approach to health care: focus on physician competency and compassion.
This study is a cross-sectional survey of 764 patients to gain insight into perceptions of physician qualities of compassion and competence. The participants response rate was 85%, with mean age 52.4, 70.8% female, and 84% identified as white. Predictors of compassion over competence included female gender and whether the respondent had a personal connection to the vignette used. Preferences were found to be influenced by: 1) explicit beliefs regarding the value of physician compassion and competence; 2) impact of emotional and mental health on medical experiences; 3) type and frequency of health care exposure, and; 4) perceived role of the physician in various clinical vignettes.
AHRQ-funded; HS026772.
Citation: Heinze K, Suwanabol PA, Vitous CA .
A survey of patient perspectives on approach to health care: focus on physician competency and compassion.
J Patient Exp 2020 Dec;7(6):1044-53. doi: 10.1177/2374373520968447..
Keywords: Provider: Physician, Provider, Patient Experience, Provider Performance, Quality of Care
Quigley DD, Qureshi N, Masarweh LA
Practice leaders report targeting several types of changes in care experienced by patients during patient-centered medical home transformation.
This study looked at how primary care practices implemented changes during the transition to becoming a patient-centered medical home (PCMH). The authors examined 105 primary care practice leader experiences during PCMH transformation using semi-structured interviews. Practices most commonly targeted changes in care coordination (30%), access to care (25%), and provider communication (24%). Reported areas for PCMH transformation were measured by Clinician & Group CAHPS, PCMH CAHPS, or supplemental CAHPS survey items, including team-based care (35%), providing more on-site services (28%), care management (22%), patient-centered culture (18%), and chronic condition health education (13%). Many PCMH changes are captured by CAHPS survey items, but some are not.
AHRQ-funded; HS025920.
Citation: Quigley DD, Qureshi N, Masarweh LA .
Practice leaders report targeting several types of changes in care experienced by patients during patient-centered medical home transformation.
J Patient Exp 2020 Dec;7(6):1509-18. doi: 10.1177/2374373520934231..
Keywords: Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS), Primary Care: Models of Care, Primary Care, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Patient Experience, Care Coordination, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Implementation
Aysola J, Xu C, Huo H
The relationships between patient experience and quality and utilization of primary care services.
This study examined the associations between visit-triggered patient-reported experience measures and both quality of care measures and the number of missed primary care appointments. A cross-sectional analysis of 8355 primary care patients from 22 primary care practices was conducted. Outcomes measured included: smoking cessation discussion, diabetes eye examination referral, mammography, colonoscopy screening, current smoking status, diabetes control hemoglobin A1c, blood pressure control, cholesterol control LDL among patients with diabetes, and visit no shows 2 and 5 years after the index visit. The authors found that patient experience can be an important stand-alone metric of care quality, although it may not relate to clinical outcomes or process measures in the outpatient setting.
AHRQ-funded; HS021706.
Citation: Aysola J, Xu C, Huo H .
The relationships between patient experience and quality and utilization of primary care services.
J Patient Exp 2020 Dec;7(6):1678-84. doi: 10.1177/2374373520924190..
Keywords: Patient Experience, Primary Care, Primary Care: Models of Care, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care
Short MN, Ho V
Weighing the effects of vertical integration versus market concentration on hospital quality.
Provider organizations are increasing in complexity, as hospitals acquire physician practices and physician organizations grow in size. At the same time, hospitals are merging with each other to improve bargaining power with insurers. In this study, the investigators analyzed 29 quality measures reported to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services' Hospital Compare database for 2008 to 2015 to test whether vertical integration between hospitals and physicians or increases in hospital market concentration influenced patient outcomes.
AHRQ-funded; HS024727.
Citation: Short MN, Ho V .
Weighing the effects of vertical integration versus market concentration on hospital quality.
Med Care Res Rev 2020 Dec;77(6):538-48. doi: 10.1177/1077558719828938.
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Keywords: Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS), Quality of Care, Patient Experience, Hospitals, Medicare, Provider Performance, Health Systems
Schlesinger M, Grob R, Shaller D
A rigorous approach to large-scale elicitation and analysis of patient narratives.
Patient narratives have emerged as promising vehicles for making health care more responsive by helping clinicians to better understand their patients' expectations, perceptions, or concerns and encouraging consumers to engage with information about quality. In this article, the investigators offer the first empirical test of the proposition that patient narratives can be elicited rigorously and reliably using a five-question protocol that can be incorporated into large-scale patient experience surveys.
AHRQ-funded; HS021858; HS016978; HS016980; HS025920.
Citation: Schlesinger M, Grob R, Shaller D .
A rigorous approach to large-scale elicitation and analysis of patient narratives.
Med Care Res Rev 2020 Oct;77(5):416-27. doi: 10.1177/1077558718803859..
Keywords: Patient Experience, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care
Mouch CA, Baskin AS, Yearling R CA, Baskin AS, Yearling R
Sleep patterns and quality among inpatients recovering from elective surgery: a mixed-method study.
This study examined sleep quality and barriers to sleep among adult hospital inpatients recovering from elective surgery. A quantitative survey was used followed by a qualitative phone interview with a subsample of participants. Of 113 eligible patients, 102 (90%) completed the survey. Less than half reported sleeping well the night prior to surgery and 93% reported less sleep in the hospital compared to home. A median of 5 (4-7) interruptions were reported each night. Patients with more than three interruptions were likely to report poor sleep compared with those who had three or less. Barriers to sleep included staff interruptions and roommate noise but not pain. Patients interviewed suggested improved timing and knowledge of interruptions or use of noise-reduction aids that would facilitate sleep.
AHRQ-funded; HS026030.
Citation: Mouch CA, Baskin AS, Yearling R CA, Baskin AS, Yearling R .
Sleep patterns and quality among inpatients recovering from elective surgery: a mixed-method study.
J Surg Res 2020 Oct;254:268-74. doi: 10.1016/j.jss.2020.04.032..
Keywords: Sleep Problems, Surgery, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Inpatient Care, Hospitals, Patient Experience
Fisher KA, Gallagher TH, Smith KM
Communicating with patients about breakdowns in care: a national randomised vignette-based survey.
This study examined the impact of an apology when problems occur in patient care breakdowns occur at hospitals. Breakdowns included slow response to call bell, rude aide, and unanswered questions. A national online survey of 1188 adults aged 35 years or older were sampled from an online panel representative of the entire US population, created and maintained by GfK. Twice as many participants receiving an in-depth prompt about care breakdowns would recommend the hospital compared with those receiving no prompt (18.4% vs 8.8%). Almost three times as many participants who received a full apology would probably/definitely recommend the hospital compared with those receiving no apology (34.1% vs 13.6%). The survey also asked whether the respondent would speak up, with feeling upset being a strong determinant of greater intent to speak up.
AHRQ-funded; HS024596; HS022757.
Citation: Fisher KA, Gallagher TH, Smith KM .
Communicating with patients about breakdowns in care: a national randomised vignette-based survey.
BMJ Qual Saf 2020 Apr;29(4):313-19. doi: 10.1136/bmjqs-2019-009712..
Keywords: Clinician-Patient Communication, Communication, Patient Experience, Patient and Family Engagement, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Hospitals
Fahrenbach J, Chin MH, Huang ES
Neighborhood disadvantage and hospital quality ratings in the Medicare Hospital Compare Program.
This study examined the relationship between neighborhood social risk factors (SRFs) and hospital ratings in Medicare's Hospital Compare Program. Results showed that lower hospital summary scores were associated with caring for neighborhoods with higher social risk. Associations between neighborhood SRFs and hospital ratings were largest in the timeliness of care, patient experience, and hospital readmission groups and smallest in the safety, efficiency, and effectiveness of care groups. Failing to account for neighborhood social risk in hospital rating systems may reinforce hidden disincentives to care for medically underserved areas in the United States.
AHRQ-funded; HS023007.
Citation: Fahrenbach J, Chin MH, Huang ES .
Neighborhood disadvantage and hospital quality ratings in the Medicare Hospital Compare Program.
Med Care 2020 Apr;58(4):376-83. doi: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000001283..
Keywords: Quality of Care, Hospitals, Medicare, Quality Indicators (QIs), Patient Experience, Social Determinants of Health