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
Topics
- Back Health and Pain (1)
- Cancer (2)
- Cancer: Colorectal Cancer (1)
- Caregiving (2)
- Children/Adolescents (1)
- Chronic Conditions (1)
- Communication (1)
- Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) (1)
- Evidence-Based Practice (3)
- Health Information Technology (HIT) (2)
- Health Literacy (1)
- Hospitalization (1)
- Hospitals (1)
- Inpatient Care (1)
- Kidney Disease and Health (1)
- Medication (1)
- Neurological Disorders (1)
- Obesity (1)
- Orthopedics (2)
- Outcomes (5)
- Palliative Care (1)
- Patient-Centered Healthcare (4)
- (-) Patient-Centered Outcomes Research (18)
- Patient and Family Engagement (1)
- (-) Patient Experience (18)
- Patient Safety (1)
- Quality Improvement (2)
- Quality Measures (1)
- Quality of Care (6)
- Quality of Life (2)
- Shared Decision Making (2)
- Surgery (7)
- Telehealth (1)
- Women (1)
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 18 of 18 Research Studies DisplayedWhitebird RR, Solberg LI, Ziegenfuss JY
Personalized outcomes for hip and knee replacement: the patients point of view.
Patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) are increasingly being incorporated into clinical and surgical care for assessing outcomes. This study examined outcomes important to patients in their decision to have hip or knee replacement surgery, their perspectives on PROMs and shared decision-making, and factors they considered important for postoperative care.
AHRQ-funded; HS025618.
Citation: Whitebird RR, Solberg LI, Ziegenfuss JY .
Personalized outcomes for hip and knee replacement: the patients point of view.
J Patient Rep Outcomes 2021 Nov 4;5(1):116. doi: 10.1186/s41687-021-00393-z..
Keywords: Orthopedics, Surgery, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Patient Experience, Shared Decision Making
Richardson DR, Oakes AH, Crossnohere NL
Prioritizing the worries of AML patients: Quantifying patient experience using best-worst scaling.
Although patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) experience significant toxicities and poor outcomes, few studies have quantified patients' experience. In this study, a community-centered approach was used to develop an AML-specific best-worst scaling (BWS) instrument involving 13 items in four domains (psychological, physical, decision-making, treatment delivery) to quantify patient worry. A survey of patients and caregivers was conducted using the instrument. Data were analyzed using conditional logistic regression.
AHRQ-funded; HS000032.
Citation: Richardson DR, Oakes AH, Crossnohere NL .
Prioritizing the worries of AML patients: Quantifying patient experience using best-worst scaling.
Psychooncology 2021 Jul;30(7):1104-11. doi: 10.1002/pon.5652..
Keywords: Cancer, Patient Experience, Caregiving, Outcomes, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research
Aiyegbusi OL, Nair D, Peipert JD
A narrative review of current evidence supporting the implementation of electronic patient-reported outcome measures in the management of chronic diseases.
This review discusses and summarizes evidence of the impact of electronic patient-reported outcomes measures (ePROMs) on clinical parameters and outcomes relevant to chronic diseases. Various studies have demonstrated the feasibility of ePROMs in routine clinical practice with patients increasing expressing a preference for an electronic mode of administration. These ePROMs could have significant impacts on outcomes valued by patients, healthcare providers, and researchers. Recently published literature.
AHRQ-funded; HS026395.
Citation: Aiyegbusi OL, Nair D, Peipert JD .
A narrative review of current evidence supporting the implementation of electronic patient-reported outcome measures in the management of chronic diseases.
Ther Adv Chronic Dis 2021 May 24;12:20406223211015958. doi: 10.1177/20406223211015958..
Keywords: Chronic Conditions, Patient Experience, Health Information Technology (HIT), Outcomes, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Evidence-Based Practice
Leyenaar JK, Rizzo PA, O'Brien ER
Paediatric hospital admission processes and outcomes: a qualitative study of parents' experiences and priorities.
The investigators aimed to characterize, among children hospitalised with ambulatory care sensitive conditions, families' experiences as they transitioned from outpatient to inpatient care, identify hospital admission processes and outcomes most important to families and determine how parental perspectives differed between children admitted directly and through emergency departments (ED). They conducted semistructured interviews with parents of hospitalised children at four structurally diverse hospitals.
AHRQ-funded; HS024133.
Citation: Leyenaar JK, Rizzo PA, O'Brien ER .
Paediatric hospital admission processes and outcomes: a qualitative study of parents' experiences and priorities.
BMJ Qual Saf 2018 Oct;27(10):790-98. doi: 10.1136/bmjqs-2017-007442..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Hospitalization, Patient Experience, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Children/Adolescents
Nuckols TK, Conlon C, Robbins M
Quality of care and patient-reported outcomes in carpal tunnel syndrome: a prospective observational study.
This prospective observational study examined the association of higher quality care for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) with better outcomes. Adults diagnosed with CTS from 30 occupational health centers were recruited and their physicians' adherence to recommended care processes evaluated. Among 343 individuals, receiving better was associated with greater improvements. CTS symptoms showed greater improvement when physicians assessed and managed patient activity, when patients underwent necessary surgery, and when employers adjusted job tasks. The researchers conclude that efforts should be made to ensure patients with CTS receive essential care processes, including activity assessment and management as well as necessary surgery.
AHRQ-funded; HS018982.
Citation: Nuckols TK, Conlon C, Robbins M .
Quality of care and patient-reported outcomes in carpal tunnel syndrome: a prospective observational study.
Muscle Nerve 2018 Jun;57(6):896-904. doi: 10.1002/mus.26041..
Keywords: Neurological Disorders, Outcomes, Patient Experience, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Quality of Care
Bossick AS, Sangha R, Olden H
Identifying what matters to hysterectomy patients: postsurgery perceptions, beliefs, and experiences.
This study collected data through structured focus groups with 24 post-hysterectomy women in order to identify Patient Centered Outcomes to employ in a subsequent cohort study of hysterectomy surgical approaches. According to the authors, the data suggested a need for increased education and empowerment in the decision making process, while expanding on information given for post-operative expectations and somatic changes that occur post-hysterectomy.
AHRQ-funded; HS022417.
Citation: Bossick AS, Sangha R, Olden H .
Identifying what matters to hysterectomy patients: postsurgery perceptions, beliefs, and experiences.
J Patient Cent Res Rev 2018;5(2):167-75. doi: 10.17294/2330-0698.1581..
Keywords: Patient Experience, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Surgery, Women
Domenick Sridharan N, Fish L, Yu L
The associations of hemodialysis access type and access satisfaction with health-related quality of life.
This study sought to understand the impact of hemodialysis (HD) access type on health-related quality of life (HRQOL). The study concluded that HD patients experience greatest satisfaction with fistula, and access satisfaction is significantly associated with better HRQOL. Controlling for access satisfaction, there is no significant independent association of access type on HRQOL.
AHRQ-funded; HS019486.
Citation: Domenick Sridharan N, Fish L, Yu L .
The associations of hemodialysis access type and access satisfaction with health-related quality of life.
J Vasc Surg 2018 Jan;67(1):229-35. doi: 10.1016/j.jvs.2017.05.131..
Keywords: Kidney Disease and Health, Kidney Disease and Health, Patient Experience, Quality of Life, Surgery, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research
Aslakson R, Dy SM, Wilson RF
Patient and caregiver-reported assessment tools for palliative care: summary of the 2017 AHRQ Technical Brief.
This paper summarizes palliative care assessment tools completed by or with patients or caregivers, and identifies needs for future tool development and evaluation. It concluded that few to no tools address the spiritual, ethical, or cultural domains or patient-reported experience with end of life care. While some data exists on psychometric properties of tools, the responsiveness of different tools to change and/or comparisons between tools have not been evaluated.
AHRQ-funded; 290201500006I.
Citation: Aslakson R, Dy SM, Wilson RF .
Patient and caregiver-reported assessment tools for palliative care: summary of the 2017 AHRQ Technical Brief.
J Pain Symptom Manage 2017 Dec;54(6):961-72.e16. doi: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2017.04.022.
.
.
Keywords: Caregiving, Evidence-Based Practice, Palliative Care, Patient Experience, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research
Fisher KA, Mazor KM
Patient and family complaints in cancer care: what can we learn from the tip of the iceberg?
This paper comments on the Mack et al. article “Evaluation of Patient and Family Outpatient Complaints as a Strategy to Prioritize Efforts to Improve Cancer Care Delivery”, published in 2017 in The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety, in which Mack et al. categorized all complaints filed at a large outpatient cancer center during a two-year period, put forth a preliminary rating system for assessing complaint severity, and catalogued the actions taken in response to the complaints.
AHRQ-funded; HS024596; HS022757.
Citation: Fisher KA, Mazor KM .
Patient and family complaints in cancer care: what can we learn from the tip of the iceberg?
Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf 2017 Oct;43(10):495-97. doi: 10.1016/j.jcjq.2017.07.003..
Keywords: Cancer, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Patient Experience, Patient Safety, Quality of Care, Quality Improvement
Ehlers AP, Khor S, Cizik AM
Use of patient-reported outcomes and satisfaction for quality assessments.
This study investigated the relationship between PROs and satisfaction among spine surgery patients. The authors hypothesized that there would be significant disparities between patient satisfaction and PROs at the 1-year postoperative time point. The study found that overall, patients undergoing elective lumbar spine surgery reported being satisfied with outcomes, but the reported responses in PROs were much more variable.
AHRQ-funded; HS020025.
Citation: Ehlers AP, Khor S, Cizik AM .
Use of patient-reported outcomes and satisfaction for quality assessments.
Am J Manag Care 2017 Oct;23(10):618-22..
Keywords: Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Patient Experience, Quality of Care, Surgery, Outcomes, Orthopedics
Waljee JF, Dimick JB
Do patient-reported outcomes correlate with clinical outcomes following surgery?
This study examines whether patient-reported outcomes (PROs) correlate with clinical outcomes following surgery. PROs are distinct from clinical outcomes and represent a potential indicator of performance that can be targeted to improve quality of care. Future studies that examine the influence of measurement techniques, case mix, and disease characteristics on PROs will inform efforts to routinely and efficiently integrate these critical outcomes into existing strategies to capture treatment effectiveness and quality of care for surgical conditions.
AHRQ-funded; HS023313.
Citation: Waljee JF, Dimick JB .
Do patient-reported outcomes correlate with clinical outcomes following surgery?
Adv Surg 2017 Sep;51(1):141-50. doi: 10.1016/j.yasu.2017.03.011..
Keywords: Quality of Care, Outcomes, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Surgery, Patient Experience, Quality Measures
Fisher K, Smith K, Gallagher T
We want to know: eliciting hospitalized patients' perspectives on breakdowns in care.
Researchers interviewed a broad sample of patients during hospitalization and postdischarge to elicit patient perspectives on breakdowns in care. When asked directly, almost 4 out of 10 hospitalized patients reported a breakdown in their care. Patient- perceived breakdowns in care are frequently associated with perceived harm, illustrating the importance of detecting and addressing these events.
AHRQ-funded; HS024596; HS022757.
Citation: Fisher K, Smith K, Gallagher T .
We want to know: eliciting hospitalized patients' perspectives on breakdowns in care.
J Hosp Med 2017 Aug;12(8):603-09. doi: 10.12788/jhm.2783.
.
.
Keywords: Communication, Quality of Care, Inpatient Care, Patient Experience, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research
Abujarad F, Alfano S, Bright TJ
AHRQ Author: Bright TJ
Building an informed consent tool starting with the patient: the patient-centered Virtual Multimedia Interactive Informed Consent (VIC).
This paper describes how the authors designed, developed, and evaluated an mHealth tool for advancing the informed consent process. Their tool enables the informed consent process to be performed on tablets (e.g., iPads) utilizing virtual coaching with text-to-speech automated translation as well as an interactive multimedia elements (e.g., graphics, video clips, animations, presentations, etc.). They present the Used-Centered Design approach they adopted to develop the tool and the results of the different methods used during the development of the tool.
AHRQ-authored; AHRQ-funded; HS023987.
Citation: Abujarad F, Alfano S, Bright TJ .
Building an informed consent tool starting with the patient: the patient-centered Virtual Multimedia Interactive Informed Consent (VIC).
AMIA Annu Symp Proc 2017 Apr 16;2017:374-83..
Keywords: Health Information Technology (HIT), Health Literacy, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Patient Experience, Telehealth
Franklin PD
Research priorities for optimal use of patient-reported outcomes in quality and outcome improvement for total knee arthroplasty.
This paper uses the traditional quality management's framework of inputs (patients), processes (clinical care), and outcomes to outline priority research questions to learn how clinicians, hospital managers, and patients can interpret patient-reported outcomes to improve total knee arthroplasty care and outcomes. It concludes that research should identify best practices to minimize variation in a patient's health status before surgery.
AHRQ-funded; HS018910.
Citation: Franklin PD .
Research priorities for optimal use of patient-reported outcomes in quality and outcome improvement for total knee arthroplasty.
J Am Acad Orthop Surg 2017 Feb;25 Suppl 1:S51-s54. doi: 10.5435/jaaos-d-16-00632.
.
.
Keywords: Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Surgery, Quality Improvement, Patient Experience, Evidence-Based Practice
Tyler Ellis C, Charlton ME, Stitzenberg KB
Patient-reported roles, preferences, and expectations regarding treatment of stage i rectal cancer in the cancer care outcomes research and surveillance consortium.
The researchers identified patient roles, preferences, and expectations as they relate to treatment decision making for patients with stage I rectal cancer. They found that, in this study of 154 adults with newly-diagnosed and surgically treated stage 1 rectal cancer, the preferred decision-making role for patients did not match the actual decision-making process. They recommended that future efforts focus on bridging the gap between the decision-making process and patient preferences regarding various treatment approaches.
AHRQ-funded; HS000032.
Citation: Tyler Ellis C, Charlton ME, Stitzenberg KB .
Patient-reported roles, preferences, and expectations regarding treatment of stage i rectal cancer in the cancer care outcomes research and surveillance consortium.
Dis Colon Rectum 2016 Oct;59(10):907-15. doi: 10.1097/dcr.0000000000000662.
.
.
Keywords: Cancer: Colorectal Cancer, Shared Decision Making, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Patient Experience, Patient and Family Engagement
Waljee JF, Ghaferi A, Finks JF
Variation in patient-reported outcomes across hospitals following surgery.
The researchers examined variation in patient-reported outcomes (PROs), specifically health-related quality of life (HRQOL), across hospitals performing bariatric surgery. They found that patient factors explain a large proportion of hospital-level variation in PROs following bariatric surgery, underscoring the importance of risk adjustment.
AHRQ-funded; HS023313.
Citation: Waljee JF, Ghaferi A, Finks JF .
Variation in patient-reported outcomes across hospitals following surgery.
Med Care 2015 Nov;53(11):960-6. doi: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000000425..
Keywords: Quality of Life, Surgery, Obesity, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Patient Experience
Aboumatar HJ, Chang BH, Danaf J
Promising practices for achieving patient-centered hospital care: a national study of high-performing US hospitals.
The researchers conducted a national study of hospitals that achieved the highest performance on Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems HCAHPS to identify promising practices for improving patient-centeredness, common challenges met, and how those were addressed. They found that high-performing hospitals used a set of patient-centered care processes that involved both leaders and clinicians in ensuring that patient needs and preferences are addressed.
AHRQ-funded; HS021921.
Citation: Aboumatar HJ, Chang BH, Danaf J .
Promising practices for achieving patient-centered hospital care: a national study of high-performing US hospitals.
Med Care 2015 Sep;53(9):758-67. doi: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000000396..
Keywords: Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS), Hospitals, Patient Experience, Quality of Care, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research
Suri P, Pashova H, Heagerty PJ
Short-term improvements in disability mediate patient satisfaction after epidural corticosteroid injections for symptomatic lumbar spinal stenosis.
The researchers sought to identify mediators of the effect of lumbar epidural injections of corticosteroid plus lidocaine on patient satisfaction at 6 weeks postinjection in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis. Three-week change in disability was a significant mediator of the effects of lumbar epidural corticosteroid injections on patient satisfaction at 6 weeks, explaining 48 percent to 60 percent of the treatment effect on satisfaction.
AHRQ-funded; HS019222; HS022972.
Citation: Suri P, Pashova H, Heagerty PJ .
Short-term improvements in disability mediate patient satisfaction after epidural corticosteroid injections for symptomatic lumbar spinal stenosis.
Spine 2015 Sep 01;40(17):1363-70. doi: 10.1097/brs.0000000000001000.
.
.
Keywords: Medication, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Back Health and Pain, Patient Experience