National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
Latest available findings on quality of and access to health care
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Topics
- Adverse Drug Events (ADE) (1)
- Adverse Events (2)
- Ambulatory Care and Surgery (1)
- Cardiovascular Conditions (2)
- Care Coordination (3)
- Clinician-Patient Communication (1)
- Communication (3)
- Decision Making (1)
- Digestive Disease and Health (1)
- Disparities (1)
- Elderly (8)
- Emergency Department (1)
- Healthcare Costs (1)
- Heart Disease and Health (1)
- (-) Hospital Discharge (20)
- Hospitalization (6)
- Hospital Readmissions (4)
- Hospitals (6)
- Long-Term Care (6)
- Medical Errors (1)
- Medicare (5)
- Medication (1)
- Medication: Safety (1)
- (-) Nursing Homes (20)
- Outcomes (1)
- Patient and Family Engagement (1)
- Patient Experience (2)
- Patient Safety (3)
- Payment (2)
- Practice Patterns (1)
- Provider: Clinician (1)
- Provider: Nurse (1)
- Provider: Physician (1)
- Provider Performance (1)
- Quality Improvement (2)
- Quality Indicators (QIs) (1)
- Quality of Care (4)
- Rehabilitation (2)
- Risk (2)
- Stroke (1)
- Surgery (2)
- Transitions of Care (8)
- Vulnerable Populations (1)
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 20 of 20 Research Studies DisplayedManges KA, Ayele R, Leonard C
Differences in transitional care processes among high-performing and low-performing hospital-SNF pairs: a rapid ethnographic approach.
This study’s objective was to explore differences between low- and high-performing hospitals and skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) pairs and postacute care outcomes. The authors used flow maps and thematic analysis to describe the process of hospitals discharging patients to SNFs and to identify differences in subprocesses used by high-performing and low-performing hospitals. Hospitals were classified based on their 30-day readmission rates from SNFs. The final sample included 148 hours of observations with 30 clinicians across four hospitals and five corresponding SNFs. High-performing sites differed in each stage from low-performing sites by focusing on 1) earlier, ongoing, systematic identification of high-risk patients; 2) discussing the decision to go to an SNF as an iterative team-based process and 3) anticipating barriers with knowledge of transitional and SNF care processes.
AHRQ-funded; HS026116.
Citation: Manges KA, Ayele R, Leonard C .
Differences in transitional care processes among high-performing and low-performing hospital-SNF pairs: a rapid ethnographic approach.
BMJ Qual Saf 2021 Aug;30(8):648-57. doi: 10.1136/bmjqs-2020-011204..
Keywords: Transitions of Care, Hospitals, Nursing Homes, Hospital Readmissions, Hospital Discharge
Campbell Britton M, Petersen-Pickett J, Hodshon B
Mapping the care transition from hospital to skilled nursing facility.
Researchers used process mapping to illustrate the sequence of events involved with hospital discharge and admission to a skilled nursing facility (SNF). These transitions are often associated with breakdowns in communication that may place patients at risk for adverse events. A quality improvement (QI) team worked with frontline staff at an academic medical center and two local SNFs in the northeastern United States. The final process map included care management, medicine, nursing, admissions and physical therapy service staff. The process map showed numerous activities that need to be coordinated between care teams, and highlighted specific opportunities for improving communication between different teams.
AHRQ-funded; HS023554.
Citation: Campbell Britton M, Petersen-Pickett J, Hodshon B .
Mapping the care transition from hospital to skilled nursing facility.
J Eval Clin Pract 2020 Jun;26(3):786-90. doi: 10.1111/jep.13238..
Keywords: Transitions of Care, Care Coordination, Quality Improvement, Communication, Hospital Discharge, Hospitals, Nursing Homes, Quality of Care
Werner RM, Konetzka RT, Qi M
The impact of Medicare copayments for skilled nursing facilities on length of stay, outcomes, and costs.
The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of Medicare's skilled nursing facility (SNF) copayment policy, with a large increase in the daily copayment rate on the 20th day of a benefit period, on length of stay, patient outcomes, and costs. The investigators concluded that Medicare's SNF copayment policy was associated with shorter lengths of stay and worse patient outcomes, suggesting the copayment policy had unintended and negative effects on patient outcomes.
AHRQ-funded; HS024266.
Citation: Werner RM, Konetzka RT, Qi M .
The impact of Medicare copayments for skilled nursing facilities on length of stay, outcomes, and costs.
Health Serv Res 2019 Dec;54(6):1184-92. doi: 10.1111/1475-6773.13227..
Keywords: Medicare, Nursing Homes, Payment, Long-Term Care, Healthcare Costs, Elderly, Hospitalization, Hospital Discharge
Kapoor A, Field T, Handler S
Characteristics of long-term care residents that predict adverse events after hospitalization.
This study examined the characteristics of long-term care (LTC) residents that predict adverse events (AEs) after discharge from recent hospitalization. This cohort study looked at AEs that occurred at 32 nursing homes from six New England states. AE incidents involving a total of 555 LTC residents with 762 transitions from the hospital back to LTC were reviewed. The association between all AEs and preventable AEs developing in the 45 days following discharge back to LTC was measured. There were 283 discharges with one or more AEs and 212 with preventable AEs. Characteristics independently associated with higher risk of AEs included hospital length of stay (LOS) 9 or more days, 18 or more regularly scheduled medications, and 19 and above on the dependency in activities of daily living (ADL) scale.
AHRQ-funded; HS024422.
Citation: Kapoor A, Field T, Handler S .
Characteristics of long-term care residents that predict adverse events after hospitalization.
J Am Geriatr Soc 2020 Nov;68(11):2551-57. doi: 10.1111/jgs.16770..
Keywords: Elderly, Long-Term Care, Nursing Homes, Hospitalization, Adverse Events, Transitions of Care, Hospital Discharge, Risk
Paredes AZ, Malik AT, Cluse M
Discharge disposition to skilled nursing facility after emergent general surgery predicts a poor prognosis.
Emergency general surgery can have a profound impact on the functional status of even previously independent patients. In this study, the investigators examined the role and influence of discharging a patient to a skilled nursing facility. They concluded that after accounting for patient severity and perioperative course, discharge to a skilled nursing facility was an independent risk factor for death, readmission, and postdischarge complications.
AHRQ-funded; HS022694.
Citation: Paredes AZ, Malik AT, Cluse M .
Discharge disposition to skilled nursing facility after emergent general surgery predicts a poor prognosis.
Surgery 2019 Oct;166(4):489-95. doi: 10.1016/j.surg.2019.04.034..
Keywords: Nursing Homes, Hospital Discharge, Elderly, Ambulatory Care and Surgery, Emergency Department, Outcomes, Hospital Readmissions, Outcomes, Risk
Kapoor A, Field T, Handler S
Adverse events in long-term care residents transitioning from hospital back to nursing home.
This study looked at adverse event rates of long-term care residents transitioning back to their nursing home after hospitalization. A prospective cohort study of LTC residents discharged from hospital back to LTC from March 1, 2016, to December 31, 2017 was conducted, and residents were followed up for 45 days. A random sample of 32 nursing homes located in 6 New England states was used, and 555 LTC residents were selected, contributing 762 transitions from hospital back to the same LTC facility. Most of the cohort were female (65.5%) and non-Hispanic white (93.7%). The study used trained nurse abstractors to review nursing home records to determine if an adverse event occurred. Out of 762 discharges there were 379 adverse events. The most common adverse events were pressure ulcers, skin tears, and falls followed by health care-acquired infections. 145 adverse events were considered less serious, with 28 life-threatening, and 8 were fatal. Most of the adverse events were considered preventable or ameliorable.
AHRQ-funded; HS024596.
Citation: Kapoor A, Field T, Handler S .
Adverse events in long-term care residents transitioning from hospital back to nursing home.
JAMA Intern Med 2019 Sep;179(9):1254-61. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2019.2005..
Keywords: Adverse Events, Long-Term Care, Nursing Homes, Transitions of Care, Elderly, Patient Safety, Hospital Discharge, Hospitalization
Campbell Britton M, Hodshon B, Chaudhry SI
Implementing a warm handoff between hospital and skilled nursing facility clinicians.
This study focused on increasing better communication during transfers from hospitals and skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). Warm handoffs between hospital and SNF physicians was implemented. Participation in warm handoffs gradually increased – starting at 15.78% in stage 1 and increasing to 46.89% in stage 3. A total of 2417 patient discharges were included in this study.
AHRQ-funded; HS023554.
Citation: Campbell Britton M, Hodshon B, Chaudhry SI .
Implementing a warm handoff between hospital and skilled nursing facility clinicians.
J Patient Saf 2019 Sep;15(3):198-204. doi: 10.1097/pts.0000000000000529..
Keywords: Communication, Patient Safety, Hospital Discharge, Transitions of Care, Care Coordination, Hospitals, Nursing Homes
Zhu JM, Navathe A, Yuan Y
Medicare's bundled payment model did not change skilled nursing facility discharge patterns.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether participation in Medicare's voluntary Bundled Payments for Care Improvement (BPCI) model was associated with changes in discharge referral patterns to skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), specifically number of SNF partners and discharge concentration. The investigators concluded that hospital participation in BPCI was not associated with changes in the number of SNF partners or in discharge concentration relative to non-BPCI hospitals.
AHRQ-funded; HS024266.
Citation: Zhu JM, Navathe A, Yuan Y .
Medicare's bundled payment model did not change skilled nursing facility discharge patterns.
Am J Manag Care 2019 Jul;25(7):329-34..
Keywords: Medicare, Payment, Practice Patterns, Hospital Discharge, Nursing Homes
Bain AM, Werner RM, Yuan Y
Do hospitals participating in accountable care organizations discharge patients to higher quality nursing homes?
This study examined whether hospitals participating in Medicare's Shared Saving Program increased use of highly rated skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) or decreased the use of low-rated SNFs after initiation of accountable care organization (ACO) contracts, compared with non-ACO hospitals. The findings indicate that, after joining an ACO, the percentage of hospital discharges going to a high-quality SNF increased slightly; the probability of discharge from ACO-participating hospitals to low-quality SNFs did not change significantly in comparison with non-ACO hospitals.
AHRQ-funded; HS024266.
Citation: Bain AM, Werner RM, Yuan Y .
Do hospitals participating in accountable care organizations discharge patients to higher quality nursing homes?
J Hosp Med 2019 May;14(5):288-89. doi: 10.12788/jhm.3147..
Keywords: Elderly, Hospital Discharge, Hospitals, Medicare, Nursing Homes, Quality of Care
Weerahandi H, Li L, Bao H
Risk of readmission after discharge from skilled nursing facilities following heart failure hospitalization: a retrospective cohort study.
The goal of this study was to examine outcomes for Medicare patients who were hospitalized with heart failure and who had a subsequent skilled nursing facility (SNF) stay of 30 days or less. Patients were categorized by their length of stay in the SNF and followed for the 30 days after their discharge from the SNF to home. Overall, nearly one-quarter of the SNF discharges to home were readmitted within the 30 day follow-up period. The rate of readmission was highest during the first two days home, but this risk was attenuated by a longer SNF length of stay. The authors conclude that interventions to reduce readmissions may be more effective if they incorporate patient transitions from SNF to home.
AHRQ-funded; HS022882.
Citation: Weerahandi H, Li L, Bao H .
Risk of readmission after discharge from skilled nursing facilities following heart failure hospitalization: a retrospective cohort study.
J Am Med Dir Assoc 2019 Apr;20(4):432-37. doi: 10.1016/j.jamda.2019.01.135..
Keywords: Cardiovascular Conditions, Heart Disease and Health, Hospital Discharge, Hospital Readmissions, Hospitalization, Nursing Homes
Zuckerman RB, Wu S, Chen LM
The five-star skilled nursing facility rating system and care of disadvantaged populations.
AHRQ-funded; HS000029.
Citation: Zuckerman RB, Wu S, Chen LM .
The five-star skilled nursing facility rating system and care of disadvantaged populations.
J Am Geriatr Soc 2019 Jan;67(1):108-14. doi: 10.1111/jgs.15629..
Keywords: Nursing Homes, Vulnerable Populations, Medicare, Elderly, Provider Performance, Quality of Care, Hospital Discharge, Disparities
Balentine CJ, Kenzik K, Chu DI
Planning post-discharge destination for gastrointestinal surgery patients: room for improvement?
Investigators compared short-term recovery for patients discharged to inpatient rehabilitation versus skilled nursing facilities after gastrointestinal surgery. They found that there was no difference in 30-day readmission rates, but post-discharge mortality was higher for patients discharged to skilled nursing facilities compared to inpatient rehabilitation.
AHRQ-funded; HS023009.
Citation: Balentine CJ, Kenzik K, Chu DI .
Planning post-discharge destination for gastrointestinal surgery patients: room for improvement?
Am J Surg 2018 Nov;216(5):912-18. doi: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2018.05.004..
Keywords: Hospital Discharge, Surgery, Digestive Disease and Health, Rehabilitation, Nursing Homes, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Transitions of Care
Hong I, Karmarker A, Chan W
Discharge patterns for ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke patients going from acute care hospitals to inpatient and skilled nursing rehabilitation.
Investigators explored variation in acute care use of inpatient rehabilitation facilities and skilled nursing facilities rehabilitation after ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. They found demographic and clinical differences among stroke patients admitted for post-acute rehabilitation at inpatient rehabilitation facilities and skilled nursing facilities settings. Additionally, examination of variation in ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke discharges suggests acute facility-level differences and indicates a need for careful consideration of patient and facility factors when comparing the effectiveness of inpatient rehabilitation facilities and skilled nursing facilities rehabilitation.
AHRQ-funded; HS022134; HS024711.
Citation: Hong I, Karmarker A, Chan W .
Discharge patterns for ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke patients going from acute care hospitals to inpatient and skilled nursing rehabilitation.
Am J Phys Med Rehabil 2018 Sep;97(9):636-45. doi: 10.1097/phm.0000000000000932..
Keywords: Transitions of Care, Hospital Discharge, Stroke, Cardiovascular Conditions, Nursing Homes, Rehabilitation
Chen LM, Acharya Y, Norton EC
Readmission rates and skilled nursing facility utilization after major inpatient surgery.
The purpose of this observational study was to describe the association between changes in skilled nursing facility (SNF) use and changes in readmission rates after surgery. The investigators looked at fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) or total hip replacement (THR) from 2008 to 2013. They concluded that changes in use of postacute care after THR and CABG were not associated with changes in readmission rates in their study.
AHRQ-funded; HS024698; HS020671.
Citation: Chen LM, Acharya Y, Norton EC .
Readmission rates and skilled nursing facility utilization after major inpatient surgery.
Med Care 2018 Aug;56(8):679-85. doi: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000000941..
Keywords: Hospital Discharge, Hospital Readmissions, Nursing Homes, Surgery
Feder SL, Britton MC, Chaudhry SI
"They need to have an understanding of why they're coming here and what the outcomes might be." Clinician perspectives on goals of care for patients discharged from hospitals to skilled nursing facilities.
This study examined how clinicians view goals of care (GoC) for hospitalized patients discharged to skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). A variety of clinicians were interviewed: 22% were nurses, 20% physicians, 15% from care management, and 15% from social services. Many respondents felt that patients and their families had unrealistic GoCs. However, conversations on GoCs were infrequent during hospitalizations which contribute to unrealistic expectations for SNF care and poor patient outcomes. The researchers recommend interventions to ensure that GoC conversations and are held regularly and in a timely manner before transfer occurs.
AHRQ-funded; HS023554.
Citation: Feder SL, Britton MC, Chaudhry SI .
"They need to have an understanding of why they're coming here and what the outcomes might be." Clinician perspectives on goals of care for patients discharged from hospitals to skilled nursing facilities.
J Pain Symptom Manage 2018 Mar;55(3):930-37. doi: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2017.10.013..
Keywords: Care Coordination, Clinician-Patient Communication, Communication, Hospital Discharge, Nursing Homes, Patient and Family Engagement, Provider: Clinician, Provider: Nurse, Provider: Physician
Sorkin DH, Amin A, Weimer DL
Hospital discharge and selecting a skilled nursing facility: a comparison of experiences and perspectives of patients and their families.
This article seeks to examine and compare the experiences and perspectives of patients and others involved in the selection of the nursing home (predominately adult children and spouses). It found that patients were the primary decision makers about 23 percent of the time but were often involved in the decision even when family members/involved others were primarily making decisions in the discharge process.
AHRQ-funded; HS021844.
Citation: Sorkin DH, Amin A, Weimer DL .
Hospital discharge and selecting a skilled nursing facility: a comparison of experiences and perspectives of patients and their families.
Prof Case Manag 2018 Mar/Apr;23(2):50-59. doi: 10.1097/ncm.0000000000000252.
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Keywords: Decision Making, Hospital Discharge, Long-Term Care, Nursing Homes, Patient Experience
Kerstenetzky L, Birschbach MJ, Beach KF
Improving medication information transfer between hospitals, skilled-nursing facilities, and long-term-care pharmacies for hospital discharge transitions of care: a targeted needs assessment using the Intervention Mapping framework.
The authors of this study report on the development of a logic model that will be used to explore methods for minimizing patient care medication delays and errors while further improving handoff communication to skilled nurse facilities and long term care pharmacy staff.
AHRQ-funded; HS021984.
Citation: Kerstenetzky L, Birschbach MJ, Beach KF .
Improving medication information transfer between hospitals, skilled-nursing facilities, and long-term-care pharmacies for hospital discharge transitions of care: a targeted needs assessment using the Intervention Mapping framework.
Res Social Adm Pharm 2018 Feb;14(2):138-45. doi: 10.1016/j.sapharm.2016.12.013..
Keywords: Adverse Drug Events (ADE), Hospital Discharge, Hospitals, Long-Term Care, Medical Errors, Medication, Medication: Safety, Nursing Homes, Patient Safety, Transitions of Care
Middleton A, Li S, Kuo YF
New institutionalization in long-term care after hospital discharge to skilled nursing facility.
Approximately half of individuals newly admitted to long-term care (LTC) nursing homes (NHs) experienced a prior hospitalization followed by discharge to a skilled nursing facility (SNF). The objective of this study was to examine characteristics associated with new institutionalizations of older adults on this care trajectory. Associations between risk factors and new LTC institutionalizations varied according to race and ethnicity, age, and level of cognitive function.
AHRQ-funded; HS022134.
Citation: Middleton A, Li S, Kuo YF .
New institutionalization in long-term care after hospital discharge to skilled nursing facility.
J Am Geriatr Soc 2018 Jan;66(1):56-63. doi: 10.1111/jgs.15131..
Keywords: Long-Term Care, Nursing Homes, Hospital Discharge, Elderly, Hospitalization, Medicare
Middleton A, Zhou J, Ottenbacher KJ
Hospital variation in rates of new institutionalizations within 6 months of discharge.
The primary objective of this study was to examine the hospital-level variation in rates of new institutionalizations among Medicare beneficiaries. The overall observed rate of new institutionalizations was 3.6 percent (N = 173,998). Older age, white race, Medicaid eligibility, longer hospitalization, and having a skilled nursing facility stay over the 6 months before hospitalization were associated with higher adjusted odds. Observed rates ranged from 0.9 percent to 5.9 percent across states.
AHRQ-funded; HS022134.
Citation: Middleton A, Zhou J, Ottenbacher KJ .
Hospital variation in rates of new institutionalizations within 6 months of discharge.
J Am Geriatr Soc 2017 Jun;65(6):1206-13. doi: 10.1111/jgs.14760.
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Keywords: Hospitalization, Elderly, Nursing Homes, Hospital Discharge
Mukamel DB, Amin A, Weimer DL
Personalizing nursing home compare and the discharge from hospitals to nursing homes.
This study tested whether use of a personalized report card, Nursing Home Compare Plus (NHCPlus), embedded in a reengineered discharge process, can lead to better outcomes than the usual discharge process from hospitals to nursing homes. It found that about 85 percent of users indicated satisfaction with NHCPlus. Compared to controls, intervention patients were more satisfied with the choice process.
AHRQ-funded; R21 HS021844.
Citation: Mukamel DB, Amin A, Weimer DL .
Personalizing nursing home compare and the discharge from hospitals to nursing homes.
Health Serv Res 2016 Dec;51(6):2076-94. doi: 10.1111/1475-6773.12588.
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Keywords: Hospital Discharge, Hospitals, Nursing Homes, Patient Experience, Quality Indicators (QIs)