National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
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AHRQ Research Studies Date
Topics
- Access to Care (1)
- Ambulatory Care and Surgery (1)
- Asthma (2)
- Back Health and Pain (1)
- Cancer (1)
- Cardiovascular Conditions (1)
- Care Coordination (1)
- Children/Adolescents (2)
- (-) Chronic Conditions (20)
- Dementia (1)
- Diabetes (3)
- Disparities (3)
- Elderly (5)
- Emergency Department (4)
- Guidelines (2)
- Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) (3)
- Healthcare Costs (7)
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- (-) Healthcare Utilization (20)
- Health Information Technology (HIT) (1)
- Health Status (1)
- Heart Disease and Health (1)
- Home Healthcare (1)
- Hospitalization (5)
- Hospitals (1)
- Inpatient Care (1)
- Low-Income (1)
- Medicaid (1)
- Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) (2)
- Medication (2)
- Neurological Disorders (3)
- Obesity (1)
- Opioids (1)
- Pain (2)
- Palliative Care (2)
- Patient-Centered Outcomes Research (1)
- Practice Patterns (1)
- Primary Care (3)
- Quality Indicators (QIs) (1)
- Quality Measures (1)
- Quality of Care (1)
- Quality of Life (1)
- Racial and Ethnic Minorities (2)
- Respiratory Conditions (4)
- Risk (1)
- Teams (1)
- Telehealth (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 DisplayedChang E, Ali R, Seibert J
Interventions to improve outcomes for high-need, high-cost patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
The authors of this article reviewed evidence on the effectiveness of complex interventions designed to change the healthcare of high-need, high-cost patients. They found limited evidence of intervention effectiveness in relation to cost and use, but note that additional evidence is needed to strengthen their confidence in these findings. Few studies reported clinical/functional or social risk factor outcomes or sufficient details for determining why individual interventions work. They conclude that future evaluations could provide additional insights in assessing the impact of complex interventions.
AHRQ-funded; 290201500011I.
Citation: Chang E, Ali R, Seibert J .
Interventions to improve outcomes for high-need, high-cost patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
J Gen Intern Med 2023 Jan; 38(1):185-94. doi: 10.1007/s11606-022-07809-6..
Keywords: Healthcare Costs, Healthcare Delivery, Chronic Conditions, Healthcare Utilization
Kumar V, Encinosa W
AHRQ Author: Kumar V, Encinosa W
Explaining the obesity paradox in healthcare utilization among people with type 2 diabetes.
The authors sought to examine changes in the relationship between BMI and number of visits in diabetic vs nondiabetic populations, controlling for confounding risk factors. Using MEPS data, they found that the obesity paradox does not exist at the utilization level and is due to the presence of statistical biases such as confounding and reverse causation.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Kumar V, Encinosa W .
Explaining the obesity paradox in healthcare utilization among people with type 2 diabetes.
Diabetol Int 2022 Jan;13(1):232-43. doi: 10.1007/s13340-021-00530-5..
Keywords: Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), Obesity, Diabetes, Chronic Conditions, Healthcare Utilization
Lee K, Gani F, Canner JK
Racial disparities in utilization of palliative care among patients admitted with advanced solid organ malignancies.
The primary objective of this study was to describe racial differences in the use of inpatient palliative care consultations (IPCC) for patients with advanced cancer who are admitted to a hospital in the United States. Hospital admissions of patients with advanced cancers were identified through the National Inpatient Dataset. Findings showed that death during hospitalization was a significant modifier of the relationship between race and receipt of palliative care consultation. There were significant racial disparities in the utilization of IPCC for patients with advanced cancer.
AHRQ-funded; HS024736.
Citation: Lee K, Gani F, Canner JK .
Racial disparities in utilization of palliative care among patients admitted with advanced solid organ malignancies.
Am J Hosp Palliat Care 2021 Jun;38(6):539-46. doi: 10.1177/1049909120922779..
Keywords: Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Palliative Care, Cancer, Disparities, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Healthcare Utilization, Inpatient Care, Chronic Conditions
Smith JM, Jarrín OF, Lin H
Racial disparities in post-acute home health care referral and utilization among older adults with diabetes.
The purpose of this study was to examine the association between race/ethnicity and hospital discharge to home health care and subsequent utilization of home health care among a cohort of adults (age 50 and older) who experienced a diabetes-related hospitalization. The investigators found that among those discharged to home health care, all non-white racial/ethnic minority patients were less likely to receive services within 14-days.
AHRQ-funded; HS022406.
Citation: Smith JM, Jarrín OF, Lin H .
Racial disparities in post-acute home health care referral and utilization among older adults with diabetes.
Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021 Mar 19;18(6):3196. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18063196..
Keywords: Elderly, Home Healthcare, Diabetes, Chronic Conditions, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Disparities, Access to Care, Healthcare Utilization
Iyer AS, Goodrich CA, Dransfield MT
End-of-life spending and healthcare utilization among older adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
This study examined end-of-life spending and healthcare utilization among Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 years or older with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who died during the period 2013-2014. Data on 146,240 decedents with COPD was investigated from 306 hospital referral regions (HRRs). The overall spending during the last 2 years of life varied significantly nationwide. Inpatient care accounted for 40.2% of spending, with 82% of decedents admitted to the hospital for 13.7±3.1 days and 55%±11% admitted to an intensive care unit for 3-7 days. Skilled nursing facilities accounted for 11.6% of spending and were utilized by 31-45% of decedents for 14-23 days. Hospitals were utilized by 39-56% of decedents and accounted for 10.3% of spending.
AHRQ-funded; HS023009.
Citation: Iyer AS, Goodrich CA, Dransfield MT .
End-of-life spending and healthcare utilization among older adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Am J Med 2020 Jul;133(7):817-24.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2019.11.024..
Keywords: Elderly, Healthcare Utilization, Respiratory Conditions, Chronic Conditions, Healthcare Costs, Palliative Care
Rundell SD, Resnik L, Heagerty PJ
Comparing the performance of comorbidity indices in predicting functional status, health-related quality of life, and total health care use in older adults with back pain.
The purpose of this prospective cohort study was to determine how well the functional comorbidity index (FCI) predicted outcomes in older adults with back pain compared to Quan's modification of the Charlson comorbidity index (Quan-Charlson comorbidity index) and the Elixhauser comorbidity index. The investigators concluded that all indices performed similarly in predicting outcomes. The authors indicated that there is still a need to develop better function-based risk-adjustment models that improve prediction of functional outcomes versus standard comorbidity indices.
AHRQ-funded; HS019222; HS022972.
Citation: Rundell SD, Resnik L, Heagerty PJ .
Comparing the performance of comorbidity indices in predicting functional status, health-related quality of life, and total health care use in older adults with back pain.
J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2020 Mar;50(3):143-48. doi: 10.2519/jospt.2020.8764..
Keywords: Elderly, Back Health and Pain, Pain, Chronic Conditions, Quality of Life, Healthcare Utilization, Health Status
Silber JH, Rosenbaum PR, Pimentel SD
Comparing resource use in medical admissions of children with complex chronic conditions.
In this study, the investigators explored whether some hospitals display a significantly different pattern of resource utilization than others when caring for similar children with complex chronic conditions (CCCs) admitted for medical diagnoses. The investigators concluded that hospitals treating similar patients with CCCs admitted for similar medical diagnoses, varied greatly in resource utilization. They suggest that Template Matching can aid chief quality officers benchmarking their hospitals to peer institutions and can help determine types of their patients having the most aberrant outcomes, facilitating quality initiatives to target these patients.
AHRQ-funded; HS020508.
Citation: Silber JH, Rosenbaum PR, Pimentel SD .
Comparing resource use in medical admissions of children with complex chronic conditions.
Med Care 2019 Aug;57(8):615-24. doi: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000001149..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Chronic Conditions, Hospitals, Healthcare Utilization, Hospitalization
Gillespie SM, Wasserman EB, Wood NE
High-intensity telemedicine reduces emergency department use by older adults with dementia in senior living communities.
Individuals with dementia have high rates of emergency department (ED) use for acute illnesses. In this study, the investigators evaluated the effect of a high-intensity telemedicine program that delivered care for acute illnesses on ED use rates for individuals with dementia residing in senior living communities (SLCs; independent and assisted living).
AHRQ-funded; HS018047.
Citation: Gillespie SM, Wasserman EB, Wood NE .
High-intensity telemedicine reduces emergency department use by older adults with dementia in senior living communities.
J Am Med Dir Assoc 2019 Aug;20(8):942-46. doi: 10.1016/j.jamda.2019.03.024..
Keywords: Elderly, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Dementia, Neurological Disorders, Healthcare Delivery, Chronic Conditions, Emergency Department, Healthcare Utilization
Heintzman J, Kaufmann J, Ezekiel-Herrera D
Asthma/COPD disparities in diagnosis and basic care utilization among low-income primary care patients.
Obstructive pulmonary disease outcomes in the United States differ between Latinos and non-Hispanic whites. There is little objective data about diagnosis prevalence and primary care visit frequency in these disease processes. In this study, the investigators used electronic health record data to perform a retrospective cohort analysis of 34,849 low-income patients seen at Oregon community health centers between 2009 and 2013 to assess joint racial/ethnic and insurance disparities in diagnosis and visit rates between Latino and non-Hispanic white patients.
AHRQ-funded; HS021522.
Citation: Heintzman J, Kaufmann J, Ezekiel-Herrera D .
Asthma/COPD disparities in diagnosis and basic care utilization among low-income primary care patients.
J Immigr Minor Health 2019 Jun;21(3):659-63. doi: 10.1007/s10903-018-0798-2..
Keywords: Asthma, Respiratory Conditions, Chronic Conditions, Disparities, Healthcare Utilization, Low-Income, Primary Care
Biener AI, Decker SL, Rohde F
AHRQ Author: Deck SL, Rohde F
Source of increased health care spending in the United States.
This infographic depicts MEPS information for five medical conditions that account for nearly 1/3 of all medical expenditures in 2015. Factors include the difference in spending associated with these conditions; the number of people treated for them; per capita costs; and related ambulatory visits and prescription drug costs as a proportion of health expenditures.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Biener AI, Decker SL, Rohde F .
Source of increased health care spending in the United States.
JAMA 2019 Mar 26;321(12):1147. doi: 10.1001/jama.2019.0679..
Keywords: Chronic Conditions, Healthcare Costs, Healthcare Utilization, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS)
Callaghan BC, Reynolds E, Banerjee M
Longitudinal pattern of pain medication utilization in peripheral neuropathy patients.
The authors of this article investigated the pattern and utilization of neuropathic pain medications in peripheral neuropathy patients. They found that opioid initiation and transition to chronic opioid therapy were frequent in the studied population despite few patients receiving more than one guideline-recommended medication. They concluded that efforts are needed to decrease opioid utilization and to increase guideline-recommended medication use in order to improve current neuropathic pain treatment.
AHRQ-funded; HS017690.
Citation: Callaghan BC, Reynolds E, Banerjee M .
Longitudinal pattern of pain medication utilization in peripheral neuropathy patients.
Pain 2019 Mar;160(3):592-99. doi: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001439..
Keywords: Chronic Conditions, Guidelines, Healthcare Utilization, Medication, Neurological Disorders, Opioids, Pain, Practice Patterns
Meyers DJ, Chien AT, Nguyen KH
Association of team-based primary care with health care utilization and costs among chronically ill patients.
This study analyzed the value of team-based care practice on the treatment of patients, especially those with multiple chronic conditions. A large study was conducted using data from 18 academically affiliated primary care practices in the Boston, Massachusetts, area between 2011 and 2015. The study included 83,953 patients total with 19% of patients being younger than 18 years and the rest from 19-64 years of age. For patients with multiple chronic conditions, there was a statistically significant reduction in hospitalizations and emergency department visits. Among patients with less than 2 comorbidities, there was an increase in outpatient visits, hospitalizations and ambulatory care hospitalizations.
AHRQ-funded; HS000011.
Citation: Meyers DJ, Chien AT, Nguyen KH .
Association of team-based primary care with health care utilization and costs among chronically ill patients.
JAMA Intern Med 2019 Jan;179(1):54-61. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2018.5118..
Keywords: Chronic Conditions, Emergency Department, Healthcare Costs, Healthcare Utilization, Primary Care, Teams
Hirayama A, Goto T, Shimada YJ
Acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and subsequent risk of emergency department visits and hospitalizations for atrial fibrillation.
Although emerging evidence has suggested the relationship of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with atrial fibrillation (AF), little is known about whether acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) increases the risk of repeated AF-related healthcare utilization. The investigators found that among patients with existing AF, AECOPD was associated with a higher risk of AF-related ED visit or hospitalization in the first 90-day post-AECOPD period.
AHRQ-funded; HS023305.
Citation: Hirayama A, Goto T, Shimada YJ .
Acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and subsequent risk of emergency department visits and hospitalizations for atrial fibrillation.
Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol 2018 Sep;11(9):e006322. doi: 10.1161/circep.118.006322..
Keywords: Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Emergency Department, Respiratory Conditions, Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Chronic Conditions, Hospitalization, Risk, Healthcare Utilization
Arthur KC, Mangione-Smith R, Burkhart Q
Quality of care for children with medical complexity: an analysis of continuity of care as a potential quality indicator.
The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between continuity of care for children with medical complexity (CMC) and emergency department (ED) utilization, care coordination quality, and family effects related to care coordination. The investigators measured ED utilization and primary care continuity with the Bice-Boxerman continuity of care index for 1477 CMC using administrative data from Minnesota and Washington state Medicaid agencies. They concluded that continuity of care holds promise as a quality measure for CMC because of its association with lower ED utilization and more frequent receipt of care coordination.
AHRQ-funded; HS020506.
Citation: Arthur KC, Mangione-Smith R, Burkhart Q .
Quality of care for children with medical complexity: an analysis of continuity of care as a potential quality indicator.
Acad Pediatr 2018 Aug;18(6):669-76. doi: 10.1016/j.acap.2018.04.009..
Keywords: Care Coordination, Children/Adolescents, Chronic Conditions, Emergency Department, Healthcare Utilization, Primary Care, Quality of Care, Quality Indicators (QIs), Quality Measures
Stone C, Gebretsadik T, Lee RL
Trends in health care utilization for asthma exacerbations among diverse populations with asthma in the United States.
This article discusses trends in asthma hospitalization and outpatient visit rates from 2004 to 2010. The rates for all populations included in this study went down during the time period, in particular the population from the Tennessee Medicaid program (49%). Other populations used in the study included subjects 4 to 50 years enrolled in the US Department of Defense Military Health System (MHS), and 3 large integrated health delivery systems (IHCDS) of the Population Based Effectiveness in Asthma and Lung Diseases (PEAL) Network. The 3 PEAL health plans included Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Kaiser Permanente Georgia, and Kaiser Permanent Northern California. A total of 473,524 subjects in those 3 study populations were identified. These downward trends are encouraging but need to continue, particularly in diverse populations.
AHRQ-funded; HS019669; HS022093.
Citation: Stone C, Gebretsadik T, Lee RL .
Trends in health care utilization for asthma exacerbations among diverse populations with asthma in the United States.
J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract 2018 Jan - Feb;6(1):295-97.e5. doi: 10.1016/j.jaip.2017.07.038..
Keywords: Asthma, Healthcare Utilization, Hospitalization, Healthcare Delivery, Chronic Conditions, Ambulatory Care and Surgery
Westney G, Foreman MG, Xu J
Impact of comorbidities among Medicaid enrollees with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, United States, 2009.
Researchers quantified the cost of Medicaid-insured patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) co-diagnosed with other chronic disorders. They concluded that comorbidities markedly increased health services use among people with COPD insured with Medicaid, although ED visits in this study were predominantly unrelated to COPD. Acute care, hospital bed days, and total Medicaid-reimbursed costs increased as the number of comorbidities increased.
AHRQ-funded; HS022444.
Citation: Westney G, Foreman MG, Xu J .
Impact of comorbidities among Medicaid enrollees with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, United States, 2009.
Prev Chronic Dis 2017 Apr 13;14:E31. doi: 10.5888/pcd14.160333.
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Keywords: Chronic Conditions, Respiratory Conditions, Healthcare Utilization, Medicaid
Schlitz NK, Warner DF, Sun J
Identifying specific combinations of multimorbidity that contribute to health care resource utilization: an analytic approach.
The objective was to identify specific combinations of chronic conditions, functional limitations, and geriatric syndromes associated with direct medical costs and inpatient utilization. The multimorbid population is heterogeneous and there is considerable variation in how specific combinations of morbidity influence resource use. Functional limitations were more important than many chronic diseases in explaining resource use.
AHRQ-funded; HS023113.
Citation: Schlitz NK, Warner DF, Sun J .
Identifying specific combinations of multimorbidity that contribute to health care resource utilization: an analytic approach.
Med Care 2017 Mar;55(3):276-84. doi: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000000660.
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Keywords: Elderly, Chronic Conditions, Healthcare Utilization, Hospitalization, Healthcare Costs
Skinner HG, Coffey R, Jones J
AHRQ Author: Heslin KC, Moy E
The effects of multiple chronic conditions on hospitalization costs and utilization for ambulatory care sensitive conditions in the United States: a nationally representative cross-sectional study.
A purpose of this study was to evaluate how multiple chronic conditions relate to inpatient hospitalization costs. It found that compared with costs for patients with 0 or 1 chronic condition, hospitalization costs per stay for overall ambulatory care sensitive conditions were 19 percent higher for those with 2 or 3 , 32 percent higher for those with 4 or 5, and 31 percent higher for those with 6+ conditions.
AHRQ-authored; AHRQ-funded; 290201300002C.
Citation: Skinner HG, Coffey R, Jones J .
The effects of multiple chronic conditions on hospitalization costs and utilization for ambulatory care sensitive conditions in the United States: a nationally representative cross-sectional study.
BMC Health Serv Res 2016 Mar 1;16:77. doi: 10.1186/s12913-016-1304-y.
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Keywords: Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Chronic Conditions, Hospitalization, Healthcare Utilization, Healthcare Costs
McCoy RG, Van Houten HK, Ross JS
HbA1c overtesting and overtreatment among US adults with controlled type 2 diabetes, 2001-13: observational population based study.
The researchers sought to determine the extent and effect of excessive testing for glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) among adults with controlled type 2 diabetes. They found that in a US cohort of adults with stable and controlled type 2 diabetes, more than 60% received too many HbA1c tests, a practice associated with potential overtreatment with hypoglycemic drugs.
AHRQ-funded; HS018339.
Citation: McCoy RG, Van Houten HK, Ross JS .
HbA1c overtesting and overtreatment among US adults with controlled type 2 diabetes, 2001-13: observational population based study.
BMJ 2015 Dec 8;351:h6138. doi: 10.1136/bmj.h6138..
Keywords: Chronic Conditions, Diabetes, Healthcare Utilization, Medication, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research
Callaghan BC, Kerber KA, Pace RJ
Headaches and neuroimaging: high utilization and costs despite guidelines.
Little is known about recent headache neuroimaging utilization, associated expenditures, and temporal trends. Looking at 51.1 million outpatient headache visits over 4 years, this study found that neuroimaging is ordered during 12% of these visits, costs $1 billion annually, and is increasing over time.
AHRQ-funded; HS017690
Citation: Callaghan BC, Kerber KA, Pace RJ .
Headaches and neuroimaging: high utilization and costs despite guidelines.
JAMA Intern Med. 2014 May;174(5):819-21. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2014.173..
Keywords: Neurological Disorders, Healthcare Utilization, Guidelines, Healthcare Costs, Chronic Conditions