National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
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- Adverse Events (1)
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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 22 of 22 Research Studies DisplayedRao Rao, Akrobetu DJ, Dickert NW
Deciding whether to take sacubitril/valsartan: how cardiologists and patients discuss out-of-pocket costs.
The purpose of this study was to characterize patient-cardiologist discussions concerning out-of-pocket costs associated with sacubitril/valsartan during the early post-approval period. Researchers conducted a content analysis of 222 deidentified transcripts of audio-recorded outpatient encounters in which cardiologists and patients discussed whether to initiate, continue, or discontinue sacubitril/valsartan. Issues of cost occurred in nearly half the discussions, but the researchers note that cost conversations were generally superficial, rarely addressing affordability or cost-value judgments. Cardiologists frequently provided patients with free sacubitril/valsartan samples with no plan to address costs after the sample course ran out.
AHRQ-funded; HS026081.
Citation: Rao Rao, Akrobetu DJ, Dickert NW .
Deciding whether to take sacubitril/valsartan: how cardiologists and patients discuss out-of-pocket costs.
J Am Heart Assoc 2023 Apr 4; 12(7):e028278. doi: 10.1161/jaha.122.028278..
Keywords: Decision Making, Medication, Cardiovascular Conditions, Healthcare Costs
Rao BR, Jung EH, Dickert NW
Getting cost discussions right: nudging patients to avoid cognitive pitfalls.
The purpose of this article was to discuss the challenges of high out-of-pocket medication costs and their negative impact on healthcare, patient behavior, and access to quality care. The authors report that integrating cost information into medical decisions can be a useful tool for improving patient outcomes, but there are several cognitive biases that can skew patients' decisions in different directions. The article emphasizes the need for using nudge strategies as a focused counterweight to address out-of-pocket costs and other complex medical decisions. The authors explain that nudges involving manipulations in framing and choice architecture can be harnessed to impact decisions in a predictable way without restricting options or changing economic incentives. The article suggests several nudge strategies that clinicians can employ to help patients make better decisions and avoid cognitive pitfalls in shared decision-making discussions related to out-of-pocket costs.
AHRQ-funded; HS028558.
Citation: Rao BR, Jung EH, Dickert NW .
Getting cost discussions right: nudging patients to avoid cognitive pitfalls.
Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes 2023 Jan; 16(1):e009447. doi: 10.1161/circoutcomes.122.009447..
Keywords: Healthcare Costs, Decision Making, Clinician-Patient Communication, Communication
Dickert NW, Mitchell AR, Venechuk GE
Show me the money: patients' perspectives on a decision aid for sacubitril/valsartan addressing out-of-pocket cost.
This study reported patients' perspectives on a decision aid for sacubitril/valsartan that explicitly addressed out-of-pocket costs. Findings indicated that patients were receptive to the inclusion of out-of-pocket cost as relevant in a decision aid for sacubitril/valsartan. Key challenges to effective integration of cost in these decisions included developing mechanisms for acquiring reliable patient-specific cost estimates and addressing patients' difficulties applying trial evidence to their own situation.
AHRQ-funded; HS026081.
Citation: Dickert NW, Mitchell AR, Venechuk GE .
Show me the money: patients' perspectives on a decision aid for sacubitril/valsartan addressing out-of-pocket cost.
Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes 2020 Dec;13(12):e007070. doi: 10.1161/circoutcomes.120.007070..
Keywords: Decision Making, Medication, Healthcare Costs
Gaskin DJ, Karmarkar TD, Maurer A
Potential role of cost and quality of life in treatment decisions for arthritis-related knee pain in African American and Latina women.
This study examined whether using a decision-making tool would aid Latina and African-American women over age 45 years with arthritic knee pain in making more informed treatment decisions. The researchers conducted 4 focus groups of Latina and African-American women and 2 focus groups with primary care providers who treated them for knee pain. They found that minority women and primary care providers all endorsed the use of a decision-making tool that provided information on the impact of treatment on quality of life, medical care costs, and work productivity.
AHRQ-funded; HS000029.
Citation: Gaskin DJ, Karmarkar TD, Maurer A .
Potential role of cost and quality of life in treatment decisions for arthritis-related knee pain in African American and Latina women.
Arthritis Care Res 2020 May;72(5):692-98. doi: 10.1002/acr.23903..
Keywords: Arthritis, Orthopedics, Pain, Quality of Life, Healthcare Costs, Decision Making, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Women
Leeds IL, DiBrito SR, Canner JK
Cost-benefit limitations of extended, outpatient venous thromboembolism prophylaxis following surgery for Crohn's disease.
This goal of this study was to assess the cost-effectiveness of extended prophylaxis in patients with Crohn's disease after abdominal surgery. A decision tree model was used to assess cost-effectiveness and cost-per-case averted with extended-duration venous thromboembolism prophylaxis following abdominal surgery. Results showed that extended prophylaxis in patients with Crohn's disease postoperatively is not cost-effective when the cumulative incidence of posthospital thrombosis remains less than 4.9%. These findings are driven by the low absolute risk of thrombosis in this population and the considerable cost of universal treatment.
AHRQ-funded; HS024547.
Citation: Leeds IL, DiBrito SR, Canner JK .
Cost-benefit limitations of extended, outpatient venous thromboembolism prophylaxis following surgery for Crohn's disease.
Dis Colon Rectum 2019 Nov;62(11):1371-80. doi: 10.1097/dcr.0000000000001461..
Keywords: Prevention, Digestive Disease and Health, Surgery, Healthcare Costs, Adverse Events, Patient Safety, Blood Clots, Decision Making, Medication
McGinn T, Cohen S, Khan S
The high cost of low value care.
The main focus of this study was bridging the "evidence gap" between frontline decision-making in health care and the actual evidence, with the hope of reducing unnecessary diagnostic testing and treatments. From their work in pulmonary embolism (PE) and over ordering of computed tomography pulmonary angiography, the investigators integrated the highly validated Wells' criteria into the electronic health record at two of their major academic tertiary hospitals.
AHRQ-funded; HS022061.
Citation: McGinn T, Cohen S, Khan S .
The high cost of low value care.
Trans Am Clin Climatol Assoc 2019;130:60-70..
Keywords: Healthcare Costs, Evidence-Based Practice, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Decision Making, Comparative Effectiveness
Asti L, Bartsch SM, Umscheid CA
The potential economic value of sputum culture use in patients with community-acquired pneumonia and healthcare-associated pneumonia.
Researchers developed a decision model to determine the economic and clinical value of using sputum cultures in the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and healthcare-associated pneumonia (HCAP) from the hospital perspective under various conditions. They found that, overall, obtaining sputum cultures does not provide significant clinical or economic benefits for CAP or HCAP patients; however, it can reduce costs and shorten overall length of stay under some circumstances. They recommended that clinicians consider their local conditions when making decisions about sputum culture use.
AHRQ-funded; HS023317.
Citation: Asti L, Bartsch SM, Umscheid CA .
The potential economic value of sputum culture use in patients with community-acquired pneumonia and healthcare-associated pneumonia.
Clin Microbiol Infect 2019 Aug;25(8):1038.e1-38.e9. doi: 10.1016/j.cmi.2018.11.031..
Keywords: Pneumonia, Community-Acquired Infections, Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs), Infectious Diseases, Healthcare Costs, Clinical Decision Support (CDS), Decision Making
Aouad M, Brown TT, Whaley CM
Reference pricing: the case of screening colonoscopies.
In this study, the investigators studied the introduction of reference pricing to the California Public Employees' Retirement System. The investigators found a 10 percentage point increase in the share of patients using an ambulatory surgery center (ASC), leading to a $2300 to $1700 reduction in prices paid for patients who switched to ASCs. They indicated that their results suggested the use of ASCs had a causal effect on prices paid and had no negative effect on patient health outcomes.
AHRQ-funded; HS022098.
Citation: Aouad M, Brown TT, Whaley CM .
Reference pricing: the case of screening colonoscopies.
J Health Econ 2019 May;65:246-59. doi: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2019.03.002..
Keywords: Colonoscopy, Decision Making, Health Services Research (HSR), Healthcare Costs, Healthcare Delivery, Screening
Smith GH, Shore S, Allen LA
Discussing out-of-pocket costs with patients: shared decision making for sacubitril-valsartan in heart failure.
This study examined how prescription costs can greatly impact decision-making in patients with serious medical conditions. Forty-nine patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fracture were recruited and interviewed about a drug sacrubitril-valsartan. The drug is considered effective but can be costly. Most patients (45/49) said they would take the medicine if the out-of-pocket cost was only $5 per month more than their current medication. But if the costs increased to $100 more per month then only 43% would switch to sacrubritil-valsartan. Only 20% of participants said their physician had discussed medication costs in the past year.
AHRQ-funded; HS026081.
Citation: Smith GH, Shore S, Allen LA .
Discussing out-of-pocket costs with patients: shared decision making for sacubitril-valsartan in heart failure.
J Am Heart Assoc 2019 Jan 8;8(1):e010635. doi: 10.1161/jaha.118.010635..
Keywords: Healthcare Costs, Decision Making, Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Medication, Chronic Conditions
D'Agata EMC, Tran D, Bautista J
Clinical and economic benefits of antimicrobial stewardship programs in hemodialysis facilities: a decision analytic model.
In this study, the authors developed a decision analytic model of antimicrobial use on the clinical and economic consequences of implementing a nationwide antimicrobial stewardship program in outpatient dialysis facilities. The authors found that the model suggested that implementation of antimicrobial stewardship programs in outpatient dialysis facilities would result in substantial reductions in infections caused by multidrug-resistant organisms and C. difficile, infection-related deaths, and costs.
AHRQ-funded; R18 HS021666.
Citation: D'Agata EMC, Tran D, Bautista J .
Clinical and economic benefits of antimicrobial stewardship programs in hemodialysis facilities: a decision analytic model.
Clin J Am Soc Nephrol 2018 Sep 7;13(9):1389-97. doi: 10.2215/cjn.12521117..
Keywords: Antimicrobial Stewardship, Decision Making, Antibiotics, Medication, Healthcare Costs, Clostridium difficile Infections, Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs)
Nguyen OK, Higashi RT, Makam AN
The influence of financial strain on health decision-making.
This study sought to explore which unmet social needs are most influential and how these needs affect individuals’ decisions regarding medical treatment and self-management of health needs among community-dwelling low-income adults. It found that financial strain, rather than any single social need, was the most important factor in health decisionmaking among the underserved adults we studied, and may result in non-adherence to medical recommendations.
AHRQ-funded; HS022418.
Citation: Nguyen OK, Higashi RT, Makam AN .
The influence of financial strain on health decision-making.
J Gen Intern Med 2018 Apr;33(4):406-08. doi: 10.1007/s11606-017-4296-3.
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Keywords: Decision Making, Healthcare Costs, Patient Adherence/Compliance, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Vulnerable Populations
Wong H, Karaca Z, Gibson TB
AHRQ Author: Wong H, Karaca Z
A quantitative observational study of physician influence on hospital costs.
Physicians serve as the nexus of treatment decision-making in hospitalized patients; however, little empirical evidence describes the influence of individual physicians on hospital costs. In this study, the extent to which hospital costs vary across physicians and physician characteristics is examined. Among other findings, the investigators observed sizable variation in average costs of hospital inpatient stays across medical specialties.
AHRQ-authored; AHRQ-funded; 290201300002C.
Citation: Wong H, Karaca Z, Gibson TB .
A quantitative observational study of physician influence on hospital costs.
Inquiry 2018 Jan-Dec;55:46958018800906. doi: 10.1177/0046958018800906..
Keywords: Decision Making, Healthcare Costs, Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Hospitals
Balentine CJ, Vanness DJ, Schneider DF
Cost-effectiveness of lobectomy versus genetic testing (Afirma(R)) for indeterminate thyroid nodules: considering the costs of surveillance.
This study evaluated whether diagnostic thyroidectomy for indeterminate thyroid nodules would be more cost-effective than genetic testing after including the costs of long-term surveillance. Its base case estimate suggests that diagnostic lobectomy dominates genetic testing as a strategy for ruling out malignancy of indeterminate thyroid nodules.
AHRQ-funded; HS023009.
Citation: Balentine CJ, Vanness DJ, Schneider DF .
Cost-effectiveness of lobectomy versus genetic testing (Afirma(R)) for indeterminate thyroid nodules: considering the costs of surveillance.
Surgery 2018 Jan;163(1):88-96. doi: 10.1016/j.surg.2017.10.004.
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Keywords: Cancer, Decision Making, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Genetics, Healthcare Costs, Screening, Surgery
Robinson JC, Brown TT, Whaley C
Reference pricing changes the 'choice architecture' of health care for consumers.
This article summarizes reference pricing's impacts to date on patient choice, provider prices, surgical complications, and employer spending and estimates its potential impacts if expanded to more services and a broader population. Reference pricing induces consumers to select lower-price alternatives for all of the forms of care studied, leading to significant reductions in prices paid and spending incurred by insurers and employers.
AHRQ-funded; HS022098.
Citation: Robinson JC, Brown TT, Whaley C .
Reference pricing changes the 'choice architecture' of health care for consumers.
Health Aff 2017 Mar;36(3):524-30. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2016.1256.
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Keywords: Decision Making, Education: Patient and Caregiver, Healthcare Costs, Healthcare Delivery
Schlesinger M, Grob R
Treating, fast and slow: Americans' understanding of and responses to low-value care.
This article explores Americans’ understanding of low-value care in 2015, assesses the impact of media messaging, and tests alternative message framing. The study concluded that the public’s awareness of low-value care is incomplete, with substantial disparities related to race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status.
AHRQ-funded; HS021858; HS016978.
Citation: Schlesinger M, Grob R .
Treating, fast and slow: Americans' understanding of and responses to low-value care.
Milbank Q 2017 Mar;95(1):70-116. doi: 10.1111/1468-0009.12246..
Keywords: Healthcare Delivery, Decision Making, Healthcare Costs, Quality of Care
Lindly OJ, Zuckerman KE, Mistry KB
AHRQ Author: Mistry KB
Clarifying the predictive value of family-centered care and shared decision making for pediatric healthcare outcomes using the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey.
The researchers estimated (1) family-centered care (FCC) and shared decision-making (SDM) prevalence, and (2) associations of FCC and SDM (FCC/SDM) with health care outcomes among U.S. children. FCC/SDM prevalence in year 1 varied from 38.6 to 93.7 percent, and it was lower for composites with more stringent scoring approaches. FCC/SDM composites with stringent scoring approaches in year 1 were associated with reduced unmet needs in year 2.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Lindly OJ, Zuckerman KE, Mistry KB .
Clarifying the predictive value of family-centered care and shared decision making for pediatric healthcare outcomes using the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey.
Health Serv Res 2017 Feb;52(1):313-45. doi: 10.1111/1475-6773.12488.
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Keywords: Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), Decision Making, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Children/Adolescents, Healthcare Costs
Krakovitz PR, Boss EF
Intraoperative nerve monitoring during thyroidectomy-more complex than cost alone.
This brief invited commentary discussed intraoperative nerve monitoring and surgery.
AHRQ-funded; HS022932.
Citation: Krakovitz PR, Boss EF .
Intraoperative nerve monitoring during thyroidectomy-more complex than cost alone.
JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2016 Dec;142(12):1206-07. doi: 10.1001/jamaoto.2016.3116.
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Keywords: Decision Making, Healthcare Costs, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Quality of Life, Surgery
Grundy Q
"Whether something cool is good enough": the role of evidence, sales representatives and nurses' expertise in hospital purchasing decisions.
The author analyzed the ways that committee members constructed and evaluated a case for a product's value, concluding that purchasing committees need unique support that emphasizes local contexts and expertise, while maintaining rigor and minimizing bias. Grundy proposed a guiding framework to support this decision-making.
AHRQ-funded; HS022383.
Citation: Grundy Q .
"Whether something cool is good enough": the role of evidence, sales representatives and nurses' expertise in hospital purchasing decisions.
Soc Sci Med 2016 Sep;165:82-91. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2016.07.042.
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Keywords: Decision Making, Healthcare Costs, Hospitals, Nursing
Roth JA, Ramsey SD, Carlson JJ
Cost-effectiveness of a biopsy-based 8-protein prostate cancer prognostic assay to optimize treatment decision making in Gleason 3 + 3 and 3 + 4 early stage prostate cancer.
A novel 8-protein prognostic assay generates a risk score at time of biopsy that is predictive of prostate cancer aggressiveness and can inform treatment decisions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of using the assay to inform treatment decisions compared with usual care. The 8-protein assay strategy resulted in 0.04 more quality-adjusted life years and $700 less in costs compared with usual care.
AHRQ-funded; HS022982.
Citation: Roth JA, Ramsey SD, Carlson JJ .
Cost-effectiveness of a biopsy-based 8-protein prostate cancer prognostic assay to optimize treatment decision making in Gleason 3 + 3 and 3 + 4 early stage prostate cancer.
Oncologist 2015 Dec;20(12):1355-64. doi: 10.1634/theoncologist.2015-0214.
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Keywords: Cancer, Cancer: Prostate Cancer, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Healthcare Costs, Decision Making
Bennette CS, Gallego CJ, Burke W
The cost-effectiveness of returning incidental findings from next-generation genomic sequencing.
The researchers developed a decision-analytic policy model to project the quality-adjusted life-years and lifetime costs associated with returning ACMG-recommended incidental findings in three hypothetical cohorts of 10,000 patients. They found that returning incidental findings are likely cost-effective for certain patient populations. Screening of generally healthy individuals is likely not cost-effective based on current data.
AHRQ-funded; HS023340.
Citation: Bennette CS, Gallego CJ, Burke W .
The cost-effectiveness of returning incidental findings from next-generation genomic sequencing.
Genet Med 2015 Jul;17(7):587-95. doi: 10.1038/gim.2014.156..
Keywords: Healthcare Costs, Genetics, Decision Making
Gallego CJ, Shirts BH, Bennette CS
Next-generation sequencing panels for the diagnosis of colorectal cancer and polyposis syndromes: a cost-effectiveness analysis.
The researchers evaluated the cost effectiveness of next-generation sequencing (NGS) panels for the diagnosis of colorectal cancer and polyposis (CRCP) syndromes in patients referred to cancer genetics clinics. They concluded that the use of an NGS panel that includes genes associated with highly penetrant CRCP syndromes in addition to Lynch syndrome genes as a first-line test is likely to provide meaningful clinical benefits in a cost-effective manner.
AHRQ-funded; HS021686.
Citation: Gallego CJ, Shirts BH, Bennette CS .
Next-generation sequencing panels for the diagnosis of colorectal cancer and polyposis syndromes: a cost-effectiveness analysis.
J Clin Oncol 2015 Jun 20;33(18):2084-91. doi: 10.1200/jco.2014.59.3665..
Keywords: Cancer, Cancer: Colorectal Cancer, Decision Making, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Genetics, Healthcare Costs, Screening
Admon AJ, Cooke CR
Will Choosing Wisely(R) improve quality and lower costs of care for patients with critical illness?
This article reports on a campaign by the American Board of Internal Medicine to improve care and lower costs by generating a “top five” list of expensive tests or treatments without known benefits. It offers several strategies for stakeholders to increase the impact of the critical care top-five list.
AHRQ-funded; HS020672
Citation: Admon AJ, Cooke CR .
Will Choosing Wisely(R) improve quality and lower costs of care for patients with critical illness?
Ann Am Thorac Soc. 2014 Jun;11(5):823-7. doi: 10.1513/AnnalsATS.201403-093OI..
Keywords: Decision Making, Critical Care, Quality of Care, Healthcare Costs