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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 6 of 6 Research Studies DisplayedPost B, Hollenbeck BK, Norton EC
Hospital-physician integration and clinical volume in traditional Medicare.
The purpose of this study was to test the effect of hospital-physician integration on primary care physicians' (PCP) clinical volume in traditional Medicare. The researchers identified 70,000 PCPs, some of whom remained non-integrated and some who became hospital-integrated during this study period. An event study design was utilized to identify the effect of integration on key measures of physicians' clinical volume, including the number of claims, work-relative value units (RVUs), professional revenue generated, number of patients treated, and facility fee revenue generated. The study found that per-physician clinical volume declined by statistically and economically significant margins. Relative to the comparison group who remained non-integrated, work RVUs fell by 7%; the number of patients treated fell by 4%; and claims volume among PCPs who became hospital-integrated fell by over 15%.
AHRQ-funded; HS027044; HS025707.
Citation: Post B, Hollenbeck BK, Norton EC .
Hospital-physician integration and clinical volume in traditional Medicare.
Health Serv Res 2024 Feb; 59(1):e14172. doi: 10.1111/1475-6773.14172..
Keywords: Medicare, Primary Care, Healthcare Delivery, Provider: Physician
Post B, Nallamothu BK, Hollenbeck B
Hospital-cardiologist integration often occurs without a practice acquisition.
This study’s objective was to determine how much of the increase in hospital-cardiologist integration comes from acquisition of physician practices compared to individual employment decisions. Data from 2011 to 2018 was used from the American Medical Association Masterfile and Medicare. In 2011 18% of cardiologists were integrated, which rose to 25% in 2016. It was found that 48% of integrations occurred without acquisitions and that physicians who had completed residencies in the past 5 years had higher rates of integration that increased over time. Rates of early career physicians joining hospital systems also rose from 25% to 32% during that time period.
AHRQ-funded; HS025707.
Citation: Post B, Nallamothu BK, Hollenbeck B .
Hospital-cardiologist integration often occurs without a practice acquisition.
Health Serv Res 2022 Apr;57(2):333-39. doi: 10.1111/1475-6773.13929..
Keywords: Hospitals, Provider: Physician, Healthcare Delivery, Workforce
Kimmey L, Furukawa MF, Jones DJ
AHRQ Author: Furukawa MF
Geographic variation in the consolidation of physicians into health systems, 2016-18.
The authors asked the following questions: To what extent does consolidation of physicians into vertically integrated health systems vary across markets, and how did that change from 2016 to 2018? In this article, they used AHRQ data on health systems and commercial data on physician-system affiliation to describe metropolitan statistical area-level physician consolidation and to identify differences by region and metropolitan statistical area size.
AHRQ-authored; AHRQ-funded; 290201600001C.
Citation: Kimmey L, Furukawa MF, Jones DJ .
Geographic variation in the consolidation of physicians into health systems, 2016-18.
Health Aff 2021 Jan;40(1):165-69. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2020.00812..
Keywords: Health Systems, Provider: Physician, Provider, Healthcare Delivery
Manojlovich M, Harrod M, Hofer TP
Using qualitative methods to explore communication practices in the context of patient care rounds on general care units.
This study examined communication practices between nurses and physicians in general care units at 4 Midwestern hospitals. A total of 163 physicians, registered nurses, and nurse practitioners participated. The researchers observed and shadowed clinicians during rounds and other times during a 2 week period as well as conducting interviews and holding focus groups. Workflow differences affected rounds and subsequently communication practices. Good rapport between physicians and nurses contributed to nurse participation during rounds. Lower rapport made some nurses feel uncomfortable accompanying physicians during rounds unless invited.
AHRQ-funded; HS022305.
Citation: Manojlovich M, Harrod M, Hofer TP .
Using qualitative methods to explore communication practices in the context of patient care rounds on general care units.
J Gen Intern Med 2020 Mar;35(3):839-45. doi: 10.1007/s11606-019-05580-9..
Keywords: Communication, Provider: Physician, Provider: Nurse, Provider, Hospitals, Teams, Inpatient Care, Healthcare Delivery
Mueller SK, Schnipper JL
Physician perspectives on interhospital transfers.
This study examined physician perspectives of the common problems that occur during acute care hospital interhospital transfers. The process tends to be nonstandardized which creates a number of issues. These issues include: patients sometimes, frequently, or always arriving without required specialized care (56% of the time), arriving with unrealistic expectations of care (77.2% of responses), arrived more than 24 hours after accepted transfer in 80.1% of responses, and arrived without necessary transfer records 86.9% of the time. The last issue and also time of day of arrival many physicians felt posed a risk to the transferred patients.
AHRQ-funded; HS023331.
Citation: Mueller SK, Schnipper JL .
Physician perspectives on interhospital transfers.
J Patient Saf 2019 Jun;15(2):86-89. doi: 10.1097/pts.0000000000000312..
Keywords: Healthcare Delivery, Hospitals, Patient Safety, Provider, Provider: Physician, Transitions of Care
Kannampallil TG, Denton CA, Shapiro JS
Efficiency of emergency physicians: insights from an observational study using EHR log files.
The authors investigated the nature of electronic health records use and their effect on an emergency department's throughput and efficiency. They found that longer time spent on reviewing information on the electronic health record is potentially associated with decreased emergency department throughput efficiency. The authors also note that balancing between these competing goals is a challenge for physicians, and implications for patient safety are discussed.
AHRQ-funded; HS022670.
Citation: Kannampallil TG, Denton CA, Shapiro JS .
Efficiency of emergency physicians: insights from an observational study using EHR log files.
Appl Clin Inform 2018 Jan;9(1):99-104. doi: 10.1055/s-0037-1621705..
Keywords: Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Emergency Department, Healthcare Delivery, Health Information Technology (HIT), Provider, Provider: Physician