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- (-) Access to Care (15)
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- Racial and Ethnic Minorities (2)
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- Sickle Cell Disease (1)
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- Stroke (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 15 of 15 Research Studies DisplayedRasheed HA, Hazelrigg O, Rasmussen PM
Practical strategies for addressing video visit access barriers in urology.
Researchers analyzed specific strategies for overcoming barriers to telehealth access. Data was collected from the University of Michigan’s Department of Urology through the GET (Geriatric Education On Telehealth) Access Program -- a medical student-run telehealth education program -- with the expectation that the findings might aid other urology practices that are trying to expand video visits to all patients in an equitable manner. The principal themes that emerged during discussions with patients included completion of registration steps, familiarity with accessing and using video conferencing software, attainment of proxy access for parents of pediatric patients, and resolution of miscellaneous technical queries. The researchers concluded that this program was a feasible and low resource way to improve video visit adoption.
AHRQ-funded; HS027632.
Citation: Rasheed HA, Hazelrigg O, Rasmussen PM .
Practical strategies for addressing video visit access barriers in urology.
JU Open Plus 2023 Sep; 1(9). doi: 10.1097/ju9.0000000000000049..
Keywords: Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Access to Care
Wirth AN, Cushman NA, Reilley BA
Evaluation of treatment access and scope of a multistate hepatitis C virus Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes telehealth service in the US Indian Health System, 2017-2021.
Researchers evaluated the extent to which Indian Country Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) telehealth clinics increase access to hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment and serve American Indians/Alaska Native (AI/AN) patients holistically. They conducted a retrospective descriptive analysis of Indian Country ECHO treatment recommendations from 2017 to 2021. Most patients received recommendations for HCV treatment by their primary care providers, along with recommendations beyond the scope of HCV. The researchers concluded that Indian Country ECHO telehealth clinic provided comprehensive recommendations to effectively integrate evidence-based HCV treatment with holistic care at the primary care level.
AHRQ-funded; HS026370.
Citation: Wirth AN, Cushman NA, Reilley BA .
Evaluation of treatment access and scope of a multistate hepatitis C virus Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes telehealth service in the US Indian Health System, 2017-2021.
J Rural Health 2023 Mar;39(2):358-66. doi: 10.1111/jrh.12733.
Keywords: Hepatitis, Access to Care, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Community-Based Practice, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Chronic Conditions
Reeves SL, Patel PN, Madden B
Telehealth use before and during the COVID-19 pandemic among children with sickle cell anemia.
This study’s goal was to determine telehealth use before and during the COVID pandemic for children ages 1-17 years old with sickle cell anemia (SCA). The authors identified children with SCA continuously enrolled in Michigan Medicaid from January 2019 to December 2020. The study population consisted of 493 children with SCA with a mean age of 8.7 years at study entry. Pre-pandemic there were 4,367 outpatient visits, with all but 19 in-person. Telehealth visits peaked in April 2020 and then began declining. The majority of telehealth visits were with hematologists, followed up adult subspecialists (27%) and pediatrics/family medicine.
AHRQ-funded; HS027632.
Citation: Reeves SL, Patel PN, Madden B .
Telehealth use before and during the COVID-19 pandemic among children with sickle cell anemia.
Telemed J E Health 2022 Aug;28(8):1166-71. doi: 10.1089/tmj.2021.0132..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, COVID-19, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Sickle Cell Disease, Chronic Conditions, Access to Care
Huang J, Graetz I, Millman A
Primary care telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic: patient's choice of video versus telephone visit.
The goal of this study was to examine the association between patient characteristics and primary care telemedicine choice among integrated delivery system patients self-scheduling visits during the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings showed that patients of Black or Hispanic race/ethnicity, or living in low socioeconomic status or low internet access neighborhoods were less likely to schedule video visits. Also, patients 65 years or older, with prior video visit experience or mobile portal access, or visiting their own personal provider were more likely to schedule video visits. While video adoption was substantial in all patient groups examined, differences in telemedicine choice suggested the persistence of a digital divide.
AHRQ-funded; HS025189.
Citation: Huang J, Graetz I, Millman A .
Primary care telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic: patient's choice of video versus telephone visit.
JAMIA Open 2022 Apr;5(1):ooac002. doi: 10.1093/jamiaopen/ooac002..
Keywords: COVID-19, Primary Care, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Access to Care
KS Cash, RE Adeoye, O
AHRQ Author: Zachrison
Estimated population access to acute stroke and telestroke centers in the US, 2019.
In order to provide an update on population-level access to stroke care, the investigators estimated the proportion of the US population with access to an ED with acute stroke capabilities and assessed the specific contribution of telestroke services to US population access. They observed a substantial increase in population access to acute stroke care in this cross-sectional study relative to previous reports using alternative methods, likely due to the extensive and ongoing work to improve stroke systems of care, including greater stroke center accreditation and expansion of telestroke capacity.
AHRQ-funded; HS024561.
Citation: KS Cash, RE Adeoye, O .
Estimated population access to acute stroke and telestroke centers in the US, 2019.
JAMA Netw Open 2022 Feb;5(2):e2145824. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.45824..
Keywords: Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Stroke, Cardiovascular Conditions, Critical Care, Access to Care
Misra-Hebert AD, Hu B, Pantalone KM
Primary care health care use for patients with type 2 diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This study sought to examine factors associated with total and virtual primary care use for patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study used electronic medical records in the Cleveland Clinic Health System comparing prepandemic use from August 2019 to March 2020 (baseline period 0) to two pandemic periods: March to June 2020 (period 1) when in-person visits were converted to virtual; and July to November 2020 when in-person visits resumed (period 2). Demographic characteristics were obtained including age, sex, race, insurance type, median income estimated by zip code and baseline HbA1C. The study included 76,015 patients with T2D who completed a primary care visit in baseline period 0. Cohort median age was 66.2 years, 50.7% women, 21.7% Black, 71.0% White and 7.4 Other. Insurance distribution was 43.2% private, 46.5% Medicare, and 9.5% Medicaid. Median income was estimated at $59,000 and baseline HbA1C was ≤ 7% for 59.6% of patients. There were higher odds of Black patients, those with uncontrolled T2D, and those with Medicare and Medicare using virtual visits during the 2 postpandemic periods suggesting that virtual visits may be a preference for those groups. Older and male patients had lower odds of visit completion.
AHRQ-funded; HS024128.
Citation: Misra-Hebert AD, Hu B, Pantalone KM .
Primary care health care use for patients with type 2 diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Diabetes Care 2021 Sep;44(9):e173-e74. doi: 10.2337/dc21-0853..
Keywords: COVID-19, Diabetes, Primary Care, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Healthcare Delivery, Access to Care, Chronic Conditions
Chao GF, Li KY, Zhu Z
Use of telehealth by surgical specialties during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This study’s objective was to determine telehealth use by surgical specialty before and during the pandemic period starting in March 2020. Insurance claims from a Michigan statewide commercial payer for new patient visits with a surgeon from 1 of 9 surgical specialties during one of the following periods: prior to the COVID-19 pandemic (period 1: January 5 to March 7, 2020), early pandemic (period 2: March 8 to June 6, 2020), and late pandemic (period 3: June 7 to September 5, 2020) were analyzed. For new patient visits, 1182 surgeons (26.8%) in any patient context used telehealth. Telehealth use peaked in April 2020 and facilitated 34.6% of all new patient visits during that week. Urology was the specialty with the highest telehealth conversion rate (14.3%).
AHRQ-funded; HS027632.
Citation: Chao GF, Li KY, Zhu Z .
Use of telehealth by surgical specialties during the COVID-19 pandemic.
JAMA Surg 2021 Jul;156(7):620-26. doi: 10.1001/jamasurg.2021.0979..
Keywords: COVID-19, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Access to Care, Practice Patterns, Surgery
Kemp MT, Williams AM, Brown CS
Practical guidance for early identification of barriers in surgical telehealth clinics.
The authors provide advice on early identification of and response to barriers in telehealth settings in order to help patients receive optimal care. Their focus is on standardizing expectations, assessing technological knowledge and resource access, evaluating understanding and comfort with telehealth, and assessing social support.
AHRQ-funded; HS000053.
Citation: Kemp MT, Williams AM, Brown CS .
Practical guidance for early identification of barriers in surgical telehealth clinics.
Ann Surg 2021 Jun;273(6):e268-e70. doi: 10.1097/sla.0000000000004633..
Keywords: Surgery, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Healthcare Delivery, Access to Care
Davis K, Wilbur K, Metzger S
Symptom and needs assessment screening in oncology patients: alternate outreach methods during COVID-19.
This initiative’s goal was to develop alternate outreach methods to cancer patients without access to an electronic portal during COVID-19. The authors implemented a standardized telephone outreach process targeting patients without active electronic portal accounts to improve remote symptom monitoring. A total of 172 screens were completed, identifying 110 needs for 63 individuals. Twenty-eight patients completed patient enrollment, with outreach calls capturing a higher percentage of Black patients (34%) and older adults age 61-80 years old (69%) compared to portal users.
AHRQ-funded; HS026170.
Citation: Davis K, Wilbur K, Metzger S .
Symptom and needs assessment screening in oncology patients: alternate outreach methods during COVID-19.
J Psychosoc Oncol 2021;39(3):452-60. doi: 10.1080/07347332.2021.1890663..
Keywords: COVID-19, Cancer, Access to Care, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Diagnostic Safety and Quality
Valdez RS, Roger CC, Claypool H
Ensuring full participation of people with disabilities in an era of telehealth.
This paper discusses the benefits and drawbacks that the widespread use of telehealth resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic has on people with disabilities. For some it may result in reduced barriers to care, but for others inadequate attention to the design, implementation, and policy dimensions may be detrimental.
AHRQ-funded; HS023849.
Citation: Valdez RS, Roger CC, Claypool H .
Ensuring full participation of people with disabilities in an era of telehealth.
J Am Med Inform Assoc 2021 Feb 15;28(2):389-92. doi: 10.1093/jamia/ocaa297..
Keywords: Disabilities, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Access to Care, Policy, COVID-19
Yang J, Landrum MB, Zhou L
Disparities in outpatient visits for mental health and/or substance use disorders during the COVID surge and partial reopening in Massachusetts.
The purpose of this study was to examine changes in outpatient visits for mental health and/or substance use disorders (MH/SUD) in an integrated healthcare organization during the initial Massachusetts COVID-19 surge and partial state reopening. The investigators concluded that MH/SUD visit volume increased during the COVID surge and was supported by rapidly-scaled telemedicine.
AHRQ-funded; HS025375.
Citation: Yang J, Landrum MB, Zhou L .
Disparities in outpatient visits for mental health and/or substance use disorders during the COVID surge and partial reopening in Massachusetts.
Gen Hosp Psychiatry 2020 Nov-Dec;67:100-06. doi: 10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2020.09.004..
Keywords: Behavioral Health, Substance Abuse, COVID-19, Disparities, Access to Care, Ambulatory Care and Surgery, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT)
Roberts ET, Mehrotra A
Assessment of disparities in digital access among Medicare beneficiaries and implications for telemedicine.
In this study, the investigators examined disparities in digital access (ie, access at home to technology that enables video telemedicine visits) among Medicare beneficiaries by socioeconomic and demographic characteristics. The investigators concluded that the proportion of beneficiaries who lacked digital access was higher among those with low socioeconomic status, those 85 years or older, and in communities of color.
AHRQ-funded; HS026727.
Citation: Roberts ET, Mehrotra A .
Assessment of disparities in digital access among Medicare beneficiaries and implications for telemedicine.
JAMA Intern Med 2020 Oct;180(10):1386-89. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2020.2666..
Keywords: Elderly, Medicare, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Disparities, Access to Care, Social Determinants of Health, Low-Income, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Vakkalanka JP, Harland KK, Wittrock A
Telemedicine is associated with rapid transfer and fewer involuntary holds among patients presenting with suicidal ideation in rural hospitals: a propensity matched cohort study.
The purpose of this retrospective propensity-matched cohort study was to evaluate the impact of telemedicine in clinical management and patient outcomes of patients presenting to rural critical access hospital emergency departments (EDs) with suicidal ideation or attempt. The authors suggest that the role of telemedicine in influencing access, quality and efficiency of care in underserved rural hospitals is critically important as these networks become more prevalent in rural healthcare environments.
AHRQ-funded; HS025753.
Citation: Vakkalanka JP, Harland KK, Wittrock A .
Telemedicine is associated with rapid transfer and fewer involuntary holds among patients presenting with suicidal ideation in rural hospitals: a propensity matched cohort study.
J Epidemiol Community Health 2019 Nov;73(11):1033-39. doi: 10.1136/jech-2019-212623..
Keywords: Telehealth, Rural Health, Access to Care, Behavioral Health, Health Information Technology (HIT), Healthcare Delivery, Care Management, Outcomes, Emergency Department
Lindau ST
CommunityRx, an e-prescribing system connecting people to community resources.
CommunityRx is an e-prescribing system that make it easier for patients in communities to connect with health resources. NowPow, LLC is an information technology enterprise that is part of CommunityRx. NowPow participated in AHRQ’s EvidenceNow grants program and worked with hundreds of small Midwestern primary care practices in the Healthy Hearts in the Heartland study. By 2018, over 1600 youths had been employed (many for the first-time) and generated annual asset census for Chicago, New York, and two rural areas of North Carolina. CommunityRx has been successful in providing health resource information to lower-income communities such as Chicago’s South Side. They also found that half of people who received a HealtheRx e-prescription use the information to help others.
AHRQ-funded; HS023921.
Citation: Lindau ST .
CommunityRx, an e-prescribing system connecting people to community resources.
Am J Public Health 2019 Apr;109(4):546-47. doi: 10.2105/ajph.2019.304986..
Keywords: Access to Care, Community-Based Practice, Electronic Prescribing (E-Prescribing), Evidence-Based Practice, Health Information Technology (HIT), Medication, Vulnerable Populations
Chambers DA, Haim A, Mullican CA
AHRQ Author: Mullican CA
Health information technology and mental health services research: a path forward.
This article reports on the AHRQ- and NIMH-organized November 2010 workshop, “Health Information Technology and Mental Health: The Way Forward.” The primary workshop goal was to bring together experts in mental health services and interventions research, practitioners, consumers, and technologists to discuss emerging opportunities in uniting all aspects of health IT and mental health research. The workshop resulted in a four-paper series, envisioning a future mental health system in which health IT is fully integrated within mental health service systems, for patient, clinician, and system levels.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Chambers DA, Haim A, Mullican CA .
Health information technology and mental health services research: a path forward.
Gen Hosp Psychiatry 2013 Jul-Aug;35(4):329-31. doi: 10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2013.03.006.
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Keywords: Access to Care, Health Information Technology (HIT), Health Services Research (HSR), Health Information Technology (HIT), Behavioral Health