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Research Studies is a monthly compilation of research articles funded by AHRQ or authored by AHRQ researchers and recently published in journals or newsletters.
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1 to 25 of 271 Research Studies DisplayedAlexandre W, Muhammad H, Agbalajobi O
Alcohol treatment discussions and clinical outcomes among patients with alcohol-related cirrhosis.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between medical dialogues concerning alcohol use disorder (AUD) treatment, AUD treatment engagement, and mortality rates. The retrospective cohort study encompassed all patients diagnosed with cirrhosis and AUD receiving hepatology care within a single healthcare system in 2015. Baseline data on demographics, medical history, liver disease, and AUD treatment were examined. Information on AUD treatment discussions, initiation, alcohol cessation, and the subsequent 5-year mortality rates was gathered. Out of 436 patients with alcohol-related cirrhosis, 15% received AUD treatment at baseline, with 11% undergoing behavioral therapy, 2% receiving pharmacotherapy, and 1% obtaining both. Within the first year after the initial hepatology visit, 37 patients had AUD treatment, 51 remained in treatment, and 14 discontinued. Hepatology-documented AUD treatment recommendations were provided to 30% of patients, while 26% received primary care-documented recommendations. The majority of hepatology (86%) and primary care (88%) recommendations focused on behavioral therapy. Among patients with persistent alcohol use at baseline, AUD treatment after one year was significantly and independently associated with hepatology or primary care treatment discussions, and negatively associated with Medicaid insurance. When treatment discussions occurred in both settings, high treatment rates followed. Over five years, 35% of patients died. Ongoing alcohol use, age, hepatic decompensation, and hepatocellular carcinoma significantly contributed to mortality in the final survival model. In patients with alcohol-related cirrhosis, AUD treatment discussions were documented in fewer than half of hepatology and primary care encounters; however, such discussions were significantly correlated with AUD treatment receipt.
AHRQ-funded; HS019461.
Citation: Alexandre W, Muhammad H, Agbalajobi O .
Alcohol treatment discussions and clinical outcomes among patients with alcohol-related cirrhosis.
BMC Gastroenterol 2023 Feb 2; 23(1):29. doi: 10.1186/s12876-023-02656-z..
Keywords: Alcohol Use, Substance Abuse, Behavioral Health, Clinician-Patient Communication, Communication
Hsueh L, Huang J, Millman AK
Cross-sectional association of patient language and patient-provider language concordance with video telemedicine use among patients with limited English proficiency.
The surge in telemedicine use during the COVID-19 pandemic underscores the need to address gaps in patient care, particularly for individuals with limited English proficiency. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between patient language, patient-provider language alignment, and the type of telemedicine visit (video or phone consultation). The researchers conducted a cross-sectional analysis using automated data from primary care telemedicine appointments scheduled between March 16, 2020, and October 31, 2020 within a comprehensive healthcare delivery system in Northern California. A total of 22,427 completed primary care telemedicine visits booked by 13,764 patients with limited English proficiency through the patient portal. The study examined the cross-sectional link between electronic health record-documented patient language (with Spanish as the reference) and patient-provider language concordance, considering patient demographics, technology access, and technology familiarity. RESULTS: The study found that among all scheduled appointments, 34.5% (n=7747) were video consultations. The three most common patient languages were Spanish (42.4%), Cantonese (16.9%), and Mandarin (10.3%). After adjusting for demographic and technology factors, video visit usage was higher for patients speaking Cantonese, Mandarin, or Vietnamese, compared to Spanish-speaking patients, but lower for those who spoke Punjabi. Language concordance was linked to decreased video visit utilization and influenced the relationship between speaking Spanish, Cantonese, and Korean with video visit usage. Furthermore, for all language groups, patients with prior video visit experience were more likely to use video visits again.
AHRQ-funded; HS025189
Citation: Hsueh L, Huang J, Millman AK .
Cross-sectional association of patient language and patient-provider language concordance with video telemedicine use among patients with limited English proficiency.
J Gen Intern Med 2023 Feb;38(3):633-40. doi: 10.1007/s11606-022-07887-6.
Keywords: Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Cultural Competence, Clinician-Patient Communication, Communication, Healthcare Delivery, COVID-19
Kim KM, Giannitrapani KF, Garcia A
Patient characteristics associated with occurrence of preoperative goals-of-care conversations.
This study’s goal was to evaluate the association between patient risk of hospitalization or death and goals-of-care conversations documented with a completed Life-Sustaining Treatment (LST) Decisions Initiative note among veterans undergoing surgery. This retrospective cross-sectional study included 190,040 veterans who underwent operations between January 2017 and February 2020. The main outcome looked at was preoperative LST note completion (30 days before or on the day of surgery) or no LST note completion within the 30-day preoperative period prior to or on the day of the index operation. Of 190,040 veterans (90.8% men), 3.8% completed an LST note before surgery, and 96.2% did not complete an LST note. In the groups with and without LST note completion before surgery, most were aged between 65 and 84 years, male, and Whites. Compared with patients who completed an LST, patients who did not tended to be female, married, Black, and in better health; to have a lower risk of hospitalization or death; or to undergo neurosurgical or urologic surgical procedures. Over the 3-year study interval, unadjusted rates of LST note completion before surgery increased from 0.1% to 9.6%. High-risk surgery was not associated with increased LST note completion before surgery. Veterans who underwent cardiothoracic surgery had the highest likelihood of LST note completion before surgery.
AHRQ-funded; F32 HS028747.
Citation: Kim KM, Giannitrapani KF, Garcia A .
Patient characteristics associated with occurrence of preoperative goals-of-care conversations.
JAMA Netw Open 2023 Feb;6(2):e2255407. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.55407.
Keywords: Surgery, Clinician-Patient Communication, Communication
Zisman-Ilani Y, Thompson KD, Siegel LS
Crohn's disease shared decision making intervention leads to more patients choosing combination therapy: a cluster randomised controlled trial.
The purpose of this multi-site cluster randomised controlled trial was to test the impact of standard Crohn's disease care and compare with the impact of shared decision making (SDM) on the provider’s choice of therapy, quality of decisions, and provider trust. A total of 158 adult patients with Crohn's disease within 15 years of their diagnosis, with no prior Crohn's disease complications, and who were candidates to receive immunomodulators or biologics, from 14 diverse gastroenterology practices in the US, participated in the study. 99 of those participants received the intervention and 59 received standard care. The study found that participants in the intervention group chose combination therapy more frequently, had a significantly lower decisional conflict, and had greater trust in their provider.
AHRQ-funded; HS021747.
Citation: Zisman-Ilani Y, Thompson KD, Siegel LS .
Crohn's disease shared decision making intervention leads to more patients choosing combination therapy: a cluster randomised controlled trial.
Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2023 Jan;57(2):205-14. doi: 10.1111/apt.17286..
Keywords: Digestive Disease and Health, Chronic Conditions, Decision Making, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Clinician-Patient Communication
Quigley DD, Elliott MN, Slaughter ME
Follow-up shadow coaching improves primary care provider-patient interactions and maintains improvements when conducted regularly: a spline model analysis.
The purpose of this study was to explore whether a second shadow coaching session (re-coaching) improves the patient experience and maintains it over time. The researchers observed a statistically significant increase of 3.7 points among re-coached providers after re-coaching on overall provider rating (OPR) and 3.5 points on provider communication (PC) (differences of 1, 3, and 5 points or more are considered small, medium, and large, respectively). Improvements from the re-coaching endured for 12 months for OPR and 8 months for PC.
AHRQ-funded; HS025920.
Citation: Quigley DD, Elliott MN, Slaughter ME .
Follow-up shadow coaching improves primary care provider-patient interactions and maintains improvements when conducted regularly: a spline model analysis.
J Gen Intern Med 2023 Jan; 38(1):221-27. doi: 10.1007/s11606-022-07881-y..
Keywords: Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS), Primary Care, Clinician-Patient Communication, Patient Experience, Provider Performance
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
Kelly MM, Hoonakker PLT, Nacht CL
Parent perspectives on sharing pediatric hospitalization clinical notes.
This qualitative study sought to identify parent perceptions of the benefits and challenges of real-time note access during their child's hospitalization and strategies to optimize note-sharing at the bedside. The study conducted 60-minute interviews with 28 parents who were given access to their child's admission and daily progress notes on a bedside tablet (iPad) and interviewed upon discharge. The parents described 6 benefits of having note access, which: provided a recap and improved their knowledge about their child's care plan, enhanced communication, facilitated empowerment, increased autonomy, and incited positive emotions. Potential challenges described included: causing confusion, hindering communication with the health care team, highlighting problems with note content, and inciting negative emotions. The parents recommended 4 strategies to support sharing: provide preemptive communication about expectations, optimize the note release process, consider parent-friendly note template modifications, and offer informational resources for parents.
AHRQ-funded; HS027214.
Citation: Kelly MM, Hoonakker PLT, Nacht CL .
Parent perspectives on sharing pediatric hospitalization clinical notes.
Pediatrics 2023 Jan; 151(1). doi: 10.1542/peds.2022-057756..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Hospitals, Clinician-Patient Communication, Communication, Hospitalization
Jensen JL, Sweeney A, Gill C
Evaluation of patient access to Spanish-language-concordant care on a postpartum unit.
This study evaluated patient access to Spanish-language-concordant care on a postpartum unit and to identify facilitators and barriers to the use of interpretation services. This mixed-methods study included a chart review of 50 randomly selected birthing parent-newborn couplets and interviews with 14 inpatient health care team members, and semistructured interviews at a tertiary academic medical center in the southeastern United States. The chart review included examination of patient characteristics, health care team composition including Spanish language proficiency, length of stay, number of interpreter requests, and time between clinician interpreter requests and interpreter arrival on the unit. Access to an interpreter or clinician certified in medical Spanish was offered to 12 of 50 (24%) couplets upon admission to the unit and to 7 of 50 (14%) of couplets for daily maternal and newborn medical rounds. Clinicians reported on long and unpredictable wait times to access interpreters. Temporary solutions included relying on hand gestures, broken Spanish, and smartphone apps to "get by" when communicating with patients without certified interpretation services. These deviations from national standards may put postpartum families at risk for harm.
AHRQ-funded; HS027260.
Citation: Jensen JL, Sweeney A, Gill C .
Evaluation of patient access to Spanish-language-concordant care on a postpartum unit.
Nurs Womens Health 2022 Dec;26(6):429-38. doi: 10.1016/j.nwh.2022.09.002.
Keywords: Maternal Care, Cultural Competence, Clinician-Patient Communication, Communication
Schuttner L, Hockett Sherlock S, Simons CE
My goals are not their goals: barriers and facilitators to delivery of patient-centered care for patients with multimorbidity.
This study’s goal was to clarify facilitators and barriers perceived by primary care physicians in the Veterans Health Administration to delivering patient-centered care for high-risk or complex patients with multimorbidity. The authors conducted semi-structured telephone interviews from April to July 2020 with 23 physicians across 20 clinical sites, with most being female (61%). Facilitators included: effective physician-patient communication to individualize care, prioritize among multiple needs, and elicit goals to improve patient engagement; access to care, enabled by interdisciplinary teams, and dictating personalized care planning; effortful but worthwhile care coordination and continuity; meeting complex needs through effective teamwork; and integrating medical and non-medical care aspects in recognition of patients' psychosocial contexts. Barriers included: intra- and interpersonal (e.g., perceived patient reluctance to engage in care); organizational (e.g., limited encounter time); and community or policy impediments (e.g., state decisional capacity laws) to patient-centered care.
AHRQ-funded; HS026369.
Citation: Schuttner L, Hockett Sherlock S, Simons CE .
My goals are not their goals: barriers and facilitators to delivery of patient-centered care for patients with multimorbidity.
J Gen Intern Med 2022 Dec;37(16):4189-96. doi: 10.1007/s11606-022-07533-1..
Keywords: Patient-Centered Healthcare, Healthcare Delivery, Chronic Conditions, Clinician-Patient Communication, Communication, Patient and Family Engagement
Quigley DD, Qureshi N, Palimaru A
Content and actionability of recommendations to providers after shadow coaching.
This paper examined the content of the recommendations given to shadow-coached providers aimed at improving provider-patient interactions, to characterize these recommendations, and to examine their actionability. Using CAHPS data, the study’s findings showed that patient experience surveys were effective at identifying where improvement is needed but are not always informative enough to instruct providers on how to modify and improve their interactions with patients. Analyzing the feedback given to coached providers as part of an effective shadow-coaching program provides details about implementation on shadow-coaching feedback.
AHRQ-funded; HS025920.
Citation: Quigley DD, Qureshi N, Palimaru A .
Content and actionability of recommendations to providers after shadow coaching.
Qual Manag Health Care 2022 Oct-Dec;31(4):199-209. doi: 10.1097/qmh.0000000000000354..
Keywords: Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS), Patient Experience, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Practice Improvement, Clinician-Patient Communication, Communication
Khullar D, Prasad K, Neprash H
Factors associated with patient trust in their clinicians: results from the healthy work place study.
The goal of this study was to determine workplace, clinician, and patient correlates of patient trust in their clinician. The sample used baseline data from the Healthy Work Place trial, a randomized trial of Midwest and East Coast primary care practices. Trust was found to relate mainly to several aspects of care variables (including satisfaction with explanations, overall satisfaction with provider, learning about medical conditions, and the clinician's personal manner), with lesser association with patient characteristics and clinician work conditions. Findings showed that trust was primarily related to what happens between clinicians and patients in the examination room.
AHRQ-funded; HS018160.
Citation: Khullar D, Prasad K, Neprash H .
Factors associated with patient trust in their clinicians: results from the healthy work place study.
Health Care Manage Rev 2022 Oct-Dec;47(4):289-96. doi: 10.1097/hmr.0000000000000336..
Keywords: Patient-Centered Healthcare, Patient Experience, Clinician-Patient Communication
Wasp GT, Knutzen KE, Murray GF
Systemic therapy decision making in advanced cancer: a qualitative analysis of patient-oncologist encounters.
This study sought to characterize patient-oncologist communication and decision making about continuing or limiting systemic therapy in encounters after an initial consultation, with a particular focus on whether and how oncologists foster shared decision making (SDM). The authors performed content analysis of outpatient oncology encounters at two US National Cancer Institute-designated cancer centers audio recorded between November 2010 and September 2014. A multidisciplinary team used a hybrid approach of inductive and deductive coding and theme development with a combination of random and purposive sampling. Among 31 randomly sampled dyads with 3 encounters each (93 total), systematic therapy decision making was discussed in 90% encounters. Only 34 oncologists broached limiting therapy, which 27 framed as temporary; nine as completion of a standard regime; and five as permanent discontinuation. Thematic analysis found that that (1) patients and oncologists framed continuing therapy as the default, (2) deficiencies in the SDM process (facilitating choice awareness, discussing options, and incorporating patient preferences) contributed to this default, and (3) oncologists use persuasion rather than deliberation when broaching discontinuation.
AHRQ-funded; HS022242.
Citation: Wasp GT, Knutzen KE, Murray GF .
Systemic therapy decision making in advanced cancer: a qualitative analysis of patient-oncologist encounters.
JCO Oncol Pract 2022 Aug;18(8):e1357-e66. doi: 10.1200/op.21.00377..
Keywords: Decision Making, Cancer, Clinician-Patient Communication
Doty AM, Rising KL, Hsiao T
"Unfortunately, I don't have an answer for you": how resident physicians communicate diagnostic uncertainty to patients during emergency department discharge.
This study’s objective was to describe how emergency medicine resident physicians discuss diagnostic uncertainty during a simulated emergency department (ED) discharge discussion. Most residents in the simulation explained the evaluation revealed no cause for symptoms, noted concerning diagnoses that were excluded, and acknowledged both symptoms and patients’ feelings. However, 28% of residents did not discuss diagnostic uncertainty in any form. All residents were reassuring. Those who did discuss diagnostic uncertainty used explicit and implicit language with similar frequency.
AHRQ-funded; HS025651.
Citation: Doty AM, Rising KL, Hsiao T .
"Unfortunately, I don't have an answer for you": how resident physicians communicate diagnostic uncertainty to patients during emergency department discharge.
Patient Educ Couns 2022 Jul;105(7):2053-57. doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2021.12.002..
Keywords: Clinician-Patient Communication, Emergency Department, Communication, Diagnostic Safety and Quality
Chang E, Ali R, Berkman ND
Unpacking complex interventions that manage care for high-need, high-cost patients: a realist review.
This realist review synthesized data from 48 studies on complex interventions that manage care for high-need, high-cost (HNHC) patients. Intervention care providers and patients require building a trusting relationship to successfully change HNHC patients’ behaviors. The literature emphasized establishing a trusting relationship with the patient, tailoring individualized assistance for medical and non-medical needs, emotional support, and self-management. These practices increased patient participation in managing their own care.
AHRQ-funded; 290201500011I.
Citation: Chang E, Ali R, Berkman ND .
Unpacking complex interventions that manage care for high-need, high-cost patients: a realist review.
BMJ Open 2022 Jun 9;12(6):e058539. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-058539..
Keywords: Care Management, Communication, Clinician-Patient Communication, Healthcare Delivery
Lieu TA, Warton EM, Levan C
Association of medical assistant-supported virtual rooming with successful video visit connections.
The purpose of this study was to systematically evaluate medical assistant-supported virtual rooming for physician video visits to address the digital divide which exists in physician video visit availability and accessibility for patients who have lower socioeconomic status (SES), low English proficiency, or are African American or Black or Latino. The study found that of the 114,214 video visits with successful connections, 14.2% had low neighborhood SES, 3.6% needed interpreters, 20.1% were Latino, and 7.9% were African American or Black. African American or Black race, Latino ethnicity, needing an interpreter, and living in a low SES neighborhood were associated with a lower likelihood of connecting. The researchers concluded that medical assistant–supported virtual rooming was associated with successful video visit connections in this diverse population. High medical assistant supported rooming rates were associated with larger connection improvements for patients at higher risk of not connecting, including those with lower SES, of Latino ethnicity or African American or Black race, or needing interpreters.
AHRQ-funded; HS025189.
Citation: Lieu TA, Warton EM, Levan C .
Association of medical assistant-supported virtual rooming with successful video visit connections.
JAMA Intern Med 2022 Jun;182(6):680-82. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2022.1032..
Keywords: Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Clinician-Patient Communication, Communication, Healthcare Delivery
McCarthy DM, Formella KT, Ou EZ
There's an app for that: teaching residents to communicate diagnostic uncertainty through a mobile gaming application.
The purpose of this study was to improve doctor-patient communication by assessing the utilization of a mobile application (app) for teaching physician communication skills about diagnostic uncertainty, obtaining feedback on app utilization, and evaluating the association between app use and mastery of skills. Emergency medicine resident physicians were randomized to receive immediate or delayed access to an educational curriculum focused on diagnostic uncertainty which included a web-based interactive model and an app. Only 31.2% of the 109 participants used the app, with senior residents more likely to use the app than junior residents. Researchers report that of those who used the app, reviews were positive, with 76% indicating the app facilitated their learning. The study found that in the trial there was no significant correlation between the utilization of the app and mastery of the communication skill. The researchers concluded that without mandated use and evidence of effectiveness, apps should not be offered to physicians as an educational option and training opportunity for improving communication skills.
AHRQ-funded; HS025651.
Citation: McCarthy DM, Formella KT, Ou EZ .
There's an app for that: teaching residents to communicate diagnostic uncertainty through a mobile gaming application.
Patient Educ Couns 2022 Jun;105(6):1463-69. doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2021.09.038..
Keywords: Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Clinician-Patient Communication, Communication, Education: Continuing Medical Education, Health Information Technology (HIT)
Rosenberg SM, Gierisch JM, Revette AC
"Is it cancer or not?" A qualitative exploration of survivor concerns surrounding the diagnosis and treatment of ductal carcinoma in situ.
This study investigated the impact of a ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) diagnosis by engaging self-identified patients regarding their experience. Findings showed that, in a large, national sample, participants with a history of DCIS reported confusion and concern about the diagnosis and treatment, which caused worry and significant uncertainty.
AHRQ-funded; HS023680.
Citation: Rosenberg SM, Gierisch JM, Revette AC .
"Is it cancer or not?" A qualitative exploration of survivor concerns surrounding the diagnosis and treatment of ductal carcinoma in situ.
Cancer 2022 Apr 15;128(8):1676-83. doi: 10.1002/cncr.34126..
Keywords: Cancer: Breast Cancer, Cancer, Decision Making, Women, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Clinician-Patient Communication, Patient and Family Engagement, Communication
Richmond J, Boynton MH, Ozawa S
Development and validation of the trust in my doctor, trust in doctors in general, and trust in the health care team scales.
The authors sought to develop and test updated trust measures that are multidimensional and inclusive of relevant domains. They developed three trust measures: the Trust in My Doctor (T-MD), Trust in Doctors in General (T-DiG), and Trust in the Health Care Team (T-HCT) scales. Following an online survey, they concluded that the multidimensional T-MD, T-DiG, and T-HCT scales have sound psychometric properties and may be useful for researchers evaluating trust-related interventions or conducting studies where trust is an important construct or main outcome.
AHRQ-funded; HS026122.
Citation: Richmond J, Boynton MH, Ozawa S .
Development and validation of the trust in my doctor, trust in doctors in general, and trust in the health care team scales.
Soc Sci Med 2022 Apr;298:114827. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.114827..
Keywords: Patient Experience, Clinician-Patient Communication
Jacobson CE, Heximer A, Olmeda-Barrientos R
Language accessibility of liver transplantation center websites.
This research letter describes an analysis of language accessibility of liver transplantation center websites. The authors surveyed patient-facing educational websites of all 140 active, accredited US liver transplantation centers. Thirty-eight states and the District of Columbia had websites. Inclusion criteria was that they were using the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network website. They analyzed each website for non-English content. Excluded were websites from Puerto Rico, as Spanish is the predominant governmental language. A total of 23 states had no transplant websites with online materials in a second language, and 34 sites (24.3%) had resources other than English on their website. California had the highest number of centers with resources in a language other than English, followed by Texas and New York. Spanish was the most common language available at 100% of sites that had resources other than English, followed by Arabic at 38.9% and Mandarin Chinese at 38.9%. A total of 108 different languages were represented among 10 state websites.
AHRQ-funded; HS000053.
Citation: Jacobson CE, Heximer A, Olmeda-Barrientos R .
Language accessibility of liver transplantation center websites.
Liver Transpl 2022 Apr; 28(4):722-24. doi: 10.1002/lt.26343..
Keywords: Transplantation, Clinician-Patient Communication, Communication, Health Information Technology (HIT), Health Literacy
Fisher KA, Kennedy K, Bloomstone S
Can sharing clinic notes improve communication and promote self-management? A qualitative study of patients with COPD.
The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of physicians sharing their clinical notes with patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and assess the impact on patient-physician communication and patient self-management. The researchers conducted interviews with 30 patients with COPD, asking them to review their clinic notes. The participants were primarily White (93.3%) with an average age of 65.5 years; more than 50% reported having a high school degree or less, almost half reported sometimes requiring help to read medical materials, and half had challenges understanding spoken information. The study found that patients reported that having the clinic notes gave them an opportunity to learn more about their condition, and encouraged their self-management by reminding them of their action steps, serving as prompts for seeking information, and motivating them. Patients indicated positive reactions to those physician notes that implied their clinician considered them as a person, listened to them, and noticed details about them. The majority of patients reported negative reactions to incorrect information in the notes, wording that they considered disapproving, and medical terms. The study concluded that the act of providers sharing their clinical notes with their patients can serve multiple purposes, including encouraging the exchange of information and self-management, and improving the relationship between patients and providers.
AHRQ-funded; HS024596.
Citation: Fisher KA, Kennedy K, Bloomstone S .
Can sharing clinic notes improve communication and promote self-management? A qualitative study of patients with COPD.
Patient Educ Couns 2022 Mar;105(3):726-33. doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2021.06.004..
Keywords: Respiratory Conditions, Chronic Conditions, Clinician-Patient Communication, Communication, Patient Self-Management
Boltey EM, Wright N, Mosley EA
Exploring the process of information sharing in an adult intensive care unit: an ethnographic study.
The purpose of this study was to examine how the process of information sharing takes place in the ICU from the perspectives of the professional team and family members. The researchers conducted ethnographic fieldwork focusing on behaviors and interactions of the interprofessional team and family members. Fieldwork of 17.5 observation hours, 6 shadowing sessions, and 12 semi-structured interviews with 17 total participants took place in a 20-bed medical ICU from May 2016 - October 2016. Three themes about the information sharing process were identified: 1) family factors influence information sharing; 2) clinician strategies can support engagement in the process of information sharing; and 3) the process of information sharing allows for trust building between ICU team and families. The researchers concluded that information sharing is a critical process that may act as a stimulus for effective ICU engagement with the patient and family.
AHRQ-funded; HS024552.
Citation: Boltey EM, Wright N, Mosley EA .
Exploring the process of information sharing in an adult intensive care unit: an ethnographic study.
J Interprof Care 2022 Mar-Apr;36(2):168-76. doi: 10.1080/13561820.2021.1899147..
Keywords: Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Clinician-Patient Communication, Patient and Family Engagement, Communication, Critical Care
Meisel ZF, Shofer F, Dolan A
A multicentered randomized controlled trial comparing the effectiveness of pain treatment communication tools in emergency department patients with back or kidney stone pain.
The purpose of this trial was to compare the effectiveness of three approaches for communicating opioid risk during an emergency department visit for a common painful condition. Participants were adult patients with kidney stone or musculoskeletal back pain, randomly assigned to one of three risk communication strategies: a personalized probabilistic risk visual aid, a visual aid and video narrative, or general risk information. Findings showed that an emergency medicine communication tool incorporating probabilistic risk and patient narratives was more effective than general information in mitigating preferences for opioids in the treatment of pain but was not more effective with respect to opioid use or risk recall.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Meisel ZF, Shofer F, Dolan A .
A multicentered randomized controlled trial comparing the effectiveness of pain treatment communication tools in emergency department patients with back or kidney stone pain.
Am J Public Health 2022 Feb;112(S1):S45-s55. doi: 10.2105/ajph.2021.306511..
Keywords: Pain, Emergency Department, Education: Patient and Caregiver, Opioids, Comparative Effectiveness, Clinician-Patient Communication, Communication
Gutman CK, Lion KC, Fisher CL
Breaking through barriers: the need for effective research to promote language-concordant communication as a facilitator of equitable emergency care.
The authors discuss the issue of individuals with limited English proficiency (LEP) and the high risk for adverse outcomes in the US health care system, especially in the emergency department. They point out that, although professional language interpretation improves the quality of care for these patients, it remains underused. They find few examples in the literature of rigorous interventions to improve quality of care and outcomes for patients with LEP and urge further high-quality research to improve communication with patients with LEP along the continuum of emergency care in order to achieve equity in outcomes.
AHRQ-funded; HS026006.
Citation: Gutman CK, Lion KC, Fisher CL .
Breaking through barriers: the need for effective research to promote language-concordant communication as a facilitator of equitable emergency care.
J Am Coll Emerg Physicians Open 2022 Feb;3(1):e12639. doi: .
Keywords: Communication, Emergency Department, Cultural Competence, Clinician-Patient Communication
Kunneman M, Branda ME, Ridgeway JL
Making sense of diabetes medication decisions: a mixed methods cluster randomized trial using a conversation aid intervention.
The purpose of this trial was to determine the effectiveness of a shared decision-making (SDM) tool versus guideline-informed usual care in translating evidence into primary care, and to explore how use of the tool changed patient perspectives about diabetes medication decision making. Findings showed that using an SDM conversation aid improved patient knowledge and involvement in SDM without impacting treatment choice, encounter length, medication adherence, or improved diabetes control in patients with type 2 diabetes.
AHRQ-funded; HS018339.
Citation: Kunneman M, Branda ME, Ridgeway JL .
Making sense of diabetes medication decisions: a mixed methods cluster randomized trial using a conversation aid intervention.
Endocrine 2022 Feb;75(2):377-91. doi: 10.1007/s12020-021-02861-4..
Keywords: Diabetes, Medication, Decision Making, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Clinician-Patient Communication, Chronic Conditions
Tabaac AR, Sutter ME, Haneuse S
The interaction of sexual orientation and provider-patient communication on sexual and reproductive health in a sample of U.S. women of diverse sexual orientations.
This study’s goal was to examine associations among provider-patient communication, past-year contraceptive use, and lifetime sexually transmitted infection. The authors analyzed data cross-sectionally from 22,554 women in the Growing Up Today Study and Nurses' Health Study 3 for the follow-up period of 1996 to 2020. Provider-patient communication was associated with higher likelihood of using all methods of past-year contraceptive use and lifetime STI diagnosis. Completely heterosexual women were 13% more likely than lesbians and 4% less likely than other groups to report a provider ever discussed their sexual and reproductive health (SRH). Sexual minority women whose providers discussed their SRH were less likely to report contraceptive non-use in the past year.
AHRQ-funded; HS026120.
Citation: Tabaac AR, Sutter ME, Haneuse S .
The interaction of sexual orientation and provider-patient communication on sexual and reproductive health in a sample of U.S. women of diverse sexual orientations.
Patient Educ Couns 2022 Feb; 105(2):466-73. doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2021.05.022..
Keywords: Sexual Health, Women, Clinician-Patient Communication, Communication
