National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
Latest available findings on quality of and access to health care
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Search All Research Studies
Topics
- Adverse Drug Events (ADE) (1)
- Adverse Events (2)
- Antibiotics (3)
- Children/Adolescents (8)
- Clinical Decision Support (CDS) (1)
- Comparative Effectiveness (1)
- Critical Care (1)
- Diagnostic Safety and Quality (2)
- Disparities (1)
- Electronic Health Records (EHRs) (2)
- (-) Emergency Department (19)
- Evidence-Based Practice (4)
- Guidelines (5)
- Healthcare Delivery (2)
- Health Information Technology (HIT) (6)
- Hospitals (4)
- Infectious Diseases (1)
- Inpatient Care (2)
- Intensive Care Unit (ICU) (1)
- Medical Errors (1)
- Medication (3)
- Mortality (3)
- Outcomes (5)
- Patient-Centered Outcomes Research (1)
- Patient Safety (1)
- Pneumonia (2)
- Practice Patterns (1)
- Provider (1)
- Provider: Physician (1)
- Quality Improvement (1)
- Quality of Care (1)
- Registries (1)
- Respiratory Conditions (1)
- Risk (2)
- Rural Health (2)
- (-) Sepsis (19)
- Telehealth (3)
- Transitions of Care (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 19 of 19 Research Studies DisplayedGeorgette N, Michelson K, Monuteaux M
A temperature- and age-adjusted shock index for emergency department identification of pediatric sepsis.
The objective of this retrospective cohort study was to derive a temperature- and age-adjusted mean shock index (TAMSI) for early identification of sepsis and septic shock in children with suspected infection. Researchers analyzed data on children who presented with suspected infection to a single emergency department over a 10-year period. Test characteristics for the TAMSI cutoffs were compared with those for the Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) tachycardia or systolic hypotension cutoffs. The results showed that TAMSI achieved a similar negative likelihood ratio and improved positive likelihood ratio compared with PALS vital sign cutoffs for the prediction of septic shock, but did not improve on PALS for sepsis prediction among children with suspected infection.
AHRQ-funded; HS026503.
Citation: Georgette N, Michelson K, Monuteaux M .
A temperature- and age-adjusted shock index for emergency department identification of pediatric sepsis.
Ann Emerg Med 2023 Oct; 82(4):494-502. doi: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2023.03.026..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Emergency Department, Sepsis, Diagnostic Safety and Quality
Mohr NM, Okoro U, Harland KK
Outcomes associated with rural emergency department provider-to-provider telehealth for sepsis care: a multicenter cohort study.
The objective of this multicenter cohort study was to test the hypothesis that provider-to-provider tele-emergency department (tele-ED) care is associated with more 28-day hospital-free days and improved Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC) guideline adherence in rural emergency departments. Medical records of patients with sepsis were taken from rural hospitals in an established, on-demand, video tele-ED Midwestern network. Findings suggest that tele-ED cases did not have more 28-day hospital-free days or 28-day in-hospital mortality. A subgroup of patients treated by advanced practice providers suggest that mortality was lower in the cohort with tele-ED use in spite of no significant difference in complete SSC adherence. The researchers concluded that rural emergency department patients treated with provider-to-provider tele-ED care in a developed network showed similar clinical outcomes to those treated without.
AHRQ-funded; HS025753.
Citation: Mohr NM, Okoro U, Harland KK .
Outcomes associated with rural emergency department provider-to-provider telehealth for sepsis care: a multicenter cohort study.
Ann Emerg Med 2023 Jan;81(1):1-13. doi: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2022.07.024..
Keywords: Rural Health, Emergency Department, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Sepsis, Outcomes
Scott Scott, Kempe A, Bajaj L
"These are our kids": qualitative interviews with clinical leaders in general emergency departments on motivations, processes, and guidelines in pediatric sepsis care.
Researchers sought to identify barriers and facilitators to pediatric sepsis care in general emergency departments (EDs), including care processes, the role of guidelines, and incentivized metrics. They interviewed medical directors, nurse managers, and quality coordinators. They found that leaders in general EDs were motivated to provide high-quality pediatric sepsis care but disagreed on whether reportable metrics would drive improvements. Leaders universally sought direct support from their nearest children's hospitals and actionable guidelines.
AHRQ-funded; HS025696.
Citation: Scott Scott, Kempe A, Bajaj L .
"These are our kids": qualitative interviews with clinical leaders in general emergency departments on motivations, processes, and guidelines in pediatric sepsis care.
Ann Emerg Med 2022 Oct;80(4):347-57. doi: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2022.05.030..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Emergency Department, Sepsis, Guidelines, Evidence-Based Practice
Dutta S, McEvoy DS, Rubins DM
Clinical decision support improves blood culture collection before intravenous antibiotic administration in the emergency department.
This paper discusses the outcomes of using a clinical decision support (CDS) tool that was implemented in emergency departments (EDs) for sepsis patients to remind healthcare staff to take blood cultures before administration of intravenous (IV) antibiotics. The study compared timely blood culture collection outcomes prior to IV antibiotics for 54,538 adult ED patients 1 year before and after a CDS intervention implementation in the electronic health record. The baseline phase found that 46.1% had blood cultures prior to IV antibiotics, compared to 58.8% after the intervention. The CDS improved blood culture collection rates without increasing overutilization.
AHRQ-funded; HS02717.
Citation: Dutta S, McEvoy DS, Rubins DM .
Clinical decision support improves blood culture collection before intravenous antibiotic administration in the emergency department.
J Am Med Inform Assoc 2022 Sep 12;29(10):1705-14. doi: 10.1093/jamia/ocac115..
Keywords: Clinical Decision Support (CDS), Health Information Technology (HIT), Antibiotics, Emergency Department, Medication, Sepsis
Balamuth F, Scott HF, Weiss SL
Validation of the pediatric Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score and evaluation of Third International Consensus Definitions for Sepsis and Septic Shock Definitions in the pediatric emergency department.
This study analyzed whether a measure used to quantity organ dysfunction, the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) in adults can also be used for critically ill children in an emergency department (ED) population. This retrospective cohort study took place in 9 US children’s hospitals included in the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN registry from January 2012 to January 31, 2020. A score of 2 or more can indicate an infection. Almost 4 million ED visits were included, with 3.2% having a pSOFA score of 2 or more. The pSOFA score showed poor sensitivity as a screening tool for hospital mortality but children with a pSOfA score of 2 or less were at very low risk of death, with high specificity and negative predictive value.
AHRQ-funded; HS020270.
Citation: Balamuth F, Scott HF, Weiss SL .
Validation of the pediatric Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score and evaluation of Third International Consensus Definitions for Sepsis and Septic Shock Definitions in the pediatric emergency department.
JAMA Pediatr 2022 Jul;176(7):672-78. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2022.1301..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Sepsis, Emergency Department
Greenwald E, Olds E, Leonard J
Pediatric sepsis in community emergency care settings: guideline concordance and outcomes.
The authors sought to describe the rate of guideline-concordant care, and hypothesized that guideline-concordant care in community pediatric emergency care settings would be associated with decreased hospital length of stay (LOS). They found that guideline-concordant care was not associated with hospital LOS. The elements that drove overall concordance were timely recognition, vascular access, and timely antibiotics. Emergency care for pediatric sepsis in the community settings studied was concordant with guidelines in only 24% of the cases. They recommended future study to evaluate additional drivers of outcomes and ways to improve sepsis care in community emergency care settings.
AHRQ-funded; HS025696.
Citation: Greenwald E, Olds E, Leonard J .
Pediatric sepsis in community emergency care settings: guideline concordance and outcomes.
Pediatr Emerg Care 2021 Dec;37(12):e1571-e77. doi: 10.1097/pec.0000000000002120..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Sepsis, Emergency Department, Guidelines, Evidence-Based Practice
Mohr NM, Campbell KD, Swanson MB
Provider-to-provider telemedicine improves adherence to sepsis bundle care in community emergency departments.
Sepsis is a life-threatening emergency. Together, early recognition and intervention decreases mortality. Protocol-based resuscitation in the emergency department (ED) has improved survival in sepsis patients, but guideline-adherent care is less common in low-volume EDs. This study examined the association between provider-to-provider telemedicine and adherence with sepsis bundle components in rural community hospitals. The investigators found that telemedicine patients were more likely to receive initial blood lactate measurement, timely broad-spectrum antibiotics, and adequate fluid resuscitation.
AHRQ-funded; HS025753.
Citation: Mohr NM, Campbell KD, Swanson MB .
Provider-to-provider telemedicine improves adherence to sepsis bundle care in community emergency departments.
J Telemed Telecare 2021 Sep;27(8):518-26. doi: 10.1177/1357633x19896667..
Keywords: Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Emergency Department, Sepsis
Cifra CL, Westlund E, Ten Eyck P
An estimate of missed pediatric sepsis in the emergency department.
AHRQ-funded; HS025753.
Citation: Cifra CL, Westlund E, Ten Eyck P .
An estimate of missed pediatric sepsis in the emergency department.
Diagnosis 2021;8(2):193-98. doi: 10.1515/dx-2020-0023..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Sepsis, Emergency Department, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Medical Errors, Risk
Mohr NM, Harland KK, Okoro UE
TELEmedicine as an Intervention for Sepsis in Emergency Departments: a multicenter, comparative effectiveness study (TELEvISED Study).
Sepsis is a life-threatening infection that affects over 1.7 million Americans annually. Low-volume rural hospitals have worse sepsis outcomes, and emergency department (ED)-based telemedicine (tele-ED) has been one promising strategy for improving rural sepsis care. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of tele-ED consultation on sepsis care and outcomes in rural ED patients.
AHRQ-funded; HS025753.
Citation: Mohr NM, Harland KK, Okoro UE .
TELEmedicine as an Intervention for Sepsis in Emergency Departments: a multicenter, comparative effectiveness study (TELEvISED Study).
J Comp Eff Res 2021 Feb;10(2):77-91. doi: 10.2217/cer-2020-0141..
Keywords: Sepsis, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Emergency Department, Comparative Effectiveness, Evidence-Based Practice, Rural Health, Healthcare Delivery
Anesi GL, Chelluri J, Qasim ZA
Association of an emergency department-embedded critical care unit with hospital outcomes and intensive care unit use.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential impact of an emergency department-embedded critical care unit (CCU) at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania among patients with sepsis and acute respiratory failure (ARF) admitted from the emergency department to a medical ward or ICU from January 2016 to December 2017. Findings showed that the emergency department-embedded CCU was not associated with clinical outcomes among patients admitted with sepsis or ARF. Among less sick patients with sepsis, the emergency department-embedded CCU was initially associated with reduced rates of direct ICU admission from the emergency department. Further research was recommended to further evaluate the impact and utility of the emergency department-embedded CCU model.
AHRQ-funded; HS026372.
Citation: Anesi GL, Chelluri J, Qasim ZA .
Association of an emergency department-embedded critical care unit with hospital outcomes and intensive care unit use.
Ann Am Thorac Soc 2020 Dec;17(12):1599-609. doi: 10.1513/AnnalsATS.201912-912OC..
Keywords: Emergency Department, Critical Care, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Hospitals, Sepsis, Respiratory Conditions, Outcomes, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Healthcare Delivery
Mohr NM, Pape SG, Runde D
Etomidate use is associated with less hypotension than ketamine for emergency department sepsis intubations: a NEAR cohort study.
The objectives of this study were to describe the current use of etomidate and other induction agents in patients with sepsis and to compare adverse events between etomidate and ketamine in sepsis. Using the National Emergency Airway Registry data set, findings showed that etomidate is used less frequently in sepsis patients than in non-sepsis patients, with ketamine being the most frequently used alternative. Further, ketamine was associated with more postprocedural hypotension than etomidate. Recommendations included future clinical trials to determine the optimal induction agent in patients with sepsis.
AHRQ-funded; HS025753.
Citation: Mohr NM, Pape SG, Runde D .
Etomidate use is associated with less hypotension than ketamine for emergency department sepsis intubations: a NEAR cohort study.
Acad Emerg Med 2020 Nov;27(11):1140-49. doi: 10.1111/acem.14070..
Keywords: Medication, Sepsis, Emergency Department, Registries, Adverse Drug Events (ADE), Adverse Events
Slatnick LR, Thornhill D, Deakyne Davies
Disseminated intravascular coagulation is an independent predictor of adverse outcomes in children in the emergency department with suspected sepsis.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of early disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) on illness severity in children using a database of emergency department ED encounters for children with suspected sepsis, in view of similar associations in adults. The investigators concluded that a DIC score of ≥3 was an independent predictor for both vasopressor use and mortality in this pediatric cohort, distinct from the adult overt DIC score cutoff of ≥5.
AHRQ-funded; HS025696.
Citation: Slatnick LR, Thornhill D, Deakyne Davies .
Disseminated intravascular coagulation is an independent predictor of adverse outcomes in children in the emergency department with suspected sepsis.
J Pediatr 2020 Oct;225:198-206.e2. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2020.06.022..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Emergency Department, Sepsis, Adverse Events, Mortality, Patient Safety, Outcomes
Arulraja MD, Swanson MB, NM
Double inter-hospital transfer in sepsis patients presenting to the ED does not worsen mortality compared to single inter-hospital transfer.
This study investigated whether double inter-hospital transfer in sepsis patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) worsens mortality compared to single inter-hospital transfer. A retrospective cohort study was conducted using 2005-2014 administrative claims data in Iowa. Hospital length-of-stay and cost data was also collected. Compared to non-transfers, single transfers did not have higher mortality rates than double transfers of Iowa sepsis patients.
AHRQ-funded; HS025753.
Citation: Arulraja MD, Swanson MB, NM .
Double inter-hospital transfer in sepsis patients presenting to the ED does not worsen mortality compared to single inter-hospital transfer.
J Crit Care 2020 Apr;56:49-57. doi: 10.1016/j.jcrc.2019.11.018..
Keywords: Sepsis, Transitions of Care, Mortality, Hospitals, Emergency Department, Outcomes
Scott HF, Colborn KL, Sevick CJ
Development and validation of a predictive model of the risk of pediatric septic shock using data known at the time of hospital arrival.
The purpose of this observational cohort study was to derive and validate a model of risk of septic shock among children with suspected sepsis, using data known in the electronic health record at hospital arrival. The investigators concluded that their model estimated the risk of septic shock in children at hospital arrival earlier than existing models. They indicate it leveraged the predictive value of routine electronic health record data through a modern predictive algorithm and suggest it has the potential to enhance clinical risk stratification in the critical moments before deterioration.
AHRQ-funded; HS025696.
Citation: Scott HF, Colborn KL, Sevick CJ .
Development and validation of a predictive model of the risk of pediatric septic shock using data known at the time of hospital arrival.
J Pediatr 2020 Feb;217:145-51.e6. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2019.09.079..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Sepsis, Emergency Department, Hospitals, Risk, Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Information Technology (HIT)
Trent SA, Jarou ZJ, Havranek EP
Variation in emergency department adherence to treatment guidelines for inpatient pneumonia and sepsis: a retrospective cohort study.
Evidence-based clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for the treatment of pneumonia and sepsis have existed for many years with multiple studies suggesting improved patient outcomes. Despite their importance, little is known about variation in emergency department (ED) adherence to these CPGs. The objectives of this study were to estimate variation in ED adherence across CPGs for pneumonia and sepsis and identify patient, provider, and environmental factors associated with adherence.
AHRQ-funded; HS022400.
Citation: Trent SA, Jarou ZJ, Havranek EP .
Variation in emergency department adherence to treatment guidelines for inpatient pneumonia and sepsis: a retrospective cohort study.
Acad Emerg Med 2019 Aug;26(8):908-20. doi: 10.1111/acem.13639.
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Keywords: Emergency Department, Evidence-Based Practice, Guidelines, Inpatient Care, Pneumonia, Sepsis
Trent SA, Havranek EP, Ginde AA
Effect of audit and feedback on physician adherence to clinical practice guidelines for pneumonia and sepsis.
This study examined the effect of feedback with blinded peer comparison on emergency physician adherence to guidelines for appropriate antibiotic administration for inpatient pneumonia and completion of the 3-hour Surviving Sepsis Bundle for patients with severe sepsis. A quasi-experiment was conducted with attending physicians randomized into 6 clusters at a single urban safety net hospital. Feedback with blinded peer comparison significantly improved guideline adherence from 52% to 65% with feedback.
AHRQ-funded; HS022400.
Citation: Trent SA, Havranek EP, Ginde AA .
Effect of audit and feedback on physician adherence to clinical practice guidelines for pneumonia and sepsis.
Am J Med Qual 2019 May/Jun;34(3):217-25. doi: 10.1177/1062860618796947..
Keywords: Antibiotics, Emergency Department, Guidelines, Infectious Diseases, Inpatient Care, Medication, Pneumonia, Provider, Provider: Physician, Sepsis
Hume PS, Varon J, Englert JA
Trends in "usual care" for septic shock.
The investigators examined changes in treatment patterns for septic shock in the emergency department (ED) of a large academic hospital. The investigators observed, from 2003 to 2013, significant reductions in time to antibiotics and fluids for patients with septic shock in the ED, underscoring the evolution of “usual care” over time. These findings may explain why early goal-directed therapy is not beneficial in the current era and may help inform ongoing deliberations regarding best practices for sepsis care.
AHRQ-funded; HS025008.
Citation: Hume PS, Varon J, Englert JA .
Trends in "usual care" for septic shock.
Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2018 Sep;39(9):1125-26. doi: 10.1017/ice.2018.154..
Keywords: Antibiotics, Emergency Department, Practice Patterns, Sepsis
Austrian JS, Jamin CT, Doty GR
Impact of an emergency department electronic sepsis surveillance system on patient mortality and length of stay.
The goal of this study was to determine if an electronic health record (EHR) based sepsis alert system could improve quality of care and clinical outcomes for patients with sepsis. A patient-level, interrupted time series study of emergency department patients with severe sepsis or septic shock was conducted, with an intervention introduced at the approximate mid-point--a system of interruptive sepsis alerts triggered by abnormal vital signs or laboratory results. Mean length of stay for patients with sepsis decreased significantly following the introduction of the alert, but the alert system had no effect on mortality or other clinical or process measures. The researchers conclude that a more sophisticated algorithm for sepsis identification is needed to improve outcomes.
AHRQ-funded; HS023683.
Citation: Austrian JS, Jamin CT, Doty GR .
Impact of an emergency department electronic sepsis surveillance system on patient mortality and length of stay.
J Am Med Inform Assoc 2018 May;25(5):523-29. doi: 10.1093/jamia/ocx072..
Keywords: Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Emergency Department, Health Information Technology (HIT), Hospitals, Mortality, Outcomes, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Sepsis
Kessler DO, Walsh B, Whitfill T
Disparities in adherence to pediatric sepsis guidelines across a spectrum of emergency departments: a multicenter, cross-sectional observational in situ simulation study.
The authors sought to measure and compare adherence to pediatric sepsis guidelines across a spectrum of emergency departments. They found that among 47 teams across 24 emergency departments, adherent teams had significantly higher Emergency Medical Services for Children readiness scores, MD composition of physicians to total team members, teamwork scores, provider perceptions of pediatric preparedness, and provider perceptions of sepsis preparedness. They concluded that only composite team experience level of the providers was associated with improved guideline adherence.
AHRQ-funded; HS020286.
Citation: Kessler DO, Walsh B, Whitfill T .
Disparities in adherence to pediatric sepsis guidelines across a spectrum of emergency departments: a multicenter, cross-sectional observational in situ simulation study.
J Emerg Med 2016 Mar;50(3):403-15.e1-3. doi: 10.1016/j.jemermed.2015.08.004.
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Keywords: Emergency Department, Disparities, Guidelines, Children/Adolescents, Sepsis