National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
Latest available findings on quality of and access to health care
Data
- Data Infographics
- Data Visualizations
- Data Tools
- Data Innovations
- All-Payer Claims Database
- Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP)
- Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS)
- AHRQ Quality Indicator Tools for Data Analytics
- State Snapshots
- United States Health Information Knowledgebase (USHIK)
- Data Sources Available from AHRQ
Search All Research Studies
Topics
- Ambulatory Care and Surgery (1)
- Asthma (1)
- Clinician-Patient Communication (1)
- Communication (1)
- Diagnostic Safety and Quality (1)
- Emergency Department (1)
- Evidence-Based Practice (2)
- Guidelines (1)
- Health Literacy (2)
- Implementation (1)
- Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) (1)
- Medication (1)
- Patient-Centered Healthcare (1)
- Patient-Centered Outcomes Research (1)
- Patient Safety (1)
- Practice Patterns (1)
- (-) Primary Care (8)
- Provider: Health Personnel (1)
- Provider: Physician (1)
- Quality Improvement (2)
- Quality of Care (1)
- Sickle Cell Disease (1)
- (-) Tools & Toolkits (8)
AHRQ Research Studies
Sign up: AHRQ Research Studies Email updates
Research Studies is a compilation of published research articles funded by AHRQ or authored by AHRQ researchers.
Results
1 to 8 of 8 Research Studies DisplayedTanabe P, Blewer AL, Bonnabeau E
Dissemination of evidence-based recommendations for sickle cell disease to primary care and emergency department providers in North Carolina: a cost benefit analysis.
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a genetic condition affecting primarily individuals of African descent, who happen to be disproportionately impacted by poverty and who lack access to health care. Many providers do not feel prepared to care for individuals with SCD, despite the existence of evidence-based guidelines. The authors report the development of a SCD toolbox and the dissemination process to primary care and emergency department (ED) providers in North Carolina (NC). They report the effect of this dissemination on health-care utilization, cost of care, and overall cost-benefit.
AHRQ-funded; HS024501.
Citation: Tanabe P, Blewer AL, Bonnabeau E .
Dissemination of evidence-based recommendations for sickle cell disease to primary care and emergency department providers in North Carolina: a cost benefit analysis.
J Health Econ Outcomes Res 2021 Apr 1;8(1):18-28. doi: 10.36469/jheor.2021.21535..
Keywords: Sickle Cell Disease, Evidence-Based Practice, Guidelines, Primary Care, Emergency Department, Tools & Toolkits
Kwan BM, Fernald D, Ferrarone P
Implementation and evaluation of a laboratory safety process improvement toolkit.
This study evaluated the quality and usefulness of the revised version of the AHRQ toolkit “Improving Your Office Testing Process”. The toolkit is designed to help primary care practices standardize their laboratory testing processes. Researchers evaluated 2 primary practices. Nineteen clinicians and staff provided survey data. The toolkit was given a positive rating by staff who thought it was easy to use and helped improve the quality improvement (QI) infrastructure.
AHRQ-funded; 233201500025I.
Citation: Kwan BM, Fernald D, Ferrarone P .
Implementation and evaluation of a laboratory safety process improvement toolkit.
J Am Board Fam Med 2019 Mar-Apr;32(2):136-45. doi: 10.3122/jabfm.2019.02.180109..
Keywords: Primary Care, Tools & Toolkits, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care
Yawn BP, Wollan PC, Rank MA
Use of asthma APGAR tools in primary care practices: a cluster-randomized controlled trial.
The purpose of this study was to assess patient and practice outcomes after introducing the Asthma APGAR (Activities, Persistent, triGGers, Asthma medications, Response to therapy) tools into primary care practices. It concluded that introduction of the Asthma APGAR tools improves rates of asthma control; reduces asthma-related ED, urgent care, and hospital visits; and increases practices' adherence to asthma management guidelines.
AHRQ-funded; HS022126.
Citation: Yawn BP, Wollan PC, Rank MA .
Use of asthma APGAR tools in primary care practices: a cluster-randomized controlled trial.
Ann Fam Med 2018 Mar;16(2):100-10. doi: 10.1370/afm.2179.
.
.
Keywords: Asthma, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Primary Care, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), Tools & Toolkits
Ganiats TG, Bierman AS
AHRQ Author: Ganiats TG, Bierman AS
AHRQ's tools for better practice: helping family physicians manage today's challenges.
AHRQ is engaged in the dissemination and widespread implementation of what works in primary care. The agency’s main point of contact with the primary care community is the National Center for Excellence in Primary Care Research (NCEPCR). The authors discuss the variety of tools and resources made available by the NCEPCR.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Ganiats TG, Bierman AS .
AHRQ's tools for better practice: helping family physicians manage today's challenges.
Am Fam Physician 2017 Nov 1;96(9):569-70.
.
.
Keywords: Communication, Evidence-Based Practice, Provider: Physician, Primary Care, Tools & Toolkits
Davis MM, Howk S, Spurlock M
A qualitative study of clinic and community member perspectives on intervention toolkits: "unless the toolkit is used it won't help solve the problem.".
Researchers conducted this study to explore what clinic and community-based users want in intervention toolkits and to identify the factors that support application in practice. They found that participants wanted toolkits targeted at the right audience and demonstrated to be effective. Well organized toolkits, often with a quick start guide, with tools that were easy to tailor and apply were desired.
AHRQ-funded; HS022981.
Citation: Davis MM, Howk S, Spurlock M .
A qualitative study of clinic and community member perspectives on intervention toolkits: "unless the toolkit is used it won't help solve the problem.".
BMC Health Serv Res 2017 Jul 18;17(1):497. doi: 10.1186/s12913-017-2413-y.
.
.
Keywords: Provider: Health Personnel, Ambulatory Care and Surgery, Primary Care, Tools & Toolkits, Implementation
Mabachi NM, Cifuentes M, Barnard J
AHRQ Author: Brach C
Demonstration of the Health Literacy Universal Precautions Toolkit: lessons for quality improvement.
AHRQ’s Health Literacy Universal Precautions Toolkit was developed to help primary care practices assess and make changes to improve communication with and support for patients. Twelve diverse primary care practices implemented assigned tools over a 6-month period. Qualitative results revealed challenges practices experienced during implementation, including competing demands, bureaucratic hurdles, technological challenges, limited quality improvement experience, and limited leadership support.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Mabachi NM, Cifuentes M, Barnard J .
Demonstration of the Health Literacy Universal Precautions Toolkit: lessons for quality improvement.
J Ambul Care Manage 2016 Jul-Sep;39(3):199-208. doi: 10.1097/jac.0000000000000102..
Keywords: Health Literacy, Quality Improvement, Tools & Toolkits, Primary Care, Clinician-Patient Communication
Weiss BD, Brega AG, LeBlanc WG
AHRQ Author: Brach C
Improving the effectiveness of medication review: guidance from the Health Literacy Universal Precautions Toolkit.
The objective of this study was to determine whether the medication review tool in AHRQ’s Health Literacy Universal Precautions Toolkit can help to improve medication reviews in primary care practices. It found that eEvaluation before and after implementation revealed a 3-fold increase in the percentage of patients who brought all their prescription medications and a 6-fold increase in the number of prescription medications brought to office visits.
AHRQ-authored; AHRQ-funded; 290200710008.
Citation: Weiss BD, Brega AG, LeBlanc WG .
Improving the effectiveness of medication review: guidance from the Health Literacy Universal Precautions Toolkit.
J Am Board Fam Med 2016 Jan-Feb;29(1):18-23. doi: 10.3122/jabfm.2016.01.150163.
.
.
Keywords: Health Literacy, Medication, Primary Care, Tools & Toolkits
Pohl JM, Nath R, Zheng K
Use of a comprehensive patient safety tool in primary care practices.
This article describes experiences with the use of the Physician Practice Patient Safety Assessment tool in six safety net practices—three of which were primary care nurse-managed health centers and three were physician-led federally qualified health centers. The authors concluded that this tool has enormous relevance for primary care settings, especially those preparing themselves for patient-centered medical home status and meaningful use.
AHRQ-funded; HS017191.
Citation: Pohl JM, Nath R, Zheng K .
Use of a comprehensive patient safety tool in primary care practices.
J Am Assoc Nurse Pract 2013 Aug;25(8):415-8. doi: 10.1111/1745-7599.12021..
Keywords: Patient Safety, Primary Care, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Practice Patterns, Tools & Toolkits