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
AHRQ Research Studies Date
Topics
- Access to Care (1)
- Ambulatory Care and Surgery (1)
- Back Health and Pain (1)
- Children/Adolescents (1)
- Decision Making (1)
- Digestive Disease and Health (1)
- Emergency Medical Services (EMS) (2)
- Guidelines (1)
- (-) Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) (8)
- Healthcare Costs (4)
- (-) Healthcare Utilization (8)
- Health Insurance (1)
- Health Services Research (HSR) (1)
- Hospitalization (1)
- Hospitals (1)
- Injuries and Wounds (1)
- Medicaid (1)
- Outcomes (2)
- Patient-Centered Outcomes Research (1)
- Payment (1)
- Policy (2)
- Substance Abuse (1)
- Surgery (3)
- Trauma (1)
- Uninsured (1)
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 DisplayedStrassle PD, Kinlaw AC, Chaumont N
Rates of elective colectomy for diverticulitis continued to increase after 2006 guideline change.
Gastroenterology 2019 Dec;157(6):1679-81.e11. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2019.08.045.
The purpose of this retrospective cohort study was to assess whether trends in elective and urgent/emergent colectomy changed after July 2006. The authors suggest that given the risks associated with elective colectomy, their findings demonstrate the need for a more evidence-based decision-making process, incorporating both patient preferences and patient-reported outcomes, for those considering elective colectomy for uncomplicated and some cases of complicated diverticulitis.
The purpose of this retrospective cohort study was to assess whether trends in elective and urgent/emergent colectomy changed after July 2006. The authors suggest that given the risks associated with elective colectomy, their findings demonstrate the need for a more evidence-based decision-making process, incorporating both patient preferences and patient-reported outcomes, for those considering elective colectomy for uncomplicated and some cases of complicated diverticulitis.
AHRQ-funded; HS026363.
Citation: Strassle PD, Kinlaw AC, Chaumont N .
Rates of elective colectomy for diverticulitis continued to increase after 2006 guideline change.
Gastroenterology 2019 Dec;157(6):1679-81.e11. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2019.08.045..
Keywords: Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Surgery, Healthcare Utilization, Guidelines, Decision Making, Digestive Disease and Health
Subramanian MP, Liu J, Chapman WC
Utilization trends, outcomes, and cost in minimally invasive lobectomy.
The objective of this study was to compare outcomes and hospitalization costs among patients undergoing open, video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) and RATS lobectomy. The investigators concluded that minimally invasive approaches were associated to improved clinical outcomes compared with open lobectomy. However, only robotic-assisted lobectomy has had rapid growth in utilization. Despite additional cost, RATS lobectomy appeared to provide a viable minimally invasive alternative for general thoracic procedures.
AHRQ-funded; HS019455.
Citation: Subramanian MP, Liu J, Chapman WC .
Utilization trends, outcomes, and cost in minimally invasive lobectomy.
Ann Thorac Surg 2019 Dec;108(6):1648-55. doi: 10.1016/j.athoracsur.2019.06.049..
Keywords: Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Surgery, Healthcare Costs, Healthcare Utilization, Outcomes
Pickens G, Karaca Z, Gibson TB
AHRQ Author: Karaca Z, Wong HS
Changes in hospital service demand, cost, and patient illness severity following health reform.
This study examined the effects of expanded Medicaid coverage and the health insurance exchange on the number of hospital inpatient and emergency department (ED) utilization rates, cost, and patient illness severity. There was a significant drop in uninsured inpatient discharges and ED visits in states where Medicaid was expanded. For all by young females, uninsured inpatient discharge rates fell by 39% or greater. In nonexpansion states, the rates remained unchanged or increased slightly. Changes in all-payer and private insurance rates were not as dramatic, as was inpatient costs per discharge and all-payer inpatient costs.
AHRQ-authored; AHRQ-funded; 290201300002C.
Citation: Pickens G, Karaca Z, Gibson TB .
Changes in hospital service demand, cost, and patient illness severity following health reform.
Health Serv Res 2019 Aug;54(4):739-51. doi: 10.1111/1475-6773.13165..
Keywords: Access to Care, Health Insurance, Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Healthcare Costs, Healthcare Utilization, Hospitals, Medicaid, Policy, Uninsured
Delling FN, Vittinghoff E, Dewland TA
Does cannabis legalisation change healthcare utilisation? A population-based study using the healthcare cost and utilisation project in Colorado, USA.
Researchers studied whether the legalization of cannabis in Colorado has affected healthcare utilization compared to two states where it is still illegal (New York and Oklahoma). ICD-9 was used to determine changes in healthcare utilization relative to various medical diagnoses. According to the National Academy of Science (NAS), legal cannabis use creates an increase in cannabis abuse hospitalizations and also linked to motor vehicle accidents, alcohol abuse, and overdose injury and that was true in CO. There was not a change in hospital stays and costs in CO compared to NY and OK.
AHRQ-funded.
Citation: Delling FN, Vittinghoff E, Dewland TA .
Does cannabis legalisation change healthcare utilisation? A population-based study using the healthcare cost and utilisation project in Colorado, USA.
BMJ Open 2019 May 15;9(5):e027432. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-027432..
Keywords: Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Healthcare Costs, Healthcare Utilization, Policy, Substance Abuse
Martin BI, Mirza SK, Spina N
Trends in lumbar fusion procedure rates and associated hospital costs for degenerative spinal diseases in the United States, 2004 to 2015.
This study analyzed trends in lumbar fusion procedure rates for degenerative spinal diseases in the US from 2004 to 2015 as well as associated hospital costs. Spinal fusion is considered an appropriate procedure for spinal deformity and instability, but has limited evidence of effectiveness for primary disc herniation and spinal stenosis without instability. The analysis showed that aggregate hospital costs increased 177% during the analysis period with disc degeneration, herniation and stenosis accounted for 42.3% of the elective surgery. The largest increases in the elective surgery were for spondylolisthesis and scoliosis and has slightly decreased for those procedures with less evidence of effectiveness.
AHRQ-funded; HS024714.
Citation: Martin BI, Mirza SK, Spina N .
Trends in lumbar fusion procedure rates and associated hospital costs for degenerative spinal diseases in the United States, 2004 to 2015.
Spine 2019 Mar 1;44(5):369-76. doi: 10.1097/brs.0000000000002822..
Keywords: Back Health and Pain, Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Healthcare Costs, Healthcare Utilization, Surgery
Myers SR, Branas CC, French B
A national analysis of pediatric trauma care utilization and outcomes in the United States.
The goal of this study was to provide the first national description of the proportion of injured children treated at pediatric trauma centers, and to clarify the presumed benefit of pediatric trauma center verification by comparing injury mortality across hospital types. The study used data from the 2006 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Kids Inpatient Database combined with national trauma center inventories. The results of the study may provide evidence that treatment of injured children at verified pediatric trauma centers may improve outcomes.
AHRQ-funded; HS017960; HS018604.
Citation: Myers SR, Branas CC, French B .
A national analysis of pediatric trauma care utilization and outcomes in the United States.
Pediatr Emerg Care 2019 Jan;35(1):1-7. doi: 10.1097/pec.0000000000000902..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Healthcare Utilization, Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Injuries and Wounds, Outcomes, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Trauma
Nuckols TK, Fingar KR, Barrett M
AHRQ Author: Steiner CA, Stocks C, Owens PL
The shifting landscape in utilization of inpatient, observation, and emergency department services across payers.
Using data from four states from AHRQ’s Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project, this study compared the payer-specific population-based rates of adults using inpatient, observation, and emergency department (ED) services for 10 common medical conditions in 2009 and in 2013. Inpatient admissions declined, and care shifted toward treat-and-release observation stays and ED visits. The percentage of hospitalizations that began with an observation stay increased.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Nuckols TK, Fingar KR, Barrett M .
The shifting landscape in utilization of inpatient, observation, and emergency department services across payers.
J Hosp Med 2017 Jun;12(6):443-46. doi: 10.12788/jhm.2751.
.
.
Keywords: Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Healthcare Utilization, Hospitalization, Payment
Martsolf G, Fingar KR, Coffey R
AHRQ Author: Elixhauser A
Association between the opening of retail clinics and low-acuity emergency department visits.
This study assessed whether the opening of retail clinics near emergency departments (ED) is associated with decreased ED utilization for low-acuity conditions. It concluded that with increased patient demand resulting from the expansion of health insurance coverage, retail clinics may emerge as an important care location, but to date, they have not been associated with a meaningful reduction in low-acuity ED visits.
AHRQ-authored; AHRQ-funded.
Citation: Martsolf G, Fingar KR, Coffey R .
Association between the opening of retail clinics and low-acuity emergency department visits.
Ann Emerg Med 2017 Apr;69(4):397-403.e5. doi: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2016.08.462.
.
.
Keywords: Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Healthcare Utilization, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Health Services Research (HSR), Ambulatory Care and Surgery