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- Adverse Events (1)
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- Comparative Effectiveness (1)
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- (-) Healthcare Costs (21)
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- Medicare (4)
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- Patient Safety (1)
- Payment (3)
- Pneumonia (1)
- Policy (1)
- Pressure Ulcers (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 21 of 21 Research Studies DisplayedLeeds IL, DiBrito SR, Canner JK
Cost-benefit limitations of extended, outpatient venous thromboembolism prophylaxis following surgery for Crohn's disease.
This goal of this study was to assess the cost-effectiveness of extended prophylaxis in patients with Crohn's disease after abdominal surgery. A decision tree model was used to assess cost-effectiveness and cost-per-case averted with extended-duration venous thromboembolism prophylaxis following abdominal surgery. Results showed that extended prophylaxis in patients with Crohn's disease postoperatively is not cost-effective when the cumulative incidence of posthospital thrombosis remains less than 4.9%. These findings are driven by the low absolute risk of thrombosis in this population and the considerable cost of universal treatment.
AHRQ-funded; HS024547.
Citation: Leeds IL, DiBrito SR, Canner JK .
Cost-benefit limitations of extended, outpatient venous thromboembolism prophylaxis following surgery for Crohn's disease.
Dis Colon Rectum 2019 Nov;62(11):1371-80. doi: 10.1097/dcr.0000000000001461..
Keywords: Prevention, Digestive Disease and Health, Surgery, Healthcare Costs, Adverse Events, Patient Safety, Blood Clots, Decision Making, Medication
Shaker M, Wallace D, Golden DBK
Simulation of health and economic benefits of extended observation of resolved anaphylaxis.
The objective of this study was to characterize the cost-effectiveness of short vs prolonged medical observation times after resolved anaphylaxis. The authors suggested that the study indicated prolonged medical observation (6-24 hours) for resolved anaphylaxis may not be cost-effective for patients at low risk for biphasic anaphylaxis; however, in particular clinical circumstances of low observation costs, high postdischarge risk of biphasic anaphylaxis, or large incremental fatality risk reduction associated with extended observation, longer medical observation could be justified.
AHRQ-funded; HS024599.
Citation: Shaker M, Wallace D, Golden DBK .
Simulation of health and economic benefits of extended observation of resolved anaphylaxis.
JAMA Netw Open 2019 Oct 2;2(10):e1913951. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.13951..
Keywords: Healthcare Costs, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research
McGinn T, Cohen S, Khan S
The high cost of low value care.
The main focus of this study was bridging the "evidence gap" between frontline decision-making in health care and the actual evidence, with the hope of reducing unnecessary diagnostic testing and treatments. From their work in pulmonary embolism (PE) and over ordering of computed tomography pulmonary angiography, the investigators integrated the highly validated Wells' criteria into the electronic health record at two of their major academic tertiary hospitals.
AHRQ-funded; HS022061.
Citation: McGinn T, Cohen S, Khan S .
The high cost of low value care.
Trans Am Clin Climatol Assoc 2019;130:60-70..
Keywords: Healthcare Costs, Evidence-Based Practice, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Decision Making, Comparative Effectiveness
Shaker M, Greenhawt M
Cost-effectiveness of stock epinephrine autoinjectors on commercial aircraft.
This study examined the cost-effectiveness of commercial airlines stocking epinephrine autoinjectors on every plane versus the standard emergency kit epinephrine ampules. The study assumed the autoinjectors reduced fatality risk by 10%. They used a Markov movule with microsimulation over an 80-year time horizon and concluded that it was cost-effective with a low annual cost per passenger-at-risk of 8 cents.
AHRQ-funded; HS024599.
Citation: Shaker M, Greenhawt M .
Cost-effectiveness of stock epinephrine autoinjectors on commercial aircraft.
J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract 2019 Sep - Oct;7(7):2270-76. doi: 10.1016/j.jaip.2019.04.029..
Keywords: Healthcare Costs, Medication
Ganguli I, Lupo C, Mainor AJ
Prevalence and cost of care cascades after low-value preoperative electrocardiogram for cataract surgery in fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries.
This study examined the use and outcomes of preoperative electrocardiogram (EKG) for cataract surgery recipients on Medicare. The outcomes measured were cascade events if the EKG results were problematic. The study compared 110,183 cataract surgery recipients with 97,775 non-surgery participants (63.1% female). For the recipient group, 12,408 (11.3%) received a preoperative EKG (65.6% of them were female). Of those, 1978 (15.9%) had at least 1 potential cascade event. Additional tests, treatments, and cardiology visits added an additional estimated $35 million in addition to the $3.2 million spent on preoperative EKGs. Preoperative EKG recipients who were older, had more chronic conditions, lived in more cardiologist-dense areas, or had their EKG performed by a cardiac specialist rather than a primary care physician were more likely to experience a cascade event.
AHRQ-funded; HS023812.
Citation: Ganguli I, Lupo C, Mainor AJ .
Prevalence and cost of care cascades after low-value preoperative electrocardiogram for cataract surgery in fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries.
JAMA Intern Med 2019 Sep;179(9):1157-308. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2019.1739..
Keywords: Healthcare Costs, Medicare, Healthcare Utilization, Surgery, Elderly
Shaker M, Greenhawt M
Providing cost-effective care for food allergy.
This article discusses the cost-effectiveness of food allergy management strategies for children. Screening at-risk infants for peanut allergy in particular carries a risk of overdiagnosis and is not cost-effective. An evidence review of the literature using PubMed showed that cost-effective care could be optimized in minimizing delay in oral food challenges for at-risk patients and for school-age children to epinephrine pens available at reasonable cost.
AHRQ-funded; HS024599.
Citation: Shaker M, Greenhawt M .
Providing cost-effective care for food allergy.
Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 2019 Sep;123(3):240-48.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.anai.2019.05.015..
Keywords: Healthcare Costs, Medication, Children/Adolescents
Bartsch SM, Asti L, Cox SN
What is the value of different Zika vaccination strategies to prevent and mitigate Zika outbreaks?
The authors developed models of Honduras, Brazil, and Puerto Rico, simulated targeting different populations for Zika vaccination, and then introduced various Zika outbreaks. Their models showed that, when considering transmission, while vaccinating everyone naturally averted the most cases, specifically targeting women of childbearing age or young adults was the most cost-effective.
AHRQ-funded; HS023317.
Citation: Bartsch SM, Asti L, Cox SN .
What is the value of different Zika vaccination strategies to prevent and mitigate Zika outbreaks?
J Infect Dis 2019 Aug 9;220(6):920-31. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiy688..
Keywords: Healthcare Costs, Vaccination, Public Health, Infectious Diseases
Shaker M, Greenhawt M
A primer on cost-effectiveness in the allergy clinic.
This paper examines ways to incorporate cost-effectiveness into care at allergy clinics. The article discusses in general terms how to use cost-effective analyses (CEA) to grade health outcomes and economic benefits. The authors state that future research is needed to provide a better understanding of variation across population health state utilities for allergic conditions and to more accurately reflect quality adjusted life years for patients with allergies.
AHRQ-funded; HS024599.
Citation: Shaker M, Greenhawt M .
A primer on cost-effectiveness in the allergy clinic.
Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 2019 Aug;123(2):120-28.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.anai.2019.05.012..
Keywords: Healthcare Costs, Chronic Conditions, Healthcare Delivery
Markovitz AA, Hollingsworth JM, Ayanian JZ
Performance in the Medicare Shared Savings Program after accounting for nonrandom exit: an instrumental variable analysis.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) on spending and quality while accounting for clinicians' nonrandom exit. MSSP ACO participants were compared with control beneficiaries using adjusted longitudinal models that accounted for secular trends, market factors, and beneficiary characteristics. Results showed that, after adjustment for clinicians' nonrandom exit, the MSSP was not associated with improvements in spending or quality. Selection effects, including exit of high-cost clinicians, may drive estimates of savings in the MSSP.
AHRQ-funded; HS025615; HS024728; HS024525.
Citation: Markovitz AA, Hollingsworth JM, Ayanian JZ .
Performance in the Medicare Shared Savings Program after accounting for nonrandom exit: an instrumental variable analysis.
Ann Intern Med 2019 Jul 2;171(1):27-36. doi: 10.7326/m18-2539..
Keywords: Healthcare Costs, Health Services Research (HSR), Medicare, Quality of Care
Markovitz AA, Mullangi S, Hollingsworth JM
ACOs and the 1%: changes in spending among high-cost patients following the Medicare shared savings program.
This paper analyzed changes in spending among high-cost patients following the creation of accountable care organizations (ACOs), specifically for the Medicare Shared Savings Program – which is Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) flagship program. Changes in spending for Medicare fee-for-services were analyzed for different spending percentiles (50th, 90th, and 99th) as well as regionally. While there was a reduction in spending, it was not considered statistically significant and has not affected spending within or across regions. However, the authors note that the study is limited by the program’s voluntary nature and may be not a full reflection of the changes.
AHRQ-funded; HS024525; HS024728; HS025615.
Citation: Markovitz AA, Mullangi S, Hollingsworth JM .
ACOs and the 1%: changes in spending among high-cost patients following the Medicare shared savings program.
J Gen Intern Med 2019 Jul;34(7):1116-18. doi: 10.1007/s11606-019-04963-2..
Keywords: Medicare, Healthcare Costs, Payment
Colla CH, Lewis VA, Stachowski C
Changes in use of postacute care associated with accountable care organizations in hip fracture, stroke, and pneumonia hospitalized cohorts.
In this study, researchers examined changes in more and less discretionary condition-specific postacute care use associated with Medicare accountable care organization (ACO) implementation. They found that ACOs decreased spending on postacute care by decreasing use of discretionary services. In addition, ACO implementation was associated with reduced length of stay in skilled nursing facilities, while hip fracture patients used institutional postacute settings at higher rates. The authors also observed decreases in spending, readmission days, and mortality among pneumonia patients.
AHRQ-funded; HS024698.
Citation: Colla CH, Lewis VA, Stachowski C .
Changes in use of postacute care associated with accountable care organizations in hip fracture, stroke, and pneumonia hospitalized cohorts.
Med Care 2019 Jun;57(6):444-52. doi: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000001121..
Keywords: Injuries and Wounds, Healthcare Costs, Healthcare Utilization, Hospitalization, Medicare, Pneumonia, Stroke
Yoo BK, Schaffer SJ, Humiston SG
Cost effectiveness of school-located influenza vaccination programs for elementary and secondary school children.
This paper describes a clinical trial which created a school-located influenza vaccination (SLIV) program in upstate New York. Researchers wanted to determine if this was a cost-effective alternative to vaccination in primary care practices. Two groups of students were vaccinated – one in an elementary school and the other in a secondary school. Secondary school vaccinations were more cost-effective than elementary schools with a lower median cost per vaccination. The authors concluded that it does raise vaccination rates, but it is not cost-effective due to the higher costs for consent systems and project coordination.
AHRQ-funded; HS021163.
Citation: Yoo BK, Schaffer SJ, Humiston SG .
Cost effectiveness of school-located influenza vaccination programs for elementary and secondary school children.
BMC Health Serv Res 2019 Jun 24;19(1):407. doi: 10.1186/s12913-019-4228-5..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Education, Healthcare Costs, Influenza, Public Health, Vaccination
Mafi JN, Godoy-Travieso P, Wei E
Evaluation of an intervention to reduce low-value preoperative care for patients undergoing cataract surgery at a safety-net health system.
This study analyzed the effects of an intervention program to reduce preoperative costs for care in patients undergoing cataract surgery. Most surgery centers require a battery of tests before surgery is approved. All patients must undergo primary care visits with chest x-rays, laboratory tests, and electrocardiograms required for many of them depending on age and presence of other conditions. This case-control study was conducted at 2 academic safety-net medical centers, Los Angeles County and University of Southern California (LAC-USC) (intervention, n = 469) and Harbor-UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) (control, n = 585), from April 13, 2015, through April 12, 2016, with 12 additional months (April 13, 2016, through April 13, 2017) to assess sustainability (intervention, n = 1002; control, n = 511). All preoperative care decreased in the intervention group and mostly decreased in the control group. Financial losses occurred at these centers, but there was an overall savings for patients and society. These findings suggest that this may be a barrier to eliminating low-value care.
AHRQ-funded; HS024067.
Citation: Mafi JN, Godoy-Travieso P, Wei E .
Evaluation of an intervention to reduce low-value preoperative care for patients undergoing cataract surgery at a safety-net health system.
JAMA Intern Med 2019 May;179(5):648-57. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2018.8358..
Keywords: Healthcare Costs, Surgery, Eye Disease and Health, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care
Aouad M, Brown TT, Whaley CM
Reference pricing: the case of screening colonoscopies.
In this study, the investigators studied the introduction of reference pricing to the California Public Employees' Retirement System. The investigators found a 10 percentage point increase in the share of patients using an ambulatory surgery center (ASC), leading to a $2300 to $1700 reduction in prices paid for patients who switched to ASCs. They indicated that their results suggested the use of ASCs had a causal effect on prices paid and had no negative effect on patient health outcomes.
AHRQ-funded; HS022098.
Citation: Aouad M, Brown TT, Whaley CM .
Reference pricing: the case of screening colonoscopies.
J Health Econ 2019 May;65:246-59. doi: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2019.03.002..
Keywords: Colonoscopy, Decision Making, Health Services Research (HSR), Healthcare Costs, Healthcare Delivery, Screening
Diaz-Perez MJ, Hanover R, Sites E
Producing comparable cost and quality results from all-payer claims databases.
This study describes how all-payer claims databases (APCDs) can produce comparable cost and quality results for 4 states using a multistate analysis. Data was used from 2014 commercial claims in Colorado, Massachusetts, Oregon, and Utah. The partners standardized the rules for including payers, data set elements, measure specifications, SAS code and adjustments for population differences in age and gender. A Uniform Data Structure file format was created which can be used across multiple population, measures, and research dimensions.
AHRQ-funded; HS024072.
Citation: Diaz-Perez MJ, Hanover R, Sites E .
Producing comparable cost and quality results from all-payer claims databases.
Am J Manag Care 2019 May;25(5):e138-e44..
Keywords: Healthcare Costs, Payment, Quality of Care
Shaker MS, Greenhawt MJ
Analysis of value-based costs of undesignated school stock epinephrine policies for peanut anaphylaxis.
Children experiencing anaphylaxis at school may lack access to a personal epinephrine device, prompting recent legislation permitting undesignated (eg, non-student specific) stock epinephrine autoinjector units at school. However, epinephrine device costs vary, and the cost-effectiveness of undesignated school stock epinephrine is uncharacterized to date. The objective of this study was to define value-based strategies for undesignated school stock epinephrine programs.
AHRQ-funded; HS024599.
Citation: Shaker MS, Greenhawt MJ .
Analysis of value-based costs of undesignated school stock epinephrine policies for peanut anaphylaxis.
JAMA Pediatr 2019 Feb;173(2):169-75. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2018.4275..
Keywords: Healthcare Costs, Education, Policy, Medication
Damberg CL, Silverman M, Burgette L
Are value-based incentives driving behavior change to improve value?
The purpose of this study, which used semi-structured interviews and surveys, was to understand physician organization (PO) responses to financial incentives for quality and total cost of care among POs that were exposed to a statewide multipayer value-based payment (VBP) program, and to identify challenges that POs face in advancing the goals of VBP.
AHRQ-funded; HS024067.
Citation: Damberg CL, Silverman M, Burgette L .
Are value-based incentives driving behavior change to improve value?
Am J Manag Care 2019 Feb;25(2):e26-e32..
Keywords: Healthcare Costs, Payment
Chan CW, Green LV, Lekwijit S
Assessing the impact of service level when customer needs are uncertain: an empirical investigation of hospital step-down units.
In this study, the authors focused on estimating costs and benefits in a complex healthcare setting where the major differentiation among server types is the intensity of the service provided. They used data from ten hospitals and found that a step-down unit may be a cost-effective way to treat patients when used for those who are post-intensive care unit. However, they also found that the impact of step-down-unit care is more nuanced for patients admitted from the emergency department and may result in increased mortality risk and hospital length of stay for patients who should be treated in the intensive care unit. The authors recommended more study in this area.
AHRQ-funded; HS018480.
Citation: Chan CW, Green LV, Lekwijit S .
Assessing the impact of service level when customer needs are uncertain: an empirical investigation of hospital step-down units.
Management Science 2019 Feb;65(2):751-75. doi: 10.1287/mnsc.2017.2974..
Keywords: Care Management, Healthcare Costs, Healthcare Delivery, Hospitals, Inpatient Care
Brown TT, Atal JP
How robust are reference pricing studies on outpatient medical procedures? Three different preprocessing techniques applied to difference-in differences.
This study assessed the robustness of using preprocessing techniques for difference-in differences in reference pricing studies for outpatient medical procedures. Three different approaches were tested: propensity score reweighting, exact matching, and genetic matching. The three approaches did not yield statistically different results from those previously published.
AHRQ-funded; HS022098.
Citation: Brown TT, Atal JP .
How robust are reference pricing studies on outpatient medical procedures? Three different preprocessing techniques applied to difference-in differences.
Health Econ 2019 Feb;28(2):280-98. doi: 10.1002/hec.3841..
Keywords: Ambulatory Care and Surgery, Healthcare Costs
Adamson B, El-Sadr W, Dimitrov D
The cost-effectiveness of financial incentives for viral suppression: HPTN 065 study.
This study estimated the cost-effectiveness of financial incentives to encourage HIV patients to take their antiretroviral medications. Researchers found incentives increased quality of life and lowered discounted lifetime costs by $4210 per patient.
AHRQ-funded; HS013853.
Citation: Adamson B, El-Sadr W, Dimitrov D .
The cost-effectiveness of financial incentives for viral suppression: HPTN 065 study.
Value Health 2019 Feb;22(2):194-202. doi: 10.1016/j.jval.2018.09.001..
Keywords: Healthcare Costs, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
Padula WV, Pronovost PJ, Makic MBF
Value of hospital resources for effective pressure injury prevention: a cost-effectiveness analysis.
The objective of this study was to analyze the cost-utility of repeated risk-assessments for pressure-injury prevention in all hospital patients or in high-risk groups. Hospitalized adults were classified by Braden Scale scores into five risk levels: very high risk, high risk, moderate risk, at-risk, and minimal risk. The costs of pressure-injury treatment and prevention, and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) related to pressure injuries were weighted by transition probabilities to calculate the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio. The results of the study indicate that simulating prevention for all patients yielded greater QALYs at higher cost from societal and healthcare sector perspectives. Prevention for all patients was cost-effective in more than 99% of probabilistic simulations. The authors conclude that hospitals should invest in nursing compliance with international prevention guidelines.
AHRQ-funded; HS023710.
Citation: Padula WV, Pronovost PJ, Makic MBF .
Value of hospital resources for effective pressure injury prevention: a cost-effectiveness analysis.
BMJ Qual Saf 2019 Feb;28(2):132-41. doi: 10.1136/bmjqs-2017-007505..
Keywords: Healthcare Costs, Hospitals, Pressure Ulcers, Prevention