National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
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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
501 to 525 of 551 Research Studies DisplayedHendrix KS, Downs SM, Carroll AE
Pediatricians' responses to printed clinical reminders: does highlighting prompts improve responsiveness?
The authors tested whether selectively highlighting clinical decision support prompts in yellow would improve physicians' responsiveness. They found that highlighting reminder prompts did not increase physicians' responsiveness. They suggested possible explanations and offer alternative strategies to increasing physician responsiveness to prompts.
AHRQ-funded; HS020640; HS018453; HS017939.
Citation: Hendrix KS, Downs SM, Carroll AE .
Pediatricians' responses to printed clinical reminders: does highlighting prompts improve responsiveness?
Acad Pediatr 2015 Mar-Apr;15(2):158-64. doi: 10.1016/j.acap.2014.10.009.
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Keywords: Clinical Decision Support (CDS), Children/Adolescents, Primary Care, Practice Patterns, Quality Improvement
Michtalik HJ, Carolan HT, Haut ER
Use of provider-level dashboards and pay-for-performance in venous thromboembolism prophylaxis.
The researchers sequentially examined an individualized physician dashboard and pay-for-performance program to improve venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis rates among hospitalists. They found that direct feedback using dashboards was associated with significantly improved compliance, with further improvement after incorporating an individual physician pay-for-performance program.
AHRQ-funded; HS017952; HS022331.
Citation: Michtalik HJ, Carolan HT, Haut ER .
Use of provider-level dashboards and pay-for-performance in venous thromboembolism prophylaxis.
J Hosp Med 2015 Mar;10(3):172-8. doi: 10.1002/jhm.2303..
Keywords: Provider Performance, Payment, Blood Clots, Prevention, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Hospitals, Patient Safety
Minami CA, Dahlke A, Bilimoria KY
Public reporting in surgery: an emerging opportunity to improve care and inform patients.
The authors reviewed the benefits and concerns surrounding public reporting and then suggested some possible solutions to these problems in a stride toward better implementation and utilization of public reporting to improve surgical outcomes. They concluded that, although there are problems with the current approach, continual refinement of public reporting systems has the potential to provide individualized, relevant data that would not only lend a sense of agency to the American public but also motivate hospitals to engage in meaningful quality improvement.
AHRQ-funded; HS021857.
Citation: Minami CA, Dahlke A, Bilimoria KY .
Public reporting in surgery: an emerging opportunity to improve care and inform patients.
Ann Surg 2015 Feb;261(2):241-2. doi: 10.1097/sla.0000000000001033.
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Keywords: Quality of Care, Outcomes, Public Reporting, Quality Improvement, Surgery
Ryan AM, Burgess JF, Pesko MF
The early effects of Medicare's mandatory hospital pay-for-performance program.
This study evaluated the impact of hospital value-based purchasing (HVBP) on clinical quality and patient experience during its initial implementation period. It found that hospitals that were exposed to HVBP did not show greater improvement for either the clinical process or patient experience measures during the program’s initial implementation period.
AHRQ-funded; HS018546
Citation: Ryan AM, Burgess JF, Pesko MF .
The early effects of Medicare's mandatory hospital pay-for-performance program.
Health Serv Res. 2015 Feb;50(1):81-97. doi: 10.1111/1475-6773.12206..
Keywords: Medicare, Provider Performance, Payment, Hospitals, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Patient Experience
Kamal AH, Hanson LC, Casarett DJ
The quality imperative for palliative care.
This article discusses moving beyond demonstrating what palliative care is to focusing on the quality of how it is accomplished. This effort includes developing standardized methods to collect data without adding additional burden, comparing and sharing experiences to promote discipline-wide quality assessment and improvement initiatives, and demonstrating intentions for quality improvement on the clinical frontline.
AHRQ-funded; HS022763.
Citation: Kamal AH, Hanson LC, Casarett DJ .
The quality imperative for palliative care.
J Pain Symptom Manage 2015 Feb;49(2):243-53. doi: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2014.06.008.
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Keywords: Palliative Care, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Healthcare Delivery
Clancy C, Fraser I
AHRQ Author: Clancy C, Fraser I
High-quality health care.
This chapter describes the current state of health care quality (including avoidable harms from care); reviews selected efforts to conceptualize, measure, and improve quality; describes how measures are used to guide improvements in care; addresses promising initiatives to improve care; and predicts how the health care landscape will evolve in the coming years.
AHRQ-authored
Citation: Clancy C, Fraser I .
High-quality health care.
In: Knickman J, Kovner AR, editors. Jonas and Kovner's health care delivery in the United States. 11 ed. New York: Springer; 2015. p. 273-96..
Keywords: Quality of Care, Patient Safety, Medical Errors, Adverse Events, Quality Improvement
Abramson RG, Burton KR, Yu JP
Methods and challenges in quantitative imaging biomarker development.
In this article, the Association of University Radiologists Radiology Research Alliance Quantitative Imaging Task Force reviews current issues in quantitative imaging (QI) biomarker research, discusses motivations for advancing QI, defines key terms, presents a framework for QI biomarker research, and outlines challenges in QI biomarker development.
AHRQ-funded; 290201200007I.
Citation: Abramson RG, Burton KR, Yu JP .
Methods and challenges in quantitative imaging biomarker development.
Acad Radiol 2015 Jan;22(1):25-32. doi: 10.1016/j.acra.2014.09.001.
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Keywords: Imaging, Quality Improvement, Research Methodologies
Auger KA, Simon TD, Cooperberg D
Summary of STARNet: Seamless Transitions and (Re)admissions Network.
The Seamless Transitions and (Re)admissions Network (STARNet) met in December 2012 to synthesize ongoing hospital-to-home transition work, discuss goals, and develop a plan to centralize transition information in the future. The authors of this report reviewed the current knowledge regarding hospital-to-home transitions, outlined the challenges of measuring and reducing readmissions, and highlighted research gaps, listing potential measures for transition quality.
AHRQ-funded; HS020506.
Citation: Auger KA, Simon TD, Cooperberg D .
Summary of STARNet: Seamless Transitions and (Re)admissions Network.
Pediatrics 2015 Jan;135(1):164-75. doi: 10.1542/peds.2014-1887.
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Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Hospital Discharge, Transitions of Care, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care
Sjoding MW, Cooke CR
The importance of rigorous evaluation of quality measurement programs.
The authors comment on a study evaluating a California program to determine whether public reporting of ICU mortality rates improved patient outcomes. They argue that as these programs move from public reporting to pay-for-performance as a primary mechanism for incentivizing improvement, the research community must ensure they are both fair and effective.
AHRQ-funded; HS020672.
Citation: Sjoding MW, Cooke CR .
The importance of rigorous evaluation of quality measurement programs.
Ann Am Thorac Soc 2015 Jan;12(1):107-8. doi: 10.1513/AnnalsATS.201412-588ED..
Keywords: Quality Improvement, Public Reporting, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Policy, Outcomes
Van der Wees PJ, Friedberg MW, Guzman EA
Comparing the implementation of team approaches for improving diabetes care in community health centers.
The researchers sought to clarify implementation processes and experiences of integrating office-based medical assistant (MA) panel management and community health worker (CHW) community-based management into routine care for diabetic patients. They found that CHW and MA responsibilities converged over time to focus on health coaching of diabetic patients, with the MA health coaches experiencing difficulty in allocating dedicated time due to other responsibilities. Time constraints also limited the personal introduction of patients to health coaches by clinicians. Participants highlighted the importance of a supportive team climate and proactive leadership as important enablers for MAs and CHWs to implement their health coaching responsibilities. This study suggests that a flexible approach to implementing health coaching is more important than fidelity to rigid models that do not allow for variable allocation of responsibilities across team members.
AHRQ-funded; HS020120.
Citation: Van der Wees PJ, Friedberg MW, Guzman EA .
Comparing the implementation of team approaches for improving diabetes care in community health centers.
BMC Health Serv Res 2014 Dec 3;14:608. doi: 10.1186/s12913-014-0608-z.
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Keywords: Community-Based Practice, Diabetes, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Quality Improvement, Teams
Moyer VA, Papile LA, Eichenwald E
An intervention to improve transitions from NICU to ambulatory care: quasi-experimental study.
The authors tested whether a multifaceted intervention that included a health coach to assist families and an enhanced personal health record to improve the quality of information available to parents and community professionals would decrease adverse events and improve family assessment of the transition of infants born prematurely or with complex medical problems to home. They found that a multicomponent discharge intervention designed to address specific problems identified using Healthcare Failure Modes and Effects Analysis did not reduce certain adverse outcomes in the post-discharge period.
AHRQ-funded; HS017889.
Citation: Moyer VA, Papile LA, Eichenwald E .
An intervention to improve transitions from NICU to ambulatory care: quasi-experimental study.
BMJ Qual Saf 2014 Dec;23(12):e3. doi: 10.1136/bmjqs-2012-001726.
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Keywords: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Ambulatory Care and Surgery, Patient Safety, Quality Improvement, Transitions of Care
Meeks DW, Meyer AN, Rose B
Exploring new avenues to assess the sharp end of patient safety: an analysis of nationally aggregated peer review data.
The researchers described outcomes of peer review within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare system and identified opportunities to leverage peer review data for measurement and improvement of safety. Results showed that the most common process contributing to substandard care was 'timing and appropriateness of treatment'; approximately 16% had diagnosis-related performance concerns. The authors concluded that peer review may be a useful tool for healthcare organizations to assess their sharp end clinical performance, particularly safety events related to diagnostic and treatment errors.
AHRQ-funded; HS022087.
Citation: Meeks DW, Meyer AN, Rose B .
Exploring new avenues to assess the sharp end of patient safety: an analysis of nationally aggregated peer review data.
BMJ Qual Saf 2014 Dec;23(12):1023-30. doi: 10.1136/bmjqs-2014-003239.
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Keywords: Adverse Events, Medical Errors, Patient Safety, Quality Improvement
Shaikh U, Nettiksimmons J, Joseph JG
Collaborative practice improvement for childhood obesity in rural clinics: the Healthy Eating Active Living Telehealth Community of Practice (HEALTH COP).
The authors assessed the impact of participation in a virtual quality improvement (QI) learning network on adherence to clinical guidelines for childhood obesity prevention in rural clinics. They found that children who received care from clinicians who led the implementation of the intervention at their clinic showed significant improvements in nutrition and physical activity. Virtual QI learning networks in geographically dispersed clinics can significantly increase clinicians' adherence to guidelines for childhood obesity and improve access to recommended care for rural and underserved children.
AHRQ-funded; HS018567.
Citation: Shaikh U, Nettiksimmons J, Joseph JG .
Collaborative practice improvement for childhood obesity in rural clinics: the Healthy Eating Active Living Telehealth Community of Practice (HEALTH COP).
Am J Med Qual 2014 Nov-Dec;29(6):467-75. doi: 10.1177/1062860613506252.
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Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Evidence-Based Practice, Health Information Technology (HIT), Lifestyle Changes, Nutrition, Obesity, Prevention, Quality Improvement, Rural Health, Telehealth
Shah RK, Stey AM, Jantana KR
Identification of opportunities for quality improvement and outcome measurement in pediatric otolaryngology.
This study evaluated perioperative outcomes in pediatric otolaryngology through analysis of records residing in the American College of Surgeons (ACS) National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) database. It found that although the overall rate of major postoperative morbidity in pediatric otolaryngology is low, the following areas may be targeted for targeted quality-improvement interventions: tracheostomy, airway reconstruction, mastoidectomy, and abscess drainage.
AHRQ-funded; HS022932
Citation: Shah RK, Stey AM, Jantana KR .
Identification of opportunities for quality improvement and outcome measurement in pediatric otolaryngology.
JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2014 Nov;140(11):1019-26. doi: 10.1001/jamaoto.2014.2067..
Keywords: Surgery, Children/Adolescents, Quality Improvement, Outcomes, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research
Young RS, Gobel BH, Schumacher M
Use of the modified early warning score and serum lactate to prevent cardiopulmonary arrest in hematology-oncology patients: a quality improvement study.
The authors aimed to improve the early identification of clinically deteriorating hematology-oncology patients in order to prevent the development of critical illness and to facilitate timely intensive care unit (ICU) transfers. They used a protocol employing the Modified Early Warning Score and found that implementation of this protocol reduced codes and preventable codes without an associated increase in ICU transfers.
AHRQ-funded; HS000078.
Citation: Young RS, Gobel BH, Schumacher M .
Use of the modified early warning score and serum lactate to prevent cardiopulmonary arrest in hematology-oncology patients: a quality improvement study.
Am J Med Qual 2014 Nov-Dec;29(6):530-7. doi: 10.1177/1062860613508305.
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Keywords: Adverse Events, Cancer, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Prevention, Quality Improvement
Nembhard IM, Cherian P, Bradley EH
Deliberate learning in health care: the effect of importing best practices and creative problem solving on hospital performance improvement.
The authors examined the effect on quality improvement of two common but distinct approaches to organizational learning, importing best practices and creative problem solving, in hospitals focused on improving treatment time for patients with heart attacks. They found that importing best practices helps hospitals achieve initial phase improvement, after which significant further improvement requires creative problem solving as well.
AHRQ-funded; HS018987.
Citation: Nembhard IM, Cherian P, Bradley EH .
Deliberate learning in health care: the effect of importing best practices and creative problem solving on hospital performance improvement.
Med Care Res Rev 2014 Oct;71(5):450-71. doi: 10.1177/1077558714536619.
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Keywords: Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Hospitals, Organizational Change
Fakih MG, Krein SL, Edson B
AHRQ Author: Battles JB
Engaging health care workers to prevent catheter-associated urinary tract infection and avert patient harm.
This article discusses catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) prevention efforts, describes the national collaboration between different organizations, briefly reviews the technical and socio-adaptive components of the program, and specifically describes an approach to engaging health care workers as an essential part of CAUTI prevention and averting patient harm.
AHRQ-authored; AHRQ-funded; 290201000025I; 29032001T
Citation: Fakih MG, Krein SL, Edson B .
Engaging health care workers to prevent catheter-associated urinary tract infection and avert patient harm.
Am J Infect Control. 2014 Oct;42(10 Suppl):S223-9. doi: 10.1016/j.ajic.2014.03.355..
Keywords: Adverse Events, Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection (CAUTI), Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs), Patient Safety, Prevention, Practice Patterns, Quality Improvement
Anhang Price R, Elliott MN, Zaslavsky AM
Examining the role of patient experience surveys in measuring health care quality.
The authors reviewed the literature on the association between patient experiences and other measures of health care quality. They concluded that patient experience measures that are collected using psychometrically sound instruments, employing recommended sample sizes and adjustment procedures, and implemented according to standard protocols are intrinsically meaningful and are appropriate complements for clinical process and outcome measures in public reporting and pay-for-performance programs.
AHRQ-funded; HS016980; HS016978.
Citation: Anhang Price R, Elliott MN, Zaslavsky AM .
Examining the role of patient experience surveys in measuring health care quality.
Med Care Res Rev 2014 Oct;71(5):522-54. doi: 10.1177/1077558714541480.
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Keywords: Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS), Patient Experience, Quality of Care, Quality Improvement, Quality Measures
Ali KJ, Farley DO, Speck K
Measurement of implementation components and contextual factors in a two-state healthcare quality initiative to reduce ventilator-associated pneumonia.
The authors sought to develop and field test an implementation assessment tool for assessing progress of hospital units in implementing improvements for the prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in a two-state collaborative. They found that a relatively small number of barriers were found to have important negative effects on implementation progress, including barriers related to workload and time issues. They modified coaching provided to the unit teams to reinforce training in weak spots that the interviews identified.
AHRQ-funded; 290201000027I.
Citation: Ali KJ, Farley DO, Speck K .
Measurement of implementation components and contextual factors in a two-state healthcare quality initiative to reduce ventilator-associated pneumonia.
Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2014 Oct;35 Suppl 3:S116-23. doi: 10.1086/677832.
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Keywords: Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs), Patient Safety, Pneumonia, Prevention, Quality Improvement
Sherman M, Leland F, Ross B
Simopoly: improving simulation center operations through a tabletop simulation exercise.
In this article, the authors described a novel simulation, Simopoly, designed to provide the opportunity to think creatively about simulation center staff development, retention, and promotion in the context of daily operations and management.
AHRQ-funded; HS020295; HS022458.
Citation: Sherman M, Leland F, Ross B .
Simopoly: improving simulation center operations through a tabletop simulation exercise.
Simul Healthc 2014 Oct;9(5):304-11. doi: 10.1097/sih.0000000000000051.
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Keywords: Provider, Quality Improvement, Training
Bailey LC, Mistry KB, Tinoco A
AHRQ Author: Mistry KB
Addressing electronic clinical information in the construction of quality measures.
The authors draw on the experience of Centers of Excellence to review both structural and pragmatic considerations in e-measurement. They suggest that addressing these challenges will require investment by vendors, researchers, and clinicians alike in developing better pediatric content for standard terminologies and data models, encouraging wider adoption of technical standards that support reliable quality measurement, better harmonizing data collection with clinical work flow in EHRs, and better understanding the behavior and potential of e-measures.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Bailey LC, Mistry KB, Tinoco A .
Addressing electronic clinical information in the construction of quality measures.
Acad Pediatr 2014 Sep-Oct;14(5 Suppl):S82-9. doi: 10.1016/j.acap.2014.06.006.
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Keywords: Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Quality Improvement, Quality Indicators (QIs), Quality Measures
Arling PA, Abrahamson K, Miech EJ
Communication and effectiveness in a US nursing home quality-improvement collaborative.
The investigators explored the relationship between changes in resident health outcomes, practitioner communication patterns, and practitioner perceptions of group effectiveness within a quality-improvement collaborative of nursing home clinicians. They found that reductions in fall rates were highest in facilities where respondents experienced the highest levels of communication with collaborative members outside of scheduled meetings. Clinician and practitioner observations were discussed.
AHRQ-funded; HS018464.
Citation: Arling PA, Abrahamson K, Miech EJ .
Communication and effectiveness in a US nursing home quality-improvement collaborative.
Nurs Health Sci 2014 Sep;16(3):291-7. doi: 10.1111/nhs.12098.
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Keywords: Communication, Falls, Nursing Homes, Quality of Care, Prevention, Quality Improvement
Eapen ZJ, Liang L, Shubrook JH
Current quality of cardiovascular prevention for Million Hearts: an analysis of 147,038 outpatients from The Guideline Advantage.
This study examined adherence to clinical quality measures focusing on antiplatelet drugs for ischemic vascular disease, blood pressure control for hypertension, cholesterol control for diabetes, and tobacco use screening among 145,038 patients from 25 U.S. practices. It found that black and people of color races were associated with a lower likelihood of blood pressure and cholesterol control.
AHRQ-funded; HS021092
Citation: Eapen ZJ, Liang L, Shubrook JH .
Current quality of cardiovascular prevention for Million Hearts: an analysis of 147,038 outpatients from The Guideline Advantage.
Am Heart J. 2014 Sep;168(3):398-404. doi: 10.1016/j.ahj.2014.06.007..
Keywords: Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Promotion, Heart Disease and Health, Quality Improvement, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Nakamura MM, Toomey SL, Zaslavsky AM
Measuring pediatric hospital readmission rates to drive quality improvement.
The investigators sought to describe the importance of readmissions in children and the challenges of developing readmission quality measures. They found that the policy focus on readmissions has motivated widespread efforts by hospitals and outpatient providers to evaluate and reengineer care processes.
AHRQ-funded; HS020513; HS020508.
Citation: Nakamura MM, Toomey SL, Zaslavsky AM .
Measuring pediatric hospital readmission rates to drive quality improvement.
Acad Pediatr 2014 Sep-Oct;14(5 Suppl):S39-46. doi: 10.1016/j.acap.2014.06.012.
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Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Quality Improvement, Quality Indicators (QIs), Quality Measures, Hospital Readmissions
Abrahamson K, Mueller C, Davila HW
Nurses as boundary-spanners in reducing avoidable hospitalizations among nursing home residents.
The researchers interviewed 76 nurses working at 38 nursing homes that were implementing quality improvement projects to reduce avoidable hospitalizations. They explored the role of the nurse as boundary-spanner between the organizational goals of the nursing home and external stakeholder systems and how that influences the nursing staff experience.
AHRQ-funded; HS018464
Citation: Abrahamson K, Mueller C, Davila HW .
Nurses as boundary-spanners in reducing avoidable hospitalizations among nursing home residents.
Res Gerontol Nurs. 2014 Sep-Oct;7(5):235-43. doi: 10.3928/19404921-20140519-01..
Keywords: Nursing Homes, Long-Term Care, Elderly, Quality of Care, Quality Improvement