National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
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Search All Research Studies
Topics
- Access to Care (1)
- Antibiotics (1)
- Asthma (2)
- Care Coordination (1)
- Children/Adolescents (4)
- Chronic Conditions (3)
- Decision Making (1)
- Elderly (1)
- (-) Emergency Department (16)
- Emergency Medical Services (EMS) (2)
- Evidence-Based Practice (1)
- Guidelines (2)
- Healthcare Costs (1)
- Healthcare Delivery (1)
- Healthcare Utilization (5)
- Health Information Technology (HIT) (1)
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- Hospitalization (1)
- Medicaid (3)
- Nursing Homes (1)
- Obesity (1)
- Patient-Centered Healthcare (1)
- Policy (1)
- (-) Primary Care (16)
- Provider: Pharmacist (1)
- Quality Improvement (1)
- Quality Indicators (QIs) (1)
- Quality Measures (1)
- Quality of Care (2)
- Respiratory Conditions (1)
- Sickle Cell Disease (1)
- Social Determinants of Health (1)
- Substance Abuse (1)
- Teams (1)
- Tools & Toolkits (1)
- 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 16 of 16 Research Studies DisplayedZhang A, Spiegel T, Bundy A
Evaluation of a transitions clinic to bridge emergency department and primary care.
This paper evaluated the outcomes of using a clinical transition clinic (CTC) to bridge emergency department (ED) and primary care. Main outcomes were 30-day ED revisits and hospital readmissions. From March 2021 to March 2022, 373 patients were referred to the CTC totaling 405 appointments, with half (53%) completed with a median follow-up time of 4 days. The most common care types provided were wound care (44%) and clinical problem management (33%). Patients who completed their CTC appointment were 50% less likely to return to the ED in 30 days compared with those who did not complete their appointment. The same effect was not seen for CTC appointment completion on hospital readmission.
AHRQ-funded; HS027804.
Citation: Zhang A, Spiegel T, Bundy A .
Evaluation of a transitions clinic to bridge emergency department and primary care.
J Hosp Med 2023 Mar; 18(3):217-23. doi: 10.1002/jhm.13056..
Keywords: Transitions of Care, Emergency Department, Primary Care
Bell N, Lòpez-De Fede A, Cai B
Geographic proximity to primary care providers as a risk-assessment criterion for quality performance measures.
This retrospective cohort study examined geographic proximity to primary care providers as a risk-assessment criterion for quality performance measures for pediatric patients with either attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADD, ages 6-12) or asthma (MMA, ages 5-18) defined using Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) performance measures. The authors investigated differences in avoidable and potentially avoidable ED visits by the beneficiary's primary care medical home (PCMH) attribution type and in relation to differences in proximity to their primary care providers versus hospitals. There was a 2.4 percentage point reduction in risk of avoidable emergency department (ED) visits among children in the ADD cohort who attended a PCMH versus those who did not which increased to 3.9 to 7.2 percentage points as relative proximity to primary care providers versus hospitals improved. Children in the ADD and MMA cohorts who were enrolled in a PCMH but did not attend one for primary care services exhibited a 5.4 and 3.0 percentage point increase in avoidable ED visits compared to children who were unenrolled and did not attend medical homes, but these differences were only observed when geographic proximity to hospitals was more convenient than primary care providers.
AHRQ-funded; HS026263.
Citation: Bell N, Lòpez-De Fede A, Cai B .
Geographic proximity to primary care providers as a risk-assessment criterion for quality performance measures.
PLoS One 2022 Sep 6;17(9):e0273805. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0273805..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Primary Care, Asthma, Medicaid, Emergency Department
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.
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
Harder VS, Shaw JS, McCulloch CE
Statewide asthma learning collaborative participation and asthma-related emergency department use.
This study looked at outcomes from participation of pediatric practices in a quality improvement (QI) collaborative to decrease asthma-related emergency department (ED) visits. A statewide network of practices participated in the collaborative from 2015 to 2016. Asthma-related ED visit rates per 100 child-years for children ages 3 to 21 was evaluated using the state’s all-payer claims databases. The authors found that in the postintervention year (2017) participating practices’ ED visit rate decreased by 5.8 per 100 child-years, compared to an increase of 1.8 per 100 child-years in non-participating practices. There were no statistically significant differences in asthma-related ED visit rates during 2016, which indicated that it took some time for QI elements to be successfully implemented in pediatric practices.
AHRQ-funded; HS025297.
Citation: Harder VS, Shaw JS, McCulloch CE .
Statewide asthma learning collaborative participation and asthma-related emergency department use.
Pediatrics 2020 Dec;146(6):e20200213. doi: 10.1542/peds.2020-0213..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Asthma, Emergency Department, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Primary Care, Guidelines
Matson TE, Lapham GT, Bobb
Cannabis use, other drug use, and risk of subsequent acute care in primary care patients.
This study evaluated whether self-reported frequency of cannabis or other drug use was associated with subsequent acute care. Using EHR and claims data from 8 sites in Washington State that implemented annual substance use screening, findings showed that those reporting cannabis use less than monthly or daily had greater risk of acute care during follow-up than those reporting no use. Patients reporting other drug use less than monthly, weekly, or daily had greater risk of acute care than those reporting no other drug use. It is unclear whether findings will generalize to U.S. states with broader racial/ethnic diversity.
AHRQ-funded; HS023173.
Citation: Matson TE, Lapham GT, Bobb .
Cannabis use, other drug use, and risk of subsequent acute care in primary care patients.
Drug Alcohol Depend 2020 Nov 1;216:108227. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2020.108227..
Keywords: Substance Abuse, Primary Care, Emergency Department
Kovalerchik O, Powers E, Holland ML
Differences in frequency of visits to pediatric primary care practices and emergency departments by body mass index.
The purpose of this retrospective study was to examine differences in utilization across health care settings among children by body mass index (BMI) categories to help identify opportunities for interventions. The authors concluded that the children's BMI categories were associated with health care utilization, specifically primary care visits, ED visits, and hospitalizations.
AHRQ-funded; HS024332.
Citation: Kovalerchik O, Powers E, Holland ML .
Differences in frequency of visits to pediatric primary care practices and emergency departments by body mass index.
Acad Pediatr 2020 May-Jun;20(4):532-39. doi: 10.1016/j.acap.2019.12.011..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Primary Care, Emergency Department, Obesity, Healthcare Utilization
Melnikow J, Evans E, Xing G
Primary care access to new patient appointments for California Medicaid enrollees: a simulated patient study.
Investigators evaluated variation in the availability of primary care new patient appointments for Medi-Cal (California Medicaid) enrollees in Northern California and its relationship to emergency department (ED) use after Medicaid expansion. Data from the California Health Interview Survey, Medi-Cal enrollment reports, and California hospital discharge records were used. The investigators found that access to primary care in Northern California was limited for new patient Medi-Cal enrollees and varied across counties, despite standard statewide reimbursement rates. Further, counties with more limited access to primary care new patient appointments had higher ED use by Medi-Cal enrollees.
AHRQ-funded; HS022236.
Citation: Melnikow J, Evans E, Xing G .
Primary care access to new patient appointments for California Medicaid enrollees: a simulated patient study.
Ann Fam Med 2020 May;18(3):210-17. doi: 10.1370/afm.2502..
Keywords: Primary Care, Access to Care, Medicaid, Health Insurance, Emergency Department, Healthcare Utilization
Vogel JA, Rising KL, Jones J
Reasons patients choose the emergency department over primary care: a qualitative metasynthesis.
To enhance the acute care delivery system, a comprehensive understanding of the patient's perspectives for seeking care in the emergency department (ED) versus primary care (PC) is necessary. In this study, the investigators conducted a qualitative metasynthesis on reasons patients sought care in the ED instead of PC. The investigators concluded that reasons included: (1) urgency of the medical condition, (2) barriers to accessing primary care, (3) advantages of the ED, and (4) fulfillment of medical needs and quality of care in the ED.
AHRQ-funded; HS023901.
Citation: Vogel JA, Rising KL, Jones J .
Reasons patients choose the emergency department over primary care: a qualitative metasynthesis.
J Gen Intern Med 2019 Nov;34(11):2610-19. doi: 10.1007/s11606-019-05128-x..
Keywords: Emergency Department, Primary Care, Decision Making, Healthcare Delivery
Lines LM, Li NC, Mick EO
Emergency department and primary care use in Massachusetts 5 years after health reform.
The goal of this study was to identify characteristics of insured Massachusetts residents associated with primary care sensitive (PCS) emergency department (ED) use, and compare such use for public versus private insurees. The researchers used data on people under age 65 taken from the Massachusetts All-Payer Claims Data for 2011-2012. Their conclusions indicate that public insurance was associated with less access to primary care and more PCS ED use; statewide labor shortages and low reimbursement rates from public insurance may have provided inadequate access to care that might otherwise have helped reduce PCS ED use.
AHRQ-funded; HS022194.
Citation: Lines LM, Li NC, Mick EO .
Emergency department and primary care use in Massachusetts 5 years after health reform.
Med Care 2019 Feb;57(2):101-08. doi: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000001025..
Keywords: Emergency Department, Health Insurance, Policy, Primary Care
Meyers DJ, Chien AT, Nguyen KH
Association of team-based primary care with health care utilization and costs among chronically ill patients.
This study analyzed the value of team-based care practice on the treatment of patients, especially those with multiple chronic conditions. A large study was conducted using data from 18 academically affiliated primary care practices in the Boston, Massachusetts, area between 2011 and 2015. The study included 83,953 patients total with 19% of patients being younger than 18 years and the rest from 19-64 years of age. For patients with multiple chronic conditions, there was a statistically significant reduction in hospitalizations and emergency department visits. Among patients with less than 2 comorbidities, there was an increase in outpatient visits, hospitalizations and ambulatory care hospitalizations.
AHRQ-funded; HS000011.
Citation: Meyers DJ, Chien AT, Nguyen KH .
Association of team-based primary care with health care utilization and costs among chronically ill patients.
JAMA Intern Med 2019 Jan;179(1):54-61. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2018.5118..
Keywords: Chronic Conditions, Emergency Department, Healthcare Costs, Healthcare Utilization, Primary Care, Teams
Arthur KC, Mangione-Smith R, Burkhart Q
Quality of care for children with medical complexity: an analysis of continuity of care as a potential quality indicator.
The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between continuity of care for children with medical complexity (CMC) and emergency department (ED) utilization, care coordination quality, and family effects related to care coordination. The investigators measured ED utilization and primary care continuity with the Bice-Boxerman continuity of care index for 1477 CMC using administrative data from Minnesota and Washington state Medicaid agencies. They concluded that continuity of care holds promise as a quality measure for CMC because of its association with lower ED utilization and more frequent receipt of care coordination.
AHRQ-funded; HS020506.
Citation: Arthur KC, Mangione-Smith R, Burkhart Q .
Quality of care for children with medical complexity: an analysis of continuity of care as a potential quality indicator.
Acad Pediatr 2018 Aug;18(6):669-76. doi: 10.1016/j.acap.2018.04.009..
Keywords: Care Coordination, Children/Adolescents, Chronic Conditions, Emergency Department, Healthcare Utilization, Primary Care, Quality of Care, Quality Indicators (QIs), Quality Measures
Green LA, Chang HC, Markovitz AR
The reduction in ED and hospital admissions in medical home practices is specific to primary care-sensitive chronic conditions.
The purpose of this quantitative observational study was to determine whether the Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) transformation reduces hospital and ED utilization, and whether the effect is specific to chronic conditions targeted for management by the PCMH in the study setting. The investigators found that PCMH transformation reduces hospital and ED use, and the majority of the effect was specific to PCMH-targeted conditions.
AHRQ-funded; HS019147.
Citation: Green LA, Chang HC, Markovitz AR .
The reduction in ED and hospital admissions in medical home practices is specific to primary care-sensitive chronic conditions.
Health Serv Res 2018 Apr;53(2):1163-79. doi: 10.1111/1475-6773.12674..
Keywords: Chronic Conditions, Emergency Department, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Primary Care
Raven MC, Guzman D, Chen AH
Out-of-network emergency department use among managed Medicaid beneficiaries.
The researchers examined factors associated with out-of-network ED use among Medicaid beneficiaries. They concluded that there are a number of factors related to out-of-network ED use, including the proximity and density of out-of-network EDs, race and ethnicity, a prior history of out-of-network ED use, and individuals' connection to primary care.
AHRQ-funded; HS021700.
Citation: Raven MC, Guzman D, Chen AH .
Out-of-network emergency department use among managed Medicaid beneficiaries.
Health Serv Res 2017 Dec;52(6):2156-74. doi: 10.1111/1475-6773.12604.
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Keywords: Emergency Department, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Medicaid, Primary Care, Social Determinants of Health
Haber SG, Wensky SG, McCall NT
Reducing inpatient hospital and emergency room utilization among nursing home residents.
This study examined the association among nursing home residents between strength of relationship with a primary care provider (PCP) and inpatient hospital and emergency room (ER) utilization. Both measures of strength of patient-provider relationships were associated with fewer inpatient admissions and ER visits, except regularity of PCP visits and ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSC) ER visits.
AHRQ-funded; HS000029.
Citation: Haber SG, Wensky SG, McCall NT .
Reducing inpatient hospital and emergency room utilization among nursing home residents.
J Aging Health 2017 Apr;29(3):510-30. doi: 10.1177/0898264316641074.
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Keywords: Elderly, Emergency Department, Hospitalization, Nursing Homes, Primary Care
Wexler R, Hefner JL, Sieck C
Connecting emergency department patients to primary care.
The researchers developed and evaluated a system change innovation designed to remove system barriers to primary care access for Medicaid patients. The intervention did not decrease ED visits nor increase primary care use over the 12 months of the study period. The qualitative results provide insight into nonurgent ED utilization by patients with Medicaid, suggesting potential future interventions.
AHRQ-funded; HS020693.
Citation: Wexler R, Hefner JL, Sieck C .
Connecting emergency department patients to primary care.
J Am Board Fam Med 2015 Nov-Dec;28(6):722-32. doi: 10.3122/jabfm.2015.06.150044.
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Keywords: Emergency Department, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Primary Care, Health Information Technology (HIT), Healthcare Utilization
Mehrotra A, Gidengil CA, Setodji CM
Antibiotic prescribing for respiratory infections at retail clinics, physician practices, and emergency departments.
The authors compared antibiotic prescribing among retail clinics, primary care practices, and emergency departments (EDs) for acute respiratory infections (ARIs): antibiotics-may-be-appropriate ARIs and antibiotics-never-appropriate ARIs. They found that, compared with primary care practices and EDs, there was no difference at retail clinics in overall ARI antibiotic prescribing, which was more diagnosis-appropriate.
AHRQ-funded; HS018419.
Citation: Mehrotra A, Gidengil CA, Setodji CM .
Antibiotic prescribing for respiratory infections at retail clinics, physician practices, and emergency departments.
Am J Manag Care 2015 Apr;21(4):294-302.
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Keywords: Antibiotics, Emergency Department, Provider: Pharmacist, Primary Care, Respiratory Conditions