Methods

Research Findings

Research Activities, July 2008:
Zero tolerance of alcohol for drivers under age 21 reduces drinking and driving among college students

Research Activities, June 2008:
When financially vulnerable rural hospitals become critical access hospitals, patient safety improves in several areas
Community-wide interventions prove modestly successful in reducing antibiotic use among Medicaid-insured children
A collaborative approach to diabetes care in community health centers can cost-effectively improve that care
Sending high-risk heart attack patients to certain hospitals reduces deaths, minimizes hospital volume shifts
Use of quality improvement strategies by home care agencies may reduce hospitalizations of home patients

Research Activities, May 2008:
CT angiographic source images detect stroke better than nonenhanced CT scans
Hospitalists shorten stays but don't save much money or more lives

Research Activities, April 2008:
DNA time-out procedure may help reduce patient identification error among prostate needle core biopsy specimens
Certain interventions have the potential to reduce costly and risky hospitalizations of the frail elderly

Research Activities, March 2008:
Studies examine emergency communication, use of defibrillators, and benefit of ED pharmacists

Research Activities, February 2008:
Age, gender, and location are keys to predicting patient fall injuries in hospitals

Research Activities, January 2008:
Medicaid-insured parents could benefit from educational programs to promote more judicious use of antibiotics
Some women with breast cancer do not receive adjuvant treatments recommended by guidelines
A computer-based intravenous protocol can improve glycemic control in surgical ICU patients
Journal supplement explores alternative research approaches to test drug safety and effectiveness

Research Activities, December 2007:
Many errors by medical residents are caused by teamwork breakdowns and lack of supervision
Pilot study suggests that after-hours telephone medical consultations may pose risks to patient safety
Interns taught teamwork during neonatal resuscitation training may be better able to resuscitate newborns
Use of simple clinical information systems can improve outcomes of patients with diabetes

Research Activities, November 2007:
Diagnostic codes poorly identify deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism after surgery from hospital claims
Evidence of benefit is lacking for many common ways of treating osteoarthritis of the knee
Surgery is more likely than angioplasty to relieve pain for patients with coronary artery disease

Research Activities, October 2007:
Studies examine dispensing of sample medications and preventing medication errors in primary care practices
Strategies to improve health literacy for diverse populations should address literacy, language, and cultural barriers
Information women receive in pregnancy affects their childbirth preferences after prior cesarean delivery

Research Activities, September 2007:
Exam room reminders and physician feedback can improve screening for chlamydia in young women during preventive care visits
Intensive care nurses face noise, distractions, small workspace, and other obstacles to providing care to critically ill patients

Research Activities, August 2007:
Few of the safeguards routinely used for intravenous chemotherapy have been adopted for oral chemotherapy at U.S. cancer centers
Changes in workflow and tasks need to be assessed when introducing bar code medication administration into nurses' work
Attaining clinical targets among hemodialysis patients is linked to better outcomes
Patients infected with both HIV and hepatitis C virus lose more weight than those with only one of the infections
Despite prior-approval requirements of hospitals for certain antimicrobials, doctors still manage to "stealth dose"

Research Activities, July 2007:
Studies examine the surge capacity of U.S. hospitals to respond to bioterrorism or other public health disasters
Studies examine the impact of rheumatic diseases on the ability to work

Research Activities, June 2007:
Prophylactic antibiotics given to prevent surgical site infections are more timely if given in the operating room

Research Activities, May 2007:
More intensive treatment contributes to better hypertension control in the United States compared with western Europe
Study profiles the number, distribution, and basic use patterns of U.S. emergency departments
Studies examine effect of physician practice size and opening of specialty cardiac hospitals on treatment of heart attack patients
Regionalizing stroke care to high-volume hospitals may not improve stroke outcomes or lower costs for some regions

Research Activities, April 2007:
Updated pharmacy data can track whether HIV patients are maintaining enough adherence for treatment success

Research Activities, March 2007:
Barriers impede efforts to use a region-wide hospital medication error reporting system
Stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus of the brain improves quality of life for patients with advanced Parkinson's disease
Guidelines can help paramedics select which drugs to use to facilitate prehospital endotracheal intubation
Use of needle biopsy to diagnose lung nodules does not increase the risk of dying from localized nonsmall cell lung cancer

Research Activities, February 2007:
Mitral valve repair, when compared with replacement, leads to better quality of life
Japanese and Filipino women are much less likely than white women to undergo breast-conserving therapy for breast cancer
Medications can aid endotracheal intubation of critically ill or injured patients who are not in cardiac arrest
The likelihood of hemorrhage due to pelvic fracture can be estimated from initial pelvic x-ray, pulse, and hematocrit

Research Activities, January 2007:
New report finds little evidence to determine the usefulness of genetic tests in the treatment of depression

Research Activities, December 2006:
Clinician communication through multidisciplinary rounds may improve with well-designed information tools

Research Activities, November 2006:
"Off-pump" bypass surgery is associated with reduced occurrence of stroke and other complications

Research Activities, August 2006:
Studies examine use of computed tomography and risk of rupture in acute appendicitis

Research Activities, April 2006
Patient responses to medical errors depend on the timeliness and quality of the physician's communication about the event
Immediate interpretation of lung tissue samples and use of transmucosal fine-needle aspiration reduces pathology errors
Over one-third of outpatients prescribed drugs for the first time do not receive recommended laboratory monitoring
Researchers describe the development and testing of the CAHPS® Hospital Survey

Research Activities, March 2006
AHRQ's quality indicators can be used as a screening tool to identify potential quality of care problems

Research Activities, February 2006:
Study details differences in physician and nonphysician acupuncture treatment for chronic low back pain

Research Activities, January 2006:
Individual characteristics, complications, and treatments influence quality of life among adults with diabetes

Research Activities, December 2005:
Out-of-hospital rescuers receive little practice in performing endotracheal intubation

Research Activities, November 2005:
Written reminders can reduce the length of time patients have urinary catheters

Research Activities, July 2005:
Linking lab and pharmacy databases can help identify patients who don't undergo followup for abnormal tests
New Web-based ICU safety reporting system may have the potential to reduce medical errors at ICUs across the country
Executive walk rounds are a promising tool for improving the safety climate of hospitals
AHRQ study finds weight-loss surgeries quadrupled in 5 years

Research Activities, June 2005:
Photodynamic therapy is a cost-effective treatment option for patients with high-grade dysplasia in Barrett's esophagus
More frequent sit-down rounds in dialysis units are associated with better patient outcomes

Research Activities, March 2005:
New study on computerized order entry finds flaws that could lead to errors, but there are opportunities for improvement
Health plans take action to improve services for members with limited English proficiency

Research Activities, February 2005:
Physicians often change their clinical decisions about management of cancer patients based on results of PET scans

Research Activities, December 2004:
Anonymity, feedback, and a blame-free environment promote reporting of medical errors
Many primary care errors stem from problems with access to clinicians and doctor/patient interaction
Clinical signs help identify blunt head trauma patients with unremarkable CT scans who may need neurosurgery
Nursing home treatment for lower respiratory infection is safe and less costly than hospitalization for some residents

Research Activities, November 2004:
Among elderly patients with dementia, blacks and Latinos are more likely than whites to show dementia-related behaviors
Service coordination for pregnant women in prison can improve their use of health services after release
Addressing multiple factors for certain diseases rather than just one may promote healthier lifestyles

Research Activities, October 2004:
Prolonged Candida infections in children with central venous catheters can lead to bloodstream and internal organ infections
Instruments that measure the health status of children need to account for the impact of race, ethnicity, and income on health
Doctors can use conversational techniques during an illness visit to create an opportunity to deliver preventive care

Research Activities, September 2004:
In certain situations, nurses should raise a "red flag" to protect patient safety

Research Activities, August 2004:
Pediatricians can help promote literacy by encouraging parents to read daily to their young children
Medication errors are frequent in the emergency department and often arise from the fast pace and heavy patient load
Trade-offs and individual preferences should be emphasized when advising patients about dialysis choices
Researchers find insufficient evidence to evaluate how well surveillance systems can detect bioterrorism

Research Activities, July 2004:
Most pediatric ER workers say they are willing to receive the smallpox vaccine, but few have done so
Medical errors appear to be common among ICU patients, and a simple blame-free reporting system can help identify them

Research Activities, June 2004:
Despite international treatment variations in cataract management, optimal vision is the usual patient outcome
Researchers describe challenges in translating research findings into clinical practice
Guidelines can help to distinguish anthrax from influenza in patients with flu-like illness and exposure to anthrax
Relief of symptoms from proton-pump inhibitor treatment does not necessarily confirm diagnosis of GERD
Referral of ED patients to outpatient HIV testing is not an effective way to identify unrecognized HIV infection
Value to clinicians of educational Web sites on bioterrorism is unproven
People with diabetes do a better job of managing their disease when HMOs cover diabetes self-monitoring devices

Research Activities, May 2004:
A user-friendly computer touchscreen enables low literacy cancer patients to more accurately report quality of life outcomes
Health care costs are lower in Minnesota than in other States due mostly to structural factors, not financial incentives

Research Activities, April 2004:
Physicians should give patients with kidney failure more information about the option of peritoneal dialysis
Researchers examine ways to measure the quality of health services for children and adolescents

Research Activities, February 2004:
Pneumatic otoscopy may be less costly, easier to use, and just as accurate as other methods for diagnosing middle ear effusion in children
Researchers examine ways to improve translation of scientific evidence into improved clinical practice