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Adverse drug events occur frequently in long-term care facilities, and nearly half of them are preventable
Linking lab and pharmacy databases can help identify patients who don't undergo followup for abnormal tests Radiologists with more experience reading mammograms aren't necessarily more accurate in interpreting them Publicly reporting quality information may inadvertently reduce, rather than improve, care quality Physicians should disclose financial incentives, address patients' reactions, and negotiate a fair plan to win trust 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
Use of atypical antipsychotic drugs to treat children continues despite questions about their safety and efficacy in the young Despite recent downward trends in antibiotic use among children, use of some broad-spectrum antibiotics has increased Limited use of cephalosporins may reduce E. coli and Klebsiella bloodstream infections in hospitalized children Fluoroquinolones were the most commonly prescribed class of antibiotics for adults in 2002 Patient education may reduce unnecessary use of antibiotics by adults Both group and individual academic detailing can improve prescribing of antihypertensive medications Higher copayments of 3-tier drug formularies reduce the likelihood that individuals will use certain medications
Prenatal screening and treatment are needed to identify pregnant women with asymptomatic chlamydial infections Study finds that screening asymptomatic, low-risk pregnant women for hepatitis C virus is not cost effective
More minority and Medicaid-insured children experience perforated appendicitis than other children Some care disparities among blacks may be due to low technology use in hospitals that treat mostly black patients Efforts to help physicians improve care for underserved patients should address issues of communication and respect
Chiropractic care is more expensive but not more effective than medical care for the treatment of low back pain Stem cell transplant centers that have greater physician involvement in patient care have better patient outcomes Participation in a physically active lifestyle during mid-life helps to maintain high physical function in later years
AHRQ study finds weight-loss surgeries quadrupled in 5 years Certain clinical factors can accurately identify patients at low risk of active TB who don't need respiratory isolation Researchers examine prevalence of and testing for celiac disease Poor diets of urban men with paraplegia underscore the importance of screening these patients for chronic diseases
Clinician training and charting tools can improve primary care screening and counseling of adolescents about risky behaviors Alcohol-based hand gel use may reduce respiratory illness transmission in homes with young children enrolled in day care
Trauma center patients are much more likely to have experienced previous traumas than the general population
National advisory committee on children and terrorism makes first recommendations for preparedness
Nursing homes vary widely in their hospitalization of residents, particularly those with Alzheimer's disease
Access to transportation substantially influences rural residents' use of health care services
Older people in HMOs and PPOs use more outpatient and preventive services than those in fee-for-service plans Study questions whether competition among HMOs will inherently improve care quality
Task Force recommends HIV screening for all pregnant women First phase of reviews are beginning under AHRQ's new research program on the effectiveness of health care interventions
New grants focus on helping primary care providers promote healthy behaviors in their patients AHRQ releases the 2005 Guide to Clinical Preventive Services and other new publications AHRQ releases evidence reports on depression among heart attack patients and three other topics New report analyzes the use and potential for improvement of hospital discharge databases AHRQ research trainee in the spotlight Research Briefs
Current as of July 2005 AHRQ Publication No. 05-0093
Internet Citation:
Research Activities Newsletter. July 2005, No. 299. AHRQ Publication No. 05-0093. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/research/jul05/
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