January 27, 2006
This weekly compilation of articles appearing in recently released journals and newsletters includes: articles funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) or authored by AHRQ researchers; articles mentioning or discussing AHRQ staff, activities, and publications/products; articles related to AHRQ-funded Evidence-based Practice Centers; articles related to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force or Put Prevention into Practice program; articles mentioning the National Healthcare Disparities Report and National Healthcare Quality Report and other research using AHRQ data or products.
American Journal of Health Promotion
Bondi MA, Harris JR, Atkins D, et al. Employer coverage of clinical preventive services in the United States. Am J Health
Promot 2006 Jan-Feb; 20(3):214-22. [Third author is researcher in AHRQ's Center for Outcomes and Evidence.]
American Journal of Managed Care
Neumann PJ, Lin PJ, Greenberg D, et al. Do drug formulary policies reflect evidence of value? Am J Manag Care 2006 Jan; 12(1):30-6. [Supported by Grant No. R01 HS10919.]
Bian J, Dow WH, Matchar DB. Medicare HMO penetration and mortality outcomes of ischemic stroke. Am J Manag Care 2006 Jan; 12(1):58-64. [Supported by Grant No. T32 HS00032; uses AHRQ's Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS).]
American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Raab SS, Andrew-JaJa C, Condel JL, et al. Improving Papanicolaou test quality and reducing medical errors by using Toyota
production system methods. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2006 Jan; 194(1):57-64. [Supported by Grant No. HS13321-01.]
American Journal of Psychiatry
Wells K, Sherbourne C, Dual N, et a. Quality improvement for depression in primary care: do patients with subthreshold
depression benefit in the long run? Am J Psychiatry 2005 Jun; 162(6):1149-57. [Supported by Grant No. R01 HS08349.]
British Medical Journal
Atkins D, Moy EM. Left behind: the legacy of hurricane Katrina. BMJ 2005 Oct 22; 331(7522):916-18. [Authors are
researchers in AHRQ's Center for Outcomes and Effectiveness and Center for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety, respectively.]
Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology
Geppert CM, Arora S. Ethical issues in the treatment of hepatitis C. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2005 Oct; 3(10):937-44.
[Supported by Grant No. 1 UC1 HS15135-01.]
Family Medicine
Sloane PD, Callahan L, Kahwati L, et al. Development of a practice-based patient cohort for primary care research. Fam
Med 2006 Jan; 38(1):50-7. [Supported by Grant No. R21 HS13521.]
Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology
Fisher ID, Krauss MJ, Dunagan WC, et al. Patterns and predictors of inpatient falls and fall-related injuries in a large
academic hospital. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2005 Oct; 26(10:822-7. [Supported by Grant No. U18 HS1189801.]
Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety
Rogers G, Alper E, Brunelle D, et al. Reconciling medications at admission: safe practice recommendations and
implementation strategies. Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf 2006 Jan; 32(1):37-49. [Supported by Grant No. U18 HS11928.]
Journal of Economic and Social Measurement
Cohen S. Guest editors preface. J Econ Soc Measure 2005; 30(2-3):97-100. [Author is director of AHRQ's Center for
Financing, Access, and Cost Trends; cites use of AHRQ's Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) in several of the
articles in this special issue.]
Cohen SB, Ezzati-Rice T, Yu W. The utility of probabilistic models to identify individuals with future high medical expenditures. J Econ Soc Measure 2005; 30(2-3):135-44. [First author is director of and second two are researchers in AHRQ's Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends.]
Journal of General Internal Medicine
Heslin KC, Andersen RM, Ettner SL, et al. Racial and ethnic disparities in access to physicians with HIV-related expertise:
findings from a nationally representative study. J Gen Intern Med 2005 Mar; 20(3):283-9. [Supported by HIV Cost and
Services Utilization Study (HCSUS) Grant No. U01 HS08578.]
Journal of Trauma
Mower WR, Hoffman JR, Herbert M, et al. Developing a decision instrument to guide computed tomographic imaging of blunt
head injury patients. J Trauma 2005 Oct; 59(4):954-9. [Supported by Grant No. R01 HS09699.]
Medical Decision Making
Man-Son-Hing M, Gage BF, Montgomery AA, et al. Preference-based antithrombotic therapy in atrial fibrillation: implications
for clinical decision making. Med Decis Making 2005 Sep-Oct; 25(5):548-59. [Supported by Grant No. R01 HS10133.]
Ettner SL, Kotlerman J, Afifi A, et al. An alternative approach to reducing the costs of patient care? A controlled trial of the Multi-Disciplinary Doctor-Nurse Practitioner (MDNP) model. Med Decis Making 2006 Jan-Feb; 26(1):9-17. [Supported by Grant No. 1 R01 HS10734.]
Forrest CB, Nutting PA, von Schrader S, et al. Primary care physician specialty referral decision making: patient, physician, and health care system determinants. Med Decis Making 2006 Jan-Feb; 26(1):76-85. [Supported by Grant No. R01 HS09377.]
Nursing Research
McFarlane JM, Groff JY, O'Brien JA, et al. Secondary prevention of intimate partner violence: a randomized controlled trial. Nurs Res 2006 Jan-Feb; 55(1):52-61. [Supported by Grant No. R01 HS11079.]
Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal
Christakis DA, Wright JA, Taylor TA, et al. Association between parental satisfaction and antibiotic prescription for
children with cough and cold symptoms. Pediatr Infect Dis J 2005 Sep; 24(9):774-7. [Supported by Grant No. 1 R03 HS13195-01.]
Radiology
Zou KH, Greve DN, Wang M, et al. Reproducibility of functional MR imaging: preliminary results of prospective
multi-institutional study performed by Biomedical Informatics Research Network. Radiology 2005 Dec; 237(3):781-9.
[Supported by Grant No. R03 HS013234-01. See also article by MacLean, et al., JAMA, cited in Evidence-based Practice Centers-Related Articles.]
AHA News
HCAHPS® promises to tell hospitals a lot about how they can improve care. AHA News 2006 Jan 23; 42(2):7. [Discusses
implementation of AHRQ's Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) with former AHRQ
researcher Nancy Foster.]
American Health Line
EHRS: WSJ examines data mining for quality improvement. Am Health Line 2006 Jan 26; #12. [Quotes remarks by AHRQ
Director Carolyn Clancy
JAMA: studies examine effects of carbon monoxide, fish oil. Am Health Line 2006 Jan 26; #16. [Summarizes findings from AHRQ-funded study and quotes remarks by AHRQ Director Carolyn Clancy.]
American Medical News
O'Reilly KB. Quality evaluations enhanced by patient feedback. Am Med News 2006 Jan 16; 49(2):11. [Notes AHRQ's
development of H-CAHPS® and quotes remarks by former AHRQ researcher Beth Kosiak.]
American Journal of Medical Quality
Gill JM, Foy AJ Jr, Ling Y. Quality of outpatient care for diabetes mellitus in a national electronic health record
network. Am J Med Qual 2006 Jan-Feb; 21(1):13-17. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Keating, et al. (Health Serv Res, 2003).]
Scheurer DB, Cawley PJ, Brown SB, et al. Overcoming barriers to pneumococcal vaccination in patients with pneumonia. Am J Med Qual 2006 Jan-Feb; 21(1):18-29. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Fine at al. (Arch Intern Med 1994).]
Weech-Maldonado R, Shea D, Mor V. The relationship between quality of care and costs in nursing homes. Am J Med Qual 2006 Jan-Feb; 21(1):40-8. [Cites AHRQ-authored articles by Mukamel and Spector (researcher in AHRQ's Center for Delivery, Organization, and Markets) (Med Care 2000), and Cohen (researcher in AHRQ's Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends) and Dubay (Inquiry, 1990).]
Gawron BJ, Drury CG, Fairbanks RJ, et al. Medical error and human factors engineering: where are we now? Am J Med Qual 2006 Jan-Feb; 21(1):57-67. [Cites Quality Interagency Coordination Task Force report Doing What Counts for Patient Safety: Federal Actions to Reduce Medical Errors and Their Impact, 2000; cites speech The Best Offense is a Good Defense Against Medical Errors: Putting the Full-Court Press on Medical Errors by Eisenberg (former AHRQ director), 2000, and AHRQ-authored article by Eisenberg and Moy (researcher in AHRQ's Center for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety) (Qual Saf Health Care, 2002).]
American Journal of Preventive Medicine
Tong EK, Ong MK, Vittinghoff E, et al. Nondaily smokers should be asked and advised to quit. Am J Prev Med 2006
Jan; 30(1):23-30. [Cites PHS guideline, Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence, 2000.]
Bentz CJ, Bayley KB, Bonin KE, et al. The feasibility of connecting physician offices to a state-level tobacco quit line. Am J Prev Med 2006 Jan; 30(1):31-7. [Cites PHS guideline, Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence, 2000.]
Glasgow RE, Nelson CC, Strycker LA, et al. Using RE-AIM metrics to evaluate diabetes self-management support interventions. Am J Prev Med 2006 Jan; 30(1):76-3. [Cites AHRQ-authored articles by Aaron and Clancy (JAMA, 2003) and Tunis, Stryer, and Clancy (JAMA, 2003).]
BNAs Health Care Policy Report
HHS awards $6 million to four teams that will test e-prescribing standards. BNA Health Care Policy Rep 2006 Jan 23; 14(4):120. [Describes cooperative agreements awarded under an AHRQ/CMS project and quotes remarks by AHRQ Director
Carolyn Clancy.]
Training for national hospital survey to start in early February, CMS says. BNA Health Care Policy Rep 2006 Jan 23; 14(4):120-1. [Discusses CMS plans for HCAHPS® training and implementation.]
Canadian Medical Association Journal
Cole MG, McCusker J, Elie M, et al. Systematic detection and multidisciplinary care of depression in older medical
inpatients: a randomized trial. CMAJ 2006 Jan 3; 174(1):38-44. [Cites AHRQ guideline, Depression in Primary Care,
Volume 2: Treatment of Major Depression, 1993.]
Drug Industry Daily
FDA, AHRQ collaborate on comparative study of medical treatments. Drug Industry Daily 2006 Jan 23; 5(15). [Describes
AHRQ's Effective Health Care Program and notes detail of Anne Trontell to AHRQ's Center for Outcomes and Evidence.]
Healthcare Informatics
Marietti C. Wind power: hurricane Katrina blew silos down and adversaries together for EMRs and a national network. Healthc
Inform 2005 Nov:4. [Quotes remarks from AHRQ researcher Carol Cain regarding the impact of AHRQ funding of grants to
implement electronic medical record programs on emergency operations in Louisiana hospitals.]
JAMA
Electronic records. JAMA 2005 Nov; 294(20):2564. [Summarizes findings from AHRQ-funded study by Gans, et al. (Health
Aff, 2005).]
Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety
Moran WP, Chen GJ, Watters C, et al. Using a collaborative approach to reduce postoperative complications for
hip-fracture patients: a three-year follow-up. Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf 2006 Jan; 32(1):16-23. [Cites AHRQ
publications Clinical Classifications for Health Policy Research, Version 2, Hospital Inpatient Statistics, 1996,
and Guide to Patient Safety Indicators, 2003.]
Modern Healthcare
Conn J. Mandating H-CAHPS? Mod Healthc 2006 Jan 16; 36(3):9. [Discusses implementation of HCAHPS.]
Journal of Law, Medicine and Ethics
Ducharme J. Clinical guidelines and policies: can they improve emergency pain management? J Law Med Ethics 2005
Winter; 33(4):783-90.
Wall Street Journal
Dooren JC. Steady fish diet might not lower risk of cancers. Wall Street J 2006 Jan 25; D4. Discusses findings from
AHRQ-funded study of the effectiveness of omega-3 fatty acids on cancer prevention.]
Landro L. Infant monitors yield new clues: studies of digital records are used to identify problems with medications, practices. Wall Street J 2006 Jan 25; D5. [Notes AHRQ sponsorship of a network of research centers to identify data on priority health conditions, and quotes remarks by AHRQ Director Carolyn Clancy.]
Washington Drug Letter
FDA outlines plans to improve drug risk assessment. Wash Drug Lett 2006 Jan 23; 38(4). [Notes Anne Trontells current
assignment as AHRQ's senior advisor on pharmaceutical outcomes.]
American Family Physician
Kirchner J. Who should care for patients with HIV/AIDS? Am Fam Physician 2006 Jan 15; 73(6):215-6. [Cites USPSTF
recommendations on screening for HIV/AIDS (Ann Intern Med, 2005) and AHRQ-funded article by Wilson et al. (Ann Intern Med, 2005).]
American Journal of Preventive Medicine
Ajani UA, Ford ES, Greenland KJ, et al. Aspirin use among U.S. adults: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Am
J Prev Med 2006 Jan; 30(1):74-6. [Cites USPSTF recommendations on aspirin for primary prevention of cardiovascular
events (Ann Intern Med, 2002).]
Artz MB, Harnack LJ, Duval SJ, et al. Use of nonprescription medications for perceived cardiovascular health. Am J Prev Med 2006 Jan; 30(1):78-81. [Cites USPSTF recommendations on aspirin for primary prevention of cardiovascular events and routine vitamin supplementation to prevent cancer and cardiovascular disease, as posted on AHRQ Web site; cites AHRQ Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, Garlic: Effects on Cardiovascular Risks and Disease, Protective Effects Against CanceEr, and Clinical Adverse Effects, 2000.]
American Medical News
Tomaselli KP. One more thing... Am Med News 2006 Jan 23; 49(3):19-20. [Cites USPSTF recommendations and quotes
remarks by USPSTF chair Neal Calonge.]
Canadian Medical Association Journal
Strychar I. Diet in the management of weight loss. CMAJ 2006 Jan 3; 174(1):56-63. [Cites USPSTF recommendations
on screening for obesity in adults as posted on AHRQ Web site.]
Lancet
Larkin M. Webwatch ageing and sport. Lancet 2005 Dec; 366 Suppl 1:S52. [Cites AHRQ report, Physical Activity for
Older Americans, as posted on AHRQ Web site.]
JAMA
MacLean CH, Newberry SJ, Mojica WA, et al. Effects of omega-3 fatty acids on cancer risk: a systematic review. JAMA
2006 Jan 25; 295(4):403-15. [Supported by Contract No. 290-02-0003 through AHRQ's Evidence-based Practice Center program.]
Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety
Hoff TJ, Sutcliffe KM. Studying patient safety in health care organizations: accentuate the qualitative. Jt Comm J
Qual Patient Saf 2006 Jan; 32(1):5-15. [Cites AHRQ Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, Making Healthcare Safer: A
Critical Analysis of Patient Safety Practices, 2001, and notes AHRQ expenditures as a percentage of its budget on
patient safety research.]
Sidlow R, Katz-Sidlow RJ. Using a computerized sign-on system to improve physician-nurse communication. Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf 2006 Jan; 32(1):32-6. [Cites AHRQ Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, Making Healthcare Safer: A Critical Analysis of Patient Safety Practices, 2001, and cites AHRQ publication, Morbidity and Mortality Rounds on the Web: Current Cases and Commentaries: Education: Glucose Roller Coaster, 2004.]
American Journal of Medical Quality
Alvarez K, Sciamanna CN. Empowering patients to improve safety. Am J Med Qual 2006 Jan-Feb; 21(1):5-6. [Cites AHRQ's
National Healthcare Quality Report (NHQR), 2004, and AHRQ-authored article by Altman, Clancy (AHRQ Director), and Blendon
(N Engl J Med, 2004).]
Healthcare Disparities Report
Hispanics call for 5 steps to reduce disparities. Healthc Disparities Rep 2006 Feb; 3-4. [Cites findings from AHRQ's
National Healthcare Disparities Report (NHDR), 2005.]
Disparities report shows narrowing gap but not for Hispanics. Healthc Disparities Rep 2006 Feb; 4-5. [Cites findings from AHRQ's NHDR, 2005.]
Modern Healthcare
Evans M. Hispanic care worsens. But progress made in healthcare for blacks: report. Mod Healthc 2006 Jan 23; 36(4):17. [Discusses findings from AHRQ's NHDR, 2005.]
Washington Health Policy Week in Review
Disparities in medical treatments remain despite improvements, reports find. Wash Health Policy Week Rev 2006 Jan 17 (2nd story). [Discusses findings from AHRQ's NHQR and NHDR, 2005.]
Health Care Financing Review
Lied TR. 2003 Medicaid versus commercial beneficiary experience with care. Health Care Financ Rev 2005 Summer; 26(1):109-17. [Analyzes 2003 data from AHRQ's National CAHPS® Benchmarking Database.]
Women and Health
Laditka SB, Laditka JN, Mastanduno MP, et al. Potentially avoidable maternity complications: an indicator of access
to prenatal and primary care during pregnancy. Women Health 2005; 41(3):1-26. [Uses 1997 HCUP NIS data and cites AHRQ's
adoption of hospitalization for ambulatory care sensitive (ACS) conditions as a Prevention Quality Indicator as published
in AHRQ Quality Indicators: Guide to Prevention Quality Indicators: Hospital Admission for Ambulatory Care Sensitive
Conditions, 2001.]
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