November 18, 2005
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.
Annals of Internal Medicine
Wilson IB, Landon BE, Hirschhorn LR, et al. Quality of HIV care provided by nurse
practitioners, physician assistants, and physicians. Ann Intern Med 2005 Nov 15;
143(10):729-36. [Supported by Grant No. R01 HS10227; published in AHRQ-supported
Improving Patient Care section of journal.]
Cancer
Raab SS, Gryzbicki DM, Janosky JE, et al. Clinical impact and frequency of anatomic
pathology errors in cancer diagnoses. Cancer 2005 Nov 15; 104(10):2205-13.
[Supported by Grant No. HS13321-01.]
Evaluation and the Health Professions
Hepner KA, Brown JA, Hays RD. Comparison of mail and telephone in assessing patient
experiences in receiving care from medical group practices. Eval Health Profes
2005 Dec; 28(4):377-89. [Supported by Grant No. 5 U18 HS00924; uses AHRQ's Group Level
Consumer Assessment of Health Plans Study (G-CAHPS).]
Health Affairs
Zuvekas SH, Rupp AE, Norquist GS. The impacts of mental health parity and managed
care in one large employer group: a reexamination. Health Aff 2005 Nov-Dec; 24(6):1668-71. [First author is researcher in AHRQ's Center for Financing, Access, and
Cost Trends.]
AHA News
HCAHPS® close to becoming first uniform national patient survey. AHA News 2005 Nov
14; 41(23):1-2. [Describes CMS's implementation of AHRQ's Hospital CAHPS® (HCAHPS).]
American Family Physician
New brochure available to help patients find information and support. Am Fam Physician 2005 Nov 1; 72(9):1644. [Describes AHRQ brochure, Next Steps After Your Diagnosis:
Finding Information and Support, and gives availability through AHRQ Web site and
Publications Clearinghouse.]
Annals of Internal Medicine
Quality of HIV health care provided by nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and
doctors. Ann Intern Med 2005 Nov 15; 143(10):1-72. [Summarizes findings of
AHRQ-funded article by Wilson, et al., cited in AHRQ-Funded/Authored Articles.]
Applied Health Economics Health Policy
Marquis MS, Buntin MB, Kapur K, et al. Using contingent choice methods to assess
consumer preferences about health plan design. Appl Health Econ Health Policy
2005; 4(2):77-86. [Cites AHRQ-authored article by Short and Taylor (researcher in AHRQ's
Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends) (J Health Econ, 1989).]
BNAs Health Care Policy Report
CMS releases hospital survey instrument; announces update to Hospital Compare data. BNA Health Care Policy Rep 2005 Nov 14; 13(45):1462-3. [Describes CMS
implementation of AHRQ's Hospital CAHPS® (HCAHPS).]
Dermatology Nursing
Gorgos D. Remaking American medicine. Dermatol Nurs News 2005 Oct; 17(5):385.
[Mentions AHRQ support for the Remaking American Medicine... Health Care for the 21st
Century public outreach campaign.]
Ear, Nose and Throat Journal
Arick DS, Silman S. Nonsurgical home treatment of middle ear effusion and associated
hearing loss in children. Part I: clinical trial. Ear Nose Throat J 2005 Sep; 84(9):567-78. [Cites updated version of AHRQ guideline, Otitis Media with Effusion in
Young Children, 1994 (Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg, 2004).]
Family Practice News
Frieden J. Video brings docs to day care kids. Fam Pract News 2005 Oct 15; 35(20):1, 12. [Notes AHRQ funding of $1.3 million to University of Rochester for Health-e
Access project; quotes AHRQ Center for Primary Care, Prevention, and Clinical
Partnerships Director Helen Burstin.]
Health Affairs
Thorpe KE. The rise in health care spending and what to do about it. Health Aff
2005 Nov-Dec; 24(6):1436-46. [Notes that AHRQ's Medical Expenditure Panel Survey
(MEPS) provides important national estimates on health care spending, utilization
patterns, and medical conditions but that these estimates are not available at the
state level.]
Dowd BE. Coordinated agency versus autonomous consumers in health services markets. Health Aff 2005 Nov-Dec; 24(6):1501-11. [Cites AHRQ-authored article by Vistnes (researcher in AHRQ's Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends), et al. (Int J Health Care Finance Econ, 2001).]
Gosfield AG, Reinertsen JL. The 100,000 Lives Campaign: crystallizing standards of care for hospitals. Health Aff 2005 Nov-Dec; 24(6):1560-70. [Cites AHRQ endorsement of 100,000 Lives Campaign.]
Sommers BD. The impact of program structure on children's disenrollment from Medicaid and SCHIP. Health Aff 2005 Nov-Dec; 24(6):1611-8. [Cites Burstin (director of AHRQ's Center for Primary Care, Prevention, and Clinical Partnerships), et al. (Inquiry, 1998).]
Update: Spending: Health Care Expenditures for Injury-Related Conditions. Health Aff 2005 Nov-Dec; 24(6):1674. [Summarizes findings from AHRQ statistical brief of MEPS data.]
Health Services Research
OMalley KJ, Cook KF, Price MD, et al. Measuring diagnoses: ICD code accuracy. Health
Serv Res 2005 Oct; 40(5 Pt 2):1620-39. [Mentions AHRQ's Clinical Classification
Software (CCS) as one the most commonly used nosologies; cites AHRQ-authored
article by Hsia (researcher in AHRQ's Center for Outcomes and Effectiveness), et al.
(N Engl J Med, 1988).]
Ramirez M, Ford ME, Stewart AL, et al. Measurement issues in health disparities research. Health Serv Res 2005 Oct; 40(5 Pt 2):1640-57. [Cites AHRQ-authored article by Fiscella, Franks, Gold, and Clancy (fourth author is AHRQ director) (JAMA, 2000) and Fleishman, Spector, and Altman (authors are researchers in AHRQ's Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends and Center for Delivery, Organization, and Markets, and former AHRQ researcher, respectively) (J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci, 2002).]
Hospitals and Health Networks: Health Cares Most Wired Magazine
EHR: costs, ROI doubts form obstacles to physician practice EHR adoption. Hosp
Health Netw Health Care Most Wired 2005 Fall; 4(4 Supplement):41-3. [Summarizes
findings from AHRQ-funded study.]
International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care
Zethraeus N, Borgstrom F, Jonsson B, et al. Reassessment of the cost-effectiveness
of hormone replacement therapy in Sweden: results based on the Womens Health
Initiative randomized controlled trial. Int J Technol Assess Health Care 2005
Fall;21(4):433-41. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Col NF, et al. (Arch Intern Med,
2004).]
Draborg E, Gyrd-Hansen D. Time-trends in health technology assessments: an analysis of developments in composition of international health technology assessments from 1989 to 2002. Int J Technol Assess Health Care 2005 Fall; 21(4):492-8. [Reviews 57 AHRQ-produced health technology assessment (HTA) reports as part of a structured literature review of 433 reports by eleven leading HTA institutions worldwide.]
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
LIfford KL, Curhan GC, Hu FB, et al. Type 2 diabetes mellitus and risk of developing
urinary incontinence. J Am Geriatr Soc 2005 Nov; 53(11):1851-7. [Cites AHRQ
guideline, Urinary Incontinence in Adults: Acute and Chronic Management, 1996.]
Brown JS. Urinary incontinence: an important and underrecognized complication of type 2 diabetes mellitus. J Am Geriatr Soc 2005 Nov; 53(11):2028-9. [Cites AHRQ guideline, Urinary Incontinence in Adults: Acute and Chronic Management, 1996.]
Journal of Family Practice
Henley E. The uninsured: you can make a difference. J Fam Pract 2005 Nov; 54(11):952-4. [Cites AHRQ MEPS Statistical Brief, The Uninsured in America, 2004: Estimates
for the U.S. Civilian Noninstitutionalized Population Under Age 65, 2005.]
Journal of the National Cancer Institute Monographs
Stevens VJ, Solberg LI, Quinn VP, et al. Relationship between tobacco control
policies and the delivery of smoking cessation services in nonprofit HMOs. J Natl
Cancer Inst Monogr 2005; (35):75-80. [Cites PHS guidelines, Treating Tobacco Use
and Dependence, 2000, and AHRQ guidelines, Smoking Cessation Clinical Practice Guideline, 1996, and
cites article by Halpin Schauffler, et al. on the adoption of the 1996 guideline in
California (Am J Prev Med, 2000).]
Library Journa
Banick CR. Rx for medical libraries: how can we ensure that small libraries continue
to provide good medicine? Lib J 2005 Nov 15; 130(19):32. [Recommends that
hospital medical librarians use AHRQ's Patient Safety Network Web site and other federal
Web sites to keep clinical staff abreast of quality patient care issues.]
New England Journal of Medicine
Kuller LH. Trends in racial disparities in care. N Engl J Med 2005 Nov 10; 353(19):2081-5. [First of series of comments on AHRQ-funded articles by Jha, et al.,
Vaccarino, et al., and Trivedi, et al. in Aug 18 issue (N Engl J Med, 2005).]
Quality and Safety in Health Care
Lingard L, Espin S, Rubin B, et al. Getting teams to talk: development and pilot
implementation of a checklist to promote interprofessional communication in the OR. Qual Saf Health Care 2005 Oct; 14(5):340-6. [Cites AHRQ-authored article by Thomas,
Studdert, Burstin (director of AHRQ's Center for Primary Care, Prevention, and
Clinical Partnerships) (Med Care, 2000).]
Ghaleb MA, Barber N, Franklin BD. What constitutes a prescribing error in paediatrics? Qual Saf Health Care 2005 Oct; 14(5):352-7. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Kaushal et al. (JAMA, 2001).]
Colla JB, Bracken AC, Kinney LM, et al. Measuring patient safety climate: a review of surveys. Qual Saf Health Care 2005 Oct; 14(5):364-6. [Reviews and analyzes AHRQ-supported assessments of several patient safety climate surveys.]
RN Leech EE. When your patient threatens to walk: prompt action is essential when a patient decides to leave the hospital against medical advice. Here's what you need to do. RN 2005 Sep; 68(9):56. [Cites case study, Discharge Against Medical Advice, 2005, from AHRQ's Web M and M Web site.]
Roman LL. Hot sites. RN 2005 Sep; 68(9):22. [Briefly describes AHRQ's Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence Pathfinder, on AHRQ's Web site.]
Washington Post
Kibbe M. Burdens of regulatory fat. Wash Post 2005 Nov 14:A18. [Criticizes AHRQ's
HCAHPS® as a glaring example of government bureaucracy at its worst that will
significantly harm our nations hospitals and an exercise in regulatory overkill
that expert after expert has indicated will actually hinder its supposed goal.]
American Family Physician
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Screening for gonorrhea: recommendation statement.
Am Fam Physician 2005 Nov 1; 72(9):1783-6. [Summarizes USPSTF recommendations
on screening for gonorrhea as published on AHRQ Web site.]
Putting prevention into practice: an evidence-based approach. Screening for gonorrhea. Am Fam Physician 2005 Nov 1; 72(9):1799-800. [Presents study questions based on USPSTF recommendations on screening for gonorrhea.]
Hemoglobin not an accurate test for iron deficiency. Am Fam Physician 2005 Nov 1;72(9):1842. [Cites USPSTF recommendation, Screening for Iron Deficiency Anemia, 1996, as published on AHRQ Web site.]
Family Practice News
Clinical preventive services guide. Fam Pract News 2005 Oct 31; 35(20):82.
[Announces availability of pocket-sized version of USPSTF's, Guide to Clinical
Preventive Services, 2005.]
Geriatrics
Sherman FT. Screening for dementia: my fathers favorite axiom is alive and well. Geriatrics 2005 Nov; 60(11):10-1. [Cites USPSTF recommendation on screening for
dementia in primary care (Ann Intern Med, 2003).]
Solomon PR, Murphy CA. Should we screen for Alzheimers disease? A review of the evidence for and against screening for Alzheimer s disease in primary care practice. [Cites USPSTF recommendation, Screening for Dementia in Primary Care: A Summary of the Evidence (Ann Intern Med, 2003).]
Journal of Family Practice
Alto WA. No need for routine glycosuria/proteinuria screen in pregnant women. J
Fam Pract 2005 Nov; 54(11):978-83. [Cites USPSTF recommendations on screening for
preeclampsia in Guide to Clinical Preventive Services, 1996; used AHRQ's National
Guideline Clearinghouse™ to find relevant studies.]
Boggs BD, Stephens MM, Wallace R. How does colonoscopy compare with fecal occult blood testing as a screening tool for colon cancer? J Fam Pract 2005 Nov; 54(11):996-7. [Cites USPSTF review of colorectal cancer screening (Ann Intern Med, 2002).]
Journal of the National Cancer Institute Monographs
Mouchawar J, Taplin S, Ichikawa L, et al. Late-stage breast cancer among women with
recent negative screening mammography: do clinical encounters offer opportunities for
earlier detection: J Natl Cancer Inst Monogr 2005; (35):39-46. [Cites USPSTF
recommendation, Screening for Breast Cancer, 2002, as accessed on AHRQ Web site.]
Zapka JG, Puleo E, Taplin S, et al. Breast and cervical cancer screening: clinicians views on health plan guidelines and implementation efforts. J Natl Cancer Inst Monogr 2005; (35):46-54. [Cites Guide to Clinical Preventive Services, 1996, and USPSTF recommendation, Screening for Breast Cancer, 2002, as accessed on AHRQ Web site.]
Nekhlyudov L, Bower M, Herrinton LJ, et al. Womens decision-making roles regarding contralateral prophylactic mastectomy. J Natl Cancer Inst Monogr 2005; (35):55-60. [Cites USPSTF recommendations on shared decisionmaking about screening and chemoprevention (Sheridan, et al., Am J Prev Med, 2004).]
American Family Physician
Nasal irrigation to treat acute bacterial rhinosinusitis. Am Fam Physician 2005
Nov 1; 72(9):1661-3. [Cites AHRQ Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, Diagnosis
and Treatment of Acute Bacterial Rhinosinusitis, 2005.]
Quality and Safety in Health Care
Coyle YM, Mercer SQ, Murphy-Cullen CL, et al. Effectiveness of a graduate medical
education program for improving medical event reporting attitude and behavior. Qual
Saf Health Care 2005 Oct; 14(5):383-8. [Cites AHRQ Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, Making Health Care Safer: A Critical Analysis of Patient Safety Practices,
2001.]
Health Affairs
Cogan JF, Hubbard RG, Kessler DP. Making markets work: five steps to a better
health care system. Health Aff 2005 Nov-Dec; 24(6):1447-57. [Uses data from
the 2002 MEPS.]
Feldman R, Parente ST, Abraham J, et al. Health savings accounts: early estimates of national take-up. Health Aff 2005 Nov-Dec; 24(6):1582-91. [Uses data from the 2001 MEPS.]
Journal of Mental Health Policy and Economics
Chung S. Does the use of SSRIs reduce medical care utilization and expenditures? J
Ment Health Policy Econ 2005 Sep; 8(3):119-29. [Uses 1996-1998 MEPS data.]
Han E, Liu GG. Racial disparities in prescription drug use for mental illness among population in US. J Ment Health Policy Econ 2005 Sep; 8(3):131-43. [Uses 1996-2000 MEPS data.]
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