Interpreting Market Share Changes as Evidence for Effectiveness of Quality Report Cards.

Mukamel, Dana B. ; Weimer, David L. ; Mushlin, Alvin I.
Medical Care. 45(12):1227-1232, December 2007.

HTML PDF (222 K)

Analysing low-risk patient populations allows better discrimination between high-performing and low-performing hospitals

a case study using inhospital mortality from acute myocardial infarction
Michael Coory and Ian Scott
Qual Saf Health Care 2007; 16: 324-328.

[Abstract] [Full text] [PDF]

Application of statistical process control in healthcare improvement: systematic review

Johan Thor, Jonas Lundberg, Jakob Ask, Jesper Olsson, Cheryl Carli, Karin Pukk Härenstam, and Mats Brommels
Qual Saf Health Care 2007; 16: 387-399.

[Abstract] [Full text] [PDF]

Measuring performance and missing the point?

Iona Heath, Julia Hippisley-Cox, Liam Smeeth
BMJ 2007;335:1075-1076
[Extract] [Full text] [PDF]


Editorial

Careful what you measure
Fiona Godlee
BMJ 2007;335, doi:10.1136/bmj.39406.590822.47
[Extract] [Full text]

The choice between different statistical approaches to risk-adjustment influenced the identification of outliers

Ugo Fedeli , Stefano Brocco , Natalia Alba , Rosalba Rosato , Paolo Spolaore
Journal of Clinical Epidemiology- 2007 Vol. 60, Issue 8, Pages 858-862

Abstract Full Text Full-Text PDF (101 KB)

Health state information derived from secondary databases is affected by multiple sources of bias

Darcey D. Terris, David G. Litaker, Siran M. Koroukian
Journal of Clinical Epidemiology- 2007 Vol. 60, Issue 7, Pages 734-741
Abstract Full Text Full-Text PDF (304 KB)

Editorial

Understanding secondary databases: a commentary on “Sources of bias for health state characteristics in secondary databases”
Journal of Clinical Epidemiology- 2007 Vol. 60, Issue 7, Pages 648-650
Full Text Full-Text PDF (63 KB)

How Much Time Do Physicians Spend Providing Care Outside of Office Visits?

J. Farber, A. Siu and P. Bloom
Ann Intern Med 2007; 693-698.
Abstract Full Text PDF


Editorial

Coordinating Care: A Major (Unreimbursed) Task of Primary Care
T. Bodenheimer
Ann Intern Med 2007; 730-731.
Full Text PDF

The Association of Registered Nurse Staffing Levels and Patient Outcomes: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Kane, Robert L. ; Shamliyan, Tatyana A. ; Mueller, Christine ; Duval, Sue ; Wilt, Timothy J.
Medical Care. 45(12):1195-1204, December 2007.

Abstract HTML PDF (411 K)

Cross-National Comparative Performance of Three Versions of the ICD-10 Charlson Index.

Sundararajan, Vijaya; Quan, Hude; Halfon, Patricia; Fushimi, Kiyohide; Luthi, Jean-Christophe; Burnand, Bernard; Ghali, William A. ; for the International Methodology Consortium for Coded Health Information (IMECCHI)
Medical Care. 45(12):1210-1215, December 2007.

Abstract HTML PDF (223 K)

Effect of a Rapid Response Team on Hospital-wide Mortality and Code Rates Outside the ICU in a Children’s Hospital

Paul J. Sharek; Layla M. Parast; Kit Leong; Jodi Coombs; Karla Earnest; Jill Sullivan; Lorry R. Frankel; Stephen J. Roth
JAMA. 2007;298(19):2267-2274.

ABSTRACT FULL TEXT PDF


Editorial

Pediatric Rapid Response Teams: Is It Time?
Jeffrey E. Nowak; Richard J. Brilli
JAMA. 2007;298(19):2311-2312.
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Should We Add Clinical Variables to Administrative Data?: The Case of Risk-Adjusted Case fatality Rates After Admission for Acute Myocardial Infarctio

Johnston, Trisha C. ; Coory, Michael D. ; Scott, Ian ; Duckett, Stephen
Medical Care. 45(12):1180-1185, December 2007.

Abstract HTML PDF (232 K)

AHRQ - Health Care Innovations Exchange

http://www.innovations.ahrq.gov/

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Health Care Innovations Exchange is a new program designed to support health care professionals in sharing and adopting innovations that improve health care quality.

By the Spring of 2008, the Health Care Innovations Exchange will include the following:

• Searchable profiles of a wide range of innovations.
• Learning networks.
• Educational materials.

Respecting the subjective: quality measurement from the patient's perspective

Glyn Elwyn, Stephen Buetow, Judith Hibbard, Michel Wensing
BMJ 2007;335:1021-1022

[Extract] [Full text] [PDF]

Comparison of administrative-only versus administrative plus chart review data for reporting HEDIS hybrid measures.

Pawlson LG, Scholle SH, Powers A.
Am J Manag Care.
2007 Oct;13(10):553-8.
Abstract : Full Text : PDF : Appendix : Web Exclusive : Web Exclusive


Editorial

The performance of performance measures.
Kmetik KS, Chung J, Sims S.
Am J Manag Care. 2007 Oct;13(10):547-9.
Full Text : PDF

Do Hospital Bed Reduction and Multiple System Reform Affect Patient Mortality?:

A Trend and Multilevel Analysis in New Zealand Over the Period 1988-2001.
Peter Davis, Roy Lay-Yee, Alastair Scott, Robin Gauld
Medical Care. 45(12):1186-1194, December 2007.

Abstract HTML PDF (385 K)

AHRQ - Preventable Hospitalization Costs, a county level mapping tool

www.qualityindicators.ahrq.gov/mappingtool.htm

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) released the Preventable Hospitalization Costs Mapping Tool for Windows

"The AHRQ Preventable Hospitalization Costs (PHC) is a software program that:

1. maps selected AHRQ Quality Indicators (QIs) for a State, by county,
2. estimates the cost savings associated with reducing the level of potentially avoidable hospitalizations. "

Improving the quality of care with performance indicators

Azeem Majeed, Helen Lester, Andrew B Bindman
BMJ 2007;335:916-918

[Extract] [Full text] [PDF]

Making performance indicators work: experiences of US Veterans Health Administration

Eve A Kerr, Barbara Fleming
BMJ 2007;335:971-973

[Extract] [Full text] [PDF]

NCQA - Physician Practice Connections

Seeking new ways to pay family doctors for high-quality medical care the National Committee for Quality Assurance presented a program, Physician Practice Connections, to recognize physician practices that use information systematically to enhance the quality of patient care.


PPC web page
PPC standards (pdf)
PPC Publications

A Model for Health Care That Pays for Quality New York Times

A Framework for Health Care Organizations to Develop and Evaluate a Safety Scorecard

Peter J. Pronovost; Sean M. Berenholtz; Dale M. Needham
JAMA. 2007;298(17):2063-2065.

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Combining Administrative and Clinical Data to Stratify Surgical Risk

Fry DE, Pine M, Jordan HS, Elixhauser A, Hoaglin DC, Jones B, Warner D, Meimban R.
Annals of Surgery. 246(5):875-885, November 2007.

Abstract HTML PDF (483 K)

The Canadian Medical Association (CMA) published its new Handbook on Clinical Practice Guidelines; it is a useful guidance on how to promote systematic develop and effective implement clinical practice guidelines to achieve optimal outcomes of patient care.

pdf


Commentary

A guide to the Canadian Medical Association Handbook on Clinical Practice Guidelines
Valerie A. Palda, MD MSc, Dave Davis, MD, and Joanne Goldman, MSc
CMAJ 2007 177: 1221-1226.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Patterns of Technical Error Among Surgical Malpractice Claims

An Analysis of Strategies to Prevent Injury to Surgical Patients.
Regenbogen SE, Greenberg CC, Studdert DM, Lipsitz SR, Zinner MJ, Gawande AA.
Annals of Surgery. 246(5):705-711, November 2007.
Abstract HTML PDF (513 K)


Editorial

The Origins of Malpractice Claims.
Richard C. Karl
Annals of Surgery. 246(5):712, November 2007.
HTML PDF (89 K)

Probabilistic record linkage is a valid and transparent tool to combine databases without a patient identification number

Nora Méray , Johannes B. Reitsma , Anita C.J. Ravelli , Gouke J. Bonsel
Journal of Clinical Epidemiology- 2007 September Vol. 60, Issue 9, Pages 883.e1-883.e11

Abstract Full Text Full-Text PDF (218 KB)