Ranking Hospitals on Surgical Quality: Does Risk-Adjustment Always Matter?

J . Dimick , J . Birkmeyer
Journal of the American College of Surgeons , Volume 207 , Issue 3 , Pages 347 - 351
Abstract Full Text Full-Text PDF (145 KB)

AHRQ - Common Formats for event reporting to Patient Safety Organizations

www.pso.ahrq.gov/formats/commonfmt.htm

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) coordinates the development of Common Formats for event reporting to Patient Safety Organizations (PSOs). This activity is authorized by the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005 (the Patient Safety Act).

The Common Formats optimize the opportunity for the public and private sectors to learn more about trends and patterns in patient safety, with the purpose of improving health care quality.

How Many Nurses per Patient? Measurements of Nurse Staffing in Health Services Research

Joanne Spetz, Nancy Donaldson, Carolyn Aydin, Diane S. Brown

Health Services ResearchVolume 43 Issue 5p1 (October 2008): p 1674-1692
Abstract HTML PDF Supporting information

FDA Patient Safety News

www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/psn/index.cfm

A Video News Show for Health Professionals from Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that offers information on common types of medical errors.

Does Hospital Performance on Process Measures Directly Measure High Quality Care or Is It a Marker of Unmeasured Care?

Rachel M. Werner, Eric T. Bradlow, David A. Asch
Health Services ResearchVolume 43 Issue 5p1 (October 2008): 1464-1484
Abstract HTML PDF Supporting information


Editorial
Reflections on Improving Hospital Performance
Ann Barry Flood, Marie-Claire Rosenberg
Health Services ResearchVolume 43 Issue 5p1 (October 2008): 1457-1463
Abstract HTML, PDF

Development and Evaluation of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement Global Trigger Tool.

David C. Classen; Robert C. Lloyd; Lloyd Provost; Frances A. Griffin; Roger Resar
Journal of Patient Safety. 4(3):169-177, September 2008.
Abstract HTML PDF (681 K)

Questionable hospital chart documentation practices by physicians.

Sharma R, Kostis WJ, Wilson AC, et al.
J Gen Intern Med. 2008 Aug 27; [Epub ahead of print].
Pubmed

Testing the hospital value proposition: An empirical analysis of efficiency and quality.

Huerta, Timothy R.; Ford, Eric W.; Peterson, Lori T.; Brigham, Keith H.
Features Health Care Management Review. 33(4):341-349, October/December 2008.
Abstract Fulltext PDF (107 K)

The Potential Effects Of HEDIS Performance Measures On The Quality Of Care

David M. Eddy, L. Gregory Pawlson, David Schaaf, Barbara Peskin, Andrei Shcheprov, Julia Dziuba, Jill Bowman, and Benjamin Eng
Health Affairs, September/October 2008; 27(5): 1429-1441.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [Figures Only] [PDF]

Pay for Performance -- Emerging Models of provider-Payment Reform

Rosenthal, Meredith B.Beyond
N Engl J Med 2008 359: 1197-1200
Extract FREE Full Text PDF

Care Platforms: A Basic Building Block For Care Delivery

Richard M.J. Bohmer and David M. Lawrence
Health Affairs, September/October 2008; 27(5): 1336-1340.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

A Survey of Hospital Quality Improvement Activities

Alan B. Cohen, Joseph D. Restuccia, Michael Shwartz, Jennifer E. Drake, RayKang, Peter Kralovec, Sally K. Holmes, Frances Margolin, and Deborah Bohr
Med Care Res Rev 2008;65 571-595
[Abstract] [PDF] [References]

Hospitalists And Care Transitions: The Divorce Of Inpatient And Outpatient Care

Hoangmai H. Pham, Joy M. Grossman, Genna Cohen, and Thomas Bodenheimer
Health Affairs, September/October 2008; 27(5): 1315-1327.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] [Online Supplement]

Statistical modeling of the volume-outcome effect for carotid endarterectomy for 10 years of a statewide database

Susanna M. Nazarian, Gayane Yenokyan, Richard E. Thompson, Michael E. Griswold, David C. Chang, Bruce A. Perler
J Vasc Surg. 2008 Aug;48(2):343-50
Abstract Full Text Full-Text PDF (367 KB)

Discussion
ageJ Vasc Surg. 2008 Aug;48(2): 360-361
Full Text Full-Text PDF (47 KB)

Self reported receipt of care consistent with 32 quality indicators

national population survey of adults aged 50 or more in England
Nicholas Steel, Max Bachmann, Susan Maisey, Paul Shekelle, Elizabeth Breeze, Michael Marmot, David Melzer
BMJ 2008;337:a957
free full text

Bridging From the Picker Hospital Survey to the CAHPS(R) Hospital Survey.

Denise D. Quigley, PhD; Marc N. Elliott, PhD; Ron D. Hays, PhD; David J. Klein, MS; Donna O. Farley, PhD
Medical Care. 46(7):654-661, July 2008.
Abstract HTML PDF (293 K) ArticlePlus

AHRQ - Informed Decisions Toolbox

Finding and Using Management Research Evidence

To promote evidence-based management in health care, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) funded development of tools to help decisionmakers find and interpret evidence related to decisions.

http://www.ahrq.gov/research/decisiontoolbx.htm#top

Ignoring Dependency between Linking Variables and Its Impact on the Outcome of Probabilistic Record Linkage Studies

Miranda Tromp, Nora Méray, Anita C.J. Ravelli, Johannes B. Reitsma, and Gouke J. Bonsel
J Am Med Inform Assoc 2008; 15: 654-660.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Comorbidity risk-adjustment strategies are comparable among persons with hip fracture.

D . Radley , D . Gottlieb , E . Fisher , A . Tosteson
Journal of Clinical Epidemiology , Volume 61 , Issue 6 , Pages 580 - 587
Abstract Full Text Full-Text PDF (195 KB)

AHRQ 2007 Annual Conference: Presentations

www.ahrq.gov/about/annualmtg07/

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) held its first-ever annual conference September 26-28, 2007, in Bethesda, MD. The meeting presentations are now available.

Contents:

• Data Sharing, Health Care Reporting, and the Public Trust
• Medication Management and Safety
• Strategies and Tools for Quality/Safety Improvement
• Value and Sustainability in Health IT
• Improving Health Care Decision Making
• System Design and Organizational Change
• HHS' Value-Driven Health Care Initiative: Strategies and Tools for Success

Medication Errors in Pediatric Inpatients: Prevalence and Results of a Prevention Program

Paula Otero, Andrea Leyton, Gonzalo Mariani, José María Ceriani Cernadas and the Patient Safety Committee
Pediatrics 2008; 122: e737-e743.
[Abstract] [Full text] [PDF]

The Effect of Electronic Prescribing on Medication Errors and Adverse Drug Events: A Systematic Review

muitqghElske Ammenwerth, Petra Schnell-Inderst, Christof Machan, and Uwe Siebert
J Am Med Inform Assoc 2008; 15: 585-600.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] Data Supplement

The BOOSTing (Better Outcomes for Older adults through Safe Transitions) Care Transitions resource room

This web site from the Society of Hospital Medicine provides a wealth of materials to help optimize the discharge process. The BOOSTing is the online version of the Care Transitions Implementation Guide. The suggested approach is based on 8 essential elements for improving the discharge process.

Link