Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Research This is an RSS file. You can use it to subscribe to this data in your favourite RSS reader or to display this data on your own website or blog.

Updated guidance from the agency for healthcare research and quality effective healthcare program on including nonrandomized studies of interventions in systematic reviews: a work in progress
The updated guidance from AHRQ is welcome and timely, given the increasing interest in using evidence from nonrandomized studies to evaluate health and social care interventions (NRSI) [1]. It is particularly heartening to read endorsement of recent insights both about the opportunities afforded by such studies and the potential pitfalls [2,3]. Of special note are recognition of the “three unique categories of bias” that arise before or at assignment to intervention or comparator status and which threaten the validity of NRSI [3] and the principle of using “study methods rather than study design labels to differenti...
Source: Journal of Clinical Epidemiology - November 9, 2022 Category: Epidemiology Authors: Barnaby C. Reeves, Beverley J. Shea, George A. Wells, Hugh Sharma Waddington Tags: Commentary Source Type: research

Quasi-experiments are a valuable source of evidence about effects of interventions, programs and policies: commentary from the Campbell Collaboration Study Design and Bias Assessment Working Group
We have read with interest the guidelines paper by Saldanha and coauthors [1] for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Evidence-based Practice Center (EPC) Program. The paper aims to articulate the circumstances in which systematic reviews of health interventions should incorporate nonrandomized studies of interventions. These are studies that aim to demonstrate, and quantify, the causal effect of a defined treatment (an intervention, program, or policy) on a defined outcome, where the allocation to the treatment condition uses some method other than randomization. (Source: Journal of Clinical Epidemiology)
Source: Journal of Clinical Epidemiology - November 7, 2022 Category: Epidemiology Authors: Hugh Sharma Waddington, David B. Wilson, Terri Pigott, Gavin Stewart, Ariel M. Aloe, Peter Tugwell, Vivian Welch Tags: Commentary Source Type: research

Update of the AHRQ guidance on using non-randomized studies in evidence syntheses
(Source: Journal of Clinical Epidemiology)
Source: Journal of Clinical Epidemiology - October 10, 2022 Category: Epidemiology Authors: Carlos A. Cuello-Garcia, Holger J. Sch ünemann Tags: Commentary Source Type: research

Update of the agency for healthcare research and quality guidance on using nonrandomized studies in evidence syntheses
▪ (Source: Journal of Clinical Epidemiology)
Source: Journal of Clinical Epidemiology - October 10, 2022 Category: Epidemiology Authors: Carlos A. Cuello-Garcia, Holger J. Sch ünemann Tags: Commentary Source Type: research

P.140 Understanding the patients' journey pre- and post-diagnosis of facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD): A real-world retrospective data analysis
FSHD is a rare, slowly progressive, genetic skeletal muscle disease. Muscle weakness usually first appears in the face and upper extremities, eventually extending to the trunk and lower body. To describe the changes in outcomes (healthcare conditions/services/costs/care days) we analyzed deidentified-US-claims Jan-2015-Mar-2021 for patients with FSHD vs non-FSHD matched controls (MCs). FSHD had ≥2 claims [ICD-10=G71.02] ≥30 days apart (N=79) and were matched to 5 MCs (N=395). Changes were compared 2-years post-diagnosis minus 2-years pre-diagnosis (Post-PreDx) using US agency for healthcare research& quality (AHRQ) cat...
Source: Neuromuscular Disorders - October 1, 2022 Category: Neurology Authors: C. Konersman, K. Munoz, R. Brook, N. Kleinman, K. DiTrapani, B. McEvoy, A. Peters, C. Chen, M. Stahl Source Type: research

Inclusion of nonrandomized studies of interventions in systematic reviews of interventions: Updated guidance from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Effective Healthcare Program
We developed guidance to inform decisions regarding inclusion of nonrandomized studies of interventions (NRSIs) in systematic reviews (SRs) of effects of interventions. (Source: Journal of Clinical Epidemiology)
Source: Journal of Clinical Epidemiology - September 18, 2022 Category: Epidemiology Authors: Ian J. Saldanha, Gaelen P. Adam, Lionel L. Ba ñez, Eric B. Bass, Elise Berliner, Beth Devine, Noah Hammarlund, Anjali Jain, Susan L. Norris, Andrea C. Skelly, Kelly Vander Ley, Zhen Wang, Timothy J. Wilt, Meera Viswanathan Tags: Original Article Source Type: research

A systematic review and meta-analysis of the hyperuricemia risk from certain metals
AbstractThe relationship between exposure to certain metals and the risk of hyperuricemia (HUA) has biological plausibility, yet prior studies have presented inconsistent findings. We aim to clarify the relationship between exposure to certain metals and HUA using a systematic review and meta-analysis approach. We searched the Web of Science, Embase, MEDLINE, Pubmed, Corchrane and China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases from inception through December, 2021 in order to identify studies that assessed the relationships between metals and the risk of HUA. Data were pooled by random-effects models and expressed as po...
Source: Clinical Rheumatology - September 15, 2022 Category: Rheumatology Source Type: research

Measure Dx: Implementing pathways to discover and learn from diagnostic errors
This article discusses Measure Dx, a new resource from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality that translates knowledge from diagnostic safety measurement research into actionable recommendations. Measure Dx guides healthcare organizations to detect, analyze, and learn from diagnostic safety events as part of a continuous learning and feedback cycle. Wider adoption of Measure Dx, along with the implementation of solutions that result, can advance new frontiers in reducing preventable diagnostic harm to patients. (Source: International Journal for Quality in Health Care)
Source: International Journal for Quality in Health Care - September 1, 2022 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: research

Practice integration profile revised: Improving item readability and completion.
This article describes the process used to improve readability, clarity, and pragmatic utility of the instrument. Method: Two rounds of structured cognitive interviews were conducted with clinicians in primary care settings. After each round, interview transcripts were coded by an analytic team using an iterative and consensus-driven process. Themes were identified based on codes. Themes and recommendations for revisions were reviewed and modified by committee. Results: Based on feedback and a prior factor analysis of the PIP, revisions were undertaken to: (a) eliminate redundant or overlapping items; (b) clarify the meani...
Source: Families, Systems, and Health - September 1, 2022 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: research

Standardizing Malnutrition Benchmarking Programs to Support Effective Quality Improvement Efforts
Health care facilities and providers strive to provide the best care possible in the most efficient and economic manner.1 External benchmarking programs help them determine how they compare with what is considered “best in class,” while providing guidance for continuous quality improvement (CQI) to achieve desired results. The US Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) develops quality indicators to measure the quality, safety, effectiveness, and efficiency of services provided both within and o utside hospitals. (Source: Journal of the American Dietetic Association)
Source: Journal of the American Dietetic Association - August 8, 2022 Category: Nutrition Authors: Wendy Phillips, Maureen Janowski Tags: Practice Applications Source Type: research

Electronic Health Records to Support Delivery of Behavioral Health Preventive Services
This Viewpoint summarizes a recent Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality national initiative to improve primary care management of unhealthy alcohol use; discusses how examples from this initiative highlight the discrepancy between electronic health record (EHR) functionality and evidence-based care; and suggests some essential changes that might enable EHRs to better support delivery of behavioral health preventive services. (Source: JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association)
Source: JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association - August 4, 2022 Category: General Medicine Source Type: research

Implementation of a Virtual Simulation-based Teamwork Training Program for Emergency Events in the Perioperative Setting
Working in interprofessional teams in healthcare is listed as one of the four core competencies for interprofessional collaborative practice. Literature demonstrates that communication failures during emergencies are a large contributor to adverse clinical events that negatively impact patient outcomes. Additionally, The Joint Commission identifies poor communication as a key factor in sentinel events. A survey addressing teamwork and high-quality communication was distributed to the Perioperative Department, which revealed that the "communication openness" category received a score below AHRQ benchmark. (Source: Journal o...
Source: Journal of PeriAnesthesia Nursing - August 1, 2022 Category: Nursing Authors: Tiffany M. Snow, Cara Lorenzi, Danielle Mouradjian Source Type: research

Disparities in COVID-19 Mortality Rates: Implications for Rural Health Policy and Preparedness
Context: It is well established that rural communities face geographic and socioeconomic challenges linked to higher rates of health disparities across the United States, though the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) impact on rural communities is less certain. Objective: To understand the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on rural communities in Tennessee, investigate differences in rural-urban mortality rates after controlling for confounding variables, and inform state pandemic response policy. Design: A cross-sectional analysis of cumulative COVID-19 morality rates. Setting/Participants: Tennessee co...
Source: Journal of Public Health Management and Practice - July 28, 2022 Category: Health Management Tags: Research Reports Source Type: research

What Are the Drivers of Readmission for Serious Venous Thromboembolic Events after Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty? An Analysis of 862,915 Patients
This study examines the patient and hospital characteristics associated with readmission for serious VTE after TKA. The National Readmission Database (NRD) from the Agency of Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) was queried for patients who underwent primary TKA from January 2016-December 2018. The study population consisted of patients who were readmitted within 90 days following primary TKA with a primary diagnosis of VTE. Multivariable regression models were constructed to evaluate patient characteristics (age, sex, insurance, elective nature of procedure, hospital characteristics, discharge status, income, and comorb...
Source: Hand Surgery - July 7, 2022 Category: Surgery Authors: Colin Rhoads Ahmed K Emara Thomas Pumo Xuankang Pan Guangjin Zhou Siran Koroukian Viktor E Krebs Nicolas S Piuzzi Source Type: research

What Are the Drivers of Readmission for Serious Venous Thromboembolic Events after Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty? An Analysis of 862,915 Patients
This study examines the patient and hospital characteristics associated with readmission for serious VTE after TKA. The National Readmission Database (NRD) from the Agency of Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) was queried for patients who underwent primary TKA from January 2016-December 2018. The study population consisted of patients who were readmitted within 90 days following primary TKA with a primary diagnosis of VTE. Multivariable regression models were constructed to evaluate patient characteristics (age, sex, insurance, elective nature of procedure, hospital characteristics, discharge status, income, and comorb...
Source: Journal of Knee Surgery - July 7, 2022 Category: Orthopaedics Authors: Rhoads, Colin Emara, Ahmed K. Pumo, Thomas Pan, Xuankang Zhou, Guangjin Koroukian, Siran Krebs, Viktor E. Piuzzi, Nicolas S. Tags: Original Article Source Type: research