Inquiry: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing 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.

Long-Term Therapy With Wu-Ling-San, a Popular Antilithic Chinese Herbal Formula, Did Not Prevent Subsequent Stone Surgery: A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study
This study investigated the clinical efficacy of a popular CHM, Wu-Ling-San (WLS), in Taiwan for the prophylaxis of recurrent nephrolithiasis as assessed by surgical stone treatment via a nationwide population-based cohort study. The National Health Insurance Research Database, 2000–2010, which included one million patient records. All patients diagnosed with stone disease at the beginning of the study. The matched controls (4-fold the number of WLS patients) were stone patients who did not take WLS. Data analysis included the stone surgeries following the first treatment. We enrolled 11 900 patients with stone disea...
Source: Inquiry: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing - December 6, 2016 Category: Health Management Authors: Wu, S.-Y., Chen, H.-Y., Tsai, K.-S., Chiang, J.-H., Muo, C.-H., Sung, F.-C., Chen, Y.-H., Chen, W.-C. Tags: Healthcare in the National Health Insurance System in Taiwan Source Type: research

A New Approach to Identify High Burnout Medical Staffs by Kernel K-Means Cluster Analysis in a Regional Teaching Hospital in Taiwan
This study uses kernel k-means cluster analysis to identify medical staffs with high burnout. The data collected in October to November 2014 are from the emotional exhaustion dimension of the Chinese version of Safety Attitudes Questionnaire in a regional teaching hospital in Taiwan. The number of effective questionnaires including the entire staffs such as physicians, nurses, technicians, pharmacists, medical administrators, and respiratory therapists is 680. The results show that 8 clusters are generated by kernel k-means method. Employees in clusters 1, 4, and 5 are relatively in good conditions, whereas employees in cl...
Source: Inquiry: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing - November 27, 2016 Category: Health Management Authors: Lee, Y.-C., Huang, S.-C., Huang, C.-H., Wu, H.-H. Tags: Healthcare in the National Health Insurance System in Taiwan Source Type: research

Analysis of Actual Versus Projected Medical Claims Under the First Year of ACA-Mandated Coverage
For the individual market, 2014 was the first year Affordable Care Act medical claims experience data were available to set 2016 rates. Accessing Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services rate data for 175 state insurers, this study compares projected medical claims with actual medical claims of 2014, as well as the cost and utilization of benefit categories for inpatient, outpatient, professional, and prescription drug spending. Actual costs per member per month (pmpm) were greater than projected in 2014 for inpatient, outpatient, and prescription spending but not for professional care. Overall, actual median medical cos...
Source: Inquiry: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing - November 16, 2016 Category: Health Management Authors: McCue, M. J., Palazzolo, J. R. Tags: Article Source Type: research

New Medicaid Enrollees See Health and Social Benefits in Pennsylvanias Expansion
The objective of this study was to explore the health care experiences and expectations of new Medicaid expansion beneficiaries in the immediate post-enrollment period. We conducted semistructured, qualitative interviews with a random sample of 40 adults in Philadelphia who had completed an application for Medicaid through a comprehensive benefits organization after January 1, 2015, when the Medicaid expansion in Pennsylvania took effect. We conducted an inductive, applied thematic analysis of interview transcripts. The new Medicaid beneficiaries described especially high levels of pent-up demand for care. Dental care was ...
Source: Inquiry: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing - October 26, 2016 Category: Health Management Authors: Hom, J. K., Wong, C., Stillson, C., Zha, J., Cannuscio, C. C., Cahill, R., Grande, D. Tags: Original Research Source Type: research

Caring for the Children of War
(Source: Inquiry: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing)
Source: Inquiry: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing - October 4, 2016 Category: Health Management Authors: Rohrer, J. E. Tags: Editorial Source Type: research

The Cost-Effectiveness of Treatment Modalities for Ureteral Stones: A National Comprehensive Study
In conclusion, URSL was more cost-effective than SWL and PNL as a primary treatment modality for ureteral stone(s) when the possible additional costs within 45 days after the initial operation were included in the calculation. (Source: Inquiry: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing)
Source: Inquiry: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing - October 4, 2016 Category: Health Management Authors: Siu, J. J.-Y., Chen, H.-Y., Liao, P.-C., Chiang, J.-H., Chang, C.-H., Chen, Y.-H., Chen, W.-C. Tags: Healthcare in the National Health Insurance System in Taiwan Source Type: research

Impact of Race/Ethnicity and Socioeconomic Status on Risk-Adjusted Readmission Rates: Implications for the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program
We examined how adding SES and race/ethnicity to the CMS risk-adjustment algorithm would affect hospitals’ excess readmission ratios and potential penalties under the HRRP. For each HRRP measure, we compared excess readmission ratios with and without SES and race/ethnicity included in the CMS standard risk-adjustment algorithm and estimated the resulting effects on overall penalties across a number of hospital characteristics. For the 5 HRRP measures (heart failure, acute myocardial infarction, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pneumonia, and total hip or knee arthroplasty), we used data from the Healthcare Cost...
Source: Inquiry: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing - October 4, 2016 Category: Health Management Authors: Martsolf, G. R., Barrett, M. L., Weiss, A. J., Washington, R., Steiner, C. A., Mehrotra, A., Coffey, R. M. Tags: Original Research Source Type: research

Global Budget Payment: Proposing the CAP Framework
To control ever-increasing costs, global budget payment has gained attention but has unclear impacts on health care systems. We propose the CAP framework that helps navigate 3 domains of difficult design choices in global budget payment: Constraints in resources (capitation vs facility-based budgeting; hard vs soft budget constraints), Agent-principal in resource allocation (individual vs group providers in resource allocation; single vs multiple pipes), and Price adjustment. We illustrate the framework with empirical examples and draw implications for policy makers. (Source: Inquiry: The Journal of Health Care Organizatio...
Source: Inquiry: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing - September 27, 2016 Category: Health Management Authors: Chen, B., Fan, V. Y. Tags: Policy Brief Source Type: research

Microsimulation Modeling of Coronary Heart Disease: Maximizing the Impact of Nonprofit Hospital-Based Interventions
We use microsimulation to forecast changes in coronary heart disease (CHD) among adults 45 or above over a 20-year time horizon in Los Angeles County (N = 3.4 million), a county with 12 635 CHD deaths in 2010. We simulate individuals’ life course and calibrate CHD trends to observed trends in the past. Using the Health Forecasting Community Health Simulation Model, we simulate CHD prevalence and CHD mortality in 2 CHD prevention scenarios: (1) "comprehensive hypertension intervention" and (2) "gradual reduction of the average adult body mass index back to the year 2000 level." We use microsimulation methodology so th...
Source: Inquiry: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing - September 25, 2016 Category: Health Management Authors: Orenstein, P. V., Shi, L. Tags: Original Research Source Type: research

The Physical and Psychological Health of Migrants in Guangzhou, China: How Does Neighborhood Matter?
This study analyzed the health of migrants in 4 types of neighborhood in the city of Guangzhou in China. The research shows that the health of internal migrants in urban villages and private housing neighborhoods is much better than those living in older inner city neighborhoods (which are known as jiefang shequ) and unit neighborhoods (which are known as danwei). The reasons behind this are the facts that the migrants in urban villages tend to be relatively young and there tend to be better social and economic conditions in the private housing neighborhood. Moreover, among the 4 kinds of neighborhood, the gap between psyc...
Source: Inquiry: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing - September 15, 2016 Category: Health Management Authors: Chen, H., Zhu, Z., Sun, D., Wang, X. Tags: Original Research Source Type: research

Physicians-Pharmaceutical Sales Representatives Interactions and Conflict of Interest: Challenges and Solutions
Physician-industry relationships have come a long way since serious debates began after a 1990 Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources report on the topic. On one side, the Sun Shine Act of 2007, now a part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that mandates disclosure of payments and gifts to the physicians, has injected more transparency into the relationships, and on the other side, numerous voluntary self-regulation guidelines have been instituted to protect patients. However, despite these commendable efforts, problem persists. Taking the specific case of physician-pharmaceutical sales representative...
Source: Inquiry: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing - September 15, 2016 Category: Health Management Authors: Patwardhan, A. R. Tags: Commentary Source Type: research

Chest Pain Patients at Veterans Hospitals Are Increasingly More Likely to Be Observed Than Admitted for Short Stays
Observation stays are an outpatient service used to diagnose and treat patients for extended periods of time while a decision is made regarding inpatient admission or discharge. Although the use of observation stays is increasing, little is known about which patients are observed and which are admitted for similar periods of time as inpatients. The aim was to identify patient characteristics associated with being observed rather than admitted for a short stay (<48 hours) within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). In our longitudinal analysis, we used logistic regression within a generalized estimating equation fra...
Source: Inquiry: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing - September 15, 2016 Category: Health Management Authors: Wright, B., OShea, A. M. J., Glasgow, J. M., Ayyagari, P., Vaughan Sarrazin, M. Tags: Original Research Source Type: research

Who Wants Long-Term Care Insurance? A Stated Preference Survey of Attitudes, Beliefs, and Characteristics
The objective of this study was to provide an analysis of potential LTCI purchasers. We investigate (1) who wants to purchase LTCI, (2) what are the attitudes and beliefs among those who have a preference for LTCI, and (3) who would prefer a law mandating the purchase of LTCI and how that view relates to willingness to purchase LTC. We combine a discrete choice experiment with a survey on attitudes toward LTCI. We estimate odds ratio for choosing a plan based on sociodemographic characteristics, attitudes, and beliefs. Our sample consists of a population of 12 936 people who completed an Internet panel survey. Female respo...
Source: Inquiry: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing - August 15, 2016 Category: Health Management Authors: Allaire, B. T., Brown, D. S., Wiener, J. M. Tags: Original Research Source Type: research

The Effects of Negative Reinforcement on Increasing Patient Adherence to Appointments at King Abdullah University Hospital in Jordan
In conclusion, negative reinforcement interventions could improve patient appointment adherence rates. Accordingly, interventions designed that consider evidence and are theory-based are needed to change patient behavior. (Source: Inquiry: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing)
Source: Inquiry: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing - July 19, 2016 Category: Health Management Authors: Alyahya, M., Hijazi, H. H., Nusairat, F. T. Tags: Original Research Source Type: research

Differences Among Older Adults in the Types of Dental Services Used in the United States
The purpose of this article is to explore differences in the socioeconomic, demographic characteristics of older adults in the United States with respect to their use of different types of dental care services. The 2008 Health and Retirement Study (HRS) collected information about patterns of dental care use and oral health from individuals aged 55 years and older in the United States. We analyze these data and explore patterns of service use by key characteristics before modeling the relationship between service use type and those characteristics. The most commonly used service category was fillings, inlays, or bonding, r...
Source: Inquiry: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing - June 8, 2016 Category: Health Management Authors: Manski, R. J., Hyde, J. S., Chen, H., Moeller, J. F. Tags: Article Source Type: research