Research Activities

March 2012, No. 379 Research Activities includes announcements of Agency products and projects and summarizes research findings from studies supported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). Contents About Research Activities Feature Story Hospital emergency departments get tips from AHRQ on how to reduce crowding and better triage patients From the Director Patient Safety and Quality Learning networks can help implement strategies to improve emergency department patient flow Trauma patients with hospital-acquired infections have poor outcomes, including increased mortality risk Hawaii's experience shows that a national collaborative effort can reduce central line-associated bloodstream infections Crisis checklists for the operating room can improve safety and management Evaluation of TeamSTEPPS® implementation finds improved teamwork and clinical outcomes Guideline management of inpatient cellulitis and cutaneous abscess reduces antibiotic use Emergency Care EMS transport is underused by patients with a certain type of heart attack Study characterizes patients receiving out-of-hospital endotracheal intubation Health Care Costs and Financing 24-hour intensivist care in ICUs can lead to cost savings for the sickest patients admitted at night Costs of congenital heart operations vary among hospitals Pneumococcal disease continues to lead to substantial health care use and costs Study provides rare look at patterns of use and spending for physical therapy Chronic Disease Patients with hepatitis C virus infection who adhere to their drug regimen are more likely to show long-term benefit Older patients with chronic conditions have greater risk of problems and death following bilateral knee replacement Nine percent of adults with hypertension have resistant hypertension Routinely collecting clinical data can improve pneumococcal vaccination of rheumatology patients on immunosuppressant drugs Health Information Technology ICU nurses show increasing acceptance of electronic health records Pharmacists have limited awareness of the capabilities of their pharmacy information systems Study uncovers the time spent on writing and viewing hospital electronic health records Electronic health records in community health centers provide a better picture of care than insurance claims data Comparative Effectiveness Research Bone marrow transplant is beneficial for some rare pediatric conditions Little evidence for benefit of interventions in the early stage of chronic kidney disease Evidence lacking to support surgery for pelvic pain More research needed to evaluate self-measured blood pressure monitoring Evidence lacking on how to match wheelchairs with patients Some diabetes practice guidelines do not reflect all available evidence Disparities/Minority Health Watching patient stories on DVDs improves blood pressure control among blacks Study identifies attributes of surgeons more willing to provide charity care Primary Care Growth in the physician assistant workforce will be insufficient to meet future needs of primary care Child/Adolescent Health Despite recommendations against it, early discharge of late-preterm newborns remains common Pediatric nurses express differing perspectives on palliative care Mental Health Diagnosis and treatment rates for depression in older adults have grown over time, with medication edging out therapy More patients are being prescribed antidepressants by non-psychiatrists and without a psychiatric diagnosis Adherence to bipolar medications may also promote adherence to antiretroviral therapy Elderly/Long-Term Care Preventing pressure ulcers in the home requires creative solutions by nurses Medicaid nursing home reimbursement affects nursing homes' approach to end-of-life care Health Literacy Health literacy issues less of a problem for patients with dental versus medical conditions Agency News and Notes Hospital stays involving C. difficile infections leveled off after 300 percent increase since 1993 AHRQ publishes cancer hospitalization statistics AHRQ releases pharmacy health literacy modules for faculty Announcements New public reporting funding opportunity Opportunities to improve primary care services for adults with complex needs highlighted in new white paper and brief Research Briefs Research Briefs AHRQ Publication No. 12-RA006 Current as of March 2012