jueves, 8 de septiembre de 2016

AHRQ Study on Pediatric Quality Reports: Physicians Believe They Are Effective, But Most Don’t Use Them

Only 33 percent of pediatricians and family physicians said they have used quality reports to support quality improvement efforts even though most receive the reports and believe they are effective, an AHRQ study found. Researchers surveyed 727 North Carolina, Ohio and Pennsylvania physicians who provide primary care to publicly insured children to determine when quality measurement and reporting were most effective and for whom. The survey included questions about receipt of pediatric quality reports, use of reports for quality improvement and beliefs about the reports' effectiveness. Almost 80 percent of those surveyed received quality reports related to pediatric care, but physicians said limited staff time or training in quality improvement were among significant barriers to using such reports. The study, “Primary Care Physicians’ Experiences With and Attitudes Toward Pediatric Quality Reporting,” was published online July 21 in Academic Pediatrics. Access theabstract.

Primary Care Physicians' Experiences With and Attitudes Toward Pediatric Quality Reporting. - PubMed - NCBI

2016 Jul 21. pii: S1876-2859(16)30364-3. doi: 10.1016/j.acap.2016.07.005. [Epub ahead of print]

Primary Care Physicians' Experiences With and Attitudes Toward Pediatric Quality Reporting.

Zickafoose JS1, Ireys HT2, Swinburn A3, Simpson LA4.

Author information

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:

To assess primary care providers' experiences with and attitudes toward pediatric-focused quality reports and identify key associated physician/practice characteristics.

METHODS:

We performed a cross-sectional survey of pediatricians and family physicians providing primary care to publicly insured children in three states (North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania). The survey included questions about receipt of pediatric quality reports, use of reports forquality improvement (QI), and beliefs about the effectiveness of reports for QI. We used multivariable analyses to assess associations between responses and physician/practice characteristics, including exposure to federally funded demonstration projects aimed at increasing qualityreporting to physicians serving publicly insured children. We supplemented these analyses with a thematic investigation of data from 46 interviews with physicians, practice staff, and state demonstration staff.

RESULTS:

727 physicians responded to the survey (overall response rate: 45.2%). The majority of physicians were receiving quality reports related to pediatric care (79.8%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 77.2-82.4%) and believed that quality reports can be effective in helping guidequality improvement (70.5%, 95% CI 67.5-73.5%). Fewer used quality reports to guide QI efforts (32.5%, 95% CI 29.5-35.6%). There were no significant associations between demonstration exposure and experiences or attitudes. Interview data suggested physicians were receptive toquality reporting, but significant barriers remain to using such reports for QI, such as limited staff time or training in QI.

CONCLUSION:

While pediatric quality reporting is considered a promising strategy, in this study state efforts appeared insufficient to overcome the barriers to using reports to guide practice-based QI.