American Journal of Medical Quality 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.

Preventability of 30-Day Readmissions for Heart Failure Patients Before and After a Quality Improvement Initiative
In conclusion, this study found a percentage of preventable readmissions similar to the actual 28% reduction in readmissions after a QI program was launched. Preventable readmissions were less common after the QI program was in place. (Source: American Journal of Medical Quality)
Source: American Journal of Medical Quality - May 9, 2014 Category: Health Management Authors: Ryan, J., Andrews, R., Barry, M. B., Kang, S., Iskandar, A., Mehla, P., Ganeshan, R. Tags: Articles Source Type: research

Using AHRQ Patient Safety Indicators to Detect Postdischarge Adverse Events in the Veterans Health Administration
This study explored how many AEs the PSIs identified in the 30 days post discharge. PSI software was run on Veterans Health Administration 2003-2007 administrative data for 10 recently validated PSIs. Among PSI-eligible index hospitalizations not flagged with an AE, this study evaluated how many AEs occurred within 1 to 14 and 15 to 30 days post discharge using inpatient and outpatient administrative data. Considering all PSI-eligible index hospitalizations, 11 141 postdischarge AEs were identified, compared with 40 578 inpatient-flagged AEs. More than 60% of postdischarge AEs were detected within 14 days of discharge. The...
Source: American Journal of Medical Quality - May 9, 2014 Category: Health Management Authors: Mull, H. J., Borzecki, A. M., Chen, Q., Shin, M. H., Rosen, A. K. Tags: Articles Source Type: research

Association Between Outpatient Visits Following Hospital Discharge and Readmissions Among Medicare Beneficiaries With Atrial Fibrillation and Other Chronic Conditions
Atrial fibrillation (AF) afflicts nearly 3 million people in the United States annually, the large majority of whom are Medicare beneficiaries with other chronic illnesses. Beneficiaries with multiple chronic conditions have high hospitalization and readmission rates but evidence on factors associated with readmissions is limited, and little is known about differences in rates between beneficiaries with and without AF. In a retrospective analysis of Medicare claims data, the relationship between outpatient visits within 14 days after hospital discharge and readmission was examined for beneficiaries with AF or other chronic...
Source: American Journal of Medical Quality - May 9, 2014 Category: Health Management Authors: Hubbard, M., Frost, S., Siu, K., Quon, N., Esposito, D. Tags: Articles Source Type: research

Decreasing Avoidable Hospital Admissions With the Implementation of an Emergency Department Case Management Program
With the passage of the Affordable Care Act, increased emphasis has been placed on optimizing quality and reducing expenditures. The use of an emergency department case manager (EDCM) is reemerging as an important initiative in the quest to provide high-quality care and decrease unnecessary hospital admissions. A pilot study of the use of EDCMs was conducted in one of the authors’ EDs during a 6-month trial period. By using evidence-based criteria, the EDCM helped in real time to verify admission criteria, assisted with inpatient versus outpatient designation, found community alternatives to hospital admission, and i...
Source: American Journal of Medical Quality - May 9, 2014 Category: Health Management Authors: Sharieff, G. Q., Cantonis, M., Tressler, M., Whitehead, M., Russe, J., Lovell, E. Tags: Articles Source Type: research

Standardizing Central Line Safety: Lessons Learned for Physician Leaders
A comprehensive central venous catheter (CVC) safety program reduces mechanical and infectious complications and requires an integrated multidisciplinary effort. A multistate health care system implemented a discovery and diffusion project addressing CVC insertion, maintenance, and removal. Process and outcome measures were collected before and after the intervention. The project was completed in 12 months. It was associated with statistically significant improvement in 6 process measures and reduction in the rate of ICU central line-associated bloodstream infection (from 1.16 to 0.80 infections/1000 catheter days; inciden...
Source: American Journal of Medical Quality - May 9, 2014 Category: Health Management Authors: Mueller, J. T., Wright, A. J., Fedraw, L. A., Murad, M. H., Brown, D. R., Thompson, K. M., Flick, R., Seville, M. T. A., Huskins, W. C. Tags: Articles Source Type: research

The Human Factors Analysis Classification System (HFACS) Applied to Health Care
This article describes the modification of the Human Factors Analysis Classification System based on James Reason’s theory of error causation for use in health care. This method resolves the 4 deficiencies noted above. The authors’ experience investigating 105 serious events over 2 years is described. (Source: American Journal of Medical Quality)
Source: American Journal of Medical Quality - May 9, 2014 Category: Health Management Authors: Diller, T., Helmrich, G., Dunning, S., Cox, S., Buchanan, A., Shappell, S. Tags: Articles Source Type: research

Pulse: A Report on the UHC Annual Conference 2013
(Source: American Journal of Medical Quality)
Source: American Journal of Medical Quality - March 3, 2014 Category: Health Management Authors: White, C. Tags: Articles Source Type: research

AJMQ Newsletter
(Source: American Journal of Medical Quality)
Source: American Journal of Medical Quality - March 3, 2014 Category: Health Management Authors: Cross, J. D. Tags: Articles Source Type: research

A Patient Safety Model for Patients With Ventricular Assist Devices Undergoing Noncardiac Procedures
(Source: American Journal of Medical Quality)
Source: American Journal of Medical Quality - March 3, 2014 Category: Health Management Authors: Evans, A. S., Stone, M. E. Tags: Articles Source Type: research

New Zealand Health Care Professional Survey of Quality and Safety in Public Hospitals Provides Promising Baseline Information
(Source: American Journal of Medical Quality)
Source: American Journal of Medical Quality - March 3, 2014 Category: Health Management Authors: Gauld, R., Horsburgh, S. Tags: Articles Source Type: research

Book Review: The Health Care Handbook: A Clear and Concise Guide to the United States Health Care System
(Source: American Journal of Medical Quality)
Source: American Journal of Medical Quality - March 3, 2014 Category: Health Management Authors: Nash, R. Tags: Articles Source Type: research

What Makes a Positive Deviant: Utilizing Common Themes in Best Practice Stroke Hospitals to Influence Institutional Quality Improvement
(Source: American Journal of Medical Quality)
Source: American Journal of Medical Quality - March 3, 2014 Category: Health Management Authors: Hudak, M. L., Graves, A., Reichelt, K. A., Sweigart, J., Harry, E., Glasheen, J., Jones, W., Cumbler, E. Tags: Articles Source Type: research

Progress in Patient Safety: A Glass Fuller Than It Seems
(Source: American Journal of Medical Quality)
Source: American Journal of Medical Quality - March 3, 2014 Category: Health Management Authors: Pronovost, P. J., Wachter, R. M. Tags: Articles Source Type: research

An Integrated Health Care System's Approach to Development of a Process to Collect Patient Functional Outcomes on Total Joint Replacement Procedures
Health care organizations are challenged to find ways to measure not only process of care but also outcomes of care. Gundersen Health System’s Orthopaedic Surgery Department in the La Crosse, Wisconsin area developed a process to collect outcomes of care for patients having hip or knee arthroplasty procedures and planned to use these data to determine impact on patients’ lives. The Hip Osteoarthritis Outcomes Score and Knee Osteoarthritis Outcomes Score, adapted from the widely used Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index, were collected preoperatively and at 1 year postoperatively. From ...
Source: American Journal of Medical Quality - March 3, 2014 Category: Health Management Authors: Topel, A. M., Schini, C. A. Tags: Articles Source Type: research

High Numbers of False-Positive Stress Tests Are the Result of Inappropriate Testing
This study shows that stress testing is performed too often in low-risk patients in whom it is unlikely to improve clinical decision making. (Source: American Journal of Medical Quality)
Source: American Journal of Medical Quality - March 3, 2014 Category: Health Management Authors: Foy, A., Rier, J., Kozak, M. Tags: Articles Source Type: research