Research Activities, April 2012: Feature Story: AHRQ expert discusses trends and challenges in health information technology || and see MORE

Research Activities

April 2012, No. 380 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 AHRQ expert discusses trends and challenges in health information technology From the Director Primary Care Majority of conditions treated in emergency departments are treatable in primary care clinics Primary care providers who provide contraceptive counseling increase patients' contraceptive use Primary care visits every 2 weeks linked to better treatment outcomes for patients with diabetes Patient Safety and Quality A "diabetes dashboard" screen helps clinicians quickly and accurately access patient data needed for quality diabetes care Patient surveys are an additional useful tool for identifying adverse events occurring during hospital stays Public reporting of performance data seems to motivate and energize improvements to hospital performance Chronic Disease Injection of hyaluronic acid, a natural joint lubricant, appears effective in reducing pain from wear and tear on the knee Heart failure hospitalization and mortality rates drop between 1998 and 2008 Drug-eluting stents appear safe for older patients with chronic kidney disease Market forces underlie provision of peritoneal dialysis by dialysis facilities Outcomes/Effectiveness Research Blood pressure control persists after physician-pharmacist intervention ends Physician personality factors do not seem to influence whether patients with symptoms undergo extended diagnostic evaluations C-reactive protein testing is not more effective than an educational intervention to decrease antibiotic prescriptions for patients seen for acute cough Accuracy of ultrasound for ectopic pregnancy in the emergency department is not helped by measuring a key pregnancy hormone Performance measures for gastroenterology can lead to improved accountability Clinical algorithm can identify and locate serious internal bleeding related to oral anticoagulant use Comparative Effectiveness Research Self-measured blood pressure monitoring to manage hypertension may offer a small benefit Not enough evidence to recommend fecal DNA testing for adults at average risk for colorectal cancer Elderly/Long-Term Care Elders and families find it difficult to interpret data from passive sensors that help monitor elderly activity Improving quality of care for falls and urinary incontinence also improves quality of life in elderly patients Disparities/Minority Health Lower flu vaccination rates for black nursing home residents a cause for concern Agency News and Notes Six in 10 obese adults have joint pain Hospital readmissions higher for chronic conditions Midwest hospitals lead in newborn male circumcision rates Announcements New resources available for comparing osteoarthritis pain medications Register for the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) Data Users' Workshop Register for HCUP webinar series AHRQ offers public reporting organizations communications tips Free TeamSTEPPS® training opportunities AHRQ announces funding opportunity on patient-centered outcomes research dissemination AHRQ solicits measures of children's health care quality for CHIPRA 2013 Research Briefs Research Briefs Subscribe to AHRQ's Electronic Newsletter Healthcare 411 Follow AHRQ News on Twitter AHRQ Publication No. 12-RA007 Current as of April 2012 Internet Citation: Research Activities Newsletter. April 2012, No. 380. AHRQ Publication No. 12-RA007. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/research/apr12/index.html