How to Get the Best Value for Your Health Insurance Plans: Do Homework during Open Enrollment to Save Money

This weekly compilation of articles appearing in recently released journals and newsletters includes:

• Articles funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) or authored by AHRQ researchers.
• Articles mentioning or discussing AHRQ staff, activities, and publications/products.
• Articles related to AHRQ-funded Evidence-based Practice Centers.
• Articles related to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force or Put Prevention into Practice program.
• Articles mentioning the National Healthcare Disparities Report and National Healthcare Quality Report.
• Other research using AHRQ data or products.

AHRQ-Funded/Authored Articles

AARP Bulletin
Clancy CM. How to get the best value for your health insurance plans: do homework during open enrollment to save money. AARP Bull 2011 Nov 3; Online. [Author is AHRQ director; cites data from AHRQ publication, The Number of Health Insurance Plans Sponsored by Private Sector Employers in 2000 and 2010, MEPS Statistical Brief 344, 2011.]

American Journal of Medical Quality
Jean-Jacques M, Persell SD, Hasnain-Wynia R, et al. The implications of using adjusted versus unadjusted methods to measure health care disparities at the practice level. Am J Med Qual 2011 Nov; 26(6):491-501. [Supported in part by grants 5 R18 HS17163 and Career Development Award grant 1 K08 HS15647-01 (to second author); cites AHRQ's National Healthcare Disparities Report (NHDR), 2009, as published on the AHRQ Web site.] Select to access the abstract.

Annals of Thoracic Surgery
Likosky DS, Surgenor SD, Kramer RS, et al. Effect of prior cardiac operations on survival after coronary artery bypass grafting. Ann Thorac Surg 2011 Oct; 92(4):1260-8. [Supported by grant 1 K02 HS15663-01A1 (to first author).] Select to access the abstract.

Health Affairs
Miller DC, Gust C, Dimick JB, et al. Large variations in Medicare payments for surgery highlight savings potential from bundled payment programs. Health Aff 2011 Nov; 30(11):2107-15. [Supported in part by grant K08 HS18346-01A1 (to first author); uses AHRQ's Elixhauser comorbidity measures (Elixhauser et al., Med Care, 1998).] Select to access the abstract.

Sommers BD, Swartz K, Epstein A. Policy makers should prepare for major uncertainties in Medicaid enrollment, costs, and needs for physicians under health reform. Health Aff 2011 Nov; 30(11):2186-93. [Supported by grant R03 HS19754-01 (to first author).] Select to access the abstract.

Health Sociology Review
Keane C. Managerialism and medical charity: how employing and pre-paying doctors affects the provision of free care in the United States. Health Sociol Rev 2011 Sep; 20(3):281-93. [Acknowledges financial support from AHRQ, no funding information given.]

JAMA
Grijalva CG, Chen L, Delzell E, Baddley JW, Beukelman T, Winthrop KL, Griffin MR, Herrinton LJ, Liu L, Ouellet-Hellstrom R, Patkar NM, Solomon DH, Lewis JD, Xie F, Saag KG, Curtis JR. Initiation of tumor necrosis factor—a antagonists and the risk of hospitalization for infection in patients with autoimmune diseases. JAMA 2011 Nov 6 [Epub ahead of print. Supported in part by grants U18 HS17919 and R01 HS18517 (to last author); acknowledges participation of Dr. Parivash Nourjah (researcher in AHRQ's Center for Outcomes and Evidence) "in the design and conduct of the study."] Select to access the abstract.

Hollenbeck BK, Nallamothu BK. Financial incentives and the art of payment reform. JAMA 2011 Nov 9; 306(18):2028-30. [Supported by grant R01 HS18726 ("Ambulatory Surgery Centers and Medicare Expenditures for Outpatient Procedures," to first author.]

Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine
Beasley JW, Wetterneck TB, Temte J, Lapin JA, Smith P, Rivera-Rodriguez AJ, Karsh BT. Information chaos in primary care: implications for physician performance and patient safety. J Am Board Fam Med 2011 Nov; 24(6):745-51. [Supported in part by grants 1 P20 HS17115 and 1 R18 HS17899 (both to last author).] Select to access the abstract.

Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association
Nanji KC, Rothschild JM, Salzberg C, et al. Errors associated with outpatient computerized prescribing systems. J Am Med Inform Assoc 2011 Nov 1; 18(6):767-73. [Supported in part by grant U18 HS16970; cites several AHRQ-funded articles.] Select to access the abstract.

Wetterneck TB, Walker JM, Blosky MA, et al. Factors contributing to an increase in duplicate medication order errors after CPOE implementation. J Am Med Inform Assoc 2011 Nov 1; 18(6):774-82. [Supported in part by grants R01 HS15274 and K08 HS17014.] Select to access the abstract.

Baker DW, Persell SD, Kho AN, et al. The marginal value of pre-visit paper reminders when added to a multifaceted electronic health record based quality improvement system. J Am Med Inform Assoc 2011 Nov 1; 18(6):805-11. [Supported by grants 1 R18 HS17163-01 and 1 K08 HS15647-01 (to second author); cites AHRQ-funded systematic review by Chaudhry et al. (Ann Intern Med, 2006) on the impact of health information technology on quality, efficiency, and costs of medical care, performed by the Southern California-University of California at San Francisco Evidence-based Practice Center (EPC).] Select to access the abstract.

Carayon P, Cartmill R, Blosky MA, et al. ICU nurses' acceptance of electronic health records. J Am Med Inform Assoc 2011 Nov 1; 18(6):812-19. [Supported in part by grant R01 HS15274 (principal investigator is first author).]] Select to access the abstract.

Dennehy P, White MP, Hamilton A, et al. A partnership model for implementing electronic health records in resource-limited primary care settings: experiences from two nurse-managed health centers. J Am Med Inform Assoc 2011 Nov 1; 18(6):820-826. [Supported by grant 1 R18 HS17191; cites AHRQ-funded systematic review by Chaudhry et al. (Ann Intern Med, 2006) on the impact of health information technology on quality, efficiency, and costs of medical care, performed by the Southern California-University of California at San Francisco EPC; cites AHRQ-funded articles by Linder et al. (Arch Intern Med, 2007) and Koppel (JAMA, 2005).] Select to access the abstract.

Ash JS, Sittig DF, Wright A, et al. Clinical decision support in small community practice settings: a case study. J Am Med Inform Assoc 2011 Nov 1; 18(6):879-82. [Supported in part by contract HHSA 290-2008-10010; notes selection by the AHRQ-funded CDS Consortium (CDSC) project Steering Committee of the Mid-Valley Independent Physicians Association "as a representative community site that uses EHRs with CDS,"citing article by Middleton (Stud Health Technol Inform, 2009).] Select to access the abstract.

Journal of Clinical Hypertension
Han HR, Chan K, Song H, et al. Development and evaluation of a hypertension knowledge test for Korean hypertensive patients. J Clin Hypertens 2011 Oct; 13(10):750-7. [Supported by grant R01 HS13160.] Select to access the abstract.

Journal of Hospital Medicine
Tamuz M, Giardina TD, Thomas EJ, et al. Rethinking resident supervision to improve safety: from hierarchical to interprofessional models. J Hosp Med 2011 Oct; 6(8):445-52. [Supported by grant 1 PO1 HS11544-01.] Select to access the abstract.

Journal of Trauma
Heffernan DS, Dossett LA, Lightfoot MA, et al. Gender and cute respiratory distress syndrome in critically injured adults: a prospective study. J Trauma 2011 Oct; 71(4):878-85. [Supported by grant T32 HS13833.] Select to access the abstract.

Maternal and Child Health Journal
DeVoe JE, Wallace L, Selph S, et al. Comparing type of health insurance among low-income children: a mixed-methods study from Oregon. Matern Child Health J 2011 Nov; 15(8):1238-48. [Supported in part by grants K08 HS16181 and R01 HS18569; uses questions adapted from AHRQ's Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS®) and Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) and other national surveys to create the statewide Children's Access to Healthcare Survey;" cites CAHPS® 2.0 Survey and Reporting Kit, 2002, and the AHRQ's MEPS Web site, 2007; cites Initial Core Set of Children's Healthcare Quality Measures, 2011, as published on the AHRQ Web site, and AHRQ publication, Annual Report of the National CAHPS Benchmarking Database 2000: What Consumers Say About the Quality of Their Health Plans and Medical Care, 2001.] Select to access the abstract.

Medical Care
Darnell J. What is the role of free clinics in the safety net? Med Care 2011 Nov; 49(11):978-84. [Supported in part by dissertation grant R36 HS15555-01 and research training grant 5 T32 HS00084.] Select to access the abstract.

Cherepanov D, Palta M, Fryback DG, et al. Gender differences in multiple underlying dimensions of health-related quality of life are associated with sociodemographic and socioeconomic status. Med Care 2011 Nov; 49(11):1021-30. [Supported in part by grant T32 HS00046 (to the University of California, Los Angeles, and RAND Corporation, on behalf of first author).] Select to access the abstract.

AHRQ-Related Articles

American Journal of Medical Quality
Tapson VF, Bongiorno Karcher R, Weeks R. Crew resource management and VTE prophylaxis in surgery: a quality improvement initiative. Am J Med Qual 2011 Nov; 26(6):423-32. [Cites AHRQ publication, Preventing Hospital-Acquired Venous Thromboembolism: A Guide for Effective Quality Improvement, prepared by the Society of Hospital Medicine, 2008.] Select to access the abstract.

Carney BT, West P, Neily JB, et al. Improving perceptions of teamwork climate with the Veterans Health Administration medical team training program. Am J Med Qual 2011 Nov; 26(6):480-4. [Cites AHRQ-funded articles by Frankel et al. (Health Serv Res, 2008), Modak et al. (J Gen Intern Med, 2007), Sexton et al. (BMC Health Serv Res, 2006, and J Perinatol, 2006), and others.] Select to access the abstract.

Ballard DJ, Leonard BM. National priorities partnership focus on eliminating overuse: applications to cardiac revascularization. Am J Med Qual 2011 Nov; 26(6):485-90. [Cites Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) landing page on the AHRQ Web site; cites AHRQ publication, Improving Health Care Quality: Fact Sheet, 2002; cites AHRQ-funded articles by Rosenthal and Dudley (JAMA, 2007) and Schneider et al. (Ann Intern Med, 2001).] Select to access the abstract.

Bongiorno Karcher R, Sison A, Weber SE, et al. Commentary: persistent gaps in VTE prophylaxis in orthopedic surgery: will new educational strategies help? Am J Med Qual 2011 Nov; 26(6):502-4. [Notes that AHRQ has called VTE thromboprophylaxis "the number one patient safety practice," citing AHRQ publication, Preventing Hospital-Acquired Venous Thromboembolism: A Guide for Effective Quality Improvement, 2008.]

American Journal of Preventive Medicine
Rigotti NA, Bitton A, Kelley JK, et al. Offering population-based tobacco treatment in a healthcare setting a randomized controlled trial. Am J Prev Med 2011 Nov; 41(5):498-503. [Cites AHRQ-sponsored guideline, Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence: 2008 Update, 2008.] Select to access the abstract.

Livingood WC, Allegrante JP, Airhihenbuwa CO, et al. Applied social and behavioral science to address complex health problems. Am J Prev Med 2011 Nov; 41(5):525-31. [Mentions AHRQ's support of transdisciplinary initiatives with practice-based research networks (PBRNs); cites AHRQ-authored article by Clancy (AHRQ director) and Collins (Sci Transl Med, 2010), which discusses AHRQ's role and involvement in the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute and comparative effectiveness research, and article by Green et al. (Am J Prev Med, 2008), which mentions AHRQ's support of PBRNs; cites the AHRQ PBRN Resource Center (PBRN RC) on AHRQ's PBRN Web site.] Select to access the abstract.

American Journal of Public Health
Wallace NT, Carlson MJ, Mosen DM, et al. The individual and program impacts of eliminating Medicaid dental benefits in the Oregon health plan. Am J Public Health 2011 Nov; 101(11):2144-50. [Cites AHRQ-funded/authored articles by Goodman, Manski, Williams, and Manski (AHRQ researcher in AHRQ's Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Studies) (J Am Dent Assoc, 2005), which uses 1996 MEPS data, and Cohen, Manski, et al. (Am J Public Health, 2003); cites AHRQ-authored article by Cohen, Manski, and Hooper (J Am Dent Assoc, 1996).] Select to access the abstract.

Mojtabai R. National trends in mental health disability, 1997-2009. Am J Public Health 2011 Nov; 101(11):2156-63. [Cites AHRQ-funded articles by Marcus and Olfson (Arch Gen Psychiatry, 2010), which uses various MEPS datasets, and Freburger et al. (Arch Intern Med, 2009); cites article by Olfson et al. (JAMA, 2002), which uses 1987 National Medical Expenditure Survey (NMES) data and 1997 MEPS data, and article by Schulberg et al. (Arch Gen Psychiatry, 1996), the findings from which support treatment principles from AHRQ-sponsored guideline, Depression in Primary Care, 1996.] Select to access the abstract.

Health Affairs
Aysola J, Orav EJ, Ayanian JZ. Neighborhood characteristics associated with access to patient-centered medical homes for children. Health Aff 2011 Nov; 30(11):2080-9. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Macinko and Starfield (Milbank Q, 2001).] Select to access the abstract.

Burns M, Long S. Medicaid managed care for elderly, disabled populations. Health Aff 2011 Nov; 30(11):2217. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Burns (Med Care, 2009).]

JAMA
Shah BR, Cowper PA, O'Brien SM, Jensen N, Patel MR, et al. Association between physician billing and cardiac stress testing patterns following coronary revascularization. JAMA 2011 Nov 9; 306(18):1993-2000. [First and fifth authors report receiving grants from AHRQ.] Select to access the abstract.

Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety
Weingart SN. Patient-reported adverse events: what are we waiting for? Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf 2011 Nov; 37(11):494. [Cites AHRQ contract final report, Designing Consumer Reporting Systems for Patient Safety Events, 2011, as published on the AHRQ Web site; cites AHRQ-funded articles by Weissman et al. (Ann Intern Med, 2008), Pronovost et al. (N Engl J Med, 2006), and Gandhi et al. (N Engl J Med, 2003); comments on and cites article by Öhrn et al. cited below in this section.]

Öhrn A, Elfström J, Liedgren C, et al. Reporting of sentinel events in Swedish hospitals: a comparison of severe adverse events reports by patients and providers. Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf 2011 Nov; 37(11):495-501. [Cites AHRQ-funded articles by Lightdale et al. (J Perianesth Nurs, 2009), Weissman et al. (JAMA, 2005), Williams et al. (Jt Comm J Qual Saf, 2003), and others.]

Hasegawa T, Fujita S, Seto K, et al. Patients' identification and reporting of unsafe events at six hospitals in Japan. Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf 2011 Nov; 37(11):502-8, AP1. [Cites AHRQ-funded articles by Fowler et al. (Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf, 2008), Weissman et al. (Ann Intern Med, 2008), Weingart et al. (J Gen Intern Med, 2005), and others.]

Vigorito MC, McNicoll L, Adams L, et al. Improving safety culture results in Rhode Island ICUs: lessons learned from the development of action-oriented plans. Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf 2011 Nov; 37(11):509-14, AP1. [Cites AHRQ-funded articles by Sexton et al. (Crit Care Med, 2011, and BMC Health Serv Res, 2006), Pronovost et al. (J Crit Care, 2008, and J Patient Saf, 2005), Frankel et al. (Health Serv Res, 2008), and others.]

Coil CJ, Kaji AH, Crevensten H, et al. Screen savers as an adjunct to medical education on patient safety. Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf 2011 Nov; 37(11):515-28, AP1-AP10. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Weinger et al. (Anesth Analg, 2004).]

Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association
Gooch P, Roudsari A. Computerization of workflows, guidelines, and care pathways: a review of implementation challenges for process-oriented health information systems. J Am Med Inform Assoc 2011 Nov 1; 18(6):738-48. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Kawamoto et al. (BMJ, 2005), Mikulich et al. (Int J Med Inf, 2001), and Tierney et al. (J Am Med Inform Assoc, 1995).] Select to access the abstract.

Cheung KC, van den Bemt PM, Bouvy ML, et al. A nationwide medication incidents reporting system in the Netherlands. J Am Med Inform Assoc 2011 Nov 1; 18(6):799-804. [Cites AHRQ-authored article by Zhan, Smith, Keyes, Hicks, Cousins, and Clancy (first and last authors are a researcher in AHRQ's Center for Outcomes and Evidence and AHRQ director, respectively) (Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf, 2008); cites AHRQ-funded articles by Kennedy, Littenberg, and Senders (Int J Qual Health Care, 2008) and Pronovost et al. (J Crit Care, 2006).] Select to access the abstract.

Rudin RS, Salzberg CA, Szolovits P, et al. Care transitions as opportunities for clinicians to use data exchange services: how often do they occur? J Am Med Inform Assoc 2011 Nov 1; 18(6):853-8. [Cites Health Information Exchange, 2010, on AHRQ's National Resource Center for Health Information Technology; cites AHRQ-funded articles by Gandhi et al. (Ann Intern Med, 2006) and Smith et al. (JAMA, 2005).] Select to access the abstract.

Journal of Health Services Research and Policy
Mayes R. Moving (realistically) from volume-based to value-based health care payment in the USA: starting with Medicare payment policy. J Health Serv Res Policy 2011 Oct; 16(4):249-51. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Rosenthal et al. (Health Aff, 2004).] Select to access the abstract.

Journal of Women's Health
Domino SE, Bodurtha J, Nagel JD, et al. Interdisciplinary research career development: Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's Health program best practices. J Womens Health 2011 Nov; 20(11):1587-1601. [Mentions sponsorship by AHRQ and other federal organizations of an interdisciplinary research career development program in five funding cycles since 2000 through a K12 mechanism titled "Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's Health (BIRCWH), citing AHRQ-sponsored Request for Applications (RFA) Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's Health, 1999," as published on the National Institutes of Health Office of Extramural Research Grants Web site.] Select to access the abstract.

Maternal and Child Health Journal
Powers CA, Zapka J, Phelan S, et al. Tobacco education and counseling in obstetrics and gynecology clerkships: a survey of medical school program directors. Matern Child Health J 2011 Nov; 15(8):1153-9. [Cites AHRQ-sponsored guidelines, Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence: 2008 Update, 2008, and Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence, 2000; cites article by DePue et al. (Tob Control, 2002), which evaluates dissemination of AHRQ-sponsored guidelines, Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence, 2000, and Smoking Cessation, 1996.] Select to access the abstract.

Medical Care
Zheng NT, Mukamel DB, Caprio T, et al. Racial disparities in in-hospital death and hospice use among nursing home residents at the end of life. Med Care 2011 Nov; 49(11):992-8. [Cites AHRQ-funded articles by Miller et al. (J Am Geriatr Soc, 2010 and 2004), Gozalo and Miller (Health Serv Res, 2007), and Miller, Gozalo, and Mor (Am J Med, 2001).] Select to access the abstract.

MedSurg Nursing
Tzeng HM. Perspectives of patients and families about the nature of and reasons for call light use and staff call light response time. MedSurg Nurs 2011 Sep; 20(5):225-34. [Cites AHRQ publication, Patient Safety and Quality: An Evidence-Based Handbook for Nurses, 2008.]

Turjanica MA, Clark L, Martini C, et al. Incidence, correlates, and interventions used for pressure ulcers of the ear. MedSurg Nurs 2011 Sep; 20(5):241-7. [Cites AHRQ-sponsored guideline, Pressure Ulcer Treatment, 1994.]

Modern Healthcare
McKinney M. PCORI gets to work. Mod Healthc 2011 Oct 31; 41(44):12. [Notes AHRQ director Carolyn Clancy's membership on the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute Board of Directors.]

Selvam A. Moving in the right direction: value-based purchasing changes meet approval. Mod Healthc 2011 Nov 7; 41(45):8-9. [Discusses use of AHRQ composite measures in conjunction with CMS's value-based purchasing program and the use of Hospital CAHPS (HCAHPS) data to set the patient experience rating; cites data from AHRQ publication, Primary Care Workforce Facts and Stats: Overview, 2011.]

Research on Aging
Castle NG, Engberg JB. The health consequences of relocation for nursing home residents following Hurricane Katrina. Res Aging 2011 Nov; 33(6):661-87. [Cites AHRQ-funded articles by Castle (Am J Public Health, 2008) and Engberg, Castle, and McCaffrey (Gerontologist, 2008).]

Warren-Findlow J, Laditka JN, Laditka SB, et al. Associations between social relationships and emotional well-being in middle-aged and older African Americans. Res Aging 2011 Nov; 33(6):713-34. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Ghods et al. (J Gen Intern Med, 2008).]

U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF)/Put Prevention Into Practice (PPIP)-Related Articles

American Journal of Preventive Medicine
Kahwati LC, Lewis MA, Kane H, et al. Best practices in the Veterans Health Administration's MOVE! Weight Management Program. Am J Prev Med 2011 Nov; 41(5):457-64. [Cites USPSTF recommendations on screening for obesity in adults and related evidence summary by McTigue et al. (both in Ann Intern Med, 2003).] Select to access the abstract.

Littman AJ, Koepsell TD, Forsberg CW, et al. Preventive care in relation to obesity: An analysis of a large, national survey. Am J Prev Med 2011 Nov; 41(5):465-72. [Cites USPSTF recommendation statement, Screening for Breast Cancer, 2002, as published on the USPSTF Web site; cites USPSTF recommendations on screening for breast cancer, 2009, and cervical cancer, 2003, both in Guide to Clinical Preventive Services, 2010-2011, 2010, as published in the AHRQ Web site; cites summary of USPSTF recommendations on screening for colorectal cancer ("Summaries for Patients", Ann Intern Med, 2002).] Select to access the abstract.

Lafata JE, Cooper GS, Divine G, et al. Patient-physician colorectal cancer screening discussions: delivery of the 5A's in practice. Am J Prev Med 2011 Nov; 41(5):480-6. [Discusses uses of USPSTF 5A's framework for preventive health recommendations, citing USPSTF-sponsored recommendations on shared decision making about screening and chemoprevention (Am J Prev Med, 2004) and evidence summary on screening for colorectal cancer in adults at average risk (Ann Intern Med, 2002); cites AHRQ-funded article by Ling et al. (Med Care, 2008), which uses USPSTF recommendations on screening for colorectal cancer (Ann Intern Med, 2002), and article by Winawer et al. (Gastroenterology, 2003), which updates AHRQ-sponsored guideline on screening for colorectal cancer, 1997.] Select to access the abstract.

Bouchery EE, Harwood HJ, Sacks JJ, et al. Economic costs of excessive alcohol consumption in the U.S., 2006. Am J Prev Med 2011 Nov; 41(5):516-24. [Cites USPSTF recommendation statement, Screening and Behavioral Counseling Interventions in Primary Care to Reduce Alcohol Misuse, 2004, as published on the AHRQ Web site.] Select to access the abstract.

Froehlich-Grobe K, Lollar D. Obesity and disability: time to act. Am J Prev Med 2011 Nov; 41(5):541-5. [Cites USPSTF recommendations on screening for obesity in adults and related evidence summary by McTigue et al. (both in Ann Intern Med, 2003).]

Green BB, Estabrooks PA. Assessing the scale-up of a weight loss program narrowing the gap between research and practice. Am J Prev Med 2011 Nov; 41(5):548-9. [Cites USPSTF recommendations on screening for obesity in adults and related evidence summary by McTigue et al. (both in Ann Intern Med, 2003).]

Harvard Women's Health Watch
Screening after age 75: Screening guidelines often change after age 75. If you're in that age group, how do you decide which tests you need? Harv Womens Health Watch 2011 Nov; 19(3):1-3. Discusses USPSTF recommendations for breast cancer, cervical cancer, colorectal cancer, hearing loss, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, osteoporosis, and vision loss in Guide to Clinical Preventive Services, 2010-2011, 2010, as published the AHRQ Web site.]

JAMA
Meisel ZF, Karlawish J. Narrative vs evidence-based medicine—and, not or. JAMA 2011 Nov 9; 306(18):2022-3. [Discusses updated USPSTF 2009 recommendations on screening for breast cancer and 2010 recommendations on prostate cancer screening and why narratives or personal stories would be beneficial in disseminating screening recommendation guidelines, citing article by Woolf (JAMA, 2010) on USPSTF 2009 recommendations on screening for breast cancer.]

Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine
Fenton JJ, Jerant AF, von Friederichs-Fitzwater MM, et al. Physician counseling for colorectal cancer screening: impact on patient attitudes, beliefs, and behavior. J Am Board Fam Med 2011 Nov; 24(6):673-81. [Cites USPSTF recommendation statement, Screening for Colorectal Cancer, 2008, as published on the USPSTF Web site; cites articles by Winawer et al. (Gastroenterology, 2003), which updates AHRQ-sponsored guidelines on screening for colorectal cancer, and Pignone, Harris, and Kinsinger (Ann Intern Med, 2000), which briefly mentions USPSTF 1996 recommendations.] Select to access the abstract.

Fleming ST, Love MM, Bennett K. Diabetes and cancer screening rates among Appalachian and non-Appalachian residents of Kentucky. J Am Board Fam Med 2011 Nov; 24(6):682-92. [Uses USPSTF recommendations as survey item rating criteria, citing USPSTF recommendation statements Screening for Breast Cancer, 2009, Screening for Colorectal Cancer, 2008, and Screening for Cervical Cancer, 2003, all published on the AHRQ Web site, and recommendations on screening for breast cancer (Ann Intern Med, 2009 and 2002) and screening for colorectal cancer (Ann Intern Med, 2002); uses MEPS survey questions, citing the MEPS landing page on the AHRQ Web site; cites several guideline syntheses in AHRQ's National Guideline Clearinghouse, including Screening and Surveillance for the Early Detection of Colorectal Cancer and Adenomatous Polyps, 2008, Breast Cancer Screening, 2003, and Cervical Cytology Screening, 2003.] Select to access the abstract.

Wilkinson JE, Lauer E, Freund KM, et al. Determinants of mammography in women with intellectual disabilities. J Am Board Fam Med 2011 Nov; 24(6):693-703. [Cites USPSTF recommendation statement, Screening for Breast Cancer, 2009.] Select to access the abstract.

White JC, Magee SR. Neonatal herpes infection: case report and discussion. J Am Board Fam Med 2011 Nov; 24(6):758-62. [Cites USPSTF recommendations on screening for genital herpes (Ann Fam Physician, 2005).] Select to access the abstract.

Journal of Family Practice
Clionsky M, Clionsky E. Identifying cognitive impairment during the Annual Wellness Visit: Who can you trust? J Fam Pract 2011 Nov; 60(11):653-9. [Cites USPSTF-sponsored evidence summary on screening for dementia in primary care (Ann Intern Med, 2003).] Select to access the abstract.

Maternal and Child Health Journal
Roberts SC, Nuru-Jeter A. Universal alcohol/drug screening in prenatal care: a strategy for reducing racial disparities? Questioning the assumptions. Matern Child Health J 2011 Nov; 15(8):1127-34. [Cites USPSTF-sponsored evidence synthesis, Screening in Primary Care Settings for Illicit Drug Use: Staged Systematic Review, 2008, and systematic evidence review, Behavioral Counseling Interventions in Primary Care to Reduce Risky/Harmful Alcohol Use, 2004.] Select to access the abstract.

Taveras EM, Blackburn K, Gillman MW, et al. First steps fo Mommy and Me: a pilot intervention to improve nutrition and physical activity behaviors of postpartum mothers and their infants. Matern Child Health J 2011 Nov; 15(8):1217-27. [Cites USPTF-sponsored targeted systematic review on effectiveness of weight management interventions in children (Pediatrics, 2010).] Select to access the abstract.

Population Health Management
Brown RL. Configuring health care for systematic behavioral screening and intervention. Popul Health Manag 2011 Nov 10 [Epub ahead of print. Discusses the challenge of integrating USPSTF recommendations for universal behavioral screening and intervention, specifically focusing on tobacco use, excessive drinking, and depression, into health care settings, citing USPSTF A and B Recommendations, 2010, and USPSTF recommendation statements Behavioral Counseling in Primary Care to Promote a Healthy Diet, 2003, and Behavioral Counseling in Primary Care to Promote Physical Activity, 2002, all published on the USPSTF Web site; cites AHRQ-sponsored guideline, Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence: 2008 Update, 2008. Also refer to article by Kemper et al. (J AAPOS, 2011) cited in Research by Others Using AHRQ Data or Products.] Select to access the abstract.

Evidence-based Practice Centers-Related Articles

American Journal of Public Health
Weathers B, Barg FK, Bowman M, et al. Using a mixed-methods approach to identify health concerns in an African American community. Am J Public Health 2011 Nov; 101(11):2087-92. [Cites AHRQ Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, Community-based Participatory Research: Assessing the Evidence, 2004.] Select to access the abstract.

Health Affairs
Hussey PS, Ridgely MS, Rosenthal MB. The PROMETHEUS bundled payment experiment: slow start shows problems in implementing new payment models. Health Aff 2011 Nov; 30(11):2116-24. [Cites article by Rosenthal et al. (JAMA, 2005) which mentions AHRQ technical review, Strategies to Support Quality-Based Purchasing: A Review of the Evidence, 2004.] Select to access the abstract.

Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association
Holroyd-Leduc JM, Lorenzetti D, Straus SE, et al. The impact of the electronic medical record on structure, process, and outcomes within primary care: a systematic review of the evidence. J Am Med Inform Assoc 2011 Nov 1; 18(6):732-7. [Cites AHRQ-funded systematic review by Chaudhry et al. (Ann Intern Med, 2006) on the impact of health information technology on quality, efficiency, and costs of medical care, performed by the Southern California-University of California at San Francisco EPC; cites AHRQ-funded articles by Zhou et al. (J Am Med Inform Assoc, 2009), El-Kareh et al. (J Gen Intern Med, 2009), Linder et al. (Arch Intern Med, 2007), and others.] Select to access the abstract.

Kern LM, Ancker JS, Abramson E, et al. Evaluating health information technology in community-based settings: lessons learned. J Am Med Inform Assoc 2011 Nov 1; 18(6):749-53. [Cites AHRQ-funded systematic review by Chaudhry et al. (Ann Intern Med, 2006) on the impact of health information technology on quality, efficiency, and costs of medical care, performed by the Southern California-University of California at San Francisco EPC; cites AHRQ-funded articles by Poon et al. (J Am Med Inform Assoc, 2009), which discusses AHRQ's National Resource Center for Health Information Technology, Kaushal et al. (J Gen Intern Med, 2010), and Kern et al. (J Gen Intern Med, 2008).] Select to access the abstract.

Riedmann D, Jung M, Hackl WO, et al. How to improve the delivery of medication alerts within computerized physician order entry systems: an international Delphi study. J Am Med Inform Assoc 2011 Nov 1; 18(6):760-6. [Cites AHRQ Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, Making Healthcare Safer: A Critical Analysis of Patient Safety Practices, 2001; cites AHRQ-funded article by Weingart et al. (Arch Intern Med, 2003).] Select to access the abstract.

Austrian JS, Adelman JS, Reissman SH, et al. The impact of the heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) computerized alert on provider behaviors and patient outcomes. J Am Med Inform Assoc 2011 Nov 1; 18(6):783-8. [Cites AHRQ-funded systematic review by Kaushal, Shojania, and Bates (Arch Intern Med, 2003) on the effects of computerized physician order entry and clinical decision support systems on medication safety, prepared by the University of California San Francisco-Stanford EPC under contract 290-97-0013; cites AHRQ-funded article by Bates et al. (J Am Med Inform Assoc, 2003).] Select to access the abstract.

Weir C, McLeskey N, Brunker C, et al. The role of information technology in translating educational interventions into practice: an analysis using the PRECEDE/PROCEED model. J Am Med Inform Assoc 2011 Nov 1; 18(6):827-34. [Cites AHRQ Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, Costs and Benefits of Health Information Technology, 2006, prepared by Southern California EPC under contract 290-02-0003; cites AHRQ-funded systematic review by Chaudhry et al. (Ann Intern Med, 2006) on the impact of health information technology on quality, efficiency, and costs of medical care, performed by the Southern California-University of California at San Francisco EPC.] Select to access the abstract.

Bostrom PJ, Toren PJ, Xi H, et al. Point-of-care clinical documentation: assessment of a bladder cancer informatics tool (eCancerCareBladder): a randomized controlled study of efficacy, efficiency and user friendliness compared with standard electronic medical records. J Am Med Inform Assoc 2011 Nov 1; 18(6):835-41. [Cites AHRQ Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, Costs and Benefits of Health Information Technology, 2006, prepared by Southern California EPC under contract 290-02-0003; cites AHRQ publication, Advances in Patient Safety: From Research to Implementation, Volume 2: Concepts and Methodology, 2005.] Select to access the abstract.

Maternal and Child Health Journal
Fortner RT, Pekow P, Dole N, et al. Risk factors for prenatal depressive symptoms among Hispanic women. Matern Child Health J 2011 Nov; 15(8):1287-95. [Cites AHRQ Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, Perinatal Depression: Prevalence, Screening Accuracy, and Screening Outcomes, 2005.] Select to access the abstract.

Medical Care
Wagner EH. Counterpoint: chronic illness and primary care. Med Care 2011 Nov; 49(11):973-5. [Cites AHRQ-funded meta-regression analyses by Shojania et al. (JAMA, 2006) on the effects of quality improvement strategies for type 2 diabetes on glycemic control, and by Walsh et al. (Med Care, 2006) on quality improvement strategies for hypertension management, both prepared by the Stanford-UCSF EPC under contract 290-02-0017; cites AHRQ-authored article by Tunis, Stryer, and Clancy (second and third authors are former AHRQ center director and current AHRQ director, respectively) (JAMA, 2003).]

Obstetrics and Gynecology
Rahn DD, Mamik MM, Sanses TV, et al. Venous thromboembolism prophylaxis in gynecologic surgery: a systematic review. Obstet Gynecol 2011 Nov; 118(5):1111-25. [Cites AHRQ Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, Making Healthcare Safer: A Critical Analysis of Patient Safety Practices, 2001; cites AHRQ-authored articles by Owens, Lohr, Atkins (former AHRQ researcher) et al. (J Clin Epidemiol, 2010) on AHRQ evidence-rating systems, and Atkins et al. (BMJ, 2004). Also refer to AHRQ-funded article by Baker et al. (J Am Med Inform Assoc, 2011) cited in AHRQ-Funded/Authored Articles.] Select to access the abstract.

National Healthcare Quality Report (NHQR)/National Healthcare Disparities Report (NHDR)-Related Articles

Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine
Rabinowitz HK, Diamond JJ, Markham FW, et al. Increasing the supply of women physicians in rural areas: outcomes of a medical school rural program. J Am Board Fam Med 2011 Nov; 24(6):740-4. [Cites AHRQ publication, Health Care Disparities in Rural Areas: Selected Findings from the 2004 National Healthcare Disparities Report, 2005.] Select to access the abstract.

Maternal and Child Health Journal
Bryant AS, Cheng YW, Caughey AB. Equality in obstetrical care: racial/ethnic variation in group B streptococcus screening. Matern Child Health J 2011 Nov; 15(8):1160-5. [Cites AHRQ's NHDR, 2003; notes that screening for group B streptococcus is "not a measure used by groups such as" [AHRQ] when reporting quality of care". Also refer to AHRQ-funded article by Jean-Jacques et al. (Am J Med Qual, 2011) cited in AHRQ-Funded/Authored Articles and article by Richard et al. (Prev Chronic Dis, 2011) cited in Research by Others Using AHRQ Data or Products.] Select to access the abstract.

Research by Others Using AHRQ Data or Products

American Journal of Medical Quality
Casey DE Jr, Chang K, Bustami RT. Evaluation of hospitalization for infections that are present on admission. Am J Med Qual 2011 Nov; 26(6):468-73. [Uses AHRQ's Patient Safety Indicators and Quality Indicators as incorporated in the University HealthSystem Consortium (UHC) Clinical Database (CDB) risk adjustment model; cites AHRQ publication, Adult Hospital Stays with Infections Due to Medical Care, 2007, HCUP Statistical Brief 94, 2010; cites AHRQ-funded article by Glance et al. (Med Care, 2008), which uses AHRQ's Inpatient Quality Indicator mortality measures and 1998-2000 HCUP State Inpatient Databases (SID) data for California.] Select to access the abstract.

American Journal of Public Health
Huesch MD. Association between type of health insurance and elective cesarean deliveries: New Jersey, 2004-2007. Am J Public Health 2011 Nov; 101(11):e1-e7. [Uses 2004-2007 HCUP SID data for New Jersey.] Select to access the abstract.

Health Affairs
Shah ND, Naessens JM, Wood DL, et al. Mayo Clinic employees responded to new requirements for cost sharing by reducing possibly unneeded health services use. Health Aff 2011 Nov;30(11):2134-41. [Uses AHRQ-funded adaptation of the Charlson comorbidity index described in AHRQ-funded article by Deyo, Cherkin, and Ciol (J Clin Epidemiol, 1992); cites AHRQ-funded article by Cherkin, Grothaus, and Wagner (Med Care, 1989).] Select to access the abstract.

Knowlton K, Rotkin-Ellman M, Geballe L, et al. Six climate change-related events in the United States accounted for about $14 billion in lost lives and health costs. Health Aff 2011 Nov; 30(11):2167-76. [Uses 2008 MEPS data and 2003 HCUP data, citing Household Component Summary Tables and MEPS HC-118D: 2008 Hospital Inpatient Stays, 2010, both published on AHRQ's MEPS Web site, and Healthcare Cost & Utilization Project (HCUP) and Databases and Related Tools from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP): Fact Sheet, 2011, both published on the AHRQ Web site.] Select to access the abstract.

Sheils JF, Haught R. Without the individual mandate, the Affordable Care Act would still cover 23 million; premiums would rise less than predicted. Health Aff 2011 Nov; 30(11):2177-85. [Uses 2002-2005 MEPS Household Component (MEPS-HC) data to develop the Health Benefits Simulation Model.] Select to access the abstract.

Journal of AAPOS
Kemper AR, Wallace DK, Patel N, et al. Preschool vision testing by health providers in the United States: findings from the 2006-2007 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. J AAPOS 2011 Oct; 15(5):480-3. [Uses 2006-2007 MEPS data, citing Medical Expenditure Panel Survey: Survey Background as published on AHRQ's MEPS Web site; cites USPSTF recommendations on screening for visual impairment in children younger than 5 years (Ann Fam Med, 2004).] Select to access the abstract.

Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine
Sumner W 2nd, Hagen MD. Variation over time in preventable hospitalization rates across counties. J Am Board Fam Med 2011 Nov; 24(6):639-46. [Uses AHRQ's Prevention Quality Indicators, citing AHRQ publication, Patient Safety Indicators Technical Specifications, Version 4.1, 2009; cites AHRQ publication, Preventable Hospitalizations: A Window Into Primary and Preventive Care, 2000, HCUP Fact Book 5, 2004, as published on the AHRQ Archives Web site; cites "The Market and Uses for AHRQ QIs" in AHRQ final contract report, Evaluation of the Use of AHRQ and Other Quality Indicators: Summary, 2007, as published on the AHRQ Web site.] Select to access the abstract.

Maternal and Child Health Journal
Kuo DZ, Frick KD, Minkovitz CS. Association of family-centered care with improved anticipatory guidance delivery and reduced unmet needs in child health care. Matern Child Health J 2011 Nov; 15(8):1228-37. [Uses 2004 MEPS data, citing MEPS-HC Panel Design and Data Collection Process, and MEPS HC-089: 2004 Full Year Consolidated Data File, 2006, both published on AHRQ's MEPS Web site; cites AHRQ publications, Utilization and Expenditures for Children with Special Health Care Needs, MEPS Research Findings 24, 2006, and Access to Needed Medical Care among Children under 18 Years of Age with Special Health Care Needs, MEPS Statistical Brief 75, 2005, both published on the AHRQ's MEPS Web site; cites Child Health Care Quality Toolbox: Established Child Health Care Quality Measures—Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative (CAHMI): Promoting Healthy Development Survey (PHDS), 2006, as published on the AHRQ Web site; cites AHRQ-authored article by Selden (researcher in AHRQ's Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends) (Pediatrics, 2006), which uses 2000-2002 MEPS data.] Select to access the abstract.

Medical Care
Pollack CE, Bekelman JE, Epstein AJ, et al. Racial disparities in changing to a high-volume urologist among men with localized prostate cancer. Med Care 2011 Nov; 49(11):999-1006. [Uses AHRQ's Elixhauser comorbidity measures (Elixhauser et al., Med Care, 1998); cites AHRQ-funded articles by Epstein, Gray, and Schlesinger (Arch Surg, 2010), Trivedi et al. (J Am Coll Cardiol, 2006), Birkmeyer et al. (N Engl J Med, 2003), and others.] Select to access the abstract.

Kuo RN, Dong YH, Liu JP, et al. Predicting healthcare utilization using a pharmacy-based metric with the WHO's Anatomic Therapeutic Chemical algorithm. Med Care 2011 Nov; 49(11):1031-9. [Uses AHRQ's Elixhauser comorbidity measures (Elixhauser et al., Med Care, 1998) and the AHRQ-funded adaptation of the Charlson comorbidity index described in AHRQ-funded article by Deyo, Cherkin, and Ciol (J Clin Epidemiol, 1992) as competitors to the pharmacy-based metric used in the study; cites AHRQ-funded article by Pine, Jordan, Elixhauser et al. (Med Decis Mak, 2009).] Select to access the abstract.

Pediatrics
Weitzman M, Rosenthal DG, Liu YH. Paternal depressive symptoms and child behavioral or emotional problems in the United States. Pediatrics 2011 Nov 7. [Epub ahead of print. Uses 2004-2008 MEPS Household Component data, citing the MEPS landing page on the AHRQ Web site; cites AHRQ-authored article by Cohen (director in AHRQ's Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends) (Med Care, 2003), which uses MEPS data.] Select to access the abstract.

PLoS Genetics
Boger CA, Gorski M, Li M, et al. Association of eGFR-related loci identified by GWAS with incident CKD and ESRD. PLoS Genet 2011 Sep; 7(9):e1002292. [Uses study cohort data from the CHOICE study, previously funded by AHRQ.] Select to access the abstract.

Preventing Chronic Disease
Richard P, Alexandre PK, Lara A, et al. Racial and ethnic disparities in the quality of diabetes care in a nationally representative sample. Prev Chronic Dis 2011 Nov; 8(6):A142. [Uses 2005-2007 MEPS Household Component (MEPS-HC) data, citing MEPS HC-113: 2007 Full Year Consolidated Data File, 2009, as published on AHRQ's MEPS Web site; cites AHRQ's NHDR, 2004; cites AHRQ-authored articles by Harrison (researcher in AHRQ's Center for Delivery, Organization, and Markets) et al. (Diabetes Care, 1999) and Cohen, Monheit, Beauregard, Cohen, Lefkowitz, Potter, Sommers, Taylor, Arnett (current and former researchers in/directors of AHRQ's Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends) (Inquiry, 1996-1997), which uses MEPS data. Also refer to AHRQ-funded articles by Miller et al. (Health Aff, 2011) and DeVoe et al. (Matern Child Health J, 2011) cited in AHRQ-Funded/Authored Articles, and article by Fleming, Love, and Bennett (J Am Board Fam Med, 2011) cited in U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF)/Put Prevention Into Practice (PPIP)-Related Articles.] Select to access the abstract.