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������ƵStats: Mental Disorder Hot Spots

During 2016-2018, hot spots of inpatient stays related to schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders occurred in parts of Appalachia, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and southern California. (Source: AHRQ, Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Statistical Brief #288,  [PDF, 1.5 MB].) 

Today's Headlines:

• ������ƵViews Blog: A Boost for Health Services Research.
• Robust Practice Capabilities Reduce Spending, But More Reforms Are Needed To Improve Quality.
• ������ƵReleases Learning Modules for Nursing Homes on COVID-19 Identification and Prevention.
• Individuals Vaccinated for Human Papillomavirus More Likely To Receive False-Positive Cervical Cancer Result.
• New July 1 Deadline for Competing in Challenge To Update TeamSTEPPS Videos.
• Highlights From ������’s Patient Safety Network.
• New Research and Evidence From AHRQ.
• ������Ƶin the Professional Literature.

������ƵViews Blog: A Boost for Health Services Research

In a new blog post, ������ƵDirector Robert Otto Valdez, Ph.D., M.H.S.A., reflects on his participation in AcademyHealth’s recent Annual Research Meeting and gives his take on some of today’s significant healthcare challenges, including nurturing an overworked healthcare workforce, advancing the use of data and analytics and maximizing the impacts of health services research. Dr. Valdez also discusses how ������Ƶis working to support priorities of the Biden Administration, such as addressing the enduring impacts of structural racism within the healthcare context; climate change and the environmental impact of healthcare; and the continued fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Access the blog post. To receive all blog posts, and select “������ƵViews Blog.”

Robust Practice Capabilities Reduce Spending, But More Reforms Are Needed To Improve Quality

Physician practices with robust capabilities in technology, management and patient-centered care spend less on Medicare fee-for-service patients but deliver the same quality as practices with more limited capabilities, according to an AHRQ-funded study in Health Affairs. The authors studied claims data for 1.5 million Medicare fee for-service beneficiaries aged 66 and older from nearly 1,800 physician practice locations. They found that while spending was lower for practices with robust capabilities, the cost savings to Medicare are estimated to be about $15 billion annually, which suggested that reforms beyond those targeting practice capabilities may be needed to support larger performance advantages. Access the .

������ƵReleases Learning Modules for Nursing Homes on COVID-19 Identification and Prevention

������Ƶhas released a series of three new video learning modules for nursing homes on COVID-19. Frontline nursing facility staff will learn the basics about the COVID-19 virus, when and how to report signs and symptoms in residents and how to stop the spread of infection. Each takes less than six minutes to complete and is available online in the COVID-19 Resources Catalog for Nursing Homes. Access the new modules. 

Individuals Vaccinated for Human Papillomavirus More Likely To Receive False-Positive Cervical Cancer Result

Patients vaccinated against human papillomavirus have an increased risk of a false-positive test result for cervical cancer compared with unvaccinated individuals, according to an AHRQ-funded study in JAMA Network Open. The authors reviewed electronic medical records for 46,988 patients aged 21 to 35 years between January 2015 and December 2018. Vaccinated individuals are those who have completed the vaccine series prior to age 21 per guidelines from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. The findings suggest that the increased risk of a false-positive result for vaccinated individuals may warrant screening guidelines that stratify by vaccination status to minimize the risks of overscreening and overtreatment among those with low risk for cervical cancer. Access the .

New July 1 Deadline for Competing in Challenge To Update TeamSTEPPS Videos

July 1 is the new deadline for the ������Ƶchallenge competition that invites participants to develop innovative video content to update the agency’s TeamSTEPPS training program resources. Phase 1 of the competition calls for contestants to submit a written narrative on how to update a current TeamSTEPPS video in an equitable, culturally sensitive and health-literate manner. Ten contestants selected to advance to Phase 2 will develop replacements for existing TeamSTEPPS videos. Up to 10 prizes of $10,000 each will be awarded to Phase 2 contestants who produce successful videos. Winners will be announced by the end of 2022. TeamSTEPPS promotes effective teamwork, collaboration and communication in healthcare while focusing on strategies and tools to improve staff performance, patient safety and quality of care. Access more information about the TeamSTEPPS challenge and previous ������Ƶcompetitions.

Highlights From ������’s Patient Safety Network

������’s highlights journal articles, books and tools related to patient safety. Articles featured this week include:

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Review additional new publications in PSNet’s or access in ������’s WebM&M (Morbidity and Mortality Rounds on the Web).

New Research and Evidence From AHRQ

• Systematic review: .

������Ƶin the Professional Literature

Uptake of hepatitis C virus treatment in a multi-state Medicaid population, 2013-2017. Clements KM, Kunte PS, Clark MA, et al. Health Serv Res 2022 Apr 25. [Epub ahead of print.] Access the on PubMed®.  

Texas hospital's perspectives about NICU performance measures: a mixed-methods study. Doherty JR, Schaefer A, Goodman DC. Qual Manag Health Care 2022 Apr 4. [Epub ahead of print.] Access the on PubMed®.

Helicobacter pylori management is associated with predominantly negative patient experiences: results from a focused qualitative analysis. Shah SC, Bonnet K, Schulte R, et al. Dig Dis Sci 2022 Jan 16. Epub ahead of print.] Access the on PubMed®.

Pharmacotherapy interventions for adolescent co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders: a systematic review. Scott K, Becker SJ, Helseth SA, et al. Fam Pract 2022 Mar 24;39(2):301-10. Access the on PubMed®.

Assessment of a crisis standards of care scoring system for resource prioritization and estimated excess mortality by race, ethnicity, and socially vulnerable area during a regional surge in COVID-19. Riviello ED, Dechen T, O'Donoghue AL, et al. JAMA Netw Open 2022 Mar;5(3):e221744. Access the on PubMed®.

Quality of care for gallstone pancreatitis–the impact of the acute care surgery model and hospital-level operative resources. Murphy PB, Oslock WM, Ingraham AM, et al. J Gastrointest Surg 2022 Apr;26(4):849-60. Epub 2021 Nov 16. Access the on PubMed®.

Interventions to address disparities and barriers to pediatric cancer survivorship care: a scoping review. Mobley EM, Moke DJ, Milam J, et al. J Cancer Surviv 2022 Jun;16(3):667-76. Epub 2021 Jun 16. Access the on PubMed®.

Comparing sources of disruptions to telemedicine-enabled stroke care in an ambulance. Mihandoust S, Joseph A, Madathil KC, et al. HERD 2022 Apr;15(2):96-115. Epub 2021 Nov 11. Access the on PubMed®.