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´óÏóÊÓƵStats: Maternal Deaths by Race/Ethnicity

In 2020, out of every 100,000 maternity admissions, an average of 12.2 Black women died—more than double the average of 5.6 deaths for every 100,000 maternity admissions among White women. Hispanic women also faced higher rates of death than White women, with an average of 8.5 deaths for every 100,000 maternity admissions. (Source: ´óÏóÊÓƵ2024 Chartbook on Patient Safety [PDF, 4 MB].)

Today's Headlines:

• Data Reveal Uneven Impact of COVID-19 on Urban, Rural Hospitals.
• ´óÏóÊÓƵViews Blog Post: Working Together To Tackle Inequities, Centering the Voice of Women.
• Diagnostic Error in Mental Healthcare Common but Not Well Defined.
• New Mental Health Resources From AHRQ.
• New ´óÏóÊÓƵFunding Notices.
• Registration Open for Free Safety Program To Improve Antibiotic Use in Telemedicine.
• Highlights From ´¡±á¸é²Ï’s Patient Safety Network.
• Upcoming ´óÏóÊÓƵWebinars.
• New Research and Evidence From AHRQ.
• ´óÏóÊÓƵin the Professional Literature.

Data Reveal Uneven Impact of COVID-19 on Urban, Rural Hospitals

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted rural hospitals more significantly than those in urban settings, according to two studies using data from ´¡±á¸é²Ï’s Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP). One , published in Health Affairs, revealed that 35 percent of rural hospitals experienced more than 20 percent increases or decreases in the daily patient volume during the pandemic, compared with just 13 percent of urban hospitals. Rural hospitals that were most impacted were likely to be small-sized, or owned by State or local governments, or classified as critical access hospitals. The other , published in JAMA Network Open, found that the odds of in-hospital mortality for sepsis increased by 35 percent at rural hospitals during the pandemic, compared with an increase of 27 percent at urban hospitals. The authors of both studies suggested that tailoring responses to the unique needs of rural hospitals could reduce the uneven impact of future health crises.

´óÏóÊÓƵViews Blog Post: Working Together To Tackle Inequities, Centering the Voice of Women

´¡±á¸é²Ï’s support for and the potential of empowered women to pursue lives of wellness and resilience is the subject of a new ´óÏóÊÓƵViews blog post. The theme aligns with ´¡±á¸é²Ï’s ongoing efforts to address the healthcare needs of all women. For example, a recent AHRQ-funded explored how the healthcare community can effectively deliver respectful maternity care. Also highlighted among ´óÏóÊÓƵactivities is the agency’s EvidenceNow: Managing Urinary Incontinence (UI), an initiative to disseminate strategies in primary care for nonsurgical treatment of UI in women. Access the blog post, authored by Kamila B. Mistry, Ph.D., M.P.H., deputy director for ´¡±á¸é²Ï’s Office of Extramural Research, Education, and Priority Populations; Emily Chew M.P.H., senior advisor for women’s health and gender research; Kisha I. Coa, Ph.D., M.P.H., division director for priority populations. To receive all blog posts, .

Diagnostic Error in Mental Healthcare Common but Not Well Defined

Diagnostic error is well understood to be a problem in mental healthcare, but there is a lack of consensus on how to conceptualize, define and measure errors in diagnosis, according to an AHRQ-funded review published in BMJ Quality & Safety. Researchers summarized the state of research on diagnostic errors in mental health and identify opportunities to align future research with the emerging science of diagnostic safety. They found that few studies used clear definitions or frameworks for understanding diagnostic error in mental health, but several studies of missed, wrong, delayed and disparate diagnosis of common mental disorders have identified various avenues for future research and development. Access the .

New Mental Health Resources From AHRQ

During Mental Health Awareness Month, ´¡±á¸é²Ï’s is highlighting , a resource that emphasizes the importance of helping patients reduce or prevent the harms of substance use. Harm reduction principles and practices prioritize engaging directly with patients with substance use disorders to prevent overdoses and infectious disease, improve physical and mental health and offer appropriate mental health disorder treatment. The Academy is also highlighting , which highlight resources from leading mental health agencies and organizations.

New ´óÏóÊÓƵFunding Notices

• A signals ´¡±á¸é²Ï’s intention to invite grant applications that support healthcare safety by determining whether and how certain breakthrough uses of artificial intelligence (AI) systems can affect patient safety, and how AI systems can be safely implemented and used.
• A announces ´¡±á¸é²Ï’s interest in health services research to improve care delivery, access, quality, equity and health outcomes for older adults. The SEN builds on ´¡±á¸é²Ï’s prior work, including the Optimizing Health and Function as We Age Roundtable Report (PDF, 1.7 MB).

Registration Open for Free Safety Program To Improve Antibiotic Use in Telemedicine

The ´óÏóÊÓƵSafety Program for Telemedicine: Improving Antibiotic Use is recruiting primary and urgent care practices and retail clinics that use telemedicine for a no-cost, 18-month program to strengthen antibiotic prescribing practices. The program will begin in June and provide evidence-based guidance to improve antibiotic prescribing and patient satisfaction. Participants may receive continuing education credits, continuing medical education credits and American Board of Internal Medicine Maintenance of Certification points through live and/or self-paced materials. Access , including how to sign up for an informational webinar on May 21, noon to 12:30 pm ET.

Highlights From ´¡±á¸é²Ï’s Patient Safety Network

´¡±á¸é²Ï’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 , including recent cases and commentaries and ´¡±á¸é²Ï’s WebM&M (Morbidity and Mortality Rounds on the Web).

Upcoming ´óÏóÊÓƵWebinars

• May 21, noon to 1 p.m. ET: Understanding and Operationalizing the National Action Alliance Aim #1: Advance Organizational Safety Strategies Using National Action Plan Foundations will highlight recent activities of the public–private collaboration developed to improve safety across all healthcare settings.
• May 23, 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. ET: Using ´¡±á¸é²Ï’s Surveys on Patient Safety Culture® Hospital Survey and Workplace Safety Item Set will highlight how the Indiana Hospital Association used ´¡±á¸é²Ï’s Surveys on Patient Safety Culture® (SOPS®) Hospital Survey and Workplace Safety Supplemental Item Set to assess patient safety culture and workplace safety.

New Research and Evidence From AHRQ

• Rapid Evidence Product: .

´óÏóÊÓƵin the Professional Literature

Rural-urban differences in mortality among mechanically ventilated patients in intensive and intermediate care. Harlan EA, Venkatesh S, Morrison J, et al. Ann Am Thorac Soc 2024 May;21(5):774-81. Access the on PubMed®.

Addressing pregnancy and parenting in mental health care: perspectives of women with serious mental illness. Fenwick K, Dossett EC, Gitlin R, et al. Health Affairs 2024 Apr;43(4):582-9. Access the on PubMed®.

Evaluation of critical care pharmacist evening services at an academic medical center. Chase AM, Forehand CC, Keats KR, et al. Hosp Pharm 2024 Apr;59(2):228-33. Epub 2023 Nov 1. Access the on PubMed®.

Antibiotic stewardship interventions for urinary tract infections in outpatient settings: a narrative review. Grigoryan L, Trautner BW. Infect Dis Clin North Am 2024 Jun;38(2):277-94. Epub 2024 Apr 4. Access the on PubMed®.

Sociotechnical feasibility of natural language processing-driven tools in clinical trial eligibility prescreening for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. Idnay B, Liu J, Fang Y, et al. J Am Med Inform Assoc 2024 Apr 19;31(5):1062-73. Access the on PubMed®.

Medication safety event reporting: factors that contribute to safety events during times of organizational stress. Cohen TN, Berdahl CT, Coleman BL, et al. J Nurs Care Qual 2024 Jan-Mar;39(1):51-7. Epub 2023 May 9. Access the on PubMed®.

COVID-19-associated acute kidney injury and longitudinal kidney outcomes. Aklilu AM, Kumar S, Nugent J, et al. JAMA Intern Med 2024 Apr;184(4):414-23. Access the on PubMed®.

Building a regional pediatric asthma learning health system in support of optimal, equitable outcomes. Beck AF, Seid M, McDowell KM, et al. Learn Health Syst 2024 Apr;8(2):e10403. Epub 2023 Dec 11. Access the on PubMed®.