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Electronic health records and ambulatory quality of care.

ABSTRACT: The US Federal Government is investing up to $29 billion in incentives for meaningful use of electronic health records (EHRs). However, the effect of EHRs on ambulatory quality is unclear, with several large studies finding no effect.To determine the effect of EHRs on ambulatory quality in a community-based setting.Cross-sectional study, using data from 2008.Ambulatory practices in the Hudson Valley of New York, with a median practice size of four physicians.We included all general internists, pediatricians and family medicine physicians who: were members of the Taconic Independent Practice Association, had patients in a data set of claims aggregated across five health plans, and had at least 30 patients per measure for at least one of nine quality measures selected by the health plans.Adoption of an EHR.We compared physicians using EHRs to physicians using paper on performance for each of the nine quality measures, using t-tests. We also created a composite quality score by standardizing performance against a national benchmark and averaging standardized performance across measures. We used generalized estimation equations, adjusting for nine physician characteristics.We included 466 physicians and 74,618 unique patients. Of the physicians, 204 (44 %) had adopted EHRs and 262 (56 %) were using paper. Electronic health record use was associated with significantly higher quality of care for four of the measures: hemoglobin A1c testing in diabetes, breast cancer screening, chlamydia screening, and colorectal cancer screening. Effect sizes ranged from 3 to 13 percentage points per measure. When all nine measures were combined into a composite, EHR use was associated with higher quality of care (sd 0.4, p?=?0.008).This is one of the first studies to find a positive association between EHRs and ambulatory quality in a community-based setting.

SUBMITTER: Kern LM

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3599037 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Electronic health records and ambulatory quality of care.

Kern Lisa M LM Barrón Yolanda Y Dhopeshwarkar Rina V RV Edwards Alison A Kaushal Rainu R

Journal of general internal medicine 20121003 4

<h4>Context</h4>The US Federal Government is investing up to $29 billion in incentives for meaningful use of electronic health records (EHRs). However, the effect of EHRs on ambulatory quality is unclear, with several large studies finding no effect.<h4>Objective</h4>To determine the effect of EHRs on ambulatory quality in a community-based setting.<h4>Design</h4>Cross-sectional study, using data from 2008.<h4>Setting</h4>Ambulatory practices in the Hudson Valley of New York, with a median pract ...[more]

PMID: 23054927

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Project description:Healthcare providers previously using older electronic health records (EHRs) with electronic prescribing (e-prescribing) are transitioning to newer systems to be eligible for federal meaningful use incentives. Little is known about the safety effects of transitioning between systems.To assess the effect of transitioning between EHR systems on rates and types of prescribing errors, as well as provider perceptions about the effect on prescribing safety.Prospective, case study of 17 physicians at an academic-affiliated ambulatory clinic from February 2008 through August 2009. All physicians transitioned from an older EHR with minimal clinical decision support (CDS) for e-prescribing to a newer EHR with more robust CDS.Prescribing errors were identified by standardized prescription and chart review. A novel survey instrument was administered to evaluate provider perceptions about prescribing safety.We analyzed 1298 prescriptions at baseline, 1331 prescriptions 12 weeks post-implementation, and 1303 prescriptions one year post-implementation. Overall prescribing error rates were highest at baseline (35.7 per 100 prescriptions, 95% confidence interval (CI) 23.2-54.8) and lowest one year post-implementation (12.2 per 100 prescriptions, 95% CI 8.6-17.4) (p?<?0.001). Improvement in prescribing safety was mainly a result of reducing inappropriate abbreviation errors. However, rates for non-abbreviation prescribing errors were significantly higher at 12 weeks post-implementation than at baseline (17.7 per 100 prescriptions, 95% CI 9.5-33.0 versus 8.5 per 100 prescriptions, 95% CI 4.6-15.9) (p <0.001) and no different at baseline than one year (10.2 per 100 prescriptions, 95% CI 6.2-18.6) (p?=?0.337). Survey results complemented quantitative findings.Results from this case study suggest that transitioning between systems, even to those with more robust CDS, may pose important safety threats. Recognizing the challenges associated with transitions and refining CDS within systems may help maximize safety benefits.

Project description:Rational & objectiveElectronic health records can be leveraged to assess quality-of-care measures in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Neighborhood socioeconomic status could be a potential barrier to receiving appropriate evidence-based therapy and follow-up. We examined whether neighborhood socioeconomic status is independently associated with quality of care received by patients with CKD.Study designObservational study using electronic health record data.Setting & participantsRetrospective study of patients seen at a health care system in the 7-county Minneapolis/St Paul area.ExposuresCensus tract socioeconomic status measures (wealth, income, and education).OutcomesIndicators of CKD quality of care: (1) prescription for angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor/angiotensin receptor blocker in patients with stage ≥ 3 CKD or stage 1 or 2 CKD with urinary albumin-creatinine ratio (UACR) > 300 mg/d, (2) UACR measurement among patients with laboratory-based CKD (estimated glomerular filtration rate < 60 mL/min/1.72 m2), and (3) CKD identified on the problem list or coded for at an encounter among patients with laboratory-based CKD.Analytic approachMultilevel Poisson regression with robust error variance with a random intercept at the census tract level.ResultsOf the 16,776 patients who should be receiving an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor/angiotensin receptor blocker, 65% were prescribed these medications. Among patients with laboratory-based CKD (n = 25,097), UACR was measured in 27% and CKD was identified in the electronic health record in 55%. We found no independent association between any neighborhood socioeconomic status measures and CKD quality-of-care indicators.Limitations1 health care system and selection bias.ConclusionsWe found no association of neighborhood socioeconomic status with quality of CKD care in our cohort. However, adherence to CKD guidelines is low, indicating an opportunity to improve care for all patients regardless of neighborhood socioeconomic status.

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Electronic health records and ambulatory quality of care.

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Electronic health records and ambulatory quality of care.

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