Norman W. Weissman

Relation of race and sex to the use of reperfusion therapy in Medicare beneficiaries with acute myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND There are few reports describing the combined influence of the race and sex of a patient on the use of reperfusion therapy for acute myocardial infarction. METHODS To determine the relation of race and sex to the receipt of reperfusion therapy for myocardial infarction in the United States, we reviewed the medical records of 234,769 Medicare patients with myocardial infarction. From these records we identified 26,575 white or black patients who met strict eligibility criteria for reperfusion therapy. We then performed bivariate and multivariate analyses of prevalence ratios to determine predictors of the use of reperfusion therapy in four subgroups of patients categorized according to race and sex: white men, white women, black men, and black women. RESULTS Among eligible patients, white men received reperfusion therapy with the highest frequency (59 percent), followed by white women (56 percent), black men (50 percent), and black women (44 percent). After adjustment for differences in demographic and clinical characteristics, white women were as likely as white men to receive reperfusion therapy (prevalence ratio, 1.00; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.98 to 1.03). Likewise, black women were as likely as black men to receive reperfusion therapy (prevalence ratio, 1.00; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.89 to 1.13). However, black women were significantly less likely to receive reperfusion therapy than white men (prevalence ratio, 0.90; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.82 to 0.98), as were black men (prevalence ratio, 0.85; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.78 to 0.93). CONCLUSIONS After adjustment for differences in clinical and demographic characteristics and clinical presentation, differences according to sex in the use of reperfusion therapy are minimal. However, blacks, regardless of sex, are significantly less likely than whites to receive this potentially lifesaving therapy.

Nurse staffing and mortality for Medicare patients with acute myocardial infarction

ContextRecent hospital reductions in registered nurses (RNs) for hospital care raise concerns about patient outcomes. ObjectiveAssess the association of nurse staffing with in-hospital mortality for patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Design, Setting, and Patients.Medical record review data from the 1994–1995 Cooperative Cardiovascular Project were linked with American Hospital Association data for 118,940 fee-for-service Medicare patients hospitalized with AMI. Staffing levels were represented as nurse to patient ratios categorized into quartiles for RNs and for licensed practical nurses (LPNs). Main Outcome Measures.In-hospital mortality. ResultsFrom highest to lowest quartile of RN staffing, in-hospital mortality was 17.8%, 17.4%, 18.5%, and 20.1%, respectively (P < 0.001 for trend). However, from highest to lowest quartile of LPN staffing, mortality was 20.1%, 18.7%, 17.9%, and 17.2%, respectively P < 0.001). After adjustment for patient demographic and clinical characteristics, treatment, and for hospital volume, technology index, and teaching and urban status, patients treated in environments with higher RN staffing were less likely to die in-hospital; odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) of quartiles 4, 3, and 2 versus quartile 1 were 0.91 (0.86–0.97), 0.94 (0.88–1.00), and 0.96 (0.90–1.02), respectively. Conversely, after adjustment, patients treated in environments with higher LPN staffing were more likely to die in-hospital; odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) of quartiles 4, 3, and 2 versus quartile 1 were 1.07 (1.00–1.15), 1.02 (0.96–1.09), and 1.00 (0.94–1.07), respectively. ConclusionsEven after extensive adjustment, higher RN staffing levels were associated with lower mortality. Our findings suggest an important effect of nurse staffing on in-hospital mortality.

Full Implementation of Computerized Physician Order Entry and Medication-Related Quality Outcomes: A Study of 3364 Hospitals

This study compares quality of care measures for hospitals with fully implemented computerized physician order entry (CPOE) systems with hospitals that have not fully implemented such a system. Using a cross-sectional design, this study linked hospital quality data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to the Health Information Management Systems Society Analytics database, which contains hospital CPOE adoption information. Performance on quality measures was assessed using univariate and multivariate methods. In all, 8% of hospitals have fully implemented CPOE systems; CPOE hospitals were more frequently larger, not-for-profit, and teaching hospitals. After controlling for confounders, CPOE hospitals outperformed comparison hospitals on 5 of 11 measures related to ordering medications and on 1 of 9 nonmedication-related quality measures. Using a large sample of hospitals, our study found significant positive associations between specific objective quality indicators and CPOE implementation. (Am J Med Qual 2009;24:278-286)

Racial disparities in osteoporosis prevention in a managed care population

Background Osteoporosis in black women may result in increased disability, longer hospital stays, and higher mortality compared with white women. However, it is unknown whether osteoporosis treatment or bone mineral density (BMD) measurement is different in these women, particularly in those at highest risk. Methods To examine differences and determinants of osteoporosis preventive interventions among white and black women in a large regional health maintenance organization, women 50 years of age and older were surveyed (n = 8,909) to determine their receipt of BMD testing and medical therapies for osteoporosis prevention. Results After adjusting for potential confounders, black women had two- to threefold lower odds of BMD test or osteoporosis prescription treatment. Even among women with a previous fracture, blacks still had a significantly lower likelihood of both BMD testing and prescription therapy. Conclusion Compared with whites, black women reported significantly less BMD testing and prescription and nonprescription osteoporosis therapy. This disparity was not fully explained by other demographic or risk factor differences.

Does interhospital transfer improve outcome of acute myocardial infarction? A propensity score analysis from the Cardiovascular Cooperative Project

BackgroundMany patients suffering acute myocardial infarction (AMI) are transferred from one hospital to another during their hospitalization. There is little information about the outcomes related to interhospital transfer. The purpose of this study was to compare processes and outcomes of AMI care among patients undergoing interhospital transfer with special attention to the impact on mortality in rural hospitals.MethodsNational sample of Medicare patients in the Cooperative Cardiovascular Study (n = 184,295). Retrospective structured medical record review of AMI hospitalizations. Descriptive study using a retrospective propensity score analysis of clinical and administrative data for 184,295 Medicare patients admitted with clinically confirmed AMI to 4,765 hospitals between February 1994 and July 1995. Main outcome measure included: 30-day mortality, administration of aspirin, beta-blockers, ACE-inhibitors, and thrombolytic therapy.ResultsOverall, 51,530 (28%) patients underwent interhospital transfer. Transferred patients were significantly younger, less critically ill, and had lower comorbidity than non-transferred patients. After propensity-matching, patients who underwent interhospital transfer had better quality of care anlower mortality than non-transferred patients. Patients cared for in a rural hospital had similar mortality as patients cared for in an urban hospital.ConclusionTransferred patients were vastly different than non-transferred patients. However, even after a rigorous propensity-score analysis, transferred patients had lower mortality than non-transferred patients. Mortality was similar in rural and urban hospitals. Identifying patients who derive the greatest benefit from transfer may help physicians faced with the complex decision of whether to transfer a patient suffering an acute MI.

Improving Physician Performance Through Internet-Based Interventions: Who Will Participate?

Background The availability of Internet-based continuing medical education is rapidly increasing, but little is known about recruitment of physicians to these interventions. Objective The purpose of this study was to examine predictors of physician participation in an Internet intervention designed to increase screening of young women at risk for chlamydiosis. Methods Eligibility was based on administrative claims data, and eligible physicians received recruitment letters via fax and/or courier. Recruited offices had at least one physician who agreed to participate in the study by providing an email address. After one physician from an office was recruited, intensive recruitment of that office ceased. Email messages reminded individual physicians to participate by logging on to the Internet site. Results Of the eligible offices, 325 (33.2%) were recruited, from which 207 physicians (52.8%) participated. Recruited versus nonrecruited offices had more eligible patients (mean number of eligible patients per office: 44.1 vs 33.6; P < .001), more eligible physicians (mean number of eligible physicians per office: 6.2 vs 4.1; P < .001), and fewer doctors of osteopathy (mean percent of eligible physicians per office who were doctors of osteopathy: 20.5% vs 26.4%; P = .02). Multivariable analysis revealed that the odds of recruiting at least one physician from an office were greater if the office had more eligible patients and more eligible physicians. More participating versus nonparticipating physicians were female (mean percent of female recruited physicians: 39.1% vs 27.0%; P = .01); fewer participating physicians were doctors of osteopathy (mean percent of recruited physicians who were doctors of osteopathy: 15.5% vs 23.9%; P = .04) or international medical graduates (mean percent of recruited physicians who were international graduates: 12.3% vs 23.8%; P = .003). Multivariable analysis revealed that the odds of a physician participating were greater if the physician was older than 55 years (OR = 2.31; 95% CI = 1.09–4.93) and was from an office with a higher Chlamydia screening rate in the upper tertile (OR = 2.26; 95% CI = 1.23–4.16). Conclusions Physician participation in an Internet continuing medical education intervention varied significantly by physician and office characteristics.

Evaluation of an online bioterrorism continuing medical education course.

Introduction: Much of the international community has an increased awareness of potential biologic, chemical, and nuclear threats and the need for physicians to rapidly acquire new knowledge and skills in order to protect the publics health. The present study evaluated the educational effectiveness of an online bioterrorism continuing medical education (CME) activity designed to address clinical issues involving suspected bioterrorism and reporting procedures in the United States. Methods: This was a retrospective survey of physicians who had completed an online CME activity on bioterrorism compared with a nonparticipant group who had completed at least 1 unrelated online CME course from the same medical school Web site and were matched on similar characteristics. An online survey instrument was developed to assess clinical and systems knowledge and confidence in recognition of illnesses associated with a potential bioterrorism attack. A power calculation indicated that a sample size of 100 (50 in each group) would achieve 90% power to detect a 10% to 15% difference in test scores between the two groups. Results: Compared with nonparticipant physicians, participants correctly diagnosed anthrax (p = .01) and viral exanthem (p = .01), but not smallpox, more frequently than nonparticipants. Participants knew more frequently than nonparticipants who to contact regarding a potential bioterrorism event (p = .03) Participants were more confident than nonparticipants about finding information to guide diagnoses of patients with biologic exposure (p = .01), chemical exposure (p = .02), and radiation exposure (p = .04). Discussion: An online bioterrorism course shows promise as an educational intervention in preparing physicians to better diagnose emerging rare infections, including those that may be associated with a bioterrorist event, in increasing confidence in diagnosing these infections, and in reporting of such infections for practicing physicians.

Measurement of mammography rates for quality improvement

To determine the best source of high-quality data related to mammography rates, a study was undertaken to compare chart audit and claims data from the Health Care Financing Administrations Ambulatory Quality Improvement Project. Because claims data captured a higher percentage of mammograms than chart audit data in this study, quality improvement projects should consider utilizing claims data only to ascertain mammography rates.

Chlamydia screening of at-risk young women in managed health care: characteristics of top-performing primary care offices

Objectives: Despite effective approaches for managing chlamydial infection, asymptomatic disease remains highly prevalent. We linked administrative data with physician data from the American Medical Association physician survey to identify characteristics of primary care offices associated with best chlamydia screening practices. Study: Criteria from the National Committee for Quality Assurance provided chlamydia screening rates. We defined top-performing offices as those with rates in the top decile among 978 primary care offices from 26 states. Results: Offices screened an average of 16.2% of at-risk, young women, but top-performing offices screened 42.2%. Top-performing offices on average had more black physicians (12.5%, 5.1%, P = 0.001) and were more often located in zip code areas with median income less than

Identifying Top-Performing Hospitals by Algorithm: Results from a Demonstration Project

30,000 (22.6%, 5.5%, P = 0.001). Conclusions: Although chlamydia screening rates are alarmingly low overall, there is substantial variation across offices. Understanding predictors of better office performance may lead to effective interventions to promote screening.