Reinventing VA Health Care

Variation in Hypertension Control by Race and Ethnicity, and Geography in US Veterans

BACKGROUND

Hypertension control and related cardiovascular outcomes among Americans remain suboptimal, and differ by race, ethnicity, and geography. Healthcare access is one of multiple critical factors in hypertension control. Understanding the degree to which healthcare access, versus other factors, produce these outcomes can inform policies and interventions to improve cardiovascular outcomes and reduce disparities. Department of Veterans Affairs Healthcare System data provide a unique opportunity to understand residual racial and ethnic differences in hypertension control after accounting for healthcare access. Our objective was to describe pre-pandemic post-Affordable Care Act implementation hypertension control by geographic sector and race and ethnicity, and assess spatial clustering of hypertension control.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A secondary data analysis of hypertension control among US veterans (n=1 619 414) nationwide and in 4 US territories was conducted using electronic health record data. Age- and sex-adjusted regression models estimated overall and race- and ethnicity-specific rates by geographic sector. We created choropleth maps of hypertension control rates and assessed spatial autocorrelation. Hypertension control rates varied across sectors by race and ethnicity (range, 44.1%-97.5%); Black veterans, followed by American Indian or Alaska Native veterans, had the lowest mean control rates (72.5% and 75.4%, respectively). There was clustering of low hypertension control rates for Black veterans in the Pacific Northwest, Southwest, Missouri, Kansas, and Arkansas, and for American Indian or Alaska Native veterans in the West and Southwest.

CONCLUSIONS

Hypertension control rates varied geographically for veteran groups experiencing racial and ethnic disparities. Geographic areas with concentrations of low rates of hypertension control should be a focus for interventions to address racial and ethnic disparities.

"This has reinvigorated me": perceived impacts of an innovation training program on employee experience and innovation support

PURPOSE

Innovation is widely desired within healthcare organizations, yet the efficacy of programs aimed at fostering it remain largely unassessed, with little consideration given to their effects on employee experience. The Veterans Health Administration (VA) innovators network (iNET) was established to provide organizational support to improve and reimagine patient care and processes across the VA. We evaluated participant perspectives on how iNET impacted workplace experience and fostered innovation.

DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH

Semi-structured interviews were conducted using purposive sampling to maximize diversity for program roles and site characteristics, reviewed using a rapid matrixed approach, then analyzed using a hybrid inductive/deductive approach that applied a theoretical framework of innovation supportive domains.

FINDINGS

21 project investees, 16 innovation specialists and 13 leadership champions participated from 15 sites nationally. Most participants reported strongly positive impacts including feeling re-energized, appreciating new experiences and expanded opportunities for connecting with others, sense of renewed purpose, better relationships with leadership and personal recognition. Negative experiences included time constraints and logistical challenges. Participants' experiences mapped frequently onto theorized domains of supporting a curious culture, creating idea pathways and porous boundaries, fostering/supporting catalytic leadership and supporting (role) diverse teams. The program's delivery of ready resources was critically supportive though at times frustrating.

ORIGINALITY/VALUE

Participants' experiences support the conclusion that iNET fosters innovation and positively impacts participating employees. In the post-pandemic context of unprecedented challenges of healthcare worker burnout and stress, effective innovation training programs should be considered as a tool to improve worker experience and retention as well as patient care.

Drivers of Veterans' Healthcare Choices and Experiences with Veterans Affairs and Civilian Healthcare

BACKGROUND

Access to quality healthcare is essential to the well-being of U.S. veterans. Little is known about what drives veterans' healthcare decisions. The purpose of this study was to explore factors that drive healthcare choices in veterans, and their experiences in the Veterans Health Administration (VA) and non-VA healthcare settings.

METHODS

Fifty-nine veterans participated in eight focus groups. Participants were asked to discuss factors that led to their choice of provider and their healthcare experiences. Thematic analysis was conducted to reveal themes around healthcare choices and use.

RESULTS

VA and non-VA users described positive experiences with care. VA users reported cost, quality, and ease of care as reasons for use. Non-VA healthcare setting users reported eligibility issues, negative perceptions of the VA, administrative bureaucracy, and lack of continuity of care as reasons they chose not to use VA care. VA users reported difficulty with red tape, continuity of care, limitations to gender specific care, and having to advocate for themselves.

CONCLUSIONS

Veterans were satisfied with care regardless of where they received it. Experiences with civilian providers indicate that more could be done to provide veterans with choices in the care they receive. Despite positive experiences with the VA, the veterans highlighted needed improvements in key areas.

Mixed Reality Surgical Navigation System; Positional Accuracy Based on Food and Drug Administration Standard

BACKGROUND

Computer assisted surgical navigation systems are designed to improve outcomes by providing clinicians with procedural guidance information. The use of new technologies, such as mixed reality, offers the potential for more intuitive, efficient, and accurate procedural guidance. The goal of this study is to assess the positional accuracy and consistency of a clinical mixed reality system that utilizes commercially available wireless head-mounted displays (HMDs), custom software, and localization instruments.

METHODS

Independent teams using the second-generation Microsoft HoloLens© hardware, Medivis SurgicalAR© software, and localization instruments, tested the accuracy of the combined system at different institutions, times, and locations. The ASTM F2554-18 consensus standard for computer-assisted surgical systems, as recognized by the U.S. FDA, was utilized to measure the performance. 288 tests were performed.

RESULTS

The system demonstrated consistent results, with an average accuracy performance that was better than one millimeter (.75 ± SD .37 mm).

CONCLUSION

Independently acquired positional tracking accuracies exceed conventional in-market surgical navigation tracking systems and FDA standards. Importantly, the performance was achieved at two different institutions, using an international testing standard, and with a system that included a commercially available off-the-shelf wireless head mounted display and software.

Concurrent Use of Thyroid Hormone Therapy and Interfering Medications in Older US Veterans

CONTEXT

Thyroid hormone management in older adults is complicated by comorbidities and polypharmacy.

OBJECTIVE

Determine the prevalence of concurrent use of thyroid hormone and medications that can interfere with thyroid hormone metabolism (amiodarone, prednisone, prednisolone, carbamazepine, phenytoin, phenobarbital, tamoxifen), and patient characteristics associated with this practice.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study between 2004 and 2017 (median follow-up, 56 months).

SETTING

Veterans Health Administration Corporate Data Warehouse.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 538 137 adults ≥ 65 years prescribed thyroid hormone therapy during the study period.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

Concurrent use of thyroid hormone and medications interfering with thyroid hormone metabolism.

RESULTS

Overall, 168 878 (31.4%) patients were on at least 1 interfering medication while on thyroid hormone during the study period. In multivariable analyses, Black/African-American race (odds ratio [OR], 1.25; 95% CI, 1.21-1.28, compared with White), Hispanic ethnicity (OR, 1.12; 95% CI, 1.09-1.15, compared with non-Hispanic), female (OR, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.08-1.15, compared with male), and presence of comorbidities (eg, Charlson/Deyo Comorbidity Score ≥ 2; OR, 2.50; 95% CI, 2.45-2.54, compared with 0) were more likely to be associated with concurrent use of thyroid hormone and interfering medications. Older age (eg, ≥ 85 years; OR, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.47-0.48, compared with age 65-74 years) was less likely to be associated with this practice.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Almost one-third of older adults on thyroid hormone were on medications known to interfere with thyroid hormone metabolism. Our findings highlight the complexity of thyroid hormone management in older adults, especially in women and minorities.

Association of Thyroid Hormone Treatment Intensity With Cardiovascular Mortality Among US Veterans

Importance

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Synthetic thyroid hormones are among the 3 most commonly prescribed medications, yet studies evaluating the association between the intensity of thyroid hormone treatment and cardiovascular mortality are scarce.

Objective

To evaluate the association between thyroid hormone treatment intensity and cardiovascular mortality.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This retrospective cohort study used data on 705 307 adults who received thyroid hormone treatment from the Veterans Health Administration Corporate Data Warehouse between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2017, with a median follow-up of 4 years (IQR, 2-9 years). Two cohorts were studied: 701 929 adults aged 18 years or older who initiated thyroid hormone treatment with at least 2 thyrotropin measurements between treatment initiation and either death or the end of the study period, and, separately, 373 981 patients with at least 2 free thyroxine (FT4) measurements. Data were merged with the National Death Index for mortality ascertainment and cause of death, and analysis was conducted from March 25 to September 2, 2020.

Exposures

Time-varying serum thyrotropin and FT4 levels (euthyroidism: thyrotropin level, 0.5-5.5 mIU/L; FT4 level, 0.7-1.9 ng/dL; exogenous hyperthyroidism: thyrotropin level, <0.5 mIU/L; FT4 level, >1.9 ng/dL; exogenous hypothyroidism: thyrotropin level, >5.5 mIU/L; FT4 level, <0.7 ng/dL).

Main Outcomes and Measures

Cardiovascular mortality (ie, death from cardiovascular causes, including myocardial infarction, heart failure, or stroke). Survival analyses were performed using Cox proportional hazards regression models using serum thyrotropin and FT4 levels as time-varying covariates.

Results

Of the 705 307 patients in the study, 625 444 (88.7%) were men, and the median age was 67 years (IQR, 57-78 years; range, 18-110 years). Overall, 75 963 patients (10.8%) died of cardiovascular causes. After adjusting for age, sex, traditional cardiovascular risk factors (eg, hypertension, smoking, and previous cardiovascular disease or arrhythmia), patients with exogenous hyperthyroidism (eg, thyrotropin levels, <0.1 mIU/L: adjusted hazard ratio [AHR], 1.39; 95% CI, 1.32-1.47; FT4 levels, >1.9 ng/dL: AHR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.20-1.40) and patients with exogenous hypothyroidism (eg, thyrotropin levels, >20 mIU/L: AHR, 2.67; 95% CI, 2.55-2.80; FT4 levels, <0.7 ng/dL: AHR, 1.56; 95% CI, 1.50-1.63) had increased risk of cardiovascular mortality compared with individuals with euthyroidism.

Conclusions and Relevance

This study suggests that both exogenous hyperthyroidism and exogenous hypothyroidism were associated with increased risk of cardiovascular mortality. These findings emphasize the importance of maintaining euthyroidism to decrease cardiovascular risk and death among patients receiving thyroid hormone treatment.

Differences in COVID-19 Risk by Race and County-Level Social Determinants of Health among Veterans

COVID-19 disparities by area-level social determinants of health (SDH) have been a significant public health concern and may also be impacting U.S. Veterans. This retrospective analysis was designed to inform optimal care and prevention strategies at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and utilized COVID-19 data from the VAs EHR and geographically linked county-level data from 18 area-based socioeconomic measures. The risk of testing positive with Veterans’ county-level SDHs, adjusting for demographics, comorbidities, and facility characteristics, was calculated using generalized linear models. We found an exposure–response relationship whereby individual COVID-19 infection risk increased with each increasing quartile of adverse county-level SDH, such as the percentage of residents in a county without a college degree, eligible for Medicaid, and living in crowded housing.

Epilepsy quality performance in a national sample of neurologists and primary care providers: Characterizing trends in acute and chronic care management

INTRODUCTION

Epilepsy-specific quality indicators and performance measures have been published and revised multiple times. The application of epilepsy-specific quality measures has been demonstrated in a few healthcare systems. However, there is no information to date on changes in epilepsy performance measures over time, and across settings, in a national sample. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare system provides an opportunity to study the changes in epilepsy-specific performance over time, in acute versus chronic epilepsy care, as well as in primary versus specialty care.

METHODS

Chart extractions of newly diagnosed epilepsy and chronic care of Veterans with epilepsy within the VA system were performed. Veterans with ICD-9-CM diagnosis 345.XX and 780.39 from 2007-2014 were identified. Epilepsy-specific performance measures based on the Quality Indicators in Epilepsy Treatment (QUIET) VA measurement were ascertained for each Veteran with epilepsy. Difference in care across time (2009, 2012, and 2014), source of epilepsy care (primary care only, neurology only, and shared care between neurology and primary care) was analyzed. Differences in proportion of care measures across variables were compared using chi-square statistics.

RESULTS

Chart reviews of 2386 Veterans with epilepsy included 297 women (11.2%), 281 (10.5%) receiving acute care and 2105 (89.5%) receiving chronic care. Across all years 203 (72.5%) had electroencephalograph ordered/performed, 225 (80.4%) had neuroimaging ordered/performed, 106 (37.9%) were instructed about driving precautions, 71 (25.4%) were educated about safety and injury prevention, and 251 (89.6%) had anti-seizure medication monotherapy initiated. The proportion of people with new-onset seizures educated about diagnosis and type of seizure increased over time 30 (34.9%) in 2008, 42 (43.8%) in 2012, and 52 (53.1%). Of the 2105 Veterans receiving chronic care 864 (41.1%) encounters documented compliance of anti-seizure medication, 361 (17.15%) encounters addressed driving restrictions, 1345 (63.9%) encounters documented general education and counseling, 250 (11.9%) of encounters documented safety and injury prevention, 488 (23.2%) of encounters documented medication side effects, and 463 (22.0%) of encounters documented discussion of treatment options. With chronic epilepsy care, documentation of quality measures did not change with time. Veterans who were co-managed by primary care and neurology had a higher proportion of driving instruction and safety instructions compared to neurology or primary care alone.

DISCUSSION

In general, the epilepsy performance measures were high (>70% of new-onset epilepsy) for documentation diagnostic procedures (such as EEG and neuroimaging) and low across key educational and counseling measures (<50%). Despite the emphasis on the importance of psychosocial education and holistic management in the academic literature, through advocacy work, and during professional meetings, there was not a significant improvement in education and counseling over time. Some aspects of psychosocial education were performed better among primary care providers compared to neurologists. However, more attention and work need to be dedicated on implementing and documenting education and counseling people with epilepsy in the clinical setting.

Exploring the application of the Charlson Comorbidity Index to assess the patient population seen in a Veterans Affairs chiropractic residency program

OBJECTIVE

Chiropractic trainees require exposure to a diverse patient base, including patients with multiple medical conditions. The Veterans Affairs (VA) Chiropractic Residency Program aims for its doctor of chiropractic (DC) residents to gain experience managing a range of multimorbid cases, yet to our knowledge there are no published data on the comorbidity characteristics of patients seen by VA DC residents. We tested 2 approaches to obtaining Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) scores and compared CCI scores of resident patients with those of staff DCs at 1 VA medical center.

METHODS

Two processes of data collection to calculate CCI scores were developed. Time differences and agreement between methods were assessed. Comparison of CCI distribution between resident DC and staff DCs was done using 100 Monte Carlo simulation iterations of Fisher's exact test.

RESULTS

Both methods were able to calculate CCI scores (n = 22). The automated method was faster than the manual (13 vs 78 seconds per patient). CCI scores agreement between methods was good (κ = 0.67). We failed to find a significant difference in the distribution of resident DC and staff DC patients (mean p = .377; 95% CI, .375-.379).

CONCLUSION

CCI scores of a VA chiropractic resident's patients are measurable with both manual and automated methods, although automated may be preferred for its time efficiency. At the facility studied, the resident and staff DCs did not see patients with significantly different distributions of CCI scores. Applying CCI may give better insight into the characteristics of DC trainee patient populations.

Exercise blood pressure, cardiorespiratory fitness and mortality risk

OBJECTIVE

To assess the cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) impact on the association between exercise blood pressure (BP) and mortality risk.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We assessed CRF in 15,004 US Veterans (mean age 57.5 ± 11.2 years) who completed a standardized treadmill test between January 1, 1988 and July 28, 2017 and had no evidence of ischemia. They were classified as Unfit or Fit according to the age-specific metabolic equivalents (METs) achieved <50% (6.2 ± 1.6 METs; n = 8440) or ≥ 50% (10.5 ± 2.4 METs; n = 6264). To account for the impact of resting systolic BP (SBP) on outcomes, we calculated the difference (Peak SBP-Resting SBP) and termed it SBP-Reserve. We noted a significant increase in mortality associated with SBP-Reserve ≤52 mmHg and stratified the cohort accordingly (SBP-Reserve ≤52 mmHg and > 52 mmHg). We applied multivariable Cox models to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CIs) for outcomes.

RESULTS

Mortality risk was significantly elevated only in Unfit individuals with SBP-Reserve ≤52 mmHg compared to those with SBP-Reserve >52 mmHg (HR = 1.35; CI: 1.24-1.46; P < 0.001). We then assessed the CRF and SBP-Reserve interaction on mortality risk with Fit individuals with SBP-Reserve >52 mmHg serving as the referent. Mortality risk was 92% higher (HR = 1.92%; 95% CI: 1.77-2.09; P < 0.001) in Unfit individuals with SBP-Reserve ≤52 mmHg and 47% higher (HR = 1.47; 95% CI: 1.33-1.62; P < 0.001) in those with SBP-Reserve >52 mmHg.

CONCLUSION

Low CRF was associated with increased mortality risk regardless of peak exercise SBP. The risk was substantially higher in individuals unable to augment their exercise SBP >52 mmHg beyond resting levels.

Predictors and Consequences of Veterans Affairs Mental Health Provider Burnout: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Study

Background

In the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), mental health providers (MHPs) report the second highest level of burnout after primary care physicians. Burnout is defined as increased emotional exhaustion and depersonalization and decreased sense of personal accomplishment at work.

Objective

This study aims to characterize variation in MHP burnout by VHA facility over time, identifying workplace characteristics and practices of high-performing facilities.

Methods

Using both qualitative and quantitative methods, we will evaluate factors that influence MHP burnout and their effects on patient outcomes. We will compile annual survey data on workplace conditions and annual staffing as well as productivity data to assess same and subsequent year provider and patient outcomes reflecting provider and patient experiences. We will conduct interviews with mental health leadership at the facility level and with frontline MHPs sampled based on our quantitative findings. We will present our findings to an expert panel of operational partners, Veterans Affairs clinicians, administrators, policy leaders, and experts in burnout. We will reengage with facilities that participated in the earlier qualitative interviews and will hold focus groups that share results based on our quantitative and qualitative work combined with input from our expert panel. We will broadly disseminate these findings to support the development of actionable policies and approaches to addressing MHP burnout.

Results

This study will assist in developing and testing interventions to improve MHP burnout and employee engagement. Our work will contribute to improvements within VHA and will generate insights for health care delivery, informing efforts to address burnout.

Conclusions

This is the first comprehensive, longitudinal, national, mixed methods study that incorporates different types of MHPs. It will engage MHP leadership and frontline providers in understanding facilitators and barriers to effectively address burnout.

International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)

PRR1-10.2196/18345

Risk of Osteoporosis and Fractures in Patients with Thyroid Cancer: A Case-Control Study in U.S. Veterans

BACKGROUND

Data on osteoporosis and fractures in patients with thyroid cancer, especially men, are conflicting. Our objective was to determine osteoporosis and fracture risk in U.S. veterans with thyroid cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This is a case-control study using the Veterans Health Administration Corporate Data Warehouse (2004-2013). Patients with thyroid cancer (n = 10,370) and controls (n = 10,370) were matched by age, sex, weight, and steroid use. Generalized linear mixed-effects regression model was used to compare the two groups in terms of osteoporosis and fracture risk. Next, subgroup analysis of the patients with thyroid cancer using longitudinal thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) was performed to determine its effect on risk of osteoporosis and fractures. Other covariates included patient age, sex, median household income, comorbidities, and steroid and androgen use.

RESULTS

Compared with controls, osteoporosis, but not fractures, was more frequent in patients with thyroid cancer (7.3% vs. 5.3%; odds ratio [OR], 1.33; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.18-1.49) when controlling for median household income, Charlson/Deyo comorbidity score, and androgen use. Subgroup analysis of patients with thyroid cancer demonstrated that lower TSH (OR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.90-0.97), female sex (OR, 4.24; 95% CI, 3.53-5.10), older age (e.g., ≥85 years: OR, 17.18; 95% CI, 11.12-26.54 compared with <50 years), and androgen use (OR, 1.63; 95% CI, 1.18-2.23) were associated with osteoporosis. Serum TSH was not associated with fractures (OR, 1.01; 95% CI, 0.96-1.07).

CONCLUSION

Osteoporosis, but not fractures, was more common in U.S. veterans with thyroid cancer than controls. Multiple factors may be contributory, with low TSH playing a small role.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Data on osteoporosis and fragility fractures in patients with thyroid cancer, especially in men, are limited and conflicting. Because of excellent survival rates, the number of thyroid cancer survivors is growing and more individuals may experience long-term effects from the cancer itself and its treatments, such as osteoporosis and fractures. The present study offers unique insight on the risk for osteoporosis and fractures in a largely male thyroid cancer cohort. Physicians who participate in the long-term care of patients with thyroid cancer should take into consideration a variety of factors in addition to TSH level when considering risk for osteoporosis.

Protective and Risk Factors for 5-Year Survival in the Oldest Veterans: Data from the Veterans Health Administration

OBJECTIVES

To characterize physical and mental diseases and use of healthcare services and identify factors associated with mortality in the oldest individuals using the Veterans Health Administration (VHA).

DESIGN

Retrospective study with 5-year survival follow-up.

SETTING

VHA, system-wide.

PARTICIPANTS

Veterans using the VHA aged 80 and older as of October 2008 (N = 721,588: n = 665,249 aged 80-89, n = 56,118 aged 90-99, n = 221 aged 100-115).

MEASUREMENTS

Demographic characteristics, physical and mental diseases, healthcare services, and 5-year survival were measured.

RESULTS

Accelerated failure time models identified protective and risk factors associated with mortality according to age group. During 5 years of follow-up, 44% of participants died (survival rate: 59% aged 80-89, 32% aged 90-99, 15% aged ≥100). In the multivariable model, protective effects for veterans aged 80-99 were female sex, minority race or ethnicity, being married, having certain physical and mental diagnoses (hypertension, cataract, dyslipidemia, posttraumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder), having urgent care visits, having invasive surgery, and having few (1-3) prescriptions. Risk factors were lower VHA priority status, physical and mental conditions (diabetes mellitus, anemia, congestive heart failure, dementia, anxiety, depression, smoking, substance abuse disorder), hospital admission, and nursing home care. For those aged 100 and older, being married, smoking, hospital admission, nursing home care, invasive surgery, and prescription use were significant risk factors; only emergency department (ED) use was protective.

CONCLUSION

Although the data are limited to VHA care (thus missing Medicare services), this study shows that many veterans served by the VHA live to advanced old age despite multiple chronic conditions. Further study is needed to determine whether a comprehensive, coordinated care system like VHA is associated with greater longevity for very old persons.

Moving From Discovery to System-Wide Change: The Role of Research in a Learning Health Care System: Experience from Three Decades of Health Systems Research in the Veterans Health Administration

The Veterans Health Administration is unique, functioning as an integrated health care system that provides care to more than six million veterans annually and as a home to an established scientific enterprise that conducts more than $1 billion of research each year. The presence of research, spanning the continuum from basic health services to translational research, has helped the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) realize the potential of a learning health care system and has contributed to significant improvements in clinical quality over the past two decades. It has also illustrated distinct pathways by which research influences clinical care and policy and has provided lessons on challenges in translating research into practice on a national scale. These lessons are increasingly relevant to other health care systems, as the issues confronting the VA—the need to provide timely access, coordination of care, and consistent high quality across a diverse system—mirror those of the larger US health care system.

Racial and ethnic disparities in contraceptive knowledge among women veterans in the ECUUN study

OBJECTIVE

To assess whether racial/ethnic disparities in contraceptive knowledge observed in the general US population are also seen among women Veterans served by the Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare system.

STUDY DESIGN

We analyzed data from a national telephone survey of 2302 women Veterans aged 18-44 who had received care within VA in the prior 12 months. Twenty survey items assessed women's knowledge about various contraceptive methods. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine racial/ethnic variation in contraceptive knowledge items, adjusting for age, marital status, education, income, parity, and branch of military service.

RESULTS

Contraceptive knowledge was low among all participants, but black and Hispanic women had lower knowledge scores than whites in almost all knowledge domains. Compared to white women, black women were significantly less likely to answer correctly 15 of the 20 knowledge items, with the greatest adjusted difference observed in the item assessing knowledge about the reversibility of tubal sterilization (adjusted percentage point difference (PPD): -23.0; 95% CI: -27.8, -18.3). Compared to white women, Hispanic women were significantly less likely to answer correctly 11 of the 20 knowledge items, with the greatest adjusted difference also in the item assessing tubal sterilization reversibility (PPD: -13.1; 95% CI: -19.5, -6.6).

CONCLUSION

Contraceptive knowledge among women Veterans served by VA is suboptimal, especially among racial/ethnic minority women. Improving women's knowledge about important aspects of available contraceptive methods may help women better select and effectively use contraception.

IMPLICATIONS

Providers in the VA healthcare system should assess and address contraceptive knowledge gaps as part of high-quality, patient-centered reproductive health care.

Perceptions of Care of Patients Undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery in Veterans Health Administration and Private Sector Hospitals

Few studies have examined differences in patient perceptions of care between health care systems. This study compared the perceptions of male patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery in 43 Veterans Health Administration (VA) hospitals (N = 808) and 102 US private sector hospitals (N = 2271) from 1995 to 1998. Patient perceptions were measured by a validated survey that was mailed to patients after discharge. For 8 of the 9 dimensions assessed by the survey, VA patients were more likely (P < .001) than private sector patients to note a problem with care (eg, Coordination, 48% versus 40%; Patient Education and Communication, 50% versus 40%; Respect for Patient Preferences, 49% versus 41%). In comparisons limited to major teaching hospitals, VA patients were more likely to note a problem for 5 dimensions. The findings indicate that patient perceptions of care may be lower in VA than in private sector hospitals. Future studies should examine whether the VA's recent focus on improving patient satisfaction has narrowed these differences.

Does the engagement of clinicians and organisations in research improve healthcare performance: a three-stage review

OBJECTIVE

There is a widely held assumption that engagement by clinicians and healthcare organisations in research improves healthcare performance at various levels, but little direct empirical evidence has previously been collated. The objective of this study was to address the question: Does research engagement (by clinicians and organisations) improve healthcare performance?

METHODS

An hourglass-shaped review was developed, consisting of three stages: (1) a planning and mapping stage; (2) a focused review concentrating on the core question of whether or not research engagement improves healthcare performance; and (3) a wider (but less systematic) review of papers identified during the two earlier stages, focusing on mechanisms.

RESULTS

Of the 33 papers included in the focused review, 28 identified improvements in health services performance. Seven out of these papers reported some improvement in health outcomes, with others reporting improved processes of care. The wider review demonstrated that mechanisms such as collaborative and action research can encourage some progress along the pathway from research engagement towards improved healthcare performance. Organisations that have deliberately integrated the research function into organisational structures demonstrate how research engagement can, among other factors, contribute to improved healthcare performance.

CONCLUSIONS

Current evidence suggests that there is an association between the engagement of individuals and healthcare organisations in research and improvements in healthcare performance. The mechanisms through which research engagement might improve healthcare performance overlap and rarely act in isolation, and their effectiveness often depends on the context in which they operate.

Variation in use of echocardiography among veterans who use the Veterans Health Administration vs Medicare

BACKGROUND

Rapid growth in the provision of cardiac imaging tests has led to concerns about overuse. Little is known about the degree to which health care delivery system characteristics influence use and variation in echocardiography.

METHODS

We analyzed administrative claims of veterans with heart failure older than 65 years from 2007 to 2010 across 34 metropolitan service areas (MSAs). We compared overall rates and geographic variation in use of transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) between veterans who used the Veterans Health Administration (VA) and propensity-matched veterans who used Medicare. "Dual users" were excluded.

RESULTS

There were no significant differences in clinical characteristics or mortality between the propensity-matched cohorts (overall n = 30,404 veterans, mean age 76 years, mortality rate 52%). The Medicare cohort had a significantly higher overall rate of TTE use compared with the VA cohort (1.25 vs 0.38 TTEs per person-year, incidence rate ratio 2.89 [95% CI 2.80-3.00], both P < .001), but a similar coefficient of variation across MSAs (0.36 [95% CI 0.27-0.45] vs 0.48 [95% CI 0.37-0.59]). There was a moderate to strong correlation in variation at the MSA level between cohorts (Spearman r = 0.58, P < .001).

CONCLUSION

Overall rates of TTE use were significantly higher in a Medicare cohort compared with a propensity score-matched VA cohort of veterans with heart failure living in urban areas, with similar relative degrees of geographic variation and moderate to strong regional correlation. Rates of TTE use may be strongly influenced by health care system characteristics, but local practice styles influence echocardiography rates irrespective of health system.

Delivering the aims of the Collaborations for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care: understanding their strategies and contributions

Background

In 2008, the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) in England established nine Collaborations for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care (CLAHRCs) to develop partnerships between universities and local NHS organisations focused on improving patient outcomes through the conduct and application of applied health research.

Objectives

The study explored how effectively the CLAHRCs supported the ‘translation’ of research into patient benefit, and developed ways of doing applied research that maximised its chances of being useful to the service and the capacity of the NHS to respond. It focused on three issues: (1) how the NHS influenced the CLAHRCs, and vice versa; (2) how effective multistakeholder and multidisciplinary research and implementation teams were built in the CLAHRCs; (3) how the CLAHRCs supported the use of research knowledge to change commissioning and clinical behaviour for patient benefit.

Methods

The study adopted an adaptive and emergent approach and incorporated a formative evaluation. An initial phase mapped the landscape of all nine CLAHRCs and the context within which they were established, using document analysis, workshops and interviews, and a literature review. This mapping exercise identified the three research questions that were explored in phase 2 through a stakeholder survey of six CLAHRCs, in-depth case studies of two CLAHRCs, validation interviews with all nine CLAHRCs and the NIHR, and document review.

Results

(1) The local remit and the requirement for matched NHS funding enhanced NHS influence on the CLAHRCs. The CLAHRCs achieved positive change among those most directly involved, but the larger issue of whether or not the CLAHRCs can influence others in and across the NHS remains unresolved. (2) The CLAHRCs succeeded in engaging different stakeholder groups, and explored what encouraged specific groups to become involved. Being responsive to people’s concerns and demonstrating ‘quick wins’ were both important. (3) There was some evidence that academics were becoming more interested in needs-driven research, and that commissioners were seeing the CLAHRCs as a useful source of support. A growing number of completed projects had demonstrated an impact on clinical practice.

Conclusions

The CLAHRCs have included NHS decision-makers in research and researchers in service decision-making, and encouraged research-informed practice. All the CLAHRCs (as collaborations) adopted relationship models. However, as the complexities of the challenges they faced became clearer, it became obvious that a focus on multidisciplinary relationships was necessary, but not sufficient on its own. Attention also has to be paid to the systems within and through which these relationships operate.

Recommendations for research

Future research should compare areas with an Academic Health Science Network (AHSN) and a CLAHRC with areas with just an AHSN, to understand the difference CLAHRCs make. There should be work on understanding implementation, such as the balancing of rigour and relevance in intervention studies; systemic barriers to and facilitators of implementation; and tailoring improvement interventions. There is also a need to better understand the factors that support the explicit use of research evidence across the NHS, and the processes and mechanisms that support the sustainability and scale-up of implementation projects. Research should place emphasis on examining the role of patient and public involvement in CLAHRCs and of the relation between CLAHRCs and NHS commissioners.

Funding

The NIHR Health Services and Delivery Research programme.

Statin medications are associated with a lower probability of having an abnormal screening prostate-specific antigen result

OBJECTIVE

To investigate how statin use is associated with the probability of having an abnormal screening prostate-specific antigen (PSA) result according to common PSA thresholds for biopsy (>2.5, >4.0, and >6.5 ng/mL).

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional study of 323,426 men aged ≥65 years who had a screening PSA test in 2003 at a Veterans Affairs facility. The primary predictor was the use of statin medications at the time of index screening PSA test. The main outcome was the screening PSA value. Poisson regressions were performed to calculate adjusted relative risks for having an abnormal screening PSA result according to statin usage.

RESULTS

Percentages of men with PSA results exceeding commonly used thresholds of >2.5, >4.0, and >6.5 ng/mL were 21.0%, 7.6%, and 1.6%, respectively. These percentages decreased with statin use, increasing statin dose, duration of statin use, and potency of the statin. For example, after adjusting for age, the percentage of men having a PSA level >4.0 ng/mL ranged from 8.2% in non-statin users to 6.2% in men prescribed with >40 mg of simvastatin dose. Adjusted relative risks of having a PSA level >4.0 ng/mL were 0.89 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.86-0.93), 0.87 (95% CI, 0.84-0.91), and 0.83 (95% CI, 0.80-0.87), respectively for men on simvastatin dose of 5-20, >20-40, and >40 mg vs non-statin users.

CONCLUSION

Statin use is associated with a reduction in the probability that an older man will have an abnormal screening PSA result, regardless of the PSA threshold. This reduction is more pronounced with higher statin dose, longer statin duration, and higher statin potency.

Age-Specific Exercise Capacity Threshold for Mortality Risk Assessment in Male Veterans

Background—

Mortality risk decreases beyond a certain fitness level. However, precise definition of this threshold is elusive and varies with age. Thus, fitness-related mortality risk assessment is difficult.

Methods and Results—

We studied 18 102 male veterans (8305 blacks and 8746 whites). All completed an exercise test between 1986 and 2011 with no evidence of ischemia. We defined the peak metabolic equivalents (METs) level associated with no increase in all-cause mortality risk (hazard ratio, 1.0) for the age categories of <50, 50 to 59, 60 to 69, and ≥70 years. We used this as the threshold group to form additional age-specific fitness categories based on METs achieved below and above it: least-fit (>2 METs below threshold; n=1692), low-fit (2 METs below threshold; n=4884), moderate-fit (2 METs above threshold; n=4646), fit (2.1–4 METs above threshold; n=1874), and high-fit (>4 METs above threshold; n=1301) categories. Multivariable Cox models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for mortality across fitness categories. During follow-up (median=10.8 years), 5102 individuals died. Mortality risk for the cohort and each age category increased for the least-fit and low-fit categories (HR, 1.51; 95% CI, 1.37–1.66; and HR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.12–1.30, respectively) and decreased for the moderate-fit; fit and high-fit categories (HR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.65–0.78; HR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.56–0.78; and HR, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.41–0.58, respectively). The trends were similar for 5- and 10-year mortality risk.

Conclusion—

We defined age-specific exercise capacity thresholds to guide assessment of mortality risk in individuals undergoing a clinical exercise test.

Examining clinical performance feedback in Patient-Aligned Care Teams

BACKGROUND

The move to team-based models of health care represents a fundamental shift in healthcare delivery, including major changes in the roles and relationships among clinical personnel. Audit and feedback of clinical performance has traditionally focused on the provider; however, a team-based model of care may require different approaches.

OBJECTIVE

Identify changes in audit and feedback of clinical performance to primary care clinical personnel resulting from implementing team-based care in their clinics.

DESIGN

Semi-structured interviews with primary care clinicians, their department heads, and facility leadership at 16 geographically diverse VA Medical Centers, selected purposively by their clinical performance profile.

PARTICIPANTS

An average of three interviewees per VA medical center, selected from physicians, nurses, and primary care and facility directors who participated in 1-hour interviews.

APPROACH

Interviews focused on how clinical performance information is fed back to clinicians, with particular emphasis on external peer-review program measures and changes in feedback associated with team-based care implementation. Interview transcripts were analyzed, using techniques adapted from grounded theory and content analysis.

KEY RESULTS

Ownership of clinical performance still rests largely with the provider, despite transitioning to team-based care. A panel-management information tool emerged as the most prominent change to clinical performance feedback dissemination, and existing feedback tools were seen as most effective when monitored by the nurse members of the team. Facilities reported few, if any, appreciable changes to the assessment of clinical performance since transitioning to team-based care.

CONCLUSIONS

Although new tools have been created to support higher-quality clinical performance feedback to primary care teams, such tools have not necessarily delivered feedback consistent with a team-based approach to health care. Audit and feedback of clinical performance has remained largely unchanged, despite material differences in roles and responsibilities of team members. Future research should seek to unpack the nuances of team-based audit and feedback, to better align feedback with strategic clinical goals.

Predicting potentially avoidable hospitalizations

BACKGROUND

Hospitalizations due to ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSCs) are widely accepted as an indicator of primary care access and effectiveness. However, broad early intervention to all patients in a health care system may be deemed infeasible due to limited resources.

OBJECTIVE

To develop a predictive model to identify high-risk patients for early intervention to reduce ACSC hospitalizations, and to explore the predictive power of different variables.

METHODS

The study population included all patients treated for ACSCs in the VA system in fiscal years (FY) 2011 and 2012 (n=2,987,052). With all predictors from FY2011, we developed a statistical model using hierarchical logistic regression with a random intercept to predict the risk of ACSC hospitalizations in the first 90 days and the full year of FY2012. In addition, we configured separate models to assess the predictive power of different variables. We used a random split-sample method to prevent overfitting.

RESULTS

For hospitalizations within the first 90 days of FY2012, the full model reached c-statistics of 0.856 (95% CI, 0.853-0.860) and 0.856 (95% CI, 0.852-0.860) for the development and validation samples, respectively. For predictive power of the variables, the model with only a random intercept yielded c-statistics of 0.587 (95% CI, 0.582-0.593) and 0.578 (95% CI, 0.573-0.583), respectively; with patient demographic and socioeconomic variables added, the c-statistics improved to 0.725 (95% CI, 0.720-0.729) and 0.721 (95% CI, 0.717-0.726), respectively; adding prior year utilization and cost raised the c-statistics to 0.826 (95% CI, 0.822-0.830) and 0.826 (95% CI,0.822-0.830), respectively; the full model was reached with HCCs added. For the 1-year hospitalizations, only the full model was fitted, which yielded c-statistics of 0.835 (95% CI, 0.831-0.837) and 0.833 (95% CI, 0.830-0.837), respectively, for development and validation samples.

CONCLUSIONS

Our analyses demonstrate that administrative data can be effective in predicting ACSC hospitalizations. With high predictive ability, the model can assist primary care providers to identify high-risk patients for early intervention to reduce ACSC hospitalizations.

More than a score: a qualitative study of ancillary benefits of performance measurement

BACKGROUND

Prior research has examined clinical effects of performance measurement systems. To the extent that non-clinical effects have been researched, the focus has been on negative unintended consequences. Yet, these same systems may also have ancillary benefits for patients and providers--that is, benefits that extend beyond improvements on clinical measures. The purpose of this study is to identify and describe potential ancillary benefits of performance measures as perceived by primary care staff and facility leaders in a large US healthcare system.

METHODS

In-person individual semistructured interviews were conducted with 59 primary care staff and facility leaders at four Veterans Health Administration facilities. Transcribed interviews were coded and organised into thematic categories.

RESULTS

Interviewed staff observed that local performance measurement implementation practices can result in increased patient knowledge and motivation. These effects on patients can lead to improved performance scores and additional ancillary benefits. Performance measurement implementation can also directly result in ancillary benefits for the patients and providers. Patients may experience greater satisfaction with care and psychosocial benefits associated with increased provider-patient communication. Ancillary benefits of performance measurement for providers include increased pride in individual or organisational performance and greater confidence that one's practice is grounded in evidence-based medicine.

CONCLUSIONS

A comprehensive understanding of the effects of performance measurement systems needs to incorporate ancillary benefits as well as effects on clinical performance scores and negative unintended consequences. Although clinical performance has been the focus of most evaluations of performance measurement to date, both patient care and provider satisfaction may improve more rapidly if all three categories of effects are considered when designing and evaluating performance measurement systems.

Heart rate at rest, exercise capacity, and mortality risk in veterans

Heart rate (HR) at rest has been associated inversely with mortality risk. However, fitness is inversely associated with mortality risk and both increased fitness and β-blockade therapy affect HR at rest. Thus, both fitness and β-blockade therapy should be considered when HR at rest-mortality risk association is assessed. From 1986 to 2011, we assessed HR at rest, fitness, and mortality in 18,462 veterans (mean age = 58 ± 11 years) undergoing a stress test. During a median follow-up period of 10 years (211,398 person-years), 5,100 died, at an average annual mortality of 24.1 events/1,000 person-years. After adjusting for age, body mass index, cardiac risk factors, medication, and exercise capacity, we noted approximately 11% increase in risk for each 10 heart beats. To assess the risk in a wide and clinically relevant spectrum, we established 6 HR at rest categories per 10 heart beat intervals ranging from <60 to ≥100 beats. Mortality risk was significantly elevated at a HR at rest of ≥70 beats/min (hazard ratio 1.14, confidence interval 1.04 to 1.25; p <0.006) and increased progressively to 49% (hazard ratio 1.49, confidence interval 1.29 to 1.73; p <0.001) for those with a HR at rest of ≥100 beats/min. Similar trends were noted when for subjects aged <60 and ≥60 years and those treated with β blockers. In all assessments, mortality risk was consistently overestimated when fitness was not considered. In conclusion, HR at rest-mortality risk association was direct and independent. A progressive increase in risk was noted >70 beats/min for the entire cohort, those treated with β blockers, and those aged <60 and ≥60 years. Mortality risk was overestimated slightly when fitness status was not considered.

Engagement in research: an innovative three-stage review of the benefits for health-care performance

Background

There is a widely held assumption that research engagement improves health-care performance at various levels, but little direct empirical evidence.

Objectives

To conduct a theoretically and empirically grounded synthesis to map and explore plausible mechanisms through which research engagement might improve health services performance. A review of the effects on patients of their health-care practitioner's or institution's participation in clinical trials was published after submission of the proposal for this review. It identified only 13 relevant papers and, overall, suggested that the evidence that research engagement improves health-care performance was less strong than some thought. We aimed to meet the need for a wider review.

Methods

An hourglass review was developed, consisting of three stages: (1) a planning and mapping stage; (2) a focused review concentrating on the core question of whether or not research engagement improves health care; and (3) a wider (but less systematic) review of papers identified during the two earlier stages. Studies were included inthe focused review if the concept of ‘engagementinresearch’ was an input and some measure of ‘performance’ an output. The search strategy covered the period 1990 to March 2012. MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Web of Science and other relevant databases were searched. A total of 10,239 papers were identified through the database searches, and 159 from other sources. A further relevance and quality check on 473 papers was undertaken, and identified 33 papers for inclusion in the review. A standard meta-analysis was not possible on the heterogeneous mix of papers in the focused review. Therefore an explanatory matrix was developed to help characterise the circumstances in which research engagement might improve health-care performance and the mechanisms that might be at work, identifying two main dimensions along which to categorise the studies:the degree of intentionalityandthe scope of the impact.

Results

Of the 33 papers in the focused review, 28 were positive (of which six were positive/mixed) in relation to the question of whether or not research engagement improves health-care performance. Five papers were negative (of which two were negative/mixed). Seven out of 28 positive papers reported some improvement in health outcomes. For the rest, the improved care took the form of improved processes of care. Nine positive papers were at a clinician level and 19 at an institutional level. The wider review demonstrated, for example, how collaborative and action research can encourage some progress along the pathway from research engagement towards improved health-care performance. There is also evidence that organisations in which the research function is fully integrated into the organisational structure out-perform other organisations that pay less formal heed to research and its outputs. The focused and wider reviews identified the diversity in the mechanisms through which research engagement might improve health care: there are many circumstances and mechanisms at work, more than one mechanism is often operative, and the evidence available for each one is limited.

Limitations

To address the complexities of this evidence synthesis of research we needed to spend significant time mapping the literature, and narrowed the research question to make it feasible. We excluded many potentially relevant papers (though we partially addressed this by conducting a wider additional synthesis). Studies assessing the impact made on clinician behaviour by small, locally conducted pieces of research could be difficult to interpret without full knowledge of the context.

Conclusions

Drawing on the focused and wider reviews, it is suggested that when clinicians and health-care organisations engage in research there is the likelihood of a positive impact on health-care performance. Organisations that have deliberately integrated the research function into organisational structures demonstrate how research engagement can, among other factors, contribute to improved health-care performance. Further explorations are required of research networks and schemes to promote the engagement of clinicians and managers in research. Detailed observational research focusing on research engagement within organisations would build up an understanding of mechanisms.

Study registration

PROSPERO: CRD42012001990.

Funding

The National Institute for Health Research Health Services and Delivery Research programme.

Patient preference and contraindications in measuring quality of care: what do administrative data miss?

PURPOSE

Prior studies report that half of patients with lung cancer do not receive guideline-concordant care. With data from a national Veterans Health Administration (VHA) study on quality of care, we sought to determine what proportion of patients refused or had a contraindication to recommended lung cancer therapy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Through medical record abstraction, we evaluated adherence to six quality indicators addressing lung cancer-directed therapy for patients diagnosed within the VHA during 2007 and calculated the proportion of patients receiving, refusing, or having contraindications to recommended treatment.

RESULTS

Mean age of the predominantly male population was 67.7 years (standard deviation, 9.4 years), and 15% were black. Adherence to quality indicators ranged from 81% for adjuvant chemotherapy to 98% for curative resection; however, many patients met quality indicator criteria without actually receiving recommended therapy by having a refusal (0% to 14%) or contraindication (1% to 30%) documented. Less than 1% of patients refused palliative chemotherapy. Black patients were more likely to refuse or bear a contraindication to surgery even when controlling for comorbidity; race was not associated with refusals or contraindications to other treatments.

CONCLUSION

Refusals and contraindications are common and may account for previously demonstrated low rates of recommended lung cancer therapy performance at the VHA. Racial disparities in treatment may be explained, in part, by such factors. These results sound a cautionary note for quality measurement that depends on data that do not reflect patient preference or contraindications in conditions where such considerations are important.

Health information technology and implementation science: partners in progress in the VHA

BACKGROUND

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI) has demonstrated how implementation science can enhance the quality of health care. During this time an increasing number of implementation research projects have developed or utilized health information technology (HIT) innovations to leverage the VA's electronic health record and information systems.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the HIT approaches used and to characterize the facilitators and barriers to progress within implementation research projects in the VA QUERI program.

PARTICIPANTS

Nine case studies were selected from among 88 projects and represented 8 of 14 HIT categories identified. Each case study included key informants whose roles on the project were principal investigator, implementation science and informatics development.

APPROACH

We conducted documentation analysis and semistructured in-person interviews with key informants for each of the 9 case studies. We used qualitative analysis software to identify and thematically code information and interview responses.

RESULTS

: Thematic analyses revealed 3 domains or pathways critical to progression through the QUERI steps. These pathways addressed: (1) compliance and collaboration with information technology policies and procedures; (2) operating within organizational policies and building collaborations with end users, clinicians, and administrators; and (3) obtaining and maintaining research resources and approvals.

CONCLUSION

Sustained efforts in HIT innovation and in implementation science in the Veterans Health Administration demonstrates the interdependencies of these initiatives and the critical pathways that can contribute to progress. Other health care quality improvement efforts that rely on HIT can learn from the Veterans Health Administration experience.

Interactive effects of fitness and statin treatment on mortality risk in veterans with dyslipidaemia: a cohort study

BACKGROUND

Statins are commonly prescribed for management of dyslipidaemia and cardiovascular disease. Increased fitness is also associated with low mortality and is recommended as an essential part of promoting health. However, little information exists about the combined effects of fitness and statin treatment on all-cause mortality. We assessed the combined effects of statin treatment and fitness on all-cause mortality risk.

METHODS

In this prospective cohort study, we included dyslipidaemic veterans from Veterans Affairs Medical Centers in Palo Alto, CA, and Washington DC, USA, who had had an exercise tolerance test between 1986, and 2011. We assigned participants to one of four fitness categories based on peak metabolic equivalents (MET) achieved during exercise test and eight categories based on fitness status and statin treatment. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality adjusted for age, body-mass index, ethnic origin, sex, history of cardiovascular disease, cardiovascular drugs, and cardiovascular risk factors. We assessed mortality from Veteran's Affairs' records on Dec 31, 2011. We compared groups with Cox proportional hazard model.

FINDINGS

We assessed 10,043 participants (mean age 58·8 years, SD 10·9 years). During a median follow-up of 10·0 years (IQR 6·0-14·2), 2318 patients died, with an average yearly mortality rate of 22 deaths per 1000 person-years. Mortality risk was 18·5% (935/5046) in people taking statins versus 27·7% (1386/4997) in those not taking statins (p<0·0001). In patients who took statins, mortality risk decreased as fitness increased; for highly fit individuals (>9 MET; n=694), the hazard ratio (HR) was 0·30 (95% CI 0·21-0·41; p<0·0001) compared with least fit (≤5 METs) patients (HR 1; n=1060). For those not treated with statins, the HR for least fit participants (n=1024) was 1·35 (95% CI 1·17-1·54; p<0·0001) and progressively decreased to 0·53 (95% CI 0·44-0·65; p<0·0001) for those in the highest fitness category (n=1498).

INTERPRETATION

Statin treatment and increased fitness are independently associated with low mortality among dyslipidaemic individuals. The combination of statin treatment and increased fitness resulted in substantially lower mortality risk than either alone, reinforcing the importance of physical activity for individuals with dyslipidaemia.

FUNDING

None.

Exercise capacity and progression from prehypertension to hypertension

Prehypertension is likely to progress to hypertension. The rate of progression is determined mostly by age and resting blood pressure but may also be attenuated by increased fitness. A graded exercise test was performed in 2303 men with prehypertension at the Veterans Affairs Medical Centers in Washington, DC. Four fitness categories were defined, based on peak metabolic equivalents (METs) achieved. We assessed the association between exercise capacity and rate of progression to hypertension (HTN). The median follow-up period was 7.8 years (mean (± SD) 9.2±6.1 years). The incidence rate of progression from prehypertension to hypertension was 34.4 per 1000 person-years. Exercise capacity was a strong and independent predictor of the rate of progression. Compared to the High-Fit individuals (>10.0 METs), the adjusted risk for developing HTN was 66% higher (hazard ratio, 1.66; 95% CI, 1.2 to 2.2; P=0.001) for the Low-Fit and, similarly, 72% higher (hazard ratio, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.2 to 2.3; P=0.001) for the Least-Fit individuals, whereas it was only 36% for the Moderate-Fit (hazard ratio, 1.36; 95% CI, 0.99 to 1.80; P=0.056). Significant predictors for the progression to HTN were also age (19% per 10 years), resting systolic blood pressure (16% per 10 mm Hg), body mass index (15.3% per 5 U), and type 2 diabetes mellitus (2-fold). In conclusion, an inverse, S-shaped association was shown between exercise capacity and the rate of progression from prehypertension to hypertension in middle-aged and older male veterans. The protective effects of fitness were evident when exercise capacity exceeded 8.5 METs. These findings emphasize the importance of fitness in the prevention of hypertension.

BMI-mortality paradox and fitness in African American and Caucasian men with type 2 diabetes

OBJECTIVE

To assess the association between BMI, fitness, and mortality in African American and Caucasian men with type 2 diabetes and to explore racial differences in this association.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

We used prospective observational data from Veterans Affairs Medical Centers in Washington, DC, and Palo Alto, California. Our cohort (N = 4,156; mean age 60 ± 10.3 years) consisted of 2,013 African Americans (mean age, 59.5 ± 9.9 years), 2,000 Caucasians (mean age, 60.8 ± 10.5 years), and 143 of unknown race/ethnicity. BMI, cardiac risk factors, medications, and peak exercise capacity in metabolic equivalents (METs) were assessed during 1986 and 2010. All-cause mortality was assessed across BMI and fitness categories.

RESULTS

There were 1,074 deaths during a median follow-up period of 7.5 years. A paradoxic BMI-mortality association was observed, with significantly higher risk among those with a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 kg/m(2) (hazard ratio [HR] 1.70 [95% CI 1.36-2.1]) compared with the obese category (BMI ≥ 35 kg/m(2)). This association was accentuated in African Americans (HR 1.95 [95% CI 1.44-2.63]) versus Caucasians (HR 1.53 [1.0-2.1]). The fitness-mortality risk association for the entire cohort and within BMI categories was inverse, independent, and graded. Mortality risks were 12% lower for each 1-MET increase in exercise capacity, and ~35-55% lower for those with an exercise capacity >5 METs compared with the least fit (≤ 5 METs). CONCLUSIONS A paradoxic BMI-mortality risk association was observed in African American and Caucasian patients with diabetes. The exercise capacity-mortality risk association was inverse, independent, and graded in all BMI categories but was more potent in those with a BMI ≥ 25 kg/m(2).

Correlation of inpatient and outpatient measures of stroke care quality within veterans health administration hospitals

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Quality of care delivered in the inpatient and ambulatory settings may be correlated within an integrated health system such as the Veterans Health Administration. We examined the correlation between stroke care quality at hospital discharge and within 6 months postdischarge.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional hospital-level correlation analyses of chart-abstracted data for 3467 veterans discharged alive after an acute ischemic stroke from 108 Veterans Health Administration medical centers and 2380 veterans with postdischarge follow-up within 6 months in fiscal year 2007. Four risk-standardized processes of care represented discharge care quality: prescription of antithrombotic and antilipidmic therapy, anticoagulation for atrial fibrillation, and tobacco cessation counseling along with a composite measure of defect-free care. Five risk-standardized intermediate outcomes represented postdischarge care quality: achievement of blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein, international normalized ratio, and glycosylated hemoglobin target levels, and delivery of appropriate treatment for poststroke depression along with a composite measure of achieved outcomes.

RESULTS

Median risk-standardized composite rate of defect-free care at discharge was 79%. Median risk-standardized postdischarge rates of achieving goal were 56% for blood pressure, 36% for low-density lipoprotein, 41% for international normalized ratio, 40% for glycosylated hemoglobin, and 39% for depression management and the median risk-standardized composite 6-month outcome rate was 44%. The hospital composite rate of defect-free care at discharge was correlated with meeting the low-density lipoprotein goal (r=0.31; P=0.007) and depression management (r=0.27; P=0.03) goal but was not correlated with blood pressure, international normalized ratio, glycosylated hemoglobin goals, nor with the composite measure of achieved postdischarge outcomes (probability values >0.13).

CONCLUSIONS

Hospital discharge care quality was not consistently correlated with ambulatory care quality.

A random effects multinomial logit analysis of using Medicare and VA healthcare among veterans with dementia

This study aimed to examine longitudinal patterns of VA-only use, dual VA and Medicare use, or Medicare-only use among veterans with dementia. Data on VA and Medicare use (1998-2001) were obtained from VA administrative datasets and Medicare claims for 2,137 male veterans with a formal diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease or vascular dementia enrolled in the National Longitudinal Caregiver Study. A random effects multinomial logit model accounting for unobserved individual heterogeneity was used to estimate the effects of patient and caregiver characteristics on use group over time. Compared to VA-only use, dual VA and Medicare use was associated with being white, married, higher education, having private insurance, Medicaid, low VA priority level, more functional limitations, and having lived in a nursing home or died in that year. Medicare-only use was associated with older age, being married, higher education, having private insurance, low VA priority level, living further from a VA Medical Center, having more comorbidities, functional limitations, and having lived in a nursing home or died. Veterans whose caregivers reported better health were more likely to be dual users, but those whose caregivers reported more comorbidities were more likely to use Medicare only. Different aspects of veterans' needs and caregiver characteristics have differential effect on where veterans seek care. Efforts to coordinate care between VA and Medicare providers are necessary to ensure patients receive high quality care.

Use of administrative claims models to assess 30-day mortality among Veterans Health Administration hospitals

BACKGROUND

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) publicly reports hospital-specific risk-standardized, 30-day, all-cause, mortality rates (RSMRs) for all hospitalizations among fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries for acute myocardial infarction (AMI), heart failure (HF), and pneumonia at non-Federal hospitals.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the performance of the statistical models used by CMS among veterans at least 65 years of age hospitalized for AMI, HF, and pneumonia in Veterans Health Administration (VHA) hospitals.

RESEARCH DESIGN

Cross-sectional analysis of VHA administrative claims data between October 1, 2006 and September 30, 2009.

SUBJECTS

Thirteen thousand forty-six veterans hospitalized for AMI among 123 VHA hospitals; 26,379 veterans hospitalized for HF among 124 VHA hospitals; and 31,126 veterans hospitalized for pneumonia among 124 VHA hospitals.

MEASURES

Hospital-specific RSMR for AMI, HF, and pneumonia hospitalizations calculated using hierarchical generalized linear models.

RESULTS

Median number of AMI hospitalizations per VHA hospital was 87. Average AMI RSMR was 14.3% [95% confidence interval (CI), 13.9%-14.6%] with modest heterogeneity among VHA hospitals (RSMR range: 8.4%-20.3%). The c-statistic for the AMI RSMR statistical model was 0.79. Median number of HF hospitalizations was 188. Average HF RSMR was 10.1% (95% CI, 9.9%-10.4%) with modest heterogeneity (RSMR range: 6.1%-14.9%). The c-statistic for the HF RSMR statistical model was 0.73. Median number of pneumonia hospitalizations was 221.5. Average pneumonia RSMR was 13.0% (95% CI, 12.7%-13.3%) with modest heterogeneity (RSMR range: 9.0%-18.4%). The c-statistic for the pneumonia RSMR statistical model was 0.72.

CONCLUSIONS

The statistical models used by CMS to estimate RSMRs for AMI, HF, and pneumonia hospitalizations at non-Federal hospitals demonstrate similar discrimination when applied to VHA hospitals.

Trends and geographic variation of potentially avoidable hospitalizations in the veterans health-care system

The rate of hospitalizations due to ambulatory care-sensitive conditions (ACSCs) has been widely accepted as an indicator of access and quality of primary care. This study aimed to examine the trends and geographic variation of ACSC hospitalizations in US veterans health-care system, to identify factors associated with ACSC hospitalizations and to develop a quality indicator that can monitor access and effectiveness of primary care at hospital level. Using fiscal years 1997–2007 data, we found total ACSC hospitalizations per 1000 ACSC patients decreased by 58%; ACSC hospitalizations as percentage of total hospitalizations decreased 9%. However, significant geographic variations of ACSC hospitalizations remained and we found that adjustment of case-mix or confounding factors was essential in making meaningful comparisons among hospitals in a health-care system. Further, this study also reveals that low-income veterans still had higher ACSC hospitalization rates and patient travel time less than 30 minutes to the nearest VA providers was associated with fewer ACSC hospitalizations, which possess important policy implications.

Developing and validating process measures of health care quality: an application to alcohol use disorder treatment

BACKGROUND

Health care process quality measures usually are designed by expert panels attempting to synthesize nuanced clinical evidence and subsequently operationalized using administrative data. Many quality measures are then adopted without directly validating their presumed links with outcomes. Later efforts to validate process measures often yield negative results, leaving policy makers without a defensible means of measuring quality. This article presents an alternative strategy for developing and validating process quality measures. The development of an alcohol use disorder (AUD) treatment quality measure is used as an example.

METHODS

An expert panel generated a range of candidate process quality measures of AUD treatment derivable from administrative data that were then tested to determine which had the strongest associations with facility- and patient-level outcomes. Outcome and process data were from 2701 US Veterans Health Administration patients starting a new episode of care at 54 VA facilities.

RESULTS

Several of the candidate process-of-care quality measures predicted facility- and patient-level outcomes. Having at least 3 visits during the first month of specialty AUD treatment was correlated with improvement on the Addiction Severity Index Alcohol composite at the facility level, r = 0.41 (95% Confidence Interval 0.16-0.61), and at the patient level, r = 0.07 (CI: 0.03-0.11).

CONCLUSIONS

These "prevalidated" quality measures can now be judged for the extent they map onto the extant clinical literature and other design requirements. The development and validation strategy we describe should aid in efficiently producing quality measures in other areas of health care.

Extreme makeover: Transformation of the veterans health care system

The veterans health care system administered by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) was established after World War I to provide health care for veterans who suffered from conditions related to their military service. It has grown to be the nation's largest integrated health care system. As the system grew, a number of factors contributed to its becoming increasingly dysfunctional. By the mid-1990s, VA health care was widely criticized for providing fragmented and disjointed care of unpredictable and irregular quality, which was expensive, difficult to access, and insensitive to individual needs. Between 1995 and 1999, the VA health care system was reengineered, focusing especially on management accountability, care coordination, quality improvement, resource allocation, and information management. Numerous systemic changes were implemented, producing dramatically improved quality, service, and operational efficiency. VA health care is now considered among the best in America, and the VA transformation is viewed as a model for health care reform.

Differences in risk-adjusted mortality between medicaid-eligible patients enrolled in medicare advantage plans and those enrolled in the veterans health administration

BACKGROUND

We compared risk-adjusted mortality rates between Medicaid-eligible patients in the Medicare Advantage plans ("MA dual enrollees") and Medicaid-eligible patients in the Veterans Health Administration ("VHA dual enrollees").

METHODS

We used the Death Master File to ascertain the vital status of 1912 MA and 2361 VHA dual enrollees. We used Cox regression models to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

RESULTS

The 3-year mortality rates of VHA and MA dual enrollees were 15.8% and 19.0%, respectively. The adjusted HR of mortality in the MA dual enrollees was significantly higher than in the VHA dual enrollees (HR, 1.260 [95% CI, 1.044-1.520]). This was also the case for elderly patients and those from racial/ethnic minority groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The VHA had better health outcomes than did MA plans. The VHA's performance is reassuring, given its emphasis on equal access to healthcare in an environment that is less dependent on patient financial considerations.

Qualitative assessment of innovations in healthcare provision

Background

The triad of quality, innovation and economic restraint is as important in health care as it is in the business world. There are many proposals for the assessment of quality and of economic restraints in health care but only a few address assessment of innovations. We propose a strategy and new structures to standardize the description of health care innovations and to quantify them.

Discussion

Strategy and structure are based on the assumption that in the early phase of an innovation only data on the feasibility and possibly on the efficacy or effectiveness of an innovation can be expected. From the patient's perspective, benefit resulting from an innovation can be confirmed only in a later phase of development. Early indicators of patient's benefit will be surrogate parameters which correlate only weakly with the desired endpoints. After the innovation has been in use, there will be more evidence on correlations between surrogate parameters and the desired endpoints to provide evidence of the patient benefit. From an administrative perspective, this evidence can be considered in decisions about public financing. Different criteria are proposed for the assessment of innovations in prevention, diagnosis and therapy. For decisions on public financing a public fund for innovations may be helpful. Depending on the phase of innovation risk sharing models are proposed between manufacturers, private insurers and public funding.

Summary

Potential for patient benefit is always uncertain during early stages of innovations. This uncertainty decreases with increasing information on the effects of the innovation. Information about an innovation can be quantified, categorized and integrated into rational economic decisions.

Lessons for non-VA care delivery systems from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Quality Enhancement Research Initiative: QUERI Series

The U.S. Veterans Health Administration (VHA) may have a very different structure and function from the organizations and practices that provide medical care to most Americans, but those organizations and practices could learn a lot from the VHA's Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI). There are at least six topics of increasing importance for implementation research where QUERI experience should be of value to other non-VHA organizations, both within and external to the United States: 1) Researcher-clinical leader partnerships for care improvement; 2) Attention to culture, capacity, leadership, and a supportive infrastructure; 3) Practical economic evaluation of quality implementation efforts; 4) Human subject protection problems; 5) Sustainability of improvements; and 6) Scale-up and spread of improvements. The articles in Implementation Science's QUERI Series provide the details of those lessons for others who are willing to invest the time to translate them into their different settings.

Addressing physician concerns about performance profiling: experience with a local Veterans Affairs quality evaluation program

The Authors investigated the addition of novel quality indicators, patient risk adjustment, and simple statistics in an ongoing clinician feedback initiative that profiles diabetes care for 13 Veterans Affairs (VA) clinics. Data were extracted from a computerized database for calendar years 2004 to 2005. Performance was assessed with 4 monitoring measures, 3 intermediate outcomes, and 3 appropriate treatment measures. Attainment rates for each indicator were calculated by clinic. The effect of risk adjustment and the significance of clinic performance variation were determined with multivariate logistic models. Analysis of the 10 quality measures revealed lower attainment and greater clinic-level variation for the less familiar indicators. Statistically significant performance variations were detected among clinics, with several being of a clinically important magnitude. Risk adjustment did not substantially change performance. The addition of clinically relevant quality measures and simple statistics appeared to enhance the characterization of performance by this profiling program.

The relationship between measured performance and satisfaction with care among clinically complex patients

BACKGROUND

Recent work has shown that clinically complex patients are more likely to receive recommended care, but it is unknown whether higher achievement on individual performance goals results in improved care for complex patients or detracts from other important but unmeasured aspects of care, resulting in unmet needs and lower satisfaction with care.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the relationship between measured performance and satisfaction with care among clinically complex patients

DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS

An observational analysis of a national sample of 35,927 veterans included in the External Peer Review Program in fiscal years 2003 and 2004.

MEASUREMENTS

First, compliance with individual performance measures (breast cancer screening with mammography, colorectal cancer screening, influenza vaccination, pneumococcal vaccination, lipid monitoring, use of ACE inhibitor in heart failure, and diabetic eye examination), as well as overall receipt of recommended care, was estimated as a function of each patient's clinical complexity. Second, global satisfaction with care was estimated as a function of clinical complexity and compliance with performance measures.

MAIN RESULTS

Higher clinical complexity was predictive of slightly higher overall performance (OR 1.13, 95% CI 1.09 to 1.18) and higher performance on most individual performance measures, an effect that was mediated by increased visit frequency. High measured performance was associated with higher satisfaction with care among patients with high clinical complexity. In fact, as complexity increased, the effect of achieving high performance on the odds of being satisfied with care also increased

CONCLUSIONS

Not only was measured performance higher in clinically complex patients, but satisfaction with care was also higher among clinically complex patients with high measured performance, suggesting that compliance with performance measures in clinically complex patients does not crowd out unmeasured care.