Health-Analytics Data to Evidence Suite (HADES): Open-Source Software for Observational Research.

The Health-Analytics Data to Evidence Suite (HADES) is an open-source software collection developed by Observational Health Data Sciences and Informatics (OHDSI). It executes directly against healthcare data such as electronic health records and administrative claims, that have been converted to the Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership (OMOP) Common Data Model. Using advanced analytics, HADES performs characterization, population-level causal effect estimation, and patient-level prediction, potentially across a federated data network, allowing patient-level data to remain locally while only aggregated statistics are shared. Designed to run across a wide array of technical environments, including different operating systems and database platforms, HADES uses continuous integration with a large set of unit tests to maintain reliability. HADES implements OHDSI best practices, and is used in almost all published OHDSI studies, including some that have directly informed regulatory decisions.

Feasibility of Patient Navigation for Care Planning in Primary Care.

OBJECTIVES: To help better control chronic conditions we need to address root causes of poor health like unhealthy behaviors, mental health, and social needs. However, addressing these needs in primary care is difficult. One solution may be connecting patients with a navigator for support creating a personal care goal. METHODS: As part of an RCT to evaluate a feasible approach to care planning, 24 clinicians from 12 practices in the Virginia Ambulatory Care Outcomes Research Network (ACORN) and 87 intervention patients with uncontrolled chronic conditions participated in a care planning intervention. We had a structured process to guide patients, train navigators, and adapt the navigation process to meet the needs of each practice. RESULTS: Only 1 practice had bandwidth for staff to serve as a patient navigator, even for extra pay. For the other 11 practices, a research team member needed to provide navigation services. On average, patients wanted 25 weeks of support to complete care plans. The average time patients needed to speak with navigators on the phone was 7 min and 3 s. In exit interviews, patients consistently shared how motivational it was to have a caring person check in on them, offer help, and hold them accountable. CONCLUSION: Patient navigation to address care plans should be feasible. The time commitment is minimal. It does not require intensive training, and primary care is already doing much of this work. Yet, given the burden and competing demands in primary care, this help cannot be offered without additional resources.

Using State All-Payer Claims Data to Identify the Active Primary Care Workforce: A Novel Study in Virginia.

PURPOSE: Primary care is the foundation of the health care workforce and the only part that extends life and improves health equity. Previous research on the geographic and specialty distribution of physicians has relied on the American Medical Association's Masterfile, but these data have limitations that overestimate the workforce. METHODS: We present a pragmatic, systematic, and more accurate method for identifying primary care physicians using the National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES) and the Virginia All-Payer Claims Database (VA-APCD). Between 2015 and 2019, we identified all Virginia physicians and their specialty through the NPPES. Active physicians were defined by at least 1 claim in the VA-APCD. Specialty was determined hierarchically by the NPPES. Wellness visits were used to identify non-family medicine physicians who were providing primary care. RESULTS: In 2019, there were 20,976 active physicians in Virginia, of whom 5,899 (28.1%) were classified as providing primary care. Of this primary care physician workforce, 52.4% were family medicine physicians; the remaining were internal medicine physicians (18.5%), pediatricians (16.8%), obstetricians and gynecologists (11.8%), and other specialists (0.5%). Over 5 years, the counts and relative percentages of the workforce made up by primary care physicians remained relatively stable. CONCLUSIONS: Our novel method of identifying active physicians with a primary care scope provides a realistic size of the primary care workforce in Virginia, smaller than some previous estimates. Although the method should be expanded to include advanced practice clinicians and to further delineate the scope of practice, this simple approach can be used by policy makers, payers, and planners to ensure adequate primary care capacity.

The Virginia primary care workforce: Final results of a novel method of analysis.

Background: In order to evaluate the capacity of primary care to provide comprehensive, coordinated, continuous care, a description of the primary care workforce is necessary. There have been prior efforts to describe the distribution of primary care, however, an accurate and timely description of which clinicians are in what location has been lacking. Further, the scope of care provided has not been fully explored. This research aimed to describe the primary care workforce distribution and specialty across the state of Virginia. Methods: The Virginia All-Payers Claims Database (APCD) and National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES) we queried. We identified all physicians (MD and DO) through NPPES and then cross referenced these clinicians with the APCD to identify those with an active claim in 2018. The NPPES was used to identify the physician specialty. Results: In 2018, there were 20,779 active physicians, of which 3,054 were family medicine, 1,794 were pediatricians, 1, 079 were OB/Gyns, and 5,247 were internal medicine or general medicine clinicians. The number of clinicians remained relatively stable between 2015-2018. Physicians were also categorized by ambulatory, inpatient, and mixed care. Discussion: This is the first evaluation that identifies clinician characteristics by using both active practice and NPPES taxonomy of type of clinicians. This will provide insight into the way care is provided across the state and establishes a foundation for evaluation of continuous care, comprehensive care and coordinated care in the future. As claims can be used to identify individuals over the course of time, it will be possible to identify scope, continuity and additional characteristics of clinicians. Additionally, we hope to identify advanced practice providers and their scope of care as well as clinicians migration and evolution during their career.

Patient, Provider, and Health Care System Characteristics Associated With Overuse in Bronchiolitis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends against the routine use of ß-agonists, corticosteroids, antibiotics, chest radiographs, and viral testing in bronchiolitis, but use of these modalities continues. Our objective for this study was to determine the patient, provider, and health care system characteristics that are associated with receipt of low-value services. METHODS: Using the Virginia All-Payers Claims Database, we conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study of children aged 0 to 23 months with bronchiolitis (code J21, International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision) in 2018. We recorded medications within 3 days and chest radiography or viral testing within 1 day of diagnosis. Using Poisson regression, we identified characteristics associated with each type of overuse. RESULTS: Fifty-six percent of children with bronchiolitis received ≥1 form of overuse, including 9% corticosteroids, 17% antibiotics, 20% ß-agonists, 26% respiratory syncytial virus testing, and 18% chest radiographs. Commercially insured children were more likely than publicly insured children to receive a low-value service (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR] 1.21; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.15-1.30; P < .0001). Children in emergency settings were more likely to receive a low-value service (aPR 1.24; 95% CI: 1.15-1.33; P < .0001) compared with children in inpatient settings. Children seen in rural locations were more likely than children seen in cities to receive a low-value service (aPR 1.19; 95% CI: 1.11-1.29; P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS: Overuse in bronchiolitis remains common and occurs frequently in emergency and outpatient settings and rural locations. Quality improvement initiatives aimed at reducing overuse should include these clinical environments.

Tobacco Use and Skin Reactivity in Patients With Percutaneous Auditory Osseointegrated Implants.

OBJECTIVES: To determine if there is an association between tobacco use and the development of postoperative skin reactions in patients undergoing percutaneous osseointegrated auditory implant (pOAI) surgery. STUDY DESIGN: Single surgeon retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Academic medical center. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Retrospective chart review was performed on all patients who underwent pOAI. Smoking status (current and former users versus never-users) was recorded as were numerous demographic and surgical variables. The primary outcome measure was skin reactivity as measured by Holgers score. Secondary outcomes studied included total number of problem visits, minor interventions, and major interventions. RESULTS: 126 patients, 73 with no tobacco history (NT) and 53 with a positive smoking tobacco history (T) underwent pOAI surgery in this study. The T group was found to have higher rates of first postoperative visit soft tissue reactions compared with the NT group (24.5% versus 6.8%, p 1/4 0.011, odds ratio [OR] 4.42, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.5, 13.3), but not at long-term follow-up. When former smokers were eliminated from analysis, differences were also found at long- term follow-up (40.9% versus 19.2%, p 1/4 0.037, OR 2.92, 95% CI [1.0 - 8.1]). There were no differences in total number of problem visits or total number of minor or major interventions. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with a history of tobacco use have a significantly higher rates of skin reactivity compared with patients without, though smoking cessation may partially mitigate long-term risks. Surgeons should be aware of the risks of early skin reactivity and should counsel patients accordingly.