Cardiovascular Quality and Research News

ACC CV Quality SmartBrief

The ACC CV Quality SmartBrief eNewsletter is a free, twice-weekly briefing for health care stakeholders interested in quality care. Learn more about the ACC CV Quality SmartBrief and subscribe.

• Study: Fewer readmissions not linked to higher mortality

  A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found the Affordable Care Act's Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program did not increase post-discharge mortality rates for patients with heart failure, myocardial infarction or pneumonia. "If anything, readmission reductions were associated with concomitant reductions in mortality," said Kumar Dharmarajan of Yale New Haven Health, an author of the study. HealthDay News (7/18) Learn More

• Communication gaps affect home health care, study finds

  Results of interviews with home health care nurses suggest communication gaps between nurses and primary care physicians, as well as between hospitals and PCPs, can affect patient care and lead to medical errors, researchers reported in the Journal of General Internal Medicine. Communication gaps can cause problems with medication lists, patient care orders and access to needed documents, researchers said. Home Health Care News (7/19) Learn More

• Access to maternity care declining for rural women

  Rural hospitals are closing maternity wards and ending related services, and 119 rural hospitals have closed since 2005. Inductions and cesarean deliveries are more likely at rural hospitals, and a lack of prenatal care increases risks of complications and premature birth. Reuters (7/18) Learn More

• Hospitalists can help reduce opioid use disorder, report says

  Researchers wrote in Annals of Internal Medicine that hospitalists have an important role in reducing opioid use disorder. They said hospitalists must use opioids judiciously, create a clear plan for safely disposing of the medications and work to taper usage among patients with chronic pain. Physician's Briefing/HealthDay News (7/18) Learn More

• Neb. medical groups offer online star-based rating systems

  Nebraska Medicine in Omaha is launching a star-based online rating system for its clinic physicians. Bryan Health in Lincoln, Neb., has been posting ratings since August and recently began including patient comments. Omaha World-Herald (Neb.) (7/14) Learn More

• Survey examines security of IT infrastructure in health care organizations

  Only 55% of 1,236 health care professionals surveyed believed that their organization's IT infrastructure is secure against cyberattacks, and 15% do not think they have a secure IT infrastructure, according to a poll conducted by the Medical Group Management Association. While 54% of respondents reported not having experienced a cyberattack, 30% said they have suffered some form of attack, researchers found. Healthcare Informatics online (7/17) Learn More

• Survey reveals gaps in EHR data's impact on hospital financials

  Healthcare Informatics online (7/18) Learn More