Healthcare Archives

The Authors’ Own Words: Factors Associated with Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) Measure Performance in 2014-2015

Nov 27, 2019 by AMERSA

The Authors’ Own Words:

We ask authors to describe their impressions regarding the implications of their accepted work, how their findings will change practice, and what is noteworthy about the work.

Factors Associated with Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) Measure Performance in 2014-2015

Constance Weisner, DrPH, MSW; Cynthia I. Campbell, PhD, MPH; Andrea Altschuler, PhD; Bobbi Jo H. Yarborough, PsyD; Gwen T. Lapham, PhD, MPH, MSW; Ingrid A. Binswanger, MD, MPH, MS; Rulin C. Hechter, MD, PhD; Brian K. Ahmedani, PhD, LMSW; Irina V. Haller, PhD, MS; Stacy A. Sterling, DrPH, MSW; Dennis McCarty, PhD; Derek D. Satre, PhD; & Andrea H. Kline-Simon, MS

Substance Abuse Vol. 40, Iss. 3, 2019

“Our goal was to identify opportunities to develop patient- and system-level interventions to facilitate initiation and engagement in AOD services, particularly among those who may be less likely to receive care. Initiation and engagement rates varied greatly, but they were low. Findings identified those over age 65, women, Hispanics, Black/African American and Asians (versus white) as less likely to initiate and those aged 30-49 and/or co-occurring conditions were more likely to engage. Primary care was the department with highest initiation rates, but those patients were less likely to engage in treatment. Focusing on these could help health systems develop interventions that facilitate AOD-IET.”

The Authors’ Own Words: Psychiatric comorbidity and HEDIS measures of alcohol and other drug treatment initiation and engagement across seven health systems

Nov 27, 2019 by AMERSA

The Authors’ Own Words:

We ask authors to describe their impressions regarding the implications of their accepted work, how their findings will change practice, and what is noteworthy about the work.

Psychiatric comorbidity and HEDIS measures of alcohol and other drug treatment initiation and engagement across seven health systems

Amy M. Loree, PhD; Hsueh-Han Yeh, PhD; Derek D. Satre, PhD; Andrea H. Kline-Simon, MS; Bobbi Jo H. Yarborough, PsyD; Irina V. Haller, PhD, MS; Cynthia I. Campbell, PhD, MPH; Gwen T. Lapham, PhD, MPH, MSW; Rulin C. Hechter, MD, PhD; Ingrid A. Binswanger, MD, MPH, MS; Constance Weisner, DrPH, MSW; & Brian K. Ahmedani, PhD, LMSW

Substance Abuse Vol. 40, Iss. 3, 2019

“This paper examines the influence of psychiatric comorbidity on alcohol and other drug (AOD) treatment initiation and engagement among a large, diverse sample of health system patients with newly diagnosed AOD use disorders. Nearly two-thirds of patients with newly identified AOD use disorders also had a comorbid psychiatric disorder. Our findings indicated that identification of comorbid psychiatric disorders may increase initiation of AOD treatment but not engagement. We also found that the setting in which AOD use disorders are first identified among patients with comorbid psychiatric disorders may play a role in treatment initiation and engagement. Overall, these findings suggest that health care systems may need to consider adopting alternative approaches to improve identification and support of patients in need of treatment for both psychiatric and AOD use disorders.”

The Authors’ Own Words: Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) Measures of Alcohol and Drug Treatment Initiation and Engagement among People living with HIV and HIV-uninfected Patient

Nov 26, 2019 by AMERSA

The Authors’ Own Words:

We ask authors to describe their impressions regarding the implications of their accepted work, how their findings will change practice, and what is noteworthy about the work.

Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) Measures of Alcohol and Drug Treatment Initiation and Engagement among People living with HIV and HIV-uninfected Patient

Rulin C. Hechter, MD, PhD; Michael A. Horberg, MD, MAS; Constance Weisner, DrPH, MSW; Cynthia I. Campbell, PhD, MPH; Richard Contreras, MS; Lie-Hong Chen, DrPH; Bobbi Jo H. Yarborough, PsyD; Gwen T. Lapham, PhD, MPH, MSW; Irina V. Haller, PhD, MS; Brian K. Ahmedani, PhD, LMSW; Ingrid A. Binswanger, MD, MPH, MS; Andrea H. Kline-Simon, MS; & Derek D. Satre, PhD

Substance Abuse Vol. 40, Iss. 3, 2019

“The findings of this study suggest people living with HIV and substance use disorders generally have greater number of comorbidities, including hepatitis C. Yet utilization of behavioral health services is low in this population. This is a clinically concerning pattern and requires more intensive support from the health systems and HIV specialists.“

The Authors’ Own Words: In-hospital training in addiction medicine: A mixed methods study of health care provider benefits and differences

Nov 19, 2019 by AMERSA

The Authors’ Own Words:

We ask authors to describe their impressions regarding the implications of their accepted work, how their findings will change practice, and what is noteworthy about the work.

In-hospital training in addiction medicine: A mixed methods study of health care provider benefits and differences

Lauren Gorfinkel, B.Arts.Sc, MPH (Cand); Jan Klimas, MSc, PhD; Breanne Reel, BSc, MPH; Huiru Dong, MSc, PhD (Cand); Keith Ahamad, MD, CCFP; Christopher Fairgrieve, BMSc, MD, CCFP, ABAM; Mark McLean, MD, FRCPC; Annabel Mead, MD, CCFP; Seonaid Nolan, MD, FRCPC; Will Small, MA, PhD; Walter Cullen, MD, MRCGP, MICGP; Evan Wood, MD, PhD, FRCPC; & Nadia Fairbairn, MD, FRCPC

Substance Abuse Vol. 40, Iss. 2, 2019

“Although hands-on training in addiction medicine tends to be overlooked in medical education, our findings suggest that both emerging and established physicians appear to be responsive to a hospital-based dedicated elective in addiction medicine, and that overall, medical students appear to feel that they benefit most from this intervention compared to other types of learners. As substance use disorders are not limited to a single field of medicine, spanning primary care, internal medicine, pain treatment, and more, focusing education on an earlier stage of training may ultimately allow for more effective identification and treatment in a broader range of contexts. In light of the pressing need for improved knowledge of substance use disorders in healthcare settings, all learner types should be targeted for training in addiction medicine; however, our study findings suggest that medical school is the optimal time to introduce this type of training.“

The Authors’ Own Words: ‘A Scarlet Letter:’ Stigma and Other Factors Affecting Trust in the Healthcare System for Women Seeking Substance Abuse Treatment in a Community Setting

Nov 16, 2019 by AMERSA

The Authors’ Own Words:

We ask authors to describe their impressions regarding the implications of their accepted work, how their findings will change practice, and what is noteworthy about the work.

‘A Scarlet Letter:’ Stigma and Other Factors Affecting Trust in the Healthcare System for Women Seeking Substance Abuse Treatment in a Community Setting

Joshua D. Cockroft, BA; Susie M. Adams, PhD, RN, PMHNP; Kemberlee Bonnet, MA; Deondria Matlock, MS; Jessica McMillan, DNP, RN, PMHNP; & David Schlundt , PhD

Substance Abuse Vol. 40, Iss. 2, 2019

“Though derived from a small sample size, the findings of this study demonstrate multiple factors that influence trust of the healthcare system for women who seek substance abuse treatment in a community setting. Efforts should be made to address components of healthcare organizations that predispose to stigma, poor quality of care, negatively aligned payment structure and reimbursement, ensuring patients’ rights and protections, and mediating the healthcare system’s potential role in causing or influencing an individual’s substance use disorder (SUD). These findings suggest that public health or institutional interventions to improve treatment for women with a history of SUD may require direct engagement with experiential and structural factors that influence trust and healthcare entry and engagement in order to be effective.“