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The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)'s publications offer practical information to help a variety of health care organizations, providers, and others make care safer in all health care settings.
Healthcare Simulation Dictionary
AHRQ's Healthcare Simulation Dictionary includes 170 definitions of healthcare simulation terms ranging from “avatars” and “manikins” to “gamification” and “virtual reality.” The definitions, developed by international simulation experts, standardize the growing list of simulation terms in this rapidly expanding field.
Publication Date: Publication Number: 24-0077
Diagnostic Excellence in U.S. Rural Healthcare: A Call to Action
Diagnostic Safety Issue Brief #24
This issue brief explores several critical challenges affecting diagnostic excellence in U.S. rural healthcare settings, emphasizing the need to address these impediments, and proposes three actionable strategies to overcome barriers to delivering high-quality diagnostic care in these areas.
Publication Date: Publication Number: 24-0010-9-EF
The Patient's Role in Diagnostic Safety and Excellence: From Passive Reception Toward Co-Design
Diagnostic Safety Issue Brief #23
Poor communication between medical professionals and patients is a key factor in all diagnostic error. Enhancing communication between patients and their healthcare team is central to improving diagnostic quality in healthcare delivery.
Publication Date: Publication Number: 24-0010-8-EF
An Assessment of Sepsis in the United States and Its Burden on Hospital Care
This report offers a comprehensive assessment of hospital care for sepsis in the United States. It begins with an overview of the Congress's directive in the Fiscal Year 2023 Omnibus Spending Bill, then provides background on sepsis, including causes, disease progression, comorbidities, risk factors, complications, and treatment.
Publication Date: Publication Number: 24-0087
State of the Science and Future Directions To Improve Diagnostic Safety in Older Adults
Diagnostic Safety Issue Brief #22
This issue brief presents the unique considerations and challenges of studying and improving diagnostic safety for older adults. A number of recent expert workgroups have identified key areas of focus for diagnostic safety research and improvement efforts.
Publication Date: Publication Number: 24-0010-7-EF
Diagnostic Stewardship as a Model To Improve the Quality and Safety of Diagnosis
Diagnostic Safety Issue Brief #21
This issue brief is a call to action for healthcare organization leaders and policymakers to bridge clinical laboratory expertise and routine clinical decision making through diagnostic stewardship. We review existing models and strategies to implement diagnostic stewardship practices and identify how these practices can enhance diagnostic safety. We also discuss measuring implementation of diagnostic stewardship and policy implications.
Publication Date: Publication Number: 24-0010-6-EF
Learning from AHRQ's Diagnostic Safety Culture Survey at a Tertiary Care Health System in Brazil: A Case Study
Diagnostic Safety Issue Brief #20.
This case study describes how we used our survey to create an initial approach to developing and implementing a program to recognize and address diagnostic errors. The survey was adapted from AHRQ's Medical Office Surveys on Patient Safety Culture® (SOPS®) Diagnostic Safety Supplemental Item Set.
Publication Date: Publication Number: 24-0010-5-EF
Developing and Sustaining State-Based Infrastructure To Support Primary Care Quality Improvement: A How-To Guide
This how-to guide shares guidance about developing and sustaining state-based cooperatives that aim to strengthen the capacity of healthcare systems, other healthcare organizations, and clinicians to deliver evidence-based whole-person care.
Publication Date: Publication Number: 24-0073
AHRQ Strategic Plan for Health System Transformation To Optimize Health, Functional Status, and Well-Being Among Older Adults
This Strategic Plan details five goals and related strategies to achieve these goals for health system transformation that optimizes the health, functional status, and well-being among older adults.
Publication Date: Publication Number: 24-0076
Electronic Test Result Communication in the Era of the 21st Century Cures Act
Diagnostic Safety Issue Brief #19
The aim of this review was to identify current evidence and best practices to inform patient-centered implementation of test result delivery through patient portals under the Cures Act. We first undertook a scoping review of the literature on releasing test results through patient portals. The overarching question guiding our review was, "What evidence is available to inform patient-centered implementation of immediate test result release under the Cures Act?" In line with the goals of a scoping review, we sought to characterize and chart the available evidence, identify gaps, and identify areas for future, more in-depth evidence synthesis (e.g., systematic review or meta-analysis).
Publication Date: Publication Number: 24-0010-3-EF
