Association of an Automated Blood Pressure Measurement Quality Improvement Program With Terminal Digit Preference and Recorded Mean Blood Pressure in 11 Clinics.

Importance: Terminal digit preference has been shown to be associated with inaccurate blood pressure (BP) recording. Objective: To evaluate whether converting from manual BP measurement with aneroid sphygmomanometers to automated BP measurement was associated with terminal digit preference, mean levels of recorded BP, and the rate at which hypertension was diagnosed. Design, Setting, and Participants: This quality improvement study was conducted from May 9, 2021, to March 24, 2022, using interrupted time series analysis of medical record data from 11 primary care clinics in a single health care system from April 2008 to April 2015. The study population was patients aged 18 to 75 years who had their BP measured and recorded at least once during the study period. Exposures: Manual BP measurement before April 2012 vs automated BP measurement with the Omron HEM-907XL monitor from May 2012 to April 2015. Main Outcomes and Measures: The main outcome was the distribution of terminal digits and mean systolic BP (SBP) values obtained during 4 years of manual measurement vs 3 years of automated measurement, assessed using a generalized linear mixed regression model with a random intercept for clinic and adjusted for seasonal fluctuations and patient demographic and clinical characteristics. Results: The study included 1 541 227 BP measurements from 225 504 unique patients during the entire study period, with 849 978 BP measurements from 165 137 patients (mean [SD] age, 47.1 [15.2] years; 58.2% female) during the manual measurement period and 691 249 measurements from 149 080 patients (mean [SD] age, 48.4 [15.3] years; 56.3% female) during the automated measurement period. With manual measurement, 32.8% of SBP terminal digits were 0 (20% was the expected value because nursing staff was instructed to record BP to the nearest even digit). This proportion decreased to 12.4% during the automated measurement period (expected value, 10%) when both even and odd digits were to be recorded. After automated measurement was implemented, the mean SBP estimated with statistical modeling increased by 5.09 mm Hg (95% CI, 4.98-5.19 mm Hg). Fewer BP values recorded during the automated than the manual measurement period were below 140/90 mm Hg (69.9% vs 84.3%; difference, -14.5%; 95% CI, -14.6% to -14.3%) and below 130/80 mm Hg (42.1% vs 60.0%; difference, -17.9%; 95% CI, -18.0% to -17.7%). The proportion of patients with a diagnosis of hypertension was 4.3 percentage points higher (23.4% vs 19.1%) during the automated measurement period. Conclusions and Relevance: In this quality improvement study, automated BP measurement was associated with decreased terminal digit preference and significantly higher mean BP levels. The method of BP measurement was also associated with the rate at which hypertension was diagnosed. These findings may have implications for pay-for-performance programs, which may create an incentive to record BP levels that meet a particular goal and a disincentive to adopt automated measurement of BP.

Providers' perceived barriers to sexually transmitted disease care in 2 large health maintenance organizations.

GOAL: To identify providers' perceived barriers to sexually transmitted disease (STD) care in 2 health plans and plan-, clinician-, and patient-level factors that were associated with these barriers in order to inform quality improvement interventions. STUDY DESIGN: Surveys were mailed to a stratified sample of 1000 physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners at 2 large health plans in 1999-2000. Of the 743 (82%) providers who received questionnaires and responded, data were analyzed from 699 with complete specialty information. RESULTS: Ninety-five percent of providers identified at least 1 barrier to STD care. The most commonly cited barriers in both plans related to insufficient time and staff to address STDs, to counsel patients or manage sex partners, to keep current with managing high-risk patients, and to monitor patient adherence to recommendations to abstain from sex or use condoms during treatment. Nurse practitioners and specialists in obstetrics and gynecology were more likely to cite these barriers. Providers in staff models were more likely to cite the most common patient-level barriers. Few cited barriers related to diagnostic and treatment services. CONCLUSIONS: Interventions in health plans are necessary to address constraints related to time and staff performing STD related care, keeping current with managing high-risk patients, and supporting patient adherence to provider recommendations.

Evaluation of clinician-reported adherence to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for the treatment of Chlamydia trachomatis in two U.S. health plans.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to assess clinician adherence to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-recommended treatments for Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) in two health plans. STUDY DESIGN: Using hypothetical scenarios, a 1999-2000 mail survey questioned clinicians about how they would treat a cervicitis patient (CT and gonorrhea treatment recommended) and two patients with laboratory-confirmed CT: an injection drug user (single-dose azithromycin promotes adherence) and a pregnant patient (nonteratogenic drugs recommended). RESULTS: Seven hundred forty-three (82%) of the 907 nonretired clinicians receiving the survey completed it. Eighty-one percent (N=599) reported providing recent CT care. Of these, 70.1% reported they would presumptively treat patients with cervicitis for CT and gonorrhea, 17.1% for CT only, and 11.7% for neither pathogen. Of the 580 clinicians addressing drug injectors, 61.7% reported they would prescribe azithromycin. Most (88.8%) of the 343 clinicians seeing pregnant patients reported they would prescribe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-recommended antibiotics. Reported adherence varied by clinician specialty and sources of treatment guidance. CONCLUSIONS: Most clinicians reported treatment consistent with CDC guidelines.

Diabetes: how are we diagnosing and initially managing it?

PURPOSE: We undertook this study to examine the symptoms, clinical events, and types of health care encounters that preceded the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus in adults, and to examine changes in glycemic control and cardiovascular risk factors in the first year after a diabetes diagnosis. METHODS: We conducted a historical cohort study of patients in a large multispecialty medical group in Minnesota. Among 55,121 adults who were continuously enrolled in the health plan and receiving care at the study medical group from January 1, 1993, to December 31, 1996, we identified 504 who received a new diagnosis of diabetes in 1995 or 1996. Our main outcome measures were the type of symptoms at diagnosis; the clinical circumstances and type of encounter that led to diabetes diagnosis; and changes in glycemic control (assessed by hemoglobin A1c [HbA1c] value), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level, blood pressure (BP), aspirin use, and body weight in the first year after diagnosis, ascertained from a detailed review of medical records. RESULTS: Almost one third (32.3%) of adults with newly diagnosed diabetes had symptoms of hyperglycemia at initial diagnosis. Compared with patients who did not have hyperglycemia symptoms at diagnosis, those who did were younger and more often male, and had lower comorbidity scores and higher HbA1c values (9.9% vs 8.1%) at diagnosis (P <.01 for each comparison). In the 12 months after diagnosis, the group as a whole had significant improvements (P <.001) in HbA1c values (from 8.8% to 7.1%), systolic blood pressure (137.5 to 133.2 mm Hg), diastolic blood pressure (80.7 to 77.3 mm Hg), weight (207.7 to 201.1 lb), and aspirin use (15.3% to 26.1%). Improvements were seen in all patient subgroups, including those defined by symptoms at diagnosis and by visit type at diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Primary care practices may improve detection of undiagnosed diabetes in primary care and improve 1-year outcomes by being vigilant for symptoms of diabetes, by evaluating those at high risk for this disorder, and by instituting appropriate treatments at the time of diagnosis.

Incompleteness of reporting of laboratory-confirmed chlamydial infection by providers affiliated with a managed care organization, 1997-1999.

BACKGROUND: Surveillance for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) depends on the receipt of positive STD test results from laboratories or reports of STD diagnoses from clinicians to local or state health departments. GOAL: The goal of this study was to evaluate incompleteness of reporting of chlamydial infection in a large staff-model managed care organization (MCO) using laboratory data and provider-based reports. METHODS: All cases of chlamydial infection in 2 databases, one from the MCO during January 1997 through June 1999 and the other from the state STD registry, were compared by using a standard algorithm alone that included patient's name, sex, and date of specimen collection, and by using the standard algorithm together with the patient's medical record number. RESULTS: Of 833 cases of chlamydial infection in the MCO case database, 597 were matched to the cases in the state registry using the standard algorithm alone and 671 were matched using the standard algorithm together with the patient's medical record number. In addition, 89 cases of chlamydial infection in the state registry had been reported from the MCO during the same timeframe but were not matched to cases in the MCO case database by these algorithms. The estimated incompleteness of reporting ranged from 9% to 28% depending on matching algorithms used and the criteria used to define completeness. CONCLUSION: Based on this comparison of MCO data with the state STD registry data, the estimated incompleteness of reporting in a MCO depended on matching algorithms used and the criteria used to define completeness. Incompleteness of STD case reporting could be reduced if confidential electronic reporting methods and more complete case characteristic variables were used.

Adherence to CDC STD guideline recommendations for the treatment of Chlamydia trachomatis infection in two managed care organizations.

BACKGROUND: The extent of adherence to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) STD guidelines by clinicians practicing in managed care settings is unknown. GOAL The goal was to assess adherence to the CDC guideline recommendations for the treatment of genital chlamydial infection, by clinicians at two group model managed care organizations. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study of men and women with laboratory-confirmed chlamydial infection. Patients were members of either the Kaiser Permanente Foundation Health Plan of Colorado or HealthPartners of Minneapolis/St. Paul who had tested positive for cervical or urethral chlamydial infection during the period from January 1, 1998, through June 30, 1999. RESULTS: During the study period, 1,078 patients with positive tests for genital Chlamydia trachomatis were identified. More than 97% of men and nonpregnant women and more than 98% of pregnant women were prescribed treatment, consistent with current CDC guidelines. CONCLUSION: Adherence to CDC-recommended therapy was high for patients with genital chlamydial infections at these two managed care organizations.

Household composition and risk of fatal child maltreatment.

OBJECTIVE: Approximately 2000 children die annually in the United States from maltreatment. Although maternal and child risk factors for child abuse have been identified, the role of household composition has not been well-established. Our objective was to evaluate household composition as a risk factor for fatal child maltreatment. METHODOLOGY: Population-based, case-control study using data from the Missouri Child Fatality Review Panel system, 1992-1994. Households were categorized based on adult residents' relationship to the deceased child. Cases were all maltreatment injury deaths among children <5 years old. Controls were randomly selected from natural-cause deaths during the same period and frequency-matched to cases on age. The main outcome measure was maltreatment death. RESULTS: Children residing in households with adults unrelated to them were 8 times more likely to die of maltreatment than children in households with 2 biological parents (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 8.8; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.6-21.5). Risk of maltreatment death also was elevated for children residing with step, foster, or adoptive parents (aOR: 4.7; 95% CI: 1.6-12.0), and in households with other adult relatives present (aOR: 2.2; 95% CI: 1.1-4.5). Risk of maltreatment death was not increased for children living with only 1 biological parent (aOR: 1.1; 95% CI: 0.8-2.0). CONCLUSIONS: Children living in households with 1 or more male adults that are not related to them are at increased risk for maltreatment injury death. This risk is not elevated for children living with a single parent, as long as no other adults live in the home.