Comparative Effectiveness Research Online Training Modules
Access 16 modules on comparative effectiveness research (CER). Examples of analysis methods are presented in a format that allows participants to understand their application and practice using them in their preferred analytic program. Modules also address the practical issues involved in conducting CER studies both generally and specifically at The Ohio State University.
Evaluation of Local Public Health Accreditation Support Project (Ohio Department of Health)
The Ohio State University Center for Public Health Practice (CPHP) is working with the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) to support local public health accreditation and public health service delivery across the state. The Center for HOPES conducted an evaluation of CPHP’s training and technical assistance services in 2020. This mixed-methods evaluation used both quantitative and qualitative data. CPHP is using the results to make improvements to processes and in service delivery.
Integrating Mental and Physical Health Care for the Severely Mentally Ill (SMI): A Feasibility and Needs Assessment Study
(Ohio Department of Mental Health)
A series of studies was undertaken in collaboration with the Ohio Department of Mental Health (ODMH) to assess the capacity of community-based mental health agencies (CMHAs) to adopt clinical guidelines related to ensure access to appropriate physical health care services for people with serious mental illness (SMI). These studies utilized both quantitative and qualitative methods including an online survey of CMHA officials and key informant interviews. The survey assessed the readiness of CMHAs to adopt an integrated care model and on the feasibility of adopting physical health care guidelines for four defined conditions (diabetes, obesity, metabolic syndrome, and bowel management). Key informant interviews with CMHA directors, physical health care providers, and scholarly experts were conducted to gain a detailed understanding of how to provide integrated care.
Use of Narcotics in the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) System
(Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation)
The Center for HOPES conducted a series of studies to help the Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation (BWC) better understand the use of prescription narcotics in the Ohio workers’ compensation system. Implications of high opioid usage for costs and productivity were analyzed. The major aims of this research were to determine patterns of usage and identify factors associated with high narcotics usage, to help BWC in establishing systems to identify cases of inappropriate usage and avoid potential misuse. An article about this study was published in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine.
Status Report on Recommendations from the Ohio Commission to Reform Medicaid
(Center for Community Solutions)
An evaluation of the progress made by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services on the recommendations and action steps issued in the January 2005 report. The project aimed to determine the current status of each recommendation and action step from the report, identify key factors that have influenced the progress or lack of progress, and indicate the main policy implications for consideration at ODJFS and legislative levels. A copy the report for this project is available here.
An Estimation of Potential Cost Savings from the Use of Nutritional Support Therapies in the Treatment of Pressure Ulcers in the United States
(Abbott Nutrition)
Systematic review and analysis of existing literature on the use of nutritional products and nutritional therapeutic products in the treatment of pressure ulcers and other wounds and development of economic models for assessing differentials in outcomes in care with therapeutics compared to conventional care. This resulted in the development of an economic model for the net savings nationally that accrues from the use of these supplements, and a policy analysis for federal Medicare to explore reimbursement options.
Evaluation of the Mansfield STD Re-entry Testing Pilot Program
(Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections)
Evaluation of a program to screen for sexually transmitted diseases among inmates upon release from incarceration to determine the extent of infection with HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases and to assess behavioral risk factors in a prison population. the Center’s role included monitoring the implementation of the STD pilot testing program, developing an inmate survey and analyzing survey data to assess potential disease risk factors during incarceration. An article about this study was published in the Journal of Urban Health.
Employed Immigrant Health Initiative
(Robert Wood Johnson Foundation)
Evaluation of various models developed for improving access to health care for Latino workers in the hotel and restaurant industries in the Columbus area. The Center for HOPES was responsible for design of effective strategies for enhancing access to timely and appropriate care and preventive services, assessment of the potential for each model to be feasibly replicated, and evaluation of the various models relative to various outcomes including cost, patient satisfaction, health status, and employer productivity. An article about this study was published in the Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health.
Study of Employer-Sponsored Eldercare Programs
(Retirement Research Foundation)
Collection of baseline information concerning specific types of elder care services used by U.S. employers, their features, costs, and their actual use by employees; compilation of preliminary information on the effects of employer-sponsored elder-care programs on participating employees and their families; and identification of best practices and model programs to guide employers and policy makers on how to optimize these services for the benefit of workers and their aging dependents. Several articles about this project were published in the Journal of Workplace Behavioral Health and the International Journal of Workplace Health Management.
Integrated Care Protocol Evaluation: Pilot Site Screening and Referral for Chronic Medical Conditions among Individuals with Serious Mental Illness
(Ohio Department of Mental Health)
This study focused on a pilot program established by ODMH to implement chronic disease management protocols for diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and bowel management at three community-based mental health providers serving clients who have serious mental illness. Analysis was conducted on secondary data provided by the pilot sites to assess screening rates, the extent of positive screens, referrals to medical care for those screening positively, and changes in biometric indicators over time.
An Estimation of Potential Cost Savings from the Use of Bioresorbable Vascular Stents
(Abbott Vascular)
The Center for HOPES conducted a series of analyses estimating the incremental (marginal) net benefits of bioabsorbable vascular stents (BVS) vis-à-vis drug eluting stents (DES). The report includes reporting on clinical effectiveness, economic impact, and policy implications. We base our estimates on a review of studies that report incidence rates of adverse outcomes for DES stents including TVR, PCI, CABG, stent thrombosis, restenosis, AMI, and cardiac deaths. We utilize these baseline incidence rates of adverse outcomes for DES to model potential benefits of BVS assuming a range of percentage improvements over the DES standard. We then cost out the incremental (marginal) net benefits that accrue to an improvement in adverse outcome.
Establishing a Medical Home Network in Franklin County
(Access HealthColumbus)
An economic feasibility study was performed to estimate the costs that would be involved in expanding medical care capacity through three models of a “medical home” concept in Franklin County. The project used benchmark data from a variety of setting and involves a review and assessment of costs incurred in creating medical homes in other locations. Analyses included economic cost modeling, relative to existing provider staffing practices. An article about this study was published in the Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved.
Access to Psychiatric Services for Children
(Nationwide Hospital and the Ohio Department of Mental Health)
This study consisted of a “mystery shopper” survey, in which researchers posed as parents and called a random sample of psychiatry offices across 9 regions of Ohio under different scenarios to determine the average length of time needed to make an appointment for care. This enabled us to assess how appointment wait times for child psychiatry varied by insurance type, region, and other factors. additionally, an online survey of primary care providers assessed the perceptions of access to psychiatric care as well as their familiarity with, and perceptions of the Ohio Pediatric Psychiatry Network (PPN). We also completed semi-structured interviews with physicians who staff PPN to summarize their experiences with the service and recommendations for improvement.
Evaluating the Impact of a Periodic Health Screening on Utilization and Costs of Health Services: Extended Analysis
(OSU Health Plan)
This retrospective cohort study evaluated the impact of a period health screening program on utilization and costs of health services over a four year period. Analyses examined the effects of personal health assessment (PHA) completion on cost, utilization of services and to assess changes in health status and behavioral risk status. Assessments of each member’s medical care costs and utilization associated with specific services (e.g., primary care services, preventive care, chronic disease care, pharmaceutical usage, and other services such as massage therapy, weight loss programs and smoking cessation) were made at 6 month intervals over the four year period. An article about this study was published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
Experiences with Integrated Care in Community Mental Health Agencies
(Ohio Department of Mental Health)
To better understand how agencies in Ohio are responding to integrated care, the Ohio Department of Mental Health (ODMH) commissioned the Center for Health Outcomes, Policy and Evaluation Studies (Center for HOPES) to conduct in-depth interviews with a limited number of CMHAs across Ohio representing different geographic regions as well as different stages of implementing an integrated care program. The aim of this study was to obtain more detailed information about how CMHAs are addressing the issue of integrating physical health care needs with the services normally provided to consumers with SMI.
Economic Evaluation of Mental Health Board Funding Formulas
(Ohio Department of Mental Health)
Provision of technical assistance, direction, and guidance to the Ohio Department of Mental Health (ODMH) was provided to review and update the department’s current funding formula. This funding formula is used to allocate funds to the 50 local mental health boards in Ohio on an annual basis. Expertise was provided to ODMH for developing and evaluating a variety of scenarios for alternative funding formulas that could be applied during the coming fiscal year 2010. An article about this study was published in the Community Mental Health Journal.
Integrated Care: A Best Practices Study
(Ohio Department of Mental Health)
This study was a continuation of previous work examining the impact of integrated care on Community Mental Health Agency (CMHA) activity in Ohio. Key informant interviews with scholarly experts, state officials, ADAMHS board representatives, and CMHA directors inform best practices on health home models and other integration policies. Specifically, this study focused on state-level policies and strategies for involving managed care companies in integrated care efforts.
Tracking and Evaluation of Clinical and Translational Research Outcomes
(The Center for Clinical and Translational Science)
Evaluation of outcomes obtained through the NIH Clinical and Translational Science award program was conducted to ascertain the impact of translational science. Part of this project involved development, validation, and field testing of an instrument to measure the impact of translational research. Another component involved development of methods for incorporating Lean and Six Sigma process improvement techniques into clinical and translational research. An article about this study was published in the Journal of Investigative Medicine.
A Cost and Outcomes Analysis of Patients with Mitral Valve Regurgitation (MR) and Chronic Heart Failure (CHF) who are Medically Managed (MM)
(Abbott Laboratories)
Descriptive and univariate analysis of three outcome measures, total cost, hospital days (length of stay), and mortality are described for a group of medically managed patients with mitral valve regurgitation and heart failure. In addition, patient data were collected on selected co-morbidities, age, sex, and hospital-based medications. Comparison of high vs. low MR grade conditions in survival is also being conducted.