Medicare expenditures among spouses of persons with dementia.

Background: Spouses of persons living with dementia face intense strains on their well-being compared with similarly aged adults and spouses of partners with no dementia. This strain can impact spouses' health and healthcare needs, and therefore affect their healthcare utilization and expenditures.

Methods: Using data from the Health and Retirement Study linked with Medicare claims, we matched dyads of spouses and their partners with dementia (SPWD) to a comparison group of similar spouses and their partners with no dementia (SPWND).

Caregiving for dementia: trends pre-post onset and predictive factors of family caregiving (2002-2018).

Persons living with Alzheimer's and other related forms of dementia rely heavily on care from family and friends for assistance with daily activities ("family care"), but little is known about care transitions over time. We analyzed data from the Health and Retirement Study to describe caregiving patterns, from 2 years before dementia onset and up to 6 years after. Using sociodemographic data from the interview prior to dementia onset, we determined if there are significant factors that predict receipt of family care at dementia onset.

Modeling the impact of financial hardship and age on self-rated health and depressive symptoms pre/post the great recession.

Stressful life events such as a recession, could be devastating on a macro and micro level. Although there have been a number of articles written examining the health effects of the recession, little is known about age differences in the relationship between financial stressors and health pre and post the 2008 recession. Using the Health and Retirement study, we investigated the relationship between two forms of financial hardships, mental and physical health among middle aged (N = 4403) and older adults) (N = 2709).

Observational study of patient characteristics associated with a timely diagnosis of dementia and mild cognitive impairment without dementia.

Background: Timely diagnosis of cognitive impairment is a key goal of the National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease, but studies of factors associated with a timely diagnosis are limited.

Objective: To identify patient characteristics associated with a timely diagnosis of dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

Design: Retrospective observational study using survey data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) from 1995-2016 (interview waves 3-13).

Statewide Evaluation of Washington's State Innovation Model Initiative: A Mixed-Methods Approach.

The Washington State Innovation Model (SIM) $65 million Test Award from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation is a statewide intervention expected to improve population health, quality of care, and cost growth through 4 initiatives in 2016-2018: (1) regional accountable communities of health linking health and social services to address local needs; (2) a practice transformation support hub; (3) four value-based payment reform pilot projects mainly in state employee and Medicaid populations; and (4) data and analytic infrastructure development to support system transformation with common measures. A mixed-methods study design and data from the 2013-2018 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Surveys are used to estimate whether SIM resulted in changes in access to care, health behaviors, and health status in Washington's adult population. Semi-structured qualitative interviews also were conducted to assess stakeholder perceptions of SIM performance.

Family Medicine Resident Knowledge of Adverse Childhood Experiences.

Introduction: Exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) has been associated with poor health in adulthood. Primary care providers can provide more appropriate medical care and intervene if they ask patients about ACEs. The purpose of this study is to determine existing knowledge and attitudes about ACEs among family medicine residents within the Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho (WWAMI) region.

Predictors and Outcomes of Patient Knowledge of Plan of Care in Hospital Medicine: A Quality Improvement Study.

Background: Patient understanding of plan of care is associated with positive outcomes in ambulatory settings. In hospital medicine settings, patient-physician agreement on plan of care (concordance) has been limited and difficult to improve. This study examined the impact of adding a hospitalist to interdisciplinary rounds (IDR) on physician-patient-nurse concordance and the relationship between concordance and outcomes.

Health Care Costs of Alzheimer's and Related Dementias Within a Medicare Managed Care Provider.

Background: Although one third of Medicare beneficiaries are enrolled in Medicare Advantage (MA) plans, there is limited information about the cost of treating Alzheimer disease and related dementias (ADRD) in these settings.

Objective: The objective of this study was to estimate direct health care costs attributable to ADRD among older adults within a large MA plan.

Research Design: A retrospective cohort design was used to estimate direct total, outpatient, inpatient, ambulatory pharmacy, and nursing home costs for 3 years before and after an incident ADRD diagnosis for 927 individuals diagnosed with ADRD relative to a sex-matched and birth year-matched set of 2945 controls.

Cost of dementia in Medicare managed care: a systematic literature review.

Objectives: We conducted a systematic review of studies reporting the direct healthcare costs of treating older adults with diagnosed Alzheimer disease and related dementias (ADRD) within private Medicare managed care plans.

Study Design: A systematic review of all studies published in English reporting original empirical analyses of direct costs for older adults with ADRD in Medicare managed care.

Methods: All papers indexed in PubMed or Web of Science reporting ADRD costs within Medicare managed care plans from 1983 through 2018 were identified and reviewed.

Assessing Occupancy and Its Relation to Healthcare-Associated Infections.

Occupancy has been associated with risk for healthcare-associated infections, yet its definition varies widely. Occupancy can be modeled as a function of census, acuity of the patient care unit, staffing ratio, or some combination. This article discusses the appropriate parameterization of these measures and how to interpret their impact.

Reductions in High-End Imaging Utilization With Radiology Review and Consultation.

Following the uptake of value-based purchasing in concert with health care reform in the United States, providers, insurers, and patients are looking for ways to reduce excessive, dangerous, and/or inappropriate high-end imaging utilization (HEIU). Inappropriate HEIU is associated with patient safety risks due to unnecessary exposure to radiation, misappropriation of scarce equipment resources and staff, complications to clinical care, and needless, excessive costs for the patient, hospital, and payer. This paper presents a cost-effective radiology-initiated improvement program piloted in the Christiana Hospital Coordinated Care Network.