Developing a sampling methodology for timely reporting of population-based COVID-19-associated hospitalization surveillance in the United States, COVID-NET 2020-2021.

Background: The COVID-19-Associated Hospitalization Surveillance Network (COVID-NET) required a sampling methodology that allowed for production of timely population-based clinical estimates to inform the ongoing US COVID-19 pandemic response.

Methods: We developed a flexible sampling approach that considered reporting delays, differential hospitalized case burden across surveillance sites, and changing geographic and demographic trends over time. We incorporated weighting methods to adjust for the probability of selection and non-response, and to calibrate the sampled case distribution to the population distribution on demographics.

Estimation tools for reducing the impact of sampling and nonresponse errors in dual-frame RDD telephone surveys.

We discuss alternative estimators of the population total given a dual-frame random-digit-dial (RDD) telephone survey in which samples are selected from landline and cell phone sampling frames. The estimators are subject to sampling and nonsampling errors. To reduce sampling variability when an optimum balance of landline and cell phone samples is not feasible, we develop an application of shrinkage estimation.

Statistical Methodology of the National Immunization Survey, 2005-2014.

The National Immunization Survey (NIS) family of surveys includes NIS-Child, which monitors vaccination coverage for the U.S. population of children aged 19-35 months; NIS- Teen, which monitors vaccination coverage for the U.

Spending per Medicare Beneficiary Is Higher in Hospital-Owned Small- and Medium-Sized Physician Practices.

Objective: To examine the relationship of physician versus hospital ownership of small- and medium-sized practices with spending and utilization of care.

Data Source/study Setting/data Collection: Survey data for 1,045 primary care-based practices of 1-19 physicians linked to Medicare claims data for 2008 for 282,372 beneficiaries attributed to the 3,010 physicians in these practices.

Study Design: We used generalized linear models to estimate the associations between practice characteristics and outcomes (emergency department visits, index admissions, readmissions, and spending).

Trends in hospital ownership of physician practices and the effect on processes to improve quality.

Objectives: Reports suggest a trend for physician practices to change ownership from physicians to hospitals. It remains unclear how this change affects quality of patient care. We report the effect of a change to hospital ownership on the use of care management processes (CMPs) and health information technology (IT) among practices in the United States.

Managing chronic illness: physician practices increased the use of care management and medical home processes.

The effective management of patients with chronic illnesses is critical to bending the curve of health care spending in the United States and is a crucial test for health care reform. In this article we used data from three national surveys of physician practices between 2006 and 2013 to determine the extent to which practices of all sizes have increased their use of evidence-based care management processes associated with patient-centered medical homes for patients with asthma, congestive heart failure, depression, and diabetes. We found relatively large increases over time in the overall use of these processes for small and medium-size practices as well as for large practices.

Small primary care physician practices have low rates of preventable hospital admissions.

Nearly two-thirds of US office-based physicians work in practices of fewer than seven physicians. It is often assumed that larger practices provide better care, although there is little evidence for or against this assumption. What is the relationship between practice size--and other practice characteristics, such as ownership or use of medical home processes--and the quality of care? We conducted a national survey of 1,045 primary care-based practices with nineteen or fewer physicians to determine practice characteristics.

Physician practice participation in accountable care organizations: the emergence of the unicorn.

Objective: To provide the first nationally based information on physician practice involvement in ACOs.

Data Sources/study Setting: Primary data from the third National Survey of Physician Organizations (January 2012-May 2013).

Study Design: We conducted a 40-minute phone survey in a sample of physician practices.