Assessing the accuracy of race-and-ethnicity data in the Outcome and Assessment Information Set.

Background: Limitations in the quality of race-and-ethnicity information in Medicare's data systems constrain efforts to assess disparities in care among older Americans. Using demographic information from standardized patient assessments may be an efficient way to enhance the accuracy and completeness of race-and-ethnicity information in Medicare's data systems, but it is critical to first establish the accuracy of these data as they may be prone to inaccurate observer-reported or third-party-based information. This study evaluates the accuracy of patient-level race-and-ethnicity information included in the Outcome and Assessment Information Set (OASIS) submitted by home health agencies.

Association of Population Well-Being With Cardiovascular Outcomes.

Importance: Mortality from cardiovascular disease (CVD) varies across communities and is associated with known structural and population health factors. Still, a population's well-being, including sense of purpose, social relationships, financial security, and relationship to community, may be an important target to improve cardiovascular health.

Objective: To examine the association of population level measures of well-being with rates of CVD mortality in the US.

Community factors and hospital wide readmission rates: Does context matter?

Background: The environment in which a patient lives influences their health outcomes. However, the degree to which community factors are associated with readmissions is uncertain.

Objective: To estimate the influence of community factors on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services risk-standardized hospital-wide readmission measure (HWR)-a quality performance measure in the U.

An instrument for assessing the quality of informed consent documents for elective procedures: development and testing.

Objective: To develop a nationally applicable tool for assessing the quality of informed consent documents for elective procedures.

Design: Mixed qualitative-quantitative approach.

Setting: Convened seven meetings with stakeholders to obtain input and feedback on the tool.

Report of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute working group on outcomes research in cardiovascular disease.

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute convened a working group on outcomes research in cardiovascular disease (CVD). The working group sought to provide guidance on research priorities in outcomes research related to CVD. For the purposes of this document, "outcomes research" is defined as investigative endeavors that generate knowledge to improve clinical decision making and healthcare delivery to optimize patient outcomes.