Clinical Research Oriented Workshop (CROW) Meeting: June 16, 2011

Present: Abby Crocker, Amanda Kennedy, Rodger Kessler, Jennifer Libous (Student Support Specialist), Ben Littenberg, Connie van Eeghen

1. Welcome to Jennifer, new CTS Student Support Specialist.

2. Rodger: Metrics for Behavioral Health Integration research

a. Development of measures of QI, BHI research project, and data collection for future research/QI projects. These data describe performance of BH clinicians, which will be used to focus on how to evaluate specific hypotheses later on in the development of this project.

b. Rodger shared an outline of the measures drawn from the data collected to date.

c. Accessibility and extractability of data from PRISM still being explored.

d. Measures need to be described with:

i. Name

ii. Numerator

iii. Denominator

iv. Source

v. Rationale

e. The intervention is based on three sets of measures, administered annually to adult patients:

i. PHQ2 prescreen (3+)

1. PHQ9

2. GAD2 (3+)

a. GAD7

ii. Audit 2 (3+)

iii. Problem prescription use (1+)

f. These data elements can be evaluated by the degree to which they measure the effectiveness of this work on the intended outcome (e.g. patient health care status with respect to mental health, substance abuse, and health behavior). Therefore:

i. Match the theoretical model to domains of measures (e.g. the elements of implementation)

ii. Match the domains to specific measurements

iii. Derive the data dictionary/lexicon using these relationships

iv. Define the elements of the data dictionary and its boundaries, based on the study interest

3. Next Workshop Meeting(s): Thursday, 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m., at Given Courtyard Level 4

a. June 23: CANCELLED

b. June 30: Abby (no Connie)

c. July 7: Connie: Case Study #2

d. Change to new time for our meetings for July and August: Thursday morning 9:30 – 11:00

e. Ben is on vacation July 16 – 30 and out Aug 4; Abby is on vacation August; Amanda is teaching Tues & Thurs 1 – 4 from July 1 – Aug 26

f. Future agenda to consider:

i. Rodger: Mixed methods article; article on Behavior’s Influence on Medical Conditions (unpublished)

ii. Future: Review of different types of journal articles (lit review, case study, original article, letter to editor…), when each is appropriate, tips on planning/writing (Abby)

Recorder: C. van Eeghen

Clinical Research Oriented Workshop (CROW) Meeting: June 9, 2011

Present: Abby Crocker, Amanda Kennedy, Ben Littenberg, Charlie MacLean, Connie van Eeghen

1. Connie: Review of Cross Case Analysis for Mixed Methods Study

a. Connie reviewed her study question re: improving quality improvement processes in provider office settings, the model that describes the variables of her exploratory study, and a framework to present the findings about those variables from individual case studies in a cross case analysis.

b. Group feedback was broad as well as specific, including:

i. Clarity in column headers

ii. Separation of different kinds of results into different tables

iii. Inclusion of similar results from different methods (qualitative and quantitative) into a single table

iv. Careful explanation of the purpose and limits related to comparative survey results, such as post-project and pre-project comparisons that ask general attitude questions, not specific QI projects questions

v. Consistent use of precision (number of places reported to the right of a decimal)

vi. Reporting changes between two periods as a single number, rather than both the “before” and “after” results.

c. Connie asked for feedback on “deliverables” that will accompany the completion of the dissertation. The group reviewed the alternatives; Connie plans to change her original proposal to include the following draft documents:

i. A journal article on case study #2 (Behavioral Health Integration), written in collaboration with the PI for that project but with her as first author.

ii. An NIH grant to create a procedure for repeating the process used in conducting case study #2 (R03).

iii. A short white paper to health care policy makers in the Vermont legislature about the benefit of using this approach in VT health care reform activities.

d. Many thanks to all; look to see her back soon with results re: case study #2.

2. Next Workshop Meeting(s): Thursday, 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m., at Given Courtyard Level 4

a. June 16: Rodger: Metrics for Behavioral Health Integration research; R03 proposal research question

b. June 23: Kairn or Abby: (no Ben at 3:30, no Amanda)

c. June 30: (no Connie)

d. July 7: Connie: Case Study #2

e. Change to new time for our meetings for July and August: Thursday morning 9:30 – 11:00

f. Ben is on vacation July 16 – 30 and out Aug 4; Abby is on vacation August; Amanda is teaching Tues & Thurs 1 – 4 from July 1 – Aug 26

g. Future agenda to consider:

i. Rodger: Mixed methods article; article on Behavior’s Influence on Medical Conditions (unpublished)

ii. Future: Review of different types of journal articles (lit review, case study, original article, letter to editor…), when each is appropriate, tips on planning/writing (Abby)

Recorder: C. van Eeghen

2010 BRFSS Data and Documentation Now Available

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Behavioral Surveillance Branch is pleased to announce the release of the 2010 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data. The BRFSS is a unique, state-based surveillance system active in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U. S. Virgin Islands, and Guam. Information on health risk behaviors, clinical preventive health practices, and health care access (primarily related to chronic disease and injury) is obtained from a representative sample of noninstitutionalized adults aged 18 years and older in each state. The BRFSS provides flexible, timely, and ongoing data collection that allows for state-to-state and state-to-nation comparisons. State-specific data including racial-and-ethnic-specific data from the BRFSS provide a sound basis for developing and evaluating public health programs, including programs targeted to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in health risks. The BRFSS is the largest telephone-based surveillance system in the world, with more than 450,000 interviews conducted in 2010.

The 2010 BRFSS data and documentation files are available at http://www.cdc.gov/brfss/technical_infodata/surveydata/2010.htm

For more information about the data, please contact the BRFSS office at (404) 498-0590. 

Health Economics Seminar

Richard Audas, PhD
Estimating the Impact of a Subsidy Freeze on Dental Health Services Utilization
Date:  Monday, June 13, 2011
Time: 12:30pm-1:30pm
Where:  S359 Courtyard at Given



Dr. Audas is a candidate for a faculty position in CCTS.  Please join us!