Quality and Medical Informatics
Current Grants
Center for Education and Research on Therapeutics on Health Information Technology (CERT-HIT)
Rainu Kaushal, M.D., M.P.H., sub-PI; Erika Abramson, M.D., M.S., Investigator; Lisa M. Kern, M.D., M.P.H., Investigator (subcontract – Brigham Women’s Hospital, PI: Bates)
Agency of Health Research and Quality (AHRQ)
9/1/2007 – 11/30/2011
The goals of the CERT are to answer questions related to the impact of HIT on therapeutics, including appropriateness, safety and efficacy across diverse patient populations. Six projects are proposed, covering a variety of clinical settings, including outpatient, inpatient and the transition period after discharge from the hospital.
Evaluation of the Healthcare Efficiency and Affordability Law for New Yorkers Program (HEAL NY) – Phase 5
Rainu Kaushal, M.D., M.P.H., PI; Erika Abramson, M.D., M.S., Investigator; Jessica S. Ancker, M.P.H.,Ph.D., Investigator; Lisa M. Kern, M.D., M.P.H., Investigator; Thomas Campion, Ph.D., Investigator; Joshua Richardson, Ph.D., Investigator
New York State Department of Health
9/1/2008 – 8/31/2012
This series of studies assesses the impact of the HEAL 5 initiative, which consists of efforts to build a statewide health information network for New York, enhance clinical information systems, and facilitate implementation of electronic health records. The HEAL 5 initiative comprises 19 projects being pursued by 16 grantees. We will evaluate the effect of each grantee’s project on one of the following outcomes: public health, medication management, quality reporting, or consumers.
Evaluation of the Healthcare Efficiency and Affordability Law for New Yorkers Capital Grant Program (HEAL NY) – Phase 10
Rainu Kaushal, M.D., M.P.H., PI; Erika Abramson, M.D., M.S., Investigator; Lisa M. Kern, M.D., M.P.H., Investigator; Joshua Richardson, Ph.D., Investigator; Thomas Campion, Ph.D., Investigator; Melissa Honour, M.P.H., Investigator;
Jessica S. Ancker, MPH, PhD, Investigator
New York State Department of Health
1/1/2010 – 12/31/2013
This series of studies assesses the impact of Phase 10 of the HEAL 5 initiative, which consists of efforts to: 1) promote transformation of primary care through implementation of the “medical home” model in 9 communities, and 2) advance the development of the statewide health information network. We are evaluating the effects of these interventions on health care quality and cost.
The Effects of Primary Care Practice Redesign on Quality, Cost and Patient Experience in the Hudson Valley
Lisa M. Kern, M.D., M.P.H., PI; Rainu Kaushal, M.D., M.P.H., PI
The Commonwealth Fund
1/1/2009 – 12/31/2011
The objectives of the grant are to determine the effects of medical home implementation on quality, cost and the patient experience in the Hudson Valley, a region comprised of eight suburban and rural counties immediately north of New York City.
Timely Training of Workers Competent to Support EHR Deployment and Meaningful Use
Jessica S. Ancker, M.P.H., Ph.D., co-PI; Rainu Kaushal, M.D., M.P.H., co-PI
Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC)
4/2/2010 – 6/30/2013
The goal of this training grant is to develop and offer a certificate program in health information technology to rapidly train people to support implementation and use of electronic health records. The program will be developed in collaboration with the Columbia University Department of Biomedical Informatics.
Recent Grants
Developing, Validating and Employing Quality Metrics for HIT and HIE in the Ambulatory Setting
Rainu Kaushal, M.D., M.P.H., PI; Lisa M. Kern, M.D., M.P.H., Investigator
Agency of Health Research and Quality (AHRQ)
9/30/2007 – 3/31/2011
The aims of this grant are: 1) to develop a set of quality metrics that can be retrieved electronically and is sensitive to the types of improvements in quality that health information technology (HIT) with health information exchange (HIE) may contribute in the ambulatory setting, 2) to validate the quality metric set, 3) to test the reliability of electronic retrieval of the quality metric set, and 4) to use the quality metric set to evaluate the long-term effects of using HIT with HIE on quality of care.
Electronic Prescribing and Electronic Transmission of Medication Lists at Discharge to Improve Ambulatory Medication Safety
Rainu Kaushal, M.D., M.P.H., PI; Lisa M. Kern, M.D., M.P.H., Investigator, Erika Abramson, M.D., M.S., Investigator
Agency of Health Research and Quality (AHRQ)
9/30/2007 – 8/31/2011
The aims of this grant are: 1) to measure the effects of transitioning from one electronic prescribing system to another on medication errors and human-computer interactions in the ambulatory setting, and 2) to evaluate the impact of electronic transmission of discharge medication lists from the hospital to the ambulatory setting on medication errors and adverse drug events.
Evaluating the Impact on Quality and Costs of Regional Clinical Data Exchange Programs in New York State
Rainu Kaushal, M.D., M.P.H. , PI; Lisa M. Kern, M.D., M.P.H., Investigator
The Commonwealth Fund
11/1/2006 – 7/31/2009
This study calculated the return on investment for 6 regional health information organizations in New York State, from the perspectives of providers and payers.
Evaluation of THINC Clinical Information Technology
Rainu Kaushal, M.D., M.P.H., PI; Lisa M. Kern, M.D., M.P.H., Investigator
New York State Department of Health (subcontract Taconic IPA)
7/1/2007 – 6/30/2011
This series of studies will evaluate the impact of implementing electronic medical records in the Taconic region of New York State by THINC (the Taconic Health Information Network and Community). The 5 components of this proposal assess: the financial impact, changes in quality of care, effects on medication errors, provider perceptions, and patient perceptions.
THINC RHIO Pay-for-Performance Demonstration Project
Rainu Kaushal, M.D., M.P.H. , site PI; Lisa M. Kern, M.D., M.P.H., Investigator (subcontract THINC RHIO, Inc. PI: Blair)
New York State Department of Health
7/1/2007 – 1/31/2009
This study evaluated the effects of a pay-for-performance initiative which integrates data from several insurance companies into a single report card for a physician.
