RAND: Andrew W. Dick 2012-05-10T18:07:23Z Copyright (c) 2012, The RAND Corporation RAND Corporation http://www.rand.org/about/people/d/dick_andrew.html Extending U.S. Medicare to Mexico: Why It's Important to Consider and What Can Be Done http://www.rand.org/pubs/occasional_papers/OP314.html 2010-07-15T10:39:00Z 2010-07-15T10:39:00Z Explores the idea of allowing Medicare-eligible beneficiaries to use Medicare to cover health services received in Mexico. The Level of State Involvement in the Reconstruction of the Municipal Healthcare System http://www.rand.org/pubs/working_papers/WR308.html 2005-11-12T15:11:00Z 2005-11-12T15:11:00Z Key Findings - The State of Louisiana needs to rebuild its healthcare system but will have limited historical experience and applicable evidence on which to draw. - Basic considerations in the design process include efficient use of resources, meeti... The Pen and the Scalpel http://www.rand.org/pubs/external_publications/EP20090722.html 2009-01-01T00:00:00Z 2009-01-01T00:00:00Z A Trauma Mortality Prediction Model Based on the Anatomic Injury Scale http://www.rand.org/pubs/external_publications/EP20080617.html 2008-01-01T00:00:00Z 2008-01-01T00:00:00Z Develop a statistically rigorous trauma mortality prediction model based on empiric estimates of severity for each injury in the abbreviated injury scale (AIS) and compare the performance of this new model with the injury severity score (ISS). Impact of the Present-On-Admission Indicator on Hospital Quality Measurement http://www.rand.org/pubs/external_publications/EP20080202.html 2008-01-01T00:00:00Z 2008-01-01T00:00:00Z Measures of hospital quality using routinely available administrative data do not include a present-on-admission indicator to distinguish between preexisting conditions and complications. The inclusion of the indicator frequently changes rankings. Are High-Quality Cardiac Surgeons Less Likely to Operate on High-Risk Patients Compared to Low-Quality Surgeons? http://www.rand.org/pubs/external_publications/EP20080217.html 2008-01-01T00:00:00Z 2008-01-01T00:00:00Z Finds that high-risk coronary artery bypass graft patients are significantly more likely to receive care from high-quality surgeons compared with lower-risk patients. The Effect of Acupuncture Utilization on Healthcare Utilization http://www.rand.org/pubs/external_publications/EP20080119.html 2008-01-01T00:00:00Z 2008-01-01T00:00:00Z Determine whether acupuncture is a complement to or substitute for various medical services. Effect of Complications on Mortality After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Surgery http://www.rand.org/pubs/external_publications/EP20070711.html 2007-01-01T00:00:00Z 2007-01-01T00:00:00Z The objective of this study is to quantify the increased odds of dying from complications after isolated coronary artery bypass grafting surgery. Misspecification Issues in Risk Adjustment and Construction of Outcome-Based Quality Indicators http://www.rand.org/pubs/external_publications/EP20070635.html 2007-01-01T00:00:00Z 2007-01-01T00:00:00Z Hospital report cards reporting risk-adjusted health outcomes are increasingly used to benchmark quality of care. Improved Survival Associated with Prophylactic Implantable Defibrillators in Elderly Patients with Prior Myocardial Infarction and Depressed Ventricular Function http://www.rand.org/pubs/external_publications/EP20070807.html 2007-01-01T00:00:00Z 2007-01-01T00:00:00Z The authors aim to evaluate the mortality benefit from defibrillator therapy in eligible elderly patients. Pramipexole Versus Levodopa in Patients with Early Parkinson's Disease http://www.rand.org/pubs/external_publications/EP20060124.html 2006-01-01T00:00:00Z 2006-01-01T00:00:00Z Pramipexole and levodopa affect patient HRQOL via improvement on different domains of well-being. Pramipexole and Levodopa in Early Parkinson's Disease http://www.rand.org/pubs/external_publications/EP20051231.html 2005-01-01T00:00:00Z 2005-01-01T00:00:00Z Analyse the dynamic changes in cumulative costs, effects and incremental cost effectiveness of two competing drug strategies in patients with early PD Cost-effectiveness of Implanted Defibrillators in Young People with Inherited Cardiac Arrhythmias http://www.rand.org/pubs/external_publications/EP20051019.html 2005-01-01T00:00:00Z 2005-01-01T00:00:00Z Early intervention with ICD therapy is cost-effective due to years of gained productivity when the lifespan of an individual at risk is considered. Racial Disparity in the Dose and Dose Intensity of Breast Cancer Adjuvant Chemotherapy http://www.rand.org/pubs/external_publications/EP20030917.html 2003-01-01T00:00:00Z 2003-01-01T00:00:00Z The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of race and obesity on dose and dose intensity of adjuvant chemotherapy. Accuracy of Medicare Claims Data in Identifying Parkinsonism Cases http://www.rand.org/pubs/external_publications/EP20070326.html 2007-01-01T00:00:00Z 2007-01-01T00:00:00Z This study evaluates the accuracy of administrative claims in identifying Parkinsonism cases compared to the self-reported Parkinson's disease (PD). Physical Functioning and Mental Well-Being in Association with Health Outcome in Patients Enrolled in the Multicenter Automatic Defibrillator Implantation Trial II http://www.rand.org/pubs/external_publications/EP20070325.html 2007-01-01T00:00:00Z 2007-01-01T00:00:00Z Lower baseline PCS and MCS are associated with unfavourable health outcome in MADIT II patients, but not with appropriate ICD therapy for ventricular tachyarrhythmias. Quantifying the Risks and Benefits of Natalizumab in Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis http://www.rand.org/pubs/external_publications/EP20070529.html 2007-01-01T00:00:00Z 2007-01-01T00:00:00Z The authors quantified the risk and benefits of natalizumab in relapsing multiple sclerosis using quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) as a metric. Health-related Quality of Life Consequences of Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators http://www.rand.org/pubs/external_publications/EP20070530.html 2007-01-01T00:00:00Z 2007-01-01T00:00:00Z Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) improve survival and extend lives of patients with severe heart disease. The Implications of Using US-specific EQ-5D Preference Weights for Cost-Effectiveness Evaluation http://www.rand.org/pubs/external_publications/EP20070531.html 2007-01-01T00:00:00Z 2007-01-01T00:00:00Z Country-specific preference weights in clinical-economic trials might have important effects on estimates of incremental cost-effectiveness. Use of a Matching Algorithm to Evaluate Hospital Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Performance as an Alternative to Conventional Risk Adjustment http://www.rand.org/pubs/external_publications/EP20070423.html 2007-01-01T00:00:00Z 2007-01-01T00:00:00Z Basing outcome assessment on matching or regression modeling yielded similar findings on hospital ranking but moderate level of agreement on quality.