Center research has focused on health outcomes in primary care and sub-specialties including radiology, oral health, and gastroenterology.

Embedding viral hepatitis into primary healthcare: results of a strategic landscape analysis in Vietnam and the Philippines

Holt, B., Fernandez, M., Nguyen, D., Pollack, T., Duong, D., et al. Embedding viral hepatitis into primary healthcare: results of a strategic landscape analysis in Vietnam and the Philippines. Lancet Reg Health West Pac. 2023;44:100990. Published 2023 Dec 20. doi:10.1016/j.lanwpc.2023.100990

Do patients who read visit notes on the patient portal have a higher rate of "loop closure" on diagnostic tests and referrals in primary care? A retrospective cohort study

Bell, S.K., Amat, M.J., Anderson, T.S., Aronson, M.D., Benneyan, J.C.,Fernandez, L., Ricci, D.A.,Salant, T.,Schiff, G.D., Shafiq, U., Singer, S.J., Sternberg, S. B, Zhang, C., Phillips, R.S. Do patients who read visit notes on the patient portal have a higher rate of "loop closure" on diagnostic tests and referrals in primary care? A retrospective cohort study. J Am Med Inform Assoc. Published online January 2, 2024. doi:10.1093/jamia/ocad250

Changes in Hospital Adverse Events and Patient Outcomes Associated With Private Equity Acquisition

Kannan, S., Bruch, J.D., Song, Z. Changes in Hospital Adverse Events and Patient Outcomes Associated With Private Equity Acquisition. JAMA. 2023;330(24):2365-2375. doi:10.1001/jama.2023.23147

Completion of Recommended Tests and Referrals in Telehealth vs In-Person Visits

Zhong, A., Amat, M.J., Anderson, T.S., Shafiq, U., Sternberg, S.B., Salant, T., Fernandez, L., Schiff, G.D., Aronson, M.D., Benneyan, J. C., Singer, S.J., Phillips, R.S. Completion of Recommended Tests and Referrals in Telehealth vs In-Person Visits. JAMA Netw Open. 2023;6(11):e2343417. Published 2023 Nov 1. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.43417

Completion Rates and Timeliness of Diagnostic Colonoscopies for Rectal Bleeding in Primary Care

Zhong, A., Amat, M.J., Anderson, T.S., Shafiq, U., Sternberg, S.B., Salant, T., Fernandez, L., Schiff, G.D., Aronson, M.D., Benneyan, J. C., Singer, S.J., Phillips, R.S. Completion Rates and Timeliness of Diagnostic Colonoscopies for Rectal Bleeding in Primary Care [published online ahead of print, 2023 Nov 8]. J Gen Intern Med. 2023;10.1007/s11606-023-08513-9. doi:10.1007/s11606-023-08513-9

Low rate of completion of recommended tests and referrals in an academic primary care practice with resident trainees.

Sternberg, S.B., Salant, T., Fernandez, L., Schiff, G.D., Aronson, M.D., Benneyan, J.C., Singer, S.J., Graham, K.L., Phillips, R.S. Low rate of completion of recommended tests and referrals in an academic primary care practice with resident trainees. The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety. Published online 2023. doi:10.1016/j.jcjq.2023.10.005

Firearm Injuries In Children And Adolescents: Health And Economic Consequences Among Survivors And Family Members

Song, Z., Zubizarreta, J.R., Giuriato, M., Koh, K.A., Sacks, C.A. Firearm Injuries In Children And Adolescents: Health And Economic Consequences Among Survivors And Family Members. Health Affairs (Millwood). 2023;42(11):1541-1550. doi:10.1377/hlthaff.2023.00587

Strengthening national capacities for pandemic preparedness: a cross-country analysis of COVID-19 cases and deaths

Duong, D.B., King, A.J., Grépin, K.A., et al. (2022) Strengthening national capacities for pandemic preparedness: a cross-country analysis of COVID-19 cases and deaths. Health Policy Plan.

From Revolution to Evolution: Early Experience with Virtual-First, Outcomes-Based Primary Care

Primary care is foundational to health systems and a common good. The workforce is threatened by outdated approaches to organizing work, payment, and technology. Primary care work should be restructured to support a team-based model, optimized to efficiently achieve the best population health outcomes. In a virtual-first, outcomes-based primary care model, a majority of professional time for primary care team members is protected for virtual, asynchronous patient interactions, collaboration across clinical disciplines, and real-time management of patients with acute and complex concerns. Payments must be re-structured to cover the cost of, and reward the value created by, this advanced model. Technology investments should shift from legacy electronic health records to patient relationship management systems, built to support continuous, outcome-based care. These changes enable primary care team members to focus on building engaged, trusting relationships with patients and their families and collaborating on complex management decisions, and reconnecting team members with joy in clinical practice.

Ellner, A., Basu, N., & Phillips, R.S. (2023) From Revolution to Evolution: Early Experience with Virtual-First, Outcomes-Based Primary Care [published online ahead of print, 2023 Mar 27]. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 2023;10.1007/s11606-023-08151-1. doi:10.1007/s11606-023-08151-1

Demographic And Clinical Factors Associated With Long COVID

Risk factors for postacute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection ("long COVID") in community-dwelling populations remain poorly understood. Large-scale data, follow-up, comparison groups, and a consensus definition of long COVID are often lacking. Using data from the OptumLabs Data Warehouse on a nationwide sample of commercial and Medicare Advantage enrollees from the period January 2019 through March 2022, we examined demographic and clinical factors associated with long COVID, using two definitions of people who suffer symptoms long after they were first diagnosed with COVID-19 ("long haulers"). We identified 8,329 long haulers using the narrow definition (diagnosis code), 207,537 long haulers using the broad definition (symptom based), and 600,161 non-long haulers (comparison group). On average, long haulers were older and more likely female, with more comorbidities. Among narrow-definition long haulers, the leading risk factors for long COVID included hypertension, chronic lung disease, obesity, diabetes, and depression. Their time between initial COVID-19 diagnosis and diagnosis of long COVID averaged 250 days, with racial and ethnic differences. Broad-definition long haulers exhibited similar risk factors. Distinguishing long COVID from the progression of underlying conditions can be challenging, but further study may advance the evidence base related to the identification, causes, and consequences of long COVID.

Song, Z. & Giuriato, M. (2023) Demographic And Clinical Factors Associated With Long COVID. Health Affairs (Millwood). 2023;42(3):433-442. doi:10.1377/hlthaff.2022.00991

Evidence for Anchoring Bias During Physician Decision-Making

Ly, D.P., Shekelle, P.G., & Song, Z. Evidence for Anchoring Bias During Physician Decision-Making [published online ahead of print, 2023 Jun 26]. JAMA Internal Medicine. 2023;e232366. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2023.2366

Improving diagnosis: adding context to cognition

Linzer, M., Sullivan, E.E., Olson, A.P.J., Khazen, M., Mirica, M., & Schiff, G.D. (2023) Improving diagnosis: Adding context to cognition. De Gruyter. February 1, 2023. Accessed June 28, 2023. 

Changes in Prescription Drug and Health Care Use Over 9 Years After the Large Drug Price Increase for Colchicine

Ly, D.P., Giuriato, M.A., & Song, Z. Changes in Prescription Drug and Health Care Use Over 9 Years After the Large Drug Price Increase for Colchicine [published online ahead of print, 2023 May 8]. JAMA Internal Medicine. 2023;e230898. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2023.0898

Physician- versus practice-level primary care continuity and association with outcomes in Medicare beneficiaries

Yang, Z., Ganguli, I., Davis, C., Dai, M., Shuemaker, J., Peterson, L., Bazemore, A.Phillips, R., & Chung, K.Y. (2022). Physician- versus practice-level primary care continuity and association with outcomes in Medicare beneficiaries. Health Services Research.

Analysis of Radiology Report Recommendation Characteristics and Rate of Recommended Action Performance

White, T., Aronson, M.D., Sternberg, S.B., Shafiq, U., Berkowitz, S.J., Benneyan, J., Phillips, R.S., & Schiff, G.D. (2022) Analysis of Radiology Report Recommendation Characteristics and Rate of Recommended Action Performance. JAMA Network, 2022;5(7):e2222549. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.22549 

Telehealth challenges during COVID-19 as reported by primary healthcare physicians in Quebec and Massachusetts

Breton, M., Sullivan, E.E., Deville-Stoetzel, N. et al. Telehealth challenges during COVID-19 as reported by primary healthcare physicians in Quebec and Massachusetts. BMC Family Practice, 22, 192 (2021). 

Primary care physician supply and population mortality in the United States

Basu, S., Berkowitz, S.A., Phillips, R.L., Bitton, A., Landon, B.E., & Phillips, R.S. (2018). Primary care physician supply and population mortality in the United States, 2005-2015. JAMA Internal Medicine.

How digital health care can help prevent chronic diseases like diabetes

Alpert, J. & Sullivan, E. E. (2017). How digital health care can help prevent chronic diseases like diabetes. Harvard Business Review.

Financing a Dutch Lotus for Community Wellness

Ibrahim, Z., Kringos, D. & Sullivan, E. E. (2016). Financing a Dutch Lotus for Community Wellness. Boston, MA, USA: Harvard Medical School Center for Primary Care.