Feasibility and usability of measuring receipt of sealants in 2 states

BackgroundThe authors examined the reliability and validity of the Dental Quality Alliance childhood sealant measure under actual use conditions in Texas and Florida. The 2 states provide care for almost 20% of children in Medicaid nationally.MethodsThe authors used dental claims data to examine the reliability of the caries risk assessment component of the measure. They examined validity using a 3-year look-back period to identify children who were inaccurately included in the measure denominator as sealant eligible when they were not owing to already sealed, missing, or restored teeth.ResultsThe children identified at elevated risk varied between the states, with 85% at elevated risk in Texas and 39% in Florida in 2017. Different methods can be used to calculate risk, raising questions about reliability. In Texas, 31% of children included in the denominator were not eligible to receive sealants owing to already sealed, missing, or restored teeth. The magnitude of the underestimation increased with age, so by the time children were 9 years old, 40% were not measure eligible yet included in the denominator. Similar results were observed for Florida.ConclusionsThe authors propose eliminating the caries risk assessment requirement and incorporating a 3-year look-back period to identify already sealed, missing, or restored molars.Practical ImplicationsThe reliability and validity of the sealant measure needs to be enhanced. Measure misspecification in which children are not correctly identified as needing sealants can contribute to inaccurate development of quality improvement goals, performance improvement projects, or pay-for-quality programs.     

分级诊疗的治理逻辑与农村居民认知偏差效应分析

自分级诊疗政策实施以来,部分地区农村基层首诊率不增反降,在自由择医的政策环境下,农村居民在无法确定疾病严重程度时倾向于选择高级别医疗机构就诊。本文从政策视角梳理了我国农村分级医疗服务体系的发展历程、剖析了分级诊疗的适配逻辑以及当前分级诊疗治理的政策困境。并在此基础上剖析了疾病不确定感对居民首诊选择的影响,界定了农村居民认知偏差效应。最后提出了推进互联网首诊服务的发展、加强基层医疗卫生机构宣传,以提升基层首诊意愿的建议。