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Today’s Headlines:

• Report Highlights Impact of Obesity and Chronic Conditions in 2022.
• Upcoming NAA Webinar: Best Practices for Safer Healthcare Systems.
• National Cholesterol Education Month: MEPS Has the Latest Trends.
• Deprescribing May Help Improve Patient Safety.
• Webinar Recording Available for Units Interested in Free CAUTI Prevention Program.
• Register for Upcoming Webinars.
• ´óÏóÊÓƵStats: Healthcare Spending Among Children Treated for Autism Spectrum Disorder.  
• New Research and Evidence.
• ´óÏóÊÓƵin the Professional Literature.

Report Highlights Impact of Obesity and Chronic Conditions in 2022

In 2022, over 77 percent of U.S. adults were affected by obesity, at least one chronic condition, or both, and that number rose to 99 percent among adults aged 80 and older. A report from AHRQ’s Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, Combined Prevalence of Chronic Conditions or Obesity for Adults in 2022, explores 2022 data on the prevalence of these conditions among adults aged 18 and older. The report covers data by age, sex, health insurance, poverty level, and geographic regions. Check out the highlights and discover which Americans are most impacted by obesity and chronic conditions. 

Upcoming NAA Webinar: Best Practices for Safer Healthcare Systems

The National Action Alliance for Patient and Workforce Safety (NAA) recently reviewed high-performing healthcare systems to identify strategies and practices that advance safer care. This work supports the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Patient Safety Structural Measure and the National Action Plan for Patient Safety, emphasizing culture, leadership, and governance as foundations of safe care.

The NAA studied three exemplar systems—St. Luke’s University Health Network (PA), Houston Methodist (TX), and the Mayo Clinic (MN, WI)—through onsite visits. These visits revealed common themes and approaches tied to safety culture, leadership, and governance.

The NAA distilled the findings into the Best Practices to Strengthen Safety Culture, Leadership, and Governance Change Package, a practical guide with strategies organizations can apply to drive improvements. The Change Package will launch later this month, alongside a webinar on Monday, September 22, 12–1 p.m. ET. Register for the webinar here and plan to visit the NAA website to download the change package coming soon. 

National Cholesterol Education Month: MEPS Has the Latest Trends

The majority of adults who were treated for diet-related conditions in 2021-2022—on average, 76.4 million out of 84.1 million people in total—received care for cardiovascular diseases including high cholesterol, high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, cardiac dysrhythmias, and stroke. In recognition of this year’s National Cholesterol Education Month, ´óÏóÊÓƵinvites researchers, policymakers, and healthcare professionals to explore how high cholesterol has impacted Americans. High cholesterol is a priority condition for AHRQ’s  (MEPS), and the most impactful data is conveniently available through  and two associated statistical briefs. Explore costs associated with high cholesterol and other common diet-related conditions in , and discover common conditions and expenditures, including for high cholesterol, among people with high expenses in .

Deprescribing May Help Improve Patient Safety

Deprescribing is the practice of discontinuing inappropriate or unneeded medications. Deprescribing can help reduce adverse drug events as well as healthcare utilization and costs. An AHRQ-funded study published in JAMA Network Open found that interventions for deprescribing help older adults living at home take fewer medications or fewer potentially inappropriate medications. The study authors indicated more research is needed to determine whether focusing on reducing a single type of drug or drug class, such as sleeping pills, is more effective than targeting the reduction of many types of medications. The study was based on a from AHRQ’s Effective Health Care Program and General Patient Safety Program. Access the .

Webinar Recording Available for Units Interested in Free CAUTI Prevention Program

The ´óÏóÊÓƵSafety Program for Healthcare-Associated Infection Prevention is recruiting adult intensive and non-intensive care units for its catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) cohort. In webinars on August 13 and 28, Drs. Bradford Winters and Sara Cosgrove, lead subject matter experts, presented details of the program, which aims to reduce CAUTI, strengthen patient safety culture, and improve team communication. Additional cohort benefits include expert coaching, monthly educational webinars, implementation support, benchmarking reports, free CME/CEU credits, and a flexible data collection process. Responding to attendee questions, the presenters offered guidance on structuring teams, applying at the hospital or unit level, and ensuring adequate staff support for multiple units. Visit the  to register for upcoming webinars on October 3 and October 28, or download the presentation materials.  for the program by January 30, 2026.

Register for Upcoming Webinars

• September 18, 11 a.m.–3 p.m. ET: Strengthening Partnerships with Patients and Families to Assess and Improve the Experience of Care.
• September 22, 12–1 p.m. ET: Safety Best Practices of High Performing Healthcare Systems Related to Safety Culture, Leadership and Governance.
• September 30, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. ET: .
• :
  • October 3, 11:30 a.m.–12 p.m. ET.
  • October 28, 3:30–4 p.m. ET.
• October 8, 2:30–4 p.m. ET: .

´óÏóÊÓƵStats: Healthcare Spending Among Children Treated for Autism Spectrum Disorder

Annual healthcare expenditures for children treated for autism spectrum disorder averaged $20,122 per person between 2018 and 2022. (Source: ´óÏóÊÓƵMedical Expenditure Panel Survey Statistical Brief #565, .)

New Research and Evidence

• Systematic Review (draft open for comment through September 18): .
• Systematic Review (draft open for comment through September 29): .

´óÏóÊÓƵin the Professional Literature

Medicare plan switching among beneficiaries with and without a history of cancer. Jazowski SA, Achola EM, Nicholas LH, et al. JAMA Netw Open 2025 Jun 2;8(6):e2513394. Access the  on PubMed®.

Medigap protection and plan switching among Medicare Advantage enrollees with cancer. Kwon Y, Jazowski SA, Hu X, et al. JAMA Health Forum 2025 Jun 7;6(6):e252018. Access the  on PubMed®.

Accounting for healthcare structures when measuring variation in care. Colquhoun DA, Janda AM, Mentz G, et al. Anesthesiology 2025 May;142(5):793-805. Epub 2025 Apr 8. Access the  on PubMed®.

Observational survey of financial difficulties among patients with multiple myeloma and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia treated at US community oncology clinics (Alliance A231602CD). Conti RM, McCue S, Dockter T, et al. BMJ Open 2025 Jun 3;15(6):e091769. Access the  on PubMed®.

Accuracy of pathogen diagnostic codes for acute hematogenous musculoskeletal infections in children. Searns JB, Hall M, Birkholz M, et al. J Hosp Med 2025 Aug;20(8):853-7. Epub 2025 Jan 13. Access the  on PubMed®.

Video versus audio telehealth in safety net clinic patients: changes by rurality and time. Larson AE, Stange KC, Heintzman J, et al. J Rural Health 2025 Mar;41(2):e12887. Epub 2024 Oct 2. Access the  on PubMed®.

Antibiotic treatment in patients hospitalized for nonsevere COVID-19. Pulia MS, Griffin M, Schwei R, et al. JAMA Netw Open 2025 May 1;8(5):e2511499. Access the  on PubMed®.

Enhancing the role of community pharmacists in medication safety: a qualitative study of voices from the frontline. White A, Thompson EL, Kim S, et al. Pharmacy 2025 Jul 9;13(4):94. Access the  on PubMed®.

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