Articles by Leif I. Solberg, MD

This article presents a case study of how stakeholders in one state came together to integrate practice and research that is a step beyond a learning health care system.

Care Coordination in Primary Care: Mapping the Territory
ByLeif I. Solberg, MD,Anna Bergdall, MPH,Jeanette Y. Ziegenfuss, PhD,Meghan M. JaKa, PhD,Robin R. Whitebird, PhD, MSW,Ella A. Chrenka, MS,Mary Sue Beran, MD, MPH,Kathryn McDonald, PhD, MM,Bonnie LaPlante, MHA, RN,Steven P. Dehmer, PhD A survey completed by 100% of leaders of diverse care systems in Minnesota participating in an observational study showed little difference in approach to care coordination.

Large medical groups perform better than medium- or small-sized groups on diabetes quality measures, perhaps because they have more care management processes in place.

It Is Time to Ask Patients What Outcomes Are Important to Them
ByLeif I. Solberg, MD,Stephen E. Asche, MA,John C. Butler, MD,David Carrell, PhD,Christine K. Norton, MA,Jeffrey G. Jarvik, MD, MPH,Rebecca Smith-Bindman, MD,Juliana O. Tillema, MPA,Robin R. Whi Patients with abdominal or back pain identified 21 outcomes important to them, but the reported outcomes are quite different from the symptom and function outcomes studied by researchers.

Patient Experience and Physician/Staff Satisfaction in Transforming Medical Homes
ByLeif I. Solberg, MD,Logan Stuck, MS,A. Lauren Crain, PhD,Robin R. Whitebird, PhD, MSW,Patricia L. Fontaine, MD, MS,Juliana O. Tillema, MPA,Anne McGeary Snowden, MPH Becoming a medical home appears to increase physician and staff job satisfaction, but it also risks decreasing patient satisfaction with access to care.

Effective Implementation of Collaborative Care for Depression: What Is Needed?
ByRobin R. Whitebird, PhD, MSW,Leif I. Solberg, MD,Nancy A. Jaeckels, BS,Pamela B. Pietruszewski, MA,Senka Hadzic, MPH,Jürgen Unützer, MD, MPH, MA,Kris A. Ohnsorg, MPH, RN,Rebecca C. Rossom, MD, MSCR,Arne Beck, PhD,Kenneth E. Joslyn, MD, MPH,Lisa V. Rubenstein, MD, MSPH Factors most important for successful implementation of collaborative care for depression differ for patient activation versus achieving remission; both are critical to program success.

The Effect of Depression Treatment on Work Productivity
ByArne Beck, PhD,A. Lauren Crain, PhD,Leif I. Solberg, MD,Jü,rgen Unü,tzer, MD, MPH,Michael V. Maciosek, PhD,Robin R. Whitebird, PhD, MSW,Rebecca C. Rossom, MD, MSCR This study demonstrated that reduction of depression symptoms following routine treatment in primary care is significantly associated with improvements in productivity at work.

Documentation of the 5 As for Smoking Cessation by PCPs Across Distinct Health Systems
ByRebecca J. Williams, DrPh,Andrew L. Masica, MD,Mary Ann McBurnie, PhD,Leif I. Solberg, MD,Steffani R. Bailey, PhD,Brian Hazlehurst, PhD,Stephen E. Kurtz, PhD,Andrew E. Williams, PhD,Jon E. Puro, MHA-PA,Victor J. Stevens, PhD Evaluation of the 5 As of smoking cessation using patient electronic medical records across 6 distinct healthcare systems, stratified by comorbidity, gender, age, race ethnicity.

Patient-Centered Medical Home Cost Reductions Limited to Complex Patients
ByThomas J. Flottemesch, PhD,Louise H. Anderson, PhD,Leif I. Solberg, MD,Patricia Fontaine, MD, MS,Stephen E. Asche, MA From 2005 to 2009, improved clinical practice systems were associated with cost reductions only for medically complex patients.

This article reports a unique statewide initiative in Minnesota to improve orders for high-tech diagnostic imaging tests while reducing their overall frequency and costs.

Patient Medical Group Continuity and Healthcare Utilization
ByLouise H. Anderson, PhD,Thomas J. Flottemesch, PhD,Patricia Fontaine, MD, MS,Leif I. Solberg, MD,Stephen E. Asche, MA Patients who often change medical groups have the highest healthcare costs. The improved coordination of an accountable care organization may reduce those costs.

Effects of Electronic Decision Support on High-Tech Diagnostic Imaging Orders and Patients
ByLeif I. Solberg, MD,Feifei Wei, PhD,John C. Butler, MD,Kevin J. Palattao, BA,Cally A. Vinz, RN,Melissa A. Marshall, MBA Electronic decision support for high-tech diagnostic imaging was associated with reduced volume and increased appropriateness, but had little impact on findings or patients.

Diabetes Care Quality: Insurance, Health Plan, and Physician Group Contributions
ByGail M. Amundson, MD,Patrick J. O'Connor, MD, MPH,Leif I. Solberg, MD,Stephen E. Asche, MA,Rachel C. Woods,Emily D. Parker, PhD,A. Lauren Crain, PhD Reporting physician group performance in addition to health plan performance may stimulate greater improvement in diabetes care.

Is Integration in Large Medical Groups Associated With Quality?
ByLeif I. Solberg, MD,Stephen E. Asche, MA,Stephen M. Shortell, PhD, MBA, MPH,Robin R. Gillies, PhD,Nancy Taylor, MBA,L. Gregory Pawlson, MD, MPH,Sarah Hudson Scholle, DrPH, MPH,M. Rashell Young, MBA, MPH Integrated care systems allegedly provide better care. This study of 97 large medical groups nationally provides suggestive evidence that this may be true.

Practice Systems Are Associated With High-quality Care for Diabetes
ByLeif I. Solberg, MD,Stephen E. Asche, MA,L. Gregory Pawlson, MD, MPH,Sarah Hudson Scholle, DrPH, MPH,Sarah C. Shih, MPH The Physician Practice Connections-Readiness Survey can identify practice systems that are associated with higher rates of quality diabetes care.

Young Adult Smokers: Are They Different?
ByLeif I. Solberg, MD,Raymond G. Boyle, PhD, MPH,Maribet McCarty, PhD,Stephen E. Asche, MA,Merry Jo Thoele, MPH 

Increasing Primary Care Physician Productivity: A Case Study
BySteven Lewandowski, BSS,Patrick J. O'Connor, MD, MPH,Leif I. Solberg, MD,Thomas Lais, BS,Mary Hroscikoski, MD,JoAnn M. Sperl-Hillen, MD 
Practice Systems for Chronic Care: Frequency and Dependence on an Electronic Medical Record
ByLeif I. Solberg, MD,Sarah Hudson Scholle, DrPH,Stephen E. Asche, MA,Sarah C. Shih, MPH,L. Gregory Pawlson, MD, MPH,Merry Jo Thoele, MPH,Amy L. R. Murphy, MHHA 
Measuring Patient Safety in Ambulatory Care: Potential for Identifying Medical Group Drug"Drug Interaction Rates Using Claims Data
ByLeif I. Solberg, MD,Judith S. Hurley, MS, RD,Melissa H. Roberts, MS,Winnie W. Nelson, PharmD, MS,Floyd J. Frost, PhD,A. Lauren Crain, PhD,Margaret J. Gunter, PhD,Linda R. Young, PharmD 
Does Improved Access to Care Affect Utilization and Costs for Patients With Chronic Conditions?
ByLeif I. Solberg, MD,Michael V. Maciosek, PhD,JoAnn M. Sperl-Hillen, MD,A. Lauren Crain, PhD,Karen I. Engebretson, BA,Brent R. Asplin, MD, MPH,Patrick J. OÂfConnor, MD, MPH 
Tobacco Control Efforts in Managed Care: What Do the Doctors Think?
ByLeif I. Solberg, MD,Virginia P. Quinn, PhD,Victor J. Stevens, PhD,Thomas M. Vogt, MD, MPH,Nancy A. Rigotti, MD,Jane G. Zapka, ScD,Debra P. Ritzwoller, PhD,K. Sabina Smith, BS, CCRP 
Implementation of Systems Strategies for Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Services in Health Maintenance Organizations
ByKarin Valentine Goins, MPH,Jane G. Zapka, ScD,Ann M. Geiger, PhD,Leif I. Solberg, MD,Stephen Taplin, MD,Marianne Ulcickas Yood, DSc,Jo 

Is Quality Free? The Relationship Between Cost and Quality Across 18 Provider Groups
ByLeif I. Solberg, MD,C. Alan Lyles, ScD, MPH,Andrew D. Shore, PhD,Klaus W. Lemke, PhD,Jonathan P. Weiner, DrPH