Improving the seniors’ transition from hospital to the community: a case for intensive geriatric service workers

2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 149-163 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carrie A. McAiney ◽  
Loretta M. Hillier ◽  
Janice Paul ◽  
Jane McKinnon Wilson ◽  
Anna Tersigni Phelan ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTBackground:Limited continuity of care, poor communication between healthcare providers, and ineffective self-management are barriers to recovery as seniors transition back to the community following an Emergency Department (ED) visit or hospitalization. The intensive geriatric service worker (IGSW) role is a new service developed in southern Ontario, Canada to address gaps for seniors transitioning home from acute care to prevent rehospitalization and premature institutionalization through the provision of intensive support and follow-up to ensure adherence to care plans, facilitate communication with care providers, and promote self-management. This study describes the IGSW role and provides preliminary evidence of its impact on clients, caregivers and the broader health system.Methods:This mixed methods evaluation included a chart audit of all clients served, tracking of the achievement of goals for IGSW involvement, and interviews with clients and caregivers and other key informants.Results:During the study period, 632 clients were served. Rates of goal achievement ranged from 25%–87% and in cases where achieved, the extent of IGSW involvement mostly exceeded recommendations. IGSWs were credited with improving adherence with treatment recommendations, increasing awareness and use of community services, and improving self-management, which potentially reduced ED visits and hospitalizations and delayed institutionalization.Conclusions:The IGSW role has the potential to improve supports for seniors and facilitate more appropriate use of health system resources, and represents a promising mechanism for improving the integration and coordination of care across health sectors.

Blood ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 126 (23) ◽  
pp. 5620-5620
Author(s):  
Beth M Faiman ◽  
Paul Jacobsen ◽  
Amy Callahan ◽  
Still Nadia ◽  
SaraLena Panzer ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction: Treatment of Multiple Myeloma (MM) is undergoing transformation. With the rapid emergence of new agents and regimens has also come new toxicities that limit their tolerability and impact patient adherence. Innovative strategies are needed to proactively screen for, assess, and manage disease- and treatment-related symptoms, and engage patients (pts) and families in their identification and self-management. To be sustainable, processes must efficiently integrated within clinical workflows. Growing attention is thus being placed on the potential of novel health information technology (IT) solutions to transform cancer care delivery. Yet, most IT solutions to date have focused little attention to supportive care and facilitating self-management of symptoms. The Carevive (formally On Q) Care Planning System™ (CPS) was developed to address this gap, by providing efficient and clinically integrated IT solutions that facilitate evidence-based supportive care, while concurrently promoting supported self-management. The primary objective of this study is to assess the feasibility of the Carevive CPS electronic symptom screening and care management system in pts receiving active treatment for MM. Methods: Ninety pts with MM and their healthcare providers (physicians and nurse practitioners) are planned for enrollment to this in-progress multi-center pilot intervention study (30 pts each at 3 sites). All participants must be 18 years or older with a pathologically confirmed diagnosis of MM and currently receiving treatment for at least 4 weeks prior to enrollment. At baseline and a 4-8 week follow-up, each patient completes an electronic patient-reported outcome (ePRO) questionnaire in the Carevive CPS about their symptoms. These, plus clinical data, are processed by the Carevive CPS proprietary rules engine to generate personalized, guideline-driven care plans with peer-reviewed and evidence-based recommendations for symptom management. Providers review, finalize, and deliver these care plans containing individually tailored education, resources, and referrals at the 2 clinical visits. Care plans can be delivered to the pts electronically (via secure email or thumb drive) or paper. Feasibility of delivery of the Carevive CPS intervention was assessed by: a) patient enrollment and attrition, b) completion rates of key intervention components (e.g., completion of the questionnaire by pts, percent of pts who receive a care plan), and c) process variables (e.g. format of care plan delivery, time spent discussing the care plan). A tracking log was used to capture percentage of pts enrolled and rates of completion of ePRO questionnaires. Process variables were captured using a study designed worksheet, completed by research staff following each intervention visit. Achievement of feasibility of the intervention was defined as a questionnaire and care plan completion rate of 75% or higher. Data Analysis: To date 20 pts have enrolled at 2 participating sites, with a third site planned to open for enrollment in August 2015. Nine providers are participating to date. Updated data on both pts and providers will be presented at time of the symposium. Of the 25 pts approached to participate, 20 participated for a consent rate of 80%. 20/20 (100%) of pts completed the questionnaire in full. The average time the patient spent independently completing the questionnaire was 7.36 minutes and 100% of these pts received care plans. Healthcare providers spent an average of 5.55 minutes discussing the care plan with the patient. Care plan delivery has been predominately electronic, with 70% having been delivered via secure email or thumb drive and 30% being delivered via paper format. Conclusions: The Carevive CPS is a novel electronic platform designed to deliver evidence-based and personalized supportive care plans to pts at the point of care. Preliminary data, which will be updated at time of presentation, are supportive of its feasibility in MM. The 75% threshold for feasibility has been met for enrollment, ePRO questionnaire completion, and care plan delivery. Time spent in questionnaire completion and care plan review was low compared to other studies. These feasibility data provide initial evidence to support the Carevive CPS intervention. Future studies are planned to evaluate the impact on patient outcomes including symptom burden and adherence to therapy. Disclosures Faiman: Amgen/Onyx: Consultancy; Takeda/Millennium: Consultancy; Celgene: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau. Nadia:Carevive, Inc.: Employment. Panzer:Carevive, Inc.: Employment.


2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 45-51
Author(s):  
Choni Wangmo

Bhutan’s health system, despite its commendable achievements in past few decades, continues to face shortage of skilled healthcare professionals and quality issues in service delivery. While recruiting more professionals, advocating for population health, better patient experience and safety, healthcare provider wellness has been overlooked. As the recent pay revision receives warm welcome from the health fraternity, a sense of greater professionalism and responsibility will be expected. Yet, aforementioned challenges still remain. Life and aspirations of professionals, brought up and trained in society that provides free healthcare and education, will become more convoluted. Mentorship program for healthcare providers at the beginning of their career and institutionalizing enabling environment for their personal and professional development need to be looked into. Decisions to pursue specialization should be a result of genuine interest and not a presumed exit hallway from professional frustrations, nor a shortcut to hefty pay. A promising and congruous career pathway can improve job satisfaction among health care providers. Endeavors to improve healthcare service delivery are present at every level but lack of coordination hampers favorable outcome. Variation in healthcare is major cause of adverse healthcare outcome and it is also known that every system is perfectly designed to achieve the results it gets. After conceptualizing few desired outcomes, a strategy framework that leads to health system improvement through improved individual productivity and systemic reforms enhancing intra- and inter sectoral coordination, while using evidence-based practice and existing resources, is proposed.


Healthcare ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 419
Author(s):  
Arkadiusz Dziedzic ◽  
Marta Tanasiewicz ◽  
Hassan Abed ◽  
Chris Dickinson ◽  
Bruna Picciani

Recently, calls for prompt and smart reform of dental education and postgraduate training have been made, reflecting the current global healthcare needs and addressing the most common problems faced by dental care providers. Objectives: Herewith, we propose the enhancement of multilevel dental training in dental conscious sedation (DCS), in order to meet the increasing demands associated with current and post-pandemic times. The temporary suspension of general anaesthesia and hospital-based sedation provision in response to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) revealed the urgent need for more efficient utilization of a variety of forms of DCS. Whilst the global spread of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has particularly challenged dental sedation teams in community services, the appropriate preparation for similar disruptions in future should be undertaken proactively. In response, dental schools and commissioners are obliged to implement innovations in teaching, with the development of new programs supporting trainer–trainee interactions and focusing on practical sedation skills. Conclusions: The joint efforts of educators, healthcare providers, and commissioners, as well as adequate and robust DCS training utilizing a variety of teaching methods, would allow our profession to face the growing demand for pain and anxiety control measures in light of the current situation, which may increase even further over time. Decision makers are urged to consider making training in DCS more accessible, meeting current healthcare demands, and equally providing essential support for the special dental care sector.


2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 59
Author(s):  
J. Giese-Davis ◽  
J. Sisler ◽  
L. Zhong ◽  
Y. Brandelli ◽  
J.L. McCormick ◽  
...  

Background No standardized measures specifically assess cancer survivors’ and healthcare providers’ experience of Survivor Care Plans (scps). We sought to develop two care plan evaluation (cpe) measures, one for survivors (cpe-s) and one for healthcare providers (cpe-p), examine initial psychometric qualities in Alberta, and assess generalizability in Manitoba, Canada.Methods We developed the initial measures using convenience samples of breast (n = 35) and head and neck (n = 18) survivors who received scps at the end of active cancer-centre treatment. After assessing Alberta’s scp concordance with Institute of Medicine (iom) recommendations using a published coding scheme, we examined psychometric qualities for the cpe-s and cpe-p. We examined generalizability in Manitoba, Canada, with colorectal survivors discharged to primary care providers for follow-up (n = 75).Results We demonstrated acceptable internal consistency for the cpe-s and cpe-p subscales and total score after eliminating one item per subscale for cpe-s, two for cpe-p, resulting in revised scales with four 7-item and 6-item subscales, respectively. Subscale scores correlated highly indicating that for each measure the total score may be the most reliable and valid. We provide initial cpe-s discriminant, convergent, and predictive validity using the total score. Using the Manitoba sample, initial psychometrics similarly indicated good generalizability across differences in tumour groups, scp, and location.Conclusions We recommend the revised cpe-s and cpe-p for further use and development. Studies documenting the creation and standardization of scp evaluations are few, and we recommend further development of patient experience measures to improve both clinical practice and the specificity of research questions.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruth Hardman ◽  
Stephen Begg ◽  
Evelien Spelten

Abstract Background The challenges of chronic disease self-management in multimorbidity are well-known. Shippee’s Cumulative Complexity Model provides useful insights on burden and capacity factors affecting healthcare engagement and outcomes. This model reflects patient experience, but healthcare providers are reported to have a limited understanding of these concepts. Understanding burden and capacity is important for clinicians, since they can influence these factors both positively and negatively. This study aimed to explore the perspectives of healthcare providers using burden and capacity frameworks previously used only in patient studies. Methods Participants were twelve nursing and allied health providers providing chronic disease self-management support in low-income primary care settings. We used written vignettes, constructed from interviews with multimorbid patients at the same health centres, to explore how clinicians understood burden and capacity. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Analysis was by the framework method, using Normalisation Process Theory to explore burden and the Theory of Patient Capacity to explore capacity. Results The framework analysis categories fitted the data well. All participants clearly understood capacity and were highly conscious of social (e.g. income, family demands), and psychological (e.g. cognitive, mental health) factors, in influencing engagement with healthcare. Not all clinicians recognised the term ‘treatment burden’, but the concept that it represented was familiar, with participants relating it both to specific treatment demands and to healthcare system deficiencies. Financial resources, health literacy and mental health were considered to have the biggest impact on capacity. Interaction between these factors and health system barriers (leading to increased burden) was a common and challenging occurrence that clinicians struggled to deal with. Conclusions The ability of health professionals to recognise burden and capacity has been questioned, but participants in this study displayed a level of understanding comparable to the patient literature. Many of the challenges identified were related to health system issues, which participants felt powerless to address. Despite their awareness of burden and capacity, health providers continued to operate within a single-disease model, likely to increase burden. These findings have implications for health system organisation, particularly the need for alternative models of care in multimorbidity.


2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (14) ◽  
pp. 2377-2383
Author(s):  
Omolhoda Kaveh ◽  
Hamid Peyrovi

BACKGROUND: Despite the high and growing prevalence of obesity in Iran and a variety of interventions by the healthcare providers control the problem, and it is still a prevalent health problem among Iranian women. AIM: The aim of this study is to explore the perspective of obese Iranian women in the process of self-management regarding the facilitating factor in self-management of obesity. METHODS: In a qualitative study, the participants were selected through purposeful sampling, and the data were collected using semi-structured interviews and focus group (n = 25) between July 2017 and September 2018. All the interviews were transcribed verbatim and the data were analysed using constant comparative method. RESULTS: Supporting the umbrella was the main category found in the present study. The participating obese individuals found “support” as the main factor with an outstanding effect on motivating, incentivising and keeping diet in long-term. This category contains subcategories: self-help; family, friends, and peers’ support; and medical team’s support. CONCLUSION: The findings suggested the critical role of support in obesity self-management process. This critical factor improves our perception of the multi-aspect and complicated nature of obesity self-management. Moreover, policymakers and providers of health services can utilise this finding in the design of care plans with higher chance of success.


10.2196/22432 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. e22432
Author(s):  
Chi Yan Hui ◽  
Brian McKinstry ◽  
Olivia Fulton ◽  
Mark Buchner ◽  
Hilary Pinnock

Background Supported self-management for asthma reduces acute attacks and improves control. The internet of things could connect patients to health care providers, community services, and their living environments to provide overarching support for self-management. Objective We aimed to identify patients’ and clinicians’ preferences for a future internet-of-things system and explore their visions of its potential to support holistic self-management. Methods In an exploratory sequential mixed methods study, we recruited patients from volunteer databases and charities’ social media. We purposively sampled participants to interview them about their vision of the design and utility of the internet of things as a future strategy for supporting self-management. Respondents who were not invited to participate in the interviews were invited to complete a web-based questionnaire to prioritize the features suggested by the interviewees. Clinicians were recruited from professional networks. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed thematically using PRISMS self-management taxonomy. Results We interviewed 12 patients and 12 clinicians in the United Kingdom, and 140 patients completed the web-based questionnaires. Patients expressed mostly wanting a system to log their asthma control status automatically; provide real-time advice to help them learn about their asthma, identify and avoid triggers, and adjust their treatment. Peak flow (33/140, 23.6%), environmental (pollen, humidity, air temperature) (33/140, 23.6%), and asthma symptoms (25/140, 17.9%) were the specific data types that patient most wanted. Information about asthma and text or email access to clinical advice provided a feeling of safety for patients. Clinicians wanted automated objective data about the patients’ condition that they could access during consultations. The potential reduction in face-to-face consultations was appreciated by clinicians which they perceived could potentially save patients’ travel time and health service resources. Lifestyle logs of fitness regimes or weight control were valued by some patients but were of less interest to clinicians. Conclusions An automated internet-of-things system that requires minimal input from the user and provides timely advice in line with an asthma action plan agreed by the patient with their clinician was preferred by most respondents. Links to asthma information and the ability to connect with clinicians by text or email were perceived by patients as features that would provide a sense of safety. Further studies are needed to evaluate the usability and effectiveness of internet-of-things systems in routine clinical practice.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chi Yan Hui ◽  
Hilary Pinnock ◽  
Brian McKinstry ◽  
Olivia Fulton ◽  
Mark Buchner

BACKGROUND Supported self-management for asthma reduces acute attacks and improves control. The Internet-of-Things (IoT) could connect patients to their healthcare providers, the community services and their living environment to provide over-arching support for self-management. OBJECTIVE We aimed to identify patients’ and clinicians’ preferences for a future IoT system and explore their vision of its potential to support holistic self-management. METHODS We recruited patients from volunteer databases and charities’ social media. We purposively sampled participants for interviews about their vision of the design and utility of the IoT as a future strategy for supporting self-management; other respondents completed an online questionnaire about the features they wanted. Clinicians were recruited from professional networks. Interviews were transcribed and analysed thematically with reference to the PRISMS self-management taxonomy. RESULTS We interviewed twelve patients and twelve clinicians in the UK. 140 patients completed the questionnaires. Patients mostly wanted the system to log their asthma automatically and provide real-time advice to help them learn about their asthma, identify and avoid triggers and to advise on treatment adjustment and other actions. Peak flow (23.6%), environmental (pollen, humidity/air temperature) (23.6%), and asthma symptoms (17.9%) were the top three data types that patients most wanted. Information about asthma and text/email access to clinical advice, provided a feeling of ‘safety’ for patients. Clinicians wanted automated, objective logs about patients’ conditions that they could access during consultations. The potential reduction in face-to-face consultations was appreciated by clinicians, potentially saving patients’ travel time and health service resources. Lifestyle logs of fitness regimes or weight control were valued by some patients, though of less interest to clinicians. CONCLUSIONS An IoT system can address the range of components needed to support self-management for people with asthma. An automated IoT system requiring minimal input from the user could improve health outcomes and potentially conserve healthcare resources.


2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alenka J Brooks ◽  
Philip J Smith ◽  
James O Lindsay

The transition of adolescents and young people (AYP) with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) from paediatric to adult healthcare requires coordination between healthcare care providers to achieve optimum outcomes. Transition into adulthood is a time of major challenges physically, developmentally, emotionally and psychosocially for AYP living with IBD. Healthcare professionals must monitor the AYP progress proactively with attention to each of these parameters throughout the transition period to ensure that milestones are attained, and skills for self-management are formed. Thus, achieving the desired goals in both clinical and pastoral areas requires intensive monitoring from a multidisciplinary team across healthcare providers.


2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 131

In Myanmar, the main challenge to provide quality healthcare by Universal Health Care approach is documented as low health services coverage with substantial wealth-based inequality. To achieve the effective health care system, strong medical care system is essential. Understanding on challenges and needs in provision of medical services among patients and health care providers is critical to provide quality care with desirable outcomes. The aim of the study was to explore the patients’ and health care providers’ perceptions on the challenges in provision of medical services at the Mandalay General Hospital. This was a qualitative study conducted at the tertiary level hospital (Mandalay General Hospital). The data was collected by using focus group discussions and in-depth interviews with hospitalized patients or attendants, healthcare providers such as medical doctors, nurses, laboratory scientists and hospital administrators in March 2017. The qualitative data was analyzed using themes by themes matrix analysis. Most patients were satisfied with the care provided by the doctors because they believed that they received quality care. However, some patients complained about long waiting time for elective operation, congested conditions in the ward, burden for investigations outside the hospital for urgent needs and impolite manners of general workers. Healthcare providers reported that they had heavy workload due to limited human and financial resources in the hospital, poor compliances with hospital rules and regulation among patients and attendants, and inefficient referral practices from other health facilities. Other challenges experienced by healthcare providers were lack of ongoing training to improve knowledge and skills, limited health infrastructure and inadequate medicinal supplies. The findings highlighted the areas needed to be improved to provide quality health care at the tertiary level hospital. The challenges and problems encountered in this hospital can be improved by allocating adequate financial and human resources. The systematic referral system and hospital management guidelines are needed to reduce workload of health staff.


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