scholarly journals Electronic consultations (E-consults) and their outcomes: a systematic review

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 471-479 ◽  
Author(s):  
Varsha G Vimalananda ◽  
Jay D Orlander ◽  
Melissa K Afable ◽  
B Graeme Fincke ◽  
Amanda K Solch ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective Electronic consultations (e-consults) are clinician-to-clinician communications that may obviate face-to-face specialist visits. E-consult programs have spread within the US and internationally despite limited data on outcomes. We conducted a systematic review of the recent peer-reviewed literature on the effect of e-consults on access, cost, quality, and patient and clinician experience and identified the gaps in existing research on these outcomes. Materials and Methods We searched 4 databases for empirical studies published between 1/1/2015 and 2/28/2019 that reported on one or more outcomes of interest. Two investigators reviewed titles and abstracts. One investigator abstracted information from each relevant article, and another confirmed the abstraction. We applied the GRADE criteria for the strength of evidence for each outcome. Results We found only modest empirical evidence for effectiveness of e-consults on important outcomes. Most studies are observational and within a single health care system, and comprehensive assessments are lacking. For those outcomes that have been reported, findings are generally positive, with mixed results for clinician experience. These findings reassure but also raise concern for publication bias. Conclusion Despite stakeholder enthusiasm and encouraging results in the literature to date, more rigorous study designs applied across all outcomes are needed. Policy makers need to know what benefits may be expected in what contexts, so they can define appropriate measures of success and determine how to achieve them.

2008 ◽  
Vol 36 (01) ◽  
pp. 1-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tianfang Wang ◽  
Qunhao Zhang ◽  
Xiaolin Xue ◽  
Albert Yeung

Studies on the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) with acupuncture and moxibustion in China were reviewed. All studies concluded the treatments were effective, with response rates ranging from 78.95% to 100%. However, the qualities of the studies were generally poor, and none of them used a RCT design. The common acupoints/sites used in the treatment of CFS, which may reflect the collective experience of acupuncturists in China based on Traditional Chinese Medicine theories can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture for the treatment of CFS in future studies using more scientifically rigorous study designs.


2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danielle Wales ◽  
Leisa Skinner ◽  
Melanie Hayman

The purpose of this article is to determine if telehealth-delivered speech-language pathology interventions are as effective as traditional in-person delivery for primary school-age children with speech and/or language difficulties. A systematic review was conducted (in accordance with PRISMA guidelines) using five databases, two journals and reference lists. Titles and abstracts were screened for inclusion, with relevant studies reviewed in full-text. Initial searches identified 132 articles. Following exclusion of non-relevant studies, seven articles remained for inclusion. Results revealed both telehealth and in-person participants made significant and similar improvements when treatment effects were measured through five of the six outcome measures. Findings showed there is limited but promising evidence to support telehealth for delivering speech-language pathology intervention services to school-age children. Whilst this is encouraging, particularly for rural children where in-person services are limited, more rigorous study designs are required to support the efficacy of telehealth for this population.


Author(s):  
Angela C. Rowe ◽  
Emily R. Gold ◽  
Katherine B. Carnelley

Attachment security priming has been extensively used in relationship research to explore the contents of mental models of attachment and examine the benefits derived from enhancing security. This systematic review explores the effectiveness of attachment security priming in improving positive affect and reducing negative affect in adults and children. The review searched four electronic databases for peer-reviewed journal articles. Thirty empirical studies met our inclusion criteria, including 28 adult and 2 child and adolescent samples. The findings show that attachment security priming improved positive affect and reduced negative affect relative to control primes. Supraliminal and subliminal primes were equally effective in enhancing security in one-shot prime studies (we only reviewed repeated priming studies using supraliminal primes so could not compare prime types in these). Global attachment style moderated the primed style in approximately half of the studies. Importantly, repeated priming studies showed a cumulative positive effect of security priming over time. We conclude that repeated priming study designs may be the most effective. More research is needed that explores the use of attachment security priming as a possible intervention to improve emotional wellbeing, in particular for adolescents and children.


2021 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 13
Author(s):  
Paul Dunbar ◽  
John P. Browne ◽  
Laura O'Connor

Background: The delivery of high quality health and social care services is a fundamental goal for health systems worldwide. Identifying the determinants of quality is a complex task as there are a myriad of variables to choose from. Researchers in this field have assessed a range of organisational and environmental factors (for example: staff composition, facility ownership, facility size) for an association with various quality metrics. Less attention has been paid to the determinants of compliance with quality regulation. Identifying the determinants of compliance has the potential to improve regulatory processes and can inform quality improvement initiatives undertaken by service providers and policy makers. This protocol describes a systematic review which will review literature from a wide range of study designs and sources to develop an overview of the determinants of regulatory compliance in health and social care services. Methods: A wide range of study designs and grey literature will be sought for this review. Searches will be conducted using PubMed, MEDLINE, PsycInfo, SocINDEX and CINAHL databases. The studies included in the review will be subject to quality appraisal with reference to the collection of tools available from the Joanna Briggs Institute. Data extraction will be informed by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR). A narrative synthesis will be conducted on the barriers, facilitators and factors associated with compliance, with reference to the concepts mapped onto the CFIR. GRADE-CERQual will be used to grade the overall body of evidence. Conclusion: The findings of this review will be useful to regulators to inform regulatory policy and practice. Service providers and policy makers may also use the findings to inform quality improvement initiatives aimed at improving compliance and quality across a range of health and social care services.


2021 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 13
Author(s):  
Paul Dunbar ◽  
John P. Browne ◽  
Laura O'Connor

Background: The delivery of high quality health and social care services is a fundamental goal for health systems worldwide. The measurement of quality in health and social care services is a complex task as there are a myriad of determinants and outcome measures to choose from. Researchers in this field have assessed a range of organisational and environmental factors (for example: staff composition, facility ownership, facility size) for an association with various measurements for quality. Compliance with regulations is one such quality measure. Compliance with regulations is variable and the determinants of this variability are under-investigated. Identifying the determinants of compliance has the potential to improve regulatory processes and can inform quality improvement initiatives undertaken by service providers and policy makers. This protocol describes a systematic review which will review literature from a wide range of study designs and sources to develop an overview of the determinants of regulatory compliance in health and social care services. Methods: A wide range of study designs and grey literature will be sought for this review. Searches will be conducted using PubMed, MEDLINE, PsycInfo, SocINDEX and CINAHL databases. The studies included in the review will be subject to quality appraisal with reference to the collection of tools available from the Joanna Briggs Institute. Data extraction will be informed by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR). A narrative synthesis will be conducted with reference to the CFIR and Normalisation Process Theory (NPT). GRADE-CERQual will be used to grade the overall body of evidence. Conclusion: The findings of this review will be useful to regulators to inform regulatory policy and practice. Service providers and policy makers may also use the findings to inform quality improvement initiatives aimed at improving compliance and quality across a range of health and social care services.


2018 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 239694151882157 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bronwyn Hemsley ◽  
Lucy Bryant ◽  
Ralf W Schlosser ◽  
Howard C Shane ◽  
Russell Lang ◽  
...  

Background and aims Facilitated Communication (FC) is a technique that involves a person with a disability pointing to letters, pictures, or objects on a keyboard or on a communication board, typically with physical support from a “facilitator”. Proponents claim that FC reveals previously undetected literacy and communication skills in people with communication disability. However, systematic reviews conducted up to 2014 reveal no evidence that the messages generated using FC are authored by the person with a disability. This study aimed to conduct a systematic review of the literature on FC published between 2014 and 2018 to inform the 2018 update of the 1995 American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Position Statement on FC. Method A systematic search was undertaken to locate articles about FC in English published in the peer reviewed literature since 2014; and to classify these according to the study design for analysis. Studies meeting the inclusion criteria were classified according to four categories of evidence: (a) quantitative experimental data pertaining to authorship, (b) quantitative descriptive data on messages produced using FC, (c) qualitative data, or (d) commentary material on FC. Main contribution In total, 18 studies met the inclusion criteria. There were no new empirical studies and no new descriptive quantitative studies addressing the authorship of messages delivered using FC. Three new qualitative studies qualified for inclusion; these did not first establish authorship. Of the 15 new commentary papers on FC located, 14 were critical and one was non-critical. The results could be used to inform the development or update of current position statements on FC held locally, nationally, and globally. Conclusion There are no new studies on authorship and there remains no evidence that FC is a valid form of communication for individuals with severe communication disabilities. There continue to be no studies available demonstrating that individuals with communication disabilities are the authors of the messages generated using FC. Furthermore, there is substantial peer-reviewed literature that is critical of FC and warns against its use. Implications FC continues to be contested in high profile court cases and its use promoted in school settings and workshops at university campuses in the US. Our empty systematic review will influence both clinical practice and future clinical guidance; most immediately the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Position Statement on FC and any future guidance issued by the 19 associations worldwide with positions against FC.


2014 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 479-483
Author(s):  
Fabiana Villela Mamede

This study is a reflection on conducting a systematic review in public health. Systematic reviews of public health are fraught with challenges. Complexity is inherent and this may be due to multi-component interventions, diverse study populations, multiple outcomes measured, mixed study designs, or implementation and effectiveness of the review. For policy makers and practitioners to use systematic reviews to implement effective systematic reviews of public health program, the reviews must include this information, which seeks to answer the questions posed by decision-makers, including recipients of the program. We discuss methodological and practice issues that need to be considered when undertaking systematic reviews in this field, including recommendations to reviewers on the issues to address within a systematic public health review and, indirectly, provides advice to researchers on the reporting requirements of primary studies for the production of high quality systematic reviews.


2015 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 256-276 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannah Macdougall ◽  
Paul O’Halloran ◽  
Nora Shields ◽  
Emma Sherry

This systematic review included 12 studies that compared the well-being of Para and Olympic sport athletes. Meta-analyses revealed that Para athletes, compared with Olympic sport athletes, had lower levels of self-acceptance, indicated by athletic identity, d = -0.47, 95% confidence interval (CI) [-0.77, -0.16], and body-image perceptions, d = -0.33, 95% CI [-0.59, -0.07], and differed from Olympic sport athletes in terms of their motivation, indicated by a greater mastery-oriented climate, d = 0.74, 95% CI [0.46, 1.03]. Given an inability to pool the remaining data for meta-analysis, individual standardized mean differences were calculated for other dimensions of psychological and subjective well-being. The results have implications for professionals and coaches aiming to facilitate the well-being needs of athletes under their care. Future research would benefit from incorporating established models of well-being based on theoretical rationale combined with rigorous study designs.


2021 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 13
Author(s):  
Paul Dunbar ◽  
John P. Browne ◽  
Laura O'Connor

Background: The delivery of high quality health and social care services is a fundamental goal for health systems worldwide. Identifying the determinants of quality is a complex task as there are a myriad of variables to choose from. Researchers in this field have assessed a range of organisational and environmental factors (for example: staff composition, facility ownership, facility size) for an association with various quality metrics. Less attention has been paid to the determinants of compliance with quality regulation. Identifying the determinants of compliance has the potential to improve regulatory processes and can inform quality improvement initiatives undertaken by service providers and policy makers. This protocol describes a systematic review which will review literature from a wide range of study designs and sources to develop an overview of the determinants of regulatory compliance in health and social care services. Methods: A wide range of study designs and grey literature will be sought for this review. Searches will be conducted using PubMed, MEDLINE, PsycInfo, SocINDEX and CINAHL databases. The studies included in the review will be subject to quality appraisal with reference to the collection of tools available from the Joanna Briggs Institute. Data extraction will be informed by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR). A narrative synthesis will be conducted on the barriers, facilitators and factors associated with compliance, with reference to the concepts mapped onto the CFIR. GRADE-CERQual will be used to grade the overall body of evidence. Conclusion: The findings of this review will be useful to regulators to inform regulatory policy and practice. Service providers and policy makers may also use the findings to inform quality improvement initiatives aimed at improving compliance and quality across a range of health and social care services.


2018 ◽  
Vol 38 (7) ◽  
pp. 888-900 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hendrik Koffijberg ◽  
Claire Rothery ◽  
Kalipso Chalkidou ◽  
Janneke Grutters

Background. Although value of information (VOI) analyses are increasingly advocated and used for research prioritization and reimbursement decisions, the interpretation and usefulness of VOI outcomes depend critically on the underlying choices and assumptions used in the analysis. In this article, we present a structured overview of all items reported in literature to potentially influence VOI outcomes. Use of this overview increases awareness and transparency of choices and assumptions underpinning VOI outcomes. Methods. A systematic literature review was performed to identify aspects of VOI analyses that were found to potentially influence VOI outcomes. Identified aspects were grouped to develop a structured overview. Explanations were defined for all items included in the overview. Results. We retrieved 687 unique papers, of which 71 original papers and 8 reviews were included. In the full text of these 79 papers, 16 aspects were found that may influence VOI outcomes. These aspects related to the underlying evidence (bias, synthesis, heterogeneity, correlation), uncertainty (structural, future pricing), model (relevance, approach, population), choices in VOI calculation (estimation technique, implementation level, population size, perspective), and aspects specifically for assessing the value of future study designs (reversal costs, efficient estimator). These aspects were aggregated into 7 items to provide a structured overview. Conclusion. The developed overview should increase awareness of key choices underlying VOI analysis and facilitate structured reporting of such choices and interpretation of the ensuing VOI outcomes by researchers and policy makers. Use of this overview should improve prioritization and reimbursement decisions.


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