A facility-level CIM system

Abstract ‘Unbefriended’ adults are those who lack decision-making capacity and have no surrogates or advance care plans. Little data exist on nursing homes (NHs)’ healthcare decision-making practices for unbefriended residents. This study aimed to describe NH staff’s perceptions of healthcare decision making on behalf of unbefriended residents. Sixty-six staff including administrators, physicians, nurses, and social workers from three NHs in one geographic area of Georgia, USA participated in a 31-item survey. Their responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics and conventional content analysis. Of 66 participants, eleven had been involved in healthcare decision-making for unbefriended residents. The most common decision was do-not-resuscitate orders. Decisions primarily were made by relying on the resident’s primary care physician and/or discussing within a facility interdisciplinary team. Key considerations in the decision-making process included “evidence that the resident would not have wanted further treatment” and the perception that “further treatment would not be in the resident’s best interest”. Compared with decision making for residents with surrogates, participants perceived decision making for unbefriended residents to be equally-more difficult. Key barriers to making decisions included uncertainty regarding what the resident would have wanted in the given situation and concerns regarding the ethically and legally right course of action. Facilitators (reported by 52 participants) included some information/knowledge about the resident, an understanding regarding decision-making-related law/policy, and facility-level support. The findings highlight the complexity and difficulty of healthcare decision making for unbefriended residents and suggest more discussions among all key stakeholders to develop practical strategies to support decision-making practices in NHs.

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FACILITY LEVEL VARIATION IN THE REPORTING OF STATIN-ASSOCIATED SIDE EFFECTS AMONG PATIENTS WITH ATHEROSCLEROTIC CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE

Journal of the American College of Cardiology ◽

10.1016/s0735-1097(21)02867-9 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 77 (18) ◽

pp. 1509

Author(s):

Xiaoming Jia ◽

Michelle Lee ◽

David Ramsey ◽

Mahmoud Al Rifai ◽

Dhruv Mahtta ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cardiovascular Disease ◽

Side Effects ◽

Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease ◽

Level Variation ◽

Facility Level

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Multilevel modelling and multiple group analysis of disparities in continuity of care and viral suppression among adolescents and youths living with HIV in Nigeria

BMJ Global Health ◽

10.1136/bmjgh-2020-003269 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 5 (11) ◽

pp. e003269

Author(s):

Okikiolu Badejo ◽

Christiana Noestlinger ◽

Toyin Jolayemi ◽

Juliette Adeola ◽

Prosper Okonkwo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Young Adults ◽

Viral Suppression ◽

Group Analysis ◽

Age Groups ◽

Multilevel Modelling ◽

Retention In Care ◽

Healthcare Facilities ◽

Individual Level ◽

Multiple Group ◽

Facility Level

IntroductionSubstantial disparities in care outcomes exist between different subgroups of adolescents and youths living with HIV (AYLHIV). Understanding variation in individual and health facility characteristics could be key to identifying targets for interventions to reduce these disparities. We modelled variation in AYLHIV retention in care and viral suppression, and quantified the extent to which individual and facility characteristics account for observed variations.MethodsWe included 1170 young adolescents (10–14 years), 3206 older adolescents (15–19 years) and 9151 young adults (20–24 years) who were initiated on antiretroviral therapy (ART) between January 2015 and December 2017 across 124 healthcare facilities in Nigeria. For each age group, we used multilevel modelling to partition observed variation of main outcomes (retention in care and viral suppression at 12 months after ART initiation) by individual (level one) and health facility (level two) characteristics. We used multiple group analysis to compare the effects of individual and facility characteristics across age groups.ResultsFacility characteristics explained most of the observed variance in retention in care in all the age groups, with smaller contributions from individual-level characteristics (14%–22.22% vs 0%–3.84%). For viral suppression, facility characteristics accounted for a higher proportion of variance in young adolescents (15.79%), but not in older adolescents (0%) and young adults (3.45%). Males were more likely to not be retained in care (adjusted OR (aOR)=1.28; p<0.001 young adults) and less likely to achieve viral suppression (aOR=0.69; p<0.05 older adolescent). Increasing facility-level viral load testing reduced the likelihood of non-retention in care, while baseline regimen TDF/3TC/EFV or NVP increased the likelihood of viral suppression.ConclusionsDifferences in characteristics of healthcare facilities accounted for observed disparities in retention in care and, to a lesser extent, disparities in viral suppression. An optimal combination of individual and health services approaches is, therefore, necessary to reduce disparities in the health and well-being of AYLHIV.

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Safer primary healthcare facilities are needed to protect healthcare workers and maintain essential services: lessons learned from a multicountry COVID-19 emergency response initiative

BMJ Global Health ◽

10.1136/bmjgh-2021-005833 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 6 (6) ◽

pp. e005833

Author(s):

Leena N Patel ◽

Samantha Kozikott ◽

Rodrigue Ilboudo ◽

Moreen Kamateeka ◽

Mohammed Lamorde ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Facility ◽

Healthcare Workers ◽

National Level ◽

Lessons Learned ◽

Health Facilities ◽

Infection Prevention And Control ◽

Health Facility Level ◽

Ensure Patient Safety ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Facility Level

Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at increased risk of infection from SARS-CoV-2 and other disease pathogens, which take a disproportionate toll on HCWs, with substantial cost to health systems. Improved infection prevention and control (IPC) programmes can protect HCWs, especially in resource-limited settings where the health workforce is scarcest, and ensure patient safety and continuity of essential health services. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we collaborated with ministries of health and development partners to implement an emergency initiative for HCWs at the primary health facility level in 22 African countries. Between April 2020 and January 2021, the initiative trained 42 058 front-line HCWs from 8444 health facilities, supported longitudinal supervision and monitoring visits guided by a standardised monitoring tool, and provided resources including personal protective equipment (PPE). We documented significant short-term improvements in IPC performance, but gaps remain. Suspected HCW infections peaked at 41.5% among HCWs screened at monitored facilities in July 2020 during the first wave of the pandemic in Africa. Disease-specific emergency responses are not the optimal approach. Comprehensive, sustainable IPC programmes are needed. IPC needs to be incorporated into all HCW training programmes and combined with supportive supervision and mentorship. Strengthened data systems on IPC are needed to guide improvements at the health facility level and to inform policy development at the national level, along with investments in infrastructure and sustainable supplies of PPE. Multimodal strategies to improve IPC are critical to make health facilities safer and to protect HCWs and the communities they serve.

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Assessment of the core and support functions of the integrated disease surveillance and response system in Zanzibar, Tanzania

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/s12889-021-10758-0 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Fatma Saleh ◽

Jovin Kitau ◽

Flemming Konradsen ◽

Leonard E. G. Mboera ◽

Karin L. Schiøler

Keyword(s):

Infectious Disease ◽

Early Detection ◽

Disease Surveillance ◽

Health Facilities ◽

Outbreak Detection ◽

World Health ◽

Support Functions ◽

The Core ◽

Surveillance And Response ◽

Facility Level

Abstract Background Disease surveillance is a cornerstone of outbreak detection and control. Evaluation of a disease surveillance system is important to ensure its performance over time. The aim of this study was to assess the performance of the core and support functions of the Zanzibar integrated disease surveillance and response (IDSR) system to determine its capacity for early detection of and response to infectious disease outbreaks. Methods This cross-sectional descriptive study involved 10 districts of Zanzibar and 45 public and private health facilities. A mixed-methods approach was used to collect data. This included document review, observations and interviews with surveillance personnel using a modified World Health Organization generic questionnaire for assessing national disease surveillance systems. Results The performance of the IDSR system in Zanzibar was suboptimal particularly with respect to early detection of epidemics. Weak laboratory capacity at all levels greatly hampered detection and confirmation of cases and outbreaks. None of the health facilities or laboratories could confirm all priority infectious diseases outlined in the Zanzibar IDSR guidelines. Data reporting was weakest at facility level, while data analysis was inadequate at all levels (facility, district and national). The performance of epidemic preparedness and response was generally unsatisfactory despite availability of rapid response teams and budget lines for epidemics in each district. The support functions (supervision, training, laboratory, communication and coordination, human resources, logistic support) were inadequate particularly at the facility level. Conclusions The IDSR system in Zanzibar is weak and inadequate for early detection and response to infectious disease epidemics. The performance of both core and support functions are hampered by several factors including inadequate human and material resources as well as lack of motivation for IDSR implementation within the healthcare delivery system. In the face of emerging epidemics, strengthening of the IDSR system, including allocation of adequate resources, should be a priority in order to safeguard human health and economic stability across the archipelago of Zanzibar.

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