Patient Flow or the Patient’s Journey? Exploring Health Care Providers’ Experiences and Understandings of Implementing a Care Pathway to Improve the Quality of Transitional Care for Older People

2021 ◽  
pp. 104973232110038
Author(s):  
Cecilie Fromholt Olsen ◽  
Astrid Bergland ◽  
Jonas Debesay ◽  
Asta Bye ◽  
Anne Gudrun Langaas
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Older People ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Transitional Care ◽  
Care Pathway ◽  
Patient Flow ◽  
Care Pathways ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Patient Centered ◽  
Care For Older People

Internationally, the implementation of care pathways is a common strategy for making transitional care for older people more effective and patient-centered. Previous research highlights inherent tensions in care pathways, particularly in relation to their patient-centered aspects, which may cause dilemmas for health care providers. Health care providers’ understandings and experiences of this, however, remain unclear. Our aim was to explore health care providers’ experiences and understandings of implementing a care pathway to improve transitional care for older people. We conducted semistructured interviews with 20 health care providers and three key persons, along with participant observations of 22 meetings, in a Norwegian quality improvement collaborative. Through a thematic analysis, we identified an understanding of the care pathway as both patient flow and the patient’s journey and a dilemma between the two, and we discuss how the negotiation of conflicting institutional logics is a central part of care pathway implementation.

scholarly journals Crossing Knowledge Boundaries: Health Care Providers’ Perceptions and Experiences of What is Important to Achieve More Person-Centered Patient Pathways For Older People

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cecilie Olsen ◽  
Astrid Bergland ◽  
Asta Bye ◽  
Jonas Debesay ◽  
Anne Langaas
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Quality Improvement ◽  
Older People ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Transitional Care ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Quality Improvement Collaborative ◽  
Patient Journey ◽  
Patient Pathways

Abstract Background: Improving the transitional care of older people, especially hospital-to-home transitions, is a salient concern worldwide. Older people’s patient pathways may be unpredictable and complex, posing significant challenges for health care providers (HCPs). In particular, appropriate follow-up in primary care after discharge is key. Current research in the field endorses person-centered care as crucial to improving the patient pathways of older people. The aim of this study was to explore HCPs’ perceptions and experiences of what is important to achieve more person-centered patient pathways for older people.Methods: This was a qualitative study. We performed individual semistructured interviews with 20 HCPs and three key persons who participated in a Norwegian quality improvement collaborative. In addition, participant observation of 22 meetings in the quality improvement collaborative was performed. Results: A thematic analysis resulted in five themes: 1) Finding common ground through the mapping of the patient journey; 2) the importance of understanding the whole patient pathway; 3) the significance of getting to know the older patient; 4) the key role of home care providers in the patient pathways of older people; and 5) ambiguity toward checklists and practice implementation. Conclusion: To understand the findings, it proved useful to see them in light of knowledge sharing and boundary crossing, which are central concepts in the literature on transitional care. HCPs in the collaborative shared and coproduced new knowledge of the patient pathways of older people based on a patient journey perspective. Mapping the patient journey and asking, “What matters to you?” facilitated the crossing of knowledge boundaries between the HCPs; hence, a new and more holistic view of the patient pathways of older people in the current context emerged. The centrality of getting to know the patient and the special role of providers working in home care services was a central finding. The study adds to existing knowledge by suggesting that the achievement of person-centered patient pathways for older people does not only depend on the crossing of knowledge boundaries among HCPs, but also between HCPs and older persons.

scholarly journals Care Pathways in Persistent Orofacial Pain

2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 48-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Breckons ◽  
S.M. Bissett ◽  
C. Exley ◽  
V. Araujo-Soares ◽  
J. Durham
Keyword(s):  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Orofacial Pain ◽  
Care Pathway ◽  
Comparative Method ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Care Pathways ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Patient Centered ◽  
Centered Care ◽  
The Impact

Persistent orofacial pain is relatively common and known to have an adverse effect on quality of life. Previous studies suggest that the current care pathway may be problematic, but it is not well understood which health services patients access and what their experience is. The aim of this study was to explore care pathways and their impact from the perspective of patients. Qualitative interviews were conducted with a maximum variation sample of patients recruited from primary (community based) and secondary (specialist hospital based) care in the United Kingdom. Questions focused on the stages in their pathway and the impact of the care that they had received. Interviews were digitally recorded and transcribed verbatim, and analysis followed principles of the constant comparative method. NVivo 10 was used to help organize and analyze data. Twenty-two patients were interviewed at baseline, and 18 took part in a second interview at 12 mo. Three main themes emerged from the data: the “fluidity of the care pathway,” in which patients described moving among health care providers in attempts to have their pain diagnosed and managed, occurring alongside a “failure to progress,” where despite multiple appointments, patients described frustration at delays in obtaining a diagnosis and effective treatment for their pain. Throughout their care pathways, patients described the “effects of unmanaged pain,” where the longer the pain went unmanaged, the greater its potential to negatively affect their lives. Findings of this study suggest that the current care pathway is inefficient and fails to meet patient needs. Future work needs to focus on working with stakeholder groups to redesign patient-centered care pathways. Knowledge Transfer Statement: Data from qualitative interviews conducted with patients with persistent orofacial pain suggest significant problems with the existing care pathway, consisting of delays to diagnosis, treatment, and referral. Patients describing their struggle to progress through the current care pathway highlighted the difficulties occurring while living with orofacial pain. This study suggests a need for a revised care pathway, which better meets the needs of people with persistent orofacial pain.

Interdisciplinary Therapy Assessments for the Older Adult

2012 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-16
Author(s):  
Lynn Chatfield ◽  
Sandra Christos ◽  
Michael McGregor
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Standardized Testing ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Outcome Measurement ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Patient Centered ◽  
Screening Process ◽  
Evidenced Based ◽  
Changing Economy

In a changing economy and a changing industry, health care providers need to complete thorough, comprehensive, and efficient assessments that provide both an accurate depiction of the patient's deficits and a blueprint to the path of treatment for older adults. Through standardized testing and observations as well as the goals and evidenced-based treatment plans we have devised, health care providers can maximize outcomes and the functional levels of patients. In this article, we review an interdisciplinary assessment that involves speech-language pathology, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and respiratory therapy to work with older adults in health care settings. Using the approach, we will examine the benefits of collaboration between disciplines, an interdisciplinary screening process, and the importance of sharing information from comprehensive discipline-specific evaluations. We also will discuss the importance of having an understanding of the varied scopes of practice, the utilization of outcome measurement tools, and a patient-centered assessment approach to care.

scholarly journals Substance Use Among Older People Living With HIV: Challenges for Health Care Providers

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sherry Deren ◽  
Tara Cortes ◽  
Victoria Vaughan Dickson ◽  
Vincent Guilamo-Ramos ◽  
Benjamin H. Han ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Substance Use ◽  
Older People ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
People Living With Hiv ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Living With Hiv

Consent, Refusal, and Waivers in Patient-Centered Dysphagia Care: Using Law, Ethics, and Evidence to Guide Clinical Practice

2016 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 453-469 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Horner ◽  
Maria Modayil ◽  
Laura Roche Chapman ◽  
An Dinh
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Public Policy ◽  
Clinical Practice ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Clinical Decision Making ◽  
Clinical Decision ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Patient Centered ◽  
Legal Advice ◽  
Medical Context

PurposeWhen patients refuse medical or rehabilitation procedures, waivers of liability have been used to bar future lawsuits. The purpose of this tutorial is to review the myriad issues surrounding consent, refusal, and waivers. The larger goal is to invigorate clinical practice by providing clinicians with knowledge of ethics and law. This tutorial is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.MethodThe authors use a hypothetical case of a “noncompliant” individual under the care of an interdisciplinary neurorehabilitation team to illuminate the ethical and legal features of the patient–practitioner relationship; the elements of clinical decision-making capacity; the duty of disclosure and the right of informed consent or informed refusal; and the relationship among noncompliance, defensive practices, and iatrogenic harm. We explore the legal question of whether waivers of liability in the medical context are enforceable or unenforceable as a matter of public policy.ConclusionsSpeech-language pathologists, among other health care providers, have fiduciary and other ethical and legal obligations to patients. Because waivers try to shift liability for substandard care from health care providers to patients, courts usually find waivers of liability in the medical context unenforceable as a matter of public policy.

Abstract 002: Patient Provider Communication and Patient-centered Outcomes Among Patients With Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease in United States: Medical Expenditure Panel Survey 2010-2013

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (suppl_3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Victor Okunrintemi ◽  
Erica Spatz ◽  
Joseph Salami ◽  
Haider Warraich ◽  
Salim Virani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Medical Expenditure Panel Survey ◽  
Medical Expenditure ◽  
Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Patient Centered ◽  
Patient Reported ◽  
Centered Care ◽  
Nationally Representative

Background: With recent enactment of Accountable Care Act, consumer reported patient-provider communication (PPC) assessed by Consumer Assessment of Health Plans Survey (CAHPS) in ambulatory settings is incorporated as a complementary value metric for patient-centered care of chronic conditions in pay-for-performance programs. In this study, we examine the relationship of PPC with select indicators of patient-centered care in a nationally representative adult US population with established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Methods: The study population consisted of a nationally representative sample of 8223 individuals (age ≥ 18 years) representing 21.6 million with established ASCVD (self-reported or ICD-9 diagnosis) reporting a usual source of care in the 2010-2013 pooled Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) cohort. Participants responded to questions from CAHPS that assess satisfaction with PPC (four-point response scale: never, sometimes, usually, always ) :(1) “How often providers show respect for what you had to say” (2) “How often health care providers listened carefully to you” (3) “How often health care providers explained things so you understood” (4) “How often health providers spent enough time with you” We developed a weighted PPC composite score, categorized as 1 ( never / sometimes ), 2 ( usually ), and 3 ( always ). Outcomes of interest were 1) patient reported outcomes (PRO): SF-12 physical/mental health status, 2) quality of care measures: statin and ASA use, 3) health-care resource utilization (HRU): Emergency room visits & hospital stays, 4) total annual and out of pocket healthcare expenditures (HCE). Results: As shown in the table, those with ASCVD reporting ineffective (never/sometimes) vs. effective PCC (always) were over 2-fold more likely to report poor PRO, 34% & 22% less likely to report statin and ASA use respectively, had a significantly greater HRU (OR≥ 2 ER visit: 1.40 [95% CI:1.09-1.80], OR≥ 2 hospitalization: 1.35 [95% CI:1.02-1.77], as well as an estimated $1,294 ($121-2468) higher annual HCE. Conclusion: This study reveals a strong relationship between patient-physician communication among those with established ASCVD with patient-reported outcomes, utilization of evidence based therapies, healthcare resource utilization and expenditures.

scholarly journals Issues Associated With the Management and Governance of Sensor Data and Information to Assist Aging in Place: Focus Group Study With Health Care Professionals (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Inga Hunter ◽  
Phoebe Elers ◽  
Caroline Lockhart ◽  
Hans Guesgen ◽  
Amardeep Singh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Older People ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Sensor Data ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Age In Place

BACKGROUND Smart home and telemonitoring technologies have often been suggested to assist health care workers in supporting older people to age in place. However, there is limited research examining diverse information needs of different groups of health care workers and their access to appropriate information technologies. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to investigate the issues associated with using technologies that connect older people to their health care providers to support aging in place and enhance older people’s health and well-being. METHODS Seven focus group discussions were conducted comprising 44 health care professionals who provided clinic-based or in-home services to community-dwelling older people. Participants were asked about their information needs and how technology could help them support older people to age in place. The recordings of the sessions were transcribed and thematically analyzed. RESULTS The perspectives varied between the respondents who worked in primary care clinics and those who worked in community-based services. Three overarching themes were identified. The first theme was “access to technology and systems,” which examined the different levels of technology in use and the problems that various groups of health care professionals had in accessing information about their patients. Primary care professionals had access to good internal information systems but they experienced poor integration with other health care providers. The community-based teams had poor access to technology. The second theme was “collecting and sharing of information,” which focused on how technology might be used to provide them with more information about their patients. Primary care teams were interested in telemonitoring for specific clinical indicators but they wanted the information to be preprocessed. Community-based teams were more concerned about gaining information on the patients’ social environment. The third theme was that all respondents identified similar “barriers to uptake”: cost and funding issues, usability of systems by older people, and information security and privacy concerns. CONCLUSIONS The participants perceived the potential benefits of technologies, but they were concerned that the information they received should be preprocessed and integrated with current information systems and tailored to the older people’s unique and changing situations. Several management and governance issues were identified, which needed to be resolved to enable the widespread integration of these technologies into the health care system. The disconnected nature of the current information architecture means that there is no clear way for sensor data from telemonitoring and smart home devices to be integrated with other patient information. Furthermore, cost, privacy, security, and usability barriers also need to be resolved. This study highlights the importance and the complexity of management and governance of systems to collect and disseminate such information. Further research into the requirements of all stakeholder groups and how the information can be processed and disseminated is required.

scholarly journals Instilling the core concept of inter professional education

1970 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 201-206
Author(s):  
S Bhattacharya ◽  
SK Bhattacharya ◽  
AP Gautam
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Professional ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Professional Education ◽  
Care Delivery ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Patient Centered ◽  
Innovative Teaching ◽  
Centered Care ◽  
Teaching Learning

The Inter Professional Education (IPE) is an innovative teaching learning intervention in Health Professions’ Education during which members of more than one health profession learn interactively together to improve collaborative practice and/health of the patients. Thus this approach provides positive outcomes for students enhancing their awareness towards other professional groups, improving knowledge and understanding of how to work in an inter professional team and strengthening their communication and collaboration skills. Within the hierarchical nature of many clinical settings, the aims of IPE courses intersect with socialization of health professional (HP) students into roles of responsibility and authority. The IPE in HP courses emphasizes the practice of frequent high quality communication, strong relationships and partnerships among health care providers to maximize the quality of care thus improving the efficiency of care thereby improving clinical outcomes. Health Professional Schools are this motivated to opt for inter professional education to improve the learning of the students, health care delivery and patient outcomes. Keywords: Inter professional relations; patient centered care; education DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/hren.v9i3.5591   HR 2011; 9(3): 201-206

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