Using a geographic and interdisciplinary strategy to improve patient care outcomes.

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (27_suppl) ◽  
pp. 78-78
Author(s):  
Tony Philip ◽  
Corey Karlin-Zysman ◽  
Alex Rimar ◽  
Tara Liberman ◽  
Donna Cardoza ◽  
...  

78 Background: Long Island Jewish Medical Center at Northwell Health is an urban/suburban academic tertiary care hospital located across the street from the Northwell Health Cancer Institute. The Division of Hospital Medicine partnered with Hematology/Oncology and Palliative Care to co-manage inpatient oncology patients on a geographic unit. The goal was to improve patient care through co-ownership and co-accountability of cancer patients in conjunction with a unit-based collaboration with Nursing, Pharmacy, Social Work, Case Management and Physical Therapy. Methods: A unit-based, interdisciplinary care team was formed consisting of Medical Oncologists, Hospitalists, Palliative Care specialists, Radiation Oncologists, as well as unit based and specialty trained nurses, social workers and advanced care practitioners. The team meets Monday thru Friday during interdisciplinary rounds to collaboratively discuss the care plans of each patient. We recently added a hospital-based medical oncologist to support greater continuity and communication. Results: Since full implementation including improvements in patient cohorting, the oncology care model has resulted in a 20% reduction in Medicare readmissions, a significant reduction in CAUTIs and CLABSIs, a 50% reduction in C.diff, a decreased CMI-adjusted length of stay and an improvement in pain management HCAHP scores, despite a 10% increase in CMI. An interdisciplinary approach has also improved documentation of goals of care discussion from 6% to 40-58%, furthering the idea of providing a unified medical voice to a vulnerable population. Conclusions: The oncology care model highlights that implementing multidisciplinary rounding, co-management and population-based geography can deliver a higher quality and more efficient level of care even in the face of higher patient acuity.

2015 ◽  
Vol 33 (29_suppl) ◽  
pp. 149-149
Author(s):  
Constance Dahlin ◽  
Patrick J. Coyne ◽  
Brian Cassel

149 Background: Understanding primary palliative care is essential for advanced practice nurses, no matter where they practice. Limitations resulting from the variability of APRN state practice acts, financial considerations, and expenses, challenge post-graduate education for APRNs. With the shortage of health care providers, it is necessary to consider innovative programs to offer this education. Although there are many palliative educational opportunities, there are few abilities to translate the education into practice. Few are focused on the APRN, particularly for community and rural practice where many oncology patients are located and receive care. Methods: The APRN Externship selected 48 externs who completed the week long course. Topics includes pain and symptom assessment and management; fostering communication skills; building understanding of community resources such as hospice, palliative care, and home care; incorporating palliative care into an oncology practice, introducing concepts of business and finance in palliative care; and developing of safe practice with policy, procedure, and guideline development with a focus on rural providers. Externs complete pre course and post course testing along with completing goals to improve patient care. Results: Through an IRB approved process, utilizing both quantitative and qualitative evaluation, we followed the effect of the externship on externs. Externs performed both pre-course as well as 1 month and 6 month post-course testing. They also completed a report on achievement of clinical goals to improve patient care delivery. Conclusions: APRN Palliative Externs reported positive effects from the externship experience to clinical practice. The qualitative and quantitative data has demonstrated sustained effect towards improving palliative care within advanced practice nursing. The APRN palliative externship model could serve as a model to promote better palliative care education for oncology APRNs thereby improving palliative care delivery within oncology nursing.


Author(s):  
Lee A. Hugar ◽  
Elizabeth M. Wulff-Burchfield ◽  
Gary S. Winzelberg ◽  
Bruce L. Jacobs ◽  
Benjamin J. Davies

2014 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-34 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shari N. Allen ◽  
Mebanga Ojong-Salako

A prior authorization (PA) is a requirement implemented by managed care organizations to help provide medications to consumers in a cost-effective manner. The PA process may be seen as a barrier by prescribers, pharmacists, pharmaceutical companies, and consumers. The lack of a standardized PA process, implemented prior to a patient’s discharge from a health care facility, may increase nonadherence to inpatient prescribed medications. Pharmacists and other health care professionals can implement a PA process specific to their institution. This article describes a pharmacist-initiated PA process implemented at an acute care psychiatric hospital. This process was initiated secondary to a need for a standardized process at the facility. To date, the process has been seen as a valuable aspect to patient care. Plans to expand this process include collecting data with regards to adherence and readmissions as well as applying for a grant to help develop a program to automate the PA program at this facility.


Circulation ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 144 (Suppl_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra Weissman ◽  
Mariam Bramah Lawani ◽  
Thomas Rohan ◽  
Clifton W CALLAWAY

Introduction: Pneumonia is common after OHCA but is difficult to diagnose in the first 72 hours following ROSC, this results in early untargeted antibiotic administration based on non-specific imaging and laboratory findings. Antibiotic resistance is rising, is influenced by untargeted antibiotic administration, and can increase patient morbidity and mortality as well as healthcare costs. Precision methods of bacterial pathogen detection in OHCA patients are needed to improve patient care. This proof-of-concept pilot study aimed to assess feasibility of bacterial pathogen sequencing and comparability of sequencing results to clinical culture after OHCA. Methods: Blood and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) were obtained from residual clinical specimens collected within 12 hours of ROSC. Bacterial DNA was extracted using the Qiagen PowerLyzer PowerSoil DNA kit, sequenced using the MinION nanopore sequencer, and analyzed with Oxford Nanopore Technologies’ EPI2ME bioinformatics software. Sequencing results were compared to culture results using McNemar’s chi-square statistic. Study-defined pneumonia was based on presence of at least two characteristics within 72 hours of ROSC: fever (temperature ≥38°C); persistent leukocytosis >15,000 or leukopenia <3,500 for 48 hours; persistent chest radiography infiltrates for 48 hours per clinical radiology read; bacterial pathogen cultured. Results: We enrolled 38 consecutive OHCA subjects: mean age 61.8 years (18.0); 16 (42%) female; 25 (66%) White, 7 (18%) Black, 6 (16%) “Other” race; 7 subjects (18%) survived and 31 (82%) died; 16 (42%) subjects had pneumonia. Sequencing results were available in 12 hours while culture results were available in 48-72 hours after collection. There was a non-significant difference in the proportion of the same pathogens identified for each method per McNemar’s chi-square: p = 0.38, difference of 0.095 (-0.095, 0.286). Conclusions: Nanopore sequencing detects pathogenic bacteria comparable to clinical microbiologic culture and in less time. This technology can produce a paradigm shift in early bacterial pathogen detection in OHCA survivors, which can improve patient care. The technology is applicable to other patient populations and for viral and fungal pathogens.


2021 ◽  
pp. 875647932110668
Author(s):  
Amanda Hogan ◽  
Natalie Ullmer

Encephaloceles are considered neural tube defects, but their exact cause is unknown. The outcome is dismal, and essential management and counseling are needed for patients. Two-dimensional and three-dimensional sonography can be used to detect encephaloceles as early as 11 weeks, assist in treatment planning, and improve patient care. This case report presents an occipital encephalocele diagnosed by sonography and followed until delivery.


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