scholarly journals Development by a Large Integrated Health Care System of an Objective Methodology for Evaluation of Medical Oncology Service Sites

2012 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 70-70
Author(s):  
Marija Bjegovich-Weidman ◽  
Jill Kahabka ◽  
Amy Bock ◽  
Jacob Frick ◽  
Helga Kowalski ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Employee Engagement ◽  
Health Care System ◽  
Patient Experience ◽  
Primary Care Physicians ◽  
Medical Oncology ◽  
Cost Savings ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Medical Oncologists ◽  
Care System

Purpose: Aurora Health Care (AHC) is the largest health care system in Wisconsin, with 14 acute care hospitals. In early 2010, a group of 18 medical oncologists became affiliated with AHC. This affiliation added 13 medical oncology infusion clinics to our existing 12 sites. In the era of health care reform and declining reimbursement, we need an objective method and criteria to evaluate our 25 outpatient medical oncology sites. We developed financial, clinical, and strategic tools for the evaluation and management of our cancer subservice lines and outpatient sites. The key to our success has been the direct involvement of stakeholders with a vested interest in the services in the selection of the criteria and evaluation process. Methods: We developed our objective metrics for evaluation based on strategic, financial, operational, and patient experience criteria. Strategic criteria included: population trends, full-time equivalent (FTE) medical oncologists/primary care physicians, FTE radiation oncologists, FTE oncologic surgeons, new annual cases of patients with cancer, and market share trends. Financial criteria per site included: physician work relative value units, staff FTE by type, staff salaries, and profit and loss. Operational criteria included: facility by type (clinic v hospital based), hours of operation, and facility detail (eg, No. of chairs, No. of procedure and examination rooms, square footage). Patient experience criteria included: nursing model primary/nurse navigators, multidisciplinary support at site, Press Ganey (South Bend, IN; health care performance improvement company) results, and employee engagement score. Results: The outcome of our data analysis has resulted in the development of recommendations for AHC senior leadership and geographic market leadership to consider the consolidation of four sites (phase one, four sites; phase two, two sites) and priority strategic sites to address capacity issues that limit growth. The recommendations if implemented would result in significant cost savings, currently being quantified as a result of consolidation and improved efficiency. A reinvestment of these cost savings would be required to address facility expansion and program enhancement to maximize patient-centered expert care consistently across all of our remaining sites of service.

Navigating the health care system: perceptions of patients with chronic pain

2009 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 162-168
Author(s):  
AL Dewar ◽  
K Gregg ◽  
MI White ◽  
J Lander
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Chronic Pain ◽  
Health Care System ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Primary Care Physicians ◽  
Treatment Compliance ◽  
Care Utilization ◽  
Semistructured Interviews ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Care System

A new framework is needed for patients with chronic pain and their primary care physicians that acknowledges the individual’s experiences and provides evidence-informed education and better linkages to community-based resources. This study describes the experience of 19 chronic-pain sufferers who seek relief via the health care system. Their experiences were recorded through in-depth semistructured interviews and analyzed through qualitative methods. The participants reported early optimism, then disillusionment, and finally acceptance of living with chronic pain. Both individuals with chronic pain and their health care professionals need evidence-informed resources and information on best practices to assist them to manage pain. Empathetic communication between health care professionals and individuals with chronic pain is crucial because insensitive communication negatively affects the individual, reduces treatment compliance and increases health care utilization.

scholarly journals A113 COST SAVINGS OF SEROLOGIC VERSUS BIOPSY PROVEN DIAGNOSIS OF PEDIATRIC CELIAC DISEASE

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 131-132
Author(s):  
M Wiepjes ◽  
H Q Huynh ◽  
J Wu ◽  
M Chen ◽  
L Shirton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Celiac Disease ◽  
North America ◽  
Cost Saving ◽  
Health Care System ◽  
Cost Savings ◽  
Serologic Diagnosis ◽  
Children's Hospital ◽  
Children’S Hospital ◽  
Care System

Abstract Background Celiac disease (CD) affects approximately one percent of the population in Canada and the United States. At present, endoscopic diagnosis (ED) of CD remains the gold standard in North America, despite mounting evidence and validated European guidelines for serologic diagnosis (SD). Within publicly funded healthcare systems there is pressure to ensure optimal resource utilization and cost efficiency, including for endoscopic services. At Stollery Children’s Hospital, Edmonton, Canada, we have adopted serologic diagnosis as routine practice since 2016. Aims The aim of this study is to estimate cost savings, i.e. hard dollar savings and capacity improvements, to the health care system as well as impacts on families in regard to reduced work days lost and missing child school days for SD versus ED. Initial cost saving data is presented. Methods Micro-costing methods were used to determine health care resource use in patients undergoing ED or SD from 2017–2018. SD testing included anti-tissue glutaminase antibody (aTTG) ≥200IU/mL (on two occasions), human leukocyte antigen (HLA) DQA5/DQ2, blood sampling, transport and laboratory costs. ED diagnosis included gastroenterologist, anesthetist, OR equipment, staff, overhead and histopathology. Cost of each unit of resource was obtained from the schedule of medical benefits (Alberta) and reported average ambulatory cost for day hospital endoscopy for Stollery Children’s Hospital determined in 2016; reported in CAN$. Results Between March 2017-December 2018, 473 patients were referred for diagnosis of CD; 233 had ED and 127 SD. Estimated cost for ED was $1240 per patient; for SD was $85 per patient (6.8% of ED cost). Based on 127 patients not requiring endoscopy and a cost saving of $1155 per patient there was a total cost savings of $146,685 over 22 months. Conclusions A SD approach presents a significant cost savings to the public health care system. It also frees up valuable endoscopic resources, and limits exposure of children to the immediate and long-term risks associated with anesthesia and biopsy. SD also decreases time to diagnosis and the cost of the process to families (lost days of school/work, travel costs etc.). Our costing data can be used in combination with mounting evidence on the test performance of SD versus ED to determine cost-effectiveness of serological diagnosis for pediatric CD. Given the potential for cost saving and more efficient operating room utilization, SD for pediatric CD warrants further investigation in North America. Funding Agencies None

scholarly journals Rural Michigan Farmers’ Health Concerns and Experiences: A Focus Group Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 215013272110535
Author(s):  
Nathan Wright ◽  
Marylee Scherdt ◽  
Michelle L. Aebersold ◽  
Marjorie C. McCullagh ◽  
Barbara R. Medvec ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Health Care System ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Rural Residents ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Care System

Objectives: Rural residents comprise approximately 15% of the United States population. They face challenges in accessing and using a health care system that is not structured to meet their unique needs. It is important to understand rural residents’ perceptions of health and experiences interacting with the health care system to identify gaps in care. Methods: Our team conducted focus groups with members of the Michigan Farm Bureau during their 2019 Annual Meeting. Topics explored included resources to manage health, barriers to virtual health care services, and desired changes to localized healthcare delivery. Surveys were used to capture demographic and internet access information. Conclusion: Analysis included data from 2 focus groups (n = 14). Participants represented a wide age range and a variety of Michigan counties. The majority were full-time farm owners with most—93% (n = 13)—reporting they had access to the internet in their homes and 86% (n = 12) reporting that their cellphones had internet capabilities. Participants identified challenges and opportunities in 4 categories: formal health care; health and well-being supports; health insurance experiences; and virtual health care. Conclusion: The findings from this study provide a useful framework for developing interventions to address the specific needs of rural farming residents. Despite the expressed challenges in access and use of health care services and resources, participants remained hopeful that innovative approaches, such as virtual health platforms, can address existing gaps in care. The study findings should inform the design and evaluation of interventions to address rural health disparities.

scholarly journals Patient experience of health care system hassles: Dual‐system vs single‐system users

2020 ◽  
Vol 55 (4) ◽  
pp. 548-555
Author(s):  
Polly H. Noël ◽  
Jenny M. Barnard ◽  
Frances M. Barry ◽  
Alissa Simon ◽  
Martin L. Lee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care System ◽  
Patient Experience ◽  
Dual System ◽  
Single System ◽  
Care System

scholarly journals Tele-Dysphagia Management: An Opportunity for Prevention, Cost-Savings and Advanced Training

2012 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Coyle
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care System ◽  
Aspiration Pneumonia ◽  
Hospital Admissions ◽  
Cost Savings ◽  
Advanced Training ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
Management Of Dysphagia ◽  
University Training ◽  
Care System

Many patients survive severe stroke because of aggressive management in intensive care units.  However, acquiring pneumonia during the post-onset phase significantly reduces both the quality and likelihood of survival. Aspiration pneumonia (AP), a relatively recent addition to the list of the pneumonias, is associated with dysphagia, a swallowing disorder that may cause aspiration of swallowed food or liquids mixed with bacterial pathogens common to saliva, or by aspiration of gastric contents due to emesis or gastroesophageal reflux. While it is within the purview of speech-language pathologists to provide evaluation, treatment, and management of dysphagia, the number of patients with dysphagia is growing faster than the number of qualified dysphagia clinicians.  Because dysphagia consultations via telepractice are feasible and relatively accessible from a technological standpoint, they offer a promising strategy to bring the expertise of distant dysphagia experts to patients in underserved areas.  Tele-dysphagia management has the potential to increase patients’ survival, enhance the expertise of primary, local clinicians, and reduce healthcare costs. Even a modest reduction in either hospital admissions for aspiration pneumonia, or in the length of stay for AP, could save the US health care system hundreds of millions of dollars each year.  Wide spread tele-dysphagia management offers significant opportunities for prevention, cost-savings and advanced training, and is therefore worthy of consideration by stakeholders in the health care system and university training programs.

scholarly journals Avoiding Routine Oxygen Therapy in Patients With Myocardial Infarction Saves Significant Expenditure for the Health Care System—Insights From the Randomized DETO2X-AMI Trial

2022 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin Hofmann ◽  
Tamrat Befekadu Abebe ◽  
Johan Herlitz ◽  
Stefan K. James ◽  
David Erlinge ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Myocardial Infarction ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Clinical Trial ◽  
Health Care System ◽  
Oxygen Therapy ◽  
Cost Savings ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Clinical Trial Registration ◽  
Study Population ◽  
Care System

Background: Myocardial infarction (MI) occurs frequently and requires considerable health care resources. It is important to ensure that the treatments which are provided are both clinically effective and economically justifiable. Based on recent new evidence, routine oxygen therapy is no longer recommended in MI patients without hypoxemia. By using data from a nationwide randomized clinical trial, we estimated oxygen therapy related cost savings in this important clinical setting.Methods: The DETermination of the role of Oxygen in suspected Acute Myocardial Infarction (DETO2X-AMI) trial randomized 6,629 patients from 35 hospitals across Sweden to oxygen at 6 L/min for 6–12 h or ambient air. Costs for drug and medical supplies, and labor were calculated per patient, for the whole study population, and for the total annual care episodes for MI in Sweden (N = 16,100) with 10 million inhabitants.Results: Per patient, costs were estimated to 36 USD, summing up to a total cost of 119,832 USD for the whole study population allocated to oxygen treatment. Applied to the annual care episodes for MI in Sweden, costs sum up to between 514,060 and 604,777 USD. In the trial, 62 (2%) patients assigned to oxygen and 254 (8%) patients assigned to ambient air developed hypoxemia. A threshold analysis suggested that up to a cut-off of 624 USD spent for hypoxemia treatment related costs per patient, avoiding routine oxygen therapy remains cost saving.Conclusions: Avoiding routine oxygen therapy in patients with suspected or confirmed MI without hypoxemia at baseline saves significant expenditure for the health care system both with regards to medical and human resources.Clinical Trial Registration:ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT01787110.

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