Achieving effective patient outcomes with PolyMem® Silicone Border

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (10) ◽  
pp. 498-509
Author(s):  
Linda Rafter ◽  
Mark Rafter
Keyword(s):  
Patient Outcomes ◽  
Chronic Wounds ◽  
Wound Care ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Evidence Based Treatment ◽  
Healing Environment ◽  
Good Patient ◽  
Community Staff ◽  
The Right ◽  
Improve Patient

Clinicians are under increasing pressure to provide high-quality patient outcomes at a reduced cost. Increasingly, community staff must acquire knowledge on advanced wound care products to cope with the growing caseload demands. This article describes the use of PolyMem® dressings to reduce pain, inflammation, oedema and bruising and their ability to debride and absorb exudate while providing an optimum healing environment. The PolyMem range includes multifunctional dressings for various painful chronic wounds. This article also presents five case studies with particularly good patient outcomes where PolyMem dressings were the primary dressing. All five patients were holistically assessed to enable consistent evidence-based treatment decisions. In four cases, the new PolyMem Silicone Border dressing was used. The patients found the PolyMem Silicone Border dressing comfortable and gentle on removal even when the skin was extremely fragile. The right dressing used at the right time on the right patient can improve patient outcomes.

Addressing the Scottish burden of wounds through the Lens of Profound Knowledge

2021 ◽  
Vol 30 (Sup20) ◽  
pp. S34-S40
Author(s):  
Jenni MacDonald
Keyword(s):  
Patient Outcomes ◽  
Wound Care ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Theory Of Knowledge ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Profound Knowledge ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Improve Patient ◽  
Growing Population

The prevalence of wounds and the cost of treating them are increasing year on year. Improving the quality of wound care will improve patient outcomes and is a financial necessity. The Lens of Profound Knowledge is a tool that can be used to support quality improvement and identify where action is needed. It allows exploration of an organisation through four aspects—appreciate the system, understanding variation, psychology, and theory of knowledge—and working on all four aspects simultaneously is believed to increase the likelihood of achieving improvement. Improvements at and between all levels—microsystem (such as frontline services), mesosystem (health boards) and macrosystem (NHS Scotland)—would reduce variation in practice and prove to be both clinically and cost-effective. Given the rapidly growing population of people with unhealed wounds, wound care needs to be valued at all system levels and be adequately resourced.

Lower extremity osteoarthritis: optimising musculoskeletal health is a growing global concern: a narrative review

2018 ◽  
Vol 53 (13) ◽  
pp. 806-811 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard D Leech ◽  
Jillian Eyles ◽  
Mark E Batt ◽  
David J Hunter
Keyword(s):  
Patient Outcomes ◽  
Key Management ◽  
Structural Changes ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Disease Process ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Musculoskeletal Health ◽  
Proactive Approach ◽  
Global Concern ◽  
Improve Patient

The burden of non-communicable diseases, such as osteoarthritis (OA), continues to increase for individuals and society. Regrettably, in many instances, healthcare professionals fail to manage OA optimally. There is growing disparity between the strength of evidence supporting interventions for OA and the frequency of their use in practice. Physical activity and exercise, weight management and education are key management components supported by evidence yet lack appropriate implementation. Furthermore, a recognition that treatment earlier in the disease process may halt progression or reverse structural changes has not been translated into clinical practice. We have largely failed to put pathways and procedures in place that promote a proactive approach to facilitate better outcomes in OA. This paper aims to highlight areas of evidence-based practical management that could improve patient outcomes if used more effectively.

scholarly journals Multidisciplinary Approach to PAD: Who's on Your Team?

2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (05) ◽  
pp. 378-383
Author(s):  
Sabeen Dhand
Keyword(s):  
Patient Outcomes ◽  
Orthopedic Surgery ◽  
Multidisciplinary Approach ◽  
Wound Care ◽  
Arterial Disease ◽  
Team Approach ◽  
Peripheral Arterial ◽  
Treat All ◽  
Improve Patient ◽  
Care Nursing

AbstractThe complexity of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and its multiorgan involvement requires the utilization of a multispecialty team approach. Members of this team include a vascular specialty (interventional radiology, cardiology, and vascular surgery), podiatry, orthopedic surgery, primary care, infectious disease, endocrinology, plastic surgery, wound care nursing, and dietetics. A team approach has been proven to significantly improve patient outcomes as well as decreasing amputation rates. In order to promote collaboration and avoid duplication of care, the team can be broken down into three main pillars: medical management, wound care, and revascularization. A complete team approach is vital for this population, with an overall goal to treat all manifestations of the disease and prevent further progression and risk of major sequelae of the disease.

scholarly journals Trajectories of Evidence Based Treatment for School Children with Autism: What’s the Right Level for the Implementation?

2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (3) ◽  
pp. 881-892
Author(s):  
Victor Lushin ◽  
David Mandell ◽  
Rinad Beidas ◽  
Steven Marcus ◽  
Heather Nuske ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
School Children ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Evidence Based Treatment ◽  
The Right

scholarly journals Orthopedic Research: A golden opportunity to improve patient outcomes

2021 ◽  
Vol 55 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Site Administrator ◽  
Czar Louie Gaston
Keyword(s):  
Patient Care ◽  
Patient Outcomes ◽  
Fracture Liaison Service ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
The Core ◽  
Fracture Liaison Services ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Fracture Liaison ◽  
Improve Patient

Research has been one of the core pillars of the Department of Orthopedics of the Philippine General Hospital over its now 50 years of existence. The department established one of the earliest resident’s research contests in the hospital in 1983 and its graduates regularly publish in peer reviewed journals and present their results in international conferences.1 Residents are required to complete 2 original studies prior to graduation and encouraged to document their clinical cases fully for future observational studies. Despite the apparent fascination, questions remain for a lot of trainees and clinicians. “Why do research? How does it  help our patients?” Skepticism abounds as even clinically sound and well-made studies oftentimes do not lead to policy and practice changes needed to improve patient care.2 Given contrarian evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs), practices of most established surgeons do not change.3 Hope remains however as evidence-based practice in orthopedics is growing and here to stay.4 Surgeons who accurately examine and diagnose their patient, keep medical records, analyze the medical literature for the best treatment, and explain the available options are subconsciously practicing the scientific methods of observation, documentation, analysis, and reporting conclusions which are the basis of all scientific research. Incorporating research education not just to residency training programs but also to continuing medical education (CME) courses for surgeons may help develop the skills to comprehend new studies and incorporate them into patient care. Reassuringly for the elder surgeon, even old dogs have been shown to learn new tricks for their practice, just not as fast as the younger generation.5 The challenge now presented to Philippine medical practitioners is to develop clinical research that will translate into improved care for patients. As majority of literature dictating treatment for musculoskeletal disorders come from developed countries, case series or observational cohorts reporting local data in our setting is greatly important in guiding patient care.6 The fundamental goal is to produce high quality studies or new breakthroughs that engage discussion amongst a wide audience and lead to system changes that eventually enhance patient outcomes.7 As part of the celebration of the PGH Department of Orthopedics 50th golden anniversary, this orthopedic issue of the ACTA MEDICA PHILIPPINA represents work from the different orthopedic subspecialities of the department and its graduates. Pioneering studies on brachial plexus injuries, computer navigated spine surgery, rotationplasty, artificial intelligence, pedagogy, and much more highlight the growth of orthopedics in the Philippines. A study on one of the newest fields in Philippine orthopedics, orthogeriatrics, exemplifies the importance of blazing a new trail. The publication by Reyes et al. on a multidisciplinary orthogeriatric approach to the treatment of fragility hip fractures has shown improved outcomes consistent with the positive results of other fracture liaison services in Asia and worldwide.8,9 Their work has since led to the UPM-PGH Orthogeriatric Multidisciplinary Fracture Management Model and Fracture Liaison Service being adopted by PGH as a clinical pathway and has served as a model for other hospitals in the Philippines to improve their care of patients with fragility hip fractures. With the follow-through from the initial clinical study to administrative and policy changes, this example aptly illustrates the power of research to effect significant improvements in clinical outcomes and inspires all of us to continue to strive for better care for our patients.   Czar Louie Gaston, MD, FPOA Department of Orthopedics Philippine General Hospital University of the Philippines Manila   REFERENCES College of Medicine University of the Philippines Manila. Orthopedics [Internet]. [cited 2021 May]. Available from: https://cm.upm.edu.ph/p/orthopedics/ Buchbinder R, Maher C, Harris IA. Setting the research agenda for improving health care in musculoskeletal disorders. Nat Rev Rheumatol. 2015 Oct;11(10):597-605. doi: 10.1038/nrrheum.2015.81. Epub 2015 Jun 16. PMID: 26077917. Sonntag J, Landale K, Brorson S, Harris IA. Can the results of a randomized controlled trial change the treatment preferences of orthopaedic surgeons? Bone Jt Open. 2020 Sep 11;1(9):549-555. doi: 10.1302/2633-1462.19.BJO-2020-0093.R1. PMID: 33215153; PMCID: PMC7659699. Griffin XL, Haddad FS. Evidence-based decision making at the core of orthopaedic practice. Bone Joint J. 2014 Aug;96-B(8):1000-1. doi: 10.1302/0301-620X.96B8.34614. PMID: 25086112. Niles SE, Balazs GC, Cawley C, Bosse M, Mackenzie E, Li Y, et al. Translating research into practice: is evidence-based medicine being practiced in military-relevant orthopedic trauma? Mil Med. 2015 Apr;180(4):445-53. doi: 10.7205/MILMED-D-14-00296. PMID: 25826350. Elliott IS, Sonshine DB, Akhavan S, Slade Shantz A, Caldwell A, Slade Shantz J, et al. What factors influence the production of orthopaedic research in East Africa? A qualitative analysis of interviews. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2015 Jun;473(6):2120-30. doi: 10.1007/s11999-015-4254-5. Epub 2015 Mar 21. PMID: 25795030; PMCID:PMC4419000. Tchetchik A, Grinstein A, Manes E, Shapira D, Durst R. From research to practice: Which research strategy contributes more to clinical excellence? Comparing high-volume versus high-quality biomedical research. PLoS One. 2015 Jun 24;10(6):e0129259. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0129259. PMID: 26107296; PMCID: PMC4480880. Chang LY, Tsai KS, Peng JK, Chen CH, Lin GT, Lin CH, et al. The development of Taiwan Fracture Liaison Service network. Osteoporos Sarcopenia. 2018 Jun;4(2):47-52. doi: 10.1016/j.afos.2018.06.001. Epub 2018 Jun 7. PMID: 30775542; PMCID: PMC6362955. Barton DW, Piple AS, Smith CT, Moskal SA, Carmouche JJ. The clinical impact of fracture liaison services: A systematic review. Geriatr Orthop Surg Rehabil. 2021 Jan 11;12:2151459320979978. doi: 10.1177/2151459320979978. PMID: 33489430; PMCID: PMC7809296

scholarly journals CSA-AKI: Incidence, Epidemiology, Clinical Outcomes, and Economic Impact

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (24) ◽  
pp. 5746
Author(s):  
Alan Schurle ◽  
Jay L. Koyner
Keyword(s):  
Cardiac Surgery ◽  
Patient Outcomes ◽  
Kidney Injury ◽  
High Risk Population ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Evidence Based Treatment ◽  
Icu Length Of Stay ◽  
Patients At Risk ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Hospital Rehabilitation

Cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury (CSA-AKI) is a common complication following cardiac surgery and reflects a complex biological combination of patient pathology, perioperative stress, and medical management. Current diagnostic criteria, though increasingly standardized, are predicated on loss of renal function (as measured by functional biomarkers of the kidney). The addition of new diagnostic injury biomarkers to clinical practice has shown promise in identifying patients at risk of renal injury earlier in their course. The accurate and timely identification of a high-risk population may allow for bundled interventions to prevent the development of CSA-AKI, but further validation of these interventions is necessary. Once the diagnosis of CSA-AKI is established, evidence-based treatment is limited to supportive care. The cost of CSA-AKI is difficult to accurately estimate, given the diverse ways in which it impacts patient outcomes, from ICU length of stay to post-hospital rehabilitation to progression to CKD and ESRD. However, with the global rise in cardiac surgery volume, these costs are large and growing.

585 Preventing Occipital Pressure Injuries in Patients Admitted to the Burn ICU

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S134-S135
Author(s):  
Vitina M Kammin ◽  
Kristine Eckert ◽  
Paula Alem ◽  
Margaret A Dimler ◽  
Vitina M Kammin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Patient Outcomes ◽  
Early Identification ◽  
Wound Care ◽  
Tissue Perfusion ◽  
Educational Support ◽  
Skin Breakdown ◽  
Time Out ◽  
Risk Patients ◽  
Improve Patient ◽  
Room Time

Abstract Introduction Occipital pressure injuries (OPI) are categorized as pressure injuries on the occipital bone caused by pressure, shearing, or friction. Patients with significant burns are at a greater risk of developing these types of injuries due to increased fluid volume from resuscitation, decreased tissue perfusion, immobility, edema and length of stay. The rate of OPI in the BICU was 4.3 in 2016; this led to a comprehensive program to reduce/eliminate these injuries. Methods Early identification of at-risk patients and implementation of prevention strategies was conducted. Best practices were reviewed and the following interventions were put into place: on admission, all patients with facial burns, (intubated or not), were given a small size fluidized positioner pillow. The pillow was to be positioned with a defined divot in the center and not flattened (which is the way they were currently being utilized). The fluidized pillow must go into the hydrotherapy room with the patient and the patient’s head turned and repositioned every 2 hours. The use of a moisture-wicking fabric was utilized over the fluidized positioner pillow to prevent maceration. Nursing staff and burn technicians were educated as to practice changes; wound care nurses were available for educational support. In addition, in 2017, the Burn ICU instituted a 2 RN skin check daily for all patients in the hydrotherapy room once all dressings were removed. This tank room “time out” was instituted for early identification of areas of potential skin breakdown. Results Implementation of these protocols has significantly decreased the occurrence of OPI in the BICU. Since implementation, the rate of OPI in 2017, 2018 and Q1 and Q2 of 2019 has been 0%. The application of the fluidized positioner pillow, tank room “time-out” and staff education has greatly decreased the occurrence of OPI in the BICU. Conclusions Patients sustaining large surface area burns and/or full-thickness burns to the head and neck are susceptible to the development of OPI. The utilization of a fluidized positioner pillow in conjunction with improved assessment and identification using a 2 RN “time out” skin assessment daily, has led to a decrease in OPI in our BICU. Applicability of Research to Practice The utilization of the fluidized positioner pillow in conjunction with the described interventions can lead to a decrease in occipital HAPI and improve patient outcomes.

Diagnosis and treatment impacts on wound care efficiency drivers: real-world analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 30 (7) ◽  
pp. 534-542
Author(s):  
Christina Lindholm ◽  
Tim J Styche ◽  
Helen E Horton
Keyword(s):  
Patient Outcomes ◽  
Real World ◽  
Economic Burden ◽  
Wound Care ◽  
Diagnosis And Treatment ◽  
Wound Management ◽  
Care Pathways ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Dressing Change ◽  
Improve Patient

Objective: The prevalence and economic burden of wounds are growing. Any wound has the potential to become hard-to-heal and require frequent care. Clinicians need to find ways to absorb demand on services without compromising outcomes. Drivers of wound care efficiency—time-to-heal, frequency of dressing change and the incidence of complications—can be evaluated to shape future wound management. A survey of wound care was conducted by clinicians from five centres in Sweden over a one-week period, during which clinicians documented every wound once. At the time of surveying, 49% of wounds were considered to be improving, infection incidence was 11.7% and dressings were changed a mean of 2.2 times per week, with highly exuding wounds changed 6.9 times per week. The data highlighted the importance of diagnosing patient and wound characteristics in selecting treatments and organising care. Recognised gaps in diagnoses potentially identify opportunities to influence healing, complication incidence and intensity of nursing, thus reducing demand on resources. In conclusion, this survey highlights opportunities to reduce the burdens these drivers present. Through improved diagnosis and alignment to recognised care pathways, there is potential to improve patient outcomes and alleviate the strains placed upon wound care providers.

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