scholarly journals A Remote Collaborative Care Program for Patients with Depression Living in Rural Areas: Open-Label Trial (Preprint)

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Graciela Rojas ◽  
Viviana Guajardo ◽  
Pablo Martínez ◽  
Ariel Castro ◽  
Rosemarie Fritsch ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Primary Care ◽  
Usual Care ◽  
Collaborative Care ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Care Program ◽  
Open Label ◽  
Rural Primary Care ◽  
Primary Care Teams ◽  
Clinical Records

BACKGROUND In the treatment of depression, primary care teams have an essential role, but they are most effective when inserted into a collaborative care model for disease management. In rural areas, the shortage of specialized mental health resources may hamper management of depressed patients. OBJECTIVE The aim was to test the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of a remote collaborative care program for patients with depression living in rural areas. METHODS In a nonrandomized, open-label (blinded outcome assessor), two-arm clinical trial, physicians from 15 rural community hospitals recruited 250 patients aged 18 to 70 years with a major depressive episode (DSM-IV criteria). Patients were assigned to the remote collaborative care program (n=111) or to usual care (n=139). The remote collaborative care program used Web-based shared clinical records between rural primary care teams and a specialized/centralized mental health team, telephone monitoring of patients, and remote supervision by psychiatrists through the Web-based shared clinical records and/or telephone. Depressive symptoms, health-related quality of life, service use, and patient satisfaction were measured 3 and 6 months after baseline assessment. RESULTS Six-month follow-up assessments were completed by 84.4% (221/250) of patients. The remote collaborative care program achieved higher user satisfaction (odds ratio [OR] 1.94, 95% CI 1.25-3.00) and better treatment adherence rates (OR 1.81, 95% CI 1.02-3.19) at 6 months compared to usual care. There were no statically significant differences in depressive symptoms between the remote collaborative care program and usual care. Significant differences between groups in favor of remote collaborative care program were observed at 3 months for mental health-related quality of life (beta 3.11, 95% CI 0.19-6.02). CONCLUSIONS Higher rates of treatment adherence in the remote collaborative care program suggest that technology-assisted interventions may help rural primary care teams in the management of depressive patients. Future cost-effectiveness studies are needed. CLINICALTRIAL Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02200367; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02200367 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6xtZ7OijZ)

An Analysis of the Sustainability of a Collaborative Care Program Used to Deliver Integrated Mental Health Care Within a Micronesian Island State

2021 ◽  
pp. 101053952110208
Author(s):  
Sara A. Haack ◽  
Caitlin Engelhard ◽  
Tiffinie Kiyota ◽  
Tholman Ph. Alik
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Primary Care ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Mental Health Care ◽  
Collaborative Care ◽  
Care Program ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Federated States Of Micronesia ◽  
Team Members ◽  
International Partnership

Adequate access to mental health care is a global problem, including in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). The Collaborative Care Model (CoCM) offers an opportunity to deliver improved access to mental health services in primary care centers, and key factors to program sustainability have been investigated in high-income country settings. This study’s objective was to evaluate how well factors associated with sustainability have been incorporated into a CoCM in Kosrae, Federated States of Micronesia. The Kosraean CoCM’s strengths included its supportive leadership, team member training, and having a strong care manager and engaged primary care provider champion. Opportunities for growth included further development of its financial viability, information technology systems, change readiness, and operational procedures. Our program found that having a stable and invested staff and leveraging its current strengths were important to its viability. In an international partnership, it is also critical to develop strong relationships among team members and to have stable internet connectivity to facilitate regular communication. These lessons learned can be applicable to other integrated care programs in similar Pacific Island countries.

scholarly journals Rural-urban differences in the pattern of referrals to an asynchronous teledermatology service

10.3823/2571 ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Josep Vidal-Alaball ◽  
Jacobo Mendioroz Peña ◽  
Glòria Sauch Valmaña
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Rural Primary Care ◽  
Primary Care Teams ◽  
The Face ◽  
Care Practices ◽  
Urban And Rural Areas ◽  
Primary Care Practices

Background Telemedicine is particularly useful in rural areas where can facilitate access to specialised care in regions far from urban hospitals and can prevent unnecessary travel. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the degree of resolution of an asynchronous teledermatology service in the Bages County, comparing urban and rural primary care centres. Methods and findings A longitudinal descriptive study of referrals from 14 Primary Care Teams to a hospital dermatology service as a result of a previous referral to a teledermatology program was performed, comparing years 2015 and 2016 and urban with rural practices. Both in urban and rural areas there was an increase in referrals to the teledermatology service in 2016 compared to the previous year (12.9% and 0.3% respectively). In the two years analysed, referral rates to the teledermatology service per thousand inhabitants from rural centres was statistically much higher than that of urban centres (p<0.001). The number of referrals to the face-to-face dermatology service after a teledermatology consultation decreased significantly in both urban [OR=0,81 (0,70-0,93) p=0,001] and rural centres [OR=0,64 (0,57-0,72) p<0,001]. Conclusions The asynchronous teledermatology service established in the Bages County increases the resolution of primary care teams as reduces referrals to the face-to-face dermatology service. This effect is more pronounced in rural than in urban areas. Such finding may indicate the need to prioritize telemedicine services in rural primary care practices.

Multidisciplinary review to identify patients who could be managed in primary care

2011 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 138-140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vincent IO Agyapong ◽  
Olorunfemi Ahmodu ◽  
Allys Guerandel
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Primary Care ◽  
Mental Health Service ◽  
Health Service ◽  
Multidisciplinary Team ◽  
Psychiatric Clinic ◽  
Community Mental Health Service ◽  
Primary Care Teams ◽  
Specialist Services ◽  
Clinical Records

AbstractObjectives: Primary care teams have the potential to deliver much of the care currently provided by specialist services. The aim of this review was to determine from patients' clinical records and multidisciplinary team discussions, those that may be suitable for discharge back into primary care.Methods: A retrospective review of the clinical notes of all patients attending a psychiatric outpatient clinic was carried out by all members of the multidisciplinary team to determine the appropriateness of continuing to provide psychiatric services in a specialised psychiatric clinic rather than in a primary care setting, taking into account the patients demographic and clinical variables.Results: It was recommended that 60% of all the patients needed to continue attending the local mental health service, 35.2% could be discharged back into primary care for continuing management whilst the remaining 4.8% could be managed jointly between primary care and the community mental health service. The bulk of the patients recommended for discharge into primary care had a diagnosis of anxiety disorder or depression and all of them had been stable on their treatment for more than six months.Conclusion: Regular multidisciplinary team review has a potential to identify patients who could be discharged back into primary care.

scholarly journals A Remote Collaborative Care Program for Patients with Depression Living in Rural Areas: Open-Label Trial

2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. e158 ◽  
Author(s):  
Graciela Rojas ◽  
Viviana Guajardo ◽  
Pablo Martínez ◽  
Ariel Castro ◽  
Rosemarie Fritsch ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Collaborative Care ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Care Program ◽  
Open Label ◽  
Open Label Trial

scholarly journals Primary care teams’ experiences of delivering mental health care during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachelle Ashcroft ◽  
Catherine Donnelly ◽  
Maya Dancey ◽  
Sandeep Gill ◽  
Simon Lam ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Primary Care ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Mental Health Care ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Care Delivery ◽  
Virtual Care ◽  
Primary Care Teams ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Integrated primary care teams are ideally positioned to support the mental health care needs arising during the COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding how COVID-19 has affected mental health care delivery within primary care settings will be critical to inform future policy and practice decisions during the later phases of the pandemic and beyond. The objective of our study was to describe the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on primary care teams’ delivery of mental health care. Methods A qualitative study using focus groups conducted with primary care teams in Ontario, Canada. Focus group data was analysed using thematic analysis. Results We conducted 11 focus groups with 10 primary care teams and a total of 48 participants. With respect to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health care in primary care teams, we identified three key themes: i) the high demand for mental health care, ii) the rapid transformation to virtual care, and iii) the impact on providers. Conclusions From the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, primary care quickly responded to the rising mental health care demands of their patients. Despite the numerous challenges they faced with the rapid transition to virtual care, primary care teams have persevered. It is essential that policy and decision-makers take note of the toll that these demands have placed on providers. There is an immediate need to enhance primary care’s capacity for mental health care for the duration of the pandemic and beyond.

Pediatric Integrated Care Models: A Systematic Review

2019 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
pp. 148-153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kimberly Burkhart ◽  
Kenneth Asogwa ◽  
Nida Muzaffar ◽  
Mary Gabriel
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Primary Care ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Collaborative Care ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Mental Health Outcomes ◽  
Care Models ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Behavioral Health Treatment ◽  
Integrated Care Models

Psychiatric disorders are becoming more frequently diagnosed within the pediatric primary care setting. Despite increased diagnosis within primary care, only a minority of patients receive further psychiatric or specialty care. The integrated/collaborative care treatment model was designed to improve access within primary care. The purpose of this review is to identify randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental studies that have investigated whether increased access improves treatment engagement, satisfaction, and improved mental health outcomes. Six studies met inclusion criteria. Studies reviewed indicated increased access to behavioral health treatment through use of the integrated/collaborative care model and improved mental health outcomes. Recommendations for screening and treatment are provided. Limitations of the reviewed studies include lack of generalizability to urban populations, minority youth, and youth younger than 4 years of age. Practice recommendations to address these limitations are identified.

scholarly journals The Differences in the Prevalence of Cardiovascular Disease, Its Risk Factors, and Achievement of Therapeutic Goals among Urban and Rural Primary Care Patients in Poland: Results from the LIPIDOGRAM 2015 Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (23) ◽  
pp. 5656
Author(s):  
Krzysztof Studziński ◽  
Tomasz Tomasik ◽  
Adam Windak ◽  
Maciej Banach ◽  
Ewa Wójtowicz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Primary Care ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Primary Care Physicians ◽  
Primary Care Patient ◽  
Care Patient ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Therapeutic Goals ◽  
Rural Primary Care

A nationwide cross-sectional study, LIPIDOGRAM2015, was carried out in Poland in the years 2015 and 2016. A total of 438 primary care physicians enrolled 13,724 adult patients that sought medical care in primary health care practices. The prevalence of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidaemia, and CVD were similar in urban and rural areas (49.5 vs. 49.4%; 13.7 vs. 13.1%; 84.2 vs. 85.2%; 14.4 vs. 14.2%, respectively). The prevalence of obesity (32.3 vs. 37.5%, p < 0.01) and excessive waist circumference (77.5 vs. 80.7%, p < 0.01), as well as abdominal obesity (p = 43.2 vs. 46.4%, p < 0.01), were higher in rural areas in both genders. Mean levels of LDL-C (128 vs. 130 mg/dL, p = 0.04) and non-HDL-C (147 vs. 148 mg/dL, p = 0.03) were slightly higher in rural populations. Altogether, 14.3% of patients with CVD from urban areas and 11.3% from rural areas reached LDL <70 mg/dL (p = 0.04). There were no important differences in the prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidaemia, and CVD, or in mean levels of blood pressure, cholesterol fractions, glucose, and HbA1c between Polish urban and rural primary care patient populations. A high proportion of patients in cities and an even-higher proportion in rural areas did not reach the recommended targets for blood pressure, LDL-C, and HbA1c, indicating the need for novel CVD-prevention programs.

scholarly journals Patient engagement, autonomy, access to mental care services – the case for integrated care in Crete

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
E Petelos ◽  
M Papadakaki ◽  
C Lionis
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Primary Care ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Common Ground ◽  
Local Governance ◽  
Mental Health Disorders ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Interdisciplinary Approaches ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
Health Disorders

Abstract Access to comprehensive primary care (PC) services is imperative to address the complex biopsychosocial needs of patients with mental illness and their families, while it holds the potential to safeguard mental health and enhance resilience in communities. Integration of mental health and social care services in primary care has not yet been achieved, while access to such services for the mentally ill is still hindered by patient-, provider- and system-oriented barriers. Improving service integration, quality and access requires active engagement of patients and families in the design and planning of services. Interprofessional collaboration, interdisciplinary approaches and sound deliberative processes are only the start of initiating discussions to establish the needs of local communities. Mapping care paths, involving stakeholders and engaging in practice-based research are impeded by the organisation and design of care provision, including siloed processes and semantic ambiguity in establishing common ground. Academic centres ought to act as hubs for bringing together all actors, creating living labs and addressing the needs of people in urban and rural areas. The case study from Crete will focus on the following questions: What actions are needed to improve access of people with mental health disorders to PC services and how could PC mediate effective communication with mental health services?To what extent people with mental health disorders experience violence, abuse or discriminatory behaviour in PC?To what extent PC services recognize and facilitate autonomy, self-determination and inclusion of people with mental health disorders?To what extent stakeholders and PC services engage people with mental health disorders in decision making process and local governance?To what extent educational interventions for PC practitioners could result in the reduction of discriminatory behaviour and safeguard the dignity among people with mental health disorders?

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