scholarly journals Change in Pediatric Health Care Spending and Drug Utilization during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Children ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 1183
Author(s):  
Riccardo Lubrano ◽  
Emanuela Del Giudice ◽  
Alessia Marcellino ◽  
Flavia Ventriglia ◽  
Anna Dilillo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Allergic Diseases ◽  
Health Care Spending ◽  
Local Health Authority ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Pediatric Health Care ◽  
Pediatric Diseases ◽  
Intervention Measures ◽  
Children's Diseases ◽  
Containment Strategy ◽  
Restrictive Measures

Objective: To evaluate how the restrictive measures implemented during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic have influenced the incidence of the most common children’s diseases and the consumption of medications in 2020 compared to 2019. Methods: We involved all family pediatricians of the local health authority of Latina, from which we requested data of monthly visits in 2019 and 2020 for six common diseases disseminated through droplets and contact, and the territorial and integrative pharmaceutical unit of the area, from which we requested data of the net expenditure regarding the most commonly used drugs at pediatric age. Results: There was significant reduction in the incidence of the evaluated diseases and in the consumption of investigated drugs between 2019 and 2020 in the months when the restrictive measures were in place, with an attenuation of this effect during the months of the gradual loosening of those measures. Conclusion: Nonpharmaceutical intervention measures have caused changes in the diffusion of common pediatric diseases. We believe that the implementation of a reasonable containment strategy, even outside of the pandemic, could positively influence the epidemiology of infectious and allergic diseases in children, and healthcare system spending.

scholarly journals Subsequent attendance in a breast cancer screening program after a false-positive result in the Local Health Authority of Bologna (Italy)

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorena Squillace ◽  
Lorenzo Pizzi ◽  
Flavia Rallo ◽  
Carmen Bazzani ◽  
Gianni Saguatti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Cancer Screening ◽  
Positive Result ◽  
Breast Cancer Screening ◽  
Health Authority ◽  
False Positive ◽  
Screening Program ◽  
Local Health Authority ◽  
Local Health ◽  
False Positive Result

AbstractWe conducted a cross-sectional study to assess the likelihood of returning for routine breast cancer screening among women who have experienced a false-positive result (FPR) and to describe the possible individual and organizational factors that could influence subsequent attendance to the screening program. Several information were collected on demographic and clinical characteristics data. Electronic data from 2014 to 2016 related to breast screening program of the Local Health Authority (LHA) of Bologna (Italy) of women between 45 and 74 years old were reviewed. A total of 4847 women experienced an FPR during mammographic screening and were recalled to subsequent round; 80.2% adhered to the screening. Mean age was 54.2 ± 8.4 years old. Women resulted to be less likely to adhere to screening if they were not-Italian (p = 0.001), if they lived in the Bologna district (p < 0.001), if they had to wait more than 5 days from II level test to end of diagnostic procedures (p = 0.001), if the diagnostic tests were performed in a hospital with the less volume of activity and higher recall rate (RR) (p < 0.001) and if they had no previous participation to screening tests (p < 0.001). Our results are consistent with previous studies, and encourages the implementation and innovation of the organizational characteristics for breast cancer screening. The success of screening programs requires an efficient indicators monitoring strategy to develop and evaluate continuous improvement processes.

scholarly journals Involving clinicians in management: assessing views of doctors and nurses on hybrid professionalism in clinical directorates

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Prenestini ◽  
Marco Sartirana ◽  
Federico Lega
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Clinical Work ◽  
Local Health Authority ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Polarity Index ◽  
Validated Questionnaire ◽  
Clinical Directorates ◽  
Doctors And Nurses

Abstract Background Hybrid professionalism is one of the most effective ways to involve clinicians in management practices and responsibilities. With this study we investigated the perceptions of doctors and nurses on hybridization in clinical directorates (CDs) in hospitals. Methods We investigated the attitudes of healthcare professionals (doctors and nurses) towards eight hospital CDs in the Local Health Authority (LHA) of Bologna (Emilia Romagna, Italy) 6 years after their implementation. We used a validated questionnaire by Braithwaite and Westbrook (2004). Drawing on Palmer et al. (2007), we added a section about the characteristics of department heads. In all, 123 healthcare professionals in managerial roles completed and returned the questionnaire. The return rate was 47.4% for doctors and 31.6% for nurses. Results Doctors reported an increase in clinical governance, interdisciplinarity collaboration, and standardization of clinical work. Hybridization of practices was noted to have taken place. While doctors did not see these changes as a threat to professional values, they felt that hospital managers had taken greater control. There was a large overlap of attitudes between doctors and nurses: inter-professional integration in CDs fostered alignment of values and aims. The polarity index was higher for responses from the doctors than from the nurses. Conclusion The study findings have implications for policy makers and managers: mission and strategic mandate of CDs; governance of CDs, leadership issues; opportunities for engaging healthcare professionals; changes in managerial involvement during the COVID-19 pandemic. We also discuss the limitations of the present study and future areas for research into hybrid structures.

Peri-operative elective path optimization through algorithms in the Local Health Authority of Bologna

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
M Leonessi ◽  
P Tubertini ◽  
A Longanesi ◽  
E Malaguti ◽  
S Guicciardi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mathematical Models ◽  
Health Authority ◽  
Surgical Planning ◽  
Waiting Times ◽  
Local Health Authority ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Surgical Interventions ◽  
Patient Preparation ◽  
Surgical Teams ◽  
Available Resources

Abstract Background High costs of healthcare and population ageing force the health system to constantly improve its efficiency in order to provide patients the best possible care with the available resources. In this perspective, the Local Health Authority and the University of Bologna started an experimentation to re-organize, manage and control the peri-operative elective path of general surgery, a discipline that works in a multiplatform environment according to a Hub & Spoke logic. Methods The experimentation is built on two mathematical programming models. The first one defines patient preparation appointments (i.e. diagnostic and anesthesiologic visits), harmonizing patient preparation with available resources, and planning migration from Hub to Spoke platforms, in order to optimize waiting time and facilities utilization. The second model defines weekly optimal admission plans. Both models consider the availability of resources in terms of surgical teams, operating room slots and number of beds for each operating unit. The proposed approach works on a four-week time horizon following a rolling horizon framework (weekly update) in order to effectively manage high priority patients. Results Both models have been tested on real-world instances over a six-month observation period. Overall, it was possible to increase the efficiency of surgical programming by reducing the waiting times for surgical interventions in over 20% of cases of high priority patiets in four local departments. Conclusions The proposed model represents one of the few cases in Italy of surgical programming developed through mathematical models. It will be necessary to evaluate the evolution of its effectiveness to optimize the system's ability to respond to the growing health needs of the population. Key messages Mathematical models are needed to optimize surgical planning. Efficiency of surgical planning may reduce waiting times for high priority procedures.

LOCAL-HEALTH-AUTHORITY CLINICS

The Lancet ◽  
1961 ◽  
Vol 278 (7198) ◽  
pp. 368-369 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.L. Midgley
Keyword(s):  
Health Authority ◽  
Local Health Authority ◽  
Local Health

scholarly journals An outbreak of measles in Reims, eastern France, January-March 2008 - a preliminary report

2008 ◽  
Vol 13 (13) ◽  
pp. 1-2
Author(s):  
S Thierry ◽  
S Alsibai ◽  
I Parent du Châtelet ◽  
on behalf of the investigation team
Keyword(s):  
Health Authority ◽  
Preliminary Report ◽  
Local Health Authority ◽  
Local Health

Between the end of January and 12 March 2008, 16 cases of measles were reported to the local health authority in Reims in eastern France. The outbreak has to date affected nine adults and seven children, aged from seven months to 28 years. Among these cases, 13 were biologically confirmed.

L'accesso ospedaliero: un'esperienza di riorganizzazione secondo l'approccio Lean Thinking

2009 ◽  
pp. 155-165
Author(s):  
Licia Mignardi
Keyword(s):  
Hospital Admission ◽  
Business Process ◽  
Business Process Reengineering ◽  
Theory Of Constraints ◽  
Healthcare Sector ◽  
Process Reengineering ◽  
Local Health Authority ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Quality Health Care ◽  
Lean Thinking

- 013 The objective of making the admission to hospital services more efficient and effective can be pursued using diverse methods and organisational approaches. Lean thinking and theory of constraints - used in industry and manufacturing - have proved to be valuable for business process reengineering also within the healthcare sector. When changing and improving the hospital admission, lean thinking is a radical approach which requires addressing the whole process and not only single components in isolation. Applying the key principle of the Toyota production system, when increasing product/service value for customers/patients, all processes need to be redeveloped. The focus is not only on better hospital admission procedures, but concentrates also on creating a system where each step pulls the patients towards it when it is ready, from discharge backwards. The OLA project (in Italian "Organizzazione Lean dell'Assistenza") developed by the Local Health Authority of Florence shows how industrial systems such as lean thinking can be used to deliver higher quality health care. Relevant achievements are characterised by a strong strategic vision provided and continuously sustained by the executive leadership. Rigorous methodology and constant professional involvement and participation to the project are equally critical requirements.Keywords: hospital admission; lean thinking for healthcare sector; business process reengineering; efficiency; continuous improvement.

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