scholarly journals Qualitative Analysis by Experts of the Essential Elements of the Nursing Practice Environments Proposed by the TOP10 Questionnaire of Assessment of Environments in Primary Health Care

Author(s):  
José Ramón Martínez-Riera ◽  
Raúl Juárez-Vela ◽  
Miguel Ángel Díaz-Herrera ◽  
Raimunda Montejano-Lozoya ◽  
Vicente Doménech-Briz ◽  
...  

Background: A short TOP10 scale based on the Practice Environment Scale-Nursing Work Index questionnaire measures the characteristics of nursing work environments. Positive environments result in better quality care and health outcomes. Objective: To identify a small number of core elements that would facilitate more effective interventions by nurse managers, and compare them with the essential elements proposed by the TOP10. Method: Qualitative research by a nominal group of eight experts. The content analysis was combined with descriptive data. Results: Ten most important items were selected and analyzed by the expert group. A high level of consensus in four items (2, 15, 20, 31) and an acceptable consensus in five items was reached (6, 11, 14, 18, 26). The tenth item in the top ten was selected from content analysis (19). The expert group agreed 90% with the elements selected as essential to the TOP10. Conclusion: The expert group achieved a high level of consensus that supports 90% of the essential elements of primary care settings proposed by the TOP10 questionnaire. Organizational changes implemented by managers to improve working environments must be prioritized following our results, so care delivery and health outcomes can be further improved.

Author(s):  
Andrea Renda

This chapter assesses Europe’s efforts in developing a full-fledged strategy on the human and ethical implications of artificial intelligence (AI). The strong focus on ethics in the European Union’s AI strategy should be seen in the context of an overall strategy that aims at protecting citizens and civil society from abuses of digital technology but also as part of a competitiveness-oriented strategy aimed at raising the standards for access to Europe’s wealthy Single Market. In this context, one of the most peculiar steps in the European Union’s strategy was the creation of an independent High-Level Expert Group on AI (AI HLEG), accompanied by the launch of an AI Alliance, which quickly attracted several hundred participants. The AI HLEG, a multistakeholder group including fifty-two experts, was tasked with the definition of Ethics Guidelines as well as with the formulation of “Policy and Investment Recommendations.” With the advice of the AI HLEG, the European Commission put forward ethical guidelines for Trustworthy AI—which are now paving the way for a comprehensive, risk-based policy framework.


2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 409-415 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Dakkak ◽  
R. Brown ◽  
J. Twynstra ◽  
K. Charbonneau ◽  
J.A. Seabrook

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eun-San Kim ◽  
Chang-yup Kim

AbstractContinuity of care is a core dimension of high-quality care in the management of disease. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between continuity of care and lumbar surgery in patients with moderate disc herniation. The Korean National Sample Cohort was used. The target population consisted of patients who have had disc herniation more than 6 months and didn’t get surgery and red flag signs within 6 months from onset. The population was enrolled from 2004 to 2013. The Bice-Boxerman Continuity of Care was used in measuring continuity of care. The marginal structural model with time dependent survival analysis was used. In total, 29,061 patients were enrolled in the cohort. High level of continuity of care was associated with a lower risk of lumbar surgery (HR, 0.27; 95% CI, 0.20–0.27). When the index was calculated only with outpatient visits to primary care with related specialty, the HR was 0.49 (95% CI: 0.43–0.57). In exploratory analysis, patients with lumbar stenosis and spondylolisthesis had higher risk of having a low level of continuity of care. These results indicate that continuity of care is associated with lower rates of lumbar surgery in patients with moderate disc herniation.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 216495612110210
Author(s):  
Eileen M Dryden ◽  
Rendelle E Bolton ◽  
Barbara G Bokhour ◽  
Juliet Wu ◽  
Kelly Dvorin ◽  
...  

Background The US Veterans Health Administration (VA) is transforming its healthcare system to create a Whole Health System (WHS) of care. Akin to such reorganization efforts as creating patient-centered medical homes and primary care behavioral health integration, the WHS goes beyond by transforming the entire system to one that takes a proactive approach to support patient and employee health and wellness. The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic disrupted the VA’s healthcare system and added stress for staff and patients, creating an exogenous shock for this transformation towards a WHS. Objective We examined the relationship between VA’s WHS transformation and the pandemic to understand if transformation was sustained during crisis and contributed to VA’s response. Methods Qualitative interviews were conducted as part of a multi-year study of WHS transformation. A single multi-person interview was conducted with 61 WHS leaders at 18 VA Medical Centers, examining WH transformation and use during the pandemic. Data were analyzed using rapid directed content analysis. Results While the pandemic initially slowed transformation efforts, sites intentionally embraced a WH approach to support patients and employees during this crisis. Efforts included conducting patient wellness calls, and, for patients and employees, promoting complementary and integrative health therapies, self-care, and WH concepts to combat stress and support wellbeing. A surge in virtual technology use facilitated innovative delivery of complementary and integrative therapies and promoted continued use of WH activities. Conclusion The pandemic called attention to the need for healthcare systems to address the wellbeing of both patients and providers to sustain high quality care delivery. At a time of crisis, VA sites sustained WH transformation efforts, recognizing WH as one strategy to support patients and employees. This response indicates cultural transformation is taking hold, with WH serving as a promising approach for promoting wellbeing among patients and employees alike.


BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. e046959
Author(s):  
Atsushi Miyawaki ◽  
Dhruv Khullar ◽  
Yusuke Tsugawa

ObjectivesEvidence suggests that homeless patients experience worse quality of care and poorer health outcomes across a range of medical conditions. It remains unclear, however, whether differences in care delivery at safety-net versus non-safety-net hospitals explain these disparities. We aimed to investigate whether homeless versus non-homeless adults hospitalised for cardiovascular conditions (acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and stroke) experience differences in care delivery and health outcomes at safety-net versus non-safety-net hospitals.DesignCross-sectional study.SettingData including all hospital admissions in four states (Florida, Massachusetts, Maryland, and New York) in 2014.ParticipantsWe analysed 167 105 adults aged 18 years or older hospitalised for cardiovascular conditions (age mean=64.5 years; 75 361 (45.1%) women; 2123 (1.3%) homeless hospitalisations) discharged from 348 hospitals.Outcome measuresRisk-adjusted diagnostic and therapeutic procedure and in-hospital mortality, after adjusting for patient characteristics and state and quarter fixed effects.ResultsAt safety-net hospitals, homeless adults hospitalised for AMI were less likely to receive coronary angiogram (adjusted OR (aOR), 0.42; 95% CI, 0.36 to 0.50; p<0.001), percutaneous coronary intervention (aOR, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.44 to 0.62; p<0.001) and coronary artery bypass graft (aOR, 0.43; 95% CI, 0.26 to 0.71; p<0.01) compared with non-homeless adults. Homeless patients treated for strokes at safety-net hospitals were less likely to receive cerebral arteriography (aOR, 0.23; 95% CI, 0.16 to 0.34; p<0.001), but were as likely to receive thrombolysis therapy. At non-safety-net hospitals, we found no evidence that the probability of receiving these procedures differed between homeless and non-homeless adults hospitalised for AMI or stroke. Finally, there were no differences in in-hospital mortality rates for homeless versus non-homeless patients at either safety-net or non-safety-net hospitals.ConclusionDisparities in receipt of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures for homeless patients with cardiovascular conditions were observed only at safety-net hospitals. However, we found no evidence that these differences influenced in-hospital mortality markedly.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 102
Author(s):  
Concepción Pérez ◽  
Jimmy Martin-Delgado ◽  
Mercedes Vinuesa ◽  
Pedro J. Ibor ◽  
Mercedes Guilabert ◽  
...  

Up to 50% of cancer patients and up to 90% of those in terminal stages experience pain associated with disease progression, poor quality of life, and social impact on caregivers. This study aimed to establish standards for the accreditation of oncological pain management in healthcare organizations. A mixed methods approach was used. First, a pragmatic literature review was conducted. Second, consensus between professionals and patients was reached using the Nominal Group and Delphi technique in a step that involved anesthesiologists, oncologists, family physicians, nurses, psychologists, patient representatives, and caregivers. Third, eight hospitals participated in a pilot assessment of the level of fulfillment of each standard. A total of 37 standards were extracted. The Nominal Group produced additional standards, of which 60 were included in Questionnaire 0 that was used in the Delphi Technique. Two Delphi voting rounds were performed to reach a high level of consensus, and involved 64 and 62 participants with response rates of 90% and 87%, respectively. Finally, 39 standards for the management of cancer pain were agreed upon. In the self-evaluation, the average range of compliance was between 56.4% and 100%. The consensus standards of the ACDON Project might improve the monitoring of cancer pain management. These standards satisfied the demands of professionals and patients and could be used for the accreditation of approaches in cancer pain management.


Neurology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 94 (7) ◽  
pp. 306-310 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J. Young ◽  
Robert W. Regenhardt ◽  
Thabele M. Leslie-Mazwi ◽  
Michael Ashley Stein

Stroke is the second leading cause of death worldwide and a leading cause of adult disability worldwide. More than a third of individuals presenting with strokes are estimated to have a preexisting disability. Despite unprecedented advances in stroke research and clinical practice over the past decade, approaches to acute stroke care for persons with preexisting disability have received scant attention. Current standards of research and clinical practice are influenced by an underexplored range of biases that may hinder acute stroke care for persons with disability. These trends may exacerbate unequal health outcomes by rendering novel stroke therapies inaccessible to many persons with disabilities. Here, we explore the underpinnings and implications of biases involving persons with disability in stroke research and practice. Recent insights from bioethics, disability rights, and health law are explained and critically evaluated in the context of prevailing research and clinical practices. Allowing disability to drive decisions to withhold acute stroke interventions may perpetuate disparate health outcomes and undermine ethically resilient stroke care. Advocacy for inclusion of persons with disability in future stroke trials can improve equity in stroke care delivery.


2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 322-335 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Sussman ◽  
Lisa Barbera ◽  
Daryl Bainbridge ◽  
Doris Howell ◽  
Jinghao Yang ◽  
...  

Background: A number of palliative care delivery models have been proposed to address the structural and process gaps in this care. However, the specific elements required to form competent systems are often vaguely described. Aim: The purpose of this study was to explore whether a set of modifiable health system factors could be identified that are associated with population palliative care outcomes, including less acute care use and more home deaths. Design: A comparative case study evaluation was conducted of ‘palliative care’ in four health regions in Ontario, Canada. Regions were selected as exemplars of high and low acute care utilization patterns, representing both urban and rural settings. A theory-based approach to data collection was taken using the System Competency Model, comprised of structural features known to be essential indicators of palliative care system performance. Key informants in each region completed study instruments. Data were summarized using qualitative techniques and an exploratory factor pattern analysis was completed. Results: 43 participants (10+ from each region) were recruited, representing clinical and administrative perspectives. Pattern analysis revealed six factors that discriminated between regions: overall palliative care planning and needs assessment; a common chart; standardized patient assessments; 24/7 palliative care team access; advanced practice nursing presence; and designated roles for the provision of palliative care services. Conclusions: The four palliative care regional ‘systems’ examined using our model were found to be in different stages of development. This research further informs health system planners on important features to incorporate into evolving palliative care systems.


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