scholarly journals Pilot Study to Develop and Test Palliative Care Quality Indicators for Nursing Homes

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 829
Author(s):  
Charlèss Dupont ◽  
Robrecht De Schreye ◽  
Joachim Cohen ◽  
Mark De Ridder ◽  
Lieve Van den Block ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Nursing Homes ◽  
Quality Indicators ◽  
Quality Care ◽  
Measurement Procedure ◽  
Care Quality ◽  
Expert Consensus ◽  
Face Validity ◽  
Measurement Selection ◽  
Advance Care

An increasingly frail population in nursing homes accentuates the need for high quality care at the end of life and better access to palliative care in this context. Implementation of palliative care and its outcomes can be monitored by using quality indicators. Therefore, we developed a quality indicator set for palliative care in nursing homes and a tailored measurement procedure while using a mixed-methods design. We developed the instrument in three phases: (1) literature search, (2) interviews with experts, and (3) indicator and measurement selection by expert consensus (RAND/UCLA). Second, we pilot tested and evaluated the instrument in nine nursing homes in Flanders, Belgium. After identifying 26 indicators in the literature and expert interviews, 19 of them were selected through expert consensus. Setting-specific themes were advance care planning, autonomy, and communication with family. The quantitative and qualitative analyses showed that the indicators were measurable, had good preliminary face validity and discriminative power, and were considered to be useful in terms of quality monitoring according to the caregivers. The quality indicators can be used in a large implementation study and process evaluation in order to achieve continuous monitoring of the access to palliative care for all of the residents in nursing homes.

scholarly journals Pilot Study to Develop and Test Palliative Care Quality Indicators for Nursing Homes

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charless Dupont ◽  
Robrecht De Schreye ◽  
Joachim Cohen ◽  
Mark De Ridder ◽  
Lieve Van den Block ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Nursing Homes ◽  
Quality Indicators ◽  
Quality Care ◽  
Measurement Procedure ◽  
Care Quality ◽  
Expert Consensus ◽  
Face Validity ◽  
Measurement Selection ◽  
Advance Care

An increasingly frail population in nursing homes accentuates the need for high quality care at the end of life and better access to palliative care in this context. Implementation of palliative care and its outcomes can be monitored by using quality indicators. Therefore, we developed a quality indicator set for palliative care in nursing homes and a tailored measurement procedure using a mixed-methods design. We developed the instrument in three phases: 1) literature search, 2) interviews with experts and 3) indicator and measurement selection by expert consensus (RAND/UCLA). Second, we pilot tested and evaluated the instrument in nine nursing homes in Flanders, Belgium. After identifying 26 indicators in the literature and expert interviews, 19 of them were selected through expert consensus. Setting-specific themes were advance care planning, autonomy and communication with family. The quantitative and qualitative analyses showed the indicators were measurable, had good preliminary face validity and discriminative power and were considered useful in terms of quality monitoring according to the caregivers. The quality indicators can be used in a large implementation study and process evaluation in order to achieve continuous monitoring of the access to palliative care for all residents in nursing homes.

Quality Improvement Initiatives to Reduce Mortality: An Opportunity to Engage Palliative Care and Improve Advance Care Planning

2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 97-104 ◽  
Author(s):  
Signe Peterson Flieger ◽  
Erica Spatz ◽  
Emily J. Cherlin ◽  
Leslie A. Curry
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Quality Improvement ◽  
End Of Life ◽  
Advance Care Planning ◽  
Secondary Analysis ◽  
Care Quality ◽  
Care Planning ◽  
Goals Of Care ◽  
Patient Goals ◽  
Advance Care

Background: Despite substantial efforts to integrate palliative care and improve advance care planning, both are underutilized. Quality improvement initiatives focused on reducing mortality may offer an opportunity for facilitating engagement with palliative care and advance care planning. Objective: In the context of an initiative to reduce acute myocardial infarction (AMI) mortality, we examined challenges and opportunities for engaging palliative care and improving advance care planning. Methods: We performed a secondary analysis of qualitative data collected through the Leadership Saves Lives initiative between 2014 and 2016. Data included in-depth interviews with hospital executives, clinicians, administrators, and quality improvement staff (n = 28) from 5 hospitals participating in the Mayo Clinic Care Network. Focused analysis examined emergent themes related to end-of-life experiences, including palliative care and advance care planning. Results: Participants described challenges related to palliative care and advance care planning in the AMI context, including intervention decisions during an acute event, delivering care aligned with patient and family preferences, and the culture around palliative care and hospice. Participants proposed strategies for addressing such challenges in the context of improving AMI quality outcomes. Conclusions: Clinicians who participated in an initiative to reduce AMI mortality highlighted the challenges associated with decision-making regarding interventions, systems for documenting patient goals of care, and broader engagement with palliative care. Quality improvement initiatives focused on mortality may offer a meaningful and feasible opportunity for engaging palliative care. Primary palliative care training is needed to improve discussions about patient and family goals of care near the end of life.

Assessment tools for palliative care.

2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (26_suppl) ◽  
pp. 66-66
Author(s):  
Sarina Isenberg ◽  
Rebecca Aslakson ◽  
Sydney Morss Dy ◽  
Renee Wilson ◽  
Julie Waldfogel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Palliative Care ◽  
Clinical Practice ◽  
Quality Indicators ◽  
Systematic Reviews ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Care Quality ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Patient Reported

66 Background: Recent reviews have not comprehensively addressed palliative care (PC) assessment tools. This project summarizes the extent of evidence about PC assessment tools for patients and families, and how tools have been used for clinical care, quality indicators, and evaluation of interventions. Methods: We searched MEDLINE, CINAHL, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews for systematic reviews of assessment tools for PC, from January 2007 to March 2016. We searched the grey literature for domains without systematic reviews, and for domains with systematic reviews > three years old. Paired investigators independently screened search results and grey literature to determine eligibility, and assessed risk of bias of systematic reviews. The team selected the most recent and highest-quality systematic reviews for each domain. One investigator abstracted information, and a second investigator checked the information. Results: Using the National Consensus Project Palliative Care Guidelines domains, we included nine systematic reviews with 167 tools, and six tools from grey literature. Most tools were in physical, psychological, psychiatric, and social aspects of care, care at the end of life, and tools that cross domains (quality of life and caregiver-reported experience). Only two tools directly addressed spiritual aspects and none addressed cultural or patient-reported experience. Internal consistency reliability was evaluated for almost all tools; most reported construct validity; and few reported responsiveness (sensitivity to change). Few studies evaluated the use of assessment tools in quality indicators or clinical practice. A systematic review of 38 PC interventions and the assessment tools used found that at least 25 interventions included physical, psychosocial and psychiatric, and quality of life tools, but the tools varied extensively, and only nine included patient experience tools. Conclusions: Although assessment tools exist in many PC domains, tools are needed to assess spiritual and cultural aspects of care, and patient-reported experience. Research is needed concerning: tools in clinical practice and quality of care; comparison of existing tools; and evaluation and dissemination tools with evidence of responsiveness.

scholarly journals The use of quality indicators (QIs) to evaluate the oncologic care in CCCN: a systematic review

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
R A Cocchiara ◽  
A Mannocci ◽  
S Cianfanelli ◽  
C Sestili ◽  
V D’Egidio ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Palliative Care ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Quality Indicators ◽  
Clinical Care ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Care Quality ◽  
Process Of Care ◽  
Oncological Patients ◽  
Abstract Screening

Abstract Due to the increase of life expectancy for cancer patients, it has become necessary to implement complete and economically sustainable clinical care pathways that integrate different professional competences. The Comprehensive Cancer Care Network (CCCN) model consists of multiple specialized structures that cooperate for cancer patients care. Quality Indicators (QIs) represent valid and reliable tools of evaluation that allow a standardized comparison among different structures. The aim of this systematic review was to highlight a wide and complete description of the implemented QIs within the CCCNs and to identify and analyze methodologies used for the development of QIs. The literature was performed investigating two databases (PubMed and Scopus) and the search identified 7342 studies. After duplicate removal, title and abstract screening, and full text evaluation, 46 studies were included in the study. Most QIs were implemented in USA, Germany and Italy where the CCCN approach seems to be well defined. Eighty -two QIs concerned diagnosis, 260 concerned treatment, 7 concerned prevention, 29 about follow up, 71 about palliative care, 12 concerned rehabilitation and 7 research. The majority of the identified QIs belonged to the process domain, followed by the structure ones. Excluding QIs related to the management of cancer in general, the most represented organs resulted breast, colorectum and lung. Overall, it can be stated that the most represented categories of QIs concerned diagnosis and treatment. Furthermore, also the palliative care domain appeared very represented. Regarding the methodology of the QIs development, a consensus approach among experts and the Delphi method were the most frequently used methodologies. Only a few studies included the participation of patients for the implementation of the QIs. This systematic review provides a synthesis of existing QIs related to the setting of integrated oncological care Key messages The CCCN has been recognized as an ideal model for structuring the process of care that guarantees a complete and integrated approach for the management of oncological patients. Quality Indicators represent valid and reliable tools that should be used to perform a standardized comparison among different healthcare systems and to guarantee a homogeneous quality of care.

Palliative care quality measures: an exploratory study

2019 ◽  
pp. bmjspcare-2018-001679
Author(s):  
Alessandra Buja ◽  
Michele Rivera ◽  
Vincenzo Baldo ◽  
Marta Soattin ◽  
Ylenia Rizzolo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Quality Indicators ◽  
Care Service ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Palliative Care Service ◽  
Care Quality ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Monotonic Trend ◽  
Intensity Of Care ◽  
At Home

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to investigate how palliative care service structures and processes correlate with their outputs and outcomes, measuring the latter respectively in terms of intensity of care and death at home.MethodsThe Veneto Regional Health Authorities collected a set of 37 quality indicators for the year 2016, covering the following five dimensions: service integration, service structure, accessibility, professional processes and organisational processes. Their validity was assessed by a panel of 29 palliative care experts. A score was assigned to each indicator on the basis of its relevance. Non-parametric correlations between the care quality indicators and the measures of the palliative care outputs and outcomes were investigated, along with the presence of a monotonic trend in the performance of the local health units (LHU) grouped by ‘low’, ‘medium’ or ‘high’ scores and differences between these groups of LHUs.ResultsThe data showed that palliative care service structure and professional processes were the dimensions correlating significantly with the intensity of care coefficient. An increasingly significant statistical trend was found in both the intensity of care coefficient and the proportion of deaths at home for the three groups of LHUs in terms of the professional processes dimension.ConclusionsDespite its limitations, this study brought to light some statistically significant findings that are worth investigating in larger samples. To achieve improvements in the quality of palliative care, it is important for healthcare providers to know which variables most affect the output and especially the outcomes of the services offered.

Abstract 13221: Family Caregivers’ Perceptions of Illness Severity in Heart Failure Patients with Limited Life Expectancy

Circulation ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 130 (suppl_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Kitko ◽  
Judith Hupcey ◽  
Maureen Palese
Keyword(s):  
Heart Failure ◽  
Palliative Care ◽  
Quality Care ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Illness Severity ◽  
Patient Death ◽  
Disease Trajectory ◽  
Advance Care ◽  
Hospice And Palliative Care ◽  
Perceived Illness

Introduction: End-of-life (EOL) services, such as hospice and palliative care are often lacking even for the sickest heart failure (HF) patients. Use of these services have been hampered by the lack of availability, lack of referrals due to the unpredictable course in HF, and refusal of services by patients and caregivers due to a lack of understanding of the terminality of HF. The purpose of this study was to determine whether caregivers of HF patients with a predicted survival of less than 2 years, understood disease terminality prior to and after the patient’s death. Methods: As part of a longitudinal study of 100 patient-caregiver dyads, caregivers were interviewed monthly until the patient’s death and then twice post-death. Caregiver interviews immediately preceding and post-patient death were analyzed to determine caregivers’ perceptions of the terminality of heart failure. Results: There were 49 caregivers of patients who died. Patients died an average of 8 months after study enrollment. Most caregivers did not understand the severity of the patient’s disease and 51% (25/49) viewed the death as unexpected. When caregivers retrospectively reflected on the patient’s illness trajectory, they recounted downward trends in patient’s health, but were not aware of the terminality of the patient until after death occurred. Those few caregivers who perceived the illness severity prior to death came to this realization late in the disease trajectory. At the point of recognition, advanced treatments were limited or withdrawn and the short-term use of EOL services such as palliative care or hospice was instituted. Conclusions: The lack of perceived illness severity/terminality has profound implications for patients, caregivers, and healthcare providers. Patients and caregivers who do not understand the seriousness of the illness are less likely to accept EOL services, if offered. Clinicians need to understand the HF EOL trajectory and that EOL discussions and advance care planning help patients and caregivers make informed choices and receive quality care at EOL. We also need to educate all healthcare providers about having these discussions, so palliative care becomes a philosophy of care not merely a referral service immediately preceding death.

scholarly journals HIV/AIDS Indicators for Clinical Care Quality Assessment: Relevance and Utility Assessed by Health Professionals

2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (6) ◽  
pp. 389
Author(s):  
Emanuel Castro Cassoco Catumbela ◽  
Cristina Santos ◽  
Alberto Freitas ◽  
Carlos Costa ◽  
António Sarmento ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Indicators ◽  
Clinical Relevance ◽  
Clinical Symptoms ◽  
Clinical Care ◽  
Quality Care ◽  
Clinical Signs ◽  
Signs And Symptoms ◽  
Care Quality ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Hiv Aids

<p><strong>Introduction:</strong> After conducting a systematic review of quality indicators for assessing HIV/AIDS clinical care, we aimed to assess the clinical relevance and practice utility of those indicators from the point of view of HIV/AIDS physician experts.<br /><strong>Material and Methods:</strong> This is an observational, cross-sectional study, in which we selected, by convenience, physicians who work in an Infectious Disease Department of a central hospital to complete two questionnaires with a core set of indicators to establish the most relevant and useful indicators for assessment of the clinical HIV/AIDS care. A Likert scale was used to rank the indicators.<br /><strong>Results:</strong> Eleven of thirteen physicians filled two questionnaires. From the initial list of 53 quality indicators, 21 were identified as the most relevant and useful in HIV/AIDS clinical care. The internal consistency for clinical relevance in each indicators domain was for clinical signs and symptoms (<em>p</em> = 0.971), for therapy (<em>p</em> = 0.900), for prognosis (<em>p</em> = 0.820) and diagnosis (<em>p</em> = 0.733) and for practice utility were diagnosis (<em>p</em> = 0.934), clinical signs (<em>p</em> = 0.964), laboratory examinations (<em>p</em> = 0.947), therapy (<em>p</em> = 0.583) and prognosis (<em>p</em> = 0.368).<br /><strong>Discussion:</strong> In the process of assessing the clinical relevance and practice utility of HIV/AIDS quality care indicators, it was found that the majority of physicians agreed that diagnosis and clinical symptoms and signs indicators domains are the most important for assessing the quality of care for HIV/AIDS patients.<br /><strong>Conclusion:</strong> This instrument should be considered as a diagnostic tool, allowing hospital administrators to identify if HIV/AIDS care is properly delivered or needs improvement.</p>

Advance directives and physicians’ orders in nursing home residents with dementia in Flanders, Belgium: prevalence and associated outcomes

2012 ◽  
Vol 24 (7) ◽  
pp. 1133-1143 ◽  
Author(s):  
An Vandervoort ◽  
Lieve van den Block ◽  
Jenny T. van der Steen ◽  
Robert Vander Stichele ◽  
Johan Bilsen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Nursing Home ◽  
Nursing Homes ◽  
Quality Care ◽  
Nursing Home Residents ◽  
Care Plan ◽  
Care Planning ◽  
Legal Representative ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Diagnosis Of Dementia

ABSTRACTBackground: Advance care planning (ACP) is an important element of high-quality care in nursing homes, especially for residents having dementia who are often incompetent in decision-making toward the end of life. The aim of this study was describe the prevalence of documented ACP among nursing home residents with dementia in Flanders, Belgium, and associated clinical characteristics and outcomes.Methods: All 594 nursing homes in Flanders were asked to participate in a retrospective cross-sectional postmortem survey in 2006. Participating homes identified all residents who had died over the last two months. A structured questionnaire was mailed to the nurses closely involved in the deceased resident's care regarding the diagnosis of dementia and documented care planning, i.e. advance patient directives, authorization of a legal representative, and general practitioners’ treatment orders (GP orders).Results: In 345 nursing homes (58% response rate), nurses identified 764 deceased residents with dementia of whom 62% had some type of documented care plan, i.e. advance patient directives in 3%, a legal representative in 8%, and GP orders in 59%. Multivariate logistic regression showed that the presence of GP orders was positively associated with receiving specialist palliative care in the nursing home (OR 3.10; CI, 2.07–4.65). Chances of dying in a hospital were lower if there was a GP order (OR 0.38; CI, 0.21–0.70).Conclusions: Whereas GP orders are relatively common among residents with dementia, advance patient directives and a legal representative are relatively uncommon. Nursing home residents receiving palliative care are more likely to have a GP order. GP orders may affect place of death.

scholarly journals Palliative Care Quality Indicators for Patients with End-Stage Liver Disease Due to Cirrhosis

2016 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
pp. 84-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. M. Walling ◽  
◽  
S. C. Ahluwalia ◽  
N. S. Wenger ◽  
M. Booth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Liver Disease ◽  
Quality Indicators ◽  
Care Quality ◽  
End Stage Liver Disease ◽  
End Stage

scholarly journals Person-Centred Care Transformation in a Nursing Home for Residents with Dementia

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Peiyan Ho ◽  
Rachel Chin Yee Cheong ◽  
Siew Pei Ong ◽  
Carol Fusek ◽  
Shiou Liang Wee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nursing Home ◽  
Quality Of Care ◽  
Nursing Homes ◽  
Quality Care ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Care Quality ◽  
Care Recipient ◽  
Staff Retention ◽  
Term Care

<b><i>Background:</i></b> Conventional nursing homes in Singapore adopt an institutional and medical model of care with a focus on safety and risk management. As such, less regard is placed on upholding the dignity and autonomy of the resident, which compromises quality of care and the well-being of the resident. Today, person-centred care (PCC) has become synonymous with high-quality care that sustains the well-being and personhood of the care recipient. <b><i>Objectives:</i></b> To describe the model of PCC adopted by a nursing home, Apex Harmony Lodge (AHL), with a logic model and evaluate outcomes on residents’ well-being, care quality, and staff attrition by comparing pre-PCC initiation (2015) to post-implementation (2016). <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Male residents in a 30-bed assisted living facility for persons with dementia in AHL were assessed using Dementia Care Mapping. Residents’ well-being and staff attrition were measured before and after PCC implementation. <b><i>Results:</i></b> There were statistically significant improvements in resident well-being (Δ = 0.44, <i>p</i> = 0.029), Positive Engagement Potential (Δ = 0.17, <i>p</i> = 0.002), and Occupational Diversity (Δ = 0.12, <i>p</i> = 0.014) in 2016. Withdrawal and Passive Engagement in the residents were reduced significantly as were Care Detractors. There was also a 55% reduction in staff attrition rates post-PCC. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> Post-PCC implementation, the outcomes indicate a superior quality of care, enhanced resident well-being, and better staff retention. The AHL PCC model could serve as a roadmap for other nursing homes aspiring to raise the quality of care and influence long-term care standards and regulations for policy makers and legislators.

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