Tele-ICU “Myth Busters”

2012 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 302-311
Author(s):  
Angelo Venditti ◽  
Chanda Ronk ◽  
Tracey Kopenhaver ◽  
Susan Fetterman

Tele–intensive care unit (ICU) technology has been proven to bridge the gap between available resources and quality care for many health care systems across the country. Tele-ICUs allow the standardization of care and provide a second set of eyes traditionally not available in the ICU. A growing body of literature supports the use of tele-ICUs based on improved outcomes and reduction in errors. To date, the literature has not effectively outlined the limitations of this technology related to response to changes in patient care, interventions, and interaction with the care team. This information can potentially have a profound impact on service expectations. Some misconceptions about tele-ICU technology include the following: tele-ICU is “watching” 24 hours a day, 7 days a week; tele-ICU is a telemetry unit; tele-ICU is a stand-alone crisis intervention tool; tele-ICU decreases staffing at the bedside; tele-ICU clinical roles are clearly defined and understood; and tele-ICUs are not cost-effective to operate. This article outlines the purpose of tele-ICU technology, reviews outcomes, and “busts” myths about tele-ICU technology.

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricio López-Jaramillo ◽  
Ramfis E. Nieto-Martínez ◽  
Gestne Aure-Fariñez ◽  
Carlos O. Mendivil ◽  
Rodolfo A. Lahsen ◽  
...  

To understand the status of prediabetes diagnosis and treatment in Latin America and to evaluate the use of metformin for diabetes prevention in this context. A panel of 15 diabetes experts from seven countries in Latin America met on 14 – 15 August 2014 in Lima, Peru, to review the available literature, discuss the role of prediabetes in type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease, analyze collected information, and make conclusions for prediabetes diagnosis and treatment in Latin America. Prediabetes diagnosis, screening, and treatment, including lifestyle changes, pharmacological treatment, and cost-effectiveness were discussed. Five resulting statements were issued for Latin America: prediabetes is a clinical and public health problem; health care systems do not currently diagnose/treat prediabetes; use of prediabetes risk detection tools are needed region-wide; treatment includes lifestyle changes, multidisciplinary education, and metformin; and registries of patient records and further studies should be supported. The expert panel concluded that in Latin America, preventive treatment through lifestyle changes and metformin are cost-effective interventions. It is important to improve prediabetes identification and management at the primary care level.


2020 ◽  
Vol 161 (49) ◽  
pp. 2059-2071
Author(s):  
Helga Kraxner ◽  
Andor Hirschberg ◽  
Kristóf Nékám

Összefoglaló. Az allergiás betegségekben szenvedő emberek száma világszerte, köztük Magyarországon is növekszik. Az egészségügyi ellátórendszerek azon dolgoznak, hogy minél hatékonyabban tudják felhasználni a rendelkezésre álló forrásokat. Az Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA) szervezet célja az allergiás náthában szenvedő betegek ellátásának javítása, szakmai ajánlások készítése, aktualizálása. Ennek egyik módja integrált betegellátási utak kidolgozása. Célunk ezek hazai elérhetővé tétele, az ajánlások széles körű elterjesztése az Európai Unió (EU) többi tagállamához hasonlóan Magyarországon is. Az ARIA más nemzetközi innovatív szervezetek bevonásával olyan integrált betegellátási utakat fejlesztett ki, amelyek allergiás nátha, esetleg társbetegsége, az asztma esetén támogatják a kezelést. Ezeket újgenerációs irányelvek kidolgozása útján alkották, amelyekhez felhasználták a mobiltechnológiából és pollenkamra-vizsgálatokból származó valós evidenciákat is. A gyógyszeres terápia optimalizálásához a vizuális analóg skálán alapuló, úgynevezett Mobil Légúti Figyelő Hálózat algoritmusát digitalizálták, és valós evidenciák felhasználásával tovább finomították. Allergén immunterápiára az ARIA a világon elsőként dolgozott ki integrált betegellátási utakat 2019-ben. A kezelési irányelvekhez való adherenciaszint alacsony, a betegek a tüneteik erőssége alapján módosítják a kezelést. A flutikazon-propionát–azelasztin kombináció hatása erősebb az intranasalis kortikoszteroidokénál, míg az utóbbi hatásosabb az oralis H1-antihisztaminoknál. A mobiltelefonokban tárolt elektronikus napló vagy más ’mobile health’ (mHealth) eszközök használata segíti a betegek kiválasztását allergén immunterápiára. Az ARIA által javasolt algoritmus megfelelőnek mutatkozott az allergiás rhinitis kezelésére, ezért ezek az irányelvek bekerülnek integrált betegellátási utakba, és részét fogják képezni az EU Egészségügyi és Élelmiszer-biztonsági Főigazgatósága digitalizált, személyközpontú gondozási anyagainak. Az allergén immunterápia hatékony az inhalatív allergének által okozott allergiás betegségekben, alkalmazását azonban korlátozni kell gondosan válogatott betegekre. Orv Hetil. 2020; 161(49): 2059–2071. Summary. The number of allergic patients is increasing all over the world, also in Hungary. Delivering effective and cost-effective health care is essential for all health care systems. ARIA (Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma) aims to improve the care of patients who suffer from allergic rhinitis by setting up guidelines and updating them. Development of ICPs (integrated care pathways) can play an essential role in attaining this goal. Our aim is to make ICP-s developed by ARIA available also in Hungary, as is already the case in other countries of the European Union (EU). Together with other international initiatives, ARIA has worked out digitally-enabled ICPs to support care in allergic rhinitis and comorbid asthma. ICPs are based on new-generation guidelines using RWE (real-world evidence) from chamber studies and mobile technology. The MASK (Mobile Airways Sentinel NetworK) algorithm – based on visual analogue scale – was digitalized to support pharmacotherapy, and was refined by using RWE. ARIA was the first to develop ICPs for allergen immunotherapy (AIT) in 2019. Based on MASK data, patients did not follow guidelines and their adherence to treatment was poor. Patients would modify their treatments, depending on the disease control. The effect of fluticasone propionate–azelastine combination is superior to intranasal corticosteroids which are superior to oral H1-antihistamines. Electronic diaries obtained from cell phones and other ’mobile health’ (mHealth) devices help select patients for AIT. The ARIA algorithm for AR was found appropriate and no change is necessary. These guidelines will inform ICPs and will be included in the DG Santé digitally-enabled, person-centred care system. AIT is an effective treatment for allergic diseases caused by inhaled allergens. Its use should, however, be restricted to carefully selected patients. Orv Hetil. 2020; 161(49): 2059–2071.


2021 ◽  
pp. 210-221
Author(s):  
Newton E. Kendig ◽  
David G. Ellis ◽  
Renoj Varughese ◽  
Obinna M. Ome Irondi

Millions of patients receive their primary health care in U.S. jails and prisons each year. Correctional health care systems frequently lack round-the-clock onsite physician services, and access to local hospital-based emergency services may be limited. Increasingly, correctional health care systems are relying on telehealth capabilities to improve their access to subspecialty services. Emergency telehealth services, however, are largely underutilized. Available reports suggest that emergency telehealth services can reduce outside medical trips and prove cost-effective in certain settings. Successful emergency telehealth programs emphasize the importance of a thorough diagnostic evaluation, effective communication with local correctional health care providers, and strategic use of point-of-care testing. This chapter provides practical recommendations for the telehealth evaluation and management of commonly occurring medical emergencies in the correctional setting.


Author(s):  
Stephen C. L. Gough

The increasing worldwide incidence and prevalence of diabetes is placing substantial pressures on health care systems and economies. As a consequence individuals involved in the care of people with diabetes are looking at services currently being provided and examining ways in which care can be organized in the most cost-effective manner. Whilst the degree to which diabetes care is delivered differs from country to country, similar fundamental questions are being asked by those involved in the delivery of care, including: What are we currently providing? What do we need to provide? What are we able to provide? Although the answers to these questions are quite different not just between countries but often within specific localities within a country, the ultimate aim is the same: to provide the best possible care to as many people with diabetes as possible. The global diversity of diabetes health care need is enormous and while the solutions will be equally diverse, the approach to the development of a diabetes service will, for many organizations, be similar. The main focus of this chapter is based upon the model or the strategic approach developed in the UK, but many of the individual component parts are present in most health care settings.


Caregivers delivering care to breast cancer patients wish to provide the highest quality breast care possible. Due to the complexity of the care pathway, this care should be delivered by a multidisciplinary team working in a breast cancer unit/centre. This book was written by experts from different disciplines and presents ideas for developing a breast unit wherever you live. The authors provide thorough descriptions of high-quality breast cancer care, define targets, methods to assess one’s care, and ideas on how to improve care within one’s resources. A global view of the quality of breast cancer care shows specific best practices applicable to many centres operating in various health care systems with different financial and political situations. Foundation hallmarks of innovation, communication, patient-centred care, multidisciplinary, and budget considerations guide specific recommendations for each component of care. This book discusses global and local considerations so that optimally ‘integrated’ breast cancer care can be organized. Each component of care (e.g. imaging, surgery, etc.) is discussed from both theoretical and practical aspects. The recommendation for each component of care is facilitated by experienced experts laying out rational and practical approaches to each step. This book provides guidance how to integrate the different disciplines into breast cancer care. Beyond treatment, it provides practical considerations regarding accreditation and certification, and it comments on the influence of budget and of treatment. Finally, it demonstrates how best practices may be altered by the emerging involvement of patients, technologies, and transitions of future societal values.


Author(s):  
Theodore J. Iwashyna ◽  
Colin R. Cooke

A regional system of critical care is one in which hospitals are acknowledged to vary in their care of critically-ill patients, and procedures exist to systematically refer patients to a subset of those hospitals. Given scarcity in health care systems, regional systems of care are an attempt to rationalize differentiation among hospitals. There are several examples that suggest regionalization of care can result in cost-effective improvements in patient outcomes. Yet there are also numerous examples of regional systems of care that offer few benefits to patients, or that fail to actually concentrate patients despite the grand plans of their designers. This chapter suggests several key design decisions that can be used to help improve the effectiveness of regional system of care. Addressing all these issues may offer dramatic benefits for patients.


2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Norman David Goldstuck

The world’s population is approaching 7 billion. As a general rule, the countries with the highest population have the least available healthcare resources, the most notable exception being the United States of America (USA). Most of these countries have an urgent need to reduce their populations. The intrauterine device (IUD) is used by the largest number of contraceptives world-wide and it has a proven record in reducing unwanted pregnancies. Its efficacy rate as a long-acting reversible contraceptive is matched only by subdermal implants which are not as cost effective. Although the rates of pelvic infection are elevated in many countries with low-resource health care systems, we now know that pelvic infection rates are independent of IUD usage. This is therefore no longer a contraindication for using IUDs on a large scale in family planning programs. The technique of IUD insertion as described in most textbooks and journals is unnecessarily complex and based on ritual rather than good clinical evidence. This is particularly interesting in that at a time where we prefer evidence based medicine there are still so many clinical practice sacred cows. This article advocates a simplification of the technique for inserting IUDs. The scientific rationale for simplifying the technique is presented, as well as evidence that it is as safe if not safer than the currently suggested methods, if used for the correct type of IUD acceptors.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 44-56
Author(s):  
Gehan Abd Elfattah Elasrag ◽  
Hana Mohammad Abu-Snieneh

Safety and quality care of patients are key aspects and the mean goals of effective health care systems. The reality that medical treatment can harm patients is one that has had to be addressed by the healthcare community in recent years. This study aimed to explore nurses' perception of factors contributing to medication administration errors and reasons for which medication administration errors are not reporting. Descriptive exploratory cross-sectional design carried out to achieve the study aim. The study was conducted in two regional hospitals in Egypt. They had a total bed capacity of 512 beds distributed over three units (emergency, intensive care, and surgical units). A convenient sample of 146 nurses distributed in the morning and afternoon shifts in the units mentioned above was recruited in this study. Medication Administration Errors (MAEs) Reporting Scale used to collect data regarding the nurses' perception of factors contributing to the MAEs. The participants were ranked the most important factor for MAEs occur system reasons (24.73±1.46), followed by nurses staffing as the second reason of MAEs (24.11± 2.25). Third, fourth, and fifth-ranked reasons were physician communication (13.37± 2.7), medication packaging (12.84±1.87), transcription-related (8±0.1), respectively. Finally, pharmacy processes (6.9±2.93) viewed as the least factor for the frequency of MAE. The findings of the present study concluded seven perceived reasons for MAE, namely system reason, nurses' staffing, physician communication, medication packaging, transcription, and pharmacy process. The study recommended the development of active quality assurance systems in all health care environments concerning medications and drug administration.


2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 327-338
Author(s):  
Kasper Johannesen ◽  
Magnus Janzon ◽  
Tomas Jernberg ◽  
Martin Henriksson

Purpose. Clinical practice variations and low implementation of effective and cost-effective health care technologies are a key challenge for health care systems and may lead to suboptimal treatment and health loss for patients. The purpose of this work was to subcategorize the expected value of perfect implementation (EVPIM) to enable estimation of the absolute and relative value of eliminating slow, low, and delayed implementation. Methods. Building on the EVPIM framework, this work defines EVPIM subcategories to estimate the expected value of eliminating slow, low, or delayed implementation. The work also shows how information on regional implementation patterns can be used to estimate the value of eliminating regional implementation variation. The application of this subcategorization is illustrated by a case study of the implementation of an antiplatelet therapy for the secondary prevention after myocardial infarction in Sweden. Incremental net benefit (INB) estimates are based on published cost-effectiveness assessments and a threshold of SEK 250,000 (£22,300) per quality-adjusted life year (QALY). Results. In the case study, slow, low, and delayed implementation was estimated to represent 22%, 34%, and 44% of the total population EVPIM (2941 QALYs or SEK 735 million), respectively. The value of eliminating implementation variation across health care regions was estimated to 39% of total EVPIM (1138 QALYs). Conclusion. Subcategorizing EVPIM estimates the absolute and relative value of eliminating different parts of suboptimal implementation. By doing so, this approach could help decision makers to identify which parts of suboptimal implementation are contributing most to total EVPIM and provide the basis for assessing the cost and benefit of implementation activities that may address these in future implementation of health care interventions.


2004 ◽  
Vol 29 ◽  
pp. 199-213
Author(s):  
Anne M. Minihane

Chronic diet related diseases such as cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancers account for the vast majority (∼ 65%) of total mortality in the UK (Figure 1). In westernised countries average life expectancy is rapidly increasing with the ratio of people of working age to people over 65 estimated to fall from about to 4:1 to 2.5:1 by the year 2040. These ageing population demographics have placed an almost unbearable strain on the health care systems of these countries. As a result there has been increased focus on the use of diet as a modifiable means of preventing or delaying the onset of disease. This approach in addition to being cost effective would ensure that for the individual who is living longer that they also remain healthier for longer, developing chronic life threatening diseases at an older age.


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