scholarly journals Impact of new health care policies on the quality of acute myocardial infarction treatment in Swiss hospitals: A before and after observational study

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 10
Author(s):  
Corine Mouton Dorey ◽  
Milo Alan Puhan ◽  
Nikola Biller-Andorno

Objective: Following a revision of the Swiss Federal Health Insurance Act, the regional hospital planning structure was modified and the hospital financing organized at a national level with the use of diagnosis related groups (SwissDRGs). The aim of this observational study was to determine in an independent way the initial impact of these changes on the quality of hospital treatment, with patients hospitalized for Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) being the chosen study group.Methods: We used prospective data from a Swiss clinical registry for AMI. The quality was measured based on the adherence to 10 evidence-based performance indicators for AMI treatment, and on the evaluation of in-hospital outcomes (mortality, complications, length of hospital stay [LOS]) globally and for seven pre-defined vulnerable subgroups. The study compared patient-based data before (2011) and after (2012) the implementation of the reform.Results: The study included 33 matched hospitals, and compared the AMI treatment of 2,491 patients in 2011 (before) and 2,544 in 2012 (after the hospital reform). No significant changes in the evidence-based performance indicators were observed, but an on average one day reduction in the LOS and worse outcomes in one of the pre-defined group of patients were found. The issue of how the clinical team achieved these results was not directly explored due to the underlying registry’s unalterable structure.Conclusions: One year after the implementation of a new hospital financing system in Switzerland, the quality of treatment delivered to patients hospitalized for AMI was maintained overall. The worse in-hospital mortality in one pre-defined vulnerable subgroup could reflect the emergence of difficulties for clinical teams to cope with patients demanding extra care and time. Further investigation is warranted.

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 18-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Halldora Ögmundsdottir Michelsen ◽  
Ingela Sjölin ◽  
Mona Schlyter ◽  
Emil Hagström ◽  
Anna Kiessling ◽  
...  

Background While patient performance after participating in cardiac rehabilitation programmes after acute myocardial infarction is regularly reported through registry and survey data, information on cardiac rehabilitation programme characteristics is less well described. Aim The aim of this study was to evaluate Swedish cardiac rehabilitation programme characteristics and adherence to European Guidelines on Cardiovascular Disease Prevention. Method Cardiac rehabilitation programme characteristics at all 78 cardiac rehabilitation centres in Sweden in 2016 were surveyed using a web-based questionnaire (100% response rate). The questions were based on core components of cardiac rehabilitation as recommended by European Guidelines. Results There was a wide variation in programme duration (2–14 months). All programmes reported offering an individual post-discharge visit with a nurse, and 90% ( n = 70) did so within three weeks from discharge. Most programmes offered centre-based exercise training ( n = 76, 97%) and group educational sessions ( n = 61, 78%). All programmes reported to the national audit, SWEDEHEART, and 60% ( n = 47) reported that performance was regularly assessed using audit data, to improve quality of care. Ninety-six per cent ( n = 75) had a core team consisting of a cardiologist, a physiotherapist and a nurse and 76% ( n = 59) reported having a medical director. Having other allied healthcare professionals included in the cardiac rehabilitation team varied. Forty per cent ( n = 31) reported having regular team meetings where nurses, physiotherapists and cardiologist could discuss patient cases. Conclusion The overall quality of cardiac rehabilitation programmes provided in Sweden is high. Still, there are several areas of potential improvement. Monitoring programme characteristics as well as patient outcomes might improve programme quality and patient outcomes both at a local and a national level.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (20) ◽  
Author(s):  
Akshay Pendyal ◽  
Craig Rothenberg ◽  
Jean E. Scofi ◽  
Harlan M. Krumholz ◽  
Basmah Safdar ◽  
...  

Background Despite investments to improve quality of emergency care for patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), few studies have described national, real‐world trends in AMI care in the emergency department (ED). We aimed to describe trends in the epidemiology and quality of AMI care in US EDs over a recent 11‐year period, from 2005 to 2015. Methods and Results We conducted an observational study of ED visits for AMI using the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, a nationally representative probability sample of US EDs. AMI visits were classified as ST‐segment–elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and non‐STEMI. Outcomes included annual incidence of AMI, median ED length of stay, ED disposition type, and ED administration of evidence‐based medications. Annual ED visits for AMI decreased from 1 493 145 in 2005 to 581 924 in 2015. Estimated yearly incidence of ED visits for STEMI decreased from 1 402 768 to 315 813. The proportion of STEMI sent for immediate, same‐hospital catheterization increased from 12% to 37%. Among patients with STEMI sent directly for catheterization, median ED length of stay decreased from 62 to 37 minutes. ED administration of antithrombotic and nonaspirin antiplatelet agents rose for STEMI (23%–31% and 10%–27%, respectively). Conclusions National, real‐world trends in the epidemiology of AMI in the ED parallel those of clinical registries, with decreases in AMI incidence and STEMI proportion. ED care processes for STEMI mirror evolving guidelines that favor high‐intensity antiplatelet therapy, early invasive strategies, and regionalization of care.


2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (Supplement_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
V Raparelli ◽  
L Pilote ◽  
H Behlouli ◽  
J Dziura ◽  
H Bueno ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The quality of care among young adults with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) may be related to biological sex, psycho-socio-cultural (gender) determinants or healthcare system-level factors. Purpose To examine whether sex, gender, and the type of healthcare system influence the quality of AMI care among young adults. Methods A total of 4,564 AMI young adults (<55 years) (59% women, 47 years, 66% US) were analyzed from the VIRGO and GENESIS-PRAXY studies consisting of single-payer (Canada, Spain) versus multipayer (US) systems. For each patient treated in each system we calculated a quality of care score (QCS) for pre-AMI (1-year pre admission), in-hospital, and post-AMI (1-year post discharge) phases of care (number of quality indicators received divided by the total number [range=0–100%], with higher scores indicating better quality). Ordinal logistic or linear regression models, and 2-way interactions between sex, gender and healthcare system were tested. Results Women in the multipayer system had the highest risk factor burden. Across the phases of care for AMI, 20% of quality indicators were missed in both sexes. High stress, earner status, and social support were associated with a higher QCS in the pre-AMI phase, whereas only employment and earner status were associated with QCS in all other phases. In the pre-AMI phase, women had higher QCS than men, mainly in the single-payer system (adjusted-OR=1.85, 95% CI 1.46,2.35 vs. 1.07, 95% CI 0.84,1.36, P-interaction= 0.002). Regardless of sex, only employment status had a greater effect in the multipayer system (adjusted-OR=0.59, 95% CI 0.44,0.78 vs 1.13, 95% CI 0.89,1.44, P-interaction <0.001). In the in-hospital phase, women had a lower QCS than men, especially in the multipayer system (adjusted-mean-difference: −2.48, 95% CI-3.87, −1.08). Employment was associated with a higher QCS (2.0, 95% CI 0.9–3.17, P-interaction >0.05). Finally, in the post-AMI phase, men and women had a lower QCS, predominantly in the multipayer system. However, primary earners had higher QCS regardless of system. Conclusion Sex, gender, and healthcare system affected the quality of care after AMI. Women had a poorer in-hospital than men and both women and men had suboptimal post-discharge care. Being unemployed lowered the quality of care, more so in the multipayer system. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: Public grant(s) – National budget only. Main funding source(s): Canadian Institutes of Health and Research (CIHR)


2008 ◽  
Vol 156 (6) ◽  
pp. 1045-1055 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric D. Peterson ◽  
Bimal R. Shah ◽  
Lori Parsons ◽  
Charles V. Pollack ◽  
William J. French ◽  
...  

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