Development of the Tiers of Service framework to support system and operational planning for children’s healthcare services

Background Providing access to pediatric healthcare services in British Columbia, Canada, presents unique challenges given low population densities spread across large geographic distances combined with a lack of availability of specialist providers in remote areas, leading to quality of care shortcomings and inequalities in care delivery. The study objective was to develop a framework that provides a common language and methodology for defining and planning child and youth healthcare services across the province. Methods The framework was developed in two phases. In Phase 1, a literature and jurisdictional review was completed using the following inclusion criteria: (i) description of a framework focusing on organizing service delivery systems (ii) that supports health service planning, (iii) includes specialty or subspecialty services and (iv) has been published since 2008. In Phase 2, a series of meetings with key provincial stakeholders were held to receive feedback on the developed Tiers of Service framework versions that were based on the literature and jurisdictional review and adjusted to the British Columbian health care context. The final version was endorsed by the Child Health BC Steering Committee. Results Ten medical articles and thirteen jurisdictional papers met the established selection criteria and were included in this study. Most frameworks were developed by the Australian national or state jurisdictions and published in jurisdictional papers (n = 8). Frameworks identified in the medical literature were mainly developed in Canada (n = 3) and the US (n = 3) and focused on maternity, neonatal, critical care and oncology services. Based on feedback received from the expert group, the framework was expanded to include community-based services, prevention and health determinants. The final version of the Tiers of Service framework describes the specific services to be delivered at each tier, which are categorized as Tier 1 (community services) through Tier 6 (sub-specialized services). Two consecutive steps were identified to effectively use the framework for operational and system planning: (i) development of a ‘module’ outlining the responsibilities and requirements to be delivered at each tier; and (ii) assessment of services provided at the health care facility against those described in the module, alignment to a specific tier, identification of gaps at the local, regional and provincial level, and implementation of quality improvement initiatives to effectively address the gaps. Conclusions The benefits of the Tiers of Service framework and accompanying modules for health service planning are being increasingly recognized. Planning and coordinating pediatric health services across the province will help to optimize flow and improve access to high-quality services for children living in British Columbia.

Determinants of adherence to dental treatment of socially vulnerable adolescents: a cohort study

Objective Different studies with adolescents address the difficulty they have to adhere to oral dental treatments. Therefore, better understanding the processes involved in adherence to treatment in this population is necessary. The aim of this study was to investigate the factors that influence adherence to dental treatment in socially underprivileged adolescents in primary care. Results Non-adherence to treatment showed high rate in the studied sample (49.5%). Family income (p = 0.039) and number of individuals in the family (p = 0.003) were associated with non-adherence to dental treatment. It is concluded that the adolescents’ social vulnerability condition resulted in situations that are incompatible with adherence, which hinders dental treatment and health service planning.

Qualitative analysis of the coordination of major system change within the Colombian health system in response to COVID-19: study protocol

Background Coronavirus (COVID-19) is posing a major and unprecedented challenge to health service planning and delivery across health systems internationally. This nationally funded study is analysing the response of the Colombian health system to the COVID-19 pandemic, drawing on qualitative case studies of three local health systems within the country. The approach will be informed by the concept of ‘major system change’—or coordinated change among a variety of healthcare organizations and other relevant stakeholders— to identify processes that both enable and inhibit adaptation of health services to the challenges presented by COVID-19. The study will collect information on capacity ‘bottlenecks’ as well as successful practices and forms of innovation that have emerged locally, which have the potential for being ‘scaled up’ across Colombia’s health services. Methods/design This qualitative study will be undertaken in two phases. In the first, up to 30 stakeholder interviews will be conducted to ascertain immediate challenges and opportunities for improvement in response to COVID-19 that can be shared in a timely way with health service leaders to inform health service planning. The stakeholders will include planning, provider and intermediary organizations within the health system at the national level. In the second, up to 60 further interviews will be conducted to develop in-depth case studies of three local health systems at the metropolitan area level within Colombia. The interview data will be supplemented with documentary analysis and, where feasible, non-participant observation of planning meetings. Discussion The study’s findings will aid evaluation of the relevance of the concept of major system change in a context of ‘crisis’ decision-making and contribute to international lessons on improving health systems’ capacity to respond to COVID-19 and future pandemics. Study findings will be shared among various stakeholders in the Colombian healthcare system in a formative and timely way in order to inform healthcare planning in response to COVID-19 and future pandemics. Conducting the study at a time of COVID-19 raises a number of practical issues (including physical distancing and pressure on health services) which have been anticipated in the study design and research team’s ways of working.

Determinants Of Adherence To Dental Treatment Of Socially Vulnerable Adolescents In Primary Health Care: A Cohort Study

Background: Different studies with adolescents address the difficulty they have to adhere to oral dental treatments. Therefore, better understanding the processes involved in adherence to treatment in this population is necessary. The aim of this study was to investigate the factors that influence adherence to dental treatment in socially underprivileged adolescents in primary care. Methods: A longitudinal analytical study was conducted in Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil, between 2014 and 2015. The sample consisted of 1179 adolescents examined in family health units; of these, 474 were referred to treatment (40.2%) and 325 (68.6%) were reevaluated after 18 months. Adherence to dental treatment was the dependent variable. Independent variables were: individual (clinical, sociodemographic, access to the service, reporting pain, oral impacts on daily performance, family cohesion) and contextual (percentage of families in the neighborhood with income of 0.5 to 1 minimum wage). Results: Non-adherence to treatment showed high rate in the studied sample (49.5%). Family income (p=0.039) and number of individuals in the family (p=0.003) were associated with non-adherence to dental treatment. Conclusions: It is concluded that the adolescents’ social vulnerability condition resulted in situations that are incompatible with adherence, which hinders dental treatment and health service planning.

Qualitative Analysis of the Coordination of Major System Change Within the Colombian Health System in Response to COVID-19: Study Protocol

Background Coronavirus (COVID-19) is posing a major and unprecedented challenge to health service planning and delivery across health systems internationally. This nationally-funded study is analysing the response of the Colombian health system to the COVID-19 pandemic, drawing on qualitative case studies of three local health systems within the country. The approach will be informed by the concept of 'major system change' - or coordinated change among a variety of healthcare organisations and other relevant stakeholders - in order to identify processes that both enable and inhibit adaptation of health services to the challenges presented by COVID-19. The study will collect information on capacity “bottlenecks” as well as successful practices and forms of innovation that have emerged locally, which have the potential for being 'scaled up' across Colombia's health services. Methods/design This qualitative study will be undertaken in two phases. In the first, up to 30 stakeholder interviews will be conducted to ascertain and share immediate challenges and opportunities for improvement in response to COVID-19 that can be shared in a timely way with health service leaders to inform immediate health service planning. The stakeholders will be selected in order to sample a range of planning, provider and intermediary organizations within the health system at the national level. In the second, up to 60 further interviews will be conducted to develop in-depth case studies of three local health systems at the metropolitan area level within Colombia. The interview data will be supplemented with documentary analysis and, where feasible, non-participant observation of meetings directly related to the planning and implementation of actions responding to COVID-19. The study will also establish mechanisms for providing timely, formative feedback to inform health system planning relating to COVID-19 and future pandemics by ascertaining stakeholders' preferences during the interviews and wider scoping discussions. Discussion The study's findings will aid evaluation of the relevance of the concept of major system change in a context of 'crisis' decision-making and contribute to international lessons on improving health systems' capacity to respond to COVID-19 and future pandemics. Study findings will be shared among various stakeholders in the Colombian healthcare system in a formative and timely way in order to inform healthcare planning in response to COVID-19 and future pandemics. Conducting the study at a time of COVID-19 raises a number of practical issues (including physical distancing and pressure on health services) which have been anticipated in the study design and research team's ways of working.