Death-stricken survivor mother: the lived experience of near miss mothers

Background A Near Miss Mother (NMM) who survives life-threatening conditions, experiences intense physical, emotional, and psychological consequences following the maternal near-miss (MNM) events. The aim of this study was therefore to explore indepth understanding meaning of NMM everyday lived experiences on the social and cultural background of Iran. Methods This qualitative study utilized a hermeneutic phenomenology procedure. The study was conducted in hospitals affiliated with the Educational, Research and Treatment Centerwhich usually handle the NMMs. The sampling was purposeful with a maximum variation of eleven NMMs. Datawere collected using unstructured face-to-face interviews, and thetranscribed data were analyzed using Diekelmann, Allen, and Tanner’s seven-stage thematic analysis approach. Results "Death-stricken survivor mother" was the central emerged theme, and three extracted sub-themes included: "Distorted psyche on a journey to death", "physical destruction due to an ominous event ", and the "vicissitudinous life after reviving ". These sub-themes, in turn, involved 12 sub-themes that emerged from 38 common meanings and 1200 codes. Conclusions Findings demonstrate that the living conditions of NMMs are mixed in all aspects of the MNM event. They need a supportive program that includes additional follow-up visits, psychological support from the time of hospitalization until long-time after discharge, alleviation of social, sexual, and financial worries to return them to the normal life, as well as psychosocial rehabilitation to increase their life quality. Furthermore, post-discharge care in NMMs should be done actively and directly at their homes.

Developing Best Practice Guidance for Discharge Planning Using the RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method

Background: Discharge from acute mental health inpatient units is often a vulnerable period for patients. Multiple professionals and agencies are involved and processes and procedures are not standardized, often resulting in communication delays and co-ordination failures. Early and appropriate discharge planning and standardization of procedures could make inpatient care safer.Aim: To inform the development of a multi-component best practice guidance for discharge planning (including the 6 component SAFER patient flow bundle) to support safer patient transition from mental health hospitals to the community.Methods: Using the RAND/UCLA Appropriateness method, a panel of 10 professional stakeholders (psychiatrists, psychiatric nurses, clinical psychologists, pharmacists, academics, and policy makers) rated evidence-based statements. Six hundred and sixty-eight statements corresponding to 10 potential components of discharge planning best practice were rated on a 9-point integer scale for clarity, appropriateness and feasibility (median ≥ 7–9) using an online questionnaire then remote online face-to-face meetings.Results: Five of the six “SAFER” patient flow bundle components were appropriate and feasible for inpatient mental health. One component, “Early Flow,” was rated inappropriate as mental health settings require more flexibility. Overall, 285 statements were rated as appropriate and feasible. Forty-four statements were considered appropriate but not feasible to implement.Discussion: This consensus study has identified components of a best practice guidance/intervention for discharge planning for UK mental health settings. Although some components describe processes that already happen in everyday clinical interactions (i.e., review by a senior clinician), standardizing such processes could have important safety benefits alongside a tailored and timely approach to post-discharge care.

Addressing COVID-19 Barriers to Clinical Trial Enrollment and Implementation in the PHARM-DC Study

Recent hospitalization puts older adults at higher risk of experiencing adverse drug events (ADEs) that are a common cause of hospital readmission. Yet, most ADEs are preventable. The PHARMacist Discharge Care (PHARM-DC) study is a multi-site randomized controlled trial that seeks to evaluate the effect of pharmacist-led peri- and post-discharge interventions on 30-day hospital readmissions among older adults taking ≥10 medications or ≥3 high-risk medications. The PHARM-DC intervention includes pharmacist-led patient counseling, medication reconciliation at discharge, and a follow-up phone call post-discharge. We will highlight study protocol adaptations undertaken during the COVID-19 pandemic to address challenges to enrollment and to minimize risk of COVID-19 exposure for study participants and research personnel. Additionally, we will share insights from focus groups and semi-structured interviews with pharmacist interventionists and pharmacy leaders on barriers and facilitators to implementation due to the pandemic and strategies for future clinical trials to overcome barriers.

They Have the Ability to Say Yes or No: Providers' Perspectives on Veterans' Service Refusal as a Cause of Readmissions

sService refusal, where patients actively refuse clinicians’ recommendations for additional services needed to achieve safe and full recovery after discharge, is a key but often overlooked cause of readmissions. There is a dearth of literature on the extent of service refusal and providers’ (e.g. clinicians, nurses, social workers) observations regarding how to deal with these situations. As part of a larger, 10 VA site organizational case study of readmission, semi-structured interviews exploring causes of readmission were conducted with 21-41 staff members at each site (n=314). 41 providers identified Veteran service refusal and decision-making as causes of readmission. Providers acknowledged the need to honor patient autonomy/self-determination in decisions while at the same time worrying about potential adverse outcomes. Incongruence between Veterans’ and providers’ perceptions (especially for capacity for self-care), goals, and discharge plans was also cited as a factor in service refusal. Frustration was also raised about initial acceptance of service followed by refusal at time of service delivery. Providers also felt readmissions increased even further when combined with lack of or inadequate caregiving arrangements/family support, lack of cognitive capacity, homelessness, or home care affordability. Findings point to the need for interventions to evaluate congruence between provider and patient assessment of self-care capabilities and provide more in-depth goal setting and motivational interviewing techniques to help patients reach more realistic post-discharge care goals.

Out of pocket costs and time/productivity losses for pediatric sepsis in Uganda: a mixed-methods study

Background Sepsis disproportionately affects children from socioeconomically disadvantaged families in low-resource settings, where care seeking may consume scarce family resources and lead to financial hardships. Those financial hardships may, in turn, contribute to late presentation or failure to seek care and result in high mortality during hospitalization and during the post discharge period, a period of increasingly recognized vulnerability. The purpose of this study is to explore the out-of-pocket costs related to sepsis hospitalizations and post-discharge care among children admitted with sepsis in Uganda. Methods This mixed-methods study was comprised of focus group discussions (FGD) with caregivers of children admitted for sepsis, which then informed a quantitative cross-sectional household survey to measure out-of-pocket costs of sepsis care both during initial admission and during the post-discharge period. All participants were families of children enrolled in a concurrent sepsis study. Results Three FGD with mothers (n = 20) and one FGD with fathers (n = 7) were conducted. Three primary themes that emerged included (1) financial losses, (2) time and productivity losses and (3) coping with costs. A subsequently developed cross-sectional survey was completed for 153 households of children discharged following admission for sepsis. The survey revealed a high cost of care for families attending both private and public facilities, although out-of-pocket cost were higher at private facilities. Half of those surveyed reported loss of income during hospitalization and a third sold household assets, most often livestock, to cover costs. Total mean out-of-pocket costs of hospital care and post-discharge care were 124.50 USD and 44.60 USD respectively for those seeking initial care at private facilities and 62.10 USD and 14.60 USD at public facilities, a high sum in a country with widespread poverty. Conclusions This study reveals that families incur a substantial economic burden in accessing care for children with sepsis.

Age Based Trends for Unplanned Pediatric Rehospitalizations in the United States

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Hospital readmission rate helps to highlight the effectiveness of post- discharge care. There remains a paucity of plausible age based categorization especially for ages below one year for hospital readmission rates. METHODS: Data from 2017 Healthcare cost and utilization project National readmissions database was analyzed for ages 0-18 years. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify predictors for unplanned early readmissions. RESULTS: We identified 5,529,389 inpatient pediatric encounters which were further divided into age group cohorts. The overall rate of readmissions was identified at 3.2%. Beyond infancy, the readmission rate was found to be 6.7%. Across all age groups, the major predictors of unplanned readmission were cancers, diseases affecting transplant recipients and sickle cell patients. It was determined that reflux, milk protein allergy, hepatitis and inflammatory bowel diseases were significant comorbidities leading to readmission. Anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation depicted higher readmission rates in those older than 13 years. Across ages 1-4 yrs, dehydration, asthma and bronchitis were negative predictors of unplanned readmission. CONCLUSIONS: Thirty-day unplanned readmissions remain a problem leading to billions of tax-payer-dollars lost per annum. Effective strategies for mandatory outpatient follow-up may help the financial aspect of care while also enhancing the quality of care.

A Qualitative Dual-Site Analysis of The Pharmacist Discharge Care (PHARM-DC) Intervention Using The CFIR Framework

Introduction: Older adults face several challenges when transitioning from acute hospitals to community-based care. The PHARMacist Discharge Care (PHARM-DC) intervention is a pharmacist-led Transitions of Care (TOC) program intended to reduce 30-day hospital readmissions and emergency department visits at two large hospitals. This study used the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) framework to evaluate pharmacist perceptions of the PHARM-DC intervention.Methods: Intervention pharmacists and pharmacy administrators were purposively recruited by study team members located within each participating institution. Study team members located within each institution coordinated with two study authors unaffiliated with the institutions implementing the intervention to conduct interviews and focus groups remotely via telecommunication software. Interviews were recorded and transcribed, with transcriptions imported into NVivo for qualitative analysis. Qualitative analysis was performed using an iterative process to identify “a priori” constructs based on CFIR domains (intervention characteristics, outer setting, inner setting, characteristics of the individuals involved, and the process of implementation) and to create overarching themes as identified during coding.Results: In total, ten semi-structured interviews and one focus group were completed across both hospitals. At Site A, six interviews were conducted with intervention pharmacists and pharmacists in administrative roles. Also at Site A, one focus group comprised of five intervention pharmacists was conducted. At Site B, interviews were conducted with four intervention pharmacists and pharmacists in administrative roles. Three overarching themes were identified: PHARM-DC and Institutional Context, Importance of PHARM-DC Adaptability, and Recommendations for PHARM-DC Improvement and Sustainability. Increasing pharmacist support for technical tasks and navigating pharmacist-patient language barriers were important to intervention implementation and delivery. Identifying cost-savings and quantifying outcomes as a result of the intervention were particularly important when considering how to sustain and expand the PHARM-DC intervention.Conclusion: The PHARM-DC intervention can successfully be implemented at two institutions with considerable variations in TOC initiatives, resources, and staffing. Future implementation of PHARM-DC interventions should consider the themes identified, including an examination of institution-specific contextual factors such as the roles that pharmacy technicians may play in TOC interventions, the importance of intervention adaptability to account for patient needs and institutional resources, and pharmacist recommendations for intervention improvement and sustainability.