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Sample records for care pacic survey

  1. Patient-Assessed Chronic Illness Care (PACIC scenario in an Indian homeopathic hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Munmun Koley

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Homeopathy research has focused on chronic conditions; however, the extent to which current homeopathic care is compliant with the Chronic Care Model (CCM has been sparsely shown. As the Bengali Patient-Assessed Chronic Illness Care (PACIC-20 was not available, the English questionnaire was translated and evaluated in a government homeopathic hospital in West Bengal, India. The translation was done in six steps, and approved by an expert committee. Face validity was tested by 15 people for comprehension. Test/retest reliability (reproducibility was tested on 30 patients with chronic conditions. Internal consistency was tested in 377 patients suffering from various chronic conditions. The questionnaire showed acceptable test/retest reliability [intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC 0.57–0.75; positive to strong positive correlations; p0.05; however, monthly household income had a significant influence (p<0.05 on the subscales except for “delivery system or practice design.” Overall, chronic illness care appeared to be quite promising and CCM-compliant. The psychometric properties of the Bengali PACIC-20 were satisfactory, rendering it a valid and reliable instrument for assessing chronic illness care among the patients attending a homeopathic hospital.

  2. Validation of the Danish version of the Patient Assessment of Care for Chronic Conditions questionnaire (PACIC)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sokolowski, Ineta; Maindal, Helle Terkildsen; Vedsted, Peter

    Objective: To evaluate the level of chronic care patients must be involved. The Danish version of the 20-item Patient Assessment of Care for Chronic Conditions PACIC questionnaire consisting of 5 scales and an overall summary score measuring patient reported assessment of structured chronic care ...... the same questionnaire is constructed and applied to different countries with diverse cultural backgrounds and health care systems. It is decisive, that translated questionnaires are validated in country they are used.......Objective: To evaluate the level of chronic care patients must be involved. The Danish version of the 20-item Patient Assessment of Care for Chronic Conditions PACIC questionnaire consisting of 5 scales and an overall summary score measuring patient reported assessment of structured chronic care...... interitem correlation), item-rest correlations. Model fit from confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Results: We present the psychometric properties of the questionnaire and the first results evaluating chronic care in Danish people with diabetes. Conclusions: The complexity of validation is greater when...

  3. Adaptation, data quality and confirmatory factor analysis of the Danish version of the PACIC questionnaire

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Maindal, Helle Terkildsen; Sokolowski, Ineta; Vedsted, Peter

    2012-01-01

    Internationalt bruges PACIC-spørgeskemaet til at måle patienter med kronisk sygdom til evaluering af sundhedsvæsenets indsats. Vi lavede en videnskabelig og standardiseret oversættelse af den engelske version. Vi genfandt de fem skalaer, som endvidere viste gode egenskaber for et spørgeskema. Der...

  4. Adaptation and validation of the patient assessment of chronic illness care in the French context.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krucien, Nicolas; Le Vaillant, Marc; Pelletier-Fleury, Nathalie

    2014-06-19

    Chronic diseases are major causes of disability worldwide with rising prevalence. Most patients suffering from chronic conditions do not always receive optimal care. The Chronic Care Model (CCM) has been developed to help general practitioners making quality improvements. The Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care (PACIC) questionnaire was increasingly used in several countries to appraise the implementation of the CCM from the patients' perspective. The objective of this study was to adapt the PACIC questionnaire in the French context and to test the validity of this adaptation in a sample of patients with multiple chronic conditions. The PACIC was translated into French language using a forward/backward procedure. The French version was validated using a sample of 150 patients treated for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and having multiple chronic co-morbidities. Several forms of validity were analysed: content; face; construct; and internal consistency. The construct validity was investigated with an exploratory factorial analysis. The French-version of the PACIC consisted in 18 items, after merging two pairs of items due to redundancy. The high number of items exhibiting floor/ceiling effects and the non-normality of the ratings suggested that a 5-points rating scale was somewhat inappropriate to assess the patients' experience of care. The construct validity of the French-PACIC was verified and resulted in a bi-dimensional structure. Overall this structure showed a high level of internal consistency. The PACIC score appeared to be significantly related to the age and self-reported health of the patients. A French-version of the PACIC questionnaire is now available to evaluate the patients' experience of care and to monitor the quality improvements realised by the medical structures. This study also pointed out some methodological issues about the PACIC questionnaire, related to the format of the rating scale and to the structure of the

  5. Patient satisfaction with cardiac rehabilitation: association with utilization, functional capacity, and heart-health behaviors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ali, Saba; Chessex, Caroline; Bassett-Gunter, Rebecca; Grace, Sherry L

    2017-01-01

    Background Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) societies recommend assessment of patient satisfaction given its association with health care utilization and outcomes. Recently, the Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care (PACIC, Glasgow) was recommended as an appropriate tool for the CR setting. The objectives of this study were to 1) describe patient satisfaction with CR, 2) test the psychometric properties of the PACIC in the CR setting, and 3) assess the association of patient satisfaction with CR utilization and outcomes. Methods Secondary analysis was conducted on an observational, prospective CR program evaluation cohort. A convenience sample of patients from 1 of 3 CR programs was approached at their first CR visit, and consenting participants completed a survey. Clinical data were extracted from charts pre- and post-program. Participants were e-mailed surveys again 6 months (including the PACIC) and 1 and 2 years later. Results Of 411 consenting patients, 247 (60.2%) completed CR. The mean PACIC score was 2.8±1.1/5. Internal reliability was α=0.95. The total PACIC score varied significantly by site (F=3.12, P=0.046), indicating discriminant validity. Patient satisfaction was significantly related to greater CR adherence (r=0.22, Ppatient satisfaction with CR. PMID:28479853

  6. Are written information or counseling (WOMAN-PRO II program) able to improve patient satisfaction and the delivery of health care of women with vulvar neoplasms? Secondary outcomes of a multicenter randomized controlled trial

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gehrig, Larissa; Kobleder, Andrea; Werner, Birgit; Denhaerynck, Kris; Senn, Beate

    2017-01-01

    Background: Patients with vulvar neoplasms report a lack of information, missing support in self-management and a gap in delivery of health care. Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate if written information or counseling based on the WOMAN-PRO II program are able to improve patient satisfaction and the delivery of health care from the health professional's perspective of women with vulvar neoplasms. Method: Patient satisfaction and the delivery of health care have been investigated as two secondary outcomes in a multicenter randomized controlled parallel-group phase II study (Clinical Trial ID: NCT01986725). In total, 49 women, from four hospitals (CH, AUT), completed the questionnaire PACIC-S11 after written information (n = 13) and counseling (n = 36). The delivery of health care was evaluated by ten Advanced Practice Nurses (APNs) by using the G-ACIC before and after implementing counseling based on the WOMAN-PRO II program. Results: There were no significant differences between the two groups identified (p = 0.25). Only few aspects were rated highly by all women, such as the overall satisfaction (M = 80.3 %) and satisfaction with organization of care (M = 83.0 %). The evaluation of delivery of health care by APNs in women who received counseling improved significantly (p = 0.031). Conclusions: There are indications, that the practice of both interventions might have improved patient satisfaction and counseling the delivery of health care. The aspects that have been rated low in the PACIC-S11 and G-ACIC indicate possibilities to optimize the delivery of health care.

  7. The Integrated Care of Asthma in Switzerland (INCAS) Study: Changes in Asthma Control and Perception of Health Care through Asthma Education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dürr, Selina; Hersberger, Kurt E; Zeller, Andreas; Scheuzger, Jonas; Miedinger, David; Gregoriano, Claudia; Joos Zellweger, Ladina; Steurer-Stey, Claudia; Leuppi, Jörg Daniel

    2017-01-01

    Despite great efforts in establishing optimal asthma management, asthma may remain uncontrolled. To effectively manage chronic diseases, such as asthma, it is important to train patients in self-management skills. The aim of this study was to assess the potential benefit of standardised asthma education in Switzerland for asthma control and patients' perception of received asthma care and of self-management support. For this multicentre longitudinal controlled study, asthma patients were recruited in Switzerland. The Asthma Control Test (ACT) was used to assess asthma control. The Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care questionnaire (PACIC 5A) was applied to evaluate received health-care services and self-management support. Patients were offered the possibility to attend asthma education sessions conducted by the Swiss Lung League and Swiss Allergy Centre. After 1 year, attenders and non-attenders completed the questionnaires again. Changes in ACT and PACIC 5A scores were analysed using dependent t tests. Overall, 223 patients with asthma were investigated (mean age 43 ± 12 years, 38% male, 13% current smokers, 29% ex-smokers). Sixty-one (27%) patients attended education sessions. Both groups had improved asthma control at follow-up (attenders: t(56) = -3.2, r = 0.4 [medium effect size], p = 0.002; non-attenders: t(141) = -2.6, r = 0.2 [small effect size], p = 0.010). Attenders improved in PACIC and 5A sum scores (t(50) = -3.6, r = 0.5 [medium effect size], p = 0.001). A comprehensive self-management asthma education programme in Switzerland improved asthma control and patients' perception of received asthma care and of self-management support. Professionals should motivate patients to attend asthma education in order to become active partners in managing their disease. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  8. German diabetes disease management programs are appropriate for restructuring care according to the chronic care model: an evaluation with the patient assessment of chronic illness care instrument.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Szecsenyi, Joachim; Rosemann, Thomas; Joos, Stefanie; Peters-Klimm, Frank; Miksch, Antje

    2008-06-01

    With the introduction of diabetes disease management programs (DMPs) in Germany, there is a necessity to evaluate whether patients receive care that is congruent to the Chronic Care Model (CCM) and evidence-based behavioral counseling. We examined differences as perceived and experienced by patients with type 2 diabetes between those enrolled in a DMP compared with patients receiving usual care in two federal states of Germany. A random, heterogeneous sample of 3,546 patients (59.3% female) received a mailed questionnaire from their regional health fund, including the German version of the Patient Assessment of Chonic Illness Care (PACIC) instrument, which had additional items for behavioral advice (5A). Two weeks later, a general reminder was sent out. A total of 1,532 questionnaires were returned (response rate 42.2%), and valid data could be obtained for 1,399 patients. Mean age of responders was 70.3 years, of which 53.6% were female. Overall, patients enrolled in a DMP scored significantly higher (3.21 of a possible 5) than patients not enrolled in a DMP (2.86) (P < 0.001). Significant differences in the same direction were found on all five subscales of the PACIC. For the 5A scales, similar differences were found for all five subscales plus the sum score (P < 0.001; mean for DMP = 3.08, mean for non-DMP = 2.78). DMPs, as currently established in primary care in Germany, may impact provided care significantly. The changes in daily practice that have been induced by the DMPs are recognized by patients as care that is more structured and that to a larger extent reflects the core elements of the CCM and evidence-based counseling compared with usual care.

  9. Individual care plans for chronically ill patients within primary care in the Netherlands: Dissemination and associations with patient characteristics and patient-perceived quality of care.

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    Jansen, Daphne L; Heijmans, Monique; Rijken, Mieke

    2015-06-01

    To examine the use of individual care plans (ICPs) within primary chronic illness care in the Netherlands, and to explore the relationships between ICP use, patient characteristics, and patient-perceived quality of care. Cross-sectional study using survey data from a panel of chronically ill patients and medical registration data provided by their general practices. A sample of 1377 patients with somatic chronic disease(s) randomly selected in general practices throughout the Netherlands, supplemented with a sample of 225 COPD patients, also recruited from general practices. (i) Percentage of ICP use based on self-report by chronically ill patients, and (ii) patient-perceived quality of care as assessed using the Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care (PACIC). ICP use among the total generic sample was low (9%), but slightly higher (13%) among patients diagnosed with diabetes or COPD, diseases for which disease management programmes have been set up in the Netherlands. Patients with a low educational level and patients with poor(er) self-rated health were more likely to have an ICP. Compared with patients without an ICP, patients with an ICP more often reported that the care they received was patient-centred, proactive, planned, and included collaborative goal setting, problem-solving, and follow-up support. Findings reveal a discrepancy between practice and policy aspirations regarding ICP use in primary chronic illness care. More research is needed to gain insight into the effectiveness of ICPs to improve the quality of chronic illness care in various patient populations.

  10. Texas Employer 1996 Dependent Care Survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruggiere, Paul; Glass, James

    Many employers have enacted "family-friendly benefits" in response to demands placed on their employees by the stress of caring for children or aging parents. The Employer Dependent Care Survey measured the prevalence of flexible work arrangements and child care and elder care benefits in Texas. Participating were 1,331 out of 6,500…

  11. National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — The National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS) is designed to collect data on the utilization and provision of ambulatory care services in hospital...

  12. National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS)

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — The National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) is a national survey designed to meet the need for objective, reliable information about the provision and use of...

  13. Development and validation of the primary care team dynamics survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Hummy; Chien, Alyna T; Fisher, Josephine; Martin, Julia; Peters, Antoinette S; Hacker, Karen; Rosenthal, Meredith B; Singer, Sara J

    2015-06-01

    To develop and validate a survey instrument designed to measure team dynamics in primary care. We studied 1,080 physician and nonphysician health care professionals working at 18 primary care practices participating in a learning collaborative aimed at improving team-based care. We developed a conceptual model and administered a cross-sectional survey addressing team dynamics, and we assessed reliability and discriminant validity of survey factors and the overall survey's goodness-of-fit using structural equation modeling. We administered the survey between September 2012 and March 2013. Overall response rate was 68 percent (732 respondents). Results support a seven-factor model of team dynamics, suggesting that conditions for team effectiveness, shared understanding, and three supportive processes are associated with acting and feeling like a team and, in turn, perceived team effectiveness. This model demonstrated adequate fit (goodness-of-fit index: 0.91), scale reliability (Cronbach's alphas: 0.71-0.91), and discriminant validity (average factor correlations: 0.49). It is possible to measure primary care team dynamics reliably using a 29-item survey. This survey may be used in ambulatory settings to study teamwork and explore the effect of efforts to improve team-based care. Future studies should demonstrate the importance of team dynamics for markers of team effectiveness (e.g., work satisfaction, care quality, clinical outcomes). © Health Research and Educational Trust.

  14. Improving Wait Times to Care for Individuals with Multimorbidities and Complex Conditions Using Value Stream Mapping

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tara Sampalli

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Background Recognizing the significant impact of wait times for care for individuals with complex chronic conditions, we applied a LEAN methodology, namely – an adaptation of Value Stream Mapping (VSM to meet the needs of people with multiple chronic conditions and to improve wait times without additional resources or funding. Methods Over an 18-month time period, staff applied a patient-centric approach that included LEAN methodology of VSM to improve wait times to care. Our framework of evaluation was grounded in the needs and perspectives of patients and individuals waiting to receive care. Patient centric views were obtained through surveys such as Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care (PACIC and process engineering based questions. In addition, LEAN methodology, VSM was added to identify non-value added processes contributing to wait times. Results The care team successfully reduced wait times to 2 months in 2014 with no wait times for care anticipated in 2015. Increased patient engagement and satisfaction are also outcomes of this innovative initiative. In addition, successful transformations and implementation have resulted in resource efficiencies without increase in costs. Patients have shown significant improvements in functional health following Integrated Chronic Care Service (ICCS intervention. The methodology will be applied to other chronic disease management areas in Capital Health and the province. Conclusion Wait times to care in the management of multimoribidities and other complex conditions can add a significant burden not only on the affected individuals but also on the healthcare system. In this study, a novel and modified LEAN methodology has been applied to embed the voice of the patient in care delivery processes and to reduce wait times to care in the management of complex chronic conditions.

  15. Nurse Religiosity and Spiritual Care: An Online Survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taylor, Elizabeth Johnston; Gober-Park, Carla; Schoonover-Shoffner, Kathy; Mamier, Iris; Somaiya, Chintan K; Bahjri, Khaled

    2017-08-01

    This study measured the frequency of nurse-provided spiritual care and how it is associated with various facets of nurse religiosity. Data were collected using an online survey accessed from the home page of the Journal of Christian Nursing. The survey included the Nurse Spiritual Care Therapeutics Scale, six scales quantifying facets of religiosity, and demographic and work-related items. Respondents ( N = 358) indicated high religiosity yet reported neutral responses to items about sharing personal beliefs and tentativeness of belief. Findings suggested spiritual care was infrequent. Multivariate analysis showed prayer frequency, employer support of spiritual care, and non-White ethnicity were significantly associated with spiritual care frequency (adjusted R 2 = .10). Results not only provide an indication of spiritual care frequency but empirical encouragement for nurse managers to provide a supportive environment for spiritual care. Findings expose the reality that nurse religiosity is directly related, albeit weakly, to spiritual care frequency.

  16. Profiling health-care accreditation organizations: an international survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shaw, Charles D; Braithwaite, Jeffrey; Moldovan, Max; Nicklin, Wendy; Grgic, Ileana; Fortune, Triona; Whittaker, Stuart

    2013-07-01

    To describe global patterns among health-care accreditation organizations (AOs) and to identify determinants of sustainability and opportunities for improvement. Web-based questionnaire survey. Organizations offering accreditation services nationally or internationally to health-care provider institutions or networks at primary, secondary or tertiary level in 2010. s) External relationships, scope and activity public information. Forty-four AOs submitted data, compared with 33 in a survey 10 years earlier. Of the 30 AOs that reported survey activity in 2000 and 2010, 16 are still active and stable or growing. New and old programmes are increasingly linked to public funding and regulation. While the number of health-care AOs continues to grow, many fail to thrive. Successful organizations tend to complement mechanisms of regulation, health-care funding or governmental commitment to quality and health-care improvement that offer a supportive environment. Principal challenges include unstable business (e.g. limited market, low uptake) and unstable politics. Many organizations make only limited information available to patients and the public about standards, procedures or results.

  17. A comparison of a postal survey and mixed-mode survey using a questionnaire on patients' experiences with breast care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zuidgeest, Marloes; Hendriks, Michelle; Koopman, Laura; Spreeuwenberg, Peter; Rademakers, Jany

    2011-09-27

    The Internet is increasingly considered to be an efficient medium for assessing the quality of health care seen from the patients' perspective. Potential benefits of Internet surveys such as time efficiency, reduced effort, and lower costs should be balanced against potential weaknesses such as low response rates and accessibility for only a subset of potential participants. Combining an Internet questionnaire with a traditional paper follow-up questionnaire (mixed-mode survey) can possibly compensate for these weaknesses and provide an alternative to a postal survey. To examine whether there are differences between a mixed-mode survey and a postal survey in terms of respondent characteristics, response rate and time, quality of data, costs, and global ratings of health care or health care providers (general practitioner, hospital care in the diagnostic phase, surgeon, nurses, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and hospital care in general). Differences between the two surveys were examined in a sample of breast care patients using the Consumer Quality Index Breast Care questionnaire. We selected 800 breast care patients from the reimbursement files of Dutch health insurance companies. We asked 400 patients to fill out the questionnaire online followed by a paper reminder (mixed-mode survey) and 400 patients, matched by age and gender, received the questionnaire by mail only (postal survey). Both groups received three reminders. The respondents to the two surveys did not differ in age, gender, level of education, or self-reported physical and psychological health (all Ps > .05). In the postal survey, the questionnaires were returned 20 days earlier than in the mixed-mode survey (median 12 and 32 days, respectively; P survey (€2 per questionnaire). Moreover, there were fewer missing items (3.4% versus 4.4%, P = .002) and fewer invalid answers (3.2% versus 6.2%, P survey than in the postal survey. The answers of the two respondent groups on the global ratings did not

  18. A Comparison of a Postal Survey and Mixed-Mode Survey Using a Questionnaire on Patients’ Experiences With Breast Care

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hendriks, Michelle; Koopman, Laura; Spreeuwenberg, Peter; Rademakers, Jany

    2011-01-01

    Background The Internet is increasingly considered to be an efficient medium for assessing the quality of health care seen from the patients’ perspective. Potential benefits of Internet surveys such as time efficiency, reduced effort, and lower costs should be balanced against potential weaknesses such as low response rates and accessibility for only a subset of potential participants. Combining an Internet questionnaire with a traditional paper follow-up questionnaire (mixed-mode survey) can possibly compensate for these weaknesses and provide an alternative to a postal survey. Objective To examine whether there are differences between a mixed-mode survey and a postal survey in terms of respondent characteristics, response rate and time, quality of data, costs, and global ratings of health care or health care providers (general practitioner, hospital care in the diagnostic phase, surgeon, nurses, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and hospital care in general). Methods Differences between the two surveys were examined in a sample of breast care patients using the Consumer Quality Index Breast Care questionnaire. We selected 800 breast care patients from the reimbursement files of Dutch health insurance companies. We asked 400 patients to fill out the questionnaire online followed by a paper reminder (mixed-mode survey) and 400 patients, matched by age and gender, received the questionnaire by mail only (postal survey). Both groups received three reminders. Results The respondents to the two surveys did not differ in age, gender, level of education, or self-reported physical and psychological health (all Ps > .05). In the postal survey, the questionnaires were returned 20 days earlier than in the mixed-mode survey (median 12 and 32 days, respectively; P survey (€2 per questionnaire). Moreover, there were fewer missing items (3.4% versus 4.4%, P = .002) and fewer invalid answers (3.2% versus 6.2%, P survey than in the postal survey. The answers of the two respondent

  19. A survey of managed care strategies for pregnant smokers

    OpenAIRE

    Barker, D.; Robinson, L.; Rosenthal, A.

    2000-01-01

    OBJECTIVE—The purpose of this study was to measure the content and comprehensiveness of pregnancy specific smoking cessation strategies within managed care organisations (MCOs) responding affirmatively to the national 1997-98 Addressing Tobacco in Managed Care (ATMC) survey.
DESIGN—This cross sectional follow up study consisted of a fax survey sent to medical directors and a 37 question telephone survey of program overseers about the smoking cessation strategy.
SUBJECTS—147 MCOs identifying a...

  20. Care for children with special health care needs in a managed care system: a patient satisfaction survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flynn, J M; Bravo, C J; Reyes, O

    2001-09-01

    In 1994 the government of Puerto Rico adopted a capitated managed health care system for the medically indigent. The new law has been implemented in most municipalities. A survey of children with special health care needs treated at a tertiary pediatric center under the capitated managed care system and the prior non-capitated system was analyzed using the Consumer Assessments of Health Plan Survey (CHAPS) instrument. One third of the patients who were under the new capitated managed care system were not satisfied with the medial care they were receiving. The parents of children with multidisciplinary conditions found it much more difficult to access care at the tertiary center. It took parents two years to learn to navigate within the capitated managed care system. Studies to measure outcome and health quality of children with special health care needs in capitated managed health care programs must be developed to learn how the potential benefits of managed care can be maximized and the potential harms minimized. The purpose of this study was to analyze the accessibility and satisfaction of caretakers of children with special health care needs under a capitated managed health care system.

  1. 2001 survey on primary medical care in Singapore.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Emmanuel, S C; Phua, H P; Cheong, P Y

    2004-05-01

    The 2001 survey on primary medical care was undertaken to compare updated primary healthcare practices such as workload and working hours in the public and private sectors; determine private and public sector market shares in primary medical care provision; and gather the biographical profile and morbidity profile of patients seeking primary medical care from both sectors in Singapore. This is the third survey in its series, the earlier two having been carried out in 1988 and 1993, respectively. The survey questionnaire was sent out to all the 1480 family doctors in private primary health outpatient practice, the 89 community-based paediatricians in the private sector who were registered with the Singapore Medical Council and also to all 152 family doctors working in the public sector primary medical care clinics. The latter comprised the polyclinics under the two health clusters in Singapore, namely the Singapore Health Services and National Healthcare Group, and to a very much smaller extent, the School Health Service's (SHS) outpatient clinics. The survey was conducted on 21 August 2001, and repeated on 25 September 2001 to enable those who had not responded to the original survey date to participate. Subjects consisted of all outpatients who sought treatment at the private family practice clinics (including the clinics of the community-based paediatricians), and the public sector primary medical care clinics, on the survey day. The response rate from the family doctors in private practice was 36 percent. Owing to the structured administrative organisation of the polyclinics and SHS outpatient clinics, all returns were completed and submitted to the respective headquarters. Response from the community-based paediatricians was poor, so their findings were omitted in the survey analysis. The survey showed that the average daily patient-load of a family doctor in private practice was 33 patients per day, which was lower than the 40 patients a day recorded in 1993

  2. The Chinese family-centered care survey for adult intensive care unit: A psychometric study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Wen-Ling; Feng, Jui-Ying; Wang, Chi-Jen; Chen, Jing-Huei

    2016-02-01

    This study aimed to develop a family-centered care survey for Chinese adult intensive care units and to establish the survey's psychometric properties. Family-centered care (FCC) is widely recognized as an ideal model of care. Few studies have explored FCC perceptions among family members of adult critical care patients in Asian countries, and no Chinese FCC measurement has been developed. An English version of the 3-factor family-centered care survey for adult intensive care units (FCCS-AICU) was translated into Chinese using a modified back translation procedure. Based on the literature review, two additional concepts, information and empowerment, were added to the Chinese FCCS-AICU. The psychometric properties of the Chinese FCCS-AICU were determined with 249 family members from a medical center in Taiwan and were tested for construct and convergent validity, and internal consistency. Both the monolingual and bilingual equivalence tests of the English and Chinese versions of the 3-factor FCCS-AICU were supported. Exploratory factor analysis supported the 5-factor structure of the Chinese FCCS-AICU with a total explained variance of 58.34%. The Chinese FCCS-AICU was correlated with the Chinese Critical Care Family Needs Inventory. Internal consistency, determined by Cronbach's α, for the overall scale was .94. The Chinese FCCS-AICU is a valid and reliable tool for measuring perceptions of FCC by family members of adult intensive care patients within Chinese-speaking communities. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. A security/safety survey of long term care facilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Acorn, Jonathan R

    2010-01-01

    What are the major security/safety problems of long term care facilities? What steps are being taken by some facilities to mitigate such problems? Answers to these questions can be found in a survey of IAHSS members involved in long term care security conducted for the IAHSS Long Term Care Security Task Force. The survey, the author points out, focuses primarily on long term care facilities operated by hospitals and health systems. However, he believes, it does accurately reflect the security problems most long term facilities face, and presents valuable information on security systems and practices which should be also considered by independent and chain operated facilities.

  4. Effectiveness of the Assessment of Burden of COPD (ABC) tool on health-related quality of life in patients with COPD: a cluster randomised controlled trial in primary and hospital care

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slok, Annerika H M; Kotz, Daniel; van Breukelen, Gerard; Chavannes, Niels H; Rutten-van Mölken, Maureen P M H; Kerstjens, Huib A M; van der Molen, Thys; Asijee, Guus M; Dekhuijzen, P N Richard; Holverda, Sebastiaan; Salomé, Philippe L; Goossens, Lucas M A; Twellaar, Mascha; in ‘t Veen, Johannes C C M; van Schayck, Onno C P

    2016-01-01

    Objective Assessing the effectiveness of the Assessment of Burden of COPD (ABC) tool on disease-specific quality of life in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) measured with the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ), compared with usual care. Methods A pragmatic cluster randomised controlled trial, in 39 Dutch primary care practices and 17 hospitals, with 357 patients with COPD (postbronchodilator FEV1/FVC ratio <0.7) aged ≥40 years, who could understand and read the Dutch language. Healthcare providers were randomly assigned to the intervention or control group. The intervention group applied the ABC tool, which consists of a short validated questionnaire assessing the experienced burden of COPD, objective COPD parameter (eg, lung function) and a treatment algorithm including a visual display and treatment advice. The control group provided usual care. Researchers were blinded to group allocation during analyses. Primary outcome was the number of patients with a clinically relevant improvement in SGRQ score between baseline and 18-month follow-up. Secondary outcomes were the COPD Assessment Test (CAT) and the Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care (PACIC; a measurement of perceived quality of care). Results At 18-month follow-up, 34% of the 146 patients from 27 healthcare providers in the intervention group showed a clinically relevant improvement in the SGRQ, compared with 22% of the 148 patients from 29 healthcare providers in the control group (OR 1.85, 95% CI 1.08 to 3.16). No difference was found on the CAT (−0.26 points (scores ranging from 0 to 40); 95% CI −1.52 to 0.99). The PACIC showed a higher improvement in the intervention group (0.32 points (scores ranging from 1 to 5); 95% CI 0.14 to 0.50). Conclusions This study showed that use of the ABC tool may increase quality of life and perceived quality of care. Trial registration number NTR3788; Results. PMID:27401361

  5. Assessing healthcare professionals' experiences of integrated care: do surveys tell the full story?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stephenson, Matthew D; Campbell, Jared M; Lisy, Karolina; Aromataris, Edoardo C

    2017-09-01

    Integrated care is the combination of different healthcare services with the goal to provide comprehensive, seamless, effective and efficient patient care. Assessing the experiences of healthcare professionals (HCPs) is an important aspect when evaluating integrated care strategies. The aim of this rapid review was to investigate if quantitative surveys used to assess HCPs' experiences with integrated care capture all the aspects highlighted as being important in qualitative research, with a view to informing future survey development. The review considered all types of health professionals in primary care, and hospital and specialist services, with a specific focus on the provision of integrated care aimed at improving the patient journey. PubMed, CINAHL and grey literature sources were searched for relevant surveys/program evaluations and qualitative research studies. Full text articles deemed to be of relevance to the review were appraised for methodological quality using abridged critical appraisal instruments from the Joanna Briggs Institute. Data were extracted from included studies using standardized data extraction templates. Findings from included studies were grouped into domains based on similarity of meaning. Similarities and differences in the domains covered in quantitative surveys and those identified as being important in qualitative research were explored. A total of 37 studies (19 quantitative surveys, 14 qualitative studies and four mixed-method studies) were included in the review. A range of healthcare professions participated in the included studies, the majority being primary care providers. Common domains identified from quantitative surveys and qualitative studies included Communication, Agreement on Clear Roles and Responsibilities, Facilities, Information Systems, and Coordination of Care and Access. Qualitative research highlighted domains identified by HCPs as being relevant to their experiences with integrated care that have not

  6. The integrated care of asthma in Switzerland (INCAS)-study: Patients' perspective of received asthma care and their interest in asthma education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dürr, Selina; Hersberger, Kurt E; Zeller, Andreas; Scheuzger, Jonas; Miedinger, David; Gregoriano, Claudia; Leuppi, Jörg D; Steurer-Stey, Claudia

    2016-11-01

    For successful long-term asthma care, self-management education is a cornerstone. Little is known about associations between patients' interest in education, asthma control and care delivery. We compared patients' characteristics, asthma control and patients' perspective about asthma care in subjects with and without interest in asthma education. Moreover, we assessed reasons, why patients denied participating in asthma education. Baseline data of 223 patients with asthma (age 43 ± 12 years, 38% male, 58% non-smokers, 13% current smokers), who participated in a multicentre longitudinal controlled study, are reported. At baseline, patients completed the Asthma Control Test (ACT), the Patient Assessment Chronic Illness Care questionnaire (PACIC 5A) and stated their interest in an asthma education programme. Overall, 34% of all participants showed uncontrolled asthma. One hundred and twenty-five (56%) patients were interested in education. Compared to patients without interest, they were characterised by male gender (p = 0.013), worse asthma control (p < 0.001), and perception of lower quality of chronic asthma care delivery, in particular lower self-management support (p < 0.001). Main reasons for rejecting asthma education were having sufficient asthma knowledge, having only mild asthma, receiving adequate medical support and lack of time. More than half of the patients were interested in asthma education. Interest was associated with worse asthma control and lower receipt of care according to the Chronic Care Model. Considering these aspects, this approach may help to improve care quality and allow targeting interventions to those patients who are interested in becoming active participants in their care and who might benefit most.

  7. Cross-Cultural Validation of the Patient Perception of Integrated Care Survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tietschert, Maike V; Angeli, Federica; van Raak, Arno J A; Ruwaard, Dirk; Singer, Sara J

    2017-07-20

    To test the cross-cultural validity of the U.S. Patient Perception of Integrated Care (PPIC) Survey in a Dutch sample using a standardized procedure. Primary data collected from patients of five primary care centers in the south of the Netherlands, through survey research from 2014 to 2015. Cross-sectional data collected from patients who saw multiple health care providers during 6 months preceding data collection. The PPIC survey includes 59 questions that measure patient perceived care integration across providers, settings, and time. Data analysis followed a standardized procedure guiding data preparation, psychometric analysis, and included invariance testing with the U.S. dataset. Latent scale structures of the Dutch and U.S. survey were highly comparable. Factor "Integration with specialist" had lower reliability scores and noninvariance. For the remaining factors, internal consistency and invariance estimates were strong. The standardized cross-cultural validation procedure produced strong support for comparable psychometric characteristics of the Dutch and U.S. surveys. Future research should examine the usability of the proposed procedure for contexts with greater cultural differences. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

  8. Integrated working between residential care homes and primary care: a survey of care homes in England

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gage Heather

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Older people living in care homes in England have complex health needs due to a range of medical conditions, mental health needs and frailty. Despite an increasing policy expectation that professionals should operate in an integrated way across organisational boundaries, there is a lack of understanding between care homes and the National Health Service (NHS about how the two sectors should work together, meaning that residents can experience a poor "fit" between their needs, and services they can access. This paper describes a survey to establish the current extent of integrated working that exists between care homes and primary and community health and social services. Methods A self-completion, online questionnaire was designed by the research team. Items on the different dimensions of integration (funding, administrative, organisational, service delivery, clinical care were included. The survey was sent to a random sample of residential care homes with more than 25 beds (n = 621 in England in 2009. Responses were analysed using quantitative and qualitative methods. Results The survey achieved an overall response rate of 15.8%. Most care homes (78.7% worked with more than one general practice. Respondents indicated that a mean of 14.1 professionals/ services (other than GPs had visited the care homes in the last six months (SD 5.11, median 14; a mean of .39 (SD.163 professionals/services per bed. The most frequent services visiting were district nursing, chiropody and community psychiatric nurses. Many (60% managers considered that they worked with the NHS in an integrated way, including sharing documents, engaging in integrated care planning and joint learning and training. However, some care home managers cited working practices dictated by NHS methods of service delivery and priorities for care, rather than those of the care home or residents, a lack of willingness by NHS professionals to share information, and low

  9. 75 FR 20999 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Survey of Health Care Professionals' Awareness and...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-22

    ... Request; Survey of Health Care Professionals' Awareness and Perceptions of the National Cancer Institute's... approval. Proposed Collection: Title: The Survey of Health Care Professionals' Awareness and Perceptions of... respondents response (minutes/hour) hours Health care professionals who complete the 330 1 5/60 27.5 survey (0...

  10. Integration of early specialist palliative care in cancer care: Survey of oncologists, oncology nurses, and patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Naveen Salins

    2016-01-01

    Conclusion: Oncologists, oncology nurses, and patients felt that integration of early specialist palliative care in cancer improves symptom control, end-of-life care, health-related communication, and continuity of care. The perceptions of benefit of the palliative care intervention in the components surveyed, differed among the three groups.

  11. A survey of managed care strategies for pregnant smokers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barker, D C; Robinson, L A; Rosenthal, A C

    2000-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to measure the content and comprehensiveness of pregnancy specific smoking cessation strategies within managed care organisations (MCOs) responding affirmatively to the national 1997-98 Addressing Tobacco in Managed Care (ATMC) survey. This cross sectional follow up study consisted of a fax survey sent to medical directors and a 37 question telephone survey of program overseers about the smoking cessation strategy. 147 MCOs identifying a pregnancy specific smoking cessation strategy on the 1997-98 ATMC survey served as the initial sample; 88 MCOs of 128 eligible plans completed both components, with a response rate of 69%. Pregnancy specific smoking cessation strategies varied. 40% of respondents used the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research guidelines for clinical smoking cessation to design their strategy. Strategies included self help materials, quit classes, telephone support and brief counselling by providers, linkages to quality improvement efforts, and use of patient databases for outreach. Only 42% offered a postpartum relapse prevention element. Lack of patient interest, competing clinic priorities, and the lack of a smoker identification system were the most problematic barriers to implementing strategies, common to at least a quarter of respondents. A majority ranked best practice manuals and web site linkages as the most useful form of technical assistance, followed by peer-to-peer counselling, regional workshops, newsletters, on-site assistance, and national conferences. The survey provides the first profile of prenatal tobacco treatment strategies in managed care. While design limitations prevent generalisation of these results to all MCOs, such information can help guide technical assistance to plans interested in reducing smoking among pregnant women.

  12. 77 FR 76053 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Pediatric Palliative Care Campaign Pilot Survey

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-12-26

    ... Request; Pediatric Palliative Care Campaign Pilot Survey Summary: In compliance with the requirement of...-days of the date of this publication. Proposed Collection: Pediatric Palliative Care Campaign Pilot... serious illness or life-limiting conditions. The Pediatric Palliative Care Campaign Pilot Survey will...

  13. Measuring teamwork in health care settings: a review of survey instruments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valentine, Melissa A; Nembhard, Ingrid M; Edmondson, Amy C

    2015-04-01

    Teamwork in health care settings is widely recognized as an important factor in providing high-quality patient care. However, the behaviors that comprise effective teamwork, the organizational factors that support teamwork, and the relationship between teamwork and patient outcomes remain empirical questions in need of rigorous study. To identify and review survey instruments used to assess dimensions of teamwork so as to facilitate high-quality research on this topic. We conducted a systematic review of articles published before September 2012 to identify survey instruments used to measure teamwork and to assess their conceptual content, psychometric validity, and relationships to outcomes of interest. We searched the ISI Web of Knowledge database, and identified relevant articles using the search terms team, teamwork, or collaboration in combination with survey, scale, measure, or questionnaire. We found 39 surveys that measured teamwork. Surveys assessed different dimensions of teamwork. The most commonly assessed dimensions were communication, coordination, and respect. Of the 39 surveys, 10 met all of the criteria for psychometric validity, and 14 showed significant relationships to nonself-report outcomes. Evidence of psychometric validity is lacking for many teamwork survey instruments. However, several psychometrically valid instruments are available. Researchers aiming to advance research on teamwork in health care should consider using or adapting one of these instruments before creating a new one. Because instruments vary considerably in the behavioral processes and emergent states of teamwork that they capture, researchers must carefully evaluate the conceptual consistency between instrument, research question, and context.

  14. Attitudes About Cognitive Screening: A Survey of Home Care Physical Therapists.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miles, Jean D; Staples, William H; Lee, Daniel J

    2018-02-14

    Home care physical therapists (PTs) are inconsistent regarding cognitive screening, possibly because screening tools were traditionally considered the domain of other home care disciplines, or because therapists perceive their dementia training to be inadequate. A cross sectional study was designed to survey home care therapists' attitudes and beliefs about the management of persons with dementia and to find out whether any specific cognitive tools or measures are currently used. A 5-point Likert-type survey was administered to home care PTs via an online survey. Three state home care associations and individual home care agencies agreed to share the survey link. The survey was also made available to American Physical Therapy Association members through the Home Health and Geriatric Section listservs. Two hundred fifty-one PTs opened the survey and 233 completed the survey. Respondents included 180 females and 53 males. Seventy-four had a bachelor's degree (BS), 53 held a master's degree (MS), 104 had achieved a doctor of physical therapy (DPT) or doctor of philosophy (PhD) degree, and 2 did not provide this information. Significant differences were found between those with the highest doctoral degrees and those with master's or bachelor's degrees (P = .01) regarding whether they were qualified to screen (strongly agree, agree) for cognitive deficits. Therapists with the highest degrees also attended continuing education for dementia training more than those with less formal education (P = .042.) Gender differences were found in 2 questions regarding positive outcomes (P = .010 and .42); for both questions, males were more likely to believe that dementia has a negative impact. Eighty-seven percent indicated that PTs are qualified (strongly agree, agree), but only 53% said that they possess the necessary skills (strongly agree, agree) to perform cognitive screens. Specialty certification revealed significant differences in several of the questions. No significance

  15. ICU Bedside Nurses' Involvement in Palliative Care Communication: A Multicenter Survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anderson, Wendy G; Puntillo, Kathleen; Boyle, Deborah; Barbour, Susan; Turner, Kathleen; Cimino, Jenica; Moore, Eric; Noort, Janice; MacMillan, John; Pearson, Diana; Grywalski, Michelle; Liao, Solomon; Ferrell, Bruce; Meyer, Jeannette; O'Neil-Page, Edith; Cain, Julia; Herman, Heather; Mitchell, William; Pantilat, Steven

    2016-03-01

    Successful and sustained integration of palliative care into the intensive care unit (ICU) requires the active engagement of bedside nurses. To describe the perspectives of ICU bedside nurses on their involvement in palliative care communication. A survey was designed, based on prior work, to assess nurses' perspectives on palliative care communication, including the importance and frequency of their involvement, confidence, and barriers. The 46-item survey was distributed via e-mail in 2013 to bedside nurses working in ICUs across the five academic medical centers of the University of California, U.S. The survey was sent to 1791 nurses; 598 (33%) responded. Most participants (88%) reported that their engagement in discussions of prognosis, goals of care, and palliative care was very important to the quality of patient care. A minority reported often discussing palliative care consultations with physicians (31%) or families (33%); 45% reported rarely or never participating in family meeting discussions. Participating nurses most frequently cited the following barriers to their involvement in palliative care communication: need for more training (66%), physicians not asking their perspective (60%), and the emotional toll of discussions (43%). ICU bedside nurses see their involvement in discussions of prognosis, goals of care, and palliative care as a key element of overall quality of patient care. Based on the barriers participants identified regarding their engagement, interventions are needed to ensure that nurses have the education, opportunities, and support to actively participate in these discussions. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Australian academic primary health-care careers: a scoping survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barton, Christopher; Reeve, Joanne; Adams, Ann; McIntyre, Ellen

    2016-01-01

    This study was undertaken to provide a snapshot of the academic primary health-care workforce in Australia and to provide some insight into research capacity in academic primary health care following changes to funding for this sector. A convenience sample of individuals self-identifying as working within academic primary health care (n=405) completed an anonymous online survey. Respondents were identified from several academic primary health-care mailing lists. The survey explored workforce demographics, clarity of career pathways, career trajectories and enablers/barriers to 'getting in' and 'getting on'. A mix of early career (41%), mid-career (25%) and senior academics (35%) responded. Early career academics tended to be female and younger than mid-career and senior academics, who tended to be male and working in 'balanced' (teaching and research) roles and listing medicine as their disciplinary background. Almost three-quarters (74%) indicated career pathways were either 'completely' or 'somewhat unclear', irrespective of gender and disciplinary backgrounds. Just over half (51%) had a permanent position. Males were more likely to have permanent positions, as were those with a medical background. Less than half (43%) reported having a mentor, and of the 57% without a mentor, more than two-thirds (69%) would like one. These results suggest a lack of clarity in career paths, uncertainty in employment and a large number of temporary (contract) or casual positions represent barriers to sustainable careers in academic primary health care, especially for women who are from non-medicine backgrounds. Professional development or a mentoring program for primary health-care academics was desired and may address some of the issues identified by survey respondents.

  17. Management of Tracheostomy: A Survey of Dutch Intensive Care Units

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Veelo, Denise P.; Schultz, Marcus J.; Phoa, Kai Y. N.; Dongelmans, Dave A.; Binnekade, Jan M.; Spronk, Peter E.

    2008-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To determine tracheostomy-management practices in Dutch intensive care units (ICUs) and post-ICU step-down facilities. METHODS: We surveyed the physician medical directors of all Dutch nonpediatric ICUs that have : 5 beds suitable for mechanical ventilation. The survey asked for

  18. Long term care needs and personal care services under Medicaid: a survey of administrators.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palley, H A; Oktay, J S

    1991-01-01

    Home and community based care services constitute a public initiative in the development of a long term care service network. One such home based initiative is the personal care service program of Medicaid. The authors conducted a national survey of administrators of this program. They received a response from 16 administrators of such programs in 1987-1988. The responses raise significant issues regarding training, access to and equity of services, quality of services, administrative oversight and the coordination of home-based care in a network of available services. Based on administrator responses, the authors draw several conclusions.

  19. How Views of the Organization of Primary Care Among Patients with Hypertension Vary by Race or Ethnicity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jackson, George L; Stechuchak, Karen M; Weinberger, Morris; Bosworth, Hayden B; Coffman, Cynthia J; Kirshner, Miriam A; Edelman, David

    2018-04-17

    We assessed potential racial or ethnic differences in the degree to which veterans with pharmaceutically treated hypertension report experiences with their primary care system that are consistent with optimal chronic illness care as suggested by Wagner's Chronic Care Model (CCM). A cross-sectional analysis of the results of the Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care (PACIC), which measured components of the care system suggested by the CCM and was completed at baseline by participants in a hypertension disease management clinical trial. Participants had a recent history of uncontrolled systolic blood pressure. Among 377 patients, non-Hispanic African American veterans had almost twice the odds of indicating that their primary care experience is consistent with CCM features when compared with non-Hispanic White patients (odds ratio (OR) = 1.86; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.16-2.98). Similar statistically significant associations were observed for follow-up care (OR = 2.59; 95% CI = 1.49-4.50), patient activation (OR = 1.80; 95% CI = 1.13-2.87), goal setting (OR = 1.65; 95% CI = 1.03-2.64), and help with problem solving (OR = 1.62; 95% CI = 1.00-2.60). Non-Hispanic African Americans with pharmaceutically treated hypertension report that the primary care system more closely approximates the Wagner CCM than non-Hispanic White patients.

  20. 78 FR 51276 - Proposed Information Collection (Access to Care Dialysis Pilot Survey and Interview); Activity...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-08-20

    ... to Care Dialysis Pilot Survey and Interview); Activity: Comment Request AGENCY: Veterans Health... Care Dialysis Pilot Survey and Interview)'' in any correspondence. During the comment period, comments... and Interview, VA Form 10-10067. a. Access to Care Questionnaire, VA Form 10-10067. b. Access to Care...

  1. Caring for people with dementia in hospital: findings from a survey to identify barriers and facilitators to implementing best practice dementia care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tropea, Joanne; LoGiudice, Dina; Liew, Danny; Roberts, Carol; Brand, Caroline

    2017-03-01

    Best practice dementia care is not always provided in the hospital setting. Knowledge, attitudes and motivation, practitioner behavior, and external factors can influence uptake of best practice and quality care. The aim of this study was to determine hospital staff perceived barriers and enablers to implementing best practice dementia care. A 17-item survey was administered at two Australian hospitals between July and September 2014. Multidisciplinary staff working in the emergency departments and general medical wards were invited to participate in the survey. The survey collected data about the respondents' current role, work area, and years of experience, their perceived level of confidence and knowledge in dementia care and common symptoms of dementia, barriers and enablers to implementing best practice dementia care, job satisfaction in caring for people with dementia, and to rate the hospital's capacity and available resources to support best practice dementia care. A total of 112 survey responses were received. The environment, inadequate staffing levels and workload, time, and staff knowledge and skills were identified as barriers to implementing best practice dementia care. Most respondents rated their knowledge of dementia care and common symptoms of dementia, and confidence in recognizing whether a person has dementia, as moderate or high dementia. Approximately, half the respondents rated access to training and equipment as low or very low. The survey findings highlighted hospital staff perceived barriers to implementing best practice dementia care that can be used to inform locally tailored improvement interventions.

  2. Leadership survey. An evaluation of health care executives' challenges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thrall, T H; Hoppszallern, S

    2001-01-01

    Locating and keeping employees represents one of the greatest challenges facing health care leaders today. This is a key finding of the third Leadership Survey of executives in physician practices, managed care organizations and hospitals. The survey is sponsored by the Medical Group Management Association and Hospitals & Health Networks magazine. Other significant results: Practices put the most emphasis on teamwork, training and staff development as methods to combat labor shortages; practice executives count adequacy of reimbursements and physician productivity as top leadership challenges, along with the availability of qualified workers; practices choose print advertising and the addition of new products and services as the best ways for them to build market share.

  3. Electrocardiogram interpretation and arrhythmia management: a primary and secondary care survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Begg, Gordon; Willan, Kathryn; Tyndall, Keith; Pepper, Chris; Tayebjee, Muzahir

    2016-05-01

    There is increasing desire among service commissioners to treat arrhythmia in primary care. Accurate interpretation of the electrocardiogram (ECG) is fundamental to this. ECG interpretation has previously been shown to vary widely but there is little recent data. To examine the interpretation of ECGs in primary and secondary care. A cross-sectional survey of participants' interpretation of six ECGs and hypothetical management of patients based on those ECGs, at primary care educational events, and a cardiology department in Leeds. A total of 262 primary care clinicians and 20 cardiology clinicians were surveyed via questionnaire. Answers were compared with expert electrophysiologist opinion. In primary care, abnormal ECGs were interpreted as normal by 23% of responders. ST elevation and prolonged QT were incorrectly interpreted as normal by 1% and 22%, respectively. In cardiology, abnormal ECGs were interpreted as normal by 3%. ECG provision and interpretation remains inconsistent in both primary and secondary care. Primary care practitioners are less experienced and less confident with ECG interpretation than cardiologists, and require support in this area. © British Journal of General Practice 2016.

  4. National Structural Survey of Veterans Affairs Home-Based Primary Care Programs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karuza, Jurgis; Gillespie, Suzanne M; Olsan, Tobie; Cai, Xeuya; Dang, Stuti; Intrator, Orna; Li, Jiejin; Gao, Shan; Kinosian, Bruce; Edes, Thomas

    2017-12-01

    To describe the current structural and practice characteristics of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Home-Based Primary Care (HBPC) program. We designed a national survey and surveyed HBPC program directors on-line using REDCap. We received 236 surveys from 394 identified HBPC sites (60% response rate). HBPC site characteristics were quantified using closed-ended formats. HBPC program directors were most often registered nurses, and HBPC programs primarily served veterans with complex chronic illnesses that were at high risk of hospitalization and nursing home care. Primary care was delivered using interdisciplinary teams, with nurses, social workers, and registered dietitians as team members in more than 90% of the sites. Most often, nurse practitioners were the principal primary care providers (PCPs), typically working with nurse case managers. Nearly 60% of the sites reported dual PCPs involving VA and community-based physicians. Nearly all sites provided access to a core set of comprehensive services and programs (e.g., case management, supportive home health care). At the same time, there were variations according to site (e.g., size, location (urban, rural), use of non-VA hospitals, primary care models used). HBPC sites reflected the rationale and mission of HBPC by focusing on complex chronic illness of home-based veterans and providing comprehensive primary care using interdisciplinary teams. Our next series of studies will examine how HBPC site structural characteristics and care models are related to the processes and outcomes of care to determine whether there are best practice standards that define an optimal HBPC structure and care model or whether multiple approaches to HBPC better serve the needs of veterans. Published 2017. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

  5. Palliative Care Training in Cardiology Fellowship: A National Survey of the Fellows.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dabbouseh, Noura M; Kaushal, Shivtej; Peltier, Wendy; Johnston, Fabian M

    2018-02-01

    To address perspectives of cardiology fellows on the current state of palliative education and palliative and hospice resource utilization within their fellowship experiences. We conducted an online national survey of cardiology fellows during the 2015 to 2016 academic year. Survey questions aimed to assess perceived importance of palliative care education, level of palliative care education during fellowship, and the structure of palliative care support at respondent institutions. Responses were collected anonymously. A total of 519 programs, including subspecialty programs, were contacted. We received 365 responses, a number that represents roughly 14% of all cardiology fellows nationwide during the 2015 to 2016 academic year. Fellows reported discordance in the quality of education between general cardiology and palliative care principles as it relates to care of the patient approaching the end of life. Fellows infrequently received explicit training nor were observed or mentored in delivering end-of-life discussions. Respondents reported an underutilization of palliative care and hospice resources during fellowship training and also a perception that attending faculty were not routinely addressing goals of care. Our survey results highlight a need for enhanced palliative care and end-of-life training experiences for cardiology fellows and also suggest underutilization of hospice and palliative care resources for patients with advanced cardiac diseases. These findings create a platform for future work that might: (1) confirm this training deficit, (2) lead to exploration of educational models that could reconcile this deficit, and (3) potentially help improve palliative care support for patients and families facing advanced heart disease.

  6. Current Allergic Rhinitis Experiences Survey (CARES): Health-care practitioners' awareness, attitudes and practices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blaiss, Michael S; Fromer, Leonard M; Jacob-Nara, Juby A; Long, Randall M; Mannion, Karen M; Lauersen, Lori A

    2014-01-01

    Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a common health problem in the United States, with significant comorbidities and impairment of quality of life despite the availability of many prescription (Rx) and over-the-counter (OTC) medications. The health-care practitioners (HCPs) arm of the Current Allergic Rhinitis Experiences Survey (CARES) assessed HCPs' perceptions about the current management of AR. This U.S.-based national survey included 375 primary care physicians and 375 nurse practitioners/physician assistants. Participants were screened to ensure that they treat ≥15 AR sufferers per month during allergy season. The majority of HCPs (86%) agreed that AR patients can easily recognize allergy symptoms after diagnosis and that 57% of their patients come to them self-recognizing their symptoms. A total of 82% strongly agreed that AR sufferers are primarily diagnosed via history and physical and do not typically undergo diagnostic testing until after pharmacologic intervention. HCPs reported that 63-77% of AR sufferers can easily manage AR once treatment is established. According to surveyed HCPs, OTC medication should precede an Rx medication for AR management. A total of 82% HCPs considered intranasal steroids (INSs) to be the gold standard AR treatment and have minimal safety concerns about INS use. HCPs perceive that patients can easily recognize and self-manage their AR symptoms. Patient history/symptoms and physical examination are the primary methods of AR diagnosis. INSs are considered the gold standard for treatment of AR. However, most HCPs feel OTC medication should be tried before Rx medication for AR management.

  7. Radiotherapy skin care: A survey of practice in the UK

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Harris, Rachel; Probst, Heidi; Beardmore, Charlotte; James, Sarah; Dumbleton, Claire; Bolderston, Amanda; Faithfull, Sara; Wells, Mary; Southgate, Elizabeth

    2012-01-01

    Aim: The primary objective of the survey was to evaluate clinical skin care practice in radiotherapy departments across the United Kingdom. Methods and sample: A questionnaire containing sixty-one questions grouped into eight themed sections was developed and a link to an on-line survey, using the Survey Monkey™ tool, was e-mailed to all radiotherapy department managers in the United Kingdom (N = 67). Each recipient was invited to provide one response per department. Key results: Fifty-four departments responded within the allocated timeframe giving a final response rate of 81%. Products and their use for skin conditions varied and some outdated and unfounded practices were still being used which did not always reflect the current evidence base. The amount of data routinely collected on skin toxicity was limited making it difficult to quantify the extent of skin morbidity following radiotherapy. Conclusion: The survey demonstrated variability in skin care practice in radiotherapy departments across the UK, with limited practice based on evidence or on skin toxicity measurement and monitoring.

  8. Defining a caring hospital by using currently implemented survey tools.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jennings, Nancy

    2010-09-01

    Health care organizations are constantly striving to provide a more cost-effective and higher quality treatment within a caring environment. However, balancing the demands of regulatory agencies with the holistic needs of the patient is challenging. Further challenging is how to define those hospitals that provide an exceptional caring environment for their patients. By using survey tools that are already being administered in hospital settings, the opportunity exists to analyze the results obtained from these tools to define a hospital as a caring organization without the added burden of separate data collection.

  9. Breastfeeding Support in Neonatal Intensive Care: A National Survey

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Maastrup, Ragnhild; Bojesen, Susanne Nordby; Kronborg, Hanne

    2012-01-01

    Background: The incidence of breastfeeding of preterm infants is affected by the support provided at the hospital and in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). However, policies and guidelines promoting breastfeeding vary both nationally and internationally. Objectives: The aim of this survey...... was to describe breastfeeding support in Danish NICUs, where approximately 98% of mothers initiate lactation. Methods: A national survey of all 19 Danish NICUs was conducted in 2009. Four NICUs were at designated Baby-Friendly hospitals, and 5 had a lactation consultant. In all NICUs, it was possible for some...... parents to stay overnight; 2 units had short restrictions on parents' presence. Five NICUs had integrated postpartum care for mothers. Breastfeeding policies, written guidelines, and systematic breastfeeding training for the staff were common in most NICUs. Seventeen NICUs recommended starting breast milk...

  10. The importance of standardized observations to evaluate nutritional care quality in the survey process.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schnelle, John F; Bertrand, Rosanna; Hurd, Donna; White, Alan; Squires, David; Feuerberg, Marvin; Hickey, Kelly; Simmons, Sandra F

    2009-10-01

    Guidelines written for government surveyors who assess nursing home (NH) compliance with federal standards contain instructions to observe the quality of mealtime assistance. However, these instructions are vague and no protocol is provided for surveyors to record observational data. This study compared government survey staff observations of mealtime assistance quality to observations by research staff using a standardized protocol that met basic standards for accurate behavioral measurement. Survey staff used either the observation instructions in the standard survey process or those written for the revised Quality Improvement Survey (QIS). Trained research staff observed mealtime care in 20 NHs in 5 states during the same time period that survey staff evaluated care in the same facilities, although it could not be determined if survey and research staff observed the same residents during the same meals. Ten NHs were evaluated by government surveyors using the QIS survey instructions and 10 NHs were evaluated by surveyors using the standard survey instructions. Research staff observations using a standardized observation protocol identified a higher proportion of residents receiving inadequate feeding assistance during meals relative to survey staff using either the standard or QIS survey instructions. For example, more than 50% of the residents who ate less than half of their meals based on research staff observation were not offered an alternative to the served meal, and the lack of alternatives, or meal substitutions, was common in all 20 NHs. In comparison, the QIS survey teams documented only 2 instances when meal substitutes were not offered in 10 NHs and the standard survey teams documented no instances in 10 NHs. Standardized mealtime observations by research staff revealed feeding assistance care quality issues in all 20 study NHs. Surveyors following the instructions in either the standard or revised QIS surveys did not detect most of these care quality

  11. Consensus and variations in opinions on delirium care: a survey of European delirium specialists

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Morandi, A.; Davis, D.; Taylor, J. K.; Bellelli, G.; Olofsson, B.; Kreisel, S.; Teodorczuk, A.; Kamholz, B.; Hasemann, W.; Young, J.; Agar, M.; de Rooij, S. E.; Meagher, D.; Trabucchi, M.; Maclullich, A. M.

    2013-01-01

    There are still substantial uncertainties over best practice in delirium care. The European Delirium Association (EDA) conducted a survey of its members and other interested parties on various aspects of delirium care. The invitation to participate in the online survey was distributed among the EDA

  12. Neurocritical care education during neurology residency: AAN survey of US program directors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sheth, K N; Drogan, O; Manno, E; Geocadin, R G; Ziai, W

    2012-05-29

    Limited information is available regarding the current state of neurocritical care education for neurology residents. The goal of our survey was to assess the need and current state of neurocritical care training for neurology residents. A survey instrument was developed and, with the support of the American Academy of Neurology, distributed to residency program directors of 132 accredited neurology programs in the United States in 2011. A response rate of 74% (98 of 132) was achieved. A dedicated neuroscience intensive care unit (neuro-ICU) existed in 64%. Fifty-six percent of residency programs offer a dedicated rotation in the neuro-ICU, lasting 4 weeks on average. Where available, the neuro-ICU rotation was required in the vast majority (91%) of programs. Neurology residents' exposure to the fundamental principles of neurocritical care was obtained through a variety of mechanisms. Of program directors, 37% indicated that residents would be interested in performing away rotations in a neuro-ICU. From 2005 to 2010, the number of programs sending at least one resident into a neuro-ICU fellowship increased from 14% to 35%. Despite the expansion of neurocritical care, large proportions of US neurology residents have limited exposure to a neuro-ICU and neurointensivists. Formal training in the principles of neurocritical care may be highly variable. The results of this survey suggest a charge to address the variability of resident education and to develop standardized curricula in neurocritical care for neurology residents.

  13. Acute care nurse practitioners in trauma care: results of a role survey and implications for the future of health care delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Noffsinger, Dana L

    2014-01-01

    The role of acute care nurse practitioners (ACNPs) in trauma care has evolved over time. A survey was performed with the aim of describing the role across the United States. There were 68 respondents who depicted the typical trauma ACNP as being a 42-year-old woman who works full-time at a level I American College of Surgeons verified trauma center. Trauma ACNPs typically practice with 80% of their time for clinical care and are based on a trauma and acute care surgery service. They are acute care certified and hold several advanced certifications to supplement their nursing license.

  14. Planning for health care transitions: results from the 2005-2006 National Survey of Children With Special Health Care Needs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lotstein, Debra S; Ghandour, Reem; Cash, Amanda; McGuire, Elizabeth; Strickland, Bonnie; Newacheck, Paul

    2009-01-01

    Many youth with special health care needs have difficulties transferring to adult medical care. To address this, the Maternal and Child Health Bureau has made receipt of transition services a core performance outcome for community-based systems of care for youth with special health care needs. In this article we describe the results for the transition core outcome from the 2005-2006 National Survey of Children With Special Health Care Needs. We also describe changes in the measurement strategy for this outcome since the first National Survey of Children With Special Health Care Needs in 2001. In the nationally representative, cross-sectional 2005-2006 National Survey of Children With Special Health Care Needs, parent or guardian respondents of 18198 youth with special health care needs (aged 12-17) were asked if they have had discussions with their child's health care providers about (1) future adult providers, (2) future adult health care needs, (3) changes in health insurance, and (4) encouraging their child to take responsibility for his or her care. All 4 components had to be met for the youth to meet the overall transition core outcome. Those who had not had transition discussions reported if such discussions would have been helpful. Overall, 41% of youth with special health care needs met the core performance outcome for transition. Forty-two percent had discussed shifting care to an adult provider, 62% discussed their child's adult health care needs, and 34% discussed upcoming changes in health insurance. Most (78%) respondents said that providers usually or always encourage their child to take responsibility for his or her health. Non-Hispanic black or Hispanic race/ethnicity, lower income level, not speaking English, and not having a medical home reduced the odds of meeting the transition core outcome. Current performance on the transition core outcome leaves much room for improvement. Many parents feel that having transition-related discussions with their

  15. Spirituality and spiritual care: a descriptive survey of nursing practices in Turkey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akgün Şahin, Zümrüt; Kardaş Özdemir, Funda

    2016-08-01

    Nurses' spiritual care practices have been shown to affect patients' well-being, therefore understanding nurses' spiritual care perceptions and their practices. The aim of this paper is to investigate the nurses' views to practising spiritual care. A descriptive survey of 193 nurses was conducted at a general hospital in Turkey. Data was collected using a demographic questionnaire and The Spirituality and Spiritual Care Rating Scale (SSCRS). The findings of this study revealed that older nurses (pspiritual care (pspiritual care.

  16. A pilot study of a Community Health Agent-led type 2 diabetes self-management program using Motivational Interviewing-based approaches in a public primary care center in São Paulo, Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    do Valle Nascimento, Thais Moura Ribeiro; Resnicow, Ken; Nery, Marcia; Brentani, Alexandra; Kaselitz, Elizabeth; Agrawal, Pooja; Mand, Simanjit; Heisler, Michele

    2017-01-13

    Rates of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as type 2 diabetes are escalating in low and middle-income countries such as Brazil. Scalable primary care-based interventions are needed to improve self-management and clinical outcomes of adults with diabetes. This pilot study examines the feasibility, acceptability, and outcomes of training community health agents (CHAs) in Motivational Interviewing (MI)-based counseling for patients with poorly controlled diabetes in a primary care center in São Paulo, Brazil. Nineteen salaried CHAs participated in 32 h of training in MI and behavioral action planning. With support from booster training sessions, they used these skills in their regular monthly home visits over a 6 month period with 57 diabetes patients with baseline HbA1cs > 7.0%. The primary outcome was patients' reports of the quality of diabetes care as measured by the Portuguese version of the Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care (PACIC) scale. Secondary outcomes included changes in patients' reported diabetes self-management behaviors and in A1c, blood pressure, cholesterol and triglycerides. We also examined CHAs' fidelity to and experiences with the intervention. Patients reported improvements over the 6 month period in quality of diabetes care received (PACIC score improved 33 (+/-19) to 68 (+/-21) (p < .001)). They reported increases in physical activity (p = .001), consumption of fruits and vegetables (p < .001) and medication adherence (p = .002), but no decreases in consumption of high-fat foods (p = .402) or sweets (p = .436). Participants had mean 6-month A1c levels 0.34% points lower than at baseline (p = .08) and improved mean LDL (-16.1 mg/dL, p = .005) and triglyceride levels (-38.725 mg/dL, p = .002). Of the 16 CHAs observed in fidelity assessments, 13 were categorized as medium- or high-performing on MI skills, while 3 were low-performing. CHAs expressed enthusiasm about learning new skills, and many

  17. 77 FR 69550 - Proposed Information Collection (Patient Satisfaction Survey Michael E. DeBakey Home Care Program...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-11-19

    ... (Patient Satisfaction Survey Michael E. DeBakey Home Care Program) Activity: Comment Request AGENCY.... DeBakey Home Care Program. DATES: Written comments and recommendations on the proposed collection of...: Patient Satisfaction Survey Michael E. DeBakey Home Care Program, VA Form 10-0476. OMB Control Number...

  18. 75 FR 62635 - Proposed Information Collection (Patient Satisfaction Survey Michael E. DeBakey Home Care Program...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-12

    ... Collection (Patient Satisfaction Survey Michael E. DeBakey Home Care Program) Activity: Comment Request... determine patients' satisfaction with services provided by or through the Michael E. DeBakey Home Care...: Patient Satisfaction Survey Michael E. DeBakey Home Care Program, VA Form 10-0476. OMB Control Number...

  19. 76 FR 624 - Proposed Information Collection (Patient Satisfaction Survey Michael E. DeBakey Home Care Program...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-05

    ... Collection (Patient Satisfaction Survey Michael E. DeBakey Home Care Program) Activity: Comment Request... satisfaction with the quality of services/care provided by home care program staff. An agency may not conduct... Form 10-0476).'' SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: Patient Satisfaction Survey Michael E. DeBakey Home...

  20. Intranet usage and potential in acute care hospitals in the United States: survey-2000.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hatcher, M

    2001-12-01

    This paper provides the results of the Survey-2000 measuring Intranet and its potential in health care. The survey measured the levels of Internet and Intranet existence and usage in acute care hospitals. Business-to-business electronic commerce and electronic commerce for customers were measured. Since the Intranet was not studied in survey-1997, no comparisons could be made. Therefore the results were presented and discussed. The Intranet data were compared with the Internet data and statistically significant differences were presented and analyzed. This information will assist hospitals to plan Internet and Intranet technology. This is the third of three articles based upon the results of the Survey-2000. Readers are referred to prior articles by the author, which discusses the survey design and provides a tutorial on technology transfer in acute care hospitals.(1) The first article based upon the survey results discusses technology transfer, system design approaches, user involvement, and decision-making purposes. (2) The second article based upon the survey results discusses distribution of Internet usage and rating of Internet usage applied to specific applications. Homepages, advertising, and electronic commerce are discussed from an Internet perspective.

  1. Ethical issues in palliative care for nursing homes: Development and testing of a survey instrument.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Preshaw, Deborah Hl; McLaughlin, Dorry; Brazil, Kevin

    2018-02-01

    To develop and psychometrically assess a survey instrument identifying ethical issues during palliative care provision in nursing homes. Registered nurses and healthcare assistants have reported ethical issues in everyday palliative care provision. Identifying these issues provides evidence to inform practice development to support healthcare workers. Cross-sectional survey of Registered nurses and healthcare assistants in nursing homes in one region of the UK. A survey instrument, "Ethical issues in Palliative Care for Nursing homes", was developed through the findings of qualitative interviews with Registered nurses and healthcare assistants in nursing homes and a literature review. It was reviewed by an expert panel and piloted prior to implementation in a survey in 2015 with a convenience sample of 596 Registered nurses and healthcare assistants. Descriptive and exploratory factor analyses were used to assess the underlying structure of the Frequency and Distress Scales within the instrument. Analysis of 201 responses (response rate = 33.7%) revealed four factors for the Frequency Scale and five factors for the Distress Scale that comprise the Ethical issues in Palliative Care for Nursing homes. Factors common to both scales included "Processes of care," "Resident autonomy" and "Burdensome treatment." Additionally, the Frequency Scale included "Competency," and the Distress Scale included "Quality of care" and "Communication." The Ethical issues in Palliative Care for Nursing homes instrument has added to the palliative care knowledge base by considering the ethical issues experienced specifically by Registered nurses and healthcare assistants within the nursing home. This research offers preliminary evidence of the psychometric properties of the Ethical issues in Palliative Care for Nursing homes survey instrument. The two largest factors highlight the need to address the organisational aspects of caring and provide training in negotiating conflicting

  2. Volunteers in Specialist Palliative Care: A Survey of Adult Services in the United Kingdom

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burbeck, Rachel; Low, Joe; Sampson, Elizabeth L.; Bravery, Ruth; Hill, Matthew; Morris, Sara; Ockenden, Nick; Payne, Sheila

    2014-01-01

    Abstract Background: Worldwide, the demand for specialist palliative care is increasing but funding is limited. The role of volunteers is underresearched, although their contribution reduces costs significantly. Understanding what volunteers do is vital to ensure services develop appropriately to meet the challenges faced by providers of palliative care. Objective: The study's objective is to describe current involvement of volunteers with direct patient/family contact in U.K. specialist palliative care. Design: An online survey was sent to 290 U.K. adult hospices and specialist palliative care services involving volunteers covering service characteristics, involvement and numbers of volunteers, settings in which they are involved, extent of involvement in care services, specific activities undertaken in each setting, and use of professional skills. Results: The survey had a 67% response rate. Volunteers were most commonly involved in day care and bereavement services. They entirely ran some complementary therapy, beauty therapy/hairdressing, and pastoral/faith-based care services, and were involved in a wide range of activities, including sitting with dying patients. Conclusions: This comprehensive survey of volunteer activity in U.K. specialist palliative care provides an up-to-date picture of volunteer involvement in direct contact with patients and their families, such as providing emotional care, and the extent of their involvement in day and bereavement services. Further research could focus on exploring their involvement in bereavement care. PMID:24475743

  3. Family centred care before and during life-sustaining treatment withdrawal in intensive care: A survey of information provided to families by Australasian critical care nurses

    OpenAIRE

    Ranse, K; Bloomer, M; Coombs, M; Endacott, R

    2016-01-01

    publisher: Elsevier articletitle: Family centred care before and during life-sustaining treatment withdrawal in intensive care: A survey of information provided to families by Australasian critical care nurses journaltitle: Australian Critical Care articlelink: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.aucc.2016.08.006 content_type: article copyright: © 2016 Australian College of Critical Care Nurses Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Open Notes in Swedish Psychiatric Care (Part 2): Survey Among Psychiatric Care Professionals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petersson, Lena; Erlingsdóttir, Gudbjörg

    2018-06-21

    This is the second of two papers presenting the results from a study of the implementation of patient online access to their electronic health records (here referred to as Open Notes) in adult psychiatric care in Sweden. The study contributes an important understanding of both the expectations and concerns that existed among health care professionals before the introduction of the Open Notes Service in psychiatry and the perceived impact of the technology on their own work and patient behavior after the implementation. The results from the previously published baseline survey showed that psychiatric health care professionals generally thought that Open Notes would influence both the patients and their own practice negatively. The objective of this study was to describe and discuss how health care professionals in adult psychiatric care in Region Skåne in southern Sweden experienced the influence of Open Notes on their patients and their own practice, and to compare the results with those of the baseline study. We distributed a full population Web-based questionnaire to psychiatric care professionals in Region Skåne in the spring of 2017, which was one and a half years after the implementation of the service. The response rate was 27.73% (699/2521). Analyses showed that the respondents were representative of the staff as a whole. A statistical analysis examined the relationships between health professional groups and attitudes to the Open Notes Service. A total of 41.5% (285/687) of the health care professionals reported that none of their patients stated that they had read their Open Notes. Few health care professionals agreed with the statements about the potential benefits for patients from Open Notes. Slightly more of the health care professionals agreed with the statements about the potential risks. In addition, the results indicate that there was little impact on practice in terms of longer appointments or health care professionals having to address patients

  5. Insights into the cystic fibrosis care in Eastern Europe: Results of survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walicka-Serzysko, Katarzyna; Peckova, Monika; Noordhoek, Jacquelien J; Sands, Dorota; Drevinek, Pavel

    2018-04-19

    The European cystic fibrosis (CF) Society Standards of Care were set to facilitate the delivery of high-quality care throughout Europe. However, their implementation may be difficult for less economically advantaged countries. This survey was performed to explore the gap in the knowledge of the level of CF care in Eastern Europe. Questionnaires were sent online to one CF professional and one CF patient representative for every Eastern European country. Although most respondents indicated the presence of CF centres, disparities in their framework among individual countries and between them and the European CF Standards of Care became apparent. A minority of countries achieved CF centre recognition by the government (6 of 16), provided CF care for adults (6 countries) and had a multidisciplinary team with all team members represented (2 countries). Patients were significantly more critical in the evaluation of various aspects of CF care than physicians, especially in the Balkan region. The survey results indicate that the organization and level of CF care across Eastern Europe is largely variable and lacks some of its fundamental attributes in several countries. Copyright © 2018 European Cystic Fibrosis Society. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. 78 FR 6851 - Proposed Information Collection (Patient Satisfaction Survey Michael E. DeBakey Home Care Program...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-31

    ... (Patient Satisfaction Survey Michael E. DeBakey Home Care Program) Activity: Comment Request AGENCY... Satisfaction Survey Michael E. DeBakey Home Care Program, VA Form 10-0476. OMB Control Number: 2900-0775. Type... home care program staff. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond...

  7. Care in subsequent pregnancies following stillbirth: an international survey of parents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wojcieszek, A M; Boyle, F M; Belizán, J M; Cassidy, J; Cassidy, P; Erwich, Jjhm; Farrales, L; Gross, M M; Heazell, Aep; Leisher, S H; Mills, T; Murphy, M; Pettersson, K; Ravaldi, C; Ruidiaz, J; Siassakos, D; Silver, R M; Storey, C; Vannacci, A; Middleton, P; Ellwood, D; Flenady, V

    2018-01-01

    To assess the frequency of additional care, and parents' perceptions of quality, respectful care, in pregnancies subsequent to stillbirth. Multi-language web-based survey. International. A total of 2716 parents, from 40 high- and middle-income countries. Data were obtained from a broader survey of parents' experiences following stillbirth. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and stratified by geographic region. Subgroup analyses explored variation in additional care by gestational age at index stillbirth. Frequency of additional care, and perceptions of quality, respectful care. The majority (66%) of parents conceived their subsequent pregnancy within 1 year of stillbirth. Additional antenatal care visits and ultrasound scans were provided for 67% and 70% of all parents, respectively, although there was wide variation across geographic regions. Care addressing psychosocial needs was less frequently provided, such as additional visits to a bereavement counsellor (10%) and access to named care provider's phone number (27%). Compared with parents whose stillbirth occurred at ≤ 29 weeks of gestation, parents whose stillbirth occurred at ≥ 30 weeks of gestation were more likely to receive various forms of additional care, particularly the option for early delivery after 37 weeks. Around half (47-63%) of all parents felt that elements of quality, respectful care were consistently applied, such as spending enough time with parents and involving parents in decision-making. Greater attention is required to providing thoughtful, empathic and collaborative care in all pregnancies following stillbirth. Specific education and training for health professionals is needed. More support for providing quality care in pregnancies after stillbirth is needed. Study rationale and design More than two million babies are stillborn every year. Most parents will conceive again soon after having a stillborn baby. These parents are more likely to have another stillborn baby in

  8. Using a patient survey for marketing a professional health care practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Solomon, R J

    1990-06-01

    Small, private, professional health care practices are at a disadvantage when conducting market survey research because they cannot afford to employ or purchase the expensive specialized marketing skills of their larger competitors. The author describes a method that small private practices can use to conduct patient marketing surveys. Survey findings are reported and examples are provided of how the results influenced subsequent marketing decisions. Suggestions are offered to help ensure the success of similar studies in other practices.

  9. Psychologists involved in cancer palliative care in Japan: A nationwide survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakajima, Kasumi; Iwamitsu, Yumi; Matsubara, Mei; Oba, Akira; Hirai, Kei; Morita, Tatsuya; Kizawa, Yoshiyuki

    2015-04-01

    The aim of this study was to clarify, using a nationwide survey, what is perceived as necessary knowledge and skills for psychologists involved in cancer palliative care in Japan, the expectations of medical staff members, and the degree to which these expectations are met. We conducted a questionnaire survey of psychologists involved in cancer palliative care. A total of 419 psychologists from 403 facilities were asked to fill out the questionnaire and return it anonymously. Some 401 psychologists (89 males, 310 females, and 2 unspecified; mean age, 37.2 ± 9.5 years) responded about necessary knowledge and skills for psychologists working in cancer palliative care, the necessity for training, expectations at their current workplace, and the degree to which expectations are met. More than 90% of participants responded that many kinds of knowledge and skills related to the field of cancer palliative care are necessary. Over 80% of participants indicated a necessity for training related to these knowledge and skills. Although more than 50% (range, 50.1-85.8%) of participants responded that such services as "cooperation with medical staff within a hospital," "handling patients for whom psychological support would be beneficial," and "assessment of patients' mental state" were expected at their workplace, fewer than 60% (31.4-56.9%) responded that they actually performed these roles. Our results show that many psychologists in cancer palliative care feel unable to respond to the expectations at their current workplace and that they require more adequate knowledge and skills related to cancer palliative care to work effectively. No other nationwide surveys have generated this type of information in Japan, so we believe that the results of our study are uniquely important.

  10. Point of care hand hygiene-where's the rub? A survey of US and Canadian health care workers' knowledge, attitudes, and practices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kirk, Jane; Kendall, Anson; Marx, James F; Pincock, Ted; Young, Elizabeth; Hughes, Jillian M; Landers, Timothy

    2016-10-01

    Hand hygiene at the point of care is recognized as a best practice for promoting compliance at the moments when hand hygiene is most critical. The objective of this study was to compare knowledge, attitudes, and practices of US and Canadian frontline health care personnel regarding hand hygiene at the point of care. Physicians and nurses in US and Canadian hospitals were invited to complete a 32-question online survey based on evidence supporting point of care hand hygiene. Eligible health care personnel were in direct clinical practice at least 50% of the time. Three hundred fifty frontline caregivers completed the survey. Among respondents, 57.1% were from the United States and 42.9% were from Canada. Respondents were evenly distributed between physician and nurses. The US and Canadian respondents gave identical ranking to their perceived barriers to hand hygiene compliance. More than half of the respondents from both the United States and Canada agreed or strongly agreed that they would be more likely to clean their hands when recommended if alcohol-based handrub was closer to the patient. This survey demonstrates that similarities between Canada and the United States were more common than not, and the survey raises, or suggests, potential knowledge gaps that require further illumination. Copyright © 2016 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. African primary care research: performing surveys using questionnaires.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Govender, Indiran; Mabuza, Langalibalele H; Ogunbanjo, Gboyega A; Mash, Bob

    2014-04-25

    The aim of this article is to provide practical guidance on conducting surveys and the use of questionnaires for postgraduate students at a Masters level who are undertaking primary care research. The article is intended to assist with writing the methods section of the research proposal and thinking through the relevant issues that apply to sample size calculation, sampling strategy, design of a questionnaire and administration of a questionnaire. The articleis part of a larger series on primary care research, with other articles in the series focusing on the structure of the research proposal and the literature review, as well as quantitative data analysis.

  12. [A Delphi Method Survey of the Core Competences of Post-Acute-Care Nurses in Caring for Acute Stroke Patients].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chi, Shu-Ching; Yeh, Lily; Lu, Meei-Shiow; Lin, Pei-Yu

    2015-12-01

    Post-acute care (PAC) service is becoming increasingly important in Taiwan as a core focus of government policies that are designed to ensure continuity of care. In order to improve PAC nursing education and quality of care, the present study applies a modified Delphi method to identify the core competences of nurses who provide PAC services to acute stroke patients. We surveyed 18 experts in post-acute care and long-term care anonymously using a 29-question questionnaire in order to identify the essential professional skills that are required to perform PAC effectively. The results of this survey indicate that the core competences of PAC may be divided into two categories: Case Management and Care Management. Case Management includes Direct Care, Communication, Health Care Education, Nursing Consulting, and Family Assessment & Health Care. Care Management includes Interdisciplinary Teamwork, Patient Care Management, and Resource Integration. The importance and practicality of each item was evaluated using a 7-point Likert scale. The experts required 2 rounds to reach a consensus about the importance and 3 rounds to determine the practicality of PAC core competences. This process highlighted the differing points of view that are held by professionals in the realms of nursing, medicine, and national health policy. The PAC in-job training program in its current form inadequately cul-tivates core competence in Care Management. The results of the present study may be used to inform the development of PAC nurse orientation training programs and continuing education courses.

  13. A cross-sectional survey of parental care-seeking behavior for ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Mohammed Baba Abdulkadir

    2016-03-11

    Mar 11, 2016 ... Material and methods: The study is a secondary analysis of 2013 Demographic ... data for Nigeria, which was a cross-sectional survey conducted nationwide to .... excludes no medical care, pharmacies, shops and traditional.

  14. Provision of NHS generalist and specialist services to care homes in England: review of surveys.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iliffe, Steve; Davies, Susan L; Gordon, Adam L; Schneider, Justine; Dening, Tom; Bowman, Clive; Gage, Heather; Martin, Finbarr C; Gladman, John R F; Victor, Christina; Meyer, Julienne; Goodman, Claire

    2016-03-01

    The number of beds in care homes (with and without nurses) in the United Kingdom is three times greater than the number of beds in National Health Service (NHS) hospitals. Care homes are predominantly owned by a range of commercial, not-for-profit or charitable providers and their residents have high levels of disability, frailty and co-morbidity. NHS support for care home residents is very variable, and it is unclear what models of clinical support work and are cost-effective. To critically evaluate how the NHS works with care homes. A review of surveys of NHS services provided to care homes that had been completed since 2008. It included published national surveys, local surveys commissioned by Primary Care organisations, studies from charities and academic centres, grey literature identified across the nine government regions, and information from care home, primary care and other research networks. Data extraction captured forms of NHS service provision for care homes in England in terms of frequency, location, focus and purpose. Five surveys focused primarily on general practitioner services, and 10 on specialist services to care home. Working relationships between the NHS and care homes lack structure and purpose and have generally evolved locally. There are wide variations in provision of both generalist and specialist healthcare services to care homes. Larger care home chains may take a systematic approach to both organising access to NHS generalist and specialist services, and to supplementing gaps with in-house provision. Access to dental care for care home residents appears to be particularly deficient. Historical differences in innovation and provision of NHS services, the complexities of collaborating across different sectors (private and public, health and social care, general and mental health), and variable levels of organisation of care homes, all lead to persistent and embedded inequity in the distribution of NHS resources to this population

  15. Carcinoma of the cervix: patterns of care studies: review of 1978, 1983, and 1988-1989 surveys

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Montana, Gustavo S.; Hanlon, A. L.; Brickner, T. J.; Owen, J. B.; Hanks, G. E.; Ling, C. C.; Komaki, R.; Marcial, V. A.; Lanciano, R.; Thomas, G. M.

    1995-01-01

    Purpose: A review of the Patterns of Care Studies Process Survey data on carcinoma of the cervix conducted on patients in 1978, 1983, and 1988-89 was carried out to identify changes or trends in the demographics, evaluation, and treatment that might have occurred over this time period. Methods and Materials: Patterns of Care Studies conducted surveys on patients treated by radiation therapy for cervical carcinoma in 1978, 1983, and 1988-89. These surveys have compiled demographic and treatment data on a total of 993 patients. There is outcome data for the 1978 and 1983 surveys, but not for the 1988-89 survey because follow-up has not been collected yet. The demographic and treatment delivery data on all three surveys has been reviewed and analyzed and is the subject of this study. Results: There was no difference in the age distribution at the time of diagnosis of the patients in these surveys. The percentage of black patients remained constant in the three surveys, 19%, 17%, and 21%, respectively. The percentage of white patients was 76%, 78%, and 67%, but that of nonwhite/nonblack patients was 3%, 4%, and 12% (p 60 Co units decreased from 35 to 2% from the first to the third survey [6 to 0% for short source-surface distance (SSD) 60 Co units]. Point dose calculations for the intracavitary therapy increased from 78% in the 1978 survey to 95% in the third survey. As determined by the total dose delivered to the paracentral points, more patients (75.1%) were treated according to the Patterns of Care recommended guidelines in the 1988-89 survey than in the 1983 survey (63.6%). Chemotherapy was given to 12% of the patients undergoing radiation therapy during the period of the third survey, but these data are not available for the first and second surveys. Conclusion: Review of the Carcinoma of the Cervix Patterns of Care studies discloses significant changes in the demographics, patient evaluation, and radiation therapy techniques during the period of the studies. The

  16. A Pilot Survey of Clergy Regarding Mental Health Care for Children

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leigh Blalock

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Collaborations between healthcare and faith-based organizations have emerged in the drive to improve access to care. Little research has examined clergy views on collaborations in the provision of mental healthcare, particularly to children. The current paper reports survey responses of 25 clergy from diverse religious traditions concerning mental health care in children. Subjects queried include clergy referral habits, specific knowledge of childhood conditions such as depression and anxiety, past experiences with behavioral health workers, and resources available through their home institutions. Overall, surveyed clergy support collaborations to improve childhood mental health. However, they vary considerably in their confidence with recognizing mental illness in children and perceive significant barriers to collaborating with mental health providers.

  17. Investigating the sustainability of careers in academic primary care: a UK survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Calitri, Raff; Adams, Ann; Atherton, Helen; Reeve, Joanne; Hill, Nathan R

    2014-12-14

    The UK National Health Service (NHS) is undergoing institutional reorganisation due to the Health and Social Care Act-2012 with a continued restriction on funding within the NHS and clinically focused academic institutions. The UK Society for Academic Primary Care (SAPC) is examining the sustainability of academic primary care careers within this climate and preliminary qualitative work has highlighted individual and organisational barriers. This study seeks to quantify the current situation for academics within primary care. A survey of academic primary care staff was undertaken. Fifty-three academic primary care departments were selected. Members were invited to complete a survey which contained questions about an individual's career, clarity of career pathways, organisational culture, and general experience of working within the area. Data were analysed descriptively with cross-tabulations between survey responses and career position (early, mid-level, senior), disciplinary background (medical, scientist), and gender. Pearson chi-square test was used to determine likelihood that any observed difference between the sets arose by chance. Responses were received from 217 people. Career pathways were unclear for the majority of people (64%) and 43% of the workforce felt that the next step in their career was unclear. This was higher in women (52% vs. men 25%; χ(2)(3) = 14.76; p = 0.002) and higher in those in early career (50% vs. senior career, 25%) and mid-career(45%; vs. senior career; χ(2)(6) = 29.19, p cultural experiences. Sustainability of a academic primary care career is undermined by unclear pathways and a lack of promotion. If the discipline is to thrive, there is a need to support early and mid-career individuals via greater transparency of career pathways. Despite these findings staff remained positive about their careers.

  18. Primary care practice-based care management for chronically ill patients (PraCMan: study protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial [ISRCTN56104508

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Baldauf Annika

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Care management programmes are an effective approach to care for high risk patients with complex care needs resulting from multiple co-occurring medical and non-medical conditions. These patients are likely to be hospitalized for a potentially "avoidable" cause. Nurse-led care management programmes for high risk elderly patients showed promising results. Care management programmes based on health care assistants (HCAs targeting adult patients with a high risk of hospitalisation may be an innovative approach to deliver cost-efficient intensified care to patients most in need. Methods/Design PraCMan is a cluster randomized controlled trial with primary care practices as unit of randomisation. The study evaluates a complex primary care practice-based care management of patients at high risk for future hospitalizations. Eligible patients either suffer from type 2 diabetes mellitus, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic heart failure or any combination. Patients with a high likelihood of hospitalization within the following 12 months (based on insurance data will be included in the trial. During 12 months of intervention patients of the care management group receive comprehensive assessment of medical and non-medical needs and resources as well as regular structured monitoring of symptoms. Assessment and monitoring will be performed by trained HCAs from the participating practices. Additionally, patients will receive written information, symptom diaries, action plans and a medication plan to improve self-management capabilities. This intervention is addition to usual care. Patients from the control group receive usual care. Primary outcome is the number of all-cause hospitalizations at 12 months follow-up, assessed by insurance claims data. Secondary outcomes are health-related quality of life (SF12, EQ5D, quality of chronic illness care (PACIC, health care utilisation and costs, medication adherence (MARS, depression

  19. Perioperative management of obstructive sleep apnea: a survey of Veterans Affairs health care providers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dhanda Patil, Reena; Patil, Yash J

    2012-01-01

    (1) To determine the presence of Veterans Affairs (VA) institutional guidelines for the perioperative management of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA); (2) to examine current use of preoperative screening tools for OSA in the VA; and (3) to understand current VA practice patterns regarding postoperative disposition of patients with OSA. Survey study. Veterans Affairs hospitals with surgical services; sample size 102 facilities. Veterans Affairs health care providers. The authors surveyed health care providers at VA hospitals using a survey tool developed by the authors. The response rate was 80%. A variety of preoperative screening tools for OSA were used by respondents, most commonly American Society of Anesthesiologists guidelines (53%). A policy for postoperative disposition of known and presumed OSA was present in 26% and 19% of responses, respectively. Of those respondents reporting a formal postoperative care policy, 48% and 30% admitted patients to a monitored ward bed and surgical intensive care unit, respectively. Of the 74% of respondents unaware of an institutional policy, Anesthesia and Surgery worked together to dictate postoperative disposition of patients with known OSA 73% of the time. The degree of OSA was ranked as the most important factor (58%) influencing postoperative disposition. Ten percent of respondents reported a major perioperative complication attributable to OSA in the past year. This survey study elucidates the heterogeneity of preoperative screening for and postoperative care of veterans with OSA. Future investigators may use these data to formalize institutional policies with regard to patients with OSA, with potentially significant impacts on patient care and usage of financial resources.

  20. Satisfaction with care in labor and birth: a survey of 790 Australian women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, S; Lumley, J

    1994-03-01

    Data on satisfaction with care in labor and birth were gathered in a survey conducted in conjunction with a review of maternity services in Victoria, Australia. All women who gave birth in one week in 1989 (> 1000) were mailed questionnaires eight to nine months after the birth, with a response rate of 790 (71.4%). When adjusted for parity in a logistic regression model, the following factors were highly related to dissatisfaction with intrapartum care: lack of involvement in decision making (p maternal age, marital status, total family income, country of birth, or health insurance status. The survey results were influential in shaping final recommendations of the Ministerial Review of Birthing Services by countering stereotypes about women who become dissatisfied with their care, providing evidence of far greater dissatisfaction with intrapartum than antenatal care, and demonstrating the importance of information, participation in decision making, and relationships with caregivers to women's overall satisfaction with intrapartum care.

  1. The value of registered nurses in ambulatory care settings: a survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mastal, Margaret; Levine, June

    2012-01-01

    Ambulatory care settings employ 25% of the three million registered nurses in the United States. The American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nursing (AAACN) is committed to improving the quality of health care in ambulatory settings, enhancing patient outcomes, and realizing greater health care efficiencies. A survey of ambulatory care registered nurses indicates they are well positioned to lead and facilitate health care reform activities with organizational colleagues. They are well schooled in critical thinking, triage, advocating for patients, educating patients and families, collaborating with medical staff and other professionals, and care coordination. The evolving medical home concept and other health care delivery models reinforces the critical need for registered nurses to provide chronic disease management, care coordination, health risk appraisal, care transitions, health promotion, and disease prevention services. Recommendations are offered for organizational leaders, registered nurses, and AAACN to utilize nursing knowledge and skills in the pursuit of leading change and advancing health.

  2. New Zealand Nurses’ Perceptions of Spirituality and Spiritual care: Qualitative Findings from a National Survey

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Richard Egan

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents the qualitative findings from the first national survey of New Zealand nurses’ views on spirituality and spiritual care. The importance of spirituality as a core aspect of holistic nursing care is gaining momentum. Little is currently known about New Zealand nurses’ understandings, perceptions and experience of spirituality. Design: A descriptive online survey. Method: A random sample of 2000 individuals resident in New Zealand whose occupation on the New Zealand electoral roll suggested nursing was their current or past occupation were invited via postcard to participate in an online survey. This paper reports on the free response section of the survey. Findings: Overall, 472 invitees responded (24.1%. From the respondents, 63% completed at least one of the optional free response sections. Thematic analysis generated three metathemes: ‘The role of spirituality in nursing practice’, ‘Enabling best practice’, and ‘Creating a supportive culture’. Conclusions: Spirituality was predominantly valued as a core aspect of holistic nursing care. However, clarity is needed surrounding what constitutes spiritual care and how this intersects with professional responsibilities and boundaries. Participants’ insights suggest a focus on improving the consistency and quality of spiritual care by fostering inter-professional collaboration, and improved provision of resources and educational opportunities.

  3. Mapping the scope of occupational therapy practice in palliative care: A European Association for Palliative Care cross-sectional survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eva, Gail; Morgan, Deidre

    2018-05-01

    Occupational therapists play an integral role in the care of people with life-limiting illnesses. However, little is known about the scope of occupational therapy service provision in palliative care across Europe and factors influencing service delivery. This study aimed to map the scope of occupational therapy palliative care interventions across Europe and to explore occupational therapists' perceptions of opportunities and challenges when delivering and developing palliative care services. A 49-item online cross-sectional survey comprised of fixed and free text responses was securely hosted via the European Association for Palliative Care website. Survey design, content and recruitment processes were reviewed and formally approved by the European Association for Palliative Care Board of Directors. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were used to analyse data. Setting/respondents: Respondents were European occupational therapists whose caseload included palliative care recipients (full-time or part-time). In total, 237 valid responses were analysed. Findings demonstrated a consistency in occupational therapy practice in palliative care between European countries. Clinician time was prioritised towards indirect patient care, with limited involvement in service development, leadership and research. A need for undergraduate and postgraduate education was identified. Organisational expectations and understanding of the scope of the occupational therapy role constrain the delivery of services to support patients and carers. Further development of occupational therapy in palliative care, particularly capacity building in leadership and research activities, is warranted. There is a need for continuing education and awareness raising of the role of occupational therapy in palliative care.

  4. Adapting Child Care Market Price Surveys to Support State Quality Initiatives. White Paper

    Science.gov (United States)

    Branscome, Kenley

    2016-01-01

    Recent changes to the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) require a state's child care market price survey to: (1) be statistically valid and reliable and (2) reflect variations in the cost of child care services by geographic area, type of provider, and age of child. States may use an alternative methodology for setting payment rates--such as…

  5. Patient quality of life in the Mayo Clinic Care Transitions program: a survey study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Faucher J

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Joshua Faucher,1 Jordan Rosedahl,2 Dawn Finnie,3 Amy Glasgow,3 Paul Takahashi4 1Mayo Medical School, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, 2Division of Biomedical Statistics and Informatics, Department of Health Science Research, Mayo Clinic, 3Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery, 4Division of Primary Care Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA Background: Transitional care programs are common interventions aimed at reducing medical complications and associated readmissions for patients recently discharged from the hospital. While organizations strive to reduce readmissions, another important related metric is patient quality of life (QoL. Aims: To compare the relationship between QoL in patients enrolled in the Mayo Clinic Care Transitions (MCCT program versus usual care, and to determine if QoL changed in MCCT participants between baseline and 1-year follow-up. Methods: A baseline survey was mailed to MCCT enrollees in March 2013. Those who completed a baseline survey were sent a follow-up survey 1 year later. A cross-sectional survey of usual care participants was mailed in November 2013. We included in our analysis 199 participants (83 in the MCCT and 116 in usual care aged over 60 years with multiple comorbidities and receiving primary care. Primary outcomes were self-rated QoL; secondary outcomes included self-reported general, physical, and mental health. Intra- and intergroup comparisons of patients were evaluated using Pearson’s chi-squared analysis. Results: MCCT participants had more comorbidities and higher elder risk assessment scores than those receiving usual care. At baseline, 74% of MCCT participants reported responses of good-to-excellent QoL compared to 64% after 1 year (P=0.16. Between MCCT and usual care, there was no significant difference in self-reported QoL (P=0.21. Between baseline and follow-up in MCCT patients, and compared to usual care, there were no significant

  6. Stress levels of critical care doctors in India: A national survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amte, Rahul; Munta, Kartik; Gopal, Palepu B

    2015-05-01

    Doctors working in critical care units are prone to higher stress due to various factors such as higher mortality and morbidity, demanding service conditions and need for higher knowledge and technical skill. The aim was to evaluate the stress level and the causative stressors in doctors working in critical care units in India. A two modality questionnaire-based cross-sectional survey was conducted. In manual mode, randomly selected delegates attending the annual congress of Indian Society of Critical Care Medicine filled the questionnaire. In the electronic mode, the questionnaires were E-mailed to critical care doctors. These questionnaires were based on General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12). Completely filled 242 responses were utilized for comparative and correlation analysis. Prevalence of moderate to severe stress level was 40% with a mean score of 2 on GHQ-12 scale. Too much responsibility at times and managing VIP patients ranked as the top two stressors studied, while the difficult relationship with colleagues and sexual harassment were the least. Intensivists were spending longest hours in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) followed by pulmonologists and anesthetists. The mean number of ICU bed critical care doctors entrusted with was 13.2 ± 6.3. Substance abuse to relieve stress was reported as alcohol (21%), anxiolytic or antidepressants (18%) and smoking (14%). Despite the higher workload, stress levels measured in our survey in Indian critical care doctors were lower compared to International data. Substantiation of this data through a wider study and broad-based measures to improve the quality of critical care units and quality of the lives of these doctors is the need of the hour.

  7. Raising the Bar for the Care of Seriously Ill Patients: Results of a National Survey to Define Essential Palliative Care Competencies for Medical Students and Residents

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schaefer, Kristen G.; Chittenden, Eva H.; Sullivan, Amy M.; Periyakoil, Vyjeyanth S.; Morrison, Laura J.; Carey, Elise C.; Sanchez-Reilly, Sandra; Block, Susan D.

    2014-01-01

    Purpose Given the shortage of palliative care specialists in the U.S., to ensure quality of care for patients with serious, life-threatening illness, generalist-level palliative care competencies need to be defined and taught. The purpose of this study was to define essential competencies for medical students and internal medicine and family medicine (IM/FM) residents through a national survey of palliative care experts. Method Proposed competencies were derived from existing Hospice and Palliative Medicine fellowship competencies, and revised to be developmentally appropriate for students and residents. In spring 2012, the authors administered a web-based, national cross-sectional survey of palliative care educational experts to assess ratings and rankings of proposed competencies and competency domains. Results The authors identified 18 comprehensive palliative care competencies for medical students and IM/FM residents, respectively. Over 95% of survey respondents judged the competencies as comprehensive and developmentally appropriate (survey response rate=72%, 71/98). Using predefined cut-off criteria, experts identified 7 medical student and 13 IM/FM resident competencies as essential. Communication and pain/symptom management were rated as the most critical domains. Conclusions This national survey of palliative care experts defines comprehensive and essential palliative care competencies for medical students and IM/FM residents that are specific, measurable, and can be used to report educational outcomes; provide a sequence for palliative care curricula in undergraduate and graduate medical education; and highlight the importance of educating medical trainees in communication and pain management. Next steps include seeking input and endorsement from stakeholders in the broader medical education community. PMID:24979171

  8. Raising the bar for the care of seriously ill patients: results of a national survey to define essential palliative care competencies for medical students and residents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schaefer, Kristen G; Chittenden, Eva H; Sullivan, Amy M; Periyakoil, Vyjeyanth S; Morrison, Laura J; Carey, Elise C; Sanchez-Reilly, Sandra; Block, Susan D

    2014-07-01

    Given the shortage of palliative care specialists in the United States, to ensure quality of care for patients with serious, life-threatening illness, generalist-level palliative care competencies need to be defined and taught. The purpose of this study was to define essential competencies for medical students and internal medicine and family medicine (IM/FM) residents through a national survey of palliative care experts. Proposed competencies were derived from existing hospice and palliative medicine fellowship competencies and revised to be developmentally appropriate for students and residents. In spring 2012, the authors administered a Web-based, national cross-sectional survey of palliative care educational experts to assess ratings and rankings of proposed competencies and competency domains. The authors identified 18 comprehensive palliative care competencies for medical students and IM/FM residents, respectively. Over 95% of survey respondents judged the competencies as comprehensive and developmentally appropriate (survey response rate = 72%, 71/98). Using predefined cutoff criteria, experts identified 7 medical student and 13 IM/FM resident competencies as essential. Communication and pain/symptom management were rated as the most critical domains. This national survey of palliative care experts defines comprehensive and essential palliative care competencies for medical students and IM/FM residents that are specific, measurable, and can be used to report educational outcomes; provide a sequence for palliative care curricula in undergraduate and graduate medical education; and highlight the importance of educating medical trainees in communication and pain management. Next steps include seeking input and endorsement from stakeholders in the broader medical education community.

  9. Home blood pressure monitoring, secure electronic messaging and medication intensification for improving hypertension control: a mediation analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ralston, J D; Cook, A J; Anderson, M L; Catz, S L; Fishman, P A; Carlson, J; Johnson, R; Green, B B

    2014-01-01

    We evaluated the role of home monitoring, communication with pharmacists, medication intensification, medication adherence and lifestyle factors in contributing to the effectiveness of an intervention to improve blood pressure control in patients with uncontrolled essential hypertension. We performed a mediation analysis of a published randomized trial based on the Chronic Care Model delivered over a secure patient website from June 2005 to December 2007. Study arms analyzed included usual care with a home blood pressure monitor and usual care with home blood pressure monitor and web-based pharmacist care. Mediator measures included secure messaging and telephone encounters; home blood pressure monitoring; medications intensification and adherence and lifestyle factors. Overall fidelity to the Chronic Care Model was assessed with the Patient Assessment of Chronic Care (PACIC) instrument. The primary outcome was percent of participants with blood pressure (BP) <140/90 mm Hg. At 12 months follow-up, patients in the web-based pharmacist care group were more likely to have BP <140/90 mm Hg (55%) compared to patients in the group with home blood pressure monitors only (37%) (p = 0.001). Home blood pressure monitoring accounted for 30.3% of the intervention effect, secure electronic messaging accounted for 96%, and medication intensification for 29.3%. Medication adherence and self-report of fruit and vegetable intake and weight change were not different between the two study groups. The PACIC score accounted for 22.0 % of the main intervention effect. The effect of web-based pharmacist care on improved blood pressure control was explained in part through a combination of home blood pressure monitoring, secure messaging, and antihypertensive medication intensification.

  10. Reliability of a patient survey assessing cost-related changes in health care use among high deductible health plan enrollees

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Galbraith Alison A

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Recent increases in patient cost-sharing for health care have lent increasing importance to monitoring cost-related changes in health care use. Despite the widespread use of survey questions to measure changes in health care use and related behaviors, scant data exists on the reliability of such questions. Methods We administered a cross-sectional survey to a stratified random sample of families in a New England health plan's high deductible health plan (HDHP with ≥ $500 in annualized out-of-pocket expenditures. Enrollees were asked about their knowledge of their plan, information seeking, behavior change associated with having a deductible, experience of delay in care due in part to cost, and hypothetical delay in care due in part to cost. Initial respondents were mailed a follow-up survey within two weeks of each family returning the original survey. We computed several agreement statistics to measure the test-retest reliability for select questions. We also conducted continuity adjusted chi-square, and McNemar tests in both the original and follow-up samples to measure the degree to which our results could be reproduced. Analyses were stratified by self-reported income. Results The test-retest reliability was moderate for the majority of questions (0.41 - 0.60 and the level of test-retest reliability did not differ substantially across each of the broader domains of questions. The observed proportions of respondents with delayed or foregone pediatric, adult, or any family care were similar when comparing the original and follow-up surveys. In the original survey, respondents in the lower-income group were more likely to delay or forego pediatric care, adult care, or any family care. All of the tests comparing income groups in the follow-up survey produced the same result as in the original survey. Conclusions In this population of HDHP beneficiaries, we found that survey questions concerning plan knowledge, information

  11. Survey of CAM interest, self-care, and satisfaction with health care for type 2 diabetes at group health cooperative

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bradley Ryan

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Very little research has explored the factors that influence interest in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM treatments. We surveyed persons with sub-optimally controlled type 2 diabetes to evaluate potential relationships between interest in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM treatments, current self-care practices, motivation to improve self-care practices and satisfaction with current health care for diabetes. Methods 321 patients from a large integrated healthcare system with type 2 diabetes, who were not using insulin and had hemoglobin A1c values between 7.5-9.5%, were telephoned between 2009-2010 and asked about their self-care behaviors, motivation to change, satisfaction with current health care and interest in trying naturopathic (ND care for their diabetes. Responses from patients most interested in trying ND care were compared with those from patients with less interest. Results 219 (68.5% patients completed the survey. Nearly half (48% stated they would be very likely to try ND care for their diabetes if covered by their insurance. Interest in trying ND care was not related to patient demographics, health history, clinical status, or self-care behaviors. Patients with greater interest in trying ND care rated their current healthcare as less effective for controlling their blood sugar (mean response 5.9 +/- 1.9 vs. 6.6 +/- 1.5, p = 0.003, and were more determined to succeed in self-care (p = 0.007. Current CAM use for diabetes was also greater in ND interested patients. Conclusions Patients with sub-optimally controlled type 2 diabetes expressed a high level of interest in trying ND care. Those patients with the greatest interest were less satisfied with their diabetes care, more motivated to engage in self-care, and more likely to use other CAM therapies for their diabetes.

  12. A survey of cultural competence of critical care nurses in KwaZulu ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    A survey of cultural competence of critical care nurses in ... Nurses are primary caregivers and have a key role in providing care in a culturally ... relating to culture, gender or sexual orientation. ... concerning the population they work with, and although a ... lead to conflict, increased levels of anxiety, and stress among nurses,.

  13. Health care reform in Russia: a survey of head doctors and insurance administrators.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Twigg, Judyth L

    2002-12-01

    In keeping with the introduction of market-oriented reforms since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia's health care system has undergone a series of sweeping changes since 1992. These reforms, intended to overhaul socialized methods of health care financing and delivery and to replace them with a structure of competitive incentives to improve efficiency and quality of care, have met with mixed levels of implementation and results. This article probes some of the sources of support for and resistance to change in Russia's system of health care financing and delivery. It does so through a national survey of two key groups of participants in that system: head doctors in Russian clinics and hospitals, and the heads of the regional-level quasi-governmental medical insurance Funds. The survey results demonstrate that, on the whole, both head doctors and health insurance Fund directors claim to support the recent health care system reforms, although the latter's support is consistently statistically significantly stronger than that of the former. In addition, the insurance Fund directors' responses to the survey questions tend consistently to fall in the shape of a standard bell curve around the average responses, with a small number of respondents more in agreement with the survey statements than average, and a similarly small number of respondents less so. By contrast, the head doctors, along a wide variety of reform measures, split into two camps: one that strongly favors the marketization of health care, and one that would prefer a return to Soviet-style socialized medicine. The survey results show remarkable national consistency, with no variance according to the respondents' geographic location, regional population levels or other demographic or health characteristics, age of respondents, or size of health facility represented. These findings demonstrate the emergence of well-defined bureaucratic and political constituencies, their composition mixed depending

  14. Psychometric evaluation of an inpatient consumer survey measuring satisfaction with psychiatric care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ortiz, Glorimar; Schacht, Lucille

    2012-01-01

    Measurement of consumers' satisfaction in psychiatric settings is important because it has been correlated with improved clinical outcomes and administrative measures of high-quality care. These consumer satisfaction measurements are actively used as performance measures required by the accreditation process and for quality improvement activities. Our objectives were (i) to re-evaluate, through exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), the structure of an instrument intended to measure consumers' satisfaction with care in psychiatric settings and (ii) to examine and publish the psychometric characteristics, validity and reliability, of the Inpatient Consumer Survey (ICS). To psychometrically test the structure of the ICS, 34 878 survey results, submitted by 90 psychiatric hospitals in 2008, were extracted from the Behavioral Healthcare Performance Measurement System (BHPMS). Basic descriptive item-response and correlation analyses were performed for total surveys. Two datasets were randomly created for analysis. A random sample of 8229 survey results was used for EFA. Another random sample of 8261 consumer survey results was used for CFA. This same sample was used to perform validity and reliability analyses. The item-response analysis showed that the mean range for a disagree/agree five-point scale was 3.10-3.94. Correlation analysis showed a strong relationship between items. Six domains (dignity, rights, environment, empowerment, participation, and outcome) with internal reliabilities between good to moderate (0.87-0.73) were shown to be related to overall care satisfaction. Overall reliability for the instrument was excellent (0.94). Results from CFA provided support for the domains structure of the ICS proposed through EFA. The overall findings from this study provide evidence that the ICS is a reliable measure of consumer satisfaction in psychiatric inpatient settings. The analysis has shown the ICS to provide valid and

  15. Care of patients with Huntington's disease in South America: a survey

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ricardo Oliveira Horta Maciel

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available Huntington's disease (HD is a rare neurodegenerative disease with a multitude of symptoms, which requires access to specialized multidisciplinary care for adequate management. The aim of this study was to survey the characteristics of care in various HD centers in South America (SA. Methods A questionnaire was sent to 24 centers involved in the care for HD patients in SA. Results Of the total 24 centers, 19 (79.2% are academic units. The majority of centers (62.5% are general movement disorders clinics. Multidisciplinary care is available in 19 (79.2% centers and in 20 (83.3% care is provided free of charge. Genetic testing and counseling are available in 25 and 66.6% of centers, respectively. The majority of centers (83.3% have no institutional support for end-stage care. Conclusions Although HD centers in SA are committed to providing multidisciplinary care, access to genetic counseling and end-stage care are lacking in most centers.

  16. "Very Good" Ratings in a Survey of Maternity Care: Kindness and Understanding Matter to Australian Women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Todd, Angela L; Ampt, Amanda J; Roberts, Christine L

    2017-03-01

    Surveys have shown that women are highly satisfied with their maternity care. Their satisfaction has been associated with various demographic, personal, and care factors. Isolating the factors that most matter to women about their care can guide quality improvement efforts. This study aimed to identify the most significant factors associated with high ratings of care by women in the three maternity periods (antenatal, birth, and postnatal). A survey was sent to 2,048 women who gave birth at seven public hospitals in New South Wales, Australia, exploring their expectations of, and experiences with maternity care. Women's overall ratings of care for the antenatal, birth, and postnatal periods were analyzed, and a number of maternal characteristics and care factors examined as potential predictors of "Very good" ratings of care. Among 886 women with a completed survey, 65 percent assigned a "Very good" rating for antenatal care, 74 percent for birth care, 58 percent for postnatal care, and 44 percent for all three periods. One factor was strongly associated with care ratings in all three maternity periods: women who were "always or almost always" treated with kindness and understanding were 1.8-2.8 times more likely to rate their antenatal, birth, and postnatal care as "Very good." A limited number of other factors were significantly associated with high care ratings for one or two of the maternity periods. Women's perceptions about the quality of their interpersonal interactions with health caregivers have a significant bearing on women's views about their maternity care journey. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  17. Continuity of care is an important and distinct aspect of childbirth experience : Findings of a survey evaluating experienced continuity of care, experienced quality of care and women's perception of labor

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Perdok, Hilde; Verhoeven, Corine J.; van Dillen, Jeroen; Schuitmaker, Tjerk Jan; Hoogendoorn, Karla; Colli, Jolanda; Schellevis, François G.; de Jonge, Ank

    2018-01-01

    Background: To compare experienced continuity of care among women who received midwife-led versus obstetrician-led care. Secondly, to compare experienced continuity of care with a. experienced quality of care during labor and b. perception of labor. Methods: We conducted a questionnaire survey in a

  18. Exploring the variation in implementation of a COPD disease management programme and its impact on health outcomes: a post hoc analysis of the RECODE cluster randomised trial

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boland, Melinde R S; Kruis, Annemarije L; Huygens, Simone A; Tsiachristas, Apostolos; Assendelft, Willem J J; Gussekloo, Jacobijn; Blom, Coert M G; Chavannes, Niels H; Rutten-van Mölken, Maureen P M H

    2015-01-01

    This study aims to (1) examine the variation in implementation of a 2-year chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) management programme called RECODE, (2) analyse the facilitators and barriers to implementation and (3) investigate the influence of this variation on health outcomes. Implementation variation among the 20 primary-care teams was measured directly using a self-developed scale and indirectly through the level of care integration as measured with the Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care (PACIC) and the Assessment of Chronic Illness Care (ACIC). Interviews were held to obtain detailed information regarding the facilitators and barriers to implementation. Multilevel models were used to investigate the association between variation in implementation and change in outcomes. The teams implemented, on average, eight of the 19 interventions, and the specific package of interventions varied widely. Important barriers and facilitators of implementation were (in)sufficient motivation of healthcare provider and patient, the high starting level of COPD care, the small size of the COPD population per team, the mild COPD population, practicalities of the information and communication technology (ICT) system, and hurdles in reimbursement. Level of implementation as measured with our own scale and the ACIC was not associated with health outcomes. A higher level of implementation measured with the PACIC was positively associated with improved self-management capabilities, but this association was not found for other outcomes. There was a wide variety in the implementation of RECODE, associated with barriers at individual, social, organisational and societal level. There was little association between extent of implementation and health outcomes. PMID:26677770

  19. Exploring the variation in implementation of a COPD disease management programme and its impact on health outcomes: a post hoc analysis of the RECODE cluster randomised trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boland, Melinde R S; Kruis, Annemarije L; Huygens, Simone A; Tsiachristas, Apostolos; Assendelft, Willem J J; Gussekloo, Jacobijn; Blom, Coert M G; Chavannes, Niels H; Rutten-van Mölken, Maureen P M H

    2015-12-17

    This study aims to (1) examine the variation in implementation of a 2-year chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) management programme called RECODE, (2) analyse the facilitators and barriers to implementation and (3) investigate the influence of this variation on health outcomes. Implementation variation among the 20 primary-care teams was measured directly using a self-developed scale and indirectly through the level of care integration as measured with the Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care (PACIC) and the Assessment of Chronic Illness Care (ACIC). Interviews were held to obtain detailed information regarding the facilitators and barriers to implementation. Multilevel models were used to investigate the association between variation in implementation and change in outcomes. The teams implemented, on average, eight of the 19 interventions, and the specific package of interventions varied widely. Important barriers and facilitators of implementation were (in)sufficient motivation of healthcare provider and patient, the high starting level of COPD care, the small size of the COPD population per team, the mild COPD population, practicalities of the information and communication technology (ICT) system, and hurdles in reimbursement. Level of implementation as measured with our own scale and the ACIC was not associated with health outcomes. A higher level of implementation measured with the PACIC was positively associated with improved self-management capabilities, but this association was not found for other outcomes. There was a wide variety in the implementation of RECODE, associated with barriers at individual, social, organisational and societal level. There was little association between extent of implementation and health outcomes.

  20. Knowledge of medical students on National Health Care System: A French multicentric survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feral-Pierssens, A-L; Jannot, A-S

    2017-09-01

    Education on national health care policy and costs is part of our medical curriculum explaining how our health care system works. Our aim was to measure French medical students' knowledge about national health care funding, costs and access and explore association with their educational and personal background. We developed a web-based survey exploring knowledge on national health care funding, access and costs through 19 items and measured success score as the number of correct answers. We also collected students' characteristics and public health training. The survey was sent to undergraduate medical students and residents from five medical universities between July and November 2015. A total of 1195 students from 5 medical universities responded to the survey. Most students underestimated the total amount of annual medical expenses, hospitalization costs and the proportion of the general population not benefiting from a complementary insurance. The knowledge score was not associated with medical education level. Three students' characteristics were significantly associated with a better knowledge score: male gender, older age, and underprivileged status. Medical students have important gaps in knowledge regarding national health care funding, coverage and costs. This knowledge was not associated with medical education level but with some of the students' personal characteristics. All these results are of great concern and should lead us to discussion and reflection about medical and public health training. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  1. A survey of the health needs of hospital staff: implications for health care managers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jinks, Annette M; Lawson, Valerie; Daniels, Ruth

    2003-09-01

    Developing strategies to address the health needs of the National Health Services (NHS) workforce are of concern to many health care managers. Focal to the development of such strategies are of being in receipt of baseline information about employees expressed health needs and concerns. This article addresses obtaining such baseline information and presents the findings of a health needs survey of acute hospital staff in a trust in North Wales. The total population of trust employees were surveyed (n = 2300) and a 44% (n = 1021) response rate was achieved. A number of positive findings are given. Included are that the majority of those surveyed stated that their current health status is good, are motivated to improve their health further, do not smoke and their alcohol consumption is within recommended levels. There appears, however, to be a number of areas where trust managers can help its staff improve their health. Included are trust initiatives that focus on weight control and taking more exercise. In addition, there appears to be a reported lack of knowledge and positive health behaviour amongst the male respondents surveyed that would imply the trust needs to be more effective in promoting well man type issues. Finally there appears to be a general lack of pride in working for the trust and a pervasive feeling that the trust does not care about its employees that needs to be addressed. It is concluded that the findings of this survey have implications for management practices in the trust where the survey was conducted and also wider applicability to the management of health care professionals. For example, addressing work-related psychological and physical problems of employees are of importance to all health care managers. This is especially so when considering recruitment and retention issues.

  2. Management of Pediatric Delirium in Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Patients: An International Survey of Current Practices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Staveski, Sandra L; Pickler, Rita H; Lin, Li; Shaw, Richard J; Meinzen-Derr, Jareen; Redington, Andrew; Curley, Martha A Q

    2018-06-01

    The purpose of this study was to describe how pediatric cardiac intensive care clinicians assess and manage delirium in patients following cardiac surgery. Descriptive self-report survey. A web-based survey of pediatric cardiac intensive care clinicians who are members of the Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Society. Pediatric cardiac intensive care clinicians (physicians and nurses). None. One-hundred seventy-three clinicians practicing in 71 different institutions located in 13 countries completed the survey. Respondents described their clinical impression of the occurrence of delirium to be approximately 25%. Most respondents (75%) reported that their ICU does not routinely screen for delirium. Over half of the respondents (61%) have never attended a lecture on delirium. The majority of respondents (86%) were not satisfied with current delirium screening, diagnosis, and management practices. Promotion of day/night cycle, exposure to natural light, deintensification of care, sleep hygiene, and reorientation to prevent or manage delirium were among nonpharmacologic interventions reported along with the use of anxiolytic, antipsychotic, and medications for insomnia. Clinicians responding to the survey reported a range of delirium assessment and management practices in postoperative pediatric cardiac surgery patients. Study results highlight the need for improvement in delirium education for pediatric cardiac intensive care clinicians as well as the need for systematic evaluation of current delirium assessment and management practices.

  3. African Primary Care Research: Performing surveys using questionnaires

    OpenAIRE

    Govender, Indiran; Mabuza, Langalibalele H.; Ogunbanjo, Gboyega A.; Mash, Bob

    2014-01-01

    The aim of this article is to provide practical guidance on conducting surveys and the use of questionnaires for postgraduate students at a Masters level who are undertaking primary care research. The article is intended to assist with writing the methods section of the research proposal and thinking through the relevant issues that apply to sample size calculation, sampling strategy, design of a questionnaire and administration of a questionnaire. The articleis part of a larger series on pri...

  4. Perioperative care for lumbar microdiscectomy: a survey of Australasian neurosurgeons

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lim, Kai Zheong; Ghosh, Peter; Goldschlager, Tony

    2018-01-01

    Background Lumbar microdiscectomy is the most commonly performed spine surgery procedure. Over time it has evolved to a minimally invasive procedure. Traditionally patients were advised to restrict activity following lumbar spine surgery. However, post-operative instructions are heterogeneous. The purpose of this report is to assess, by survey, the perioperative care practices of Australasian neurosurgeons in the minimally invasive era. Methods A survey was conducted by email invitation sent to all full members of the Neurosurgical Society of Australasia (NSA). This consisted of 11 multi-choice questions relating to operative indications, technique, and post-operative instructions for lumbar microdiscectomy answered by an electronically distributed anonymized online survey. Results The survey was sent to all Australasian Neurosurgeons. In total, 68 complete responses were received (28.9%). Most surgeons reported they would consider a period of either 4 to 8 weeks (42.7%) or 8 to 12 weeks (32.4%) as the minimum duration of radicular pain adequate to offer surgery. Unilateral muscle dissection with unilateral discectomy was practiced by 76.5%. Operative microscopy was the most commonly employed method of magnification (76.5%). The majority (55.9%) always refer patients to undergo inpatient physiotherapy. Sitting restrictions were advised by 38.3%. Lifting restrictions were advised by 83.8%. Conclusions Australasian neurosurgical lumbar microdiscectomy perioperative care practices are generally consistent with international practices and demonstrate a similar degree of heterogeneity. Recommendation of post-operative activity restrictions by Australasian neurosurgeons is still common. This suggests a role for the investigation of the necessity of such restrictions in the era of minimally invasive spine surgery. PMID:29732417

  5. An international cross-sectional survey on the Quality and Costs of Primary Care (QUALICO-PC): recruitment and data collection of places delivering primary care across Canada.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wong, Sabrina T; Chau, Leena W; Hogg, William; Teare, Gary F; Miedema, Baukje; Breton, Mylaine; Aubrey-Bassler, Kris; Katz, Alan; Burge, Fred; Boivin, Antoine; Cooke, Tim; Francoeur, Danièle; Wodchis, Walter P

    2015-02-18

    Performance reporting in primary health care in Canada is challenging because of the dearth of concise and synthesized information. The paucity of information occurs, in part, because the majority of primary health care in Canada is delivered through a multitude of privately owned small businesses with no mechanism or incentives to provide information about their performance. The purpose of this paper is to report the methods used to recruit family physicians and their patients across 10 provinces to provide self-reported information about primary care and how this information could be used in recruitment and data collection for future large scale pan-Canadian and other cross-country studies. Canada participated in an international large scale study-the QUALICO-PC (Quality and Costs of Primary Care) study. A set of four surveys, designed to collect in-depth information regarding primary care activities was collected from: practices, providers, and patients (experiences and values). Invitations (telephone, electronic or mailed) were sent to family physicians. Eligible participants were sent a package of surveys. Provincial teams kept records on the number of: invitation emails/letters sent, physicians who registered, practices that were sent surveys, and practices returning completed surveys. Response and cooperation rates were calculated. Invitations to participate were sent to approximately 23,000 family physicians across Canada. A total of 792 physicians and 8,332 patients from 772 primary care practices completed the surveys, including 1,160 participants completing a Patient Values survey and 7,172 participants completing a Patient Experience survey. Overall, the response rate was very low ranging from 2% (British Columbia) to 21% (Nova Scotia). However, the participation rate was high, ranging from 72% (Ontario) to 100% (New Brunswick/Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland & Labrador). The difficulties obtaining acceptable response rates by family physicians for

  6. Caring for Patients with traumatic brain injury: a survey of nurses' perceptions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oyesanya, Tolu O; Brown, Roger L; Turkstra, Lyn S

    2017-06-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine nurses' perceptions about caring for patients with traumatic brain injury. Annually, it is estimated that over 10 million people sustain a traumatic brain injury around the world. Patients with traumatic brain injury and their families are often concerned with expectations about recovery and seek information from nurses. Nurses' perceptions of care might influence information provided to patients and families, particularly if inaccurate knowledge and perceptions are held. Thus, nurses must be knowledgeable about care of these patients. A cross-sectional survey, the Perceptions of Brain Injury Survey (PBIS), was completed electronically by 513 nurses between October and December 2014. Data were analysed with structural equation modelling, factor analysis, and pairwise comparisons. Using latent class analysis, authors were able to divide nurses into three homogeneous sub-groups based on perceived knowledge: low, moderate and high. Findings showed that nurses who care for patients with traumatic brain injury the most have the highest perceived confidence but the lowest perceived knowledge. Nurses also had significant variations in training. As there is limited literature on nurses' perceptions of caring for patients with traumatic brain injury, these findings have implications for training and educating nurses, including direction for development of nursing educational interventions. As the incidence of traumatic brain injury is growing, it is imperative that nurses be knowledgeable about care of patients with these injuries. The traumatic brain injury PBIS can be used to determine inaccurate perceptions about caring for patients with traumatic brain injury before educating and training nurses. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  7. Gambling addiction in primary care: a survey of general practitioners ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    We set out to study GPs' understanding of gambling addiction, their experiences of, and confidence in, managing these patients in primary care, their perceived role and feasibility, their views on funding gambling treatment services, etc. To this end, we carried out a postal questionnaire survey of all GPs (N=136) in Solihull, ...

  8. Global review of health care surveys using lot quality assurance sampling (LQAS), 1984-2004.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robertson, Susan E; Valadez, Joseph J

    2006-09-01

    We conducted a global review on the use of lot quality assurance sampling (LQAS) to assess health care services, health behaviors, and disease burden. Publications and reports on LQAS surveys were sought from Medline and five other electronic databases; the World Health Organization; the World Bank; governments, nongovernmental organizations, and individual scientists. We identified a total of 805 LQAS surveys conducted by different management groups during January 1984 through December 2004. There was a striking increase in the annual number of LQAS surveys conducted in 2000-2004 (128/year) compared with 1984-1999 (10/year). Surveys were conducted in 55 countries, and in 12 of these countries there were 10 or more LQAS surveys. Geographically, 317 surveys (39.4%) were conducted in Africa, 197 (28.5%) in the Americas, 115 (14.3%) in the Eastern Mediterranean, 114 (14.2%) in South-East Asia, 48 (6.0%) in Europe, and 14 (1.8%) in the Western Pacific. Health care parameters varied, and some surveys assessed more than one parameter. There were 320 surveys about risk factors for HIV/AIDS/sexually transmitted infections; 266 surveys on immunization coverage, 240 surveys post-disasters, 224 surveys on women's health, 142 surveys on growth and nutrition, 136 surveys on diarrheal disease control, and 88 surveys on quality management. LQAS surveys to assess disease burden included 23 neonatal tetanus mortality surveys and 12 surveys on other diseases. LQAS is a practical field method which increasingly is being applied in assessment of preventive and curative health services, and may offer new research opportunities to social scientists. When LQAS data are collected recurrently at multiple time points, they can be used to measure the spatial variation in behavior change. Such data provide insight into understanding relationships between various investments in social, human, and physical capital, and into the effectiveness of different public health strategies in achieving

  9. Continuous Palliative Sedation for Existential Distress? A Survey of Canadian Palliative Care Physicians' Views.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Voeuk, Anna; Nekolaichuk, Cheryl; Fainsinger, Robin; Huot, Ann

    2017-01-01

    Palliative sedation can be used for refractory symptoms during end-of-life care. However, continuous palliative sedation (CPS) for existential distress remains controversial due to difficulty determining when this distress is refractory. The aim was to determine the opinions and practices of Canadian palliative care physicians regarding CPS for existential distress. A survey focusing on experience and views regarding CPS for existential distress was sent to 322 members of the Canadian Society of Palliative Care Physicians. Eighty-one surveys returned (accessible target, 314), resulting in a response rate of 26%. One third (31%) of the respondents reported providing CPS for existential distress. On a 5-point Likert-type scale, 40% of participants disagreed, while 43% agreed that CPS could be used for existential distress alone. Differing opinions exist regarding this complex and potentially controversial issue, necessitating the education of health-care professionals and increased awareness within the general public.

  10. A survey of primary care resident attitudes toward continuity clinic patient handover

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Victor O. Kolade

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Background: Transfer of clinic patients from graduating residents to interns or junior residents occurs every year, affecting large numbers of patients. Breaches in care continuity may occur, with potential for risk to patient safety. Several guidelines have been developed for implementing standardized inpatient sign-outs, but no specific guidelines exist for outpatient handover. Methods: Residents in primary care programs – internal medicine, family medicine, and pediatrics – at a US academic medical center were invited to participate in an online survey. The invitation was extended approximately 2 years after electronic medical record (EMR rollout began at the institution. Results: Of 71 eligible residents, 22 (31% responded to the survey. Of these, 18 felt that handover of ambulatory patients was at least moderately important – but only one affirmed the existence of a system for handover. IM residents perceived that they had the highest proportion of high-risk patients (p=0.042; transition-of-care letters were more important to IM residents than other respondents (p=0.041. Conclusion: There is room for improvement in resident acknowledgement of handover processes in continuity clinics. In this study, IM residents attached greater importance to a specific handover tool than other primary care residents. Thus, the different primary care specialties may need to have different handover tools available to them within a shared EMR system.

  11. Evaluating a primary care psychology service in Ireland: a survey of stakeholders and psychologists.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Corcoran, Mark; Byrne, Michael

    2017-05-01

    Primary care psychology services (PCPS) represent an important resource in meeting the various health needs of our communities. This study evaluated the PCPS in a two-county area within the Republic of Ireland. The objectives were to (i) examine the viewpoints of the service for both psychologists and stakeholders (healthcare professionals only) and (ii) examine the enactment of the stepped care model of service provision. Separate surveys were sent to primary care psychologists (n = 8), general practitioners (GPs; n = 69) and other stakeholders in the two counties. GPs and stakeholders were required to rate the current PCPS. The GP survey specifically examined referrals to the PCPS and service configuration, while the stakeholder survey also requested suggestions for future service provision. Psychologists were required to provide information regarding their workload, time spent on certain tasks and productivity ideas. Referral numbers, waiting lists and waiting times were also obtained. All 8 psychologists, 23 GPs (33% response rate) and 37 stakeholders (unknown response rate) responded. GPs and stakeholders reported access to the PCPS as a primary concern, with waiting times of up to 80 weeks in some areas. Service provision to children and adults was uneven between counties. A stepped care model of service provision was not observed. Access can be improved by further implementation of a stepped care service, developing a high-throughput service for adults (based on a stepped care model), and employing a single waiting list for each county to ensure equal access. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  12. Point prevalence survey of antimicrobial utilization in a Canadian tertiary-care teaching hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Colin Lee

    2015-06-01

    Conclusion: This prospective point prevalence survey provided important baseline information on antimicrobial use within a large tertiary care teaching hospital and identified potential targets for future antimicrobial stewardship initiatives. A multi-center point prevalence survey should be considered to identify patterns of antimicrobial use in Canada and to establish the first steps toward international antimicrobial surveillance.

  13. The State of Neurocritical Care Fellowship Training and Attitudes toward Accreditation and Certification: A Survey of Neurocritical Care Fellowship Program Directors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rajat Dhar

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Neurocritical care as a recognized and distinct subspecialty of critical care has grown remarkably since its inception in the 1980s. As of 2016, there were 61 fellowship training programs accredited by the United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties (UCNS in the United States and more than 1,000 UCNS-certified neurointensivists from diverse medical backgrounds. In late 2015, the Program Accreditation, Physician Certification, and Fellowship Training (PACT Committee of the Neurocritical Care Society (NCS was convened to promote and support excellence in the training and certification of neurointensivists. One of the first tasks of the committee was to survey neurocritical care fellowship training program directors to ascertain the current state of fellowship training and attitudes regarding transition to Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME accreditation of training programs and American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS certification of physicians. First, the survey revealed significant heterogeneities in the manner of neurocritical care training and a lack of consistency in requirements for fellow procedural competency. Second, although a majority of the 33 respondents indicated that a move toward ACGME accreditation/ABMS certification would facilitate further growth and mainstreaming of training in neurocritical care, many programs do not currently meet administrative requirements and do not receive the level of institutional support that would be needed for such a transition. In summary, the results revealed that there is an opportunity for future harmonization of training standards and that a transition to ACGME accreditation/ABMS certification is preferred. While the results reflect the opinions of more than half of the survey respondents, they represent only a small sample of neurointensivists.

  14. Access to and Satisfaction with Prenatal Care Among Pregnant Women with Physical Disabilities: Findings from a National Survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitra, Monika; Akobirshoev, Ilhom; Moring, Nechama Sammet; Long-Bellil, Linda; Smeltzer, Suzanne C; Smith, Lauren D; Iezzoni, Lisa I

    2017-12-01

    Previous qualitative studies suggest that women with physical disabilities face disability-specific barriers and challenges related to prenatal care accessibility and quality. This study aims to examine the pregnancy and prenatal care experiences and needs of U.S. mothers with physical disabilities and their perceptions of their interactions with their maternity care clinicians. We conducted the first survey of maternity care access and experiences of women with physical disabilities from 37 states. The survey was disseminated in partnership with disability community agencies and via social media and targeted U.S. women with a range of physical disabilities who had given birth in the past 10 years. The survey included questions regarding prenatal care quality and childbirth and labor experiences. A total of 126 women with various physical disability types from 37 states completed the survey. Almost half of the respondents (53.2%) reported that their physical disability was a big factor in their selection of a maternity care provider and 40.3% of women reported that their prenatal care provider knew little or nothing about the impact of their physical disability on their pregnancy. Controlling for maternal demographic characteristics and use of mobility equipment, women who reported that their prenatal care provider lacked knowledge of disability and those who felt they were not given adequate information were more likely to report unmet needs for prenatal care. The findings from this study suggest the need for training and education for clinicians regarding the prenatal care needs of women with physical disabilities.

  15. A pilot survey of post-deployment health care needs in small community-based primary care clinics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pugh Mary J

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Relatively little is known regarding to what extent community-based primary care physicians are encountering post-deployment health care needs among veterans of the Afghanistan or Iraq conflicts and their family members. Methods This pilot study conducted a cross-sectional survey of 37 primary care physicians working at small urban and suburban clinics belonging to a practice-based research network in the south central region of Texas. Results Approximately 80% of the responding physicians reported caring for patients who have been deployed to the Afghanistan or Iraq war zones, or had a family member deployed. Although these physicians noted a variety of conditions related to physical trauma, mental illnesses and psychosocial disruptions such as marital, family, financial, and legal problems appeared to be even more prevalent among their previously deployed patients and were also noted among family members of deployed veterans. Conclusions Community-based primary care physicians should be aware of common post-deployment health conditions and the resources that are available to meet these needs.

  16. Palliative Care Exposure in Internal Medicine Residency Education: A Survey of ACGME Internal Medicine Program Directors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edwards, Asher; Nam, Samuel

    2018-01-01

    As the baby boomer generation ages, the need for palliative care services will be paramount and yet training for palliative care physicians is currently inadequate to meet the current palliative care needs. Nonspecialty-trained physicians will need to supplement the gap between supply and demand. Yet, no uniform guidelines exist for the training of internal medicine residents in palliative care. To our knowledge, no systematic study has been performed to evaluate how internal medicine residencies currently integrate palliative care into their training. In this study, we surveyed 338 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited internal medicine program directors. We queried how palliative care was integrated into their training programs. The vast majority of respondents felt that palliative care training was "very important" (87.5%) and 75.9% of respondents offered some kind of palliative care rotation, often with a multidisciplinary approach. Moving forward, we are hopeful that the data provided from our survey will act as a launching point for more formal investigations into palliative care education for internal medicine residents. Concurrently, policy makers should aid in palliative care instruction by formalizing required palliative care training for internal medicine residents.

  17. Health care issues in Croatian elections 2005-2010: series of public opinion surveys.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Radin, Dagmar; Dzakula, Aleksandar; Benkovic, Vanesa

    2011-10-15

    To compare the results of a series of public opinion surveys on experiences with the health care sector in Croatia conducted in the time of elections and to analyze whether political party affiliation had any influence on issues of priority ranking. The surveys were conducted during 2005, 2007, and 2009. They were administered through a Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing method to representative samples of Croatian population and were statistically weighted according to sex, age, level of education, and political party affiliation. The random sampling of the person within the household was done using the table of random numbers. Health and health care system was the most important issue (58%) during the 2007 parliamentary election and the second most important issue during the 2005 and 2009 elections (46% and 28%). In the 2007 election, health care was viewed as most important by women, respondents with lower education levels, and respondents with lower income. In 2005, the most important health care issues were corruption and lack of funding (45% and 43%, respectively), in 2007 poor organization and lack of funding (43% and 42%, respectively), and in 2009 lack of funding and corruption (51% and 45%, respectively). Health and health care system were consistently among the top two issues in all elections from 2005 to 2009. The top three most important health care sector issues were corruption, poor organization, and lack of funding. This indicates that political parties should include solutions to these issues in their health care policymaking.

  18. The GP Patient Survey for use in primary care in the National Health Service in the UK--development and psychometric characteristics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Campbell, John; Smith, Patten; Nissen, Sonja; Bower, Peter; Elliott, Marc; Roland, Martin

    2009-08-22

    The UK National GP Patient Survey is one of the largest ever survey programmes of patients registered to receive primary health care, inviting five million respondents to report their experience of NHS primary healthcare. The third such annual survey (2008/9) involved the development of a new survey instrument. We describe the process of that development, and the findings of an extensive pilot survey in UK primary healthcare. The survey was developed following recognised guidelines and involved expert and stakeholder advice, cognitive testing of early versions of the survey instrument, and piloting of the questionnaire in a cross sectional pilot survey of 1,500 randomly selected individuals from the UK electoral register with two reminders to non-respondents. The questionnaire comprises 66 items addressing a range of aspects of UK primary healthcare. A response rate of 590/1500 (39.3%) was obtained. Non response to individual items ranged from 0.8% to 15.3% (median 5.2%). Participants did not always follow internal branching instructions in the questionnaire although electronic controls allow for correction of this problem in analysis. There was marked skew in the distribution of responses to a number of items indicating an overall favourable impression of care. Principal components analysis of 23 items offering evaluation of various aspects of primary care identified three components (relating to doctor or nurse care, or addressing access to care) accounting for 68.3% of the variance in the sample. The GP Patient Survey has been carefully developed and pilot-tested. Survey findings, aggregated at practice level, will be used to inform the distribution of pound sterling 65 million ($107 million) of UK NHS resource in 2008/9 and this offers the opportunity for NHS service planners and providers to take account of users' experiences of health care in planning and delivering primary healthcare in the UK.

  19. Delirium the under-recognised syndrome: survey of healthcare professionals' awareness and practice in the intensive care units.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Selim, Abeer A; Wesley Ely, E

    2017-03-01

    To survey intensive care unit healthcare professionals' awareness and practice related to delirium. Despite the current evidence revealing the risks linked to delirium and advances in practice guidelines promoting delirium assessment, healthcare professionals show little sensitivity towards delirium and evident training needs. The study had a cross-sectional survey design. A sample of 168 intensive care unit healthcare professionals including nurses and physicians completed a semistructured questionnaire to survey their awareness, screening and management of delirium in intensive care units. The survey took place at 11 intensive care units from academic (university) and nonacademic (nonuniversity) governmental hospitals in Mansoura, Egypt. The mean score of delirium awareness was 64·4 ± 14·0 among intensive care unit healthcare professionals. Awareness of delirium was significantly lower when definition of delirium was not provided, among diploma nurses compared to bachelor degree nurses and physicians, among those who did not attend any workshop/lecture or read an article related to delirium and lastly, those who work in an intensive care unit when delirium. The survey found that only 26·8% of the healthcare professionals screen for delirium on a routine basis, and 14·3% reported attending workshops or lectures or reading an article related to delirium in the last year. In screening delirium, healthcare professionals did not use any tools, nor did they follow adopted protocols or guidelines to manage delirium. To manage delirium, 52·4% of the participants reported using sedatives, 36·9% used no drugs, and 10·7% reported using antipsychotics (primarily haloperidol). Intensive care unit healthcare professionals do not have adequate training or routine screening of delirium. There is an evident absence of using standardised tools or adapting protocols to monitor and manage delirium. This study has the potentials to shed some lights on the variables that

  20. Tutorial on technology transfer and survey design and data collection for measuring Internet and Intranet existence, usage, and impact (survey-2000) in acute care hospitals in the United States.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hatcher, M

    2001-02-01

    This paper provides a tutorial of technology transfer for management information systems in health care. Additionally it describes the process for a national survey of acute care hospitals using a random sample of 813 hospitals. The purpose of the survey was to measure the levels of Internet and Intranet existence and usage in acute care hospitals. The depth of the survey includes e-commerce for both business to business and with customers. The relationships with systems approaches, user involvement, user satisfaction and decision-making will be studied. Changes with results of a prior survey conducted in 1997 can be studied and enabling and inhabiting factors identified. This information will provide benchmarks for hospitals to plan their network technology position and to set goals.

  1. Consumer assessment of healthcare providers and systems surgical care survey: benefits and challenges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schulz, Kristine A; Rhee, John S; Brereton, Jean M; Zema, Carla L; Witsell, David L

    2012-10-01

    To describe the feasibility and initial results of the implementation of a continuous quality improvement project using the newly available Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Surgical Care Survey (S-CAHPS), in a small cohort of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery practices. Prospective observational study using a newly validated health care consumer survey. Two community-based and 2 university-based otolaryngology-head and neck surgery outpatient clinic practices. Fourteen board-certified otolaryngology, head and neck surgeons from 4 practice sites voluntarily participated in this project. All adult patients scheduled for surgery during a 12-month period were asked to complete the S-CAHPS survey through an electronic data capture (EDC) system 7 to 28 days after surgery. The surgeons were not directly involved in administration or collection of survey data. Three sites successfully implemented the S-CAHPS project. A 39.9% response rate was achieved for the cohort of surgical patients entered into the EDC system. While most patients rated their surgeons very high (mean of 9.5 or greater out of 10), subanalysis revealed there is variability among sites and surgeons in communication practices. From these data, a potential surgeon Quality Improvement report was developed that highlights priority areas to improve surgeon-patient rapport. The S-CAHPS survey can be successfully implemented in most otolaryngology practices, and our initial work holds promise for how the survey can be best deployed and analyzed for the betterment of both the surgeon and the patient.

  2. Status of simulation in health care education: an international survey

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qayumi, Karim; Pachev, George; Zheng, Bin; Ziv, Amitai; Koval, Valentyna; Badiei, Sadia; Cheng, Adam

    2014-01-01

    Simulation is rapidly penetrating the terrain of health care education and has gained growing acceptance as an educational method and patient safety tool. Despite this, the state of simulation in health care education has not yet been evaluated on a global scale. In this project, we studied the global status of simulation in health care education by determining the degree of financial support, infrastructure, manpower, information technology capabilities, engagement of groups of learners, and research and scholarly activities, as well as the barriers, strengths, opportunities for growth, and other aspects of simulation in health care education. We utilized a two-stage process, including an online survey and a site visit that included interviews and debriefings. Forty-two simulation centers worldwide participated in this study, the results of which show that despite enormous interest and enthusiasm in the health care community, use of simulation in health care education is limited to specific areas and is not a budgeted item in many institutions. Absence of a sustainable business model, as well as sufficient financial support in terms of budget, infrastructure, manpower, research, and scholarly activities, slows down the movement of simulation. Specific recommendations are made based on current findings to support simulation in the next developmental stages. PMID:25489254

  3. Violence in the emergency department: a survey of health care workers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fernandes, C M; Bouthillette, F; Raboud, J M; Bullock, L; Moore, C F; Christenson, J M; Grafstein, E; Rae, S; Ouellet, L; Gillrie, C; Way, M

    1999-11-16

    Violence in the workplace is an ill-defined and underreported concern for health care workers. The objectives of this study were to examine perceived levels of violence in the emergency department, to obtain health care workers' definitions of violence, to determine the effect of violence on health care workers and to determine coping mechanisms and potential preventive strategies. A retrospective written survey of all 163 emergency department employees working in 1996 at an urban inner-city tertiary care centre in Vancouver. The survey elicited demographic information, personal definition of violence, severity of violence, degree of stress as a result of violence and estimate of the number of encounters with violence in the workplace in 1996. The authors examined the effects of violence on job performance and job satisfaction, and reviewed coping and potential preventive strategies. Of the 163 staff, 106 (65%) completed the survey. A total of 68% (70/103) reported an increased frequency of violence over time, and 60% (64/106) reported an increased severity. Most of the respondents felt that violence included witnessing verbal abuse (76%) and witnessing physical threats or assaults (86%). Sixty respondents (57%) were physically assaulted in 1996. Overall, 51 respondents (48%) reported impaired job performance for the rest of the shift or the rest of the week after an incident of violence. Seventy-seven respondents (73%) were afraid of patients as a result of violence, almost half (49%) hid their identities from patients, and 78 (74%) had reduced job satisfaction. Over one-fourth of the respondents (27/101) took days off because of violence. Of the 18 respondents no longer working in the emergency department, 12 (67%) reported that they had left the job at least partly owing to violence. Twenty-four-hour security and a workshop on violence prevention strategies were felt to be the most useful potential interventions. Physical exercise, sleep and the company of

  4. Design and operation of the National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs, 2009-2010.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bramlett, Matthew D; Blumberg, Stephen J; Ormson, A Elizabeth; George, Jacquelyn M; Williams, Kim L; Frasier, Alicia M; Skalland, Benjamin J; Santos, Kathleen B; Vsetecka, Danielle M; Morrison, Heather M; Pedlow, Steven; Wang, Fang

    2014-11-01

    This report presents the development, plan, and operation of the 2009-2010 National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs, a module of the State and Local Area Integrated Telephone Survey. The survey is conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics. This survey was designed to produce national and state-specific prevalence estimates of children with special health care needs (CSHCN), to describe the types of services that they need and use, and to assess aspects of the system of care for CSHCN. A random-digit-dial sample of households with children under age 18 years was constructed for each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The sampling frame consisted of landline phone numbers and cellular(cell) phone numbers of households that reported a cell-phone-only or cell-phone-mainly status. Children in identified households were screened for special health care needs. If CSHCN were identified in the household, a detailed interview was conducted for one randomly selected child with special health care needs. Respondents were parents or guardians who knew about the children's health and health care. A total of 196,159 household screening interviews were completed from July 2009 through March 2011, resulting in 40,242 completed special-needs interviews, including 2,991 from cell-phone interviews. The weighted overall response rate was 43.7% for the landline sample, 15.2% for the cell-phone sample, and 25.5% overall. All material appearing in this report is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission; citation as to source, however, is appreciated.

  5. Palliative Care in Diffuse Interstitial Lund Disease: Results of a Spanish Survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barril, Silvia; Alonso, Ana; Rodríguez-Portal, José Antonio; Viladot, Margarita; Giner, Jordi; Aparicio, Francisco; Romero-Ortiz, Ana; Acosta, Orlando; Castillo, Diego

    2018-03-01

    Interstitial lung diseases (ILD) and, in particular, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, may have a significant impact on patient survival. Recent studies highlight the need for palliative care (PC) in the management of ILD patients. The aim of this study was to determine the current situation of PC in patients in Spain. A 36-question survey addressing the main aspects of PC in ILD patients was designed. The survey was sent via email to all members of the Spanish Society of Pulmonology and Thoracic Surgery. Participation was voluntary. One hundred and sixty-four participants responded to the survey. Ninety-eight percent said they were interested in PC, 46% had received specific training, and 44% reported being responsible for PC in their ILD patients. Symptom control and end-of-life stage were the most frequent reasons for referral to PC teams. Regarding end-of-life, 78% reported consensual agreement with patients on the limitation of therapeutic efforts, 35% helped prepare an end-of-life advance directive, and 22% agreed on the place of death. Despite the well-known need for PC in patients with ILD and the notable interest of the survey participants in this subject, there are clear formative and organizational gaps that should be addressed to improve care in this area in ILD patients in Spain. Copyright © 2017 SEPAR. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  6. Health care issues in Croatian elections 2005-2009: series of public opinion surveys

    Science.gov (United States)

    Radin, Dagmar; Džakula, Aleksandar; Benković, Vanesa

    2011-01-01

    Aim To compare the results of a series of public opinion surveys on experiences with the health care sector in Croatia conducted in the time of elections and to analyze whether political party affiliation had any influence on issues of priority ranking. Methods The surveys were conducted during 2005, 2007, and 2009. They were administered through a Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing method to representative samples of Croatian population and were statistically weighted according to sex, age, level of education, and political party affiliation. The random sampling of the person within the household was done using the table of random numbers. Results Health and health care system was the most important issue (58%) during the 2007 parliamentary election and the second most important issue during the 2005 and 2009 elections (46% and 28%). In the 2007 election, health care was viewed as most important by women, respondents with lower education levels, and respondents with lower income. In 2005, the most important health care issues were corruption and lack of funding (45% and 43%, respectively), in 2007 poor organization and lack of funding (43% and 42%, respectively), and in 2009 lack of funding and corruption (51% and 45%, respectively). Conclusion Health and health care system were consistently among the top two issues in all elections from 2005 to 2009. The top three most important health care sector issues were corruption, poor organization, and lack of funding. This indicates that political parties should include solutions to these issues in their health care policymaking. PMID:21990075

  7. Pediatric caregiver attitudes toward email communication: survey in an urban primary care setting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dudas, Robert Arthur; Crocetti, Michael

    2013-10-23

    Overall usage of email communication between patients and physicians continues to increase, due in part to expanding the adoption of electronic health records and patient portals. Unequal access and acceptance of these technologies has the potential to exacerbate disparities in care. Little is known about the attitudes of pediatric caregivers with regard to their acceptance of email as a means to communicate with their health care providers. We conducted a survey to assess pediatric caregiver access to and attitudes toward the use of electronic communication modalities to communicate with health care providers in an urban pediatric primary care clinic. Participants were pediatric caregivers recruited from an urban pediatric primary care clinic in Baltimore, Maryland, who completed a 35-item questionnaire in this cross-sectional study. Of the 229 caregivers who completed the survey (91.2% response rate), 171 (74.6%) reported that they use email to communicate with others. Of the email users, 145 respondents (86.3%) stated that they would like to email doctors, although only 18 (10.7%) actually do so. Among email users, African-American caregivers were much less likely to support the expanded use of email communication with health care providers (adjusted OR 0.34, 95% CI 0.14-0.82) as were those with annual incomes less than US $30,000 (adjusted OR 0.26, 95% CI 0.09-0.74). Caregivers of children have access to email and many would be interested in communicating with health care providers. However, African-Americans and those in lower socioeconomic groups were much less likely to have positive attitudes toward email.

  8. Why do patients receive care from a short-term medical mission? Survey study from rural Guatemala.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Esquivel, Micaela M; Chen, Joy C; Woo, Russell K; Siegler, Nora; Maldonado-Sifuentes, Francisco A; Carlos-Ochoa, Jehidy S; Cardona-Diaz, Andy R; Uribe-Leitz, Tarsicio; Siegler, Dennis; Weiser, Thomas G; Yang, George P

    2017-07-01

    Hospital de la Familia was established to serve the indigent population in the western highlands of Guatemala and has a full-time staff of Guatemalan primary care providers supplemented by short-term missions of surgical specialists. The reasons for patients seeking surgical care in this setting, as opposed to more consistent care from local institutions, are unclear. We sought to better understand motivations of patients seeking mission-based surgical care. Patients presenting to the obstetric and gynecologic, plastic, ophthalmologic, general, and pediatric surgical clinics at the Hospital de la Familia from July 27 to August 6, 2015 were surveyed. The surveys assessed patient demographics, surgical diagnosis, location of home, mode of travel, and reasons for seeking care at this facility. Of 252 patients surveyed, 144 (59.3%) were female. Most patients reported no other medical condition (67.9%, n = 169) and no consistent income (83.9%, n = 209). Almost half (44.9%, n = 109) traveled >50 km to receive care. The most common reasons for choosing care at this facility were reputation of high quality (51.8%, n = 130) and affordability (42.6%, n = 102); the least common reason was a lack of other options (6.4%, n = 16). Despite long travel distances and the availability of other options, reputation and affordability were primarily cited as the most common reasons for choosing to receive care at this short-term surgical mission site. Our results highlight that although other surgical options may be closer and more readily available, reputation and cost play a large role in choice of patients seeking care. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  9. A comparison of a postal survey and mixed-mode survey using a questionnaire on patients’ experiences with breast care.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Zuidgeest, M.; Hendriks, M.; Koopman, L.; Spreeuwenberg, P.; Rademakers, J.

    2011-01-01

    BACKGROUND: The Internet is increasingly considered to be an efficient medium for assessing the quality of health care seen from the patients' perspective. Potential benefits of Internet surveys such as time efficiency, reduced effort, and lower costs should be balanced against potential weaknesses

  10. The state of survivorship care in radiation oncology: Results from a nationally distributed survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frick, Melissa A; Rosenthal, Seth A; Vapiwala, Neha; Monzon, Brian T; Berman, Abigail T

    2018-04-18

    Survivorship care has become an increasingly critical component of oncologic care as well as a quality practice and reimbursement metric. To the authors' knowledge, the current climate of survivorship medicine in radiation oncology has not been investigated fully. An institutional review board-approved, Internet-based survey examining practices and preparedness in survivorship care was distributed to radiation oncology practices participating in the American College of Radiology Radiation Oncology Practice Accreditation program between November 2016 and January 2017. A total of 78 surveys were completed. Among these, 2 were nonphysicians, resulting in 76 evaluable responses. Radiation oncologists (ROs) frequently reported that they are the primary provider in the evaluation of late toxicities and the recurrence of primary cancer. Although approximately 68% of ROs frequently discuss plans for future care with survivors, few provide a written survivorship care plan to their patients (18%) or the patients' primary care providers (24%). Patient prognosis, disease site, and reimbursement factors often influence the provision of survivorship care. Although ROs report that several platforms offer training in survivorship medicine, the quality of these resources is variable and extensive instruction is rare. Fewer than one-half of ROs believe they are expertly trained in survivorship care. ROs play an active role within the multidisciplinary team in the cancer-related follow-up care of survivors. Investigation of barriers to the provision of survivorship care and optimization of service delivery should be pursued further. The development of high-quality, easily accessible educational programming is needed so that ROs can participate more effectively in the care of cancer survivors. Cancer 2018. © 2018 American Cancer Society. © 2018 American Cancer Society.

  11. Medicinal Cannabis: A Survey Among Health Care Providers in Washington State

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carlini, Beatriz H; Garrett, Sharon B; Carter, Gregory T

    2017-02-01

    Washington State allows marijuana use for medical (since 1998) and recreational (since 2012) purposes. The benefits of medicinal cannabis (MC) can be maximized if clinicians educate patients about dosing, routes of administration, side effects, and plant composition. However, little is known about clinicians' knowledge and practices in Washington State. An anonymous online survey assessed providers' MC knowledge, beliefs, clinical practices, and training needs. The survey was disseminated through health care providers' professional organizations in Washington State. Descriptive analysis compared providers who had and had not authorized MC for patients. Survey results informed the approach and content of an online training on best clinical practices of MC. Four hundred ninety-four health care providers responded to the survey. Approximately two-third were women, aged 30 to 60 years, and working in family or internal medicine. More than half of the respondents were legally allowed to write MC authorizations per Washington State law, and 27% of those had issued written MC authorizations. Overall, respondents reported low knowledge and comfort level related to recommending MC. Respondents rated MC knowledge as important and supported inclusion of MC training in medical/health provider curriculum. Most Washington State providers have not received education on scientific basis of MC or training on best clinical practices of MC. Clinicians who had issued MC authorizations were more likely to have received MC training than those who had not issued MC authorization. The potential of MCs to benefit some patients is hindered by the lack of comfort of clinicians to recommend it. Training opportunities are badly needed to address these issues.

  12. Current advance care planning practice in the Australian community: an online survey of home care package case managers and service managers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sellars, Marcus; Detering, Karen M; Silvester, William

    2015-04-23

    Advance care planning (ACP) is the process of planning for future healthcare that is facilitated by a trained healthcare professional, whereby a person's values, beliefs and treatment preferences are made known to guide clinical decision-making at a future time when they cannot communicate their decisions. Despite the potential benefits of ACP for community aged care clients the availability of ACP is unknown, but likely to be low. In Australia many of these clients receive services through Home Care Package (HCP) programs. This study aimed to explore current attitudes, knowledge and practice of advance care planning among HCP service managers and case managers. An invitation to take part in a cross-sectional online survey was distributed by email to all HCP services across Australia in November 2012. Descriptive analyses were used to examine overall patterns of responses to each survey item in the full sample. 120 (response rate 25%) service managers and 178 (response rate 18%) case managers completed the survey. Only 34% of services had written ACP policies and procedures in place and 48% of case managers had previously completed any ACP training. In addition, although most case managers (70%) had initiated an ACP discussion in the past 12 months and viewed ACP as part of their role, the majority of the conversations (80%) did not result in documentation of the client's wishes and most (85%) of the case managers who responded did not believe ACP was done well within their service. This survey shows low organisational ACP systems and support for case managers and a lack of a normative approach to ACP across Australian HCP services. As HCPs become more prevalent it is essential that a model of ACP is developed and evaluated in this setting, so that clients have the opportunity to discuss and document their future healthcare wishes if they choose to.

  13. The Use of Emergency Medication Kits in Community Palliative Care: An Exploratory Survey of Views of Current Practice in Australian Home-Based Palliative Care Services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bullen, Tracey; Rosenberg, John P; Smith, Bradley; Maher, Kate

    2015-09-01

    Improving symptom management for palliative care patients has obvious benefits for patients and advantages for the clinicians, as workload demands and work-related stress can be reduced when the emergent symptoms of patients are managed in a timely manner. The use of emergency medication kits (EMKs) can provide such timely symptom relief. The purpose of this study was to conduct a survey of a local service to examine views on medication management before and after the implementation of an EMK and to conduct a nationwide prevalence survey examining the use of EMKs in Australia. Most respondents from community palliative care services indicated that EMKs were not being supplied to palliative care patients but believed such an intervention could improve patient care. © The Author(s) 2014.

  14. Supportive care for children with acute leukemia - Report of a survey on supportive care by the Dutch Childhood Leukemia Study Group. Part I

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Postma, A; Van Leeuwen, EF; Gerritsen, EJA; Roord, JJ; De vries-Hospers, HG

    1998-01-01

    The Dutch Childhood Leukemia Study Group celebrated its 20th anniversary by conducting a nationwide survey on supportive care for children with leukemia. Pediatricians were asked about daily practice and current perceptions with regard to supportive care. The results are discussed and compared to

  15. Conservative care for ESRD in the United Kingdom: a national survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Okamoto, Ikumi; Tonkin-Crine, Sarah; Rayner, Hugh; Murtagh, Fliss E M; Farrington, Ken; Caskey, Fergus; Tomson, Charles; Loud, Fiona; Greenwood, Roger; O'Donoghue, Donal J; Roderick, Paul

    2015-01-07

    Conservative kidney management (CKM) has been developed in the United Kingdom (UK) as an alternative to dialysis for older patients with stage 5 CKD (CKD5) and multiple comorbidities. This national survey sought to describe the current scale and pattern of delivery of conservative care in UK renal units and identify their priorities for its future development. A survey on practice patterns of CKM for patients age 75 and older with CKD5 was sent to clinical directors of all 71 adult renal units in the UK in March 2013. Sixty-seven units (94%) responded. All but one unit reported providing CKM for some patients. Terminology varied, although "conservative management" was the most frequently used term (46%). Lack of an agreed-upon definition of when a patient is receiving CKM made it difficult to obtain meaningful data on the numbers of such patients. Fifty-two percent provided the number of CKM patients age ≥ 75 years in 2012; the median was 45 per unit (interquartile range [IQR], 20-83). The median number of symptomatic CKM patients who would otherwise have started dialysis was eight (IQR, 4.5-22). CKM practice patterns varied: 35% had a written guideline, 23% had dedicated CKM clinics, 45% had dedicated staff, and 50% provided staff training on CKM. Most units (88%) provided primary care clinicians with information/advice regarding CKM. Eighty percent identified a need for better evidence comparing outcomes on CKM versus dialysis, and 65% considered it appropriate to enter patients into a randomized trial. CKM is provided in almost all UK renal units, but scale and organization vary widely. Lack of common terminology and definitions hinders the development and assessment of CKM. Many survey respondents expressed support for further research comparing outcomes with conservative care versus dialysis. Copyright © 2015 by the American Society of Nephrology.

  16. Stroke and Nursing Home care: a national survey of nursing homes.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Cowman, Seamus

    2010-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Although stroke is recognised as a major factor in admission to nursing home care, data is lacking on the extent and nature of the disabilities and dependency in nursing homes arising from stroke. A national study conducted in nursing homes can quantify the number of residents with stroke in nursing homes, their disability and levels of dependency. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey research design was used. A total of 572 public and private nursing homes were identified nationally and a stratified random selection of 60 nursing homes with 3,239 residents was made. In half of the nursing homes (n = 30) efforts were made to interview all residents with stroke Survey instruments were used to collect data from residents with stroke and nursing home managers on demography, patient disability, and treatment. RESULTS: Across all nursing homes (n = 60), 18% (n = 570) of the residents had previously had a stroke. In homes (n = 30), where interviews with residents with stroke (n = 257), only 7% (n = 18) residents were capable of answering for themselves and were interviewed. Data on the remaining 93% (n = 239) residents were provided by the nursing home manager. Nurse Managers reported that 73% of residents with stroke had a high level of dependency. One in two residents with stroke was prescribed antidepressants or sedative medication. Only 21% of stroke residents were prescribed anticoagulants, 42% antiplatelets, and 36% cholesterol lowering medications. Stroke rehabilitation guidelines were lacking and 68% reported that there was no formal review process in place. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides seminal findings on stroke and nursing home services in Ireland. We now know that one in six nursing home residents in a national survey are residents with a stroke, and have a wide range of disabilities. There is currently little or no structured care (beyond generic care) for stroke survivors who reside in nursing homes in Ireland.

  17. Survey of neonatologists' attitudes toward limiting life-sustaining treatments in the neonatal intensive care unit.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feltman, D M; Du, H; Leuthner, S R

    2012-11-01

    To understand neonatologists' attitudes toward end-of-life (EOL) management in clinical scenarios, EOL ethical concepts and resource utilization. American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Perinatal section members completed an anonymous online survey. Respondents indicated preferences in limiting life-sustaining treatments in four clinical scenarios, ranked agreement with EOL-care ethics statements, indicated outside resources previously used and provided demographic information. In all, 451 surveys were analyzed. Across clinical scenarios and as general ethical concepts, withdrawal of mechanical ventilation in severely affected patients was most accepted by respondents; withdrawal of artificial nutrition and hydration was least accepted. One-third of neonatologists did not agree that non-initiation of treatment is ethically equivalent to withdrawal. Around 20% of neonatologists would not defer care if uncomfortable with a parent's request. Respondents' resources included ethics committees, AAP guidelines and legal counsel/courts. Challenges to providing just, unified EOL care strategies are discussed, including deferring care, limiting artificial nutrition/hydration and conditions surrounding ventilator withdrawal.

  18. Assessing patients’ experience of integrated care: a survey of patient views in the North West London Integrated Care Pilot

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nikolaos Mastellos

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Despite the importance of continuity of care and patient engagement, few studies have captured patients’ views on integrated care. This study assesses patient experience in the Integrated Care Pilot in North West London with the aim to help clinicians and policy makers understand patients’ acceptability of integrated care and design future initiatives. Methods: A survey was developed, validated and distributed to 2029 randomly selected practice patients identified as having a care plan. Results: A total of 405 questionnaires were included for analysis. Respondents identified a number of benefits associated with the pilot, including increased patient involvement in decision-making, improved patient-provider relationship, better organisation and access to care, and enhanced inter-professional communication. However, only 22.4% were aware of having a care plan, and of these only 37.9% had a copy of the care plan. Knowledge of care plans was significantly associated with a more positive experience. Conclusions: This study reinforces the view that integrated care can improve quality of care and patient experience. However, care planning was a complex and technically challenging process that occurred more slowly than planned with wide variation in quality and time of recruitment to the pilot, making it difficult to assess the sustainability of benefits.

  19. Patient satisfaction between primary care providers and hospitals: a cross-sectional survey in Jilin province, China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Jinghua; Wang, Pingping; Kong, Xuan; Liang, Hailun; Zhang, Xiumin; Shi, Leiyu

    2016-06-01

    To assess patient satisfaction with outpatient and inpatient care between primary care providers and secondary/tertiary hospitals, and to examine its association with socio-demographic characteristics and type of institution, based on self-reported survey data. Cross-sectional survey. Healthcare facilities within Jilin province, China. In total, 993 outpatients and 925 inpatients aged ≥15 years old were recruited. Patient satisfaction with the care experience. Patient satisfaction with outpatient and inpatient care was significantly associated with type of healthcare delivery setting in Jilin, China. Seeking outpatient care from community health centers (CHCs) was significantly associated with a higher ratio of patient satisfaction. Patients of county and tertiary hospitals complained about long-waiting times, bad attitudes of health workers, high expense of treatment, and their overall satisfaction towards outpatient care was lower. In the terms of inpatient care, patients were more satisfied with treatment expense in CHCs compared with county hospitals. CHCs and hospitals face different challenges regarding patient satisfaction. Further healthcare reform in China need to adopt more measures (e.g. increasing quality of primary care, setting up a referral medical system etc.) to improve patient satisfaction. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press in association with the International Society for Quality in Health Care; all rights reserved.

  20. Abortion-care education in Japanese nurse practitioner and midwifery programs: a national survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mizuno, Maki

    2014-01-01

    While various reports have been published concerning ethical dilemmas in nursing and midwifery, and while many nurses and midwives struggle with the conflict between personal feelings raised by abortion and the duties of their position, few studies investigate the extent and conditions of abortion-care education for registered nurses (RNs) and certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) in Japan. To describe Japanese abortion-care education programs and to investigate program directors' or other relevant persons' perceptions of abortion-care education. Descriptive study was used to determine the extent of abortion-care education programs and the respondents' perceptions of abortion-care education. All 228 Japanese nursing and/or midwifery schools were invited to participate in the study. The response rate was 33.8% (n=77). Response rate varied by program type: 18.4% (n=45) for nursing programs and 29.0% (n=32) for midwifery programs. A confidential survey requesting information about curricular coverage of ten reproductive health topics related to abortion was mailed to program directors. The results show that the majority of CNM and RN programs surveyed offer didactic exposure to instruction in family planning and contraception, emergency contraception, legal considerations, and possible medical complications. However, few programs offer clinical exposure to all 10 topics. Of the respondents, 36% reported that lack of time and the low priority given to abortion-care education were issues of curriculum priority. As for educational materials, few textbooks or guidebooks exist on abortion care in Japan, and most educators use general nursing textbooks to cover this topic. Regardless of interest in or intention to provide abortion services as part of their practice, all providers of abortion-care education need to be knowledgeable about the full range of reproductive health options, including family planning and abortion, and to be able to convey this information to clients

  1. A survey of the Queensland healthcare workforce: attitudes towards dementia care and training.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Travers, Catherine M; Beattie, Elizabeth; Martin-Khan, Melinda; Fielding, Elaine

    2013-09-30

    Positive attitudes of healthcare staff towards people with dementia promote higher quality care, although little is known about important factors that underlie positive attitudes. Key aims of this project were to explore the relationships between staff attitudes towards dementia, self-confidence in caring for people with dementia, experience and dementia education and training. A brief online survey was developed and widely distributed to registered nurses and allied health professionals working in Queensland in 2012. Regression analyses were performed to identify important predictors of self-confidence in caring for people with dementia and positive attitudes towards people with dementia. Five hundred and twenty-four surveys were completed by respondents working in a range of care settings across Queensland. Respondents were predominantly female (94.1%), and most were registered nurses (60%), aged between 41 and 60 years (65.6%). Around 40% regularly worked with people with dementia and high levels of self-confidence in caring for this population and positive attitudes towards people with dementia were reported. The majority of respondents (67%) had participated in a dementia education/training activity in the past 12 months. More experience working with people with dementia predicted greater self-confidence while recent participation in a dementia education/training and higher self-confidence in caring for a person with dementia significantly predicted more positive attitudes towards people with dementia. These results confirm the importance of self-confidence and dementia education in fostering positive attitudes and care practices towards people with dementia. Our results also indicate that the demand for ongoing dementia education is high amongst health care workers and it is recommended that regular dementia education/ training be provided and promoted for all healthcare personnel who work with people with dementia.

  2. Child Care Time, Parents’ Well-Being, and Gender: Evidence from the American Time Use Survey

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Roeters, Anne; Gracia, Pablo

    2016-01-01

    This study used data from the ‘Well Being Module’ of the 2010 American Time Use Survey (N = 1699) to analyze how parents experience child care time in terms of meaning and stress levels. Multivariate multilevel regressions showed clear differences by gender and the circumstances of child care

  3. Living with fibromyalgia: results from the functioning with fibro survey highlight patients' experiences and relationships with health care providers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Golden A

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Angela Golden,1 Yvonne D'Arcy,2 Elizabeth T Masters,3 Andrew Clair3 1NP from Home, LLC, Munds Park, AZ, 2Pain Management and Palliative Care, Suburban Hospital-Johns Hopkins Medicine, Bethesda, MD, 3Pfizer, New York, NY, USA Abstract: Fibromyalgia (FM is a chronic disorder characterized by widespread pain, which can limit patients' physical function and daily activities. FM can be challenging to treat, and the treatment approach could benefit from a greater understanding of patients' perspectives on their condition and their care. Patients with FM participated in an online survey conducted in the USA that sought to identify the symptoms that had the greatest impact on patients' daily lives. The purpose of the survey was to facilitate efforts toward improving care of patients by nurse practitioners, primary care providers, and specialists, in addition to contributing to the development of new outcome measures in both clinical trials and general practice. A total of 1,228 patients with FM completed the survey, responding to specific questions pertaining to symptoms, impact of symptoms, management of FM, and the relationship with health care providers. Chronic pain was identified as the key FM symptom, affecting personal and professional relationships, and restricting physical activity, work, and social commitments. Patients felt that the severity of their condition was underestimated by family, friends, and health care providers. The results of this survey highlight the need for nurse practitioners, primary care providers, and specialists to provide understanding and support to patients as they work together to enable effective diagnosis and management of FM. Keywords: fibromyalgia, pain, survey, impact, support

  4. Customer satisfaction survey with clinical laboratory and phlebotomy services at a tertiary care unit level.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koh, Young Rae; Kim, Shine Young; Kim, In Suk; Chang, Chulhun L; Lee, Eun Yup; Son, Han Chul; Kim, Hyung Hoi

    2014-09-01

    We performed customer satisfaction surveys for physicians and nurses regarding clinical laboratory services, and for outpatients who used phlebotomy services at a tertiary care unit level to evaluate our clinical laboratory and phlebotomy services. Thus, we wish to share our experiences with the customer satisfaction survey for clinical laboratory and phlebotomy services. Board members of our laboratory designed a study procedure and study population, and developed two types of questionnaire. A satisfaction survey for clinical laboratory services was conducted with 370 physicians and 125 nurses by using an online or paper questionnaire. The satisfaction survey for phlebotomy services was performed with 347 outpatients who received phlebotomy services by using computer-aided interviews. Mean satisfaction scores of physicians and nurses was 58.1, while outpatients' satisfaction score was 70.5. We identified several dissatisfactions with our clinical laboratory and phlebotomy services. First, physicians and nurses were most dissatisfied with the specimen collection and delivery process. Second, physicians and nurses were dissatisfied with phlebotomy services. Third, molecular genetic and cytogenetic tests were found more expensive than other tests. This study is significant in that it describes the first reference survey that offers a survey procedure and questionnaire to assess customer satisfaction with clinical laboratory and phlebotomy services at a tertiary care unit level.

  5. Report - Results of survey on child care needs - 2017

    CERN Document Server

    Guinot, Genevieve; Weymaere, Emeline; Trilhe, Philippe; Palluel, Stephanie; Mangiorou, Maria-Anna; Mondlane, Bruna; CERN. Geneva. HR Department

    2017-01-01

    In June 2016, a working group reporting to the Director for Finance and Human Resources was established to study the sustainability of CERN nursery and school services. Among actions taken by the working group, a survey was carried out to achieve a better understanding of the needs of CERN families for child care and educational structures, to identify which services are in highest demand (e.g. crèche or early years, primary schooling) and to understand the expectations and preferences of CERN families regarding these services.

  6. Patients' assessments of the continuity of primary care in Finland: a 15-year follow-up questionnaire survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raivio, Risto; Holmberg-Marttila, Doris; Mattila, Kari J

    2014-10-01

    Continuity of care is an essential aspect of quality in general practice. This study is the first systematic follow-up of Finnish primary care patients' assessments with regard to personal continuity of care. To ascertain whether patient-reported longitudinal personal continuity of care is related to patient characteristics and their consultation experiences, and how this had changed over the study period. A 15-year follow-up questionnaire survey that took place at Tampere University Hospital catchment area, Finland. The survey was conducted among patients attending health centres in the Tampere University Hospital catchment area from 1998 until 2013. From a sample of 363 464 patients, a total of 157 549 responded. The responses of patients who had visited a doctor during the survey weeks (n = 97 468) were analysed. Continuity of care was assessed by asking the question: 'When visiting the health centre, do you usually see the same doctor?'; patients could answer 'yes' or 'no'. Approximately half of the responders had met the same doctor when visiting the healthcare centre. Personal continuity of care decreased by 15 percentage points (from 66% to 51%) during the study years. The sense of continuity was linked to several patients' experiences of the consultation. The most prominent factor contributing to the sense of continuity of care was having a doctor who was specifically appointed (odds ratio 7.28, 95% confidence interval = 6.65 to 7.96). Continuity of care was proven to enhance the experienced quality of primary care. Patients felt that continuity of care was best realised when they could consult a doctor who had been specifically appointed to them. Despite efforts of the authorities, over the past 15 years patient-reported continuity of care has declined in Finland. © British Journal of General Practice 2014.

  7. Achieving Better Integration in Trauma Care Delivery in India: Insights from a Patient Survey

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Prætorius, Thim; Chaudhuri, Atanu; Venkataramanaiah, S

    2018-01-01

    impact on patient health. But, there is limited understanding about how coordination takes place across and within the different health care service providers and how this influence hospital transfer time and length of stay. This article addresses this gap in literature by studying trauma care delivery......Interdependencies among health care providers result in complex health care supply chains with fragmented health care processes characterized by coordination failure and incentive misalignment. In developing countries where resources are scarce such coordination failures can have potentially severe...... in India using a patient survey (n=104). The Indian healthcare system is particularly interesting as India has to provide low cost care to large populations living in geographically big areas, at the same time when the health care infrastructure is struggling to meet increasing demands. The findings...

  8. Job strain: a cross-sectional survey of dementia care specialists and other staff in Swedish home care services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sandberg, Linda; Borell, Lena; Edvardsson, David; Rosenberg, Lena; Boström, Anne-Marie

    2018-01-01

    An increasing number of older persons worldwide live at home with various functional limitations such as dementia. So, home care staff meet older persons with extensive, complex needs. The staff's well-being is crucial because it can affect the quality of their work, although literature on job strain among home care staff is limited. To describe perceived job strain among home care staff and to examine correlations between job strain, personal factors, and organizational factors. The study applied a cross-sectional survey design. Participants were dementia care specialists who work in home care (n=34) and other home care staff who are not specialized in dementia care (n=35). The Strain in Dementia Care Scale (SDCS) and Creative Climate Questionnaire instruments and demographic variables were used. Descriptive and inferential statistics (including regression modeling) were applied. The regional ethical review board approved the study. Home care staff perceived job strain - particularly because they could not provide what they perceived to be necessary care. Dementia care specialists ranked job strain higher (m=5.71) than other staff members (m=4.71; p =0.04). Job strain (for total score and for all five SDCS factors) correlated with being a dementia care specialist. Correlations also occurred between job strain for SDCS factor 2 (difficulties understanding and interpreting) and not having Swedish as first language and SDCS factor 5 (lack of recognition) and stagnated organizational climate. The study indicates that home care staff and particularly dementia care specialists perceived high job strain. Future studies are needed to confirm or reject findings from this study.

  9. Variation in patient-provider communication by patient's race and ethnicity, provider type, and continuity in and site of care: An analysis of data from the Connecticut Health Care Survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aseltine, Robert H; Sabina, Alyse; Barclay, Gillian; Graham, Garth

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to examine the quality of patient-reported communication with their health care providers using data from a large, statewide survey of patients. We examine the relationship between patient's race and ethnicity, type of health care provider, site of and continuity in care, and the quality of patient-provider communication. We analyze data from the Connecticut Health Care Survey, a representative telephone survey of 4608 Connecticut residents conducted between June 2012 and February 2013. Eight measures of patient-provider communication were analyzed using weighted general linear and logistic regression models. Patients' assessments of the quality of communication with their health care providers were generally positive. Hispanic patients, those who received care in a clinic or hospital setting, and those who did not consistently see the same provider reported significantly poorer communication with their providers. Our data suggest that improving patient-provider communication for Hispanic patients may be a critical step in achieving health equity. However, increased access to health care delivered outside of physician offices where there may not be consistency in providers across encounters may pose challenges to effective health communication.

  10. 75 FR 39022 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; Survey of Health Care Professionals' Awareness and...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-07

    ...; Comment Request; Survey of Health Care Professionals' Awareness and Perceptions of the National Cancer... of Health Care Professionals' Awareness and Perceptions of the National Cancer Institute's Intramural...: To assess respondents' awareness and knowledge of NCI and measure awareness of NCI clinical trials at...

  11. A Survey on Ambient Intelligence in Health Care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Acampora, Giovanni; Cook, Diane J; Rashidi, Parisa; Vasilakos, Athanasios V

    2013-12-01

    Ambient Intelligence (AmI) is a new paradigm in information technology aimed at empowering people's capabilities by the means of digital environments that are sensitive, adaptive, and responsive to human needs, habits, gestures, and emotions. This futuristic vision of daily environment will enable innovative human-machine interactions characterized by pervasive, unobtrusive and anticipatory communications. Such innovative interaction paradigms make ambient intelligence technology a suitable candidate for developing various real life solutions, including in the health care domain. This survey will discuss the emergence of ambient intelligence (AmI) techniques in the health care domain, in order to provide the research community with the necessary background. We will examine the infrastructure and technology required for achieving the vision of ambient intelligence, such as smart environments and wearable medical devices. We will summarize of the state of the art artificial intelligence methodologies used for developing AmI system in the health care domain, including various learning techniques (for learning from user interaction), reasoning techniques (for reasoning about users' goals and intensions) and planning techniques (for planning activities and interactions). We will also discuss how AmI technology might support people affected by various physical or mental disabilities or chronic disease. Finally, we will point to some of the successful case studies in the area and we will look at the current and future challenges to draw upon the possible future research paths.

  12. Survey on death and dying in Hong Kong: attitudes, beliefs, and preferred end-of-life care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mjelde-Mossey, Lee Ann; Chan, Cecilia L W

    2007-01-01

    Social Workers in end-of-life and palliative care have a particular opportunity to ease the dying process by providing culturally appropriate services to the dying and their families. In today's multicultural social environment, with an ever-increasing immigrant population, social workers are challenged to be knowledgeable about diverse cultures. Recently, a forum of health care professionals and social workers in Hong Kong conducted a survey of the general population to assess death and dying attitudes, beliefs, and preferences for end-of-life care. Four-hundred-thirty Hong Kong Chinese participated in a telephone interview. Responses were compared by gender. The survey results not only contribute to an understanding of Hong Kong Chinese, but can inform social workers who practice with Chinese immigrants to the United States.

  13. Defining pediatric inpatient cardiology care delivery models: A survey of pediatric cardiology programs in the USA and Canada.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mott, Antonio R; Neish, Steven R; Challman, Melissa; Feltes, Timothy F

    2017-05-01

    The treatment of children with cardiac disease is one of the most prevalent and costly pediatric inpatient conditions. The design of inpatient medical services for children admitted to and discharged from noncritical cardiology care units, however, is undefined. North American Pediatric Cardiology Programs were surveyed to define noncritical cardiac care unit models in current practice. An online survey that explored institutional and functional domains for noncritical cardiac care unit was crafted. All questions were multi-choice with comment boxes for further explanation. The survey was distributed by email four times over a 5-month period. Most programs (n = 45, 60%) exist in free-standing children's hospitals. Most programs cohort cardiac patients on noncritical cardiac care units that are restricted to cardiac patients in 39 (54%) programs or restricted to cardiac and other subspecialty patients in 23 (32%) programs. The most common frontline providers are categorical pediatric residents (n = 58, 81%) and nurse practitioners (n = 48, 67%). However, nurse practitioners are autonomous providers in only 21 (29%) programs. Only 33% of programs use a postoperative fast-track protocol. When transitioning care to referring physicians, most programs (n = 53, 72%) use facsimile to deliver pertinent patient information. Twenty-two programs (31%) use email to transition care, and eighteen (25%) programs use verbal communication. Most programs exist in free-standing children's hospitals in which the noncritical cardiac care units are in some form restricted to cardiac patients. While nurse practitioners are used on most noncritical cardiac care units, they rarely function as autonomous providers. The majority of programs in this survey do not incorporate any postoperative fast-track protocols in their practice. Given the current era of focused handoffs within hospital systems, relatively few programs utilize verbal handoffs to the referring pediatric

  14. Patient satisfaction with in-centre haemodialysis care: an international survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palmer, Suetonia C; de Berardis, Giorgia; Craig, Jonathan C; Tong, Allison; Tonelli, Marcello; Pellegrini, Fabio; Ruospo, Marinella; Hegbrant, Jörgen; Wollheim, Charlotta; Celia, Eduardo; Gelfman, Ruben; Ferrari, Juan Nin; Törok, Marietta; Murgo, Marco; Leal, Miguel; Bednarek-Skublewska, Anna; Dulawa, Jan; Strippoli, Giovanni F M

    2014-05-19

    To evaluate patient experiences of specific aspects of haemodialysis care across several countries. Cross-sectional survey using the Choices for Healthy Outcomes in Caring for End-Stage Renal Disease (CHOICE) questionnaire. Haemodialysis clinics within a single provider in Europe and South America. 2748 adults treated in haemodialysis. The primary outcome was patient satisfaction with overall care. Secondary outcomes included patient experiences of individual aspects of dialysis care. 2145 (78.1%) adults responded to the questionnaire. Fewer than half (46.5% (95% CI 44.5% to 48.6%)) rated their overall care as excellent. Global perceptions of care were uninfluenced by most respondent characteristics except age and depressive symptoms; older respondents were less critical of their care (adjusted OR for excellent rating 1.44 (1.01 to 2.04)) and those with depressive symptoms were less satisfied (0.56 (0.44 to 0.71)). Aspects of care that respondents most frequently ranked as excellent were staff attention to dialysis vascular access (54% (52% to 56%)); caring of nurses (53% (51% to 55%)); staff responsiveness to pain or discomfort (51% (49% to 53%)); caring, helpfulness and sensitivity of dialysis staff (50% (48% to 52%)); and ease of reaching dialysis staff by telephone (48% (46% to 50%)). The aspects of care least frequently ranked as excellent were information provided when choosing a dialysis modality (23% (21% to 25%)), ease of seeing a social worker (28% (24% to 32%)), information provided about dialysis (34% (32% to 36%)), accuracy of information from nephrologist (eg, about prognosis or likelihood of a kidney transplant; 37% (35% to 39%)) and accuracy of nephrologists' instructions (39% (36% to 41%)). Haemodialysis patients are least satisfied with the complex aspects of care. Patients' expectations for accurate information, prognosis, the likelihood of kidney transplantation and their options when choosing dialysis treatment need to be considered when

  15. Assessing the impact of caring for a child with Dravet syndrome: Results of a caregiver survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Campbell, Jonathan D; Whittington, Melanie D; Kim, Chong H; VanderVeen, Gina R; Knupp, Kelly G; Gammaitoni, Arnold

    2018-03-01

    The objective of this study was to describe and quantify the impact of caring for a child with Dravet syndrome (DS) on caregivers. We surveyed DS caregivers at a single institution with a large population of patient with DS. Survey domains included time spent/difficulty performing caregiving tasks (Oberst Caregiving Burden Scale, OCBS); caregiver health-related quality of life (EuroQoL 5D-5L, EQ-5D); and work/activity impairment (Work Productivity and Activity Impairment questionnaire, WPAI). Modified National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) questions were included to assess logistical challenges associated with coordinating medical care. Thirty-four primary caregivers responded, and 30/34 respondents completed the survey. From OCBS, providing transportation, personal care, and additional household tasks required the greatest caregiver time commitment; arranging for child care, communication, and managing behavioral problems presented the greatest difficulty. EuroQoL 5D-5L domains with the greatest impact on caregivers (0=none, 5=unable/extreme) were anxiety/depression (70% of respondents≥slight problems, 34%≥moderate) and discomfort/pain (57% of respondents≥slight problems, 23%≥moderate). The mean EQ-5D general health visual analogue scale (VAS) score (0=death; 100=perfect health) was 67 (range, 11-94). Respondents who scored caregiver health. On the WPAI, 26% of caregivers missed >1day of work in the previous week, with 43% reporting substantial impact (≥6, scale=1-10) on work productivity; 65% reported switching jobs, quitting jobs, or losing a job due to caregiving responsibilities. National Health Interview Survey responses indicated logistical burdens beyond the home; 50% of caregivers made ≥10 outpatient visits in the past year with their child with DS. Caring for patients with DS exerts physical, emotional, and time burdens on caregivers. Supportive services for DS families are identified to highlight an unmet need for DS treatments. Copyright

  16. Detection and management of depression in adult primary care patients in Hong Kong: a cross-sectional survey conducted by a primary care practice-based research network

    OpenAIRE

    Chan, KTY; Wong, SYS; Chiu, BCF; Chin, WY; Lam, TP; Lam, CLK; Fong, DYT; Lo, YCY

    2014-01-01

    Background This study aimed to examine the prevalence, risk factors, detection rates and management of primary care depression in Hong Kong. Methods A cross-sectional survey containing the PHQ-9 instrument was conducted on waiting room patients of 59 primary care doctors. Doctors blinded to the PHQ-9 scores reported whether they thought their patients had depression and their management. Results 10,179 patients completed the survey (response rate 81%). The prevalence of PHQ-9 positive screeni...

  17. The GP Patient Survey for use in primary care in the National Health Service in the UK – development and psychometric characteristics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bower Peter

    2009-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The UK National GP Patient Survey is one of the largest ever survey programmes of patients registered to receive primary health care, inviting five million respondents to report their experience of NHS primary healthcare. The third such annual survey (2008/9 involved the development of a new survey instrument. We describe the process of that development, and the findings of an extensive pilot survey in UK primary healthcare. Methods The survey was developed following recognised guidelines and involved expert and stakeholder advice, cognitive testing of early versions of the survey instrument, and piloting of the questionnaire in a cross sectional pilot survey of 1,500 randomly selected individuals from the UK electoral register with two reminders to non-respondents. Results The questionnaire comprises 66 items addressing a range of aspects of UK primary healthcare. A response rate of 590/1500 (39.3% was obtained. Non response to individual items ranged from 0.8% to 15.3% (median 5.2%. Participants did not always follow internal branching instructions in the questionnaire although electronic controls allow for correction of this problem in analysis. There was marked skew in the distribution of responses to a number of items indicating an overall favourable impression of care. Principal components analysis of 23 items offering evaluation of various aspects of primary care identified three components (relating to doctor or nurse care, or addressing access to care accounting for 68.3% of the variance in the sample. Conclusion The GP Patient Survey has been carefully developed and pilot-tested. Survey findings, aggregated at practice level, will be used to inform the distribution of £65 million ($107 million of UK NHS resource in 2008/9 and this offers the opportunity for NHS service planners and providers to take account of users' experiences of health care in planning and delivering primary healthcare in the UK.

  18. Women's satisfaction with care at the birthplace in Austria: Evaluation of the Babies Born Better survey national dataset.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luegmair, Karolina; Zenzmaier, Christoph; Oblasser, Claudia; König-Bachmann, Martina

    2018-04-01

    to evaluate women's satisfaction with care at the birthplace in Austria and to provide reference data for cross-country comparisons within the international Babies Born Better project. a cross-sectional design was applied. The data were extracted from the Babies Born Better survey as a national sub-dataset that included all participants with Austria as the indicated country of residence. an online survey targeting women who had given birth within the last five years and distributed primarily via social media. In addition to sociodemographic and closed-ended questions regarding pregnancy and the childbirth environment, the women's childbirth experiences and satisfaction with the birthplace were obtained with three open-ended questions regarding (i) best experience of care, (ii) required changes in care and (iii) honest description of the experienced care. five hundred thirty-nine women who had given birth in Austria within the last five years. based on the concepts of public health, salutogenesis and self-efficacy, a deductive coding framework was developed and applied to analyse the qualitative data of the Babies Born Better survey. Regarding honest descriptions of the experienced care at the birthplace, 82% were positive, indicating that most of the respondents were mostly satisfied with the care experienced. More than 95% of the survey participants' positive experiences and more than 87% of their negative experiences with care could be assigned to the categories of the deductive coding framework. Whereas positive experiences mainly addressed care experienced at the individual level, negative experiences more frequently related to issues of the existing infrastructure, breastfeeding counselling or topics not covered by the coding framework. Evaluation of these unassigned responses revealed an emphasis on antenatal and puerperal care as well as insufficient reimbursements of expenses by health insurance funds and the desire for more midwifery-led care. although the

  19. [Complexity of care and organizational effectiveness: a survey among medical care units in nine Lombardy region hospitals].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pasquali, Sara; Capitoni, Enrica; Tiraboschi, Giuseppina; Alborghetti, Adriana; De Luca, Giuseppe; Di Mauro, Stefania

    2017-01-01

    Eleven medical care units of nine Lombardy Region hospitals organized by levels of care model or by the traditional departmental model have been analyzed, in order to evaluate if methods for complexity of patient-care evaluation represent an index factor of nursing organizational effectiveness. Survey with nine Nurses in managerial position was conducted between Nov. 2013-Jan. 2014. The following factors have been described: context and nursing care model, staffing, complexity evaluation, patient satisfaction, staff well-being. Data were processed through Microsoft Excel. Among Units analysed ,all Units in levels of care and one organized by the departmental model systematically evaluate nursing complexity. Registered Nurses (RN) and Health Care Assistants (HCA) are on average numerically higher in Units that measure complexity (0.55/ 0.49 RN, 0.38/0.23 HCA - ratio per bed). Adopted measures in relation to changes in complexity are:rewarding systems, supporting interventions, such as moving personnel within different Units or additional required working hours; reduction in number of beds is adopted when no other solution is available. Patient satisfaction is evaluated through Customer Satisfaction questionnaires. Turnover, stress and rate of absenteeism data are not available in all Units. Complexity evaluation through appropriate methods is carried out in all hospitals organized in levels of care with personalized nursing care models, though complexity is detected with different methods. No significant differences in applied managerial strategies are present. Patient's satisfaction is evaluated everywhere. Data on staffing wellbeing is scarcely available. Coordinated regional actions are recommended in order to gather comparable data for research, improve decision making and effectiveness of Nursing care.

  20. Skin Care in the Tattoo Parlor: A Survey of Tattoo Artists in New York City.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosenbaum, Brooke E; Milam, Emily C; Seo, Lauren; Leger, Marie C

    2016-01-01

    To understand the role that tattooists play in providing skin care advice, we conducted an online, survey-based study of 90 licensed tattooists in New York City. The survey asked tattooists about their exposure to adverse tattoo events, advising on tattoo removal/correction, behaviors regarding preexisting skin conditions and aftercare, confidence in addressing client questions about adverse events and preexisting conditions, and prior training about skin conditions related to tattoos. Most tattooists (92.8%) reported being asked by clients to evaluate adverse tattoo reactions, 85% were asked about tattoo removal, and 90% were asked about the safety of getting a tattoo with a preexisting skin condition. About half (56.1%) had received training about skin conditions related to tattoos. Tattooists with prior training reported higher rates of optimal skin care behaviors and higher confidence with tattoo-related skin conditions; 91.4% reported interest in skin care education. Tattooists play a major role in the skin health of their clients. Providing education for tattooists may improve skin care in populations less likely to see a dermatologist. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  1. Assessing systems quality in a changing health care environment: the 2009-10 national survey of children with special health care needs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strickland, Bonnie B; Jones, Jessica R; Newacheck, Paul W; Bethell, Christina D; Blumberg, Stephen J; Kogan, Michael D

    2015-02-01

    To provide a national, population-based assessment of the quality of the health care system for children and youth with special health care needs using a framework of six health care system quality indicators. 49,242 interviews with parents of children with special health care needs from the 2009-10 National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs (NS-CSHCN) were examined to determine the extent to which CSHCN had access to six quality indicators of a well-functioning system of services. Criteria for determining access to each indicator were established and applied to the survey data to estimate the proportion of CSHCN meeting each quality indicator by socio-demographic status and functional limitations. 17.6% of CSHCN received care consistent with all six quality indicators. Results for each component of the system quality framework ranged from a high of 70.3% of parents reporting that they shared decision-making with healthcare providers to a low of 40% of parents reporting receipt of services needed for transition to adult health care. Attainment rates were lower for CSHCN of minority racial and ethnic groups, those residing in households where English was not the primary language, those in lower income households, and those most impacted by their health condition. Only a small proportion of CSHCN receive all identified attributes of a high-quality system of services. Moreover, significant disparities exist whereby those most impacted by their conditions and those in traditionally disadvantaged groups are served least well by the current system. A small proportion of CSHCN appear to remain essentially outside of the system, having met few if any of the elements studied.

  2. Change in health status and access to care in young adults with special health care needs: results from the 2007 national survey of adult transition and health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Okumura, Megumi J; Hersh, Aimee O; Hilton, Joan F; Lotstein, Debra S

    2013-04-01

    Despite over 500,000 adolescents with special health care needs transitioning to adulthood each year, limited information is available on their health status or their access to care after transition. To describe the change in health status and access to care of a nationally sampled, longitudinal cohort of young adults with special health care needs (ASHCN). We analyzed follow-up data collected in the 2007 Survey of Adult Transition and Health on young adults who were 14-17 years of age when their parents participated in the 2001 National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs. We describe changes in access to care and health status over time, and used logistic regression to identify characteristics that were associated with declining health status in this cohort. 1,865 participants, aged 19-23 years, completed the Survey of Adult Transition and Health. Between 2001 and 2007, there was a 3.6 fold increase in the proportion experiencing delayed or forgone care; 10% reported a decline in health status. There was a 7.7-fold increase in the proportion reporting no insurance. In regression analysis, factors associated with declining health status between 2001 and 2007 included underlying disease severity and delayed or forgone care in young adulthood. We found significant deterioration in insurance coverage, usual source of care and receiving timely health care as ASHCN aged into adulthood, and that this was associated with decline in health status. Our findings suggest that further population-based analyses of health outcomes are needed to plan for interventions to assist this vulnerable population. Copyright © 2013 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Do care homes deliver person-centred care? A cross-sectional survey of staff-reported abusive and positive behaviours towards residents from the MARQUE (Managing Agitation and Raising Quality of Life) English national care home survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cooper, Claudia; Marston, Louise; Barber, Julie; Livingston, Deborah; Rapaport, Penny; Higgs, Paul; Livingston, Gill

    2018-01-01

    There are widespread concerns about abuse of care home residents. We report, in the largest care home survey, prevalence of staff anonymously-reported, perpetrated/witnessed abusive behaviours towards care home residents over 3 months. We also report positive care behaviours. 1544 staff in 92 English care home units completed the revised Modified Conflict Tactics Scale and Maslach Burnout Inventory. Most staff reported positive care behaviours, but specific person-centred activities were sometimes infrequent. Many care home staff were never or almost never aware of a resident being taken out of the home for their enjoyment (34%, n = 520); or an activity planned around a resident's interests (15%, n = 234). 763 (51%; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 47% to 54%) of care home staff reported carrying out or observing potentially abusive or neglectful behaviours at least sometimes in the preceding 3 months; some abuse was reported as happening "at least sometimes" in 91/92 care homes. Neglect was most frequently reported: making a resident wait for care (n = 399, 26%), avoiding a resident with challenging behaviour (n = 391, 25%), giving residents insufficient time for food (n = 297, 19%), and taking insufficient care when moving residents (n = 169, 11%). 1.1% of staff reported physical and 5% verbal abuse. More staff reported abusive/neglectful behaviour in homes with higher staff burnout-depersonalisation scores (adjusted odds ratio 1.191, CI 1.052-1.349). Staff anonymous reports of abusive behaviour and neglect could be used to monitor care quality, as cases currently reported are probably tip of the iceberg, and be an outcome in intervention studies.

  4. Canadian Chronic Kidney Disease Clinics: A National Survey of Structure, Function and Models of Care

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adeera Levin

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Background: The goals of care for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD are to delay progression to end stage renal disease, reduce complications, and to ensure timely transition to dialysis or transplantation, while optimizing independence. Recent guidelines recommend that multidisciplinary team based care should be available to patients with CKD. While most provinces fund CKD care, the specific models by which these outcomes are achieved are not known. Funding for clinics is hospital or program based. Objectives: To describe the structure and function of clinics in order to understand the current models of care, inform best practice and potentially standardize models of care. Design: Prospective cross sectional observational survey study. Setting, Patients/Participants: Canadian nephrology programs in all provinces. Methods and Measurements: Using an open-ended semi-structured questionnaire, we surveyed 71 of 84 multidisciplinary adult CKD clinics across Canada, by telephone and with written semi-structured questionnaires; (June 2012 to November 2013. Standardized introductory scripts were used, in both English and French. Results: CKD clinic structure and models of care vary significantly across Canada. Large variation exists in staffing ratios (Nephrologist, dieticians, pharmacists and nurses to patients, and in referral criteria. Dialysis initiation decisions were usually made by MDs. The majority of clinics (57% had a consistent model of care (the same Nephrologist and nurse per patient, while others had patients seeing a different nephrologist and nurses at each clinic visit. Targets for various modality choices varied, as did access to those modalities. No patient or provider educational tools describing the optimal time to start dialysis exist in any of the clinics. Limitations: The surveys rely on self reporting without validation from independent sources, and there was limited involvement of Quebec clinics. These are relative

  5. Japanese structure survey of radiation oncology in 2007 with special reference to designated cancer care hospitals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Numasaki, Hodaka; Shibuya, Hitoshi; Nishio, Masamichi

    2011-01-01

    Background and Purpose: The structure of radiation oncology in designated cancer care hospitals in Japan was investigated in terms of equipment, personnel, patient load, and geographic distribution. The effect of changes in the health care policy in Japan on radiotherapy structure was also examined. Material and Methods: The Japanese Society of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology surveyed the national structure of radiation oncology in 2007. The structures of 349 designated cancer care hospitals and 372 other radiotherapy facilities were compared. Results: Respective findings for equipment and personnel at designated cancer care hospitals and other facilities included the following: linear accelerators/facility: 1.3 and 1.0; annual patients/linear accelerator: 296.5 and 175.0; and annual patient load/full-time equivalent radiation oncologist was 237.0 and 273.3, respectively. Geographically, the number of designated cancer care hospitals was associated with population size. Conclusion: The structure of radiation oncology in Japan in terms of equipment, especially for designated cancer care hospitals, was as mature as that in European countries and the United States, even though the medical costs in relation to GDP in Japan are lower. There is still a shortage of manpower. The survey data proved to be important to fully understand the radiation oncology medical care system in Japan. (orig.)

  6. Behaviors in Advance Care Planning and ACtions Survey (BACPACS): development and validation part 1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kassam, Aliya; Douglas, Maureen L; Simon, Jessica; Cunningham, Shannon; Fassbender, Konrad; Shaw, Marta; Davison, Sara N

    2017-11-22

    Although advance care planning (ACP) is fairly well understood, significant barriers to patient participation remain. As a result, tools to assess patient behaviour are required. The objective of this study was to improve the measurement of patient engagement in ACP by detecting existing survey design issues and establishing content and response process validity for a new survey entitled Behaviours in Advance Care Planning and ACtions Survey (BACPACS). We based our new tool on that of an existing ACP engagement survey. Initial item reduction was carried out using behavior change theories by content and design experts to help reduce response burden and clarify questions. Thirty-two patients with chronic diseases (cancer, heart failure or renal failure) were recruited for the think aloud cognitive interviewing with the new, shortened survey evaluating patient engagement with ACP. Of these, n = 27 had data eligible for analysis (n = 8 in round 1 and n = 19 in rounds 2 and 3). Interviews were audio-recorded and analyzed using the constant comparison method. Three reviewers independently listened to the interviews, summarized findings and discussed discrepancies until consensus was achieved. Item reduction from key content expert review and conversation analysis helped decrease number of items from 116 in the original ACP Engagement Survey to 24-38 in the new BACPACS depending on branching of responses. For the think aloud study, three rounds of interviews were needed until saturation for patient clarity was achieved. The understanding of ACP as a construct, survey response options, instructions and terminology pertaining to patient engagement in ACP warranted further clarification. Conversation analysis, content expert review and think aloud cognitive interviewing were useful in refining the new survey instrument entitled BACPACS. We found evidence for both content and response process validity for this new tool.

  7. Use of a customer satisfaction survey by health care regulators: a tool for total quality management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andrzejewski, N; Lagua, R T

    1997-01-01

    To conduct a survey of health care providers to determine the quality of service provided by the staff of a regulatory agency; to collect information on provider needs and expectations; to identify perceived and potential problems that need improvement; and to make changes to improve regulatory services. The authors surveyed health care providers using a customer satisfaction questionnaire developed in collaboration with a group of providers and a research consultant. The questionnaire contained 20 declarative statements that fell into six quality domains: proficiency, judgment, responsiveness, communication, accommodation, and relevance. A 10% level of dissatisfaction was used as the acceptable performance standard. The survey was mailed to 324 hospitals, nursing homes, home care agencies, hospices, ambulatory care centers, and health maintenance organizations. Fifty-six percent of provider agencies responded; more than half had written comments. The three highest levels of customer satisfaction were in courtesy of regulatory staff (90%), efficient use of onsite time (84%), and respect for provider employees (83%). The three lowest levels of satisfaction were in the judgment domain; only 44% felt that there was consistency among regulatory staff in the interpretation of regulations, only 45% felt that interpretations of regulations were flexible and reasonable, and only 49% felt that regulations were applied objectively. Nine of 20 quality indicators had dissatisfaction ratings of more than 10%; these were considered priorities for improvement. Responses to the survey identified a number of specific areas of concern; these findings are being incorporated into the continuous quality improvement program of the office.

  8. Psychosocial standards of care for children with cancer and their families: A national survey of pediatric oncology social workers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, Barbara; Currin-Mcculloch, Jennifer; Pelletier, Wendy; Sardi-Brown, Vicki; Brown, Peter; Wiener, Lori

    2018-04-01

    In 2015, an interdisciplinary group of psychosocial experts developed The Standards of Psychosocial Care for Children with Cancer and Their Families. This paper presents data from a national survey of pediatric oncology social workers and their experiences in delivering psychosocial care to children and families. In total, 107 social workers from 81 cancer institutions participated in a 25-item online survey that mirrored the 15 Standards for Psychosocial Care. Both closed and open-ended questions were included. Social work participants reported that psychosocial support is being provided at most cancer centers surveyed, primarily by social workers and child life specialists, addressing adaptation to the cancer diagnosis, treatment, and transitions into survivorship or end-of-life care and bereavement. While social workers reported offering comprehensive services throughout the cancer trajectory, many of the 2015 Standards are not being systematically implemented. Areas for improvement include funding for psychosocial support staff and programs, incorporation of standardized assessment measures, assessment for financial burden throughout treatment and beyond, consistent access to psychology and psychiatry, integrated care for parents and siblings, and more inclusion of palliative care services from time of diagnosis.

  9. National survey focusing on the crucial information needs of intensive care charge nurses and intensivists: same goal, different demands.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lundgrén-Laine, Heljä; Kontio, Elina; Kauko, Tommi; Korvenranta, Heikki; Forsström, Jari; Salanterä, Sanna

    2013-01-29

    Although information technology adequately supports clinical care in many intensive care units (ICUs), it provides much poorer support for the managerial information needed to coordinate multi-professional care. To gain a general view of the most crucial multi-professional information needs of ICU shift leaders a national survey was conducted, focusing on the information needs of charge nurses and intensivists. Based on our previous observation study an online survey was developed, containing 122 information need statements related to the decision-making of ICU shift leaders. Information need statements were divided into six dimensions: patient admission, organisation and management of work, allocation of staff and material resources, special treatments, and patient discharge. This survey involved all ICU shift leaders (n = 738) who worked in any of the 17 highest level ICUs for adults in university hospitals in Finland during the autumn of 2009. Both charge nurses' and intensivists' crucial information needs for care coordination were evaluated. Two hundred and fifty-seven (50%) charge nurses and 96 (43%) intensivists responded to the survey. The consistency of the survey was found to be good (Cronbach's α scores between .87-.97, with a total explanatory power of 64.53%). Altogether, 57 crucial information needs for care coordination were found; 22 of which were shared between shift leaders. The most crucial of these information needs were related to organisation and management, patient admission, and allocation of staff resources. The associations between working experience, or shift leader acting frequencies, and crucial information needs were not statistically significant. However, a statistically significant difference was found between the number of ICU beds and the ICU experience of charge nurses with information needs, under the dimension of organisation and management of work. The information needs of charge nurses and intensivists differed. Charge nurses

  10. National survey focusing on the crucial information needs of intensive care charge nurses and intensivists: same goal, different demands

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    Lundgrén-Laine Heljä

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Although information technology adequately supports clinical care in many intensive care units (ICUs, it provides much poorer support for the managerial information needed to coordinate multi-professional care. To gain a general view of the most crucial multi-professional information needs of ICU shift leaders a national survey was conducted, focusing on the information needs of charge nurses and intensivists. Methods Based on our previous observation study an online survey was developed, containing 122 information need statements related to the decision-making of ICU shift leaders. Information need statements were divided into six dimensions: patient admission, organisation and management of work, allocation of staff and material resources, special treatments, and patient discharge. This survey involved all ICU shift leaders (n = 738 who worked in any of the 17 highest level ICUs for adults in university hospitals in Finland during the autumn of 2009. Both charge nurses’ and intensivists’ crucial information needs for care coordination were evaluated. Results Two hundred and fifty-seven (50% charge nurses and 96 (43% intensivists responded to the survey. The consistency of the survey was found to be good (Cronbach’s α scores between .87–.97, with a total explanatory power of 64.53%. Altogether, 57 crucial information needs for care coordination were found; 22 of which were shared between shift leaders. The most crucial of these information needs were related to organisation and management, patient admission, and allocation of staff resources. The associations between working experience, or shift leader acting frequencies, and crucial information needs were not statistically significant. However, a statistically significant difference was found between the number of ICU beds and the ICU experience of charge nurses with information needs, under the dimension of organisation and management of work. The information

  11. Variation in patient–provider communication by patient’s race and ethnicity, provider type, and continuity in and site of care: An analysis of data from the Connecticut Health Care Survey

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    Robert H Aseltine

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: The purpose of this study is to examine the quality of patient-reported communication with their health care providers using data from a large, statewide survey of patients. We examine the relationship between patient’s race and ethnicity, type of health care provider, site of and continuity in care, and the quality of patient–provider communication. Methods: We analyze data from the Connecticut Health Care Survey, a representative telephone survey of 4608 Connecticut residents conducted between June 2012 and February 2013. Eight measures of patient–provider communication were analyzed using weighted general linear and logistic regression models. Results: Patients’ assessments of the quality of communication with their health care providers were generally positive. Hispanic patients, those who received care in a clinic or hospital setting, and those who did not consistently see the same provider reported significantly poorer communication with their providers. Conclusion: Our data suggest that improving patient–provider communication for Hispanic patients may be a critical step in achieving health equity. However, increased access to health care delivered outside of physician offices where there may not be consistency in providers across encounters may pose challenges to effective health communication.

  12. Stroke and Nursing Home care: a national survey of nursing homes

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    McGee Hannah

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Although stroke is recognised as a major factor in admission to nursing home care, data is lacking on the extent and nature of the disabilities and dependency in nursing homes arising from stroke. A national study conducted in nursing homes can quantify the number of residents with stroke in nursing homes, their disability and levels of dependency. Methods A cross-sectional survey research design was used. A total of 572 public and private nursing homes were identified nationally and a stratified random selection of 60 nursing homes with 3,239 residents was made. In half of the nursing homes (n = 30 efforts were made to interview all residents with stroke Survey instruments were used to collect data from residents with stroke and nursing home managers on demography, patient disability, and treatment. Results Across all nursing homes (n = 60, 18% (n = 570 of the residents had previously had a stroke. In homes (n = 30, where interviews with residents with stroke (n = 257, only 7% (n = 18 residents were capable of answering for themselves and were interviewed. Data on the remaining 93% (n = 239 residents were provided by the nursing home manager. Nurse Managers reported that 73% of residents with stroke had a high level of dependency. One in two residents with stroke was prescribed antidepressants or sedative medication. Only 21% of stroke residents were prescribed anticoagulants, 42% antiplatelets, and 36% cholesterol lowering medications. Stroke rehabilitation guidelines were lacking and 68% reported that there was no formal review process in place. Conclusions This study provides seminal findings on stroke and nursing home services in Ireland. We now know that one in six nursing home residents in a national survey are residents with a stroke, and have a wide range of disabilities. There is currently little or no structured care (beyond generic care for stroke survivors who reside in nursing homes in Ireland.

  13. Survey mode matters: adults' self-reported statistical confidence, ability to obtain health information, and perceptions of patient-health-care provider communication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wallace, Lorraine S; Chisolm, Deena J; Abdel-Rasoul, Mahmoud; DeVoe, Jennifer E

    2013-08-01

    This study examined adults' self-reported understanding and formatting preferences of medical statistics, confidence in self-care and ability to obtain health advice or information, and perceptions of patient-health-care provider communication measured through dual survey modes (random digital dial and mail). Even while controlling for sociodemographic characteristics, significant differences in regard to adults' responses to survey variables emerged as a function of survey mode. While the analyses do not allow us to pinpoint the underlying causes of the differences observed, they do suggest that mode of administration should be carefully adjusted for and considered.

  14. A Survey on Ambient Intelligence in Health Care

    Science.gov (United States)

    Acampora, Giovanni; Cook, Diane J.; Rashidi, Parisa; Vasilakos, Athanasios V.

    2013-01-01

    Ambient Intelligence (AmI) is a new paradigm in information technology aimed at empowering people’s capabilities by the means of digital environments that are sensitive, adaptive, and responsive to human needs, habits, gestures, and emotions. This futuristic vision of daily environment will enable innovative human-machine interactions characterized by pervasive, unobtrusive and anticipatory communications. Such innovative interaction paradigms make ambient intelligence technology a suitable candidate for developing various real life solutions, including in the health care domain. This survey will discuss the emergence of ambient intelligence (AmI) techniques in the health care domain, in order to provide the research community with the necessary background. We will examine the infrastructure and technology required for achieving the vision of ambient intelligence, such as smart environments and wearable medical devices. We will summarize of the state of the art artificial intelligence methodologies used for developing AmI system in the health care domain, including various learning techniques (for learning from user interaction), reasoning techniques (for reasoning about users’ goals and intensions) and planning techniques (for planning activities and interactions). We will also discuss how AmI technology might support people affected by various physical or mental disabilities or chronic disease. Finally, we will point to some of the successful case studies in the area and we will look at the current and future challenges to draw upon the possible future research paths. PMID:24431472

  15. Breastfeeding support in neonatal intensive care: a national survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maastrup, Ragnhild; Bojesen, Susanne Norby; Kronborg, Hanne; Hallström, Inger

    2012-08-01

    The incidence of breastfeeding of preterm infants is affected by the support provided at the hospital and in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). However, policies and guidelines promoting breastfeeding vary both nationally and internationally. The aim of this survey was to describe breastfeeding support in Danish NICUs, where approximately 98% of mothers initiate lactation. A national survey of all 19 Danish NICUs was conducted in 2009. Four NICUs were at designated Baby-Friendly hospitals, and 5 had a lactation consultant. In all NICUs, it was possible for some parents to stay overnight; 2 units had short restrictions on parents' presence. Five NICUs had integrated postpartum care for mothers. Breastfeeding policies, written guidelines, and systematic breastfeeding training for the staff were common in most NICUs. Seventeen NICUs recommended starting breast milk expression within 6 hours after birth, and mothers were encouraged to double pump. Most NICUs aimed to initiate skin-to-skin contact the first time the parents were in the NICU, and daily skin-to-skin contact was estimated to last for 2-4 hours in 63% and 4-8 hours in 37% of the units. The use of bottle-feeding was restricted. The Danish NICUs described the support of breastfeeding as a high priority, which was reflected in the recommended policies for breast milk pumping, skin-to-skin contact, and the parents' presence in the NICU, as well as in the restricted use of bottle-feeding. However, support varied between units, and not all units supported optimal breastfeeding.

  16. Understanding the cost of dermatologic care: A survey study of dermatology providers, residents, and patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steen, Aaron J; Mann, Julianne A; Carlberg, Valerie M; Kimball, Alexa B; Musty, Michael J; Simpson, Eric L

    2017-04-01

    The American Academy of Dermatology recommends dermatologists understand the costs of dermatologic care. This study sought to measure dermatology providers' understanding of the cost of dermatologic care and how those costs are communicated to patients. We also aimed to understand the perspectives of patients and dermatological trainees on how cost information enters into the care they receive or provide. Surveys were systematically developed and distributed to 3 study populations: dermatology providers, residents, and patients. Response rates were over 95% in all 3 populations. Dermatology providers and residents consistently underestimated the costs of commonly recommended dermatologic medications but accurately predicted the cost of common dermatologic procedures. Dermatology patients preferred to know the cost of procedures and medications, even when covered by insurance. In this population, the costs of dermatologic medications frequently interfered with patients' ability to properly adhere to prescribed regimens. The surveyed population was limited to the northwestern United States and findings may not be generalizable. Cost estimations were based on average reimbursement rates, which vary by insurer. Improving dermatology providers' awareness and communication of the costs of dermatologic care might enhance medical decision-making, improve adherence and outcomes, and potentially reduce overall health care expenditures. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Quality of Diabetes Care: The Challenges of an Increasing Epidemic in Mexico. Results from Two National Health Surveys (2006 and 2012).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flores-Hernández, Sergio; Saturno-Hernández, Pedro J; Reyes-Morales, Hortensia; Barrientos-Gutiérrez, Tonatiuh; Villalpando, Salvador; Hernández-Ávila, Mauricio

    2015-01-01

    The quality of diabetes care remains suboptimal according to numerous studies assessing the achievement of quality indicators for diabetes care in various healthcare settings. We report about global and specific quality indicators for diabetes care and their association to glycemic control at the population level in two national health surveys in Mexico. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of the 2006 and 2012 National Health Surveys in Mexico. We examined quality of care for 2,965 and 4,483 adults (≥ 20 years) with diagnosed type 2 diabetes using fourteen simple and two composite indicators derived from self-reported information. In a subsample for both surveys, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) was measured at the time of the interview. We obtained survey weight-adjusted estimators using multiple regression models (logistic and linear) with combined data files, including survey year as covariate to assess change. Global quality of care in 2012 was 40.8%, with a relative improvement of 11.7% between 2006 and 2012. Detections of cardiovascular disease risk factors (dyslipidemia and hypertension) were the indicators with the highest improvement, while non-pharmaceutical treatment and diabetic foot exams showed minor changes. We found a significant association between the quality of the process of diabetes care and glycemic control (OR 2.53, 95% CI 1.63-3.94). Age more than 65 years old, the type of health subsystem, gender (males), and high socio-economic status were also significantly associated to glycemic control. Quality diabetes care and glycemic control improved and are significantly associated. However, according to international standards, the current situation remains suboptimal. A more holistic approach is needed, with an emphasis on improving quality in outpatient care.

  18. Using cost-effectiveness estimates from survey data to guide commissioning: an application to home care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Forder, Julien; Malley, Juliette; Towers, Ann-Marie; Netten, Ann

    2014-08-01

    The aim is to describe and trial a pragmatic method to produce estimates of the incremental cost-effectiveness of care services from survey data. The main challenge is in estimating the counterfactual; that is, what the patient's quality of life would be if they did not receive that level of service. A production function method is presented, which seeks to distinguish the variation in care-related quality of life in the data that is due to service use as opposed to other factors. A problem is that relevant need factors also affect the amount of service used and therefore any missing factors could create endogeneity bias. Instrumental variable estimation can mitigate this problem. This method was applied to a survey of older people using home care as a proof of concept. In the analysis, we were able to estimate a quality-of-life production function using survey data with the expected form and robust estimation diagnostics. The practical advantages with this method are clear, but there are limitations. It is computationally complex, and there is a risk of misspecification and biased results, particularly with IV estimation. One strategy would be to use this method to produce preliminary estimates, with a full trial conducted thereafter, if indicated. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  19. Validation of the Neonatal Satisfaction Survey (NSS-8) in six Norwegian neonatal intensive care units: a quantitative cross-sectional study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hagen, Inger Hilde; Svindseth, Marit Følsvik; Nesset, Erik; Orner, Roderick; Iversen, Valentina Cabral

    2018-03-27

    The experience of having their new-borns admitted to an intensive care unit (NICU) can be extremely distressing. Subsequent risk of post-incident-adjustment difficulties are increased for parents, siblings, and affected families. Patient and next of kin satisfaction surveys provide key indicators of quality in health care. Methodically constructed and validated survey tools are in short supply and parents' experiences of care in Neonatal Intensive Care Units is under-researched. This paper reports a validation of the Neonatal Satisfaction Survey (NSS-8) in six Norwegian NICUs. Parents' survey returns were collected using the Neonatal Satisfaction Survey (NSS-13). Data quality and psychometric properties were systematically assessed using exploratory factor analysis, tests of internal consistency, reliability, construct, convergent and discriminant validity. Each set of hospital returns were subjected to an apostasy analysis before an overall satisfaction rate was calculated. The survey sample of 568 parents represents 45% of total eligible population for the period of the study. Missing data accounted for 1,1% of all returns. Attrition analysis shows congruence between sample and total population. Exploratory factor analysis identified eight factors of concern to parents,"Care and Treatment", "Doctors", "Visits", "Information", "Facilities", "Parents' Anxiety", "Discharge" and "Sibling Visits". All factors showed satisfactory internal consistency, good reliability (Cronbach's alpha ranged from 0.70-0.94). For the whole scale of 51 items α 0.95. Convergent validity using Spearman's rank between the eight factors and question measuring overall satisfaction was significant on all factors. Discriminant validity was established for all factors. Overall satisfaction rates ranged from 86 to 90% while for each of the eight factors measures of satisfaction varied between 64 and 86%. The NSS-8 questionnaire is a valid and reliable scale for measuring parents' assessment of

  20. Health facility service availability and readiness for intrapartum and immediate postpartum care in Malawi: A cross-sectional survey.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Naoko Kozuki

    Full Text Available This analysis seeks to identify strengths and gaps in the existing facility capacity for intrapartum and immediate postpartum fetal and neonatal care, using data collected as a part of Malawi's Helping Babies Breath program evaluation. From August to September 2012, the Maternal and Child Health Integrated Program (MCHIP conducted a cross-sectional survey in 84 Malawian health facilities to capture current health facility service availability and readiness and health worker capacity and practice pertaining to labor, delivery, and immediate postpartum care. The survey collected data on availability of equipment, supplies, and medications, and health worker knowledge and performance scores on intrapartum care simulation and actual management of real clients at a subset of facilities. We ran linear regression models to identify predictors of high simulation performance of routine delivery care and management of asphyxiated newborns across all facilities surveyed. Key supplies for infection prevention and thermal care of the newborn were found to be missing in many of the surveyed facilities. At the health center level, 75% had no clinician trained in basic emergency obstetric care or newborn care and 39% had no midwife trained in the same. We observed that there were no proportional increases in available transport and staff at a facility as catchment population increased. In simulations of management of newborns with breathing problems, health workers were able to complete a median of 10 out of 16 tasks for a full-term birth case scenario and 20 out of 30 tasks for a preterm birth case scenario. Health workers who had more years of experience appeared to perform worse. Our study provides a benchmark and highlights gaps for future evaluations and studies as Malawi continues to make strides in improving facility-based care. Further progress in reducing the burden of neonatal and fetal death in Malawi will be partly predicated on guaranteeing

  1. Health facility service availability and readiness for intrapartum and immediate postpartum care in Malawi: A cross-sectional survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kozuki, Naoko; Oseni, Lolade; Mtimuni, Angella; Sethi, Reena; Rashidi, Tambudzai; Kachale, Fannie; Rawlins, Barbara; Gupta, Shivam

    2017-01-01

    This analysis seeks to identify strengths and gaps in the existing facility capacity for intrapartum and immediate postpartum fetal and neonatal care, using data collected as a part of Malawi's Helping Babies Breath program evaluation. From August to September 2012, the Maternal and Child Health Integrated Program (MCHIP) conducted a cross-sectional survey in 84 Malawian health facilities to capture current health facility service availability and readiness and health worker capacity and practice pertaining to labor, delivery, and immediate postpartum care. The survey collected data on availability of equipment, supplies, and medications, and health worker knowledge and performance scores on intrapartum care simulation and actual management of real clients at a subset of facilities. We ran linear regression models to identify predictors of high simulation performance of routine delivery care and management of asphyxiated newborns across all facilities surveyed. Key supplies for infection prevention and thermal care of the newborn were found to be missing in many of the surveyed facilities. At the health center level, 75% had no clinician trained in basic emergency obstetric care or newborn care and 39% had no midwife trained in the same. We observed that there were no proportional increases in available transport and staff at a facility as catchment population increased. In simulations of management of newborns with breathing problems, health workers were able to complete a median of 10 out of 16 tasks for a full-term birth case scenario and 20 out of 30 tasks for a preterm birth case scenario. Health workers who had more years of experience appeared to perform worse. Our study provides a benchmark and highlights gaps for future evaluations and studies as Malawi continues to make strides in improving facility-based care. Further progress in reducing the burden of neonatal and fetal death in Malawi will be partly predicated on guaranteeing properly equipped and

  2. Critical care staff rotation: outcomes of a survey and pilot study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Richardson, Annette; Douglas, Margaret; Shuttler, Rachel; Hagland, Martin R

    2003-01-01

    Staff rotation is defined as a reciprocal exchange of staff between two or more clinical areas for a predetermined period of time. The rationale for introducing a 'Critical Care Nurse Rotation Programme' includes important issues such as improving nurses' knowledge and skills, providing development opportunities, networking, the ability to recruit and retain nurses and the provision of a more versatile and flexible workforce. To gain the understanding of nurses' views and opinions on critical care rotation programmes, evidence was collected by means of questionnaires involving 153 critical care nurses and by undertaking semi-structured interviews with four nurses. On the basis of the responses, a pilot of three Critical Care Nurse Rotation Programmes was introduced. An evaluation of the pilot project assessed participants, supervisors and senior nurses' experience of rotation and revealed very positive experiences being reported. The benefits highlighted included improving clinical skills and experience, improving interdepartmental relationships, heightened motivation and opportunities to network. The disadvantages focused on the operational and managerial issues, such as difficulties maintaining supervision and providing an adequate supernumerary period. Evidence from the survey and pilot study suggests that in the future, providing rotational programmes for critical care nurses would be a valuable strategy for recruitment, retention and developing the workforce.

  3. Assessing Systems Quality in a Changing Health Care Environment: The 2009–10 National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, Jessica R.; Newacheck, Paul W.; Bethell, Christina D.; Blumberg, Stephen J.; Kogan, Michael D.

    2016-01-01

    To provide a national, population-based assessment of the quality of the health care system for children and youth with special health care needs using a framework of six health care system quality indicators. 49,242 interviews with parents of children with special health care needs from the 2009–10 National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs (NS-CSHCN) were examined to determine the extent to which CSHCN had access to six quality indicators of a well-functioning system of services. Criteria for determining access to each indicator were established and applied to the survey data to estimate the proportion of CSHCN meeting each quality indicator by socio-demographic status and functional limitations. 17.6 % of CSHCN received care consistent with all six quality indicators. Results for each component of the system quality framework ranged from a high of 70.3 % of parents reporting that they shared decision-making with healthcare providers to a low of 40 % of parents reporting receipt of services needed for transition to adult health care. Attainment rates were lower for CSHCN of minority racial and ethnic groups, those residing in households where English was not the primary language, those in lower income households, and those most impacted by their health condition. Only a small proportion of CSHCN receive all identified attributes of a high-quality system of services. Moreover, significant disparities exist whereby those most impacted by their conditions and those in traditionally disadvantaged groups are served least well by the current system. A small proportion of CSHCN appear to remain essentially outside of the system, having met few if any of the elements studied. PMID:24912943

  4. Results from a national survey on chronic care management by health plans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mattke, Soeren; Higgins, Aparna; Brook, Robert

    2015-05-01

    The growing burden of chronic disease necessitates innovative approaches to help patients and to ensure the sustainability of our healthcare system. Health plans have introduced chronic care management models, but systematic data on the type and prevalence of different approaches are lacking. Our goal was to conduct a systematic examination of chronic care management programs offered by health plans in the commercial market (ie, in products sold to employers and individuals. We undertook a national survey of a representative sample of health plans (70 plans, 36% response rate) and 6 case studies on health plans' programs to improve chronic care in the commercial market. The data underwent descriptive and bivariate analyses. All plans, regardless of size, location, and ownership, offer chronic care management programs, which identify eligible members from claims data and match them to interventions based on overall risk and specific care gaps. Plans then report information on care gaps to providers and offer self-management support to their members. While internal evaluations suggest that the interventions improve care and reduce cost, plans report difficulties in engaging members and providers. To overcome those obstacles, plans are integrating their programs into provider work flow, collaborating with providers on care redesign and leveraging patient support technologies. Our study shows that chronic care management programs have become a standard component of the overall approach used by health plans to manage the health of their members.

  5. Quality of Diabetes Care: The Challenges of an Increasing Epidemic in Mexico. Results from Two National Health Surveys (2006 and 2012)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flores-Hernández, Sergio; Saturno-Hernández, Pedro J.; Reyes-Morales, Hortensia; Barrientos-Gutiérrez, Tonatiuh; Villalpando, Salvador; Hernández-Ávila, Mauricio

    2015-01-01

    Background The quality of diabetes care remains suboptimal according to numerous studies assessing the achievement of quality indicators for diabetes care in various healthcare settings. We report about global and specific quality indicators for diabetes care and their association to glycemic control at the population level in two national health surveys in Mexico. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of the 2006 and 2012 National Health Surveys in Mexico. We examined quality of care for 2,965 and 4,483 adults (≥ 20 years) with diagnosed type 2 diabetes using fourteen simple and two composite indicators derived from self-reported information. In a subsample for both surveys, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) was measured at the time of the interview. We obtained survey weight-adjusted estimators using multiple regression models (logistic and linear) with combined data files, including survey year as covariate to assess change. Results Global quality of care in 2012 was 40.8%, with a relative improvement of 11.7% between 2006 and 2012. Detections of cardiovascular disease risk factors (dyslipidemia and hypertension) were the indicators with the highest improvement, while non-pharmaceutical treatment and diabetic foot exams showed minor changes. We found a significant association between the quality of the process of diabetes care and glycemic control (OR 2.53, 95% CI 1.63-3.94). Age more than 65 years old, the type of health subsystem, gender (males), and high socio-economic status were also significantly associated to glycemic control. Conclusions Quality diabetes care and glycemic control improved and are significantly associated. However, according to international standards, the current situation remains suboptimal. A more holistic approach is needed, with an emphasis on improving quality in outpatient care. PMID:26230991

  6. Quality of Diabetes Care: The Challenges of an Increasing Epidemic in Mexico. Results from Two National Health Surveys (2006 and 2012.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sergio Flores-Hernández

    Full Text Available The quality of diabetes care remains suboptimal according to numerous studies assessing the achievement of quality indicators for diabetes care in various healthcare settings. We report about global and specific quality indicators for diabetes care and their association to glycemic control at the population level in two national health surveys in Mexico.We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of the 2006 and 2012 National Health Surveys in Mexico. We examined quality of care for 2,965 and 4,483 adults (≥ 20 years with diagnosed type 2 diabetes using fourteen simple and two composite indicators derived from self-reported information. In a subsample for both surveys, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c was measured at the time of the interview. We obtained survey weight-adjusted estimators using multiple regression models (logistic and linear with combined data files, including survey year as covariate to assess change.Global quality of care in 2012 was 40.8%, with a relative improvement of 11.7% between 2006 and 2012. Detections of cardiovascular disease risk factors (dyslipidemia and hypertension were the indicators with the highest improvement, while non-pharmaceutical treatment and diabetic foot exams showed minor changes. We found a significant association between the quality of the process of diabetes care and glycemic control (OR 2.53, 95% CI 1.63-3.94. Age more than 65 years old, the type of health subsystem, gender (males, and high socio-economic status were also significantly associated to glycemic control.Quality diabetes care and glycemic control improved and are significantly associated. However, according to international standards, the current situation remains suboptimal. A more holistic approach is needed, with an emphasis on improving quality in outpatient care.

  7. A survey on critical care resources and practices in low- and middle-income countries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vukoja, Marija; Riviello, Elisabeth; Gavrilovic, Srdjan; Adhikari, Neill K J; Kashyap, Rahul; Bhagwanjee, Satish; Gajic, Ognjen; Kilickaya, Oguz

    2014-09-01

    Timely and appropriate care is the key to achieving good outcomes in acutely ill patients, but the effectiveness of critical care may be limited in resource-limited settings. This study sought to understand how to implement best practices in intensive care units (ICU) in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) and to develop a point-of-care training and decision-support tool. An internationally representative group of clinicians performed a 22-item capacity-and-needs assessment survey in a convenience sample of 13 ICU in Eastern Europe (4), Asia (4), Latin America (3), and Africa (2), between April and July 2012. Two ICU were from low-income, 2 from low-middle-income, and 9 from upper-middle-income countries. Clinician respondents were asked about bed capacity, patient characteristics, human resources, available medications and equipment, access to education, and processes of care. Thirteen clinicians from each of 13 hospitals (1 per ICU) responded. Surveyed hospitals had median of 560 (interquartile range [IQR]: 232, 1,200) beds. ICU had a median of 9 (IQR: 7, 12) beds and treated 40 (IQR: 20, 67) patients per month. Many ICU had ≥ 1 staff member with some formal critical care training (n = 9, 69%) or who completed Fundamental Critical Care Support (n = 7, 54%) or Advanced Cardiac Life Support (n = 9, 69%) courses. Only 2 ICU (15%) used any kind of checklists for acute resuscitation. Ten (77%) ICU listed lack of trained staff as the most important barrier to improving the care and outcomes of critically ill patients. In a convenience sample of 13 ICU from LMIC, specialty-trained staff and standardized processes of care such as checklists are frequently lacking. ICU needs-assessment evaluations should be expanded in LMIC as a global priority, with the goal of creating and evaluating context-appropriate checklists for ICU best practices. Copyright © 2014 World Heart Federation (Geneva). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Self-reported competence in long term care provision for adult cancer survivors: A cross sectional survey of nursing and allied health care professionals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Faithfull, S; Samuel, Carol; Lemanska, Agnieszka; Warnock, Clare; Greenfield, Diana

    2016-01-01

    Cancer survival is increasing as patients live longer with a cancer diagnosis. This success has implications for health service provision in that increasing numbers of adults who have received cancer therapy are requiring monitoring and long-term health care by a wide range of practitioners. Given these recent trends there is a need to explore staff perceptions and confidence in managing the consequences of cancer diagnosis and treatment in cancer survivors to enhance an integrated cancer service delivery. This study examines the self-reported perceptions of competence in nurses and professionals allied to medicine providing survivorship services caring for adults after cancer treatment in both secondary and primary care. A cross sectional survey of the adult cancer workforce using a self-assessment tool for assessing confidence in providing long-term cancer patient management. This study was a health service evaluation. The study was conducted within the United Kingdom. Respondents were 618 health care professionals of these 368 were specialist adult cancer nurses in oncology and the community setting and 250 cancer allied health professionals. The survey tool was developed with experts in cancer management, nurses professionals allied to medicine such as physiotherapists and dieticians, educationalists, patient groups as well as health service managers. Competence was assessed in 4 domains clinical practice, symptom management, care co-ordination and proactive management. Perceptions of training needs were also ascertained. Data were collected using an Internet survey distributed through cancer services, community settings and professional institutions. In total 618 practitioners who responded were providing services for adults' 1-year post cancer therapy. Practitioners felt confident in managing psychosocial care and communicating with patients. Deficits in self-reported confidence were found in long-term medications management, care planning, long-term and

  9. The Emerging Role of Social Work in Primary Health Care: A Survey of Social Workers in Ontario Family Health Teams.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ashcroft, Rachelle; McMillan, Colleen; Ambrose-Miller, Wayne; McKee, Ryan; Brown, Judith Belle

    2018-05-01

    Primary health care systems are increasingly integrating interprofessional team-based approaches to care delivery. As members of these interprofessional primary health care teams, it is important for social workers to explore our experiences of integration into these newly emerging teams to help strengthen patient care. Despite the expansion of social work within primary health care settings, few studies have examined the integration of social work's role into this expanding area of the health care system. A survey was conducted with Canadian social work practitioners who were employed within Family Health Teams (FHTs), an interprofessional model of primary health care in Ontario emerging from a period of health care reform. One hundred and twenty-eight (N = 128) respondents completed the online survey. Key barriers to social work integration in FHTs included difficulties associated with a medical model environment, confusion about social work role, and organizational barriers. Facilitators for integration of social work in FHTs included adequate education and competencies, collaborative engagement, and organizational structures.

  10. Delirium, sedation and analgesia in the intensive care unit: a multinational, two-part survey among intensivists.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alawi Luetz

    Full Text Available Analgesia, sedation and delirium management are important parts of intensive care treatment as they are relevant for patients' clinical and functional long-term outcome. Previous surveys showed that despite this fact implementation rates are still low. The primary aim of the prospective, observational multicenter study was to investigate the implementation rate of delirium monitoring among intensivists. Secondly, current practice concerning analgesia and sedation monitoring as well as treatment strategies for patients with delirium were assesed. In addition, this study compares perceived and actual practice regarding delirium, sedation and analgesia management. Data were obtained with a two-part, anonymous survey, containing general data from intensive care units in a first part and data referring to individual patients in a second part. Questionnaires from 101 hospitals (part 1 and 868 patients (part 2 were included in data analysis. Fifty-six percent of the intensive care units reported to monitor for delirium in clinical routine. Fourty-four percent reported the use of a validated delirium score. In this respect, the survey suggests an increasing use of delirium assessment tools compared to previous surveys. Nevertheless, part two of the survey revealed that in actual practice 73% of included patients were not monitored with a validated score. Furthermore, we observed a trend towards moderate or deep sedation which is contradicting to guideline-recommendations. Every fifth patient was suffering from pain. The implementation rate of adequate pain-assessment tools for mechanically ventilated and sedated patients was low (30%. In conclusion, further efforts are necessary to implement guideline recommendations into clinical practice. The study was registered (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01278524 and approved by the ethical committee.

  11. Dementia and driving : A survey of clinical practice in aged care assessment teams

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Fox, G.K; Withaar, F.K.; Bashford, G.M

    Current clinical practice in Aged Care Assessment Teams (ACATs) in NSW and ACT regarding assessment of fitness to drive in clients with a diagnosis of dementia was examined. Of 42 ACATs with a geriatrician on staff, 38 (90.5%) responded to a telephone survey. Results showed that assessment of driver

  12. A Survey of Orthodontic Treatment in Team Care for Patients With Syndromic Craniosynostosis in Japan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Susami, Takafumi; Fukawa, Toshihiko; Miyazaki, Haruyo; Sakamoto, Teruo; Morishita, Tadashi; Sato, Yoshiaki; Kinno, Yoshiaki; Kurata, Kazuyuki; Watanabe, Keiichiro; Asahito, Toshikazu; Saito, Isao

    2018-04-01

    To understand the actual condition of orthodontic treatment in team care for patients with syndromic craniosynostosis (SCS) in Japan. A nationwide collaborative survey. Twenty-four orthodontic clinics in Japan. A total of 246 patients with SCS. Treatment history was examined based on orthodontic records using common survey sheets. Most patients first visited the orthodontic clinic in the deciduous or mixed dentition phase. Midface advancement was performed without visiting the orthodontic clinic in about a quarter of the patients, and more than a half of the patients underwent "surgery-first" midface advancement. First-phase orthodontic treatment was carried out in about a half of the patients, and maxillary expansion and protraction were performed. Tooth extraction was required in about two-thirds of patients, and the extraction of maxillary teeth was required in most patients. Tooth abnormalities were found in 37.8% of patients, and abnormalities of maxillary molars were frequently (58.3%) found in patients who had undergone midface surgery below the age of 6 years. Many patients underwent "surgery-first" midface advancement, and visiting the orthodontic clinic at least before advancement was considered desirable. First-phase orthodontic treatment should be performed considering the burden of care. Midface advancement below the age of 6 years had a high risk of injury to the maxillary molars. This survey is considered useful for improving orthodontic treatment in team care of patients with SCS.

  13. Effect of the Tool to Reduce Inappropriate Medications on Medication Communication and Deprescribing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fried, Terri R; Niehoff, Kristina M; Street, Richard L; Charpentier, Peter A; Rajeevan, Nallakkandi; Miller, Perry L; Goldstein, Mary K; O'Leary, John R; Fenton, Brenda T

    2017-10-01

    To examine the effect of the Tool to Reduce Inappropriate Medications (TRIM), a web tool linking an electronic health record (EHR) to a clinical decision support system, on medication communication and prescribing. Randomized clinical trial. Primary care clinics at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Veterans aged 65 and older prescribed seven or more medications randomized to receipt of TRIM or usual care (N = 128). TRIM extracts information on medications and chronic conditions from the EHR and contains data entry screens for information obtained from brief chart review and telephonic patient assessment. These data serve as input for automated algorithms identifying medication reconciliation discrepancies, potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs), and potentially inappropriate regimens. Clinician feedback reports summarize discrepancies and provide recommendations for deprescribing. Patient feedback reports summarize discrepancies and self-reported medication problems. Primary: subscales of the Patient Assessment of Care for Chronic Conditions (PACIC) related to shared decision-making; clinician and patient communication. Secondary: changes in medications. 29.7% of TRIM participants and 15.6% of control participants provided the highest PACIC ratings; this difference was not significant. Adjusting for covariates and clustering of patients within clinicians, TRIM was associated with significantly more-active patient communication and facilitative clinician communication and with more medication-related communication among patients and clinicians. TRIM was significantly associated with correction of medication discrepancies but had no effect on number of medications or reduction in PIMs. TRIM improved communication about medications and accuracy of documentation. Although there was no association with prescribing, the small sample size provided limited power to examine medication-related outcomes. © 2017, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2017, The

  14. Palliative care nursing education features more prominently in 2015 than 2005: Results from a nationwide survey and qualitative analysis of curricula.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martins Pereira, Sandra; Hernández-Marrero, Pablo

    2016-10-01

    Making palliative care accessible to all citizens who are in need of this type of care requires effective policies and education. Moreover, healthcare professionals have an ethical and legal responsibility to ensure quality palliative care. Nevertheless, palliative care has had traditionally a limited emphasis in healthcare professionals' undergraduate education. To study the current status of palliative care education in nursing undergraduate curricula and compare 2005 and 2015 findings. An online survey was sent to all state schools providing nursing undergraduate education in Portugal (N = 21). The survey assessed if and how palliative care was included in the curricula, and whether or not national and international recommendations for palliative care nursing education were followed. Further analysis included the content of available curricula/syllabi. A total of 19 schools completed the survey (90% of response rate). These institutions are geographically dispersed and representative of state nursing educational institutions in Portugal. In 2015, all participant schools integrated palliative care in their curricula; nine schools had palliative care as an independent curricular unit (an 800% increase compared to 2005). While in 2005, only 14 out of 23 (61%) schools included palliative care explicitly in their curricula; in 2015, all 19 participant schools did so. National and international recommendations were followed. The inclusion of palliative care within nursing undergraduate curricula strongly increased from 2005 to 2015. Further research is needed to understand the contribution of education in the access, care provision, quality and development of palliative care in this country. © The Author(s) 2016.

  15. Psychosocial and professional characteristics of burnout in Swiss primary care practitioners: a cross-sectional survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goehring, Catherine; Bouvier Gallacchi, Martine; Künzi, Beat; Bovier, Patrick

    2005-02-19

    To measure the prevalence of burnout and explore its professional and psychosocial predictors among Swiss primary care practitioners. A cross-sectional postal survey was conducted to measure burnout, work-related stressors, professional and psychosocial characteristics among a representative sample of primary care practitioners. Answers to the Maslach burnout inventory were used to categorize respondents into moderate and high degree of burnout. 1784 physicians responded to the survey (65% response rate) and 1755 questionnaires could be analysed. 19% of respondents had a high score for emotional exhaustion, 22% had a high score for depersonalisation/cynicism and 16% had a low score for professional accomplishment; 32% had a high score on either the emotional exhaustion or the depersonalisation/cynicism scale (moderate degree of burnout) and 4% had scores in the range of burnout in all three scales (high degree of burnout). Predictors of moderate burnout were male sex, age 45-55 years and excessive perceived stress due to global workload, health-insurance-related work, difficulties to balance professional and private life, changes in the health care system and medical care uncertainty. A high degree of burnout was associated with male sex, practicing in a rural area, and excessive perceived stress due to global workload, patient's expectations, difficulties to balance professional and private life, economic constraints in relation to the practice, medical care uncertainty and difficult relations with non-medical staff at the practice. About one third of Swiss primary care practitioners presented a moderate or a high degree of burnout, which was mainly associated with extrinsic work-related stressors. Medical doctors and politicians in charge of redesigning the health care system should address this phenomenon to maintain an efficient Swiss primary care physician workforce in the future.

  16. How much do health care providers value a community-based asthma care program? – a survey to collect their opinions on the utilities of and barriers to its uptake

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    McLimont Susan

    2009-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background A comprehensive asthma care program (ACP based on Canadian Asthma Consensus Guidelines was implemented in 8 primary care sites in Ontario, Canada. A survey was distributed to health care providers' (HCPs to collect their opinions on the utilities of and barriers to the uptake of the ACP. Methods A 39-item self-administered survey was mailed to 184 HCPs and support staff involved in delivering the ACP at the end of implementation. The items were presented in mixed formats with most items requiring responses on a five-point Likert scale. Distributions of responses were analyzed and compared across types of HCPs and sites. Results Of the 184 surveys distributed, 108 (59% were returned, and of that, 83 were completed by HCPs who had clinical contact with the patients. Overall, 95% of the HCPs considered the ACP useful for improving asthma care management. Most HCPs favored using the asthma care map (72%, believed it decreased uncertainties and variations in patient management (91%, and considered it a convenient and reliable source of information (86%. The most commonly reported barrier was time required to complete the asthma care map. Over half of the HCPs reported challenges to using spirometry, while almost 40% identified barriers to using the asthma action plan. Conclusion Contrary to the notion that physicians believe that guidelines foster cookbook medicine, our study showed that HCPs believed that the ACP offered an effective and reliable approach for enhancing asthma care and management in primary care.

  17. Internet usage and potential impact for acute care hospitals: survey in the United States.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hatcher, M

    1998-12-01

    These survey results are from a national survey of acute care hospitals. A random sample of 813 hospitals was selected with 115 responding and 33 incorrect addresses resulting in a 15% response rate. The purpose of the study was to measure the extent of information systems integration in the financial, medical, and administrative systems of the hospitals. Internet usage including homepages and advertising was measured. Other selected telecommunication applications are analyzed. As demonstration projects from the literature are compared to the survey results, the potential for hospitals is tremendous. Resulting cost savings could be equally impressive. This information will provide a benchmark for hospitals to determine their position relative to Internet technology and to set goals.

  18. Parental involvement and kangaroo care in European neonatal intensive care units: a policy survey in eight countries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pallás-Alonso, Carmen R; Losacco, Valentina; Maraschini, Alice; Greisen, Gorm; Pierrat, Veronique; Warren, Inga; Haumont, Dominique; Westrup, Björn; Smit, Bert J; Sizun, Jacques; Cuttini, Marina

    2012-09-01

    To compare, in a large representative sample of European neonatal intensive care units, the policies and practices regarding parental involvement and holding babies in the kangaroo care position as well as differences in the tasks mothers and fathers are allowed to carry out. Prospective multicenter survey. Neonatal intensive care units in eight European countries (Belgium, Denmark, France, Italy, The Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom). Patients were not involved in this study. None. A structured questionnaire was mailed to 362 units (response rate 78%); only units with ≥50 very-low-birth-weight annual admissions were considered for this study. Facilities for parents such as reclining chairs near the babies' cots, beds, and a dedicated room were common, but less so in Italy and Spain. All units in Sweden, Denmark, the United Kingdom, and Belgium reported encouraging parental participation in the care of the babies, whereas policies were more restrictive in Italy (80% of units), France (73%), and Spain (41%). Holding babies in the kangaroo care position was widespread. However, in the United Kingdom, France, Italy, and Spain, many units applied restrictions regarding its frequency (sometimes or on parents request only, rather than routinely), method (conventional rather than skin-to-skin), and clinical conditions (especially mechanical ventilation and presence of umbilical lines) that would prevent its practice. In these countries, fathers were routinely offered kangaroo care less frequently than mothers (p involvement as well as the role played by mothers and fathers varied within and between countries.

  19. [Can implementation of intensified perinatal survey be effective in improving the quality of perinatal care?].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Troszyński, Michał

    2010-01-01

    Intensive scientific research and rapid technical progress have influenced the rapid fall in term newborn mortality. At the same time new problems have arisen such as saving the lives of infants with low and very low birth weight. Solving these problems needs reorganization of perinatal care, better equipment, especially in reference units and in outpatient clinics, as well as more intensive staff training. to obtain information whether implementation of intensified perinatal survey of fetus and newborn mortality can improve the quality of perinatal care in Poland. Implementation of the survey based on Central Statistics Office (GUS) data, Ministry of Health MZ-29 section X Document and the author's own studies. In the year 2008 newborn with birth weight less than 2500 g, constituted 6,06% liveborn infants, newborn weighing from 1000 to 2499 g - 5%, those with weight from 500 to 999 g - 0.51% of all live born infants. These figures differ according to voivodeship. The intensive survey concerning birth weight and perinatal mortality indeces in voivodeshipPoland, as well as in individual voivodeships, showed differences between data from the Central Statistics Office and data from the Ministry of Health MZ-29 document. This may be due to different methods of registrating newborn deaths eg. newborns transfered in the first weekoflife from the maternity ward to intensive care neonatal ward or to other specialistic departaments. Another reason for the difference may be discharge of the newborn data according to the place of birth or the mother's place of permanent domicile registration. This causes disturbances in flow of infomation resulting in ineffective analysis of perinatal mortality and of perinatal care evaluation. In the ongoing analysis it was found that in Poland stillbirths occur twice as often as perinatal deaths (4.3 per thousands) stillbirths and 2.15 per thousands perinatal deaths), with significant differences between voivodeships. This makes it

  20. Family centred care before and during life-sustaining treatment withdrawal in intensive care: A survey of information provided to families by Australasian critical care nurses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ranse, Kristen; Bloomer, Melissa; Coombs, Maureen; Endacott, Ruth

    2016-11-01

    A core component of family-centred nursing care during the provision of end-of-life care in intensive care settings is information sharing with families. Yet little is known about information provided in these circumstances. To identify information most frequently given by critical care nurses to families in preparation for and during withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment. An online cross-sectional survey. During May 2015, critical care nurses in Australia and New Zealand were invited to complete the Preparing Families for Treatment Withdrawal questionnaire. Data analysis included descriptive statistics to identify areas of information most and least frequently shared with families. Cross tabulations with demographic data were used to explore any associations in the data. From the responses of 159 critical care nurses, information related to the emotional care and support of the family was most frequently provided to families in preparation for and during withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment. Variation was noted in the frequency of provision of information across body systems and their associated physical changes during the dying process. Significant associations (p<0.05) were identified between the variables gender, nursing experience and critical care experiences and some of the information items most and least frequently provided. The provision of information during end-of-life care reflects a family-centred care approach by critical care nurses with information pertaining to emotional care and support of the family paramount. The findings of this study provide a useful framework for the development of interventions to improve practice and support nurses in communicating with families at this time. Copyright © 2016 Australian College of Critical Care Nurses Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Job strain: a cross-sectional survey of dementia care specialists and other staff in Swedish home care services

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sandberg L

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Linda Sandberg,1 Lena Borell,1 David Edvardsson,2,3 Lena Rosenberg,1 Anne-Marie Boström1,4,5 1Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society (NVS, Division of Occupational Therapy, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden; 2School of Nursing and Midwifery, La Trobe University, Heidelberg, VIC, Australia; 3Department of Nursing, Umea University, Umea, Sweden; 4Theme Aging, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden; 5Department of Nursing, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Haugesund, Norway Introduction: An increasing number of older persons worldwide live at home with various functional limitations such as dementia. So, home care staff meet older persons with extensive, complex needs. The staff’s well-being is crucial because it can affect the quality of their work, although literature on job strain among home care staff is limited. Aim: To describe perceived job strain among home care staff and to examine correlations between job strain, personal factors, and organizational factors. Methods: The study applied a cross-sectional survey design. Participants were dementia care specialists who work in home care (n=34 and other home care staff who are not specialized in dementia care (n=35. The Strain in Dementia Care Scale (SDCS and Creative Climate Questionnaire instruments and demographic variables were used. Descriptive and inferential statistics (including regression modeling were applied. The regional ethical review board approved the study. Results: Home care staff perceived job strain – particularly because they could not provide what they perceived to be necessary care. Dementia care specialists ranked job strain higher (m=5.71 than other staff members (m=4.71; p=0.04. Job strain (for total score and for all five SDCS factors correlated with being a dementia care specialist. Correlations also occurred between job strain for SDCS factor 2 (difficulties understanding and interpreting and not having Swedish as

  2. Ownership status and patterns of care in hospice: results from the National Home and Hospice Care Survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carlson, Melissa D A; Gallo, William T; Bradley, Elizabeth H

    2004-05-01

    The number of for-profit hospices increased nearly 4-fold over the past decade, more than 6 times the growth of nonprofit hospices. Despite this growth, the impact of ownership on hospice care is largely unknown. We sought to assess differences in the provision of services to patients of for-profit and nonprofit hospices. Using the 1998 National Home and Hospice Care Survey, we examined services used by patients (N = 2080) cared for by 422 hospices nationwide. We used multivariable ordered logistic and logistic regression to assess the effect of profit status on service use, adjusting for potentially confounding patient and organizational characteristics. We calculated point estimates adjusted for sampling weights and standard errors adjusted for the clustering of patients within hospices. In ordered logistic models controlling for organizational and patient factors, patients of for-profit hospices received a significantly narrower range of services (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 0.45; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.22-0.92) than patients of nonprofit hospices. This result is driven by patients of for-profit hospices receiving significantly fewer types of hospice services that federal regulations term "noncore" or more discretionary services (adjusted OR, 0.34; 95% CI, 0.15-0.75). The pattern of care differs in for-profit and nonprofit hospices. As the industry develops a substantial for-profit presence, it is critical for clinicians and other healthcare professionals to be alert to the potential impact of profit status on the care their patients receive.

  3. Psychological consequences of aggression in pre-hospital emergency care: cross sectional survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bernaldo-De-Quirós, Mónica; Piccini, Ana T; Gómez, M Mar; Cerdeira, Jose C

    2015-01-01

    Pre-hospital emergency care is a particularly vulnerable setting for workplace violence. However, there is no literature available to date on the psychological consequences of violence in pre-hospital emergency care. To evaluate the psychological consequences of exposure to workplace violence from patients and those accompanying them in pre-hospital emergency care. A retrospective cross-sectional study. 70 pre-hospital emergency care services located in Madrid region. A randomized sample of 441 health care workers (135 physicians, 127 nurses and 179 emergency care assistants). Data were collected from February to May 2012. The survey was divided into four sections: demographic/professional information, level of burnout determined by Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), mental health status using General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) and frequency and type of violent behaviour experienced by staff members. The health care professionals who had been exposed to physical and verbal violence presented a significantly higher percentage of anxiety, emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and burnout syndrome compared with those who had not been subjected to any aggression. Frequency of verbal violence (more than five times) was related to emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. Type of violence (i.e. physical aggression) is especially related to high anxiety levels and frequency of verbal aggression is associated with burnout (emotional exhaustion and depersonalization). Psychological counselling should be made available to professional staff who have been subjected to physical aggression or frequent verbal violence. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Public health approaches to end-of-life care in the UK: an online survey of palliative care services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paul, Sally; Sallnow, Libby

    2013-06-01

    The public health approach to end-of-life care has gained recognition over the past decade regarding its contribution to palliative care services. Terms, such as health-promoting palliative care, and compassionate communities, have entered the discourse of palliative care and practice; examples exist in the UK and globally. This scoping study aimed to determine if such initiatives were priorities for hospices in the UK and, if so, provide baseline data on the types of initiatives undertaken. An online survey was designed, piloted and emailed to 220 palliative care providers across the four UK countries. It included a total of six questions. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Qualitative data were analysed thematically. There was a 66% response rate. Of those providers, 60% indicated that public health approaches to death, dying and loss were a current priority for their organisation. Respondents identified a range of work being undertaken currently in this area. The most successful were felt to be working with schools and working directly with local community groups. The findings demonstrate the relevance of a public health approach for palliative care services and how they are currently engaging with the communities they serve. Although the approach was endorsed by the majority of respondents, various challenges were highlighted. These related to the need to balance this against service provision, and the need for more training and resources to support these initiatives, at both national and community levels.

  5. Use of Social Media for Professional Development by Health Care Professionals: A Cross-Sectional Web-Based Survey

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-01-01

    Background Social media can be used in health care settings to enhance professional networking and education; patient communication, care, and education; public health programs; organizational promotion; and research. Objective The aim of this study was to explore the use of social media networks for the purpose of professional development among health care professionals in Saudi Arabia using a purpose-designed Web-based survey. Methods A cross-sectional web-based survey was undertaken. A link to the survey was posted on the investigator’s personal social media accounts including Twitter, LinkedIn, and WhatsApp. Results A total of 231 health care professionals, who are generally social media users, participated in the study. Of these professionals, 70.6% (163/231) use social media for their professional development. The social media applications most frequently used, in the descending order, for professional development were Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and LinkedIn. The majority of respondents used social media for professional development irrespective of their age group, with the highest proportion seen in those aged 20-30 years. Social media were perceived as being most beneficial for professional development in terms of their impact on the domains of knowledge and problem solving and least helpful for enhancing clinical skills. Twitter was perceived as the most helpful type of social media for all domains listed. Respondents most frequently reported that social media were useful for professional development for the reasons of knowledge exchange and networking. Conclusions Social media are frequently used by health care professionals in Saudi Arabia for the purposes of professional development, with Twitter most frequently used for this purpose. These findings suggest that social media networks can be powerful tools for engaging health care professionals in their professional development. PMID:27731855

  6. Use of Social Media for Professional Development by Health Care Professionals: A Cross-Sectional Web-Based Survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alsobayel, Hana

    2016-09-12

    Social media can be used in health care settings to enhance professional networking and education; patient communication, care, and education; public health programs; organizational promotion; and research. The aim of this study was to explore the use of social media networks for the purpose of professional development among health care professionals in Saudi Arabia using a purpose-designed Web-based survey. A cross-sectional web-based survey was undertaken. A link to the survey was posted on the investigator's personal social media accounts including Twitter, LinkedIn, and WhatsApp. A total of 231 health care professionals, who are generally social media users, participated in the study. Of these professionals, 70.6% (163/231) use social media for their professional development. The social media applications most frequently used, in the descending order, for professional development were Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and LinkedIn. The majority of respondents used social media for professional development irrespective of their age group, with the highest proportion seen in those aged 20-30 years. Social media were perceived as being most beneficial for professional development in terms of their impact on the domains of knowledge and problem solving and least helpful for enhancing clinical skills. Twitter was perceived as the most helpful type of social media for all domains listed. Respondents most frequently reported that social media were useful for professional development for the reasons of knowledge exchange and networking. Social media are frequently used by health care professionals in Saudi Arabia for the purposes of professional development, with Twitter most frequently used for this purpose. These findings suggest that social media networks can be powerful tools for engaging health care professionals in their professional development.

  7. Smartphone use habits of anesthesia providers during anesthetized patient care: a survey from Turkey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pınar, Hüseyin Ulaş; Karaca, Omer; Doğan, Rafi; Konuk, Ümmü Mine

    2016-10-06

    Smartphones are used in many areas of anesthesia practice. However, recent editorial articles have expressed concerns about smartphone uses in the operating room for non-medical purposes. We performed a survey to learn about the smartphone use habits and views of Turkish anesthesia providers. A questionnaire consisting of 14 questions about smartphone use habits during anesthesia care was sent anesthesia providers. In November-December 2015, a total of 955 participants answered our survey with 93.7 % of respondents responding that they used smartphones during the anesthetized patient care. Phone calls (65.4 %), messaging (46.4 %), social media (35.3 %), and surfing the internet (33.7 %) were the most common purposes. However, 96.7 % of respondents indicated that smartphones were either never or seldom used during critical stages of anesthesia. Most respondents (87.3 %) stated that they were never distracted because of smartphone use; however, 41 % had witnessed their collagues in such a situation at least once. According to the results of the survey, smartphones are used in the operating room often for non-medical purposes. Distraction remains a concern but evidence-based data on whether restrictions to smartphone use are required are not yet available.

  8. Knowledge, Skills and Experience Managing Tracheostomy Emergencies: A Survey of Critical Care Medicine trainees

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Nizam, AA

    2016-10-01

    Since the development of percutaneous tracheostomy, the number of tracheostomy patients on hospital wards has increased. Problems associated with adequate tracheostomy care on the wards are well documented, particularly the management of tracheostomy-related emergencies. A survey was conducted among non-consultant hospital doctors (NCHDs) starting their Critical Care Medicine training rotation in a university affiliated teaching hospital to determine their basic knowledge and skills in dealing with tracheostomy emergencies. Trainees who had received specific tracheostomy training or who had previous experience of dealing with tracheostomy emergencies were more confident in dealing with such emergencies compared to trainees without such training or experience. Only a minority of trainees were aware of local hospital guidelines regarding tracheostomy care. Our results highlight the importance of increased awareness of tracheostomy emergencies and the importance of specific training for Anaesthesia and Critical Care Medicine trainees.

  9. HPV vaccine hesitancy: findings from a statewide survey of health care providers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McRee, Annie-Laurie; Gilkey, Melissa B; Dempsey, Amanda F

    2014-01-01

    Health care provider recommendations are critical for human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine uptake. We sought to describe providers' HPV vaccine recommendation practices and explore their perceptions of parental hesitancy. A statewide sample (n = 575) of Minnesota health care providers (20% pediatricians, 47% family medicine physicians, and 33% nurse practitioners) completed our online survey in April 2013. Only 76% of health care providers reported routinely recommending HPV vaccine for girls ages 11 to 12 years, and far fewer (46%) did so for boys (p parents' concerns (74%), but many lacked time to probe reasons (47%) or believed that they could not change parents' minds (55%). Higher levels of self-efficacy and outcome expectations were associated with routine recommendations (p HPV vaccine. Improving providers' self-efficacy to address hesitancy may be important for improving vaccination rates. Copyright © 2014 National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Barriers to Office-Based Mental Health Care and Interest in E-Communication With Providers: A Survey Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rai, Minnie; Vigod, Simone N; Hensel, Jennifer M

    2016-08-01

    With rising availability and use of Internet and mobile technology in society, the demand and need for its integration into health care is growing. Despite great potential within mental health care and growing uptake, there is still little evidence to guide how these tools should be integrated into traditional care, and for whom. To examine factors that might inform how e-communication should be implemented in our local outpatient mental health program, including barriers to traditional office-based care, patient preferences, and patient concerns. We conducted a survey in the waiting room of our outpatient mental health program located in an urban, academic ambulatory hospital. The survey assessed (1) age, mobile phone ownership, and general e-communication usage, (2) barriers to attending office-based appointments, (3) preferences for, and interest in, e-communication for mental health care, and (4) concerns about e-communication use for mental health care. We analyzed the data descriptively and examined associations between the presence of barriers, identifying as a social media user, and interest level in e-communication. Respondents (N=68) were predominantly in the age range of 25-54 years. The rate of mobile phone ownership was 91% (62/68), and 59% (40/68) of respondents identified as social media users. There was very low existing use of e-communication between providers and patients, with high levels of interest endorsed by survey respondents. Respondents expressed an interest in using e-communication with their provider to share updates and get feedback, coordinate care, and get general information. In regression analysis, both a barrier to care and identifying as a social media user were significantly associated with e-communication interest (P=.03 and P=.003, respectively). E-communication interest was highest among people who both had a barrier to office-based care and were a social media user. Despite high interest, there were also many concerns

  11. Doctors' personal health care choices: A cross-sectional survey in a mixed public/private setting

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chao David VK

    2008-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Among Western countries, it has been found that physicians tend to manage their own illnesses and tend not have their own independent family physicians. This is recognized as a significant issue for both physicians and, by extension, the patients under their care, resulting in initiatives seeking to address this. Physicians' personal health care practices in Asia have yet to be documented. Methods An anonymous cross-sectional postal questionnaire survey was conducted in Hong Kong, China. All 9570 medical practitioners in Hong Kong registered with the Hong Kong Medical Council in 2003 were surveyed. Chi-square tests and logistic regression models were applied. Results There were 4198 respondents to the survey; a response rate of 44%. Two-thirds of respondents took care of themselves when they were last ill, with 62% of these self-medicating with prescription medication. Physicians who were graduates of Hong Kong medical schools, those working in general practice and non-members of the Hong Kong College of Family Physicians were more likely to do so. Physician specialty was found to be the most influential reason in the choice of caregiver by those who had ever consulted another medical practitioner. Only 14% chose consultation with a FM/GP with younger physians and non-Hong Kong medical graduates having a higher likelihood of doing so. Seventy percent of all respondents believed that having their own personal physician was unnecessary. Conclusion Similar to the practice of colleagues in other countries, a large proportion of Hong Kong physicians self-manage their illnesses, take self-obtained prescription drugs and believe they do not need a personal physician. Future strategies to benefit the medical care of Hong Kong physicians will have to take these practices and beliefs into consideration.

  12. Older women's health priorities and perceptions of care delivery: results of the WOW health survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tannenbaum, Cara; Mayo, Nancy; Ducharme, Francine

    2005-07-19

    As women get older, their health priorities change. We surveyed a sample of older Canadian women to investigate what health priorities are of concern to them, their perceptions about the care delivered to address these priorities and the extent to which priorities and perceptions of care differ across age groups and provinces. The WOW (What Older women Want) cross-sectional health survey was mailed in October 2003 to 5000 community-dwelling women aged 55-95 years from 10 Canadian provinces. Women were asked questions on 26 health priorities according to the World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, and their perceptions of whether these priorities were being addressed by health care providers through screening or counselling. Differences in priorities and perceptions of care delivery were examined across age groups and provinces. The response rate was 52%. The mean age of the respondents was 71 (standard deviation 7) years. The health priorities identified most frequently by the respondents were preventing memory loss (88% of the respondents), learning about the side effects of medications (88%) and correcting vision impairment (86%). Items least frequently selected were counselling about community programs (28%), counselling about exercise (33%) and pneumonia vaccination (33%). Up to 97% of the women recalled being adequately screened for heart disease and stroke risk factors, but as little as 11% reported receiving counselling regarding concerns about memory loss or end-of-life issues. Women who stated that specific priorities were of great concern or importance to them were more than twice as likely as those who stated that they were not of great concern or importance to perceive that these priorities were being addressed: osteoporosis (odds ratio [OR] 2.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.1- 3.2), end-of-life care (OR 2.6, 95% CI 2.0-3.4), anxiety reduction (OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.8-2.6), fall prevention (OR 2.1, 95

  13. Care and self-reported outcomes of care experienced by women with mental health problems in pregnancy: Findings from a national survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Henderson, Jane; Jomeen, Julie; Redshaw, Maggie

    2018-01-01

    mental health problems in pregnancy and the postnatal period are relatively common and, in pregnancy, are associated with an increase in adverse outcome. It is recommended that all women are asked about their emotional and mental health and offered treatment if appropriate. to describe the care received by women self-identifying with mental health problems in pregnancy, and to describe the effects of support, advice and treatment on outcomes in the postnatal period. this study used cross-sectional survey data collected in 2014 which described women's experience of maternity care. England PARTICIPANTS: a random sample of women who had a live birth in January 2014. the questionnaire asked about sociodemographic characteristics, whether women were asked about emotional and mental health in pregnancy, support and treatment offered, about postnatal wellbeing, and questions relating to attachment to their baby. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were used to examine the associations between mental health and outcomes taking account of sociodemographic characteristics. the survey response rate was 47%. Women with antenatal mental health problems were significantly more worried at the prospect of labour and birth, had lower satisfaction with the experience of birth, worse postnatal mental health, and indications of poorer attachment to their baby. They received substantially more care than other women but they did not always view this positively. Support, advice and treatment for mental health problems had mixed effects. this study describes the significant additional care provided to women self-identifying with mental health problems in pregnancy, the mixed effects of support, advice and treatment, and the poor perception of staff interaction among women with mental health problems. health care professionals may need additional training to effectively support women with mental health problems during the perinatal period. Copyright © 2017 The Authors

  14. Exploring dementia management attitudes in primary care: a key informant survey to primary care physicians in 25 European countries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petrazzuoli, Ferdinando; Vinker, Shlomo; Koskela, Tuomas H; Frese, Thomas; Buono, Nicola; Soler, Jean Karl; Ahrensberg, Jette; Asenova, Radost; Foguet Boreu, Quintí; Ceyhun Peker, Gülsen; Collins, Claire; Hanževački, Miro; Hoffmann, Kathryn; Iftode, Claudia; Kurpas, Donata; Le Reste, Jean Yves; Lichtwarck, Bjørn; Petek, Davorina; Pinto, Daniel; Schrans, Diego; Streit, Sven; Tang, Eugene Yee Hing; Tatsioni, Athina; Torzsa, Péter; Unalan, Pemra C; van Marwijk, Harm; Thulesius, Hans

    2017-09-01

    Strategies for the involvement of primary care in the management of patients with presumed or diagnosed dementia are heterogeneous across Europe. We wanted to explore attitudes of primary care physicians (PCPs) when managing dementia: (i) the most popular cognitive tests, (ii) who had the right to initiate or continue cholinesterase inhibitor or memantine treatment, and (iii) the relationship between the permissiveness of these rules/guidelines and PCP's approach in the dementia investigations and assessment. Key informant survey. Primary care practices across 25 European countries. Four hundred forty-five PCPs responded to a self-administered questionnaire. Two-step cluster analysis was performed using characteristics of the informants and the responses to the survey. Two by two contingency tables with odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were used to assess the association between categorical variables. A multinomial logistic regression model was used to assess the association of multiple variables (age class, gender, and perceived prescription rules) with the PCPs' attitude of "trying to establish a diagnosis of dementia on their own." Discrepancies between rules/guidelines and attitudes to dementia management was found in many countries. There was a strong association between the authorization to prescribe dementia drugs and pursuing dementia diagnostic work-up (odds ratio, 3.45; 95% CI 2.28-5.23). Differing regulations about who does what in dementia management seemed to affect PCP's engagement in dementia investigations and assessment. PCPs who were allowed to prescribe dementia drugs also claimed higher engagement in dementia work-up than PCPs who were not allowed to prescribe.

  15. Costs of Informal Care for People Suffering from Dementia: Evidence from a Danish Survey

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marie Jakobsen

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available Background/Aims: Around 70,000–80,000 Danes suffer from dementia. As average life expectancy increases, the number of people suffering from dementia is expected to increase in the future with informal care provided by family and friends becoming more important. The aim of this study was to estimate the time spent by family and friends on informal care of persons suffering from dementia in a Danish setting and calculate the economic implications. Methods: Information on informal care time was collected in a postal survey of members of the Danish Alzheimer’s Association. Data from 469 informal caregivers were obtained corresponding to an adjusted response rate of 62%. Results: On a typical day, informal care time was 4.97–6.91 h for primary caregivers and 0.70–1.06 h for other caregivers. Using the proxy good method to value informal care, daily costs ranged between EUR 160 and 223 for primary caregivers and between EUR 23 and 34 for others. Conclusion: Informal care delivered by family and friends is significant. The value of informal care constitutes an important part of the societal cost of dementia in Denmark.

  16. Current and emerging practice of end-of-life care in British prisons: findings from an online survey of prison nurses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Papadopoulos, Irena; Lay, Margaret

    2016-03-01

    There are concerns about prisoners and detainees not having equal access to end-of-life care while in prison. There is a lack of existing literature about the standards of end-of-life care in UK prisons. The aim of this study was to investigate the views of current and former prison nurses with regard to the end-of-life care being provided in UK prisons. Prison nurses were invited to participate in an online survey and asked about their role in the prison, prisoners' access to healthcare facilities, and any barriers and good practices to end-of-life care. The survey included open-ended and closed questions. The closed questions were analysed using descriptive statistics. The open-ended responses were coded and grouped into themes. 31 (N=31) prison nurses responded to the survey. The reported barriers to end-of-life care included some prison regimes, lack of appropriate care and visiting facilities, lack of privacy and inadequate visiting hours. Respondents also reported examples of good practice, including having access to specialist palliative care and specialist equipment, and being able to receive visits from family and friends. The findings suggest that there is considerable variability in the end-of-life care provided to prisoners in the UK. Further research is needed in order to reduce the health inequalities and improve the quality of end-of-life care experienced by prisoners in the UK. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

  17. A survey-based benchmarking approach for health care using the Baldrige quality criteria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jennings, K; Westfall, F

    1994-09-01

    Since 1988, manufacturing and service industries have been using the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award to assess their management processes (for example, leadership, information, and analysis) against critical performance criteria. Recognizing that the typical Baldrige assessment is time intensive and dependent on intensive training, The Pacer Group, a consulting firm in Dayton, Ohio, developed a self-assessment tool based on the Baldrige criteria which provides a snapshot assessment of an organization's management practices. The survey was administered at 25 hospitals within a health care system. Hospitals were able to compare their scores with other hospitals in the system, as well as the scores of a Baldrige award winner. Results were also analyzed on a systemwide basis to identify strengths and weaknesses across the system. For all 25 hospitals, the following areas were identified as strengths: management of process quality, leadership, and customer focus and satisfaction. Weaknesses included lack of employee involvement in the quality planning process, poor design of quality systems, and lack of cross-departmental cooperation. One of the surveyed hospitals launched improvement initiatives in knowledge of improvement tools and methods and in a patient satisfaction focus. A team was formed to improve the human resource management system. Also, a new unit was designed using patient-centered care principles. A team re-evaluated every operation that affected patients on the unit. A survey modeled after the Baldrige Award criteria can be useful in benchmarking an organization's quality improvement practices.

  18. Which aspects of non-clinical quality of care are most important? Results from WHO's general population surveys of "health systems responsiveness" in 41 countries

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Valentine, Nicole; Darby, Charles; Bonsel, Gouke J.

    2008-01-01

    Quality of care research has reached some agreement on concepts like structure, process and outcome, and non-clinical versus clinical processes of care. These concepts are commonly explored through surveys measuring patient experiences, yet few surveys have focused on patient, or "user", priorities

  19. Attitudes towards implantable cardioverter-defibrillator therapy: a national survey in Danish health-care professionals

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Johansen, Jens B; Mortensen, Peter T; Videbæk, Regitze

    2011-01-01

    Aims The aim of this study was to examine health-care professionals attitudes towards implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) therapy and issues discussed with patients. Methods and results Survey of 209 health-care professionals providing specialized treatment and care of ICD patients......-physicians. Physicians were less likely to believe that their personal attitude towards ICD treatment has no influence on how they deal professionally with patients (27.8 vs. 43.6%; P = 0.04). Physicians and non-physicians were equally positive towards ICD therapy as primary prophylaxis in ischaemic cardiomyopathy (87...... discussing ICD treatment with candidate patients. At the same time, physicians are more aware that their attitude towards ICD treatment may influence how they deal professionally with patients compared with non-physicians....

  20. Adult care providers' perspectives on the transition to adult care for emerging adults with Type 1 diabetes: a cross-sectional survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Michaud, S; Dasgupta, K; Bell, L; Yale, J-F; Anjachak, N; Wafa, S; Nakhla, M

    2018-03-25

    To assess adult diabetes care providers' current transition practices, knowledge about transition care, and perceived barriers to implementation of best practices in transition care for emerging adults with Type 1 diabetes mellitus. We administered a 38-item web-based survey to adult diabetes care providers identified through the Québec Endocrinologist Medical Association and Diabetes Québec. Fifty-three physicians responded (35%). Fewer than half of all respondents (46%) were familiar with the American Diabetes Association's transition care position statement. Approximately one-third of respondents reported a gap of >6 months between paediatric and adult diabetes care. Most (83%) believed communication with the paediatric team was adequate; however, only 56% reported receiving a medical summary and 2% a psychosocial summary from the paediatric provider. Respondents believed that the paediatric team should improve emerging adults' preparation for transition care by developing their self-management skills and improve teaching about the differences between paediatric and adult-oriented care. Only 31% had a system for identifying emerging adults lost to follow-up in adult care. Perceived barriers included difficulty accessing psychosocial services, emerging adults' lack of motivation, and inadequate transition preparation. Most (87%) were interested in having additional resources, including a self-care management tool and a registry to track those lost to follow-up. Our findings highlight the need to better engage adult care providers into transition care practices. Despite adult physicians' interest in transition care, implementation of transition care recommendations and resources in clinical care remains limited. Enhanced efforts are needed to improve access to mental health services within the adult healthcare setting. © 2018 Diabetes UK.

  1. Biomedical and psychosocial factors influencing transtibial prosthesis fit : a Delphi survey among health care professionals

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Baars, Erwin C.; Schrier, Ernst; Geertzen, Jan H.; Dijkstra, Pieter U.

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: We aimed to reach consensus among professionals caring for prosthesis users, on definitions of biomedical and psychosocial factors, to assess their influence on fit of transtibial prosthesis and to identify new factors. Method: A three-round, internet-based, Delphi survey was conducted

  2. Attitudes and awareness of web-based self-care resources in the military: a preliminary survey study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luxton, David D; Armstrong, Christina M; Fantelli, Emily E; Thomas, Elissa K

    2011-09-01

    Web-based self-care resources have a number of potential benefits for military service members (SMs) and their families such as convenience, anonymity, and immediate 24/7 access to useful information. There is limited data available, however, regarding SM and military healthcare provider use of online self-care resources. Our goal with this study was to conduct a preliminary survey assessment of self-care Web site awareness, general attitudes about use, and usage behaviors of Web-based self-care resources among SMs and military healthcare providers. Results show that the majority of SMs and providers use the Internet often, use Internet self-care resources, and are willing to use additional Web-based resources and capabilities. SMs and providers also indicated a preference for Web-based self-care resources as adjunct tools to face-to-face/in-person care. Data from this preliminary study are useful for informing additional research and best practices for integrating Web-based self-care for the military community.

  3. Strategic uses of information technology in health care: a state-of-the-art survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raghupathi, W; Tan, J

    1999-08-01

    The general perception that the use of information technology (IT) in health care is ten to fifteen years behind IT in other industrial sectors such as banking, manufacturing, and airline is rapidly changing. Health care providers, faced with an unprecedented era of competition and managed care, are now exploring the opportunities for using IT to improve the quality while simultaneously reducing the cost of health care. A revolution is taking place in the health care industry, with IT playing an increasingly important role in its delivery. In recent years, for example, the industry spent approximately $12 billion to $14 billion a year on IT. Further exponential growth is expected as the health care industry implements electronic medical records, upgrades hospital information systems, sets up intranets for sharing information among key stakeholders, and uses public networks, such as the Internet, for distributing health-related information and for providing remote diagnostics. Along with these drastic changes and the new approach to health care, the field of health/medical informatics and telematics has also experienced significant growth in the last few years. This article identifies and surveys the critical information technologies that are being adopted to provide strategic benefits to the various health care constituencies including hospitals and health maintenance organizations (HMOs).

  4. Training needs of nurses and social workers in the end-of-life care for people with intellectual disabilities: a national survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bekkema, Nienke; de Veer, Anke J E; Albers, Gwenda; Hertogh, Cees M P M; Onwuteaka-Philipsen, Bregje D; Francke, Anneke L

    2014-04-01

    Nurses and social workers caring for people with intellectual disabilities are increasingly confronted with clients in need of end-of-life care. Previous studies, however, suggest that professionals in intellectual disability care services lack knowledge and experience concerning end-of-life care. Moreover, the proportion of nurses within the staff of intellectual disability services has declined in recent years, while the proportion of social workers has increased, which may have consequences for the quality of end-of-life care. To gain insight into the quality of end-of-life care, past vocational training, training needs and expert consultation opportunities of nurses and social workers working in intellectual disability care services. Survey questionnaire study conducted in the Netherlands. Intellectual disability care services. The study sample was recruited from an existing nationally representative research panel of care professionals. In 2011, all 181 nurses and social workers in the research panel who worked in intellectual disability care services were sent our survey questionnaire. Postal survey addressing education, views and needs regarding end-of-life care. The response was 71.8%. Respondents positively evaluated the quality of end-of-life care. However, most respondents felt inadequately trained in end-of-life care issues. Nurses had received more training in end-of-life care and had fewer training needs than social workers. Respondents wished for additional training, especially in supporting clients in dealing with the impending death and farewell process. Half of the respondents were unaware of the availability of external consultation facilities. This study shows that although nurses and social workers positively appraise the quality of end-of-life care for people with intellectual disabilities, the majority feel inadequately trained to provide good end-of-life care. As the number of people with intellectual disability in need of end-of-life care

  5. Which Early Care and Education Centers Participate in Head Start or Public Pre-Kindergarten? National Survey of Early Care & Education. Technical Report. OPRE Report 2015-92a

    Science.gov (United States)

    Administration for Children & Families, 2015

    2015-01-01

    This report draws on newly available data from the National Survey of Early Care and Education (NSECE) to describe early care and education (ECE) centers that participate in two prominent publicly-funded ECE initiatives: Head Start and publicly-funded pre-kindergarten. Although a great deal is known about Head Start programs, and there are sources…

  6. A national survey to define a new core curriculum to prepare physicians for managed care practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meyer, G S; Potter, A; Gary, N

    1997-08-01

    All levels of medical education will require modification to address the challenges in health care practice brought about by managed care. Because preparation for practice in a managed care environment has received insufficient attention, and because the need for change is so great, in 1995 the authors sought information from a variety of sources to serve as a basis for identifying the core curricular components and the staging of these components in the medical education process. This research effort consisted of a survey of 125 U.S. medical school curriculum deans (or equivalent school representatives); four focus groups of managed care practitioners, administrators, educators, and residents; and a survey of a national sample of physicians and medical directors. Findings indicate that almost all the 91 responding school representatives recognized the importance of revising their curricula to meet the managed care challenge and that the majority either had or were developing programs to train students for practice in managed care environments. The focus groups identified a core set of competencies for managed care practice, although numbers differed on whether the classroom or a managed care setting was the best place to teach the components of a new curriculum. Although medical directors and staff physicians differed with respect to the relative levels of importance of these competencies, the findings suggest that before medical school, training should focus on communication and interpersonal skills, information systems, and customer relations; during medical school, on clinical epidemiology, quality assurance, risk management, and decision analysis; during residency, on utilization management, managed care essentials, and multidisciplinary team building; and after residency, on a review of customer relations, communication skills, and utilization management. The authors conclude that a core curriculum and its sequencing can be identified, that the majority of

  7. Impact of Psychosocial Risk Factors on Prenatal Care Delivery: A National Provider Survey

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krans, Elizabeth E.; Moloci, Nicholas M.; Housey, Michelle T.; Davis, Matthew M.

    2014-01-01

    Objective To evaluate providers’ perspectives regarding the delivery of prenatal care to women with psychosocial risk factors. Methods A random, national sample of 2095 prenatal care providers (853 obstetricians and gynecologists (Ob/Gyns), 270 family medicine (FM) physicians and 972 midwives) completed a mailed survey. We measured respondents’ practice and referral patterns regarding six psychosocial risk factors: adolescence (age ≤ 19), unstable housing, lack of paternal involvement and social support, late prenatal care (> 13 weeks gestation), domestic violence and drug or alcohol use. Chi-square and logistic regression analyses assessed the association between prenatal care provider characteristics and prenatal care utilization patterns. Results Approximately 60% of Ob/Gyns, 48.4% of midwives and 32.2% of FM physicians referred patients with psychosocial risk factors to clinicians outside of their practice. In all three specialties, providers were more likely to increase prenatal care visits with alternative clinicians (social workers, nurses, psychologists/psychiatrists) compared to themselves for all six psychosocial risk factors. Drug or alcohol use and intimate partner violence were the risk factors that most often prompted an increase in utilization. In multivariate analyses, Ob/Gyns who recently completed clinical training were significantly more likely to increase prenatal care utilization with either themselves (OR=2.15; 95% CI 1.14–4.05) or an alternative clinician (2.27; 1.00–4.67) for women with high psychosocial risk pregnancies. Conclusions Prenatal care providers frequently involve alternative clinicians such as social workers, nurses and psychologists or psychiatrists in the delivery of prenatal care to women with psychosocial risk factors. PMID:24740719

  8. Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae in Irish critical care units: results of a pilot prevalence survey, June 2011.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Burns, K

    2012-11-10

    The epidemiology of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) in Ireland is changing, with an increase in the number of reported cases in late 2010 and early 2011. Reported cases were predominantly linked to critical care units. In June 2011, a four-week national pilot survey took place in 40 Irish critical care units (37 adult and three paediatric) to examine the prevalence of rectal carriage of CPE and inform national CPE screening guidelines. A total of 760 screening swabs were taken over the study period, and CPE were not detected in any of the participating critical care units.

  9. General Practitioners' Attitudes towards Essential Competencies in End-of-Life Care: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giezendanner, Stéphanie; Jung, Corinna; Banderet, Hans-Ruedi; Otte, Ina Carola; Gudat, Heike; Haller, Dagmar M; Elger, Bernice S; Zemp, Elisabeth; Bally, Klaus

    2017-01-01

    Identifying essential competencies in end-of-life care, as well as general practitioners' (GPs) confidence in these competencies, is essential to guide training and quality improvement efforts in this domain. To determine which competencies in end-of-life care are considered important by GPs, to assess GPs' confidence in these competencies in a European context and their reasons to refer terminally ill patients to a specialist. Cross-sectional postal survey involving a stratified random sample of 2000 GPs in Switzerland in 2014. Survey development was informed by a previous qualitative exploration of relevant end-of-life GP competencies. Main outcome measures were GPs' assessment of the importance of and confidence in 18 attributes of end-of-life care competencies, and reasons for transferring care of terminally-ill patients to a specialist. GP characteristics associated with main outcome measures were tested using multivariate regression models. The response rate was 31%. Ninety-nine percent of GPs considered the recognition and treatment of pain as important, 86% felt confident about it. Few GPs felt confident in cultural (16%), spiritual (38%) and legal end-of-life competencies such as responding to patients seeking assisted suicide (35%) although more than half of the respondents regarded these competencies as important. Most frequent reasons to refer terminally ill patients to a specialist were lack of time (30%), better training of specialists (23%) and end-of-life care being incompatible with other duties (19%). In multiple regression analyses, confidence in end-of-life care was positively associated with GPs' age, practice size, home visits and palliative training. GPs considered non-somatic competencies (such as spiritual, cultural, ethical and legal aspects) nearly as important as pain and symptom control. Yet, few GPs felt confident in these non-somatic competencies. These findings should inform training and quality improvement efforts in this domain, in

  10. Findings from the 2011 EBRI/MGA Consumer Engagement in Health Care Survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fronstin, Paul

    2011-12-01

    SEVENTH ANNUAL SURVEY: This Issue Brief presents findings from the 2011 EBRI/MGA Consumer Engagement in Health Care Survey. This study is based on an online survey of 4,703 privately insured adults ages 21-64 to provide nationally representative data regarding the growth of consumer-driven health plans (CDHPs) and high-deductible health plans (HDHPs), and the impact of these plans and consumer engagement more generally on the behavior and attitudes of adults with private health insurance coverage. Findings from this survey are compared with EBRI's findings from earlier surveys. ENROLLMENT CONTINUES TO GROW: The survey finds continued growth in consumer-driven health plans: In 2011, 7 percent of the population was enrolled in a CDHP, up from 5 percent in 2010. Enrollment in HDHPs increased from 14 percent in 2010 to 16 percent in 2011. The 7 percent of the population with a CDHP represents 8.4 million adults ages 21-64 with private insurance, while the 16 percent with a HDHP represents 19.3 million people. Among the 19.3 million individuals with an HDHP, 38 percent (or 7.3 million) reported that they were eligible for a health savings ccount (HSA) but did not have such an account. Overall, 15.8 million adults ages 21-64 with private insurance, representing 13.1 percent of that market, were either in a CDHP or were in an HDHP that was eligible for an HSA but had not opened the account. When their children are counted, about 21 million individuals with private insurance, representing about 12 percent of the market, were either in a CDHP or an HSA-eligible plan. MORE COST-CONSCIOUS BEHAVIOR: Individuals in CDHPs were more likely than those with traditional coverage to exhibit a number of cost-conscious behaviors. They were more likely to say that they had checked whether their plan would cover care; asked for a generic drug instead of a brand name; talked to their doctor about treatment options and costs; talked to their doctor about prescription drug options and costs

  11. Attractiveness of people-centred and integrated Dutch Home Care: A nationwide survey among nurses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maurits, Erica E M; de Veer, Anke J E; Groenewegen, Peter P; Francke, Anneke L

    2018-03-05

    The World Health Organization is calling for a fundamental change in healthcare services delivery, towards people-centred and integrated health services. This includes providing integrated care around people's needs that is effectively co-ordinated across providers and co-produced by professionals, the patient, the family and the community. At the same time, healthcare policies aim to scale back hospital and residential care in favour of home care. This is one reason for the home-care nursing staff shortages in Europe. Therefore, this study aimed to examine whether people-centred, integrated home care appeals to nurses with different levels of education in home care and hospitals. A questionnaire survey was held among registered nurses in Dutch home-care organisations and hospitals in 2015. The questionnaire addressed the perceived attractiveness of different aspects of people-centred, integrated home care. In total 328 nurses filled in the questionnaire (54% response rate). The findings showed that most home-care nurses (70% to 97%) and 36% to 76% of the hospital nurses regard the different aspects of people-centred, integrated home care as attractive. Specific aspects that home-care nurses find attractive are promoting the patient's self-reliance and having a network in the community. Hospital nurses are mainly attracted to health-related prevention and taking control in complex situations. No clear differences between the educational levels were found. It is concluded that most home-care nurses and a minority of hospital nurses feel attracted to people-centred, integrated home care, irrespective of their educational level. The findings are relevant to policy makers and home-care organisations who aim to expand the home-care nursing workforce. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  12. Prayer for Health and Primary Care: Results From the 2002 National Health Interview Survey

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilkinson, Joanne E.; Saper, Robert B.; Rosen, Amy K.; Welles, Seth L.; Culpepper, Larry

    2009-01-01

    Background and Objectives Prayer for health (PFH) is common; in 2002, 35% of US adults prayed for their health. We examined the relationship of PFH and primary care visits, with a special focus on African American women, using data from the 2002 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). Methods We used chi-square analyses to compare the demographic (age group, gender, race, region, marital status, educational level, ethnicity) and health-related covariates (alcohol use, smoking status, and selected medical conditions) between individuals who did and did not pray for their health in the past year. Univariate associations between PFH and visit to primary care provider (PCP), with Mantel-Haenszel adjustment for confounding, were determined. Multivariate regression was used to determine independent factors associated with PFH and PCP visit, with SUDAAN to adjust for the clustered survey design. Results Subjects who prayed were more likely to be female, older than 58, Black, Southern, separated, divorced or widowed, and nondrinkers. Subjects who prayed were also more likely to have seen a PCP within the past year. Black women who prayed were also more likely to see a PCP. Conclusions These findings suggest that people who pray for their health do so in addition to, not instead of, seeking primary care. This finding is maintained but with a smaller effect size, in Black women. PMID:18830839

  13. End-of-life care in general practice: A cross-sectional, retrospective survey of 'cancer', 'organ failure' and 'old-age/dementia' patients

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Evans, N.C.; Pasman, H.R.W.; Donker, G.A.; Deliens, L.; Block, L.; Onwuteaka-Philipsen, B.D.

    2014-01-01

    Background: End-of-life care is often provided in primary care settings. Aim: To describe and compare general-practitioner end-of-life care for Dutch patients who died from 'cancer', 'organ failure' and 'old-age or dementia'. Design: A cross-sectional, retrospective survey was conducted within a

  14. Transition of Care Practices from Emergency Department to Inpatient: Survey Data and Development of Algorithm

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sangil Lee

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available We aimed to assess the current scope of handoff education and practice among resident physicians in academic centers and to propose a standardized handoff algorithm for the transition of care from the emergency department (ED to an inpatient setting. This was a cross-sectional survey targeted at the program directors, associate or assistant program directors, and faculty members of emergency medicine (EM residency programs in the United States (U.S.. The web-based survey was distributed to potential subjects through a listserv. A panel of experts used a modified Delphi approach to develop a standardized algorithm for ED to inpatient handoff. 121 of 172 programs responded to the survey for an overall response rate of 70.3%. Our survey showed that most EM programs in the U.S. have some form of handoff training, and the majority of them occur either during orientation or in the clinical setting. The handoff structure from ED to inpatient is not well standardized, and in those places with a formalized handoff system, over 70% of residents do not uniformly follow it. Approximately half of responding programs felt that their current handoff system was safe and effective. About half of the programs did not formally assess the handoff proficiency of trainees. Handoffs most commonly take place over the phone, though respondents disagree about the ideal place for a handoff to occur, with nearly equivalent responses between programs favoring the bedside over the phone or faceto-face on a computer. Approximately two-thirds of responding programs reported that their residents were competent in performing ED to inpatient handoffs. Based on this survey and on the review of the literature, we developed a five-step algorithm for the transition of care from the ED to the inpatient setting. Our results identified the current trends of education and practice in transitions of care, from the ED to the inpatient setting in U.S. academic medical centers. An algorithm

  15. Estimating leptospirosis incidence using hospital-based surveillance and a population-based health care utilization survey in Tanzania.

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    Holly M Biggs

    Full Text Available The incidence of leptospirosis, a neglected zoonotic disease, is uncertain in Tanzania and much of sub-Saharan Africa, resulting in scarce data on which to prioritize resources for public health interventions and disease control. In this study, we estimate the incidence of leptospirosis in two districts in the Kilimanjaro Region of Tanzania.We conducted a population-based household health care utilization survey in two districts in the Kilimanjaro Region of Tanzania and identified leptospirosis cases at two hospital-based fever sentinel surveillance sites in the Kilimanjaro Region. We used multipliers derived from the health care utilization survey and case numbers from hospital-based surveillance to calculate the incidence of leptospirosis. A total of 810 households were enrolled in the health care utilization survey and multipliers were derived based on responses to questions about health care seeking in the event of febrile illness. Of patients enrolled in fever surveillance over a 1 year period and residing in the 2 districts, 42 (7.14% of 588 met the case definition for confirmed or probable leptospirosis. After applying multipliers to account for hospital selection, test sensitivity, and study enrollment, we estimated the overall incidence of leptospirosis ranges from 75-102 cases per 100,000 persons annually.We calculated a high incidence of leptospirosis in two districts in the Kilimanjaro Region of Tanzania, where leptospirosis incidence was previously unknown. Multiplier methods, such as used in this study, may be a feasible method of improving availability of incidence estimates for neglected diseases, such as leptospirosis, in resource constrained settings.

  16. Estimating Leptospirosis Incidence Using Hospital-Based Surveillance and a Population-Based Health Care Utilization Survey in Tanzania

    Science.gov (United States)

    Biggs, Holly M.; Hertz, Julian T.; Munishi, O. Michael; Galloway, Renee L.; Marks, Florian; Saganda, Wilbrod; Maro, Venance P.; Crump, John A.

    2013-01-01

    Background The incidence of leptospirosis, a neglected zoonotic disease, is uncertain in Tanzania and much of sub-Saharan Africa, resulting in scarce data on which to prioritize resources for public health interventions and disease control. In this study, we estimate the incidence of leptospirosis in two districts in the Kilimanjaro Region of Tanzania. Methodology/Principal Findings We conducted a population-based household health care utilization survey in two districts in the Kilimanjaro Region of Tanzania and identified leptospirosis cases at two hospital-based fever sentinel surveillance sites in the Kilimanjaro Region. We used multipliers derived from the health care utilization survey and case numbers from hospital-based surveillance to calculate the incidence of leptospirosis. A total of 810 households were enrolled in the health care utilization survey and multipliers were derived based on responses to questions about health care seeking in the event of febrile illness. Of patients enrolled in fever surveillance over a 1 year period and residing in the 2 districts, 42 (7.14%) of 588 met the case definition for confirmed or probable leptospirosis. After applying multipliers to account for hospital selection, test sensitivity, and study enrollment, we estimated the overall incidence of leptospirosis ranges from 75–102 cases per 100,000 persons annually. Conclusions/Significance We calculated a high incidence of leptospirosis in two districts in the Kilimanjaro Region of Tanzania, where leptospirosis incidence was previously unknown. Multiplier methods, such as used in this study, may be a feasible method of improving availability of incidence estimates for neglected diseases, such as leptospirosis, in resource constrained settings. PMID:24340122

  17. Relative professional roles in antenatal care: results of a survey in Scottish rural general practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farmer, Jane; Stimpson, Paul; Tucker, Janet

    2003-11-01

    There is evidence of variation and some ambiguity about self-perceived relative professional roles in antenatal care in the UK. There is little information about models of antenatal care provision in UK rural areas. In rural areas, in particular, women have limited choice in accessing health care professionals or alternative primary care delivery settings. In the light of a recent review of Scottish maternity services, it is important and timely to examine models of care and interprofessional working in antenatal care in rural areas. This study explores midwives' and GPs' perceptions about their relative professional roles in remote and rural general practice in Scotland. A questionnaire survey involving all 174 Scottish remote and rural general practices (using one definition of rurality) was conducted, followed by 20 interviews. At least one professional returned a completed questionnaire from 91% of rural practices. A number of areas of dissonance were noted between GPs' and midwives' perceptions of their roles in maternity care and, given the context of service provision, these may impact upon rural patients. Findings are relevant to wider debates on extending the primary care team and strengthening inter-disciplinary working, particularly in rural areas.

  18. Explaining public satisfaction with health-care systems: findings from a nationwide survey in China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Munro, Neil; Duckett, Jane

    2016-06-01

    To identify factors associated with health-care system satisfaction in China. Recent research suggests that socio-demographic characteristics, self-reported health, income and insurance, ideological beliefs, health-care utilization, media use and perceptions of services may affect health-care system satisfaction, but the relative importance of these factors is poorly understood. New data from China offer the opportunity to test theories about the sources of health-care system satisfaction. Stratified nationwide survey sample analysed using multilevel logistic regression. 3680 Chinese adults residing in family dwellings between 1 November 2012 and 17 January 2013. Satisfaction with the way the health-care system in China is run. We find only weak associations between satisfaction and socio-demographic characteristics, self-reported health and income. We do, however, find that satisfaction is strongly associated with having insurance and belief in personal responsibility for meeting health-care costs. We also find it is negatively associated with utilization, social media use, perceptions of access as unequal and perceptions of service providers as unethical. To improve satisfaction, Chinese policymakers - and their counterparts in countries with similar health-care system characteristics - should improve insurance coverage and the quality of health services, and tackle unethical medical practices. © 2015 The Authors. Health Expectations published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  19. Assessment of dentally related functional competency for older adults with cognitive impairment--a survey for special-care dental professionals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Xi; Clark, Jennifer J J

    2013-01-01

    This survey was to study whether and how dental professional assess dental-related function in older adults with cognitive impairment (OACI). An invitation was sent to 525 special-care dental professionals, followed by a reminder in 2 weeks. Thirteen percent of the targeted participants completed the survey. Among them, 88% completed a hospital dentistry, geriatric dentistry, or other postgraduate training program. Nearly 70% of the respondents considered somewhat to very difficult to assess dentally related function; 45% did not ever or did not regularly assess dental-related function for OACI. Dental-related functional assessments were often based on a subjective, unstructured approach. Only 6% of the respondents routinely used standard instruments to assess the patients' function. These results indicate that an objective functional assessment based on a standardized instrument has not been routinely incorporated into dental care for OACI, raising concerns for quality of care in this vulnerable population. ©2012 Special Care Dentistry Association and Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  20. Low back pain research priorities: a survey of primary care practitioners

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    Das Anurina

    2007-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Despite the large amount of time and money which has been devoted to low back pain research, successful management remains an elusive goal and low back pain continues to place a large burden on the primary care setting. One reason for this may be that the priorities for research are often developed by researchers and funding bodies, with little consideration of the needs of primary care practitioners. This study aimed to determine the research priorities of primary care practitioners who manage low back pain on a day-to-day basis. Methods A modified-Delphi survey of primary care practitioners was conducted, consisting of three rounds of questionnaires. In the first round, 70 practitioners who treat low back pain were each asked to provide up to five questions which they would like answered with respect to low back pain in primary care. The results were collated into a second round questionnaire consisting of 39 priorities, which were rated for importance by each practitioner on a likert-scale. The third round consisted of asking the practitioners to rank the top ten priorities in order of importance. Results Response rates for the modified-Delphi remained above 70% throughout the three rounds. The ten highest ranked priorities included the identification of sub-groups of patients that respond optimally to different treatments, evaluation of different exercise approaches in the management of low back pain, self-management of low back pain, and comparison of different treatment approaches by primary care professions treating low back pain. Conclusion Practitioners identified a need for more information on a variety of topics, including diagnosis, the effectiveness of treatments, and identification of patient characteristics which affect treatment and recovery.

  1. Improvements in primary care skills and knowledge with a vocational training program – a pre–post survey

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    Djalali S

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Sima Djalali, Ryan Tandjung, Thomas Rosemann, Stefan Markun Institute of Primary Care, University of Zurich, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland Background: Facing the upcoming shortage of primary care physicians (PCPs, medical and governmental organizations have recently made major investments to foster vocational training programs in Switzerland, designed to provide context-specific training for trainees in primary care practices. Less is known about the impact of these programs on the skills and specific knowledge of trainees. We aimed to evaluate the Cantonal program for vocational primary care training in the Canton of Zurich, Switzerland’s largest Canton.Methods: We undertook a pretest–posttest study and surveyed physicians before and after participating in the Cantonal program for vocational primary care training in the Swiss Canton of Zurich. All trainees who participated in the program from 2013 until the end of 2015 were eligible. Primary outcome was the proportion of trainees being confident about their professional, organizational, examination and management skills before and after completing vocational training. Secondary outcomes were the proportion of trainees stating knowledge gain in entrepreneurship and the proportion of trainees being motivated to pursue a career as PCP.Results: Data of 47 trainees participating in the vocational training between 2013 and 2015 were eligible. In total, 35 (74.5% participated in the T1 survey and 34 (72.3% in the T2 survey. At T2, significantly more trainees (T1: 11%−89%, T2: 79%−100% stated to be at least “slightly confident” about their skills (p<0.05 for each individual skill. Knowledge gain in entrepreneurship was highly expected and experienced by the trainees (55%−77% of respondents in case of medicine-specific contents, but hardly expected in case of general business contents (≤47% of respondents. Concerning trainees’ motivation to pursue a career as PCP

  2. Primary health care providers surveyed commonly misinterpret 'first void urine' for chlamydia screening.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lusk, M Josephine; Uddin, Ruby; Ferson, Mark; Rawlinson, William; Konecny, Pam

    2009-03-01

    An open question survey of general practitioners (GP) and hospital emergency department (ED) doctors revealed that the term 'FVU' (first void urine) used for urine chlamydia testing, is ambiguous, potentially leading to incorrect urine sample collection and barriers to effective screening. The results of this survey indicate that only 4.3% (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.5-14.5%) of GP and 6.9% (95% CI 0.9-22.8%) of ED doctors respectively, correctly interpreted the meaning of FVU. The majority of clinicians surveyed misunderstood 'FVU' to require the first urine void of the day, accounting for 68.1% (95% CI 52.9-80.9%) of GP responses and 37.9% (95% CI 20.7-57.7%) of ED doctors responses. This highlights the need for clarification and standardisation of terminology used in urine chlamydia screening for health care providers, in order to optimise strategies for diagnosis and control of the ongoing chlamydia epidemic.

  3. Assessing quality of maternity care in Hungary: expert validation and testing of the mother-centered prenatal care (MCPC) survey instrument.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rubashkin, Nicholas; Szebik, Imre; Baji, Petra; Szántó, Zsuzsa; Susánszky, Éva; Vedam, Saraswathi

    2017-11-16

    Instruments to assess quality of maternity care in Central and Eastern European (CEE) region are scarce, despite reports of poor doctor-patient communication, non-evidence-based care, and informal cash payments. We validated and tested an online questionnaire to study maternity care experiences among Hungarian women. Following literature review, we collated validated items and scales from two previous English-language surveys and adapted them to the Hungarian context. An expert panel assessed items for clarity and relevance on a 4-point ordinal scale. We calculated item-level Content Validation Index (CVI) scores. We designed 9 new items concerning informal cash payments, as well as 7 new "model of care" categories based on mode of payment. The final questionnaire (N = 111 items) was tested in two samples of Hungarian women, representative (N = 600) and convenience (N = 657). We conducted bivariate analysis and thematic analysis of open-ended responses. Experts rated pre-existing English-language items as clear and relevant to Hungarian women's maternity care experiences with an average CVI for included questions of 0.97. Significant differences emerged across the model of care categories in terms of informal payments, informed consent practices, and women's perceptions of autonomy. Thematic analysis (N = 1015) of women's responses identified 13 priority areas of the maternity care experience, 9 of which were addressed by the questionnaire. We developed and validated a comprehensive questionnaire that can be used to evaluate respectful maternity care, evidence-based practice, and informal cash payments in CEE region and beyond.

  4. Patient Safety Culture Survey in Pediatric Complex Care Settings: A Factor Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hessels, Amanda J; Murray, Meghan; Cohen, Bevin; Larson, Elaine L

    2017-04-19

    Children with complex medical needs are increasing in number and demanding the services of pediatric long-term care facilities (pLTC), which require a focus on patient safety culture (PSC). However, no tool to measure PSC has been tested in this unique hybrid acute care-residential setting. The objective of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Nursing Home Survey on Patient Safety Culture tool slightly modified for use in the pLTC setting. Factor analyses were performed on data collected from 239 staff at 3 pLTC in 2012. Items were screened by principal axis factoring, and the original structure was tested using confirmatory factor analysis. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted to identify the best model fit for the pLTC data, and factor reliability was assessed by Cronbach alpha. The extracted, rotated factor solution suggested items in 4 (staffing, nonpunitive response to mistakes, communication openness, and organizational learning) of the original 12 dimensions may not be a good fit for this population. Nevertheless, in the pLTC setting, both the original and the modified factor solutions demonstrated similar reliabilities to the published consistencies of the survey when tested in adult nursing homes and the items factored nearly identically as theorized. This study demonstrates that the Nursing Home Survey on Patient Safety Culture with minimal modification may be an appropriate instrument to measure PSC in pLTC settings. Additional psychometric testing is recommended to further validate the use of this instrument in this setting, including examining the relationship to safety outcomes. Increased use will yield data for benchmarking purposes across these specialized settings to inform frontline workers and organizational leaders of areas of strength and opportunity for improvement.

  5. Degree of patient satisfaction with health care performance assesed by marketing surveys.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Druguş, Daniela; Azoicăi, Doina

    2015-01-01

    Marketing surveys of the health system collect useful information to develop effective management strategies. The research aim consisted in measuring patient satisfaction with health care quality. The qualitative research was based on an online SurveyMonkey open-ended questionnaire. The analysis of patient satisfaction/dissatisfaction with healthcare professionals was performed in 1838 patients. Correlation analysis allowed the identification of some determinants associated with patient satisfaction. The variable most commonly associated with satisfaction was "I got adequate information about procedures/treatment" according to 32.2% of respondents. The patients who were dissatisfied most commonly complained that they were "Not adequately informed about maneuvers and treatment", reported by 40.0% of respondents. This study provides a basis for building an original model for determining the variables of an efficient healthcare system which to ensure a high degree of patient satisfaction.

  6. Request for HIV serology in primary care: A survey of medical and nursing professionals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pichiule-Castañeda, Myrian; Domínguez-Berjón, M Felicitas; Esteban-Vasallo, María D; García-Riolobos, Carmen; Álvarez-Castillo, M Carmen; Astray-Mochales, Jenaro

    2018-01-15

    In the Community of Madrid there is 42.7% late HIV diagnosis. Primary care is the gateway to the health system and the frequency of serological tests requested by these professionals is unknown. The objectives were to establish the frequency of requests for HIV serology by medical and nursing primary care professionals in the Community of Madrid and the factors associated with these requests. An 'on-line' survey was conducted, asking professionals who participated in the evaluation study of strategies to promote early diagnosis of HIV in primary care in the Community of Madrid (ESTVIH) about the number of HIV-serology tests requested in the last 12 months. The association between HIV-serology requesting and the sociodemographic and clinical practice characteristics of the professionals was quantified using adjusted odds ratios (aOR) according to logistic regression. 264 surveys (59.5% physicians). Eighty-two point two percent of medical and 18.7% of nursing professionals reported requesting at least one HIV-serology in the last 12 months (median: 15 and 2 HIV-serology request, respectively). The doctors associated the request with: being male (aOR: 2.95; 95% CI: 0.82-10.56), being trained in pre-post HIV test counselling (aOR: 2.42; 95% CI: 0.84-6.93) and the nurses with: age (13 years; aOR: 3.02; 95% CI: 1.07-8.52). It is necessary to promote HIV testing and training in pre-post HIV test counselling for medical and nursing professionals in primary care centres. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  7. National Survey of Emergency Physicians Concerning Home-Based Care Options as Alternatives to Emergency Department-Based Hospital Admissions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stuck, Amy R; Crowley, Christopher; Killeen, James; Castillo, Edward M

    2017-11-01

    Emergency departments (EDs) in the United States play a prominent role in hospital admissions, especially for the growing population of older adults. Home-based care, rather than hospital admission from the ED, provides an important alternative, especially for older adults who have a greater risk of adverse events, such as hospital-acquired infections, falls, and delirium. The objective of the survey was to understand emergency physicians' (EPs) perspectives on home-based care alternatives to hospitalization from the ED. Specific goals included determining how often EPs ordered home-based care, what they perceive as the barriers and motivators for more extensive ordering of home-based care, and the specific conditions and response times most appropriate for such care. A group of 1200 EPs nationwide were e-mailed a six-question survey. Participant response was 57%. Of these, 55% reported ordering home-based care from the ED within the past year as an alternative to hospital admission or observation, with most doing so less than once per month. The most common barrier was an "unsafe or unstable home environment" (73%). Home-based care as a "better setting to care for low-acuity chronic or acute disease exacerbation" was the top motivator (79%). Medical conditions EPs most commonly considered for home-based care were cellulitis, urinary tract infection, diabetes, and community-acquired pneumonia. Results suggest that EPs recognize there is a benefit to providing home-based care as an alternative to hospitalization, provided they felt the home was safe and a process was in place for dispositioning the patient to this setting. Better understanding of when and why EPs use home-based care pathways from the ED may provide suggestions for ways to promote wider adoption. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Quality Assurance Practices in Obstetric Care: A Survey of Hospitals in California.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lundsberg, Lisbet S; Lee, Henry C; Dueñas, Grace Villarin; Gregory, Kimberly D; Grossetta Nardini, Holly K; Pettker, Christian M; Illuzzi, Jessica L; Xu, Xiao

    2018-02-01

    To assess hospital practices in obstetric quality management activities and identify institutional characteristics associated with utilization of evidence-supported practices. Data for this study came from a statewide survey of obstetric hospitals in California regarding their organization and delivery of perinatal care. We analyzed responses from 185 hospitals that completed quality assurance sections of the survey to assess their practices in a broad spectrum of quality enhancement activities. The association between institutional characteristics and adoption of evidence-supported practices (ie, those supported by prior literature or recommended by professional organizations as beneficial for improving birth outcome or patient safety) was examined using bivariate analysis and appropriate statistical tests. Most hospitals regularly audited adherence to written protocols regarding critical areas of care; however, 77.7% and 16.8% reported not having written guidelines on diagnosis of labor arrest and management of abnormal fetal heart rate, respectively. Private nonprofit hospitals were more likely to have a written protocol for management of abnormal fetal heart rate (P=.002). One in 10 hospitals (9.7%) did not regularly review cases with significant morbidity or mortality, and only 69.0% regularly tracked indications for cesarean delivery. Moreover, 26.3%, 14.3%, and 8.7% of the hospitals reported never performing interprofessional simulations for eclampsia, shoulder dystocia, or postpartum hemorrhage, respectively. Teaching status was associated with more frequent simulations in these three areas (P≤.04 for all), while larger volume was associated with more frequent simulations for eclampsia (P=.04). Hospitals in California engage in a wide range of practices to assure or improve quality of obstetric care, but substantial variation in practice exists among hospitals. There is opportunity for improvement in adoption of evidence-supported practices.

  9. Intensive Care Unit Rotations and Predictors of Career Choice in Pulmonary/Critical Care Medicine: A Survey of Internal Medicine Residency Directors

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    Daniel J. Minter

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. The United States (US is experiencing a growing shortage of critical care medicine (CCM trained physicians. Little is known about the exposures to CCM experienced by internal medicine (IM residents or factors that may influence their decision to pursue a career in pulmonary/critical care medicine (PCCM. Methods. We conducted a survey of US IM residency program directors (PDs and then used multivariable logistic regression to identify factors that were predictive of residency programs with a higher percentage of graduates pursuing careers in PCCM. Results. Of the 249 PDs contacted, 107 (43% completed our survey. University-sponsored programs more commonly had large ICUs (62.3% versus 42.2%, p=0.05, primary medical ICUs (63.9% versus 41.3%, p=0.03, and closed staffing models (88.5% versus 41.3%, p20 beds, residents serving as code leaders, and greater proportion of graduates pursuing specialization. Conclusions. While numerous differences exist between the ICU rotations at community- and university-sponsored IM residencies, the percentage of graduates specializing in PCCM was similar. Exposure to larger ICUs, serving as code leaders, and higher rates of specialization were predictive of a career choice in PCCM.

  10. The health care for diabetic persons in Italy: the QUADRI survey

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    Marina Maggini

    2008-09-01

    Full Text Available To obtain regional and national data on the quality of diabetes care within the Italian National Health Service, a national survey among persons with diabetes was conducted in 2004. A sample of 3,426 diabetic patients (age 18-64 years were interviewed using a standardized questionnaire. The population was middle-aged (median age 57 years, had a low educational level, and was followed primarily in public diabetes centres. A total of 54% reported having hypertension but 14% were not on treatment; for hypercholesterolemia, the corresponding figures were 44% and 26%. Of the 72% who were overweight or obese, 51% were trying to lose weight; 26% currently smoked. Only 66% of patients had undergone haemoglobin A1c testing in the past four months (among the 67% who had ever heard of test; 30% suffered from microvascular or macrovascular complications. Only 5% received all eight main tests recommended by the guidelines within the specified intervals. Our study demonstrates that diabetic patients receive less than optimal care, they are engaged in unhealthy behaviours and received inadequate treatment for comorbidities, and that the translation of guidelines into clinical practice was unsatisfactory. These data have been used to formulate national and regional policy regarding integrated case management to improve the quality of diabetes care.

  11. Survey of advanced radiation technologies used at designated cancer care hospitals in Japan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shikama, Naoto; Tsujino, Kayoko; Nakamura, Katsumasa; Ishikura, Satoshi

    2014-01-01

    Our survey assessed the use of advanced radiotherapy technologies at the designated cancer care hospitals in Japan, and we identified several issues to be addressed. We collected the data of 397 designated cancer care hospitals, including information on staffing in the department of radiation oncology (e.g. radiation oncologists, medical physicists and radiation therapists), the number of linear accelerators and the implementation of advanced radiotherapy technologies from the Center for Cancer Control and Information Services of the National Cancer Center, Japan. Only 53% prefectural designated cancer care hospitals and 16% regional designated cancer care hospitals have implemented intensity-modulated radiotherapy for head and neck cancers, and 62% prefectural designated cancer care hospitals and 23% regional designated cancer care hospitals use intensity-modulated radiotherapy for prostate cancer. Seventy-four percent prefectural designated cancer care hospitals and 40% regional designated cancer care hospitals employ stereotactic body radiotherapy for lung cancer. Our multivariate analysis of prefectural designated cancer care hospitals which satisfy the institute's qualifications for advanced technologies revealed the number of radiation oncologists (P=0.01) and that of radiation therapists (P=0.003) were significantly correlated with the implementation of intensity-modulated radiotherapy for prostate cancer, and the number of radiation oncologists (P=0.02) was correlated with the implementation of stereotactic body radiotherapy. There was a trend to correlate the number of medical physicists with the implementation of stereotactic body radiotherapy (P=0.07). Only 175 (51%) regional designated cancer care hospitals satisfy the institute's qualification of stereotactic body radiotherapy and 76 (22%) satisfy that of intensity-modulated radiotherapy. Seventeen percent prefectural designated cancer care hospitals and 13% regional designated cancer care hospitals

  12. Remote Health Care Provision in Care Homes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Newbould, Louise; Mountain, Gail; Hawley, Mark; Ariss, Steve

    2017-01-01

    A survey was developed to map provision, knowledge, attitudes and views towards videoconferencing in care homes in Yorkshire and The Humber. The survey was sent to 859 care homes, with a 14% response rate. Twelve homes reported using videoconferencing. Non-users appeared skeptical, managers using the system reported improvements in outcomes.

  13. Health surveys and use of maternal and child health care services in three municipalities within the São Paulo metropolitan area

    OpenAIRE

    de Carvalho, Wladithe Organ; Galvao Cesar, Chester Luiz; Carandina, Luana [UNESP; de Azevedo Barros, Marilisa Berti; Goi Porto Alves, Maria Cecilia; Goldbaum, Moises

    2008-01-01

    Objectives. To describe the changes in the use of maternal and child health care services by residents of three municipalities-Embu, Itapecerica da Serra, and Taboao da Serra-in the São Paulo metropolitan area, 12 years after the implementation of the Unified Health System (SUS) in Brazil, and to analyze the potential of population-based health care surveys as sources of data to evaluate these changes.Methods. Two population-based, cross-sectional surveys were carried out in 1990 and 2002 in ...

  14. Hydrotherapy in burn care: a survey of hydrotherapy practices in the UK and Ireland and literature review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Langschmidt, Jenna; Caine, Paul L; Wearn, Christopher M; Bamford, Amy; Wilson, Yvonne T; Moiemen, Naiem S

    2014-08-01

    Hydrotherapy is widely used in burns management however there are risks associated with its use, in particular cross-infection. Data regarding indications and techniques in common use is deficient. This study aimed to investigate hydrotherapy practices in the UK and Ireland. A survey of the hydrotherapy practice of major burn care providers was performed by e mail and where necessary, follow up telephone contact. The survey included 28 burn care providers. 27 reported using hydrotherapy. Only 11 (41%) had defined indication criteria with 4 (15%) implementing a specific protocol. Variations in hydrotherapy practice were seen. Hydrotherapy is used nationwide, however considerable variation in practice exists. One area worthy of further consideration is the need for appropriate standards of infection control. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

  15. [Necrotizing fasciitis: results of a survey on management practices in French-speaking intensive care units].

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Prost, N; Bosc, R; Brun-Buisson, C; Chosidow, O; Decousser, J-W; Dhonneur, G; Lepeule, R; Rahmouni, A; Sbidian, E; Amathieu, R

    2014-12-01

    Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) are rare and severe soft tissue infections associated with a high mortality rate. In order to assess the management of NF in French-speaking intensive care units (ICUs), we conducted a survey endorsed by the French Society of Anesthesia and Intensive Care (SFAR). Online self-administered survey. A link to an online survey was sent by email to 4620 anesthesiologists and/or intensivists and was available online from January to February 2014. One hundred and seventy-five physicians (3.8%) who worked in 135 ICUs filled out the online survey. Among respondents, 42% reported having managed up to two patients with NF during the previous year; 59% and 72% of respondents reported not having a surgical and a medical specialist consultant, respectively. A delayed access to the operating room (OR) of more than 6hours was reported in 31% of cases and access to the OR was reported not to be routinely considered as a priority in 13% of cases. Only 17% of respondents reported that time to transfer to the OR was never a cause for delayed surgery. The main causes for delayed surgery were: delayed diagnosis (45%), delayed validation of surgical intervention (37%), and difficulty of access to the OR (8%). Finally, 83% of respondents estimated that creating dedicated multidisciplinary teams for managing NFs could lead to improving outcomes. This survey illustrates the heterogeneous management of NF in French-speaking ICUs and points out several logistical aspects that should be improved to reduce the time to the first surgical debridement. Copyright © 2014 Société française d’anesthésie et de réanimation (Sfar). Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

  16. Placebo use in the United kingdom: results from a national survey of primary care practitioners.

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    Jeremy Howick

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: Surveys in various countries suggest 17% to 80% of doctors prescribe 'placebos' in routine practice, but prevalence of placebo use in UK primary care is unknown. METHODS: We administered a web-based questionnaire to a representative sample of UK general practitioners. Following surveys conducted in other countries we divided placebos into 'pure' and 'impure'. 'Impure' placebos are interventions with clear efficacy for certain conditions but are prescribed for ailments where their efficacy is unknown, such as antibiotics for suspected viral infections. 'Pure' placebos are interventions such as sugar pills or saline injections without direct pharmacologically active ingredients for the condition being treated. We initiated the survey in April 2012. Two reminders were sent and electronic data collection closed after 4 weeks. RESULTS: We surveyed 1715 general practitioners and 783 (46% completed our questionnaire. Our respondents were similar to those of all registered UK doctors suggesting our results are generalizable. 12% (95% CI 10 to 15 of respondents used pure placebos while 97% (95% CI 96 to 98 used impure placebos at least once in their career. 1% of respondents used pure placebos, and 77% (95% CI 74 to 79 used impure placebos at least once per week. Most (66% for pure, 84% for impure respondents stated placebos were ethical in some circumstances. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Placebo use is common in primary care but questions remain about their benefits, harms, costs, and whether they can be delivered ethically. Further research is required to investigate ethically acceptable and cost-effective placebo interventions.

  17. Geriatric care in Europe – the EUGMS Survey part I: Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kolb, G; Andersen-Ranberg, Karen; Cruz-Jentoft, A

    2011-01-01

    Quality of geriatric care depends on institutional resources e.g. hospitals, medical departments engaged in acute medicine, rehabilitation and long term care but especially in quality and quantity of well educated and trained specialists, i.e. “geriatricians”. This survey initiated by the Academi...

  18. Workplace relationships impact self-rated health: A survey of Swedish municipal health care employees.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Persson, Sophie Schön; Lindström, Petra Nilsson; Pettersson, Pär; Andersson, Ingemar

    2018-05-22

    The impact of positive social relationships on the health of municipal employees in the elder care sector in Sweden needs further examination. To explore the association between health and relationships among elderly care employees using a salutogenic perspective. Survey of all employees (n = 997) in special housing, home care and Disabled Support and Services in a Swedish municipality. The questionnaire, which had a salutogenic perspective, included information on self-rated health from the previously validated SHIS (Salutogenic Health Indicator Scale), psychosocial work environment and experiences, social climate, and health-promoting workplace relationships. The response rate was 69% . Results of a multivariable linear regression model showed four significant predictors of health: general work experiences, colleague belongingness and positive relationships with managers and care recipients. In another model, colleague belongingness was significantly related to satisfaction with care recipients, work, length of employment as well as general work experiences and relationships with managers. Strengthening of positive work relationships, not only between workmates but also with managers and care recipients, seems to be an essential area for employee health promotion. Colleague belongingness may be deepened by development of a positive work climate, including satisfactory work experiences, positive manager relationships and a stable work force.

  19. A Cross-Sectional Survey of Population-Wide Wait Times for Patients Seeking Medical vs. Cosmetic Dermatologic Care

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yadav, Geeta; Goldberg, Hanna R.; Barense, Morgan D.; Bell, Chaim M.

    2016-01-01

    Background Though previous work has examined some aspects of the dermatology workforce shortage and access to dermatologic care, little research has addressed the effect of rising interest in cosmetic procedures on access to medical dermatologic care. Our objective was to determine the wait times for Urgent and Non-Urgent medical dermatologic care and Cosmetic dermatology services at a population level and to examine whether wait times for medical care are affected by offering cosmetic services. Methods A population-wide survey of dermatology practices using simulated calls asking for the earliest appointment for a Non-Urgent, Urgent and Cosmetic service. Results Response rates were greater than 89% for all types of care. Wait times across all types of care were significantly different from each other (all P dermatologic care and shorter wait times and less variation for Cosmetic care. Wait times were significantly longer in regions with lower dermatologist density. Provision of Cosmetic services did not increase wait times for Urgent care. These findings suggest an overall dermatology workforce shortage and a need for a more streamlined referral system for dermatologic care. PMID:27632206

  20. Protocol for a nationwide survey of primary health care in China: the China PEACE (Patient-centered Evaluative Assessment of Cardiac Events) MPP (Million Persons Project) Primary Health Care Survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Su, Meng; Zhang, Qiuli; Lu, Jiapeng; Li, Xi; Tian, Na; Wang, Yun; Yip, Winnie; Cheng, Kar Keung; Mensah, George A; Horwitz, Ralph I; Mossialos, Elias; Krumholz, Harlan M; Jiang, Lixin

    2017-08-28

    China has pioneered advances in primary health care (PHC) and public health for a large and diverse population. To date, the current state of PHC in China has not been subjected to systematic assessments. Understanding variations in primary care services could generate opportunities for improving the structure and function of PHC. This paper describes a nationwide PHC study (PEACE MPP Primary Health Care Survey) conducted across 31 provinces in China. The study leverages an ongoing research project, the China Patient-centered Evaluative Assessment of Cardiac Events (PEACE) Million Persons Project (MPP). It employs an observational design with document acquisition and abstraction and in-person interviews. The study will collect data and original documents on the structure and financing of PHC institutions and the adequacy of the essential medicines programme; the education, training and retention of the PHC workforce; the quality of care; and patient satisfaction with care. The study will provide a comprehensive assessment of current PHC services and help determine gaps in access and quality of care. All study instruments and documents will be deposited in the Document Bank as an open-access source for other researchers. The central ethics committee at the China National Centre for Cardiovascular Disease (NCCD) approved the study. Written informed consent has been obtained from all patients. Findings will be disseminated in future peer reviewed papers, and will inform strategies aimed at improving the PHC in China. NCT02953926. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  1. A Survey of Rounding Practices in Canadian Adult Intensive Care Units.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jessalyn K Holodinsky

    Full Text Available To describe rounding practices in Canadian adult Intensive Care Units (ICU and identify opportunities for improvement.Mixed methods design. Cross sectional survey of Canadian Adult ICUs (n = 180 with purposefully sampled follow-up interviews (n = 7.Medical directors representing 111 ICUs (62% participated in the survey. Rounding practices varied across ICUs with the majority reporting the use of interprofessional rounds (81% that employed an open (94% and collaborative (86% approach, occurred at the patient's bedside (82%, and started at a standard time (79% and standard location (56%. Most participants reported that patients (83% and family members (67% were welcome to attend rounds. Approximately half of ICUs (48% used tools to facilitate rounds. Interruptions during rounds were reported to be common (i.e., ≥ 1 interruption for ≥ 50% of patients in 46% of ICUs. Four themes were identified from qualitative analysis of participant responses to open-ended survey questions and interviews: multidisciplinarity, patient and family involvement, factors influencing productivity, and teaching and learning.There is considerable variation in current rounding practices in Canadian medical/surgical ICUs. Opportunities exist to improve ICU rounds including ensuring the engagement of essential participants, clearly defining participant roles, establishing a standardized approach to the rounding process, minimizing interruptions, modifying the role of teaching, utilizing a structured rounding tool, and developing a metric for measuring rounding quality.

  2. Occupational health of home care aides: results of the safe home care survey

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quinn, Margaret M; Markkanen, Pia K; Galligan, Catherine J; Sama, Susan R; Kriebel, David; Gore, Rebecca J; Brouillette, Natalie M; Okyere, Daniel; Sun, Chuan; Punnett, Laura; Laramie, Angela K; Davis, Letitia

    2016-01-01

    Objectives In countries with ageing populations, home care (HC) aides are among the fastest growing jobs. There are few quantitative studies of HC occupational safety and health (OSH) conditions. The objectives of this study were to: (1) assess quantitatively the OSH hazards and benefits for a wide range of HC working conditions, and (2) compare OSH experiences of HC aides who are employed via different medical and social services systems in Massachusetts, USA. Methods HC aides were recruited for a survey via agencies that employ aides and schedule their visits with clients, and through a labour union of aides employed directly by clients or their families. The questionnaire included detailed questions about the most recent HC visits, as well as about individual aides’ OSH experiences. Results The study population included 1249 HC aides (634 agency-employed, 615 client-employed) contributing information on 3484 HC visits. Hazards occurring most frequently related to musculoskeletal strain, exposure to potentially infectious agents and cleaning chemicals for infection prevention and experience of violence. Client-hired and agency-hired aides had similar OSH experiences with a few exceptions, including use of sharps and experience of verbal violence. Conclusions The OSH experience of HC aides is similar to that of aides in institutional healthcare settings. Despite OSH challenges, HC aides enjoy caring for others and the benefits of HC work should be enhanced. Quantification of HC hazards and benefits is useful to prioritise resources for the development of preventive interventions and to provide an evidence base for policy-setting. PMID:26209318

  3. Preparedness of HIV care and treatment clinics for the management of concomitant non–communicable diseases: a cross–sectional survey

    OpenAIRE

    Leung, Claudia; Aris, Eric; Mhalu, Aisa; Siril, Hellen; Christian, Beatrice; Koda, Happiness; Samatta, Talumba; Maghimbi, Martha Tsere; Hirschhorn, Lisa R.; Chalamilla, Guerino; Hawkins, Claudia

    2016-01-01

    Abstract Background In Sub-Saharan Africa, epidemiological studies have reported an increasing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCD) among people living with HIV. NCD management can be feasibly integrated into HIV care; however, clinic readiness to provide NCD services in these settings should first be assessed and gaps in care identified. Methods A cross-sectional survey conducted in July 2013 assessed the resources available for NCD care at 14 HIV clinics in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Sur...

  4. The BRACELET Study: surveys of mortality in UK neonatal and paediatric intensive care trials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Platt Martin

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The subject of death and bereavement in the context of randomised controlled trials in neonatal or paediatric intensive care is under-researched. The objectives of this phase of the Bereavement and RAndomised ControlLEd Trials (BRACELET Study were to determine trial activity in UK neonatal and paediatric intensive care (2002-06; numbers of deaths before hospital discharge; and variation in mortality across intensive care units and trials and to determine whether bereavement support policies were available within trials. These are essential prerequisites to considering the implications of future policies and practice subsequent to bereavement following a child's enrolment in a trial. Methods The units survey involved neonatal units providing level 2 or 3 care, and paediatric units providing level II care or above; the trials survey involved trials where allocation was randomized and interventions were delivered to intensive care patients, or to parents but designed to affect patient outcomes. Results Information was available from 191/220 (87% neonatal units (149 level 2 or 3 care; and 28/32 (88% paediatric units. 90/177 (51% eligible responding units participated in one or more trial (76 neonatal, 14 paediatric and 54 neonatal units and 6 paediatric units witnessed at least one death. 50 trials were identified (36 neonatal, 14 paediatric. 3,137 babies were enrolled in neonatal trials, 210 children in paediatric trials. Deaths ranged 0-278 (median [IQR interquartile range] 2 [1, 14.5] per neonatal trial, 0-4 (median [IQR] 1 [0, 2.5] per paediatric trial. 534 (16% participants died post-enrolment: 522 (17% in neonatal trials, 12 (6% in paediatric trials. Trial participants ranged 1-236 (median [IQR] 21.5 [8, 39.8] per neonatal unit, 1-53 (median [IQR] 11.5 [2.3, 33.8] per paediatric unit. Deaths ranged 0-37 (median [IQR] 3.5 [0.3, 8.8] per neonatal unit, 0-7 (median [IQR] 0.5 [0, 1.8] per paediatric unit. Three trials had a

  5. The provision of diabetes care in nursing homes in Galway city and county: a survey of nursing homes

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Hurley, Lorna

    2014-03-01

    In addition to the increasing prevalence of diabetes, our population is growing older and living longer. This survey aimed to determine the care provided to residents with diabetes in Nursing Homes.\\r\

  6. A Cross-Sectional Online Survey of HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Adoption Among Primary Care Physicians.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blackstock, Oni J; Moore, Brent A; Berkenblit, Gail V; Calabrese, Sarah K; Cunningham, Chinazo O; Fiellin, David A; Patel, Viraj V; Phillips, Karran A; Tetrault, Jeanette M; Shah, Minesh; Edelman, E Jennifer

    2017-01-01

    Among health care providers, prescription of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has been low. Little is known specifically about primary care physicians (PCPs) with regard to PrEP awareness and adoption (i.e., prescription or referral), and factors associated with adoption. To assess PrEP awareness, PrEP adoption, and factors associated with adoption among PCPs. Cross-sectional online survey conducted in April and May 2015. Members of a national professional organization for academic primary care physicians (n = 266). PrEP awareness, PrEP adoption (ever prescribed or referred a patient for PrEP [yes/no]), provider and practice characteristics, and self-rated knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs associated with adoption. The survey response rate was 8.6 % (266/2093). Ninety-three percent of respondents reported prior awareness of PrEP. Of these, 34.9 % reported PrEP adoption. In multivariable analysis of provider and practice characteristics, compared with non-adopters, adopters were more likely to provide care to more than 50 HIV-positive patients (vs. 0, aOR = 6.82, 95 % CI 2.06-22.52). Compared with non-adopters, adopters were also more likely to report excellent, very good, or good self-rated PrEP knowledge (15.1 %, 33.7 %, 30.2 % vs. 2.5 %, 18.1 %, 23.8 %, respectively; p < 0.001) and to perceive PrEP as extremely safe (35.1 % vs. 10.7 %; p = 0.002). Compared with non-adopters, adopters were less likely to perceive PrEP as being moderately likely to increase risk behaviors ("risk compensation") (12.8 % vs. 28.8 %, p = 0.02). While most respondents were aware of PrEP, only one-third of PrEP-aware PCPs reported adoption. Adopters were more likely to have experience providing HIV care and to perceive PrEP as extremely safe, and were less likely to perceive PrEP use as leading to risk compensation. To enhance PCP adoption of PrEP, educational efforts targeting PCPs without HIV care experience should be considered, as well as training

  7. Complementary and Alternative Medicine use in oncology: A questionnaire survey of patients and health care professionals

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Chang, Kah Hoong

    2011-05-24

    Abstract Background We aimed to investigate the prevalence and predictors of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) use among cancer patients and non-cancer volunteers, and to assess the knowledge of and attitudes toward CAM use in oncology among health care professionals. Methods This is a cross-sectional questionnaire survey conducted in a single institution in Ireland. Survey was performed in outpatient and inpatient settings involving cancer patients and non-cancer volunteers. Clinicians and allied health care professionals were asked to complete a different questionnaire. Results In 676 participants including 219 cancer patients; 301 non-cancer volunteers and 156 health care professionals, the overall prevalence of CAM use was 32.5% (29.1%, 30.9% and 39.7% respectively in the three study cohorts). Female gender (p < 0.001), younger age (p = 0.004), higher educational background (p < 0.001), higher annual household income (p = 0.001), private health insurance (p = 0.001) and non-Christian (p < 0.001) were factors associated with more likely CAM use. Multivariate analysis identified female gender (p < 0.001), non-Christian (p = 0.001) and private health insurance (p = 0.015) as independent predictors of CAM use. Most health care professionals thought they did not have adequate knowledge (58.8%) nor were up to date with the best evidence (79.2%) on CAM use in oncology. Health care professionals who used CAM were more likely to recommend it to patients (p < 0.001). Conclusions This study demonstrates a similarly high prevalence of CAM use among oncology health care professionals, cancer and non cancer patients. Patients are more likely to disclose CAM usage if they are specifically asked. Health care professionals are interested to learn more about various CAM therapies and have poor evidence-based knowledge on specific oncology treatments. There is a need for further training to meet to the escalation of CAM use among patients and to raise awareness of

  8. Findings from the 2009 EBRI/MGA Consumer Engagement in Health Care Survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fronstin, Paul

    2009-12-01

    FIFTH ANNUAL SURVEY: This Issue Brief presents findings from the 2009 EBRI/MGA Consumer Engagement in Health Care Survey, which provides nationally representative data regarding the growth of consumer-driven health plans (CDHPs) and high-deductible health plans (HDHPs), and the impact of these plans and consumer engagement more generally on the behavior and attitudes of adults with private health insurance coverage. Findings from this survey are compared with four earlier annual surveys. ENROLLMENT LOW BUT GROWING: In 2009, 4 percent of the population was enrolled in a CDHP, up from 3 percent in 2008. Enrollment in HDHPs increased from 11 percent in 2008 to 13 percent in 2009. The 4 percent of the population with a CDHP represents 5 million adults ages 21-64 with private insurance, while the 13 percent with a HDHP represents 16.2 million people. Among the 16.2 million individuals with an HDHP, 38 percent (or 6.2 million) reported that they were eligible for a health savings account (HSA) but did not have such an account. Overall, 11.2 million adults ages 21-64 with private insurance, representing 8.9 percent of that market, were either in a CDHP or were in an HDHP that was eligible for an HSA, but had not opened the account. MORE COST-CONSCIOUS BEHAVIOR: Individuals in CDHPs were more likely than those with traditional coverage to exhibit a number of cost-conscious behaviors. They were more likely to say that they had checked whether the plan would cover care; asked for a generic drug instead of a brand name; talked to their doctor about prescription drug options, other treatments, and costs; asked their doctor to recommend a less costly prescription drug; developed a budget to manage health care expenses; checked prices before getting care; and used an online cost-tracking tool. CDHP MORE ENGAGED IN WELLNESS PROGRAMS: CDHP enrollees were more likely than traditional plan enrollees to report that they had the opportunity to fill out a health risk assessment

  9. Do gender-based disparities in authorship also exist in cancer palliative care? A 15-year survey of the cancer palliative care literature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Preet Paul; Jatoi, Aminah

    2008-01-01

    Women physicians in the United States publish less than men and advance academically at a slower pace. Do such gender-based disparities also occur in cancer palliative care, a field in which women appear to hold a strong interest? We undertook a detailed survey of the cancer palliative care literature. We selected 5 cancer palliative care journals on the basis of their high impact factors, and we assessed authorship for the years 1990, 1995, 2000, and 2005. We determined gender and highest educational degree for all US first and last authors. A total of 794 authors are the focus of this report. In 2005, 50% of first authors were women, but only 14% were women physicians. Similarly, 39% of senior authors were women during this year, but only 8% were women physicians. Over this 15-year period, no statistically significant trends were detected to indicate an increase in the number of women authors. These findings are sobering. Future efforts might focus on strategies to improve rates of authorship and, ultimately, improve rates of academic promotion for women interested in cancer palliative care.

  10. Reducing the use of out-of-hours primary care services: A survey among Dutch general practitioners

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Keizer, E.; Maassen, I.; Smits, M.; Wensing, M.; Giesen, P.

    2016-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Out-of-hours primary care services have a high general practitioner (GP) workload with increasing costs, while half of all contacts are non-urgent. OBJECTIVES: To identify views of GPs to influence the use of the out-of-hours GP cooperatives. METHODS: Cross-sectional survey study among a

  11. Blood transfusion practice in the UK and Ireland: a survey of palliative care physicians.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neoh, Karen; Stanworth, Simon; Bennett, Michael I

    2018-03-23

    Red cell (blood) transfusions are used in palliative care to manage patients with symptomatic anaemia or when patients have lost blood. We aimed to understand current blood transfusion practice among palliative medicine doctors and compare this with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance. NICE guidance advocates more restrictive transfusion practice but is based on clinical trials in non-palliative care contexts; the extent to which these findings should be applied to palliative care remains unclear. Four clinical vignettes of common clinical palliative care scenarios were developed. Members of the Association for Palliative Medicine were invited to complete the survey. Results were compared with acceptable responses based on current NICE recommendations and analysed to determine the influence of respondents' gender, experience or work setting. 27% of 1070 members responded. Overall, ideal or acceptable responses were selected by less than half of doctors to all four vignettes. Doctors were more liberal in prescribing blood transfusions than NICE guidance would advocate. Senior doctors were less likely to choose an acceptable response than junior colleagues. Palliative care practice is varied and not consistent with a restrictive blood transfusion policy. More recently trained doctors follow less liberal practices than senior colleagues. More direct evidence of benefits and harms of blood transfusion is needed in palliative care to inform practice. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  12. Questionnaire survey on the use of a novel artificial pancreas by intensive care unit nurses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mibu, Kiyo; Yatabe, Tomoaki; Yamasaki, Fumiyasu; Kitagawa, Hiroyuki; Munekage, Masaya; Namikawa, Tsutomu; Hanazaki, Kazuhiro

    2015-06-01

    The introduction of a color liquid-crystal display (LCD) on a novel artificial pancreas (STG-55, Nikkiso Co. Ltd. Tokyo, Japan) allowed nurses to more easily monitor changes in patients' blood glucose levels, compared to the previous model (STG-22). This study was conducted to examine the hypothesis that the STG-55 provided nurses with a feeling of security due to the introduction of the LCD screen. A questionnaire survey was conducted 6 months after the STG-55 was introduced (Survey 2012), among intensive care unit (ICU) nurses who had used both the STG-22 and the STG-55 for patient glycemic control. The results were then compared with the results from a questionnaire survey that was conducted after the STG-22 was introduced (Survey 2006). All ICU nurses (n = 19) responded to Survey 2012, and 95% of these nurses had responded to Survey 2006 (n = 19). After the introduction of the STG-22, 11 nurses (58%) reported becoming conscious of anxiety regarding hypoglycemia when they performed conventional glucose control with the sliding scale method. This anxiety awareness increased significantly (19 nurses, 100%; p survey indicate that all ICU nurses became conscious of anxiety regarding the risk of hypoglycemia when using the conventional sliding scale method after the introduction of the STG-55. However, the respondents were not satisfied with the STG-55, due to difficulties encountered during blood withdrawal.

  13. Does better access to FPs decrease the likelihood of emergency department use? Results from the Primary Care Access Survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mian, Oxana; Pong, Raymond

    2012-11-01

    To determine whether better access to FP services decreases the likelihood of emergency department (ED) use among the Ontario population. Population-based telephone survey. Ontario. A total of 8502 Ontario residents aged 16 years and older. Emergency department use in the 12 months before the survey. Among the general population, having a regular FP was associated with having better access to FPs for immediate care (P FPs for immediate care at least once a year; 63.1% of them had seen FPs without difficulties and were significantly less likely to use EDs than those who did not see FPs or had difficulties accessing physicians when needed (OR = 0.62, P FPs (P FPs for immediate care among the general population. Further research is needed to understand what accounts for a higher likelihood of ED use among those with regular FPs, new immigrants, residents of northern and rural areas of Ontario, and people with low socioeconomic status when actual access and sociodemographic characteristics have been taken into consideration. More important, this study demonstrates a need of distinguishing between potential and actual access to care, as having a regular FP and having timely and effective access to FP care might mean different things and have different effects on ED use.

  14. Participation and factors associated with late or non-response to an online survey in primary care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aerny-Perreten, Nicole; Domínguez-Berjón, Ma Felicitas; Esteban-Vasallo, María D; García-Riolobos, Carmen

    2015-08-01

    Online surveys have several advantages, but a low response rate is common and it is uncertain how results are affected. Response inducement techniques can be used to overcome this problem. The objectives of this study were to describe the percentage of change in the response rate after reminders and to analyse the characteristics associated with non-response and late response based on the survey results, as well as by applying archival and extrapolation techniques. In the Autonomous Community of Madrid, an online questionnaire about cancer prevention was sent to a random sample of primary care health professionals (3586 physicians and nurses). Two reminders were sent later. The percentage of change in response rates after reminders, global and by demographic and health care characteristics of participants; and factors associated with non-response and late response were analysed using response rates and odds ratios (ORs). After the reminders, the response rate increased from 22.6% to 32.9% and to 39.4%. Non-response was associated with age [OR: 3.14; confidence interval (CI) 95%: 2.23-4.42 for aged >60 years], gender and functional area. Further, a higher response rate after reminders was observed in professionals with heavier workloads (OR: 1.46; CI 95%: 1.08-1.97) and in those who stated a lower relevance of cancer prevention in primary care. After electronic reminders, the response rate increased, especially among professionals with the highest workloads and a minor interest in the survey topic. However, possible bias associated with non-response remains and the factors behind this should be examined in future research. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  15. Views and experiences of using integrated care pathways (ICPs) for caring for people in the last days to hours of life: results from a cross-sectional survey of UK professionals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Collins, K A; Hughes, P M; Ibbotson, R; Foy, G; Brooks, D

    2016-09-01

    To determine the views and experiences of health and social care professionals on using integrated care pathways (ICPs)for caring for people in the last days to hours of life. Online cross-sectional questionnaire survey of UK professionals working in UK primary and secondary care settings. 1331 professionals returned completed questionnaires. Ninety-three per cent (1138/1228) of respondents used the Liverpool Care Pathway (LCP) or local variant. Eighty-eight (1089/1234) felt ICPs enabled professionals to provide better care for individuals and their families/carers. ICPs were viewed as promoting patient-centred holistic care, improving pain and symptom control, providing guidance and standards and improving communication with patients/families. Sixty-two per cent (770/1234) had no concerns regarding the use of ICPs. Areas of concern included incorrect use and implementation of the ICP, poor communication with families, junior level staff making decisions and insufficient education and support. There was strong support for using ICPs for caring for people in the last days to hours of life. ICPs were viewed as supporting high-quality patient-centred holistic care. Given the recommendations of the More Care Less Pathway report, those that develop the guidance and support that replace the LCP need to incorporate the aspects of this that have resulted in the benefits seen by professionals within this survey, but also learn from the instances where ICPs have failed to prevent poor care, or worse, have contributed to it. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

  16. Attitudes of Nurses and Physicians About Clinical Autopsy in Neonatal and Adult Hospital Care: A Survey in Sweden.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mjörnheim, Berit; Rosendahl, Anders; Eriksson, Lennart C; Takman, Christina

    2015-01-01

    The rate of autopsies has dropped to low levels in Western countries. The aim of this study was to describe the experiences and attitudes of registered nurses (RNs) and physicians (MD) toward clinical autopsies in neonatal and adult hospital care in Sweden. RNs and MDs in neonatal and adult care specialized clinics at a university-affiliated hospital in Sweden were surveyed. Survey responses were tallied, and free-text comments were assessed with qualitative content analysis. Three hundred thirty-six surveys were distributed; the response rate was 35%. Most RNs and 14% of the MDs had limited or no experience participating in an autopsy. Notably, few RNs and approximately one third of the MDs were familiar with the autopsy processes and the treatment of the deceased person's body after an autopsy. More than one third of RNs had experience with talking to relatives regarding autopsy. Most agreed that an autopsy could be supportive for relatives during the grieving process and beneficial for the quality of healthcare. Most MDs (70%) thought that autopsies should be performed more frequently. Qualitative results emphasized that RNs and MDs thought that autopsy information supported the grieving process of relatives-especially parents who had lost a child. The survey data confirm belief in the value of clinical autopsies in neonatal and adult hospital care. RNs and MDs should receive training about the autopsy process and procedures for obtaining consent for an autopsy. RNs are in a position to support the decision making of relatives about providing consent for autopsy and have an opportunity to take a more active role in the autopsy process.

  17. Registered nurses' education and their views on competence development in municipal elderly care in Sweden: a questionnaire survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Josefsson, Karin; Sonde, Lars; Wahlin, Tarja-Brita Robins

    2007-02-01

    Recent changes of municipal elderly care in Sweden have resulted in that persons 65 years and older, previously nursed in hospital facilities, are now being cared for in the municipality. This change has had a significant impact on the work situation of registered nurses (RNs) and calls for appropriate educational preparation to enable RNs to undertake their new roles effectively. The main focus was to describe RNs' education and their view of competence development in municipal elderly care. Another aim was to compare RNs working solely in dementia care (DC) with those working in general elder care (GC) of older persons with diverse diagnoses. A non-experimental, descriptive design with a survey research approach was used. Sixty special housing with subunits including those offering daytime activities in a large city in the middle of Sweden. The number of participating RNs was a total of 213, with a response rate of 62.3%. Of the 213 RNs, 95 (44.6%) worked in DC, and 118 (55.4%) in GC. A questionnaire survey. The findings showed that RNs possessed a broad range of competence. The majority lacked a bachelor's degree in nursing. Few had adequate specialist competence. RNs' in DC wanted to invest more in competence development whereas RNs in GC were more motivated to attain greater authority in the making of important decisions and to seek another position. An important future prospect is to develop the competence of RNs in elderly care. In order to ensure high quality and security in elderly care, it is also essential to increase the number of RNs with specialist competence.

  18. A frailty instrument for primary care: findings from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE).

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Romero-Ortuno, Roman

    2010-01-01

    A frailty paradigm would be useful in primary care to identify older people at risk, but appropriate metrics at that level are lacking. We created and validated a simple instrument for frailty screening in Europeans aged ≥50. Our study is based on the first wave of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE, http:\\/\\/www.share-project.org), a large population-based survey conducted in 2004-2005 in twelve European countries.

  19. A survey of system architecture requirements for health care-based wireless sensor networks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Egbogah, Emeka E; Fapojuwo, Abraham O

    2011-01-01

    Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) have emerged as a viable technology for a vast number of applications, including health care applications. To best support these health care applications, WSN technology can be adopted for the design of practical Health Care WSNs (HCWSNs) that support the key system architecture requirements of reliable communication, node mobility support, multicast technology, energy efficiency, and the timely delivery of data. Work in the literature mostly focuses on the physical design of the HCWSNs (e.g., wearable sensors, in vivo embedded sensors, et cetera). However, work towards enhancing the communication layers (i.e., routing, medium access control, et cetera) to improve HCWSN performance is largely lacking. In this paper, the information gleaned from an extensive literature survey is shared in an effort to fortify the knowledge base for the communication aspect of HCWSNs. We highlight the major currently existing prototype HCWSNs and also provide the details of their routing protocol characteristics. We also explore the current state of the art in medium access control (MAC) protocols for WSNs, for the purpose of seeking an energy efficient solution that is robust to mobility and delivers data in a timely fashion. Furthermore, we review a number of reliable transport layer protocols, including a network coding based protocol from the literature, that are potentially suitable for delivering end-to-end reliability of data transmitted in HCWSNs. We identify the advantages and disadvantages of the reviewed MAC, routing, and transport layer protocols as they pertain to the design and implementation of a HCWSN. The findings from this literature survey will serve as a useful foundation for designing a reliable HCWSN and also contribute to the development and evaluation of protocols for improving the performance of future HCWSNs. Open issues that required further investigations are highlighted.

  20. A Survey of System Architecture Requirements for Health Care-Based Wireless Sensor Networks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abraham O. Fapojuwo

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs have emerged as a viable technology for a vast number of applications, including health care applications. To best support these health care applications, WSN technology can be adopted for the design of practical Health Care WSNs (HCWSNs that support the key system architecture requirements of reliable communication, node mobility support, multicast technology, energy efficiency, and the timely delivery of data. Work in the literature mostly focuses on the physical design of the HCWSNs (e.g., wearable sensors, in vivo embedded sensors, et cetera. However, work towards enhancing the communication layers (i.e., routing, medium access control, et cetera to improve HCWSN performance is largely lacking. In this paper, the information gleaned from an extensive literature survey is shared in an effort to fortify the knowledge base for the communication aspect of HCWSNs. We highlight the major currently existing prototype HCWSNs and also provide the details of their routing protocol characteristics. We also explore the current state of the art in medium access control (MAC protocols for WSNs, for the purpose of seeking an energy efficient solution that is robust to mobility and delivers data in a timely fashion. Furthermore, we review a number of reliable transport layer protocols, including a network coding based protocol from the literature, that are potentially suitable for delivering end-to-end reliability of data transmitted in HCWSNs. We identify the advantages and disadvantages of the reviewed MAC, routing, and transport layer protocols as they pertain to the design and implementation of a HCWSN. The findings from this literature survey will serve as a useful foundation for designing a reliable HCWSN and also contribute to the development and evaluation of protocols for improving the performance of future HCWSNs. Open issues that required further investigations are highlighted.

  1. Awareness of allergic enterocolitis among primary-care paediatricians: A web-based pilot survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Comberiati, P; Landi, M; Martelli, A; Piacentini, G L; Capristo, C; Paiola, G; Peroni, D G

    2016-01-01

    Allergic enterocolitis, also known as food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES), is an increasingly reported and potentially severe non-IgE mediated food allergy of the first years of life, which is often misdiagnosed due to its non-specific presenting symptoms and lack of diagnostic guidelines. We sought to determine the knowledge of clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic features of FPIES among Italian primary-care paediatricians. A 16-question anonymous web-based survey was sent via email to randomly selected primary care paediatricians working in the north of Italy. There were 194 completed surveys (48.5% response rate). Among respondents, 12.4% declared full understanding of FPIES, 49% limited knowledge, 31.4% had simply heard about FPIES and 7.2% had never heard about it. When presented with clinical anecdotes, 54.1% recognised acute FPIES and 12.9% recognised all chronic FPIES, whereas 10.3% misdiagnosed FPIES as allergic proctocolitis or infantile colic. To diagnose FPIES 55.7% declared to need negative skin prick test or specific-IgE to the trigger food, whereas 56.7% considered necessary a confirmatory oral challenge. Epinephrine was considered the mainstay in treating acute FPIES by 25.8% of respondents. Only 59.8% referred out to an allergist for the long-term reintroduction of the culprit food. Overall, 20.1% reported to care children with FPIES in their practice, with cow's milk formula and fish being the most common triggers; the diagnosis was self-made by the participant in 38.5% of these cases and by an allergist in 48.7%. There is a need for promoting awareness of FPIES to minimise delay in diagnosis and unnecessary diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. Copyright © 2016 SEICAP. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  2. Professional autonomy and job satisfaction: survey of critical care nurses in mainland Greece.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iliopoulou, Katerina K; While, Alison E

    2010-11-01

    This paper is a report of a study conducted to describe Greek critical care nurses' views on professional autonomy and its relationship with job satisfaction and other work-related variables. Professional autonomy is generally considered a highly desirable nursing attribute and a major factor in nurse job satisfaction. In the critical care environment, a high level of accountability, responsibility and autonomy are required to optimize outcomes of critically unstable patients. A questionnaire survey was conducted with a convenience sample of Greek critical care nurses (n = 431; response rate 70%) in 2007. Data were collected on professional autonomy, job satisfaction, role conflict and role ambiguity. Overall, nurses reported acting moderately autonomously. Younger nurses reported statistically significant lower levels of autonomy. Higher levels of autonomy were reported by female nurses. Multiple logistic regression revealed that appointment level, type of critical care unit and registration with a professional organization were independently associated with autonomy. A positive moderate association was found between reported autonomy, job satisfaction, role conflict and role ambiguity, but there was no relationship between job satisfaction and reported role conflict and role ambiguity. Further education, role enhancement and support are required for nurses working in critical care in Greece if they are to achieve the maximum potential of their professional role. Failure to address the perceptions of professional autonomy may have an impact on staff retention, because of job dissatisfaction. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  3. Maternal autonomy and child health care utilization in India: results from the National Family Health Survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malhotra, Chetna; Malhotra, Rahul; Østbye, Truls; Subramanian, S V

    2014-07-01

    The objective of this study was to examine the association of maternal autonomy with preventive and curative child health care utilization in India. Data from the National Family Health Survey 2005-2006 were used to ascertain association of maternal autonomy (in 3 dimensions: decision making, access to financial resources, freedom of movement) with child's primary immunization status (indicative of preventive health care use) and treatment seeking for child's acute respiratory infection (indicative of curative health care use). Low maternal freedom of movement was associated with higher odds of incomplete primary immunization of the child and for not seeking treatment for the child's acute respiratory infection. Low maternal financial access was associated with increased odds for incomplete primary immunization of the child. The findings show that improvement in autonomy of Indian mothers, especially their freedom of movement, may help improve utilization of health care for their children. © 2012 APJPH.

  4. Nurse burnout in China: a questionnaire survey on staffing, job satisfaction, and quality of care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Minmin; Ruan, Hui; Xing, Weijie; Hu, Yan

    2015-05-01

    The investigators examined how nurse staffing affects nurse job satisfaction and quality of care. Inadequate nurse staffing is a worldwide issue with profound effects on nurse job satisfaction and quality of care. Few studies have examined the relationship between nurse staffing and job satisfaction and quality of care in China. A cross-sectional design was adopted, wherein 873 nurses were surveyed on demographics, nurse staffing, job-related burnout, job dissatisfaction, intent to leave, and quality of care. The median patient-nurse ratio was five; 45.1% nurses reported high levels of job-related burnout, and 55.6%, job dissatisfaction. In adjusted regression models, patient-nurse ratios of four or less were related to a decrease in the odds of job dissatisfaction (odds ratio 0.55, 95% confidence interval 0.36-0.85) and increase in the odds of quality of care (odds ratio 1.78, 95% confidence interval 1.02-2.82). Nurse staffing is associated with job dissatisfaction and quality of care. Nurse managers should maintain an adequate level of nurse staffing, referring to the patient-nurse ratio. They should create new initiatives to increase job satisfaction among nurses and to evaluate their effects. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  5. Quality of newborn care: a health facility assessment in rural Ghana using survey, vignette and surveillance data

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vesel, Linda; Manu, Alexander; Lohela, Terhi J.; Gabrysch, Sabine; Okyere, Eunice; ten Asbroek, Augustinus H. A.; Hill, Zelee; Agyemang, Charlotte Tawiah; Owusu-Agyei, Seth; Kirkwood, Betty R.

    2013-01-01

    To assess the structural capacity for, and quality of, immediate and essential newborn care (ENC) in health facilities in rural Ghana, and to link this with demand for facility deliveries and admissions. Health facility assessment survey and population-based surveillance data. Seven districts in

  6. Survey of information technology in Intensive Care Units in Ontario, Canada

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hallett David

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The Intensive Care Unit (ICU is a data-rich environment where information technology (IT may enhance patient care. We surveyed ICUs in the province of Ontario, Canada, to determine the availability, implementation and variability of information systems. Methods A self-administered internet-based survey was completed by ICU directors between May and October 2006. We measured the spectrum of ICU clinical data accessible electronically, the availability of decision support tools, the availability of electronic imaging systems for radiology, the use of electronic order entry and medication administration systems, and the availability of hardware and wireless or mobile systems. We used Fisher's Exact tests to compare IT availability and Classification and Regression Trees (CART to estimate the optimal cut-point for the number of computers per ICU bed. Results We obtained responses from 50 hospitals (68.5% of institutions with level 3 ICUs, of which 21 (42% were university-affiliated. The majority electronically accessed laboratory data and imaging reports (92% and used picture archiving and communication systems (PACS (76%. Other computing functions were less prevalent (medication administration records 46%, physician or nursing notes 26%; medication order entry 22%. No association was noted between IT availability and ICU size or university affiliation. Sites used clinical information systems from15 different vendors and 8 different PACS systems were in use. Half of the respondents described the number of computers available as insufficient. Wireless networks and mobile computing systems were used in 23 ICUs (46%. Conclusion Ontario ICUs demontrate a high prevalence of the use of basic information technology systems. However, implementation of the more complex and potentially more beneficial applications is low. The wide variation in vendors utilized may impair information exchange, interoperability and uniform data collection.

  7. An urban survey of paediatric environmental health concerns: Perceptions of parents, guardians and health care professionals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buka, Irena; Rogers, W Todd; Osornio-Vargas, Alvaro R; Hoffman, Harold; Pearce, Marni; Li, Yuen Yee

    2006-01-01

    OBJECTIVES To conduct a survey in Edmonton, Alberta, to gather information regarding concerns about the influence of environmental factors on children’s health and to use the information to set an agenda for the resources of the Paediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit at Misericordia Hospital (Edmonton, Alberta). METHODS Two questionnaires with 28 closed-ended questions were developed to examine parents’, guardians’ and health care professionals’ concerns. They comprised items about six environmental factors (air, water and food quality; household supplies; radiation; and waste disposal). Health care professionals were also asked four questions about their knowledge of and their needs in Paediatric Environmental Health. Parents and guardians attending the public health centres and nurses working therein received questionnaires. Physicians were surveyed by e-mail. RESULTS After verification, the questionnaire data from 400 parents or guardians and 152 health care professionals were used for analyses. Results from contingency table, Hotelling’s T2 and effect size analyses revealed similarities in the levels of concern in both groups, and the results were combined. The greatest concern of both groups was with environmental tobacco smoke, followed by pesticides in water. Concerns about six additional environmental elements were also expressed. The health care professionals showed a high level of concern about the need for resources, specific training and public education regarding paediatric environmental health. CONCLUSION A significant level of concern was consistently found between the two groups studied, regardless of professional training. The highest level of concern was with a well-documented topic (ie, environmental tobacco smoke). Less concern associated with decreased documentation calls for increasing the knowledge of society, including health care professionals, to address the adverse effects of environmental factors on children. PMID

  8. A Survey of Hospice and Palliative Care Physicians Regarding Palliative Sedation Practices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lux, Michael R; Protus, Bridget McCrate; Kimbrel, Jason; Grauer, Phyllis

    2017-04-01

    Patients nearing the end of life may experience symptoms that are refractory to standard therapeutic options. Physicians may consider palliative sedation to relieve intolerable suffering. There is limited clinical literature regarding preferred medications for palliative sedation. To determine the preferred medications physicians use when implementing palliative sedation. An Internet-based, cross-sectional survey of hospice and palliative care physicians in the United States. A link to the survey was e-mailed to 3130 physician members of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, of which 381 physicians completed the survey. Physicians were not required to answer all questions. Nearly all (n = 335, 99%) respondents indicated that palliative sedation may be used (acceptable by 73% [n = 248] for refractory symptoms and acceptable by 26% [n = 87] only for imminently dying patients). Seventy-nine percent (n = 252) believed that opioids should not be used to induce palliative sedation but should be continued to provide pain control. Midazolam was the most commonly selected first-line choice for palliative sedation (n = 155, 42%). The most commonly reported second-line agents for the induction of palliative sedation were lorazepam, midazolam (for those who did not select midazolam as first-line agent), and phenobarbital with a reported preference of 20% (n = 49), 19% (n = 46), and 17% (n = 40), respectively. Of the physicians surveyed, 99% (n = 335) felt that palliative sedation is a reasonable treatment modality. Midazolam was considered a drug of choice for inducing and maintaining sedation, and opioids were continued for pain control.

  9. Nephrologists' perceptions regarding dialysis withdrawal and palliative care in Europe: lessons from a European Renal Best Practice survey

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Biesen, Wim; van de Luijtgaarden, Moniek W. M.; Brown, Edwina A.; Michel, Jean-Pierre; van Munster, Barbara C.; Jager, Kitty J.; van der Veer, Sabine N.

    2015-01-01

    Background. There is a variation in dialysis withdrawal rates, but reasons for this variation across European countries are largely unknown. We therefore surveyed nephrologists' perceptions of factors concerning dialysis withdrawal and palliative care and explored relationships between these

  10. Physician Burnout and the Calling to Care for the Dying: A National Survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoon, John D; Hunt, Natalie B; Ravella, Krishna C; Jun, Christine S; Curlin, Farr A

    2017-12-01

    Physician burnout raises concerns over what sustains physicians' career motivations. We assess whether physicians in end-of-life specialties had higher rates of burnout and/or calling to care for the dying. We also examined whether the patient centeredness of the clinical environment was associated with burnout. In 2010 to 2011, we conducted a national survey of US physicians from multiple specialties. Primary outcomes were a validated single-item measure of burnout or sense of calling to end-of-life care. Primary predictors of burnout (or calling) included clinical specialty, frequency of encounters with dying patients, and patient centeredness of the clinical environments ("My clinical environment prioritizes the need of the patient over maximizing revenue"). Adjusted response rate among eligible respondents was 62% (1156 of 1878). Nearly a quarter of physicians (23%) experienced burnout, and rates were similar across all specialties. Half of the responding physicians (52%) agreed that they felt called to take care of patients who are dying. Burned-out physicians were more likely to report working in profit-centered clinical environments (multivariate odds ratio [OR] of 1.9; confidence interval [CI]: 1.3-2.8) or experiencing emotional exhaustion when caring for the dying (multivariate OR of 2.1; CI: 1.4-3.0). Physicians who identified their work as a calling were more likely to work in end-of-life specialties, to feel emotionally energized when caring for the dying, and to be religious. Physicians from end-of-life specialties not only did not have increased rates of burnout but they were also more likely to report a sense of calling in caring for the dying.

  11. Integration of Substance Abuse Treatment Organizations into Accountable Care Organizations: Results from a National Survey

    Science.gov (United States)

    D’Aunno, Thomas; Friedmann, Peter D.; Chen, Qixuan; Wilson, Donna M.

    2016-01-01

    To meet their aims of managing population health to improve the quality and cost of health care in the United States, accountable care organizations (ACOs) will need to focus on coordinating care for individuals with substance abuse disorders. The prevalence of these disorders is high, and these individuals often suffer from comorbid chronic medical and social conditions. This article examines the extent to which the nation’s fourteen thousand specialty substance abuse treatment (SAT) organizations, which have a daily census of more than 1 million patients, are contracting with ACOs across the country; we also examine factors associated with SAT organization involvement with ACOs. We draw on data from a recent (2014) nationally representative survey of executive directors and clinical supervisors from 635 SAT organizations. Results show that only 15 percent of these organizations had signed contracts with ACOs. Results from multivariate analyses show that directors’ perceptions of market competition, organizational ownership, and geographic location are significantly related to SATinvolvement with ACOs. We discuss implications for integrating the SAT specialty system with the mainstream health care system. PMID:26124307

  12. A national survey of skin infections, care behaviors and MRSA knowledge in the United States.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilder, Jocelyn R; Wegener, Duane T; David, Michael Z; Macal, Charles; Daum, Robert; Lauderdale, Diane S

    2014-01-01

    A nationally representative sample of approximately 2000 individuals was surveyed to assess SSTI infections over their lifetime and then prospectively over six-months. Knowledge of MRSA, future likelihood to self-treat a SSTI and self-care behaviors was also queried. Chi square tests, linear and multinomial regression were used for analysis. About 50% of those with a reported history of a SSTI typical of MRSA had sought medical treatment. MRSA knowledge was low: 28% of respondents could describe MRSA. Use of protective self-care behaviors that may reduce transmission, such as covering a lesion, differed with knowledge of MRSA and socio-demographics. Those reporting a history of a MRSA-like SSTI were more likely to respond that they would self-treat than those without such a history (OR 2.05 95% CI 1.40, 3.01; pcare for past lesions, incidence determined from clinical encounters would greatly underestimate true incidence. MRSA knowledge was not associated with seeking medical care, but was associated with self-care practices that may decrease transmission.

  13. The prescribing practices of nurses who care for patients with skin conditions: a questionnaire survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carey, Nicola; Courtenay, Molly; Stenner, Karen

    2013-07-01

    To explore the practice of nurses who prescribe medication for patients with skin conditions. Nurses have lead roles in dermatology services. In the United Kingdom, nurses in primary care frequently prescribe medicines for skin conditions, but there are concerns about role preparation and access to continuing professional development. The prescribing practices of nurse independent supplementary prescribers who care for patients with skin conditions are under-researched. Cross-sectional survey. An online questionnaire was used to survey 186 nurses who prescribed for skin conditions from May-July 2010. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and nonparametric tests. The majority worked in primary care (78%) and general practice (111, 59.7%). Twenty (10.8%) had specialist modules (at diploma, degree or master's level), 104 (55.9%) had dermatology training (e.g. study days), 44 (23.7%) had no training, and a further 18 (9.6%) did not respond. Oral antibiotics, topical antifungal and antibacterial drugs were frequently prescribed. Nurses with specialist dermatology training used their qualification in a greater number of ways, prescribed the broadest range of products and prescribed more items per week. Over 70% reporting on continuing professional development had been able to access it. A large number of nurses in primary care prescribe medicines for skin conditions and are involved in medicines management activities. Lack of specialist dermatology training is a concern and associated with lower prescribing-related activities. Access to dermatology training and continuing professional development are required to support nurse development in this area of practice and maximise benefits. Nurse prescribers' involvement in medicines management activities has important implications in terms of improving access to services, efficiency and cost savings. To maximise their contribution, improved provision of specialist dermatology training is required. This will be of

  14. Characteristics of patients receiving midwife-led prenatal care in Canada: results from the Maternity Experiences Survey (MES).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdullah, Peri; Gallant, Sabrina; Saghi, Naseem; Macpherson, Alison; Tamim, Hala

    2017-06-02

    The aim of this study was to determine the characteristics of women in Canada who received care from a midwife during their prenatal period. The findings of this study were drawn from the Maternity Experiences Survey (MES), which was a cross-sectional survey that assessed the experiences of women who gave birth between November 2005 and May 2006. The main outcome variable for this study was the prenatal care provider (i.e. midwife versus other healthcare providers). Demographic, socioeconomic, as well as health and pregnancy factors were evaluated using bivariate and multivariate models of logistic regression. A total of 6421 participants were included in this analysis representing a weighted total of 76,508 women. The prevalence of midwife-led prenatal care was 6.1%. The highest prevalence of midwife-led prenatal care was in British Columbia (9.8%), while the lowest prevalence of midwife-led prenatal care was 0.3% representing the cumulative prevalence in Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, Saskatchewan, and Yukon. Factors showing significant association with midwife-led prenatal care were: Aboriginal status (OR = 2.26, 95% CI: 1.41-3.64), higher education with bachelor and graduate degree attainment having higher ORs when compared to high-school or less (OR = 2.71, 95% CI: 1.71-4.31 and OR = 3.17, 95% CI: 1.81-5.55, respectively), and alcohol use (OR = 1.63, 95% CI: 1.17-2.26). Age, marital status, immigrant status, work during pregnancy, household income, previous pregnancies, perceived health, maternal Body Mass Index (BMI), and smoking during the last 3 months of pregnancy were not significantly associated with midwife care. In general, women who were more educated, have aboriginal status, and/or are alcohol drinkers were more likely to receive care from midwives. Since MES is the most recent resource that includes information about national midwifery utilization, future studies can provide more up

  15. Safety as experienced by patients themselves: a Finnish survey of the most recent period of care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sahlström, Merja; Partanen, Pirjo; Turunen, Hannele

    2014-06-01

    We examined patients' experiences of patient safety and participation in promoting safe care during their most recent care period. A survey of patients (N = 175) revealed that treatment, medication, and device safety were mostly experienced as very good or excellent, but responses varied by age and experience. Patients ages 66-75 were most critical of treatment and medication safety. Device safety was rated the worst aspect of safety. Twenty percent of respondents had experienced errors at some time during their care. Patients who had experienced errors and those who were treated at inpatient wards versus a day surgery unit were most critical towards patient participation. Open and transparent error management involving patients is needed to promote treatment, medication, and especially device safety. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  16. A survey of cultural competence of critical care nurses in KwaZuluNatal

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jennifer de Beer

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Background. Nurses are primary caregivers and have a key role in providing care in a culturally diverse healthcare system, such as in South Africa (SA. Nurses need cultural competence in the management of patients within this cultural context. A healthcare system staffed by a culturally competent workforce can provide high-quality care to diverse population groups, contributing to the elimination of health disparities.Objective. To describe the self-rated levels of cultural competence of nurses working in critical care settings in a selected public hospital in SA.Methods. A quantitative descriptive survey was conducted with nurses from eight critical care units in a selected public hospital in KwaZulu-Natal, using the Inventory to Access the Process of Cultural Competency - Revised (IAPCC-R cultural competence questionnaire. Results. The overall cultural competence score for the respondents was 70.2 (standard deviation 7.2 out of a possible 100, with 77 (74% of the respondents scoring in the awareness range, 26 (25% in the competent range, and only 1 in the proficient range. Nurses from non-English-speaking backgrounds scored significantly higher in cultural competence than English-speaking nurses.Conclusion. In addressing the many faces of cultural diversity, healthcare professionals must realise that these faces share a common vision: to obtain quality healthcare services that are culturally responsive and culturally relevant to the specific cultural group.

  17. The use of patient experience survey data by out-of-hours primary care services: a qualitative interview study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barry, Heather E; Campbell, John L; Asprey, Anthea; Richards, Suzanne H

    2016-11-01

    English National Quality Requirements mandate out-of-hours primary care services to routinely audit patient experience, but do not state how it should be done. We explored how providers collect patient feedback data and use it to inform service provision. We also explored staff views on the utility of out-of-hours questions from the English General Practice Patient Survey (GPPS). A qualitative study was conducted with 31 staff (comprising service managers, general practitioners and administrators) from 11 out-of-hours primary care providers in England, UK. Staff responsible for patient experience audits within their service were sampled and data collected via face-to-face semistructured interviews. Although most providers regularly audited their patients' experiences by using patient surveys, many participants expressed a strong preference for additional qualitative feedback. Staff provided examples of small changes to service delivery resulting from patient feedback, but service-wide changes were not instigated. Perceptions that patients lacked sufficient understanding of the urgent care system in which out-of-hours primary care services operate were common and a barrier to using feedback to enable change. Participants recognised the value of using patient experience feedback to benchmark services, but perceived weaknesses in the out-of-hours items from the GPPS led them to question the validity of using these data for benchmarking in its current form. The lack of clarity around how out-of-hours providers should audit patient experience hinders the utility of the National Quality Requirements. Although surveys were common, patient feedback data had only a limited role in service change. Data derived from the GPPS may be used to benchmark service providers, but refinement of the out-of-hours items is needed. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

  18. Validation Study for the Brief Measure of Quality of Life and Quality of Care: A Questionnaire for the National Random Sampling Hospital Survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shimizu, Megumi; Fujisawa, Daisuke; Kurihara, Miho; Sato, Kazuki; Morita, Tatsuya; Kato, Masashi; Miyashita, Mitsunori

    2017-08-01

    To monitor quality of life (QOL) for patients with cancer in a large population-based survey, we developed a short QOL and quality-of-care (QOC) questionnaire. To determine the validity and reliability of this new questionnaire for evaluating QOL in patients with cancer. Outpatients and inpatients at National Cancer Center Hospital East were administered a questionnaire, including the following items-the short QOL and QOC questionnaire (physical distress, pain, emotional distress, walk burden, and need for help with self-care; perceived general health status; and satisfaction with medical care and treatment by doctor, communication with doctor, support by health-care staff other than doctor, care for physical symptoms such as pain, and psychological care), the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G), the Cancer Care Evaluation Scale (CCES) for patients, and demographic and medical data. We then readministered the short QOL and QOC questionnaire. In total, 329 outpatients and 239 inpatients completed the survey (response rates: 80% and 90%, respectively). Total Cronbach α for the short QOL and QOC questionnaire was 0.83 for outpatients and 0.82 for inpatients. Items of the questionnaire correlated with cancer-specific measurements, FACT-G, and CCES. Intraclass correlation coefficients for all items of the questionnaire were 0.79 and 0.89 in each setting. Items of QOL and QOC did not correlate with each other. The validity and reliability of the short QOL and QOC questionnaire appear sufficient. This questionnaire enables continuous monitoring of patient QOL in large population-based surveys.

  19. Survey of Michigan dentists and radiation oncologists on oral care of patients undergoing head and neck radiation therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patel, Yoshita; Bahlhorn, Hannah; Zafar, Saniya; Zwetchkenbaum, Samuel; Eisbruch, Avraham; Murdoch-Kinch, Carol Anne

    2012-07-01

    Oral complications of radiation therapy for head and neck cancer (HNC) are associated with a significant decline in oral health-related quality of life (OHQOL). The dentist, working with the radiation oncologist and the rest of the health care team, plays an important role in the prevention and management of these complications, but patients do not always receive care consistent with current guidelines. This study investigated barriers to recommended care. There is variability in knowledge and practice among dentists and radiation oncologists regarding the dental management of patients treated with head and neck radiotherapy (HNRT), and inadequate communication and collaboration between members of the patient's health care team contribute to inconsistencies in application of clinical care guidelines. There is on interest and need for continuing dental (CDE) and medical education (CME) on this topic. A questionnaire was developed to assess dentists' knowledge and practice of dental management of HNC patients and their interest in CDE on this topic. All members of the Michigan Dental Association (MDA) with email addresses were asked to complete the survey online, and a random sample of MDA members without email addresses was invited to complete a paper version of the same survey. All Michigan members of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) were invited to complete an online version of the survey modified for radiation oncologists. The response rate for dentists was 47.9% and radiation oncologists was 22.3%. Of the dentists who responded, 81% reported that a major barrier to providing dental treatment before radiotherapy was a lack of time between initial dental consultation and the start of radiation; inadequate communication between health care providers was blamed most frequently for this. Ten percent of the dentists and 25% of the radiation oncologists reported that they did not treat HNC patients because they lacked adequate training, and 55% of

  20. Desire for autonomy in health care decisions: a general population survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cullati, Stéphane; Courvoisier, Delphine S; Charvet-Bérard, Agathe I; Perneger, Thomas V

    2011-04-01

    To examine factors associated with desire for autonomy in health care decisions in the general population. Mailed survey of 2348 residents of Geneva, Switzerland. Participants answered questions on a scale measuring their desire for autonomy in health care decisions. The scale was scored between 0 (lowest desire for autonomy) and 100 (highest desire for autonomy). On average the respondents favoured shared or active involvement in medical decisions (mean score 62.0, SD 20.9), but attitudes varied considerably. In the multivariate model, factors associated with a higher desire for autonomy included female gender, younger age, higher education, living alone, reporting an excellent global health and - a new observation compared to previous studies - having made several medical decisions in the past 6 months. The attitudes of the general public appear to be consistent with the model of shared decision making. However, people vary considerably in their desire for autonomy. An explicit assessment of each individual's desire for autonomy may improve the decision-making process. Such an assessment should be repeated regularly, as familiarity with medical decisions may increase the desire for autonomy. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Role of Private Sector in Providing Tuberculosis Care: Evidence from a Population-based Survey in India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hazarika, Indrajit

    2011-01-01

    In India, a large segment of the population seeks health care services from individual or institutional private health-care providers for health care. We analyzed a nationally representative data to identify the role of private providers in delivering health care for patients with tuberculosis. The primary data source for the present analysis was the 60(th) round of the National Sample Survey. Distribution frequencies were used to analyze the distribution of key sociodemographic variables and multiple logistic regression was used to analyze the association between these variables and healthcare seeking behavior. A sample of 2203 respondents who had received ambulatory care for tuberculosis, and 4568 respondents who had received inpatient treatment were analyzed. About half of the respondents had attended private facilities for TB care. Sociodemographic variables such as paediatric age group, females, higher level of education, and economic groups were associated with attendance at private sector. Dissatisfaction with services in government facilities was cited as the main reason for preferring private facilities. Private providers play an important role in providing health care services to a large proportion of patients with tuberculosis. There is a need for innovative measures to increase participation of the private sector in the national TB control program and to improve the quality of services in government facilities.

  2. A national survey of home-based care kits for palliative HIV/AIDS care in South Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mabude, Z A; Beksinska, M E; Ramkissoon, A; Wood, S; Folsom, M

    2008-09-01

    The objective of this study was to assess home-based care (HBC) kits and programs in South Africa to evaluate the feasibility of scaling up kit production and distribution. South African HBC organizations received structured questionnaires; key informant interviews and a literature review were completed to assess systems for production, distribution and supply of HBC kits. Meetings with stakeholders were held in two Provinces to share and analyze the study findings. The study team distributed questionnaires to 466 organizations and conducted interviews with representatives from 45 organizations, the Provincial Department of Health (DoH) and manufacturers of kits. All identifiable HBC organizations in South Africa were included in the survey. As a result 215 HBC organizations returned questionnaires; including non-governmental organizations (56%), community-based organizations (32%) and organizations affiliated with government health departments. Two types of kits were available: a home kit and a professional kit. The demand for HBC kits exceeded availability, kit contents and availability varied considerably and the supply chain was irregular. Kit production and distribution systems were fragmented. Replenishment of kit items was problematic. End-users are mostly caregivers who have not received adequate training on their use. The study shows that substantial work has been done by HBC organizations in South Africa to respond to the need for palliative care supplies within resource constraints. The growing demand for kits exceeds the supply. There is a need to improve the supply chain management of HBC kits, strengthen referral systems and links between community-based organizations and government departments, expand training opportunities for care givers, and develop monitoring and evaluation systems.

  3. The view of pulmonologists on palliative care for patients with COPD: a survey study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Duenk RG

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available RG Duenk,1 C Verhagen,1 PNR Dekhuijzen,2 KCP Vissers,1 Y Engels,1,* Y Heijdra2,* 1Department of Anesthesiology, Pain and Palliative Medicine, 2Department of Lung Diseases, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands *These authors contributed equally to this work Introduction: Early palliative care is not a common practice for patients with COPD. Important barriers are the identification of patients for palliative care and the organization of such care in this patient group. Objective: Pulmonologists have a central role in providing good quality palliative care for patients with COPD. To guide future research and develop services, their view on palliative care for these patients was explored. Methods: A survey study was performed by the members of the Netherlands Association of Physicians for Lung Diseases and Tuberculosis. Results: The 256 respondents (31.8% covered 85.9% of the hospital organizations in the Netherlands. Most pulmonologists (92.2% indicated to distinguish a palliative phase in the COPD trajectory, but there was no consensus about the different criteria used for its identification. Aspects of palliative care in COPD considered important were advance care planning conversation (82%, communication between pulmonologist and general practitioner (77%, and identification of the palliative phase (75.8%, while the latter was considered the most important aspect for improvement (67.6%. Pulmonologists indicated to prefer organizing palliative care for hospitalized patients with COPD themselves (55.5%, while 30.9% indicated to prefer cooperation with a specialized palliative care team (SPCT. In the ambulatory setting, a multidisciplinary cooperation between pulmonologist, general practitioner, and a respiratory nurse specialist was preferred (71.1%. Conclusion: To encourage pulmonologists to timely initiate palliative care in COPD, we recommend to conduct further research into more specific identification

  4. Preferences and opinions of patients with type 2 diabetes on education and self-care: a cross-sectional survey.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gorter, K.J.; Tuytel, G.J.; Leeuw, J.R.J. de; Bijl, J.J. van der; Bensing, J.M.; Rutten, G.E.H.M.

    2010-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To assess the preferences of patients with Type 2 diabetes regarding self-care activities and diabetes education. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Questionnaire survey carried out in general practices and outpatient clinics across the Netherlands. Outcomes: preferred setting for education,

  5. Psychosocial Care for Injured Children: Worldwide Survey among Hospital Emergency Department Staff.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alisic, Eva; Hoysted, Claire; Kassam-Adams, Nancy; Landolt, Markus A; Curtis, Sarah; Kharbanda, Anupam B; Lyttle, Mark D; Parri, Niccolò; Stanley, Rachel; Babl, Franz E

    2016-03-01

    To examine emergency department (ED) staff's knowledge of traumatic stress in children, attitudes toward providing psychosocial care, and confidence in doing so, and also to examine differences in these outcomes according to demographic, professional, and organizational characteristics, and training preferences. We conducted an online survey among staff in ED and equivalent hospital departments, based on the Psychological First Aid and Distress-Emotional Support-Family protocols. Main analyses involved descriptive statistics and multiple regressions. Respondents were 2648 ED staff from 87 countries (62.2% physicians and 37.8% nurses; mean years of experience in emergency care was 9.5 years with an SD of 7.5 years; 25.2% worked in a low- or middle-income country). Of the respondents, 1.2% correctly answered all 7 knowledge questions, with 24.7% providing at least 4 correct answers. Almost all respondents (90.1%) saw all 18 identified aspects of psychosocial care as part of their job. Knowledge and confidence scores were associated with respondent characteristics (eg, years of experience, low/middle vs high-income country), although these explained no more than 11%-18% of the variance. Almost all respondents (93.1%) wished to receive training, predominantly through an interactive website or one-off group training. A small minority (11.1%) had previously received training. More education of ED staff regarding child traumatic stress and psychosocial care appears needed and would be welcomed. Universal education packages that are readily available can be modified for use in the ED. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Survey of home hemodialysis patients and nursing staff regarding vascular access use and care

    OpenAIRE

    Spry, Leslie A; Burkart, John M; Holcroft, Christina; Mortier, Leigh; Glickman, Joel D

    2014-01-01

    Vascular access infections are of concern to hemodialysis patients and nurses. Best demonstrated practices (BDPs) have not been developed for home hemodialysis (HHD) access use, but there have been generally accepted practices (GAPs) endorsed by dialysis professionals. We developed a survey to gather information about training provided and actual practices of HHD patients using the NxStage System One HHD machine. We used GAP to assess training used by nurses to teach HHD access care and then ...

  7. Family members' satisfaction with care and decision-making in intensive care units and post-stay follow-up needs-a cross-sectional survey study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frivold, Gro; Slettebø, Åshild; Heyland, Daren K; Dale, Bjørg

    2018-01-01

    The aim of this study was to explore family members' satisfaction with care and decision-making during the intensive care units stay and their follow-up needs after the patient's discharge or death. A cross-sectional survey study was conducted. Family members of patients recently treated in an ICU were participating. The questionnaire contented of background variables, the instrument Family Satisfaction in ICU (FS-ICU 24) and questions about follow-up needs. Descriptive and non-parametric statistics and a multiple linear regression were used in the analysis. A total of 123 (47%) relatives returned the questionnaire. Satisfaction with care was higher scored than satisfaction with decision-making. Follow- up needs after the ICU stay was reported by 19 (17%) of the participants. Gender and length of the ICU stay were shown as factors identified to predict follow-up needs.

  8. Oral Health Equity and Unmet Dental Care Needs in a Population-Based Sample: Findings From the Survey of the Health of Wisconsin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wisk, Lauren E.; Walsh, Matthew; McWilliams, Christine; Eggers, Shoshannah; Olson, Melissa

    2015-01-01

    Objectives. We used objective oral health screening and survey data to explore individual-, psychosocial-, and community-level predictors of oral health status in a statewide population of adults. Methods. We examined oral health status in a sample of 1453 adult Wisconsin residents who participated in the Survey of the Health of Wisconsin Oral Health Screening project, conducted with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services during 2010. Results. We found significant disparities in oral health status across all individual-, psychosocial-, and community-level predictors. More than 15% of participants had untreated cavities, and 20% did not receive needed oral health care. Individuals who self-reported unmet need for dental care were 4 times as likely to have untreated cavities as were those who did not report such a need, after controlling for sociodemographic and behavioral factors. Conclusions. Our results suggested that costs were a primary predictor of access to care and poor oral health status. The results underscored the role that primary care, in conjunction with dental health care providers, could play in promoting oral health care, particularly in reducing barriers (e.g., the costs associated with unmet dental care) and promoting preventive health behaviors (e.g., teeth brushing). PMID:25905843

  9. The provision of family-centred intensive care bereavement support in Australia and New Zealand: Results of a cross sectional explorative descriptive survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitchell, Marion; Coombs, Maureen; Wetzig, Krista

    2017-05-01

    Caring for the bereaved is an intrinsic part of intensive care practice with family bereavement support an important aspect of the nursing role at end of life. However, reporting on provision of intensive care family bereavement support at a national level has not been well reported since an Australian paper published ten years ago. The objective was to investigate provision of family bereavement support in intensive care units (ICU) across New Zealand (NZ) and Australia. A cross-sectional exploratory descriptive web-based survey was used. All ICUs [public/private, neonatal/pediatrics/adults] were included. The survey was distributed to one nursing leader from each identified ICU (n=229; 188 in Australia, 41 in NZ). Internal validity of the survey was established through piloting. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data. Ethical approval was received by the ethics committees of two universities. One-hundred and fifty-three (67%) responses were received from across New Zealand and Australia with 69.3% of respondents from the public sector. Whilst respondents reported common bereavement practices to include debriefing for staff after a traumatic death (87.9%), there was greater variation in sending a sympathy card to families (NZ 54.2%, Australia 20.8%). Fifty percent of responding New Zealand units had a bereavement follow-up service compared to 28.3% of Australian unit respondents. Of those with follow-up services, 92.3% of New Zealand units undertook follow-up calls to families compared to 76.5% of Australian units. Bereavement follow-up services were mainly managed by social workers in Australia and nursing staff in New Zealand. This is the first Australia and New Zealand-wide survey on ICU bereavement support services. Whilst key components of family bereavement support remain consistent over the past decade, there were fewer bereavement follow-up services in responding Australian ICUs in 2015. As a quality improvement initiative, support for this

  10. Should measures of patient experience in primary care be adjusted for case mix? Evidence from the English General Practice Patient Survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paddison, Charlotte; Elliott, Marc; Parker, Richard; Staetsky, Laura; Lyratzopoulos, Georgios; Campbell, John L; Roland, Martin

    2012-08-01

    Uncertainties exist about when and how best to adjust performance measures for case mix. Our aims are to quantify the impact of case-mix adjustment on practice-level scores in a national survey of patient experience, to identify why and when it may be useful to adjust for case mix, and to discuss unresolved policy issues regarding the use of case-mix adjustment in performance measurement in health care. Secondary analysis of the 2009 English General Practice Patient Survey. Responses from 2 163 456 patients registered with 8267 primary care practices. Linear mixed effects models were used with practice included as a random effect and five case-mix variables (gender, age, race/ethnicity, deprivation, and self-reported health) as fixed effects. Primary outcome was the impact of case-mix adjustment on practice-level means (adjusted minus unadjusted) and changes in practice percentile ranks for questions measuring patient experience in three domains of primary care: access; interpersonal care; anticipatory care planning, and overall satisfaction with primary care services. Depending on the survey measure selected, case-mix adjustment changed the rank of between 0.4% and 29.8% of practices by more than 10 percentile points. Adjusting for case-mix resulted in large increases in score for a small number of practices and small decreases in score for a larger number of practices. Practices with younger patients, more ethnic minority patients and patients living in more socio-economically deprived areas were more likely to gain from case-mix adjustment. Age and race/ethnicity were the most influential adjustors. While its effect is modest for most practices, case-mix adjustment corrects significant underestimation of scores for a small proportion of practices serving vulnerable patients and may reduce the risk that providers would 'cream-skim' by not enrolling patients from vulnerable socio-demographic groups.

  11. Conservative care as a treatment option for patients aged 75 years and older with CKD stage V: a National survey in the Netherlands.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Susanto, Christopher; Kooman, J; Courtens, A M; Konings, C J A M

    2018-01-01

    Conservative care for patients aged 75 years and older with CKD stage 5 as a treatment option besides dialysis was proposed officially in the Netherlands in October 2016. This national survey showed the current implementation of this option in Netherlands nephrology departments. A web-based survey was sent to medical managers of 60 nephrology departments in the Netherlands in August 2016. Twenty-one medical managers (35%) completed the survey. The term "conservative care" is frequently used and well known. The estimated number of patients in whom the decision for maximal conservative care was made in 2015 was 310 of 2249 patients with CKD stage 5 age 75 years and older (range 5-50 patients per department). 164 patients became symptomatic and received no dialysis. There is no official registration for this treatment option and patient category. The practice patterns vary widely. Only one of 21 respondents reported a conservative care outpatient clinic. Formal training or education regarding conservative care is not available in most of departments. 95% of respondents discussed this treatment option with their patients. General practitioners are always being informed about their patient's decision. Their main role is providing or organizing palliative care support at the end of life and discussing advance care planning. Most respondents (86%) considered to include their patients in a prospective multicentre observational study, conservative care versus dialysis. Conservative care as a treatment option for patients with CKD stage 5 aged 75 years and older is well established. The practice patterns are varied in the Netherlands. Follow-up studies are needed to see whether the new multidisciplinary guideline facilitates harmonization of practice pattern. Funding is needed to optimize the implementation of conservative care.

  12. End-of-life care in general practice: a cross-sectional, retrospective survey of ‘cancer’, ‘organ failure’ and ‘old-age/dementia’ patients.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Evans, N.; Pasman, H.R.W.; Donker, G.A.; Deliens, L.; Block, L. van den; Onwuteaka-Philipsen, B.

    2014-01-01

    Background: End-of-life care is often provided in primary care settings. Aim: To describe and compare general-practitioner end-of-life care for Dutch patients who died from ‘cancer’, ‘organ failure’ and ‘old-age or dementia’. Design: A cross-sectional, retrospective survey was conducted within a

  13. Surveying Humaness

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Markussen, Randi; Gad, Christopher

    carried out in a Danish county in order to improve treatment of people who have suffered from long-term illnesses. The surveys concern not only feed back on how people experience their present and past interaction with the social services and health care system; they also ask people to indicate the state......Christopher Gad. Ph.d. Dept. of Information and Media Studies Randi Markussen. Associate Professor, Dept. of Information and Media Studies. rmark@imv.au.dk   Abstract:   Surveying humanness -politics of care improvement   For various reasons we both were subjected to a specific survey procedure...... and development of a large collection of biological and psychological symptoms and psycho-social problems. However, the surveys say nothing about how the information will be of use to the people who answer the procedure or how this scientific intervention will be put to use more specifically within the public...

  14. Medicaid Crowd-Out of Private Long-Term Care Insurance Demand : Evidence from the Health and Retirement Survey

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Brown, J.R.; Coe, N.B.; Finkelstein, A.

    2006-01-01

    This paper provides empirical evidence of Medicaid crowd out of demand for private long-term care insurance. Using data on the near- and young-elderly in the Health and Retirement Survey, our central estimate suggests that a $10,000 decrease in the level of assets an individual can keep while

  15. A Cross-Sectional Survey of Population-Wide Wait Times for Patients Seeking Medical vs. Cosmetic Dermatologic Care.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Geeta Yadav

    Full Text Available Though previous work has examined some aspects of the dermatology workforce shortage and access to dermatologic care, little research has addressed the effect of rising interest in cosmetic procedures on access to medical dermatologic care. Our objective was to determine the wait times for Urgent and Non-Urgent medical dermatologic care and Cosmetic dermatology services at a population level and to examine whether wait times for medical care are affected by offering cosmetic services.A population-wide survey of dermatology practices using simulated calls asking for the earliest appointment for a Non-Urgent, Urgent and Cosmetic service.Response rates were greater than 89% for all types of care. Wait times across all types of care were significantly different from each other (all P < 0.05. Cosmetic care was associated with the shortest wait times (3.0 weeks; Interquartile Range (IQR = 0.4-3.4, followed by Urgent care (9.0 weeks; IQR = 2.1-12.9, then Non-Urgent Care (12.7 weeks; IQR = 4.4-16.4. Wait times for practices offering only Urgent care were not different from practices offering both Urgent and Cosmetic care (10.3 vs. 7.0 weeks.Longer wait times and greater variation for Urgent and Non-Urgent dermatologic care and shorter wait times and less variation for Cosmetic care. Wait times were significantly longer in regions with lower dermatologist density. Provision of Cosmetic services did not increase wait times for Urgent care. These findings suggest an overall dermatology workforce shortage and a need for a more streamlined referral system for dermatologic care.

  16. A Cross-Sectional Survey of Population-Wide Wait Times for Patients Seeking Medical vs. Cosmetic Dermatologic Care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yadav, Geeta; Goldberg, Hanna R; Barense, Morgan D; Bell, Chaim M

    2016-01-01

    Though previous work has examined some aspects of the dermatology workforce shortage and access to dermatologic care, little research has addressed the effect of rising interest in cosmetic procedures on access to medical dermatologic care. Our objective was to determine the wait times for Urgent and Non-Urgent medical dermatologic care and Cosmetic dermatology services at a population level and to examine whether wait times for medical care are affected by offering cosmetic services. A population-wide survey of dermatology practices using simulated calls asking for the earliest appointment for a Non-Urgent, Urgent and Cosmetic service. Response rates were greater than 89% for all types of care. Wait times across all types of care were significantly different from each other (all P Cosmetic care was associated with the shortest wait times (3.0 weeks; Interquartile Range (IQR) = 0.4-3.4), followed by Urgent care (9.0 weeks; IQR = 2.1-12.9), then Non-Urgent Care (12.7 weeks; IQR = 4.4-16.4). Wait times for practices offering only Urgent care were not different from practices offering both Urgent and Cosmetic care (10.3 vs. 7.0 weeks). Longer wait times and greater variation for Urgent and Non-Urgent dermatologic care and shorter wait times and less variation for Cosmetic care. Wait times were significantly longer in regions with lower dermatologist density. Provision of Cosmetic services did not increase wait times for Urgent care. These findings suggest an overall dermatology workforce shortage and a need for a more streamlined referral system for dermatologic care.

  17. Results of a national survey about perioperative care in gastric resection surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bruna, Marcos; Navarro, Carla; Báez, Celia; Ramírez, José Manuel; Ortiz, María Ángeles

    2018-04-23

    Enhanced recovery after surgery programs in abdominal surgery are being established progressively. The aim of this study is to evaluate the application of different perioperative care measures in gastric surgery by Spanish surgeons. A descriptive study of 162 surveys answered from September to December 2017 about the management and perioperative care in non-bariatric gastric resection surgery. Antibiotic and antithrombotic prophylaxis are always used by 96.9 and 99.4%, respectively; 62.7% recommend a fasting time for liquids greater than 6hours and only 3% use preoperative carbohydrate drinks. Only 32.4 and 13.3% of subtotal and total gastrectomies are performed laparoscopically; 56.8% use epidural analgesia and drains are always placed by 53.8% in total gastrectomy. Nasogastric tubes are used selectively by 34.6% and always by 11.3%. Bladder catheters are removed during the first 48hours by 77.2%. In the first 24 postoperative hours, less than 20% indicate oral intake and 15.4% mobilize their patients; 49.3% indicate walking after the first 24hours; 30.4% apply a clinical pathway for the care of these patients and only 15.2% used an enhanced recovery after surgery protocol. The implementation of enhanced recovery after surgery measures in non-bariatric gastric resection surgery is not widespread in our country. Copyright © 2018 AEC. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  18. A pan-European survey of research in end-of-life cancer care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sigurdardottir, Katrin Ruth; Haugen, Dagny Faksvåg; Bausewein, Claudia; Higginson, Irene J; Harding, Richard; Rosland, Jan Henrik; Kaasa, Stein

    2012-01-01

    To date, there is no coordinated strategy for end-of-life (EOL) cancer care research in Europe. The PRISMA (Reflecting the Positive Diversities of European Priorities for Research and Measurement in End-of-life Care) project is aiming to develop a programme integrating research and measurement in EOL care. This survey aimed to map and describe present EOL cancer care research in Europe and to identify priorities and barriers. A questionnaire of 62 questions was developed and 201 researchers in 41 European countries were invited to complete it online in May 2009. An open invitation to participate was posted on the internet. Invited contacts in 36 countries sent 127 replies; eight additional responses came through websites. A total of 127 responses were eligible for analysis. Respondents were 69 male and 58 female, mean age 49 (28-74) years; 85% of the scientific team leaders were physicians. Seventy-one of 127 research groups were located in a teaching hospital or cancer centre. Forty-five percent of the groups had only one to five members and 28% six to ten members. Sixty-three of 92 groups reported specific funding for EOL care research. Seventy-five percent of the groups had published papers in journals with impact factor ≤ 5 in the last 3 years; 8% had published in journals with impact factor >10. Forty-four out of 90 groups reported at least one completed Ph.D. in the last 3 years. The most frequently reported active research areas were pain, assessment and measurement tools, and last days of life and quality of death. Very similar areas--last days of life and quality of death, pain, fatigue and cachexia, and assessment and measurement tools--were ranked as the most important research priorities. The most important research barriers were lack of funding, lack of time, and insufficient knowledge/expertise. Most research groups in EOL care are small. The few large groups (14%) had almost half of the reported publications, and more than half of the current Ph

  19. Need to improve routine HIV testing of U.S. Veterans in care: results of an Internet survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valdiserri, Ronald O; Nazi, Kim; McInnes, D Keith; Ross, David; Kinsinger, Linda

    2010-06-01

    Late diagnosis of HIV infection contributes to poor medical outcomes and helps sustain continued transmission of virus. Published evidence suggests that despite current public health recommendations, patients receiving care in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) system are not being routinely tested for HIV infection. Using a sample of computer-literate veterans, we conducted a survey of recent testing experiences. My HealtheVet (MHV) is a secure website allowing registered Veterans to access limited personal VHA health information. Using the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) Survey, an electronic questionnaire on "health screening" was conducted in late Fall/early winter 2008-2009. A random sample (4%) of MHV users were surveyed; approximately 17% completed the survey and responses ranged from 31,237 to 33,074. Only 9% of the respondents indicated that they had been offered a test for HIV in the last 12 months compared to 83% who had been offered cholesterol screening, 65% blood sugar screening and 19% who had been offered testing for Hepatitis C virus (HCV). Of those who had been offered HIV testing, 91% indicated that they'd had the test performed. Of note, the percentage of respondents who indicated that they would "very likely" accept a test, if offered, was similar for HIV (73%), HCV (79%), cholesterol (75%), and blood sugar (75%). Although these results cannot be generalized to all Veterans in care, they suggest that routine testing for HIV has not been taking place and support recent VHA policy changes to remove barriers to HIV testing.

  20. Predictors of patients' satisfaction with health care services in three balkan countries (macedonia, bulgaria and serbia): a cross country survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lazarevik, Vladimir; Kasapinov, Blasko

    2015-02-01

    Patients' satisfaction with provided healthcare services is one of the factors to measure the overall quality of the delivered health care. Main objective of our study was to determine the common predictors associated with patients 'satisfaction in three Balkan countries. We conducted web based survey among population in Macedonia, Serbia and Bulgaria using paid campaign over the social network Facebook. A questionnaire consisted of 31 questions was developed following studies on patients' satisfaction conducted elsewhere. Descriptive analysis was performed to assess the predictors associated with patients' satisfaction. In addition we performed content analysis to all open-ended responses. In total 4118 respondents participated in the survey. Main predictors associated with low users satisfaction with the health care services in three surveyed countries are waiting time to appointments, huge administrative procedures, and attitudes of the medical personnel towards the patients. The analysis showed that there are many similarities in user experiences in three countries, but also there are some differences. The health care systems in these three counties are organized around centralized and monopolistic position of one health insurance fund that serves as main purchaser of health care services. Top three indicators of patients' satisfaction across three countries are trust and overall satisfaction with the attention of the doctors, as well as satisfaction with the outcome of the treatment. Long waiting time and huge administrative procedures are determined as common predictor for lower patients' satisfaction across these Balkan countries. Patients' privacy protection is issue for concern in all three countries.

  1. Access and quality of maternity care for disabled women during pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period in England: data from a national survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malouf, Reem; Henderson, Jane; Redshaw, Maggie

    2017-07-20

    More disabled women are becoming mothers, and yet, their care is rarely the focus of quantitative research. This study aimed to investigate access and quality of maternity care for women with differing disabilities. Secondary analysis was conducted on data from a 2015 national survey of women's experience of maternity care. Descriptive and adjusted analyses were undertaken for five disability groups: physical disability, sensory impairment, mental health disability, learning disability and multiple disability, and comparisons were made with the responses of non-disabled women. Survey data were collected on women's experience of primary and secondary care in all trusts providing maternity care in England. Women who had given birth 3 months previously, among whom were groups self-identifying with different types of disability. Exclusions were limited to women whose baby had died and those who were younger than 16 years at the time of the recent birth. Overall, 20 094 women completed and returned the survey; 1958 women (9.5%) self-identified as having a disability. The findings indicate some gaps in maternity care provision for these women relating to interpersonal aspects of care: communication, feeling listened to and supported, involvement in decision making, having a trusted and respected relationship with clinical staff. Women from all disability groups wanted more postnatal contacts and help with infant feeding. While access to care was generally satisfactory for disabled women, women's emotional well-being and support during pregnancy and beyond is an area that is in need of improvement. Specific areas identified included disseminating information effectively, ensuring appropriate communication and understanding, and supporting women's sense of control to build trusting relationships with healthcare providers. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted

  2. Health equity in the New Zealand health care system: a national survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sheridan, Nicolette F; Kenealy, Timothy W; Connolly, Martin J; Mahony, Faith; Barber, P Alan; Boyd, Mary Anne; Carswell, Peter; Clinton, Janet; Devlin, Gerard; Doughty, Robert; Dyall, Lorna; Kerse, Ngaire; Kolbe, John; Lawrenson, Ross; Moffitt, Allan

    2011-10-20

    In all countries people experience different social circumstances that result in avoidable differences in health. In New Zealand, Māori, Pacific peoples, and those with lower socioeconomic status experience higher levels of chronic illness, which is the leading cause of mortality, morbidity and inequitable health outcomes. Whilst the health system can enable a fairer distribution of good health, limited national data is available to measure health equity. Therefore, we sought to find out whether health services in New Zealand were equitable by measuring the level of development of components of chronic care management systems across district health boards. Variation in provision by geography, condition or ethnicity can be interpreted as inequitable. A national survey of district health boards (DHBs) was undertaken on macro approaches to chronic condition management with detail on cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, congestive heart failure, stroke and diabetes. Additional data from expert informant interviews on program reach and the cultural needs of Māori and Pacific peoples was sought. Survey data were analyzed on dimensions of health equity relevant to strategic planning and program delivery. Results are presented as descriptive statistics and free text. Interviews were transcribed and NVivo 8 software supported a general inductive approach to identify common themes. Survey responses were received from the majority of DHBs (15/21), some PHOs (21/84) and 31 expert informants. Measuring, monitoring and targeting equity is not systematically undertaken. The Health Equity Assessment Tool is used in strategic planning but not in decisions about implementing or monitoring disease programs. Variable implementation of evidence-based practices in disease management and multiple funding streams made program implementation difficult. Equity for Māori is embedded in policy, this is not so for other ethnic groups or by geography. Populations

  3. The nature, characteristics and associations of care home staff stress and wellbeing: a national survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Islam, Muhammad Saiful; Baker, Christine; Huxley, Peter; Russell, Ian T; Dennis, Michael S

    2017-01-01

    The majority of residents in care homes in the United Kingdom are living with dementia or significant memory problems. Caring in this setting can be difficult and stressful for care staff who work long hours, have little opportunity for training, are poorly paid and yet subject to high expectation. This may affect their mental and physical wellbeing, cause high rates of staff turnover and absenteeism, and affect the quality of care they provide. The main objective of this survey was to explore the nature, characteristics and associations of stress in care home staff. Staff working in a stratified random sample of care homes within Wales completed measures covering: general health and wellbeing (SF-12); stress (Work Stress Inventory); job content (Karasek Job Content); approach to, and experience of, working with people living with dementia (Approaches to Dementia Questionnaire; and Experience of Working with Dementia Patients); and Productivity and Health Status (SPS-6). Multiple linear regressions explored the effects of home and staff characteristics on carers. 212 staff from 72 care homes completed questionnaires. Staff from nursing homes experienced more work stress than those from residential homes (difference 0.30; 95% confidence interval (CI) from 0.10 to 0.51; P  work (difference -4.77; CI -7.80 to -1.73; P  working in local authority homes than in the private sector (difference 7.75; CI 2.56 to 12.94; P  < 0.01). Our study highlights the importance of dementia training in care homes, with a particular need in the private sector. An effective intervention to reduce stress in health and social care staff is required, especially in nursing and larger care homes, and for nursing staff. ISRCTN registry: ISRCTN80487202. Registered 24 July 2013.

  4. Enhancing early postnatal care: findings from a major reform of maternity care in three Australian hospitals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yelland, Jane; Krastev, Ann; Brown, Stephanie

    2009-08-01

    four hospitals comprising a health network in Melbourne, Australia, implemented a range of initiatives aimed at enhancing women's experiences of postnatal maternity care. to compare women's views and experiences of early postnatal care before and after implementation of maternity enhancement initiatives. 'before and after' study design incorporating two postal surveys of recent mothers (baseline and post-implementation). four hospitals in Melbourne, Australia. Analysis of postnatal outcomes was confined to three hospitals where the initiatives were fully operational. 1256 women participated in the baseline survey in 1999 (before implementing the initiative) and 1050 women responded to the post-implementation survey in 2001. the response to the 1999 baseline survey was 65.3% (1256/1922) and to the 2001 post-implementation survey 57.4% (1050/1829). Comparative analysis revealed a statistically significant improvement in overall ratings of hospital postnatal care; the level of advice and support received in relation to discharge and going home; the sensitivity of caregivers; and the proportion of women receiving domiciliary care after discharge. There was little change in the time women spent in hospital after birth between the two survey time-points. Over 90% of women reported one or more health problems in the first 3 months postpartum. The proportion of women reporting physical or emotional health problems between the two surveys did not change. mainstream maternity care can be restructured to improve women's experiences of early postnatal care. maternity service providers should consider a multi-faceted approach to reorienting postnatal services and improving women's experiences of care. Approaches worthy of consideration include attempts to ensure consistency and continuity of care through staffing arrangements, guidelines and protocols; an emphasis on planning for postnatal care during pregnancy; the use of evidence to inform both consumer information and advice

  5. Demand-driven care and hospital choice. Dutch health policy toward demand-driven care: results from a survey into hospital choice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lako, Christiaan J; Rosenau, Pauline

    2009-03-01

    In the Netherlands, current policy opinion emphasizes demand-driven health care. Central to this model is the view, advocated by some Dutch health policy makers, that patients should be encouraged to be aware of and make use of health quality and health outcomes information in making personal health care provider choices. The success of the new health care system in the Netherlands is premised on this being the case. After a literature review and description of the new Dutch health care system, the adequacy of this demand-driven health policy is tested. The data from a July 2005, self-administered questionnaire survey of 409 patients (response rate of 94%) as to how they choose a hospital are presented. Results indicate that most patients did not choose by actively employing available quality and outcome information. They were, rather, referred by their general practitioner. Hospital choice is highly related to the importance a patient attaches to his or her physician's opinion about a hospital. Some patients indicated that their hospital choice was affected by the reputation of the hospital, by the distance they lived from the hospital, etc. but physician's advice was, by far, the most important factor. Policy consequences are important; the assumptions underlying the demand-driven model of patient health provider choice are inadequate to explain the pattern of observed responses. An alternative, more adequate model is required, one that takes into account the patient's confidence in physician referral and advice.

  6. Challenges to the provision of diabetes care in first nations communities: results from a national survey of healthcare providers in Canada

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Macaulay Ann C

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Aboriginal peoples globally, and First Nations peoples in Canada particularly, suffer from high rates of type 2 diabetes and related complications compared with the general population. Research into the unique barriers faced by healthcare providers working in on-reserve First Nations communities is essential for developing effective quality improvement strategies. Methods In Phase I of this two-phased study, semi-structured interviews and focus groups were held with 24 healthcare providers in the Sioux Lookout Zone in north-western Ontario. A follow-up survey was conducted in Phase II as part of a larger project, the Canadian First Nations Diabetes Clinical Management and Epidemiologic (CIRCLE study. The survey was completed with 244 healthcare providers in 19 First Nations communities in 7 Canadian provinces, representing three isolation levels (isolated, semi-isolated, non-isolated. Interviews, focus groups and survey questions all related to barriers to providing optimal diabetes care in First Nations communities. Results the key factors emerging from interviews and focus group discussions were at the patient, provider, and systemic level. Survey results indicated that, across three isolation levels, healthcare providers' perceived patient factors as having the largest impact on diabetes care. However, physicians and nurses were more likely to rank patient factors as having a large impact on care than community health representatives (CHRs and physicians were significantly less likely to rank patient-provider communication as having a large impact than CHRs. Conclusions Addressing patient factors was considered the highest impact strategy for improving diabetes care. While this may reflect "patient blaming," it also suggests that self-management strategies may be well-suited for this context. Program planning should focus on training programs for CHRs, who provide a unique link between patients and clinical services

  7. Role of private sector in providing tuberculosis care: Evidence from a population-based survey in India

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    Indrajit Hazarika

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: In India, a large segment of the population seeks health care services from individual or institutional private health-care providers for health care. We analyzed a nationally representative data to identify the role of private providers in delivering health care for patients with tuberculosis. Materials and Methods: The primary data source for the present analysis was the 60 th round of the National Sample Survey. Distribution frequencies were used to analyze the distribution of key sociodemographic variables and multiple logistic regression was used to analyze the association between these variables and healthcare seeking behavior. Results: A sample of 2203 respondents who had received ambulatory care for tuberculosis, and 4568 respondents who had received inpatient treatment were analyzed. About half of the respondents had attended private facilities for TB care. Sociodemographic variables such as paediatric age group, females, higher level of education, and economic groups were associated with attendance at private sector. Dissatisfaction with services in government facilities was cited as the main reason for preferring private facilities. Conclusions: Private providers play an important role in providing health care services to a large proportion of patients with tuberculosis. There is a need for innovative measures to increase participation of the private sector in the national TB control program and to improve the quality of services in government facilities.

  8. Educational disparities in quality of diabetes care in a universal health insurance system: evidence from the 2005 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Do, Young Kyung; Eggleston, Karen N

    2011-08-01

    To investigate educational disparities in the care process and health outcomes among patients with diabetes in the context of South Korea's universal health insurance system. Bivariate and multiple regression analyses of data from a cross-sectional health survey. A nationally representative and population-based survey, the 2005 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Respondents aged 40 or older who self-reported prior diagnosis with diabetes (n= 1418). Seven measures of the care process and health outcomes, namely (i) receiving medical treatment for diabetes, (ii) ever received diabetes education, (iii) received dilated eye examination in the past year, (iv) received microalbuminuria test in the past year, (v) having activity limitation due to diabetes, (vi) poor self-rated health and (vii) self-rated health on a visual analog scale. Except for receiving medical care for diabetes, overall process quality was low, with only 25% having ever received diabetes education, 39% having received a dilated eye examination in the past year and 51% having received a microalbuminuria test in the past year. Lower education level was associated with both poorer care processes and poorer health outcomes, whereas lower income level was only associated with poorer health outcomes. While South Korea's universal health insurance system may have succeeded in substantially reducing financial barriers related to diabetes care, the quality of diabetes care is low overall and varies by education level. System-level quality improvement efforts are required to address the weaknesses of the health system, thereby mitigating educational disparities in diabetes care quality.

  9. Family Child Care Licensing Study, 1997.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Children's Foundation, Washington, DC.

    This report details the findings of an annual survey of state child care regulatory agencies. The survey gathered data on both small family child care homes and group or large family child care homes in each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The report's introduction lists the survey categories and…

  10. The state of emergency obstetric care services in Nairobi informal settlements and environs: Results from a maternity health facility survey

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Saliku Teresa

    2009-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Maternal mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa remains a challenge with estimates exceeding 1,000 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in some countries. Successful prevention of maternal deaths hinges on adequate and quality emergency obstetric care. In addition to skilled personnel, there is need for a supportive environment in terms of essential drugs and supplies, equipment, and a referral system. Many household surveys report a reasonably high proportion of women delivering in health facilities. However, the quality and adequacy of facilities and personnel are often not assessed. The three delay model; 1 delay in making the decision to seek care; 2 delay in reaching an appropriate obstetric facility; and 3 delay in receiving appropriate care once at the facility guided this project. This paper examines aspects of the third delay by assessing quality of emergency obstetric care in terms of staffing, skills equipment and supplies. Methods We used data from a survey of 25 maternity health facilities within or near two slums in Nairobi that were mentioned by women in a household survey as places that they delivered. Ethical clearance was obtained from the Kenya Medical Research Institute. Permission was also sought from the Ministry of Health and the Medical Officer of Health. Data collection included interviews with the staff in-charge of maternity wards using structured questionnaires. We collected information on staffing levels, obstetric procedures performed, availability of equipment and supplies, referral system and health management information system. Results Out of the 25 health facilities, only two met the criteria for comprehensive emergency obstetric care (both located outside the two slums while the others provided less than basic emergency obstetric care. Lack of obstetric skills, equipment, and supplies hamper many facilities from providing lifesaving emergency obstetric procedures. Accurate estimation of burden

  11. Home Care Pharmacy Practice in Canada: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Services Provided, Remuneration, Barriers, and Facilitators.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Houle, Sherilyn; MacKeigan, Linda

    2017-01-01

    As the population ages, and individuals desire to remain in their homes as long as possible, the need for in-home care is expected to increase. However, pharmacists have rarely been included in studies of in-home care, and little is known about the prevalence or effectiveness of pharmacists' home-based services in Canada. To identify pharmacy practices in Canada that regularly provide in-home patient care and to identify specific services provided, remuneration obtained, and barriers and facilitators influencing the provision of home-based care. A link to a web-based survey was posted in e-newsletters of provincial, territorial, and national pharmacy associations in Canada. In addition, pharmacists known to the researchers as providing in-home clinical services were contacted directly. The survey was open from October to December 2015. Practices or organizations that performed at least one home visit per week for clinical purposes, with documentation of the services provided, were eligible to participate. One response per practice or organization was allowed. Seventeen practices meeting the inclusion criteria were identified, representing community, hospital, and clinic settings. Home visits were most commonly performed for individuals with complex medication regimens or nonadherence to medication therapy. The most common services were conducting medication reconciliation and reviews and counselling patients about medication adherence. No practices or organizations billed patients for these services, yet lack of remuneration was an important barrier identified by many respondents. Although 12 (71%) of the respondents collected data for evaluative purposes, collection of clinical or health system outcome data was rare. Few Canadian pharmacy practices that provide in-home patient care at least once a week could be identified. Data collection suitable to establish an evidence base for this service was infrequently performed by practices and organizations providing

  12. Intensive Care Unit Structure Variation and Implications for Early Mobilization Practices. An International Survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bakhru, Rita N; McWilliams, David J; Wiebe, Douglas J; Spuhler, Vicki J; Schweickert, William D

    2016-09-01

    Early mobilization (EM) improves outcomes for mechanically ventilated patients. Variation in structure and organizational characteristics may affect implementation of EM practices. We queried intensive care unit (ICU) environment and standardized ICU practices to evaluate organizational characteristics that enable EM practice. We recruited 151 ICUs in France, 150 in Germany, 150 in the United Kingdom, and 500 in the United States by telephone. Survey domains included respondent characteristics, hospital and ICU characteristics, and ICU practices and protocols. We surveyed 1,484 ICU leaders and received a 64% response rate (951 ICUs). Eighty-eight percent of respondents were in nursing leadership roles; the remainder were physiotherapists. Surveyed ICUs were predominantly mixed medical-surgical units (67%), and 27% were medical ICUs. ICU staffing models differed significantly (P equipment were highly variable among respondents. International ICU structure and practice is quite heterogeneous, and several factors (multidisciplinary rounds, setting daily goals for patients, presence of a dedicated physiotherapist, country, and nurse/patient staffing ratio) are significantly associated with the practice of EM. Practice and barriers may be far different based upon staffing structure. To achieve successful implementation, whether through trials or quality improvement, ICU staffing and practice patterns must be taken into account.

  13. Social Work Involvement in Advance Care Planning: Findings from a Large Survey of Social Workers in Hospice and Palliative Care Settings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stein, Gary L; Cagle, John G; Christ, Grace H

    2017-03-01

    Few data are available describing the involvement and activities of social workers in advance care planning (ACP). We sought to provide data about (1) social worker involvement and leadership in ACP conversations with patients and families; and (2) the extent of functions and activities when these discussions occur. We conducted a large web-based survey of social workers employed in hospice, palliative care, and related settings to explore their role, participation, and self-rated competency in facilitating ACP discussions. Respondents were recruited through the Social Work Hospice and Palliative Care Network and the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. Descriptive analyses were conducted on the full sample of respondents (N = 641) and a subsample of clinical social workers (N = 456). Responses were analyzed to explore differences in ACP involvement by practice setting. Most clinical social workers (96%) reported that social workers in their department are conducting ACP discussions with patients/families. Majorities also participate in, and lead, ACP discussions (69% and 60%, respectively). Most respondents report that social workers are responsible for educating patients/families about ACP options (80%) and are the team members responsible for documenting ACP (68%). Compared with other settings, oncology and inpatient palliative care social workers were less likely to be responsible for ensuring that patients/families are informed of ACP options and documenting ACP preferences. Social workers are prominently involved in facilitating, leading, and documenting ACP discussions. Policy-makers, administrators, and providers should incorporate the vital contributions of social work professionals in policies and programs supporting ACP.

  14. Health-care-associated infections in neonates, children, and adolescents: an analysis of paediatric data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control point-prevalence survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zingg, Walter; Hopkins, Susan; Gayet-Ageron, Angèle; Holmes, Alison; Sharland, Mike; Suetens, Carl

    2017-04-01

    In 2011-12, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) held the first Europe-wide point-prevalence survey of health-care-associated infections in acute care hospitals. We analysed paediatric data from this survey, aiming to calculate the prevalence and type of health-care-associated infections in children and adolescents in Europe and to determine risk factors for infection in this population. Point-prevalence surveys took place from May, 2011, to November, 2012, in 1149 hospitals in EU Member States, Iceland, Norway, and Croatia. Patients present on the ward at 0800 h on the day of the survey and who were not discharged at the time of the survey were included. Data were collected by locally trained health-care workers according to patient-based or unit-based protocols. We extracted data from the ECDC database for all paediatric patients (age 0-18 years). We report adjusted prevalence for health-care-associated infections by clustering at the hospital and country level. We also calculated risk factors for development of health-care-associated infections with use of a generalised linear mixed-effects model. We analysed data for 17 273 children and adolescents from 29 countries. 770 health-care-associated infections were reported in 726 children and adolescents, corresponding to a prevalence of 4·2% (95% CI 3·7-4·8). Bloodstream infections were the most common type of infection (343 [45%] infections), followed by lower respiratory tract infections (171 [22%]), gastrointestinal infections (64 [8%]), eye, ear, nose, and throat infections (55 [7%]), urinary tract infections (37 [5%]), and surgical-site infections (34 [4%]). The prevalence of infections was highest in paediatric intensive care units (15·5%, 95% CI 11·6-20·3) and neonatal intensive care units (10·7%, 9·0-12·7). Independent risk factors for infection were age younger than 12 months, fatal disease (via ultimately and rapidly fatal McCabe scores), prolonged length of stay, and

  15. Assessing care-givers' satisfaction with child immunisation services in Zambia: Evidence from a national survey.

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    Chama-Chiliba, Chitalu Miriam; Masiye, Felix; Mphuka, Chrispin

    2017-10-09

    The main aim of this study was to assess care-giver satisfaction with vaccination services in public health facilities in Zambia, and examine its determinants. This study used data from a recent population-based household survey, conducted from May to August 2015. Respondent satisfaction with vaccination services received during the last visit was measured on a five point Likert scale ranging from 1 to 5. We used an ordered logistic regression model to analyse the significance of perceived quality of vaccination services, immunisation delivery mode and a range of individual characteristics in predicting care-giver satisfaction. Findings show that one in five care givers were unsatisfied with the vaccination services that they had received, with rural populations showing a significantly higher level of satisfaction. Poor quality of care, defined by long waiting times, poor quality of communication between health staff and care givers, long distance to vaccination sites, mode of delivery, and personal characteristics were among major factors driving care-giver satisfaction ratings. We also find that receiving a vaccination at outreach mode of delivery was associated with higher odds of greater satisfaction compared to on-facility vaccination services. The odds of satisfaction were lower for respondents living further away from a health facility, which emphasizes the importance of access in seeking vaccination services. These findings suggest that major improvements in quality of vaccination and service organisation will be needed to increase client satisfaction and service utilisation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Key interventions and quality indicators for quality improvement of STEMI care: a RAND Delphi survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aeyels, Daan; Sinnaeve, Peter R; Claeys, Marc J; Gevaert, Sofie; Schoors, Danny; Sermeus, Walter; Panella, Massimiliano; Coeckelberghs, Ellen; Bruyneel, Luk; Vanhaecht, Kris

    2017-12-13

    Identification, selection and validation of key interventions and quality indicators for improvement of in hospital quality of care for ST-elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients. A structured literature review was followed by a RAND Delphi Survey. A purposively selected multidisciplinary expert panel of cardiologists, nurse managers and quality managers selected and validated key interventions and quality indicators prior for quality improvement for STEMI. First, 34 experts (76% response rate) individually assessed the appropriateness of items to quality improvement on a nine point Likert scale. Twenty-seven key interventions, 16 quality indicators at patient level and 27 quality indicators at STEMI care programme level were selected. Eighteen additional items were suggested. Experts received personal feedback, benchmarking their score with group results (response rate, mean, median and content validity index). Consequently, 32 experts (71% response rate) openly discussed items with an item-content validity index above 75%. By consensus, the expert panel validated a final set of 25 key interventions, 13 quality indicators at patient level and 20 quality indicators at care programme level prior for improvement of in hospital care for STEMI. A structured literature review and multidisciplinary expertise was combined to validate a set of key interventions and quality indicators prior for improvement of care for STEMI. The results allow researchers and hospital staff to evaluate and support quality improvement interventions in a large cohort within the context of a health care system.

  17. The practice of intensive care in Latin America: a survey of academic intensivists.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Castro, Ricardo; Nin, Nicolas; Ríos, Fernando; Alegría, Leyla; Estenssoro, Elisa; Murias, Gastón; Friedman, Gilberto; Jibaja, Manuel; Ospina-Tascon, Gustavo; Hurtado, Javier; Marín, María Del Carmen; Machado, Flavia R; Cavalcanti, Alexandre Biasi; Dubin, Arnaldo; Azevedo, Luciano; Cecconi, Maurizio; Bakker, Jan; Hernandez, Glenn

    2018-02-21

    Intensive care medicine is a relatively young discipline that has rapidly grown into a full-fledged medical subspecialty. Intensivists are responsible for managing an ever-increasing number of patients with complex, life-threatening diseases. Several factors may influence their performance, including age, training, experience, workload, and socioeconomic context. The aim of this study was to examine individual- and work-related aspects of the Latin American intensivist workforce, mainly with academic appointments, which might influence the quality of care provided. In consequence, we conducted a cross-sectional study of intensivists at public and private academic and nonacademic Latin American intensive care units (ICUs) through a web-based electronic survey submitted by email. Questions about personal aspects, work-related topics, and general clinical workflow were incorporated. Our study comprised 735 survey respondents (53% return rate) with the following country-specific breakdown: Brazil (29%); Argentina (19%); Chile (17%); Uruguay (12%); Ecuador (9%); Mexico (7%); Colombia (5%); and Bolivia, Peru, Guatemala, and Paraguay combined (2%). Latin American intensivists were predominantly male (68%) young adults (median age, 40 [IQR, 35-48] years) with a median clinical ICU experience of 10 (IQR, 5-20) years. The median weekly workload was 60 (IQR, 47-70) h. ICU formal training was between 2 and 4 years. Only 63% of academic ICUs performed multidisciplinary rounds. Most intensivists (85%) reported adequate conditions to manage patients with septic shock in their units. Unsatisfactory conditions were attributed to insufficient technology (11%), laboratory support (5%), imaging resources (5%), and drug shortages (5%). Seventy percent of intensivists participated in research, and 54% read scientific studies regularly, whereas 32% read no more than one scientific study per month. Research grants and pharmaceutical sponsorship are unusual funding sources in Latin

  18. Self-care and adherence to medication: a survey in the hypertension outpatient clinic

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lip Gregory YH

    2008-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Self-care practices for patients with hypertension include adherence to medication, use of blood pressure self-monitoring and use of complementary and alternative therapies (CAM The prevalence of CAM use and blood pressure self-monitoring have not been described in a UK secondary care population of patients with hypertension and their impact on adherence to medication has not been described. Adherence to medication is important for blood pressure control, but poor adherence is common. The study aimed to determine the prevalence of self-care behaviours in patients attending a secondary care hypertension clinic. Methods Cross-sectional questionnaire survey. 196 patients attending a secondary care hypertension clinic in a teaching hospital serving a multiethnic population, Birmingham, UK. Main outcome measures: Prevalence of use of CAM, home monitors, adherence to anti-hypertensive medication. Results CAM use in previous 12 months was reported by 66 (43.1% respondents. CAM users did not differ statistically from non-CAM users by age, gender, marital status or education. Vitamins, prayer a dietary supplements were the most commonly used CAM. Nine (12.7% women reported using herbal CAM compared to one man (1.2%, (p = 0.006. Ten (6.7% respondents reported ever being asked by a doctor about CAM use. Perfect adherence to anti-hypertensive medication was reported by 26 (44.8% CAM-users and 46 (60.5% non-CAM users (p = 0.07. Being female and a CAM user was significantly associated with imperfect adherence to anti-hypertensive medication. Older and white British respondents were significantly more likely to report perfect adherence. Blood pressure monitors were used by 67 (43.8% respondents, which was not associated with gender, CAM use or adherence to medication. Conclusion Hypertensive patients use a variety of self-care methods, including CAM, home blood pressure monitors, and adherence to prescribed medication. This study found the

  19. Nutritional care of cancer patients: a survey on patients' needs and medical care in reality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maschke, J; Kruk, U; Kastrati, K; Kleeberg, J; Buchholz, D; Erickson, N; Huebner, J

    2017-02-01

    Cancer patients represent a patient group with a wide-range of nutrition related problems which are often under-recognized and undertreated. In order to assess the status quo of nutritional care in Germany, we conducted a survey among patients with different types of cancer. A standardized questionnaire was distributed online by two national umbrella organizations for self-help groups. 1335 participants completed the questionnaire. 69 % of the participants reported having received information on nutrition and/or specific nutrition-related symptoms. Most often this information was derived from print media (68.5 %) or from within self-help groups (58.7 %). 57.0 % of participants reported having had questions concerning nutrition and/or problems with food intake. most frequently named topics of interest were "healthy diet" (35.0 %) weakness/fatigue (24.3 %), dietary supplements (21.3 %) and taste changes (19.8 %). Nutrition information was most often provided by dietitians (38.7 %) followed by physicians (9.8 %). Women reported receiving nutrition counseling in the hospital nearly twice as often as men (12.5 % versus 5.7 %; p nutrition information more often reported using supplements (p Nutrition is an essential element in cancer care and patients report a high interest and need: Yet, many patients do not have access to high quality nutrition therapy during and after cancer therapy. With respect to survival and quality of life, increasing the availability and resources for provision of evidence based nutrition information seems mandatory.

  20. Nursing home manager's knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about advance care planning for people with dementia in long-term care settings: a cross-sectional survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beck, Esther-Ruth; McIlfatrick, Sonja; Hasson, Felicity; Leavey, Gerry

    2017-09-01

    To examine nursing home managers' knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and current practice regarding advance care planning for people with dementia in long-term care settings informed by the theory of planned behaviour. Internationally, advance care planning is advocated for people with dementia. However, evidence suggests that discussions with people with dementia are rare, particularly in long-term care settings. Whilst nursing home managers can be considered central to implementation in this setting, there is a dearth of research that has examined their perspective. This study reports on their role with regard to advance care planning and the perceived factors which influence this. A cross-sectional postal survey was carried out as part of a larger scale sequential explanatory mixed-methods study between January-March 2015. Nursing home managers in a region in the UK (n = 178). A response rate of 66% (n = 116) was achieved. Nursing home managers demonstrated a lack of knowledge of advance care planning, with negative attitudes underpinned by concerns regarding the capacity and lack of perceived benefits to the person with dementia. Currently, they do not view advance care planning as part of their role, with lack of ownership impacting upon current practice behaviours. Whilst nursing home managers recognise the potential benefits of advance care planning, barriers and challenges create a reluctance to facilitate. Targeted training to address the knowledge deficit is required, with the wider components of advance care planning promoted. There is a need for greater role clarification to ensure nurses in long-term care settings identify with the process in the future. A gap between rhetoric and reality of implementation is evident; therefore, long-term care settings must critically examine system, organisational and individual factors for failure to implement advance care planning for people with dementia. Increased cognisance of the context in which advance care

  1. A survey comparing the attitudes toward perinatal bereavement care of nurses from three Asian cities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chan, Moon Fai; Lou, Feng-lan; Arthur, David Gordon

    2010-12-01

    Caring for parents whose infant has died is extremely demanding, difficult, and stressful. In some situations, nurses may experience personal failure, feel helpless, and need to distance themselves from bereaved parents because they are unable to deal with the enormity of the parental feelings of loss. The aim of the study was to describe and compare attitudes toward perinatal bereavement care across a sample of nurses working in five obstetrics and gynecology settings from three Asian cities, as well as the factors associated with these attitudes. A survey was conducted, and 573 nurses were recruited from 2006 to 2007. The data were collected using the perinatal bereavement attitudes scale, which involves an 11-item self-report questionnaire. Nurses' attitudes were mainly positive, but differed across cities, with the attitude of Jinan nurses being significantly more positive than nurses from the other two cities, and the attitude of Hong Kong nurses being significantly the lowest. Positive attitudes were associated with position, and nurses who were well informed of hospital policy and received training for bereavement care were statistically significantly more likely to have a positive attitude toward perinatal bereavement care. Although nurses' attitudes to prenatal bereavement care differ significantly across the three Asian cities, they are generally similar. The differences observed could be related to the wider social, cultural, and organizational circumstances of nursing practice.

  2. Validation of the Child HCAHPS survey to measure pediatric inpatient experience of care in Flanders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bruyneel, Luk; Coeckelberghs, Ellen; Buyse, Gunnar; Casteels, Kristina; Lommers, Barbara; Vandersmissen, Jo; Van Eldere, Johan; Van Geet, Chris; Vanhaecht, Kris

    2017-07-01

    The recently developed Child HCAHPS provides a standard to measure US hospitals' performance on pediatric inpatient experiences of care. We field-tested Child HCAHPS in Belgium to instigate international comparison. In the development stage, forward/backward translation was conducted and patients assessed content validity index as excellent. The draft Flemish Child HCAHPS included 63 items: 38 items for five topics hypothesized to be similar to those proposed in the US (communication with parent, communication with child, attention to safety and comfort, hospital environment, and global rating), 10 screeners, a 14-item demographic and descriptive section, and one open-ended item. A 6-week pilot test was subsequently performed in three pediatric wards (general ward, hematology and oncology ward, infant and toddler ward) at a JCI-accredited university hospital. An overall response rate of 90.99% (303/333) was achieved and was consistent across wards. Confirmatory factor analysis largely confirmed the configuration of the proposed composites. Composite and single-item measures related well to patients' global rating of the hospital. Interpretation of different patient experiences across types of wards merits further investigation. Child HCAHPS provides an opportunity for systematic and cross-national assessment of pediatric inpatient experiences. Sharing and implementing international best practices are the next logical step. What is Known: • Patient experience surveys are increasingly used to reflect on the quality, safety, and centeredness of patient care. • While adult inpatient experience surveys are routinely used across countries around the world, the measurement of pediatric inpatient experiences is a young field of research that is essential to reflect on family-centered care. What is New: • We demonstrate that the US-developed Child HCAHPS provides an opportunity for international benchmarking of pediatric inpatient experiences with care through parents

  3. Role of the private sector in childbirth care: cross-sectional survey evidence from 57 low- and middle-income countries using Demographic and Health Surveys.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benova, Lenka; Macleod, David; Footman, Katharine; Cavallaro, Francesca; Lynch, Caroline A; Campbell, Oona M R

    2015-12-01

    Maternal mortality rates have decreased globally but remain off track for Millennium Development Goals. Good-quality delivery care is one recognised strategy to address this gap. This study examines the role of the private (non-public) sector in providing delivery care and compares the equity and quality of the sectors. The most recent Demographic and Health Survey (2000-2013) for 57 countries was used to analyse delivery care for most recent birth among >330 000 women. Wealth quintiles were used for equity analysis; skilled birth attendant (SBA) and Caesarean section rates served as proxies for quality of care in cross-sectoral comparisons. The proportion of women who used appropriate delivery care (non-facility with a SBA or facility-based births) varied across regions (49-84%), but wealth-related inequalities were seen in both sectors in all regions. One-fifth of all deliveries occurred in the private sector. Overall, 36% of deliveries with appropriate care occurred in the private sector, ranging from 9% to 46% across regions. The presence of a SBA was comparable between sectors (≥93%) in all regions. In every region, Caesarean section rate was higher in the private compared to public sector. The private sector provided between 13% (Latin America) and 66% (Asia) of Caesarean section deliveries. This study is the most comprehensive assessment to date of coverage, equity and quality indicators of delivery care by sector. The private sector provided a substantial proportion of delivery care in low- and middle-income countries. Further research is necessary to better understand this heterogeneous group of providers and their potential to equitably increase the coverage of good-quality intrapartum care. © 2015 The Authors. Tropical Medicine & International Health Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  4. [Conflict of interest with industry--a survey of nurses in the field of wound care in Germany, Australia and Switzerland].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Panfil, Eva-Maria; Zima, Karoline; Lins, Sabine; Köpke, Sascha; Langer, Gero; Meyer, Gabriele

    2014-06-01

    Nurses in the field of wound care are increasingly being courted by the wound industry. A survey regarding nurses' perceptions and participation in pharmaceutical marketing was conducted. Based on existing instruments, a standardized questionnaire (39 items, 5-point Likert scale) was developed. It was sent electronically and by mail to all nursing members of the Austrian Society for Vascular Care (ÖGvP), the German Wound Healing Society (DGfW e. V.) and the Swiss Association for Wound Care (SAfW). 178 nurses participated in the survey (75 % women; aged 27 - 70 years [median 45], 0 - 40 years [median 9] practice in the area of the wound care). Only about one fourth of the respondents (23,0 %) did not participate in pharmaceutical marketing last year. Generally small gifts were more frequently received than expensive gifts. Most of the nurses valued inexpensive gifts, educational gifts and gifts with patient benefit as appropriate. The majority of respondents consider themselves as less influenceable in decision making, compared to physicians. The behavior and attitude of nurses are ambivalent. The occurrence of conflict of interest is partly justified by perceived patient benefit. Lack of knowledge about the topic and social desirability could be the cause of an uncritical attitude. For a more critical approach education and ethical standards are necessary.

  5. Measuring the mental health care system responsiveness: results of an outpatient survey in Tehran

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    Setareh eForouzan

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available AbstractAs explained by the World Health Organisation (WHO in 2000, the concept of health system responsiveness is one of the core goals of health systems. Since 2000, further efforts have been made to measure health system responsiveness and the factors affecting responsiveness, yet few studies have applied responsiveness concepts to the evaluation of mental health systems. The present study aims to measure responsiveness and its related domains in the mental health care system of Tehran. Utilising the same method used by the WHO for its responsiveness survey, responsiveness for outpatient mental health care was evaluated using a validated Farsi questionnaire. A sample of 500 public mental health service users in Tehran participated and subsequently completed the questionnaire. On average, 47% of participants reported experiencing poor responsiveness. Among responsiveness domains, confidentiality and dignity were the best performing factors while autonomy, access to care and quality of basic amenities were the worst performing. Respondents who reported their social status as low were more likely to experience poor responsiveness overall. Autonomy, quality of basic amenities and clear communication were responsiveness dimensions that performed poorly but were considered to be important by study participants. In summary, the study suggests that measuring responsiveness could provide guidance for further development of mental health care systems to become more patient orientated and provide patients with more respect.

  6. Survey to investigate pet ownership and attitudes to pet care in metropolitan Chicago dog and/or cat owners.

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    Freiwald, Amber; Litster, Annette; Weng, Hsin-Yi

    2014-08-01

    The aims of this descriptive cross-sectional study were to investigate dog and cat acquisition and attitudes toward pet care among residents of the Chicago area (zip codes 60600-60660); to compare data obtained from owners of shelter-acquired pets with those of residents who acquired their pets from other sources; to compare data from dog owners with cat owners; and to compare pet health practices among the respondents of different zip code income groups. In-person surveys administered at five pet store locations collected data from 529 respondents, representing 582 dogs and 402 cats owned or continuously cared for in the past 3 years. Median household income data for represented zip codes was also obtained. Shelters were the most common source of cats (ppet stores, breeders or rescue organizations and to be kept as outdoor-only pets (pPet owners were most commonly 'very likely' (5 on a 1-5/5 Likert scale) to administer all hypothetical treatments discussed, although cat owners were less likely to spend time training their pet (p=0.05). Cat owners were less likely to have taken their pet to a veterinarian for vaccinations or annual physical exams (ppets were at least as willing as other respondents to administer hypothetical treatments and pay ≥$1000 for veterinary treatment. Respondents from site #3 lived in zip codes that had relatively lower median household incomes (ppets than those at the four other sites (ppet owners from all acquisition categories expressed very high levels of attachment (≥8-10/10 on a Likert scale), except for owners of cats acquired as strays (84.9%) or from the 'other' category (75.0%). Survey respondents commonly acquired their pets from shelters and those who did were at least as willing to pay for and provide veterinary care as respondents who owned pets acquired from other sources. The data collected provides a snapshot of the attitudes of survey respondents in the Chicago area toward pet acquisition and care. Copyright © 2014

  7. Shortening a Patient Experiences Survey for Medical Homes

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    Judy H. Ng

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available The Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems—Patient-Centered Medical Home (CAHPS PCMH Survey assesses patient experiences reflecting domains of care related to general patient experience (access to care, communication with providers, office staff interaction, provider rating and PCMH-specific aspects of patient care (comprehensiveness of care, self-management support, shared decision making. The current work compares psychometric properties of the current survey and a proposed shortened version of the survey (from 52 to 26 adult survey items, from 66 to 31 child survey items. The revisions were based on initial psychometric analysis and stakeholder input regarding survey length concerns. A total of 268 practices voluntarily submitted adult surveys and 58 submitted child survey data to the National Committee for Quality Assurance in 2013. Mean unadjusted scores, practice-level item and composite reliability, and item-to-scale correlations were calculated. Results show that the shorter adult survey has lower reliability, but still it still meets general definitions of a sound survey for the adult version, and resulted in few changes to mean scores. The impact was more problematic for the pediatric version. Further testing is needed to investigate approaches to improving survey response and the relevance of survey items in informing quality improvement.

  8. Physicians’ attitudes towards office-based delivery of methadone maintenance therapy: results from a cross-sectional survey of Nova Scotia primary-care physicians

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    Dooley Jessica

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Approximately 90,000 Canadians use opioids each year, many of whom experience health and social problems that affect the individual user, families, communities and the health care system. For those who wish to reduce or stop their opioid use, methadone maintenance therapy (MMT is effective and supporting evidence is well-documented. However, access and availability to MMT is often inconsistent, with greater inequity outside of urban settings. Involving community based primary-care physicians in the delivery of MMT could serve to expand capacity and accessibility of MMT programs. Little is known, however, about the extent to which MMT, particularly office-based delivery, is acceptable to physicians. The aim of this study is to survey physicians about their attitudes towards MMT, particularly office-based delivery, and the perceived barriers and facilitators to MMT delivery. Methods In May 2008, facilitated by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia, a cross-sectional, e-mail survey of 950 primary-care physicians practicing in Nova Scotia, Canada was administered via the OPINIO on-line survey software, to assess the acceptability of office-based MMT. Logistic regressions, adjusted for physician sociodemographic characteristics, were used to examine the association between physicians’ willingness to participate in office-based MMT, and a series of measures capturing physician attitudes and knowledge about treatment approaches, opioid use, and methadone, as well as perceived barriers to MMT. Results Overall, 19.8% of primary-care physicians responded to the survey, with 56% who indicated that they would be willing to be involved in MMT under current or similar circumstances; however, willingness was associated with numerous attitudinal and systemic factors. The barriers to involvement in MMT that were frequently cited included a lack of training or experience in MMT, lack of support services, and potential

  9. Perceptions of the care received from Australian palliative care services: A caregiver perspective.

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    Pidgeon, Tanya M; Johnson, Claire E; Lester, Leanne; Currow, David; Yates, Patsy; Allingham, Samuel F; Bird, Sonia; Eagar, Kathy

    2018-04-01

    ABSTRACTBackground:Caregiver satisfaction and experience surveys help health professionals to understand, measure, and improve the quality of care provided for patients and their families. Our aim was to explore caregiver perceptions of the care received from Australian specialist palliative care services. Caregivers of patients receiving palliative care in services registered with Australia's Palliative Care Outcomes Collaboration were invited to participate in a caregiver survey. The survey included the FAMCARE-2 and four items from the Ongoing Needs Identification: Caregiver Profile questionnaire. Surveys were completed by 1,592 caregivers from 49 services. Most respondents reported high satisfaction and positive experiences. Caregivers receiving care from community-based palliative care teams were less satisfied with the management of physical symptoms and comfort (odds ratio [OR] = 0.29; 95% confidence interval [CI95%] = 0.14, 0.59), with patient psychological care (OR = 0.56; CI95% = 0.32, 0.98), and with family support (OR = 0.52; CI95% = 0.35, 0.77) than caregivers of patients in an inpatient setting. If aged over 60 years, caregivers were less likely to have their information needs met regarding available support services (OR = 0.98; CI95% = 0.97, 0.98) and carer payments (OR = 0.99; CI95% = 0.98, 1.00). Also, caregivers were less likely to receive adequate information about carer payments if located in an outer regional area (OR = 0.41; CI95% = 0.25, 0.64). With practical training, caregivers receiving care from community services reported inadequate information provision to support them in caring for patients (OR = 0.60; CI95% = 0.45, 0.81). While our study identified caregivers as having positive and satisfactory experiences across all domains of care, there is room for improvement in the delivery of palliative care across symptom management, as well as patient and caregiver support, especially in community settings. Caregiver surveys can facilitate the

  10. Intensive care nurses' perceptions of their professional competence in the organ donor process: a national survey.

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    Meyer, Käthe; Bjørk, Ida Torunn; Eide, Hilde

    2012-01-01

    This paper is a report of a study that explored Norwegian intensive care nurses' perceptions of their professional competence to identify educational needs in the organ donor process. Intensive care professionals are requested to consider organ donation each time they care for patients with severe cerebral lesion to ensure donor organs for transplantation. The donor process challenges intensive care nurses' professional competence. Nurses' knowledge and experience may influence their professional competence in caring for organ donors and their relatives. METHODS.: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in all 28 Norwegian donor hospitals between October 2008 and January 2009. Intensive care nurses (N = 801) were invited to participate and the response rate was 71·4%. Dimensions of professional competence, learning needs and contextual and demographic variables were explored. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Few intensive care nurses had extensive experience of or competence and training in organ donation. Nurses working at university hospitals had more experience, but lesser training than nurses in local hospitals. Experience of donor acquisition had an impact on intensive care nurses' perceptions of their professional competence in the donor process. Discussions on the ward and educational input were seen as important for the further development of professional competence. Training provided by experienced colleagues and a culture that encourages discussion about aspects of the donor process can develop nurses' professional competence and communally defined professional practice. Educational input that cultivates various types of knowledge can be beneficial in organ donation. © 2011 The Authors. Journal of Advanced Nursing © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  11. Does health facility service environment matter for the receipt of essential newborn care? Linking health facility and household survey data in Malawi.

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    Carvajal-Aguirre, Liliana; Mehra, Vrinda; Amouzou, Agbessi; Khan, Shane M; Vaz, Lara; Guenther, Tanya; Kalino, Maggie; Zaka, Nabila

    2017-12-01

    Health facility service environment is an important factor for newborns survival and well-being in general and in particular in high mortality settings such as Malawi where despite high coverage of essential interventions, neonatal mortality remains high. The aim of this study is to assess whether the quality of the health service environment at birth is associated with quality of care received by the newborn. We used data from the Malawi Millennium Development Goals Endline household survey conducted as part of MICS survey program and Service Provision Assessment Survey carried out in 2014. The analysis is based on 6218 facility births that occurred during the past 2 years. Descriptive statistics, bivariate and multivariate random effect models are used to assess the association of health facility service readiness score for normal deliveries and newborn care with newborns receiving appropriate newborn care, defined for this analysis as receiving 5 out of 6 recommended interventions during the first 2 days after birth. Newborns in districts with top facility service readiness score have 1.5 higher odds of receiving appropriate newborn care (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.52, 95% confidence interval CI = 1.19-1.95, P  = 0.001), as compared to newborns in districts with a lower facility score after adjusting for potential confounders. Newborns in the Northern region were two times more likely to receive 5 newborn care interventions as compared to newborns in the Southern region (aOR = 2.06, 95% CI = 1.50-2.83, P  < 0.001). Living in urban or rural areas did not have an impact on receiving appropriate newborn care. There is need to increase the level of service readiness across all facilities, so that all newborns irrespective of the health facility, district or region of delivery are able to receive all recommended essential interventions. Investments in health systems in Malawi should concentrate on increasing training and availability of

  12. Gender Difference in Health-Care Expenditure: Evidence from India Human Development Survey.

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    Nandita Saikia

    Full Text Available While the gender disparity in health and mortality in various stages of life in India is well documented, there is limited evidence on female disadvantage in health-care expenditure (HCE.Examine the gender difference in HCE in short-term and major morbidity in India, and understand the role of factors underlying the difference.Using two rounds of nationally representative panel data-the India Human Development Survey (IHDS 2004-2005 and 2011-2012 (IHDS I & II-we calculate morbidity prevalence rate and mean HCE by gender, and examine the adjusted effect of gender on major morbidity-related HCE by using a two-part regression model. Further, we performed Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition of the gender gap in HCE in major morbidity to understand the contribution of demographic and socio-economic factors.Health-care expenditure on females was systematically lower than on males across all demographic and socio-economic groups. Multivariate analysis confirms that female HCE is significantly lower than male HCE even after controlling demographic and socio-economic factors (β = -0.148, p = 0.000, CI:-0.206-0.091. For both short-term and major morbidity, a female disadvantage on HCE increased from IHDS I to IHDS II. For instance, the male-female gap in major morbidity related expenditure increased from INR 1298 to INR 4172. A decomposition analysis of gender gap in HCE demonstrates that about 48% of the gap is attributable to differences in demographic and socio-economic factors (endowment effect, whereas 50% of the gap is due to the differential effect of the determinants (coefficient effect.Indians spend less on female health care than on male health care. Most of the gender gap in HCE is not due to differential distribution of factors affecting HCE.

  13. Rationale, design and conduct of a randomised controlled trial evaluating a primary care-based complex intervention to improve the quality of life of heart failure patients: HICMan (Heidelberg Integrated Case Management).

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    Peters-Klimm, Frank; Müller-Tasch, Thomas; Schellberg, Dieter; Gensichen, Jochen; Muth, Christiane; Herzog, Wolfgang; Szecsenyi, Joachim

    2007-08-23

    Assessment of Care questionnaire (PACIC) and NT-proBNP. In addition, comprehensive clinical data are collected about health status, comorbidity, medication and health care utilisation. As the targeted patient group is mostly cared for and treated by GPs, a comprehensive primary care-based guideline implementation including somatic, psychosomatic and organisational aspects of the delivery of care (HICMAn) is a promising intervention applying proven strategies for optimal care.

  14. Perspectives on the value of advanced medical imaging: a national survey of primary care physicians.

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    Hughes, Christine M; Kramer, Erich; Colamonico, Jennifer; Duszak, Richard

    2015-05-01

    To understand perceptions of primary care physicians (PCPs) about the value of advanced medical imaging. A national quantitative survey of 500 PCPs was conducted using an online self-administered questionnaire. Questions focused on advanced medical imaging (CT, MRI, and PET) and its perceived impact on the delivery of patient care. Responses were stratified by physician demographics. Large majorities of the PCPs indicated that advanced imaging increases their diagnostic confidence (441; 88%); provides data not otherwise available (451; 90%); permits better clinical decision making (440; 88%); increases confidence in treatment choices (438; 88%), and shortens time to definitive diagnosis (430; 86%]). Most (424; 85%) believe that patient care would be negatively affected without access to advanced imaging. PCPs whose clinical careers predated the proliferation of advanced imaging modalities (>20 years of practice) assigned higher value to advanced imaging on several dimensions compared with younger physicians whose training overlapped widespread technology availability. By a variety of metrics, large majorities of PCPs believe that advanced medical imaging provides considerable value to patient care. Those whose careers predated the widespread availability of advanced imaging tended to associate it with even higher value. Copyright © 2015 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Travelling home for treatment and EU patients' rights to care abroad: results of a survey among German students at Maastricht University.

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    Glinos, Irene A; Doering, Nora; Maarse, Hans

    2012-04-01

    Empirical evidence on patient mobility in Europe is lacking despite widespread legal, policy and media attention which the phenomenon attracts. This paper presents quantitative data on the health care seeking behaviour of German students at Maastricht University in the Netherlands. A cross-sectional survey design was applied with a mixed-methods approach including open and closed questions. Questionnaire items were based on a theoretical model of patient mobility and input from focus group discussions with German students living in Maastricht. 235 valid surveys were completed, representing ca. 8% of the target population. Data collection took place in Oct-Dec 2010. Of respondents who received medical care over the last two years, 97% returned to Germany; of these, 76% travelled to their home city for medical treatment. 72% received care only in Germany, i.e. not even once in Maastricht. Distance partly influenced whether students travelled to Germany, returned home or stayed in Maastricht, and the type of care accessed. Key motivations were familiarity with home providers/system, and reimbursement issues. In the context of the new EU Directive on patients' rights, the findings call into question whether Europeans use entitlements to cross-border care and what the real potential of patient mobility is. The results demonstrate the existence and magnitude of return movements as a sub-group of patient mobility. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Engagement with HIV prevention treatment and care among female sex workers in Zimbabwe: a respondent driven sampling survey.

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    Cowan, Frances M; Mtetwa, Sibongile; Davey, Calum; Fearon, Elizabeth; Dirawo, Jeffrey; Wong-Gruenwald, Ramona; Ndikudze, Theresa; Chidiya, Samson; Benedikt, Clemens; Busza, Joanna; Hargreaves, James R

    2013-01-01

    To determine the HIV prevalence and extent of engagement with HIV prevention and care among a representative sample of Zimbabwean sex workers working in Victoria Falls, Hwange and Mutare. Respondent driven sampling (RDS) surveys conducted at each site. Sex workers were recruited using respondent driven sampling with each respondent limited to recruiting 2 peers. Participants completed an interviewer-administered questionnaire and provided a finger prick blood sample for HIV antibody testing. Statistical analysis took account of sampling method. 870 women were recruited from the three sites. HIV prevalence was between 50 and 70%. Around half of those confirmed HIV positive were aware of their HIV status and of those 50-70% reported being enrolled in HIV care programmes. Overall only 25-35% of those with laboratory-confirmed HIV were accessing antiretroviral therapy. Among those reporting they were HIV negative, 21-28% reported having an HIV test in the last 6 months. Of those tested HIV negative, most (65-82%) were unaware of their status. Around two-thirds of sex workers reported consistent condom use with their clients. As in other settings, sex workers reported high rates of gender based violence and police harassment. This survey suggests that prevalence of HIV is high among sex workers in Zimbabwe and that their engagement with prevention, treatment and care is sub-optimal. Intensifying prevention and care interventions for sex workers has the potential to markedly reduce HIV and social risks for sex workers, their clients and the general population in Zimbabwe and elsewhere in the region.

  17. Health equity in the New Zealand health care system: a national survey

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    Doughty Robert

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Introduction In all countries people experience different social circumstances that result in avoidable differences in health. In New Zealand, Māori, Pacific peoples, and those with lower socioeconomic status experience higher levels of chronic illness, which is the leading cause of mortality, morbidity and inequitable health outcomes. Whilst the health system can enable a fairer distribution of good health, limited national data is available to measure health equity. Therefore, we sought to find out whether health services in New Zealand were equitable by measuring the level of development of components of chronic care management systems across district health boards. Variation in provision by geography, condition or ethnicity can be interpreted as inequitable. Methods A national survey of district health boards (DHBs was undertaken on macro approaches to chronic condition management with detail on cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, congestive heart failure, stroke and diabetes. Additional data from expert informant interviews on program reach and the cultural needs of Māori and Pacific peoples was sought. Survey data were analyzed on dimensions of health equity relevant to strategic planning and program delivery. Results are presented as descriptive statistics and free text. Interviews were transcribed and NVivo 8 software supported a general inductive approach to identify common themes. Results Survey responses were received from the majority of DHBs (15/21, some PHOs (21/84 and 31 expert informants. Measuring, monitoring and targeting equity is not systematically undertaken. The Health Equity Assessment Tool is used in strategic planning but not in decisions about implementing or monitoring disease programs. Variable implementation of evidence-based practices in disease management and multiple funding streams made program implementation difficult. Equity for Māori is embedded in policy, this is not so

  18. A survey of critical care nurses' practices and perceptions surrounding early intravenous antibiotic initiation during septic shock.

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    Roberts, Russel J; Alhammad, Abdullah M; Crossley, Lindsay; Anketell, Eric; Wood, LeeAnn; Schumaker, Greg; Garpestad, Erik; Devlin, John W

    2017-08-01

    Delays in antibiotic administration after severe sepsis recognition increases mortality. While physician and pharmacy-related barriers to early antibiotic initiation have been well evaluated, those factors that affect the speed by which critical care nurses working in either the emergency department or the intensive care unit setting initiate antibiotic therapy remains poorly characterized. To evaluate the knowledge, practices and perceptions of critical care nurses regarding antibiotic initiation in patients with newly recognised septic shock. A validated survey was distributed to 122 critical care nurses at one 320-bed academic institution with a sepsis protocol advocating intravenous(IV) antibiotic initiation within 1hour of shock recognition. Among 100 (82%) critical care nurses responding, nearly all (98%) knew of the existence of the sepsis protocol. However, many critical care nurses stated they would optimise blood pressure [with either fluid (38%) or both fluid and a vasopressor (23%)] before antibiotic initiation. Communicated barriers to rapid antibiotic initiation included: excessive patient workload (74%), lack of awareness IV antibiotic(s) ordered (57%) or delivered (69%), need for administration of multiple non-antibiotic IV medications (54%) and no IV access (51%). Multiple nurse-related factors influence IV antibiotic(s) initiation speed and should be incorporated into sepsis quality improvement efforts. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Providers of antenatal care services in Ghana: evidence from Ghana demographic and health surveys 1988-2014.

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    Dickson, Kwamena Sekyi; Darteh, Eugene Kofuor Maafo; Kumi-Kyereme, Akwasi

    2017-03-14

    Antenatal care is one of the three most essential care - antenatal, delivery and post-natal, given to women during pregnancy and has the potential to contribute towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target 3.1- reducing the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 and target 3.8 - achieve universal health coverage. The main objective is to examine the contribution of the various providers of antenatal care services in Ghana from 1988 to 2014. The study uses data from all the six rounds of the Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (GDHS). Binary logistic regression models were applied to examine the association between background characteristics of respondents and providers of antenatal care services. The results show that majority of antenatal care services were provided by nurses over the period under review. The proportion of women who received antenatal care services from nurses improved over the period from 55% in 1988 to 89.5% in 2014. Moreover, there was a decline in antenatal care services provided by traditional birth attendants and women who did not receive antenatal care services from any service provider over the years under review. It was observed that women from rural areas were more likely to utilise antenatal care services provided by traditional birth attendants, whilst those from urban areas were more likely to utilise antenatal care from doctors and nurses. To further improve access to and utilisation of antenatal care services provided by nurses and doctors it is recommended that the Ghana Health Service and the Ministry of Health should put in place systems aimed at improving on the quality of care given such as regular training workshops for health personnel and assessment of patient's satisfaction with services provided. Also, they should encourage women in rural areas especially those from the savannah zone to utilise antenatal care services from skilled providers through social and behaviour

  20. Satisfaction and responsiveness with health-care services in Qatar--evidence from a survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ali, Faleh Mohamed Hussain; Nikoloski, Zlatko; Reka, Husein

    2015-11-01

    Satisfaction and responsiveness with health care are some of the main outcome variables of a health system. Although health outcomes have been studied in countries with different levels of economic development, there is limited information on the health provision/satisfaction/responsiveness nexus in countries where rapid transitions from middle to high-income status have occurred. Using a 2012 survey conducted in Qatar (amongst both Qatari and non-Qatari respondents), we analysed satisfaction and responsiveness of health care. The sample consisted of 4083 respondents. We use logit analysis [as well as robustness checks involving ordered logit, ordered probit, ordinary least squares (OLS) and probit analysis] in order to estimate the determinants of satisfaction and responsiveness. Both, satisfaction and responsiveness rates were high. Gender, nationality and, to some extent, income and age were significant sociodemographic determinants of satisfaction, with non-Qataris and females, having higher levels of satisfaction. Cost, previous experience with the same health provider and provision of medical insurance for a particular health provider were the attributes significantly correlated with general satisfaction. The results are consistent when the analysis is applied to the correlates of responsiveness. Sociodemographic factors explain the satisfaction with quality of health care in the state of Qatar (both from the general population point of view and from the patient point of view). Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

  1. Trends in advance care planning in cancer patients: Results from a national, longitudinal survey

    Science.gov (United States)

    Narang, Amol K.; Wright, Alexi A.; Nicholas, Lauren H.

    2015-01-01

    Importance Advance care planning (ACP) may prevent end-of-life (EOL) care that is non-beneficial and discordant with patient wishes. Despite long-standing recognition of the merits of ACP in oncology, it is unclear whether cancer patients’ participation in ACP has increased over time. Objective To characterize trends in durable power of attorney (DPOA) assignment, living will creation, and participation in discussions of EOL care preferences, and to explore associations between ACP subtypes and EOL treatment intensity, as reflected in EOL care decisions and terminal hospitalizations. Design Prospectively collected survey data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), including data from in-depth “exit” interviews conducted with next-of-kin surrogates following the death of an HRS participant. Trends in ACP subtypes were tested, and multivariable logistic regression models examined associations between ACP subtypes and measures of treatment intensity. Setting HRS, a nationally representative, biennial, longitudinal panel study of U.S. residents over age 50. Participants 1,985 next-of-kin surrogates of HRS participants with cancer who died between 2000 and 2012. Main Outcome and Measures Trends in the surrogate-reported frequency of DPOA assignment, living will creation, and participation in discussions of EOL care preferences, as well as associations between ACP subtypes and surrogate-reported EOL care decisions/terminal hospitalizations. Results From 2000-2012, there was an increase in DPOA assignment (52% to 74%, p=0.03), without change in use of living wills (49% to 40%, p=0.63) or EOL discussions (68% to 60%, p=0.62). Surrogates increasingly reported that patients received “all care possible” at EOL (7% to 58%, p=0.004), and rates of terminal hospitalizations were unchanged (29% to 27%, p=0.70). Both living wills and EOL discussions were associated with limiting/withholding treatment [living will: adjusted odds ratio (AOR)=2.51, 95% confidence

  2. Provision and perceived quality of mental health services for older care home residents in England: a national survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stewart, Karen; Hargreaves, Claire; Jasper, Rowan; Challis, David; Tucker, Sue; Wilberforce, Mark

    2018-02-01

    This study examined the nature, extent and perceived quality of the support provided by community mental health teams for older people (CMHTsOP) to care home residents. A postal survey was sent to all CMHTsOP in England. Information was collected about teams' staffing and their involvement in case finding, assessment, medication reviews, care planning and training as well as team managers' rating of the perceived quality of the service they provided for care home residents. Data were analysed using chi-squared tests of association and ordinal regression. Responses were received from 225 (54%) CMHTsOP. Only 18 per cent of these teams contained staff with allocated time for care home work. Services for care home residents varied considerably between teams. Two-fifths of teams provided formal training to care home staff. Team managers were more likely to perceive the quality of their service to care homes as good if they had a systematic process in place for reviewing antipsychotic drugs or routine mental health reviews, including contact with a GP. The findings suggested that more evidence is needed on the best approach for supporting care home residents with mental health needs. Areas to consider are the potential benefits of training to care home staff and regular mental health reviews, utilising links between GPs and CMHTsOP. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  3. A comparison of expectations and impressions of ethical characteristics of dentists: results of a community primary care survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reid, Kevin; Humeniuk, Katherine M; Hellyer, Joan Henriksen; Thorsteinsdottir, Bjorg; Tilburt, Jon C

    2014-08-01

    To better define potential challenges in dental professional ethics, the authors gathered data regarding patients' characterizations of an ideal dentist and compared them with their impressions of dentists in general. The authors invited 500 consecutively seen primary care patients at an academic medical center to participate in the study. Participants completed a 32-item survey assessing key domains of ethical characteristics of health care professionals: trustworthiness, honesty, beneficence, nonmaleficence, respect for autonomy, empathy, compassion, patience, courage, humility and dedication. The authors used the McNemar paired t test to compare respondents' ratings of ideal dentists with their ratings of dentists in general. Two hundred eight-five patients returned completed surveys, for a response rate of 57 percent. The authors found statistically significant differences between ideal and perceived characteristics in all but one domain. The area of greatest difference related to the domain of trustworthiness (that is, dentists should not "propose unnecessary treatments just so they can make money"). For this survey item, 98 percent of patients reported that it was very or extremely important, but only 57 percent of respondents moderately or strongly agreed that dentists in general were engaging in this practice (P dental profession and their actual impressions of dentists in general. Addressing these discrepancies may be crucial if dentistry is to continue to enjoy the public's trust.

  4. INFRASTRUCTURAL MECHANISMS LEADING TOWARD PRO-ACCOUNTABLE CARE ORGANISATION ORIENTATION: A SURVEY OF HOSPITAL MANAGERS

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wan, Thomas T.H.; Masri, Maysoun Dimachkie; Ortiz, Judith

    2013-01-01

    Organisations across the country are transforming the way they deliver care, in ways similar to the accountable care organisation (ACO) model supported by Medicare. ACOs modalities are varying in size, type, and financing structure. Little is known about how specific infrastructural mechanisms influence hospital managers’ pro-ACO orientation. Using an electronic-survey of hospital managers, this study explores how pro-ACO orientation, as a latent construct, is captured from the perceptions of hospital managers; and identify infrastructural mechanisms leading to the formation of pro-ACO orientation. Of the total hospital respondents, 58% are moving toward the establishment of ACOs; 56% are planning to join in the next two years; 48% are considering joining ACOs; while 25% had already participated in ACOs during 2012. Urban hospitals are more likely than rural hospitals to be engaged in ACO development. The health provider network size is one of the strongest indicators in predicting pro-ACO orientation. PMID:25374609

  5. Prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia. A knowledge survey among intensive care nurses in Yemen.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Sayaghi, Khaled M

    2014-03-01

    To evaluate knowledge of nurses working in Yemen intensive care units (ICUs) on evidence-based strategies for preventing ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), and to determine if there is any association between certain nurses` as well as workplaces` characteristics and the knowledge scores of nurses. A descriptive cross-sectional survey was carried out in 37 ICUs of 23 hospitals in Sana`a city, Yemen. A self-administered multiple-choice questionnaire listing 15 evidence-based preventive strategies was distributed to all nurses and collected between December 2012 and February 2013. The results were analyzed and tabulated using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences Version 17. Three hundred and eighty-seven questionnaires were collected (response rate 75.4%). The nurses were most frequently correct (>60%) regarding regular oral care, semi-recumbent position, preventing unplanned extubation, emptying of condensate from ventilator tubing, daily sedation interruption and assessment of readiness for weaning, and endotracheal tubes with extra lumen for subglottic secretions drainage. Nurses had the least knowledge (Yemen ICUs.

  6. Variations in GP-patient communication by ethnicity, age, and gender: evidence from a national primary care patient survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burt, Jenni; Lloyd, Cathy; Campbell, John; Roland, Martin; Abel, Gary

    2016-01-01

    Doctor-patient communication is a key driver of overall satisfaction with primary care. Patients from minority ethnic backgrounds consistently report more negative experiences of doctor-patient communication. However, it is currently unknown whether these ethnic differences are concentrated in one gender or in particular age groups. To determine how reported GP-patient communication varies between patients from different ethnic groups, stratified by age and gender. Analysis of data from the English GP Patient Survey from 2012-2013 and 2013-2014, including 1,599,801 responders. A composite score was created for doctor-patient communication from five survey items concerned with interpersonal aspects of care. Mixed-effect linear regression models were used to estimate age- and gender-specific differences between white British patients and patients of the same age and gender from each other ethnic group. There was strong evidence (Pcommunication varied by both age and gender. The difference in scores between white British and other responders on doctor-patient communication items was largest for older, female Pakistani and Bangladeshi responders, and for younger responders who described their ethnicity as 'Any other white'. The identification of groups with particularly marked differences in experience of GP-patient communication--older, female, Asian patients and younger 'Any other white' patients--underlines the need for a renewed focus on quality of care for these groups. © British Journal of General Practice 2016.

  7. Successful implementation of new technologies in nursing care: a questionnaire survey of nurse-users.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Veer, Anke J E; Fleuren, Margot A H; Bekkema, Nienke; Francke, Anneke L

    2011-10-27

    A growing number of new technologies are becoming available within nursing care that can improve the quality of care, reduce costs, or enhance working conditions. However, such effects can only be achieved if technologies are used as intended. The aim of this study is to gain a better understanding of determinants influencing the success of the introduction of new technologies as perceived by nursing staff. The study population is a nationally representative research sample of nursing staff (further referred to as the Nursing Staff Panel), of whom 685 (67%) completed a survey questionnaire about their experiences with recently introduced technologies. Participants were working in Dutch hospitals, psychiatric organizations, care organizations for mentally disabled people, home care organizations, nursing homes or homes for the elderly. Half of the respondents were confronted with the introduction of a new technology in the last three years. Only half of these rated the introduction of the technology as positive.The factors most frequently mentioned as impeding actual use were related to the (kind of) technology itself, such as malfunctioning, ease of use, relevance for patients, and risks to patients. Furthermore nursing staff stress the importance of an adequate innovation strategy. A prerequisite for the successful introduction of new technologies is to analyse determinants that may impede or enhance the introduction among potential users. For technological innovations special attention has to be paid to the (perceived) characteristics of the technology itself.

  8. Screening for Atrial Fibrillation--A Cross-Sectional Survey of Healthcare Professionals in Primary Care.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jaspal S Taggar

    Full Text Available Screening for atrial fibrillation (AF in primary care has been recommended; however, the views of healthcare professionals (HCPs are not known. This study aimed to determine the opinions of HCP about the feasibility of implementing screening within a primary care setting.A cross-sectional mixed methods census survey of 418 HCPs from 59 inner-city practices (Nottingham, UK was conducted between October-December 2014. Postal and web-surveys ascertained data on existing methods, knowledge, skills, attitudes, barriers and facilitators to AF screening using Likert scale and open-ended questions. Responses, categorized according to HCP group, were summarized using proportions, adjusting for clustering by practice, with 95% C.Is and free-text responses using thematic analysis.At least one General Practitioner (GP responded from 48 (81% practices. There were 212/418 (51% respondents; 118/229 GPs, 67/129 nurses [50 practice nurses; 17 Nurse Practitioners (NPs], 27/60 healthcare assistants (HCAs. 39/48 (81% practices had an ECG machine and diagnosed AF in-house. Non-GP HCPs reported having less knowledge about ECG interpretation, diagnosing and treating AF than GPs. A greater proportion of non-GP HCPs reported they would benefit from ECG training specifically for AF diagnosis than GPs [proportion (95% CI GPs: 11.9% (6.8-20.0; HCAs: 37.0% (21.7-55.5; nurses: 44.0% (30.0-59.0; NPs 41.2% (21.9-63.7]. Barriers included time, workload and capacity to undertake screening activities, although training to diagnose and manage AF was a required facilitator.Inner-city general practices were found to have adequate access to resources for AF screening. There is enthusiasm by non-GP HCPs to up-skill in the diagnosis and management of AF and they may have a role in future AF screening. However, organisational barriers, such as lack of time, staff and capacity, should be overcome for AF screening to be feasibly implemented within primary care.

  9. Preparedness of HIV care and treatment clinics for the management of concomitant non–communicable diseases: a cross–sectional survey

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Claudia Leung

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background In Sub-Saharan Africa, epidemiological studies have reported an increasing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCD among people living with HIV. NCD management can be feasibly integrated into HIV care; however, clinic readiness to provide NCD services in these settings should first be assessed and gaps in care identified. Methods A cross-sectional survey conducted in July 2013 assessed the resources available for NCD care at 14 HIV clinics in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Survey items related to staff training, protocols, and resources for cardiovascular disease risk factor screening, management, and patient education. Results 43 % of clinics reported treating patients with hypertension; however, only 21 % had a protocol for NCD management. ECHO International Health standards for essential clinical equipment were used to measure clinic readiness; 36 % met the standard for blood pressure cuffs, 14 % for glucometers. Available laboratory tests for NCD included blood glucose (88 %, urine dipsticks (78 %, and lipid panel (57 %. 21 % had a healthcare worker with NCD training. All facilities provided some form of patient education, but only 14 % included diabetes, 57 % tobacco cessation, and 64 % weight management. Conclusions A number of gaps were identified in this sample of HIV clinics that currently limit the ability of Tanzanian healthcare workers to diagnose and manage NCD in the context of HIV care. Integrated NCD and HIV care may be successfully achieved in these settings with basic measures incorporated into existing infrastructures at minimal added expense, i.e., improving access to basic functioning equipment, introducing standardized treatment guidelines, and improving healthcare worker education.

  10. Patient experience of access to primary care: identification of predictors in a national patient survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kontopantelis, Evangelos; Roland, Martin; Reeves, David

    2010-08-28

    The 2007/8 GP Access Survey in England measured experience with five dimensions of access: getting through on the phone to a practice, getting an early appointment, getting an advance appointment, making an appointment with a particular doctor, and surgery opening hours. Our aim was to identify predictors of patient satisfaction and experience with access to English primary care. 8,307 English general practices were included in the survey (of 8,403 identified). 4,922,080 patients were randomly selected and contacted by post and 1,999,523 usable questionnaires were returned, a response rate of 40.6%. We used multi-level logistic regressions to identify patient, practice and regional predictors of patient satisfaction and experience. After controlling for all other factors, younger people, and people of Asian ethnicity, working full time, or with long commuting times to work, reported the lowest levels of satisfaction and experience of access. For people in work, the ability to take time off work to visit the GP effectively eliminated the disadvantage in access. The ethnic mix of the local area had an impact on a patient's reported satisfaction and experience over and above the patient's own ethnic identity. However, area deprivation had only low associations with patient ratings. Responses from patients in small practices were more positive for all aspects of access with the exception of satisfaction with practice opening hours. Positive reports of access to care were associated with higher scores on the Quality and Outcomes Framework and with slightly lower rates of emergency admission. Respondents in London were the least satisfied and had the worst experiences on almost all dimensions of access. This study identifies a number of patient groups with lower satisfaction, and poorer experience, of gaining access to primary care. The finding that access is better in small practices is important given the increasing tendency for small practices to combine into larger

  11. Patient experience of access to primary care: identification of predictors in a national patient survey

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kontopantelis Evangelos

    2010-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The 2007/8 GP Access Survey in England measured experience with five dimensions of access: getting through on the phone to a practice, getting an early appointment, getting an advance appointment, making an appointment with a particular doctor, and surgery opening hours. Our aim was to identify predictors of patient satisfaction and experience with access to English primary care. Methods 8,307 English general practices were included in the survey (of 8,403 identified. 4,922,080 patients were randomly selected and contacted by post and 1,999,523 usable questionnaires were returned, a response rate of 40.6%. We used multi-level logistic regressions to identify patient, practice and regional predictors of patient satisfaction and experience. Results After controlling for all other factors, younger people, and people of Asian ethnicity, working full time, or with long commuting times to work, reported the lowest levels of satisfaction and experience of access. For people in work, the ability to take time off work to visit the GP effectively eliminated the disadvantage in access. The ethnic mix of the local area had an impact on a patient's reported satisfaction and experience over and above the patient's own ethnic identity. However, area deprivation had only low associations with patient ratings. Responses from patients in small practices were more positive for all aspects of access with the exception of satisfaction with practice opening hours. Positive reports of access to care were associated with higher scores on the Quality and Outcomes Framework and with slightly lower rates of emergency admission. Respondents in London were the least satisfied and had the worst experiences on almost all dimensions of access. Conclusions This study identifies a number of patient groups with lower satisfaction, and poorer experience, of gaining access to primary care. The finding that access is better in small practices is important given

  12. Structure, Process, and Culture of Intensive Care Units Treating Patients with Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: Survey of Centers Participating in the American College of Surgeons Trauma Quality Improvement Program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alali, Aziz S; McCredie, Victoria A; Mainprize, Todd G; Gomez, David; Nathens, Avery B

    2017-10-01

    Outcome after severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) differs substantially between hospitals. Explaining this variation begins with understanding the differences in structures and processes of care, particularly at intensive care units (ICUs) where acute TBI care takes place. We invited trauma medical directors (TMDs) from 187 centers participating in the American College of Surgeons Trauma Quality Improvement Program (ACS TQIP) to complete a survey. The survey domains included ICU model, type, availability of specialized units, staff, training programs, standard protocols and order sets, approach to withdrawal of life support, and perceived level of neurosurgeons' engagement in the ICU management of TBI. One hundred forty-two TMDs (76%) completed the survey. Severe TBI patients are admitted to dedicated neurocritical care units in 52 hospitals (37%), trauma ICUs in 44 hospitals (31%), general ICUs in 34 hospitals (24%), and surgical ICUs in 11 hospitals (8%). Fifty-seven percent are closed units. Board-certified intensivists directed 89% of ICUs, whereas 17% were led by neurointensivists. Sixty percent of ICU directors were general surgeons. Thirty-nine percent of hospitals had critical care fellowships and 11% had neurocritical care fellowships. Fifty-nine percent of ICUs had standard order sets and 61% had standard protocols specific for TBI, with the most common protocol relating to intracranial pressure management (53%). Only 43% of TMDs were satisfied with the current level of neurosurgeons' engagement in the ICU management of TBI; 46% believed that neurosurgeons should be more engaged; 11% believed they should be less engaged. In the largest survey of North American ICUs caring for TBI patients, there is substantial variation in the current approaches to ICU care for TBI, highlighting multiple opportunities for comparative effectiveness research.

  13. The Difficult Evolution of Intensive Cardiac Care Units: An Overview of the BLITZ-3 Registry and Other Italian Surveys.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Casella, Gianni; Zagnoni, Silvia; Fradella, Giuseppe; Scorcu, Giampaolo; Chinaglia, Alessandra; Pavesi, Pier Camillo; Di Pasquale, Giuseppe; Oltrona Visconti, Luigi

    2017-01-01

    Coronary care units, initially developed to treat acute myocardial infarction, have moved to the care of a broader population of acute cardiac patients and are currently defined as Intensive Cardiac Care Units (ICCUs). However, very limited data are available on such evolution. Since 2008, in Italy, several surveys have been designed to assess ICCUs' activities. The largest and most comprehensive of these, the BLITZ-3 Registry, observed that patients admitted are mainly elderly males and suffer from several comorbidities. Direct admission to ICCUs through the Emergency Medical System was rather rare. Acute coronary syndromes (ACS) account for more than half of the discharge diagnoses. However, numbers of acute heart failure (AHF) admissions are substantial. Interestingly, age, resources availability, and networking have a strong influence on ICCUs' epidemiology and activities. In fact, while patients with ACS concentrate in ICCUs with interventional capabilities, older patients with AHF or non-ACS, non-AHF cardiac diseases prevail in peripheral ICCUs. In conclusion, although ACS is still the core business of ICCUs, aging, comorbidities, increasing numbers of non-ACS, technological improvements, and resources availability have had substantial effects on epidemiology and activities of ICCUs. The Italian surveys confirm these changes and call for a substantial update of ICCUs' organization and competences.

  14. Primary care performance in Dominica

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    James Macinko

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available Objective. To document the structure and functions of primary care (PC in the country of Dominica using the Primary Care Assessment Tools (PCAT, a set of questionnaires that evaluate PC functions. Methods. This cross-sectional study combined data from two surveys. The systems PCAT (S-PCAT survey gathered national-level data from key informants about health system characteristics and PC performance. The provider version (P-PCAT survey collected data on PC performance from health providers (nurses and physicians at all PC facilities in the country. Provider-level data were aggregated to obtain national and district-level results for PC domains scored from 0.00 (worst to 1.00 (best. Results. From the systems perspective, results showed several knowledge gaps in PC policy, financing, and structure. Key informants gave “Good” (adequate ratings for “first-contact” care (0.74, continuity of care (0.77, comprehensive care (0.70, and coordinated care (0.78; middling scores for family-centered care and community-oriented care (0.65; and low scores for access to care (0.57. PC providers assessed access to care (which included “first-contact” care, in the P-PCAT surveys (0.84, continuity of care (0.86, information systems (0.84, family-centered care (0.92, and community-oriented care (0.85 as “Very Good”; comprehensive care as “Good” (0.79; and coordinated care as “Reasonable” (0.68. Overall, the scores for the country's health districts were good, although the ratings varied by specific PC domain. Conclusions. The assessments described here were carried out with relatively little expense and have provided important inputs into strategic planning, strategies for improving PC, and identification of priority areas for further investigation. This two-staged approach could be adapted and used in other countries.

  15. Decision making about medical interventions in the end-of-life care of people with intellectual disabilities: a national survey of the considerations and beliefs of GPs, ID physicians and care staff.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bekkema, N.; Veer, A.J.E. de; Wagemans, A.M.A.; Hertogh, C.M.P.M.; Francke, A.L.

    2014-01-01

    Objective: This paper explores the personal beliefs and specific considerations of professionals regarding decisions about potentially burdensome medical interventions in the end-of-life care for people with intellectual disabilities (ID). Methods: A survey questionnaire covering decision making

  16. Decision making about medical interventions in the end-of-life care of people with intellectual disabilities: A national survey of the considerations and beliefs of GPs, ID physicians and care staff

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bekkema, N.; de Veer, A.J.E.; Wagemans, A.M.A.; Hertogh, C.M.P.M.; Francke, A.L.

    2014-01-01

    Objective: This paper explores the personal beliefs and specific considerations of professionals regarding decisions about potentially burdensome medical interventions in the end-of-life care for people with intellectual disabilities (ID). Methods: A survey questionnaire covering decision making

  17. Trends in Advance Care Planning in Patients With Cancer: Results From a National Longitudinal Survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Narang, Amol K; Wright, Alexi A; Nicholas, Lauren H

    2015-08-01

    Advance care planning (ACP) may prevent end-of-life (EOL) care that is nonbeneficial and discordant with patient wishes. Despite long-standing recognition of the merits of ACP in oncology, it is unclear whether participation in ACP by patients with cancer has increased over time. To characterize trends in durable power of attorney (DPOA) assignment, living will creation, and participation in discussions of EOL care preferences and to explore associations between ACP subtypes and EOL treatment intensity as reflected in EOL care decisions and terminal hospitalizations. We analyzed prospectively collected survey data from 1985 next-of-kin surrogates of Health and Retirement Study (HRS) participants with cancer who died between 2000 and 2012, including data from in-depth "exit" interviews conducted with the surrogates after the participant's death. The HRS is a nationally representative, biennial, longitudinal panel study of US residents older than 50 years. Trends in ACP subtypes were tested, and multivariable logistic regression models examined for associations between ACP subtypes and measures of treatment intensity. Trends in the surrogate-reported frequency of DPOA assignment, living will creation, and participation in discussions of EOL care preferences; associations between ACP subtypes and both surrogate-reported EOL care decisions and terminal hospitalizations. From 2000 to 2012, there was an increase in DPOA assignment (52% to 74%, P = .03), without significant change in use of living wills (49% to 40%, P = .63) or EOL discussions (68% to 60%, P = .62). Surrogate reports that patients received "all care possible" at EOL increased during the period (7% to 58%, P = .004), and rates of terminal hospitalizations were unchanged (29% to 27%, P = .70). Limiting or withholding treatment was associated with living wills (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 2.51; 95% CI, 1.53-4.11; P EOL discussions (AOR, 1.93; 95% CI, 1.53-3.14; P = .002) but not with

  18. Feasibility of an Electronic Survey on iPads with In-Person Data Collectors for Data Collection with Health Care Professionals and Health Care Consumers in General Emergency Departments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scott, Shannon D; Albrecht, Lauren; Given, Lisa M; Arseneau, Danielle; Klassen, Terry P

    2016-06-29

    Translating Emergency Knowledge for Kids was established to bridge the research-practice gap in pediatric emergency care by bringing the best evidence to Canadian general emergency departments (EDs). The first step in this process was to conduct a national needs assessment to determine the information needs and preferences of health professionals and parents in this clinical setting. To describe the development and implementation of two electronic surveys, and determine the feasibility of collecting electronic survey data on iPads with in-person data collectors in a busy clinical environment. Two descriptive surveys were conducted in 32 general EDs. Specific factors were addressed in four survey development and implementation stages: survey design, survey delivery, survey completion, and survey return. Feasibility of the data collection approach was determined by evaluating participation rates, completion rates, average survey time to completion, and usability of the platform. Usability was assessed with the in-person data collectors on five key variables: interactivity, portability, innovativeness, security, and proficiency. Health professional participation rates (1561/2575, 60.62%) and completion rates (1471/1561, 94.23%) were strong. Parental participation rates (974/1099, 88.63%) and completion rates (897/974, 92.09%) were excellent. Mean time to survey completion was 28.08 minutes for health professionals and 43.23 minutes for parents. Data collectors rated the platform "positively" to "very positively" on all five usability variables. A number of design and implementation considerations were explored and integrated into this mixed-mode survey data collection approach. Feasibility was demonstrated by the robust survey participation and completion rates, reasonable survey completion times, and very positive usability evaluation results.

  19. Access to care and use of the Internet to search for health information: results from the US National Health Interview Survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amante, Daniel J; Hogan, Timothy P; Pagoto, Sherry L; English, Thomas M; Lapane, Kate L

    2015-04-29

    The insurance mandate of the Affordable Care Act has increased the number of people with health coverage in the United States. There is speculation that this increase in the number of insured could make accessing health care services more difficult. Those who are unable to access care in a timely manner may use the Internet to search for information needed to answer their health questions. The aim was to determine whether difficulty accessing health care services for reasons unrelated to insurance coverage is associated with increased use of the Internet to obtain health information. Survey data from 32,139 adults in the 2011 National Health Interview Study (NHIS) were used in this study. The exposure for this analysis was reporting difficulty accessing health care services or delaying getting care for a reason unrelated to insurance status. To define this exposure, we examined 8 questions that asked whether different access problems occurred during the previous 12 months. The outcome for this analysis, health information technology (HIT) use, was captured by examining 2 questions that asked survey respondents if they used an online health chat room or searched the Internet to obtain health information in the previous 12 months. Several multinomial logistic regressions estimating the odds of using HIT for each reported access difficulty were conducted to accomplish the study objective. Of a survey population of 32,139 adults, more than 15.90% (n=5109) reported experiencing at least one access to care barrier, whereas 3.63% (1168/32,139) reported using online health chat rooms and 43.55% (13,997/32,139) reported searching the Internet for health information. Adults who reported difficulty accessing health care services for reasons unrelated to their health insurance coverage had greater odds of using the Internet to obtain health information. Those who reported delaying getting care because they could not get an appointment soon enough (OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.9-2.5), were

  20. Living with diabetes: rationale, study design and baseline characteristics for an Australian prospective cohort study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Donald Maria

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Diabetes mellitus is a major global public health threat. In Australia, as elsewhere, it is responsible for a sizeable portion of the overall burden of disease, and significant costs. The psychological and social impact of diabetes on individuals with the disease can be severe, and if not adequately addressed, can lead to the worsening of the overall disease picture. The Living With Diabetes Study aims to contribute to a holistic understanding of the psychological and social aspects of diabetes mellitus. Methods/Design The Living With Diabetes Study is a 5-year prospective cohort study, based in Queensland, Australia. The first wave of data, which was collected via a mailed self-report survey, was gathered in 2008, with annual collections thereafter. Measurements include: demographic, lifestyle, health and disease characteristics; quality of life (EQ-5D, ADDQoL; emotional well-being (CES-D, LOT-R, ESSI; disease self-management (PAM; and health-care utilisation and patient-assessed quality of care (PACIC. 29% of the 14,439 adults who were invited to participate in the study agreed to do so, yielding a sample size of 3,951 people. Discussion The data collected by the Living With Diabetes Study provides a good representation of Australians with diabetes to follow over time in order to better understand the natural course of the illness. The study has potential to further illuminate, and give a comprehensive picture of the psychosocial implications of living with diabetes. Data collection is ongoing.

  1. Care Coordination with Schools: The Role of Family-Centered Care for Children with Special Health Care Needs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barnard-Brak, Lucy; Stevens, Tara; Carpenter, Julianna

    2017-05-01

    Objectives Family-centered care has been associated with positive outcomes for children with special health care needs. The purpose of the current study was to examine the relationship of family-centered care as associated with care coordination with schools and school absences (e.g., missed days) as reported by parents of children with special health care needs. Methods The current study utilized data from the National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs 2009-201 (N = 40,242) to achieve this purpose. The National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs may be considered a nationally-representative and community-based sample of parent responses for children with special health care needs across the United States. Results Results from the current study indicate that family-centered care is associated with fewer absences and improved care coordination with schools when applicable. The variables of functional difficulties, poverty level, and the number of conditions were statistically controlled. Conclusions We suggest that the positive influence of family-centered care when practiced extends beyond the family and interacts with educational outcomes. We also suggest that the role of schools appears to be under-studied given the role that schools can play in family-centered care.

  2. Disparities in health care access and receipt of preventive services by disability type: analysis of the medical expenditure panel survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Horner-Johnson, Willi; Dobbertin, Konrad; Lee, Jae Chul; Andresen, Elena M

    2014-12-01

    To examine differences in access to health care and receipt of clinical preventive services by type of disability among working-age adults with disabilities. Secondary analysis of Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) data from 2002 to 2008. We conducted cross-sectional logistic regression analyses comparing people with different types of disabilities on health insurance status and type; presence of a usual source of health care; delayed or forgone care; and receipt of dental checkups and cancer screening. We pooled annualized MEPS data files across years. Our analytic sample consisted of adults (18-64 years) with physical, sensory, or cognitive disabilities and nonmissing data for all variables of interest. Individuals with hearing impairment had better health care access and receipt than people with other disability types. People with multiple types of limitations were especially likely to have health care access problems and unmet health care needs. There are differences in health care access and receipt of preventive care depending on what type of disability people have. More in-depth research is needed to identify specific causes of these disparities and assess interventions to address health care barriers for particular disability groups. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

  3. Home-care nursing staff in self-directed teams are more satisfied with their job and feel they have more autonomy over patient care: a nationwide survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maurits, Erica E M; de Veer, Anke J E; Groenewegen, Peter P; Francke, Anneke L

    2017-10-01

    The aims of this study were: (1) To examine whether working in a self-directed team is related to home-care nursing staff's job satisfaction; (2) To assess the mediating effect of self-perceived autonomy over patient care; (3) To investigate the moderating effect of educational level on the association between autonomy over patient care and job satisfaction. Self-directed teams are being introduced in home care in several countries. It is unknown whether working in a self-directed team is related to nursing staff's job satisfaction. It is important to gain insight into this association since self-directed teams may help in retaining nursing staff. A cross-sectional study based on two questionnaire surveys in 2014 and 2015. The study involved 191 certified nursing assistants and registered nurses employed in Dutch home-care organizations (mean age of 50). These were members of the Dutch Nursing Staff Panel, a nationwide panel of nursing staff working in various healthcare settings. Self-direction is positively related to nursing staff's job satisfaction. This relationship is partly mediated by autonomy over patient care. For certified nursing assistants and registered nurses with a bachelor's degree, a greater sense of autonomy over patient care in self-directed teams is positively related to job satisfaction. No significant association was found between autonomy over patient care and job satisfaction for registered nurses with an associate degree. This study suggests that home-care organizations should consider the use of self-directed teams as this increases nursing staff's job satisfaction and may therefore help to retain nursing staff in home care. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  4. Respiratory care manpower issues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mathews, Paul; Drumheller, Lois; Carlow, John J

    2006-03-01

    Although respiratory care is a relatively new profession, its practitioners are deeply involved in providing patient care in the critical care. In preparation for writing this article, we sought to explore the respiratory therapy manpower needs and activities designed to fulfill those needs in critical care practice. We began by delineating the historical development of respiratory care as a profession, the development of its education, and the professional credentialing system. We then conducted several literature reviews with few articles generated. We requested and received data from the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC), The National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC), and the Committee on Accreditation of Respiratory Care education (CoARC) relative to their membership, number of credentialed individuals, and educational program student and graduate data for 2000 through 2004. We then conducted two electronic surveys. Survey 1 was a six-item survey that examined the use of mandatory overtime in respiratory care departments. We used a convenience sample of 30 hospitals stratified by size (or=500 beds). Survey 2 was a five-item instrument distributed by blast E-mail to the Society of Critical Care Medicine's Respiratory Care Section members and members of the RC_World list serve. This survey elicited 51 usable and non-duplicative responses from geographically and size-varied institutions. We analyzed these data in several ways from distribution analysis to one-way analysis of variance procedure and appropriate post hoc analysis techniques. Where appropriate, a matched-pairs analysis was performed and these were compared across the variables intensive care unit (ICU) beds per actual number of respiratory care practitioners (RCPs) and ICU beds per preferred number of RCPs. The data gathered from the professional organizations indicated a relatively stable attrition rate (35.2%+/-1.7-3.1%), even in the face of varying enrollments (6,231 in 2004 vs. 4

  5. My Daddy Takes Care of Me! Fathers as Care Providers. Current Population Reports. Household Economic Studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Casper, Lynne M.

    1997-01-01

    This report examines statistical data on fathers caring for their children during mothers' working hours and which types of fathers are the most likely to take care of their children. Data are taken from the Survey of Income and Program Participation, a longitudinal survey conducted at four-month intervals by the Census Bureau. Care by fathers is…

  6. Dietary trends and management of hyperphosphatemia among patients with chronic kidney disease: an international survey of renal care professionals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fouque, Denis; Cruz Casal, Maria; Lindley, Elizabeth; Rogers, Susan; Pancířová, Jitka; Kernc, Jennifer; Copley, J Brian

    2014-03-01

    The objective of this study was to review the opinions and experiences of renal care professionals to examine dietary trends among patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and problems associated with the clinical management of hyperphosphatemia. This was an online survey comprising open and closed questions requesting information on patient dietary trends and the clinical management of hyperphosphatemia. The study was conducted in 4 European countries (the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom). Participants were 84 renal care professionals. This was an online survey. Responder-reported experiences and perceptions of patient dietary trends and hyperphosphatemia management were assessed. Most survey responders (56%) observed an increase in the consumption of processed convenience food, 48% noticed an increase in the consumption of foods rich in phosphorus-containing additives, and 60% believed that there has been a trend of increasing patient awareness of the phosphorus content of food. Patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD) were most likely to experience difficulties in following advice on dietary phosphorus restriction (38% of responders estimated that 25-50% of their patients experienced difficulties, and 29% estimated that 51-75% experienced difficulties). Maintaining protein intake and restricting dietary phosphorus were perceived as being equally important by at least half of responders for predialysis patients (56%) and for those undergoing peritoneal dialysis and HD (54% and 50%, respectively). There were international variations in dietary trends and hyperphosphatemia management. Although most responders have observed a trend of increasing awareness of the phosphorus content of food among patients with CKD, the survey results indicate that many patients continue to experience difficulties when attempting to restrict dietary phosphorus. The survey responses reflect the global trend of increasing consumption of processed convenience foods and

  7. Antihypertensive combination therapy in primary care offices: results of a cross-sectional survey in Switzerland

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roas S

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Susanne Roas,1 Felix Bernhart,2 Michael Schwarz,3 Walter Kaiser,4 Georg Noll5 1Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital, Zurich, 2Private Practice, Biberist, 3Ambulatorium Wiesendamm, Basel, 4Healthworld (Schweiz AG, Steinhausen, 5HerzKlinik Hirslanden, Zurich, Switzerland Background: Most hypertensive patients need more than one substance to reach their target blood pressure (BP. Several clinical studies indicate the high efficacy of antihypertensive combinations, and recent guidelines recommend them in some situations even as initial therapies. In general practice they seem widespread, but only limited data are available on their effectiveness under the conditions of everyday life. The objectives of this survey among Swiss primary care physicians treating hypertensive patients were: to know the frequency of application of different treatment modalities (monotherapies, free individual combinations, single-pill combinations; to see whether there are relationships between prescribed treatment modalities and patient characteristics, especially age, treatment duration, and comorbidities; and to determine the response rate (percentage of patients reaching target BP of different treatment modalities under the conditions of daily practice. Methods: This cross-sectional, observational survey among 228 randomly chosen Swiss primary care physicians analyzed data for 3,888 consecutive hypertensive patients collected at one single consultation. Results: In this survey, 31.9% of patients received monotherapy, 41.2% two substances, 20.9% three substances, and 4.7% more than three substances. By combination mode, 34.9% took free individual combinations and 30.0% took fixed-dose single-pill combinations. Combinations were more frequently given to older patients with a long history of hypertension and/or comorbidities. In total, 67.8% of patients achieved their BP target according to their physician's judgment. When compared, single

  8. Strength and Cardiorespiratory Exercise Rehabilitation for Severely Burned Patients During Intensive Care Units: A Survey of Practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cambiaso-Daniel, Janos; Parry, Ingrid; Rivas, Eric; Kemp-Offenberg, Jennifer; Sen, Soman; Rizzo, Julie A; Serghiou, Michael A; Kowalske, Karen; Wolf, Steven E; Herndon, David N; Suman, Oscar E

    2018-03-22

    Minimizing the deconditioning of burn injury through early rehabilitation programs (RP) in the intensive care unit (ICU) is of importance for improving the recovery time. The aim of this study was to assess current standard of care (SOC) for early ICU exercise programs in major burn centers. We designed a survey investigating exercise RP on the ICU for burn patients with >30% total burned surface area. The survey was composed of 23 questions and submitted electronically via SurveyMonkey® to six major (pediatric and adult) burn centers in Texas and California. All centers responded and reported exercise as part of their RP on the ICU. The characteristics of exercises implemented were not uniform. All centers reported to perform resistive and aerobic exercises but only 83% reported isotonic and isometric exercises. Determination of intensity of exercise varied with 50% of centers using patient tolerance and 17% using vital signs. Frequency of isotonic, isometric, aerobic, and resistive exercise was reported as daily by 80%, 80%, 83%, and 50% of centers, respectively. Duration for all types of exercises was extremely variable. Mobilization was used as a form of exercise by 100% of burn centers. Our results demonstrate that although early RP seem to be integral during burn survivor's ICU stay, no SOC exists. Moreover, early RP are inconsistently administered and large variations exist in frequency, intensity, duration, and type of exercise. Thus, future prospective studies investigating the various components of exercise interventions are needed to establish a SOC and determine how and if early exercise benefits the burn survivor.

  9. Using the Theory of Planned Behaviour to examine enrolled nursing students' intention to care for patients with alcohol dependence: A survey study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Talbot, Anna-Lisa; Dorrian, Jillian; Chapman, Janine

    2015-11-01

    Nurses are often the first point of contact for patients hospitalized due to alcohol-related causes. Alcohol dependence is highly stigmatized and as a result healthcare professionals often have low behavioural intentions, meaning low willingness to care for these patients. This can have a direct influence on quality of care. The purpose of this study was to explore enrolled nursing students' intention to care for patients with alcohol dependence and the antecedents, preliminary factors, that predict this within the Theory of Planned Behaviour; specifically attitudes, subjective norms, self-efficacy and controllability. The study was a cross-sectional survey using the Theory of Planned Behaviour. Two Technical and Further Education South Australia campuses across metropolitan Adelaide. n=86 enrolled nursing students completed the survey (62% response rate). Enrolled nursing students' intention, attitudes, subjective norms, self-efficacy and controllability were measured using a Theory of Planned Behaviour Questionnaire. The Short Alcohol and Alcohol Problems Perception Questionnaire investigated attitudes in more detail and a short knowledge scale assessed alcohol-related knowledge. Subjective norms and attitudes had a significant, positive effect on intention to care within the final model, accounting for 22.6% of the variance, F2,83=12.12, pbehavioural change, in order to improve the quality of care for these patients. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Team composition and chronic disease management within primary healthcare practices in eastern Ontario: an application of the Measuring Organizational Attributes of Primary Health Care Survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lukewich, Julia; Edge, Dana S; VanDenKerkhof, Elizabeth; Williamson, Tyler; Tranmer, Joan

    2018-04-15

    Various organizational-level attributes are being implemented in primary healthcare to improve healthcare delivery. There is a need to describe the distribution and nature of these attributes and explore differences across practices.AimThe aim of this study was to better understand organizational attributes of primary care teams, focusing specifically on team composition, nursing roles, and strategies that support chronic disease management. We employed a cross-sectional survey design. Team composition, nursing roles, availability of health services, and chronic disease management activities were described using the 'Measuring Organizational Attributes of Primary Health Care Survey.'FindingsA total of 76% (n=26 out of 34) of practice locations completed the survey, including family health teams (FHT; n=21) and community health centers (CHC; n=4). Nurse practitioners (NPs) and registered nurses (RNs) were the most common non-physician providers, and CHCs had a greater proportion of non-physician providers than FHTs. There was overlap in roles performed by NPs and RNs, and registered practical nurses engaged in fewer roles compared with NPs and RNs. A greater proportion of FHTs had systematic chronic disease management services for hypertension, depression and Alzheimer's disease compared with CHC practices. The 'Measuring Organizational Attributes of Primary Health Care Survey' was a useful tool to highlight variability in organizational attributes across PHC practices. Nurses are prominent within PHC practices, engaging in a wide range of roles related to chronic disease management, suggesting a need to better understand their contributions to patient care to optimize their roles.

  11. The adoption of care robots in home care-A survey on the attitudes of Finnish home care personnel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rantanen, Teemu; Lehto, Paula; Vuorinen, Pertti; Coco, Kirsi

    2018-05-01

    This article examines the attitudes of Finnish home care registered nurses, licensed vocational nurses and other health and social care personnel towards the introduction and use of care robots in home care. The significance of care robotics has been highlighted in recent years. However, personnel-related social psychological barriers to the introduction of care robots have been given very little study. Cross-sectional study conducted by questionnaire. The theoretical framework of the study is based on Ajzen's theory of planned behaviour and the research discussion about attitudes towards robots. The research data were collected in five municipalities in different parts of Finland in 2016, and the questionnaire was answered by a total of 200 home care workers. The research data were analysed using exploratory factor analysis, Pearson product-moment correlation, one-way analysis of variance and linear regression analysis. The results are consistent with Ajzen's theory and previous studies on the acceptance of information systems in health care. Personnel behavioural intentions related to the introduction of robot applications in home care are influenced by their personal appreciation of the usefulness of robots, the expectations of their colleagues and supervisors, as well as by their own perceptions of their capacity to learn to use care robots. In particular, personnel emphasised the value of care robots in providing reminders and guidance, as well as promoting the safety of the older people. The study shows that an intimate human-robot relationship can pose a challenge from the perspective of the acceptance of care robots. From the perspective of the introduction of care robots in home care, personnel training and the construction of a positive working atmosphere play a key role. In addition, the introduction of robots requires further consideration of a number of ethical issues. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  12. The Role of Discrimination in Care Postponement Among Trans-Feminine Individuals in the U.S. National Transgender Discrimination Survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Glick, Jennifer L; Theall, Katherine P; Andrinopoulos, Katherine M; Kendall, Carl

    2018-04-01

    This study examines the associations between discrimination experiences (types and locations) and care postponement among trans-feminine individuals in the United States. This secondary, cross-sectional study utilized a subset of the data from the National Transgender Discrimination Survey (n = 2248), specifically for trans-feminine individuals. In this analysis, we examined the relationship between discrimination and primary care postponement. Twenty-six percent (26.25%) of the study sample reported delaying preventive care due to fear of discrimination; 23.98%-46.66% of respondents reported past experiences of discrimination (setting dependent). Discrimination in health and non-health settings and different types of discrimination-being denied services, verbally harassed, or physically assaulted-were all significantly associated with delaying care; respondents reporting discrimination were up to 20 times more likely to postpone care. While discrimination at a health location had the strongest association with care postponement (adjusted odds ratio = 9.65, confidence interval = 7.60-12.24), discrimination in all non-health-related locations was also important. Individuals reporting discrimination in greater numbers of locations and multiple types of discrimination were more likely to postpone care. To promote preventive care-seeking, these results affirm the importance of interventions that promote discrimination-free environments for gender minorities.

  13. Comparing Homeless Persons’ Care Experiences in Tailored Versus Nontailored Primary Care Programs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holt, Cheryl L.; Steward, Jocelyn L.; Jones, Richard N.; Roth, David L.; Stringfellow, Erin; Gordon, Adam J.; Kim, Theresa W.; Austin, Erika L.; Henry, Stephen Randal; Kay Johnson, N.; Shanette Granstaff, U.; O’Connell, James J.; Golden, Joya F.; Young, Alexander S.; Davis, Lori L.; Pollio, David E.

    2013-01-01

    Objectives. We compared homeless patients’ experiences of care in health care organizations that differed in their degree of primary care design service tailoring. Methods. We surveyed homeless-experienced patients (either recently or currently homeless) at 3 Veterans Affairs (VA) mainstream primary care settings in Pennsylvania and Alabama, a homeless-tailored VA clinic in California, and a highly tailored non-VA Health Care for the Homeless Program in Massachusetts (January 2011-March 2012). We developed a survey, the “Primary Care Quality-Homeless Survey," to reflect the concerns and aspirations of homeless patients. Results. Mean scores at the tailored non-VA site were superior to those from the 3 mainstream VA sites (P < .001). Adjusting for patient characteristics, these differences remained significant for subscales assessing the patient–clinician relationship (P < .001) and perceptions of cooperation among providers (P = .004). There were 1.5- to 3-fold increased odds of an unfavorable experience in the domains of the patient–clinician relationship, cooperation, and access or coordination for the mainstream VA sites compared with the tailored non-VA site; the tailored VA site attained intermediate results. Conclusions. Tailored primary care service design was associated with a superior service experience for patients who experienced homelessness. PMID:24148052

  14. Mental health service use and need for care of Australians without diagnoses of mental disorders: findings from a large epidemiological survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bobevski, I; Rosen, A; Meadows, G

    2017-12-01

    While epidemiological surveys worldwide have found a considerable proportion of people using mental health services not to have a diagnosis of a mental disorder, with possible implications of service overuse, other work has suggested that most people without a current diagnosis who used services exhibited other indicators of need. The aims of the present study were, using somewhat different categorisations than previous work, to investigate whether: (1) Australians without a diagnosis of a mental disorder who used mental health services had other indicators of need; and (2) how rate and frequency of service use in Australia related to level of need, then to discuss the findings in light of recent developments in Australian Mental Health Policy and other epidemiological and services research findings. Data from the Australian National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing (NSMHWB) 2007 was analysed. Most people using mental health services had evident indicators of need for mental health care (MHC), and most of those with lower evident levels of need did not make heavy use of services. Only a small proportion of individuals without any disorders or need indicators received MHC (4%). Although this latter group comprises a fair proportion of service users when extrapolating to the Australian population (16%), the vast majority of these individuals only sought brief primary-care or counselling treatment rather than consultations with psychiatrists. Access and frequency of MHC consultations were highest for people with diagnosed lifetime disorders, followed by people with no diagnosed disorders but other need indicators, and least for people with no identified need indicators. Limitations include some disorders not assessed in interview and constraints based on survey size to investigate subgroups defined, for instance, by socioeconomic advantage and disadvantage individually or by characteristics of area. MHC for individuals with no recognised disorders or other

  15. Predictors of home death of home palliative cancer care patients: a cross-sectional nationwide survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fukui, Sakiko; Fujita, Junko; Tsujimura, Mayuko; Sumikawa, Yuka; Hayashi, Yayoi

    2011-11-01

    To identify factors influencing the place of death among home palliative cancer care patients, focusing on the role of nurses in terms of pre- and post-discharge from hospital to home care settings. A cross-sectional nationwide questionnaire survey was conducted at 1000 randomly selected homecare agencies in Japan. The questionnaires were completed by primary community nurses of home palliative patients just after their discharge. A total of 568 responses were analyzed (effective response rate, 69%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed the following independent factors of place of death among those patients: desire for home death at referral by both patient and family caregiver; caregiver relationship to patient as daughter or daughter-in-law; totally bedridden functional status of patient; patient not suffering from depression and/or anxiety at referral; patients and caregivers duly informed about the dying process/death in detail, as well as instructed by community nurses about pain management and how to treat/prevent bedsores in home care settings. This study demonstrated the importance of both the hospital and community nurses' role in increasing the patients' chance of dying at home. Hospital nurses should support early transfer to home palliative care according to their assessment of the desire of patient/family caregiver for home death, the patients' clinical status, and caregivers' ability to provide patient care at home. Community nurses should inform patients/family caregiver in detail about the dying process/death just after discharge, relieve patient pain, treat/prevent bedsores, and instruct family caregivers on their symptom control. Crown Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Patient safety in primary care: a survey of general practitioners in the Netherlands

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wensing Michel

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Primary care encompasses many different clinical domains and patient groups, which means that patient safety in primary care may be equally broad. Previous research on safety in primary care has focused on medication safety and incident reporting. In this study, the views of general practitioners (GPs on patient safety were examined. Methods A web-based survey of a sample of GPs was undertaken. The items were derived from aspects of patient safety issues identified in a prior interview study. The questionnaire used 10 clinical cases and 15 potential risk factors to explore GPs' views on patient safety. Results A total of 68 GPs responded (51.5% response rate. None of the clinical cases was uniformly judged as particularly safe or unsafe by the GPs. Cases judged to be unsafe by a majority of the GPs concerned either the maintenance of medical records or prescription and monitoring of medication. Cases which only a few GPs judged as unsafe concerned hygiene, the diagnostic process, prevention and communication. The risk factors most frequently judged to constitute a threat to patient safety were a poor doctor-patient relationship, insufficient continuing education on the part of the GP and a patient age over 75 years. Language barriers and polypharmacy also scored high. Deviation from evidence-based guidelines and patient privacy in the reception/waiting room were not perceived as risk factors by most of the GPs. Conclusion The views of GPs on safety and risk in primary care did not completely match those presented in published papers and policy documents. The GPs in the present study judged a broader range of factors than in previously published research on patient safety in primary care, including a poor doctor-patient relationship, to pose a potential threat to patient safety. Other risk factors such as infection prevention, deviation from guidelines and incident reporting were judged to be less relevant than by policy

  17. Patient safety in primary care: a survey of general practitioners in The Netherlands.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gaal, Sander; Verstappen, Wim; Wensing, Michel

    2010-01-21

    Primary care encompasses many different clinical domains and patient groups, which means that patient safety in primary care may be equally broad. Previous research on safety in primary care has focused on medication safety and incident reporting. In this study, the views of general practitioners (GPs) on patient safety were examined. A web-based survey of a sample of GPs was undertaken. The items were derived from aspects of patient safety issues identified in a prior interview study. The questionnaire used 10 clinical cases and 15 potential risk factors to explore GPs' views on patient safety. A total of 68 GPs responded (51.5% response rate). None of the clinical cases was uniformly judged as particularly safe or unsafe by the GPs. Cases judged to be unsafe by a majority of the GPs concerned either the maintenance of medical records or prescription and monitoring of medication. Cases which only a few GPs judged as unsafe concerned hygiene, the diagnostic process, prevention and communication. The risk factors most frequently judged to constitute a threat to patient safety were a poor doctor-patient relationship, insufficient continuing education on the part of the GP and a patient age over 75 years. Language barriers and polypharmacy also scored high. Deviation from evidence-based guidelines and patient privacy in the reception/waiting room were not perceived as risk factors by most of the GPs. The views of GPs on safety and risk in primary care did not completely match those presented in published papers and policy documents. The GPs in the present study judged a broader range of factors than in previously published research on patient safety in primary care, including a poor doctor-patient relationship, to pose a potential threat to patient safety. Other risk factors such as infection prevention, deviation from guidelines and incident reporting were judged to be less relevant than by policy makers.

  18. Current HIV/AIDS end-of-life care in sub-Saharan Africa: a survey of models, services, challenges and priorities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    O'Neill Joseph F

    2003-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background In response to increased global public health funding initiatives to HIV/AIDS care in Africa, this study aimed to describe practice models, strategies and challenges to delivering end-of-life care in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods A survey end-of-life care programs was conducted, addressing the domains of service aims and configuration, barriers to pain control, governmental endorsement and strategies, funding, monitoring and evaluation, and research. Both closed and qualitative responses were sought. Results Despite great structural challenges, data from 48 programs in 14 countries with a mean annual funding of US $374,884 demonstrated integrated care delivery across diverse settings. Care was commonly integrated with all advanced disease care (67% and disease stages (65% offering care from diagnosis. The majority (98% provided home-based care for a mean of 301 patients. Ninety-four percent reported challenges in pain control (including availability, lack of trained providers, stigma and legal restrictions, and 77% addressed the effects of poverty on disease progression and management. Although 85% of programs reported Government endorsement, end-of-life and palliative care National strategies were largely absent. Conclusions The interdependent tasks of expanding pain control, balancing quality and coverage of care, providing technical assistance in monitoring and evaluation, collaborating between donor agencies and governments, and educating policy makers and program directors of end-of-life care are all necessary if resources are to reach their goals.

  19. Consumer participation in quality improvements for chronic disease care: development and evaluation of an interactive patient-centered survey to identify preferred service initiatives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fradgley, Elizabeth A; Paul, Christine L; Bryant, Jamie; Roos, Ian A; Henskens, Frans A; Paul, David J

    2014-12-19

    With increasing attention given to the quality of chronic disease care, a measurement approach that empowers consumers to participate in improving quality of care and enables health services to systematically introduce patient-centered initiatives is needed. A Web-based survey with complex adaptive questioning and interactive survey items would allow consumers to easily identify and prioritize detailed service initiatives. The aim was to develop and test a Web-based survey capable of identifying and prioritizing patient-centered initiatives in chronic disease outpatient services. Testing included (1) test-retest reliability, (2) patient-perceived acceptability of the survey content and delivery mode, and (3) average completion time, completion rates, and Flesch-Kincaid reading score. In Phase I, the Web-based Consumer Preferences Survey was developed based on a structured literature review and iterative feedback from expert groups of service providers and consumers. The touchscreen survey contained 23 general initiatives, 110 specific initiatives available through adaptive questioning, and a relative prioritization exercise. In Phase II, a pilot study was conducted within 4 outpatient clinics to evaluate the reliability properties, patient-perceived acceptability, and feasibility of the survey. Eligible participants were approached to complete the survey while waiting for an appointment or receiving intravenous therapy. The age and gender of nonconsenters was estimated to ascertain consent bias. Participants with a subsequent appointment within 14 days were asked to complete the survey for a second time. A total of 741 of 1042 individuals consented to participate (71.11% consent), 529 of 741 completed all survey content (78.9% completion), and 39 of 68 completed the test-retest component. Substantial or moderate reliability (Cohen's kappa>0.4) was reported for 16 of 20 general initiatives with observed percentage agreement ranging from 82.1%-100.0%. The majority of

  20. Consumer Participation in Quality Improvements for Chronic Disease Care: Development and Evaluation of an Interactive Patient-Centered Survey to Identify Preferred Service Initiatives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paul, Christine L; Bryant, Jamie; Roos, Ian A; Henskens, Frans A; Paul, David J

    2014-01-01

    Background With increasing attention given to the quality of chronic disease care, a measurement approach that empowers consumers to participate in improving quality of care and enables health services to systematically introduce patient-centered initiatives is needed. A Web-based survey with complex adaptive questioning and interactive survey items would allow consumers to easily identify and prioritize detailed service initiatives. Objective The aim was to develop and test a Web-based survey capable of identifying and prioritizing patient-centered initiatives in chronic disease outpatient services. Testing included (1) test-retest reliability, (2) patient-perceived acceptability of the survey content and delivery mode, and (3) average completion time, completion rates, and Flesch-Kincaid reading score. Methods In Phase I, the Web-based Consumer Preferences Survey was developed based on a structured literature review and iterative feedback from expert groups of service providers and consumers. The touchscreen survey contained 23 general initiatives, 110 specific initiatives available through adaptive questioning, and a relative prioritization exercise. In Phase II, a pilot study was conducted within 4 outpatient clinics to evaluate the reliability properties, patient-perceived acceptability, and feasibility of the survey. Eligible participants were approached to complete the survey while waiting for an appointment or receiving intravenous therapy. The age and gender of nonconsenters was estimated to ascertain consent bias. Participants with a subsequent appointment within 14 days were asked to complete the survey for a second time. Results A total of 741 of 1042 individuals consented to participate (71.11% consent), 529 of 741 completed all survey content (78.9% completion), and 39 of 68 completed the test-retest component. Substantial or moderate reliability (Cohen’s kappa>0.4) was reported for 16 of 20 general initiatives with observed percentage agreement

  1. Positioning end-of-life care education within the pre-registration therapeutic radiography curriculum: A survey of current practices amongst UK higher education institutions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    White, N.

    2017-01-01

    Aim: It is essential that all health professionals who come into contact with patients with terminal diagnoses are equipped to effectively and competently provide end of life care. This study aims to investigate the manner in which Higher Education Institutions address this requirement with their programmes of pre-registration therapeutic radiography education. Method: A structured survey was administered electronically to all UK universities with responsibility for therapeutic radiography education. The scope of the survey addressed mode and duration of end of life care education, its location, curricular assessment, identifiable barriers and best practice. Results: All respondents confirmed the presence of dedicated end of life care education within their curriculum. Variation in the duration and location of this education is reported as are approaches to assessment of associated skills and knowledge. Analysis of respondent commentary has identified three themes-preparedness for the clinical role, dissonance between technology and care, and holistic approaches to course design. Conclusion: Respondents have highlighted the importance of end of life care instruction with their programmes of study and identified aspects of the mode and duration of its delivery. Inclusion of this aspect of study may be problematic in the face of competing demands arising from the volume and complexity of the curriculum. Practical experience of end of life care predominantly occurs within the radiotherapy department, although there is scope to explore opportunities within the hospice and community care setting. - Highlights: • Effective end of life care training within radiotherapy radiography programmes is necessary. • Universities confirm the inclusion of end of life care training in their curriculum. • Variations in contact time and mode of delivery are reported. • The majority of end of life care practice experience is gained within the radiotherapy department. • Wider

  2. Undergraduate medical education in emergency medical care: a nationwide survey at German medical schools.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beckers, Stefan K; Timmermann, Arnd; Müller, Michael P; Angstwurm, Matthias; Walcher, Felix

    2009-05-12

    Since June 2002, revised regulations in Germany have required "Emergency Medical Care" as an interdisciplinary subject, and state that emergency treatment should be of increasing importance within the curriculum. A survey of the current status of undergraduate medical education in emergency medical care establishes the basis for further committee work. Using a standardized questionnaire, all medical faculties in Germany were asked to answer questions concerning the structure of their curriculum, representation of disciplines, instructors' qualifications, teaching and assessment methods, as well as evaluation procedures. Data from 35 of the 38 medical schools in Germany were analysed. In 32 of 35 medical faculties, the local Department of Anaesthesiology is responsible for the teaching of emergency medical care; in two faculties, emergency medicine is taught mainly by the Department of Surgery and in another by Internal Medicine. Lectures, seminars and practical training units are scheduled in varying composition at 97% of the locations. Simulation technology is integrated at 60% (n = 21); problem-based learning at 29% (n = 10), e-learning at 3% (n = 1), and internship in ambulance service is mandatory at 11% (n = 4). In terms of assessment methods, multiple-choice exams (15 to 70 questions) are favoured (89%, n = 31), partially supplemented by open questions (31%, n = 11). Some faculties also perform single practical tests (43%, n = 15), objective structured clinical examination (OSCE; 29%, n = 10) or oral examinations (17%, n = 6). Emergency Medical Care in undergraduate medical education in Germany has a practical orientation, but is very inconsistently structured. The innovative options of simulation technology or state-of-the-art assessment methods are not consistently utilized. Therefore, an exchange of experiences and concepts between faculties and disciplines should be promoted to guarantee a standard level of education in emergency medical care.

  3. Patients' expectations of private osteopathic care in the UK: a national survey of patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leach, C M Janine; Mandy, Anne; Hankins, Matthew; Bottomley, Laura M; Cross, Vinette; Fawkes, Carol A; Fiske, Adam; Moore, Ann P

    2013-05-31

    Patients' expectations of osteopathic care have been little researched. The aim of this study was to quantify the most important expectations of patients in private UK osteopathic practices, and the extent to which those expectations were met or unmet. The study involved development and application of a questionnaire about patients' expectations of osteopathic care. The questionnaire drew on an extensive review of the literature and the findings of a prior qualitative study involving focus groups exploring the expectations of osteopathic patients. A questionnaire survey of osteopathic patients in the UK was then conducted. Patients were recruited from a random sample of 800 registered osteopaths in private practice across the UK. Patients were asked to complete the questionnaire which asked about 51 aspects of expectation, and post it to the researchers for analysis.The main outcome measures were the patients-perceived level of expectation as assessed by the percentage of positive responses for each aspect of expectation, and unmet expectation as computed from the proportion responding that their expectation "did not happen". 1649 sets of patient data were included in the analysis. Thirty five (69%) of the 51 aspects of expectation were prevalent, with listening, respect and information-giving ranking highest. Only 11 expectations were unmet, the most often unmet were to be made aware that there was a complaints procedure, to find it difficult to pay for osteopathic treatment, and perceiving a lack of communication between the osteopath and their GP. The findings reflected the complexity of providing osteopathic care and meeting patients' expectations. The results provided a generally positive message about private osteopathic practice. The study identified certain gaps between expectations and delivery of care, which can be used to improve the quality of care. The questionnaire is a resource for future research.

  4. Patients’ expectations of private osteopathic care in the UK: a national survey of patients

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-01

    Background Patients’ expectations of osteopathic care have been little researched. The aim of this study was to quantify the most important expectations of patients in private UK osteopathic practices, and the extent to which those expectations were met or unmet. Methods The study involved development and application of a questionnaire about patients’ expectations of osteopathic care. The questionnaire drew on an extensive review of the literature and the findings of a prior qualitative study involving focus groups exploring the expectations of osteopathic patients. A questionnaire survey of osteopathic patients in the UK was then conducted. Patients were recruited from a random sample of 800 registered osteopaths in private practice across the UK. Patients were asked to complete the questionnaire which asked about 51 aspects of expectation, and post it to the researchers for analysis. The main outcome measures were the patients-perceived level of expectation as assessed by the percentage of positive responses for each aspect of expectation, and unmet expectation as computed from the proportion responding that their expectation “did not happen”. Results 1649 sets of patient data were included in the analysis. Thirty five (69%) of the 51 aspects of expectation were prevalent, with listening, respect and information-giving ranking highest. Only 11 expectations were unmet, the most often unmet were to be made aware that there was a complaints procedure, to find it difficult to pay for osteopathic treatment, and perceiving a lack of communication between the osteopath and their GP. Conclusions The findings reflected the complexity of providing osteopathic care and meeting patients’ expectations. The results provided a generally positive message about private osteopathic practice. The study identified certain gaps between expectations and delivery of care, which can be used to improve the quality of care. The questionnaire is a resource for future research

  5. Financial access to health care in Karuzi, Burundi: a household-survey based performance evaluation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lambert-Evans, Sophie; Ponsar, Frederique; Reid, Tony; Bachy, Catherine; Van Herp, Michel; Philips, Mit

    2009-10-24

    In 2003, Médecins Sans Frontières, the provincial government, and the provincial health authority began a community project to guarantee financial access to primary health care in Karuzi province, Burundi. The project used a community-based assessment to provide exemption cards for indigent households and a reduced flat fee for consultations for all other households. An evaluation was carried out in 2005 to assess the impact of this project. Primary data collection was through a cross-sectional household survey of the catchment areas of 10 public health centres. A questionnaire was used to determine the accuracy of the community-identification method, households' access to health care, and costs of care. Household socioeconomic status was determined by reported expenditures and access to land. Financial access to care at the nearest health centre was ensured for 70% of the population. Of the remaining 30%, half experienced financial barriers to access and the other half chose alternative sites of care. The community-based assessment increased the number of people of the population who qualified for fee exemptions to 8.6% but many people who met the indigent criteria did not receive a card. Eighty-eight percent of the population lived under the poverty threshold. Referring to the last sickness episode, 87% of households reported having no money available and 25% risked further impoverishment because of healthcare costs even with the financial support system in place. The flat fee policy was found to reduce cost barriers for some households but, given the generalized poverty in the area, the fee still posed a significant financial burden. This report showed the limits of a programme of fee exemption for indigent households and a flat fee for others in a context of widespread poverty.

  6. Undergraduate medical education in emergency medical care: A nationwide survey at German medical schools

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Timmermann Arnd

    2009-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Since June 2002, revised regulations in Germany have required "Emergency Medical Care" as an interdisciplinary subject, and state that emergency treatment should be of increasing importance within the curriculum. A survey of the current status of undergraduate medical education in emergency medical care establishes the basis for further committee work. Methods Using a standardized questionnaire, all medical faculties in Germany were asked to answer questions concerning the structure of their curriculum, representation of disciplines, instructors' qualifications, teaching and assessment methods, as well as evaluation procedures. Results Data from 35 of the 38 medical schools in Germany were analysed. In 32 of 35 medical faculties, the local Department of Anaesthesiology is responsible for the teaching of emergency medical care; in two faculties, emergency medicine is taught mainly by the Department of Surgery and in another by Internal Medicine. Lectures, seminars and practical training units are scheduled in varying composition at 97% of the locations. Simulation technology is integrated at 60% (n = 21; problem-based learning at 29% (n = 10, e-learning at 3% (n = 1, and internship in ambulance service is mandatory at 11% (n = 4. In terms of assessment methods, multiple-choice exams (15 to 70 questions are favoured (89%, n = 31, partially supplemented by open questions (31%, n = 11. Some faculties also perform single practical tests (43%, n = 15, objective structured clinical examination (OSCE; 29%, n = 10 or oral examinations (17%, n = 6. Conclusion Emergency Medical Care in undergraduate medical education in Germany has a practical orientation, but is very inconsistently structured. The innovative options of simulation technology or state-of-the-art assessment methods are not consistently utilized. Therefore, an exchange of experiences and concepts between faculties and disciplines should be promoted to guarantee a standard

  7. Validation of CARE-Q in residential aged-care: rating of importance of caring behaviours from an e-cohort sub-study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tuckett, Anthony G; Hughes, Karen; Schluter, Philip J; Turner, Cathy

    2009-05-01

    To validate the Caring Assessment Report Evaluation Q-sort questionnaire in the residential aged-care setting. Based on this determination, to conclude with what degree of confidence the questionnaire can be used to determine the ranking of the importance of caring behaviours amongst aged-care nurses and residents in residential aged-care. Perceptions of caring may be context specific. Caring in residential aged-care may stand in contrast to the sense of caring understood and practiced in other settings. Self-administered survey. Residents from three not-for-profit aged-care facilities, across both high-care (nursing-home) and low-care (hostel care) were surveyed relying on the Caring Assessment Report Evaluation Q-sort questionnaire. A sub-sample of registered and enrolled nurses working in residential aged-care and registered with the Nurses & Midwives e-cohort study completed the same survey. Although the Caring Assessment Report Evaluation Q-sort questionnaire showed good internal consistency for the sample of nurses, the results for the residents were more erratic. Both groups displayed large ranges for the inter-item correlations. The results of the Mann-Whitney U-test indicated that the nurses rated the Comforts, Anticipates and Trusting relationship as significantly more important than the residents. Both groups rated the Explains and facilitates subscale as least important. All subscales, however, received median scores greater than, or equal to, six (seven-point, Likert scale) indicating that all were considered important overall. Based on poor Cronbach's alpha coefficients, negative inter-item correlations and qualitative observations, without further development within the residential aged-care facility the free response format version of the Caring Assessment Report Evaluation Q-sort may not be an appropriate measure to use with residential aged-care residents. More research needs to be conducted into how residents and nurses are interpreting the items

  8. Impact of resident duty hour limits on safety in the intensive care unit: a national survey of pediatric and neonatal intensivists.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Typpo, Katri V; Tcharmtchi, M Hossein; Thomas, Eric J; Kelly, P Adam; Castillo, Leticia D; Singh, Hardeep

    2012-09-01

    Resident duty-hour regulations potentially shift the workload from resident to attending physicians. We sought to understand how current or future regulatory changes might impact safety in academic pediatric and neonatal intensive care units. Web-based survey. U.S. academic pediatric and neonatal intensive care units. Attending pediatric and neonatal intensivists. We evaluated perceptions on four intensive care unit safety-related risk measures potentially affected by current duty-hour regulations: 1) attending physician and resident fatigue; 2) attending physician workload; 3) errors (self-reported rates by attending physicians or perceived resident error rates); and 4) safety culture. We also evaluated perceptions of how these risks would change with further duty-hour restrictions. We administered our survey between February and April 2010 to 688 eligible physicians, of whom 360 (52.3%) responded. Most believed that resident error rates were unchanged or worse (91.9%) and safety culture was unchanged or worse (84.4%) with current duty-hour regulations. Of respondents, 61.9% believed their own work-hours providing direct patient care increased and 55.8% believed they were more fatigued while providing direct patient care. Most (85.3%) perceived no increase in their own error rates currently, but in the scenario of further reduction in resident duty-hours, over half (53.3%) believed that safety culture would worsen and a significant proportion (40.3%) believed that their own error rates would increase. Pediatric intensivists do not perceive improved patient safety from current resident duty-hour restrictions. Policies to further restrict resident duty-hours should consider unintended consequences of worsening certain aspects of intensive care unit safety.

  9. Exploring integration of care for children living with complex care needs across the European union and European economic area

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Brenner, Maria; O’Shea, Miriam; Larkin, Philip J.

    2017-01-01

    Introduction: The aim of this paper is to report on the development of surveys to explore integration of care for children living with complex care needs across the European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA). Theory and methods: Each survey consists of a vignette and questions adapted...... from the Standards for Systems of Care for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs and the Eurobarometer Survey. A Country Agent in each country, a local expert in child health services, will obtain data from indigenous sources. Results: We identified ‘in-principle’ complex problems...

  10. Effect of counselling on health-care-seeking behaviours and rabies vaccination adherence after dog bites in Haiti, 2014-15: a retrospective follow-up survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Etheart, Melissa Dominique; Kligerman, Maxwell; Augustin, Pierre Dilius; Blanton, Jesse D; Monroe, Benjamin; Fleurinord, Ludder; Millien, Max; Crowdis, Kelly; Fenelon, Natael; Wallace, Ryan MacLaren

    2017-10-01

    Haiti has an integrated bite case management (IBCM) programme to counsel animal-bite victims on the risk of rabies and appropriate treatment, as well as the Haiti Animal Rabies Surveillance Program (HARSP) to examine the animals. We assessed the usefulness of the IBCM programme to promote best practices for rabies prophylaxis after exposure in a low-income rabies-endemic setting. We did a retrospective follow-up survey of randomly selected bite victims who were counselled by Haiti's IBCM programme between May 15, 2014, and Sept 15, 2015. We classified participants by HARSP decisions of confirmed, probable, suspected, or non-rabies exposures. We compared health-care outcomes in people who sought medical care before IBCM counselling with those in people who sought care after counselling. We used decision trees to estimate the probability of actions taken in the health-care system, and thereby human deaths. During the study period, 1478 dog bites were reported to HARSP for assessment. 37 (3%) were confirmed exposures, 76 (5%) probable exposures, 189 (13%) suspected exposures, and 1176 (80%) non-rabies exposures. 115 of these cases were followed up in the survey. IBCM counselling was associated with a 1·2 times increase in frequency of bite victims seeking medical care and of 2·4 times increase in vaccination uptake. We estimated that there would be four human rabies deaths among the 1478 people assessed by IBCM during the survey period, and 11 in the absence of this programme, which would equate to a 65% decrease in rabies deaths. Among three people dead at the time of the follow-up survey, one was deemed to be due to rabies after a probable rabies exposure. Adherence to medical providers' recommendations might be improved through counselling provided by IBCM programmes. None. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  11. Association of British Clinical Diabetologists (ABCD): survey of specialist diabetes care services in the UK, 2000. 3. Podiatry services and related foot care issues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Winocour, P H; Morgan, J; Ainsworth, A; Williams, D R R

    2002-07-01

    To examine the provision of, and variations in, podiatry and other services for diabetic foot care in the UK. A postal survey of secondary care providers of diabetes services in the UK in 2000. Following two reminders a 77% response rate was achieved. The responses indicated that 97% had a state-registered podiatrist attached to the service, providing three (median) sessions each week for diabetes care, although only 44% had availability at all diabetic clinics, and only 3% had availability at paediatric diabetic services. Podiatry access at all diabetic clinics increased the likelihood of associated preventative as opposed to reactive ('trouble shooting') care (P podiatry input to patient education was common (84%), only 6% had received formal training in education. Guidelines and strategies for management of active foot problems were available in 50-74% of cases. Orthotic input was highly variable, and absent in 15% of responses. Podiatrist fitting and application of foot protective apparatus was only recorded in 22-61% of responses. Access to isotopic and/or MR foot imaging and peripheral angiography and angioplasty was recorded in 75-83% of responses. Separate specialist foot clinics were available in 49%, and where this was the case the use of newer foot ulcer healing applications was higher (P podiatry support to diabetes care over the last 10 years, the level of access and the nature of the services provided is much less than recommended in many advisory documents. The strategy of a co-ordinated 'team' approach to foot care still takes place in less than 50% of centres. There are clear regional differences in diabetes foot care services. Both providers and purchasers of diabetes services may not have given sufficient attention to this area, given the relatively small number of documented bids for service improvements in this area, and the very low success rate of such bids.

  12. Acute care nurses' responses and recommendations for improvement of hand hygiene compliance: A cross-sectional factorial survey research study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chatfield, Sheryl L; Nolan, Rachael; Crawford, Hannah; Hallam, Jeffrey S

    2017-06-01

    Hand hygiene is promoted as an effective practice to counter health care-acquired infections; however, compliance is less than optimal. Nurses have many patient contact opportunities and therefore are frequent participants in intervention research. The optimal combination of efficient and effective intervention components has not been conclusively identified. A factorial survey research design offers an efficient method to assess multiple factors simultaneously by combining elements into vignettes. This article describes a process, grounded in the framework of Bandura's social cognitive theory, that explored environmental and individual factors that potentially influence nurses' hand hygiene behavior in acute care settings. Survey respondents consisted of nurses employed in patient care; respondents also could address an open response item. A total of 466 participants scored a total of 3,685 vignettes. Statistically significant parameters included goal, supervisor priority, electronic monitoring, and rewards. The most frequently mentioned open response item was the need to keep hand hygiene product dispensers refilled. Participants also suggested that culture and intrinsic motivation influenced hand hygiene behavior. Researchers might consider assessing promising factors, especially use of goal setting, as an intervention rather than as components of an intervention. Further research is indicated to better understand how nurses define and view hand hygiene culture. Copyright © 2017 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Availability, cost, and prescription patterns of antihypertensive medications in primary health care in China: a nationwide cross-sectional survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Su, Meng; Zhang, Qiuli; Bai, Xueke; Wu, Chaoqun; Li, Yetong; Mossialos, Elias; Mensah, George A; Masoudi, Frederick A; Lu, Jiapeng; Li, Xi; Salas-Vega, Sebastian; Zhang, Anwen; Lu, Yuan; Nasir, Khurram; Krumholz, Harlan M; Jiang, Lixin

    2017-12-09

    Around 200 million adults in China have hypertension, but few are treated or achieve adequate control of their blood pressure. Available and affordable medications are important for successfully controlling hypertension, but little is known about current patterns of access to, and use of, antihypertensive medications in Chinese primary health care. We used data from a nationwide cross-sectional survey (the China Patient-Centered Evaluative Assessment of Cardiac Events Million Persons Project primary health care survey), which was undertaken between November, 2016 and May, 2017, to assess the availability, cost, and prescription patterns of 62 antihypertensive medications at primary health-care sites across 31 Chinese provinces. We surveyed 203 community health centres, 401 community health stations, 284 township health centres, and 2474 village clinics to assess variation in availability, cost, and prescription by economic region and type of site. We also assessed the use of high-value medications, defined as guideline-recommended and low-cost. We also examined the association of medication cost with availability and prescription patterns. Our study sample included 3362 primary health-care sites and around 1 million people (613 638 people at 2758 rural sites and 478 393 people at 604 urban sites). Of the 3362 sites, 8·1% (95% CI 7·2-9·1) stocked no antihypertensive medications and 33·8% (32·2-35·4) stocked all four classes that were routinely used. Village clinics and sites in the western region of China had the lowest availability. Only 32·7% (32·2-33·3) of all sites stocked high-value medications, and few high-value medications were prescribed (11·2% [10·9-11·6] of all prescription records). High-cost medications were more likely to be prescribed than low-cost alternatives. China has marked deficiencies in the availability, cost, and prescription of antihypertensive medications. High-value medications are not preferentially used. Future efforts to

  14. Influence of organizational context on nursing home staff burnout: A cross-sectional survey of care aides in Western Canada.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chamberlain, Stephanie A; Gruneir, Andrea; Hoben, Matthias; Squires, Janet E; Cummings, Greta G; Estabrooks, Carole A

    2017-06-01

    Our study examined care aide characteristics, organizational context, and frequency of dementia-related resident responsive behaviours associated with burnout. Burnout is the experience of emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and professional inefficacy. Care aide burnout has implications for turnover, staff health, and quality of care. We used surveys collected from 1194 care aides from 30 urban nursing homes in three Western Canadian provinces. We used a mixed-effects regression analysis to assess care aide characteristics, dementia-related responsive behaviours, unit and facility characteristics, and organizational context predictors of care aide burnout. We measured burnout using the Maslach Burnout Inventory, Short Form. We found that care aides were at high risk for emotional exhaustion and cynicism, but report high professional efficacy. Statistically significant predictors of emotional exhaustion included English as a second language, medium facility size, organizational slack-staff, organizational slack-space, health (mental and physical) and dementia-related responsive behaviours. Statistically significant predictors of cynicism were care aide age, English as a second language, unit culture, evaluation (feedback of data), formal interactions, health (mental and physical) and dementia-related responsive behaviours. Statistically significant predictors of professional efficacy were unit culture and structural resources. Greater care aide job satisfaction was significantly associated with increased professional efficacy. This study suggests that individual care aide and organization features are both predictive of care aide burnout. Unlike care aide or structural characteristics of the facility elements of the organizational context are potentially modifiable, and therefore amenable to intervention. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Association between women veterans' experiences with VA outpatient health care and designation as a women's health provider in primary care clinics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bastian, Lori A; Trentalange, Mark; Murphy, Terrence E; Brandt, Cynthia; Bean-Mayberry, Bevanne; Maisel, Natalya C; Wright, Steven M; Gaetano, Vera S; Allore, Heather; Skanderson, Melissa; Reyes-Harvey, Evelyn; Yano, Elizabeth M; Rose, Danielle; Haskell, Sally

    2014-01-01

    Women veterans comprise a small percentage of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care users. Prior research on women veterans' experiences with primary care has focused on VA site differences and not individual provider characteristics. In 2010, the VA established policy requiring the provision of comprehensive women's health care by designated women's health providers (DWHPs). Little is known about the quality of health care delivered by DWHPs and women veterans' experience with care from these providers. Secondary data were obtained from the VA Survey of Healthcare Experience of Patients (SHEP) using the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) patient-centered medical home (PCMH) survey from March 2012 through February 2013, a survey designed to measure patient experience with care and the DWHPs Assessment of Workforce Capacity that discerns between DWHPs versus non-DWHPs. Of the 28,994 surveys mailed to women veterans, 24,789 were seen by primary care providers and 8,151 women responded to the survey (response rate, 32%). A total of 3,147 providers were evaluated by the SHEP-CAHPS-PCMH survey (40%; n = 1,267 were DWHPs). In a multivariable model, patients seen by DWHPs (relative risk, 1.02; 95% CI, 1.01-1.04) reported higher overall experiences with care compared with patients seen by non-DWHPs. The main finding is that women veterans' overall experiences with outpatient health care are slightly better for those receiving care from DWHPs compared with those receiving care from non-DWHPs. Our findings have important policy implications for how to continue to improve women veterans' experiences. Our work provides support to increase access to DWHPs at VA primary care clinics. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  16. Psychosocial stress and multi-site musculoskeletal pain: a cross-sectional survey of patient care workers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sembajwe, Grace; Tveito, Torill Helene; Hopcia, Karen; Kenwood, Christopher; O'Day, Elizabeth Tucker; Stoddard, Anne M; Dennerlein, Jack T; Hashimoto, Dean; Sorensen, Glorian

    2013-03-01

    The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between psychosocial factors at work and multi-site musculoskeletal pain among patient care workers. In a survey of 1,572 workers from two hospitals, occupational psychosocial factors and health outcomes of workers with single and multi-site pain were evaluated using items from the Job Content Questionnaire that was designed to measure psychological demands, decision latitude, and social support. An adapted Nordic Questionnaire provided data on the musculoskeletal pain outcome. Covariates included body mass index, age, gender, and occupation. The analyses revealed statistically significant associations between psychosocial demands and multi-site musculoskeletal pain among patient care associates, nurses, and administrative personnel, both men and women. Supervisor support played a significant role for nurses and women. These results remained statistically significant after adjusting for covariates. These results highlight the associations between workplace psychosocial strain and multi-site musculoskeletal pain, setting the stage for future longitudinal explorations. Copyright 2013, SLACK Incorporated.

  17. Patients of the future: a survey of school nurse competencies with implications for nurse executives in the acute care settings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Newell, Mary E

    2013-01-01

    School nursing in the United States has been in existence for many decades but has become increasingly more complex, as student health needs have escalated and the role itself has expanded in scope of practice. Given the changes in health care delivery mandated by the Patient Safety and Affordable Care Reform Act, and the increasing complexity of school nursing practice, it is important to determine whether nurses who enter this area of practice are educationally prepared to do so. The objective of this study was to determine the perceptions of currently practicing school nurses regarding their baccalaureate nursing education and whether they felt adequately prepared to effectively practice as a school nurse. The survey The Perceptions of School Nurses' Educational Preparation: Survey of Washington State School Nurses was sent to school nurses in Washington State. This was a descriptive, quantitative online survey that asked school nurses to assess their initial nursing education and whether their baccalaureate preparation adequately prepared them for this specialty role. There are a total of 17 school nurse standards, and 8 of the standards (47%) were identified as minimally achieved upon graduation. In addition, school nurses self-assessed gaps in their ongoing continuing educational needs, such as needing additional education regarding special education laws (81%), 504 accommodations (90.5%), diabetic care (76%), and delegation skills (68.6%). The findings from this study have illustrated the need for additional didactic and clinical practicum components that could be incorporated into baccalaureate nursing programs to better prepare graduates for school nursing practice in Washington State. Participants were able to identify areas in need of further education within their baccalaureate program, and also during their orientation to the role and responsibilities of a school nurse. Nurse executives must be able to use this knowledge to support staff nurses with an

  18. Improvement of primary care for patients with chronic heart failure: a study protocol for a cluster randomised trial comparing two strategies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Lieshout, Jan; Steenkamer, Betty; Knippenberg, Marjan; Wensing, Michel

    2011-03-25

    Many patients with chronic heart failure (CHF), a common condition with high morbidity and mortality rates, receive treatment in primary care. To improve the management of CHF in primary care, we developed an implementation programme comprised of educational and organisational components, with support by a practice visitor and focus both on drug treatment and lifestyle advice, and on organisation of care within the practice and collaboration with other healthcare providers. Tailoring has been shown to improve the success of implementation programmes, but little is known about what would be best methods for tailoring, specifically with respect to CHF in primary care. We describe the study protocol of a cluster randomised controlled trial to examine the effectiveness of tailoring a CHF implementation programme to general practices compared to a standardised way of delivering a programme. The study population will consist of 60 general practitioners (GPs) and the CHF patients they include. GPs are randomised in blocks of four, stratified according to practice size. With a tailored implementation programme GPs prioritise the issues that will form the bases of the support for the practice visits. These may comprise several issues, both educational and organizational.The primary outcome measures are patient's experience of receiving structured primary care for CHF (PACIC, a questionnaire related to the Chronic Care Model), patients' health-related utilities (EQ-5D), and drugs prescriptions using the guideline adherence index. Patients being clustered in practices, multilevel regression analyses will be used to explore the effect of practice size and type of intervention programme. In addition we will examine both changes within groups and differences at follow-up between groups with respect to drug dosages and advice on lifestyle issues. Furthermore, in interviews the feasibility of the programme and goal attainment, organisational changes in CHF care, and formalised

  19. Improvement of primary care for patients with chronic heart failure: A study protocol for a cluster randomised trial comparing two strategies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wensing Michel

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Many patients with chronic heart failure (CHF, a common condition with high morbidity and mortality rates, receive treatment in primary care. To improve the management of CHF in primary care, we developed an implementation programme comprised of educational and organisational components, with support by a practice visitor and focus both on drug treatment and lifestyle advice, and on organisation of care within the practice and collaboration with other healthcare providers. Tailoring has been shown to improve the success of implementation programmes, but little is known about what would be best methods for tailoring, specifically with respect to CHF in primary care. Methods/design We describe the study protocol of a cluster randomised controlled trial to examine the effectiveness of tailoring a CHF implementation programme to general practices compared to a standardised way of delivering a programme. The study population will consist of 60 general practitioners (GPs and the CHF patients they include. GPs are randomised in blocks of four, stratified according to practice size. With a tailored implementation programme GPs prioritise the issues that will form the bases of the support for the practice visits. These may comprise several issues, both educational and organizational. The primary outcome measures are patient's experience of receiving structured primary care for CHF (PACIC, a questionnaire related to the Chronic Care Model, patients' health-related utilities (EQ-5D, and drugs prescriptions using the guideline adherence index. Patients being clustered in practices, multilevel regression analyses will be used to explore the effect of practice size and type of intervention programme. In addition we will examine both changes within groups and differences at follow-up between groups with respect to drug dosages and advice on lifestyle issues. Furthermore, in interviews the feasibility of the programme and goal attainment

  20. What do healthcare workers in elderly care know about occupational health and safety? An explorative survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schönrock, Stefanie; Schablon, Anja; Nienhaus, Albert; Peters, Claudia

    2015-01-01

    Demographic changes will lead to a growing demand for healthy, motivated healthcare workers (HCW) in the years ahead. Along with well-targeted prevention, knowledge of occupational health and safety and infection precaution is essential for a healthy working life. In this context back-friendly working methods and protection from infectious diseases are necessary in elderly care. In 2012, a survey was conducted in nine residential and two semi-residential nursing homes, as well as in one home care service in the Schwerin area of northeast Germany. Four hundred and seventy three HCWs were asked to fill in a questionnaire on what they knew about aspects of occupational health and safety such as vaccinations and preventative measures administered by occupational physicians, hygiene, back-friendly working methods and infection prevention. The statistical evaluation was descriptive, with a comparison between job title. Differences were examined with chi square or Fisher's exact test. The response rate was 28 % (n = 132). The largest group of respondents (36 %) were qualified geriatric HCWs. More than 74 % of employees felt well informed about opportunities for precautionary checks and vaccination by occupational physician, and 93 % utilized these opportunities. When it came to assigning modes of transmission to specific infectious diseases, only 23 % of participants were well informed, and one in three (31 %) care assistants was inadequately informed. Fewer than half of participants could correctly name the indications for hand disinfection. Only 66 % of the HCWs said they were aware of training offers for the management of multidrug-resistant organisms in their institution. They did know about possible aids to back-friendly working, although gaps in knowledge were apparent. Only 59 % of respondents knew that care utensils should preferably be stored at working height so as to reduce awkward body postures. Employees in elderly care are well informed about the

  1. Prevalence Rates of Self-Care Behaviors and Related Factors in a Rural Hypertension Population: A Questionnaire Survey

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Huanhuan Hu

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this study was to investigate the self-care behaviors among hypertensive patients in primary care. A cross-sectional survey, with 318 hypertensive patients, was conducted in a rural area in Beijing, China, in 2012. Participants were mainly recruited from a community health clinic and completed questionnaires assessing their self-care behaviors, including data on adherence to a prescribed medication regimen, low-salt diet intake, smoking habits, alcohol consumption, blood pressure monitoring, and physical exercise. The logistic regression model was used for the analysis of any association between self-care behaviors and age, gender, duration of hypertension, self-rated health, marital status, education level, diabetes status, or body mass index. Subjects that adhered to their medication schedule were more likely to have hypertension for a long duration (OR, 3.44; 95% CI 1.99–5.97. Older participants (OR, 1.80; 95% CI 1.08–2.99 were more likely to monitor their blood pressure. Subjects who did not partake in physical exercise were more likely to be men, although the difference between genders was not significant (OR, 0.60; 95% CI 0.36–1.01. Patients with shorter history of hypertension, younger and being males have lower self-care behaviors. Primary care providers and public health practitioner should pay more attention to patients recently diagnosed with hypertension as well as younger male patients.

  2. The role of advance directives in end-of-life decisions in Austria: survey of intensive care physicians.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schaden, Eva; Herczeg, Petra; Hacker, Stefan; Schopper, Andrea; Krenn, Claus G

    2010-10-21

    Currently, intensive care medicine strives to define a generally accepted way of dealing with end-of-life decisions, therapy limitation and therapy discontinuation.In 2006 a new advance directive legislation was enacted in Austria. Patients may now document their personal views regarding extension of treatment. The aim of this survey was to explore Austrian intensive care physicians' experiences with and their acceptance of the new advance directive legislation two years after enactment (2008). Under the aegis of the OEGARI (Austrian Society of Anaesthesiology, Resuscitation and Intensive Care) an anonymised questionnaire was sent to the medical directors of all intensive care units in Austria. The questions focused on the physicians' experiences regarding advance directives and their level of knowledge about the underlying legislation. There were 241 questionnaires sent and 139 were turned, which was a response rate of 58%. About one third of the responders reported having had no experience with advance directives and only 9 directors of intensive care units had dealt with more than 10 advance directives in the previous two years. Life-supporting measures, resuscitation, and mechanical ventilation were the predominantly refused therapies, wishes were mainly expressed concerning pain therapy. A response rate of almost 60% proves the great interest of intensive care professionals in making patient-oriented end-of-life decisions. However, as long as patients do not make use of their right of co-determination, the enactment of the new law can be considered only a first important step forward.

  3. Collaborative care management effectively promotes self-management: patient evaluation of care management for depression in primary care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    DeJesus, Ramona S; Howell, Lisa; Williams, Mark; Hathaway, Julie; Vickers, Kristin S

    2014-03-01

    Chronic disease management in the primary care setting increasingly involves self-management support from a nurse care manager. Prior research had shown patient acceptance and willingness to work with care managers. This survey study evaluated patient-perceived satisfaction with care management and patient opinions on the effectiveness of care management in promoting self-management. Qualitative and quantitative survey responses were collected from 125 patients (79% female; average age 46; 94% Caucasian) enrolled in care management for depression. Qualitative responses were coded with methods of content analysis by 2 independent analysts. Patients were satisfied with depression care management. Patients felt that care management improved their treatment above and beyond other aspects of their depression treatment (mean score, 6.7 [SD, 2]; 10 = Very much), increased their understanding of depression self-management (mean score, 7.2 [SD, 2]; 10 = Very much), and increased the frequency of self-management goal setting (mean score, 6.9 [SD, 3]; 10 = Very much). Predominant qualitative themes emphasized that patients value emotional, motivational, and relational aspects of the care manager relationship. Patients viewed care managers as caring and supportive, helpful in creating accountability for patients and knowledgeable in the area of depression care. Care managers empower patients to take on an active role in depression self-management. Some logistical challenges associated with a telephonic intervention are described. Care manager training should include communication and motivation strategies, specifically self-management education, as these strategies are valued by patients. Barriers to care management, such as scheduling telephone calls, should be addressed in future care management implementation and study.

  4. Parents, siblings and grandparents in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. A survey of policies in eight European countries

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Greisen, Gorm; Mirante, Nadia; Haumont, Dominique

    2009-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To describe policies towards family visiting in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) and compare findings with those of a survey carried out 10 years earlier. METHODS: A questionnaire on early developmental care practices was mailed to 362 units in eight European countries (Sweden...... medical rounds and procedures followed the same pattern. A composite visiting score was computed using all the variables related to family visiting. Lower median values and larger variability were obtained for the southern countries, indicating more restrictive attitudes and lack of national policy....... CONCLUSIONS: The presence of parents and other family members in European NICUs has improved over a 10-year period. Several barriers, however, are still in place, particularly in the South European countries....

  5. Palliative care and palliative radiation therapy education in radiation oncology: A survey of US radiation oncology program directors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Randy L; Colbert, Lauren E; Jones, Joshua; Racsa, Margarita; Kane, Gabrielle; Lutz, Steve; Vapiwala, Neha; Dharmarajan, Kavita V

    The purpose of this study was to assess the state of palliative and supportive care (PSC) and palliative radiation therapy (RT) educational curricula in radiation oncology residency programs in the United States. We surveyed 87 program directors of radiation oncology residency programs in the United States between September 2015 and November 2015. An electronic survey on PSC and palliative RT education during residency was sent to all program directors. The survey consisted of questions on (1) perceived relevance of PSC and palliative RT to radiation oncology training, (2) formal didactic sessions on domains of PSC and palliative RT, (3) effective teaching formats for PSC and palliative RT education, and (4) perceived barriers for integrating PSC and palliative RT into the residency curriculum. A total of 57 responses (63%) was received. Most program directors agreed or strongly agreed that PSC (93%) and palliative radiation therapy (99%) are important competencies for radiation oncology residents and fellows; however, only 67% of residency programs had formal educational activities in principles and practice of PSC. Most programs had 1 or more hours of formal didactics on management of pain (67%), management of neuropathic pain (65%), and management of nausea and vomiting (63%); however, only 35%, 33%, and 30% had dedicated lectures on initial management of fatigue, assessing role of spirituality, and discussing advance care directives, respectively. Last, 85% of programs reported having a formal curriculum on palliative RT. Programs were most likely to have education on palliative radiation to brain, bone, and spine, but less likely on visceral, or skin, metastasis. Residency program directors believe that PSC and palliative RT are important competencies for their trainees and support increasing education in these 2 educational domains. Many residency programs have structured curricula on PSC and palliative radiation education, but room for improvement exists in

  6. Factors Associated with Participation, Active Refusals and Reasons for Not Taking Part in a Mortality Followback Survey Evaluating End-of-Life Care.

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    Natalia Calanzani

    Full Text Available Examination of factors independently associated with participation in mortality followback surveys is rare, even though these surveys are frequently used to evaluate end-of-life care. We aimed to identify factors associated with 1 participation versus non-participation and 2 provision of an active refusal versus a silent refusal; and systematically examine reasons for refusal in a population-based mortality followback survey.Postal survey about the end-of-life care received by 1516 people who died from cancer (aged ≥18, identified through death registrations in London, England (response rate 39.3%. The informant of death (a relative in 95.3% of cases was contacted 4-10 months after the patient died. We used multivariate logistic regression to identify factors associated with participation/active refusals and content analysis to examine refusal reasons provided by 205 nonparticipants.The odds of partaking were higher for patients aged 90+ (AOR 3.48, 95%CI: 1.52-8.00, ref: 20-49yrs and female informants (AOR 1.70, 95%CI: 1.33-2.16. Odds were lower for hospital deaths (AOR 0.62, 95%CI: 0.46-0.84, ref: home and proxies other than spouses/partners (AORs 0.28 to 0.57. Proxies of patients born overseas were less likely to provide an active refusal (AOR 0.49; 95% CI: 0.32-0.77. Refusal reasons were often multidimensional, most commonly study-related (36.0%, proxy-related and grief-related (25.1% each. One limitation of this analysis is the large number of nonparticipants who did not provide reasons for refusal (715/920.Our survey better reached proxies of older patients while those dying in hospitals were underrepresented. Proxy characteristics played a role, with higher participation from women and spouses/partners. More information is needed about the care received by underrepresented groups. Study design improvements may guide future questionnaire development and help develop strategies to increase response rates.

  7. Factors Associated with Participation, Active Refusals and Reasons for Not Taking Part in a Mortality Followback Survey Evaluating End-of-Life Care

    Science.gov (United States)

    Calanzani, Natalia; Higginson, Irene J; Koffman, Jonathan; Gomes, Barbara

    2016-01-01

    Background Examination of factors independently associated with participation in mortality followback surveys is rare, even though these surveys are frequently used to evaluate end-of-life care. We aimed to identify factors associated with 1) participation versus non-participation and 2) provision of an active refusal versus a silent refusal; and systematically examine reasons for refusal in a population-based mortality followback survey. Methods Postal survey about the end-of-life care received by 1516 people who died from cancer (aged ≥18), identified through death registrations in London, England (response rate 39.3%). The informant of death (a relative in 95.3% of cases) was contacted 4–10 months after the patient died. We used multivariate logistic regression to identify factors associated with participation/active refusals and content analysis to examine refusal reasons provided by 205 nonparticipants. Findings The odds of partaking were higher for patients aged 90+ (AOR 3.48, 95%CI: 1.52–8.00, ref: 20–49yrs) and female informants (AOR 1.70, 95%CI: 1.33–2.16). Odds were lower for hospital deaths (AOR 0.62, 95%CI: 0.46–0.84, ref: home) and proxies other than spouses/partners (AORs 0.28 to 0.57). Proxies of patients born overseas were less likely to provide an active refusal (AOR 0.49; 95% CI: 0.32–0.77). Refusal reasons were often multidimensional, most commonly study-related (36.0%), proxy-related and grief-related (25.1% each). One limitation of this analysis is the large number of nonparticipants who did not provide reasons for refusal (715/920). Conclusions Our survey better reached proxies of older patients while those dying in hospitals were underrepresented. Proxy characteristics played a role, with higher participation from women and spouses/partners. More information is needed about the care received by underrepresented groups. Study design improvements may guide future questionnaire development and help develop strategies to increase

  8. Assessment of healthcare personnel knowledge of stroke care at a large referral hospital in sub-Saharan Africa - A survey based approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Chen; Vakani, Ravi; Kussin, Peter; Guhwe, Mary; Farjat, Alfredo E; Choudhury, Kingshuk; Renner, David; Oduor, Chrispine; Graffagnino, Carmelo

    2017-08-01

    There is no published literature regarding sub-Saharan health-care providers' understanding of stroke management patterns. Understanding current stroke management knowledge is important in formulating future education opportunities for providers to optimize patient outcomes. A cross-sectional survey of acute stroke diagnosis, hospital management, and secondary prevention questions was administered to health-care providers working in one large Kenyan acute referral hospital. Due to the prevalence of medical students (61.8%), an experienced-focused analysis contrasted students with more experienced providers. Providers (n=199) anonymously responded to the surveys. Among the acute diagnosis most respondents stated that stroke scales should always used (58.3% of respondents), 3h was the time period for alteplase (t-PA) (53.8% of respondents), and CT scan should be always be obtained prior to administration of anticoagulant therapy (61.3% of respondents). Neither VTE prophylaxis nor dysphagia/swallowing screening were considered to be done a majority of time. Secondary prevention results were variable. The respondent's level of clinical experience made the most difference in correctly answering the most appropriate IV Fluid to use in stroke patients (adjusted p=0.003) and the ideal initiation time for antithrombotic therapy (adjusted p=0.0017). Healthcare providers demonstrated a wide variability in their responses. Future efforts to improve stroke care in sub-Saharan Africa should include education and process improvement initiatives to focus on more specific aspects of stroke management based on the results from this survey. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Increased use of recommended maternal health care as a determinant of immunization and appropriate care for fever and diarrhoea in Ghana: an analysis pooling three demographic and health surveys.

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    McGlynn, Natalie; Wilk, Piotr; Luginaah, Isaac; Ryan, Bridget L; Thind, Amardeep

    2015-09-01

    Enhancing maternal and child health are key Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). This study examined whether increased utilization of recommended maternal health care (MHC), is associated with factors that improve children's health; specifically, complete immunization and appropriate care for fever and diarrhoea in Ghana. Data from the 1998, 2003, and 2008 Ghana Demographic and Health Surveys were pooled for a nationally representative sample of 6786 women aged 15-49 years who had a child in the previous 5 years. Children aged 12-23 months were considered fully immunized if they received all eight basic immunizations. Appropriate care for children under-five was receipt of medical treatment for fever or oral rehydration therapy for diarrhoea. The effect of recommended MHC utilization (characterized as poor, intermediate or best use) on immunization and appropriate care for fever and diarrhoea was determined through logistic regression with Andersen's Behavioural Model guiding co-variate selection. Increased MHC utilization (reference: intermediate MHC use) increased the odds of immunization [poor use: odds ratio (OR) = 0.54, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.42-0.69; best use: OR = 1.29, 95% CI: 1.01-1.67], as well as appropriate care for fever (poor use: OR = 0.55, 95% CI: 0.35-0.88; best use: OR = 1.72, 95% CI: 1.17-2.52) and diarrhoea (poor use: OR = 0.63, 95% CI: 0.43-0.93). Survey year and region also predicted each outcome. Other determinants of immunization were maternal education, ethnicity, religion, media exposure, wealth and birth weight. Determinants of appropriate care for fever included paternal education, media exposure and wealth, and for diarrhoea, child's age and birth weight. This study proposes a linkage between MDGs; initiatives to improve maternal health through promoting increased use of recommended MHC may enhance children's health-related care. This could be useful for countries with limited resources in achieving MDGs, especially in sub

  10. Use of tobacco and alcohol by Swiss primary care physicians: a cross-sectional survey

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    Künzi Beat

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Health behaviours among doctors has been suggested to be an important marker of how harmful lifestyle behaviours are perceived. In several countries, decrease in smoking among physicians was spectacular, indicating that the hazard was well known. Historical data have shown that because of their higher socio-economical status physicians take up smoking earlier. When the dangers of smoking become better known, physicians began to give up smoking at a higher rate than the general population. For alcohol consumption, the situation is quite different: prevalence is still very high among physicians and the dangers are not so well perceived. To study the situation in Switzerland, data of a national survey were analysed to determine the prevalence of smoking and alcohol drinking among primary care physicians. Methods 2'756 randomly selected practitioners were surveyed to assess subjective mental and physical health and their determinants, including smoking and drinking behaviours. Physicians were categorised as never smokers, current smokers and former smokers, as well as non drinkers, drinkers (AUDIT-C Results 1'784 physicians (65% responded (men 84%, mean age 51 years. Twelve percent were current smokers and 22% former smokers. Sixty six percent were drinkers and 30% at risk drinkers. Only 4% were never smokers and non drinkers. Forty eight percent of current smokers were also at risk drinkers and 16% of at risk drinkers were also current smokers. Smoking and at risk drinking were more frequent among men, middle aged physicians and physicians living alone. When compared to a random sample of the Swiss population, primary care physicians were two to three times less likely to be active smokers (12% vs. 30%, but were more likely to be drinkers (96% vs. 78%, and twice more likely to be at risk drinkers (30% vs. 15%. Conclusion The prevalence of current smokers among Swiss primary care physicians was much lower than in the general

  11. Health care among adults with self-reported diabetes mellitus in Brazil, National Health Survey, 2013.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malta, Deborah Carvalho; Iser, Betine Pinto Moehlecke; Chueiri, Patricia Sampaio; Stopa, Sheila Rizzato; Szwarcwald, Celia Landmann; Schmidt, Maria Inês; Duncan, Bruce Bartholow

    2015-12-01

    To describe the care measurements provided to patients with self-reported diabetes mellitus in Brazil. Data from the Brazilian National Health Survey (2013) were used. This is a cross-sectional population-based study in which the subjects with self-reported diabetes mellitus answered questions concerning their use of health services and access to medicine. The prevalence of self-reported diabetes mellitus was 6.2%, while 11.5% of the population had never undergone a glucose testing. From the adults with diabetes mellitus, 80.2% had taken medications two weeks before the interview, 57.4% used the Popular Pharmacy Program, 73.2% received medical care, and 47.1% were cared for in the Health Basic Units. In 65.2%, the physician who cared for them in the last appointment was the same from previous ones, 95.3% of the patients were able to perform the required complementary examinations, and 83.3% could go to the appointments with a specialist. About 35.6 and 29.1% of the subjects with diabetes mellitus reported feet and eyes examination, respectively. About 13.4% declared previous hospitalization owing to diabetes or any complications, and 7.0% mentioned limitations in their daily activities owing to the disease. In general, women and the elderly people, those with higher education levels, white, and those living in the south and southeastern regions showed a higher prevalence of the disease and greater access to services, medicine, and appointments. The care reported by patients with diabetes, which is essential to maintain their quality of life and prevent serious outcomes, seemed, in most cases, to be adequate.

  12. End-of-Life Care and Discussions in Japanese Geriatric Health Service Facilities: A Nationwide Survey of Managing Directors' Viewpoints.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kanoh, Asako; Kizawa, Yoshiyuki; Tsuneto, Satoru; Yokoya, Shoji

    2018-01-01

    Geriatric health service facilities (GHSFs) play important roles as intermediate care facilities for elderly individuals temporarily when they need rehabilitation before returning home. However, the number of residents spending their end-of-life (EOL) period in such facilities is increasing. To improve the quality of EOL care, end-of-life discussions (EOLDs) are recommended by some guidelines and studies. This study aimed to clarify the current practice of EOL care and EOLDs in GHSFs in Japan. We conducted a nationwide cross-sectional survey by mailing questionnaires about EOL care and EOLDs to 3437 GHSF managing directors. The questionnaire was developed through a literature review and discussion among the researchers and experts. Descriptive statistics summarized the data. We also analyzed the factors related to GHSFs conducting EOLDs using Fisher exact tests. The response rate was 20.7% (713 of 3437). Among the respondents, 75.2% (536 of 713) of GHSFs provided EOL care and 73.1% (521 of 713) conducted EOLDs. The most common reasons for difficulties in providing EOL care included the lack of EOL education for nurses and care workers, and their fear about caring for dying residents. End-of-life discussions were mostly initiated after the deterioration of a resident's condition and were conducted with families by physicians. Statistically significant factors of GHSFs conducting EOLDs included providing EOL education for nurses and care workers, availability of private room for critically ill residents, emergency on-call doctors, and EOL care. Adequate practical staff education programs for EOL care including EOLDs may be crucial for quality of end-of-life care in aged care facilities.

  13. Patient satisfaction in out-of-hospital emergency care: a multicentre survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neumayr, Agnes; Gnirke, André; Schaeuble, Joerg C; Ganter, Michael T; Sparr, Harald; Zoll, Adolf; Schinnerl, Adolf; Nuebling, Matthias; Heidegger, Thomas; Baubin, Michael

    2016-10-01

    There is only limited information on patient satisfaction with emergency medical services (EMS). The aim of this multicentre survey was to evaluate patient satisfaction in five out-of-hospital physician-based EMS in Austria and Switzerland. The psychometrically tested and standardized questionnaire 'patient satisfaction in out-of-hospital emergency care' was used for this survey. The recruitment of the patients was carried out on the basis of inclusion and exclusion criteria. All questionnaires were sent together with an invitation letter and a prepaid return envelope, followed by a reminder 2 weeks later. The descriptive statistical analysis was carried out by an external organization to maintain anonymity. The response rate of all EMS was 46.7%. High satisfaction rates were achieved for the four quality scales 'emergency call, emergency treatment, transport and hospital admission'. A significant difference was found between the Swiss and the Austrian dispatch centres in the judgement of the call takers' social skills. Patient satisfaction with the emergency treatment, for example, reduction of pain, was high in all EMS, independent of whether the EMS is physician (Austria) or physician and emergency medical assistant based (Switzerland). Lowest satisfaction rates were found for items of social skills. Patient satisfaction in out-of-hospital physician-based EMS is generally high. There is room for improvement in areas such as the social skills of dispatchers and EMS-team members and the comfort of the patients during transport. A checklist should be developed for basic articles that patients should take along to hospital and for questions on responsibilities for children, dependent people or pets.

  14. Clinical information seeking in traumatic brain injury: a survey of Veterans Health Administration polytrauma care team members.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hogan, Timothy; Martinez, Rachael; Evans, Charlesnika; Saban, Karen; Proescher, Eric; Steiner, Monica; Smith, Bridget

    2018-03-01

    The polytraumatic nature of traumatic brain injury (TBI) makes diagnosis and treatment difficult. To (1) characterise information needs among Veterans Health Administration (VHA) polytrauma care team members engaged in the diagnosis and treatment of TBI; (2) identify sources used for TBI related information; and (3) identify barriers to accessing TBI related information. Cross-sectional online survey of 236 VHA polytrauma care team members. Most respondents (95.8%) keep at least somewhat current regarding TBI, but 31.5% need more knowledge on diagnosing TBI and 51.3% need more knowledge on treating TBI. Respondents use VHA affiliated sources for information, including local colleagues (81.7%), VHA offsite conferences/meetings (78.3%) and onsite VHA educational offerings (73.6%); however, limited time due to administrative responsibilities (50.9%), limited financial resources (50.4%) and patient care (50.4%) were prominent barriers. Medical librarians are in a unique position to develop information services, resources and other electronic tools that reflect the clinical context in which polytrauma care team members practice, and the different tasks they perform. Polytrauma care team members could benefit from additional information regarding the diagnosis and treatment of TBI. Addressing their information needs and supporting their information seeking requires a mulit-pronged approach to time and financial constraints. Published 2017. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

  15. Gastro-protective strategies in primary care in Italy: the "Gas.Pro." survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bianco, Maria A; Rotondano, Gianluca; Buri, Luigi; Tessari, Francesco; Cipolletta, Livio

    2010-05-01

    Risk of gastrointestinal injury is relevant among users of anti-inflammatory or cardio-protective drugs. Adequate gastro-protection is warranted in high-risk patients. To assess the perceptions and practices of Italian primary care physicians regarding gastro-protective strategies. Nationwide cross-sectional observational study. A 14-question survey questionnaire was administered to 112 primary care physicians throughout Italy. Data collection covered consecutive outpatient candidates for the prescription of a potentially GI harmful medication, observed in the physicians' office over a 3-week period. Cohort included 3943 cases (2489 naïve and 1463 chronic NSAID/ASA users). Mean age and prevalence of cardiovascular comorbidity were significantly higher in the latter subgroup. Non-selective NSAIDs and low-dose aspirin were the most commonly prescribed drugs. Combined NSAIDS/ASA plus steroids/anticoagulant/antiplatelets were recorded in 161 cases. Helicobacter pylori status was known in only 38% of naïve and 33.2% of chronic users, being negative in 85.3% and 89.5%, respectively. When positive, H. pylori was eradicated by almost all physicians (97.9%), but in case of unknown H. pylori status, the presence of infection was investigated in only 8.6% and 14.9% of patients in the two subgroups. Gastro-protection was endorsed in 80.7% of patients, mostly PPIs (91%). In patients aged over 70, pantoprazole and lansoprazole were the preferred gastro-protective agents. There is a significant over-use of gastro-protection in the primary care setting in Italy and the role H. pylori is largely overlooked. Educational efforts should be directed to a more targeted gastro-protection only for at-risk patients as well as improved adherence to recommendations for testing and treating H. pylori infection. Copyright 2009 Editrice Gastroenterologica Italiana S.r.l. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Preparing adolescents with heart problems for transition to adult care, 2009-2010 National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Downing, Karrie F; Oster, Matthew E; Farr, Sherry L

    2017-07-01

    A substantial percentage of children with congenital heart disease (CHD) fail to transfer to adult care, resulting in increased risk of morbidity and mortality. Transition planning discussions with a provider may increase rates of transfer, yet little is known about frequency and content of these discussions. We assessed prevalence and predictors of transition-related discussions between providers and parents of children with special healthcare needs (CSHCN) and heart problems, including CHD. Using parent-reported data on 12- to 17-year-olds from the 2009-2010 National Survey of CSHCN, we calculated adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) for associations between demographic factors and provider discussions on shift to adult care, future insurance, and adult healthcare needs, weighted to generate population-based estimates. Of the 5.3% of adolescents with heart problems in our sample (n = 724), 52.8% were female, 65.3% white, 62.2% privately insured, and 37.1% had medical homes. Less than 50% had parents who discussed with providers their child's future health insurance (26.4%), shift to adult care (22.9%), and adult healthcare needs (49.0%). Transition planning did not differ between children with and without heart problems (aPR range: 1.0-1.1). Among parents of CSHCN with heart problems who did not have discussions, up to 66% desired one. Compared to 1-/13-year-olds, a larger percentage of 16-/17-year-olds had parents who discussed their shift to adult care (aPR 2.1, 95% confidence interval (CI) [1.1, 3.9]), and future insurance (aPR 1.8, 95% CI [1.1, 2.9]). Having a medical home was associated with discussing adult healthcare needs (aPR 1.5, 95% CI [1.2, 1.8]) and future insurance (aPR 1.8, 95% CI [1.3, 2.6]). Nationally, less than half of adolescents with heart problems had parents who discussed their child's transition with providers, which could be contributing to the large percentage of CHD patients who do not successfully transfer to adult care. © 2017 Wiley

  17. Do physicians understand type 2 diabetes patients' perceptions of seriousness; the emotional impact and needs for care improvement? A cross-national survey

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hajós, T.R.S.; Polonsky, W.H.; Twisk, J.W.; Dain, M.P.; Snoek, F.J.

    2011-01-01

    Objective: To explore across countries the extent to which physicians understand Type 2 diabetes patients' perceptions of seriousness, worries about complications, emotional distress, and needs for care improvement. Methods: Cross-sectional data were collected in a multinational survey (SHARED).

  18. The Intensive Care Lifeboat: a survey of lay attitudes to rationing dilemmas in neonatal intensive care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arora, C; Savulescu, J; Maslen, H; Selgelid, M; Wilkinson, D

    2016-11-08

    Resuscitation and treatment of critically ill newborn infants is associated with relatively high mortality, morbidity and cost. Guidelines relating to resuscitation have traditionally focused on the best interests of infants. There are, however, limited resources available in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), meaning that difficult decisions sometimes need to be made. This study explores the intuitions of lay people (non-health professionals) regarding resource allocation decisions in the NICU. The study design was a cross-sectional quantitative survey, consisting of 20 hypothetical rationing scenarios. There were 119 respondents who entered the questionnaire, and 109 who completed it. The respondents were adult US and Indian participants of the online crowdsourcing platform Mechanical Turk. Respondents were asked to decide which of two infants to treat in a situation of scarce resources. Demographic characteristics, personality traits and political views were recorded. Respondents were also asked to respond to a widely cited thought experiment involving rationing. The majority of respondents, in all except one scenario, chose the utilitarian option of directing treatment to the infant with the higher chance of survival, higher life expectancy, less severe disability, and less expensive treatment. As discrepancy between outcomes decreased, however, there was a statistically significant increase in egalitarian responses and decrease in utilitarian responses in scenarios involving chance of survival (P = 0.001), life expectancy (P = 0.0001), and cost of treatment (P = 0.01). In the classic 'lifeboat' scenario, all but two respondents were utilitarian. This survey suggests that in situations of scarcity and equal clinical need, non-health professionals support rationing of life-saving treatment based on probability of survival, duration of survival, cost of treatment or quality of life. However, where the difference in prognosis or cost is very

  19. The direct health-care burden of valvular heart disease: evidence from US national survey data

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Moore M

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Matt Moore,1 Jie Chen,2 Peter J Mallow,3 John A Rizzo4 1Global Health Economic Strategy, Edwards Lifesciences Inc, Irvine, CA, 2Department of Health Services and Administration, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 3Health Economics and Outcomes Research, CTI Clinical Trial & Consulting Services Inc, Cincinnati, OH, 4Department of Preventive Medicine and Economics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA Purpose: This study quantified the overall effects of aortic valve disease (AVD and mitral valve disease (MVD by disease severity on direct health-care costs to insurers and patients.Materials and methods: Based on 1996–2011 data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS, a large, nationally representative US database, multivariate analyses were performed to assess the relationship between AVD and MVD and direct annual health-care costs to insurers and patients, at individual and US-aggregate levels. Adults aged 18 years and over with diagnosis codes for AVD or MVD based on International Classification of Diseases (ninth revision diagnosis codes were identified. Subjects were further classified as symptomatic AVD, asymptomatic AVD, symptomatic MVD, and asymptomatic MVD. These classifications were determined with clinical assistance and based in part on data availability in the MEPS.Results: The MEPS database included 148 patients with AVD: 53 patients with symptomatic AVD, 95 patients with asymptomatic AVD, and 1,051 with MVD, including 315 patients with symptomatic MVD and 736 patients with asymptomatic MVD. Symptomatic AVD had the largest incremental effect on annual per patient health-care expenditure: $12,789 for symptomatic AVD, $10,816 for asymptomatic AVD, $5,163 for symptomatic MVD, and $1,755 for asymptomatic MVD. When aggregated to the US population, heart-valve disease accounted for an incremental annual cost of $23.4 billion. The largest aggregate annual costs were incurred by patients with symptomatic MVD ($7

  20. Adverse childhood experiences among children placed in and adopted from foster care: Evidence from a nationally representative survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turney, Kristin; Wildeman, Christopher

    2017-02-01

    Despite good reason to believe that children in foster care are disproportionately exposed to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), relatively little research considers exposure to ACEs among this group of vulnerable children. In this article, we use data from the 2011-2012 National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH), a nationally representative sample of non-institutionalized children ages 0-17 in the United States, to estimate the association between foster care placement and exposure to an array of ACEs. In adjusted logistic regression models, we find that children placed in foster care or adopted from foster care, compared to their counterparts, were more likely to experience parental divorce or separation, parental death, parental incarceration, parental abuse, violence exposure, household member mental illness, and household member substance abuse. These children were also more likely to experience ACEs than children across different thresholds of socioeconomic disadvantage (e.g., children in households with incomes below the poverty line) and across different family structures (e.g., children in single-mother families). These results advance our understanding of how children in foster care, an already vulnerable population, are disproportionately exposed to ACEs. This exposure, given the link between ACEs and health, may have implications for children's health and wellbeing throughout the life course. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Real-time patient survey data during routine clinical activities for rapid-cycle quality improvement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wofford, James Lucius; Campos, Claudia L; Jones, Robert E; Stevens, Sheila F

    2015-03-12

    Surveying patients is increasingly important for evaluating and improving health care delivery, but practical survey strategies during routine care activities have not been available. We examined the feasibility of conducting routine patient surveys in a primary care clinic using commercially available technology (Web-based survey creation, deployment on tablet computers, cloud-based management of survey data) to expedite and enhance several steps in data collection and management for rapid quality improvement cycles. We used a Web-based data management tool (survey creation, deployment on tablet computers, real-time data accumulation and display of survey results) to conduct four patient surveys during routine clinic sessions over a one-month period. Each survey consisted of three questions and focused on a specific patient care domain (dental care, waiting room experience, care access/continuity, Internet connectivity). Of the 727 available patients during clinic survey days, 316 patients (43.4%) attempted the survey, and 293 (40.3%) completed the survey. For the four 3-question surveys, the average time per survey was overall 40.4 seconds, with a range of 5.4 to 20.3 seconds for individual questions. Yes/No questions took less time than multiple choice questions (average 9.6 seconds versus 14.0). Average response time showed no clear pattern by order of questions or by proctor strategy, but monotonically increased with number of words in the question (30 words)-8.0, 11.8, 16.8, seconds, respectively. This technology-enabled data management system helped capture patient opinions, accelerate turnaround of survey data, with minimal impact on a busy primary care clinic. This new model of patient survey data management is feasible and sustainable in a busy office setting, supports and engages clinicians in the quality improvement process, and harmonizes with the vision of a learning health care system.

  2. When parents face the death of their child: a nationwide cross-sectional survey of parental perspectives on their child's end-of life care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zimmermann, Karin; Bergstraesser, Eva; Engberg, Sandra; Ramelet, Anne-Sylvie; Marfurt-Russenberger, Katrin; Von der Weid, Nicolas; Grandjean, Chantal; Fahrni-Nater, Patricia; Cignacco, Eva

    2016-03-09

    Parents facing the death of their child have a strong need for compassionate professional support. Care services should be based on empirical evidence, be sensitive to the needs of the families concerned, take into account the heterogeneity within the medical field of paediatrics, and fit into the local health care system. We need to better understand the perspectives of parents facing the death of their child in order to guide further development and evaluation of specialised paediatric palliative and end-of-life (EOL) care services. Questionnaire survey to assess the EOL care perspectives of a Swiss population-based sample of bereaved parents who had lost a child due to a cardiac, neurological or oncological condition, or during the neonatal period in the years 2011 or 2012. The parental perspective was assessed with a newly developed and tested instrument that was structured according to six evidence-based quality domains. Responses regarding parental experiences and perceived satisfaction are described. Differences between the four diagnostic groups are analysed using a generalized estimation equation to account for the dyadic data structure. Of 307 eligible families, 267 could be contacted and 135 (51%) consented to participate in this questionnaire survey. Our findings show positive parental experiences of their child's EOL care and high perceived satisfaction with the care their child received. Parents of a child with cancer rated their experiences highest in most of the six quality domains and reported the highest satisfaction with care. The lowest scores were mainly reported by parents from the neurology group, with the exception of the shared decision making domain, where parents of neonates reported significantly less positive experiences. Although positive in general, our study results suggest some areas for improvement. The integration of specialised paediatric palliative care has the potential to minimise lost opportunities to support and assist

  3. Measuring job satisfaction among healthcare staff in the United States: a confirmatory factor analysis of the Satisfaction of Employees in Health Care (SEHC) survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Eva; Cohen, Julia; Koethe, Benjamin; Smith, Kevin; Bir, Anupa

    2017-04-01

    To validate the Satisfaction of Employees in Health Care (SEHC) survey with multidisciplinary, healthcare staff in the United States (U.S.). A cross-sectional psychometric study using confirmatory factor analysis. The original three-factor model was tested and modified using half-samples. Models were assessed using goodness-of-fit measures. Scale reliability and validity were tested with Cronbach's α coefficient and correlation of total SEHC score with two global satisfaction items, respectively. We administered a web-based survey from January to May 2015 to healthcare staff participating in initiatives aimed at delivering better care and reducing costs. The overall response rate was 38% (N = 1089), and respondents were from 86 healthcare projects. A total of 928 respondents completed the SEHC survey in full and were used in this study. Model fit of 18 SEHC items and total SEHC score. The mean SEHC score was 77.6 (SD: 19.0). A one-factor model of job satisfaction had high loadings on all items, and demonstrated adequate model fit (second half-sample RMSEA: 0.069). The scale demonstrated high reliability (Cronbach's alpha = 0.942) and validity (r = 0.77 and 0.76, both P job satisfaction construct. The scale has adequate reliability and validity to recommend its use to assess satisfaction among multidisciplinary, U.S. healthcare staff. Our findings suggest that this survey is a good candidate for reduction to a short-form, and future research should validate this survey in other healthcare populations. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press in association with the International Society for Quality in Health Care. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

  4. Clergy as collaborators in the delivery of mental health care: an exploratory survey from Benin City, Nigeria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    James, Bawo O; Igbinomwanhia, Nosa G; Omoaregba, Joyce O

    2014-08-01

    The paucity of skilled manpower in sub-Saharan Africa limits the delivery of effective interventions for the mentally ill. Individuals with mental disorders and their caregivers frequently consult clergy when mental symptoms cause distress. There is an urgent need for collaboration with nonprofessionals in order to improve mental health care delivery and close the widening treatment gap. Using a cross-sectional descriptive method, we explored clergy's (Christian and Muslim) aetiological attributions for common mental illness (schizophrenia and depression) from Benin City, Nigeria, as well as their willingness to collaborate with mainstream mental health services. We observed that a majority of clergy surveyed were able to correctly identify mental illnesses depicted in vignettes, embraced a multifactorial model of disease causation, and expressed willingness to collaborate with mental health care workers to deliver care. Clergy with a longer duration of formal education, prior mental health training, and Catholic/Protestant denomination expressed a greater willingness to collaborate. Educational interventions are urgently required to facilitate this partnership. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

  5. Dementia Special Care Units in Residential Care Communities: United States, 2010

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... on Vital and Health Statistics Annual Reports Health Survey Research Methods Conference Reports from the National Medical Care Utilization ... dementia special care units, or in a more traditional setting where these residents are integrated with residents ...

  6. Evaluation of Patient Satisfaction Surveys in Pediatric Orthopaedics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Segal, Lee S; Plantikow, Carla; Hall, Randon; Wilson, Kristina; Shrader, M Wade

    2015-01-01

    Patient satisfaction survey scores are increasingly being tied to incentive compensation, impact how we practice medicine, influence decisions on where patients seek care, and in the future may be required for accreditation. The goal of this study is to compare the results of an internal distribution of patient satisfaction surveys at the point of care to responses received by mail in a hospital-based, high-volume pediatric orthopaedic practice. A pediatric outpatient survey is used at our institution to evaluate patient satisfaction. Surveys are randomly mailed out to families seen in our clinic by the survey vendor, and the results are determined on a quarterly basis. We distributed the same survey in a similar manner in our clinic. The results of the surveys, external/mailed (EXM) versus internal/point of care (INP) over the same 3-month time period (second quarter 2013) were compared. The survey questions are dichotomized from an ordinal scale into either excellent (9 to 10) or not excellent (0 to 8) commonly used in patient satisfaction methodology. We evaluated the raw data from the INP surveys for the question on provider rating by evaluating the mean score, the standard excellent response (9 to 10), and an expanded excellent response (8 to 10). Response rate was 72/469 (15.4%) for EXM, and 231/333 (69.4%) for INP. An excellent response for the "rating your provider" question was 72.2% (EXM) versus 84.8% (INP) (P=0.015). Our analysis of the raw data (INP) has a mean rating of 9.42. The expanded scale (8 to 10) for an excellent response increased the provider rating to 94.4% (P=0.001). Waiting time response within 15 minutes was the only item that correlated with rating of provider (P=0.02). For the majority of the items, the INP responses were consistently higher than the EXM responses, including 6/7 responses that were statistically significant (Ppatient satisfaction surveys will be important in determining health care outcomes. Properly designed and

  7. Exploring preferences for symptom management in primary care: a discrete choice experiment using a questionnaire survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McAteer, Anne; Yi, Deokhee; Watson, Verity; Norwood, Patricia; Ryan, Mandy; Hannaford, Philip C; Elliott, Alison M

    2015-07-01

    Symptoms are important drivers for the use of primary care services. Strategies aimed at shifting the focus away from the GP have broadened the range of primary healthcare available. To explore preferences for managing symptoms and investigate trade-offs that the public are willing to make when deciding between different primary care services. UK-wide postal questionnaire survey of 1370 adults. A discrete choice experiment examined management preferences for three symptoms of differing seriousness (diarrhoea, dizziness, and chest pain). Willingness-to-pay estimates compared preferences between symptoms, and by sex, age, and income. Preferences differed significantly between symptoms. 'Self-care' was the preferred action for diarrhoea and 'consulting a GP' for dizziness and chest pain. 'Waiting time' and 'chance of a satisfactory outcome' were important factors for all three symptoms, although their relative importance differed. Broadly, people were more prepared to wait longer and less prepared to trade a good chance of a satisfactory outcome for symptoms rated as more serious. Generally, preferences within subgroups followed similar patterns as for the whole sample, although there were differences in the relative strength of preferences. Despite increased choices in primary care, 'traditional' actions of 'self-care' for minor symptoms and 'GP consultation' for more serious symptoms were preferred. The present findings suggest, however, that people may be willing to trade between different health services, particularly for less serious symptoms. Understanding the relative importance of different factors may help inform interventions aimed at changing management behaviour or improving services. © British Journal of General Practice 2015.

  8. Characteristics of service users and provider organisations associated with experience of out of hours general practitioner care in England: population based cross sectional postal questionnaire survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Warren, Fiona C; Abel, Gary; Lyratzopoulos, Georgios; Elliott, Marc N; Richards, Suzanne; Barry, Heather E; Roland, Martin; Campbell, John L

    2015-04-29

    To investigate the experience of users of out of hours general practitioner services in England, UK. Population based cross sectional postal questionnaire survey. General Practice Patient Survey 2012-13. Potential associations between sociodemographic factors (including ethnicity and ability to take time away from work during working hours to attend a healthcare consultation) and provider organisation type (not for profit, NHS, or commercial) and service users' experience of out of hours care (timeliness, confidence and trust in the out of hours clinician, and overall experience of the service), rated on a scale of 0-100. Which sociodemographic/provider characteristics were associated with service users' experience, the extent to which any observed differences could be because of clustering of service users of a particular sociodemographic group within poorer scoring providers, and the extent to which observed differences in experience varied across types of provider. The overall response rate was 35%; 971,232/2,750,000 patients returned surveys. Data from 902,170 individual service users were mapped through their registered practice to one of 86 providers of out of hours GP care with known organisation type. Commercial providers of out of hours GP care were associated with poorer reports of overall experience of care, with a mean difference of -3.13 (95% confidence interval -4.96 to -1.30) compared with not for profit providers. Asian service users reported lower scores for all three experience outcomes than white service users (mean difference for overall experience of care -3.62, -4.36 to -2.89), as did service users who were unable to take time away from work compared with service users who did not work (mean difference for overall experience of care -4.73, -5.29 to -4.17). Commercial providers of out of hours GP care were associated with poorer experience of care. Targeted interventions aimed at improving experience for patients from ethnic minorities and

  9. Health system responsiveness and chronic disease care - What is the role of disease management programs? An analysis based on cross-sectional survey and administrative claims data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Röttger, Julia; Blümel, Miriam; Linder, Roland; Busse, Reinhard

    2017-07-01

    Health system responsiveness is an important aspect of health systems performance. The concept of responsiveness relates to the interpersonal and contextual aspects of health care. While disease management programs (DMPs) aim to improve the quality of health care (e.g. by improving the coordination of care), it has not been analyzed yet whether these programs improve the perceived health system responsiveness. Our study aims to close this gap by analyzing the differences in the perceived health system responsiveness between DMP-participants and non-participants. We used linked survey- and administrative claims data from 7037 patients with coronary heart disease in Germany. Of those, 5082 were enrolled and 1955 were not enrolled in the DMP. Responsiveness was assessed with an adapted version of the WHO responsiveness questionnaire in a postal survey in 2013. The survey covered 9 dimensions of responsiveness and included 17 items for each, GP and specialist care. Each item had five answer categories (very good - very bad). We handled missing values in the covariates by multiple imputation and applied propensity score matching (PSM) to control for differences between the two groups (DMP/non-DMP). We used Wilcoxon-signed-rank and McNemar test to analyze differences regarding the reported responsiveness. The PSM led to a matched and well balanced sample of 1921 pairs. Overall, DMP-participants rated the responsiveness of care more positive. The main difference was found for the coordination of care at the GP, with 62.0% of 1703 non-participants reporting a "good" or "very good" experience, compared to 69.1% of 1703 participants (p < 0.001). The results of our study indicate an overall high responsiveness for CHD-care, as well for DMP-participants as for non-participants. Yet, the results also clearly indicate that there is still a need to improve the coordination of care. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Exploring Integration of Care for Children Living with Complex Care Needs across the European Union and European Economic Area.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brenner, Maria; O'Shea, Miriam; J Larkin, Philip; Kamionka, Stine Lundstroem; Berry, Jay; Hiscock, Harriet; Rigby, Michael; Blair, Mitch

    2017-04-24

    The aim of this paper is to report on the development of surveys to explore integration of care for children living with complex care needs across the European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA). Each survey consists of a vignette and questions adapted from the Standards for Systems of Care for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs and the Eurobarometer Survey . A Country Agent in each country, a local expert in child health services, will obtain data from indigenous sources. We identified 'in-principle' complex problems and adapted surveys to capture care integration. We expect to get rich data to understand perceptions and to inform actions for a number of complex health issues. The study has the potential to make a wide contribution to individual countries of the EU/EEA to understand their own integration of services mapped against responses from other member states. Early results are expected in Spring 2017.

  11. Skilled delivery care service utilization in Ethiopia: analysis of rural-urban differentials based on national demographic and health survey (DHS) data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fekadu, Melaku; Regassa, Nigatu

    2014-12-01

    Despite the slight progress made on Antenatal Care (ANC) utilization, skilled delivery care service utilization in Ethiopia is still far-below any acceptable standards. Only 10% of women receive assistance from skilled birth attendants either at home or at health institutions, and as a result the country is recording a high maternal mortality ratio (MMR) of 676 per 100,000 live births (EDHS, 2011). Hence, this study aimed at identifying the rural-urban differentials in the predictors of skilled delivery care service utilization in Ethiopia. The study used the recent Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS 2011) data. Women who had at least one birth in the five years preceding the survey were included in this study. The data were analyzed using univariate (percentage), bivariate (chi-square) and multivariate (Bayesian logistic regression). The results showed that of the total 6,641 women, only 15.6% received skilled delivery care services either at home or at health institution. Rural women were at greater disadvantage to receive the service. Only 4.5% women in rural areas received assistance from skilled birth attendants (SBAs) compared to 64.1 % of their urban counter parts. Through Bayesian logistic regression analysis, place of residence, ANC utilization, women's education, age and birth order were identified as key predictors of service utilization. The findings highlight the need for coordinated effort from government and stakeholders to improve women's education, as well as strengthen community participation. Furthermore, the study recommended the need to scale up the quality of ANC and family planning services backed by improved and equitable access, availability and quality of skilled delivery care services.

  12. Rationale, design and conduct of a randomised controlled trial evaluating a primary care-based complex intervention to improve the quality of life of heart failure patients: HICMan (Heidelberg Integrated Case Management

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Muth Christiane

    2007-08-01

    version of the Patient Chronic Illness Assessment of Care questionnaire (PACIC and NT-proBNP. In addition, comprehensive clinical data are collected about health status, comorbidity, medication and health care utilisation. Discussion As the targeted patient group is mostly cared for and treated by GPs, a comprehensive primary care-based guideline implementation including somatic, psychosomatic and organisational aspects of the delivery of care (HICMAn is a promising intervention applying proven strategies for optimal care. Trial registration Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN30822978.

  13. The role of advance directives in end-of-life decisions in Austria: survey of intensive care physicians

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Schopper Andrea

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Currently, intensive care medicine strives to define a generally accepted way of dealing with end-of-life decisions, therapy limitation and therapy discontinuation. In 2006 a new advance directive legislation was enacted in Austria. Patients may now document their personal views regarding extension of treatment. The aim of this survey was to explore Austrian intensive care physicians' experiences with and their acceptance of the new advance directive legislation two years after enactment (2008. Methods Under the aegis of the OEGARI (Austrian Society of Anaesthesiology, Resuscitation and Intensive Care an anonymised questionnaire was sent to the medical directors of all intensive care units in Austria. The questions focused on the physicians' experiences regarding advance directives and their level of knowledge about the underlying legislation. Results There were 241 questionnaires sent and 139 were turned, which was a response rate of 58%. About one third of the responders reported having had no experience with advance directives and only 9 directors of intensive care units had dealt with more than 10 advance directives in the previous two years. Life-supporting measures, resuscitation, and mechanical ventilation were the predominantly refused therapies, wishes were mainly expressed concerning pain therapy. Conclusion A response rate of almost 60% proves the great interest of intensive care professionals in making patient-oriented end-of-life decisions. However, as long as patients do not make use of their right of co-determination, the enactment of the new law can be considered only a first important step forward.

  14. Evolution of the basalts from three back-arc basins of southwest Pacific

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Mudholkar, A.V.; Paropkari, A.L.

    London: Blackie, pp 63}93 Parson LM, Pearce JA, Murton BJ, Hodkinson RA, and RRS Charles Darwin Scienti"c Party (1990) Role of ridge jumps and ridge propagation in the tectonic evolution of the Lau back-arc basin, southwest Paci"c. Geology, 18:470}473 Per...

  15. An entropy based analysis of the relationship between the DOW JONES Index and the TRNA Sentiment series

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    D.E. Allen (David); M.J. McAleer (Michael); A.K. Singh (Abhay)

    2016-01-01

    textabstractThis paper features an analysis of the relationship between the DOW JONES Industrial Average Index (DJIA) and a sentiment news series using daily data obtained from the Thomson Reuters News Analytics (TRNA)1 provided by SIRCA (The Securities Industry Research Centre of the Asia Pacic).

  16. Feasibility of a self-administered survey to identify primary care patients at risk of medication-related problems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Makowsky MJ

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available Mark J Makowsky,1 Andrew J Cave,2 Scot H Simpson1 1Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada Background and objectives: Pharmacists working in primary care clinics are well positioned to help optimize medication management of community-dwelling patients who are at high risk of experiencing medication-related problems. However, it is often difficult to identify these patients. Our objective was to test the feasibility of a self-administered patient survey, to facilitate identification of patients at high risk of medication-related problems in a family medicine clinic. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional, paper-based survey at the University of Alberta Hospital Family Medicine Clinic in Edmonton, Alberta, which serves approximately 7,000 patients, with 25,000 consultations per year. Adult patients attending the clinic were invited to complete a ten-item questionnaire, adapted from previously validated surveys, while waiting to be seen by the physician. Outcomes of interest included: time to complete the questionnaire, staff feedback regarding impact on workflow, and the proportion of patients who reported three or more risk factors for medication-related problems. Results: The questionnaire took less than 5 minutes to complete, according to the patient's report on the last page of the questionnaire. The median age (and interquartile range of respondents was 57 (45–69 years; 59% were women; 47% reported being in very good or excellent health; 43 respondents of 100 had three or more risk factors, and met the definition for being at high risk of a medication-related problem. Conclusions: Distribution of a self-administered questionnaire did not disrupt patients, or the clinic workflow, and identified an important proportion of patients at high risk of medication-related problems. Keywords: screening tool, pharmacists, primary

  17. A Look at Person- and Family-Centered Care Among Older Adults: Results from a National Survey [corrected].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wolff, Jennifer L; Boyd, Cynthia M

    2015-10-01

    Person-centered and family-centered care represents the pinnacle of health care quality, but delivering it is challenging, as is assessing whether it has occurred. Prior studies portray older adults as passive in health decisions and burdened by care-but emphasize age-based differences or focus on vulnerable subgroups. We aimed to examine domains of person-centered and family-centered care among older adults and whether the social context in which older adults manage their health relates to preferences for participating in health decisions and experiences with care. This was an observational study of a nationally representative survey of adults aged 65+ years, conducted in concert with the 2012 National Health and Aging Trends Study (n = 2040). Approach to managing health (self-manage, co-manage, delegate); preferences for making health care decisions with: (1) doctors, (2) family/close friends; and experiences with care pertaining to treatment burden were measured. Approximately two-thirds of older adults self-manage (69.4 %) and one-third co-manage (19.6 %) or delegate (11.0 %) health care activities. The majority prefer an independent or shared role when making health decisions with doctors (84.7 %) and family/close friends (95.9 %). Nearly four in ten older adults (37.9 %) experience treatment burden-that managing health care activities are sometimes or often hard for either them or their family/close friends, that health care activities get delayed or don't get done, or that they are cumulatively too much to do. Relative to older adults who self-manage, those who delegate health care activities are more likely to prefer to share or leave health decisions to doctors (aOR = 1.79 (95 % CI, 1.37-2.33) and family/close friends (aOR = 3.12 (95 % CI, 2.23-4.36), and are more likely to experience treatment burden (aOR = 2.37 (95 % CI, 1.61-3.47). Attaining person-centered and family-centered care will require strategies that respect diverse decision

  18. The Patterns of Care Survey of radiation therapy in localized prostate cancer: Similarities between the practice nationally and in minority-rich areas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zietman, Anthony; Moughan, Jennifer; Owen, Jean; Hanks, Gerald

    2001-01-01

    Purpose: Over the last two decades, the chance for the cure of localized prostate cancer by radiation has been improved by the widespread use of PSA for early detection and by a number of technical advances in treatment delivery. This study was designed to determine whether the stage of presentation and the quality of radiation treatment delivered are comparable between Caucasian and minority patients nationally and within minority-rich areas. Methods and Materials: A random survey conducted for the Patterns of Care Study in Radiation Oncology of 80 facilities treating patients with radiation in the USA. Of these, 67 comprise the 'National Survey' and 13 a 'Minority-Rich' survey (>40% of treated patients are minorities). Nine hundred twenty-six men with localized prostate cancer were treated in 1994. Five hundred ninety-five were in the national and 331 in the minority-rich survey. The main outcome measures were the clinical features of Caucasian and minority men at presentation and technical characteristics of the treatment delivered to them. Results: African-American men presented with more advanced disease (higher-presenting PSA and T-stage) than Caucasians in both the national and the minority-rich surveys. Hispanics also presented with later disease and could be grouped with African-American men rather than Caucasians. Overall the stage and PSA at presentation was earlier than seen in the previous Patterns of Care Study survey of 1989. The quality of treatment delivered has improved since 1989, with no distinction seen between those facilities sampled nationally and those within minority-rich areas. Conclusion: African-American and Hispanic men with prostate cancer present for therapy at a later stage than Caucasian men, but when they do, the treatment received is of comparable quality

  19. Explaining health care expenditure variation: large-sample evidence using linked survey and health administrative data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ellis, Randall P; Fiebig, Denzil G; Johar, Meliyanni; Jones, Glenn; Savage, Elizabeth

    2013-09-01

    Explaining individual, regional, and provider variation in health care spending is of enormous value to policymakers but is often hampered by the lack of individual level detail in universal public health systems because budgeted spending is often not attributable to specific individuals. Even rarer is self-reported survey information that helps explain this variation in large samples. In this paper, we link a cross-sectional survey of 267 188 Australians age 45 and over to a panel dataset of annual healthcare costs calculated from several years of hospital, medical and pharmaceutical records. We use this data to distinguish between cost variations due to health shocks and those that are intrinsic (fixed) to an individual over three years. We find that high fixed expenditures are positively associated with age, especially older males, poor health, obesity, smoking, cancer, stroke and heart conditions. Being foreign born, speaking a foreign language at home and low income are more strongly associated with higher time-varying expenditures, suggesting greater exposure to adverse health shocks. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  20. Health care seeking behavior for diarrhea in children under 5 in rural Niger: results of a cross-sectional survey

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Djibo Ali

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Diarrhea remains the second leading cause of death in children under 5 years of age in sub-Saharan Africa. Health care seeking behavior for diarrhea varies by context and has important implications for developing appropriate care strategies and estimating burden of disease. The objective of this study was to determine the proportion of children under five with diarrhea who consulted at a health structure in order to identify the appropriate health care levels to set up surveillance of severe diarrheal diseases. Methods A cluster survey was done on 35 clusters of 21 children under 5 years of age in each of four districts of the Maradi Region, Niger. Caretakers were asked about diarrhea of the child during the recall period and their health seeking behavior in case of diarrhea. A weighted cluster analysis was conducted to determine the prevalence of diarrhea, as well as the proportion of consultations and types of health structures consulted. Results In total, the period prevalence of diarrhea and severe diarrhea between April 24th and May 21st 2009 were 36.8% (95% CI: 33.7 - 40.0 and 3.4% (95% CI: 2.2-4.6, respectively. Of those reporting an episode of diarrhea during the recall period, 70.4% (95% CI: 66.6-74.1 reported seeking care at a health structure. The main health structures visited were health centers, followed by health posts both for simple or severe diarrhea. Less than 10% of the children were brought to the hospital. The proportion of consultations was not associated with the level of education of the caretaker, but increased with the number of children in the household. Conclusions The proportion of consultations for diarrhea cases in children under 5 years old was higher than those reported in previous surveys in Niger and elsewhere. Free health care for under 5 years old might have participated in this improvement. In this type of decentralized health systems, the WHO recommended hospital-based surveillance of

  1. Obstetric care and method of delivery in Mexico: results from the 2012 National Health and Nutrition Survey.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ileana Heredia-Pi

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To identify the current clinical, socio-demographic and obstetric factors associated with the various types of delivery strategies in Mexico. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study based on the 2012 National Health and Nutrition Survey (ENSANUT of 6,736 women aged 12 to 49 years. Delivery types discussed in this paper include vaginal delivery, emergency cesarean section and planned cesarean section. Using bivariate analyses, sub-population group differences were identified. Logistic regression models were applied, including both binary and multinomial outcome variables from the survey. The logistic regression results identify those covariates associated with the type of delivery. RESULTS: 53.1% of institutional births in the period 2006 through 2012 were vaginal deliveries, 46.9% were either a planned or emergency cesarean sections. The highest rates of this procedure were among women who reported a complication during delivery (OR: 4.21; 95%CI: 3.66-4.84, between the ages of 35 and 49 at the time of their last child birth (OR: 2.54; 95%CI: 2.02-3.20 and women receiving care through private healthcare providers during delivery (OR: 2.36; 95%CI: 1.84-3.03. CONCLUSIONS: The existence of different socio-demographic and obstetric profiles among women who receive care for vaginal or cesarean delivery, are supported by the findings of the present study. The frequency of vaginal delivery is higher in indigenous women, when the care provider is public and, in women with two or more children at time of the most recent child birth. Planned cesarean deliveries are positively associated with years of schooling, a higher socioeconomic level, and higher age. The occurrence of emergency cesarean sections is elevated in women with a diagnosis of a health issue during pregnancy or delivery, and it is reduced in highly marginalized settings.

  2. Obstetric care and method of delivery in Mexico: results from the 2012 National Health and Nutrition Survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heredia-Pi, Ileana; Servan-Mori, Edson E; Wirtz, Veronika J; Avila-Burgos, Leticia; Lozano, Rafael

    2014-01-01

    To identify the current clinical, socio-demographic and obstetric factors associated with the various types of delivery strategies in Mexico. This is a cross-sectional study based on the 2012 National Health and Nutrition Survey (ENSANUT) of 6,736 women aged 12 to 49 years. Delivery types discussed in this paper include vaginal delivery, emergency cesarean section and planned cesarean section. Using bivariate analyses, sub-population group differences were identified. Logistic regression models were applied, including both binary and multinomial outcome variables from the survey. The logistic regression results identify those covariates associated with the type of delivery. 53.1% of institutional births in the period 2006 through 2012 were vaginal deliveries, 46.9% were either a planned or emergency cesarean sections. The highest rates of this procedure were among women who reported a complication during delivery (OR: 4.21; 95%CI: 3.66-4.84), between the ages of 35 and 49 at the time of their last child birth (OR: 2.54; 95%CI: 2.02-3.20) and women receiving care through private healthcare providers during delivery (OR: 2.36; 95%CI: 1.84-3.03). The existence of different socio-demographic and obstetric profiles among women who receive care for vaginal or cesarean delivery, are supported by the findings of the present study. The frequency of vaginal delivery is higher in indigenous women, when the care provider is public and, in women with two or more children at time of the most recent child birth. Planned cesarean deliveries are positively associated with years of schooling, a higher socioeconomic level, and higher age. The occurrence of emergency cesarean sections is elevated in women with a diagnosis of a health issue during pregnancy or delivery, and it is reduced in highly marginalized settings.

  3. Open Notes in Swedish Psychiatric Care (Part 1): Survey Among Psychiatric Care Professionals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petersson, Lena; Erlingsdóttir, Gudbjörg

    2018-02-02

    When the Swedish version of Open Notes, an electronic health record (EHR) service that allows patients online access, was introduced in hospitals, primary care, and specialized care in 2012, psychiatric care was exempt. This was because psychiatric notes were considered too sensitive for patient access. However, as the first region in Sweden, Region Skåne added adult psychiatry to its Open Notes service in 2015. This made it possible to carry out a unique baseline study to investigate how different health care professionals (HCPs) in adult psychiatric care in the region expect Open Notes to impact their patients and their practice. This is the first of two papers about the implementation of Open Notes in adult psychiatric care in Region Skåne. The objective of this study was to describe, compare, and discuss how different HCPs in adult psychiatric care in Region Skåne expect Open Notes to impact their patients and their own practice. A full population Web-based questionnaire was distributed to psychiatric care professionals in Region Skåne in late 2015. The response rate was 28.86% (871/3017). Analyses show that the respondents were representative of the staff as a whole. A statistical analysis examined the relationships between different professionals and attitudes to the Open Notes service. The results show that the psychiatric HCPs are generally of the opinion that the service would affect their own practice and their patients negatively. The most striking result was that more than 60% of both doctors (80/132, 60.6%) and psychologists (55/90, 61%) were concerned that they would be less candid in their documentation in the future. Open Notes can increase the transparency between patients and psychiatric HCPs because patients are able to access their EHRs online without delay and thus, can read notes that have not yet been approved by the responsible HCP. This may be one explanation as to why HCPs are concerned that the service will affect both their own work

  4. Knowledge, attitude, willingness and readiness of primary health care providers to provide oral health services to children in Niagara, Ontario: a cross-sectional survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singhal, Sonica; Figueiredo, Rafael; Dupuis, Sandy; Skellet, Rachel; Wincott, Tara; Dyer, Carolyn; Feller, Andrea; Quiñonez, Carlos

    2017-01-01

    Most children are exposed to medical, but not dental, care at an early age, making primary health care providers an important player in the reduction of tooth decay. The goal of this research was to understand the feasibility of using primary health care providers in promoting oral health by assessing their knowledge, attitude, willingness and readiness in this regard. Using the Dillman method, a mail-in cross-sectional survey was conducted among all family physicians and pediatricians in the Niagara region of Ontario who have primary contact with children. A descriptive analysis was performed. Close to 70% (181/265) of providers responded. More than 90% know that untreated tooth decay could affect the general health of a child. More than 80% examine the oral cavity for more than 50% of their child patients. However, more than 50% are not aware that white spots or lines on the tooth surface are the first signs of tooth decay. Lack of clinical time was the top reason for not performing oral disease prevention measures. Overall, survey responses show a positive attitude and willingness to engage in the oral health of children. To capitalize on this, there is a need to identify mechanisms of providing preventive oral health care services by primary health care providers; including improving their knowledge of oral health and addressing other potential barriers.

  5. Staff perceptions of end-of-life care in the acute care setting: a New Zealand perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sheward, Karen; Clark, Jean; Marshall, Bridget; Allan, Simon

    2011-05-01

    Understanding current end of life (EOL) care delivery in acute care is an important prerequisite to positively influencing practice, and published New Zealand (NZ) and international data are limited. Therefore, staff perceptions of EOL care in the hospital setting were investigated via survey. This article presents key findings. A total of 610 staff members in a 194-bed regional hospital were surveyed regarding their perceptions of EOL care, which yielded a response rate of 29% with 179 surveys returned. Respondents were from medical, nursing, and allied health staff working in medical, surgical, elder health, and a regional cancer treatment service. Responses to Likert scale statements regarding the Care of the dying, Communication, Teamwork, Documentation, Attitudes to death and dying in the workplace, and Barriers to the care of patients, their whānau (a NZ Māori word that refers to extended family or family group), and families frequently contrasted with additional and explanatory comments. The thematic analysis of written text identified five themes: The reality of care, The team dynamic, The direction of care, Knowledge and education, and Environmental and organizational factors. The quality and timeliness of EOL care was significantly influenced by the elements informing the themes and the pervasive nature and importance of communication. Meeting the needs of dying patients in acute care was complex but a significant priority for staff.

  6. Nurses' Needs for Care Robots in Integrated Nursing Care Services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Jai-Yon; Song, Young Ae; Jung, Ji Young; Kim, Hyun Jeong; Kim, Bo Ram; Do, Hyun-Kyung; Lim, Jae-Young

    2018-05-13

    To determine the need for care robots among nurses and to suggest how robotic care should be prioritized in an integrated nursing care services. Korea is expected to be a super-aged society by 2030. To solve care issues with elderly inpatient caused by informal caregivers, the government introduced 'integrated nursing care services'; these are comprehensive care systems staffed by professionally trained nurses. To assist them, a care robot development project has been launched. The study applied a cross-sectional survey. In 2016, we conducted a multi-center survey involving 302 registered nurses in five hospitals including three tertiary and two secondary hospitals in Korea. The questionnaire consisted of general characteristics of nurses and their views on and extents of agreement about issues associated with robotic care. Trial center nurses and those with ≥10 years of experience reported positively on the prospects for robotic care. The top three desired primary roles for care robots were 'measuring/monitoring', 'mobility/activity' and 'safety care'. 'Reduction in workload', especially in terms of 'other nursing services' which were categorized as non-value-added nursing activities, was the most valued feature. The nurses approved of the aid by care robots but were concerned about device malfunction and interruption of rapport with patients. Care robots are expected to be effective in integrated nursing care services, particularly in 'measuring/monitoring'. Such robots should decrease nurses' workload and minimize non-value-added nursing activities efficiently. No matter how excellent care robots are, they must co-operate with and be controlled by nurses. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  7. The effect of non-response on estimates of health care utilisation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gundgaard, Jens; Ekholm, Orla; Hansen, Ebba Holme

    2008-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Non-response in health surveys may lead to bias in estimates of health care utilisation. The magnitude, direction and composition of the bias are usually not well known. When data from health surveys are merged with data from registers at the individual level, analyses can reveal non......-response bias. Our aim was to estimate the composition, direction and magnitude of non-response bias in the estimation of health care costs in two types of health interview surveys. METHODS: The surveys were (1) a national personal interview survey of 22 484 Danes (2) a telephone interview survey of 5000 Danes...... living in Funen County. Data were linked with register information on health care utilisation in hospitals and primary care. Health care utilisation was estimated for respondents and non-respondents, and the difference was explained by a decomposition method of bias components. RESULTS: The surveys...

  8. A survey of body practices and primary health care in a district of São Paulo, Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yara M. Carvalho

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available The present study surveyed the profile of people who did or did not take part in programs and activities in primary healthcare units in the Butantã district, the city of São Paulo, Brazil. The rationale for the study was the concept of body practice understood as a practice of health and care. A semi-structured questionnaire was applied to 1090 individuals mostly middle-aged housewives. Only 5.78% of respondents were enrolled in some program and activities, mainly walking and stretching. There was a consensus between participants and non-participants on the importance of initiatives geared to care for the body and attention to health. The difficulties for having access to programs and the lack of options in the health public service were pointed out as the main obstacles for a greater involvement by local population.

  9. Patient safety, satisfaction, and quality of hospital care: cross sectional surveys of nurses and patients in 12 countries in Europe and the United States.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aiken, Linda H; Sermeus, Walter; Van den Heede, Koen; Sloane, Douglas M; Busse, Reinhard; McKee, Martin; Bruyneel, Luk; Rafferty, Anne Marie; Griffiths, Peter; Moreno-Casbas, Maria Teresa; Tishelman, Carol; Scott, Anne; Brzostek, Tomasz; Kinnunen, Juha; Schwendimann, Rene; Heinen, Maud; Zikos, Dimitris; Sjetne, Ingeborg Strømseng; Smith, Herbert L; Kutney-Lee, Ann

    2012-03-20

    To determine whether hospitals with a good organisation of care (such as improved nurse staffing and work environments) can affect patient care and nurse workforce stability in European countries. Cross sectional surveys of patients and nurses. Nurses were surveyed in general acute care hospitals (488 in 12 European countries; 617 in the United States); patients were surveyed in 210 European hospitals and 430 US hospitals. 33 659 nurses and 11 318 patients in Europe; 27 509 nurses and more than 120 000 patients in the US. Nurse outcomes (hospital staffing, work environments, burnout, dissatisfaction, intention to leave job in the next year, patient safety, quality of care), patient outcomes (satisfaction overall and with nursing care, willingness to recommend hospitals). The percentage of nurses reporting poor or fair quality of patient care varied substantially by country (from 11% (Ireland) to 47% (Greece)), as did rates for nurses who gave their hospital a poor or failing safety grade (4% (Switzerland) to 18% (Poland)). We found high rates of nurse burnout (10% (Netherlands) to 78% (Greece)), job dissatisfaction (11% (Netherlands) to 56% (Greece)), and intention to leave (14% (US) to 49% (Finland, Greece)). Patients' high ratings of their hospitals also varied considerably (35% (Spain) to 61% (Finland, Ireland)), as did rates of patients willing to recommend their hospital (53% (Greece) to 78% (Switzerland)). Improved work environments and reduced ratios of patients to nurses were associated with increased care quality and patient satisfaction. In European hospitals, after adjusting for hospital and nurse characteristics, nurses with better work environments were half as likely to report poor or fair care quality (adjusted odds ratio 0.56, 95% confidence interval 0.51 to 0.61) and give their hospitals poor or failing grades on patient safety (0.50, 0.44 to 0.56). Each additional patient per nurse increased the odds of nurses reporting poor or fair

  10. A Nationwide Survey of Quality of End-of-Life Cancer Care in Designated Cancer Centers, Inpatient Palliative Care Units, and Home Hospices in Japan: The J-HOPE Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miyashita, Mitsunori; Morita, Tatsuya; Sato, Kazuki; Tsuneto, Satoru; Shima, Yasuo

    2015-07-01

    End-of-life (EOL) cancer care in general hospitals and home care has not previously been evaluated in Japan. This study aimed to evaluate EOL cancer care from the perspective of bereaved family members in nationwide designated cancer centers, inpatient palliative care units (PCUs), and home hospices in Japan. We conducted a cross-sectional, anonymous, self-report questionnaire survey for bereaved family members of cancer patients in March 2008 for 56 designated cancer centers and in June 2007 for 100 PCUs and 14 home hospices. Outcomes were overall care satisfaction, structure and process of care (Care Evaluation Scale), and achievement of a good death (Good Death Inventory). In designated cancer centers, PCUs, and home hospices, 2794 (response rate 59%), 5312 (response rate 69%), and 292 (response rate 67%) bereaved family members participated, respectively. Mean scores for overall care satisfaction were high for all places of death, at 4.3 ± 1.2 for designated cancer centers, 5.0 ± 1.2 for PCUs, and 5.0 ± 1.0 for home hospices. Designated cancer centers showed significantly lower ratings than PCUs and home hospices for structure and process of care and achievement of a good death (P = 0.0001 each). Home hospices were rated significantly higher than PCUs for achievement of a good death (P = 0.0001). The main findings of this study were: (1) overall, bereaved family members were satisfied with end-of-life care in all three places of death; (2) designated cancer centers were inferior to PCUs and home hospices and had more room for improvement; and 3) home hospices were rated higher than PCUs for achieving a good death, although home hospices remain uncommon in Japan. Copyright © 2015 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Perceived Barriers to Implementing Individual Choosing Wisely® Recommendations in Two National Surveys of Primary Care Providers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zikmund-Fisher, Brian J; Kullgren, Jeffrey T; Fagerlin, Angela; Klamerus, Mandi L; Bernstein, Steven J; Kerr, Eve A

    2017-02-01

    While some research has examined general attitudes about efforts to reduce overutilization of services, such as the Choosing Wisely ® (CW) initiative, little data exists regarding primary care providers' attitudes regarding individual recommendations. We sought to identify whether particular CW recommendations were perceived by primary care providers as difficult to follow, difficult for patients to accept, or both. Two national surveys, one by mail to a random sample of 2000 U.S. primary care physicians in November 2013, and the second electronically to a random sample of 2500 VA primary care providers (PCPs) in October-December 2014. A total of 603 U.S. primary care physicians and 1173 VA primary care providers. Response rates were 34 and 48 %, respectively. PCP ratings of whether 12 CW recommendations for screening, testing and treatments applicable to adult primary care were difficult to follow and difficult for patients to accept; and ratings of potential barriers to reducing overutilization. For four recommendations regarding not screening or testing in asymptomatic patients, less than 20 % of PCPs found the CW recommendations difficult to accept (range 7.2-16.6 %) or difficult for patients to follow (12.2-19.3 %). For five recommendations regarding testing or treatment for symptomatic conditions, however, there was both variation in reported difficulty to follow (9.8-32 %) and a high level of reported difficulty for patients to accept (35.7-87.1 %). The most frequently reported barriers to reducing overuse included malpractice concern, patient requests for services, lack of time for shared decision making, and the number of tests recommended by specialists. While PCPs found many CW recommendations easy to follow, they felt that some, especially those for symptomatic conditions, would be difficult for patients to accept. Overcoming PCPs' perceptions of patient acceptability will require approaches beyond routine physician education, feedback and

  12. Patient Satisfaction with Kimbrough Ambulatory Care Center

    Science.gov (United States)

    1997-02-01

    few are going to opt to change health plans. 14. SUBJECT TERMS PATIENT SATISFACTION; CONSUMER SATISFACTION; SURVEY 15. NUMBER OF PAGES 57 16...to address is overall patient satisfaction with Kimbrough’s current health care system. I surveyed customers on: how satisfied or dissatisfied they...research project was designed to determine how satisfied customers are with Kimbrough Ambulatory Care Center. A patient satisfaction survey developed by

  13. Pharmacy Students' Attitudes Toward Death and End-of-life Care

    Science.gov (United States)

    Broeseker, Amy E.

    2010-01-01

    Objectives To assess pharmacy students' attitudes toward death and end-of-life care. Methods Third-year pharmacy students enrolled in the Ethics in Christianity and Health Care course were administered a survey instrument prior to introduction of the topic of end-of-life care. Students' attitudes toward different professions' roles in end-of-life care and their comfort in discussing end-of-life issues were assessed. The survey instrument was readministered to the same students at the end of their fourth year. Results On most survey items, female students responded more favorably toward death and end-of-life care than male students. One exception was the perceived emotional ability to be in the room of a dying patient or loved one. Post-experiential survey responses were generally more favorable toward death and end-of-life care than were pre-discussion responses. Conclusions In general, when surveyed concerning death and end-of-life care, female students responded more favorably than male students, and responses at the end of the fourth year were more favorable than at the beginning of the course. PMID:21045946

  14. Self-care among Nursing Students: Determining Constructive Concepts of Self-care using Factor Analysis

    OpenAIRE

    Shintani, Keiko

    2006-01-01

    In an effort to clearly defi ne the constructive concepts of self-care among nursing students, in the present study a survey was conducted a survey of 655 individuals, comprised of 260 college nursing students and 395 vocational school nursing students. We found four factors of constructive concepts of self-care among nursing students, which included maintaining diet, coping with stress, maintaining habits and regulating lifestyle patterns, and maintaining interpersonal relationships.

  15. Prescribing tamoxifen in primary care for the prevention of breast cancer: a national online survey of GPs' attitudes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Samuel G; Foy, Robbie; McGowan, Jennifer A; Kobayashi, Lindsay C; DeCensi, Andrea; Brown, Karen; Side, Lucy; Cuzick, Jack

    2017-06-01

    The cancer strategy for England (2015-2020) recommends GPs prescribe tamoxifen for breast cancer primary prevention among women at increased risk. To investigate GPs' attitudes towards prescribing tamoxifen. In an online survey, GPs in England, Northern Ireland, and Wales ( n = 928) were randomised using a 2 × 2 between-subjects design to read one of four vignettes describing a healthy patient seeking a tamoxifen prescription. In the vignette, the hypothetical patient's breast cancer risk (moderate versus high) and the clinician initiating the prescription (GP prescriber versus secondary care clinician [SCC] prescriber) were manipulated in a 1:1:1:1 ratio. Outcomes were willingness to prescribe, comfort discussing harms and benefits, comfort managing the patient, factors affecting the prescribing decision, and awareness of tamoxifen and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guideline CG164. Half (51.7%) of the GPs knew tamoxifen can reduce breast cancer risk, and one-quarter (24.1%) were aware of NICE guideline CG164. Responders asked to initiate prescribing (GP prescriber) were less willing to prescribe tamoxifen than those continuing a prescription initiated in secondary care (SCC prescriber) (68.9% versus 84.6%, P preventive therapy in secondary care before asking GPs to continue the patient's care may overcome some prescribing barriers. © British Journal of General Practice 2017.

  16. How the Affordable Care Act Has Helped Women Gain Insurance and Improved Their Ability to Get Health Care: Findings from the Commonwealth Fund Biennial Health Insurance Survey, 2016.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gunja, Munira Z; Collins, Sara R; Doty, Michelle M; Beautel, Sophie

    2017-08-01

    ISSUE: Prior to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), one-third of women who tried to buy a health plan on their own were either turned down, charged a higher premium because of their health, or had specific health problems excluded from their plans. Beginning in 2010, ACA consumer protections, particularly coverage for preventive care screenings with no cost-sharing and a ban on plan benefit limits, improved the quality of health insurance for women. In 2014, the law’s major insurance reforms helped millions of women who did not have employer insurance to gain coverage through the ACA’s marketplaces or through Medicaid. GOALS: To examine the effects of ACA health reforms on women’s coverage and access to care. METHOD: Analysis of the Commonwealth Fund Biennial Health Insurance Surveys, 2001–2016. FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS: Women ages 19 to 64 who shopped for new coverage on their own found it significantly easier to find affordable plans in 2016 compared to 2010. The percentage of women who reported delaying or skipping needed care because of costs fell to an all-time low. Insured women were more likely than uninsured women to receive preventive screenings, including Pap tests and mammograms.

  17. A survey of contemporary opinions and practices of surgical and intensive care specialists towards peri-operative venous thromboembolism prophylaxis in Asia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, L; Liew, N C; Gee, T

    2012-12-01

    This survey was conducted to determine the opinions and practices of peri-operative venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis among surgical and intensive care specialists in Asia. A set of questionnaire was distributed to surgeons and intensivists from different countries in Asia. The specialties included were general surgery and its sub-specialties, orthopaedic surgery, gynaecological surgery and intensive care unit. This survey involved teaching institutions, general hospitals and private hospitals. To gauge if the respondents were from hospitals that would likely encounter VTE cases, the hospital's bed-strength, intensive care facility and sub-specialty services were recorded. Over a period of six months, questionnaires and feedbacks were collected and analyzed. One hundred and ninety-one responses were received from 8 countries throughout Asia. Fifty-six percent of these were from large hospitals (800 bedded or more) and 62% of these hospitals have large intensive care facility (20 or more beds). Only half of the respondents practice routine thromboprophylaxis in moderate and high risk surgeries. Thirty six percent of them practices selective thromboprophylaxis and only 3% do not believe in any thromboprophylaxis. A third prescribed thromboprophylaxis for 3 to 5 days; another third extended it until patient is mobile. About 48.6% of the respondents do not have VTE guidelines in their institutions. Majority of the respondents agreed that more evidence is needed in the form of multi-centre randomized controlled trials to influence their decision on thromboprophylaxis. Despite the availability of strong epidemiological data, randomized controlled trials and multicentre case-controlled studies, perioperative VTE prophylactic practices are still suboptimal in Asia.

  18. Pediatric Primary Care Providers' Relationships with Mental Health Care Providers: Survey Results

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pidano, Anne E.; Honigfeld, Lisa; Bar-Halpern, Miri; Vivian, James E.

    2014-01-01

    Background: As many as 20 % of children have diagnosable mental health conditions and nearly all of them receive pediatric primary health care. However, most children with serious mental health concerns do not receive mental health services. This study tested hypotheses that pediatric primary care providers (PPCPs) in relationships with mental…

  19. The actual role of general practice in the Dutch health-care system: results of the Second Dutch National Survey of General Practice.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schellevis, F.G.; Westert, G.P.; Bakker, D.H. de

    2005-01-01

    A second Dutch National Survey of General Practice was carried out in 2001 with the aim of providing actual information about the role of general practice in the Dutch health-care system for researchers and policy makers. Data were collected on different levels (patients, general practitioners,

  20. Factors associated with underutilization of antenatal care services in Indonesia: results of Indonesia Demographic and Health Survey 2002/2003 and 2007

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Titaley Christiana R

    2010-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Antenatal care aims to prevent maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity. In Indonesia, at least four antenatal visits are recommended during pregnancy. However, this service has been underutilized. This study aimed to examine factors associated with underutilization of antenatal care services in Indonesia. Methods We used data from Indonesia Demographic and Health Survey (IDHS 2002/2003 and 2007. Information of 26,591 singleton live-born infants of the mothers' most recent birth within five years preceding each survey was examined. Twenty-three potential risk factors were identified and categorized into four main groups, external environment, predisposing, enabling, and need factors. Logistic regression models were used to examine the association between all potential risk factors and underutilization of antenatal services. The Population Attributable Risk (PAR was calculated for selected significant factors associated with the outcome. Results Factors strongly associated with underutilization of antenatal care services were infants from rural areas and from outer Java-Bali region, infants from low household wealth index and with low maternal education level, and high birth rank infants with short birth interval of less than two years. Other associated factors identified included mothers reporting distance to health facilities as a major problem, mothers less exposed to mass media, and mothers reporting no obstetric complications during pregnancy. The PAR showed that 55% of the total risks for underutilization of antenatal care services were attributable to the combined low household wealth index and low maternal education level. Conclusions Strategies to increase the accessibility and availability of health care services are important particularly for communities in rural areas. Financial support that enables mothers from poor households to use health services will be beneficial. Health promotion programs targeting

  1. Health behaviors, care needs and attitudes towards self-prescription: a cross-sectional survey among Dutch medical students.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tjeerd Van der Veer

    Full Text Available PURPOSE: There is a growing awareness of the potent ways in which the wellbeing of physicians impacts the health of their patients. The purpose of this study was to investigate the health behaviors, care needs and attitudes towards self-prescription of Dutch medical students, and any differences between junior preclinical and senior clinically active students. METHODS: All students (n = 2695 of a major Dutch medical school were invited for an online survey. Physical activity, eating habits, alcohol consumption, smoking, Body Mass Index, substance use and amount of sleep per night were inquired, as well as their need for different forms of care and their attitude towards self-prescription. RESULTS: Data of 902 students were used. Physical activity levels (90% sufficient and smoking prevalence (94% non-smokers were satisfying. Healthy eating habits (51% insufficient and alcohol consumption (46% excessive were worrying. Body Mass Indexes were acceptable (20% unhealthy. We found no significant differences in health behaviors between preclinical and clinically active students. Care needs were significantly lower among clinically active students. (p<0.05 Student acceptance of self-prescription was significantly higher among clinically active students. (p<0.001 CONCLUSIONS: Unhealthy behaviors are prevalent among medical students, but are no more prevalent during the clinical study phase. The need for specific forms of care appears lower with study progression. This could be worrying as the acceptance of self-care and self-prescription is higher among senior clinical students. Medical faculties need to address students' unhealthy behaviors and meet their care needs for the benefit of both the future physicians as well as their patients.

  2. Physical Activity Practices, Policies and Environments in Washington State Child Care Settings: Results of a Statewide Survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tandon, Pooja S; Walters, Kelly M; Igoe, Bridget M; Payne, Elizabeth C; Johnson, Donna B

    2017-03-01

    Objectives Child care is an important setting for the promotion of physical activity (PA) in early childhood. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between specific PA environments and recommended practices in child care settings as well as the degree to which child care settings met recommended standards for total PA time. Methods In 2013, all programs licensed to care for children ages 2-5 in WA state were surveyed about their PA related practices. Logistic regression was used to determine odds of meeting best-practice standards for outdoor time and PA. Results The response rate was 45.8 % from centers (692/1511) and 32.1 % from homes (1281/3991). Few programs reported meeting best-practice standards for the amount of time children spend being physically active (centers: 12.1 %, homes: 20.1 %) and outdoor time (centers: 21.8 %, homes: 21.7 %). Programs where children go outside regardless of weather and those reporting more adult-led PA had higher odds of meeting best-practice standards for both PA and outdoor time. Meeting best-practice standards for outdoor time was the strongest predictor of meeting best-practice standards for total PA time [centers: OR 15.9 (9.3-27.2), homes: OR 5.2 (3.8-7.1)]. Conclusions for Practice There is considerable room for improvement in licensed child care settings in WA to meet best-practice standards for young children's outdoor and PA time. Initiatives that create policies and environments encouraging outdoor play and adult-led PA in child care have the potential to increase physical activity in substantial numbers of young children.

  3. Expectations for methodology and translation of animal research: a survey of health care workers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joffe, Ari R; Bara, Meredith; Anton, Natalie; Nobis, Nathan

    2015-05-07

    Health care workers (HCW) often perform, promote, and advocate use of public funds for animal research (AR); therefore, an awareness of the empirical costs and benefits of animal research is an important issue for HCW. We aim to determine what health-care-workers consider should be acceptable standards of AR methodology and translation rate to humans. After development and validation, an e-mail survey was sent to all pediatricians and pediatric intensive care unit nurses and respiratory-therapists (RTs) affiliated with a Canadian University. We presented questions about demographics, methodology of AR, and expectations from AR. Responses of pediatricians and nurses/RTs were compared using Chi-square, with P methodological quality, most respondents expect that: AR is done to high quality; costs and difficulty are not acceptable justifications for low quality; findings should be reproducible between laboratories and strains of the same species; and guidelines for AR funded with public money should be consistent with these expectations. Asked about benefits of AR, most thought that there are sometimes/often large benefits to humans from AR, and disagreed that "AR rarely produces benefit to humans." Asked about expectations of translation to humans (of toxicity, carcinogenicity, teratogenicity, and treatment findings), most: expect translation >40% of the time; thought that misleading AR results should occur methodological quality of, and the translation rate to humans of findings from AR. These expectations are higher than the empirical data show having been achieved. Unless these areas of AR significantly improve, HCW support of AR may be tenuous.

  4. Embedding online patient record access in UK primary care: a survey of stakeholder experiences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pagliari, Claudia; Shand, Tim; Fisher, Brian

    2012-05-01

    To explore the integration of online patient Record Access within UK Primary Care, its perceived impacts on workload and service quality, and barriers to implementation. Mixed format survey of clinicians, administrators and patients. Telephone interviews with non-users. Primary care centres within NHS England that had offered online record access for the preceding year. Of the 57 practices initially agreeing to pilot the system, 32 had adopted it and 16 of these returned questionnaires. The 42 individual respondents included 14 practice managers, 15 clinicians and 13 patients. Follow-up interviews were conducted with one participant from 15 of the 25 non-adopter practices. Most professionals believed that the system is easy to integrate within primary care; while most patients found it easy to integrate within their daily lives. Professionals perceived no increase in the volume of patient queries or clinical consultations as a result of Record Access; indeed some believed that these had decreased. Most clinicians and patients believed that the service had improved mutual trust, communication, patients' health knowledge and health behaviour. Inhibiting factors included concerns about security, liability and resource requirements. Non-adoption was most frequently attributed to competing priorities, rather than negative beliefs about the service. Record access has an important role to play in supporting patient-focused healthcare policies in the UK and may be easily accommodated within existing services. Additional materials to facilitate patient recruitment, inform system set-up processes, and assure clinicians of their legal position are likely to encourage more widespread adoption.

  5. Choosing care homes as the least preferred place to die: a cross-national survey of public preferences in seven European countries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Calanzani, Natalia; Moens, Katrien; Cohen, Joachim; Higginson, Irene J; Harding, Richard; Deliens, Luc; Toscani, Franco; Ferreira, Pedro L; Bausewein, Claudia; Daveson, Barbara A; Gysels, Marjolein; Ceulemans, Lucas; Gomes, Barbara

    2014-10-23

    Care homes are increasingly becoming places where people spend the final stages of their lives and eventually die. This trend is expected to continue due to population ageing, yet little is known about public preferences regarding this setting. As part of a larger study examining preferences and priorities for end of life care, we investigated the extent to which care homes are chosen as the least preferred place of death, and the factors associated with this negative preference. We conducted a cross-sectional telephone survey among 9,344 adults from random private households in England, Flanders, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain. We asked participants where they would least prefer to die in a situation of serious illness with less than one year to live. Multivariate binary logistic regressions were used to identify factors associated with choosing care homes as the least preferred place of death in each country. Care homes were the most frequently mentioned least preferred place of death in the Netherlands (41.5%), Italy and Spain (both 36.7%) and the second most frequent in England (28.0%), Portugal (25.8%), Germany (23.7%) and Flanders (18.9%). Only two factors had a similar and significant effect on the least preferred place of death in more than one country. In Germany and the Netherlands those doing housework were less likely to choose care homes as their least preferred place (AOR 0.72; 95% CI:0.54-0.96 and AOR 0.68; 95% CI:0.52-0.90 respectively), while those born in the country where the survey took place were more likely to choose care homes (AOR 1.77; 95% CI:1.05-2.99 and AOR 1.74; 95% CI:1.03-2.95 respectively). Experiences of serious illness, death and dying were not associated with the preference. Our results suggest it might be difficult to promote care homes as a good place to die. This is an urgent research area in order to meet needs and preferences of a growing number of older people with chronic, debilitating conditions across

  6. Prevalence, impact and care of foot problems in people with rheumatoid arthritis: results from a United Kingdom based cross-sectional survey

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Oonagh Wilson

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Foot symptoms in rheumatoid arthritis (RA derive from a combination of inflammation, altered foot mechanics, deformity and secondary skin lesions. Guidelines recommend regular review of patients’ feet, but the extent to which the general population of RA patients report foot symptoms and access foot care has not been established. The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence, impact and care of foot problems in all patients with RA in one geographical area and identify factors associated with accessing foot care. Methods Cross-sectional survey of a random sample of patients with RA, who resided within a single community-based National Health Service (NHS podiatry service. The questionnaire collected demographic data (age, gender, local deprivation score, clinical data (disease duration, arthritis medications, disability (Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ, current foot problems, foot care accessed (podiatry, orthotics and/or orthopaedics and care received, measures of impact (Foot Impact Scale and ability to work. Results Of 1003 total eligible patients in the target population, 739 were posted survey packs. Of these 413 (56% replied. Responders and non-responders had similar age (63.5 yr. vs.61.5 yr, gender (74.1%F vs. 75.2%F, and highest deprivation category (13.3% vs.15.9%. Of the responders 92.1% reported current foot problems: articular 73.8%, cutaneous lesions 65.4%, structural 57.6%, extra-articular 42.6%. Responders’ median (IQR disease duration 10 (5–20 years, HAQ 1.5 (0.75–2.0, FISIF 10 (6–14 and FISAP 16 (7–23 and 37.8% reported impacts on work. While 69.5% had accessed foot care there were differences in the route of access (by gender and whether independent or NHS provision and were older (64.9 yr. vs 60.4 yr. p = 0.001, had longer disease duration (12 yr. vs 7 yr. p < 0.001 and had a greater proportion of females (72.2% vs 61.7% p = 0.04 than those who had not accessed

  7. Assessing the Impact of Telemedicine on Nursing Care in Intensive Care Units.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kleinpell, Ruth; Barden, Connie; Rincon, Teresa; McCarthy, Mary; Zapatochny Rufo, Rebecca J

    2016-01-01

    Information on the impact of tele-intensive care on nursing and priority areas of nursing care is limited. To conduct a national benchmarking survey of nurses working in intensive care telemedicine facilities in the United States. In a 2-phased study, an online survey was used to assess nurses' perceptions of intensive care telemedicine, and a modified 2-round Delphi study was used to identify priority areas of nursing. In phase 1, most of the 1213 respondents agreed to strongly agreed that using tele-intensive care enables them to accomplish tasks more quickly (63%), improves collaboration (65.9%), improves job performance (63.6%) and communication (60.4%), is useful in nursing assessments (60%), and improves care by providing more time for patient care (45.6%). Benefits of tele-intensive care included ability to detect trends in vital signs, detect unstable physiological status, provide medical management, and enhance patient safety. Barriers included technical problems (audio and video), interruptions in care, perceptions of telemedicine as an interference, and attitudes of staff. In phase 2, 60 nurses ranked 15 priority areas of care, including critical thinking skills, intensive care experience, skillful communication, mutual respect, and management of emergency patient care. The findings can be used to further inform the development of competencies for tele-intensive care nursing, match the tele-intensive care nursing practice guidelines of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, and highlight concepts related to the association's standards for establishing and sustaining healthy work environments. ©2016 American Association of Critical-Care Nurses.

  8. The care of constipated children in primary care in different countries

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Burgers, Rosa; Bonanno, Elvira; Madarena, Elisa; Graziano, Francesca; Pensabene, Licia; Gardner, William; Mousa, Hayat; Benninga, Marc A.; Di Lorenzo, Carlo

    2012-01-01

    Aim: To investigate and compare the approach to childhood constipation by primary care physicians (PCP) in three Western countries to give insight into adherence to current guidelines and in actual care. Methods: Prospective study utilizing a two-page survey regarding the approach to children

  9. Physicians’ knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions concerning antibiotic resistance: a survey in a Ghanaian tertiary care hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Appiah-Korang Labi

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Understanding the knowledge, attitudes and practices of physicians towards antibiotic resistance is key to developing interventions aimed at behavior change. The survey aimed to investigate physicians’ knowledge and attitudes towards antibiotic resistance in a tertiary-care hospital setting in Ghana. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional respondent-driven survey using a 40-item, anonymous, voluntary, traditional paper-and-pencil self-administered questionnaire among 159 physicians at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital. Single and multi-factor analysis were conducted to assess the study objectives. Results The survey was completed by 159 of 200 physicians (response rate of 79.5%. Of physicians, 30.1% (47/156 perceived antibiotic resistance as very important global problem, 18.5% (29/157 perceived it as very important national problem and only 8.9% (14/157 thought it as a very important problem in their hospital. Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus was the most known about antibiotic resistant bacteria of public health importance followed by extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae, carbapenem resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE and vancomycin resistant enterococci (VRE. In multiple logistic regression analysis, senior physicians were nearly 3 times more likely to know about CRE than junior physicians. The odds of knowing about VRE increased over 4.5 times from being a junior to becoming senior physician. Among junior physicians, age had no associated effect on their knowledge of VRE or CRE. Conclusions Physicians in this survey showed variable knowledge and perceptions on antibiotic resistance. Introducing educational programs on antibiotic resistance would be a useful intervention and should focus on junior physicians.

  10. Primary care physicians' reported use of pre-screening discussions for prostate cancer screening: a cross-sectional survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Linder, Suzanne K; Hawley, Sarah T; Cooper, Crystale P; Scholl, Lawrence E; Jibaja-Weiss, Maria; Volk, Robert J

    2009-03-18

    Professional medical organizations recommend individualized patient decision making about prostate cancer screening. Little is known about primary care physicians' use of pre-screening discussions to promote informed decision making for prostate cancer screening. The aim of this study is to explore physicians' use of pre-screening discussions and reasons why physicians would or would not try to persuade patients to be screened if they initially refuse testing. Primary care physicians completed a self-administered survey about prostate cancer screening practices for informed decision making. Sixty-six physicians (75.9%) completed the survey, and 63 were used in the analysis. Thirteen physicians (20.6%) reported not using prescreening discussions, 45 (71.4%) reported the use of prescreening discussions, and 3 (4.8%) reported neither ordering the PSA test nor discussing it with patients. Sixty-nine percent of physicians who reported not having discussions indicated they were more likely to screen African American patients for prostate cancer, compared to 50% of physicians who reported the use of discussions (Chi-square(1) = 1.62, p = .20). Similarly, 91% of physicians who reported not having discussions indicated they are more likely to screen patients with a family history of prostate cancer, compared to 46% of those who reported the use of discussion (Chi-square(1) = 13.27, p practice styles. Future research needs to consider the nature of discussions and the degree to which informed decision making is being achieved in clinical practice.

  11. Factors Associated With Access to HIV Testing and Primary Care Among Migrants Living in Europe: Cross-Sectional Survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fakoya, Ibidun; Álvarez-Del Arco, Débora; Copas, Andrew J; Teixeira, Bryan; Block, Koen; Gennotte, Anne-Francoise; Volny-Anne, Alain; Bil, Janneke P; Touloumi, Giota; Del Amo, Julia; Burns, Fiona M

    2017-11-06

    There is a heavy and disproportionate burden of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection among migrant communities living in Europe. Despite this, the published evidence related to HIV testing, prevention, and treatment needs for migrants is sparse. The aim of this study was to identify the factors associated with access to primary care and HIV testing among migrant groups living in Europe. A Web-based survey (available in 14 languages) was open to all people aged 18 years and older, living outside their country of birth in the World Health Organization (WHO) European area. Community organizations in 9 countries promoted the survey to migrant groups, focusing on those at a higher risk of HIV (sub-Saharan Africans, Latin Americans, gay or bisexual men, and people who inject drugs). Multivariable analysis examined factors associated with access to primary care and previous history of an HIV test. In total, 559 women, 395 heterosexual men, and 674 gay or bisexual men were included in the analysis, and 68.1% (359/527) of women, 59.5% (220/371) of heterosexual men, and 89.6% (596/664) of gay or bisexual men had tested for HIV. Low perceived risk was the reason given for not testing by 62.3% (43/69) of gay or bisexual men and 83.3% (140/168) of women and heterosexual men who reported never having tested for HIV. Access to primary care was >60% in all groups. Access to primary care was strongly positively associated with living in Northern Europe compared with Southern Europe (women: adjusted odds ratio, aOR 34.56 [95% CI 11.58-101]; heterosexual men: aOR 6.93 [95% CI 2.49-19.35], and gay or bisexual men: aOR 2.53 [95% CI 1.23-5.19]), whereas those with temporary residency permits were less likely to have access to primary care (women: aOR 0.41 [95% CI 0.21-0.80] and heterosexual men: aOR 0.24 [95% CI 0.10-0.54] only). Women who had experience of forced sex (aOR 3.53 [95% CI 1.39-9.00]) or postmigration antenatal care (aOR 3.07 [95% CI 1.55-6.07]) were more likely to

  12. Quality systems in Dutch health care institutions.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Casparie, A.F.; Sluijs, E.M.; Wagner, C.; Bakker, D.H. de

    1997-01-01

    The implementation of quality systems in Dutch health care was supervised by a national committee during 1990-1995. To monitor the progress of implementation a large survey was conducted in the beginning of 1995. The survey enclosed all subsectors in health care. A postal questionnaire-derived

  13. Poor thermal care practices among home births in Nepal: further analysis of Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2011.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khanal, Vishnu; Gavidia, Tania; Adhikari, Mandira; Mishra, Shiva Raj; Karkee, Rajendra

    2014-01-01

    Hypothermia is a major factor associated with neonatal mortality in low and middle income countries. Thermal care protection of newborn through a series of measures taken at birth and during the initial days of life is recommended to reduce the hypothermia and associated neonatal mortality. This study aimed to identify the prevalence of and the factors associated with receiving 'optimum thermal care' among home born newborns of Nepal. Data from the Nepal Demographic and Health Surveys (NDHS) 2011 were used for this study. Women who reported a home birth for their most recent childbirth was included in the study. Factors associated with optimum thermal care were examined using Chi-square test followed by logistic regression. A total of 2464 newborns were included in the study. A total of 57.6 % were dried before the placenta was delivered; 60.3% were wrapped; 24.5% had not bathing during the first 24 hours, and 63.9% were breastfed within one hour of birth. Overall, only 248 (10.7%; 95% CI (8.8 %, 12.9%)) newborns received optimum thermal care. Newborns whose mothers had achieved higher education (OR 2.810; 95% CI (1.132, 6.976)), attended four or more antenatal care visits (OR 2.563; 95% CI (1.309, 5.017)), and those whose birth were attended by skilled attendants (OR 2.178; 95% CI (1.428, 3.323)) were likely to receive optimum thermal care. The current study showed that only one in ten newborns in Nepal received optimum thermal care. Future newborn survival programs should focus on those mothers who are uneducated; who do not attend the recommended four or more attend antenatal care visits; and those who deliver without the assistance of skilled birth attendants to reduce the risk of neonatal hypothermia in Nepal.

  14. Poor thermal care practices among home births in Nepal: further analysis of Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2011.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vishnu Khanal

    Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: Hypothermia is a major factor associated with neonatal mortality in low and middle income countries. Thermal care protection of newborn through a series of measures taken at birth and during the initial days of life is recommended to reduce the hypothermia and associated neonatal mortality. This study aimed to identify the prevalence of and the factors associated with receiving 'optimum thermal care' among home born newborns of Nepal. METHODS: Data from the Nepal Demographic and Health Surveys (NDHS 2011 were used for this study. Women who reported a home birth for their most recent childbirth was included in the study. Factors associated with optimum thermal care were examined using Chi-square test followed by logistic regression. RESULTS: A total of 2464 newborns were included in the study. A total of 57.6 % were dried before the placenta was delivered; 60.3% were wrapped; 24.5% had not bathing during the first 24 hours, and 63.9% were breastfed within one hour of birth. Overall, only 248 (10.7%; 95% CI (8.8 %, 12.9% newborns received optimum thermal care. Newborns whose mothers had achieved higher education (OR 2.810; 95% CI (1.132, 6.976, attended four or more antenatal care visits (OR 2.563; 95% CI (1.309, 5.017, and those whose birth were attended by skilled attendants (OR 2.178; 95% CI (1.428, 3.323 were likely to receive optimum thermal care. CONCLUSION: The current study showed that only one in ten newborns in Nepal received optimum thermal care. Future newborn survival programs should focus on those mothers who are uneducated; who do not attend the recommended four or more attend antenatal care visits; and those who deliver without the assistance of skilled birth attendants to reduce the risk of neonatal hypothermia in Nepal.

  15. Adding Postal Follow-Up to a Web-Based Survey of Primary Care and Gastroenterology Clinic Physician Chiefs Improved Response Rates but not Response Quality or Representativeness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Partin, Melissa R; Powell, Adam A; Burgess, Diana J; Haggstrom, David A; Gravely, Amy A; Halek, Krysten; Bangerter, Ann; Shaukat, Aasma; Nelson, David B

    2015-09-01

    This study assessed whether postal follow-up to a web-based physician survey improves response rates, response quality, and representativeness. We recruited primary care and gastroenterology chiefs at 125 Veterans Affairs medical facilities to complete a 10-min web-based survey on colorectal cancer screening and diagnostic practices in 2010. We compared response rates, response errors, and representativeness in the primary care and gastroenterology samples before and after adding postal follow-up. Adding postal follow-up increased response rates by 20-25 percentage points; markedly greater increases than predicted from a third e-mail reminder. In the gastroenterology sample, the mean number of response errors made by web responders (0.25) was significantly smaller than the mean number made by postal responders (2.18), and web responders provided significantly longer responses to open-ended questions. There were no significant differences in these outcomes in the primary care sample. Adequate representativeness was achieved before postal follow-up in both samples, as indicated by the lack of significant differences between web responders and the recruitment population on facility characteristics. We conclude adding postal follow-up to this web-based physician leader survey improved response rates but not response quality or representativeness. © The Author(s) 2013.

  16. Knowledge Sharing, Control of Care Quality, and Innovation in Intensive Care Nursing

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Paunova, Minna; Li-Ying, Jason; Egerod, Ingrid Eugenie

    This study investigates the influence of nurse knowledge sharing behavior on nurse innovation, given different conditions of control of care quality within the intensive care unit (ICU). After conducting a number of interviews and a pilot study, we carried out a multi-source survey study of more...... control of care quality and innovate may be conflicting, unless handled properly....

  17. Determinants of staff commitment to hip protectors in long-term care: A cross-sectional survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Korall, Alexandra M B; Loughin, Thomas M; Feldman, Fabio; Cameron, Ian D; Leung, Pet Ming; Sims-Gould, Joanie; Godin, Judith; Robinovitch, Stephen N

    2018-06-01

    If worn, certain models of hip protectors are highly effective at preventing hip fractures from falls in residents of long-term care, but modest acceptance and adherence have limited the effectiveness of hip protectors. Residents of long-term care are more likely to accept the initial offer of hip protectors and to adhere to recommendations concerning the use of hip protectors when staff are committed to supporting the application of hip protectors. Yet, we know very little about the nature of and factors associated with staff commitment to hip protectors in long-term care. To identify factors associated with staff commitment to hip protectors in long-term care. A cross-sectional survey. Thirteen long-term care homes (total beds = 1816) from a single regional health district in British Columbia, Canada. A convenience sample of 535 paid staff who worked most of their time (>50% of work hours) at a participating long-term care home, for at least one month, and for at least 8 h per week. We excluded six (1.1%) respondents who were unaware of hip protectors. Of the remaining 529 respondents, 90% were female and 55% were health care assistants. Respondents completed the Commitment to Hip Protectors Index to indicate their commitment to hip protectors. We used Bayesian Model Averaging logistic regression to model staff commitment as a function of personal variables, experiences with hip protectors, intraorganizational communication and influence, and organizational context. Staff commitment was negatively related to organizational tenure >20 years (posterior probability = 97%; logistic regression coefficient = -0.28; 95% confidence interval = -0.48, -0.08), and awareness of a padded hip fracture (100%; -0.57; -0.69, -0.44). Staff commitment was positively related to the existence of a champion of hip protectors within the home (100%; 0.24; 0.17, 0.31), perceived quality of intraorganizational communication (100%; 0.04; 0.02, 0.05), extent of mutual

  18. Unfinished nursing care, missed care, and implicitly rationed care: State of the science review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, Terry L; Hamilton, Patti; Murry, Nicole

    2015-06-01

    The purposes of this review of unfinished care were to: (1) compare conceptual definitions and frameworks associated with unfinished care and related synonyms (i.e. missed care, implicitly rationed care; and care left undone); (2) compare and contrast approaches to instrumentation; (3) describe prevalence and patterns; (4) identify antecedents and outcomes; and (5) describe mitigating interventions. A literature search in CINAHL and MEDLINE identified 1828 articles; 54 met inclusion criteria. Search terms included: implicit ration*, miss* care, ration* care, task* undone, and unfinish*care. Analysis was performed in three phases: initial screening and sorting, comprehensive review for data extraction (first author), and confirmatory review to validate groupings, major themes, and interpretations (second author). Reviewed literature included 42 quantitative reports; 7 qualitative reports; 1 mixed method report; and 4 scientific reviews. With one exception, quantitative studies involved observational cross-sectional survey designs. A total of 22 primary samples were identified; 5 involved systematic sampling. The response rate was >60% in over half of the samples. Unfinished care was measured with 14 self-report instruments. Most nursing personnel (55-98%) reported leaving at least 1 task undone. Estimates increased with survey length, recall period, scope of response referent, and scope of resource scarcity considered. Patterns of unfinished care were consistent with the subordination of teaching and emotional support activities to those related to physiologic needs and organizational audits. Predictors of unfinished care included perceived team interactions, adequacy of resources, safety climate, and nurse staffing. Unfinished care is a predictor of: decreased nurse-reported care quality, decreased patient satisfaction; increased adverse events; increased turnover; decreased job and occupational satisfaction; and increased intent to leave. Unfinished care is a

  19. The opinion and experiences of Dutch orthopedic surgeons and radiologists about diagnostic musculoskeletal ultrasound imaging in primary care: a survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scholten-Peeters, Gwendolijne G M; Franken, Nicole; Beumer, Annechien; Verhagen, Arianne P

    2014-04-01

    The use of diagnostic musculoskeletal ultrasound (DMUS) in primary health care has increased in the recent years. Nevertheless, there are hardly any data concerning the reliability, accuracy and treatment consequences of DMUS used by physical therapists or general practitioners. Moreover, there are no papers published about how orthopedic surgeons or radiologists deal with the results of DMUS performed in primary care. Therefore, our aim is to evaluate the opinion, possible advantages or disadvantages and experiences of Dutch orthopedic surgeons and radiologists about DMUS in primary care. A cross-sectional survey in which respondents completed a self-developed questionnaire to determine their opinion, experiences, advantages, disadvantages of performing DMUS in primary care. Questionnaires were sent to 838 Dutch orthopedic surgeons and radiologists of which 213 were returned (response rate 25.4%). Our respondents saw no additional value for health care for diagnostic DMUS in primary care. DMUSs were generally repeated in secondary care. They perceived more disadvantages than advantages of performing DMUS in primary care. Mentioned disadvantages were: 'false positive results' (71.4%), 'lack of experience' (70%), 'insufficient education' (69.5%), not able to relate the outcomes of DMUS with other forms of diagnostic imaging' (65.7%), and 'false negative results' (65.3%). Radiologists and orthopedic surgeons sampled in the Netherlands show low trust in DMUS knowledge of physical therapists and general practitioners. The results should be interpreted with caution because of the small response rate and the lack of representativeness to other countries. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  20. Paediatric palliative home care in areas of Germany with low population density and long distances: a questionnaire survey with general paediatricians

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    Kremeike Kerstin

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background In 2007, the patient’s right to specialised palliative home care became law in Germany. However, childhood palliative care in territorial states with low patient numbers and long distances requires adapted models to ensure an area-wide maintenance. Actually, general paediatricians are the basic care providers for children and adolescents. They also provide home care. The aim of this study was to improve the knowledge about general paediatrician’s involvement in and contribution to palliative care in children. Findings To evaluate the current status of palliative home care provided by general paediatricians and their cooperation with other paediatric palliative care providers, a questionnaire survey was disseminated to general paediatricians in Lower Saxony, a German federal state with nearly eight million inhabitants and a predominantly rural infrastructure. Data analysis was descriptive. One hundred forty one of 157 included general paediatricians completed the questionnaire (response rate: 89.8%. A total of 792 children and adolescents suffering from life-limiting conditions were cared for by these general paediatricians in 2008. Severe cerebral palsy was the most prevalent diagnosis. Eighty-nine per cent of the general paediatricians stated that they had professional experience with paediatric palliative care. Collaboration of general paediatricians and other palliative care providers was stated as not well developed. The support by a specialised team including 24-hour on-call duty and the intensification of educational programs were emphasised. Conclusions The current regional infrastructure of palliative home care in Lower Saxony can benefit from the establishment of a coordinated network of palliative home care providers.