International Journal for Quality in Health Care最新文献

{"title":"Case management in emergency care: impact evaluation of the CARED Program.","authors":"Colin Eng Choon Ong, Joanne Yan Ting Yap, Kamala Velu, Christine Xia Wu, Adrian Ujin Yap, Kai Xin Ng, Michael Yat Sen Chu, Yock Young Dan, Peng Hui Choa, Phillip Hin Choi Phan","doi":"10.1093/intqhc/mzaf003","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/intqhc/mzaf003","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Hospitals face mounting pressure to reduce unplanned utilization amid rising healthcare demands from an aging population. The Case management for At-Risk patients in the Emergency Department (CARED) program is among the first ED transitional care strategies to focus on both frail older adults and emergency department (ED) re-attenders to reduce acute hospital utilization. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the CARED program in reducing hospital (re)admissions and ED re-attendances within 30- and 60 days post-discharge.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A retrospective, propensity-matched study was conducted from April 2022 to July 2023 in the ED of Ng Teng Fong General Hospital in Singapore. The CARED program identifies and enrols at-risk patients, i.e. frail older adults and patients who re-attend the ED within 30 days of hospital discharge, for a geriatric assessment. This is followed by multidisciplinary team care, discharge planning and right siting of care from the ED to community-based services by ED case managers. The primary outcomes were hospital (re)admissions and ED re-attendances within 30- and 60 days post-discharge. Secondary outcomes were cost avoidance and bed occupancy days from reduced acute hospital usage.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Nearest-neighbour 1:1 propensity score matching matched 1615 intervention group to 1615 control group. Baseline characteristics of the intervention and control groups did not differ significantly. Difference-in-differences (DID) analyses showed significantly lower 30-day (3.96%; 95% CI 2.71-5.23%) and 60-day (6.69%; 95% CI 5.47-7.91%) hospital admissions, as well as 30-day (4.89%; 95% CI 3.83-5.95%) and 60-day (6.50%; 95% CI 5.28-7.72%) ED re-attendances in the intervention group compared to the control group. Additionally, the reduced admission and ED re-attendance rates resulted in 30-day and 60-day inpatient admission costs avoidance [$1 553 548.96 (69.86%); 95% CI $1 525 827.76 to $1 581 270.15; P = .006; and $1 400 047.07 (32.56%); 95% CI $1 365 484.79 to $1434 609.37; P = .048, respectively], ED attendance costs avoidance [$25 849.92 (23.70%); 95% CI $25 091.93 to $26 607.89; P = .096; and $37 538.39 (18.09%); 95% CI $36 470.27 to $38 606.53; P = .086, respectively] and bed occupancy days saved (1212 days; 95% CI 1191.80 days to 1232.20 days; P = .003; and 1267 days; 95% CI 1242.58 days to 1291.42 days; P = .011, respectively).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>CARED program effectively reduced unplanned hospital use within 30- and 60 days post-ED discharge for at-risk patients. It also significantly lowered inpatient admission and ED attendance costs and hospital bed occupancy days, highlighting its potential to improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare expenses.</p>","PeriodicalId":13800,"journal":{"name":"International Journal for Quality in Health Care","volume":"37 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143052481","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Supporting equitable access to kidney transplant in remote Western Australia using continuous quality improvement.","authors":"Felicity Stewart, Nicholas Corsair, James Stacey, Sarah Cox, Joshua Bowring, Khalil Patankar, Iann Lee, Kristan Teasdale, Emma Griffiths","doi":"10.1093/intqhc/mzae120","DOIUrl":"10.1093/intqhc/mzae120","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Despite an epidemic of End-Stage Kidney Disease in the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population, disparities in access to kidney transplantation persist. The journey to successful kidney transplant is long, with an initial suitability assessment required before waitlist-specific activities begin. In an Aboriginal Community Controlled renal service, we aimed to: 1.) Design and implement a continuous quality improvement (CQI) approach to transplant suitability assessment2.) Provide transplant suitability assessments for all patients of the service3.) Describe what temporary contraindications to kidney transplantation should be the focus of health service improvements4.) Explore participant experiences with the suitability assessment process and:5.) Use our findings to inform pre-and post-transplant model of care development within Kimberley Renal Services.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Mixed methods design with file review. Transplant suitability assessment results with descriptive analysis, semi-structured interview with thematic analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of completed assessments, 20/66 (30%) had no contraindications and were cleared for workup with median time on dialysis prior to assessment of 2.9 years, 42/66 (64%) had temporary contraindications, and 4/66 (6%) had permanent contraindications. Eighty-five temporary contraindications were identified in 46 individuals: 17/46 had both medical and non-medical contraindications, 5/46 had medical contraindications only, and 24/46 had non-medical contraindications only. The most common temporary contraindications were smoking (23/46), treatment adherence (17/46) and high body mass index (BMI) (11/46). Patients wanted more information on the transplant process, and interviewers noted the importance of providing information in an appropriate way. Patients wanted more support to address modifiable health risk factors to improve their chances of future transplantation.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>In the first stages of our CQI approach to improving access to kidney transplants for Kimberley Aboriginal people we achieved substantial catch-up in suitability assessments, and a comprehensive summary of factors impacting successful waitlisting. Our results are consistent with, and build upon other work in this space, highlighting the importance of involving Aboriginal staff and patients in education and support for prospective recipients.</p>","PeriodicalId":13800,"journal":{"name":"International Journal for Quality in Health Care","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11771395/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143033100","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Using space technology approach to improve quality in emergency departments in India: a quality improvement program.","authors":"Saravana Kumar, G Vikneswaran, Jitendra Suryavamshi, Srinath Kumar, Manzoor Shaik, G K Reshma, M R Suresh, Alben Sigamani, V C Shanmuganandan, Alexander Thomas, A N Venkatesh, Imron Subhan, M Rajadurai, Sateesh Kumar Kailasam, B Nivetha, K U Shameem, TSarangpi Sangtam","doi":"10.1093/intqhc/mzae116","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/intqhc/mzae116","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Introduction Human errors are a leading cause of disability and death among hospitalized patients. Globally, various strategies have been employed to reduce errors and to improve the quality of patient care. One such novel effort never attempted before is the Health-QUEST (Quality Upgradation Enabled by Space Technology) initiative which aims at translating the best quality and safety practices of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) into the realm of emergency care. The objective of this quality improvement initiative was to understand the performance of ED across India using key performance indicators (KPI) specified in HQ (Health Quest) document, adoptability of HQ based practices in hospitals and their effect on KPI. Methods A pre- and post-intervention study design was used where each hospital served as its own control. Preintervention phase captured the time-based key performance indicators based on their existing practice, followed by implementation and training on QUEST recommendations and the post intervention phase assessed any improvement in the KPIs. Data was collected in real-time using REDCap mobile application by scanning the patient wrist bands. The time based KPIs include Door to triage time, Door to doctor time, Door to needle time, Door to pain assessment time, Door to ordering of investigation time, Time from ordering to first review of investigation, Door to discharge/disposition time. Results Seventeen hospitals were invited to participate in this quality improvement initiative, with 14 hospitals completing pilot training for real time data collection. Among them, 10 hospitals participated in the pre and post intervention data collection contributing to 10,332 patients (5296 patients during the pre-intervention and 5036 during the post intervention phase). All the hospitals had a median triage time of less than 5 minutes. Nine out of the ten hospitals recorded a baseline median discharge time of around 2 hours. The most significant reductions in time (mean difference between pre- and post-intervention) were observed in triage time (11 minutes, p < 0.05), door-to-pain assessment time (23 minutes, p < 0.05), time from ordering to first review of investigation (26 hours, p < 0.05), and disposition time (1 hour and 30 minutes, p < 0.05) Conclusion This study evaluated real-time, time-based KPIs in patient management across emergency departments in India. The Health-QUEST program proved to be a straightforward and effective model, achieving significant improvements in multiple time-based KPIs across participating EDs.</p>","PeriodicalId":13800,"journal":{"name":"International Journal for Quality in Health Care","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143028767","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Transforming Emergency Care: Lessons from Innovations Beyond Healthcare.","authors":"Poonam Gupta, Anuradha Pichumani, Azhar Ali, David Greenfield","doi":"10.1093/intqhc/mzaf008","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/intqhc/mzaf008","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":13800,"journal":{"name":"International Journal for Quality in Health Care","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143004974","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Holding up the crystal ball: using regulatory intelligence insights to support quality in healthcare.","authors":"Martin Fletcher, Samantha Stark, Nikola Balvin, David Greenfield","doi":"10.1093/intqhc/mzaf001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/intqhc/mzaf001","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":13800,"journal":{"name":"International Journal for Quality in Health Care","volume":"37 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143052489","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Holding up the crystal ball: using regulatory intelligence insights to support quality in healthcare.","authors":"Martin Fletcher, Samantha Stark, Nikola Balvin, David Greenfield","doi":"10.1093/intqhc/mzaf001","DOIUrl":"10.1093/intqhc/mzaf001","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":13800,"journal":{"name":"International Journal for Quality in Health Care","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11833243/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142964525","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Analyzing and mitigating the risks of patient harm during operating room to intensive care unit patient handoffs.","authors":"Nara Regina Spall Martins, Edson Zangiacomi Martinez, Cláudia Marquez Simões, Paul Randall Barach, Maria José Carvalho Carmona","doi":"10.1093/intqhc/mzae114","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/intqhc/mzae114","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Patients continue to suffer from preventable harm and uneven quality outcomes. Reliable clinical outcomes depend on the quality of robust administrative systems and reliable support processes. Critically ill patient handoffs from the operating room (OR) to the intensive care unit (ICU) are known to be high-risk events. We describe a novel perspective on how risk factors associated with the process of patient handoff communication between the OR and the ICU can lead to flawed communication, degraded team awareness, medical errors, and increased patient harm. Data were collected from two semi-structured focus groups using a five-step risk management approach at a tertiary hospital in São Paulo, Brazil. We conducted a failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA) with multidisciplinary healthcare providers consisting of attending physicians, anesthesiologists, nurses, and physiotherapists involved in patient handoffs. We analyzed the results using a similitude analysis to evaluate the effectiveness of implementing this novel risk management approach. We identified the handoffs risks associated with patients, staff, institution, and potential financial risks. The FMEA identified 12 process failures and 36 causes that generated 12 consequences and pointed to robust needed preventive measures to mitigate handoff risks. The clinical teams reported that this approach allowed them to see the process more completely as a whole not only in their narrow silos, thus understanding the enablers and difficulties of the other team members and how this understanding can shed light on their mental models, actions, and the process reliability. Teams identified key steps in the OR to ICU handoff process that are prone to the highest hazards to patients, the hospital, and staff, and are currently targeted for process improvement. Evidence-driven recommendations intended for reducing the risks associated with patient handoffs are presented. Implementing a dynamic risk management, interdisciplinary approach was used to redesign the OR to ICU patient handoff approach around the patient's and clinician's needs. The risk management program helped healthcare providers identify handoff steps, highlighting risky handoff process failures, making it possible to identify actionable failures, consequences, and define preventative action plans for mitigating the risks to improve the quality and safety of patient handoffs.</p>","PeriodicalId":13800,"journal":{"name":"International Journal for Quality in Health Care","volume":"37 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143052478","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Analyzing and mitigating the risks of patient harm during operating room to intensive care unit patient handoffs.","authors":"Nara Regina Spall Martins, Edson Zangiacomi Martinez, Cláudia Marquez Simões, Paul Randall Barach, Maria José Carvalho Carmona","doi":"10.1093/intqhc/mzae114","DOIUrl":"10.1093/intqhc/mzae114","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Patients continue to suffer from preventable harm and uneven quality outcomes. Reliable clinical outcomes depend on the quality of robust administrative systems and reliable support processes. Critically ill patient handoffs from the operating room (OR) to the intensive care unit (ICU) are known to be high-risk events. We describe a novel perspective on how risk factors associated with the process of patient handoff communication between the OR and the ICU can lead to flawed communication, degraded team awareness, medical errors, and increased patient harm. Data were collected from two semi-structured focus groups using a five-step risk management approach at a tertiary hospital in São Paulo, Brazil. We conducted a failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA) with multidisciplinary healthcare providers consisting of attending physicians, anesthesiologists, nurses, and physiotherapists involved in patient handoffs. We analyzed the results using a similitude analysis to evaluate the effectiveness of implementing this novel risk management approach. We identified the handoffs risks associated with patients, staff, institution, and potential financial risks. The FMEA identified 12 process failures and 36 causes that generated 12 consequences and pointed to robust needed preventive measures to mitigate handoff risks. The clinical teams reported that this approach allowed them to see the process more completely as a whole not only in their narrow silos, thus understanding the enablers and difficulties of the other team members and how this understanding can shed light on their mental models, actions, and the process reliability. Teams identified key steps in the OR to ICU handoff process that are prone to the highest hazards to patients, the hospital, and staff, and are currently targeted for process improvement. Evidence-driven recommendations intended for reducing the risks associated with patient handoffs are presented. Implementing a dynamic risk management, interdisciplinary approach was used to redesign the OR to ICU patient handoff approach around the patient's and clinician's needs. The risk management program helped healthcare providers identify handoff steps, highlighting risky handoff process failures, making it possible to identify actionable failures, consequences, and define preventative action plans for mitigating the risks to improve the quality and safety of patient handoffs.</p>","PeriodicalId":13800,"journal":{"name":"International Journal for Quality in Health Care","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11739622/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142854058","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Promoting human rights-based deinstitutionalization in Lithuania by applying the World Health Organization's QualityRights Assessments.","authors":"Ugnė Grigaitė, Karilė Levickaitė, Dovilė Juodkaitė, Nijolė Goštautaitė-Midttun","doi":"10.1093/intqhc/mzae118","DOIUrl":"10.1093/intqhc/mzae118","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Lithuania ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) in 2010 and started deinstitutionalization in 2014. This reform covers segregated social care institutions where persons with mental health conditions, psychosocial, and/or intellectual disabilities live. It aims to move away from institutional care and towards community-based services. Mental healthcare services are also a part of the complex picture, undergoing its own reform since 2022. This study aims to assess the human rights conditions and standards of care in Lithuanian psychiatric and social care facilities in the context of deinstitutionalization. Data collection assessments were conducted in psychiatric hospitals and psychiatric units in general hospitals, segregated social care homes, and community-based group living homes. Independent experts collected data through documentation review, observation, and semistructured interviews with service users and staff. The study followed the World Health Organization's QualityRights Toolkit methodology. In all assessed facilities, regardless of their type, the human rights of service users are often undermined, especially the right to exercise legal capacity, personal liberty and security, freedom from seclusion and restraints, and the right to live independently and be included in the community. The study reveals shortcomings in the implementation of the UNCRPD and Lithuania's attempts at deinstitutionalization. It points to key practical gaps and areas, including the vital need for better collaboration between the social and mental healthcare systems. The Lithuanian government needs to address these issues to make reforms more effective, safeguard human rights, and ensure the quality of mental health and social care services.</p>","PeriodicalId":13800,"journal":{"name":"International Journal for Quality in Health Care","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142909629","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Promoting human rights-based deinstitutionalization in Lithuania by applying the World Health Organization's QualityRights Assessments.","authors":"Ugnė Grigaitė, Karilė Levickaitė, Dovilė Juodkaitė, Nijolė Goštautaitė-Midttun","doi":"10.1093/intqhc/mzae118","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/intqhc/mzae118","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Lithuania ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) in 2010 and started deinstitutionalization in 2014. This reform covers segregated social care institutions where persons with mental health conditions, psychosocial, and/or intellectual disabilities live. It aims to move away from institutional care and towards community-based services. Mental healthcare services are also a part of the complex picture, undergoing its own reform since 2022. This study aims to assess the human rights conditions and standards of care in Lithuanian psychiatric and social care facilities in the context of deinstitutionalization. Data collection assessments were conducted in psychiatric hospitals and psychiatric units in general hospitals, segregated social care homes, and community-based group living homes. Independent experts collected data through documentation review, observation, and semistructured interviews with service users and staff. The study followed the World Health Organization's QualityRights Toolkit methodology. In all assessed facilities, regardless of their type, the human rights of service users are often undermined, especially the right to exercise legal capacity, personal liberty and security, freedom from seclusion and restraints, and the right to live independently and be included in the community. The study reveals shortcomings in the implementation of the UNCRPD and Lithuania's attempts at deinstitutionalization. It points to key practical gaps and areas, including the vital need for better collaboration between the social and mental healthcare systems. The Lithuanian government needs to address these issues to make reforms more effective, safeguard human rights, and ensure the quality of mental health and social care services.</p>","PeriodicalId":13800,"journal":{"name":"International Journal for Quality in Health Care","volume":"37 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143052504","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}