Sample records for ambulatory care clinics

  1. Preparing for the primary care clinic: an ambulatory boot camp for internal medicine interns

    PubMed Central

    Esch, Lindsay M.; Bird, Amber-Nicole; Oyler, Julie L.; Lee, Wei Wei; Shah, Sachin D.; Pincavage, Amber T.

    2015-01-01

    Introduction Internal medicine (IM) interns start continuity clinic with variable ambulatory training. Multiple other specialties have utilized a boot camp style curriculum to improve surgical and procedural skills, but boot camps have not been used to improve interns’ ambulatory knowledge and confidence. The authors implemented and assessed the impact of an intern ambulatory boot camp pilot on primary care knowledge, confidence, and curricular satisfaction. Methods During July 2014, IM interns attended ambulatory boot camp. It included clinically focused case-based didactic sessions on common ambulatory topics as well as orientation to the clinic and electronic medical records. Interns anonymously completed a 15-question pre-test on topics covered in the boot camp as well as an identical post-test after the boot camp. The interns were surveyed regarding their confidence and satisfaction. Results Thirty-eight interns participated in the boot camp. Prior to the boot camp, few interns reported confidence managing common outpatient conditions. The average pre-test knowledge score was 46.3%. The average post-test knowledge score significantly improved to 76.1% (p<0.001). All interns reported that the boot camp was good preparation for clinics and 97% felt that the boot camp boosted their confidence. Conclusions The ambulatory boot camp pilot improved primary care knowledge, and interns thought it was good preparation for clinic. The ambulatory boot camp was well received and may be an effective way to improve the preparation of interns for primary care clinic. Further assessment of clinical performance and expansion to other programs and specialties should be considered. PMID:26609962

  2. Allocation of resources for ambulatory care -a staffing model for outpatient clinics.

    PubMed Central

    Mansdorf, B D

    1975-01-01

    The enormous commitment of resources to ambulatory health care services requires that flexible and easily implementable management techniques be developed to improve the allocation of health manpower and funds. This article develops a feasible model for staffing outpatient clinics and thereby potentially provides an important analytical tool for allocating and monitoring the utilization of the most critical and expensive of ambulatory care resources-professional and nonprofessional clinic personnel. The model is simplistic, extremely flexible, and can be applied to many modes of delivering ambulatory care-from HMOs to traditional hospital outpatient clinics. To employ the model, certain decision variables must be specified so that the model can produce a least-cost staffing configuration to meet the demand for service in accordance with the desired mode and intensity of care. The key decision varables that require input from administrators and medical personnel include standards for physician-patient contact time, a desired ratio of staff time actually spent treating patients to total paid staff time, and the desired mix of various staff categories to achieve program objectives. Specific benefits of using the model include determining staffing for new, expanded, or existing outpatient clinics, determining budget requirements for such staffing needs, and providing quantitative productivity and utilization objectives and measurements. PMID:809787

  3. Clinical productivity of primary care nurse practitioners in ambulatory settings.

    PubMed

    Xue, Ying; Tuttle, Jane

    Nurse practitioners are increasingly being integrated into primary care delivery to help meet the growing demand for primary care. It is therefore important to understand nurse practitioners' productivity in primary care practice. We examined nurse practitioners' clinical productivity in regard to number of patients seen per week, whether they had a patient panel, and patient panel size. We further investigated practice characteristics associated with their clinical productivity. We conducted cross-sectional analysis of the 2012 National Sample Survey of Nurse Practitioners. The sample included full-time primary care nurse practitioners in ambulatory settings. Multivariable survey regression analyses were performed to examine the relationship between practice characteristics and nurse practitioners' clinical productivity. Primary care nurse practitioners in ambulatory settings saw an average of 80 patients per week (95% confidence interval [CI]: 79-82), and 64% of them had their own patient panel. The average patient panel size was 567 (95% CI: 522-612). Nurse practitioners who had their own patient panel spent a similar percent of time on patient care and documentation as those who did not. However, those with a patient panel were more likely to provide a range of clinical services to most patients. Nurse practitioners' clinical productivity was associated with several modifiable practice characteristics such as practice autonomy and billing and payment policies. The estimated number of patients seen in a typical week by nurse practitioners is comparable to that by primary care physicians reported in the literature. However, they had a significantly smaller patient panel. Nurse practitioners' clinical productivity can be further improved. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Tracking Patient Encounters and Clinical Skills to Determine Competency in Ambulatory Care Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences

    PubMed Central

    Pereira, Chrystian R.; Harris, Ila M.; Moon, Jean Y.; Westberg, Sarah M.; Kolar, Claire

    2016-01-01

    Objective. To determine if the amount of exposure to patient encounters and clinical skills correlates to student clinical competency on ambulatory care advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPEs). Design. Students in ambulatory care APPEs tracked the number of patients encountered by medical condition and the number of patient care skills performed. At the end of the APPE, preceptors evaluated students’ competency for each medical condition and skill, referencing the Dreyfus model for skill acquisition. Assessment. Data was collected from September 2012 through August 2014. Forty-six responses from a student tracking tool were matched to preceptor ratings. Students rated as competent saw more patients and performed more skills overall. Preceptors noted minimal impact on workload. Conclusions. Increased exposure to patient encounters and skills performed had a positive association with higher Dreyfus stage, which may represent a starting point in the conversation for more thoughtful design of ambulatory care APPEs. PMID:26941440

  5. Outcomes assessment of a pharmacist-directed seamless care program in an ambulatory oncology clinic.

    PubMed

    Edwards, Scott J; Abbott, Rick; Edwards, Jonathan; LeBlanc, Michael; Dranitsaris, George; Donnan, Jennifer; Laing, Kara; Whelan, Maria A; MacKinnon, Neil J

    2014-02-01

    The primary goal of seamless care is improved patient outcomes and improved standards of care for patients with cancer. The pharmacy service of the Newfoundland Cancer Treatment and Research Foundation conducted a randomized control study that measured clinical and humanistic outcomes of a pharmacist-directed seamless care program in an ambulatory oncology clinic. This article focuses on the intervention group, particularly the identification of drug-related problems (DRPs) and utilization of health care services as well the satisfaction of 3 types of health professionals with the services provided by the pharmacist-directed seamless care program. Overall, the seamless care pharmacist (SCP) identified an average of 3.7 DRPs per intervention patient; the most common DRP reported was a patient not receiving or taking a drug therapy for which there is an indication. The SCP identified more DRPs in patients receiving adjuvant treatment compared to those receiving palliative treatment. On average, family physicians, oncology nurses, and hospital pharmacists were satisfied with the SCP intervention indicating that they agreed the information collected and distributed by the SCP was useful to them. Pharmacist-directed seamless care services in an ambulatory oncology clinic have a significant impact on clinical outcomes and processes of patient care. The presence of a SCP can help identify and resolve DRPs experienced by patients in an outpatient oncology clinic, ensuring that patients are receiving the highest standard of care.

  6. Performance measurement for ambulatory care: moving towards a new agenda.

    PubMed

    Roski, J; Gregory, R

    2001-12-01

    Despite a shift in care delivery from inpatient to ambulatory care, performance measurement efforts for the different levels in ambulatory care settings such as individual physicians, individual clinics and physician organizations have not been widely instituted in the United States (U.S.). The Health Plan Employer Data and Information Set (HEDIS), the most widely used performance measurement set in the U.S., includes a number of measures that evaluate preventive and chronic care provided in ambulatory care facilities. While HEDIS has made important contributions to the tracking of ambulatory care quality, it is becoming increasingly apparent that the measurement set could be improved by providing quality of care information at the levels of greatest interest to consumers and purchasers of care, namely for individual physicians, clinics and physician organizations. This article focuses on the improvement opportunities for quality performance measurement systems in ambulatory care. Specific challenges to creating a sustainable performance measurement system at the level of physician organizations, such as defining the purpose of the system, the accountability logic, information and reporting needs and mechanisms for sustainable implementation, are discussed.

  7. Redesigning the regulatory framework for ambulatory care services in New York.

    PubMed

    Chokshi, Dave A; Rugge, John; Shah, Nirav R

    2014-12-01

    Policy Points: The landscape of ambulatory care services in the United States is rapidly changing on account of payment reform, primary care transformation, and the rise of convenient care options such as retail clinics. New York State has undertaken a redesign of regulatory policy for ambulatory care rooted in the Triple Aim (better health, higher-quality care, lower costs)-with a particular emphasis on continuity of care for patients. Key tenets of the regulatory approach include defining and tracking the taxonomy of ambulatory care services as well as ensuring that convenient care options do not erode continuity of care for patients. While hospitals remain important centers of gravity in the health system, services are increasingly being delivered through ambulatory care. This shift to ambulatory care is giving rise to new delivery structures, such as retail clinics and urgent care centers, as well as reinventing existing ambulatory care capacity, as seen with the patient-centered medical home model and the movement toward team-based care. To protect the public's interests, oversight of ambulatory care services must keep pace with these rapid changes. With this purpose, in January 2013 the New York Public Health and Health Planning Council undertook a redesign of the regulatory framework for the state's ambulatory care services. This article describes the principles undergirding the framework as well as the regulatory recommendations themselves. We explored and analyzed the regulation of ambulatory care services in New York in accordance with the available gray and peer-reviewed literature and legislative documents. The deliberations of the Public Health and Health Planning Council informed our review. The vision of high-performing ambulatory care should be rooted in the Triple Aim (better health, higher-quality care, lower costs), with a particular emphasis on continuity of care for patients. There is a pressing need to better define the taxonomy of ambulatory

  8. Administration in ambulatory care.

    PubMed

    Nardone, D A; Webb, D W

    1989-10-01

    Deficiencies in management of U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (USDVA) ambulatory care programs have been documented in the literature and were reaffirmed by conference participants. These represent significant barriers to developing an effective and efficient system of outpatient health care delivery for veterans and to expanding educational opportunities for trainees. Based on impact and feasibility rankings from the symposium, review of the literature, and the personal experiences of USDVA ambulatory care managers, several recommendations emerged: (1) implement a system of matrix management; (2) invest in a leader; (3) develop "user-friendly" management information systems; (4) utilize existing resources efficiently; (5) embrace quality assurance; and (6) improve support from clerical and diagnostic services, nursing, and pharmacy personnel. Although intervention from leadership at the level of the USDVA Central Office will be necessary, many of these recommendations can be adopted by managers at the local facilities. The biggest challenge is to change the attitudes of clinical and support staff whose responsibilities have traditionally been inpatient-oriented.

  9. Redesigning the Regulatory Framework for Ambulatory Care Services in New York

    PubMed Central

    Chokshi, Dave A; Rugge, John; Shah, Nirav R

    2014-01-01

    Context While hospitals remain important centers of gravity in the health system, services are increasingly being delivered through ambulatory care. This shift to ambulatory care is giving rise to new delivery structures, such as retail clinics and urgent care centers, as well as reinventing existing ambulatory care capacity, as seen with the patient-centered medical home model and the movement toward team-based care. To protect the public's interests, oversight of ambulatory care services must keep pace with these rapid changes. With this purpose, in January 2013 the New York Public Health and Health Planning Council undertook a redesign of the regulatory framework for the state's ambulatory care services. This article describes the principles undergirding the framework as well as the regulatory recommendations themselves. Methods We explored and analyzed the regulation of ambulatory care services in New York in accordance with the available gray and peer-reviewed literature and legislative documents. The deliberations of the Public Health and Health Planning Council informed our review. Findings The vision of high-performing ambulatory care should be rooted in the Triple Aim (better health, higher-quality care, lower costs), with a particular emphasis on continuity of care for patients. There is a pressing need to better define the taxonomy of ambulatory care services. From the state government's perspective, this clarification requires better reporting from new health care entities (eg, retail clinics), connections with regional and state health information technology hubs, and coordination among state agencies. A uniform nomenclature also would improve consumers’ understanding of rights and responsibilities. Finally, the regulatory mechanisms employed—from mandatory reporting to licensure to regional planning to the certificate of need—should remain flexible and match the degree of consensus regarding the appropriate regulatory path. Conclusions Few other

  10. A retrospective cross-sectional study of patients treated in US EDs and ambulatory care clinics with sexually transmitted infections from 2001 to 2010.

    PubMed

    Ware, Chelsea E; Ajabnoor, Yasser; Mullins, Peter M; Mazer-Amirshahi, Maryann; Pines, Jesse M; May, Larissa

    2016-09-01

    Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are commonly seen in the ambulatory health care settings such as emergency departments (EDs) and outpatient clinics. Our objective was to assess trends over time in the incidence and demographics of STIs seen in the ED and outpatient clinics compared with office-based clinics using the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey and National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. This study was conducted using 10 years of National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey and National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey data (2001-2010). We compared data from 2001-2005 to data from 2006-2010. Patients were included in analyses if they were 15 years and older and had an International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision code consistent with cervicitis, urethritis, chlamydia, gonorrhea, or trichomonas. We analyzed 82.4 million visits for STIs, with 16.5% seen in hospital-based EDs and 83.5% seen in office-based clinics between 2001 and 2010. Compared with patients seen in office-based clinics, ED patients were younger (P< .05), more likely to be male (P< .001) and nonwhite (P< .001), and less likely to have private insurance (P< .05). We found a significant increase in adolescent (15-18 years) ED visits (P< .05) from 2001-2015 to 2006-2010 and a decrease in adolescent and male STI visits in office-based settings (P< .05). Although patients with STI are most commonly seen in office-based clinics, EDs represent an important site of care. In particular, ED patients are relatively younger, male, and nonwhite, and less likely to be private insured. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Estimated financial savings associated with health information exchange and ambulatory care referral.

    PubMed

    Frisse, Mark E; Holmes, Rodney L

    2007-12-01

    Data and financial models based on an operational health information exchange suggest that health care delivery costs can be reduced by making clinical data available at the time of care in urban emergency departments. Reductions are the result of decreases in laboratory and radiographic tests, fewer admissions for observation, and lower overall emergency department costs. The likelihood of reducing these costs depends on the extent to which clinicians alter their workflow and take into account information available through the exchange from other institutions prior to initiating a treatment plan. Far greater savings can be realized in theory by identifying individuals presenting to emergency departments whose acute and long-term care needs are more suitably addressed at lower costs in ambulatory settings or medical homes. These alternative ambulatory settings can more effectively address the chronic care needs of those who receive most of their care in emergency departments. To support a shift from emergency room care to clinic care, health care information available through the health information exchange must be made available in both emergency department and ambulatory care settings. If practice workflow and patient behavior can be changed, a more effective and efficient care delivery system will be made possible through the secure exchange of clinical information across regional settings. These projections support the case for the financial viability of regional health information exchanges and motivate participation of hospitals and ambulatory care organizations-particularly in urban settings.

  12. Identifying opportunities to advance practice at a large academic medical center using the ASHP Ambulatory Care Self-Assessment Tool.

    PubMed

    Martirosov, Amber Lanae; Michael, Angela; McCarty, Melissa; Bacon, Opal; DiLodovico, John R; Jantz, Arin; Kostoff, Diana; MacDonald, Nancy C; Mikulandric, Nancy; Neme, Klodiana; Sulejmani, Nimisha; Summers, Bryant B

    2018-05-29

    The use of the ASHP Ambulatory Care Self-Assessment Tool to advance pharmacy practice at 8 ambulatory care clinics of a large academic medical center is described. The ASHP Ambulatory Care Self-Assessment Tool was developed to help ambulatory care pharmacists assess how their current practices align with the ASHP Practice Advancement Initiative. The Henry Ford Hospital Ambulatory Care Advisory Group (ACAG) opted to use the "Practitioner Track" sections of the tool to assess pharmacy practices within each of 8 ambulatory care clinics individually. The responses to self-assessment items were then compiled and discussed by ACAG members. The group identified best practices and ways to implement action items to advance ambulatory care practice throughout the institution. Three recommended action items were common to most clinics: (1) identify and evaluate solutions to deliver financially viable services, (2) develop technology to improve patient care, and (3) optimize the role of pharmacy technicians and support personnel. The ACAG leadership met with pharmacy administrators to discuss how action items that were both feasible and deemed likely to have a medium-to-high impact aligned with departmental goals and used this information to develop an ambulatory care strategic plan. This process informed and enabled initiatives to advance ambulatory care pharmacy practice within the system. The ASHP Ambulatory Care Self-Assessment Tool was useful in identifying opportunities for practice advancement in a large academic medical center. Copyright © 2018 by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Helping You Choose Quality Ambulatory Care

    MedlinePlus

    Helping you choose: Quality ambulatory care When you need ambulatory care, you should find out some information to help you choose the best ... the center follows rules for patient safety and quality. Go to Quality Check ® at www. qualitycheck. org ...

  14. Relationship between Clinic and Ambulatory Blood-Pressure Measurements and Mortality.

    PubMed

    Banegas, José R; Ruilope, Luis M; de la Sierra, Alejandro; Vinyoles, Ernest; Gorostidi, Manuel; de la Cruz, Juan J; Ruiz-Hurtado, Gema; Segura, Julián; Rodríguez-Artalejo, Fernando; Williams, Bryan

    2018-04-19

    Evidence for the influence of ambulatory blood pressure on prognosis derives mainly from population-based studies and a few relatively small clinical investigations. This study examined the associations of blood pressure measured in the clinic (clinic blood pressure) and 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in a large cohort of patients in primary care. We analyzed data from a registry-based, multicenter, national cohort that included 63,910 adults recruited from 2004 through 2014 in Spain. Clinic and 24-hour ambulatory blood-pressure data were examined in the following categories: sustained hypertension (elevated clinic and elevated 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure), "white-coat" hypertension (elevated clinic and normal 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure), masked hypertension (normal clinic and elevated 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure), and normotension (normal clinic and normal 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure). Analyses were conducted with Cox regression models, adjusted for clinic and 24-hour ambulatory blood pressures and for confounders. During a median follow-up of 4.7 years, 3808 patients died from any cause, and 1295 of these patients died from cardiovascular causes. In a model that included both 24-hour and clinic measurements, 24-hour systolic pressure was more strongly associated with all-cause mortality (hazard ratio, 1.58 per 1-SD increase in pressure; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.56 to 1.60, after adjustment for clinic blood pressure) than the clinic systolic pressure (hazard ratio, 1.02; 95% CI, 1.00 to 1.04, after adjustment for 24-hour blood pressure). Corresponding hazard ratios per 1-SD increase in pressure were 1.55 (95% CI, 1.53 to 1.57, after adjustment for clinic and daytime blood pressures) for nighttime ambulatory systolic pressure and 1.54 (95% CI, 1.52 to 1.56, after adjustment for clinic and nighttime blood pressures) for daytime ambulatory systolic pressure. These relationships were

  15. Using patient classification systems to identify ambulatory care costs.

    PubMed

    Karpiel, M S

    1994-11-01

    Ambulatory care continues to increase as a percentage of total hospital revenue. Until recently, reimbursement for ambulatory care was provided on a cost basis. However, payers are attempting to exert more control over reimbursement for ambulatory care. The Health Care Financing Administration, for example, is expanding the use of prospective payment to cover more forms of outpatient care. Thus, in order to ensure the financial viability of their organizations, healthcare financial managers will need cost-accounting tools, such as patient classification systems, to ascertain the direct and indirect costs of emergency or outpatient visits and thereby to refine pricing, contracting, staffing, productivity, and profitability analyses for ambulatory care.

  16. Diagnostic Errors in Ambulatory Care: Dimensions and Preventive Strategies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Singh, Hardeep; Weingart, Saul N.

    2009-01-01

    Despite an increasing focus on patient safety in ambulatory care, progress in understanding and reducing diagnostic errors in this setting lag behind many other safety concerns such as medication errors. To explore the extent and nature of diagnostic errors in ambulatory care, we identified five dimensions of ambulatory care from which errors may…

  17. Clinical and economic outcomes of nurse-led services in the ambulatory care setting: A systematic review.

    PubMed

    Chan, Raymond J; Marx, Wolfgang; Bradford, Natalie; Gordon, Louisa; Bonner, Ann; Douglas, Clint; Schmalkuche, Diana; Yates, Patsy

    2018-05-01

    With the increasing burden of chronic and age-related diseases, and the rapidly increasing number of patients receiving ambulatory or outpatient-based care, nurse-led services have been suggested as one solution to manage increasing demand on the health system as they aim to reduce waiting times, resources, and costs while maintaining patient safety and enhancing satisfaction. The aims of this review were to assess the clinical effectiveness, economic outcomes and key implementation characteristics of nurse-led services in the ambulatory care setting. A systematic review was conducted using the standard Cochrane Collaboration methodology and was prepared in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) on The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE EBSCO, CINAHL EBSCO, and PsycINFO Ovid (from inception to April 2016). Data were extracted and appraisal undertaken. We included randomised controlled trials; quasi-randomised controlled trials; controlled and non-controlled before-and-after studies that compared the effects of nurse-led services in the ambulatory or community care setting with an alternative model of care or standard care. Twenty-five studies of 180,308 participants were included in this review. Of the 16 studies that measured and reported on health-related quality of life outcomes, the majority of studies (n = 13) reported equivocal outcomes; with three studies demonstrating superior outcomes and one demonstrating inferior outcomes in comparison with physician-led and standard care. Nurse-led care demonstrated either equivalent or better outcomes for a number of outcomes including symptom burden, self-management and behavioural outcomes, disease-specific indicators, satisfaction and perception of quality of life, and health service use. Benefits of nurse-led services remain inconclusive in terms of economic outcomes. Nurse

  18. Diagnosing malignant melanoma in ambulatory care: a systematic review of clinical prediction rules

    PubMed Central

    Harrington, Emma; Clyne, Barbara; Wesseling, Nieneke; Sandhu, Harkiran; Armstrong, Laura; Bennett, Holly; Fahey, Tom

    2017-01-01

    Objectives Malignant melanoma has high morbidity and mortality rates. Early diagnosis improves prognosis. Clinical prediction rules (CPRs) can be used to stratify patients with symptoms of suspected malignant melanoma to improve early diagnosis. We conducted a systematic review of CPRs for melanoma diagnosis in ambulatory care. Design Systematic review. Data sources A comprehensive search of PubMed, EMBASE, PROSPERO, CINAHL, the Cochrane Library and SCOPUS was conducted in May 2015, using combinations of keywords and medical subject headings (MeSH) terms. Study selection and data extraction Studies deriving and validating, validating or assessing the impact of a CPR for predicting melanoma diagnosis in ambulatory care were included. Data extraction and methodological quality assessment were guided by the CHARMS checklist. Results From 16 334 studies reviewed, 51 were included, validating the performance of 24 unique CPRs. Three impact analysis studies were identified. Five studies were set in primary care. The most commonly evaluated CPRs were the ABCD, more than one or uneven distribution of Colour, or a large (greater than 6 mm) Diameter (ABCD) dermoscopy rule (at a cut-point of >4.75; 8 studies; pooled sensitivity 0.85, 95% CI 0.73 to 0.93, specificity 0.72, 95% CI 0.65 to 0.78) and the 7-point dermoscopy checklist (at a cut-point of ≥1 recommending ruling in melanoma; 11 studies; pooled sensitivity 0.77, 95% CI 0.61 to 0.88, specificity 0.80, 95% CI 0.59 to 0.92). The methodological quality of studies varied. Conclusions At their recommended cut-points, the ABCD dermoscopy rule is more useful for ruling out melanoma than the 7-point dermoscopy checklist. A focus on impact analysis will help translate melanoma risk prediction rules into useful tools for clinical practice. PMID:28264830

  19. Active ambulatory care management supported by short message services and mobile phone technology in patients with arterial hypertension.

    PubMed

    Kiselev, Anton R; Gridnev, Vladimir I; Shvartz, Vladimir A; Posnenkova, Olga M; Dovgalevsky, Pavel Ya

    2012-01-01

    The use of short message services and mobile phone technology for ambulatory care management is the most accessible and most inexpensive way to transition from traditional ambulatory care management to active ambulatory care management in patients with arterial hypertension (AH). The aim of this study was to compare the clinical efficacy of active ambulatory care management supported by short message services and mobile phone technology with traditional ambulatory care management in AH patients. The study included 97 hypertensive patients under active ambulatory care management and 102 patients under traditional ambulatory care management. Blood pressure levels, body mass, and smoking history of patients were analyzed in the study. The duration of study was 1 year. In the active ambulatory care management group, 36% of patients were withdrawn from the study within a year. At the end of the year, 77% of patients from the active care management group had achieved the goal blood pressure level. That was more than 5 times higher than that in the traditional ambulatory care management group (P < .001). The risk ratio of achieving and maintaining the goal blood pressure in patients of active care management group was 5.44, CI (3.2-9.9; P = .005). Implementation of active ambulatory care management supported by short message services and mobile phone improves the quality of ambulatory care of hypertensive patients. Copyright © 2012 American Society of Hypertension. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Translating caring theory across the continuum from inpatient to ambulatory care.

    PubMed

    Tonges, Mary; McCann, Meghan; Strickler, Jeff

    2014-06-01

    While theory-based practice is a Magnet® characteristic, translating theories to practice remains challenging. As a result, theory-guided practice remains an ideal rather than a realized goal in many organizations. This article provides an overview of a research-derived caring theory, a translational model for theory-driven practice, implementation of a delivery model designed to translate theory across the acute and ambulatory care continuum, and resulting outcomes in oncology clinics and the emergency department.

  1. Hospital-based, acute care after ambulatory surgery center discharge.

    PubMed

    Fox, Justin P; Vashi, Anita A; Ross, Joseph S; Gross, Cary P

    2014-05-01

    As a measure of quality, ambulatory surgery centers have begun reporting rates of hospital transfer at discharge. This process, however, may underestimate the acute care needs of patients after care. We conducted this study to determine rates and evaluate variation in hospital transfer and hospital-based, acute care within 7 days among patients discharged from ambulatory surgery centers. Using data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project, we identified adult patients who underwent a medical or operative procedure between July 2008 and September 2009 at ambulatory surgery centers in California, Florida, and Nebraska. The primary outcomes were hospital transfer at the time of discharge and hospital-based, acute care (emergency department visits or hospital admissions) within 7-days expressed as the rate per 1,000 discharges. At the ambulatory surgery center level, rates were adjusted for age, sex, and procedure-mix. We studied 3,821,670 patients treated at 1,295 ambulatory surgery centers. At discharge, the hospital transfer rate was 1.1 per 1,000 discharges (95% confidence interval 1.1-1.1). Among patients discharged home, the hospital-based, acute care rate was 31.8 per 1,000 discharges (95% confidence interval 31.6-32.0). Across ambulatory surgery centers, there was little variation in adjusted hospital transfer rates (median = 1.0/1,000 discharges [25th-75th percentile = 1.0-2.0]), whereas substantial variation existed in adjusted, hospital-based, acute care rates (28.0/1,000 [21.0-39.0]). Among adult patients undergoing ambulatory care at surgery centers, hospital transfer at time of discharge from the ambulatory care center is a rare event. In contrast, the rate of need for hospital-based, acute care in the first week afterwards is nearly 30-fold greater, varies across centers, and may be a more meaningful measure for discriminating quality. Published by Mosby, Inc.

  2. Defining and evaluating quality for ambulatory care educational programs.

    PubMed

    Bowen, J L; Stearns, J A; Dohner, C; Blackman, J; Simpson, D

    1997-06-01

    As the training of medical students and residents increasingly moves to ambulatory care settings, clerkship and program directors must find a way to use their limited resources to guide the development and evaluation of the quality of these ambulatory-based learning experiences. To evaluate quality, directors must first define, in operational and measurable terms, what is meant by the term "quality" as it is applied to ambulatory-based education. Using educational theories and the definition of quality used by health care systems, the authors propose an operational definition of quality for guiding the planning, implementation, and evaluation of ambulatory care educational programs. They assert that quality is achieved through the interaction of an optimal learning environment, defined educational goals and positive outcomes, participant satisfaction, and cost-effectiveness. By describing the components of quality along with examples of measurable indicators, the authors provide a foundation for the evaluation and improvement of instructional innovations in ambulatory care education for the benefit of teachers, learners, and patients.

  3. Diagnosing malignant melanoma in ambulatory care: a systematic review of clinical prediction rules.

    PubMed

    Harrington, Emma; Clyne, Barbara; Wesseling, Nieneke; Sandhu, Harkiran; Armstrong, Laura; Bennett, Holly; Fahey, Tom

    2017-03-06

    Malignant melanoma has high morbidity and mortality rates. Early diagnosis improves prognosis. Clinical prediction rules (CPRs) can be used to stratify patients with symptoms of suspected malignant melanoma to improve early diagnosis. We conducted a systematic review of CPRs for melanoma diagnosis in ambulatory care. Systematic review. A comprehensive search of PubMed, EMBASE, PROSPERO, CINAHL, the Cochrane Library and SCOPUS was conducted in May 2015, using combinations of keywords and medical subject headings (MeSH) terms. Studies deriving and validating, validating or assessing the impact of a CPR for predicting melanoma diagnosis in ambulatory care were included. Data extraction and methodological quality assessment were guided by the CHARMS checklist. From 16 334 studies reviewed, 51 were included, validating the performance of 24 unique CPRs. Three impact analysis studies were identified. Five studies were set in primary care. The most commonly evaluated CPRs were the ABCD, more than one or uneven distribution of Colour, or a large (greater than 6 mm) Diameter (ABCD) dermoscopy rule (at a cut-point of >4.75; 8 studies; pooled sensitivity 0.85, 95% CI 0.73 to 0.93, specificity 0.72, 95% CI 0.65 to 0.78) and the 7-point dermoscopy checklist (at a cut-point of ≥1 recommending ruling in melanoma; 11 studies; pooled sensitivity 0.77, 95% CI 0.61 to 0.88, specificity 0.80, 95% CI 0.59 to 0.92). The methodological quality of studies varied. At their recommended cut-points, the ABCD dermoscopy rule is more useful for ruling out melanoma than the 7-point dermoscopy checklist. A focus on impact analysis will help translate melanoma risk prediction rules into useful tools for clinical practice. 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/.

  4. Impact of an Elective Course in Community and Ambulatory Care Pharmacy Practices on Student Perception of Patient Care

    PubMed Central

    Maguire, Michelle; Bennett, Marialice S.

    2015-01-01

    Objective. To determine the impact of an elective course on students’ perception of opportunities and of their preparedness for patient care in community and ambulatory pharmacy settings. Design. Each course meeting included a lecture and discussion to introduce concepts and active-learning activities to apply concepts to patient care or practice development in a community or ambulatory pharmacy setting. Assessment. A survey was administered to students before and after the course. Descriptive statistics were used to assess student responses to survey questions, and Wilcoxon signed rank tests were used to analyze the improvement in student responses with an alpha level set at 0.05. Students felt more prepared to provide patient care, develop or improve a clinical service, and effectively communicate recommendations to other health care providers after course completion. Conclusion. This elective course equipped students with the skills necessary to increase their confidence in providing patient care services in community and ambulatory settings. PMID:27168617

  5. [Descriptive study of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in the Primary Care Nursing clinic].

    PubMed

    Garzón-Quiñones, Marina; Gallardo-Gonzalo, Cristina; Padín-Minaya, Cristina; López-Pisa, Rosa M; Rodríguez-Latre, Luisa M

    2013-01-01

    To analyze the clinical characteristics and the circadian patterns of patients who received ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) by a Primary Care Team. A descriptive, observational, cross-sectional study at community level. People older than 18 years on ABPM (2007-2011). demographic, cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular risk factors, any type of arterial hypertension and circadian pattern. Intruments of measurement: 2 validated instruments with comparable results were used. The instruments for ABPM were placed during the nursing visit. The instruments were then removed after 24h, and the data was retrieved and recorded in the computerized clinical history. A total of 326 people were studied, with a mean age of 60.53±12.96 years, of whom 56.7% were male. According to ABPM the patient results showed that: 38.5% had «white coat» arterial hypertension, 36.2% were classified as poorly controlled arterial hypertension, 17.2% had masked hypertension, and 8% with isolated hypertension. Dipper circadian patterns were present in 39.6% of patients and non- dipper in 60.4%. ABPM allows to Primary Health Care professionals to check the actual situation of the blood pressure over 24h and analyze the circadian pattern. In clinical practice this involves having a comprehensive care strategy on life style, as well as adherence to treatment. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

  6. Benzodiazepine Prescribing in Older Adults in U.S. Ambulatory Clinics and Emergency Departments (2001-10).

    PubMed

    Marra, Erin M; Mazer-Amirshahi, Maryann; Brooks, Gillian; van den Anker, John; May, Larissa; Pines, Jesse M

    2015-10-01

    To assess trends in benzodiazepine use from 2001 to 2010 in older adults in U.S. ambulatory clinics and emergency departments (EDs). Retrospective analysis. 2001 to 2010 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) and National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS). Individuals aged 65 and older for whom the reason for visit might prompt a physician to use a benzodiazepine (e.g., anxiety, detoxification, back sprain). The NAMCS and NHAMCS were used to evaluate U.S. ambulatory clinic and ED visits. Encounters involving individuals aged 65 and older for whom a benzodiazepine might be prescribed were analyzed. Trends in benzodiazepine use in these visits were explored, and predictors of use were assessed using survey-weighted chi-square tests and logistic regression. From 2001 to 2010, benzodiazepines were used in 16.6 million of 133.3 million ambulatory clinic visits and 1.9 million of 18.1 million ED visits with the selected reasons for the visits. There was no change in benzodiazepine use in either setting over the study period, although benzodiazepine use for those aged 85 and older increased from 8.9% to 19.3% in ambulatory clinics and 10.1% to 17.2% in EDs. Individuals visiting clinics with anxiety were five times as likely to receive benzodiazepines (odds ratio (OR) = 4.8), and those in EDs were twice as likely (OR = 2.3). Despite safety concerns, benzodiazepine use in older adults in U.S. ambulatory clinics and EDs did not change from 2001 to 2010. In the oldest individuals, who are at higher risk of adverse events, a greater increase was seen than in those aged 65 to 84. Additional measures may be needed to promote alternatives to benzodiazepines. © 2015, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2015, The American Geriatrics Society.

  7. Blood Pressure Measurement: Clinic, Home, Ambulatory, and Beyond

    PubMed Central

    Drawz, Paul E.; Abdalla, Mohamed; Rahman, Mahboob

    2014-01-01

    Blood pressure has traditionally been measured in the clinic setting using the auscultory method and a mercury sphygmomanometer. Technological advances have led to improvements in measuring clinic blood pressure and allowed for measuring blood pressures outside the clinic. This review outlines various methods for evaluating blood pressure and the clinical utility of each type of measurement. Home blood pressures and 24 hour ambulatory blood pressures have improved our ability to evaluate risk for target organ damage and hypertension related morbidity and mortality. Measuring home blood pressures may lead to more active participation in health care by patients and has the potential to improve blood pressure control. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring enables the measuring nighttime blood pressures and diurnal changes, which may be the most accurate predictors of risk associated with elevated blood pressure. Additionally, reducing nighttime blood pressure is feasible and may be an important component of effective antihypertensive therapy. Finally, estimating central aortic pressures and pulse wave velocity are two of the newer methods for assessing blood pressure and hypertension related target organ damage. PMID:22521624

  8. Metadata - National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS)

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    The National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS) is designed to collect information on the services provided in hospital emergency and outpatient departments and in ambulatory surgery centers.

  9. Collaborative Care in Ambulatory Psychiatry: Content Analysis of Consultations to a Psychiatric Pharmacist.

    PubMed

    Gotlib, Dorothy; Bostwick, Jolene R; Calip, Seema; Perelstein, Elizabeth; Kurlander, Jacob E; Fluent, Thomas

    2017-09-15

    To determine the volume and nature (or topic) of consultations submitted to a psychiatric pharmacist embedded in an ambulatory psychiatry clinic, within a tertiary care academic medical center and to increase our understanding about the ways in which providers consult with an available psychiatric pharmacist. Authors analyze and describe the ambulatory psychiatric pharmacist consultation log at an academic ambulatory clinic. All consultation questions were submitted between July 2012 and October 2014. Psychiatry residents, attending physicians, and advanced practice nurse practitioners submitted 280 primary questions. The most common consultation questions from providers consulted were related to drug-drug interactions (n =70), drug formulations/dosing (n =48), adverse effects (n =43), and pharmacokinetics/lab monitoring/cross-tapering (n =36). This is a preliminary analysis that provides information about how psychiatry residents, attending physicians, and advanced practice nurse practitioners at our health system utilize a psychiatric pharmacist. This collaborative relationship may have implications for the future of psychiatric care delivery.

  10. Reimbursement and costs of pediatric ambulatory diabetes care by using the resource-based relative value scale: is multidisciplinary care financially viable?

    PubMed

    Melzer, Sanford M; Richards, Gail E; Covington, Maxine L

    2004-09-01

    The ambulatory care for children with diabetes mellitus (DM) within an endocrinology specialty practice typically includes services provided by a multidisciplinary team. The resource-based relative value scale (RBRVS) is increasingly used to determine payments for ambulatory services in pediatrics. It is not known to what extent resource-based practice expenses and physician work values as allocated through the RBRVS for physician and non-physician practice expenses cover the actual costs of multidisciplinary ambulatory care for children with DM. A pediatric endocrinology and diabetes clinic staffed by faculty physicians and hospital support staff in a children's hospital. Data from a faculty practice plan billing records and income and expense reports during the period from 1 July 2000 to 30 June 2001 were used to determine endocrinologist physician ambulatory productivity, revenue collection, and direct expenses (salary, benefits, billing, and professional liability (PLI)). Using the RBRVS, ambulatory care revenue was allocated between physician, PLI, and practice expenses. Applying the activity-based costing (ABC) method, activity logs were used to determine non-physician and facility practice expenses associated with endocrine (ENDO) or diabetes visits. Of the 4735 ambulatory endocrinology visits, 1420 (30%) were for DM care. Physicians generated $866,582 in gross charges. Cash collections of 52% of gross charges provided revenue of $96 per visit. Using the actual Current Procedural Terminology (CPT)-4 codes reported for these services and the RBRVS system, the revenue associated with the 13,007 total relative value units (TRVUs) produced was allocated, with 58% going to cover physician work expenses and 42% to cover non-physician practice salary, facility, and PLI costs. Allocated revenue of $40.60 per visit covered 16 and 31% of non-physician and facility practice expenses per DM and general ENDO visit, respectively. RBRVS payments ($35/RVU) covered 46% of

  11. Wait watchers: the application of a waiting list active management program in ambulatory care.

    PubMed

    de Belvis, Antonio Giulio; Marino, Marta; Avolio, Maria; Pelone, Ferruccio; Basso, Danila; Dei Tos, Gian Antonio; Cinquetti, Sandro; Ricciardi, Walter

    2013-04-01

    This study describes and evaluates the application of a waiting list management program in ambulatory care. Waiting list active management survey (telephone call and further contact); before and after controlled trial. Local Health Trust in Veneto Region (North-East of Italy) in 2008-09. Five hundred and one people on a 554 waiting list for C Class ambulatory care diagnostic and/or clinical investigations (electrocardiography plus cardiology ambulatory consultation, eye ambulatory consultation, carotid vessels Eco-color-Doppler, legs Eco-color-Doppler or colonoscopy, respectively). Active list management program consisting of a telephonic interview on 21 items to evaluate socioeconomic features, self-perceived health status, social support, referral physician, accessibility and patients' satisfaction. A controlled before-and-after study was performed to evaluate anonymously the overall impact on patients' self-perceived quality of care. The rate of patients with deteriorating healthcare conditions; rate of dropout; interviewed degree of satisfaction about the initiative; overall impact on citizens' perceived quality of care. 95.4% patients evaluated the initiative as useful. After the intervention, patients more likely to have been targeted with the program showed a statistically significant increase in self-reported quality of care. Positive impact of the program on some dimensions of ambulatory care quality (health status, satisfaction, willingness to remain in the queue), thus confirming the outstanding value of 'not to leave people alone' and 'not to leave them feeling themselves alone' in healthcare delivery.

  12. The Ambulatory and Home Care Record: A Methodological Framework for Economic Analyses in End-of-Life Care

    PubMed Central

    Guerriere, Denise N.; Coyte, Peter C.

    2011-01-01

    Provision of end-of-life care in North America takes place across a multitude of settings, including hospitals, ambulatory clinics and home settings. As a result, family caregiving is characteristically a major component of care within the home. Accordingly, economic evaluation of the end-of-life care environment must devote equal consideration to resources provided by the public health system as well as privately financed resources, such as time and money provided by family caregivers. This paper addresses the methods used to measure end-of-life care costs. The existing empirical literature will be reviewed in order to assess care costs with areas neglected in this body of literature to be identified. The Ambulatory and Home Care Record, a framework and tool for comprehensively measuring costs related to the provision and receipt of end-of-life care across all health care settings, will be described and proposed. Finally, areas for future work will be identified, along with their potential contribution to this body of knowledge. PMID:21629752

  13. Competency-based learning in an ambulatory care setting: Implementation of simulation training in the Ambulatory Care Rotation during the final year of the MaReCuM model curriculum.

    PubMed

    Dusch, Martin; Narciß, Elisabeth; Strohmer, Renate; Schüttpelz-Brauns, Katrin

    2018-01-01

    Aim: As part of the MaReCuM model curriculum at Medical Faculty Mannheim Heidelberg University, a final year rotation in ambulatory care was implemented and augmented to include ambulatory care simulation. In this paper we describe this ambulatory care simulation, the designated competency-based learning objectives, and evaluate the educational effect of the ambulatory care simulation training. Method: Seventy-five final year medical students participated in the survey (response rate: 83%). The control group completed the ambulatory rotation prior to the implementation of the ambulatory care simulation. The experimental group was required to participate in the simulation at the beginning of the final year rotation in ambulatory care. A survey of both groups was conducted at the beginning and at the end of the rotation. The learning objectives were taken from the National Competency-based Catalogue of Learning Objectives for Undergraduate Medical Education (NKLM). Results: The ambulatory care simulation had no measurable influence on students' subjectively perceived learning progress, the evaluation of the ambulatory care rotation, or working in an ambulatory care setting. At the end of the rotation participants in both groups reported having gained better insight into treating outpatients. At the beginning of the rotation members of both groups assessed their competencies to be at the same level. The simulated ambulatory scenarios were evaluated by the participating students as being well structured and easy to understand. The scenarios successfully created a sense of time pressure for those confronted with them. The ability to correctly fill out a narcotic prescription form as required was rated significantly higher by those who participated in the simulation. Participation in the ambulatory care simulation had no effect on the other competencies covered by the survey. Discussion: The effect of the four instructional units comprising the ambulatory care simulation

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

    PubMed

    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.

  15. Communication in acute ambulatory care.

    PubMed

    Dean, Marleah; Oetzel, John; Sklar, David P

    2014-12-01

    Effective communication has been linked to better health outcomes, higher patient satisfaction, and treatment adherence. Communication in ambulatory care contexts is even more crucial, as providers typically do not know patients' medical histories or have established relationships, conversations are time constrained, interruptions are frequent, and the seriousness of patients' medical conditions may create additional tension during interactions. Yet, health communication often unduly emphasizes information exchange-the transmission and receipt of messages leading to a mutual understanding of a patient's condition, needs, and treatments. This approach does not take into account the importance of rapport building and contextual issues, and may ultimately limit the amount of information exchanged.The authors share the perspective of communication scientists to enrich the current approach to medical communication in ambulatory health care contexts, broadening the under standing of medical communication beyond information exchange to a more holistic, multilayered viewpoint, which includes rapport and contextual issues. The authors propose a socio-ecological model for understanding communication in acute ambulatory care. This model recognizes the relationship of individuals to their environment and emphasizes the importance of individual and contextual factors that influence patient-provider interactions. Its key elements include message exchange and individual, organizational, societal, and cultural factors. Using this model, and following the authors' recommendations, providers and medical educators can treat communication as a holistic process shaped by multiple layers. This is a step toward being able to negotiate conflicting demands, resolve tensions, and create encounters that lead to positive health outcomes.

  16. Considerations for Providing Ambulatory Pharmacy Services for Pediatric Patients.

    PubMed

    Lampkin, Stacie J; Gildon, Brooke; Benavides, Sandra; Walls, Kelly; Briars, Leslie

    2018-01-01

    Pediatric clinical pharmacists are an integral part of the health care team. By practicing in an ambulatory care clinic, they can reduce the risk of medication errors, improve health outcomes, and enhance patient care. Unfortunately, because of limited data, misconceptions surrounding the role of pharmacists, and reimbursement challenges, there may be difficulty in establishing or expanding pediatric clinical pharmacy services to an ambulatory care setting. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of considerations for establishing or expanding pharmacy services in a pediatric ambulatory care clinic. The primer will discuss general and pediatric-specific pharmacy practice information, as well as potential barriers, and recommendations for identifying a practice site, creating a business plan, and integrating these services into a clinic setting.

  17. Big Data and Ambulatory Care

    PubMed Central

    Thorpe, Jane Hyatt; Gray, Elizabeth Alexandra

    2015-01-01

    Big data is heralded as having the potential to revolutionize health care by making large amounts of data available to support care delivery, population health, and patient engagement. Critics argue that big data's transformative potential is inhibited by privacy requirements that restrict health information exchange. However, there are a variety of permissible activities involving use and disclosure of patient information that support care delivery and management. This article presents an overview of the legal framework governing health information, dispels misconceptions about privacy regulations, and highlights how ambulatory care providers in particular can maximize the utility of big data to improve care. PMID:25401945

  18. The Effect of Primary Care Provider Turnover on Patient Experience of Care and Ambulatory Quality of Care.

    PubMed

    Reddy, Ashok; Pollack, Craig E; Asch, David A; Canamucio, Anne; Werner, Rachel M

    2015-07-01

    Primary care provider (PCP) turnover is common and can disrupt patient continuity of care. Little is known about the effect of PCP turnover on patient care experience and quality of care. To measure the effect of PCP turnover on patient experiences of care and ambulatory care quality. Observational, retrospective cohort study of a nationwide sample of primary care patients in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). We included all patients enrolled in primary care at the VHA between 2010 and 2012 included in 1 of 2 national data sets used to measure our outcome variables: 326,374 patients in the Survey of Healthcare Experiences of Patients (SHEP; used to measure patient experience of care) associated with 8441 PCPs and 184,501 patients in the External Peer Review Program (EPRP; used to measure ambulatory care quality) associated with 6973 PCPs. Whether a patient experienced PCP turnover, defined as a patient whose provider (physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant) had left the VHA (ie, had no patient encounters for 12 months). Five patient care experience measures (from SHEP) and 11 measures of quality of ambulatory care (from EPRP). Nine percent of patients experienced a PCP turnover in our study sample. Primary care provider turnover was associated with a worse rating in each domain of patient care experience. Turnover was associated with a reduced likelihood of having a positive rating of their personal physician of 68.2% vs 74.6% (adjusted percentage point difference, -5.3; 95% CI, -6.0 to -4.7) and a reduced likelihood of getting care quickly of 36.5% vs 38.5% (adjusted percentage point difference, -1.1; 95% CI, -2.1 to -0.1). In contrast, PCP turnover was not associated with lower quality of ambulatory care except for a lower likelihood of controlling blood pressure of 78.7% vs 80.4% (adjusted percentage point difference, -1.44; 95% CI, -2.2 to -0.7). In 9 measures of ambulatory care quality, the difference between patients who experienced no

  19. Improving outpatient access and patient experiences in academic ambulatory care.

    PubMed

    O'Neill, Sarah; Calderon, Sherry; Casella, Joanne; Wood, Elizabeth; Carvelli-Sheehan, Jayne; Zeidel, Mark L

    2012-02-01

    Effective scheduling of and ready access to doctor appointments affect ambulatory patient care quality, but these are often sacrificed by patients seeking care from physicians at academic medical centers. At one center, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, the authors developed interventions to improve the scheduling of appointments and to reduce the access time between telephone call and first offered appointment. Improvements to scheduling included no redirection to voicemail, prompt telephone pickup, courteous service, complete registration, and effective scheduling. Reduced access time meant being offered an appointment with a physician in the appropriate specialty within three working days of the telephone call. Scheduling and access were assessed using monthly "mystery shopper" calls. Mystery shoppers collected data using standardized forms, rated the quality of service, and transcribed their interactions with schedulers. Monthly results were tabulated and discussed with clinical leaders; leaders and frontline staff then developed solutions to detected problems. Eighteen months after the beginning of the intervention (in June 2007), which is ongoing, schedulers had gone from using 60% of their registration skills to over 90%, customer service scores had risen from 2.6 to 4.9 (on a 5-point scale), and average access time had fallen from 12 days to 6 days. The program costs $50,000 per year and has been associated with a 35% increase in ambulatory volume across three years. The authors conclude that academic medical centers can markedly improve the scheduling process and access to care and that these improvements may result in increased ambulatory care volume.

  20. Rural Ambulatory Access for Semi-Urgent Care and the Relationship of Distance to an Emergency Department

    PubMed Central

    Parks, Ashley; Hoegh, Andy; Kuehl, Damon

    2015-01-01

    Introduction Availability of timely access to ambulatory care for semi-urgent medical concerns in rural and suburban locales is unknown. Further distance to an emergency department (ED) may require rural clinics to serve as surrogate EDs in their region, and make it more likely for these clinics to offer timely appointments. We determined the availability of urgent (within 48 hours) access to ambulatory care for non-established visiting patients, and assessed the effect of insurance and ability to pay cash on a patient’s success in scheduling an appointment in rural and suburban Eastern United States. We also assessed how proximity to EDs and urgent care (UC) facilities influenced access to semi-urgent ambulatory appointments at primary care facilities. Methods The Appalachian Trail, which runs from Georgia to Maine, was used as a transect to select 190 rural and suburban primary care clinics located along its entire length. We calculated their location and distance to the nearest hospital-based ED or UC via Google Earth. A sham patient representing a non-established visiting patient called each clinic over a four-month period (2013), requesting an appointment in the next 48 hours for one of three scripted clinical vignettes representing common semi-urgent ambulatory concerns. We randomized the scenarios and insurance statuses (insured vs. uninsured). Each clinic was contacted twice, once with the caller representing an insured patient, once with the caller representing an uninsured patient. When the caller was representing an uninsured patient, any required upfront payment was requested from each clinic. One hundred dollars was used as a cutoff between the uninsured as a distinction between those able to afford substantial upfront sums and those who could not. To determine if proximity to other sources of care impacted a clinic’s ability to grant an appointment, distance to the nearest ED or UC was modeled as a dichotomous variable using 30 miles as the

  1. Restructuring VA ambulatory care and medical education: the PACE model of primary care.

    PubMed

    Cope, D W; Sherman, S; Robbins, A S

    1996-07-01

    The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Western Region and associated medical schools formulated a set of recommendations for an improved ambulatory health care delivery system during a 1988 strategic planning conference. As a result, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center in Sepulveda, California, initiated the Pilot (now Primary) Ambulatory Care and Education (PACE) program in 1990 to implement and evaluate a model program. The PACE program represents a significant departure from traditional VA and non-VA academic medical center care, shifting the focus of care from the inpatient to the outpatient setting. From its inception, the PACE program has used an interdisciplinary team approach with three independent global care firms. Each firm is interdisciplinary in composition, with a matrix management structure that expands role function and empowers team members. Emphasis is on managed primary care, stressing a biopsychosocial approach and cost-effective comprehensive care emphasizing prevention and health maintenance. Information management is provided through a network of personal computers that serve as a front end to the VHA Decentralized Hospital Computer Program (DHCP) mainframe. In addition to providing comprehensive and cost-effective care, the PACE program educates trainees in all health care disciplines, conducts research, and disseminates information about important procedures and outcomes. Undergraduate and graduate trainees from 11 health care disciplines rotate through the PACE program to learn an integrated approach to managed ambulatory care delivery. All trainees are involved in a problem-based approach to learning that emphasizes shared training experiences among health care disciplines. This paper describes the transitional phases of the PACE program (strategic planning, reorganization, and quality improvement) that are relevant for other institutions that are shifting to training programs emphasizing primary and ambulatory care.

  2. Cost sharing and hospitalizations for ambulatory care sensitive conditions.

    PubMed

    Arrieta, Alejandro; García-Prado, Ariadna

    2015-01-01

    During the last decade, Chile's private health sector has experienced a dramatic increase in hospitalization rates, growing at four times the rate of ambulatory visits. Such evolution has raised concern among policy-makers. We studied the effect of ambulatory and hospital co-insurance rates on hospitalizations for ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSC) among individuals with private insurance in Chile. We used a large administrative dataset of private insurance claims for the period 2007-8 and a final sample of 2,792,662 individuals to estimate a structural model of two equations. The first equation was for ambulatory visits and the second for future hospitalizations for ACSC. We estimated the system by Two Stage Least Squares (2SLS) corrected by heteroskedasticity via Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) estimation. Results show that increased ambulatory visits reduced the probability of future hospitalizations, and increased ambulatory co-insurance decreased ambulatory visits for the adult population (19-65 years-old). Both findings indicate the need to reduce ambulatory co-insurance as a way to reduce hospitalizations for ACSC. Results also showed that increasing hospital co-insurance does have a statistically significant reduction on hospitalizations for the adult group, while it does not seem to have a significant effect on hospitalizations for the children (1-18 years-old) group. This paper's contribution is twofold: first, it shows how the level of co-insurance can be a determinant in avoiding unnecessary hospitalizations for certain conditions; second, it highlights the relevance for policy-making of using data on ACSC to improve the efficiency of health systems by promoting ambulatory care as well as population health. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. The Effect of Primary Care Provider Turnover on Patient Experience of Care and Ambulatory Quality of Care

    PubMed Central

    Reddy, Ashok; Pollack, Craig E.; Asch, David A.; Canamucio, Anne; Werner, Rachel M.

    2017-01-01

    IMPORTANCE Primary care provider (PCP) turnover is common and can disrupt patient continuity of care. Little is known about the effect of PCP turnover on patient care experience and quality of care. OBJECTIVE To measure the effect of PCP turnover on patient experiences of care and ambulatory care quality. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Observational, retrospective cohort study of a nationwide sample of primary care patients in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). We included all patients enrolled in primary care at the VHA between 2010 and 2012 included in 1 of 2 national data sets used to measure our outcome variables: 326 374 patients in the Survey of Healthcare Experiences of Patients (SHEP; used to measure patient experience of care) associated with 8441 PCPs and 184 501 patients in the External Peer Review Program (EPRP; used to measure ambulatory care quality) associated with 6973 PCPs. EXPOSURES Whether a patient experienced PCP turnover, defined as a patient whose provider (physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant) had left the VHA (ie, had no patient encounters for 12 months). MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Five patient care experience measures (from SHEP) and 11 measures of quality of ambulatory care (from EPRP). RESULTS Nine percent of patients experienced a PCP turnover in our study sample. Primary care provider turnover was associated with a worse rating in each domain of patient care experience. Turnover was associated with a reduced likelihood of having a positive rating of their personal physician of 68.2% vs 74.6% (adjusted percentage point difference, −5.3; 95% CI, −6.0 to −4.7) and a reduced likelihood of getting care quickly of 36.5% vs 38.5% (adjusted percentage point difference, −1.1; 95% CI, −2.1 to −0.1). In contrast, PCP turnover was not associated with lower quality of ambulatory care except for a lower likelihood of controlling blood pressure of 78.7% vs 80.4% (adjusted percentage point difference, −1.44; 95

  4. Sustainable business models: systematic approach toward successful ambulatory care pharmacy practice.

    PubMed

    Sachdev, Gloria

    2014-08-15

    This article discusses considerations for making ambulatory care pharmacist services at least cost neutral and, ideally, generate a margin that allows for service expansion. The four pillars of business sustainability are leadership, staffing, information technology, and compensation. A key facet of leadership in ambulatory care pharmacy practice is creating and expressing a clear vision for pharmacists' services. Staffing considerations include establishing training needs, maximizing efficiencies, and minimizing costs. Information technology is essential for efficiency in patient care delivery and outcomes assessment. The three domains of compensation are cost savings, pay for performance, and revenue generation. The following eight steps for designing and implementing an ambulatory care pharmacist service are discussed: (1) prepare a needs assessment, (2) analyze existing strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, (3) analyze service gaps and feasibility, (4) consider financial opportunities, (5) consider stakeholders' interests, (6) develop a business plan, (7) implement the service, and (8) measure outcomes. Potential future changes in national healthcare policy (such as pharmacist provider status and expanded pay for performance) could enhance the opportunities for sustainable ambulatory care pharmacy practice. The key challenges facing ambulatory care pharmacists are developing sustainable business models, determining which services yield a positive return on investment, and demanding payment for value-added services. Copyright © 2014 by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Oral and Topical Antibiotics for Clinically Infected Eczema in Children: A Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial in Ambulatory Care.

    PubMed

    Francis, Nick A; Ridd, Matthew J; Thomas-Jones, Emma; Butler, Christopher C; Hood, Kerenza; Shepherd, Victoria; Marwick, Charis A; Huang, Chao; Longo, Mirella; Wootton, Mandy; Sullivan, Frank

    2017-03-01

    Eczema may flare because of bacterial infection, but evidence supporting antibiotic treatment is of low quality. We aimed to determine the effect of oral and topical antibiotics in addition to topical emollient and corticosteroids in children with clinically infected eczema. We employed a 3-arm, blinded, randomized controlled trial in UK ambulatory care. Children with clinical, non-severely infected eczema were randomized to receive oral and topical placebos (control), oral antibiotic (flucloxacillin) and topical placebo, or topical antibiotic (fusidic acid) and oral placebo, for 1 week. We compared Patient Oriented Eczema Measure (POEM) scores at 2 weeks using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). We randomized 113 children (40 to control, 36 to oral antibiotic, and 37 to topical antibiotic). Mean (SD) baseline Patient Oriented Eczema Measure scores were 13.4 (5.1) for the control group, 14.6 (5.3) for the oral antibiotic group, and 16.9 (5.5) for the topical antibiotic group. At baseline, 104 children (93%) had 1 or more of the following findings: weeping, crusting, pustules, or painful skin. Mean (SD) POEM scores at 2 weeks were 6.2 (6.0) for control, 8.3 (7.3) for the oral antibiotic group, and 9.3 (6.2) for the topical antibiotic group. Controlling for baseline POEM score, neither oral nor topical antibiotics produced a significant difference in mean (95% CI) POEM scores (1.5 [-1.4 to 4.4] and 1.5 [-1.6 to 4.5] respectively). There were no significant differences in adverse effects and no serious adverse events. We found rapid resolution in response to topical steroid and emollient treatment and ruled out a clinically meaningful benefit from the addition of either oral or topical antibiotics. Children seen in ambulatory care with mild clinically infected eczema do not need treatment with antibiotics. © 2017 Annals of Family Medicine, Inc.

  6. Severity of illness and ambulatory care-sensitive conditions.

    PubMed

    Yuen, Elaine J

    2004-09-01

    This study describes how severity of illness may refine the definition of ambulatory care-sensitive conditions, or ACSCs. Hospital discharge abstract data from Philadelphia were combined with census data to develop population-based adjusted rates of hospitalization for diabetes and asthma, two ACSCs. By stratifying ACSC hospitalization by severity of illness, variations were observed by age, race, and gender. Minority groups may be at higher risk for less access to outpatient primary care and were observed to have higher rates of more severely ill, Stage 3 hospitalization. Geographic map displays indicated wide ranges of age-sex-adjusted rates for high-severity hospitalization in the five-county Philadelphia region. This refined ACSC measure may help to identify specific groups and clinical conditions within a population to assist health care planners estimate health care resources such as facilities, manpower, and programs, as well as to evaluate their outcomes.

  7. The use of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring to confirm a diagnosis of high blood pressure by primary-care physicians in Oregon.

    PubMed

    Carter, Brittany U; Kaylor, Mary Beth

    2016-04-01

    Hypertension is the most commonly diagnosed medical condition in the USA. Unfortunately, patients are misdiagnosed in primary care because of inaccurate office-based blood pressure measurements. Several US healthcare organizations currently recommend confirming an office-based hypertension diagnosis with ambulatory blood pressure monitoring to avoid overtreatment; however, its use for the purpose of confirming an office-based hypertension diagnosis is relatively unknown. This descriptive study surveyed 143 primary-care physicians in Oregon with regard to their current use of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. Nineteen percent of the physicians reported that they would use ambulatory blood pressure monitoring to confirm an office-based hypertension diagnosis, although over half had never ordered it. The most frequent indication for ordering ambulatory blood pressure monitoring was to investigate suspected white-coat hypertension (37.3%). In addition, many of the practices did not own an ambulatory blood pressure monitoring device (79.7%) and, therefore, had to refer patients to other clinics or departments for testing. Many primary-care physicians will need to change their current clinical practice to align with the shift toward a confirmation process for office-based hypertension diagnoses to improve population health.

  8. Ambulatory measurement of ankle kinetics for clinical applications.

    PubMed

    Rouhani, H; Favre, J; Crevoisier, X; Aminian, K

    2011-10-13

    This study aimed to design and validate the measurement of ankle kinetics (force, moment, and power) during consecutive gait cycles and in the field using an ambulatory system. An ambulatory system consisting of plantar pressure insole and inertial sensors (3D gyroscopes and 3D accelerometers) on foot and shank was used. To test this system, 12 patients and 10 healthy elderly subjects wore shoes embedding this system and walked many times across a gait lab including a force-plate surrounded by seven cameras considered as the reference system. Then, the participants walked two 50-meter trials where only the ambulatory system was used. Ankle force components and sagittal moment of ankle measured by ambulatory system showed correlation coefficient (R) and normalized RMS error (NRMSE) of more than 0.94 and less than 13% in comparison with the references system for both patients and healthy subjects. Transverse moment of ankle and ankle power showed R>0.85 and NRMSE<23%. These parameters also showed high repeatability (CMC>0.7). In contrast, the ankle coronal moment of ankle demonstrated high error and lower repeatability. Except for ankle coronal moment, the kinetic features obtained by the ambulatory system could distinguish the patients with ankle osteoarthritis from healthy subjects when measured in 50-meter trials. The proposed ambulatory system can be easily accessible in most clinics and could assess main ankle kinetics quantities with acceptable error and repeatability for clinical evaluations. This system is therefore suggested for field measurement in clinical applications. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Organization of ambulatory care provision: a critical determinant of health system performance in developing countries.

    PubMed Central

    Berman, P.

    2000-01-01

    Success in the provision of ambulatory personal health services, i.e. providing individuals with treatment for acute illness and preventive health care on an ambulatory basis, is the most significant contributor to the health care system's performance in most developing countries. Ambulatory personal health care has the potential to contribute the largest immediate gains in health status in populations, especially for the poor. At present, such health care accounts for the largest share of the total health expenditure in most lower income countries. It frequently comprises the largest share of the financial burden on households associated with health care consumption, which is typically regressively distributed. The "organization" of ambulatory personal health services is a critical determinant of the health system's performance which, at present, is poorly understood and insufficiently considered in policies and programmes for reforming health care systems. This article begins with a brief analysis of the importance of ambulatory care in the overall health system performance and this is followed by a summary of the inadequate global data on ambulatory care organization. It then defines the concept of "macro organization of health care" at a system level. Outlined also is a framework for analysing the organization of health care services and the major pathways through which the organization of ambulatory personal health care services can affect system performance. Examples of recent policy interventions to influence primary care organization--both government and nongovernmental providers and market structure--are reviewed. It is argued that the characteristics of health care markets in developing countries and of most primary care goods result in relatively diverse and competitive environments for ambulatory care services, compared with other types of health care. Therefore, governments will be required to use a variety of approaches beyond direct public provision

  10. Patient care delivery and integration: stimulating advancement of ambulatory care pharmacy practice in an era of healthcare reform.

    PubMed

    Epplen, Kelly T

    2014-08-15

    This article discusses how to plan and implement an ambulatory care pharmacist service, how to integrate a hospital- or health-system-based service with the mission and operations of the institution, and how to help the institution meet its challenges related to quality improvement, continuity of care, and financial sustainability. The steps in implementing an ambulatory care pharmacist service include (1) conducting a needs assessment, (2) aligning plans for the service with the mission and goals of the parent institution, (3) collaborating with patients and physicians, (4) standardizing the patient care process, (5) proposing the service, (6) attaining the necessary resources, (7) identifying stakeholders, (8) identifying applicable quality standards, (9) defining competency standards, (10) planning for service payment, and (11) monitoring outcomes. Ambulatory care pharmacists have current opportunities to become engaged with patient-centered medical homes, accountable care organizations, preventive and wellness programs, and continuity of care initiatives. Common barriers to the advancement of ambulatory care pharmacist services include lack of complete access to patient information, inadequate information technology, and lack of payment. Ambulatory care pharmacy practitioners must assertively promote appropriate medication use, provide patient-centered care, pursue integration with the patient care team, and seek appropriate recognition and compensation for the services they provide. Copyright © 2014 by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Diagnoses Treated in Ambulatory Care Among Homeless-Experienced Veterans

    PubMed Central

    Gabrielian, Sonya; Yuan, Anita H.; Andersen, Ronald M.; Gelberg, Lillian

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: Little is known about how permanent supported housing influences ambulatory care received by homeless persons. To fill this gap, we compared diagnoses treated in VA Greater Los Angeles (VAGLA) ambulatory care between Veterans who are formerly homeless—now housed/case managed through VA Supported Housing (“VASH Veterans”)—and currently homeless. Methods: We performed secondary database analyses of homeless-experienced Veterans (n = 3631) with VAGLA ambulatory care use from October 1, 2010 to September 30, 2011. We compared diagnoses treated—adjusting for demographics and need characteristics in regression analyses—between VASH Veterans (n = 1904) and currently homeless Veterans (n = 1727). Results: On average, considering 26 studied diagnoses, VASH (vs currently homeless) Veterans received care for more (P < .05) diagnoses (mean = 2.9/1.7). Adjusting for demographics and need characteristics, VASH Veterans were more likely (P < .05) than currently homeless Veterans to receive treatment for diagnoses across categories: chronic physical illness, acute physical illness, mental illness, and substance use disorders. Specifically, VASH Veterans had 2.5, 1.7, 2.1, and 1.8 times greater odds of receiving treatment for at least 2 condition in these categories, respectively. Among participants treated for chronic illnesses, adjusting for predisposing and need characteristics, VASH (vs currently homeless) Veterans were 9%, 8%, and 11% more likely to have 2 or more visits for chronic physical illnesses, mental illnesses, and substance use disorder, respectively. Conclusion: Among homeless-experienced Veterans, permanent supported housing may reduce disparities in the treatment of diagnoses commonly seen in ambulatory care. PMID:27343544

  12. Shifts in nursing and medical student's attitudes, beliefs and behaviours about interprofessional work: An interprofessional placement in ambulatory care.

    PubMed

    Seaman, Karla; Saunders, Rosemary; Dugmore, Helen; Tobin, Claire; Singer, Rachel; Lake, Fiona

    2018-05-12

    To examine students' beliefs, behaviours and attitudes in relation to interprofessional socialisation, and their expectations and experience, before and after a two-week clinical placement in ambulatory care. Interprofessional clinical placements for students are important for developing an understanding of interprofessional collaboration and identity, for the benefit of patient care. Ambulatory care environment involves collaborative management of complex chronic problems. This educator supported placement enabled final year nursing and medical students to work together. A descriptive matched pre-post study was conducted. Students' completed an online questionnaire pre and post their clinical placement. The questionnaire comprised of three sections; demographic information, the Interprofessional Socialisation and Valuing Scale and open-ended questions. Descriptive analysis and paired t-tests were conducted for the three subscales and thematic analysis of qualitative responses was conducted. Sixty-two of the 151 students between 2011-2014 completed both surveys. There was a significant increase post placement in the overall Interprofessional Socialisation and Valuing Scale scores. The change was greater for nursing students compared with medical students, although for both groups the change was small. The majority had a good to very good experience learning each other's and their own professions, and identified the Nurse Educator and Teaching Registrar as key to success. A clinical placement in an ambulatory setting for nursing and medical students resulted in an increase in self-perceived ability to work with others and in valuing working with others. Interprofessional clinical placements are essential for students to understand interprofessional practice for better patient outcomes and developing their own perspective of future work within an interprofessional team. Ambulatory care is an ideal environment for nursing and other health professional students to

  13. Return on Investment for the Baccalaureate-Prepared RN in Ambulatory Care.

    PubMed

    Zolotorofe, Irene; Fortini, Robert; Hash, Pam; Daniels, Angel; Orsolini, Liana; Mazzoccoli, Andrea; Gerardi, Tina

    2018-03-01

    Evidence supports the return on investment for an RN in ambulatory care. Utilizing RNs to their fullest potential in ambulatory practices is essential to effectively manage population health. Bon Secours Health System launched a new role, patient navigator RNs, to ensure seamless transitions of complex patients across care settings, resulting in better patient outcomes and a financial return.

  14. Use of hospital-based ambulatory care in New York City's Health Manpower Shortage Areas.

    PubMed Central

    Stager, D F; Krasner, M I; Goodwin, E J

    1987-01-01

    The development of a comprehensive data base for hospital-based ambulatory care has made possible the accurate determination of each community's use of hospitals in New York City and permits a reliable estimation of all ambulatory care received by residents of Health Manpower Shortage Areas (HMSAs). In spite of the city's abundant supply of private practitioners and widespread Medicaid coverage, residents of HMSAs in New York City are heavily dependent on hospital-based ambulatory care. Contrary to commonly held notions, however, HMSA residents do not appear to overuse hospital-based ambulatory care. Rather, that use appears to be quite modest, given their poorer health status. PMID:3101118

  15. A break-even analysis of optimum faculty assignment for ambulatory primary care training.

    PubMed

    Xakellis, G C; Gjerde, C L; Xakellis, M G; Klitgaard, D

    1996-12-01

    The increased demand that faculty teach residents in ambulatory clinics necessitates the development of ambulatory care teaching models that are both educationally effective and financially viable. This study was designed to identify the resident-to-faculty ratios needed to provide financially viable faculty supervision of residents while maintaining acceptable resident waiting times for teaching. A computer simulation was developed to estimate the number of residents one or two faculty teachers could supervise in a university-based primary care teaching clinic. The number of residents was calculated for three waiting-time constraints and three scenarios of faculty tasks. A financial analysis of each model was performed. With no non-teaching tasks, two teachers were able to supervise 11 residents and keep waiting times under two minutes, while one teacher was able to supervise only three residents with this waiting-time constraint. The financial break-even point was achieved by all of the two-teacher models, but by none of the one-teacher models. In all three scenarios, using two teachers resulted in more than double the number of residents supervised and in higher utilization of faculty time (higher productivity) than did using one teacher. The two-teacher models of ambulatory supervision allowed for sufficient numbers of residents to be supervised so that teaching costs could be covered from patient care revenues; the one-teacher models did not break even financially. These simulations offer a viable option for academic institutions that are struggling to maintain teaching quality in the face of financial constraints.

  16. Clinic Design and Continuity in Internal Medicine Resident Clinics: Findings of the Educational Innovations Project Ambulatory Collaborative.

    PubMed

    Francis, Maureen D; Wieland, Mark L; Drake, Sean; Gwisdalla, Keri Lyn; Julian, Katherine A; Nabors, Christopher; Pereira, Anne; Rosenblum, Michael; Smith, Amy; Sweet, David; Thomas, Kris; Varney, Andrew; Warm, Eric; Wininger, David; Francis, Mark L

    2015-03-01

    Many internal medicine (IM) programs have reorganized their resident continuity clinics to improve trainees' ambulatory experience. Downstream effects on continuity of care and other clinical and educational metrics are unclear. This multi-institutional, cross-sectional study included 713 IM residents from 12 programs. Continuity was measured using the usual provider of care method (UPC) and the continuity for physician method (PHY). Three clinic models (traditional, block, and combination) were compared using analysis of covariance. Multivariable linear regression analysis was used to analyze the effect of practice metrics and clinic model on continuity. UPC, reflecting continuity from the patient perspective, was significantly different, and was highest in the block model, midrange in combination model, and lowest in the traditional model programs. PHY, reflecting continuity from the perspective of the resident provider, was significantly lower in the block model than in combination and traditional programs. Panel size, ambulatory workload, utilization, number of clinics attended in the study period, and clinic model together accounted for 62% of the variation found in UPC and 26% of the variation found in PHY. Clinic model appeared to have a significant effect on continuity measured from both the patient and resident perspectives. Continuity requires balance between provider availability and demand for services. Optimizing this balance to maximize resident education, and the health of the population served, will require consideration of relevant local factors and priorities in addition to the clinic model.

  17. Clinic Design and Continuity in Internal Medicine Resident Clinics: Findings of the Educational Innovations Project Ambulatory Collaborative

    PubMed Central

    Francis, Maureen D.; Wieland, Mark L.; Drake, Sean; Gwisdalla, Keri Lyn; Julian, Katherine A.; Nabors, Christopher; Pereira, Anne; Rosenblum, Michael; Smith, Amy; Sweet, David; Thomas, Kris; Varney, Andrew; Warm, Eric; Wininger, David; Francis, Mark L.

    2015-01-01

    Background Many internal medicine (IM) programs have reorganized their resident continuity clinics to improve trainees' ambulatory experience. Downstream effects on continuity of care and other clinical and educational metrics are unclear. Methods This multi-institutional, cross-sectional study included 713 IM residents from 12 programs. Continuity was measured using the usual provider of care method (UPC) and the continuity for physician method (PHY). Three clinic models (traditional, block, and combination) were compared using analysis of covariance. Multivariable linear regression analysis was used to analyze the effect of practice metrics and clinic model on continuity. Results UPC, reflecting continuity from the patient perspective, was significantly different, and was highest in the block model, midrange in combination model, and lowest in the traditional model programs. PHY, reflecting continuity from the perspective of the resident provider, was significantly lower in the block model than in combination and traditional programs. Panel size, ambulatory workload, utilization, number of clinics attended in the study period, and clinic model together accounted for 62% of the variation found in UPC and 26% of the variation found in PHY. Conclusions Clinic model appeared to have a significant effect on continuity measured from both the patient and resident perspectives. Continuity requires balance between provider availability and demand for services. Optimizing this balance to maximize resident education, and the health of the population served, will require consideration of relevant local factors and priorities in addition to the clinic model. PMID:26217420

  18. Teaching Interdisciplinary Geriatrics Ambulatory Care: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Williams, Brent C.; Remington, Tami L.; Foulk, Mariko A.; Whall, Ann L.

    2006-01-01

    Interdisciplinary health care training is advocated by numerous government and philanthropic organizations. Educators in the health professions are increasingly offering training in interdisciplinary health care in a variety of contexts, including ambulatory settings. This paper describes a three-year program to teach skills in interdisciplinary…

  19. Adverse Drug Events in U.S. Adult Ambulatory Medical Care

    PubMed Central

    Sarkar, Urmimala; López, Andrea; Maselli, Judith H; Gonzales, Ralph

    2011-01-01

    Objective To estimate the incidence of adverse drug events (ADEs) associated with health care visits among U.S. adults across all ambulatory settings. Data Source We analyzed data from two nationally representative probability sample surveys: the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey and the National Hospital and Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. From 2005 to 2007, the presence of an ADE was specifically defined, requested, and recorded in these surveys. Study Design Secondary data analysis. Principal Findings An estimated 13.5 million ADE-related visits occurred between 2005 and 2007 (0.5 percent of all visits), the large majority (72 percent) occurring in outpatient practice settings, and the remaining in emergency departments. Older patients (age ≥65 years) had the highest age-specific ADE rate, 3.8 ADEs per 10,000 persons per year. In adjusted analyses of outpatient visits, there was an increased odds of an ADE-related visit with increased medication burden (odds ratio [OR] for six to eight medications compared with no medications, OR 3.83 [2.20, 6.65]), and increased odds of ADEs associated with primary care visits compared with specialty visits (OR 2.22 [1.70, 2.89]). Conclusions Approximately 4.5 million ambulatory visits related to ADEs occur each year, the majority of these in outpatient office practices. A greater focus on ADE prevention and detection is warranted among patients receiving multiple medications in primary care practices. PMID:21554271

  20. Memo to: Ambulatory Health Care Planners.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Educational Facilities Labs., Inc., New York, NY.

    Planning for changing types of health professions and a changing clientele necessitates designing flexible facilities. Findings from a recently completed analysis of ambulatory care facilities are directed to planners in the form of 16 memos. Approaches to planning and design considerations are made that attempt to humanize these facilities.…

  1. Associations Between the Continuity of Ambulatory Care of Adult Diabetes Patients in Korea and the Incidence of Macrovascular Complications.

    PubMed

    Gong, Young-Hoon; Yoon, Seok-Jun; Seo, Hyeyoung; Kim, Dongwoo

    2015-07-01

    The goal of this study was to identify association between the continuity of ambulatory care of diabetes patients in South Korea (hereafter Korea) and the incidence of macrovascular complications of diabetes, using claims data compiled by the National Health Insurance Services of Korea. This study was conducted retrospectively. The subjects of the study were 43 002 patients diagnosed with diabetes in 2007, who were over 30 years of age, and had insurance claim data from 2008. The macrovascular complications of diabetes mellitus were limited to ischemic heart disease and ischemic stroke. We compared the characteristics of the patients in whom macrovascular complications occurred from 2009 to 2012 to the characteristics of the patients who had no such complications. Multiple logistic regression was used to assess the effects of continuity of ambulatory care on diabetic macrovascular complications. The continuity of ambulatory diabetes care was estimated by metrics such as the medication possession ratio, the quarterly continuity of care and the number of clinics that were visited. Patients with macrovascular complications showed statistically significant differences regarding sex, age, comorbidities, hypertension, dyslipidemia and continuity of ambulatory diabetes care. Visiting a lower number of clinics reduced the odds ratio for macrovascular complications of diabetes. A medication possession ratio below 80% was associated with an increased odds ratio for macrovascular complications, but this result was of borderline statistical significance. Diabetes care by regular health care providers was found to be associated with a lower occurrence of diabetic macrovascular complications. This result has policy implications for the Korean health care system, in which the delivery system does not work properly.

  2. Medication literacy status of outpatients in ambulatory care settings in Changsha, China.

    PubMed

    Zheng, Feng; Ding, Siqing; Luo, Aijing; Zhong, Zhuqing; Duan, Yinglong; Shen, Zhiying

    2017-02-01

    Objective To assess medication literacy status and to examine risk factors of inadequate medication literacy of outpatients in ambulatory care settings. Methods Study participants were recruited randomly from outpatient departments in four tertiary hospitals (Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, People's Hospital of Hunan Province) in Changsha, Hunan, China, between October 2014 and January 2015. Medication literacy was assessed using the Medication Literacy Scale, Chinese version. Demographic and clinical data were collected using structured interviews. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the independent effects of demographic and clinical factors on medication literacy. Results Of 465 participants, 425 (91.4%) produced valid responses for analysis. The mean medication literacy score was 8.31 (standard deviation = 3.47). Medication literacy was adequate in 131 participants (30.8%), marginally adequate in 248 (58.4%), and inadequate in 46 (10.8%). The risk of inadequate medication literacy was greater for older and unmarried patients but lower for more educated patients. Conclusion Many Chinese outpatients in ambulatory care have inadequate medication literacy. Greater age, low education, and unmarried status are important risk factors of inadequate medication literacy.

  3. Sensitivity and specificity of obesity diagnosis in pediatric ambulatory care in the United States.

    PubMed

    Walsh, Carolyn O; Milliren, Carly E; Feldman, Henry A; Taveras, Elsie M

    2013-09-01

    We examined the sensitivity and specificity of an obesity diagnosis in a nationally representative sample of pediatric outpatient visits. We used the 2005 to 2009 National Ambulatory Medical Care and National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care surveys. We included visits with children 2 to 18 years, yielding a sample of 48 145 database visits. We determined 3 methods of identifying obesity: documented body mass index (BMI) ≥95th percentile; International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) code; and positive answer to the question, "Does the patient now have obesity?" Using BMI as the gold standard, we calculated the sensitivity and specificity of a clinical obesity diagnosis. Among the 19.5% of children who were obese by BMI, 7.0% had an ICD-9 code and 15.2% had a positive response to questioning. The sensitivity of an obesity diagnosis was 15.4%, and the specificity was 99.2%. The sensitivity of the obesity diagnosis in pediatric ambulatory visits is low. Efforts are needed to increase identification of obese children.

  4. Hospitalization of older adults due to ambulatory care sensitive conditions

    PubMed Central

    Marques, Aline Pinto; Montilla, Dalia Elena Romero; de Almeida, Wanessa da Silva; de Andrade, Carla Lourenço Tavares

    2014-01-01

    OBJECTIVE To analyze the temporal evolution of the hospitalization of older adults due to ambulatory care sensitive conditions according to their structure, magnitude and causes. METHODS Cross-sectional study based on data from the Hospital Information System of the Brazilian Unified Health System and from the Primary Care Information System, referring to people aged 60 to 74 years living in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Souhteastern Brazil. The proportion and rate of hospitalizations due to ambulatory care sensitive conditions were calculated, both the global rate and, according to diagnoses, the most prevalent ones. The coverage of the Family Health Strategy and the number of medical consultations attended by older adults in primary care were estimated. To analyze the indicators’ impact on hospitalizations, a linear correlation test was used. RESULTS We found an intense reduction in hospitalizations due to ambulatory care sensitive conditions for all causes and age groups. Heart failure, cerebrovascular diseases and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases concentrated 50.0% of the hospitalizations. Adults older than 69 years had a higher risk of hospitalization due to one of these causes. We observed a higher risk of hospitalization among men. A negative correlation was found between the hospitalizations and the indicators of access to primary care. CONCLUSIONS Primary healthcare in the state of Rio de Janeiro has been significantly impacting the hospital morbidity of the older population. Studies of hospitalizations due to ambulatory care sensitive conditions can aid the identification of the main causes that are sensitive to the intervention of the health services, in order to indicate which actions are more effective to reduce hospitalizations and to increase the population’s quality of life. PMID:25372173

  5. Impact of Patient-Centered Care Innovations on Access to Providers, Ambulatory Care Utilization, and Patient Clinical Indicators in the Veterans Health Administration.

    PubMed

    Burkhart, Lisa; Sohn, Min-Woong; Jordan, Neil; Tarlov, Elizabeth; Gampetro, Pamela; LaVela, Sherri L

    2016-01-01

    The Veterans Health Administration piloted patient-centered care (PCC) innovations beginning in 2010 to improve patient and provider experience and environment in ambulatory care. We use secondary data to look at longitudinal trends, evaluate system redesign, and identify areas for further quality improvement. This was a retrospective, observational study using existing secondary data from multiple US Department of Veteran Affairs sources to evaluate changes in veteran and facility outcomes associated with PCC innovations at 2 innovation and matched comparison sites between FY 2008-2010 (pre-PCC innovations) and FY 2011-2012 (post-PCC innovations). Outcomes included access to primary care providers (PCPs); primary, specialty, and emergency care use; and clinical indicators for chronic disease. Longitudinal trends revealed a different story at each site. One site demonstrated better PCP access, decrease in emergency and primary care use, increase in specialty care use, and improvement in diabetic glucose control. The other site demonstrated a decrease in PCP access and primary care use, no change in specialty care use, and an increase in diastolic blood pressure in relation to the comparison site. Secondary data analysis can reveal longitudinal trends associated with system changes, thereby informing program evaluation and identifying opportunities for quality improvement.

  6. Patient Satisfaction with Kimbrough Ambulatory Care Center

    DTIC Science & Technology

    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

  7. Using administrative data to track fall-related ambulatory care services in the Veterans Administration Healthcare system.

    PubMed

    Luther, Stephen L; French, Dustin D; Powell-Cope, Gail; Rubenstein, Laurence Z; Campbell, Robert

    2005-10-01

    The Veterans Administration (VA) Healthcare system, containing hospital and community-based outpatient clinics, provides the setting for the study. Summary data was obtained from the VA Ambulatory Events Database for fiscal years (FY) 1997-2001 and in-depth data for FY 2001. In FY 2001, the database included approximately 4 million unique patients with 60 million encounters. The purpose of this study was: 1) to quantify injuries and use of services associated with falls among the elderly treated in Veterans Administration (VA) ambulatory care settings using administrative data; 2) to compare fall-related services provided to elderly veterans with those provided to younger veterans. Retrospective analysis of administrative data. This study describes the trends (FY 1997-2001) and patterns of fall-related ambulatory care encounters (FY 2001) in the VA Healthcare System. An approximately four-fold increase in both encounters and patients seen was observed in FY 1997-2001, largely paralleling the growth of VA ambulatory care services. More than two-thirds of the patients treated were found to be over the age of 65. Veterans over the age of 65 were found to be more likely to receive care in the non-urgent setting and had higher numbers of co-morbid conditions than younger veterans. While nearly half of the encounters occurred in the Emergency/Urgent Care setting, fall-related injuries led to services across a wide spectrum of medical and surgical providers/departments. This study represents the first attempt to use the VA Ambulatory Events Database to study fall-related services provided to elderly veterans. In view of the aging population served by the VA and the movement to provide increased services in the outpatient setting, this database provides an important resource for researchers and administrators interested in the prevention and treatment of fall-related injuries.

  8. Ambulatory care pavilion takes its place out front by solving multiple needs.

    PubMed

    Saukaitis, C A

    1994-09-01

    In sum, this structure exemplifies the fact that high-tech tertiary care medical centers can be user-friendly to the ambulatory health care consumer by serving their routine needs conveniently and efficiently. Says Gerald Miller, president of Crozer-Chester: "The ambulatory care pavilion has enabled Crozer to successfully and efficiently merge physicians' offices with institutional-based services and inpatient services. We are pleased with how the pavilion positions our medical center for the next century.

  9. Improving Clinical Workflow in Ambulatory Care: Implemented Recommendations in an Innovation Prototype for the Veteran’s Health Administration

    PubMed Central

    Patterson, Emily S.; Lowry, Svetlana Z.; Ramaiah, Mala; Gibbons, Michael C.; Brick, David; Calco, Robert; Matton, Greg; Miller, Anne; Makar, Ellen; Ferrer, Jorge A.

    2015-01-01

    NIST recommendations to improve workflow in ambulatory care using an EHR provide a first step in moving from a billing-centered perspective on how to maintain accurate, comprehensive, and up-to-date information about a group of patients to a clinician-centered perspective. These recommendations point the way towards a “patient visit management system,” which incorporates broader notions of supporting workload management, supporting flexible flow of patients and tasks, enabling accountable distributed work across members of the clinical team, and supporting dynamic tracking of steps in tasks that have longer time distributions. PMID:26290887

  10. Meta-synthesis on nurse practitioner autonomy and roles in ambulatory care.

    PubMed

    Wang-Romjue, Pauline

    2018-04-01

    Many healthcare stakeholders view nurse practitioners (NPs) as an important workforce resource to help fill the anticipated shortage of 20,400 ambulatory care physicians that is expected by 2020. Multiple quantitative studies revealed the attributes of NPs' practice autonomy and roles. However, there is no qualitative meta-synthesis that describes the experiences of NPs' practice autonomy and roles. To describe and understand the experiences of NPs regarding their practice autonomy and roles in various ambulatory settings through the exploration of existing qualitative studies: meta-synthesis. A qualitative meta-synthesis was conducted to gain insight into ambulatory NPs' practice autonomy and roles through content analysis and reciprocal translation. Articles published between 2000 and 2017 were retrieved by searching 7 databases using the following key words: U.S. qualitative studies, advance practice nurses, NP role in ambulatory care, NP autonomy, and outpatient care. Autonomy, NPs' roles and responsibilities, practice relationships, and organizational work environment pressures are the four main themes that emerged from the content analysis of the nine selected qualitative studies. Within and between states, NPs' experiences with autonomy and NPs' roles are multifaceted depending on state regulations, practice relationships, and organizational work environments. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  11. Innovation in ambulatory care: a collaborative approach to redesigning the health care workplace.

    PubMed

    Johnson, Paula A; Bookman, Ann; Bailyn, Lotte; Harrington, Mona; Orton, Piper

    2011-02-01

    To improve the quality of patient care and work satisfaction of the physicians and staff at an ambulatory practice that had recently started an innovative model of clinical care for women. The authors used an inclusive process, collaborative interactive action research, to engage all physicians and staff members in assessing and redesigning their work environment. Based on key barriers to working effectively and integrating work and family identified in that process, a pilot project with new work practices and structures was developed, implemented, and evaluated. The work redesign process established cross-occupational care teams in specific clinical areas. Members of the teams built skills in assessing clinical operations in their practice areas, developed new levels of collaboration, and constructed new models of distributed leadership. The majority of participants reported an improvement in how their area functioned. Integrating work and family/personal life-particularly practices around flexible work arrangements-became an issue for team discussion and solutions, not a matter of individual accommodation by managers. By engaging the workforce, collaborative interactive action research can help achieve lasting change in the health care workplace and increase physicians' and staff members' work satisfaction. This "dual agenda" may be best achieved through a collaborative process where cross-occupational teams are responsible for workflow and outcomes and where the needs of patients and providers are integrated.

  12. Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring in Clinical Practice: A Review

    PubMed Central

    Viera, Anthony J.; Shimbo, Daichi

    2016-01-01

    Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring offers the ability to collect blood pressure readings several times an hour across a 24-hour period. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring facilitates the identification of white-coat hypertension, the phenomenon whereby certain individuals who are not on antihypertensive medication show elevated blood pressure in a clinical setting but show non-elevated blood pressure averages when assessed by ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. Additionally, readings can be segmented into time windows of particular interest, e.g., mean daytime and nighttime values. During sleep, blood pressure typically decreases, or dips, such that mean sleep blood pressure is lower than mean awake blood pressure. A non-dipping pattern and nocturnal hypertension are strongly associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Approximately 70% of individuals dip ≥10% at night, while 30% have non-dipping patterns, when blood pressure remains similar to daytime average, or occasionally rises above daytime average. The various blood pressure categorizations afforded by ambulatory blood pressure monitoring are valuable for clinical management of high blood pressure since they increase accuracy for diagnosis and the prediction of cardiovascular risk. PMID:25107387

  13. What Ambulatory Care Managers Need to Know About Examination Room Utilization Measurement and Analysis.

    PubMed

    Klarich, Mark J; Rea, Ronald W; Lal, Tarun Mohan; Garcia, Angel L; Steffens, Fay L

    2016-01-01

    Demand for ambulatory care visits is projected to increase 22% between 2008 and 2025. Given this growth, ambulatory care managers need to proactively plan for efficient use of scarce resources (ie, space, equipment, and staff). One important component of ambulatory care space (the number of examination rooms) is dependent on multiple factors, including variation in demand, hours of operation, scheduling, and staff. The authors (1) outline common data collection methods, (2) highlight analysis and reporting considerations for examination room utilization, and (3) provide a strategic framework for short- and long-term decision making for facility design or renovation.

  14. Partnering with parents in a pediatric ambulatory care setting: a new model.

    PubMed

    Tourigny, Jocelyne; Chartrand, Julie

    2015-06-01

    Pediatric care has greatly evolved during the past 30 years, moving from a traditional, medically oriented approach to a more consultative, interactive model. In the literature, the concept of partnership has been explored and presented in various terms, including presence, collaboration, involvement, and participation. The models of partnership that have been proposed have rarely been evaluated, and do not take the unique environment of ambulatory care into account. Based on a literature review, strong clinical experience with families, and previous research with parents and health professionals, both the conceptual and empirical phases of a new model are described. This model can be adapted to other pediatric health care contexts in either primary or tertiary care and should be evaluated in terms of efficacy and usefulness.

  15. Hospital-Based Clinical Pharmacy Services to Improve Ambulatory Management of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

    PubMed Central

    Smith, Amber Lanae; Palmer, Valerie; Farhat, Nada; Kalus, James S.; Thavarajah, Krishna; DiGiovine, Bruno; MacDonald, Nancy C.

    2016-01-01

    Background: No systematic evaluations of a comprehensive clinical pharmacy process measures currently exist to determine an optimal ambulatory care collaboration model for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. Objective: Describe the impact of a pharmacist-provided clinical COPD bundle on the management of COPD in a hospital-based ambulatory care clinic. Methods: This retrospective cohort analysis evaluated patients with COPD managed in an outpatient pulmonary clinic. The primary objective of this study was to assess the completion of 4 metrics known to improve the management of COPD: (1) medication therapy management, (2) quality measures including smoking cessation and vaccines, (3) patient adherence, and (4) patient education. The secondary objective was to evaluate the impact of the clinical COPD bundle on clinical and economic outcomes at 30 and 90 days post–initial visit. Results: A total of 138 patients were included in the study; 70 patients served as controls and 68 patients received the COPD bundle from the clinical pharmacist. No patients from the control group had all 4 metrics completed as documented, compared to 66 of the COPD bundle group (P < .0001). Additionally, a statistically significant difference was found in all 4 metrics when evaluated individually. Clinical pharmacy services reduced the number of phone call consults at 90 days (P = .04) but did not have a statistically significant impact on any additional pre-identified clinical outcomes. Conclusion: A pharmacist-driven clinical COPD bundle was associated with significant increases in the completion and documentation of 4 metrics known to improve the outpatient management of COPD.

  16. Hospitalizations for ambulatory care-sensitive conditions, Minas Gerais, Southeastern Brazil, 2000 and 2010

    PubMed Central

    Rodrigues-Bastos, Rita Maria; Campos, Estela Márcia Saraiva; Ribeiro, Luiz Cláudio; Bastos, Mauro Gomes; Bustamante-Teixeira, Maria Teresa

    2014-01-01

    OBJECTIVE To analyze hospitalization rates and the proportion of deaths due to ambulatory care-sensitive hospitalizations and to characterize them according to coverage by the Family Health Strategy, a primary health care guidance program. METHODS An ecological study comprising 853 municipalities in the state of Minas Gerais, under the purview of 28 regional health care units, was conducted. We used data from the Hospital Information System of the Brazilian Unified Health System. Ambulatory care-sensitive hospitalizations in 2000 and 2010 were compared. Population data were obtained from the demographic censuses. RESULTS The number of ambulatory care-sensitive hospitalizations declined from 20.75/1,000 inhabitants [standard deviation (SD) = 10.42) in 2000 to 14.92/thousand inhabitants (SD = 10.04) in 2010 Heart failure was the most frequent cause in both years. Hospitalizations rates for hypertension, asthma, and diabetes mellitus, decreased, whereas those for angina pectoris, prenatal and birth disorders, kidney and urinary tract infections, and other acute infections increased. Hospitalization durations and the proportion of deaths due to ambulatory care-sensitive hospitalizations increased significantly. CONCLUSIONS Mean hospitalization rates for sensitive conditions were significantly lower in 2010 than in 2000, but no correlation was found with regard to the expansion of the population coverage of the Family Health Strategy. Hospitalization rates and proportion of deaths were different between the various health care regions in the years evaluated, indicating a need to prioritize the primary health care with high efficiency and quality. PMID:26039399

  17. Health professionals' beliefs related to parental involvement in ambulatory care: an international inquiry.

    PubMed

    Tourigny, Jocelyne; Chartrand, Julie; Massicotte, Julie

    2008-01-01

    Changes in health care delivery in Canada and Europe, especially the shift to ambulatory care, have modified the care that children and parents receive and have prompted the need for a partnership alliance. The objectives of this exploratory study were to identify Canadian and Belgian health professionals' beliefs and attitudes towards parental involvement in their child's ambulatory care and to determine if these beliefs varied according to cultural background. Health professionals from both countries generally were in favor of parental involvement in their child's care, but are uncertain about its advantages and disadvantages. Facilitators and barriers mentioned by the health care providers were related to parents' abilities or their attitudes toward partnership, and they also expressed a need for more education on the subject. Results of this study indicate that health professionals working in ambulatory care are not fully ready to utilize parents as true partners in their interventions with children and families. Staff education is an important step towards the establishment and maintenance of a real partnership.

  18. Medical condition and care of undocumented migrants in ambulatory clinics in Tel Aviv, Israel: assessing unmet needs.

    PubMed

    Mor, Zohar; Raveh, Yuval; Lurie, Ido; Leventhal, Alex; Gamzu, Roni; Davidovitch, Nadav; Benari, Orel; Grotto, Itamar

    2017-07-14

    Approximately 150,000 undocumented migrants (UM) who are medically uninsured reside in Israel, including ~50,000 originating from the horn of Africa (MHA). Free medical-care is provided by two walk-in clinics in Tel-Aviv. This study aims to compare the medical complaints of UM from different origins, define their community health needs and assess gaps between medical needs and available services. This cross-sectional study included a random sample of 610 UM aged 18-64 years, who were treated in these community clinics between 2008 and 2011. The study compared UM who had complex medical conditions which necessitated referral to more equipped medical settings with UM having mild/simple medical conditions, who were treated at the clinics. MHA were younger, unemployed and more commonly males compared with UM originating from other countries. MHA also had longer referral-delays and visited the clinics less frequently. UM with complex medical conditions were more commonly females, had chronic diseases and demonstrated longer referral-delays than those who had mild/simple medical conditions. The latter more commonly presented with complained of respiratory, muscular and skeletal discomfort. In multivariate analysis, the variables which predicted complex medical conditions included female gender, chronic illnes and self-referral to the clinics. The ambulatory clinics were capable of responding to mild/simple medical conditions. Yet, the health needs of women and migrants suffering from complex medical conditions and chronic diseases necessitated referrals to secondary/tertiary medical settings, while jeopardizing the continuity of care. The health gaps can be addressed by a more holistic social approach, which includes integration of UM in universal health insurance.

  19. Strengthening the Effectiveness of State-Level Community Health Worker Initiatives Through Ambulatory Care Partnerships

    PubMed Central

    Allen, Caitlin; Nell Brownstein, J.; Jayapaul-Philip, Bina; Matos, Sergio; Mirambeau, Alberta

    2017-01-01

    The transformation of the US health care system and the recognition of the effectiveness of community health workers (CHWs) have accelerated national, state, and local efforts to engage CHWs in the support of vulnerable populations. Much can be learned about how to successfully integrate CHWs into health care teams, how to maximize their impact on chronic disease self-management, and how to strengthen their role as emissaries between clinical services and community resources; we share examples of effective strategies. Ambulatory care staff members are key partners in statewide initiatives to build and sustain the CHW workforce and reduce health disparities. PMID:26049655

  20. Effect of intensive versus standard clinic-based hypertension management on ambulatory blood pressure – results from the SPRINT ambulatory blood pressure study

    PubMed Central

    Drawz, Paul; Pajewski, Nicholas M.; Bates, Jeffrey T.; Bello, Natalie A.; Cushman, William C.; Dwyer, Jamie P.; Fine, Lawrence J.; Goff, David C.; Haley, William E.; Krousel-Wood, Marie; McWilliams, Andrew; Rifkin, Dena E.; Slinin, Yelena; Taylor, Addison; Townsend, Raymond; Wall, Barry; Wright, Jackson T.; Rahman, Mahboob

    2016-01-01

    The effect of clinic-based intensive hypertension treatment on ambulatory blood pressure (BP) is unknown. The goal of the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT) Ambulatory BP Ancillary Study was to evaluate the effect of intensive versus standard clinic-based BP targets on ambulatory BP. Ambulatory BP was obtained within 3 weeks of the 27 month study visit in 897 SPRINT participants. Intensive treatment resulted in lower clinic systolic BP (mean difference between groups = 16.0 mmHg (95% CI: 14.1 to 17.8 mmHg)), nighttime systolic BP (mean difference = 9.6 mmHg (95% CI: 7.7 to 11.5 mmHg)), daytime systolic BP (mean difference = 12.3 mmHg (95% CI: 10.6 to 13.9 mmHg)), and 24 hour systolic BP (mean difference = 11.2 mmHg (95% CI: 9.7 to 12.8 mmHg)). The night/day systolic BP ratio was similar between the intensive (0.92 ± 0.09) and standard treatment groups (0.91 ± 0.09). There was considerable lack of agreement within participants between clinic systolic BP and daytime ambulatory systolic BP with wide limits of agreement on Bland-Altman plots. In conclusion, targeting a systolic BP of less than 120 mmHg, as compared with less than 140 mmHg, resulted in lower nighttime, daytime, and 24 hour systolic BP, but did not change the night/day systolic BP ratio. Ambulatory BP monitoring may be required to assess the effect of targeted hypertension therapy on out of office BP. Further studies are needed to assess whether targeting hypertension therapy based on ambulatory BP improves clinical outcomes. PMID:27849563

  1. What matters to low-income patients in ambulatory care facilities?

    PubMed

    DeLia, Derek; Hall, Allyson; Prinz, Timothy; Billings, John

    2004-09-01

    Poor, uninsured, and minority patients depend disproportionately on hospital outpatient departments (OPDs) and freestanding health centers for ambulatory care. These providers confront significant challenges, including limited resources, greater demand for services, and the need to improve quality and patient satisfaction. The authors use a survey of patients in OPDs and health centers in New York City to determine which aspects of the ambulatory care visit have the greatest influence on patients' overall site evaluation. The personal interaction between patients and physicians, provider continuity, and the general cleanliness/appearance of the facility stand out as high priorities. Access to services and interactions with other facility staff are of significant, although lesser, importance. These findings suggest ways to restructure the delivery of care so that it is more responsive to the concerns of low-income patients.

  2. The Association Between Internet Use and Ambulatory Care-Seeking Behaviors in Taiwan: A Cross-Sectional Study

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Tsung-Fu; Liang, Jyh-Chong; Lin, Tzu-Bin; Tsai, Chin-Chung

    2016-01-01

    Background Compared with the traditional ways of gaining health-related information from newspapers, magazines, radio, and television, the Internet is inexpensive, accessible, and conveys diverse opinions. Several studies on how increasing Internet use affected outpatient clinic visits were inconclusive. Objective The objective of this study was to examine the role of Internet use on ambulatory care-seeking behaviors as indicated by the number of outpatient clinic visits after adjusting for confounding variables. Methods We conducted this study using a sample randomly selected from the general population in Taiwan. To handle the missing data, we built a multivariate logistic regression model for propensity score matching using age and sex as the independent variables. The questionnaires with no missing data were then included in a multivariate linear regression model for examining the association between Internet use and outpatient clinic visits. Results We included a sample of 293 participants who answered the questionnaire with no missing data in the multivariate linear regression model. We found that Internet use was significantly associated with more outpatient clinic visits (P=.04). The participants with chronic diseases tended to make more outpatient clinic visits (P<.01). Conclusions The inconsistent quality of health-related information obtained from the Internet may be associated with patients’ increasing need for interpreting and discussing the information with health care professionals, thus resulting in an increasing number of outpatient clinic visits. In addition, the media literacy of Web-based health-related information seekers may also affect their ambulatory care-seeking behaviors, such as outpatient clinic visits. PMID:27927606

  3. Disease Management Plus Recommended Care versus Recommended Care Alone for Ambulatory COPD Patients.

    PubMed

    Kalter-Leibovici, Ofra; Benderly, Michal; Freedman, Laurence S; Kaufman, Galit; Molcho Falkenberg Luft, Tchiya; Murad, Havi; Olmer, Liraz; Gluch, Meri; Segev, David; Gilad, Avi; Elkrinawi, Said; Cukierman-Yaffe, Tali; Chen, Baruch; Jacobson, Orit; Key, Calanit; Shani, Mordechai; Fink, Gershon

    2018-03-01

    The efficacy of disease management programs in the treatment of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remains uncertain. To study the effect of disease management (DM) added to recommended care (RC) in ambulatory COPD patients. In this trial, 1,202 COPD patients (age >40 years), with moderate to very severe airflow limitation were randomly assigned either to DM plus RC (study intervention) or to RC alone (control intervention). RC included follow-up by pulmonologists; inhaled long-acting bronchodilators and corticosteroids; smoking cessation intervention; nutritional advice and psychosocial support when indicated, and supervised physical activity sessions. DM, delivered by trained nurses during patients' visits to the designated COPD centers and remote contacts with the patients between these visits, included patient self-care education; monitoring patients' symptoms and adherence to treatment; provision of advice in case of acute disease exacerbation, and coordination of care vis-à-vis other healthcare providers. The primary composite endpoint was first hospital admission for respiratory symptoms or death from any cause. During 3,537 patient-years, 284 (47.2%) patients in the control group and 264 (44.0%) in the study intervention group had a primary endpoint event. The median (range) time elapsed until a primary endpoint event was 1.0 (0-4.0) years among patients assigned to the study intervention and 1.1 (0-4.1) years among patients assigned to the control intervention; adjusted hazard ratio, 0.92 (95%CI: 0.77 to 1.08). DM added to RC was not superior to RC alone in delaying first hospital admission or death among ambulatory COPD patients. Clinical trial registration available at www.clinicaltrials.gov, ID NCT00982384.

  4. Pediatric ambulatory care sensitive conditions: Birth cohorts and the socio-economic gradient.

    PubMed

    Roos, Leslie L; Dragan, Roxana; Schroth, Robert J

    2017-09-14

    This study examines the socio-economic gradient in utilization and the risk factors associated with hospitalization for four pediatric ambulatory care sensitive conditions (dental conditions, asthma, gastroenteritis, and bacterial pneumonia). Dental conditions, where much care is provided by dentists and insurance coverage varies among different population segments, present special issues. A population registry, provider registry, physician ambulatory claims, and hospital discharge abstracts from 28 398 children born in 2003-2006 in urban centres in Manitoba, Canada were the main data sources. Physician visits and hospitalizations were compared across neighbourhood income groupings using rank correlations and logistic regressions. Very strong relationships between neighbourhood income and utilization were highlighted. Additional variables - family on income assistance, mother's age at first birth, breastfeeding - helped predict the probability of hospitalization. Despite the complete insurance coverage (including visits to dentists and physicians and for hospitalizations) provided, receiving income assistance was associated with higher probabilities of hospitalization. We found a socio-economic gradient in utilization for pediatric ambulatory care sensitive conditions, with higher rates of ambulatory visits and hospitalizations in the poorest neighbourhoods. Insurance coverage which varies between different segments of the population complicates matters. Providing funding for dental care for Manitobans on income assistance has not prevented physician visits or intensive treatment in high-cost facilities, specifically treatment under general anesthesia. When services from one type of provider (dentist) are not universally insured but those from another type (physician) are, using rates of hospitalization to indicate problems in the organization of care seems particularly difficult.

  5. [Intensive care anaesthesia practice in the prison environment. Can a prisoner benefit from ambulatory anaesthesia].

    PubMed

    Manaouil, C; Montpellier, D; Sannier, O; Defouilloy, C; Radji, M; Jardé, O; Dupont, H

    2010-01-01

    Ambulatory anaesthesia is an anesthesia allowing the return of the patient home the same day. Even if the ambulatory hospitalization can, in theory, be applied to a prisoner as to every patient, caution is essential in such approach. Every anaesthetist reanimator doctor practicing in public hospitals may give care to patient prisoners while he is far from dominating all features of the prison world and while he must put down his therapeutic indications. The ambulatory anaesthesia in prison environment does not guarantee full security for the patient. Procedures could be set up between hospital complexes, caretakers practicing within penal middle (Unit of Consultation and Ambulatory Care [UCAC]) the prison service and hospital, the prefecture, to identify possible ambulatory interventions for a patient prisoner and to set up all guarantees of patient follow-up care in his return in prison environment. The development of interregional secure hospital units (ISHU) within teaching hospitals, allows an easier realization of interventions to the prisoners, but exists only in seven teaching hospitals in France. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  6. [Patient safety and a culture of responsibility in ambulatory care: strategies for improving practice].

    PubMed

    Lichte, Thomas; Klement, Andreas; Herrmann, Markus

    2009-01-01

    The development of a medical safety culture is spreading beyond the hospital into the ambulatory setting. Patient safety defined as "absence of unwanted events" (primum non nocere) can serve as a starting point for the advancement of our ambulatory medical care system. Error analyses conducted in GP and specialist practices will identify gaps and traps in the system and provide ideas for the development and implementation of new safety strategies in ambulatory patient care. In the light of the structures and processes of GP medical care aspects of patient safety will be correlated to the outcome quality and examples will be discussed. Possible strategies for the improvement of patient safety in GP practice will be presented from the perspective of both patient- and practice individuality.

  7. The association between the availability of ambulatory care and non-emergency treatment in emergency medicine departments: a comprehensive and nationwide validation.

    PubMed

    Chan, Chien-Lung; Lin, Wender; Yang, Nan-Ping; Huang, Hsin-Tsung

    2013-05-01

    To quantify dynamic availability of ambulatory care, and to examine possible associations with non-emergency treatments in emergency departments (EDs). Longitudinal data from the Taiwan National health Insurance Research Database were used to evaluate 749,584 emergency-medicine cases occurring between 2005 and 2010 according to a modified New York University algorithm. Multivariable-cumulative-logistic-regression analysis with generalized estimating-equation methods was used to determine associations between availability of ambulatory care and the urgency of patients' medical needs during ED visits. More than half (53.04%) of the ED visits that were evaluated in our study were classified as non-emergencies, and over half of these occurred despite a high availability of ambulatory care facilities (median > 96%). Compared with patients in areas with a low availability of ambulatory care, patients in areas of medium to high availability showed approximately 0.8 times lower odds ratios for associations with non-emergency ED visits. Non-emergency ED visits may be reduced by increasing the availability of ambulatory care facilities in areas with deficits in the availability of such facilities. However, increasing the availability of ambulatory care by raising the number of available ambulatory care physicians or the number of ambulatory care facilities may not reduce non-emergency ED visits in areas with medium to high availability of ambulatory care facilities. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. [Current clinical aspects of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring].

    PubMed

    Sauza-Sosa, Julio César; Cuéllar-Álvarez, José; Villegas-Herrera, Karla Montserrat; Sierra-Galán, Lilia Mercedes

    2016-01-01

    Systemic arterial hypertension is the prevalentest disease worldwide that significantly increases cardiovascular risk. An early diagnosis together to achieve goals decreases the risk of complications significatly. Recently have been updated the diagnostic criteria for hypertension and the introduction of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. The introduction into clinical practice of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring was to assist the diagnosis of «white coat hypertension» and «masked hypertension». Today has also shown that ambulatory blood pressure monitoring is better than the traditional method of recording blood pressure in the office, to the diagnosis and to adequate control and adjustment of drug treatment. Also there have been introduced important new concepts such as isloted nocturnal hypertension, morning blood pressure elevation altered and altered patterns of nocturnal dip in blood pressure; which have been associated with increased cardiovascular risk. Several studies have shown significant prognostic value in some stocks. There are still other concepts on which further study is needed to properly establish their introduction to clinical practice as hypertensive load variability, pulse pressure and arterial stiffness. In addition to setting values according to further clinical studies in populations such as elderly and children. Copyright © 2016 Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez. Publicado por Masson Doyma México S.A. All rights reserved.

  9. Patterns of ambulatory care utilization in Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Chen, Tzeng-Ji; Chou, Li-Fang; Hwang, Shinn-Jang

    2006-05-04

    We used the insurance claims of a representative cohort to quantify the patterns of ambulatory care visits, especially the doctor-shopping phenomenon, in Taiwan. The ambulatory visit files of the 200,000-person cohort datasets from the National Health Insurance Research Database in 2002 were analyzed. Only a visit with physician consultation would be considered. We computed the visit patterns both by visit count and by patient count. In 2002, there were 182,474 eligible people with 2,443,003 physician consultations. During the year, 87.4% of the cohort had visited physician clinics and 57.5% had visited hospital-based outpatient or emergency departments. On average, a person had 13.4 physician consultations and consulted 3.4 specialties, 5.2 physicians, and 3.9 healthcare facilities in a year. In 2002, 17.3% of the cohort had ever visited different healthcare facilities on the same day; 23.5% had ever visited physicians of the same specialty at different healthcare facilities within 7 days and the percentage of second visits was 3.8% of all visits. Besides, 7.6% of the cohort had visited two or more specialties at the same facility on the same day, and such visits make up 2.5% of all visits. The people in Taiwan did visit the physicians and outpatient departments frequently. Many patients not only consulted several physicians of different specialties and at different healthcare facilities during the year, but also switched the physicians and facilities quickly. An effective referral system with efficient data exchange between facilities might be the solution.

  10. [The health care structure law as a political public health reform in ambulatory and day surgery].

    PubMed

    Sorgatz, H

    1994-01-01

    The statutory opening of hospitals for ambulatory surgery can't without more ado be derived from the health-care reform which came into force on the 1st of January 1993. From the genesis of this reform it can be understood that the field of ambulatory surgery has been integrated just shortly before its legislation into the outlines of the health-care reform. As a consequence the hospitals are obliged to follow the principle "ambulatory before stationary" even in the stationary field. In this way the strict separation between the two fields (ambulatory and stationary) will be overcome to a great extent. Taking into consideration the further changes brought by the health-care reform in the stationary field new ranges of action for hospitals, with their chances but also their risks, have to be expected.

  11. Trends in the overuse of ambulatory health care services in the United States.

    PubMed

    Kale, Minal S; Bishop, Tara F; Federman, Alex D; Keyhani, Salomeh

    2013-01-28

    Given the rising costs of health care, policymakers are increasingly interested in identifying the inefficiencies in our health care system. The objective of this study was to determine whether the overuse and misuse of health care services in the ambulatory setting has decreased in the past decade. Cross-sectional analysis of the 1999 and 2009 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey and the outpatient department component of the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, which are nationally representative annual surveys of visits to non-federally funded ambulatory care practices. We applied 22 quality indicators using a combination of current quality measures and guideline recommendations. The main outcome measures were the rates of underuse, overuse, and misuse and their 95% CIs. We observed a statistically significant improvement in 6 of 9 underuse quality indicators. There was an improvement in the use of antithrombotic therapy for atrial fibrillation; the use of aspirin, β-blockers, and statins in coronary artery disease; the use of β-blockers in congestive heart failure; and the use of statins in diabetes mellitus. We observed an improvement in only 2 of 11 overuse quality indicators, 1 indicator became worse, and 8 did not change. There was a statistically significant decrease in the overuse of cervical cancer screening in visits for women older than 65 years and in the overuse of antibiotics in asthma exacerbations. However, there was an increase in the overuse of prostate cancer screening in men older than 74 years. Of the 2 misuse indicators, there was a decrease in the proportion of patients with a urinary tract infection who were prescribed an inappropriate antibiotic. We found significant improvement in the delivery of underused care but more limited changes in the reduction of inappropriate care. With the high cost of health care, these results are concerning.

  12. Improving the quality of palliative care for ambulatory patients with lung cancer

    PubMed Central

    von Plessen, Christian; Aslaksen, Aslak

    2005-01-01

    Problem Most patients with advanced lung cancer currently receive much of their health care, including chemotherapy, as outpatients. Patients have to deal with the complex and time consuming logistics of ambulatory cancer care. At the same time, members of staff often waste considerable time and energy in organisational aspects of care that could be better used in direct interaction with patients. Design Quality improvement study using direct observation and run and flow charts, and focus group meetings with patients and families regarding perceptions of the clinic and with staff regarding satisfaction with working conditions. Setting Thoracic oncology outpatient clinic at a Norwegian university hospital where patients receive chemotherapy and complementary palliative care. Key measures for improvement Waiting time and time wasted during consultations; calmer working situation at the clinic; satisfaction among patients. Strategies for change Rescheduled patients' appointments, automated retrieval of blood test results, systematic reporting in patients' files, design of an information leaflet, and refurnishing of the waiting area at the clinic. Effects of change Interventions resulted in increased satisfaction for patients and staff, reduced waiting time, and reduced variability of waiting time. Lessons learnt Direct observation, focus groups, questionnaires on patients' satisfaction, and measurement of process time were useful in systematically improving care in this outpatient clinic. The description of this experience can serve as an example for the improvement of a microsystem, particularly in other settings with similar problems. PMID:15933354

  13. Comparing the Quality of Ambulatory Surgical Care for Skin Cancer in a Veterans Affairs Clinic and a Fee-For-Service Practice Using Clinical and Patient-Reported Measures.

    PubMed

    Dizon, Matthew P; Linos, Eleni; Arron, Sarah T; Hills, Nancy K; Chren, Mary-Margaret

    2017-01-01

    The Institute of Medicine has identified serious deficiencies in the measurement of cancer care quality, including the effects on quality of life and patient experience. Moreover, comparisons of quality in Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (VA) and other sites are timely now that many Veterans can choose where to seek care. To compare quality of ambulatory surgical care for keratinocyte carcinoma (KC) between a VA and fee-for-service (FFS) practice, we used unique clinical and patient-reported data from a comparative effectiveness study. Patients were enrolled in 1999-2000 and followed for a median of 7.2 years. The practices differed in a few process measures (e.g., median time between biopsy and treatment was 7.5 days longer at VA) but there were no substantial or consistent differences in clinical outcomes or a broad range of patient-reported outcomes. For example, 5-year tumor recurrence rates were equally low (3.6% [2.3-5.5] at VA and 3.4% [2.3-5.1] at FFS), and similar proportions of patients reported overall satisfaction at one year (78% at VA and 80% at FFS, P = 0.69). These results suggest that the quality of care for KC can be compared comprehensively in different health care systems, and suggest that quality of care for KC was similar at a VA and FFS setting.

  14. Influenza-like-illness and clinically diagnosed flu: disease burden, costs and quality of life for patients seeking ambulatory care or no professional care at all.

    PubMed

    Bilcke, Joke; Coenen, Samuel; Beutels, Philippe

    2014-01-01

    This is one of the first studies to (1) describe the out-of-hospital burden of influenza-like-illness (ILI) and clinically diagnosed flu, also for patients not seeking professional medical care, (2) assess influential background characteristics, and (3) formally compare the burden of ILI in patients with and without a clinical diagnosis of flu. A general population sample with recent ILI experience was recruited during the 2011-2012 influenza season in Belgium. Half of the 2250 respondents sought professional medical care, reported more symptoms (especially more often fever), a longer duration of illness, more use of medication (especially antibiotics) and a higher direct medical cost than patients not seeking medical care. The disease and economic burden were similar for ambulatory ILI patients, irrespective of whether they received a clinical diagnosis of flu. On average, they experienced 5-6 symptoms over a 6-day period; required 1.6 physician visits and 86-91% took medication. An average episode amounted to €51-€53 in direct medical costs, 4 days of absence from work or school and the loss of 0.005 quality-adjusted life-years. Underlying illness led to greater costs and lower quality-of-life. The costs of ILI patients with clinically diagnosed flu tended to increase, while those of ILI patients without clinically diagnosed flu tended to decrease with age. Recently vaccinated persons experienced lower costs and a higher quality-of-life, but this was only the case for patients not seeking professional medical care. This information can be used directly to evaluate the implementation of cost-effective prevention and control measures for influenza. In particular to inform the evaluation of more widespread seasonal influenza vaccination, including in children, which is currently considered by many countries.

  15. Hospitalizations owing to ambulatory care sensitive conditions in Florianopolis, Santa Catarina - an ecological study, 2001-2011.

    PubMed

    Brasil, Vinicius Paim; Costa, Juvenal Soares Dias da

    2016-01-01

    to evaluate trends in rates of hospitalizations owing to ambulatory care sensitive conditions in the municipality of Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil, from 2001 to 2011, and to assess correlation with the public health expendutures Family Health Strategy (FHS) population coverage. this was an ecological study using Ministry of Health secondary data; data were analyzed using Poisson Regression. the regression coefficient was 0.97, showing a decrease of 3% per year in hospitalizations owing to ambulatory care sensitive conditions, a three-fold increase in FHS coverage and seven times more financial investment per capita in health services, from R$67.65 in 2001 to R$471.03 in 2011; FHS investments per capita in health and population coverage were negatively correlated to the rate of hospitalizations owing to ambulatory care sensitive conditions. financial investment and FHS expansion had led to major reductions in the rate of hospitalizations owing to ambulatory care sensitive conditions.

  16. Interspecialty communication supported by health information technology associated with lower hospitalization rates for ambulatory care-sensitive conditions.

    PubMed

    O'Malley, Ann S; Reschovsky, James D; Saiontz-Martinez, Cynthia

    2015-01-01

    Practice tools such as health information technology (HIT) have the potential to support care processes, such as communication between health care providers, and influence care for "ambulatory care-sensitive conditions" (ACSCs). ACSCs are conditions for which good outpatient care can potentially prevent the need for hospitalization. To date, associations between such primary care practice capabilities and hospitalizations for ambulatory care-sensitive conditions have been primarily limited to smaller, local studies or unique delivery systems rather than nationally representative studies of primary care physicians in the United States. We analyzed a nationally representative sample of 1,819 primary care physicians who responded to the Center for Studying Health System Change's Physician Survey. We linked 3 years of Medicare claims (2007 to 2009) with these primary care physician survey respondents. This linkage resulted in the identification of 123,760 beneficiaries with one or more of 4 ambulatory care-sensitive chronic conditions (diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, and congestive heart failure) for whom these physicians served as the usual provider. Key independent variables of interest were physicians' practice capabilities, including communication with specialists, use of care managers, participation in quality and performance measurement, use of patient registries, and HIT use. The dependent variable was a summary measure of ambulatory care-sensitive hospitalizations for one or more of these 4 conditions. Higher provider-reported levels of communication between primary care and specialist physicians were associated with lower rates of potentially avoidable hospitalizations. While there was no significant main effect between HIT use and ACSC hospitalizations, the associations between interspecialty communication and ACSC hospitalizations were magnified in the presence of higher HIT use. For example, patients in practices with both the

  17. Electronic health record "super-users" and "under-users" in ambulatory care practices.

    PubMed

    Rumball-Smith, Juliet; Shekelle, Paul; Damberg, Cheryl L

    2018-01-01

    This study explored variation in the extent of use of electronic health record (EHR)-based health information technology (IT) functionalities across US ambulatory care practices. Use of health IT functionalities in ambulatory care is important for delivering high-quality care, including that provided in coordination with multiple practitioners. We used data from the 2014 Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society Analytics survey. The responses of 30,123 ambulatory practices with an operational EHR were analyzed to examine the extent of use of EHR-based health IT functionalities for each practice. We created a novel framework for classifying ambulatory care practices employing 7 domains of health IT functionality. Drawing from the survey responses, we created a composite "use" variable indicating the extent of health IT functionality use across these domains. "Super-user" practices were defined as having near-full employment of the 7 domains of health IT functionalities and "under-users" as those with minimal or no use of health IT functionalities. We used multivariable logistic regression to investigate how the odds of super-use and under-use varied by practice size, type, urban or rural location, and geographic region. Seventy-three percent of practices were not using EHR technologies to their full capability, and nearly 40% were classified as under-users. Under-user practices were more likely to be of smaller size, situated in the West, and located outside a metropolitan area. To achieve the broader benefits of the EHR and health IT, health systems and policy makers need to identify and address barriers to full use of health IT functionalities.

  18. [Structural development of ambulatory surgical care in the United States of America. What can we learn or apply?].

    PubMed

    Kraus, T; Wolkener, F; Mieth, M; Möller, J; Büchler, M W

    2002-10-01

    Expansion of ambulatory surgical care is a major focus in United States health politics. In 1996 a total of 31.5 million ambulatory operations were performed, currently accounting for 45% of yearly procedures. Operations in ophthalmology and gastroenterology are predominant. Ambulatory surgery is organized in different forms: "office-based surgery," "hospital outpatient departments," and "ambulatory surgery centers" (ASC). The numbers of ASCs are rapidly increasing. The current proportion of ASCs is 16% of all operations. The type of ambulatory surgery is primarily defined by payors. Medicare standards are the benchmark for private organizations. Recovery care centers now offer postoperative care beyond the former 23-h threshold. This may lead to a further expanded ASC access. Revenues for ambulatory surgery were so far mostly based on fees for service. The implementation of an outpatient prospective payment system ("OPPS") is planned by Medicare, using fixed package prices within a newly defined ambulatory payment classification ("APC"). The dimension of structural changes could be enormous and possibly be compared with the implementation of DRGs in 1983.

  19. Challenges to Safe Injection Practices in Ambulatory Care.

    PubMed

    Anderson, Laura; Weissburg, Benjamin; Rogers, Kelli; Musuuza, Jackson; Safdar, Nasia; Shirley, Daniel

    2017-05-01

    Most recent infection outbreaks caused by unsafe injection practices in the United States have occurred in ambulatory settings. We utilized direct observation and a survey to assess injection practices at 31 clinics. Improper vial use was observed at 13 clinics (41.9%). Pharmacy support and healthcare worker education may improve injection practices. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2017;38:614-616.

  20. [Face-lift surgery in ambulatory].

    PubMed

    Soulhiard, F

    2017-10-01

    The proposal is to demonstrate that facelift surgery is particularly suitable for the care in ambulatory. Between 2010 and 2016, 246 patients were operated for a facelift in ambulatory. No major complication arose in this series (241). Among the patients, 98% expressed their satisfaction and would accept again this intervention in ambulatory. The facelift can be realized in ambulatory with complete safety. The rate of satisfaction shows a very strong support of the patients for the ambulatory care. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  1. Exploring the link between ambulatory care and avoidable hospitalizations at the Veteran Health Administration.

    PubMed

    Pracht, Etienne E; Bass, Elizabeth

    2011-01-01

    This paper explores the link between utilization of ambulatory care and the likelihood of rehospitalization for an avoidable reason in veterans served by the Veteran Health Administration (VA). The analysis used administrative data containing healthcare utilization and patient characteristics stored at the national VA data warehouse, the Corporate Franchise Data Center. The study sample consisted of 284 veterans residing in Florida who had been hospitalized at least once for an avoidable reason. A bivariate probit model with instrumental variables was used to estimate the probability of rehospitalization. Veterans who had at least 1 ambulatory care visit per month experienced a significant reduction in the probability of rehospitalization for the same avoidable hospitalization condition. The findings suggest that ambulatory care can serve as an important substitute for more expensive hospitalization for the conditions characterized as avoidable. © 2011 National Association for Healthcare Quality.

  2. Ambulatory tuberculosis treatment in post-Semashko health care systems needs supportive financing mechanisms.

    PubMed

    Kohler, S; Asadov, D A; Bründer, A; Healy, S; Khamraev, A K; Sergeeva, N; Tinnemann, P

    2014-12-01

    The tuberculosis (TB) control strategy in the Republic of Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan, is being changed to decentralised out-patient care for most TB patients by the Government of Uzbekistan, in collaboration with the international medical humanitarian organisation Médecins Sans Frontières. Ambulatory treatment of both drug-susceptible and drug-resistant TB from the first day of treatment has been recommended since 2011. Out-patient treatment of TB from the beginning of treatment was previously prohibited. However, the current Uzbek health financing system, which evolved from the Soviet Semashko model, offers incentives that work against the adoption of ambulatory TB treatment. Based on the 'Comprehensive TB Care for All' programme implemented in Karakalpakstan, we describe how existing policies for the allocation of health funds complicate the scale-up of ambulatory-based management of TB.

  3. New approaches to ambulatory care facilities in the United Kingdom--an investor developer's perspective.

    PubMed

    Eminson, C; Dawson, D

    1999-01-01

    The purpose of this article is to describe the strategic context within which ambulatory care facilities are being developed, to consider a range of models of care facilities available, and, by drawing on the experience of the authors, to comment on some of the investment and development issues arising from two projects in progress--the community hospitals in Richmond, Yorkshire, in rural north England, and Thames Ditton on the borders of outer south London. In the final section, we consider the possible future of ambulatory care development in the light of government policy.

  4. Diagnoses Treated in Ambulatory Care Among Homeless-Experienced Veterans: Does Supported Housing Matter?

    PubMed

    Gabrielian, Sonya; Yuan, Anita H; Andersen, Ronald M; Gelberg, Lillian

    2016-10-01

    Little is known about how permanent supported housing influences ambulatory care received by homeless persons. To fill this gap, we compared diagnoses treated in VA Greater Los Angeles (VAGLA) ambulatory care between Veterans who are formerly homeless-now housed/case managed through VA Supported Housing ("VASH Veterans")-and currently homeless. We performed secondary database analyses of homeless-experienced Veterans (n = 3631) with VAGLA ambulatory care use from October 1, 2010 to September 30, 2011. We compared diagnoses treated-adjusting for demographics and need characteristics in regression analyses-between VASH Veterans (n = 1904) and currently homeless Veterans (n = 1727). On average, considering 26 studied diagnoses, VASH (vs currently homeless) Veterans received care for more (P < .05) diagnoses (mean = 2.9/1.7). Adjusting for demographics and need characteristics, VASH Veterans were more likely (P < .05) than currently homeless Veterans to receive treatment for diagnoses across categories: chronic physical illness, acute physical illness, mental illness, and substance use disorders. Specifically, VASH Veterans had 2.5, 1.7, 2.1, and 1.8 times greater odds of receiving treatment for at least 2 condition in these categories, respectively. Among participants treated for chronic illnesses, adjusting for predisposing and need characteristics, VASH (vs currently homeless) Veterans were 9%, 8%, and 11% more likely to have 2 or more visits for chronic physical illnesses, mental illnesses, and substance use disorder, respectively. Among homeless-experienced Veterans, permanent supported housing may reduce disparities in the treatment of diagnoses commonly seen in ambulatory care. © The Author(s) 2016.

  5. Patient-generated Digital Images after Pediatric Ambulatory Surgery.

    PubMed

    Miller, Matthew W; Ross, Rachael K; Voight, Christina; Brouwer, Heather; Karavite, Dean J; Gerber, Jeffrey S; Grundmeier, Robert W; Coffin, Susan E

    2016-07-06

    To describe the use of digital images captured by parents or guardians and sent to clinicians for assessment of wounds after pediatric ambulatory surgery. Subjects with digital images of post-operative wounds were identified as part of an on-going cohort study of infections after ambulatory surgery within a large pediatric healthcare system. We performed a structured review of the electronic health record (EHR) to determine how digital images were documented in the EHR and used in clinical care. We identified 166 patients whose parent or guardian reported sending a digital image of the wound to the clinician after surgery. A corresponding digital image was located in the EHR in only 121 of these encounters. A change in clinical management was documented in 20% of these encounters, including referral for in-person evaluation of the wound and antibiotic prescription. Clinical teams have developed ad hoc workflows to use digital images to evaluate post-operative pediatric surgical patients. Because the use of digital images to support follow-up care after ambulatory surgery is likely to increase, it is important that high-quality images are captured and documented appropriately in the EHR to ensure privacy, security, and a high-level of care.

  6. Patient-Generated Digital Images after Pediatric Ambulatory Surgery

    PubMed Central

    Ross, Rachael K.; Voight, Christina; Brouwer, Heather; Karavite, Dean J.; Gerber, Jeffrey S.; Grundmeier, Robert W.; Coffin, Susan E.

    2016-01-01

    Summary Objective To describe the use of digital images captured by parents or guardians and sent to clinicians for assessment of wounds after pediatric ambulatory surgery. Methods Subjects with digital images of post-operative wounds were identified as part of an ongoing cohort study of infections after ambulatory surgery within a large pediatric healthcare system. We performed a structured review of the electronic health record (EHR) to determine how digital images were documented in the EHR and used in clinical care. Results We identified 166 patients whose parent or guardian reported sending a digital image of the wound to the clinician after surgery. A corresponding digital image was located in the EHR in only 121 of these encounters. A change in clinical management was documented in 20% of these encounters, including referral for in-person evaluation of the wound and antibiotic prescription. Conclusion Clinical teams have developed ad hoc workflows to use digital images to evaluate post-operative pediatric surgical patients. Because the use of digital images to support follow-up care after ambulatory surgery is likely to increase, it is important that high-quality images are captured and documented appropriately in the EHR to ensure privacy, security, and a high-level of care. PMID:27452477

  7. Ambulatory versus home versus clinic blood pressure: the association with subclinical cerebrovascular diseases: the Ohasama Study.

    PubMed

    Hara, Azusa; Tanaka, Kazushi; Ohkubo, Takayoshi; Kondo, Takeo; Kikuya, Masahiro; Metoki, Hirohito; Hashimoto, Takanao; Satoh, Michihiro; Inoue, Ryusuke; Asayama, Kei; Obara, Taku; Hirose, Takuo; Izumi, Shin-Ichi; Satoh, Hiroshi; Imai, Yutaka

    2012-01-01

    The usefulness of ambulatory, home, and casual/clinic blood pressure measurements to predict subclinical cerebrovascular diseases (silent cerebrovascular lesions and carotid atherosclerosis) was compared in a general population. Data on ambulatory, home, and casual/clinic blood pressures and brain MRI to detect silent cerebrovascular lesions were obtained in 1007 subjects aged ≥55 years in a general population of Ohasama, Japan. Of the 1007 subjects, 583 underwent evaluation of the extent of carotid atherosclerosis. Twenty-four-hour, daytime, and nighttime ambulatory and home blood pressure levels were closely associated with the risk of silent cerebrovascular lesions and carotid atherosclerosis (all P<0.05). When home and one of the ambulatory blood pressure values were simultaneously included in the same regression model, each of the ambulatory blood pressure values remained a significant predictor of silent cerebrovascular lesions, whereas home blood pressure lost its predictive value. Of the ambulatory blood pressure values, nighttime blood pressure was the strongest predictor of silent cerebrovascular lesions. The home blood pressure value was more closely associated with the risk of carotid atherosclerosis than any of the ambulatory blood pressure values when home and one of the ambulatory blood pressure values were simultaneously included in the same regression model. The casual/clinic blood pressure value had no significant association with the risk of subclinical cerebrovascular diseases. Although the clinical indications for ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and home blood pressure measurements may overlap, the clinical significance of each method for predicting target organ damage may differ for different target organs.

  8. The Association Between Internet Use and Ambulatory Care-Seeking Behaviors in Taiwan: A Cross-Sectional Study.

    PubMed

    Hsieh, Ronan Wenhan; Chen, Likwang; Chen, Tsung-Fu; Liang, Jyh-Chong; Lin, Tzu-Bin; Chen, Yen-Yuan; Tsai, Chin-Chung

    2016-12-07

    Compared with the traditional ways of gaining health-related information from newspapers, magazines, radio, and television, the Internet is inexpensive, accessible, and conveys diverse opinions. Several studies on how increasing Internet use affected outpatient clinic visits were inconclusive. The objective of this study was to examine the role of Internet use on ambulatory care-seeking behaviors as indicated by the number of outpatient clinic visits after adjusting for confounding variables. We conducted this study using a sample randomly selected from the general population in Taiwan. To handle the missing data, we built a multivariate logistic regression model for propensity score matching using age and sex as the independent variables. The questionnaires with no missing data were then included in a multivariate linear regression model for examining the association between Internet use and outpatient clinic visits. We included a sample of 293 participants who answered the questionnaire with no missing data in the multivariate linear regression model. We found that Internet use was significantly associated with more outpatient clinic visits (P=.04). The participants with chronic diseases tended to make more outpatient clinic visits (P<.01). The inconsistent quality of health-related information obtained from the Internet may be associated with patients' increasing need for interpreting and discussing the information with health care professionals, thus resulting in an increasing number of outpatient clinic visits. In addition, the media literacy of Web-based health-related information seekers may also affect their ambulatory care-seeking behaviors, such as outpatient clinic visits. ©Ronan Wenhan Hsieh, Likwang Chen, Tsung-Fu Chen, Jyh-Chong Liang, Tzu-Bin Lin, Yen-Yuan Chen, Chin-Chung Tsai. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 07.12.2016.

  9. Developing from within: ensuring the ambulatory emergency care workforce is fit for purpose.

    PubMed

    Thurgate, Claire; Holmes, Sue

    2015-11-01

    Emergency healthcare provision is changing, and services need to respond to evolving health economies while providing safe, effective, patient-centred care. Ambulatory care is developing to meet these needs, but workforce planners need to ensure that staff are fit for purpose. To address this, one trust, in partnership with a local university, designed a bespoke in-house, work-based learning package on ambulatory care, which was delivered to registered nurses by practice experts. This article describes the project and discusses the evaluation, which highlighted the benefits of this way of learning for the nurses, the trust and the university, and identified some areas that require development.

  10. Developing a business-practice model for pharmacy services in ambulatory settings.

    PubMed

    Harris, Ila M; Baker, Ed; Berry, Tricia M; Halloran, Mary Ann; Lindauer, Kathleen; Ragucci, Kelly R; McGivney, Melissa Somma; Taylor, A Thomas; Haines, Stuart T

    2008-02-01

    A business-practice model is a guide, or toolkit, to assist managers and clinical pharmacy practitioners in the exploration, proposal, development and implementation of new clinical pharmacy services and/or the enhancement of existing services. This document was developed by the American College of Clinical Pharmacy Task Force on Ambulatory Practice to assist clinical pharmacy practitioners and administrators in the development of business-practice models for new and existing clinical pharmacy services in ambulatory settings. This document provides detailed instructions, examples, and resources on conducting a market assessment and a needs assessment, types of clinical services, operations, legal and regulatory issues, marketing and promotion, service development and exit plan, evaluation of service outcomes, and financial considerations in the development of a clinical pharmacy service in the ambulatory environment. Available literature is summarized, and an appendix provides valuable citations and resources. As ambulatory care practices continue to evolve, there will be increased knowledge of how to initiate and expand the services. This document is intended to serve as an essential resource to assist in the growth and development of clinical pharmacy services in the ambulatory environment.

  11. Ambulatory obstetrical care: strategies to reduce telephone liability.

    PubMed

    Phelan, J P

    1998-09-01

    The telephone will become the centerpiece of ambulatory care services. As such, a pertinent aspect of office procedures will necessarily include a protocol to manage and document telephone calls. Encourage your office staff to use good telephone manners, as listed in Table 5. The net result should be a reduction in telephone liability risks and an enhanced reputation for your office.

  12. Utilization of lean management principles in the ambulatory clinic setting.

    PubMed

    Casey, Jessica T; Brinton, Thomas S; Gonzalez, Chris M

    2009-03-01

    The principles of 'lean management' have permeated many sectors of today's business world, secondary to the success of the Toyota Production System. This management method enables workers to eliminate mistakes, reduce delays, lower costs, and improve the overall quality of the product or service they deliver. These lean management principles can be applied to health care. Their implementation within the ambulatory care setting is predicated on the continuous identification and elimination of waste within the process. The key concepts of flow time, inventory and throughput are utilized to improve the flow of patients through the clinic, and to identify points that slow this process -- so-called bottlenecks. Nonessential activities are shifted away from bottlenecks (i.e. the physician), and extra work capacity is generated from existing resources, rather than being added. The additional work capacity facilitates a more efficient response to variability, which in turn results in cost savings, more time for the physician to interact with patients, and faster completion of patient visits. Finally, application of the lean management principle of 'just-in-time' management can eliminate excess clinic inventory, better synchronize office supply with patient demand, and reduce costs.

  13. The cost of medical education in an ambulatory neurology clinic.

    PubMed Central

    Abramovitch, Anna; Newman, William; Padaliya, Bimal; Gill, Chandler; Charles, P. David

    2005-01-01

    Decreased revenue from clinical services has required academic hospitals and physicians to improve productivity. Medical student education may be a significant hindrance to increased productivity and income. This study quantifies the amount of time spent by faculty members teaching medical students in an ambulatory neurology clinic as well as the amount of time students occupied rooms when seeing patients on their own. Over a three-week period in an ambulatory neurology clinic, an observer noted these quantities of time, and the opportunity costs of both amounts of time were determined. Attending physicians spent an average of 19.6 minutes per medical student per half-day teaching, which translates to an average cost of $20.78 per half-day clinic. Students spent an average of 49.9 minutes per half-day seeing patients in the absence of an attending physician, an opportunity cost to the clinic of $142.50 per student per half-day. PMID:16296220

  14. Acute Care Use for Ambulatory Care-Sensitive Conditions in High-Cost Users of Medical Care with Mental Illness and Addictions.

    PubMed

    Hensel, Jennifer M; Taylor, Valerie H; Fung, Kinwah; Yang, Rebecca; Vigod, Simone N

    2018-01-01

    The role of mental illness and addiction in acute care use for chronic medical conditions that are sensitive to ambulatory care management requires focussed attention. This study examines how mental illness or addiction affects risk for repeat hospitalization and/or emergency department use for ambulatory care-sensitive conditions (ACSCs) among high-cost users of medical care. A retrospective, population-based cohort study using data from Ontario, Canada. Among the top 10% of medical care users ranked by cost, we determined rates of any and repeat care use (hospitalizations and emergency department [ED] visits) between April 1, 2011, and March 31, 2012, for 14 consensus established ACSCs and compared them between those with and without diagnosed mental illness or addiction during the 2 years prior. Risk ratios were adjusted (aRR) for age, sex, residence, and income quintile. Among 314,936 high-cost users, 35.9% had a mental illness or addiction. Compared to those without, individuals with mental illness or addiction were more likely to have an ED visit or hospitalization for any ACSC (22.8% vs. 19.6%; aRR, 1.21; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.20-1.23). They were also more likely to have repeat ED visits or hospitalizations for the same ACSC (6.2% vs. 4.4% of those without; aRR, 1.48; 95% CI, 1.44-1.53). These associations were stronger in stratifications by mental illness diagnostic subgroup, particularly for those with a major mental illness. The presence of mental illness and addiction among high-cost users of medical services may represent an unmet need for quality ambulatory and primary care.

  15. Regional variations in ambulatory care and incidence of cardiovascular events

    PubMed Central

    Tu, Jack V.; Chu, Anna; Maclagan, Laura; Austin, Peter C.; Johnston, Sharon; Ko, Dennis T.; Cheung, Ingrid; Atzema, Clare L.; Booth, Gillian L.; Bhatia, R. Sacha; Lee, Douglas S.; Jackevicius, Cynthia A.; Kapral, Moira K.; Tu, Karen; Wijeysundera, Harindra C.; Alter, David A.; Udell, Jacob A.; Manuel, Douglas G.; Mondal, Prosanta; Hogg, William

    2017-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Variations in the prevalence of traditional cardiac risk factors only partially account for geographic variations in the incidence of cardiovascular disease. We examined the extent to which preventive ambulatory health care services contribute to geographic variations in cardiovascular event rates. METHODS: We conducted a cohort study involving 5.5 million patients aged 40 to 79 years in Ontario, Canada, with no hospital stays for cardiovascular disease as of January 2008, through linkage of multiple population-based health databases. The primary outcome was the occurrence of a major cardiovascular event (myocardial infarction, stroke or cardiovascular-related death) over the following 5 years. We compared patient demographics, cardiac risk factors and ambulatory health care services across the province’s 14 health service regions, known as Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs), and evaluated the contribution of these variables to regional variations in cardiovascular event rates. RESULTS: Cardiovascular event rates across LHINs varied from 3.2 to 5.7 events per 1000 person-years. Compared with residents of high-rate LHINs, those of low-rate health regions received physician services more often (e.g., 4.2 v. 3.5 mean annual family physician visits, p value for LHIN-level trend = 0.01) and were screened for risk factors more often. Low-rate LHINs were also more likely to achieve treatment targets for hypercholes-terolemia (51.8% v. 49.6% of patients, p = 0.03) and controlled hypertension (67.4% v. 53.3%, p = 0.04). Differences in patient and health system factors accounted for 74.5% of the variation in events between LHINs, of which 15.5% was attributable to health system factors alone. INTERPRETATION: Preventive ambulatory health care services were provided more frequently in health regions with lower cardiovascular event rates. Health system interventions to improve equitable access to preventive care might improve cardiovascular outcomes. PMID

  16. Effect of Intensive Versus Standard Clinic-Based Hypertension Management on Ambulatory Blood Pressure: Results From the SPRINT (Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial) Ambulatory Blood Pressure Study.

    PubMed

    Drawz, Paul E; Pajewski, Nicholas M; Bates, Jeffrey T; Bello, Natalie A; Cushman, William C; Dwyer, Jamie P; Fine, Lawrence J; Goff, David C; Haley, William E; Krousel-Wood, Marie; McWilliams, Andrew; Rifkin, Dena E; Slinin, Yelena; Taylor, Addison; Townsend, Raymond; Wall, Barry; Wright, Jackson T; Rahman, Mahboob

    2017-01-01

    The effect of clinic-based intensive hypertension treatment on ambulatory blood pressure (BP) is unknown. The goal of the SPRINT (Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial) ambulatory BP ancillary study was to evaluate the effect of intensive versus standard clinic-based BP targets on ambulatory BP. Ambulatory BP was obtained within 3 weeks of the 27-month study visit in 897 SPRINT participants. Intensive treatment resulted in lower clinic systolic BP (mean difference between groups=16.0 mm Hg; 95% confidence interval, 14.1-17.8 mm Hg), nighttime systolic BP (mean difference=9.6 mm Hg; 95% confidence interval, 7.7-11.5 mm Hg), daytime systolic BP (mean difference=12.3 mm Hg; 95% confidence interval, 10.6-13.9 mm Hg), and 24-hour systolic BP (mean difference=11.2 mm Hg; 95% confidence interval, 9.7-12.8 mm Hg). The night/day systolic BP ratio was similar between the intensive (0.92±0.09) and standard-treatment groups (0.91±0.09). There was considerable lack of agreement within participants between clinic systolic BP and daytime ambulatory systolic BP with wide limits of agreement on Bland-Altman plots. In conclusion, targeting a systolic BP of <120 mm Hg, when compared with <140 mm Hg, resulted in lower nighttime, daytime, and 24-hour systolic BP, but did not change the night/day systolic BP ratio. Ambulatory BP monitoring may be required to assess the effect of targeted hypertension therapy on out of office BP. Further studies are needed to assess whether targeting hypertension therapy based on ambulatory BP improves clinical outcomes. URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01835249. © 2016 American Heart Association, Inc.

  17. Assessing local market and organizational readiness for the integration of complementary and alternative medicine into ambulatory care centers.

    PubMed

    Makowski, Suzana K E

    2004-01-01

    Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is one of the fastest growing segments of the health care industry today, with studies suggesting that between 30% and 50% of the adult population in the United States uses some form of CAM. Many ambulatory care centers are considering integrating CAM into their clinical services. This article will review some of the national trends and present a framework for assessing local market demand for CAM in order to help prioritize an organization's CAM integration strategy.

  18. Effectiveness of involving pharmacists in the process of ambulatory health care to improve drug treatment adherence and disease control.

    PubMed

    Mino-León, Dolores; Reyes-Morales, Hortensia; Flores-Hernández, Sergio

    2015-02-01

    To evaluate the effectiveness of incorporating the pharmacist into the ambulatory health care team to increase the proportion of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and/or hypertension who adhere to their drug regimen and to improve disease control. A non-randomized clinical trial was carried out in patients with T2DM and/or hypertension from two primary care clinics. Patients from one of the clinics comprised the intervention group (IG) who received 'counselling' from the pharmacist. The control group (CG) was comprised of patients who attended another clinic and received the usual care. Adherence was measured by counting pills; hypertension control was evaluated by blood pressure and diabetes control by blood glucose. Statistical analysis was carried out by intention to treat using generalized linear models. There were 440 patients included. There was no difference in the proportion of IG and CG patients who adhered to treatment according to baseline measurements. An increase in the proportion of adherence at baseline and final determination was observed in both groups (IG 71-80%, P=0.006 and CG 72-87%, P=0.000). Generalized linear models showed a 55% or higher probability of IG patients achieving control of hypertension in comparison with the CG. Patients from the IG with T2DM have 13% more possibility of achieving glycaemic control than those of the CG. Counselling offered by the pharmacist proved to be effective for improving drug adherence of diabetic and hypertensive patients in ambulatory health care. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  19. Application of three different sets of explicit criteria for assessing inappropriate prescribing in older patients: a nationwide prevalence study of ambulatory care visits in Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Chang, Chirn-Bin; Yang, Shu-Yu; Lai, Hsiu-Yun; Wu, Ru-Shu; Liu, Hsing-Cheng; Hsu, Hsiu-Ying; Hwang, Shinn-Jang; Chan, Ding-Cheng

    2015-11-06

    To investigate the national prevalence of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) prescribed in ambulatory care clinics in Taiwan according to three different sets of regional criteria and the correlates of PIM use. Cross-sectional study. This analysis included older patients who visited ambulatory care clinics in 2009 and represented half of the older population included on the Taiwanese National Health Insurance Research Database. We identified 1,164,701 subjects who visited ambulatory care clinics and were over 65 years old in 2009. PIM prevalence according to the 2012 Beers criteria, the PIM-Taiwan criteria and the PRISCUS criteria was estimated separately, and characteristics of PIM users were explored. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine patient factors associated with the use of at least one PIM. Leading PIMs for each set of criteria were also listed. The prevalence of having at least one PIM at the patient level was highest with the Beers criteria (86.2%), followed by the PIM-Taiwan criteria (73.3%) and the PRISCUS criteria (66.9%). Polypharmacy and younger age were associated with PIM use for all three sets of criteria. The leading PIMs detected by the PIM-Taiwan and PRISCUS criteria were all included in the 2012 Beers criteria. Non-COX-selective non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the Beers criteria and benzodiazepines in the PIM-Taiwan and PRISCUS criteria accounted for most leading PIMs. The prevalence of PIMs was high among older Taiwanese patients receiving ambulatory care visits. The prevalence of PIM and its associated factors varied according to three sets of criteria at the population level. 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/

  20. The Comprehensive Care Project: Measuring Physician Performance in Ambulatory Practice

    PubMed Central

    Holmboe, Eric S; Weng, Weifeng; Arnold, Gerald K; Kaplan, Sherrie H; Normand, Sharon-Lise; Greenfield, Sheldon; Hood, Sarah; Lipner, Rebecca S

    2010-01-01

    Objective To investigate the feasibility, reliability, and validity of comprehensively assessing physician-level performance in ambulatory practice. Data Sources/Study Setting Ambulatory-based general internists in 13 states participated in the assessment. Study Design We assessed physician-level performance, adjusted for patient factors, on 46 individual measures, an overall composite measure, and composite measures for chronic, acute, and preventive care. Between- versus within-physician variation was quantified by intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). External validity was assessed by correlating performance on a certification exam. Data Collection/Extraction Methods Medical records for 236 physicians were audited for seven chronic and four acute care conditions, and six age- and gender-appropriate preventive services. Principal Findings Performance on the individual and composite measures varied substantially within (range 5–86 percent compliance on 46 measures) and between physicians (ICC range 0.12–0.88). Reliabilities for the composite measures were robust: 0.88 for chronic care and 0.87 for preventive services. Higher certification exam scores were associated with better performance on the overall (r = 0.19; p <.01), chronic care (r = 0.14, p = .04), and preventive services composites (r = 0.17, p = .01). Conclusions Our results suggest that reliable and valid comprehensive assessment of the quality of chronic and preventive care can be achieved by creating composite measures and by sampling feasible numbers of patients for each condition. PMID:20819110

  1. The comprehensive care project: measuring physician performance in ambulatory practice.

    PubMed

    Holmboe, Eric S; Weng, Weifeng; Arnold, Gerald K; Kaplan, Sherrie H; Normand, Sharon-Lise; Greenfield, Sheldon; Hood, Sarah; Lipner, Rebecca S

    2010-12-01

    To investigate the feasibility, reliability, and validity of comprehensively assessing physician-level performance in ambulatory practice. Ambulatory-based general internists in 13 states participated in the assessment. We assessed physician-level performance, adjusted for patient factors, on 46 individual measures, an overall composite measure, and composite measures for chronic, acute, and preventive care. Between- versus within-physician variation was quantified by intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). External validity was assessed by correlating performance on a certification exam. Medical records for 236 physicians were audited for seven chronic and four acute care conditions, and six age- and gender-appropriate preventive services. Performance on the individual and composite measures varied substantially within (range 5-86 percent compliance on 46 measures) and between physicians (ICC range 0.12-0.88). Reliabilities for the composite measures were robust: 0.88 for chronic care and 0.87 for preventive services. Higher certification exam scores were associated with better performance on the overall (r = 0.19; p<.01), chronic care (r = 0.14, p = .04), and preventive services composites (r = 0.17, p = .01). Our results suggest that reliable and valid comprehensive assessment of the quality of chronic and preventive care can be achieved by creating composite measures and by sampling feasible numbers of patients for each condition. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

  2. Opening ambulatory surgery centers and stone surgery rates in health care markets.

    PubMed

    Hollingsworth, John M; Krein, Sarah L; Birkmeyer, John D; Ye, Zaojun; Kim, Hyungjin Myra; Zhang, Yun; Hollenbeck, Brent K

    2010-09-01

    Ambulatory surgery centers deliver surgical care more efficiently than hospitals but may increase overall procedure use and adversely affect competing hospitals. Motivated by these concerns we evaluated how opening of an ambulatory surgery center impacts stone surgery use in a health care market and assessed the effect of its opening on the patient mix at nearby hospitals. In a 100% sample of outpatient surgery from Florida we measured annual stone surgery use between 1998 and 2006. We used multiple regression to determine if the rate of change in use differed between markets, defined by the hospital service area, without and with a recently opened ambulatory surgery center. Stone surgery use increased an average of 11 procedures per 100,000 individuals per year (95% CI 1-20, p <0.001) after an ambulatory surgery center opened in a hospital service area. Four years after opening the relative increase in the stone surgery rate was approximately 64% higher (95% CI 27 to 102) in hospital service areas where a center opened vs hospital service areas without a center. These market level increases in surgery were not associated with decreased surgical volume at competing hospitals and the absolute change in patient disease severity treated at nearby hospitals was small. While opening of an ambulatory surgery center did not appear to have an overly detrimental effect on competing hospitals, it led to a significant increase in the population based rate of stone surgery in the hospital service area. Possible explanations are the role of physician financial incentives and unmet surgical demand. 2010 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Resource utilisation and cost of ambulatory HIV care in a regional HIV centre in Ireland: a micro-costing study.

    PubMed

    Brennan, Aline; Jackson, Arthur; Horgan, Mary; Bergin, Colm J; Browne, John P

    2015-04-03

    It is anticipated that demands on ambulatory HIV services will increase in coming years as a consequence of the increased life expectancy of HIV patients on highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART). Accurate cost data are needed to enable evidence based policy decisions be made about new models of service delivery, new technologies and new medications. A micro-costing study was carried out in an HIV outpatient clinic in a single regional centre in the south of Ireland. The costs of individual appointment types were estimated based on staff grade and time. Hospital resources used by HIV patients who attended the ambulatory care service in 2012 were identified and extracted from existing hospital systems. Associations between patient characteristics and costs per patient month, in 2012 euros, were examined using univariate and multivariate analyses. The average cost of providing ambulatory HIV care was found to be €973 (95% confidence interval €938-€1008) per patient month in 2012. Sensitivity analysis, varying the base-case staff time estimates by 20% and diagnostic testing costs by 60%, estimated the average cost to vary from a low of €927 per patient month to a high of €1019 per patient month. The vast majority of costs were due to the cost of HAART. Women were found to have significantly higher HAART costs per patient month while patients over 50 years of age had significantly lower HAART costs using multivariate analysis. This study provides the estimated cost of ambulatory care in a regional HIV centre in Ireland. These data are valuable for planning services at a local level, and the identification of patient factors, such as age and gender, associated with resource use is of interest both nationally and internationally for the long-term planning of HIV care provision.

  4. Commentary: quality of care and cost containment are the hospital-based ambulatory surgery challenges for the future.

    PubMed

    Frezza, E E; Girnys, R P; Silich, R J; Coppa, G F

    2000-01-01

    Cost containment and quality of care represent the most important objectives of all health care professionals. Because of its progressive growth over the past decade, ambulatory surgery has become an area where these 2 issues need to be addressed. The goal of this paper is to discuss the economic and quality of care challenges faced by hospitals as they strive to become competitive in the 21st century. The quality of care in ambulatory surgery has been improving because of multidisciplinary activities. Hospitals tend to hire the staff on the basis of their expertise in certain areas, and those personnel do not have to cover other hospital roles. Moreover, the hospital staff is able to seek information at any time from coworkers in other areas of specialty. Ambulatory surgery in a hospital offers advantages, such as multiple operating rooms, multiple skilled health care providers, and the ability to stay overnight if needed. The consolidation of supplies makes it easier to contract for a better price. Aggressive contract negotiations and implementation of cost-effective and cost-efficient strategies are the keys to success in the future. Quality improvement (QI) initiatives and quality of care (QC) indicators need to be developed to address various problems in the ambulatory surgery setting such as unnecessary admissions, inadequate staffing, efficient operating room (OR) utilization, quality of care, and assessment outcome. These initiatives should be addressed at regular meetings where opportunities to improve the ambulatory services are discussed. The number of ambulatory surgery procedures performed each year will continue to increase, although perhaps not at the rate we experienced in the past. Procedures that once were performed in an inpatient setting can now be accomplished on an outpatient basis or even in the physician's office. We will continue to see this shift of volume as technologic advancements and anesthetic agents allow more complex procedures to

  5. Patterns of ambulatory medical care utilization and rheumatologist consultation predating the diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus: a national population-based study.

    PubMed

    Lai, Ning-Sheng; Tsai, Tzung-Yi; Koo, Malcolm; Huang, Kuang-Yung; Tung, Chien-Hsueh; Lu, Ming-Chi

    2014-01-01

    To investigate the records of ambulatory medical care from patients predating the diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) using nationwide, population-based claims data. The frequencies and costs of ambulatory medical care utilization in 337 newly-diagnosed SLE cases between 2004 and 2010, identified from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database, were compared with 1,348 controls who were frequency matched for sex, age, and the catastrophic illness certificate application year of the cases. Patients with SLE had a median frequency of ambulatory medical care utilization compared with controls one year prior to the index date (22 vs. 2, P<0.001). The differences were significant throughout all eight annual periods. Similarly, the inflation-adjusted costs of ambulatory medical care utilization in patients with SLE increased annually over the study period, from a median of US$18 eight years prior to the index date to US$680 one year prior to the index date. Diseases of the respiratory system (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification [ICD-9-CM] codes 460-519), digestive system (ICD-9-CM codes 520-579), musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (ICD-9-CM codes 710-739, excluding 710.0), and skin and subcutaneous tissue (ICD-9-CM codes 680-709) were the top four common causes of visits in the 0.5 to 2 year period preceding the index date and percentages of SLE patients suffered from these disorders increased progressively over the study period. Only 56.4% of the patients with SLE had consulted a rheumatologist and most of the serology tests were done within one year predating the index date. Increased frequencies and costs of ambulatory care utilization among Taiwanese patients with SLE occurred several years predating their definitive SLE diagnosis. When multisystemic disorders are presented in young female patients, the possibility of SLE should be considered and screened with tools such as the antinuclear

  6. [Establishing an Ambulatory Health-Care Centre (AHCC) at a University Hospital].

    PubMed

    Krüll, A; Debatin, J F

    2013-02-01

    Since January 2004 hospitals have the opportunity to establish an ambulatory health-care centre (Medizinisches Versorgungszentrum - MVZ) as a result of the introduction of the Health-care Modernisation Act (Gesetz zur Modernisierung der gesetzlichen Krankenversicherung - GMG). After about a half-year preparatory phase, the UKE, in September 2004, began operation of the "Ambulanzzentrum des UKE GmbH" (a limited liability company) as the first MVZ at a university hospital in Germany. We report here on the establishment of the MVZ and the experience made. In the initial phase, only the medical fields of radiation therapy and nuclear medicine were represented. Both disciplines, especially radiation therapy, were existentially threatened by the extensive loss of ambulatory patients. The central motive for the establishment of the ambulatory health-care centre was to secure the survival of both disciplines and to preserve existing jobs. After it was put into operation, the referrals from practice-based colleagues to both radiation therapy and nuclear medicine increased quickly. The positive developments caused other departments of the UKE to express their interest in supplementing their outpatient activities with facilities in the MVZ. Over the following years, the ambulance centre grew steadily. Now 24 departments are represented in the MVZ, and the centre has a total of 49 positions for physicians contracted by and registered within the German public health insurance system. The number of salaried doctors has risen to 85, although many of these only work part time in the MVZ. Also more than 83 non-medical staff members were hired over the years. These were mostly physiotherapists, radiographers, and medical assistants. With the growing number of departments in the MVZ, the number of treated cases grew steadily. Currently approximately 20 000 cases are treated in each quarter of a year. The experience made while establishing an ambulatory health-care centre is very

  7. [Costs of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in patients treated in ambulatory care in Poland].

    PubMed

    Jahnz-Różyk, Karina; Targowski, Tomasz; From, Sławomir; Faluta, Tomasz; Borowiec, Lukasz

    2011-01-01

    Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of death worldwide. A cost-of-illness study aims to determine the total economic impact of a disease or health condition on society through the identification, measurement, and valuation of all direct and indirect costs. Exacerbations are believed to be a major cost driver in COPD. The aim of this study was to examine direct, mean costs of COPD in Poland under usual clinical practice form societal perspective. It was an observational bottom-up-cost-of-illness study, based on a retrospective sample of patients presenting with COPD in pulmonary ambulatory care facilities in Poland. Total medical resources consumption of a sample were collected in 2007/2008 year by physician - lung specialists. Direct costs of COPD were evaluated based on data from different populations of five clinical hospitals and eight out-patient clinics. Resources utilisation and cost data are summarised as mean values per patient per year. 95% confidence intervals were derived using percentile bootstrapping. Total medicals resources consumption of a COPD patient per year was 1007 EURO (EUR 1 = PLN 4.0; year 2008). Among this cost 606 EURO was directly related to COPD follow up, 105 EURO was related to ambulatory exacerbation, and 296 EURO was related to exacerbation treated in hospital. The burden of COPD itself appeared to be considerable magnitude for society in Poland.

  8. Assessing technical performance at diverse ambulatory care sites.

    PubMed

    Osterweis, M; Bryant, E

    1978-01-01

    The purpose of the large study reported here was to develop and test methods for assessing the quality of health care that would be broadly applicable to diverse ambulatory care organizations for periodic comparative review. Methodological features included the use of an age-sex stratified random sampling scheme, dependence on medical records as the source of data, a fixed study period year, use of Kessner's tracer methodology (including not only acute and chronic diseases but also screening and immunization rates as indicators), and a fixed tracer matrix at all test sites. This combination of methods proved more efficacious in estimating certain parameters for the total patient populations at each site (including utilization patterns, screening, and immunization rates) and the process of care for acute conditions than it did in examining the process of care for the selected chronic condition. It was found that the actual process of care at all three sites for the three acute conditions (streptococcal pharyngitis, urinary tract infection, and iron deficiency anemia) often differed from the expected process in terms of both diagnostic procedures and treatment. For hypertension, the chronic disease tracer, medical records were frequently a deficient data source from which to draw conclusions about the adequacy of treatment. Several aspects of the study methodology were found to be detrimental to between-site comparisons of the process of care for chronic disease management. The use of an age-sex stratified random sampling scheme resulted in the identification of too few cases of hypertension at some sites for analytic purposes, thereby necessitating supplementary sampling by diagnosis. The use of a fixed study period year resulted in an arbitrary starting point in the course of the disease. Furthermore, in light of the diverse sociodemographic characteristics of the patient populations, the use of a fixed matrix of tracer conditions for all test sites is questionable

  9. An Analysis of Ambulatory Teaching Situations for Faculty Development.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Simpson, Deborah E.; And Others

    1990-01-01

    A study identified variables perceived by clinical medical faculty (n=20) to influence the ease or difficulty of teaching in the ambulatory care setting. Characteristics affecting the teaching situation included teacher, student, and patient characteristics. Implications for faculty development on teaching in the clinical setting are discussed.…

  10. Profiling outcomes of ambulatory care: casemix affects perceived performance.

    PubMed

    Berlowitz, D R; Ash, A S; Hickey, E C; Kader, B; Friedman, R; Moskowitz, M A

    1998-06-01

    The authors explored the role of casemix adjustment when profiling outcomes of ambulatory care. The authors reviewed the medical records of 656 patients with hypertension, diabetes, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) receiving care at one of three Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers. Outcomes included measures of physiological control for hypertension and diabetes, and of exacerbations for COPD. Predictors of poor outcomes, including physical examination findings, symptoms, and comorbidities, were identified and entered into regression models. Observed minus expected performance was described for each site, both before and after casemix adjustment. Risk-adjustment models were developed that were clinically plausible and had good performance properties. Differences existed among the three sites in the severity of the patients being cared for. For example, the percentage of patients expected to have poor blood pressure control were 35% at site 1, 37% at site 2, and 44% at site 3 (P < 0.01). Casemix-adjusted measures of performance were different from unadjusted measures. Sites that were outliers (P < 0.05) with one approach had observed performance no different from expected with another approach. Casemix adjustment models can be developed for outpatient medical conditions. Sites differ in the severity of patients they treat, and adjusting for these differences can alter judgments of site performance. Casemix adjustment is necessary when profiling outpatient medical conditions.

  11. [Evaluation of a teaching ambulatory module of respiratory diseases in the undergraduate medical curriculum].

    PubMed

    Leiva R, Isabel; Bitran C, Marcela; Saldías P, Fernando

    2012-05-01

    As the focus of healthcare provision shifts towards ambulatory care, increasing attention must now be given to develop opportunities for clinical teaching in this setting. To assess teacher and students' views about the strengths and weaknesses of real and simulated patient interactions for teaching undergraduate students clinical skills in the ambulatory setting. Fourth-year medical students were exposed in a systematic way, during two weeks, to real and simulated patients in an outpatient clinic, who presented common respiratory problems, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, smoking and sleep apnea syndrome. After the clinical interview, students received feedback from the tutor and their peers. The module was assessed interviewing the teachers and evaluating the results qualitatively. Students evaluated the contents and quality of teaching at the end of the rotation. Tutors identified the factors that facilitate ambulatory teaching. These depended on the module design, resources and patient care, of characteristics of students and their participation, leadership and interaction with professors. They also identified factors that hamper teaching activities such as availability of resources, student motivation and academic recognition. Most students evaluated favorably the interaction with real and simulated patients in the ambulatory setting. Teaching in the ambulatory setting was well evaluated by students and teachers. The use of qualitative methodology allowed contrasting the opinions of teachers and students.

  12. Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions in Persons with an Intellectual Disability--Development of a Consensus

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Balogh, Robert S.; Ouellette-Kuntz, Helene; Brownell, Marni; Colantonio, Angela

    2011-01-01

    Background: There is evidence that the primary care provided for persons with an intellectual disability living in the community has been inadequate. Hospitalization rates for ambulatory care sensitive (ACS) conditions are considered an indicator for access to, and quality of, primary care. The objective of this research was to identify ACS…

  13. Ambulatory Antibiotic Stewardship through a Human Factors Engineering Approach: A Systematic Review.

    PubMed

    Keller, Sara C; Tamma, Pranita D; Cosgrove, Sara E; Miller, Melissa A; Sateia, Heather; Szymczak, Julie; Gurses, Ayse P; Linder, Jeffrey A

    2018-01-01

    In the United States, most antibiotics are prescribed in ambulatory settings. Human factors engineering, which explores interactions between people and the place where they work, has successfully improved quality of care. However, human factors engineering models have not been explored to frame what is known about ambulatory antibiotic stewardship (AS) interventions and barriers and facilitators to their implementation. We conducted a systematic review and searched OVID MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and CINAHL to identify controlled interventions and qualitative studies of ambulatory AS and determine whether and how they incorporated principles from a human factors engineering model, the Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety 2.0 model. This model describes how a work system (ambulatory clinic) contributes to a process (antibiotic prescribing) that leads to outcomes. The work system consists of 5 components, tools and technology, organization, person, tasks, and environment, within an external environment. Of 1,288 abstracts initially identified, 42 quantitative studies and 17 qualitative studies met inclusion criteria. Effective interventions focused on tools and technology (eg, clinical decision support and point-of-care testing), the person (eg, clinician education), organization (eg, audit and feedback and academic detailing), tasks (eg, delayed antibiotic prescribing), the environment (eg, commitment posters), and the external environment (media campaigns). Studies have not focused on clinic-wide approaches to AS. A human factors engineering approach suggests that investigating the role of the clinic's processes or physical layout or external pressures' role in antibiotic prescribing may be a promising way to improve ambulatory AS. © Copyright 2018 by the American Board of Family Medicine.

  14. Evaluating ambulatory care training in Firoozgar hospital based on Iranian national standards of undergraduate medical education

    PubMed Central

    Sabzghabaei, Foroogh; Salajeghe, Mahla; Soltani Arabshahi, Seyed Kamran

    2017-01-01

    Background: In this study, ambulatory care training in Firoozgar hospital was evaluated based on Iranian national standards of undergraduate medical education related to ambulatory education using Baldrige Excellence Model. Moreover, some suggestions were offered to promote education quality in the current condition of ambulatory education in Firoozgar hospital and national standards using the gap analysis method. Methods: This descriptive analytic study was a kind of evaluation research performed using the standard check lists published by the office of undergraduate medical education council. Data were collected through surveying documents, interviewing, and observing the processes based on the Baldrige Excellence Model. After confirming the validity and reliability of the check lists, we evaluated the establishment level of the national standards of undergraduate medical education in the clinics of this hospital in the 4 following domains: educational program, evaluation, training and research resources, and faculty members. Data were analyzed according to the national standards of undergraduate medical education related to ambulatory education and the Baldrige table for scoring. Finally, the quality level of the current condition was determined as very appropriate, appropriate, medium, weak, and very weak. Results: In domains of educational program 62%, in evaluation 48%, in training and research resources 46%, in faculty members 68%, and in overall ratio, 56% of the standards were appropriate. Conclusion: The most successful domains were educational program and faculty members, but evaluation and training and research resources domains had a medium performance. Some domains and indicators were determined as weak and their quality needed to be improved, so it is suggested to provide the necessary facilities and improvements by attending to the quality level of the national standards of ambulatory education PMID:29951400

  15. Emergency service: a strategy for hospital-sponsored ambulatory care satellites.

    PubMed

    Gregory, D; Klegon, D; Steinhauer, B

    1984-01-01

    This analysis of the overall market position of free-standing emergency care was based on a telephone survey of 300 randomly chosen households in a southeastern metropolitan area. Results show that consumer preferences for cost and convenience create a strong market for free-standing emergency facilities. Emergicare centers are in an ideal situation to capture the market for acute and minor emergency care. To be worthwhile, the emergency room in a more comprehensive ambulatory care facility should serve as a feeder of new patients and be profitable in its own right. However, free-standing emergency facilities must not only attract patients through convenience and price, but they must also maintain patients through assuring quality care and satisfaction.

  16. Development of quality metrics for ambulatory care in pediatric patients with tetralogy of Fallot.

    PubMed

    Villafane, Juan; Edwards, Thomas C; Diab, Karim A; Satou, Gary M; Saarel, Elizabeth; Lai, Wyman W; Serwer, Gerald A; Karpawich, Peter P; Cross, Russell; Schiff, Russell; Chowdhury, Devyani; Hougen, Thomas J

    2017-12-01

    The objective of this study was to develop quality metrics (QMs) relating to the ambulatory care of children after complete repair of tetralogy of Fallot (TOF). A workgroup team (WT) of pediatric cardiologists with expertise in all aspects of ambulatory cardiac management was formed at the request of the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the Adult Congenital and Pediatric Cardiology Council (ACPC), to review published guidelines and consensus data relating to the ambulatory care of repaired TOF patients under the age of 18 years. A set of quality metrics (QMs) was proposed by the WT. The metrics went through a two-step evaluation process. In the first step, the RAND-UCLA modified Delphi methodology was employed and the metrics were voted on feasibility and validity by an expert panel. In the second step, QMs were put through an "open comments" process where feedback was provided by the ACPC members. The final QMs were approved by the ACPC council. The TOF WT formulated 9 QMs of which only 6 were submitted to the expert panel; 3 QMs passed the modified RAND-UCLA and went through the "open comments" process. Based on the feedback through the open comment process, only 1 metric was finally approved by the ACPC council. The ACPC Council was able to develop QM for ambulatory care of children with repaired TOF. These patients should have documented genetic testing for 22q11.2 deletion. However, lack of evidence in the literature made it a challenge to formulate other evidence-based QMs. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  17. Daily Energy Expenditure and Its Relation to Health Care Costs in Patients Undergoing Ambulatory Electrocardiographic Monitoring.

    PubMed

    George, Jason; Abdulla, Rami Khoury; Yeow, Raymond; Aggarwal, Anshul; Boura, Judith; Wegner, James; Franklin, Barry A

    2017-02-15

    Our increasingly sedentary lifestyle is associated with a heightened risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and cardiovascular mortality. Using the recently developed heart rate index formula in 843 patients (mean ± SD age 62.3 ± 15.7 years) who underwent 24-hour ambulatory electrocardiographic (ECG) monitoring, we estimated average and peak daily energy expenditure, expressed as metabolic equivalents (METs), and related these data to subsequent hospital encounters and health care costs. In this cohort, estimated daily average and peak METs were 1.7 ± 0.7 and 5.5 ± 2.1, respectively. Patients who achieved daily bouts of peak energy expenditure ≥5 METs had fewer hospital encounters (p = 0.006) and median health care costs that were nearly 50% lower (p <0.001) than their counterparts who attained <5 METs. In patients whose body mass index was ≥30 kg/m 2 , there were significant differences in health care costs depending on whether they achieved <5 or ≥5 METs estimated by ambulatory ECG monitoring (p = 0.005). Interestingly, patients who achieved ≥5 METs had lower and no significant difference in their health care costs, regardless of their body mass index (p = 0.46). Patients with previous percutaneous coronary intervention who achieved ≥5 METs had lower health care costs (p = 0.044) and fewer hospital encounters (p = 0.004) than those who achieved <5 METs. In conclusion, average and peak daily energy expenditures estimated from ambulatory ECG monitoring may provide useful information regarding health care utilization in patients with and without previous percutaneous coronary intervention, irrespective of body habitus. Our findings are the first to link lower intensities of peak daily energy expenditure, estimated from ambulatory ECG monitoring, with increased health care utilization. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Why Do Patients Seek Care at Retail Clinics and What Alternatives Did They Consider

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Margaret C; Ryan, Gery; McGlynn, Elizabeth A; Mehrotra, Ateev

    2012-01-01

    Retail clinics are an increasingly popular new model of ambulatory care. To understand why patients seek care at these clinics and what their experiences were like, we interviewed 61 patients at six retail clinics. Patients were satisfied with the overall experience and were attracted to retail clinics because of their convenient location and fixed, transparent pricing. Patients with a primary care provider (PCP) sought care at these clinics primarily because their PCPs were not available in a timely manner. If retail clinics were not available, a quarter of patients report they would have gone to the emergency department. Retail clinics appear to be responding to the need for convenient, affordable, and consumer-centered care. PMID:20142442

  19. A Guide to Assessing Ambulatory Health Care Needs in Your Community.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jones, Deborah; And Others

    Designed for health services planners and decisionmakers on the local level, this guide describes and explains a relatively low-cost short-term approach by which communities can estimate their needs for ambulatory health care services, determine the adequacy of resources to meet those needs, and understand major factors for improving ambulatory…

  20. Home-based primary care and the risk of ambulatory care-sensitive condition hospitalization among older veterans with diabetes mellitus.

    PubMed

    Edwards, Samuel T; Prentice, Julia C; Simon, Steven R; Pizer, Steven D

    2014-11-01

    Primary care services based at home have the potential to reduce the likelihood of hospitalization among older adults with multiple chronic diseases. To characterize the association between enrollment in Home-Based Primary Care (HBPC), a national home care program operated by the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and hospitalizations owing to an ambulatory care-sensitive condition among older veterans with diabetes mellitus. Retrospective cohort study. Patients admitted to VA and non-VA hospitals were followed up from January 1, 2006, through December 31, 2010. Veterans 67 years or older who were fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries, were diagnosed as having diabetes mellitus and at least 1 other chronic disease, and had at least 1 admission to a VA or non-VA hospital in 2005 or 2006. Enrollment in HBPC, defined as a minimum of 2 HBPC encounters during the study period. Admission to VA and non-VA hospitals owing to an ambulatory care-sensitive condition, as measured by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's Prevention Quality Indicators in VA medical records and Medicare claims. Outcomes were analyzed using distance from the veteran's residence to a VA facility that provides HBPC as an instrumental variable. Among 56 608 veterans, 1978 enrolled in HBPC. These patients were older (mean age, 79.1 vs 77.1 years) and had more chronic diseases (eg, 59.2% vs 53.5% had congestive heart failure). Multivariable predictors for HBPC enrollment included paralysis (odds ratio [OR], 2.11; 95% CI, 1.63-2.74), depression (OR, 1.99; 95% CI, 1.70-2.34), congestive heart failure (OR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.17-1.58), and distance from the nearest HBPC-providing VA facility (OR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.50-0.70 for >10-30 vs <5 miles). After controlling for selection using an instrumental variable analysis, HBPC was associated with a significant reduction in the probability of experiencing a hospitalization owing to an ambulatory care-sensitive condition (hazard ratio, 0.71; 95% CI

  1. Funding of tribal health programs linked to lower rates of hospitalization for conditions sensitive to ambulatory care.

    PubMed

    Korenbrot, Carol; Kao, Chi; Crouch, James A

    2009-01-01

    To determine first whether higher funding of Tribally Operated Health Programs (TOHP) is associated with reduced hospitalizations for ambulatory care sensitive conditions (HASC) of the American Indian/Alaska Natives (AIAN) who use them after adjusting for characteristics of TOHP service areas; and then whether improved ambulatory care with higher levels of funding mediates the association. Records in the Indian Health Service (IHS) for California of an annual average 42,153 AIAN users of TOHP from 1998 to 2002 were linked with state hospital discharge records. We analyzed 3181 HASC for AIAN users of 20 TOHP in multilevel Poisson regression models to determine the association of HASC rates adjusted for individual age and gender with the Federal Disparity Index for IHS funding of TOHP. Higher IHS funding of TOHP was associated with lower HASC rates for the AIAN who use them. For TOHP with less than 60% of health care costs funded, the HASC rate dropped 12% for every increase of 10% in funding. Even adjusting for characteristics of the service areas, the effect was only slightly reduced to a value of 9% to 11%. None of the available indicators of ambulatory care tested were found to mediate the effects. Our findings are consistent with a policy of IHS funding of all TOHP at a level of at least 60% of the health care costs of the AIAN who use the programs, instead of the current policy of 40%. Additional research is needed to understand what ambulatory care characteristics are improved by the funding.

  2. Technical and clinical view on ambulatory assessment in Parkinson's disease.

    PubMed

    Hobert, M A; Maetzler, W; Aminian, K; Chiari, L

    2014-09-01

    With the progress of technologies of recent years, methods have become available that use wearable sensors and ambulatory systems to measure aspects of--particular axial--motor function. As Parkinson's disease (PD) can be considered a model disorder for motor impairment, a significant number of studies have already been performed with these patients using such techniques. In general, motion sensors such as accelerometers and gyroscopes are used, in combination with lightweight electronics that do not interfere with normal human motion. A fundamental advantage in comparison with usual clinical assessment is that these sensors allow a more quantitative, objective, and reliable evaluation of symptoms; they have also significant advantages compared to in-lab technologies (e.g., optoelectronic motion capture) as they allow long-term monitoring under real-life conditions. In addition, based on recent findings particularly from studies using functional imaging, we learned that non-motor symptoms, specifically cognitive aspects, may be at least indirectly assessable. It is hypothesized that ambulatory quantitative assessment strategies will allow users, clinicians, and scientists in the future to gain more quantitative, unobtrusive, and everyday relevant data out of their clinical evaluation and can also be designed as pervasive (everywhere) and intensive (anytime) tools for ambulatory assessment and even rehabilitation of motor and (partly) non-motor symptoms in PD. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  3. [Ambulatory anesthesia in pediatric surgery].

    PubMed

    Ben Khalifa, S; Hila, S; Hamzaoui, M; el Cadhi, A; Jlidi, S; Nouira, F; Hellal, Y; Houissa, T; Chaouachi, B

    2000-04-01

    Child is an ideal patient for day care surgery. So more than 60% of paediatric surgery could benefit by ambulatory surgery. Preoperative visit may select patients for ambulatory surgery. Medical exam may lead to choose pre operative screening. The ideal ambulatory anesthesia is locoregional technic or inhalatory one. Tracheal intubation don't contre indicate ambulatory surgery. Recovery of mental abilities following general anesthesia has not the same significance as in adult. Many studies confirm the safety of paediatric outpatients anesthesia.

  4. The '6W' multidimensional model of care trajectories for patients with chronic ambulatory care sensitive conditions and hospital readmissions.

    PubMed

    Vanasse, A; Courteau, M; Ethier, J-F

    2018-04-01

    To synthesize concepts and approaches related to the analysis of patterns or processes of care and patient's outcomes into a comprehensive model of care trajectories, focusing on hospital readmissions for patients with chronic ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSCs). Narrative literature review. Published studies between January 2000 and November 2017, using the concepts of 'continuity', 'pathway', 'episode', and 'trajectory', and focused on readmissions and chronic ACSCs, were collected in electronic databases. Qualitative content analysis was performed with emphasis on key constituents to build a comprehensive model. Specific common constituents are shared by the concepts reviewed: they focus on the patient, aim to measure and improve outcomes, follow specific periods of time and consider other factors related to care providers, care units, care settings, and treatments. Using these common denominators, the comprehensive '6W' multidimensional model of care trajectories was created. Considering patients' attributes and their chronic ACSCs illness course ('who' and 'why' dimensions), this model reflects their patterns of health care use across care providers ('which'), care units ('where'), and treatments ('what'), at specific periods of time ('when'). The '6W' model of care trajectories could provide valuable information on 'missed opportunities' to reduce readmission rates and improve quality of both ambulatory and inpatient care. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  5. Transitioning Former Military Medics to Civilian Health Care Jobs: A Novel Pilot Program to Integrate Medics Into Ambulatory Care Teams for High-Risk Patients.

    PubMed

    Watts, Brook; Lawrence, Renée H; Schaub, Kimberley; Lea, Erin; Hasenstaub, Mary; Slivka, Judy; Smith, Todd I; Kirsh, Susan

    2016-11-01

    Despite their medical training, record of military service, and the unmet needs within the health care sector, numerous challenges face veterans who seek to leverage their health care skills for employment after leaving the military. Creative solutions are necessary to successfully leverage these skills into jobs for returning medics that also meet the needs of health care systems. To achieve this goal, we created a novel ambulatory care health technician position on the basis of existing literature and modeled after a program which incorporates former military medics in emergency departments. Through a quality improvement approach, a position description, interview process, training program with clinical competencies, and team integration plan were developed and implemented. To date, two medics have been hired, successfully trained on relevant skill sets, and are currently caring for medical outpatients (under the supervision of licensed clinical personnel) as crucial interdisciplinary team members. Taken together, a multifaceted approach is required to effectively harness military medics' skills and experiences to meet identified health delivery needs. Reprint & Copyright © 2016 Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.

  6. Ambulatory Medication Reconciliation in Dialysis Patients: Benefits and Community Practitioners’ Perspectives

    PubMed Central

    Wilson, Jo-Anne S; Ladda, Matthew A; Tran, Jaclyn; Wood, Marsha; Poyah, Penelope; Soroka, Steven; Rodrigues, Glenn; Tennankore, Karthik

    2017-01-01

    Background Ambulatory medication reconciliation can reduce the frequency of medication discrepancies and may also reduce adverse drug events. Patients receiving dialysis are at high risk for medication discrepancies because they typically have multiple comorbid conditions, are taking many medications, and are receiving care from many practitioners. Little is known about the potential benefits of ambulatory medication reconciliation for these patients. Objectives To determine the number, type, and potential level of harm associated with medication discrepancies identified through ambulatory medication reconciliation and to ascertain the views of community pharmacists and family physicians about this service. Methods This retrospective cohort study involved patients initiating hemodialysis who received ambulatory medication reconciliation in a hospital renal program over the period July 2014 to July 2016. Discrepancies identified on the medication reconciliation forms for study patients were extracted and categorized by discrepancy type and potential level of harm. The level of harm was determined independently by a pharmacist and a nurse practitioner using a defined scoring system. In the event of disagreement, a nephrologist determined the final score. Surveys were sent to 52 community pharmacists and 44 family physicians involved in the care of study patients to collect their opinions and perspectives on ambulatory medication reconciliation. Results Ambulatory medication reconciliation was conducted 296 times for a total of 147 hemodialysis patients. The mean number of discrepancies identified per patient was 1.31 (standard deviation 2.00). Overall, 30% of these discrepancies were deemed to have the potential to cause moderate to severe patient discomfort or clinical deterioration. Survey results indicated that community practitioners found ambulatory medication reconciliation valuable for providing quality care to dialysis patients. Conclusions This study has

  7. Special article: Creation of a guide for the transfer of care of the malignant hyperthermia patient from ambulatory surgery centers to receiving hospital facilities.

    PubMed

    Larach, Marilyn Green; Dirksen, Sharon J Hirshey; Belani, Kumar G; Brandom, Barbara W; Metz, Keith M; Policastro, Michael A; Rosenberg, Henry; Valedon, Arnaldo; Watson, Charles B

    2012-01-01

    Volatile anesthetics and/or succinylcholine may trigger a potentially lethal malignant hyperthermia (MH) event requiring critical care crisis management. If the MH triggering anesthetic is given in an ambulatory surgical center (ASC), then the patient will need to be transferred to a receiving hospital. Before May 2010, there was no clinical guide regarding the development of a specific transfer plan for MH patients in an ASC. MECHANISM BY WHICH THE STATEMENT WAS GENERATED: A consensual process lasting 18 months among 13 representatives of the Malignant Hyperthermia Association of the United States, the Ambulatory Surgery Foundation, the Society for Ambulatory Anesthesia, the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, and the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians led to the creation of this guide. EVIDENCE FOR THE STATEMENT: Most of the guide is based on the clinical experience and scientific expertise of the 13 representatives. The list of representatives appears in Appendix 1. The recommendation that IV dantrolene should be initiated pending transfer is also supported by clinical research demonstrating that the likelihood of significant MH complications doubles for every 30-minute delay in dantrolene administration (Anesth Analg 2010;110:498-507). This guide includes a list of potential clinical problems and therapeutic interventions to assist each ASC in the development of its own unique MH transfer plan. Points to consider include receiving health care facility capabilities, indicators of patient stability and necessary report data, transport team considerations and capabilities, implementation of transfer decisions, and coordination of communication among the ASC, the receiving hospital, and the transport team. See Appendix 2 for the guide.

  8. A Portable Computer System for Auditing Quality of Ambulatory Care

    PubMed Central

    McCoy, J. Michael; Dunn, Earl V.; Borgiel, Alexander E.

    1987-01-01

    Prior efforts to effectively and efficiently audit quality of ambulatory care based on comprehensive process criteria have been limited largely by the complexity and cost of data abstraction and management. Over the years, several demonstration projects have generated large sets of process criteria and mapping systems for evaluating quality of care, but these paper-based approaches have been impractical to implement on a routine basis. Recognizing that portable microcomputers could solve many of the technical problems in abstracting data from medical records, we built upon previously described criteria and developed a microcomputer-based abstracting system that facilitates reliable and cost-effective data abstraction.

  9. Ambulatory surgery in orthopedics: experience of over 10,000 patients.

    PubMed

    Martín-Ferrero, M A; Faour-Martín, O; Simon-Perez, C; Pérez-Herrero, M; de Pedro-Moro, J A

    2014-03-01

    The concept of day surgery is becoming an increasingly important part of elective surgery worldwide. Relentless pressure to cut costs may constrain clinical judgment regarding the most appropriate location for a patient's surgical care. The aim of this study was to determine clinical and quality indicators relating to our experience in orthopedic day durgery, mainly in relation to unplanned overnight admission and readmission rates. Additionally, we focused on describing the main characteristics of the patients that experienced complications, and compared the patient satisfaction rates following ambulatory and non-ambulatory procedures. We evaluated 10,032 patients who underwent surgical orthopedic procedures according to the protocols of our Ambulatory Surgery Unit. All complications that occurred were noted. A quality-of-life assessment (SF-36 test) was carried out both pre- and postoperatively. Ambulatory substitution rates and quality indicators for orthopedic procedures were also determined. The major complication rate was minimal, with no mortal cases, and there was a high rate of ambulatory substitution for the procedures studied. Outcomes of the SF-36 questionnaire showed significant improvement postoperatively. An unplanned overnight admission rate of 0.14 % was achieved. Our institution has shown that it is possible to provide good-quality ambulatory orthopedic surgery. There still appears to be the potential to increase the proportion of these procedures. Surgeons and anesthesiologists must strongly adhere to strict patient selection criteria for ambulatory orthopedic surgery in order to reduce complications in the immediate postoperative term.

  10. The Ambulatory Care Workload Management System for Nursing Reference Manual

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1991-05-31

    MEDICAL DATA SERVICES CENTER BETHESDA, MARYLAND 2088Q-506. 91-03029 SECuRItY CLASSIFICATION OF THIS PAGEr REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE Ia. REPORT SECURITY...ORGANIZATION 6b OFFICE SYMBOL 7a. NAME OF MONITORING ORGANIZATION Naval Medical Data Servics (If applicable) Center 6c. ADDRESS (City, State, and ZIPCode) 7b...staffing methodology developed for emergency and ambulatory care departments in naval medical treatment facilities . The staffing model translates varying

  11. [Nutritional recovery of mild and moderately malnourished children under two different treatment approaches (ambulatory versus day-care)].

    PubMed

    Mariño, Mariana; Martínez, José; Azuaje, Arelis

    2003-09-01

    This retrospective analysis was conducted between May 1997 and May 2000 at the Centro de Atención Nutricional Infantil de Antímano, CANIA, in Caracas, Venezuela to assess the efficacy of two treatments (ambulatory versus day-care) of mild and moderate malnourished children. Inclusion criteria were: children under 10 years old with mild and moderate malnourishment, who attended a minimum of 3 control visits during a period of 12 months. One hundred fourteen malnourished children were included: fifty seven in ambulatory treatment and fifty seven in day-care treatment paired per nutritional diagnosis, gender and age (thirty nine mild and eighteen moderate malnourished children). The nutritional recovery criterion was weight for height above tenth percentile. No relation was found between treatment approaches and nutritional recovery at 3 and 6 months of treatment. In the group of mild malnourished children, the percentage of recovered patients at 3 months of treatment, that kept their recovered condition at 6 months was 83% (15/18) in the ambulatory treatment and 82% (18/22) in the day-care treatment Age of children, associated disease, acute morbidity, dietetic risk and mother's education and age were not associated with nutritional recovery at 6 months of treatment (p > 0.05). The day-care approach resulted as effective as ambulatory in mild malnourished children. In moderate malnourished new studies will need to be conducted with greater number of patients.

  12. Effectiveness of transmucosal sedation for special needs populations in the ambulatory care setting.

    PubMed

    Tetef, Sue

    2014-12-01

    Transmucosal is an alternative route for administering medications (ie, dexmedetomidine, midazolam, naloxone) that can be effective for procedural or moderate sedation in patients with special needs when other routes are not practical or are contraindicated. Special needs populations include children, older adults, pregnant and breast-feeding women, and people with disabilities or conditions that limit their ability to function and cope. Understanding the perioperative nurse's role in the care of patients receiving medications via the transmucosal route can lead to better clinical outcomes. Successful use of the transmucosal route requires knowledge of when to administer a medication, how often and how much of a medication should be administered, the onset and duration of action, the adverse effects or contraindications, and the key benefits. In addition, a case study approach suggests that transmucosal sedation can decrease patient stress and anxiety related to undergoing medical procedures or surgery in the ambulatory care setting. Copyright © 2014 AORN, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Measuring interdependence in ambulatory care.

    PubMed

    Katerndahl, David; Wood, Robert; Jaen, Carlos R

    2017-04-01

    Complex systems differ from complicated systems in that they are nonlinear, unpredictable and lacking clear cause-and-effect relationships, largely due to the interdependence of their components (effects of interconnectedness on system behaviour and consequences). The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the potential for network density to serve as a measure of interdependence, assess its concurrent validity and test whether the use of valued or binary ties yields better results. This secondary analysis used the 2010 National Ambulatory Care Medical Survey to assess interdependence of 'top 20' diagnoses seen and medications prescribed for 14 specialties. The degree of interdependence was measured as the level of association between diagnoses and drug interactions among medications. Both valued and binary network densities were computed for each specialty. To assess concurrent validity, these measures were correlated with previously-derived valid measures of complexity of care using the same database, adjusting for diagnosis and medication diversity. Partial correlations between diagnosis density, and both diagnosis and total input complexity, were significant, as were those between medication density and both medication and total output complexity; for both diagnosis and medication densities, adjusted correlations were higher for binary rather than valued densities. This study demonstrated the feasibility and validity of using network density as a measure of interdependence. When adjusted for measure diversity, density-complexity correlations were significant and higher for binary than valued density. This approach complements other methods of estimating complexity of care and may be applicable to unique settings. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  14. The Cardiovascular Health in Ambulatory Care Research Team performance indicators for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease: a modified Delphi panel study.

    PubMed

    Tu, Jack V; Maclagan, Laura C; Ko, Dennis T; Atzema, Clare L; Booth, Gillian L; Johnston, Sharon; Tu, Karen; Lee, Douglas S; Bierman, Arlene; Hall, Ruth; Bhatia, R Sacha; Gershon, Andrea S; Tobe, Sheldon W; Sanmartin, Claudia; Liu, Peter; Chu, Anna

    2017-04-25

    High-quality ambulatory care can reduce cardiovascular disease risk, but important gaps exist in the provision of cardiovascular preventive care. We sought to develop a set of key performance indicators that can be used to measure and improve cardiovascular care in the primary care setting. As part of the Cardiovascular Health in Ambulatory Care Research Team initiative, we established a 14-member multidisciplinary expert panel to develop a set of indicators for measuring primary prevention performance in ambulatory cardiovascular care. We used a 2-stage modified Delphi panel process to rate potential indicators, which were identified from the literature and national cardiovascular organizations. The top-rated indicators were pilot tested to determine their measurement feasibility with the use of data routinely collected in the Canadian health care system. A set of 28 indicators of primary prevention performance were identified, which were grouped into 5 domains: risk factor prevalence, screening, management, intermediate outcomes and long-term outcomes. The indicators reflect the major cardiovascular risk factors including smoking, obesity, hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia and atrial fibrillation. All indicators were determined to be amenable to measurement with the use of population-based administrative (physician claims, hospital admission, laboratory, medication), survey or electronic medical record databases. The Cardiovascular Health in Ambulatory Care Research Team indicators of primary prevention performance provide a framework for the measurement of cardiovascular primary prevention efforts in Canada. The indicators may be used by clinicians, researchers and policy-makers interested in measuring and improving the prevention of cardiovascular disease in ambulatory care settings. Copyright 2017, Joule Inc. or its licensors.

  15. Service quality and patient experiences of ambulatory care in a specialized clinic vs. a general hospital.

    PubMed

    De Regge, Melissa; De Groote, Hélène; Trybou, Jeroen; Gemmel, Paul; Brugada, Pedro

    2017-04-01

    Health care organizations are constantly looking for ways to establish a differential advantage to attract customers. To this end, service quality has become an important differentiator in the strategy of health care organizations. In this study, we compared the service quality and patient experience in an ambulatory care setting of a physician-owned specialized facility with that of a general hospital. A comparative case study with a mixed method design was employed. Data were gathered through a survey on health service quality and patient experience, completed with observations, walkthroughs, and photographic material. Service quality and patient experiences are high in both the investigated health care facilities. A significant distinction can be made between the two facilities in terms of interpersonal quality (p = 0.001) and environmental quality (P ≤ 0.001), in favor of the medical center. The difference in environmental quality is also indicated by the scores given by participants who had been in both facilities. Qualitative analysis showed higher administrative quality in the medical center. Environmental quality and patient experience can predict the interpersonal quality; for environmental quality, interpersonal quality and age are significant predictors. Service quality and patient experiences are high in both facilities. The medical center has higher service quality for interpersonal and environmental service quality and is more process-centered.

  16. [Medical care unit -- a suitable instrument for ambulatory patient-adequate care and performance-related remuneration].

    PubMed

    Rudolph, P; Isensee, D; Gerlach, E; Gross, H

    2013-02-01

    The question of whether a medical care unit is an appropriate tool for outpatient care has been discussed for a long time. Our aim is to investigate whether the MCU is an effective instrument for outpatient care and adequate performance-related remuneration. This retro- and prospective overview of the work included statements on legal foundations for medical care units, for reimbursement of services in medical care units, the development of medical care centres in Germany and a listing of the specific advantages and disadvantages of an MCU. This article focuses on the generally applicable facts and complements them with examples from general, visceral and vascular surgery. The main quantitative data on medical centre statistics come from different publications of the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance for Physicians. From a legal point of view the instrument MCU allows the participating of ambulatory and stationary care in the framework of medical care contracts. This has been especially extended for stationary applications, including the spectrum of possibilities that can contribute under certain circumstances for the provision of medical care in underdeveloped regions. Freelancers can benefit primarily from financial risk and minimising bureaucratic routine. The remuneration for services performed in the MCU is analogous to that of other ambulatory care providers. Basically, there are no disadvantages, but a greater design freedom and opportunities for the generation of aggregates are visible. The number of MCU in Germany has quadrupled in the last five years, indicating an establishment of an outpatient care landscape. MCU offers from the patient's perspective, providers and policy specific advantages and disadvantages. Indeed the benefits outweigh the disadvantages, but this is not yet verified by qualitative studies. The question of the appropriateness of medical care units as outpatient care instrumentation must be considered differentially

  17. Walking Clinic in ambulatory surgery--A patient based concept: A Portuguese pioneer project.

    PubMed

    Vinagreiro, M; Valverde, J N; Alves, D; Costa, M; Gouveia, P; Guerreiro, E

    2015-06-01

    Walking Clinic is an innovative, efficient and easily reproducible concept adapted to ambulatory surgery. It consists of a preoperative single day work-up, with a surgeon, an anesthetist and a nurse. The aim of this study was to evaluate patient satisfaction and its determinants. A survey was applied to 171 patients (101 of the Walking Clinic group and 70 not engaged in this new concept). Patient satisfaction was assessed evaluating five major questionnaire items: secretariat (quality of the information and support given), physical space (overall comfort and cleanliness), nurses and medical staff (willingness and expertise), and patients (waiting time until pre-operative consults and exams, waiting time until being scheduled for surgery, surgery day waiting time and postoperative pain control). Furthermore, overall assessment of the received treatment, and probability of patient recommending or returning to our ambulatory unit were also analyzed. Walking Clinic group had overall better results in the five major questionnaire items assessed, with statistical significance, except for the physical space. It also showed better results regarding the sub-items postoperative pain control, waiting time until being scheduled for surgery and surgery day waiting time. The results confirm better patient satisfaction with this new concept. The Walking Clinic concept complements all the tenets of ambulatory surgery, in a more efficient manner. Copyright © 2015 IJS Publishing Group Limited. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Community Health Centers and Private Practice Performance on Ambulatory Care Measures

    PubMed Central

    Goldman, L. Elizabeth; Chu, Philip W.; Tran, Huong; Stafford, Randall S.

    2013-01-01

    Background The 2010 Affordable Care Act relies on Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) and FQHC look-alikes (look-alikes) to provide care for newly insured patients, but ties increased funding to demonstrated quality and efficiency. Purpose To compare FQHC and look-alike physician performance with private practice primary care physicians (PCPs) on ambulatory care quality measures. Methods The study was a cross-sectional analysis of visits in the 2006–2008 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. Performance of FQHCs and Look-alikes on 18 quality measures was compared with private practice PCPs. Data analysis was completed in 2011. Results Compared to private practice PCPs, FQHCs and look-alikes performed better on 6 measures (p<0.05), worse on diet counseling in at-risk adolescents (26 % vs. 36%, p=0.05), and no differently on 11 measures. Higher performance occurred in: ACE inhibitors use for congestive heart failure (51% vs. 37%, p=0.004); aspirin use in coronary artery disease (CAD) (57% vs. 44%, p=0.004); beta blocker use for CAD (59% vs. 47%, p=0.01); no use of benzodiazepines in depression (91% vs. 84%, p=0.008); blood pressure screening (90% vs. 86%, p<0.001); and screening electrocardiogram (EKG) avoidance in low-risk patients (99% vs. 93%, p<0.001). Adjusting for patient characteristics yielded similar results except private practice PCPs no longer performed better on any measures. Conclusions FQHCs and look-alikes demonstrated equal or better performance than private practice primary care physicians on select quality measures despite serving patients with more chronic disease and socioeconomic complexity. These findings can provide policymakers with some reassurance as to the quality of chronic disease and preventive care at Federally Qualified Health Centers and Federally Qualified Health Center look-alikes, as they plan to use these health centers to serve 20 million newly insured individuals. PMID:22813678

  19. Record of hospitalizations for ambulatory care sensitive conditions: validation of the hospital information system.

    PubMed

    Rehem, Tania Cristina Morais Santa Barbara; de Oliveira, Maria Regina Fernandes; Ciosak, Suely Itsuko; Egry, Emiko Yoshikawa

    2013-01-01

    To estimate the sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative predictive values of the Unified Health System's Hospital Information System for the appropriate recording of hospitalizations for ambulatory care-sensitive conditions. The hospital information system records for conditions which are sensitive to ambulatory care, and for those which are not, were considered for analysis, taking the medical records as the gold standard. Through simple random sampling, a sample of 816 medical records was defined and selected by means of a list of random numbers using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences. The sensitivity was 81.89%, specificity was 95.19%, the positive predictive value was 77.61% and the negative predictive value was 96.27%. In the study setting, the Hospital Information System (SIH) was more specific than sensitive, with nearly 20% of care sensitive conditions not detected. There are no validation studies in Brazil of the Hospital Information System records for the hospitalizations which are sensitive to primary health care. These results are relevant when one considers that this system is one of the bases for assessment of the effectiveness of primary health care.

  20. [Case finding in early prevention networks - a heuristic for ambulatory care settings].

    PubMed

    Barth, Michael; Belzer, Florian

    2016-06-01

    One goal of early prevention is the support of families with small children up to three years who are exposed to psychosocial risks. The identification of these cases is often complex and not well-directed, especially in the ambulatory care setting. Development of a model of a feasible and empirical based strategy for case finding in ambulatory care. Based on the risk factors of postpartal depression, lack of maternal responsiveness, parental stress with regulation disorders and poverty a lexicographic and non-compensatory heuristic model with simple decision rules, will be constructed and empirically tested. Therefore the original data set from an evaluation of the pediatric documentary form on psychosocial issues of families with small children in well-child visits will be used and reanalyzed. The first diagnostic step in the non-compensatory and hierarchical classification process is the assessment of postpartal depression followed by maternal responsiveness, parental stress and poverty. The classification model identifies 89.0 % cases from the original study. Compared to the original study the decision process becomes clearer and more concise. The evidence-based and data-driven model exemplifies a strategy for the assessment of psychosocial risk factors in ambulatory care settings. It is based on four evidence-based risk factors and offers a quick and reliable classification. A further advantage of this model is that after a risk factor is identified the diagnostic procedure will be stopped and the counselling process can commence. For further validation of the model studies, in well suited early prevention networks are needed.

  1. Physician Networks and Ambulatory Care-sensitive Admissions.

    PubMed

    Casalino, Lawrence P; Pesko, Michael F; Ryan, Andrew M; Nyweide, David J; Iwashyna, Theodore J; Sun, Xuming; Mendelsohn, Jayme; Moody, James

    2015-06-01

    Research on the quality and cost of care traditionally focuses on individual physicians or medical groups. Social network theory suggests that the care a patient receives also depends on the network of physicians with whom a patient's physician is connected. The objectives of the study are: (1) identify physician networks; (2) determine whether the rate of ambulatory care-sensitive hospital admissions (ACSAs) varies across networks--even different networks at the same hospital; and (3) determine the relationship between ACSA rates and network characteristics. We identified networks by applying network detection algorithms to Medicare 2008 claims for 987,000 beneficiaries in 5 states. We estimated a fixed-effects model to determine the relationship between networks and ACSAs and a multivariable model to determine the relationship between network characteristics and ACSAs. We identified 417 networks. Mean size: 129 physicians; range, 26-963. In the fixed-effects model, ACSA rates varied significantly across networks: there was a 46% difference in rates between networks at the 25th and 75th performance percentiles. At 95% of hospitals with admissions from 2 networks, the networks had significantly different ACSA rates; the mean difference was 36% of the mean ACSA rate. Networks with a higher percentage of primary-care physicians and networks in which patients received care from a larger number of physicians had higher ACSA rates. Physician networks have a relationship with ACSAs that is independent of the physicians in the network. Physician networks could be an important focus for understanding variations in medical care and for intervening to improve care.

  2. Ascertainment of Outpatient Visits by Patients with Diabetes: The National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) and the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS)

    PubMed Central

    Asao, Keiko; McEwen, Laura N.; Lee, Joyce M.; Herman, William H.

    2015-01-01

    Aims To estimate and evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of providers’ diagnosis codes and medication lists to identify outpatient visits by patients with diabetes. Methods We used data from the 2006 to 2010 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey and National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. We assessed the sensitivity and specificity of providers’ diagnoses and medication lists to identify patients with diabetes, using the checkbox for diabetes as the gold standard. We then examined differences in sensitivity by patients’ characteristics using multivariate logistic regression models. Results The checkbox identified 12,647 outpatient visits by adults with diabetes among the 70,352 visits used for this analysis. The sensitivity and specificity of providers’ diagnoses or listed diabetes medications were 72.3% (95% CI: 70.8% to 73.8%) and 99.2% (99.1% to 99.4%), respectively. Diabetic patients ≥75 years pf age, women, non-Hispanics, and those with private insurance or Medicare were more likely to be missed by providers’ diagnoses and medication lists. Diabetic patients who had more diagnosis codes and medications recorded, had glucose or hemoglobin A1c measured, or made office- rather than hospital-outpatient visits were less likely to be missed. Conclusions Providers’ diagnosis codes and medication lists fail to identify approximately one quarter of outpatient visits by patients with diabetes. PMID:25891975

  3. [Essential hypertension in young people--ambulatory versus hospital care].

    PubMed

    Mitu, F; Leon, Maria-Magdalena

    2012-01-01

    Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in our country. The number of young people with hypertension grow up quickly, so a good control of dyslipidemia and blood pressure (BP) is essential in prevention of cardiovascular disease. To investigate the prevalence of HTA at young people and established the corelation with another risk factors like smoke, colesterol, obesity and heredity, few data are available on the blood pressure characteristics of young patients. It has been investigate 366 young people between 19-25 years old, in ambulatory system and 350 younger with the same age, in hospital. Blood pressure was measured according to standard procedures, and was considered well-controlled if it was < 140/90 mm Hg. From our ambulatory patients were 198 women (54.1%), 168 men (45.9%) and from hospital were 178 women (50.9%) and 172 men (41.9%). HTA was present at 37 patients (10.1%) in ambulatory system and 50 patients (14.3%) in hospital. Between the intensity of smoke, the number of cigarette and the prevalence of HTA is a direct relation. The heredity factor is very important, too. The prevalence grow more than 2.5 at this patients. The incidence of HTA is 1.9 bigger at women with big values of colesterol and 2.1 at men with big colesterol. The relation between HTA--obesity is proven in our study, the incidence of HTA is 2.6 bigger at the obeses patients. These arguments should also promote further research in primary care on the control and the therapeutic behavior of the physicians.

  4. Management competencies required in ambulatory care settings.

    PubMed

    Brooke, P P; Hudak, R P; Finstuen, K; Trounson, J

    1998-01-01

    A study was conducted to identify the most important competencies physician executives in medical groups and other ambulatory settings will need to have in the next five years. The specific job skills, knowledge, and abilities (SKA) that physician executives will need to acquire these competencies were also explored. The Delphi techniques were used to analyze responses from two surveys from members of the American College of Medical Practice Executives. The most important competencies were grouped into 13 management domains, each with specific SKAs. "Managing health care resources to create quality and value" and "fundamentals of business and finance" were rated as the most important competencies. The most frequently rated SKA was the "ability to build and maintain credibility and trust."

  5. [Management of alcohol use disorders in ambulatory care: Which follow-up and for how long?].

    PubMed

    Benyamina, A; Reynaud, M

    2016-02-01

    Alcohol consumption with its addictive potential may lead to physical and psychological dependence as well as systemic toxicity all of which have serious detrimental health outcomes in terms of morbimortality. Despite the harmful potential of alcohol use disorders, the disease is often not properly managed, especially in ambulatory care. Psychiatric and general practitioners in ambulatory care are first in line to detect and manage patients with excessive alcohol consumption. However, this is still often regarded as an acute medical condition and its management is generally considered only over the short-term. On the contrary, alcohol dependence has been defined as a primary chronic disease of the brain reward, motivation, memory and related circuitry, involving the signalling pathway of neurotransmitters such as dopamine, opioid peptides, and gamma-aminobutyric acid. Thus, it should be regarded in terms of long-term management as are other chronic diseases. To propose a standard pathway for the management of alcohol dependence in ambulatory care in terms of duration of treatment and follow-up. Given the lack of official recommendations from health authorities which may help ambulatory care physicians in long-term management of patients with alcohol dependence, we performed a review and analysis of the most recent literature regarding the long-term management of other chronic diseases (diabetes, bipolar disorders, and depression) drawing a parallel with alcohol dependence. Alcohol dependence shares many characteristics with other chronic diseases, including a prolonged duration, intermittent acute and chronic exacerbations, and need for prolonged and often-lifelong care. In all cases, this requires sustained psychosocial changes from the patient. Patient motivation is also a major issue and should always be taken into consideration by psychiatric and general practitioners in ambulatory care. In chronic diseases, such as diabetes, bipolar disorders, or depression

  6. Utilization and cost of ambulatory care services of Medicaid recipients, Bronx.

    PubMed Central

    Lee, J; Morehead, M A

    1984-01-01

    The Bronx Professional Standards Review Organization (BPSRO) analyzed 1979-80 ambulatory claims for South Bronx Medicaid recipients. An estimated 87 per cent of Medicaid eligibles were users of care with an average of 11.2 visits a year, compared to an average of 9.8 visits for the Bronx Medicaid population. Shared Health Facilities (Medicaid Mills) were the principle providers of care. Two-thirds of the costs were generated by one-fourth of the patients who made more than 10 visits each a year. PBSRO concluded the South Bronx does not lack health care resources for the Medicaid recipient and that public policy and patients would benefit by concentrating reforms on high utilizers and provision of care for the near poor. PMID:6391214

  7. Ambulatory care of children treated with anticonvulsants - pitfalls after discharge from hospital.

    PubMed

    Bertsche, A; Dahse, A-J; Neininger, M P; Bernhard, M K; Syrbe, S; Frontini, R; Kiess, W; Merkenschlager, A; Bertsche, T

    2013-09-01

    Anticonvulsants require special consideration particularly at the interface from hospital to ambulatory care. Observational study for 6 months with prospectively enrolled consecutive patients in a neuropediatric ward of a university hospital (age 0-<18 years) with long-term therapy of at least one anticonvulsant. Assessment of outpatient prescriptions after discharge. Parent interviews for emergency treatment for acute seizures and safety precautions. We identified changes of the brand in 19/82 (23%) patients caused by hospital's discharge letters (4/82; 5%) or in ambulatory care (15/82; 18%). In 37/76 (49%) of patients who were deemed to require rescue medication, no recommendation for such a medication was included in the discharge letters. 17/76 (22%) of the respective parents stated that they had no immediate access to rescue medication. Safety precautions were applicable in 44 epilepsy patients. We identified knowledge deficits in 27/44 (61%) of parents. Switching of brands after discharge was frequent. In the discharge letters, rescue medications were insufficiently recommended. Additionally, parents frequently displayed knowledge deficits in risk management. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  8. The impact of e-prescribing on prescriber and staff time in ambulatory care clinics: a time motion study.

    PubMed

    Hollingworth, William; Devine, Emily Beth; Hansen, Ryan N; Lawless, Nathan M; Comstock, Bryan A; Wilson-Norton, Jennifer L; Tharp, Kathleen L; Sullivan, Sean D

    2007-01-01

    Electronic prescribing has improved the quality and safety of care. One barrier preventing widespread adoption is the potential detrimental impact on workflow. We used time-motion techniques to compare prescribing times at three ambulatory care sites that used paper-based prescribing, desktop, or laptop e-prescribing. An observer timed all prescriber (n = 27) and staff (n = 42) tasks performed during a 4-hour period. At the sites with optional e-prescribing >75% of prescription-related events were performed electronically. Prescribers at e-prescribing sites spent less time writing, but time-savings were offset by increased computer tasks. After adjusting for site, prescriber and prescription type, e-prescribing tasks took marginally longer than hand written prescriptions (12.0 seconds; -1.6, 25.6 CI). Nursing staff at the e-prescribing sites spent longer on computer tasks (5.4 minutes/hour; 0.0, 10.7 CI). E-prescribing was not associated with an increase in combined computer and writing time for prescribers. If carefully implemented, e-prescribing will not greatly disrupt workflow.

  9. Improving visit cycle time using patient flow analysis in a high-volume inner-city hospital-based ambulatory clinic serving minority New Yorkers.

    PubMed

    Dhar, Sanjay; Michel, Raquel; Kanna, Balavenkatesh

    2011-01-01

    Patient waiting time and waiting room congestion are quality indicators that are related to efficiency of ambulatory care systems and patient satisfaction. Our main purpose was to test a program to decrease patient visit cycle time, while maintaining high-quality healthcare in a high-volume inner-city hospital-based clinic in New York City. Use of patient flow analysis and the creation of patient care teams proved useful in identifying areas for improvement, target, and measure effectiveness of interventions. The end result is reduced visit cycle time, improved provider team performance, and sustained patient care outcomes. © 2010 National Association for Healthcare Quality.

  10. Assessment of pre and postoperative anxiety in patients undergoing ambulatory oral surgery in primary care

    PubMed Central

    Reyes-Gilabert, Eva; Luque-Romero, Luis-Gabriel; Bejarano-Avila, Gracia; Garcia-Palma, Alfonso; Rollon-Mayordomo, Angel

    2017-01-01

    Background To analyze the pre- and postoperative anxiety level in patients undergoing ambulatory oral surgery (AOS) in a primary healthcare center (PHC). Material and Methods Prospective and descriptive clinical study on 45 patients who underwent AOS procedures in the dental clinic of a public PHC of Spain between April and September 2015. Anxiety analysis was carried out with pre- and postoperative anxiety-state (STAI-S), anxiety-trait (STAI-T) and dental anxiety (MDAS) questionnaires. A descriptive, inferential and binary logistic regression analysis were performed for the variables age, sex, educational level, previous experience of oral treatment, type of oral surgery, degree of third molar impaction, surgical time, intraoperative complications, postoperative complications, and pain score with a visual analogue scale (VAS). Results The majority were female (57.8%) with a mean age of 33.5+9.6 years. The most frequent procedure was the lower third molar removal (82.2%). The mean pain score on the VAS was 1.6+1.8. The incidence of complications was low (7.8%). There was a statistically significant association between post- and preoperative anxiety (r=0.56, p<0.001) and a correlation between pain score and postoperative anxiety (Rho= -0.35, p=0.02). The likelihood of postoperative anxiety was related to preoperative anxiety (OR=1.3, p=0.03). Conclusions AOS in a HPC is safe and should be more encouraged in the public primary care. The emotional impact on users was relatively low, highlighting that the preoperative anxiety levels were higher than the postoperative ones. Psychological factors related to pre- and postoperative anxiety should be considered in the AOS carried out in PC. Key words:Anxiety, oral surgery, ambulatory surgery, primary care, STAI scale, postoperative pain. PMID:29053655

  11. An efficient and effective teaching model for ambulatory education.

    PubMed

    Regan-Smith, Martha; Young, William W; Keller, Adam M

    2002-07-01

    Teaching and learning in the ambulatory setting have been described as inefficient, variable, and unpredictable. A model of ambulatory teaching that was piloted in three settings (1973-1981 in a university-affiliated outpatient clinic in Portland, Oregon, 1996-2000 in a community outpatient clinic, and 2000-2001 in an outpatient clinic serving Dartmouth Medical School's teaching hospital) that combines a system of education and a system of patient care is presented. Fully integrating learners into the office practice using creative scheduling, pre-rotation learning, and learner competence certification enabled the learners to provide care in roles traditionally fulfilled by physicians and nurses. Practice redesign made learners active members of the patient care team by involving them in such tasks as patient intake, histories and physicals, patient education, and monitoring of patient progress between visits. So that learners can be active members of the patient care team on the first day of clinic, pre-training is provided by the clerkship or residency so that they are able to competently provide care in the time available. To assure effective education, teaching and learning times are explicitly scheduled by parallel booking of patients for the learner and the preceptor at the same time. In the pilot settings this teaching model maintained or improved preceptor productivity and on-time efficiency compared with these outcomes of traditional scheduling. The time spent alone with patients, in direct observation by preceptors, and for scheduled case discussion was appreciated by learners. Increased satisfaction was enjoyed by learners, teachers, clinic staff, and patients. Barriers to implementation include too few examining rooms, inability to manipulate patient appointment schedules, and learners' not being present in a teaching clinic all the time.

  12. Addressing outpatient continuity for ambulatory training: A novel tool for longitudinal primary care sign out.

    PubMed

    Long, Theodore; Uradu, Andrea; Castillo, Ronald; Brienza, Rebecca

    2016-01-01

    We created a tool to improve communication among health professional trainees in the ambulatory setting. The tool was devised to both inform practice partner teams about high-risk patients and assign patient follow-up issues to team members. Team members were internal medicine residents and nurse practitioner fellows in the VA Connecticut Healthcare System Center of Excellence in Primary Care Education (CoEPCE), an interprofessional training model in primary care. We used a combination of Likert scale response questions and open ended questions to evaluate trainee attitudes before and after the implementation of the tool, as well as solicited feedback to improve the tool. After using the primary care sign out tool, trainees expressed greater confidence that they could identify high-risk patients that had been cared for by other trainees and that important patient care issues would be followed up by others when they were not in clinic. In terms of areas for improvement, respondents wanted to have the sign out tool posted online. Our sign out tool offers a strategy that others can use to improve communication and knowledge of shared patients within teams comprised of interprofessional trainees.

  13. Rationale and Design of the Randomized Evaluation of an Ambulatory Care Pharmacist-Led Intervention to Optimize Urate Lowering Pathways (RAmP-UP) Study

    PubMed Central

    Coburn, Brian W; Cheetham, T Craig; Rashid, Nazia; Chang, John M; Levy, Gerald D; Kerimian, Artak; Low, Kimberly J; Redden, David T; Bridges, S Louis; Saag, Kenneth G; Curtis, Jeffrey R; Mikuls, Ted R

    2016-01-01

    Background Despite the availability of effective therapies, most gout patients achieve suboptimal treatment outcomes. Current best practices suggest gradual dose-escalation of urate lowering therapy and serial serum urate (sUA) measurement to achieve sUA < 6.0 mg/dl. However, this strategy is not routinely used. Here we present the study design rationale and development for a pharmacist-led intervention to promote sUA goal attainment. Methods To overcome barriers in achieving optimal outcomes, we planned and implemented the Randomized Evaluation of an Ambulatory Care Pharmacist-Led Intervention to Optimize Urate Lowering Pathways (RAmP-UP) study. This is a large pragmatic cluster-randomized trial designed to assess a highly automated, pharmacist-led intervention to optimize allopurinol treatment in gout. Ambulatory clinics (n=101) from a large health system were randomized to deliver either the pharmacist-led intervention or usual care to gout patients over the age of 18 years newly initiating allopurinol. All participants received educational materials and could opt-out of the study. For intervention sites, pharmacists conducted outreach primarily via an automated telephone interactive voice recognition system. The outreach, guided by a gout care algorithm developed for this study, systematically promoted adherence assessment, facilitated sUA testing, provided education, and adjusted allopurinol dosing. The primary study outcomes are achievement of sUA < 6.0 mg/dl and treatment adherence determined after one year. With follow-up ongoing, study results will be reported subsequently. Conclusion Ambulatory care pharmacists and automated calling technology represent potentially important, underutilized resources for improving health outcomes for gout patients. PMID:27449546

  14. Rationale and design of the randomized evaluation of an Ambulatory Care Pharmacist-Led Intervention to Optimize Urate Lowering Pathways (RAmP-UP) Study.

    PubMed

    Coburn, Brian W; Cheetham, T Craig; Rashid, Nazia; Chang, John M; Levy, Gerald D; Kerimian, Artak; Low, Kimberly J; Redden, David T; Bridges, S Louis; Saag, Kenneth G; Curtis, Jeffrey R; Mikuls, Ted R

    2016-09-01

    Despite the availability of effective therapies, most gout patients achieve suboptimal treatment outcomes. Current best practices suggest gradual dose-escalation of urate lowering therapy and serial serum urate (sUA) measurement to achieve sUA<6.0mg/dl. However, this strategy is not routinely used. Here we present the study design rationale and development for a pharmacist-led intervention to promote sUA goal attainment. To overcome barriers in achieving optimal outcomes, we planned and implemented the Randomized Evaluation of an Ambulatory Care Pharmacist-Led Intervention to Optimize Urate Lowering Pathways (RAmP-UP) study. This is a large pragmatic cluster-randomized trial designed to assess a highly automated, pharmacist-led intervention to optimize allopurinol treatment in gout. Ambulatory clinics (n=101) from a large health system were randomized to deliver either the pharmacist-led intervention or usual care to gout patients over the age of 18years newly initiating allopurinol. All participants received educational materials and could opt-out of the study. For intervention sites, pharmacists conducted outreach primarily via an automated telephone interactive voice recognition system. The outreach, guided by a gout care algorithm developed for this study, systematically promoted adherence assessment, facilitated sUA testing, provided education, and adjusted allopurinol dosing. The primary study outcomes are achievement of sUA<6.0mg/dl and treatment adherence determined after one year. With follow-up ongoing, study results will be reported subsequently. Ambulatory care pharmacists and automated calling technology represent potentially important, underutilized resources for improving health outcomes for gout patients. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Patient characteristics associated with hospitalisations for ambulatory care sensitive conditions in Victoria, Australia

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions (ACSCs) are those for which hospitalisation is thought to be avoidable with the application of preventive care and early disease management, usually delivered in a primary care setting. ACSCs are used extensively as indicators of accessibility and effectiveness of primary health care. We examined the association between patient characteristics and hospitalisation for ACSCs in the adult and paediatric population in Victoria, Australia, 2003/04. Methods Hospital admissions data were merged with two area-level socioeconomic indexes: Index of Socio-Economic Disadvantage (IRSED) and Accessibility/Remoteness Index of Australia (ARIA). Univariate and multiple logistic regressions were performed for both adult (age 18+ years) and paediatric (age <18 years) groups, reporting odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for a number of predictors of ACSCs admissions compared to non-ACSCs admissions. Results Predictors were much more strongly associated with ACSCs admissions compared to non-ACSCs admissions in the adult group than for the paediatric group with the exception of rurality. Significant adjusted ORs in the adult group were 1.06, 1.15, 1.13, 1.06 and 1.11 for sex, rurality, age, IRSED and ARIA variables, and 1.34, 1.04 and 1.09 in the paediatric group for rurality, IRSED and ARIA, respectively. Conclusions Disadvantaged paediatric and adult population experience more need of hospital care for ACSCs. Access barriers to primary care are plausible causes for the observed disparities. Understanding the characteristics of individuals experiencing access barriers to primary care will be useful for developing targeted interventions meeting the unique ambulatory needs of the population. PMID:23259969

  16. Alternative approaches to ambulatory training: internal medicine residents' and program directors' perspectives.

    PubMed

    Thomas, Kris G; West, Colin P; Popkave, Carol; Bellini, Lisa M; Weinberger, Steven E; Kolars, Joseph C; Kogan, Jennifer R

    2009-08-01

    Internal medicine ambulatory training redesign, including recommendations to increase ambulatory training, is a focus of national discussion. Residents' and program directors' perceptions about ambulatory training models are unknown. To describe internal medicine residents' and program directors' perceptions regarding ambulatory training duration, alternative ambulatory training models, and factors important for ambulatory education. National cohort study. Internal medicine residents (N = 14,941) and program directors (N = 222) who completed the 2007 Internal Medicine In-Training Examination (IM-ITE) Residents Questionnaire or Program Directors Survey, representing 389 US residency programs. A total of 58.4% of program directors and 43.7% of residents preferred one-third or more training time in outpatient settings. Resident preferences for one-third or more outpatient training increased with higher levels of training (48.3% PGY3), female sex (52.7%), primary care program enrollment (64.8%), and anticipated outpatient-focused career, such as geriatrics. Most program directors (77.3%) and residents (58.4%) preferred training models containing weekly clinic. Although residents and program directors reported problems with competing inpatient-outpatient responsibilities (74.9% and 88.1%, respectively) and felt that absence of conflict with inpatient responsibilities is important for good outpatient training (69.4% and 74.2%, respectively), only 41.6% of residents and 22.7% of program directors supported models eliminating ambulatory sessions during inpatient rotations. Residents' and program directors' preferences for outpatient training differ from recommendations for increased ambulatory training. Discordance was observed between reported problems with conflicting inpatient-outpatient responsibilities and preferences for models maintaining longitudinal clinic during inpatient rotations. Further study regarding benefits and barriers of ambulatory redesign is needed.

  17. Diagnostic accuracy of point-of-care natriuretic peptide testing for chronic heart failure in ambulatory care: systematic review and meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Taylor, Kathryn S; Verbakel, Jan Y; Feakins, Benjamin G; Price, Christopher P; Perera, Rafael; Bankhead, Clare; Plüddemann, Annette

    2018-05-21

    To assess the diagnostic accuracy of point-of-care natriuretic peptide tests in patients with chronic heart failure, with a focus on the ambulatory care setting. Systematic review and meta-analysis. Ovid Medline, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects, Embase, Health Technology Assessment Database, Science Citation Index, and Conference Proceedings Citation Index until 31 March 2017. Eligible studies evaluated point-of-care natriuretic peptide testing (B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) or N terminal fragment pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NTproBNP)) against any relevant reference standard, including echocardiography, clinical examination, or combinations of these, in humans. Studies were excluded if reported data were insufficient to construct 2×2 tables. No language restrictions were applied. 42 publications of 39 individual studies met the inclusion criteria and 40 publications of 37 studies were included in the analysis. Of the 37 studies, 30 evaluated BNP point-of-care testing and seven evaluated NTproBNP testing. 15 studies were done in ambulatory care settings in populations with a low prevalence of chronic heart failure. Five studies were done in primary care. At thresholds >100 pg/mL, the sensitivity of BNP, measured with the point-of-care index device Triage, was generally high and was 0.95 (95% confidence interval 0.90 to 0.98) at 100 pg/mL. At thresholds <100 pg/mL, sensitivity ranged from 0.46 to 0.97 and specificity from 0.31 to 0.98. Primary care studies that used NTproBNP testing reported a sensitivity of 0.99 (0.57 to 1.00) and specificity of 0.60 (0.44 to 0.74) at 135 pg/mL. No statistically significant difference in diagnostic accuracy was found between point-of-care BNP and NTproBNP tests. Given the lack of studies in primary care, the paucity of NTproBNP data, and potential methodological limitations in these studies, large scale trials in primary care

  18. Benchmarking the perioperative process: II. Introducing anesthesia clinical pathways to improve processes and outcomes and to reduce nursing labor intensity in ambulatory orthopedic surgery.

    PubMed

    Williams, B A; DeRiso, B M; Engel, L B; Figallo, C M; Anders, J W; Sproul, K A; Ilkin, H; Harner, C D; Fu, F H; Nagarajan, N J; Evans, J H; Watkins, W D

    1998-11-01

    (1) To introduce anesthesia clinical pathways as a management tool to improve the quality of care; (2) to use the Procedural Times Glossary published by the Association of Anesthesia Clinical Directors (AACD) as a template for data collection and analysis; and (3) to determine the effects of anesthesia clinical pathways on surgical processes, outcomes, and costs in common ambulatory orthopedic surgery. Hospital database and patient chart review of consecutive patients undergoing anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) during academic years (AY) 1995-1996 and 1996-1997. Patient data from AY 1995-1996, during which no intraoperative anesthesia clinical pathways existed, served as historical controls. Data from AY 1996-1997, during which intraoperative anesthesia clinical pathways were used, served as the treatment group. Regional anesthesia options were routinely offered to patients in the clinical pathway. Ambulatory surgery center in a teaching hospital. The records of 503 ASA physical status I and II patients were reviewed. 1996-1997 patients underwent clinical pathway anesthesia care in which the intraoperative and postoperative anesthesia process was standardized with respect to symptom management, drugs, and equipment used. 1995-1996 patients did not have a standardized intraoperative and postoperative anesthetic course with respect to the management of common symptoms or to specific drugs and supplies used. Intervals described in the AACD Procedural Times Glossary, anesthesia drug and supply costs, and patient outcome variables (postoperative nursing interventions required and unexpected admissions), as influenced by the use of the anesthesia clinical pathway, were measured. Clinical pathway anesthesia care of ACLR in 1996-1997, which actively incorporated regional anesthesia options, reduced pharmacy and materials cost variability; slightly increased turnover time; improved intraoperative anesthesia and surgical efficiency, recovery times, and

  19. Ambulatory Healthcare Utilization in the United States: A System Dynamics Approach

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Diaz, Rafael; Behr, Joshua G.; Tulpule, Mandar

    2011-01-01

    Ambulatory health care needs within the United States are served by a wide range of hospitals, clinics, and private practices. The Emergency Department (ED) functions as an important point of supply for ambulatory healthcare services. Growth in our aging populations as well as changes stemming from broader healthcare reform are expected to continue trend in congestion and increasing demand for ED services. While congestion is, in part, a manifestation of unmatched demand, the state of the alignment between the demand for, and supply of, emergency department services affects quality of care and profitability. The central focus of this research is to provide an explanation of the salient factors at play within the dynamic demand-supply tensions within which ambulatory care is provided within an Emergency Department. A System Dynamics (SO) simulation model is used to capture the complexities among the intricate balance and conditional effects at play within the demand-supply emergency department environment. Conceptual clarification of the forces driving the elements within the system , quantifying these elements, and empirically capturing the interaction among these elements provides actionable knowledge for operational and strategic decision-making.

  20. [Hospitalizations for ambulatory care-sensitive conditions: validation study at a Hospital Information System (SIH) in the Federal District, Brazil, in 2012].

    PubMed

    Cavalcante, Danyelle Monteiro; de Oliveira, Maria Regina Fernandes; Rehem, Tânia Cristina Morais Santa Bárbara

    2016-03-01

    This study analyzes hospitalizations due to ambulatory care-sensitive conditions with a focus on infectious and parasitic diseases (IPDs) and validates the Hospital Information System, Brazilian Unified National Health System (SIH/SUS) for recording hospitalizations due to ambulatory care-sensitive conditions in a hospital in the Federal District, Brazil, in 2012. The study estimates the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of the SIH for recording hospitalizations due to ambulatory care-sensitive conditions, with the patient's medical file as the gold standard. There were 1,604 hospitalizations for hospitalizations due to ambulatory care-sensitive conditions (19.6%, 95%CI: 18.7-20.5), and the leading IPDs were renal and urinary tract infection, infection of the skin and subcutaneous tissue, and infectious gastroenteritis. IPDs were the leading cause of hospitalization in the 20 to 29-year age bracket and caused 28 deaths. Sensitivity was 70.1% (95%CI: 60.5-79.7), specificity 88.4% (95%CI: 85.6-91.2), PPV = 51.7% (95%CI: 42.7-60.7), and NPV = 94.3% (95%CI: 92.2-96.4). The findings for admissions due to ACSCs in this hospital were similar to those of other studies, featuring admissions for IPDs. The SIH/SUS database was more specific than sensitive.

  1. Accreditation of ambulatory facilities.

    PubMed

    Urman, Richard D; Philip, Beverly K

    2014-06-01

    With the continued growth of ambulatory surgical centers (ASC), the regulation of facilities has evolved to include new standards and requirements on both state and federal levels. Accreditation allows for the assessment of clinical practice, improves accountability, and better ensures quality of care. In some states, ASC may choose to voluntarily apply for accreditation from a recognized organization, but in others it is mandated. Accreditation provides external validation of safe practices, benchmarking performance against other accredited facilities, and demonstrates to patients and payers the facility's commitment to continuous quality improvement. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Resurfacing the care in nursing by telephone: lessons from ambulatory oncology.

    PubMed

    Wilson, Rosemary; Hubert, John

    2002-01-01

    The practice of providing telephone mediated advice and assistance is often described as "telephone triage" in relevant literature. The decision-making processes required for priority-setting and the provision of advice have been found to be complex and multifaceted. Conceptualization of this valuable patient care activity as a linear "triage" function serves to make invisible the nursing care provided. This article explores the current practice of providing telephone mediated advice and assistance in the following 2 distinct nursing care settings: emergency departments and ambulatory oncology centers. Examination of this activity in these 2 settings provides a forum to discuss and critique legally and fiscally driven prescriptive protocol use to inform decision-making. The effectiveness of experiential knowledge coupled with the strengths of nurse-patient relationships suggests that a need exists to highlight the caring aspects of telephone mediated assistance.

  3. Ambulatory surgery centers best practices for the 90s.

    PubMed

    Hoover, J A

    1994-05-01

    Outpatient surgery will be the driving force in the continued growth of ambulatory care in the 1990s. Providing efficient, high-quality ambulatory surgical services should therefore be a priority among healthcare providers. Arthur Andersen conducted a survey to discover best practices in ambulatory surgical service. General success characteristics of best performers were business-focused relationships with physicians, the use of clinical protocols, patient convenience, cost management, strong leadership, teamwork, streamlined processes and efficient design. Other important factors included scheduling to maximize OR room use; achieving surgical efficiencies through reduced case pack assembly errors and equipment availability; a focus on cost capture rather than charge capture; sound materiel management practices, such as standardization and vendor teaming; and the appropriate use of automated systems. It is important to evaluate whether the best practices are applicable to your environment and what specific changes to your current processes would be necessary to adopt them.

  4. 77 FR 37680 - Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Application From the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-06-22

    ...] Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Application From the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care... of an application from the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care for continued... by CMS. The Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) current term of approval for...

  5. Brief report: Multiprogram evaluation of reading habits of primary care internal medicine residents on ambulatory rotations.

    PubMed

    Lai, Cindy J; Aagaard, Eva; Brandenburg, Suzanne; Nadkarni, Mohan; Wei, Henry G; Baron, Robert

    2006-05-01

    To assess the reading habits and educational resources of primary care internal medicine residents for their ambulatory medicine education. Cross-sectional, multiprogram survey of primary care internal medicine residents. Second- and third-year residents on ambulatory care rotations at 9 primary care medicine programs (124 eligible residents; 71% response rate). Participants were asked open-ended and 5-point Likert-scaled questions about reading habits: time spent reading, preferred resources, and motivating and inhibiting factors. Participants reported reading medical topics for a mean of 4.3+/-3.0 SD hours weekly. Online-only sources were the most frequently utilized medical resource (mean Likert response 4.16+/-0.87). Respondents most commonly cited specific patients' cases (4.38+/-0.65) and preparation for talks (4.08+/-0.89) as motivating factors, and family responsibilities (3.99+/-0.65) and lack of motivation (3.93+/-0.81) as inhibiting factors. To stimulate residents' reading, residency programs should encourage patient- and case-based learning; require teaching assignments; and provide easy access to online curricula.

  6. Quality of glycaemic control in ambulatory diabetics at the out-patient clinic of Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi.

    PubMed

    Otieno, C F; Kariuki, M; Ng'ang'a, L

    2003-08-01

    Treatment of diabetes mellitus is based on the evidence that lowering blood glucose as close to normal range as possible is a primary strategy for reducing or preventing complications or early mortality from diabetes. This suggests poorer glycaemic control would be associated with excess of diabetes-related morbidity and mortality. This presumption is suspected to reach high proportions in developing countries where endemic poverty abets poor glycaemic control. There is no study published on Kenyan patients with diabetes mellitus about their glycaemic control as an audit of diabetes care. To determine the glycaemic control of ambulatory diabetic patients. Cross-sectional study on each clinic day of a randomly selected sample of both type 1 and 2 diabetic patients. Kenyatta National Hospital. Over a period of six months, January 1998 to June 1998. During routine diabetes care in the clinic, mid morning random blood sugar and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) were obtained. A total of 305 diabetic patients were included, 52.8% were females and 47.2% were males. 58.3% were on Oral Hypoglycaemic Agent (OHA) only, 22.3% on insulin only; 9.2% on OHA and insulin and 4.6% on diet only. 39.5% had mean HbA1c < or = 8% while 60.5% had HbA1c > or = 8%. Patients on diet-only therapy had the best mean HbA1c = 7.04% while patients on OHA-only had the worst mean HbA1c = 9.06%. This difference was significant (p=0.01). The former group, likely, had better endogenous insulin production. The influence of age, gender and duration of diabetes on the level of glycaemic control observed did not attain statistically significant proportions. The majority of ambulatory diabetic patients attending the out-patient diabetic clinic had poor glycaemic control. The group with the poorest level of glycaemic control were on OHA-only, while best control was observed amongst patients on diet-only, because of possible fair endogenous insulin production. Poor glycaemic control was presumed to be due to sub

  7. Educational Strategies in Ambulatory Care

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barker, Lee R.

    1978-01-01

    In 1974 an ambulatory practice was developed for the house staff in the Department of Medicine at Baltimore City Hospital and integrated into the traditional residency program, which is based upon block rotations in inpatient services, emergency service, and subspeciality electives. The goals and strategies of this program are described. (LB H)

  8. Challenges in pediatric ambulatory anesthesia: kids are different.

    PubMed

    Collins, Corey E; Everett, Lucinda L

    2010-06-01

    The care of the child having ambulatory surgery presents a specific set of challenges to the anesthesia provider. This review focuses on areas of clinical distinction that support the additional attention children often require, and on clinical controversies that require providers to have up-to-date information to guide practice and address parental concerns. These include perioperative risk; obstructive sleep apnea; obesity; postoperative nausea and vomiting; neurocognitive outcomes; and specific concerns regarding common ear, nose, and throat procedures. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. An Analysis of Several Dimensions of Patient Safety in Ambulatory-Care Facilities

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-04-09

    States were surveyed for a total sample size (N) of 213 and an overall response rate of 65%. Specialty areas, ambulatory-surgical staff, administrative...questions regarding safety. This research was limited in that it sampled only Air Force primary care staff and should certainly be replicated...What is its essence? The Greeks answered the question about substance in the sixth century with descriptions of the four fundamental elements : earth

  10. Medication discrepancies associated with subsequent pharmacist-performed medication reconciliations in an ambulatory clinic.

    PubMed

    Philbrick, Ann M; Harris, Ila M; Schommer, Jon C; Fallert, Christopher J

    2015-01-01

    To describe the number of medication discrepancies associated with subsequent medication reconciliations by a clinical pharmacist in an ambulatory family medicine clinic and the proportion of subsequent medication reconciliation visits that were associated with hospital discharge, long-term anticoagulation management, or both. Data on medication reconciliations were collected over a 2-year time period in an ambulatory family medicine clinic for patients taking 10 or more medications. Medication reconciliation was performed 752 times for 500 patients. A total of 5,046 discrepancies were identified, with more than one-half deemed clinically important. A mean (± SD) of 6.7 ± 4.6 discrepancies per visit (3.5 ± 3.2 clinically important) were identified. The findings showed that the distribution of total discrepancies identified by pharmacist-performed medication reconciliation was significantly different over the course of subsequent medication reconciliations. However, the distribution of clinically important discrepancies was not significantly different; important discrepancies were as likely to be found in later reconciliations as in earlier ones. As subsequent medication reconciliation visits were performed, an increasing proportion consisted of post-hospital discharge visits, long-term anticoagulation managed by a clinical pharmacist, or both. Patients with a recent hospital discharge, on long-term anticoagulation management, or both, were more likely to have multiple sessions with a clinical pharmacist for medication reconciliation. These findings can help identify patients for whom medication reconciliation is warranted.

  11. Diabetes quality improvement in Department of Veterans Affairs Ambulatory Care Clinics: a group-randomized clinical trial.

    PubMed

    Reiber, Gayle E; Au, David; McDonell, Mary; Fihn, Stephan D

    2004-05-01

    To conduct a group-randomized clinical trial to determine whether regular feedback to primary care providers of synthesized information on patients' health, function, and satisfaction would demonstrate improved outcomes for their patients with diabetes. Patients in General Internal Medicine Clinics Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Centers were randomized into seven intervention or control firms. Patient self-reported information was collected by mail on general health, diabetes, and up to five other chronic conditions. Patients with diabetes received the Seattle Diabetes Questionnaire, the 36-item Medical Outcomes Study short form (SF-36), and a validated patient satisfaction questionnaire at regular intervals. Data from self-report, clinical, pharmacy, and laboratory sources were synthesized into patient-specific feedback reports that intervention providers received before patients' visits. The timely delivery to primary care providers of state-of-the-art patient-feedback reports that identified patient issues and areas for improvement did not result in significant improvements in patient outcomes between the intervention and control firms. Outcomes in diabetic patients whose providers received synthesized patient data before visits were no better than in those receiving care from control firms. Future studies may benefit from substantial involvement in patients discussing, problem solving, and goal setting in addition to use of timely synthesized patient data.

  12. Clinical differences among nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs: implications for therapeutic substitution in ambulatory patients.

    PubMed

    Levy, R A; Smith, D L

    1989-01-01

    The practice of therapeutic substitution, i.e., replacing one drug with another chemically different drug from the same therapeutic class, represents an important therapeutic modification with potential clinical significance far beyond that of generic substitution. Adverse consequences following therapeutic substitution of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAID) is of special concern because of substantial differences among these agents in pharmacokinetic, pharmacological, and clinical properties. Therapeutic substitution of NSAID for ambulatory patients may result in compromised clinical outcome because (1) patient response is unpredictable and selection of the optimal agent must be tailored for each patient; (2) substantial differences exist in adverse reaction profiles; (3) drug interaction studies are lacking; and (4) selection of an agent must be individualized to ensure compliance with the dosing regimen. Cost savings achieved through therapeutic substitution of NSAID may be lost by additional overall treatment costs due to adverse reactions or suboptimal therapy. The occurrence of adverse or suboptimal effects in ambulatory patients is more likely if NSAID are substituted without full knowledge of the patient's medical history and clinical status. Communication between the pharmacy and prescribing physician regarding a patient's specific needs is essential for rational substitution among NSAID.

  13. Hospitalisation Rates for Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions for Persons with and without an Intellectual Disability--A Population Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Balogh, R.; Brownell, M.; Ouellette-Kuntz, H.; Colantonio, A.

    2010-01-01

    Background: There is evidence that persons with an intellectual disability (ID) face barriers to primary care; however, this has not been extensively studied at the population level. Rates of hospitalisation for ambulatory care sensitive conditions are used as an indicator of access to, and quality of, primary care. The objective of the study was…

  14. [Geriatric institutions, between ambulatory and hospital care: patients' description and performance assessment].

    PubMed

    Eggli, Yves; Schaller, Philippe; Baudoin, Florence

    2015-01-01

    To describe patients admitted to a geriatric institution, providing short-term hospitalizations in the context of ambulatory care in the canton of Geneva. To measure the performances of thisstructure in terms of quality ofcare and costs. Data related to the clinical,functioning and participation profiles of the first 100 patients were collected. Data related to effects (readmission, deaths, satisfaction, complications), services and resources were also documented over an 8-month period to measure various quality and costindicators. Observed values were systematically compared to expected values, adjustedfor case mix. Explicit criteria were proposed to focus on the suitable patients, excluding situations in which other structures were considered to be more appropriate. The specificity of this intermediate structure was to immediately organize, upon discharge, outpatient services at home. The low rate of potentially avoidable readmissions, the high patient satisfaction scores, the absence of premature death and the low number of iatrogenic complications suggest that medical and nursing care delivered reflect a good quality of services. The cost was significantly lower than expected, after adjusting for case mix. The pilot experience showed that a short-stay hospitalization unit was feasible with acceptable security conditions. The attending physician's knowledge of the patients allowed this system tofocus on essential issues without proposing inappropriate services.

  15. Comparing team-based and mixed active-learning methods in an ambulatory care elective course.

    PubMed

    Zingone, Michelle M; Franks, Andrea S; Guirguis, Alexander B; George, Christa M; Howard-Thompson, Amanda; Heidel, Robert E

    2010-11-10

    To assess students' performance and perceptions of team-based and mixed active-learning methods in 2 ambulatory care elective courses, and to describe faculty members' perceptions of team-based learning. Using the 2 teaching methods, students' grades were compared. Students' perceptions were assessed through 2 anonymous course evaluation instruments. Faculty members who taught courses using the team-based learning method were surveyed regarding their impressions of team-based learning. The ambulatory care course was offered to 64 students using team-based learning (n = 37) and mixed active learning (n = 27) formats. The mean quality points earned were 3.7 (team-based learning) and 3.3 (mixed active learning), p < 0.001. Course evaluations for both courses were favorable. All faculty members who used the team-based learning method reported that they would consider using team-based learning in another course. Students were satisfied with both teaching methods; however, student grades were significantly higher in the team-based learning course. Faculty members recognized team-based learning as an effective teaching strategy for small-group active learning.

  16. 77 FR 70783 - Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Approval of the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-11-27

    ...] Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Approval of the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC... announces our decision to approve the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) for... Ambulatory Health Care's (AAAHC) current term of approval for their ASC accreditation program expires on...

  17. Predicting Out-of-Office Blood Pressure in the Clinic for the Diagnosis of Hypertension in Primary Care: An Economic Evaluation.

    PubMed

    Monahan, Mark; Jowett, Sue; Lovibond, Kate; Gill, Paramjit; Godwin, Marshall; Greenfield, Sheila; Hanley, Janet; Hobbs, F D Richard; Martin, Una; Mant, Jonathan; McKinstry, Brian; Williams, Bryan; Sheppard, James P; McManus, Richard J

    2018-02-01

    Clinical guidelines in the United States and United Kingdom recommend that individuals with suspected hypertension should have ambulatory blood pressure (BP) monitoring to confirm the diagnosis. This approach reduces misdiagnosis because of white coat hypertension but will not identify people with masked hypertension who may benefit from treatment. The Predicting Out-of-Office Blood Pressure (PROOF-BP) algorithm predicts masked and white coat hypertension based on patient characteristics and clinic BP, improving the accuracy of diagnosis while limiting subsequent ambulatory BP monitoring. This study assessed the cost-effectiveness of using this tool in diagnosing hypertension in primary care. A Markov cost-utility cohort model was developed to compare diagnostic strategies: the PROOF-BP approach, including those with clinic BP ≥130/80 mm Hg who receive ambulatory BP monitoring as guided by the algorithm, compared with current standard diagnostic strategies including those with clinic BP ≥140/90 mm Hg combined with further monitoring (ambulatory BP monitoring as reference, clinic, and home monitoring also assessed). The model adopted a lifetime horizon with a 3-month time cycle, taking a UK Health Service/Personal Social Services perspective. The PROOF-BP algorithm was cost-effective in screening all patients with clinic BP ≥130/80 mm Hg compared with current strategies that only screen those with clinic BP ≥140/90 mm Hg, provided healthcare providers were willing to pay up to £20 000 ($26 000)/quality-adjusted life year gained. Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses supported the base-case findings. The PROOF-BP algorithm seems to be cost-effective compared with the conventional BP diagnostic options in primary care. Its use in clinical practice is likely to lead to reduced cardiovascular disease, death, and disability. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

  18. Potential collaboration with the private sector for the provision of ambulatory care in the Mekong region, Vietnam

    PubMed Central

    Duc, Ha Anh; Sabin, Lora L.; Cuong, Le Quang; Thien, Duong Duc; Feeley, Rich

    2012-01-01

    Background Over the past two decades, health insurance in Vietnam has expanded nationwide. Concurrently, Vietnam's private health sector has developed rapidly and become an increasingly integral part of the health system. To date, however, little is understood regarding the potential for expanding public-private partnerships to improve health care access and outcomes in Vietnam. Objective To explore possibilities for public-private collaboration in the provision of ambulatory care at the primary level in the Mekong region, Vietnam. Design We employed a mixed methods research approach. Qualitative methods included focus group discussions with health officials and in-depth interviews with managers of private health facilities. Quantitative methods encompassed facility assessments, and exit surveys of clients at the same private facilities. Results Discussions with health officials indicated generally favorable attitudes towards partnerships with private providers. Concerns were also voiced, regarding the over- and irrational use of antibiotics, and in terms of limited capacity for regulation, monitoring, and quality assurance. Private facility managers expressed a willingness to collaborate in the provision of ambulatory care, and private providers facilites were relatively well staffed and equipped. The client surveys indicated that 80% of clients first sought treatment at a private facility, even though most lived closer to a public provider. This choice was motivated mainly by perceptions of quality of care. Clients who reported seeking care at both a public and private facility were more satisfied with the latter. Conclusions Public-private collaboration in the provision of ambulatory care at the primary level in Vietnam has substantial potential for improving access to quality services. We recommend that such collaboration be explored by Vietnamese policy-makers. If implemented, we strongly urge attention to effectively managing such partnerships, establishing a

  19. Strategic response by providers to specialty hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, and retail clinics.

    PubMed

    Burns, Lawton R; David, Guy; Helmchen, Lorens A

    2011-04-01

    Radical innovation and disruptive technologies are frequently heralded as a solution to delivering higher quality, lower cost health care. According to the literature on disruption, local hospitals and physicians (incumbent providers) may be unable to competitively respond to such "creative destruction" and alter their business models for a host of reasons, thus threatening their future survival. However, strategic management theory and research suggest that, under certain conditions, incumbent providers may be able to weather the discontinuities posed by the disrupters. This article analyzes 3 disruptive innovations in service delivery: single-specialty hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, and retail clinics. We first discuss the features of these innovations to assess how disruptive they are. We then draw on the literature on strategic adaptation to suggest how incumbents develop competitive responses to these disruptive innovations that assure their continued survival. These arguments are then evaluated in a field study of several urban markets based on interviews with both incumbents and entrants. The interviews indicate that entrants have failed to disrupt incumbent providers primarily as a result of strategies pursued by the incumbents. The findings cast doubt on the prospects for these disruptive innovations to transform health care.

  20. Military Health Service System Ambulatory Work Unit (AWU).

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1988-04-01

    E-40 BBC-4 Ambulatory Work Unit Distribution Screen Passes BBC - Neurosurgery Clinic .... ............. . E-40 BBD -I Initial Record...Screen Failures BBD - Ophthalmology Clinic ... ............ E-41 BBD -2 Distribution Screen Failures BBD - Ophthalmology Clinic ............ E-41 BBD -3...Descriptive Statistics Distribution Screen Passes BBD - Ophthalmology Clinic ............ E-42 BBD -4 Ambulatory Work Unit Distribution Screen Passes BBD

  1. Estimating the costs of VA ambulatory care.

    PubMed

    Phibbs, Ciaran S; Bhandari, Aman; Yu, Wei; Barnett, Paul G

    2003-09-01

    This article reports how we matched Common Procedure Terminology (CPT) codes with Medicare payment rates and aggregate Veterans Affairs (VA) budget data to estimate the costs of every VA ambulatory encounter. Converting CPT codes to encounter-level costs was more complex than a simple match of Medicare reimbursements to CPT codes. About 40 percent of the CPT codes used in VA, representing about 20 percent of procedures, did not have a Medicare payment rate and required other cost estimates. Reconciling aggregated estimated costs to the VA budget allocations for outpatient care produced final VA cost estimates that were lower than projected Medicare reimbursements. The methods used to estimate costs for encounters could be replicated for other settings. They are potentially useful for any system that does not generate billing data, when CPT codes are simpler to collect than billing data, or when there is a need to standardize cost estimates across data sources.

  2. 42 CFR 410.165 - Payment for rural health clinic services and ambulatory surgical center services: Conditions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 42 Public Health 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Payment for rural health clinic services and... (SMI) BENEFITS Payment of SMI Benefits § 410.165 Payment for rural health clinic services and ambulatory surgical center services: Conditions. (a) Medicare Part B pays for covered rural health clinic and...

  3. Ambulatory blood pressure and adherence monitoring: diagnosing pseudoresistant hypertension.

    PubMed

    Burnier, Michel; Wuerzner, Gregoire

    2014-01-01

    A small proportion of the treated hypertensive population consistently has a blood pressure greater than 140/90 mm Hg despite a triple therapy including a diuretic, a calcium channel blocker, and a blocker of the renin-angiotensin system. According to guidelines, these patients have so-called resistant hypertension. The prevalence of this clinical condition is higher in tertiary than primary care centers and often is associated with chronic kidney disease, diabetes, obesity, and sleep apnea syndrome. Exclusion of pseudoresistant hypertension using ambulatory or home blood pressure monitoring is a crucial step in the investigation of patients with resistant hypertension. Thus, among the multiple factors to consider when investigating patients with resistant hypertension, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring should be performed very early. Among other factors to consider, physicians should investigate patient adherence to therapy, assess the adequacy of treatment, exclude interfering factors, and, finally, look for secondary forms of hypertension. Poor adherence to therapy accounts for 30% to 50% of cases of resistance to therapy depending on the methodology used to diagnose adherence problems. This review discusses the clinical factors implicated in the pathogenesis of resistant hypertension with a particular emphasis on pseudoresistance, drug adherence, and the use of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring for the diagnosis and management of resistant hypertension.

  4. Clinical prediction model to identify vulnerable patients in ambulatory surgery: towards optimal medical decision-making.

    PubMed

    Mijderwijk, Herjan; Stolker, Robert Jan; Duivenvoorden, Hugo J; Klimek, Markus; Steyerberg, Ewout W

    2016-09-01

    Ambulatory surgery patients are at risk of adverse psychological outcomes such as anxiety, aggression, fatigue, and depression. We developed and validated a clinical prediction model to identify patients who were vulnerable to these psychological outcome parameters. We prospectively assessed 383 mixed ambulatory surgery patients for psychological vulnerability, defined as the presence of anxiety (state/trait), aggression (state/trait), fatigue, and depression seven days after surgery. Three psychological vulnerability categories were considered-i.e., none, one, or multiple poor scores, defined as a score exceeding one standard deviation above the mean for each single outcome according to normative data. The following determinants were assessed preoperatively: sociodemographic (age, sex, level of education, employment status, marital status, having children, religion, nationality), medical (heart rate and body mass index), and psychological variables (self-esteem and self-efficacy), in addition to anxiety, aggression, fatigue, and depression. A prediction model was constructed using ordinal polytomous logistic regression analysis, and bootstrapping was applied for internal validation. The ordinal c-index (ORC) quantified the discriminative ability of the model, in addition to measures for overall model performance (Nagelkerke's R (2) ). In this population, 137 (36%) patients were identified as being psychologically vulnerable after surgery for at least one of the psychological outcomes. The most parsimonious and optimal prediction model combined sociodemographic variables (level of education, having children, and nationality) with psychological variables (trait anxiety, state/trait aggression, fatigue, and depression). Model performance was promising: R (2)  = 30% and ORC = 0.76 after correction for optimism. This study identified a substantial group of vulnerable patients in ambulatory surgery. The proposed clinical prediction model could allow healthcare

  5. Ambulatory-based education in internal medicine: current organization and implications for transformation. Results of a national survey of resident continuity clinic directors.

    PubMed

    Nadkarni, Mohan; Reddy, Siddharta; Bates, Carol K; Fosburgh, Blair; Babbott, Stewart; Holmboe, Eric

    2011-01-01

    Many have called for ambulatory training redesign in internal medicine (IM) residencies to increase primary care career outcomes. Many believe dysfunctional, clinic environments are a key barrier to meaningful ambulatory education, but little is actually known about the educational milieu of continuity clinics nationwide. We wished to describe the infrastructure and educational milieu at resident continuity clinics and assess clinic readiness to meet new IM-RRC requirements. National survey of ACGME accredited IM training programs. Directors of academic and community-based continuity clinics. Two hundred and twenty-one out of 365 (62%) of clinic directors representing 49% of training programs responded. Wide variation amongst continuity clinics in size, structure and educational organization exist. Clinics below the 25th percentile of total clinic sessions would not meet RRC-IM requirements for total number of clinic sessions. Only two thirds of clinics provided a longitudinal mentor. Forty-three percent of directors reported their trainees felt stressed in the clinic environment and 25% of clinic directors felt overwhelmed. The survey used self reported data and was not anonymous. A slight predominance of larger clinics and university based clinics responded. Data may not reflect changes to programs made since 2008. This national survey demonstrates that the continuity clinic experience varies widely across IM programs, with many sites not yet meeting new ACGME requirements. The combination of disadvantaged and ill patients with inadequately resourced clinics, stressed residents, and clinic directors suggests that many sites need substantial reorganization and institutional commitment.New paradigms, encouraged by ACGME requirement changes such as increased separation of inpatient and outpatient duties are needed to improve the continuity clinic experience.

  6. [Day hospital in internal medicine: A chance for ambulatory care].

    PubMed

    Grasland, A; Mortier, E

    2018-04-16

    Internal medicine is an in-hospital speciality. Along with its expertise in rare diseases, it shares with general medicine the global care of patients but its place in the ambulatory shift has yet to be defined. The objective of our work was to evaluate the benefits of an internal medicine day-hospital devoted to general medicine. Named "Centre Vi'TAL" to underline the link between the city and the hospital, this novel activity was implemented in order to respond quickly to general practitioners having difficulties to synthesize their complex patients or facing diagnostic or therapeutic problems. Using preferentially email for communication, the general practitioners can contact an internist who is committed to respond on the same day and take over the patient within 7 days if day-hospital is appropriate for his condition. The other patients are directed either to the emergency department, consultation or full hospitalization. In 14 months, the center has received 213 (144 women, 69 men) patients, mean age 53.6, addressed by 88 general practitioners for 282 day-hospital sessions. Requests included problem diagnoses (n=105), synthesis reviews for complex patients (n=65), and treatment (n=43). In the ambulatory shift advocated by the authorities, this experience shows that internal medicine should engage in the recognition of day-hospital as a place for diagnosis and synthesis reviews connected with the city while leaving the general practitioners coordinator of their patient care. This activity of synthesis in day-hospital is useful for the patients and efficient for our healthcare system. Copyright © 2018 Société Nationale Française de Médecine Interne (SNFMI). Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

  7. Clinical Assessment Applications of Ambulatory Biosensors

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Haynes, Stephen N.; Yoshioka, Dawn T.

    2007-01-01

    Ambulatory biosensor assessment includes a diverse set of rapidly developing and increasingly technologically sophisticated strategies to acquire minimally disruptive measures of physiological and motor variables of persons in their natural environments. Numerous studies have measured cardiovascular variables, physical activity, and biochemicals…

  8. Practitioner Gender and Quality of Care in Ambulatory Cardiology Practices: A Report From the National Cardiovascular Data Practice Innovation and Clinical Excellence (PINNACLE) Registry.

    PubMed

    Gupta, Dipti; Tang, Fengming; Masoudi, Frederick A; Jones, Philip G; Chan, Paul S; Daugherty, Stacie L

    Some studies suggest that female practitioners are more likely to provide guideline-concordant care than male practitioners; however, little is known about the role of practitioner gender in cardiology. The aim of the study was to measure the association between practitioner gender and adherence to the cardiovascular performance measures in the American College of Cardiology's ambulatory Practice Innovation and Clinical Excellence Registry. Patients with at least 1 outpatient visit with a unique practitioner were included. Among eligible patients, adherence to 7 guideline-supported performance measures for coronary artery disease, heart failure, and atrial fibrillation over 12 months after registry entry was compared by practitioner gender using hierarchical models adjusting for practitioner type (physicians vs advance practice practitioners) and number of visits. The study cohort included 1493 individual practitioners who saw 769 139 patients; 80% of practitioners were men. Male practitioners were more often physicians compared with female practitioners (98.2% vs 43.7%, P < .01). Accounting for practitioner category and visit frequency, guideline adherence rates were similar by practitioner gender for all measures with the exception of marginally higher rates for coronary artery disease performance measures for male practitioners compared with female practitioners (antiplatelet: rate ratio [RR] = 1.06; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03-1.09; β-blockers: RR = 1.06; 95% CI, 1.01-1.10; and lipid-lowering drug: RR = 1.07; 95% CI, 1.04-1.10) and atrial fibrillation (oral anticoagulants: RR = 1.05; 95% CI, 1.01-1.09). Male practitioners marginally outperformed their female counterparts in ambulatory practices enrolled in a voluntary cardiovascular performance improvement registry program. Overall low adherence to some performance measures suggests room for improvement among all practitioners.

  9. Technical Limitations of Electronic Health Records in Community Health Centers: Implications on Ambulatory Care Quality

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    West, Christopher E.

    2010-01-01

    Research objectives: This dissertation examines the state of development of each of the eight core electronic health record (EHR) functionalities as described by the IOM and describes how the current state of these functionalities limit quality improvement efforts in ambulatory care settings. There is a great deal of literature describing both the…

  10. Integrating TeamSTEPPS® into ambulatory reproductive health care: Early successes and lessons learned.

    PubMed

    Paul, Maureen E; Dodge, Laura E; Intondi, Evelyn; Ozcelik, Guzey; Plitt, Ken; Hacker, Michele R

    2017-04-01

    Most medical teamwork improvement interventions have occurred in hospitals, and more efforts are needed to integrate them into ambulatory care settings. In 2014, Affiliates Risk Management Services, Inc. (ARMS), the risk management services organization for a large network of reproductive health care organizations in the United States, launched a voluntary 5-year initiative to implement a medical teamwork system in this network using the TeamSTEPPS model. This article describes the ARMS initiative and progress made during the first 2 years, including lessons learned. The ARMS TeamSTEPPS program consists of the following components: preparation of participating organizations, TeamSTEPPS master training, implementation of teamwork improvement programs, and evaluation. We used self-administered questionnaires to assess satisfaction with the ARMS program and with the master training course. In the first 2 years, 20 organizations enrolled. Participants found the preparation phase valuable and were highly satisfied with the master training course. Although most attendees felt that the course imparted the knowledge and tools critical for TeamSTEPPS implementation, they identified time restraints and competing initiatives as potential barriers. The project team has learned valuable lessons about obtaining buy-in, consolidating the change teams, making the curriculum relevant, and evaluation. Ambulatory care settings require innovative approaches to integration of teamwork improvement systems. Evaluating and sharing lessons learned will help to hone best practices as we navigate this new frontier in the field of patient safety. © 2017 American Society for Healthcare Risk Management of the American Hospital Association.

  11. Impact of Disease Prevalence Adjustment on Hospitalization Rates for Chronic Ambulatory Care-Sensitive Conditions in Germany.

    PubMed

    Pollmanns, Johannes; Romano, Patrick S; Weyermann, Maria; Geraedts, Max; Drösler, Saskia E

    2018-04-01

    To explore effects of disease prevalence adjustment on ambulatory care-sensitive hospitalization (ACSH) rates used for quality comparisons. County-level hospital administrative data on adults discharged from German hospitals in 2011 and prevalence estimates based on administrative ambulatory diagnosis data were used. A retrospective cross-sectional study using in- and outpatient secondary data was performed. Hospitalization data for hypertension, diabetes, heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and asthma were obtained from the German Diagnosis Related Groups (DRG) database. Prevalence estimates were obtained from the German Central Research Institute of Ambulatory Health Care. Crude hospitalization rates varied substantially across counties (coefficients of variation [CV] 28-37 percent across conditions); this variation was reduced by prevalence adjustment (CV 21-28 percent). Prevalence explained 40-50 percent of the observed variation (r = 0.65-0.70) in ACSH rates for all conditions except asthma (r = 0.07). Between 30 percent and 38 percent of areas moved into or outside condition-specific control limits with prevalence adjustment. Unadjusted ACSH rates should be used with caution for high-stakes public reporting as differences in prevalence may have a marked impact. Prevalence adjustment should be considered in models analyzing ACSH. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

  12. Adherence to a diabetic care plan provides better glycemic control in ambulatory patients with type 2 diabetes.

    PubMed

    Chiu, Yi-Wen; Chang, Jer-Ming; Lin, Li-Ing; Chang, Pi-Yu; Lo, Wan-Ching; Wu, Ling-Chu; Chen, Tun-Chieh; Hwang, Shang-Jyh

    2009-04-01

    Tight control of blood sugar improves the outcomes for diabetic patients, but it can only be achieved by adhering to a well-organized care plan. To evaluate the effect of a diabetes care plan with reinforcement of glycemic control in diabetic patients, 98 ambulatory patients with type 2 diabetes who visited our diabetes clinic every 3-4 months and who completed four education courses given by certified diabetes educators within 3 months after the first visit, were defined as the Intervention group. A total of 82 patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria for the Intervention group but who missed at least half of the diabetes education sessions were selected as controls. Both groups had comparable mean hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels at baseline, which decreased significantly at 3 months and were maintained at approximately constant levels at intervals for up to 1 year. The HbA1c decrement in the Intervention group was significantly greater than that in the Control group over the 1-year follow-up period (HbA1c change: -2.5 +/- 1.8% vs. -1.1 +/- 1.7%, p < 0.01). The maximal HbA1c decrement occurred during the first 3 months, and accounted for 95.6% and 94.6% of the total HbA1c decrements in the Intervention and Control groups, respectively. In the multiple regression model, after adjustment for age, body mass index, and duration of diabetes, the Intervention group may still have a 12.6% improvement in HbA1c from their original value to the end of 1 year treatment compared with the Control group (p < 0.05). Diabetes care, with reinforcement from certified diabetes educators, significantly improved and maintained the effects on glycemic control in ambulatory patients with type 2 diabetes.

  13. Brand name and generic proton pump inhibitor prescriptions in the United States: insights from the national ambulatory medical care survey (2006-2010).

    PubMed

    Gawron, Andrew J; Feinglass, Joseph; Pandolfino, John E; Tan, Bruce K; Bove, Michiel J; Shintani-Smith, Stephanie

    2015-01-01

    Introduction. Proton pump inhibitors (PPI) are one of the most commonly prescribed medication classes with similar efficacy between brand name and generic PPI formulations. Aims. We determined demographic, clinical, and practice characteristics associated with brand name PPI prescriptions at ambulatory care visits in the United States. Methods. Observational cross sectional analysis using the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) of all adult (≥18 yrs of age) ambulatory care visits from 2006 to 2010. PPI prescriptions were identified by using the drug entry code as brand name only or generic available formulations. Descriptive statistics were reported in terms of unweighted patient visits and proportions of encounters with brand name PPI prescriptions. Global chi-square tests were used to compare visits with brand name PPI prescriptions versus generic PPI prescriptions for each measure. Poisson regression was used to determine the incidence rate ratio (IRR) for generic versus brand PPI prescribing. Results. A PPI was prescribed at 269.7 million adult ambulatory visits, based on 9,677 unweighted visits, of which 53% were brand name only prescriptions. In 2006, 76.0% of all PPI prescriptions had a brand name only formulation compared to 31.6% of PPI prescriptions in 2010. Visits by patients aged 25-44 years had the greatest proportion of brand name PPI formulations (57.9%). Academic medical centers and physician-owned practices had the greatest proportion of visits with brand name PPI prescriptions (58.9% and 55.6% of visits with a PPI prescription, resp.). There were no significant differences in terms of median income, patient insurance type, or metropolitan status when comparing the proportion of visits with brand name versus generic PPI prescriptions. Poisson regression results showed that practice ownership type was most strongly associated with the likelihood of receiving a brand name PPI over the entire study period. Compared to HMO visits

  14. Pharmacotherapy consultation on polypharmacy patients in ambulatory care.

    PubMed

    Jameson, J P; VanNoord, G R

    2001-01-01

    To investigate actual cost and adverse effect outcomes associated with a phamacotherapy consultation in ambulatory care patients receiving polypharmacy. Patients receiving five or more chronic medications were randomized to receive pharmacotherapy consultation or usual medical care. Outcomes measured were changes in drug costs, medical costs, and drug-related symptoms six months after the consultation. Data were analyzed with unpaired Student's t-test for continuous data. Chi2 Analysis was used for categorical data. Patients and physicians were surveyed about their perceptions of the consultations after the study period. Drug and medical costs did not differ before and after the consultation. More patients in the consultation group had adverse symptom scores improve by two or more points, and fewer had symptom scores worsen by two or more points than in the control group. Seventy percent of patients and 76% of physicians believed that the consult was beneficial. Polypharmacy patients are the most likely to have drug-related problems and require intervention. Of all the interventions performed in this study, 73% of the original problems were recognized only through a patient interview, suggesting that an interpersonal relationship remains critical to the provision of pharmaceutical care. Although patients and physicians see intuitive value in pharmaceutical care, pharmacists need to exert more energy in the direction of marketing the profession. Finally, there are numerous difficulties in measuring the benefits of these interventions, possibly making broad-based interventions in complicated patients too difficult to assess accurately. Future studies should focus on patients with limited, specific problems or on interventions with narrow goals.

  15. Internet-based monitoring and benchmarking in ambulatory surgery centers.

    PubMed

    Bovbjerg, V E; Olchanski, V; Zimberg, S E; Green, J S; Rossiter, L F

    2000-08-01

    Each year the number of surgical procedures performed on an outpatient basis increases, yet relatively little is known about assessing and improving quality of care in ambulatory surgery. Conventional methods for evaluating outcomes, which are based on assessment of inpatient services, are inadequate in the rapidly changing, geographically dispersed field of ambulatory surgery. Internet-based systems for improving outcomes and establishing benchmarks may be feasible and timely. Eleven freestanding ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) reported process and outcome data for 3,966 outpatient surgical procedures to an outcomes monitoring system (OMS), during a demonstration period from April 1997 to April 1999. ASCs downloaded software and protocol manuals from the OMS Web site. Centers securely submitted clinical information on perioperative process and outcome measures and postoperative patient telephone interviews. Feedback to centers ranged from current and historical rates of surgical and postsurgical complications to patient satisfaction and the adequacy of postsurgical pain relief. ASCs were able to successfully implement the data collection protocols and transmit data to the OMS. Data security efforts were successful in preventing the transmission of patient identifiers. Feedback reports to ASCs were used to institute changes in ASC staffing, patient care, and patient education, as well as for accreditation and marketing. The demonstration also pointed out shortcomings in the OMS, such as the need to simplify hardware and software installation as well as data collection and transfer methods, which have been addressed in subsequent OMS versions. Internet-based benchmarking for geographically dispersed outpatient health care facilities, such as ASCs, is feasible and likely to play a major role in this effort.

  16. Arterial stiffness and its relationship to clinic and ambulatory blood pressure: a longitudinal study in non-dialysis chronic kidney disease.

    PubMed

    Agarwal, Rajiv

    2017-11-01

    Both arterial stiffness and systolic blood pressure (BP) are established cardiovascular risk factors, yet little is known about their interrelationship in chronic kidney disease (CKD). The goal of this prospective study was to describe the trajectory of aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) and BP and to compare the longitudinal interrelationship of BP (clinic and 24 h ambulatory recording) with the PWV. Clinic BP was taken in two ways: at the time of the measurement of the PWV (Clinic-S) and as an average of triplicate measurements on three separate occasions within 1 week (Clinic-M). 24 h ambulatory BP was measured using a validated monitor and PWV was measured in the aorta using an echo-Doppler technique. Among 255 veterans with CKD followed for over up to 4 years, the rate of change of log PWV was inversely related to the baseline PWV; the trajectories were variable among individuals and the net population change was no different from zero. In contrast, systolic BP significantly increased, but linearly, and a strong relationship was seen between cross-sectional and longitudinal changes in Clinic-M systolic BP and log PWV. In contrast, a longitudinal relationship between Clinic-S and log PWV was absent. In the case of 24-h ambulatory BP, a strong cross-sectional change was seen between awake and 24 h systolic BP but not between sleep BP and log PWV. In conclusion, among people with CKD, the PWV changes over time and is inversely related to the baseline PWV. An average of clinic BP measurements taken over three visits, but not single measurements, are useful to assess the PWV and its change over time. Differences exist between ambulatory BP monitoring recording during the sleep and awake states in their ability to predict the PWV. Taken together, these data support the view that among those with CKD not on dialysis, targeting clinic BP taken on multiple occasions using a standardized methodology or daytime ambulatory systolic BP may slow the progression of arterial

  17. Estimating Treatment and Treatment Times for Special and Nonspecial Patients in Hospital Ambulatory Dental Clinics.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rosenberg, Dara J.; And Others

    1986-01-01

    A study compared the treatments and the amount of time needed for treatment of the dental needs of developmentally disabled, severely compromised, and moderately compromised patients with those of nondisabled patients in a hospital ambulatory dental clinic. (MSE)

  18. Fatigue in the acute care and ambulatory setting.

    PubMed

    McCabe, Margaret; Patricia, Branowicki

    2014-01-01

    Nurses commonly assess their patients for symptoms and intervene to ease any patient distress, yet children are seldom asked about feeling fatigued. The existing pediatric literature suggests that fatigue goes unrecognized and therefore untreated in children, particularly children experiencing stressful events, such as illness and/or hospitalization. In an effort to better understand the presence of the symptom in our environment we conducted a program specific point prevalence survey. Data were collected on nine inpatient and 11 outpatient units of a university affiliated tertiary care children's hospital. Overall, this sample reported higher levels of fatigue than published data from their healthy and chronically ill peers by total fatigue score and sub scores. This brief description of the symptom in our inpatient and ambulatory settings has provided information that will inform our nursing practice and drive future research. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Ambulatory surgery centers--current business and legal issues.

    PubMed

    Becker, S; Biala, M

    2000-01-01

    This article explores a handful of critical trends that have broad implications for ambulatory surgery centers and health care entities as a whole. As of the year 2000, the health care delivery system is experiencing broad changes and reconstruction in a variety of manners. One of the largest changes revolves around the accelerating movement of patient care from inpatient models to outpatient models, and the commensurate investment and development in outpatient systems and outpatient bricks and mortar. This metamorphosis is particularly evident as it relates to freestanding ambulatory surgery centers. This change in health care delivery will prove to have severe economic impacts on many of the nation's hospital systems.

  20. Building an award-winning women's health ambulatory service and beyond.

    PubMed

    Allen, Lisa W; Maxwell, Susan; Greene, John F

    2003-01-01

    Many barriers exist for the provision of high-quality health care to inner-city minority women. The barriers include access to care, compliance problems, financial concerns, system navigation issues, as well as language barriers. This article describes the transition of the Women's Ambulatory Health Services at Hartford Hospital from a traditional clinic model to a culturally sensitive private practice model. The road to transition was paved by valuable input from staff as well as patients. The final product was a much more efficient, inviting model that catered to the needs of the community.

  1. Clinical terminology support for a national ambulatory practice outcomes research network.

    PubMed

    Ricciardi, Thomas N; Lieberman, Michael I; Kahn, Michael G; Masarie, F E

    2005-01-01

    The Medical Quality Improvement Consortium (MQIC) is a nationwide collaboration of 74 healthcare delivery systems, consisting of 3755 clinicians, who contribute de-identified clinical data from the same commercial electronic medical record (EMR) for quality reporting, outcomes research and clinical research in public health and practice benchmarking. Despite the existence of a common, centrally-managed, shared terminology for core concepts (medications, problem lists, observation names), a substantial "back-end" information management process is required to ensure terminology and data harmonization for creating multi-facility clinically-acceptable queries and comparable results. We describe the information architecture created to support terminology harmonization across this data-sharing consortium and discuss the implications for large scale data sharing envisioned by proponents for the national adoption of ambulatory EMR systems.

  2. Use of risk stratification to guide ambulatory management of neutropenic fever. Australian Consensus Guidelines 2011 Steering Committee.

    PubMed

    Worth, L J; Lingaratnam, S; Taylor, A; Hayward, A M; Morrissey, S; Cooney, J; Bastick, P A; Eek, R W; Wei, A; Thursky, K A

    2011-01-01

    Utilization of risk-stratification tools in the setting of neutropenic fever is currently limited by inadequate knowledge and lack of awareness. Within this context, the approach to management of low-risk patients with neutropenic fever is inconsistent with the available evidence across many Australian treating centres. These clinical guidelines define and clarify an accepted standard of care for this patient group given the current evidence base. The Multinational Association for Supportive Care in Cancer risk index is presented as the preferred risk assessment tool for determining patient risk. Suitability of ambulatory care within specific patient populations is discussed, with defined eligibility criteria provided to guide clinical decision-making. Detailed recommendations for implementing appropriate ambulatory strategies, such as early discharge and outpatient antibiotic therapy, are also provided. Due consideration is given to infrastructural requirements and other supportive measures at a resourcing and operational level. An analysis of the relevant health economics is also presented. © 2011 The Authors. Internal Medicine Journal © 2011 Royal Australasian College of Physicians.

  3. A six-year descriptive analysis of hospitalisations for ambulatory care sensitive conditions among people born in refugee-source countries.

    PubMed

    Correa-Velez, Ignacio; Ansari, Zahid; Sundararajan, Vijaya; Brown, Kaye; Gifford, Sandra M

    2007-10-03

    Hospitalisation for ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSHs) has become a recognised tool to measure access to primary care. Timely and effective outpatient care is highly relevant to refugee populations given the past exposure to torture and trauma, and poor access to adequate health care in their countries of origin and during flight. Little is known about ACSHs among resettled refugee populations. With the aim of examining the hypothesis that people from refugee backgrounds have higher ACSHs than people born in the country of hospitalisation, this study analysed a six-year state-wide hospital discharge dataset to estimate ACSH rates for residents born in refugee-source countries and compared them with the Australia-born population. Hospital discharge data between 1 July 1998 and 30 June 2004 from the Victorian Admitted Episodes Dataset were used to assess ACSH rates among residents born in eight refugee-source countries, and compare them with the Australia-born average. Rate ratios and 95% confidence levels were used to illustrate these comparisons. Four categories of ambulatory care sensitive conditions were measured: total, acute, chronic and vaccine-preventable. Country of birth was used as a proxy indicator of refugee status. When compared with the Australia-born population, hospitalisations for total and acute ambulatory care sensitive conditions were lower among refugee-born persons over the six-year period. Chronic and vaccine-preventable ACSHs were largely similar between the two population groups. Contrary to our hypothesis, preventable hospitalisation rates among people born in refugee-source countries were no higher than Australia-born population averages. More research is needed to elucidate whether low rates of preventable hospitalisation indicate better health status, appropriate health habits, timely and effective care-seeking behaviour and outpatient care, or overall low levels of health care-seeking due to other more pressing needs during

  4. A single-center audit of the indications and clinical impact of prolonged ambulatory small intestinal manometry.

    PubMed

    Ang, D; Pannemans, J; Vanuytsel, T; Tack, J

    2018-05-01

    Small bowel manometry is a diagnostic test available only in a few specialized referral centers. Its exact place in the management of refractory symptoms is controversial. The records of all patients who underwent 24-hour ambulatory duodenojejunal manometry over a 6-year period were retrospectively reviewed. We studied the clinical indications for small bowel manometry, and reviewed the impact of manometric findings on the clinical outcome. One hundred and forty-six studies were performed in 137 patients (46M, 91F) with a mean age of 44.9 ± 15.7 years. Mean follow-up duration was 15.1 ± 22.6 months. Appropriate endoscopic, radiological and gastric scintigraphy studies were performed in all patients prior to small bowel manometry. Criteria for abnormal motor activity were based on Bharucha's classification. The indications for small bowel manometry were chronic abdominal pain (n = 43), slow-transit constipation (n = 17), refractory gastroparesis (n = 16), chronic diarrhea (n = 7), recurrent episodes of subocclusion (n = 16), postsurgical evaluation (n = 36), suspicion of gut involvement in systemic disease (n = 9), and unexplained nausea (n = 2). The most common finding was a normal 24-hour ambulatory small bowel manometry (n = 113). Thirty-three studies yielded abnormal findings which included extrinsic neuropathy (n = 6), intrinsic neuropathy (n = 18), intestinal myopathy (n = 2), and subocclusion (n = 7). Ambulatory small bowel manometry excluded a generalized motility disorder in 77% and had a significant impact on the subsequent clinical course in 23%. Ambulatory small bowel manometry is a useful and safe diagnostic tool to complement traditional investigative modalities in patients with severe unexplained abdominal symptoms. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  5. Replacing Ambulatory Surgical Follow-Up Visits With Mobile App Home Monitoring: Modeling Cost-Effective Scenarios

    PubMed Central

    Semple, John L; Coyte, Peter C

    2014-01-01

    Background Women’s College Hospital (WCH) offers specialized surgical procedures, including ambulatory breast reconstruction in post-mastectomy breast cancer patients. Most patients receiving ambulatory surgery have low rates of postoperative events necessitating clinic visits. Increasingly, mobile monitoring and follow-up care is used to overcome the distance patients must travel to receive specialized care at a reduced cost to society. WCH has completed a feasibility study using a mobile app (QoC Health Inc, Toronto) that suggests high patient satisfaction and adequate detection of postoperative complications. Objective The proposed cost-effectiveness study models the replacement of conventional, in-person postoperative follow-up care with mobile app follow-up care following ambulatory breast reconstruction in post-mastectomy breast cancer patients. Methods This is a societal perspective cost-effectiveness analysis, wherein all costs are assessed irrespective of the payer. The patient/caregiver, health care system, and externally borne costs are calculated within the first postoperative month based on cost information provided by WCH and QoC Health Inc. The effectiveness of telemedicine and conventional follow-up care is measured as successful surgical outcomes at 30-days postoperative, and is modeled based on previous clinical trials containing similar patient populations and surgical risks. Results This costing assumes that 1000 patients are enrolled in bring-your-own-device (BYOD) mobile app follow-up per year and that 1.64 in-person follow-ups are attended in the conventional arm within the first month postoperatively. The total cost difference between mobile app and in-person follow-up care is $245 CAD ($223 USD based on the current exchange rate), with in-person follow-up being more expensive ($381 CAD) than mobile app follow-up care ($136 CAD). This takes into account the total of health care system, patient, and external borne costs. If we examine

  6. Modernizing an ambulatory care pharmacy in a large multi-clinic institution.

    PubMed

    Miller, R F; Herrick, J D

    1979-03-01

    The steps involved in modernizing an outdated outpatient pharmacy, including the functional planning process, development of a work-flow pattern which makes the patient an integral part of the system, budget considerations and evaluation of the new pharmacy, are described. Objectives of the modernization were to: (1) provide a facility conductive to efficient and high quality services to the ambulatory patient; (2) provide an attractive and comfortable area for patients and staff; (3) provide a work flow which keeps the patient in the system and allows the pharmacist time for instruction and patient education; and (4) establish a patient medication record system. After one year of operation, average overall prescription volume increased by 50%, while average waiting time declined by 74%. Facility and procedural changes allowed the pharmacist to substantially increase patient counseling activity. The application of functional planning and facility design to the renovation and restructuring of an outpatient pharmacy allowed pharmacists to provide efficient, patient-oriented service.

  7. Psychometric properties of the Persian version of the Ambulatory Care Learning Educational Environment Measure (ACLEEM) questionnaire, Shiraz, Iran.

    PubMed

    Parvizi, Mohammad Mahdi; Amini, Mitra; Dehghani, Mohammad Reza; Jafari, Peyman; Parvizi, Zahra

    2016-01-01

    Evaluation is the main component in design and implementation of educational activities and rapid growth of educational institution programs. Outpatient medical education and clinical training environment is one of the most important parts of training of medical residents. This study aimed to determine the validity and reliability of the Persian version of Ambulatory Care Learning Educational Environment Measure (ACLEEM) questionnaire, as an instrument for assessment of educational environments in residency medical clinics. This study was performed on 180 residents in Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran, in 2014-2015. The questionnaire designers' electronic permission (by email) and the residents' verbal consent were obtained before distributing the questionnaires. The study data were gathered using ACLEEM questionnaire developed by Arnoldo Riquelme in 2013. The data were analyzed using the SPSS statistical software, version 14, and MedCalc ® software. Then, the construct validity, including convergent and discriminant validities, of the Persian version of ACLEEM questionnaire was assessed. Its internal consistency was also checked by Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Five team members who were experts in medical education were consulted to test the cultural adaptation, linguistic equivalency, and content validity of the Persian version of the questionnaire. Content validity indexes were >0.9 in all items. In factor analysis of the instrument, the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin index was 0.928 and Barlett's sphericity test yielded the following results: X 2 =6,717.551, df =1,225, and P ≤0.001. Besides, Cronbach's alpha coefficient of ACLEEM questionnaire was 0.964. Cronbach's alpha coefficients were also >0.80 in all the three domains of the questionnaire. Overall, the Persian version of ACLEEM showed excellent convergent validity and acceptable discriminant validity, except for the clinical training domain. According to the results, the Persian version of

  8. Modifying physician behavior to improve cost-efficiency in safety-net ambulatory settings.

    PubMed

    Borkowski, Nancy; Gumus, Gulcin; Deckard, Gloria J

    2013-01-01

    Change interventions in one form or another are viewed as important tools to reduce variation in medical services, reduce costs, and improve quality of care. With the current focus on efficient resource use, the successful design and implementation of change strategies are of utmost importance for health care managers. We present a case study in which macro and micro level change strategies were used to modify primary care physicians' practice patterns of prescribing diagnostic services in a safety-net's ambulatory clinics. The findings suggest that health care managers using evidence-based strategies can create a practice environment that reduces barriers and facilitates change.

  9. Developing Staffing Models to Support Population Health Management And Quality Oucomes in Ambulatory Care Settings.

    PubMed

    Haas, Sheila A; Vlasses, Frances; Havey, Julia

    2016-01-01

    There are multiple demands and challenges inherent in establishing staffing models in ambulatory heath care settings today. If health care administrators establish a supportive physical and interpersonal health care environment, and develop high-performing interprofessional teams and staffing models and electronic documentation systems that track performance, patients will have more opportunities to receive safe, high-quality evidence-based care that encourages patient participation in decision making, as well as provision of their care. The health care organization must be aligned and responsive to the community within which it resides, fully invested in population health management, and continuously scanning the environment for competitive, regulatory, and external environmental risks. All of these challenges require highly competent providers willing to change attitudes and culture such as movement toward collaborative practice among the interprofessional team including the patient.

  10. Is secondary preventive care improving? Observational study of 10-year trends in emergency admissions for conditions amenable to ambulatory care

    PubMed Central

    Bardsley, Martin; Blunt, Ian; Davies, Sian; Dixon, Jennifer

    2013-01-01

    Objective To identify trends in emergency admissions for patients with clinical conditions classed as ‘ambulatory care sensitive’ (ACS) and assess if reductions might be due to improvements in preventive care. Design Observational study of routinely collected hospital admission data from March 2001 to April 2011. Admission rates were calculated at the population level using national population estimates for area of residence. Participants All emergency admissions to National Health Service (NHS) hospitals in England from April 2001 to March 2011 for people residents in England. Main outcome measures Age-standardised emergency admissions rates for each of 27 specific ACS conditions (ICD-10 codes recorded as primary or secondary diagnoses). Results Between April 2001 and March 2011 the number of admissions for ACS conditions increased by 40%. When ACS conditions were defined solely on primary diagnosis, the increase was less at 35% and similar to the increase in emergency admissions for non-ACS conditions. Age-standardised rates of emergency admission for ACS conditions had increased by 25%, and there were notable variations by age group and by individual condition. Overall, the greatest increases were for urinary tract infection, pyelonephritis, pneumonia, gastroenteritis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. There were significant reductions in emergency admission rates for angina, perforated ulcers and pelvic inflammatory diseases but the scale of these successes was relatively small. Conclusions Increases in rates of emergency admissions suggest that efforts to improve the preventive management of certain clinical conditions have failed to reduce the demand for emergency care. Tackling the demand for hospital care needs more radical approaches than those adopted hitherto if reductions in emergency admission rates for ACS conditions overall are to be seen as a positive outcome of for NHS. PMID:23288268

  11. Evolution, current structure, and role of a primary care clinical pharmacy service in an integrated managed care organization.

    PubMed

    Heilmann, Rachel M F; Campbell, Stephanie M; Kroner, Beverly A; Proksel, Jenel R; Billups, Sarah J; Witt, Daniel M; Helling, Dennis K

    2013-01-01

    The impact of the declining number of primary care physicians is exacerbated by a growing elderly population in need of chronic disease management. Primary care clinical pharmacy specialists, with their unique knowledge and skill set, are well suited to address this gap. At Kaiser Permanente of Colorado (KPCO), primary care clinical pharmacy specialists have a long history of integration with medical practices and are located in close proximity to physicians, nurses, and other members of the health care team. Since 1992, Primary Care Clinical Pharmacy Services (PCCPS) has expanded from 4 to 30 full-time equivalents (FTEs) to provide services in all KPCO medical office buildings. With this growth in size, PCCPS has evolved to play a vital role in working with primary care medical teams to ensure that drug therapy is effective, safe, and affordable. In addition, PCCPS specialists provide ambulatory teaching sites for pharmacy students and pharmacy residents. There is approximately 1 specialist FTE for every 13,000 adult KPCO members and every 9 clinical FTEs of internal medicine and family medicine physicians. All clinical pharmacy specialists in the pharmacy department are required to have a PharmD degree, to complete postgraduate year 2 residencies, and, as a condition of employment, to become board certified in an applicable specialty. The evolution, current structure, and role of PCCPS at KPCO, including factors facilitating successful integration within the medical team, are highlighted. Patient and nonpatient care responsibilities are described.

  12. [The determination of arterial pressure by the physician or the nurse: its relation to ambulatory pressure and left ventricular mass. The MAPA-Madrid Group. Monitorización Ambulatoria de la Presión Arterial (Ambulatory Monitoring of Arterial Pressure)].

    PubMed

    Martínez, M A; Aguirre, A; Sánchez, M; Nevado, A; Laguna, I; Torre, A; Manuel, E; Villar, C; García-Puig, J

    1999-12-11

    In the present study we evaluated the influence of the observer's status--physician or nurse--on blood pressure levels and the relationship among clinic blood pressure measurement with ambulatory blood pressure and left ventricle mass. Cross sectional study performed in seven primary care centers. Participating physicians and nurses were trained for blood pressure measurement prior to the study and subsequently retrained at 3 month intervals during the study. Patients included in the study were 122 subjects with mild to moderate hypertension who underwent the following study protocol: a) measurement of clinic blood pressure by physician and nurse, in an independent fashion, on 3 visits; b) clinic-epidemiologic questionnaire; c) conventional hematological and biochemical study; d) electrocardiogram; e) 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, f) M-mode and Doppler echocardiography (only in 58 subjects). Nurse-measured blood pressure levels were higher than those determined by physicians (mean differences: 3.9 [6.7] mmHg in systolic blood pressure and 2.6 [5.4] mmHg in diastolic blood pressure). The blood pressure level differences between the two observers were higher in female patients and subjects with low educational level, independently of the observer's gender. Nurse-measured blood pressure was more closely related to ambulatory blood pressure and left ventricle mass than physician-measured blood pressure. Nurse-measured blood pressure levels are lower than those determined by physicians and more closely related to ambulatory blood pressure and left ventricle mass than physician-measured blood pressure. These data support that nurses, instead of doctors, should routinely measure blood pressure in primary care centers.

  13. Concept of the Ambulatory Pain Physician.

    PubMed

    Thomas, Donna-Ann; Chang, Daniel; Zhu, Richard; Rayaz, Hassan; Vadivelu, Nalini

    2017-01-01

    Given the growing number of ambulatory surgeries being performed and the variability in postoperative pain requirements, early discharge, and inconsistent follow-up, ambulatory surgery presents a unique challenge for this patient population and warrants the presence of an ambulatory pain specialist to evaluate a patient preoperatively and postoperatively to optimize patient safety and satisfaction. This article explores the crucial role that a dedicated pain physician would have in the ambulatory surgery setting. The prevalence of chronic pain, opioid use, and substance abuse is growing in this country, while ambulatory and same-day surgery have also experienced considerable growth. Inevitably, more patients with challenging chronic pain or substance abuse are having ambulatory surgery. Increased BMI, advanced age, more comorbidities warranting a higher ASA physical status classification, and longer surgeries are now all components of ambulatory surgery that contribute to increased risk too. Certain surgeries including breast surgery, inguinal hernia repair, and thoracotomy are at higher risk for the conversion of acute to chronic pain, and an ambulatory pain specialist would be beneficial for added focus on these patients. Multimodal pain control with non-opioids and regional anesthesia adjuvants are beneficial, while emphasis on a patient's functional capacity may be more useful than quantifying the severity of pain. Despite the best efforts of patients' primary care providers or surgeons, patients often are discharged with more chronic opioid therapy than they presented with, and an ambulatory pain specialist can help manage the complications and prevent further escalation of this opioid epidemic. An onsite anesthesiologist with interest in pain management in each ambulatory surgery center administering anesthesia and available onsite to deal with immediate preoperative, intraoperative, and recovery room would be ideal to curb and manage complication from

  14. Longitudinal Study of Left Ventricular Mass Growth: Comparative Study of Clinic and Ambulatory Systolic Blood Pressure in Chronic Kidney Disease.

    PubMed

    Agarwal, Rajiv

    2016-04-01

    Left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy is an established cardiovascular risk factor, yet little is known about its trajectory in people with chronic kidney disease. The goal of this prospective research study was to describe the trajectory of LV mass index, its relationship with blood pressure (BP), and specifically to compare the relationship of BP measured in the clinic and 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring with LV mass index. Among 274 veterans with chronic kidney disease followed for over ≤ 4 years, the rate of growth of log LV mass index was inversely related to baseline LV mass index; it was rapid in the first 2 years, and plateaued subsequently. Systolic BP also significantly increased, but linearly, 1.7 mm Hg/y by clinic measurements and 1.8 mm Hg/y by 24-hour ambulatory BP. Cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of both clinic BP and 24-hour ambulatory BP with LV mass index were similar; both BP recording methods were associated with LV mass index and its growth over time. Controlled hypertension, masked uncontrolled hypertension, and uncontrolled hypertension categories had increasing LV mass index when diagnosed by 24-hour ambulatory and awake BP (P<0.05 for linear trend) but not sleep BP. After accounting for clinic BP both at baseline and longitudinally, LV mass index among individuals was additionally predicted by the difference in sleep systolic BP and clinic systolic BP (P=0.032). In conclusion, among people with chronic kidney disease, the growth of LV mass index is rapid. Research-grade clinic BP is useful to assess LV mass index and its growth over time. © 2016 American Heart Association, Inc.

  15. Clinical Terminology Support for a National Ambulatory Practice Outcomes Research Network

    PubMed Central

    Ricciardi, Thomas N.; Lieberman, Michael I.; Kahn, Michael G.; Masarie, F.E. “Chip”

    2005-01-01

    The Medical Quality Improvement Consortium (MQIC) is a nationwide collaboration of 74 healthcare delivery systems, consisting of 3755 clinicians, who contribute de-identified clinical data from the same commercial electronic medical record (EMR) for quality reporting, outcomes research and clinical research in public health and practice benchmarking. Despite the existence of a common, centrally-managed, shared terminology for core concepts (medications, problem lists, observation names), a substantial “back-end” information management process is required to ensure terminology and data harmonization for creating multi-facility clinically-acceptable queries and comparable results. We describe the information architecture created to support terminology harmonization across this data-sharing consortium and discuss the implications for large scale data sharing envisioned by proponents for the national adoption of ambulatory EMR systems. PMID:16779116

  16. Ambulatory cleft lip surgery: A value analysis.

    PubMed

    Arneja, Jugpal S; Mitton, Craig

    2013-01-01

    Socialized health systems face fiscal constraints due to a limited supply of resources and few reliable ways to control patient demand. Some form of prioritization must occur as to what services to offer and which programs to fund. A data-driven approach to decision making that incorporates outcomes, including safety and quality, in the setting of fiscal prudence is required. A value model championed by Michael Porter encompasses these parameters, in which value is defined as outcomes divided by cost. To assess ambulatory cleft lip surgery from a quality and safety perspective, and to assess the costs associated with ambulatory cleft lip surgery in North America. Conclusions will be drawn as to how the overall value of cleft lip surgery may be enhanced. A value analysis of published articles related to ambulatory cleft lip repair over the past 30 years was performed to determine what percentage of patients would be candidates for ambulatory cleft lip repair from a quality and safety perspective. An economic model was constructed based on costs associated with the inpatient stay related to cleft lip repair. On analysis of the published reports in the literature, a minority (28%) of patients are currently discharged in an ambulatory fashion following cleft lip repair. Further analysis suggests that 88.9% of patients would be safe candidates for same-day discharge. From an economic perspective, the mean cost per patient for the overnight admission component of ambulatory cleft surgery to the health care system in the United States was USD$2,390 and $1,800 in Canada. The present analysis reviewed germane publications over a 30-year period, ultimately suggesting that ambulatory cleft lip surgery results in preservation of quality and safety metrics for most patients. The financial model illustrates a potential cost saving through the adoption of such a practice change. For appropriately selected patients, ambulatory cleft surgery enhances overall health care value.

  17. Improved resident physician confidence with advance care planning after an ambulatory clinic intervention.

    PubMed

    Tung, Ericka E; Wieland, Mark L; Verdoorn, Brandon P; Mauck, Karen F; Post, Jason A; Thomas, Matthew R; Bundrick, John B; Jaeger, Thomas M; Cha, Stephen S; Thomas, Kris G

    2014-05-01

    Many primary care providers feel uncomfortable discussing end-of-life care. The aim of this intervention was to assess internal medicine residents' advance care planning (ACP) practices and improve residents' ACP confidence. Residents participated in a facilitated ACP quality improvement workshop, which included an interactive presentation and chart audit of their own patients. Pre- and postintervention surveys assessed resident ACP-related confidence. Only 24% of the audited patients had an advance directive (AD), and 28% of the ACP-documentation was of no clinical utility. Terminally ill patients (odds ratio 2.8, P < .001) were more likely to have an AD. Patients requiring an interpreter were less likely to have participated in ACP. Residents reported significantly improved confidence with ACP and identified important training gaps. Future studies examining the impact on ACP quality are needed.

  18. Recent trends in antibiotic prescriptions for acute respiratory tract infections in pediatric ambulatory care in Taiwan, 2000-2009: A nationwide population-based study.

    PubMed

    Lee, Ming-Luen; Cho, Ching-Yi; Hsu, Chien-Lun; Chen, Chun-Jen; Chang, Lo-Yi; Lee, Yu-Sheng; Soong, Wen-Jue; Jeng, Mei-Jy; Wu, Keh-Gong

    2016-08-01

    Antibiotic resistance is a global problem, and the inappropriate overuse of antibiotics is the major cause. Among children seeking medical help, acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs) are the most common tentative diagnosis made by physicians and the leading condition for which antibiotics are prescribed. This study aimed to examine the trends of prescribing antibiotics in pediatric ambulatory care in Taiwan over a 10-year period. Children younger than 18 years old and being diagnosed as having ARTIs [International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) codes 460, 465, and 466] during ambulatory visits from 2000 to 2009 were retrieved from the systematic random sampling datasets of the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) in Taiwan. The annual and monthly case numbers were recorded and the children's demographic characteristics, including sex, age, seasonality, location, level of medical institution, physician specialty, and their ambulatory prescriptions of antibiotics were collected and analyzed. Among 565,065 enrolled ambulatory children, 39,324 were prescribed antibiotics. The average antibiotics prescription rate was 7.0% during the 10-year period. There were marked descending trends in case numbers and antibiotic dispensing rates from 2000 to 2009. Female patients, elder ages (≥6 years old), summer and autumn, middle and southern areas of Taiwan, medical centers and regional hospitals, and physicians of pediatric specialty were associated with significantly lower antibiotic dispensing rates than other conditions (p < 0.05). The 10-year antibiotics prescription rate in ambulatory children with ARTIs was 7.0% and it decreased gradually from 2000 to 2009 in Taiwan. Through understanding the annual trends in antibiotic prescriptions, it may be possible to design interventions to improve the judicious use of antibiotics in children. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  19. Demographic and Treatment Patterns for Infections in Ambulatory Settings in the United States, 2006-2010

    PubMed Central

    May, Larissa; Mullins, Peter; Pines, Jesse

    2013-01-01

    Objectives Many factors may influence choice of care setting for treatment of acute infections. The authors evaluated a national sample of U.S. outpatient clinic and emergency department (ED) visits for three common infections (urinary tract infection [UTI], skin and soft tissue infection [SSTI], and upper respiratory infection [URI]), comparing setting, demographics, and care. Methods This was a retrospective analysis of 2006–2010 data from the National Hospital Ambulatory Care Survey (NHAMCS) and National Ambulatory Care Survey (NAMCS). Patients age ≥ 18 years with primary diagnoses of UTI, URI, and SSTI were the visits of interest. Demographics, tests, and prescriptions were compared, divided by ED versus outpatient setting using bivariate statistics. Results Between 2006 and 2010, there were an estimated 40.9 million ambulatory visits for UTI, 168.3 million visits for URI, and 34.8 million visits for SSTI; 24% of UTI, 11% of URI, and 33% of SSTI visits were seen in EDs. Across all groups, ED patients were more commonly younger and black and had Medicaid or no insurance. ED patients had more blood tests (54% vs. 22% for UTI, 21% vs. 14% for URI, and 25% vs. 20% for SSTI) and imaging studies (31% vs. 9% for UTI, 27% vs. 8% for URI, and 16% vs. 5% for SSTI). Pain medications were more frequently used in the ED; over one-fifth of UTI and SSTI visits included narcotics. In both settings, greater than 50% of URI visits received antibiotics; more than 40% of UTI ED visits included broad-spectrum fluoroquinolones. Conclusions Emergency departments treated a considerable proportion of U.S. ambulatory infections from 2006 to 2010. Patient factors, including the presence of acute pain and access to care, appear to influence choice of care setting. Observed antibiotic use in both settings suggests a need for optimizing antibiotic use. PMID:24552520

  20. Changing the paradigm: planning for ambulatory care expansion in Los Angeles County using a community-based and evidence-based model.

    PubMed

    Fielding, J E; Lamirault, I; Nolan, B; Bobrowsky, J

    2000-07-01

    In 1998, Los Angeles County's Department of Health Services (DHS) embarked on a planning process to expand ambulatory care services for the county's 2.7 million uninsured and otherwise medically indigent residents. This planning process was novel in two ways. First, it used a quantitative, needs-based approach for resource allocation to ensure an equitable distribution of safety-net ambulatory care services across the county. Second, it used a new community-based planning paradigm that took into consideration the specific needs of each of the county's eight geographic service planning areas. Together, the evidence-based approach to planning and the community-based decision-making will ensure that DHS can more equitably provide for the needs of Los Angeles County's medically indigent residents.

  1. Factors Associated with Hospitalisations for Ambulatory Care-Sensitive Conditions among Persons with an Intellectual Disability--A Publicly Insured Population Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Balogh, R. S.; Ouellette-Kuntz, H.; Brownell, M.; Colantonio, A.

    2013-01-01

    Background: Hospitalisations for ambulatory care-sensitive (ACS) conditions are used as an indicator of access to, and the quality of, primary care. The objective was to identify factors associated with hospitalisations for ACS conditions among adults with an intellectual disability (ID) in the context of a publicly insured healthcare system.…

  2. Patient-as-observer approach: an alternative method for hand hygiene auditing in an ambulatory care setting.

    PubMed

    Le-Abuyen, Sheila; Ng, Jessica; Kim, Susie; De La Franier, Anne; Khan, Bibi; Mosley, Jane; Gardam, Michael

    2014-04-01

    A survey pilot asked patients to observe the hand hygiene compliance of their health care providers. Patients returned 75.1% of the survey cards distributed, and the overall hand hygiene compliance was 96.8%. Survey results and patient commentary were used to motivate hand hygiene compliance. The patient-as-observer approach appeared to be a viable alternative for hand hygiene auditing in an ambulatory care setting because it educated, engaged, and empowered patients to play a more active role in their own health care. Copyright © 2014 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. "Attention on the flight deck": what ambulatory care providers can learn from pilots about complex coordinated actions.

    PubMed

    Frankel, Richard M; Saleem, Jason J

    2013-12-01

    Technical and interpersonal challenges of using electronic health records (EHRs) in ambulatory care persist. We use cockpit communication as an example of highly coordinated complex activity during flight and compare it with providers' communication when computers are used in the exam room. Maximum variation sampling was used to identify two videotapes from a parent study of primary care physicians' exam room computer demonstrating the greatest variation. We then produced and analyzed visualizations of the time providers spent looking at the computer and looking at the patient. Unlike the cockpit which is engineered to optimize joint attention on complex coordinated activities, we found polar extremes in the use of joint focus of attention to manage the medical encounter. We conclude that there is a great deal of room for improving the balance of interpersonal and technical attention that occurs in routine ambulatory visits in which computers are present in the exam room. Using well-known aviation practices can help primary care providers become more aware of the opportunities and challenges for enhancing the physician patient relationship in an era of exam room computing. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

  4. Effectiveness of electronic guideline-based implementation systems in ambulatory care settings - a systematic review

    PubMed Central

    2009-01-01

    Background Electronic guideline-based decision support systems have been suggested to successfully deliver the knowledge embedded in clinical practice guidelines. A number of studies have already shown positive findings for decision support systems such as drug-dosing systems and computer-generated reminder systems for preventive care services. Methods A systematic literature search (1990 to December 2008) of the English literature indexed in the Medline database, Embase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and CRD (DARE, HTA and NHS EED databases) was conducted to identify evaluation studies of electronic multi-step guideline implementation systems in ambulatory care settings. Important inclusion criterions were the multidimensionality of the guideline (the guideline needed to consist of several aspects or steps) and real-time interaction with the system during consultation. Clinical decision support systems such as one-time reminders for preventive care for which positive findings were shown in earlier reviews were excluded. Two comparisons were considered: electronic multidimensional guidelines versus usual care (comparison one) and electronic multidimensional guidelines versus other guideline implementation methods (comparison two). Results Twenty-seven publications were selected for analysis in this systematic review. Most designs were cluster randomized controlled trials investigating process outcomes more than patient outcomes. With success defined as at least 50% of the outcome variables being significant, none of the studies were successful in improving patient outcomes. Only seven of seventeen studies that investigated process outcomes showed improvements in process of care variables compared with the usual care group (comparison one). No incremental effect of the electronic implementation over the distribution of paper versions of the guideline was found, neither for the patient outcomes nor for the process outcomes (comparison two

  5. [Primary health care and hospitalizations in ambulatory care sensitive conditions in Catalonia].

    PubMed

    Caminal Homar, J; Starfield, B; Sánchez Ruiz, E; Hermosilla Pérez, E; Martín Mateo, M

    2001-09-01

    Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions (ACSC) are a set of selected codes of hospital discharge diagnosis intended to measure avoidable hospitalizations. Primary Health Care Services may avoid the hospitalizations due to ACSC by applying any of the following interventions, that are characteristics of this level of care: a) primary prevention; b) secondary prevention, and c) tertiary prevention and rehabilitation. Observational, cross-sectional pilot study on 248,174 hospital discharges, from a population of 2,248,704 inhabitants in 161 Basic Health Care Units (BHCU), recorded in the minimum basic set of hospital discharge data in Catalonia during 1996. The complete list of diagnostic codes of ACSC, identified in the literature search, has been used. Crude and age-standardised hospitalisation rates have been estimated. Standardised hospitalisation ratio (SHR) has been computed to compare hospitalisation rates between BHCU. To analyse the effect of variables associated with high ACSC admission rates, multivariate analysis has been carried out by means of Poisson's regression. Hospitalisation due to ACSC account for 13% of all hospitalizations and 16% of hospital stay days. Acute and chronic diseases of the lower respiratory tract are the first cause of hospitalisation at any age group (< 5, 15-64 and > or = 65 years). The most common diagnostic groups, for all ages are respiratory disorders (acute and chronic diseases of the lower respiratory tract and pneumonia) and urinary tract conditions (pyelonephritis/urinary tract infection). The so-called self-limited health problems (ear, nose and throat mild infections/infections of the upper respiratory tract, febrile convulsions in children and gastroenteritis) account for more than 10% of all hospitalizations by ACSC, 45% of which occur in children. The overall crude hospitalisation rate by ACSC is 146.9/10,000 inhabitants (range: 12.4/10,000-239.9/10,000). SHR ranges from 0.01 to 1.85. "Hospital admissions due to ACSC" is

  6. The financial and health burden of diabetic ambulatory care sensitive hospitalisations in Mexico.

    PubMed

    Lugo-Palacios, David G; Cairns, John

    2016-01-01

    To estimate the financial and health burden of diabetic ambulatory care sensitive hospitalisations (ACSH) in Mexico during 2001-2011. We identified ACSH due to diabetic complications in general hospitals run by local health ministries and estimated their financial cost using diagnostic related groups. The health burden estimation assumes that patients would not have experienced complications if they had received appropriate primary care and computes the associated Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs). The financial cost of diabetic ACSH increased by 125% in real terms and their health burden in 2010 accounted for 4.2% of total DALYs associated with diabetes in Mexico. Avoiding preventable hospitalisations could free resources within the health system for other health purposes. In addition, patients with ACSH suffer preventable losses of health that should be considered when assessing the performance of any primary care intervention.

  7. Safety and cost benefit of an ambulatory program for patients with low-risk neutropenic fever at an Australian centre.

    PubMed

    Teh, Benjamin W; Brown, Christine; Joyce, Trish; Worth, Leon J; Slavin, Monica A; Thursky, Karin A

    2018-03-01

    Neutropenic fever (NF) is a common complication of cancer chemotherapy. Patients at low risk of medical complications from NF can be identified using a validated risk assessment and managed in an outpatient setting. This is a new model of care for Australia. This study described the implementation of a sustainable ambulatory program for NF at a tertiary cancer centre over a 12-month period. Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre introduced an ambulatory care program in 2014, which identified low-risk NF patients, promoted early de-escalation to oral antibiotics, and early discharge to a nurse-led ambulatory program. Patients prospectively enrolled in the ambulatory program were compared with a historical-matched cohort of patients from 2011 for analysis. Patient demographics, clinical variables (cancer type, recent chemotherapy, treatment intent, site of presentation) and outcomes were collected and compared. Total cost of inpatient admissions was determined from diagnosis-related group (DRG) codes and applied to both the prospective and historical cohorts to allow comparisons. Twenty-five patients were managed in the first year of this program with a reduction in hospital median length of stay from 4.0 to 1.1 days and admission cost from Australian dollars ($AUD) 8580 to $AUD2360 compared to the historical cohort. Offsetting salary costs, the ambulatory program had a net cost benefit of $AUD 71895. Readmission for fever was infrequent (8.0%), and no deaths were reported. Of relevance to hospitals providing cancer care, feasibility, safety, and cost benefits of an ambulatory program for low-risk NF patients have been demonstrated.

  8. Evaluation of the VA's Pilot Program in Institutional Reorganization toward Primary and Ambulatory Care: Part I, Changes in the Process and Outcomes of Care.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rubenstein, Lisa V.; And Others

    1996-01-01

    A study evaluated the impact of the reorganization of the academic Sepulveda (California) Veterans' Administration medical center toward primary and ambulatory care. Surveys of several thousand patients were linked to computerized utilization and mortality data and related to the center's strategic plan and goals. Substantial improvement in…

  9. Addressing Pediatric Obesity in Ambulatory Care: Where Are We and Where Are We Going?

    PubMed

    Lenders, Carine M; Manders, Aaron J; Perdomo, Joanna E; Ireland, Kathy A; Barlow, Sarah E

    2016-06-01

    Since the "2007 summary report of child and adolescent overweight and obesity treatment" published by Barlow, many obesity intervention studies have been conducted in pediatric ambulatory care. Although several meta-analyses have been published in the interim, many studies were excluded because of the focus and criteria of these meta-analyses. Therefore, the primary goal of this article was to identify randomized case-control trials conducted in the primary care setting and to report on treatment approaches, challenges, and successes. We have developed four themes for our discussion and provide a brief summary of our findings. Finally, we identified major gaps and potential solutions and describe several urgent key action items.

  10. Predictors of exercise participation in ambulatory and non-ambulatory older people with multiple sclerosis

    PubMed Central

    Harris, Chelsea; Wallack, Elizabeth M.; Drodge, Olivia; Beaulieu, Serge; Mayo, Nancy

    2015-01-01

    Background. Exercise at moderate intensity may confer neuroprotective benefits in multiple sclerosis (MS), however it has been reported that people with MS (PwMS) exercise less than national guideline recommendations. We aimed to determine predictors of moderate to vigorous exercise among a sample of older Canadians with MS who were divided into ambulatory (less disabled) and non-ambulatory (more disabled) groups. Methods. We analysed data collected as part of a national survey of health, lifestyle and aging with MS. Participants (n = 743) were Canadians over 55 years of age with MS for 20 or more years. We identified ‘a priori’ variables (demographic, personal, socioeconomic, physical health, exercise history and health care support) that may predict exercise at moderate to vigorous intensity (>6.75 metabolic equivalent hours/week). Predictive variables were entered into stepwise logistic regression until best fit was achieved. Results. There was no difference in explanatory models between ambulatory and non-ambulatory groups. The model predicting exercise included the ability to walk independently (OR 1.90, 95% CI [1.24–2.91]); low disability (OR 1.50, 95% CI [1.34–1.68] for each 10 point difference in Barthel Index score), perseverance (OR 1.17, 95% CI [1.08–1.26] for each additional point on the scale of 0–14), less fatigue (OR 2.01, 95% CI [1.32–3.07] for those in the lowest quartile), fewer years since MS diagnosis (OR 1.58, 95% CI [1.11–2.23] below the median of 23 years) and fewer cardiovascular comorbidities (OR 1.55 95% CI [1.02–2.35] one or no comorbidities). It was also notable that the factors, age, gender, social support, health care support and financial status were not predictive of exercise. Conclusions. This is the first examination of exercise and exercise predictors among older, more disabled PwMS. Disability is a major predictor of exercise participation (at moderate to vigorous levels) in both ambulatory and non-ambulatory

  11. Thirty-day rehospitalizations among elderly patients with acute myocardial infarction: Impact of postdischarge ambulatory care.

    PubMed

    Zabawa, Claire; Cottenet, Jonathan; Zeller, Marianne; Mercier, Grégoire; Rodwin, Victor G; Cottin, Yves; Quantin, Catherine

    2018-06-01

    Rehospitalization after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is common in elderly patients. It increases morbimortality and health care expenditures. The association between ambulatory care after discharge for AMI and rehospitalization has never been studied in France. We analyzed the impact of ambulatory care on rehospitalization of elderly patients (≥65 years) within 30 days after hospital discharge.We conducted a nationwide population-based study of elderly patients hospitalized with a main diagnosis of AMI in France between 2011 and 2013. We excluded patients hospitalized for AMI in the previous year and those who died during the index hospitalization or within 30 days after discharge. The primary outcome was the first all-cause 30-day rehospitalization in an acute care hospital. Individual and neighborhood-level variables were compared among rehospitalized and nonrehospitalized patients. Determinants of 30-day rehospitalization were identified using logistic regression models.Among the 624 eligible patients, 137 (22.0%) were rehospitalized within 30 days after discharge. In multivariate analyses, chronic kidney failure (odds ratio [OR] 1.88; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01-3.53) was an independent predictor of 30-day rehospitalization. We found no association among deprivation and spatial accessibility measures and 30-day rehospitalization. The purchase of lipid-lowering drugs prescription within 7 days after discharge was associated with a reduced risk of 30-day rehospitalization (OR 0.53; 95% CI, 0.36-0.79).This study highlights the role of coordination among hospital and primary care physicians in post-AMI discharge and follow-up among elderly patients. Specifically, targeted interventions to reduce 30-day rehospitalizations should focus on patients with comorbidities and use of prescription drugs after hospital discharge.

  12. Ambulatory blood pressure and cardiovascular events in chronic kidney disease

    PubMed Central

    Agarwal, Rajiv

    2007-01-01

    Purpose of review Hypertension is an important risk factor for adverse cardiovascular and renal outcomes particularly in patients with chronic kidney disease. This review compares blood pressure measurements obtained in the clinic with those obtained outside the clinic to predict cardiovascular and renal injury and outcomes. Recent findings Data are accumulating that suggest that ambulatory blood pressure monitoring is a superior prognostic marker compared to blood pressures obtained in the clinic. Use of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring can detect white coat hypertension and masked hypertension which results in less misclassification of blood pressures. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring is a marker of cardiovascular end points in CKD. Non dipping is associated with proteinuria and lower GFR. Although non-dipping is associated with more ESRD and cardiovascular events, adjustment for other risk factors removes the prognostic significance of non-dipping. For patients with CKD, not on dialysis, 24 hour ambulatory BP of <125/75 mm Hg, daytime ambulatory of <130/85 mm Hg and nighttime ambulatory BP of <110/70 mm Hg appear to be reasonable goal BP targets. In the management of hypertension in patients with CKD, control of hypertension is important. Ambulatory BP monitoring may be useful to assign more aggressive treatment to patients with masked hypertension and withdraw antihypertensive therapy in patients with white-coat hypertension. Summary Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring can refine cardiovascular and renal risk assessment in all stages of chronic kidney disease. The independent prognostic role of non-dipping is unclear. PMID:17868791

  13. Allocation of Physician Time in Ambulatory Practice: A Time and Motion Study in 4 Specialties.

    PubMed

    Sinsky, Christine; Colligan, Lacey; Li, Ling; Prgomet, Mirela; Reynolds, Sam; Goeders, Lindsey; Westbrook, Johanna; Tutty, Michael; Blike, George

    2016-12-06

    Little is known about how physician time is allocated in ambulatory care. To describe how physician time is spent in ambulatory practice. Quantitative direct observational time and motion study (during office hours) and self-reported diary (after hours). U.S. ambulatory care in 4 specialties in 4 states (Illinois, New Hampshire, Virginia, and Washington). 57 U.S. physicians in family medicine, internal medicine, cardiology, and orthopedics who were observed for 430 hours, 21 of whom also completed after-hours diaries. Proportions of time spent on 4 activities (direct clinical face time, electronic health record [EHR] and desk work, administrative tasks, and other tasks) and self-reported after-hours work. During the office day, physicians spent 27.0% of their total time on direct clinical face time with patients and 49.2% of their time on EHR and desk work. While in the examination room with patients, physicians spent 52.9% of the time on direct clinical face time and 37.0% on EHR and desk work. The 21 physicians who completed after-hours diaries reported 1 to 2 hours of after-hours work each night, devoted mostly to EHR tasks. Data were gathered in self-selected, high-performing practices and may not be generalizable to other settings. The descriptive study design did not support formal statistical comparisons by physician and practice characteristics. For every hour physicians provide direct clinical face time to patients, nearly 2 additional hours is spent on EHR and desk work within the clinic day. Outside office hours, physicians spend another 1 to 2 hours of personal time each night doing additional computer and other clerical work. American Medical Association.

  14. Treatment of end-stage renal disease with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis in rural Guatemala

    PubMed Central

    Moore, Jillian; Garcia, Pablo; Flood, David

    2018-01-01

    A 42-year-old indigenous Maya man presented to a non-profit clinic in rural Guatemala with signs, symptoms and laboratory values consistent with uncontrolled diabetes. Despite appropriate treatment, approximately 18 months after presentation, he was found to have irreversible end-stage renal disease (ESRD) of uncertain aetiology. He was referred to the national public nephrology clinic and subsequently initiated home-based continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis. With primary care provided by the non-profit clinic, his clinical status improved on dialysis, but socioeconomic and psychological challenges persisted for the patient and his family. This case shows how care for people with ESRD in low- and middle-income countries requires scaling up renal replacement therapy and ensuring access to primary care, mental healthcare and social work services. PMID:29705734

  15. Ambulatory oral surgery: 1-year experience with 11680 patients from Zagreb district, Croatia.

    PubMed

    Jokić, Dražen; Macan, Darko; Perić, Berislav; Tadić, Marinka; Biočić, Josip; Đanić, Petar; Brajdić, Davor

    2013-02-01

    To examine the types and frequencies of oral surgery diagnoses and ambulatory oral surgical treatments during one year period at the Department of Oral Surgery, University Hospital Dubrava in Zagreb, Croatia. Sociodemographic and clinical data on 11680 ambulatory patients, treated between January 1 and of December 31, 2011 were retrieved from the hospital database using a specific protocol. The obtained data were subsequently analyzed in order to assess the frequency of diagnoses and differences in sex and age. The most common ambulatory procedure was tooth extraction (37.67%) and the most common procedure in ambulatory operating room was alveolectomy (57.25%). The test of proportions showed that significantly more extractions (P<0.001) and intraoral incisions (P<0.001) were performed among male patients, whereas significantly more alveolectomies and apicoectomies were performed among female patients (P<0.001). A greater prevalence of periodontal disease was found in patients residing in Zagreb than in patients residing in rural areas. The data from this study may be useful for planning of ambulatory oral surgery services, budgeting, and sustaining quality improvement, enhancing oral surgical curricula, training and education of primary health care doctors and oral surgery specialists, and promoting patients' awareness of the importance of oral health.

  16. Influence of Body Weight on Patients' Satisfaction with Ambulatory Care

    PubMed Central

    Wee, Christina C; Phillips, Russell S; Cook, E Francis; Haas, Jennifer S; Puopolo, Ann Louise; Brennan, Troyen A; Burstin, Helen R

    2002-01-01

    Patients with obesity experience psychosocial consequences because of their weight and report physician bias. We examined whether obesity is associated with lower patient satisfaction with ambulatory care among 2,858 patients seen at 11 academically affiliated primary care practices in Boston. Compared with normal weight patients (body mass index [BMI], 19.0 to 24.9 kg/M2), overweight (BMI, 25.0 to 29.9 kg/M2) and obese patients (BMI ≥30 kg/M2) reported lower overall satisfaction scores at their most recent visit; the scores were 85.5, 85.0, and 82.6 out a possible 100, respectively (P = .05). After adjustment for potential confounders including illness burden, obese patients reported lower scores but the difference was not statistically significant (mean difference, 1.23 [95% confidence interval −0.67 to 3.12]). Patient satisfaction with their usual provider and their practice did not vary by BMI group. Obesity is associated with only modest decreases in satisfaction scores with the most recent visit, which were explained largely by higher illness burden among obese patients. PMID:11841531

  17. Identifying consumer segments in health services markets: an application of conjoint and cluster analyses to the ambulatory care pharmacy market.

    PubMed

    Carrol, N V; Gagon, J P

    1983-01-01

    Because of increasing competition, it is becoming more important that health care providers pursue consumer-based market segmentation strategies. This paper presents a methodology for identifying and describing consumer segments in health service markets, and demonstrates the use of the methodology by presenting a study of consumer segments in the ambulatory care pharmacy market.

  18. Marketing strategy adjustments in the ambulatory care center industry: implications for community pharmacy.

    PubMed

    Phillips, J H

    1989-01-01

    Each stage of a product's life cycle requires marketing strategy modifications in response to changing demand levels. The purpose of this study was to investigate changes in ambulatory care center (ACC) operational characteristics indicative of product, market, and distribution channel adjustments that could have a competitive impact upon community pharmacy practice. A questionnaire was mailed to a national sample of 325 ACC managers. Evidence of new product feature additions includes increased emphasis on continued care and increased prevalence of prescription drug dispensing. Expansion into new market segments and distribution channels was demonstrated by increased participation in HMO and employer relationships. The observed adjustments in ACC marketing strategies present obvious challenges as well as less obvious opportunities for community pharmacy practice.

  19. Anesthesia for ambulatory anorectal surgery.

    PubMed

    Gudaityte, Jūrate; Marchertiene, Irena; Pavalkis, Dainius

    2004-01-01

    The prevalence of minor anorectal diseases is 4-5% of adult Western population. Operations are performed on ambulatory or 24-hour stay basis. Requirements for ambulatory anesthesia are: rapid onset and recovery, ability to provide quick adjustments during maintenance, lack of intraoperative and postoperative side effects, and cost-effectiveness. Anorectal surgery requires deep levels of anesthesia. The aim is achieved with 1) regional blocks alone or in combination with monitored anesthesia care or 2) deep general anesthesia, usually with muscle relaxants and tracheal intubation. Modern general anesthetics provide smooth, quickly adjustable anesthesia and are a good choice for ambulatory surgery. Popular regional methods are: spinal anesthesia, caudal blockade, posterior perineal blockade and local anesthesia. The trend in regional anesthesia is lowering the dose of local anesthetic, providing selective segmental block. Adjuvants potentiating analgesia are recommended. Postoperative period may be complicated by: 1) severe pain, 2) urinary retention due to common nerve supply, and 3) surgical bleeding. Complications may lead to hospital admission. In conclusion, novel general anesthetics are recommended for ambulatory anorectal surgery. Further studies to determine an optimal dose and method are needed in the group of regional anesthesia.

  20. Addressing pediatric obesity in ambulatory care: where are we and where are we going?

    PubMed Central

    Manders, Aaron J.; Perdomo, Joanna E.; Ireland, Kathy A.; Barlow, Sarah E.

    2017-01-01

    Since the “2007 summary report of child and adolescent overweight and obesity treatment” published by Barlow, many obesity intervention studies have been conducted in pediatric ambulatory care. Although several meta-analyses have been published in the interim, many studies were excluded because of the focus and criteria of these meta-analyses. Therefore, the primary goal of this article was to identify randomized case-control trials conducted in the primary care setting and to report on treatment approaches, challenges, and successes. We have developed four themes for our discussion and provide a brief summary of our findings. Finally, we identified major gaps and potential solutions, and describe several urgent key action items. PMID:27048522

  1. Ambulatory pediatric oncology CLABSIs: epidemiology and risk factors.

    PubMed

    Rinke, Michael L; Milstone, Aaron M; Chen, Allen R; Mirski, Kara; Bundy, David G; Colantuoni, Elizabeth; Pehar, Miriana; Herpst, Cynthia; Miller, Marlene R

    2013-11-01

    To compare the burden of central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) in ambulatory versus inpatient pediatric oncology patients, and identify the epidemiology of and risk factors associated with ambulatory CLABSIs. We prospectively identified infections and retrospectively identified central line days and characteristics associated with CLABSIs from January 2009 to October 2010. A nested case-control design was used to identify characteristics associated with ambulatory CLABSIs. We identified 319 patients with central lines. There were 55 ambulatory CLABSIs during 84,705 ambulatory central line days (0.65 CLABSIs per 1,000 central line days (95% CI 0.49, 0.85)), and 19 inpatient CLABSIs during 8,682 inpatient central line days (2.2 CLABSIs per 1,000 central lines days (95% CI 1.3, 3.4)). In patients with ambulatory CLABSIs, 13% were admitted to an intensive care unit and 44% had their central lines removed due to the CLABSI. A secondary analysis with a sub-cohort, suggested children with tunneled, externalized catheters had a greater risk of ambulatory CLABSI than those with totally implantable devices (IRR 20.6, P < 0.001). Other characteristics independently associated with ambulatory CLABSIs included bone marrow transplantation within 100 days (OR 16, 95% CI 1.1, 264), previous bacteremia in any central line (OR 10, 95% CI 2.5, 43) and less than 1 month from central line insertion (OR 4.2, 95% CI 1.0, 17). In pediatric oncology patients, three times more CLABSIs occur in the ambulatory than inpatient setting. Ambulatory CLABSIs carry appreciable morbidity and have identifiable, associated factors that should be addressed in future ambulatory CLABSI prevention efforts. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  2. Clinical Significance of Postvoid Residual Volume in Older Ambulatory Women

    PubMed Central

    Huang, Alison J.; Brown, Jeanette S.; Boyko, Edward J.; Moore, Elya E.; Scholes, Delia; Walter, Louise C.; Lin, Feng; Vittinghoff, Eric; Fihn, Stephan D.

    2013-01-01

    Objectives To examine the prevalence, natural history, and clinical significance of elevations in postvoid residual (PVR) volume in ambulatory older women Design Prospective cohort study Setting Group health plan in Washington state Participants 987 ambulatory women aged 55 to 75 years Measurements PVR was measured by bladder ultrasonography at baseline, 1 year, and 2 years. Participants completed questionnaires about urinary symptoms and provided urine samples for microbiologic evaluation. Results Of the 987 participants, 79% had a PVR <50 mL, 10% had a PVR of 50–99 mL, 6% had a PVR of 100–199 mL, and 5% had a PVR ≥200 mL at baseline. Of women with a PVR <50, 66% reported at least one urinary symptom at baseline. Of women with a PVR ≥200 mL, 27% reported no significant symptoms at baseline. In adjusted analyses using data from all study visits, women with a PVR ≥100 mL were more likely to report urinating >8 times during the day (OR=1.42, CI=1.07–1.87), and women with a PVR ≥200 mL were more likely to report weekly urgency incontinence (OR=1.50, CI=1.03–2.18), versus those with a PVR <50 mL. Elevated PVR was not associated with increased risk of stress incontinence, nocturnal frequency, or urinary tract infection in adjusted analyses. Forty-six percent of those with a PVR ≥200 mL and 63% of those with a PVR of 100–199 mL at baseline had a PVR <50 mL at 2 years. Conclusion Over 10% of ambulatory older women may have a PVR ≥100 mL associated with increased risk of some urinary symptoms, but many with elevated PVR are asymptomatic, and elevations in PVR frequently resolve within 2 years. Symptom-guided management of urinary symptoms may be more appropriate than PVR-guided management in this population. PMID:21806559

  3. Psychometric properties of the Persian version of the Ambulatory Care Learning Educational Environment Measure (ACLEEM) questionnaire, Shiraz, Iran

    PubMed Central

    Parvizi, Mohammad Mahdi; Amini, Mitra; Dehghani, Mohammad Reza; Jafari, Peyman; Parvizi, Zahra

    2016-01-01

    Purpose Evaluation is the main component in design and implementation of educational activities and rapid growth of educational institution programs. Outpatient medical education and clinical training environment is one of the most important parts of training of medical residents. This study aimed to determine the validity and reliability of the Persian version of Ambulatory Care Learning Educational Environment Measure (ACLEEM) questionnaire, as an instrument for assessment of educational environments in residency medical clinics. Materials and methods This study was performed on 180 residents in Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran, in 2014–2015. The questionnaire designers’ electronic permission (by email) and the residents’ verbal consent were obtained before distributing the questionnaires. The study data were gathered using ACLEEM questionnaire developed by Arnoldo Riquelme in 2013. The data were analyzed using the SPSS statistical software, version 14, and MedCalc® software. Then, the construct validity, including convergent and discriminant validities, of the Persian version of ACLEEM questionnaire was assessed. Its internal consistency was also checked by Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. Results Five team members who were experts in medical education were consulted to test the cultural adaptation, linguistic equivalency, and content validity of the Persian version of the questionnaire. Content validity indexes were >0.9 in all items. In factor analysis of the instrument, the Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin index was 0.928 and Barlett’s sphericity test yielded the following results: X2=6,717.551, df =1,225, and P≤0.001. Besides, Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of ACLEEM questionnaire was 0.964. Cronbach’s alpha coefficients were also >0.80 in all the three domains of the questionnaire. Overall, the Persian version of ACLEEM showed excellent convergent validity and acceptable discriminant validity, except for the clinical training domain

  4. From Inpatient to Ambulatory Care: The Introduction of a Rapid Access Transient Ischaemic Attack Service.

    PubMed

    Maddula, Mohana; Adams, Laura; Donnelly, Jonathan

    2018-06-01

    Background : Transient Ischaemic Attacks (TIA) should be treated as a medical emergency. While high-risk TIAs have higher stroke risks than low-risk patients, there is an inherent limitation to this risk stratification, as some low-risk patients may have undiagnosed high-risk conditions. Inequity of care for TIA patients was observed, such that high-risk patients received urgent assessment through acute admission, while low-risk patients faced long waits for clinical consultation. A redesign of the TIA service was planned to offer timely assessment for all patients and avoid acute admission for high-risk patients. Methods : Service reconfiguration was undertaken to set up a daily weekday rapid access TIA clinic where patients would be assessed, investigated, and treated. Results : A re-audit of clinic performance showed a significant increase in the number of patients seen in the ages of 18 to 52. The median time from referral to clinical consultation improved from 10 days to 1. There were similar significant improvements seen in median time to brain imaging (from 10.5 days to 1), and carotid ultrasound (from 10 days to all scans being performed on the same day). Conclusions : The redesigned service achieved the objective of offering urgent assessment and investigations for all TIA patients, including low-risk patients, while avoiding the acute admission for high-risk patients. We share our experience of establishing a successful rapid access ambulatory service without any additional resources.

  5. Health information technology in ambulatory care in a developing country.

    PubMed

    Deimazar, Ghasem; Kahouei, Mehdi; Zamani, Afsane; Ganji, Zahra

    2018-02-01

    Physicians need to apply new technologies in ambulatory care. At present, with regard to the extended use of information technology in other departments in Iran it has yet to be considerably developed by physicians and clinical technicians in the health department. To determine the rate of use of health information technology in the clinics of specialist- and subspecialist physicians in Semnan city, Iran. This was a 2016 cross-sectional study conducted in physicians' offices of Semnan city in Iran. All physicians' offices in Semnan (130) were studied in this research. A researcher made and Likert-type questionnaire was designed, and consisted of two sections: the first section included demographic items and the second section consisted of four subscales (telemedicine, patient's safety, electronic patient record, and electronic communications). In order to determine the validity, the primary questionnaire was reviewed by one medical informatics- and two health information management experts from Semnan University of Medical Sciences. Utilizing the experts' suggestions, the questionnaire was rewritten and became more focused. Then the questionnaire was piloted on forty participants, randomly selected from different physicians' offices. Participants in the pilot study were excluded from the study. Cronbach's alpha was used to calculate the reliability of the instruments. Finally, SPSS version 16 was used to conduct descriptive and inferential statistics. The minimum mean related to the physicians' use of E-mail services for the purpose of communicating with the patients, the physicians' use of computer-aided diagnostics to diagnose the patients' illnesses, and the level of the physicians' access to the electronic medical record of patients in the other treatment centers were 2.01, 3.58, and 1.43 respectively. The maximum mean score was related to the physicians' use of social networks to communicate with other physicians (3.64). The study showed that the physicians

  6. Integrating teaching into routine outpatient care: The design and evaluation of an ambulatory training concept (HeiSA).

    PubMed

    Hundertmark, Jan; Apondo, Sandra Karina; Schultz, Jobst-Hendrik

    2018-01-01

    Background: Direct patient contact is crucial in learning important interactional and examination skills. However, medical students have limited opportunity to self-responsibly practise these skills in authentic clinical settings and typically receive insufficient feedback on their performance. We developed a novel single-session ambulatory teaching concept (Heidelberg Student Ambulatory training, "HeiSA") to prepare students more adequately for clinical-practical responsibilities. Methods: To identify challenges and target group needs, we reviewed current literature and consulted an expert group of faculty lecturers and training researchers. The resulting course concept was put into practice at the University Hospital's general-internistic outpatient department and evaluated in a pilot phase (winter term 2010, ten participants) and a main project phase (summer and winter terms 2011, 14 and 21 participants, respectively). Third and fourth-year students autonomously take a new patient's medical history and conduct a complete physical examination in one hour under supervision, followed by extensive preceptor feedback. To assess learning achievements, participants and a control group self-rated their communication and examination skills before and (participants only) after the session on six-point Likert scales (1=completely able, 6=completely unable). The preceptor also evaluated the participants' performance. Finally, all stakeholders re-evaluated the course concept. Results: HeiSA is a feasible training concept and accepted by staff members and students. It provides opportunities to practise clinical skills in a relevant, authentic learning environment with extensive feedback. Participants report improved anamnesis (0.27±0.51, p =.003) and physical examination (0.25±0.41, p =.008) skills. The preceptor evaluated students' performance to be generally high, with ratings ranging from 1.40±0.55 (item: the student does not interrupt the patient) to 2.51±0.89 (item

  7. Application of Porter's generic strategies in ambulatory health care: a comparison of managerial perceptions in two Israeli sick funds.

    PubMed

    Torgovicky, Refael; Goldberg, Avishay; Shvarts, Shifra; Bar Dayan, Yosefa; Onn, Erez; Levi, Yehezkel; BarDayan, Yaron

    2005-01-01

    A number of typologies have been developed in the strategic management literature to categorize strategies that an organization can pursue at the business level. Extensive research has established Porter's generic strategies of (1) cost leadership, (2) differentiation, (3) differentiation focus, (4) cost focus, and (5) stuck-in-the-middle as the dominant paradigm in the literature. The purpose of the current study was to research competitive strategies in the Israeli ambulatory health care system, by comparing managerial perceptions of present and ideal business strategies in two Israeli sick funds. We developed a unique research tool, which reliably examines the gap between the present and ideal status managerial views. We found a relation between the business strategy and performance measures, thus strengthening Porter's original theory about the nonviability of the stuck-in-the-middle strategy, and suggesting the applicability Porter's generic strategies to not-for-profit institutes in an ambulatory health care system.

  8. [Organization of palliative medicine in the clinic and ambulatory care].

    PubMed

    Jonen-Thielemann, I

    1998-01-01

    To describe the idea of palliative medicine and its forms of organization in the inpatient and outpatient sectors, and in particular to describe the projects for palliative medicine at the University of Cologne, specifying costs and the 1996 statistics of the palliative care unit. Palliative medicine comprises the alleviative treatment, nursing and accompaniment of the incurably ill in the far advanced stage of disease, including the physical, mental, psychic, spiritual and social domains. The underlying concept is "to live until you die" and dying in dignity at the natural end of life. Facilities for palliative medicine in the hospital: palliative care unit, palliative care sector, palliative care consultation service; forms of organization in the outpatient sector: home care service, domiciliary palliative care service and outpatient hospice; independent facilities: hospices-inpatient and part-inpatient. Costs of palliative treatment in the projects of the University of Cologne: palliative care unit: 457.33 DM for one patient per day, 12,092.20 DM average costs per patient admission in 1996 (n = 186); home care service: 200.00 DM flat rate per patient per day; inpatient hospice in Cologne-Heimersdorf: 300.00 DM for one patient per day (home care service and hospice entail additional costs for medical treatment, medication and nursing accessories). Palliative medicine is expensive; only a few patients have the benefit of this; relatives may suppose to be relieved of the burden of their responsibilities; however: the severely ill and dying patients of the hospital experience the best possible care at home or in a "family atmosphere"; gain in experience of palliative medicine and multiplier function, research; awaking our society to thoughts of their own hour of death and what comes after it.

  9. Assessing patient safety in Canadian ambulatory surgery facilities: A national survey

    PubMed Central

    Ahmad, Jamil; Ho, Olivia A; Carman, Wayne W; Thoma, Achilles; Lalonde, Donald H; Lista, Frank

    2014-01-01

    BACKGROUND: There has been increased interest regarding patient safety and standards of care in Canadian ambulatory surgery facilities where surgical procedures are performed. The Canadian Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgical Facilities (CAAASF) is a national organization formed to establish and maintain standards to ensure that surgical procedures conducted outside of public hospitals are performed safely. OBJECTIVE: To determine how many procedures are performed annually at CAAASF member sites, and to examine complication rates and several key patient safety practices. METHODS: All 69 facilities accredited by the CAAASF were surveyed. The survey focused on procedural data, complication rates and patient safety interventions. RESULTS: In 2010, 40,240 estimated procedures were performed. A total of 263 (0.007%) complications were reported. Sixteen (0.0004%) patients required reoperations in hospital and 19 (0.0004%) patients required transfer to hospital on the day of surgery. There were only two mortalities within 30 days of surgery reported in the past five years. With regard to patient safety practices, 93% used antimicrobial prophylaxis, 100% used strategies to maintain normothermia and 82% used measures for venous thromboembolism prevention. CONCLUSION: The present study is the first to report on the Canadian experience in ambulatory surgery facilities and provides insight into current practices at these facilities. Appropriate accreditation of ambulatory surgery facilities, well-established patient safety-related standards of care, careful patient selection and procedures performed by qualified health care professionals with appropriate certification practicing within the scope of their practice form the basis for safe and effective ambulatory surgery. PMID:25152645

  10. Validating a decision tree for serious infection: diagnostic accuracy in acutely ill children in ambulatory care.

    PubMed

    Verbakel, Jan Y; Lemiengre, Marieke B; De Burghgraeve, Tine; De Sutter, An; Aertgeerts, Bert; Bullens, Dominique M A; Shinkins, Bethany; Van den Bruel, Ann; Buntinx, Frank

    2015-08-07

    Acute infection is the most common presentation of children in primary care with only few having a serious infection (eg, sepsis, meningitis, pneumonia). To avoid complications or death, early recognition and adequate referral are essential. Clinical prediction rules have the potential to improve diagnostic decision-making for rare but serious conditions. In this study, we aimed to validate a recently developed decision tree in a new but similar population. Diagnostic accuracy study validating a clinical prediction rule. Acutely ill children presenting to ambulatory care in Flanders, Belgium, consisting of general practice and paediatric assessment in outpatient clinics or the emergency department. Physicians were asked to score the decision tree in every child. The outcome of interest was hospital admission for at least 24 h with a serious infection within 5 days after initial presentation. We report the diagnostic accuracy of the decision tree in sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratios and predictive values. In total, 8962 acute illness episodes were included, of which 283 lead to admission to hospital with a serious infection. Sensitivity of the decision tree was 100% (95% CI 71.5% to 100%) at a specificity of 83.6% (95% CI 82.3% to 84.9%) in the general practitioner setting with 17% of children testing positive. In the paediatric outpatient and emergency department setting, sensitivities were below 92%, with specificities below 44.8%. In an independent validation cohort, this clinical prediction rule has shown to be extremely sensitive to identify children at risk of hospital admission for a serious infection in general practice, making it suitable for ruling out. NCT02024282. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  11. Ambulatory oral surgery: 1-year experience with 11 680 patients from Zagreb district, Croatia

    PubMed Central

    Jokić, Dražen; Macan, Darko; Perić, Berislav; Tadić, Marinka; Biočić, Josip; Đanić, Petar; Brajdić, Davor

    2013-01-01

    Aim To examine the types and frequencies of oral surgery diagnoses and ambulatory oral surgical treatments during one year period at the Department of Oral Surgery, University Hospital Dubrava in Zagreb, Croatia. Methods Sociodemographic and clinical data on 11 680 ambulatory patients, treated between January 1 and of December 31, 2011 were retrieved from the hospital database using a specific protocol. The obtained data were subsequently analyzed in order to assess the frequency of diagnoses and differences in sex and age. Results The most common ambulatory procedure was tooth extraction (37.67%) and the most common procedure in ambulatory operating room was alveolectomy (57.25%). The test of proportions showed that significantly more extractions (P < 0.001) and intraoral incisions (P < 0.001) were performed among male patients, whereas significantly more alveolectomies and apicoectomies were performed among female patients (P < 0.001). A greater prevalence of periodontal disease was found in patients residing in Zagreb than in patients residing in rural areas. Conclusion The data from this study may be useful for planning of ambulatory oral surgery services, budgeting, and sustaining quality improvement, enhancing oral surgical curricula, training and education of primary health care doctors and oral surgery specialists, and promoting patients’ awareness of the importance of oral health. PMID:23444246

  12. A Model for Integrating Ambulatory Surgery Centers Into an Academic Health System Using a Novel Ambulatory Surgery Coordinating Council.

    PubMed

    Ishii, Lisa; Pronovost, Peter J; Demski, Renee; Wylie, Gill; Zenilman, Michael

    2016-06-01

    An increasing volume of ambulatory surgeries has led to an increase in the number of ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs). Some academic health systems have aligned with ASCs to create a more integrated care delivery system. Yet, these centers are diverse in many areas, including specialty types, ownership models, management, physician employment, and regulatory oversight. Academic health systems then face challenges in integrating these ASCs into their organizations. Johns Hopkins Medicine created the Ambulatory Surgery Coordinating Council in 2014 to manage, standardize, and promote peer learning among its eight ASCs. The Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality provided support and a model for this organization through its quality management infrastructure. The physician-led council defined a mission and created goals to identify best practices, uniformly provide the highest-quality patient-centered care, and continuously improve patient outcomes and experience across ASCs. Council members built trust and agreed on a standardized patient safety and quality dashboard to report measures that include regulatory, care process, patient experience, and outcomes data. The council addressed unintentional outcomes and process variation across the system and agreed to standard approaches to optimize quality. Council members also developed a process for identifying future goals, standardizing care practices and electronic medical record documentation, and creating quality and safety policies. The early success of the council supports the continuation of the Armstrong Institute model for physician-led quality management. Other academic health systems can learn from this model as they integrate ASCs into their complex organizations.

  13. Ambulatory vital signs in the workup of pulmonary embolism using a standardized 3-minute walk test.

    PubMed

    Amin, Qamar; Perry, Jeffrey J; Stiell, Ian G; Mohapatra, Subhra; Alsadoon, Abdulaziz; Rodger, Marc

    2015-05-01

    Diagnosing pulmonary embolism can be difficult given its highly variable clinical presentation. Our objective was to determine whether a decrease in oxygen saturation or an increase in heart rate while ambulating could be used as an objective tool in the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism. This was a two-site tertiary-care-centre prospective cohort study that enrolled adult emergency department or thrombosis clinic patients with suspected or newly confirmed pulmonary embolism. Patients were asked to participate in a standardized 3-minute walk test, which assessed ambulatory heart rate and ambulatory oxygen saturation. The primary outcome was pulmonary embolism. We enrolled 114 patients, including 30 with pulmonary embolism (26.3%). A ≥2% absolute decrease in ambulatory oxygen saturation and an ambulatory change in heart rate >10 beats per minute (BPM) were significantly associated with pulmonary embolism. An ambulatory heart rate change of >10 BPM had a sensitivity of 96.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 83.3 to 99.4) and a specificity of 31.0% (95% CI 22.1 to 45.0) for pulmonary embolism. A ≥2% absolute decrease ambulatory oxygen saturation had a sensitivity of 80.2% (95% CI 62.7 to 90.5) and a specificity of 39.3% (95% CI 29.5 to 50.0) for pulmonary embolism. The combination of both variables yielded a sensitivity of 100.0% (95% CI 87.0 to 100.0) and a specificity of 11.0% (95% CI 6.6 to 21.0). In summary, our study found that an ambulatory heart rate change of >10 BPM or a ≥2% absolute decrease in ambulatory oxygen saturation from baseline during a standardized 3-minute walk test are highly correlated with pulmonary embolism. Although the findings appear promising, neither of these variables can currently be recommended as a screening tool for pulmonary embolism until larger prospective studies examine their performance either alone or with pre-existing rules.

  14. Effect of a national primary care pay for performance scheme on emergency hospital admissions for ambulatory care sensitive conditions: controlled longitudinal study

    PubMed Central

    Harrison, Mark J; Dusheiko, Mark; Sutton, Matt; Gravelle, Hugh; Doran, Tim

    2014-01-01

    Objective To estimate the impact of a national primary care pay for performance scheme, the Quality and Outcomes Framework in England, on emergency hospital admissions for ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSCs). Design Controlled longitudinal study. Setting English National Health Service between 1998/99 and 2010/11. Participants Populations registered with each of 6975 family practices in England. Main outcome measures Year specific differences between trend adjusted emergency hospital admission rates for incentivised ACSCs before and after the introduction of the Quality and Outcomes Framework scheme and two comparators: non-incentivised ACSCs and non-ACSCs. Results Incentivised ACSC admissions showed a relative reduction of 2.7% (95% confidence interval 1.6% to 3.8%) in the first year of the Quality and Outcomes Framework compared with ACSCs that were not incentivised. This increased to a relative reduction of 8.0% (6.9% to 9.1%) in 2010/11. Compared with conditions that are not regarded as being influenced by the quality of ambulatory care (non-ACSCs), incentivised ACSCs also showed a relative reduction in rates of emergency admissions of 2.8% (2.0% to 3.6%) in the first year increasing to 10.9% (10.1% to 11.7%) by 2010/11. Conclusions The introduction of a major national pay for performance scheme for primary care in England was associated with a decrease in emergency admissions for incentivised conditions compared with conditions that were not incentivised. Contemporaneous health service changes seem unlikely to have caused the sharp change in the trajectory of incentivised ACSC admissions immediately after the introduction of the Quality and Outcomes Framework. The decrease seems larger than would be expected from the changes in the process measures that were incentivised, suggesting that the pay for performance scheme may have had impacts on quality of care beyond the directly incentivised activities. PMID:25389120

  15. New antithrombotic agents in the ambulatory setting.

    PubMed

    Gibbs, Neville M; Weightman, William M; Watts, Stephen A

    2014-12-01

    Many patients presenting for surgical or other procedures in an ambulatory setting are taking new antiplatelet or anticoagulant agents. This review assesses how the novel features of these new agents affect the management of antithrombotic therapy in the ambulatory setting. There have been very few studies investigating the relative risks of continuing or ceasing new antithrombotic agents. Recent reviews indicate that the new antithrombotic agents offer greater efficacy or ease of administration but are more difficult to monitor or reverse. They emphasize the importance of assessing the bleeding risk of the procedure, the thrombotic risk if the agent is ceased, and patient factors that increase the likelihood of bleeding. The timing of cessation of the agent, if required, depends on its pharmacokinetics and patients' bleeding risks. Patients at high risk of thrombotic complications may require bridging therapy. Once agreed upon, the perioperative plan should be made clear to all involved. As there are few clinical studies to guide management, clinicians must make rational decisions in relation to continuing or ceasing new antithrombotic agents. This requires knowledge of their pharmacokinetics, and a careful multidisciplinary assessment of the relative thrombotic and bleeding risks in individual patients.

  16. Optimizing the Design of Preprinted Orders for Ambulatory Chemotherapy: Combining Oncology, Human Factors, and Graphic Design

    PubMed Central

    Jeon, Jennifer; White, Rachel E.; Hunt, Richard G.; Cassano-Piché, Andrea L.; Easty, Anthony C.

    2012-01-01

    Purpose: To establish a set of guidelines for developing ambulatory chemotherapy preprinted orders. Methods: Multiple methods were used to develop the preprinted order guidelines. These included (A) a comprehensive literature review and an environmental scan; (B) analyses of field study observations and incident reports; (C) critical review of evidence from the literature and the field study observation analyses; (D) review of the draft guidelines by a clinical advisory group; and (E) collaboration with graphic designers to develop sample preprinted orders, refine the design guidelines, and format the resulting content. Results: The Guidelines for Developing Ambulatory Chemotherapy Preprinted Orders, which consist of guidance on the design process, content, and graphic design elements of ambulatory chemotherapy preprinted orders, have been established. Conclusion: Health care is a safety critical, dynamic, and complex sociotechnical system. Identifying safety risks in such a system and effectively addressing them often require the expertise of multiple disciplines. This study illustrates how human factors professionals, clinicians, and designers can leverage each other's expertise to uncover commonly overlooked patient safety hazards and to provide health care professionals with innovative, practical, and user-centered tools to minimize those hazards. PMID:23077436

  17. Optimizing the design of preprinted orders for ambulatory chemotherapy: combining oncology, human factors, and graphic design.

    PubMed

    Jeon, Jennifer; White, Rachel E; Hunt, Richard G; Cassano-Piché, Andrea L; Easty, Anthony C

    2012-03-01

    To establish a set of guidelines for developing ambulatory chemotherapy preprinted orders. Multiple methods were used to develop the preprinted order guidelines. These included (A) a comprehensive literature review and an environmental scan; (B) analyses of field study observations and incident reports; (C) critical review of evidence from the literature and the field study observation analyses; (D) review of the draft guidelines by a clinical advisory group; and (E) collaboration with graphic designers to develop sample preprinted orders, refine the design guidelines, and format the resulting content. The Guidelines for Developing Ambulatory Chemotherapy Preprinted Orders, which consist of guidance on the design process, content, and graphic design elements of ambulatory chemotherapy preprinted orders, have been established. Health care is a safety critical, dynamic, and complex sociotechnical system. Identifying safety risks in such a system and effectively addressing them often require the expertise of multiple disciplines. This study illustrates how human factors professionals, clinicians, and designers can leverage each other's expertise to uncover commonly overlooked patient safety hazards and to provide health care professionals with innovative, practical, and user-centered tools to minimize those hazards.

  18. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and skin infections among personnel at a pediatric clinic.

    PubMed

    Carpenter, L Rand; Kainer, Marion; Woron, Amy; Schaffner, William; Jones, Timothy F

    2008-11-01

    Ambulatory care visits for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections are increasing dramatically. We investigated a pediatric clinic worker's death caused by MRSA. Among 45 clinic personnel, 16 reported recent skin infections, and 4% were colonized with MRSA. Among 262 patients, 3.4% were colonized with MRSA. Standard precautions were inconsistently applied when treating skin infections. Eight (11%) of 71 environmental swipes contained S aureus. Health care workers in outpatient settings are increasingly exposed to substantial numbers of persons with MRSA, and infection control practices in the ambulatory care setting deserve reemphasis.

  19. Explanation of inequality in utilization of ambulatory care before and after universal health insurance in Thailand

    PubMed Central

    Yiengprugsawan, V; Carmichael, GA; Lim, LL-Y; Seubsman, S; Sleigh, AC

    2011-01-01

    Thailand implemented a Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS) of national health insurance in April 2001 to finance equitable access to health care. This paper compares inequalities in health service use before and after the UCS, and analyses the trend and determinants of inequality. The national Health and Welfare Surveys of 2001 and 2005 are used for this study. The concentration index for use of ambulatory care among the population reporting a recent illness is used as a measure of health inequality, decomposed into contributing demographic, socio-economic, geographic and health insurance determinants. As a result of the UCS, the uninsured group fell from 24% in 2001 to 3% in 2005 and health service patterns changed. Use of public primary health care facilities such as health centres became more concentrated among the poor, while use of provincial/general hospitals became more concentrated among the better-off. Decomposition analysis shows that the increasingly common use of health centres among the poor in 2005 was substantially associated with those with lower income, residence in the rural northeast and the introduction of the UCS. The increasing use of provincial/general hospitals and private clinics among the better-off in 2005 was substantially associated with the government and private employee insurance schemes. Although the UCS scheme has achieved its objective in increasing insurance coverage and utilization of primary health services, our findings point to the need for future policies to focus on the quality of this primary care and equitable referrals to secondary and tertiary health facilities when required. PMID:20736414

  20. Hospital ambulatory medicine: A leading strategy for Internal Medicine in Europe.

    PubMed

    Corbella, Xavier; Barreto, Vasco; Bassetti, Stefano; Bivol, Monica; Castellino, Pietro; de Kruijf, Evert-Jan; Dentali, Francesco; Durusu-Tanriöver, Mine; Fierbinţeanu-Braticevici, Carmen; Hanslik, Thomas; Hojs, Radovan; Kiňová, Soňa; Lazebnik, Leonid; Livčāne, Evija; Raspe, Matthias; Campos, Luis

    2018-04-13

    Addressing the current collision course between growing healthcare demands, rising costs and limited resources is an extremely complex challenge for most healthcare systems worldwide. Given the consensus that this critical reality is unsustainable from staff, consumer, and financial perspectives, our aim was to describe the official position and approach of the Working Group on Professional Issues and Quality of Care of the European Federation of Internal Medicine (EFIM), for encouraging internists to lead a thorough reengineering of hospital operational procedures by the implementation of innovative hospital ambulatory care strategies. Among these, we include outpatient and ambulatory care strategies, quick diagnostic units, hospital-at-home, observation units and daycare hospitals. Moving from traditional 'bed-based' inpatient care to hospital ambulatory medicine may optimize patient flow, relieve pressure on hospital bed availability by avoiding hospital admissions and shortening unnecessary hospital stays, reduce hospital-acquired complications, increase the capacity of hospitals with minor structural investments, increase efficiency, and offer patients a broader, more appropriate and more satisfactory spectrum of delivery options. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  1. [Certification of an ambulatory gastroenterologic service fulfilling ISO Law 9001--criteria and national guidelines of the Gastroenterologic Association].

    PubMed

    Birkner, B

    2000-09-01

    The objectives of certification and accreditation are the deployment and examination of quality improvement measures in health care services. The quality management system of the ISO 9001 is created to install measures and tools leading to assured and improved quality in health care. Only some experiences with certification fulfilling ISO 9001 criteria exist in the German health care system. Evidence-based clinical guidelines can serve as references for the development of standards in quality measurement. Only little data exists on the implementation strategy of guidelines and evaluation, respectively. A pilot quality management system in consistence with ISO 9001 criteria was developed for ambulatory, gastroenterological services. National guidelines of the German Society of Gastroenterology and Metabolism and the recommendations of the German Association of Physicians for quality assurance of gastrointestinal endoscopy were included in the documentation and internal auditing. This pilot quality management system is suitable for the first steps in the introduction of quality management in ambulatory health care. This system shows validity for accreditation and certification of gastrointestinal health care units as well.

  2. Special report. Twin Cities hospital breaks down ambulatory care, overcomes fears of outpatient care.

    PubMed

    1995-01-06

    With payers pushing for shorter hospital stays and outpatient services generating growing shares of hospitals' revenues, experts everywhere are projecting the end of the traditional inpatient-oriented hospital. Those predictions have triggered a scramble by many hospital managers to adapt their organizations and empty beds to the expected predominance of same-day services. One Minnesota facility that surveyed the outpatient trend, however, found that its strategic options weren't limited to becoming a jumbo-sized outpatient clinic, explain David Allen, a partner with The Chancellor Group, Bloomington, Minn., and Daniel Weber, vice president of Fairview Southdale Hospital, Edina, Minn., in this special report. By understanding the multidimensional nature of ambulatory services and focusing its efforts on becoming a regional hub of healthcare services, Fairview Southdale has carved its own niche in a changing provider market.

  3. Interior design for ambulatory care facilities: how to reduce stress and anxiety in patients and families.

    PubMed

    Frasca-Beaulieu, K

    1999-01-01

    The following article illustrates some important factors to consider when designing ambulatory care facilities (ACFs), and focuses on how wayfinding, noise control, privacy, security, color and lighting, general ambience, textures, and nature can have a profound influence on patient and family stress, consumer satisfaction, health and well-being. Other important design issues: convenience and accessibility, accommodation to various populations, consumer and family focus, patient education, image, as well as current equipment needs and future growth are examined in light of the prevailing trends in health care delivery. In sum, this feature explores the important stress-reducing and health-promoting elements involved in successful ACF design.

  4. From aviation to medicine: applying concepts of aviation safety to risk management in ambulatory care.

    PubMed

    Wilf-Miron, R; Lewenhoff, I; Benyamini, Z; Aviram, A

    2003-02-01

    The development of a medical risk management programme based on the aviation safety approach and its implementation in a large ambulatory healthcare organisation is described. The following key safety principles were applied: (1). errors inevitably occur and usually derive from faulty system design, not from negligence; (2). accident prevention should be an ongoing process based on open and full reporting; (3). major accidents are only the "tip of the iceberg" of processes that indicate possibilities for organisational learning. Reporting physicians were granted immunity, which encouraged open reporting of errors. A telephone "hotline" served the medical staff for direct reporting and receipt of emotional support and medical guidance. Any adverse event which had learning potential was debriefed, while focusing on the human cause of error within a systemic context. Specific recommendations were formulated to rectify processes conducive to error when failures were identified. During the first 5 years of implementation, the aviation safety concept and tools were successfully adapted to ambulatory care, fostering a culture of greater concern for patient safety through risk management while providing support to the medical staff.

  5. Hotel-based ambulatory care for complex cancer patients: a review of the University College London Hospital experience.

    PubMed

    Sive, Jonathan; Ardeshna, Kirit M; Cheesman, Simon; le Grange, Franel; Morris, Stephen; Nicholas, Claire; Peggs, Karl; Statham, Paula; Goldstone, Anthony H

    2012-12-01

    Since 2005, University College London Hospital (UCLH) has operated a hotel-based Ambulatory Care Unit (ACU) for hematology and oncology patients requiring intensive chemotherapy regimens and hematopoietic stem cell transplants. Between January 2005 and 2011 there were 1443 patient episodes, totaling 9126 patient days, with increasing use over the 6-year period. These were predominantly for hematological malignancy (82%) and sarcoma (17%). Median length of stay was 5 days (range 1-42), varying according to treatment. Clinical review and treatment was provided in the ACU, with patients staying in a local hotel at the hospital's expense. Admission to the inpatient ward was arranged as required, and there was close liaison with the inpatient team to preempt emergency admissions. Of the 523 unscheduled admissions, 87% occurred during working hours. An ACU/hotel-based treatment model can be safely used for a wide variety of cancers and treatments, expanding hospital treatment capacity, and freeing up inpatient beds for those patients requiring them.

  6. Infection Prevention and Control in Pediatric Ambulatory Settings.

    PubMed

    Rathore, Mobeen H; Jackson, Mary Anne

    2017-11-01

    Since the American Academy of Pediatrics published its statement titled "Infection Prevention and Control in Pediatric Ambulatory Settings" in 2007, there have been significant changes that prompted this updated statement. Infection prevention and control is an integral part of pediatric practice in ambulatory medical settings as well as in hospitals. Infection prevention and control practices should begin at the time the ambulatory visit is scheduled. All health care personnel should be educated regarding the routes of transmission and techniques used to prevent the transmission of infectious agents. Policies for infection prevention and control should be written, readily available, updated every 2 years, and enforced. Many of the recommendations for infection control and prevention from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for hospitalized patients are also applicable in the ambulatory setting. These recommendations include requirements for pediatricians to take precautions to identify and protect employees likely to be exposed to blood or other potentially infectious materials while on the job. In addition to emphasizing the key principles of infection prevention and control in this policy, we update those that are relevant to the ambulatory care patient. These guidelines emphasize the role of hand hygiene and the implementation of diagnosis- and syndrome-specific isolation precautions, with the exemption of the use of gloves for routine diaper changes and wiping a well child's nose or tears for most patient encounters. Additional topics include respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette strategies for patients with a respiratory tract infection, including those relevant for special populations like patients with cystic fibrosis or those in short-term residential facilities; separation of infected, contagious children from uninfected children when feasible; safe handling and disposal of needles and other sharp medical devices; appropriate use of personal

  7. Ambulatory Surgery Has Minimal Impact on Sleep Parameters: A Prospective Observational Trial.

    PubMed

    Hudson, Arlene J; Walter, Robert J; Flynn, John; Szpisjak, Dale F; Olsen, Cara; Rodgers, Matthew; Capaldi, Vincent F; McDuffie, Brent; Lettieri, Christopher J

    2018-04-15

    The presence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in ambulatory surgical patients causes significant perioperative concern; however, few data exist to guide clinicians' management decisions. The objective of this study was to measure changes in perioperative sleep parameters among an ambulatory surgery population. This study is a prospective, observational study of ambulatory patients undergoing orthopedic surgery on an extremity. Study subjects completed three unattended home sleep apnea tests: baseline before surgery, the first night after surgery (N1), and third night after surgery (N3). Anesthesia and surgical teams were blinded to study participation and patients received routine perioperative care. Two hundred three subjects were enrolled and 166 completed the baseline home sleep test. Sixty-six (40.0%) had OSA at baseline, 35 patients received a new diagnosis, and 31 patients had a previous diagnosis of OSA. Of those with a previous diagnosis, 20 (64.5%) were compliant with continuous positive airway pressure therapy. Respiratory event index and SpO 2 nadir did not significantly change postoperatively from baseline. Cumulative percentage of time oxygen saturation < 90% significantly increased N1 as compared to baseline for all patients except for those with moderate to severe OSA. Ambulatory surgery had minimal effect on sleep parameters and there was no increase in adverse events among patients with either treated or untreated OSA. Registry: ClinicalTrials.gov; Title: Evaluation of Sleep Disordered Breathing Following Ambulatory Surgery; Identifier: NCT01851798; URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/study/NCT01851798. © 2018 American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

  8. Impact of Diabetes Care by Pharmacists as Part of Health Care Team in Ambulatory Settings: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Fazel, Maryam T; Bagalagel, Alaa; Lee, Jeannie K; Martin, Jennifer R; Slack, Marion K

    2017-10-01

    To conduct a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analyses examining the impact of pharmacist interventions as part of health care teams on diabetes therapeutic outcomes in ambulatory care settings. PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, International Pharmaceutical Abstracts, Web of Science, Scopus, WHO's Global Health Library, ClinicalTrials.gov , and Google Scholar were searched (1995 to February 2017). Search terms included pharmacist, team, and diabetes. Full-text articles published in English with comparative designs, including randomized controlled trials, nonrandomized controlled trials, and pretest-posttest studies evaluating hemoglobin A 1C (A1C), were assessed. Two reviewers independently screened for study inclusion and extracted data. Quality of the studies was assessed using tools developed based on the framework of the Cochrane Collaboration's recommendations. A total of 1908 studies were identified from the literature and reference searches; 42 studies were included in the systematic review (n = 10 860) and 35 in the meta-analyses (n = 7417). Mean age ranged from 42 to 73 years, and 8% to 100% were male. The overall standardized mean difference (SMD) for A1C for pharmacist care versus comparison was 0.57 ( P < 0.01), a moderate effect representing a mean difference of 1.1% (95% CI = 0.88-1.27). The effects for systolic blood pressure and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were between small and moderate (SMD = 0.31 and 0.32; P < 0.01). The heterogeneity was high for all outcomes (>83%), indicating functional differences among the studies. No publication bias was detected. Pharmacists' interventions as part of the patient's health care team improved diabetes therapeutic outcomes, substantiating the important role of pharmacists in team-based diabetes management.

  9. Administrative Data Algorithms Can Describe Ambulatory Physician Utilization

    PubMed Central

    Shah, Baiju R; Hux, Janet E; Laupacis, Andreas; Zinman, Bernard; Cauch-Dudek, Karen; Booth, Gillian L

    2007-01-01

    Objective To validate algorithms using administrative data that characterize ambulatory physician care for patients with a chronic disease. Data Sources Seven-hundred and eighty-one people with diabetes were recruited mostly from community pharmacies to complete a written questionnaire about their physician utilization in 2002. These data were linked with administrative databases detailing health service utilization. Study Design An administrative data algorithm was defined that identified whether or not patients received specialist care, and it was tested for agreement with self-report. Other algorithms, which assigned each patient to a primary care and specialist physician, were tested for concordance with self-reported regular providers of care. Principal Findings The algorithm to identify whether participants received specialist care had 80.4 percent agreement with questionnaire responses (κ = 0.59). Compared with self-report, administrative data had a sensitivity of 68.9 percent and specificity 88.3 percent for identifying specialist care. The best administrative data algorithm to assign each participant's regular primary care and specialist providers was concordant with self-report in 82.6 and 78.2 percent of cases, respectively. Conclusions Administrative data algorithms can accurately match self-reported ambulatory physician utilization. PMID:17610448

  10. Health information technology in ambulatory care in a developing country

    PubMed Central

    Deimazar, Ghasem; Zamani, Afsane; Ganji, Zahra

    2018-01-01

    Background Physicians need to apply new technologies in ambulatory care. At present, with regard to the extended use of information technology in other departments in Iran it has yet to be considerably developed by physicians and clinical technicians in the health department. Objective To determine the rate of use of health information technology in the clinics of specialist- and subspecialist physicians in Semnan city, Iran. Methods This was a 2016 cross-sectional study conducted in physicians’ offices of Semnan city in Iran. All physicians’ offices in Semnan (130) were studied in this research. A researcher made and Likert-type questionnaire was designed, and consisted of two sections: the first section included demographic items and the second section consisted of four subscales (telemedicine, patient’s safety, electronic patient record, and electronic communications). In order to determine the validity, the primary questionnaire was reviewed by one medical informatics- and two health information management experts from Semnan University of Medical Sciences. Utilizing the experts’ suggestions, the questionnaire was rewritten and became more focused. Then the questionnaire was piloted on forty participants, randomly selected from different physicians’ offices. Participants in the pilot study were excluded from the study. Cronbach’s alpha was used to calculate the reliability of the instruments. Finally, SPSS version 16 was used to conduct descriptive and inferential statistics. Results The minimum mean related to the physicians’ use of E-mail services for the purpose of communicating with the patients, the physicians’ use of computer-aided diagnostics to diagnose the patients’ illnesses, and the level of the physicians’ access to the electronic medical record of patients in the other treatment centers were 2.01, 3.58, and 1.43 respectively. The maximum mean score was related to the physicians’ use of social networks to communicate with other

  11. PS1-10: How Can the Same Practice Be Classified as Having 2 and 900 MDs? NAMCS Data Collection in a Changing Ambulatory Care Environment

    PubMed Central

    Halley, Meghan; Gillespie, Katherine; Rendle, Katharine; Luft, Harold

    2014-01-01

    Background/Aims Since 1973, the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS), administered by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) has been widely used in studies of ambulatory care. With the growth in large multispecialty practices – including many members of the HMORN – there is a need to understand how NAMCS data are collected and whether current processes yield accurate and reliable data. NAMCS collects data from physicians about their practices and abstracts a sample of patient visit records. This study reports on the physician component. Methods In collaboration with NCHS, nine physicians were randomly sampled from a multispecialty clinic using standard NAMCS recruitment procedures; eight physicians were eligible and agreed to participate. Using their standard protocols, three Field Representatives (FRs) conducted NAMCS physician interviews while a trained ethnographer (MH, KR) observed and audio-recorded each interview. Transcripts and field notes were analyzed using a grounded theory approach to identify key themes. Results Data have been collected and analyzed. They are currently undergoing standard confidentiality review by NCHS. However, this process has been delayed due to the government shutdown. We fully anticipate that results will be released in time for presentation at the HMORN conference. Conclusions Though we are precluded from disseminating results at this time, we will provide a full report of our results in our HMORN conference presentation.

  12. Baseline Characteristics and Outcomes of Older Adults Seeking Care in Ambulatory Urgent Care Clinics.

    PubMed

    Reyes, Bernardo J; Lopez, Javier M; Galindo, Diana J; Briceno, Maria; Ouslander, Joseph G

    2017-12-01

    To determine the most common clinical conditions associated with older adults visiting Urgent care centers (UCCs) and the potential need for further resource use. Cross-sectional retrospective study. Nonprofit academic medical center with campuses and multiple satellite offices in Ohio and Florida. Individuals aged 55 and older who visited UCCs between August 2014 and March 2015 (N = 9,445; average age 63.1 ± 10.1, 64% female). Of those, 2,445 had at least one encounter within the same healthcare system within 30 days after the index visit and were included in our final analysis. 30-day ED visits and hospitalizations. Of the 2,445 patients, 578 (23.6%) visited the emergency department (ED) or were hospitalized, 974 (39.8%) returned to the UCC, and 895 (63.4%) visited their primary care physician's office. A significantly higher proportion (38.4%, n = 68/177) of individuals aged 85 and older visited the ED or were hospitalized within 30 days (P < .010) than of those younger than 65 (20.0%, n = 273/1,367). Diabetes mellitus (odds ratio (OR) = 1.73, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.40-2.15, P < .001), coronary artery disease or cerebrovascular disease (OR = 2.45 CI 1.95-3.09, P < .001), chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder or asthma (OR = 1.57, 95% CI = 1.23-2.01, P < .001), polypharmacy (OR = 1.45, 95% CI = 1.18-1.78, P = .004), and cognitive impairment (OR = 2.74, 95% CI = 1.74-4.31, P < .010) were associated with higher rates of ED visits or hospitalizations within 30 days of the UCC visit. Older adults (especially those aged ≥85) and those with conditions such as polypharmacy and dementia are at higher risk of being hospitalized or visit the ED after seeking care at UCCs than younger adults and those without these conditions. © 2017, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2017, The American Geriatrics Society.

  13. Implementation of a medication reconciliation process in an ambulatory internal medicine clinic

    PubMed Central

    Nassaralla, Claudia L; Naessens, James M; Chaudhry, Rajeev; Hansen, Melanie A; Scheitel, Sidna M

    2007-01-01

    Objective To evaluate the causes of medication list inaccuracy, implement intervention to enhance overall accuracy of medication lists and measure the sustainability of the intervention. Methods A prospective study of patients seen in an academic, ambulatory primary care internal medicine clinic. Before the intervention, baseline data were analysed, assessing completeness of medication documentation in the electronic medical record. The intervention consisted of standardising the entire visit process from scheduling of the appointment to signing of the final clinical note by the physician. Each healthcare team member was instructed in her role to enhance accuracy of the documented medication list. Immediately after the intervention, a second data collection was undertaken to assess the effectiveness of the intervention on the accuracy of individual medications and medication lists. Finally, a year later, a third data collection was undertaken to assess the sustainability of the intervention. Results Completeness of individual medications improved from 9.7% to 70.7% (p<0.001). However, completeness of the entire medication lists improved only from 7.7% to 18.5%. The incomplete documentation of medication lists was mostly due to lack of route (85.8%) and frequency (22.3%) for individual medications within a medication list. Also, documentation of over‐the‐counter and “as needed” medications was often incomplete. The incorrectness in a medication list was mostly due to misreporting of medications by patients or failure of clinicians to update the medication list when changes were made. Conclusion To improve the accuracy of medication lists, active participation of all members of the healthcare team and the patient is needed. PMID:17403752

  14. Ibuprofen timing for hand surgery in ambulatory care

    PubMed Central

    Giuliani, Enrico; Bianchi, Anna; Marcuzzi, Augusto; Landi, Antonio; Barbieri, Alberto

    2015-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of pre-operative administration of ibuprofen on post-operative pain control vs. early post-operative administration for hand surgery procedures performed under local anaesthesia in ambulatory care. METHODS: Candidates to trigger finger release by De Quervain tenosynovitis and carpal tunnel operation under local anesthesia were enrolled in the study. Group A received 400 mg ibuprofen before the operation and placebo after the procedure; group B received placebo before the operation and ibuprofen 400 mg at the end of the procedure; both groups received ibuprofen 400 mg every 6h thereafter. Visual analogue scale (VAS) was measured at fixed times before and every 6h after surgery, for a total follow-up of 18h. RESULTS: Groups were similar according to age, gender and type of surgery. Median VAS values did not produce any statistical significance, while there was a statistically significant difference on pre-operative and early post-operative VAS values between groups (A -8.53 mm vs. B 3.36 mm, p=0.0085). CONCLUSION: Average pain levels were well controlled by local anesthesia and post-operative ibuprofen analgesia. Pre-operative ibuprofen administration can contribute to improve early pain management. Level of Evidence II, Therapeutic Studies. PMID:26327799

  15. Measuring safety culture in the ambulatory setting: the safety attitudes questionnaire--ambulatory version.

    PubMed

    Modak, Isitri; Sexton, J Bryan; Lux, Thomas R; Helmreich, Robert L; Thomas, Eric J

    2007-01-01

    Provider attitudes about issues pertinent to patient safety may be related to errors and adverse events. We know of no instruments that measure safety-related attitudes in the outpatient setting. To adapt the safety attitudes questionnaire (SAQ) to the outpatient setting and compare attitudes among different types of providers in the outpatient setting. We modified the SAQ to create a 62-item SAQ-ambulatory version (SAQ-A). Patient care staff in a multispecialty, academic practice rated their agreement with the items using a 5-point Likert scale. Cronbach's alpha was calculated to determine reliability of scale scores. Differences in SAQ-A scores between providers were assessed using ANOVA. Of the 409 staff, 282 (69%) returned surveys. One hundred ninety (46%) surveys were included in the analyses. Cronbach's alpha ranged from 0.68 to 0.86 for the scales: teamwork climate, safety climate, perceptions of management, job satisfaction, working conditions, and stress recognition. Physicians had the least favorable attitudes about perceptions of management while managers had the most favorable attitudes (mean scores: 50.4 +/- 22.5 vs 72.5 +/- 19.6, P < 0.05; percent with positive attitudes 18% vs 70%, respectively). Nurses had the most positive stress recognition scores (mean score 66.0 +/- 24.0). All providers had similar attitudes toward teamwork climate, safety climate, job satisfaction, and working conditions. The SAQ-A is a reliable tool for eliciting provider attitudes about the ambulatory work setting. Attitudes relevant to medical error may differ among provider types and reflect behavior and clinic operations that could be improved.

  16. Area-level poverty is associated with greater risk of ambulatory-care-sensitive hospitalizations in older breast cancer survivors.

    PubMed

    Schootman, Mario; Jeffe, Donna B; Lian, Min; Deshpande, Anjali D; Gillanders, William E; Aft, Rebecca; Sumner, Walton

    2008-12-01

    To estimate the frequency of ambulatory care-sensitive hospitalizations (ACSHs) and to compare the risk of ACSH in breast cancer survivors living in high-poverty with that of those in low-poverty areas. Prospective, multilevel study. National, population-based 1991 to 1999 National Cancer Institute Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program data linked with Medicare claims data throughout the United States. Breast cancer survivors aged 66 and older. ACSH was classified according to diagnosis at hospitalization. The percentage of the population living below the U.S. federal poverty line was calculated at the census-tract level. Potential confounders included demographic characteristics, comorbidity, tumor and treatment factors, and availability of medical care. Of 47,643 women, 13.3% had at least one ACSH. Women who lived in high-poverty census tracts (>or=30% poverty rate) were 1.5 times (95% confidence interval (CI)=1.34-1.72) as likely to have at least one ACSH after diagnosis as women who lived in low-poverty census tracts (<10% poverty rate). After adjusting for most confounders, results remained unchanged. After adjustment for comorbidity, the hazard ratio (HR) was reduced to 1.34 (95% CI=1.18-1.52), but adjusting for all variables did not further reduce the risk of ACSH associated with poverty rate beyond adjustment for comorbidity (HR=1.37, 95% CI=1.19-1.58). Elderly breast cancer survivors who lived in high-poverty census tracts may be at increased risk of reduced posttreatment follow-up care, preventive care, or symptom management as a result of not having adequate, timely, and high-quality ambulatory primary care as suggested by ACSH.

  17. Patient satisfaction with ambulatory care in Germany: effects of patient- and medical practice-related factors.

    PubMed

    Auras, Silke; Ostermann, Thomas; de Cruppé, Werner; Bitzer, Eva-Maria; Diel, Franziska; Geraedts, Max

    2016-12-01

    The study aimed to illustrate the effect of the patients' sex, age, self-rated health and medical practice specialization on patient satisfaction. Secondary analysis of patient survey data using multilevel analysis (generalized linear mixed model, medical practice as random effect) using a sequential modelling strategy. We examined the effects of the patients' sex, age, self-rated health and medical practice specialization on four patient satisfaction dimensions: medical practice organization, information, interaction, professional competence. The study was performed in 92 German medical practices providing ambulatory care in general medicine, internal medicine or gynaecology. In total, 9888 adult patients participated in a patient survey using the validated 'questionnaire on satisfaction with ambulatory care-quality from the patient perspective [ZAP]'. We calculated four models for each satisfaction dimension, revealing regression coefficients with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for all independent variables, and using Wald Chi-Square statistic for each modelling step (model validity) and LR-Tests to compare the models of each step with the previous model. The patients' sex and age had a weak effect (maximum regression coefficient 1.09, CI 0.39; 1.80), and the patients' self-rated health had the strongest positive effect (maximum regression coefficient 7.66, CI 6.69; 8.63) on satisfaction ratings. The effect of medical practice specialization was heterogeneous. All factors studied, specifically the patients' self-rated health, affected patient satisfaction. Adjustment should always be considered because it improves the comparability of patient satisfaction in medical practices with atypically varying patient populations and increases the acceptance of comparisons. © The Author 2016. 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

  18. Use of continuous ambulatory infusions of concentrated subcutaneous (s.q.) hydromorphone versus intravenous (i.v.) morphine: cost implications for palliative care.

    PubMed

    Fudin, J; Smith, H S; Toledo-Binette, C S; Kenney, E; Yu, A B; Boutin, R

    2000-01-01

    Health care practitioners are increasingly under pressure to curtail spending while trying to deliver excellent patient care. These issues are also affecting palliative care, particularly now that palliative care programs are expanding. A comparison of cost-effectiveness and feasibility of using continuous subcutaneous (s.q.) ambulatory infusion of hydromorphone versus intravenous (i.v.) ambulatory morphine is illustrated in this study. With the high doses of morphine required in chronic cancer pain, the use of subcutaneous morphine is not feasible due to the volume of solution required to be delivered. Hydromorphone can be prepared in concentrated solutions enabling it to be delivered by the subcutaneous route. Morphine stability data are available. However, hydromorphone stability has only been verified for seven days; thus, stability data were needed post-seven days. Concentrations of 10 mg/ml, 20 mg/ml, 50 mg/ml, and 100 mg/ml, in 0.9 percent normal saline or dextrose 5 percent water, were analyzed via high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) at seven and 28 days. Cost comparisons of supplies and associated costs with subcutaneous versus intravenous solutions were obtained. Hydromorphone was found to be stable for 28 days in both dilutants. Cost analysis of a hydromorphone 28-day supply resulted in substantial savings over the equivalent costs of morphine infusions.

  19. Spinal Muscular Atrophy Biomarker Measurements from Blood Samples in a Clinical Trial of Valproic Acid in Ambulatory Adults

    PubMed Central

    Renusch, Samantha R.; Harshman, Sean; Pi, Hongyang; Workman, Eileen; Wehr, Allison; Li, Xiaobai; Prior, Thomas W.; Elsheikh, Bakri H.; Swoboda, Kathryn J.; Simard, Louise R.; Kissel, John T.; Battle, Daniel; Parthun, Mark R.; Freitas, Michael A.; Kolb, Stephen J.

    2015-01-01

    Abstract Background: Clinical trials of therapies for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) that are designed to increase the expression the SMN protein ideally include careful assessment of relevant SMN biomarkers. Objective: In the SMA VALIANT trial, a recent double-blind placebo-controlled crossover study of valproic acid (VPA) in ambulatory adult subjects with SMA, we investigated relevant pharmacodynamic biomarkers in blood samples from SMA subjects by direct longitudinal measurement of histone acetylation and SMN mRNA and protein levels in the presence and absence of VPA treatment. Methods: Thirty-three subjects were randomized to either VPA or placebo for the first 6 months followed by crossover to the opposite arm for an additional 6 months. Outcome measures were compared between the two treatments (VPA and placebo) using a standard crossover analysis. Results: A significant increase in histone H4 acetylation was observed with VPA treatment (p = 0.005). There was insufficient evidence to suggest a treatment effect with either full length or truncated SMN mRNA transcript levels or SMN protein levels. Conclusions: These measures were consistent with the observed lack of change in the primary clinical outcome measure in the VALIANT trial. These results also highlight the added benefit of molecular and pharmacodynamic biomarker measurements in the interpretation of clinical trial outcomes. PMID:27858735

  20. An Interactive Ambulatory Nephrology Curriculum for Internal Medicine Interns: Design, Implementation, and Participant Feedback.

    PubMed

    Gomez, Alexis C; Warburton, Karen M; Miller, Rachel K; Negoianu, Dan; Cohen, Jordana B

    2017-09-01

    While diminishing nephrology fellow recruitment is a known issue, more work is needed to evaluate possible interventions to reverse this trend. We designed and implemented a curriculum to increase exposure to ambulatory nephrology among internal medicine interns. The curriculum focused on key aspects of outpatient nephrology practice, including supervised clinic visits, formal themed didactic content, and an online interactive forum with assigned evidence-based readings and small-group responses to relevant cases. We obtained postcourse surveys from all participating interns. Of the 43 interns who took part in the first year of the ambulatory nephrology curriculum, 100% reported a positive didactic experience and 91% reported a positive interactive online experience. 77% reported an improvement in their familiarity with clinical nephrology practice (median 2-point increase in familiarity score on a 7-point scale, P<0.001 by signed rank testing). Qualitative feedback included praise for the high-yield topics covered by the lectures and energizing teachers. In conclusion, we successfully implemented an ambulatory nephrology curriculum using a framework that integrated formal didactics, interactive online learning, and key clinical components of outpatient nephrology care. Future investigation will evaluate whether early implementation of this curriculum is associated with increased pursuit of nephrology as a career. Copyright © 2017 National Kidney Foundation, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. How Do Precepting Physicians Select Patients for Teaching Medical Students in the Ambulatory Primary Care Setting?

    PubMed Central

    Simon, Steven R; Davis, Darlene; Peters, Antoinette S; Skeff, Kelley M; Fletcher, Robert H

    2003-01-01

    OBJECTIVE To study how clinical preceptors select patients for medical student teaching in ambulatory care and to explore key factors they consider in the selection process. DESIGN Qualitative analysis of transcribed interviews. SETTING Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass. PARTICIPANTS Nineteen physicians (14 general internists and 5 general pediatricians) who serve as clinical preceptors. MEASUREMENTS Responses to in-depth open-ended interview regarding selection of patients for participation in medical student teaching. MAIN RESULTS Preceptors consider the competing needs of the patient, the student, and the practice the most important factors in selecting patients for medical student teaching. Three dominant themes emerged: time and efficiency, educational value, and the influence of teaching on the doctor-patient relationship. These physicians consciously attempt to select patients whose participation in medical student teaching maximizes the efficiency of the clinical practice and optimizes the students' educational experiences, while minimizing any potential for harming the relationship between preceptor and patient. CONCLUSIONS These findings may help validate the frustration preceptors frequently feel in their efforts to teach in the outpatient setting. Becoming more cognizant of the competing interests—the needs of the patient, the student, and the practice—may help physicians to select patients to enhance the educational experience without compromising efficiency or the doctor-patient relationship. For educators, this study suggests an opportunity for faculty development programs to assist the clinical preceptor both in selecting patients for medical student teaching and in finding ways to maximize the efficiency and educational quality of the outpatient teaching environment. PMID:12950482

  2. [Travel times of patients to ambulatory care physicians in Germany].

    PubMed

    Schang, Laura; Kopetsch, Thomas; Sundmacher, Leonie

    2017-12-01

    The time needed by patients to get to a doctor's office represents an important indicator of realised access to care. In Germany, findings on travel times are only available from surveys or for some regions. For the first time, this study examines nationwide and physician group-specific travel times in the ambulatory care sector in Germany and describes demographic, supply-side and spatial determinants of variations. Using a full review of patient consultations in the statutory health insurance system from 2009/2010 for 14 physician groups (approximately 518 million cases), case-related travel times by car between patients' places of residence and physician's practices were estimated at the municipal level. Physicians were reached in less than 30 min in 90.8% of cases for primary care physicians and up to 63% of cases for radiologists. Patients between 18 and under 30 years of age travel longer to get to the doctor than other age groups. The average travel time at the county level systematically differs between urban and rural planning areas. In the case of gynecologists, dermatologists and ophthalmologists, the average journey time decreases with increasing physician density at the county level, but remains approximately constant from a recognisable point of inflection. There is no association between primary care physician density and travel time at the district level. Spatial analyses show physician group-specific patterns of regional concentrations with an increased proportion of cases with very long travel times. Patients' travel times are influenced by supply- and demand-side determinants. Interactions between influential determinants should be analysed in depth to examine the extent to which the time travelled is an expression of regional under- or over-supply rather than an expression of patient preferences.

  3. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring: Is 24 hours necessary?

    PubMed

    Vornovitsky, Michael; McClintic, Benjamin R; Beck, G Ronald; Bisognano, John D

    2013-01-01

    The variability of blood pressure (BP) makes any single measurement a poor indicator of a patient's true BP. Multiple studies have confirmed the superiority of ambulatory BP measurements over clinic BP measurements in predicting cardiovascular risk; however, this method presents the problem of patient acceptance as it causes frequent arm discomfort and sleep disturbance. We hypothesized that 6 h of daytime BP measurements would result in slightly higher BP readings, yet reveal similar clinical decision making when compared to 24 h of BP measurements. The source for writing this article was a retrospective analysis of 30 patients who underwent ambulatory BP monitoring. Data obtained included: age, sex, ethnicity, baseline medical problems, medications, laboratory values, reason given for ordering 24-h ambulatory BP measurements, ambulatory BP measurements, and a subsequent decision to change medication. The average BP of the 24-h measurements was 127/75 mm Hg and the average BP of the 6-h daytime measurements was 131/79 mm Hg (SD 15, p = 0.009). Twenty-six out of 30 patients were at goal or pre-hypertensive. Two out of 30 patients had stage 1 hypertension and 2 out of 30 patients had stage 2 hypertension. Thirteen out of 30 patients had nocturnal dipping. Twelve out of 30 patients had a change in medication, but those changes were not associated with the presence or absence of nocturnal dipping (p = 0.5) or other factors beyond mean BP. Although there was a statistically significant, 4 mm Hg systolic difference between 24-h and 6-h average BP readings, there was no evidence that this difference led to changes in clinical management. The presence or absence of nocturnal dipping was not associated with a change in medication. We conclude that 6-h daytime ambulatory BP measurements provide sufficient information to guide clinical decision making without the problems of patient acceptance, arm discomfort, and sleep disturbance associated with 24-h BP measurements.

  4. From aviation to medicine: applying concepts of aviation safety to risk management in ambulatory care

    PubMed Central

    Wilf-Miron, R; Lewenhoff, I; Benyamini, Z; Aviram, A

    2003-01-01

    

 The development of a medical risk management programme based on the aviation safety approach and its implementation in a large ambulatory healthcare organisation is described. The following key safety principles were applied: (1) errors inevitably occur and usually derive from faulty system design, not from negligence; (2) accident prevention should be an ongoing process based on open and full reporting; (3) major accidents are only the "tip of the iceberg" of processes that indicate possibilities for organisational learning. Reporting physicians were granted immunity, which encouraged open reporting of errors. A telephone "hotline" served the medical staff for direct reporting and receipt of emotional support and medical guidance. Any adverse event which had learning potential was debriefed, while focusing on the human cause of error within a systemic context. Specific recommendations were formulated to rectify processes conducive to error when failures were identified. During the first 5 years of implementation, the aviation safety concept and tools were successfully adapted to ambulatory care, fostering a culture of greater concern for patient safety through risk management while providing support to the medical staff. PMID:12571343

  5. Surveillance of Physicians Causing Potential Drug-Drug Interactions in Ambulatory Care: A Pilot Study in Switzerland

    PubMed Central

    Bucher, Heiner C.; Achermann, Rita; Stohler, Nadja; Meier, Christoph R.

    2016-01-01

    Objectives We analysed potential drug-drug interactions (DDI) in ambulatory care in Switzerland based on claims data from three large health insurers in 2010 to identify physicians with peculiar prescription behaviour differing from peers of the same specialty. Methods We analysed contraindicated or potentially contraindicated DDI from the national drug formulary and calculated for each physician the ratios of the number of patients with a potential DDI divided by the number of patients at risk and used a zero inflated binomial distribution to correct for the inflated number of observations with no DDI. We then calculated the probability that the number of caused potential DDI of physicians was unlikely (p-value < 0.05 and ≥0.01) and very unlikely (p-value <0.01) to be due to chance. Results Of 1'607'233 females and 1'525'307 males 1.3% and 1.2% were exposed to at least one potential DDI during 12 months. When analysing the 40 most common DDI, 598 and 416 of 18,297 physicians (3.3% and 2.3%) were causing potential DDI in a frequency unlikely (p<0.05 and p≥0.01) and very unlikely (p<0.01) to be explained by chance. Patients cared by general practitioners and cardiologists had the lowest probability (0.20 and 0.26) for not being exposed to DDI. Conclusions Contraindicated or potentially contraindicated DDI are frequent in ambulatory care in Switzerland, with a small proportion of physicians causing potential DDI in a frequency that is very unlikely to be explained by chance when compared to peers of the same specialty. PMID:26808430

  6. Ambulatory laparoscopic minor hepatic surgery: Retrospective observational study.

    PubMed

    Gaillard, M; Tranchart, H; Lainas, P; Tzanis, D; Franco, D; Dagher, I

    2015-11-01

    Over the last decade, laparoscopic hepatic surgery (LHS) has been increasingly performed throughout the world. Meanwhile, ambulatory surgery has been developed and implemented with the aims of improving patient satisfaction and reducing health care costs. The objective of this study was to report our preliminary experience with ambulatory minimally invasive LHS. Between 1999 and 2014, 172 patients underwent LHS at our institution, including 151 liver resections and 21 fenestrations of hepatic cysts. The consecutive series of highly selected patients who underwent ambulatory LHS were included in this study. Twenty patients underwent ambulatory LHS. Indications were liver cysts in 10 cases, liver angioma in 3 cases, focal nodular hyperplasia in 3 cases, and colorectal hepatic metastasis in 4 cases. The median operative time was 92 minutes (range: 50-240 minutes). The median blood loss was 35 mL (range: 20-150 mL). There were no postoperative complications or re-hospitalizations. All patients were hospitalized after surgery in our ambulatory surgery unit, and were discharged 5-7 hours after surgery. The median postoperative pain score at the time of discharge was 3 (visual analogue scale: 0-10; range: 0-4). The median quality-of-life score at the first postoperative visit was 8 (range: 6-10) and the median cosmetic satisfaction score was 8 (range: 7-10). This series shows that, in selected patients, ambulatory LHS is feasible and safe for minor hepatic procedures. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  7. The Ambulatory Long-Block: An Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Educational Innovations Project (EIP)

    PubMed Central

    Schauer, Daniel P.; Diers, Tiffiny; Mathis, Bradley R.; Neirouz, Yvette; Boex, James R.; Rouan, Gregory W.

    2008-01-01

    Introduction Historical bias toward service-oriented inpatient graduate medical education experiences has hindered both resident education and care of patients in the ambulatory setting. Aim Describe and evaluate a residency redesign intended to improve the ambulatory experience for residents and patients. Setting Categorical Internal Medicine resident ambulatory practice at the University of Cincinnati Academic Health Center. Program Description We created a year-long continuous ambulatory group-practice experience separated from traditional inpatient responsibilities called the long block as an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Educational Innovations Project. The practice adopted the Chronic Care Model and residents received extensive instruction in quality improvement and interprofessional teams. Program Evaluation The long block was associated with significant increases in resident and patient satisfaction as well as improvement in multiple quality process and outcome measures. Continuity and no-show rates also improved. Discussion An ambulatory long block can be associated with improvements in resident and patient satisfaction, quality measures, and no-show rates. Future research should be done to determine effects of the long block on education and patient care in the long term, and elucidate which aspects of the long block most contribute to improvement. PMID:18612718

  8. Primary health care quality and hospitalizations for ambulatory care sensitive conditions in the public health system in Porto Alegre, Brazil.

    PubMed

    Gonçalves, Marcelo Rodrigues; Hauser, Lisiane; Prestes, Isaías Valente; Schmidt, Maria Inês; Duncan, Bruce Bartholow; Harzheim, Erno

    2016-06-01

    To investigate the relation of hospitalization for ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSC) with the quality of public primary care health services in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Cohort study constructed by probabilistic record linkage performed from August 2006 to December 2011 in a population ≥18 years of age that attended public primary care health services. The Primary Care Assessment Tool (PCATool-Brazil) was used for evaluation of primary care services. Of 1200 subjects followed, 84 were hospitalized for primary care sensitive conditions. The main causes of ACSC hospital admissions were cardiovascular (40.5%) and respiratory (16.2%) diseases. The PCATool average score was 5.3, a level considerably below that considered to represent quality care. After adjustment through Cox proportional hazard modelling for covariates, >60 years of age [hazard ratio (HR): 1.13; P = 0.001), lesser education (HR: 0.66; P = 0.02), ethnicity other than white (HR: 1.77; P = 0.01) and physical inactivity (HR: 1.65; P = 0.04) predicted hospitalization, but higher quality of primary health care did not. Better quality of health care services, in a setting of overwhelmingly low quality services not adapted to the care of chronic conditions, did not influence the rate of avoidable hospitalizations, while social and demographic characteristics, especially non-white ethnicity and lesser schooling, indicate that social inequities play a predominant role in health outcomes. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  9. Ambulatory or home measurement of blood pressure?

    PubMed

    Gosse, Philippe; Coulon, Paul

    2009-04-01

    Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) and home blood pressure (HBPM) monitoring have been shown to be superior to conventional measurement of blood pressure in terms of reproducibility, relationship to the impact of high blood pressure on target organs, and the prediction of cardiovascular events. Nevertheless, these 2 techniques have yet to find their place in the diagnosis of hypertension and during evaluation of the efficacy of antihypertensive treatment. Although these 2 methods do not give identical results in approximately 20% of cases, their diagnostic performance and prognostic value are quite comparable. Although ABPM remains a valuable tool in clinical research, its utilization in routine clinical practice is limited by cost and availability. HBPM is increasingly employed for informed and well-managed patients, and it can help to improve control of the patient's blood pressure. Physicians involved in the management of hypertensive patients should be aware of its value in order to assist patients in their care.

  10. Impact of pharmacist interventions on cost avoidance in an ambulatory cancer center.

    PubMed

    Randolph, Laura A; Walker, Cheri K; Nguyen, Ann T; Zachariah, Subi R

    2018-01-01

    Objective To provide a foundation to justify the presence of a full-time clinical pharmacist in the ambulatory cancer center in addition to an existing centralized pharmacist through cost avoidance calculation and patient and staff satisfaction surveys. Methods The prospective, pilot study took place in an ambulatory cancer center over four weeks in 2014. Cost avoidance values were assigned to interventions performed by a pharmacy resident, who was present in the ambulatory cancer center during clinic hours, along with a centralized oncology pharmacist routinely working with the cancer center. Anonymous patient and staff satisfaction surveys based on a 5-point Likert scale were distributed to assess the perceived benefit of a pharmacist located in the ambulatory cancer center. Results Data collection took place over approximately one month. After evaluation of 962 interventions from both pharmacists, the estimated cost avoidance was US$282,741 per pharmacist per year, yielding a net benefit of US$138,441. The most common interventions made by the resident included chemotherapy regimen review (n = 290, 69%) and patient counseling (n = 102, 24%), while the majority of the centralized pharmacist's interventions was chemotherapy regimen review (n = 525, 97%). Results from the anonymous patient and staff surveys revealed an overall positive perception of the pharmacy resident while in the ambulatory cancer center. Conclusion A full-time clinical pharmacist in an ambulatory cancer center is both financially beneficial and positively perceived by patients and staff.

  11. Parents' satisfaction with pediatric ambulatory anesthesia in northeast of Thailand.

    PubMed

    Boonmak, Suhattaya; Boonmak, Polpun; Pothiruk, Kittawan; Hoontanee, Nattakhan

    2009-12-01

    Study the satisfaction of parents with ambulatory anesthesia and associated factors, including characteristics of the patients and their parents. This was a prospective, descriptive, observation study. The authors included children who were scheduled for ambulatory anesthetic service between birth and 14 years of age and attended at Srinagarind Hospital, Khon Kaen, Thailand. The authors excluded patients whose parents could not be reached by telephone. Before anesthesia, the authors recorded the patients and parents' characteristics, level of information perception (pre-, peri- and post-anesthesia and complications). After anesthesia, the anesthesia technique and any complications were recorded. The day after anesthesia, the authors made phone calls to the patients to record the parents' satisfaction score (viz, of overall, pre-, peri- and post-anesthesia care, and information about the level of patient care at home), and any anesthesia related complications. Ninety-two patients and their parents were included in the present study. Overall parents 'satisfaction with the anesthesia service was 96.7% (i.e., 89/92) (95% CI 90.8-99.3). Parents' satisfaction with pre- and peri-anesthesia care was 100% (95% CI 96.1-100) and 97.9% (95% CI 92.4-99.7), respectively. Parents' satisfaction with the PACU care and information of patient care at home was 96.7% (95% CI 90.8-99.3) and 91.3% (95% CI 83.6-96.2), respectively. Associated factors where parents were dissatisfied included PACU care satisfaction (i.e., relative risk 22.5 (95% CI 3.2-158)) and patient care information at home (i.e., relative risk 13.3 (95% CI 1.3-136.0)). The present study showed a high level of parents' satisfaction. Parents' dissatisfaction associated with PACU care and information about post anesthesia care at home. Additionally information on parents' characteristics provides invaluable data for improving pediatric ambulatory anesthesia in Srinagarind Hospital.

  12. Very poor agreement between routine outpatient clinic office and ambulatory blood pressure: time to improve an old hospital outpatient clinic routine?

    PubMed

    Reinhard, Mark; Poulsen, Per L; Christensen, Kent L

    2016-12-01

    We investigated the agreement between elevated outpatient clinic office blood pressure (OC-OBP) as measured in the daily routine in our University Hospital Cardiology Outpatient Clinic and subsequent awake ambulatory blood pressure (AABP). In all patients referred for ambulatory blood pressure monitoring from our Cardiology Outpatient Clinic, we identified OC-OBP and changes in medication in the period from 1 January 2014 to 15 September 2015. The AABP was used as a reference measurement for the OC-OBP. A total of 183 patients were included in the study. Their mean age was 62.1±14.0 years and 49% were women. The mean systolic OC-OBP was 166.8±17.9 mmHg and the difference between the mean systolic OC-OBP and AABP was 28.0±19.5 mmHg (P<0.001) with 95% limits of agreement from -10.2 to +66.3 mmHg. The difference in mean systolic OC-OBP and AABP was 18.6±14.7 mmHg in patients less than 45 years (n=21), 24.8±18.2 mmHg in patients 45-74 years (n=121) and 42.3±18.5 mmHg in patients more than or equal to 75 years (n=41). In 32 (17%) of the patients, the antihypertensive treatment was intensified before the AABP, but in nine (28%) of these patients, the antihypertensive treatment was reduced again after the AABP because of low blood pressure. Routine OC-OBP in a busy cardiology clinic agrees poorly with AABP and may lead to unnecessary treatment and pharmacologically induced symptomatic hypotension, particularly in elderly patients. The results of this study urgently call for alternative solutions to routine OC-OBP in hospital outpatient clinics.

  13. [The scope and structure of ambulatory polyclinic visits of physicians in the Russian Federation in 2009-2011].

    PubMed

    Schepin, V O; Mirgorodskaya, O V

    2013-01-01

    The article presents the results of structural functional analysis of public statistic data concerning the appealability of population the Russian Federation for ambulatory polyclinic care in health institutions of Minzdrav of Russia in 2009-2011. The study was targeted to identify the institutions, the volume, the specialists, the groups of population and purpose of provided medical care. It is demonstrated that during three years the significant differences in volume and structure of ambulatory polyclinic care used per capita between adults and children, urban and rural residents still are present. This is an indication of different degree of need and availability of this kind of medical care. It is noted that in ambulatory polyclinic institutions the specialized medical care is provided mainly on the occasion of diseases. This situation is not fully in line with present conceptions of targets of this stage of medical care provision.

  14. Improving patient experience in a pediatric ambulatory clinic: a mixed method appraisal of service delivery.

    PubMed

    Soeteman, Marijn; Peters, Vera; Busari, Jamiu O

    2015-01-01

    In 2013, customer satisfaction surveys showed that patients were unhappy with the services provided at our ambulatory clinic. In response, we performed an appraisal of our services, which resulted in the development of a strategy to reduce waiting time and improve quality of service. Infrastructural changes to our clinic's waiting room, consultation rooms, and back offices were performed, and schedules were redesigned to reduce wait time to 10 minutes and increase consultation time to 20 minutes. Our objective was to identify if this would improve 1) accessibility to caregivers and 2) quality of service and available amenities. We conducted a multi-method survey using 1) a patient flow analysis to analyze the flow of service and understand the impact of our interventions on patient flow and 2) specially designed questionnaires to investigate patients' perceptions of our wait time and how to improve our services. The results showed that 79% of our respondents were called in to see a doctor within 20 minutes upon arrival. More patients (55%) felt that 10-20 minutes was an acceptable wait time. We also observed a perceived increase in satisfaction with wait time (94%). Finally, a large number of patients (97%) were satisfied with the quality of service and with the accessibility to caregivers (94%). The majority of our patients were satisfied with the accessibility to our ambulatory clinics and with the quality of services provided. The appraisal of our operational processes using a patient flow analysis also demonstrated how this strategy could effectively be applied to investigate and improve quality of service in patients.

  15. Clinical Characteristics of Proper Robot-Assisted Gait Training Group in Non-ambulatory Subacute Stroke Patients

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Soo Jeong; Lee, Hye Jin; Hwang, Seung Won; Pyo, Hannah; Yang, Sung Phil; Lim, Mun-Hee; Park, Gyu Lee

    2016-01-01

    Objective To identify the clinical characteristics of proper robot-assisted gait training group using exoskeletal locomotor devices in non-ambulatory subacute stroke patients. Methods A total of 38 stroke patients were enrolled in a 4-week robotic training protocol (2 sessions/day, 5 times/week). All subjects were evaluated for their general characteristics, Functional Ambulatory Classification (FAC), Fugl-Meyer Scale (FMS), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Modified Rankin Scale (MRS), Modified Barthel Index (MBI), and Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE) at 0, 2, and 4 weeks. Statistical analysis were performed to determine significant clinical characteristics for improvement of gait function after robot-assisted gait training. Results Paired t-test showed that all functional parameters except MMSE were improved significantly (p<0.05). The duration of disease and baseline BBS score were significantly (p<0.05) correlated with FAC score in multiple regression models. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve showed that a baseline BBS score of '9' was a cutoff value (AUC, 0.966; sensitivity, 91%–100%; specificity, 85%). By repeated-measures ANOVA, the differences in improved walking ability according to time were significant between group of patients who had baseline BBS score of '9' and those who did not have baseline BBS score of '9' Conclusion Our results showed that a baseline BBS score above '9' and a short duration of disease were highly correlated with improved walking ability after robot-assisted gait training. Therefore, baseline BBS and duration of disease should be considered clinically for gaining walking ability in robot-assisted training group. PMID:27152266

  16. Ambulatory surgery center market share and rates of outpatient surgery in the elderly.

    PubMed

    Hollenbeck, Brent K; Hollingsworth, John M; Dunn, Rodney L; Zaojun Ye; Birkmeyer, John D

    2010-12-01

    Relative to outpatient surgery in hospital settings, ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) are more efficient and associated with a lower cost per case. However, these facilities may also spur higher overall procedure utilization and thus lead to greater overall health care costs. The authors used the State Ambulatory Surgery Database from the State of Florida to identify Medicare-aged patients undergoing 4 common ambulatory procedures in 2006, including knee arthroscopy, cystoscopy, cataract removal, and colonoscopy. Hospital service areas (HSAs) were characterized according to ASC market share, that is, the proportion of residents undergoing outpatient surgery in these facilities. The authors then examined relationships between ASC market share and rates of each procedure. Age-adjusted rates of ambulatory surgery ranged from 190.5 cases per 1000 to 320.8 cases per 1000 in HSAs with low and high ASC market shares, respectively (P < .01). For all 4 procedures, adjusted rates of procedures were significantly higher in HSAs with the highest ASC market share. The greatest difference, both in relative and absolute terms, was observed for patients undergoing cystoscopy. In areas of high ASC market share, the age-adjusted rate of cystoscopy was nearly 3-fold higher than in areas with low ASC market share (34.5 vs 11.9 per 1000 population; P < .01). The presence of an ASC is associated with higher utilization of common outpatient procedures in the elderly. Whether ASCs are meeting unmet clinical demand or spurring overutilization is not clear.

  17. An Australian casemix classification for palliative care: technical development and results.

    PubMed

    Eagar, Kathy; Green, Janette; Gordon, Robert

    2004-04-01

    To develop a palliative care casemix classification for use in all settings including hospital, hospice and home-based care. 3866 palliative care patients who, in a three-month period, had 4596 episodes of care provided by 58 palliative care services in Australia and New Zealand. A detailed clinical and service utilization profile was collected on each patient with staff time and other resources measured on a daily basis. Each day of care was costed using actual cost data from each study site. Regression tree analysis was used to group episodes of care with similar costs and clinical characteristics. In the resulting classification, the Australian National Sub-acute and Non-acute Patient (AN-SNAP) Classification Version 1, the branch for classifying inpatient palliative care episodes (including hospice care) has 11 classes and explains 20.98% of the variance in inpatient palliative care phase costs using trimmed data. There are 22 classes in the ambulatory palliative care branch that explains 17.14% variation in ambulatory phase cost using trimmed data. The term 'subacute' is used in Australia to describe health care in which the goal--a change in functional status or improvement in quality of life--is a better predictor of the need for, and the cost of, care than the patient's underlying diagnosis. The results suggest that phase of care (stage of illness) is the best predictor of the cost of Australian palliative care. Other predictors of cost are functional status and age. In the ambulatory setting, symptom severity and the model of palliative care are also predictive of cost. These variables are used in the AN-SNAP Version 1 classification to create 33 palliative care classes. The classification has clinical meaning but the overall statistical performance is only moderate. The structure of the classification allows for it to be improved over time as models of palliative care service delivery develop.

  18. Role of Ambulatory and Home Blood Pressure Monitoring in Clinical Practice: A Narrative Review

    PubMed Central

    Shimbo, Daichi; Abdalla, Marwah; Falzon, Louise; Townsend, Raymond R.; Muntner, Paul

    2015-01-01

    Hypertension, a common cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factor, is usually diagnosed and treated based on blood pressure readings obtained in the clinic setting. Blood pressure may differ considerably when measured in the clinic versus outside of the clinic setting. Over the past several decades, evidence has accumulated on two approaches for measuring out-of-clinic blood pressure: ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) and home blood pressure monitoring (HBPM). Blood pressure measures on ABPM and HBPM each have a stronger association with CVD outcomes than clinic blood pressure. Controversy exists whether ABPM or HBPM is superior for estimating CVD risk, and under what circumstances these methods should be used in clinical practice for assessing out-of-clinic blood pressure. This review describes ABPM and HBPM procedures, the blood pressure phenotypic measures that can be ascertained, and the evidence that supports the use of each approach to measure out-of-clinic blood pressure. This review also describes barriers to the successful implementation of ABPM and HBPM in clinical practice, proposes core competencies for the conduct of these procedures, and highlights important areas for future research. PMID:26457954

  19. Using secure messaging to update medications list in ambulatory care setting.

    PubMed

    Raghu, T S; Frey, Keith; Chang, Yu-Hui; Cheng, Meng-Ru; Freimund, Sharon; Patel, Asha

    2015-10-01

    This study analyzed patient adoption of secure messaging to update medication list in an ambulatory care setting. The objective was to establish demographic differences between users and non-users of secure messaging for medications list update. Efficiency of secure messaging for the updates was compared to fax and telephone based updates. The study used a retrospective, cross-sectional study of patient medical records and pharmacy call logs at Mayo Clinic, Arizona from December 2012 to May 2013, approximately one year after organizing a pharmacy call center for medication updates. A subgroup analysis during a 2-week period was used to measure time to complete update. Main dependent variable is the frequency of medication list updates over the study duration. Technician time required for the update was also utilized. A total of 22,495 outpatient visits were drawn and 18,702 unique patients were included in the primary analysis. A total of 402 unique patients were included in sub-group analysis. Secure message response rate (49.5%) was statistically significantly lower than that for phone calls (54.8%, p<0.001). Time to complete the update was significantly higher for faxed medication lists (Wilcoxon rank-sum tests, p<0.001) when compared to those for secure message or phone. Around 50% of the patients respond to medication update requests before office visit when contacted using phone calls and secure messages. Given the demographic differences between users and non-users of patient portal, mixed mode communication with patients is likely to be the norm for the foreseeable future in outpatient settings. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

  20. Improving Timely Resident Follow-Up and Communication of Results in Ambulatory Clinics Utilizing a Web-Based Audit and Feedback Module.

    PubMed

    Boggan, Joel C; Swaminathan, Aparna; Thomas, Samantha; Simel, David L; Zaas, Aimee K; Bae, Jonathan G

    2017-04-01

    Failure to follow up and communicate test results to patients in outpatient settings may lead to diagnostic and therapeutic delays. Residents are less likely than attending physicians to report results to patients, and may face additional barriers to reporting, given competing clinical responsibilities. This study aimed to improve the rates of communicating test results to patients in resident ambulatory clinics. We performed an internal medicine, residency-wide, pre- and postintervention, quality improvement project using audit and feedback. Residents performed audits of ambulatory patients requiring laboratory or radiologic testing by means of a shared online interface. The intervention consisted of an educational module viewed with initial audits, development of a personalized improvement plan after Phase 1, and repeated real-time feedback of individual relative performance compared at clinic and program levels. Outcomes included results communicated within 14 days and prespecified "significant" results communicated within 72 hours. A total of 76 of 86 eligible residents (88%) reviewed 1713 individual ambulatory patients' charts in Phase 1, and 73 residents (85%) reviewed 1509 charts in Phase 2. Follow-up rates were higher in Phase 2 than Phase 1 for communicating results within 14 days and significant results within 72 hours (85% versus 78%, P  < .001; and 82% versus 70%, P  = .002, respectively). Communication of "significant" results was more likely to occur via telephone, compared with communication of nonsignificant results. Participation in a shared audit and feedback quality improvement project can improve rates of resident follow-up and communication of results, although communication gaps remained.

  1. Ambulatory orthopaedic surgery patients' knowledge with internet-based education.

    PubMed

    Heikkinen, Katja; Leino-Kilpi, H; Salanterä, S

    2012-01-01

    There is a growing need for patient education and an evaluation of its outcomes. The aim of this study was to compare ambulatory orthopaedic surgery patients' knowledge with Internet-based education and face-to-face education with a nurse. The following hypothesis was proposed: Internet-based patient education (experiment) is as effective as face-to-face education with a nurse (control) in increasing patients' level of knowledge and sufficiency of knowledge. In addition, the correlations of demographic variables were tested. The patients were randomized to either an experiment group (n = 72) or a control group (n = 75). Empirical data were collected with two instruments. Patients in both groups showed improvement in their knowledge during their care. Patients in the experiment group improved their knowledge level significantly more in total than those patients in the control group. There were no differences in patients' sufficiency of knowledge between the groups. Knowledge was correlated especially with patients' age, gender and earlier ambulatory surgeries. As a conclusion, positive results concerning patients' knowledge could be achieved with the Internet-based education. The Internet is a viable method in ambulatory care.

  2. Echo and BNP serial assessment in ambulatory heart failure care: Data on loop diuretic use and renal function.

    PubMed

    Dini, Frank Lloyd; Simioniuc, Anca; Carluccio, Erberto; Ghio, Stefano; Rossi, Andrea; Biagioli, Paolo; Reboldi, Gianpaolo; Galeotti, Gian Giacomo; Lu, Fei; Zara, Cornelia; Whalley, Gillian; Temporelli, Pier Luigi

    2016-12-01

    We compared the follow-up data on loop diuretic use and renal function, as assessed by serum creatinine levels, and the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), of two groups of consecutive ambulatory HF patients: 1) the clinically-guided group, in which management was clinically driven based on the institutional protocol of the HF Unit of the Cardiovascular and Thoracic Department of Pisa (standard of care) and 2) the echo and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) guided group (patients conforming to the protocol of the Network Labs Ultrasound (NEBULA) in HF Study Group: Pisa, Perugia, Pavia; Verona, Auckland, and Veruno), in which therapy was delivered according to the serial assessment of BNP and echocardiography. Patients whose follow-up was based on standard of care had a significant higher prevalence of worsening renal function, that was likely related to higher diuretic dosages, whilst, a better management of renal function was observed in the echo-BNP-guided group. The data is related to "Echo and natriuretic peptide guided therapy improves outcome and reduces worsening renal function in systolic heart failure: An observational study of 1137 outpatients" (A. Simioniuc, E. Carluccio, S. Ghio, A. Rossi, P. Biagioli, G. Reboldi, G.G. Galeotti, F. Lu, C. Zara, G. Whalley, P.G. Temporelli, F.L. Dini, 2016; K.J. Harjai, H.K. Dinshaw, E. Nunez, M. Shah, H. Thompson, T. Turgut, H.O. Ventura, 1999; A. Ahmed, A. Husain, T.E. Love, G. Gambassi, L.J. Dell׳Italia, G.S. Francis, M. Gheorghiade, R.M. Allman, S. Meleth, R.C. Bourge, 2006) [1], [2], [3].

  3. Clinical care costing method for the Clinical Care Classification System.

    PubMed

    Saba, Virginia K; Arnold, Jean M

    2004-01-01

    To provide a means for calculating the cost of nursing care using the Clinical Care Classification System (CCCS). Three CCCS indicators of care components, actions, and outcomes in conjunction with Clinical Care Pathways (CCPs). The cost of patient care is based on the type of action time multiplied by care components and nursing costs. The CCCM for the CCCS makes it possible to measure and cost out clinical practice. The CCCM may be used with CCPs in the electronic patient medical record. The CCPs make it easy to track the clinical nursing care across time, settings, population groups, and geographical locations. Collected data may be used many times, allowing for improved documentation, analysis, and costing out of care.

  4. The treatment of smoking by US physicians during ambulatory visits: 1994 2003.

    PubMed

    Thorndike, Anne N; Regan, Susan; Rigotti, Nancy A

    2007-10-01

    We sought to determine whether US physicians' practice patterns in treating tobacco use at ambulatory visits improved over the past decade with the appearance of national clinical practice guidelines, new smoking cessation medications, and public reporting of physician performance in counseling smokers. We compared data from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, an annual survey of a random sample of office visits to US physicians, between 1994-1996 and 2001-2003. Physicians identified patients' smoking status at 68% of visits in 2001-2003 versus 65% in 1994-1996 (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=1.16; 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.04, 1.30). Physicians counseled about smoking at 20% of smokers' visits in 2001-2003 versus 22% in 1994-1996 (AOR=0.84; 95% CI=0.71, 0.99). In both time periods, smoking cessation medication use was low (<2% of smokers' visits) and visits with counseling for smoking were longer than those without such counseling (P<.005). In the past decade, there has been a small increase in physicians' rates of patients' smoking status identification and a small decrease in rates of counseling smokers. This lack of progress may reflect barriers in the US health care environment, including limited physician time to provide counseling.

  5. Managed care penetration and other factors affecting computerized physician order entry in the ambulatory setting.

    PubMed

    Menachemi, Nir; Ford, Eric W; Chukmaitov, Askar; Brooks, Robert G

    2006-12-01

    To estimate the current uses level of ambulatory computerized physician order entry (A-CPOE) among physicians and to examine the relationship of managed care penetration as well as other market and practice characteristics to use of A-CPOE by physicians. This study uses both primary and secondary data sources. The primary data source was a large-scale survey of physicians' use of information technologies in Florida. Secondary data on managed care penetration were obtained from the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration, and other market-level data were extracted from the area resource file. A hierarchical logistic regression model was used to examine the correlation of county-level and practice-level characteristics with physicians' self-reported use of A-CPOE systems. Overall, 1360 physicians (32.4%) indicated use of an A-CPOE system. Findings suggest that 1% more managed care penetration was associated with 2.1% lower use of A-CPOE (P = .003). Additionally, practice size, multispecialty affiliation, and primary care practice were significantly and positively correlated with the use of A-CPOE. Physician age was negatively associated with A-CPOE use. Managed care organizations may experience significant financial savings from A-CPOE use by physicians; however, managed care penetration in a community negatively affects A-CPOE use among physicians in their practices. Further study regarding the causal nature of this association is warranted.

  6. Prescription Drug Shortages: Implications for Ambulatory Pediatrics.

    PubMed

    Donnelly, Katie A; Zocchi, Mark S; Katy, Tamara A; Fox, Erin R; van den Anker, John N; Mazer-Amirshahi, Maryann E

    2018-05-08

    To describe contemporary drug shortages affecting general ambulatory pediatrics. Data from January 2001 to December 2015 were obtained from the University of Utah Drug Information Service. Two pediatricians reviewed drug shortages and identified agents used in ambulatory pediatrics. Shortage data were analyzed by the type of drug, formulation, reason for shortage, duration, marketing status, if a pediatric friendly-formulation was available, or if it was a single-source product. The availability of an alternative, and whether that alternative was affected by a shortage, also was noted. Of 1883 products in shortage during the study period, 314 were determined to be used in ambulatory pediatrics. The annual number of new pediatric shortages decreased initially but then increased to a high of 38 in 2011. Of the 314 pediatric shortages, 3.8% were unresolved at the end of the study. The median duration of resolved shortages was 7.6 months. The longest shortage was for ciprofloxacin 500-mg tablets. The most common class involved was infectious disease drugs. Pediatric-friendly dosage forms were affected in 19.1% of shortages. An alternative agent was available for 86% drugs; however, 29% of these also were affected. The most common reason for shortage was manufacturing problems. Drug shortages affected a substantial number of agents used in general ambulatory pediatrics. Shortages for single-source products are a concern if a suitable alternative is unavailable. Providers working in the ambulatory setting must be aware of current shortages and implement mitigation strategies to optimize patient care. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. The role of the clinical nurse specialist/neonatal nurse practitioner in a breastfeeding clinic: a model of advanced practice.

    PubMed

    Gibbins, S A; Green, P E; Scott, P A; MacDonell, J W

    2000-03-01

    A commitment to quality health care requires the development of innovative models of care. An example of such a model is the Clinical Nurse Specialist/Neonatal Nurse Practitioner in the role as consultant to Lactation Consultants in a large breastfeeding clinic. The role of the Clinical Nurse Specialist/Neonatal Nurse Practitioner in this ambulatory setting encompasses all the dimensions of the advanced practice model including research, leadership, education, and clinical practice. The evolution of this model of care is described. A conceptual framework of this advanced practice model is presented, supported by examples of the role in the clinic.

  8. An Ambulatory Medical Education Program for Internal Medicine Residents.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wones, Robert G.; And Others

    1987-01-01

    An ambulatory medicine program for university hospital clinic residents was found to be effective in improving students' knowledge, enhancing attitudes toward the clinic, and improving performance of influenza vaccinations. No adverse program effects were found. (MSE)

  9. Ambulatory urodynamic studies (UDS) in children using a Bluetooth-enabled device.

    PubMed

    Deshpande, Aniruddh V; Craig, Jonathan C; Caldwell, Patrina H Y; Smith, Grahame H H

    2012-12-01

    • To report the early observations of using ambulatory urodynamic studies (UDS) using a Bluetooth-enabled device in children • To evaluate the incremental value of ambulatory over conventional UDS. • Ambulatory UDS were performed in selected children with voiding dysfunction between August 2009 and October 2010. • Conventional UDS were concurrently performed wherever possible. • The test results and treatment consequences of the two tests were compared. • In all, 12 ambulatory and seven conventional UDS were performed on 10 children (five boys, median [range] age 7 [4-16] years). • Six of the seven children had a normal conventional UDS. Ambulatory UDS detected phasic detrusor overactivity (DO) in five children and generalised DO in one. • Direct correlation of symptoms to DO was possible in two children during ambulatory UDS. Pressure rise during filling, seen in two children on conventional UDS, was not seen during ambulatory UDS. • Five children showed clinical improvement when therapy was guided by ambulatory UDS results. • Ambulatory UDS was generally well tolerated in eight children, with two complaining of discomfort. Inadequate information was obtained in two children who underwent ambulatory UDS due to technical problems in one and distress induced by the UDS in the other. • Ambulatory UDS provides useful additional information over conventional UDS and can be used to guide further therapy in selected children with voiding dysfunction. • It is safe and well tolerated in children. • There is a need for explicit guidance for the technical delivery and interpretation of ambulatory UDS in children. © 2012 THE AUTHORS. BJU INTERNATIONAL © 2012 BJU INTERNATIONAL.

  10. The development and use of a new methodology to reconstruct courses of admission and ambulatory care based on the Danish National Patient Registry.

    PubMed

    Gubbels, Sophie; Nielsen, Kenn Schultz; Sandegaard, Jakob; Mølbak, Kåre; Nielsen, Jens

    2016-11-01

    The Danish National Patient Registry (DNPR) contains clinical and administrative data on all patients treated in Danish hospitals. The data model used for reporting is based on standardized coding of contacts rather than courses of admissions and ambulatory care. To reconstruct a coherent picture of courses of admission and ambulatory care, we designed an algorithm with 28 rules that manages transfers between departments, between hospitals and inconsistencies in the data, e.g., missing time stamps, overlaps and gaps. We used data from patients admitted between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2014. After application of the DNPR algorithm, we estimated an average of 1,149,616 courses of admission per year or 205 hospitalizations per 1000 inhabitants per year. The median length of stay decreased from 1.58days in 2010 to 1.29days in 2014. The number of transfers between departments within a hospital increased from 111,576 to 176,134 while the number of transfers between hospitals decreased from 68,522 to 61,203. We standardized a 28-rule algorithm to relate registrations in the DNPR to each other in a coherent way. With the algorithm, we estimated 1.15 million courses of admissions per year, which probably reflects a more accurate estimate than the estimates that have been published previously. Courses of admission became shorter between 2010 and 2014 and outpatient contacts longer. These figures are compatible with a cost-conscious secondary healthcare system undertaking specialized treatment within a hospital and limiting referral to advanced services at other hospitals. Copyright © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  11. Development and testing of a tool for assessing and resolving medication-related problems in older adults in an ambulatory care setting: the individualized medication assessment and planning (iMAP) tool.

    PubMed

    Crisp, Ginny D; Burkhart, Jena Ivey; Esserman, Denise A; Weinberger, Morris; Roth, Mary T

    2011-12-01

    Medication is one of the most important interventions for improving the health of older adults, yet it has great potential for causing harm. Clinical pharmacists are well positioned to engage in medication assessment and planning. The Individualized Medication Assessment and Planning (iMAP) tool was developed to aid clinical pharmacists in documenting medication-related problems (MRPs) and associated recommendations. The purpose of our study was to assess the reliability and usability of the iMAP tool in classifying MRPs and associated recommendations in older adults in the ambulatory care setting. Three cases, representative of older adults seen in an outpatient setting, were developed. Pilot testing was conducted and a "gold standard" key developed. Eight eligible pharmacists consented to participate in the study. They were instructed to read each case, make an assessment of MRPs, formulate a plan, and document the information using the iMAP tool. Inter-rater reliability was assessed for each case, comparing the pharmacists' identified MRPs and recommendations to the gold standard. Consistency of categorization across reviewers was assessed using the κ statistic or percent agreement. The mean κ across the 8 pharmacists in classifying MRPs compared with the gold standard was 0.74 (range, 0.54-1.00) for case 1 and 0.68 (range, 0.36-1.00) for case 2, indicating substantial agreement. For case 3, percent agreement was 63% (range, 40%-100%). The mean κ across the 8 pharmacists when classifying recommendations compared with the gold standard was 0.87 (range, 0.58-1.00) for case 1 and 0.88 (range, 0.75-1.00) for case 2, indicating almost perfect agreement. For case 3, percent agreement was 68% (range, 40%-100%). Clinical pharmacists found the iMAP tool easy to use. The iMAP tool provides a reliable and standardized approach for clinical pharmacists to use in the ambulatory care setting to classify MRPs and associated recommendations. Future studies will explore the

  12. Prophylaxis for mucositis induced by ambulatory chemotherapy: systematic review.

    PubMed

    Manzi, Natália de Melo; Silveira, Renata Cristina de Campos Pereira; dos Reis, Paula Elaine Diniz

    2016-04-01

    The aim of this study was to perform a systematic review of clinical trials covering interventions used as prophylaxis for oral mucositis induced by ambulatory antineoplastic chemotherapy. Oral mucositis in patients undergoing chemotherapy is a side effect that can impact the quality of treatment and can interfere with eating and therapeutic adherence. Quantitative systematic review. Relevant databases were searched, from January 2002-July 2013, by using the combination of the keywords mucositis, stomatitis, neoplasms, antineoplastic agents, drug therapy, prevention and control and chemotherapy. Two researchers independently read the titles and abstracts from every cross-reference. The quality of the included studies was analysed by the Jadad Scale and the Cochrane Collaboration Risk of Bias Tool. Data were extracted from the selected studies with a data collection form developed specifically for this purpose. Of the 23 controlled clinical trials that were identified in this study, five articles evaluated the use of oral cryotherapy to prevent oral mucositis and three studies analysed the prophylactic use of glutamine. Interventions of protocols for oral care, palifermin, allopurinol and chlorhexidine were evaluated by two articles each. Interventions of zinc sulphate, amifostine, chewing gum, sucralfate, recombination human intestinal trefoil factor, kefir and vitamin E were evaluated by one article each. There is strong evidence that cryotherapy can prevent oral mucositis arising from ambulatory treatment with 5-flurouracil chemotherapy. Other interventions, although showing positive results in preventing oral mucositis, require further study to confirm their conclusions. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  13. Crossing the "digital divide:" implementing an electronic medical record system in a rural Kenyan health center to support clinical care and research.

    PubMed

    Tierney, William M; Rotich, Joseph K; Smith, Faye E; Bii, John; Einterz, Robert M; Hannan, Terry J

    2002-01-01

    To improve care, one must measure it. In the US, electronic medical record systems have been installed in many institutions to support health care management, quality improvement, and research. Developing countries lack such systems and thus have difficulties managing scarce resources and investigating means of improving health care delivery and outcomes. We describe the implementation and use of the first documented electronic medical record system in ambulatory care in sub-Saharan Africa. After one year, it has captured data for more than 13,000 patients making more than 26,000 visits. We present lessons learned and modifications made to this system to improve its capture of data and ability to support a comprehensive clinical care and research agenda.

  14. Hospitalizations for ambulatory care sensitive conditions and quality of primary care: their relation with socioeconomic and health care variables in the Madrid regional health service (Spain).

    PubMed

    Magán, Purificación; Alberquilla, Angel; Otero, Angel; Ribera, José Manuel

    2011-01-01

    Hospitalizations for ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSH) have been proposed as an indirect indicator of the effectiveness and quality of care provided by primary health care. To investigate the association of ACSH rates with population socioeconomic factors and with characteristics of primary health care. Cross-sectional, ecologic study. Using hospital discharge data, ACSH were selected from the list of conditions validated for Spain. All 34 health districts in the Region of Madrid, Spain. Individuals aged 65 years or older residing in the region of Madrid between 2001 and 2003, inclusive. Age- and gender-adjusted ACSH rates in each health district. The adjusted ACSH rate per 1000 population was 35.37 in men and 20.45 in women. In the Poisson regression analysis, an inverse relation was seen between ACSH rates and the socioeconomic variables. Physician workload was the only health care variable with a statistically significant relation (rate ratio of 1.066 [95% CI; 1.041-1.091]). These results were similar in the analyses disaggregated by gender. In the multivariate analyses that included health care variables, none of the health care variables were statistically significant. ACSH may be more closely related with socioeconomic variables than with characteristics of primary care activity. Therefore, other factors outside the health system must be considered to improve health outcomes in the population.

  15. [Benchmarking in ambulatory care practices--The European Practice Assessment (EPA)].

    PubMed

    Szecsenyi, Joachim; Broge, Björn; Willms, Sara; Brodowski, Marc; Götz, Katja

    2011-01-01

    The European Practice Assessment (EPA) is a comprehensive quality management which consists of 220 indicators covering 5 domains (infrastructure, people, information, finance, and quality and safety). The aim of the project presented was to evaluate EPA as an instrument for benchmarking in ambulatory care practices. A before-and-after design with a comparison group was chosen. One hundred and two practices conducted EPA at baseline (t1) and at the 3-year follow-up (t2). A further 209 practices began EPA at t2 (comparison group). Since both practice groups differed in several variables (age of GP, location and size of practice), a matched-pair design based on propensity scores was applied leading to a subgroup of 102 comparable practices (out of the 209 practices). Data analysis was carried out using Z scores of the EPA domains. The results showed significant improvements in all domains between t1 and t2 as well as between the comparison group and t2. Furthermore, the results demonstrate that the implementation of total quality management and the re-assessment of the EPA procedure can lead to significant improvements in almost all domains. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

  16. Quality of private and public ambulatory health care in low and middle income countries: systematic review of comparative studies.

    PubMed

    Berendes, Sima; Heywood, Peter; Oliver, Sandy; Garner, Paul

    2011-04-01

    In developing countries, the private sector provides a substantial proportion of primary health care to low income groups for communicable and non-communicable diseases. These providers are therefore central to improving health outcomes. We need to know how their services compare to those of the public sector to inform policy options. We summarised reliable research comparing the quality of formal private versus public ambulatory health care in low and middle income countries. We selected studies against inclusion criteria following a comprehensive search, yielding 80 studies. We compared quality under standard categories, converted values to a linear 100% scale, calculated differences between providers within studies, and summarised median values of the differences across studies. As the results for for-profit and not-for-profit providers were similar, we combined them. Overall, median values indicated that many services, irrespective of whether public or private, scored low on infrastructure, clinical competence, and practice. Overall, the private sector performed better in relation to drug supply, responsiveness, and effort. No difference between provider groups was detected for patient satisfaction or competence. Synthesis of qualitative components indicates the private sector is more client centred. Although data are limited, quality in both provider groups seems poor, with the private sector performing better in drug availability and aspects of delivery of care, including responsiveness and effort, and possibly being more client orientated. Strategies seeking to influence quality in both groups are needed to improve care delivery and outcomes for the poor, including managing the increasing burden of non-communicable diseases.

  17. Determinants of patient satisfaction in ambulatory oncology: a cross sectional study based on the OUT-PATSAT35 questionnaire

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with satisfaction with care in cancer patients undergoing ambulatory treatment. We investigated associations between patients' baseline clinical and socio-demographic characteristics, as well as self-reported quality of life, and satisfaction with care. Methods Patients undergoing ambulatory chemotherapy or radiotherapy in 2 centres in France were invited, at the beginning of their treatment, to complete the OUT-PATSAT35, a 35 item and 13 scale questionnaire evaluating perception of doctors, nurses and aspects of care organisation. Additionally, for each patient, socio-demographic variables, clinical characteristics and self-reported quality of life using the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire were recorded. Results Among 692 patients included between January 2005 and December 2006, only 6 were non-responders. By multivariate analysis, poor perceived global health strongly predicted dissatisfaction with care (p < 0.0001). Patients treated by radiotherapy (vs patients treated by chemotherapy) reported lower levels of satisfaction with doctors' technical and interpersonal skills, information provided by caregivers, and waiting times. Patients with primary head and neck cancer (vs other localisations), and those living alone were less satisfied with information provided by doctors, and younger patients (< 55 years) were less satisfied with doctors' availability. Conclusions A number of clinical of socio-demographic factors were significantly associated with different scales of the satisfaction questionnaire. However, the main determinant was the patient's global health status, underlining the importance of measuring and adjusting for self-perceived health status when evaluating satisfaction. Further analyses are currently ongoing to determine the responsiveness of the OUT-PATSAT35 questionnaire to changes over time. PMID:22204665

  18. Ambulatory surgery: is the liability risk lower?

    PubMed

    Metzner, Julia; Kent, Christopher D

    2012-12-01

    To summarize the currently available data on malpractice claims related to ambulatory anesthesia and provide an insight into the emerging patterns of anesthesia liability in this practice setting. At present, studies are mixed about how the continued growth of outpatient surgery will impact liability for anesthesiologists. Data derived from the ASA Closed Claims Project suggests that malpractice claims for major damaging events are less common in the outpatient settings than in inpatient settings. Correspondingly, the payment amounts for outpatient claims are significantly lower than those for inpatients. Nevertheless, nondisabling adverse events are common and involve respiratory, cardiac, equipment-related, and drug errors. In addition, the vast majority of injuries in outpatient claims was the result of substandard care and judged preventable by better monitoring. Although major incidents leading to malpractice suits are less, new liability exposure may be on the horizon, due to the changing landscape of ambulatory practice that permits care for sicker patients who require more complex surgeries. The areas of potential concern include postoperative discharge criteria, care for the obstructive sleep apnea patient, and the choice of anesthetic techniques such as neuraxial blocks and monitored anesthesia care. With steady increase in outpatient surgery, anesthesiologists are confronted with new areas of liability. More data are needed to identify these risks and reduce exposure to malpractice claims.

  19. [Considerations on local-regional anesthesia for ambulatory tooth extractions in patients with heart disease].

    PubMed

    Debernardi, G; Borgogna, E

    1975-01-01

    Ambulatory dental extraction was performed on 150 patients with various forms of heart disease. No serious complications were noted with an anaesthetic without vasoconstriction (plain 3% carbocaine). The prior history was carefully studied and pressure values were determined. It is felt that heart disease does not form an absolute contraindication to ambulatory dental extraction.

  20. Arm position during ambulatory blood pressure monitoring: a review of the evidence and clinical guidelines.

    PubMed

    Byrd, James B; Brook, Robert D

    2014-03-01

    Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) offers advantages over clinic blood pressure measurement. Supporting the arm at the level of the right atrium has long been standard in clinic blood pressure measurement. In contrast, there is no consensus regarding arm position in the guidelines addressing ABPM. Research studies have used a variety of arm positions during ABPM. Discussed in this review are the merits of ABPM and a review of the several arm positions recommended in ABPM guidelines, suggested by cuff manufacturers, and used in research studies. To address this lack of standardization, a rationale for a clinically reasonable arm position during ABPM is offered. Specifically, the authors recommend advising the patient to keep the arm still and relaxed straight down at the side of the body when the cuff is going to inflate, when safe to do so. ©2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  1. Developments in ambulatory surgery in orthopedics in France in 2016.

    PubMed

    Hulet, C; Rochcongar, G; Court, C

    2017-02-01

    Under the new categorization introduced by the Health Authorities, ambulatory surgery (AS) in France now accounts for 50% of procedures, taking all surgical specialties together. The replacement of full hospital admission by AS is now well established and recognized. Health-care centers have learned, in coordination with the medico-surgical and paramedical teams, how to set up AS units and the corresponding clinical pathways. There is no single model handed down from above. The authorities have encouraged these developments, partly by regulations but also by means of financial incentives. Patient eligibility and psychosocial criteria are crucial determining factors for the success of the AS strategy. The surgeons involved are strongly committed. Feedback from many orthopedic subspecialties (shoulder, foot, knee, spine, hand, large joints, emergency and pediatric surgery) testify to the rise of AS, which now accounts for 41% of all orthopedic procedures. Questions remain, however, concerning the role of the GP in the continuity of care, the role of innovation and teaching, the creation of new jobs, and the attractiveness of AS for surgeons. More than ever, it is the patient who is "ambulatory", within an organized structure in which surgical technique and pain management are well controlled. Not all patients can be eligible, but the AS concept is becoming standard, and overnight stay will become a matter for medical and surgical prescription. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  2. Factors associated with patient recall of key information in ambulatory specialty care visits: Results of an innovative methodology

    PubMed Central

    Lee, Yoojin; Taubin, Tatiana; Rogers, William H.; Wilson, Ira B.

    2018-01-01

    While some studies have assessed patient recall of important information from ambulatory care visits, none has done so recently. Furthermore, little is known about features of clinical interactions which are associated with patient understanding and recall, without which shared decision making, a widely shared ideal for patient care, cannot occur. Our objective was to evaluate characteristics of patients and outpatient encounters associated with patient recall of information after one week, along with observation of elements of shared decision making. This was an observational study based on coded transcripts of 189 outpatient encounters, and post-visit interviews with patients 1 week later. Coding used three previously validated systems, adopted for this study. Forty-nine percent of decisions and recommendations were recalled accurately without prompting; 36% recalled with a prompt; 15% recalled erroneously or not at all. Provider behaviors hypothesized to be associated with patient recall, such as open-questioning and “teach back,” were rare. Patients with less than high school education recalled 38% of items freely and accurately, while patients with a college degree recalled 65% (p < .0001). In a multivariate model, the total number of items to be recalled per visit, and percentage of utterances in decision-making processes by the provider (“verbal dominance”), were significant predictors of poorer recall. The item count was associated with poorer recall for lower, but not higher, educated patients. PMID:29389994

  3. Factors associated with patient recall of key information in ambulatory specialty care visits: Results of an innovative methodology.

    PubMed

    Laws, M Barton; Lee, Yoojin; Taubin, Tatiana; Rogers, William H; Wilson, Ira B

    2018-01-01

    While some studies have assessed patient recall of important information from ambulatory care visits, none has done so recently. Furthermore, little is known about features of clinical interactions which are associated with patient understanding and recall, without which shared decision making, a widely shared ideal for patient care, cannot occur. Our objective was to evaluate characteristics of patients and outpatient encounters associated with patient recall of information after one week, along with observation of elements of shared decision making. This was an observational study based on coded transcripts of 189 outpatient encounters, and post-visit interviews with patients 1 week later. Coding used three previously validated systems, adopted for this study. Forty-nine percent of decisions and recommendations were recalled accurately without prompting; 36% recalled with a prompt; 15% recalled erroneously or not at all. Provider behaviors hypothesized to be associated with patient recall, such as open-questioning and "teach back," were rare. Patients with less than high school education recalled 38% of items freely and accurately, while patients with a college degree recalled 65% (p < .0001). In a multivariate model, the total number of items to be recalled per visit, and percentage of utterances in decision-making processes by the provider ("verbal dominance"), were significant predictors of poorer recall. The item count was associated with poorer recall for lower, but not higher, educated patients.

  4. Association between community health center and rural health clinic presence and county-level hospitalization rates for ambulatory care sensitive conditions: an analysis across eight US states.

    PubMed

    Probst, Janice C; Laditka, James N; Laditka, Sarah B

    2009-07-31

    Federally qualified community health centers (CHCs) and rural health clinics (RHCs) are intended to provide access to care for vulnerable populations. While some research has explored the effects of CHCs on population health, little information exists regarding RHC effects. We sought to clarify the contribution that CHCs and RHCs may make to the accessibility of primary health care, as measured by county-level rates of hospitalization for ambulatory care sensitive (ACS) conditions. We conducted an ecologic analysis of the relationship between facility presence and county-level hospitalization rates, using 2002 discharge data from eight states within the US (579 counties). Counties were categorized by facility availability: CHC(s) only, RHC(s) only, both (CHC and RHC), and neither. US Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality definitions were used to identify ACS diagnoses. Discharge rates were based on the individual's county of residence and were obtained by dividing ACS hospitalizations by the relevant county population. We calculated ACS rates separately for children, working age adults, and older individuals, and for uninsured children and working age adults. To ensure stable rates, we excluded counties having fewer than 1,000 residents in the child or working age adult categories, or 500 residents among those 65 and older. Multivariate Poisson analysis was used to calculate adjusted rate ratios. Among working age adults, rate ratio (RR) comparing ACS hospitalization rates for CHC-only counties to those of counties with neither facility was 0.86 (95% Confidence Interval, CI, 0.78-0.95). Among older adults, the rate ratio for CHC-only counties compared to counties with neither facility was 0.84 (CI 0.81-0.87); for counties with both CHC and RHC present, the RR was 0.88 (CI 0.84-0.92). No CHC/RHC effects were found for children. No effects were found on estimated hospitalization rates among uninsured populations. Our results suggest that CHCs and RHCs may play a

  5. The effects of multiple chronic conditions on hospitalization costs and utilization for ambulatory care sensitive conditions in the United States: a nationally representative cross-sectional study.

    PubMed

    Skinner, Halcyon G; Coffey, Rosanna; Jones, Jenna; Heslin, Kevin C; Moy, Ernest

    2016-03-01

    The presence of multiple chronic conditions (MCCs) complicates inpatient hospital care, leading to higher costs and utilization. Multimorbidity also complicates primary care, increasing the likelihood of hospitalization for ambulatory care sensitive conditions. The purpose of this study was to evaluate how MCCs relate to inpatient hospitalization costs and utilization for ambulatory care sensitive conditions. The 2012 Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) State Inpatient Databases (SID) provided data to carry out a cross-sectional analysis of 1.43 million claims related to potentially preventable hospitalizations classified by the AHRQ Prevention Quality Indicator (PQI) composites. Categories of MCCs (0-1, 2-3, 4-5, and 6+) were examined in sets of acute, chronic, and overall PQIs. Multivariate models determined associations between categories of MCCs and 1) inpatient costs per stay, 2) inpatient costs per day, and 3) length of inpatient hospitalization. Negative binomial was used to model costs per stay and costs per day. The most common category observed was 2 or 3 chronic conditions (37.8 % of patients), followed by 4 or 5 chronic conditions (30.1 % of patients) and by 6+ chronic conditions (10.1 %). Compared with costs for patients with 0 or 1 chronic condition, hospitalization costs per stay for overall ambulatory care sensitive conditions were 19 % higher for those with 2 or 3 (95 % confidence interval [CI] 1.19-1.20), 32 % higher for those with 4 or 5 (95 % CI 1.31-1.32), and 31 % higher (95 % CI 1.30-3.32) for those with 6+ conditions. Acute condition stays were 11 % longer when 2 or 3 chronic conditions were present (95 % CI 1.11-1.12), 21 % longer when 4 or 5 were present (95 % CI 1.20-1.22), and 27 % longer when 6+ were present (95 % CI 1.26-1.28) compared with those with 0 or 1 chronic condition. Similar results were seen within chronic conditions. Associations between MCCs and

  6. Acute and Chronic Effects of Aerobic and Resistance Exercise on Ambulatory Blood Pressure

    PubMed Central

    Cardoso, Crivaldo Gomes; Gomides, Ricardo Saraceni; Queiroz, Andréia Cristiane Carrenho; Pinto, Luiz Gustavo; da Silveira Lobo, Fernando; Tinucci, Tais; Mion, Décio; de Moraes Forjaz, Claudia Lucia

    2010-01-01

    Hypertension is a ubiquitous and serious disease. Regular exercise has been recommended as a strategy for the prevention and treatment of hypertension because of its effects in reducing clinical blood pressure; however, ambulatory blood pressure is a better predictor of target-organ damage than clinical blood pressure, and therefore studying the effects of exercise on ambulatory blood pressure is important as well. Moreover, different kinds of exercise might produce distinct effects that might differ between normotensive and hypertensive subjects. The aim of this study was to review the current literature on the acute and chronic effects of aerobic and resistance exercise on ambulatory blood pressure in normotensive and hypertensive subjects. It has been conclusively shown that a single episode of aerobic exercise reduces ambulatory blood pressure in hypertensive patients. Similarly, regular aerobic training also decreases ambulatory blood pressure in hypertensive individuals. In contrast, data on the effects of resistance exercise is both scarce and controversial. Nevertheless, studies suggest that resistance exercise might acutely decrease ambulatory blood pressure after exercise, and that this effect seems to be greater after low-intensity exercise and in patients receiving anti-hypertensive drugs. On the other hand, only two studies investigating resistance training in hypertensive patients have been conducted, and neither has demonstrated any hypotensive effect. Thus, based on current knowledge, aerobic training should be recommended to decrease ambulatory blood pressure in hypertensive individuals, while resistance exercise could be prescribed as a complementary strategy. PMID:20360924

  7. Prevalence of Polyherbacy in Ambulatory Visits to Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinics in Taiwan

    PubMed Central

    Lin, Ming-Hwai; Chang, Hsiao-Ting; Tu, Chun-Yi; Chen, Tzeng-Ji; Hwang, Shinn-Jang

    2015-01-01

    Patients with a polyherbal prescription are more likely to receive duplicate medications and thus suffer from adverse drug reactions. We conducted a population-based retrospective study to examine the items of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) per prescription in the ambulatory care of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in Taiwan. We retrieved complete TCM ambulatory visit datasets for 2010 from the National Health Insurance database in Taiwan. A total of 59,790 patients who received 313,482 CHM prescriptions were analyzed. Drug prescriptions containing more than five drugs were classified as polyherbal prescriptions; 41.6% of patients were given a polyherbal prescription. There were on average 5.2 ± 2.5 CHMs: 2.3 ± 1.1 compound herbal formula items, and 3.0 ± 2.5 single Chinese herb items in a single prescription. Approximately 4.6% of patients were prescribed 10 CHMs or more. Men had a lower odds ratio (OR) among polyherbal prescriptions (OR = 0.96, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.92–0.99), and middle-aged patients (35–49 years) had the highest frequency of polyherbal prescription (OR = 1.19, 95% CI = 1.13–1.26). Patients with neoplasm, skin and subcutaneous tissue disease, or genitourinary system disease were more likely to have a polyherbal prescription; OR = 2.20 (1.81–2.67), 1.65 (1.50–1.80), and 1.52 (1.40–1.64), respectively. Polyherbal prescription is widespread in TCM in Taiwan. Potential herb interactions and iatrogenic risks associated with polyherbal prescriptions should be monitored. PMID:26287228

  8. Factors Affecting Resident Satisfaction in Continuity Clinic-a Systematic Review.

    PubMed

    Stepczynski, J; Holt, S R; Ellman, M S; Tobin, D; Doolittle, Benjamin R

    2018-05-07

    In recent years, with an increasing emphasis on time spent in ambulatory training, educators have focused attention on improving the residents' experience in continuity clinic. The authors sought to review the factors associated with physician trainee satisfaction with outpatient ambulatory training. A systematic literature review was conducted for all English language articles published between January 1980 and December 2016 in relevant databases, including Medline (medicine), CINAHL (nursing), PSYCHinfo (psychology), and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Clinical Trials. Search terms included internship and residency, satisfaction, quality of life, continuity of care, ambulatory care, and medical education. We included studies that directly addressed resident satisfaction in the ambulatory setting through interventions that we considered reproducible. Three hundred fifty-seven studies were reviewed; 346 studies were removed based on exclusion criteria with 11 papers included in the final review. Seven studies emphasized aspects of organizational structure such as block schedules, working in teams, and impact on resident-patient continuity (continuity between resident provider and patient as viewed from the provider's perspective). Four studies emphasized the importance of a dedicated faculty for satisfaction. The heterogeneity of the studies precluded aggregate analysis. Clinic structures that limit inpatient and outpatient conflict and enhance continuity, along with a dedicated outpatient faculty, are associated with greater resident satisfaction. Implications for further research are discussed.

  9. Ambulatory and home blood pressure monitoring: gaps between clinical guidelines and clinical practice in Singapore

    PubMed Central

    Setia, Sajita; Subramaniam, Kannan; Teo, Boon Wee; Tay, Jam Chin

    2017-01-01

    Purpose Out-of-office blood pressure (BP) measurements (home blood pressure monitoring [HBPM] and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring [ABPM]) provide important additional information for effective hypertension detection and management decisions. Therefore, out-of-office BP measurement is now recommended by several international guidelines. This study evaluated the practice and uptake of HBPM and ABPM among physicians from Singapore. Materials and methods A sample of physicians from Singapore was surveyed between 8 September and 5 October 2016. Those included were in public or private practice had been practicing for ≥3 years, directly cared for patients ≥70% of the time, and treated ≥30 patients for hypertension per month. The questionnaire covered six main categories: general BP management, BP variability (BPV) awareness/diagnosis, HBPM, ABPM, BPV management, and associated training needs. Results Sixty physicians (30 general practitioners, 20 cardiologists, and 10 nephrologists) were included (77% male, 85% aged 31–60 years, and mean 22-year practice). Physicians recommended HBPM and ABPM to 81% and 27% of hypertensive patients, respectively. HBPM was most often used to monitor antihypertensive therapy (88% of physicians) and 97% thought that ABPM was useful for providing information on BPV. HBPM instructions often differed from current guideline recommendations in terms of frequency, number of measurements, and timing. The proportion of consultation time devoted to discussing HBPM and BPV was one-quarter or less for 73% of physicians, and only 55% said that they had the ability to provide education on HBPM and BPV. Patient inertia, poor patient compliance, lack of medical consultation time, and poor patient access to a BP machine were the most common challenges for implementing out-of-office BP monitoring. Conclusion Although physicians from Singapore do recommend out-of-office BP measurement to patients with hypertension, this survey identified several

  10. Ambulatory and home blood pressure monitoring: gaps between clinical guidelines and clinical practice in Singapore.

    PubMed

    Setia, Sajita; Subramaniam, Kannan; Teo, Boon Wee; Tay, Jam Chin

    2017-01-01

    Out-of-office blood pressure (BP) measurements (home blood pressure monitoring [HBPM] and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring [ABPM]) provide important additional information for effective hypertension detection and management decisions. Therefore, out-of-office BP measurement is now recommended by several international guidelines. This study evaluated the practice and uptake of HBPM and ABPM among physicians from Singapore. A sample of physicians from Singapore was surveyed between 8 September and 5 October 2016. Those included were in public or private practice had been practicing for ≥3 years, directly cared for patients ≥70% of the time, and treated ≥30 patients for hypertension per month. The questionnaire covered six main categories: general BP management, BP variability (BPV) awareness/diagnosis, HBPM, ABPM, BPV management, and associated training needs. Sixty physicians (30 general practitioners, 20 cardiologists, and 10 nephrologists) were included (77% male, 85% aged 31-60 years, and mean 22-year practice). Physicians recommended HBPM and ABPM to 81% and 27% of hypertensive patients, respectively. HBPM was most often used to monitor antihypertensive therapy (88% of physicians) and 97% thought that ABPM was useful for providing information on BPV. HBPM instructions often differed from current guideline recommendations in terms of frequency, number of measurements, and timing. The proportion of consultation time devoted to discussing HBPM and BPV was one-quarter or less for 73% of physicians, and only 55% said that they had the ability to provide education on HBPM and BPV. Patient inertia, poor patient compliance, lack of medical consultation time, and poor patient access to a BP machine were the most common challenges for implementing out-of-office BP monitoring. Although physicians from Singapore do recommend out-of-office BP measurement to patients with hypertension, this survey identified several important gaps in knowledge and clinical practice.

  11. MISSED WELL-CHILD CARE VISITS, LOW CONTINUITY OF CARE, AND RISK FOR AMBULATORY CARE SENSITIVE HOSPITALIZATIONS IN YOUNG CHILDREN

    PubMed Central

    Tom, Jeffrey; Tseng, Chien-Wen; Davis, James; Solomon, Cam; Zhou, Chuan; Mangione-Smith, Rita

    2013-01-01

    Objectives To determine if adherence to the recommended well-child care (WCC) visit schedule, independent of continuity of care (COC), is associated with lower risk for Ambulatory Care Sensitive Hospitalizations (ACSH) and whether this association varies by chronic disease status. Design Population-based, retrospective cohort study Setting Hawaii’s largest health plan from 1999 to 2006 Patients/Participants 36,944 children ≤ 3.5 years-old who were eligible if they were enrolled prior to 2 months-old, had ≥ 4 outpatient visits during the study period, and had an enrollment period that overlapped with ≥ 1 WCC visit interval. Main Exposure(s) WCC visit adherence and COC Index Main Outcome Measure(s) Risk for ACSH (Hazard Ratio [HR]) Results Overall, 8,921 (24%) children had ≥ 1 chronic disease. The proportions of ACSH among healthy children versus those with ≥ 1 chronic disease were 3% (n= 751) and 7% (n= 645), respectively. For children with chronic disease, those with the lowest WCC visit adherence (0–25%) had 1.9 times (HR: 1.9, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.5–2.5) the risk of ACSH compared to those in the highest category (75–100%). The risk of ACSH for children with chronic disease who fell into the lowest COC category (0–0.25) was 2.4 times (HR 2.4, 95% CI: 1.7–3.5) higher than for those who fell into the highest category (0.75–1.0). Conclusions For children with chronic disease, both low WCC visit adherence and COC are independently associated with an increased risk of ACSH. Providing access to a consistent source of primary care appears important for this vulnerable population. PMID:21041598

  12. Reliability and Validity of Ambulatory Cognitive Assessments

    PubMed Central

    Sliwinski, Martin J.; Mogle, Jacqueline A.; Hyun, Jinshil; Munoz, Elizabeth; Smyth, Joshua M.; Lipton, Richard B.

    2017-01-01

    Mobile technologies are increasingly used to measure cognitive function outside of traditional clinic and laboratory settings. Although ambulatory assessments of cognitive function conducted in people’s natural environments offer potential advantages over traditional assessment approaches, the psychometrics of cognitive assessment procedures have been understudied. We evaluated the reliability and construct validity of ambulatory assessments of working memory and perceptual speed administered via smartphones as part of an ecological momentary assessment (EMA) protocol in a diverse adult sample (N=219). Results indicated excellent between-person reliability (≥.97) for average scores, and evidence of reliable within-person variability across measurement occasions (.41–.53). The ambulatory tasks also exhibited construct validity, as evidence by their loadings on working memory and perceptual speed factors defined by the in-lab assessments. Our findings demonstrate that averaging across brief cognitive assessments made in uncontrolled naturalistic settings provide measurements that are comparable in reliability to assessments made in controlled laboratory environments. PMID:27084835

  13. Azilsartan in Patients With Mild to Moderate Hypertension Using Clinic and Ambulatory Blood Pressure Measurements.

    PubMed

    Perez, Alfonso; Cao, Charlie

    2017-01-01

    This was a phase 2, multicenter, randomized, parallel-group, double-blind dose-ranging study. Hypertensive adults (n=555) received one of five doses of azilsartan (AZL; 2.5, 5, 10, 20, 40 mg), olmesartan medoxomil (OLM) 20 mg, or placebo once daily. The primary endpoint was change in trough clinic diastolic blood pressure (DBP) at week 8. Compared with placebo, all AZL doses (except 2.5 mg) provided statistically and clinically significant reductions in DBP and systolic blood pressure (SBP) based on both clinic blood pressure (BP) and 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM). AZL 40 mg was statistically superior vs OLM. Clinic BP was associated with a pronounced placebo effect (-6 mm Hg), whereas this was negligible with ABPM (±0.5 mm Hg). Adverse event frequency was similar in the AZL and placebo groups. Based on these and other findings, subsequent trials investigated the commercial AZL medoxomil tablet at doses 20 to 80 mg/d using 24-hour ABPM. ©2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  14. The influence factors of medical professionalism: A stratified-random sampling study based on the physicians and patients in ambulatory care clinics of Chengdu, China.

    PubMed

    Lin, Yifei; Yin, Senlin; Lai, Sike; Tang, Ji; Huang, Jin; Du, Liang

    2016-10-01

    As the relationship between physicians and patients deteriorated in China recently, medical conflicts occurred more frequently now. Physicians, to a certain extent, also take some responsibilities. Awareness of medical professionalism and its influence factors can be helpful to take targeted measures and alleviate the contradiction. Through a combination of physicians' self-assessment and patients' assessment in ambulatory care clinics in Chengdu, this research aims to evaluate the importance of medical professionalism in hospitals and explore the influence factors, hoping to provide decision-making references to improve this grim situation. From February to March, 2013, a cross-sectional study was conducted in 2 tier 3 hospitals, 5 tier 2 hospitals, and 10 community hospitals through a stratified-random sampling method on physicians and patients, at a ratio of 1/5. Questionnaires are adopted from a pilot study. A total of 382 physicians and 1910 patients were matched and surveyed. Regarding the medical professionalism, the scores of the self-assessment for physicians were 85.18 ± 7.267 out of 100 and the scores of patient-assessment were 57.66 ± 7.043 out of 70. The influence factors of self-assessment were physicians' working years (P = 0.003) and patients' complaints (P = 0.006), whereas the influence factors of patient-assessment were patients' ages (P = 0.001) and their physicians' working years (P < 0.01) and satisfaction on the payment mode (P = 0.006). Higher self-assessment on the medical professionalism was in accordance with physicians of more working years and no complaint history. Higher patient-assessment was in line with elder patients, the physicians' more working years, and higher satisfaction on the payment mode. Elder patients, encountering with physicians who worked more years in health care services or with higher satisfaction on the payment mode, contribute to higher scores in patient assessment part. The government should

  15. Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring: A Complementary Strategy for Hypertension Diagnosis and Management in Low-Income and Middle-Income Countries.

    PubMed

    Abdalla, Marwah

    2017-02-01

    Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) can assess out-of-clinic blood pressure. ABPM is an underutilized resource in low-income and middle-income countries but should be considered a complementary strategy to clinic blood pressure measurement for the diagnosis and management of hypertension. Potential uses for ABPM in low-income and middle-income countries include screening of high-risk individuals who have concurrent communicable diseases, such as HIV, and in task-shifting health care strategies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. The Efficacy of Lavender Aromatherapy in Reducing Preoperative Anxiety in Ambulatory Surgery Patients Undergoing Procedures in General Otolaryngology

    PubMed Central

    Wotman, Michael; Levinger, Joshua; Leung, Lillian; Kallush, Aron; Mauer, Elizabeth

    2017-01-01

    Background Preoperative anxiety is a common problem in hospitals and other health care centers. This emotional state has been shown to negatively impact patient satisfaction and outcomes. Aromatherapy, the therapeutic use of essential oils extracted from aromatic plants, may offer a simple, low‐risk and cost‐effective method of managing preoperative anxiety. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of lavender aromatherapy in reducing preoperative anxiety in ambulatory surgery patients undergoing procedures in general otolaryngology. Methods A prospective and controlled pilot study was conducted with 100 patients who were admitted to New York‐Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center for ambulatory surgery from January of 2015 to August of 2015. The subjects were allocated to two groups; the experimental group received inhalation lavender aromatherapy in the preoperative waiting area while the control group received standard nursing care. Both groups reported their anxiety with a visual analog scale (VAS) upon arriving to the preoperative waiting area and upon departure to the operating room. Results According to a Welch's two sample t‐test, the mean reduction in anxiety was statistically greater in the experimental group than the control group (p = 0.001). Conclusion Lavender aromatherapy reduced preoperative anxiety in ambulatory surgery patients. This effect was modest and possibly statistically significant. Future research is needed to confirm the clinical efficacy of lavender aromatherapy. Level of Evidence 2b PMID:29299520

  17. Surgical Site Infections Following Pediatric Ambulatory Surgery: An Epidemiologic Analysis.

    PubMed

    Rinke, Michael L; Jan, Dominique; Nassim, Janelle; Choi, Jaeun; Choi, Steven J

    2016-08-01

    OBJECTIVE To identify surgical site infection (SSI) rates following pediatric ambulatory surgery, SSI outcomes and risk factors, and sensitivity and specificity of SSI administrative billing codes. DESIGN Retrospective chart review of pediatric ambulatory surgeries with International Classification of Disease, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes for SSI, and a systematic random sampling of 5% of surgeries without SSI ICD-9 codes, all adjudicated for SSI on the basis of an ambulatory-adapted National Healthcare Safety Network definition. SETTING Urban pediatric tertiary care center April 1, 2009-March 31, 2014. METHODS SSI rates and sensitivity and specificity of ICD-9 codes were estimated using sampling design, and risk factors were analyzed in case-rest of cohort, and case-control, designs. RESULTS In 15,448 pediatric ambulatory surgeries, 34 patients had ICD-9 codes for SSI and 25 met the adapted National Healthcare Safety Network criteria. One additional SSI was identified with systematic random sampling. The SSI rate following pediatric ambulatory surgery was 2.9 per 1,000 surgeries (95% CI, 1.2-6.9). Otolaryngology surgeries demonstrated significantly lower SSI rates compared with endocrine (P=.001), integumentary (P=.001), male genital (P<.0001), and respiratory (P=.01) surgeries. Almost half of patients with an SSI were admitted, 88% received antibiotics, and 15% returned to the operating room. No risk factors were associated with SSI. The sensitivity of ICD-9 codes for SSI following ambulatory surgery was 55.31% (95% CI, 12.69%-91.33%) and specificity was 99.94% (99.89%-99.97%). CONCLUSIONS SSI following pediatric ambulatory surgery occurs at an appreciable rate and conveys morbidity on children. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2016;37:931-938.

  18. Overutilization of ambulatory medical care in the elderly German population?--An empirical study based on national insurance claims data and a review of foreign studies.

    PubMed

    van den Bussche, Hendrik; Kaduszkiewicz, Hanna; Schäfer, Ingmar; Koller, Daniela; Hansen, Heike; Scherer, Martin; Schön, Gerhard

    2016-04-14

    By definition, high utilizers receive a large proportion of medical services and produce relatively high costs. The authors report the results of a study on the utilization of ambulatory medical care by the elderly population in Germany in comparison to other OECD countries. Evidence points to an excessive utilization in Germany. It is important to document these utilization figures and compare them to those in other countries since the healthcare system in Germany stopped recording ambulatory healthcare utilization figures in 2008. The study is based on the claims data of all insurants aged ≥ 65 of a statutory health insurance company in Germany (n = 123,224). Utilization was analyzed by the number of contacts with physicians in ambulatory medical care and by the number of different practices contacted over one year. Criteria for frequent attendance were ≥ 50 contacts with practices or contacts with ≥ 10 different practices or ≥ 3 practices of the same discipline per year. Descriptive statistical analysis and logistic regression were applied. Morbidity was analyzed by prevalence and relative risk for frequent attendance for 46 chronic diseases. Nineteen percent of the elderly were identified as high utilizers, corresponding to approximately 3.5 million elderly people in Germany. Two main types were identified. One type has many contacts with practices, belongs to the oldest age group, suffers from severe somatic diseases and multimorbidity, and/or is dependent on long-term care. The other type contacts large numbers of practices, consists of younger elderly who often suffer from psychiatric and/or psychosomatic complaints, and is less frequently multimorbid and/or nursing care dependent. We found a very high rate of frequent attendance among the German elderly, which is unique among the OECD countries. Further research should clarify its reasons and if this degree of utilization is beneficial for elderly people.

  19. Feasibility and validity of computerized ambulatory monitoring in stroke patients.

    PubMed

    Johnson, E I; Sibon, I; Renou, P; Rouanet, F; Allard, M; Swendsen, J

    2009-11-10

    Computerized ambulatory monitoring provides real-time assessments of clinical outcomes in natural contexts, and it has been increasingly applied in recent years to investigate symptom expression in a wide range of disorders. The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility and validity of this data collection strategy with adult stroke patients. Forty-eight individuals (75% of the contacted sample) agreed to participate in the current study and were instructed to complete electronic interviews using a personal digital assistant 5 times per day over a 1-week period. More than 80% of programmed assessments were completed by the sample, and no evidence was found for fatigue effects. Expected patterns of associations were observed among daily life variables, and data collected through ambulatory monitoring were significantly correlated with standard clinic-based measures of similar constructs. Support was found for the feasibility and validity of computerized ambulatory monitoring with stroke patients. The application of these novel methods with stroke patients should provide complementary information that is inaccessible to standard hospital-based assessments and permit increased understanding of the significance of clinical results and test scores for daily life experience.

  20. A nurse-led ambulatory care pathway for patients with deep venous thrombosis in an acute teaching hospital.

    PubMed

    Deagle, Jennifer; Allen, James; Mani, Raj

    2005-06-01

    This article describes the management of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) using an ambulatory nurse-led pathway and the compression technique using duplex ultrasound. This pathway permits the management of the "walking wounded" as well as other patients at varying risks of having DVT and in so doing has changed the approach toward the management of this common clinical event. The success of the described pathway is attributed to the development of low molecular weight heparin and the reliability of diagnostics.

  1. Ambulatory Assessment of Depression in Primary Care

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-06-29

    activities (anhedonia) for over 2 weeks, plus at least four of the following symptoms: changes in sleep, changes in appetite or weight, fatigue, change...such as pain are the initial presenting symptoms of patients who are subsequently diagnosed with depression in a family practice clinic. Somatic...authors concluded that general practitioners should carefully evaluate medically unexplained physical symptoms. These symptoms included back pain

  2. Quality of Private and Public Ambulatory Health Care in Low and Middle Income Countries: Systematic Review of Comparative Studies

    PubMed Central

    Berendes, Sima; Heywood, Peter; Oliver, Sandy; Garner, Paul

    2011-01-01

    Background In developing countries, the private sector provides a substantial proportion of primary health care to low income groups for communicable and non-communicable diseases. These providers are therefore central to improving health outcomes. We need to know how their services compare to those of the public sector to inform policy options. Methods and Findings We summarised reliable research comparing the quality of formal private versus public ambulatory health care in low and middle income countries. We selected studies against inclusion criteria following a comprehensive search, yielding 80 studies. We compared quality under standard categories, converted values to a linear 100% scale, calculated differences between providers within studies, and summarised median values of the differences across studies. As the results for for-profit and not-for-profit providers were similar, we combined them. Overall, median values indicated that many services, irrespective of whether public or private, scored low on infrastructure, clinical competence, and practice. Overall, the private sector performed better in relation to drug supply, responsiveness, and effort. No difference between provider groups was detected for patient satisfaction or competence. Synthesis of qualitative components indicates the private sector is more client centred. Conclusions Although data are limited, quality in both provider groups seems poor, with the private sector performing better in drug availability and aspects of delivery of care, including responsiveness and effort, and possibly being more client orientated. Strategies seeking to influence quality in both groups are needed to improve care delivery and outcomes for the poor, including managing the increasing burden of non-communicable diseases. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary PMID:21532746

  3. Antibiotic prescribing for respiratory infections at retail clinics, physician practices, and emergency departments.

    PubMed

    Mehrotra, Ateev; Gidengil, Courtney A; Setodji, Claude M; Burns, Rachel M; Linder, Jeffrey A

    2015-04-01

    To compare antibiotic prescribing among retail clinics, primary care practices, and emergency departments (EDs) for acute respiratory infections (ARIs): antibiotics-may-be-appropriate ARIs (eg, sinusitis) and antibiotics-never-appropriate ARIs (eg, acute bronchitis). We analyzed retail clinic data from the electronic health records of the 3 largest retail clinic chains in the United States, and data on visits to primary care practices and EDs from the nationally representative National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey and National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. Using multivariate models, we estimated an adjusted antibiotic prescribing rate for each site of care, controlling for differences in patient characteristics and diagnosis. From 2007 to 2009 in the United States, there were 3 million, 167 million, and 29 million ARI visits at retail clinics, primary care practices, and EDs, respectively. For all ARI visits, the adjusted antibiotic prescribing rate at retail clinics (58%) was similar to the rate at primary care practices (62%; P=.09) and EDs (59%; P=.48). For antibiotics-may-be-appropriate ARI visits, the adjusted antibiotic prescribing rate (95%) at retail clinics was higher than at primary care practices (85%; P<.01) and EDs (83%; P<.01). For antibiotics-never-appropriate ARI visits, the adjusted antibiotic prescribing rate (34%) at retail clinics was lower than at primary care practices (51%; P<.01) and EDs (48%; P<.01). Compared with primary care practices and EDs, there was no difference at retail clinics in overall ARI antibiotic prescribing. At retail clinics, antibiotic prescribing was more diagnosis-appropriate.

  4. Differentiation of lower urinary tract dysfunctions: The role of ambulatory urodynamic monitoring.

    PubMed

    Rademakers, Kevin L J; Drossaerts, Jamie M A F L; Rahnama'i, Mohammad S; van Koeveringe, Gommert A

    2015-05-01

    To determine the value of ambulatory urodynamic monitoring in the assessment of patients with lower urinary tract symptoms. This was a cross-sectional study including patients who underwent both conventional urodynamic and ambulatory urodynamic assessment at our Center between December 2002 and February 2013. The ambulatory urodynamic studies were interpreted in a standardized way by a resident experienced with urodynamic measurements, and one staff member who specialized in incontinence and urodynamics. A total of 239 patients (71 male and 168 female) were included in the present study. The largest subgroup of patients, 79 (33%), underwent ambulatory urodynamic monitoring based on suspicion of an acontractile bladder. However, 66 of these patients (83.5%) still showed contractions on ambulatory urodynamics. Other groups that were analyzed were patients with suspected storage dysfunction (47 patients), inconclusive conventional urodynamic studies (68 patients) and incontinence of unclear origin (45 patients). Particularly in this last group, ambulatory urodynamics appeared to be useful for discrimination between different causes of incontinence. Ambulatory urodynamic monitoring is a valuable discriminating diagnostic tool in patients with lower urinary tract symptoms who have already undergone conventional urodynamics, particularly in the case of patients with suspected bladder acontractility and incontinence of unclear origin during ambulatory urodynamics. Further study is required to determine the clinical implications of the findings and their relationship with treatment outcome. © 2015 The Japanese Urological Association.

  5. Pediatric Chest Pain-Low-Probability Referral: A Multi-Institutional Analysis From Standardized Clinical Assessment and Management Plans (SCAMPs®), the Pediatric Health Information Systems Database, and the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey.

    PubMed

    Harahsheh, Ashraf S; O'Byrne, Michael L; Pastor, Bill; Graham, Dionne A; Fulton, David R

    2017-11-01

    We conducted a study to assess test characteristics of red-flag criteria for identifying cardiac disease causing chest pain and technical charges of low-probability referrals. Accuracy of red-flag criteria was ascertained through study of chest pain Standardized Clinical Assessment and Management Plans (SCAMPs®) data. Patients were divided into 2 groups: Group1 (concerning clinical elements) and Group2 (without). We compared incidence of cardiac disease causing chest pain between these 2 groups. Technical charges of Group 2 were analyzed using the Pediatric Health Information System database. Potential savings for the US population was estimated using National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey data. Fifty-two percent of subjects formed Group 1. Cardiac disease causing chest pain was identified in 8/1656 (0.48%). No heart disease was identified in patients in Group 2 ( P = .03). Applying red-flags in determining need for referral identified patients with cardiac disease causing chest pain with 100% sensitivity. Median technical charges for Group 2, over a 4-year period, were US2014$775 559. Eliminating cardiac testing of low-probability referrals would save US2014$3 775 182 in technical charges annually. Red-flag criteria were an effective screen for children with chest pain. Eliminating cardiac testing in children without red-flags for referral has significant technical charge savings.

  6. Where the United States spends its spine dollars: expenditures on different ambulatory services for the management of back and neck conditions.

    PubMed

    Davis, Matthew A; Onega, Tracy; Weeks, William B; Lurie, Jon D

    2012-09-01

    Serial, cross-sectional, nationally representative surveys of noninstitutionalized US adults. To examine expenditures on common ambulatory health services for the management of back and neck conditions. Although it is well recognized that national costs associated with back and neck conditions have grown considerably in recent years, little is known about the costs of care for specific ambulatory health services that are used to manage this population. We used the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey to examine adult (aged 18 yr or older) respondents from 1999 to 2008 who sought ambulatory health services for the management of back and neck conditions. We used complex survey design methods to make national estimates of mean inflation-adjusted annual expenditures on medical care, chiropractic care, and physical therapy per user for back and neck conditions. Approximately 6% of US adults reported an ambulatory visit for a primary diagnosis of a back or neck condition (13.6 million in 2008). Between 1999 and 2008, the mean inflation-adjusted annual expenditures on medical care for these patients increased by 95% (from $487 to $950); most of the increase was accounted for by increased costs for medical specialists, as opposed to primary care physicians. During the study period, the mean inflation-adjusted annual expenditures on chiropractic care were relatively stable; although physical therapy was the most costly service overall, in recent years those costs have contracted. Although this study did not explore the relative effectiveness of different ambulatory services, recent increasing costs associated with providing medical care for back and neck conditions (particularly subspecialty care) are contributing to the growing economic burden of managing these conditions.

  7. A paradigm shift in the evaluation of information technology in health care.

    PubMed

    Bonneville, Luc

    2005-08-01

    This paper examines the notion of productivity, which underlies the reorganization of Quebec's health care system around an information technology-driven virage ambulatoire, or shift to ambulatory (outpatient) care. The reorganization may be traced to a policy decision to address the health care's productivity crisis, a crisis diagnosed in the 1970s based on macroeconomic expenditure trend lines highlighting the "obstacle" to economic growth and to balanced budgets. The information technology-driven virage ambulatoire is aimed at a structural reorganization, based on the principle of: boosting productivity in a service- or information-based economy. The State, thus, relied on analytic categories developed for a particular mode of economic analysis to lead a hospital restructuring program oriented around information technology-based ambulatory care. The result was a refocus from clinical and therapeutic efficiency to administrative imperatives of time, cost, and optimization. Hence, Québec moved to neoliberal productivist system in which clinical and therapeutic effectiveness are subordinated to economic imperatives.

  8. The evolution of ambulatory ECG monitoring.

    PubMed

    Kennedy, Harold L

    2013-01-01

    Ambulatory Holter electrocardiographic (ECG) monitoring has undergone continuous technological evolution since its invention and development in the 1950s era. With commercial introduction in 1963, there has been an evolution of Holter recorders from 1 channel to 12 channel recorders with increasingly smaller storage media, and there has evolved Holter analysis systems employing increasingly technologically advanced electronics providing a myriad of data displays. This evolution of smaller physical instruments with increasing technological capacity has characterized the development of electronics over the past 50 years. Currently the technology has been focused upon the conventional continuous 24 to 48 hour ambulatory ECG examination, and conventional extended ambulatory monitoring strategies for infrequent to rare arrhythmic events. However, the emergence of the Internet, Wi-Fi, cellular networks, and broad-band transmission has positioned these modalities at the doorway of the digital world. This has led to an adoption of more cost-effective strategies to these conventional methods of performing the examination. As a result, the emergence of the mobile smartphone coupled with this digital capacity is leading to the recent development of Holter smartphone applications. The potential of point-of-care applications utilizing the Holter smartphone and a vast array of new non-invasive sensors is evident in the not too distant future. The Holter smartphone is anticipated to contribute significantly in the future to the field of global health. © 2013.

  9. Provider and patient satisfaction with the integration of ambulatory and hospital EHR systems.

    PubMed

    Meyerhoefer, Chad D; Sherer, Susan A; Deily, Mary E; Chou, Shin-Yi; Guo, Xiaohui; Chen, Jie; Sheinberg, Michael; Levick, Donald

    2018-05-16

    The installation of EHR systems can disrupt operations at clinical practice sites, but also lead to improvements in information availability. We examined how the installation of an ambulatory EHR at OB/GYN practices and its subsequent interface with an inpatient perinatal EHR affected providers' satisfaction with the transmission of clinical information and patients' ratings of their care experience. We collected data on provider satisfaction through 4 survey rounds during the phased implementation of the EHR. Data on patient satisfaction were drawn from Press Ganey surveys issued by the healthcare network through a standard process. Using multivariable models, we determined how provider satisfaction with information transmission and patient satisfaction with their care experience changed as the EHR system allowed greater information flow between OB/GYN practices and the hospital. Outpatient OB/GYN providers became more satisfied with their access to information from the inpatient perinatal triage unit once system capabilities included automatic data flow from triage back to the OB/GYN offices. Yet physicians were generally less satisfied with how the EHR affected their work processes than other clinical and non-clinical staff. Patient satisfaction dropped after initial EHR installation, and we find no evidence of increased satisfaction linked to system integration. Dissatisfaction of providers with an EHR system and difficulties incorporating EHR technology into patient care may negatively impact patient satisfaction. Care must be taken during EHR implementations to maintain good communication with patients while satisfying documentation requirements.

  10. Light sensors for objective light measurement in ambulatory polysomnography.

    PubMed

    Schembri, Rachel; Spong, Jo; Peters, Allison; Rochford, Peter; Wilksch, Philip; O'Donoghue, Fergal J; Greenwood, Kenneth M; Barnes, Maree; Kennedy, Gerard A; Berlowitz, David J

    2017-01-01

    Ambulatory polysomnography (PSG) does not commonly include an objective measure of light to determine the time of lights off (Loff), and thus cannot be used to calculate important indices such as sleep onset latency and sleep efficiency. This study examined the technical specifications and appropriateness of a prototype light sensor (LS) for use in ambulatory Compumedics Somte PSG.Two studies were conducted. The first examined the light measurement characteristics of the LS when used with a portable PSG device, specifically recording trace range, linearity, sensitivity, and stability. This involved the LS being exposed to varying incandescent and fluorescent light levels in a light controlled room. Secondly, the LS was trialled in 24 home and 12 hospital ambulatory PSGs to investigate whether light levels in home and hospital settings were within the recording range of the LS, and to quantify the typical light intensity reduction at the time of Loff. A preliminary exploration of clinical utility was also conducted. Linearity between LS voltage and lux was demonstrated, and the LS trace was stable over 14 hours of recording. The observed maximum voltage output of the LS/PSG device was 250 mV, corresponding to a maximum recording range of 350 lux and 523 lux for incandescent and fluorescent light respectively. At the time of Loff, light levels were within the recording range of the LS, and on average dropped by 72 lux (9-245) in the home and 76 lux (4-348) in the hospital setting. Results suggest that clinical utility was greatest in hospital settings where patients are less mobile. The LS was a simple and effective objective marker of light level in portable PSG, which can be used to identify Loff in ambulatory PSG. This allows measurement of additional sleep indices and support with clinical decisions.

  11. Antimicrobial usage in ambulatory patients with respiratory infections in Taiwan, 2001.

    PubMed

    Ho, Monto; Hsiung, Chao Agnes; Yu, Hui-Tzu; Chi, Cheng-Liang; Yin, Hsiao-Chuan; Chang, Hong-Jen

    2004-02-01

    Excess use of antimicrobials by ambulatory patients is a determinant of antimicrobial resistance. This study investigated the types of illnesses for which antimicrobials were prescribed and the amounts prescribed with special emphasis on respiratory infections for the year in which the Bureau of National Health Insurance (BNHI) enforced a policy to restrict antimicrobials for upper respiratory infections. The number of ambulatory patients seen and the types of ambulatory facilities in Taiwan were also described. Raw data were obtained from the BNHI database on every 500 th visit in 2001. Medical diagnoses were categorized according to the ICD-9-CM system. Antimicrobial consumption was expressed in defined daily doses per 1000 population per day (DDD/1000/day). Among the population of 22.3 million in Taiwan, there were 285.8 million ambulatory patient visits (12.8 per person), including 108.9 million visits (4.9 per person) for respiratory infections, of which 62.7 million (2.8 per person) were for upper respiratory infections (URI). Antimicrobial consumption was 19.83 DDD/1000/day [standard error (SE), 0.00055], of which 9.97 DDD/1000/day (SE, 0.00047) were for respiratory infections and 4.03 DDD/1000/day (0.00055) were for URI. 23.6% of visits for URI entailed a prescription for antimicrobials. About two-thirds (66.5%) of ambulatory patients were seen in clinics, mostly private ones, and 67.6% of all antimicrobials were received there. Aminopenicillins and cephalosporins constituted 35.2% and 19.5%, respectively, of antimicrobials prescribed. Despite the new BNHI rule restricting antimicrobial usage for URI, Taiwan still has an excessive number of ambulatory patient visits, especially for respiratory infections and URI. The majority of antimicrobials used were for URI. They were mostly prescribed in private clinics rather than hospital outpatient departments.

  12. The Treatment of Smoking by US Physicians During Ambulatory Visits: 1994–2003

    PubMed Central

    Thorndike, Anne N.; Regan, Susan; Rigotti, Nancy A.

    2007-01-01

    Objectives. We sought to determine whether US physicians’ practice patterns in treating tobacco use at ambulatory visits improved over the past decade with the appearance of national clinical practice guidelines, new smoking cessation medications, and public reporting of physician performance in counseling smokers. Methods. We compared data from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, an annual survey of a random sample of office visits to US physicians, between 1994–1996 and 2001–2003. Results. Physicians identified patients’ smoking status at 68% of visits in 2001–2003 versus 65% in 1994–1996 (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=1.16; 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.04, 1.30). Physicians counseled about smoking at 20% of smokers’ visits in 2001–2003 versus 22% in 1994–1996 (AOR=0.84; 95% CI=0.71, 0.99). In both time periods, smoking cessation medication use was low (<2% of smokers’ visits) and visits with counseling for smoking were longer than those without such counseling (P<.005). Conclusions. In the past decade, there has been a small increase in physicians’ rates of patients’ smoking status identification and a small decrease in rates of counseling smokers. This lack of progress may reflect barriers in the US health care environment, including limited physician time to provide counseling. PMID:17761570

  13. Use of Quantile Regression to Determine the Impact on Total Health Care Costs of Surgical Site Infections Following Common Ambulatory Procedures.

    PubMed

    Olsen, Margaret A; Tian, Fang; Wallace, Anna E; Nickel, Katelin B; Warren, David K; Fraser, Victoria J; Selvam, Nandini; Hamilton, Barton H

    2017-02-01

    To determine the impact of surgical site infections (SSIs) on health care costs following common ambulatory surgical procedures throughout the cost distribution. Data on costs of SSIs following ambulatory surgery are sparse, particularly variation beyond just mean costs. We performed a retrospective cohort study of persons undergoing cholecystectomy, breast-conserving surgery, anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, and hernia repair from December 31, 2004 to December 31, 2010 using commercial insurer claims data. SSIs within 90 days post-procedure were identified; infections during a hospitalization or requiring surgery were considered serious. We used quantile regression, controlling for patient, operative, and postoperative factors to examine the impact of SSIs on 180-day health care costs throughout the cost distribution. The incidence of serious and nonserious SSIs was 0.8% and 0.2%, respectively, after 21,062 anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, 0.5% and 0.3% after 57,750 cholecystectomy, 0.6% and 0.5% after 60,681 hernia, and 0.8% and 0.8% after 42,489 breast-conserving surgery procedures. Serious SSIs were associated with significantly higher costs than nonserious SSIs for all 4 procedures throughout the cost distribution. The attributable cost of serious SSIs increased for both cholecystectomy and hernia repair as the quantile of total costs increased ($38,410 for cholecystectomy with serious SSI vs no SSI at the 70th percentile of costs, up to $89,371 at the 90th percentile). SSIs, particularly serious infections resulting in hospitalization or surgical treatment, were associated with significantly increased health care costs after 4 common surgical procedures. Quantile regression illustrated the differential effect of serious SSIs on health care costs at the upper end of the cost distribution.

  14. Improving patient experience in a pediatric ambulatory clinic: a mixed method appraisal of service delivery

    PubMed Central

    Soeteman, Marijn; Peters, Vera; Busari, Jamiu O

    2015-01-01

    Objective In 2013, customer satisfaction surveys showed that patients were unhappy with the services provided at our ambulatory clinic. In response, we performed an appraisal of our services, which resulted in the development of a strategy to reduce waiting time and improve quality of service. Infrastructural changes to our clinic’s waiting room, consultation rooms, and back offices were performed, and schedules were redesigned to reduce wait time to 10 minutes and increase consultation time to 20 minutes. Our objective was to identify if this would improve 1) accessibility to caregivers and 2) quality of service and available amenities. Design We conducted a multi-method survey using 1) a patient flow analysis to analyze the flow of service and understand the impact of our interventions on patient flow and 2) specially designed questionnaires to investigate patients’ perceptions of our wait time and how to improve our services. Results The results showed that 79% of our respondents were called in to see a doctor within 20 minutes upon arrival. More patients (55%) felt that 10–20 minutes was an acceptable wait time. We also observed a perceived increase in satisfaction with wait time (94%). Finally, a large number of patients (97%) were satisfied with the quality of service and with the accessibility to caregivers (94%). Conclusion The majority of our patients were satisfied with the accessibility to our ambulatory clinics and with the quality of services provided. The appraisal of our operational processes using a patient flow analysis also demonstrated how this strategy could effectively be applied to investigate and improve quality of service in patients. PMID:25848303

  15. Hospital readmission after ambulatory laparoscopic cholecystectomy: incidence and predictors.

    PubMed

    Rosero, Eric B; Joshi, Girish P

    2017-11-01

    The aim of the study was to assess the rate of 30-d hospital readmissions after ambulatory laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The 2009 to 2011 State Ambulatory Surgery and Services and State Inpatient Databases from California, Florida, and New York were analyzed to evaluate the incidence of 30-d readmissions after laparoscopic cholecystectomy performed in outpatient settings. Hospital transfers and the principal diagnoses of hospital readmission were analyzed as secondary outcomes. Multilevel generalized mixed linear regression analyses with fixed and random effects were used to evaluate variables associated with increased likelihood of readmissions. A total of 230,745 encounters for ambulatory laparoscopic cholecystectomies performed in 890 ambulatory facilities between 2009 and 2011 in the three states were analyzed. The rate of 30-d readmission was 20.2 per 1000 discharges. The rate of direct transfers from the ambulatory surgery center to an acute care hospital was 0.6 per 1000 discharges. The most common diagnoses of readmission were surgical complications, postoperative pain, infection, and nausea or vomiting. After adjusting for comorbidities, increasing age, male sex, non-Hispanic white race/ethnicity, any nonprivate insurance type, diagnosis of acute cholecystitis, use of intraoperative cholangiography, and having the procedure performed on a weekend were significantly associated with increased odds of 30-d readmissions. This large-state data analysis reveals that the unplanned admission and readmission rates after laparoscopic cholecystectomy are very low. Some causes of readmission (e.g., pain, nausea, and vomiting) are modifiable by the intervention of surgeons and anesthesia providers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Relationship Between 24-Hour Ambulatory Blood Pressure and Cognitive Function in Community-Living Older Adults: The UCSD Ambulatory Blood Pressure Study.

    PubMed

    Conway, Kyle S; Forbang, Nketi; Beben, Tomasz; Criqui, Michael H; Ix, Joachim H; Rifkin, Dena E

    2015-12-01

    Twenty-four-hour ambulatory blood pressure (BP) patterns have been associated with diminished cognitive function in hypertensive and very elderly populations. The relationship between ambulatory BP patterns and cognitive function in community-living older adults is unknown. We conducted a cross-sectional study in which 24-hour ambulatory BP, in-clinic BP, and cognitive function measures were obtained from 319 community-living older adults. The mean age was 72 years, 66% were female, and 13% were African-American. We performed linear regression with performance on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) as the primary outcome and 24-hour BP patterns as the independent variable, adjusting for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, and comorbidities. Greater nighttime systolic dipping (P = 0.046) and higher 24-hour diastolic BP (DBP; P = 0.015) were both significantly associated with better cognitive function, whereas 24-hour systolic BP (SBP), average real variability, and ambulatory arterial stiffness were not. Higher 24-hour DBP and greater nighttime systolic dipping were significantly associated with improved cognitive function. Future studies should examine whether low 24-hour DBP and lack of nighttime systolic dipping predict future cognitive impairment. © American Journal of Hypertension, Ltd 2015. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  17. Studies in Ambulatory Care Quality Assessment in the Indian Health Service. Volume III: Comparison of Rural Private Practice, Health Maintenance Organizations, and the Indian Health Service.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nutting, Paul A.; And Others

    Utilizing a quality assessment methodology for ambulatory patient care currently under development by the Indian Health Service's (IHS) Office of Research and Development, comparisons were made between results derived from a pilot test in IHS service units, 2 metropolitan Health Maintenance Organizations (HMO), and 3 rural private practices.…

  18. Where the United States Spends its Spine Dollars: Expenditures on different ambulatory services for the management of back and neck conditions

    PubMed Central

    Davis, Matthew A.

    2012-01-01

    Study Design Serial, cross-sectional, nationally representative surveys of non-institutionalized adults. Objective To examine expenditures on common ambulatory health services for the management of back and neck conditions. Summary of Background Data Although it is well recognized that national costs associated with back and neck conditions have grown considerably in recent years, little is known about the costs of care for specific ambulatory health services that are used to manage this population. Methods We used the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) to examine adult (age ≥ 18 years) respondents from 1999 to 2008 who sought ambulatory health services for the management of back and neck conditions. We used complex survey design methods to make national estimates of mean inflation-adjusted annual expenditures on medical care, chiropractic care, and physical therapy per user for back and neck conditions. Results Approximately 6% of US adults reported an ambulatory visit for a primary diagnosis of a back or neck condition (13.6 million in 2008). Between 1999 and 2008, the mean inflation-adjusted annual expenditures on medical care for these patients increased by 95% (from $487 to $950); most of the increase was accounted for by increased costs for medical specialists, as opposed to primary care physicians. Over the study period, the mean inflation-adjusted annual expenditures on chiropractic care were relatively stable; while physical therapy was the most costly service overall, in recent years those costs have contracted. Conclusion Although this study did not explore the relative effectiveness of different ambulatory services, recent increasing costs associated with providing medical care for back and neck conditions (particularly subspecialty care) are contributing to the growing economic burden of managing these conditions. PMID:22433497

  19. Ambulatory Assessment.

    PubMed

    Carpenter, Ryan W; Wycoff, Andrea M; Trull, Timothy J

    2016-08-01

    In recent years, significant technological advances have changed our understanding of dynamic processes in clinical psychology. A particularly important agent of change has been ambulatory assessment (AA). AA is the assessment of individuals in their daily lives, combining the twin benefits of increased ecological validity and minimized retrospective biases. These benefits make AA particularly well-suited to the assessment of dynamic processes, and recent advancements in technology are providing exciting new opportunities to understand these processes in new ways. In the current article, we briefly detail the capabilities currently offered by smartphones and mobile physiological devices, as well as some of the practical and ethical challenges of incorporating these new technologies into AA research. We then provide several examples of recent innovative applications of AA methodology in clinical research, assessment, and intervention and provide a case example of AA data generated from a study utilizing multiple mobile devices. In this way, we aim to provide a sense of direction for researchers planning AA studies of their own.

  20. Prescription and Underprescription of Clozapine in Dutch Ambulatory Care.

    PubMed

    van der Zalm, Yvonne C; Termorshuizen, Fabian; Schulte, Peter F; Bogers, Jan P; Marcelis, Machteld; Sommer, Iris E; Selten, Jean Paul

    2018-01-01

    Purpose: To our knowledge, no study has examined in a structured way the extent of underprescription of clozapine in ambulatory patients with Non-Affective Psychotic Disorder (NAPD). In the Netherlands, psychiatric care for such patients is provided by Flexible Assertive Community Treatment (FACT) teams and by early intervention teams. In 20 FACT teams and 3 early intervention teams we assessed the proportion of patients who: use clozapine (type 1 patients), previously used this drug (type 2), have an unfulfilled indication for this drug, by type of indication (type 3), or were at least markedly psychotic, but had not yet received two adequate treatments with other antipsychotic drugs (type 4). We expected to find major differences between teams. To rule out that these differences are caused by differences in severity of psychopathology, we also calculated the proportions of patients who use clozapine given an indication at any time (number of type 1 patients divided by the sum of type 1, 2, and 3 patients). Materials and methods: The nurse practitioner of each team identified the patients already on clozapine. Next, using a highly-structured decision tree, the nurse practitioner and psychiatrist assessed whether the remaining patients had an indication for this drug. Indications were treatment-resistant positive symptoms, tardive dyskinesia, aggression and suicidality. The severity of positive symptoms was determined using the Clinical Global Impression-Schizophrenia Scale (CGI-SCH). Results: In the participating FACT-teams 2,286 NAPD patients were assessed. The range among teams in proportions was: type 1: 8.8-34.7% (mean: 23.0%), type 2: 0-8.2% (mean: 3.5%), type 3: 1.7-15.6% (mean: 6.9%), type 4: 1.8-16.3% (mean: 8.6%). The range in proportions of patients using this drug given an indication was 49.0-90.9% (mean: 68.8%). These figures were lower in early intervention teams. Conclusions: The proportion of patients in FACT-teams who have an unfulfilled indication

  1. A comparative study of the quality of care and glycemic control among ambulatory type 2 diabetes mellitus clients, at a Tertiary Referral Hospital and a Regional Hospital in Central Kenya.

    PubMed

    Mwavua, Shillah Mwaniga; Ndungu, Edward Kiogora; Mutai, Kenneth K; Joshi, Mark David

    2016-01-05

    Peripheral public health facilities remain the most frequented by the majority of the population in Kenya; yet remain sub-optimally equipped and not optimized for non-communicable diseases care. We undertook a descriptive, cross sectional study among ambulatory type 2 diabetes mellitus clients, attending Kenyatta National Referral Hospital (KNH), and Thika District Hospital (TDH) in Central Kenya. Systematic random sampling was used. HbA1c was assessed for glycemic control and the following, as markers of quality of care: direct client costs, clinic appointment interval and frequency of self monitoring test, affordability and satisfaction with care. We enrolled 200 clients, (Kenyatta National Hospital 120; Thika District Hospital 80); Majority of the patients 66.5% were females, the mean age was 57.8 years; and 58% of the patients had basic primary education. 67.5% had diabetes for less than 10 years and 40% were on insulin therapy. The proportion (95% CI) with good glycemic was 17% (12.0-22.5 respectively) in the two facilities [Kenyatta National Hospital 18.3% (11.5-25.6); Thika District Hospital 15% (CI 7.4-23.7); P = 0.539]. However, in Thika District Hospital clients were more likely to have a clinic driven routine urinalysis and weight, they were also accorded shorter clinic appointment intervals; incurred half to three quarter lower direct costs, and reported greater affordability and satisfactions with care. In conclusion, we demonstrate that in Thika district hospital, glycemic control and diabetic care is suboptimal; but comparable to that of Kenyatta National Referral hospital. Opportunities for improvement of care abound at peripheral health facilities.

  2. Tailoring Care to Vulnerable Populations by Incorporating Social Determinants of Health: the Veterans Health Administration's "Homeless Patient Aligned Care Team" Program.

    PubMed

    O'Toole, Thomas P; Johnson, Erin E; Aiello, Riccardo; Kane, Vincent; Pape, Lisa

    2016-03-31

    Although the clinical consequences of homelessness are well described, less is known about the role for health care systems in improving clinical and social outcomes for the homeless. We described the national implementation of a "homeless medical home" initiative in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and correlated patient health outcomes with characteristics of high-performing sites. We conducted an observational study of 33 VHA facilities with homeless medical homes and patient- aligned care teams that served more than 14,000 patients. We correlated site-specific health care performance data for the 3,543 homeless veterans enrolled in the program from October 2013 through March 2014, including those receiving ambulatory or acute health care services during the 6 months prior to enrollment in our study and 6 months post-enrollment with corresponding survey data on the Homeless Patient Aligned Care Team (H-PACT) program implementation. We defined high performance as high rates of ambulatory care and reduced use of acute care services. More than 96% of VHA patients enrolled in these programs were concurrently receiving VHA homeless services. Of the 33 sites studied, 82% provided hygiene care (on-site showers, hygiene kits, and laundry), 76% provided transportation, and 55% had an on-site clothes pantry; 42% had a food pantry and provided on-site meals or other food assistance. Six-month patterns of acute-care use pre-enrollment and post-enrollment for 3,543 consecutively enrolled patients showed a 19.0% reduction in emergency department use and a 34.7% reduction in hospitalizations. Three features were significantly associated with high performance: 1) higher staffing ratios than other sites, 1) integration of social supports and social services into clinical care, and 3) outreach to and integration with community agencies. Integrating social determinants of health into clinical care can be effective for high-risk homeless veterans.

  3. National ambulatory antibiotic prescribing patterns for pediatric urinary tract infection, 1998-2007.

    PubMed

    Copp, Hillary L; Shapiro, Daniel J; Hersh, Adam L

    2011-06-01

    The goal of this study was to investigate patterns of ambulatory antibiotic use and to identify factors associated with broad-spectrum antibiotic prescribing for pediatric urinary tract infections (UTIs). We examined antibiotics prescribed for UTIs for children aged younger than 18 years from 1998 to 2007 using the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey and National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. Amoxicillin-clavulanate, quinolones, macrolides, and second- and third-generation cephalosporins were classified as broad-spectrum antibiotics. We evaluated trends in broad-spectrum antibiotic prescribing patterns and performed multivariable logistic regression to identify factors associated with broad-spectrum antibiotic use. Antibiotics were prescribed for 70% of pediatric UTI visits. Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole was the most commonly prescribed antibiotic (49% of visits). Broad-spectrum antibiotics were prescribed one third of the time. There was no increase in overall use of broad-spectrum antibiotics (P = .67); however, third-generation cephalosporin use doubled from 12% to 25% (P = .02). Children younger than 2 years old (odds ratio: 6.4 [95% confidence interval: 2.2-18.7, compared with children 13-17 years old]), females (odds ratio: 3.6 [95% confidence interval: 1.6-8.5]), and temperature ≥ 100.4°F (odds ratio: 2.9 [95% confidence interval: 1.0-8.6]) were independent predictors of broad-spectrum antibiotic prescribing. Race, physician specialty, region, and insurance status were not associated with antibiotic selection. Ambulatory care physicians commonly prescribe broad-spectrum antibiotics for the treatment of pediatric UTIs, especially for febrile infants in whom complicated infections are more likely. The doubling in use of third-generation cephalosporins suggests that opportunities exist to promote more judicious antibiotic prescribing because most pediatric UTIs are susceptible to narrower alternatives.

  4. Collecting Practice-level Data in a Changing Physician Office-based Ambulatory Care Environment: A Pilot Study Examining the Physician induction interview Component of the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey.

    PubMed

    Halley, Meghan C; Rendle, Katharine A; Gugerty, Brian; Lau, Denys T; Luft, Harold S; Gillespie, Katherine A

    2017-11-01

    Objective This report examines ways to improve National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) data on practice and physician characteristics in multispecialty group practices. Methods From February to April 2013, the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) conducted a pilot study to observe the collection of the NAMCS physician interview information component in a large multispecialty group practice. Nine physicians were randomly sampled using standard NAMCS recruitment procedures; eight were eligible and agreed to participate. Using standard protocols, three field representatives conducted NAMCS physician induction interviews (PIIs) while trained ethnographers observed and audio recorded the interviews. Transcripts and field notes were analyzed to identify recurrent issues in the data collection process. Results The majority of the NAMCS items appeared to have been easily answered by the physician respondents. Among the items that appeared to be difficult to answer, three themes emerged: (a) physician respondents demonstrated an inconsistent understanding of "location" in responding to questions; (b) lack of familiarity with administrative matters made certain questions difficult for physicians to answer; and (c) certain primary care‑oriented questions were not relevant to specialty care providers. Conclusions Some PII survey questions were challenging for physicians in a multispecialty practice setting. Improving the design and administration of NAMCS data collection is part of NCHS' continuous quality improvement process. 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. Evolving vendor market for HITECH-certified ambulatory EHR products.

    PubMed

    Gold, Marsha; Hossain, Mynti; Charles, Dustin R; Furukawa, Michael F

    2013-11-01

    The ambitious goals of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act require rapid development and certification of new ambulatory electronic health record (EHR) products. To examine where the vendor market for EHR products stands now and the policy issues emerging from the market's evolution. Descriptive study with policy analysis. We had 3 main sources of information: (1) documents describing this evolving market, which is not well represented in peer-reviewed literature; (2) operational data on certified ambulatory EHR products and their use by Medicareeligible professionals attesting for meaningful use payments from January 2011 to October 2012; and (3) telephone interviews with 10 vendors that account for 57% of the market. Those attesting for Medicare meaningful use payments used ambulatory EHRs from 353 different vendors, although 16 firms accounted for 75% of the market. The Herfindahl-Hirschman Index showed the ambulatory EHR market to be highly competitive, particularly for practices of 50 or fewer professionals. The interviewed vendors and the external analysts agreed that stage 1 requirements set a relatively low bar for market entry, but that likely will change as requirements get more demanding. The HITECH Act met its initial goals to motivate growth of diverse ambulatory EHR products. A market shakeout may emerge, though current data reveal no signs of it. Policy makers can influence the shape and value of such a shakeout, and the extent of disruption, through their approach to certification and "usability" and "interoperability" strategies and requirements.

  6. Preliminary study of percutaneous nephrolithotomy on an ambulatory basis.

    PubMed

    El-Tabey, Magdy Ahmed; Abd-Allah, Osama Abdel-Wahab; Ahmed, Ahmed Sebaey; El-Barky, Ehab Mohammed; Noureldin, Yasser Abdel-Sattar

    2013-02-01

    Preliminary study to assess the feasibility and safety of percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) as an ambulatory procedure. Between February 2011 and September 2012, 84 patients with renal calculi fulfilling the inclusion criteria were admitted to the Urology Department of Benha University Hospitals for PCNL. All patients were subjected to a full medical history, clinical, laboratory and radiological examinations. Tubeless PCNLs were done in the supine position, and an antegrade double-J stent was inserted. Operative time and intraoperative complications were recorded. Postoperatively, the hematocrit value, postoperative pain and analgesics, need of blood transfusion, stone-free rate, and length of hospital stay were recorded. Stable patients that could be safely discharged within 24 hours after surgery were considered ambulatory. All cases of tubeless PCNL were successfully done and no cases converted to open surgery. The overall stone-free rate was 91.7%, the mean postoperative pain score measured by the visual analog scale was 4.4 ± 1.2, the mean overall hematocrit deficit was 4.8 ± 2.2% and the mean hospital stay was 33.4 ± 17.5 hours. Ambulatory PCNL was accomplished in 60 out of 84 patients (71.4%) and double-J stents were removed 7-10 days postoperatively. In the non-ambulatory cases, double-J stents were removed after auxillary procedures were done according to each case. PCNL can be safely done on an ambulatory basis under strict criteria, but further studies are needed to confirm and expand these findings.

  7. 76 FR 6572 - Non-Ambulatory Disabled Veal Calves and Other Non-Ambulatory Disabled Livestock at Slaughter...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-02-07

    ... Service 9 CFR Part 309 [Docket No. FSIS-2010-0041] Non-Ambulatory Disabled Veal Calves and Other Non... the disposition of non-ambulatory disabled veal calves and other non-ambulatory disabled livestock at... after being warmed or rested. The HSUS has petitioned FSIS to amend the regulations to require that non...

  8. Ambulatory surgery and anaesthesia in HUKM, a teaching hospital in Malaysia: the first two years experience.

    PubMed

    Norsidah, A M; Yahya, N; Adeeb, N; Lim, A L

    2001-03-01

    Ambulatory or day care surgery is still in its infancy in this part of the world. Our newly built university affiliated hospital started its Day Surgery Centre in February 1998. It is the first multidisciplinary ambulatory surgery centre in a teaching hospital in the country. It caters for Orthopaedic surgery, Urology, Plastic surgery, Otorhinolaryngology, General surgery, Paediatric surgery and Ophthalmology. We have done 2,604 cases and our unanticipated admission rate is less than 2%. There has been no major morbidity or mortality. The problems of setting up a multidisciplinary ambulatory centre in a teaching hospital are discussed.

  9. Searching for the missing pieces between the hospital and primary care: mapping the patient process during care transitions.

    PubMed

    Johnson, Julie K; Farnan, Jeanne M; Barach, Paul; Hesselink, Gijs; Wollersheim, Hub; Pijnenborg, Loes; Kalkman, Cor; Arora, Vineet M

    2012-12-01

    Safe patient transitions depend on effective communication and a functioning care coordination process. Evidence suggests that primary care physicians are not satisfied with communication at transition points between inpatient and ambulatory care, and that communication often is not provided in a timely manner, omits essential information, or contains ambiguities that put patients at risk. Our aim was to demonstrate how process mapping can illustrate current handover practices between ambulatory and inpatient care settings, identify existing barriers and facilitators to effective transitions of care, and highlight potential areas for quality improvement. We conducted focus group interviews to facilitate a process mapping exercise with clinical teams in six academic health centres in the USA, Poland, Sweden, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands. At a high level, the process of patient admission to the hospital through the emergency department, inpatient care, and discharge back in the community were comparable across sites. In addition, the process maps highlighted similar barriers to providing information to primary care physicians, inaccurate or incomplete information on referral and discharge, a lack of time and priority to collaborate with counterpart colleagues, and a lack of feedback to clinicians involved in the handovers. Process mapping is effective in bringing together key stakeholders and makes explicit the mental models that frame their understanding of the clinical process. Exploring the barriers and facilitators to safe and reliable patient transitions highlights opportunities for further improvement work and illustrates ideas for best practices that might be transferrable to other settings.

  10. NATIONAL SURVEY FOR AMBULATORY SURGERY (NSAS)

    EPA Science Inventory

    The National Survey of Ambulatory Surgery (NSAS), which was initiated by the National Center for Health Statistics in 1994, is a national survey designed to meet the need for information about the use of ambulatory surgery services in the United States. For NSAS, ambulatory surge...

  11. Single dose systemic acetaminophen to improve patient reported quality of recovery after ambulatory segmental mastectomy: A prospective, randomized, double-blinded, placebo controlled, clinical trial.

    PubMed

    De Oliveira, Gildasio S; Rodes, Meghan E; Bialek, Jane; Kendall, Mark C; McCarthy, Robert J

    2017-11-15

    Few systemic drug interventions are efficacious to improve patient reported quality of recovery after ambulatory surgery. We aimed to evaluate whether a single dose systemic acetaminophen improve quality of recovery in female patients undergoing ambulatory breast surgery. We hypothesized that patients receiving a single dose systemic acetaminophen at the end of the surgical procedure would have a better global quality of postsurgical recovery compared to the ones receiving saline. The study was a prospective randomized double blinded, placebo controlled, clinical trial. Healthy female subjects were randomized to receive 1 g single dose systemic acetaminophen at the end of the surgery or the same volume of saline. The primary outcome was the Quality of Recovery 40 (QOR-40) questionnaire at 24 hours after surgery. Other data collected included opioid consumption and pain scores. Data were analyzed using group t tests and the Wilcoxon exact test. The association between opioid consumption and quality of recovery was evaluated using Spearman rho. P < .05 was used to reject the null hypothesis for the primary outcome. Seventy subjects were randomized and sixty-five completed the study. Patients' baseline characteristics and surgical factors were similar between the study groups. There was a clinically significant difference in the global QoR-40 scores between the acetaminophen and the saline groups, median (IQR) of 189 (183 to 194) and 183 (175 to 190), respectively, P = .01. In addition, there was an inverse relationship (Spearman's rho= -0.33) between oral opioid consumption at home (oral morphine equivalents) and 24 hour postoperative quality of recovery, P = .007. A single dose of systemic acetaminophen improves patient reported quality of recovery after ambulatory breast surgery. The use of systemic acetaminophen is an efficacious strategy to improve patient perceived quality of postsurgical recovery and analgesic outcomes after hospital discharge for ambulatory

  12. AMBULATORY DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF NON-MALIGNANT PAIN IN THE UNITED STATES, 2000–2010

    PubMed Central

    Daubresse, Matthew; Chang, Hsien-Yen; Yu, Yuping; Viswanathan, Shilpa; Shah, Nilay D.; Stafford, Randall S.; Kruszewski, Stefan P.; Alexander, G. Caleb

    2013-01-01

    Background Escalating rates of prescription opioid use and abuse have occurred in the context of efforts to improve the treatment of non-malignant pain. Objectives To characterize the diagnosis and management of non-malignant pain in ambulatory, office-based settings in the United States between 2000 and 2010. Design, setting, and participants Serial cross-sectional and multivariate regression analyses of the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS), a nationally representative audit of office-based physician visits. Measures (1) Annual visits volume among adults with primary pain symptom or diagnosis; (2) receipt of any pain treatment; and (3) receipt of prescription opioid or non-opioid pharmacologic therapy in visits for new musculoskeletal pain. Results Primary symptoms or diagnoses of pain consistently represented one-fifth of visits, varying little from 2000 through 2010. Among all pain visits, opioid prescribing nearly doubled from 11.3% to 19.6%, whereas non-opioid analgesic prescribing remained unchanged (26%–29% of visits). One-half of new musculoskeletal pain visits resulted in pharmacologic treatment, though the prescribing of non-opioid pharmacotherapies decreased from 38% of visits (2000) to 29% of visits (2010). After adjusting for potentially confounding covariates, few patient, physician or practice characteristics were associated with a prescription opioid rather than a non-opioid analgesic for new musculoskeletal pain, and increases in opioid prescribing generally occurred non-selectively over time. Conclusions Increased opioid prescribing has not been accompanied by similar increases in non-opioid analgesics or the proportion of ambulatory pain patients receiving pharmacologic treatment. Clinical alternatives to prescription opioids may be underutilized as a means of treating ambulatory non-malignant pain. PMID:24025657

  13. German Ambulatory Care Physicians' Perspectives on Continuing Medical Education--A National Survey

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kempkens, Daniela; Dieterle, Wilfried E.; Butzlaff, Martin; Wilson, Andrew; Bocken, Jan; Rieger, Monika A.; Wilm, Stefan; Vollmar, Horst C.

    2009-01-01

    Introduction: This survey aimed to investigate German ambulatory physicians' opinions about mandatory continuing medical education (CME) and CME resources shortly before the introduction of mandatory CME in 2004. Methods: A structured national telephone survey of general practitioners and specialists was conducted. Main outcome measures were…

  14. Tailoring Care to Vulnerable Populations by Incorporating Social Determinants of Health: the Veterans Health Administration’s “Homeless Patient Aligned Care Team” Program

    PubMed Central

    Johnson, Erin E.; Aiello, Riccardo; Kane, Vincent; Pape, Lisa

    2016-01-01

    Introduction Although the clinical consequences of homelessness are well described, less is known about the role for health care systems in improving clinical and social outcomes for the homeless. We described the national implementation of a “homeless medical home” initiative in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and correlated patient health outcomes with characteristics of high-performing sites. Methods We conducted an observational study of 33 VHA facilities with homeless medical homes and patient- aligned care teams that served more than 14,000 patients. We correlated site-specific health care performance data for the 3,543 homeless veterans enrolled in the program from October 2013 through March 2014, including those receiving ambulatory or acute health care services during the 6 months prior to enrollment in our study and 6 months post-enrollment with corresponding survey data on the Homeless Patient Aligned Care Team (H-PACT) program implementation. We defined high performance as high rates of ambulatory care and reduced use of acute care services. Results More than 96% of VHA patients enrolled in these programs were concurrently receiving VHA homeless services. Of the 33 sites studied, 82% provided hygiene care (on-site showers, hygiene kits, and laundry), 76% provided transportation, and 55% had an on-site clothes pantry; 42% had a food pantry and provided on-site meals or other food assistance. Six-month patterns of acute-care use pre-enrollment and post-enrollment for 3,543 consecutively enrolled patients showed a 19.0% reduction in emergency department use and a 34.7% reduction in hospitalizations. Three features were significantly associated with high performance: 1) higher staffing ratios than other sites, 1) integration of social supports and social services into clinical care, and 3) outreach to and integration with community agencies. Conclusion Integrating social determinants of health into clinical care can be effective for high

  15. Outcomes sensitive to nursing service quality in ambulatory cancer chemotherapy: Systematic scoping review.

    PubMed

    Griffiths, Peter; Richardson, Alison; Blackwell, Rebecca

    2012-07-01

    There is long standing interest in identifying patient outcomes that are sensitive to nursing care and an increasing number of systems that include outcomes in order to demonstrate or monitor the quality of nursing care. We undertook scoping reviews of the literature in order to identify patient outcomes sensitive to the quality of nursing services in ambulatory cancer chemotherapy settings to guide the development of an outcomes-based quality measurement system. A 2-stage scoping review to identify potential outcome areas which were subsequently assessed for their sensitivity to nursing was carried out. Data sources included the Cochrane Library, Medline, Embase, the British Nursing Index, Google and Google scholar. We identified a broad range of outcomes potentially sensitive to nursing. Individual trials support many nursing interventions but we found relatively little clear evidence of effect on outcomes derived from systematic reviews and no evidence associating characteristics of nursing services with outcomes. The purpose of identifying a set of outcomes as specifically nurse-sensitive for quality measurement is to give clear responsibility and create an expectation of strong clinical leadership by nurses in terms of monitoring and acting on results. It is important to select those outcomes that nurses have most impact upon. Patient experience, nausea, vomiting, mucositis and safe medication administration were outcome areas most likely to yield sensitive measures of nursing service quality in ambulatory cancer chemotherapy. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Impact of a bladder scan protocol on discharge efficiency within a care pathway for ambulatory inguinal herniorraphy.

    PubMed

    Antonescu, I; Baldini, G; Watson, D; Kaneva, P; Fried, G M; Khwaja, K; Vassiliou, M C; Carli, F; Feldman, L S

    2013-12-01

    Postoperative urinary retention (POUR) is a common complication of ambulatory inguinal herniorraphy, with an incidence reaching 38%, and many surgeons require patients to void before discharge. This study aimed to assess whether the implementation of a bladder scan-based voiding protocol reduces the time until discharge after ambulatory inguinal herniorraphy without increasing the rate of POUR. As part of a perioperative care pathway, a protocol was implemented to standardize decision making after elective inguinal hernia repair (February 2012). Patients were assessed with a bladder scan, and those with <600 mL of urine were discharged home, whereas those with more than 600 mL of urine had an in-and-out catheterization before discharge. The patients received written information about urinary symptoms and instructions to present to the emergency department if they were unable to void at home. An audit of scheduled outpatient inguinal hernia repairs between October 2011 and July 2012 was performed. Comparisons were made using the t test, Fisher's exact test, and Wilcoxon rank sum test where appropriate. Statistical significance was defined a priori as a p value lower than 0.05. During the study period, 124 patients underwent hernia repair: 60 before and 64 after implementation of the protocol. The findings showed no significant differences in patient characteristics, laparoscopic approach (35 vs. 33%; p = 0.80), proportion receiving general anesthesia (70 vs. 73%; p = 0.67), or amount of intravenous fluids given (793 vs. 663 mL; p = 0.07). The proportion of patients voiding before discharge was higher after protocol implementation (73 vs. 89%; p = 0.02). The protocol had no impact on median time to discharge (190 vs. 205 min; p = 0.60). Only one patient in each group presented to the emergency department with POUR (2%). After ambulatory inguinal herniorraphy, implementation of a bladder scan-based voiding protocol did not result in earlier discharge. The incidence of

  17. Cost-effectiveness analysis of computerized ECG interpretation system in an ambulatory health care organization.

    PubMed

    Carel, R S

    1982-04-01

    The cost-effectiveness of a computerized ECG interpretation system in an ambulatory health care organization has been evaluated in comparison with a conventional (manual) system. The automated system was shown to be more cost-effective at a minimum load of 2,500 patients/month. At larger monthly loads an even greater cost-effectiveness was found, the average cost/ECG being about $2. In the manual system the cost/unit is practically independent of patient load. This is primarily due to the fact that 87% of the cost/ECG is attributable to wages and fees of highly trained personnel. In the automated system, on the other hand, the cost/ECG is heavily dependent on examinee load. This is due to the relatively large impact of equipment depreciation on fixed (and total) cost. Utilization of a computer-assisted system leads to marked reduction in cardiologists' interpretation time, substantially shorter turnaround time (of unconfirmed reports), and potential provision of simultaneous service at several remotely located "heart stations."

  18. The Use of the Ambulatory Setting for Patient Self-Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Newkirk, Gary; And Others

    1979-01-01

    A self-instructional health education program that utilizes a slide-tape device was studied to determine whether it could be educationally effective in an ambulatory clinical setting without being an inconvenience to patients. Infant and child nutrition was chosen as the topic to be used in the waiting room of a pediatric clinic. (JMD)

  19. National Ambulatory Antibiotic Prescribing Patterns for Pediatric Urinary Tract Infection, 1998–2007

    PubMed Central

    Shapiro, Daniel J.; Hersh, Adam L.

    2011-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to investigate patterns of ambulatory antibiotic use and to identify factors associated with broad-spectrum antibiotic prescribing for pediatric urinary tract infections (UTIs). METHODS: We examined antibiotics prescribed for UTIs for children aged younger than 18 years from 1998 to 2007 using the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey and National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. Amoxicillin-clavulanate, quinolones, macrolides, and second- and third-generation cephalosporins were classified as broad-spectrum antibiotics. We evaluated trends in broad-spectrum antibiotic prescribing patterns and performed multivariable logistic regression to identify factors associated with broad-spectrum antibiotic use. RESULTS: Antibiotics were prescribed for 70% of pediatric UTI visits. Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole was the most commonly prescribed antibiotic (49% of visits). Broad-spectrum antibiotics were prescribed one third of the time. There was no increase in overall use of broad-spectrum antibiotics (P = .67); however, third-generation cephalosporin use doubled from 12% to 25% (P = .02). Children younger than 2 years old (odds ratio: 6.4 [95% confidence interval: 2.2–18.7, compared with children 13–17 years old]), females (odds ratio: 3.6 [95% confidence interval: 1.6–8.5]), and temperature ≥100.4°F (odds ratio: 2.9 [95% confidence interval: 1.0–8.6]) were independent predictors of broad-spectrum antibiotic prescribing. Race, physician specialty, region, and insurance status were not associated with antibiotic selection. CONCLUSIONS: Ambulatory care physicians commonly prescribe broad-spectrum antibiotics for the treatment of pediatric UTIs, especially for febrile infants in whom complicated infections are more likely. The doubling in use of third-generation cephalosporins suggests that opportunities exist to promote more judicious antibiotic prescribing because most pediatric UTIs are susceptible to narrower

  20. Health care access and utilization patterns in unstably housed HIV-infected individuals in New York City.

    PubMed

    Cunningham, Chinazo O; Sohler, Nancy L; McCoy, Kate; Heller, Daliah; Selwyn, Peter A

    2005-10-01

    As part of a multisite initiative to evaluate outreach targeting underserved HIV-infected individuals, we describe baseline characteristics of unstably housed HIV-infected individuals from New York City, and their health care access and utilization patterns. Interviews with 150 HIV-infected single room occupancy (SRO) hotel residents on health care access and utilization, barriers to accessing health care, demographic characteristics, history of incarceration, severity of HIV disease, depressive symptoms, substance use, and exposure to violence were conducted. Most participants were 40 years of age or older, male, black or Latino, had public insurance, a history of substance use, depressive symptoms, and a CD4(+) count above 200 cells/mm(3). Access to and utilization of care was high with 91% reporting having a regular provider, 95% identifying a non-emergency department (ED) clinic or office as their usual location of care, 89% reporting at least one ambulatory visit, and 82% reporting optimal (>/=2) ambulatory visits during the previous 6 months. Additionally, 45% reported at least one ED visit, and 30% at least one hospitalization within the previous 6 months. Among black and Latino marginalized SRO hotel residents in New York City, this study found surprisingly high measures of access to and utilization of ambulatory care services, along with high use of acute care services. Understanding HIV-related health services access and utilization patterns among marginalized populations is essential to improve their HIV care. These patterns of high levels of access to and utilization of health care services contradict clinical experiences and other studies, and require further exploration.

  1. Improving Practice Guideline Adherence Through Peer Feedback: Impact of an Ambulatory Cardiology Curriculum.

    PubMed

    Richardson, Karl M; Singh, Jai; Muñoz, Dan; Damp, Julie B; Mendes, Lisa A

    2018-01-01

    Graduate medical trainees must be prepared to practice in a quality-driven system that values adherence to and documentation of evidence-based care. Few validated approaches exist to teach these skills. Our objective was to develop, implement, and evaluate an ambulatory practice improvement curriculum capitalizing on peer feedback aimed at improving cardiology fellow guideline knowledge, adherence, and chart documentation. Four outpatient topics were reviewed in dedicated 1-hour sessions: stable ischemic heart disease, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and aortic valvular disease. Each session began with peer review, critique, and guideline adherence discussion of deidentified outpatient fellow clinic charts, followed by discussion of clinical guidelines. The open discussion of real clinic notes provided a forum for peer feedback exchange. Before each session and after the final session, participants completed a multiple-choice knowledge assessment and self-assessment of comfort with the guidelines. To evaluate the potential effect on patient care, random clinic chart audits were conducted before and after the curriculum using a chart scoring system. Although the format is broadly applicable, the specific curriculum content was designed for a cardiology fellowship cohort in a large academic medical center. It was organized and implemented by 2 cardiology fellows under the direction and supervision of program directors. The curriculum was implemented during prescheduled noon conference hours. The intention was to carry forward this ambulatory curriculum in subsequent years and to use the first 4 sessions to study its potential successes and opportunities for improvement. All 22 general cardiology fellows attended at least two sessions (M = 3.1). Knowledge test scores rose from 52.6% to 73.0% (20.4% increase, p < .001), 95% confidence interval (CI) [13.6%, 27.2%]. Self-reported guidelines knowledge improved by 15.1% (p = .002), 95% CI [6.2%, 24.0%], and self

  2. A Comparison of Ambulatory Care Sensitive Hospitalizations Among Children With and Without Autism Spectrum Disorder.

    PubMed

    Carbone, Paul S; Young, Paul C; Stoddard, Gregory J; Wilkes, Jacob; Trasande, Leonardo

    2015-01-01

    To compare the prevalence of hospitalizations for ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSC) in children with and without autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and to compare inpatient health care utilization (total charges and length of stay) for the same conditions in children with and without ASD. The 2009 Kids' Inpatient Database was used to examine hospitalizations for ACSC in children within 3 cohorts: those with ASD, those with chronic conditions (CC) without ASD, and those with no CC. The proportion of hospitalizations for ACSC in the ASD cohort was 55.9%, compared with 28.2% in the CC cohort and 22.9% in the no-CC cohort (P < .001). Hospitalized children with ASD were more likely to be admitted for a mental health condition, epilepsy, constipation, pneumonia, dehydration, vaccine-preventable diseases, underweight, and nutritional deficiencies compared with the no-CC cohort. Compared with the CC cohort, the ASD cohort was more likely to be admitted for mental health conditions, epilepsy, constipation, dehydration, and underweight. Hospitalized children with ASD admitted for mental health conditions had significantly higher total charges and longer LOS compared with the other 2 cohorts. The proportion of potentially preventable hospitalizations is higher in hospitalized children with ASD compared with children without ASD. These data underscore the need to improve outpatient care of children with ASD, especially in the areas of mental health care and seizure management. Future research should focus on understanding the reasons for increased inpatient health care utilization in children with ASD admitted for mental health conditions. Copyright © 2015 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. The Influence of Ambulatory Aid on Lower-Extremity Muscle Activation During Gait.

    PubMed

    Sanders, Michael; Bowden, Anton E; Baker, Spencer; Jensen, Ryan; Nichols, McKenzie; Seeley, Matthew K

    2018-05-10

    Foot and ankle injuries are common and often require a nonweight-bearing period of immobilization for the involved leg. This nonweight-bearing period usually results in muscle atrophy for the involved leg. There is a dearth of objective data describing muscle activation for different ambulatory aids that are used during the aforementioned nonweight-bearing period. To compare activation amplitudes for 4 leg muscles during (1) able-bodied gait and (2) ambulation involving 3 different ambulatory aids that can be used during the acute phase of foot and ankle injury care. Within-subject, repeated measures. University biomechanics laboratory. Sixteen able-bodied individuals (7 females and 9 males). Each participant performed able-bodied gait and ambulation using 3 different ambulatory aids (traditional axillary crutches, knee scooter, and a novel lower-leg prosthesis). Muscle activation amplitude quantified via mean surface electromyography amplitude throughout the stance phase of ambulation. Numerous statistical differences (P < .05) existed for muscle activation amplitude between the 4 observed muscles, 3 ambulatory aids, and able-bodied gait. For the involved leg, comparing the 3 ambulatory aids: (1) knee scooter ambulation resulted in the greatest vastus lateralis activation, (2) ambulation using the novel prosthesis and traditional crutches resulted in greater biceps femoris activation than knee scooter ambulation, and (3) ambulation using the novel prosthesis resulted in the greatest gastrocnemius activation (P < .05). Generally speaking, muscle activation amplitudes were most similar to able-bodied gait when subjects were ambulating using the knee scooter or novel prosthesis. Type of ambulatory aid influences muscle activation amplitude. Traditional axillary crutches appear to be less likely to mitigate muscle atrophy during the nonweighting, immobilization period that often follows foot or ankle injuries. Researchers and clinicians should consider

  4. A validation of the Mobil O Graph (version 12) ambulatory blood pressure monitor.

    PubMed

    Jones, C R; Taylor, K; Chowienczyk, P; Poston, L; Shennan, A H

    2000-08-01

    To assess the clinical accuracy of the Mobil O Graph (version 12) ambulatory blood pressure monitor in an adult population. The accuracy of the device was assessed by predefined criteria (British Hypertension Society, BHS) in 85 subjects recruited from the patients and staff in a teaching hospital. A series of same-arm sequential blood pressure measurements were taken: first two observers taking simultaneous mercury readings, followed by a reading with the Mobil O Graph ambulatory monitor. A total of seven readings were taken from each subject in the sitting position. The data were then analysed according to the BHS protocol and the criteria of the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI). The Mobil O Graph ambulatory monitor fulfilled the criteria of the BHS protocol, achieving a grade B for systolic blood pressure (SBP) and a grade A for diastolic blood pressure (DBP). The mean differences were -2+/-8 mmHg for SBP and -2+/-7 mmHg for DBP. The device therefore also passed the AAMI standard (the mean to be within 5+/-8 mmHg). The Mobil O Graph ambulatory monitor performed in a satisfactory manner according to the BHS and the AAMI criteria and can therefore be recommended for clinical use in the general population.

  5. Internal Medicine Residents' Perceptions of Team-Based Care and its Educational Value in the Continuity Clinic: A Qualitative Study.

    PubMed

    Soones, Tacara N; O'Brien, Bridget C; Julian, Katherine A

    2015-09-01

    In order to teach residents how to work in interprofessional teams, educators in graduate medical education are implementing team-based care models in resident continuity clinics. However, little is known about the impact of interprofessional teams on residents' education in the ambulatory setting. To identify factors affecting residents' experience of team-based care within continuity clinics and the impact of these teams on residents' education. This was a qualitative study of focus groups with internal medicine residents. Seventy-seven internal medicine residents at the University of California San Francisco at three continuity clinic sites participated in the study. Qualitative interviews were audiotaped and transcribed. The authors used a general inductive approach with sensitizing concepts in four frames (structural, human resources, political and symbolic) to develop codes and identify themes. Residents believed that team-based care improves continuity and quality of care. Factors in four frames affected their ability to achieve these goals. Structural factors included communication through the electronic medical record, consistent schedules and regular team meetings. Human resources factors included the presence of stable teams and clear roles. Political and symbolic factors negatively impacted team-based care, and included low staffing ratios and a culture of ultimate resident responsibility, respectively. Regardless of the presence of these factors or resident perceptions of their teams, residents did not see the practice of interprofessional team-based care as intrinsically educational. Residents' experiences practicing team-based care are influenced by many principles described in the interprofessional teamwork literature, including understanding team members' roles, good communication and sufficient staffing. However, these attributes are not correlated with residents' perceptions of the educational value of team-based care. Including residents in

  6. Hypertension types defined by clinic and ambulatory blood pressure in 14 143 patients referred to hypertension clinics worldwide. Data from the ARTEMIS study.

    PubMed

    Omboni, Stefano; Aristizabal, Dagnovar; De la Sierra, Alejandro; Dolan, Eamon; Head, Geoffrey; Kahan, Thomas; Kantola, Ilkka; Kario, Kazuomi; Kawecka-Jaszcz, Kalina; Malan, Leoné; Narkiewicz, Krzysztof; Octavio, José A; Ohkubo, Takayoshi; Palatini, Paolo; Siègelovà, Jarmila; Silva, Eglé; Stergiou, George; Zhang, Yuqing; Mancia, Giuseppe; Parati, Gianfranco

    2016-11-01

    The Ambulatory blood pressure Registry TEleMonitoring of hypertension and cardiovascular rISk project was designed to set up an international registry including clinic blood pressure (CBP) and ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) measurements in patients attending hypertension clinics in all five continents, aiming to assess different daily life hypertension types. Cross-sectional ABP, CBP and demographic data, medical history and cardiovascular risk profile were provided from existing databases by hypertension clinics. Hypertension types were evaluated considering CBP (≥140/90 mmHg) and 24-h ABP (≥130/80 mmHg). Overall, 14 143 patients from 27 countries across all five continents were analyzed (Europe 73%, Africa 3%, America 9%, Asia 14% and Australia 2%). Mean age was 57 ± 14 years, men 51%, treated for hypertension 46%, cardiovascular disease 14%, people with diabetes 14%, dyslipidemia 33% and smokers 19%. The prevalence of hypertension was higher by CBP than by ABP monitoring (72 vs. 60%, P < 0.0001). Sustained hypertension (elevated CBP and ABP) was detected in 49% of patients. White-coat hypertension (WCH, elevated CBP with normal ABP) was more common than masked hypertension (elevated ABP with normal CBP) (23 vs. 10%; P < 0.0001). Sustained hypertension was more common in Europe and America and in elderly, men, obese patients with cardiovascular comorbidities. WCH was less common in Australia, America and Africa, and more common in elderly, obese women. Masked hypertension was more common in Asia and in men with diabetes. Smoking was a determinant for sustained hypertension and masked hypertension. Our analysis showed an unbalanced distribution of WCH and masked hypertension patterns among different continents, suggesting an interplay of genetic and environmental factors, and likely also different healthcare administrative and practice patterns.

  7. Health services utilization for people with HIV infection: comparison of a population targeted for outreach with the U.S. population in care.

    PubMed

    Cunningham, William E; Sohler, Nancy L; Tobias, Carol; Drainoni, Mari-lynn; Bradford, Judith; Davis, Cynthia; Cabral, Howard J; Cunningham, Chinazo O; Eldred, Lois; Wong, Mitchell D

    2006-11-01

    Many persons with HIV infection do not receive consistent ambulatory medical care and are excluded from studies of patients in medical care. However, these hard-to-reach groups are important to study because they may be in greatest need of services. This study compared the sociodemographic, clinical, and health care utilization characteristics of a multisite sample of HIV-positive persons who were hard to reach with a nationally representative cohort of persons with HIV infection who were receiving care from known HIV providers in the United States and examined whether the independent correlates of low ambulatory utilization differed between the 2 samples. We compared sociodemographic, clinical, and health care utilization characteristics in 2 samples of adults with HIV infection: 1286 persons from 16 sites across the United States interviewed in 2001-2002 for the Targeted HIV Outreach and Intervention Initiative (Outreach), a study of underserved persons targeted for supportive outreach services; and 2267 persons from the HIV Costs and Services Utilization Study (HCSUS), a probability sample of persons receiving care who were interviewed in 1998. We conducted logistic regression analyses to identify differences between the 2 samples in sociodemographic and clinical associations with ambulatory medical visits. Compared with the HCSUS sample, the Outreach sample had notably greater proportions of black respondents (59% vs. 32%, P = 0.0001), Hispanics (20% vs. 16%), Spanish-speakers (9% vs. 2%, P = 0.02), those with low socioeconomic status (annual income < Dollars 10,000 75% vs. 45%, P = 0.0001), the unemployed, and persons with homelessness, no insurance, and heroin or cocaine use (58% vs. 47%, P = 0.05). They also were more likely to have fewer than 2 ambulatory visits (26% vs. 16%, P = 0.0001), more likely to have emergency room visits or hospitalizations in the prior 6 months, and less likely to be on antiretroviral treatment (82% vs. 58%, P = 0.0001). Nearly

  8. Implementation of a comprehensive pharmaceutical care program for an underserved population.

    PubMed

    Mascardo, Lisa A; Spading, Kimberly A; Abramowitz, Paul W

    2012-07-15

    The implementation of a prescription benefit program for low-income patients emphasizing clinical pharmacist services and strict formulary control is described, with a review of program expenditures and cost avoidance. In 2006, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics (UIHC) launched a program to provide a limited prescription benefit to indigent patients under the IowaCare Medicaid demonstration waiver. Sudden dramatic growth in IowaCare enrollment, combined with sharp budget cuts, forced UIHC pharmacy leaders to implement creative cost-control strategies: (1) the establishment of an ambulatory care clinic staffed by a clinical pharmacy specialist, (2) increased reliance on an almost exclusively generic formulary, (3) collaboration with social services staff to help secure medication assistance for patients requiring brand-name drugs, (4) optimized purchasing through the federal 340B Drug Pricing Program, and (5) the imposition of medication copayments and mailing fees for prescription refills. Now in its seventh year, the UIHC pharmacy program has expanded indigent patients' access to pharmaceutical care services while reducing their use of hospital and emergency room services and lowering program medication costs by an estimated 50% (from $2.6 million in fiscal year 2009 to $1.3 million in fiscal year 2010). The UIHC ambulatory care pharmacy implemented a prescription program in collaboration with social service workers to address the medication needs of the state's low-income and uninsured patients in a fiscally responsible manner by managing purchasing contracts, revising a generic formulary, implementing copayments and mailing fees, and reviewing medication profiles.

  9. Identifying Natural Alignments Between Ambulatory Surgery Centers and Local Health Systems: Building Broader Communities of Surgical Care.

    PubMed

    Funk, Russell J; Owen-Smith, Jason; Landon, Bruce E; Birkmeyer, John D; Hollingsworth, John M

    2017-02-01

    To develop and compare methods for identifying natural alignments between ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) and hospitals that anchor local health systems. Using all-payer data from Florida's State Ambulatory Surgery and Inpatient Databases (2005-2009), we developed 3 methods for identifying alignments between ASCS and hospitals. The first, a geographic proximity approach, used spatial data to assign an ASC to its nearest hospital neighbor. The second, a predominant affiliation approach, assigned an ASC to the hospital with which it shared a plurality of surgeons. The third, a network community approach, linked an ASC with a larger group of hospitals held together by naturally occurring physician networks. We compared each method in terms of its ability to capture meaningful and stable affiliations and its administrative simplicity. Although the proximity approach was simplest to implement and produced the most durable alignments, ASC surgeon's loyalty to the assigned hospital was low with this method. The predominant affiliation and network community approaches performed better and nearly equivalently on these metrics, capturing more meaningful affiliations between ASCs and hospitals. However, the latter's alignments were least durable, and it was complex to administer. We describe 3 methods for identifying natural alignments between ASCs and hospitals, each with strengths and weaknesses. These methods will help health system managers identify ASCs with which to partner. Moreover, health services researchers and policy analysts can use them to study broader communities of surgical care.

  10. Using Clinical Data Standards to Measure Quality: A New Approach.

    PubMed

    D'Amore, John D; Li, Chun; McCrary, Laura; Niloff, Jonathan M; Sittig, Dean F; McCoy, Allison B; Wright, Adam

    2018-04-01

     Value-based payment for care requires the consistent, objective calculation of care quality. Previous initiatives to calculate ambulatory quality measures have relied on billing data or individual electronic health records (EHRs) to calculate and report performance. New methods for quality measure calculation promoted by federal regulations allow qualified clinical data registries to report quality outcomes based on data aggregated across facilities and EHRs using interoperability standards.  This research evaluates the use of clinical document interchange standards as the basis for quality measurement.  Using data on 1,100 patients from 11 ambulatory care facilities and 5 different EHRs, challenges to quality measurement are identified and addressed for 17 certified quality measures.  Iterative solutions were identified for 14 measures that improved patient inclusion and measure calculation accuracy. Findings validate this approach to improving measure accuracy while maintaining measure certification.  Organizations that report care quality should be aware of how identified issues affect quality measure selection and calculation. Quality measure authors should consider increasing real-world validation and the consistency of measure logic in respect to issues identified in this research. Schattauer GmbH Stuttgart.

  11. Factors associated with pneumonia in Yanomami children hospitalized for Ambulatory Care sensitive conditions in the north of Brazil.

    PubMed

    Caldart, Raquel Voges; Marrero, Lihsieh; Basta, Paulo Cesar; Orellana, Jesem Douglas Yamall

    2016-05-01

    In developing countries, pneumonia is the leading cause of sickness and mortality in childhood, especially among vulnerable groups. The scope of this study was to analyze the factors associated with pneumonia in Yanomami children hospitalized for Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions (ACSC). Hospital admissions were divided into two groups: i) pneumonia; and ii) other causes, according to the Brazilian ACSC list. Adjusted hospitalization rates were estimated and unconditional logistic regression was used to analyze factors associated with pneumonia. Over 90% of the registered cases were considered ACSC. The adjusted rate of ACSC was 18.6/1000. The odds ratio of hospitalization for pneumonia was 2.7 (CI: 1.3-5.4) times higher in children aged between 0.1 and 5.9 months; 1.9 (CI: 1.1-3.3) times higher in children who were hospitalized for 8-14 days; and three (CI: 1.2-7.5) times higher in children with a secondary diagnosis of malnutrition. The excess of avoidable hospitalizations is a clear indication of the low quality of care and limited accessibility to primary health care in indigenous territories, which is contrary to the assistance model proposed by the indigenous healthcare subsystem in Brazil, which should in theory focus on welfare technologies based on primary health care.

  12. Challenges of pain control and the role of the ambulatory pain specialist in the outpatient surgery setting.

    PubMed

    Vadivelu, Nalini; Kai, Alice M; Kodumudi, Vijay; Berger, Jack M

    2016-01-01

    Ambulatory surgery is on the rise, with an unmet need for optimum pain control in ambulatory surgery centers worldwide. It is important that there is a proportionate increase in the availability of acute pain-management services to match the rapid rise of clinical patient load with pain issues in the ambulatory surgery setting. Focus on ambulatory pain control with its special challenges is vital to achieve optimum pain control and prevent morbidity and mortality. Management of perioperative pain in the ambulatory surgery setting is becoming increasingly complex, and requires the employment of a multimodal approach and interventions facilitated by ambulatory surgery pain specialists, which is a new concept. A focused ambulatory pain specialist on site at each ambulatory surgery center, in addition to providing safe anesthesia, could intervene early once problematic pain issues are recognized, thus preventing emergency room visits, as well as readmissions for uncontrolled pain. This paper reviews methods of acute-pain management in the ambulatory setting with risk stratification, the utilization of multimodal interventions, including pharmacological and nonpharmacological options, opioids, nonopioids, and various routes with the goal of preventing delayed discharge and unexpected hospital admissions after ambulatory surgery. Continued research and investigation in the area of pain management with outcome studies in acute surgically inflicted pain in patients with underlying chronic pain treated with opioids and the pattern and predictive factors for pain in the ambulatory surgical setting is needed.

  13. A comparison of kangaroo mother care and conventional incubator care for thermal regulation of infants < 2000 g in Nigeria using continuous ambulatory temperature monitoring.

    PubMed

    Ibe, O E; Austin, T; Sullivan, K; Fabanwo, O; Disu, E; Costello, A M de L

    2004-09-01

    Although skin-to-skin contact (or kangaroo mother care, KMC) for preterm infants is a practical alternative to incubator care, no studies have compared these methods using continuous ambulatory temperature monitoring. To compare thermal regulation in low birthweight infants (< 2000 g) managed by KMC alternating with conventional care (CC) and to determine the acceptability to mothers of KMC, an experimental study with a crossover design with observational and qualitative data collected on temperature patterns and mothers attitudes to skin-to-skin care was conducted in the neonatal wards of three hospitals in Lagos, Nigeria. Thirteen eligible infants were nursed by their mothers or surrogates in 38 4-hour sessions of KMC and the results compared with 38 sessions of incubator care. The risk of hypothermia was reduced by > 90% when nursed by KMC rather than conventional care, relative risk (RR) 0.09 (0.03-0.25). More cases of hyperthermia (> 37.5 degrees C) occurred with KMC, and coreperiphery temperature differences were widened, but the risk of hyperthermia > 37.9 degrees C (RR 1.3, 0.9-1.7) was not significant. Micro-ambient temperatures were higher during KMC, although the average room temperatures during both procedures did not differ significantly. Mothers felt that KMC was safe, and preferred the method to CC because it did not separate them from their infants, although some had problems adjusting to this method of care. Where equipment for thermal regulation is lacking or unreliable, KMC is a preferable method for managing stable low birthweight infants. Copyright 2004 Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine

  14. Participation restrictions in ambulatory amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients: Physical and psychological factors.

    PubMed

    Van Groenestijn, Annerieke C; Schröder, Carin D; Kruitwagen-Van Reenen, Esther T; Van Den Berg, Leonard H; Visser-Meily, Johanna M A

    2017-11-01

    The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of participation restrictions in ambulatory patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and to identify physical and psychological contributory factors. In this cross-sectional study, self-reported participation restrictions of 72 ambulatory ALS patients were assessed using the social health status dimension (SIPSOC) of the Sickness Impact Profile (SIP-68). Associations between SIPSOC and physical functioning, psychological factors, and demographic factors were analyzed using hierarchical regression analyses. Ninety-two percent of the patients reported participation restrictions; 54.9% could be explained by physical functioning; psychological factors accounted for 8.1% of the variance. Lung capacity, functional mobility, fatigue, and helplessness were independently associated with participation restrictions. Ambulatory ALS patients have participation restrictions, which may be influenced if early ALS care is directed toward lung capacity, functional mobility, fatigue, and feelings of helplessness. Muscle Nerve 56: 912-918, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  15. A longitudinal analysis of patient satisfaction with care and quality of life in ambulatory oncology based on the OUT-PATSAT35 questionnaire.

    PubMed

    Nguyen, Thanh Vân France; Anota, Amélie; Brédart, Anne; Monnier, Alain; Bosset, Jean-François; Mercier, Mariette

    2014-01-25

    In the oncology setting, there has been increasing interest in evaluating treatment outcomes in terms of quality of life and patient satisfaction. The aim of our study was to investigate the determinants of patient satisfaction, especially the relationship between quality of life and satisfaction with care and their changes over time, in curative treatment of cancer outpatients. Patients undergoing ambulatory chemotherapy or radiotherapy in two centers in France were invited to complete the OUT-PATSAT35, at the beginning of treatment, at the end of treatment, and three months after treatment. This questionnaire evaluates patients' perception of doctors and nurses, as well as other aspects of care organization and services. Additionally, for each patient, socio-demographic and clinical characteristics, and self-reported quality of life data (EORTC QLQ-C30) were collected. Of the 691 patients initially included, 561 answered the assessment at all three time points. By cross-sectional analysis, at the end of the treatment, patients who experienced a deterioration of their global health reported less satisfaction on most scales (p ≤ 0.001). Three months after treatment, the same patients had lower satisfaction scores only in the evaluation of doctors (p ≤ 0.002). Furthermore, longitudinal analysis showed a significant relationship between a deterioration in global health and a decrease in satisfaction with their doctor and, conversely, between an improvement in global health and an increase in satisfaction on the overall satisfaction scale. Global health at baseline was largely and significantly associated with all satisfaction scores measured at the following assessment time points (p < 0.0001). Younger age (<55 years), radiotherapy (versus chemotherapy) and head and neck cancer (versus other localizations) were clinical factors significantly associated with less satisfaction on most scales evaluating doctors. Pre-treatment self-evaluated global health was found

  16. A longitudinal analysis of patient satisfaction with care and quality of life in ambulatory oncology based on the OUT-PATSAT35 questionnaire

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background In the oncology setting, there has been increasing interest in evaluating treatment outcomes in terms of quality of life and patient satisfaction. The aim of our study was to investigate the determinants of patient satisfaction, especially the relationship between quality of life and satisfaction with care and their changes over time, in curative treatment of cancer outpatients. Methods Patients undergoing ambulatory chemotherapy or radiotherapy in two centers in France were invited to complete the OUT-PATSAT35, at the beginning of treatment, at the end of treatment, and three months after treatment. This questionnaire evaluates patients’ perception of doctors and nurses, as well as other aspects of care organization and services. Additionally, for each patient, socio-demographic and clinical characteristics, and self-reported quality of life data (EORTC QLQ-C30) were collected. Results Of the 691 patients initially included, 561 answered the assessment at all three time points. By cross-sectional analysis, at the end of the treatment, patients who experienced a deterioration of their global health reported less satisfaction on most scales (p ≤ 0.001). Three months after treatment, the same patients had lower satisfaction scores only in the evaluation of doctors (p ≤ 0.002). Furthermore, longitudinal analysis showed a significant relationship between a deterioration in global health and a decrease in satisfaction with their doctor and, conversely, between an improvement in global health and an increase in satisfaction on the overall satisfaction scale. Global health at baseline was largely and significantly associated with all satisfaction scores measured at the following assessment time points (p < 0.0001). Younger age (<55 years), radiotherapy (versus chemotherapy) and head and neck cancer (versus other localizations) were clinical factors significantly associated with less satisfaction on most scales evaluating doctors. Conclusions

  17. The Evidence-base for Using Ontologies and Semantic Integration Methodologies to Support Integrated Chronic Disease Management in Primary and Ambulatory Care: Realist Review. Contribution of the IMIA Primary Health Care Informatics WG.

    PubMed

    Liyanage, H; Liaw, S-T; Kuziemsky, C; Terry, A L; Jones, S; Soler, J K; de Lusignan, S

    2013-01-01

    Most chronic diseases are managed in primary and ambulatory care. The chronic care model (CCM) suggests a wide range of community, technological, team and patient factors contribute to effective chronic disease management. Ontologies have the capability to enable formalised linkage of heterogeneous data sources as might be found across the elements of the CCM. To describe the evidence base for using ontologies and other semantic integration methods to support chronic disease management. We reviewed the evidence-base for the use of ontologies and other semantic integration methods within and across the elements of the CCM. We report them using a realist review describing the context in which the mechanism was applied, and any outcome measures. Most evidence was descriptive with an almost complete absence of empirical research and important gaps in the evidence-base. We found some use of ontologies and semantic integration methods for community support of the medical home and for care in the community. Ubiquitous information technology (IT) and other IT tools were deployed to support self-management support, use of shared registries, health behavioural models and knowledge discovery tools to improve delivery system design. Data quality issues restricted the use of clinical data; however there was an increased use of interoperable data and health system integration. Ontologies and semantic integration methods are emergent with limited evidence-base for their implementation. However, they have the potential to integrate the disparate community wide data sources to provide the information necessary for effective chronic disease management.

  18. Can health indicators and psychosocial characteristics predict attrition in youths with overweight and obesity seeking ambulatory treatment? Data from a retrospective longitudinal study in a paediatric clinic in Luxembourg.

    PubMed

    Pit-Ten Cate, Ineke M; Samouda, Hanen; Schierloh, Ulrike; Jacobs, Julien; Vervier, Jean Francois; Stranges, Saverio; Lair, Marie Lise; Beaufort, Carine de

    2017-09-03

    The current study aimed to identify factors that could predict attrition in youths starting ambulatory treatment to control or lose weight. Retrospective longitudinal study. Paediatric clinic: ambulatory treatment programme. A youth sample (n=191; 89 boys; aged 7-17 years) completed measures of demographic characteristics, and health and psychosocial traits before starting an ambulatory weight management programme. Anthropometric and biological markers related to obesity were also obtained. Tests of mean differences and regression analyses were used to investigate the relationship between these variables and attrition after 1 year. The χ 2 and t test results showed both psychosocial and health indicators differentiated between participants who continued attending the treatment programme and those who dropped out. More specifically, youths that dropped out of treatment were significantly older, had higher body mass index z scores, higher levels of insulin, triglycerides and HOMA-IR, reported poorer health, had more conduct problems and were more dissatisfied with themselves and their bodies before starting treatment. Results of regression analyses revealed that weight status (anthropometric and biological markers), age and body dissatisfaction predicted attrition (overall prediction success 73%; prediction success for continued attendance 90/91%; prediction success for dropouts 42/44%). Attrition, but especially the continued attendance in treatment, can be successfully predicted by age, weight status and body dissatisfaction. For patients who present with one or more risk factors, careful consideration is needed to decide which (combination of) inpatient or outpatient programme may facilitate prolonged engagement of the patient and hence may be most effective in establishing weight loss. © 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

  19. Predictors of unanticipated admission following ambulatory surgery: a retrospective case-control study.

    PubMed

    Whippey, Amanda; Kostandoff, Greg; Paul, James; Ma, Jinhui; Thabane, Lehana; Ma, Heung Kan

    2013-07-01

    The primary objectives of this historical case-control study were to evaluate the incidence of and reasons and risk factors for adult unanticipated admissions in three tertiary care Canadian hospitals following ambulatory surgery. A random sample of 200 patients requiring admission (cases) and 200 patients not requiring admission (controls) was taken from 20,657 ambulatory procedures was identified and compared. The following variables were included: demographics, reason for admission, type of anesthesia, surgical procedure, length of procedure, American Society of Anesthesiologists' (ASA) classification, surgical completion time, pre-anesthesia clinic, medical history, medications (classes), and perioperative complications. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to assess factors associated with unanticipated admissions. The incidence of unanticipated admission following ambulatory surgery was 2.67%. The most common reasons for admission were surgical (40%), anesthetic (20%), and medical (19%). The following factors were found to be associated with an increased risk of unanticipated admission: length of surgery of one to three hours (odds ratio [OR] 16.70; 95% confidence interval [CI] 4.10 to 67.99) and length of surgery more than three hours (OR 4.26; 95% CI 2.40 to 7.55); ASA class III (OR 4.60; 95% CI 1.81 to 11.68); ASA class IV (OR 6.51; 95% CI 1.66 to 25.59); advanced age (> 80 yr) (OR 5.41; 95% CI 1.54 to 19.01); and body mass index (BMI) of 30-35 (OR 2.81; 95% CI 1.31 to 6.04). Current smoking status was found to be associated with a decreased likelihood of unanticipated admission (OR 0.44; 95% CI 0.23 to 0.83), as was monitored anesthesia care when compared with general anesthesia (OR 0.17; 95% CI 0.04 to 0.68) and plastic (OR 0.18; 95% CI 0.07 to 0.50), orthopedic (OR 0.16; 95% CI 0.08 to 0.33), and dental/ear-nose-throat surgery (OR 0.32; 95% CI 0.13 to 0.83) when compared with general surgery. Other comorbid conditions did not impact

  20. Validation of a Nutritional Screening Tool for Ambulatory Use in Pediatrics.

    PubMed

    Rub, Gal; Marderfeld, Luba; Poraz, Irit; Hartman, Corina; Amsel, Shlomo; Rosenbaum, Israel; Pergamentzev-Karpol, Shiri; Monsonego-Ornan, Efrat; Shamir, Raanan

    2016-05-01

    To evaluate the use of Screening Tool for the Assessment of Malnutrition in Pediatrics (STAMP) in a primary health care clinic in the community and to assess the impact of its use on medical staff's awareness of nutritional status. STAMP scoring system was tested as is and with modifications in the ambulatory setting. Nutritional risk according to STAMP was compared with a detailed nutritional assessment performed by a registered dietitian. Recording of nutrition-related data and anthropometric measurements in medical files were compared prior and post implementation. Sixty children were included (31 girls, 52%), ages between 1 and 6 years, mean age 2.8 ± 1.5 (mean ± SD). STAMP scores yielded a fair agreement between STAMP and the dietitian's nutritional assessment: κ = 0.47 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.24-0.7), sensitivity of 47.62% (95% CI 28.34-67.63). Modified STAMP yielded more substantial agreement: κ = 0.57 (95% CI 0.35-0.79), sensitivity of 76.19% (95% CI 54.91-89.37), specificity of 82.05% (95% CI 67.33-91.02). The use of STAMP resulted in an increase in recording of appetite, dietary intake, and anthropometric measurements. Modification of the STAMP improved nutritional risk evaluation in community setting. The use of STAMP in a primary health care clinic raised clinician's awareness to nutritional status. Further work will identify whether this could be translated into lower malnutrition rates and better child care.

  1. [Impact of cardiovascular risk factors on the consumption of resources in Primary Care according to Clinical Risk Groups].

    PubMed

    Millá Perseguer, Magdalena; Guadalajara Olmeda, Natividad; Vivas Consuelo, David

    2018-06-13

    To analyze the prevalence of Cardiovascular Risk Factors (CVRF) in the context of a Basic Health Area and the impact they generate on morbidity and consumption of healthcare resources in the stratified population according to the Clinical System Risk Groups (CRG) in Primary Care, with the purpose of identifying the population with multimorbidity to apply preventive measures, as well as the one that generates the highest care burden and social needs. Observational, cross-sectional and population-based study for a basic health area during 2013. Department of Health 2 (Castellón), Comunidad Valenciana (CV). Includes outpatient care in Primary Care and specialized. All citizens registered in the Population Information System, N=32,667. From the computerized system Abucasis we obtained the demographic, clinical and consumption variables of health resources. We consider the prevalence of CVRF based on the presence or absence of the ICD.9.MC diagnostic codes. The relationship of the CVRF with the 9 CRG health states was analyzed and a predictive analysis was performed with the logistic regression model to evaluate the explanatory capacity of each variable. In addition, an explanatory model of ambulatory pharmaceutical expenditure was obtained through multivariate regression. The population of health status CRG4 and above had multimorbidity. The CRG7 and 6 health states have a higher prevalence of CVRF; it was predictive that the higher the morbidity, the greater the consumption of resources through OR above the mean, p<0.05 and the 95% confidence intervals. It was observed that 59.8% of ambulatory pharmaceutical expenditure was explained by the CRG system and all the CVRF (p<0.05 and R 2 corrected=0.598). Regarding the effect of the CVRF on the CRG health states, there was a significant association (p<0.05) for the alteration of blood glucose, dyslipidemia and HBP in all the CRG states. The study of CVRF in a stratified population using the CRG system identifies and

  2. [SmartCare: automatizing clinical guidelines].

    PubMed

    Mersmann, Stefan

    2009-10-01

    In critical care environments, important medical and economic challenges are presented by the enhancement of therapeutic quality and the reduction of therapeutic costs. For this purpose, several clinical studies have demonstrated a positive impact of the adoption of so-called clinical guidelines. Clinical guidelines represent well documented best practices in healthcare and are fundamental aspects of evidence-based medicine. However, at the bedside, such clinical guidelines remain difficult to use by clinical staff. The knowledge-based technology SmartCare allows incorporation of arbitrary computerized clinical guidelines into various medical target systems. SmartCare constitutes a clinical guideline engine because it executes one or more clinical guidelines on a specific medical device. SmartCare was initially applied for the automated control of a mechanical ventilator to assist the process of weaning from a medical device. The methodology allows further applications to be implemented effectively with other medical devices and/or with other appropriate guidelines. In this paper, we report on the methodology and the resulting versatility of such a system, as well as the clinical evaluation of SmartCare/PS and its perspectives.

  3. Care coordination between convenient care clinics and healthcare homes.

    PubMed

    Carney Moore, Jeanne Marie; Dolansky, Mary; Hudak, Christine; Kenneley, Irena

    2015-05-01

    Patient care coordination is foundational to high-quality health care and is a national priority. Since its inception, convenient health care has been criticized for its potential to decrease patient care coordination. The purpose of this study is to investigate care coordination between convenient care clinics and healthcare homes. The care coordination practices of Minute Clinic, which represents over 40% of the convenient care industry, were studied. Patient identification of healthcare homes and consent to transmit visit records were abstracted from the health records of 1,014,249 patients dated July 1 to December 31, 2012. The completeness of record content and timeliness of record transmission were assessed by means of interviewing Minute Clinic's Director of Quality and reviewing patient electronic health records. Minute Clinic attempts to coordinate care with healthcare homes, but opportunities for improved care coordination exist. Increased vigilance on the part of providers, patients, and healthcare systems is needed to mitigate barriers to care coordination. Future research is needed to examine care coordination from multiple convenient care operators and explore how to increase care coordination with healthcare homes. ©2014 American Association of Nurse Practitioners.

  4. The Ambulatory Experience for Junior Medical Students at the Medical College of Georgia.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fincher, Ruth-Marie E.; Albritton, T. Andrew

    1993-01-01

    The Medical College of Georgia's third-year medicine clerkship includes a one-month ambulatory care block rotation in internal medicine, medicine, and dermatology. Students present topics and participate in case discussions in daily and weekly conferences. Program success is resulting in expansion. (MSE)

  5. Patient-Doctor Contact Interval and Clinical Outcomes in Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis Patients.

    PubMed

    Yi, Chunyan; Guo, Qunying; Lin, Jianxiong; Li, Jianying; Yu, Xueqing; Yang, Xiao

    2017-01-01

    The optimal patient-doctor contact (PDC) interval remains unknown in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. The aim was to investigate the association between PDC interval and clinical outcomes in continuous ambulatory PD (CAPD) patients. In this retrospective cohort study, CAPD patients who resided in Guangzhou city between January 2006 and December 2012 were included. According to receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, all patients were classified as high (PDC interval ≤2 months) and low (PDC interval >2 months) PDC frequency groups. Biochemical data, clinical events, and clinical outcomes during the follow-up period were compared. Of 433 CAPD patients, the mean age was 51.3 ± 15.7 years, 54.3% of patients were male, and 29.1% with diabetes. The median vintage of PD was 45.8 (26.3-69.1) months. Patients with high PDC frequency (n = 233) had better patient-survival rates (99.6, 87.7, and 76.5% vs. 92.7, 76.5, and 58.7% at 1, 3, and 5 years; p < 0.001), lower peritonitis rate (0.17 vs. 0.23 episodes per patient-year; p < 0.001), and hospitalization rate (0.49 vs. 0.67 episodes per patient-year; p < 0.001) than those in the low PDC frequency group (n = 200). After adjustment for confounders, PDC interval of no more than 2 months was independently associated with better patient survival (hazard ratio 0.60, 95% CI 0.42-0.86, p = 0.006). A PDC interval of 2 months or less was associated with better clinical outcomes in CAPD patients. This indicates that a shorter PDC interval should be encouraged for them to achieve better clinical outcomes. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  6. Acceptance of Ambulatory Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy in Central Switzerland.

    PubMed

    Widjaja, Sandra P; Fischer, Henning; Brunner, Alexander R; Honigmann, Philipp; Metzger, Jürg

    2017-11-01

    Currently, most patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) in Switzerland are inpatients for 2-3 days. Due to a lack of available hospital beds, we asked whether day-case surgery would be an option for patients in central Switzerland. The questions of acceptability of outpatient LC and factors contributing to the acceptability thus arose. Hundred patients suffering from symptomatic cholecystolithiasis, capable of communicating in German, and between 18 and 65 years old, were included. Patients received a pre-operative questionnaire on medical history and social situation when informed consent on surgery and participation in the study was obtained. Exclusion criteria were patients suffering from acute cholecystitis or any type of cancer; having a BMI >40 kg/m 2 ; needing conversion to open cholecystectomy or an intraoperative drainage; and non-German speakers. Surgery was performed laparoscopically. Both surgeon and patient filled in a postoperative questionnaire. The surgeon's questionnaire listed medical and technical information, and the patients' questionnaire listed medical information, satisfaction with the treatment and willingness to be released on the same day. These data from both questionnaires were grouped into social and medical factors and analysed on their influence upon willingness to accept an ambulatory procedure. No outpatient follow-up apart from checking for readmission to our hospital within 1 month after discharge was performed. Of the 100 participants, one-third was male. More than two-thirds were Swiss citizens. Only one participant was ineligible for rapid release evaluation due to need of a drainage. Among the social factors contributing to the acceptability of ambulatory care, we found nationality to be relevant; Swiss citizens preferred an inpatient procedure, whereas non-Swiss citizens were significantly more willing to return home on the same day. Household size, sex and age did not correlate with a preference for

  7. The internal medicine clerkship and ambulatory learning experiences: results of the 2010 clerkship directors in internal medicine survey.

    PubMed

    Shaheen, Amy; Papp, Klara K; Torre, Dario

    2013-01-01

    Education in the ambulatory setting should be an integral part of undergraduate medical education. However, previous studies have shown education in this setting has been lacking in medical school. Ambulatory education occurs on some internal medicine clerkships. The extent of this education is unclear. The purpose of this survey was to assess the structure, curriculum, assessment methods, and barriers to implementation of ambulatory education on the internal medicine clerkship. An annual survey of institutional members of the Clerkship Directors in Internal Medicine (CDIM) was done in April 2010. The data were anonymous and descriptive statistics were used to summarize responses. Free text results were analyzed using qualitative techniques. The response rate was 75%. The majority of respondents had a required ambulatory component to the clerkship. Ambulatory experiences distinct from the inpatient internal medicine experience were common (46%). Integration with either the inpatient experiences or other departmental clerkships also occurred. The majority of ambulatory educational experiences were with generalists (74%) and/or subspecialists (45%). The most common assessment tool was the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) ambulatory shelf exam. Thematic analysis of the question about how practice based learning was taught elicited four major themes: Not taught; taught in the context of learning evidence based medicine; taught while learning chronic disease management with quality improvement; taught while learning about health care finance. Barriers to implementation included lack of faculty and financial resources. There have been significant increases in the amount of time dedicated to ambulatory internal medicine. The numbers of medical schools with ambulatory internal medicine education has increased. Integration of the ambulatory experiences with other clerkships such as family medicine occurs. Curriculum was varied but difficulties with dissemination

  8. Ambulatory Assessment

    PubMed Central

    Trull, Timothy J.; Ebner-Priemer, Ulrich

    2014-01-01

    Ambulatory assessment (AA) covers a wide range of assessment methods to study people in their natural environment, including self-report, observational, and biological/physiological/behavioral. AA methods minimize retrospective biases while gathering ecologically valid data from patients’ everyday life in real time or near real time. Here, we report on the major characteristics of AA, and we provide examples of applications of AA in clinical psychology (a) to investigate mechanisms and dynamics of symptoms, (b) to predict the future recurrence or onset of symptoms, (c) to monitor treatment effects, (d) to predict treatment success, (e) to prevent relapse, and (f) as interventions. In addition, we present and discuss the most pressing and compelling future AA applications: technological developments (the smartphone), improved ecological validity of laboratory results by combined lab-field studies, and investigating gene-environment interactions. We conclude with a discussion of acceptability, compliance, privacy, and ethical issues. PMID:23157450

  9. Comparative effectiveness research in DARTNet primary care practices: point of care data collection on hypoglycemia and over-the-counter and herbal use among patients diagnosed with diabetes.

    PubMed

    Libby, Anne M; Pace, Wilson; Bryan, Cathy; Anderson, Heather Orton; Ellis, Samuel L; Allen, Richard Read; Brandt, Elias; Huebschmann, Amy G; West, David; Valuck, Robert J

    2010-06-01

    The Distributed Ambulatory Research in Therapeutics Network (DARTNet) is a federated network of electronic health record (EHR) data, designed as a platform for next-generation comparative effectiveness research in real-world settings. DARTNet links information from nonintegrated primary care clinics that use EHRs to deliver ambulatory care to overcome limitations with traditional observational research. Test the ability to conduct a remote, electronic point of care study in DARTNet practices by prompting clinic staff to obtain specific information during a patient encounter. Prospective survey of patients identified through queries of clinical data repositories in federated network organizations. On patient visit, survey is triggered and data are relinked to the EHR, de-identified, and copied for evaluation. Adult patients diagnosed with diabetes mellitus that scheduled a clinic visit for any reason in a 2-week period in DARTNet primary care practices. Survey on hypoglycemic events (past month) and over-the-counter and herbal supplement use. DARTNet facilitated point of care data collection triggered by an electronic prompt for additional information at a patient visit. More than one-third of respondents (33% response rate) reported either mild (45%) or severe hypoglycemic events (5%) in the month before the survey; only 3 of those were also coded using the ICD-9 (a significant difference in detection rates 37% vs. 1%). Nearly one-quarter of patients reported taking an OTC/herbal, 4% specifically for the treatment of symptoms of diabetes. Prospective data collection is feasible in DARTNet and can enable comparative effectiveness and safety research.

  10. Effects of low-dose aspirin on clinic and ambulatory blood pressure in treated hypertensive patients. Collaborative Group of the Primary Prevention Project (PPP)--Hypertension study.

    PubMed

    Avanzini, F; Palumbo, G; Alli, C; Roncaglioni, M C; Ronchi, E; Cristofari, M; Capra, A; Rossi, S; Nosotti, L; Costantini, C; Pietrofeso, R

    2000-06-01

    Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs may affect blood pressure (BP) control in hypertensive patients receiving drug treatment, but data on the effects of low-dose aspirin are scanty. This study assessed the effects of chronic treatment with low doses of aspirin (100 mg/day) on clinic and ambulatory systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) BP in hypertensives on chronic, stable antihypertensive therapy. The study was conducted in the framework of the Primary Prevention Project (PPP), a randomized, controlled factorial trial on the preventive effect of aspirin or vitamin E in people with one or more cardiovascular risk factors. Fifteen Italian hypertension units studied 142 hypertensive patients (76 men, 66 women; mean age 59 +/- 5.9 years) treated with different antihypertensive drugs: 71 patients were randomized to aspirin and 71 served as controls. All patients underwent a clinic BP evaluation with an automatic sphygmomanometer and a 24-h ambulatory BP monitoring, at baseline and after 3 months of aspirin treatment. At the end of the study the changes in clinic SBP and DBP were not statistically different in treated and untreated subjects. Ambulatory SBP and DBP after 3 months of aspirin treatment were similar to baseline: deltaSBP -0.5 mmHg (95% confidence intervals [CI] from -1.9 to +2.9 mm Hg) and deltaDBP -1.1 mm Hg (95% CI from -2.5 to +0.3 mm Hg). The pattern was similar in the control group. No interaction was found between aspirin and the most used antihypertensive drug classes (angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and calcium antagonists). Despite the relatively small sample size our results seem to exclude any significant influence of low-dose aspirin on BP control in hypertensives under treatment.

  11. The value of vendor-reported ambulatory EHR benefits data.

    PubMed

    Thompson, Douglas; Classen, David; Garrido, Terhilda; Bisordi, Joseph; Novogoratz, Scott; Zywiak, Walt

    2007-04-01

    Implementation of an electronic health record is expensive and labor-intensive. For this reason, providers often seek information about possible benefits to help them decide whether to implement an EHR. Our study found that a benefits database maintained by an ambulatory clinical systems vendor provided information that is useful, but that also has limitations.

  12. Patient Safety Culture in Slovenian out-of-hours Primary Care Clinics.

    PubMed

    Klemenc-Ketiš, Zalika; Deilkås, Ellen Tveter; Hofoss, Dag; Bondevik, Gunnar Tschudi

    2017-10-01

    Patient safety culture is a concept which describes how leader and staff interaction, attitudes, routines and practices protect patients from adverse events in healthcare. We aimed to investigate patient safety culture in Slovenian out-of-hours health care (OOHC) clinics, and determine the possible factors that might be associated with it. This was a cross-sectional study, which took place in Slovenian OOHC, as part of the international study entitled Patient Safety Culture in European Out-of-Hours Services (SAFE-EUR-OOH). All the OOHC clinics in Slovenia (N=60) were invited to participate, and 37 agreed to do so; 438 employees from these clinics were invited to participate. We used the Slovenian version of the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire - an ambulatory version (SAQAV) to measure the climate of safety. Out of 438 invited participants, 250 answered the questionnaire (57.1% response rate). The mean overall score ± standard deviation of the SAQ was 56.6±16.0 points, of Perceptions of Management 53.6±19.6 points, of Job Satisfaction 48.5±18.3 points, of Safety Climate 59.1±22.1 points, of Teamwork Climate 72.7±16.6, and of Communication 51.5±23.4 points. Employees working in the Ravne na Koroškem region, employees with variable work shifts, and those with full-time jobs scored significantly higher on the SAQ-AV. The safety culture in Slovenian OOHC clinics needs improvement. The variations in the safety culture factor scores in Slovenian OOHC clinics point to the need to eliminate variations and improve working conditions in Slovenian OOHC clinics.

  13. Strategic responses to fiscal constraints: a health policy analysis of hospital-based ambulatory physical therapy services in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).

    PubMed

    Landry, Michel D; Verrier, Molly C; Williams, A Paul; Zakus, David; Deber, Raisa B

    2009-01-01

    Ambulatory physical therapy (PT) services in Canada are required to be insured under the Canada Health Act, but only if delivered within hospitals. The present study analyzed strategic responses used by hospitals in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) to deliver PT services in an environment of fiscal constraint. Key informant interviews (n = 47) were conducted with participants from all hospitals located within the GTA. Two primary strategic responses were identified: (1) "load shedding" through the elimination or reduction of services, and (2) "privatization" through contracting out or creating internal for-profit subsidiary clinics. All hospitals reported reductions in service delivery between 1996 and 2003, and 15.0% (7/47 hospitals) fully eliminated ambulatory services. Although only one of 47 hospitals contracted out services, another 15.0% (7/47) reported that for-profit subsidiary clinics were created within the hospital in order to access other more profitable forms of quasi-public and private funding. Strategic restructuring of services, aimed primarily at cost containment, may have yielded short-term financial savings but has also created a ripple effect across the continuum of care. Moreover, the rise of for-profit subsidiary clinics operating within not-for-profit hospitals has emerged without much public debate and with little research to evaluate its impact.

  14. The Effect of Mobile App Home Monitoring on Number of In-Person Visits Following Ambulatory Surgery: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial

    PubMed Central

    Coyte, Peter C; Bhatia, R Sacha; Semple, John L

    2015-01-01

    Background Women’s College Hospital, Toronto, Canada, offers specialized ambulatory surgical procedures. Patients often travel great distances to undergo surgery. Most patients receiving ambulatory surgery have a low rate of postoperative events necessitating clinic visits. However, regular follow-up is still considered important in the early postoperative phase. Increasingly, telemedicine is used to overcome the distance patients must travel to receive specialized care. Telemedicine data suggest that mobile monitoring and follow-up care is valued by patients and can reduce costs to society. Women’s College Hospital has used a mobile app (QoC Health Inc) to complement in-person postoperative follow-up care for breast reconstruction patients. Preliminary studies suggest that mobile app follow-up care is feasible, can avert in-person follow-up care, and is cost-effective from a societal and health care system perspective. Objective We hope to expand the use of mobile app follow-up care through its formal assessment in a randomized controlled trial. In postoperative ambulatory surgery patients at Women’s College Hospital (WCH), can we avert in-person follow-up care through the use of mobile app follow-up care compared to conventional, in-person follow-up care in the first 30 days after surgery. Methods This will be a pragmatic, single-center, open, controlled, 2-arm parallel-group superiority randomized trial comparing mobile app and in-person follow-up care over the first month following surgery. The patient population will comprise all postoperative ambulatory surgery patients at WCH undergoing breast reconstruction. The intervention consists of a postoperative mobile app follow-up care using the quality of recovery-9 (QoR9) and a pain visual analog scale (VAS), surgery-specific questions, and surgical site photos submitted daily for the first 2 weeks and weekly for the following 2 weeks. The primary outcome is the total number of physician visits related to

  15. The Evolution of Ambulatory Medical Record Systems in the U.S

    PubMed Central

    Kuhn, Ingeborg M.; Wiederhold, Gio

    1981-01-01

    This paper is an overview of the developments in Automated Ambulatory Medical Record Systems (AAMRS) from 1975 to the present. A summary of findings from a 1975 state-of-the-art review is presented with the current findings of a follow-up study of the AAMRS. The studies revealed that effective automated medical record systems have been developed for ambulatory care settings and that they are now in the process of being transfered to other sites or users, either privately or as a commercial product. Since 1975 there have been no significant advances in system design. However, progress has been substantial in terms of achieving production goals. Even though a variety of system are commercially available, there is a continuing need for research and development to improve the effectiveness of the systems in use today.

  16. Recent trends in prescribing antibiotics for acute tonsillitis in pediatric ambulatory care in Taiwan, 2000-2009: A nationwide population-based study.

    PubMed

    Chang, Lo-Yi; Lai, Chou-Cheng; Chen, Chun-Jen; Cho, Ching-Yi; Luo, Yu-Cheng; Jeng, Mei-Jy; Wu, Keh-Gong

    2017-08-01

    Acute tonsillitis is the leading diagnosis in pediatric ambulatory care, and group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus is the main reason for antibiotic prescriptions in patients with acute tonsillitis. The aim of this study was to analyze trends in prescribing antibiotics and to investigate the prescription patterns for acute tonsillitis in pediatric ambulatory care in Taiwan from 2000 to 2009. Data on children younger than 18 years with a primary diagnosis of acute tonsillitis were retrieved from the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan from 2000 to 2009. Concomitant bacterial infections were excluded. Sex, age, seasonality, location, level of medical institution, and physician specialty were analyzed. Annual and monthly changes in antibiotic prescriptions and classification were also evaluated. A total of 40,775 cases were enrolled, with an overall antibiotic prescription rate of 16.8%. There was a remarkable decline in the antibiotic prescription rates for tonsillitis from 28.4% in 2000 to 10.9% in 2009. Factors associated with a higher prescription rate included older age, visits from eastern Taiwan, medical centers, and nonpediatrician physicians. Otolaryngologists had higher antibiotic prescription rate, whereas pediatricians had the lowest (21.9% vs. 11.6%). The rates of obtaining throat cultures were low although the culture performing rate in the medical centers was significantly higher (12.3%, p < 0.001). From 2000 to 2009, there was a remarkable decline in the antibiotic prescription rates for tonsillitis. Further studies to evaluate diagnostic tools such as rapid antigen detection tests or throat cultures to decrease antibiotic prescriptions are warranted. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  17. Aligning Medication Reconciliation and Secure Messaging: Qualitative Study of Primary Care Providers’ Perspectives

    PubMed Central

    Clark, Justice; Marcello, Thomas B; Paquin, Allison M; Stewart, Max; Archambeault, Cliona; Simon, Steven R

    2013-01-01

    Background Virtual (non-face-to-face) medication reconciliation strategies may reduce adverse drug events (ADEs) among vulnerable ambulatory patients. Understanding provider perspectives on the use of technology for medication reconciliation can inform the design of patient-centered solutions to improve ambulatory medication safety. Objective The aim of the study was to describe primary care providers’ experiences of ambulatory medication reconciliation and secure messaging (secure email between patients and providers), and to elicit perceptions of a virtual medication reconciliation system using secure messaging (SM). Methods This was a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews. From January 2012 to May 2012, we conducted structured observations of primary care clinical activities and interviewed 15 primary care providers within a Veterans Affairs Healthcare System in Boston, Massachusetts (USA). We carried out content analysis informed by the grounded theory. Results Of the 15 participating providers, 12 were female and 11 saw 10 or fewer patients in a typical workday. Experiences and perceptions elicited from providers during in-depth interviews were organized into 12 overarching themes: 4 themes for experiences with medication reconciliation, 3 themes for perceptions on how to improve ambulatory medication reconciliation, and 5 themes for experiences with SM. Providers generally recognized medication reconciliation as a valuable component of primary care delivery and all agreed that medication reconciliation following hospital discharge is a key priority. Most providers favored delegating the responsibility for medication reconciliation to another member of the staff, such as a nurse or a pharmacist. The 4 themes related to ambulatory medication reconciliation were (1) the approach to complex patients, (2) the effectiveness of medication reconciliation in preventing ADEs, (3) challenges to completing medication reconciliation, and (4) medication

  18. Aligning medication reconciliation and secure messaging: qualitative study of primary care providers' perspectives.

    PubMed

    Heyworth, Leonie; Clark, Justice; Marcello, Thomas B; Paquin, Allison M; Stewart, Max; Archambeault, Cliona; Simon, Steven R

    2013-12-02

    Virtual (non-face-to-face) medication reconciliation strategies may reduce adverse drug events (ADEs) among vulnerable ambulatory patients. Understanding provider perspectives on the use of technology for medication reconciliation can inform the design of patient-centered solutions to improve ambulatory medication safety. The aim of the study was to describe primary care providers' experiences of ambulatory medication reconciliation and secure messaging (secure email between patients and providers), and to elicit perceptions of a virtual medication reconciliation system using secure messaging (SM). This was a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews. From January 2012 to May 2012, we conducted structured observations of primary care clinical activities and interviewed 15 primary care providers within a Veterans Affairs Healthcare System in Boston, Massachusetts (USA). We carried out content analysis informed by the grounded theory. Of the 15 participating providers, 12 were female and 11 saw 10 or fewer patients in a typical workday. Experiences and perceptions elicited from providers during in-depth interviews were organized into 12 overarching themes: 4 themes for experiences with medication reconciliation, 3 themes for perceptions on how to improve ambulatory medication reconciliation, and 5 themes for experiences with SM. Providers generally recognized medication reconciliation as a valuable component of primary care delivery and all agreed that medication reconciliation following hospital discharge is a key priority. Most providers favored delegating the responsibility for medication reconciliation to another member of the staff, such as a nurse or a pharmacist. The 4 themes related to ambulatory medication reconciliation were (1) the approach to complex patients, (2) the effectiveness of medication reconciliation in preventing ADEs, (3) challenges to completing medication reconciliation, and (4) medication reconciliation during transitions of care

  19. Low bone mineral density in ambulatory persons with cerebral palsy? A systematic review.

    PubMed

    Mus-Peters, Cindy T R; Huisstede, Bionka M A; Noten, Suzie; Hitters, Minou W M G C; van der Slot, Wilma M A; van den Berg-Emons, Rita J G

    2018-05-22

    Non-ambulatory persons with cerebral palsy are prone to low bone mineral density. In ambulatory persons with cerebral palsy, bone mineral density deficits are expected to be small or absent, but a consensus conclusion is lacking. In this systematic review bone mineral density in ambulatory persons with cerebral palsy (Gross Motor Function Classification Scales I-III) was studied. Medline, Embase, and Web of Science were searched. According to international guidelines, low bone mineral density was defined as Z-score ≤ -2.0. In addition, we focused on Z-score ≤ -1.0 because this may indicate a tendency towards low bone mineral density. We included 16 studies, comprising 465 patients aged 1-65 years. Moderate and conflicting evidence for low bone mineral density (Z-score ≤ -2.0) was found for several body parts (total proximal femur, total body, distal femur, lumbar spine) in children with Gross Motor Function Classification Scales II and III. We found no evidence for low bone mineral density in children with Gross Motor Function Classification Scale I or adults, although there was a tendency towards low bone mineral density (Z-score ≤ -1.0) for several body parts. Although more high-quality research is needed, results indicate that deficits in bone mineral density are not restricted to non-ambulatory people with cerebral palsy. Implications for Rehabilitation Although more high-quality research is needed, including adults and fracture risk assessment, the current study indicates that deficits in bone mineral density are not restricted to non-ambulatory people with CP. Health care professionals should be aware that optimal nutrition, supplements on indication, and an active lifestyle, preferably with weight-bearing activities, are important in ambulatory people with CP, also from a bone quality point-of-view. If indicated, medication and fall prevention training should be prescribed.

  20. Primary Care-Based Memory Clinics: Expanding Capacity for Dementia Care.

    PubMed

    Lee, Linda; Hillier, Loretta M; Heckman, George; Gagnon, Micheline; Borrie, Michael J; Stolee, Paul; Harvey, David

    2014-09-01

    The implementation in Ontario of 15 primary-care-based interprofessional memory clinics represented a unique model of team-based case management aimed at increasing capacity for dementia care at the primary-care level. Each clinic tracked referrals; in a subset of clinics, charts were audited by geriatricians, clinic members were interviewed, and patients, caregivers, and referring physicians completed satisfaction surveys. Across all clinics, 582 patients were assessed, and 8.9 per cent were referred to a specialist. Patients and caregivers were very satisfied with the care received, as were referring family physicians, who reported increased capacity to manage dementia. Geriatricians' chart audits revealed a high level of agreement with diagnosis and management. This study demonstrated acceptability, feasibility, and preliminary effectiveness of the primary-care memory clinic model. Led by specially trained family physicians, it provided timely access to high-quality collaborative dementia care, impacting health service utilization by more-efficient use of scarce geriatric specialist resources.

  1. Household responsibilities, income, and ambulatory blood pressure among working men and women

    PubMed Central

    Thurston, Rebecca C.; Sherwood, Andrew; Matthews, Karen A.; Blumenthal, James A.

    2011-01-01

    Objective To test the hypothesis that a greater perceived responsibility for household tasks and a greater number of hours spent doing these tasks would be associated with elevated ambulatory systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP). The connection between job characteristics and cardiovascular outcomes has been widely studied. However, less is known about links between household work characteristics and cardiovascular health. Methods 113 employed unmedicated hypertensive men and women underwent one day of ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) monitoring. Participants provided information on 1) the number of hours spent doing and 2) their degree of responsibility for seven household tasks (child care, pet care, caring for ill/elderly, household chores, house/car repair, yardwork, finances). Associations between task hours and responsibility ratings in relation to SBP and DBP were estimated using generalized estimating equations, with covariates age, race, gender, body mass index, location, posture. Interactions with gender and socioeconomic position were assessed. Results A greater perceived responsibility for household tasks, but not the hours spent doing these tasks, was associated with higher ambulatory SBP (b(95% confidence interval (CI))=0.93(0.29–1.56), p=0.004) and DBP (b(95%CI)=0.30(0.10–0.51), p=0.003)). Significant interactions with income indicated that associations between household responsibilities and ABP were most pronounced among low income participants (SBP: b(95%CI)=1.40(0.58–2.21), p<0.001; DBP: b(95%CI)=0.48(0.18–0.78), p<0.01). The task most strongly associated with BP was household chores. No interactions with gender were observed. Conclusions Greater perceived responsibility for household tasks was associated with elevated ABP, particularly for lower income participants. Household obligations may have important implications for cardiovascular health, meriting further empirical attention. PMID:21217097

  2. Ambulatory ECG monitoring in atrial fibrillation management.

    PubMed

    Rosero, Spencer Z; Kutyifa, Valentina; Olshansky, Brian; Zareba, Wojciech

    2013-01-01

    Ambulatory ECG monitoring technology has rapidly evolved over the last few decades and has been shown to identify life-threatening and non-life threatening arrhythmias and provide actionable data to guide clinical decision making. Atrial fibrillation episodes can often be asymptomatic, even after catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation, creating a disconnect between symptoms and actual arrhythmia burden which may alter clinical management. In this review, we aim to provide a comprehensive overview of invasive and non-invasive ECG monitoring strategies in patients with atrial fibrillation, with a special focus on the diagnosis of atrial fibrillation, and on follow-up of patients after catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation ablation. © 2013.

  3. Mayo Clinic Care Network: A Collaborative Health Care Model.

    PubMed

    Wald, John T; Lowery-Schrandt, Sherri; Hayes, David L; Kotsenas, Amy L

    2018-01-01

    By leveraging its experience and expertise as a consultative clinical partner, the Mayo Clinic developed an innovative, scalable care model to accomplish several strategic goals: (1) create and sustain high-value relationships that benefit patients and providers, (2) foster relationships with like-minded partners to act as a strategy against the development of narrow health care networks, and (3) increase national and international brand awareness of Mayo Clinic. The result was the Mayo Clinic Care Network. Copyright © 2017 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. A conceptual framework of clinical nursing care in intensive care.

    PubMed

    da Silva, Rafael Celestino; Ferreira, Márcia de Assunção; Apostolidis, Thémistoklis; Brandão, Marcos Antônio Gomes

    2015-01-01

    to propose a conceptual framework for clinical nursing care in intensive care. descriptive and qualitative field research, carried out with 21 nurses from an intensive care unit of a federal public hospital. We conducted semi-structured interviews and thematic and lexical content analysis, supported by Alceste software. the characteristics of clinical intensive care emerge from the specialized knowledge of the interaction, the work context, types of patients and nurses characteristic of the intensive care and care frameworks. the conceptual framework of the clinic's intensive care articulates elements characteristic of the dynamics of this scenario: objective elements regarding technology and attention to equipment and subjective elements related to human interaction, specific of nursing care, countering criticism based on dehumanization.

  5. Multidisciplinary team approach to improved chronic care management for diabetic patients in an urban safety net ambulatory care clinic.

    PubMed

    Tapp, Hazel; Phillips, Shay E; Waxman, Dael; Alexander, Matthew; Brown, Rhett; Hall, Mary

    2012-01-01

    Since the care of patients with multiple chronic diseases such as diabetes and depression accounts for the majority of health care costs, effective team approaches to managing such complex care in primary care are needed, particularly since psychosocial and physical disorders coexist. Uncontrolled diabetes is a leading health risk for morbidity, disability and premature mortality with between 18-31% of patients also having undiagnosed or undertreated depression. Here we describe a team driven approach that initially focused on patients with poorly controlled diabetes (A1c > 9) that took place at a family medicare office. The team included: resident and faculty physicians, a pharmacist, social worker, nurses, behavioral medicine interns, office scheduler, and an information technologist. The team developed immediate integrative care for diabetic patients during routine office visits.

  6. [The role of ambulatory electroencephalogram monitoring: experience and results in 264 records].

    PubMed

    González de la Aleja, J; Saiz Díaz, R A; Martín García, H; Juntas, R; Pérez-Martínez, D; de la Peña, P

    2008-11-01

    Ambulatory electroencephalogram (EEG) monitoring allows for long-term, mobile electroencephalographic recordings of patients. This study aims to describe and analyze the results obtained with ambulatory EEG in our clinical practice. We have analyzed the results of 264 ambulatory EEG records, grouped according to the reason for the request: a) group 1: diagnostic evaluation of episodes of epileptic nature; b) group 2: diagnostic evaluation of paroxysmal episodes, and c) group 3: evaluation of the risk of relapse during anti-seizure treatment withdrawal in certain epileptic patients. a) Group 1 (n=137): normal results were found in 54 records (39.4%). There was generalized epileptic activity in 20 (14.6%) of them (5 with ictal activity) and focal epileptic activity was detected in 57 cases (42%) (8 with ictal activity). No EEG diagnosis could be reached in 6 (4%) recordings due to the presence of artefacts; b) group 2 (n=99): in 47 records (47.5 %), there were no episodes and the Holter-EEG was normal. There was a clinically documented episode without anomalies during Holter-EEG registration in 14 cases (14.2%). In 29 records (29.3%), focal epileptic activity was recorded (ictal 4) and generalized epileptic activity (ictal in 1) was recorded in 4 patients (4%). No EEG diagnosis could be reached in 5 cases (5%), and c) group 3 (n=28): the study was normal in 15 cases (53.6%) and showed focal interictal epileptic activity in 8 (28.6 %) and generalized interictal epileptic activity in 5 of them (17.8%). We believe that the ambulatory EEG recordings in correctly selected cases can provide important additional information regarding global assessment of patients with epilepsy.

  7. Psychological reactions to continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis.

    PubMed

    Geiser, M T; Van Dyke, C; East, R; Weiner, M

    The first twenty patients who entered our continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) program from March, 1979 to February, 1981 were interviewed to assess their psychological reactions to CAPD. Six patients were successfully maintained on CAPD for more than one year. CAPD provided patients with a greater sense of well-being, strength, and independence. This independence required adherence to a strict schedule of exchanges. Reactions to the loss of CAPD followed the pattern of a grief reaction. Those patients who were self-disciplined and comfortable assuming active control of their health care proved to be the best candidates for CAPD.

  8. [Inverse innovation models in the nurse clinic of a Urology Department].

    PubMed

    Gamarra, Manuela; López, Maria C; Luján, Marcos; Mora, Jose Ramón

    2015-01-01

    In the urology clinics there is an important volume of limited-complexity pathology that consumes an important part of resources. Delegating some tasks of this type to Nurses may imply a competitive advantage in economic terms without decrease in the quality of the care given to patients and their level of satisfaction. This is an example of the concept of inverse innovation. In this work we try to make public our experience in the management by nursing staff of features of the urology consultation traditionally reserved to physicians, as well as the design of the related processes. We developed the most frequent processes competence of the nursing staff in the unit: 1) Care of ambulatory urological surgery pathology; 2) Urologic ultrasound; 3) Traditional urologic nurse consultation. During 2013 the nursing staff performed 423 ambulatory urologic surgery pathology clinic visits, 931 urologic ultrasounds and 1019 varied actions corresponding to traditional urological nurse work.We developed stabilization formularies and flow diagrams of the aforementioned processes. We performed a quantification of the amount of money saved in comparison with the costs generated if a nurse or a physician was employed. Such saving was 2,78 and 4,00 Euros in the ambulatory urological surgery pathology and urologic ultrasound, respectively. Total savings in both processes was 4900 Euros. Implication of urological nursing staff in certain care tasks traditionally reserved to the physician is possible without increase in quality defects, obtaining an advantage in terms of economic cost and flexibility in staff organization thanks to the expansion of the competence array.

  9. Association Between Medicare Accountable Care Organization Implementation and Spending Among Clinically Vulnerable Beneficiaries.

    PubMed

    Colla, Carrie H; Lewis, Valerie A; Kao, Lee-Sien; O'Malley, A James; Chang, Chiang-Hua; Fisher, Elliott S

    2016-08-01

    Accountable care contracts hold physician groups financially responsible for the quality and cost of health care delivered to patients. Focusing on clinically vulnerable patients, those with serious conditions who are responsible for the greatest proportion of spending, may result in the largest effects on both patient outcomes and financial rewards for participating physician groups. To estimate the effect of Medicare accountable care organization (ACO) contracts on spending and high-cost institutional use for all Medicare beneficiaries and for clinically vulnerable beneficiaries. For this cohort study, 2 study populations were defined: the overall Medicare population and the clinically vulnerable subgroup of Medicare beneficiaries. The overall Medicare population was based on a random 40% sample drawn from continuously enrolled fee-for-service beneficiaries with at least 1 evaluation and management visit in a calendar year. The clinically vulnerable study population included all Medicare beneficiaries 66 years or older who had at least 3 Hierarchical Condition Categories (HCCs). Beneficiaries entered the cohort during the quarter between January 2009 to December 2011 when they first had at least 3 HCCs and remained in the cohort until death. Cohort entry was restricted to the preperiod to account for potential changes in coding practices after ACO implementation. Difference-in-difference estimations were used to compare changes in health care outcomes for Medicare beneficiaries attributed to physicians in ACOs with those attributed to non-ACO physicians from January 2009 to December 2013. Medicare ACOs beginning contracts in January 2012, April 2012, July 2012, and January 2013 through the Pioneer and Medicare Shared Savings Programs. Total spending per beneficiary-quarter, spending categories, use of hospitals and emergency departments, ambulatory care sensitive admissions, and 30-day readmissions. Total spending decreased by $34 (95% CI, -$52 to -$15) per

  10. Association Between Medicare Accountable Care Organization Implementation and Spending Among Clinically Vulnerable Beneficiaries

    PubMed Central

    Colla, Carrie H.; Lewis, Valerie A.; Kao, Lee-Sien; O’Malley, A. James; Chang, Chiang-Hua; Fisher, Elliott S.

    2016-01-01

    IMPORTANCE Accountable care contracts hold physician groups financially responsible for the quality and cost of health care delivered to patients. Focusing on clinically vulnerable patients, those with serious conditions who are responsible for the greatest proportion of spending, may result in the largest effects on both patient outcomes and financial rewards for participating physician groups. OBJECTIVE To estimate the effect of Medicare accountable care organization (ACO) contracts on spending and high-cost institutional use for all Medicare beneficiaries and for clinically vulnerable beneficiaries. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS For this cohort study, 2 study populations were defined: the overall Medicare population and the clinically vulnerable subgroup of Medicare beneficiaries. The overall Medicare population was based on a random 40% sample drawn from continuously enrolled fee-for-service beneficiaries with at least 1 evaluation and management visit in a calendar year. The clinically vulnerable study population included all Medicare beneficiaries 66 years or older who had at least 3 Hierarchical Condition Categories (HCCs). Beneficiaries entered the cohort during the quarter between January 2009 to December 2011 when they first had at least 3 HCCs and remained in the cohort until death. Cohort entry was restricted to the preperiod to account for potential changes in coding practices after ACO implementation. Difference-in-difference estimations were used to compare changes in health care outcomes for Medicare beneficiaries attributed to physicians in ACOs with those attributed to non-ACO physicians from January 2009 to December 2013. EXPOSURES Medicare ACOs beginning contracts in January 2012, April 2012, July 2012, and January 2013 through the Pioneer and Medicare Shared Savings Programs. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Total spending per beneficiary-quarter, spending categories, use of hospitals and emergency departments, ambulatory care sensitive

  11. Primary care training and the evolving healthcare system.

    PubMed

    Peccoralo, Lauren A; Callahan, Kathryn; Stark, Rachel; DeCherrie, Linda V

    2012-01-01

    With growing numbers of patient-centered medical homes and accountable care organizations, and the potential implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the provision of primary care in the United States is expanding and changing. Therefore, there is an urgent need to create more primary-care physicians and to train physicians to practice in this environment. In this article, we review the impact that the changing US healthcare system has on trainees, strategies to recruit and retain medical students and residents into primary-care internal medicine, and the preparation of trainees to work in the changing healthcare system. Recruitment methods for medical students include early preclinical exposure to patients in the primary-care setting, enhanced longitudinal patient experiences in clinical clerkships, and primary-care tracks. Recruitment methods for residents include enhanced ambulatory-care training and primary-care programs. Financial-incentive programs such as loan forgiveness may encourage trainees to enter primary care. Retaining residents in primary-care careers may be encouraged via focused postgraduate fellowships or continuing medical education to prepare primary-care physicians as both teachers and practitioners in the changing environment. Finally, to prepare primary-care trainees to effectively and efficiently practice within the changing system, educators should consider shifting ambulatory training to community-based practices, encouraging resident participation in team-based care, providing interprofessional educational experiences, and involving trainees in quality-improvement initiatives. Medical educators in primary care must think innovatively and collaboratively to effectively recruit and train the future generation of primary-care physicians. © 2012 Mount Sinai School of Medicine.

  12. Health Care Delivery.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Starfield, Barbara

    1987-01-01

    The article reviews emerging health care delivery options for handicapped children. Cost structures, quality of care, and future prospects are considered for Health Maintenance Organizations, Preferred Provider Organizations, Tax Supported Direct Service Programs, Hospital-Based Services, and Ambulatory Care Organizations. (Author/DB)

  13. Hospitalization for urinary tract infections and the quality of preventive health care received by people with spina bifida.

    PubMed

    Armour, Brian S; Ouyang, Lijing; Thibadeau, Judy; Grosse, Scott D; Campbell, Vincent A; Joseph, David

    2009-07-01

    The preventive health care needs of people with disabilities often go unmet, resulting in medical complications that may require hospitalization. Such complications could be due, in part, to difficulty accessing care or the quality of ambulatory care services received. To use hospitalizations for urinary tract infections (UTIs) as a marker of the potential quality of ambulatory care services received by people affected by spina bifida. MarketScan inpatient and outpatient medical claims data for 2000 through 2003 were used to identify hospitalizations for UTI, which is an ambulatory care sensitive condition, for people affected by spina bifida and to calculate inpatient discharge rates, average lengths of stay, and average medical care expenditures for such hospitalizations. People affected by spina bifida averaged 0.5 hospitalizations per year, and there were 22.8 inpatient admissions with UTI per 1000 persons with spina bifida during the period 2000-2003, in comparison to an average of 0.44 admission with UTI per 1000 persons for those without spina bifida. If the number of UTI hospitalizations among people affected by spina bifida were reduced by 50%, expenditures could be reduced by $4.4 million per 1000 patients. Consensus on the evaluation and management of bacteriuria could enhance clinical care and reduce the disparity in UTI discharge rates among people affected by spina bifida compared to those without spina bifida. National evidence-based guidelines are needed.

  14. Implementation of a pharmacy residency in a Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic.

    PubMed

    Phillips, Beth Bryles; Williams, Kim C

    2012-05-15

    The implementation of an innovative ambulatory care pharmacy residency program at a Veterans Affairs (VA) outpatient clinic is described. Community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs) are a largely underutilized resource for pharmacy residency training. Through a collaboration of the University of Georgia College of Pharmacy in Athens and Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center in Augusta, a postgraduate year 2 (PGY2) pharmacy residency program was established at the CBOC in Athens. The program graduated its first resident in 2009; components of training included (1) disease state management at an anticoagulation clinic and a newly created disease state-focused pharmacotherapy clinic, (2) participation in the planning and implementation of a new lipid management service, (3) a variety of didactic, laboratory, and experiential teaching activities at the college of pharmacy, and (4) management experiences such as completing requests for nonformulary medications, management of drug shortages, adverse drug reaction reporting, and participation in meetings of local and regional VA pharmacy and therapeutics committees. The demonstrated value of the ongoing program led to position upgrades for two CBOC clinical pharmacists and the addition of a clinical faculty member, enabling the program to offer additional learning experiences and preceptorship opportunities. A PGY2 ambulatory care residency program established in a CBOC provided a novel practice setting for the resident, helped improve patient care and pharmacy student education, and assisted in the professional development of preceptors and providers at the training site.

  15. Ambulatory rehabilitation in multiple sclerosis.

    PubMed

    Kelleher, Kevin John; Spence, William; Solomonidis, Stephan; Apatsidis, Dimitrios

    2009-01-01

    Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmunogenic disease involving demyelination within the central nervous system. Many of the typical impairments associated with MS can affect gait patterns. With walking ability being one of the most decisive factors when assessing quality of life and independent living, this review focuses on matters, which are considered of significance for maintaining and supporting ambulation. This article is an attempt to describe current research and available interventions that the caring healthcare professional can avail of and to review the present trends in research to further these available options. Evidence-based rehabilitation techniques are of interest in the care of patients with MS, given the various existing modalities of treatment. In this review, we summarise the primary factors affecting ambulation and highlight available treatment methods. We review studies that have attempted to characterise gait deficits within this patient population. Finally, as ambulatory rehabilitation requires multidisciplinary interventions, we examine approaches, which may serve to support and maintain ambulation within this patient group for as long as possible.

  16. Primary Care Clinics and Accountable Care Organizations

    PubMed Central

    Tang, Chiung-Ya; Lin, Yi-Ling; Masri, Maysoun D.

    2015-01-01

    Background: The Accountable Care Organization (ACO) is one of the new models of health care delivery in the United States. To date, little is known about the characteristics of health care organizations that have joined ACOs. We report on the findings of a survey of primary care clinics, the objective of which was to investigate the opinions of clinic management about participation in ACOs and the characteristics of clinic organizational structure that may contribute to joining ACOs or be willing to do so. Methods: A 27-item survey questionnaire was developed and distributed by mail in 3 annual waves to all Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) in 9 states. Two dependent variables—participation in ACOs and willingness to join ACOs—were created and analyzed using a generalized estimating equation approach. Results: A total of 257 RHCs responded to the survey. A small percentage (5.2%) of the respondent clinics reported that they were participating in ACOs. Rural Health Clinics in isolated areas were 78% less likely to be in ACOs (odds ratio = 0.22, P = .059). Nonprofit RHCs indicated a higher willingness to join an ACO than for-profit RHCs (B = 1.271, P = .054). There is a positive relationship between RHC size and willingness to join an ACO (B = 0.402, P = .010). Conclusion: At this early stage of ACO development, many RHC personnel are unfamiliar with the ACO model. Rural providers’ limited technological and human resources, and the lack of ACO development in rural areas, may delay or prevent their participation in ACOs. PMID:26900587

  17. Endocrine surgery as a model for value-based health care delivery.

    PubMed

    Abdulla, Amer G; Ituarte, Philip H G; Wiggins, Randi; Teisberg, Elizabeth O; Harari, Avital; Yeh, Michael W

    2012-01-01

    Experts advocate restructuring health care in the United States into a value-based system that maximizes positive health outcomes achieved per dollar spent. We describe how a value-based system implemented by the University of California, Los Angeles UCLA Section of Endocrine Surgery (SES) has optimized both quality and costs while increasing patient volume. Two SES clinical pathways were studied, one allocating patients to the most appropriate surgical care setting based on clinical complexity, and another standardizing initial management of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). The mean cost per endocrine case performed from 2005 to 2010 was determined at each of three care settings: A tertiary care inpatient facility, a community inpatient facility, and an ambulatory facility. Blood tumor marker levels (thyroglobulin, Tg) and reoperation rates were compared between PTC patients who underwent routine central neck dissection (CND) and those who did not. Surgical patient volume and regional market share were analyzed over time. The cost of care was substantially lower in both the community inpatient facility (14% cost savings) and the ambulatory facility (58% cost savings) in comparison with the tertiary care inpatient facility. Patients who underwent CND had lower Tg levels (6.6 vs 15.0 ng/mL; P = 0.024) and a reduced need for re-operation (1.5 vs 6.1%; P = 0.004) compared with those who did not undergo CND. UCLA maintained its position as the market leader in endocrine procedures while expanding its market share by 151% from 4.9% in 2003 to 7.4% in 2010. A value-driven health care delivery system can deliver improved clinical outcomes while reducing costs within a subspecialty surgical service. Broader application of these principles may contribute to resolving current dilemmas in the provision of care nationally.

  18. New concepts and technologies in home care and ambulatory monitoring.

    PubMed

    Dittmar, A; Axisa, F; Delhomme, G; Gehin, C

    2004-01-01

    The world is becoming more and more health conscious. Society, health policy and patients' needs are all changing dramatically. The challenges society is currently facing are related to the increase in the aging population, changes in lifestyle, the need for healthcare cost containment and the need for improvement and monitoring of healthcare quality. The emphasis is put on prevention rather than on treatment. In addition, patients and health consumers are waiting for non-invasive or minimally-invasive diagnosis and treatment methods, for home care, short stays in hospital, enhancement of rehabilitation, information and involvement in their own treatment. Progress in science and technology offers, today, miniaturization, speed, intelligence, sophistication and new materials at lower cost. In this new landscape, microtechnologies, information technologies and telecommunications are key factors. Telemedicine has also evolved. Used initially to exchange patients' files, radiographic data and other information between health providers, today telemedicine contributes to new trends in "hospital extension" through all-day monitoring of vital signs, professional activities, entertainment and home-based activities. The new possibilities for home care and ambulatory monitoring are provided at 4 levels: a) Microsensors. Microtechnologies offer the possibility of small size, but also of intelligent, active devices, working with low energy, wireless and non-invasive or minimally-invasive; b) Wrist devices are particularly user friendly and combine sensors, circuits, supply, display and wireless transmission in a single box, very convenient for common physical activities; c) Health smart clothes make contact with 90 % of the skin and offer many possibilities for the location of sensors. These sensors have to be thin, flexible and compatible with textiles, or made using textile technologies, such as new fibers with specific (mechanical, electrical and optical) properties; d

  19. Primary care in Cuba: a public health approach.

    PubMed

    Swanson, K A; Swanson, J M; Gill, A E; Walter, C

    1995-01-01

    Cuba's primary health care model is presented. Unlike ambulatory care services, which are but one component of primary care, Cuba's model is a comprehensive public health approach that meets the World Health Organization's definition of primary care. The history of the development of Cuba's model is presented, including an update on the innovative neighborhood/home clinics. Achievements in health outcomes as a result of Cuba's model and the consequences for women's health care are discussed. Examples are presented of the effects on health care delivery of the economic hardship that Cuba has experienced since 1991 as a result of the loss of 85% of its trade with the former Soviet Union and the intensified U.S. embargo. A critique of Cuba's model concludes the article.

  20. Waiting times in the ambulatory sector--the case of chronically ill patients.

    PubMed

    Sundmacher, Leonie; Kopetsch, Thomas

    2013-09-10

    First, the influence of determinants on the waiting times of chronically ill patients in the ambulatory sector is investigated. The determinants are subdivided into four groups: (1) need, (2) socio-economic factors, (3) health system and (4) patient time pressures. Next, the influence of waiting times on the annual number of consultations is examined to assess whether the existing variation in waiting times influences the frequency of medical examinations. The waiting times of chronically ill patients are analysed since regular ambulatory care for this patient group could both improve treatment outcomes and lower costs. Individual data from the 2010 Representative Survey conducted by the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV) together with regional data from the Federal Office of Construction and Regional Planning. This is a retrospective observational study. The dependent variables are waiting times in the ambulatory sector and the number of consultations of General Practitioners (GPs) and specialist physicians in the year 2010. The explanatory variables of interest are 'need' and 'health system' in the first model and 'length of waiting times' in the second. Negative binomial models with random effects are used to estimate the incidence rate ratios of increased waiting times and number of consultations. Subsequently, the models are stratified by urban and rural areas. In the pooled regression the factor 'privately insured' shortens the waiting time for treatment by a specialist by approximately 28% (about 3 days) in comparison with members of the statutory health insurance system. The category of insurance has no influence on the number of consultations of GPs. In addition, the regression results stratified by urban and rural areas show that in urban areas the factor 'privately insured' reduces the waiting time for specialists by approximately 35% (about 3.3 days) while in rural areas there is no evidence of statistical influence. In

  1. A data model that captures clinical reasoning about patient problems.

    PubMed Central

    Barrows, R. C.; Johnson, S. B.

    1995-01-01

    We describe a data model that has been implemented for the CPMC Ambulatory Care System, and exemplify its function for patient problems. The model captures some nuances of clinical thinking about patients that are not accommodated in most other models, such as an evolution of clinical understanding about patient problems. A record of this understanding has clinical utility, and serves research interests as well as medical audit concerns. The model is described with an example, and advantages and limitations in the current implementation are discussed. PMID:8563311

  2. Multisource Feedback in the Ambulatory Setting

    PubMed Central

    Warm, Eric J.; Schauer, Daniel; Revis, Brian; Boex, James R.

    2010-01-01

    Background The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education has mandated multisource feedback (MSF) in the ambulatory setting for internal medicine residents. Few published reports demonstrate actual MSF results for a residency class, and fewer still include clinical quality measures and knowledge-based testing performance in the data set. Methods Residents participating in a year-long group practice experience called the “long-block” received MSF that included self, peer, staff, attending physician, and patient evaluations, as well as concomitant clinical quality data and knowledge-based testing scores. Residents were given a rank for each data point compared with peers in the class, and these data were reviewed with the chief resident and program director over the course of the long-block. Results Multisource feedback identified residents who performed well on most measures compared with their peers (10%), residents who performed poorly on most measures compared with their peers (10%), and residents who performed well on some measures and poorly on others (80%). Each high-, intermediate-, and low-performing resident had a least one aspect of the MSF that was significantly lower than the other, and this served as the basis of formative feedback during the long-block. Conclusion Use of multi-source feedback in the ambulatory setting can identify high-, intermediate-, and low-performing residents and suggest specific formative feedback for each. More research needs to be done on the effect of such feedback, as well as the relationships between each of the components in the MSF data set. PMID:21975632

  3. Primary care pediatricians' perceptions of vaccine refusal in europe.

    PubMed

    Grossman, Zachi; van Esso, Diego; Del Torso, Stefano; Hadjipanayis, Adamos; Drabik, Anna; Gerber, Andreas; Miron, Dan

    2011-03-01

    An electronic survey assessing primary care pediatricians' estimations and practices regarding parents' vaccination refusal was sent to 395 members of the European Academy of Pediatrics Research in Ambulatory Setting network, with a response rate of 87%. Of respondents who vaccinate in the clinic, 93% estimated the total vaccine refusal rate as <1%. Of all respondents, 69% prefer a shared decision-making approach to handle refusing parents.

  4. New Clinical and Research Trends in Lower Extremity Management for Ambulatory Children with Cerebral Palsy

    PubMed Central

    Damiano, Diane L.; Alter, Katharine E.; Chambers, Henry

    2010-01-01

    Synopsis Cerebral palsy is the most prevalent physical disability in childhood and includes a group of disorders with varying manifestations and levels of capability in individuals given this diagnosis. This chapter will focus on current and future intervention strategies for improving mobility and participation over the lifespan for ambulatory children with cerebral palsy (CP). The provision and integration of physical therapy, medical and orthopedic surgery management focused primarily on the lower extremities will be discussed here. Some of the newer trends are: more intense and task-related exercise strategies, greater precision in tone identification and management, and a shift towards musculoskeletal surgery that focuses more on promoting dynamic bony alignment and less on releasing or lengthening tendons. Advances in basic and clinical science and technology development are changing existing paradigms and offering renewed hope for improved functioning for children with CP who are currently facing a lifelong disability with unique challenges at each stage in life. PMID:19643348

  5. Design and implementation of a web-based patient portal linked to an ambulatory care electronic health record: patient gateway for diabetes collaborative care.

    PubMed

    Grant, Richard W; Wald, Jonathan S; Poon, Eric G; Schnipper, Jeffrey L; Gandhi, Tejal K; Volk, Lynn A; Middleton, Blackford

    2006-10-01

    Despite the availability of expert guidelines and widespread diabetes quality improvement efforts, care of patients with diabetes remains suboptimal. Two key barriers to care that may be amenable to informatics-based interventions include (1) lack of patient engagement with therapeutic care plans and (2) lack of medication adjustment by physicians ("clinical inertia") during clinical encounters. The authors describe the conceptual framework, design, implementation, and analysis plan for a diabetes patient web-portal linked directly to the electronic health record (EHR) of a large academic medical center via secure Internet access designed to overcome barriers to effective diabetes care. Partners HealthCare System (Boston, MA), a multi-hospital health care network comprising several thousand physicians caring for over 1 million individual patients, has developed a comprehensive patient web-portal called Patient Gateway that allows patients to interact directly with their EHR via secure Internet access. Using this portal, a specific diabetes interface was designed to maximize patient engagement by importing the patient's current clinical data in an educational format, providing patient-tailored decision support, and enabling the patient to author a "Diabetes Care Plan." The physician view of the patient's Diabetes Care Plan was designed to be concise and to fit into typical EHR clinical workflow. We successfully designed and implemented a Diabetes Patient portal that allows direct interaction with our system's EHR. We are assessing the impact of this advanced informatics tool for collaborative diabetes care in a clinic-randomized controlled trial among 14 primary care practices within our integrated health care system.

  6. Comparing potentially avoidable hospitalization rates related to ambulatory care sensitive conditions in Switzerland: the need to refine the definition of health conditions and to adjust for population health status.

    PubMed

    Eggli, Yves; Desquins, Béatrice; Seker, Erol; Halfon, Patricia

    2014-01-20

    Regional rates of hospitalization for ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSC) are used to compare the availability and quality of ambulatory care but the risk adjustment for population health status is often minimal. The objectives of the study was to examine the impact of more extensive risk adjustment on regional comparisons and to investigate the relationship between various area-level factors and the properly adjusted rates. Our study is an observational study based on routine data of 2 million anonymous insured in 26 Swiss cantons followed over one or two years. A binomial negative regression was modeled with increasingly detailed information on health status (age and gender only, inpatient diagnoses, outpatient conditions inferred from dispensed drugs and frequency of physician visits). Hospitalizations for ACSC were identified from principal diagnoses detecting 19 conditions, with an updated list of ICD-10 diagnostic codes. Co-morbidities and surgical procedures were used as exclusion criteria to improve the specificity of the detection of potentially avoidable hospitalizations. The impact of the adjustment approaches was measured by changes in the standardized ratios calculated with and without other data besides age and gender. 25% of cases identified by inpatient main diagnoses were removed by applying exclusion criteria. Cantonal ACSC hospitalizations rates varied from to 1.4 to 8.9 per 1,000 insured, per year. Morbidity inferred from diagnoses and drugs dramatically increased the predictive performance, the greatest effect found for conditions linked to an ACSC. More visits were associated with fewer PAH although very high users were at greater risk and subjects who had not consulted at negligible risk. By maximizing health status adjustment, two thirds of the cantons changed their adjusted ratio by more than 10 percent. Cantonal variations remained substantial but unexplained by supply or demand. Additional adjustment for health status is required

  7. Patients, practices, and relationships: challenges and lessons learned from the Kentucky Ambulatory Network (KAN) CaRESS clinical trial.

    PubMed

    Love, Margaret M; Pearce, Kevin A; Williamson, M Ann; Barron, Mary A; Shelton, Brent J

    2006-01-01

    The Cardiovascular Risk Education and Social Support (CaRESS) study is a randomized controlled trial that evaluates a social support intervention toward reducing cardiovascular risk in type 2 diabetic patients. It involves multiple community-based practice sites from the Kentucky Ambulatory Network (KAN), which is a regional primary care practice-based research network (PBRN). CaRESS also implements multiple modes of data collection. The purpose of this methods article is to share lessons learned that might be useful to others developing or implementing complex studies that consent patients in PBRNs. Key points include building long-term relationships with the clinicians, adaptability when integrating into practice sites, adequate funding to support consistent data management and statistical support during all phases of the study, and creativity and perseverance for recruiting patients and practices while maintaining the integrity of the protocol.

  8. Strategic Responses to Fiscal Constraints: A Health Policy Analysis of Hospital-Based Ambulatory Physical Therapy Services in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA)

    PubMed Central

    Verrier, Molly C.; Williams, A. Paul; Zakus, David; Deber, Raisa B.

    2009-01-01

    ABSTRACT Purpose: Ambulatory physical therapy (PT) services in Canada are required to be insured under the Canada Health Act, but only if delivered within hospitals. The present study analyzed strategic responses used by hospitals in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) to deliver PT services in an environment of fiscal constraint. Methods: Key informant interviews (n = 47) were conducted with participants from all hospitals located within the GTA. Results: Two primary strategic responses were identified: (1) “load shedding” through the elimination or reduction of services, and (2) “privatization” through contracting out or creating internal for-profit subsidiary clinics. All hospitals reported reductions in service delivery between 1996 and 2003, and 15.0% (7/47 hospitals) fully eliminated ambulatory services. Although only one of 47 hospitals contracted out services, another 15.0% (7/47) reported that for-profit subsidiary clinics were created within the hospital in order to access other more profitable forms of quasi-public and private funding. Conclusions: Strategic restructuring of services, aimed primarily at cost containment, may have yielded short-term financial savings but has also created a ripple effect across the continuum of care. Moreover, the rise of for-profit subsidiary clinics operating within not-for-profit hospitals has emerged without much public debate and with little research to evaluate its impact. PMID:20808483

  9. A Comparison of Aromatherapy to Standard Care for Relief of PONV and PDNV in Ambulatory Surgical Patients.

    PubMed

    Stallings-Welden, Lois M; Doerner, Mary; Ketchem, Elizabeth Libby; Benkert, Laura; Alka, Susan; Stallings, Jonathan D

    2018-04-01

    To determine effectiveness of aromatherapy (AT) compared with standard care (SC) for postoperative and postdischarge nausea and vomiting (PONV/PDNV) in ambulatory surgical patients. Prospective randomized study. Patients (n = 254) received either SC or AT for PONV and interviewed for effectiveness of PDNV. Machine learning methods (eight algorithms) were used to evaluate. Of patients (64 of 221) that experienced PONV, 52% were in the AT group and 48% in the SC group. The majority were satisfied with treatment (timely, P = .60; effectiveness, P = .86). Of patients that experienced PDNV, treatment was 100% effective in the AT group and 67% in the SC group. The cforest algorithm was used to develop a model for predicting PONV with literature-based risk factors (0.69 area under the curve). AT is an effective way to manage PONV/PDNV. Gender and age were the most important predictors of PONV. Copyright © 2016 American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses. All rights reserved.

  10. Resident continuity of care experience in a Canadian general surgery training program

    PubMed Central

    Sidhu, Ravindar S.; Walker, G. Ross

    Objectives To provide baseline data on resident continuity of care experience, to describe the effect of ambulatory centre surgery on continuity of care, to analyse continuity of care by level of resident training and to assess a resident-run preadmission clinic’s effect on continuity of care. Design Data were prospectively collected for 4 weeks. All patients who underwent a general surgical procedure were included if a resident was present at operation. Setting The Division of General Surgery, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ont. Outcome measures Preoperative, operative and inhospital postoperative involvement of each resident with each case was recorded. Results Residents assessed preoperatively (before entering the operating room) 52% of patients overall, 20% of patients at the ambulatory centre and 83% of patients who required emergency surgery. Of patients assessed by the chief resident, 94% were assessed preoperatively compared with 32% of patients assessed by other residents ( p < 0.001). Of the admitted patients, 40% had complete resident continuity of care (preoperative, operative and postoperative). There was no statistical difference between this rate and that for emergency, chief-resident and non-chief-resident subgroups. Of the eligible patients, 58% were seen preoperatively by the resident on the preadmission clinic service compared with 54% on other services ( p > 0.1). Conclusions This study serves as a reference for the continuity of care experience in Canadian surgical programs. Residents assessed only 52% of patients preoperatively, and only 40% of patients had complete continuity of care. Factors such as ambulatory surgery and junior level of training negatively affected continuity experience. Such factors must be taken into account in planning surgical education. PMID:10526519

  11. Perceptions of Ambulatory Workflow Changes in an Academic Primary Care Setting.

    PubMed

    Hanak, Michael A; McDevitt, Colleen; Dunham, Daniel P

    As health care moves to a value-based system, the need for team-based models of care becomes increasingly important to adequately address the growing number of clinical quality metrics required of health care providers. Finding ways to better engage certified medical assistants (CMAs) in the process allows providers to focus on more complex tasks while improving the efficiency of each office visit. Although the roles and responsibilities for CMAs across the specialties can vary widely, standardizing the work can be a helpful step in scaling best practices across an institution. This article presents the results of a survey that evaluated various components of a CMA workflow in adult primary care practices within an academic medical center. Although the survey identified improved engagement and satisfaction with standardized changes overall, it also showed time constraints and provider discretion forcing unplanned modifications. Reviewing and reconciling medications seemed to be the most challenging for CMA staff, leading us to reconsider their involvement in this aspect of each visit. It will be important to continue innovating and testing team-based care models to keep up with the demands of a quality-based health care system.

  12. Feasibility of 48 quality indicators in ambulatory care in Germany: a cross-sectional observational study.

    PubMed

    de Cruppé, Werner; Kleudgen, Susanne; Diel, Franziska; Burgdorf, Friederike; Geraedts, Max

    2015-01-01

    The National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians develops quality indicators (QIs) for ambulatory care in Germany. This study explores the feasibility of a total of 48 QIs. Cross-sectional observational study with primary data collection in writing from medical practices in 10 specialist fields of outpatient care. "Feasibility" covers 7 criteria for indicator assessment and data collection: applicability, availability, retrievability, complexity, relevance, reliability, and acceptance. A questionnaire consisting of 10 questions was used to evaluate these feasibility criteria for each indicator. Survey results were subjected to descriptive analysis. The analyzed sample comprises 103 participants who have been working as practice-based physicians for an average of 13 years. 40% only keep electronic medical records and 2% only paper records, and the rest uses both. The rating of QIs in the field-specific QI sets shows the following mean values: 67% of the participants consider the QIs assigned to them as corresponding to their practice care mandate. Data on these QIs deemed to be applicable are collected by 94% of respondents, documented by 91%, and by 51% electronically. 58% of the data required for the denominator, and 38% for the numerator are retrievable from the practice management system. The time required to access data on a QI is more than 30minutes for 84% of respondents, and 67% consider the effort involved as unacceptable. The rating received was 61% for the relevance of QIs to the assessment of a practitioner's own quality of health care, 69% for the estimated reliability of data collection, and 58% for the acceptance of being evaluated via QIs. In order to improve the feasibility of QI-based practice assessments it will be necessary to a) fine-tune the selection of QIs for the respective groups of specialist, b) to promote the use of computerized practice management systems, and c) integrate effective and user-friendly retrieval functions

  13. Comparison of laboratory and ambulatory measures of central blood pressure and pulse wave reflection: hitting the target or missing the mark?

    PubMed

    Burns, Matthew J; Seed, Jeremy D; Incognito, Anthony V; Doherty, Connor J; Notay, Karambir; Millar, Philip J

    2018-04-01

    Prior studies demonstrating clinical significance of noninvasive estimates of central blood pressure (BP) and pulse wave reflection have relied primarily on discrete resting measures. The aim of this study was to compare central BP and pulse wave reflection measures sampled during a single resting laboratory visit against those obtained under ambulatory conditions. The secondary aim was to investigate the reproducibility of ambulatory central BP and pulse wave reflection measurements. Forty healthy participants (21 males; 24 ± 3 years) completed three measurements of brachial artery pulse wave analysis (Oscar 2 with SphygmoCor Inside) in the laboratory followed by 24 hours of ambulatory monitoring. Seventeen participants repeated the 24-hour ambulatory monitoring visit after at least 1 week. Ambulatory measures were divided into daytime (9 AM-9 PM), nighttime (1 AM-6 AM), and 24-hour periods. Compared with laboratory measurements, central systolic BP, augmentation pressure, and augmentation index (with and without heart rate normalization) were higher (all P < .01) during daytime and 24-hour periods but lower during the nighttime period (all P < .001). The drop in nighttime brachial systolic BP was larger than central systolic pressure (Δ -20 ± 6 vs. -15 ± 6 mm Hg; P < .0001). Repeat ambulatory measurements of central BP and pulse wave reflection displayed good-to-excellent intraclass correlation coefficients (r = 0.58-0.86; all P < .01), although measures of pulse wave reflection had higher coefficients of variation (14%-41%). The results highlight absolute differences in central BP and pulse wave reflection between discrete laboratory and ambulatory conditions. The use of ambulatory measures of central BP and pulse wave reflection warrant further investigation for clinical prognostic value. Copyright © 2018 American Heart Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Ambulatory diffuse optical tomography and multimodality physiological monitoring system for muscle and exercise applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hu, Gang; Zhang, Quan; Ivkovic, Vladimir; Strangman, Gary E.

    2016-09-01

    Ambulatory diffuse optical tomography (aDOT) is based on near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and enables three-dimensional imaging of regional hemodynamics and oxygen consumption during a person's normal activities. Although NIRS has been previously used for muscle assessment, it has been notably limited in terms of the number of channels measured, the extent to which subjects can be ambulatory, and/or the ability to simultaneously acquire synchronized auxiliary data such as electromyography (EMG) or electrocardiography (ECG). We describe the development of a prototype aDOT system, called NINscan-M, capable of ambulatory tomographic imaging as well as simultaneous auxiliary multimodal physiological monitoring. Powered by four AA size batteries and weighing 577 g, the NINscan-M prototype can synchronously record 64-channel NIRS imaging data, eight channels of EMG, ECG, or other analog signals, plus force, acceleration, rotation, and temperature for 24+ h at up to 250 Hz. We describe the system's design, characterization, and performance characteristics. We also describe examples of isometric, cycle ergometer, and free-running ambulatory exercise to demonstrate tomographic imaging at 25 Hz. NINscan-M represents a multiuse tool for muscle physiology studies as well as clinical muscle assessment.

  15. Social support and ambulatory blood pressure in older people.

    PubMed

    Sanchez-Martínez, Mercedes; López-García, Esther; Guallar-Castillón, Pilar; Cruz, Juan J; Orozco, Edilberto; García-Esquinas, Esther; Rodríguez-Artalejo, Fernando; Banegas, José R

    2016-10-01

    Social support has been associated with greater nocturnal decline (dipping) in blood pressure (BP) in younger and middle-aged individuals. However, it is uncertain if aggregated measures of social support are related to ambulatory SBP in older adults, where high SBP is frequent and clinically challenging. We studied 1047 community-living individuals aged at least 60 years in Spain. Twenty-four-hour ambulatory BP was determined under standardized conditions. Social support was assessed with a seven-item questionnaire on marital status, cohabitation, frequency of contact with relatives, or with friends and neighbors, emotional support, instrumental support, and outdoor companionship. A social support score was built by summing the values of the items that were significantly associated with SBP variables, such that the higher the score, the better the support. Participants' mean age was 71.7 years (50.8% men). Being married, cohabiting, and being accompanied when out of home were the support items significantly associated with SBP variables. After adjustment for sociodemographic (age, sex, education), behavioral (BMI, alcohol, tobacco, salt consumption, physical activity, Mediterranean diet score), and clinical variables [sleep quality, mental stress, comorbidity, BP medication, and ambulatory BP levels and heart rate (HR)], one additional point in the social support score built with the abovementioned three support variables, was associated with a decrease of 0.93 mmHg in night-time SBP (P = 0.039), totaling 2.8 mmHg decrease for a score of 3 vs. 0. The three-item social support score was also inversely associated with the night/day SBP ratio (β = -0.006, P = 0.010). In older adults, social support is independently associated with lower nocturnal SBP and greater SBP dipping. Further research is needed in prospective studies to confirm these results.

  16. Retrospective analysis of pharmacist interventions in an ambulatory palliative care practice.

    PubMed

    Ma, Joseph D; Tran, Victor; Chan, Carissa; Mitchell, William M; Atayee, Rabia S

    2016-12-01

    We have previously reported the development of an outpatient palliative care practice under pharmacist-physician collaboration. The Doris A. Howell Service at the University of California, San Diego Moores Cancer Center includes two pharmacists who participate in a transdisciplinary clinic and provide follow-up care to patients. This study evaluated pharmacist interventions and patient outcomes of a pharmacist-led outpatient palliative care practice. This was a retrospective data analysis conducted at a single, academic, comprehensive cancer center. New (first visit) patient consultations were referred by an oncologist or hematologist to an outpatient palliative care practice. A pharmacist evaluated the patient at the first visit and at follow-up (second, third, and fourth visits). Medication problems identified, medication changes made, and changes in pain scores were assessed. Eighty-four new and 135 follow-up patient visits with the pharmacist occurred from March 2011 to March 2012. All new patients (n = 80) were mostly women (n = 44), had localized disease (n = 42), a gastrointestinal cancer type (n = 21), and were on a long-acting (n = 61) and short-acting (n = 70) opioid. A lack of medication efficacy was the most common problem for symptoms of pain, constipation, and nausea/vomiting that was identified by the pharmacist at all visits. A change in pain medication dose and initiation of a new medication for constipation and nausea/vomiting were the most common interventions by the pharmacist. A statistically significant change in pain score was observed for the third visit, but not for the second and fourth visits. A pharmacist-led outpatient palliative care practice identified medication problems for management of pain, constipation, and nausea/vomiting. Medication changes involved a change in dose and/or initiating a new medication. Trends were observed in improvement and stabilization of pain over subsequent clinic visits. © The

  17. Facilitating Ambulatory Electronic Health Record System Implementation: Evidence from a Qualitative Study

    PubMed Central

    Hefner, Jennifer; Robbins, Julie; Huerta, Timothy R.

    2013-01-01

    Background. Ambulatory care practices have increasing interest in leveraging the capabilities of electronic health record (EHR) systems, but little information is available documenting how organizations have successfully implemented these systems. Objective. To characterize elements of successful electronic health record (EHR) system implementation and to synthesize the key informants' perspectives about successful implementation practices. Methods. Key informant interviews and focus groups were conducted with a purposive sample of individuals from US healthcare organizations identified for their success with ambulatory EHR implementation. Rigorous qualitative data analyses used both deductive and inductive methods. Results. Participants identified personal and system-related barriers, at both the individual and organization levels, including poor computer skills, productivity losses, resistance to change, and EHR system failure. Implementation success was reportedly facilitated by careful planning and consistent communication throughout distinct stages of the implementation process. A significant element of successful implementation was an emphasis on optimization, both during “go-live” and, subsequently, when users had more experience with the system. Conclusion. Successful EHR implementation requires both detailed planning and clear mechanisms to deal with unforeseen or unintended consequences. Focusing on user buy-in early and including plans for optimization can facilitate greater success. PMID:24228257

  18. A phase II clinical trial evaluating the use of two sequential, four-drug combination chemotherapy regimens in ambulatory bronchogenic adenocarcinoma patients.

    PubMed

    Broder, L E; Sridhar, K S; Selawry, O S; Charyulu, K N; Rao, R K; Saldana, M J; Lenz, C

    1992-12-01

    Forty-three ambulatory patients with locally advanced or metastatic bronchogenic adenocarcinoma were sequentially treated with two potentially mutually non-cross-resistant chemotherapy regimens. A new regimen, MVPF (mitomycin-c, vinblastine, procarbazine, and 5-fluorouracil), was given until progressive disease occurred. Then, a second regimen--MOCC (methotrexate, vincristine [Oncovin], cyclophosphamide, and CCNU)--was initiated. At further progression, regional disease patients received radiotherapy, whereas extensive disease patients received Phase II agents. Of the 43 patients entered on the study, 40 were evaluable. Three patients withdrew early due to poor tolerance of the regimen. The response rate for MVPF was 33% (12 of 40 PR, 1 of 40 CR) compared to a 4% (1 of 23 PR) response for MOCC (difference: p < or = .03), for a total response rate of 35%. Although there was an initial improvement in survival for responders (31.7 weeks) versus nonresponders (15.7 weeks) at the 75th percentile (p < or = .05), there was no significant difference in median survival. The hematologic toxicity was equivalent for both groups, whereas nonhematologic toxicity revealed a high incidence of nausea and vomiting in the MVPF group. It is concluded that this approach lent itself well to ambulatory care, and MVPF could be considered an alternative to cyclophosphamide-based regimens. However, the absence of a meaningful CR rate and lack of influence of response on median survival were factors limiting its effectiveness.

  19. [Should ambulatory nutritional recovery centers in Niamey (Niger) be closed? Analysis of the situation, proposals and evaluation of an intervention].

    PubMed

    Barennes, H

    1996-01-01

    In Niger, malnutrition underlies the high child mortality (319/1,000). The prevalence of acute malnutrition (weight/height below minus 2 z score) is more than 16% in the 0 to 5 year old range. The situation in the urban areas in slightly better than average (child mortality of 210.3/1,000). Thus the situation is very serious. The efficacy of intensive nutritional rehabilitation centers and ambulatory nutritional rehabilitation centers is controversial. The practices and knowledge of the staff of the ambulatory centers in Niamey was studied by weekly session meetings. The shortcomings could be explained by the absence of individual care, the additional work for the mothers, the mothers' illiteracy, the costs, the domestic problems and problems of cultural support, passivity of screening for malnutrition associated with the very low and irregular nutritional value of the meals supplied to the children. However, these centers exist, and they have staffs. The sessions were therefore used to develop and implement alternative strategies, and the role of the ambulatory units was discussed. The program was evaluated according to mothers' compliance, children's nutritional status, length of stay, rate of transfer to the hospital scored by retrospective analysis of the data for 397 children followed between July and October for each 1993, 1994 and 1995. The nutritional status on admission was similar for each of the three years (weight/height - 2.6 z score). The number of children with weight gain increased from 35 to 127 (P < 0.005). The rate of loss to follow-up decreased from 67% to 32% (P < 0.005). In 1993 the mothers were expected to attend daily. In 1995, after 5 to 10 days of training, follow-up was once weekly. The length of care decreased from 64.3 to 46.9 days for a similar weight gain (3.5 g/kg/day). Transfer to the hospital decreased from 10.7% in 1993 to 5.7% in 1995 (P < 0.0001), whereas this score remained high in the Niamey health centers without and

  20. Determinants of Slow Walking Speed in Ambulatory Patients Undergoing Maintenance Hemodialysis

    PubMed Central

    Matsuzawa, Ryota; Kutsuna, Toshiki; Yamamoto, Shuhei; Yoneki, Kei; Harada, Manae; Ishikawa, Ryoma; Watanabe, Takaaki; Yoshida, Atsushi

    2016-01-01

    Walking ability is significantly lower in hemodialysis patients compared to healthy people. Decreased walking ability characterized by slow walking speed is associated with adverse clinical events, but determinants of decreased walking speed in hemodialysis patients are unknown. The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with slow walking speed in ambulatory hemodialysis patients. Subjects were 122 outpatients (64 men, 58 women; mean age, 68 years) undergoing hemodialysis. Clinical characteristics including comorbidities, motor function (strength, flexibility, and balance), and maximum walking speed (MWS) were measured and compared across sex-specific tertiles of MWS. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to examine whether clinical characteristics and motor function could discriminate between the lowest, middle, and highest tertiles of MWS. Significant and common factors that discriminated the lowest and highest tertiles of MWS from other categories were presence of cardiac disease (lowest: odds ratio [OR] = 3.33, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.26–8.83, P<0.05; highest: OR = 2.84, 95% CI = 1.18–6.84, P<0.05), leg strength (OR = 0.62, 95% CI = 0.40–0.95, P<0.05; OR = 0.57, 95% CI = 0.39–0.82, P<0.01), and standing balance (OR = 0.76, 95% CI = 0.63–0.92, P<0.01; OR = 0.81, 95% CI = 0.68–0.97, P<0.05). History of fracture (OR = 3.35, 95% CI = 1.08–10.38; P<0.05) was a significant factor only in the lowest tertile. Cardiac disease, history of fracture, decreased leg strength, and poor standing balance were independently associated with slow walking speed in ambulatory hemodialysis patients. These findings provide useful data for planning effective therapeutic regimens to prevent decreases in walking ability in ambulatory hemodialysis patients. PMID:27018891

  1. Translating Patient Safety Research Into Clinical Practice

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2005-01-01

    AIM approach is being used to evaluate a pharmacy alert intervention designed to detect and correct medication prescribing errors for all patients ...Standard Form 298 (Rev. 8-98) Prescribed by ANSI Std Z39-18 Advances in Patient Safety: Vol. 2 164 patients .6, 9 Medication use in the ambulatory care...subjects and patients with chronic illnesses) and settings (e.g., schools, worksites, and medical clinics).32 We illustrate each of the RE-AIM dimensions

  2. Association of Income Inequality With Pediatric Hospitalizations for Ambulatory Care-Sensitive Conditions.

    PubMed

    Bettenhausen, Jessica L; Colvin, Jeffrey D; Berry, Jay G; Puls, Henry T; Markham, Jessica L; Plencner, Laura M; Krager, Molly K; Johnson, Matthew B; Queen, Mary Ann; Walker, Jacqueline M; Latta, Grant M; Riss, Robert R; Hall, Matt

    2017-06-05

    The level of income inequality (ie, the variation in median household income among households within a geographic area), in addition to family-level income, is associated with worsened health outcomes in children. To determine the influence of income inequality on pediatric hospitalization rates for ambulatory care-sensitive conditions (ACSCs) and whether income inequality affects use of resources per hospitalization for ACSCs. This retrospective, cross-sectional analysis used the 2014 State Inpatient Databases of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project of 14 states to evaluate all hospital discharges for patients aged 0 to 17 years (hereafter referred to as children) from January 1 through December 31, 2014. Using the 2014 American Community Survey (US Census), income inequality (Gini index; range, 0 [perfect equality] to 1.00 [perfect inequality]), median household income, and total population of children aged 0 to 17 years for each zip code in the 14 states were measured. The Gini index for zip codes was divided into quartiles for low, low-middle, high-middle, and high income inequality. Rate, length of stay, and charges for pediatric hospitalizations for ACSCs. A total of 79 275 hospitalizations for ACSCs occurred among the 21 737 661 children living in the 8375 zip codes in the 14 included states. After adjustment for median household income and state of residence, ACSC hospitalization rates per 10 000 children increased significantly as income inequality increased from low (27.2; 95% CI, 26.5-27.9) to low-middle (27.9; 95% CI, 27.4-28.5), high-middle (29.2; 95% CI, 28.6-29.7), and high (31.8; 95% CI, 31.2-32.3) categories (P < .001). A significant, clinically unimportant longer length of stay was found for high inequality (2.5 days; 95% CI, 2.4-2.5 days) compared with low inequality (2.4 days; 95% CI, 2.4-2.5 days; P < .001) zip codes and between charges ($765 difference among groups; P < .001). Children living in areas of high income

  3. Development of quality metrics for ambulatory pediatric cardiology: Transposition of the great arteries after arterial switch operation.

    PubMed

    Baker-Smith, Carissa M; Carlson, Karina; Ettedgui, Jose; Tsuda, Takeshi; Jayakumar, K Anitha; Park, Matthew; Tede, Nikola; Uzark, Karen; Fleishman, Craig; Connuck, David; Likes, Maggie; Penny, Daniel J

    2018-01-01

    To develop quality metrics (QMs) for the ambulatory care of patients with transposition of the great arteries following arterial switch operation (TGA/ASO). Under the auspices of the American College of Cardiology Adult Congenital and Pediatric Cardiology (ACPC) Steering committee, the TGA/ASO team generated candidate QMs related to TGA/ASO ambulatory care. Candidate QMs were submitted to the ACPC Steering Committee and were reviewed for validity and feasibility using individual expert panel member scoring according to the RAND-UCLA methodology. QMs were then made available for review by the entire ACC ACPC during an "open comment period." Final approval of each QM was provided by a vote of the ACC ACPC Council. Patients with TGA who had undergone an ASO were included. Patients with complex transposition were excluded. Twelve candidate QMs were generated. Seven metrics passed the RAND-UCLA process. Four passed the "open comment period" and were ultimately approved by the Council. These included: (1) at least 1 echocardiogram performed during the first year of life reporting on the function, aortic dimension, degree of neoaortic valve insufficiency, the patency of the systemic and pulmonary outflows, the patency of the branch pulmonary arteries and coronary arteries, (2) neurodevelopmental (ND) assessment after ASO; (3) lipid profile by age 11 years; and (4) documentation of a transition of care plan to an adult congenital heart disease (CHD) provider by 18 years of age. Application of the RAND-UCLA methodology and linkage of this methodology to the ACPC approval process led to successful generation of 4 QMs relevant to the care of TGA/ASO pediatric patients in the ambulatory setting. These metrics have now been incorporated into the ACPC Quality Network providing guidance for the care of TGA/ASO patients across 30 CHD centers. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  4. Categorizing natural history trajectories of ambulatory function measured by the 6-minute walk distance in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

    PubMed

    Mercuri, Eugenio; Signorovitch, James Edward; Swallow, Elyse; Song, Jinlin; Ward, Susan J

    2016-09-01

    High variability in patients' changes in 6 minute walk distance (6MWD) over time has complicated clinical trials of treatment efficacy in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). We assessed whether boys with DMD could be grouped into classes that shared similar ambulatory function trajectories as measured by 6MWD. Ambulatory boys aged 5 years or older with genetically confirmed DMD who were enrolled in a natural history study at 11 care centers throughout Italy were included. For each boy, standardized assessments of 6MWD were available at annual intervals spanning 3 years. Trajectories of 6MWD vs. age and trajectories of 6MWD vs. time from enrollment were examined using latent class analysis. A total of 96 boys were included. At enrollment, the mean age was 8.3 years (mean 6MWD: 374 meters). After accounting for age, baseline 6MWD, and steroid use, four latent trajectory classes were identified as explaining 3-year 6MWD outcomes significantly better than a single average trajectory. Patient trajectories of 6MWD change from enrollment were categorized as having fast decline (n = 25), moderate decline (n = 19), stable function (n = 37), and improving function (n = 15) during the 3-year follow-up. After accounting for trajectory classes, the standard deviation of variation in 6MWD was reduced by approximately 40%. The natural history of ambulatory function in DMD may be composed of distinct trajectory classes. The extent to which trajectories are associated with novel and established prognostic factors warrants further study. Reducing unexplained variation in patient outcomes could help to further improve DMD clinical trial design and analysis. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care

    MedlinePlus

    ... Press Release Archives learn more » For Patients Your health care choices matter. Whether you're anticipating a surgical ... certificate of accreditation is a sign that a health care organization meets or exceeds nationally-recognized Standards. Learn ...

  6. Continuity of Care and Health Care Utilization in Older Adults With Dementia in Fee-for-Service Medicare.

    PubMed

    Amjad, Halima; Carmichael, Donald; Austin, Andrea M; Chang, Chiang-Hua; Bynum, Julie P W

    2016-09-01

    sociodemographic factors and comorbidity burden (P < .001 for all comparisons). The rate of ambulatory care sensitive condition hospitalization was similar across continuity groups. Among older fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries with a dementia diagnosis, lower continuity of care is associated with higher rates of hospitalization, emergency department visits, testing, and health care spending. Further research into these relationships, including potentially relevant clinical, clinician, and systems factors, can inform whether improving continuity of care in this population may benefit patients and the wider health system.

  7. Comparison of ambulatory and inpatient cleft lip surgery for adults.

    PubMed

    Sohail, Muhammad; Khan, Farid Ahmad; Mir, Zameer Abbas

    2010-01-01

    Ambulatory cleft lip repair after its acceptance in developed countries is also becoming popular in developing world. This study was performed to compares the outcomes of ambulatory cleft lip repair with the inpatient group for adult patients. Objectives were to compare outcome after ambulatory and inpatient cleft lip surgery for adults with respect to perioperative complications (Early: pain, oedema of upper lip, bleeding, nausea or vomiting, infection, dehiscence; Late: visible scar and white roll discrepancy), to compare the economic benefits, and evaluate patient satisfaction in terms of acceptance for ambulatory surgery. This comparative study is carried out in Plastic Surgery Department, King Edward Medical University, Mayo Hospital, Lahore. The study included 80 adult patients fulfilling inclusion criteria and were randomly divided into two groups, i.e., Ambulatory (Group-A, n=40) and Inpatient (Group-B, n=40). Those belonging to ambulatory group were worked up on OPD basis, advised to report on morning of surgery, operated under loco-regional anaesthesia and were discharged on same day. Patients of inpatient group were admitted two days before surgery, worked up in ward, operated under general anaesthesia and were discharged on 2nd day. Ambulatory cleft lip surgery can be easily performed under loco-regional anaesthesia. Perioperative complications between these groups were comparable. Hospital stay was significantly reduced in ambulatory surgery. The patients felt more satisfied after ambulatory than inpatient surgery. Ambulatory cleft lip repair for adults is as safe as inpatient surgery. It is dependable option and can be successfully performed in our setup. It should be considered whenever possible due to cost effectiveness, reduction of waiting lists, earlier discharge and better utilisation of hospital resources.

  8. Anesthesia for Ambulatory Pediatric Surgery in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Pilot Study in Burkina Faso.

    PubMed

    Kabré, Yvette B; Traoré, Idriss S S; Kaboré, Flavien A R; Ki, Bertille; Traoré, Alain I; Ouédraogo, Isso; Bandré, Emile; Wandaogo, Albert; Ouédraogo, Nazinigouba

    2017-02-01

    Long surgical wait times and limited hospital capacity are common obstacles to surgical care in many countries in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Introducing ambulatory surgery might contribute to a solution to these problems. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and feasibility of introducing ambulatory surgery into a pediatric hospital in SSA. This is a cross-sectional descriptive study that took place over 6 months. It includes all patients assigned to undergo ambulatory surgery in the Pediatric University Hospital in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Eligibility criteria for the ambulatory surgery program included >1 year of age, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) 1 status, surgery with a low risk of bleeding, lasting <90 minutes, and with an expectation of mild to moderate postoperative pain. The family had to live within 1 hour of the hospital and be available by telephone. During the study period, a total of 1250 patients underwent surgery, of whom 515 were elective cases; 115 of these met the criteria for ambulatory surgery; 103 patients, with an average age of 59.74 ± 41.57 months, actually underwent surgery. The principal indications for surgery were inguinal (62) and umbilical (47) hernias. All patients had general anesthesia with halothane. Sixty-five percent also received regional or local anesthesia consisting of caudal block in 79.23% or nerve block in 20.77%. The average duration of surgery was 33 ± 17.47 minutes. No intraoperative complications were noted. All the patients received acetaminophen and a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug in the recovery room. Twelve (11.7%) patients had complications in recovery, principally nausea and vomiting. Eight (7.8%) patients were admitted to the hospital. No serious complications were associated with ambulatory surgery. Its introduction could possibly be a solution to improving pediatric surgical access in low-income countries.

  9. Impact Of Health Care Delivery System Innovations On Total Cost Of Care.

    PubMed

    Smith, Kevin W; Bir, Anupa; Freeman, Nikki L B; Koethe, Benjamin C; Cohen, Julia; Day, Timothy J

    2017-03-01

    Using delivery system innovations to advance health care reform continues to be of widespread interest. However, it is difficult to generalize about the success of specific types of innovations, since they have been examined in only a few studies. To gain a broader perspective, we analyzed the results of forty-three ambulatory care programs funded by the first round of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation's Health Care Innovations Awards. The innovations' impacts on total cost of care were estimated by independent evaluators using multivariable difference-in-differences models. Through the first two years, most of the innovations did not show a significant effect on total cost of care. Using meta-regression, we assessed the effects on costs of five common components of these innovations. Innovations that used health information technology or community health workers achieved the greatest cost savings. Savings were also relatively large in programs that targeted clinically fragile patients-clinically complex populations at risk for disease progression. While the magnitude of these effects was often substantial, none achieved conventional levels of significance in our analyses. Meta-analyses of a larger number of delivery system innovations are needed to more clearly establish their potential for patient care cost savings. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

  10. Biomedical Wireless Ambulatory Crew Monitor

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Chmiel, Alan; Humphreys, Brad

    2009-01-01

    A compact, ambulatory biometric data acquisition system has been developed for space and commercial terrestrial use. BioWATCH (Bio medical Wireless and Ambulatory Telemetry for Crew Health) acquires signals from biomedical sensors using acquisition modules attached to a common data and power bus. Several slots allow the user to configure the unit by inserting sensor-specific modules. The data are then sent real-time from the unit over any commercially implemented wireless network including 802.11b/g, WCDMA, 3G. This system has a distributed computing hierarchy and has a common data controller on each sensor module. This allows for the modularity of the device along with the tailored ability to control the cards using a relatively small master processor. The distributed nature of this system affords the modularity, size, and power consumption that betters the current state of the art in medical ambulatory data acquisition. A new company was created to market this technology.

  11. Care of the elderly program at the University of Alberta

    PubMed Central

    Charles, Lesley; Dobbs, Bonnie; Triscott, Jean; McKay, Rhianne

    2014-01-01

    Abstract Problem addressed The population is aging rapidly and there are implications for health care delivery in the face of few physicians specializing in care of the elderly (COE). Objective of program To train physicians wishing to provide COE services. Program description The COE program at the University of Alberta in Edmonton is an enhanced skills diploma program lasting 6 months to 1 year, with core program requirements including geriatric inpatient care, geriatric psychiatry, ambulatory care, continuing care, and outreach. There is a longitudinal clinic component and a research project requirement. The program is designed to cover the 85 core competencies in the CanMEDS– Family Medicine roles. Conclusion There is a need for COE physicians to provide clinical care as well as fill educational, administrative, and research roles to meet the health care needs of medically complex seniors. These physicians require alternative funding and a departmental home within a university if they are to provide an academic service. PMID:25551143

  12. Marginal ambulatory teaching cost under varying levels of service utilization.

    PubMed

    Panton, D M; Mushlin, A I; Gavett, J W

    1980-06-01

    The ambulatory component of residency training jointly produces two products, namely, training and patient services. In costing educational programs of this type, two approaches are frequently taken. The first considers the total costs of the educational program, including training and patient services. These costs are usually constructed from historical accounting records. The second approach attempts to cost the joint products separately, based upon estimates of future changes in program costs, if the product in question is added to or removed from the program. The second approach relates to typical decisions facing the managers of medical centers and practices used for teaching purposes. This article reports such a study of costs in a primary-care residency training program in a hospital outpatient setting. The costs of the product, i.e., on-the-job training, are evaluated using a replacement-cost concept under different levels of patient services. The results show that the cost of the product, training, is small at full clinical utilization and is sensitive to changes in the volume of services provided.

  13. Moving toward a United States strategic plan in primary care informatics: a White Paper of the Primary Care Informatics Working Group, American Medical Informatics Association.

    PubMed

    Little, David R; Zapp, John A; Mullins, Henry C; Zuckerman, Alan E; Teasdale, Sheila; Johnson, Kevin B

    2003-01-01

    The Primary Care Informatics Working Group (PCIWG) of the American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA) has identified the absence of a national strategy for primary care informatics. Under PCIWG leadership, major national and international societies have come together to create the National Alliance for Primary Care Informatics (NAPCI), to promote a connection between the informatics community and the organisations that support primary care. The PCIWG clinical practice subcommittee has recognised the necessity of a global needs assessment, and proposed work in point-of-care technology, clinical vocabularies, and ambulatory electronic medical record development. Educational needs include a consensus statement on informatics competencies, recommendations for curriculum and teaching methods, and methodologies to evaluate their effectiveness. The research subcommittee seeks to define a primary care informatics research agenda, and to support and disseminate informatics research throughout the primary care community. The AMIA board of directors has enthusiastically endorsed the conceptual basis for this White Paper.

  14. Exploring the business case for ambulatory electronic health record system adoption.

    PubMed

    Song, Paula H; McAlearney, Ann Scheck; Robbins, Julie; McCullough, Jeffrey S

    2011-01-01

    Widespread implementation and use of electronic health record (EHR) systems has been recognized by healthcare leaders as a cornerstone strategy for systematically reducing medical errors and improving clinical quality. However, EHR adoption requires a significant capital investment for healthcare providers, and cost is often cited as a barrier. Despite the capital requirements, a true business case for EHR system adoption and implementation has not been made. This is of concern, as the lack of a business case can influence decision making about EHR investments. The purpose of this study was to examine the role of business case analysis in healthcare organizations' decisions to invest in ambulatory EHR systems, and to identify what factors organizations considered when justifying an ambulatory EHR. Using a qualitative case study approach, we explored how five organizations that are considered to have best practices in ambulatory EHR system implementation had evaluated the business case for EHR adoption. We found that although the rigor of formal business case analysis was highly variable, informants across these organizations consistently reported perceiving that a positive business case for EHR system adoption existed, especially when they considered both financial and non-financial benefits. While many consider EHR system adoption inevitable in healthcare, this viewpoint should not deter managers from conducting a business case analysis. Results of such an analysis can inform healthcare organizations' understanding about resource allocation needs, help clarify expectations about financial and clinical performance metrics to be monitored through EHR systems, and form the basis for ongoing organizational support to ensure successful system implementation.

  15. 76 FR 66931 - Medicare Program: Notice of Two Membership Appointments to the Advisory Panel on Ambulatory...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-10-28

    ... Administrator) concerning the clinical integrity of the APC groups and their weights. The advice provided by the Panel will be considered as CMS prepares its annual updates of the hospital outpatient prospective... clinical integrity of the Ambulatory Payment Classification (APC) groups and their associated weights. The...

  16. Clinical caring science as a scientific discipline.

    PubMed

    Rehnsfeldt, Arne; Arman, Maria; Lindström, Unni Å

    2017-09-01

    Clinical caring science will be described from a theory of science perspective. The aim of this theoretical article to give a comprehensive overview of clinical caring science as a human science-based discipline grounded in a theory of science argumentation. Clinical caring science seeks idiographic or specific variations of the ontology, concepts and theories, formulated by caring science. The rationale is the insight that the research questions do not change when they are addressed in different contexts. The academic subject contains a concept order with ethos concepts, core and basic concepts and practice concepts that unites systematic caring science with clinical caring science. In accordance with a hermeneutic tradition, the idea of the caring act is based on the degree to which the theory base is hermeneutically appropriated by the caregiver. The better the ethos, essential concepts and theories are understood, the better the caring act can be understood. In order to understand the concept order related to clinical caring science, an example is given from an ongoing project in a disaster context. The concept order is an appropriate way of making sense of the essence of clinical caring science. The idea of the concept order is that concepts on all levels need to be united with each other. A research project in clinical caring science can start anywhere on the concept order, either in ethos, core concepts, basic concepts, practice concepts or in concrete clinical phenomena, as long as no parts are locked out of the concept order as an entity. If, for example, research on patient participation as a phenomenon is not related to core and basic concepts, there is a risqué that the research becomes meaningless. © 2016 Nordic College of Caring Science.

  17. The Association of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder With Clinic and Ambulatory Blood Pressure in Healthy Adults.

    PubMed

    Edmondson, Donald; Sumner, Jennifer A; Kronish, Ian M; Burg, Matthew M; Oyesiku, Linda; Schwartz, Joseph E

    2018-01-01

    Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with incident cardiovascular risk. We tested the association of PTSD with clinic and ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) in a sample of healthy participants and tested ABP reactivity to anxiety as a mechanism by which PTSD may influence blood pressure (BP). Participants were originally enrolled during workplace BP screenings at three sites; approximately 6 years (standard deviation = 1.0) later, they completed nine clinic BP assessments within three visits, 1 week apart. Before the third visit, participants were screened for PTSD (≥33 on the PTSD Checklist-Civilian) and depression (Beck Depression Inventory) and then completed 24-hour ABP monitoring with electronic diary assessment of anxiety (0-100) at each awake reading. Of 440 participants, 92 (21%) screened positive for PTSD. In regression models adjusted for depression and demographic and clinical variables, PTSD was associated with greater mean systolic BP (3.8 mm Hg clinic [95% confidence interval {CI}] = 1.1-6.5, p = .006), 3.0 mm Hg awake ABP [95% CI = 0.1-5.9, p = .04], and a nonsignificant 2.1 mm Hg ABP during sleep [95% CI = -1.0 to 5.1, p = .18]). PTSD was associated with greater 24-hour median anxiety (p < .001), and changes in anxiety were positively associated with concurrent systolic ABP (p < .001). ABP reactivity to anxiety was greater in participants with PTSD, which partially explained the association of PTSD with ABP. PTSD is associated with greater systolic BP, partly because of greater anxiety, and systolic BP reactivity to anxiety throughout the day. Daily anxiety and related BP reactivity may be targets for interventions to reduce the cardiovascular risk associated with PTSD.

  18. Capillary glucose meter accuracy and sources of error in the ambulatory setting.

    PubMed

    Lunt, Helen; Florkowski, Christopher; Bignall, Michael; Budgen, Christopher

    2010-03-05

    Hand-held glucose meters are used throughout the health system by both patients with diabetes and also by health care practitioners. Glucose meter technology is constantly evolving. The current generation of meters and strips are quick to use and require a very small volume of blood. This review aims to describe meters currently available in New Zealand, for use in the ambulatory setting. It also aims to discuss the limits of meter performance and provide technical information that is relevant to the clinician, using locally available data. Commoner causes and consequences of end-user (patient and health professional) error are illustrated using clinical case examples. No meter offers definite advantages over other meters in all clinical situations, rather meters should be chosen because they fit the needs of individual patients and because the provider is able to offer appropriate educational and quality assurance backup to the meter user. A broad understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of the subsidised meter systems available in New Zealand will help the health practitioner decide when it is in the best interests of their patients to change or update meter technology.

  19. A prospective randomized clinical trial to evaluate methods of postoperative care of hypospadias.

    PubMed

    McLorie, G; Joyner, B; Herz, D; McCallum, J; Bagli, D; Merguerian, P; Khoury, A

    2001-05-01

    significant. In addition, there were more unscheduled visits to the urology clinic, emergency room or primary physician office by boys with than without a dressing. Furthermore, 29% of the parents were not psychologically prepared to remove the dressing and 12% were so reluctant that the dressing was removed at the urology outpatient clinic. The surgical outcome and rate of adverse events or complications were not compromised without a postoperative dressing. An absent dressing simplified postoperative ambulatory parent delivered home care. We recommend that dressings should be omitted from routine use after hypospadias repair.

  20. A Model for Catalyzing Educational and Clinical Transformation in Primary Care: Outcomes From a Partnership Among Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, and Pediatrics.

    PubMed

    Eiff, M Patrice; Green, Larry A; Holmboe, Eric; McDonald, Furman S; Klink, Kathleen; Smith, David Gary; Carraccio, Carol; Harding, Rose; Dexter, Eve; Marino, Miguel; Jones, Sam; Caverzagie, Kelly; Mustapha, Mumtaz; Carney, Patricia A

    2016-09-01

    To report findings from a national effort initiated by three primary care certifying boards to catalyze change in primary care training. In this mixed-method pilot study (2012-2014), 36 faculty in 12 primary care residencies (family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics) from four institutions participated in a professional development program designed to prepare faculty to accelerate change in primary care residency training by uniting them in a common mission to create effective ambulatory clinical learning environments. Surveys administered at baseline and 12 months after initial training measured changes in faculty members' confidence and skills, continuity clinics, and residency training programs. Feasibility evaluation involved assessing participation. The authors compared quantitative data using Wilcoxon signed-rank and Bhapkar tests. Observational field notes underwent narrative analysis. Most participants attended two in-person training sessions (92% and 72%, respectively). Between baseline and 12 months, faculty members' confidence in leadership improved significantly for 15/19 (79%) variables assessed; their self-assessed skills improved significantly for 21/22 (95%) competencies. Two medical home domains ("Continuity of Care," "Support/Care Coordination") improved significantly (P < .05) between the two time periods. Analyses of qualitative data revealed that interdisciplinary learning communities formed during the program and served to catalyze transformational change. Results suggest that improvements in faculty perceptions of confidence and skills occurred and that the creation of interdisciplinary learning communities catalyzed transformation. Lengthening the intervention period, engaging other professions involved in training the primary care workforce, and a more discriminating evaluation design are needed to scale this model nationally.