Creation of a synthetic indicator of quality of care as a clinical management standard in primary care.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Coma E
PROVIDER: S-EPMC3581769 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Dec
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Publications
Creation of a synthetic indicator of quality of care as a clinical management standard in primary care.
Coma Ermengol E Ferran Manel M Méndez Leonardo L Iglesias Begoña B Fina Francesc F Medina Manuel M
SpringerPlus 20130213 1
<h4>Introduction</h4>The development of electronic medical records has allowed the creation of new quality indicators in healthcare. Among them, synthetic indicators facilitate global interpretation of results and comparisons between professionals.<h4>Methods</h4>A healthcare quality standard (EQA, the Catalan acronym for Estàndard de Qualitat Assistencial) was constructed to serve as a synthetic indicator to measure the quality of care provided by primary care professionals in Catalonia (Spain) ...[more]
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Project description:ObjectiveTo develop a framework of population-based primary care quality indicators adapted to patients with dementia and to identify a subset of stakeholder-driven priority indicators.DesignFramework development was carried out through the selection of an initial framework based on a rapid review and identification of relevant indicators and enrichment based on existing dementia indicators and guidelines. Prioritization of indicators was carried out through a stakeholder survey.SettingOntario, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Saskatchewan.ParticipantsStakeholders in community dementia care (N=109) including clinicians, patients, caregivers, decision makers, and managers.Main outcome measuresPrimary care quality indicators.ResultsThe framework comprised 34 indicators across 8 domains of quality (access, integration, effective care, efficient care, equity, safety, population health, and patient-centred care). Access to a regular primary care provider, continuity of care, early-stage diagnosis, and access to home care were consistently rated as priorities. Equitable care was a specific priority among patients and caregivers; clinicians reported avoidable hospitalizations as among their priorities.ConclusionA framework of indicators was established for persons with dementia that adds an important dimension to existing primary care and dementia quality indicators by providing primary care and population-based perspectives. This framework could set a foundation for the ongoing monitoring of primary care practices and policies for persons with dementia at a population level.
| S-EPMC9470182 | biostudies-literature
Project description:IntroductionIn Pakistan, chronic respiratory conditions contribute a large burden of morbidity and mortality. A major reason for this is the lack of availability of local evidence-based clinical practice guidelines (EBCPGs) in Pakistan, particularly at the primary care level. Thus, we developed EBCPGs and created clinical diagnosis and referral pathways for the primary care management of chronic respiratory conditions in Pakistan.MethodsThe source guidelines were selected by two local expert pulmonologists after a thorough literature review on PubMed and Google Scholar from 2010 to December 2021. The source guidelines covered idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorders, and bronchiectasis. The GRADE-ADOLOPMENT process consists of three key elements: adoption (using recommendations as is or with minor changes), adaptation (effective context-specific changes to recommendations) or additions (including new recommendations to fill a gap in the EBCPG). We employed the GRADE-ADOLOPMENT process to adopt, adapt, adopt with minor changes, or exclude recommendations from a source guideline. Additional recommendations were added to the clinical pathways based on a best-evidence review process.Results46 recommendations were excluded mainly due to the unavailability of recommended management in Pakistan and scope beyond the practice of general physicians. Clinical diagnosis and referral pathways were designed for the four chronic respiratory conditions, explicitly delineating the role of primary care practitioners in the diagnosis, basic management, and timely referral of patients. Across the four conditions, 18 recommendations were added (seven for IPF, three for bronchiectasis, four for COPD, and four for asthma).ConclusionThe widespread use of the newly created EBCPGs and clinical pathways in the primary healthcare system of Pakistan can help alleviate the morbidity and mortality related to chronic respiratory conditions disease in the country.
| S-EPMC10111762 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Importance:Although patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are routinely managed in primary care settings, no nationally representative study has assessed the quality of care received by these patients in Canada. Objective:To evaluate the current state of CKD management in Canadian primary care practices to identify care gaps to guide development and implementation of national quality improvement initiatives. Design, Setting, and Participants:This cross-sectional study leveraged Canadian Primary Care Sentinel Surveillance Network data from January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2015, to develop a cohort of 46?162 patients with CKD managed in primary care practices. Data analysis was performed from August 8, 2018, to July 31, 2019. Main Outcomes and Measures:The study examined the proportion of patients with CKD who met a set of 12 quality indicators in 6 domains: (1) detection and recognition of CKD, (2) testing and monitoring of kidney function, (3) use of recommended medications, (4) monitoring after initiation of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) or angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs), (5) management of blood pressure, and (6) monitoring for glycemic control in those with diabetes and CKD. The study also analyzed associations of divergence from these quality indicators. Results:The cohort comprised 46?162 patients (mean [SD] age, 69.2 [14.0] years; 25 855 [56.0%] female) with stage 3 to 5 CKD. Only 4 of 12 quality indicators were met by 75% or more of the study cohort. These indicators were receipt of an outpatient serum creatinine test within 18 months after confirmation of CKD, receipt of blood pressure measurement at any time during follow-up, achieving a target blood pressure of 140/90 mm Hg or lower, and receiving a hemoglobin A1c test for monitoring diabetes during follow-up. Indicators in the domains of detection and recognition of CKD, testing and monitoring of kidney function (specifically, urine albumin to creatinine ratio testing), use of recommended medications, and appropriate monitoring after initiation of treatment with ACEIs or ARBs were not met. Only 6529 patients (18.4%) with CKD received a urine albumin test within 6 months of CKD diagnosis, and 3954 (39.4%) had a second measurement within 6 months of an abnormal baseline urine albumin level. Older age (?85 years) and CKD stage 5 were significantly associated with not satisfying the criteria for the quality indicators across all domains. Across age categories, younger patients (aged 18-49 years) and older patients (?75 years) were less likely to be tested for albuminuria (314 of 1689 patients aged 18-49 years [18.5%], 1983 of 11 919 patients aged 75-84 years [61.6%], and 614 of 5237 patients aged ?85 years [11.7%] received the urine albumin to creatinine ratio test within 6 months of initial estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 mL/min per 1.73 m2; P?<?.001). Patients aged 18 to 49 years were less commonly prescribed recommended medications (222 of 2881 [7.7%]), whereas patients aged 75 to 84 years were prescribed ACEIs or ARBs most frequently (2328 of 5262 [44.2%]; P?<?.001). Conclusions and Relevance:The findings suggest that management of CKD across primary care practices in Canada varies according to quality indicator. This study revealed potential priority areas for quality improvement initiatives in Canadian primary care practices.
| S-EPMC6727682 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundDevelopment of valid and feasible quality indicators (QIs) is needed to track quality initiatives for osteoarthritis pain management in primary care settings.MethodsLiterature search identified published guidelines that were reviewed for QI extraction. A panel of 14 experts was assembled, including primary care physicians, rheumatologists, orthopedic surgeons, pain specialists, and outcomes research pharmacists. A screening survey excluded QIs that cannot be reliably extracted from the electronic health record or that are irrelevant for osteoarthritis in primary care settings. A validity screening survey used a 9-point Likert scale to rate the validity of each QI based on predefined criteria. During expert panel discussions, stakeholders revised QI wording, added new QIs, and voted to include or exclude each QI. A priority survey used a 9-point Likert scale to prioritize the included QIs.ResultsLiterature search identified 520 references published from January 2015 to March 2021 and 4 additional guidelines from professional/governmental websites. The study included 41 guidelines. Extraction of 741 recommendations yielded 115 candidate QIs. Feasibility screening excluded 28 QIs. Validity screening and expert panel discussion excluded 73 QIs and added 1 QI. The final set of 15 prioritized QIs focused on pain management safety, education, weight-management, psychological wellbeing, optimizing first-line medications, referral, and imaging.ConclusionThis multi-disciplinary expert panel established consensus on QIs for osteoarthritis pain management in primary care settings by combining scientific evidence with expert opinion. The resulting list of 15 prioritized, valid, and feasible QIs can be used to track quality initiatives for osteoarthritis pain management.
| S-EPMC10311862 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ImportanceExperts recommend that alcohol use disorders (AUDs) be managed in primary care, but effective approaches are unclear.ObjectiveTo test whether 12 months of alcohol care management, compared with usual care, improved drinking outcomes among patients with or at high risk for AUDs.Design, setting, and participantsThis randomized clinical trial was conducted at 3 Veterans Affairs (VA) primary care clinics. Between October 11, 2011, and September 30, 2014, the study enrolled 304 outpatients who reported heavy drinking (≥4 drinks per day for women and ≥5 drinks per day for men).InterventionsNurse care managers offered outreach and engagement, repeated brief counseling using motivational interviewing and shared decision making about treatment options, and nurse practitioner-prescribed AUD medications (if desired), supported by an interdisciplinary team (CHOICE intervention). The comparison was usual primary care.Main outcomes and measuresPrimary outcomes, assessed by blinded telephone interviewers at 12 months, were percentage of heavy drinking days in the prior 28 days measured by timeline follow-back interviews and a binary good drinking outcome, defined as abstinence or drinking below recommended limits in the prior 28 days (according to timeline follow-back interviews) and no alcohol-related symptoms in the past 3 months as measured by the Short Inventory of Problems.ResultsOf 304 participants, 275 (90%) were male, 206 (68%) were white, and the mean (SD) age was 51.4 (13.8) years. At baseline, both the CHOICE intervention (n = 150) and usual care (n = 154) groups reported heavy drinking on 61% of days (95% CI, 56%-66%). During the 12-month intervention, 137 of 150 patients in the intervention group (91%) had at least 1 nurse visit, and 77 of 150 (51%) had at least 6 nurse visits. A greater proportion of patients in the intervention group than in the usual care group received alcohol-related care: 42% (95% CI, 35%-49%; 63 of 150 patients) vs 26% (95% CI, 19%-35%; 40 of 154 patients). Alcohol-related care included more AUD medication use: 32% (95% CI, 26%-39%; 48 of 150 patients in the intervention group) vs 8% (95% CI, 5%-13%; 13 of 154 patients in the usual care group). No significant differences in primary outcomes were observed at 12 months between patients in both groups. The percentages of heavy drinking days were 39% (95% CI, 32%-47%) and 35% (95% CI, 28%-42%), and the percentages of patients with a good drinking outcome were 15% (95% CI, 9%-22%; 18 of 124 patients) and 20% (95 % CI, 14%-28%; 27 of 134 patients), in the intervention and usual care groups, respectively (P = .32-.44). Findings at 3 months were similar.Conclusions and relevanceThe CHOICE intervention did not decrease heavy drinking or related problems despite increased engagement in alcohol-related care.Trial registrationclinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01400581.
| S-EPMC5885256 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundEarly detection and appropriate management of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in primary care are essential to reduce morbidity and mortality.AimTo assess the quality of care (QoC) of CKD in primary healthcare in relation to patient and practice characteristics in order to tailor improvement strategies.Design and settingRetrospective study using data between 2008 and 2011 from 47 general practices (207 469 patients of whom 162 562 were adults).MethodCKD management of patients under the care of their general practitioner (GP) was qualified using indicators derived from the Dutch interdisciplinary CKD guideline for primary care and nephrology and included (1) monitoring of renal function, albuminuria, blood pressure, and glucose, (2) monitoring of metabolic parameters, and alongside the guideline: (3) recognition of CKD. The outcome indicator was (4) achieving blood pressure targets. Multilevel logistic regression analysis was applied to identify associated patient and practice characteristics.ResultsKidney function or albuminuria data were available for 59 728 adult patients; 9288 patients had CKD, of whom 8794 were under GP care. Monitoring of disease progression was complete in 42% of CKD patients, monitoring of metabolic parameters in 2%, and blood pressure target was reached in 43.1%. GPs documented CKD in 31.4% of CKD patients. High QoC was strongly associated with diabetes, and to a lesser extent with hypertension and male sex.ConclusionRoom for improvement was found in all aspects of CKD management. As QoC was higher in patients who received structured diabetes care, future CKD care may profit from more structured primary care management, e.g. according to the chronic care model.Key pointsQuality of care for chronic kidney disease patients in primary care can be improved. In comparison with guideline advice, adequate monitoring of disease progression was observed in 42%, of metabolic parameters in 2%, correct recognition of impaired renal function in 31%, and reaching blood pressure targets in 43% of chronic kidney disease patients. Quality of care was higher in patients with diabetes. Chronic kidney disease management may be improved by developing strategies similar to diabetes care.
| S-EPMC4911031 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BACKGROUND:Feeding dysfunction is a common consequence of prematurity and illness in neonates, often requiring supplemental nasogastric (NG) or gastrostomy (GT) feeding tubes. A standardized approach to the discharge of infants receiving home enteral nutrition (HEN) is currently lacking. METHODS:The Home Enteral Feeding Transitions (HEFT) program was developed to identify patients eligible for HEN and create a standard discharge process. A structured tool helped determine discharge timing and route, and a dedicated outpatient clinic was created for infants discharged on HEN. Demographic, inpatient, and outpatient data were prospectively collected and compared with a historical cohort. RESULTS:A total of 232 infants discharged from our neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) over 9 months met inclusion criteria. Ninety-eight (42%) were discharged with HEN, 68 NG and 30 GT, compared with 134 (58%) receiving full oral feeds. This represented a 10% increase in HEN utilization (P = 0.003) compared with our historical control group. Median HEN length of stay was 31.5 days compared with our historical average of 41 days (P = 0.23). Frequency of emergency department visits and admissions because of HEN was unchanged postintervention. Parents were satisfied (8.6/10), and 98% said they would choose HEN again. The median time to NG discontinuation after discharge was 13.5 days, with an estimated cost savings of $2163 per NICU day. CONCLUSION:Our program is the first of which we know to use a standard care-process model to guide the decision-making and utilization of HEN at NICU discharge. HEFT shows that HEN at NICU discharge can be safe and effective, with high parental satisfaction.
| S-EPMC7060820 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BACKGROUND: The European Practice Assessment program provides feedback and outreach visits to primary care practices to facilitate quality improvement in five domains (infrastructure, people, information, finance, and quality and safety). We examined the effectiveness of this program in improving management in primary care practices in Germany, with a focus on the domain of quality and safety. METHODS: In a before-after study, 102 primary care practices completed a practice assessment using the European Practice Assessment instrument at baseline and three years later (intervention group). A comparative group of 102 practices was included that completed their first assessment using this instrument at the time of the intervention group's second assessment. Mean scores were based on the proportion of indicators for which a positive response was achieved by all of the practices, on a scale of 0 to 100. RESULTS: We found significant improvements in all domains between the first and second assessments in the intervention group. In the domain of quality and safety, improvements in scores (mean scores were based on the proportion of indicators for which a positive response was achieved by all of the practices, on a scale of 0 to 100) were observed in the following dimensions: complaint management (from a mean score of 51.2 at first assessment to 80.7 at second assessment); analysis of critical incidents (from 79.1 to 89.6); and quality development, quality policy (from 40.7 to 55.6). Overall scores at the time of the second assessment were significantly higher in the intervention group than in the comparative group. INTERPRETATION: Primary care practices that completed the European Practice Assessment instrument twice over a three-year period showed improvements in practice management. Our findings show the value of the quality-improvement cycle in the context of practice assessment and the use of established organizational standards for practice management with the Europeaen Practice Assessment.
| S-EPMC3255110 | biostudies-literature
Project description:INTRODUCTION:Adequate control of hypertension is a global challenge and is the key to reduce cardiovascular disease risk factors. This study evaluates management of hypertensive patients in primary care clinics in Malaysia. METHODS:A cross-sectional analysis of 13 784 medical records from 20 selected public primary care clinics in Malaysia was performed for patients aged ≥30 years old who were diagnosed with hypertension and had at least one visit between 1st November 2016 and 30th June 2019. Multivariable logistic regression adjusted for complex survey design was used to determine the association between process of care and blood pressure (BP) control among the hypertensive patients. RESULTS:Approximately 50% of hypertensive patients were obese, 38.4% of age ≥65 years old, 71.2% had at least one comorbidity and approximately one-third were on antihypertensive monotherapy. Approximately two-third of the hypertensive patients with diabetic proteinuria were prescribed with the appropriate choice of antihypertensive agents. Approximately half of the patients received at least 70% of the target indicated care and 42.8% had adequately controlled BP. After adjusting for covariates, patients who received counseling on exercise were positively associated with adequate BP control. Conversely, patients who were prescribed with two or more antihypertensive agents were negatively associated with good BP control. CONCLUSIONS:These findings indicated that BP control was suboptimal and deficient in the process of care with consequent gaps in guidelines and actual clinical practices. This warrants a re-evaluation of the current strategies and approaches to improve the quality of hypertension management and ultimately to improve outcome.
| S-EPMC7418969 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ObjectiveTo investigate whether better management of chronic conditions by family practices reduces mortality risk.DataTwo random samples of 5 million patients registered with over 8,000 English family practices followed up for 4 years (2004/5-2007/8). Measures of the quality of disease management for 10 conditions were constructed for each family practice for each year. The outcome measure was an indicator taking the value 1 if the patient died during a specified year, 0 otherwise.Study designCross-section and multilevel panel data multiple logistic regressions were estimated. Covariates included age, gender, morbidity, hospitalizations, attributed socio-economic characteristics, and local health care supply measures.Principal findingsAlthough a composite measure of the quality of disease management for all 10 conditions was significantly associated with lower mortality, only the quality of stroke care was significant when all 10 quality measures were entered in the regression.ConclusionsThe panel data results suggest that a 1 percent improvement in the quality of stroke care could reduce the annual number of deaths in England by 782 [95 percent CI: 423, 1140]. A longer study period may be necessary to detect any mortality impact of better management of other conditions.
| S-EPMC4600356 | biostudies-literature