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Meaningful use in the safety net: a rapid ethnography of patient portal implementation at five community health centers in California.

ABSTRACT: Objective:US health care institutions are implementing secure websites (patient portals) to achieve federal Meaningful Use (MU) certification. We sought to understand efforts to implement portals in "safety net" health care systems that provide services for low-income populations. Materials and Methods:Our rapid ethnography involved visits at 4 California safety net health systems and in-depth interviews at a fifth. Visits included interviews with clinicians and executives ( n ?=?12), informal focus groups with front-line staff ( n ?=?35), observations of patient portal sign-up procedures and clinic work, review of marketing materials and portal use data, and a brief survey ( n ?=?45). Results:Our findings demonstrate that the health systems devoted considerable effort to enlisting staff support for portal adoption and integrating portal-related work into clinic routines. Although all health systems had achieved, or were close to achieving, MU benchmarks, patients faced numerous barriers to portal use and our participants were uncertain how to achieve and sustain "meaningful use" as defined by and for their patients. Discussion:Health systems' efforts to achieve MU certification united clinic staff under a shared ethos of improved quality of care. However, MU's assumptions about patients' demand for electronic access to health information and ability to make use of it directed clinics' attention to enrollment and message routing rather than to the relevance and usability of a tool that is minimally adaptable to the safety net context. Conclusion:We found a mismatch between MU-based metrics of patient engagement and the priorities and needs of safety net patient populations.

SUBMITTER: Ackerman SL

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6080844 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Meaningful use in the safety net: a rapid ethnography of patient portal implementation at five community health centers in California.

Ackerman Sara L SL Sarkar Urmimala U Tieu Lina L Handley Margaret A MA Schillinger Dean D Hahn Kenneth K Hoskote Mekhala M Gourley Gato G Lyles Courtney C

Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association : JAMIA 20170901 5

<h4>Objective</h4>US health care institutions are implementing secure websites (patient portals) to achieve federal Meaningful Use (MU) certification. We sought to understand efforts to implement portals in "safety net" health care systems that provide services for low-income populations.<h4>Materials and methods</h4>Our rapid ethnography involved visits at 4 California safety net health systems and in-depth interviews at a fifth. Visits included interviews with clinicians and executives ( n = ...[more]

PMID: 28340229

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Project description:BackgroundLittle research has directly compared the effectiveness of implementation strategies in any setting, and we know of no prior trials directly comparing how effectively different combinations of strategies support implementation in community health centers. This paper outlines the protocol of the Study of Practices Enabling Implementation and Adaptation in the Safety Net (SPREAD-NET), a trial designed to compare the effectiveness of several common strategies for supporting implementation of an intervention and explore contextual factors that impact the strategies' effectiveness in the community health center setting.Methods/designThis cluster-randomized trial compares how three increasingly hands-on implementation strategies support adoption of an evidence-based diabetes quality improvement intervention in 29 community health centers, managed by 12 healthcare organizations. The strategies are as follows: (arm 1) a toolkit, presented in paper and electronic form, which includes a training webinar; (arm 2) toolkit plus in-person training with a focus on practice change and change management strategies; and (arm 3) toolkit, in-person training, plus practice facilitation with on-site visits. We use a mixed methods approach to data collection and analysis: (i) baseline surveys on study clinic characteristics, to explore how these characteristics impact the clinics' ability to implement the tools and the effectiveness of each implementation strategy; (ii) quantitative data on change in rates of guideline-concordant prescribing; and (iii) qualitative data on the "how" and "why" underlying the quantitative results. The outcomes of interest are clinic-level results, categorized using the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework, within an interrupted time-series design with segmented regression models. This pragmatic trial will compare how well each implementation strategy works in "real-world" practices.DiscussionHaving a better understanding of how different strategies support implementation efforts could positively impact the field of implementation science, by comparing practical, generalizable methods for implementing clinical innovations in community health centers. Bridging this gap in the literature is a critical step towards the national long-term goal of effectively disseminating and implementing effective interventions into community health centers.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02325531.

Project description:ContextLow-income and racial/ethnic minority populations experience disproportionate colorectal cancer (CRC) burden and poorer survival. Novel behavioral strategies are needed to improve screening rates in these groups.BackgroundThe study aimed to test a theoretically based "implementation intentions" intervention for improving CRC screening among unscreened adults in urban safety-net clinics.DesignRandomized controlled trial.Setting/participantsAdults (N=470) aged ≥50 years, due for CRC screening, from urban safety-net clinics were recruited.InterventionThe intervention (conducted in 2009-2011) was delivered via touchscreen computers that tailored informational messages to decisional stage and screening barriers. The computer then randomized participants to generic health information on diet and exercise (Comparison group) or "implementation intentions" questions and planning (Experimental group) specific to the CRC screening test chosen (fecal immunochemical test or colonoscopy).Main outcome measuresThe primary study outcome was completion of CRC screening at 26 weeks based on test reports (analysis conducted in 2012-2013).ResultsThe study population had a mean age of 57 years and was 42% non-Hispanic African American, 28% non-Hispanic white, and 27% Hispanic. Those receiving the implementation intentions-based intervention had higher odds (AOR=1.83, 95% CI=1.23, 2.73) of completing CRC screening than the Comparison group. Those with higher self-efficacy for screening (AOR=1.57, 95% CI=1.03, 2.39), history of asthma (AOR=2.20, 95% CI=1.26, 3.84), no history of diabetes (AOR=1.86, 95% CI=1.21, 2.86), and reporting they had never heard that "cutting on cancer" makes it spread (AOR=1.78, 95% CI=1.16, 2.72) were more likely to complete CRC screening.ConclusionsThe results of this study suggest that programs incorporating an implementation intentions approach can contribute to successful completion of CRC screening even among very low-income and diverse primary care populations. Future initiatives to reduce CRC incidence and mortality disparities may be able to employ implementation intentions in large-scale efforts to encourage screening and prevention behaviors.

Project description:ObjectivesSafety-net health care systems, serving vulnerable populations, see longer delays to timely colonoscopy after a positive fecal occult blood test (FOBT), which may contribute to existing disparities. We sought to identify root causes of colonoscopy delay after positive FOBT result in the primary care safety net.MethodsWe conducted a multisite root cause analysis of cases of delayed colonoscopy, identifying cases where there was a delay of greater than 6 months in completing or scheduling a follow-up colonoscopy after a positive FOBT. We identified cases across 5 California health systems serving low-income, vulnerable populations. We developed a semistructured interview guide based on precedent work. We conducted telephone individual interviews with primary care providers (PCPs) and patients. We then performed qualitative content analysis of the interviews, using an integrated inductive-deductive analytic approach, to identify themes related to recurrent root causes of colonoscopy delay.ResultsWe identified 12 unique cases, comprising 5 patient and 11 PCP interviews. Eight patients completed colonoscopy; median time to colonoscopy was 11.0 months (interquartile range, 6.3 months). Three patients had advanced adenomatous findings. Primary care providers highlighted system-level root causes, including inability to track referrals between primary care and gastroenterology, lack of protocols to follow up with patients, lack of electronic medical record interoperability, and lack of time or staffing resources, compelling tremendous additional effort by staff. In contrast, patients' highlighted individual-level root causes included comorbidities, social needs, and misunderstanding the importance of the FOBT. There was a little overlap between PCP and patient-elicited root causes.ConclusionsCurrent protocols do not accommodate communication between primary care and gastroenterology. Interventions to address specific barriers identified include improved interoperability between PCP and gastroenterology scheduling systems, protocols to follow-up on incomplete colonoscopies, accommodation for support and transport needs, and patient-friendly education. Interviewing both patients and PCPs leads to richer analysis of the root causes leading to delayed diagnosis of colorectal cancer.

Project description:IntroductionRapid genomic sequencing (rGS) in critically ill infants with suspected genetic disorders has high diagnostic and clinical utility. However, rGS has primarily been available at large referral centres with the resources and expertise to offer state-of-the-art genomic care. Critically ill infants from racial and ethnic minority and/or low-income populations disproportionately receive care in safety-net and/or community settings lacking access to state-of-the-art genomic care, contributing to unacceptable health equity gaps. VIrtual GenOme CenteR is a 'proof-of-concept' implementation science study of an innovative delivery model for genomic care in safety-net neonatal intensive care units (NICUs).Methods and analysisWe developed a virtual genome centre at a referral centre to remotely support safety-net NICU sites predominantly serving racial and ethnic minority and/or low-income populations and have limited to no access to rGS. Neonatal providers at each site receive basic education about genomic medicine from the study team and identify eligible infants. The study team enrols eligible infants (goal n of 250) and their parents and follows families for 12 months. Enrolled infants receive rGS, the study team creates clinical interpretive reports to guide neonatal providers on interpreting results, and neonatal providers return results to families. Data is collected via (1) medical record abstraction, (2) surveys, interviews and focus groups with neonatal providers and (3) surveys and interviews with families. We aim to examine comprehensive implementation outcomes based on the Proctor Implementation Framework using a mixed methods approach.Ethics and disseminationThis study is approved by the institutional review board of Boston Children's Hospital (IRB-P00040496) and participating sites. Participating families are required to provide electronic written informed consent and neonatal provider consent is implied through the completion of surveys. The results will be disseminated via peer-reviewed publications and data will be made accessible per National Institutes of Health (NIH) policies.Trial registration numberNCT05205356/clinicaltrials.gov.

Project description:Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening can reduce cancer deaths. However, screening and abnormal test follow-up rates are low among underserved populations. The screening rates of 19-58%, and rates of colonoscopy completion after abnormal stool tests of 18-57% in community health centers (CHC) systems are low. This highlights an opportunity to improve early detection and decrease burden of CRC in our region. Mailed outreach and navigation programs have been shown to increase colonoscopy completion rate. The next step is to understand how to best implement these programs in the community on a larger scale. To achieve this goal, the investigators propose a Hub-and-Spoke intervention combining centralized strategies to maximize CRC screening, follow-up, and referral-to-care. The investigators hypothesize that this intervention will be superior to usual care for increasing CRC screening, abnormal test follow-up, and referral-to-care. The investigators will conduct a randomized trial to determine effectiveness in: 1) improvement in proportion of individuals up-to-date with screening 3 years post implementation; 2) proportion with abnormal FIT who complete diagnostic colonoscopy within 6 months; and 3) proportion with CRC completing first treatment evaluation. The investigators will also evaluate the implementation, scalability, and sustainability of the multi-level implementation strategy. The intervention consists of: Mailed FIT and Reminders. Eligible individuals will receive an introductory letter describing the importance of CRC screening and noting that follow-up mail will include a FIT Kit. It will also be offered to patients who completed prior mailed FIT with normal test results. All materials will be in English and Spanish. Two weeks later, participants will receive a packet via mail containing the FIT kit, a one-page invitation inviting FIT completion and FIT instructions, a postage-paid envelope for return to the patient’s CHC, and COVID-19 message. For non-compliant individuals not returning the kit, a reminder phone call and text message will be delivered 2 weeks later. The investigators will track returned letters, individuals who are later found to be up-to date with screening, and those who decline screening. The CHC will provide care coordination for patients with an abnormal FIT result.

Project description:BackgroundProject Re-Engineered Discharge (RED) is an evidence-based strategy to reduce readmissions disseminated and adapted by various health systems across the country. To date, little is known about how adapting Project RED from its original protocol impacts RED implementation and/or sustainability. The goal of this study was to identify and characterize contextual factors influencing how five California hospitals adapted and implemented RED and the subsequent impact on RED program sustainability.MethodsParticipant observation and key informant and focus group interviews with 64 individuals at five California hospitals implementing RED in 2012 and 2013 were conducted. These involved hospital leadership, personnel responsible for Project RED implementation, hospital staff, and clinicians. Interview transcripts were coded and analyzed using a modified grounded theory approach and constant comparative analysis.ResultsBoth internal and external contextual factors were identified that influenced hospitals' decisions on RED adaptation and implementation. These also impacted RED sustainability. External factors included: impending federal penalties for hospitals with high readmission rates targeting specific diagnoses, and access to external funding and technical support to help hospitals implement RED. Internal or organizational level contextual factors included: committed leadership prioritizing Project RED; RED adaptations; depth, accountability and influence of the implementation team; sustainability planning; and hospital culture. Only three of the five hospitals continued Project RED beyond the implementation period.ConclusionsThe sustainability of RED in participating hospitals was only possible when hospitals approached RED implementation as a transformational process rather than a patient safety project, maintained a high level of fidelity to the RED protocol, and had leadership and an implementation team who embraced change and failure in the pursuit of better patient care and outcomes. Hospitals who were unsuccessful in implementing a sustainable RED process lacked all or most of these components in their approach.

Dataset Information

Meaningful use in the safety net: a rapid ethnography of patient portal implementation at five community health centers in California.

Publications

Meaningful use in the safety net: a rapid ethnography of patient portal implementation at five community health centers in California.

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