The relationship between patients' experiences of continuity of cancer care and health outcomes: a mixed methods study.
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: King M
PROVIDER: S-EPMC2243159 | biostudies-other | 2008 Feb
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other
Similar Datasets
Project description:BACKGROUND: Visit continuity is important to patients and valued by physicians. However, it is virtually impossible for primary care physicians (PCPs) to provide care during every paneled patient visit. It remains unclear whether PCP visit discontinuity can be planned in a way that is least disruptive to patients' experiences with care. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to clarify whether visit continuity affects patients' experiences with primary care equally for all patients. DESIGN: From January 2004 through March 2005, a large multispecialty practice in Massachusetts administered the Ambulatory Care Experience Survey (ACES) monthly to a random sample of patients visiting each of 145 PCPs. The analytic sample includes 14,835 patients with 2 or more primary care visits over the 6 months before being surveyed. Usual Provider Continuity (UPC), an administratively based measure of PCP visit continuity, was calculated for all respondents. Multilevel regression models that accounted for the clustering of patients within physicians modeled the relationship between UPC and each ACES measure. Interaction effects between UPC and gender, education, self-rated health, and PCP-patient relationship duration were tested. RESULTS: Physician-patient interaction quality, including physician communication, knowledge of the patient, health promotion support, and organizational access were more strongly influenced by visit continuity among respondents in early stages of a PCP-patient relationship (P < 0.01) and with worse self-rated health (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Improvements in physician-patient relationship quality can be achieved by targeting visit continuity improvement efforts to patients who benefit most, particularly those in early stages of a PCP-patient relationship and/or perceive their health as poor.
| S-EPMC2219884 | biostudies-other
Project description:PurposeThe purpose of this study is to identify and synthesise the best evidence on health-care leaders' and professionals' experiences and perceptions of compassionate leadership.Design/methodology/approachA mixed-methods systematic review was conducted in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology for mixed-methods systematic reviews using a convergent integrated approach. A systematic search was done in January 2023 in PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, Medic and MedNar databases. The results were reported based on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses. The data was analysed using thematic analysis.FindingsTen studies were included in the review (five qualitative and five quantitative). The thematic analysis identified seven analytical themes as follows: treating professionals as individuals with an empathetic and understanding approach; building a culture for open and safe communication; being there for professionals; giving all-encompassing support; showing the way as a leader and as a strong professional; building circumstances for efficient work and better well-being; and growing into a compassionate leader.Practical implicationsCompassionate leadership can possibly address human resource-related challenges, such as health-care professionals' burnout, turnover and the lack of patient safety. It should be taken into consideration by health-care leaders, their education and health-care organisations when developing their effectiveness.Originality/valueThis review synthesised the knowledge of compassionate leadership in health care and its benefits by providing seven core elements of health-care leaders' and professionals' experiences and perceptions of compassionate leadership.
| S-EPMC10868663 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Background and objectivesContinuity of care is a key aspect of the patient-centered medical home and improves pediatric outcomes. Health care reform requires high-quality data to demonstrate its continued value. We hypothesized that increased provider continuity in infancy will reduce urgent health care use and increase receipt of preventive services in early childhood.MethodsContinuity, using the Usual Provider of Care measure, was calculated across all primary care encounters during the first year of life in a prospectively-constructed cohort of 17?773 infants receiving primary care from birth through 3 years at 30 clinics. Health care utilization and preventive care outcomes were measured from ages 1 to 3 years. Confounders, including chronic conditions, number of sick visits in the first year, socioeconomic status, and site, were addressed by using multivariable regression models incorporating a propensity score.ResultsDemographics associated with the lowest continuity quartile included white race (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.43; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.25-1.64), Medicaid insurance (aOR 1.41; 95% CI 1.23-1.61), and asthma (aOR 1.59; 95% CI 1.30-1.93). Lower continuity was associated with more ambulatory care-sensitive hospitalizations (adjusted incidence rate ratio 2.74; 95% CI 1.49-5.03), ambulatory sick visits (adjusted incidence rate ratio 1.08; 95% CI 1.05-1.11), and lower odds of lead screening (aOR 0.61; 95% CI 0.46-0.79). These associations were stronger for children with chronic conditions. Continuity measured during well visits was not associated with outcomes.ConclusionsContinuity may improve care quality and prevent high-cost health encounters, especially for children with chronic conditions. Novel solutions are needed to improve continuity in the medical home.
| S-EPMC5495533 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundHypertension, a significant risk factor for ischemic heart disease and other chronic conditions, is the third-highest cause of death and disability in Tajikistan. Thus, ensuring the early detection and appropriate management of hypertension is a core element of strategies to improve population health in Tajikistan. For a strategy to be successful, it should be informed by the causes of gaps in service delivery and feasible solutions to these challenges. The objective of this study was to undertake a systematic assessment of hypertension case detection and retention in care within Tajikistan's primary health care system, and to identify challenges and appropriate solutions.MethodsOur mixed methods study drew on the cascade of care framework to examine patient progression through the recommended stages of hypertension care. We triangulated data from household surveys and facility registries within Tajikistan's Health Services Improvement Project (HSIP) to describe the cascade. Focus group discussions with local HSIP stakeholders identified the barriers to and facilitators for care. Drawing on global empirical evidence on effective interventions and stakeholder judgments on the feasibility of implementation, we developed recommendations to improve hypertension service delivery that were informed by our quantitative and qualitative findings.ResultsWe review the results for the case detection stage of the cascade of care, which had the most significant gaps. Of the half a million people with hypertension in Khatlon and Sogd Oblasts (administrative regions), about 10% have been diagnosed in Khatlon and only 5% in Sogd. Barriers to case detection include misinformation about hypertension, ambiguous protocols, and limited delivery capacity. Solutions identified to these challenges were mobilizing faith-based organizations, scaling up screening through health caravans, task-shifting to increase provider supply, and introducing job aids for providers.ConclusionsTranslating findings on discontinuities in care for hypertension and other chronic diseases to actionable policy insights can be facilitated by collaboration with local stakeholders, triangulation of data sources, and identifying the intersection between the feasible and the effective in defining solutions to service delivery challenges.
| S-EPMC6889695 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundThough Midwife-led care remains a key to improving the health status of pregnant mothers, in Ethiopia, maternity care has traditionally been based on a model in which responsibility for care is shared by hospital-based midwives, nurses, general practitioners, and obstetricians. This type of care has been seen as representing a fragmented approach.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to explore health care providers' perceptions and experiences related to Midwife-led continuity of care at primary hospitals in the north Shoa zone Ethiopia.MethodsA qualitative approach was selected as the methodology for this study. Data were collected from 25 midwives and 8 integrated emergency surgical officers (IESO) and medical doctors working in maternal health care units in four primary hospitals in the north Shoa zone, Amhara Regional State. Four focus group discussions and eight individual interviews were conducted. The facilitator utilized a set of open-ended questions for the focus group discussion. Semi-structured interview questions were used for the interviews and thematic data analysis was done.FindingThe main theme extracted was "Midwives welcome consideration of a Midwife-led model that would provide greater continuity of care, but they expressed concerns about organisation and workload". The midwives said that they would welcome working with the midwife-led care model, as they believed using it could lead to improving the quality of maternal health care, provide greater continuity, and improve coverage, birth outcomes, and maternal satisfaction. The midwives could become more autonomous and be able to take more responsibility for maternity care. The group of 25 midwives and the group of 8 IESO and medical doctors perceived that working procedures and changes in the organization of care in the health facility would have to be studied carefully before any changes can be considered.ConclusionIn this study, we found that replacing the existing system of maternal care with a Midwife-led model would require careful analysis of how this model of care might be implemented in Ethiopia. Further investigation will be of great importance in providing insights that will help in developing a final model.
| S-EPMC8516211 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ObjectiveThis study examined whether communication between inpatient and outpatient mental health providers during patients' inpatient stays was associated with whether patients attended postdischarge appointments.MethodsPsychiatric inpatient medical records of 189 Medicaid recipients at two hospitals were reviewed to document whether inpatient staff had communicated with current or prior outpatient providers. Medicaid claims provided demographic, clinical, and outpatient attendance data. Associations between provider communications and follow-up care for patients who had or had not received outpatient mental health care within the 30 days prior to admission were evaluated.ResultsInpatient staff communicated with outpatient providers for 118 (62%) patients. For patients who had not received outpatient care within 30 days of admission, compared with those who had, communication was associated with increased odds of attending timely outpatient appointments (odds ratio=2.73, 95% confidence interval=1.09-6.84).ConclusionsCommunication with outpatient providers may be especially important for patients who were not engaged in outpatient care prior to admission.
| S-EPMC7008713 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BACKGROUND:The benefits of electronic patient reported outcomes (PRO) questionnaires have been demonstrated in many settings, including in hospitals and patient homes. However, it remains to be investigated how melanoma patients and their treating clinicians experience the electronic self-reporting of side effects and the derived communication. OBJECTIVE:The primary objective of this study was to examine patients' and clinicians' experiences with an eHealth intervention for weekly monitoring of side effects during treatment with immunotherapy. METHODS:An eHealth intervention based on questions from the PRO-Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) library was used and tested in a randomized clinical trial with patients receiving immunotherapy for malignant melanoma and clinicians at a university hospital in Denmark. On a weekly basis, patients reported their symptoms from home during the treatment via a provided tablet. The electronic patient reports were available to clinicians in the outpatient clinic. A mixed methods approach was applied to investigate the patients' and clinicians' experiences with the intervention. Data from patient experiences were collected in a short survey, the Patient Feedback Form. Moreover, a subset of the patients participating in the survey was interviewed about their experience. Furthermore, one focus group interview with clinicians was carried out to elucidate their views. RESULTS:A total of 57 patients completed the Patient Feedback Form, and 14 patients were interviewed. The focus group interview included 5 clinicians. Overall, patients and clinicians were satisfied with the tool. They believed it enhanced patients' awareness of side effects and increased their feeling of involvement. The patients reported that it was easy to fill out the questionnaire and that it made sense to do so. However, a minority of the patients expressed in the interviews that they did not believe that the health care professionals had seen their reports when they came to the clinic, and that the reporting did not lead to increased contact with the department. CONCLUSIONS:Overall, satisfaction with the eHealth intervention was high among patients and their treating clinicians. The tool was easy to use and contributed to greater symptom awareness and patient involvement. Thus, in terms of patient and clinician satisfaction with the tool, it makes sense to continue using the tool beyond the project period. TRIAL REGISTRATION:ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03073031; https://tinyurl.com/tjx3gtu.
| S-EPMC7180512 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundThe 2014 Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act (i.e., "Choice") allows eligible Veterans to receive covered health care outside the Veterans Affairs (VA) Healthcare System. The initial implementation of Choice was challenging, and use was limited in the first year.ObjectiveTo assess satisfaction with Choice, and identify reasons for satisfaction and dissatisfaction during its early implementation.Design and participantsSemi-structured telephone interviews from July to September 2015 with Choice-eligible Veterans from 25 VA facilities across the USA.Main measuresSatisfaction was assessed with 5-point Likert scales and open-ended questions. We compared ratings of satisfaction with Choice and VA health care, and identified reasons for satisfaction/dissatisfaction with Choice in a thematic analysis of open-ended qualitative data.ResultsOf 195 participants, 35 had not attempted to use Choice; 43 attempted but had not received Choice care (i.e., attempted only); and 117 attempted and received Choice care. Among those who attempted only, a smaller percentage were somewhat/very satisfied with Choice than with VA health care (17.9% and 71.8%, p < 0.001); among participants who received Choice, similar percentages were somewhat/very satisfied with Choice and VA health care (66.6% and 71.1%, p = 0.45). When asked what contributed to Choice ratings, participants who attempted but did not receive Choice care reported poor access (50%), scheduling problems (20%), and care coordination issues (10%); participants who received Choice care reported improved access (27%), good quality of care (19%), and good distance to Choice provider (16%). Regardless of receipt of Choice care, most participants expressed interest in using Choice in the future (70-82%).ConclusionsAccess and scheduling barriers contributed to dissatisfaction for Veterans unsuccessfully attempting to use Choice during its initial implementation, whereas improved access and good care contributed to satisfaction for those receiving Choice care. With Veterans' continued interest in using services outside VA facilities, subsequent policy changes should address Veterans' barriers to care.
| S-EPMC6712120 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundPost-secondary students frequently experience high rates of mental health challenges. However, they present meagre rates of treatment-seeking behaviours. This elevated prevalence of mental health problems, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic, can lead to distress, poor academic performance, and lower job prospects following the completion of education. To address the needs of this population, it is important to understand students' perceptions of mental health and the barriers preventing or limiting their access to care.MethodsA broad-scoping online survey was publicly distributed to post-secondary students, collecting demographic, sociocultural, economic, and educational information while assessing various components of mental health.ResultsIn total, 448 students across post-secondary institutions in Ontario, Canada, responded to the survey. Over a third (n = 170; 38.6%) of respondents reported a formal mental health diagnosis. Depression and generalized anxiety disorder were the most commonly reported diagnoses. Most respondents felt that post-secondary students did not have good mental health (n = 253; 60.5%) and had inadequate coping strategies (n = 261; 62.4%). The most frequently reported barriers to care were financial (n = 214; 50.5%), long wait times (n = 202; 47.6%), insufficient resources (n = 165; 38.9%), time constraints (n = 148; 34.9%), stigma (n = 133; 31.4%), cultural barriers (n = 108; 25.5%), and past negative experiences with mental health care (n = 86; 20.3%). The majority of students felt their post-secondary institution needed to increase awareness (n = 231; 56.5%) and mental health resources (n = 306; 73.2%). Most viewed in-person therapy and online care with a therapist as more helpful than self-guided online care. However, there was uncertainty about the helpfulness and accessibility of different forms of treatment, including online interventions. The qualitative findings highlighted the need for personal strategies, mental health education and awareness, and institutional support and services.ConclusionsVarious barriers to care, perceived lack of resources, and low knowledge of available interventions may contribute to compromised mental health in post-secondary students. The survey findings indicate that upstream approaches such as integrating mental health education for students may address the varying needs of this critical population. Therapist-involved online mental health interventions may be a promising solution to address accessibility issues.
| S-EPMC10076091 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundWeb-based services are an economical and easily scalable means of support that uses existing technology. Text4Support is a supportive, complementary text messaging service that supports people with different mental health conditions after they are discharged from inpatient psychiatric care.ObjectiveIn this study, we aim to assess user satisfaction with the Text4Support service to gain a better understanding of subscribers' experiences.MethodsThis was a mixed methods study using secondary data from a pilot observational controlled trial. The trial included 181 patients discharged from acute psychiatric care and distributed into 4 randomized groups. Out of the 4 study groups in the initial study, 2 groups who received supportive text messages (89/181, 49.2% of patients), either alone or alongside a peer support worker, were included. Thematic and descriptive analyses were also performed. Differences in feedback based on sex at birth and primary diagnosis were determined using univariate analysis. The study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (trial registration number: NCT03404882).ResultsOut of 89 participants, 36 (40%) completed the follow-up survey. The principal findings were that Text4Support was well perceived with a high satisfaction rate either regarding the feedback of the messages or their perceived impact. Meanwhile, there was no statistically significant difference between satisfactory items based on the subscriber's sex at birth or primary diagnosis. The patients' initial expectations were either neutral or positive in relation to the expected nature or the impact of the text messages received on their mental well-being. In addition, the subscribers were satisfied with the frequency of the messages, which were received once daily for 6 consecutive months. The participants recommended more personalized messages or mutual interaction with health care personnel.ConclusionsText4Support was generally well perceived by patients after hospital discharge, regardless of their sex at birth or mental health diagnosis. Further personalization and interactive platforms were recommended by participants that may need to be considered when designing similar future services.
| S-EPMC8790698 | biostudies-literature