ANALYTICAL REVIEW OF: REVIEW MEDICAL BOARDS (RMB) CARRIED OUT DURING 1993-98.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Pillai PB
PROVIDER: S-EPMC5532052 | biostudies-other | 2000 Jul
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other
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Project description:Older adults are commonly accompanied to routine physician visits, primarily by adult children and spouses. This is the first review of studies investigating the dynamics and consequences of patient accompaniment. Two types of evidence were examined: (1) observational studies of audio and/or videotaped medical visits, and (2) surveys of patients, families, or health care providers that ascertained experiences, expectations, and preferences for family companion presence and behaviors in routine medical visits. Meta-analytic techniques were used to summarize the evidence describing attributes of unaccompanied and accompanied patients and their companions, medical visit processes, and patient outcomes. The weighted mean rate of patient accompaniment to routine adult medical visits was 37.6% in 13 contributing studies. Accompanied patients were significantly older and more likely to be female, less educated, and in worse physical and mental health than unaccompanied patients. Companions were on average 63 years of age, predominantly female (79.4%), and spouses (54.7%) or adult children (32.2%) of patients. Accompanied patient visits were significantly longer, but verbal contribution to medical dialog was comparable when accompanied patients and their family companion were compared with unaccompanied patients. When a companion was present, health care providers engaged in more biomedical information giving. Given the diversity of outcomes, pooled estimates could not be calculated: of 5 contributing studies 0 were unfavorable, 3 inconclusive, and 2 favorable for accompanied relative to unaccompanied patients. Study findings suggest potential practical benefits from more systematic recognition and integration of companions in health care delivery processes. We propose a conceptual framework to relate family companion presence and behaviors during physician visits to the quality of interpersonal health care processes, patient self management and health care.
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Project description:Public involvement (PI) is of great interest. However, little is known about this topic in the design, development, and/or implementation of health interventions in geriatric facilities. This study aimed to provide a critical overview of the involvement of caregivers and end-users in interventions in these facilities, based on Rifkin's analytical framework. This systematic review, supplemented by a questionnaire to the corresponding authors, covered non-drug intervention reports targeting nurses, doctors, residents, and their relatives. Articles were published in Pubmed, Medline, Scopus, and Cinahl, from January 2016 to April 2018. Ninety-seven articles were included. The review shows a low level or partial PI in geriatric facilities where it exists. These results are further supported by the authors' responses to the questionnaire. PI remains uncommon in geriatric institutions and consists of a consumerist model, suggesting the need for improved practices. More efforts are needed to experiment with recommendations to meet the challenges of PI and enhance the public ownership of interventions. The protocol was registered on Prospero under the number CRD42018098504.
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Project description:ObjectivesThe aims of this study are: (1) to create a flowchart process model of how medical assistance in dying (MAID) occurs in Nova Scotia (NS), Canada and (2) to detail how NS healthcare professionals are involved in each stage of MAID. The research questions are: how is the MAID process carried out and which professionals are involved at which points? and which roles and activities do professionals carry out during MAID?DesignQualitative process model flowchart study with semistructured interviews.SettingPrimary and secondary care in NS, Canada.ParticipantsThirty-two interviewees self-selected to participate (12 physicians, 3 nurse practitioners (NP), 6 nurses, 6 pharmacists and 5 healthcare administrators and advocates). Participants were included if they conduct assessments, provide MAID, fill prescriptions, insert the intravenous lines, organise care and so on.ResultsThe flowchart process model details five stages of how MAID occurs in NS: (1) starting the MAID process, (2) MAID assessments, (3) MAID preparation (hospital in-patient, hospital outpatient, non-hospital), (4) day of MAID and (5) post-MAID (hospital in-patient and outpatient, non-hospital, after leaving setting). Nineteen points where the process could stop or be delayed were identified. MAID differs slightly by location and multiple professionals from different organisations are involved at different points. Some physicians and NP provide MAID for free as they cannot be reimbursed or find it too difficult to be reimbursed.ConclusionsOur study adds knowledge about the MAID activities and roles of NS professionals, which are not documented in the international literature. Clinicians and pharmacists spend significant additional time to participate, raising questions about MAID's sustainability and uncompensated costs. The process model flowchart identifies where MAID can stop or be delayed, signalling where resources, training and relationship-building may need to occur. Knowing where potential delays can occur can help clinicians, administrators and policymakers in other jurisdictions improve MAID.
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Project description:Certificates of Confidentiality, issued by agencies of the U.S. government, are regarded as an important tool for meeting ethical and legal obligations to safeguard research participants' privacy and confidentiality. By shielding against forced disclosure of identifying data, Certificates are intended to facilitate research on sensitive topics critical to the public's health. Although Certificates are potentially applicable to an extensive array of research, their full legal effect is unclear, and little is known about stakeholders' views of the protections they provide. To begin addressing this challenge, we conducted a national survey of institutional review board (IRB) chairs, followed by telephone interviews with selected chairs, to learn more about their familiarity with and opinions about Certificates; their institutions' use of Certificates; policies and practices concerning when Certificates are required or recommended; and the role Certificates play in assessments of research risk. Overall, our results suggest uncertainty about Certificates among IRB chairs. On most objective knowledge questions, most respondents chose the incorrect answer or 'unsure'. Among chairs who reported more familiarity with Certificates, composite opinion scores calculated based on five survey questions were evenly distributed among positive, neutral/middle, and negative views. Further, respondents expressed a variety of ideas about the appropriate use of Certificates, what they are intended to protect, and their effect on research risk. Nevertheless, chairs who participated in our study commonly viewed Certificates as a potentially valuable tool, frequently describing them as an 'extra layer' of protection. These findings lead to several practical observations concerning the need for more stakeholder education about Certificates, consideration of Certificates for a broader range of studies, the importance of remaining vigilant and using all tools available to protect participants' confidentiality, and the need for further empirical investigation of Certificates' effect on researchers and research participants.
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Project description:The aim of the study was to assess whether general practitioners (GPs) monitor and evaluate the health behavior of their patients in the field of a diet, physical activity, and weight control, and whether they provide appropriate counselling as part of this evaluation. Predictors of those activities among physicians were also determined. The cross-sectional study was conducted in the Piotrkowski district among 200 GPs. The questionnaire covered socio-demographic data and lifestyle characteristics of the physicians, their role as healthy lifestyle providers, and whether they assess lifestyle characteristics of their patients and perform healthy lifestyle counselling. More than 60% of the GPs did not evaluate lifestyle features during their patients' examination. In total, 56% of the GPs provided healthy lifestyle recommendations among patients who have not been diagnosed with chronic lifestyle-related diseases but who do not follow healthy recommendations, and 73% of GPs provided recommendations to patients with chronic diseases related to lifestyle. The study showed that the chance to assess lifestyle characteristics of the patients was significantly higher for the GPs who believed that they were obliged to do so (OR = 6.5; p = 0.002). The chance to recommend a healthy lifestyle among patients who have not been diagnosed with chronic lifestyle-related diseases but who do not follow healthy recommendations was 5.9 times higher among the GPs working in the public sector (p < 0.001) and 16.3 times higher for these who believed that they had sufficient knowledge to provide the advice (p = 0.02). The following predictors of providing a healthy lifestyle counselling among patients with diagnosed chronic lifestyle-related diseases were identified: conviction that a GPs is obligated to provide it (OR = 4.4; p = 0.02), sufficient knowledge (OR = 8.7; p = 0.01), and following health recommendations by themselves (OR = 3.9; p = 0.04). Conclusions: The identified predictors are crucial for the development of appropriate strategies aiming at increasing GPs' involvement in preventive measures and consequently at improving the population's health.
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Project description:BACKGROUND:Despite perceptions that institutional review boards (IRBs) delay research, little is known about how long it takes to secure IRB approval. We retrospectively quantified IRB review times at 10 large Veterans Affairs (VA) IRBs. METHODS:We collected IRB records pertaining to a stratified random sample of research protocols drawn from 10 of the 26 largest VA IRBs. Two independent analysts abstracted dates from the IRB records, from which we calculated overall and incremental review times. We used multivariable linear regression to assess variation in total and incremental review times by IRB and review level (i.e., exempt, expedited, or full board) and to identify potential targets for efforts to improve the efficiency and uniformity of the IRB review process. RESULTS:In a sample of 277 protocols, the mean review time was 112 d (95% confidence interval [CI]: 105-120). Compared with full-board reviews at IRB 1, average review times at IRBs 3, 8, 9, and 10 were 27 (95% CI: 6-48), 37 (95% CI: 11-63), 45 (95% CI: 20-69), and 24 (95% CI: 2-45) d shorter, and at IRB 6, times were 56 (95% CI: 28-84) d longer. Across all IRBs, expedited reviews were 44 (95% CI: 30-58) d shorter on average than were full-board reviews, with no significant difference between exempt and full-board reviews. However, after subtracting the time required for Research and Development Committee review, exempt reviews were 21 (95% CI: 1-41) d shorter on average than were full-board reviews. CONCLUSIONS:IRB review times differ significantly by IRB and review level. Few VA IRBs approach a consensus panel goal of 60 d for IRB review. The unexpectedly longer review times for exempt protocols in the VA can be attributed to time required for Research and Development Committee review. Prospective, routine collection of key time points in the IRB review process could inform IRB-specific initiatives for reducing VA IRB review times.
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