Showing papers in "Quality management in health care in 2022"
TL;DR: The observation that physicians across different specialties, geographic locations, practice locations, and care situations appear satisfied with engaging in telehealth for both patient care and consultations with other physicians is supported.
Abstract: Background and Objectives: The use of telehealth has risen dramatically due to the Covid-19 pandemic and is expected to be a regular part of patient care moving forward. We know little currently about how satisfied physicians are with this type of patient care. The present systematic review examines physician satisfaction with telehealth, as physician acceptance remains vital to telehealth gaining wider and more permanent adoption. Methods: A PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses)–guided systematic review of empirical articles published between 2010 and 2020 that contain a finding examining physician satisfaction with using telehealth, using 4 article databases (PubMed, Web of Science, COCHRANE, and CINAHL), to identify relevant studies. A standardized data abstraction Excel sheet was used to extract relevant information from each of the included studies. Relevant study findings related to physician satisfaction with telehealth were reviewed for each of the 37 studies by the coauthors. Results: A total of 37 published studies were included in the review. Thirty-three of the 37 (89%) studies reviewed were classified as having findings showing moderate to high levels of physician satisfaction with telehealth. Just under 60% of the studies focused on physician satisfaction with providing telemedicine to patients (21/37). Twelve other studies focused on physician satisfaction with teleconsultations with other providers. Four studies examined physician satisfaction with both. The type of patient telemedicine or provider teleconsultation performed varied greatly across the 37 studies, with several different diagnoses or care situations included. Research designs used in the studies were less robust, with all studies using primary data for assessing physician satisfaction but only one study providing any type of multivariate analysis of physician satisfaction with telehealth. Conclusion: The results of this review support the observation that physicians across different specialties, geographic locations, practice locations, and care situations appear satisfied with engaging in telehealth for both patient care and consultations with other physicians. The research on telehealth should be enhanced, given how ubiquitous telehealth has become due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This enhancement should include larger physician sample sizes in studies of telehealth satisfaction; more research focused on telehealth in the primary care setting; and the types of virtual modalities that have become more commonplace for physicians to use due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
4 citations
TL;DR: 2 new methods of evaluating patient experience using text comments and associated ordinal and categorical ratings of willingness to recommend from patients receiving specialty or nonspecialty care are developed.
Abstract: Background and Objectives: Patient-reported experience measures have the potential to guide improvement in health care delivery. Many patient-reported experience measures are limited by the presence of strong ceiling effects that limit their analytical utility. Methods: We used natural language processing to develop 2 new methods of evaluating patient experience using text comments and associated ordinal and categorical ratings of willingness to recommend from 1390 patients receiving specialty or nonspecialty care at our offices. One method used multivariable analysis based on linguistic factors to derive a formula to estimate the ordinal likelihood to recommend. The other method used the meaning extraction method of thematic analysis to identify words associated with categorical ratings of likelihood to recommend with which we created an equation to compute an experience score. We measured normality of the 2 score distributions and ceiling effects. Results: Spearman rank-order correlation analysis identified 36 emotional and linguistic constructs associated with ordinal rating of likelihood to recommend, 9 of which were independently associated in multivariable analysis. The calculation derived from this model corresponded with the original ordinal rating with an accuracy within 0.06 units on a 0 to 10 scale. This score and the score developed from thematic analysis both had a relatively normal distribution and limited or no ceiling effect. Conclusions: Quantitative ratings of patient experience developed using natural language processing of text comments can have relatively normal distributions and no ceiling effect.
4 citations
TL;DR: In this paper , root cause analysis (RCA) is used to analyze medical errors with a systems approach, and evidence demonstrating its effectiveness in reducing patient harm remains sparse, while the heterogeneity of the RCA methodology at different health care organizations has posed challenges to studying its value.
Abstract: Background and Objectives: While root cause analysis (RCA) is used to analyze medical errors with a systems approach, evidence demonstrating its effectiveness in reducing patient harm remains sparse. The heterogeneity of the RCA methodology at different health care organizations has posed challenges to studying its value. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has an established and standardized RCA approach, making it an ideal context to study RCA's impact. This review assessed whether implemented interventions recommended by RCAs were effective in mitigating preventable adverse events at the VA. Methods: PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL and Business Source were searched for studies on RCAs performed at the VA that evaluated effectiveness of interventions and were published between 2010 and 2020. The Appraisal Tool for Cross-sectional Studies (AXIS) was used to assess bias of bias. Results: The majority of studies eliminated during our eligibility process reported on RCAs without attention to their specific impact on patient safety. Ten retrospective studies met inclusion criteria and were part of the final review. Studies were grouped into adverse events related to incorrect surgical/invasive procedures, suicides, falls with injury, and all-cause adverse events. Six studies reported on effectiveness by demonstrating quantitative changes in adverse events over time or by location following a specific intervention. Four studies reported on the effectiveness of implemented interventions using a facility-based rating of “much better” or “better.” Conclusions: Of the studies included in this review, all reported improvements following interventions implemented after RCAs, but with variability in study definitions and methodology to assess effectiveness. Increased reporting of outcomes following RCAs, with an emphasis on quantitative patient-related outcome measures, is needed to demonstrate the impact and value of the RCA.
4 citations
TL;DR: Increased reporting of outcomes following RCAs, with an emphasis on quantitative patient-related outcome measures, is needed to demonstrate the impact and value of the RCA.
Abstract: Background and Objectives: While root cause analysis (RCA) is used to analyze medical errors with a systems approach, evidence demonstrating its effectiveness in reducing patient harm remains sparse. The heterogeneity of the RCA methodology at different health care organizations has posed challenges to studying its value. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has an established and standardized RCA approach, making it an ideal context to study RCA's impact. This review assessed whether implemented interventions recommended by RCAs were effective in mitigating preventable adverse events at the VA. Methods: PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL and Business Source were searched for studies on RCAs performed at the VA that evaluated effectiveness of interventions and were published between 2010 and 2020. The Appraisal Tool for Cross-sectional Studies (AXIS) was used to assess bias of bias. Results: The majority of studies eliminated during our eligibility process reported on RCAs without attention to their specific impact on patient safety. Ten retrospective studies met inclusion criteria and were part of the final review. Studies were grouped into adverse events related to incorrect surgical/invasive procedures, suicides, falls with injury, and all-cause adverse events. Six studies reported on effectiveness by demonstrating quantitative changes in adverse events over time or by location following a specific intervention. Four studies reported on the effectiveness of implemented interventions using a facility-based rating of “much better” or “better.” Conclusions: Of the studies included in this review, all reported improvements following interventions implemented after RCAs, but with variability in study definitions and methodology to assess effectiveness. Increased reporting of outcomes following RCAs, with an emphasis on quantitative patient-related outcome measures, is needed to demonstrate the impact and value of the RCA.
3 citations
TL;DR: Wang et al. as discussed by the authors developed predictive algorithm, which estimates the probability of having COVID-19 based on symptoms, and which incorporates the seasonality and prevalence of influenza and influenza-like illness data.
Abstract: The importance of various patient-reported signs and symptoms to the diagnosis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) changes during, and outside, of the flu season. None of the current published studies, which focus on diagnosis of COVID-19, have taken this seasonality into account.To develop predictive algorithm, which estimates the probability of having COVID-19 based on symptoms, and which incorporates the seasonality and prevalence of influenza and influenza-like illness data.Differential diagnosis of COVID-19 and influenza relies on demographic characteristics (age, race, and gender), and respiratory (eg, fever, cough, and runny nose), gastrointestinal (eg, diarrhea, nausea, and loss of appetite), and neurological (eg, anosmia and headache) signs and symptoms. The analysis was based on the symptoms reported by COVID-19 patients, 774 patients in China and 273 patients in the United States. The analysis also included 2885 influenza and 884 influenza-like illnesses in US patients. Accuracy of the predictions was calculated using the average area under the receiver operating characteristic (AROC) curves.The likelihood ratio for symptoms, such as cough, depended on the flu season-sometimes indicating COVID-19 and other times indicating the reverse. In 30-fold cross-validated data, the symptoms accurately predicted COVID-19 (AROC of 0.79), showing that symptoms can be used to screen patients in the community and prior to testing.Community-based health care providers should follow different signs and symptoms for diagnosing COVID-19 during, and outside of, influenza season.
3 citations
TL;DR: The authors used natural language processing to develop two new methods of evaluating patient experience using text comments and associated ordinal and categorical ratings of willingness to recommend from 1390 patients receiving specialty or nonspecialty care at their offices.
Abstract: Patient-reported experience measures have the potential to guide improvement in health care delivery. Many patient-reported experience measures are limited by the presence of strong ceiling effects that limit their analytical utility.We used natural language processing to develop 2 new methods of evaluating patient experience using text comments and associated ordinal and categorical ratings of willingness to recommend from 1390 patients receiving specialty or nonspecialty care at our offices. One method used multivariable analysis based on linguistic factors to derive a formula to estimate the ordinal likelihood to recommend. The other method used the meaning extraction method of thematic analysis to identify words associated with categorical ratings of likelihood to recommend with which we created an equation to compute an experience score. We measured normality of the 2 score distributions and ceiling effects.Spearman rank-order correlation analysis identified 36 emotional and linguistic constructs associated with ordinal rating of likelihood to recommend, 9 of which were independently associated in multivariable analysis. The calculation derived from this model corresponded with the original ordinal rating with an accuracy within 0.06 units on a 0 to 10 scale. This score and the score developed from thematic analysis both had a relatively normal distribution and limited or no ceiling effect.Quantitative ratings of patient experience developed using natural language processing of text comments can have relatively normal distributions and no ceiling effect.
3 citations
TL;DR: In 30-fold cross-validated data, the symptoms accurately predicted COVID-19 (AROC of 0.79), showing that symptoms can be used to screen patients in the community and prior to testing.
Abstract: Background: The importance of various patient-reported signs and symptoms to the diagnosis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) changes during, and outside, of the flu season. None of the current published studies, which focus on diagnosis of COVID-19, have taken this seasonality into account. Objective: To develop predictive algorithm, which estimates the probability of having COVID-19 based on symptoms, and which incorporates the seasonality and prevalence of influenza and influenza-like illness data. Methods: Differential diagnosis of COVID-19 and influenza relies on demographic characteristics (age, race, and gender), and respiratory (eg, fever, cough, and runny nose), gastrointestinal (eg, diarrhea, nausea, and loss of appetite), and neurological (eg, anosmia and headache) signs and symptoms. The analysis was based on the symptoms reported by COVID-19 patients, 774 patients in China and 273 patients in the United States. The analysis also included 2885 influenza and 884 influenza-like illnesses in US patients. Accuracy of the predictions was calculated using the average area under the receiver operating characteristic (AROC) curves. Results: The likelihood ratio for symptoms, such as cough, depended on the flu season—sometimes indicating COVID-19 and other times indicating the reverse. In 30-fold cross-validated data, the symptoms accurately predicted COVID-19 (AROC of 0.79), showing that symptoms can be used to screen patients in the community and prior to testing. Conclusion: Community-based health care providers should follow different signs and symptoms for diagnosing COVID-19 during, and outside of, influenza season.
2 citations
TL;DR: In this article , the authors detail the organizational and managerial tools recently implemented among 5 academic EDs in a French region particularly affected by the coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic and analyze how EDs responded to the COVID-19-related disease burden during different phases of the epidemic.
Abstract: The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has imposed unforeseen and unprecedented constraints on emergency departments (EDs). In this study, we detail the organizational and managerial tools recently implemented among 5 academic EDs in a French region particularly affected by COVID-19 and analyze how EDs responded to the COVID-19-related disease burden during different phases of the epidemic. Initially, they focused on the early detection of suspected cases by identifying 3 predominant COVID-19 syndromes. During this diagnostic process, patients were placed in respiratory isolation (facial mask before triage) and droplet isolation (ED rooms). A 3-level strategy for triage, clinical pathways in the EDs, and the organization of hospital spaces was based on the real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) COVID-19 positivity rate, with ED strategies adapted to the exigencies of each level. This crisis demonstrated hospitals' adaptability and capacity to mobilize in the face of new risks, with hospitals and EDs coordinating their management to reallocate resources, optimize interoperability, and rethink patient pathways. This report on their processes may assist hospitals and EDs in areas currently spared by the new variants.
2 citations
TL;DR: Outpatient care does not have to be curtailed to the extent it was in Spring-Summer 2020, provided that outpatient health care workers have sufficient staff and equipment and the above measures are in place.
Abstract: Background and Objectives: To describe the experience of a large American academic ophthalmology department from the start of the COVID-19 pandemic to the early recovery phase in Summer 2020. Methods: Retrospective review; description of approaches taken by our academic medical center and department regarding supply chain issues, protection of doctors and staff, elimination of nonurgent care, calls for staff and faculty deployment, and reopening. Comparison of surgical and clinic volumes in suburban locations versus the main campus; analysis of volumes compared with pre-pandemic periods. Results: At our medical center, screening and precautions (such as the mask policy) continued to evolve from March through August 2020. Ophthalmologists were not allowed to use N95 respirators except in rare circumstances. Surgical and clinic volume dropped at both urban and suburban locations, but surgery rebounded more quickly at suburban surgery centers once elective procedures resumed. Mandates from administration were not always attainable. Conclusions: During respiratory pandemics such as COVID-19, medical centers should adopt protective measures that are consistent across inpatient and outpatient sectors and consistent with other institutions. Our department's large presence outside the urban center where the main hospital is located allowed faster return of clinical care overall. In the event of another pandemic, a central budget rather than individual divisional budgets should be used for purchase of protective equipment for health care workers of an academic center. Because outpatient care provides important continuity of care and keeps patients away from emergency departments and hospitals, perhaps outpatient care does not have to be curtailed to the extent it was in Spring-Summer 2020, provided that outpatient health care workers have sufficient staff and equipment and the above measures are in place.
2 citations
TL;DR: This crisis demonstrated hospitals' adaptability and capacity to mobilize in the face of new risks, with hospitals and EDs coordinating their management to reallocate resources, optimize interoperability, and rethink patient pathways.
Abstract: The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has imposed unforeseen and unprecedented constraints on emergency departments (EDs). In this study, we detail the organizational and managerial tools recently implemented among 5 academic EDs in a French region particularly affected by COVID-19 and analyze how EDs responded to the COVID-19-related disease burden during different phases of the epidemic. Initially, they focused on the early detection of suspected cases by identifying 3 predominant COVID-19 syndromes. During this diagnostic process, patients were placed in respiratory isolation (facial mask before triage) and droplet isolation (ED rooms). A 3-level strategy for triage, clinical pathways in the EDs, and the organization of hospital spaces was based on the real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) COVID-19 positivity rate, with ED strategies adapted to the exigencies of each level. This crisis demonstrated hospitals' adaptability and capacity to mobilize in the face of new risks, with hospitals and EDs coordinating their management to reallocate resources, optimize interoperability, and rethink patient pathways. This report on their processes may assist hospitals and EDs in areas currently spared by the new variants.
2 citations
TL;DR: St Joseph Health significantly reduced the number of blood culture contaminations in the critical care division, evidenced by a controlled 6-month mean below 1%, demonstrating the sustainability of the implemented corrective and preventive measures.
Abstract: Background and Objectives: Blood cultures are vital diagnostic tests that detect harmful pathogens in a patient's bloodstream. In this study, we implemented a process-driven quality improvement program to reduce blood culture contamination rates. Methods: St Joseph Health (SJH) utilized the ISO 9001:2015 Internal Audit tool, failure mode effect analyses, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Hierarchy of Controls to identify opportunities for improvement and design effective corrective and preventive action plans. These actions included reeducation and ongoing coaching of staff on the blood culture collection process, reorganizing blood culture supplies on the nursing units, and adding multiple layers of supervision. Results: A statistically significant relationship was identified between 2 variables (“contamination rate” and “cumulative cost difference”). The 2 variables had a negative association, demonstrating that as the contamination rate decreased, the cumulative cost difference increased, indicating potential cost savings. Conclusion: The estimated value added to the institution through this initiative was approximately $215 743 to $228 543 in potential cost savings. SJH significantly reduced the number of blood culture contaminations in the critical care division, evidenced by a controlled 6-month mean below 1%. Review of the 6-month mean as a reference point demonstrated the sustainability of the implemented corrective and preventive measures.
TL;DR: In this article , the authors tested two different iterative satisfaction measures after a musculoskeletal specialty care visit in the hope that they might have less ceiling effect, i.e., floor effects, ceilings effects, skewness, and kurtosis.
Abstract: Patient experience measures tend to have notable ceiling effects that make it difficult to learn from gradations of satisfaction to improve care. This study tested 2 different iterative satisfaction measures after a musculoskeletal specialty care visit in the hope that they might have less ceiling effect. We measured floor effects, ceilings effects, skewness, and kurtosis of both questionnaires. We also assessed patient factors independently associated with the questionnaires and the top 2 possible scores.In this cross-sectional study, 186 patients completed questionnaires while seeing 1 of 11 participating orthopedic surgeons in July and August 2019; the questionnaire measured: (1) demographics, (2) symptoms of depression, (3) catastrophic thinking in response to nociception, (4) heightened illness concerns, and (5) satisfaction with the visit on 2 iterative satisfaction scales. Bivariate and multivariable analyses sought associations of the explanatory variable with the satisfaction scales.There is a small correlation between the 2 scales ( r = 0.27; P < .001). Neither scale had a floor effect and both had a ceiling effect of 45%. There is a very small correlation between greater health anxiety and lower satisfaction measured with one of the scales ( r = -0.16; P = .05).An iterative satisfaction questionnaire created some spread in patient experience data, but could not limit ceiling effects. Additional strategies are needed to remove ceiling effects from satisfaction measures.
TL;DR: In 2018, Alabama's home visiting program (First Teacher) aimed to reproduce these impacts with a state-led Breakthrough Series (BTS) collaborative in Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting programs that led to improvements in maternal depression outcomes as discussed by the authors .
Abstract: Background and Objectives: From 2013 to 2017, a national Breakthrough Series (BTS) collaborative in Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting programs developed a toolkit that led to improvements in maternal depression outcomes. In 2018, Alabama's home visiting program (First Teacher) aimed to reproduce these impacts with a state-led BTS that enrolled 8 local implementing agencies (LIAs) serving more than 500 families. Methods: LIAs tested changes in practices using Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles and tracked data regarding depression screening, referrals, service access, and symptom improvement via run charts. First Teacher administered a post-collaborative survey to assess LIA team members' satisfaction with their BTS experience. Results: Alabama's BTS resulted in positive shifts in maternal depression referrals, service access, and symptom improvement. Change ideas that supported these shifts included the use of a screening script, motivational interviewing, “Mothers and Babies,” and a registry. LIAs noted that BTS tools and resources helped build capacity to address the difficult and frequently stigmatized topic of maternal depression. Conclusion: Findings from this study indicate that evidence- and experience-based practices regarding maternal depression screening, referrals, and service access can lead to symptom improvement among mothers enrolled in a state-based home visiting program. Results of this investigation corroborate findings from previous studies while also incorporating feedback from LIAs about the BTS experience.
TL;DR: Recommendations to providers aimed at improving their interactions with patients need to not only suggest the exact behaviors defined within patient experience survey items but also include recommended behaviors indirectly associated with those measured behaviors.
Abstract: Background and Objectives: Health care organizations track patient experience data, identify areas of improvement, monitor provider performance, and assist providers in improving their interactions with patients. Some practices use one-on-one provider counseling (“shadow coaching”) to identify and modify provider behaviors. A recent evaluation of a large shadow coaching program found statistically significant improvements in coached providers' patient experience scores immediately after being coached. This study aimed to examine the content of the recommendations given to those providers aimed at improving provider-patient interactions, characterize these recommendations, and examine their actionability. Methods: Providers at a large, urban federally qualified health center were selected for coaching based on Clinician and Group Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CG-CAHPS) patient experience scores (92 of 320 providers), shadowed by a trained peer coach for a half to full day and received recommendations on how to improve interactions with their patients. We coded 1082 recommendations found in the 92 coaching reports. Results: Reports contained an average of 12 recommendations. About half encouraged consistency of existing behaviors and half encouraged new behaviors. Most recommendations related to behaviors of the provider rather than support staff and targeted actions within the examination room rather than other spaces (eg, waiting room). The most common recommendations mapped to behavioral aspects of provider communication. Most recommendations targeted verbal rather than nonverbal communication behaviors. Most recommendations were actionable (ie, specific, descriptive), with recommendations that encouraged new behaviors being more actionable than those that encouraged existing actions. Conclusions: Patient experience surveys are effective at identifying where improvement is needed but are not always informative enough to instruct providers on how to modify and improve their interactions with patients. Analyzing the feedback given to coached providers as part of an effective shadow-coaching program provides details about implementation on shadow-coaching feedback. Recommendations to providers aimed at improving their interactions with patients need to not only suggest the exact behaviors defined within patient experience survey items but also include recommended behaviors indirectly associated with those measured behaviors. Attention needs to be paid to supplementing patient experience data with explicit, tangible, and descriptive (ie, actionable) recommendations associated with the targeted, measured behaviors. Research is needed to understand how recommendations are put into practice by providers and what motivates and supports them to sustain changed behaviors.
TL;DR: An iterative satisfaction questionnaire created some spread in patient experience data, but could not limit ceiling effects, and additional strategies are needed to remove ceiling effects from satisfaction measures.
Abstract: Background and Objectives: Patient experience measures tend to have notable ceiling effects that make it difficult to learn from gradations of satisfaction to improve care. This study tested 2 different iterative satisfaction measures after a musculoskeletal specialty care visit in the hope that they might have less ceiling effect. We measured floor effects, ceilings effects, skewness, and kurtosis of both questionnaires. We also assessed patient factors independently associated with the questionnaires and the top 2 possible scores. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 186 patients completed questionnaires while seeing 1 of 11 participating orthopedic surgeons in July and August 2019; the questionnaire measured: (1) demographics, (2) symptoms of depression, (3) catastrophic thinking in response to nociception, (4) heightened illness concerns, and (5) satisfaction with the visit on 2 iterative satisfaction scales. Bivariate and multivariable analyses sought associations of the explanatory variable with the satisfaction scales. Results: There is a small correlation between the 2 scales (r = 0.27; P < .001). Neither scale had a floor effect and both had a ceiling effect of 45%. There is a very small correlation between greater health anxiety and lower satisfaction measured with one of the scales (r = −0.16; P = .05). Conclusion: An iterative satisfaction questionnaire created some spread in patient experience data, but could not limit ceiling effects. Additional strategies are needed to remove ceiling effects from satisfaction measures.
TL;DR: The redesign of the local hand pack led to substantial cost savings and waste avoidance and there are many opportunities for surgical teams to use similar strategies to decrease cost and environmental waste.
Abstract: Background and Objectives: There is growing interest in containing cost and decreasing waste in the operating room. As part of a quality improvement initiative, we redesigned the supply kit used for 2 common surgical procedures (carpal tunnel release and trigger finger release) performed under local anesthesia. Methods: A hand surgeon, a medical student, and an operating room nurse examined each item that would be necessary for performing carpal tunnel release and trigger finger release. A new disposable supply kit was formulated on the basis of their recommendations and was implemented over a 7-month period. Cost savings and waste avoidance were calculated. Results: The streamlined kit ($43.40) produced a 53% cost savings relative to the standard hand pack ($92.83) per case. The local pack (2.896 kg) was 41% lighter than the standard pack (4.938 kg), translating to significant waste avoidance. The local hand pack was used for 46 cases from September 2020 to April 2021, saving a total of $2246.78 and avoiding 94 kg of waste. There have been no noted interruptions in delivery of surgical care. Conclusion: Our redesign of the local hand pack led to substantial cost savings and waste avoidance. We believe there are many opportunities for surgical teams to use similar strategies to decrease cost and environmental waste.
TL;DR: In this paper , a structured literature review conducted to understand the evidence base for the impact of Lean Management System implementation in health care is presented, where the role of the leader in a lean management system was described a coach and a mentor.
Abstract: Background and Objectives: Many health care organizations now employ Lean tools to improve value in health care, yet reports of their effectiveness vary. This variation may be explained by the context in which Lean is implemented, whether as a tool or as a management system. This article reports on a structured literature review conducted to understand the evidence base for the impact of Lean Management System implementation in health care. Methods: A search of PubMed, Scopus, Emerald, EMBASE, CINAHL, and Business Source Complete databases was conducted in November 2017 and repeated in July 2020 to assess the evidence for the impact of Lean Management Systems in health care from 2000 to July 2020. Articles were included if they (1) reported on a Lean Management System or (2) reported on Lean Management System components as described by Mann1 (ie, leader standard work, visual controls, daily accountability process, and discipline). Results: A total of 52 articles met the inclusion criteria. Although all articles described some combination of leader standard work, visual management, and daily accountability as part of their Lean Management System, only a handful described use of all 3 components together. Only one explicitly mentioned the fourth component, discipline, required to consistently apply the first 3. The majority reported on single-unit or department implementations and most described daily huddles at the unit level that included review of key performance indicators, identification of improvement opportunities, and problem solving. The role of the leader in a Lean Management System was described a coach and a mentor. Barriers to adoption such as insufficient training and increased workload for nurses were noted along with the importance of relevance to the local context for unit teams to find value in huddle boards and huddles. As yet, evidence of Lean Management System effectiveness in driving health care improvement is absent due to weak study designs and lack of statistical rigor. Conclusion: Well-designed research on Lean Management Systems in health care is lacking. Despite increasing adoption of Lean Management Systems over the past 10 years and anecdotal reports of its effectiveness, very few articles provide quantitative data. Those that do report unit-level implementation only, little use of a comprehensive package of Lean Management Systems elements, and weaker study designs and statistical methods. More rigorous study designs and robust statistical analysis are needed to evaluate effectiveness of Lean Management Systems in health care. This represents a rich area for future health care management research.
TL;DR: In this paper , the authors implemented the evidence-based practice of using 2% chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) cloths for daily bathing for non-ICU patients with a central line.
Abstract: Background and Objectives: Central line–associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) are a common, preventable healthcare–associated infection. In our 3-hospital health system, CLABSI rates in non-intensive care unit (ICU) settings were above the internal target rate of zero. A robust quality improvement (QI) project to reduce non-ICU CLABSIs was undertaken by a team of Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)-prepared nurse leaders enrolled in a post-DNP Quality Implementation Scholars program and 2 QI experts. Based on a review of the literature and local root cause analyses, the QI team implemented the evidence-based practice of using 2% chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) cloths for daily bathing for non-ICU patients with a central line. Methods: A pre-post-design was used for this QI study. CHG bathing was implemented using multifaceted educational strategies that included an e-learning module, printed educational materials, educational outreach, engagement of unit-based CLABSI champions, and an electronic reminder in the electronic health record. Generalized linear mixed-effects models were used to assess the change in CLABSI rates before and after implementation of CHG bathing. CLABSI rates were also tracked using statistical process control (SPC) charts to monitor stability over time. CHG bathing documentation compliance was audited as a process measure. These audit data were provided to unit-based leadership (nurse managers and clinical team leaders) on a monthly basis. A Qualtrics survey was also disseminated to nursing leadership to evaluate their satisfaction with the CHG bathing implementation processes. Results: Thirty-four non-ICU settings participated in the QI study, including general medical/surgical units and specialty areas (oncology, neurosciences, cardiac, orthopedic, and pediatrics). While the change in CLABSI rates after the intervention was not statistically significant (b = −0.35, P = .15), there was a clinically significant CLABSI rate reduction of 22.8%. Monitoring the SPC charts demonstrated that CLABSI rates remained stable after the intervention at all 3 hospitals as well as the health system. CHG bathing documentation compliance increased system-wide from 77% (January 2020) to 94% (February 2021). Overall, nurse leaders were satisfied with the CHG bathing implementation process. Conclusions: To sustain this practice change in non-ICU settings, booster sessions will be completed at least on an annual basis. This study provides further support for using CHG cloths for daily patient bathing in the non-ICU setting.
TL;DR: In this article , the authors presented a quality improvement initiative for two common surgical procedures (carpal tunnel release and trigger finger release) performed under local anesthesia, and a new disposable supply kit was formulated based on their recommendations and was implemented over a 7-month period.
Abstract: Background and Objectives: There is growing interest in containing cost and decreasing waste in the operating room. As part of a quality improvement initiative, we redesigned the supply kit used for 2 common surgical procedures (carpal tunnel release and trigger finger release) performed under local anesthesia. Methods: A hand surgeon, a medical student, and an operating room nurse examined each item that would be necessary for performing carpal tunnel release and trigger finger release. A new disposable supply kit was formulated on the basis of their recommendations and was implemented over a 7-month period. Cost savings and waste avoidance were calculated. Results: The streamlined kit ($43.40) produced a 53% cost savings relative to the standard hand pack ($92.83) per case. The local pack (2.896 kg) was 41% lighter than the standard pack (4.938 kg), translating to significant waste avoidance. The local hand pack was used for 46 cases from September 2020 to April 2021, saving a total of $2246.78 and avoiding 94 kg of waste. There have been no noted interruptions in delivery of surgical care. Conclusion: Our redesign of the local hand pack led to substantial cost savings and waste avoidance. We believe there are many opportunities for surgical teams to use similar strategies to decrease cost and environmental waste.
TL;DR: In this paper , the authors present a methodology to perform a multidimensional assessment of each nursing home within any specified group of nursing homes to aid policy makers, administrators, and consumers with a clear, easy-to-interpret evaluation of a nursing home quality performance.
Abstract: There exists an array of quality performance measures for nursing homes. They can confuse consumers, administrators, and government regulators. Our methodology provides a unified multidimensional evaluation.To present a methodology to perform a multidimensional assessment of each nursing home within any specified group of nursing homes to aid policy makers, administrators, and consumers with a clear, easy-to-interpret evaluation of a nursing home quality performance.We use data envelopment analysis (DEA) to integrate several quality measures into a comprehensive benchmarking model. We present statewide results comparing DEA performance scores with the Five-Star rating using data from New York State (NYS) Department of Health.In total, 212 of the 526 nursing homes performed as well as possible. Public nursing homes are most likely to lie on the frontier and have the highest average performance scores. The relationship between the DEA-based performance scores and the NYS Five-Star quality ratings is very weak.DEA is a comprehensive methodology for measuring nursing home quality. The DEA factor performance scores provide detailed information for individual nursing homes, enabling administrators to benchmark their facility's quality performance and to focus quality improvement efforts more effectively.
TL;DR: In this article , the authors demonstrate how Alabama's newly formed perinatal quality collaborative (ALPQC) used evidenced-based processes to achieve consensus in identifying population quality improvement (QI) initiatives.
Abstract: Public health systems exhibiting strong connections across the workforce experience substantial population health improvements. This is especially important for improving quality and achieving value among vulnerable populations such as mothers and infants. The purpose of this research was to demonstrate how Alabama's newly formed perinatal quality collaborative (Alabama Perinatal Quality Collaborative [ALPQC]) used evidenced-based processes to achieve consensus in identifying population quality improvement (QI) initiatives.This multiphase quantitative and qualitative study engaged stakeholders (n = 44) at the ALPQC annual meeting. Maternal and neonatal focused QI project topics were identified and catalogued from active perinatal quality collaborative websites. The Delphi method and the nominal group technique (NGT) were used to prioritize topics using selected criteria ( impact , enthusiasm , alignment , and feasibility ) and stakeholder input.Using the Delphi method, 11 of 27 identified project topics met inclusion criteria for stakeholder consideration. Employing the NGT, maternal projects received more total votes (n = 535) than neonatal projects (n = 313). Standard deviations were higher for neonatal projects (SD: feasibility = 10.9, alignment = 17.9, enthusiasm = 19.2, and impact = 22.1) than for maternal projects (SD: alignment = 5.9, enthusiasm = 7.3, impact = 7.9, and feasibility = 11.1). Hypertension in pregnancy (n = 117) and neonatal abstinence syndrome (n = 177) achieved the most votes total and for impact (n = 35 and n = 54, respectively) but variable support for feasibility .Together, these techniques achieved valid consensus across multidisciplinary stakeholders in alignment with state public health priorities. This model can be used in other settings to integrate stakeholder input and enhance the value of a common population QI agenda.
TL;DR: This study examines the benefits and challenges of incorporating patient engagement strategies into the Veterans Health Administration's (VA) Lean transformation efforts and highlights ways to effectively partner with patients in Lean-based improvement efforts.
Abstract: Background and Objectives: Lean management is a strategy for improving health care experiences of patients. While best practices for engaging patients in quality improvement have solidified in recent years, few reports specifically address patient engagement in Lean activities. This study examines the benefits and challenges of incorporating patient engagement strategies into the Veterans Health Administration's (VA) Lean transformation. Methods: We conducted a multisite, mixed-methods evaluation of Lean deployment at 10 VA medical facilities, including 227 semistructured interviews with stakeholders, including patients. Results: Interviewees noted that a patient-engaged Lean approach is mutually beneficial to patients and health care employees. Benefits included understanding the veteran's point of view, uncovering inefficient aspects of care processes, improved employee participation in Lean events, increased transparency, and improved reputation for the organization. Challenges included a need for focused time and resources to optimize veteran participation, difficulty recruiting a diverse group of veteran stakeholders, and a lack of specific instructions to encourage meaningful participation of veterans. Conclusions/Implications: As the first study to focus on patient engagement in Lean transformation efforts at the VA, this study highlights ways to effectively partner with patients in Lean-based improvement efforts. Lessons learned may also help optimize patient input into quality improvement more generally.
TL;DR: In this paper , a process-driven quality improvement program was implemented to reduce blood culture contamination rates at St Joseph Health (SJH) by reeducation and ongoing coaching of staff on the blood culture collection process.
Abstract: Background and Objectives: Blood cultures are vital diagnostic tests that detect harmful pathogens in a patient's bloodstream. In this study, we implemented a process-driven quality improvement program to reduce blood culture contamination rates. Methods: St Joseph Health (SJH) utilized the ISO 9001:2015 Internal Audit tool, failure mode effect analyses, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Hierarchy of Controls to identify opportunities for improvement and design effective corrective and preventive action plans. These actions included reeducation and ongoing coaching of staff on the blood culture collection process, reorganizing blood culture supplies on the nursing units, and adding multiple layers of supervision. Results: A statistically significant relationship was identified between 2 variables (“contamination rate” and “cumulative cost difference”). The 2 variables had a negative association, demonstrating that as the contamination rate decreased, the cumulative cost difference increased, indicating potential cost savings. Conclusion: The estimated value added to the institution through this initiative was approximately $215 743 to $228 543 in potential cost savings. SJH significantly reduced the number of blood culture contaminations in the critical care division, evidenced by a controlled 6-month mean below 1%. Review of the 6-month mean as a reference point demonstrated the sustainability of the implemented corrective and preventive measures.
TL;DR: A carefully designed program supporting QI publication can both improve the rigor of QI work and enhance the professional development ofQI professionals.
Abstract: Many health care organizations encourage frontline staff to pursue quality improvement (QI), local spread of those improvements, and publication of their work. Although much has been written about building and sustaining a culture of continuous QI, less is known about how to support success in QI rigor, credibility, spread, and publication. In this perspective article, we offer QI leaders practical suggestions to identify challenges in publishing QI and strategies to overcome these challenges. Health care organizations can assist QI teams with publication by intentionally formalizing scholarship early in their QI project work, providing accountability, and connecting the QI team to necessary resources. A carefully designed program supporting QI publication can both improve the rigor of QI work and enhance the professional development of QI professionals.
TL;DR: The study suggests that establishing nonpunitive organizational cultures is an effective strategy to reduce SVD in nurses and highlights the importance of promoting programs that strengthen PSCs in hospitals.
Abstract: Background: Unanticipated adverse events could harm not only patients and families but also health care professionals. These people are defined as second victims. Second victim distress (SVD) refers to physical, emotional, and professional problems of health care professionals. While positive patient safety cultures (PSCs) are associated with reducing severity of SVD, there is a dearth of research on the association between PSCs and SVD and the mediation effects in those associations. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to explore the associations between PSCs and SVD and verify the multiple mediation effects of colleague, supervisor, and institutional supports. Methods: A cross-sectional study using a self-report questionnaire was conducted among 296 nurses in South Korea. The participants were selected by quota sampling in 41 departments including general wards, intensive care units, etc. Descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation, multiple linear regression, and multiple mediation analysis were conducted using SPSS 25.0 and the PROCESS macros. Results: Nonpunitive response to errors, communication openness, and colleague, supervisor, and institutional supports had negative correlations with SVD (Ps < .05). In the multiple mediation model, a nonpunitive response to error showed a significant direct effect on SVD (direct effect β = −.26, P < .001). Colleague, supervisor, and institutional supports showed a significant indirect effect between nonpunitive response to error and SVD; colleague (indirect effect β [Boot LLCI-Boot ULCI] = −.03 [−0.06 to −0.00]), supervisor (.03[0.00 to 0.07]), and institutional support (−.04 [−0.07 to −0.01]). Conclusion: The study suggests that establishing nonpunitive organizational cultures is an effective strategy to reduce SVD. The findings highlight the importance of promoting programs that strengthen PSCs in hospitals and prioritizing support resources to reduce SVD among nurses.
TL;DR: Situational leadership is an effective management model for hospital academic leaders who are not routinely in clinical operations to initiate in emergency conditions when unprecedented working scenarios and feelings of staff uncertainty are occurring, while option value is being exercised with faculty/staff redeployment.
Abstract: Background and Objectives: In March 2020, the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused many disruptions to usual operations and demands in excess of normal capacity at NYU Langone Hospital Long Island and NYU Long Island School of Medicine. Significant increases in volume of critically ill patients necessitated hospital administrators to redeploy faculty physicians and other staff to support other areas as a way of exercising option value. This commentary describes our experiences as 2 medical school deans and teaching professors where we recently applied the model of situational leadership during our redeployment as unit clerks on newly-created COVID patient care units at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in our local area. Our experience yielded personal feelings of accomplishment and allowed us to exercise nonlinear thinking, which we believe contributed to greater staff operational efficiency, using principles of situational leadership during these hospital redeployment initiatives. Key Takeaways: Situational leadership is an effective management model for hospital academic leaders who are not routinely in clinical operations to initiate in emergency conditions when unprecedented working scenarios and feelings of staff uncertainty are occurring, while option value is being exercised with faculty/staff redeployment. Our experience led to increased self-actualization. We provide recommendations to health care administrators on how to better prepare for future faculty/staff redeployments in the hospital.
TL;DR: Findings from this study indicate that evidence- and experience-based practices regarding maternal depression screening, referrals, and service access can lead to symptom improvement among mothers enrolled in a state-based home visiting program.
Abstract: Background and Objectives: From 2013 to 2017, a national Breakthrough Series (BTS) collaborative in Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting programs developed a toolkit that led to improvements in maternal depression outcomes. In 2018, Alabama's home visiting program (First Teacher) aimed to reproduce these impacts with a state-led BTS that enrolled 8 local implementing agencies (LIAs) serving more than 500 families. Methods: LIAs tested changes in practices using Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles and tracked data regarding depression screening, referrals, service access, and symptom improvement via run charts. First Teacher administered a post-collaborative survey to assess LIA team members' satisfaction with their BTS experience. Results: Alabama's BTS resulted in positive shifts in maternal depression referrals, service access, and symptom improvement. Change ideas that supported these shifts included the use of a screening script, motivational interviewing, “Mothers and Babies,” and a registry. LIAs noted that BTS tools and resources helped build capacity to address the difficult and frequently stigmatized topic of maternal depression. Conclusion: Findings from this study indicate that evidence- and experience-based practices regarding maternal depression screening, referrals, and service access can lead to symptom improvement among mothers enrolled in a state-based home visiting program. Results of this investigation corroborate findings from previous studies while also incorporating feedback from LIAs about the BTS experience.
TL;DR: In this article , a cross-sectional study evaluated the relationship between employee empowerment and performance, determining the best empowerment practices for health care leaders to utilize, and found that health care workers' performance can be expected to increase the most through giving employees the discretion to change work processes and offering performance-based rewards.
Abstract: In this study, we assessed the potential impact of employee empowerment on health care workers' performance during the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic. In particular, we aimed to determine the empowerment practices that would have the greatest positive effect on employee performance. Understanding the relationship between performance and empowerment can help health care providers better manage worker stress during any global crisis. This understanding is crucial in guiding policies and interventions aimed at maintaining health care workers' psychological well-being and their overall performance.This cross-sectional study evaluated the relationship between employee empowerment and performance, determining the best empowerment practices for health care leaders to utilize. Frontline health care workers (n = 100) selected using convenience and snowball sampling completed the survey between March 15 and 31, 2020. This is the period when the pandemic just started to accelerate in Saudi Arabia. We conducted Pearson's correlation analysis to assess whether there was a relationship between performance and health care workers' empowerment practice, and stepwise linear regression analysis to investigate the impact each of these empowerment practices on health care workers' performance.Our results indicate that health care workers' performance can be expected to increase the most through 2 empowerment practices: giving employees the discretion to change work processes and offering performance-based rewards (R2 = 0.301, P < .05).Our findings suggest that health care leaders must invest in these 2 practices to better equip frontline health care workers. During a global crisis, additional discretion granted to employees helps reduce their anxiety and burnout and hence empowers them with the flexibility to adapt to unforeseen circumstances and improve the quality of their interactions with health service recipients.
TL;DR: The parameters of the score were almost identical to the original study, with better applicability to exclude low-risk patients given its high NPV, and additional adjustments are still needed for better applicable in daily clinical practice.
Abstract: Background and Objectives: Predictive models to identify patients at high risk of readmission have gained the attention of health care teams, which have focused the strategies to reduce unnecessary readmissions on the “at-risk” patients. The HOSPITAL score includes 7 predictor variables with a C-statistic of 0.70 or more when applied to international datasets. Its simplified version retains a C-statistic at around the same level, but only incipient external validation has been attempted to date. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the prognostic accuracy of the simplified HOSPITAL score to predict nonelective hospital readmissions in a tertiary care public teaching hospital in Brazil. Methods: We used a retrospective cohort that included all patients discharged from the internal medicine service of a Brazilian tertiary care public teaching hospital in 2018. We excluded patients who died before index discharge, were transferred to another institution, left against medical advice, or were readmitted electively. We calculated the simplified HOSPITAL score for each admission, and admissions were divided into low (0-4 points) or high risk (≥ 5 points) of nonelective 30-day readmission. We estimated accuracy, area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), and observed/expected (O/E) readmission ratio; the latter using the mid-P exact test with Miettinen's modification at a 95% confidence interval (CI). A P value < .05 was considered significant. Results: A total of 4472 hospital discharges were analyzed during the study period after application of the exclusion criteria. The nonelective 30-day readmission rate was 14.0% (n = 625). Of all patients discharged, 3173 (71.0%) were considered to be at low risk and 1299 (29.0%) at high risk of readmission according to the simplified HOSPITAL score. The AUC was 0.68 (95% CI: 0.66-0.71; P < .001). The nonelective 30-day readmission rate was 9.2% in the low-risk group (expected: 9.2%; O/E: 1.0 [95% CI: 0.89-1.12]) and 25.7% in the high-risk group (expected: 27.2%; O/E: 0.95 [95% CI: 0.85-1.05]) (P < .001). At a cut-off of 5 points, the score had a sensitivity of 53.4%, specificity of 74.9%, positive predictive value of 25.7%, and negative predictive value (NPV) of 90.8%. Conclusions: The parameters of the score were almost identical to the original study, with better applicability to exclude low-risk patients given its high NPV. Additional adjustments are still needed for better applicability in daily clinical practice.