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Vinci A, Furia G, Cammalleri V, Colamesta V, Chierchini P, Corrado O, Mammarella A, Ingravalle F, Bardhi D, Malerba RM, Carnevale E, Gentili S, Damiani G, De Vito C, Maurici M. Burden of delayed discharge on acute hospital medical wards: A retrospective ecological study in Rome, Italy. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0294785. [PMID: 38265995 PMCID: PMC10807762 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0294785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Delayed discharge represents the difficulty in proceeding with discharge of patients who do not have any further benefit from prolonged stay. A quota of this problem is related to organizational issues. In the Lazio region in Italy, a macro service re-organization in on the way, with a network of hospital and territorial centers engaged in structuring in- and out- of hospital patient pathways, with a special focus on intermediate care structures. Purpose of this study is to quantify the burden of delayed discharge on a single hospital structure, in order to estimate costs and occurrence of potential resource misplacement. MATERIAL AND METHODS Observational Retrospective study conducted at the Santo Spirito Hospital in Rome, Italy. Observation period ranged from 1/09/2022, when the local database was instituted, to 1/03/2023 (6 months). Data from admissions records was anonymously collected. Data linkage with administrative local hospital database was performed in order to identify the date a discharge request was fired for each admission. Surgical discharges and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) discharges were excluded from this study. A Poisson hierarchical regression model was employed to investigate for the role of ward, Severity of Disease (SoD) and Risk of Mortality (RoM) on elongation of discharge time. RESULTS 1222 medical ward admissions were recorded in the timeframe. 16% of them were considered as subject to potentially elongated stay, and a mean Delay in discharge of 6.3 days (SD 7.9) was observed. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS Delayed discharge may cause a "bottleneck" in admissions and result in overcrowded Emergency Department, overall poor performance, and increase in overall costs. A consisted proportion of available beds can get inappropriately occupied, and this inflates both direct and indirect costs. Clinical conditions on admission are not a good predictor of delay in discharge, and the root causes of this phenomenon likely lie in organizational issues (on structure\system level) and social issues (on patient's level).
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Vinci
- Hospital Health Management Area, Local Health Authority “ASL Roma 1”, Rome, Italy
- Doctoral School of Nursing Sciences and Public Health, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Furia
- Hospital Health Management Area, Local Health Authority “ASL Roma 1”, Rome, Italy
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Disease, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Vittoria Cammalleri
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Disease, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Vittoria Colamesta
- Hospital Health Management Area, Local Health Authority “ASL Roma 1”, Rome, Italy
| | - Patrizia Chierchini
- Hospital Health Management Area, Local Health Authority “ASL Roma 1”, Rome, Italy
| | - Ornella Corrado
- Hospital Health Management Area, Local Health Authority “ASL Roma 1”, Rome, Italy
| | - Assunta Mammarella
- Hospital Health Management Area, Local Health Authority “ASL Roma 1”, Rome, Italy
| | - Fabio Ingravalle
- Doctoral School of Nursing Sciences and Public Health, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
- Hospital Health Management Area, Local Health Authority “ASL Roma 6”, Albano Laziale, Italy
| | - Dorian Bardhi
- Post-Graduate School of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, University of L’Aquila, L’Aquila, Italy
| | - Rosa Maria Malerba
- School of Specialization in Hygiene and Public Health, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
| | - Edoardo Carnevale
- School of Specialization in Hygiene and Public Health, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
| | - Susanna Gentili
- Aging Research Center, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Gianfranco Damiani
- Department of Health Sciences and Public Health, Section of Hygiene, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy
| | - Corrado De Vito
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Disease, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Massimo Maurici
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
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Tan SH, Wong CK, Yap YY, Tan SK. Factors influencing telemedicine adoption among physicians in the Malaysian healthcare system: A revisit. Digit Health 2024; 10:20552076241257050. [PMID: 38854922 PMCID: PMC11159542 DOI: 10.1177/20552076241257050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The Malaysian healthcare system is under strain due to an aging population, the rising prevalence of chronic diseases, and heavy workloads among physicians. As costs and requirements continue to rise, telemedicine is critical for bridging gaps in supply and demand. However, there are limited studies on telemedicine adoption among Malaysian physicians. Furthermore, the existing literature on telemedicine adoption does not contain a comprehensive framework that integrates the multidimensional social influence, and technological, clinical, and individual factors. Objective This research investigates the adoption of telemedicine among Malaysian physicians. It draws from the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Kelman's Social Influence Theory. Methods A survey was conducted among 230 participants in hospitals located in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor. The data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Results The study identified crucial factors influencing telemedicine adoption, including informational influences, rewards, perceived ease of use, and usefulness. Meanwhile, the Importance-performance Map Analysis (IPMA) identified perceived ease of use as the most important factor for physicians, but the highest performance was patient's records. Conclusions The proposed integrated model enhances the understanding of telemedicine adoption and highlights the differential effects of individual, technological, clinical, and multidimensional social influence factors from the physicians' perspective. The findings can guide future studies and influence implementation strategies for telemedicine promotion in the Malaysian healthcare context. Hospitals should prioritize user-friendly technology and information provision, while telemedicine providers should enhance the accessibility of patient records to facilitate telemedicine adoption. Policymakers should consider supporting training programs that will boost physicians' confidence in effectively utilizing telemedicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siow-Hooi Tan
- Faculty of Management, Multimedia University, Cyberjaya,
Malaysia
| | - Chee-Kuan Wong
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Yee-Yann Yap
- Faculty of Management, Multimedia University, Cyberjaya,
Malaysia
| | - Siow-Kian Tan
- Faculty of Management, Multimedia University, Cyberjaya,
Malaysia
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Mazouri-Karker S, Lüchinger R, Braillard O, Bajwa N, Achab S, Hudelson P, Dominicé Dao M, Junod Perron N. Perceptions of and Preferences for Telemedicine Use Since the Early Stages of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Cross-Sectional Survey of Patients and Physicians. JMIR Hum Factors 2023; 10:e50740. [PMID: 37934574 PMCID: PMC10664018 DOI: 10.2196/50740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND While the use of telemedicine (TLM) increased worldwide during the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic, little is known about the use and acceptance of TLM post the COVID-19 pandemic. OBJECTIVE This study aims to evaluate patients' and physicians' self-reported use, preferences, and acceptability of different types of TLM after the initial phases of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional survey among patients and physicians in Geneva, Switzerland, between September 2021 and January 2022. Patients in waiting rooms of both private and public medical centers and emergency services were invited to answer a web-based questionnaire. Physicians working in private and public settings were invited by email to answer a similar questionnaire. The questionnaires assessed participants' sociodemographics and digital literacy; self-reported use of TLM; as well as preferences and acceptability of TLM for different clinical situations. RESULTS A total of 567 patients (309/567, 55% women) and 448 physicians (230/448, 51% women and 225/448, 50% in private practice) responded to the questionnaire. Patients (263/567, 46.5%) and physicians (247/448, 55.2%) generally preferred the phone over other TLM formats and considered it to be acceptable for most medical situations. Email (417/567, 73.6% and 308/448, 68.8%) was acceptable for communicating exam results, and medical certificates (327/567, 67.7% and 297/448, 66.2%) and video (302/567, 53.2% and 288/448, 64.3%) was considered acceptable for psychological support by patients and physicians, respectively. Older age was associated with lower acceptability of video for both patients and physicians (odds ratio [OR] 0.03, 95% CI 0.00-0.33 and OR 0.23, 95% CI 0.08-0.66) while previous use of video was positively associated with video acceptability (OR 3.16, 95% CI 1.84-5.43 and OR 3.34, 95% CI 2.91-5.54). Psychiatrists and hospital physicians were more likely to consider video to be acceptable (OR 10.79, 95% CI 3.96-29.30 and OR 3.97, 95% CI 2.23-7.60). CONCLUSIONS Despite the development of video, the acceptability of video remains lower than that of the phone for most health issues or patient requests. There is a need to better define for which patients and in which medical situations video can become safe and efficient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanae Mazouri-Karker
- E-health and Telemedicine Division, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Robin Lüchinger
- Unit of Development and Research in Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Olivia Braillard
- Primary Care Division, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Nadia Bajwa
- Unit of Development and Research in Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of General Pediatrics at the Children's Hospital, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Sophia Achab
- Treatment Centre ReConnecte, Department of Psychiatry, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Clinical and Sociological Research Unit, WHO Collaborating Centre for Training and Research in Mental Health, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Patricia Hudelson
- Department of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Melissa Dominicé Dao
- Department of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Noelle Junod Perron
- Unit of Development and Research in Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Medical Directory, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
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Pietrantonio F, Vinci A, Maurici M, Ciarambino T, Galli B, Signorini A, La Fazia VM, Rosselli F, Fortunato L, Iodice R, Materazzo M, Ciuca A, Cicerchia LCM, Ruggeri M, Manfellotto D, Rosiello F, Moriconi A. Intra- and Extra-Hospitalization Monitoring of Vital Signs-Two Sides of the Same Coin: Perspectives from LIMS and Greenline-HT Study Operators. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 23:5408. [PMID: 37420575 DOI: 10.3390/s23125408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In recent years, due to the epidemiological transition, the burden of very complex patients in hospital wards has increased. Telemedicine usage appears to be a potential high-impact factor in helping with patient management, allowing hospital personnel to assess conditions in out-of-hospital scenarios. METHODS To investigate the management of chronic patients during both hospitalization for disease and discharge, randomized studies (LIMS and Greenline-HT) are ongoing in the Internal Medicine Unit at ASL Roma 6 Castelli Hospital. The study endpoints are clinical outcomes (from a patient's perspective). In this perspective paper, the main findings of these studies, from the operators' point of view, are reported. Operator opinions were collected from structured and unstructured surveys conducted among the staff involved, and their main themes are reported in a narrative manner. RESULTS Telemonitoring appears to be linked to a reduction in side-events and side-effects, which represent some of most commons risk factors for re-hospitalization and for delayed discharge during hospitalization. The main perceived advantages are increased patient safety and the quick response in case of emergency. The main disadvantages are believed to be related to low patient compliance and an infrastructural lack of optimization. CONCLUSIONS The evidence of wireless monitoring studies, combined with the analysis of activity data, suggests the need for a model of patient management that envisages an increase in the territory of structures capable of offering patients subacute care (the possibility of antibiotic treatments, blood transfusions, infusion support, and pain therapy) for the timely management of chronic patients in the terminal phase, for which treatment in acute wards must be guaranteed only for a limited time for the management of the acute phase of their diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filomena Pietrantonio
- Internal Medicine Unit, Castelli Hospital, Asl Roma 6, 00072 Rome, Italy
- Departmental Faculty of Medicine, St. Camillus University of Medicine and Health Sciences, 00131 Rome, Italy
| | - Antonio Vinci
- Local Health Authority Roma 1, 00193 Rome, Italy
- Doctoral School in Nursing Science and Public Health, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Massimo Maurici
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Tiziana Ciarambino
- Department of Internal Medicine, Luigi Vanvitelli University, 81100 Caserta, Italy
| | - Barbara Galli
- Casa Circondariale Rebibbia, Nuovo Complesso Prison, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandro Signorini
- Departmental Faculty of Medicine, St. Camillus University of Medicine and Health Sciences, 00131 Rome, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Mirco La Fazia
- Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute, St. David's Medical Center, Austin, TX 78705, USA
- Department of Systems Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Tor Vergata University, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Francescantonio Rosselli
- Cardiology and Coronary Intensive Therapy Unit, San Francesco di Paola Hospital, 87027 Paola, Italy
| | | | | | - Marco Materazzo
- Breast Unit, Department of Surgical Science, Policlinico Tor Vergata University, 00100 Rome, Italy
- PhD Program in Applied Medical-Surgical Sciences, Breast Oncoplastic Surgery, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00100 Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandro Ciuca
- Department of Infectious Disease and Public Health, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | | | - Matteo Ruggeri
- Departmental Faculty of Medicine, St. Camillus University of Medicine and Health Sciences, 00131 Rome, Italy
- National Centre for Health Technology Assessment, National Health Institute, 00153 Rome, Italy
| | - Dario Manfellotto
- UOC Medicina Interna, Fatebenefratelli Isola Tiberina-Gemelli Hospital, 00186 Rome, Italy
- "Centro Studi" FADOI, 20123 Milan, Italy
| | - Francesco Rosiello
- Internal Medicine Unit, Castelli Hospital, Asl Roma 6, 00072 Rome, Italy
- Departmental Faculty of Medicine, St. Camillus University of Medicine and Health Sciences, 00131 Rome, Italy
- Department of Infectious Disease and Public Health, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Roma, Italy
- Department of Hystological, Anatomical Sciences and Legal Medicine, Sapienza-University of Rome, 00196 Rome, Italy
| | - Andrea Moriconi
- Department of Business and Management, LUISS University, 00197 Rome, Italy
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