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Boyle JT, Boeve AR, Moye JA, Driver JA, Ruopp M, O'Malley K. Insomnia Symptoms and Environmental Disruptors: A Preliminary Evaluation of Veterans in a Subacute Rehabilitation. Clin Gerontol 2024; 47:494-506. [PMID: 38320999 DOI: 10.1080/07317115.2024.2313494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Evaluate insomnia symptoms and environmental disruptors at admission and discharge in a subacute rehabilitation care setting. METHODS Veterans (age ≥50) admitted to a Veterans Health Administration (VA) Hospital subacute rehabilitation between March and August 2022 completed baseline (N = 46) and follow up (N = 33) assessments with the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Sleep Need Questionnaire (SNQ), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), and an assessment of environmental sleep disruptors. Veterans were offered sleep resources after admission evaluations and outpatient referrals after discharge evaluations. Pearson correlation determined associations between length of stay (LOS), ISI, SNQ, and ESS scores at admission and discharge; chi-square and Wilcoxon Signed Rank Tests compared insomnia at admission and discharge. RESULTS One-half of participants reported clinically meaningful insomnia symptoms and sleep needs at baseline with no significant change at discharge. Almost all (89.1%) Veterans reported sleep was disturbed by environmental factors, primarily staff awakenings. LOS was correlated with ESS scores at discharge (r = .52, p = .002). CONCLUSIONS Environmental sleep disruption was common during a subacute rehabilitation admission and were not adequately addressed through sleep resources and treatment due to low uptake. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS Providers should assess sleep at admission and lessen environmental sleep disruptors by reducing noise, light, and non-essential awakenings at night.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia T Boyle
- Office of Research and Development, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- New England Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Geriatrics and Extended Care, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Angelica R Boeve
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Maine, Orono, Maine, USA
- Department of Psychology, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jennifer A Moye
- New England Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jane A Driver
- Geriatrics and Extended Care, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Marcus Ruopp
- Geriatrics and Extended Care, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kelly O'Malley
- Geriatrics and Extended Care, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Davila H, Mills WL, Clark V, Hartmann CW, Sullivan JL, Mohr DC, Baughman AW, Berlowitz DR, Pimentel CB. Quality Improvement Efforts in VA Community Living Centers Following Public Reporting of Performance. J Aging Soc Policy 2024; 36:118-140. [PMID: 37014929 DOI: 10.1080/08959420.2023.2196913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 04/06/2023]
Abstract
For two decades, the U.S. government has publicly reported performance measures for most nursing homes, spurring some improvements in quality. Public reporting is new, however, to Department of Veterans Affairs nursing homes (Community Living Centers [CLCs]). As part of a large, public integrated healthcare system, CLCs operate with unique financial and market incentives. Thus, their responses to public reporting may differ from private sector nursing homes. In three CLCs with varied public ratings, we used an exploratory, qualitative case study approach involving semi-structured interviews to compare how CLC leaders (n = 12) perceived public reporting and its influence on quality improvement. Across CLCs, respondents said public reporting was helpful for transparency and to provide an "outside perspective" on CLC performance. Respondents described employing similar strategies to improve their public ratings: using data, engaging staff, and clearly defining staff roles vis-à-vis quality improvement, although more effort was required to implement change in lower performing CLCs. Our findings augment those from prior studies and offer new insights into the potential for public reporting to spur quality improvement in public nursing homes and those that are part of integrated healthcare systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather Davila
- Center for Access and Delivery Research & Evaluation, Iowa City Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Care System, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Whitney L Mills
- Center for Innovation in Long-Term Services and Supports, Providence VA Medical Center, Providence, RI, USA
- Department of Health Services, Policy and Practice, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Valerie Clark
- Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research, VA Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, USA
| | - Christine W Hartmann
- Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research, VA Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, USA
- Department of Public Health, Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA, USA
| | - Jennifer L Sullivan
- Center for Innovation in Long-Term Services and Supports, Providence VA Medical Center, Providence, RI, USA
- Department of Health Services, Policy and Practice, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - David C Mohr
- Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Health Law, Policy and Management, School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Amy W Baughman
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School,Boston, MA, USA
| | - Dan R Berlowitz
- Department of Public Health, Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA, USA
| | - Camilla B Pimentel
- Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research, VA Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, USA
- Department of Public Health, Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA, USA
- New England Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, VA Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, USA
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Pajewski NM, Supiano MA. We have the technology: Why aren't better blood pressure data available from nursing home residents? J Am Geriatr Soc 2023; 71:2046-2048. [PMID: 37114862 PMCID: PMC10524157 DOI: 10.1111/jgs.18389] [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: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 03/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
This editorial comments on the article by Liu et al. in this issue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas M. Pajewski
- Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, Division of
Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem,
NC, USA
| | - Mark A. Supiano
- Division of Geriatrics, Department of Internal Medicine,
Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine at the University of Utah, and University of
Utah Center on Aging, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
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Apaydin EA, Paige NM, Begashaw MM, Larkin J, Miake-Lye IM, Shekelle PG. Veterans Health Administration (VA) vs. Non-VA Healthcare Quality: A Systematic Review. J Gen Intern Med 2023:10.1007/s11606-023-08207-2. [PMID: 37076605 PMCID: PMC10361919 DOI: 10.1007/s11606-023-08207-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Veterans Health Administration (VA) serves Veterans in the nation's largest integrated healthcare system. VA seeks to provide high quality of healthcare to Veterans, but due to the VA Choice and MISSION Acts, VA increasingly pays for care outside of its system in the community. This systematic review compares care provided in VA and non-VA settings, and includes published studies from 2015 to 2023, updating 2 prior systematic reviews on this topic. METHODS We searched PubMed, Web of Science, and PsychINFO from 2015 to 2023 for published literature comparing VA and non-VA care, including VA-paid community care. Records were included at the abstract or full-text level if they compared VA medical care with care provided in other healthcare systems, and included clinical quality, safety, access, patient experience, efficiency (cost), or equity outcomes. Data from included studies was abstracted by two independent reviewers, with disagreements resolved by consensus. Results were synthesized narratively and via graphical evidence maps. RESULTS Thirty-seven studies were included after screening 2415 titles. Twelve studies compared VA and VA-paid community care. Most studies assessed clinical quality and safety, and studies of access were second most common. Only six studies assessed patient experience and six assessed cost or efficiency. Clinical quality and safety of VA care was better than or equal to non-VA care in most studies. Patient experience in VA care was better than or equal to experience in non-VA care in all studies, but access and cost/efficiency outcomes were mixed. DISCUSSION VA care is consistently as good as or better than non-VA care in terms of clinical quality and safety. Access, cost/efficiency, and patient experience between the two systems are not well studied. Further research is needed on these outcomes and on services widely used by Veterans in VA-paid community care, like physical medicine and rehabilitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric A Apaydin
- Evidence Synthesis Program, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, CA, USA.
| | - Neil M Paige
- Evidence Synthesis Program, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Meron M Begashaw
- Evidence Synthesis Program, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | - Isomi M Miake-Lye
- Evidence Synthesis Program, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Paul G Shekelle
- Evidence Synthesis Program, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Ersek M, Sales A, Keddem S, Ayele R, Haverhals LM, Magid KH, Kononowech J, Murray A, Carpenter JG, Foglia MB, Potter L, McKenzie J, Davis D, Levy C. Preferences Elicited and Respected for Seriously Ill Veterans through Enhanced Decision-Making (PERSIVED): a protocol for an implementation study in the Veterans Health Administration. Implement Sci Commun 2022; 3:78. [PMID: 35859140 PMCID: PMC9296899 DOI: 10.1186/s43058-022-00321-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Empirical evidence supports the use of structured goals of care conversations and documentation of life-sustaining treatment (LST) preferences in durable, accessible, and actionable orders to improve the care for people living with serious illness. As the largest integrated healthcare system in the USA, the Veterans Health Administration (VA) provides an excellent environment to test implementation strategies that promote this evidence-based practice. The Preferences Elicited and Respected for Seriously Ill Veterans through Enhanced Decision-Making (PERSIVED) program seeks to improve care outcomes for seriously ill Veterans by supporting efforts to conduct goals of care conversations, systematically document LST preferences, and ensure timely and accurate communication about preferences across VA and non-VA settings. METHODS PERSIVED encompasses two separate but related implementation projects that support the same evidence-based practice. Project 1 will enroll 12 VA Home Based Primary Care (HBPC) programs and Project 2 will enroll six VA Community Nursing Home (CNH) programs. Both projects begin with a pre-implementation phase during which data from diverse stakeholders are gathered to identify barriers and facilitators to adoption of the LST evidence-based practice. This baseline assessment is used to tailor quality improvement activities using audit with feedback and implementation facilitation during the implementation phase. Site champions serve as the lynchpin between the PERSIVED project team and site personnel. PERSIVED teams support site champions through monthly coaching sessions. At the end of implementation, baseline site process maps are updated to reflect new steps and procedures to ensure timely conversations and documentation of treatment preferences. During the sustainability phase, intense engagement with champions ends, at which point champions work independently to maintain and improve processes and outcomes. Ongoing process evaluation, guided by the RE-AIM framework, is used to monitor Reach, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance outcomes. Effectiveness will be assessed using several endorsed clinical metrics for seriously ill populations. DISCUSSION The PERSIVED program aims to prevent potentially burdensome LSTs by consistently eliciting and documenting values, goals, and treatment preferences of seriously ill Veterans. Working with clinical operational partners, we will apply our findings to HBPC and CNH programs throughout the national VA healthcare system during a future scale-out period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Ersek
- Center for Health Equity and Promotion, Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, 3900 Woodland Avenue, Annex Suite 203, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA. .,University of Pennsylvania Schools of Nursing and Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Anne Sales
- Sinclair School of Nursing and Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA.,Center for Clinical Management Research, VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Shimrit Keddem
- Center for Health Equity and Promotion, Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, 3900 Woodland Avenue, Annex Suite 203, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.,Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Roman Ayele
- Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center, Aurora, CO, USA.,University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Leah M Haverhals
- Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center, Aurora, CO, USA.,University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Kate H Magid
- Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Jennifer Kononowech
- Center for Clinical Management Research, VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Andrew Murray
- Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Joan G Carpenter
- Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,University of Maryland School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Mary Beth Foglia
- VA National Center for Ethics in Health Care, Washington, D.C., USA.,Department of Bioethics and Humanities, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Lucinda Potter
- VA National Center for Ethics in Health Care, Washington, D.C., USA
| | - Jennifer McKenzie
- VA Purchased Long-Term Services and Supports, Geriatrics and Extended Care, D, Washington, .C, USA
| | - Darlene Davis
- Home-Based Primary Care Program, Office of Geriatrics and Extended Care, Washington, D.C., USA
| | - Cari Levy
- Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center, Aurora, CO, USA.,University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
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Wang H, Cai S, Caprio T, Goulet J, Intrator O. Opioid administration trends among long-stay community living centers residents with dementia. J Am Geriatr Soc 2022; 70:2393-2403. [PMID: 35397116 DOI: 10.1111/jgs.17785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Revised: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pain assessment and management of Veterans with Alzheimer's disease and Related Dementia (ADRD) living in Community Living Centers (CLCs) is challenging. Safe and effective use of opioids in the treatment of pain is of great concern to patients and providers promulgating national policies and guidelines. METHODS This study examined long-stay CLC Veterans with ADRD identified in three regulatory periods (period 1: 10/2012-6/2013, n = 3347; period 2: 1/2014-11/2015, n = 4426; period 3: 1/2017-9/2018, n = 4444; Total N = 12,217).This population-based observational study used CLC Minimum Data Set (MDS) data in Fiscal Years (FYs) 2013-2018 and VA bar-code medication administration (BCMA) data. Opioid administration measures included: any opioids, long-term opioids, high-dose opioids, and co-administration with benzodiazepine. Measures were modeled using negative binomial regression with length of stay in CLC as offset adjusting for Veteran predisposing, enabling and need measures from the MDS. RESULTS Compared to period 1, any opioid administration was 26% lower in period 2, and 34% lower in period 3. Among Veterans who received any opioid medications over the three regulatory periods, high-dose and long-term opioid administration were more than 40% lower in periods 2 and 3 compared to period 1. Co-administration of opioid with benzodiazepine versus no opioid was 11% lower in period 2 and 34% lower in period 3 after adjusting for patient level covariates. CONCLUSIONS All patterns of opioid administration decreased over the four opioid regulations periods when guidelines were promulgated across the VA health system. Further research should clarify whether decreasing opioids among patients with ADRD impacted health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huiying Wang
- Geriatrics and Extended Care Data and Analysis Center (GECDAC), Finger Lakes Healthcare System, Canandaigua, New York, USA.,Public Health Sciences, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Shubing Cai
- Geriatrics and Extended Care Data and Analysis Center (GECDAC), Finger Lakes Healthcare System, Canandaigua, New York, USA.,Public Health Sciences, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Thomas Caprio
- Department of Medicine, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Joseph Goulet
- VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Connecticut, USA.,Department of Emergency Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Orna Intrator
- Geriatrics and Extended Care Data and Analysis Center (GECDAC), Finger Lakes Healthcare System, Canandaigua, New York, USA.,Public Health Sciences, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, USA
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