Bad news to worse news: 2015 infectious diseases fellowship match results

Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Experienced Clinician Workforce Capacity: Urban-Rural Disparities in the Southern United States

BACKGROUND

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-experienced clinicians are critical for positive outcomes along the HIV care continuum. However, access to HIV-experienced clinicians may be limited, particularly in nonmetropolitan areas, where HIV is increasing. We examined HIV clinician workforce capacity, focusing on HIV experience and urban-rural differences, in the Southern United States.

METHODS

We used Medicaid claims and clinician characteristics (Medicaid Analytic eXtract [MAX] and MAX Provider Characteristics, 2009-2011), county-level rurality (National Center for Health Statistics, 2013), and diagnosed HIV cases (AIDSVu, 2014) to assess HIV clinician capacity in 14 states. We assumed that clinicians accepting Medicaid approximated the region's HIV workforce, since three-quarters of clinicians accept Medicaid insurance. HIV-experienced clinicians were defined as those providing care to ≥ 10 Medicaid enrollees over 3 years. We assessed HIV workforce capacity with county-level clinician-to-population ratios, using Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney tests to compare urban-rural differences.

RESULTS

We identified 5012 clinicians providing routine HIV management, of whom 28% were HIV-experienced. HIV-experienced clinicians were more likely to specialize in infectious diseases (48% vs 6%, P < .001) and practice in urban areas (96% vs 83%, P < .001) compared to non-HIV-experienced clinicians. The median clinician-to-population ratio for all HIV clinicians was 13.3 (interquartile range, 38.0), with no significant urban-rural differences. When considering HIV experience, 81% of counties had no HIV-experienced clinicians, and rural counties generally had fewer HIV-experienced clinicians per 1000 diagnosed HIV cases (P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

Significant urban-rural disparities exist in HIV-experienced workforce capacity for communities in the Southern United States. Policies to improve equity in access to HIV-experienced clinical care for both urban and rural communities are urgently needed.

Telemedicine Infectious Diseases Consultations and Clinical Outcomes: A Systematic Review

Background

Telemedicine use is increasing in many specialties, but its impact on clinical outcomes in infectious diseases has not been systematically reviewed. We reviewed the current evidence for clinical effectiveness of telemedicine infectious diseases consultations, including outcomes of mortality, hospital readmission, antimicrobial use, cost, length of stay, adherence, and patient satisfaction.

Methods

We queried Ovid MEDLINE 1946-, Embase.com 1947-, Scopus 1823-, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and ClinicalTrials.gov 1997- through August 5, 2019, for studies looking at clinical outcomes of infectious diseases in the setting of telemedicine use. We did not restrict by language or year of publication. Clinical outcomes searched included 30-day all-cause mortality, 30-day readmissions, patient compliance/adherence, patient satisfaction, cost or cost-effectiveness, length of hospital stay, antimicrobial use, and antimicrobial stewardship. Bias was assessed using standard methodologies. PROSPERO CRD42018105225.

Results

From a search pool of 1154 studies, only 18 involved telemedicine infectious diseases consultation and our selected clinical outcomes. The outcomes tracked were heterogeneous, precluding meta-analysis, and the majority of studies were of poor quality. Overall, clinical outcomes with telemedicine infectious diseases consultation seem comparable to in-person infectious diseases consultation.

Conclusions

Although in widespread use, the clinical effectiveness of telemedicine infectious diseases consultations has yet to be sufficiently studied. Further studies, or publication of previously collected and available data, are warranted to verify the cost-effectiveness of this widespread practice.

Systematic review registration

PROSPERO CRD42018105225.

Telemedicine infectious diseases consultations and clinical outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol

BACKGROUND

Telemedicine use is increasing in many specialties, but its impact on clinical outcomes in infectious diseases has not been systematically studied and reviewed. The proposed systematic review will evaluate the current evidence regarding the effect of telemedicine infectious diseases consultation on a range of clinical outcomes, including mortality, hospital readmission, antimicrobial use, and cost.

METHOD/DESIGN

Standard systematic review methodology will be used, with searches of Ovid MEDLINE 1946-, https://embase.com/ 1947-, Scopus 1823-, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and https://clinicaltrials.gov/ 1997-. There will be no restriction on language or year of publication. The primary outcome will be 30-day all-cause mortality and secondary outcomes will include readmission within 30 days after discharge from an initial hospitalization with an infection, patient compliance/adherence, patient satisfaction, cost or cost effectiveness, length of hospital stay, antimicrobial use, and antimicrobial stewardship. Bias will be assessed using standard Cochrane methodologies. Data will be grouped by outcome and narratively synthesized. Meta-analysis will be performed for outcomes with clinical or methodological homogeneity. The systematic review and meta-analysis will be registered through PROSPERO. Pre-planned subgroup analyses will be detailed.

DISCUSSION

A number of studies have documented the feasibility of telemedicine for infectious diseases, but a synthesis of clinical outcomes data with telemedicine infectious diseases consultation has not been performed. This systematic review will analyze many clinical outcomes of telemedicine infectious diseases consultation. The findings of this study will add to established literature about feasibility of telemedicine consultation by synthesizing the evidence for clinical effectiveness.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

PROSPERO CRD42018105225.

The organizational attributes of HIV care delivery models in Canada: A cross-sectional study

HIV treatment in Canada has rapidly progressed with the advent of new drug therapies and approaches to care. With this evolution, there is increasing interest in Canada in understanding the current delivery of HIV care, specifically where care is delivered, how, and by whom, to inform the design of care models required to meet the evolving needs of the population. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of Canadian care settings identified as delivering HIV care between June 2015 and January 2016. Given known potential differences in delivery approaches, we stratified settings as primary care or specialist settings, and described their structure, geographic location, populations served, health human resources, technological resources, and available clinical services. We received responses from 22 of 43 contacted care settings located in seven Canadian provinces (51.2% response rate). The total number of patients and HIV patients served by the participating settings was 38,060 and 17,678, respectively (mean number of HIV patients in primary care settings = 1,005, mean number of HIV patients in specialist care settings = 562). Settings were urban for 20 of the 22 (90.9%) clinics and 14 (63.6%) were entirely HIV focused. Primary care settings were more likely to offer preventative services (e.g., cervical smear, needle exchange, IUD insertion, chronic disease self-management program) than specialist settings. The study illustrates diversity in Canadian HIV care settings. All settings were team based, but primary care settings offered a broader range of preventative services and comprehensive access to mental health services, including addictions and peer support.

Evaluation of Penicillin Allergy in the Hospitalized Patient: Opportunities for Antimicrobial Stewardship

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Penicillin allergy is often misdiagnosed and is associated with adverse consequences, but testing is infrequently done in the hospital setting. This article reviews historical and contemporary innovations in inpatient penicillin allergy testing and its impact on antimicrobial stewardship.

RECENT FINDINGS

Adoption of the electronic medical record allows rapid identification of admitted patients carrying a penicillin allergy diagnosis. Collaboration with clinical pharmacists and the development of computerized clinical guidelines facilitates increased testing and appropriate use of penicillin and related β-lactams. Education of patients and their outpatient providers is the key to retaining the benefits of penicillin allergy de-labeling. Penicillin allergy testing is feasible in the hospital and offers tangible benefits towards antimicrobial stewardship. Allergists should take the lead in this endeavor and work towards overcoming personnel limitations by partnering with other health care providers and incorporating technology that improves the efficiency of allergy evaluation.

De-escalating Antibiotic Use in the Inpatient Setting: Strategies, Controversies, and Challenges

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Antibiotic de-escalation (ADE) is widely accepted as an integral strategy to curtail the global antibiotic resistance crisis. However, there is significant uncertainty regarding the ideal ADE strategy and its true impact on antibiotic resistance. Rapid diagnostic testing has the potential to enhance ADE strategies. Herein, we aim to discuss the current strategies, controversies, and challenges of ADE in the inpatient setting.

RECENT FINDINGS

A consensus definition of ADE remains elusive at this time. Preliminary studies utilizing rapid diagnostic tests including matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight (MALDI-TOF), procalcitonin, and other molecular techniques have demonstrated the potential to support ADE strategies. In the absence of evidence-based, highly specific ADE protocols, the likelihood that individual providers will make consistent, often challenging, decisions to de-escalate antibiotic therapy is low. Antimicrobial stewardship programs should support local physicians with ADE and develop innovative ways to integrate ADE into the broader construct of antimicrobial stewardship programs. The evolving field of rapid diagnostics has significant potential to improve ADE strategies, but more research is needed to fully realize this goal.

Implementation of an Infectious Disease Fellow-Managed Penicillin Allergy Skin Testing Service

An inpatient penicillin allergy skin testing program can be successfully managed by infectious diseases fellows under attending supervision offering a novel practice area for infectious diseases practitioners.

Background. A large percentage of patients presenting to acute care facilities report penicillin allergies that are associated with suboptimal antibiotic therapy. Penicillin skin testing (PST) can clarify allergy histories but is often limited by access to testing. We aimed to implement an infectious diseases (ID) fellow-managed PST program and to assess the need for PST via national survey.

Methods. We conducted a prospective observational study of the implementation of an ID fellow-managed penicillin allergy skin testing service. The primary outcome of the study was to assess the feasibility and acceptability of an ID fellow-managed PST service and its impact on the optimization of antibiotic selection. In addition, a survey of PST practices was sent out to all ID fellowship program directors in the United States.

Results. In the first 11 months of the program, 90 patients were assessed for PST and 76 patients were tested. Of the valid tests, 96% were negative, and 84% with a negative test had antibiotic changes; 63% received a narrower spectrum antibiotic, 80% received more effective therapy, and 61% received more cost-effective therapy. The majority of survey of respondents (n = 50) indicated that overreporting of penicillin allergy is a problem in their practice that affects antibiotic selection but listed inadequate personnel and time as the main barriers to PST.

Conclusions. Inpatient PST can be successfully managed by ID fellows, thereby promoting optimal antibiotic use in patients reporting penicillin allergies. This model can increase access to PST at institutions without adequate access to allergists while also providing an important educational experience to ID trainees.

Synergy, Salary, and Satisfaction: Benefits of Training in Critical Care Medicine and Infectious Diseases Gleaned From a National Pilot Survey of Dually Trained Physicians

BACKGROUND

An increasing number of physicians are seeking dual training in critical care medicine (CCM) and infectious diseases (ID). Understanding experiences and perceptions of CCM-ID physicians could inform career choices and programmatic innovation.

METHODS

All physicians trained and/or certified in both CCM and ID to date in the United States were sent a Web-based questionnaire in 2015. Responses enabled a cross-sectional analysis of physician demographics and training and practice characteristics and satisfaction.

RESULTS

Of 202 CCM-ID physicians, 196 were alive and reachable. The response rate was 79%. Forty-six percent trained and 34% practice in the northeastern United States. Only 40% received dual training at the same institution. Eighty-three percent identified as either an intensivist with ID expertise (44%) or as equally an intensivist and ID physician (38%). Median salary was $265 000 (interquartile range [IQR], $215 000-$350 000). Practice settings were split between academic (45%) and community settings (42%). Two-thirds are clinicians but 62% conduct some research and 26% practice outpatient ID. Top reasons to dually specialize included clinical synergy (70%), procedural activity (50%), and less interest in pulmonology (49%). Although 38% cited less proficiency with bronchoscopy as a disadvantage, 87% seldom need pulmonary consultation in the intensive care unit. Median career satisfaction was 4 (IQR, 4-5) out of 5, and 76% would dually train again.

CONCLUSIONS

CCM-ID graduates prefer the acute care setting, predominantly CCM or a combination of CCM and ID. They find combination training and practice to be synergistic and satisfying, but most have had to seek CCM and ID training independently at separate institutions. Given these findings, avenues for combined training in CCM-ID should be considered.

Clinical outcomes of HIV care delivery models in the US: a systematic review

With over 1 million people living with HIV, the US faces national challenges in HIV care delivery due to an inadequate HIV specialist workforce and the increasing role of non-communicable chronic diseases in driving morbidity and mortality in HIV-infected patients. Alternative HIV care delivery models, which include substantial roles for advanced practitioners and/or coordination between specialty and primary care settings in managing HIV-infected patients, may address these needs. We aimed to systematically review the evidence on patient-level HIV-specific and primary care health outcomes for HIV-infected adults receiving outpatient care across HIV care delivery models. We identified randomized trials and observational studies from bibliographic and other databases through March 2016. Eligible studies met pre-specified eligibility criteria including on care delivery models and patient-level health outcomes. We considered all available evidence, including non-experimental studies, and evaluated studies for risk of bias. We identified 3605 studies, of which 13 met eligibility criteria. Of the 13 eligible studies, the majority evaluated specialty-based care (9 studies). Across all studies and care delivery models, eligible studies primarily reported mortality and antiretroviral use, with specialty-based care associated with mortality reductions at the clinician and practice levels and with increased antiretroviral initiation or use at the clinician level but not the practice level. Limited and heterogeneous outcomes were reported for other patient-level HIV-specific outcomes (e.g., viral suppression) as well as for primary care health outcomes across all care delivery models. No studies addressed chronic care outcomes related to aging. Limited evidence was available across geographic settings and key populations. As re-design of care delivery in the US continues to evolve, better understanding of patient-level HIV-related and primary care health outcomes, especially across different staffing models and among different patient populations and geographic locations, is urgently needed to improve HIV disease management.

Critical Care Medicine and Infectious Diseases: An Emerging Combined Subspecialty in the United States

The recent rise in unfilled training positions among infectious diseases (ID) fellowship programs nationwide indicates that ID is declining as a career choice among internal medicine residency graduates. Supplementing ID training with training in critical care medicine (CCM) might be a way to regenerate interest in the specialty. Hands-on patient care and higher salaries are obvious attractions. High infection prevalence and antibiotic resistance in intensive care units, expanding immunosuppressed host populations, and public health crises such as the recent Ebola outbreak underscore the potential synergy of CCM-ID training. Most intensivists receive training in pulmonary medicine and only 1% of current board-certified intensivists are trained in ID. While still small, this cohort of CCM-ID certified physicians has continued to rise over the last 2 decades. ID and CCM program leadership nationwide must recognize these trends and the merits of the CCM-ID combination to facilitate creation of formal dual-training opportunities.