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Fryar C, Mouro S, Whiteside JL, Tumin D. Effect of COVID-19 pandemic on same-day discharge for elective benign hysterectomy. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2024; 230:e92-e98. [PMID: 38181829 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2023.12.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Fryar
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, 600 Moye Blvd., Greenville, NC 27834.
| | - Steven Mouro
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, 600 Moye Blvd., Greenville, NC 27834
| | - James L Whiteside
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, 600 Moye Blvd., Greenville, NC 27834
| | - Dmitry Tumin
- Department of Pediatrics and Department of Academic Affairs, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC
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Ebert MP, Fischbach W, Hollerbach S, Höppner J, Lorenz D, Stahl M, Stuschke M, Pech O, Vanhoefer U, Porschen R. S3-Leitlinie Diagnostik und Therapie der Plattenepithelkarzinome und Adenokarzinome des Ösophagus. ZEITSCHRIFT FUR GASTROENTEROLOGIE 2024; 62:535-642. [PMID: 38599580 DOI: 10.1055/a-2239-9802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Matthias P Ebert
- II. Medizinische Klinik, Medizinische Fakultät Mannheim, Universitätsmedizin, Universität Heidelberg, Mannheim
- DKFZ-Hector Krebsinstitut an der Universitätsmedizin Mannheim, Mannheim
- Molecular Medicine Partnership Unit, EMBL, Heidelberg
| | - Wolfgang Fischbach
- Deutsche Gesellschaft zur Bekämpfung der Krankheiten von Magen, Darm und Leber sowie von Störungen des Stoffwechsels und der Ernährung (Gastro-Liga) e. V., Giessen
| | | | - Jens Höppner
- Klinik für Allgemeine Chirurgie, Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck, Lübeck
| | - Dietmar Lorenz
- Chirurgische Klinik I, Allgemein-, Viszeral- und Thoraxchirurgie, Klinikum Darmstadt, Darmstadt
| | - Michael Stahl
- Klinik für Internistische Onkologie und onkologische Palliativmedizin, Evang. Huyssensstiftung, Evang. Kliniken Essen-Mitte, Essen
| | - Martin Stuschke
- Klinik und Poliklinik für Strahlentherapie, Universitätsklinikum Essen, Essen
| | - Oliver Pech
- Klinik für Gastroenterologie und Interventionelle Endoskopie, Krankenhaus Barmherzige Brüder, Regensburg
| | - Udo Vanhoefer
- Klinik für Hämatologie und Onkologie, Katholisches Marienkrankenhaus, Hamburg
| | - Rainer Porschen
- Gastroenterologische Praxis am Kreiskrankenhaus Osterholz, Osterholz-Scharmbeck
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Curry J, Cho NY, Nesbit S, Kim S, Ali K, Gudapati V, Everson R, Benharash P. Hospital-level variation in hospitalization costs for spinal fusion in the United States. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0298135. [PMID: 38329995 PMCID: PMC10852221 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0298135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND With a growing emphasis on value of care, understanding factors associated with rising healthcare costs is increasingly important. In this national study, we evaluated the degree of center-level variation in the cost of spinal fusion. METHODS All adults undergoing elective spinal fusion were identified in the 2016 to 2020 National Inpatient Sample. Multilevel mixed-effect models were used to rank hospitals based on risk-adjusted costs. The interclass coefficient (ICC) was utilized to tabulate the amount of variation attributable to hospital-level characteristics. The association of high cost-hospital (HCH) status with in-hospital mortality, perioperative complications, and overall resource utilization was analyzed. Predictors of increased costs were secondarily explored. RESULTS An estimated 1,541,740 patients underwent spinal fusion, and HCH performed an average of 9.5% of annual cases. HCH were more likely to be small (36.8 vs 30.5%, p<0.001), rural (10.1 vs 8.8%, p<0.001), and located in the Western geographic region (49.9 vs 16.7%, p<0.001). The ICC demonstrated 32% of variation in cost was attributable to the hospital, independent of patient-level characteristics. Patients who received a spinal fusion at a HCH faced similar odds of mortality (0.74 [0.48-1.15], p = 0.18) and perioperative complications (1.04 [0.93-1.16], p = 0.52), but increased odds of non-home discharge (1.30 [1.17-1.45], p<0.001) and prolonged length of stay (β 0.34 [0.26-0.42] days, p = 0.18). Patient factors such as gender, race, and income quartile significantly impacted costs. CONCLUSION The present analysis identified 32% of the observed variation to be attributable to hospital-level characteristics. HCH status was not associated with increased mortality or perioperative complications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Curry
- Cardiovascular Outcomes Research Laboratories (CORELAB), David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
| | - Nam Yong Cho
- Cardiovascular Outcomes Research Laboratories (CORELAB), David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
| | - Shannon Nesbit
- Cardiovascular Outcomes Research Laboratories (CORELAB), David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
| | - Shineui Kim
- Cardiovascular Outcomes Research Laboratories (CORELAB), David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
| | - Konmal Ali
- Cardiovascular Outcomes Research Laboratories (CORELAB), David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
| | - Varun Gudapati
- Department of Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
| | - Richard Everson
- Department of Neurosurgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
| | - Peyman Benharash
- Cardiovascular Outcomes Research Laboratories (CORELAB), David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
- Department of Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
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4
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Sacks GD, Shin P, Braithwaite RS, Soares KC, Kingham TP, D'Angelica MI, Drebin JA, Jarnagin WR, Wei AC. The Influence of Patient Preference on Surgeons' Treatment Recommendations in the Management of Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Neoplasms. Ann Surg 2023; 278:e1068-e1072. [PMID: 36804447 DOI: 10.1097/sla.0000000000005829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/22/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We aimed to determine whether surgeon variation in management of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMN) is driven by differences in risk perception and quantify surgeons' risk threshold for changing their recommendations. BACKGROUND Surgeons vary widely in management of IPMN. METHODS We conducted a survey of members of the Americas HepatoPancreatoBiliary Association, presented participants with 2 detailed clinical vignettes and asked them to choose between surgical resection and surveillance. We also asked them to judge the likelihood that the IPMN harbors cancer and that the patient would have a serious complication if surgery was performed. Finally, we asked surgeons to rate the level of cancer risk at which they would change their treatment recommendation. We examined the association between surgeons' treatment recommendations and their risk perception and risk threshold. RESULTS One hundred and fifty surgeons participated in the study. Surgeons varied in their recommendations for surgery [19% for vignette 1 (V1) and 12% for V2] and in their perception of the cancer risk (interquartile range: 2%-10% for V1 and V2) and risk of surgical complications (V1 interquartile range: 10%-20%, V2 20%-30%). After adjusting for surgeon characteristics, surgeons who were above the median in cancer risk perception were 22 percentage points (27% vs. 5%) more likely to recommend resection than those who were below the median (95% CI: 11.34%; P <0.001). The median risk threshold at which surgeons would change their recommendation was 15% (V1 and V2). Surgeons who recommended surgery had a lower risk threshold for changing their recommendation than those who recommended surveillance (V1: 10.0 vs. 15.0, P =0.06; V2: 7.0 vs. 15.0, P =0.05). CONCLUSIONS The treatment that patients receive for IPMNs depends greatly on how their surgeons perceive the risk of cancer in the lesion. Efforts to improve cancer risk prediction for IPMNs may lead to decreased variations in care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greg D Sacks
- Department of Surgery, New York University Grossman School of Medicine and NYU-Langone Health, New York, NY
- VA New York Harbor Healthcare System, New York, NY
- Hepatopancreatobiliary Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
| | - Paul Shin
- Hepatopancreatobiliary Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
- Weill Medical College at Cornell University, New York, NY
| | - R Scott Braithwaite
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Kevin C Soares
- Hepatopancreatobiliary Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
- Weill Medical College at Cornell University, New York, NY
| | - T Peter Kingham
- Hepatopancreatobiliary Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
- Weill Medical College at Cornell University, New York, NY
| | - Michael I D'Angelica
- Hepatopancreatobiliary Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
- Weill Medical College at Cornell University, New York, NY
| | - Jeffrey A Drebin
- Hepatopancreatobiliary Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
- Weill Medical College at Cornell University, New York, NY
| | - William R Jarnagin
- Hepatopancreatobiliary Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
- Weill Medical College at Cornell University, New York, NY
| | - Alice C Wei
- Hepatopancreatobiliary Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
- Weill Medical College at Cornell University, New York, NY
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5
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S3-Leitlinie Diagnostik und Therapie der Plattenepithelkarzinome und Adenokarzinome des Ösophagus. ZEITSCHRIFT FUR GASTROENTEROLOGIE 2023; 61:e209-e307. [PMID: 37285869 DOI: 10.1055/a-1771-6953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
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6
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The impact of the 2015 ACOG screening guidelines on the diagnosis of postpartum depression among privately insured women. J Affect Disord 2023; 328:103-107. [PMID: 36764363 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.02.020] [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: 05/17/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/04/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Postpartum depression (PPD), is underdiagnosed and undertreated. In 2015, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommended that women be screened for PPD at least once during the perinatal period. The effect of the recommendation on PPD diagnosis is unknown. METHODS Using the MerativeTM MarketScan® database, PPD prevalence was identified in privately insured women ages 13-45 with a live birth between 2013 and 2016. Postpartum depression was defined as an ICD diagnosis code for PPD or other depression, or a new pharmacy claim for an antidepressant medication during the first 12 months following delivery. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate the likelihood of PPD both before and after the ACOG PPD Committee Opinion. RESULTS The study included 244,624 women ages 13-45 who had a live birth in 2013 through 2016. PPD prevalence before and after the 2015 ACOG Committee Opinion was 15.1 % and 17.2 %, respectively. The likelihood of PPD was not statistically different following the 2015 Committee Opinion (adjusted OR, 1.00, 95 % CI, 0.97-1.03) when controlling for age, year, delivery complications, and geographic region. LIMITATIONS Sociodemographic variables are not included in the MarketScan database and therefore could not be analyzed as covariates. Re-defining a PPD diagnosis as above interfered with the ability to measure a prior history of mood disorders as a covariate. CONCLUSION Implementation of the ACOG recommendations was not associated with a significant increase in PPD diagnosis. This suggests that physician organization recommendations alone are not sufficient to increase detection of PPD.
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Badrinathan A, Sarode AL, Alvarado CE, Sinopoli J, Rice JD, Linden PA, Moorman ML, Towe CW. Surgical subspecialization is associated with higher rate of rib fracture stabilization: a retrospective database analysis. Trauma Surg Acute Care Open 2023; 8:e000994. [PMID: 37082302 PMCID: PMC10111909 DOI: 10.1136/tsaco-2022-000994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BackgroundSurgical stabilization of rib fractures (SSRF) is performed on only a small subset of patients who meet guideline-recommended indications for surgery. Although previous studies show that provider specialization was associated with SSRF procedural competency, little is known about the impact of provider specialization on SSRF performance frequency. We hypothesize that provider specialization would impact performance of SSRF.MethodsThe Premier Hospital Database was used to identify adult patients with rib fractures from 2015 and 2019. The outcome of interest was performance of SSRF, defined using International Classification of Diseases—10th Revision Procedure Coding System coding. Patients were categorized as receiving their procedures from a thoracic, general surgeon, or orthopedic surgeon. Patients with missing or other provider types were excluded. Multivariate modeling was performed to evaluate the effect of surgical specialization on outcomes of SSRF. Given a priori assumptions that trauma centers may have different practice patterns, a subgroup analysis was performed excluding patients with ‘trauma center’ admissions.ResultsAmong 39 733 patients admitted with rib fractures, 2865 (7.2%) received SSRF. Trauma center admission represented a minority (1034, 36%) of SSRF procedures relative to other admission types (1831, 64%, p=0.15). In a multivariable analysis, thoracic (OR 6.94, 95% CI 5.94–8.11) and orthopedic provider (OR 2.60, 95% CI 2.16–3.14) types were significantly more likely to perform SSRF. In further analyses of trauma center admissions versus non-trauma center admissions, this pattern of SSRF performance was found at non-trauma centers.ConclusionThe majority of SSRF procedures in the USA are being performed by general surgeons and at non-trauma centers. ‘Subspecialty’ providers in orthopedics and thoracic surgery are performing fewer total SSRF interventions, but are more likely to perform SSRF, especially at non-trauma centers. Provider specialization as a barrier to SSRF may be related to competence in the SSRF procedures and requires further study.TypeTherapeutic/care management.Level of evidenceIV
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Affiliation(s)
- Avanti Badrinathan
- Department of Surgery, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Anuja L Sarode
- Department of Surgery, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Christine E Alvarado
- Department of Surgery, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Jillian Sinopoli
- Division of Thoracic and Esophageal Surgery, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Jonathan D Rice
- Division of Thoracic and Esophageal Surgery, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Philip A Linden
- Division of Thoracic and Esophageal Surgery, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Matthew L Moorman
- Division of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Christopher W Towe
- Division of Thoracic and Esophageal Surgery, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
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Youn GM, Shah JP, Wei EX, Kandathil C, Most SP. Revision Rates of Septoplasty in the United States. Facial Plast Surg Aesthet Med 2023; 25:153-158. [PMID: 35394347 PMCID: PMC9986010 DOI: 10.1089/fpsam.2022.0009] [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] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Large-scale studies characterizing septoplasty revision rates are lacking. Objectives: To identify rates of septoplasty revision in the United States. Methods: Patients undergoing initial septoplasty between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2013 were identified using the IBM® MarketScan® Commercial Database. Patients were excluded if they had nasal vestibular stenosis, rhinoplasty, or costal cartilage grafts for the initial surgery, or did not have either septoplasty, nasal vestibular stenosis, rhinoplasty, and/or costal cartilage grafts for the second surgery. Results: 295,236 patients received an initial septoplasty, and 3213 (1.1%) patients underwent a revision. Among the revision group, 178 (5.4%) patients received a septorhinoplasty, among which 13 (7.3%) required a costal cartilage graft. Older patients were less likely to need revision surgery (RS). Patients in the Northeast and West were significantly more likely than patients in the Midwest to undergo RS. Insurance plans such as comprehensive and point-of-service were associated with greater odds of RS, whereas others such as high-deductible health plans were associated with lower odds. Conclusion: Septoplasty revision rates are relatively low at 1.1% but influenced by age, region, and insurance plan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gun Min Youn
- Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
- Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Jay P. Shah
- Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
- Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Eric X. Wei
- Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Cherian Kandathil
- Division of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Sam P. Most
- Division of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
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Demonstration of Accuracy and Feasibility of Remotely Delivered Oximetry: A Blinded, Controlled, Real-World Study of Regional/Rural Children with Obstructive Sleep Apnoea. Healthcare (Basel) 2023; 11:healthcare11020278. [PMID: 36673646 PMCID: PMC9859066 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11020278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Objectives: Evaluate diagnostic accuracy and feasibility of a mail-out home oximetry kit. Design: Patients were referred for both the tertiary/quaternary-centre hospital-delivered oximetry (HDO) and for the mail-out remotely-delivered oximetry (RDO). Quantitative and qualitative data were collected. The COVID-19 pandemic began during this study; therefore, necessary methodological adjustments were implemented. Setting: Patients were first evaluated in Swan Hill, Victoria. RDO kits were sent to home addresses. For the HDO, patients travelled to the Melbourne city area, received the kit, stayed overnight, and returned the kit the following morning. Participants: All consecutive paediatric patients (aged 2−18), diagnosed by a specialist in Swan Hill with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) on history/examination, and booked for tonsillectomy +/− adenoidectomy, were recruited. Main outcome measures: Diagnostic accuracy (i.e., comparison of RDO to HDO results) and test delivery time (i.e., days from consent signature to oximetry delivery) were recorded. Patient travel distances for HDO collection were calculated using home/delivery address postcodes and Google® Maps data. Qualitative data were collected with two digital follow-up surveys. Results: All 32 patients that had both the HDO and RDO had identical oximetry results. The HDO mean delivery time was 87.7 days, while the RDO mean delivery time was 23.6 days (p value: <0.001). Qualitatively, 3/28 preferred the HDO, while 25/28 preferred the RDO (n = 28). Conclusions: The remote option is as accurate as the hospital option, strongly preferred by patients, more rapidly completed, and also an ideal investigation delivery method during certain emergencies, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
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10
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Kovoor JG, Bacchi S, Gupta AK, O'Callaghan PG, Trochsler MI, Maddern GJ. Standardizing optimization in surgery. ANZ J Surg 2023; 93:24-25. [PMID: 36546639 DOI: 10.1111/ans.18201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Joshua G Kovoor
- Discipline of Surgery, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,Health and Information, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Stephen Bacchi
- Health and Information, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,Flinders Medical Centre, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Aashray K Gupta
- Health and Information, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,Gold Coast University Hospital, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | - Patrick G O'Callaghan
- Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Markus I Trochsler
- Discipline of Surgery, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Guy J Maddern
- Discipline of Surgery, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,Health and Information, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
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Factors Associated with the Quality and Transparency of National Guidelines: A Mixed-Methods Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19159515. [PMID: 35954872 PMCID: PMC9367745 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19159515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
We assessed the methodological quality and transparency of all the national clinical practice guidelines that were published in Croatia up until 2017 and explored the factors associated with their quality rating. An in-depth quantitative and qualitative analysis was performed using rigorous methodology. We evaluated the guidelines using a validated AGREE II instrument with four raters; we used multiple linear regressions to identify the predictors of quality; and two focus groups, including guideline developers, to further explore the guideline development process. The majority of the guidelines (N = 74) were developed by medical societies. The guidelines’ quality was rated low: the median standardized AGREE II score was low, 36% (IQR 28–42), and so were the overall-assessments. The aspects of the guidelines that were rated best were the “clarity of presentation” and the “scope and purpose” (median ≥ 59%); however, the other four domains received very low scores (15–33%). Overall, the guideline quality did not improve over time. The guidelines that were developed by medical societies scored significantly worse than those developed by governmental, or unofficial working groups (12–43% per domain). In focus group discussions, inadequate methodology, a lack of implementation systems in place, a lack of awareness about editorial independence, and broader expertise/perspectives in working groups were identified as factors behind the low scores. The factors identified as affecting the quality of the national guidelines may help stakeholders who are developing interventions and education programs aimed at improving guideline quality worldwide.
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12
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Ogink PT, Groot OQ, van Steijn N, Im GH, Cha TD, Hershman SH, Bono CM, Schwab JH. Practice Variation Within a Single Institution in Management of Degenerative Spondylolisthesis. Clin Spine Surg 2022; 35:E546-E550. [PMID: 35249973 DOI: 10.1097/bsd.0000000000001305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
STUDY DESIGN This was a retrospective cohort study. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to assess variation in care for degenerative spondylolisthesis (DS) among surgeons at the same institution, to establish diagnostic and therapeutic variables contributing to this variation, and to determine whether variation in care changed over time. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Like other degenerative spinal disorders, DS is prone to practice variation due to the wide array of treatment options. Focusing on a single institution can identify more individualized drivers of practice variation by omitting geographic variability of demographics and socioeconomic factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS We collected number of office visits, imaging procedures, injections, electromyography (EMG), and surgical procedures within 1 year after diagnosis. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine predictors of surgery. The coefficient of variation (CV) was calculated to compare the variation in practice over time. RESULTS Patients had a mean 2.5 (±0.6) visits, 1.8 (±0.7) imaging procedures, and 0.16 (±0.09) injections in the first year after diagnosis. Thirty-six percent (1937/5091) of patients had physical therapy in the 3 months after diagnosis. CV was highest for EMG (95%) and lowest for office visits (22%). An additional spinal diagnosis [odds ratio (OR)=3.99, P <0.001], visiting a neurosurgery clinic (OR=1.81, P =0.016), and diagnosis post-2007 (OR=1.21, P =0.010) were independently associated with increased surgery rates. The CVs for all variables decreased after 2007, with the largest decrease seen for EMG (132% vs. 56%). CONCLUSIONS While there is variation in the management of patients diagnosed with DS between surgeons of a single institution, this variation seems to have gone down in recent years. All practice variables showed diminished variation. The largest variation and subsequent decrease of variation was seen in the use of EMG. Despite the smaller amount of variation, the rate of surgery has gone up since 2007.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul T Ogink
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Olivier Q Groot
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital-Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Nicole van Steijn
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital-Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Gi Hye Im
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital-Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Thomas D Cha
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital-Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Stuart H Hershman
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital-Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Christopher M Bono
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital-Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Joseph H Schwab
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital-Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
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13
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Stachowicz AM, Lambert JW, Hohmann SF, Whiteside JL. Physician and Hospital-level Variation in Hemostatic Agent Use in Benign Gynecologic Procedures. J Minim Invasive Gynecol 2022; 29:1149-1156. [PMID: 35781055 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmig.2022.06.022] [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: 03/09/2022] [Revised: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/25/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
STUDY OBJECTIVE To identify recent nationwide trends in hemostatic agent (HA) use and to explore factors associated with HA use in 3 benign gynecologic surgery contexts: isolated hysterectomy, pelvic organ prolapse repair, and anti-incontinence surgery. DESIGN Retrospective cohort study. SETTING Vizient Clinical Database. PATIENTS Three cohorts of female patients of ≥18 years who underwent benign isolated hysterectomy, pelvic organ prolapse repair, or anti-incontinence procedures were identified between October 2015 and December 2019. INTERVENTIONS HAs are topically applied procoagulant products used for surgical hemostasis and use during included encounters was determined by charge codes. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Subject-, hospital-, and surgeon-level characteristics and costs were captured. Data were initially analyzed in the aggregate and based on procedure category using the chi-square test or independent samples t tests as appropriate. A bootstrap forest model was used to identify the factors most predictive of HA use. In the final cohort of 184 070 encounters, HAs were used most frequently in hysterectomy (20.7%) and least in anti-incontinence surgery (10.9%). The use of HAs increased from 15.6% in quarter 4 2015 to 19.2% in quarter 4 2019 (p <.001). Encounters using HAs cost more than encounters without HAs ($6271.10 vs $4572.00; p <.001). A bootstrap forest model inclusive of all variables found surgeon and hospital identity cumulatively predictive of 84.9% of HA use, 65.5% and 19.4%, respectively. There was significant variation in HA use among individual surgeons, with 59.9% never using HAs. Of those who did use HAs, 72.8% used HAs more frequently than the mean provider HA use rate (19.4%) and 9.2% used HAs in every case he/she performed. CONCLUSION The significant variation in HA use is driven primarily by physician and hospital identity, suggesting that use of HA in these benign gynecologic surgical contexts may be determined more by physician- and hospital-level factors than patient-level factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne M Stachowicz
- Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery, The Christ Hospital, (Dr. Stachowicz), Cincinnati, OH.
| | - Joshua W Lambert
- College of Nursing, University of Cincinnati (Dr. Lambert), Cincinnati, OH
| | - Samuel F Hohmann
- Center for Advanced Analytics and Informatics, Vizient Inc. (Dr. Hohmann), Chicago, IL; Department of Health Systems Management, Rush University (Dr. Hohmann), Chicago, IL
| | - James L Whiteside
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC (Dr. Whiteside)
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Kozicky JM, Schaffer A, Beaulieu S, McIntosh D, Yatham LN. Use of a point-of-care web-based application to enhance adherence to the CANMAT and ISBD 2018 guidelines for the management of bipolar disorder. Bipolar Disord 2022; 24:392-399. [PMID: 34599641 DOI: 10.1111/bdi.13136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES While clinical guidelines exist for the management of bipolar disorder (BD), there are significant challenges to their widespread dissemination and implementation in clinical practice. The Canadian Network of Mood and Anxiety Treatment Improving Patient Care and Outcomes in the Treatment of Bipolar Disorder (C-IMPACT BD) web-based application was developed for use at the point-of-care to improve adherence to guidelines for evidence-based pharmacological management of BD. METHODS C-IMPACT BD uses a point-of-care practice assessment which, via adaptive questioning of patient-specific information, text/video descriptions of the guidelines, and pop-up prompts delivers personalized, evidence-based treatment recommendations for patients with BD. In order to inform quality improvement of the newly developed tool, a sample of Canadian physicians were invited to use the application and record its influence on their prescribing behavior. RESULTS Of 375 patients with bipolar I (BD-I) or bipolar II (BD-II) disorder for whom a point-of-care practice assessment was completed, a change in therapy was considered for 225 (60.0%). Prior to completing the assessment, 59.6% of these patients were receiving first-line therapy recommended for their phase of illness. Following the assessment, the overall number of patients for whom a first-line recommended therapy was being considered increased significantly to 76.9% (p = 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS Outcomes suggest that the C-IMPACT BD web-based application has the potential to improve physician adherence to clinical treatment guidelines. Formal research investigations are warranted to explore the impact of this tool on physician prescribing behavior and patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan-Marie Kozicky
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Ayal Schaffer
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Serge Beaulieu
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Diane McIntosh
- Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Lakshmi N Yatham
- Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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What’s the SCORE? Current management of symptomatic, clinically occult, radiologically evident inguinal hernias. Ann R Coll Surg Engl 2022; 104:353-355. [DOI: 10.1308/rcsann.2021.0211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Symptomatic, clinically occult, radiologically evident inguinal hernias (SCORE-IH) are challenging due to diagnostic uncertainty and a lack of treatment consensus. This study explores current practice among surgeons treating SCORE-IH. Methods A trainee-led research collaborative (STEER) disseminated a validated online survey among UK and international consultants. Collated responses were analysed to determine surgeons’ experience and approach to the management of SCORE-IH. Results A total of 73 responses were received. Overall, 26% of respondents performed more than 100 IH repairs annually. Nearly two-thirds (62%) were unaware of SCORE-IH guidelines. Surgeons chose ultrasonography (31.5%) or ultrasonography with magnetic resonance imaging (24.6%) to manage SCORE-IH. Surgeons managed SCORE-IH conservatively or operatively in 31% and 36% of cases, respectively. Surgeons’ experience and laparoscopic capacity did not correlate with their approach to SCORE-IH management. Conclusions There is heterogeneity in SCORE-IH management, likely due to an absence of adequate guidelines. The results highlight that further SCORE-IH research is needed to achieve consensus.
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Kurdi A. Opioids and Gabapentinoids Utilisation and Their Related-Mortality Trends in the United Kingdom Primary Care Setting, 2010-2019: A Cross-National, Population-Based Comparison Study. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:732345. [PMID: 34594223 PMCID: PMC8476961 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.732345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: There is growing concern over the increasing utilisation trends of opioids and gabapentinoids across but there is lack of data assessing and comparing the utilisation trends across the four United Kingdom countries. We assessed/compared opioids and gabapentinoids utilisation trends across the four United Kingdom countries then evaluated the correlation between their utilisation with related mortality. Methods: This repeated cross-national study used Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) datasets (2010–2019). Opioids and gabapentinoids utilisation were measured using number of items dispensed/1,000 inhabitants and defined daily doses (DDDs)/1,000 inhabitant/day. Number of Opioids and gabapentinoids-related mortality were extracted from the United Kingdom Office for National Statistics (2010–2018). Data were analysed using descriptive statistics including linear trend analysis; correlation between the Opioids and gabapentinoids utilisation and their related mortality using Pearson correlation coefficient. Results: The results illustrated an overall significant increasing trend in the utilisation of opioids (12.5–14%) and gabapentinoids (205–207%) with substantial variations among the four United Kingdom countries. For opioids, Scotland had the highest level of number of items dispensed/1,000 inhabitant (156.6% higher compared to the lowest level in England), whereas in terms of DDD/1,000 inhabitant/day, NI had the highest level. Utilisation trends increased significantly across the four countries ranging from 7.7% in Scotland to 20.5% in NI (p < 0.001). Similarly, for gabapentinoids, there were significant increasing trends ranging from 126.5 to 114.9% in NI to 285.8–299.6% in Wales (p < 0.001) for number of items/1,000 inhabitants and DDD/1,000 inhabitant/day, respectively. Although the utilisation trends levelled off after 2016, this was not translated into comparable reduction in opioids and gabapentinoids-related mortality as the latter continued to increase with the highest level in Scotland (3.5 times more deaths in 2018 compared to England- 280.1 vs. 79.3 deaths/million inhabitants). There were significant moderate-strong positive correlations between opioids and gabapentinoids utilisation trends and their related mortality. Conclusion: The utilisation trends of opioids and gabapentinoids have increased significantly with substantial variations among the four United Kingdom countries. This coincided with significant increase in their related mortality. Our findings support the call for immediate actions including radical changes in official United Kingdom policies on drug use and effective strategies to promote best clinical practice in opioids and gabapentinoids prescribing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanj Kurdi
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Science, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom.,Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, Hawler Medical University, Erbil, Iraq.,Division of Public Health Pharmacy and Management, School of Pharmacy, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria, South Africa
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Cheraghlou S, Christensen SR, Leffell DJ, Girardi M. Association of Treatment Facility Characteristics With Overall Survival After Mohs Micrographic Surgery for T1a-T2a Invasive Melanoma. JAMA Dermatol 2021; 157:531-539. [PMID: 33787836 DOI: 10.1001/jamadermatol.2021.0023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Importance Early-stage melanoma, among the most common cancers in the US, is typically treated with wide local excision. However, recent advances in immunohistochemistry have led to an increasing number of these cases being excised via Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS). Although studies of resections for other cancers have reported that facility-level factors are associated with patient outcomes, it is not yet established how these factors may affect outcomes for patients treated with Mohs micrographic surgery. Objective To evaluate the association of treatment center academic affiliation and case volume with long-term patient survival after MMS for T1a-T2a invasive melanoma. Design, Setting, and Participants In a retrospective cohort study, 4062 adults with nonmetastatic, T1a-T2a melanoma diagnosed from 2004 to 2014 and treated with MMS in the National Cancer Database (NCDB) were identified. The NCDB includes all reportable cases from Commission on Cancer-accredited facilities and is estimated to capture approximately 50% of all incident melanomas in the US. Multivariable survival analyses were conducted using Cox proportional hazards models. Data analysis was conducted from February 27 to August 18, 2020. Exposures Treatment facility characteristics. Main Outcomes and Measures Overall survival. Results The study population included 4062 patients (2213 [54.5%] men; median [SD] age, 60 [16.3] years) treated at 462 centers. Sixty-two centers were top decile-volume facilities (TDVFs), which treated 1757 patients (61.9%). Most TDVFs were academic institutions (37 of 62 [59.7%]). On multivariable analysis, treatment at an academic center was associated with a nearly 30% reduction in hazard of death (hazard ratio, 0.730; 95% CI, 0.596-0.895). In a separate analysis, treatment at TDVFs was also associated with improved survival (hazard ratio, 0.795; 95% CI, 0.648-0.977). Conclusions and Relevance In this cohort study, treatment of patients with T1a-T2a invasive melanoma excised with MMS at academic and top decile-volume (≥8 cases per year) facilities was associated with improved long-term survival compared with those excised by MMS at nonacademic and low-volume facilities. Identification and protocolization of the practices of these facilities may help to reduce survival differences between centers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shayan Cheraghlou
- Department of Dermatology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Sean R Christensen
- Department of Dermatology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - David J Leffell
- Department of Dermatology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Michael Girardi
- Department of Dermatology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
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Skjold-Ødegaard B, Søreide K. Standardization in surgery: friend or foe? Br J Surg 2021; 107:1094-1096. [PMID: 32749691 DOI: 10.1002/bjs.11573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- B Skjold-Ødegaard
- Department of Surgery, Haugesund Hospital, Haugesund, Norway.,Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway
| | - K Søreide
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway.,Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
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Apramian T, Ott M, Roth K, Lingard L, Tipnis R, Cristancho S. Scut to Scholarship: Can Operative Notes be Educationally Useful? JOURNAL OF SURGICAL EDUCATION 2021; 78:168-177. [PMID: 32718727 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsurg.2020.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2020] [Revised: 06/04/2020] [Accepted: 07/03/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Efforts to implement competency-based medical education require new sources of workplace-based evidence of growth in learning. We used qualitative analysis of operative notes to explore procedural variation in a simple surgical procedure. DESIGN We used a grounded theory-based mixed methods approach to depict intersurgeon procedural variation. Our grounded theory approach to analysis included follow up interviews with surgeons and residents to probe their understandings of the reasons for variation in the dictated notes and the current and potential utility of operative notes as a reliable source of data for learning and assessment. SETTING Publicly funded tertiary care otolaryngology-head & neck surgery residency program in Ontario, Canada PARTICIPANTS: Using maximum variability sampling, all surgeons performing tonsillectomy in the department (n = 6) contributed operative notes from 65 tonsillectomies, 5 intraoperative observations, and 4 semi-structured interviews. An additional 3 residents from various levels of training contributed semistructured interviews. RESULTS Intersurgeon procedural variations persist even in simple surgical procedures such as tonsillectomy. Operative notes appear to capture procedural variations in a limited way. Surgeons and resident make informal educational use of the clerical work of writing and assessing operative notes, but optimization will be required to shift such hidden work into the formal educational domain. CONCLUSIONS The implementation of competency-based medical education requires surgical educators to both eliminate low-yield tasks for learning and to find new opportunities for multiple low-stakes assessment. Analysis of operative notes may become a high-yield strategy for learning and assessment if residents and surgeons are coached to use operative notes more reliably and efficiently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tavis Apramian
- Department of Family Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Mary Ott
- Faculty of Education, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada; Centre for Education Research & Innovation; Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kathryn Roth
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Western University Winnipeg, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Lorelei Lingard
- Centre for Education Research & Innovation; Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Rajas Tipnis
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Sayra Cristancho
- Centre for Education Research & Innovation; Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantinos Spanos
- German Aortic Center Hamburg, Department of Vascular Medicine, University Heart & Vascular Center, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Tilo Kölbel
- German Aortic Center Hamburg, Department of Vascular Medicine, University Heart & Vascular Center, Hamburg, Germany
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21
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Hurley VB, Rodriguez HP, Kearing S, Wang Y, Leung MD, Shortell SM. The Impact Of Decision Aids On Adults Considering Hip Or Knee Surgery. Health Aff (Millwood) 2020; 39:100-107. [PMID: 31905066 PMCID: PMC7082857 DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.2019.00100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Trials of decision aids developed for use in shared decision making find that patients engaged in that process tend to choose more conservative treatment for preference-sensitive conditions. Shared decision making is a collaborative process in which clinicians and patients discuss trade-offs and benefits of specific treatment options in light of patients' values and preferences. Decision aids are paper, video, or web-based tools intended to help patients match personal preferences with available treatment options. We analyzed data for 2012-15 about patients within the ten High Value Healthcare Collaborative member systems who were exposed to condition-specific decision aids in the context of consultations for hip and knee osteoarthritis, with the intention that the aids be used to support shared decision making. Compared to matched patients not exposed to the decision aids, those exposed had two-and-a-half times the odds of undergoing hip replacement surgery and nearly twice the odds of undergoing knee replacement surgery within six months of the consultation. These findings suggest that health care systems adopting decision aids developed for use in shared decision making, and used in conjunction with hip and knee osteoarthritis consultations, should not expect reduced surgical utilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa B Hurley
- Vanessa B. Hurley ( vh151@georgetown. edu ) is an assistant professor of Health Systems Administration at the Georgetown University School of Nursing and Health Studies, in Washington, D.C
| | - Hector P Rodriguez
- Hector P. Rodriguez is the Henry J. Kaiser Professor of Health Policy and Management and codirector of the Center for Healthcare Organizational and Innovation Research, both at the University of California (UC) Berkeley School of Public Health
| | - Stephen Kearing
- Stephen Kearing is a Reporting and Analytics programmer at the High Value Healthcare Collaborative, in Hanover, New Hampshire
| | - Yue Wang
- Yue Wang is a data analyst in the Center for Healthcare Organizational and Innovation Research, UC Berkeley School of Public Health
| | - Ming D Leung
- Ming D. Leung is an associate professor of organization and management at the UC Irvine Paul Merage School of Business
| | - Stephen M Shortell
- Stephen M. Shortell is the Blue Cross of California Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Health Policy and Management, a professor of organization behavior at the School of Public Health and Professor of the Graduate School, codirector of the Center for Healthcare Organizational and Innovation Research, and dean emeritus at the School of Public Health, all at UC Berkeley
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Wadagni AC, Steinhorst J, Barogui YT, Catraye PM, Gnimavo R, Abass KM, Amofa G, Frimpong M, Sarpong FN, van der Werf TS, Phillips R, Sopoh GE, Johnson CR, Stienstra Y. Buruli ulcer treatment: Rate of surgical intervention differs highly between treatment centers in West Africa. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019; 13:e0007866. [PMID: 31658295 PMCID: PMC6855495 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2019] [Revised: 11/14/2019] [Accepted: 10/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Antibiotic treatment proved itself as the mainstay of treatment for Buruli ulcer disease. This neglected tropical disease is caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans. Surgery persists as an adjunct therapy intended to reduce the mycobacterial load. In an earlier clinical trial, patients benefited from delaying the decision to operate. Nevertheless, the rate of surgical interventions differs highly per clinic. Methods A retrospective study was conducted in six different Buruli ulcer (BU) treatment centers in Benin and Ghana. BU patients clinically diagnosed between January 2012 and December 2016 were included and surgical interventions during the follow-up period, at least one year after diagnosis, were recorded. Logistic regression analysis was carried out to estimate the effect of the treatment center on the decision to perform surgery, while controlling for interaction and confounders. Results A total of 1193 patients, 612 from Benin and 581 from Ghana, were included. In Benin, lesions were most frequently (42%) categorized as the most severe lesions (WHO criteria, category III), whereas in Ghana lesions were most frequently (44%) categorized as small lesions (WHO criteria, category I). In total 344 (29%) patients received surgical intervention. The percentage of patients receiving surgical intervention varied between hospitals from 1.5% to 72%. Patients treated in one of the centers in Benin were much more likely to have surgery compared to the clinic in Ghana with the lowest rate of surgical intervention (RR = 46.7 CI 95% [17.5–124.8]). Even after adjusting for confounders (severity of disease, age, sex, limitation of movement at joint at time of diagnosis, ulcer and critical sites), rates of surgical interventions varied highly. Conclusion The decision to perform surgery to reduce the mycobacterial load in BU varies highly per clinic. Evidence based guidelines are needed to guide the role of surgery in the treatment of BU Buruli ulcer is a necrotizing and disabling skin infection, caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans. The infection, a skin-related Neglected Tropical Diseases, affects mostly people living in limited resources settings. Since the introduction of rifampicin based combination antibiotic therapy as standard care, the role of surgery as adjunct therapy to kill M. ulcerans is less defined and understood. A randomized controlled trial showed benefit from delaying the decision to operate. Nevertheless, the rate of surgical interventions differs highly per clinic. We present the differences in rate of surgical interventions in six different Buruli ulcer treatment centers in Ghana and Benin. We demonstrate that these differences mainly depend on the opinion of the health care workers working in the treatment centers even after adjusting for disease severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anita C. Wadagni
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Internal Medicine/Infectious Diseases, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Programme National de Lutte contre la Lèpre et L'Ulcère de Buruli, Ministère de la Santé, Cotonou, République du Bénin
- * E-mail:
| | - Jonathan Steinhorst
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Internal Medicine/Infectious Diseases, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Yves T. Barogui
- Programme National de Lutte contre la Lèpre et L'Ulcère de Buruli, Ministère de la Santé, Cotonou, République du Bénin
| | - P. M. Catraye
- Programme National de Lutte contre la Lèpre et L'Ulcère de Buruli, Ministère de la Santé, Cotonou, République du Bénin
| | - Ronald Gnimavo
- Programme National de Lutte contre la Lèpre et L'Ulcère de Buruli, Ministère de la Santé, Cotonou, République du Bénin
| | | | | | - Michael Frimpong
- Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), School of Medical Sciences and Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Francisca N. Sarpong
- Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), School of Medical Sciences and Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Tjip S. van der Werf
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Internal Medicine/Infectious Diseases, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Richard Phillips
- Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), School of Medical Sciences and Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Ghislain E. Sopoh
- Programme National de Lutte contre la Lèpre et L'Ulcère de Buruli, Ministère de la Santé, Cotonou, République du Bénin
| | - Christian R. Johnson
- Programme National de Lutte contre la Lèpre et L'Ulcère de Buruli, Ministère de la Santé, Cotonou, République du Bénin
| | - Ymkje Stienstra
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Internal Medicine/Infectious Diseases, Groningen, The Netherlands
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What Is New in Recovery After Gynecologic Surgery for Benign Indications?: Best Articles From the Past Year. Obstet Gynecol 2019; 134:874-877. [PMID: 31503142 DOI: 10.1097/aog.0000000000003480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
This month we focus on current research in recovery after gynecologic surgery for benign indications. Dr. Whiteside discusses four recent publications, which are concluded with a "bottom line" that is the take-home message. A complete reference for each can be found on on this page along with direct links to the abstracts.
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How Do Thresholds of Principle and Preference Influence Surgeon Assessments of Learner Performance? Ann Surg 2019; 268:385-390. [PMID: 28463897 DOI: 10.1097/sla.0000000000002284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The present study asks whether intraoperative principles are shared among faculty in a single residency program and explores how surgeons' individual thresholds between principles and preferences might influence assessment. BACKGROUND Surgical education continues to face significant challenges in the implementation of intraoperative assessment. Competency-based medical education assumes the possibility of a shared standard of competence, but intersurgeon variation is prevalent and, at times, valued in surgical education. Such procedural variation may pose problems for assessment. METHODS An entire surgical division (n = 11) was recruited to participate in video-guided interviews. Each surgeon assessed intraoperative performance in 8 video clips from a single laparoscopic radical left nephrectomy performed by a senior learner (>PGY5). Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using the constant comparative method of grounded theory. RESULTS Surgeons' responses revealed 5 shared generic principles: choosing the right plane, knowing what comes next, recognizing normal and abnormal, making safe progress, and handling tools and tissues appropriately. The surgeons, however, disagreed both on whether a particular performance upheld a principle and on how the performance could improve. This variation subsequently shaped their reported assessment of the learner's performance. CONCLUSIONS The findings of the present study provide the first empirical evidence to suggest that surgeons' attitudes toward their own procedural variations may be an important influence on the subjectivity of intraoperative assessment in surgical education. Assessment based on intraoperative entrustment may harness such subjectivity for the purpose of implementing competency-based surgical education.
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE To explore geographic variations in Irish laparoscopic and open appendectomy procedures. DESIGN Analysis based on 2014-2017 administrative hospital data from public hospitals. SETTING Counties of Ireland. PARTICIPANTS Irish residents with hospital admissions for an appendectomy as the principal procedure. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Age and gender standardised laparoscopic and open appendectomy rates for 26 counties. Geographic variation measured with the extremal quotient (EQ), coefficient of variation (CV) and the systematic component of variation (SCV). RESULTS 23 684 appendectomies were included. 77.6% (n= 18,387) were performed laparoscopically. An EQ of 8.3 for laparoscopy and 10.0 for open appendectomy was determined. A high CV was demonstrated with a value of 36.7 and 80.8 for laparoscopic and open appendectomy, respectively. An SCV of 14.2 and 124.8 for laparoscopic and open appendectomy was observed. A wider variation was determined when children and adults were assessed separately. CONCLUSIONS The geographic distribution in rates of appendectomy varies considerably across Irish counties. Our data suggest that a patient's likelihood of undergoing a laparoscopic or open appendectomy is associated with their county of residence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ola Ahmed
- General Surgery, Wexford General Hospital, Wexford, Ireland
| | - Ken Mealy
- General and Colorectal Surgery, Wexford General Hospital, Wexford, Ireland
| | - Jan Sorensen
- Healthcare Outcomes Research Centre, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
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Polen-De C, Meganathan K, Lang P, Hohmann S, Jackson A, Whiteside JL. Nationwide salpingectomy rates for an indication of permanent contraception before and after published practice guidelines. Contraception 2019; 100:111-115. [DOI: 10.1016/j.contraception.2019.03.054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2019] [Revised: 03/20/2019] [Accepted: 03/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Abstract
STUDY DESIGN A retrospective study. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to examine practice variation in the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis and identify targets for reducing variation. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Lumbar spinal stenosis is a degenerative condition susceptible to practice variation. Reducing variation aims to improve quality, increase safety, and lower costs. Establishing differences in surgeons' practices from a single institution can help identify personalized variation. METHODS We identified adult patients first diagnosed with lumbar spinal stenosis between 2003 and 2015 in three hospitals of the same institution with ICD-9 codes.We extracted number of office visits, imaging procedures, injections, electromyographies (EMGs), and surgery within the first year after diagnosis; physical therapy within the first 3 months after diagnosis. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with surgery. The coefficient of variation (CV) was calculated to compare the variation in practice. RESULTS The 10,858 patients we included had an average of 2.5 visits (±1.9), 1.5 imaging procedures (±2.0), 0.03 EMGs (±0.22), and 0.16 injections (±0.53); 36% had at least one surgical procedure and 32% had physical therapy as part of their care. The CV was smallest for number of visits (19%) and largest for EMG (140%).Male sex [odds ratio (OR): 1.23, P < 0.001], seeing an additional surgeon (OR: 2.82, P < 0.001), and having an additional spine diagnosis (OR: 3.71, P < 0.001) were independently associated with surgery. Visiting an orthopedic clinic (OR: 0.46, P < 0.001) was independently associated with less surgical interventions than visiting a neurosurgical clinic. CONCLUSION There is widespread variation in the entire spectrum of diagnosis and therapy for lumbar spinal stenosis among surgeons in the same institution. Male gender, seeing an additional surgeon, having an additional spine diagnosis, and visiting a neurosurgery clinic were independently associated with increased surgical intervention. The main target we identified for decreasing variability was the use of diagnostic EMG. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 3.
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Wang LJ, Ergul EA, Mohebali J, Goodney PP, Patel VI, Conrad MF, Eagleton MJ, Clouse WD. Regional variation in use and outcomes of combined carotid endarterectomy and coronary artery bypass. J Vasc Surg 2019; 70:1130-1136. [PMID: 30922761 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvs.2019.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2018] [Accepted: 02/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE In treating concomitant carotid and coronary disease, some recommend staged carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and coronary artery bypass grafting, whereas others favor the combined approach (CCAB). Pressure to reduce surgical variation and to improve quality is real, yet little is known about how geographic practice differences affect outcomes. Using the Vascular Quality Initiative (VQI), this study evaluated regional variation in use and outcomes of CCAB. METHODS All CCAB procedures in the VQI from 2003 to 2017 were reviewed and stratified into four regions, as defined by the United States Census Bureau. Primary outcomes included perioperative stroke, death, myocardial infarction (MI), and these as composite (SDM). A χ2 analysis was performed. RESULTS There were 1495 CCAB procedures identified, representing 1.8% of the VQI CEAs. Regions included the following: Midwest (MW), 32%; Northeast (NE), 39%; South (S), 25%; and West (W), 4%. Most were male (70%) and white (92%). There was significant regional variation in proportional volume of CCABs to all CEAs (0.7% [W] to 2.5% [MW]; P < .001). Regional variation in patch use (78% [W] to 93% [MW]; P < .001), shunting (29% [W] to 71% [MW]; P < .001), and electroencephalography monitoring (13% [W] to 52% [NE]; P < .001) was also significant. Overall perioperative stroke was 3.6%; death, 3.0%; and SDM, 6.8%. No regional difference was seen in outcomes of mortality (1.5% [MW] to 4.2% [NE]; P = .05), stroke (2.8% [NE] to 4.4% [MW]; P = .52), and MI (0.6% [MW] to 1.8% [W]; P = .62). When the Bonferroni correction was used, there remained no difference in stroke, MI, or SDM across regions, but mortality became significant. Using the Society for Vascular Surgery guidelines for consideration of CCAB, the minority of patients fell within the symptomatic carotid stenosis (SYMP, 15%; n = 218) or severe (≥70%) asymptomatic bilateral carotid disease (BIL, 18%; n = 267) categories. The most common indication was asymptomatic unilateral severe carotid stenosis (UNI, 37%; n = 552). There were no differences in regional outcomes stratified by indication (SYMP, BIL, UNI). Overall, when SYMP and BIL were compared with UNI, UNI had lower rates of stroke (2.4% vs 4.9%; P = .03) but similar MI (0.7% vs 1.2%; P = .40) and mortality (2.2% vs 2.5%; P = .75). CONCLUSIONS Significant variation exists across VQI centers in the use of CCAB. Despite differences in volume and practices, regional perioperative outcomes are similar. UNI is the most commonly used indication and has lower stroke rates relative to SYMP and BIL. CCAB is performed well across the United States, but most patients fall outside of Society for Vascular Surgery guidelines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda J Wang
- Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Mass
| | - Emel A Ergul
- Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Mass
| | - Jahan Mohebali
- Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Mass
| | - Philip P Goodney
- Section of Vascular Surgery, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH
| | - Virendra I Patel
- Division of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Interventions, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY
| | - Mark F Conrad
- Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Mass
| | - Matthew J Eagleton
- Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Mass
| | - W Darrin Clouse
- Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Mass.
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Wu CM, Wu AM, Greenberg PB, Yu F, Lum F, Coleman AL. Frequency of Bevacizumab and Ranibizumab Injections for Diabetic Macular Edema in Medicare Beneficiaries. Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina 2019; 49:241-244. [PMID: 29664980 DOI: 10.3928/23258160-20180329-05] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2017] [Accepted: 10/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE To describe the frequency and variation of intravitreal bevacizumab (Avastin; Genentech, South San Francisco, CA) and ranibizumab (Lucentis; Genentech, South San Francisco, CA) use for diabetic macular edema (DME) in the United States. PATIENTS AND METHODS The authors obtained a 5% sample of Medicare beneficiaries from the Medicare Part B claims files from 2010 to 2013 and identified beneficiaries with DME using the ICD-9-CM code (362.07). Geographic variation was examined by comparing injection frequencies of bevacizumab and ranibizumab across U.S. census divisions using Chi-squared analysis. RESULTS The sample included 5,290 Medicare beneficiaries with DME. Overall, there was greater bevacizumab use (86.4%) compared to ranibizumab use (13.6%). Frequency of bevacizumab use was highest in the Mountain division (92.2%) and lowest in the Mid-Atlantic (76.0%). The total number of bevacizumab and ranibizumab injections for DME varied significantly between U.S. census divisions (P < .0001). CONCLUSION Bevacizumab is used more frequently than ranibizumab for the treatment of DME among Medicare beneficiaries, with significant geographic variation. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2018;49:241-244.].
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Van Haren RM, Atay SM. Enhancing the study of enhanced recovery after thoracic surgery: methodology and population-based approaches for the future. J Thorac Dis 2019; 11:S612-S618. [PMID: 31032079 DOI: 10.21037/jtd.2019.01.81] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Achieving optimal outcomes following thoracic surgery requires a complex multidisciplinary effort spanning the entire peri-operative period. Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols aim to codify essential elements in care across all perioperative settings. As thoracic surgeons have begun to embrace ERAS, identification of optimal protocol elements and novel study endpoints is necessary. In this review we will briefly review the current available evidence for ERAS in thoracic surgery, while focusing on study methods and design. We will discuss methodology for future studies and how a population-based approach can improve the current level of evidence supporting broad implementation of ERAS to thoracic surgery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert M Van Haren
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Scott M Atay
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Gendy S, ElGebeily M, El-Sobky TA, Khoshhal KI, Jawadi AH. Current practice and preferences to management of equinus in children with ambulatory cerebral palsy: A survey of orthopedic surgeons. SICOT J 2019; 5:3. [PMID: 30816087 PMCID: PMC6394235 DOI: 10.1051/sicotj/2019003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2018] [Accepted: 01/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: The consensus among orthopedic surgeons on the management of equinus deformity in cerebral palsy (CP) children has not been reported previously despite being a prevalent deformity. The goals of this study were to examine the orthopedic surgeons’ current practice regarding the management of equinus deformity in children with ambulatory CP, and analyze variations in current practice between general orthopedic and pediatric orthopedic surgeons. Methods: We implemented a brief cross-sectional self-reported questionnaire that addressed the areas of clinical examination and decision-making skills of management of equinus deformity in CP children. We targeted a convenience sample of 400 participants. Surgeons that provided complete responses to the questionnaire were 223 with a response rate of 56%, of which 123 (55%) were general orthopedic surgeons, whereas 100 (45%) were pediatric orthopedic surgeons. The target population consisted of orthopedic surgeons who were further sub-classified in accordance with practice age, general versus pediatric, and exposure to children’s orthopedics during the last three years of their practice. For analytical statistics, the Chi-Square test and Fisher’s exact test were used to examine the relationship between two qualitative variables. Results: The overall clinical practice preferences of all survey participants were unimpressive with discordant survey responses. Pediatric orthopedic surgeons generally demonstrated a statistically significant difference regarding clinical assessment skill items of the survey, in contrast to general orthopedic surgeons. However, we found no differences between pediatric orthopedic and general orthopedic surgeons regarding most of the decision-making/knowledge items. Discussion: Generally, there are insufficient clinical practice trends of both general and pediatric orthopedic surgeons regarding equinus treatment in CP children. This may indicate a knowledge–practice gap with potential risks to CP children undergoing surgery for equinus. There is a need for a more competent exposure to CP in orthopedic surgeons’ educational curricula and an updated health referral system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Gendy
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Hurghada General Hospital, Hurghada, Egypt
| | - Mohamed ElGebeily
- Division of Pediatric Orthopaedics and Limb Reconstruction Surgery, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Ain-Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Tamer A El-Sobky
- Division of Pediatric Orthopaedics and Limb Reconstruction Surgery, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Ain-Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Khalid I Khoshhal
- Department of Orthopedics, College of Medicine, Taibah University, Almadinah Almunawwarah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ayman H Jawadi
- Department of Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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Whiteside JL, Kaeser CT, Ridgeway B. Achieving high value in the surgical approach to hysterectomy. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2019; 220:242-245. [PMID: 30419200 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2018.11.124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2018] [Revised: 10/26/2018] [Accepted: 11/01/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Value-based care, best clinical outcome relative to cost, is a priority in correcting the high costs for average clinical outcomes of health care delivery in the United States. Hysterectomy represents the most common and identifiable nonobstetric major surgical procedure among women. Surgical approaches to hysterectomy in the United States have changed in recent decades. For benign indications, clinical evidence identifies the superiority of vaginal hysterectomy over all other routes. These conclusions rest on clinical outcomes; however, cost differentials also exist across hysterectomy approaches, with the vaginal approach consistently incurring the lowest overall costs. Taken together, vaginal hysterectomy has the highest value, whereas the robotic (given high costs) and abdominal approaches (given less favorable clinical outcomes) have less value. Traditional laparoscopic hysterectomy holds an intermediate value. Increasing the use of high-value hysterectomy approaches can be achieved by adopting multimodal strategies, with changes in the payment models being the most important.
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Affiliation(s)
- James L Whiteside
- The University of Cincinnati, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cincinnati, OH.
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Ahmed O, Mealy K, Kelliher G, Keane F, Sorensen J. Exploring geographical variation in access to general surgery in Ireland: Evidence from a national study. Surgeon 2019; 17:139-145. [PMID: 30709680 DOI: 10.1016/j.surge.2018.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2018] [Revised: 12/15/2018] [Accepted: 12/29/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Improving the equity of surgical services is an important objective of all clinical programmes both local and overseas. Variations in access to care threaten to dismantle the structural paradigm of any health service and such information can aid in promoting quality and access to surgical services. The aim of this study was to explore the geographical variation in the utilisation of common general surgical procedures in Ireland as a measure of the population's access to surgical interventions. METHODS Age- and gender-standardized rates for 6 common general surgical procedures were calculated for 28 geographic areas (counties) in the Republic of Ireland using data from the national Hospital Inpatient Enquiry System. Standard statistical indicators (systematic component of variation, coefficient of variation and extremal quotient) were used to measure the extent of regional variation. RESULTS A total of 998,406 episodes of hospital care were included in the analysis. Large variation in utilisation was present between the studied counties; CV > 0.3 (range 19.4-31.2), SCV > 5 (range 5.2-14.6). Most procedures were utilised at substantially higher rates outside the larger cities (Dublin, Galway, Waterford). CONCLUSION Variations stemming from inefficient and unequal access are important components and markers of modern health systems and should be minimal. County of residence appears to have a clear influence on a patients' inaccessibility to certain interventions. Our findings imply a need for improved access at a regional level by facilitating the integration of public policies and promoting services at the appropriate settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ola Ahmed
- Department of General Surgery, Wexford General Hospital, Wexford, Ireland.
| | - Ken Mealy
- Department of General Surgery, Wexford General Hospital, Wexford, Ireland; National Clinical Programme in Surgery, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Gerry Kelliher
- National Clinical Programme in Surgery, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Frank Keane
- National Clinical Programme in Surgery, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Jan Sorensen
- Healthcare Research Outcomes Centre, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin 2, Ireland
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Chen TC, Chen LC, Kerry M, Knaggs RD. Prescription opioids: Regional variation and socioeconomic status - evidence from primary care in England. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2019; 64:87-94. [PMID: 30641450 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2018.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2017] [Revised: 09/14/2018] [Accepted: 10/22/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study aimed to quantify opioid prescriptions dispensed from primary care practices throughout England and investigate its association with socioeconomic status (SES). METHODS This cross-sectional study used publicly available data in 2015, including practice-level dispensing data and characteristics of registrants from the United Kingdom (UK) National Health Service Digital, and Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) data from Department of Communities and Local Government. Practices in England which issued opioid prescriptions that could be assigned a defined daily dose (DDD) in the claim-based dispensing database were included. The total amount of opioid prescriptions dispensed (DDD/1000 registrants/day) was calculated for each practice. The association between dispensed opioid prescriptions and IMD was analyzed by multi-level regression and adjusted for registrants' characteristics and the clustered effect of Clinical Commissioning Groups. Subgroup analysis was conducted for practices in London, Birmingham, Manchester and Newcastle. RESULTS Of the 7856 included practices in England, the median and interquartile range (IQR) of prescription opioids dispensed was 36.9 (IQR: 23.1, 52.5) DDD/1000 registrants/day. The median opioid utilization (DDD/1000 registrants/day) amongst practices varied between Manchester (53.1; IQR: 36.8, 71.4), Newcastle (48.9; IQR: 38.8, 60.1), Birmingham (35.3; IQR: 23.1, 49.4) and London (13.9; IQR: 8.1, 18.8). Lower SES, increased prevalence of patients aged more than 65 years, female gender, smoking, obesity and depression were significantly associated with increased opioid prescriptions. For every decrease in IMD decile (lower SES), there was a significant increase of opioid utilization by 1.0 (95% confidence interval: 0.89, 1.2, P < 0.001) DDD/1000 registrants/day. CONCLUSION There was substantial variation in opioid prescriptions among practices from Northern and Eastern England to Southern England. A significant association between increased opioid prescriptions and greater deprivation at a population level was observed. Further longitudinal studies using individual patient data are needed to validate this association and identify the potential mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teng-Chou Chen
- Division of Pharmacy Practice and Policy, School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, East Drive, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom.
| | - Li-Chia Chen
- Centre for Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety, Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre Stopford Building, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, United Kingdom.
| | - Miriam Kerry
- Division of Pharmacy Practice and Policy, School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, East Drive, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom.
| | - Roger David Knaggs
- Division of Pharmacy Practice and Policy, School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, East Drive, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom; Primary Integrated Community Solutions, Unit 4 Ash Tree Court, Nottingham Business Park, Nottingham NG6 8PY, United Kingdom.
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Harris IA, Cuthbert A, de Steiger R, Lewis P, Graves SE. Practice variation in total hip arthroplasty versus hemiarthroplasty for treatment of fractured neck of femur in Australia. Bone Joint J 2019; 101-B:92-95. [DOI: 10.1302/0301-620x.101b1.bjj-2018-0666.r1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Aims Displaced femoral neck fractures (FNF) may be treated with partial (hemiarthroplasty, HA) or total hip arthroplasty (THA), with recent recommendations advising that THA be used in community-ambulant patients. This study aims to determine the association between the proportion of FNF treated with THA and year of surgery, day of the week, surgeon practice, and private versus public hospitals, adjusting for known confounders. Patients and Methods Data from 67 620 patients in the Australian Orthopaedic Association National Joint Replacement Registry (AOANJRR) from 1999 to 2016 inclusive were used to generate unadjusted and adjusted analyses of the associations between patient, time, surgeon and institution factors, and the proportion of FNF treated with THA. Results Overall, THA was used in 23.7% of patients. THA was more frequently used over time, in younger patients, in healthier patients, in cases performed on weekdays (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 1.27; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.14 to 1.41), in private hospitals (adjusted OR 4.34; 95% CI 3.94 to 4.79) and by surgeons whose hip arthroplasty practice has a relatively higher proportion of elective patients (adjusted OR 1.65; 95% CI 1.49 to 1.83). Conclusion Practice variation exists in the proportion of FNF patients treated with THA due to variables other than patient factors. This may reflect variation in resources available and surgeon preference, and uncertainty regarding the relative indication.
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Affiliation(s)
- I. A. Harris
- Australian Orthopaedic Association National Joint Replacement Registry, Adelaide, Australia
| | - A. Cuthbert
- Australian Orthopaedic Association National Joint Replacement Registry, Adelaide, Australia
| | - R. de Steiger
- Australian Orthopaedic Association National Joint Replacement Registry, Adelaide, Australia
| | - P. Lewis
- Australian Orthopaedic Association National Joint Replacement Registry, Adelaide, Australia
| | - S. E. Graves
- Australian Orthopaedic Association National Joint Replacement Registry, Adelaide, Australia
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Rosenberg A, Fucile C, White RJ, Trayhan M, Farooq S, Quill CM, Nelson LA, Weisenthal SJ, Bush K, Zand MS. Visualizing nationwide variation in medicare Part D prescribing patterns. BMC Med Inform Decis Mak 2018; 18:103. [PMID: 30454029 PMCID: PMC6245567 DOI: 10.1186/s12911-018-0670-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2017] [Accepted: 10/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background To characterize the regional and national variation in prescribing patterns in the Medicare Part D program using dimensional reduction visualization methods. Methods Using publicly available Medicare Part D claims data, we identified and visualized regional and national provider prescribing profile variation with unsupervised clustering and t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding (t-SNE) dimensional reduction techniques. Additionally, we examined differences between regionally representative prescribing patterns for major metropolitan areas. Results Distributions of prescribing volume and medication diversity were highly skewed among over 800,000 Medicare Part D providers. Medical specialties had characteristic prescribing patterns. Although the number of Medicare providers in each state was highly correlated with the number of Medicare Part D enrollees, some states were enriched for providers with > 10,000 prescription claims annually. Dimension-reduction, hierarchical clustering and t-SNE visualization of drug- or drug-class prescribing patterns revealed that providers cluster strongly based on specialty and sub-specialty, with large regional variations in prescribing patterns. Major metropolitan areas had distinct prescribing patterns that tended to group by major geographical divisions. Conclusions This work demonstrates that unsupervised clustering, dimension-reduction and t-SNE visualization can be used to analyze and visualize variation in provider prescribing patterns on a national level across thousands of medications, revealing substantial prescribing variation both between and within specialties, regionally, and between major metropolitan areas. These methods offer an alternative system-wide and pattern-centric view of such data for hypothesis generation, visualization, and pattern identification. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12911-018-0670-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Rosenberg
- Rochester Center for Health Informatics at the University of Rochester Medical Center, 265 Crittenden Blvd - 1.207, Rochester, 14642, NY, USA.,University of Alabama Birmingham, Düsternbrooker Weg 20, Birmingham, 14642, AL, USA
| | - Christopher Fucile
- Rochester Center for Health Informatics at the University of Rochester Medical Center, 265 Crittenden Blvd - 1.207, Rochester, 14642, NY, USA.,University of Alabama Birmingham, Düsternbrooker Weg 20, Birmingham, 14642, AL, USA
| | - Robert J White
- Rochester Center for Health Informatics at the University of Rochester Medical Center, 265 Crittenden Blvd - 1.207, Rochester, 14642, NY, USA.,Clinical and Translational Science Institute, University of Rochester Medical Center, 265 Crittenden Blvd, Rochester, 14642, NY, USA
| | - Melissa Trayhan
- Rochester Center for Health Informatics at the University of Rochester Medical Center, 265 Crittenden Blvd - 1.207, Rochester, 14642, NY, USA.,Clinical and Translational Science Institute, University of Rochester Medical Center, 265 Crittenden Blvd, Rochester, 14642, NY, USA
| | - Samir Farooq
- Rochester Center for Health Informatics at the University of Rochester Medical Center, 265 Crittenden Blvd - 1.207, Rochester, 14642, NY, USA.,Clinical and Translational Science Institute, University of Rochester Medical Center, 265 Crittenden Blvd, Rochester, 14642, NY, USA
| | - Caroline M Quill
- Rochester Center for Health Informatics at the University of Rochester Medical Center, 265 Crittenden Blvd - 1.207, Rochester, 14642, NY, USA.,Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, University of Rochester Medical Center, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Rochester, 14642, NY, USA.,Clinical and Translational Science Institute, University of Rochester Medical Center, 265 Crittenden Blvd, Rochester, 14642, NY, USA
| | - Lisa A Nelson
- Department Pharmacy, University of Rochester Medical Center, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Rochester, 14642, NY, USA
| | - Samuel J Weisenthal
- Rochester Center for Health Informatics at the University of Rochester Medical Center, 265 Crittenden Blvd - 1.207, Rochester, 14642, NY, USA.,Clinical and Translational Science Institute, University of Rochester Medical Center, 265 Crittenden Blvd, Rochester, 14642, NY, USA
| | - Kristen Bush
- Rochester Center for Health Informatics at the University of Rochester Medical Center, 265 Crittenden Blvd - 1.207, Rochester, 14642, NY, USA.,Clinical and Translational Science Institute, University of Rochester Medical Center, 265 Crittenden Blvd, Rochester, 14642, NY, USA
| | - Martin S Zand
- Rochester Center for Health Informatics at the University of Rochester Medical Center, 265 Crittenden Blvd - 1.207, Rochester, 14642, NY, USA. .,Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology, University of Rochester Medical Center, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Rochester, 14642, NY, USA. .,Clinical and Translational Science Institute, University of Rochester Medical Center, 265 Crittenden Blvd, Rochester, 14642, NY, USA.
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Facilitators and Barriers to Reducing Emergency Department Admissions for Chest Pain: A Qualitative Study. Crit Pathw Cardiol 2018; 17:201-207. [PMID: 30418250 DOI: 10.1097/hpc.0000000000000145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chest pain of possible cardiac etiology is a leading reason for emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalizations nationwide. Evidence suggests outpatient management is safe and effective for low-risk patients; however, ED admission rates for chest pain vary widely. To identify barriers and facilitators to outpatient management after ED visits, we performed a multicenter qualitative study of key stakeholders. METHODS AND RESULTS We identified Massachusetts hospitals with below-average admission rates for adult ED chest pain visits from 2010 to 2011. We performed a qualitative case study of 27 stakeholders across 4 hospitals to identify barriers and facilitators to outpatient management. Clinicians cited ability to coordinate follow-up care, including stress testing and cardiology consultation, as key facilitators of ED discharge. When these services are unavailable, or inconsistently available, they present a barrier to outpatient management. Clinicians identified pressure to maintain throughput and the lack of observation units as barriers to ED discharge. At 3 of 4 hospitals without observation units, clinicians did not use clinical protocols to guide the admission decision. At the site with a dedicated ED observation unit, low ED admission rates were attributed to clinician adherence to clinical protocols. CONCLUSIONS In conclusion, most participants have not adopted protocols focused on reducing variation in ED chest pain admissions. Robust systems to ensure follow-up care after ED visits may reduce admission rates by mitigating the perceived risk of discharging ED patients with chest pain. Greater use of observation protocols may promote adoption of clinical guidelines and reduce admission rates.
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Rudmik L, Beswick DM, Alt JA, Bhattacharyya N, Chester AC, Gray ST, Poetker DM, Stewart MG, Smith TL. Appropriateness Criteria for Surgery in the Management of Adult Recurrent Acute Rhinosinusitis. Laryngoscope 2018; 129:37-44. [PMID: 30284272 DOI: 10.1002/lary.27438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2018] [Revised: 05/23/2018] [Accepted: 06/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS Endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) is frequently performed for recurrent acute rhinosinusitis (RARS). Appropriate indications for surgery among patients with RARS have not yet been rigorously determined. The objective of this study was to define appropriateness criteria for ESS in the management of adult RARS. STUDY DESIGN Application of RAND-UCLA appropriateness methodology. METHODS A panel of nine multidisciplinary experts in RARS was formed to evaluate RARS scenarios generated from current evidence. The panel completed two rounds of a modified Delphi-ranking process and a teleconference. RESULTS A total of 32 clinical scenarios were ranked in each round. For adult patients with RARS, ESS can appropriately be offered as a treatment option when patients experience ≥ four annual episodes, and there is confirmation of at least one episode via computed tomography or nasal endoscopy, and the patient and clinician jointly participate in shared decision making, and the patient has either failed a trial of topical nasal steroids or experienced RARS-related productivity loss. CONCLUSIONS This study has defined appropriateness criteria for ESS as a management option for adult patients with RARS. These criteria are intended to represent a minimum threshold for which ESS should be considered in the treatment of RARS and do not suggest that all patients who meet these criteria should undergo surgery. These criteria may serve as a baseline set of indications for ESS in patients with RARS. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE NA Laryngoscope, 129:37-44, 2019.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke Rudmik
- Department of Surgery, Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Daniel M Beswick
- The Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon.,Department of Otolaryngology and Communication Sciences, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
| | - Jeremiah A Alt
- Sinus and Skull Base Surgery Program, Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | | | | | - Stacey T Gray
- Department of Otolaryngology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Otolaryngology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - David M Poetker
- Department of Surgery, Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Michael G Stewart
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York City, New York, U.S.A
| | - Timothy L Smith
- The Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon
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Gu J, Groot G. Creation of a new clinical framework - why women choose mastectomy versus breast conserving therapy. BMC Med Res Methodol 2018; 18:77. [PMID: 29986654 PMCID: PMC6038174 DOI: 10.1186/s12874-018-0533-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2017] [Accepted: 06/27/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Clinical medicine has lagged behind other fields in understanding and utilizing frameworks to guide research. In this article, we introduce a new framework to examine why women choose mastectomy versus breast conserving therapy in early stage breast cancer, and highlight the importance of utilizing a conceptual framework to guide clinical research. METHODS The framework we present was developed through integrating previous literature, frameworks, theories, models, and the author's past research. RESULTS We present a conceptual framework that illustrates the central domains that influence women's choice between mastectomy versus breast conserving therapy. These have been organized into three broad constructs: clinicopathological factors, physician factors, and individual factors with subgroups of sociodemographic, geographic, and individual belief factors. The aim of this framework is to provide a comprehensive basis to describe, examine, and explain the factors that influence women's choice of mastectomy versus breast conserving therapy at the individual level. CONCLUSION We have developed a framework with the purpose of helping health care workers and policy makers better understand the multitude of factors that influence a patient's choice of therapy at an individual level. We hope this framework is useful for future scholars to utilize, challenge, and build upon in their own work on decision-making in the setting of breast cancer. For clinician-researchers who have limited experience with frameworks, this paper will highlight the importance of utilizing a conceptual framework to guide future research and provide an example.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey Gu
- Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, University of Saskatchewan, Box 7, Health Science Building, 107 Wiggins Rd, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E5, Canada.
| | - Gary Groot
- Community Health and Epidemiology, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
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Kantor O, Wang CH, Yao K. Regional Variation in Performance for Commission on Cancer Breast Quality Measures and Impact on Overall Survival. Ann Surg Oncol 2018; 25:3069-3075. [PMID: 29956092 DOI: 10.1245/s10434-018-6592-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adherence to quality measures has become an important indicator of cancer center performance for high-quality cancer care. We examined regional variation in performance for Commission on Cancer breast quality measures and its impact on overall survival (OS) for those measures that have been shown to impact OS. METHODS Six breast quality measures were analyzed using the National Cancer Data Base from 2014 to 2015, and a multivariable model was used to assess performance for each measure by region. Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazard models were used to examine OS between high- and low-performing centers from 2007 to 2012. RESULTS Overall, 305,391 women had surgery at 1322 institutions in nine US regions; 90.8% underwent needle biopsy (range 86.0-92.6% between regions, p < 0.01), 69.8% had breast-conserving surgery (BCS) for stage 0-II cancer (60.9-79.3%, p < 0.01), 85.2% aged < 70 years had radiation therapy (RT) after BCS (79.6-90.8%, p < 0.01), 78.3% of women with four or more positive nodes had post-mastectomy RT (70.9-84.5%, p < 0.01), 90.9% with hormone receptor (HR)-positive stage IB-III cancer had hormone therapy (83.7-95.1%, p < 0.01), and 89.4% aged < 70 years with HR-negative stage IB-III cancer had chemotherapy (87.6-91.4%, p < 0.01). Multivariate analyses adjusted for patient and facility factors found that region was the only consistent predictor of non-compliance across measures. With median 65-month follow-up, there was no difference in OS between high- and low-performing centers for the three measures that have been shown to impact OS. CONCLUSIONS There is significant regional variation in performance on the breast quality measures but this variation did not impact OS. Targeted efforts in certain areas of the country may help improve performance on these measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Kantor
- Department of Surgery, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Chi-Hsiung Wang
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, IL, USA.,Biostatistical Core, NorthShore University HealthSystem Research Institute, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Katharine Yao
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, IL, USA. .,Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
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Practice variation and practice guidelines: Attitudes of generalist and specialist physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0191943. [PMID: 29385203 PMCID: PMC5792011 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0191943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2017] [Accepted: 01/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective To understand clinicians' beliefs about practice variation and how variation might be reduced. Methods We surveyed board-certified physicians (N = 178), nurse practitioners (N = 60), and physician assistants (N = 12) at an academic medical center and two community clinics, representing family medicine, general internal medicine, and cardiology, from February—April 2016. The Internet-based questionnaire ascertained clinicians' beliefs regarding practice variation, clinical practice guidelines, and costs. Results Respondents agreed that practice variation should be reduced (mean [SD] 4.5 [1.1]; 1 = strongly disagree, 6 = strongly agree), but agreed less strongly (4.1 [1.0]) that it can realistically be reduced. They moderately agreed that variation is justified by situational differences (3.9 [1.2]). They strongly agreed (5.2 [0.8]) that clinicians should help reduce healthcare costs, but agreed less strongly (4.4 [1.1]) that reducing practice variation would reduce costs. Nearly all respondents (234/249 [94%]) currently depend on practice guidelines. Clinicians rated differences in clinician style and experience as most influencing practice variation, and inaccessibility of guidelines as least influential. Time to apply standards, and patient decision aids, were rated most likely to help standardize practice. Nurse practitioners and physicians assistants (vs physicians) and less experienced (vs senior) clinicians rated more favorably several factors that might help to standardize practice. Differences by specialty and academic vs community practice were small. Conclusions Clinicians believe that practice variation should be reduced, but are less certain that this can be achieved. Accessibility of guidelines is not a significant barrier to practice standardization, whereas more time to apply standards is viewed as potentially helpful.
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The purpose of this review is to summarize the treatment options for anterior compartment prolapse, describe the role that apical suspension plays in the correction of anterior vaginal wall prolapse, and assess the risks and benefits of biologic and synthetic graft use in anterior compartment repair. RECENT FINDINGS In 2016, The Cochrane Review published a review of 37 trials including 4023 participants finding that compared to native tissue repair, the use of synthetic mesh resulted in reduced symptomatic prolapse recurrence, anatomic recurrence, and repeat prolapse surgery. There was insufficient evidence regarding quality of life improvement or the use of biologic grafts. Of note the differences between native tissue and mesh kit repairs were not large. SUMMARY A strong consideration should be on the correction of apical prolapse when present; isolated anterior wall repairs should be pursued with caution. The surgeon may consider the use of augmenting materials in their repair of anterior vaginal wall prolapse, although the available evidence is not strongly supportive of their use given potential risks.
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Kantor O, Pesce C, Liederbach E, Wang CH, Winchester DJ, Yao K. Are the ACOSOG Z0011 Trial Findings Being Applied to Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy? Breast J 2017; 23:554-562. [DOI: 10.1111/tbj.12793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Olga Kantor
- Department of Surgery; University of Chicago Medicine; Chicago Illinois
| | - Catherine Pesce
- Department of Surgery; NorthShore University HealthSystem; Evanston Illinois
- Pritzker School of Medicine; University of Chicago; Chicago Illinois
| | - Erik Liederbach
- Department of Surgery; NorthShore University HealthSystem; Evanston Illinois
| | - Chi-Hsiung Wang
- Center for Biomedical Research Informatics; NorthShore University HealthSystem; Evanston Illinois
| | - David J. Winchester
- Department of Surgery; NorthShore University HealthSystem; Evanston Illinois
- Pritzker School of Medicine; University of Chicago; Chicago Illinois
| | - Katharine Yao
- Department of Surgery; NorthShore University HealthSystem; Evanston Illinois
- Pritzker School of Medicine; University of Chicago; Chicago Illinois
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Green SA, Bell D, Mays N. Identification of factors that support successful implementation of care bundles in the acute medical setting: a qualitative study. BMC Health Serv Res 2017; 17:120. [PMID: 28173796 PMCID: PMC5297157 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-017-2070-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2016] [Accepted: 02/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Clinical guidelines offer an accessible synthesis of the best evidence of effectiveness of interventions, providing recommendations and standards for clinical practice. Many guidelines are relevant to the diagnosis and management of the acutely unwell patient during the first 24–48 h of admission. Care bundles are comprised of a small number of evidence-based interventions that when implemented together aim to achieve better outcomes than when implemented individually. Care bundles that are explicitly developed from guidelines to provide a set of related evidence-based actions have been shown to improve the care of many conditions in emergency, acute and critical care settings. This study aimed to review the implementation of two distinct care bundles in the acute medical setting and identify the factors that supported successful implementation. Methods Two initiatives that had used a systematic approach to quality improvement to successfully implement care bundles within the acute medical setting were selected as case studies. Contemporaneous data generated during the initiatives included the review reports, review minutes and audio recordings of the review meetings at different time points. Data were subject to deductive analysis using three domains of the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research to identify factors that were important in the implementation of the care bundles. Results Several factors were identified that directly influenced the implementation of the care bundles. Firstly, the availability of resources to support initiatives, which included training to develop quality improvement skills within the team and building capacity within the organisation more generally. Secondly, the perceived sustainability of changes by stakeholders influenced the embedding new care processes into existing clinical systems, maximising their chance of being sustained. Thirdly, senior leadership support was seen as critical not just in supporting implementation but also in sustaining longer-term changes brought about by the initiative. Lastly, practitioner incentives were identified as potential levers to engage junior doctors, a crucial part of the acute medical work force and essential to the initiatives, as there is currently little recognition or reward for involvement Conclusions The factors identified have been shown to be supportive in the successful implementation of care bundles as a mechanism for implementing clinical guidelines. Addressing these factors at a practitioner and organisational level, alongside the use of a systematic quality improvement approach, should increase the likelihood that care bundles will be implemented successfully to deliver evidence based changes in the acute medical setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stuart A Green
- Department of Health Services Research and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, 15-17 Tavistock Place, London, W1H 9SH, UK. .,NIHR CLAHRC Northwest London, Imperial College London, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, Fulham Road, London, SW10 9NH, UK.
| | - Derek Bell
- NIHR CLAHRC Northwest London, Imperial College London, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, Fulham Road, London, SW10 9NH, UK
| | - Nicholas Mays
- Department of Health Services Research and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, 15-17 Tavistock Place, London, W1H 9SH, UK
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Shah A, Prieto-Alhambra D, Hawley S, Delmestri A, Lippett J, Cooper C, Judge A, Javaid MK. Geographic variation in secondary fracture prevention after a hip fracture during 1999-2013: a UK study. Osteoporos Int 2017; 28:169-178. [PMID: 27812809 PMCID: PMC5248973 DOI: 10.1007/s00198-016-3811-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2016] [Accepted: 10/13/2016] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Fragility fractures of the hip have a major impact on the lives of patients and their families. This study highlights significant geographical variation in secondary fracture prevention with even the highest performing regions failing the majority of patients despite robust evidence supporting the benefits of diagnosis and treatment. INTRODUCTION The purpose of the study is to describe the geographic variation in anti-osteoporosis drug therapy prescriptions before and after a hip fracture during 1999-2013 in the UK. METHODS We used primary care data (Clinical Practice Research Datalink) to identify patients with a hip fracture and primary care prescriptions of any anti-osteoporosis drugs prior to the index hip fracture and up to 5 years after. Geographic variations in prescribing before and after availability of generic oral bisphosphonates were analysed. Multivariable logistic regression models were adjusted for gender, age and body mass index (BMI). RESULTS Thirteen thousand sixty-nine patients (76 % female) diagnosed with a hip fracture during 1999-2013 were identified. Eleven per cent had any anti-osteoporosis drug prescription in the 6 months prior to the index hip fracture. In the 0-4 months following a hip fracture, 5 % of patients were prescribed anti-osteoporosis drugs in 1999, increasing to 51 % in 2011 and then decreasing to 39 % in 2013. The independent predictors (OR (95 % CI)) of treatment initiation included gender (male 0.42 (0.36-0.49)), BMI (0.98 per kg/m2 increase (0.97-1.00)) and geographic region (1.29 (0.89-1.87) North East vs. 0.56 (0.43-0.73) South Central region). Geographic differences in prescribing persisted over the 5-year follow-up. If all patients were treated at the rate of the highest performing region, then nationally, an additional 3214 hip fracture patients would be initiated on therapy every year. CONCLUSIONS Significant geographic differences exist in prescribing of anti-osteoporosis drugs after hip fracture despite adjustment for potential confounders. Further work examining differences in health care provision may inform strategies to improve secondary fracture prevention after hip fracture.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Shah
- NIHR Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Unit, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, University of Oxford, Windmill Road, Oxford, OX3 7LD, UK
| | - D Prieto-Alhambra
- NIHR Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Unit, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, University of Oxford, Windmill Road, Oxford, OX3 7LD, UK
- MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - S Hawley
- NIHR Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Unit, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, University of Oxford, Windmill Road, Oxford, OX3 7LD, UK
| | - A Delmestri
- NIHR Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Unit, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, University of Oxford, Windmill Road, Oxford, OX3 7LD, UK
| | - J Lippett
- Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, Reading, UK
| | - C Cooper
- NIHR Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Unit, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, University of Oxford, Windmill Road, Oxford, OX3 7LD, UK
- MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - A Judge
- NIHR Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Unit, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, University of Oxford, Windmill Road, Oxford, OX3 7LD, UK
- MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - M K Javaid
- NIHR Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Unit, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, University of Oxford, Windmill Road, Oxford, OX3 7LD, UK.
- MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
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Kantor O, Talamonti MS, Lutfi W, Wang CH, Winchester DJ, Marsh R, Prinz RA, Baker MS. External radiation is associated with limited improvement in overall survival in resected margin-negative stage IIB pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Surgery 2016; 160:1466-1476. [DOI: 10.1016/j.surg.2016.07.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2016] [Revised: 05/26/2016] [Accepted: 07/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Baliski CR, Pataky RE. Influence of the SSO/ASTRO Margin Reexcision Guidelines on Costs Associated with Breast-Conserving Surgery. Ann Surg Oncol 2016; 24:632-637. [DOI: 10.1245/s10434-016-5678-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2016] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
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Pataky RE, Baliski CR. Reoperation costs in attempted breast-conserving surgery: a decision analysis. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 23:314-321. [PMID: 27803595 DOI: 10.3747/co.23.2989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Breast-conserving surgery (bcs) is the preferred surgical approach for most patients with early-stage breast cancer. Frequently, concerns arise about the pathologic margin status, resulting in an average reoperation rate of 23% in Canada. No consensus has been reached about the ideal reoperation rate, although 10% has been suggested as a target. Upon undergoing reoperation, many patients choose mastectomy and breast reconstruction, which add to the morbidity and cost of patient care. We attempted to identify the cost of reoperation after bcs, and the effect that a reduction in the reoperation rate could have on the B.C. health care system. METHODS A decision tree was constructed to estimate the average cost per patient undergoing initial bcs with two reoperation frequency scenarios: 23% and 10%. The model included the direct medical costs from the perspective of the B.C. health care system for the most common surgical treatment options, including breast reconstruction and postoperative radiation therapy. RESULTS Costs ranged from a low of $8,225 per patient with definitive bcs [95% confidence interval (ci): $8,061 to $8,383] to a high of $26,026 for reoperation with mastectomy and delayed reconstruction (95% ci: $23,991 to $28,122). If the reoperation rate could be reduced to 10%, the average saving would be $1,055 per patient undergoing attempted bcs (95% ci: $959 to $1,156). If the lower rate were to be achieved in British Columbia, it would translate into a savings of $1.9 million annually. SUMMARY The implementation of initiatives to reduce reoperation after bcs could result in significant savings to the health care system, while potentially improving the quality of patient care.
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Affiliation(s)
- R E Pataky
- Canadian Centre for Applied Research in Cancer Control, BC Cancer Agency, Vancouver
| | - C R Baliski
- Surgical Oncology, Sindi Ahluwalia Hawkins Centre for the Southern Interior, BC Cancer Agency, Kelowna, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC; Department of Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
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Davidson SJ, Rojnica M, Matthews JB, Langerman AJ. Variation and Acquisition of Complex Techniques. Surg Innov 2016; 23:586-592. [DOI: 10.1177/1553350616663322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Background. Complex procedures often have numerous acceptable approaches; it is unclear how surgical fellows choose between techniques. We used pancreaticoduodenectomy as a model to catalogue variability between surgeons and investigate factors that affect fellows’ acquisition of techniques. Materials and methods. Semistructured interviews and operative note analysis were conducted to determine techniques of 5 attending surgeons, and these data were mapped to identify variations. Identical interviews and questioning were completed with 4 fellowship graduates whose practice includes pancreaticoduodenectomy. Results. All surgeons performed a different operation, both in order and techniques employed. Based on minor variations, there were 21 surgical step data points that differed. Of 5 surgeons, 4 were unable to identify colleagues’ techniques. Fellows reported adopting techniques from mentors who had regimented techniques, teaching styles they related to, and with whom they frequently operated. Residency training did not strongly influence their choice of technique; however, senior partners after fellowship did influence technique. Conclusions. The number of variants of pancreaticoduodenectomy based on granular, step-by-step differences is larger than previously described. Results hint that variation may be furthered by the fact that surgeons are not aware of the techniques used by colleagues. Fellows choose techniques based on factors not directly related to their own outcomes but rather mentor factors. Whether fellows adopt techniques that will be optimal given their abilities is worthy of further investigation, as are changes in technique over time. Better codification of variation is needed to facilitate these investigations as well as matching of technical variations to patient outcomes.
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Shafiei E, Fakharian E, Omidi A, Akbari H, Delpisheh A. Effect of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury and Demographic Factors on Psychological Outcome. ARCHIVES OF TRAUMA RESEARCH 2016; 5:e29729. [PMID: 27703960 PMCID: PMC5038154 DOI: 10.5812/atr.29729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2015] [Revised: 01/30/2016] [Accepted: 01/30/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Background It is well-known that severe brain injury can make people susceptible to psychological symptoms. However, mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) is still open for discussion. Objectives This study aimed to compare psychological symptoms of MTBI patients with those without MTBI considering demographic auxiliary variables. Patients and Methods This prospective cohort study was conducted on 50 MTBI patients and 50 healthy subjects aged 15 - 65 years. Psychological assessment was carried out six months post-injury using a series of self-report measures including the brief symptom inventory (BSI) scale. Other information of the individuals in the two groups was recorded prospectively. Data were analyzed using the chi-square test, t-test, and multiple linear regression tests. Results There was a significant difference between the MTBI patients and healthy subjects in all subscales and total score of BSI. Our findings showed that obsession-compulsion and anxiety subscales were significantly more common in the MTBI patients than in the healthy subjects. Also, multivariate regression analysis six months post- injury showed that head trauma and substance abuse can have an effect on psychological symptoms. Conclusions Mild traumatic brain injuries despite of the normal CT scan and history of substance abuse are closely related to psychological symptoms. Therefore, it is recommended that patients with brain trauma 6 months post-injury and subjects with a history of substance abuse be evaluated for psychological distress to support better rehabilitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elham Shafiei
- Trauma Research Center, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, IR Iran
| | - Esmaeil Fakharian
- Trauma Research Center, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, IR Iran
- Corresponding author: Esmaeil Fakharian, Trauma Research Center, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, IR Iran. Tel/Fax: +98-3615620634, E-mail:
| | - Abdollah Omidi
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, IR Iran
| | - Hossein Akbari
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, IR Iran
| | - Ali Delpisheh
- Prevention of Psychosocial Injuries, Research Center, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, IR Iran
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