Outcome measures in European patients with haemophilia: Survey of implementation in routine clinical practice, perception of relevance and recommendations by European treaters in the EHTSB

The value-based healthcare approach to haemophilia: Development of outcome measures for the evaluation of care of people with haemophilia

INTRODUCTION

Considering the advances in haemophilia management and treatment observed in the last decades, a new set of value-based outcome indicators is needed to assess the quality of care and the impact of these medical innovations.

AIM

The Value-Based Healthcare in Haemophilia project aimed to define a set of clinical outcome indicators (COIs) and patient-reported outcome indicators (PROIs) to assess quality of care in haemophilia in high-income countries with a value-based approach to inform and guide the decision-making process.

METHODS

A Value-based healthcare approach based on the available literature, current guidelines and the involvement of a multidisciplinary group of experts was applied to generate a set of indicators to assess the quality of care of haemophilia.

RESULTS

A final list of three COIs and five PROIs was created and validated. The identified COIs focus on two domains: musculoskeletal health and function, and safety. The identified PROIs cover five domains: bleeding frequency, pain, mobility and physical activities, Health-Related Quality of Life and satisfaction. Finally, two composite outcomes, one based on COIs, and one based on PROIs, were proposed as synthetic outcome indicators of quality of care.

CONCLUSION

The presented standard set of health outcome indicators provides the basis for harmonised longitudinal and cross-sectional monitoring and comparison. The implementation of this value-based approach would enable a more robust assessment of quality of care in haemophilia, within a framework of continuous treatment improvements with potential added value for patients. Moreover, proposed COIs and PROIs should be reviewed and updated routinely.

A survey of physicians' treatment switching practice in people on long-term prophylaxis for hemophilia in five European countries

OBJECTIVE

Recombinant factor VIII and factor IX Fc fusion proteins (rFVIIIFc and rFIXFc) were developed with an extended half-life (EHL) to improve the management of people with hemophilia A (PwHA) and B (PwHB), respectively.

METHODS

This survey gathered physician-reported treatment decisions and physician views on outcomes in PwHA or PwHB who switched to rFVIIIFc or rFIXFc in the 12 months prior to study completion.

RESULTS

Physicians (N = 37) considered bleeds, pharmacokinetic parameters, joint health and adherence the most important factors to assess both in routine care and when deciding to switch to an EHL therapy. In the 12 months prior to study completion, 37 physicians switched 113 PwHA to rFVIIIFc and 25 physicians switched 36 PwHB to rFIXFc. Most PwH (>90%) had moderate or severe hemophilia and many (>60%) switched within 6 months of the survey. The main reason for switching PwHA to rFVIIIFc was to allow fewer injections (49%), while the main reason for switching PwHB to rFIXFc was the product becoming available for use (36%). Overall, 96% of PwHA and 89% of PwHB who were switched remained on these EHL products at the time of survey. Mean total weekly dose, injection frequency and annualized bleeding rate were reported to have reduced following switching.

CONCLUSION

This survey provides valuable insight into reasons for, and challenges to, the use of EHL products in clinical practice. Physicians perceived that switching to treatment with rFVIIIFc or rFIXFc can improve quality of life, treatment burden, disease control and adherence.

Development of a Self-Assessment Tool for the Nontechnical Skills of Hemophilia Teams

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

The treatment of chronic illnesses requires health care professionals (HCPs) to master several nontechnical skills to meet patient care needs. This article aims to describe the rationale and the inductive process through which a self-assessment tool for the nontechnical skills of hemophilia teams was conceived, developed, and tested.

METHODS

Starting from an explorative analysis of hemophilia HCP work experiences, the process followed 3 phases: an in-depth analysis of hemophilia HCP skills; the questionnaire development; and a pilot study.

RESULTS

Using the voice of HCPs as a starting point, the tool proved to be able to identify precise cross-professional and intercultural challenges as well as related required and/or acquired skills in the hemophilia field.

CONCLUSION

The proposed tool may contribute to providing HCPs with strategic knowledge to successfully perform everyday practices, to improve the effectiveness of hemophilia teams and the care model adopted by their centers, and to implement intercultural research in this field. It may be used to propose ad hoc training courses targeted by challenge, in order to fill the major gaps reported by the teams, or targeted by medical specialty or country (and therefore health care system) specificity.

Perceived well-being and mental health in haemophilia

The investigation of mental health among persons with haemophilia is mostly focused on negative and disease-related indicators. Literature however shows that psychosocial resources and optimal daily functioning can co-exist with chronic disease. The Dual Continua Model operationalizes positive mental health as 'flourishing', a condition comprising emotional, psychological, and social well-being dimensions. In the present study physical and mental health were comparatively assessed through positive and negative indicators in adults with haemophilia and a control group. Participants included 84 Italian persons with severe haemophilia (M_age = 43.44; SD_age = 13.04) and 164 adults without history of chronic illness (M_age = 40.98; SD_age = 12.26), who completed the Short Form Health Survey, the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, and the Mental Health Continuum Short Form. MANOVA and post-hoc t-tests provided evidence of worse general health, lower negative affect and higher psychological well-being among participants with haemophilia compared with the control group. Moreover, the percentage of flourishing individuals was higher among participants with haemophilia. Results support previous evidence suggesting that a chronic disease does not prevent mental well-being attainment. The identification of assets and strengths allowing people with haemophilia to flourish can be fruitfully used to design resource-centered interventions.

Measuring therapeutic relationship in the care of patients with haemophilia: A scoping review

OBJECTIVE

We conducted a scoping review of the tools used to measure therapeutic relationship in patients with haemophilia.

BACKGROUND

Haemophilia is an inherited bleeding disorder caused by a deficiency of a clotting factor in the blood. Therapeutic relationship is foundational to the management of patients with chronic diseases like haemophilia. A reliable and valid measurement tool for assessing therapeutic relationship is needed to evaluate the quality of care received by these patients, and to rigorously study the association between therapeutic relationship and the outcomes of treatment.

METHODS

We adopted the Arksey and O'Malley framework for scoping studies. The following electronic databases were searched for studies that measured a construct related to therapeutic relationships in haemophilia care: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO and Scopus. We inventoried these studies, identified the measurement tools used, and described each tool by purpose, content, measurement properties and target population. We identified gaps in the current evidence and directions for future research.

RESULTS

There were 253 unique records retrieved in the search, and twenty studies were deemed relevant. Ten measurement tools were identified. None of the tools measured therapeutic relationship as a single entity; however, six tools measured constructs considered part of patient-provider relationship (eg trust, communication, working alliance). There has been little validation testing of these tools in haemophilia patient populations.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a need for a validated tool for measuring therapeutic relationship in the care of patients with haemophilia. This review provides a foundation for future research in this area.

A survey of characteristics and current educational needs of hemophilia treatment centers within Asia Pacific

BACKGROUND

Poor disease understanding and gaps in expertise regarding hemophilia care have been identified at all levels in Asia Pacific. Continued education for involved healthcare professionals (HCPs) is crucial for improved delivery.

OBJECTIVES

To identify training and educational needs of hemophilia HCPs in Asia Pacific.

METHODS

Clinicians working at hemophilia treatment centers (HTCs), identified from the World Federation of Hemophilia Directory, were contacted by the Asia Pacific Hemophilia Working Group (APHWG). An electronic survey was sent to 161 centers from 15 countries for which HTC identification was complete to assess HTC characteristics, educational status, and needs. Responses were stratified by national economic capacity.

RESULTS

From March 23 to June 6, 2016, clinicians from 58 HTCs completed the survey. Most reported availability of specialists to serve core patient requirements, although availability of trained nurses and geneticists was low in lower-middle income countries (LMICs). Although 98.3% of HTCs had laboratory facilities, 8.8% do not participate in any quality assessment schemes. The most common limitations of current initiatives were infrequency and lack of local language content. Education is currently mostly received via internet, particularly among LMICs and upper-middle income countries (UMICs), though there is strong preference for meetings. Main barriers to receiving education were funding and time constraints. Unique priority topics were musculoskeletal management, quality of life and management by non-hematologists (high-income countries), inhibitor management and research (UMICs), and outcomes assessment (LMICs).

CONCLUSION

In Asia Pacific, training programs should be tailored according to unique needs of differing economic capacities and resource settings.

Sociodemographic, Clinical, and Psychosocial Characteristics of People with Hemophilia in Portugal: Findings from the First National Survey

Hemophilia is a rare genetic bleeding disorder associated with pain, impaired functionality, and decreased quality of life (QoL). Several studies have focused on patient-reported outcomes of people with hemophilia (PWH) worldwide, but no such data are available for Portugal. This survey aimed to describe sociodemographic, clinical, and psychosocial characteristics of PWH of all ages in Portugal. Questionnaires were answered by self-report or by parents of children with hemophilia (proxy version). Variables assessed were sociodemographic and clinical, physical activity patterns, pain, functionality (HAL/PedHAL), QoL (A36 Hemofilia-QoL/CHO-KLAT), anxiety and depression (PROMIS), and illness perceptions (IPQ-R). One-hundred and forty-six PWH answered the survey: 106 adults, 21 children/teenagers between 10 and 17 years, 11 children between 6 and 9 years, and 8 children between 1 and 5 years. Most participants had severe hemophilia (60.3%) and type A was most commonly reported (86.3%). Bleeding episodes, joint deterioration, and pain were very prevalent, with the ankles and knees being the most affected joints, as illustrated by HAL/PedHAL scores. The A36 Hemofilia-QoL assessment showed moderate QoL (96.45; 0–144 scale) and significant anxiety and depression symptoms were found in 36.7 and 27.2% of adults, respectively. CHO-KLAT global score (0–100 scale) was 75.63/76.32 (self-report/proxy). Concerning hemophilia-related illness beliefs, a perception of chronicity and symptoms unpredictability was particularly prominent among adults and children/teenagers. This survey provided a comprehensive characterization of Portuguese PWH, including the first report of psychosocial characteristics. The findings allow for a deeper understanding of life with hemophilia in Portugal and the identification of relevant health care and research needs.