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Beyer A, Moon K, Hirsch T, Lode HN, Hoffmann W, van den Berg N. Implementation of a telemedical urgency assessment procedure in the pediatric emergency room: evaluation results. DAS GESUNDHEITSWESEN 2024. [PMID: 38740378 DOI: 10.1055/a-2325-0194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In rural areas in Germany, the number of emergency departments with pediatric expertise decreases. Telemedicine solutions are used sporadically, but they lack certain parameters for assessing a child's health status, such as touch and smell. We tested and evaluated the implementation of a telemedical, cross-hospital urgency assessment in pediatric emergency rooms. The telemedical urgency assessments were carried out via video conferences and were compared to the usual on-site procedure. Primary results of the concordance analysis have been published elsewhere. This work describes the results of the evaluation of the implementation. METHODS The telemedical urgency assessment was carried out in 5 pediatric emergency departments during the years 2015-2019. Various methods were used to evaluate the implementation. The following reports are based on (a) a parent questionnaire with two statements to be evaluated (entire project duration), (b) a survey of the physicians using telemedicine after each case (entire project duration) and (c) detailed process documentation (July 2017 until end of the project). RESULTS A total of 266 patients under 18 years old, recruited from four hospitals, were included in the study. (a) 210 parents completed the questionnaire. 78% of the parents felt adequately cared for and 70% could imagine telemedicine becoming established as a future supplementary care procedure. (b) The physicians' questionnaires for the telemedicine site were completed in 232 cases (87%). The average satisfaction rating was 1.8 on a 6-point-likert-scale (95% confidence interval: 1.64; 1.95). (c) The most frequent implementation problem concerned the technical implementation of the video conference. The evaluation of the accompanying documentation revealed in particular implementation barriers in the technical area (e. g. limited video and/or audio quality) and in the provision of human resources. CONCLUSION Despite implementation barriers, the project showed that telemedical urgency assessment in acute pediatric care is a promising option for supporting care. Most of the participating clinicians needed a high level of support, which in some cases indicated a rather low level of digital competence. Increasing acceptance of telemedicine functionalities requires changes in society as a whole with improved framework conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelika Beyer
- Institut für Community Medicine, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Kilson Moon
- Institut für Community Medicine, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Thomas Hirsch
- Klinik für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Holger N Lode
- Klinik und Poliklinik für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Hoffmann
- Institut für Community Medicine, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Neeltje van den Berg
- Institut für Community Medicine, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
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King E, France E, Malcolm C, Kumar S, Dick S, Kyle RG, Wilson P, Aucott L, Turner S, Hoddinott P. Identifying and prioritising future interventions with stakeholders to improve paediatric urgent care pathways in Scotland, UK: a mixed-methods study. BMJ Open 2023; 13:e074141. [PMID: 37827745 PMCID: PMC10582902 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-074141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To identify and prioritise interventions, from the perspectives of parents and health professionals, which may be alternatives to current unscheduled paediatric urgent care pathways. DESIGN FLAMINGO (FLow of AdMissions in chIldren and youNG peOple) is a sequential mixed-methods study, with public and patient involvement (PPI) throughout. Data linkage for urgent admissions and three referral sources: emergency department, out of hours service and general practice, was followed by qualitative interviews with parents and professionals. Findings were presented and discussed at a stakeholder intervention prioritisation event. SETTING National Health Service in Scotland, UK. PARTICIPANTS Quantitative data: children with urgent medical admission to hospital from 2015 to 2017. Qualitative interviews: parents and health professionals with experiences of urgent short stay hospital admissions of children. PPI engagement was conducted with nine parent-toddler groups and a university-based PPI advisory group. Stakeholder event: parents, health professionals and representatives from Scottish Government, academia, charities and PPI attended. RESULTS Data for 171 039 admissions which included 92 229 short stay admissions were analysed and 48 health professionals and 21 parents were interviewed. The stakeholder event included 7 parents, 12 health professionals and 28 other stakeholders. Analysis and synthesis of all data identified seven interventions which were prioritised at the stakeholder event: (1) addressing gaps in acute paediatric skills of health professionals working in community settings; (2) assessment and observation of acutely unwell children in community settings; (3) creation of holistic children's 'hubs'; (4) adoption of 'hospital at home' models; and three specialised care pathways for subgroups of children; (5) convulsions; (6) being aged <2 years old; and (7) wheeze/bronchiolitis. Stakeholders prioritised interventions 1, 2 and 3; these could be combined into a whole population intervention. Barriers to progressing these include resources, staffing and rurality. CONCLUSIONS Health professionals and families want future interventions that are patient-centred, community-based and aligned to outcomes that matter to them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma King
- Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professions Research Unit, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK
| | - Emma France
- Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professions Research Unit, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK
| | - Cari Malcolm
- School of Health Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Simita Kumar
- Screening and Immunisation, Public Health Scotland, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Smita Dick
- Child Health, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Richard G Kyle
- Academy of Nursing, Department of Health and Care Professions, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Philip Wilson
- Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Lorna Aucott
- Centre for Randomised Healthcare Trials, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | | | - Pat Hoddinott
- Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professions Research Unit, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK
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King E, Dick S, Hoddinott P, Malcolm C, France E, Kyle RG, Aucott L, Wilson P, Turner S. Regional variations in short stay urgent paediatric hospital admissions: a sequential mixed-methods approach exploring differences through data linkage and qualitative interviews. BMJ Open 2023; 13:e072734. [PMID: 37748848 PMCID: PMC10533722 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-072734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The aim of this sequential mixed-methods study was to describe and understand how paediatric short stay admission (SSA) rates vary across Health Board regions of Scotland. DESIGN Exploratory sequential mixed-methods study. Routinely acquired data for the annual (per capita) SSA to hospital were compared across the 11 regions. Five diverse regions with different SSA per capita formed cases for qualitative interviews with health professionals and parents to explore how care pathways, service features and geography may influence decisions to admit. SETTING Scotland. PARTICIPANTS All children admitted to hospital 2015-2017. Healthcare staff (n=48) and parents (n=15) were interviewed. RESULTS Of 171 039 urgent hospital admissions, 92 229 were SSAs, with a fivefold variation between 14 and 69/1000 children/year across regions. SSAs were higher for children in the most deprived compared with the least deprived communities. When expressed as a ratio of highest to lowest SSA/1000 children/year for diagnosed conditions between regions, the ratio was highest (10.1) for upper respiratory tract infection and lowest (2.8) for convulsions. Readmissions varied between 0.80 and 2.52/1000/year, with regions reporting higher SSA rates more likely to report higher readmission rates (r=0.70, p=0.016, n=11). Proximity and ease of access to services, local differences in service structure and configuration, national policy directives and disparities in how an SSA is defined were recognised by interviewees as explaining the observed regional variations in SSAs. Socioeconomic deprivation was seldom spontaneously raised by professionals when reflecting on reasons to refer or admit a child. Instead, greater emphasis was placed on the wider social circumstances and parents' capacity to cope with and manage their child's illness at home. CONCLUSION SSA rates for children vary quantitatively by region, condition and area deprivation and our interviews identify reasons for this. These findings can usefully inform future care pathway interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma King
- Nursing Midwifery and Allied Health Professions Research Unit, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK
| | - Smita Dick
- Department of Child Health, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Pat Hoddinott
- Nursing Midwifery and Allied Health Professions Research Unit, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK
| | - Cari Malcolm
- School of Health Science, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Emma France
- Nursing Midwifery and Allied Health Professions Research Unit, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK
| | | | - Lorna Aucott
- Centre for Healthcare Randomised Trials, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Philip Wilson
- Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Stephen Turner
- Department of Child Health, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
- Division of Women and Children, NHS Grampian, Aberdeen, UK
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Dick S, Kyle R, Wilson P, Aucott L, France E, King E, Malcolm C, Hoddinott P, Turner SW. Insights from and limitations of data linkage studies: analysis of short-stay urgent admission referral source from routinely collected Scottish data. Arch Dis Child 2023; 108:300-306. [PMID: 36719837 DOI: 10.1136/archdischild-2022-324171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION This study identified the referral source for urgent short-stay admissions (SSAs) and compared characteristics of children with SSA stratified by different referral sources. METHODS Routinely acquired data from urgent admissions to Scottish hospitals during 2015-2017 were linked to data held by the three referral sources: emergency department (ED), out-of-hours (OOH) service and general practice (GP). RESULTS There were 171 039 admissions including 92 229 (54%) SSAs. Only 171 (19%) of all of Scotland's GP practices contributed data. Among the subgroup of 10 588 SSAs where GP data were available (11% all SSA), there was contact with the following referral source on the day of admission: only ED, 1853 (18%); only GP, 3384 (32%); and only OOH, 823 (8%). Additionally, 2165 (20%) had contact with more than one referral source, and 1037 (10%) had contact with referral source(s) on the day before the admission. When all 92 229 SSAs were considered, those with an ED referrer were more likely to be for older children, of white ethnicity, living in more deprived communities and diagnosed with asthma, convulsions or croup. The odds ratio for an SSA for a given condition differed by referral source and ranged from 0.07 to 1.9 (with reference to ED referrals). CONCLUSION This study yielded insights and potential limitations regarding data linkage in a healthcare setting. Data coverage, particularly from primary care, needs to improve further. Evidence from data linkage studies can inform future intervention designed to provide safe integrated care pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Smita Dick
- Child Health, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Richard Kyle
- Academy of Nursing, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Philip Wilson
- Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Lorna Aucott
- Centre for Healthcare Randomised Trials, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Emma France
- Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professions Research Unit, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK
| | - E King
- Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professions Research Unit, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK
| | - Cari Malcolm
- School of Health and Social Care, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Pat Hoddinott
- Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professions Research Unit, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK
| | - Stephen W Turner
- Child Health, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
- Women and Children Division, NHS Grampian, Aberdeen, UK
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Dick S, MacRae C, McFaul C, Wilson P, Turner SW. Interventions in primary and community care to reduce urgent paediatric hospital admissions: systematic review. Arch Dis Child 2023; 108:486-491. [PMID: 36804396 DOI: 10.1136/archdischild-2022-324986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There has been a rise in urgent paediatric hospital admissions and interventions to address this are required. OBJECTIVE To systemically review the literature describing community (or non-hospital)-based interventions designed to reduce emergency department (ED) visits or urgent hospital admissions. DATA SOURCES MEDLINE, Embase, OVIS SP, PsycINFO, Science Citation Index Expanded/ISI Web of Science (1981-present), the Cochrane Library database and the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effectiveness. STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and before-and-after studies. PARTICIPANTS Individuals aged <16 years. STUDY APPRAISAL AND SYNTHESIS METHODS Papers were independently reviewed by two researchers. Data extraction and the Critical Appraisals Skills Programme checklist was completed (for risk of bias assessment). RESULTS Seven studies were identified. Three studies were RCTs, three were a comparison between non-randomised groups and one was a before-and-after study. Interventions were reconfiguration of staff roles (two papers), telemedicine (three papers), pathways of urgent care (one paper) and point-of-care testing (one paper). Reconfiguration of staff roles resulted in reduction in ED visits in one study (with a commensurate increase in general practitioner visits) but increased hospital admissions from ED in a second. Telemedicine was associated with a reduction in children's admissions in one study and reduced ED admissions in two further studies. Interventions with pathways of care and point-of-care testing did not impact either ED visits or urgent admissions. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS New out-of-hospital models of urgent care for children need to be introduced and evaluated without delay. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER CRD42021274374.
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Affiliation(s)
- Smita Dick
- Department of Child Health, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Clare MacRae
- Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Claire McFaul
- Department of Child Health, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Philip Wilson
- Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Stephen W Turner
- Department of Child Health, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
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Malcolm C, King E, France E, Kyle RG, Kumar S, Dick S, Wilson P, Aucott L, Turner SW, Hoddinott P. Short stay hospital admissions for an acutely unwell child: A qualitative study of outcomes that matter to parents and professionals. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0278777. [PMID: 36525432 PMCID: PMC9757586 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0278777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Numbers of urgent short stay admissions (SSAs) of children to UK hospitals are rising rapidly. This paper reports on experiences of SSAs from the perspective of parents accessing urgent care for their acutely unwell child and of health professionals referring, caring for, or admitting children. METHODS A qualitative interview study was conducted by a multi-disciplinary team with patient and public involvement (PPI) to explore contextual factors relating to SSAs and better understand pre-hospital urgent care pathways. Purposive sampling of Health Board areas in Scotland, health professionals with experience of paediatric urgent care pathways and parents with experience of a SSA for their acutely unwell child was undertaken to ensure maximal variation in characteristics such as deprivation, urban-rural and hospital structure. Interviews took place between Dec 2019 and Mar 2021 and thematic framework analysis was applied. RESULTS Twenty-one parents and forty-eight health professionals were interviewed. In the context of an urgent SSA, the themes were centred around shared outcomes of care that matter. The main outcome which was common to both parents and health professionals was the importance of preserving the child's safety. Additional shared outcomes by parents and health professionals were a desire to reduce worries and uncertainty about the illness trajectory, and provide reassurance with sufficient time, space and personnel to undertake a period of skilled observation to assess and manage the acutely unwell child. Parents wanted easy access to urgent care and, preferably, with input from paediatric-trained staff. Healthcare professionals considered that it was important to reduce the number of children admitted to hospital where safe and appropriate to do so. CONCLUSIONS The shared outcomes of care between parents and health professionals emphasises the potential merit of adopting a partnership approach in identifying, developing and testing interventions to improve the acceptability, safety, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness of urgent care pathways between home and hospital.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cari Malcolm
- School of Health and Social Care, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (PH); (CM)
| | - Emma King
- Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professions Research Unit, University of Stirling, Stirling, United Kingdom
| | - Emma France
- Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professions Research Unit, University of Stirling, Stirling, United Kingdom
| | - Richard G. Kyle
- Academy of Nursing, College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Simita Kumar
- Screening and Immunisation, Public Health Scotland, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Smita Dick
- Child Health, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Philip Wilson
- Centre for Rural Health, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Lorna Aucott
- Centre for Randomised Healthcare Trials, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen W. Turner
- Child Health, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
- NHS Grampian, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Pat Hoddinott
- Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professions Research Unit, University of Stirling, Stirling, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (PH); (CM)
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