Resident-initiated interventions to improve inpatient heart-failure management

Improving Guideline-Directed Medical Therapy for Patients With Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction: A Review of Implementation Strategies

Despite recent advances in the use of guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) for patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), achievement of target GDMT use and up-titration to goal dosages continue to be modest. In recent years, a number of interventional approaches to improve the usage of GDMT have been published, but many are limited by single-center experiences with small sample sizes. However, strategies including the use of multidisciplinary teams, dedicated GDMT titration algorithms and clinician audits with feedback have shown promise. There remains a critical need for large, rigorous trials to assess the utility of differing interventions to improve the use and titration of GDMT in HFrEF. Here, we review existing literature in GDMT implementation for those with HFrEF and discuss future directions and considerations in the field.

Effectiveness of implementation interventions in improving physician adherence to guideline recommendations in heart failure: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

The uptake of guideline recommendations that improve heart failure (HF) outcomes remains suboptimal. We reviewed implementation interventions that improve physician adherence to these recommendations, and identified contextual factors associated with implementation success.

METHODS

We searched databases from January 1990 to November 2017 for studies testing interventions to improve uptake of class I HF guidelines. We used the Cochrane Effective Practice and Organisation of Care and Process Redesign frameworks for data extraction. Primary outcomes included: proportion of eligible patients offered guideline-recommended pharmacotherapy, self-care education, left ventricular function assessment and/or intracardiac devices. We reported clinical outcomes when available.

RESULTS

We included 38 studies. Provider-level interventions (n=13 studies) included audit and feedback, reminders and education. Organisation-level interventions (n=18) included medical records system changes, multidisciplinary teams, clinical pathways and continuity of care. System-level interventions (n=3) included provider/institutional incentives. Four studies assessed multi-level interventions. We could not perform meta-analyses due to statistical/conceptual heterogeneity. Thirty-two studies reported significant improvements in at least one primary outcome. Clinical pathways, multidisciplinary teams and multifaceted interventions were most consistently successful in increasing physician uptake of guidelines. Among randomised controlled trials (RCT) (n=10), pharmacist and nurse-led interventions improved target dose prescriptions. Eleven studies reported clinical outcomes; significant improvements were reported in three, including a clinical pathway, a multidisciplinary team and a multifaceted intervention. Baseline assessment of barriers, staff training, iterative intervention development, leadership commitment and policy/financial incentives were associated with intervention effectiveness. Most studies (n=20) had medium risk of bias; nine RCTs had low risk of bias.

CONCLUSION

Our study is limited by the quality and heterogeneity of the primary studies. Clinical pathways, multidisciplinary teams and multifaceted interventions appear to be most consistent in increasing guideline uptake. However, improvements in process outcomes were rarely accompanied by improvements in clinical outcomes. Our work highlights the need for improved research methodology to reliably assess the effectiveness of implementation interventions.

Republished: Key characteristics of successful quality improvement curricula in physician education: a realist review

PURPOSE

Quality improvement (QI) is a common competency that must be taught in all physician training programmes, yet, there is no clear best approach to teach this content in clinical settings. We conducted a realist systematic review of the existing literature in QI curricula within the clinical setting, highlighting examples of trainees learning QI by doing QI.

METHOD

Candidate theories describing successful QI curricula were articulated a priori. We searched MEDLINE (1 January 2000 to 12 March 2013), the Cochrane Library (2013) and Web of Science (15 March 2013) and reviewed references of prior systematic reviews. Inclusion criteria included study design, setting, population, interventions, clinical and educational outcomes. The data abstraction tool included categories for setting, population, intervention, outcomes and qualitative comments. Themes were iteratively developed and synthesised using realist review methodology. A methodological quality tool assessed the biases, confounders, secular trends, reporting and study quality.

RESULTS

Among 39 studies, most were before-after design with resident physicians as the primary population. Twenty-one described clinical interventions and 18 described educational interventions with a mean intervention length of 6.58 (SD=9.16) months. Twenty-eight reported successful clinical improvements; no studies reported clinical outcomes that worsened. Characteristics of successful clinical QI curricula include attention to the interface of educational and clinical systems, careful choice of QI work for the trainees and appropriately trained local faculty.

CONCLUSIONS

This realist review identified success characteristics to guide training programmes, medical schools, faculty, trainees, accrediting organisations and funders to further develop educational and improvement resources in QI educational programmes.

Recognizing junior doctors' potential contribution to patient safety and health care quality improvement

PURPOSE

The purpose of this paper is to re-frame perceptions surrounding junior doctors' capacity to contribute to patient safety and quality improvement.

DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH

A targeted literature review was conducted followed by individual telephone interviews and a half-day forum involving junior doctor representatives and selected leaders in the sector.

FINDINGS

Junior doctors' entry into health care is an ideal time to cultivate practitioners' interest and expertise in improving the health system for better patient care. Junior doctors are more likely to bring or embrace new ideas, and recognize the importance of transparency and integration of technology into healthcare systems. Engaging with junior doctors in collaborative processes, rather than focusing on their more senior colleagues, may create a more effective culture.

ORIGINALITY/VALUE

The attributes of junior doctors (as they are in the absence of specific quality improvement or leadership training) that are currently underutilized in patient safety and quality improvement are explored, along with the factors limiting and facilitating the utilization of these attributes.

Chronic disease management: a residency-led intervention to improve outcomes in diabetic patients

BACKGROUND

When quality improvement processes are integrated into resident education, many opportunities are created for improved outcomes in patient care. For Bethesda Family Medicine (BFM), integrating quality improvement into resident education is paramount in fulfilling the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Practice-Based Learning and Improvement core competency requirements.

METHODS

A resident-developed diabetes management treatment protocol that targeted 11 evidence-based measures recommended for successful diabetes management was implemented within the BFM residency and all physician practices under its parent healthcare system. This study compares diabetes management at BFM and at 2 other family medicine practices at timepoints before and after protocol implementation. We measured hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and systolic blood pressure (SBP) in adult diabetics and compared patient outcomes for these measures for the first and third quarters of 2009 and 2010.

RESULTS

In BFM patients, HbA1c, LDL, and SBP levels decreased, but only HbA1c improvement persisted long term. For the comparison groups, in general levels were lower than those of BFM patients but not significantly so after the first measurement period.

CONCLUSIONS

A resident-led treatment protocol can improve HbA1c outcomes among residents' diabetic patients. Periodic educational interventions can enhance residents' focus on diabetes management. Residents in graduate medical education can initiate treatment protocols to improve patient care in a large healthcare system.