The role of hospitals in bridging the care continuum: a systematic review of coordination of care and follow-up for adults with chronic conditions

Content validity of patient-reported measures evaluating experiences of the quality of transitions in healthcare settings-a scoping review

No reviews so far have been conducted to define the constructs of patient-experienced quality in healthcare transitions or to identify existing generic measures of patients' experience of the quality within healthcare transitions. Our aim was to identify domains relevant for people experiencing healthcare transitions when evaluating the quality of care they have received, map the comprehensiveness of existing patient-reported experience measures (PREM), and evaluate the PREMs' content validity. The method was guided by the Joanna Briggs Institutes' guidance for scoping reviews. The search was performed on 07 December 2021 and updated 27 May 2024, in the electronic databases Medline (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), and Cinahl (EBSCO). The search identified 20,422 publications, and 190 studies were included for review. We identified 30 PREMs assessing at least one aspect of adults' experience of transitions in healthcare. Summarising the content, we consider a model with two domains, organisational and human-relational, likely to be adequate. However, a more comprehensive analysis and adequate definition of the construct is needed. None of the PREMs were considered content valid.

Coordination of oral anticoagulant care at hospital discharge (COACHeD): pilot randomised controlled trial

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate whether a focused, expert medication management intervention is feasible and potentially effective in preventing anticoagulation-related adverse events for patients transitioning from hospital to home.

DESIGN

Randomised, parallel design.

SETTING

Medical wards at six hospital sites in southern Ontario, Canada.

PARTICIPANTS

Adults 18 years of age or older being discharged to home on an oral anticoagulant (OAC) to be taken for at least 4 weeks.

INTERVENTIONS

Clinical pharmacologist-led intervention, including a detailed discharge medication management plan, a circle of care handover and early postdischarge virtual check-up visits to 1 month with 3-month follow-up. The control group received the usual care.

OUTCOMES MEASURES

Primary outcomes were study feasibility outcomes (recruitment, retention and cost per patient). Secondary outcomes included adverse anticoagulant safety events composite, quality of transitional care, quality of life, anticoagulant knowledge, satisfaction with care, problems with medications and health resource utilisation.

RESULTS

Extensive periods of restriction of recruitment plus difficulties accessing patients at the time of discharge negatively impacted feasibility, especially cost per patient recruited. Of 845 patients screened, 167 were eligible and 56 were randomised. The mean age (±SD) was 71.2±12.5 years, 42.9% females, with two lost to follow-up. Intervention patients were more likely to rate their ability to manage their OAC as improved (17/27 (63.0%) vs 7/22 (31.8%), OR 3.6 (95% CI 1.1 to 12.0)) and their continuity of care as improved (21/27 (77.8%) vs 2/22 (9.1%), OR 35.0 (95% CI 6.3 to 194.2)). Fewer intervention patients were taking one or more inappropriate medications (7 (22.5%) vs 15 (60%), OR 0.19 (95% CI 0.06 to 0.62)).

CONCLUSION

This pilot randomised controlled trial suggests that a transitional care intervention at hospital discharge for older adults taking OACs was well received and potentially effective for some surrogate outcomes, but overly costly to proceed to a definitive large trial.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT02777047.

Bridging Gaps in Collaboration Between Community Organizations and Hospital-Based Violence Treatment Centers Serving Transgender Sexual Assault Survivors

Community and healthcare organizations have not historically collaborated effectively, leaving gaps in the continuum of care for survivors of sexual assault. These gaps are particularly acutely felt by transgender (trans) survivors, who experience additional barriers to care and face higher rates of sexual assault. To bridge these gaps and enhance the provision of comprehensive support for trans people, we developed an intersectoral network of trans-positive community and hospital-based organizations in Ontario, Canada. As part of a baseline evaluation of the network, we conducted a social network analysis to determine the extent and nature of collaboration between members within and across these two sectors. Using a validated social network analysis tool (PARTNER survey), data were collected from June 22 to July 22, 2021. The extent of collaboration was examined by relationship type: intrasectoral (same sector) and intersectoral (different sectors). The nature of collaboration was examined using relational scores (value: power, level of involvement, potential resource contribution; trust: reliability, mission congruence, openness to discussion). Fifty-four community organizations (65.9% of 82 invited) and 24 hospital-based violence treatment centers (64.9% of 37 invited) responded. The majority of collaborations were within, rather than across, the two sectors: of all 378 collaborations described, 70.9% (n = 268) were intrasectoral collaborations and 29.1% (n = 110) were intersectoral collaborations. Intersectoral relationships were characterized by lower scores for level of involvement, trust, reliability, and mission congruence than intrasectoral relationships, but higher scores for power. These findings were shared in a virtual consultation session of key stakeholders, in which some participants expressed "surprise" and concern for the lack of collaboration and character of relationships across sectors. Recommendations to increase intersectoral collaboration, which included intersectoral program planning and service design and supporting increased opportunities for intersectoral training and knowledge exchange, are presented.

Interprofessional actions in responsible discharge: contributions to transition and continuity of care

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the interprofessional team's perception of the actions carried out by means of responsible hospital discharge, and their contribution to improving the transition and continuity of patient care.

METHODS

A qualitative study was carried out in two hospitalization units, in October - November 2020, interviewing health professionals from a teaching hospital in the state of São Paulo. The reports were transcribed and subjected to thematic content analysis.

RESULTS

Twelve professionals participated (doctor, nurse, physiotherapist, nutritionist, speech therapist and social worker) and three thematic categories emerged from the interviews: 1. informational continuity in responsible discharge; 2. interaction between professionals and services for the transition of care; and 3. workload management for better transition and continuity of care.

CONCLUSION

The team recognized interprofessional advances and challenges in responsible discharge related to the informational and relational continuity of patient care and highlighted the (over)workload as an unfavorable aspect in the transition process, generating impacts for patients, professionals and health services.

Impact, scope of practice and competencies of Advanced Practice Nurses within APN-led models of care for young and middle-aged adult patients with multimorbidity and/or complex chronic conditions in hospital settings: a scoping review protocol

INTRODUCTION

The increase of young and middle-aged adult patients with multimorbid and/or complex chronic conditions has created new challenges for healthcare systems and services. Advanced Practice Nurses (APNs) play an essential role in treating these patients because of their expertise and advanced nursing skills. Little is known about competencies, scope of practice and impact of APNs within APN-led care models for young and middle-aged adult patients with multimorbidity and/or complex chronic conditions in hospital settings. The objective of this scoping review is to describe the impact, scope of practice and competencies of APNs within APN-led care models for young and middle-aged adult patients in hospital settings.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

This scoping review will be conducted using the methodological framework proffered by Arksey and O'Malley, incorporating the methodological enhancement of Levac et al. It will comply with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) for Scoping Reviews' guidelines of Tricco et al. Systematic research will be conducted in the databases MEDLINE (PubMed), CINAHL (EBSCO), EMBASE (Ovid), CENTRAL and PsycINFO (Ovid) using all recognised keywords, index terms and search strings. Grey literature will be scanned. Bibliography of all selected studies will be hand searched. Studies will be selected based on defined inclusion and exclusion criteria, screened by title and abstracts. Data from full-text articles meeting the inclusion criteria will be extracted independently by two authors. Disagreements in evaluation will be discussed and resolved by consensus. Results will be reported in the form of descriptive tables. Narrative summery is used to present the results of the review in the context of the study's objectives and questions.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

This scoping review does not require ethics approval. The review will be handed in as part of a doctoral thesis and published in a peer-reviewed journal.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER OSF

4PM38.

Diabetes care components effectively implemented in the ASEAN health systems: an umbrella review of systematic reviews

OBJECTIVES

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is among the hardest hit low-income and middle-income countries by diabetes. Innovative Care for Chronic Conditions (ICCC) framework has been adopted by the WHO for health system transformation towards better care for chronic conditions including diabetes. We conducted an umbrella review of systematic reviews on diabetes care components effectively implemented in the ASEAN health systems and map those effective care components into the ICCC framework.

DESIGN

An umbrella review of systematic reviews and/or meta-analyses following JBI (Joanna Briggs Institute) guidelines.

DATA SOURCES

Health System Evidence, Health Evidence, PubMed and Ovid MEDLINE.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

We included systematic reviews and/or meta-analyses which focused on management of type 2 diabetes, reported improvements in measured outcomes and had at least one ASEAN member state in the study setting.

DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS

Two reviewers independently extracted the data and mapped the included studies into the ICCC framework. A narrative synthesis method was used to summarise the findings. The included studies were assessed for methodological quality based on the JBI critical appraisal checklist for systematic reviews and research syntheses.

RESULTS

479 records were found of which 36 studies were included for the analysis. A multidisciplinary healthcare team including pharmacists and nurses has been reported to effectively support patients in self-management of their conditions. This can be supported by effective use of digital health interventions. Community health workers either peers or lay people with necessary software (knowledge and skills) and hardware (medical equipment and supplies) can provide complementary care to that of the healthcare staff.

CONCLUSION

To meet challenges of the increased burden of chronic conditions including diabetes, health policy-makers in the ASEAN member states can consider a paradigm shift in human resources for health towards the multidisciplinary, inclusive, collaborative and complementary team.

Inability to get needed health care during the COVID-19 pandemic among a nationally representative, diverse population of U.S. adults with and without chronic conditions

BACKGROUND

Delays in health care have been observed in the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic; however, the prevalence of inability to get needed care and potential disparities in health care access have yet to be assessed.

METHODS

We conducted a nationally representative, online survey of 5,500 American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Black/African American, Latino (English- and Spanish-speaking), Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, White, and multiracial adults between 12/2020-2/2021 (baseline) and 8/16/2021-9/9/2021 (6-month follow-up). Participants were asked "Since the start of the pandemic, was there any time when you did not get medical care that you needed?" Those who responded "Yes" were asked about the type of care and the reason for not receiving care. Poisson regression was used to estimate the association between sociodemographics and inability to receive needed care; all analyses were stratified by chronic condition status. Chronic conditions included: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart conditions, type 2 diabetes, chronic kidney disease or on dialysis, sickle cell disease, cancer, and immunocompromised state (weakened immune system).

RESULTS

Overall, 20.0% of participants at baseline and 22.7% at follow-up reported not getting needed care. The most common reasons for being unable to get needed care included fear of COVID-19 (baseline: 44.1%; follow-up: 47.2%) and doctors canceled appointment (baseline: 25.3%; follow-up: 14.1%). Routine care (baseline: 59.9%; follow-up: 62.6%) and chronic care management (baseline: 31.5%; follow-up: 30.1%) were the most often reported types of delayed care. Fair/poor self-reported physical health was significantly associated with being unable to get needed care despite chronic condition status (≥ 1 chronic condition: aPR = 1.36, 95%CI = 1.04-1.78); no chronic conditions: aPR = 1.52, 95% CI = 1.28-1.80). The likelihood of inability to get needed care differed in some instances by race/ethnicity, age, and insurance status. For example, uninsured adults were more likely to not get needed care (≥ 1 chronic condition: aPR = 1.76, 95%CI = 1.17-2.66); no chronic conditions: aPR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.00-1.56).

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, about one fifth of participants reported being unable to receive needed care at baseline and follow-up. Delays in receiving needed medical care may exacerbate existing conditions and perpetuate existing health disparities among vulnerable populations who were more likely to have not received needed health care during the pandemic.

Evaluation of Diabetes Care Performance in Cambodia Through the Cascade-of-Care Framework: Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND

Cambodia has seen an increase in the prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) over the last 10 years. Three main care initiatives for T2D are being scaled up in the public health care system across the country: hospital-based care, health center-based care, and community-based care. To date, no empirical study has systematically assessed the performance of these care initiatives across the T2D care continuum in Cambodia.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to assess the performance of the 3 care initiatives-individually or in coexistence-and determine the factors associated with the failure to diagnose T2D in Cambodia.

METHODS

We used a cascade-of-care framework to assess the T2D care continuum. The cascades were generated using primary data from a cross-sectional population-based survey conducted in 2020 with 5072 individuals aged ≥40 years. The survey was conducted in 5 operational districts (ODs) selected based on the availability of the care initiatives. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify the factors associated with the failure to diagnose T2D. The significance level of P<.05 was used as a cutoff point.

RESULTS

Of the 5072 individuals, 560 (11.04%) met the definition of a T2D diagnosis (fasting blood glucose level ≥126 mg/dL and glycated hemoglobin level ≥6.5%). Using the 560 individuals as the fixed denominator, the cascade displayed substantial drops at the testing and control stages. Only 63% (353/560) of the participants had ever tested their blood glucose level in the last 3 years, and only 10.7% (60/560) achieved blood glucose level control with the cutoff point of glycated hemoglobin level <8%. The OD hosting the coexistence of care displayed the worst cascade across all bars, whereas the OD with hospital-based care had the best cascade among the 5 ODs. Being aged 40 to 49 years, male, and in the poorest category of the wealth quintile were factors associated with the undiagnosed status.

CONCLUSIONS

The unmet needs for T2D care in Cambodia were large, particularly in the testing and control stages, indicating the need to substantially improve early detection and management of T2D in the country. Rapid scale-up of T2D care components at public health facilities to increase the chances of the population with T2D of being tested, diagnosed, retained in care, and treated, as well as of achieving blood glucose level control, is vital in the health system. Specific population groups susceptible to being undiagnosed should be especially targeted for screening through active community outreach activities. Future research should incorporate digital health interventions to evaluate the effectiveness of the T2D care initiatives longitudinally with more diverse population groups from various settings based on routine data vital for integrated care.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

International Standard Randomized Controlled Trials Number (ISRCTN) ISRCTN41932064; https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN41932064.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

RR2-10.2196/36747.

Care coordination across healthcare systems: development of a research agenda, implications for practice, and recommendations for policy based on a modified Delphi panel

OBJECTIVE

For large, integrated healthcare delivery systems, coordinating patient care across delivery systems with providers external to the system presents challenges. We explored the domains and requirements for care coordination by professionals across healthcare systems and developed an agenda for research, practice and policy.

DESIGN

The modified Delphi approach convened a 2-day stakeholder panel with moderated virtual discussions, preceded and followed by online surveys.

SETTING

The work addresses care coordination across healthcare systems. We introduced common care scenarios and differentiated recommendations for a large (main) healthcare organisation and external healthcare professionals that contribute additional care.

PARTICIPANTS

The panel composition included health service providers, decision makers, patients and care community, and researchers. Discussions were informed by a rapid review of tested approaches to fostering collaboration, facilitating care coordination and improving communication across healthcare systems.

OUTCOME MEASURES

The study planned to formulate a research agenda, implications for practice and recommendations for policy.

RESULTS

For research recommendations, we found consensus for developing measures of shared care, exploring healthcare professionals' needs in different care scenarios and evaluating patient experiences. Agreed practice recommendations included educating external professionals about issues specific to the patients in the main healthcare system, educating professionals within the main healthcare system about the roles and responsibilities of all involved parties, and helping patients better understand the pros and cons of within-system and out-of-system care. Policy recommendations included supporting time for professionals with high overlap in patients to engage regularly and sustaining support for care coordination for high-need patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Recommendations from the stakeholder panel created an agenda to foster further research, practice and policy innovations in cross-system care coordination.

Early intervention model of inpatient diabetes care improves glycemia following hospitalization

Admission to hospital provides an opportunity to optimize long-term diabetes management, but clinical inertia is common. We previously reported the randomized study of a proactive inpatient diabetes service (RAPIDS), investigating an early intervention model of care and demonstrated improved in-hospital glycemia and clinical outcomes. This follow-up study assessed whether proactive care in hospital improved postdischarge HbA1c. In a subgroup of 298 RAPIDS trial participants with type 2 diabetes, age <80 years, and admission HbA1c ≥ 7.0%, diabetes treatment intensification occurred more often in early intervention versus usual care groups (37% vs. 19% [p = .001]), adjusted odds ratio 3.2 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.7-6.0). There was a greater change in HbA1c in the early intervention group (mean -0.9% [95% CI -1.3 to -0.4]) versus the usual care group (-0.3% [-0.6 to -0.1]), p = .029. The value of acute care by dedicated inpatient diabetes teams can extend beyond improving inpatient clinical outcomes and can lead to sustained improvement in glycemia.

Why are there so many hospital beds in Germany?

The place of hospitals in health systems is undergoing rapid change worldwide due to the high cost of hospital care and the changing health needs of the population. The Covid-19 pandemic has recently drawn public attention towards hospital capacity and has added new urgency to discussions on the future role of hospitals. In this context, recent experience in Germany provides valuable information for health systems seeking to manage hospital capacity. Despite reform efforts to reduce hospital capacity, Germany has the highest rates of intensive care beds among high-income countries and the highest overall hospital capacity in Europe. The capacity of the German hospital system can be explained in large part by the high number of elderly in-patients. This, in turn, is driven by (1) a fragmented ambulatory care system; (2) physicians admitting and maintaining elderly patients in hospital at a high rate; (3) a hospital market adding incentives to admit patients; and (4) a political commitment to egalitarian access and universal care. Additionally, recent policies to reduce hospital capacity have had limited impact because hospitals have not responded to financial incentives in the expected manner. Countries looking to learn from Germany's hospital capacity must therefore consider systemic features, political commitments, and unintended policy consequences.

Collaboration Between Physicians from Different Medical Specialties in Hospital Settings: A Systematic Review

Health care today is characterized by an increasing number of patients with comorbidities for whom interphysician collaboration seems very important. We reviewed the literature to understand what factors affect interphysician collaboration, determine how interphysician collaboration is measured, and determine its effects. We systematically searched six major databases. Based on 63 articles, we identified five categories that influence interphysician collaboration: personal factors, professional factors, preconditions and tools, organizational elements, and contextual characteristics. We identified a diverse set of mostly unvalidated tools for measuring interphysician collaboration that focus on information being transferred and understood, frequency of interaction and tone of the relationship, and value judgements about quality or satisfaction. We found that interphysician collaboration increased clinical outcomes as well as patient and staff satisfaction, while error rates and length of stay were reduced. The results should, however, be interpreted with caution, as most of the studies provide a low level of evidence.

Coordination of Oral Anticoagulant Care at Hospital Discharge (COACHeD): protocol for a pilot randomised controlled trial

Background

Oral anticoagulants (OACs) are commonly prescribed, have well-documented benefits for important clinical outcomes but have serious harms as well. Rates of OAC-related adverse events including thromboembolic and hemorrhagic events are especially high shortly after hospital discharge. Expert OAC management involving virtual care is a research priority given its potential to reach remote communities in a more feasible, timely, and less costly way than in-person care. Our objective is to test whether a focused, expert medication management intervention using a mix of in-person consultation and virtual care follow-up, is feasible and effective in preventing anticoagulation-related adverse events, for patients transitioning from hospital to home.

Methods and analysis

A randomized, parallel, multicenter design enrolling consenting adult patients or the caregivers of cognitively impaired patients about to be discharged from medical wards with a discharge prescription for an OAC. The interdisciplinary multimodal intervention is led by a clinical pharmacologist and includes a detailed discharge medication reconciliation and management plan focused on oral anticoagulants at hospital discharge; a circle of care handover and coordination with patient, hospital team and community providers; and early post-discharge follow-up virtual medication check-up visits at 24 h, 1 week, and 1 month. The control group will receive usual care plus encouragement to use the Thrombosis Canada website.

The primary feasibility outcomes include recruitment rate, participant retention rates, trial resources management, and the secondary clinical outcomes include adverse anticoagulant safety events composite (AASE), coordination and continuity of care, medication-related problems, quality of life, and healthcare resource utilization. Follow-up is 3 months.

Discussion

This pilot RCT tests whether there is sufficient feasibility and merit in coordinating oral anticoagulant care early post-hospital discharge to warrant a full sized RCT.

Trial registration

NCT02777047.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40814-022-01130-z.

Interventions to Prevent Potentially Avoidable Hospitalizations: A Mixed Methods Systematic Review

Background

The demand for healthcare is increasing due to an aging population, more people living with chronic diseases and medical comorbidities. To manage this demand, political institutions call for action to reduce the potentially avoidable hospitalizations. Quantitative and qualitative aspects should be considered to understand how and why interventions work, and for whom. The aim of this mixed methods systematic review was to identify and synthesize evidence on interventions targeting avoidable hospitalizations from the perspectives of the citizens and the healthcare professionals to improve the preventive healthcare services.

Methods and Results

A mixed methods systematic review was conducted following the JBI methodology using a convergent integrated approach to synthesis. The review protocol was registered in PROSPERO, reg. no. CRD42020134652. A systematic search was undertaken in six databases. In total, 45 articles matched the eligibility criteria, and 25 of these (five qualitative studies and 20 quantitative studies) were found to be of acceptable methodological quality. From the 25 articles, 99 meaning units were extracted. The combined evidence revealed four categories, which were synthesized into two integrated findings: (1) Addressing individual needs through care continuity and coordination prevent avoidable hospitalizations and (2) Recognizing preventive care as an integrated part of the healthcare work to prevent avoidable hospitalizations.

Conclusions

The syntheses highlight the importance of addressing individual needs through continuous and coordinated care practices to prevent avoidable hospitalizations. Engaging healthcare professionals in preventive care work and considering implications for patient safety may be given higher priority. Healthcare administers and policy-makers could support the delivery of preventive care through targeted educational material aimed at healthcare professionals and simple web-based IT platforms for information-sharing across healthcare settings. The findings are an important resource in the development and implementation of interventions to prevent avoidable hospitalizations, and may serve to improve patient safety and quality in preventive healthcare services.

Systematic Review Registration:https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=134652, identifier: CRD42020134652.

Care Coordination Models and Tools-Systematic Review and Key Informant Interviews

BACKGROUND

Care coordination (CC) interventions involve systematic strategies to address fragmentation and enhance continuity of care. However, it remains unclear whether CC can sufficiently address patient needs and improve outcomes.

METHODS

We searched MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, AHRQ Evidence-based Practice Center, and VA Evidence Synthesis Program, from inception to September 2019. Two individuals reviewed eligibility and rated quality using modified AMSTAR 2. Eligible systematic reviews (SR) examined diverse CC interventions for community-dwelling adults with ambulatory care sensitive conditions and/or at higher risk for acute care. From eligible SR and relevant included primary studies, we abstracted the following: study and intervention characteristics; target population(s); effects on hospitalizations, emergency department (ED) visits, and/or patient experience; setting characteristics; and tools and approaches used. We also conducted semi-structured interviews with individuals who implemented CC interventions.

RESULTS

Of 2324 unique citations, 16 SR were eligible; 14 examined case management or transitional care interventions; and 2 evaluated intensive primary care models. Two SR highlighted selection for specific risk factors as important for effectiveness; one of these also indicated high intensity (e.g., more patient contacts) and/or multidisciplinary plans were key. Most SR found inconsistent effects on reducing hospitalizations or ED visits; few reported on patient experience. Effective interventions were implemented in multiple settings, including rural community hospitals, academic medical centers (in urban settings), and public hospitals serving largely poor, uninsured populations. Primary studies reported variable approaches to improve patient-provider communication, including health coaching and role-playing. SR, primary studies, and key informant interviews did not identify tools for measuring patient trust or care team integration. Sustainability of CC interventions varied and some were adapted over time.

DISCUSSION

CC interventions have inconsistent effects on reducing hospitalizations and ED visits. Future work should address how they should be adapted to different healthcare settings and which tools or approaches are most helpful for implementation.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

PROSPERO #CRD42020156359.

Systematic Review of Care Coordination Interventions Linking Health and Social Services for High-Utilizing Patient Populations

Recognizing that social factors influence patient health outcomes and utilization, health systems have developed interventions to address patients' social needs. Care coordination across the health care and social service sectors is a distinct and important strategy to address social determinants of health, but limited information exists about how care coordination operates in this context. To address this gap, the authors conducted a systematic review of peer-reviewed publications that document the coordination of health care and social services in the United States. After a structured elimination process, 25 publications of 19 programs were synthesized to identify patterns in care coordination implementation. Results indicate that patient needs assessment, in-person patient contact, and standardized care coordination protocols are common across programs that bridge health care and social services. Publications discussing these programs often provide limited detail on other key elements of care coordination, especially the nature of referrals and care coordinator caseload. Additional research is needed to document critical elements of program implementation and to evaluate program impacts.

Effectiveness of a 24-hour access outpatient clinic for patients with chronic conditions in hospital outpatient follow-up: a registry-based controlled cohort study of healthcare utilisation and mortality

Objective

To evaluate the effectiveness of a 24-hour telephone access outpatient clinic (24-hour access clinic) in terms of healthcare utilisation and mortality in patients with five chronic conditions (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, atrial fibrillation/flutter, congestive heart failure, inflammatory bowel disease and chronic liver disease).

Methods and analysis

This was a registry-based controlled cohort study. The 24-hour access clinic was established at Silkeborg Regional Hospital in Central Denmark Region. The five other regional hospitals served as comparison hospitals. The 24-hour access clinic allowed patients with five chronic conditions with ongoing hospital outpatient follow-up to call the hospital outpatient clinic in case of an exacerbation. Outcomes were use of hospital admissions, length of stay (LOS), outpatient visits, contacts to general practice and all-cause mortality during 18 months of follow-up.

Results

The study included 992 the 24-hour access patients and 3878 usual care patients. For the five conditions combined, the 24 hours access patients had fewer all-cause admissions (incidence rate ratio (IRR) 0.81, 95% Cl 0.71 to 0.92), general practice out-of-hours contacts (IRR 0.81, 95% C 0.71 to .92) and shorter LOS (IRR 0.71, 95% CI 0.57 to 0.88). The rate of all-cause outpatient visits tended to be higher (IRR 1.07, 95% CI 0.99 to 1.15). General practice daytime contacts were similar between the groups, and there was no significant difference in mortality.

Conclusions

The results suggest that a 24-hour telephone access clinic may lead to enhanced integration of care measured as unplanned acute care substituted with planned outpatient care.

Improving Health Care for Patients with Multimorbidity: A Mixed-Methods Study to Explore the Feasibility and Process of Aligning Scheduled Outpatient Appointments through Collaboration between Medical Specialties

Background

Many patients with multimorbidity have appointments and parallel trajectories in several outpatient clinics across medical specialties. This organisation may disintegrate care and challenges the navigation of the healthcare system.

Methods

This study explored the feasibility of an intervention targeting patients seen in several outpatient clinics for multiple diseases. The intervention aimed to coordinate outpatient appointments through enhanced collaboration across medical specialties. Feasibility and process were assessed through mixed methods by tracking the intervention through prospectively collected data and through semi-structured interviews with patients and healthcare professionals.

Results

A multidisciplinary outpatient pathway was established as an intervention. Appointments for different medical specialties were scheduled on the same day, information was rapidly transferred to the receiving outpatient clinic, and a multidisciplinary conference resulted in the circulation of a joint summary. In the first year, 20% of eligible patients were enrolled. Appointments were aligned in 15% of patients, and blood samples were reduced by 29%. Overall, intervention components were delivered as intended and seemed acceptable, although the patient selection needed refinement.

Conclusion

It seems feasible to set up an intervention for patients attending several hospital outpatient clinics. Future interventions should focus on selecting patients in greatest need for alignment of appointments.

Developing modular training components to support home hospital digital solutions: Results of a Delphi panel

BACKGROUND

Home hospitalization (HH) has demonstrated to be a cost-effective alternative with respect ti traditional hospitalization. Digital technologies, such as remote monitoring, have the potential to contribute to its expansion. Tailored educational content is a need to ensure patient safety during the whole admission.

PURPOSE

The objective of this study was to systematically obtain consensus on patients with HH using training in the digital monitoring system. The goal of this work was to develop an adaptable modular and personalized training program for patients to support quality and safety care for HH.

METHODS

The methodological approach for developing the proposed training content followed a modified Delphi technique with a multidisciplinary group of experts with significant knowledge of health informatics and HH protocols in Spain. The study comprised two rounds of training material description and gathering were completed. In Round 1, the experts received 58 predefined items obtained from the literature review and protocol selection. 20 items were rejected for different reasons and 25 new items were proposed. In Round 2, the experts selected the final items to build on the training content for every type of user and illness.

RESULTS

A total of 21 experts completed rounds 1 and 2. The consensus was reached at the end of Round 2 with the inclusion of 53 items to build the training material. This included 17 treatment procedures, 4 diagnosis procedures, 22 additional support content, and 10 content features that describe how to build and deliver customized training content.

CONCLUSIONS

Participants agreed on the type of content, its structure, and delivery methods to build modular training materials that support patients when they are hospitalized at home with the help of digital monitoring tools. This information can be used to create HH training programs that support new HH protocols and provide a standard for evaluating the quality of existing educational materials and programs.

Effectiveness of nurse-led services for people with chronic disease in achieving an outcome of continuity of care at the primary-secondary healthcare interface: A quantitative systematic review

BACKGROUND

Globally, chronic disease is a leading cause of illness, disability and death and an important driver of health system utilization and spending. Continuity of care is a significant component of quality healthcare. However, an association between nurse-led services, interventions, patient outcomes and continuity of care at the primary and secondary interface as an outcome, has not been established for people with chronic disease.

OBJECTIVE

To identify the effectiveness of nurse-led services for people with chronic disease in achieving an outcome of continuity of care at the primary-secondary healthcare interface.

DESIGN

Quantitative systematic review.

DATA SOURCES

Systematic searches of Medline, Cochrane, Embase, Emcare, JBI and Scopus databases were conducted of studies published between 1946 and May 2019 using the search terms "nurse", "continuity of care" and "chronic disease".

REVIEW METHODS

Quality of the included studies was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool for randomized controlled trials and Joanna Briggs Institute quality appraisal checklists. A second reviewer screened 10% of full text articles and all articles in critical appraisal. Studies were excluded from the review if they were of poor methodological quality or the description of the effect of the nurse-led service was inadequately reported.

RESULTS

Fourteen studies were included in the review (n=4,090 participants). All studies incorporated recognized continuity of care interventions. The nurse-led services were associated with fewer hospitalizations, reduced by 2-8.9% and re-admissions reduced by 14.8-51% (n=886). Reporting of positive patient experiences and improvement in symptoms and lifestyle was also evident. An association of nurse-led services with improved continuity of care between primary and secondary health services as an outcome per se could not be concluded.

CONCLUSION

Nurse-led services for adults provide coordinated interventions that support continuity of care for people with chronic disease in both the primary and secondary healthcare settings that are associated with reduced hospitalizations or readmissions and patient satisfaction. However, the limited use of validated continuity of care outcome measurement tools precluded establishing correlations between interventions, patient outcomes and continuity of care as a specific outcome.

Application of Smartphone Technologies in Disease Monitoring: A Systematic Review

Technologies play an essential role in monitoring, managing, and self-management of chronic diseases. Since chronic patients rely on life-long healthcare systems and the current COVID-19 pandemic has placed limits on hospital care, there is a need to explore disease monitoring and management technologies and examine their acceptance by chronic patients. We systematically examined the use of smartphone applications (apps) in chronic disease monitoring and management in databases, namely, Medline, Web of Science, Embase, and Proquest, published from 2010 to 2020. Results showed that app-based weight management programs had a significant effect on healthy eating and physical activity (p = 0.002), eating behaviours (p < 0.001) and dietary intake pattern (p < 0.001), decreased mean body weight (p = 0.008), mean Body Mass Index (BMI) (p = 0.002) and mean waist circumference (p < 0.001). App intervention assisted in decreasing the stress levels (paired t-test = 3.18; p < 0.05). Among cancer patients, we observed a high acceptance of technology (76%) and a moderately positive correlation between non-invasive electronic monitoring data and questionnaire (r = 0.6, p < 0.0001). We found a significant relationship between app use and standard clinical evaluation and high acceptance of the use of apps to monitor the disease. Our findings provide insights into critical issues, including technology acceptance along with regulatory guidelines to be considered when designing, developing, and deploying smartphone solutions targeted for chronic patients.

Integrated care for older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic in Belgium: Lessons learned the hard way

The corona pandemic challenges countries worldwide in many different ways. Due to its magnitude and impact on global health, this health crisis exposes several shortcomings in their health systems and emphasizes their shortcomings and deficiencies. These deficiencies have quickly affected the most frail citizens, such as older people. The first wave of the COVID19 pandemic in Belgium has quickly shown that nursing homes were not prepared for these kinds of crises. The nature, speed and extent gave rise to an accelerated and more extensive collaboration between various nursing homes and Ghent University Hospital. Before this crisis, the level of integrated care between nursing homes and hospitals was mostly limited. But setting up a strong collaboration model and integrated care between nursing homes and hospitals enables the nursing homes to manage this specific and complex care in their own environment.

Patient characteristics and healthcare utilisation among Danish patients with chronic conditions: a nationwide cohort study in general practice and hospitals

Background

The complexity of caring for patients with chronic conditions necessitates new models of integrated care to accommodate an increasing demand. To inform the development of integrated care models, it is essential to map patients’ use of healthcare resources. In this nationwide registry-based cohort study, we describe and compare patient characteristics and healthcare utilisation between Danish patients with chronic conditions in general practice follow-up and in hospital outpatient follow-up.

Methods

On 1 January 2016, we identified 250,402 patients registered in 2006–2015 with a hospital diagnosis of atrial fibrillation/flutter, congestive heart failure, chronic liver disease, inflammatory bowel disease or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. By linkage to national social and health registries, patient characteristics and 12-month healthcare utilisation were extracted. Incidence rates of health care utilisation were compared between patients with chronic conditions in general practice follow-up and patients in hospital outpatient follow-up using negative binomial regression.

Results

Across all five conditions, the largest proportions of patients were in general practice follow-up (range = 59–87%). Patients in hospital outpatient follow-up had higher rates of exacerbation-related admissions (adjusted incidence rate ratio (IRR) range = 1.3 to 2.8) and total length of stay (IRR range = 1.2 to 2.2). For these five conditions, all-cause admissions and lengths of stay, general practice daytime and out-of-hours contacts, and municipal home nursing contacts were similar between follow-up groups or higher among patients in general practice follow-up. The exception was patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, where patients in hospital outpatient follow-up had higher utilisation of healthcare resources.

Conclusions

Patients in general practice follow-up accounted for the largest proportion of total healthcare utilisation, but patients in hospital outpatient follow-up were characterised by high exacerbation rates. Enhanced integration of chronic care may be of most benefit if patients in general practice follow-up are targeted, but it is also likely to have an impact on exacerbation rates among patients in hospital outpatient follow-up.

Information before discharge in geriatric patients in Italy: cultural adaptation and validation of the Patient Continuity of Care Questionnaire

Our aim is to culturally adapt the first section of the Patient Continuity of Care Questionnaire (PCCQ) for use among older Italian patients with chronic diseases and to test its psychometric properties. The PCCQ was translated, adapted to the Italian context, and completed by 236 older inpatients with chronic diseases at the point of discharge through a cross-sectional multi-centre validation study. Face and content validity were assessed. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) with Mplus MLr estimator was conducted. Internal consistency was analysed through Cronbach's alpha and factor score determinacy coefficients. The overall content validity index of the 15-item Italian version of the questionnaire was 0.9. The EFA revealed a four-factor model yielding adequate fit indices. The factor score determinacy coefficients ranged from 0.87 to 0.94. The Cronbach's alpha coefficients ranged from 0.71 to 0.86 showing good reliability. The study provides health professionals with an instrument with adequate psychometric properties to assess patients' perception of the information received before hospital discharge.

Shifting care from hospital to community, a strategy to integrate care in Singapore: process evaluation of implementation fidelity

Background

Accessibility to efficient and person-centered healthcare delivery drives healthcare transformation in many countries. In Singapore, specialist outpatient clinics (SOCs) are commonly congested due to increasing demands for chronic care. To improve this situation, the National University Health System (NUHS) Regional Health System (RHS) started an integrated care initiative,the Right-Site Care (RSC) program in 2014. Through collaborations between SOCs at the National University Hospital and primary and community care (PCC) clinics in the western region of the county, the program was designed to facilitate timely discharge and appropriate transition of patients, who no longer required specialist care, to the community. The aim of this study was to evaluate the implementation fidelity of the NUHS RHS RSC program using the modified Conceptual Framework for Implementation Fidelity (CFIF), at three distinct levels; providers, organizational, and system levels to explain outcomes of the program and to inform further development of (similar) programs.

Methods

A convergent parallel mixed methods study using the realist evaluation approach was used. Data were collected between 2016 and 2018 through non-participatory observations, reviews of medical records and program database, together with semi-structured interviews with healthcare providers. Triangulation of data streams was applied guided by the modified CFIF.

Results

Our findings showed four out of six program components were implemented with low level of fidelity, and 9112 suitable patients were referred to the program while 3032 (33.3%) declined to be enrolled. Moderating factors found to influence fidelity included: (i) complexity of program, (ii) evolving providers’ responsiveness, (iii) facilitation through synergistic partnership, training of PCC providers by specialists and supportive structures: care coordinators, guiding protocols, shared electronic medical record and shared pharmacy, (iv) lack of organization reinforcement, and (v) mismatch between program goals, healthcare financing and providers’ reimbursement.

Conclusion

Functional integration alone is insufficient for a successful right-site care program implementation. Improvement in relationships between providers, organizations, and patients are also warranted for further development of the program.

ACO Affiliated Hospitals Increase Implementation of Care Coordination Strategies

BACKGROUND

Hospitals affiliated with Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) may have a greater capacity to collaborate with providers across the care continuum to coordinate care, due to formal risk sharing and payment arrangements. However, little is known about the extent to which ACO affiliated hospitals implement care coordination strategies.

OBJECTIVES

To compare the implementation of care coordination strategies between ACO affiliated hospitals (n=269) and unaffiliated hospitals (n=502) and examine whether the implementation of care coordination strategies varies by hospital payment model types.

MEASURES

We constructed a care coordination index (CCI) comprised of 12 indicators that describe evidence-based care coordination strategies. Each indicator was scored on a 5-point Likert scale from 1="not used at all" to 5="used widely" by qualified representatives from each hospital. The CCI aggregates scores from each of the 12 individual indicators to a single summary score for each hospital, with a score of 12 corresponding to the lowest and 60 the highest use of care coordination strategies.

RESEARCH DESIGN

We used state-fixed effects multivariable linear regression models to estimate the relationship between ACO affiliation, payment model type, and the use care coordination strategies.

RESULTS

We found ACO affiliated hospitals reported greater use of care coordination strategies compared to unaffiliated hospitals. Fee-for-service shared savings and partial or global capitation payment models were associated with a greater use of care coordination strategies among ACO affiliated hospitals.

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest ACO affiliation and multiple payment model types are associated with the increased use of care coordination strategies.

Can community and hospital medicine meet? A novel integrative care experience at Assuta University Medical Center

The ageing of the population, along with the rise in chronic complex illnesses, requires extensive interprofessional, individualized care, mainly in the community, but also in hospitals. Fragmentation results in suboptimal care, higher cost due to duplication and poor quality of care. Hence, collaboration between health systems is essential to prevent further complications and provide enhanced medical care to patients. Integrative care creates bridges between community and hospital health. Integration should be pursued at different levels within a system to facilitate the continuous, comprehensive, and coordinated delivery of services to individuals and populations. To be applied and to make a difference in patient care and outcome, its significance needs to be understood and embedded at the management level. Health systems should abandon familiar paradigms and collaborate with other health systems on the macro level. Several studies describe integrative care from its different aspects. Division of integration into levels: systemic to clinical, horizontal vs longitudinal and according to the degree of integration (from linkage to full integration). Maccabi Health Services is the first Israeli health organization to place an integrative care team at Assuta Hospital in Ashdod. The multiprofessional team, situated in the hospital, sees every Maccabi patient in the hospital. Through close communication and collaborative work with the hospital team – a shared continuity of the care plan is prepared. The team coordinates future care in the community from the hospital to ease the release process and improve outcomes.

Development and Evaluation of an Integrated Digital Patient Platform During Oncology Treatment

Background:

Patient platforms are seen as promising technologies in an integrated care approach to involve cancer patients in their own health care and to support them in managing their personal health information. However, few digital platforms have been codesigned with patients and caregivers.

Objective:

To develop, implement, and evaluate the feasibility and applicability of a digital oncology platform (DOP) for patients with cancer.

Method:

A mixed-method study was used, employing a survey, interviews, and logged data from caregivers and patients. The DOP was designed in cooperation with Information Technology (IT) staff, caregivers, and patients.

Results:

The DOP was actively used by half of the patients. These active patients were positive about the DOP. Caregivers acknowledged the added value but also indicate that additional workload was involved. Oncology nurse specialists are the users of the platform. General practitioners have indicated their interest in the platform.

Conclusion:

Thanks to the codesign process, the DOP could be tailored to the expectations of the end users. This study provides insight into which DOP functionalities the patients were interested in and includes further recommendations for implementation.

Policies Make Coherent Care Pathways a Personal Responsibility for Clinicians: A Discourse Analysis of Policy Documents about Coordinators in Hospitals

INTRODUCTION

In response to increase of patients with complex conditions, policies prescribe measures for improving continuity of care. This study investigates policies introducing coordinator roles in Norwegian hospitals that have proven challenging to implement.

METHODS

This qualitative study of policy documents employed a discourse analysis inspired by Carol Bacchi's 'What's the problem represented to be?'. We analysed six legal documents (2011-2016) and selected parts of four whitepapers presenting the statutory patient care coordinator and contact physician roles in hospitals.

RESULTS

The 'problem' represented in the policies is lack of coherent pathways and lack of stable responsible professionals. Extended personal responsibility for clinical personnel as coordinators is the prescribed solution. Their duties are described in terms of ideals for coherent pathways across conditions and contexts. System measures to support and orchestrate the individual patient's pathway (e.g. resources, infrastructure) are scarcely addressed.

CONCLUSIONS AND DISCUSSION

We suggest that the policies' construction of the 'problem' as a responsibility issue, result in that neither diversity of patients' coordination needs, nor heterogeneity of hospital contexts regarding necessary system support for coordinators, is set on the agenda. Adoption of rhetoric from diagnosis-specific standardized pathways obscures unique challenges in creating coherent pathways for patients with complex needs.