Factors Contributing to Patients' Preferences for Primary Health Care Institutions in China: A Qualitative Study

Stakeholders' Perceived Barriers and Successes of Quality Improvement Programs for Patients With Diabetes Comment on "Quality and Performance Measurement in Primary Diabetes Care: A Qualitative Study in Urban China"

Rasooly et al performed a qualitative evaluation to characterize the experiences of 26 stakeholders with the implementation of diabetes-related quality and performance measures delivered in primary healthcare to patients with diabetes in metropolitan China. Results from this cross-sectional investigation identified relevant gaps in primary care delivery for people with diabetes from one major center in China. As diabetes is a prevalent condition worldwide, lessons learned from this research can be useful to guide, refine, and improve quality measurement evaluations in primary care in China and other countries. In this commentary, we comment on the strengths and weaknesses of the study, suggest future directions, and discuss how lessons learned from this research can be helpful to guide, refine, and improve the quality measurement of diabetes care in other countries.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of serplulimab in combination with cisplatin plus 5-fluorouracil chemotherapy compared to cisplatin plus 5-fluorouracil chemotherapy as first-line treatment for advanced or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in China

Background

This study evaluated the cost-effectiveness of serplulimab plus chemotherapy versus chemotherapy alone in treating advanced/metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) within the Chinese health care system.

Methods

A partitioned survival model based on ASTRUM-007 trial patient characteristics was developed. Efficacy, safety, and medical/economic data were obtained from the trial and real-world clinical practice. Costs, quality-adjusted life years (QALY), and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) were calculated for both treatment strategies. Sensitivity, subgroup, and scenario analyses were performed to assess the uncertainty impact.

Results

Serplulimab combined with chemotherapy yielded an ICER of US$ 53,538.27/QALY. Deterministic sensitivity analysis identified patient survival and serplulimab price as influential parameters. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis showed a 47.33% probability of cost-effectiveness at a willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold of US$ 53,541/QALY and 0.05% at three times China's GDP per capita. Subgroup analysis revealed that patients with a programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression combined positive score (CPS) ⩾10 had a lower hazard ratio (0.59) and ICER (US$ 29,935.23/QALY), with a 95.36% probability of cost-effectiveness. Scenario analysis demonstrated that the drug donation discount policy significantly increased the likelihood of cost-effective serplulimab-chemotherapy combinations in Jiangsu, Fujian, and Guangdong at 99.99%, 99.90%, and 94.16%, respectively.

Conclusion

Compared to chemotherapy alone, serplulimab combined with chemotherapy is currently not a cost-effective first-line treatment for advanced/metastatic ESCC in China. However, as serplulimab plus chemotherapy regimens evolve and price competition among programmed death 1 (PD-1) inhibitors intensifies, this combination may become a cost-effective treatment option.

High performing primary health care organizations from patient perspective: a qualitative study in China

BACKGROUND

There is a global call to build people-centred primary health care (PHC) systems. Previous evidence suggests that without organization-level reform efforts, the full potential of policy reforms may be limited. This study aimed to generate a profile of high performing PHC organizations from the perspective of patients.

METHODS

We conducted semi-structured interviews with 58 PHC users from six provinces (Shandong, Zhejiang, Shaanxi, Henan, Shanxi, Heilongjiang) in China using purposive and snowball sampling techniques. Transcription was completed by trained research assistants through listening to the recordings of the interviews and summarizing them in English by 30-s segments to generate the narrative summary. Informed by the Classification System of PHC Organizational Attributes, thematic analysis aimed to identify domains and attributes of high performing PHC organizations.

RESULTS

A profile of a high performing PHC organization with five domains and 14 attributes was generated. The five domains included: (1) organizational resources including medical equipment, human and information resource; (2) service provision and clinical practice including practice scope, internal integration and external integration; (3) general features including location, environment and ownership; (4) quality and cost; and (5) organizational structure including continuous learning mechanism, administrative structure and governance.

CONCLUSIONS

A five-domain profile of high performing PHC organizations from the perspective of Chinese PHC users was generated. Organizational resources, service delivery and clinical practices were most valued by the participants. Meanwhile, the participants also had strong expectation of geographical accessibility, high quality of care as well as efficient organizational structure. These organizational elements should be reflected in further reform efforts in order to build high performing PHC organizations.

Patient experience in community health services and first choice for medical attention: A cross-sectional study in Wuhan, China

OBJECTIVES

In China, it is up to the patients to choose between hospitals and primary care facilities to initiate their medical care. This study aimed to determine the association between patient experience with community health centres (CHCs, a predominant provider of community-based primary care) and patient preference of taking community-based primary care facilities as a first choice for medical attention.

METHODS

A questionnaire survey was conducted on 1919 patients who sought medical care in 55 CHCs in Wuhan, China. Respondents were asked to identify their preferred first choice for medical attention and rate their satisfaction with eight aspects of CHCs (basic facility, medical equipment, medical services, nursing services, treatment process, courtesy and responsiveness, time spent with medical doctor, pharmacy services). Multivariate logistic regression models were established to determine the association between the CHC experience and the first choice of providers after adjustment for variations in sociodemographic characteristics.

RESULTS

Over 90% of respondents were satisfied or very satisfied with the eight aspects of CHCs; but only 75% preferred to take community-based primary care facilities as their first choice for medical attention. Those who were older and had a lower income were more likely to choose community-based primary care facilities. Geographic proximity and higher levels of satisfaction with the basic facility, courtesy and responsiveness, and pharmacy services in the CHCs were associated with a higher likelihood of taking community-based primary care facilities as a first choice for medical attention.

CONCLUSION

The consumers of CHCs are generally satisfied with the services they received. However, one quarter of the CHC patients are yet to be convinced to accept community-based primary care facilities as a preferred first provider for medical care. Geographic proximity and patient experience with CHCs are associated with the patient choice.

Perceptions of the benefits of the basic medical insurance system among the insured: a mixed methods research of a northern city in China

Background

The perceptions of the benefits of the basic medical insurance system among the insured not only reflect the system's performance but also the public's basic medical insurance policy literacy, valuable information for countries that have entered the stage of deepening reform. This study aims to examine the factors that affect the perceptions of the benefits of the basic medical insurance system in China, diagnose the key problems, and propose corresponding measures for improvement.

Methods

A mixed method design was used. Data for the quantitative study were obtained from a cross-sectional questionnaire survey (n = 1,045) of residents of Harbin who had enrolled for basic medical insurance system. A quota sampling method was further adopted. A multivariate logistic regression model was then employed to identify the factors influencing the perceptions of the benefits of the basic medical insurance system, followed by semi-structured interviews with 30 conveniently selected key informants. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to analyze the interview data.

Results

Approximately 44% of insured persons reported low perceptions of benefits. The logistic regression model showed that low perceptions of the benefits of the basic medical insurance system was positively correlated with the experience of daily drug purchases (OR = 1.967), perceptions of recognition with basic medical insurance system (OR = 1.948), perceptions of the financial burden of participation costs (OR = 1.887), perceptions of the convenience of using basic medical insurance for medical treatment (OR = 1.770), perceptions of the financial burden of daily drug purchases costs (OR = 1.721), perceptions of the financial burden of hospitalization costs (OR = 1.570), and type of basic medical insurance system (OR = 1.456). The results of the qualitative analysis showed that the key problem areas of perceptions of the benefits of the basic medical insurance system were: (I) system design of basic medical insurance; (II) intuitive cognition of the insured; (III) rational cognition of the insured; and (IV) the system environment.

Conclusions

Improving the perceptions of the benefits of the basic medical insurance system of the insured requires joint efforts in improving system design and implementation, exploring effective publicity methods of basic medical insurance system information, supporting public policy literacy, and promoting the health system environment.

Developing a Capsule Clinic-A 24-Hour Institution for Improving Primary Health Care Accessibility: Evidence From China

Telehealth is an effective combination of medical service and intelligent technology. It can improve the problem of remote access to medical care. However, an imbalance in the allocation of health resources still occurs. People spend more time and money to access higher-quality services, which results in inequitable access to primary health care (PHC). At the same time, patients' usage of telehealth services is limited by the equipment and their own knowledge, and the PHC service suffers from low usage efficiency and lack of service supply. Therefore, improving PHC accessibility is crucial to narrowing the global health care coverage gap and maintaining health equity. In recent years, China has explored several new approaches to improve PHC accessibility. One such approach is the capsule clinic, an emerging institution that represents an upgraded version of the internet hospital. In coordination with the United Nations, the Yinzhou district of Ningbo city in Zhejiang, China, has been testing this new model since 2020. As of October 2022, the number of applications in Ningbo was 15, and the number of users reached 12,219. Unlike internet hospitals, the entire process-from diagnosis to prescription services-can be completed at the capsule clinic. The 24-hour telehealth service could also solve transportation problems and save time for users. Big data analysis can accurately identify regional populations' PHC service needs and improve efficiency in health resource allocation. The user-friendly, low-cost, and easily accessible telehealth model is of great significance. Installation of capsule clinics would improve PHC accessibility and resolve the uneven distribution of health resources to promote health equity.

Long-term trend of antibiotic use at public health care institutions in northwest China, 2012-20 -- a case study of Gansu Province

BACKGROUND

Over the past 20 years, excessive antibiotic use has led to serious antimicrobial resistance (AMR) worldwide, and the phenomenon is particularly serious in China. To this end, the Chinese health sector took a series of measures to promote rational antibiotic use. In this study, to reveal the impact of policies on antibiotic use, we explored the long-term trend and patterns of antibiotic use at public health care institutions from 2012 to 2020 in northwest China, taking Gansu Province as an example.

METHODS

Antibiotic procurement data were obtained from the provincial centralized bidding procurement (CBP) platform between 2012 and 2020. Antibiotic use was quantified using the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC)/defined daily doses (DDD) methodology and standardized using the DDD per 1000 inhabitants per day (DID). Twelve relevant quality indicators were calculated for comparison with the European Surveillance of Antimicrobial Consumption (ESAC) project monitoring results.

RESULTS

Total antibiotic use increased from 18.75 DID to 57.07 DID and then decreased to 19.11 DID, a turning point in 2014. The top three antibiotics used were J01C (beta-lactam antibacterials, penicillins), J01F (macrolides, lincosamides and streptogramins), and J01D (other beta-lactam antibacterials, cephalosporins), accounting for 45.15%, 31.40%, and 11.99% respectively. The oral antibiotics used were approximately 2.5 times the parenteral antibiotics, accounting for 71.81% and 28.19%, respectively. Different use preferences were shown in public hospitals and primary health care centres (PHCs), and the latter accounted for more than half of total use. The absolute use of all classes of antibiotics in Gansu is almost higher than any of the 31 European countries included in the ESAC, but the relative use of some focused antibiotics is lower than theirs.

CONCLUSIONS

The intervention policies of the health department reduced antibiotic use in Gansu Province, but the proportion of broad-spectrum and parenteral antibiotics was still high. It is necessary to further improve the quality of antibiotic prescriptions and pay more attention to the rationality of antibiotic use in PHCs.

Systemic glucocorticoid prescriptions pattern and factors of inappropriate use in primary care institutions of Southwest China

Background

Inappropriate use of glucocorticoids in primary care institutions is serious. It not only causes economic burden, but leads to many adverse reactions. The purpose of this study is to explore systemic glucocorticoid prescription pattern and factors of inappropriate use in primary care institutions.

Methods

This is a retrospective study. Systemic glucocorticoids prescribed in 58 primary care institutions in Guizhou province of Southwest China in 2020 were selected from the Health Information System. All prescriptions were classified as appropriate or inappropriate use. Inappropriate use was classified into the following two categories: (a) Inappropriate indications; (b) Inappropriate selection of glucocorticoids. Multivariate analysis was used to explore the factors associated with inappropriate use of systemic glucocorticoids.

Results

A total of 63,315 glucocorticoid prescriptions were included in the analysis. Diseases of the respiratory system (60.8%) and diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue (23.1%) were the most common indications for use. Injections (89.8%) predominated and dexamethasone (86.5%) was the most prescribed glucocorticoid. 68.2% of all prescriptions were inappropriate. Compared to physicians with a college degree, physicians with a junior college (OR: 1.12, 95% CI: 1.08-1.17) and technical secondary education (OR: 1.12, 95% CI:1.05-1.19) were more likely to prescribe glucocorticoids inappropriately as were attending physicians (OR: 1.12, 95% CI: 1.01-1.25) and resident physicians (OR: 1.31, 95% CI: 1.15-1.48) compared to associate chief physicians. The risk of inappropriate glucocorticoid use was highest in patients 65 years of age and older (OR: 6.00, 95% CI: 5.62-6.40). In contrast, prescriptions given by injection were more likely to be used inappropriately than those given orally (OR: 0.44, 95% CI: 0.41-0.46).

Conclusion

Inappropriate use of systemic glucocorticoids without appropriate indications was extremely prominent in primary care institutions of Guizhou Province, especially in diseases of the respiratory system and among the elderly. The risk of inappropriate glucocorticoid use was highest in patients 65 years of age and older. It is important to note that physicians younger than 33, with more than 40 years of service, and attending or residents were more likely to inappropriately prescribe glucocorticoids.

Conjoint analyses of patients’ preferences for primary care: a systematic review

Background

While patients’ preferences in primary care have been examined in numerous conjoint analyses, there has been little systematic effort to synthesise the findings. This review aimed to identify, to organise and to assess the strength of evidence for the attributes and factors associated with preference heterogeneity in conjoint analyses for primary care outpatient visits.

Methods

We searched five bibliographic databases (PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, Econlit and Scopus) from inception until 15 December 2021, complemented by hand-searching. We included conjoint analyses for primary care outpatient visits. Two reviewers independently screened papers for inclusion and assessed the quality of all included studies using the checklist by ISPOR Task Force for Conjoint Analysis. We categorized the attributes of primary care based on Primary Care Monitoring System framework and factors based on Andersen’s Behavioural Model of Health Services Use. We then assessed the strength of evidence and direction of preference for the attributes of primary care, and factors affecting preference heterogeneity based on study quality and consistency in findings.

Results

Of 35 included studies, most (82.4%) were performed in high-income countries. Each study examined 3–8 attributes, mainly identified through literature reviews (n = 25). Only six examined visits for chronic conditions, with the rest on acute or non-specific / other conditions. Process attributes were more commonly examined than structure or outcome attributes. The three most commonly examined attributes were waiting time for appointment, out-of-pocket costs and ability to choose the providers they see. We identified 24/58 attributes with strong or moderate evidence of association with primary care uptake (e.g., various waiting times, out-of-pocket costs) and 4/43 factors with strong evidence of affecting preference heterogeneity (e.g., age, gender).

Conclusions

We found 35 conjoint analyses examining 58 attributes of primary care and 43 factors that potentially affect the preference of these attributes. The attributes and factors, stratified into evidence levels based on study quality and consistency, can guide the design of research or policies to improve patients’ uptake of primary care. We recommend future conjoint analyses to specify the types of visits and to define their attributes clearly, to facilitate consistent understanding among respondents and the design of interventions targeting them.

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Can a multitiered copayment system affect people's healthcare-seeking behavior? A case study of Wenzhou, China

BACKGROUND

Facilitating the primary health care (PHC) system and maintaining people's reasonable healthcare-seeking behavior are key to establishing a sustainable healthcare system. China has employed a multitiered copayment system/medical insurance differentiated payment policies to incentivize the public to utilize PHC services through its hierarchical medical care system; however, most people still prefer visiting tertiary care hospitals. We question whether the quality gap in healthcare services reduces the effect of the multitiered copayment system, which is considered an important factor in the lack of reform in the Chinese healthcare system. Thus, we explore the effect and influencing factors of the multitiered copayment system that drives primary healthcare-seeking behavior under the current situation with a large quality gap. We also consider the hypothetical situation of a reduced gap in the future.

METHODS

This study used the hypothetical quality improvement scenario to elicit people's hypothetical behaviors, and a multistage stratified cluster random sampling method. This preliminary study was conducted in 2016 using 1829 individuals from four regions of Wenzhou in Zhejiang Province: Ouhai, Ruian, Yongjia, and Taishun. A descriptive statistical analysis, chi-square analysis, Fisher's exact test, and multinomial logistic regression model were performed to introduce the effect of the multitiered copayment system, and to explore the factors affecting the selection of PHC institutions at pre- and post-change phases.

RESULT

The results show that compared with the large quality gap phase, the number of respondents who believed the multitiered copayment system had an effect on their selection of PHC institutions after the equalization of healthcare services quality increased threefold (from 14.0% to 50.8%). Moreover, the main determinants in people's selection of PHC institutions changed from age and needs variables (self-rated health status) to age, needs variables (self-rated health status) and enabling variables (distance to a medical care facility).

CONCLUSION

The results indicate limited initial effects of the multitiered copayment system. However, they become more pronounced after the equalization of healthcare services quality. This study confirms that changes in the quality gap in healthcare services influence the effect of the multitiered copayment system. Hence, reducing this gap can help achieve the intended outcome of the tiered healthcare insurance schedule.

The Service Capability of Primary Health Institutions under the Hierarchical Medical System

Background: Primary health institutions (PHIs) are the foundation of the whole health system and the basic link to achieve the goal of all people enjoying primary health care. However, the service capability of primary health institutions is not under the hierarchical medical system. Method: Data were collected from the China Health Statistics Yearbook between 2014 and 2020. PHIs included community health centres, community health stations, and township hospitals in our study. The service capability of primary health institutions was analysed from the perspective of structure, process, and results. Structure capability was evaluated using the number of beds, number of personnel, number of health technicians, and proportion of the number of personnel in PHIs accounting for the total number of health personnel. Process capability was evaluated using the number of general practitioners. The number of outpatients and inpatients, medical income, the proportion of drug income, and the average number of patients and beds served by physicians in PHIs per day were employed to evaluate the resulting capability. Results: From 2014 to 2020, the number of community health service centres/stations increased, while the number of township health centres decreased. In the aspect of structure capability, the total number of personnel and health technicians in community health centres/stations and township hospitals both increased during 2014 and 2020. However, the increasing rate in PHIs was a little bit less than that of general medical institutions. The proportion of male health technicians in community health centres and township hospitals both decreased, while the proportion of female technicians in both increased. From 2014 to 2020, the number of beds in PHIs also increased from 138.12 × 10⁴ to 164.94 × 10⁴. However, the proportion of beds in PHIs accounting for the total number of beds in medical institutions decreased. For the resulting capability, from 2014 to 2019, the proportion of diagnosis and treatment times in PHIs decreased from 57.41% to 51.96%, although it increased in 2020. The proportion of inpatients in PHIs decreased from 20.03% to 16.11%. From 2014 to 2020, the utilisation rate of hospital beds in PHIs decreased (from 55.6% to 34% for community health centres and 60.5% to 53.6% for township hospitals). The average daily bed days of doctors in township hospitals was higher than that of doctors in community health service centres. However, the average medical cost of outpatients and the per capita medical cost of inpatients in community health service centres were higher than in township hospitals. Conclusion: In recent years, although the service capability showed an increasing trend in PHIs, the growth rate was lower than the general health institutions. The utilisation rates of PHIs, including beds and physicians, were decreased. Among PHIs, the utilisation in township hospitals was higher than in community health centres with a relatively low price. Under the hierarchical medical system and normalisation period of the COVID-19 epidemic, it is important to improve the service capability to achieve its goal of increasing PHI utilisation and decreasing secondary and tertiary hospital utilisation.

Enhancing Public Participation in Public Health Offerings: Patient Preferences for Facilities in the Western Cape Province Using a Discrete Choice Experiment

Understanding patients’ preferences for health facilities could help decision makers in designing patient-centered services. Therefore, this study aims to understand how patients’ willingness to trade for certain attributes affects the choice of public health facilities in the Western Cape province of Cape Town, South Africa. A discrete choice experiment was conducted in two community day centers (CDCs). Patients repetitively chose between two hypothetical health facilities that differed in six attributes: distance to facility, treatment by doctors vs. nurses, confidentiality during treatment, availability of medication, first visit (drop-in) waiting times, and appointment waiting times. The sample consisted of 463 participants. The findings showed that availability of medication (50.5%), appointment waiting times (19.5%), and first visit waiting times (10.2%) were the most important factors for patients when choosing a health facility. In addition, respondents preferred shorter appointment and first visit waiting times (<2 h). These results identified important characteristics in choosing public health facilities in Cape Town. These public health facilities could be improved by including patient voices to inform operational and policy decisions in a low-income setting.

Identification and Prioritization of Attributes for a Discrete Choice Experiment Using the Nominal Group Technique: Patients' Choice of Public Health Facilities in Cape Town, South Africa

OBJECTIVES

To date, there has been scant research on patient input regarding the desirable characteristics of healthcare facilities. This study uses the nominal group technique (NGT) to develop a discrete choice experiment (DCE) aimed at identifying and prioritizing, from the patient's perspective, essential characteristics for choosing public health facilities in Cape Town, South Africa.

METHODS

Four focus group discussions were conducted, including a total of 21 patients or their parents/companion at Bothasig and Goodwood community day centers (which offer primary care within substructure) in Cape Town. The group discussions followed the steps of NGT guidelines. At each facility, the frequency of an attribute being within the top 5 was determined, a weighted ranking was calibrated, and a subgroup analysis was performed.

RESULTS

The 6 most important attributes in choosing a facility were "treatment by a doctor/(family physician)" (66.7%), "distance to the community day center" (61.7%), "availability of medication" (61.7%), "confidentiality during treatment" (57.7%), and "waiting time" and "treatment by a nurse." The weighted results showed that distance was the most important, followed by treatment by the doctors, treatment confidentiality, availability of medication, and waiting time and treatment by a nurse.

CONCLUSION

This study confirms the feasibility and value of the NGT in identifying and prioritizing the attributes for a DCE. The NGT can be used to elicit patient preferences and, when used together with a DCE, can enhance information quality and quantity for decision making in tandem with patient satisfaction and experiences.

Policy Interventions, Development Trends, and Service Innovations of Internet Hospitals in China: Documentary Analysis and Qualitative Interview Study

BACKGROUND

Internet hospitals have been encouraged by the Chinese government to develop an innovative medical service model that mainly uses new internet-based technologies to increase access to health care and improve the quality and efficiency of health care delivery. However, the academic exploration of the institutional and sectoral development of internet hospitals in China is scarce in the existing literature.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the policy interventions, development trends, and service innovations of internet hospitals in China. It is expected that the findings from this study will contribute to the further innovation of internet hospitals in China and provide references for the international development of internet hospitals for personalized digital health and patient-centric services.

METHODS

This study analyzed official policies related to internet hospitals that were implemented by the government in China since 2005. The data of formally approved internet hospitals were collected from official websites to analyze development trends. In-depth semistructured interviews were conducted with 58 key stakeholders who represented comprehensive viewpoints about the service innovations of internet hospitals between March and November 2019.

RESULTS

In total, 25 policies that promoted the development of internet hospitals in China were identified. These policies encompassed informatization infrastructure construction, medical resource integration, development model design, service model design, and payment model design. Of the 268 internet hospitals that had received an official license from the government, 153 public internet hospitals had been built mainly by medical institutions. Public tertiary hospitals were the main actors in founding internet hospitals that were created to provide services that targeted patients with common diseases or chronic diseases or patients living in remote and rural areas. Promoting convenient access to high-quality medical resources and saving patients' and their families' time were the key values of internet hospitals.

CONCLUSIONS

The policy interventions strongly promoted the development of internet hospitals in China. Public tertiary hospitals led the development of internet hospitals. However, internet hospitals in China have mainly played roles that are complementary to those of physical medical institutions. The service model of internet hospitals needs more distinguished innovations to provide personalized digital health and patient-centric services.

A New Perspective for Improving the Human Resource Development of Primary Medical and Health Care Institutions: A Structural Equation Model Study

In some countries, including China, primary health care is rarely utilized because of medical personnel shortages at primary medical and health care institutions (PMHCIs). Several studies suggest that the most effective solution is to guide qualified doctors and medical graduates to work in PMHCIs, but the studies and measures have been formulated only from the perspective of the government and PMHCIs; few have considered the subjective willingness of medical personnel. Therefore, it is necessary to explore the measures to develop human resources of PMHCIs from the guiding object. This research was divided into two parts based on implicit theory and a lexical approach. The first part collected the factors affecting their choosing PMHCIs for employment, and the second part used exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and structural equation modeling (SEM) to explore the dimensions and paths of the influencing factors. At last, seven factors were obtained from the EFA, and the SEM hypothesis fit the data well. Internal Organization Development, Patient Factor, Remuneration and Development, and Family Support had a significantly positive effect on the Sense of Gain of medical personnel seeking employment at PMHCIs, whereas both Job Responsibilities and Condition of the City Where the PMHCI Is Located had no significant effect. In addition, the indirect effects of Internal Organization Development and Condition of the City Where the PMHCI Is Located on the Sense of Gain were significant. The Patient Factor, Family Support, and Remuneration and Development significantly mediated the relationship between the internal and external environment of the institution and the Sense of Gain, whereas the mediating effect of Job Responsibilities was not significant. The improvement of family support, remuneration and development, and patient factors increase the willingness of medical personnel to seek employment at PMHCIs. In addition, the internal and external environments of a PMHCI play a vital role in guiding medical personnel to PMHCIs for employment. This research provides theoretical support for improving the development of human resources, guiding medical personnel to work in PMHCIs, and promoting the use of primary care services.

Patient pathway analysis of tuberculosis diagnostic delay: a multicentre retrospective cohort study in China

OBJECTIVES

Delay in diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) is an important but under-appreciated problem. Our study aimed to analyse the patient pathway and possible risk factors of long diagnostic delay (LDD).

METHODS

We enrolled 400 new bacteriologically diagnosed patients with pulmonary TB from 20 hospitals across China. LDD was defined as an interval between the initial care visit and the confirmation of diagnosis exceeding 14 days. Its potential risk factors were investigated by multivariate logistic regression and multilevel logistic regression. Hospitals in China were classified by increasing size, from level 0 to level 3. TB laboratory equipment in hospitals was also evaluated.

RESULTS

The median diagnostic delay was 20 days (IQR: 7-72 days), and 229 of 400 patients (57.3%, 95%CI 52.4-62.1) had LDD; 15% of participants were diagnosed at the initial care visit. Compared to level 0 facilities, choosing level 2 (OR 0.27, 95%CI 0.12-0.62, p 0.002) and level 3 facilities (OR 0.34, 95%CI 0.14-0.84, p 0.019) for the initial care visit was independently associated with shorter LDD. Equipping with smear, culture, and Xpert at initial care visit simultaneously also helped to avoid LDD (OR 0.28, 95%CI 0.09-0.82, p 0.020). The multilevel logistic regression yielded similar results. Availability of smear, culture, and Xpert was lower in level 0-1 facilities than in level 2-3 facilities (p < 0.001, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Most patients failed to be diagnosed at the initial care visit. Patients who went to low-level facilities initially had a higher risk of LDD. Improvement of TB laboratory equipment, especially at low-level facilities, is urgently needed.