Systems for the management of respiratory disease in primary care--an international series: United Kingdom

What role does the GP play for emergency department utilizers? A qualitative exploration of respiratory patients' perspectives in Berlin, Germany

BACKGROUND

While motives for emergency department (ED) self-referrals have been investigated in a number of studies, the relevance of general practitioner (GP) care for these patients has not been comprehensively evaluated. Respiratory symptoms constitute an important utilization trigger in both EDs and in primary care. In this qualitative study, we aimed to explore the role of GP care for patients visiting EDs as outpatients for respiratory complaints and the relevance of the relationship between patient and GP in the decision making process leading up to an ED visit.

METHODS

Qualitative descriptive study. Semi-structured, face-to-face interviews with a sample of 17 respiratory ED patients in Berlin, Germany. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Qualitative content analysis was performed. The study was embedded into the EMACROSS (Emergency and Acute Care for Respiratory Diseases beyond Sectoral Separation) cohort of ED patients with respiratory symptoms, which is part of EMANet (Emergency and Acute Medicine Network for Health Care Research).

RESULTS

Three patterns of GP utilization could be differentiated: long-term regular consulters, sporadic consulters and patients without GP. In sporadic consulters and patients without GP, an ambivalent or even aversive view of GP care was prevalent, with lack of confidence in GPs' competence and a deficit in trust as seemingly relevant influencing factors. Regardless of utilization or relationship type, patients frequently made contact with a GP before visiting an ED.

CONCLUSIONS

With regard to respiratory symptoms, our qualitative data suggest a hypothesis of limited relevance of patients' primary care utilization pattern and GP-patient relationship for ED consultation decisions.

Applying a whole systems lens to the general practice crisis: cross-sectional survey looking at usage of community pharmacy services in England by patients with long-term respiratory conditions

OBJECTIVE

UK policy initiatives aiming to extend community pharmacy services to moderate patient demands and to reduce general practitioners' (GPs) workload have had limited success. This study used marketing theory to identify factors that could influence patients to make better use of community pharmacies within the primary care pathway.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional postal survey design applying the '7Ps marketing mix' ('product', 'price', 'place', 'promotion', 'people', 'process' and 'physical evidence').

SETTING

Greater Manchester, England.

PARTICIPANTS

Patients with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease registered at two GP practices.

PRIMARY OUTCOME

Patient preference for community pharmacy services.

RESULTS

The response rate was 29% (289/1003). Most respondents preferred to use GP practices for invasive/diagnostic services (product) while preferring using community pharmacy for medicines supply and minor ailments (place). Stronger preference for using GP practices over community pharmacy was significantly associated with gender (male>female), age group (≥65 years) and healthcare services previously accessed at the pharmacy. Respondents perceived they would be more likely to use community pharmacy services if pharmacists offered them enough time to discuss any concerns (73.3%) (price), if community pharmacies had private/clean consultation rooms (70%-73%) (physical evidence) and if pharmacy staff had strong interpersonal skills (68%-70%) (people). Respondents were divided on likelihood of using community pharmacy services if pharmacists could access their whole medical record but wanted pharmacists to add information about their visit (59.6%) (process). Respondents would be encouraged to use community pharmacy for healthcare services if they were offered services by pharmacy staff or recommended/referred to services by their GP (44%) (promotion).

CONCLUSIONS

Using the 7Ps marketing mix highlighted that community pharmacies having staff with strong interpersonal skills, good quality consultation rooms and integrated information systems could positively influence patients to use community pharmacies for management of long-term conditions. There are opportunities for community pharmacies to alleviate GP workload, but a whole system approach will be necessary.

Managing complex respiratory patients in the community: an evaluation of a pilot integrated respiratory care service

Introduction

In the UK, there is significant variation in respiratory care and outcomes. An integrated approach to the management of high-risk respiratory patients, incorporating specialist and primary care teams' expertise, is the basis for new integrated respiratory services designed to reduce this variation; however, this model needs evaluating.

Methods

To evaluate an integrated service managing high-risk respiratory patients, electronic searches for patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at risk of poor outcomes were performed in two general practitioner (GP) practices in a local service-development initiative. Patients were reviewed at joint clinics by primary and secondary care professionals. GPs also nominated patients for inclusion. Reviews were delivered to best standards of care including assessments of diagnosis, control, spirometry, self-management, education, medication, inhaler technique and smoking cessation support. Follow-up of routine clinical data collected at 9-months postclinic were compared with seasonally matched 9-months prior to integrated review.

Results

82 patients were identified, 55 attended. 13 (23.6%) had their primary diagnosis changed. In comparison with the seasonally adjusted baseline period, in the 9-month follow-up there was an increase in inhaled corticosteroid prescriptions of 23.3%, a reduction in short-acting β₂-agonist prescription of 33.3%, a reduction in acute respiratory exacerbations of 67.6%, in unscheduled GP surgery visits of 53.3% and acute respiratory hospital admissions reduced from 3 to 0. Only 4 patients (7.3%) required referral to secondary care. Health economic evaluation showed respiratory-related costs per patient reduced by £231.86.

Conclusions

Patients with respiratory disease in this region at risk of suboptimal outcomes identified proactively and managed by an integrated team improved outcomes without the need for hospital referral.

Internet-based self-management support for adults with asthma: a qualitative study among patients, general practitioners and practice nurses on barriers to implementation

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to explore barriers among patients, general practitioners (GPs) and practice nurses to implement internet-based self-management support as provided by PatientCoach for asthma in primary care.

SETTING

Primary care within South Holland, the Netherlands.

PARTICIPANTS

Twenty-two patients (12 women, mean age 38 years), 21 GPs (6 women, mean age 52 years) and 13 practice nurses (all women, mean age 41 years).

DESIGN

A qualitative study using focus groups and interviews.

OUTCOMES

Barriers as perceived by patients, GPs and practice nurses to implementation of PatientCoach.

METHODS

10 focus groups and 12 interviews were held to collect data: 4 patient focus groups, 4 GP focus groups, 2 practice nurse focus group, 2 patient interviews, 5 GP interviews and 5 practice nurse interviews. A prototype of PatientCoach that included modules for coaching, personalised information, asthma self-monitoring, medication treatment plan, feedback, e-consultations and a forum was demonstrated. A semistructured topic guide was used. Directed content analysis was used to analyse data. Reported barriers were classified according to a framework by Grol and Wensing.

RESULTS

A variety of barriers emerged among all participant groups. Barriers identified among patients include a lack of a patient-professional partnership in using PatientCoach and a lack of perceived benefit in improving asthma symptoms. Barriers identified among GPs include a low sense of urgency towards asthma care and current work routines. Practice nurses identified a low level of structured asthma care and a lack of support by colleagues as barriers. Among all participant groups, insufficient ease of use of PatientCoach, lack of financial arrangements and patient characteristics such as a lack of asthma symptoms were reported as barriers.

CONCLUSIONS

We identified a variety of barriers to implementation of PatientCoach. An effective implementation strategy for internet-based self-management support in asthma care should focus on these barriers.

Burden of COPD in patients treated in different care settings in the Netherlands

INTRODUCTION

Care for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can be provided in primary, secondary or tertiary care. Whether and to what extent patients with COPD treated in various healthcare settings differ in disease burden and healthcare utilization remains unknown. Therefore, daily symptoms, functional mobility, mood status, health status and healthcare utilization were compared between COPD patients in various care settings, to explore possibilities for healthcare-optimization.

METHODS

Current data are part of the Chance study. Demographics, functional mobility (Care Dependency Scale (CDS); Timed-Up-and-Go (TUG) test), mood status (Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HADS)), health status (COPD Assessment test (CAT); Clinical COPD questionnaire (CCQ); COPD specific St. George Respiratory questionnaire (SGRQ-C)), received treatments and severity of physical and psychological symptoms were assessed in subjects with and without COPD.

RESULTS

836 subjects (100 primary care patients, 100 secondary care patients, 518 tertiary care patients and 118 non-COPD subjects) were included. The burden of disease significantly increased from primary care to tertiary care. However, in all three healthcare settings a high percentage of patients with an impaired health status was observed (i.e. CAT ≥10 points, 68.0% vs. 91.0% vs. 94.5%, respectively). Furthermore, many patients treated in secondary care remain highly symptomatic despite treatment, while others with low burden of disease would allow for de-intensification of care.

CONCLUSION

This study revealed important shortcomings and challenges for the care of COPD patients in the Netherlands. It emphasizes the need for detailed patient characterization and more individualized treatment, independent of the healthcare setting.

Prescribed therapy for asthma: therapeutic ratios and outcomes

Background

Inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) are the cornerstone of asthma therapy. The ICS-to-total-asthma-medication ratios, calculated from claims data, indicate potentially risky disease management in asthma. Our aim was to assess the utility of ICS-to-total-asthma-medication ratios from primary care electronic medical records (EMRs) in detecting patients at risk of asthma exacerbation, as approached by prescription of oral corticosteroids and/or antibiotics.

Methods

Retrospective cohort studies were identified, using the Health Improvement Network general practice database (THIN, United Kingdom) and the Cegedim Longitudinal Patient Data (France). We selected asthma patients aged 16–40 years, with ≥ 4 prescriptions for asthma medications in 2007 and ≥ 1 prescription in 2008. For each country, three groups were defined according to ratio value in 2008: 0% (non-ICS users), <50% (low-ICS-ratio group) and ≥50% (high-ICS-ratio group). Outcomes were marker of asthma exacerbations: systemic corticosteroids and antibiotics. They were compared between groups in each country.

Results

Among 38,637 British and 4,587 French patients, higher numbers of prescriptions per patient of systemic corticosteroids, antibiotics and total asthma medications were observed in the low-ICS-ratio groups compared to other groups (p < 0.0001 for each outcome in both countries). Likewise, low-ICS-ratio patients had more medical contacts (p < 0.0001 in both countries), suggesting poorly controlled asthma. ICS-treated patients had lower risks of receiving systemic corticosteroids in 2008 in the high-ICS-ratio group, compared to the low-ICS-ratio group: RR = 0.54, 95%CI = [0.50-0.57] and RR = 0.78, 95%CI = [0.67-0.91] in the UK and France, respectively.

Conclusions

Patients with high ICS-to-total-asthma-medication ratios presented fewer asthma-related outcomes. The low ICS-to-total-asthma-medication ratio calculated with EMRs data reflects insufficient prescribing of ICS relative to all asthma medications, which may lead to deteriorated asthma control.

Management of COPD exacerbations in primary care: a clinical cohort study

BACKGROUND

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations are associated with lung function decline, lower quality of life, and increased mortality, and can be prevented by pharmacological treatment and rehabilitation.

AIMS

To examine management including examination, treatment, and planned follow-up of COPD exacerbation visits in primary care patients and to explore how measures and management at exacerbation visits are related to subsequent exacerbation risk.

METHODS

A clinical population of 775 COPD patients was randomly selected from 56 Swedish primary healthcare centres. Data on patient characteristics and management of COPD exacerbations were obtained from medical record review and a patient questionnaire. In the study population of 458 patients with at least one exacerbation, Cox regression analyses estimated the risk of a subsequent exacerbation with adjustment for age and sex.

RESULTS

During a follow-up period of 22 months, 238 patients (52%) had a second exacerbation. A considerable proportion of the patients were not examined and treated as recommended by guidelines. Patients with a scheduled extra visit to an asthma/COPD nurse following an exacerbation had a decreased risk of further exacerbations compared with patients with no extra follow-up other than regularly scheduled visits (adjusted hazard ratio 0.60 (95% confidence interval 0.37 to 0.99), p=0.045).

CONCLUSIONS

Guidelines for examination and emergency treatment at COPD exacerbation visits are not well implemented. Scheduling an extra visit to an asthma/COPD nurse following a COPD exacerbation may be associated with a decreased risk of further exacerbations in primary care patients.

An exploration of how nurse prescribing is being used for patients with respiratory conditions across the east of England

BACKGROUND

There is a need to reduce symptoms, exacerbations and improve quality of life for patients with respiratory diseases. Across the world, increasing numbers of nurses are adopting the prescribing role and can potentially enhance service provision. Evidence suggests improved quality of care and efficiencies occur when nurses adopt the prescribing role. No evidence is available on the views of nurse prescribers who care for respiratory patients. The aim was to explore how nurse prescribing is being used for patients with respiratory conditions in different care settings across one strategic health authority, and whether this has benefited patients, healthcare professionals and the National Health Service.

METHODS

A qualitative study involving semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of 40 nurses who prescribed for respiratory patients across the six counties in the East of England Strategic Health Authority. Data were collected in 2011 and subject to thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Disease management, including treatment and prevention of exacerbations, emergency episodes and minor illness, optimising and co-ordinating care were key aspects of care provided. Findings are reported under three themes: access, adherence and risk management and impact on nurses. Prescribing enabled nurses overcome existing problems in service provision to improve access, efficiency and patient convenience, reducing hospital admissions and length of stay. It also enabled patient centered consultations, which encouraged self-management, improved adherence, helped manage expectations, and reduced inappropriate service use. While participants experienced increased job satisfaction, knowledge and confidence, concerns were raised about increased responsibility, support, governance and future commissioning of services in line with planned major changes to the National Health Service.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides new knowledge about how nurse prescribers provide care to patients with respiratory diseases. Despite a lack of consensus over the most effective model of respiratory care, prescribing was reported to have improved and extended points of access to treatment, and supported management of complex patients, particularly vulnerable groups. Given the high burden of chronic respiratory disease to patients and families this has important implications that need to be considered by those responsible for commissioning services in the United Kingdom and other countries.

Reforming respiratory outpatient services: a before-and-after observational study assessing the impact of a quality improvement project applying British Thoracic Society criteria to the discharge of patients to primary care

BACKGROUND

Secondary care physicians caring for people with long-term conditions (LTCs) are under increasing pressure to discharge long-term follow-up patients to primary care. In respiratory medicine, the 2008 British Thoracic Society (BTS) statement on criteria for specialist referral, admission, discharge, and follow-up for adults with respiratory disease remains the only available basis for this dialogue. There is widespread concern about reforming outpatient clinics to meet these demands and the impact of discharging people with respiratory LTCs to primary care.

AIMS

To examine the impact of implementing BTS guidance on secondary care follow-up of patients with respiratory disease.

METHODS

We undertook a clinic reform project, which included one-stop medical reviews, providing more open access appointments, and implementing the BTS criteria. The impact on patients was assessed by patient survey, and the impact on GPs was assessed by an analysis of referral patterns pre- and post-reform.

RESULTS

There was a significant improvement in commissioner-mandated performance through reduction in follow-up (p=0.006) and the unscheduled hospital admission rate decreased significantly (p=0.021). However, many patients were dissatisfied with the process and re-referral rates rose.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that the delivery of a responsive service capable of sustainable management of respiratory LTCs can be achieved using the BTS criteria. It seems to be efficacious within secondary care, increasing the quality and value of the clinic activity, although hidden impacts on primary care will require further prospective studies.