Ready or Not: A Conceptual Model of Organizational Readiness for Embedded Pragmatic Dementia Research

The National Institute on Aging Alzheimer's Disease/Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias Research Implementation Milestones emphasize the need for implementation research that maximizes up-take and scale-up of evidence-based dementia care practices across settings, diverse populations, and disease trajectories. Organizational readiness for implementation is a salient consideration when planning and conducting embedded pragmatic trials, in which interventions are implemented by provider staff. The current article examines the conceptual and theoretical underpinnings of organizational readiness for implementation and the operationalization of this construct. We offer a preliminary conceptual model for explicating and measuring organizational readiness and describe the unique characteristics and demands of implementing evidence-based interventions targeting persons with dementia and/or their care partners. [Research in Gerontological Nursing, xx(x), xx-xx.].

Broad immunogenicity to prior SARS-CoV-2 strains and JN.1 variant elicited by XBB.1.5 vaccination in nursing home residents

Background

SARS-CoV-2 vaccination has reduced hospitalization and mortality for nursing home residents (NHRs). However, emerging variants coupled with waning immunity, immunosenescence, and variability of vaccine efficacy undermine vaccine effectiveness. We therefore need to update our understanding of the immunogenicity of the most recent XBB.1.5 monovalent vaccine to variant strains among NHRs.

Methods

The current study focuses on a subset of participants from a longitudinal study of consented NHRs and HCWs who have received serial blood draws to assess immunogenicity with each SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine dose. We report data on participants who received the XBB.1.5 monovalent vaccine after FDA approval in Fall 2023. NHRs were classified based on whether they had an interval SARS-CoV-2 infection between their first bivalent vaccine dose and their XBB.1.5 monovalent vaccination.

Results

The sample included 61 NHRs [median age 76 (IQR 68-86), 51% female] and 28 HCWs [median age 45 (IQR 31-58), 46% female). Following XBB.1.5 monovalent vaccination, there was a robust geometric mean fold rise (GMFR) in XBB.1.5-specific neutralizing antibody titers of 17.3 (95% confidence interval [CI] 9.3, 32.4) and 11.3 (95% CI 5, 25.4) in NHRs with and without interval infection, respectively. The GMFR in HCWs was 13.6 (95% CI 8.4,22). Similarly, we noted a robust GMFR in JN.1-specific neutralizing antibody titers of 14.9 (95% CI 7.9, 28) and 6.5 (95% CI 3.3, 13.1) among NHRs with and without interval infection, and a GMFR of 11.4 (95% CI 6.2, 20.9) in HCWs. NHRs with interval SARS-CoV-2 infection had higher neutralizing antibody titers across all analyzed strains following XBB.1.5 monovalent vaccination, compared to NHRs without interval infection.

Conclusion

The XBB.1.5 monovalent vaccine significantly elevates Omicron-specific neutralizing antibody titers to XBB.1.5 and JN.1 strains in both NHRs and HCWs. This response was more pronounced in individuals known to be infected with SARS-CoV-2 since bivalent vaccination.

Impact Statement

All authors certify that this work entitled " Broad immunogenicity to prior strains and JN.1 variant elicited by XBB.1.5 vaccination in nursing home residents " is novel. It shows that the XBB.1.5 monovalent vaccine significantly elevates Omicron-specific neutralizing antibody titers in both nursing home residents and healthcare workers to XBB and BA.28.6/JN.1 strains. This work is important since JN.1 increased from less than 0.1% to 94% of COVID-19 cases from October 2023 to February 2024 in the US. This information is timely given the CDC's latest recommendation that adults age 65 and older receive a Spring 2024 XBB booster. Since the XBB.1.5 monovalent vaccine produces compelling immunogenicity to the most prevalent circulating JN.1 strain in nursing home residents, our findings add important support and rationale to encourage vaccine uptake.

Key Points

Emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants together with waning immunity, immunosenescence, and variable vaccine efficacy reduce SARS-CoV-2 vaccine effectiveness in nursing home residents.XBB.1.5 monovalent vaccination elicited robust response in both XBB.1.5 and JN.1 neutralizing antibodies in nursing home residents and healthcare workers, although the absolute titers to JN.1 were less than titers to XBB.1.5Why does this paper matter? Among nursing home residents, the XBB.1.5 monovalent SARS-CoV-2 vaccine produces compelling immunogenicity to the JN.1 strain, which represents 94% of all COVID-19 cases in the U.S. as of February 2024.

Using Structured Observations to Evaluate the Effects of a Personalized Music Intervention on Agitated Behaviors and Mood in Nursing Home Residents With Dementia: Results From an Embedded, Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this research was to determine if a personalized music intervention reduced the frequency of agitated behaviors as measured by structured observations of nursing home (NH) residents with dementia.

DESIGN

The design was a parallel, cluster-randomized, controlled trial.

SETTING

The setting was 54 NH (27 intervention, 27 control) from four geographically-diverse, multifacility NH corporations.

PARTICIPANTS

The participants were 976 NH residents (483 intervention, 493 control) with Alzheimer's disease or related dementias (66% with moderate to severe symptoms); average age 80.3 years (SD: 12.3) and 25.1% were Black.

INTERVENTION

The intervention was individuals' preferred music delivered via a personalized music device.

MEASUREMENT

The measurement tool was the Agitated Behavior Mapping Instrument, which captures the frequency of 13 agitated behaviors and five mood states during 3-minute observations.

RESULTS

The results show that no verbally agitated behaviors were reported in a higher proportion of observations among residents in NHs randomized to receive the intervention compared to similar residents in NHs randomized to usual care (marginal interaction effect (MIE): 0.061, 95% CI: 0.028-0.061). Residents in NHs randomized to receive the intervention were also more likely to be observed experiencing pleasure compared to residents in usual care NHs (MIE: 0.038; 95% CI: 0.008-0.073)). There was no significant effect of the intervention on physically agitated behaviors, anger, fear, alertness, or sadness.

CONCLUSIONS

The conclusions are that personalized music may be effective at reducing verbally-agitated behaviors. Using structured observations to measure behaviors may avoid biases of staff-reported measures.

Pragmatic Implementation of a Music Intervention in Nursing Homes Before and During COVID-19

OBJECTIVES

We conducted 2 trials of a music intervention for managing behaviors in nursing home (NH) residents with dementia, before (2019) and during (2021) the pandemic. In this report, we compare adherence fidelity across the trials using the Framework for Implementation Fidelity (FIF).

DESIGN

Cross-sectional, descriptive implementation comparison.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

Fifty-four NHs randomized to receive the intervention (27 pre-COVID, 27 during COVID) METHODS: We compare the trials on the following FIF criteria: coverage (number of residents receiving the intervention); duration (minutes of music received per exposed day); frequency (percentage of residents with nursing staff use of music in the past week); and details of content (adherence to core components of the intervention). We report NH-level performance in each domain and compare characteristics of NHs in the bottom (low) and top (high) terciles of adherence.

RESULTS

Across FIF domains, adherence fidelity was lower during COVID compared with pre-COVID: coverage, residents exposed (COVID: 7.5, SD 5.6; pre-COVID: 12.7, SD 3.6); duration, music minutes per exposed day (COVID: 2.5, SD 5.1; pre-COVID: 27.1, SD 23.9); frequency, percentage of residents with nursing use of intervention in the past week (COVID: 15.0, SD 31.5; pre-COVID 40.4, SD 25.6); and details of content, compliance with core components of the intervention (COVID: 8.3, SD 1.9; pre-COVID 9.6, SD 2.0). In both trials, high-adherence fidelity NHs had better nursing staff ratios, greater percentages of Medicare residents, and lower percentages of Black residents, compared with low-fidelity NHs.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

Adherence fidelity was worse in the COVID vs pre-COVID trial, despite adaptations between trials intended to reduce staff burden and increase clinical targeting of the intervention. Results may point to the long-term effects of COVID on quality improvement capacity in NHs and/or a lack of available resources in most NHs to implement complex behavioral interventions without direct research support.

Using Hybrid Effectiveness Studies to Facilitate Implementation in Community-Based Settings: Three Case Studies in Dementia Care Research

The pipeline from discovery to testing and then implementing evidence-based innovations in real-world contexts may take 2 decades or more to achieve. Implementation science innovations, such as hybrid studies that combine effectiveness and implementation research questions, may help to bridge the chasm between intervention testing and implementation in dementia care. This paper describes hybrid effectiveness studies and presents 3 examples of dementia care interventions conducted in various community-based settings. Studies that focus on outcomes and implementation processes simultaneously may result in a truncated and more efficient implementation pipeline, thereby providing older persons, their families, health care providers, and communities with the best evidence to improve quality of life and care more rapidly. We offer post-acute and long-term care researchers considerations related to study design, sampling, data collection, and analysis that they can apply to their own dementia and other chronic disease care investigations.

Identifying strategies that promote staff and resident influenza and COVID-19 vaccination in nursing homes: Perspectives from nursing home staff

Resident and staff influenza and COVID-19 vaccination are critical components of infection prevention in nursing homes. Our study sought to characterize strategies that nursing home staff use to promote vaccination. Twenty-six telephone/videoconference interviews were conducted with administrators, directors of nursing, infection preventionists, and Minimum Data Set coordinators at 14 nursing homes across the US. Transcripts were analyzed using content analysis and a detailed audit trail was maintained. Staff described resident and staff influenza and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and confidence as well as varying approaches to promote vaccination. These included incentives, education efforts, and having a "vaccine champion" responsible for vaccine promotion. While many strategies had been in place prior to COVID-19 in support of improving influenza vaccination, participants reported implementing additional approaches to promote COVID-19 vaccination. Findings may inform future efforts to promote vaccination, which will be critical to mitigate the burden of influenza and COVID-19 in nursing homes.

The Benefits of Nursing Home Air Purification on COVID-19 Outcomes: A Natural Experiment

OBJECTIVES

Improving indoor air quality is one potential strategy to reduce the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in any setting, including nursing homes, where staff and residents have been disproportionately and negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

DESIGN

Single group interrupted time series.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

A total of 81 nursing homes in a multifacility corporation in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina that installed ultraviolet air purification in their existing heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems between July 27, 2020,k and September 10, 2020.

METHODS

We linked data on the date ultraviolet air purification systems were installed with the Nursing Home COVID-19 Public Health File (weekly data reported by nursing homes on the number of residents with COVID-19 and COVID-19 deaths), public data on data on nursing home characteristics, county-level COVID-19 cases/deaths, and outside air temperature. We used an interrupted time series design and ordinary least squares regression to compare trends in weekly COVID-19 cases and deaths before and after installation of ultraviolet air purification systems. We controlled for county-level COVID-19 cases, death, and heat index.

RESULTS

Compared with pre-installation, weekly COVID-19 cases per 1000 residents (-1.69; 95% CI, -4.32 to 0.95) and the weekly probability of reporting any COVID-19 case (-0.02; 95% CI, -0.04 to 0.00) declined in the post-installation period. We did not find any difference pre- and post-installation in COVID-19-related mortality (0.00; 95% CI, -0.01 to 0.02).

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

Our findings from this small number of nursing homes in the southern United States demonstrate the potential benefits of air purification in nursing homes on COVID-19 outcomes. Intervening on air quality may have a wide impact without placing significant burden on individuals to modify their behavior. We recommend a stronger, experimental design to estimate the causal effect of installing air purification devices on improving COVID-19 outcomes in nursing homes.

Design of a Nursing Home Infection Control Peer Coaching Program

OBJECTIVE

To pilot test and refine an infection control peer coaching program, Infection Control Amplification in Nursing Centers (ICAN), in partnership with providers.

DESIGN

Intervention design and pilot test.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

Infection preventionists (IPs) from 7 Connecticut nursing homes (NHs).

METHODS

We codesigned and pilot tested the ICAN program with NH IPs. The initial program involved designating peer coaches to provide real-time feedback on infection control practices to coworkers and targeting coaches' observations using data from both observations shared by coaches in daily huddles and weekly audit data about hand hygiene, masking, and transmission-based precautions. IPs tested the initial program while providing feedback to the research team during weekly calls. We used information from the calls, participant surveys, and the pilot process to update the program.

RESULTS

Despite IPs reporting that the initial program was highly aligned with facility priorities and needs, their weekly call attendance dropped as they dealt with short staffing and COVID-19-related outbreaks and none implemented all of the program's components as intended. Most IPs described making changes to increase feasibility and reduce burden on staff amid short staffing and other ongoing issues exacerbated by the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. We used information from the IPs and the pilot to update the program, including shifting from having IPs lead implementation solo to using a team-based approach. The updated program retains peer coaches and audit data, while broadening the mode of feedback from huddles only to communication using one-on-one meetings or emails, huddles, or other strategies. It also provides NH staff with flexibility to tailor implementation of each to their needs and constraints.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

Working with staff, we developed an infection control peer coaching program that may be of use to NH leaders seeking strategies to strengthen infection control practices. Future work should involve implementing and evaluating the updated program.

Feasibility of a Nursing Home Antibiotic Stewardship Intervention

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate a bundled electronic intervention to improve antibiotic prescribing practices in US nursing homes.

DESIGN

Prospective mixed-methods quality improvement intervention.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

Nursing staff and residents in 13 nursing homes, and residents in 8 matched-control facilities (n = 21 facilities total, from 2 corporations).

METHODS

This study involved a 2-month design period (n = 5 facilities) focused on the acceptability and feasibility of a bundled electronic intervention consisting of 3 tools, followed by a 15-month implementation period (n = 8 facilities) during which we used rapid-cycle quality improvement methods to refine and add to the bundle. We used mixed-methods data from providers, intervention tools, and health records to assess feasibility and conduct a difference-in-difference analysis among the 8 intervention sites and 8 pair-matched controls.

RESULTS

Nurses at 5 pilot sites reported that initial versions of the electronic tools were acceptable and feasible, but barriers emerged when 8 different facilities began implementing the tools, prompting iterative revisions to the training and bundle. The final bundle consisted of 3 electronic tools and training that standardized digital documentation to document and track a change in resident condition, infections, antibiotic prescribing, and antibiotic follow-up. By the end of the implementation phase, all 8 facilities were using at least 1 of the 3 tools. Early antibiotic discontinuation increased 10.5% among intervention sites, but decreased 10.8% among control sites.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

The 3 tools in our bundled electronic intervention capture clinical and prescribing data necessary to assess changes in antibiotic use and were feasible for nurses to adopt. Achieving this required modifying the tools and training before the intervention reached its final form. Comparisons of rates of antibiotic use at intervention and control facilities showed promising improvement in antibiotic discontinuation, demonstrating that the intervention could be evaluated using secondary electronic health record data.

Me & My Wishes: Concordance of End-of-Life Preferences between Residents with Dementia, Family, and Staff

Objective: Me & My Wishes involves videos of persons living with dementia talking about their end-of-life (EOL) care preferences. This study aimed to examine the concordance of EOL treatment and psychosocial preferences expressed by assisted living community and nursing home residents in these videos with family and staff knowledge of preferences. Design: Randomized wait-list control. Setting/Subjects: Assisted living and nursing home residents in the United States, and their family members and caregivers. Measurements: Five EOL treatment preferences (cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR, breathing machine, tube feeding, life support, and pain treatment) and four near EOL psychosocial preferences (having family at the bedside, engaging in faith practices such as prayer, having a pet at bedside, and engaging in activities such as being read to or listening to music) extracted from residents' videos and captured through family and staff surveys. Results: Thirty-six resident videos were shared with family (N = 50) and staff (N = 38) during care plan meetings. Concordance between residents' stated EOL treatment preferences and family and staff knowledge improved, with results showing a treatment effect at time of sharing the video (family: Beta = 0.21, p < 0.001; staff: Beta = 0.35, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Our findings indicate that sharing Me & My Wishes videos improved family and staff concordance of EOL psychosocial and treatment preferences for assisted living and nursing home residents living with dementia. Personalized videos conveying resident preferences can help informal and formal caregivers understand the resident as a person and foster concordant care. Clinical Trial Registration Number NCT03861429.

Facility characteristics and costs associated with meeting proposed minimum staffing levels in skilled nursing facilities

BACKGROUND

Federal minimum nurse staffing levels for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) were proposed in 2019 U.S. Congressional bills. We estimated costs and personnel needed to meet the proposed staffing levels, and examined characteristics of SNFs not meeting these thresholds.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional analysis of 2019Q4 payroll data, the Hospital Wage Index, and other administrative data for 14,964 Medicare and Medicaid-certified SNFs. We examined characteristics of SNFs not meeting proposed minimum thresholds: 4.1 total nursing hours per resident day (HPRD); 0.75 registered nurse (RN) HPRD; 0.54 licensed practical nurse (LPN) HPRD; and 2.81 certified nursing assistant (CNA) HPRD. For SNFs falling below the thresholds, we calculated the additional HPRD needed, along with the associated full-time equivalent (FTE) personnel and salary costs.

RESULTS

In 2019, 25.0% of SNFs met the minimum 4.1 total nursing HPRD, while 31.0%, 84.5%, and 10.7% met the RN, LPN, and CNA thresholds, respectively. Only 5.0% met all four categories. In adjusted analyses, factors most strongly associated with SNFs not meeting the proposed minimums were: higher Medicaid census, larger bed size, for-profit ownership, higher county SNF competition; and, for RNs specifically, higher community poverty and lower Medicare census. Rural SNFs were less likely to meet all categories and this was explained primarily by county SNF competition. We estimate that achieving the proposed federal minimums across SNFs nationwide would require an estimated additional 35,804 RN, 3509 LPN, and 116,929 CNA FTEs at $7.25 billion annually in salary costs based on current wage rates and prepandemic resident census levels.

CONCLUSIONS

Achieving proposed minimum nurse staffing levels in SNFs will require substantial financial investment in the workforce and targeted support of low-resource facilities. Extensive recruitment and retention efforts are needed to overcome supply constraints, particularly in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Interventions to Reduce Hospital and Emergency Department Utilization Among People With Alcohol and Substance Use Disorders: A Scoping Review

BACKGROUND

Substance use disorders (SUDs), prevalent worldwide, are associated with significant morbidity and health care utilization.

OBJECTIVES

To identify interventions addressing hospital and emergency department utilization among people with substance use, to summarize findings for those seeking to implement such interventions, and to articulate gaps that can be addressed by future research.

RESEARCH DESIGN

A scoping review of the literature. We searched PubMed, PsycInfo, and Google Scholar for any articles published from January 2010 to June 2020. The main search terms included the target population of adults with substance use or SUDs, the outcomes of hospital and emergency department utilization, and interventions aimed at improving these outcomes in the target population.

SUBJECTS

Adults with substance use or SUDs, including alcohol use.

MEASURES

Hospital and emergency department utilization.

RESULTS

Our initial search identified 1807 titles, from which 44 articles were included in the review. Most interventions were implemented in the United States (n=35). Half focused on people using any substance (n=22) and a quarter on opioids (n=12). The tested approaches varied and included postdischarge services, medications, legislation, and counseling, among others. The majority of study designs were retrospective cohort studies (n=31).

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, we found few studies assessing interventions to reduce health care utilization among people with SUDs. The studies that we did identify differed across multiple domains and included few randomized trials. Study heterogeneity limits our ability to compare interventions or to recommend one specific approach to reducing health care utilization among this high-risk population.

Measuring implementation fidelity in a cluster-randomized pragmatic trial: development and use of a quantitative multi-component approach

BACKGROUND

In pragmatic trials, on-site partners, rather than researchers, lead intervention delivery, which may result in implementation variation. There is a need to quantitatively measure this variation. Applying the Framework for Implementation Fidelity (FIF), we develop an approach for measuring variability in site-level implementation fidelity. This approach is then applied to measure site-level fidelity in a cluster-randomized pragmatic trial of Music & MemorySM (M&M), a personalized music intervention targeting agitated behaviors in residents living with dementia, in US nursing homes (NHs).

METHODS

Intervention NHs (N = 27) implemented M&M using a standardized manual, utilizing provided staff trainings and iPods for participating residents. Quantitative implementation data, including iPod metadata (i.e., song title, duration, number of plays), were collected during baseline, 4-month, and 8-month site visits. Three researchers developed four FIF adherence dimension scores. For Details of Content, we independently reviewed the implementation manual and reached consensus on six core M&M components. Coverage was the total number of residents exposed to the music at each NH. Frequency was the percent of participating residents in each NH exposed to M&M at least weekly. Duration was the median minutes of music received per resident day exposed. Data elements were scaled and summed to generate dimension-level NH scores, which were then summed to create a Composite adherence score. NHs were grouped by tercile (low-, medium-, high-fidelity).

RESULTS

The 27 NHs differed in size, resident composition, and publicly reported quality rating. The Composite score demonstrated significant variation across NHs, ranging from 4.0 to 12.0 [8.0, standard deviation (SD) 2.1]. Scaled dimension scores were significantly correlated with the Composite score. However, dimension scores were not highly correlated with each other; for example, the correlation of the Details of Content score with Coverage was τb = 0.11 (p = 0.59) and with Duration was τb = - 0.05 (p = 0.78). The Composite score correlated with CMS quality star rating and presence of an Alzheimer's unit, suggesting face validity.

CONCLUSIONS

Guided by the FIF, we developed and used an approach to quantitatively measure overall site-level fidelity in a multi-site pragmatic trial. Future pragmatic trials, particularly in the long-term care environment, may benefit from this approach.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Clinicaltrials.gov NCT03821844. Registered on 30 January 2019, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03821844 .

Strategies associated with COVID-19 vaccine coverage among nursing home staff

Background

After the first of three COVID‐19 vaccination clinics in U.S. nursing homes (NHs), the median vaccination coverage of staff was 37.5%, indicating the need to identify strategies to increase staff coverage. We aimed at comparing the facility‐level activities, policies, incentives, and communication methods associated with higher staff COVID‐19 vaccination coverage.

Methods

Design. Case–control analysis.

Setting. Nationally stratified random sample of 1338 U.S. NHs participating in the Pharmacy Partnership for Long‐Term Care Program.

Participants. Nursing home leadership.

Measurement. During February 4–March 2, 2021, we surveyed NHs with low (<35%), medium (40%–60%), and high (>75%) staff vaccination coverage, to collect information on facility strategies used to encourage staff vaccination. Cases were respondents with medium and high vaccination coverage, whereas controls were respondents with low coverage. We used logistic regression modeling, adjusted for county and NH characteristics, to identify strategies associated with facility‐level vaccination coverage.

Results

We obtained responses from 413 of 1338 NHs (30.9%). Compared with facilities with lower staff vaccination coverage, facilities with medium or high coverage were more likely to have designated frontline staff champions (medium: adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 3.6, 95% CI 1.3–10.3; high: aOR 2.9, 95% CI 1.1–7.7) and set vaccination goals (medium: aOR 2.4, 95% 1.0–5.5; high: aOR 3.7, 95% CI 1.6–8.3). NHs with high vaccination coverage were more likely to have given vaccinated staff rewards such as T‐shirts compared with NHs with low coverage (aOR 3.8, 95% CI 1.3–11.0). Use of multiple strategies was associated with greater likelihood of facilities having medium or high vaccination coverage: For example, facilities that used ≥9 strategies were three times more likely to have high staff vaccination coverage than facilities using <6 strategies (aOR 3.3, 95% CI 1.2–8.9).

Conclusions

Use of designated champions, setting targets, and use of non‐monetary awards were associated with high NH staff COVID‐19 vaccination coverage.

Enhancing sleep quality for nursing home residents with dementia: a pragmatic randomized controlled trial of an evidence-based frontline huddling program

Background

Disturbed sleep places older adults at higher risk for frailty, morbidity, and even mortality. Yet, nursing home routines frequently disturb residents’ sleep through use of noise, light, or efforts to reduce incontinence. Nursing home residents with Alzheimer’s disease and or related dementias—almost two-thirds of long-stay nursing home residents—are likely to be particularly affected by sleep disturbance. Addressing these issues, this study protocol implements an evidence-based intervention to improve sleep: a nursing home frontline staff huddling program known as LOCK. The LOCK program is derived from evidence supporting strengths-based learning, systematic observation, relationship-based teamwork, and efficiency.

Methods

This study protocol outlines a NIH Stage III, real-world hybrid efficacy-effectiveness pragmatic trial of the LOCK sleep intervention. Over two phases, in a total of 27 non-VA nursing homes from 3 corporations, the study will (1) refine the LOCK program to focus on sleep for residents with dementia, (2) test the impact of the LOCK sleep intervention for nursing home residents with dementia, and (3) evaluate the intervention’s sustainability. Phase 1 (1 year; n = 3 nursing homes; 1 per corporation) will refine the intervention and train-the-trainer protocol and pilot-tests all study methods. Phase 2 (4 years; n = 24 nursing homes; 8 per corporation) will use the refined intervention to conduct a wedge-design randomized, controlled, clinical trial. Phase 2 results will measure the LOCK sleep intervention’s impact on sleep (primary outcome) and on psychotropic medication use, pain and analgesic medication use, and activities of daily living decline (secondary outcomes). Findings will point to inter-facility variation in the program’s implementation and sustainability.

Discussion

This is the first study to our knowledge that applies a dementia sleep intervention to systematically address known barriers to nursing home quality improvement efforts. This innovative study has future potential to address clinical issues beyond sleep (safety, infection control) and expand to other settings (assisted living, inpatient mental health). The study’s strong team, careful consideration of design challenges, and resulting rigorous, pragmatic approach will ensure success of this promising intervention for nursing home residents with dementia.

Trial registration

NCT04533815, ClinicalTrials.gov, August 20, 2020. 

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12877-021-02189-8.

Decomposing Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Nursing Home Influenza Vaccination

OBJECTIVES

Quantify how observable characteristics contribute to influenza vaccination disparities among White, Black, and Hispanic nursing home (NH) residents.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

Short- and long-stay U.S. NH residents aged ≥65 years.

METHODS

We linked Minimum Data Set (MDS) and Medicare data to LTCFocUS and other facility data. We included residents with 6-month continuous enrollment in Medicare and an MDS assessment between October 1, 2013, and March 31, 2014. Residents were classified as short-stay (<100 days in NH) or long-stay (≥100 days in NH). We fit multivariable logistic regression models to assess the relationships between 27 resident and NH-level characteristics and receipt of influenza vaccination. Using nonlinear Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition, we decomposed the disparity in influenza vaccination between White versus Black and White versus Hispanic NH residents. Analyses were repeated separately for short- and long-stay residents.

RESULTS

Our study included 630,373 short-stay and 1,029,593 long-stay residents. Proportions vaccinated against influenza included 67.2% of White, 55.1% of Black, and 54.5% of Hispanic individuals among short-stay residents and 84.2%, 76.7%, and 80.8%, respectively among long-stay residents. Across 4 comparisons, the crude disparity in influenza vaccination ranged from 3.4 to 12.7 percentage points. By equalizing 27 prespecified characteristics, these disparities could be reduced 37.7% to 59.2%. Living in a predominantly White facility and proxies for NH quality were important contributors across all analyses. Characteristics unmeasured in our data (eg, NH staff attitudes and beliefs) may have also contributed significantly to the disparity.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

The racial/ethnic disparity in influenza vaccination was most dramatic among short-stay residents. Intervening on factors associated with NH quality would likely reduce these disparities; however, future qualitative research is essential to explore potential contributors that were unmeasured in our data and to understand the degree to which these factors contribute to the overall disparity in influenza vaccination.

Front-line Nursing Home Staff Experiences During the COVID-19 Pandemic

OBJECTIVE

The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is an unprecedented challenge for nursing homes, where staff have faced rapidly evolving circumstances to care for a vulnerable resident population. Our objective was to document the experiences of these front-line health care professionals during the pandemic.

DESIGN

Electronic survey of long-term care staff. This report summarizes qualitative data from open-ended questions for the subset of respondents working in nursing homes.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

A total of 152 nursing home staff from 32 states, including direct-care staff and administrators.

METHODS

From May 11 through June 4, 2020, we used social media and professional networks to disseminate an electronic survey with closed- and open-ended questions to a convenience sample of long-term care staff. Four investigators identified themes from qualitative responses for staff working in nursing homes.

RESULTS

Respondents described ongoing constraints on testing and continued reliance on crisis standards for extended use and reuse of personal protective equipment. Administrators discussed the burden of tracking and implementing sometimes confusing or contradictory guidance from numerous agencies. Direct-care staff expressed fears of infecting themselves and their families, and expressed sincere empathy and concern for their residents. They described experiencing burnout due to increased workloads, staffing shortages, and the emotional burden of caring for residents facing significant isolation, illness, and death. Respondents cited the presence or lack of organizational communication and teamwork as important factors influencing their ability to work under challenging circumstances. They also described the demoralizing impact of negative media coverage of nursing homes, contrasting this with the heroic public recognition given to hospital staff.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

Nursing home staff described working under complex and stressful circumstances during the COVID-19 pandemic. These challenges have added significant burden to an already strained and vulnerable workforce and are likely to contribute to increased burnout, turnover, and staff shortages in the long term.

Dental and Oral Health Care in Nursing Homes: Results from Two Multi-Stakeholder Surveys

STUDY OBJECTIVE

To characterize oral health practices using data from statewide, multi-stakeholder surveys.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

We analyzed data from two Rhode Island surveys. Together, the surveys targeted all nursing homes, residents, and resident representatives in Rhode Island, and asked about staff training on mouth care, frequency of dental provider visits, enrollment in nursing home dental programs, and barriers to oral health. Primary Results: Responding nursing home administrators reported high levels of commitment to oral health. Among residents enrolled in a nursing home dental care program, 76.1% had a preventive visit in the prior six months, compared to 31.0% of residents not enrolled. The majority of facilities (71.8%) reported that staff received training on routine mouth care at the time of hire.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings highlight opportunities to better support nursing homes in providing residents with high-quality oral health, including acquiring staff skills to manage care-resistant behaviors, and routinely assessing residents' ability to provide their own mouth care.

Persistence of Racial Inequities in Receipt of Influenza Vaccination among Nursing Home Residents in the United States

Background

We sought to determine if racial differences in influenza vaccination among nursing home (NH) residents during the 2008–2009 influenza season persisted in 2018–2019.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study of NHs certified by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services during the 2018–2019 influenza season in US states with ≥1% Black NH residents and a White–Black gap in influenza vaccination of NH residents (N = 2 233 392) of at least 1 percentage point (N = 40 states). NH residents during 1 October 2018 through 31 March 2019 aged ≥18 years and self-identified as being of Black or White race were included. Residents’ influenza vaccination status (vaccinated, refused, and not offered) was assessed. Multilevel modeling was used to estimate facility-level vaccination status and inequities by state.

Results

The White–Black gap in influenza vaccination was 9.9 percentage points. In adjusted analyses, racial inequities in vaccination were more prominent at the facility level than at the state level. Black residents disproportionately lived in NHs that had a majority of Blacks residents, which generally had the lowest vaccination. Inequities were most concentrated in the Midwestern region, also the most segregated. Not being offered the vaccine was negligible in absolute percentage points between White residents (2.6%) and Black residents (4.8%), whereas refusals were higher among Black (28.7%) than White residents (21.0%).

Conclusions

The increase in the White–Black vaccination gap among NH residents is occurring at the facility level in more states, especially those with the most segregation.

The SHIELD Orange County Project: Multidrug-resistant Organism Prevalence in 21 Nursing Homes and Long-term Acute Care Facilities in Southern California

BACKGROUND

Multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) spread between hospitals, nursing homes (NHs), and long-term acute care facilities (LTACs) via patient transfers. The Shared Healthcare Intervention to Eliminate Life-threatening Dissemination of MDROs in Orange County is a regional public health collaborative involving decolonization at 38 healthcare facilities selected based on their high degree of patient sharing. We report baseline MDRO prevalence in 21 NHs/LTACs.

METHODS

A random sample of 50 adults for 21 NHs/LTACs (18 NHs, 3 LTACs) were screened for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus spp. (VRE), extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing organisms (ESBL), and carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) using nares, skin (axilla/groin), and peri-rectal swabs. Facility and resident characteristics associated with MDRO carriage were assessed using multivariable models clustering by person and facility.

RESULTS

Prevalence of MDROs was 65% in NHs and 80% in LTACs. The most common MDROs in NHs were MRSA (42%) and ESBL (34%); in LTACs they were VRE (55%) and ESBL (38%). CRE prevalence was higher in facilities that manage ventilated LTAC patients and NH residents (8% vs <1%, P < .001). MDRO status was known for 18% of NH residents and 49% of LTAC patients. MDRO-colonized adults commonly harbored additional MDROs (54% MDRO+ NH residents and 62% MDRO+ LTACs patients). History of MRSA (odds ratio [OR] = 1.7; confidence interval [CI]: 1.2, 2.4; P = .004), VRE (OR = 2.1; CI: 1.2, 3.8; P = .01), ESBL (OR = 1.6; CI: 1.1, 2.3; P = .03), and diabetes (OR = 1.3; CI: 1.0, 1.7; P = .03) were associated with any MDRO carriage.

CONCLUSIONS

The majority of NH residents and LTAC patients harbor MDROs. MDRO status is frequently unknown to the facility. The high MDRO prevalence highlights the need for prevention efforts in NHs/LTACs as part of regional efforts to control MDRO spread.

Dissemination and Implementation of Evidence-Based Dementia Care Using Embedded Pragmatic Trials

There are many nonpharmacologic interventions tested in randomized clinical trials that demonstrate significant benefits for people living with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and AD-related dementia, their care partners, or professional care providers. Nevertheless, with few exceptions, proven interventions have not been translated for delivery in real-world settings, such as home care, primary care, hospitals, community-based services, adult day services, assisted living, nursing homes, or other healthcare systems (HCSs). Using embedded pragmatic clinical trial (ePCT) methods is one approach that can facilitate dissemination and implementation (D&I) of dementia care interventions. The science of D&I can inform the integration of evidence-based dementia care in HCSs by offering theoretical frameworks that capture field complexities and guiding evaluation of implementation processes. Also, D&I science can suggest evidence-based strategies for implementing dementia care in HCSs. Although D&I considerations can inform each stage of dementia care intervention development, it is particularly critical when designing ePCTs. This article examines fundamental considerations for implementing dementia-specific interventions in HCSs and how best to prepare for successful dissemination upstream in the context of ePCTs, thereby illustrating the critical role of the D&I Core of the National Institute on Aging Imbedded Pragmatic Alzheimer's Disease and AD-Related Dementias Clinical Trials Collaboratory. The scientific premise of the D&I Core is that having the "end" in mind, upfront in the design and testing of dementia care programs, can lead to decision-making that optimizes the ultimate goal of wide-scale D&I of evidence-based dementia care programs in HCSs. J Am Geriatr Soc 68:S28-S36, 2020.

Transforming Dementia Care Through Pragmatic Clinical Trials Embedded in Learning Healthcare Systems

The current evidence base for testing nonpharmacological interventions for people living with dementia (PLWD) and their caregivers is limited, especially within care settings such as ambulatory care, assisted living communities, nursing homes, hospitals, and hospices. There has been even less attention to translation of effective interventions for PLWD into delivery of care. Thus, there is an urgent need for researchers to partner with these care settings, especially those that follow a learning healthcare systems (LHSs) model, and vice versa to conduct embedded pragmatic clinical trials (ePCTs). These trials are conducted within sites that offer routine care and are designed to answer important, relevant clinical questions and leverage existing electronic health and administrative data. ePCTs set in LHSs create a unique opportunity for researchers, healthcare providers, and PLWD and their families to work and learn together as potentially effective interventions are studied and stress tested in real-world situations. Healthcare settings that embrace research or quality improvement as part of a culture of continuous learning are ideal settings for ePCTs. In this article, we summarize what we have learned from the National Institutes of Health's Health Care Systems Research Collaboratory-funded ePCTs, discuss challenges of ePCTs within settings that serve PLWD, and describe the work of the Health Care Systems Core within the National Institute on Aging's IMbedded Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias Clinical Trials Collaboratory that will occur over the next 5 years. J Am Geriatr Soc 68:S43-S48, 2020.

Characteristics of Top-Performing Hospitals Caring for High-Need Medicare Beneficiaries

A small proportion of high-need (HN) Medicare beneficiaries account for a large share of medical expenditures in the United States. Identifying hospitals with the best outcomes for HN patients is central to identifying and spreading evidence-based practices to improve care for this population. The objective of this study was to identify and characterize top-performing hospitals for HN patients. Administrative claims data from 2013-2014 were used to identify HN beneficiaries and their treating hospital; hospitals were ranked based on their HN beneficiaries' outcomes in 2015. Hospitalization, mortality, and days spent in community were assessed, and all outcomes were risk standardized for age, sex, dual eligibility, and hospital referral region. American Hospital Association and aggregated inpatient claims data characterized hospitals. Logistic regression models estimated the odds of ranking in the top 20% on all outcomes. Of 2253 hospitals with at least 500 HN patients in the United States, 92 (4.1%) ranked in the top 20% across all outcomes. No hospital characteristics were associated with being top performing across all outcomes, but urban hospitals were significantly less likely to perform well on hospitalization and private, for-profit hospitals performed better on mortality. Small hospitals, Accountable Care Organization providers, and those providing palliative care services were more likely to rank highly on days spent in the community. Top-performing hospitals served fewer minority, dual eligible, and HN patients, suggesting that case mix may explain some of the differences in performance, and that additional work is needed to examine programs and practices at outstanding hospitals.

Examining the Impact of Board-Certified Registered Nurses in Skilled Nursing Facilities Using National and State Quality and Clinical Indicators

A convenience sample of skilled nursing facilities was selected from a sample of graduates of an online training program for RNs who subsequently achieved board certification in gerontological nursing (RN-BC). Facilities that employed one or more RN-BC were pair-matched using 11 organizational characteristics with facilities that did not employ a RN-BC. Facility data were collected at two time points, and differences between time points and between facility type (RN-BC versus non-RN-BC) were analyzed. Findings showed that there were no statistically significant differences between RN-BC and non-RN-BC facilities with respect to quality ratings and nurse sensitive clinical indicators (e.g., restraint use, urinary tract infections, falls, antipsychotic medication use) between the two time periods; however, in the second time period, RN-BC facilities showed greater improvement versus non-RN-BC facilities in seven of nine outcomes, achieving significance in Overall (4.10 vs. 3.55, p < 0.01) and Survey (3.48 vs. 2.86, p < 0.01) 5-Star ratings. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 45(11), 39-45.].

Measuring Effects of Nondrug Interventions on Behaviors: Music & Memory Pilot Study

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

Most people with Alzheimer disease and related dementias will experience agitated and/or aggressive behaviors during the later stages of the disease. These behaviors cause significant stress for people living with dementia and their caregivers, including nursing home (NH) staff. Addressing these behaviors without the use of chemical restraints is a growing focus of policy makers and professional organizations. Unfortunately, evidence for nonpharmacological strategies for addressing dementia-related behaviors is lacking.

DESIGN

Six-month, preintervention-postintervention pilot study.

SETTING

US NHs (n = 4).

PARTICIPANTS

Residents with advanced dementia (n = 45).

INTERVENTION

Music & Memory, an individualized music program in which the music a resident preferred when she/he was young is delivered at early signs of agitation, using a personal music player.

MEASUREMENTS

Dementia-related behaviors for the same residents were measured three ways: (1) observationally using the Agitation Behavior Mapping Instrument (ABMI); (2) staff report using the Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory (CMAI); and (3) administratively using the Minimum Data Set-Aggressive Behavior Scale (MDS-ABS).

RESULTS

ABMI score was 4.1 (SD = 3.0) preintervention while not listening to the music, 4.4 (SD = 2.3) postintervention while not listening to the music, and 1.6 (SD = 1.5) postintervention while listening to music (P < .01). CMAI score was 61.2 (SD = 16.3) preintervention and 51.2 (SD = 16.1) postintervention (P < .01). MDS-ABS score was 0.8 (SD = 1.6) preintervention and 0.7 (SD = 1.4) postintervention (P = .59).

CONCLUSION

Direct observations were most likely to capture behavioral responses, followed by staff interviews. Nursing-home based, pragmatic trials that rely solely on available administrative data may fail to detect effects of nonpharmaceutical interventions on behaviors. Findings are relevant to evaluations of nonpharmaceutical strategies for addressing behaviors in NHs, and will inform a large, National Institute on Aging-funded pragmatic trial beginning spring 2019. J Am Geriatr Soc 67:2134-2138, 2019.

Readiness assessment for pragmatic trials (RAPT): a model to assess the readiness of an intervention for testing in a pragmatic trial

Background

Pragmatic randomized, controlled trials (PCTs) test the effectiveness of interventions implemented in routine clinical practice. Because PCT findings are generalizable, this approach is gaining momentum among interventionists and funding agencies seeking to accelerate the testing and adoption of evidence-based strategies to improve care and outcomes. Particular attention is being paid to non-pharmacological interventions, which are often complex and may be difficult to uniformly implement across multiple sites. While many such non-pharmacological interventions have proven efficacious in small trials, most have not been widely adopted. PCTs could accelerate effectiveness testing and adoption, yet there are no established criteria to identify interventions ready for testing in a PCT.

Methods

We convened 30 interventionists and healthcare leaders to identify criteria to assess the readiness of non-pharmacological interventions for PCTs. Based on this discussion, we created a model with multiple domains, qualitative scoring guidelines for each domain, and a graphical summary of readiness assessments. All workshop participants had an opportunity to review and comment on the resulting model; three piloted it with their own interventions. Several other experts also provided input.

Results

The Readiness Assessment for Pragmatic Trials (RAPT) model enables interventionists to assess an intervention’s readiness for PCTs. RAPT includes nine domains: implementation protocol, evidence, risk, feasibility, measurement, cost, acceptability, alignment, and impact. Domains reflect a range of considerations regarding the feasibility of successfully employing PCT methods and the prospect of an intervention’s widespread adoption, if proven effective. Individuals evaluating an intervention are asked to qualitatively assess each domain from low to high readiness. In this report, we provide assessment guidelines and examples of scored interventions.

Conclusions

RAPT is the first model to help interventionists and funders assess the extent to which interventions are ready for PCTs. Scoring efficacious interventions using RAPT can inform research team discussions regarding whether or not to advance an intervention to effectiveness testing using a PCT and how do design that PCTs.

996. A Cluster-Randomized Trial of Adjuvanted Trivalent Influenza Vaccine vs. Standard Dose in US Nursing Homes

Background

Pneumonia and influenza lead as vaccine-preventable infections among nursing home (NH) residents. Immunosenescence reduces vaccine response and protection from infections. More immunogenic vaccines, e.g., adjuvanted trivalent influenza vaccine [aTIV], can improve clinical outcomes. We evaluated all-cause hospitalization among long-stay NH residents offered aTIV vs. trivalent influenza vaccine (TIV).

Methods

We randomized 823 NHs within 75 miles of a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention influenza reporting city to offer one of the two egg-based influenza vaccines, aTIV or TIV, as their 2016–2017 influenza season standard of care. For the subset of long-stay NH residents (&gt;100 days in facility as of October 1, 2016) aged ≥65 years, we determined how many were hospitalized from November 1, 2016 to June 1, 2017 on an intent-to-treat basis. We obtained all-cause hospitalization, patient-, and facility-level characteristics from Minimum Data Set and Certification and Survey Provider Enhanced Reporting data. Our primary outcome was time to first hospitalization, using Cox proportional hazards models.

Results

The analytic sample included 26,300 residents in 412 NHs randomized to offer aTIV and 26,474 in 410 NHs randomized to TIV. Mean age was 82.3 vs. 82.3 years, 69.3% vs. 68.6% were women, and 15.5% vs. 20.1% were African-American, for aTIV and TIV NHs, respectively. The number of residents vaccinated in the facility against influenza was 17,976 (68.3%) and 18,364 (69.4%), with an overall vaccination rate of 78.4% and 79% for aTIV and TIV NHs. Mean staff vaccination was 53.4% and 54.4% for aTIV and TIV NHs. There were 5,479 (20.8%) hospitalizations in the aTIV and 5,839 (22.1%) in TIV NHs, respectively [adjusted as prespecified, hazard ratio (HR) 0.94, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.88, 0.99]. Post-hoc adjustment for the imbalance in race increased heterogeneity, HR 0.97, 95% CI: 0.91, 1.04. A total of 18.2% vs. 17.5% (HR 1.05, 95% CI: 0.99, 1.11) of residents in aTIV and TIV NHs died.

Conclusion

Compared with TIV, aTIV may reduce hospitalization risk of long-stay NH residents during a predominantly A/H3N2 influenza season, despite reported reduced effectiveness due to egg-based mutagenesis of egg-based vaccines.

NCT: 02882100

Disclosures

S. Gravenstein, Seqirus: Consultant, Grant Investigator and Scientific Advisor, Consulting fee, Research grant and Speaker honorarium. H. E. Davidson, Seqirus: Grant Investigator and Investigator, Research grant and Research support. K. Mcconeghy, Seqirus: Investigator, Research support. L. Han, Seqirus: Investigator and Research Contractor, Research grant. D. Canaday, Seqirus: Grant Investigator, Research grant and Research support. E. Saade, Seqirus: Investigator, Research grant and Research support. R. R. Baier, Seqirus: Investigator, Research support. V. Mor, Seqirus: Investigator, Research grant and Research support.

"It's like texting at the dinner table": A qualitative analysis of the impact of electronic health records on patient-physician interaction in hospitals

nBACKGROUND: Electronic health records (EHRs) may reduce medical errors and improve care, but can complicate clinical encounters.

OBJECTIVE

To describe hospital-based physicians' perceptions of the impact of EHRs on patient-physician interactions and contrast these findings against office-based physicians' perceptionsMethods: We performed a qualitative analysis of comments submitted in response to the 2014 Rhode Island Health Information Technology Survey. Office- and hospital-based physicians licensed in Rhode Island, in active practice, and located in Rhode Island or neighboring states completed the survey about their Electronic Health Record use.

RESULTS

The survey's response rate was 68.3% and 2,236 (87.1%) respondents had EHRs. Among survey respondents, 27.3% of hospital-based and 37.8% of office-based physicians with EHRs responded to the question about patient interaction. Five main themes emerged for hospital-based physicians, with respondents generally perceiving EHRs as negatively altering patient interactions. We noted the same five themes among office-based physicians, but the rank-order of the top two responses differed by setting: hospital-based physicians commented most frequently that they spend less time with patients because they have to spend more time on computers; office-based physicians commented most frequently on EHRs worsening the quality of their interactions and relationships with patients.

CONCLUSION

In our analysis of a large sample of physicians, hospital-based physicians generally perceived EHRs as negatively altering patient interactions, although they emphasized different reasons than their office-based counterparts. These findings add to the prior literature, which focuses on outpatient physicians, and can shape interventions to improve how EHRs are used in inpatient settings.

Pragmatic trials may help to identify effective strategies to reduce nursing home antipsychotic medication use

Despite widespread agreement that nursing homes’ use of antipsychotic medications for residents without specific psychiatric diagnoses is a marker of poor quality of care, prevalence remains high. Additionally, variation suggests continued opportunity to improve care even in countries, like the United States, that have long-standing policies designed to decrease antipsychotic medication use. In a recent Israel Journal of Health Policy Research article, Frankenthal et al. presented results linking increased antipsychotic medication use prevalence in Tel Aviv nursing homes with facility characteristics, including some that “undermine quality of care,” and called for increased national focus on this area. While we agree with the authors that government focus can help to decrease antipsychotic medication use, experience in the United States shows that such efforts may not be sufficient: we present data showing significant variation among United States nursing homes’ antipsychotic medication use prevalence after more than ten years of national warnings and programs. This suggests that United States nursing home clinicians and caregivers continue to need effective non-pharmacologic interventions to substitute for antipsychotic medications. We suggest expanded use of cluster-randomized trials to test strategies to withdraw residents from antipsychotic medications and to implement alternate, non-pharmacological approaches for addressing the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia.

National Trends in Treatment Initiation for Nursing Home Residents With Diabetes Mellitus, 2008 to 2010

OBJECTIVE

Diabetes mellitus is common in the nursing home (NH) population, yet little is known about prescribing of glucose-lowering medications in the NH setting. We describe trends in initiation of glucose-lowering medications in a national cohort of NH residents.

DESIGN AND SETTING

Retrospective cohort study using Part A and D claims for a random 20% of Medicare enrollees linked to NH Minimum Data Set (MDS) and Online Survey, Certification, and Reporting (OSCAR) databases in 7158 US NHs.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 11,531 long-stay (continuous residence of ≥90 days) NH residents 65 years or older with diabetes who received a glucose-lowering medication between 2008 and 2010 after 4 months of nonuse.

MEASUREMENTS

Medicare Part D drug dispensing of glucose-lowering treatments; resident and facility characteristics preceding medication initiation.

RESULTS

We observed decreasing sulfonylurea initiation from 25.4% of initiations in 2008 to 11.7% in 2010, an average decrease of 1% per quarter (95% CLs -1.5 to -0.5). Thiazolidinedione initiation decreased from 4.7% to 1.9%, an average decrease of 0.3% per quarter (95% CLs -0.4 to -0.2), and meglitinide initiation from 1.5% to 0.3%. No appreciable linear trends were observed for metformin (range 12.0%-18.8%) and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors (range 0.9%-2.7%). In contrast, insulin use increased from 51.7% to 68.3% during the same time period, driven by a marked increase in initiation of rapid-acting insulin (11.0% to 29.4%; average increase of 1.4% per quarter, 95% CLs 0.9-1.9) and a modest increase in short-acting insulin (22.6% to 30.3%; an average increase of 0.6% per quarter, 95% CLs -0.1 to 1.3).

CONCLUSIONS

Between 2008 and 2010, there were substantial decreases in the use of oral glucose-lowering agents and corresponding increases in the use of insulin among long-term residents of US NHs.

Primary Care Physicians' Use of Electronic Health Records in Rhode Island: 2009-2014

We used data from the mandatory statewide Rhode Island (RI) Health Information Technology (HIT) Survey to characterize office-based PCPs' adoption and use of EHRs from 2009-2014. We found accelerated adoption of EHRs in the five years since state and federal incentive programs began targeting PCPs' adoption of HIT. There was room for improvement, however; for example, when asked to indicate the proportion of patients with whom they used various functionalities, only 13.4% of office-based PCPs said they "almost always" communicated with patients using secure messaging and 22.3% "almost always" used secure clinical messaging with outside providers. Results suggest uneven use of EHR functionalities, with low rates and slower uptake in some areas. These findings highlight opportunities to increase use of functionalities related to improved patient care and quality-based payment models.

Using Qualitative Methods to Create a Home Health Web Application User Interface for Patients with Low Computer Proficiency

Introduction:

Despite the investment in public reporting for a number of healthcare settings, evidence indicates that consumers do not routinely use available data to select providers. This suggests that existing reports do not adequately incorporate recommendations for consumer-facing reports or web applications.

Methods:

Healthcentric Advisors and Brown University undertook a multi-phased approach to create a consumer-facing home health web application in Rhode Island. This included reviewing the evidence base review to identify design recommendations and then creating a paper prototype and wireframe. We performed qualitative research to iteratively test our proposed user interface with two user groups, home health consumers and hospital case managers, refining our design to create the final web application.

Results:

To test our prototype, we conducted two focus groups, with a total of 13 consumers, and 28 case manager interviews. Both user groups responded favorably to the prototype, with the majority commenting that they felt this type of tool would be useful. Case managers suggested revisions to ensure the application conformed to laws requiring Medicare patients to have the freedom to choose among providers and could be incorporated into hospital workflow. After incorporating changes and creating the wireframe, we conducted usability testing interviews with 14 home health consumers and six hospital case managers. We found that consumers needed prompting to navigate through the wireframe; they demonstrated confusion through both their words and body language. As a result, we modified the web application’s sequence, navigation, and function to provide additional instructions and prompts.

Discussion:

Although we designed our web application for low literacy and low health literacy, using recommendations from the evidence base, we overestimated the extent to which older adults were familiar with using computers. Some of our key learnings and recommendations run counter to general web design principles, leading us to believe that such guidelines need to be adapted for this user group. As web applications proliferate, it is important to ensure those who are most vulnerable—who have the least knowledge and the lowest literacy, health literacy, and computer proficiency—can access, understand, and use them.

Conclusions:

In order for the investment in public reporting to produce value, consumer-facing web applications need to be designed to address end users’ unique strengths and limitations. Our findings may help others to build consumer-facing tools or technology targeted to a predominantly older population. We encourage others designing consumer-facing web technologies to critically evaluate their assumptions about user interface design, particularly if they are designing tools for older adults, and to test products with their end users.

The Nuts and Bolts of Long-term Care In Rhode Island: Demographics, Services and Costs

Nearly 8,000 people reside in Rhode Island's (RI's) 84 nursing homes at any single point in time. Many of these people are highly vulnerable because of illness or frailty. In this article, we describe the reasons that RI residents seek care from nursing homes, the associated costs (with a focus on Medicare and Medicaid payment), and different ways to assess nursing home quality. We also describe the home- and community-based services that can help people remain in the community. A resource list provides additional information for those seeking to better understand RI nursing homes and long-term care supports and services.

Caregiver presence and patient completion of a transitional care intervention

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the association between family caregiver presence and patient completion of the Care Transitions Intervention (CTI), a patient activation model that provides transitional care coaching for 30 days following hospital discharge.

STUDY DESIGN

A convenience sample of 2747 fee-for-service Medicare patients recruited for the CTI during inpatient medical hospitalizations at 6 hospitals in Rhode Island between January 1, 2009 and June 31, 2011.

METHODS

As part of an effectiveness trial of the CTI, Transitions Coaches recruited patients prior to hospital discharge. When a family caregiver was present during recruitment, the patient and family caregiver were coached together or the family caregiver was coached independently.

RESULTS

We hypothesized that CTI participation would be equivalent for the 2265 coached patients without a family caregiver present at recruitment, versus the 482 patients with a family caregiver. After adjusting for significant covariates, patients with family caregivers were more than 5 times as likely to complete the intervention as patients without family caregivers (AOR = 5.48; 95% CI = 4.22-7.12). Men with family caregivers were nearly 8 times as likely to complete the intervention as men without family caregivers (AOR = 7.94; 95% CI = 5.26-11.98).

CONCLUSIONS

The inclusion of a family caregiver is associated with a greater rate of completing the CTI for post discharge coaching, particularly among men; the inclusion of a family caregiver is a feasible modification to the CTI program.

Perceptions of electronic health record implementation: a statewide survey of physicians in Rhode Island

OBJECTIVES

Although electronic health record use improves healthcare delivery, adoption into clinical practice is incomplete. We sought to identify the extent of adoption in Rhode Island and the characteristics of physicians and electronic health records associated with positive experience.

METHODS

We performed a cross-sectional study of data collected by the Rhode Island Department of Health for the Health Information Technology Survey 2009 to 2013. Survey questions included provider and practice demographics, health record information, and Likert-type scaled questions regarding how electronic health record use affected clinical practice.

RESULTS

The survey response rate ranged from 50% to 65%, with 62% in 2013. Increasing numbers of physicians in Rhode Island use an electronic health record. In 2013, 81% of physicians used one, and adoption varied by clinical subspecialty. Most providers think that electronic health record use improves billing and quality improvement but has not improved job satisfaction. Physicians with longer and more sophisticated electronic health record use report positive effects of introduction on all aspects of practice examined (P < .001). Older physician age is associated with worse opinion of electronic health record introduction (P < .001). Of the 18 electronic health record vendors most frequently used in Rhode Island, 5 were associated with improved job satisfaction.

CONCLUSIONS

We report the largest statewide study of electronic health record adoption to date. We found increasing physician use in Rhode Island, and the extent of adoption varies by subspecialty. Although older physicians are less likely to be positive about electronic health record adoption, longer and more sophisticated use are associated with more positive opinions, suggesting acceptance will grow over time.

Is implementation of the care transitions intervention associated with cost avoidance after hospital discharge?

BACKGROUND

Poorly-executed transitions out of the hospital contribute significant costs to the healthcare system. Several evidence-based interventions can reduce post-discharge utilization.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the cost avoidance associated with implementation of the Care Transitions Intervention (CTI).

DESIGN

A quasi-experimental cohort study using consecutive convenience sampling.

PATIENTS

Fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries hospitalized from 1 January 2009 to 31 May 2011 in six Rhode Island hospitals.

INTERVENTION

The CTI is a patient-centered coaching intervention to empower individuals to better manage their health. It begins in-hospital and continues for 30 days, including one home visit and one to two phone calls.

MAIN MEASURES

We examined post-discharge total utilization and costs for patients who received coaching (intervention group), who declined or were lost to follow-up (internal control group), and who were eligible, but not approached (external control group), using propensity score matching to control for baseline differences.

KEY RESULTS

Compared to matched internal controls (N = 321), the intervention group had significantly lower utilization in the 6 months after discharge and lower mean total health care costs ($14,729 vs. $18,779, P = 0.03). The cost avoided per patient receiving the intervention was $3,752, compared to internal controls. Results for the external control group were similar. Shifting of costs to other utilization types was not observed.

CONCLUSIONS

This analysis demonstrates that the CTI generates meaningful cost avoidance for at least 6 months post-hospitalization, and also provides useful metrics to evaluate the impact and cost avoidance of hospital readmission reduction programs.

Transitions of care: professional expectations

Successful cross-setting care transitions require timely, accurate and sufficient communication of clinical information between healthcare providers, so that downstream providers can immediately assume responsibility for patient care. However, despite our desire to provide the highest quality care to our patients, much variability exists in the frequency and effectiveness of communication during transitions. This article describes care transitions using case studies and a review of current policy, and then proposes professional standards. To define professional standards for care transitions, the authors draw upon their combined experience with licensure, regulation and quality improvement. They also present information about the Department of Health's Continuity of Care Form and Healthcentric Advisors' Best Practice Measures for Safe Transitions. Both tools establish core expectations for communication that can improve patients' experiences and health outcomes, as well as facilitate cross-setting collaboration, relationship building, and referral patterns.

Shifting the dialogue from hospital readmissions to unplanned care

OBJECTIVES

To propose a new measurement strategy to evaluate the intended impact of hospital readmission reduction programs on healthcare utilization.

STUDY DESIGN

In Rhode Island, Healthcentric Advisors, the Medicare Quality Improvement Organization, has implemented a readmissions reduction program since 2008. We use data fromthis program to illustrate our proposed use of a bundled measure of unplanned post-hospital care.

METHODS

We examined Medicare Part A claims for all Rhode Island fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries from January 1, 2009, through December 31, 2011.To capture potential cost shifting, we evaluated emergency department (ED) visits, observation stays, and hospital admission and readmission rates annually, and in the 30 days after discharge from an inpatient stay. We also aggregated these data into 2 composite measures: acute-care utilization and post-hospital unplanned care.

RESULTS

From 2009 through 2011 Rhode Island's annual and post-hospital ED and inpatient admissions rates decreased, while the corresponding observation stay rates (annual and post-hospital) increased. Both the acute-care utilization and post-hospital unplanned care decreased.

CONCLUSIONS

These data highlight the need to examine impact in the context of temporal trends and other environmental factors. Because readmissions are common and costly, national readmission reduction programs are proliferating. However, readmission rates provide an incomplete picture of unplanned care and costs and may lead to unintended consequences, such as increased observation stay rates. Our findings strengthen our argument that payers and policy makers should broaden their focus from readmission measures to unplanned care composite measures.

Creating a survey to assess physicians' adoption of health information technology

Information on state-level health information technology (HIT) adoption will become increasingly important with the implementation of incentive payments to accelerate uptake. Recognizing this, the Rhode Island Department of Health selected physician HIT adoption as a subject for its legislatively mandated quality reporting program. This article discusses the state's process for developing HIT adoption measures, including the importance of stakeholder involvement in the development of a survey and the difficulty of accurately defining electronic medical record (EMR) adoption. This article describes the challenges in defining "true" EMRs, which may be addressed, in part, by ensuring local consensus about EMR measures and by piloting the survey and measures, prior to public reporting or the calculation of a statewide baseline. It also presents results from the 2009 administration of this survey to all 3,883 Rhode Island-licensed physicians providing direct patient care.

Ameliorating Pain in Nursing Homes: A Collaborative Quality-Improvement Project

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate a multifaceted intervention to improve pain-management processes of care and outcomes in nursing homes.

DESIGN

Quasi-experimental, pretest/posttest.

SETTING

Nursing homes in Rhode Island.

PARTICIPANTS

Twenty-one facilities.

INTERVENTION

This project used a multifaceted collaborative intervention involving audit and feedback of pain management, education, training, coaching using rapid-cycle quality-improvement techniques, and inter-nursing home collaboration.

MEASUREMENTS

Pain-management processes of care and outcomes, measured using chart review and the Minimum Data Set.

RESULTS

Of 21 facilities, 17 completed the project. Postintervention, nursing homes increased the use of appropriate pain assessments (3.9% vs 43.8%, P<.001), pain intensity scales (15.6% vs 73.9%, P<.001), and nonpharmacological treatments (40.5% vs 81.9%, P<.001). Prescriptions of World Health Organization Step II or Step III pain medications for residents with daily moderate or severe pain showed trends towards improvement (40.8% vs 50.6%, P=.057), but prescription of any pain medication (93.3% vs 94.6%, P=.710), change in pain medication (29.0% vs 30.1%, P=.386), and prescription of pain medications on a regularly scheduled basis (67.9% vs 69.5%, P=.370) did not. There was a 41.1% reduction in prevalence of pain (12.2% vs 7.2%, P=.032) between the pre- and postintervention time periods in the nursing homes that completed the project, whereas all the other facilities in Rhode Island (n=72) had only a 12.1% reduction (12.7% vs 11.2%, P=.286) during the same period.

CONCLUSION

A multifaceted intervention improved pain-management process and outcome measures in nursing homes.