Am J Med Qual
· 2023 Sep-Oct 01 · PMID 37678301
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Despite the widespread adoption of early warning systems (EWSs), it is uncertain if their implementation improves patient outcomes. The authors report a pre-post quasi-experimental evaluation of a commercially available...Despite the widespread adoption of early warning systems (EWSs), it is uncertain if their implementation improves patient outcomes. The authors report a pre-post quasi-experimental evaluation of a commercially available EWS on patient outcomes at a 700-bed academic medical center. The EWS risk scores were visible in the electronic medical record by bedside clinicians. The EWS risk scores were also monitored remotely 24/7 by critical care trained nurses who actively contacted bedside nurses when a patient's risk levels increased. The primary outcome was inpatient mortality. Secondary outcomes were rapid response team calls and activation of cardiopulmonary arrest (code-4) response teams. The study team conducted a regression discontinuity analysis adjusting for age, gender, insurance, severity of illness, risk of mortality, and hospital occupancy at admission. The analysis included 53,229 hospitalizations. Adjusted analysis showed no significant change in inpatient mortality, rapid response team call, or code-4 activations after implementing the EWS. This study confirms the continued uncertainty in the effectiveness of EWSs and the need for further rigorous examinations of EWSs.
Michaels M, Hangsleben M, Sherwood A
… +2 more, Skapik J, Larsen K
Am J Med Qual
· 2023 Sep-Oct 01 · PMID 37668273
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The need for a method to examine complex, multidisciplinary processes involving many diverse organizations initially led multiple US federal agencies to adopt the traditional Kaizen, a Lean process improvement method typ...The need for a method to examine complex, multidisciplinary processes involving many diverse organizations initially led multiple US federal agencies to adopt the traditional Kaizen, a Lean process improvement method typically used within a single organization, to encompass multiple organizations each with its own leadership and priorities. First, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology adapted Kaizen to federal agency processes for the development of electronic clinical quality measures. Later, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) further modified this adapted Kaizen during its Adapting Clinical Guidelines for the Digital Age (ACG) initiative, which aimed to improve the broader scope of guideline development and implementation. This is a methods article to document the adapted Kaizen method for future use in similar complex processes, illustrating how to apply the adapted Kaizen through CDC's ACG initiative and showing the reach achieved by using the adapted Kaizen method. The adapted Kaizen includes pre-Kaizen planning, a Kaizen event, and post-Kaizen implementation that accommodate multidisciplinary and multi-organizational participation. ACG included 5 workgroups that each developed products to support their respective scope: Guideline Creation, Informatics Framework, Translation and Implementation, Communication and Dissemination, and Evaluation. Despite challenges gathering diverse perspectives and balancing the competing priorities of multiple organizations, the ACG participants produced interrelated standards, processes, and tools-further described in separate publications-that programs and partners have leveraged. Use of a siloed approach may not have supported the development and dissemination of these products.
Tailor A, Robinson SJ, Matson-Koffman DM
… +4 more, Michaels M, Burton MM, Lubin IM, Workgroup on Evaluation of the Integrated Process
Am J Med Qual
· 2023 Sep-Oct 01 · PMID 37668272
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Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) support individual and population health by translating new, evidence-based knowledge into recommendations for health practice. CPGs can be provided as computable, machine-readable gui...Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) support individual and population health by translating new, evidence-based knowledge into recommendations for health practice. CPGs can be provided as computable, machine-readable guidelines that support the translation of recommendations into shareable, interoperable clinical decision support and other digital tools (eg, quality measures, case reports, care plans). Interdisciplinary collaboration among guideline developers and health information technology experts can facilitate the translation of written guidelines into computable ones. The benefits of interdisciplinary work include a focus on the needs of end-users who apply guidelines in practice through clinic decision support systems as part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) Adapting Clinical Guidelines for the Digital Age (ACG) initiative, a group of interdisciplinary experts proposed a process to facilitate the codevelopment of written and computable CPGs, referred to as the "integrated process (IP)."1 This paper presents a framework for evaluating the IP based on a combination of vetted evaluation models and expert opinions. This framework combines 3 types of evaluations: process, product, and outcomes. These evaluations assess the value of interdisciplinary expert collaboration in carrying out the IP, the quality, usefulness, timeliness, and acceptance of the guideline, and the guideline's health impact, respectively. A case study is presented that illustrates application of the framework.
Matson-Koffman DM, Robinson SJ, Jakhmola P
… +11 more, Fochtmann LJ, Willett D, Lubin IM, Burton MM, Tailor A, Pitts DL, Casey DE, Opelka FG, Mullins R, Elder R, Michaels M
Am J Med Qual
· 2023 Sep-Oct 01 · PMID 37668271
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The goal of this article is to describe an integrated parallel process for the co-development of written and computable clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) to accelerate adoption and increase the impact of guideline reco...The goal of this article is to describe an integrated parallel process for the co-development of written and computable clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) to accelerate adoption and increase the impact of guideline recommendations in clinical practice. From February 2018 through December 2021, interdisciplinary work groups were formed after an initial Kaizen event and using expert consensus and available literature, produced a 12-phase integrated process (IP). The IP includes activities, resources, and iterative feedback loops for developing, implementing, disseminating, communicating, and evaluating CPGs. The IP incorporates guideline standards and informatics practices and clarifies how informaticians, implementers, health communicators, evaluators, and clinicians can help guideline developers throughout the development and implementation cycle to effectively co-develop written and computable guidelines. More efficient processes are essential to create actionable CPGs, disseminate and communicate recommendations to clinical end users, and evaluate CPG performance. Pilot testing is underway to determine how this IP expedites the implementation of CPGs into clinical practice and improves guideline uptake and health outcomes.
Am J Med Qual
· 2023 Sep-Oct 01 · PMID 37668270
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Adapting Clinical Guidelines for the Digital Age initiative aims to redesign and improve guideline development, implementation, and standardization. Historically, aspects...The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Adapting Clinical Guidelines for the Digital Age initiative aims to redesign and improve guideline development, implementation, and standardization. Historically, aspects of guideline development and implementation have been siloed. This leads to long lag times for guidelines to reach patient care, unnecessary redundancy, and potential for misinterpretation, leading to inconsistencies in how the recommendations are applied. A multidisciplinary, multiorganizational holistic approach brought together experts in guideline development, informatics, communication, implementation, and evaluation to understand and identify problems in guideline development and implementation, define an ideal state with no constraints, and then design a future state that advances the process close to the ideal state. The Adapting Clinical Guidelines for the Digital Age workgroups each worked on one focus area and included experts from the other areas to help analyze the current state and develop holistic solutions for the future state. Each workgroup produced interrelated standards, processes, and tools that can be used across the continuum of guideline development and implementation.
Golding SA, Hasson RM, Kinney LM
… +10 more, Kyung EJ, Bardach SH, Perry AN, Boardman MB, Halloran SR, Youkilis SL, Fay KA, Bird TL, Bridges CJ, Schifferdecker KE
Am J Med Qual
· 2023 Sep-Oct 01 · PMID 37656607
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Although lung cancer claims more lives than any other cancer in the United States, screening is severely underutilized, with <6% of eligible patients screened nationally in 2021 versus 76% for breast cancer and 67% for c...Although lung cancer claims more lives than any other cancer in the United States, screening is severely underutilized, with <6% of eligible patients screened nationally in 2021 versus 76% for breast cancer and 67% for colorectal cancer. This article describes an effort to identify key reasons for the underutilization of lung cancer screening in a rural population and to develop interventions to address these barriers suitable for both a large health system and local community clinics. Data were generated from 26 stakeholder interviews (clinicians, clinical staff, and eligible patients), a review of key systems (Electronic Health Record and billing records), and feedback on the feasibility of several potential interventions by health care system staff. These data informed a human-centered design approach to identify possible interventions within a complex health care system by exposing gaps in care processes and electronic health record platforms that can lead patients to be overlooked for potentially life-saving screening. Deployed interventions included communication efforts focused on (1) increasing patient awareness, (2) improving physician patient identification, and (3) supporting patient management. Preliminary outcomes are discussed.
Am J Med Qual
· 2023 Sep-Oct 01 · PMID 37503856
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Existing literature supports the view that adverse outcomes from surgical interventions are more likely to be the result of degraded nontechnical skills (NTS) rather than the technical skills of surgeons. In the present...Existing literature supports the view that adverse outcomes from surgical interventions are more likely to be the result of degraded nontechnical skills (NTS) rather than the technical skills of surgeons. In the present context, NTS comprise the behaviors and cognitions deployed by surgeons to make decisions, maintain awareness of the operating environment, communicate with and lead supporting personnel. A contemporary safety thesis suggests that focusing on what makes things go right (eg, NTS) is far more productive than retrospective analysis (learning from mistakes). The present qualitative research explored how surgeons deploy NTS to facilitate safe and effective outcomes from surgical interventions. The thematic analysis revealed that this surgical cohort engaged specific self-regulated NTS along an intervention construct consisting of planning, implementation, monitoring progress, and deliberate learning through reflection during the preoperative, operative, and postoperative phases of care. Behaviors supporting these contentions were identified in the data and used to amplify use of the construct.
Amaefule AQ, Litvintchouk A, de Cordova P
… +2 more, Maio V, Pogorzelska-Maziarz M
Am J Med Qual
· 2023 Jul-Aug 01 · PMID 37382307
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Infection preventionists are specialized health care professionals tasked with developing and implementing infection control policies, educating staff and patients on prevention practices, and investigating outbreaks. In...Infection preventionists are specialized health care professionals tasked with developing and implementing infection control policies, educating staff and patients on prevention practices, and investigating outbreaks. Infection preventionists role in developing effective measures for infection prevention and control and ensuring public health and safety became even more vital given the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is important for health care systems and institutions to incorporate lessons learned, enhance infection prevention and control resources, and grow the infection preventionists workforce to prepare for future pandemic events.
Li CJ, Shah YB, Harness ED
… +2 more, Goldberg ZN, Nash DB
Am J Med Qual
· 2023 Jul-Aug 01 · PMID 37382306
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Physician burnout has demonstrated risks to providers and patients through medical errors. This review aims to synthesize current data surrounding burnout and its impacts on quality to inform targeted interventions that...Physician burnout has demonstrated risks to providers and patients through medical errors. This review aims to synthesize current data surrounding burnout and its impacts on quality to inform targeted interventions that benefit providers and patients. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses scoping review methodology was utilized to identify studies of quantitative metrics for burnout and medical errors. Three independent reviewers conducted screening, study selection, and data extraction. Of 1096 identified articles, 21 were analyzed. Overall, 80.9% used the Maslach Burnout Inventory to evaluate for burnout. Moreover, 71.4% used self-reported medical errors as their primary outcome measure. Other outcome measures included observed/identified clinical practice errors and medication errors. Ultimately, 14 of 21 studies found links between burnout and clinically significant errors. Significant associations exist between burnout and medical errors. Physician demographics, including psychological factors, well-being, and training level, modulate this relationship. Better metrics are necessary to quantify errors and their impacts on outcomes. These findings may inform novel interventions that target burnout and improve experiences.
Christopher D, Leininger WM, Beaty L
… +6 more, Nunziato JD, Kremer ME, Diaz Quinones JJ, Rutz S, Griffin TR, Klatt TE
Am J Med Qual
· 2023 Jul-Aug 01 · PMID 37382305
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The objective was to quantify resources devoted to quality and patient safety initiatives, to document the development and use of key performance indicator reports regarding patient outcomes and patient feedback, and to...The objective was to quantify resources devoted to quality and patient safety initiatives, to document the development and use of key performance indicator reports regarding patient outcomes and patient feedback, and to assess the culture of safety within academic obstetrics and gynecology departments. Chairs of academic obstetrics and gynecology departments were asked to complete a quality and safety assessment survey. Surveys were distributed to 138 departments, yielding 52 completed responses (37.7%). Five percent of departments reported including a patient representative on a quality committee. Most committee leaders (60.5%) and members (67.4%) received no compensation. Formal training was required in 28.8% of responding departments. Most departments monitored key performance metrics for inpatient outcomes (95.9%). Leaders scored their departments' culture of safety highly. Most departments provided no protected time to faculty devoted to quality efforts, generation of key performance indicators for inpatient activities was prevalent and integrating patient and community input remain unrealized opportunities.
Nguyen J, Maio V, Walsh K
… +4 more, Handley N, Patel S, Keith SW, Csik VP
Am J Med Qual
· 2023 Jul-Aug 01 · PMID 37314239
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The current study evaluated whether total cost of care (TCOC) and target price were aligned in Oncology Care Model (OCM) hematologic malignancy episodes and identified factors associated with episodes exceeding target pr...The current study evaluated whether total cost of care (TCOC) and target price were aligned in Oncology Care Model (OCM) hematologic malignancy episodes and identified factors associated with episodes exceeding target price. Hematologic malignancy episodes from OCM performance period 1-4 reconciliation reports were identified from a large academic medical center. Of the 516 hematologic malignancies episodes included in the analysis, 283 (54.8%) exceeded the target price. Episode characteristics found to be statistically significantly associated with exceeding target price were Medicare Part B drug use and Part D drug use, novel therapy use, home health agency, and >730 days from last chemotherapy. The mean TCOC was $85 374 (± $26 342) for the episodes that exceeded target price while the mean target price was $56 106 (±$16 309). The results found a substantial misalignment between the TCOC and target price for hematologic malignancy episodes, adding to the existing evidence on the lack of adequate adjustment to the OCM target price.
Baroncini A, Langella F, Barletta P
… +10 more, Cecchinato R, Vanni D, Giudici F, Scaramuzzo L, Bassani R, Morselli C, Brayda-Bruno M, Luca A, Lamartina C, Berjano P
Am J Med Qual
· 2023 Jul-Aug 01 · PMID 37314237
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Registries are gaining importance both in clinical practice and for research purposes. However, quality control is paramount to ensure that data are consistent and reliable. Quality control protocols have been proposed f...Registries are gaining importance both in clinical practice and for research purposes. However, quality control is paramount to ensure that data are consistent and reliable. Quality control protocols have been proposed for arthroplasty registries, but these are not directly applicable to the spine setting. This study aims to develop a new quality control protocol for spine registries. Based on the available protocols for arthroplasty registries, a new protocol for spine registries was developed. The items included in the protocol were completeness (yearly enrollment rate and rate of assessment completion), consistency, and internal validity (coherence between registry data and medical records for blood loss, body mass index, and treated levels). All aspects were then applied to the spine registry of the Institution to verify its quality for each of the 5 years in which the registry has been used (2016-2020). Regarding completeness, the yearly enrollment rate ranged from 78 to 86%; the completion of preoperative assessment from 79% to 100%. The yearly consistency rate varied from 83% to 86%. Considering internal validity, the interclass correlation coefficient ranged from 0.1 to 0.8 for blood loss and from 0.3 to 0.9 for body mass index. The coherency for treated levels ranged from 25% to 82%. Overall, all 3 items showed an improvement over time. All 3 analyzed domains showed good to excellent results. The overall quality of the registered data improved over time.
Staab EM, Franco MI, Zhu M
… +6 more, Wan W, Gibbons RD, Vinci LM, Beckman N, Yohanna D, Laiteerapong N
Am J Med Qual
· 2023 Jul-Aug 01 · PMID 37314235
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Depression is undertreated in primary care. Using patient portals to administer regular symptom assessments could facilitate more timely care. At an urban academic medical center outpatient clinic, patients with active p...Depression is undertreated in primary care. Using patient portals to administer regular symptom assessments could facilitate more timely care. At an urban academic medical center outpatient clinic, patients with active portal accounts and depression on their problem list or a positive screen in the past year were randomized to assessment during triage at visits (usual care) versus usual care plus assessment via portal (population health care). Portal invitations were sent regardless of whether patients had scheduled appointments. More patients completed assessments in the population health care arm than usual care: 59% versus 18%, P < 0.001. Depression symptoms were more common among patients who completed their initial assessment via the portal versus in the clinic. In the population health care arm, 57% (N = 80/140) of patients with moderate-to-severe symptoms completed at least 1 follow-up assessment versus 37% (N = 13/35) in usual care. A portal-based population health approach could improve depression monitoring in primary care.