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Srinivasan M, Scott A, Soo J, Sreedhara M, Popat S, Beasley KL, Jackson TN, Abbas A, Keaton WA, Holmstedt C, Harvey J, Kruis R, McLeod S, Ahn R. The role of stroke care infrastructure on the effectiveness of a hub-and-spoke telestroke model in South Carolina. J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis 2024; 33:107702. [PMID: 38556068 PMCID: PMC11088489 DOI: 10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2024.107702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine the relationship between stroke care infrastructure and stroke quality-of-care outcomes at 29 spoke hospitals participating in the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) hub-and-spoke telestroke network. MATERIALS AND METHODS Encounter-level data from MUSC's telestroke patient registry were filtered to include encounters during 2015-2022 for patients aged 18 and above with a clinical diagnosis of acute ischemic stroke, and who received intravenous tissue plasminogen activator. Unadjusted and adjusted generalized estimating equations assessed associations between time-related stroke quality-of-care metrics captured during the encounter and the existence of the two components of stroke care infrastructure-stroke coordinators and stroke center certifications-across all hospitals and within hospital subgroups defined by size and rurality. RESULTS Telestroke encounters at spoke hospitals with stroke coordinators and stroke center certifications were associated with shorter door-to-needle (DTN) times (60.9 min for hospitals with both components and 57.3 min for hospitals with one, vs. 81.2 min for hospitals with neither component, p <.001). Similar patterns were observed for the percentage of encounters with DTN time of ≤60 min (63.8% and 68.9% vs. 32.0%, p <.001) and ≤45 min (34.0% and 38.4% vs. 8.42%, p <.001). Associations were similar for other metrics (e.g., door-to-registration time), and were stronger for smaller (vs. larger) hospitals and rural (vs. urban) hospitals. CONCLUSIONS Stroke coordinators or stroke center certifications may be important for stroke quality of care, especially at spoke hospitals with limited resources or in rural areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mithuna Srinivasan
- NORC at the University of Chicago, 4350 East-West Hwy 8th Floor, Bethesda, MD 20814, United States.
| | - Amber Scott
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Atlanta, GA, United States; Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, TN, United States
| | - Jackie Soo
- NORC at the University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Meera Sreedhara
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Atlanta, GA, United States; Cherokee Nation Operational Solutions, Tulsa, OK, United States
| | - Shena Popat
- NORC at the University of Chicago, 4350 East-West Hwy 8th Floor, Bethesda, MD 20814, United States
| | - Kincaid Lowe Beasley
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Tiara N Jackson
- Decision Information Resources, Inc., Houston, TX, United States
| | - Amena Abbas
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Atlanta, GA, United States; ASRT, Inc., Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - W Alexander Keaton
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Atlanta, GA, United States; Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, TN, United States
| | | | - Jillian Harvey
- Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - Ryan Kruis
- Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - Shay McLeod
- Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - Roy Ahn
- NORC at the University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
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Kassie AM, Eakin E, Abate BB, Endalamaw A, Zewdie A, Wolka E, Assefa Y. The use of positive deviance approach to improve health service delivery and quality of care: a scoping review. BMC Health Serv Res 2024; 24:438. [PMID: 38589897 PMCID: PMC11003118 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-024-10850-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Quality has been a persistent challenge in the healthcare system, particularly in resource-limited settings. As a result, the utilization of innovative approaches is required to help countries in their efforts to enhance the quality of healthcare. The positive deviance (PD) approach is an innovative approach that can be utilized to improve healthcare quality. The approach assumes that solutions to problems are already available within the community and identifying and sharing those solutions can help others to resolve existing issues. Therefore, this scoping review aimed to synthesize the evidence regarding the use of the PD approach in healthcare system service delivery and quality improvement programs. METHODS Articles were retrieved from six international databases. The last date for article search was June 02, 2023, and no date restriction was applied. All articles were assessed for inclusion through a title and/or abstract read. Then, articles that passed the title and abstract review were screened by reading their full texts. In case of duplication, only the full-text published articles were retained. A descriptive mapping and evidence synthesis was done to present data with the guide of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis extension for Scoping Reviews checklist and the results are presented in text, table, and figure formats. RESULTS A total of 125 articles were included in this scoping review. More than half, 66 (52.8%), of the articles were from the United States, 11(8.8%) from multinational studies, 10 (8%) from Canada, 8 (6.4%) from the United Kingdom and the remaining, 30 (24%) are from other nations around the world. The scoping review indicates that several types of study designs can be applied in utilizing the PD approach for healthcare service and quality improvement programs. However, although validated performance measures are utilized to identify positive deviants (PDs) in many of the articles, some of the selection criteria utilized by authors lack clarity and are subject to potential bias. In addition, several limitations have been mentioned in the articles including issues in operationalizing PD, focus on leaders and senior managers and limited staff involvement, bias, lack of comparison, limited setting, and issues in generalizability/transferability of results from prospects perspective. Nevertheless, the limitations identified are potentially manageable and can be contextually resolved depending on the nature of the study. Furthermore, PD has been successfully employed in healthcare service and quality improvement programs including in increasing surgical care quality, hand hygiene practice, and reducing healthcare-associated infections. CONCLUSION The scoping review findings have indicated that healthcare systems have been able to enhance quality, reduce errors, and improve patient outcomes by identifying lessons from those who exhibit exceptional practices and implementing successful strategies in their practice. All the outcomes of PD-based research, however, are dependent on the first step of identifying true PDs. Hence, it is critical that PDs are identified using objective and validated measures of performance as failure to identify true PDs can subsequently lead to failure in identifying best practices for learning and dissemination to other contextually similar settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayelign Mengesha Kassie
- School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
- School of Nursing, College of Health Sciences, Woldia University, Woldia, Ethiopia.
| | - Elizabeth Eakin
- School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Biruk Beletew Abate
- School of Nursing, College of Health Sciences, Woldia University, Woldia, Ethiopia
| | - Aklilu Endalamaw
- School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
| | - Anteneh Zewdie
- International Institute for Primary Health Care, Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Eskinder Wolka
- International Institute for Primary Health Care, Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Yibeltal Assefa
- School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
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Majersik JJ, Wong KH, O'Donnell SM, Johnson J, Garcia-Esperon C, Hamilton BJ, Tekiela P, Ledyard HK, Taillac P. Telestroke value through the eyes of emergency medicine providers: A counterfactual analysis. Heliyon 2023; 9:e14767. [PMID: 37089373 PMCID: PMC10119505 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e14767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Objectives Emergency Medicine (EM) provider experiences consulting telestroke (TS) are poorly studied. In this qualitative study, we aimed to determine how TS changes patient management and to measure TS effects on EM provider confidence with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) treatment. Materials and methods We designed a survey for EM providers querying perceptions of TS value, confidence with treating AIS, and counterfactuals regarding what EM providers would have done without TS. Eligible EM providers participated in an audio-visual TS consult within a 6-state TS network between 11/2016-11/2017. Results We received 48 surveys (response rate 43%). The most common reason (71%) for using TS was tPA eligibility expert opinion. Most EM providers (94%) thought the patient/family were satisfied with TS and none felt their medical knowledge was doubted because of using TS. EM providers had high confidence in diagnosing AIS (95%) and tPA decision-making (86%), but not in determining thrombectomy eligibility (10%). Among EM providers who administered tPA, 85% said tPA would not have been given without TS consultation. TS consultation changed patient diagnosis in 60% of all patients and treatment plans in 56% of non-stroke patients. Most EM providers (86%) had increased confidence in their knowledge of future stroke patient management. Nearly all TS consults (93%) resulted in EM providers being more likely to use TS again. Conclusions TS consult frequently results in both patient management change and increased EM knowledge of stroke management with increased likelihood of repeat usage. Discomfort in determining eligibility for thrombectomy points to educational opportunities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Juhl Majersik
- Neurology, University of Utah, United States
- Corresponding author. Third Floor Stroke Center, University of Utah, 175 N Medical Center Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, United States.
| | - Ka-Ho Wong
- Department of Neurology, University of Utah, United States
| | | | | | | | | | - Piotr Tekiela
- Division of Vascular Neurology, Department of Neurology, University of Utah, United States
| | - Holly K. Ledyard
- Neurology and Emergency Medicine, University of Utah, United States
| | - Peter Taillac
- Emergency Medicine, University of Utah, United States
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Torres-Castaño A, Abt-Sacks A, Toledo-Chávarri A, Suarez-Herrera JC, Delgado-Rodríguez J, León-Salas B, González-Hernández Y, Carmona-Rodríguez M, Serrano-Aguilar P. Ethical, Legal, Organisational and Social Issues of Teleneurology: A Scoping Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:3694. [PMID: 36834388 PMCID: PMC9962592 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20043694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neurological disorders are the leading cause of disability and the second leading cause of death worldwide. Teleneurology (TN) allows neurology to be applied when the doctor and patient are not present in the same place, and sometimes not at the same time. In February 2021, the Spanish Ministry of Health requested a health technology assessment report on the implementation of TN as a complement to face-to-face neurological care. METHODS A scoping review was conducted to answer the question on the ethical, legal, social, organisational, patient (ELSI) and environmental impact of TN. The assessment of these aspects was carried out by adapting the EUnetHTA Core Model 3.0 framework, the criteria established by the Spanish Network of Health Technology Assessment Agencies and the analysis criteria of the European Validate (VALues In Doing Assessments of healthcare TEchnologies) project. Key stakeholders were invited to discuss their concerns about TN in an online meeting. Subsequently, the following electronic databases were consulted from 2016 to 10 June 2021: MEDLINE and EMBASE. RESULTS 79 studies met the inclusion criteria. This scoping review includes 37 studies related to acceptability and equity, 15 studies developed during COVID and 1 study on environmental aspects. Overall, the reported results reaffirm the necessary complementarity of TN with the usual face-to-face care. CONCLUSIONS This need for complementarity relates to factors such as acceptability, feasibility, risk of dehumanisation and aspects related to privacy and the confidentiality of sensitive data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alezandra Torres-Castaño
- Canary Islands Health Research Institute Foundation (FIISC), 38320 Tenerife, Spain
- Evaluation Unit of the Canary Islands Health Service (SESCS), 38109 Tenerife, Spain
- Network for Research on Chronicity, Primary Care, and Health Promotion (RICAPPS), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- The Spanish Network of Agencies for Health Technology Assessment and Services of the National Health System (RedETS), 28071 Madrid, Spain
| | - Analía Abt-Sacks
- Canary Islands Health Research Institute Foundation (FIISC), 38320 Tenerife, Spain
- Evaluation Unit of the Canary Islands Health Service (SESCS), 38109 Tenerife, Spain
- Network for Research on Chronicity, Primary Care, and Health Promotion (RICAPPS), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- The Spanish Network of Agencies for Health Technology Assessment and Services of the National Health System (RedETS), 28071 Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana Toledo-Chávarri
- Canary Islands Health Research Institute Foundation (FIISC), 38320 Tenerife, Spain
- Evaluation Unit of the Canary Islands Health Service (SESCS), 38109 Tenerife, Spain
- Network for Research on Chronicity, Primary Care, and Health Promotion (RICAPPS), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- The Spanish Network of Agencies for Health Technology Assessment and Services of the National Health System (RedETS), 28071 Madrid, Spain
| | - José Carlos Suarez-Herrera
- Evaluation Unit of the Canary Islands Health Service (SESCS), 38109 Tenerife, Spain
- UNITWIN/UNESCO Chair, Research, Planning and Development of Local Health Systems, Department of Clinical Sciences, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35001 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - Janet Delgado-Rodríguez
- Canary Islands Health Research Institute Foundation (FIISC), 38320 Tenerife, Spain
- The Spanish Network of Agencies for Health Technology Assessment and Services of the National Health System (RedETS), 28071 Madrid, Spain
- Department of Philosophy I, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
| | - Beatriz León-Salas
- Canary Islands Health Research Institute Foundation (FIISC), 38320 Tenerife, Spain
- Evaluation Unit of the Canary Islands Health Service (SESCS), 38109 Tenerife, Spain
- Network for Research on Chronicity, Primary Care, and Health Promotion (RICAPPS), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- The Spanish Network of Agencies for Health Technology Assessment and Services of the National Health System (RedETS), 28071 Madrid, Spain
| | - Yadira González-Hernández
- Canary Islands Health Research Institute Foundation (FIISC), 38320 Tenerife, Spain
- Evaluation Unit of the Canary Islands Health Service (SESCS), 38109 Tenerife, Spain
- Network for Research on Chronicity, Primary Care, and Health Promotion (RICAPPS), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- The Spanish Network of Agencies for Health Technology Assessment and Services of the National Health System (RedETS), 28071 Madrid, Spain
| | - Montserrat Carmona-Rodríguez
- Network for Research on Chronicity, Primary Care, and Health Promotion (RICAPPS), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- The Spanish Network of Agencies for Health Technology Assessment and Services of the National Health System (RedETS), 28071 Madrid, Spain
- Health Technology Assessment Agency, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Pedro Serrano-Aguilar
- Canary Islands Health Research Institute Foundation (FIISC), 38320 Tenerife, Spain
- Institute of Biomedical Technologies, University of La Laguna, 38200 Tenerife, Spain
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Rangachari P, Mushiana SS, Herbert K. A scoping review of applications of the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) to telehealth service implementation initiatives. BMC Health Serv Res 2022; 22:1450. [PMID: 36447279 PMCID: PMC9708146 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-022-08871-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR), introduced in 2009, has the potential to provide a comprehensive understanding of the determinants of implementation-effectiveness of health service innovations. Although the CFIR has been increasingly used in recent years to examine factors influencing telehealth implementation, no comprehensive reviews currently exist on the scope of knowledge gained exclusively from applications of the CFIR to telehealth implementation initiatives. This review sought to address this gap. METHODS PRISMA-ScR criteria were used to inform a scoping review of the literature. Five academic databases (PUBMED, PROQUEST, SCIDIRECT, CINAHL, and WoS) were searched for eligible sources of evidence from 01.01.2010 through 12.31.2021. The initial search yielded a total of 18,388 records, of which, 64 peer-reviewed articles met the inclusion criteria for the review. Included articles were reviewed in full to extract data, and data collected were synthesized to address the review questions. RESULTS Most included articles were published during or after 2020 (64%), and a majority (77%) were qualitative or mixed-method studies seeking to understand barriers or facilitators to telehealth implementation using the CFIR. There were few comparative- or implementation-effectiveness studies containing outcome measures (5%). The database search however, revealed a growing number of protocols for implementation-effectiveness studies published since 2020. Most articles (91%) reported the CFIR Inner Setting domain (e.g., leadership engagement) to have a predominant influence over telehealth implementation success. By comparison, few articles (14%) reported the CFIR Outer Setting domain (e.g., telehealth policies) to have notable influence. While more (63%) telehealth initiatives were focused on specialty (vs primary) care, a vast majority (78%) were focused on clinical practice over medical education, healthcare administration, or population health. CONCLUSIONS Organized provider groups have historically paid considerable attention to advocating for telehealth policy (Outer Setting) reform. However, results suggest that for effective telehealth implementation, provider groups need to refocus their efforts on educating individual providers on the complex inter-relationships between Inner Setting constructs and telehealth implementation-effectiveness. On a separate note, the growth in implementation-effectiveness study protocols since 2020, suggests that additional outcome measures may soon be available, to provide a more nuanced understanding of the determinants of effective telehealth implementation based on the CFIR domains and constructs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavani Rangachari
- grid.266831.80000 0001 2168 8754Department of Population Health and Leadership, School of Health Sciences, University of New Haven, 300 Boston Post Road, West Haven, CT 06516 USA
| | - Swapandeep S. Mushiana
- grid.410372.30000 0004 0419 2775Veterans Affairs (VA) Quality Scholars Program - San Francisco VA Healthcare System, San Francisco, CA 94121 USA
| | - Krista Herbert
- Portland Veterans Affairs (VA) Healthcare System, Portland, OR 97239 USA
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Tumma A, Berzou S, Jaques K, Shah D, Smith AC, Thomas EE. Considerations for the Implementation of a Telestroke Network: A Systematic Review. J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis 2021; 31:106171. [PMID: 34735902 DOI: 10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2021.106171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Revised: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The application of telestroke has matured considerably since its inception in 1999. The use of telestroke is now recommended in several published guidelines. Consequently, jurisdictions without a telestroke service are seeking practical information on the best approach to implement telestroke. French et al. (2013) reviewed the challenges of implementing a telestroke network including studies between 2000 and 2010. At the time, telestroke networks were largely limited to the UK, USA, Canada and Europe and only one process evaluation had been conducted. Given the prolific expansion of telestroke services since 2010, we conducted a systematic review to determine factors associated with successful establishment, management, and sustainability of a contemporary telestroke services. A comprehensive search of telestroke studies was conducted in July 2021. Empirical studies published between 2010 and 2021 were included if they contained descriptive, evaluation or operational data on the implementation of a telestroke network. Studies were subsequently evaluated using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR). The initial literature search revealed a total of 7415 potential studies; 38 of which met the inclusion criteria. The past decade of process evaluation studies has enabled a more nuanced investigations into how to implement and sustain a telestroke network. Pre-implementation planning is crucial to ensure clear telestroke processes, governance structures and stakeholder engagement. Sustainability of networks relies on securing long-term investment, providing adequate resources, and maintaining staff motivation and willingness. Recommendations are provided to overcome commonly identified barriers related to technology, staffing, planning and standardisation of processes, evaluation, and sustainability and scale-up. Further research needs to explore how new advancements in stroke care such as endovascular clot retrieval (EVT) and advanced brain imaging can be considered and planned for during the implementation of a new telestroke service.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abishek Tumma
- Department of Medicine, Queensland Health, Logan Hospital, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Souad Berzou
- Centre for Online Health, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia; Centre for Health Services Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Katherine Jaques
- Queensland Health, Clinical Excellence Queensland, Brisbane Australia
| | - Darshan Shah
- Department of Neurology, Queensland Health, Gold Coast University Hospital, Gold Coast, Australia
| | - Anthony C Smith
- Centre for Online Health, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia; Centre for Health Services Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia; Centre for Innovative Technology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Emma E Thomas
- Centre for Online Health, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia; Centre for Health Services Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
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Busetto L, Sert M, Herzog F, Hoffmann J, Stang C, Amiri H, Seker F, Purrucker J, Mundiyanapurath S, Ringleb PA, Nagel S, Bendszus M, Wick W, Gumbinger C. "But it's a nice compromise" - Qualitative multi-centre study of barriers and facilitators to acute telestroke cooperation in a regional stroke network. Eur J Neurol 2021; 29:208-216. [PMID: 34582614 DOI: 10.1111/ene.15130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Telemedical services can be used to complement on-site services when demand for specialists exceeds supply or when specialists are not evenly distributed across health systems. Using stroke as an example, this study aimed to explore how patients and staff experience telestroke cooperation in a stroke network in Germany. METHODS We conducted a qualitative multi-method and multi-centre study combining 32 non-participant observations at one hub and four spoke hospitals with 26 semi-structured interviews with hub and spoke staff as well as stroke patients and relatives. Observation protocols and interview transcripts were analysed to identify barriers and facilitators to telestroke cooperation from the perspectives of staff, patients and relatives. RESULTS In terms of barriers to telestroke cooperation, we found technological problems, providing the treatment for one patient from two sites, competing priorities between telestroke and in-house duties in the spoke hospitals, as well as difficulties in participating in the teleneurological examination via a videoconferencing system for older and disabled patients. In terms of facilitators, we found an overall very positive perception of telestroke provision by patients, good professional relationships within the network, and sharing of neurological expertise to be experienced as helpful for telestroke cooperation. CONCLUSIONS We recommend better integration of telemedical services into the care pathway, fostering relationships within the network, improved technological support and resources, and more emphasis within networks, in public awareness efforts as well as in academia on the evaluation of telemedical services from the perspectives of patients and relatives, especially older patients and patients with disabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loraine Busetto
- Department of Neurology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Melek Sert
- Department of Neurology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Franziska Herzog
- Department of Neurology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Johanna Hoffmann
- Department of Neurology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christina Stang
- Department of Neurology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Hemasse Amiri
- Department of Neurology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Fatih Seker
- Department of Neuroradiology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jan Purrucker
- Department of Neurology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | | | - Simon Nagel
- Department of Neurology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Martin Bendszus
- Department of Neuroradiology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Wick
- Department of Neurology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.,Clinical Cooperation Unit Neuro-Oncology, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christoph Gumbinger
- Department of Neurology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
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Zachrison KS, Richard JV, Wilcock A, Zubizaretta JR, Schwamm LH, Uscher-Pines L, Mehrotra A. Association of Hospital Telestroke Adoption With Changes in Initial Hospital Presentation and Transfers Among Patients With Stroke and Transient Ischemic Attacks. JAMA Netw Open 2021; 4:e2126612. [PMID: 34554236 PMCID: PMC8461501 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.26612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE It has been proposed that the implementation of telestroke services (a web-based approach to using video telecommunication to treat patients with stroke before hospital admission) changes where patients with stroke symptoms receive care, but this proposal has not been rigorously assessed. OBJECTIVE To assess whether the implementation of telestroke services is associated with changes in where and how patients initially present with stroke symptoms, in their decision to be transferred to another hospital, and which hospitals they are transferred to. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This cross-sectional study compared changes in stroke systems of care between a sample of 593 US hospitals that adopted telestroke during the period from 2009 to 2016 but were not comprehensive stroke centers, major teaching hospitals, or thrombectomy-capable hospitals vs 593 matched control hospitals without telestroke based on rural location, critical access hospital status, bed size, primary stroke center status, presence of hospital alternatives in the community, hospital stroke volume, census region, and ownership. With the use of data on 100% of Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries, all stroke and transient ischemic attack admissions from 2008 to 2018 were identified. EXPOSURES For each hospital pair (telestroke plus matched control), the telestroke hospital's implementation date and difference-in-differences approach were used to quantify the association between telestroke implementation and changes in care from 2 years before implementation to 2 years after implementation. Models also controlled for differences in observed patient characteristics. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Hospital stroke volume, patients' ambulance transport distance to initial hospital, hospital case mix, interhospital transfer proportion, and size of the receiving hospital for transferred patients. RESULTS Of the 669 telestroke hospitals and 2143 potential control hospitals, 593 hospital pairs were matched; in each category, 261 hospitals (44.0%) were located in a rural area, 179 (30.2%) were primary stroke centers, and 130 (21.9%) were critical access hospitals. The changes in the preimplementation to postimplementation period were similar at telestroke and control hospitals in mean annual stroke volume (telestroke hospitals, decreased from 79.6 to 76.3 patients; control hospitals, decreased from 78.8 to 75.5 patients [-3.3 patients per year for both; difference-in-differences, 0.009; P ≥ .99]). Similarly, no differences were seen in ambulance transport distance, case mix, interhospital transfers, or bed size of receiving hospitals among transferred patients. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE This study suggests that, across a national sample of hospitals implementing telestroke, no association between telestroke adoption and changes in stroke systems of care were found.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kori S. Zachrison
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
| | - Jessica V. Richard
- Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Andrew Wilcock
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington
| | - Jose R. Zubizaretta
- Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Lee H. Schwamm
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
| | | | - Ateev Mehrotra
- Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Division of General Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
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