Registered Nurses' and Medical Doctors' Experiences of Patient Safety in Health Information Exchange During Interorganizational Care Transitions: A Qualitative Review

Cross-sectoral exchange of nurses: An intervention study

BACKGROUND

In health policy, much attention has been paid to collaboration between the primary and secondary health care sectors, especially in relation to hospitalisation and discharge. Despite ideal plans for collaboration, the research literature shows that inadequate communication is a well-known problem that can be a barrier to a safe trajectory for the citizen. Based on the assumption that better knowledge of each other's work will lead to better collaboration, a cross-sectoral exchange program with nurses was initiated.

AIM

The aim was to investigate which barriers to good patient trajectories the involved nurses attributed to cross-sectoral collaboration and what impact the exchange to the opposite sector had for them.

METHODS

Twenty-eight nurses were exchanged: 14 from a cardiology department and 14 from municipal home care. The nurses shadowed a colleague from the opposite sector in their daily work. Subsequently, six focus group interviews were conducted. The transcribed material was analysed based on Ricoeur's interpretation theory.

RESULTS

Two main themes, including sub-themes emerged: (1) Challenging communicative conditions: (a) Inadequate digital communication, (b) Inadequate care plans and discharge reports, (c) Conversation promotes understanding, and (d) Challenging collaboration and communication with the discharge coordinators. (2) Perceived importance of the exchange: (a) Cross-sectoral relationship, prejudice and gaining respect for each other and (b) Working in two different worlds.

CONCLUSION

Electronic communication is inadequate, and the IT systems do not support sufficient cross-sectoral communication. The organisational model in the municipal care sector is inflexible in terms of allocations for the current needs of citizens, and professionals feel that their professional judgements are not recognised. The nurses gained insight into each other's work and working conditions and respect for each other's professionalism. The exchange has the potential to both improve the relationship and communication between the sectors for the benefit of a better and more coherent patient course.

Challenges and needs in cerebrovascular disease pathway: A qualitative descriptive study from the patients' and healthcare professionals' perspectives

AIM(S)

To understand patients' and healthcare professionals' experiences to improve care in and across different domains of the cerebrovascular disease pathway.

DESIGN

A qualitative descriptive study.

METHODS

Semi-structured in-person interviews were conducted among 22 patients diagnosed with acute cerebrovascular disease and 26 healthcare professionals taking care of them in a single tertiary-level hospital from August 2021 to March 2022. Data were analysed using deductive and inductive content analysis. The consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research was used to ensure reliable reporting.

RESULTS

Overall, 19 generic and 79 sub-categories describing perceived challenges with 17 generic and 62 sub-categories describing perceived needs were identified related to primary prevention, organization of stroke services, management of acute stroke, secondary prevention, rehabilitation, evaluation of stroke outcome and quality assessment, and life after stroke.

CONCLUSION

Several challenges and needs were identified in and across the different domains of the cerebrovascular disease pathway. There is a requirement for adequate resources, early initiation of treatment, early diagnostics and recanalization, dedicated rehabilitation services, long-term counselling and support, and impact evaluation of services to improve cerebrovascular disease care. Future research on caregivers', and clinical leadership experiences in and across the cerebrovascular disease pathway is needed to explore the provision of services.

IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION AND/OR PATIENT CARE

The results of this study can be applied by organizations, managers and research for developing and improving services in the cerebrovascular disease pathway.

IMPACT

This study identified several patient-related, organizational and logistical needs and challenges, with suggestions for required actions, that can benefit the provision of effective, high-quality cerebrovascular disease care.

REPORTING METHOD

We have adhered to relevant EQUATOR guidelines with the COREQ reporting method.

PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

No patient or public involvement.

Interorganizational health information exchange-related patient safety incidents: A descriptive register-based qualitative study

PURPOSE

The current literature related to patient safety of interorganizational health information is fragmented. This study aims to identify interorganizational health information exchange-related patient safety incidents occurring in the emergency department, emergency medical services, and home care. The research also aimed to describe the causes and consequences of these incidents.

METHODS

A total of sixty (n = 60) interorganizational health information exchange-related patient safety incident free text reports were analyzed. The reports were reported in the emergency department, emergency medical services, or home care between January 2016 and December 2019 in one hospital district in Finland.

RESULTS

The identified interorganizational health information exchange-related incidents were grouped under two main categories: "Inadequate documentation"; and "Inadequate use of information". The causes of these incidents were grouped under the two main categories "Factors related to the healthcare professional " and "Organizational factors", while the consequences of these incidents fell under the two main categories "Adverse events" and "Additional actions to prevent, avoid, and correct adverse events".

CONCLUSION

This study shows that the inadequate documentation and use of information is mainly caused by factors related to the healthcare professional and organization, including technical problems. These incidents cause adverse events and additional actions to prevent, avoid, and correct the events. The sociotechnical perspective, including factors related to health care professionals, organization, and technology, should be emphasized in patient safety development of inter-organizational health information exchange and it will be the focus of our future research. Continuous research and development work is needed because the processes and information systems used in health care are constantly evolving.

The negative impact of interface design, customizability, inefficiency, malfunctions, and information retrieval on user experience: A national usability survey of ICU clinical information systems in Finland

INTRODUCTION

Clinical information systems (CISs) used in intensive care units (ICU) integrate large amounts of patient data every minute, and from multiple systems and devices. Intensive care requires efficient use of information technology to acquire, synchronize, integrate, and analyze data in order to make quick decisions and implement interventions in a timely manner.

OBJECTIVES

To identify factors affecting poor user experience (UX) of CISs used in ICUs in Finland.

METHODS

Data from national Electronic Health Record (EHR) and user experience survey was undertaken in 2017. Those, who used the ICU CIS on a daily or weekly basis were asked supplementary questions and, therefore, comprise a subset of the responses reported in this article.

RESULTS

On a 4-10 scale (i.e., "Fail" to "Excellent"), the mean 'grade' for the principally used ICU CIS was 6.9 (SD 1.3) points. Of the respondents, 119 (57%) were categorized as having good UX. The factors identified as affecting poor UX of the ICU CISs related to poor interface design (OR 7.8; 95% CIs 12.5-24.1; p = 0.001), insufficient customizability (OR 7.2; 95% CIs 1.7-30.6; p = 0.008), the inefficiency of performing routine tasks (OR 4.3; 95% CIs 1.0-18.2; p = 0.044), malfunctions (OR 3.5; 95% CIs 1.2-9.6; p = 0.019), and difficulties in information retrieval (OR 3.0; 95% CIs 1.0-8.8; p = 0.044). The most commonly reported usability problems with the main EHR system and ICU CISs were also identified.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall satisfaction with the principally used ICU CIS was moderate. However, the overall grades varied significantly. Poor interface design, insufficient customizability, inefficiency, malfunctions, and difficulties in information retrieval all affect poor UX.