Beyond our walls: impact of patient and provider coordination across the continuum on outcomes for surgical patients

Continuity of primary care and emergency department visits following knee and hip replacement surgery: a retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Continuity of primary care (CPC) improves patient well-being, but the association between CPC and surgical outcomes has not been well studied. The numbers of joint replacement procedures are expected to rise considerably in the coming years, so it is crucial to identify factors related to successful outcomes. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between CPC and emergency department (ED) visits after knee and hip replacement surgery.

METHODS

Physician claims and hospital data from 2005 to 2020 in Nova Scotia were used in this retrospective study. To measure CPC, we used the Modified Modified Continuity Index (MMCI), which is the number of primary care providers adjusted for the total number of visits. The outcome was ED visits within 90 days of discharge. Logistic regression was used to test for associations between MMCI and the probability of an ED visit.

RESULTS

There were 28 574 knee and 16 767 hip procedures in the data set; 13.9% (95% confidence interval [CI] 13.5%-14.3%) and 13.5% (95% CI 13.0%-14.0%) of the patients, respectively, had an ED visit within 90 days. For patients who underwent knee procedures, the mean MMCI was 0.868 (95% CI 0.867-0.870); 10.7% (95% CI 10.4 %-11.1 %) had perfect continuity of care. For patients who underwent hip procedures, the corresponding measures were 0.864 (95% CI 0.862-0.866) and 13.5% (95% CI 13.0%-14.0%). There was a statistically significant negative association between greater continuity of care and the probability of an ED visit after controlling for confounders.

CONCLUSION

Having multiple primary care providers before surgery increased the likelihood of negative outcomes following knee or hip replacement surgery compared with having a single provider. Presurgical conversations should include primary care history to improve postsurgical outcomes.

Evaluations of postoperative transitions in care for older adults: a scoping review

Background

Most people having major surgery are over the age of 65. The transition out of hospital is a vulnerable time for older adults, particularly after major surgery. Research on postoperative transitions in care is growing, but it is not clear how postoperative transitions are being evaluated. The objective of this scoping review was to synthesize processes and outcomes used to evaluate postoperative transitions in care for older adults.

Methods

We conducted a scoping review that included articles evaluating a postoperative transition in care among adults aged > 65 having major elective surgery. We searched Medline (Ovid), EMBASE (Ovid), CINHAL, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) from their respective inception dates to April 6, 2021. We also searched The World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform and ClinicalTrials.gov from their respective inception dates to April 6, 2021. Screening and data extraction was completed by reviewers in duplicate. Data relevant to study design and objective, intervention description, and process or outcome evaluations were extracted. Process evaluations were categorized using the Ideal Transitions in Care Framework, and outcome evaluations were categorized using the Institute for Healthcare Improvement Triple Aim Framework.

Results

After screening titles and abstracts and full-text article review, we included 20 articles in our final synthesis. There was variability in the processes and outcomes used to evaluate postoperative transitions in care. The most common outcomes evaluated were health service utilization (n = 9), including readmission and Emergency Department visits, experiential outcomes (n = 9) and quality of life (n = 7). Process evaluations included evaluating the education provided to patients to promote self-management (n = 6), coordination of care among team members (n = 3) and outpatient follow-up (n = 3). Only two articles measured frailty, one article used theory to guide their evaluations and no articles engaged knowledge users.

Conclusions

There is inconsistency in how postoperative transitions in care were evaluated. There is a need to use theories and to engage key stakeholders involved in postoperative transitions in care, including older adults and their caregivers, to identify the most appropriate approaches for developing and evaluating interventions to meaningfully improve care.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12877-022-02989-6.

Understanding Clinicians' Decisions to Assume Prescriptions for Inherited Patients on Long-term Opioid Therapy: A Qualitative Study

OBJECTIVE

Given the changing political and social climate around opioids, we examined how clinicians in the outpatient setting made decisions about managing opioid prescriptions for new patients already on long-term opioid therapy.

METHODS

We conducted in-depth interviews with 32 clinicians in Southern California who prescribed opioid medications in the outpatient setting for chronic pain. The study design, interview guides, and coding for this qualitative study were guided by constructivist grounded theory methodology.

RESULTS

We identified three approaches to assuming a new patient's opioid prescriptions. Staunch Opposers, mostly clinicians with specialized training in pain medicine, were averse to continuing opioid prescriptions for new patients and often screened outpatients seeking opioids. Cautious and Conflicted Prescribers were wary about prescribing opioids but were willing to refill prescriptions if they perceived the patient as trustworthy and the medication fell within their comfort zone. Clinicians in the first two groups felt resentful about other clinicians "dumping" patients on opioids on them. Rapport Builders, mostly primary care physicians, were the most willing to assume opioid prescriptions and were strategic in their approach to transitioning patients to safer doses.

CONCLUSIONS

Clinicians with the most training in pain management were the least willing to assume responsibility for opioid prescriptions for patients already on long-term opioid therapy. In contrast, primary care clinicians were the most willing to assume this responsibility. However, primary care clinicians face barriers to providing high-quality care for patients with complex pain conditions, such as short visit times and less specialized training.

Caring for people with serious injuries in urban and regional communities: a qualitative investigation of healthcare providers' perceptions

Purpose: To understand the factors that affect the management of people after serious injury in urban and regional settings, beyond hospital discharge from the perspectives of allied health professionals (AHPs).Materials and methods: An exploratory qualitative study of AHPs caring for people with serious injuries post-hospital discharge in urban and regional areas of Victoria, Australia was completed. Twenty-five semi-structured interviews were undertaken with AHPs and thematically analysed.Results: Allied health professionals in urban and regional settings reported the benefits of a multi-disciplinary team to deliver high-quality care. However, a number of barriers to service delivery were identified that impacted on their ability to meet the needs of patients. These included insufficient psychological services, a shortage of available carers and an unmet need for external clinical support in regional areas. Communication between AHPs and other services, and care co-ordination of post-discharge services, was also highlighted as key areas to improve for optimal patient care.Conclusions: Factors that influenced optimal patient management included the availability of psychological and carer services, communication between health professionals and coordination of post-discharge care. The experiences of AHPs can offer practical suggestions to optimise service delivery and post-discharge care for people with serious injuries.Implications for RehabilitationAllied health professionals (AHPs) face a number of challenges in the provision of optimal care to people with serious injuries.Improving the availability of psychological support and attendant carers is needed in regional areas.A designated care coordinator role may assist people with serious injuries transitioning between hospital and home to engage with necessary services and reduce administrative burden for AHPs.Telehealth may provide facilitate improved communication between health professionals and support regional clinicians caring for people with complex injuries.

Patients' experiences of discontentment one year after total knee arthroplasty- a qualitative study

Background

Total knee arthroplasty is a common procedure with generally good results. However, there are still patients who are dissatisfied without known explanation. Satisfaction and dissatisfaction have previously been captured by quantitative designs, but there is a lack of qualitative studies regarding these patients’ experiences. Qualitative knowledge might be useful in creating strategies to decrease the dissatisfaction rate.

Methods

Of the 348 patients who responded to a letter asking if they were satisfied or dissatisfied with their surgery, 61 (18%) reported discontent. After excluding patients with documented complications and those who declined to participate, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 44 patients. The interviews were analyzed according to qualitative content analysis. The purpose was to describe patients’ experiences of discontentment 1 year after total knee arthroplasty.

Results

The patients experienced unfulfilled expectations and needs regarding unresolved and new problems, limited independence, and lacking of relational supports. They were bothered by pain and stiffness, and worried that changes were complications as a result of surgery. They described inability to perform daily activities and valued activities. They also felt a lack of relational supports, and a lack of respect and continuity, support from health care, and information adapted to their needs.

Conclusion

Patient expectation seems to be the major contributing factor in patient discontentment after knee replacement surgery. This qualitative study sheds light on the on the meaning of unfulfilled expectations, in contrast to previous quantitative studies. The elements of unfulfilled expectations need to be dealt with both on the individual staff level and on the organizational level. For instance, increased continuity of healthcare staff and facilities may help to improve patient satisfaction after surgery.

Community level socioeconomic status association with surgical outcomes and resource utilisation in a regional cohort: a prospective registry analysis

BACKGROUND

Socioeconomic status affects surgical outcomes, however these factors are not included in clinical quality improvement data and risk models. We performed a prospective registry analysis to determine if the Distressed Communities Index (DCI), a composite socioeconomic ranking by zip code, could predict risk-adjusted surgical outcomes and resource utilisation.

METHODS

All patients undergoing surgery (n=44,451) in a regional quality improvement database (American College of Surgeons-National Surgical Quality Improvement Program ACS-NSQIP) were paired with DCI, ranging from 0-100 (low to high distress) and accounting for unemployment, education level, poverty rate, median income, business growth and housing vacancies. The top quartile of distress was compared to the remainder of the cohort and a mixed effects modeling evaluated ACS-NSQIP risk-adjusted association between DCI and the primary outcomes of surgical complications and resource utilisation.

RESULTS

A total of 9369 (21.1%) patients came from severely distressed communities (DCI >75), who had higher rates of most medical comorbidities as well as transfer status (8.4% vs 4.8%, p<0.0001) resulting in higher ACS-NSQIP predicted risk of any complication (8.0% vs 7.1%, p<0.0001). Patients from severely distressed communities had increased 30-day mortality (1.8% vs 1.4%, p=0.01), postoperative complications (9.8% vs 8.5%, p<0.0001), hospital readmission (7.7 vs 6.8, p<0.0001) and resource utilisation. DCI was independently associated with postoperative complications (OR 1.07, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.10, p<0.0001) as well as resource utilisation after adjusting for ACS-NSQIP predicted risk CONCLUSION: Increasing Distressed Communities Index is associated with increased postoperative complications and resource utilisation even after ACS-NSQIP risk adjustment. These findings demonstrate a disparity in surgical outcomes based on community level socioeconomic factors, highlighting the continued need for public health innovation and policy initiatives.

From boundary object to boundary subject; the role of the patient in coordination across complex systems of care during hospital discharge

Advocates for patient involvement argue that seeking the active contribution of patients and families in the coordination of care can help mitigate system complexity, and lead to improvements in quality. However, sociological and organisational research has identified barriers to involving patients in care planning, not least the power of, and boundaries between, multiple professional groups. This study draws on literature from Science and Technology Studies (STS) to explore the patients' role in coordinating care across professional-practice boundaries in complex care systems. Findings are drawn from a two-year ethnographic study (including 69 qualitative interviews) of hospital discharge following hip-fracture care and describe the changing role of the patient as they move out of hospital into community settings. Findings describe how 'the patient' plays a relatively passive role as boundary object while recovering from surgery within hospital, where inter-professional coordination was prescribed by evidence-based guidelines, leaving little space for patient voice. As discharge planning begins, patient involvement is both encouraged and contested by different professional groups, with varying levels of commitment to include patient subjectivities in care. As patients move into home and community settings, they, their families and carers play an increasingly active role in coordination, often in light of perceived gaps in coordination between care providers. This paper argues that whilst the need for patient and carer involvement is becoming increasingly evident, such involvement plays into, and is mediated through, existing relations between professional and practice groups. Patient and carer involvement is therefore not straightforward and should be considered across the health and care systems in order to meaningfully improve care quality.

Experiences of pre- and postoperative information among patients undergoing knee arthroplasty: a systematic review and narrative synthesis

Purpose: The aim of this review was to identify and synthesize knowledge of how patients undergoing knee arthroplasty experience pre- and postoperative information provided by healthcare professionals.Materials and methods: A systematic review and narrative synthesis was conducted in accordance with Popay et al.'s guidelines which involve 1) developing a preliminary synthesis; 2) exploring relationships; and 3) assessing the robustness of the synthesis. Qualitative and quantitative studies were considered for inclusion, and a systematic, extensive search was conducted in scientific databases.Results: A total of 31 studies were included in this review. The analysis resulted in five synthesized themes: 1) Support in the decision to undergo surgery; 2) Confidence versus uncertainty in the preparation for surgery; 3) Prerequisites for feeling secure before discharge; 4) Struggling through rehabilitation at home; and 5) Unmet expectations and endeavoring to accept realities.Conclusions: The findings illustrate the complexities of patients' experiences of information from healthcare professionals and its significance for how they manage challenges throughout the surgical care pathway. Information from healthcare professionals influences patients' knowledge, skills and confidence in the journey through knee arthroplasty. Therefore, it is important that healthcare professionals recognize patients' support requirements and adapt information to their individual needs.Implications for rehabilitationHealthcare professionals should encourage more dialog with patients and adapt information to their individual circumstances and needs throughout the surgical care pathway.It is important that healthcare professionals provide ongoing information and repeat information throughout the entire surgical care pathway in order to facilitate predictability and improve patients' ability to comprehend and assimilate information.Improved access to information and advice from healthcare professionals following knee arthroplasty will offer patients reassurance and increase their confidence in managing postoperatively at home.Patients who require enhanced information and guidance from healthcare professionals need to be identified in order to support their progress and achieve the best possible postoperative outcomes.

Development and psychometric assessment of a novel survey to measure care coordination from the specialist's perspective

OBJECTIVE

To develop an online survey of care coordination with primary care providers as experienced by medical specialists, evaluate its psychometric properties, and test its construct validity.

DATA SOURCES

Physicians (N = 633) from 13 medical specialties across the Veterans Health Administration.

STUDY DESIGN

We developed the survey based on prior work (literature review, specialist interviews) and by adapting existing measures and developing new items. Multitrait scaling analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were used to assess scale structure. We used multiple linear regression to examine the relationship of the final coordination scales to specialists' overall experience of care coordination.

DATA COLLECTION

November 2016-December 2016.

PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

Results suggest a 13-item, four-factor survey [Relationships (k = 4), Roles and Responsibilities (k = 4), Communication (k = 3), and Data Transfer (k = 2)] that measures the medical specialist experience of coordination with good internal consistency reliability, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and goodness of fit. Together, the four scales explained nearly 50 percent of the variance in specialists' overall experience of care coordination.

CONCLUSIONS

The 13-item Coordination of Specialty Care-Specialist Survey (CSC-Specialist) is the first of its kind. It can be used alone or embedded in other surveys to measure four domains of care coordination as experienced by medical specialists.

A Framework for Supporting Post-acute Care Transitions of Older Patients With Hip Fracture

OBJECTIVE

Improving care transitions is of critical importance for older patients, especially those with complex care needs. Our study examined the "Transitions of Care" (ToC) of complex, post-acute older adults at multiple time points. The objective of this article is to identify domains relevant to health care transitions of post-acute older patients with hip fracture so as to inform future ToC interventions.

DESIGN

Here we conducted a framework-based synthesis of the 12 peer-reviewed manuscripts that were published from our multisite, ethnographic study.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

All 12 manuscripts were based on 1 study, described here. Data were collected in multiple regions, in acute and sub-acute care wards, rehabilitation programs, home care agencies, long-term care and assisted living facilities, and patients' private homes. We completed 51 interviews with 23 postoperative hip fracture patients aged ≥65 years, 24 interviews with 19 family caregivers, and 96 interviews with 92 health care providers. Interviews with patients, family caregivers, and health care providers were conducted at each transition point for a total of 171 individual interviews.

RESULTS

Taken together, our framework analysis of the 12 manuscripts identified 8 themes related to ToC. Two themes, patient complexity and system constraints, are contextual factors that tend to impede ToC and may be less amenable to change. The remaining 6 themes, patient involvement and choice, family caregiver roles, strong relationships, coordination of roles, documentation, and information sharing, have the potential to support and improve ToC.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

With comprehensive data from a range of stakeholders, collected at multiple transition points along the health care continuum, in our final 6 themes we identify potential points of intervention for clinicians and teams seeking to improve ToC for older complex patients.

How do orthopaedic surgeons inform their patients before knee arthroplasty surgery? A cross-sectional study

Background

Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a successful and common procedure. However, 6–28% of patients are dissatisfied postoperatively. The provision of preoperative patient information, inquiring about patients’ expectations, and taking a psychiatric history are essential parts of both preoperative evaluation and postoperative outcome. The aim of this study was to investigate how orthopaedic knee surgeons in Sweden inform their patients before surgery.

Methods

A questionnaire was distributed to all knee surgeons performing TKA in Sweden. Responses were received from 60 of the 65 orthopaedic departments performing TKA in Sweden (92%), covering 219 of the approximately 311 knee surgeons at the 65 departments (70%). The answers were analysed with descriptive statistics. A content analysis of the surgeons’ opinions was also performed using a thematic method.

Results

In terms of information provision, 58% of the surgeons always gave written information while 92% informed orally. Only 44% always asked about the patient’s expectations, and only 42% always informed patients about the 20% dissatisfaction rate after TKA. Additionally, 24% never operated on mild indication of arthrosis, 20% always took a psychiatric history, and half never or seldom consulted a psychiatrist. However, all the knee surgeons believed in a psychiatric impact on TKA outcome. Qualitative analysis revealed five common causes of patient dissatisfaction, which in descending frequency were: patients’ expectations, choice of patients to operate on, surgical factors, combinations of factors, and insufficient information provision to patients.

Conclusions

Knee surgeons in Sweden have considerable awareness of the importance of preoperative patient information, the impact of patient expectations, and psychiatric illness. However, they need to improve their preoperative routines when it comes to providing written information, asking about the patient’s expectations, and psychiatric assessment.

Validation of an instrument for the assessment of patient-centred care among patients with multimorbidity in the primary care setting: the 36-item patient-centred primary care instrument

Background

Validated instruments are needed to assess the delivery of patient-centred care (PCC) to patients with multimorbidity in the primary care setting. Eight dimensions of PCC have been identified: respect for patients’ preferences, access to care, emotional support, information and education, involvement of family and friends, continuity and secure transition between health care settings, physical comfort, and coordination of care. The main objective of this study was to validate an instrument for the assessment of PCC among patients with multimorbidity in the primary care setting: the 36-item patient-centred primary care (PCPC) instrument.

Methods

We included patients with multimorbidity from seven health care practices in the region of Tilburg, the Netherlands. All patients enrolled in at least two chronic care programmes (involving diagnosis of and treatment for combinations of diabetes, asthma and/or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cardiovascular diseases and conditions, and age-related frailty) were selected from the practices’ data registries and included as eligible participants. A total of 216 patients with multimorbidity filled in the study questionnaire (55% response rate). We tested the instrument using structural equation modelling, and examined its validity and reliability.

Results

Confirmatory factor analyses revealed good indices of fit and overall internal consistency, as represented by Cronbach’s alpha values. All eight dimensions of PCC were related positively to satisfaction with care (all p ≤ 0.001). Patients with multimorbidity who experienced joint decision making and responsibility taking in the primary care setting also had significantly higher scores for all eight PCC dimensions, indicating the instrument’s construct validity.

Conclusions

We conclude that the psychometric properties of the 36-item PCPC instrument are good. Based on these results the PCPC instrument seems a promising tool for the assessment of PCC among patients with multimorbidity in the primary care setting.

Patient, Primary Care Provider, and Specialist Perspectives on Specialty Care Coordination in an Integrated Health Care System

Successful coordination of specialty care requires understanding the perspectives of patients, primary care providers, and specialists-that is, the specialty care "triad." This study used qualitative methods to compare these perspectives in an integrated health care system, using diabetes specialty care as an exemplar. Primary care providers and endocrinologists relied on interclinician relationships to coordinate care. Clinicians rarely included patients or other staff in their conceptualization of specialty care coordination. Patients often assumed responsibility for specialty care coordination but struggled to succeed. We identified several opportunities to improve coordination across the triad. In an integrated medical system, the shared organizational structure can facilitate these efforts.

The Perceived Ease of Use and Usefulness of Loop: Evaluation and Content Analysis of a Web-Based Clinical Collaboration System

BACKGROUND

Patients with complex health care needs require the expertise of many health care providers. Communication, collaboration, and patient-centered care positively impact care quality and patient outcomes. Few technologies exist that facilitate collaboration between providers across settings of care and also engage the patient. We developed a Web-based clinical collaboration system, Loop, to address this gap. The likelihood of a technological system's uptake is associated with its perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness. We engaged stakeholders in the conceptualization and development of Loop in an effort to maximize its intuitiveness and utility.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to report end users' perceptions about the ease of use and usefulness of Loop captured during usability tests of Loop.

METHODS

Participants represented three user types (patients, caregivers, and health care providers) recruited from three populations (adults with cancer, adolescents and young adults with cancer, and children with medical complexity). We conducted usability testing over three iterative cycles of testing and development in both laboratory-based and off-site environments. We performed a content analysis of usability testing transcripts to summarize and describe participant perceptions about the ease of use and usefulness of Loop.

RESULTS

Participants enjoyed testing Loop and were able to use the core functions-composing, posting, and reading messages-with little difficulty. They had difficulty interpreting certain visual cues and design elements or the purpose of some features. This difficulty negatively impacted perceived ease of use but was primarily limited to auxiliary features. Participants predicted that Loop could improve the efficiency and effectiveness of communication between care team members; however, this perceived usefulness could be compromised by disruptions to personal workflow such as additional time or task requirements.

CONCLUSIONS

Loop was perceived to have value as a collaboration system; however, usability testing findings indicate that some design and functional elements need to be addressed to improve ease of use. Additionally, participant concerns highlight the need to consider how a system can be implemented so as to minimize impact on workflow and optimize usefulness.

A qualitative study of patient and provider experiences during preoperative care transitions

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

To explore the issues and challenges of care transitions in the preoperative environment.

BACKGROUND

Ineffective transitions play a role in a majority of serious medical errors. There is a paucity of research related to the preoperative arena and the multiple inherent transitions in care that occur there.

DESIGN

Qualitative descriptive design was used.

METHODS

Semistructured interviews were conducted in a 975-bed academic medical centre.

RESULTS

A total of 30 providers and 10 preoperative patients participated. Themes that arose were as follows: (1) need for clarity of purpose of preoperative care, (2) care coordination, (3) interprofessional boundaries of care and (4) inadequate time and resources.

CONCLUSION

Effective transitions in the preoperative environment require that providers bridge scope of practice barriers to promote good teamwork. Preoperative care that is a product of well-informed providers and patients can improve the entire perioperative care process and potentially influence postoperative patient outcomes.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

Nurses are well positioned to bridge the gaps within transitions of care and accordingly affect health outcomes.

BRIGHTEN Heart: Design and baseline characteristics of a randomized controlled trial for minority older adults with depression and cardiometabolic syndrome

OBJECTIVES

African American and Hispanic elderly are at elevated risk of both depression and cardiovascular disease, relative to non-Hispanic whites. Effective interventions are therefore needed to address depressive symptoms and to reduce these disparities. BRIGHTEN Heart was a behavioral randomized controlled trial to test the efficacy of a virtual team intervention in reducing depressive symptoms in minority elderly as measured by the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ9).

STUDY DESIGN

250 African American and Hispanic adults, age ≥60 years, with comorbid depression and overweight/obesity were randomized. Participants randomized to the Intervention condition received a social work evaluation, team-based electronic consultation, case management, and psychotherapy over a 12 month period. Control participants were enrolled in a membership program that provided health classes and other services to support chronic disease self-management. Blinded research assistants completed assessments at baseline, and 6 and 12 months postrandomization.

RESULTS

The study population was characterized by low socioeconomic status, with 81.4% having a household income of less than $20,000. Although median depression scores were in the mild range, 25% of participants had scores showing moderate to severe depression at baseline. 75% of participants had four or more chronic conditions. Significant demographic and clinical differences were observed between the African American and Hispanic populations.

CONCLUSIONS

BRIGHTEN Heart was designed to rigorously test the efficacy of a multi-level intervention to reduce comorbid depressive symptoms and cardiovascular risk in minority elderly. Investigators successfully recruited a cohort well suited to testing the study hypothesis.

Fragmentation of Care after Surgical Discharge: Non-Index Readmission after Major Cancer Surgery

BACKGROUND

Despite national emphasis on care coordination, little is known about how fragmentation affects cancer surgery outcomes. Our study examines a specific form of fragmentation in post-discharge care-readmission to a hospital different from the location of the operation-and evaluates its causes and consequences among patients readmitted after major cancer surgery.

STUDY DESIGN

We used the State Inpatient Database of California (2004 to 2011) to identify patients who had major cancer surgery and their subsequent readmissions. Logistic models were used to examine correlates of non-index readmissions and to assess associations between location of readmission and outcomes, measured by in-hospital mortality and repeated readmission.

RESULTS

Of 9,233 readmissions within 30 days of discharge after major cancer surgery, 20.0% occurred in non-index hospitals. Non-index readmissions were associated with emergency readmission (odds ratio [OR] = 2.63; 95% CI, 2.26-3.06), rural residence (OR = 1.81; 95% CI, 1.61-2.04), and extensive procedures (eg hepatectomy vs proctectomy; OR = 2.77; CI, 2.08-3.70). Mortality was higher during non-index readmissions than index readmissions independent of patient, procedure, and hospital factors (OR = 1.31; 95% CI, 1.03-1.66), but was mitigated by adjusting for conditions present at readmission (OR = 1.24; 95% CI, 0.98-1.58). Non-index readmission predicted higher odds of repeated readmission within 60 days of discharge from the first readmission (OR = 1.16; 95% CI, 1.02-1.32), independent of all covariates.

CONCLUSIONS

Non-index readmissions constitute a substantial proportion of all readmissions after major cancer surgery. They are associated with more repeated readmissions and can be caused by severe surgical complications and increased travel burden. Overcoming disadvantages of non-index readmissions represents an opportunity to improve outcomes for patients having major cancer surgery.

Do primary care physicians coordinate ambulatory care for chronic disease patients in Canada?

Background

Adults with chronic disease are the most frequent users of the primary healthcare system. In Manitoba, patients are allowed to seek ambulatory (outpatient) care from the provider of their choosing (primary care physician or specialist), with referrals to specialists preferred but not always required. Some patients receive their routine care from specialists. We conducted this study to determine the patterns by which adults with chronic disease access ambulatory care as a prelude to exploring the impact these patterns may have on the quality of care received.

Methods

Physician claims for all visits between 2007/8-2009/10 were extracted from the Data Repository at the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy. Patients included in the analysis made at least four ambulatory visits to a primary care physician or specialist within the study period, and met the definition criteria for at least one of six chronic diseases: diabetes mellitus; congestive heart failure; mood disorders; ischemic heart disease; total respiratory morbidity; and/or hypertension. Patients were “assigned” to the physician they visited most regularly. Physician visit patterns were assessed by dividing visits into nine visit types based on the type of physician patients visited (assigned primary care physician, other primary care physician, or specialist) and whether or not they received a referral.

Results

347,606 patients with 7,662,411 physician visits were included in the analysis. Most visits were to the patients’ assigned primary care physician. About 50% of the visits to specialists were by referral from the assigned primary care physician. However, 26-29% of all visits to a primary care physician were not to the assigned primary care physician, and non-assigned physicians were more likely to refer patients to specialists than assigned primary care physicians.

Conclusion

The findings suggest that the current primary care system in Manitoba may not adequately support coordination of ambulatory care. Ambulatory visits to a primary care provider who is not the patient’s regular provider may represent a lost opportunity for coordination and continuity of care, and may affect the quality of care patients receive. Primary care renewal initiatives in this province should address this challenge to service provision.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1471-2296-15-148) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Implementation of the Epilepsy Center of Excellence to improve access to and quality of care--protocol for a mixed methods study

Background

To address the growing problem of epilepsy among aging Veterans and younger Veterans who have experienced a traumatic brain injury (TBI), the Veterans Health Administration (VA) has implemented 16 Epilepsy Centers of Excellence (ECOE) to assure increased access to high quality of care for Veterans with epilepsy. Each ECOE consists of a network of regional hubs to which spoke facilities refer Veterans for subspecialty treatment. The ECOEs are expected to improve access to and quality of epilepsy care through patient care, consultation and education. This study aims to: evaluate the effectiveness of the ECOE structure by describing changes in the quality of and access to care for epilepsy before and after the ECOE initiative using QUality Indicators in Epilepsy Treatment (QUIET Indicators); describe associations between changes in the structure and processes of care and Relational Coordination (RC), a model of task-oriented communication that has been shown to play a role in implementation science; and determine if variations in care are related to levels of RC.

Methods

This four-year comparative case study uses a mixed-methods approach. We will use VA inpatient, outpatient, pharmacy, and chart abstraction data to identify changes in the quality of and access to epilepsy care in the VA between Fiscal Year 2008 and Fiscal Year 2014. Qualitative and survey methods will be used to identify changes in the structure and processes of epilepsy care and RC over the course of the study. We will then link data from the first two objectives to determine the extent to which quality of and access to epilepsy care is associated with RC using multivariable models.

Discussion

This innovative study has the potential to improve understanding of hub-and-spoke model effectiveness, VA epilepsy care, and models of epilepsy specialty care more globally. Moreover, it contributes to implementation science by advancing understanding of the role of RC in the context of a major transformation in the structure of care delivery in a national integrated healthcare system.

Hip-fracture care in rural southwestern ontario: an ethnographic study of patient transitions and physiotherapy handoffs

PURPOSE

To examine information exchange by physiotherapists during care handoffs of patients with hip fracture in a rural health care setting.

METHODS

This qualitative ethnographic study used observation and interviews of 11 networks of patients with hip fracture (n=11), family caregivers (n=8), and health care providers (n=24). Patients were followed from acute care through each subsequent care setting. Data were supplemented by health care records and policy documents.

RESULTS

Findings revealed that handoffs were less successful when information transfer was untimely or incomplete. Family caregivers experienced challenges in obtaining information required to facilitate the handoff, especially when direct contact with physiotherapists was not possible as a result of distance or other factors. Physiotherapists had to navigate multiple data sources to retrieve important information, and managed information gaps in various ways. Information flow was often unidirectional and suggested no further clinical accountability for the discharging physiotherapist.

CONCLUSIONS

Providing information in a structured and timely fashion facilitated physiotherapy handoffs. Inadequate handoffs compromised continuity of care, delayed progress in rehabilitation, and resulted in families' missing information of vital importance to their caregiving role. A multi-directional exchange of information is needed between patients, families, and health care providers across care settings.

Strengthening information capture in rehabilitation discharge summaries: an application of the Siebens Domain Management Model

OBJECTIVE

To increase relevant information capture in inpatient rehabilitation discharge summaries.

DESIGN

In July 2008, the Siebens Domain Management Model (SDMM) was incorporated into discharge summaries. This model organizes patients' health-related issues into 4 domains: I. Medical/Surgical Issues, II. Mental Status/Emotions/Coping, III. Physical Function, and IV. Living Environment (© Hilary C. Siebens MD 2005). Discharge summary content was measured through retrospective chart review.

SETTING

An inpatient rehabilitation unit affiliated with a physical medicine and rehabilitation residency program.

PARTICIPANTS

Forty cases with discharge summaries: 20 traditional reports (historic controls) and 20 SDMM reports after model introduction randomly chosen from residents' final inpatient rotation week.

METHODS

A documentation review form included 36 items that covered the 4 SDMM domains and assessed item presence in reports. The Global score and 4 Domain scores per each patient report were calculated to reflect the percentage of items present in the entire report and each domain, respectively. Descriptive statistics for these scores were generated and compared between traditional and SDMM reports by using a 2-group t-test.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS

Global scores and Domain scores.

RESULTS

Global scores increased from 34% to 53% of items present in traditional versus SDMM reports respectively (P < .001); Domain Scores also increased in domains I (81% to 92%, P = .047), II (9% to 47%, P < .001), III (25% to 34%, P = .062), and IV (11% to 33%, P < .001).

CONCLUSION

Traditional rehabilitation discharge summaries lacked information relevant to rehabilitation care. Information capture and total relevant report content increased significantly after SDMM integration into reports.

Organizational culture: an important context for addressing and improving hospital to community patient discharge

BACKGROUND

Organizational culture is seen as having a growing impact on quality and safety of health care, but its impact on hospital to community patient discharge is relatively unknown.

OBJECTIVES

To explore aspects of organizational culture to develop a deeper understanding of the discharge process.

RESEARCH DESIGN

A qualitative study of stakeholders in the discharge process. Grounded Theory was used to analyze the data.

SUBJECTS

In 5 European Union countries, 192 individual and 25 focus group interviews were conducted with patients and relatives, hospital physicians, hospital nurses, general practitioners, and community nurses.

RESULTS

Three themes emerged representing aspects of organizational culture: a fragmented hospital to primary care interface, undervaluing administrative tasks relative to clinical tasks in the discharge process, and lack of reflection on the discharge process or process improvement. Nine categories were identified: inward focus of hospital care providers, lack of awareness to needs, skills, and work patterns of the professional counterpart, lack of a collaborative attitude, relationship between hospital and primary care providers, providing care in a "here and now" situation, administrative work considered to be burdensome, negative attitude toward feedback, handovers at discharge ruled by habits, and appreciating and integrating new practices.

CONCLUSIONS

On the basis of the data, we hypothesize that the extent to which hospital care providers value handovers and the outreach to community care providers is critical to effective hospital discharge. Community care providers often are insufficiently informed about patient outcomes. Ongoing challenges with patient discharge often remain unspoken with opportunities for improvement overlooked. Interventions that address organizational culture as a key factor in discharge improvement efforts are needed.

Hospital discharge information after elective total hip or knee joint replacement surgery: A clinical audit of preferences among general practitioners

The demand for elective joint replacement (EJR) surgery for degenerative joint disease continues to rise in Australia, and relative to earlier practices, patients are discharged back to the care of their general practitioner (GP) and other community-based providers after a shorter hospital stay and potentially greater post-operative acuity. In order to coordinate safe and effective post-operative care, GPs rely on accurate, timely and clinically-informative information from hospitals when their patients are discharged. The aim of this project was to undertake an audit with GPs regarding their preferences about the components of information provided in discharge summaries for patients undergoing EJR surgery for the hip or knee.GPs in a defined catchment area were invited to respond to an online audit instrument, developed by an interdisciplinary group of clinicians with knowledge of orthopaedic surgery practices. The 15-item instrument required respondents to rank the importance of components of discharge information developed by the clinician working group, using a three-point rating scale.Fifty-three GPs and nine GP registrars responded to the audit invitation (11.0% response rate). All discharge information options were ranked as 'essential' by a proportion of respondents, ranging from 14.8-88.5%. Essential information requested by the respondents included early post-operative actions required by the GP, medications prescribed, post-operative complications encountered and noting of any allergies. Non-essential information related to the prosthesis used. The provision of clinical guidelines was largely rated as 'useful' information (47.5-56.7%).GPs require a range of clinical information to safely and effectively care for their patients after discharge from hospital for EJR surgery. Implementation of changes to processes used to create discharge summaries will require engagement and collaboration between clinical staff, hospital administrators and information technology staff, supported in parallel by education provided to junior medical staff.

Using Human Factors And Systems Engineering To Improve Care Coordination

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) describes care coordination as one of the six dimensions of health care to overcome barriers and accomplish improvements in the quality of care (IOM, 2001). Care coordination has received more research attention because of its potential to improve the quality and safety of care. Despite numerous efforts to improve care coordination, there is limited evidence regarding their effectiveness and the benefits described vary widely among studies. Moreover, we know little about the specific characteristics of care coordination. In this panel, the speakers will share their experiences regarding (1) barriers to and strategies for effective care coordination, (2) different care coordination mechanisms that affect quality and safety of care, and (3) the use of a human factors engineering approach to understand and improve care coordination. The panel members will use their research experiences and the existing literature to provide a better understanding of different aspects of care coordination and to identify future research directions.

Targeting hospitalised patients for early discharge planning intervention

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

The purpose of the study was to describe the ability of an evidence-based discharge planning (DP) decision support tool to identify and prioritise patients appropriate for early DP intervention. Specifically, we aimed to determine whether patients with a high Early Screen for Discharge Planning (ESDP) score report more problems and continuing care needs in the first few weeks after discharge than patients with low ESDP scores.

BACKGROUND

Improved methods are needed to efficiently and accurately identify hospitalised patients at risk of complex discharge plans.

DESIGN

A descriptive cross-sectional study was designed using a quality health outcomes framework.

METHODS

The ESDP was administered to 260 adults hospitalised in an academic health centre who returned home after discharge. Problems and continuing care needs were self-reported on the Problems After Discharge Questionnaire - English Version, mailed 6-10 days after discharge.

RESULTS

Patients with high ESDP scores reported significantly more problems [mean, 16·3 (standard deviation ±8·7)] than those with low scores [12·2 (±8·4)]. Within the Problems After Discharge Questionnaire subscales, patients with high ESDP scores reported significantly more problems with personal care, household activities, mobility and physical difficulties than patients with low screen scores. Significantly more of the patients with a high ESDP score received consults to a Discharge Planner and referrals for postacute services than patients with low screen scores.

CONCLUSION

The ESDP is effective as a decision support tool in identifying patients to prioritise for early DP intervention.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

Use of an evidence-based DP decision support tool minimises biases inherent in decision-making, promotes efficient use of hospital DP resources, and improves the opportunity for patients to access community resources they need to promote successful recovery after hospitalisation.

Feasibility of discharge planning in intensive care units: a pilot study

BACKGROUND

Although there is widespread acceptance that hospital discharge planning should begin at hospital admission, early discharge planning is usually delayed for clinically unstable patients in intensive care units.

OBJECTIVE

This pilot study explored the feasibility of beginning the hospital's discharge planning process within 24 hours of an admission to the intensive care unit.

METHODS

Medical records of 15 patients were used to create case summaries generated from information available within 24 hours of admission to the intensive care unit. Twelve unit staff members (registered nurses, clinical nurse specialists, social workers, and discharge planning nurses) predicted the presence and absence of patient self-care deficits at hospital discharge and rated their confidence in making predictions.

RESULTS

More than half (55%) of patient self-care deficits present at hospital discharge were identified within 24 hours of admission to the unit. Although confidence in predicting deficits increased significantly when more information was available closer to hospital discharge for clinical nurse specialists and staff nurses, confidence for discharge planning nurses and social workers was as high for decisions based on admission information as it was for decisions based on information available at hospital discharge.

CONCLUSIONS

The results provide a preliminary indication that staff in intensive care units may contribute to the early identification of patients' postacute care needs. The results also help to identify methods to study the discharge planning process within intensive care units.

Functional outcome in the neurosurgical patient and its impact on quality of life

Outcomes research has become an integral part of most clinical studies today. Extent of resection, increased median survival, and "time to progression" are no longer the only important end points in need of assessment. Identifying the long-term adverse effects of treatment has become increasingly important as patients try to resume previous activities and an independent lifestyle. The measurement of functional states and health-related quality of life issues are at the forefront of medicine and have become necessary measures of functional outcome following the treatment of a variety of medical and surgical disorders. In this article, we review the most recent studies on the functional outcome of patients undergoing neurological surgeries and its impact on quality of life.

Reliability of INTERMED Spanish version and applicability in liver transplant patients: a cross-sectional study

Background

Integrated delivery methods in healthcare systems have been proposed to confront the increasing complexity in general health care. INTERMED is an empirically derived, observer-rated instrument to measure case complexity. It was intended as a visualized, action-oriented decision-support tool for the early assessment of bio-psychosocial health risks and health needs. This study aims to document the reliability and applicability of the Spanish version of INTERMED in liver transplant patients.

Methods

Cross-sectional study of patients who had been included in the liver transplant waiting list. Two nurses interviewed the patients with INTERMED, and scored the instrument blind to each other. Kappa and w-kappa, Spearman, Kendall and intraclass correlation coefficients, and Cronbach's alfa were calculated.

Results

No patient refused the interview. Satisfactory coefficients were documented in most INTERMED items. Kappa was = 0.858 for the categorization of patients as "complex", and 21 of them (48.8%) were classified in this category, and were considered to need integrated treatment.

Conclusions

The Spanish version of INTERMED is reliable. Its applicability in liver transplant patients adds to its generalizability.

Care transitions for older patients with musculoskeletal disorders: continuity from the providers' perspective

Introduction

Care transitions are a common and frequently adverse aspect of health care, resulting in a high-risk period for both care quality and patient safety. Patients who have complex care needs and undergo treatment in multiple care settings, such as older patients with musculoskeletal disorders, may be at higher risk for poor care transitions.

Methods

Key informant interviews were used to gather in-depth information on transitional care issues, particularly those which impact informational continuity, from the perspective of a range of health professionals (η=17) in care settings relevant to the care continuum of older patients with hip fractures.

Results

Three transitional care themes were identified; medical complexity impacts care trajectories, larger circles of care can be both beneficial and challenging, and a variety of channels and modes are required for meaningful information exchange. Many issues cut across each care setting, and address challenges to informational continuity among and between health care providers, patients, and caregivers.

Conclusions

Medical complexity enlarges the circle of care which challenges care continuity. There may be fundamental elements which, regardless of care setting, strengthen transitional care quality. Standardized transitional care processes might help to offset informational discontinuity across care settings as a result of this population’s larger circles of care.

Standardizing hospital discharge planning at the Mayo Clinic

BACKGROUND

Improving the quality of patient coordination in the transition from hospital to home is a high-priority health care concern. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital Conditions of Participation in the Medicare Program require that hospitals have a discharge planning (DP) process in effect that applies to all patients. The impact of a practice change in DP practice on the quality of care coordination at discharge was evaluated from patients' perspectives.

METHODS

A multifactor, evidence-based DP practice change, which included merging of DP specialist roles and use of an early screen for DP decision support tool, was initiated in a large, Midwestern academic medical center and evaluated in a nonequivalent comparison group design with separate pre- and postpractice change samples. The three-item Care Transitions Measure (CTM-3) was mailed to adults recently discharged from one medical and one surgical nursing unit before and after the practice change.

RESULTS

Response rates were 52.4% before (218/416) and 39.5% (153/387) after the practice change. There were no significant differences between characteristics of the pre- and postpractice change participants. The mean CTM-3 score of patients who received assistance from the nurse/ social worker DP team improved by 14 points (67.2 to 81.2), although the data were skewed with a ceiling effect, rendering the results inconclusive.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the CTM-3 results were inconclusive, the practice change resulted in a clinically meaningful decrease in length of stay for a group of older patients at greater risk for complex discharge plans. The proactive approach to DP proved to be a valuable shift. The successes of the standardization of DP processes and improved multidisciplinary teamwork were important considerations for implementation throughout the organization.

Promoting and measuring family caregiver self-efficacy in caregiver-physician interactions

This article describes the development of a 5-item scale that assesses family caregivers' self-efficacy in communicating with physicians about ill family members (Perceived Efficacy in Caregiver-Physician Interactions-PECPI) in the context of an evaluation study of an online training in health care communication skills for caregivers. A national sample of 197 self-identified family caregivers participated in an online webinar and completed a brief evaluation instrument before and immediately after the training. Results indicated that the webinar was effective in increasing perceived self-efficacy and self-reported knowledge about and level of preparation for medical visits. Principal component analysis indicates that the PECPI is unidimensional with a Cronbach's alpha of .91.

Effects of provider characteristics on care coordination under comanagement

BACKGROUND

Care coordination is critical in settings characterized by high levels of uncertainty, time constraints, and interdependent work processes. The effects of provider characteristics on coordination in comanaged teams has never been examined.

OBJECTIVE

To characterize individual providers based on their contribution to team coordination.

PARTICIPANTS

Hospitalists, nonphysician providers, hepatologists, and fellows on a comanaged liver service of an academic hospital.

DESIGN

Between April 2008 and October 2008, participants were surveyed at baseline and repeatedly at the completion of physician rotations to assess their preferred and actual comanagement structures. In addition, they repeatedly rated their comanagers' contributions to overall coordination using an instrument that assessed relational coordination (RC). Providers were categorized into tertiles of RC. Their management preferences and the frequency of a "composite bad outcome" (intensive care unit [ICU] transfer or inpatient death) in each tertile were evaluated.

RESULTS

All (100%) Baseline Surveys and 177/224 (79%) Repeated Surveys were completed by 32 providers. RC was shown to be a stable attribute of providers and not of adverse patient outcomes. Higher coordinators were characterized by their "ownership of patients" (higher 86% vs. lowest 20%, P < 0.01). High compared to low coordinator hepatologists demonstrated leadership through a broader delegation of tasks as well as self-assignment of responsibilities. A trend toward more frequent "composite bad outcomes" was seen for low tertile physicians: hospitalists (low 8.6% vs. high 1.1%, P < 0.01), hepatologists (low 5.2% vs. high 2.0%, P = 0.22), fellows (low 5.8% vs. high 1.8%, P = 0.08).

CONCLUSION

Individual provider's teamwork-related disposition affects perceived coordination on comanaged team and may influence patient outcomes.

Rehabilitation after multilevel surgery in ambulant spastic children with cerebral palsy: children and parent experiences

PURPOSE

This study explores post-operative family situation, rehabilitation and interdisciplinary cooperation for ambulant children with cerebral palsy (CP), after multilevel surgery.

METHODS

Eight ambulant spastic children with varied severity of CP and their parents were included. Qualitative, semi-structured interviews were carried out separately with children and parents.

RESULTS

Children experiencing a low degree of post-operative pain were satisfied due to improved strength and ambulation, leading to increased social participation. A few experienced severe pain and modest physical improvement. Most families experienced a lack of information and communication between rehabilitation levels. Rehabilitation was considered strenuous because of complex and intense training programmes. Schools were mostly responsive to children's extra post-operative needs, but some examples of serious neglect and bullying occurred.

CONCLUSION

Results imply the need for systematic securing of interdisciplinary knowledge transfer regionally and locally by the university hospital, aiming at empowering families and health professionals involved in this complex rehabilitation.

Patient and health professional views on rehabilitation practices and outcomes following total hip and knee arthroplasty for osteoarthritis:a focus group study

BACKGROUND

There is worldwide variation in rehabilitation practices after total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and no agreement on which interventions will lead to optimal short and long term patient outcomes. As a first step in the development of clinical practice guidelines for post-acute rehabilitation after THA and TKA, we explored experiences and attitudes about rehabilitation practices and outcomes in groups of individuals identified as key stakeholders.

METHODS

Separate focus groups and interviews were conducted with patients (THA or TKA within past year) and three health professional groups: allied health professionals (AHPs), orthopaedic surgeons, and other physicians, in Canada and the United States. Pairs of moderators led the focus groups using a standardized discussion guide. Discussions were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. A content analysis within and across groups identified key themes.

RESULTS

Eleven focus groups and eight interviews took place in six sites. Patients (n = 32) varied in age, stage of recovery, and surgical and rehabilitation experiences. Health professionals (n = 44) represented a range of disciplines, practice settings and years of experience. Six key themes emerged: 1) Let's talk (issues related to patient-health professional and inter-professional communication); 2) Expecting the unexpected (observations about unanticipated recovery experiences); 3) It's attitude that counts (the importance of the patient's positive attitude and participation in recovery); 4) It takes all kinds of support (along the continuum of care); 5) Barriers to recovery (at patient, provider and system levels), and 6) Back to normal (reflecting diversity of expected outcomes). Patients offered different, but overlapping views compared to health professionals regarding rehabilitation practices and outcomes following THA and TKA.

CONCLUSION

Results will inform subsequent phases of guideline development and ensure stakeholders' perspectives shape the priorities, content and scope of the guidelines.

Does the organization of care processes affect outcomes in patients undergoing total joint replacement?

BACKGROUND

Surgeons realize that safe and efficient care processes for total joint replacement requires more than just well-performed operations. Orthopaedic teams are reorganizing care process to improve efficacy and shorten length of stay. Little is known on the impact of organizational changes on patient outcome. This paper studies the relation between the organization of care processes and patient outcomes in hip and knee. Clinical pathways are used as one of the methods to structure the care process. Although evidence is available on the effect of pathways in total joint replacement, their impact with the organization of the care process has not been studied previously.

METHODS

A cross-sectional multicentre study was performed on 39 care processes and 737 consecutive patients. Regression models were used to analyse the relation between the organization of the care process and risk-adjusted patient outcomes. The use of pathways and the organization of the care process, measured by the Care Process Self Evaluation Tool (CPSET), were measured at organizational level. Length of stay, pain, mobility and elapsed time to discharge were measured at patient level.

RESULTS

The use of pathways had a positive effect on four out of five subscales and the overall CPSET score. Using pathways decreased length of stay (P = 0.014), pain (P = 0.052) and elapsed time to discharge (P = 0.003). The CPSET subscale communication was related with three risk adjusted outcomes. Multivariate analysis demonstrated a significant effect by three different variables on the length of stay; (1) use of pathways; (2) coordination of care processes; and (3) communication with patients and family. Both the use of pathways and coordination of the care process were determinants for the elapsed time to discharge. A significant interaction effect was found between use of pathways and coordination of the care process.

CONCLUSION

This large multicentre study revealed the relation between the use of pathways, organization of the care process and patient outcomes. This information is important for both clinicians and managers to understand and further improve the organization of orthopaedic care.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level I prognostic study.

The Chinese health system at a crossroads

The Chinese government has committed to increasing government funding for health care by directing 1-1.5 percent of its gross domestic product to universal basic health care. However, China is at a loss as to how to transform its new money into efficient and effective health care. This paper critically examines the various options currently under heated debate in China. We argue that unless China tackles the root cause of unaffordable health care--rapid cost inflation caused by an irrational and wasteful health care delivery system--much of the new money is likely to be captured by providers as higher income and profits.

Patient benefits from participating in an integrated delivery system: impact on coordination of care

BACKGROUND

Although the presumption in health services literature has been that integrated delivery systems (IDSs) should improve the coordination of care, the benefits have not yet been well established through empirical research.

PURPOSES

This study assesses whether receiving care from providers who belong to the same IDS improves patient-perceived coordination of care; concurrently, we develop a new approach for assessing the performance of IDS.

METHODOLOGY/APPROACH

A study was conducted of 222 patients who received primary unilateral total knee arthroplasty at a large IDS' acute care hospital. To isolate the effects of provider membership, we enrolled patients who received surgery from the same surgical department in the same acute care hospital in the IDS. We used baseline and 6-week postoperation patient surveys to assess the impact of the participation of the patients' providers in the IDS on patient-perceived coordination of care.

FINDINGS

We found no consistent effects of IDS membership on patient-perceived coordination of care. Patients with in-network rehabilitation care experienced fewer problems than patients with out-of-network rehabilitation care did, while patients with in-network home care experienced more problems than patients with out-of-network home care did. Membership of a patient's primary care physician had no observed effects.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Health care managers and administrators need to undertake a realistic examination of the care-coordinating mechanisms that exist in their IDS. This study has shown that the integration of financial, contractual, and administrative processes is not enough to improve care from the patient's perspective; to improve care, it is advised that an IDS take a patient-centered approach in its design and implementation. We discuss potential reasons for uneven integration of IDS, particularly with respect to the lack of coordinating mechanisms, and argue for the usefulness of the approach developed here for assessing IDS performance over time.

Coordination between formal providers and informal caregivers

BACKGROUND

The increased "outsourcing" of care-related tasks to patients and their informal caregivers is part of a broader trend in service industries toward engaging customers as "coproducers" of service outcomes. As both quasi-patients and quasi-providers, caregivers may play a critical role in successful coproduction, but they require coordination with care providers to play this role effectively. When tasks are highly interdependent, uncertain, and time constrained, as they often are in health care, relational forms of coordination are expected to be most effective.

PURPOSES

This study explores the effects of coordination between formal providers and informal caregivers on caregiver preparation to provide care at home and the effect of caregiver preparation on patient outcomes. Gittell's theory of relational coordination posits that effective coordination occurs through frequent, high-quality communication that is supported by relationships of shared goals, shared knowledge, and mutual respect. We extend the relational coordination model, previously used to examine coordination between formal providers, to encompass coordination of care between formal providers and informal caregivers.

METHODOLOGY

We surveyed patients before and 12 weeks after knee replacement surgery to assess outcomes. At 6 weeks postsurgery, we surveyed their caregivers regarding coordination with providers and preparation to provide care.

FINDINGS

We found that relational coordination between formal providers and caregivers improves caregiver preparation to provide care, which, in turn, is positively associated with patients' freedom from pain, functional status, and mental health.

IMPLICATIONS

Providers should be encouraged to attend to the interpersonal aspects of their interactions with caregivers to promote relational coordination, which may ultimately benefit the patient's health. It is not enough, however, to urge providers to build shared goals, shared knowledge, and mutual respect with patients and caregivers. Dedicated resources and support are needed, given the context of constrained resources and brief encounters in which providers deliver care.