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Kusumoto F, Ross J, Wright D, Chazal RA, Anderson RE. Analysis of Closed Claims Among All Medical Specialties: Importance of Communication and Other Non-Clinical Contributing Factors. Risk Manag Healthc Policy 2024; 17:411-422. [PMID: 38440254 PMCID: PMC10910983 DOI: 10.2147/rmhp.s403710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective Medical malpractice claims represent patient dissatisfaction of care delivered by their healthcare provider. Evaluation of contributing factors (CFs) associated with claims provides important information to optimize the patient-provider relationship. Study Design A total of 21,101 closed claims with 54,479 CFs (2.2 contributing factors per claim) from a large medical professional liability coverage provider were analyzed from 2010 to 2019. Results Four clinical CFs (technical performance, management of therapy, patient assessment, and patient factors) and four nonclinical CFs (communication between providers and patient, communication among providers, failure or delay in obtaining a consult, and insufficient documentation) were identified >1,500 times. Nonclinical CFs increased as a percentage from 50% in the first part of the study period to 54% in the second part of the study period (p < 0.01), and were more frequent in cases associated with indemnity when compared to clinical CFs (Nonclinical: 57% vs 43%; p < 0.001). Poor communication as a CF increased steadily during the study period (3-year average; 2010-2012: 777 CF/year vs 2017-2019: 1207 CF/year; p < 0.001). In claims associated with high severity injury, poor communication among providers was more significant than poor communication between the provider and patient (63% vs 29%; p < 0.001), mainly due to failure to convey the severity of the patient's condition. For non-surgical specialties except psychiatry, communication was the highest CF and the second or third CF for psychiatry or surgical specialties. Discussion Clinical and nonclinical CFs are equally important for malpractice claims. Communications issues are particularly important regardless of specialty. While focusing on clinical quality is important, implementing strategies that account for nonclinical issues, with a particular focus on communication, would have significant benefits particularly in an environment of increased consolidation of healthcare delivery systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fred Kusumoto
- Heart Rhythm Service, Department of Cardiovascular Disease, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
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Cornall G, Zhao E, Luckett T, Erciyas E, Monck D, Glare P, Wang A, Lee YC. Management of pain in cancer patients- lessons from practices during the COVID-19: a qualitative study of cancer care providers' perspectives. BMC Health Serv Res 2024; 24:232. [PMID: 38388905 PMCID: PMC10885360 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-024-10710-z] [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: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has impacted health systems globally and affected managing many chronic conditions, including cancer. This study aimed to explore the perceptions of multi-disciplinary cancer care providers on how cancer pain management was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS Participants were eligible if they were cancer care providers of any specialty and discipline from two tertiary hospitals in Australia. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews to explore cancer care providers' perspectives on cancer pain management within COVID-19. Thematic analysis of interview transcripts used an integrated approach that started with inductive coding before coding deductively against a behaviour framework called the COM-B Model, which proposes that 'capability', 'motivation' and 'opportunity' are requisites for any behaviour. RESULTS Twenty-three providers participated. Five themes were developed and interpreted from the analysis of data, namely: "Telehealth enables remote access to cancer pain management but also created a digital divide", "Access to cancer pain management in the community is compromised due to the pandemic", "COVID-19 negatively impacts hospital resource allocation", "Patients were required to trade off cancer pain management against other health priorities" and "Hospital restrictions result in decreased social and psychological support for patients with cancer pain". CONCLUSIONS The landscape of cancer pain management in the Australian health system underwent substantial shifts during the COVID-19 pandemic, with lasting impacts. Cancer care providers perceived the pandemic to have significant adverse effects on pain management across multiple levels, with repercussions for patients experiencing cancer-related pain. A more adaptive health system model needs to be established in the future to accommodate vulnerable cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgina Cornall
- Sydney Medical School, Faculty of Medicine & Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Emma Zhao
- Sydney Nursing School, Faculty of Medicine & Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
- Department of Anaesthetics and Pain Management Centre, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia.
- Department of Anaesthesia and Pain Service, Chris O'Brien Lifehouse, Sydney, Australia.
| | - Tim Luckett
- IMPACCT (Improving Palliative, Aged and Chronic Care through Clinical Research and Translation), Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Sydney, Australia
| | - Ertugrul Erciyas
- Sydney Medical School, Faculty of Medicine & Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - David Monck
- Department of Anaesthetics and Pain Management Centre, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia
| | - Paul Glare
- Sydney Medical School, Faculty of Medicine & Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Andy Wang
- Sydney Medical School, Faculty of Medicine & Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Department of Anaesthetics and Pain Management Centre, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia
- Department of Anaesthesia and Pain Service, Chris O'Brien Lifehouse, Sydney, Australia
| | - Yi-Ching Lee
- Sydney Medical School, Faculty of Medicine & Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Department of Anaesthetics and Pain Management Centre, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia
- Department of Anaesthesia and Pain Service, Chris O'Brien Lifehouse, Sydney, Australia
- IMPACCT (Improving Palliative, Aged and Chronic Care through Clinical Research and Translation), Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Sydney, Australia
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Schubert CC, Penney LS, Schwartzkopf AL, Damush TM, Preddie A, Flemming S, Myers J, Myers LJ, Perkins AJ, Zhang Y, Bravata DM. Expanding Access to Comprehensive Geriatric Evaluation via Telehealth: Development of Hybrid-Virtual Home Visits. J Gen Intern Med 2024; 39:36-43. [PMID: 38227169 PMCID: PMC10937878 DOI: 10.1007/s11606-023-08460-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In response to the aging population, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) seeks to expand access to evidence-based practices which support community-dwelling older persons such as the Geriatric Resources for Assessment and Care of Elders (GRACE) program. GRACE is a multidisciplinary care model which provides home-based geriatric evaluation and management for older Veterans residing within a 20-mile drive radius from the hospital. We sought to expand the geographic reach of VA-GRACE by developing a hybrid-virtual home visit (TeleGRACE). OBJECTIVES The objectives were to: (1) describe challenges encountered and solutions implemented during the iterative, pre-implementation program development process; and (2) illustrate potential successes of the program with two case examples. DESIGN Quality improvement project with longitudinal qualitative data collection. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The hybrid-virtual home visit involved a telehealth technician travelling to patients' homes and connecting virtually to VA-GRACE team members who participated remotely. APPROACH & PARTICIPANTS We collected multiple data streams throughout program development: TeleGRACE staff periodic reflections, fieldnotes, and team meeting notes; and VA-GRACE team member interviews. KEY RESULTS The five program domains that required attention and problem-solving were: telehealth connectivity and equipment, virtual physical examination, protocols and procedures, staff training, and team integration. For each domain, we describe several challenges and solutions. An example from the virtual physical examination domain: several iterations were required to identify the combination of telehealth stethoscope with dedicated headphones that allowed remote nurse practitioners to hear heart and lung sounds. The two cases illustrate how this hybrid-virtual home visit model provided care for patients who would not otherwise have received timely healthcare services. CONCLUSIONS These results provide a blueprint to translate an in-person home-based geriatrics program into a hybrid-virtual model and support the feasibility of using hybrid-virtual home visits to expand access to comprehensive geriatric evaluation and ongoing care for high-risk, community-dwelling older persons who reside geographically distant from the primary VA facility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cathy C Schubert
- Geriatrics and Community Service, Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, IN, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Lauren S Penney
- Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Services Research and Development (HSR&D) Expanding expertise Through E-health Network Development (EXTEND) Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI), Indianapolis, IN, USA
- VA HSR&D Elizabeth Dole Center of Excellence for Veteran and Caregiver Research, South Texas Veterans Health Care System, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Ashley L Schwartzkopf
- Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Services Research and Development (HSR&D) Expanding expertise Through E-health Network Development (EXTEND) Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI), Indianapolis, IN, USA
- VA HSR&D Center for Health Information and Communication (CHIC), Indianapolis, IN, USA
- Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Teresa M Damush
- Department of Internal Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
- Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Services Research and Development (HSR&D) Expanding expertise Through E-health Network Development (EXTEND) Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI), Indianapolis, IN, USA
- VA HSR&D Center for Health Information and Communication (CHIC), Indianapolis, IN, USA
- Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, IN, USA
- Regenstrief Institute, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Alaina Preddie
- Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Services Research and Development (HSR&D) Expanding expertise Through E-health Network Development (EXTEND) Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI), Indianapolis, IN, USA
- VA HSR&D Center for Health Information and Communication (CHIC), Indianapolis, IN, USA
- Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Soyna Flemming
- Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Services Research and Development (HSR&D) Expanding expertise Through E-health Network Development (EXTEND) Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI), Indianapolis, IN, USA
- VA HSR&D Center for Health Information and Communication (CHIC), Indianapolis, IN, USA
- Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Jennifer Myers
- Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Services Research and Development (HSR&D) Expanding expertise Through E-health Network Development (EXTEND) Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI), Indianapolis, IN, USA
- VA HSR&D Center for Health Information and Communication (CHIC), Indianapolis, IN, USA
- Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Laura J Myers
- Department of Internal Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
- Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Services Research and Development (HSR&D) Expanding expertise Through E-health Network Development (EXTEND) Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI), Indianapolis, IN, USA
- VA HSR&D Center for Health Information and Communication (CHIC), Indianapolis, IN, USA
- Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Anthony J Perkins
- Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Services Research and Development (HSR&D) Expanding expertise Through E-health Network Development (EXTEND) Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI), Indianapolis, IN, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Ying Zhang
- Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Services Research and Development (HSR&D) Expanding expertise Through E-health Network Development (EXTEND) Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI), Indianapolis, IN, USA
- Department of Neurology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Dawn M Bravata
- Department of Internal Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
- Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Services Research and Development (HSR&D) Expanding expertise Through E-health Network Development (EXTEND) Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI), Indianapolis, IN, USA.
- VA HSR&D Center for Health Information and Communication (CHIC), Indianapolis, IN, USA.
- Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
- Regenstrief Institute, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
- Department of Biostatistics, Indiana University School of Medicine, IUPUI, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
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Shadbolt E, Paulson M, Divine LT, Ellis J, Myers L, Mucks K, Boustani M, Dumic I, Maniaci M, Lindroth H. Increasing Hospital at Home Enrollment Through Decentralization With Agile Science. J Healthc Qual 2024; 46:40-50. [PMID: 38147580 PMCID: PMC10758351 DOI: 10.1097/jhq.0000000000000410] [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] [Indexed: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 4, Descriptive quality improvement project.
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Yadav RR, Mahyoub MA, Capriotti MW, Berio-Dorta RL, Dougherty K, Shukla A. The Impact of a Hybrid Hospital at Home Program in Reducing Subacute Rehabilitation. Risk Manag Healthc Policy 2023; 16:2223-2235. [PMID: 37927908 PMCID: PMC10625393 DOI: 10.2147/rmhp.s419862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this study was to compare health outcomes for patients receiving acute care in their homes through a Hospital at Home (HaH) program to outcomes for inpatients in the traditional hospital setting. Patients and Methods We compared outcomes for patients in a HaH program at Virtua Health in 2022 (N = 271) to traditional inpatients during the same year (N = 13,776) with the same diagnoses. We defined outcomes as recommendations for subacute rehabilitation (SAR) upon discharge as this recommendation indicates the need for additional therapy based on a physician's assessment of the patient. Specifically, we searched notes in the electronic medical records for terms related to recommendation for SAR using text mining algorithms and a natural language processing (NLP) model to confirm these recommendations. We then compared the proportion of patients within each group that had a SAR recommendation, and controlled for differences in sample size, age, and diagnosis using bootstrapping analyses. Results We observed that the proportion of patients in the HaH program that were recommended for SAR (0.148) was significantly different from the proportion of patients who remained in the traditional hospital setting (0.363), with a reduced need for SAR for HaH patients. We obtained qualitatively similar results when we controlled for sample size and diagnosis. Controlling for age yielded an older control population, and the difference in the proportion of patients with SAR recommendations between the groups widened. Conclusion The reduced need for SAR for HaH patients in this study suggests that HaH programs are a promising alternative care model. Future work may consider how health outcomes vary for patients with different diagnoses, clinical histories and demographics, which may inform how HaH programs operate moving forward.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mohammed A Mahyoub
- Virtua Health, Marlton, NJ, USA
- Systems Science and Industrial Engineering Department, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, USA
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Haddad TC, Maita KC, Inselman JW, Avila FR, Torres-Guzman RA, Coffey JD, Christopherson LA, Leuenberger AM, Bell SJ, Pahl DF, Garcia JP, Manka L, Forte AJ, Maniaci MJ. Patient Satisfaction With a Multisite, Multiregional Remote Patient Monitoring Program for Acute and Chronic Condition Management: Survey-Based Analysis. J Med Internet Res 2023; 25:e44528. [PMID: 37343182 PMCID: PMC10415939 DOI: 10.2196/44528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Remote patient monitoring (RPM) is an option for continuously managing the care of patients in the comfort of their homes or locations outside hospitals and clinics. Patient engagement with RPM programs is essential for achieving successful outcomes and high quality of care. When relying on technology to facilitate monitoring and shifting disease management to the home environment, it is important to understand the patients' experiences to enable quality improvement. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to describe patients' experiences and overall satisfaction with an RPM program for acute and chronic conditions in a multisite, multiregional health care system. METHODS Between January 1, 2021, and August 31, 2022, a patient experience survey was delivered via email to all patients enrolled in the RPM program. The survey encompassed 19 questions across 4 categories regarding comfort, equipment, communication, and overall experience, as well as 2 open-ended questions. Descriptive analysis of the survey response data was performed using frequency distribution and percentages. RESULTS Surveys were sent to 8535 patients. The survey response rate was 37.16% (3172/8535) and the completion rate was 95.23% (3172/3331). Survey results indicated that 88.97% (2783/3128) of participants agreed or strongly agreed that the program helped them feel comfortable managing their health from home. Furthermore, 93.58% (2873/3070) were satisfied with the RPM program and ready to graduate when meeting the program goals. In addition, patient confidence in this model of care was confirmed by 92.76% (2846/3068) of the participants who would recommend RPM to people with similar conditions. There were no differences in ease of technology use according to age. Those with high school or less education were more likely to agree that the equipment and educational materials helped them feel more informed about their care plans than those with higher education levels. CONCLUSIONS This multisite, multiregional RPM program has become a reliable health care delivery model for the management of acute and chronic conditions outside hospitals and clinics. Program participants reported an excellent overall experience and a high level of satisfaction in managing their health from the comfort of their home environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tufia C Haddad
- Center For Digital Health, Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Karla C Maita
- Division of Hospital Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic in Florida, Jacksonville, FL, United States
| | - Jonathan W Inselman
- Center For Digital Health, Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Francisco R Avila
- Division of Hospital Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic in Florida, Jacksonville, FL, United States
| | - Ricardo A Torres-Guzman
- Division of Hospital Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic in Florida, Jacksonville, FL, United States
| | - Jordan D Coffey
- Center For Digital Health, Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, Rochester, MN, United States
| | | | - Angela M Leuenberger
- Center For Digital Health, Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Sarah J Bell
- Center For Digital Health, Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Dominick F Pahl
- Center For Digital Health, Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - John P Garcia
- Division of Hospital Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic in Florida, Jacksonville, FL, United States
| | - Lukas Manka
- Center For Digital Health, Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Antonio J Forte
- Division of Hospital Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic in Florida, Jacksonville, FL, United States
| | - Michael J Maniaci
- Division of Hospital Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic in Florida, Jacksonville, FL, United States
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Torres-Guzman RA, Paulson MR, Avila FR, Maita K, Garcia JP, Forte AJ, Maniaci MJ. Smartphones and Threshold-Based Monitoring Methods Effectively Detect Falls Remotely: A Systematic Review. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 23:1323. [PMID: 36772364 PMCID: PMC9920087 DOI: 10.3390/s23031323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
In the US, at least one fall occurs in at least 28.7% of community-dwelling seniors 65 and older each year. Falls had medical costs of USD 51 billion in 2015 and are projected to reach USD 100 billion by 2030. This review aims to discuss the extent of smartphone (SP) usage in fall detection and prevention across a range of care settings. A computerized search was conducted on six electronic databases to investigate the use of remote sensing technology, wireless technology, and other related MeSH terms for detecting and preventing falls. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 44 studies were included. Most of the studies targeted detecting falls, two focused on detecting and preventing falls, and one only looked at preventing falls. Accelerometers were employed in all the experiments for the detection and/or prevention of falls. The most frequent course of action following a fall event was an alarm to the guardian. Numerous studies investigated in this research used accelerometer data analysis, machine learning, and data from previous falls to devise a boundary and increase detection accuracy. SP was found to have potential as a fall detection system but is not widely implemented. Technology-based applications are being developed to protect at-risk individuals from falls, with the objective of providing more effective and efficient interventions than traditional means. Successful healthcare technology implementation requires cooperation between engineers, clinicians, and administrators.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Margaret R. Paulson
- Division of Hospital Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic Health Systems, 1221 Whipple St., Eau Claire, WI 54703, USA
| | - Francisco R. Avila
- Division of Plastic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, 4500 San Pablo Rd, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USA
| | - Karla Maita
- Division of Plastic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, 4500 San Pablo Rd, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USA
| | - John P. Garcia
- Division of Plastic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, 4500 San Pablo Rd, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USA
| | - Antonio J. Forte
- Division of Plastic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, 4500 San Pablo Rd, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USA
| | - Michael J. Maniaci
- Division of Hospital Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, 4500 San Pablo Rd, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USA
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Denecke K, May R, Borycki EM, Kushniruk AW. Digital health as an enabler for hospital@home: A rising trend or just a vision? Front Public Health 2023; 11:1137798. [PMID: 36875371 PMCID: PMC9981936 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1137798] [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: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Hospital@home is a model of healthcare, where healthcare professionals actively treat patients in their homes for conditions that may otherwise require hospitalization. Similar models of care have been implemented in jurisdictions around the world over the past few years. However, there are new developments in health informatics including digital health and participatory health informatics that may have an impact on hospital@home approaches. Objectives This study aims to identify the current state of implementation of emerging concepts into the hospital@home research and models of care; to identify strengths and weaknesses, opportunities, and threats associated with the models of care; and to suggest a research agenda. Methods We employed two research methodologies, namely, a literature review and a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis. The literature from the last 10 years was collected from PubMed using the search string "hospital at home" OR "care at home" OR "patient at home." Relevant information was extracted from the included articles. Results Title and abstract review were conducted on 1,371 articles. The full-text review was conducted on 82 articles. Data were extracted from 42 articles that met our review criteria. Most of the studies originated from the United States and Spain. Several medical conditions were considered. The use of digital tools and technologies was rarely reported. In particular, innovative approaches such as wearables or sensor technologies were rarely used. The current landscape of hospital@home models of care simply delivers hospital care in the patient's home. Tools or approaches from taking a participatory health informatics design approach involving a range of stakeholders (such as patients and their caregivers) were not reported in the literature reviewed. In addition, emerging technologies supporting mobile health applications, wearable technologies, and remote monitoring were rarely discussed. Conclusion There are multiple benefits and opportunities associated with hospital@home implementations. There are also threats and weaknesses associated with the use of this model of care. Some weaknesses could be addressed by using digital health and wearable technologies to support patient monitoring and treatment at home. Employing a participatory health informatics approach to design and implementation could help to ensure the acceptance of such care models.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Richard May
- Harz University of Applied Sciences, Wernigerode, Germany
| | - Elizabeth M Borycki
- School of Health Information Science, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Andre W Kushniruk
- School of Health Information Science, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
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Paulson MR, Eldaly AS, Avila FR, Torres-Guzman RA, Maita KC, Garcia JP, Serrano LP, Emam OS, Forte AJ, Maniaci MJ. Small Bowel Obstruction Conservatively Managed in Hospital-At-Home. Case Rep Gastrointest Med 2022; 2022:1969040. [PMID: 36398066 PMCID: PMC9666016 DOI: 10.1155/2022/1969040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2022] [Revised: 09/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2024] Open
Abstract
In 2020, Mayo Clinic established an Advanced Care at Home (ACH) program. ACH is a virtual hybrid hospital-at-home (HaH) program that combines telemedicine with in-home care services by utilizing a state that is software-driven, vendor-mediate medical supply chain. The program initially focused on acute medical diagnosis but has expanded to oversee surgical and postsurgical patients with continued inpatient needs. Here, we report the first case of a small bowel obstruction (SBO) managed under a HaH program. A 52-year-old lady presented to the emergency department with symptoms suggestive of mechanical SBO. The diagnosis was confirmed with an abdominopelvic computed tomography (CT) scan, and the patient was admitted to the hospital. Based on the patient's presentation and laboratory results, the care team proceeded with conservative treatment including nasogastric tube (NG) placement and suctioning, intravenous (IV) fluid replacement, and daily laboratory studies. She spent the first hospital day in the physical hospital ward so that the surgical team could ensure stability clinically and no urgent need for surgical intervention. On hospital day two, she was transferred home with ACH where the NG suctioning and IV replacement therapy could continue, while the medical team conducted daily virtual visits to ensure continued improvement. Additionally, a paramedic and a nurse performed an in-person, head-to-toe assessment and administered medications to the patient twice daily. She spent 5 days in ACH getting acute care and then was discharged into a postacute phase equivalent to outpatient monitoring called the restorative phase. She was monitored remotely for the duration of the restorative phase for 10 more days, and then she recovered fully. This case highlights that high-acuity patients with SBO can receive invasive treatments like NG tube suction as well as be appropriately monitored for clinical decompensation by a virtual hybrid home hospital program which combines virtual care providers with an in-home vendor-mediated supply chain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret R. Paulson
- Division of Hospital Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic Health Systems, Eau Claire, Wisconsin 2321 Stout Road, Menomonie, Wisconsin 54751, USA
| | - Abdullah S. Eldaly
- Division of Plastic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, 4500 San Pablo Road, Jacksonville, Florida 32224, USA
| | - Francisco R. Avila
- Division of Plastic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, 4500 San Pablo Road, Jacksonville, Florida 32224, USA
| | | | - Karla C. Maita
- Division of Plastic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, 4500 San Pablo Road, Jacksonville, Florida 32224, USA
| | - John P. Garcia
- Division of Plastic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, 4500 San Pablo Road, Jacksonville, Florida 32224, USA
| | - Luiza Palmieri Serrano
- Division of Plastic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, 4500 San Pablo Road, Jacksonville, Florida 32224, USA
| | - Omar S. Emam
- Division of Plastic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, 4500 San Pablo Road, Jacksonville, Florida 32224, USA
| | - Antonio J. Forte
- Division of Plastic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, 4500 San Pablo Road, Jacksonville, Florida 32224, USA
| | - Michael J. Maniaci
- Division of Hospital Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, 4500 San Pablo Road, Jacksonville, Florida 32224, USA
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Colectomy Complicated by High-Output Ileostomy Managed in a Virtual Hybrid Hospital-at-Home Program. Case Rep Surg 2022; 2022:3177934. [PMID: 36213589 PMCID: PMC9537035 DOI: 10.1155/2022/3177934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronically ill patients with superimposed acute illness requiring hospitalization are more likely to develop an extended length of stay, hospital-acquired infections, and adverse events throughout their hospitalization. An excellent alternative to managing this population of patients in the traditional bricks-and-mortal (BAM) hospital is the hospital-at-home (HaH) model. The Advanced Care at Home (ACH) program is Mayo Clinic's HaH model that provides acute and postacute care to high-acuity patients in their homes rather than in the traditional hospital and skilled nursing facility. We report a case of postoperative care through the ACH program of a patient suffering from short gut syndrome, high-output ileostomy, and severe protein-calorie malnutrition in the setting of previously diagnosed triple-negative invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) of the right breast complicated by lung and brain metastasis. The patient had multiple complications that required repeated scare escalations directed by a multidisciplinary virtual care. Despite these complications, the ACH model of care was able to keep the patient in the home setting the majority of the time, limiting BAM hospital days, and eliminating the need to use the emergency department for acute escalation for 3 months. The patient was able to recover during this time period and proceed to successful take-down of the ileostomy. This case highlights the benefits of the ACH program by offering high-acuity hospital-level care to severely ill patients in the comfort of their homes. Highly qualified providers paired with curated technology in the home allowed for prompt identification of patient decompensation and timely initiation of treatment while avoiding institutionalization.
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