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Leggett N, Emery K, Rollinson TC, Deane AM, French C, Manski-Nankervis JA, Eastwood G, Miles B, Witherspoon S, Stewart J, Merolli M, Ali Abdelhamid Y, Haines KJ. Clinician- and Patient-Identified Solutions to Reduce the Fragmentation of Post-ICU Care in Australia. Chest 2024:S0012-3692(24)00247-2. [PMID: 38382876 DOI: 10.1016/j.chest.2024.02.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Critical care survivors experience multiple care transitions, with no formal follow-up care pathway. RESEARCH QUESTION What are the potential solutions to improve the communication between treating teams and integration of care following an ICU admission, from the perspective of patients, their caregivers, intensivists, and general practitioners (GPs) from diverse socioeconomic areas? STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS This study included a qualitative design using semi-structured interviews with intensivists, GPs, and patients and caregivers. Framework analysis was used to analyze data and to identify solutions to improve the integration of care following hospital discharge. Patients were previously mechanically ventilated for > 24 h in the ICU and had access to a video-enabled device. Clinicians were recruited from hospital networks and a state-wide GP network. RESULTS Forty-six interviews with clinicians, patients, and caregivers were completed (15 intensivists, 8 GPs, 15 patients, and 8 caregivers). Three higher level feedback loops were identified that comprised 10 themes. Feedback loop 1 was an ICU and primary care collaboration. It included the following: (1) developing collaborative relationships between the ICU and primary care; (2) providing interprofessional education and resources to support primary care; and (3) improving role clarity for patient follow-up care. Feedback loop 2 was developing mechanisms for improved communication across the care continuum. It included: (4) timely, concise information-sharing with primary care on post-ICU recovery; (5) survivorship-focused information-sharing across the continuum of care; (6) empowering patients and caregivers in self-management; and (7) creation of a care coordinator role for survivors. Feedback loop 3 was learning from post-ICU outcomes to improve future care. It included: (8) developing comprehensive post-ICU care pathways; (9) enhancing support for patients following a hospital stay; and (10) integration of post-ICU outcomes within the ICU to improve clinician morale and understanding. INTERPRETATION Practical solutions to enhance the quality of survivorship for critical care survivors and their caregivers were identified. These themes are mapped to a novel conceptual model that includes key feedback loops for health system improvements and foci for future interventional trials to improve ICU survivorship outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Leggett
- Department of Physiotherapy, Western Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Department of Critical Care, the University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
| | - Kate Emery
- Department of Physiotherapy, Western Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Thomas C Rollinson
- Department of Physiotherapy, the University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Department of Physiotherapy, Austin Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Institute for Breathing and Sleep, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Adam M Deane
- Department of Intensive Care, Melbourne Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Department of Critical Care, School of Medicine, the University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Craig French
- Department of Intensive Care, Western Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Jo-Anne Manski-Nankervis
- Department of General Practice and Primary Care, Melbourne Medical School, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Glenn Eastwood
- Department of Critical Care, Austin Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Briannah Miles
- Department of Intensive Care, Melbourne Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | | | - Jonathan Stewart
- Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland
| | - Mark Merolli
- Centre for Digital Transformation of Health, the University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Department of Physiotherapy, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry, and Health Sciences, the University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Yasmine Ali Abdelhamid
- Department of Critical Care, School of Medicine, the University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Department of Intensive Care, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Kimberley J Haines
- Department of Physiotherapy, Western Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Department of Critical Care, School of Medicine, the University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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Glenister K, Witherspoon S, Crouch A. A qualitative descriptive study of a novel nurse-led skin cancer screening model in rural Australia. BMC Health Serv Res 2022; 22:1019. [PMID: 35948920 PMCID: PMC9365213 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-022-08411-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 07/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background People residing in rural areas have higher rates of skin cancer and face barriers to accessing care. Models of skin cancer care addressing the specific needs of rural communities and overcoming specific challenges are required, but literature is scarce. This study aimed to describe the elements of a nurse-led skin cancer model in rural Victoria using qualitative methodology and programme logic to inform implementation and ongoing sustainability. Methods Qualitative descriptive design. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with key stakeholders involved in the skin cancer model, namely health service executive management, clinical staff, and administration staff. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Transcripts were thematically analysed independently by two researchers before themes were compared and refined. A programme logic model was developed to organise themes into contextual elements, inputs, activities and anticipated outcomes; it was also used as a visual tool to aid discussions with key stakeholders. Member checking of the logic model occurred to verify interpretation. This programme logic model will be refined throughout the implementation phase, and again after three years of service delivery. Results Eight stakeholders participated in interviews. Thematic analysis identified three major themes: the influence of the local rural context, the elements of the model, and “making it happen’. These major themes and accompanying sub-themes were mapped to the programme logic model by contextual elements (rural locale, health service access barriers, burden of disease), key inputs (promotion, human resources including appropriate nurse training and leadership) and ‘making it happen’ (governance including referral pathways, flexible and sustained funding, and partnerships). The anticipated outcomes identified include skin cancer care delivered locally, timely access, career development for nurses, and decreased skin cancer burden. Conclusion An initiative that is place-based and community driven in response to consumer demand addresses key system barriers to earlier detection of skin cancers. It is anticipated to result in flow-on reductions in skin cancer disease burden. Programme logic was useful to both describe the initiative and as a visual tool for discussions, with the potential to inform wider health service efforts to address system barriers and bottlenecks. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12913-022-08411-6.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen Glenister
- Department of Rural Health, 'The Chalet', University of Melbourne, Docker Street, Wangaratta 3677, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Sophie Witherspoon
- Department of Rural Health, 'The Chalet', University of Melbourne, Docker Street, Wangaratta 3677, Victoria, Australia
| | - Alan Crouch
- Department of Rural Health, 'Dunvegan', University of Melbourne, 806 Mair Street, Ballarat, VIC, 3350, Australia
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McCarter R, McGee J, Witherspoon S, Gauntt CJ, Vardiman A. Effects of viral infection on contraction of the diaphragm in mice. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 1986; 182:308-14. [PMID: 3012575 DOI: 10.3181/00379727-182-42344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Isometric contractile properties of isolated phrenic nerve-diaphragm muscle preparations were used to study the effects of picornavirus infections on diaphragm muscle function. Properties of muscles from virus-inoculated and control mice were similar during brief contractions. However, when subjected to a series of fatiguing contractions by indirect or direct stimulation, muscles of mice inoculated with a paralytic variant of encephalomyocarditis (EMC) virus showed a greater rate of fatigue and a reduced capacity to recover from fatigue than did muscles from uninoculated control mice or muscles from mice inoculated with a nonparalytic coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3). Mice paralyzed by EMC virus infection had high titers of virus in the brain and similar titers of virus in diaphragm muscle as found in diaphragm muscles of CVB3-inoculated mice. The results indicate that EMC virus infection of mice leads to increased fatigability of the diaphragm muscle and that there are both neural and muscular components of this enhanced fatigue.
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