Abstract
BackgroundHealth care organizations do not adopt best practices as often or quickly as they merit. This gap in the integration of best practices into routine practice remains a significant public health concern. The role of program managers in the adoption of best practices has seldom been investigated.MethodsWe investigated the association between characteristics of program managers and the adoption of hepatitis C virus (HCV) testing services in opioid treatment programs (OTPs). Data came from the 2005 (n = 187) and 2011 (n = 196) National Drug Abuse Treatment System Survey (NDATSS). We used multivariate regression models to examine correlates of the adoption of HCV testing. We included covariates describing program manager characteristics, such as their race/ethnicity, education, and their sources of information about developments in the field of substance use disorder treatment. We also controlled for characteristics of OTPs and the client populations they serve.ResultsProgram managers were predominantly white and female. A large proportion of program managers had post-graduate education. Program managers expressed strong support for preventive services, but they reported making limited use of available sources of information about developments in the field of substance use disorder (SUD) treatment. The provision of any HCV testing (either on-site or off-site) in OTPs was positively associated with the extent to which a program manager was supportive of preventive services. Among OTPs offering any HCV testing to their clients, on-site HCV testing was more common among programs with an African American manager. It was also more common when program managers relied on a variety of information sources about developments in SUD treatment.ConclusionsVarious characteristics of program managers are associated with the adoption of HCV testing in OTPs. Promoting diversity among program managers, and increasing managers’ access to information about developments in SUD treatment, may help foster the adoption of best practices.
Highlights
Health care organizations do not adopt best practices as often or quickly as they merit
Considering similarities in risk factors, modes of transmission and approaches to testing for HIV and Hepatitis C virus (HCV), we examine the offer of HCV testing on-site in treatment programs, and the extent to which managerial characteristics are associated with on-site testing
Conclusions the general management literature has emphasized the importance of managers and management practices on the adoption of best practices [35, 36, 61,62,63,64], the health services literature has not extensively examined these relationships [25, 27]
Summary
Health care organizations do not adopt best practices as often or quickly as they merit. This gap in the integration of best practices into routine practice remains a significant public health concern. An estimated 50–75 % of chronically infected people remain unaware of their HCV infection [3]. The integration of HCV testing into the practices of SUD treatment programs is incomplete [11, 12]. SUD treatment programs increasingly refer their clients to off-site facilities for HCV testing – a practice associated with significant reductions in the use of recommended services [14,15,16]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
