Troubled hearts, care pathways and hospital restructuring: Exploring health services research as active knowledge

How Are Decisions to Introduce New Surgical Technologies Made? Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery at a Canadian Community Hospital: A Qualitative Case Study and Evaluation

To determine whether the introduction of coordinated geriatric and discharge planning services at teaching and community hospitals in Toronto has changed the number of beds occupied by patients awaiting transfer to long-term care institutions. Retrospective review of social work records for the period 1985-1992. Two tertiary and four primary acute care hospitals in Metropolitan Toronto. Hospitals were matched for location, acuity, and teaching affiliation. The numbers of beds occupied by patients awaiting transfer to nursing homes or chronic care hospitals were noted. In those teaching and community hospitals that had introduced coordinated geriatric and discharge planning services, there was a reduction in the percentage of beds occupied by patients awaiting long-term care placement (average-51%), whereas in hospitals without geriatric services, the percentage of beds occupied by patients awaiting long-term care placement increased (average + 25%) (P = .05 by Fisher's exact method, 95% confidence limit odds ratio 0, .9999). The introduction of coordinated geriatric and discharge planning services was associated with a decrease in the percentage of beds occupied by patients awaiting long-term care in both teaching and community hospitals.

In patients with heart failure (HF) and reduced ejection fraction, increased heart rate (HR) is an independent risk factor for adverse outcomes. In systolic HF treatment with the If inhibitor ivabradine trial (SHIFT), Ivabradine improved survival when added to conventional treatment including β-blockers. However, the extent of benefit in the real world is unclear. We examined the characteristics of patients on guideline-directed therapy and determined who had SHIFT-like characteristics. A total of 1096 patients with chronic HF were reviewed from June 2014 to April 2015 in two HF clinics in Toronto: an academic institution (AI), and a community hospital (CH) clinic. SHIFT-like characteristics [left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤35%; sinus rhythm; and HR≥70bpm] were described. For all patients, mean age was 75±13years, overall LVEF was 44±15%, AI less than CH (41.9±14.0% vs. 45.7±15.0%; p<0.0001). More than two-thirds of patients in both groups were on β-blockers; with less than one-third at target dose. The proportion of patients with SHIFT-like characteristics was 8.4% AI and 11.7% CH, respectively (p=0.0658). In HF clinics from both academic and community hospitals in Toronto, up-titration in the dose of β-blockers and other guideline therapy can be improved on. A small proportion of patients with HF and SHIFT-like characteristics may potentially benefit from the addition of Ivabradine, just approved in Canada; this number will be further reduced if target dosage for β-blockers is achieved. Servier Inc.

117 Background: A recent meta-analysis suggests that lymph node (LN) retrieval may be inferior when gastrectomy for GCa is performed laparoscopically rather than open. The purpose of this study was to examine the pathologic evaluation, postoperative morbidity and receipt of adjuvant treatment associated with adoption of D2 lymphadenectomy in a community setting. Methods: Routine D2 LN dissection was instituted as part of laparoscopic GCa resection at two community hospitals in Toronto in July 2008. Sequential cases up to Feb 2011 were identified and charts reviewed retrospectively. LN retrieval, margin status, morbidity, mortality and receipt of adjuvant treatment were examined. Results: Twenty-nine patients were identified; 69% were male and the median age was 69 (28-84). All patients underwent D2 lymphadenectomy, 10 with total gastrectomy (TG) and 19 with subtotal (STG). Pathologic evaluation showed that all patients underwent an R0 resection. Median number of LNs retrieved was 32 (15-62) and 93% of patients had adequate LN assessment according to AJCC 7 staging criteria. Sixty-five percent of patients had nodal metastases. There were 8 major complications in 7 patients including 3 post-operative deaths (10% mortality): one patient died in hospital from anastomotic leak and two after discharge from PE (1) and evisceration through the specimen extraction site (1). Four patients commenced neoadjuvant chemotherapy, but only 2 completed the planned pre-operative regimen. Ten additional patients started post-operative adjuvant chemo-radiotherapy, but only 5 completed it. Fifteen patients received no adjuvant treatment. Reasons for lack of adjuvant treatment were: early stage (n=4), medically unfit (2), post-operative death (2), patient declined (5) and early post-operative distant metastatic disease (2). Conclusions: Laparoscopic gastrectomy with D2 lymphadenectomy can be performed in a community setting with excellent margin status and LN retrieval results and complication rates comparable to those previously reported in prospective trials of open resection. Barriers to receipt/completion of adjuvant therapy in this setting should be explored.

IntroductionTransition from child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) to community or adult mental health services (AMHS) is a highly problematic health systems hurdle, especially for transition-aged youth. A planned...

Intensive care unit (ICU) admission may connote an elevated risk of unintentional chronic medication discontinuation because of its focus on acute illnesses and the multiple care transitions. To determine the proportion of patients discharged from the ICU whose previously prescribed chronic medications were unintentionally discontinued during their hospitalization. Hospital records of consecutive ICU discharges at 1 academic and 2 community hospitals in Toronto, Canada, throughout 2002 were reviewed. Eligible patients were prescribed at least 1 of 6 medication groups before hospitalization: (1) HMG co-A reductase inhibitors (statins); (2) antiplatelets/anticoagulants (aspirin, clopidogrel, ticlopidine, warfarin); (3) l-thyroxine; (4) non-prn inhalers (anticholinergic, beta-agonist, or steroid); (5) acid-suppressing drugs (H2 antagonists and proton pump inhibitors); and (6) allopurinol. Use of explicit criteria to assess the proportion of patients whose previously prescribed chronic medications were unintentionally discontinued at hospital discharge. A total of 1,402 charts were eligible for the study and 834 had prescriptions for at least 1 of the medication groups. Thirty-three percent (251/834) of patients had 1 or more of their chronic medications omitted at hospital discharge. Multivariable logistic regression analysis found that patients from the academic hospital (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 0.70, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.49 to 1.0) and those with medical diagnoses (adjusted OR=0.48, 95% CI 0.31 to 0.75) had a decreased risk for chronic medication discontinuation. Patients discharged from the ICU often leave the hospital without note of their previously prescribed chronic medications. Careful review of medication lists at ICU discharge could avoid potential adverse outcomes related to unintentional discontinuation of chronic medications at hospital discharge.

IntroductionPatient-facing digital health technologies have the capacity to remedy some of the challenges faced by overburdened and under-resourced Canadian emergency departments (ED). However, the successful implementation of such innovations is dependent on patients' willingness and ability to access and use digital technologies. Moreover, the potential presence of digital disparities in local communities may create or exacerbate inequitable health outcomes. This study aimed to understand technology ownership, access, use, and attitudes among ED patients of a digitally innovative hospital located in an ethnoculturally diverse, urban area of Toronto.MethodsAn electronic, self-report, cross-sectional survey was conducted in the ED of an urban, community hospital in Toronto. A convenience sample of ED patients over the age of 18 and proficient in English were invited to participate in the survey between January 3rd and February 14th, 2024. Participants responded to a battery of questions and scales (e.g., the Media and Technology Usage and Attitudes Scale; MTUAS) that were adapted as necessary for this study.ResultsThe final sample size of 250 participants had a mean age 40.4 ± 16 years, 64.4% were female, and 38% were born outside of Canada. Ownership of at least one digital device was high (97.6%), as was the use of smartphones (96.0%), email (93.6%), text messaging (94.8%), and internet searching (95.6%). Almost all participants had access to the internet (98.0%). Attitudes towards technology were generally positive (mean 4.2/5). There were no significant differences in technology ownership and use based on where participants lived. Few barriers to technology were reported.ConclusionDespite concerns of digital disparities in an ethnoculturally diverse area of Toronto, technology ownership, access, and use appear to be pervasive among ED patients, irrespective of where they reside. These findings, coupled with patients' generally positive attitudes towards technology, green-light the exploration of patient-facing digital health tools that utilize the digital technology ED patients already own, access, and use to improve the delivery of emergency care.

Transfer of care of postsurgical patients from hospital to the community setting: cross-sectional survey of primary care physicians

BackgroundIt is important to understand clinical features of bacteremic urinary tract infection (bUTI), because bUTI is a serious infection that requires prompt diagnosis and antibiotic therapy. Escherichia coli is the most common and important uropathogen. The objective of our study was to characterize the clinical presentation of E coli bUTI.MethodsRetrospective cohort study of consecutive adult patients admitted for community acquired E. coli bacteremia from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2016 was conducted at 4 acute care academic and community hospitals in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Logistic regression models were developed to identify E coli bUTI cases without urinary symptoms.ResultsOf 462 patients with E. coli bacteremia, 284 (61.5%) patients had a urinary source. Of these 284 patients, 161 (56.7%) had urinary symptoms. In a multivariable model, bUTI without urinary symptoms were associated with older age (age < 65 years as reference, age 65–74 years had OR of 2.13 95% CI 0.99–4.59 p = 0.0523; age 75–84 years had OR of 1.80 95% CI 0.91–3.57 p = 0.0914; age > =85 years had OR of 2.95 95% CI 1.44–6.18 p = 0.0036) and delirium (OR of 2.12 95% CI 1.13–4.03 p = 0.0207). Sepsis by SIRS criteria was present in 274 (96.5%) of all bUTI cases and 119 (96.8%) of bUTI cases without urinary symptoms.ConclusionThe majority of patients with E. coli bacteremia had a urinary source. A significant proportion of bUTI cases had no urinary symptoms elicited on history. Elderly and delirious patients were more likely to have bUTI without urinary symptoms. In elderly and delirious patients with sepsis by SIRS criteria but without a clear infectious source, clinicians should suspect, investigate, and treat for bUTI.

Disparity in infection control practices for multidrug-resistant Enterobacteriaceae

Use of Transthoracic Echocardiography in the Management of Low-Risk Staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia: Results From a Retrospective Multicenter Cohort Study

BACKGROUND: Intensive care unit (ICU) admission may connote an elevated risk of unintentional chronic medication discontinuation because of its focus on acute illnesses and the multiple care transitions. OBJECTIVE: To determine the proportion of patients discharged from the ICU whose previously prescribed chronic medications were unintentionally discontinued during their hospitalization. DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS: Hospital records of consecutive ICU discharges at 1 academic and 2 community hospitals in Toronto. Canada, throughout 2002 were reviewed. Eligible patients were prescribed at least 1 of 6 medication groups before hospitalization: (1) HMG co-A reductase inhibitors (statins); (2) antiplatelets/ anticoagulants (aspirin, clopidogrel, ticlopidine, warfarin); (3)l-thyroxine; (4) non-prn inhalers (anticholinergic, β-agonist, or steroid); (5) acid-suppressing drugs (H2 antagonists and proton pump inhibitors); and (6) allopurinol. MEASUREMENTS: Use of explicit criteria to assess the proportion of patients whose previously prescribed chronic medications were unintentionally discontinued at hospital discharge. RESULTS: A total of 1,402 charts were eligible for the study and 834 had prescriptions for at least 1 of the medication groups. Thirty-three percent (251/834) of patients had 1 or more of their chronic medications omitted at hospital discharge. Multivariable logistic regression analysis found that patients from the academic hospital (adjusted odds ratio [OR]=0.70, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.49 to 1.0) and those with medical diagnoses (adjusted OR=0.48, 95% CI 0.31 to 0.75) had a decreased risk for chronic medication discontinuation. CONCLUSIONS: Patients discharged from the ICU often leave the hospital without note of their previously prescribed chronic medications. Careful review of medication lists at ICU discharge could avoid potential adverse outcomes related to unintentional discontinuation of chronic medications at hospital discharge.

BackgroundPublic and Patient Involvement, Engagement and Participation research encompasses working with patients/service users (people with a medical condition receiving health service treatment), public members, caregivers and communities (who use services or care for patients). The Partner Priority Programme (PPP) was developed by the National Health Service [NHS] and National Institute for Health Research Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care [NIHR CLAHRC] NWC to share information and experience on evaluating new services being offered to patients that were seeking to reduce health inequalities, improve people’s health and wellbeing and reduce emergency hospital admissions. This paper seeks to explore an approach developed for involving the public as equal partners within the evaluation and decision-making processes of health and social care services research. The aim of this study was to identify how public advisors were included, the impact of their involvement, and how change occurred within the organisations following their involvement.MethodsA qualitative approach using focus group discussions was adopted to explore the experiences of two cohorts of participants involved in PPP project teams. Focus groups were held with public advisors (n = 9), interns (n = 9; staff or public who received a funded internship for a PPP project), NHS and Local Authority initiative leads (n = 10), and academic facilitators (n = 14). These were transcribed verbatim and analysed using a thematic approach.ResultsThirty-two public advisors were recruited to support 25 PPP projects across the Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and CLAHRC North West Coast [NWC] partner organisations. Three inter-related themes were conceptualised: 1)“Where it all started - involving public advisors” identified the varying journeys to recruitment and experiences of becoming a public advisor; 2)“Steps toward active involvement and engagement” related to public advisors becoming core team members; and 3) “Collaborative working to enhance public and patient involvement” relayed how projects identified the benefits of working jointly with the public advisors, particularly for those who had not experienced this style of working before.ConclusionsThe findings indicate that the PPP model is effective for embedding Public and Patient Involvement [PPI] within health services research, and recommends that PPI is integrated at the earliest opportunity within research projects and service evaluations through the use of support-led and facilitative programmes.

(2000) J Adv Nurs 31, 362. Marangos-Frost S, Wells D. . Psychiatric nurses' thoughts and feelings about restraint use: a decision dilemma . . . Feb; . : . –9....

Does giving full-dose adjuvant chemotherapy to patients with early stage breast cancer (ESBC) regardless of the day-before absolute neutrophil count (ANC) lead to an increased incidence of chemotherapy-induced febrile neutropenia (CIFN)? What factors may predispose patients to CIFN? This was a retrospective chart review conducted on all patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy for ESBC at a mid-sized community hospital in Toronto, Ontario, Canada between September 2005 and August 2011. Day-before CBC data were collected along with other patient characteristics. CIFN was confirmed by hospital records. One hundred fifty-four patients met the inclusion criteria. Overall, 830 cycles of chemotherapy were analyzed. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify risk factors for CIFN. Twenty-two episodes of CIFN were observed. There was no significant difference in day-before ANC between patients who developed CIFN relative to those who did not. The day-before ANC was <1.5 × 10(9)/L for 88 cycles of chemotherapy. ANC analyzed as a continuous variable showed that the odds ratio (OR) for CIFN was 0.97 (95 % CI 0.82-1.13, p = NS). The pseudo R (2) statistic, which is a measure of variability accounted for by a regression model, was only 0.0008, indicating that ANC explained less than 1 % of the variability in the risk of CIFN. The most significant predictor of CIFN was the chemotherapy regimen, with docetaxel (Taxotere)/cyclophosphamide demonstrating the highest risk (OR 7.1, 95 % CI 1.4-34.9, p = 0.016). Full-dose adjuvant chemotherapy may be given to patients with ESBC regardless of the day-before ANC, without significantly increasing the risk of CIFN. The chemotherapy regimen is the most significant predictor for CIFN.