Implementation Of Active Strategies Research Articles

Thromboprophylaxis in hospitalized trauma patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis of implementation strategies

IntroductionVenous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis implementation strategies are well-studied in some hospitalized medical and surgical patients. Although VTE is associated with substantial mortality and morbidity in trauma patients, implementation strategies for...

Sustainment of Integrated Care in Addiction Treatment Settings: Primary Outcomes From a Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial.

Integrated treatment services are the gold standard for addressing co-occurring mental and substance use disorders, yet they are not readily available. The Network for the Improvement of Addiction Treatment (NIATx) was hypothesized to be an effective strategy to implement and sustain integrated mental health and substance use care in addiction treatment programs. This study examined sustainment of integrated services for up to 2 years after the active implementation phase. The effectiveness of NIATx strategies to implement and sustain integrated services was evaluated by using a cluster-randomized, waitlist control group design. Forty-nine addiction treatment organizations were randomly assigned to either NIATx1 (active implementation strategy) or NIATx2 (waitlist control). The Dual Diagnosis Capability in Addiction Treatment Index was used to evaluate organizations' capability to provide integrated care. The NIATx Stages of Implementation Completion scale was used to assess participation in and adherence to the NIATx implementation process. Linear mixed-effects modeling was used to evaluate changes from baseline to end of the sustainment period. Both cohorts sustained their capability to provide integrated treatment services. Both groups achieved successful implementation and sustained integrated services to a similar degree, regardless of sustainment year. Sustainment did not vary as a function of NIATx adherence. The delivery of integrated treatment services was sustained for 2 years after receipt of active implementation support. Future research should consider how contextual factors may predict, mediate, and moderate sustainment outcomes.

Clinical Practice Guideline for Physical Therapist Management of People With Rheumatoid Arthritis.

This guideline revises the 2008 Royal Dutch Society for Physical Therapy guideline for physical therapy for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This revised guideline was developed according to the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation tool and the Guidelines International Network standards. A multidisciplinary guideline panel formulated clinical questions based on perceived barriers in current care. For every clinical question, a narrative or systematic literature review was undertaken, where appropriate. The guideline panel formulated recommendations based on the results of the literature reviews, the values and preferences of patients and clinicians, and the acceptability, feasibility, and costs, as described in the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation evidence-to-decision framework. The eventual guideline describes a comprehensive assessment based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Core Set for RA. It also includes a description of yellow and red flags to support direct access. Based on the assessment, 3 treatment profiles are distinguished: (1) education and exercise instructions with limited supervision, (2) education and short-term supervised exercise therapy, and (3) education and intensified supervised exercise therapy. Education includes RA-related information, advice, and self-management support. Exercises are based on recommendations concerning the desired frequency, intensity, type, and time-related characteristics of the exercises (FITT factors). Their interpretation is compliant with the individual patient's situation and with public health recommendations for health-enhancing physical activity. Recommended measurement instruments for monitoring and evaluation include the Patient-Specific Complaint instrument, Numeric Rating Scales for pain and fatigue, the Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index, and the 6-minute walk test. An evidence-based physical therapy guideline was delivered, providing ready-to-use recommendations on the assessment and treatment of patients with RA. An active implementation strategy to enhance its use in daily practice is advised. This evidence-based practice guideline guides the physical therapist in the treatment of patients with RA. The cornerstones of physical therapist treatment for patients with RA are active exercise therapy in combination with education. Passive interventions such as massage, electrotherapy, thermotherapy, low-level laser therapy, ultrasound, and medical taping play a subordinate role.

Active Implementation of an Evidence-Based Nutrition Guideline for Critically Ill Patients Versus Standard Care: A Cluster Randomised, Multicentre, Controlled Trial

Background: Equipoise exists regarding the implementation of evidence-based guidelines for nutritional therapy in critical illness because some previous cluster-randomised controlled trials (cRCTs) demonstrate patient benefits whilst others do not. We aimed to resolve this issue by initiating an appropriately powered cRCT to assess whether active implementation of an evidence-based guideline for nutrition therapy in critical illness could reduce mortality. Methods: We did a multicentre, cluster-randomised, parallel-controlled trial in 97 intensive care units (ICUs) throughout China. We developed an up-to-date, evidence-based nutrition guideline. ICUs randomly allocated to implement the guideline formed a local intervention team, which actively implemented the guideline using standardized educational materials. ICUs assigned to the control group remained unaware of the guideline. All ICUs enroled critically ill patients who were expected to stay longer than seven days. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality within 28 days of enrolment . Findings Between March, 2018 and July, 2019, we enrolled 1,373 patients at 48 guideline ICUs and 1,399 patients at 49 control ICUs. Implementation of the nutrition guideline resulted in significantly earlier enteral nutrition (EN) initiation (1.20 vs. 1.55 mean days to initiation of EN; difference -0.40 [95% CI, -0.71 to -0.09]; P=0.01) and delayed parenteral nutrition (PN) initiation (1.29 vs. 0.80 mean days to start of PN; difference 1.06 [95% CI, 0.44 to 1.67]; P=0.001). There was no significant difference in 28-day mortality (14.2% vs. 15.2%; difference -1.6% [95% CI -4.3% to 1.2%]; p=0.42) between study groups. Interpretation: Active implementation of an evidence-based guideline can change practice. Our active implementation strategy improved the provision of nutrition therapy to critically ill patients. However, in our cRCT, this improvement in care did not translate to a reduction in mortality. We did not identify any safety concerns associated with the active implementation of our evidence-based guideline for nutrition therapy. Trial Registration: The study was registered in the ISRCTN registry before enrolment commenced (No. ISRCTN12233792). Funding Statement: The study was funded by the Key Research and Development Program Foundation of Jiangsu Province of China (no. BE2015685) and Nutricia, Wuxi, China. Declaration of Interests: Dr. GSD reported receiving academic research grants related to nutrition in critical illness from the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council, Fresenius Kabi Deutschland GmbH and Baxter Healthcare Pty Ltd and speakers honoraria from Fresenius Kabi Deutschland GmbH, Baxter Healthcare Australia, Pty Ltd, Nestle Healthcare, Vevy, Switzerland and Nutricia Pharmaceutical (Wuxi) Co., Ltd. China. Dr. AvZ reports personal fees from Baxter, personal fees from Nestle, personal fees from Fresenius Kabi, grants and personal fees from Nutricia, grants from Cardinal Health grants from Mermaid grants from Lyric, outside the submitted work. Dr. WqL reported receiving speakers honoraria from Nutricia Pharmaceutical (Wuxi) Co., Ltd. China. No other disclosures were reported. Ethics Approval Statement: The study was approved by the local hospital ethics committees of all the participating ICUs. At each site, informed consent was obtained from the patients or their next of kin before enrolment.

Is it possible to influence ability, willingness and understanding among nursing home care staff to implement nutritional guidelines? A comparison of a facilitated and an educational strategy.

Translating nutrition knowledge into care practice is challenging since multiple factors can affect the implementation process. This study examined the impact of two implementation strategies, that is external facilitation (EF) and educational outreach visits (EOVs), on the organisational context and individual factors when implementing nutritional guidelines in a nursing home (NH) setting. The EF strategy was a one-year, multifaceted (including support, guidance, a practice audit and feedback) intervention given to four NH units. The EOV strategy was a three-hour lecture about the nutritional guidelines given to four other NH units. Both strategies were directed at selected NH teams, consisting of a unit manager, a nurse and 5-10 care staff. A questionnaire was distributed, before and after the interventions, to evaluate the prerequisites for the staff to use the guidelines. Three conditions were used to examine the organisational context and the individual factors: the staff's ability and willingness to implement the nutritional guidelines and their understanding of them. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation models were used for the data analysis. The results indicated that on average, there was a significant increase in the staff's ability to implement the nutritional guidelines in the EF group. The staff exposed to the EF strategy experienced better resources to implement the guidelines in terms of time, tools and support from leadership and a clearer assignment of responsibility regarding nutrition procedures. There was no change in staff's willingness and understanding of the guidelines in the EF group. On average, no significant changes were observed for the staff's ability, willingness or understanding in the EOV group. A long-term, active and flexible implementation strategy (i.e. EF) affected the care staff's ability to implement the nutritional guidelines in an NH setting. No such impact was observed for the more passive, educational approach (i.e. EOV).

Clinicians’ opinions on recommending aspirin to prevent colorectal cancer to Australians aged 50–70 years: a qualitative study

ObjectivesAustralian guidelines recommend all adults aged 50–70 years old without existing contraindications consider taking low-dose aspirin (100–300 mg per day) for at least 2.5 years to reduce their risk of...

Improving nurses' knowledge of managing endotracheal tube cuff pressure in intensive care units: A quasi-experimental study.

BackgroundPrevious studies conducted on nurses’ knowledge regarding endotracheal tube cuff pressure revealed that there were differences in intensive care nurses’ knowledge, leading to varying practices.AimThis study aimed to evaluate how an educational intervention based on the existing evidence-based guidelines, using both passive and active implementation strategies, could improve the knowledge of nurses regarding managing endotracheal tube cuff pressures in Malawian intensive care units.SettingSix functional ICUs (four public and two private) in Malawi.MethodsThe study followed a quasi-experimental, pre- and post-test design using an educational intervention. Intensive care nurses of six functional intensive care units in Malawi were randomly assigned to two intervention groups. Both groups received a half-day educational session, a printed version of the evidence-based guidelines, a printed and laminated summary of the guidelines and a related algorithm. Additionally, Intervention 2 group received four monitoring visits. Pre- and post-test questionnaires were conducted between February and August 2016. Descriptive and inferential data analyses (a chi-square test and t-test) were utilised.ResultsAn improvement in knowledge was observed on the nursing care practices for the management of endotracheal tube cuff pressure for both groups following the educational intervention, although only the results comparing Intervention 2 group participants indicate that the level of knowledge was significant (t[df = 48] = 2.08, p = 0.043, d = 0.59).ConclusionImplementation of a formal training and mentorship programme for Malawian intensive care nurses would be of great benefit to enhance the knowledge and skills managing endotracheal tube cuff pressure. Follow-up studies would also assist in understanding how guidelines could be implemented most effectively to achieve better knowledge outcomes.

A Student Pharmacist Quality Engagement Team to Support Initial Implementation of Comprehensive Medication Management within Independent Community Pharmacies.

In 2017, the Pennsylvania Pharmacists Care Network (PPCN), an enhanced pharmacy services network, and STRAND Clinical Technologies partnered to launch a payor contract with a Pennsylvania Medicaid Managed Care Organization for the provision of comprehensive medication management (CMM) at PPCN pharmacies. PPCN and the Community Leadership and Innovation in Practice Center at the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy partnered to create the Quality Engagement Team (QET), a group of student pharmacists formed with the intent to support the initial implementation of this contract. The QET supported the pharmacies through biweekly phone calls, which led to increased pharmacist engagement and produced impactful patient encounter stories that were then reported back to the payor. We utilized Active Implementation Frameworks and select implementation strategies from the Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change project throughout the implementation period. The QET supported the successful implementation of this payor contract, which saw an increase in CMM encounters completed by the pharmacists during each month of the four-month contract period. Students, pharmacists and the payor each derived meaningful benefits from this initiative. Student pharmacists can be a powerful asset in the implementation of payor programs within an enhanced pharmacy services network, resulting in the mutually beneficial and sustainable support of the network.

Implementing integrated services in routine behavioral health care: primary outcomes from a cluster randomized controlled trial

BackgroundAn estimated 8.2 million adults in the United States live with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. Although the benefits of integrated treatment services for persons with co-occurring disorders has been well-established, gaps in access to integrated care persist. Implementation research can address this gap. We evaluated if the Network for the Improvement of Addiction Treatment (NIATx) implementation strategy was effective in increasing integrated services capacity among organizations treating persons with co-occurring disorders.MethodsThis study employed a cluster randomized waitlist control group design. Forty-nine addiction treatment organizations from the State of Washington were randomized into one of two study arms: (1) NIATx strategy (active implementation strategy), or (2) waitlist (control). The primary outcome was a standardized organizational measure of integrated service capability: the Dual Diagnosis in Addiction Treatment (DDCAT) Index. Intent-to-treat analyses and per-protocol analyses were conducted to address the following questions: (1) Is NIATx effective in increasing integrated service capacity? and (2) Are there differences in organizations that actually use NIATx per-protocol versus those that do not?ResultsFrom baseline to one-year post active implementation, both the NIATx strategy and waitlist arms demonstrated improvements over time in DDCAT Index total and DDCAT dimension scores. In intent-to-treat analyses, a moderate but statistically significant difference in improvement between study arms was seen only in the Program Milieu dimension (p = 0.020, Cohen’s d = 0.54). In per-protocol analyses, moderate-to-large effects in Program Milieu (p = 0.002, Cohen’s d = 0.91) and Continuity of Care (p = 0.026, Cohen’s d = 0.63) dimensions, and in total DDCAT Index (p = 0.046, Cohen’s d = 0.51) were found.ConclusionsOverall, organizations in both study arms improved DDCAT Index scores over time. Organizations in the NIATx strategy arm with full adherence to the NIATx protocol had significantly greater improvements in the primary outcome measure of integrated service capacity for persons with co-occurring disorders.Trail registrationClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03007940. Retrospectively registered January 2017

Low tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccine coverage among healthcare workers in a quaternary university hospital in São Paulo, Brazil: need for continuous surveillance and implementation of active strategies

IntroductionVaccination with tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis (Tdap) has been recommended for healthcare workers (HCWs) by Brazilian Ministry of Health since November 2014. ObjectiveTo describe the strategies implemented to improve Tdap uptake, cumulative vaccine coverage after each intervention, variables associated to Tdap vaccination, and reasons for non-vaccination among HCWs of the main building of a quaternary hospital attached to the Sao Paulo University Medical School. MethodsA list of HCWs eligible for pertussis vaccination was generated. From April to December 2015, the following interventions were implemented: note on intern journal reminding the importance of pertussis vaccination; email to the head nurses strengthening vaccine recommendations; lectures on pertussis and Tdap for physicians of Obstetrics and Neonatology Clinics; on-site vaccination by mobile teams at the Obstetrics, Neonatology, and Anesthesiology Clinics. Vaccine coverage was accessed at the end of each month. Multivariate Poisson regression model with a robust error variance was used to evaluate variables associated with Tdap vaccination. Reasons for non-vaccination were evaluated from January to May 2017 through phone calls for HCWs who had not received Tdap. ResultsThe study included 456 HCWs. After the interventions, Tdap coverage raised from 2.8% to 41.2%. In the multivariate analysis, occupation (physician), working place (obstetrics or anesthesiology) and influenza vaccination in 2015 were independently associated to Tdap vaccination. The main reason for non-vaccination was unawareness of Tdap recommendations. ConclusionsTdap uptake among HCWs was low in our hospital. Providing vaccination at convenient places/times for HCW seems to be the most efficient strategy to increase vaccine uptake.

Strengthening the quality of paediatric primary care: protocol for the process evaluation of a health systems intervention in South Africa

BackgroundDespite significant reductions in mortality, preventable and treatable conditions remain the leading causes of death in children under five within South Africa. The WHO’s Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI)...

Tools and Techniques of Implementation Science to Support Wide-Spread Adoption of Biodiversity Literacy Standards

Implementation science boasts tools and techniques to increase the chances of adoption of best practices to a wide variety of users. Theoretical roots of implementation science are present in education, mental health and health services research. This talk will highlight the application of implementation science principles to the wide-spread adoption of biodiversity data literacy standards. Perspectives from key stakeholders including biology instructors of all ranks at community colleges, minority serving institutions, primarily undergraduate institutions, research intensive universities, biodiversity researchers, and scientific society leaders and policy makers, will be presented according to need, fit, resources, capacity and readiness to support the implementation of biodiversity data literacy standards in undergraduate biology curriculums. Through systematic exploration of the facilitators and barriers to the implementation of biodiversity data literacy standards across multiple participants and people groups, specific action steps will be highlighted to address such barriers. Consistent with the Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education: A Call to Action, this talk will describe the collaborations completed and in-process by the BLUE network that support an accessible student and data-centered pedagogy, designed to support diverse and underrepresented learners. For example, core biodiversity data literacy competencies will be described according to field leaders and perceived barriers to implementation of these competencies will provide a springboard for further discussion and action. Principles of implementation science explicitly recognize that best practices such as biodiversity data literacy standards, are useful only if they reach diverse intended users – otherwise, best practices and core competencies may have the opposite effect – contributing to educational and health disparities. This talk will highlight the active implementation strategies BLUE has employed to support engagement across distinct people groups to support implementation of these standards. As opposed to developing standards and having a “wait and hope” approach to these standards distilling to undergraduate biology curriculums, strategies discussed in this talk will serve as a catalyst for wide-spread adoption of the standards scientists have worked so rigorously to foster.

Online scan of FASD prevention and health promotion resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) includes a range of life-long impairments caused by alcohol exposure in utero. Health professionals are vital to preventing FASD but many are hesitant to discuss FASD with clients due to their need for additional resources to aid the conversation. This scan sought to identify the scope and gaps in publicly available FASD prevention and health promotion resources, and assess their cultural appropriateness for use among five key groups of Indigenous Australian people including: (i) pregnant women, (ii) women of childbearing age, (iii) grandmothers and aunties, (iv) men, and (v) health professionals. Relevant resources published 1995-2017 were identified through the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet, FASD organisation websites, grey literature, Google searches, and field experts. Results were screened by inclusion and cultural appropriateness criteria developed and piloted by the research team, and further screened by health professionals attending FASD training workshops. 115 of the 2146 identified resources were eligible. Relevant resources were found for all five key groups; however, no resources were specifically designed for men, grandmothers or aunties. A range of high-quality, culturally appropriate resources were identified, however, health professionals attending the training workshops were not aware of their availability. Further resource development is suggested for men, grandmothers and aunties. SO WHAT?: Prioritisation of active dissemination and implementation strategies is suggested to increase awareness and use of future resource developments. The inclusion of a resource trial among health professionals is a recommended strategy to increase awareness and use of newly developed resources.

Development and assessment of an active strategy for the implementation of a collaborative care approach for depression in primary care (the INDI\xb7i project)

BackgroundPrimary care is the principal clinical setting for the management of depression. However, significant shortcomings have been detected in its diagnosis and clinical management, as well as in patient outcomes. We developed the INDI collaborative care model to improve the management of depression in primary care. This intervention has been favorably evaluated in terms of clinical efficacy and cost-effectiveness in a clinical trial. Our aim is to bring this intervention from the scientific context into clinical practice.MethodsObjective: To test for the feasibility and impact of a strategy for implementing the INDI model for depression in primary care.Design: A quasi-experiment conducted in primary care. Several areas will be established to implement the new program and other, comparable areas will serve as control group. The study constitutes the preliminary phase preceding generalization of the model in the Catalan public healthcare system.Participants: The target population of the intervention are patients with major depression. The implementation strategy will also involve healthcare professionals, primary care centers, as well as management departments and the healthcare organization itself in the geographical areas where the study will be conducted: Camp de Tarragona and Vallès Occidental (Catalonia).Intervention: The INDI model is a program for improving the management of depression involving clinical, instructional, and organizational interventions including the participation of nurses as care managers, the efficacy and efficiency of which has been proven in a clinical trial. We will design an active implementation strategy for this model based on the PARIHS (Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services) framework.Measures: Qualitative and quantitative measures will be used to evaluate variables related to the successful implementation of the model: acceptability, utility, penetration, sustainability, and clinical impact.DiscussionThis project tests the transferability of a healthcare intervention supported by scientific research to clinical practice. If implementation is successful in this experimental phase, we will use the information and experience obtained to propose and plan the generalization of the INDI model for depression in the Catalan healthcare system. We expect the program to benefit patients, the healthcare system, and society.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03285659; Registered 12th September, 2017.

New international guidelines for curative treatment and prophylaxis for venous thromboembolism (VTE) in cancer patients and the dedicated smartphone application

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a frequent and serious complication in cancer patients, and the second leading cause of death in this setting. Cancer patients are also more likely to present recurrent VTE and major bleeding while taking anticoagulants. Management of VTE in these patients is always challenging and remains suboptimal worldwide. In 2013, the International Initiative on Thrombosis and Cancer (ITAC-CME) released international guidelines for the treatment and prophylaxis of VTE and central venous catheter-associated thrombosis, based on a systematic review of the literature ranked according to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation scale. An update of these ITAC-CME consensus guidelines, including the use of direct oral anticoagulants, was recently published. In this review, we summarize these updated guidelines. Better adherence to the international guidelines, involving an adequate educational and active implementation strategies, will substantially decrease the burden of VTE and allow to increase survival in cancer patients.

Implementation of international good clinical practice guidelines to improve care of patients with cancer-related venous thromboembolism

Over the past 20 years, venous thromboembolism (VTE) has become the second cause of death in cancer patients, where it accounts for increased morbidity, mortality, and health-care costs. Incidental VTE is increasingly diagnosed on systematic computed tomography scan evaluations, raising new questions in daily oncology practice. The exact mechanisms underlying the increase in cancer-related VTE are not fully understood. Risk factors include patient-related, cancer-related, and treatment-related parameters which vary for a single patient throughout cancer disease and which require repeated individual risk assessments. Cumulative results from studies in cancer patients with versus without VTE suggest that anticoagulation therapy prevents morbidity and may reduce mortality. However, despite the availability of effective and safe therapeutic options, VTE is often underrecognized and sub-optimally managed. Clinical practice guidelines addressing the management of VTE in cancer patients are heterogeneous and require adequate educational and active implementation strategies. This review, resulting from an extensive literature search, aims to summarize the recently published evidence-based guidelines for treatment and prophylaxis of cancer-related VTE, as well as the place of new oral anticoagulants in the treatment strategies. Adherence to guidelines could substantially decrease the burden of VTE and increase survival in cancer patients.

Is There a Scale-up Penalty? Testing Behavioral Change in the Scaling up of Parent Management Training in Norway

In the present study, the scaling up of Parent Management Training, Oregon Model (PMTO) in Norway was examined by investigating how large-scale dissemination affected the composition of the target group and the service providers by comparing child behavioral outcomes in the effectiveness and dissemination phases of implementation. Despite the larger heterogeneity of the service providers and the intake characteristics of the target group, which are contrary to the expectations that were derived from the literature, no attenuation of program effects was detected when scaling up PMTO. In Norway, a long-term-funded centralized center, combined with an active implementation strategy, seems to have affected the quality of PMTO delivered system-wide in services for children with behavior problems.

Development of an evidence-based clinical pathway for patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy.

130 Background: Pancreas cancer is the 4th cause of cancer death. Surgical resection is the optimal treatment. But pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) is complex with high perioperative morbidity. Complications following PD have a negative effect on quality of life and survival. Clinical pathways (CPW) are quality improvement (QI) tools that standardize the processes of care. Our aim was to develop and implement an evidence-based CPW for PD in the province of Ontario, Canada. Methods: A CPW following PD was developed using the Knowledge-to-Action framework. All 9 high volume Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary (HPB) centers in Ontario were invited to participate in a needs assessments workshop to promote awareness and early agreement for a CPW. Enthusiasm for a CPW was confirmed. End user input was incorporated into a multidisciplinary CPW. Barriers and enablers to implementation were assessed. Evidentiary support for CPW elements was integrated into the final product. An active implementation strategy that addressed key barriers was developed to promote CPW adoption and adherence. Pilot testing was undertaken. CPW uptake, compliance, and impact on clinical outcomes were evaluated. Pilot results were used to design the final CPW product and implementation strategy. Results: The needs assessment confirmed variability of perioperative processes at all sites. Participants expressed interest for a CPW and consensus was obtained on essential CPW components. During a 15 month pilot phase, 83/122 (68%) of eligible patients were initiated on CPW. Subjects able to achieve the goals of the CPW had a shorter length of stay (7 vs 11 days), lower in-hospital complications (9, 22% vs 19, 45%) and readmission (6, 15% vs 11, 26%) compared to those who were unable to achieve CPW targets. The majority of CPW users reported that the CPW was easy to use (26, 93%) and did not adversely affect workload (20, 71%). Pilot data were used to finalize the strategy used to implement the CPW at all Ontario HPB centers. Conclusions: We report that introduction of a standardized CPW for complex cancer surgery is possible with early engagement of stakeholders. Initial results suggest that this standardized approach is safe and positively impact quality of surgical care.

Active implementation strategy of CONSORT adherence by a dental specialty journal improved randomized clinical trial reporting

ObjectiveTo describe a novel CONsolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) adherence strategy implemented by the American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics (AJO-DO) and to report its impact on the completeness of reporting of published trials. Study Design and SettingThe AJO-DO CONSORT adherence strategy, initiated in June 2011, involves active assessment of randomized clinical trial (RCT) reporting during the editorial process. The completeness of reporting CONSORT items was compared between trials submitted and published during the implementation period (July 2011 to September 2013) and trials published between August 2007 and July 2009. ResultsOf the 42 RCTs submitted (July 2011 to September 2013), 23 were considered for publication and assessed for completeness of reporting, seven of which were eventually published. For all published RCTs between 2007 and 2009 (n = 20), completeness of reporting by CONSORT item ranged from 0% to 100% (Median = 40%, interquartile range = 60%). All published trials in 2011–2013, reported 33 of 37 CONSORT (sub) items. Four CONSORT 2010 checklist items remained problematic even after implementation of the adherence strategy: changes to methods (3b), changes to outcomes (6b) after the trial commenced, interim analysis (7b), and trial stopping (14b), which are typically only reported when applicable. ConclusionTrials published following implementation of the AJO-DO CONSORT adherence strategy completely reported more CONSORT items than those published or submitted previously.

Therapy for Cancer-Related Thromboembolism

Cancer is an independent and major risk factor for venous thromboembolism (VTE), defined by symptomatic or asymptomatic DVT, including catheter-related thrombosis (CRT), and/or pulmonary embolism (PE). Over the past 20 years, VTE has become the second cause of death in cancer patients, where it accounts for increased morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. Incidental VTE is increasingly diagnosed on systematic computed tomography in cancer patients, raising new questions in daily oncology practice. Risk factors for VTE in cancer include patient-, cancer-, and treatment-related parameters, which vary for a single patient throughout the course of cancer disease and necessitate repeated individual risk assessments. The use of biomarkers and risk assessment models allow identification of cancer patients at high risk for VTE. Anticoagulant therapy for the prophylaxis and the treatment of established VTE is efficient and relatively safe when contraindications are respected, but the variety of risk factors and the number of comorbidities remain major challenges for adequate VTE treatment in cancer patients. Several national guidelines for primary prevention and treatment of VTE in cancer patients were issued in the past 10 years. To homogeneize existing Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs), an international consensus working group released specific guidelines for the treatment and prophylaxis of VTE in cancer patients in 2013, so as to make each CPG easier to use at the national level. In cancer patients treated for VTE, the use of low-molecular-weight heparins (LMWHs) is preferred over other anticoagulants in most cases, and LMWHs were shown to be superior to vitamin K antagonists (VKAs). For the prophylaxis of VTE, LMWHs have been validated in surgical patients. For medical cancer patients, ongoing or recent clinical trials will inform our practice. However, several questions remain unanswered due to the number of comorbities in a single patient and expert opinion regarding special situations is required. Better adherence worldwide to CPGs necessitates adequate educational and active implementation strategies, which could substantially decrease the burden of VTE and increase survival in cancer patients.