Care Plus Research Articles

Use of interactive voice response technology to address barriers to fistula care in Nigeria and Uganda.

The use of digital health technologies has expanded across low-resource settings, including in programs seeking to improve maternal health care seeking and service usage. However, there has been limited use of these technologies for screening and referral within maternal health, and many interventions have relied on SMS tools, which may have limited impact in settings with low female literacy. Digital health technologies have the potential to increase access to care for chronic maternal morbidities, such as obstetric fistula, and for women facing stigma, geographic isolation, and other sociocultural barriers to care seeking. This study documented the process of developing and implementing an innovative fistula screening and referral hotline using interactive voice response (IVR) technology, and described the service usage results and stakeholder perspectives associated with the hotline. The IVR hotline was introduced within the context of a broader Fistula Treatment Barriers Reduction Intervention implemented by the USAID-funded Fistula Care Plus project in Ebonyi and Katsina states in Nigeria and Kalungu district in Uganda. The intervention used three communication pathways to disseminate fistula information and conduct fistula screening: trained community agents, trained primary health care providers, and the IVR hotline paired with mass media messaging. All positively-screened women were eligible to receive vouchers for free transportation to an accredited fistula treatment center. Quantitative and qualitative data on intervention implementation and use across all three communication pathways were gathered during intervention implementation, at baseline, midline, and endline; as well as through ongoing program monitoring. This study presents findings specifically on service usage and stakeholder perspectives related to the IVR hotline. Over a period of ten to twelve months of implementation, depending on the intervention area, a total of 566 women completed the IVR hotline screening process. Across the areas, 415 (73%) hotline callers screened positive for fistula symptoms. Hotline users and implementation partners reported positive impressions of the hotline, particularly the ability to preserve anonymity in seeking information and referral for fistula symptoms. Challenges to hotline use included limited mobile phone ownership and poor cellular network connectivity, affecting operability by women and community agents. Implementation of the fistula screening hotline suggests that IVR-based interventions may be useful in expanding access to health services for stigmatized conditions, particularly in settings where literacy is limited. In the current context, such IVR tools require pairing with community and health system partners to complete referral and support clients. Further program experience and evaluation research is required to understand the options for integrating the IVR hotline or other interventions similarly using mobile technologies for screening and referral into broader digital health platforms that are sustained by national health systems or commercial business models.

Referral decisions and its predictors related to orthopaedic care. A retrospective study in a novel primary care setting

Due to the ageing population, the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders will continue to rise, as well as healthcare expenditure. To overcome these increasing expenditures, integration of orthopaedic care should be stimulated. The Primary Care Plus (PC+) intervention aimed to achieve this by facilitating collaboration between primary care and the hospital, in which specialised medical care is shifted to a primary care setting. The present study aims to evaluate the referral decision following orthopaedic care in PC+ and in particular to evaluate the influence of diagnostic tests on this decision. Therefore, retrospective monitoring data of patients visiting PC+ for orthopaedic care was used. Data was divided into two periods; P1 and P2. During P2, specialists in PC+ were able to request additional diagnostic tests (such as ultrasounds and MRIs). A total of 2,438 patients visiting PC+ for orthopaedic care were included in the analysis. The primary outcome was the referral decision following PC+ (back to the general practitioner (GP) or referral to outpatient hospital care). Independent variables were consultation- and patient-related predictors. To describe variations in the referral decision, logistic regression modelling was used. Results show that during P2, significantly more patients were referred back to their GP. Moreover, the multivariable analysis show a significant effect of patient age on the referral decision (OR 0.86, 95% CI = 0.81–0.91) and a significant interaction was found between the treating specialist and the period (p = 0.015) and between patient’s diagnosis and the period (p ≤ 0.001). Despite the significant impact of the possibility of requesting additional diagnostic tests in PC+, it is important to discuss the extent to which the availability of diagnostic tests fits within the vision of PC+. In addition, selecting appropriate profiles for specialists and patients for PC+ are necessary to further optimise the effectiveness and cost of care.

Pilot implementation of Bukhali: A preconception health trial in South Africa.

Objectives:This article describes the learnings from the pilot phase of the Healthy Life Trajectories Initiative, a preconception health trial for 18- to 25-year-old women in Soweto, South Africa.Methods:The study compares two arms focussed on either physical and mental health (intervention; delivered by community health workers – ‘Health Helpers’) or standard of care plus (control; standard access to healthcare plus additional telephonic input on ‘life skills’; delivered by call centre assistants). These are collectively referred to as Bukhali. Data on the pilot implementation of the Bukhali trial (n = 1655) were collected from (1) weekly team meetings, (2) two focus groups (one with the intervention team Health Helpers, n = 7; one with intervention participants, n = 8) and one paired interview with control call centre assistants (n = 2), (3) notes from eight debrief sessions with Health Helpers and (4) quantitative trial monitoring data. Qualitative data were thematically analysed.Results:The findings clustered within three themes: (1) challenges for young women in Soweto, (2) priorities for young women in Soweto and (3) implementation challenges and perceptions of the intervention. Challenges were mostly related to tough socioeconomic circumstances and less prioritisation of living a healthier life. The priorities of employment and educational opportunities reflected the socioeconomic challenges, where health was not recognised as priority. The main challenge to participation and compliance with the trial was that young women in Soweto generally wanted a tangible and preferably financial and immediate benefit. Community peer sessions, despite being recommended by young women as part of the intervention development, were not successful. Many women also moved between multiple households within Soweto, which flagged concerns for a cluster trial and risk of contamination.Conclusion:Preconception health trials should consider socioeconomic challenges present in urban poor contexts. Learnings from the pilot phase significantly affected the design and implementation of the main Bukhali trial.

Self-care for head and neck cancer survivors with lymphedema and fibrosis: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundHead and neck cancer (HNC) patients are at high risk for developing lymphedema and fibrosis (LEF) following cancer treatment. Once HNC patients develop LEF, they need to conduct life-long self-care to slow LEF progression and reduce associated symptom burden and functional deficits. Data demonstrate that inadequate LEF self-care may be a potentially remediable issue. The objective of this study is to explore the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of an Information-Motivation-Behavioral (IMB) Skills model-driven self-care program (SCP) to improve LEF management and reduce LEF-related symptom burden and functional impairments.Methods/designThis is a three-arm, prospective, randomized controlled clinical trial to compare: Group 1 – Usual Care, Group 2 – Usual Care Plus LEF-SCP, and Group 3 – Usual Care Plus LEF-SCP Plus Follow-Up. Participants will be HNC survivors aged > 18 years of age, who meet predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. A sample size of 75 participants is targeted. Interventions will be provided by trained staff. The study assessments for all groups will take place at five points: study entry then 3, 6, 9, and 12 months post enrollment. Outcome measures include: (1) feasibility (barriers to implementation, safety, and satisfaction) of the proposed intervention; (2) self-efficacy and adherence to self-care; and (3) preliminary efficacy (LEF progression, symptom burden, and functional status) of the proposed intervention.DiscussionThis will be the first study to evaluate the feasibility of a LEF-SCP in the HNC population and its impact on self-efficacy and adherence. Furthermore, it will evaluate the potential benefit of routine follow-up on adherence and fidelity to the self-care protocol. We expect that the trial will provide evidence supporting the feasibility of a LEF self-care program. In addition, we anticipate that preliminary data will support improved outcomes including increased adherence and fidelity, and decreased LEF-associated symptoms.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the US National Institute of Health (NCT 03030859). Registered on 22 January 2017.

Exploring the utility of self-determination theory in complex interventions in multimorbidity: A qualitative analysis of patient experiences of the CARE Plus intervention.

CARE Plus is a primary-care-based complex intervention for patients with multimorbidity living in areas of high socioeconomic deprivation. This study explores patients' experience of the intervention and whether self-determination theory is useful to understand reported impacts. Thematic analysis of semistructured interviews of 14 participants conducted during a randomised controlled trial of CARE Plus. Improvement in wellbeing in daily lives following CARE Plus was estimated from participants' accounts of their experiences of the intervention. Participants valued the CARE Plus consultations irrespective of perceived improvements. Six participants reported changes in wellbeing that improved daily life, three reported slight improvement (not impacting daily life) and five no improvement. Evidence of satisfaction of the three major self-determination theory psychological needs - relatedness, competence and autonomy - was prominent in the accounts of those experiencing improved wellbeing in daily life; this group also spoke in ways congruent with more self-determined motivational regulation. These changes were not evident in those with little or no improvement in wellbeing. This study suggests self-determination theory has utility in understanding the impact of CARE Plus on patients and may be a useful theory to inform development of future interventions to improve outcomes for patients with multimorbidity.

An Assessment of Home-Based Newborn Care Plus Innovation in Six districts of Rajasthan: A Cross Sectional Comparative Analysis

Background: To improve coverage of key child health community practices, Home Based Infant Care (HBNC+) was implemented with support of Norway India Partnership Initiative (NIPI) in 4 States of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Odisha. The innovation aimed at improving coverage of key child health interventions through home visits by community health worker, Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA). Aims & Objective: This paper elucidates the results from the assessment of implementation in intervention versus control districts of Rajasthan. Material & Methods: A cross-sectional intervention-control design with a sample size of 3211 mothers of children in age group 0 to 23 months was adopted. Results: 85 percent of the children (aged 3-23 months) received at least one infant care home visit in the intervention districts in comparison to 32 percent in control. Significant improvements were found in terms of exclusive breastfeeding, weighing and Iron Folic Acid (IFA) consumption and availability of ORS and Iron Syrup in intervention districts. 15 percent additional children had weight plotted in growth charts and 24 percent more consumed IFA syrup bi-weekly in intervention districts. Conclusion: Home visits in infancy is a scalable model and can lead to improvement of community child health practices.

The status of the Primary Health Care Plus pilot project in Poland

Background The National Health Fund (NHF) is the public payer solely accountable for securing and organizing access to health care services in Poland. The NHF is responsible for implementing a project entitled “Primary Health Care PLUS” which aims to introduce a primary care centered model, based on coordinated, proactive and preventive methods relevant to patients’ needs and furthermore, works to keep patients well-informed and active participants in health care decision-making. The implementation period of the project is July 1, 2018 through Dec. 31, 2021. Aim of the study The purpose of this study is to outline patient demographics and staff structures of providers that took part in the PHC PLUS pilot program, as well as the status of the program throughout the first year of its implementation. Materials and Methods Following an open and transparent recruitment process, 42 urban and rural primary health care providers were selected. The purpose of the providers’ geographic spread was to ensure the model was tested in all representative regions of the country. Results 42 PHC PLUS providers attending to 288,392 patients are participating in the project. Approximately 1,100 medical staff members are involved in the project. PHC PLUS medical teams consist of specialists including physicians, coordinators, nurses, dietitians, psychologists, physiotherapists and health educators. Out of 41,022 health risk assessments declared to be conducted during the project, 18,058 (43.1%) were performed from July 1, 2018 to April 30, 2019, including 4,537 basic and 13,521 extended assessments. Furthermore, 15,020 patients in total, participated in the disease management programs, which are also paid from the project. Conclusions A Polish health care pilot project that centers primary care can help shift the focus toward preventive interventions, rather than the current system, which often focuses on providing medical care to patients who have already been diagnosed with diseases, often in their more advanced stages.

Communication strategy in Primary Health Care plus project in Poland

The International Journal of Integrated Care (IJIC) is an online, open-access, peer-reviewed scientific journal that publishes original articles in the field of integrated care on a continuous basis.IJIC has an Impact Factor of 5.120 (2020 JCR, received in June 2021)The IJIC 20th Anniversary Issue was published in 2021.

Primary Health Care PLUS project in Poland: health check-ups and patients’ engagement

The International Journal of Integrated Care (IJIC) is an online, open-access, peer-reviewed scientific journal that publishes original articles in the field of integrated care on a continuous basis.IJIC has an Impact Factor of 5.120 (2020 JCR, received in June 2021)The IJIC 20th Anniversary Issue was published in 2021.

Promotion of Primary Health Care PLUS project in Poland by active inviting patients to health check-ups

The International Journal of Integrated Care (IJIC) is an online, open-access, peer-reviewed scientific journal that publishes original articles in the field of integrated care on a continuous basis.IJIC has an Impact Factor of 5.120 (2020 JCR, received in June 2021)

Primary Health Care PLUS project in Poland: disease management programs

The International Journal of Integrated Care (IJIC) is an online, open-access, peer-reviewed scientific journal that publishes original articles in the field of integrated care on a continuous basis.IJIC has an Impact Factor of 5.120 (2020 JCR, received in June 2021)The IJIC 20th Anniversary Issue was published in 2021.

Evaluating Primary Care Plus interventions in the Netherlands: discussion of methods and results regarding the Quadruple Aim

The International Journal of Integrated Care (IJIC) is an online, open-access, peer-reviewed scientific journal that publishes original articles in the field of integrated care on a continuous basis.IJIC has an Impact Factor of 5.120 (2020 JCR, received in June 2021)

Substitution of hospital care with Primary Care Plus: differences in referral patterns according to specialty, specialist and diagnosis group

BackgroundPrimary Care Plus (PC+) is an intervention where patients consult specialists in a primary care setting outside the hospital. Two facilities have been founded in the city of Maastricht, the Netherlands. Main aim is to achieve substitution of hospital care with primary care and hence reduce costs. The objective of this study is to evaluate referral patterns per specialty, specialist and diagnosis group, as input for deliberations to optimise substitution.MethodsProspectively collected referral data after PC+ consultations between November 2014 and March 2016 was analysed for eight participating specialties. Primary outcomes were differences in referral patterns per specialty, specialist and diagnosis group. Absolute counts and percentages were recorded for categorical variables, means and standard deviations for continuous variables. Statistical analyses were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics 23 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL).ResultsIn total 4536 patients were seen in PC+; 3132 (69.0%) were referred back to the general practitioner (GP), whereas 1275 (28.1%) were referred to secondary care. Referral information of 130 (2.9%) patients was unknown. Large differences in referral numbers to secondary care after PC+ consultation were found between specialties (from 8.6% (gynaecology) to 43.8% (orthopaedic surgery)), specialists (14.5 to 65.2%) and diagnosis groups (11.1 to 93.4%).ConclusionsWide variation in referral numbers to secondary care between specialties, specialists and diagnosis groups exists after PC+ consultations. This data indicates that deliberation and further research is needed in order to optimize substitution initiatives like PC+.

Substituting hospital-based outpatient cardiology care: The impact on quality, health and costs.

BackgroundMany Western countries face the challenge of providing high-quality care while keeping the healthcare system accessible and affordable. In an attempt to deal with this challenge a new healthcare delivery model called primary care plus (PC+) was introduced in the Netherlands. Within the PC+ model, medical specialists perform consultations in a primary care setting. PC+ aims to support the general practitioners in gatekeeping and prevent unnecessary referrals to hospital care. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of a cardiology PC+ intervention on the Triple Aim outcomes, which were operationalized by patient-perceived quality of care, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) outcomes, and healthcare costs per patient.MethodsThis is a quantitative study with a longitudinal observational design. The study population consisted of patients, with non-acute and low-complexity cardiology-related health complaints, who were referred to the PC+ centre (intervention group) or hospital-based outpatient care (control group; care-as-usual). Patient-perceived quality of care and HRQoL (EQ-5D-5L, EQ-VAS and SF-12) were measured through questionnaires at three different time points. Healthcare costs per patient were obtained from administrative healthcare data and patients were followed for nine months. Chi-square tests, independent t-tests and multilevel linear models were used to analyse the data.ResultsThe patient-perceived quality of care was significantly higher within the intervention group for 26 out of 27 items. HRQoL outcomes did significantly increase in both groups (P <0.05) but there was no significant interaction between group and time. At baseline and also at three, six and nine months’ follow-up the healthcare costs per patient were significantly lower for patients in the intervention group (P<0.001).ConclusionsWhile this study showed no improvements on HRQoL outcomes, PC+ seemed to be promising as it results in improved quality of care as experienced by patients and lower healthcare costs per patient.

Biocidal Efficacy of a Hydrogen Peroxide Lens Care Solution Incorporating a Novel Wetting Agent.

To compare the antimicrobial effects of CLEAR CARE, a 3% hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) solution formulated for simultaneous cleaning, daily protein removal, disinfection, and storage of soft (hydrophilic) hydrogel, silicone hydrogel, and gas-permeable contact lenses, and CLEAR CARE PLUS, consisting of the 3% H2O2 solution plus a novel wetting agent, polyoxyethylene-polyoxybutylene (EOBO-21). Three lots each of the 2 solutions were incubated with 5 compendial microorganisms required by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) and International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 14729 stand-alone procedures, 4 clinical isolates of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, and trophozoites and cysts of 2 Acanthamoeba strains that are associated with microbial keratitis. Microbial loads were evaluated after disinfection and neutralization. Both solutions exceeded the FDA/ISO stand-alone primary criteria against Gram-positive and Gram-negative compendial bacteria, yeast, and mold after only 1.5-hr disinfection/neutralization. At the recommended minimum disinfection time, bacteria were reduced by 4.4 to 5.1 logs, yeast by 4.4 to 4.9 logs, and mold by 2.9 to 3.5 logs with and without organic soil. In addition, both solutions eliminated or effectively reduced populations of clinically relevant ocular bacterial isolates (4.5-5.0 logs), Acanthamoeba trophozoites (3.4-4.2 logs), and cysts (1.5-2.1 logs). Both solutions eliminated or reduced populations of FDA/ISO compendial bacteria and fungi as well as clinically relevant microorganisms and Acanthamoeba trophozoites and cysts. The addition of EOBO-21 to the 3% H2O2 lens care solution had no impact on antimicrobial activity.

Development of traditional Chinese medicine health care services for the elderly in the era of "Internet+"

National health is the fundamental purpose of building a healthy China. This paper analyzes the development status and existing problems of informational TCM health care services for the elderly, and proposes development strategies for TCM health care services, including Health Care Plus Intelligent Management, Platform Plus Tourism Support, Medical Network Integration, and Smoothening the Industry Chain for the new era of Internet Plus, with the purposes of realizing real-time disease detection and intelligent diagnoses, meeting the senior health care needs, responding proactively to the call of the aging population and promoting the development and revitalization of TCM in the field of senior care. Key words: Modernization of traditional Chinese medicine and pharmacy; Health care service for the elderly; Informatization; Service models; Developmental approaches

Chiropractic Care Plus Physiotherapy Compared to Physiotherapy Alone in Chronic Stroke Patients: a Pilot Study

Chiropractic Care Plus Physiotherapy Compared to Physiotherapy Alone in Chronic Stroke Patients: a Pilot Study

Expanding Palliative Care Accessibility: Models for Palliative Care delivery in Primary Care and Hospital-Based Settings (TH369)

•Compare and contrast primary palliative care and consult based care delivery.•Describe interdisciplinary peer education strategies.•Describe longitudinal support system from academic center to rural community hospital to improve palliative care access for patients in rural communities.•Evaluate successes and barriers in supporting palliative care planning and implementation in rural ICU setting. Primary palliative care is a model to deliver palliative care that can be used by treatment teams without access to full palliative care consult teams. This includes primary care offices which are the center of care for many patients with serious illness, especially those in rural and underserved regions. Ensuring excellent palliative care delivery within these models is critical to improving quality of care across the trajectory of serious illness. Primary palliative care benefits patients and families by decreasing symptom burden, suffering, conflict and non-beneficial treatments while increasing quality of life, comprehension and satisfaction. It similarly benefits clinicians and health systems by decreasing conflict, costs, length of stay and delivery of non-beneficial therapies. Primary palliative care can use triggers, guidelines and decision support tools to aid primary providers in palliative interventions and communication. This is increasingly recognized in value-based payment models such as Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) and the Comprehensive Primary Care Plus program, thus creating an opportunity for palliative care clinicians. This concurrent session will present unique, multidisciplinary approaches to enhance primary palliative care delivery. These models vary from providing training for hospital-based and primary care clinicians to integrating palliative specialists in primary care. They include:1.Focused geriatrics and palliative care skills training for primary care physicians within an ACO.2.A trial of home-based palliative care embedded within a primary care practice vs. usual office-based care enriched with palliative care training for primary care clinicians.3.A systematic intervention to improve serious illness communication in primary care.4.A curriculum on best practice approaches to delivering primary palliative care for hospital-based teams with community education and outreach. Both primary care and palliative care needs and resources vary widely by region and practice. Each model presented will emphasize the process of needs assessment and stakeholder engagement preceding program design and implementation. This will equip attendees to return to their own communities and begin to engage with primary care practices around developing models of care.

Randomised trial to evaluate the effectiveness and impact of offering postvisit decision support and assistance in obtaining physician-recommended colorectal cancer screening: the e-assist: Colon Health study—a protocol study

IntroductionHow to provide practice-integrated decision support to patients remains a challenge. We are testing the effectiveness of a practice-integrated programme targeting patients with a physician recommendation for colorectal cancer (CRC)...

Frequency and management of non-obstetric fistula in the Democratic Republic of Congo: experience from Fistula Care Plus project

Aims: To describe the frequency and management of non-obstetric fistula (NOF) in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).&#x0D; Methods: A retrospective cohort study reviewed patients’ medical records in three fistula repair sites supported by the USAID-funded Fistula Care Plus (FC+) Project, covering 1 January 2015 to 31 December 2017. Study variables included demographic characteristics, fistula etiology as reported by surgeon, fistula type (Waaldijk classification), and treatment outcomes.&#x0D; Results: Of 1984 women treated for female genital fistula between 2015 and 2017 in the three sites, 384 (19%) were considered to be NOF cases. 91% of these women resided in rural areas. 49.3% were married/in relationship at time of treatment compared to 69% before the fistula (p&lt;0.001). Most (n=316; 82.3%) had no previous repair attempts and 96.2% had an intact urethra. Type III (n=247; 64.3%) and type I (n=121; 31.5%) fistulas (Waaldijk classification) were most common. The main causes of NOF were medical procedure (n=305; 79.4%), congenital origin (41; 10.7%) or sexual assault (28; 7.3%). Caesarean section (n=234; 76.7%) and hysterectomy (n=54; 17.7%) were the most common causative procedures. 369 women with NOF received surgical repair (96%), mainly through routine services (n=317; 85.9%). At discharge, 353 women were closed and dry (95.7%) and 11 were closed with residual incontinence (3.0%).&#x0D; Conclusions: NOF, particularly due to iatrogenic causes, was relatively common in DRC. Surgical repair at FC+-supported sites led to good clinical outcomes. However, to achieve a fistula-free generation in DRC, prevention of iatrogenic fistula is needed, requiring improved quality of maternal care.