Clinical Pathway For Treatment Research Articles

Development and delivery of patient treatment in the Trondheim Hip Fracture Trial. A new geriatric in-hospital pathway for elderly patients with hip fracture

BackgroundHip fractures are common among frail elderly persons and often have serious consequences on function, mobility and mortality. Traditional treatment of these patients is performed in orthopedic departments without additional geriatric assessment. However, studies have shown that interdisciplinary geriatric treatment may be beneficial compared to traditional treatment. The aim of the present study is to investigate whether treatment of these patients in a Department of Geriatrics (DG) during the entire hospital stay gives additional benefits as compared to conventional treatment in a Department of Orthopaedic Surgery (DOS).FindingsA new clinical pathway for in-hospital treatment of hip fracture patients was developed. In this pathway patients were treated pre-and postoperatively in DG. Comprehensive geriatric assessment was performed as an interdisciplinary, multidimensional, systematic assessment of all patients focusing on each patient’s capabilities and limitations as recommended in guidelines and systematic reviews. Identification and treatment of co-morbidities, pain relief, hydration, oxygenation, nutrition, elimination, prevention and management of delirium, assessment of falls and osteoporosis were emphasized. Discharge planning started as early as possible. Initiation of rehabilitation with focus on early mobilisation and development of individual plans was initiated in hospital and continued after discharge from hospital. Fracture specific treatment was based upon standard treatment for the hospital, expert opinions and a review of the literature.ConclusionA new treatment program for old hip fracture patients was developed, introduced and run in the DG, the potential benefits of which being compared with traditional care of hip fracture patients in the DOS in a randomised clinical trial.

Protocol Management of Late-Stage Pressure Ulcers

Despite a 12 to 82 percent pressure ulcer recurrence rate, no standard protocol exists for postoperative management. The authors reviewed a single surgeon's experience using a standard protocol: surgery and immediate reconstruction regardless of nutrition, intraoperative bone culture guiding postoperative antibiotic use, and hospital admission for 3 weeks of flat bedrest before graduated sitting. A 5-year retrospective chart review was performed on consecutive surgically treated pressure ulcers. A search of billing records identified 101 patients with 179 ulcers. Data abstracted included demographics, comorbidities, location and stage of ulcers, treatment history with outcomes, and laboratory data. Seventy-nine percent of the patients were men with a mean age of 49.4 years. Of 179 ulcers, 49.7 percent were ischial, 26.8 percent were sacral, and 19 percent were trochanteric; 87.7 percent of ulcers were stage 4. Primary closure was performed on 45.8 percent; others underwent flap closure. There was no correlation between positive bone cultures and recurrence or complications. The overall recurrence rate was 16.8 percent at a mean period of 435.9 days. New ulcer occurrence was 14.5 percent and the complication rate was 17.3 percent. Admission prealbumin and albumin did not correlate with recurrence or complication. Mean follow-up was 629 days. A standard clinical pathway for pressure ulcer treatment improves long-term outcomes; the authors' protocol's validity is supported by low recurrence and complication rates. Nutritional data do not predict outcome. Intraoperative bone cultures are the most valid method of diagnosing osteomyelitis; results should not delay definitive treatment. Therapeutic, IV.

Clinical Pathways as Instruments for Risk and Cost Management in Hospitals - A Discussion Paper

Introduction:The distinctive characteristics of the German health system are medical progress and financial pressure—and this is especially true of the hospitals. These challenges must be met by strategic management instruments for quality assurance, and by reducing costs.Purpose:This article presents the instrument “clinical pathway” (also known as “clinical treatment pathway”) and describes the possibilities it offers, both for quality assurance and risk management, and for cost reduction. The clinical pathway presented here will be that for “multimodal pain therapy”, as used in the context of acute inpatient care in Germany.Methods:A general presentation of the risks in hospital is followed by consideration of the risks associated with core processes. A comprehensive total cost analysis is performed for those patients who meet the pathway entry criteria and who fulfil the requirements for the structure of care provided within multimodal pain therapy.Discussion and Conclusion:Multimodal pain therapy places high demands on the structural, procedural and outcome quality of the medical, nursing and therapeutic services provided, and these demands are reflected in high costs for the provision of this care. The treatment process involves many different professional groups. These complex interfaces can potentially generate risks, which can lead to the possibility of legal liability. A clinical pathway must structure the core process and then combine elements of quality assurance in order to optimise patient care and minimise risk. The examination of costs reveals significant potential savings (patients with clinical pathway: EUR 3086±212; patients without clinical pathway: EUR 3774±460; Mann-Whitney U test; p<0.001). For the managers of a hospital, the clinical pathway represents a strategic management instrument that can serve for continual cost control and cost reduction, and can contribute in the form of quality assurance towards a transparent provision of services.

Pathway to Dry Skin Prevention and Treatment

This article presents an evidence-supported clinical pathway for dry skin prevention and treatment. The development of the pathway involved the following: a literature review was conducted and demonstrated that literature on dry skin is scarce. To compensate for the gap in the available literature, a modified Delphi method was used to collect information on prevention and treatment practice through a panel, which included 10 selected dermatologists who currently provide medical care for dermatology patients in Ontario. An advisor experienced in this therapeutic area guided the process, including a central meeting. Panel members completed a questionnaire regarding their individual practice in caring for these patients and responded to questions on assessment of dry skin etiology, frequency of skin care visits for consultation and follow-up, assessment, and referral to other specialties. The panel members reviewed a summary of all responses and reached a consensus. The result was presented as a clinical pathway. The panel concluded that our current awareness of dry skin and therefore prevention and effective treatment is limited; that identifying dry skin and its clinical issues requires tools such as clinical pathways, which may improve patient outcomes; and that additional research on dry skin etiology, prevention, and treatment is necessary.

Development of an Antibiogram in a Long-Term Care Facility

To create an antibiogram-a profile of an organism's susceptibility/resistance to a panel of antibiotics- for a long-term care facility to assess the prevalence of resistance of bacteria present at the facility. Retrospective analysis of culture and sensitivity data from July 1, 2009, through June 30, 2010. A long-term care facility in Huntsville, Alabama. Residents of the long-term care facility that had one or more culture and sensitivity test performed. Susceptibility of bacteria to each antimicrobial tested. Results were compiled and reported according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute Analysis and Presentation of Cumulative Antimicrobial Susceptibility Test Data. The most commonly seen bacteria in our long-term care facility were Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Proteus mirabilis. Resistance rates for these bacteria were high and included the presence of methicillinresistant S. aureus and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing bacteria. Resistance rates were high among all organisms reported. This poses a serious threat to the health care team's ability to effectively treat residents of this facility. Development of an antibiogram to assist physicians in antimicrobial selection will be beneficial in helping evaluate trends in drug resistance to current available treatments. Implementing clinical pathways for empiric treatment of infections could improve the ability to provide consistent treatment for all residents in the facility.

Selection and persistence rate of biological agents under community cooperation clinical pathway for rheumatoid arthritis treatment with biological agents

Selection and persistence rate of biological agents under community cooperation clinical pathway for rheumatoid arthritis treatment with biological agents

Sacral Neuromodulation for the Treatment of Fecal Incontinence: Analysis of Cost-Effectiveness

The cost-effectiveness and budget impact of introducing sacral nerve modulation (SNM) as a treatment for fecal incontinence in Italy were evaluated in a simulation model. A decision-analysis model with a Markov submodel was used to represent clinical pathways for treatment of patients with fecal incontinence in a scenario with SNM and a scenario without SNM. Data were obtained from published studies and from an expert panel. Evaluation of resource consumption was conducted from the perspective of the Italian National Health Service, and costs were retrieved from the Italian NHS procedures reimbursement list. The time horizon was 5 years, and a 3% discount rate was applied to costs and outcomes. Effectiveness was measured in symptom-free years and in quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs). Fecal incontinence prevalence data and SNM usage forecasts were used to estimate budget impact over the next 5 years. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio for introducing SNM was €28,285 per QALY gained for patients with a structurally deficient anal sphincter and €38,662 per QALY gained for patients with intact anal sphincters. If a threshold of €40,000 per QALY gained is set as the level that a decision-maker would regard as cost-effective, the probability that the introduction of SNM will be cost-effective would be 99% for patients with a structurally deficient sphincter and 53% for patients with an intact sphincter. Budget impact analysis showed that introducing SNM would have an estimated budget impact of 0.56% over 5 years on the budget allocated for fecal incontinence treatment. Our data show SNM to be an efficient investment with an acceptable incremental cost-effectiveness ratio and a limited impact on the total allocated budget for fecal incontinence.

Thoracic outlet syndrome part 1: Clinical manifestations, differentiation and treatment pathways

Thoracic outlet syndrome part 1: Clinical manifestations, differentiation and treatment pathways

Klinischer Behandlungspfad – konservative Wirbelsäulenbehandlung

Back pain is a very common clinical picture. The causes are often not only somatic, which generally has led to a biopsychosocial understanding of this disease. Therefore, it is necessary to employ a multimodal treatment approach to achieve effective and longer-lasting relief. Such a concept requires the cooperation of multiple disciplines in a sophisticated and strongly organized manner. In our clinic we have developed a clinical pathway for conservative back pain treatment that avoids the use of too much time by careful coordination of the therapy elements. It has proven to be a successful tool for the efficient treatment of patients with primarily somatically caused back pain. The following article describes this clinical pathway.

Locoregional intravascular viral therapy of cancer: precision guidance for Paris's arrow?

Viral therapy of cancer includes strategies such as viral transduction of tumour cells with 'suicide genes', using viral infection to trigger immune-mediated tumour cell death and using oncolytic viruses for their direct anti-tumour action. However, problems still remain in terms of adequate viral delivery to tumours. A role is also emerging for single-organ isolation and perfusion. Having begun with the advent of isolated limb perfusion for extremity malignancy, experimental systems have been developed for the perfusion of other organs, particularly the liver, kidneys and lungs. These are beginning to be adopted into clinical treatment pathways. The combination of these two modalities is potentially significant. Locoregional perfusion increases the exposure of tumour cells to viral agents. In addition, the avoidance of systemic elimination through the immune and reticulo-endothelial systems should provide a mechanism for increased transduction/infection of target cells. The translation of laboratory research to clinical practice would occur within the context of perfusion programmes, which are already established in the clinic. Many of these programmes include the use of vasoactive cytokines such as tumour necrosis factor-alpha, which may have an effect on viral uptake. Evidence of activation of specific anti-tumour immunological responses by intratumoural and other existing methods of viral administration raises the intriguing possibility of a locoregional therapy, with the ability to affect distant sites of disease. In this review, we examined the state of the literature in this area and summarized current findings before indicating likely areas of continuing interest.

Clinical Pathway for Treatment of Esophageal Carcinoma

Clinical Pathway for Treatment of Esophageal Carcinoma

Reduced in-hospital mortality for heart failure with clinical pathways: the results of a cluster randomised controlled trial

Background:Hospital treatment of heart failure (HF) frequently does not follow published guidelines, potentially contributing to HF high morbidity, mortality and economic cost. The Experimental Prospective Study on the Effectiveness and...

Delusional infestation.

This papers aims at familiarizing psychiatric and nonpsychiatric readers with delusional infestation (DI), also known as delusional parasitosis. It is characterized by the fixed belief of being infested with pathogens against all medical evidence. DI is no single disorder but can occur as a delusional disorder of the somatic type (primary DI) or secondary to numerous other conditions. A set of minimal diagnostic criteria and a classification are provided. Patients with DI pose a truly interdisciplinary problem to the medical system. They avoid psychiatrists and consult dermatologists, microbiologists, or general practitioners but often lose faith in professional medicine. Epidemiology and history suggest that the imaginary pathogens change constantly, while the delusional theme "infestation" is stable and ubiquitous. Patients with self-diagnosed "Morgellons disease" can be seen as a variation of this delusional theme. For clinicians, clinical pathways for efficient diagnostics and etiology-specific treatment are provided. Specialized outpatient clinics in dermatology with a liaison psychiatrist are theoretically best placed to provide care. The most intricate problem is to engage patients in psychiatric therapy. In primary DI, antipsychotics are the treatment of choice, according to limited but sufficient evidence. Pimozide is no longer the treatment of choice for reasons of drug safety. Future research should focus on pathophysiology and the neural basis of DI, as well as on conclusive clinical trials, which are widely lacking. Innovative approaches will be needed, since otherwise patients are unlikely to adhere to any study protocol.

Avoidance and Inflexibility as a Common Clinical Pathway in Obesity and Smoking Treatment

This brief study presents reductions in avoidance and inflexibility as a potential common clinical pathway to intervene on for both smoking cessation and weight control. A mediation analysis--using the Avoidance and Inflexibility Scale (AIS)--was conducted on a group of participants (N = 84) who were shown to improve weight control outcomes after receiving an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) intervention. Results were then compared to a previous study using the same process measure (AIS) for smoking cessation. Results suggest a common clinical pathway.

Thoracic outlet syndrome part 1: Clinical manifestations, differentiation and treatment pathways

Thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) is a challenging condition to diagnose correctly and manage appropriately. This is the result of a number of factors including the multifaceted contribution to the syndrome, the limitations of current clinical diagnostic tests, the insufficient recognition of the sub-types of TOS and the dearth of research into the optimal treatment approach. This masterclass identifies the subtypes of TOS, highlights the possible factors that contribute to the condition and outlines the clinical examination required to diagnose the presence of TOS.

Application of clinical pathway in treatment of pneumoconiosis with whole lung lavage

目的 评价临床路径(CP)应用于大容量肺灌洗治疗尘肺患者实施效果.方法 将130例大容量肺灌洗治疗尘肺患者按住院顺序随机分为CP组和对照组,对照组65例实施传统治疗和护理,CP组65例实施CP,比较两组的治疗、护理效果.结果 CP组平均每人住院费用(8803.66±812.02)元,对照组平均(10534.69±1035.43)元,两组比较,差异有统计学意义(P<0.01).CP组平均每人住院天数(9.7±1.3)d,对照组平均为(12.9±2.4)d,两组比较,差异有统计学意义(P<0.01).结论 CP应用于大容量肺灌洗治疗尘肺能提高医疗护理质量,降低住院费用,缩短住院时间,在临床实践中切实可行。

M118 – A rationally engineered low-molecular-weight heparin designed specifically for the treatment of acute coronary syndromes

The initial choice of anticoagulant therapy administered in emergency departments for acute coronary syndromes (ACS) has important consequences for subsequent patient care, as neither unfractionated heparin (UFH) nor low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) are ideally suited for all potential clinical treatment pathways. UFH remains widely used for surgical interventions because of the ability to rapidly reverse its anticoagulant activity. However, the unpredictable pharmacokinetic profile of UFH presents safety issues, and the low subcutaneous bioavailability limits the utility of UFH for patients who are medically managed. LMWH has superior pharmacokinetic properties, but its anticoagulant activity cannot be effectively monitored or reversed during surgery. There is an unmet medical need for a baseline anticoagulant therapy that addresses these shortcomings while retaining the beneficial properties of both UFH and LMWH. We describe here M118, a novel LMWH designed specifically for use in the treatment of ACS. M118 shows broad anticoagulant activity, including potent activity against both factor Xa (~240 IU/mg) and thrombin (factor IIa; ~170 IU/mg), low polydispersity, high (78%) subcutaneous bioavailability in rabbits, and predictable subcutaneous and intravenous pharmacokinetics. Additionally, the anticoagulant activity of M118 is monitorable by standard coagulation assays and is reversible with protamine. M118 demonstrates superior activity to conventional LMWH in a rabbit model of abdominal arterial thrombosis without increasing bleeding risk, and is currently being evaluated in a phase II clinical trial evaluating efficacy and safety in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.

A cluster randomized controlled trial of a clinical pathway for hospital treatment of heart failure: study design and population.

BackgroundThe hospital treatment of heart failure frequently does not follow published guidelines, potentially contributing to the high morbidity, mortality and economic cost of this disorder. Consequently the development of clinical pathways has the potential to reduce the current variability in care, enhance guideline adherence, and improve outcomes for patients. Despite enthusiasm and diffusion, the widespread acceptance of clinical pathways remain questionable because very little prospective controlled data demonstrated their effectiveness. The Experimental Prospective Study on the Effectiveness and Efficiency of the Implementation of Clinical Pathways was designed in order to conduct a rigorous evaluation of clinical pathways in hospital treatment of acute heart failure. The primary objective of the trial was to evaluate the effectiveness of the implementation of clinical pathways for hospital treatment of heart failure in Italian hospitals.Methods/designTwo-arm, cluster-randomized trial. 14 community hospitals were randomized either to arm 1 (clinical pathway: appropriate use of practice guidelines and supplies of drugs and ancillary services, new organization and procedures, patient education, etc.) or to arm 2 (no intervention, usual care). 424 patients sample (212 in each group), 80% of power at the 5% significance level (two-sided). The primary outcome measure is in-hospital mortality. We will also analyze the impact of the clinical pathways comparing the length and the appropriateness of the stay, the rate of unscheduled readmissions, the customers' satisfaction and the costs treating the patients with the pathways and with the current practice along all the observation period. The quality of the care will be assessed by monitoring the use of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures during hospital stay and by measuring key quality indicators at discharge.DiscussionThis paper examines the design of the evaluation of a complex intervention. Since clinical pathways are made up of various interconnecting parts we have chosen the cluster-randomized controlled trial because is widely accepted as the most reliable method of determining effectiveness when measuring cost-effectiveness in real practice.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov ID [NCT00519038]

Reduced Incidence of Lower-Limb Amputations in the Diabetic Population of a German City, 1990–2005

We evaluated whether the incidence of amputations in one German city (Leverkusen, population approximately 160,000) had decreased between 1990 and 2005. From all three hospitals in the city, we obtained complete lists of nontraumatic lower-limb amputations in 1990-1991 and 1994-2005. Only the first observed amputation in residents of Leverkusen was counted. A total of 692 patients met the inclusion criteria. Data about the population structure, separately for each year of the observation period, were received from the city administration and the Federal Office of Statistics. To test for time trend, we fitted Poisson regression models. Of all subjects, 72% had known diabetes and 58% were male. Mean age was 71.7 years. Incidence rates in the diabetic population (standardized to the estimated German diabetic population per 100,000 person-years) varied considerably between years (maximum 549 in 1990, minimum 281 in 2004). In the diabetic population, the estimated relative risk (RR) per year was 0.976 (95% CI 0.958-0.996, P = 0.0164). The same trend was observed when only amputations above the ankle (n = 352) (RR 0.970 [95% CI 0.943-0.997], P = 0.0318) were considered. Over 15 years, an estimated reduction of amputations above the toe level by 37.1% (95% CI 12.3-54.8) results. There was no significant change of incident amputations in the nondiabetic population (RR 1.022 [0.989-1.056], P = 0.1981). This finding is likely to be due to improved management of the diabetic foot syndrome after a network of specialized physicians and defined clinical pathways for wound treatment and metabolic control were introduced.

Effect of a Clinical Pathway to Reduce Hospitalizations in Nursing Home Residents With Pneumonia

Nursing home residents with pneumonia are frequently hospitalized. Such transfers may be associated with multiple hazards of hospitalization as well as economic costs. To assess whether using a clinical pathway for on-site treatment of pneumonia and other lower respiratory tract infections in nursing homes could reduce hospital admissions, related complications, and costs. A cluster randomized controlled trial of 680 residents aged 65 years or older in 22 nursing homes in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Nursing homes began enrollment between January 2, 2001, and April 18, 2002, with the last resident follow-up occurring July 4, 2005. Residents were eligible if they met a standardized definition of lower respiratory tract infection. Treatment in nursing homes according to a clinical pathway, which included use of oral antimicrobials, portable chest radiographs, oxygen saturation monitoring, rehydration, and close monitoring by a research nurse, or usual care. Hospital admissions, length of hospital stay, mortality, health-related quality of life, functional status, and cost. Thirty-four (10%) of 327 residents in the clinical pathway group were hospitalized compared with 76 (22%) of 353 residents in the usual care group. Adjusting for clustering of residents in nursing homes, the weighted mean reduction in hospitalizations was 12% (95% confidence interval [CI], 5%-18%; P = .001). The mean number of hospital days per resident was 0.79 in the clinical pathway group vs 1.74 in the usual care group, with a weighted mean difference of 0.95 days per resident (95% CI, 0.34-1.55 days; P = .004). The mortality rate was 8% (24 deaths) in the clinical pathway group vs 9% (32 deaths) in the usual care group, with a weighted mean difference of 2.9% (95% CI, -2.0% to 7.9%; P = .23). There were no significant differences between the groups in health-related quality of life or functional status. The clinical pathway resulted in an overall cost savings of US 1016 dollars per resident (95% CI, 207 dollars-1824 dollars) treated. Treating residents of nursing homes with pneumonia and other lower respiratory tract infections with a clinical pathway can result in comparable clinical outcomes, while reducing hospitalizations and health care costs. clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00157612.