Community Treatment Facilities Research Articles

Associations of length of stay with frailty status and COVID-19 disease severity among older adults at a community treatment facility in Singapore

Associations of length of stay with frailty status and COVID-19 disease severity among older adults at a community treatment facility in Singapore

Singapore’s Experience in Managing the COVID-19 Pandemic: Key Lessons from the Ground

Singapore managed the COVID-19 pandemic in the past three years and gleaned valuable lessons on patient management when the public healthcare system was inundated with COVID-19 patients. There were several initiatives, which included setting up of community treatment facilities to help hospitals manage in-patient loads that did not require acute monitoring, leveraging telemedicine, and developing heuristics to sort patients based on their clinical disposition to various care pathways and to effectively manage patients of different medical needs. These initiatives were implemented in the second year of the epidemic in 2021 and did not include the dormitory-based migrant workers and migrant workers in the construction, maritime and production sectors who were under the care of the Assurance, Care and Engagement Group (ACE) in the Ministry of Manpower that had its own set of treatment management measures. The different care pathways ensured that patients received appropriate levels of care and allowed healthcare facilities to focus on more acute cases. In 2022 alone, 23,159 patients were discharged from community treatment facilities against the background of 1.9 million COVID-19 patients. These initiatives would not be possible without the oversight of an advisory board comprising senior leadership from the healthcare clusters and the Ministry of Health to align clinical governance with medical policies, and prompt and immense support from medical specialist panels. The strong public-private partnership forged in the process was instrumental in the successful operation of community facilities and implementation of patient care protocols, coupled with harnessing information technology and leveraging on emerging data to refine care protocols.

Singapore’s Experience in Managing the COVID-19 Pandemic: Key Lessons from the Ground

Singapore managed the COVID-19 pandemic in the past three years and gleaned valuable lessons on patient management when the public healthcare system was inundated with COVID-19 patients. There were several initiatives, which included setting up of community treatment facilities to help hospitals manage in-patient loads that did not require acute monitoring, leveraging telemedicine, and developing heuristics to sort patients based on their clinical disposition to various care pathways and to effectively manage patients of different medical needs. These initiatives were implemented in the second year of the epidemic in 2021 and did not include the dormitory-based migrant workers and migrant workers in the construction, maritime and production sectors who were under the care of the Assurance, Care and Engagement Group (ACE) in the Ministry of Manpower that had its own set of treatment management measures. The different care pathways ensured that patients received appropriate levels of care and allowed healthcare facilities to focus on more acute cases. In 2022 alone, 23,159 patients were discharged from community treatment facilities against the background of 1.9 million COVID-19 patients. These initiatives would not be possible without the oversight of an advisory board comprising senior leadership from the healthcare clusters and the Ministry of Health to align clinical governance with medical policies, and prompt and immense support from medical specialist panels. The strong public-private partnership forged in the process was instrumental in the successful operation of community facilities and implementation of patient care protocols, coupled with harnessing information technology and leveraging on emerging data to refine care protocols.

Geriatric care model for older patients with COVID-19 at a community treatment facility in Hong Kong

Geriatric care model for older patients with COVID-19 at a community treatment facility in Hong Kong

Complications of COVID-19 infection in older patients at a community treatment facility

Complications of COVID-19 infection in older patients at a community treatment facility

SG-APSIC1200: Infection prevention control along the fast track: Supporting the construction, operation, and closure of a COVID-19 community treatment facility in an F1 Pit

Objectives: The infection prevention team (IPT) was tasked with providing technical guidance for the construction and setup of a community treatment facility in 3 weeks at a Formula 1 (F1) racing pit to house elderly SARS-CoV-2–positive cases. Methods: The facility was setup with 737 beds including an isolation unit and a resuscitation bay. The multidisciplinary team decided on zone segregation (ie, green and hot zones) and discussed the clean–dirty workflow. IPC measures were revisited, especially regarding the layout of the donning and doffing station, as the facility expanded to accommodate patients with more comorbidities and those who needed dialysis. IPC training for nominated infection control liaison officers (ICLOs) was conducted using a “train the trainer” approach for mask fitting, hand hygiene, donning and doffing of personal protective equipment (PPE). Enhanced IPC measures, including weekly audit and staff surveillance, were mandatory, and monitoring was performed according to MOH guidelines. Linen and waste management and the cleaning and disinfection process were established at the beginning of the project. Results: Construction was completed within 3 weeks. The setup was completed in November 2021 for 737 beds. There were 758 admissions during the 4-month operation. In total, 12 trained ICLOs oversaw the training of 200 healthcare workers. They conducted 12 IPC audits and provided feedback to all staff. Compliance with PPE practices was inconsistent, and findings were shared during daily after-action reviews for improvement. The greatest challenges were converting the F1 facility to a healthcare facility, training staff with no IPC knowledge, and monitoring IPC on the ground. The trained ICLOs were successful in implementing, practicing, and monitoring IPC measures with minimal assistance from the infection prevention team. Conclusions: Operation began on November 5, 2021, and ceased on March 9, 2022. The community treatment facility construction, setup, and operations were completed within a short timeframe due to the efforts of various stakeholders. We faced many challenges, but we managed to implement and uphold IPC standards from beginning to end.

Global Treatment Standard in Multiple Myeloma Remains Elusive: Updated Results from the INSIGHT MM Global, Prospective, Observational Study

Introduction INSIGHT MM (NCT02761187) is the largest global, prospective, observational multiple myeloma (MM) study to date, with 4188 newly diagnosed MM (NDMM) or relapsed/refractory MM (RRMM) patients (pts) included in this cross-sectional analysis. The study aims to describe contemporary, real-world patterns of pt & disease characteristics, treatment patterns, & outcomes. An interim analysis of the first 1000 pts enrolled to INSIGHT MM suggested considerable regional variation in treatment patterns (Boccadoro et al, EHA 2018). The aim of the current analysis is to characterize treatment patterns by world regions & line of therapy (LOT) in the overall INSIGHT MM study population. Methods Pts were enrolled at academic & community treatment facilities in 15 countries between July 2016 & July 2021. Data on prior & current treatments were collected at baseline & every 3 months. Full study methods have been reported previously (Costello 2019). We report a cross-sectional analysis of treatment regimens used in NDMM & RRMM pts at a data cut-off of Sept 30, 2021. A subset of pts with no protocol deviations (pts meeting all inclusion criteria who started index regimen <90 days before enrollment & enrolled at centers where data quality checks could be conducted) were included in an analysis of treatment shift patterns from first to second & subsequent LOTs. Results Among the 4188 pts, there were 2338 (55.8%) NDMM & 1850 (44.2%) RRMM cases at enrollment. This includes 2046 pts from Europe (EUR; Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom; also includes Israel); 1317 pts from the United States (US); 470 pts from Latin America (LA; Brazil, Columbia, Mexico); & 355 pts from Asia (China, Taiwan). Median follow-up was 27.9 months. In NDMM pts, triplet therapy was the most common frontline approach across all regions (71.1% of pts overall); only 12.0% of pts received frontline doublet therapy. Triplet therapy typically included a proteasome inhibitor (PI) & dexamethasone (d; 62.5%). The most commonly used regimen was bortezomib (V), lenalidomide (R), & d (VRd; 23.5%); V-based triplet therapy with d & an IMiD was prescribed to 34.7% of NDMM pts overall. V-based triplets were the most widely used regimens across all regions. The US was the only region where carfilzomib (K) was included in one of the three most frequently used regimens (KRd in 8.3% of pts). Choice of IMiD varied regionally: R was most commonly used in the US, & thalidomide in EUR, LA, & Asia. In EUR & LA, cyclophosphamide (alkylating agent) was more commonly used than IMiDs. Vd (4.1%) & Rd (4.0%) doublets were the fourth & fifth most common regimens overall. Among RRMM pts, 49.6% received triplets & 33.7% received doublets. Triplet therapy was the most common approach across all LOTs & all regions except Asia; in Asia, doublets were more widely used than triplets (48.9% vs 42.4%). Rd was the most common regimen overall (15.4% across all regions & LOTs), & ixazomib-Rd (IRd) was the most common triplet (7.9% in all regions & LOTs; KRd was the second most common triplet overall [5.2%]). Unlike NDMM pts, RRMM pts were more likely to receive alternative PIs to V in ≥2nd LOT (IRd 6.8%; KRd 6.7%; VRd 2.7%), & daratumumab (D) was used instead of or alongside PIs in some triplets (DRd 4.9%; VDd 4.5%). Overall, 20.8% of pts received D as part of single-agent, doublet, triplet, or >triplet therapy. D was more widely used in the US (33.5%) than other regions (14.4-16.2%). Treatment shift patterns were examined in 3263 pts for whom robust data were available (1236 who underwent stem cell transplantation [SCT] in first line of therapy & 2027 who did not [NSCT]). A shift from predominantly PI- or PI/IMiD-based frontline therapy in both SCT & NSCT pts to more varied second-line regimens, including monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapy, was observed (Figure). Treatment shift patterns in later LOTs & across regions will be presented. Conclusions V-based triplets were the most common frontline treatment in NDMM pts in all regions. Regimens used in later LOTs in RRMM pts were more varied across regions, & generally included greater use of doublets, PIs other than V, & mAbs such as D. Acknowledging that treatment use is dependent on approval status & availability, this analysis shows that, while global frontline standard of care (SOC) is broadly established, there remains no consistent SOC in later LOTs; adoption of newer therapies, such as mAbs, varies across regions worldwide. Figure 1View largeDownload PPTFigure 1View largeDownload PPT Close modal

Transmission of Omicron (B.1.1.529) - SARS-CoV-2 Variant of Concern in a designated quarantine hotel for travelers: a challenge of elimination strategy of COVID-19

Transmission of Omicron (B.1.1.529) - SARS-CoV-2 Variant of Concern in a designated quarantine hotel for travelers: a challenge of elimination strategy of COVID-19

Infection control challenges in setting up community isolation and treatment facilities for patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): Implementation of directly observed environmental disinfection.

Extensive environmental contamination by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been reported in hospitals during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. We report our experience with the practice of directly observed environmental disinfection (DOED) in a community isolation facility (CIF) and a community treatment facility (CTF) in Hong Kong. The CIF, with 250 single-room bungalows in a holiday camp, opened on July 24, 2020, to receive step-down patients from hospitals. The CTF, with 500 beds in open cubicles inside a convention hall, was activated on August 1, 2020, to admit newly diagnosed COVID-19 patients from the community. Healthcare workers (HCWs) and cleaning staff received infection control training to reinforce donning and doffing of personal protective equipment and to understand the practice of DOED, in which the cleaning staff observed patient and staff activities and then performed environmental disinfection immediately thereafter. Supervisors also observed cleaning staff to ensure the quality of work. In the CTF, air and environmental samples were collected on days 7, 14, 21, and 28 for SARS-CoV-2 detection by RT-PCR. Patient compliance with mask wearing was also recorded. Of 291 HCWs and 54 cleaning staff who managed 243 patients in the CIF and 674 patients in the CTF from July 24 to August 29, 2020, no one acquired COVID-19. All 24 air samples and 520 environmental samples collected in the patient area of the CTF were negative for SARS-CoV-2. Patient compliance with mask wearing was 100%. With appropriate infection control measures, zero environmental contamination and nosocomial transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to HCWs and cleaning staff was achieved.

Adherence to National Comprehensive Cancer Network Guidelines is Associated with Improved Survival for Patients with Stage 2A and Stages 2B and 3 Extremity and Superficial Trunk Soft Tissue Sarcoma.

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) has instituted treatment guidelines for stage 2A and stages 2B and 3 extremity and superficial trunk soft tissue sarcomas (ETSTS). This study examined adherence to the NCCN guidelines and factors associated with nonadherent treatment and survival outcomes. Patients with stage 2A and stages 2B and 3 ETSTS (n=15,957) were categorized as undergoing adherent or nonadherent treatment based on the 2014 NCCN guidelines. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to determine factors associated with nonadherent treatment. Overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS) were calculated, and Cox models were used to generate adjusted survival curves and hazard ratios (HRs). The findings showed that 87.2% of the patients with stage 2A disease and 58.3% of the patients with stage 2B or 3 disease received adherent treatment. Community treatment facilities and uninsured or unknown insurance status were associated with nonadherent treatment for both stage groups. Adherent treatment was associated with higher 5-year adjusted OS and DSS for stage 2A and stage 2B or 3 patients. In Cox models, nonadherent treatment was associated with worse survival for both stage 2A disease (HR, 2.31; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.02-2.63) and stages 2B and 3 disease (HR, 1.63; 95% CI, 1.53-1.73). Increasing age and non-private insurance were associated with poorer outcomes. For stages 2B and 3 disease, treatment at a community center and African American race were associated with worse survival. Adherence to NCCN guidelines is excellent for stage 2A and poor for stages 2B and 3 ETSTS. Adherent treatment was associated with improved survival outcomes, highlighting the importance of adherence to NCCN guidelines.

An international multi-site, randomized controlled trial of a mindfulness-based psychoeducation group programme for people with schizophrenia.

We aimed to test a mindfulness-based psychoeducation group (MBPEG), v. a conventional psychoeducation group (CPEG) v. treatment as usual (TAU), in patients with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders over a 24-month follow-up. This single-blind, multi-site, pragmatic randomized controlled trial was conducted in six community treatment facilities across three countries (Hong Kong, mainland China and Taiwan). Patients were randomly allocated to one of the treatment conditions, and underwent 6 months of treatment. The primary outcomes were changes in duration of re-hospitalizations and mental state (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale; PANSS) between baseline and 1 week, and 6, 12 and 18 months post-treatment. A total of 300 patients in each country were assessed for eligibility between October 2013 and 30 April 2014, 38 patients per country (n = 342) were assigned to each treatment group and included in the intention-to-treat analysis. There was a significant difference in the length of re-hospitalizations between the three groups over 24 months (F 2,330 = 5.23, p = 0.005), with MBPEG participants having a shorter mean duration of re-hospitalizations than those in the other groups. The MBPEG and CPEG participants had significant differential changes in proportional odds ratios of complete remission (all individual PANSS items <3) over the 24-month follow-up (37 and 26%, respectively), as opposed to only 7.2% of the TAU group (χ2 = 8.9 and 8.0, p = 0.001 and 0.003, relative risk = 3.5 and 3.1, 95% confidence interval 2.0-7.2 and 1.6-6.3). Compared with TAU and CPEG, MBPEG improves remission and hospitalization rates of people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders over 24 months.

Mental Illness in America’s Jails Also Made Headlines 50 Years Ago

Mental Illness in America’s Jails Also Made Headlines 50 Years Ago

Association of modern era adjuvant chemotherapy with improved survival in patients with stage II colon cancer.

671 Background: Patients are often selected for adjuvant therapy after resection of stage II colon cancer based on the presence of poor risk factors. However, the survival advantage of chemotherapy in this population is unclear and there remains variation in clinical practice. Methods: The National Cancer Data Base was analyzed for colon cancer patients treated 1998-2006. The primary outcome was OS between patients who did or did not receive adjuvant chemotherapy. Additional stratification variables included high-risk disease features, age, multi-agent chemotherapy, and diagnosis after 2004 when oxaliplatin was approved for adjuvant therapy. Demographic and disease information was compared using the Pearson Chi-squared test and binary logistic regression, effect size with Cramer's V/Phi for categorical variables, and survival data with Cox regression. Propensity score weighting was utilized to account for the possibility of selection bias. Results: Of 1,078,091 patients with colorectal cancer, 153,110 stage II colon cancer patients met inclusion criteria. Mean age was 72, 46% were male, 84% stage IIA (AJCC 6thed.), 9% stage IIB, and 20% received adjuvant chemotherapy. Predictors of receiving treatment included age&lt;65, male gender, community treatment facility, geographical location, non-Medicare insurance, education level, and diagnosis before 2004. All patient sub-groups analyzed experienced improved OS with adjuvant chemotherapy regardless of the number of high-risk features, age, multi-agent chemotherapy, or adjustment for covariates. Median OS was 13.2 years in the chemotherapy group and 7.0 years in the no-chemotherapy group (p&lt; 0.001). Median and 5-year OS was improved in both high and low-risk patients who received chemotherapy compared to those who did not with a median follow-up &gt;5 years. Conclusions: This large-scale study with long-term follow-up demonstrated that adjuvant chemotherapy was associated with a clinically relevant improvement in OS regardless of treatment regimen, patient age, or high-risk features in patients with resected stage II colon cancer. The results of this retrospective analysis warrant further investigation in prospective trials.

Workshop Promoting Healthy Eating for Developmentally-Disabled Adults Attending a Community Support and Treatment Facility

Workshop Promoting Healthy Eating for Developmentally-Disabled Adults Attending a Community Support and Treatment Facility

MMPI-2 profiles of clients with substance dependencies accessing a therapeutic community treatment facility

The aim of the study was to describe the psychological profile, as measured by the MMPI-2, of 921 clients assessed after five weeks admission to a Therapeutic Community (TC). Overall, the profile of the sample showed prominent peaks reflecting character disorder (high Pd) and disturbed thinking and affect (high Sc). The validity scales suggested that the sample was admitting to personal and emotional difficulties and requesting assistance with these problems. The psychotic triad was somewhat more elevated than the neurotic triad indicating distress about behaviours or symptoms related to psychotic disorders. Psychopathology was greater for women, who reported significantly higher scores on confusion (F), hypochondriasis (Hs), character disorder (Pd), and hysteria (Hy) than men, although the shape of male and female MMPI-2 profiles was similar. Those aged up to 35 years scored significantly higher on five clinical scales (depression (D), character disorder (Pd), paranoia (Pa), psychopathic deviate (Pd) and schizophrenia (Sc)) than an older (over 35) group; they also significantly differed on all the validity scales from their older counterparts. Clients who completed the MMPI-2 at five weeks but stayed less than four months at the TC were more likely to be younger, female and admit to psychopathology (lower K-defensiveness scores, higher mania) than those who went on to complete the first phase of treatment. The results suggest that substance dependent clients seeking treatment at a TC exhibit considerable psychological disturbance; more so for females and the younger cohort.

Penrose’s law: reality or fiction? Mental health system and the size of prison population – international overview

According to the Penrose's law, outlined on the basis of a comparative study of European statistics, there is an inverse relationship between the number of psychiatric beds and prison population. Based on international data, interrelationship among prison, asylum, psychiatric disease and criminal action are investigated in the present study, paying particular attention to the event of deinstitutionalization. Prevalence of mental and addictive diseases as well as psychological disturbances in prison is characterized by epidemiological data. As proposed by Penrose, an inverse relationship between the number of psychiatric beds and prison population can be observed in Hungary, too. To get a deeper insight into the mainstream of the events, economic, sociological, philosophical, as well as therapeutic aspects initializing deinstitutionalization are highlighted in the course of analysis. On the basis of data, it can be assumed that members the same population are confined to both systems. The author arrives at the conclusion that deinstitutionalization has in fact led to trans-institutionalization, because of, on one hand, the limited capacity of community treatment facilities; on the other hand, the community treatment itself cannot provide adequate treatment options to those suffering from severe, chronic mental diseases or comorbid states. In addition, the rate of financial support and the methods for prevention and treatment are insufficient to protect patients from the effects of revolving door.

Unmet Needs of Families of Adults With Mental Illness and Preferences Regarding Family Services

Unmet Needs of Families of Adults With Mental Illness and Preferences Regarding Family Services

Providing Live Supervision Via Teleconferencing Improves Acquisition of Motivational Interviewing Skills After Workshop Attendance

Teleconferencing Supervision is a method for training community-based substance abuse clinicians in Motivational Interviewing (MI). Following a 2-day workshop, 13 clinicians received live supervision via telephone during 5 counseling sessions conducted at their community treatment facilities. Clinicians were assessed for skill level at post-workshop, at post-training, and 3 months later; learning was assessed using the MI Treatment Integrity instrument. All summary scores and therapist behavior frequency counts improved by post-training or by the 3 month follow-up, although some gains were not statistically significant. Teleconferencing Supervision may help facilitate the proficient use of MI community clinicians following workshop instruction.

Conversation with Griffith Edwards

Conversation with Griffith Edwards

Law & psychiatry: least restrictive alternative revisited: Olmstead's uncertain mandate for community-based care.

More than three decades have passed since the courts first suggested that involuntarily hospitalized psychiatric patients had a right to be treated in the least restrictive alternative setting that met their needs (1). The doctrine has had its ups and downs since that time; it has been embraced by many lower courts but rejected at the highest appellate level. Now the U.S. Supreme Court has reinvigorated the concept, but has also balanced it with competing concerns, in its important decision in Olmstead v. L.C. (2). In its heyday in the 1970s, the doctrine of the least restrictive alternative was viewed as a major tool for moving committed patients out of state mental hospitals and into community settings (3). As supported by a number of decisions in lower federal courts, the doctrine rested on the argument that the state could not deprive persons of liberty to an extent unwarranted to meet its legitimate goals. Thus although the state may have had the power to commit persons with mental illness to inpatient treatment against their will to protect those persons or others, it could not do so when means less restrictive of liberty were available to accomplish the same ends. In short, if patients could be safely treated in the community, there was no warrant for their confinement in inpatient settings. The application of this reasoning about the least restrictive alternative appeared straightforward, so long as community-based facilities existed to which patients could be transferred. What happened, however, if a state had failed to create enough such placements? Could the courts compel states to redirect funds away from state hospitals and into community care? Although the enthusiastic lower-court judges who undertook to reform state mental health systems in the activist 1970s believed the answer was yes, and ordered states to act accordingly, the U.S. Supreme Court took a somewhat different view. Two decisions of the high court underscored the justices’ reluctance to have courts involved in mandating the creation of community treatment facilities, thereby altering states’ spending priorities, a quintessential legislative function (4). The court first refused to read apparently clear statutory language in the 1975 federal Developmentally Disabled Assistance and Bill of Rights Act as creating a right to treatment in the community, holding that the language was merely “hortatory” (5). Then, in its 1982 decision in Youngberg v. Romeo (6), the court pulled the rug out from under a constitutional right to treatment in the least restrictive alternative altogether. Although the concept had already made its way into a number of state commitment statutes, the federal courts seemed to be out of the business of compelling states to create alternative treatment venues in the community.