Specialist Outpatient Clinics Research Articles

Rapid Access From Primary Care to a Multidisciplinary Clinic at Tertiary Care Improves Clinical Outcomes for Patients With Diabetic Foot Ulcers: Results From Diabetic Foot in Primary and Tertiary (DEFINITE) Care's Lower Extremity Amputation Prevention Program (LEAPP) Clinic.

Diabetic Foot in Primary and Tertiary (DEFINITE) Care is an inter-institutional, multidisciplinary team (MDT) program for patients with diabetic foot ulcers (DFU) within a healthcare cluster in Singapore. This is one of our subgroup analyses within DEFINITE Care, assessing clinical outcomes of lower extremity amputation prevention program (LEAPP), a multidisciplinary diabetic foot clinic, and non-LEAPP patients within the program. From June 2020 to June 2022, 2798 patients within the DEFINITE cohort completed a minimum of 12-month follow up. Of these patients, 20.6% were managed by LEAPP, whereas 79.4% were non-LEAPP patients. Patients in the LEAPP cohort were older with co-existing metabolic conditions and complications of diabetes. Using non-LEAPP cohort as the reference group and after adjusting for age, gender, ethnicity, comorbidities, and medications, there was a significantly lower risk of death (odds ratio [OR] 0.60, P = .001) and composite major lower extremity amputation (LEA) or death (OR 0.66, P = .002) among LEAPP patients at 1 year with longer mean days from enrollment to minor LEA, major LEA, and death. The adjusted 1-year healthcare utilization outcomes for LEAPP patients demonstrated an increase in inpatient admissions, primary care polyclinic visits, hospital specialist outpatient clinic (SOC) visits and elective day surgery procedures. Despite the increased in inpatients admissions, cumulative hospital length of stay in LEAPP patients were lower. This subgroup analysis has demonstrated that the MDT approach to caring for patients with DFU in tertiary centers not only improves mortality by 40%, but also delayed the incidence of minor LEA, major LEA, and death.

Effectiveness of a self-determination theory-based smoking cessation intervention plus instant messaging via mobile application for smokers with cancer: Protocol for a pragmatic randomized controlled trial.

Despite evidence that patients living with cancer who continue to smoke after diagnosis are at higher risk for all-cause mortality and reduced treatment efficacy, many cancer patients continue to smoke. This protocol is for a study to test the effectiveness of a self-determination theory-based intervention (quit immediately or progressively) plus instant messaging (WhatsApp or WeChat) to help smokers with cancer to quit smoking. This will be a multi-centre, two-arm (1:1), single-blind, pragmatic, individually randomized controlled trial. Taking part will be specialist outpatient clinics in five major hospitals in different location-based clusters in Hong Kong. The sample will include 1448 Chinese smokers living with cancer attending medical follow-ups at outpatient clinics. The intervention group will receive brief advice (approximately 5-8 minutes) from research nurses in the outpatient clinics and then be invited to choose their own quit schedules (immediate or progressive). During the first 6-month follow-up period they will receive instant messaging with smoking cessation advice once per week for the first 3months, and thereafter approximately once per month. They will also receive four videos, and those opting to quit progressively will receive a smoking reduction leaflet. The control group will also receive brief advice but be advised to quit immediately, and instant messaging with general health advice during the first 6-month follow-up period using the same schedule as the intervention group. Participants in both groups will receive smoking cessation leaflets. The primary outcome is biochemically validated smoking abstinence at 6months, as confirmed by saliva cotinine level and carbon monoxide level in expired air. Secondary outcomes include biochemically validated smoking abstinence at 12 months, self-reported 7-day point prevalence of smoking abstinence at 6 and 12 months, self-reported ≥ 50% reduction of cigarette consumption at 6 and 12 months and quality of life at 6 and 12 months. All time-points for outcomes measures are set after randomization. The results could inform research, policymaking and health-care professionals regarding smoking cessation for patients living with cancer, and therefore have important implications for clinical practice and health enhancement.

Factors associated with informal and formal help-seeking among Asian adolescents with nonsuicidal self-injury.

Although nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is prevalent among adolescents and is associated with an increased risk of adverse outcomes, many adolescents with NSSI do not seek help. However, there is a lack of research on the factors that may increase the likelihood of help-seeking, especially within Asia. To address this gap, the present study examined whether certain factors were associated with informal and formal help-seeking - specifically gender, severity of NSSI, functions of NSSI and authoritative parenting. 121 adolescents (Mage = 16.2years, 71.1% female) were recruited from specialist outpatient clinics and inpatient psychiatric wards from a public hospital in Singapore. One caregiver per adolescent was also recruited. Data from self-report questionnaires were analysed using logistics regression analyses. The results suggest that the severity of NSSI increases the likelihood of informal help-seeking, while adolescents who have parents with more authoritative parenting style are less likely to seek informal help. Gender and functions of NSSI were not found to be associated with help-seeking. The findings from this study can guide professionals in their efforts to encourage help-seeking within Asian populations, as well as inform prevention and treatment programs for Asian adolescents with NSSI.

Post-COVID patients with persistent chemosensory symptoms are rare in the general population

The prevalence of long-/post-COVID-associated chemosensory symptoms is reported in the literature to be significantly higher than clinical reality reflects. 1. N= 4062 adults acutely infected with SARS-CoV-2 and their symptoms transmitted by the Jena health office to the Robert Koch Institute between March 2020 and September 2021 were evaluated. 2. Part of the same cohort (N = 909 of 4062) answered an extensive questionnaire at least 3 months after the start of the infection, including existing chemosensory post-COVID-associated complaints. 3. Fourteen post-COVID Jena patients with chemosensory symptoms who had become acutely infected during the same period were diagnosed, treated and advised in our ENT specialist outpatient clinic. The prevalence of chemosensory symptoms at the onset of infection was 19% (600/3187). About every second written respondent of the formerly acutely infected (441/890) remembered chemosensory symptoms during their COVID-19 infection. Of these, around 38% (167/441) complained of persistent chemosensory post-COVID symptoms after an average of 14.5 months. Only 2.3% (14/600) of the previously acutely infected patients with chemosensory symptoms sought medical help in a special consultation. Quantitative chemosensory damage could only be objectified in half, i.e. 1.2% (7/600) of the total cohort. Despite a high prevalence of subjective chemosensory symptoms in acutely and formerly SARS-CoV-2 infected people, there is only a low need for specialized treatment, so that, unlike other post-COVID-associated complaints, the healthcare system as a whole appears to be less significantly burdened.

The impact of intranasal corticosteroids in a prospective cohort of children with sleep disordered breathing

IntroductionSleep disordered breathing (SDB) is common in children and the most common reason for adenotonsillectomy. This large observational cohort study from a specialist outpatient clinic describes the impact of intranasal steroids (INS) on symptom improvement and the need for surgery. MethodObservational cohort study of 568 children assessing the impact of INS using the OSA-5 questionnaire with clinical and surgical outcome measures. ResultsThe mean OSA-5 score at first visit was 7.78. Symptoms were persistent for a median 9 months (range 2–72). 51% underwent a trial of INS with 56% reporting symptomatic improvement. The mean score decreased from 8.2 to 5.5 (p < 0.0001) in those prescribed INS. They had a significantly higher symptom load (p < 0.01), turbinate size (p < 0.005) and history of atopy (p < 0.01) than the non-trial group. The rate of surgery in the non-trial group was 56% compared with 38% in those who had INS (p < 0.001). With increasing symptom burden, the reported improvement with INS and comparative reduction in surgery increased. Baseline OSA-5 scores were predictive of rates of surgery. Atopic status or age did not influence response to INS. ConclusionThe mean score at first visit and the median duration of symptoms indicated significant persistent symptoms in this cohort. The use of INS improved symptoms of SDB in 56%. The need for surgery in the group that received INS was 38% compared with 56% in those not trialling INS, despite the non-trial group having significantly less symptoms and signs. Symptomatic improvement was not influenced by age or atopic status.

Innovative Ultrasound Criteria for the Diagnosis of Adenomyosis and Correlation with Symptoms: A Retrospective Re-Evaluation.

The 2022 Delphi revision of the MUSA (Morphological Uterus Sonographic Assessment) criteria for the ultrasound diagnosis of adenomyosis divides the ultrasound signs for diagnosis into direct and indirect ones, considering the presence of at least one direct sign as a mandatory criterion. This study aimed to reclassify the patients referred to the Pelvic Pain specialist outpatient clinic of the Gynecological Clinic of Udine according to the new criteria, evaluating the number of overdiagnoses and the possible correlation between the direct and indirect signs and the patients' symptoms. 62 patients affected by adenomyosis were retrospectively recruited. The patients were then re-evaluated by ultrasound and clinically. At least one direct sign of adenomyosis was found in 52 patients, while 16% of the population examined did not present any. There was no statistically significant difference between patients presenting direct signs and those presenting none for the symptoms considered. According to the new criteria, 16% of the patients examined were not affected by adenomyosis; applying the new consensus to symptomatic patients could increase false negatives. In a population of symptomatic patients, the diagnosis of adenomyosis is still highly probable even without direct ultrasound signs, given the clinical symptoms and having ruled out other causes of such symptoms.

Effect of Articular Cavity Injection Combined with Bite Splint Treatment on Anterior Disc Displacement Without Reduction

Objective: To observe the clinical effect of articular cavity injection combined with bite splint therapy for the treatment of anterior disc displacement without reduction (ADDWoR). Methods: The research subjects for this study were 30 patients with ADDWoR treated in the temporomandibular joint specialist outpatient clinic from November 2018 to November 2019, with a disease duration of 1 to 6 months. The treatment group was treated with an articular cavity injection of sodium hyaluronate + bite splint. The control group was treated with a simple articular cavity injection of sodium hyaluronate. The two groups were followed up once every 2 weeks to evaluate the treatment effect and observe the clinical efficacy of the two groups. Statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS 24.0. t-test and general linear regression analysis were carried out to compare the data of both groups, and χ2-test and binary logistic regression analysis were performed for pain index comparison. Results: There was no significant difference in terms of the efficacy of the treatment received by both groups. The mouth opening and joint pain of patients in both groups were significantly improved after treatment (P &lt; 0.001). Conclusion: Articular cavity injection of sodium hyaluronate and occlusal splint therapy are both effective and safe methods for treating ADDWoR.

Innovative Implemented Tools for Outpatient Clinic Scheduling.

Every year there are approximately three million new specialist clinic appointments at local hospital networks in Victoria. CSIRO, in collaboration with Austin Health, have developed two algorithms to assist with waitlist management in their outpatient specialist clinics. This study describes the implementation of these algorithms in software tools developed to support their use and trial in the clinical setting at Austin Health. We discuss the system design and development of both these software tools. We also review the implemented workflow of the tools and discuss how these tools seek to improve current systems.

Psychometric evaluation of the appearance anxiety inventory in adolescents with body dysmorphic disorder

ABSTRACT The Appearance Anxiety Inventory (AAI) is a self-report measure assessing the typical cognitions and behaviours of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). Despite its use in research and clinical settings, its psychometric properties have not been evaluated in young people with BDD. We examined the factor structure, reliability, validity, and sensitivity to change of the AAI in 182 youths with BDD (82.9% girls; Mage = 15.56, SD = 1.37) consecutively referred to two specialist outpatient clinics in Stockholm, Sweden (n = 97) and London, England (n = 85). An exploratory factor analysis identified three factors, namely “threat monitoring”, “camouflaging”, and “avoidance”, explaining 48.15% of the variance. The scale showed good internal consistency (McDonalds omega = 0.83) and adequate convergent validity with the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale Modified for Body Dysmorphic Disorder for Adolescents (BDD-YBOCS-A; r s = 0.42) and the Clinical Global Impression-Severity Scale (r s = 0.32). Sensitivity to change was adequate, with AAI total scores and individual factor scores significantly decreasing over time in the subgroup of participants receiving multimodal treatment for BDD (n = 79). Change of AAI scores over treatment showed a positive statistically significant moderate-to-good correlation (r = 0.55) with changes in BDD symptom severity, measured by the BDD-YBOCS-A. The study provides empirical support for the use of the AAI in young people with BDD in clinical settings.

The social dimension of quality of life following spinal cord injury or disease: an international ICF-linking study.

International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) linking study. Analyze cognitive interview data using the ICF as an analytic framework, to examine aspects of social life relevant to quality of life (QoL) according to people with spinal cord injury or disease (SCI/D). This study builds upon results of an international study about the cross-cultural validity of the International SCI QoL Basic Data Set (QoL-BDS). Four specialized outpatient clinics in SCI/D rehabilitation, from the US, Brazil and Australia. Analysis of qualitative data from 39 cognitive interviews with SCI/D patients at least one year post onset. Participants were asked to define their concept of QoL, overall life satisfaction, physical health and psychological health, and other relevant matters. Four independent researchers coded text fragments related to the items, and fragments were linked to ICF chapters d6-d9, following established linking rules. The proportion of text referring to social life was 35.8% (definition QoL), 24.9% (QoL life as whole), 6.0% (physical health) and 34.9% (psychological health). The most frequent ICF categories were d760 Family relationships, d770 Intimate relationships and d920 Recreation and leisure. Most frequent responded social topics to the 'other issues' item were d770 Intimate relationships, d760 Formal relationships, and d870 Economic self-sufficiency. The importance of social life aspects to the QoL was highlighted based on responses of SCI/D patients, clearly demonstrated through the ICF linking process. Adding a satisfaction with social life item to the QoL-BDS has made this instrument a more comprehensive measure.

A hospital care coordination team intervention for patients with multimorbidity

Objective: To develop and evaluate a hospital care coordination team intervention for patients with multimorbidity and multiple specialists at the outpatient clinic&#x0D; Study setting: A middle-large teaching hospital (542 beds) in the Netherlands&#x0D; Study design: Practice-based, participatory pilot study with mixed-methods, using the Framework for Developing and Evaluating Complex Interventions. The intervention consisted of an intake, a comprehensive review by a dedicated care coordination team, a consultation to discuss results and two follow-up appointments.&#x0D; Data Collection: We included adult patients who had visited seven or more outpatient specialist clinics in 2018. We excluded patients with less than two scheduled hospital appointments or if the potential participant was already receiving coordinated care. We collected quantitative and qualitative data on patient characteristics, number and type of recommendations from the comprehensive review, experiences and short-term outcomes.&#x0D; Principal Findings: 250 patients were assessed for eligibility. We excluded 119 patients, 54 of these patients (21,6%) were deceased at the time of assessment and 28 patients (11,2%) had less than two scheduled appointments. Out of 131 invited patients, 28 participants underwent the intake and comprehensive review. The review produced recommendations for at least two out of three categories (medication, involved medical specialists, other) for 21 participants. Patients’ experienced effects of the intervention ranged from very large to no effect. Identified key uncertainties of the intervention were finding the best suited patient population and the minimum of required data that can be collected with feasible effort during regular clinical care.&#x0D; Conclusions: The developed hospital care coordination team intervention resulted in mixed outputs and short-term outcomes. We learned that recruitment and selection should be refined to include patients with multimorbidity who might benefit most. Outcomes of research and clinical care should align as much as possible and focus on evaluating the result of care coordination first.&#x0D;

A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Web-Based Management Support System for Children With Urinary Incontinence: The eADVICE Trial.

Children referred to specialist outpatient clinics by primary care providers often have long waiting times before being seen. We assessed whether an individualized, web-based, evidence-informed management support for children with urinary incontinence while waiting reduced requests for specialist appointments. A multicenter, waitlisted randomized controlled trial was conducted for children (5-18 years) with urinary incontinence referred to tertiary pediatric continence clinics. Participants were randomized to the web-based eHealth program electronic Advice and Diagnosis Via the Internet following Computerized Evaluation (eADVICE), which used an embodied conversational agent to engage with the child at the time of referral (intervention) or 6 months later (control). The primary outcome was the proportion of participants requesting a clinic appointment at 6 months. Secondary outcomes included persistent incontinence, and the Paediatric incontinence Questionnaire (PinQ) score. From 2018 to 2020, 239 children enrolled, with 120 randomized to eADVICE and 119 to the control arm. At baseline, participants' mean age was 8.8 years (SD 2.2), 62% were males, mean PinQ score was 5.3 (SD 2.2), 36% had daytime incontinence, and 97% had nocturnal enuresis. At 6 months, 78% of eADVICE participants vs 84% of controls requested a clinic visit (relative risk 0.92, 95% CI 0.79, 1.06, P = .3), and 23% eADVICE participants vs 10% controls were completely dry (relative risk 2.23, 95% CI 1.10, 4.50, P = .03). The adjusted mean PinQ score was 3.5 for eADVICE and 3.9 for controls (MD -0.37, 95% CI -0.71, -0.03, P = .03). The eADVICE eHealth program for children awaiting specialist appointments doubled the proportion who were dry at 6 months and improved quality of life but did not reduce clinic appointment requests.

Telemedicine in specialist outpatient care during COVID-19: a qualitative study.

COVID-19 accelerated healthcare changes, introducing various telehealth services. Work is needed to determine the suitability of telemedicine in the post-pandemic era. To explore perceptions and experiences of telemedicine among patients and providers (clinicians and health administrators) who were involved in telemedicine appointments in hospital outpatient clinics in 2020-2022. Qualitative study: semi-structured interviews were conducted with 37 participants (16 patients and 21 providers) in various hospital specialist outpatient clinics in a New South Wales local health district. Patients were generally satisfied with telemedicine consultations, especially during COVID restrictions, because of the convenience of accessing care from home and minimising the risk of COVID exposure. However, patients considered that the inability to receive a physical examination was a significant disadvantage of telemedicine. Providers had ambivalent perceptions and expressed concerns about mis- and under-diagnoses because of the inability to conduct physical examinations. They considered telemedicine suitable for review appointments but noted an associated increased workload and stressed the need for sustainable funding models (Medicare items). Both patients and providers recognised the need for education/training and better integration of telemedicine platforms into existing infrastructure to facilitate an optimal hybrid model of care. Despite expressing some concerns over its limitations, patients valued telemedicine for its convenience and for meeting their needs during the pandemic. While acknowledging that patients experienced some benefits from telemedicine, clinicians expressed concerns about potential missed diagnoses, uncertain clinical outcomes and lack of administrative and technological infrastructure. The ultimate test of telemedicine will be its impact on clinical outcomes versus longstanding models of in-person care.

Impact of a wearable-based physical activity and sleep intervention in multimorbidity patients: protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundThe benefits of physical activity (PA) and adequate sleep are well documented, and their importance strengthens with the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases and multimorbidity (MM). Interventions to promote physical activity and sleep that use commercial activity trackers may be useful non-pharmacological approaches to managing individual health; however, limited evidence exists on their use to improve physical activity in older adult patients with MM.MethodsThis study aims to measure the effects of behavioral change techniques (BCTs) delivered by a wearable device on physical activity and quality of sleep (QS) in older adult patients with MM. We designed an open-label randomized controlled trial with participants recruited through primary care and a specialist outpatient clinic. Participants must be more than 65 years old, have MM, and have access to smartphones. All eligible participants will receive PA promotion content and will be randomly assigned to wear a smartwatch. The primary outcome will be the participants’ PA measurement at baseline and at six months using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire - Short Form (IPAQ-SF). Secondary outcomes will include changes in the participants’ frailty status, biometric measurements, quality of life, and biopsychosocial assessments. A sample size of 40 participants per arm was calculated to detect group differences, with 50 participants planned to recruit and randomize into each arm.DiscussionThis study aims to contribute to a better understanding of PA patterns and the impact of wearable-based PA interventions in patients with MM. In addition, we aim to contribute to more knowledge about the relationship between PA patterns, Patient Reported Outcomes Measures (PROMs), and healthcare resource utilization in patients with MM. To achieve this, the study will leverage a locally developed PROMs registry and assess data from participants’ medical records, in order to understand the added impact of wearable data and medical information data on predicting PROMs and unplanned hospital admissions.Trial registrationNCT05777291

Sustainability of an intervention to reduce waiting for access to an epilepsy outpatient clinic

PurposeDelays in outpatient specialist neurologist care for people with epilepsy are common despite recommendations for prompt access. There is evidence to suggest that there are interventions that can minimise waitlists and waiting time. However, little is known about whether such interventions can result in sustained improvements in waiting. The aim of this study was to determine the extent to which an intervention to reduce waiting in an epilepsy specialist outpatient clinic demonstrated sustained outcomes two years after the intervention was implemented. MethodsThis observational study analysed routinely collected epilepsy clinic data over three study periods: pre-intervention, post-intervention and at two-year follow-up. The intervention, Specific Timely Assessment and Triage (STAT), combined a short-term backlog reduction strategy and creation of protected appointments for new referrals based on analysis of demand. After the initial intervention, there was no further active intervention in the following two years. The primary outcome was waiting measured by 1.) waiting time for access to a clinic appointment, defined as the number of days between referral and first appointment for all patients referred to the epilepsy clinic during the three study periods; and 2.) a snapshot of the number of patients on the waitlist at two time points for each of the three study periods. ResultsTwo years after implementing the STAT model in an epilepsy clinic, median waiting time from post-intervention to two-year follow-up was stable (52–51 days) and the interquartile range of days waited reduced from 37 to 77 days post-intervention to 45–57 days at two-year follow-up, with a reduction in the most lengthy wait times observed. After a dramatic reduction of the total number of patients on the waitlist immediately following the intervention, a small rise was seen at two years (n = 69) which remained well below the pre-intervention level (n = 582). ConclusionThe STAT model is a promising intervention for reducing waiting in an epilepsy clinic. While there was a small increase in the waitlist after two years, the median waiting time was sustained.

Clinical Characteristics and Hearing Aid Uptake Rate of Patients Seen at the Community Hearing Clinic: A Model of Upstream Preventive Care and Earlier Intervention

Background and Aim: Presbyacusis is one of the most common causes of hearing loss for seniors age above 60 years. Yet diagnostic hearing tests are not readily accessible to seniors in the community. Since 2018, the Ministry of Health in Singapore started a pilot program to screen them for their visual, oral, and hearing health in the community and improve accessibility to hearing healthcare. We describe the clinical characteristics of seniors presenting to Community Hearing Clinic (CHC) and compared hearing aid uptake rates with patients seen at a tertiary hospital.&#x0D; Methods: Retrospective cross-sectional descriptive study on Singaporeans with hearing&#x0D; difficulties presenting to the community clinics.&#x0D; Results: Attendance rates were generally positive at more than 80% and is comparable to the specialist outpatient clinic at the tertiary hospital. Hearing aid uptake rates were comparable between CHC and tertiary hospital at 61.9% and 66.9% respectively. Despite having better accessibility with direct access to the audiologists, and more financial subsidies, the eventual uptake rates of hearing aids are not clinically different at the CHC.&#x0D; Conclusion: CHC may be a viable model of improving accessibility to hearing healthcare with audiologists providing the 1st level of triaging safely. However, the cost-effectiveness of this model remains to be seen. Further health service research studies are warranted to determine the cost-effectiveness of sandbox CHC. Right-siting and expanding the sandbox to include access to hearing aid subsidies in private clinics may further help with this move beyond hospital to the community in line with our public health vision.&#x0D; &#x0D; Keywords: Community health services; audiology; hearing aids; financing; governmental

A comparison between a maximum care university hospital and an outpatient clinic – potential for optimization in arthroscopic workflows?

BackgroundDue to the growing economic pressure, there is an increasing interest in the optimization of operational processes within surgical operating rooms (ORs). Surgical departments are frequently dealing with limited resources, complex processes with unexpected events as well as constantly changing conditions. In order to use available resources efficiently, existing workflows and processes have to be analyzed and optimized continuously. Structural and procedural changes without prior data-driven analyses may impair the performance of the OR team and the overall efficiency of the department. The aim of this study is to develop an adaptable software toolset for surgical workflow analysis and perioperative process optimization in arthroscopic surgery.MethodsIn this study, the perioperative processes of arthroscopic interventions have been recorded and analyzed subsequently. A total of 53 arthroscopic operations were recorded at a maximum care university hospital (UH) and 66 arthroscopic operations were acquired at a special outpatient clinic (OC). The recording includes regular perioperative processes (i.a. patient positioning, skin incision, application of wound dressing) and disruptive influences on these processes (e.g. telephone calls, missing or defective instruments, etc.). For this purpose, a software tool was developed (‘s.w.an Suite Arthroscopic toolset’). Based on the data obtained, the processes of the maximum care provider and the special outpatient clinic have been analyzed in terms of performance measures (e.g. Closure-To-Incision-Time), efficiency (e.g. activity duration, OR resource utilization) as well as intra-process disturbances and then compared to one another.ResultsDespite many similar processes, the results revealed considerable differences in performance indices. The OC required significantly less time than UH for surgical preoperative (UH: 30:47 min, OC: 26:01 min) and postoperative phase (UH: 15:04 min, OC: 9:56 min) as well as changeover time (UH: 32:33 min, OC: 6:02 min). In addition, these phases result in the Closure-to-Incision-Time, which lasted longer at the UH (UH: 80:01 min, OC: 41:12 min).ConclusionThe perioperative process organization, team collaboration, and the avoidance of disruptive factors had a considerable influence on the progress of the surgeries. Furthermore, differences in terms of staffing and spatial capacities could be identified. Based on the acquired process data (such as the duration for different surgical steps or the number of interfering events) and the comparison of different arthroscopic departments, approaches for perioperative process optimization to decrease the time of work steps and reduce disruptive influences were identified.

Therapist-guided, Internet-delivered cognitive behaviour therapy for adolescents with body dysmorphic disorder: A feasibility trial with long-term follow-up

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a prevalent and impairing psychiatric condition that typically debuts in adolescence and is associated with risky behaviours. The disorder can be effectively treated with cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT). However, CBT for BDD is seldom available primarily due to a shortage of trained therapists. Internet-delivered CBT (ICBT) can be a way to increase treatment availability. The aim of this feasibility trial was to evaluate the feasibility, safety, and preliminary efficacy of a CBT protocol for adolescents with BDD, adapted to be delivered over the Internet with minimal therapist support. A total of 20 participants (12–17-year-olds) meeting criteria for BDD were recruited nationally to a specialist outpatient clinic in Stockholm, Sweden. One participant withdrew consent and their data could not be analysed. Nineteen participants were offered 12 modules of therapist-guided ICBT for BDD and were followed up to 12 months post-treatment. Preliminary efficacy was measured at the a priori primary endpoint (3-month follow-up) and at the 12-month follow-up with the clinician-rated Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale Modified for BDD for Adolescents. The treatment was rated as both credible and satisfactory and was associated with a large and statistically significant reduction in BDD symptom severity (d = 2.94). The proportion of participants classified as responders at the primary endpoint was 73.7%, and the proportion of full or partial remitters was 63.2%. The average therapist support time was 8 min per participant per week. Treatment gains continued to accrue up to the 12-month follow-up. Two participants attempted suicide and another two reported non-suicidal self-injuries during the study period. ICBT with minimal therapist support is a feasible, potentially efficacious, and durable treatment for adolescents with BDD. Risky behaviours typical of this patient group should be carefully monitored during treatment.

The association between patient experiences in outpatient care and their characteristics in Slovenia

Abstract Background The aim of the cross-sectional study was to measure adult patients’ experiences in the outpatient specialist medical settings in the fields of neurology and neurosurgery, cardiology, ophthalmology, gynaecology and obstetrics, orthopaedics and oncology with radiotherapy, and explore the association between the general score of the healthcare service given by patients and their socio-demographic characteristics and health status. Methods The survey used mixed mode design (i.e. paper questionnaire and online survey), took into account various aspects of healthcare such as waiting period to the visit, admission, waiting time in the waiting room, physician work, nurse work, privacy, patient rights information, and familiarity with continuation of treatment. As part of the study, patients evaluated overall care at a specialist outpatient clinic on a scale of 0 to 10. The questionnaire used has been recently developed, based on a review of the literature and focus groups with patients. The questionnaire was also cognitively tested and piloted before national rollout. Multi-level regression analysis was used as the main method of statistical analysis. Results The national survey was conducted in autumn 2022. A total of 10,533 valid completed questionnaires from 210 specialist outpatient clinics were received. 82.4% of the surveyed patients rated the medical treatment with a score of 9 or 10 with the average rating 9.34. Preliminary statistical analysis indicates the presence of association between socio-demographic/health status variables on one hand and overall assessment of treatment on the other. Conclusions A possible association between socio-demographic and health status factors with overall score on specialist outpatient clinic rating calls for caution when comparing outpatient clinics that care for patients with different socio-demographic characteristics and health status. Key messages • There is an association between sociodemographic factors and health status of patients with overall score of healthcare experiences in specialist outpatient clinics. • The association calls for caution when comparing outpatient clinics.

Is the road to burnout paved with perfectionism? The prevalence of obsessive-compulsive personality disorder in a clinical longitudinal sample of female patients with stress-related exhaustion.

Few studies have investigated the relationship between stress-related mental health problems and obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD). Similarly, little research has focused on the moderating effect of OCPD on recovery in clinical patients with stress-related mental health problems. The general aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of OCPD and the associations between OCPD and level of burnout, anxiety, and depression symptoms, during a 7-years follow-up in a clinical longitudinal sample of female patients with stress-related exhaustion. The included patients (n = 84) were referred to a specialist outpatient clinic for patients with stress-related exhaustion between 2006 and 2011. Data was collected at the initial examination and during a 7-year treatment follow-up. OCPD was the most common personality disorder in the present clinical sample, with 40% of patients fulfilling the criteria. There was a significant association between OCPD and the degree of burnout symptoms as well as the degree of depression, both at baseline and during the 7-year follow-up. No significant association between OCPD and levels of anxiety was observed. The results support the hypothesis that there might be an association between OCPD and stress-related exhaustion, including preservation of symptoms over time. OCPD and its related traits, such as perfectionism, may be important factors to consider when constructing effective treatment and rehabilitation plans for these patients.