Outpatient Specialist Care Research Articles

The evaluation of out-patients specialist nursing mode by the patients with PICC catheter

Objective To learn the evaluation of specialist nursing mode by the patients with PICC catheter and to provide refer-ence to specialist out-patient nursing workflow.Methods One hundred and eighteen cases of Cancer patients with PICC catheter were conducted with a questionnmre survey,and the survey results were analyzed.Results There Was 92.37% respondents thought that PICC outpatient specialist care could solve the problem of catheter maIntenanceean of patients with PICC catheter During post-discharge period of intermittent,there Was different evaluation of PICC care clinic workflow and maintenance costs in difierent education level and income Datients with PICC catheter.Conclusions It is important to establish a standardized PICC specialist out-Datient care which may meet the extended care of PICC catheter after discharge from hospital and to protect the promotion of PICC catheter. Key words: PICC; Out-patient specialist care; Mode; Tumors

The preferred doctor scheme: A political reading of a French experiment of Gate-keeping

Since 2006 France experiences an innovative version of Gate-keeping which aims at regulating access to outpatient specialist care. We describe the reform's initial objectives, the political pathway which lead to the implementation of a reshaped reform and discuss the first outcomes after 1 year implementation. In the conclusion, we try to catch a glimpse for future steps of the reform. In order to observe the implantation and impact on the reform, we used national sickness fund databases and a sample of 7198 individuals from the 2006 French Health, Health Care and Insurance Survey (ESPS), including health, socio-economic and insurance status, questions relating to patient's understanding and compliance with the scheme, self-assessed unmet specialist needs since the reform. 2006 results show that 94% chose a preferred doctor, in a vast majority their family doctor. Impact on access to specialist care appears significant for the less well off and those not covered by a complementary insurance. From the specialist's side, new constraints on access to care seem to have been offset by rises in fee schedules. Notwithstanding disappointing short terms results, the new scheme may however lead up to reinforced managed care reforms.

Acculturation and use of health care services by Turkish and Moroccan migrants: a cross-sectional population-based study.

BackgroundThere is insufficient empirical evidence which shows if and how there is an interrelation between acculturation and health care utilisation. The present study seeks to establish this evidence within first generation Turkish and Moroccan migrants, two of the largest migrant groups in present-day Western Europe.MethodsData were derived from the Amsterdam Health Monitor 2004, and were complete for 358 Turkish and 288 Moroccan foreign-born migrants. Use of health services (general practitioner, outpatient specialist and health care for mental health problems) was measured by means of self-report. Acculturation was measured by a structured questionnaire grading (i) ethnic self-identification, (ii) social interaction with ethnic Dutch, (iii) communication in Dutch within one's private social network, (iv) emancipation, and (v) cultural orientation towards the public domain.ResultsAcculturation was hardly associated with the use of general practitioner care. However, in case of higher adaptation to the host culture there was less uptake of outpatient specialist care among Turkish respondents (odds ratio [OR] = 0.90, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.82-0.99) and Moroccan male respondents (OR = 0.81, 95% CI = 0.71-0.93). Conversely, there was a higher uptake of mental health care among Turkish men (OR = 0.81, 95% CI = 0.71-0.93) and women (OR = 0.81, 95% CI = 0.71-0.93). Uptake of mental health care among Moroccan respondents again appeared lower (OR = 0.74, 95% CI = 0.55-0.99). Language ability appeared to play a central role in the uptake of health care.ConclusionSome results were in accordance with the popular view that an increased participation in the host society is concomitant to an increased use of health services. However, there was heterogeneity across ethnic and gender groups, and across the domains of acculturation. Language ability appeared to play a central role. Further research needs to explore this heterogeneity into more detail. Also, other cultural and/or contextual aspects that influence the use of health services require further identification.

Problems and challenges for palliative care: What are the views of different stakeholders on the meso and macro level of the health system?

To study the views of a wide range of representatives from organizations and institutions at the meso and macro level of the health system regarding palliative care in Germany. 442 organizations and institutions were included (e.g. medical associations, political boards, health insurances). Using a standardized questionnaire, the main topics included the most recent health care reform, quality in palliative care and living will. The response rate was 67%. Most of the respondents (69.9%) rated the recently introduced specialist outpatient palliative care positively. The majority of the interviewees agreed that the effectiveness (74.2%) and efficiency (56.4%) of palliative care services need to be further evaluated. Two-thirds believed that political regulations of living wills could help minimize uncertainties concerning end-of-life decisions; palliative care specialists were less likely to be of that opinion compared to the other groups. The recent political measures go into the right direction in order to further improve health care of severely ill and dying people in Germany. However, the effects on the health care system and on the routine delivery of care are uncertain. It is important to further develop palliative care on a broad societal, political and scientific base.

Social inequalities in the use of health care services after 8 years of health care reforms – a comparative study of the Baltic countries

In nineties, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have implemented a wide range of changes to health systems. The objective of this paper was to assess social inequalities in utilisation of, and access to, health care services in the late nineties. The comparative NORBALT Survey conducted in 1999 is used. Direct standardization and logistic regression was applied to analyse primary, out-patient and hospital care utilisation, and self reported financial barriers, by socio-demographic and geographical variables. In all three countries social inequalities in utilization were large for out-patient specialist care, smaller or absent with regards to primary care or to hospitalisations. Inequalities were large and consistent in relationship to household income, less so in relationship to educational level. Inequalities in utilization of care were larger in Latvia as well in the self reported barriers to health care in absolute and relative terms were larger. After 8 years of reforms, important pro-rich inequalities in the use of health services existed. In Latvia, these inequalities were largest, possibly due to higher ratio of cost sharing as compared to Estonia and Lithuania.

Privatisation of health care in Slovenia in the period 1992–2008

To discuss the background, nature and facilitating and hindering factors of the privatisation process in health care in Slovenia. Descriptive analyses of legal and policy documents mapping the situation in Slovenia against an internationally established taxonomy and typology. Description of the scope and volume of the different types of privatisation. Determined by the political will, privatisation in health care in Slovenia has been a gradual process. In 2008, it applies to 30% of the primary care providers (GPs, paediatricians and school medicine doctors), almost 60% of providers in dentistry and about 20% of providers of outpatient specialist care. In the hospital setting, privatisation remained limited and there have not been significant private investments in health infrastructure. Privatisation of health insurance (including insurance to cover co-payments) has steeply risen to 15% of the total health expenditure (THE), while out-of-pocket payments reached 12% of the THE. Slovenia's privatisation in health care is focused on primary health care and on health expenditures. Controversies over its extent kept privatisation contained and controlled. Today's share of private provision of health services remains at the conservative end of the European Union. Private expenditures for health services increased considerably, while privatisation of health infrastructure and management has so far been limited. Concerns about the future course of privatisation relate to the issues of equity, fairness and solidarity.

Medical Clinic Characteristics and Access to Behavioral Health Services for Persons With HIV

Medical Clinic Characteristics and Access to Behavioral Health Services for Persons With HIV

Medical Clinic Characteristics and Access to Behavioral Health Services for Persons With HIV

Many persons with HIV do not receive needed behavioral health services. This study examined the impact of medical clinic characteristics on access to mental health and substance abuse care for persons with HIV. This was a longitudinal survey of patients and clinic directors participating in the HIV Cost and Services Utilization Study, a national probability sample of persons in care for HIV between 1996 and 1998 (N=2,031). Primary outcomes were receipt of outpatient mental health specialist care, outpatient substance abuse care, and abstinence from substance use in the past 30 days. After adjustment for patient characteristics, the likelihood of care by a mental health specialist was higher for patients in HIV specialty clinics (odds ratio [OR]=2.1, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.2-3.5) and clinics with a combination of on-site case management and affiliated mental health care (OR=2.3, CI 1.3-4.4, for off-site affiliated care; OR=2.1, CI=1.2-3.7, for on-site care). Outpatient substance abuse care also was more likely for patients in clinics with on-site case management and affiliated substance abuse care (OR=4.3, CI=1.5-12.2, for off-site affiliated care; OR=3.2, CI=1.3-8.0, for on-site care). In a subgroup of persons reporting active substance use, care in clinics with on-site case management predicted 30-day abstinence from substances at follow-up (OR=1.7, CI=1.1-2.5). The organizational structure of medical clinics can have an important effect on use of mental health and substance abuse specialist care.

Specialist outpatient care the weigh to go for anorexic teens

Specialist outpatient care the weigh to go for anorexic teens

Making sense of blood pressure values in follow-up appointments for hypertension

Background Although there are effective ways of treating hypertension, only a minority of all hypertensive people reach target blood pressure levels. This may be a function of how patients and physicians put measured values into context when they decide if the blood pressure is well controlled or too high. Methodology Qualitative analysis of audio-taped follow-up appointments for hypertension between 51 outpatients and their 11 physicians. All patients came for routine follow-up appointments for hypertension. The setting was primary and a specialist outpatient care in the south of Sweden. Principal findings Borderline blood pressure values led to more deliberation. Common ways of contextualising the blood pressure were by comparing it to previous values and by explaining it in terms of stress or lack of rest. The net effect of this was that the representativity and severity of the measured blood pressure value were downplayed by both patients and physicians. In some instances, physicians (but not patients) worked in the opposite direction. Patients were less actively engaged in interpreting the blood pressure values, stated their views about therapy less often, and were careful not to express views that were overly critical of the drug treatment. Conclusions Patients and physicians make sense of the blood pressure through a contextualisation process which tends to normalise the face values towards the reference values. The resulting (processed) value is the one acted upon. Discursive handling of the blood pressure therefore makes up an important part of the decision-making.

Economic impact of primary headaches in Turkey: a university hospital based study: part II

This study was planned to investigate the economic impact of headache on Turkish headache sufferers attending a tertiary care outpatient headache clinic.A total of 937 headache patients were included in this study and questioned using a questionnaire for the profile of patients and headache, quality of life of patients and economic impact of headache. The median total direct cost was found to be 88.0 USD and the median total cost was 160.7 USD. The drug treatment cost was the highest item followed by the specialist outpatient care cost. The average lost and inefficient work/school days was 1.5 (0–45) and 8.4 (0–100) days for one year.It was shown that loss of productivity was higher for migraine without aura group when compared with the episodic and chronic tension–type headache groups. The results of this nationwide university hospital based study methshowed that headache, especially migraine, has considerable economic impact on patients.

The “Essential Levels of Care” in Italy: when being explicit serves the devolution of powers

The definition of an explicit health benefit package in Italy has gained importance because of devolution of powers from the national level to the regions. The set of services to be guaranteed by the public sector are defined at national level, while regions are accountable for their provision. This contribution discusses the entitlements and the decision criteria adopted by Italian policy-making bodies. Entitlements to services are clearly defined for few sectors (mainly outpatient specialist care); for hospital care the benefit catalogue is vague. The definition of the health benefit package in Italy is an essential element of the relationship between the central government and the regions. It is argued that adequate monitoring systems and accountability procedures are still needed to make the essential levels of care an effective pivotal element of the Italian National Health Service.

The inequity of informal payments for health care: The case of Hungary

As in most countries of Central and Eastern Europe, informal payments have been a characteristic feature of the Hungarian health care system both during and since the demise of Soviet type socialist rule. Although informal payments continue to be so characteristic in the region, little empirical evidence exists on their scope or working. As far as equity is concerned, it has sometimes been suggested that physicians play a ‘Robin Hood’ role and subsidise the poor at the expense of the rich. With the aid of an interview survey of a representative sample of the Hungarian population, we examine the distribution of the burden of informal payments across income groups. Results indicate that informal payments are a highly regressive way of funding health care, with Kakwani progressivity indices of −0.38, −0.39, −0.35 and −0.36 for GP, outpatient specialist, hospital, and total care, respectively. The finding that people with lower income pay proportionally more for public health care through informal payments underlines the emptiness of the ‘Robin Hood’ claims and the need for reform.

Social inequalities in health care services utilisation after eight years of health care reforms: a cross-sectional study of Estonia, 1999

Fundamental health care reforms in Estonia started in 1991 with the introduction of a social health insurance system. While increasing the efficiency of the health care system was one of the targets of the health care reforms, equity issues have received relatively less attention. The objective of this study is to provide an overview of social inequalities in health care utilisation in Estonia in 1999, after 8 years of large-scale reforms.Data were obtained from a nationally representative household interview survey including 3990 respondents aged 25–74 years. Health care utilisation was measured by the telephone consultations, visits to the general practitioner, visits to the specialist, visits to the dentist, and hospitalisation. These utilisation measures were related to variables on ethnicity, place of residence, education, income and employment, by means of direct standardisation and logistic regression models. Three different regression models were applied in order to (a) describe social differences in health care utilisation, (b) to assess whether these differences can be explained by differences in health needs, and (c) to assess the independent effect of each social variable net of all other social variables.Substantial inequalities were observed for all types of health care services and according to most social dimensions. Residents of rural areas were more likely to visit a general practitioner or to use telephone consultation, but less often used outpatient specialist care or dentist care. Ethnic differences were generally smaller, with no consistently higher use by either Russians or ethnic Estonians. Large differences were observed in relation to socio-economic status (education, income, or employment), with a more favourable socio-economic status being associated with higher probability to use health care services, especially after controlling for health needs. In case of hospitalisation, however, no notable social inequalities were found.These findings suggest that important geographic, financial and information barriers to health care utilisation exist after almost one decade of health care reforms in Estonia. Further health care reforms should aim to lessen or even remove these barriers.

Socio-economic differences in general practitioner and outpatient specialist care in the Netherlands: A matter of health insurance?

Equal treatment for equal needs, irrespective of socio-economic position, is a major issue in many countries. Although in the Netherlands differences in utilization of health care between population groups are less pronounced than in most other countries, some differences by socio-economic position do exist. Controlling for health status, individuals with a high socio-economic status have a higher probability of outpatient contacts with a specialist, but a lower probability of general practitioner contacts, compared with those with a low socioeconomic status. In this cross-sectional study, we studied whether socio-economic differences in GP and outpatient specialist care utilization that exist after health status is taken into account could be explained by different aspects of health insurance. The study population, in which people with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetes mellitus, severe back complaints, and heart diseases are overrepresented, consists of 2867 respondents. Multivariate analyses show that the socio-economic differences in outpatient specialist contacts cannot be explained by differences in health insurance, whereas differences in general practitioner contacts can partially be explained by the fact that individuals with higher socio-economic status more often have a private (instead of public) insurance. This is not owing to differences in deductible or insurance coverage between public and private insurance, but is more likely to be caused by differences in regulatory aspects between these two insurance schemes (such as the stronger gate-keeper role of the general practitioner in the public insurance scheme).

An Intervention Program to Reduce the Hospitalization Cost of Asthmatic Patients Requiring Intubation

Asthma is the single disease that accounts for the largest proportion of total health care cost in the US. To analyze whether an asthma management program affected the cost of subsequent asthma care for patients in whom intubation had been necessary. We evaluated patients with asthma who (1) had required intubation for treatment of status asthmaticus; (2) were 45 years old or younger; (3) had regular follow-up visits in our clinic for 1 year after initial evaluation; and (4) had complete medical records 1 year before and 1 year after the intervention for our evaluation. Medical costs of asthma treatment for each patient were determined for 1 year before and 1 year after intervention. The program included patient education, regular outpatient visits, specialist care, and access to the Allergy Immunology emergency call service. The outcome measures were the total cost of care, inpatient hospitalizations, outpatient services, emergency services, and medicine costs. Nine patients [mean age 19.6 years (SD = 9.9)] fulfilled the criteria (six women and three men). The mean duration of asthma was 14.0 years (SD = 9.7). The mean total cost of care decreased from $43,066 to $4,914 (t = -4.53, P < .001) and inpatient hospitalization costs decreased from $40,253 to $1,926 (t = -4.50, P <.001). There was, however, no significant difference in the mean pre-intervention versus post-intervention cost of emergency services, outpatient services, or medicine costs. The intervention--which included education, specialist care, regular outpatient visits, and access to an emergency call service--significantly reduced the cost of asthma care in our population of patients intubated for asthma.