Suboptimal Patient Care Research Articles

Burnout and work-life balance among pediatric cardiologists: A single center experience.

Physicians are exposed to workplace factors that may result in acute or chronic stress resulting in burnout. This may impact the productivity and result in suboptimal patient care practices. We surveyed pediatric cardiology attending physicians at our institution to assess their perception of burnout and work-life balance using the Maslach Burnout Inventory and the Areas of Work-Life Survey. Forty-five out of the 50 pediatric cardiology attendings responded to the survey. They were divided into 4 groups: Interventional/Electrophysiology [n=3], Cardiac Intensive Care/Inpatient [n=8], Non-Invasive Imaging [n=6], and Outpatient [n=28]. The Maslach Burnout Inventory demonstrated group-specific scores in the areas of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment that were all significantly better than the general population. However, group-specific Areas of Work-Life Survey results demonstrated concerning findings with respect to the perception of work-life balance. Although the Maslach Burnout Inventory did not demonstrate significant burnout among the attending physicians, the Areas of Work-Life Survey results demonstrated reduced work engagement, which can impact patient care and lead to burnout in the future. Based on these results, we plan to implement strategies to help increase work engagement and improve overall organizational effectiveness.

Second victims need emotional support after adverse events: even in a just safety culture.

Second victims need emotional support after adverse events: even in a just safety culture.

Global epidemiology and outcomes of acute kidney injury.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a commonly encountered syndrome associated with various aetiologies and pathophysiological processes leading to decreased kidney function. In addition to retention of waste products, impaired electrolyte homeostasis and altered drug concentrations, AKI induces a generalized inflammatory response that affects distant organs. Full recovery of kidney function is uncommon, which leaves these patients at risk of long-term morbidity and death. Estimates of AKI prevalence range from <1% to 66%. These variations can be explained by not only population differences but also inconsistent use of standardized AKI classification criteria. The aetiology and incidence of AKI also differ between high-income and low-to-middle-income countries. High-income countries show a lower incidence of AKI than do low-to-middle-income countries, where contaminated water and endemic diseases such as malaria contribute to a high burden of AKI. Outcomes of AKI are similar to or more severe than those of patients in high-income countries. In all resource settings, suboptimal early recognition and care of patients with AKI impede their recovery and lead to high mortality, which highlights unmet needs for improved detection and diagnosis of AKI and for efforts to improve care for these patients.

97 - Burnout in Pediatric Residents: Findings From a National Longitudinal Survey

Background: Resident burnout is common and associated with poor health and sub-optimal patient care. Previous studies have involved small and/or cross-sectional samples and gaps remain in understanding predictive factors.

Readmission Prediction for Patients with Heterogeneous Hazard: A Trajectory-Based Deep Learning Approach

Hospital readmission refers to the situation where a patient is re-hospitalized with the same primary diagnosis within a specific time interval after discharge. Hospital readmission causes $26 billion preventable expenses to the U.S. health systems annually and often indicates suboptimal patient care. To alleviate those severe financial and health consequences, it is crucial to proactively predict patients’ readmission risk. Such prediction is challenging because the evolution of patients’ medical history is dynamic and complex. The state-of-the-art studies apply statistical models which use static predictors in a period, failing to consider patients’ heterogeneous medical history. Our approach – Trajectory-BAsed DEep Learning (TADEL) – is motivated to tackle the deficiencies of the existing approaches by capturing dynamic medical history. We evaluate TADEL on a five-year national Medicare claims dataset reaching an F1 score of 87.3%. Our approach significantly outperforms all the state-of-the-art methods. Our findings suggest that health status factors and insurance coverage are important predictors for readmission. This study contributes to IS literature and analytical methodology by formulating the trajectory-based readmission prediction problem and developing a novel deep-learning-based readmission risk prediction framework. We also deliver implementable methods to assess patients’ readmission risk and take early interventions to avoid potential negative consequences.

BURNOUT AND WORK-LIFE BALANCE: A SINGLE CENTER EXPERIENCE

Physicians are exposed to workplace factors that result in chronic stress resulting in burnout. Physician burnout may impact productivity and result in suboptimal patient care practices. We surveyed pediatric cardiology faculty at our institution (2015) to assess their perception of burnout and

Burnout and self-reported suboptimal patient care amongst health care workers providing HIV care in Malawi.

BackgroundThe well-documented shortages of health care workers (HCWs) in sub-Saharan Africa are further intensified by the increased human resource needs of expanding HIV treatment programs. Burnout is a syndrome of emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization (DP), and a sense of low personal accomplishment (PA). HCWs’ burnout can negatively impact the delivery of health services. Our main objective was to examine the prevalence of burnout amongst HCWs in Malawi and explore its relationship to self-reported suboptimal patient care.MethodsA cross-sectional study among HCWs providing HIV care in 89 facilities, across eight districts in Malawi was conducted. Burnout was measured using the Maslach Burnout Inventory defined as scores in the mid-high range on the EE or DP subscales. Nine questions adapted for this study assessed self-reported suboptimal patient care. Surveys were administered anonymously and included socio-demographic and work-related questions. Validated questionnaires assessed depression and at-risk alcohol use. Chi-square test or two-sample t-test was used to explore associations between variables and self-reported suboptimal patient care. Bivariate analyses identified candidate variables (p < 0.2). Final regression models included variables with significant main effects.ResultsOf 520 HCWs, 62% met criteria for burnout. In the three dimensions of burnout, 55% reported moderate-high EE, 31% moderate-high DP, and 46% low-moderate PA. The majority (89%) reported engaging in suboptimal patient care/attitudes including making mistakes in treatment not due to lack of knowledge/experience (52%), shouting at patients (45%), and not performing diagnostic tests due to a desire to finish quickly (35%). In multivariate analysis, only burnout remained associated with self-reported suboptimal patient care (OR 3.22, [CI 2.11 to 4.90]; p<0.0001).ConclusionBurnout was common among HCWs providing HIV care and was associated with self-reported suboptimal patient care practices/attitudes. Research is needed to understand factors that contribute to and protect against burnout and that inform the development of strategies to reduce burnout.

Beyond stress reduction: A conceptual model of intrapersonal transformation through mindfulness interventions

Mindfulness-based programs are becoming increasingly common in workplace settings as a means to manage worker stress and enhance resilience.The healthcare sector has been an early-adopter of mindfulness as a means to mitigate workers’ exposure to trauma and high levels of stress, which can result in fatigue, burnout and sub-optimal patient care. In spite of the avalanche of new empirical and theoretical studies of mindfulness programs published over the past ten years, there remains a relative dearth of high-quality qualitative research describing the process and outcomes of programs from the perspective of participants, including their longitudinal impacts. This paper describes qualitative findings of an evaluation of two workplace mindfulness programs involving over 190 healthcare workers, using pre- and post-intervention qualitative surveys as well as focus groups. The study explores participant experiences, described in their own words, and the impact of these programs one year after completion. We draw on the stories gathered from participants to craft an inductive model of mindfulness and its impacts on the lives of novice practitioners. Using metaphor as a method to elucidate this model, we describe the transformative impacts of mindfulness for workers, including impacts on stress, resilience, insight and well-being.We also discuss how qualitative research methods can inform efforts to enhance the quality and evaluate the impact of mindfulness programs in the workplace.

Management of acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding: an update for the general physician.

Acute upper gastrointestinal bleed (AUGIB) is one of the most common medical emergencies in the UK, with roughly one presentation every 6 min. Despite advances in therapeutics and endoscopy provision, mortality following AUGIB over the last two decades has remained high, with over 9,000 deaths annually in the UK; consequently, several national bodies have published UK-relevant guidelines. Despite this, the 2015 UK National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death in AUGIB highlighted variations in practice, raised concerns regarding suboptimal patient care and released a series of recommendations. This review paper incorporates the latest available evidence and UK-relevant guidelines to summarise the optimal pre-endoscopic, endoscopic, and post-endoscopic approach to and management of non-variceal and variceal AUGIB that will be of practical value to both general physicians and gastroenterologists.

Overuse of Health Care Services in the Management of Cancer: A Systematic Review.

Overuse, the provision of health services for which harms outweigh the benefits, results in suboptimal patient care and may contribute to the rising costs of cancer care. We performed a systematic review of the evidence on overuse in oncology. We searched Medline, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, SCOPUS databases, and 2 grey literature sources, for articles published between December 1, 2011 and March 10, 2017. We included publications from December 2011 to evaluate the literature since the inception of the ABIM Foundation's Choosing Wisely initiative in 2012. We included original research articles quantifying overuse of any medical service in patients with a cancer diagnosis when utilizing an acceptable standard to define care appropriateness, excluding studies of cancer screening. One of 4 investigator reviewed titles and abstracts and 2 of 4 reviewed each full-text article and extracted data. Methodology used PRISMA guidelines. We identified 59 articles measuring overuse of 154 services related to imaging, procedures, and therapeutics in cancer management. The majority of studies addressed adult or geriatric patients (98%) and focused on US populations (76%); the most studied services were diagnostic imaging in low-risk prostate and breast cancer. Few studies evaluated active cancer therapeutics or interventions aimed at reducing overuse. Rates of overuse varied widely among services and among studies of the same service. Despite recent attention to overuse in cancer, evidence identifying areas of overuse remains limited. Broader investigation, including assessment of active cancer treatment, is critical for identifying improvement targets to optimize value in cancer care.

A survey of front-line paramedics examining the professional relationship between paramedics and physician medical oversight.

Paramedicine is often dependent on physician medical directors and their associated programs for direction and oversight. A positive relationship between paramedics and their oversight physicians promotes safety and quality care while a strained or ineffective one may threaten these goals. The objective of this study was to explore and understand the professional relationship between paramedics and physician medical oversight as viewed by front-line paramedics. All active front-line paramedics from four municipal paramedic services involving three medical oversight groups in Ontario were invited to complete an online survey. Five hundred and four paramedics were invited to participate in the study, with 242 completing the survey (48% response rate); 66% male, 76% primary care paramedics with an average of 13 (SD=9) years of experience. Paramedics had neutral or positive perceptions regarding their autonomy, opportunities to interact with their medical director, and medical director understanding of the prehospital setting. Paramedics perceived medical directives as rigid and ambiguous. A significant amount of respondents reported a perception of having provided suboptimal patient care due to fear of legal or disciplinary consequences. Issues of a lack of support for critical thinking and a lack of trust between paramedics and medical oversight groups were often raised. Paramedic perceptions of physician medical oversight were mixed. Concerning areas identified were perceptions of ambiguous written directives and concerns related to the level of trust and support for critical thinking. These perceptions may have implications for the system of care and should be explored further.

Impacto del empleo de umbrales específicos de referencia en el diagnóstico de las alteraciones funcionales tiroideas en la mujer gestante

ObjectiveTo determine trimester- and assay-specific reference intervals for thyroid hormones during pregnancy, and the impact of using non-specific intervals on the diagnosis of functional disorders in the first trimester. MethodsA total of 759 healthy pregnant women older than 18 years with uncomplicated single intrauterine gestations and attending Primary Care Centres were consecutively recruited from January 2014 to September 2014. After excluding women who did not complete the follow-up during pregnancy, and those with functional thyroid disorders or with thyroid-specific autoantibodies, a total of 411 pregnant women were selected as the reference population. TSH, FT4, and FT3 were measured in each trimester using electrochemiluminescence immunoassay, and urinary iodine concentration was measured in the first and in the third trimester using high performance liquid chromatography. ResultsThe TSH reference intervals expressed as median and 2.5-97.5 percentiles were: 1.53μIU/ml (0.26-3.95), 1.90μIU/ml (0.78-3.85) and 1.89μIU/ml (0.71-3.61) in first, second and third trimesters, respectively. The median urinary iodine concentration (UIC) was 171.31μg/l (90.7-274.9) in the first trimester and 190.37μg/l (96.44-360.38) in the third. Interpretation of thyroid function tests using non-local-pregnant reference intervals would result in misclassification of the thyroid function in a significant percentage of pregnant women (19.8% with the proposed international specific reference intervals, and 8.52% with the non-specific reference intervals of our assay). ConclusionsThe use of non-local reference intervals for the diagnosis of thyroid disorders during pregnancy could lead to a large number of misclassified results, contributing to sub-optimal patient care.

A Dual Processing Theory Based Approach to Instruction and Assessment of Diagnostic Competencies

Evidence suggests that diagnostic error plays a major role in America’s suboptimal patient care. Evidence also suggests that generalizable problem solving or clinical reasoning skills are not the primary determinant of diagnostic accuracy. Rather, knowledge-based constructs likely play a greater role in diagnostic performance. Dual processing theory (DPT) posits how knowledge-based constructs and information processing (problem solving or reasoning) mechanisms work together to enable categorization tasks such as differential diagnosis. This manuscript describes how medical educators might use DPT to create training and testing methods to improve the diagnostic capabilities of tomorrow’s practitioners and subsequently patient care outcomes.

The relationship between leadership and physician well-being: a scoping review.

To date, research has established the individual and organizational factors that impair well-being. Thus, we are aware of the organizational “cogs and wheels” that drive well-being, and there is a sense that we can potentially utilize effective leadership to push and pull these in the appropriate directions. However, reviews of leadership in health care point to the lack of academic rigor and difficulty in reaching solid conclusions. Conversely, there is an accepted belief that the most important determinant of the development and maintenance of cultures is current – and future – leadership. Thus, leadership is assumed to be an important element of organizational functioning without the requisite evidence base. Medicine is a unique organizational environment in which the health of physicians may be a significant risk factor for inadequate patient safety and suboptimal care. Globally, physicians are reporting increasing levels of job burnout, especially among younger physicians in training. Not surprisingly, higher levels of physician burnout are associated with suboptimal care for patients and medical error, as well as maladaptive coping strategies among physicians that serve to exacerbate the former. This review is a scoping analysis of the existing literature to address the central question: is there a relationship between organizational leadership and physician well-being? The objectives of the review are as follows: 1) identify the degree to which physician health is under threat; 2) evaluate the evidence linking leadership with physician well-being; 3) identify alternative ways to approach the problem; and 4) outline avenues for future research. Finally, enhancing progress in the field is discussed in the contexts of theory, methodology, and impact.

Examining the Relationship Between Family Caregivers' Emotional States and Ability to Empathize with Patients with Multiple Sclerosis: A Pilot Study.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common nontraumatic cause of disability affecting young adults in Canada. Caregivers of patients with MS are highly psychologically burdened. Empathy and helping behaviors are hallmarks of quality care, but when they are challenged, suboptimal patient care can result. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of negative emotional states among primary caregivers of people with MS; the association between the caregiver's empathy-related behavior and the physical and cognitive impairment of the person with MS; and the association between the caregiver's emotional status and his or her empathy-related behaviors. We conducted a descriptive, cross-sectional pilot study with family caregivers of noninstitutionalized individuals living with MS. We used univariate linear regression models for each potential predictor. The Kruskal-Wallis test was conducted to compare differences in caregiver empathic responses depending on Profile of Mood States subscale scores. Thirty percent of caregivers had elevated or very elevated mood scores, and such elevated scores were associated with greater functional impact of MS on the person with MS. Patient severity of cognitive impairment was not associated with caregiver mood scores. Caregiver mood state was not associated with empathy-related behaviors. Empathy-related behaviors were less frequent when levels of anger and hostility were higher, but this association did not reach statistical significance. Given the elevated levels of fatigue, depression, and anger observed among caregivers in this study, clinicians need to be aware of the potential impact of caregiving and to assess the needs of caregivers.

A Randomized Controlled Trial to Decrease Job Burnout in First-Year Internal Medicine Residents Using a Facilitated Discussion Group Intervention.

Background Burnout is common in internal medicine (IM) trainees and is associated with depression and suboptimal patient care. Facilitated group discussion reduces burnout among practicing clinicians. Objective We hypothesized that this type of intervention would reduce incident burnout among first-year IM residents. Methods Between June 2013 and May 2014, participants from a convenience sample of 51 incoming IM residents were randomly assigned (in groups of 3) to the intervention or a control. Twice-monthly theme-based discussion sessions (18 total) led by expert facilitators were held for intervention groups. Surveys were administered at study onset and completion. Demographic and personal characteristics were collected. Burnout and burnout domains were the primary outcomes. Following convention, we defined burnout as a high emotional exhaustion or depersonalization score on the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Results All 51 eligible residents participated; 39 (76%) completed both surveys. Initial burnout prevalence (10 of 21 [48%] versus 7 of 17 [41%], P = .69), incidence of burnout at year end (9 of 11 [82%] versus 5 of 10 [50%], P = .18), and secondary outcomes were similar in intervention and control arms. More residents in the intervention group had high year-end depersonalization scores (18 of 21 [86%] versus 9 of 17 [53%], P = .04). Many intervention residents revealed that sessions did not truly free them from clinical or educational responsibilities. Conclusions A facilitated group discussion intervention did not decrease burnout in resident physicians. Future discussion-based interventions for reducing resident burnout should be voluntary and effectively free participants from clinical duties.

Does Time Pressure Have a Negative Effect on Diagnostic Accuracy?

Studies suggest time pressure has negative effects on physicians' working conditions and may lead to suboptimal patient care and medical errors. Experimental evidence supporting this is lacking, however. This study investigated the effect of time pressure on diagnostic accuracy. In 2013, senior internal medicine residents at three hospitals in Saudi Arabia were divided randomly into two groups: a time-pressure condition and a control condition without time pressure. Both groups diagnosed eight written clinical cases presented on computers. In the time-pressure condition, after completing each case, participants received information that they were behind schedule. Response time was recorded, and diagnostic accuracy was scored. The 23 participants in the time-pressure condition spent significantly less time diagnosing the cases (mean = 96.00 seconds) than the 19 control participants (mean = 151.97 seconds) (P < .001). Participants under time pressure had a significantly lower diagnostic accuracy score (mean = 0.33; 95% CI, 0.23-0.43) than participants without time pressure (mean = 0.51; 95% CI, 0.42-0.60) (F[1, 41] = 6.90, P = .012, η = 0.15). This suggests participants in the time-pressure condition made on average 37% more errors than control participants. Time pressure has a negative impact on diagnostic performance. The authors propose that the effect of time pressure on diagnostic accuracy is moderated by both the case difficulty level and the physician's level of experience. Post hoc analyses demonstrated that time pressure affects diagnostic accuracy only if cases are not too difficult and physicians' expertise level is intermediate.

Compassion: a scoping review of the healthcare literature.

BackgroundRecent concerns about suboptimal patient care and a lack of compassion have prompted policymakers to question the preparedness of clinicians for the challenging environment in which they practice. Compassionate care is expected by patients and is a professional obligation of clinicians; however, little is known about the state of research on clinical compassion. The purpose of this scoping review was to map the literature on compassion in clinical healthcare.MethodsSearches of eight electronic databases and the grey literature were conducted to identify empirical studies published over the last 25 years. Eligible studies explored perceptions or interventions of compassionate care in clinical populations, healthcare professionals, and healthcare students. Following the title and abstract review, two reviewers independently screened full-texts articles, and extracted study data. A narrative approach to synthesizing and mapping the literature was used.Results and discussionOf 36,637 records, 648 studies were retrieved and 44 studies were included in the review. Less than one third of studies included patients. Six themes emerged from studies that explored perceptions of compassionate care: nature of compassion, development of compassion, interpersonal factors related to compassion, action and practical compassion, barriers and enablers of compassion, and outcomes of compassion. Intervention studies included two compassionate care trials with patients and eight educational programs that aimed to improve compassionate care in clinicians and students.ConclusionsThis review identifies the limited empirical understanding of compassion in healthcare, highlighting the lack of patient and family voices in compassion research. A deeper understanding of the key behaviors and attitudes that lead to improved patient-reported outcomes through compassionate care is necessary.

Management of Patient-Reported Outcome (PRO) Alerts in Clinical Trials: A Cross Sectional Survey.

BackgroundAssessment of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) provides valuable information to inform patient-centered care, but may also reveal ‘PRO alerts’: psychological distress or physical symptoms that may require an immediate response. Ad-hoc management of PRO alerts in clinical trials may result in suboptimal patient care or potentially bias trial results. To gain greater understanding of current practice in PRO alert management we conducted a national survey of personnel involved in clinical trials with a PRO endpoint.Methods and FindingsWe conducted a national cross-sectional survey of 767 UK-based research nurses, data managers/coordinators, trial managers and chief/principal investigators involved in clinical trials using PROs. Respondents were self-selected volunteers from a non-randomised sample of eligible individuals recruited via 55 UK Clinical Research Collaboration Registered Clinical Trials Units and 19 Comprehensive Local Research Networks. Questions centred on the proportion of trial personnel encountering alerts, how staff responded to PRO alerts and whether current guidance was deemed sufficient to support research personnel. We undertook descriptive analyses of the quantitative data and directed thematic analysis of free-text comments. 20% of research nurses did not view completed PRO questionnaires and were not in a position to discover alerts, 39–50% of the remaining respondent group participants reported encountering PRO alerts. Of these, 83% of research nurses and 54% of data managers/trial coordinators reported taking action to assist the trial participant, but less than half were able to record the intervention in the trial documentation. Research personnel reported current PRO alert guidance/training was insufficient.ConclusionsResearch personnel are intermittently exposed to PRO alerts. Some intervene to help trial participants, but are not able to record this intervention in the trial documentation, risking co-intervention bias. Other staff do not check PRO information during the trial, meaning alerts may remain undiscovered, or do not respond to alerts if they are inadvertently encountered; both of which may impact on patient safety. Guidance is needed to support PRO alert management that protects the interests of trial participants whilst avoiding potential bias.

Quality of medical care provided to type 2 diabetic patients attending Alexandria Main University Hospital, Egypt

Background Diabetes mellitus is a major contributor to morbidity and mortality worldwide. A marked variability in the application of preventive and therapeutic strategies was documented. Good quality of care is associated with lower burden of complications. Study objectives The present study was conducted to assess the quality of medical care provided to type 2 diabetic patients attending the internal medicine outpatient clinic in Alexandria Main University Hospital. Patients and methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 490 type 2 diabetic patients. Patients were interviewed using a structured questionnaire containing data on personal and sociodemographic characteristics as well as their self-care practices. Records of interviewed patients for a set of performance measures for diabetes care during the last year were reviewed. Weight, height, and blood pressure were measured and a series of laboratory investigations were carried out in order to assess the outcome of diabetes care. Results The study included 490 diabetic patients, of whom 281 (57.3%) were male patients. Their mean age was 53.62 ± 10.72 years. The duration of diabetes among the studied patients ranged from 1 to 22 years, with a mean of 9.54 ± 4.78 years. Nearly one-third of them were not compliant with antidiabetic treatment; 44.1% were current smokers and 82% of them had never practiced physical exercise before. In the previous 3 months, glycosylated hemoglobin was ordered for only 60.8% of the studied patients. In the last year, foot and fundus examinations were carried out for nearly two-third of the studied patients (68.2 and 64.5%, respectively). Moreover, only 12.5, 26.1, and 38.5% of patients were investigated for microalbuminuria, serum creatinine, and blood lipids, respectively. Uncontrolled hyperglycemic state was diagnosed in a vast majority of cases (99.2%). Moreover, 78.6% were obese and 82% had hypertriglyceredemia. Conclusion Intermediate outcome measures – namely, poor glycemic control and high prevalence of obesity and hypercholesterolemia – denote suboptimal medical care and/or poor compliance of patients with self-care management practices. In order to improve quality of care of type 2 diabetes aiming at reducing the incidence of complications, improving outcome, and improving the quality of life of patients, multilevel intervention plan should be carried out.