Understanding Of Healthcare Professionals Research Articles

Exploring physicians’ expectations of telehealth services implementation in primary care: An application of the social cognitive theory

ABSTRACT Background: Understanding healthcare professionals’ expectations in telehealth is crucial for successful implementation. The present study used an adaptation of the antecedents-expectations model, supported by the social cognitive theory to evaluate physicians’ expectations regarding the implementation of telehealth in primary healthcare (PHC) and to investigate the potential influence, on expectations, of a prior telehealth experience (antecedents) during the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Materials and Methods: A questionnaire-based survey was conducted online, targeting PHC physicians. Expectations covered four telehealth performance domains including public health and health promotion, Care Quality and Workflow Organization, Patient’s Convenience and Engagement and Providers’ Value and Training. Antecedents included six domains including gain in self-efficacy, gain in knowledge, gain in participation/engagement, gain in experience, enjoyment and satisfaction. Stepwise linear regression was performed to analyse the effect of antecedents on overall expectations. Results: A total of 54 physicians participated in the study. The mean expectation score was 114.15/154 (SD = 28.26), with highest expectations concerning cost-effectiveness, care timeliness and patients’ convenience. A previous experience with smart apps and dedicated telehealth platforms was associated with lower expectations scores. Expectations scores were positively correlated with antecedents scores; however, satisfaction was the sole independent factor of overall expectations (regression coefficient B = 4.40, 95%CI: 3.11–5.68). Conclusion: The findings highlight the significance of previous experience and various antecedents in shaping physicians’ expectations about telehealth. These insights can inform the development of strategies and interventions to enhance healthcare professionals’ expectations and facilitate the successful implementation of telehealth services.

Improving supportive, palliative and end of life care for teenagers and young adults with cancer in adult haematology services.

Adolescents with haematological malignancies within adult services, in the UK from 16years old, have unique needs and require developmentally targeted services and approaches to care delivery. High-risk intensive treatments are common for this cohort and a better understanding of what individualised supportive and palliative care means in this context is required. Being known and understood as an emerging adult, with particular recognition of developmental stage, is an essential component of quality measures and underpins the adolescent, and caregiver, experience when faced with an uncertain or poor cancer prognosis (UPCP). Healthcare professionals (HCPs) can experience increased emotional labour and feelings of professional inadequacy when caring for adolescents with UPCP. Therapeutic alliance improves HCPs understanding of optimum individualised care by improving communication and supported decision making. Access to training and support for HCPs is required to address the emotional impact of therapeutic alliance with teenage/adolescent and young adults (T/AYAs) with advanced cancer. Investment in therapeutic alliance, alongside robust support mechanisms and targeted training, can improve the skills, confidence and wellbeing for HCPs, and can also ensure optimum individualised care for T/AYAs with UPCP. Evidence for optimum care for adolescents with advanced cancer is relatively scarce, especially for younger T/AYAs (16-24) in the UK who sit within adult services. Further evaluation of the impact of current UK expertise, services and programs are needed to inform future development.

Abstract 7332: Healthcare professionals' perceptions and educational needs in genetic counseling for cancer risk management: An integrated mixed-methods systematic review

Abstract Background: The role of healthcare professionals (HCPs) is crucial in the genetic counseling process for managing hereditary cancer risks. However, HCPs face challenges due to a lack of specialized training and confidence, particularly in communicating genetic risks to patients. Hence, it becomes paramount to identify the essential skills and expertise required by HCPs for genetic counseling. Additionally, gaining insight into their perspectives regarding the content of genetic counseling that should be provided to patients is of utmost importance. Methods: An integrated mixed-methods systematic review and content analysis were performed across five databases on 23 May 2023, employing predetermined search strategies. The quality of selected studies was assessed using the Mixed Method Appraisal Tool (MMAT), and data analysis was conducted using a deductive content analysis approach with MAXQDA 2020. Results: The review encompassed 14 studies from seven countries, revealing moderate risk of bias. It was perceived by HCPs that hereditary cancer families require information in seven specific categories including, cancer risk-reducing strategies; personalized cancer risk; family implications of hereditary cancer; psychological issues; genetic testing; the role of pathogenic genes in hereditary cancers; and social issues related to genetic testing. The study also highlighted the educational needs of HCPs, pinpointing areas such as method for supporting decision-making; clinical management in hereditary cancer families; resources for supporting hereditary cancer families; guidance to support familial communication; genetic testing; the role of each profession; and methods for supporting psychological aspects. Conclusion: The findings underscore the need for specialized training programs to equip HCPs with the necessary skills and knowledge for effective genetic counseling. Additionally, understanding HCPs’ perspectives on the content of genetic counseling is vital for tailoring educational resources and enhancing the genetic counseling process in managing cancer risks. Grants: This research was supported by a grant of the Korean Cancer Survivors Healthcare R&D Project through the National Cancer Center, funded by the Ministry of Health & Welfare, Republic of Korea (grant number: NCC 23F1940-1) Citation Format: So-Youn Jung, Sun-Young Park, Eun-Gyeong Lee, Heejung Chae, Mi-Jin An, Yeon-Joo Kim, Yoon-Jung Choi, Kum Hei Ryu, Sun-Young Kong. Healthcare professionals' perceptions and educational needs in genetic counseling for cancer risk management: An integrated mixed-methods systematic review [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 7332.

Healthcare professionals' experiences of caring for women with false-positive screening test results in the National Health Service Breast Screening Programme.

Understanding healthcare professionals' (HCPs) experiences of caring for women with false-positive screening test results in the National Health Service Breast Screening Programme (NHSBSP) is important for reducing the impact of such results. Interviews were undertaken with 12 HCPs from a single NHSBSP unit, including advanced radiographer practitioners, breast radiographers, breast radiologists, clinical nurse specialists (CNSs), and a radiology healthcare assistant. Data were analysed thematically using Template Analysis. Two themes were produced: (1) Gauging and navigating women's anxiety during screening assessment was an inevitable and necessary task for all participants. CNSs were perceived as particularly adept at this, while breast radiographers reported a lack of adequate formal training. (2) Controlling the delivery of information to women (including amount, type and timing of information). HCPs reported various communication strategies to facilitate women's information processing and retention during a distressing time. Women's anxiety could be reduced through dedicated CNS support, but this should not replace support from other HCPs. Breast radiographers may benefit from more training to emotionally support recalled women. While HCPs emphasised taking a patient-centred communication approach, the use of other strategies (e.g., standardised scripts) and the constraints of the 'one-stop shop' model pose challenges to such an approach. During the study design, two Patient and Public Involvement members (women with false-positive-breast screening test results) were consulted to gain an understanding of patient perspectives and experiences of being recalled specifically in the NHSBSP. Their feedback informed the formulations of the research aim, objectives and the direction of the interview guide.

Strategies for Reporting Medication Errors in Hospitals; An Integrative Review

Background: Despite focused efforts on error prevention, the incidence of medication errors (MEs) occurring in the health care system continues a concern. Patient harm can be diminished or prevented by adequate reporting processes that include identifying, analyzing, and correcting MEs on time. Both medication error prevention and reporting strategies are critical components in advancing patient safety. Methods: To analyze the strategies used by the Health Care Professionals (HCPs) to facilitate reporting medication errors in a health care setting, an integrative review of the literature, guided by Whittemore and Knafl's (2005) five-step process, was applied for the period between 2011-2021. With a comprehensive search conducted using PubMed, DSL, Google Scholar databases, nine articles only met our inclusion criteria which are, in the English language, performed by peers and full-text articles that answered the guiding questions included in this review. Result: The articles were analyzed in terms of objectives, methodological path, main results, and recommendations for improvement. The analysis reveals that MEs reporting strategies are varied either web-based, paper-based, or Technician Enhanced Administration of Medication (TEAM) model. Staff awareness and non-blame culture are influencing HCPs' ability to adopt the proper strategy for reporting MEs, understanding of HCPs' characteristics and organizational factors that influence error reporting can foster the development of effective strategies to report MEs and enable organizations to enhance patient safety.

Healthcare Professionals' Perceptions, Barriers, and Facilitators towards Adopting Computerised Clinical Decision Support Systems in Antimicrobial Stewardship in Jordanian Hospitals.

Understanding healthcare professionals' perceptions towards a computerised decision support system (CDSS) may provide a platform for the determinants of the successful adoption and implementation of CDSS. This cross-sectional study examined healthcare professionals' perceptions, barriers, and facilitators to adopting a CDSS for antibiotic prescribing in Jordanian hospitals. This study was conducted among healthcare professionals in Jordan's two tertiary and teaching hospitals over four weeks (June-July 2021). Data were collected in a paper-based format from senior and junior prescribers and non-prescribers (n = 254) who agreed to complete a questionnaire. The majority (n = 184, 72.4%) were aware that electronic prescribing and electronic health record systems could be used specifically to facilitate antibiotic use and prescribing. The essential facilitator made CDSS available in a portable format (n = 224, 88.2%). While insufficient training to use CDSS was the most significant barrier (n = 175, 68.9%). The female providers showed significantly lower awareness (p = 0.006), and the nurses showed significantly higher awareness (p = 0.041) about using electronic prescribing and electronic health record systems. This study examined healthcare professionals' perceptions of adopting CDSS in antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) and shed light on the perceived barriers and facilitators to adopting CDSS in AMS, reducing antibiotic resistance, and improving patient safety. Furthermore, results would provide a framework for other hospital settings concerned with implementing CDSS in AMS and inform policy decision-makers to react by implementing the CDSS system in Jordan and globally. Future studies should concentrate on establishing policies and guidelines and a framework to examine the adoption of the CDSS for AMS.

Beirut Blast: The Experiences of Acute Care Hospitals.

Mass Casualty Incidents recently increased in intensity and frequency at an unprecedented rate globally. On August 4, 2020, a massive blast hit the Port of Beirut severely damaging its healthcare sector. This study aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the impact of the Beirut blast on acute care hospitals in the Beirut area, with a focus on understanding healthcare professionals' (HCPs) responses and encountered challenges. A qualitative research design method was adopted to evaluate the experiences of HCPs at acute hospitals located within 5 kilometers of the blast epicenter. 9 hospitals participated in the study. 11 semi-structured interviews were conducted with key informant HCPs using a designed interview guide. HCPs reported severe infrastructural damages in their corresponding hospitals, and 2 were completely non-functional post-blast. Other than physical injuries sustained by HCPs, the blast imposed substantial strains on their mental health, exacerbated by the ongoing socio-economic crises in Lebanon. Moreover, the findings revealed critical challenges which hindered hospitals' emergency responses at the level of communication, coordination, and human resources, as well as supplies. Participants urged for the need to conduct proper triage, arrange emergency operating centers, and deploy outdoor treatment tents among others, to effectively respond to future disasters. The Beirut blast overwhelmed the Lebanese healthcare system and challenged its level of emergency preparedness. This generated evidence to address the deficiencies and strengthen the existing hospitals' emergency response plans. Future efforts should include prioritizing hospitals' emergency preparedness to ensure the provision of care at increased capacity following the impact of a large-scale disaster.

Challenges in providing end-of-life care consistent with documented patient preferences.

Providing end-of-life care consistent with patient preferences is a major goal for advance care planning (ACP) programs. Despite the promise, many trials have failed to show that ACP improves patients' likelihood of receiving end-of-life care consistent with preferences. The reasons and challenges to facilitating EOL care consistent with patients' documented ACP preferences remain unclear. Using data from Singapore's national ACP program evaluation, we aimed to understand health care professionals' (HCPs) perceived challenges in facilitating end-of-life care consistent with patients' documented ACP preferences. We conducted 21 focus group discussions and 1 in-depth interview with HCPs trained in ACP facilitation and advocacy and involved in national ACP program implementation within public hospitals, public primary care clinics and nursing homes in Singapore. Data collection was stratified based on HCPs' role within the ACP program (ACP leads/champions, ACP facilitators, nursing home heads/ACP administrative staff) and type of institution (hospital, primary care clinic and nursing home). Each discussion included 1 to 8 participants. Discussions were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim and checked for accuracy. We analysed the data using thematic analysis framework in Nvivo 11. A total of 107 participants attended one of the discussions of which more than a third (35%) were physicians. We conceptualized five themes describing the challenges in implementing end-of-life care consistent with patients' documented ACP preferences: (I) conflict between honouring preference for comfort care and extending life; (II) ACP not reflecting patients' changing preferences or medical condition; (III) lack of health system resources to support and honour patient preferences; (IV) barriers to retrieval of ACP documents; and (V) rigidity of ACP documentation. Although providing end-of-life care consistent with preferences may not always be feasible, future ACP programs should involve physicians and families for ongoing conversations, frequently update patients' ACP documents, involve clear and well-resourced plans for implementing patients' preferences, and incorporate flexible electronic systems to capture ongoing ACP conversations.

Understanding Healthcare Professionals’ Knowledge on Perinatal Depression among Women in a Tertiary Hospital in Ghana: A Qualitative Study

Health conditions affecting women in the perinatal period still account for a major contribution to disease burden in Sub-Saharan Africa, yet there is a dearth of empirical research to understanding health professionals' perspective on their experiences and how they care for perinatal women in depression. We used a qualitative exploratory descriptive approach through a face- to face-interview to explore the knowledge of 11 health professionals of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi- Ghana. Interviews were taped recorded and transcribed verbatim. The study adopted Haase's modification of Colaizzi's method for the analysis. Four main themes emerged: ineffective communication (Referral lapses among care providers, long waiting time, lack of confidentiality), workload (Inefficient staff to meet perinatal women's need, no screening tools and time constraints), Reaction to patients symptoms (Identifying patient's symptoms, assessment through patient's centeredness and Education and counselling). Our results emerged that time constraints, stigmatization and lack of awareness delayed the care and management of perinatal depression among healthcare professionals in the hospital setting. There is the need to improve healthcare professionals' knowledge on perinatal depression and it is imperative for the hospital administrators to invest in continuous training and professional development for healthcare professionals.

Evaluating the quality of the relationship between health workers and patients/caregivers during the Covid-19 pandemic: a review

The SARS-Covid 19 pandemic has produced a change in the relationship between health professional and patient and between doctors and family members. Restrictions to avoid the spread of the virus encouraged the use of electronic communication in interactions and the use of face masks in hand-to-hand contact, reducing the possibility of communication.Communication has changed, losing important non-verbal components and partly body language. This change riskedimpoverishing the relationship between doctor/nurse and patient/family, as the role of non-verbal communication isvital in healthcare (Diamare et al., 2021). Indeed, facial expressions, gestures, eye contact, posture and tone of voice‘speak’ with great intensity, becoming an important tool for healthcare professionals in understanding symptoms.To this end, it was decided to implement a health and business psychology survey to analyze any emerging needs andto improve the quality of the relationship in the healthcare facilities participating in the survey. Therefore, questionnaires were administered to healthcare professionals and patients/caregivers in order to investigate how they interactand their different points of view on similar issues.

Time for Action: Understanding Health Care Professionals Views on Pain and Pain Management in a Pediatric Hospital

Children admitted to the hospital experience pain. ChildKind International (CKI) is an organization dedicated to improving the quality of pediatric pain care worldwide. In 2019, BC Children hospital (BCCH) clinicians set out to achieve this certification. A qualitative study was performed in order to fully comprehend the current state of pain assessment and management at BCCH. The objective of this study is to characterize the perceptions of health care professionals (HCPs) about pediatric pain and pain management in a pediatric hospital. We choose a quantitative methodology as it allows us to delve more deeply into the HCPs' personal experience with pain and pain management of children in the hospital. We interviewed 31 pediatric healthcare professionals (N=31). HCPs believe there is a significant lack of resources, especially educational resources, to adequately assess and treat pain in children. There is a lack of time to evaluate each patient appropriately and use pain tools consistently for both verbal and non-verbal children. HCPs varied in their opinions as to whether a procedure is painful or uncomfortable, and this opinion often differs from the perception of the child. Additionally, staff recognize that cultural diversity of both staff and patients can influence pain assessment and management in children. Therefore, there is a need for increased cultural diversity training for staff. Pain management and treatment of children in the hospital remain inconsistent and inadequate. ChildKind certification will help hospitals to address this gap in their clinical practice.

Experiences and perceptions of health care professionals making treatment decisions for older adults with memory loss: a qualitative systematic review protocol.

The objective of this review is to critically analyze and synthesize the experiences and perceptions of health care professionals making decisions that result in treatment recommendations for older adults living with memory loss who are experiencing health problems. Health care professionals provide care to older adults living with memory loss and other coexisting health conditions across all clinical settings. Older adults living with memory loss most commonly experience impaired independent decision-making, which can challenge health care professionals when decisions about treatment need to be made. These challenges contribute to older adults with memory loss receiving inappropriate treatment and experiencing higher morbidity than those without memory loss. To date, existing reviews have not focused on the experiences and perceptions of health care professionals who are making treatment decisions when older adults living with memory loss experience health problems. A deeper exploration of this evidence is needed to understand health care professionals' experiences and perceptions of treatment decision-making to support the goal of improving care for older adults. This systematic review will consider studies across all clinical settings focused on the experiences and perceptions of health care professionals making treatment decisions for older adults with memory loss who are experiencing health problems. We will conduct a comprehensive systematic search using CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Scopus, and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses. Two reviewers will independently appraise the selected studies and extract qualitative data using the recommended JBI method for study selection, critical appraisal, data extraction, and data synthesis. The ConQual approach will be applied to provide a level of confidence for the review findings. PROSPERO CRD42021271485.

The hidden benefits of patient encounters.

Whilst it is widely acknowledged that health care professionals (HCPs) learn from patient encounters, research exploring what HCPs learn from their meetings with patients is relatively sparse, particularly in the context of postgraduate training. Moreover, there are few research studies that examine the contribution of patient encounters to HCP education from both HCP and patient perspectives. This study set out to explore HCPs learning from patient encounters from both HCP and patient perspectives. Qualitative descriptive design was used to conduct this study. Using purposive sampling, we recruited participants from three different groups in a single department of paediatrics in a teaching hospital. Data was collected through interviews, which were transcribed and analysed for key themes. Patients felt that they played a central role in clinical education and highlighted their ability to educate postgraduate HCPs about their lived experiences of disease. HCPs highlighted the unique insight into a chronic illness gained from patient accounts, essential to developing patient and family orientated approaches to care. HCPs reported that they developed professionally, learning to adapt their negotiation and educational strategies. This study highlights the importance of patient encounters as critical contributors to HCPs understanding of the lived experiences of patients with chronic disease, and offers insights into how parents view their contribution to clinical education. Much of this learning is embedded and implicit, which suggests that HCP trainees need to develop better in the moment awareness of what they are learning from their meetings with patients and their families.

Drug safety communications: understanding healthcare professionals' preferences and responses

Drug safety communications: understanding healthcare professionals' preferences and responses

Development and validation of a tool to understand health care professionals' attitudes towards deprescribing (HATD) in older adults with limited life expectancy.

Understanding the perspective of health care professionals (HCPs) is significant to the implementation of deprescribing in older adults with limited life expectancy (LLE) but a tool to assess this is lacking. This study aimed to develop and validate a survey tool for assessing HCPs attitudes towards deprescribing (HATD) in older adults with LLE. An online survey was used to collect data to determine the psychometric properties of a 49-item questionnaire generated from literature review, expert opinion and pretesting. 108 HCPs (doctors, nurses and pharmacists) with experience or interest in palliative care or a member of a palliative care team/organisation completed the survey. Principal component analysis of the participants' data resulted in a 23-item questionnaire structured in five factors, named HATD tool. The factors were related to concerns about deprescribing (7 items), perceived burden of medications on patients (7 items), organisational support for deprescribing (4 items), assurance to deprescribing (2 items) and perceived involvement of patients in medication management (3 items). The HATD tool had valid descriptive statistics (Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure: 0.708; Bartlett's test of sphericity: p<0.001, determinant: 1.35E-5; variance explained: 60.4%; nonredundant residuals with absolute values>0.05: 39%). The reliability statistics of all the factors were ≥0.750 for both Cronbach's alpha (α) and composite reliability (CR) except for the patient-involvement factor (α=0.644 but CR=0.787). The 23-itemed HATD tool is a valid and reliable tool to assess the attitudes and beliefs of HCPs towards deprescribing in older adults with LLE in the Australian setting.

Perceptions and barriers of adverse drug reaction reporting within inpatient state psychiatric facilities.

IntroductionAdverse drug reactions (ADRs) are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality for hospitalized patients. Health care organizations track ADRs to reduce patient mortality, reduce hospital readmissions, decrease costs, and improve patient care. Differing definitions of ADRs cause confusion among providers, leading to hesitation with ADR reporting. The objective of this study was to understand health care professionals' perspectives of ADR reporting within inpatient state psychiatric facilities.MethodsA survey was sent to 143 health care professionals throughout 25 inpatient state psychiatric facilities within 1 state. The survey assessed the definition of an ADR, confidence in reporting, barriers to reporting, the role of reporting, who should report and review ADRs, and strategies for process improvement.ResultsThe survey had a 75.5% response rate with 108 respondents. Most respondents could identify the definition of an ADR, were moderately confident in reporting ADRs, and understood the importance of ADR reporting. Barriers to ADR reporting included the reaction not being serious, a lack of information about the ADR, or not enough clarity on how to report an ADR. Fear of retaliation was an additional barrier to ADR reporting. Training and direction on ADR reporting, education on real versus perceived consequences, a designated point person to aid in reporting, and better access to reporting technology were suggested improvements for ADR reporting.DiscussionFrom this survey, it is evident that respondents believe improved education and training, improved communication regarding reporting consequences, and consensus on the definition of an ADR would encourage reporting.

Global and Local Trends Affecting the Experience of US and UK Healthcare Professionals during COVID-19: Twitter Text Analysis.

Background: Healthcare professionals (HCPs) are on the frontline of fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. Recent reports have indicated that, in addition to facing an increased risk of being infected by the virus, HCPs face an increased risk of suffering from emotional difficulties associated with the pandemic. Therefore, understanding HCPs’ experiences and emotional displays during emergencies is a critical aspect of increasing the surge capacity of communities and nations. Methods: In this study, we analyzed posts published by HCPs on Twitter to infer the content of discourse and emotions of the HCPs in the United States (US) and United Kingdom (UK), before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The tweets of 25,207 users were analyzed using natural language processing (NLP). Results: Our results indicate that HCPs in the two countries experienced common health, social, and political issues related to the pandemic, reflected in their discussion topics, sentiments, and emotional display. However, the experiences of HCPs in the two countries are also subject to local socio-political trends, as well as cultural norms regarding emotional display. Conclusions: Our results support the potential of utilizing Twitter discourse to monitor and predict public health responses in emergencies.

Health Care Professionals' Clinical Skills to Address Vaping and e-Cigarette Use by Patients: Needs and Interest Questionnaire Study.

BackgroundWidespread vaping and e-cigarette use is a relatively new phenomenon. Youth vaping peaked in 2019, with over 25% of high school students currently vaping. e-Cigarettes are used where smoking is not permitted or as an alternative smoking cessation treatment instead of Food and Drug Administration–approved options. Vaping and e-cigarette use has the potential to harm health, including causing adverse respiratory effects and nicotine addiction. Health care professionals need skills training to help their patients with this relatively new and evolving health problem.ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to understand health care professionals’ training needs in this subject area to determine the focus for web-based continuing education training.MethodsWe reviewed the literature on clinical aspects of vaping and e-cigarette use. Using the results and our experience in substance use continuing education, we created a list of key clinical skills and surveyed health care professionals about their training needs. We also asked about their interest in a list of related topics. We recruited individuals who completed our web-based courses on substance use, members of health care professional–related groups, and experts who had published an article on the subject. Half of the 31 health care professionals who completed the survey were physicians and the remainder were primarily nurses, social workers, and counselors. Participants self-identified as nonexperts (n=25) and experts (n=6) on vaping.ResultsParticipants who were nonexperts on average agreed or strongly agreed that they needed training in each of 8 clinical skills (n=25; range 3.7-4.4 agreement out of 5). The top two skills were recommending treatments for patients (4.4 out of 5, SD 0.49) and evaluating and treating the health effects of vaping and e-cigarette use (4.4 out of 5, SD 0.50). Experts agreed on the importance of training for health care professionals in all skills but rated the need for training higher than nonexperts for each topic. Over half of the participating health care professionals (44%-80%) were interested in nearly all (9/10, 90%) vaping-related topics on a checklist. The topics participants were most interested in were the pros and cons of vaping versus smoking and the health effects of second- and third-hand vaping. Primary care physicians showed more interest in vaping-related topics than nonprimary care physicians (t13=2.17; P=.02).ConclusionsThis study confirmed gaps in health care professionals’ vaping-related clinical skills identified in the literature by identifying a perceived need for training in related skills and health care professionals’ interest in key topics related to vaping prevention and cessation. This study provides specific guidance on which clinical skills training is most needed and which topics are most interesting to health care professionals.

APA’s Government, Policy, and Advocacy Update (April 2022)

APA’s Government, Policy, and Advocacy Update (April 2022)

Understanding Healthcare Professionals' Perspectives on Point-of-Care Testing.

Point-of-care testing (POCT) is an emerging technology that provides crucial assistance in delivering healthcare. The COVID-19 pandemic led to the accelerated importance of POCT technology due to its in-home accessibility. While POCT use and implementation has increased, little research has been published about how healthcare professionals perceive these technologies. The objective of our study was to examine the current perspectives of healthcare professionals towards POCT. We surveyed healthcare professionals to quantify perceptions of POCT usage, adoption, benefits, and concerns between October 2020 and November 2020. Questions regarding POCT perception were assessed on a 5-point Likert Scale. We received a total of 287 survey responses. Of the respondents, 53.7% were male, 66.6% were white, and 30.7% have been in practice for over 20 years. We found that the most supported benefit was POCTs ability to improve patient management (92%) and that the most supported concern was that POCTs lead to over-testing (30%). This study provides a better understanding of healthcare workers’ perspectives on POCT. To improve patient outcomes through the usage of POCT, greater research is needed to assess the needs and concerns of industry and healthcare stakeholders.