Browsing by Subject "health services"

Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
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    Diminished trust of healthcare providers, risky lifestyle behaviors, and low use of health services: A descriptive study of rural adolescents.
    (Sage Publications, 2018-12) Hardin, Heather K.; McCarthy, Valerie Lander; Speck, Barbara J.; Crawford, Timothy N.
    The purpose of our study was to determine the extent to which individual characteristic variables predict trust of healthcare provider (HCP), lifestyle behaviors, and use of health services among adolescents attending public high school in rural Indiana. The sample included 224 individuals surveyed in 9th grade or 12th grade required courses. Trust of HCP and lifestyle behaviors were predicted using hierarchical multiple regression; number of HCP visits and emergency department (ED) visits in the past 12 months were predicted using negative binomial regression. This sample of adolescents living in a rural area reported riskier lifestyle behaviors than another sample of adolescents, lower trust of HCP than adults in general, and fewer HCP and ED visits than adolescents in general. Our study supports the need for school-based health services in rural areas and the opportunity for school nurses to act as care coordinators for marginalized youth.
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    Impact of Telestroke Implementation on Emergency Department Transfer Rate
    (AAN, 2022-04) Lyerly, Michael; Daggy, Joanne; LaPradd, Michelle; Martin, Holly; Edwards, Brandon; Graham, Glenn D.; Martini, Sharyl; Anderson, Jane; Williams, Linda; Biostatistics, School of Public Health
    Background and Objectives Telestroke networks are associated with improved outcomes from acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and facilitate greater access to care, particularly in underserved regions. These networks also have the potential to influence patient disposition through avoiding unnecessary interhospital transfers. This study examines the effect of implementation of the VA National Telestroke Program (NTSP) on interhospital transfer among Veterans. Methods We analyzed patients with AIS presenting to the emergency departments of 21 VA hospitals before and after telestroke implementation. Transfer rates were determined through review of administrative data and chart review and patient and facility-level characteristics were collected to identify predictors of transfer. Comparisons were made using t test, Wilcoxon rank sum, and χ2 analysis. Multivariable logistic regression with sensitivity analysis was conducted to assess the influence of telestroke implementation on transfer rates. Results We analyzed 3,488 stroke encounters (1,056 pre-NTSP and 2,432 post-NTSP). Following implementation, we observed an absolute 14.4% decrease in transfers across all levels of stroke center designation. Younger age, higher stroke severity, and shorter duration from symptom onset were associated with transfer. At the facility level, hospitals with lower annual stroke volume were more likely to transfer; 1 hospital saw an increase in transfer rates following implementation. After adjusting for patient and facility characteristics, the implementation of VA NTSP resulted in a nearly 60% reduction in odds of transfer (odds ratio 0.39 [0.19, 0.77]). Discussion In addition to improving treatment in acute stroke, telestroke networks have the potential to positively affect the efficiency of interhospital networks through disposition optimization and the avoidance of unnecessary transfers.
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    Implementing a Mandated Program Across a Regional Health Care System: A Rapid Qualitative Assessment to Evaluate Early Implementation Strategies
    (Wolters Kluwer, 2019-09-01) Sperber, Nina R.; Bruening, Rebecca A.; Choate, Ashley; Mahanna, Elizabeth; Wang, Virginia; Powell, Byron J.; Damush, Teresa; Jackson, George L.; Van Houtven, Courtney H.; Allen, Kelli D.; Hastings, Susan N.; Medicine, School of Medicine
    Rapid qualitative assessement was used to describe early strategies to implement an evidence-based walking program for hospitalized older adults, assiSTed eaRly mobIlity for hospitalizeD older vEterans (STRIDE), mandated by a regional Veterans Affairs health care system office (VISN). Data were collected from 6 hospital sites via semi-structured interviews with key informants, observations of telephone-based technical assistance (TA), and review of VISN-requested program documents (e.g., initial implementation plans). An overaching framework of actionable feedback for VISN leadership and specification of locally initiated implementation strategies, using the Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change (ERIC) compilation, was used. Actionable feedback was shared with VISN leadership one month after the initiative. ERIC implementation strategies identified were: 1) Promoting Adaptability- Four sites had physical therapists (PT)/ kinesiotherapists (KT) instead of assistants walk patients, 2) Promoting Network Weaving- Strengthening nursing and PT/ KT partnership with regular communication opportunities or a point person was important for implementation, 3) Distributing Educational Materials – Two sites distributed information about STRIDE via email and in-person, and 4) Organizing Clinician Implementation Team Meetings – Three sites used interdisciplinary team meetings to communicate with clinical staff about STRIDE. This qualitative study sheds light on early experiences with implementing STRIDE; the results have been instructive for ongoing implementation and future dissemination of STRIDE, and the approach can be applied across contexts to inform implementation of other programs.
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    Patient-Reported Outcome Measures Modestly Enhance Prediction of Readmission in Patients with Cirrhosis
    (Elsevier, 2021) Orman, Eric S.; Ghabril, Marwan S.; Desai, Archita P.; Nephew, Lauren; Patidar, Kavish R.; Gao, Sujuan; Xu, Chenjia; Chalasani, Naga; Medicine, School of Medicine
    Background & Aims Patients with cirrhosis have high rates of hospital readmission, but prediction models are suboptimal and have not included important patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). In a large prospective cohort, we examined the impact of PROMs on prediction of 30-day readmissions. Methods We performed a prospective cohort study of adults with cirrhosis admitted to a tertiary center between June 2014 and March 2020. We collected clinical information, socioeconomic status, and PROMs addressing functional status and quality of life. We used hierarchical competing risk time-to-event analysis to examine the impact of PROMs on readmission prediction. Results 654 patients were discharged alive, and 247 (38%) were readmitted within 30 days. Readmission was independently associated with cerebrovascular disease, ascites, prior hospital admission, admission via the emergency department, lower albumin, higher MELD, discharge with public transportation, and impaired basic activities of daily living and quality of life activity domain. Reduced readmission was associated with cancer, admission for infection, children at home, and impaired emotional function. Compared to a model including only clinical variables, addition of functional status and quality of life variables improved the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) from 0.72 to 0.73 and 0.75, with net reclassification indices of 0.22 and 0.18, respectively. Socioeconomic variables did not significantly improve prediction compared to clinical variables alone. Compared to a model using electronically-available variables only, no models improved prediction when examined with integrated discrimination improvement. Conclusions PROMs may marginally add to the prediction of 30-day readmissions for patients with cirrhosis. Poor social support and disability are associated with readmissions and may be high-yield targets for future interventions.
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    Patients’ and caregivers’ perspectives on healthcare navigation in Central Indiana, USA after brain injury
    (Wiley, 2022-05) Eliacin, Johanne; Fortney, Sarah K.; Rattray, Nicholas A.; Kean, Jacob; Psychiatry, School of Medicine
    Little research has documented the experiences of patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and their caregivers in navigating health systems for TBI care. In this qualitative study, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 62 participants (34 patients with moderate or severe TBI and 28 caregivers) from Central Indiana. Data were collected from January to September 2016 and analysed using a constructivist grounded theory approach. Participants discussed three significant challenges about navigating health services for TBI care: lack of support for care navigation, financial barriers, and communication barriers. Participants described how navigating outpatient healthcare services for TBI remains complex and emphasised the need for ongoing care navigation support throughout the care continuum. They detailed the long-term financial burden of TBI including high treatment costs, limited insurance coverage, and the emotional toll that financial stress has on their ability to navigate healthcare services for ongoing TBI-related needs. They also discussed how ineffective patient–provider communication and lack of reliable, timely and comprehensive health information about TBI limited their engagement in and navigation of TBI health services. Findings suggest that persons with TBI and their caregivers need ongoing support to manage the long-term impacts of TBI. Efforts to provide care coordination and navigation to patients with TBI and their families are urgently needed to facilitate greater access to care, effective healthcare navigation and improved health outcomes.