INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEALTH CARE QUALITY ASSURANCE最新文献

Purpose: We explore the relationship between the balanced scorecard (BSC) and neo-bureaucracy by investigating whether the operationalization of the BSC incorporates "neo-bureaucratic" ideas and whether the BSC implemented in a Portuguese Local Health Unit (LHU) demonstrates a neo-bureaucratic approach.

Design/methodology/approach: We conduct semi-structured interviews with LHU staff and analyse documents to assess whether features of bureaucratic organization were evident in the use of a BSC by the LHU.

Findings: We found nine bureaucratic features evident in the LHU's BSC. These were systematization, rationality, authority, jurisdiction, professional qualification, knowledge, discipline, transparency and accountability. The BSC used at the LHU demonstrated a neo-bureaucratic approach.

Originality/value: Our study helps to demystify bureaucracy and overcome prevailing prejudices regarding some of its principles. Health care managers should recognize and endorse neo-bureaucratic principles in developing a BSC. They should recognize the BSC as involving a neo-bureaucratic approach. The BSC is a valuable management tool that hospital managers should find useful in fostering flexibility, collaboration, innovation and adaptation - all of which should help lead to improved healthcare outcomes.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to compare the ability of the Morse Fall Scale (MFS) and Farmer's fall-risk assessment tool (FFAT) to identify correlations between risk factors and falls among older adult long-term care (LTC) facility residents.

Design/methodology/approach: This was a correlational retrospective study. 200 medical records of older adults hospitalized in a LTC facility in central Israel, from January 2017 to January 2018, were examined.

Findings: Of all the residents, 75% and 99.5% of the residents were identified as having a high fall risk according to the MFS and FFAT, respectively. Only 12.5% of residents actually fell. MFS score was weakly correlated with actual falls (odds ratio = 1.035). It was also found that all fallers fell during their first week at the facility.

Research limitations/implications: Future research should explore the ability of the tools to capture changes in the fall risk by repeat assessments, as this has not been examined in the present study.

Practical implications: The MFS and FFAT tool may have little value in assessing fall risk in older adult LTC facility residents. Therefore, nurses should perform a clinical evaluation of each individual patient. In addition, nurses should place a particular emphasis on fall risk and prevention during the first week following admission.

Originality/value: The findings of the present study raise doubts regarding the utility of the common practice of assessing fall risk in older adult LTC facility residents using the tools MFS and the FFAT, thus emphasizing the need to adopt a different approach.

Purpose: Inpatient colonoscopy bowel preparation quality is frequently suboptimal. This quality improvement (QI) intervention is focused on regimenting this process to impact important outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach: Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control (DMAIC) methodology was employed, including generating a root-cause analysis to identify factors associated with inpatient bowel quality. These findings motivated the creation of a standardized electronic health record (EHR)-based order set with consistent instructions and anticipatory guidance for administering providers.

Findings: There were 264 inpatient colonoscopies evaluated, including 198 procedures pre-intervention and 66 post-intervention. The intervention significantly improved the adequacy of right colon bowel preparations (75.0 percent vs 86.9 percent, p = 0.04) but not overall preparation quality (73.7 percent vs 80.3 percent, p = 0.22). The intervention led to numerical improvement in the proportion of procedures in which the preparation quality interfered with making a diagnosis (10 percent-6 percent, p = 0.29) or resulted in an aborted procedure (3.5 percent-1.5 percent, p = 0.39). After the intervention, provider satisfaction with the ordering process significantly increased (23.3 percent vs 61.1 percent, p < 0.001).

Practical implications: The QI intervention significantly reduced the number of inpatient colonoscopies with inadequate preparation in the right colon, while also modestly improving the diagnostic yield and proportion of aborted procedures. Importantly, the standardized EHR order set substantially improved provider satisfaction, which should justify broader use of such tools.

Originality/value: Novel clinical outcomes such as ability to answer diagnostic questions were improved using this intervention. The results align with strategic goals to enhance provider experience and continuously improve quality of patient care.

Purpose: To implement a safe and effective intravenous iron infusion protocol to prevent skin staining.

Design/methodology/approach: Mixed methods approach was utilised including education, auditing, self-reported survey, patient information leaflet and patient feedback. In total 25 healthcare professionals completed the survey and 15 patients provided feedback.

Findings: No skin staining or severe adverse reactions were observed over eight weeks. Audit results found 53 per cent of staff were compliant with the recommended IV iron infusion protocol and 46 per cent informed patients of skin staining risk. Self-report surveys indicated 92 per cent flushed the cannula with sodium chloride before starting the infusion, 88 per cent flushed the cannula after the infusion and 76 per cent informed patients of skin staining risk. Patient feedback was largely positive and constructive.

Research limitations: Limitations include self-reported bias, short audit time interval, missing data and discrepancy between audit and survey results.

Originality/value: This quality improvement project was developed following two skin staining incidences at our maternity hospital. Although rare, skin staining after intravenous iron infusion is potentially permanent and may be distressing for some patients. Intravenous iron is considered safe and effective to treat anaemia during pregnancy and is often prescribed for this patient cohort. To avoid medicolegal action and patient dissatisfaction, it is essential that patients are informed of potential skin staining and an evidence-based administration protocol is utilised.

Purpose: The present study delves into the health inequalities between the two most socially deprived groups namely Scheduled Tribes (STs) and Scheduled Castes (SCs) in rural India.

Design/methodology/approach: This study used health-specific three rounds of National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) unit-level data for analyses. Probit model has been used to predict the differences in access to maternal healthcare services. Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition method is used to explore the inequality in health of rural population in India and assess the estimated relative contribution of socioeconomic and demographic factors to inequalities in maternal health.

Findings: The study establishes that STs women often perform poorly compared to SCs in terms of maternal health such as antenatal care, postnatal care and institutional delivery. Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition method shows that there exist health inequalities between STs and SCs women. Difference in household income contributes 21-34 percent and women's education 19-24 percent in the gap of utilization of maternal healthcare services between SCs and STs women. A substantial part of this difference is contributed by availability of water at home and geographical region. Finally, the study offers some policy suggestions in order to mitigate the health inequalities among socially marginalized groups of SCs and STs women in rural areas.

Originality/value: This study measures and explains inequalities in maternal health variables such as antenatal care, postnatal care and institutional delivery in rural India. Research on access to maternal healthcare facilities is needed to improve the health of deprived sections such as STs and SCs in India. The results of this study pinpoint the need for public health decision-makers in India to concentrate on the most deprived and vulnerable sections of the society. This study thus makes a detailed and tangible contribution to the current knowledge of health inequalities between the two most deprived social groups, i.e., SCs and STs.

Purpose: Health improves the proficiency and output generated by individuals. It also raises physical as well as mental abilities, which are required for the growth and advancement of any economy. Many infant diseases have been recognised via contemporary technology in a bid to tackle these diseases. However, children within the African continent (Including Nigeria) die en masse from diseases. This has made the government of Nigeria allocate sizeable part of the nation's budget to healthcare system. The allocation to health is, however, yet to translate to improved health condition for Nigerians. It does not measure up to the World Health Organization's (WHO) standards for apportioning budget to the health sector. This study also analyses empirically the impact of healthcare expenses on the mortality level of infants as well as Nigeria's neonatal mortality level.

Design/methodology/approach: The paper focuses on Nigeria. Vector auto regression model techniques, unit root tests and cointegration test were carried out using time series date for the period between 1986 and 2016.

Findings: The outcome has revealed that expenditure on healthcare possesses a negative correlation with the mortality of infants and neonates. The study discovers that if the Nigerian government raises and maintains health expenditure specifically on activities focused on minimising infant mortality, it will translate to reduction in infant mortality in Nigeria.

Originality/value: This paper has contributed exhaustively to solution to poor expenditure on healthcare, especially child mortality, in Nigeria.

Purpose: There was limited study available on successful intervention for central-line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) done at nonintensive care unit (ICU) and resources-limited setting. The objective of this study was to design, implement and evaluate a strategy to reduce CLABSI rate in non-ICU settings at general medical wards of Hospital Tuanku Ja'afar Seremban.

Design/methodology/approach: Preinterventional study was conducted in one-month period of January 2019, followed by intervention period from February to March 2019. Postintervention study was conducted from April to July 2019. The CLABSI rates were compared between pre and postintervention periods. A multifaceted intervention bundle was implemented, which comprised (1) educational program for healthcare workers, (2) weekly audit and feedback and (3) implementation of central line bundle of care.

Findings: There was a significant overall reduction of CLABSI rate between preintervention and postintervention period [incidence rate ratio (IRR) of 0.06 (95 percent CI, 0.01-0.33; P = 0.001)].

Practical implications: CLABSI rates were reduced by a multifaceted intervention bundle, even in non-ICU and resource-limited setting. This includes a preinterventional study to identify the risk factors followed by a local adaption of the recommended care bundles. This study recommends resources-limited hospitals to design a strategy that is suitable for their own local setting to reduce CLABSI.

Originality/value: This study demonstrated the feasibility of a multifaceted intervention bundle that was locally adapted with an evidence-based approach to reduce CLABSI rate in non-ICU and resource-limited setting.

Purpose: Incident reporting systems are commonly deployed in healthcare but resulting datasets are largely warehoused. This study explores if intelligence from such datasets could be used to improve quality, efficiency, and safety.

Design/methodology/approach: Incident reporting data recorded in one NHS acute Trust was mined for insight (n = 133,893 April 2005-July 2016 across 201 fields, 26,912,493 items). An a priori dataset was overlaid consisting of staffing, vital signs, and national safety indicators such as falls. Analysis was primarily nonlinear statistical approaches using Mathematica V11.

Findings: The organization developed a deeper understanding of the use of incident reporting systems both in terms of usability and possible reflection of culture. Signals emerged which focused areas of improvement or risk. An example of this is a deeper understanding of the timing and staffing levels associated with falls. Insight into the nature and grading of reporting was also gained.

Practical implications: Healthcare incident reporting data is underused and with a small amount of analysis can provide real insight and application to patient safety.

Originality/value: This study shows that insight can be gained by mining incident reporting datasets, particularly when integrated with other routinely collected data.

Purpose: There is a growing interest in applying continuous quality improvement (CQI) methodologies and tools to medical education contexts. One such tool, the "Are We Making Progress" questionnaire from the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award framework, adequately captures the dimensions critical for performance excellence and allows organizations to assess their performance and identify areas for improvement. Its results have been widely validated in business, education, and health care and might be applicable in medical education contexts. The measurement properties of the questionnaire data were analyzed using Rasch modeling to determine if validity evidence, based on Messick's framework, supports the interpretation of results in medical education contexts. Rasch modeling was performed since the questionnaire uses Likert-type scales whose estimates might not be amenable to parametric statistical analyses.

Design/methodology/approach: Leaders and teachers at 16 of the 17 Canadian medical schools were invited in 2015-2016 to complete the 40-item questionnaire. Data were analyzed using the ConQuest Rasch calibration program, rating scale model.

Findings: 491 faculty members from 11 (69 percent) schools participated. A seven-dimensional, four-point response scale model better fit the data. Overall data fit to model requirements supported the use of person measures with parametric statistics. The structural, content, generalizability, and substantive validity evidence supported the interpretation of results in medical education contexts.

Originality/value: For the first time, the Baldrige questionnaire results were validated in medical education contexts. Medical education leaders are encouraged to serially use this questionnaire to measure progress on their school's CQI focus.

Purpose: This article describes a framework for evaluating efficiency of OR procedures incorporating time measurement, personnel activity, and resource utilization using traditional industrial engineering tools of time study and work sampling.

Methods: The framework measures time using time studies of OR procedures and work sampling of personnel activities, ultimately classified as value-added or non-value-added. Statistical methods ensure that the collected samples meet adequate levels of confidence and accuracy. Resource utilization is captured through documentation of instrument trays used, defects in instruments, and trash weight and classification at the conclusion of surgeries.

Findings: A case study comprising 12 observations of total knee arthroplasty surgeries illustrates the use of the framework. The framework allows researchers to compare time, personnel, and resource utilization simultaneously within the OR setting.

Practical implications: The framework provides a holistic evaluation of methods, instrumentation and resources, and staffing levels and allows researchers to identify areas for efficiency improvement.

Originality/value: The methods presented in this article are rooted in traditional industrial engineering work measurement methods but are applied to a healthcare setting in order to efficiently identify areas for improvement including time, personnel, and processes in operating rooms.