Bone densitometry at a district general hospital: evaluation of service by doctors and patients.
(25/5680)
OBJECTIVE: To assess doctors' and patients' views about a district general hospital bone densitometry service and to examine existing practice to influence future provision. DESIGN: Three postal surveys: (a) of doctors potentially using the service, (b) of patients undergoing a bone densitometry test during a six month period, and (c) of the referring doctors of the patients undergoing the test. SETTING: Bone densitometry service at South Cleveland Hospital, Middlesbrough and two district health authorities: South Tees and Northallerton. SUBJECTS: All general practitioners (n=201) and hospital consultants in general medicine, rheumatology, obstetrics and gynaecology, orthopaedics, radio therapy and oncology, haematology, and radiology (n=61); all patients undergoing an initial bone densitometry test (n=309) during a six month period; and their referring doctors. MAIN MEASURES: Service awareness and use, knowledge of clinical indications, test results, influence of test results on patient management, satisfaction with the service and its future provision. RESULTS: The overall response rates for the three surveys were 87%, 70%, and 61%. There was a high awareness of the service among doctors and patients; 219(84%) doctors were aware and 155 of them (71%) had used it, and patients often (40%) suggested the test to their doctor. The test was used for a range of reasons including screening although the general use was consistent with current guidelines. Two hundred (65%) bone densitometry measurements were normal, 71(23%) were low normal, and 38(12%) were low. Although doctors reported that management of patients had been influenced by the test results, the algorithm for decision making was unclear. Patients and doctors were satisfied with the service and most (n=146, 68%) doctors wanted referral guidelines for the service. CONCLUSIONS: There was a high awareness of, use of, and satisfaction with the service. Patients were being referred for a range of reasons and a few of these could not be justified, many tests were normal, and clinical decision making was not always influenced by the test result. It is concluded that bone densitometry services should be provided but only for patients whose management will be influenced by test results and subject to guidelines to ensure appropriate use of the technology. (+info)
A natural survey of audit activity across the primary-secondary care interface.
(26/5680)
OBJECTIVE: To document the nature of audit activity at the primary-secondary care interface; to explore participants' experiences of undertaking such interface audit; to identify factors associated with these experiences; and to gather views on future interface audit activities. DESIGN: A three phase national survey by postal questionnaire with a cascade sampling approach. SETTING: England and Wales. RESULTS: Response rates were: 65% to the first questionnaire; 34% to the second questionnaire; and 45% to the third questionnaire. 56% of the audits covered some element of management of patients or disease; only 33% of the audits were within a single topic area. Most audits had more than one trigger: for 61% the trigger was a perceived problem; for 58% it was of mutual interest. Only 18% of audits were initiated collaboratively; doctors were the most frequent initiators (72%), and most audits (63%) involved collaborative groups convened specifically for the audit. 58% of groups had between three and eight members, 23% had 12 or more. Doctors were the most frequent group members. There was differential involvement of group members in various group tasks; the setting of guidelines was highly dominated by doctors. Of reportedly complete audits, only two fifths had implemented change and only a quarter had evaluated this change. There was widespread feeling of successful group work, with evidence of benefit in terms of the two sectors of care being able to consider issues of mutual concern. Levels of understanding of the group task and of participation were positively related to the duration of meetings. Joint initiation of audits facilitated greater understanding of the group task. Larger group sizes allowed primary and secondary carers to discuss issues of common concern; however, larger groups were more likely to experience disagreements. Having previously worked with group members increased trust and good working relations. The main lessons learnt from the experience included the importance of setting clear objectives and good communications between primary and secondary carers. Factors identified as important for future audit activity at the primary-secondary care interface included commitment, enthusiasm, time, and money. CONCLUSIONS: Audit at the primary-secondary care interface is taking place on a wide scale and has been an enjoyable experience for most of the respondents in this study. IMPLICATIONS: Despite being a positive experience most audits stopped short of implementing change. Care must be taken to complete the audit cycle if audit at the primary-secondary care interface is to move beyond the roles of education and professional development and to fulfil its potential in improving the quality of care. (+info)
Essential dataset for ambulatory ear, nose, and throat care in general practice: an aid for quality assessment.
(27/5680)
OBJECTIVE: To describe the documentation of care for the usual range of ear, nose, and throat (ENT) problems seen in primary care as a basis for developing a computerised information system to aid quality assessment. DESIGN: Descriptive study of the pattern of ENT problems and diagnoses and treatment as recorded in individual case notes. SETTING: The primary health care centre in Mjolby, Sweden. PATIENTS: Consultations for ENT problems from a 10% sample randomly selected from all consultations (n = 22,600) in one year. From this sample 375 consultations for ENT problems (16% of all consultations) by 272 patients were identified. MAIN MEASURES: The detailed documentation of each consultation was retrieved from the individual records and compared with the data required for a computer based information system designed to help in quality management. RESULTS: Although the overall picture gained from the data retrieved from the notes suggested that ENT care was probably adequate, the recorded details were limited. The written case notes were insufficient when compared with the details required for a computerised system based on an essential dataset designed to allow assessment of diagnostic accuracy and appropriateness of treatment of ENT problems in primary care. CONCLUSION: There is a gap between the amount and the type of information needed for accurate and useful quality assessment and that which is normally included in case notes. More detailed information is needed if general practitioners' notes are to be used for regular quality assessment of ENT problems but that would mean more time spent on keeping notes. This would be difficult to justify. IMPLICATIONS: The routine information systems used at this primary healthcare centre did not produce sufficient documentation for quality assessment of ENT care. This dilemma might be resolved by specially designed desktop computer software accessed through an essential dataset. (+info)
Implications of managed care denials for pediatric inpatient care.
(28/5680)
With the growing penetration of managed care into the healthcare market, providers continue to experience increasing cost constraints. In this environment, it is important to track reimbursement denials and understand the managed care organization's rationale for refusal of payment. This is especially critical for providers of pediatric care, as children justifiably have unique healthcare needs and utilization patterns. We developed a system for tracking and documenting denials in our institution and found that health maintenance organizations denied claims primarily for one of three reasons: medically unnecessary care, care provided as a response to social (rather than medical) need, and provider inefficiencies. Health maintenance organization denials are also growing annually at our institutions. This knowledge can not only help providers of pediatric care more effectively negotiate future contracts, but provides an opportunity to differentiate the health needs of the pediatric patient from those of the adult. This information can be used as a basis for education, pediatric outcome studies, and guideline development--all tools that can help providers receive reasonable reimbursement for pediatric services and enable them to meet the complex health needs of children. Recommendations for action are discussed. (+info)
Measuring patient satisfaction: a test of construct validity.
(29/5680)
OBJECTIVE: To establish the validity of two patient satisfaction questionnaires (surgery satisfaction questionnaire (SSQ) and consultation satisfaction questionnaire (CSQ)) developed for use in general practice. DESIGN: Prospective study of performance of SSQ and CSQ in patients selected for their predicted levels of satisfaction. SETTING: Avon Family Health Services Authority (FHSA); general practices in Bristol (practice A) and in Cheltenham (practice B). PATIENTS: 400 patients selected by Avon FHSA who had changed practices but not their home address and whose original practice had not changed its services (group 1); 869 randomly selected patients (221 from practice A, 648 from practice B) (group 2). MAIN MEASURES: Median difference in satisfaction scores for each questionnaire between groups 1 and 2 and between subgroups of group 2 patients according to assessed level in continuity of care (< 50%, > or = 50%) in the past 12 consultations. RESULTS: 272 (68.0%) patients in group 1 completed the SSQ and CSQ. 711 (81.2%) patients in group 2 (178/221 (80.5%) in practice A, 533/648(82.3%) in practice B) completed the SSQ and 374(88/106(83.0%), 286/335(85.4%)) completed the CSQ. Both questionnaires classified patients in groups 1 and 2 according to the construct of satisfaction; thus the difference in median scores for every component of satisfaction in each questionnaire was significant and occurred in the direction predicted by the construct. Each questionnaire also discriminated between patients grouped according to their assessed level of continuity of care. CONCLUSION: SSQ and CSQ are valid measures of satisfaction for these types of patients. IMPLICATIONS: Valid measures of patient satisfaction can be developed; untested instruments should no longer be used. (+info)
Satisfaction with telephone advice from an accident and emergency department: identifying areas for service improvement.
(30/5680)
OBJECTIVES: Members of the public often telephone general practice, accident and emergency departments, and other health services for advice. However, satisfaction related to telephone consultation has received relatively little attention. This study aimed to describe the views of callers to an accident and emergency department who expressed any element of dissatisfaction about their telephone consultation. This was part of a larger study intended to help identify areas for service improvement. METHODS: A telephone consultation record form was used to document details of advice calls made to the accident and emergency department over a three month period. Callers who provided a telephone number were followed up within 72 hours. The interviews were tape recorded, transcribed, and explored using content analysis for emerging themes related to dissatisfaction. RESULTS: 203 callers were contacted within 72 hours of their call, of which 197 (97%) agreed to participate. 11 (5.6%) expressed global dissatisfaction, and a further 34 (17%) callers expressed at least one element of dissatisfaction at some point during the interview. Sources of dissatisfaction fell into four broad categories, each of which included more specific aspects of dissatisfaction: 36 (80%) callers were dissatisfied with advice issues, 31 (69%) with process aspects, such as the interpersonal skills of the staff member who took the call, 23 (51%) due to lack of acknowledgement of physical or emotional needs, and 11 (24%) due to access problems. CONCLUSIONS: This study supports the findings of other work and identifies three issues for particular consideration in improving the practice of telephone consultation: (a) training of health professionals at both undergraduate and specialist levels should cover telephone communication skills, (b) specific attention needs to be given to ensuring that the information and advice given over the phone is reliable and consistent, and (c) organisational change is required, including the introduction of departmental policies for telephone advice which should become the subject of regular audit. (+info)
The abilities of primary care physicians in dermatology: implications for quality of care.
(31/5680)
Quality of care in medicine has become an increasingly important issue as the nature of healthcare delivery has changed. Many managed care systems rely on the primary care physician to serve as a gatekeeper, thereby limiting access to specialist care. Controversy has arisen regarding the abilities of primary care physicians in one such specialty: dermatology. We reviewed the many studies conducted in the United States evaluating primary care physicians' abilities in dermatology. Despite inherent flaws in many of the studies, one can conclude that primary care providers are inferior to dermatologists in the diagnosis and treatment of skin disease. Whether these process-based data predict outcome is not known. (+info)
Referrals by general internists and internal medicine trainees in an academic medicine practice.
(32/5680)
Patient referral from generalists to specialists is a critical clinic care process that has received relatively little scrutiny, especially in academic settings. This study describes the frequency with which patients enrolled in a prepaid health plan were referred to specialists by general internal medicine faculty members, general internal medicine track residents, and other internal medicine residents; the types of clinicians they were referred to; and the types of diagnoses with which they presented to their primary care physicians. Requested referrals for all 2,113 enrolled prepaid health plan patients during a 1-year period (1992-1993) were identified by computer search of the practice's administrative database. The plan was a full-risk contract without carve-out benefits. We assessed the referral request rate for the practice and the mean referral rate per physician. We also determined the percentage of patients with diagnoses based on the International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision, who were referred to specialists. The practice's referral request rate per 100 patient office visits for all referral types was 19.8. Primary care track residents referred at a higher rate than did nonprimary care track residents (mean 23.7 vs. 12.1; P < .001). The highest referral rate (2.0/100 visits) was to dermatology. Almost as many (1.7/100 visits) referrals were to other "expert" generalists within the practice. The condition most frequently associated with referral to a specialist was depression (42%). Most referrals were associated with common ambulatory care diagnoses that are often considered to be within the scope of generalist practice. To improve medical education about referrals, a better understanding of when and why faculty and trainees refer and don't refer is needed, so that better models for appropriate referral can be developed. (+info)