RESUMEN

After more than two decades of national attention to quality improvement in US healthcare, significant gaps in quality remain. A fundamental problem is that current approaches to measure quality are indirect and therefore imprecise, focusing on clinical documentation of care rather than the actual delivery of care. The National Academy of Medicine (NAM) has identified six domains of quality that are essential to address to improve quality: patient-centeredness, equity, timeliness, efficiency, effectiveness, and safety. In this perspective, we describe how directly observed care-a recorded audit of clinical care delivery-may address problems with current quality measurement, providing a more holistic assessment of healthcare delivery. We further show how directly observed care has the potential to improve each NAM domain of quality.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

Background: Evidence-based treatment is provided infrequently and inconsistently to patients with opioid use disorder (OUD). Treatment guidelines call for high-quality, patient-centered care that meets individual preferences and needs, but it is unclear whether current quality measures address individualized aspects of care and whether measures of patient-centered OUD care are supported by evidence. Methods: We conducted an environmental scan of OUD care quality to (1) evaluate patient-centeredness in current OUD quality measures endorsed by national agencies and in national OUD treatment guidelines; and (2) review literature evidence for patient-centered care in OUD diagnosis and management, including gaps in current guidelines, performance data, and quality measures. We then synthesized these findings to develop a new quality measurement taxonomy that incorporates patient-centered aspects of care and identifies priority areas for future research and quality measure development. Results: Across 31 endorsed OUD quality measures, only two measures of patient experience incorporated patient preferences and needs, while national guidelines emphasized providing patient-centered care. Among 689 articles reviewed, evidence varied for practices of patient-centered care. Many practices were supported by guidelines and substantial evidence, while others lacked evidence despite guideline support. Our synthesis of findings resulted in EQuIITable Care, a taxonomy comprised of six classifications: (1) patient Experience and engagement, (2) Quality of life; (3) Identification of patient risks; (4) Interventions to mitigate patient risks; (5) Treatment; and (6) Care coordination and navigation. Conclusions: Current quality measurement for OUD lacks patient-centeredness. EQuIITable Care for OUD provides a roadmap to develop measures of patient-centered care for OUD.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: Meaningful variations in physician performance are not always discernible from the medical record. OBJECTIVE: We used unannounced standardized patients to measure and provide feedback on care quality and fidelity of documentation, and examined downstream effects on reimbursement claims. DESIGN: Static group pre-post comparison study conducted between 2017 and 2019. SETTING: Fourteen New Jersey primary care practice groups (22 practices) enrolled in Horizon BCBS's value-based program received the intervention. For claims analyses, we identified 14 additional comparison practice groups matched on county, practice size, and claims activity. PARTICIPANTS: Fifty-nine of 64 providers volunteered to participate. INTERVENTION: Unannounced standardized patients (USPs) made 217 visits portraying patients with 1-2 focal conditions (diabetes, depression, back pain, smoking, or preventive cancer screening). After two baseline visits to a provider, we delivered feedback and conducted two follow-up visits. MEASUREMENTS: USP-completed checklists of guideline-based provider care behaviors, visit audio recordings, and provider notes were used to measure behaviors performed and documentation errors pre- and post-feedback. We also compared changes in 3-month office-based claims by actual patients between the intervention and comparison practice groups before and after feedback. RESULTS: Expected clinical behaviors increased from 46% to 56% (OR = 1.53, 95% CI 1.29-1.83, p < 0.0001), with significant improvements in smoking cessation, back pain, and depression screening. Providers were less likely to document unperformed tasks after (16%) than before feedback (18%; OR = 0.74, 95% CI 0.62 to 0.90, p = 0.002). Actual claim costs increased significantly less in the study than comparison group for diabetes and depression but significantly more for smoking cessation, cancer screening, and low back pain. LIMITATIONS: Self-selection of participating practices and lack of access to prescription claims. CONCLUSION: Direct observation of care identifies hidden deficits in practice and documentation, and with feedback can improve both, with concomitant effects on costs.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

Background Depression is substantially underdiagnosed in primary care, despite recommendations for screening at every visit. We report a secondary analysis focused on depression of a recently completed study using unannounced standardized patients (USPs) to measure and improve provider behaviors, documentation, and subsequent claims for real patients. Methods Unannounced standardized patients presented incognito in 217 visits to 59 primary care providers in 22 New Jersey practices. We collected USP checklists, visit audio recordings, and provider notes after visits; provided feedback to practices and providers based on the first two visits per provider; and compared care and documentation behaviors in the visits before and after feedback. We obtained real patient claims from the study practices and a matched comparison group and compared the likelihood of visits including International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10) codes for depression before and after feedback between the study and comparison groups. Results Providers significantly improved in their rate of depression screening following feedback [adjusted odds ratio (AOR), 3.41; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.52-7.65; p = 0.003]. Sometimes expected behaviors were documented when not performed. The proportion of claims by actual patients with depression-related ICD-10 codes increased significantly more from prefeedback to postfeedback in the study group than in matched control group (interaction AOR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.32-1.50; p < 0.001). Conclusions Using USPs, we found significant performance issues in diagnosis of depression, as well as discrepancies in documentation that may reduce future diagnostic accuracy. Providing feedback based on a small number of USP encounters led to some improvements in clinical performance observed both directly and indirectly via claims.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

The burden of HIV infection among the nomadic Fulani of northern Nigeria is unknown. Migration - a way of life for this population - is known to increase the rate of HIV transmission and may limit individuals' access to treatment and care. Many of Africa's other traditional, pastoral societies are similarly affected. This paper explores cultural practices and factors among the Fulani that may influence HIV transmission, vulnerability to infection, sustainability and challenges to treatment access, and avenues and models for outreach services; lastly, we proffer some solutions and recommendations. An extensive literature search with cross-referencing was done, and relevant publications on similar themes were reviewed. Three cases of Fulani nomads with HIV are presented to illustrate the challenge of providing a care continuum as well as to demonstrate successes when appropriate HIV interventions are employed. Patient interviews provide valuable insight and information on living and coping with HIV. Community mobility limits opportunities for counselling, testing and diagnosis, as well as HIV-related care access and maintenance. Consanguinity and certain cultural practices among the Fulani have clear amplification potential for HIV transmission. Treatment support through the use of coaches and life partners improves adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART). Existing programmes for nomads afford opportunities for absorption and integration of HIV services. Nomadic communities should be provided with basic HIV-related services, including risk-reduction education and methods, counselling and testing, ART, medication adherence counselling, access to laboratory tests and health monitoring. These services should be taken to nomadic communities using novel approaches such as mobile units, extension services, case management, directly observed care, and treatment supporters linked to neighbouring health facilities in a hub-and-spoke model. Stronger collaborations are recommended between programmes for nomads and HIV services, and also between veterinary and public health services. Community participation and leadership should be encouraged to ensure the sustainability of HIV-related care delivery. More research is needed on the epidemiology and sociology of HIV infection and the best ways to provide services to hard-to-reach nomadic populations.