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Background: Haiti's hypertension prevalence among adults ≥40 years of age is nearly twice that of nations in the Americas. Haiti Health Initiative (HHI) developed a hypertension management protocol for use in outreach clinics in Timo, a rural mountainous community in Haiti. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the hypertension protocol for treating adults ≥40 years of age and pregnant women with severe hypertension. Methods: This retrospective longitudinal study included 209 patients across 1148 clinic visits/encounters. De-identified medical records from 11 biannual outreach clinics between April 2014 to April 2019 were reviewed for analysis. Descriptive statistics, paired t-tests, and multilevel models were performed. The primary outcome was systolic and diastolic blood pressure measurements at each clinic visit. Findings: In the study (n = 1148 visits), hypertension and severe hypertension prevalence were respectively 79·8% and 38·4%. Multilevel models showed a decrease of 0·29 mmHg (p = 0·37) in systolic blood pressure and a decrease in diastolic blood pressure of 0·66 mmHg (p < 0·001) per visit. Individual factors and protocol adherence did not predict a reduction in blood pressure. Conclusion: Effective management of hypertension and other chronic conditions among hard-to-reach populations with limited healthcare access requires comprehensive outreach efforts that address care antecedents, structures, and processes. Although outreach clinics made treatment accessible to vulnerable populations, the protocol, which used medications with previously demonstrated efficacy, had little impact on reducing blood pressure in patients with severe hypertension.
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En abril de 2021 el ministerio de salud de Chile da a conocer un estudio que explicita un importante déficit de médicos con especialidades derivadas de la Medicina Interna. En endocrinólogos de adultos se estima un déficit de 14 profesionales en el sistema público de Salud al año 2024, así como un endocrinólogo infantil y 10 diabetólogos; y una lista de espera estimada en 23.000 consultas de la especialidad para 2020. OBJETIVOS: cuantificar el número de especialistas en endocrinología de adultos, infantil y diabetología de nuestro país, y su distribución en nuestro territorio. MÉTODOS: Se realiza la búsqueda de todos los médicos registrados bajo la especialidad endocrinología y diabetología en la Superintendencia de Salud, su distribución por regiones del país, en relación del número de habitantes regional y nacional. RESULTADOS: Existen 340 especialistas en endocrinología y 188 diabetólogos a nivel nacional; 1.93 y 1.33 por cada 100.000 habitantes, respectivamente. El 75% de ellos se registra en las regiones Metropolitana, Valparaíso y Bio Bío. En 5 regiones del país se registra un profesional para toda la región; en una región no se registran profesionales de endocrinología ni diabetología. CONCLUSIONES: Este trabajo da cuenta de una desigual distribución regional de especialistas en endocrinología y diabetes en Chile. Se deben plantear estrategias de corto y mediano plazo para incentivar a especialistas que migren hacia regiones de alta necesidad.
In April 2021, the Ministry of Health of Chile unveiled a report showing a significant deficit of medical doctors with specialties derived from Internal Medicine. In adult endocrinologists, a deficit of 14 professionals in the public health system is estimated as of 2024, as well as one pediatric endocrinologist and 10 diabetologists; and a waiting list estimated of 23,000 consultations for the specialty by 2020. OBJECTIVES: to quantify the number of specialists in adult and pediatric endocrinology and diabetology, and their geographic distribution. METHODS: A search for all physicians registered under the endocrinology and diabetology specialties was carried out in the Superintendence of Health website; their geographic distribution according to regional and national inhabitants was studied. RESULTS: There are 340 endocrinology and 188 diabetes' specialists at the national level, 1.93 and 1.33 per 100.000 inhabitants, respectively. A 75% of them are registered in the Metropolitan, Valparaíso and Bio Bío areas. In five regions, just one professional is registered; there are no endocrinology or diabetology professionals registered in one region. CONCLUSIONS: our work accounts for an unequal regional distribution of specialists in endocrinology and diabetes in Chile. Short- and medium-term strategies should be proposed to encourage specialists to migrate to regions of high demand.
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Humanos , Atención a la Salud/estadística & datos numéricos , Endocrinólogos/provisión & distribución , Chile , DemografíaRESUMEN
The COVID-19 pandemic mainly affected the most vulnerable individuals. Among those, patients with schizophrenia especially suffered from unexpected changes in their routines, barriers to treatment, and distress-related events. We conducted a narrative review using all available sources of information to describe the challenges faced by schizophrenia patients and their families in Brazil, including the strategies that have been adopted to tackle them. In addition, we analyzed public data on antipsychotic prescriptions and hospitalizations. It was found that digital prescriptions with extended expiration dates implemented during the pandemic in Brazil allowed patients to maintain their access to antipsychotics. Hospitalizations among patients with schizophrenia, schizotypal, and schizoaffective disorders decreased at the beginning of the pandemic. Nevertheless, in the following months, the admissions returned to a trend similar to the prepandemic period. The systematization of online resources will be one of the main legacies to mental health care, including schizophrenia. We believe one of the main limitations of the policies adopted was the decision to not prioritize COVID-19 vaccination in patients with severe psychiatric disorders, despite preliminary evidence of a higher risk of complications in this group. The coronavirus pandemic is still ongoing and a longer time will be required to have a better perspective of its effects, but we expect this record of challenges and insights about the lessons learned during the pandemic can help healthcare professionals to face similar situations in the future.
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BACKGROUND: The ongoing coronavirus 2019 disease (COVID-19) pandemic strained medical systems worldwide. We report on the impact on pediatric oncology care in Latin American (LATAM) during its first year. METHOD: Four cross-sectional surveys were electronically distributed among pediatric onco-hematologists in April/June/October 2020, and April/2021 through the Latin American Society of Pediatric Oncology (SLAOP) email list and St Jude Global regional partners. RESULTS: Four hundred fifty-three pediatric onco-hematologists from 20 countries responded to the first survey, with subsequent surveys response rates above 85%. More than 95% of participants reported that treatment continued without interruption for new and active ongoing patients, though with disruptions in treatment availability. During the first three surveys, respondents reported suspensions of outpatient procedures (54.2%), a decrease in oncologic surgeries (43.6%), radiotherapy (28.4%), stem cell transplants (SCT) (69.3%), and surveillance consultations (81.2%). Logistic regression analysis showed that at the beginning of the first wave, participants from countries with healthcare expenditure below 7% were more likely to report a decrease in outpatient procedures (odds ratio [OR]: 1.84, 95% CI: 1.19-2.8), surgeries (OR: 3, 95% CI: 1.9-4.6) and radiotherapy (OR: 6, 95% CI: 3.5-10.4). Suspension of surveillance consultations was higher in countries with COVID-19 case fatality rates above 2% (OR: 3, 95% CI: 1.4-6.2) and SCT suspensions in countries with COVID-19 incidence rate above 100 cases per 100,000 (OR: 3.48, 95% CI: 1.6-7.45). Paradoxically, at the beginning of the second wave with COVID-19 cases rising exponentially, most participants reported improvements in cancer services availability. CONCLUSION: Our data show the medium-term collateral effects of the pandemic on pediatric oncology care in LATAM, which might help delineate oncology care delivery amid current and future challenges posed by the pandemic.
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COVID-19 , Neoplasias , COVID-19/epidemiología , Niño , Estudios Transversales , Humanos , América Latina/epidemiología , Neoplasias/epidemiología , Neoplasias/terapia , Pandemias , SuspensionesRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: Teleneuropsychology (teleNP) could potentially expand access to services for patients who are confined, have limited personal access to healthcare, or live in remote areas. The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly increased the use of teleNP for cognitive assessments. The main objective of these recommendations is to identify which procedures can be potentially best adapted to the practice of teleNP in Latin America, and thereby facilitate professional decision-making in the region. METHOD: Steps taken to develop these recommendations included (1) formation of an international working group with representatives from 12 Latin American countries; (2) assessment of rationale, scope, and objectives; (3) formulation of clinical questions; (4) evidence search and selection; (5) evaluation of existing evidence and summary; and (6) formulation of recommendations. Levels of evidence were graded following the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine system. Databases examined included PubMed, WHO-IRIS, WHO and PAHO-IRIS, Índice Bibliográfico Español en Ciencias de la Salud (IBCS), and LILACS. RESULTS: Working group members reviewed 18,400 titles and 422 abstracts and identified 19 articles meeting the criteria for level of evidence, categorization, and elaboration of recommendations. The vast majority of the literature included teleNP tests in the English language. The working group proposed a series of recommendations that can be potentially best adapted to the practice of teleNP in Latin America. CONCLUSIONS: There is currently sufficient evidence to support the use of videoconferencing technology for remote neuropsychological assessments. These recommendations will likely contribute to the advancement of teleNP research and practice in the region.
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COVID-19 , Pandemias , Humanos , América Latina , Pruebas Neuropsicológicas , Neuropsicología/métodosRESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: Patients undergoing radical cystectomy represent a particularly resource-intensive patient population. Time-driven activity based costing (TDABC) assigns time to events and then costs are based on the people involved in providing care for specific events. To determine the major cost drivers of radical cystectomy care we used a TDABC analysis for the cystectomy care pathway. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed a random sample of 100 patients out of 717 eligible patients undergoing open radical cystectomy and ileal conduit for bladder cancer at our institution between 2012 and 2015. We defined the cycle of care as beginning at the preoperative clinic visit and ending with the 90-day postoperative clinic visit. TDABC was carried out with construction of detailed process maps. Capacity cost rates were calculated and the care cycle was divided into 3 phases: surgical, inpatient, and readmissions. Costs were normalized to the lowest cost driver within the cohort. RESULTS: The mean length of stay was 6.9 days. Total inpatient care was the main driver of cost for radical cystectomy making up 32% of the total costs. Inpatient costs were mainly driven by inpatient staff care (76%). Readmissions were responsible for 29% of costs. Surgery was 31% of the costs, with the majority derived from operating room staff costs (65%). CONCLUSION: The major driver of cost in a radical cystectomy pathway is the inpatient stay, closely followed by operating room costs. Surgical costs, inpatient care and readmissions all remain significant sources of expense for cystectomy and efforts to reduce cystectomy costs should be focused in these areas.
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Costos y Análisis de Costo , Cistectomía/economía , Cistectomía/métodos , Neoplasias de la Vejiga Urinaria/cirugía , Derivación Urinaria/economía , Anciano , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Estudios Retrospectivos , Factores de TiempoRESUMEN
To better estimate the travel time to the most proximate health care facility (HCF) and determine differences across heterogeneous land coverage types, this study explored the use of a novel cloud-based geospatial modeling approach. Geospatial data of 145,134 cities and villages and 8,067 HCF were gathered with land coverage types, roads and river networks, and digital elevation data to produce high-resolution (30 m) estimates of travel time to HCFs across Peru. This study estimated important variations in travel time to HCFs between urban and rural settings and major land coverage types in Peru. The median travel time to primary, secondary, and tertiary HCFs was 1.9-, 2.3-, and 2.2-fold higher in rural than urban settings, respectively. This study provides a new methodology to estimate the travel time to HCFs as a tool to enhance the understanding and characterization of the profiles of accessibility to HCFs in low- and middle-income countries.
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Instituciones de Salud , Accesibilidad a los Servicios de Salud , Humanos , Perú , Población Rural , ViajeRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Universal health coverage promises equity in access to and quality of health services. However, there is variability in the quality of the care (QoC) delivered at health facilities in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). Detecting gaps in implementation of clinical guidelines is key to prioritizing the efforts to improve quality of care. The aim of this study was to present statistical methods that maximize the use of existing electronic medical records (EMR) to monitor compliance with evidence-based care guidelines in LMICs. METHODS: We used iSanté, Haiti's largest EMR to assess adherence to treatment guidelines and retention on treatment of HIV patients across Haitian HIV care facilities. We selected three processes of care - (1) implementation of a 'test and start' approach to antiretroviral therapy (ART), (2) implementation of HIV viral load testing, and (3) uptake of multi-month scripting for ART, and three continuity of care indicators - (4) timely ART pick-up, (5) 6-month ART retention of pregnant women and (6) 6-month ART retention of non-pregnant adults. We estimated these six indicators using a model-based approach to account for their volatility and measurement error. We added a case-mix adjustment for continuity of care indicators to account for the effect of factors other than medical care (biological, socio-economic). We combined the six indicators in a composite measure of appropriate care based on adherence to treatment guidelines. RESULTS: We analyzed data from 65,472 patients seen in 89 health facilities between June 2016 and March 2018. Adoption of treatment guidelines differed greatly between facilities; several facilities displayed 100% compliance failure, suggesting implementation issues. Risk-adjusted continuity of care indicators showed less variability, although several facilities had patient retention rates that deviated significantly from the national average. Based on the composite measure, we identified two facilities with consistently poor performance and two star performers. CONCLUSIONS: Our work demonstrates the potential of EMRs to detect gaps in appropriate care processes, and thereby to guide quality improvement efforts. Closing quality gaps will be pivotal in achieving equitable access to quality care in LMICs.
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Registros Electrónicos de Salud , Adhesión a Directriz/estadística & datos numéricos , Infecciones por VIH/tratamiento farmacológico , Guías de Práctica Clínica como Asunto , Mejoramiento de la Calidad/organización & administración , Adulto , Fármacos Anti-VIH/uso terapéutico , Femenino , Haití , Instituciones de Salud/normas , Investigación sobre Servicios de Salud , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Embarazo , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Weekend admissions has previously been associated with worse outcomes in conditions requiring specialists. Our study aimed to determine in-hospital outcomes in patients with ascites admitted over the weekends versus weekdays. Time to paracentesis from admission was studied as current guidelines recommend paracentesis within 24h for all patients admitted with worsening ascites or signs and symptoms of sepsis/hepatic encephalopathy (HE). PATIENTS: We analyzed 70 million discharges from the 2005-2014 National Inpatient Sample to include all adult patients admitted non-electively for ascites, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP), and HE with ascites with cirrhosis as a secondary diagnosis. The outcomes were in-hospital mortality, complication rates, and resource utilization. Odds ratios (OR) and means were adjusted for confounders using multivariate regression analysis models. RESULTS: Out of the total 195,083 ascites/SBP/HE-related hospitalizations, 47,383 (24.2%) occurred on weekends. Weekend group had a higher number of patients on Medicare and had higher comorbidity burden. There was no difference in mortality rate, total complication rates, length of stay or total hospitalization charges between the patients admitted on the weekend or weekdays. However, patients admitted over the weekends were less likely to undergo paracentesis (OR 0.89) and paracentesis within 24h of admission (OR 0.71). The mean time to paracentesis was 2.96 days for weekend admissions vs. 2.73 days for weekday admissions. CONCLUSIONS: We observed a statistically significant "weekend effect" in the duration to undergo paracentesis in patients with ascites/SBP/HE-related hospitalizations. However, it did not affect the patient's length of stay, hospitalization charges, and in-hospital mortality.
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Atención Posterior/tendencias , Ascitis/terapia , Cirrosis Hepática/terapia , Paracentesis/tendencias , Admisión del Paciente/tendencias , Tiempo de Tratamiento/tendencias , Atención Posterior/economía , Ascitis/diagnóstico , Ascitis/economía , Ascitis/mortalidad , Bases de Datos Factuales , Femenino , Precios de Hospital/tendencias , Mortalidad Hospitalaria/tendencias , Humanos , Pacientes Internos , Tiempo de Internación , Cirrosis Hepática/diagnóstico , Cirrosis Hepática/economía , Cirrosis Hepática/mortalidad , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Paracentesis/efectos adversos , Paracentesis/economía , Paracentesis/mortalidad , Admisión del Paciente/economía , Estudios Retrospectivos , Medición de Riesgo , Factores de Riesgo , Factores de Tiempo , Tiempo de Tratamiento/economía , Resultado del Tratamiento , Estados Unidos/epidemiologíaRESUMEN
Current data indicate that inequitable health service access is one of the major problems faced by indigenous people in Mexico and around the world. The aim of this study was to analyse the perceived health needs of indigenous older adults in a Mayan region of Mexico and the health services provided to address these needs. It used a qualitative design which explored health needs, perceptions of well-being, experiences with public health services and obstacles in accessing services through semi-structured interviews with 20 older adults, nine traditional healers and seven public healthcare providers from Mayan municipalities in southeastern Mexico during 2013-2014. We identified that cultural differences related to the language, values, beliefs and worldview of indigenous populations are ignored or incorporated only minimally by health services. The provision of services does not correspond to the health needs of indigenous Mayan older adults, and wide gaps still undermine their human rights and health status; despite the establishment of favourable regulations, healthcare services are organised for the non-indigenous population. The conditions of social vulnerability affecting indigenous older adults require that healthcare institutions incorporate an intercultural approach in order to improve the quality of care according to the necessities of the population.
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Accesibilidad a los Servicios de Salud/organización & administración , Indígenas Centroamericanos , Evaluación de Necesidades/organización & administración , Anciano , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Características Culturales , Femenino , Conocimientos, Actitudes y Práctica en Salud , Humanos , Masculino , Medicina Tradicional , México , Investigación CualitativaRESUMEN
A mixed methods approach was used to examine perspectives of 114 primary care providers regarding barriers and needs for support in caring for children with autism. The most common barriers related to lack of knowledge and resources for diagnosing and treating children with autism, and inadequate visit time and reimbursement.
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Trastorno Autístico/epidemiología , Necesidades y Demandas de Servicios de Salud , Evaluación de Necesidades , Atención Primaria de Salud , Adulto , Anciano , Citas y Horarios , Manejo de Caso , Competencia Clínica , Femenino , Recursos en Salud , Accesibilidad a los Servicios de Salud , Humanos , Reembolso de Seguro de Salud , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Encuestas y Cuestionarios , Factores de Tiempo , Estados Unidos/epidemiologíaRESUMEN
AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: We evaluated the secular trend of glycaemic control in individuals with type 2 diabetes in developing countries, where data are limited. METHODS: The International Diabetes Management Practices Study provides real-world evidence of patient profiles and diabetes care practices in developing countries in seven cross-sectional waves (2005-2017). At each wave, each physician collected data from ten consecutive participants with type 2 diabetes during a 2 week period. The primary objective of this analysis was to evaluate trends of glycaemic control over time. RESULTS: A total of 66,088 individuals with type 2 diabetes were recruited by 6099 physicians from 49 countries. The proportion of participants with HbA1c <53 mmol/mol (<7%) decreased from 36% in wave 1 (2005) to 30.1% in wave 7 (2017) (p < 0.0001). Compared with wave 1, the adjusted ORs of attaining HbA1c ≤64 mmol/mol (≤8%) decreased significantly in waves 2, 5, 6 and 7 (p < 0.05). Over 80% of participants received oral glucose-lowering drugs, with declining use of sulfonylureas. Insulin use increased from 32.8% (wave 1) to 41.2% (wave 7) (p < 0.0001). The corresponding time to insulin initiation (mean ± SD) changed from 8.4 ± 6.9 in wave 1 to 8.3 ± 6.6 years in wave 7, while daily insulin dosage ranged from 0.39 ± 0.21 U/kg (wave 1) to 0.33 ± 0.19 U/kg (wave 7) for basal regimen and 0.70 ± 0.34 U/kg (wave 1) to 0.77 ± 0.33 (wave 7) U/kg for basal-bolus regimen. An increasing proportion of participants had ≥2 HbA1c measurements within 12 months of enrolment (from 61.8% to 92.9%), and the proportion of participants receiving diabetes education (mainly delivered by physicians) also increased from 59.0% to 78.3%. CONCLUSIONS: In developing countries, glycaemic control in individuals with type 2 diabetes remained suboptimal over a 12 year period, indicating a need for system changes and better organisation of care to improve self-management and attainment of treatment goals.
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Países en Desarrollo/estadística & datos numéricos , Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 2/sangre , Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 2/epidemiología , Hemoglobina Glucada/metabolismo , Control Glucémico , Adulto , Anciano , Glucemia/efectos de los fármacos , Glucemia/metabolismo , Estudios Transversales , Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 2/tratamiento farmacológico , Femenino , Hemoglobina Glucada/efectos de los fármacos , Control Glucémico/estadística & datos numéricos , Control Glucémico/tendencias , Humanos , Hipoglucemiantes/uso terapéutico , Masculino , Cumplimiento de la Medicación/estadística & datos numéricos , Persona de Mediana Edad , Evaluación del Resultado de la Atención al Paciente , Automanejo/estadística & datos numéricos , Automanejo/tendenciasRESUMEN
PURPOSE: The barriers and solutions to the current prior-authorization (PA) process at an integrated health system were evaluated. METHODS: Focus groups were conducted with patients at an integrated health system who also had insurance from an affiliated health plan and at least 1 denial for a medication in the past year. Semistructured interviews were conducted with medical staff (physicians, office staff, and PA experts). Both focus groups and interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed. Inductive analysis was used to code transcripts and develop themes. RESULTS: Three focus groups were conducted with 13 patients, and 9 medical staff (3 staff physicians, 2 office staff, and 4 PA staff) who have interactions with the PA process interviewed. Several themes were identified including the complexity of the PA process, consequences experienced, and ineffective communication between key stakeholders. A cross-cutting theme was that stakeholders expressed feelings of frustration, anxiety, and anger throughout the PA process. All stakeholders offered insights on how the process could be improved to better facilitate their preferences, such as access to the list of medications that require PA and the need for a patient advocate. CONCLUSION: Results of this study revealed that the PA process was frustrating, upsetting, and infuriating to patients and medical staff involved in the process. Three main themes identified included the complexity of the PA process, consequences experienced from the PA process, and ineffective communication between stakeholders.
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Prestación Integrada de Atención de Salud/organización & administración , Autorización Previa , Servicios de Salud Rural/organización & administración , Participación de los Interesados/psicología , Actitud del Personal de Salud , Toma de Decisiones Clínicas/métodos , Comunicación , Prestación Integrada de Atención de Salud/economía , Femenino , Grupos Focales , Frustación , Personal de Salud/psicología , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Investigación Cualitativa , Servicios de Salud Rural/economía , Factores de TiempoRESUMEN
RESUMEN El cuidado de las personas y de su salud es una función primaria de la familia y de la sociedad como lo demuestran estudios sobre los humanos primitivos, así como en el Perú prehispánico. La conquista y los siglos posteriores de colonización quebraron la forma tradicional del cuidado de las personas, reemplazando la solidaridad social por acciones de caridad principalmente de órdenes religiosas que propiciaron hospicios luego denominados hospitales. Durante la colonia y hasta principios del siglo XX el cuidado de los enfermos siguió siendo responsabilidad de las instituciones de caridad, como las Beneficencias creadas luego de la independencia. Los derechos sociales como la educación y la salud recién surgen en las primeras décadas del pasado siglo, plasmándose en la Constitución de 1933. Sin embargo, tanto en esa Constitución como en la de 1979 y la de 1993 el derecho a la educación fue reconocido más plenamente, siendo más limitado en salud. La ley de Aseguramiento Universal en Salud del 2009 propone garantizar para todos el derecho al acceso a servicios de salud con calidad, como parte del derecho a la salud en sentido amplio. Las limitaciones actuales obligan a redefinir el derecho de todas las personas al cuidado integral de su salud y la rectoría del Estado para garantizarlo.
ABSTRACT The care of people and their health is a primary function of the family and of society as shown by studies on primitive humans, as well as in pre-Hispanic Peru. The conquest and subsequent centuries of colonization fractured the traditional way of caring for people, replacing social solidarity with charity actions mainly from religious orders that provided hospices later called hospitals. During the colony and until the beginning of the 20th century, the care of the sick continued to be the responsibility of charitable institutions, such as the Charities created after independence. Social rights such as education and health only emerged in the first decades of the last century and were enshrined in the 1933 Constitution. However, both in that Constitution as in those from 1979 and 1993, the right to education was recognized more fully, while the right to heath was limited. The Universal Health Coverage Act of 2009 propounds guaranteeing the right to access quality healthcare services for everybody, as part of the right to health in the broadest sense. The current limitations force us to redefine the right of every citizen to comprehensive care of their health and the State's guidance to guarantee it.
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Historia del Siglo XIX , Historia del Siglo XX , Historia del Siglo XXI , Humanos , Calidad de la Atención de Salud , Atención a la Salud , Atención a la Salud/normas , Política de Salud , Accesibilidad a los Servicios de Salud , Perú , Cobertura Universal del Seguro de Salud/legislación & jurisprudencia , Atención a la Salud/historia , Derecho a la SaludRESUMEN
RESUMEN Los Recursos Humanos en Salud (RHUS) son pilar clave en el éxito de todo sistema de salud, su desarrollo y desempeño son fundamental para garantizar una atención de calidad. A pesar de esta realidad, los RHUS suelen estar ausentes en procesos de reforma sanitaria. En el Perú, en los últimos 30 años, se han dado diversas reformas que han incluido en mayor o menor medida, mejoras en las políticas de RHUS con la finalidad de brindar una mejor calidad de atención a la población. Este artículo busca hacer un breve análisis de los avances en el campo de la gestión y desarrollo de los Recursos humanos en el Sector Salud en los últimos años, destacando su importancia en la calidad de atención. De hacer esfuerzos suficientes en este campo, lograríamos RHUS competentes, distribuidos de forma equitativa y comprometidos con entregar atención de calidad a todos los individuos.
ABSTRACT Healthcare Human Resources (HHR) are key for the success of any health system; its development and performance are fundamental to ensure quality care. Despite this reality, HHR are often absent from health reform processes. In Peru, in the last 30 years, there have been several reforms that have included, to a greater or lesser extent, improvements in HHR policies aimed at providing a better quality of care to the population. This article seeks to make a brief analysis of the advances in the field of management and development of human resources in the healthcare sector in recent years, highlighting their importance in the quality of care. Through considerable effort, we would achieve competent, equitably-distributed HHR committed to delivering quality care to all individuals.
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Humanos , Calidad de la Atención de Salud , Reforma de la Atención de Salud/organización & administración , Atención a la Salud/organización & administración , Recursos Humanos/organización & administración , Perú , Personal de Salud/organización & administración , Reforma de la Atención de Salud/normasRESUMEN
Abstract This study maps and analyzes patient flows for breast cancer chemotherapy in order to identify the potential implications for organization of pharmaceutical services in the cancer care network. An ecological study design sought to correlate the place of residence with place of care for breast cancer patients. All chemotherapy procedures financed by Brazil's Unified Health System (SUS) and performed from January to December 2013 were included. Flows were mapped using TerraView® software. A total of 1 347 803 outpatient chemotherapy procedures were delivered by 243 cancer care units located in 156 municipalities. Seventeen cities concentrated approximately 50.0 % of the procedures. A total of 8 538 origin-destination flows were generated and 49.2% of procedures were performed in services located outside the municipality in which the patient resided. Context challenges, related to inequality of access to chemotherapy and hindrances in planning and management of pharmaceutical services, were discussed.
Resumo Este estudo mapeia e analisa os fluxos percorridos por pacientes em uso de quimioterapia para o tratamento do câncer de mama no Brasil, usando metodologia de redes, de forma a identificar potenciais implicações para a organização da assistência farmacêutica na rede de atenção oncológica. Realizou-se um estudo ecológico correlacionando o local de residência com o de atendimento de pacientes com câncer de mama. Incluiu-se todos os procedimentos de quimioterapia financiados pelo Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS), realizados no ano de 2013. O mapeamento dos fluxos foi efetuado no programa TerraView®. Foram realizados 1.347.803 procedimentos ambulatoriais de quimioterapia em 243 unidades habilitadas pelo SUS, sediadas em 156 municípios brasileiros. Dezessete cidades concentraram aproximadamente 50,0% dos atendimentos. Foram gerados 8.538 fluxos de origem-destino e 49,2% dos procedimentos foram realizados em serviços sediados fora do município de residência da mulher. Alguns aspectos da organização da assistência farmacêutica, relacionados a desigualdades no acesso à quimioterapia e dificuldades no planejamento de ações e serviços farmacêuticos foram problematizados frente ao contexto apresentado.
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Humanos , Femenino , Servicios Farmacéuticos/estadística & datos numéricos , Neoplasias de la Mama/tratamiento farmacológico , Accesibilidad a los Servicios de Salud , Antineoplásicos/administración & dosificación , Brasil , Características de la Residencia/estadística & datos numéricos , Disparidades en Atención de Salud/estadística & datos numéricos , Programas Nacionales de Salud/estadística & datos numéricosRESUMEN
Ischaemic heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, with an increasing trend from 6.1 million deaths in 1990 to 9.5 million in 2016, markedly driven by rates observed in low/middle-income countries (LMIC). Improvements in myocardial infarction (MI) care are crucial for reducing premature mortality. We aimed to evaluate the main challenges for adequate MI care in LMIC, and possible strategies to overcome these existing barriers.Reperfusion is the cornerstone of MI treatment, but worldwide around 30% of patients are not reperfused, with even lower rates in LMIC. The main challenges are related to delays associated with patient education, late diagnosis and inadequate referral strategies, health infrastructure and insufficient funding. The implementation of regional MI systems of care in LMIC, systematising timely reperfusion strategies, access to intensive care, risk stratification and use of adjunctive medications have shown some successful strategies. Telemedicine support for remote ECG, diagnosis and organisation of referrals has proven to be useful, improving access to reperfusion even in prehospital settings. Organisation of transport and referral hubs based on anticipated delays and development of MI excellence centres have also resulted in better equality of care. Also, education of healthcare staff and task shifting may potentially widen access to optimal therapy.In conclusion, efforts have been made for the implementation of MI systems of care in LMIC, aiming to address particularities of the health systems. However, the increasing impact of MI in these countries urges the development of further strategies to improve reperfusion and reduce system delays.
Asunto(s)
Atención a la Salud , Infarto del Miocardio , Atención a la Salud/métodos , Atención a la Salud/organización & administración , Atención a la Salud/normas , Países en Desarrollo , Manejo de la Enfermedad , Humanos , Infarto del Miocardio/economía , Infarto del Miocardio/epidemiología , Infarto del Miocardio/terapia , Evaluación de Necesidades , Mejoramiento de la Calidad/organización & administraciónRESUMEN
Resumo A Rede de Urgência e Emergência (RUE) do município do Rio de Janeiro foi alvo de investimentos e reestruturação com a disseminação das Unidades de Pronto Atendimento (UPAs). Superlotação, baixa qualidade e integração comprometem a conformação dessa rede. Buscou-se analisar a organização e o funcionamento dos fluxos assistenciais estabelecidos na RUE, a partir do acesso ao leito hospitalar. Foram realizadas 36 entrevistas e análise de dados de bancos de dados primários e secundários, utilizando-se estatística descritiva e a análise exploratória. O acesso ao leito hospitalar é infrequente, sendo atendidas apenas 13% das solicitações totais. As solicitações de leito oriundas das UPAs alcançaram percentuais maiores, 40% para UTI e 36% para clínica geral. No entanto, os cerca de 60% restantes, geralmente, recebem alta ou evoluem para óbito antes de alcançar um leito hospitalar, transformando as UPAs em unidades de internação. Outro fenômeno de destaque foi a relação conflituosa entre os componentes pré-hospitalares (atenção primária e UPA) na dinâmica do fluxo do Vaga Zero, comprometendo a continuidade do cuidado. É necessário aprimorar o nível de integração entre unidades que compõem a RUE bem como expandir e qualificar a retaguarda hospitalar.
Abstract Emergency Health Care delivery has been a major issue in the city of Rio de Janeiro was the target of investments and restructuring with the dissemination of Emergency Care Units (UPAs). Overcrowding, poor quality and integration compromise the conformation of this network. The aim was to analyze the organization and functioning of care flows established in the RUE, based on access to the hospital bed. Thirty-six interviews and data analysis of primary and secondary databases were performed, using descriptive statistics and exploratory analysis. Access to the hospital bed is infrequent, with only 13% of total requests being met. Bed requests from UPAs reached higher percentages, 40% for ICUs and 36% for general practice. However, the remaining 60% are usually discharged or die before reaching a hospital bed, turning UPAs into inpatient units. Another prominent phenomenon was the conflictual relationship between the prehospital components (primary care and UPA) in the dynamic of the Vaga Zero flow, compromising the continuity of care. It is necessary to improve the level of integration between units that make up the RUE, as well as to expand and qualify the hospital rearward.
Asunto(s)
Humanos , Atención a la Salud , Servicios Médicos de Urgencia/provisión & distribución , Regulación y Fiscalización en Salud , Accesibilidad a los Servicios de Salud/organización & administración , Capacidad de Camas en Hospitales , Sistema Único de Salud , BrasilRESUMEN
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Low-and-middle-income countries have resource constraints and waiting lists for radiotherapy (RT). In this context, we sought to determine the survival of inpatients evaluated for palliative RT in a large referral cancer center in Brazil. MATERIAL AND METHODS: From November 2014 through December 2015, we enrolled 333 inpatients with palliative RT evaluation requests in this prospective observational study. We applied Palliative Prognostic Index (PPI) and Survival Prediction Score using Number of Risk Factors (NRF). Primary endpoint was overall survival. Secondary endpoints were survival by PPI and NRF. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02312791). RESULTS: Median survival (MS) for the entire cohort was 73â¯days. PPI ≤2 had MS of 120â¯days; PPI 2.5-4 had MS of 55â¯days (HR 1.84; 95% CI, 1.07-3.16); PPI >4 had MS of 39â¯days (HR 3.45; 95% CI, 2.07-5.74) (pâ¯<â¯.0001). NRF 0-1 had MS of 129â¯days; NRF 2 had MS of 73â¯days (HR 1.74; 95% CI 0.89-3.38); NRF 3 had MS of 40â¯days (HR 2.95; 95% CI, 1.50-5.78) (pâ¯<â¯.0001). CONCLUSION: Inpatients with palliative RT requests seem to have an overall poor survival. PPI and NRF can define subgroups with different prognosis. This could help hospitals and healthcare systems to standardize criteria for prioritization and contribute for fairness.
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Neoplasias/mortalidad , Neoplasias/radioterapia , Adolescente , Adulto , Anciano , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Brasil/epidemiología , Femenino , Humanos , Renta , Pacientes Internos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Neoplasias/diagnóstico , Neoplasias/economía , Cuidados Paliativos/economía , Cuidados Paliativos/estadística & datos numéricos , Pronóstico , Estudios Prospectivos , Factores de Riesgo , Análisis de Supervivencia , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess viewpoints of end-users concerning the purchasing process of high-risk medical devices and to discuss the relevance of health technology assessments (HTAs) at the hospital level and other potential areas for improvement of purchasing processes. METHODS: We used a cross-sectional study and assessed the attitudes and thoughts of orthopedic specialists. The study took place between June and October 2015 in Mexico. RESULTS: We collected data from 187 orthopedic surgeons. Involvement of orthopedic specialists in purchasing was reported by 86 percent. However, clinical practice was perceived as negatively influenced by purchasing outcomes by 92 percent. The problems were described as: material failure; effectiveness of medical devices; obsolete medical device technology; incomplete provision of implant / instrument sets; delayed provision of implants and instruments. CONCLUSIONS: To prevent sub-standard outcomes of purchasing decisions, this study and the current literature suggest that technologies should be assessed during the purchasing process, end-users should be adequately involved, and decisions should be based on multiple criteria including clinical impact in the short-term (e.g., primary stability of implant) and long-term (e.g., survival of implant). The focus on Mexico is particularly novel and provides insights into a health system where HTA is mainly present at the macro level and can be used for the listing of medical device technologies in the standard list. This study concludes that Mexican stakeholders of the purchasing process underestimate the contribution of HTAs at the level of purchasing decisions. HTA in Mexico has improved over the past years but still requires more advancement.