Iranian nurses' attitudes towards the disclosure of patient safety incidents: a qualitative study.

OBJECTIVE: Statistics suggests that patients and officials are unaware of a large number of patient safety incidents in healthcare centres. This study aimed to explore the concept of disclosure of patient safety incidents from the perspectives of Iranian nurses. DESIGN: Qualitative content analysis. SETTING: The study population was nurses working in hospitals affiliated with The Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, military hospitals and private hospitals in Bandar Abbas, Iran. Sampling was done from January 2021 to September 2021. PARTICIPANTS: 11 female and 6 male nurses aged 27-59 years with a work experience of 3-34 years were included. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: This qualitative content analysis was to explore the experiences of Iranian nurses (n=17) using purposive sampling and semistructured, in-depth interviews. Maximum variation sampling (age, sex, work experience, education level, type of hospital and type of ward) was considered to obtain rich information. Guba and Lincoln criteria were used to increase the study's trustworthiness and rigour, and the Graneheim and Lundman method and MAXQDA 2020 were used to analyse data. RESULTS: We extracted one theme, four categories and nine subcategories. The main theme was the mental schemas of disclosure of patient safety incidents with four categories: (1) misconceptions of harm to the organisation or self, (2) attributes of the disclosure process and its outcomes, (3) reactions to the disclosing incidents and (4) interpersonal conflicts. CONCLUSION: Our study identified factors influencing the disclosure of patient safety incidents among nurses, including concerns about reputation, fear of consequences and perceptions of the disclosure process. Positive attitudes towards incident disclosure were associated with supportive organisational environments and transparent communication. Barriers to disclosure included patient and companion reactions, misinterpretation and anxiety. Healthcare organisations should foster a non-punitive reporting culture to enhance patient safety and accountability.

Women's preference for a vaginal birth in Brazilian private hospitals: effects of a quality improvement project.

BACKGROUND: In 2015, a quality improvement project called "Adequate Childbirth Project" (PPA) was implemented in Brazilian private hospitals in order to reduce cesarean sections without clinical indication. The PPA is structured in four components, one of which is directed at women and families. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of PPA on women's preference for vaginal birth (VB) at the end of pregnancy. METHODS: Evaluative research conducted in 12 private hospitals participating in the PPA. Interviews were carried out in the immediate postpartum period and medical record data were collected at hospital discharge. The implementation of PPA activities and women's preference for type of birth at the beginning and end of pregnancy were compared in women assisted in the PPA model of care and in the standard of care model, using a chi-square statistical test. To estimate the effect of PPA on women's preference for VB at the end of pregnancy, multiple logistic regression was performed with selection of variables using a causal diagram. RESULTS: Four thousand seven hundred ninety-eight women were interviewed. The implementation of the planned activities of PPA was less than 50%, but were significantly more frequent among women assisted in the PPA model of care. Women in this group also showed a greater preference for VB at the beginning and end of pregnancy. The PPA showed an association with greater preference for VB at the end of pregnancy in primiparous (OR 2.54 95% CI 1.99-3.24) and multiparous women (OR 1.44 95% CI 0.97-2.12), although in multiparous this association was not significant. The main factor associated with the preference for VB at the end of pregnancy was the preference for this type of birth at the beginning of pregnancy, both in primiparous (OR 18.67 95% CI 14.22-24.50) and in multiparous women (OR 53.11 95% CI 37.31-75.60). CONCLUSIONS: The PPA had a positive effect on women's preference for VB at the end of pregnancy. It is plausible that more intense effects are observed with the expansion of the implementation of the planned activities. Special attention should be given to information on the benefits of VB in early pregnancy.

Cesarean rates have been increasing worldwide and constitute the most frequent type of childbirth in Brazil since 2009. In 2015, a quality improvement project was implemented in Brazilian private hospitals, with the objective of reducing medically unnecessary cesarean sections and increasing the number of vaginal births. This project, called "Adequate Childbirth Project" (PPA), has four components, one of which is directed at women and families, aiming to increase their participation in decision-making processes related to childbirth. In this study, we assessed whether this program contributed to increased preference for vaginal birth at the end of pregnancy. In previous studies in Brazil, we saw that women who maintained preference for vaginal birth throughout pregnancy were those who had the lowest proportion of cesarean sections. We found that the PPA increased preference for vaginal birth by almost three times in primiparous women. Among women with previous births, this increase was smaller. In this group of women, having a previous cesarean section was an important factor for not wanting a vaginal birth, and this is a very common condition in Brazil. For all women, having preference for vaginal birth at the beginning of pregnancy was the main factor in wanting this type of birth at the end of pregnancy. The results demonstrate the importance of educational activities that disseminate information about the benefits of vaginal birth, increasing the preference of women for this type of childbirth, in addition to supporting them throughout pregnancy, so that they feel empowered in their choice.

Effect of leadership styles on turnover intention among staff nurses in private hospitals: the moderating effect of perceived organizational support.

Leadership styles have often been proven to support employees in performing their duties better and with more efficiency while enabling them to have extended organizational tenures. Staff nurses are an essential resource of hospitals to ensure proper administration and quality patient health care. The study aims to determine how transformational and authentic leadership styles affect the staff nurses' turnover intention in private hospitals. In addition, it also finds the moderating effect of perceived organizational support. An explanatory quantitative research design with a cross-sectional investigation and a stratified sampling strategy was used for the study. Data from 296 nurses from the eight chosen private hospitals in the Kingdom of Bahrain were gathered using a questionnaire with 24 items. Smart-PLS was employed to conduct PLS-SEM (partial least squares structural equation modeling) to measure direct and indirect effects. The result indicates that transformational, authentic leadership styles and perceived organizational support significantly negatively affect nurses' turnover intention. The study confirms the negative moderating effect of perceived organizational support between transformational leadership and turnover intention and the positive moderating effect of perceived organizational support between authentic leadership and turnover intention. Managers should concentrate on the leadership style to avoid its impact on turnover intention. By considering human resource practices such as communication and training strategies to cope with the negative effect of turnover intention, organizations can enhance employee engagement, improve job satisfaction, and foster a more stable and productive work environment. The present research revealed the adverse impact of turnover intention within hospitals by examining its association with leadership styles. The research made a significant contribution to the existing literature by delving into the impact of leadership styles on turnover intention, focusing on the moderating effect of perceived organizational support. The study's findings shed light on the intricate relationship between leadership practices and employee turnover, providing valuable insights for both scholars and practitioners in the field. The study used a cross-sectional design to collect data and ensured the absence of standard method variance. The research enhanced the social dominance theory (SDT) by examining how perceived organizational support moderates the relationship between leadership styles and turnover intention.

[Hospital standardized mortality ratio: limits and potential of the indicator for assessing hospital performance in the Brazilian Unified National Health System]. / Razão de mortalidade hospitalar padronizada: limites e potencialidades do indicador para a avaliação do desempenho hospitalar no Sistema Único de Saúde, Brasil.

Comparative analyses based on clinical performance indicators to monitor the quality of hospital care have been carried out for decades in several countries, most notably the hospital standardized mortality ratio (HSMR). In Brazil, studies and the adoption of methodological tools that allow regular analysis of the performance of institutions are still scarce. This study aimed to assess the use of HSMR to compare the performance of hospitals funded by the Brazilian Unified National Health System (SUS). The Hospital Information System was the source of data on adult hospitalizations in Brazil from 2017 to 2019. The methodological approach to estimate HSMR was adapted to the available data and included the causes of hospitalization (main diagnosis) responsible for 80% of deaths. The number of expected deaths was estimated using a logistic regression model that included predictor variables widely described in the literature. The analysis was conducted in two stages: (i) hospitalization level and (ii) hospital level. The final risk adjustment model showed a C-statistic of 0.774, which is considered adequate. The variation in HSMR was wide, especially among the worst-performing hospitals (1.54 to 6.77). Private hospitals performed better than public hospitals. Although the limits of the available data and the challenges still face its more refined use, HSMR is applicable and has the potential to become an important tool for assessing hospital performance in the SUS.

Análises comparativas, baseadas em indicadores de desempenho clínico, para monitorar a qualidade da assistência hospitalar vêm sendo realizadas há décadas em vários países, com destaque para a razão de mortalidade hospitalar padronizada (RMHP). No Brasil, ainda são escassos os estudos e a adoção de instrumentos metodológicos que permitam análises regulares do desempenho das instituições. O objetivo deste artigo foi explorar o uso da RMHP para a comparação do desempenho dos hospitais remunerados pelo Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS). O Sistema de Informações Hospitalares foi a fonte de dados sobre as internações de adultos realizadas no Brasil entre 2017 e 2019. A abordagem metodológica para estimar a RMHP foi adaptada aos dados disponíveis e incluiu as causas de internação (diagnóstico principal) responsáveis por 80% dos óbitos. O número de óbitos esperados foi estimado por um modelo de regressão logística que incluiu variáveis preditoras amplamente descritas na literatura. A análise foi realizada em duas etapas: (i) nível da internação e (ii) nível do hospital. O modelo final de ajuste de risco apresentou estatística C de 0,774, valor considerado adequado. Foi observada grande variação da RMHP, especialmente entre os hospitais com pior desempenho (1,54 a 6,77). Houve melhor desempenho dos hospitais privados em relação aos hospitais públicos. Apesar de limites nos dados disponíveis e desafios ainda vislumbrados para a sua utilização mais refinada, a RMHP é aplicável e tem potencial para se tornar um elemento importante na avaliação do desempenho hospitalar no SUS.

Durante décadas se han realizado en varios países análisis comparativos basados en indicadores de desempeño clínico para monitorear la calidad de la atención hospitalaria, con énfasis en la razón de mortalidad hospitalaria estandarizada (RMHE). En Brasil, aún son escasos los estudios y la adopción de instrumentos metodológicos que permitan análisis regulares del desempeño de las instituciones. El objetivo fue explorar el uso de la RMHE para comparar el desempeño de los hospitales remunerados por el Sistema Único de Salud (SUS). El Sistema de Información Hospitalaria fue la fuente de datos sobre las hospitalizaciones de adultos realizadas en Brasil entre el 2017 y el 2019. El enfoque metodológico para estimar la RMHE se adaptó a los datos disponibles e incluyó las causas de hospitalización (diagnóstico principal) responsables del 80% de las muertes. El número de muertes esperadas se estimó mediante un modelo de regresión logística que incluyó variables predictoras ampliamente descritas en la literatura. El análisis se realizó en dos etapas: (i) nivel de la hospitalización y (ii) nivel del hospital. El modelo final de ajuste de riesgo presentó una estadística C de 0,774, valor considerado adecuado. Se observó una gran variación en la RMHE, especialmente entre los hospitales con peor desempeño (1,54 a 6,77). Hubo un mejor desempeño de los hospitales privados en comparación con los hospitales públicos. A pesar de las limitaciones de los datos disponibles y de los desafíos aún previstos para su uso más refinado, la RMHE es aplicable y tiene el potencial de convertirse en un elemento importante en la evaluación del desempeño hospitalario en el SUS.

Changes in the numbers of hospital-based abortions and outpatient early medical abortions in Victoria, 2012-22: a retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: To assess changes in the monthly numbers of hospital-based abortions and outpatient early medical abortions in Victoria during January 2012 - March 2022, with a particular interest in the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. STUDY DESIGN: Population-based retrospective cohort study; time series analysis of Victorian Admitted Episodes Dataset (VAED) and Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) data. SETTING, PARTICIPANTS: All admitted care episodes in Victoria during 1 January 2012 - 31 March 2022 with medical abortion as the principal diagnosis; all PBS claims for mifepristone-misoprostol (MS-2 Step) during 1 January 2015 (date of listing) - 31 March 2022. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Changes in monthly numbers (with 95% confidence intervals [CIs]) of admissions for hospital-based and outpatient early medical abortions during the pre-pandemic period (January 2012 - March 2020), the first full month of the COVID-19 pandemic (April 2020), and the pandemic period (May 2020 - March 2022). RESULTS: The monthly number of hospital-based abortions declined in Victoria during the pre-pandemic period (slope, -2.92 [95% CI, -3.45 to -2.38] per month); the rate of decline was greater during the pandemic period (slope, -5.74 [95% CI, -10.5 to -0.96] per month). The monthly number of outpatient early medical abortions increased during the pre-pandemic period (slope, 5.94 [95% CI, 5.34-6.34] per month); it declined during the first month of the pandemic (slope, -26.4 [95% CI, -70.1 to -17.3] per month), but did not significantly change thereafter. The total monthly number of abortions during the pandemic period did not deviate markedly from the pre-pandemic median value. The pre-pandemic declines in monthly numbers of abortions in major city hospitals, in private hospitals, or at earlier than 14 weeks' gestation intensified during the pandemic period. During January 2015 - March 2020, 14 634 of 103 496 abortions were outpatient medical abortions (14%); during the pandemic period, 11 154 of 33 056 abortions were outpatient medical abortions (33%). CONCLUSIONS: The use of outpatient early medical abortion has steadily increased in Victoria since the PBS listing of mifepristone-misoprostol, which helped ensure access to abortion during the COVID-19 pandemic. Outpatient medical abortions may eventually outnumber surgical early abortions in Victoria, but they are not always appropriate: hospitals will continue to be essential for comprehensive abortion care.

Willingness to pay for haemodialysis among patients with chronic kidney disease in Abuja, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Evidence of willingness to pay for kidney replacement therapy is scarce in low-middle-income countries, including Nigeria's Formal Sector Social Health Insurance Programme. The study, therefore, assessed the willingness to pay for haemodialysis among chronic kidney disease patients in Abuja, Nigeria. METHODS: The study adopted a cross-sectional survey design. We used the contingent valuation method to estimate the maximum stated willingness to pay (WTP) for haemodialysis among end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) patients. We obtained informed written consent from respondents before data collection. The socio-demographic characteristics and willingness to pay data were summarized using descriptive statistics. We evaluated the mean differences in respondents' WTP using Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests. All variables that had p < 0.25 in the bivariate analysis were included in the Generalized Linear Model (gamma with link function) to determine the predictors of the WTP for one's and another's haemodialysis. The level of significance in the final model was ρ < 0.05. RESULTS: About 88.3% and 64.8% of ESKD patients were willing to pay for personal and altruistic haemodialysis, correspondingly. The mean annual WTP for haemodialysis for one's and altruistic haemodialysis was USD25,999.06 and USD 1539.89, respectively. Private hospital patients were likelier to pay for their haemodialysis (ß = 0.39, 95%CI: 0.21 to 0.57, p < 0.001). Patients attending public-private partnership hospitals were less likely to pay for altruistic haemodialysis than those attending public hospitals (ß = -1.65, 95%CI: -2.51 to -0.79, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The willingness to pay for haemodialysis for themselves and others was high. The type of facility ESKD patients attended influenced their willingness to pay for haemodialysis. The findings highlight the need for policies to enhance affordable and equitable access to haemodialysis in Nigeria through pre-payment mechanisms and altruistic financing strategies.

Ten-year trends of antibiotic prescribing in surgery departments of two private sector hospitals in Central India: a prospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: Inappropriate antibiotic use contributes to the global rise of antibiotic resistance, prominently in low- and middle-income countries, including India. Despite the considerable risk of surgical site infections, there is a lack of antibiotic prescribing guidelines and long-term studies about antibiotic prescribing in surgery departments in India. Therefore, this study aimed to analyse 10 years' antibiotic prescribing trends at surgery departments in two tertiary-care hospitals in Central India. METHODS: Data was prospectively collected from 2008 to 2017 for surgery inpatients in the teaching (TH-15,016) and the non-teaching hospital (NTH-14,499). Antibiotics were classified based on the World Health Organization (WHO) Access Watch Reserve system and analysed against the diagnoses and adherence to the National List of Essential Medicines India (NLEMI) and the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines (WHOMLEM). Total antibiotic use was calculated by DDD/1000 patient days. Time trends of antibiotic prescribing were analysed by polynomial and linear regressions. RESULTS: The most common indications for surgery were inguinal hernia (TH-12%) and calculus of the kidney and ureter (NTH-13%). The most prescribed antibiotics were fluoroquinolones (TH-20%) and 3rd generation cephalosporins (NTH-41%), and as antibiotic prophylaxis, norfloxacin (TH-19%) and ceftriaxone (NTH-24%). Access antibiotics were mostly prescribed (57%) in the TH and Watch antibiotics (66%) in the NTH. Culture and susceptibility tests were seldom done (TH-2%; NTH-1%). Adherence to the NLEMI (TH-80%; NTH-69%) was higher than adherence to the WHOMLEM (TH-77%; NTH-66%). Mean DDD/1000 patient days was two times higher in the NTH than in the TH (185 vs 90). Overall antibiotic prescribing significantly increased in the TH (ß1 =13.7) until 2012, and in the NTH (ß2 =0.96) until 2014, and after that decreased (TH, ß2= -0.01; NTH, ß3= -0.0005). The proportion of Watch antibiotic use significantly increased in both hospitals (TH, ß=0.16; NTH, ß=0.96). CONCLUSION: Total antibiotic use decreased in the last three (NTH) and five years (TH), whereas consumption of Watch antibiotics increased over 10 years in both hospitals. The choice of perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis was often inappropriate and antibiotic prescribing was mostly empirical. The results of this study confirmed the need for antibiotic prescribing guidelines and implementation of antimicrobial stewardship programs.

COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on medical interns' mental health of public and private hospitals in Guadalajara.

INTRODUCTION: Burnout syndrome is a global burden characterized by exhaustion, work detachment, and a sense of ineffectiveness. It affects millions of individuals worldwide, with a particularly high prevalence among medical students. Factors such as demanding education, exposure to suffering, and the COVID-19 pandemic have contributed to elevated stress levels. Addressing this issue is crucial due to its impact on well-being and health-care quality. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional survey study assessed fear of COVID-19 and burnout levels among medical student interns in hospitals in Guadalajara, Jalisco. The study used validated scales and collected data from September 2021 to September 2022. A snowball sampling method was employed and a minimum sample size of 198 participants was calculated. RESULTS: This study included 311 medical students (62.1% female and 37.9% male with a mean age of 23.51 ± 2.21 years). The majority were in their second semester of internship (60.5%) and from public hospitals (89.1%). Most students believed that the COVID-19 pandemic affected the quality of their internship (82.6%). Female students had higher personal burnout scores, while male students had higher work-related burnout scores. The mean score for fear of COVID-19 was 13.71 ± 6.28, with higher scores among women (p = 0.004) and those from public hospitals (p = 0.009). A positive weak correlation was found between COVID-19 scores and burnout subscales. CONCLUSION: Our study emphasizes the significant impact of various factors on burnout levels among medical students and health-care professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prolonged exposure to COVID-19 patients, reduced staffing, and increased workload contributed to burnout, affecting well-being and quality of care. Targeted interventions and resilience-building strategies are needed to mitigate burnout and promote well-being in health-care settings.

A comparison between antibiotic utilisation in public and private community healthcare in Malaysia.

BACKGROUND: There are two parallel systems in Malaysian primary healthcare services: government funded public primary care and privately-owned practices. While there have been several studies evaluating antibiotic utilisation in Malaysian public healthcare, there is a lack of literature on the use of antibiotics in the private sector. There is a dire need to evaluate the more recent performance of public vs. private community healthcare in Malaysia. As such, this study aimed at measuring and comparing the utilisation of antibiotics in the public and private community healthcare sectors of Malaysia in 2018-2021. METHODS: This study was a retrospective analysis of antibiotic utilisation in Malaysian primary care for the period of 1 January 2018 until 31 December 2021 using the nationwide pharmaceutical procurement and sales data from public and private health sectors. Rates of antibiotic utilisation were reported as Defined Daily Doses per 1000 inhabitants per day (DID) and stratified by antibiotic classes. The secondary analysis included proportions of AWaRe antibiotic category use for each sector and proportion of antibiotic utilisation for both sectors. RESULTS: The overall national antibiotic utilisation for 2018 was 6.14 DID, increasing slightly to 6.56 DID in 2019, before decreasing to 4.54 DID in 2020 and 4.17 DID in 2021. Private primary care antibiotic utilisation was almost ten times higher than in public primary care in 2021. The public sector had fewer (four) antibiotic molecules constituting 90% of the total antibiotic utilisation as compared to the private sector (eight). Use of Access antibiotics in the public sector was consistently above 90%, while use of Access category antibiotics by the private sector ranged from 64.2 to 68.3%. Although use of Watch antibiotics in the private sector decreased over the years, the use of Reserve and 'Not Recommended' antibiotics increased slightly over the years. CONCLUSION: Antibiotic consumption in the private community healthcare sector in Malaysia is much higher than in the public sector. These findings highlight the need for more rigorous interventions targeting both private prescribers and the public with improvement strategies focusing on reducing inappropriate and unnecessary prescribing.

Comparison of Sleeve Gastrectomy vs Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (SG) and laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) are widely used bariatric procedures for which comparative efficacy and safety remain unclear. Objective: To compare perioperative outcomes in SG and RYGB. Design, Setting, and Participants: In this registry-based, multicenter randomized clinical trial (Bypass Equipoise Sleeve Trial), baseline and perioperative data for patients undergoing bariatric surgery from October 6, 2015, to March 31, 2022, were analyzed. Patients were from university, regional, county, and private hospitals in Sweden (n = 20) and Norway (n = 3). Adults (aged ≥18 years) eligible for bariatric surgery with body mass indexes (BMIs; calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared) of 35 to 50 were studied. Interventions: Laparoscopic SG or RYGB. Main Outcomes and Measures: Perioperative complications were analyzed as all adverse events and serious adverse events (Clavien-Dindo grade >IIIb). Ninety-day mortality was also assessed. Results: A total of 1735 of 14 182 eligible patients (12%; 1282 [73.9%] female; mean (SD) age, 42.9 [11.1] years; mean [SD] BMI, 40.8 [3.7]) were included in the study. Patients were randomized and underwent SG (n = 878) or RYGB (n = 857). The mean (SD) operating time was shorter in those undergoing SG vs RYGB (47 [18] vs 68 [25] minutes; P < .001). The median (IQR) postoperative hospital stay was 1 (1-1) day in both groups. The 30-day readmission rate was 3.1% after SG and 4.0% after RYGB (P = .33). There was no 90-day mortality. The 30-day incidence of any adverse event was 40 (4.6%) and 54 (6.3%) in the SG and RYGB groups, respectively (odds ratio, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.47-1.08; P = .11). Corresponding figures for serious adverse events were 15 (1.7%) for the SG group and 23 (2.7%) for the RYGB group (odds ratio, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.33-1.22; P = .19). Conclusions and Relevance: This randomized clinical trial of 1735 patients undergoing primary bariatric surgery found that both SG and RYGB were performed with a low perioperative risk without clinically significant differences between groups. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02767505.

Does the opening of an emergency department influence hospital admissions? Evidence from French private hospitals.

Although operating an emergency department (ED) can influence general admission activity of hospitals, most articles that analyze hospital care ignore the potential spillover of emergency activity. In this paper, we examine the consequences of a French reform that encouraged the creation of EDs within private-for-profit (PFP) hospitals in order to decrease congestion in EDs. We use administrative panel data on 365 French PFP hospitals observed between 2002 and 2012. Specifications including hospital fixed-effects are estimated to examine the impact of an ED opening on private hospitals' admission activity, namely inpatient and day-care admissions (ED visits are excluded, but patients admitted following an ED visit are included). We control for shocks that can impact demand for care in hospitals, and we estimate yearly changes before and after the opening. We find that an ED opening is followed by an increase in the number and proportion of inpatient admissions, and by an increase in the length of inpatient stays. A transitory increase in the bed occupancy rate is also observed. In many countries, public and private hospitals compete to some extent. The former provide a public service, while the latter are profit-maximizers that are allowed to specialize in profitable activities. They generally focus on day-care admissions. We provide empirical evidence that private hospitals experience a significant change in the composition of their admissions when they start providing emergency care. Opening an ED creates a new non-selective entryway to private hospitals, resulting in admissions of inpatients with health problems that are more severe. Hence, involving PFP hospitals in the provision of emergency care is likely to make the structure of admissions of private hospitals closer to that of public hospitals.

CORRELATION BETWEEN DIGNITY, EMPATHY AND EMPLOYEE PRODUCTIVITY AMONG WORKERS IN PRIVATE HOSPITALS IN RIVERS STATE.

Background and aim: Workplace humanization, when effectively managed can be instrumental in steering an organization towards efficient, and effective work processes. It is on this backdrop that this study aimed at determining the inter-relationship between employee productivity, dignity and empathy. Materials and methods: This was a cross-sectional study that identified the relationship between the study variables. It was conducted among 233 randomly selected employees of private hospitals in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. A self-administered structured questionnaire was used to assess the study variables. Data analysis was conducted using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software and the relationship between variables tested using the Spearman correlation test. Statistical significance was set at 0.05. Results: The indicators of employee dignity, empathy and productivity were found to have high mean values which were above the threshold of 2.0. A strong positive significant correlation was found to exist between dignity and task accomplishment (r2: 0.796, p-value: <0.001) as well as empathy and task accomplishment (r2: 0.843, p-value: <0.001). Also, a moderate positive statistically significant correlation was found to exist between dignity and service quality (r2=0.373, p-value: <0.001) as well as between employee empathy and service quality (r2= 0.402, p-value: <0.001). Conclusion and Recommendations: The dignity of an employee alongside empathy as measures of work humanization are significant correlates of employee productivity which can be exploited for organizational growth. It is recommended that organizations through institutionalized policies can successfully manage their workplace for optimal productivity via improved employee dignity and empathy as a means of increasing job satisfaction and reduce brain drain.

ASSESSING BURNOUT AMONG HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS IN A PRIVATE HOSPITAL IN ABUJA, NIGERIA: PREVALENCE, PATTERNS, AND IMPLICATIONS.

Background: A current worrisome global trend is the emigration of health workers from resource-constrained areas especially Africa, with 1 in 4 doctors, and 1 in 20 nurses leaving for developed countries. This phenomenon has resulted in a shortfall of over 1.5 million health workers in the region. The factors contributing to the trend remain multifaceted, with provider burnout playing a crucial role in this phenomenon. Several studies have highlighted the burden of burn out among health workers in public facilities. However, there still exists a gap in research, particularly in the context of private healthcare facilities in Nigeria. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and pattern of burnout in healthcare professionals working at a private hospital in Abuja, Nigeria. Materials and Method: A descriptive cross-sectional study involving 100 healthcare professionals (doctors, nurses, and pharmacists) was conducted using a multistage sampling method. Data collection included socio-demographic information, occupational details, and the Burnout Clinical Subtype Questionnaire (BCSQ-12). Statistical analysis employed Pearson's Chi-square with a significance level of p < 0.05. Results: The study revealed 85% prevalence of burnout, with 71% experiencing overload, 61% lacking development opportunities, and 18% feeling neglected. No significant associations were found between burnout and socio-demographic or occupational characteristics. Conclusion: This study highlights the high prevalence of burnout among healthcare professionals. This emphasizes the urgent need for integrating burnout screening into routine health assessments for healthcare workers. Doing so can protect their well-being, which may be a vital step in addressing the healthcare workforce crisis in Africa.

Changes in Hospital Adverse Events and Patient Outcomes Associated With Private Equity Acquisition.

Importance: The effects of private equity acquisitions of US hospitals on the clinical quality of inpatient care and patient outcomes remain largely unknown. Objective: To examine changes in hospital-acquired adverse events and hospitalization outcomes associated with private equity acquisitions of US hospitals. Design, Setting, and Participants: Data from 100% Medicare Part A claims for 662 095 hospitalizations at 51 private equity-acquired hospitals were compared with data for 4 160 720 hospitalizations at 259 matched control hospitals (not acquired by private equity) for hospital stays between 2009 and 2019. An event study, difference-in-differences design was used to assess hospitalizations from 3 years before to 3 years after private equity acquisition using a linear model that was adjusted for patient and hospital attributes. Main Outcomes and Measures: Hospital-acquired adverse events (synonymous with hospital-acquired conditions; the individual conditions were defined by the US Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services as falls, infections, and other adverse events), patient mix, and hospitalization outcomes (including mortality, discharge disposition, length of stay, and readmissions). Results: Hospital-acquired adverse events (or conditions) were observed within 10 091 hospitalizations. After private equity acquisition, Medicare beneficiaries admitted to private equity hospitals experienced a 25.4% increase in hospital-acquired conditions compared with those treated at control hospitals (4.6 [95% CI, 2.0-7.2] additional hospital-acquired conditions per 10 000 hospitalizations, P = .004). This increase in hospital-acquired conditions was driven by a 27.3% increase in falls (P = .02) and a 37.7% increase in central line-associated bloodstream infections (P = .04) at private equity hospitals, despite placing 16.2% fewer central lines. Surgical site infections doubled from 10.8 to 21.6 per 10 000 hospitalizations at private equity hospitals despite an 8.1% reduction in surgical volume; meanwhile, such infections decreased at control hospitals, though statistical precision of the between-group comparison was limited by the smaller sample size of surgical hospitalizations. Compared with Medicare beneficiaries treated at control hospitals, those treated at private equity hospitals were modestly younger, less likely to be dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid, and more often transferred to other acute care hospitals after shorter lengths of stay. In-hospital mortality (n = 162 652 in the population or 3.4% on average) decreased slightly at private equity hospitals compared with the control hospitals; there was no differential change in mortality by 30 days after hospital discharge. Conclusions and Relevance: Private equity acquisition was associated with increased hospital-acquired adverse events, including falls and central line-associated bloodstream infections, along with a larger but less statistically precise increase in surgical site infections. Shifts in patient mix toward younger and fewer dually eligible beneficiaries admitted and increased transfers to other hospitals may explain the small decrease in in-hospital mortality at private equity hospitals relative to the control hospitals, which was no longer evident 30 days after discharge. These findings heighten concerns about the implications of private equity on health care delivery.

Antibiotic use among hospitalised patients in Sierra Leone: a national point prevalence survey using the WHO survey methodology.

OBJECTIVE: Inappropriate use of antibiotics is a major driver of antibiotic resistance. A few studies conducted in Africa have documented that about half of hospitalised patients who receive antibiotics should not have received them. A few hospital-based studies that have been conducted in Sierra Leone have documented a high usage of antibiotics in hospitals. Therefore, we conducted a nationwide point prevalence survey on antibiotic use among hospitalised patients in Sierra Leone. DESIGN: We conducted a hospital-based, cross-sectional survey on the use of antibiotics using the WHO point prevalence survey methodology. SETTING: The study was conducted in 26 public and private hospitals that are providing inpatient healthcare services. PARTICIPANTS: All patients admitted to paediatric and adult inpatient wards before or at 08:00 on the survey date were enrolled. OUTCOME MEASURES: Prevalence of antibiotic use, antibiotics Access, Watch and Reserve (AWaRe) categorisation, indication for antibiotic use prevalence and proportion of bacteria culture done. RESULTS: Of the 1198 patient records reviewed, 883 (73.7%, 95% CI 71.1% to 76.2%) were on antibiotics. Antibiotic use was highest in the paediatric wards (306, 85.7%), followed by medical wards (158, 71.2%), surgical wards (146, 69.5%), mixed wards (97, 68.8%) and lowest in the obstetrics and gynaecology wards (176, 65.7%). The most widely prescribed antibiotics were metronidazole (404, 22.2%), ceftriaxone (373, 20.5%), ampicillin (337, 18.5%), gentamicin (221, 12.1%) and amoxicillin (90, 5.0%). Blood culture was only done for one patient and antibiotic treatments were given empirically. The most common indication for antibiotic use was community-acquired infection (484, 51.9%) followed by surgical prophylaxis (222, 23.8%). CONCLUSION: There was high usage of antibiotics in hospitals in Sierra Leone as the majority of patients admitted received an antibiotic. This has the potential to increase the burden of antibiotic resistance in the country. We, therefore, recommend the establishment of hospital antimicrobial stewardship programmes according to the WHO core components.

Assessing the scientific quality and reliability of YouTube videos about chemotherapy.

No studies have evaluated the interaction, quality, and reliability of chemotherapy-related videos published on YouTube. The aim was to evaluate the content of YouTube videos about chemotherapy using 5 different scoring tools. In this cross-sectional register-based study, popular videos on YouTube about the following keywords were examined; "chemotherapy," "what is chemotherapy," "types of chemotherapy," "chemotherapy side effects" and "chemotherapy treatments." Quality and reliability of video content were measured using the modified DISCERN (mDISCERN), the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), the Global Quality Score (GQS), the Video Information Quality Index (VIQI), and Health on the Net code (HONcode) scores. A total of 108 videos were analyzed in the study. The median duration was 200 (30-2020) seconds and the median total number of views was 17500 (61-8615000). Among the video publishers, private hospitals were the most (n = 36, 33%). The most (n = 71, 66%) populer category of videos were patient education videos. Half (n = 55, 51%) of the narrators in the videos were only oncology professionals. Mean DISCERN, JAMA, GQS, VIQI, and HONcode scores were 2.73 ± 1.18, 1.97 ± 1.05, 2.94 ± 1.08, 14.03 ± 3.73, and 4.68 ± 2.46, respectively. A positive correlation was found between the 5 scoring points (P < .001 for all pairwise comparisons). There was a significant difference between video quality scores according to video categories and video publishers (P < .001 for both). Although most YouTube videos about chemotherapy were helpful to patients, content quality and reliability were moderate-low. Cancer patients looking for information on chemotherapy may find YouTube videos beneficial, but clinicians must be cautious to clear up any misunderstandings.

Investigating the quality of Iranian hospitals' websites and their association to the Province's share of medical tourism.

BACKGROUND: Nowadays, virtual methods are among the most important and influential marketing instruments in various industries, such as medical tourism. This study aims to investigate the quality of Iranian hospitals' web pages and their association with the province's share of the medical tourism industry in Iran and the ownership type of hospitals. METHODS: In this analytical cross-sectional study, the quality of hospitals' websites was investigated through a 36-item self-administered questionnaire which was validated, and its reliability was verified (Cronbach's alpha = 74%.). The questionnaire was categorized into three sections: hospital services and facilities, hospital's medical tourism-related services, and tourism information of the destination province. The census method was used for data collection. Data analysis was performed using the independent t-test and analysis of variance in SPSS software (version 25), and a P-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: A total of, 102 hospitals with an IPD (International Patients Department) were included in the study, and 21.6% did not have an English-language page and were excluded from the study. The mean total score was 47 ± 7.5, indicating low-quality content. Public hospitals had lower quality scores than semi-private and private hospitals. The total quality score, information about the hospital and its services, and the score of information about medical tourism-related services were associated with the province's share of national medical tourism. CONCLUSION: According to the obtained results and the possible role of website quality in increasing provinces' medical tourism development, the IPD page on hospital websites should be revised and regularly updated to make them more informative for prospective medical tourists.