Program Directors' Perspectives of ACGME Requirements and Effectiveness of Training Urology Residents: A National Survey in the Era of the Next Accreditation System.

OBJECTIVE: To qualitatively assess Urology program directors' perspectives on the effectiveness of training residents after implementation of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education's (ACGME) 2011 Next Accreditation System, and identify differences in current perspectives and prior surveyed perspectives toward the ACGME Outcome Project. METHODS: A national survey was developed by an ad hoc committee and distributed electronically to 105 Urology program directors. Thirty-four (34) multiple-choice, Likert-scale questions were administered. Data were evaluated and the results from the survey were compared to the one performed 15 years earlier to determine changes in the learning environment and effectiveness of training urology residents. RESULTS: The current survey response rate was 89% which was similar to the 2005 response rate of 88%. Most program directors (61%) agreed that 20% protected time for program directors helped with administrative work and 31% felt this time needs to increase for larger residency programs. Seventy percent (70%) agreed that dedicated program administrator time has helped their program. More than half of the respondents agree that the ACGME is training the current workforce effectively. CONCLUSION: Current program directors appear to be more accepting of changes required by the Next Accreditation System as compared to the Outcome Project 15 years ago. Our study supports the need for protected time to train residents and to overcome barriers to change.

Alcoholics Anonymous and 12-Step Facilitation Treatments for Alcohol Use Disorder: A Distillation of a 2020 Cochrane Review for Clinicians and Policy Makers.

AIMS: A recently completed Cochrane review assessed the effectiveness and cost-benefits of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and clinically delivered 12-Step Facilitation (TSF) interventions for alcohol use disorder (AUD). This paper summarizes key findings and discusses implications for practice and policy. METHODS: Cochrane review methods were followed. Searches were conducted across all major databases (e.g. Cochrane Drugs and Alcohol Group Specialized Register, PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO and ClinicalTrials.gov) from inception to 2 August 2019 and included non-English language studies. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-experiments that compared AA/TSF with other interventions, such as motivational enhancement therapy (MET) or cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), TSF treatment variants or no treatment, were included. Healthcare cost offset studies were also included. Studies were categorized by design (RCT/quasi-experimental; nonrandomized; economic), degree of manualization (all interventions manualized versus some/none) and comparison intervention type (i.e. whether AA/TSF was compared to an intervention with a different theoretical orientation or an AA/TSF intervention that varied in style or intensity). Random-effects meta-analyses were used to pool effects where possible using standard mean differences (SMD) for continuous outcomes (e.g. percent days abstinent (PDA)) and the relative risk ratios (RRs) for dichotomous. RESULTS: A total of 27 studies (21 RCTs/quasi-experiments, 5 nonrandomized and 1 purely economic study) containing 10,565 participants were included. AA/TSF interventions performed at least as well as established active comparison treatments (e.g. CBT) on all outcomes except for abstinence where it often outperformed other treatments. AA/TSF also demonstrated higher health care cost savings than other AUD treatments. CONCLUSIONS: AA/TSF interventions produce similar benefits to other treatments on all drinking-related outcomes except for continuous abstinence and remission, where AA/TSF is superior. AA/TSF also reduces healthcare costs. Clinically implementing one of these proven manualized AA/TSF interventions is likely to enhance outcomes for individuals with AUD while producing health economic benefits.

The Society of Black Academic Surgeons CV benchmarking initiative: Early career trends of academic surgical leaders.

BACKGROUND: Surgeons from under-represented backgrounds are less likely to receive academic tenure and obtain leadership positions. Our objective was to query the curriculum vitaes (CVs) of SBAS leadership to develop a benchmarking tool to promote and guide careers in academic surgery. METHODS: CVs from academic leaders were reviewed for academic productivity at early career stages-the first 5-and 10-years. Variables queried: peer-reviewed publications, grant funding, surgical societal involvement, invited lectureships and visiting professorships. RESULTS: Of 20 CVs, 41 leadership positions including 13 SBAS Presidents were identified. At 5- and 10-years, respectively, the academic productivity increased: 20.6 and 52.3 publications; 4.7 and 9.7 grants; 18 and 42.6 lectures/professorships. CONCLUSION: The CV benchmarking tool may be a useful framework for aspiring academic surgeons to track their progress relative to successful SBAS members. Creative strategies like these, paired with faculty mentorship and sponsorship are necessary to improve the ethnic diversity in academic surgery.

Tenure and Turnover Among State Health Officials From the SHO-CASE Survey: Correlates and Consequences of Changing Leadership.

OBJECTIVE: To examine characteristics associated with tenure length of State Health Officials (SHOs) and examine reasons and consequences for SHO turnover. DESIGN: Surveys of current and former SHOs linked with secondary data from the United Health Foundation. SETTING: Original survey responses from SHOs in the United States. PARTICIPANTS: Respondents included SHOs who served between 1973 and 2017. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Tenure length and consequences of SHO turnover. RESULTS: Average completed tenure among SHOs was 5.3 years (median = 4) and was shorter in recent time periods compared with decades prior. Older age at appointment (ß = -0.109, P = .005) and those holding a management degree (ß = -1.835, P = .017) and/or a law degree (ß = -3.553, P < .001) were each associated with shorter SHO tenures. State Health Officials from states in the top quartile for health rankings had significantly longer average tenures (ß = 1.717, P = .036). Many former SHOs believed that their tenure was too short and reported that their departure had either a significant or very large effect on their agency's ability to fulfill its mission. CONCLUSIONS: State Health Official tenures have become shorter over time and continue to be shorter than industry chief executive officers and best practice recommendations from organizational researchers. States have an opportunity to consider and address how factors within their control influence the stability of the SHO position.

A framework for planned policy change.

Recently, more nurses have become more engaged in policy work. This article provides a process for nurses to frame their work from policy inception through policy evaluation. Although policy often takes considerable time to develop, especially at the federal level, it can also arise out of chaos. This framework focuses on planned changes, even in chaotic conditions. The intent of this framework is to help nurses determine where their individual talents can best be used and to appreciate that the full process must be used if an effective policy is to result.

Multidisciplinary Team Reviews of Drug Overdose Deaths and the Use of Minigrants to Advance Recommendations: A Statewide Pilot in Rhode Island.

CONTEXT: Rhode Island has been significantly impacted by the opioid epidemic, ranking 11th in unintentional drug overdose rates in the United States in 2017. Illicit fentanyl was involved in the majority of these deaths. PROGRAM: To enhance surveillance of this epidemic, the RI Department of Health piloted in-depth, multidisciplinary, and multiagency team reviews of drug overdose deaths. The goals were to identify gaps in policies and programming and develop recommendations to prevent future deaths. Time-sensitive minigrants were offered to nonprofit organizations as a novel way to further the recommendations put forth from these reviews. IMPLEMENTATION: Legal agreements between select state agencies and institutions enabled broad team representation and the sharing of information during each meeting. Reviews, revolving around a common theme, were conducted for up to 10 deaths each quarter. Recommendations for prevention were generated by the team and summarized in a report to the Governor's Overdose Prevention and Intervention Task Force and the public within 1 month of each meeting. Announcements of minigrant opportunities and funding to advance the community-specific recommendations were paired with each meeting. EVALUATION: From November 2016 through May 2018, the pilot team convened 7 times, generated 78 recommendations, and distributed 31 minigrants. Early process evaluations of these grants have shown positive impact within local environments. Following the pilot phase, state legislation for these reviews was passed in June 2018. DISCUSSION: The RI Department of Health was able to successfully pilot a multidisciplinary review process for overdose deaths and has recently institutionalized this process through legislation. The successful implementation of many of the team's community-oriented recommendations, supported through a minigrant process, highlights the impact that small financial investments can have to address the opioid epidemic and may be a model for other jurisdictions seeking to advance recommendations from these types of reviews.

Evaluating an intervention addressing stress in emergency department clerical staff.

BACKGROUND: Organizational stress is a significant occupational health challenge and is associated with multiple adverse health and social outcomes. Numerous studies have examined the sources of occupational stress in different workforces, but sparse evidence exists for the effectiveness of interventions to address it. AIMS: To evaluate interventions to reduce occupational stress in emergency department (ED) clerical staff. METHODS: A paper-based, self-report questionnaire examining perceived job demand and control in clerical staff in one UK ED in 2014, 2015 and 2017. Following each questionnaire round, we held focus groups with volunteer participants to discuss responses and then reported findings to management. Managers subsequently met with their workforce to develop interventions to address identified organizational stressors. RESULTS: We observed improvement in workers' perceived job control from 14.44 (13.88-15.00) in 2014 to 16.64 (15.92-17.36) in 2017 and in social support from 15.36 (14.91-15.81) in 2014 to 19.77 (19.12-20.42) in 2017, but not in work demand [10.55 (10.11-10.99) in 2014; 11.65 (10.95-12.35) in 2017]. In the focus groups, participants indicated satisfaction with the interventions implemented to address occupational stress. CONCLUSIONS: The sustained improvements in addressing occupational stressors in these ED clerical workers are encouraging. Further work should examine whether similar improvements can be achieved in clinical staff and for other work stressors such as effort-reward imbalance and organizational justice.

[Health Planning and Evaluation: antagonism versus collaboration]. / Planejamento e Avaliação em Saúde: entre antagonismo e colaboração.

The authors analyze the relations between two subareas of Collective Health - Planning and Evaluation - through a bibliometric study of articles, theses, and dissertations published from 1980 to 2016. The overall production on Evaluation exceeds that of Planning, particularly since the 2000s. The capacity to influence health sector administration appears to drive the dispute between the two subareas. Both have theoretical and methodological resources to overcome their reductions under the instrumental logic of so-called managerialism, as well as to consolidate themselves as devices for reflection and change.

Analisamos as relações entre duas subáreas da Saúde Coletiva - Planejamento e Avaliação - por meio de estudo bibliométrico de artigos, teses e dissertações, no período entre 1980 e 2016. A produção global relativa à Avaliação supera aquela do Planejamento, com predomínio acentuado a partir de meados da década de 2000. A capacidade de influenciar a gestão do setor Saúde parece impelir a disputa entre as duas subáreas. Considera-se que ambas têm recursos teóricos e metodológicos para superar suas reduções pela lógica instrumental do chamado gerencialismo, e se firmarem como dispositivos de reflexão e mudança.

Analizamos las relaciones entre dos subáreas de la Salud Colectiva -Planificación y Evaluación- mediante un estudio bibliométrico de artículos, tesis y disertaciones, durante el período entre 1980 y 2016. La producción global relativa a la Evaluación supera a la de la Planificación, con un predominio acentuado a partir de mediados de la década del 2000. La capacidad de influenciar en la gestión del sector salud parece impulsar la disputa entre las dos subáreas. Se considera que ambas tienen recursos teóricos y metodológicos para superar sus reducciones por la lógica instrumental del denominado gerencialismo, y se afianzan como dispositivos de reflexión y cambio.

Building a Workforce for Future Health Systems: Reflections from Health Policy and Systems Research.

INTRODUCTION: The era of the Sustainable Development Goals calls for multidisciplinary research and intersectoral approaches to addressing health challenges. This presents a unique opportunity for multidisciplinary fields concerned with complex systems. Those working in system-oriented fields such as health policy and systems research (HPSR) and health services research must be forward-thinking in optimizing their collective ability to address these global challenges. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this commentary was to share reflections on challenges and strategies in managing the HPSR workforce in order to stimulate dialogue and cross-learning across similar fields. STRATEGIES/FINDINGS: The following strategies are discussed here: definitional clarity of expected competencies and coordination across HPS researchers, national investment in HPSR, institutional capacity for coproduction of knowledge across different types of actors, and participatory leadership. CONCLUSIONS: Creative approaches in training, financing, developing, and leading the diverse workforce required to strengthen health systems can pave the way for its full-time and part-time members to work together.

Planejamento e Avaliação em Saúde: entre antagonismo e colaboração / Health Planning and Evaluation: antagonism versus collaboration / Planificación y Evaluación en Salud: entre el antagonismo y la colaboración

Resumo: Analisamos as relações entre duas subáreas da Saúde Coletiva - Planejamento e Avaliação - por meio de estudo bibliométrico de artigos, teses e dissertações, no período entre 1980 e 2016. A produção global relativa à Avaliação supera aquela do Planejamento, com predomínio acentuado a partir de meados da década de 2000. A capacidade de influenciar a gestão do setor Saúde parece impelir a disputa entre as duas subáreas. Considera-se que ambas têm recursos teóricos e metodológicos para superar suas reduções pela lógica instrumental do chamado gerencialismo, e se firmarem como dispositivos de reflexão e mudança.

Abstract: The authors analyze the relations between two subareas of Collective Health - Planning and Evaluation - through a bibliometric study of articles, theses, and dissertations published from 1980 to 2016. The overall production on Evaluation exceeds that of Planning, particularly since the 2000s. The capacity to influence health sector administration appears to drive the dispute between the two subareas. Both have theoretical and methodological resources to overcome their reductions under the instrumental logic of so-called managerialism, as well as to consolidate themselves as devices for reflection and change.

Resumen: Analizamos las relaciones entre dos subáreas de la Salud Colectiva -Planificación y Evaluación- mediante un estudio bibliométrico de artículos, tesis y disertaciones, durante el período entre 1980 y 2016. La producción global relativa a la Evaluación supera a la de la Planificación, con un predominio acentuado a partir de mediados de la década del 2000. La capacidad de influenciar en la gestión del sector salud parece impulsar la disputa entre las dos subáreas. Se considera que ambas tienen recursos teóricos y metodológicos para superar sus reducciones por la lógica instrumental del denominado gerencialismo, y se afianzan como dispositivos de reflexión y cambio.

Transgender students in pharmacy school, part 1: What academic administrators need to know.

While gender transition is a very exciting time for most students embarking upon this personal journey, it is not without its stressors as well. For students choosing to further their education and become pharmacists, the complexity and demands of pharmacy education during the transition period can be one such additive stressor. As pharmacy educators and administrators, we have the ability to help shape this professional journey and alleviate stress by maintaining our obligation to provide a safe and non-discriminatory learning environment for all students. Therefore, this two-part commentary will serve as a means to provide information and insights to administrators and faculty advisors in order to ensure transgender students, including those actively undergoing gender transition, achieve both a successful transition and pharmacy school career.

The effects of Nordic Walking training on selected upper-body muscle groups in female-office workers: A randomized trial.

BACKGROUND: Regular Nordic Walking training could improve fitness and reduce tenderness in selected muscle groups in office workers. OBJECTIVE: An assessment of the effects of a 12-week Nordic Walking training program on the perceived pain threshold (PPT) and the flexibility of selected upper-body muscle groups in postmenopausal female office workers. METHODS: 39 office workers were selected at random for the treatment group (NWg, n = 20) and the control group (Cg, n = 19). The persons from the NW group completed a 12-week Nordic Walking training program (3 times a week/1 hour). PPTs measurements in selected muscles and functional tests evaluating upper-body flexibility (Back Scratch - BS) were carried out twice in every participant of the study: before and after the training program. RESULTS: A significant increase in PPT (kg/cm2) was observed in the following muscles in the NW group only: upper trapezius (from 1,32 kg/cm2 to 1,99 kg/cm2), mid trapezius (from 2,92 kg/cm2 to 3,30 kg/cm2), latissimus dorsi (from 1,66 kg/cm2 to 2,21 kg/cm2) and infraspinatus (from 1,63 kg/cm2 to 2,93 kg/cm2). Moreover, a significant improvement in the BS test was noted in the NW group compared with the control group (from -1,16±5,7 cm to 2,18±5,1 cm in the NW group vs from -2,52±6,1 to -2,92±6,2 in the control group). CONCLUSIONS: A 12-week Nordic Walking training routine improves shoulder mobility and reduces tenderness in the following muscles: trapezius pars descendens and middle trapezius, infraspinatus and latissimus dorsi, in female office workers.

Succession planning in local health departments: results from a national survey.

CONTEXT: Succession planning has received scant attention in the public health sector, despite its potential to generate operational efficiencies in a sector facing chronic budgetary pressures and an aging workforce. OBJECTIVES: We examined the extent to which local health departments (LHDs) are engaged in succession planning and assessed the factors associated with having a succession plan. DESIGN: We conducted a national cross-sectional Web-based survey of workforce recruitment and retention activities in a sample of LHDs responding to the National Association of County & City Health Officials' 2010 Profile Study and then linked these data sets to fit a multivariable logistic regression model to explain why some LHDs have succession plans and others do not. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Top executives in a national sample of LHDs. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Presence or absence of succession planning. RESULTS: Two hundred twenty-five LHDs responded to the survey, yielding a 43.3% response rate, but no statistically significant differences between respondents and nonrespondents were detected. Only 39.5% reported having a succession plan. Performance evaluation activities are more common in LHDs with a succession plan than in LHDs without a plan. In adjusted analyses, the largest LHDs were 7 times more likely to have a succession plan than the smallest. Compared with state-governed LHDs, locally governed LHDs were 3.5 times more likely, and shared governance LHDs were 6 times more likely, to have a succession plan. Every additional year of experience by the top executive was associated with a 5% increase in the odds of having a succession plan. Local health departments that report high levels of concern about retaining staff (vs low concern) had 2.5 times higher adjusted odds of having a succession plan. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides the first national data on succession planning in LHDs and sheds light on LHDs' readiness to meet the workforce-related accreditation standards.

A percepção dos gestores brasileiros sobre os programas de preparação para a aposentadoria / The perception of brazilian managers towards retirement preparation programs

Com o aumento cada vez mais evidente da população idosa no Brasil, diversas medidas para o bem-estar desta população foram estabelecidas na Política Nacional do Idoso e no Estatuto do Idoso. Dentre estas medidas, destacam-se os programas de preparação para a aposentadoria, apesar de muitas empresas desconhecerem esta obrigatoriedade. A presente pesquisa descritiva teve por objetivo investigar a percepção de 207 gestores – um por organização – sobre os Programas de Preparação para a Aposentadoria – PPA nas organizações. A maioria dos participantes era do sexo feminino (60%) com média de idade de 49 anos (26 a 76 anos). Os resultados revelaram que apenas um quarto das organizações adotava o PPA, embora a maioria considerasse sua implantação relevante. Cerca da metade dos gestores respondeu que o programa deveria ser oferecido de três a cinco anos antes da aposentadoria. Quando questionados sobre as medidas que poderiam tomar frente aos trabalhadores mais velhos, a frequência foi maior das medidas que não seriam implantadas, como: a possibilidade reduzir de status hierárquico (84%), licença extra (83%), aposentadoria parcial – meio expediente (78,5%), redução de carga horária (72%). As medidas que seriam implantadas dizem respeito à possibilidade de adequação das tarefas (52,2%), medidas ergonômicas (50,7%) e limite de idade para um trabalho impróprio ou insalubre (44,6%). Estes resultados apontam a necessidade de sensibilizar os gestores especialmente, os de Recursos Humanos quanto ao envelhecimento no contexto organizacional.

As the ageing of the Brazilian population has become more apparent, the National Policy for Aging and the Statute of the Elderly has taken a number of measures toward the well-being of this population. As part of these measures, the retirement preparation programme stands out, even though many companies do not recognize this requirement. The purpose of this research is to investigate how 207 managers – one per organization – perceive the Retirement Preparation Programme – RPP within the organization. The majority of the participants are female (60%) with an average age of 49 years (26 to 76 years). Results have shown that even though the majority considers its implementation relevant only one quarter of the organizations have adopted the RPP. Around half of the managers feel that the programme should be offered at least 3 to 5 years before retirement. When asked about the measures that could be taken with the more elderly workers, the rate was greater with the measures that would not be implemented, such as: the possibility of reducing the hierarchical status (84%), extra leave (83%) partial retirement – part-time work (78.5%), reduction in working schedule (72%). The measures to be implemented would be the possibility of adapting tasks (52.2%), ergonomic measures (50.7%) and age limit for inappropriate or hazardous work (44.6%). These results have shown the need to make managers more aware of ageing within the organisational context especially those from the Human Resources.

Administrative trends in U.S. dental schools.

The aims of this study were to analyze the administrative trends in U.S. dental schools at the beginning and end of a thirteen-year period and to identify the predictive factors for those changes. Administrative trends were measured by the difference in the number of major administrative positions for 1997 and 2010 reported in American Dental Education Association (ADEA) and American Dental Association (ADA) publications. Secondary measures (program length, student enrollment, and tuition) were also gathered. The mean numbers of administrative positions per school significantly increased over the study period, while the mean number of clinical science departments per school significantly decreased. The change in the number of directors was positively correlated with the change in student enrollment, but inversely correlated with the change in number of vice/associate/assistant deans. The change in the number of clinical science departments was positively correlated with changes in student enrollment and out-of-state tuition, but inversely correlated with the change in in-state tuition. The number of all departments per U.S. dental school significantly decreased in this period. The schools that had consolidation of clinical science departments were less likely to have increases in student enrollment and out-of-state tuition, but more likely to have increases in in-state tuition.