Strategies to adapt and implement health system guidelines and recommendations: a scoping review.

BACKGROUND: Evidence-based health system guidelines are pivotal tools to help outline the important financial, policy and service components recommended to achieve a sustainable and resilient health system. However, not all guidelines are readily translatable into practice and/or policy without effective and tailored implementation and adaptation techniques. This scoping review mapped the evidence related to the adaptation and implementation of health system guidelines in low- and middle-income countries. METHODS: We conducted a scoping review following the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology for scoping reviews. A search strategy was implemented in MEDLINE (Ovid), Embase, CINAHL, LILACS (VHL Regional Portal), and Web of Science databases in late August 2020. We also searched sources of grey literature and reference lists of potentially relevant reviews. All findings were reported following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews. RESULTS: A total of 41 studies were included in the final set of papers. Common strategies were identified for adapting and implementing health system guidelines, related barriers and enablers, and indicators of success. The most common types of implementation strategies included education, clinical supervision, training and the formation of advisory groups. A paucity of reported information was also identified related to adaptation initiatives. Barriers to and enablers of implementation and adaptation were reported across studies, including the need for financial sustainability. Common approaches to evaluation were identified and included outcomes of interest at both the patient and health system level. CONCLUSIONS: The findings from this review suggest several themes in the literature and identify a need for future research to strengthen the evidence base for improving the implementation and adaptation of health system guidelines in low- and middle-income countries. The findings can serve as a future resource for researchers seeking to evaluate implementation and adaptation of health system guidelines. Our findings also suggest that more effort may be required across research, policy and practice sectors to support the adaptation and implementation of health system guidelines to local contexts and health system arrangements in low- and middle-income countries.

Development of a prenatal clinical care pathway for uncomplicated gastroschisis and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Gastroschisis is an abdominal wall defect wherein the bowel is herniated into the amniotic fluid. Controversy exists regarding optimal prenatal surveillance strategies that predict fetal well-being and help guide timing of delivery. Our objective was to develop a clinical care pathway for prenatal management of uncomplicated gastroschisis at our institution. METHODS: We performed a review of literature from January 1996 to May 2017 to evaluate prenatal ultrasound (US) markers and surveillance strategies that help determine timing of delivery and optimize outcomes in fetal gastroschisis. RESULTS: A total 63 relevant articles were identified. We found that among the US markers, intraabdominal bowel dilatation, polyhydramnios, and gastric dilatation are potentially associated with postnatal complications. Prenatal surveillance strategy with monthly US starting at 28weeks of gestational age (wGA) and twice weekly non-stress testing beginning at 32wGA is recommended to optimize fetal wellbeing. Timing of delivery should be based on obstetric indications and elective preterm delivery prior to 37wGA is not indicated. CONCLUSIONS: Close prenatal surveillance of fetal gastroschisis is necessary due to the high risk for adverse outcomes including intrauterine fetal demise in the third trimester. Decisions regarding the timing of delivery should take into consideration the additional prematurity-associated morbidity.