Surgical Treatment of Carotid-cavernous Fistula Performed through the Brazilian Unified Health System

Introduction The carotid-cavernous fistula (CCF) is an abnormal communication between the arterial carotid system and the cavernous sinus. In most cases, spontaneous fistulas are due to the rupture of intracavernous carotid artery aneurisms. Traumatic fistulas occur in 0.2% of head injuries, and 75% of all CCFs are caused by automobile accidents or penetrating traumas. Objective To identify the data regarding the number of annual procedures, hospital expenses, length of hospital stay, and the number of deaths of patients admitted by the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS, in the Portuguese acronym), in the period between 2007 and 2017, using the surgical code of the surgical treatment for CCF. Methods The present was an ecological study whose data were obtained by consulting the database provided by the Department of Computer Sciences of the Brazilian Unified Health System (Datasus, in Portuguese). Results A total of 85 surgical procedures were performed for the treatment of CCFs from January 2007 to October 2017 through the Unified Health System (SUS, in Portuguese), and there was a reduction of 71.42% in this period. The annual incidence of patients undergoing this surgical treatment during the period observed remained low, with 1 case per 13,135,714 in 2007, and 1 case per 51,925,000 in 2017. Conclusion Despite the low annual incidence of the surgical treatment of CCFs performed by the SUS in Brazil in the period of 2007­2017, based on the data obtained on the average length of stay and expenditures in hospital services, it is necessary that we develop an adequate health planning.

Thematic Analysis of Challenges of Care Coordination for Underinsured and Uninsured Cancer Survivors With Chronic Conditions.

Importance: Although a majority of underinsured and uninsured patients with cancer have multiple comorbidities, many lack consistent connections with a primary care team to manage chronic conditions during and after cancer treatment. This presents a major challenge to delivering high-quality comprehensive and coordinated care. Objective: To describe challenges and opportunities for coordinating care in an integrated safety-net system for patients with both cancer and other chronic conditions. Design, Setting, and Participants: This multimodal qualitative study was conducted from May 2016 to July 2019 at a county-funded, vertically integrated safety-net health system including ambulatory oncology, urgent care, primary care, and specialty care. Participants were 93 health system stakeholders (clinicians, leaders, clinical, and administrative staff) strategically and snowball sampled for semistructured interviews and observation during meetings and daily processes of care. Data collection and analysis were conducted iteratively using a grounded theory approach, followed by systematic thematic analysis to organize data, review, and interpret comprehensive findings. Data were analyzed from March 2019 to March 2020. Main Outcomes and Measures: Multilevel factors associated with experiences of coordinating care for patients with cancer and chronic conditions among oncology and primary care stakeholders. Results: Among interviews and observation of 93 health system stakeholders, system-level factors identified as being associated with care coordination included challenges to accessing primary care, lack of communication between oncology and primary care clinicians, and leadership awareness of care coordination challenges. Clinician-level factors included unclear role delineation and lack of clinician knowledge and preparedness to manage the effects of cancer and chronic conditions. Conclusions and Relevance: Primary care may play a critical role in delivering coordinated care for patients with cancer and chronic diseases. This study's findings suggest a need for care delivery strategies that bridge oncology and primary care by enhancing communication, better delineating roles and responsibilities across care teams, and improving clinician knowledge and preparedness to care for patients with cancer and chronic conditions. Expanding timely access to primary care is also key, albeit challenging in resource-limited safety-net settings.

Expenditures among young adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia by site of care.

BACKGROUND: Individuals diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) between the ages of 22 and 39 years experience worse outcomes than those diagnosed when they are 21 years old or younger. Treatment at National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers (CCC) mitigates these disparities but may be associated with higher expenditures. METHODS: Using deidentified administrative claims data (OptumLabs Data Warehouse), the cancer-related expenditures were examined among patients with ALL diagnosed between 2001 and 2014. Multivariable generalized linear model with log-link modeled average monthly health-plan-paid (HPP) expenditures and amount owed by the patient (out-of-pocket [OOP]). Cost ratios were used to calculate excess expenditures (CCC vs non-CCC). Incidence rate ratios (IRRs) compared CCC and non-CCC monthly visit rates. Models adjusted for sociodemographics, comorbidities, adverse events, and months enrolled. RESULTS: Clinical and sociodemographic characteristics were comparable between CCC (n = 160) and non-CCC (n = 139) patients. Higher monthly outpatient expenditures in CCC patients ($15,792 vs $6404; P < .001) were driven by outpatient hospital HPP expenditures. Monthly visit rates and per visit expenditures for nonchemotherapy visits (IRR = 1.6; P = .001; CCC = $8247, non-CCC = $1191) drove higher outpatient hospital expenditures among CCCs. Monthly OOP expenditures were higher at CCCs for outpatient care (P = .02). Inpatient HPP expenditures were significantly higher at CCCs ($25,918 vs $13,881; ꞵ = 0.9; P < .001) before accounting for adverse events but were no longer significant after adjusting for adverse events (ꞵ = 0.4; P = .1). Hospitalizations and length of stay were comparable. CONCLUSIONS: Young adults with ALL at CCCs have higher expenditures, likely reflecting differences in facility structure, billing practices, and comprehensive patient care. It would be reasonable to consider CCCs comparable to the oncology care model and incentivize the framework to achieve superior outcomes and long-term cost savings. LAY SUMMARY: Health care expenditures in young adults (aged 22-39 years) with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) are higher among patients at National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers (CCC) than those at non-CCCs. The CCC/non-CCC differences are significant among outpatient expenditures, which are driven by higher rates of outpatient hospital visits and outpatient hospital expenditures per visit at CCCs. Higher expenditures and visit rates of outpatient hospital visits among CCCs may also reflect how facility structure and billing patterns influence spending or comprehensive care. Young adults at CCCs face higher inpatient HPP expenditures; these are driven by serious adverse events.

Implementation of the comprehensive care for joint replacement model: A post-acute physical therapy case report.

Background: The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services has specifically targeted total joint replacements with a retrospective bundled payment program called the Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CJR) model to improve collaboration between providers and decrease costs associated with the surgery and subsequent rehabilitation. The purpose of this report is to describe the physical therapy post-acute episode of care of a patient receiving services under the CJR model and illustrate the impact of facility policy changes on physical therapy service delivery, length of stay, cost of care, and patient outcomes in a post-acute environment. Case Description: The patient was a 78-year-old woman who underwent an elective total knee arthroplasty (TKA). She had moderate mobility impairments (total activities of daily living [ADL] score of 6) and was a high fall risk as scored by the Physical Mobility Scale and Tinetti Mobility Test, respectively. Physical therapy interventions focused on exercises to decrease activity limitations and participation restrictions. Outcomes: The patient demonstrated significant improvements in physical function after 22 total physical therapy visits spanning her Skilled Nursing Facility and subsequent outpatient treatment resulting in an intrafacility cost reduction of 52%. Compared with the average number of visits and costs for post-acute care following a TKA, this patient's care, under the CJR model, involved less cost and required fewer visits. Conclusions: This case report supports some of the proposed benefits of the CJR model for Medicare beneficiaries undergoing TKA.

Clinical and economic analysis of patients with acute myeloid leukemia by FLT3 status and midostaurin use at a Comprehensive Cancer Center.

INTRODUCTION: Identification of cytogenetic and molecular abnormalities has become vital for the appropriate treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). One of the most common molecular alterations in AML is the constitutive activation by internal tandem duplication of FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3). METHODS: This observational, retrospective, cohort study at the Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI) had two time periods: 1) a historical pre-midostaurin time period which consisted of the FLT3 mutated (FLT3m) and FLT3 wild type (FLT3wt) cohorts from January 1, 2007, to December 31, 2016, and 2) a post-midostaurin cohort which consisted of the FLT3 mutated midostaurin-user cohort (early mido) from May 01, 2017 to December 31, 2018. RESULTS: In total, 39 patients were included in the FLT3m cohort, 61 in the FLT3wt cohort, and seven in the early mido cohort. FLT3m patients spent fewer days in the hospital during the first consolidation regimen and received fewer consolidation cycles compared to FLT3wt patients. Overall survival (OS) was similar between FLT3m and FLT3wt patients. For patients without hematopoietic stem cell transplant, OS was significantly shorter for FLT3m patients compared to FLT3wt patients. Mean AML related inpatient charges and physician charges for FLT3m patients were significantly higher than FLT3wt patients. CONCLUSION: The FLT3 mutation is historically associated with a shorter time to transplant and increased total health care charges. More information is needed to evaluate the real-world treatment strategies for FLT3-mutated patients in the presence of FLT3 inhibitors and the impact of these treatment strategies on clinical and economic outcomes.

No Changes in Patient Selection and Value-Based Metrics for Total Hip Arthroplasty After Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement Bundle Implementation at a Single Center.

BACKGROUND: Alternative payment models for total hip arthroplasty (THA) were initiated by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services to decrease overall healthcare cost. The associated shift of financial risk to participating institutions may negatively influence patient selection to avoid high cost of care ("cherry picking," "lemon dropping"). This study evaluated the impact of the Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CJR) model on patient selection, care delivery, and hospital costs at a single care center. METHODS: Patients undergoing a primary THA from 2015-2017 were stratified by insurance type (Medicare and commercial insurance) and whether care was provided before (pre-CJR) or after (post-CJR) CJR bundle implementation. Patient age, gender, and body mass index, Elixhauser comorbidities and American Society of Anesthesiologists scores, were analyzed. Delivery of care variables including surgery duration, discharge disposition, length of stay, and direct hospital costs were compared pre- and post-CJR. RESULTS: A total of 751 THA patients (273 Medicare and 478 commercial Insurance) were evaluated pre-CJR (29%) and post-CJR (71%). Patient demographics were similar (age, gender, BMI); however, commercially insured patients had less comorbidities pre-CJR (P = .033). Medicare patient post-CJR length of stay (P = .010) was reduced with a trend toward discharge to home (P = .019). Surgical time, operating room service time, 90-day readmissions and direct hospital costs were similar pre- and post-CJR. CONCLUSION: There was no differential patient selection after CJR bundle implementation and value-based metrics (surgical time, operating room service time) were not affected. Patients were discharged sooner and more often to home. However, overall direct hospital expenses remained unchanged revealing that any cost savings were for insurance providers, not participating hospitals.

Does Total Ankle Arthroplasty Belong in the Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement?

The Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CJR) model seeks to lower costs and improve quality for primary lower extremity joint replacements. This includes total ankle arthroplasty (TAA), which is performed far less frequently than total hip (THA) and knee (TKA) arthroplasty. We used the SPARCS database to identify 537 TAA and 239,053 elective primary THA or TKA procedures from 2009 to 2014, excluding hip fractures. Compared with THA and TKA, TAA had a shorter mean length of stay (2.2 versus 3.2 days), greater mean cost ($20,817 versus $17,613), lower rate of disposition to nursing and rehabilitation facilities (17% versus 52%), and lower rate of 90-day readmission (4.9% versus 5.8%). In multivariable-adjusted regression models of TAA versus THA and TKA, length of stay was 30% shorter (p < .001), costs were 14% greater (p < .001), and risk of disposition to nursing and rehabilitation facilities was 86% lower (p < .001), with no significant difference in 90-day readmission (p = .957). Patients undergoing TAA had different patterns of short-term resource usage compared with patients undergoing THA and TKA, most notably higher short-term costs. The economic viability of TAA is threatened by alternative payment models that reimburse hospitals for TAA at the same rate as THA and TKA.

Metodología para la estimación de costos directos de la atención integral para enfermedades no trasmisibles / Methodology for estimating total direct costs of comprehensive care for non-communicable diseases

RESUMEN Enfermedades como la diabetes mellitus (DM) y la hipertensión arterial (HTA) generan altos costos y son la causa más frecuente de mortalidad en la región de las Américas. En el caso del Perú, dados los cambios demográficos y epidemiológicos, y particularmente el aumento alarmante del sobrepeso y la obesidad, la carga de estas enfermedades tiene un crecimiento constante que implica la necesidad de asignar cada vez más recursos financieros a los servicios de salud. Los costos de la atención integral de estas enfermedades y sus complicaciones representan una carga económica que debe ser considerada por las instituciones de salud al elaborar su presupuesto. Con ese propósito, la Organización Panamericana de la Salud (OPS) ha apoyado al Ministerio de Salud (MINSA) con la realización de un estudio para la estimación de estos costos. En el presente artículo se describe esquemáticamente la metodología desarrollada para la estimación de los costos directos en la atención integral de la DM e HTA en los servicios de salud del MINSA y gobiernos regionales.

RESUMEN Diseases like diabetes mellitus (DM) and hypertension (HT) generate high costs and are the most common cause of mortality in the Americas. In the case of Peru, given demographic and epidemiological changes, particularly the alarming increase in overweight and obesity, the burden of these diseases is constantly increasing, resulting in the need to budget more financial resources to the health services. The total care costs of these diseases and their complications represent a financial burden that should be considered very carefully by health institutions when they draft their budgets. With this aim, the Pan American Health Organization has assisted the Ministry of Health (MINSA) with a study to estimate these costs. This article graphically describes the methodology developed to estimate the direct costs of comprehensive care for DM and HT to the health services of MINSA and regional governments.

Medicare Program; Advancing Care Coordination Through Episode Payment Models (EPMs); Cardiac Rehabilitation Incentive Payment Model; and Changes to the Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement Model (CJR). Final rule.

This final rule implements three new Medicare Parts A and B episode payment models, a Cardiac Rehabilitation (CR) Incentive Payment model and modifications to the existing Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement model under section 1115A of the Social Security Act. Acute care hospitals in certain selected geographic areas will participate in retrospective episode payment models targeting care for Medicare fee-forservice beneficiaries receiving services during acute myocardial infarction, coronary artery bypass graft, and surgical hip/femur fracture treatment episodes. All related care within 90 days of hospital discharge will be included in the episode of care. We believe these models will further our goals of improving the efficiency and quality of care for Medicare beneficiaries receiving care for these common clinical conditions and procedures.

A Case Report: Cornerstone Health Care Reduced the Total Cost of Care Through Population Segmentation and Care Model Redesign.

Over the course of a single year, Cornerstone Health Care, a multispecialty group practice in North Carolina, redesigned the underlying care models for 5 of its highest-risk populations-late-stage congestive heart failure, oncology, Medicare-Medicaid dual eligibles, those with 5 or more chronic conditions, and the most complex patients with multiple late-stage chronic conditions. At the 1-year mark, the results of the program were analyzed. Overall costs for the patients studied were reduced by 12.7% compared to the year before enrollment. All fully implemented programs delivered between 10% and 16% cost savings. The key area for savings factor was hospitalization, which was reduced by 30% across all programs. The greatest area of cost increase was "other," a category that consisted in large part of hospice services. Full implementation was key; 2 primary care sites that reverted to more traditional models failed to show the same pattern of savings.

Implications of the Definition of an Episode of Care Used in the Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement Model.

Importance: Under the Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CJR) model, hospitals are held accountable for nearly all Medicare payments that occur during the initial hospitalization until 90 days after hospital discharge (ie, the episode of care). It is not known whether unrelated expenditures resulting from this "broad" definition of an episode of care will affect participating hospitals' average episode-of-care payments. Objective: To compare the CJR program's broad definition of an episode of care with a clinically narrow definition of an episode of care. Design, Setting, and Participants: We identified Medicare claims for 23 251 patients in Michigan who were Medicare beneficiaries and who underwent joint replacement during the period from 2011 through 2013 at hospitals located in metropolitan statistical areas. Using specifications from the CJR model and the clinically narrow Hospital Compare payment measure, we constructed episodes of care and calculated 90-day episode payments. We then compared hospitals' average 90-day episode payments using the 2 definitions of an episode of care and fit linear regression models to understand whether payment differences were associated with specific hospital characteristics (average Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services-hierarchical condition categories risk score, rural hospital status, joint replacement volume, percentage of Medicaid discharges, teaching hospital status, number of beds, percentage of joint replacements performed on African American patients, and median income of the hospital's county). We performed analyses from July 1 through October 1, 2015. Main Outcomes and Measures: The correlation and difference between average 90-day episode payments using the broad definition of an episode of care in the CJR model and the clinically narrow Hospital Compare definition of an episode of care. Results: We identified 23 251 joint replacements (ie, episodes of care). The 90-day episode payments using the broad definition of the CJR model ranged from $17 349 to $29 465 (mean [SD] payment, $22 122 [$2600]). Episode payments were slightly lower (mean payment, $21 670) when the Hospital Compare definition was used. Both methods were strongly correlated (r = 0.99, P < .001). The average payment difference between these 2 types of episodes of care was small (mean [SD], $452 [$177]; range, $73-$1006). In our multivariable analysis, we found that the hospital characteristics examined had a minimal impact or no impact on the payment differential. Conclusions and Relevance: The average 90-day episode payments determined by both definitions of an episode of care were strongly correlated, and there was a small payment differential for most hospitals. In the context of joint replacement bundled payments, these data suggest that hospital performance will be consistent whether a broad or clinically narrow definition of an episode of care is used.

Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CJR) Bundle Expense in Perioperative Pain Management.

The implementaion of the Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CJR) model has necessitated value-focused care for a 90-day period. Pain management in joint arthroplasty therefore represents a focused opportunity to achieve lasting change in the delivery of care. To be successful, orthopedic surgeons must integrate approaches that take into account administration route and therapy duration, and various combinations thereof, to achieve improved longer term outcomes for joint arthroplasty patients. In addition, pain management choices must be based on value and not on simple costs, as patient satisfaction scores affect CJR repayments. While the postdischarge time period poses the highest risk, improved collaboration with post-acute care providers, such as hospitalists, pharmacists, and rehabilitation facilities will be crucial to addressing patient comorbidities and ensuring optimal outcomes post-surgery. Furthermore, multimodal pain management strategies associated with optimal pain control and shorter hospital stays are valuable in achieving improved outcome and financial metrics.

Changing Donor Funding and the Challenges of Integrated HIV Treatment.

Donor financing for HIV prevention and treatment has shifted from supporting disease-specific ("vertical") programs to health systems strengthening ("horizontal") programs intended to integrate all aspects of care. We examine the consequences of shifting resources from three perspectives: first, through a broad analysis of the changing policy context of health care financing; second, through an account of changing priorities for HIV treatment in South Africa; and third, through a description of some clinical consequences that the authors observed in a research study examining adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and sexual health among adolescents. We note that AIDS responses are neither completely vertical nor horizontal but rather increasingly diagonal, as disease-specific protocols operate alongside integrated supply chain management, human resource development, and preventive screening. We conclude that health care programs are better conceived of as networks of policies requiring different degrees of integration into communities.

A Roadmap and Cost Implications of Establishing Comprehensive Cancer Care Using a Teleradiotherapy Network in a Group of Sub-Saharan African Countries With No Access to Radiation Therapy.

PURPOSE: To propose a roadmap and explore the cost implications of establishing a teleradiotherapy network to provide comprehensive cancer care and capacity building in countries without access to radiation therapy. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Ten low-income sub-Saharan countries with no current radiation therapy facilities were evaluated. A basic/secondary radiation therapy center (SRTC) with 2 teletherapy, 1 brachytherapy, 1 simulator, and a treatment planning facility was envisaged at a cost of 5 million US dollars (USD 5M). This could be networked with 1 to 4 primary radiation therapy centers (PRTC) with 1 teletherapy unit, each costing USD 2M. The numbers of PRTCs and SRTCs for each country were computed on the basis of cancer incidence, assuming that a PRTC and SRTC could respectively treat 450 and 900 patients annually. RESULTS: An estimated 71,215 patients in these countries will need radiation therapy in 2020. Stepwise establishment of a network with 99 PRTCs and 28 SRTCs would result in 155 teletherapy units and 96% access to radiation therapy. A total of 310 radiation oncologists, 155 medical physicists, and 465 radiation therapy technologists would be needed. Capacity building could be undertaken through telementoring by networking to various international institutions and professional societies. Total infrastructure costs would be approximately USD 860.88M, only 0.94% of the average annual gross domestic product of these 10 countries. A total of 1.04 million patients could receive radiation therapy during the 15-year lifespan of a teletherapy unit for an investment of USD 826.69 per patient. For the entire population of 218.32 million, this equates to USD 4.11 per inhabitant. CONCLUSION: A teleradiotherapy network could be a cost-contained innovative health care strategy to provide effective comprehensive cancer care through resource sharing and capacity building. The network could also be expanded to include other allied specialties. The proposal calls for active coordination between all national and international organizations backed up by strong geopolitical commitment and action from all stakeholders.

Measuring and Comparing the Cost-Effectiveness of Surgical Care Delivery in Low-Resource Settings: Cleft Lip and Palate as a Model.

Cleft lip and palate (CLP) care is the longest sustained global effort in humanitarian surgical care. However, the relative cost-effectiveness of surgical delivery approaches remains largely unknown. We assessed the cost-effectiveness of two strategies of CLP surgical care delivery in low resource settings: medical mission and comprehensive care center. We evaluated the medical records and costs for 17 India-based medical missions and a Comprehensive Cleft Care Center in Guwahati, India, from Operation Smile, a humanitarian nongovernmental organization. Age, sex, diagnosis, and procedures were extracted and cost/Disability-Adjusted Life Year (DALY) averted was calculated using a provider's perspective. The disability weights for CLP from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2010 update were used as the reference case. Sensitivity analysis was performed using various disability weights, age-weighting, discounting, and cost perspective. The medical missions treated 3503 patients for first-time cleft procedures and averted 6.00 DALYs per intervention with a cost-effectiveness of $247.42/DALY. The care center cohort included 2778 patients with first-time operations for CLP and averted a mean of 5.96 DALYs per intervention with a cost-effectiveness of $189.81/DALY. The Incremental Cost-Effectiveness Ratio (ICER) of choosing medical mission over care center is $462.55. The care center provides cleft care with a higher cost-effectiveness, although both models are highly cost-effective in India, in accordance with WHO guidelines. Compared to other global health interventions, cleft care is very cost-effective and investment in cleft surgery might be realistic and achievable in similar resource-constrained environments.

Comprehensive geriatric care for patients with hip fractures: a prospective, randomised, controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Most patients with hip fractures are characterised by older age (>70 years), frailty, and functional deterioration, and their long-term outcomes are poor with increased costs. We compared the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of giving these patients comprehensive geriatric care in a dedicated geriatric ward versus the usual orthopaedic care. METHODS: We did a prospective, single-centre, randomised, parallel-group, controlled trial. Between April 18, 2008, and Dec 30, 2010, we randomly assigned home-dwelling patients with hip-fractures aged 70 years or older who were able to walk 10 m before their fracture, to either comprehensive geriatric care or orthopaedic care in the emergency department, to achieve the required sample of 400 patients. Randomisation was achieved via a web-based, computer-generated, block method with unknown block sizes. The primary outcome, analysed by intention to treat, was mobility measured with the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) 4 months after surgery for the fracture. The type of treatment was not concealed from the patients or staff delivering the care, and assessors were only partly masked to the treatment during follow-up. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00667914. FINDINGS: We assessed 1077 patients for eligibility, and excluded 680, mainly for not meeting the inclusion criteria such as living in a nursing home or being aged less than 70 years. Of the remaining patients, we randomly assigned 198 to comprehensive geriatric care and 199 to orthopaedic care. At 4 months, 174 patients remained in the comprehensive geriatric care group and 170 in the orthopaedic care group; the main reason for dropout was death. Mean SPPB scores at 4 months were 5·12 (SE 0·20) for comprehensive geriatric care and 4·38 (SE 0·20) for orthopaedic care (between-group difference 0·74, 95% CI 0·18-1·30, p=0·010). INTERPRETATION: Immediate admission of patients aged 70 years or more with a hip fracture to comprehensive geriatric care in a dedicated ward improved mobility at 4 months, compared with the usual orthopaedic care. The results suggest that the treatment of older patients with hip fractures should be organised as orthogeriatric care. FUNDING: Norwegian Research Council, Central Norway Regional Health Authority, St Olav Hospital Trust and Fund for Research and Innovation, Liaison Committee between Central Norway Regional Health Authority and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, the Department of Neuroscience at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Foundation for Scientific and Industrial Research at the Norwegian Institute of Technology (SINTEF), and the Municipality of Trondheim.