Improving Health System Efficiency: Perspectives of Decision-Makers.

While improving health system efficiency, or value for money, is a priority in Canada, there is little information about optimal approaches for improvement in the Canadian context. Through interviews with senior health system decision-makers from two provinces, this study conducted by the Canadian Institute for Health Information identified the following five main themes along with actions that can be taken to improve health system efficiency in Canada: performance monitoring for accountability and decision-making, system-level integration in governance and care delivery, partnerships outside the health sector to improve population health, physician engagement and remuneration and flexible funding. Future work could apply this framework to assess and compare progress towards health system efficiency in other jurisdictions.

A randomised controlled pilot study of standardised counselling and cost-free pharmacotherapy for smoking cessation among stroke and TIA patients.

Background Tobacco use is a major risk factor for recurrent stroke. The provision of cost-free quit smoking medications has been shown to be efficacious in increasing smoking abstinence in the general population. Objective The objective of this pilot study was to assess the feasibility and obtain preliminary data on the effectiveness of providing cost-free quit smoking pharmacotherapy and counselling to smokers identified in a stroke prevention clinic. Trial design Cluster randomised controlled trial. Methods All patients seen at the Ottawa Hospital Stroke Prevention Clinic who smoked more five or more cigarettes per day, were ready to quit smoking in the next 30 days, and were willing to use pharmacotherapy were invited to participate in the study. All participants were advised to quit smoking and treated using a standardised protocol including counselling and pharmacotherapy. Participants were randomly assigned to either a prescription only usual care group or an experimental group who received a 4-week supply of cost-free quit smoking medications and a prescription for medication renewal. All patients received follow-up counselling. The primary outcome was biochemically validated quit rates at 26 weeks. The research coordinator conducting outcome assessment was blind to group allocation. Results Of 219 smokers screened, 73 were eligible, 28 consented and were randomised, and 25 completed the 26-week follow-up assessment. All 28 patients randomised were included in the analysis. The biochemically validated 7-day point prevalence abstinence rate in the experimental group compared to the usual care group was 26.6% vs 15.4% (adjusted OR 2.00, 95% CI 0.33 to 13.26; p=0.20). Conclusions It would be feasible to definitively evaluate this intervention in a large multi-site trial. Trial registration number http://ClinicalTrials.gov # UOHI2010-1.

Continuity of cardiac care: cardiac rehabilitation participation and other correlates.

BACKGROUND: Continuity of care refers to the ongoing management of a patient's care over time and across practitioners, and the patient's experience of this care as coherent and consistent with their medical needs and context. Continuity of cardiac care is integral to secondary prevention and improved health outcomes. DESIGN: This study examined patient perceptions of continuity, and how they relate to cardiac rehabilitation participation and other correlates. METHODS: Consecutive acute coronary syndrome patients at 3 hospitals were approached, and 661 consented to complete a survey (504 men, 157 women; 75% response rate). Nine months later, 506 participants completed a survey including the Heart Continuity of Care Questionnaire, open-ended continuity perceptions, and self-reported cardiac rehabilitation participation (yes/no). RESULTS: The mean continuity perceptions were highly positive, and were equivalent to those found in another Canadian province, although open-ended responses revealed discontinuity with regard to outpatient visits and pharmacotherapy prescriptions. In a multivariate model (p=.003), the correlates of greater perceptions of continuity of cardiac care 9 months post-discharge were cardiac rehabilitation participation (p<.05), greater tangible support (p<.05), and less serious perceptions of illness consequences (p<.001) at the time of the acute coronary syndrome, after controlling for demographic and clinical factors. CONCLUSION: Given the benefits of continuity of care, it is important to promote cardiac rehabilitation participation, a significant correlate of continuity, and to solicit various supports throughout the process of cardiac recovery.