Patterns of Care for Medicare Beneficiaries With Metastatic Prostate Cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Therapeutic options for men with metastatic prostate cancer have increased in the past decade. We studied recent treatment patterns for men with metastatic prostate cancer and how treatment patterns have changed over time. METHODS: Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results‒Medicare database, we identified fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries who either were diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer or developed metastases following diagnosis, as indicated by the presence of claims with diagnoses codes for metastatic disease, between 2007 and 2017. We evaluated treatment patterns using claims. RESULTS: We identified 29,800 men with metastatic disease, of whom 4721 (18.8%) had metastatic disease at their initial diagnosis. The mean age was 77 years, and 77.9% of patients were non-Hispanic White. The proportion receiving antineoplastic agents within 3 years of the index date increased over time (from 9.7% in 2007 to 25.9% in 2017; P < .001). Opioid use within 3 years of prostate cancer diagnosis was stable during 2007 to 2013 (around 73%) but decreased through 2017 to 65.5% (P < .001). Patients diagnosed during 2015 to 2017 had longer median survival (32.6 months) compared to those diagnosed during 2007 to 2010 (26.6 months; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Most metastatic prostate cancer patients do not receive life-prolonging antineoplastic therapies. Improved adoption of effective cancer therapies when appropriate may increase length and quality of survival among metastatic prostate cancer patients.

Antibiotic Prescribing Patterns for Urinary Tract Infections and Pneumonia by Prescriber Type and Specialty in Nursing Home Care, 2016-2018.

OBJECTIVE: To identify whether differences in antibiotic prescribing practices by prescriber type and specialization in nursing home (NH) care exist for urinary tract infection (UTI) and pneumonia. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: This national study included antibiotic dispensings to traditional Medicare beneficiaries aged ≥65 years with UTI or pneumonia infections residing long-term (≥100 days) in US NHs between 2016 and 2018. METHODS: Minimum Data Set assessment data were linked to Medicare data [Part D prescription drug, inpatient hospital (MedPAR), prescriber characteristics, and enrollment]. We compared antibiotic prescribing patterns by prescriber type [physician vs advanced practice practitioner (AP)] and NH specialization (≥90% vs <90% of all associated medication dispensings to NH residents). Antibiotic dispensing measures included the total number of dispensings and duration of therapy (median number of days supplied) by antibiotic class. RESULTS: There were 264,735 antibiotic dispensings prescribed by 32,437 prescribers for 140,360 residents in 14,035 NHs. NH specialists were less likely to prescribe fluoroquinolones for UTI (22.9% NH specialist physician, 23.9% non-NH specialist physician, 21.3% NH specialist AP, 24.2% non-NH specialist AP), but more likely to prescribe fluoroquinolones for pneumonia (38.9%, 37.8%, 38.8%, 37.3%, respectively). Over time, NH specialists reduced fluoroquinolone prescribing for pneumonia to a greater extent than non-NH specialists. The duration of therapy was similar across prescriber groups for UTI, but longer among non-NH specialist APs for several antibiotic classes for pneumonia, including tetracyclines, glycopeptides and lipoglycopeptides, and metronidazole. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: There were differences in antibiotic prescribing patterns by prescriber type and specialization in NH care between 2016 and 2018. Understanding how antibiotic prescribing differs based on prescriber characteristics is essential to inform antibiotic stewardship efforts. Tailoring antibiotic stewardship efforts to prescribers by NH specialization is rational given differences in antibiotic prescribing patterns based on NH specialization.

Práticas Avançadas de Enfermagem ­ PAE / Advanced Nursing Practices ­ ANP

Trata de nota técnica sobre Práticas Avançadas de Enfermagem (PAE) no Brasil, elaborada por comissão e submetida à aprovação do plenário do Conselho Federal de Enfermagem (Cofen). O documento aborda conceitos, ações, implementação e regulação das práticas avançadas de Enfermagem, expandindo os limites do escopo da atuação do enfermeiro e reforçando a sua prática clínica. (AU)

This is a technical note on Advanced Nursing Practices (ANP) in Brazil, prepared by a committee and submitted for approval by the plenary of the Federal Nursing Council (Cofen). The document addresses concepts, actions, implementation and regulation of advanced nursing practices, expanding the limits of the scope of nurses' work and reinforcing their clinical practice. (AU)

Esta es una nota técnica sobre las Prácticas Avanzadas de Enfermería (PAE) en Brasil, elaborada por un comité y sometida a la aprobación del plenario del Consejo Federal de Enfermería (Cofen). El documento aborda los conceptos, acciones, implementación y reglamentación de las prácticas avanzadas de enfermería, ampliando los límites del ámbito de actuación de las enfermeras y reforzando su práctica clínica. (AU)

Healthcare use and direct medical costs in a cleft lip and palate population: an analysis of observed and protocolized care and costs.

This study was performed to describe observed healthcare utilization and medical costs for patients with a cleft, compare these costs to the expected costs based on the treatment protocol, and explore the additional costs of implementing the International Consortium for Health Outcomes Measurement (ICHOM) Standard Set for Cleft Lip and Palate (CL/P). Forty patients with unilateral CL/P between 0 and 24 years of age, treated between 2012 and 2019 at Erasmus University Medical Center, were included. Healthcare services (consultations, diagnostic and surgical procedures) were counted and costs were calculated. Expected costs based on the treatment protocol were calculated by multiplying healthcare products by the product prices. Correspondingly, the additional expected costs after implementing the ICHOM Standard Set (protocol + ICHOM) were calculated. Observed costs were compared with protocol costs, and the additional expected protocol + ICHOM costs were described. The total mean costs were highest in the first year after birth (€5596), mainly due to surgeries. The mean observed total costs (€40,859) for the complete treatment (0-24 years) were 1.6 times the expected protocol costs (€25,198) due to optional, non-protocolized procedures. Hospital admissions including surgery were the main cost drivers, accounting for 42% of observed costs and 70% of expected protocol costs. Implementing the ICHOM Standard Set increased protocol-based costs by 7%.

Evaluating metabolic and bariatric surgery fellows' attitudes toward their training.

BACKGROUND: The American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgeons (ASMBS) Leadership Academy is conducted at the ASMBS Weekend to prepare surgeons for practice, while in their fellowship. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this analysis is to gather the views of current fellows in training on issues regarding practice patterns and career development. SETTING: Survey at ASMBS Fellows Leadership Academy. METHODS: An online survey was conducted at the last 2 ASMBS Leadership Academy Meetings at the ASMBS Weekend. There were 14 questions. There were 61 respondents. Twenty-three respondents had incomplete surveys and were not included in the final analysis. There were 24 fellows surveyed at the Leadership Academy in November 2022, in San Antonio, TX and 37 in January 2022, in Las Vegas, NV. RESULTS: Fifty-eight percent of attendees were interviewing for employment after their fellowship with 3.64% already employed. Eighteen percent had employment secured upon completion of their fellowship. Of the academic fellows, 29.1% believe that private practice will no longer exist in 2030 and 10.9% of attendees believe that we will have Medicare for all by 2030. Fellows in academic programs ranked their fellowship as either "best decision of my life" or "great" (96.4%) and 3.6% ranked it as "useless (not good/not bad)." Ninety-three percent of attendees said they would do a bariatric fellowship again. Of those that said they would not, all were from a robotic fellowship program. Of those that would do a bariatric fellowship again, 80% stated they would do so at the same institution. CONCLUSIONS: The fellows that attended the ASMBS Leadership Academy overall were very pleased with their fellowship experience, and most would choose to do a MIS/bariatric fellowship again.

Should All Patients With Pulmonary Hypertension Undergoing Non-Cardiac Surgery Be Managed by Cardiothoracic Fellowship-Trained Anesthesiologists?

OBJECTIVES: To identify differences in practice patterns and outcomes related to the induction of general anesthesia for patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH) performed by anesthesiologists who have completed a cardiothoracic fellowship (CTA group) vs those who have not (non-CTA group). DESIGN: Retrospective study with propensity score matching. SETTING: Operating room. PARTICIPANTS: All adult patients with PH undergoing general anesthesia requiring intubation at a single academic center over 5 years. INTERVENTIONS: Patient baseline characteristics, peri-induction management variables, post-induction mean arterial pressure (MAP), and other outcomes were compared between CTA and non-CTA groups. METHODS AND MAIN RESULTS: Following propensity scoring matching, 402 patients were included in the final model, 100 in the CTA group and 302 in the non-CTA group. Also following matching, only cases of mild to moderate PH without right ventricular dysfunction remained in the analysis. Matched groups were overall statistically similar with respect to baseline characteristics; however, there was a greater incidence of higher ASA class (P = .025) and cardiology and thoracic procedures (P < .001) being managed by the CTA group. No statistical differences were identified in practice patterns or outcomes related to the induction of anesthesia between groups, except for longer hospital length of stay in the CTA group (P = .008). CONCLUSIONS: These results provide early evidence to suggest the induction of general anesthesia of patients with non-severe PH disease can be comparably managed by either anesthesiologists with or without a cardiothoracic fellowship. However, these findings should be confirmed in a prospective study.

'Low-value' clinical care in general practice: a cross-sectional analysis of low-value care in early-career GPs' practice.

Nonevidence-based and 'low-value' clinical care and medical services are 'questionable' clinical activities that are more likely to cause harm than good or whose benefit is disproportionately low compared with their cost. This study sought to establish general practitioner (GP), patient, practice, and in-consultation associations of an index of key nonevidence-based or low-value 'questionable' clinical practices. The study was nested in the Registrar Clinical Encounters in Training study-an ongoing (from 2010) cohort study in which Australian GP registrars (specialist GP trainees) record details of their in-consultation clinical and educational practice 6-monthly. The outcome factor in analyses, performed on Registrar Clinical Encounters in Training data from 2010 to 2020, was the score on the QUestionable In-Training Clinical Activities Index (QUIT-CAI), which incorporates recommendations of the Australian Choosing Wisely campaign. A cross-sectional analysis used negative binomial regression (with the model including an offset for the number of times the registrar was at risk of performing a questionable activity) to establish associations of QUIT-CAI scores. A total of 3206 individual registrars (response rate 89.9%) recorded 406 812 problems/diagnoses where they were at risk of performing a questionable activity. Of these problems/diagnoses, 15 560 (3.8%) involved questionable activities being performed. In multivariable analyses, higher QUIT-CAI scores (more questionable activities) were significantly associated with earlier registrar training terms: incidence rate ratios (IRRs) of 0.91 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.87, 0.95] and 0.85 (95% CI 0.80, 0.90) for Term 2 and Term 3, respectively, compared to Term 1. Other significant associations of higher scores included the patient being new to the registrar (IRR 1.27; 95% CI 1.12, 1.45), the patient being of non-English-speaking background (IRR 1.24; 95% CI 1.04, 1.47), the practice being in a higher socioeconomic area decile (IRR 1.01; 95% CI 1.00, 1.02), small practice size (IRR 1.05; 95% CI 1.00, 1.10), shorter consultation duration (IRR 0.99 per minute; 95% CI 0.99, 1.00), and fewer problems addressed in the consultation (IRR 0.84; 95% CI 0.79, 0.89) for each additional problem]. Senior registrars' clinical practice entailed less 'questionable' clinical actions than junior registrars' practice. The association of lower QUIT-CAI scores with a measure of greater continuity of care (the patient not being new to the registrar) suggests that continuity should be supported and facilitated during GP training (and in established GPs' practice).

Demographic and practice patterns among minimally invasive surgery fellowship graduates.

INTRODUCTION: Previous reports show that over 85% of general surgery residents choose to pursue fellowship training after completing residency. There continues to be an increase interest among general surgery residents in minimally invasive surgery (MIS) fellowship. Moreover, demographic disparities, particularly gender disparities continue to persist among surgical sub-specialties. In this study, we evaluated the gender disparities and practice patterns among graduating MIS fellows. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: MIS fellows were surveyed, and 169 results were received from fellows who completed training in the years: 2010, 2015-2019. Surveys collected were used to create a descriptive analysis of the demographics, practice patterns and job finding measures. Loglinear regression model was performed to assess gender trend variation over training years. RESULTS: Fellows self-reported gender showed 65% male, 30% female, and 5% prefer not to say. The cohort of participants was described as 45.3% white, 5.3% African American, and 6.5% Hispanic or Latino. Further, results showed 87.1% of fellows work in MIS surgery with 91.8% reporting their fellowship experience facilitated their ability to find a job. Most alumni pursue a comprehensive MIS practice. Moreover, the proportion of female fellows increased from 29 to 41%, but this increase over time was not significant using loglinear regressions [p-value = 0.0810, Relative risk = 1.1994 (95% CI 0.9778, 1.4711)]. CONCLUSION: Overall, there is good evidence to support that fellowship training facilitates future career advancements. Further, MIS fellows have differential practice patterns. Finally, females remain underrepresented among the MIS fellows which should call for leadership action to bridge these gaps.

Assessment of the Adherence to ESPGHAN 2018 Guidelines in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of the Ghent University Hospital: A Retrospective Study.

Parenteral nutrition (PN) is a standard of care for preterm infants in the first postnatal days. The European Society of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition (ESPGHAN) has updated their guideline recommendations on PN in 2018. However, data on actual 2018 guideline adherence in clinical practice are sparse. In this retrospective study, conducted at the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of Ghent University Hospital, we analyzed the ESPGHAN 2018 PN guideline adherence and growth for 86 neonates admitted to the NICU. Analyses were stratified by birth weight (<1000 g, 1000 to <1500 g, ≥1500 g). We documented the provisions for enteral nutrition (EN) and PN, and we tested the combined EN and PN provisions for ESPGHAN 2018 adherence. The nutrition protocols showed a high adherence to PN guidelines in terms of carbohydrate provisions, yet lipid provisions for EN and PN often exceeded the recommended maximum of 4 g/kg/d; although, PN lipid intakes maxed out at 3.6 g/kg/d. Protein provisions tended to fall below the recommended minimum of 2.5 g/kg/d for preterm infants and 1.5 g/kg/d for term neonates. The energy provisions also tended to fall below the minimum recommendations, especially for neonates with a birth weight (BW) < 1000 g. Over a mean PN duration of 17.1 ± 11.4 d, the median weekly Fenton Z-scores changes for length, weight, and head circumference were positive for all BW groups. Future studies have to assess how protocols adapt to current guidelines, and how this affects short- and long-term growth across different BW groups. In conclusion, the reported findings provide real-world evidence regarding the effect of ESPGHAN 2018 PN guideline adherence, and they demonstrate how standardized neonatal PN solutions can safeguard stable growth during NICU stays.

Comparison of prescribing patterns of non-physician clinicians and dermatologists in the Medicare population.

Non-physician clinicians (NPCs) are playing an increasing role in dermatologic patient care. This study expands upon existing workforce assessments of dermatology NPCs through the use of publicly-available Medicare datasets to better clarify prescribing patterns among independently-billing dermatology NPCs. The findings demonstrate prescribing similarities between NPCs and dermatologists for most medications, including biologic and immunosuppressive medications, although with higher use of oral prednisone, gabapentin, and hydroxyzine among NPCs. Dermatologists more frequently utilized high-potency topical steroids. These data provide initial insights into NPC prescribing patterns and should motivate further study of the identified differences and potential implications for patient care.

Glaucoma suspects referred by general ophthalmologists to a tertiary center in Brazil: outcomes of the glaucoma specialist assessment / Suspeitos de glaucoma encaminhados do oftalmologista geral para um centro terciário no Brasil: resultados da avaliação do especialista em glaucoma

ABSTRACT Purpose: To characterize patients with suspected glaucoma who were referred to the clinic for suspected glaucoma in a tertiary public hospital in southern Brazil and to evaluate differences in functional and structural damages between patients diagnosed with different types of glaucoma, those with normal eye examination results, and those who remained as glaucoma suspects. Methods: This is a cohort study of patients referred by general ophthalmologists to the clinic for suspected glaucoma at Hospital Nossa Senhora da Conceição, Porto Alegre, Brazil, between March 2016 and December 2018. The patients were followed up until they had undergone reliable examinations (eye examination, visual field screening, and optic coherence tomography for classification as normal and having a suspected glaucoma, glaucoma with an elevated intraocular pressure, normotensive glaucoma, or ocular hypertension. Results: A total of 135 patients were included in this study. Of the patients, 117 subjects completed all examinations and met the inclusion criteria. Most patients were normal (36.8%), followed by those with suspected glaucoma (25.64%), normal tension glaucoma (18.8%), glaucoma with elevated intraocular pressure (12%), and ocular hypertensive (6%). The main reason for referral was increased optic nerve head cupping. The patients with normal tension glaucoma were older than the other subjects on average (p=0.03). In addition, the normal tension glaucoma group had a significantly worse baseline visual field index and mean deviation of the visual field than the normal, glaucoma suspect, and ocular hypertensive groups. The circumpapillary retinal nerve fiber layer on OCT was thinner on average in the normal tension glaucoma group than in the normal and glaucoma suspect groups (p<0.002) but did not significantly differ between the glaucoma group with elevated intraocular pressure and the other groups. Conclusions: Patients with normal tension glaucoma tend to be diagnosed later because of their normal intraocular pressures; thus, the optic nerve cupping must be greater to raise the suspicion of glaucoma. In this study, we found that the patients with normal tension glaucoma had worse disease at the time of diagnosis.

RESUMO Objetivo: Caracterizar a população com suspeita de glaucoma encaminhada a um centro público terciário no sul do Brasil e avaliar diferenças no dano dos parâmetros funcionais e estruturais entre os pacientes diagnosticados com diferentes tipos de glaucoma e aqueles classificados como normais e aqueles mantidos como suspeitos de glaucoma. Métodos: Esta é uma coorte dos pacientes encaminhados para o setor de glaucoma suspeito do Hospital Nossa Senhora da Conceição, Porto Alegre - BR, no período de março de 2016 a dezembro de 2018. Os pacientes foram acompanhados até obterem exames confiáveis (exame oftalmológico completo, campimetria visual, tomografia de coerência óptica) para serem classificados como: normal, glaucoma suspeito, glaucoma com pressão intraocular elevada, glaucoma de pressão normal ou hipertenso ocular. Resultados: Um total de 135 pacientes foram incluídos neste estudo, sendo que destes, 117 pacientes completaram todos os exames e foram incluídos neste estudo. A maioria dos pacientes foi considerada normal (36,8%), seguido por glaucoma suspeito (25,64%), glaucoma de pressão normal (18,8%), glaucoma com pressão intraocular elevada (12%) e hipertensão ocular (6%). A principal razão para encaminhamento foi escavação do nervo óptico aumentada. Pacientes com glaucoma de pressão normal eram em média mais velhos que os demais (p=0,03). Esses também apresentavam índice de campo visual e desvio médio da campimetria visual piores que sujeitos normal, com suspeita de glaucoma e hipertensos oculares, e tinham a camada de fibra nervosa medida pela tomografia de coerência óptica mais fina que normais e suspeitos de glaucoma (p<0,002). Os pacientes com glaucoma de pressão elevada não diferiram significativamente dos outros grupos. Conclusão: Pacientes com glaucoma de pressão normal tendem a ser diagnosticados mais tardiamente devido ao fato da pressão intraocular não estar elevada, logo a escavação do disco óptico deve ser maior para gerar a suspeita de glaucoma. Neste estudo, paciente com glaucoma de pressão normal apresentaram doença mais avançada no momento do diagnóstico em comparação com os outros grupos.

[Prescribing Trends of Benzodiazepine and other Sedatives in the Lisbon and Tagus Valley Regional Health Administration between 2013 and 2020: A Retrospective Study]. / Prescrição de Benzodiazepinas e outros Sedativos na Administração Regional de Saúde de Lisboa e Vale do Tejo de 2013 a 2020: Um Estudo Retrospetivo.

INTRODUCTION: Among the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development members, Portugal has the highest reported consumption of anxiolytics, hypnotics, and sedatives, of which a large proportion are benzodiazepines or related drugs. These are known to cause tolerance and dependence. Other drugs with hypnotic effect, such as antidepressants, antihistamines, antipsychotics, or anticonvulsants have been identified by some reports as alternatives to benzodiazepines for the treatment of insomnia. In this regard, the aim of this study was to characterize the consumption of benzodiazepines, non-benzodiazepine anxiolytic, hypnotic or sedative effect drugs and other drugs with the potential to be used off-label to treat insomnia, and the results concerning benzodiazepine consumption related indicators in the primary health care setting in the Lisbon and Tagus Valley region. MATERIAL AND METHODS: From 2013 to 2020, a census, descriptive and retrospective study was conducted. The evolution of the variables total defined daily doses, defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day (DHD) and relevant indicators were characterized. Data were extracted from the SIARS platform used in the Lisbon and Tagus Valley regional Health Administration. RESULTS: There was a decrease in the consumption of benzodiazepines (from 57.44 to 63.11 DHD) and an increase of non-benzodiazepines and of drugs with potential off-label use (from 6.56 to 8.56 DHD and from 14.70 to 25.95 DHD, respectively). Among non-benzodiazepines, zolpidem was the most consumed drug, also showing an increasing trend (from 4.86 to 6.96 DHD). For the group of drugs with off-label use potential, there was an increased consumption of trazodone (from 3.81 to 7.92 DHD), mirtazapine (from 3.52 to 6.48 DHD), pregabalin (from 3.15 to 4.87 DHD), quetiapine (from 2.68 to 4.59 DHD) and gabapentin (from 1.32 to 1.90 DHD), which was only the case (or, at least, more significantly) for the lower dose formulations. The median of results of the Primary Health Care setting indicator "proportion of elderly patients without prescription of sedatives, anxiolytics, and hypnotics", was 81.0 in 2015 and increased to 84.9 in 2020. For the indicator "proportion of patients without prolonged prescription of sedatives, anxiolytics, and hypnotics", the median was 93.6 in 2019 and 94.3 in 2020. CONCLUSION: There was, overall, a decreasing trend in the dispensing of benzodiazepines in the Lisbon and Tagus Valley Region. Even though this data suggests a change in the therapeutic pattern for insomnia, more robust studies are needed to confirm this observation.

Introdução: Portugal é o país da Organização para a Cooperação e Desenvolvimento Económico com maior consumo de ansiolíticos, hipnóticos e sedativos, sendo uma proporção significativa constituída por benzodiazepinas ou análogos, associados a efeitos de tolerância e dependência. Por este motivo, em alternativa às benzodiazepinas para tratamento da insónia, algumas publicações identificam outros fármacos com efeito hipnótico, como antidepressivos, anti-histamínicos, antipsicóticos ou anticonvulsivantes. Assim, torna-se necessário compreender a evolução do consumo destes medicamentos, pelo que foi objetivo deste estudo avaliar a evolução da dispensa de benzodiazepinas, outros fármacos ansiolíticos, hipnóticos ou sedativos não benzodiazepínicos, fármacos com potencial uso off-label na insónia e os resultados de indicadores dos Cuidados de Saúde Primários neste âmbito na região de Lisboa e Vale do Tejo. Material e Métodos: Realizou-se um estudo em base de dados, censitário e retrospetivo, no período de 2013 até 2020, avaliando-se a evolução das variáveis total de doses diárias definidas, doses diárias definidas por 1000 habitantes por dia (DHD) e dos indicadores relevantes. Os dados foram extraídos da plataforma SIARS da Administração Regional de Saúde de Lisboa e Vale do Tejo. Resultados: Verificou-se uma diminuição da dispensa de benzodiazepinas (de 57,44 para 51,77 DHD) mas o aumento da dispensa de não benzodiazepinas e de fármacos com potencial uso off-label (de 6,56 para 8,56 DHD e de 14,70 para 25,92 DHD, respetivamente). O zolpidem foi o mais dispensado entre os fármacos não benzodiazepínicos, acompanhando a tendência crescente de dispensa (de 4,86 para 6,96 DHD). Do conjunto de fármacos com potencial para uso off-label verificaram-se aumentos da dispensa para a trazodona (de 3,81 para 7,92 DHD), mirtazapina (de 3,52 para 6,48 DHD), pregabalina (de 3,15 para 4,87 DHD), quetiapina (de 2,68 para 4,59 DHD) e gabapentina (de 1,32 para 1,90 DHD), mas mais significativo ou apenas verificado nas formulações com dosagem mais baixa. A mediana dos resultados do indicador "proporção de idosos sem prescrição de sedativos, ansiolíticos e hipnóticos" em 2015 foi de 81,0, tendo em 2020 aumentado para 84,9. A mediana do indicador "proporção de utentes sem prescrição prolongada de ansiolíticos, sedativos e hipnóticos" em 2019 foi de 93,6 e aumentou para 94,3 em 2020. Conclusão: Globalmente, verificou-se uma redução da dispensa de benzodiazepinas prescritas na Região de Lisboa e Vale do Tejo. Parece existir uma alteração do padrão de prescrição no tratamento da insónia. São necessários estudos mais robustos para confirmar esta observação.

Reasons for medication administration errors, barriers to reporting them and the number of reported medication administration errors from the perspective of nurses: A cross-sectional survey.

The aim of the study was to identify the reasons for medication administration errors, describe the barriers in their reporting and estimate the number of reported medication administration errors. BACKGROUND: Providing quality and safe healthcare is a key priority for all health systems. Medication administration error belongs to the more common mistakes committed in nursing practice. Prevention of medication administration errors must therefore be an integral part of nursing education. DESIGN: A descriptive and cross-sectional design was used for this study. METHODS: Sociological representative research was carried out using the standardized Medication Administration Error Survey. The research study involved 1205 nurses working in hospitals in the Czech Republic. Field surveys were carried out in September and October 2021. Descriptive statistics, Pearson's and Chi-square automatic interaction detection were used to analyze the data. The STROBE guideline was used. RESULTS: Among the most frequent causes of medication administration errors belong name (4.1 ± 1.4) and packaging similarity between different drugs (3.7 ± 1.4), the substitution of brand drugs by cheaper generics (3.6 ± 1.5), frequent interruptions during the preparation and administration of drugs (3.6 ± 1.5) and illegible medical records (3.5 ± 1.5). Not all medication administration errors are reported by nurses. The reasons for non-reporting of such errors include fear of being blamed for a decline in patient health (3.5 ± 1.5), fear of negative feelings from patients or family towards the nurse or legal liability (3.5 ± 1.6) and repressive responses by hospital management (3.3 ± 1.5). Most nurses (two-thirds) stated that less than 20 % of medication administration errors were reported. Older nurses reported statistically significantly fewer medication administration errors concerning non-intravenous drugs than younger nurses (p < 0.001). At the same time, nurses with more clinical experience (≥ 21 years) give significantly lower estimates of medication administration errors than nurses with less clinical practice (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Patient safety training should take place at all levels of nursing education. The standardized Medication Administration Error survey is useful for clinical practice managers. It allows for the identification of medication administration error causes and offers preventive and corrective measures that can be implemented. Measures to reduce medication administration errors include developing a non-punitive adverse event reporting system, introducing electronic prescriptions of medicines, involving clinical pharmacists in the pharmacotherapy process and providing nurses with regular comprehensive training.

Understanding Prescribing Differences Between Urologists and Medical Oncologists in the Management of Advanced Prostate Cancer.

INTRODUCTION: The availability of oral therapies for advanced prostate cancer allows urologists to continue to care for their patients who develop castration resistance. We compared the prescribing practices of urologists and medical oncologists in treating this patient population. METHODS: The Medicare Part D Prescribers data sets were utilized to identify urologists and medical oncologists who prescribed enzalutamide and/or abiraterone from 2013 to 2019. Each physician was assigned to one of 2 groups: enzalutamide prescriber (physicians that wrote more 30-day prescriptions for enzalutamide than abiraterone) or abiraterone prescriber (opposite). We ran a generalized linear regression to determine factors influencing prescribing preference. RESULTS: In 2019, 4,664 physicians met our inclusion criteria: 23.4% (1,090/4,664) urologists and 76.6% (3,574/4,664) medical oncologists. Urologists were more likely to be enzalutamide prescribers (OR 4.91, CI 4.22-5.74, P < .001) and this held in all regions. Urologists with greater than 60 prescriptions of either drug were not shown to be enzalutamide prescribers (OR 1.18, CI 0.83-1.66, P = .349); 37.9% (5,702/15,062) of abiraterone fills by urologists were for generic compared to 62.5% (57,949/92,741) of abiraterone fills by medical oncologists. CONCLUSIONS: There are dramatic prescribing differences between urologists and medical oncologists. A greater understanding of these differences is a health care imperative.

Dental opioid prescription patterns in academic and community settings.

OBJECTIVES: Reports of interventions to improve dental opioid prescribing have come primarily from academic settings, but most opioid prescriptions are written by community dentists. This analysis compares prescription characteristics between these two groups to inform interventions to improve dental opioid prescribing in community settings. METHODS: State prescription drug monitoring program data from 2013 to 2020 were used to compare opioid prescriptions from dentists at academic institutions (PDAI) to prescriptions from dentists in non-academic settings (PDNS). Linear regression was used to assess daily morphine milligram equivalents (MME), total MME, and days' supply, adjusting for year, age, sex, and rurality. RESULTS: Prescriptions from dentists at the academic institution accounted for less than 2% of over 2.3 million dental opioid prescriptions analyzed. Over 80% of prescriptions in both groups were written for <50 MME per day and for ≤3 days' supply. On average, in the adjusted models, prescriptions from the academic institution were written for about 75 additional MME per prescription and nearly a full day longer duration. Compared to adults, adolescents were the only age group who received both higher daily doses and longer days' supply. CONCLUSIONS: Prescriptions from dentists at academic institutions accounted for small percentage of opioid prescriptions, but prescription characteristics were clinically comparable between groups. Interventional targets to reduce opioid prescribing in academic institutions could be applied to community settings.

Telemedicine and Otolaryngology in the COVID-19 Era.

OBJECTIVE: The global Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in an expansion of telemedicine. The purpose of this study is to present our experience with outpatient telemedicine visits within a single institution's Department of Otolaryngology during the initial COVID-19 era. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective chart review. METHODS: This was a single-institution study conducted within the Department of Otolaryngology at an urban tertiary care center. Data on outpatient visits was obtained from billing and scheduling records from January 6 to May 28, 2020. Visits were divided into "pre-shutdown" and "post-shutdown" based on our state's March 23, 2020 COVID-19 shutdown date. RESULTS: A total of 3447 of 4340 (79.4%) scheduled visits were completed in the pre-shutdown period as compared to 1451 of 1713 (84.7%) in the post-shutdown period. The proportion of telemedicine visits increased (0.7%-81.2%, P < .001). Overall visit completion rate increased following the shutdown (80.2%-84.7%, P < .001). Subspecialties with an increase in visit completion rate were general (76.9%-88.0%, P = .002), otology (77.4%-87.2%, P < .001), and rhinology (80.0%-86.2%, P = .003). Patients with Medicaid and Medicare had higher appointment completion rates following the transition to telemedicine visits (80.7%-85.7%, P = .002; 76.9%-84.7%, P = .001). Older age was associated with decreased appointment cancellation pre-shutdown (OR 0.994 [0.991-0.997], P < .001) but increased appointment cancellation post-shutdown (OR 1.008 [1.001-1.014], P = .015). Mean COVID-19 risk scores were unchanged (P = .654). CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 has led to major changes in outpatient practice, with a significant shift from in-person to telemedicine visits following the mandatory shutdown. An associated increase in appointment completion rates was observed, reflecting a promising viable alternative to meet patient needs during this unprecedented time.

Assessment of the Quality of Current American Dental Association Clinical Practice Guidelines.

INTRODUCTION: The American Dental Association (ADA) defines evidence-based dentistry (EBD) as "an approach to oral healthcare that requires the judicious integration of systematic assessments of clinically relevant scientific evidence, relating to the oral and medical condition and history, with the dentist's clinical expertise and the patient's treatment needs and preferences." Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) are statements that include recommendations intended to optimize patient care that are informed by a systematic review of evidence and an assessment of the benefits and harms of alternative care options. Therefore, ADA CPGs are the most rigorous examples of EBD to inform clinical practice. CPGs should be of the highest level of quality to ensure the appropriateness and timeliness of clinical recommendations. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to measure the methodological rigor and transparency of the ADA CPGs. METHODS: Each ADA CPG was appraised by 4 independent assessors using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE II) instrument. Quantitative quality scores were obtained for 6 domains and overall quality. In addition, assessors provided a qualitative analysis by providing comments for each item and an appraisal of the full recommendation. RESULTS: A quality score of 75% was used as the threshold for high-quality guidelines. Using this metric, 6 of the current 10 current ADA CPGs were considered to be of high quality, 1 was slightly below the quality threshold, and 3 were considered marginal. Even among those evaluated to be high quality in overall assessment, certain domains did not reach the quality threshold of 75%. CONCLUSION: Overall, the ADA CPGs collectively provide high-quality guidance for the clinician. While the AGREE appraisal guidelines have been used in CPG development since 2016, there is still room for improvement in certain domains (i.e., stakeholder involvement, rigor of development, applicability, and editorial independence). KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER STATEMENT: The results of this study summarize the methodological rigor and transparency of the 10 current ADA clinical practice guidelines. Since adoption of AGREE standards (2016), CPGs have been uniformly of high quality. The quality of older CPGs was somewhat lower but overall deemed acceptable. Thus, ADA CPGs may be used with confidence to inform practitioners of treatment options supported by rigorous evidence-based dentistry standards. However, there is still room for improvement in methodological quality.

A Needs Assessment for the Future of Otolaryngology Education.

The field of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery is rapidly changing, and surgical education must keep pace. In the face of recent advances in medical knowledge, surgical technique, and novel technology, educators may find it increasingly difficult to identify the evolving educational needs of otolaryngology residents. To better align training activities with modern practice patterns, we propose conducting a longitudinal needs assessment by designing a standardized specialty-specific survey for practicing otolaryngologists. This recurring survey could be implemented alongside accreditation or other continuing medical education activities. The outcomes would report what contemporary otolaryngologists see and do in everyday practice to guide educational reforms to better prepare trainees for future practice.

Caries risk assessment-related knowledge, attitude, and behaviors among Chinese dentists: a cross-sectional survey.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate caries risk assessment (CRA)-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices among dentists in China, to describe their subjective ratings of the significance of specific caries risk factors and to identify factors associated with the level of knowledge, attitudes, and use of CRA in routine clinical practice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional anonymous online questionnaire survey was performed. The questionnaire was distributed via WeChat (Tencent, Shenzhen, China) to practicing dentists between November 25 and December 25, 2021. For participant recruitment, we employed purposive and snowball sampling techniques. Data were collected using a specialized web-based survey tool ( www.wjx.cn ) and analyzed with descriptive statistics and regression analyses. RESULTS: A total of 826 valid questionnaires were collected. Only 292 (35.4%) respondents used CRA in routine practice, among whom a majority (243, 83.2%) did not use a specific CRA tool. The routine use of CRA was associated with the type of practicing office, attendance of caries-related lectures, the habit of reading caries-related literature, geographic location, and the total knowledge score. The mean total knowledge score was 3.13 (score range: 0 to 6). Knowledge levels were related to several sociodemographic characteristics, including geographic location, the type of practicing office, attendance of caries-related lectures and the habit of reading caries-related literature. The risk factor deemed most important was "current oral hygiene." CONCLUSIONS: Caries risk assessment has not widely entered clinical practice in China. The level of CRA-related knowledge among dentists was generally suboptimal. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Strengthening CRA-related education may allow practitioners to develop a better understanding of caries risk assessment and hence promote its implementation.

Effects of COVID-19 pandemic on the management of pulmonary hypertension.

The coronavirus of 2019 (COVID-19) disrupted delivery of healthcare. Patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH), especially pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), require significant resources for both diagnosis and management and are at high risk for decompensation due to disruption in their care. A survey consisting of 47 questions related to the care of patients with PH was designed by the American College of Chest Physicians 2020-2021 Pulmonary Vascular Disease (PVD) NetWork Steering Committee and sent to all members of the PVD NetWork, as well as the multiple other professional networks for PH. Participation was voluntary and anonymous. Responses were collected from November 2020 through February 2021. Ninety-five providers responded to this survey. The majority (93%) believe that care of PH patients has been affected by the pandemic. Sixty-seven percent observed decreased referrals for PH evaluation. Prior to the pandemic, only 15% used telemedicine for management of PH patients compared to 84% during the pandemic. Telemedicine was used most for follow up of selected low-risk patients (49%). While 22% respondents were completely willing to prescribe new PAH therapy via telemedicine, 11% respondents were completely unwilling. Comfort levels differed based on type of medication being prescribed. Over 90% of providers experienced disruptions in obtaining testing and 31% experienced disruptions in renewal or approval of medications. Overall, providers perceived that the COVID-19 pandemic caused significant disruption of care for PH patients. Telemedicine utilization increased but was used mostly in low-risk patients. Some providers had a decreased level of comfort prescribing PAH therapy via telemedicine encounters.