Quality of breast surgery care at a comprehensive cancer center and its rural affiliate hospital.

BACKGROUND: Cancer centers are increasingly affiliating with rural hospitals to perform surgery. Perioperative and oncologic outcomes for cancer center surgeons operating at rural hospitals are understudied. METHODS: For patients with non-metastatic breast cancer from a rural catchment area who had oncologic surgery at an NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center (CC) or its rural affiliate (RA) from 2017 to 2022, we compared perioperative outcomes (composite of surgical site infection, seroma requiring drainage, and reoperation for margins) and receipt of guideline-concordant care (if patient received all applicable treatments) using descriptive statistics and chi-squared tests. RESULTS: Among 168 patients, 99 had surgery at RA, 60 CC. RA patients were older, higher stage, and more often had lumpectomy. There were no differences in perioperative outcomes (CC 10%, RA 14%, p â€‹= â€‹0.445) or guideline concordant care (RA 76%, CC 78%, p â€‹= â€‹0.846). CONCLUSIONS: Cancer center surgeons operating at a rural affiliate had comparable perioperative outcomes and guideline-concordant care.

Open surgical cholecystostomy under local anaesthesia as salvage therapy of acute cholecystitis during the 4th COVID-19 wave in Northern Italy: experience from a rural hospital.

The COVID-19 pandemic outbreak delayed interventions of elective surgery worldwide. In Italy, the first western country to be affected, 410000 operations formerly planned were cancelled with the beginning of the first wave. Symptomatic cholelithiasis represents one of the most common, benign medical conditions in the world leading the affected patients to general surgeons'attention; in 0.5% of cases gallstones (symptomatic or not) can complicate with acute lithiasic cholecystitis (ALC) whose universally acknowledged treatment of choice is laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Delaying in surgery of ALC can increase the rate of complications like severe ALC, acute cholangitis and sepsis. The 4th wave of COVID 19 in Northern Italy induced further stress on the healthcare system. In fact, the occurrence of difficult communication and delays in ALC patients transfer between first and second level hospitals lead to the re-emergence of obsolete surgical procedures. In our rural hospital, in fact, a 92 years old patient affected with ALC and several comorbidities was treated with a successful emergency surgical procedure of transperitoneal cholecistostomy in lieu of a radiological transperitoneal approach. Such a choice was dictated by the absence of an interventional radiology unit in our hospital as well as the unavailability of patient transfer to our central referral hub (the hospital of Parma) due to hospital overcrowding secondary to the 4th wave of COVID 19 pandemic.

Implementation of a virtual and in-person hybrid hospital-at-home model in two geographically separate regions utilizing a single command center: a descriptive cohort study.

BACKGROUND: As providers look to scale high-acuity care in the patient home setting, hospital-at-home is becoming more prevalent. The traditional model of hospital-at-home usually relies on care delivery by in-home providers, caring for patients in urban communities through academic medical centers. Our objective is to describe the process and outcomes of Mayo Clinic's Advanced Care at Home (ACH) program, a hybrid virtual and in-person hospital-at-home model combining a single, virtual provider-staffed command center with a vendor-mediated in-person medical supply chain to simultaneously deliver care to patients living near an urban hospital-at-home command center and patients living in a rural region in a different US state and time zone. METHODS: A descriptive, retrospective medical records review of all patients admitted to ACH between July 6, 2020, and December 31, 2021. Patients were admitted to ACH from an urban academic medical center in Florida and a rural community hospital in Wisconsin. We collected patient volumes, age, sex, race, ethnicity, insurance type, primary hospital diagnosis, 30-day mortality rate, in-program mortality, 30-day readmission rate, rate of return to hospital during acute phase, All Patient Refined-Diagnosis Related Groups (APR-DRG) Severity of Illness (SOI), and length of stay (LOS) in both the inpatient-equivalent acute phase and post-acute equivalent restorative phase. RESULTS: Six hundred and eighty-six patients were admitted to the ACH program, 408 in Florida and 278 in Wisconsin. The most common diagnosis seen were infectious pneumonia (27.0%), septicemia / bacteremia (11.5%), congestive heart failure exacerbation (11.5%), and skin and soft tissue infections (6.3%). Median LOS in the acute phase was 3 days (IQR 2-5) and median stay in the restorative phase was 22 days (IQR 11-26). In-program mortality rate was 0% and 30-day mortality was 0.6%. The mean APR-DRG SOI was 2.9 (SD 0.79) and the 30-day readmission rate was 9.7%. CONCLUSIONS: The ACH hospital-at-home model was able to provide both high-acuity inpatient-level care and post-acute care to patients in their homes through a single command center to patients in urban and rural settings in two different geographical locations with favorable outcomes of low mortality and hospital readmissions.

Do China rural traditional Chinese medicine hospitals provide efficient healthcare to the people? Empirical study from 2013 to 2018 using data envelopment analysis.

Rural traditional Chinese medicine hospitals bear responsibilities of providing efficient medical services for rural residents. Efficiency assessments have previously been conducted in single province. This study aimed to investigate the technical efficiency of rural traditional Chinese medicine hospitals across China from 2013 to 2018, with the application of super slack-based measure data envelopment analysis. In total, 1219 hospitals covering 28 provinces were included as sample hospitals. Overall, hospitals performed technically less efficiently but presented with an increasing trend. Redundancy and insufficiency existed in health input and output variables, respectively. Notably, optimizing input variables was found to make more substantial improvement in hospital efficiency. Provincial and regional disparities were also observed in hospital efficiency. In conclusion, rural traditional Chinese medicine hospitals have experienced slight improvement in efficiency during the study period, however, their efficiency was still in a relatively low level with ample room for improvement. Meanwhile, regional coordinated development should also be noticed in this process.

Doctors' experiences of providing care in rural hospitals in Southern New Zealand: a qualitative study.

OBJECTIVE: To explore rural hospital doctors' experiences of providing care in New Zealand rural hospitals. DESIGN: The study had a qualitative design, using qualitative content analysis. SETTING: The study was conducted in South Island, New Zealand, and included nine different rural hospitals. RESPONDENTS: Semistructured interviews were conducted with 16 rural hospital doctors. RESULTS: Three themes were identified: 'Applying a holistic perspective in the care', 'striving to maintain patient safety in sparsely populated areas' and 'cooperating in different teams around the patient'. Rural hospital care more than general hospital care was seen as offering a holistic perspective on patient care based on closeness to their home and family, the generalist perspective of care and personal continuity. The presentation of acute life-threatening low-frequency conditions at rural hospitals were associated with feelings of concern due to limited access to ambulance transportation and lack of experience.Overall, however, patient safety in rural hospitals was considered equal or better than in general hospitals. Doctors emphasised the central role of rural hospitals in the healthcare pathways of rural patients, and the advantages and disadvantages with small non-hierarchical multidisciplinary teams caring for patients. Collaboration with hospital specialists was generally perceived as good, although there was a sense that urban colleagues do not understand the additional medical and practical assessments needed in rural compared with the urban context. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides an understanding of how rural hospital doctors value the holistic generalist perspective of rural hospital care, and of how they perceive the quality and safety of that care. The long distances to general hospital care for acute cases were considered concerning.

Enhancing Cancer care of rural dwellers through telehealth and engagement (ENCORE): protocol to evaluate effectiveness of a multi-level telehealth-based intervention to improve rural cancer care delivery.

BACKGROUND: Despite lower cancer incidence rates, cancer mortality is higher among rural compared to urban dwellers. Patient, provider, and institutional level factors contribute to these disparities. The overarching objective of this study is to leverage the multidisciplinary, multispecialty oncology team from an academic cancer center in order to provide comprehensive cancer care at both the patient and provider levels in rural healthcare centers. Our specific aims are to: 1) evaluate the clinical effectiveness of a multi-level telehealth-based intervention consisting of provider access to molecular tumor board expertise along with patient access to a supportive care intervention to improve cancer care delivery; and 2) identify the facilitators and barriers to future larger scale dissemination and implementation of the multi-level intervention. METHODS: Coordinated by a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center, this study will include providers and patients across several clinics in two large healthcare systems serving rural communities. Using a telehealth-based molecular tumor board, sequencing results are reviewed, predictive and prognostic markers are discussed, and treatment plans are formulated between expert oncologists and rural providers. Simultaneously, the rural patients will be randomized to receive an evidence-based 6-week self-management supportive care program, Cancer Thriving and Surviving, versus an education attention control. Primary outcomes will be provider uptake of the molecular tumor board recommendation and patient treatment adherence. A mixed methods approach guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research that combines qualitative key informant interviews and quantitative surveys will be collected from both the patient and provider in order to identify facilitators and barriers to implementing the multi-level intervention. DISCUSSION: The proposed study will leverage information technology-enabled, team-based care delivery models in order to deliver comprehensive, coordinated, and high-quality cancer care to rural and/or underserved populations. Simultaneous attention to institutional, provider, and patient level barriers to quality care will afford the opportunity for us to broadly share oncology expertise and develop dissemination and implementation strategies that will enhance the cancer care delivered to patients residing within underserved rural communities. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov , NCT04758338 . Registered 17 February 2021 - Retrospectively registered, http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/.

Intravenous iron therapy in a rural hospital: A retrospective chart review.

INTRODUCTION: Intravenous iron infusion therapy is commonly delivered in rural hospitals, but there are no common guidelines for dosing or choice of agent. The objective of the study was to understand present practice and alternate therapies and develop practical recommendations for small hospital use. METHODS: This was a retrospective chart review of all non-dialysis patients aged 15 years or older who received iron replacement therapy at Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Health Centre from May 2013 to May 2019 and a literature review of available iron preparations. RESULTS: Of the 147 patients who received intravenous iron replacement, 75 were administered a single dose of 200 mg or 500 mg iron sucrose. Commonly used in pregnant patients, an increase in haemoglobin by an average of 9.2 g/L followed a 200 mg dose and 12.5 g/L after 500 mg. The 3-h infusion time for the 500 mg dose consumed considerably more nursing resources. Non-pregnant patients can be transfused more effectively with iron maltoside which can efficiently deliver larger doses of iron. CONCLUSION: We recommend iron maltoside for efficient intravenous iron replacement in non-pregnant patients and single or multiple doses of 200 mg iron sucrose during pregnancy.

Résumé Introduction: La perfusion intraveineuse de fer est fréquente dans les hôpitaux ruraux, mais il n'existe pas de lignes directrices courantes sur la posologie ou le choix de l'agent. Cette étude visait à comprendre la pratique actuelle, et les autres options thérapeutiques et d'émettre des recommandations pratiques à l'intention des petits hôpitaux. Méthodologie: Revue rétrospective des dossiers de tous les patients de 15 ans et plus non sous dialyse qui avaient reçu une supplémentation en fer à l'Hôpital SLMHC entre les mois de mai 2013 et mai 2019 et revue de la littérature sur les préparations de fer commercialisées. Résultats: Sur les 147 patients ayant reçu une perfusion de supplémentation en fer, 75 ont reçu une dose unique de 200 mg ou de 500 mg de fer-saccharose. Fréquemment utilisées chez les femmes enceintes, les doses de 200 et de 500 mg ont augmenté le taux d'Hb d'en moyenne 9,2 g/L et de 12.5 g/L, respectivement. La perfusion de 3 heures nécessaire à la dose de 500 mg a utilisé considérablement plus de ressources infirmières. Le fer-isomaltoside, qui administre efficacement des doses supérieures de fer, est perfusé plus efficacement chez les patients, à l'exclusion des femmes enceintes. Conclusion: Nous recommandons le fer-isomaltoside pour la supplémentation en fer efficace chez les patients, à l'exclusion des femmes enceintes et une dose unique ou multiple de 200 mg de fer-saccharose durant la grossesse. Mots-clés: Fer-isomaltoside, médecine rurale, perfusion intraveineuse de fer.

Certified Nurse-Midwives in Rural Kansas Hospitals: A Survey of Senior Hospital Administrators.

INTRODUCTION: Little is known about the nurse-midwifery workforce in rural Kansas hospitals, despite Kansas facing a shortage of primary care physicians providing maternity care rurally. This study investigated the current number of hospitals with certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) with privileges to attend births in Kansas hospitals located in frontier, rural, and densely settled rural counties and anticipated trends in the size of the CNM workforce at hospitals over the next 5 years. METHODS: Electronic surveys were distributed to senior hospital administrators at 94 hospitals in rural Kansas from June to July 2019. The survey included both open and closed-ended questions related to scope of CNM privileges, collaborative agreements, and forecasted trends in the CNM workforce in rural Kansas. RESULTS: Fifty-six hospitals completed the survey. Only one hospital reported having CNM-attended births. Twenty-eight of 37 hospital administrators agreed CNMs should have collaborative agreements with physicians. Most respondents did not anticipate the number of CNMs with privileges to increase at their hospitals over the next 5 years. DISCUSSION: Future research should focus on understanding the factors limiting CNM expansion in rural Kansas, because CNMs represent an untapped, additional maternity care workforce for rural Kansas.

The Implementation of a Stress Management Program for Health Care Workers Through a Rural Occupational Health Clinic.

BACKGROUND: Stress affects U.S. healthcare workers (HCWs) and costs US$191 billion annually. About 30% to 50% of healthcare providers report burnout. Based on an assessment of a U.S. rural hospital system, 94% of workers experienced negative health consequences. We conducted a quality improvement (QI) project for the purpose of implementing a stress management program for HCWs in a hospital system. METHODS: A total of 500 HCWs were informed of the program through hospital communication channels. Using the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) process, we screened workers presenting to the occupational health clinic for care. Project team members recruited other workers for stress screening throughout the organization. Interventions included contacting workers with elevated scores on the Perceived Stress Survey (PSS; N = 213). The nurse practitioner scheduled them for a shared-decision-making (SDM) appointment (N = 33) where workers were informed of and encouraged to participate in stress reduction activities. Surveys were used to assess effectiveness of SDM appointments and the stress reduction activities. After each 2-week PDSA cycle, interventions were adjusted. FINDINGS: Of the 42% (N = 213) of workers who were screened for stress, 24% (n = 52) had elevated scores. Fifty percent (n = 26) completed an SDM appointment. Participants reported an 86% assurance level that they would use personalized stress management plans. Participants utilizing the interventions (n = 271) reported 25% to 72% reduced stress levels. CONCLUSIONS/APPLICATION TO PRACTICE: This successful project, in a rural setting, included workers across job classifications. Team engagement, PSS screening, SDM opportunities, and stress management activities were project strengths. This low-cost project can be replicated.

Outcomes after ST-elevation myocardial infarction presentation to hospitals with or without a routine primary percutaneous coronary intervention service (ANZACS-QI 46).

AIM: Primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is the optimal reperfusion strategy to manage ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Where timely primary PCI cannot be achieved, an initial pharmacological reperfusion strategy is recommended with subsequent transfer to a PCI-capable hospital. The study aim was to assess STEMI outcomes according to the interventional capability of the New Zealand hospital to which patients initially present. METHODS: Nine thousand four hundred and eighty-eight New Zealand patients, aged 20-79 years, admitted with STEMI to a public hospital were identified. Patients were categorised into three groups-metropolitan hospitals with all-hours access to primary PCI (routine primary PCI cohort), metropolitan hospitals without routine access to PCI, and rural hospitals. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality. Secondary outcomes were major adverse cardiac events (MACE) and major bleeding. RESULTS: Invasive coronary angiography was more frequent in the routine primary PCI cohort compared to metropolitan hospitals without routine access to PCI and rural hospitals (90.6 vs 83.0 vs 85.0% respectively; p<0.001) and occurred more commonly on the day of admission (78.9 vs 28.7 vs 25.7% respectively; p<0.001). There were no differences in multivariable adjusted all-cause mortality, MACE or major bleeding between patients admitted to any of the hospital groupings. CONCLUSION: Outcomes after STEMI in New Zealand are similar regardless of the interventional capability of the hospital where they first present.

Exploring pathways to Hospital Care for Patients with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias in rural South Western Uganda.

BACKGROUND: In order to analyze use of health services and identify sources of delays in accessing the right care for patients with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (AD/ADRD), understanding of care seeking pathways is needed. The objectives of this study were: (i) to explore pathways to hospital care for patients with AD/ADRD and (ii) to describe challenges experienced by the patients and their families while seeking health care. METHODS: Using purposive sampling, 30-in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted among caregivers of older adults diagnosed with dementia from rural Southwestern, Uganda. Data was analyzed using ATLAS. Ti software. RESULTS: There was variability in pathways to care from individual to individual. There was one broader theme captured: points of care choice with four broader categories: hospitals, clinics, places of religious worship and traditional healers' shrines, each with its facilitating factors, outcomes and challenges encountered. Most of the respondents reported use of hospitals at first and second visit to the health care point but places of religious worship became more common from third to sixth health care encounter. Major improvements (58.1%) were observed on hospital use but little or no help with prayers, clinics and traditional healers. The challenges experienced with formal points of care focused on lack and cost of prescribed drugs, weakening effect of the drugs, lack of skills to manage the condition, and lack of improvement in quality of life. These challenges together with knowledge gap about the disease and belief in spiritual healing facilitated the shift from formal to informal health care pathways, more particularly the places of religious worship. CONCLUSIONS: Our study findings indicate that caregivers/families of patients with dementia went to different places both formal and informal care settings while seeking health care. However, hospital point of care was more frequent at initial health care visits while places of worship took the lead at subsequent visits. Although no specific pathway reported, most of them begin with hospital (formal) and end with non-formal. We recommend that health systems carry out public awareness on dementia.

Six sigma approach for neonatal jaundice patients in an Indian rural hospital - a case study.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this paper is to implement Six Sigma approach to decrease the length of stay (LOS) of neonatal jaundice patients in an Indian government rural hospital situated in northern hill region. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: Six Sigma's Define-Measure-Analyse-Improve-Control procedure is applied in order to decrease the LOS of neonatal jaundice patients. The mean and standard deviation have been computed as 34.53 and 20.01 h, respectively. The cause and effect diagram is used in the "Analyse" phase of the Six Sigma. The regression analysis and GEMBA observation techniques are used to validate the causes identified through cause and effect diagram. FINDINGS: The waiting time for registration, waiting time for tests, waiting time for phototherapy and time for discharge implementation are the main factors that are responsible for longer LOS. Based on the identified root causes, some recommendations are suggested to the hospital administration and staff members in order to reduce the LOS. RESEARCH LIMITATIONS/IMPLICATIONS: The present research is limited to provide recommendations to the hospital administration to reduce LOS and it entirely depends upon the implementation of the administration. However, target of administration is to reduce the LOS up to 24 h. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Six Sigma model will reduce bottlenecks in LOS and enhance service quality of hospital. The developed regression model will help the doctors and staff members to assess and control the LOS by controlling and minimising the independent variables. SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS: The project will directly provide benefits to society, as LOS will decrease and patients' satisfaction will automatically increase. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: Six Sigma is a developed methodology, but its application in paediatric department is very limited. This is the first ever study of applying Six Sigma for neonatal jaundice patients in India.

Reducing intrapartum fetal deaths through low-dose high frequency clinical mentorship in a rural hospital in Western Kenya: a quasi-experimental study.

BACKGROUND: Intrapartum fetal mortality can be prevented by quality emergency obstetrics and newborn care (EmONC) during pregnancy and childbirth. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a low-dose high-frequency onsite clinical mentorship in EmONC on the overall reduction in intrapartum fetal deaths in a busy hospital providing midwife-led maternity services in rural Kenya. METHODS: A quasi-experimental (nonequivalent control group pretest - posttest) design in a midwife-led maternity care hospitals. Clinical mentorship and structured supportive supervision on EmONC signal functions was conducted during intervention. Maternity data at two similar time points: Oct 2015 to July 2016 (pre) and August 2016 to May 2017 (post) reviewed. Indicators of interest at Kirkpatrick's levels 3 and 4 focusing on change in practice and health outcomes between the two time periods were evaluated and compared through a two-sample test of proportions. Proportions and p-values were reported to test the strength of the evidence after the intervention. RESULTS: Spontaneous vaginal delivery was the commonest route of delivery between the two periods in both hospitals. At the intervention hospital, assisted vaginal deliveries (vacuum extractions) increased 13 times (0.2 to 2.5%, P < 0.0001), proportion of babies born with low APGAR scores requiring newborn resuscitation doubled (1.7 to 3.7%, P = 0.0021), proportion of fresh stillbirths decreased 5 times (0.5 to 0.1%, P = 0.0491) and referred cases for comprehensive emergency obstetric care doubled (3.0 to 6.5%, P < 0.0001) with no changes observed in the control hospital. The proportion of live births reduced (98 to 97%, P = 0.0547) at the control hospital. Proportion of macerated stillbirths tripled at the control hospital (0.4 to 1.4%, P = 0.0039) with no change at the intervention hospital. CONCLUSION: Targeted mentorship improves the competencies of nurse/midwives to identify, manage and/or refer pregnancy and childbirth cases and/or complications contributing to a reduction in intrapartum fetal deaths. Scale up of this training approach will improve maternal and newborn health outcomes.

Developing an antimicrobial stewardship program across a rural health system: The Avera Health experience.

PURPOSE: The stages of development of a health system-wide antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) using existing personnel and technology are described. SUMMARY: Small hospitals with limited resources may struggle to meet ASP requirements, particularly facilities without onsite infectious disease physicians and/or experienced infectious disease pharmacists. Strategies for ASP development employed by Avera Health, a 33-hospital health system in the Midwest, included identifying relevant drug utilization and resistance patterns, education and pathway development, and implementation of Web-based conferencing to provide pharmacists throughout the system with access to infectious disease expertise on a daily basis. These efforts resulted in an evolving single-system ASP that has leveraged existing resources to overcome some system barriers. Program outcomes to date include a reduction in the use of a targeted agent, improved pathogen susceptibility trends, and rates of hospital-associated Clostridium difficile infection below national benchmarks. CONCLUSION: The Avera Health ASP grew from a collaborative project targeting levofloxacin overuse and resistance among key bacteria to a formal, health system-wide ASP in a rural setting. This program used existing personnel to provide standardized processes, educational campaigns, and antimicrobial expertise through the use of technology. This ASP program may provide helpful examples of ASP strategies for other rural health systems with similar resources.

Pathways to diabetic care at hospitals in rural Eastern Uganda: a cross sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Prompt access to appropriate treatment reduces early onset of complications to chronic illnesses. Our objective was to document the health providers that patients with diabetes in rural areas seek treatment from before reaching hospitals. METHODS: Patients attending diabetic clinics in two hospitals of Iganga and Bugiri in rural Eastern Uganda were asked the health providers they went to for treatment before they started attending the diabetic clinics at these hospitals. An exploratory sequential data analysis was used to evaluate the sequential pattern of the types of providers whom patients went to and how they transitioned from one type of provider to another. RESULTS: Out of 496 patients assessed, 248 (50.0%) went first to hospitals, 104 (21.0%) to private clinics, 73 (14.7%) to health centres, 44 (8.9%) to drug shops and 27 (5.4%) to other types of providers like community health workers, neighbours and traditional healers. However, a total of 295 (59.5%) went to a second provider, 99 (20.0%) to a third, 32 (6.5%) to a fourth and 15 (3.0%) to a fifth before being enrolled in the hospitals' diabetic clinics. Although community health workers, drug shops and household neighbours were utilized by 65 (13.1%) patients for treatment first, nobody went to these as a second provider. Instead patients went to hospitals, private clinics and health centres with very few patients going to herbalists. There is no clear pathway from one type of provider to another. CONCLUSIONS: Patients consult many types of providers before appropriate medical care is received. Communities need to be sensitized on seeking care early from hospitals. Health centres and private clinics need to be equipped to manage diabetes or at least diagnose it and refer patients to hospitals early enough since some patients go to these health centres first for treatment.

Management of severe acute malnutrition in children under 5 years through the lens of health care workers in two rural South African hospitals.

BACKGROUND: Despite the widespread implementation of the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for the management of severe malnutrition in South Africa, poor treatment outcomes for children under 5 years are still observed in some hospitals, particularly in rural areas. OBJECTIVE: To explore health care workers' perceptions about upstream and proximal factors contributing to poor treatment outcomes for severe acute malnutrition in two district hospitals in South Africa. METHODS: An explorative descriptive qualitative study was conducted. Four focus group discussions were held with 33 hospital staff (senior clinical and management staff, and junior clinical staff) using interview guide questions developed based on the findings from an epidemiological study that was conducted in the same hospitals. Qualitative data were analysed using the framework analysis. FINDINGS: Most respondents believed that critical illness, which was related to early and high case fatality rates on admission, was linked to a web of factors including preference for traditional medicine over conventional care, gross negligence of the child at household level, misdiagnosis of severe malnutrition at the first point of care, lack of specialised skills to deal with complex presentations, shortage of patient beds in the hospital and policies to discharge patients before optimal recovery. The majority believed that the WHO guidelines were effective and relatively simple to implement, but that they do not make much difference among severe acute malnutrition cases that are admitted in a critical condition. Poor management of cases was linked to the lack of continuity in training of rotating clinicians, sporadic shortages of therapeutic resources, inadequate staffing levels after normal working hours and some organisational and system-wide challenges beyond the immediate control of clinicians. CONCLUSION: Findings from this study suggest that effective management of paediatric severe acute malnutrition in the study setting is affected by a multiplicity of factors that manifest at different levels of the health system and the community. A verificatory study is encouraged to collaborate these findings.

Management of severe acute malnutrition in children under 5 years through the lens of health care workers in two rural South African hospitals

Background: Despite the widespread implementation of the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for the management of severe malnutrition in South Africa, poor treatment outcomes for children under 5 years are still observed in some hospitals, particularly in rural areas.Objective: To explore health care workers' perceptions about upstream and proximal factors contributing to poor treatment outcomes for severe acute malnutrition in two district hospitals in South Africa.Methods: An explorative descriptive qualitative study was conducted. Four focus group discussions were held with 33 hospital staff (senior clinical and management staff, and junior clinical staff) using interview guide questions developed based on the findings from an epidemiological study that was conducted in the same hospitals. Qualitative data were analysed using the framework analysis.Findings: Most respondents believed that critical illness, which was related to early and high case fatality rates on admission, was linked to a web of factors including preference for traditional medicine over conventional care, gross negligence of the child at household level, misdiagnosis of severe malnutrition at the first point of care, lack of specialised skills to deal with complex presentations, shortage of patient beds in the hospital and policies to discharge patients before optimal recovery. The majority believed that the WHO guidelines were effective and relatively simple to implement, but that they do not make much difference among severe acute malnutrition cases that are admitted in a critical condition. Poor management of cases was linked to the lack of continuity in training of rotating clinicians, sporadic shortages of therapeutic resources, inadequate staffing levels after normal working hours and some organisational and system-wide challenges beyond the immediate control of clinicians.Conclusion: Findings from this study suggest that effective management of paediatric severe acute malnutrition in the study setting is affected by a multiplicity of factors that manifest at different levels of the health system and the community. A verificatory study is encouraged to collaborate these findings

Improving Access to Image-guided Procedures at an Integrated Rural Critical Access Hospital: Ultrasound-guided Thyroid Biopsy Program.

PURPOSE: Critical access hospitals face difficulty providing all services locally and may need to refer patients off-site for additional care. Providing on-site minimally invasive biopsies, may obviate visits to tertiary or quaternary care centers. This study aims to assess feasibility and outcomes of an ultrasound-guided thyroid biopsy program in a critical access hospital. METHODS: In this HIPAA compliant, IRB approved study, the Interventional Radiology (IR) database of a 19-bed, island, rural, critical access hospital without onsite pathology services affiliated with our quaternary care institution was retrospectively reviewed to identify all thyroid biopsies that were performed on site since inception of the service in April 2014 through August 2016. A specialized biopsy and specimen collection protocol was created as each specimen was transferred to and analyzed by the pathology department at our affiliated quaternary care institution. RESULTS: Two IR physicians carried out thyroid biopsies on 34 nodules in 29 patients during the study period. The mean age of patients was 56.5 ± 14.0, with a range of 35-85 and 86% female, 14% male. 94.1% of nodules had adequate material for interpretation on the first biopsy and 97.1% upon repeat biopsy. Ultimately, 5 patients (with 6 nodules) underwent surgical resection at the integrated quaternary care center. Surgical resection identified one atypical follicular adenoma, one follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma, two papillary carcinomas, and two Hürthle cell tumors. CONCLUSION: IR thyroid biopsy services may be successfully provided in the rural setting without onsite pathology analysis and adequacy checks, enhancing patient access and streamlining care while also expanding the reach of tertiary care centers.

Rural General Surgery: A 38-Year Experience with a Regional Network Established by an Integrated Health System in the Midwestern United States.

BACKGROUND: General surgeon (GS) workforce shortages are predicted to worsen, particularly in rural areas. We report on a sustainable model for delivery of GS services within a large rural region that includes an integrated health system. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a longitudinal study of a rural GS network from 1978 to 2016. Employment data and rural GS survey results were reviewed to document methods of recruitment, retention, and case-volume development. RESULTS: During the 38-year study period, 19 rural GSs were employed by the health system. There were 3 practice acquisitions and 16 new hires. The rural GS network grew from 1 in 1978 to 10 in 2016. In 1996, the network consisted of 6 rural GSs at 6 different critical access hospitals (CAHs). Currently, 9 rural GSs practice at 1 of 4 CAHs. They provide outpatient general surgery and endoscopy at an additional 6 CAHs and cesarean section coverage at 4 CAHs. Four (21%) rural GSs have retired, 10 (53%) continue to practice in the network, and only 5 (26%) left before retirement. Six rural GSs have practiced in one location for more than 20 years. CONCLUSIONS: Successful recruitment of rural GSs depends on competitive salary, reasonable call and leave schedules, administrative support, and adequate case variety and volume. Case volume is enhanced by cooperative relationships with CAHs, health system assistance in performing appropriate procedures locally, co-management of complex cases, and development of outreach surgical locations. In addition to the recruitment principles mentioned, rural GS retention is optimized by connectivity with the main campus medical center.

The distribution of maternity services across rural and remote Australia: does it reflect population need?

BACKGROUND: Australia has a universal health care system and a comprehensive safety net. Despite this, outcomes for Australians living in rural and remote areas are worse than those living in cities. This study will examine the current state of equity of access to birthing services for women living in small communities in rural and remote Australia from a population perspective and investigates whether services are distributed according to need. METHODS: Health facilities in Australia were identified and a service catchment was determined around each using a one-hour road travel time from that facility. Catchment exclusions: metropolitan areas, populations above 25,000 or below 1,000, and a non-birthing facility within the catchment of one with birthing. Catchments were attributed with population-based characteristics representing need: population size, births, demographic factors, socio-economic status, and a proxy for isolation - the time to the nearest facility providing a caesarean section (C-section). Facilities were dichotomised by service level - those providing birthing services (birthing) or not (no birthing). Birthing services were then divided by C-section provision (C-section vs no C-section birthing). Analysis used two-stage univariable and multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: There were 259 health facilities identified after exclusions. Comparing services with birthing to no birthing, a population is more likely to have a birthing service if they have more births, (adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR): 1.50 for every 10 births, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) [1.33-1.69]), and a service offering C-sections 1 to 2 h drive away (aOR: 28.7, 95% CI [5.59-148]). Comparing the birthing services categorised by C-section vs no C-section, the likelihood of a facility having a C-section was again positively associated with increasing catchment births and with travel time to another service offering C-sections. Both models demonstrated significant associations with jurisdiction but not socio-economic status. CONCLUSIONS: Our investigation of current birthing services in rural and remote Australia identified disparities in their distribution. Population factors relating to vulnerability and isolation did not increase the likelihood of a local birthing facility, and very remote communities were less likely to have any service. In addition, services are influenced by jurisdictions.