Perspectives of health care providers on obstetric point-of-care ultrasound in lower-level health facilities in Kenya.

BACKGROUND: Ultrasound technology has become integral in antenatal care for its diagnostic effectiveness and potential to improve maternal and neonatal outcomes. Despite its proven benefits, challenges persist in its widespread adoption, particularly in low-resource settings like Kenya. AIM: The aim of this study was to explore the perspectives of healthcare providers regarding the integration of obstetric point-of-care ultrasound into routine maternal services in low-level facilities Kenya. METHODS: Using a descriptive qualitative study embedded in a large scale implementation study 76 healthcare providers who had undergone obstetric point-ofcare ultrasound training and were providing maternal services were purposively sampled from healthcare facilities across eight counties. Data was collected using structured audiotaped interviews, which were transcribed, and analyzed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: Five main themes with several subthemes emerged from the analysis: (1) Clinical Decision-Making (2) Quality of Services, (3) Training, (4)Technology Issues, and (5) Sustainability. DISCUSSION: Findings from this study suggest that use of obstetric Point-of-Care Ultrasound in resource-limited primary care settings, can enhance clinical decision making and influence patient management, ultimately resulting in significant health outcomes. CONCLUSION: Equipping health care providers with skills to conduct obstetric point of care ultrasound can lead to better-informed clinical decisions and ultimately contribute to improved health outcomes in underserved populations.

A training program for obstetrics point-of-care ultrasound to 514 rural healthcare providers in Kenya.

BACKGROUND: Ultrasound is a crucial and effective diagnostic tool in medicine. Recent advancements in technology have led to increased use of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS). Access to ultrasound equipment and training programs in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) is limited. Despite the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations for universal antenatal ultrasounds, POCUS for reproductive health applications has not been widely used in LMICs. We describe here the feasibility of implementation of a training of obstetrics point-of-care ultrasound (OB POCUS) for high-risk conditions in rural public healthcare facilities in Kenya with partnership from Butterfly Network, Global Ultrasound Institute, and Kenyatta University. METHODS: As part of the initiation of a large-scale implementation study of OB POCUS, clinician trainees were recruited from rural Kenyan hospitals for participation in a series of five-day POCUS workshops held between September and December 2022. Trainers provided brief didactic lessons followed by hands-on training with live models and at regional clinical sites for 5 OB POCUS applications. Instructor-observed assessment of students' scanning and image interpretation occurred over the training period. Assessment of knowledge and confidence was performed via an online pre-test and post-test as well as Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) was administered at course completion. RESULTS: Five hundred and fourteen mid-level Health Care Providers (HCPs) in Kenya were trained over a three-month period through in-person didactic sessions, bedside instruction, and clinical practice over a 5-day period with a trainer: trainee ratio of approximately 1:5. Out of the 514 trained HCPs, 468 were from 8 rural counties with poor maternal and neonatal outcomes, while the remaining 46 were from nearby facilities. OB POCUS topics covered included: malpresentation, multiple gestation, fetal cardiac activity, abnormalities of the placenta and amniotic fluid volume. There was marked improvement in the post training test scores compared to the pretest scores. CONCLUSION: Our implementation description serves as a guide for successful rapid dissemination of OB POCUS training for mid-level providers. Our experience demonstrates the feasibility of a short intensive POCUS training to rapidly establish specific POCUS skills in efforts to rapidly scale POCUS access and services. There is a widespread need for expanding access to ultrasound in pregnancy through accessible OB POCUS training programs. An implementation study is currently underway to assess the patient and systems-level impact of the training.

Competency-Based Assessments: Leveraging Artificial Intelligence to Predict Subcompetency Content.

PURPOSE: Faculty feedback on trainees is critical to guiding trainee progress in a competency-based medical education framework. The authors aimed to develop and evaluate a Natural Language Processing (NLP) algorithm that automatically categorizes narrative feedback into corresponding Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Milestone 2.0 subcompetencies. METHOD: Ten academic anesthesiologists analyzed 5,935 narrative evaluations on anesthesiology trainees at 4 graduate medical education (GME) programs between July 1, 2019, and June 30, 2021. Each sentence (n = 25,714) was labeled with the Milestone 2.0 subcompetency that best captured its content or was labeled as demographic or not useful. Inter-rater agreement was assessed by Fleiss' Kappa. The authors trained an NLP model to predict feedback subcompetencies using data from 3 sites and evaluated its performance at a fourth site. Performance metrics included area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), positive predictive value, sensitivity, F1, and calibration curves. The model was implemented at 1 site in a self-assessment exercise. RESULTS: Fleiss' Kappa for subcompetency agreement was moderate (0.44). Model performance was good for professionalism, interpersonal and communication skills, and practice-based learning and improvement (AUC 0.79, 0.79, and 0.75, respectively). Subcompetencies within medical knowledge and patient care ranged from fair to excellent (AUC 0.66-0.84 and 0.63-0.88, respectively). Performance for systems-based practice was poor (AUC 0.59). Performances for demographic and not useful categories were excellent (AUC 0.87 for both). In approximately 1 minute, the model interpreted several hundred evaluations and produced individual trainee reports with organized feedback to guide a self-assessment exercise. The model was built into a web-based application. CONCLUSIONS: The authors developed an NLP model that recognized the feedback language of anesthesiologists across multiple GME programs. The model was operationalized in a self-assessment exercise. It is a powerful tool which rapidly organizes large amounts of narrative feedback.

Resident perception on the impact of point-of-care ultrasound in clinical care at a family medicine training program in Zambia.

BACKGROUND: Patient access to necessary medical imaging in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) remains a major obstacle, complicating clinician decision-making and compromising patient outcomes. METHODS: We implemented a longitudinal point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) training program at a new Family Medicine residency in Zambia and subsequently evaluated residents' perceptions on the impact of POCUS in patient care. Data were documented by the scanning resident via a post-scan survey, which assessed if/how the scan assisted in medical management, and if/how the scan changed that management. The primary endpoint was frequency of scans assisting and changing management. Data were summarized using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: Over the 1-year study period, 366 patient encounters occurred in which POCUS was utilized, resulting in a total of 542 unique POCUS scans. POCUS assisted in decision-making in 95.6% (350/366) of patient encounters, most commonly by helping to determine a diagnosis. POCUS changed management in 65.8% (235/357) of patient encounters, most commonly leading to a medication change. CONCLUSIONS: Zambian resident physicians perceived POCUS to be very helpful in their clinical decision-making. These data support the need to advance POCUS education at the residency level throughout LMICs, which may be an ideal strategy to promote widespread utilization of POCUS in low-resource settings globally.

Bilateral Sphenopalatine Ganglion Block With Liposomal Bupivacaine Followed by Severe Hypertension: A Case Report.

We reviewed a case of bilateral sphenopalatine ganglion (SPG) blockade with liposomal bupivacaine for sinus surgery. The case was complicated by severe postoperative hypertension refractory to antihypertensives and needing intensive care unit (ICU) admission. While SPG blockade has been used to treat headaches and provide perioperative analgesia, this complication and a possible mechanism have not been described. We discuss how local anesthetic spread beyond the SPG may have caused prolonged parasympathetic blockade and hypertension. Before approved indications are established, we recommend avoiding the use of liposomal bupivacaine in off-label settings when the function of bilateral autonomic structures could be affected.

Unrecognized Postoperative Opioid-Induced Movement Disorder: A Case Report.

A 22-year-old man, with a medical history significant for posttraumatic stress disorder and chronic pain, underwent ankle surgery at the United States Naval Hospital, Yokosuka, Japan. His immediate postoperative course was complicated by episodic muscle rigidity, necessitating admission for diagnostic evaluation. The differential was necessarily broad and included local anesthetic toxicity, medication mediated effect, seizures, serotonin syndrome, and malignant hyperthermia. Cultural and systemic differences in patient care delivery at a Japanese hospital helped to elucidate the mechanism. This case highlights cultural differences in pain management and navigates the differential of an acute onset movement disorder in the immediate postoperative period.

The Mbeya Antimicrobial Stewardship Team: Implementing Antimicrobial Stewardship at a Zonal-Level Hospital in Southern Tanzania.

Background: In 2017, Mbeya Zonal Referral Hospital (MZRH) and the University of South Carolina (UofSC) agreed to collaboratively strengthen antimicrobial prescribing in the southern highlands of Tanzania and train a new generation of clinicians in responsible antimicrobial use. Methods: Key stakeholders and participants were identified and the Mbeya Antimicrobial Stewardship Team (MAST) was created. The team identified assets brought by the collaborators, and four investigations of baseline needs were developed. These investigations included (a) a baseline clinician survey regarding antimicrobial resistance and stewardship, (b) a serial chart review of inpatient antimicrobial prescribing practices, (c) an investigation of antimicrobial resistance rates using existing isolates at the MZRH laboratory, and (d) a survey of antimicrobial availability at community pharmacies in the city. Results: 91% of physicians believe antimicrobial resistance is problem in Tanzania, although only 29% of physicians were familiar with the term "antimicrobial stewardship". Escherichia coli isolates had resistance rates of over 60% to the commonly used agents ciprofloxacin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and ceftriaxone. Thirteen out of 14 community pharmacies offered over-the-counter antibiotics for upper respiratory symptoms. Conclusions: International antimicrobial stewardship collaborations can successfully identify opportunities and needs. Evaluating the team's efforts to improve patient outcomes will be essential.

Human hookworm infection: Is effective control possible? A review of hookworm control efforts and future directions.

Human hookworm, a soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infection caused by either Necator americanus or Anclystoma duodenale, is a major cause of morbidity globally and predominantly affects the world's poorest populations. Transmitted primarily by larval invasion of exposed skin, the adults inhabit the host small intestine, where they consume host blood. The resultant chronic iron deficiency anemia can lead to stunted growth and cognitive deficits in children, reduced work capacity in adults, and a variety of pregnancy complications. Historically, successful STH elimination has only been achieved in regions with concomitant significant economic growth. Since 2001, control of the STHs has been attempted via single-dose mass deworming of at-risk school-aged and preschool-aged children within STH-endemic countries, with the goal of morbidity reduction. Research questioning this strategy has grown in recent years, and current studies are evaluating the effectiveness of novel deworming strategies, including multidrug regimens and expansion of deworming to entire communities. While footwear campaigns may be associated with reduced odds of hookworm infection, the evidence supporting the impact of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) interventions upon hookworm is mixed. Progress towards a human hookworm vaccine continues, with promising results from recent Phase 1 trials and several others ongoing. Integrated STH control programs, which combine mass deworming with WASH interventions, are relatively unstudied but may be a promising advancement. Whether interruption of STH transmission can be achieved apart from significant economic growth remains unanswered, but likely the implementation of intensive, integrated control programs will be necessary to achieve that goal.

Evaluation of Antimicrobial Utilization and Concordance with National Guidelines at a Tertiary Hospital in the Southern Highlands Zone of Tanzania.

Antimicrobial resistance is a growing concern in sub-Saharan Africa, and antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programs have not been widely implemented in this region. We evaluated antibiotic prescribing patterns and concordance with national guidelines at Mbeya Zonal Referral Hospital (MZRH) in Tanzania. Adult inpatient medical records were chronologically reviewed from January 1, 2018 until 100 records documenting antibiotic therapy were evaluated. The primary endpoint was concordance with national guidelines for indication-based antibiotic selection and duration. Data were summarized using descriptive statistics. Overall, 155 records with sufficient data were reviewed. The 100 records which involved antibiotic therapy represented 171 unique antibiotic courses. The most common indication for antibiotics was bacterial pneumonia. Ceftriaxone and metronidazole, the most commonly used antibiotics, were administered in 40% and 24% of courses, respectively. Indication-based antibiotic selection was concordant with national guidelines in 63% of courses, but this fell to 15% when course duration was taken into account. Antibiotic courses were completed as prescribed 28% of the time among evaluable courses. A microbiologic culture of any kind was obtained in 17% of patients. In conclusion, antibiotic therapy was often incomplete, was generally guideline discordant, exhibited limited diversity of selection, and frequently lacked diagnostic confirmation. These data, combined with local susceptibility patterns, may be used to foster AMS efforts for improved compliance with guidelines at MZRH in the future.