Are Spanish primary care professionals aware of patient safety?

BACKGROUND: Knowledge about safety culture improves patient safety (PS) in health-care organizations. The first contact a patient has with health care occurs at the primary level. We conducted a survey to measure patient safety culture (PSC) among primary care professionals (PCPs) of health centres (HCs) in Spain and analyzed PS dimensions that influence PSC. METHODS: We used Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Medical Office Survey on Patient Safety Culture translated and validated into Spanish to conduct a cross-sectional anonymous postal survey. We randomly selected a sample of 8378 PCPs at 289 HCs operated by 17 Regional Health Services. Statistical analysis was performed on sociodemographic variables, survey items, PS dimensions and a patient safety synthetic index (PSSI), calculated as average score of the items per dimension, to identify potential predictors of PSC. We used AHRQ data to conduct international comparison. RESULTS: A total of 4344 PCPs completed the questionnaire. The response rate was 55.69%. Forty-two percent were general practitioners, 34.9% nurses, 18% administrative staff and 4.9% other professionals. The highest scoring dimension was 'PS and quality issues' 4.18 (4.1-4.20) 'Work pressure and pace' was the lowest scored dimension with 2.76 (2.74-2.79). Professionals over 55 years, with managerial responsibilities, women, nurses and administrative staff, had better PSSI scores. Professionals with more than 1500 patients and working for more than 11 years at primary care had lower PSSI scores. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first national study to measure PSC in primary care in Spain. Results may reflect on-going efforts to build a strong PSC. Further research into its association with safety outcomes and patients' perceptions is required.

Chemotherapy versus best supportive care for extensive small cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Combination chemotherapy has been the mainstay of treatment for extensive stage small celI lung cancer (SCLC) over the last 30 years even though it only gives a short prolongation in median survival time. The main goal for these patients should be palliation with the aim of improving their quality of life. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effectiveness of chemotherapy in extensive SCLC compared with best supportive care (BSC) or placebo treatment. SEARCH STRATEGY: MEDLINE (1966 to July 2008), EMBASE (1974 to week 31, 2008), and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL, Issue 3, 2008). Experts in the field were contacted. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised controlled trials in which any chemotherapy treatment was compared with placebo or BSC in patients with extensive SCLC, as first or second therapy at relapse. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two authors independently extracted data and assessed study quality. We resolved disagreements by discussion. Additional information was obtained from one study author. MAIN RESULTS: Two studies were included for first-line chemotherapy. A total of 65 patients were randomised to receive either placebo or ifosfamide. Ifosfamide gave an extra mean survival of 78.5 days compared with placebo. Partial tumour response was greater with the active treatment. Toxicity was only seen in the chemotherapy group.Two studies were included for second-line chemotherapy at relapse. A total of 531 patients were randomised to receive either methotrexate-doxorubicin or symptomatic treatment, or to receive oral topotecan versus BSC. The methotrexate-doxorubicin treatment gave a median survival of 63 days longer than in the symptomatic treatment group, and 21 days longer for patients allocated to receive four or eight cycles of first-line chemotherapy, respectively.Treatment with topotecan gave a median survival of 84 days longer than in the BSC group (log-rank P = 0.01). The adjusted hazard ratio for overall survival was 0.61 (95% CI, 0.43 to 0.87). Partial or complete response in the methotrexate-doxorubicin group was 22.3%. Five patients (7%, 95% CI, 2.33 to 15.67) showed a partial response with topotecan. Toxicity was worst in the chemotherapy group. Quality of life was better in the topotecan group. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Chemotherapeutic treatment prolongs survival in comparison with placebo in patients with advanced SCLC. Nevertheless, the impact of first-line chemotherapy on quality of life and in patients with poor prognosis is unknown. Well-designed, controlled trials are needed to further evaluate the risks and benefits of different chemotherapeutic schedules in patients with advanced SCLC.

[Relationship between quality of life and various models of home care in terminal oncology patients from a health area of Madrid]. / Relación de la calidad de vida con diferentes modelos de atención domiciliaria en enfermos oncológicos terminales de un área sanitaria de Madrid.

BACKGROUND: This study assesses the effectiveness of the palliative home care for the purpose of ascertaining whether terminal cancer patients treated by Homecare Support Teams have a better quality of life than those treated by Primary Care Teams. METHODS: A quasi-experimental prospective study conducted in Madrid Healthcare District 4 on patients referred from the hospital to Homecare Support Teams or to Primary Care Teams. The main study variable was the quality of life gauged using the Rotterdam Symptom Check List and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Statistical differences were evaluated by MANOVA, repeated measures ANOVA and Friedman test. RESULTS: A total of 165 patients were treated by Homecare Support Teams and 56 by Primary Care Teams. The patients treated by the Homecare Support Teams showed better point scores on the overall scale (mean difference: 9.5; CI 95%; 2.3-16.67) and pain scale Symptom Check List during the first week of the study. The effect size was greater on the Homecare Support Team group. The prescription of drugs and the place of death were different between both groups. CONCLUSIONS: At the start of the study, the patients treated by Homecare Support Teams showed a better perception of the health condition than those treated by the Primary Care Teams. However, the great number of patients lost along the study makes it necessary be cautious when considering these results.

Día Internacional para la Prevención del Suicidio (10 de septiembre de 2019). Trabajando juntos por su prevención / No disponible

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Reliability and concurrent validity of the Palliative Outcome Scale, the Rotterdam Symptom Checklist, and the Brief Pain Inventory.

BACKGROUND: Some domains of the questionnaires used to measure symptoms and quality of life (QOL) in patients with advanced cancer seem to measure similar dimensions or constructs, so it would be useful for clinicians to demonstrate the interchangeability of equivalent domains of the questionnaires in measuring the same constructs. OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the reliability and concurrent validity of the Palliative Outcome Scale (POS), the Rotterdam Symptom Checklist (RSCL), and the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI), used to measure symptom control in patients with advanced cancer. DESIGN: This was an evaluative study. SETTING/SUBJECTS: Subjects were patients with advanced cancer attended by Spanish primary care physicians. MEASUREMENTS: Secondary analysis was performed of 117 outpatients who completed the POS, BPI, and RSCL at two different times, with an interval of 7 to 10 days. Bland and Altman analyses and plot, repeatability coefficient, as well as Spearman correlations were carried out. RESULTS: There were 117 included patients. Mean age was 69.4 (11.5) years, gender was 60% male, 37.6% completed only elementary school, diagnoses were mainly digestive and lung cancer, with a low functional rate and presence of oncologic pain. First and second questionnaire rounds showed significant correlations and agreement. Agreement was shown between pain intensity of BPI and pain and physical scales of RSCL, and between physical symptoms of RSCL and of POS, with significant correlations in equivalent dimensions. CONCLUSION: BPI, POS, and RSCL have shown adequate reliability and moderate concurrent validity among them.

Clinical effectiveness of online training in palliative care of primary care physicians.

BACKGROUND: Primary care physicians (PCPs) have a major responsibility in the management of palliative patients. Online palliative care (PC) education has not been shown to have a clinical impact on patients that is equal or different to traditional training. OBJECTIVE: This study tested the clinical effectiveness of online PC education of physicians through impact on symptom control, quality of life (QOL), caregiver satisfaction, and knowledge-attitude of physicians at 18 months of the intervention. METHODS: We conducted a randomized clinical trial. Subjects were 169 physicians randomly assigned to receive the online model or traditional training. Consecutive patients with advanced cancer requiring PC were included. Physicians and patients completed the Palliative Care Outcome Scale (POS), and patients the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) and the Rotterdam Symptom Checklist (RSCL) twice, 7 to 10 days apart. Caregivers completed the SERVQUAL. Physicians' level of knowledge-attitude was measured at 18 months. RESULTS: Sixty-seven physicians enrolled 117 patients. The intervention group had reduced scores for pain, symptoms, and family anxiety. The global RSCL scale showed a difference between groups. There was no significant difference in the questionnaires used. Caregiver satisfaction was comparable between groups. Physicians in the intervention group significantly increased their knowledge without any differences in attitude. Online training was completed by 86.6% in the intervention group, whereas 13.4% in the control group accessed traditional training. CONCLUSIONS: Participation in an online PC education program by PCPs improved patient scores for some symptoms and family anxiety on the POS and also showed improved global QOL. Significant differences were found in physicians' knowledge at short and long term.

[Social network analysis: a method to improve safety in healthcare organizations]. / El análisis de las redes sociales: un método para la mejora de la seguridad en las organizaciones sanitarias.

Patient safety depends on the culture of the healthcare organization involving relationships between professionals. This article proposes that the study of these relations should be conducted from a network perspective and using a methodology called Social Network Analysis (SNA). This methodology includes a set of mathematical constructs grounded in Graph Theory. With the SNA we can know aspects of the individual's position in the network (centrality) or cohesion among team members. Thus, the SNA allows to know aspects related to security such as the kind of links that can increase commitment among professionals, how to build those links, which nodes have more prestige in the team in generating confidence or collaborative network, which professionals serve as intermediaries between the subgroups of a team to transmit information or smooth conflicts, etc. Useful aspects in stablishing a safety culture. The SNA would analyze the relations among professionals, their level of communication to communicate errors and spontaneously seek help and coordination between departments to participate in projects that enhance safety. Thus, they related through a network, using the same language, a fact that helps to build a culture. In summary, we propose an approach to safety culture from a SNA perspective that would complement other commonly used methods.

Acción coordinada d ela unicón europea para fortalecer la red de colaboración en seguridad del paciente y calidad: The european network for patient safety & quality (PASQ) / No disponible

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El análisis de las redes sociales. Un método para la mejora de la seguridad en las organizaciones sanitarias / Social network analysis. A method to improve safety in healthcare organizations

La seguridad del paciente depende de la cultura de la organización sanitaria y de las relaciones que los profesionales mantienen entre sí. En este artículo se propone que el estudio de esas relaciones debería de llevarse a cabo desde una perspectiva de red y mediante una metodología denominadaAnálisis de Redes Sociales (ARS). Esta incluye un conjunto de constructos matemáticos fundamentados en la Teoría de grafos. Con el ARS podemos conocer aspectos relacionados con la posición del individuo en la red (centralidad) o la cohesión entre los miembros de un equipo. De esta forma se pueden conocer aspectos tan relacionados con la seguridad como por ejemplo saber qué tipo de vínculos pueden aumentar el compromiso entre los profesionales, cómo se construyen, qué nodos tienen más prestigio en el equipo en cuanto a generar confianza o una red colaborativa, qué profesionales sirven de intermediarios entre los subgrupos de un equipo para transmitir información o suavizar conflictos, etcétera, todos ellos aspectos útiles para establecer una cultura de seguridad. El ARS permitiría analizar las relaciones de los profesionales, su nivel de comunicación para manifestar los errores y pedir ayuda de forma espontánea y la coordinación existente entre departamentos para participar en proyectos que mejoren la seguridad. De esta forma, se relacionan en red utilizando un mismo lenguaje, hecho que ayuda a construir una cultura. En conclusión, se propone un abordaje de la cultura de seguridad desde una perspectiva de ARS que complementaría otros métodos habitualmente utilizados(AU)

Patient safety depends on the culture of the healthcare organization involving relationships between professionals. This article proposes that the study of these relations should be conducted from a network perspective and using a methodology called Social Network Analysis (SNA). This methodology includes a set of mathematical constructs grounded in Graph Theory.With the SNAwe can know aspects of the individual's position in the network (centrality) or cohesion among team members. Thus, the SNA allows to know aspects related to security such as the kind of links that can increase commitment among professionals, how to build those links, which nodes have more prestige in the team in generating confidence or collaborative network, which professionals serve as intermediaries between the subgroups of a teamto transmit information or smooth conflicts, etc. Useful aspects in stablishing a safety culture. The SNAwould analyze the relations among professionals, their level of communication to communicate errors and spontaneously seek help and coordination between departments to participate in projects that enhance safety. Thus, they related through a network, using the same language, a fact that helps to build a culture. In summary, we propose an approach to safety culture from a SNA perspective that would complement other commonly used methods(AU)

Seguridad del paciente en el pasado, presente y futuro de las organizaciones sanitarias. Un desafío para las enfermeras / Past, present and future patient safety in healthcare organisations

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[Adverse events in general and digestive surgery departments in Spanish hospitals]. / Sucesos adversos en cirugía general y de aparato digestivo en los hospitales españoles.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence of patients with adverse events (AE) in Spanish general surgery units, describe the immediate causes of AE, identify avoidable AE, and determine the impact of these events. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We performed a retrospective cohort study of a randomized stratified sample of 24 hospitals. Six of the hospitals were small (fewer than 200 beds), 13 were medium-sized (between 200 and 499 beds) and five were large (500 or more beds). Patients admitted for more than 24 hours to the selected hospitals and who were discharged between the 4th and 10th of June 2005 were included. AE detected during hospitalization and those occurring as a consequence of previous admissions in the same hospital were analyzed. RESULTS: The incidence of patients with AE associated with medical care was 10.5% (76/735; 95%CI: 8.1%-12.5%). The presence of intrinsic risk factors increased the risk of AE (14.8% vs 7.2%; P=.001). Likewise, 16.2% of patients with an extrinsic risk factor had an AE compared with 7.0% of those without these risk factors (P< .001). Comorbidity influenced the occurrence of AE (33.7% of AE vs. 2.2% without comorbidity; P< .001). The severity of the AE was related to ASA risk (P=.036). AE were related to nosocomial infection (41.7%), procedures (27.1%) and medication (24%). A total of 31.3% of the AE were mild, 39.6% were moderate, and 29.2% were severe. Preventable AE accounted for 36.5%. AE caused an additional 527 days of stay (6.3 additional days of stay per patient), of which 216 were due to preventable AE. CONCLUSIONS: Patients in general and digestive surgery units have an increased risk of AE. Risk factors for these events are age, comorbidity, and the use of external devices. A substantial number of AE are related to nosocomial infection (especially surgical wound infection) and to surgical procedures. AE have an important impact on patients and a considerable proportion of these events are preventable. AE have strong health, social and economic repercussions and until recently have constituted a silent epidemic in Spain. Consequently, study of these events should be a public health priority.

Proyecto Bacteriemia Zero. Reducción de bacteriemia provocada por catéteres venosos centrales (CVC) en las UCI de España(AU) / Bacteriemia Zero Project. Reduction of bacteriema provoked by central vascular catheters in Intensive Care Units in Spain

Presentación. España, país de demostración para reducir las bacteriemias por catéteres centrales. El Ministerio de Sanidad y Política Social (MSPS) a través de la Agencia de Calidad, en colaboración con la Alianza Mundial para la Seguridad del Paciente de la OMS, ha puesto en marcha un proyecto para la prevención de las infecciones relacionadas con los catéteres centrales en las Unidades de Cuidados Intensivos (UCI). Este proyecto se enmarca dentro de la Estrategia de Seguridad de Pacientes que el MSPS viene desarrollando desde el año 2005 que incluye como uno de sus objetivos prioritarios impulsar prácticas seguras en los centros sanitarios del Sistema Nacional de Salud (SNS). El proyecto, realizado en coordinación con las Comunidades Autónomas (CCAA) y liderado a nivel técnico por la Sociedad Española de Medicina Intensiva, Crítica y Unidades Coronarias (SEMICYUC), utiliza una estrategia multifactorial basada en la experiencia llevada a cabo en Michigan por el grupo liderado por el Dr. Peter Pronovost de la Universidad Johns Hopkins. La Alianza Mundial por la Seguridad del Paciente junto con el Quality Safety Research Group de la Universidad de Johns Hopkins promueven la aplicación de dicha estrategia de manera global con la intención de obtener resultados similares a los conseguidos en el Estado de Michigan. España ha sido el primer país en sumarse a dicha iniciativa por lo que ha sido designado por la OMS para ser país «demostración» en la reducción de infecciones relacionadas con los catéteres centrales en las unidades de cuidados intensivos (UCI)(AU)

IntroductionSpain, A Showcase Country for the reduction of bacteriemas caused by the use of central catheters The Health and Consumer Affairs Ministry by means of its Quality Control Agency in collaboration with the World Alliance for Patient Safety Programme, promoted by the World Health Organization (WHO), has initiated a project to prevent infections related with central catheters in intensive care units. This project forms part of the Strategy for Patient Safety which the Health and Consumer Affairs Ministry has been developing since 2005; this strategy includes as one of its main objectives to promote safe practices in the health care centers run by the National Health Service. This project, carried out in coordination with the Spanish Autonomous Communities and lead at the technical level by the Spanish Society of Intensive, Critical and Coronary Care Medicine, SEMICYUC, utilizes a multifaceted strategy based on the experiences carried out in Michigan by Dr. Peter Pronovost of John Hopkins University. The World Alliance for Patient Safety Programme together with John Hopkins University Quality & Safety Research Group promote the application of the aforementioned strategy on a world-wide scale in the hopes of obtaining results similar to those obtained in the State of Michigan. Spain is the first country to join in on this initiative and therefore the WHO has designated Spain a "show case country" in the reduction of infections related to central catheters in intensive care units(AU)

Relación de la calidad de vida con diferentes modelos de atención domiciliaria en enfermos oncológicos terminales de un área sanitaria de madrid / The relationship between quality of life and different models of home care among terminal cancer patients in an health area of Madrid, Spain

Fundamentos: En este trabajo se evalúa la efectividad de los cuidados paliativos a domicilio con el objetivo de determinar si los enfermos con cáncer terminal tratados por Equipos de Soporte de Atención Domiciliaria presentan mejor calidad de vida que los tratados por Equipos de Atención Primaria. Métodos: Estudio prospectivo cuasi experimental realizado en el Área 4 del Insalud de Madrid con enfermos referidos desde el hospital a Equipos de Soporte de Atención Domiciliaria o a Equipos de Atención Primaria. La variable estudiada fue la calidad de vida medida a través del Rotterdam Symptom Check List y el Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Para el análisis estadístico se utilizó MANOVA, ANOVA de medidas repetidas y el test de Friedman. Resultados: 165 enfermos fueron tratados por Equipos de Soporte de Atención Domiciliaria y 56 por Equipos de Atención Primaria. Los primeros presentaron mejor puntuación en las escalas global (diferencia de medias: 9,5; IC 95 por ciento: 2,3-16,67) y dolor (diferencia de medias: 6,4; IC 9 por ciento: 1,14-11,43) del Rotterdam Symptom Check List en la primera semana del estudio. El tamaño del efecto fue mayor en el grupo Equipos de Soporte de Atención Domiciliaria. La prescripción de fármacos y el lugar de la muerte fue diferente en ambos grupos. Conclusiones: Al principio del estudio los enfermos tratados por Equipos de Soporte de Atención Domiciliaria presentaron una mejor percepción del estado de salud que los tratados por Equipos de Atención Primaria. No obstante, el importante número de pérdidas a lo largo del mismo hace que haya que mirar estos resultados con precaución (AU)

Background: This study assesses the effectiveness of the palliative home care for the purpose of ascertaining whether terminal cancer patients treated by Homecare Support Teams have a better quality of life than those treated by Primary Care Teams. Methods: A quasi-experimental prospective study conducted in Madrid Healthcare District 4 on patients referred from the hospital to Homecare Support Teams or to Primary Care Teams. The main study variable was the quality of life gauged using the Rotterdam Symptom Check List and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Statistical differences were evaluated by MANOVA, repeated measures ANOVA and Friedman test. Results: A total of 165 patients were treated by Homecare Support Teams and 56 by Primary Care Teams. The patients treated by the Homecare Support Teams showed better point scores on the overall scale (mean differece: 9.5; CI 95%; 2.3-16.67) and pain scale (mean difference: 6.4; CI 9%; 1.14-11.43) on the Rotterdam Symptom Check List during the first week of the study. The effect size was greater on the Homecare Support Team group. The prescription of drugs and the place of death were different between both groups. Conclusions: At the start of the study, the patients treated by Homecare Support Teams showed a better perception of the health condition than those treated by the Primary Care Teams. However, the great number of patients lost along the study makes it necessary be cautious when considering these results (AU)