Patient assessment of diabetes care in a pay-for-performance program.

OBJECTIVE: Few studies address quality of care in pay-for-performance (P4P) programs from the perspective of patients' perceptions. This study aimed to examine and compare the patient assessment of diabetes chronic care as perceived by diabetic patients enrolled and not enrolled in a P4P program from the patients' self-reported perspectives. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study with case and comparison group design. SETTING: A large-scale survey was conducted from February to November 2013 in 18 healthcare institutions in Taiwan. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 1458 P4P (n = 1037) and non-P4P (n = 421) diabetic patients participated in this large survey. The Chinese version of the Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care (PACIC) instrument was used and patients' clinical outcome data (e.g. HbA1c, LDL) were collected. INTERVENTION: None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Five subscales from the PACIC were measured, including patient activation, delivery system design/system support, goal setting/tailoring, problem solving/contextual and follow-up/coordination. Patient clinical outcomes were also measured. Multiple linear regression and logistic regression models were used and controlled for patient demographic and health institution characteristics statistically. RESULTS: After adjusting for covariates, P4P patients had higher overall scores on the PACIC and five subscales than non-P4P patients. P4P patients also had better clinical processes of care (e.g. HbA1c test) and intermediate outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Patients who participated in the program likely received better patient-centered care given the original Chronic Care Model. Better perceptions of diabetic care assessment also better clinical outcomes. The PACIC instrument can be used for the patient assessment of chronic care in a P4P program.

Adverse effect of low-dose amiodarone mimicking pulmonary malignancy.

A 74-year-old woman presented with a one-week history of persistent cough. A chest x-ray and computed tomography images revealed features mimicking lung cancer, which included a large solitary consolidation and hilar lymphadenopathy. She had received low-dose amiodarone (200 mg/day) for treatment of atrial fibrillation for more than 2.5 years. The tumour-like abnormalities did not disappear until the discontinuation of amiodarone therapy. The finding of low-dose amiodarone causing tumour-like abnormalities on a chest x-ray is unique. Once amiodarone-induced tumour-like changes are diagnosed, therapeutic options are limited. In most cases, the tumour-like changes are reversible, if diagnosed early. An unusual case involving amiodarone-induced pulmonary abnormalities is reported, followed by a review of the relevant literature.

Disseminated nontuberculous mycobacterial infection mimic metastases on PET/CT scan.

A 68-year-old man had malaise, weight loss, and enlarged right cervical lymph nodes. The first biopsy from a right cervical lymph node showed granulomas with negative acid-fast bacillus (AFB) staining, and he was treated for extrapulmonary tuberculosis with isoniazid, rifampin, ethambutol, and pyrazinamide. Symptoms persisted even after receiving antituberculosis drugs for 2 months. He was transferred to our center for F-18 FDG PET/CT scan under the suspicion of occult malignancy. The PET/CT scan showed increased FDG uptake in the right cervical lymphadenopathy and multiple bony lesions. The second biopsy from the FDG-avid cervical lymph node and bone marrow confirmed nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infection. After another 6 months of adjusted antituberculosis therapy with isoniazid, rifampin, ethambutol, and clarithromycin, a repeat PET/CT scan showed remission of previous lesions.