A inserção de técnicos em saúde bucal: questões em disputa na Política Nacional de Saúde Bucal / La inserción de técnicos en salud bucal: cuestiones en disputa en la Política Nacional de Salud Bucal / The insertion of oral health technicians: issues in dispute in the National Oral Health Policy

Analisou-se a inserção de técnicos em saúde bucal (TSB) na equipe de saúde bucal a partir de 2003 e questões em disputa na Política Nacional de Saúde Bucal. Estudo de abordagem sócio-histórica apoiado na sociologia de Pierre Bourdieu. Realizou-se análise documental, da literatura e entrevistas em profundidade com agentes formuladores e gestores da Política Nacional de Saúde Bucal. Houve baixa adesão à equipe com TSB pelos municípios brasileiros e evidências de manutenção das relações tradicionais de divisão do trabalho odontológico, subutilização do TSB e maior atuação em prevenção. A dominação simbólica do polo do mercado prevalece no serviço público e no espaço odontológico mais amplo, mesmo com conquistas na regulamentação profissional. Essa inserção ainda não se consolidou. As limitações das apostas da política, particularmente a questão do TSB, devem subsidiar novas ações, considerando a dominação simbólica e possíveis formas de enfrentá-la.(AU)

Se analizó la inserción de técnicos en salud bucal (TSB) en el equipo de salud bucal a partir de 2003 y cuestiones en disputa en la Política Nacional de Salud Bucal. Estudio de abordaje sociohistórico apoyado en la sociología de Pierre Bourdieu. Se realizó un análisis documental de la literatura y entrevistas en profundidad con agentes formuladores y gestores de la Política Nacional de Salud Bucal. Hubo baja adhesión al equipo con TSB por parte de los municipios brasileños y evidencias de mantenimiento de las relaciones tradicionales de división del trabajo odontológico, subutilización y mayor actuación en prevención. La dominación simbólica del polo del mercado prevalece en el servicio público y en el espacio odontológico más amplio, incluso con conquistas en la reglamentación profesional. Esa inserción aún no se ha consolidado. Las limitaciones de las apuestas de la política, particularmente la cuestión del TSB, deben subsidiar nuevas acciones, considerando la dominación simbólica y posibles formas de enfrentarla.(AU)

The research analyzed the insertion of Oral Health Technicians (OHT) in the oral health team from 2003 and issues in dispute in the National Oral Health Policy. The study used a social-historical approach based on Pierre Bourdieu's sociology. Documentary and literature analysis and interviews were carried out with formulators and managers of oral health policy. The municipalities presented low adhesion to teams with OHT, as well as there was evidence of maintenance of the traditional relationships of division of dental work, underutilization and greater performance in prevention. The symbolic domination of the market axis prevails in the public service and in the wider dental space, even with achievements in professional regulation. This insertion has not yet been consolidated. The limitations of policy bets, in particular this issue of OHT, should subsidize new actions, considering this symbolic domination and possible ways to tackle it.(AU)

Surge capacity for critical care specialised allied health professionals in Australia during COVID-19.

Significant investment in planning and training has occurred across the Australian healthcare sector in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, with a primary focus on the medical and nursing workforce. We provide a short summary of a recently published article titled "Surge capacity of Australian intensive care units associated with COVID-19 admissions" in the Medical Journal of Australia and, importantly, highlight a knowledge gap regarding critical care specialised allied health professional (AHP) workforce planning in Australia. The unique skill set provided by critical care specialised AHPs contributes to patient recovery long after the patient leaves the intensive care unit, with management targeted at reducing disability and improving function, activities of daily living, and quality of life. Allied health workforce planning and preparation during COVID-19 must be considered when planning comprehensive and evidence-based patient care. The work by Litton et al. has highlighted the significant lack of available data in relation to staffing of critical care specialised AHPs in Australia, and this needs to be urgently addressed.

Beyond the black stump: rapid reviews of health research issues affecting regional, rural and remote Australia.

CHAPTER 1: RETAIL INITIATIVES TO IMPROVE THE HEALTHINESS OF FOOD ENVIRONMENTS IN RURAL, REGIONAL AND REMOTE COMMUNITIES: Objective: To synthesise the evidence for effectiveness of initiatives aimed at improving food retail environments and consumer dietary behaviour in rural, regional and remote populations in Australia and comparable countries, and to discuss the implications for future food environment initiatives for rural, regional and remote areas of Australia. STUDY DESIGN: Rapid review of articles published between January 2000 and May 2020. DATA SOURCES: We searched MEDLINE (EBSCOhost), Health and Society Database (Informit) and Rural and Remote Health Database (Informit), and included studies undertaken in rural food environment settings in Australia and other countries. DATA SYNTHESIS: Twenty-one articles met the inclusion criteria, including five conducted in Australia. Four of the Australian studies were conducted in very remote populations and in grocery stores, and one was conducted in regional Australia. All of the overseas studies were conducted in rural North America. All of them revealed a positive influence on food environment or consumer behaviour, and all were conducted in disadvantaged, rural communities. Positive outcomes were consistently revealed by studies of initiatives that focused on promotion and awareness of healthy foods and included co-design to generate community ownership and branding. CONCLUSION: Initiatives aimed at improving rural food retail environments were effective and, when implemented in different rural settings, may encourage improvements in population diets. The paucity of studies over the past 20 years in Australia shows a need for more research into effective food retail environment initiatives, modelled on examples from overseas, with studies needed across all levels of remoteness in Australia. Several retail initiatives that were undertaken in rural North America could be replicated in rural Australia and could underpin future research. CHAPTER 2: WHICH INTERVENTIONS BEST SUPPORT THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING NEEDS OF RURAL POPULATIONS EXPERIENCING NATURAL DISASTERS?: Objective: To explore and evaluate health and social care interventions delivered to rural and remote communities experiencing natural disasters in Australia and other high income countries. STUDY DESIGN: We used systematic rapid review methods. First we identified a test set of citations and generated a frequency table of Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) to index articles. Then we used combinations of MeSH terms and keywords to search the MEDLINE (Ovid) database, and screened the titles and abstracts of the retrieved references. DATA SOURCES: We identified 1438 articles via database searches, and a further 62 articles via hand searching of key journals and reference lists. We also found four relevant grey literature resources. After removing duplicates and undertaking two stages of screening, we included 28 studies in a synthesis of qualitative evidence. DATA SYNTHESIS: Four of us read and assessed the full text articles. We then conducted a thematic analysis using the three phases of the natural disaster response cycle. CONCLUSION: There is a lack of robust evaluation of programs and interventions supporting the health and wellbeing of people in rural communities affected by natural disasters. To address the cumulative and long term impacts, evidence suggests that continuous support of people's health and wellbeing is needed. By using a lens of rural adversity, the complexity of the lived experience of natural disasters by rural residents can be better understood and can inform development of new models of community-based and integrated care services. CHAPTER 3: THE IMPACT OF BUSHFIRE ON THE WELLBEING OF CHILDREN LIVING IN RURAL AND REMOTE AUSTRALIA: Objective: To investigate the impact of bushfire events on the wellbeing of children living in rural and remote Australia. STUDY DESIGN: Literature review completed using rapid realist review methods, and taking into consideration the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) statement for systematic reviews. DATA SOURCES: We sourced data from six databases: EBSCOhost (Education), EBSCOhost (Health), EBSCOhost (Psychology), Informit, MEDLINE and PsycINFO. We developed search terms to identify articles that could address the research question based on the inclusion criteria of peer reviewed full text journal articles published in English between 1983 and 2020. We initially identified 60 studies and, following closer review, extracted data from eight studies that met the inclusion criteria. DATA SYNTHESIS: Children exposed to bushfires may be at increased risk of poorer wellbeing outcomes. Findings suggest that the impact of bushfire exposure may not be apparent in the short term but may become more pronounced later in life. Children particularly at risk are those from more vulnerable backgrounds who may have compounding factors that limit their ability to overcome bushfire trauma. CONCLUSION: We identified the short, medium and long term impacts of bushfire exposure on the wellbeing of children in Australia. We did not identify any evidence-based interventions for supporting outcomes for this population. Given the likely increase in bushfire events in Australia, research into effective interventions should be a priority. CHAPTER 4: THE ROLE OF NATIONAL POLICIES TO ADDRESS RURAL ALLIED HEALTH, NURSING AND DENTISTRY WORKFORCE MALDISTRIBUTION: Objective: Maldistribution of the health workforce between rural, remote and metropolitan communities contributes to longstanding health inequalities. Many developed countries have implemented policies to encourage health care professionals to work in rural and remote communities. This scoping review is an international synthesis of those policies, examining their effectiveness at recruiting and retaining nursing, dental and allied health professionals in rural communities. STUDY DESIGN: Using scoping review methods, we included primary research - published between 1 September 2009 and 30 June 2020 - that reported an evaluation of existing policy initiatives to address workforce maldistribution in high income countries with a land mass greater than 100 000 km2 . DATA SOURCES: We searched MEDLINE, Ovid Embase, Ovid Emcare, Informit, Scopus, and Web of Science. We screened 5169 articles for inclusion by title and abstract, of which we included 297 for full text screening. We then extracted data on 51 studies that had been conducted in Australia, the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Norway. DATA SYNTHESIS: We grouped the studies based on World Health Organization recommendations on recruitment and retention of health care workers: education strategies (n = 27), regulatory change (n = 11), financial incentives (n = 6), personal and professional support (n = 4), and approaches with multiple components (n = 3). CONCLUSION: Considerable work has occurred to address workforce maldistribution at a local level, underpinned by good practice guidelines, but rarely at scale or with explicit links to coherent overarching policy. To achieve policy aspirations, multiple synergistic evidence-based initiatives are needed, and implementation must be accompanied by well designed longitudinal evaluations that assess the effectiveness of policy objectives. CHAPTER 5: AVAILABILITY AND CHARACTERISTICS OF PUBLICLY AVAILABLE HEALTH WORKFORCE DATA SOURCES IN AUSTRALIA: Objective: Many data sources are used in Australia to inform health workforce planning, but their characteristics in terms of relevance, accessibility and accuracy are uncertain. We aimed to identify and appraise publicly available data sources used to describe the Australian health workforce. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a scoping review in which we searched bibliographic databases, websites and grey literature. Two reviewers independently undertook title and abstract screening and full text screening using Covidence software. We then assessed the relevance, accessibility and accuracy of data sources using a customised appraisal tool. DATA SOURCES: We searched for potential workforce data sources in nine databases (MEDLINE, Embase, Ovid Emcare, Scopus, Web of Science, Informit, the JBI Evidence-based Practice Database, PsycINFO and the Cochrane Library) and the grey literature, and examined several pre-defined websites. DATA SYNTHESIS: During the screening process we identified 6955 abstracts and examined 48 websites, from which we identified 12 publicly available data sources - eight primary and four secondary data sources. The primary data sources were generally of modest quality, with low scores in terms of reference period, accessibility and missing data. No single primary data source scored well across all domains of the appraisal tool. CONCLUSION: We identified several limitations of data sources used to describe the Australian health workforce. Establishment of a high quality, longitudinal, linked database that can inform all aspects of health workforce development is urgently needed, particularly for rural health workforce and services planning. CHAPTER 6: RAPID REALIST REVIEW OF OPIOID TAPERING IN THE CONTEXT OF LONG TERM OPIOID USE FOR NON-CANCER PAIN IN RURAL AREAS: Objective: To describe interventions, barriers and enablers associated with opioid tapering for patients with chronic non-cancer pain in rural primary care settings. STUDY DESIGN: Rapid realist review registered on the international register of systematic reviews (PROSPERO) and conducted in accordance with RAMESES standards. DATA SOURCES: English language, peer-reviewed articles reporting qualitative, quantitative and mixed method studies, published between January 2016 and July 2020, and accessed via MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL Complete, PsycINFO, Informit or the Cochrane Library during June and July 2020. Grey literature relating to prescribing,deprescribing or tapering of opioids in chronic non-cancer pain, published between January 2016 and July 2020, was identified by searching national and international government, health service and peek organisation websites using Google Scholar. DATA SYNTHESIS: Our analysis of reported approaches to tapering conducted across rural and non-rural contexts showed that tapering opioids is complex and challenging, and identified several barriers and enablers. Successful outcomes in rural areas appear likely through therapeutic relationships, coordination and support, by using modalities and models of care that are appropriate in rural settings and by paying attention to harm minimisation. CONCLUSION: Rural primary care providers do not have access to resources available in metropolitan centres for dealing with patients who have chronic non-cancer pain and are taking opioid medications. They often operate alone or in small group practices, without peer support and access to multidisciplinary and specialist teams. Opioid tapering approaches described in the literature include regulation, multimodal and multidisciplinary approaches, primary care provider support, guidelines, and patient-centred strategies. There is little research to inform tapering in rural contexts. Our review provides a synthesis of the current evidence in the form of a conceptual model. This preliminary model could inform the development of a model of care for use in implementation research, which could test a variety of mechanisms for supporting decision making, reducing primary care providers' concerns about potential harms arising from opioid tapering, and improving patient outcomes.

Setting priorities for rural allied health in Australia: a scoping review.

INTRODUCTION: The allied health workforce is one of the largest workforces in the health industry. It has a critical role in cost-effective, preventative health care, but it is poorly accessible in rural areas worldwide. This review aimed to inform policy and research priorities for increasing access to rural allied health services in Australia by describing the extent, range and nature of evidence about this workforce. METHODS: A scoping review of published, peer-reviewed rural allied health literature from Australia, Canada, the USA, New Zealand and Japan was obtained from six databases (February 1999 - February 2019). RESULTS: Of 7305 no-duplicate articles, 120 published studies were included: 19 literature reviews, and 101 empirical studies from Australia (n=90), Canada (n=8), USA (n=2) and New Zealand (n=1). Main themes were workforce and scope (n=9), rural pathways (n=44), recruitment and retention (n=31), and models of service (n=36). Of the empirical studies, 83% per cent were cross-sectional; 64% involved surveys; only 7% were at a national scale. Rural providers were shown to have a breadth of practice, servicing large catchments with high patient loads, requiring rural-specific skills. Most rural practitioners had rural backgrounds, but rural youth faced barriers to accessing allied health courses. Rural training opportunities have increased in Australia but predominantly as short-term placements. Rural placements were associated with increased likelihood of rural work by graduates compared with discipline averages, and high quality placement experiences were linked with return. Recruitment and retention factors may vary by discipline, sector and life stage but important factors were satisfying jobs, workplace supervision, higher employment grade, sustainable workload, professional development and rural career options. Patient-centred planning and regional coordination of public and private providers with clear eligibility and referral to pathways facilitated patient care. Outreach and telehealth models may improve service distribution although require strong local coordination and training for distal staff. CONCLUSION: Evidence suggests that more accessible rural allied health services in Australia should address three key policy areas. First, improving rural jobs with access to senior workplace supervision and career options will help to improve networks of critical mass. Second, training skilled and qualified workers through more continuous, high quality rural pathways is needed to deliver a complementary workforce for the community. Third, distribution depends on networked service models at the regional level, with viable remuneration, outreach and telehealth for practice in smaller communities. More national-scale, longitudinal, outcomes-focused studies are needed using controlled designs.

Paramedics and Physician Assistants in Israel.

Israeli emergency medicine is undergoing change. The paramedic is experiencing high separation rates because the position is understaffed, overworked, and underpaid. Physician assistants (PAs) were introduced into the emergency department by training paramedics and to date they seem satisfied with this new role. Experience in other countries indicates that PAs can improve access to care, reduce errors, increase efficiency and have satisfying roles in health systems. The Israeli health system will need to determine if additional roles for PAs will be accepted by the public and physicians alike.

Factors that affect Israeli paramedics' decision to quit the profession: a mixed methods study.

BACKGROUND: The rate of Israeli paramedics leaving the profession has been increasing in recent years: 50% leave the profession in three years, for the most part before retirement. While approximately 2500 paramedics have been trained, only about a third of them are still active. The number of paramedics per 100,000 in Israel is only 8, compared to around 66 in the US, and in light of the shortage of paramedics it is important to enhance retention rates. The purpose of the study was to examine the factors related to paramedics leaving the profession in Israel. METHODS: 1. An online survey was sent to 1000 paramedics via Email. 533 were recruited of whom 200 have left the profession. Questions included demographics, job satisfaction, and reasons for leaving or remaining in the profession. 2. In-depth interviews with 15 paramedics who left the profession. RESULTS: Out of 1000 emails sent, 533 Paramedics responded, of which 200 paramedics who left the profession responded (73% left five years after completing training and 93% after 10 years). Among these former paramedics, choosing the paramedic profession was based mainly on an idealistic sense of mission and eagerness to help others, yet leaving the paramedic profession was related to extrinsic factors: lack of career options, extensive and strenuous physical demands accompanied by unrewarding salaries, unusually long work hours, and shift work that negatively affected family and personal life. CONCLUSIONS: It seems that work conditions, including the lack of opportunities for promotion, lack of professional prospects, and inappropriate compensation for hard work are crucial factors in the decision to leave. RECOMMENDATIONS: A joint committee of the Ministries of Health, Justice, and Finance and MDA (Magen David Adom, the national EMS in Israel) should be established for the purpose of improving the conditions and modalities of employment of paramedics and providing appropriate emotional support for paramedics who are exposed daily to work under extreme conditions of stress and human suffering. A joint effort could greatly reduce rates of leaving, training costs, and costs incidental to turnover, as well as increase job satisfaction. Moreover, regulating the profession and expanding the scope of practice to new fields like community paramedicine as part of the EMS service and expanding the scope of physician assistants as an academic profession can create opportunities for advancement and diversity at work that will help retain paramedics in the profession.

The contribution of non-physician clinicians to the provision of surgery in rural Zambia-a randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The global shortage of surgeons disproportionately impacts low- and middle-income countries. To mitigate this, Zambia introduced a 'task-shifting' solution and started to train non-physician clinicians (NPCs) called medical licentiates (ML) to perform surgery. The aim of this randomised controlled trial was to assess their contribution to the delivery of surgical care in rural hospitals in Zambia. METHODS: Sixteen hospitals were randomly assigned to intervention and control arms of the study. Nine MLs were deployed to eight intervention sites. Crude numbers of selected major surgical procedures between intervention and control sites were compared before and after the intervention. Volume and outcomes of surgery were compared within intervention hospitals, between NPCs and surgically active medical doctors (MDs). RESULTS: There was a significant increase in the numbers of caesarean sections (CS) in the intervention hospitals (+ 15.2%) and a drop by almost half in the control group (- 47%) (P = 0.015), between the two time periods. There were marginal shifts in the numbers of index procedures: a small drop in the intervention group (- 4.9%) and slight increase in the control arm (+ 4.8%) (P = 0.505). In all pairs, MLs had higher mean number of CS and other major surgical cases done in the intervention period compared with MDs. There was no significant difference in postoperative wound infection rates for CS (P = 0.884) and other major surgical cases (P = 0.33) at intervention hospitals between MLs and MDs. CONCLUSION: This study provided evidence that the ML training programme in Zambia is an effective and safe way to bridge the gap in rural hospitals between the demand and the limited availability of surgically trained workforce in the country. Such evidence is greatly needed as more developing countries are developing national surgical plans. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN66099597 Registered: 07/01/2014.

The association of paramedic rapid sequence intubation and survival in out-of-hospital stroke.

INTRODUCTION: Ambulance transport of patients with stroke is common, with rapid sequence intubation (RSI) to secure the airway used regularly. Randomised controlled trial evidence exists to support the use of RSI in traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), but it is not clear whether the RSI evidence from TBI can be applied to the patient with stroke. To this end, we analysed a retrospective stroke dataset to compare survival of patients with RSI compared with patients that did not receive RSI. METHODS: This study was a retrospective analysis of 10 years of in-hospital and out-of-hospital data for all patients with stroke attended by Ambulance Victoria, in Victoria Australia. Generalised boosted logistic regression was used to predict propensity scores, with initial vital signs, age and demographic variables as well as measures of illness severity and comorbidity included in the prediction model. This analysis employed a 1:1 nearest-neighbour matching which was applied to generate a dataset from which we calculated the OR of survival to hospital discharge of patients receiving RSI versus no-RSI. The sensitivity of these results to unmeasured confounding was assessed with deterministic sensitivity analysis. RESULTS: The propensity score-matched cohort showed a decreased survival for RSI in strokes with an OR 0.61 (95% CI 0.45 to 0.82; p=0.001) when compared with no-RSI. A subgroup analysis showed no significant survival difference for ischaemic strokes: OR 0.66 (95% CI 40 to 1.07; p=0.09). The survival for haemorrhagic stroke was OR 0.60 (95% CI 0.41 to 0.90; p=0.01) lesser for RSI. Results were likely robust to unmeasured confounding and missing data. CONCLUSIONS: Our retrospective analysis shows a decrease in survival when RSI is utilised by paramedics for stroke. Since RSI is commonly used for strokes, controlled trial evidence to support this practice is urgently needed.

Community Paramedicine Applied in a Rural Community.

RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: Abbeville County Emergency Management Services (ACEMS) began a community paramedicine (CP) program to utilize trained paramedics to serve patients who frequently use the emergency department (ED) and have 1 or more of the following diagnoses: hypertension, diabetes, chronic heart failure, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The objective of this study was to determine if the CP program reduced ED visits in Abbeville while improving patient outcomes. DESIGN: A pre/posttest with a comparison group study design was used to evaluate the CP program. The study population had 193 patients (68 enrollees and 125 comparisons) who resided in Abbeville County, South Carolina. Frequent users of the ED were recruited and enrolled in the program by Abbeville Area Medical Center (AAMC) staff starting in October 2013. Records from both AAMC and ACEMS were examined to determine the impact of the CP program. RESULTS: Hypertensive patients decreased an average of 7.2 mmHg (P < .0001) in systolic blood pressure and 4.0 mmHg (p < .0001) in diastolic blood pressure. Diabetic patients decreased blood glucose by an average of 33.7 mmol/L (p = .0013). Following enrollment into the program, CP participants decreased ED visits by 58.7% and inpatient visits by 68.8%. Conversely, the comparison group increased ED visits by 4.0% and inpatient visits by 187.5%. CONCLUSIONS: The CP program demonstrated a meaningful difference in the health of participants while reducing their health care utilization. CP patients reduced their ED and inpatient use, required less intensive care, had better health outcomes, and reduced health expenses to the community.

Matching the production of doctors with national needs.

CONTEXT: Matching the supply of health workers to need is necessary if a health system is to be sustainable, affordable and fit for purpose. On the 30th anniversary of the 1988 Edinburgh Declaration of the World Federation for Medical Education, levels of compliance with the 10th recommendation, 'Ensure admission policies that match the numbers of students trained with national needs for doctors', warrant review. There are two domains to such a review, concerning, respectively, how well these health needs are known, and whether workforce supply is well matched. METHODS: This is a literature review-based analysis of extant health system planning, which underpins current understanding of national health needs and of the consequent alignment of student selection processes. RESULTS: The core finding is that national need for doctors, and any other health workers, is not confidently known for any jurisdiction. Consequently, validation of student selection processes is impossible against this endpoint and data to validate these processes against the alternative endpoint of a positive impact on health outcomes do not exist. Data do exist to suggest some student selection processes result in desirable career and career location uptakes.

The role of patient care workers in private hospitals in the Cape Metropole, South Africa.

BACKGROUND: Nursing managers have to meet expectations of patients despite economic pressures, an increasing burden of disease and nursing shortages. Shifting health care-related tasks to lower categories of staff, including non-nursing support staff, has become one solution to address this dilemma. Patient care workers are a specific group of non-nursing support staff working in South African hospitals. Although patient care workers have been used for several years and their numbers are increasing, there are controversial opinions about the role of patient care workers, ranging from praise for their contribution towards patient care to serious concerns about the impact of their role on patient safety. OBJECTIVE: The study objective was to explore and describe the role of patient care workers in private hospitals. METHODS: A qualitative, descriptive design was applied to explore the role of patient care workers. Purposive sampling was used to select unit managers, nurses and patient care workers from medical and surgical wards of three private hospitals. Fifteen semi-structured interviews were conducted and transcribed verbatim. The researcher applied interpretative data analysis to move from the participants' descriptions of their experiences to a synthesis of all participants' descriptions. RESULTS: Patient care workers are involved in direct patient care and spend much time with patients, often not working under direct supervision of registered nurses despite limited training and lack of regulation. Their contribution, however, is valued by nurses. CONCLUSION: Patient care workers are well-integrated into the patient care team and are mostly seen as nurses. Yet, there are concerns about their evolving role despite their limited training and the lack of direct supervision. Regulating the work of patient care workers is recommended.

Allied Health Professional Support in Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Survey from the Canadian Children Inflammatory Bowel Disease Network-A Joint Partnership of CIHR and the CH.I.L.D. Foundation.

OBJECTIVES: The current number of healthcare providers (HCP) caring for children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) across Canadian tertiary-care centres is underinvestigated. The aim of this survey was to assess the number of healthcare providers (HCP) in ambulatory pediatric IBD care across Canadian tertiary-care centres. METHODS: Using a self-administered questionnaire, we examined available resources in academic pediatric centres within the Canadian Children IBD Network. The survey evaluated the number of HCP providing ambulatory care for children with IBD. RESULTS: All 12 tertiary pediatric gastroenterology centres participating in the network responded. Median full-time equivalent (FTE) of allied health professionals providing IBD care at each site was 1.0 (interquartile range (IQR) 0.6-1.0) nurse, 0.5 (IQR 0.2-0.8) dietitian, 0.3 (IQR 0.2-0.8) social worker, and 0.1 (IQR 0.02-0.3) clinical psychologists. The ratio of IBD patients to IBD physicians was 114 : 1 (range 31 : 1-537 : 1), patients to nurses/physician assistants 324 : 1 (range 150 : 1-900 : 1), dieticians 670 : 1 (range 250 : 1-4500 : 1), social workers 1558 : 1 (range 250 : 1-16000 : 1), and clinical psychologists 2910 : 1 (range 626 : 1-3200 : 1). CONCLUSIONS: There was a wide variation in HCP support among Canadian centres. Future work will examine variation in care including patients' outcomes and satisfaction across Canadian centres.

Going to scale: design and implementation challenges of a program to increase access to skilled birth attendants in Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: The lack of availability of skilled providers in low- and middle- income countries is considered to be an important barrier to achieving reductions in maternal and child mortality. However, there is limited research on programs increasing the availability of skilled birth attendants in developing countries. We study the implementation of the Nigeria Midwives Service Scheme, a government program that recruited and deployed nearly 2,500 midwives to rural primary health care facilities across Nigeria in 2010. An outcome evaluation carried out by this team found only a modest impact on the use of antenatal care and no measurable impact on skilled birth attendance. This paper draws on perspectives of policymakers, program midwives, and community residents to understand why the program failed to have the desired impact. METHODS: We conducted semi-structured interviews with federal, state and local government policy makers and with MSS midwives. We also conducted focus groups with community stakeholders including community leaders and male and female residents. RESULTS: Our data reveal a range of design, implementation and operational challenges ranging from insufficient buy-in by key stakeholders at state and local levels, to irregular and in some cases total non-provision of agreed midwife benefits that likely contributed to the program's lack of impact. These challenges not only created a deep sense of dissatisfaction with the program but also had practical impacts on service delivery likely affecting households' uptake of services. CONCLUSION: This paper highlights the challenge of effectively scaling up maternal and child health interventions. Our findings emphasize the critical importance of program design, particularly when programs are implemented at scale; the need to identify and involve key stakeholders during planning and implementation; the importance of clearly defining lines of authority and responsibility that align with existing structures; and the necessity for multi-faceted interventions that address multiple barriers at the same time.

Causes, consequences, and policy responses to the migration of health workers: key findings from India.

BACKGROUND: This study sought to better understand the drivers of skilled health professional migration, its consequences, and the various strategies countries have employed to mitigate its negative impacts. The study was conducted in four countries-Jamaica, India, the Philippines, and South Africa-that have historically been "sources" of health workers migrating to other countries. The aim of this paper is to present the findings from the Indian portion of the study. METHODS: Data were collected using surveys of Indian generalist and specialist physicians, nurses, midwives, dentists, pharmacists, dieticians, and other allied health therapists. We also conducted structured interviews with key stakeholders representing government ministries, professional associations, regional health authorities, health care facilities, and educational institutions. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and regression models. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically. RESULTS: Shortages of health workers are evident in certain parts of India and in certain specialty areas, but the degree and nature of such shortages are difficult to determine due to the lack of evidence and health information. The relationship of such shortages to international migration is not clear. Policy responses to health worker migration are also similarly embedded in wider processes aimed at health workforce management, but overall, there is no clear policy agenda to manage health worker migration. Decision-makers in India present conflicting options about the need or desirability of curtailing migration. CONCLUSIONS: Consequences of health work migration on the Indian health care system are not easily discernable from other compounding factors. Research suggests that shortages of skilled health workers in India must be examined in relation to domestic policies on training, recruitment, and retention rather than viewed as a direct consequence of the international migration of health workers.

Nurse-Related Clinical Nonlicensed Personnel in U.S. Hospitals and Their Relationship with Nurse Staffing Levels.

OBJECTIVE: This study examines nurse-related clinical nonlicensed personnel (CNLP) in U.S. hospitals between 2010 and 2014, including job categories, trends in staffing levels, and the possible relationship of substitution between this group of workers and registered nurses (RNs) and/or licensed practical nurses (LPNs). DATA SOURCE: We used 5 years of data (2010-2014) from an operational database maintained by Premier, Inc. that tracks labor hours, hospital units, and facility characteristics. STUDY DESIGN: We assessed changes over time in the average number of total hours worked by RNs, LPNs, and CNLP, adjusted by total patient days. We then conducted linear regressions to estimate the relationships between nurse and CNLP staffing, controlling for patient acuity, volume, and hospital fixed effects. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The overall use of CNLP and LPN hours per patient day declined from 2010 to 2014, while RN hours per patient day remained stable. We found no evidence of substitution between CNLP and nurses during the study period: Nurse-related CNLP hours were positively associated with RN hours and not significantly related to LPN hours, holding other factors constant. CONCLUSIONS: Findings point to the importance of examining where and why CNLP hours per patient day have declined and to understanding of the effects of these changes on outcomes.

Epilepsy services in Saudi Arabia. Quantitative assessment and identification of challenges.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the epilepsy services and identify the challenges in hospitals without epilepsy monitoring units (EMUs). In addition, comparisons between governmental and private sectors, as well as between regions, are to be performed. METHODS: A cross sectional study conducted using an online questionnaire distributed to the secondary and tertiary hospitals without EMUs throughout the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The study was conducted from September 2013 to September 2015 and regular updates from all respondents were constantly made. Items in the questionnaire included the region of the institution, the number of pediatric and adult neurologists and neurosurgeons along with their subspecialties, the number of beds in the Neurology Department, whether they provide educational services and have epilepsy clinics and if they refer patients to an EMU or intend to establish one in the future. RESULTS: Forty-three institutions throughout the Kingdom responded, representing a response rate of 54%. The majority of hospitals (58.1%) had no adult epileptologists. A complete lack of pediatric epileptologists was observed in 72.1% of hospitals. Around 39.5% were utilizing beds from internal medicine. Hospitals with an epilepsy clinic represented 34.9% across all regions and sectors. Hospitals with no intention of establishing an EMU represented 53.5%. Hospitals that did not refer their epileptic patients to an EMU represented 30.2%. CONCLUSION: Epilepsy services in KSA hospitals without EMUs are underdeveloped.