Engaging Patients in the Veterans Health Administration's Lean Enterprise Transformation: A Qualitative Study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Lean management is a strategy for improving health care experiences of patients. While best practices for engaging patients in quality improvement have solidified in recent years, few reports specifically address patient engagement in Lean activities. This study examines the benefits and challenges of incorporating patient engagement strategies into the Veterans Health Administration's (VA) Lean transformation. METHODS: We conducted a multisite, mixed-methods evaluation of Lean deployment at 10 VA medical facilities, including 227 semistructured interviews with stakeholders, including patients. RESULTS: Interviewees noted that a patient-engaged Lean approach is mutually beneficial to patients and health care employees. Benefits included understanding the veteran's point of view, uncovering inefficient aspects of care processes, improved employee participation in Lean events, increased transparency, and improved reputation for the organization. Challenges included a need for focused time and resources to optimize veteran participation, difficulty recruiting a diverse group of veteran stakeholders, and a lack of specific instructions to encourage meaningful participation of veterans. CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS: As the first study to focus on patient engagement in Lean transformation efforts at the VA, this study highlights ways to effectively partner with patients in Lean-based improvement efforts. Lessons learned may also help optimize patient input into quality improvement more generally.

Leveraging anthropological expertise to respond to the COVID-19 global mental health syndemic.

This commentary asks anthropologists to work within communities to actively address the global mental health impact of COVID-19 and contribute to the pandemic response. Multiple social and physical losses, worsened by numerous factors, have produced syndemic traumatic stress and suffering across populations, highlighting persistent inequalities further amplified by the effects of COVID-19. Specifically, anthropologists can work to contribute to the development of mental health programs; confront the racialization of COVID-19 alongside marginalized communities; support real-time policy making with community responses; and innovate transparent collaborative research methods through open science. This pandemic can serve as an opportunity to prioritize research endeavors, public service, and teaching to better align with societal needs while providing new opportunities for synergy and collaborations between anthropologists in and outside the academy. Anthropologists collaborating directly with mental health clinicians and the public can contribute to knowledge specifically through direct program development and implementation of interventions designed to improve mental well-being. Innovating to find impactful solutions in response to the unprecedented mental health challenges exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic has the potential to promote more equitable recovery around the world.

Addressing the mental health impact of COVID-19 through population health.

The COVID-19 pandemic has and will continue to result in negative mental health outcomes such as depression, anxiety and traumatic stress in people and populations throughout the world. A population mental health perspective informed by clinical psychology, psychiatry and dissemination and implementation science is ideally suited to address the broad, multi-faceted and long-lasting mental health impact of the pandemic. Informed by a systematic review of the burgeoning empirical research on the COVID-19 pandemic and research on prior coronavirus pandemics, we link pandemic risk factors, negative mental health outcomes and appropriate intervention strategies. We describe how social risk factors and pandemic stressors will contribute to negative mental health outcomes, especially among vulnerable populations. We evaluate the scalability of primary, secondary and tertiary interventions according to mental health target, population, modality, intensity and provider type to provide a unified strategy for meeting population mental health needs. Traditional models, in which evidence-based therapies delivered are delivered in-person, by a trained expert, at a specialty care location have proved difficult to scale. The use of non-traditional models, tailoring preventive interventions to populations based on their needs, and ongoing coordinated evaluation of intervention implementation and effectiveness will be critical to refining our efforts to increase reach.

Facilitators and barriers to the Lean Enterprise Transformation program at the Veterans Health Administration.

BACKGROUND: The Veterans Health Administration piloted a nationwide Lean Enterprise Transformation program to optimize delivery of services to patients for high value care. PURPOSE: Barriers and facilitators to Lean implementation were evaluated. METHODS: Guided by the Lean Enterprise Transformation evaluation model, 268 interviews were conducted, with stakeholders across 10 Veterans Health Administration medical centers. Interview transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis techniques. RESULTS: Supporting the utility of the model, facilitators and barriers to Lean implementation were found in each of the Lean Enterprise Transformation evaluation model domains: (a) impetus to transform, (b) leadership commitment to quality, (c) improvement initiatives, (d) alignment across the organization, (e) integration across internal boundaries, (f) communication, (g) capability development, (h) informed decision making, (i) patient engagement, and (j) organization culture. In addition, three emergent themes were identified: staff engagement, sufficient staffing, and use of Lean experts (senseis). CONCLUSIONS: Effective implementation required staff engagement, strategic planning, proper scoping and pacing, deliberate coaching, and accountability structures. Visible, stable leadership drove Lean when leaders articulated a clear impetus to change, aligned goals within the facility, and supported middle management. Reliable data and metrics provided support for and evidence of successful change. Strategic early planning with continual reassessment translated into focused and sustained Lean implementation. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Prominent best practices identified include (a) reward participants by broadcasting Lean successes; (b) provide time and resources for participation in Lean activities; (c) avoid overscoping projects; (d) select metrics that closely align with improvement processes; and (e) invest in coaches, informal champions, process improvement staff, and senior leadership to promote staff engagement and minimize turnover.

Rethinking Violence Prevention in Rural and Underserved Communities: How Veteran Peer Support Groups Help Participants Deal with Sequelae from Violent Traumatic Experiences.

PURPOSE: Access to mental health care and programs that address violence prevention can be a challenge for veterans residing in rural and underserved areas. A growing number of trauma-affected veterans are now returning to rural areas upon completion of military service. The Palo Alto VA Health Care System has piloted a program known as the Peer Support Program (PSP) where certified peer support specialists hold group sessions for their fellow veterans in remote, community-based outpatient clinics. METHODS: A total of 29 peer-support group participants and 1 certified peer specialist were interviewed. Semistructured interviews began with open-ended questions regarding participant firsthand experiences with the support group setting. These were followed by direct questions that addressed the role of the PSP, expectations for the PSP, as well as benefits and limitations of the program. We performed a domain analysis using the Spradley ethnographic method on 325 pages of compiled narrative data focusing on violence-related themes. FINDINGS: Four key themes emerged, including: 1) Violence in Military Training Not Acceptable in Civilian Life, 2) Peer Support Creates the Trust to Speak Freely, 3) Skills Are Taught to Defuse Violence, and 4) The Veteran Peer Support Specialist Relationship Is Multi-Dimensional. CONCLUSIONS: These emergent themes illustrate how trauma-focused assistance rendered by peer support specialists as part of an interdisciplinary mental health team can be implemented to benefit trauma-affected individuals and their communities in the prevention of future violence.

Peer support in an outpatient program for veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder: Translating participant experiences into a recovery model.

Veterans returning from recent conflicts present with increased rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and veterans from prior service eras continue to seek trauma-based services. Peer support for veterans with PTSD has the potential to resolve ongoing challenges in access and engagement in mental health care. Assessing the value of peer support services requires a thorough understanding of the expected role and the empirical mechanisms of peer support participation in PTSD recovery. To better understand these mechanisms, this study interviewed 29 veteran participants from an established peer support program (PSP), located in the Central Valley of the Veterans Affairs (VA) Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS) in Northern California. A domain analysis of narrative transcripts generated 34 codes through a grounded theory method. Codes were organized into the following thematic categories: the perceived role of the PSP, supportive experiences of the PSP, global gains from the PSP, and limitations to PSP and further mental health engagement. These results were synthesized into a theoretical model that identifies improved functioning and reduced distress as the expected outcomes of PSP-mediated recovery and illustrates the continuum from in-group experiences to these outcomes. Our results suggest that PSP-mediated recovery is defined as acceptance of PTSD into daily life and identity, rather than resolution of symptoms. This conceptualization has implications for peer support provider training, PSP integration into health care settings, and future outcome analyses on the effectiveness of PSPs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

An RCT of Effects of Telephone Care Management on Treatment Adherence and Clinical Outcomes Among Veterans With PTSD.

OBJECTIVE: This study assessed whether adding telephone care management to usual outpatient mental health care improved treatment attendance, medication compliance, and clinical outcomes of veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). METHODS: In a multisite randomized controlled trial, 358 veterans were assigned to either usual outpatient mental health treatment (N=165) or usual care plus twice-a-month telephone care management (TCM) and support in the first three months of treatment (N=193). Treatment utilization and medication refills were determined from U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs administrative data. PTSD, depression, quality of life, aggressive behavior, and substance use were assessed with self-report questionnaires at intake, four months, and 12 months. RESULTS: Telephone care managers reached 95% of TCM participants (N=182), completing an average 5.1 of 6.0 planned telephone calls. During the three-month intervention period, TCM participants completed 43% more mental health visits (M±SD=5.9±6.8) than did those in usual care (4.1±4.2) (incident rate ratio=1.36, χ2=6.56, df=1, p<.01). Treatment visits in the nine-month follow-up period and medication refills did not differ by condition. Only 9% of participants were scheduled to receive evidence-based psychotherapy. Slopes of improvement in PTSD, depression, alcohol misuse, drug problems, aggressive behavior, and quality of life did not differ by condition or treatment attendance. CONCLUSIONS: TCM improved PTSD patients' treatment attendance but not their outcomes. TCM can enhance treatment engagement, but outcomes depend on the effectiveness of the treatments that patients receive.

Piloting Specialized Mental Health Care for Rural Women Veterans Using STAIR Delivered via Telehealth: Implications for Reducing Health Disparities.

This pilot project implemented a mental health program, STAIR, targeting basic skills in mood management training and social functioning for women veterans with military-related trauma who live in rural areas. We report on outreach and implementation procedures, the women veterans' reactions to the program, and lessons learned.

Turn off the TV and dance! Participation in culturally tailored health interventions: implications for obesity prevention among Mexican American girls.

Our evaluation study identifies facilitators and barriers to participation among families participating in the treatment arm of Stanford ECHALE. This culturally tailored obesity prevention trial consisted of a combined intervention with two main treatment components: 1) a folkloric dance program; and 2) a screen time reduction curriculum designed for 7-11 year old Latinas and their families. We conducted 83 interviews (40 parents and 43 girls) in participant homes after 6 months of enrollment in the ECHALE trial. The Spradley ethnographic method and NVivo 8.0 were used to code and analyze narrative data. Three domains emerged for understanding participation: 1) family cohesiveness; 2) perceived gains; and 3) culturally relevant program structure. Two domains emerged for non-participation: program requirements and perceived discomforts. Non-parametric, Spearman's rank correlation coefficients were calculated to assess the relationships with participant attendance data. Sustained participation was most strongly influenced by the domain perceived gains when parents reported better self-esteem, confidence, improved attitude, improved grades, etc. (Spearman r = .45, P = .003). Alternatively, under the domain, perceived discomforts, with subthemes such as child bullying, participation in the combined intervention was inversely associated with attendance (Spearman r = -.38, P = .02). Family-centered, school-based, community obesity prevention programs that focus on tangible short-term gains for girls may generate greater participation rates, enhance social capital, and promote community empowerment. These factors can be emphasized in future obesity prevention program design and implementation.

Office bladder distention with electromotive drug administration (EMDA) is equivalent to distention under general anesthesia (GA).

BACKGROUND: Bladder distention is commonly used in diagnosis and treatment of interstitial cystitis (IC). Traditionally performed in the operating room under general or spinal anesthesia (GA), it is expensive and associated with short term morbidity. Office bladder distention using electromotive drug administration (EMDA) has been suggested as an alternative that is well tolerated by patients. We report the first comparative findings of patients undergoing both office distention with EMDA and distention in the operating room (OR) with GA. METHODS: This retrospective chart review identified 11 patients participating in two protocols of EMDA bladder distention who also underwent bladder distention under GA either prior to or after the EMDA procedure. RESULTS: The median absolute difference in bladder capacity between GA and EMDA was only 25 cc; the median percent difference was 5%. Cystoscopic findings, while not prospectively compiled, appear to have been similar. CONCLUSION: This study represents the first comparison between distention with EMDA versus GA and confirms the technical feasibility of performing bladder distention in an office setting. The distention capacity achieved in the office was nearly identical to that in the OR and the cystoscopic findings very similar. Further investigation into the comparative morbidity, cost, and other outcome measures is warranted to define the ultimate role of EMDA bladder distention in the clinical evaluation and care of patients with IC.