The use of frailty questionnaires in inpatients in two neurorehabilitation units in the East Midlands - A cross-sectional cohort study with follow-up to 1-year after discharge from inpatient rehabilitation.

BACKGROUND: Frailty correlates with poor clinical outcomes and is not routinely assessed in neurorehabilitation inpatient settings. METHODS: We recruited adults from two neurorehabilitation units. We administered six validated tools for assessing frailty and collected data around length of stay, discharge, readmission and change in rehabilitation outcome measures. RESULTS: Seventy-eight participants aged between 31 and 84 years were recruited with a range of neurological diagnoses. Frailty prevalence ranged between 23% and 46%, depending on the scale used, with little agreement between tools. Frailty status did not correlate with age, gender, length of stay, discharge destination and rehabilitation outcome measures. One-year readmission was higher in participants rated as frail by the Frail-Non-Disabled Questionnaire, the FRESH-screening questionnaire and the Clinical Frailty Scale. DISCUSSION: Frailty ascertainment was variable depending on the tool used. Three frailty indices predicted readmission rate at 1 year but no other outcome measures. Therefore, frailty tools may have limited utility in this clinical population.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on hospital episodes for falls and fractures associated with new-onset disability and frailty in England: a national cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Older people with frailty are at risk of harm from immobility or isolation, yet data about how COVID-19 lockdowns affected them are limited. Falls and fractures are easily measurable adverse outcomes correlated with frailty. We investigated whether English hospital admission rates for falls and fractures varied from the expected trajectory during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how these varied by frailty status. METHODS: NHS England Hospital Episode Statistics Admitted Patient Care data were analysed for observed versus predicted outcome rates for 24 January 2020 to 31 December 2021. An auto-regressive integrated moving average time-series model was trained using falls and fracture incidence data from 2013 to 2018 and validated using data from 2019. Models included national and age-, sex- and region-stratified forecasts. Outcome measures were hospital admissions for falls, fractures, and falls and fractures combined. Frailty was defined using the Hospital Frailty Risk Score. RESULTS: 144,148,915 pre-pandemic hospital admissions were compared with 42,267,318 admissions after pandemic onset. For the whole population, falls and fracture rates were below predicted for the first period of national lockdown, followed by a rapid return to rates close to predicted. Thereafter, rates followed expected trends. For people living with frailty, however, falls and fractures increased above expected rates during periods of national lockdown and remained elevated throughout the study period. Effects of frailty were independent of age. CONCLUSIONS: People living with frailty experienced increased fall and fracture rates above expected during and following periods of national lockdown. These remained persistently elevated throughout the study period.

Using the Delphi Process to Prioritize an Agenda for Care Transition Research for Patients With Substance Use Disorders.

Medical hospitalizations are increasingly recognized as important opportunities to engage individuals with substance use disorders (SUD) and offer treatment. While a growing number of hospitals have instituted interventions to support the provision of SUD care during medical admissions, post-hospitalization transitions of care remain a challenge for patients and clinicians and an understudied area of SUD care. Evidence is lacking on the most effective and feasible models of care to improve post-hospitalization care transitions for people with SUD. In the absence of strong empirical evidence to guide practice and policy, consensus-based research methods such as the Delphi process can play an important role in efficiently prioritizing existing models of care for future study and implementation. We conducted a Delphi study that convened a group of 25 national interdisciplinary experts with direct clinical experience facilitating post-hospitalization care transitions for people with SUD. Our panelists rated 10 existing care transition models according to anticipated effectiveness and facility of implementation based on the GRADE Evidence to Decision framework. Qualitative data on each care model were also gathered through comments and an online moderated discussion board. Our results help establish a hierarchy of SUD care transition models to inform future study and program development.

A Nationwide Analysis of the Impact of Socioeconomic Status on Complications and Healthcare Utilizations After Total Knee Arthroplasty Using the Area Deprivation Index: Consideration of the Disadvantaged Patient.

INTRODUCTION: Socioeconomic status (SES) has been demonstrated to be an important prognostic risk factor among patients undergoing total joint arthroplasty. We evaluated patients living near neighborhoods with higher socioeconomic risk undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and if they were associated with differences in: 1) medical complications; 2) emergency department (ED) utilizations; 3) readmissions; and 4) costs of care. METHODS: A query of a national database from 2010 to 2020 was performed for primary TKAs. The Area Deprivation Index (ADI) is a weighted index comprised of 17 census-based markers of material deprivation and poverty. Higher numbers indicate a greater disadvantage. Patients undergoing TKA in zip codes associated with high ADI (90%+) were 1:1 propensity-matched to a comparison group by age, sex, and Elixhauser Comorbidity Index (ECI). This yielded 225,038 total patients, evenly matched between cohorts. Outcomes studied included complications, ED utilizations, readmission rates, and 90-day costs. Logistic regression models computed the odds ratios (OR) of ADI on the dependent variables. P-values less than 0.003 were significant. RESULTS: High ADI led to higher rates and odds of any medical complications (11.7 versus 11.0%; OR: 1.05, P = 0.0006), respiratory failures (0.4 versus 0.3%; OR: 1.28, P = 0.001), and acute kidney injuries (1.7 versus 1.5%; OR: 1.15, P < 0.0001). Despite lower readmission rates (2.9 versus 3.5%), high ADI patients had greater 90-day ED visits (4.2 versus 4.0%; OR: 1.07, P = 0.0008). The 90-day expenditures ($15,066 versus $12,459; P < 0.0001) were higher in patients who have a high ADI. CONCLUSION: Socioeconomically disadvantaged patients have increased complications and ED utilizations. Neighborhood disadvantage may inform healthcare policy and improve post-discharge care. The SES metrics, including ADI (which captures community effects), should be used to adequately risk-adjust or risk-stratify patients so that access to care for deprived regions and patients is not lost.

The Association of Dental Caries or Dental Implant Placement Within One Year of Primary Total Hip Arthroplasty on Medical and Implant Complications.

INTRODUCTION: Total hip arthroplasty (THA) adverse events among patients who have dental diagnoses remain unclear. We sought to determine if dental caries or dental implant placements increased: 1) 90-day medical complications; 2) 90-day readmissions; and 3) 2-year implant-related complications, including periprosthetic joint infections (PJIs) after THA. METHODS: A nationwide database for primary THAs from 2010 to 2021 was queried to compare three patient cohorts. Patients who had a history of dental implants or caries within 12 months prior to THA (n = 1,179) or 12 months after THA (n = 1,218) were case-matched to patients who did not have dental history (n = 6,090) by age and comorbidities. Outcomes included 90-day complications, 90-day readmissions, and 2-year implant-related complications. Logistic regression models computed the odds ratios (OR) of complications and readmissions. P values less than 0.006 were significant. RESULTS: Patients who had dental caries or implant placement 12 months before or after THA experienced 1.6-fold greater odds of 90-day medical complications compared to case-matched patients. Readmissions within 90 days increased for patients who had a dental history before (11.7 versus 8.3%; OR: 1.49, P < 0.0001) and after (14.2 versus 8.3%; OR: 1.84, P < 0.0001) THA compared to case-matched patients. A dental caries diagnosis or dental implant placement within 12 months following THA increased 2-year implant complications compared to case-matched patients (15.2 versus 9.3%; OR: 1.69, P < 0.0001), including PJIs (5.3 versus 2.8%; OR: 1.98, P < 0.0001), dislocations (4.4 versus 2.7%; OR: 1.63, P = 0.002), and THA revisions (3.9 versus 2.5%; OR: 1.61, P = 0.005). CONCLUSION: Dental diagnoses within 12 months of THA are associated with increased medical complications. Dental diagnoses occurring 12 months after THA are associated with greater implant-related complications, including PJIs. Delaying invasive dental procedures for 12 months after THA may be advisable.

Patients' Perspectives on Discontinuing Buprenorphine for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder.

OBJECTIVES: Buprenorphine and other medications for opioid use disorder (OUD) are recommended as standard of care in the treatment of OUD and are associated with positive health and addiction-related outcomes. Despite benefits, discontinuation is common, with half of patients discontinuing in the first year of treatment. Addressing OUD is a major clinical priority, yet little is known about the causes of medication discontinuation from the patient perspective. METHODS: From March 2021 to April 2022, we conducted qualitative interviews with patients who had discontinued buprenorphine for the treatment of OUD within the past 12 months. Eligible participants were selected from 2 Veterans Health Administration Health Care Systems in Oregon. Coding and analysis were guided by conventional qualitative content analysis. RESULTS: Twenty participants completed an interview; 90% were White and 90% were male, and the mean age was 54.2 years. Before discontinuation, participants had received buprenorphine for 8.3 months on average (range, 1-40 months); 80% had received buprenorphine for less than 12 months. Qualitative analysis identified the following themes relating to discontinuation: health system barriers (eg, logistical hurdles, rules and policy violations), medication effects (adverse effects; attributed adverse effects, lack of efficacy in treating chronic pain) and desire for opioid use. Patient description of decisions to discontinue buprenorphine could be multicausal, reflecting provider or system-level barriers in interaction with patient complexity or medication ambivalence. CONCLUSIONS: Study results identify several actionable ways OUD treatment could be modified to enhance patient retention.

Exploratory factor analysis and Rasch analysis to assess the structural validity of the Adult Social Care Outcomes Toolkit Proxy version (ASCOT-Proxy) completed by care home staff.

PURPOSE: Rasch analysis and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) were used to evaluate the structural validity of the ASCOT-Proxy measures completed by staff on behalf of older adults resident in care homes, by comparison to the ASCOT-SCT4, the measure of social care-related quality of life (SCRQoL) from which the ASCOT-Proxy was developed. METHODS: EFA was conducted on the ASCOT-SCT4 and the two ASCOT-Proxy measures (Proxy-Proxy, Proxy-Resident), to determine if they retained the single factor of the original ASCOT-SCT4 measure found in samples of older community-dwelling adults. Rasch analysis was also applied to measures with a single factor structure in the EFA. RESULTS: ASCOT-Proxy-Resident had a single factor structure, as did the original ASCOT-SCT4 (also, found in this analysis when completed by care home staff). The ASCOT-Proxy-Proxy had a two factor structure. Rasch analysis of ASCOT-Proxy-Resident and ASCOT-SCT4 had an acceptable model fit, internal consistency and met the assumptions of unidimensionality and local independence. There was evidence of less than optimal distinguishability at some thresholds between responses, and low frequency of rating of the 'high level needs'. CONCLUSION: The ASCOT-Proxy-Resident is a valid instrument of SCRQoL for older adults resident in care homes, completed by staff proxies. Due to the two-factor structure, which differs from the original ASCOT-SCT4, we do not recommend the use of the ASCOT-Proxy-Proxy measure, although collecting data as part of the ASCOT-Proxy questionnaire may support its feasibility and acceptability. Further qualitative study of how care home staff complete and perceive the ASCOT-Proxy is encouraged for future studies.

Genetic sex validation for sample tracking in next-generation sequencing clinical testing.

OBJECTIVE: Data from DNA genotyping via a 96-SNP panel in a study of 25,015 clinical samples were utilized for quality control and tracking of sample identity in a clinical sequencing network. The study aimed to demonstrate the value of both the precise SNP tracking and the utility of the panel for predicting the sex-by-genotype of the participants, to identify possible sample mix-ups. RESULTS: Precise SNP tracking showed no sample swap errors within the clinical testing laboratories. In contrast, when comparing predicted sex-by-genotype to the provided sex on the test requisition, we identified 110 inconsistencies from 25,015 clinical samples (0.44%), that had occurred during sample collection or accessioning. The genetic sex predictions were confirmed using additional SNP sites in the sequencing data or high-density genotyping arrays. It was determined that discrepancies resulted from clerical errors (49.09%), samples from transgender participants (3.64%) and stem cell or bone marrow transplant patients (7.27%) along with undetermined sample mix-ups (40%) for which sample swaps occurred prior to arrival at genome centers, however the exact cause of the events at the sampling sites resulting in the mix-ups were not able to be determined.

Pediatric Patients with Osteomyelitis and/or Septic Joint Undergoing Surgical Debridement Have Equivalent Short-Term Outcomes with or without Preoperative MRI.

The purpose of this study was to determine if short-term outcomes differed for pediatric patients with suspected musculoskeletal infection with or without a preoperative MRI. This was a multicenter, retrospective review of patients aged 0-16 years who presented with atraumatic extremity pain, underwent irrigation and debridement (I&D), and received at least one preoperative or postoperative MRI over a 10-year period. Primary outcomes were time to OR, total I&Ds, readmission rate, time from OR to discharge, and total number of MRIs. Secondary outcomes entailed the rate at which concurrent osteomyelitis was identified in patients with septic arthritis and the extent of the resulting surgical debridement. Of the 104 patients, 72.1% had a preoperative MRI. Patients with a preoperative MRI were significantly less likely to have surgery on the day of admission. No difference was found between groups regarding total I&Ds, readmission rate, time from OR to discharge, and total number of MRIs. Of the 57 patients diagnosed with septic arthritis, those with a preoperative MRI were significantly more likely to have concurrent osteomyelitis identified and to undergo bony debridement in addition to arthrotomy of the joint. In conclusion, patient outcomes are not adversely affected by obtaining a preoperative MRI despite the delay in time to OR. Although preoperative MRI can be beneficial in ruling out other pathologies and identifying the extent of concurrent osteomyelitis, the decision to obtain a preoperative MRI and timing of surgery should be left to the discretion of the treating surgeon.

Post-hospitalization Care Transition Strategies for Patients with Substance Use Disorders: A Narrative Review and Taxonomy.

Hospitalizations represent important opportunities to engage individuals with substance use disorders (SUD) in treatment. For those who engage with SUD treatment in the hospital setting, tailored supports during post-discharge transitions to longitudinal care settings may improve care linkages, retention, and treatment outcomes. We updated a recent systematic review search on post-hospitalization SUD care transitions through a structured review of published literature from January 2020 through June 2023. We then added novel sources including a gray literature search and key informant interviews to develop a taxonomy of post-hospitalization care transition models for patients with SUD. Our updated literature search generated 956 abstracts not included in the original systematic review. We selected and reviewed 89 full-text articles, which yielded six new references added to 26 relevant articles from the original review. Our search of five gray literature sources yielded four additional references. Using a thematic analysis approach, we extracted themes from semi-structured interviews with 10 key informants. From these results, we constructed a taxonomy consisting of 10 unique SUD care transition models in three overarching domains (inpatient-focused, transitional, outpatient-focused). These models include (1) training and protocol implementation; (2) screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment; (3) hospital-based interdisciplinary consult team; (4) continuity-enhanced interdisciplinary consult team; (5) peer navigation; (6) transitional care management; (7) outpatient in-reach; (8) post-discharge outreach; (9) incentivizing follow-up; and (10) bridge clinic. For each model, we describe design, scope, approach, and implementation strategies. Our taxonomy highlights emerging models of post-hospitalization care transitions for patients with SUD. An established taxonomy provides a framework for future research, implementation efforts, and policy in this understudied, but critically important, aspect of SUD care.

Selection, optimization and validation of ten chronic disease polygenic risk scores for clinical implementation in diverse US populations.

Polygenic risk scores (PRSs) have improved in predictive performance, but several challenges remain to be addressed before PRSs can be implemented in the clinic, including reduced predictive performance of PRSs in diverse populations, and the interpretation and communication of genetic results to both providers and patients. To address these challenges, the National Human Genome Research Institute-funded Electronic Medical Records and Genomics (eMERGE) Network has developed a framework and pipeline for return of a PRS-based genome-informed risk assessment to 25,000 diverse adults and children as part of a clinical study. From an initial list of 23 conditions, ten were selected for implementation based on PRS performance, medical actionability and potential clinical utility, including cardiometabolic diseases and cancer. Standardized metrics were considered in the selection process, with additional consideration given to strength of evidence in African and Hispanic populations. We then developed a pipeline for clinical PRS implementation (score transfer to a clinical laboratory, validation and verification of score performance), and used genetic ancestry to calibrate PRS mean and variance, utilizing genetically diverse data from 13,475 participants of the All of Us Research Program cohort to train and test model parameters. Finally, we created a framework for regulatory compliance and developed a PRS clinical report for return to providers and for inclusion in an additional genome-informed risk assessment. The initial experience from eMERGE can inform the approach needed to implement PRS-based testing in diverse clinical settings.

Impact of Potential Case Misclassification by Administrative Diagnostic Codes on Outcome Assessment of Observational Study for People Who Inject Drugs.

Introduction: Initiation of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) within the hospital setting may improve outcomes for people who inject drugs (PWID) hospitalized because of an infection. Many studies used International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes to identify PWID, although these may be misclassified and thus, inaccurate. We hypothesized that bias from misclassification of PWID using ICD codes may impact analyses of MOUD outcomes. Methods: We analyzed a cohort of 36 868 cases of patients diagnosed with Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia at 124 US Veterans Health Administration hospitals between 2003 and 2014. To identify PWID, we implemented an ICD code-based algorithm and a natural language processing (NLP) algorithm for classification of admission notes. We analyzed outcomes of prescribing MOUD as an inpatient using both approaches. Our primary outcome was 365-day all-cause mortality. We fit mixed-effects Cox regression models with receipt or not of MOUD during the index hospitalization as the primary predictor and 365-day mortality as the outcome. Results: NLP identified 2389 cases as PWID, whereas ICD codes identified 6804 cases as PWID. In the cohort identified by NLP, receipt of inpatient MOUD was associated with a protective effect on 365-day survival (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.48; 95% confidence interval, .29-.81; P < .01) compared with those not receiving MOUD. There was no significant effect of MOUD receipt in the cohort identified by ICD codes (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.00; 95% confidence interval, .77-1.30; P = .99). Conclusions: MOUD was protective of all-cause mortality when NLP was used to identify PWID, but not significant when ICD codes were used to identify the analytic subjects.

Maintaining independence in individuals with dementia at home after a fall: a protocol for the UK pilot cluster randomised controlled trial MAINTAIN.

INTRODUCTION: Individuals with dementia face an increased risk of falls. Falls can cause a decline in the individual's overall functionality. All types of falls, including those that do not result in injury, can lead to psychosocial consequences, such as diminished confidence and a fear of falling. Projections indicate a rising trend in dementia diagnoses, implying an increase in fall incidents. Yet, there is a lack of evidence to support interventions for people living with dementia who have fallen. Our objective is to test the feasibility of a falls intervention trial for people with dementia. METHOD AND ANALYSIS: This is a UK-based two-arm pilot cluster randomised controlled trial. In this study, six collaborating sites, which form the clusters, will be randomly allocated to either the intervention arm or the control arm (receiving treatment as usual) at a 1:1 ratio. During the 6 month recruitment phase, each cluster will enrol 10 dyads, comprising 10 individuals with dementia and their respective carers, leading to a total sample size of 60 dyads. The primary outcomes are the feasibility parameters for a full trial (ie, percentage consented, follow-up rate and cost framework). Secondary outcomes include activities of daily living, quality of life, fall efficacy, mobility, goal attainment, cognitive status, occurrence of falls, carer burden and healthcare service utilisation. Outcome measures will be collected at baseline and 28 weeks, with an additional assessment scheduled at 12 weeks for the healthcare service utilisation questionnaire. An embedded process evaluation, consisting of interviews and observations with participants and healthcare professionals, will explore how the intervention operates and the fidelity of study processes. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study was approved by the NHS and local authority research governance and research ethics committees (NHS REC reference: 23/WA/0126). The results will be shared at meetings and conferences and will be published in peer-reviewed journals. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN16413728.

Buprenorphine Receipt and Retention for Opioid Use Disorder following an Initiative to Increase Access in Primary Care.

OBJECTIVES: Buprenorphine, a medication for opioid use disorder (OUD), is underutilized in general medical settings. Further, it is inequitably received by racialized groups and persons with comorbidities. The Veterans Health Administration launched an initiative to increase buprenorphine receipt in primary care. The project's objective was to identify patient-related factors associated with buprenorphine receipt and retention in primary care clinics (n = 18) participating in the initiative. METHODS: Retrospective cohort quality improvement evaluation of patients 18 years or older with 2 or more primary care visits in a 1-year period and an OUD diagnosis in the year before the first primary care visit (index date). Buprenorphine receipt was the proportion of patients with OUD who received 1 or more buprenorphine prescriptions from primary care providers during the post-index year and retention the proportion who received buprenorphine for 180 days or longer. RESULTS: Of 2880 patients with OUD seen in primary care, 11.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 10.6%-12.9%) received buprenorphine in primary care, 58.2% (95% CI, 52.8%-63.3%) of whom were retained on buprenorphine for 180 days or longer. Patients with alcohol use disorder (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 0.39; 95% CI, 0.27-0.57), nonopioid drug use disorder (AOR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.45-0.93), and serious mental illness (AOR, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.37-0.97) had lower buprenorphine receipt. Those with an anxiety disorder had higher buprenorphine receipt (AOR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.04-1.95). Buprenorphine receipt (AOR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.35-0.87) and 180-day retention (AOR, 0.40; 95% CI, 0.19-0.84) were less likely among non-Hispanic Black patients. CONCLUSIONS: Further integration of addiction services in primary care may be needed to enhance buprenorphine receipt for patients with comorbid substance use disorders, and interventions are needed to address disparities in receipt and retention among non-Hispanic Black patients.

Exercise as Medicine for People with a Substance Use Disorder: An ACSM Call to Action Statement.

ABSTRACT: Over 20 million Americans are living with a substance use disorder (SUD) and nearly 100,000 die annually from drug overdoses, with a majority involving an opioid. Many people with SUD have co-occurring chronic pain and/or a mental health disorder. Exercise is a frontline treatment for chronic pain and is an effective strategy for reducing depression and anxiety and improving overall mental health. Several studies have shown that exercise improves SUD-related outcomes including abstinence; however, there is limited large-scale randomized clinical trial evidence to inform integration of exercise into practice. In this Call to Action, we aim to raise awareness of the specific issues that should be addressed to advance exercise as medicine in people with SUD including the challenges of co-occurring chronic pain, mental illness, and cardiopulmonary health conditions. In addition, specialized training for exercise professionals and other support staff should be provided on these issues, as well as on the multiple dimensions of stigma that can impair engagement in treatment and overall recovery in people with SUD.

Preoperative Depression Screening for Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty: An Evaluation of Its Modifiability on Outcomes in Patients Who Have Depression.

INTRODUCTION: Few studies have evaluated preoperative depression screenings in patients who have depression. We studied whether depression screenings before total knee arthroplasty (TKA) were associated with lower: 1) medical complications; 2) emergency department (ED) utilizations and readmissions; 3) implant complications; and 4) costs. METHODS: A nationwide sample from January 1, 2010 to April 30, 2021 was collected using an insurance database. Depression patients were 1:1 propensity-score matched based on those who had (n=29,009) and did not have (n=29,009) pre-operative depression screenings or psychotherapy visits within 3 months of TKA. A case-matched population who did not have depression was compared (n=144,994). A 90-day period was used to compare complications and healthcare utilization and 2-year follow-up for periprosthetic joint infections (PJIs) and implant survivorship. Costs were 90-day reimbursements. Logistic regression models computed odds ratios (OR) of depression screening on dependent variables. P-values less than 0.001 were significant. RESULTS: Patients who did not receive preoperative screening were associated with higher medical complications (18.7 versus 5.2%, OR:4.15, P < 0.0001) and ED utilizations (11.5 versus 3.2%, OR: 3.93, P < 0.0001) than depressed patients who received screening. Patients who had screening had lower medical complications (5.2 versus 5.9%, OR: 0.88, P < 0.0001) and ED utilizations compared to patients who did not have depression (3.2 versus 3.8%, OR: 0.87, P = 0.0001). Two-year PJI incidences (3.0 versus 1.3%, OR: 2.63, P < 0.0001) and TKA revisions (4.3 versus 2.1%, OR: 2.46, P < 0.0001) were greater in depression patients who were not screened preoperatively versus screened patients. Depression patients who had screening had lower PJIs (1.3 versus 1.8%, OR: 0.74, P < 0.0001) compared to non-depressed patients. Reimbursements ($13,949 versus $11,982; P < 0.0001) were higher in depression patients who did not have screening. CONCLUSIONS: Pre-operative screening was associated with improved outcomes in depression patients.

The Difficulties of Managing Pain in People Living with Frailty: The Potential for Digital Phenotyping.

Pain and frailty are closely linked. Chronic pain is a risk factor for frailty, and frailty is a risk factor for pain. People living with frailty also commonly have cognitive impairment, which can make assessment of pain and monitoring of pain management even more difficult. Pain may be sub-optimally treated in people living with frailty, people living with cognitive impairment and those with both these factors. Reasons for sub-optimal treatment in these groups are pharmacological (increased drug side effects, drug-drug interactions, polypharmacy), non-pharmacological (erroneous beliefs about pain, ageism, bidirectional communication challenges), logistical (difficulty in accessing primary care practitioners and unaffordable cost of drugs), and, particularly in cognitive impairment, related to communication difficulties. Thorough assessment and characterisation of pain, related sensations, and their functional, emotional, and behavioural consequences ("phenotyping") may help to enhance the assessment of pain, particularly in people with frailty and cognitive impairment, as this may help to identify who is most likely to respond to certain types of treatment. This paper discusses the potential role of "digital phenotyping" in the assessment and management of pain in people with frailty. Digital phenotyping is concerned with observable characteristics in digital form, such as those obtained from sensing-capable devices, and may provide novel and more informative data than existing clinical approaches regarding how pain manifests and how treatment strategies affect it. The processing of extensive digital and usual data may require powerful algorithms, but processing these data could lead to a better understanding of who is most likely to benefit from specific and targeted treatments.

Internal Medicine Resident Addiction Training at the Veteran's Health Administration: A Qualitative Evaluation of Site Directors' Response to the 2022 ACGME Requirements.

BACKGROUND: Substance use disorders (SUDs) are prevalent in the USA yet remain dramatically undertreated. To address this care gap, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) approved revisions to the Program Requirements for Graduate Medical Education (GME) in Internal Medicine, effective July 1, 2022, requiring addiction medicine training for all internal medicine (IM) residents. The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is a clinical training site for many academic institutions that sponsor IM residencies. This focus group project evaluated VHA IM residency site directors' perspectives about providing addiction medical education within VHA IM training sites. OBJECTIVE: To better understand the current state, barriers to, and facilitators of IM resident addiction medicine training at VHA sites. DESIGN: This was a qualitative evaluation based on semi-structured video-based focus groups. PARTICIPANTS: Participants were VHA IM site directors based at a VHA hospital or clinic throughout the USA. APPROACH: Focus groups were conducted using a semi-structured group interview guide. Two investigators coded each focus group independently, then met to create a final adjudicated coding scheme. Thematic analysis was used to identify key themes. KEY RESULTS: Forty-three participants from 38 VHA sites participated in four focus groups (average size: 11 participants). Six themes were identified within four pre-defined categories. Current state of training: most VHA sites offered no formal training in addiction medicine for IM residents. Barriers: addiction experts are often located outside of IM settings, and ACGME requirements were non-specific. Facilitators: clinical champions help support addiction training. Desired next steps: participants desired incentives to train or hire local champions and a pre-packaged didactic curriculum. CONCLUSIONS: Developing competent clinical champions and leveraging VHA addiction specialists from non-IM settings would create more addiction training opportunities for IM trainees at VHA sites. These insights can likely be applied to IM training at non-VHA sites.