Associations between diabetes and cancer: A 10-year national population-based retrospective cohort study.

AIMS: To investigate the risk of cancer in people with diabetes compared to the population without diabetes and to gain insight into the timely association between diabetes and cancer at national level. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted to analyse the role of diabetes in the development of cancer, based on service utilisation and antidiabetic dispensing data of the population between 2010 and 2021. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression were used to examine how diabetes status, in relationship with age and sex are related to the time to cancer diagnosis. RESULTS: Examining a population of 3 681 774 individuals, people with diabetes have a consistently higher risk for cancer diagnosis for each cancer site studied. Diabetes adds the highest risk for pancreatic cancer (HR = 2.294, 99 % CI: 2.099; 2.507) and for liver cancer (HR = 1.830, 99 % CI: 1.631; 2.054); it adds the lowest - but still significant - risk for breast cancer (HR = 1.137, 99 % CI: 1.055; 1.227) and prostate cancer (HR = 1.171, 99 % CI: 1.071; 1.280).The difference in cancer rate is driven by the younger age group (40-54 years: for patients with diabetes 5.4 % vs. controls 4.4 %; 70-89 years: for patients with diabetes 12.7 % vs. controls 12.4 %). There are no consistent results whether the presence of diabetes increases the risk of cancer diagnosis differently in males and females. The cancer incidence starts to increase before the diagnosis of diabetes and peaks in the year after. By the year after the start of the inclusion date, the incidence is 114/10,000 population in the control group, vs 195/10,000 population in the group with diabetes. Following this, the incidence drops close to the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Screening activities should be revised and the guidelines on diabetes should be complemented with recommendations on cancer prevention also considering that the cancer incidence is highest around the time of the diagnosis of diabetes. For prostate cancer, our results contradict many previous studies, and further research is recommended to clarify this.

Acute Pain Services and pain-related patient-reported outcomes in Hungarian hospitals.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative pain management is an important part of surgical care, where Acute Pain Service offers added value in terms of patient outcomes and costs. The technology, however, has hardly been adopted in Hungary, with only two hospitals operating Acute Pain Service and whose performance has not been evaluated yet. This research compared pain management outcomes of surgical, orthopedic, and traumatology patients in Hungarian hospitals with and without Acute Pain Service. METHODS: We recruited 348 patients, 120 in the APS group and 228 in the control group, whose experience was surveyed with an adapted version of the American Pain Society Patient Outcome Questionnaire. The questionnaire covered pain intensity, pain interference with physical and emotional functions, side effects, patient satisfaction, information received, and participation in treatment decisions. The differences were analyzed by Fisher's exact test and Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: The APS group showed better results with lower pain intensity scores regarding worst postoperative pain (χ2 = 18.919, p = 0.0043). They reported less pain interference with activities in bed (χ2 = 21.978, p = 0.0006) and out of bed (χ2 = 14.341, p = 0.0129). Furthermore, patients in the APS group experienced fewer pain-management-related side effects, like nausea (χ2 = 15.240, p = 0.0101), drowsiness (χ2 = 26.965, p = 0.0001), and dizziness (χ2 = 13.980, p = 0.0124). However, patient information (χ2 = 3.480, p = 0.0945) and patient satisfaction (χ2 = 5.781, p = 0.2127) did not differ significantly between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings confirm earlier international evidence on the benefits of Acute Pain Service in postoperative pain management and support the wider adoption of the technology in Hungarian hospitals. Nevertheless, close attention should be paid to patient information and involvement as better outcomes alone do not necessarily increase patient satisfaction.

A concept for multi-winner tenders for medicinal products with balancing between efficient prices, long-term competition and sustainability of supply.

Achieving price efficiency via tenders, the sustainability of competition, and the prevention of shortages are hot topics in the debates about shaping the pharmaceutical markets. Single-winner tenders receive growing criticism for concentrating on achieving low prices at the expense of the long-term maintenance of a competitive pharmaceutical industry, the security of continuous supply, and disregarding the therapeutic needs of patient populations with specific conditions. This paper aims at drafting a concept to assist the design of multi-winner tenders for medicinal products with a focus on supply and sales guarantees, price efficiency, and equity in access. The concept shall be generally applicable to all kinds of medicinal products including generics, biosimilars, and on-patent products in the out- and in-patient sector. Principles for multi-winner tenders for medicinal products are set and a number of delimitations are made in order to get rid of factors that prevent clairvoyance amid the various pricing and reimbursement systems when designing a concept. The steps to plan and implement a multi-winner tendering procedure are drafted on the basis of the defined principles. The tender should consist of planning, bidding, preparation, sales, and evaluation phases. Pharmaceutical companies shall make bids with price and quantity pairs, which shall be ranked by prices and if applicable then taking into account other factors. The tenderer shall predefine market shares to the various places of the ranking. A double ceiling shall be applicable for the sales of the winners: their sales must not exceed their quantity offer and the predefined market share applicable to their place in the ranking. The implementation of the concept will require the careful adjustment of the tender conditions to the specificities of the pharmaceutical market concerned on the one hand and to the local pricing and reimbursement system on the other hand.

The First Comprehensive Survey of the Practice of Postoperative Pain Management in Hungarian Hospitals: A Descriptive Study.

BACKGROUND: Pain management is a key issue in health care. Providers adopt promising technological developments, like Acute Pain Service, at differing speeds, with countries, such as the USA and Germany taking the lead. Where Hungary stands is unknown, as the practice of pain management has not yet been comprehensively reviewed in that country. AIM: To explore the practice of postoperative pain management in Hungarian hospitals by addressing the questions of who is responsible for it, who measures pain and how, what kind of pain relief technologies are used, and who takes care of patients during duty hours. METHODS: We carried out a survey covering Hungarian hospitals with operational license for surgery, traumatology, orthopedics and anesthesiology between December 2019 and March 2020. The response rate was 72%, and we analyzed 135 questionnaires. RESULTS: We identified only 2 hospitals with an Acute Pain Service. In the majority of hospitals, the attending physician orders pain relief therapy. During duty hours the surgeon on duty takes care of pain management in 52.1% of the cases. Among pain relief therapies, intravenous infusions (74.1%) and oral medication (67.4%) are the most frequent. Ward nurses measure postoperative pain (77.8%) with unidimensional scales. According to 59.7% of the respondents, pain is not measured and documented at rest. Written protocols are available in 34.4% of the departments. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with other countries, pain management in Hungary lags behind with significant room for improvement. Development and implementation of pain management protocols with appropriate education is the key intervention point.

Lifelong vaccination strategy as a tool against pandemics in Hungary / Élethosszan át tartó oltási stratégia mint eszköz a pandémiák elleni védekezésben Magyarországon

Due to various factors, the chances of infectious disease emergence or re-emergence have increased in the 21st century, thus, the likelihood of new emerging pandemics has also increased. The COVID-19 pandemic, which appeared in 2019, has highlighted that certain new and re-emerging infectious diseases - in the case of lack or delay in effective measures - can spread very rapidly. The main tool for the fight against infectious diseases is immunization through vaccination. While focusing on the personal health, public health, economic and societal benefits of a lifelong immunization strategy, especially in light of the aging society, the goal of this paper is to present the benefits of vaccines. In order to increase the added value of vaccinations it is recommended to create a lifelong immunization strategy.

Smart & Safe ­ digitization strategy from a patient safety perspective / Smart & Safe - intézményi digitalizációs stratégia a betegbiztonság szemszögébol.

Összefoglaló. Bevezetés és célkituzés: Az egészségügyi intézmények digitalizációs fejlesztése kapcsán célszeru egy digitális szervezeti stratégia megalkotása a betegbiztonsági és kiberbiztonsági szempontok figyelembevételével. E tanulmány célja az egészségügyi intézményi digitalizáció betegbiztonságra gyakorolt hatásainak átfogó szakirodalmi megismerése és a nemzetközi szakirodalmi közlések tapasztalatai alapján összeállított, a hazai gyakorlatban használható intézményi stratégiai javaslat megalkotása és bemutatása. Módszer: A szerzok irodalomkutatást végeztek, angol és német nyelvu közleményeket kerestek több adatbázisban. A közlemények tartalmát elore meghatározott szempontok szerint gyujtötték. Eredmények: A szerzok 39 közleményt értékeltek, 12 közleményt részletesen mutatnak be. A digitalizációs fejlesztések gyakorlati tapasztalatait és veszélyeit tárgyalják. Az ajánlások foként stratégiai és kiberbiztonsági szempontokat, oktatás- és kompetenciafejlesztést javasolnak. Következtetés: A szerzok hazai egészségügyi intézmények számára javasolják betegbiztonsági és kiberbiztonsági szempontokat figyelembe vevo digitalizációs fejlesztési stratégia megalkotását, amellyel a betegellátással foglalkozók szakmai szempontjainak érvényesülését segítik. Orv Hetil. 2021; 162(47): 1876-1884. INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: In connection with the digitalisation development of healthcare institutions, it is desirable to create a digital organizational strategy, which takes into account patient safety and cyber security aspects. The aim of this study is to familiarize doctors with the comprehensive study of the effects of the digitalisation of healthcare institutions on patient safety and to create and present an institutional strategic proposal, which has been compiled based on the experience of international literature publications. METHOD: A study of the relevant literature was conducted, searching through publications in English and German in several databases. The content of the publications was collected according to pre-defined criteria. RESULTS: 39 articles were evaluated out of which 12 are presented in detail. The practical experiences and risks of the digitalisation developments are discussed. The recommendations principally suggest strategic and cyber security aspects, education and competency improvement. CONCLUSION: The creation of a digitalisation development strategy, which considers patient safety and cyber security aspects, should be considered also in Hungarian healthcare institutions. This strategy would also help the justification and realization of the professional priorities of healthcare providers. Orv Hetil. 2021; 162(47): 1876-1884.

Acute Pain Service in Hungarian hospitals.

BACKGROUND: Surgical procedures play an increasing role among health technologies to treat diseases. Pain often accompanies such diseases, both as a result of their pathology, but also as the side-effect of the intervention itself, and it is not only a burdensome subjective feeling, but adversely affects the recovery process, can induce complications and increases treatment costs. Acute Pain Service Teams are becoming increasingly widespread in hospitals to address post-operative pain, yet we have so far no data on how many hospitals have actually adopted this technology in Hungary. OBJECTIVES: The main objectives of our study were to assess the prevalence of Acute Pain Service Teams, map their structure and operation, as well as to understand the barriers and conducive factors of their establishment in Hungarian hospitals. METHODS: We carried out a survey among the 72 hospitals with surgical departments. The questionnaire was filled in by 52 providers, which gave us a response rate of 72.2%. RESULTS: Our results show, that only two of the responding hospitals have Acute Pain Service Teams albeit their structure and operation are in line with the literature. In the 50 hospitals without such teams, financing difficulties and human resources shortages are mentioned to be the most important obstacles of their establishment, but the lack of initiative and interest on the part of the specialities concerned are also an important barrier. CONCLUSIONS: Lagging behind the more affluent EU member states, but similarly to other Central and Eastern European countries, Acute Pain Service has been hardly adopted by Hungarian hospitals. Hungarian health professionals know the technology and would support its wider introduction, if the technical feasibility barriers could be overcome. Health policy should play a more active role to facilitate change in this area, the investment in which promises a substantial return in terms of health gains and cost savings.

Health related quality of life and satisfaction with care of stroke patients in Budapest: A substudy of the EuroHOPE project.

BACKGROUND: Disadvantaged socioeconomic status is associated with higher stroke incidence and mortality, and higher readmission rate. We aimed to assess the effect of socioeconomic factors on case fatality, health related quality of life (HRQoL), and satisfaction with care of stroke survivors in the framework of the European Health Care Outcomes, Performance and Efficiency (EuroHOPE) study in Hungary, one of the leading countries regarding stroke mortality. METHODS: We evaluated 200 consecutive patients admitted for first-ever ischemic stroke in a single center and performed a follow-up at 3 months after stroke. We recorded pre- and post-stroke socioeconomic factors, and assessed case fatality, HRQoL and patient satisfaction with the care received. Stroke severity at onset was scored by the National Institutes of Health Stroke scale (NIHSS), disability at discharge from acute care was evaluated by the modified Rankin Score (mRS). To evaluate HRQoL and patient satisfaction with care we used the EQ-5D-5L, 15D and EORTC IN PATSAT 32 questionnaires. RESULTS: At 3 months after stroke the odds of death was significantly increased by stroke severity (NIHSS, OR = 1.209, 95%CI: 1.125-1.299, p<0.001) and age (OR = 1.045, 95%CI: 1.003-1.089, p = 0.038). In a multiple linear regression model, independent predictors of HRQoL were age, disability at discharge, satisfaction with care, type of social dwelling after stroke, length of acute hospital stay and rehospitalization. Satisfaction with care was influenced negatively by stroke severity (Coef. = -1.111, 95%C.I.: -2.159- -0.062, p = 0.040), and positively by having had thrombolysis (Coef. = 25.635, 95%C.I.: 5.212-46.058, p = 0.016) and better HRQoL (Coef. = 22.858, 95%C.I.: 6.007-39.708, p = 0.009). CONCLUSION: In addition to age, disability, and satisfaction with care, length of hospital stay and type of social dwelling after stroke also predicted HRQoL. Long-term outcome after stroke could be improved by reducing time spent in hospital, i.e. by developing home care rehabilitation facilities thus reducing the need for readmission to inpatient care.

The role of acute pain service in postoperative pain relief / [Az akutfájdalom-kezelo szolgálat szerepe a mutét utáni fájdalomcsillapításban]

Perioperative analgesia is a major challenge for healthcare providers. Not well-controlled pain after surgery can lead to complications. The worldwide spread of acute pain service (APS) teams has proven to increase the effectiveness of postoperative pain management. This publication aims to describe the concept, structure, quality criteria, and implementation models of acute pain management services based on relevant publications. A systematic literature review was conducted in the relevant databases by the PICO technique, and 263 abstracts were evaluated. The service is available in many countries around the world, basically in three functional structures. The team consists of anesthesiologists and nursing staff specialized in pain therapy. There are 5 quality criteria for describing how the teams work, but service plays an important role in educating patients and staff and developing pain-therapy protocols. We recommend a survey-based evaluation of the current status of APS and the fulfilment of quality criteria in the field of postoperative pain management in Hungary. Orv Hetil. 2020; 161(15): 575­581.

[Who knows what? - About patient handover. Experiences of a Hungarian and Polish sample knowledge survey]. / Ki mit tud? ­ A betegátadásról. Egy magyar és lengyel mintán végzett tudásfelmérés tapasztalatai.

Introduction: The most common reason for the adverse events in healthcare is communication. Due to the development of health technologies and the increasing specialization of care, more and more healthcare professionals are involved in the treatment of patients, resulting in an increasingly important role and risk for patient handover. Aim: To present the current state of knowledge of patient handover through the results of an international project. Method: Self-developed, anonymous questionnaires with single and multiple choice questions were used to investigate handover knowledge among healthcare workers in 3 Hungarian and 3 Polish hospitals. The frequency of responses was analyzed according to their correctness. The factors that can influence the knowledge were studied using a regression model in the Hungarian sample. Results: The questionnaire was completed by 63% of the 2963 employees who received the questionnaires. In the two countries, there was no significant difference in the proportion of correct responses. Nearly half of the responders (49.4%-45.7%) gave the right answers to the question about the definition of patient handover. The lowest rate of correct answers (14.4%-11.1%) was given to elements of patient handover techniques. The difficulty of the questions also showed a similar pattern. Conclusion: Based on the results, it can be concluded that knowledge of handover needs to be improved in both countries. Although healthcare providers have some knowledge about handover, it cannot be considered accurate and complete. It is important to promote the knowledge and practice of handover together for the safety of patients and healthcare providers. Orv Hetil. 2019; 160(44): 1735-1743.

[Methods of the EuroHOPE research program]. / A EuroHOPE kutatási program módszertana.

The European Health Care Outcomes, Performance and Efficiency research was financed by the European Union between 2010 and 2013. In this program a new methodology was developed which made the analysis of regularly collected data and international benchmarking of the healthcare results of 5 socially and economically critical diagnosis group between the 7 participant countries possible. This paper presents the most important areas of the development, such as (1) the principles of the methodology, (2) the definition of available databases, code systems, (3) the events to be analysed, (4) the general rules of analyses and indicator development, (5) the exact methodology of data collection, processing, and analysis, (6) the methods of risk adjustment, (7) and the development of the standardised database. The databases which include all information of all patients and healthcare activities serve as perfect inexhaustible data sources for decision makers, healthcare personnel, and researchers. The indicator results of this program serve as starting point for further root cause analysis and development measures based on the results of the abovementioned analyses. Orv. Hetil., 2016, 157(41), 1619-1625.

[Main characteristics of the care of acute myocardial infarction in Hungary between 2005-2009, based on the results of the EuroHOPE research]. / Az akut myocardialis infarctus fobb hazai ellátási jellemzoi 2005­2009 között a EuroHOPE kutatás eredményei alapján.

INTRODUCTION: The EuroHOPE research developed the standardised methodology of the analysis of the healthcare process. AIM: The aims of the authors were to analyze the care of acute myocardial infarction in Hungary and to compare the results to those of the partner countries. METHOD: The authors analyzed the application of early and late invasive interventions, medication purchase, and mortality. The results were compared to Finnish, Norwegian, Italian, Scottish and Swedish data. RESULTS: By the end of the observed period, approximately half of the patients received early treatment, which is an internationally acceptable result. Purchase of statins, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, and angiotensin receptor blockers was around 90%, but the application of beta-blockers has decreased for unknown reason. The mortality rate has improved, but it was still significantly worse than that in the partnering countries. One year mortality in the early intervention group was 1.5 times higher, and in the late intervention group was 2 times higher than the second worst results. CONCLUSIONS: The causal analysis concerning the professional activities, operational practices, and the role of the patients in the observed period is highly recommended. For more detailed analysis it is necessary to follow the trends and to separate the diagnoses of ST- elevation and non-ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction. Orv. Hetil., 2016, 157(41), 1626-1634.

[Changing of the patient safety culture in the pilot institutes of the Hungarian accreditation program]. / A betegbiztonságot támogató szervezeti kultúra változása a hazai akkreditációs programot tesztelo intézményekben.

INTRODUCTION: The accreditation system for health care providers was developed in Hungary aiming to increase safety, efficiency, and efficacy of care and optimise its organisational operation. AIM: The aim of this study was to assess changes of organisational culture in pilot institutes of the accreditation program. METHOD: 7 volunteer pilot institutes using an internationally validated questionnaire were included. The impact study was performed in 2 rounds: the first before the introduction of the accreditation program, and the second a year later, when the standards were already known. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression models. RESULTS: Statistically significant (p<0.05) positive changes were detected in hospitals in three dimensions: organisational learning - continuous improvement, communication openness, teamwork within the unit while in outpatient clinics: overall perceptions of patient safety, and patient safety within the unit. CONCLUSIONS: Organisational culture in the observed institutes needs improvement, but positive changes already point to a safer care. Orv. Hetil., 2016, 157(42), 1667-1673.

[Role of reporting and learning systems in the improvement of patient safety]. / A jelentési és tanulórendszerek szerepe a betegbiztonság javításában.

The principles and requirements of a patient safety related reporting and learning system were defined by the World Health Organization Draft Guidelines for Adverse Event Reporting and Learning Systems published in 2005. Since then more and more Hungarian health care organizations aim to improve their patient safety culture. In order to support this goal the NEVES reporting and learning system and the series of Patient Safety Forums for training and consultation were launched in 2006 and significantly renewed recently. Current operative modifications to the Health Law emphasize patient safety, making the introduction of these programs once again necessary.

[Accreditation in health care]. / Akkreditáció az egészségügyben.

Besides the rapid development of healing procedures and healthcare, efficiency of care, institutional performance and safe treatment are receiving more and more attention in the 21st century. Accreditation, a scientifically proven tool for improving patient safety, has been used effectively in healthcare for nearly a hundred years, but only started to spread worldwide since the 1990s. The support and active participation of medical staff are determining factors in operating and getting accross the nationally developed, upcoming Hungarian accreditation system. However, this active assistance cannot be expected without the participants' understanding of the basic goals and features of the system. The presence of the ISO certification in Hungary, well-known by healthcare professionals, further complicates the understanding and orientation among quality management and improvement systems. This paper aims to provide an overview of the history, goals, function and importance of healthcare accreditation, and its similarities and differences regarding ISO certification.

[Feasibility of the implementation of medication reconciliation in Hungary]. / A gyógyszeres terápia egyeztetésének gyakorlata Magyarországon - bevezetési lehetoségek.

INTRODUCTION: For medication safety improvement medication reconciliation was proven to be an effective method transferable between different healthcare providers and ward profiles. AIM: Gaining a better understanding of the process of reconciling medicines. Mapping the driving and restraining forces of introducing medication reconciliation. METHOD: A search of the literature was conducted. 19 databases were searched using 7 different search engines. The relevance of the papers was rated by two independent experts. Data were extracted based on a previously compiled extraction tool. RESULTS: 230 articles were evaluated. Limits and driving forces of implementing medication reconciliation were set out. Often mentioned implementation obstacles were: communication issues, disengagement of the leaders, unpredictable resources and competence problems. Recommendations mainly consisted of process redesign techniques, presentation of cost-effectiveness data and arranging special training for staff. CONCLUSIONS: For improvement of medication safety in Hungarian hospitals implementing medication reconciliation should be considered. The conclusion of ongoing on-site trials as well as limits and success factors identified in this paper should taken into account.

[Survey of drug dispensing errors in hospital wards]. / Kórházi osztályok gyógyszerosztással összefüggo gyógyszerelési hibáinak közvetlen megfigyelése.

UNLABELLED: Medication errors occur very frequently. The limited knowledge of contributing factors and risks prevents the development and testing of successful preventive strategies. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the differences between the ordered and dispensed drugs, and to identify the risks during medication. METHODS: Prospective direct observation at two inpatient hospital wards. RESULTS: The number of observed doses was 775 and the number of ordered doses was 806. It was found that from the total opportunities of 803 errors 114 errors occurred in dispensed drugs corresponding to an error rate of 14.1%. Among the different types of errors, the most important errors were: dispensing inappropriate doses (25.4%), unauthorized tablet halving or crushing (24.6%), omission errors (16.4%) and dispensing an active ingredient different from the ordered (14.2%). 87% of drug dispensing errors were considered as errors with minor consequences, while 13% of errors were potentially serious. CONCLUSIONS: Direct observation of the drug dispensing procedure appears to be an appropriate method to observe errors in medication of hospital wards. The results of the study and the identified risks are worth to be reconsidered and prevention measures should be applied to everyday health care practice to improve patient safety.