Diagnostic interobserver agreement for thyroid fine-needle aspirates: Effects of reviewer experience and molecular diagnostics.

OBJECTIVES: Few cytologically indeterminate thyroid fine-needle aspirations (FNAs) harbor BRAF V600E. Here, we assess interobserver agreement for The Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology (TBSRTC) category III (atypia of undetermined significance [AUS]) FNAs harboring BRAF V600E and contrast their features with those harboring non-BRAF V600E alterations, with attention to cytopathology experience. METHODS: Seven reviewers evaluated 5 AUS thyroid FNAs harboring BRAF V600E. To blind reviewers, cases were intermixed with 19 FNAs falling within other TBSRTC categories and in which genetic alterations other than BRAF V600E had been identified (24 FNAs total). Interobserver agreement against both "index" and most popular ("mode") diagnoses was calculated. Four additional BRAF V600E cases were independently reviewed. RESULTS: Reviewers included 3 trainees and 3 American Board of Pathology (board)-certified cytopathologists. Board-certified cytopathologists, whose experience ranged from 2 to more than 15 subspecialty practice years, had known AUS rates. BRAF V600E was identified in 5 of 260 (2%) AUS FNAs. Interobserver agreement was higher among cytopathologists with more experience. Mode diagnosis differed from index diagnosis in 6 of 11 cases harboring RAS-like alterations; mode diagnosis was AUS in 4 of 5 BRAF V600E FNAs. CONCLUSIONS: Atypia of undetermined significance of thyroid FNAs harboring BRAF V600E is uncommon yet relatively reproducible, particularly among pathologists with experience. It is advisable to sequence BRAF across V600 in such cases.

Clinical pharmacy key performance indicators for hospital inpatient setting: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Key performance indicators (KPIs) are quantifiable measures used to monitor the quality of health services. Implementation guidelines for clinical pharmacy services (CPS) do not specify KPIs. AIM: To assess the quality of the studies that have developed KPIs for CPS in inpatient hospital settings. METHOD: A systematic review was conducted by searching in Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed, supplemented with citation analyses and grey literature searches, to retrieve studies addressing the development of KPIs in CPS for hospital inpatients. Exclusions comprised drug- or disease-specific studies and those not written in English, French, Portuguese, or Spanish. The Appraisal of Indicators through Research and Evaluation (AIRE) instrument assessed methodological quality. Domain scores and an overall score were calculated using an equal-weight principle. KPIs were classified into structure, process, and outcome categories. The protocol is available at https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/KS2G3 . RESULTS: We included thirteen studies that collectively developed 225 KPIs. Merely five studies scored over 50% on the AIRE instrument, with domains #3 (scientific evidence) and #4 (formulation and usage) displaying low scores. Among the KPIs, 8.4% were classified as structure, 85.8% as process, and 5.8% as outcome indicators. The overall methodological quality did not exhibit a clear association with a major focus on outcomes. None of the studies provided benchmarking reference values. CONCLUSION: The KPIs formulated for evaluating CPS in hospital settings primarily comprised process measures, predominantly suggested by pharmacists, with inadequate evidence support, lacked piloting or validation, and consequently, were devoid of benchmarking reference values.

Actionability of Recommendations for Additional Imaging in Head and Neck Radiology.

PURPOSE: The aims of this study were to measure the actionability of recommendations for additional imaging (RAIs) in head and neck CT and MRI, for which there is a near complete absence of best practices or guidelines; to identify the most common recommendations; and to assess radiologist factors associated with actionability. METHODS: All head and neck CT and MRI radiology reports across a multi-institution, multipractice health care system from June 1, 2021, to May 31, 2022, were retrospectively reviewed. The actionability of RAIs was scored using a validated taxonomy. The most common RAIs were identified. Actionability association with radiologist factors (gender, years out of training, fellowship training, practice type) and with trainees was measured using a mixed-effects model. RESULTS: Two hundred nine radiologists generated 60,543 reports, of which 7.2% (n = 4,382) contained RAIs. Only 3.9% of RAIs (170 of 4,382) were actionable. More than 60% of RAIs were for eight examinations: thyroid ultrasound (14.1%), neck CT (12.6%), brain MRI (6.9%), chest CT (6.5%), neck CT angiography (5.5%), temporal bone CT (5.3%), temporal bone MRI (5.2%), and pituitary MRI (4.6%). Radiologists >23 years out of training (odds ratio, 0.39; 95% confidence interval, 0.15-1.02; P = .05) and community radiologists (odds ratio, 0.53; 95% confidence interval, 0.22-1.31; P = .17) had substantially lower estimated odds of making actionable RAIs than radiologists <7 years out of training and academic radiologists, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The studied radiologists rarely made actionable RAIs, which makes it difficult to identify and track clinically necessary RAIs to timely performance. Multifaceted quality improvement initiatives including peer comparisons, clinical decision support at the time of reporting, and the development of evidence-based best practices, may help improve tracking and timely performance of clinically necessary RAIs.

Standardized evaluation of hand-off documentation of ICU boarders in the emergency department.

Objective: The boarding of ICU patients in the emergency department (ED) represents a considerable risk to patient safety. This study aims to describe the generation of a rubric to ensure the fidelity of vital, written hand-off between ED teams. Methods: We performed a mixed methods design to develop a scoring rubric to evaluate written hand-off communication of medical ICU boarders between ED teams during the COVID-19 pandemic. The primary outcome was the quality of the written hand-off as agreed upon by the inter-user agreement. Our secondary outcome included variability in written quality as a function of the number of separate and distinct ED teams at the point of the transition of care. Results: There was a moderate inter-user agreement with rubric scoring (κ = 0.70 [95% confidence interval, 0.66-0.75]). The overall trend noted that several key elements, including code status, performed interventions, and contingency planning, were infrequently documented. Conclusions: We effectively created a quality assurance tool for ED ICU boarders that ensures relevant and vital information is relayed between ED teams. Our analysis demonstrated that all relevant information is only sometimes present in the hand-off.

Association between family caregivers' primary care experience when they report as patients and their stress related to caregiving: A pilot cross-sectional study.

Background: Few studies have examined whether family caregivers' own primary care providers can affect caregiving-specific well-being, such as caregiver stress. In this pilot study, we explored whether primary care experiences when family caregivers report as patients were associated with the stress of caregiving. Methods: We used cross-sectional data from a survey conducted in Japan between November and December 2020. We recruited family caregivers aged 40-74 years who were caring for community-dwelling adults with chronic conditions. We assessed primary care experience using the Japanese version of the Primary Care Assessment Tool Short Form (JPCAT-SF) and caregiver stress using the Japanese short version of the Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview. Results: In total, 406 family caregivers were included in the analysis. The mean JPCAT-SF total score was 42.1 out of 100 points. The proportion of caregivers who had higher caregiver stress was 48.8%. After adjusting for possible confounders, the JPCAT-SF score was found to be significantly associated with caregiver stress (lower stress = 0 vs. higher stress = 1; adjusted prevalence ratio per 1 SD increase in JPCAT-SF score = 0.89; 95% CI 0.80-0.98). Among the subscales of the JPCAT-SF, longitudinality, and comprehensiveness (services available) were associated with caregiver stress. Conclusions: Better primary care experiences when family caregivers reported as patients were associated with lower caregiver stress. Longitudinality, which includes focusing attention on the individual as a whole person, and comprehensiveness in the context of building provider-patient relationships that make consultation easier when needed, were associated with lower stress.

Standardized Follow-Up Recommendations Improve Reporting of Incidental Renal Lesions in a Community Setting.

Introduction The objective of this quality improvement study was to assess radiology report follow-up recommendation trends upon detection of incidental renal lesions before and after instituting standardized follow-up macros.  Materials and methods A retrospective review was performed in 2019 of multiphase imaging workups on renal lesions (n = 396), including the following imaging modalities: ultrasound, CT with and without contrast, and spine MRI. Utilizing the same collection methods, a similar retrospective set of cases was collected in 2021, 12 months following the creation of the renal follow-up macros (n = 501). After exclusions, the second set was left with 98 cases of newly characterized incidental renal lesions. For both sets, we assessed the reports of the exams that initially detected the incidental renal lesion. We evaluated the incident reports for the presence of a follow-up recommendation, recommendation completeness, and alignment with the American College of Radiology (ACR) white paper suggestions for renal lesion follow-up. Results Before the implementation of the standardized renal follow-up macros, initial follow-up recommendations were in concordance with the ACR white paper recommendations in 33 of 98 cases (33.7%), incomplete or discordant in 49 of 98 (50.0%), and absent in 16 of 98 cases (16.3%). Following the institution of our macros, there was an improvement in concordant follow-up recommendations (51/98; 52.0%) (p = 0.009), a decrease in the number of incomplete or discordant recommendations (37/98; 37.8%), and a decrease in the number of reports lacking a follow-up recommendation (10/98; 10.2%).  Conclusion Utilization of standard language renal lesion follow-up macros improves the rate of appropriate follow-up recommendations in radiology reports when encountering a previously unknown incidental renal lesion.

Is it feasible to enhance quality assurance of cervical cancer screening in Latin America? A regional expert consensus.

OBJECTIVES: Cervical cancer elimination requires high-performance screening tests and high treatment rates, and thus high screening program performance is essential; however, Latin America lacks organized screening and quality assurance (QA) guidelines. We aimed to develop a core set of QA indicators suitable to the region. METHODS: We reviewed QA guidelines from countries/regions with highly organized screening programs and selected 49 indicators for screening intensity, test performance, follow-up, screening outcomes and system capacity. A regional expert consensus using the Delphi method in two rounds was implemented to identify basic indicators actionable within the regional context. The panel was integrated by recognized Latin American scientists and public health experts. They voted for the indicators blinded to each other based on feasibility and relevance. The correlation between both attributes was analyzed. RESULTS: In the first round 33 indicators reached consensus for feasibility but only 9 for relevance, without full coincidence. In the second round 9 indicators met the criteria for both (2 screening intensity, 1 test performance, 2 follow-up, 3 outcomes, 1 system capacity). A significant positive correlation was observed for test performance and outcomes indicators between the two attributes assessed (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Cervical cancer control requires realistic goals supported by proper programs and QA systems. We identified a set of indicators suitable to improve cervical cancer screening performance in Latin America. The assessment by an expert panel with a joint vision from science and public health practice represents a significant progress towards real and feasible QA guidelines for countries in the region.

Hot or not? Investigating radiation safety and policy updating for the appropriate storage of radioactive specimens at Mount Sinai Hospital.

PURPOSE: The current hospital policy for this study is stringent regarding the storage of radioactive sentinel lymph node (SLN) specimens, which requires the storage time of 24 hours before being handled by Pathology. Additional labeling along with separate containment of these specimens can be forgone if negligible radiation levels are found. The objective of this study was to determine whether the storage time needed for resected radioactive breast and primary site specimens to decay to twice the background radiation levels is less than 24 hours. METHODS: The investigators retrieved breast and primary site SLN specimens from the Pathology department on the same day of the biopsy. A dose calibrator was used to measure the dose, specimen, and concurrent background radioactivity in Megabecquerels (MBq). Radioactive decay calculations were used to further investigate when specimen activities reached twice the background levels. A retrospective analysis was performed using a one-sample t-test to determine if the time to reach double the background activity was significantly different from 24 hours. This study pertained to workflow optimization; thus, general procedure consent forms were sufficient. Both patient confidentiality and privacy were protected. The investigators followed the necessary radiation safety measures. RESULTS: The mean time for specimens to reach twice the background level of radioactivity was 3.99 hours, significantly less than current storage time of 24 hours (p < 0.001). The mean time point for the SLNs to reach 1/16th of the original activity was 7.78 hours (p < 0.001). The average node activity was 0.14 MBq. CONCLUSION: The average sentinel node activity was less than 1 exemption quantity and the time to reach less than twice the background levels was significantly less than 24 hours, meaning that radioactive labels are not needed, and the 24-hour overnight specimen storage can be mitigated.

Satisfacción del usuario en consulta externa de Medicina Física y Rehabilitación del Hospital Nacional Edgardo Rebagliati Martins, 2022

Introducción : La satisfacción del paciente es un indicador fundamental de la calidad en los servicios de salud. Sin embargo, encontramos escasos estudios previos en Medicina Física y Rehabilitación (MFyR), especialidad que atiende a pacientes con discapacidad quienes tienen derecho a recibir servicios de salud de la más alta calidad. El objetivo del estudio fue evaluar la satisfacción del usuario en consulta externa de MFyR del Hospital Nacional Edgardo Rebagliati Martins (HNERM) de julio a septiembre del 2022. Métodos : Se realizó un estudio observacional transversal de tipo descriptivo. Se evaluó la satisfacción del usuario de consulta externa con la encuesta SERVQUAL. Asimismo, se incluyeron variables sociodemográficas, relacionadas a la atención brindada, y el tipo de terapia de rehabilitación que recibió. Se realizó el análisis de datos utilizando el paquete estadístico Stata/SE ®. Se realizó el análisis bivariado entre las covariables de interés y la satisfacción. Resultados : Se incluyó a 93 participantes, con una mediana de edad de 43 años, el 49.5 % tuvo un tiempo menor a 6 meses desde la primera atención en consulta externa y el 59.1 % recibía solo terapia física. La satisfacción global fue de 72.4 %. La satisfacción por dimensión fue de 79,6 % para seguridad, 78,5 % para aspectos tangibles, 76,9 % para empatía, 68,8 % para fiabilidad y 58,1 % para capacidad de respuesta. Conclusiones : Hallamos que aproximadamente siete de cada diez participantes presentaron satisfacción global en consulta externa de MFyR del HNERM. Las dimensiones con mayor satisfacción fueron seguridad, aspectos tangibles, y empatía.

Introduction : Patient satisfaction is an important indicator for quality in healthcare services. However, we found scant previous studies on this respect carried out in the Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (PRM) service, a specialty that takes care of disabled patients entitled to receive best quality medical services. The objective of this study was to evaluate users' satisfaction in the outpatient clinic of the PRM service at Edgardo Rebagliati-Martins National Hospital (ERMNH), from July to September, 2022. Methods : A descriptive cross-sectional observational study was carried out. Outpatient's satisfaction was assessed using the SERVQUAL survey. Also, sociodemographic variables related to healthcare services and the type of rehabilitation therapy these patients received were assessed. Data analysis was performed using the Stata/SE® statistical software. Bivariate analysis for interest covariates and satisfaction was also performed. Results : Ninety-tree participants were included, their mean age was 43 years, nearly half (49.5%) had a less than 6-month time since they were seen for the first time in the outpatient clinic, and 59.1% only received physical therapy. Overall satisfaction was 72.4%. Satisfaction according to different dimensions was as follows> 79.6% for safety, 78.5% for tangible issues, 76.9% for empathy, 68.8% for reliability, and 58.1% for response capacity. Conclusions : We found that approximately seven out of ten patients had overall satisfaction in the PRM outpatient clinic at ERMNH. The dimensions with great satisfaction were safety, tangible issues, and empathy.

Calidad percibida en adultos mayores sobre el proceso de vacunación contra la Covid-19 en Jalisco, México / Perceived quality in older adults about the vaccination process against covid-19 in Jalisco, Mexico

El adulto mayor (AM) percibe la calidad a partir de las acciones ejecutadas al momento de brindarle algún servicio de salud. El propósito fue identificar la calidad percibida por los adultos mayores durante el proceso para la aplicación de la vacuna contra la COVID-19. El estudio fue cuantitativo-descriptivo, transversal, N=14,508 AM, n=494, muestreo aleatorio, se utilizó estadística descriptiva; prueba U de Mann-Whitney y Chi-cuadrado de Pearson, fijando el valor de significancia de p=≤0.05. El estudio contempló los principios de Helsinki. La muestra se compuso de 494 AM. (58.5%) fueron mujeres y (41.5%) eran hombres. La edad mínima fue de 60 años y la máxima de 93 años. La primera causa de enfermedad que dijo padecer el AM fue la enfermedad hipertensiva (35.6%), a través de Chi-cuadrado de Pearson, se estableció que no existen diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre el sexo y enfermedad, sig. 0.293 (p= ≤0.05). 0.05), la percepción del AM sobre el trato recibido por parte del personal de enfermería, durante la aplicación de la vacuna lo describieron como bueno 312 (63.2%), sig.=0.002 (p= ≤0.05). Los AM manifiestan que el personal de enfermería brindó información sobre el proceso para la aplicación de la vacuna y refieren estar totalmente satisfechos 399 (92.4%), sig.=0.001 (p= ≤0.05). Los resultados son novedosos, ya que evidencian el reconocimiento de la calidad de las intervenciones que las enfermeras realizan al proporcionar el cuidado, y permiten identificar que los AM tuvieron buena percepción de calidad durante el proceso de vacunación y total satisfacción con el trato recibido por enfermería. (AU)

The older adult perceives the quality from the actions carried out at the time of providing a health service. The purpose was to identify the quality perceived by older adults during the process for the application of the COVID-19 vaccine, the study was quantitative descriptive, cross-sectional, N=14,508 AM, n=494, random sampling, descriptive statistics were used; Mann-Whitney U test and Pearson’s Chi-square, fixing the significance value of p=≤0.05. The Helsinki principles were applied. The sample consisted of 494 older adult (58.5%) were women and (41.5%) were men. The minimum age was 60 years, and the maximum was 93 years. The first cause of disease reported to suffer from participants was hypertensive disease (35.6%), through Pearson’s Chi-square, it was established that there are no statistically significant differences between sex and disease, sig. 0.293 (p= ≤0.05). 0.05), the perception of the participants about the treatment received by the nursing staff, during the application of the vaccine was described as good by 312 (63.2%), sig.=0.002 (p= ≤0.05).The older adult state that the nursing staff provided information on the process for the application of the vaccine and reported being totally satisfied 399 (92.4%), sig.=0.001 (p= ≤0.05). The results are novel since they show the recognition of the quality of the interventions that nurses carry out when providing care and allow to identify that the older adult had a good perception of quality during the vaccination process and total satisfaction with the treatment received by nursing. (AU)

Hemodialysis facility star rating affects mortality in chronic hemodialysis patients: a longitudinal observational cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Many countries have their own hemodialysis (HD) quality assurance programs and star rating systems for HD facilities. However, the effects of HD quality assurance programs on patient mortality are not well understood. Therefore, in the present study, the effects of the Korean HD facility star rating on patient mortality in maintenance HD patients were evaluated. METHODS: This longitudinal, observational cohort study included 35,271 patients receiving HD treatment from 741 facilities. The fivestar ratings of HD facilities were determined based on HD quality assessment data from 2015, which includes 12 quality measures in structural, procedural, and outcome domains. The patients were grouped into high (three to five stars) and low (one or two stars) groups based on HD facility star rating. Cox proportional hazards model was used to evaluate the effects of star rating on patient mortality during the mean follow-up duration of 3 years. RESULTS: The patient ratio between high and low HD facility star rating groups was 82.0% vs. 18.0%. The patients in the low star rating group showed lower single-pool Kt/V and higher calcium and phosphorus levels compared with subjects in the high star rating group. After adjusting for sociodemographic and clinical parameters, the HD facility star rating independently increased the mortality risk (hazard ratio, 1.11; 95% confidence interval, 1.04-1.18; p = 0.002). CONCLUSION: The HD facilities with low star rating showed higher patient mortality.

[Trauma rehabilitation : Implementation and challenges]. / Traumarehabilitation : Implementation und Herausforderungen.

The current state of posttraumatic rehabilitation in Germany is on the one hand shaped by the efforts of the primary care providers in the acute setting to transfer patients as soon as possible to rehabilitation in accordance with the requirement for a continuous chain of rehabilitation. On the other hand, there are still important treatment gaps due to a lack of options, specialized structures and financing. This has the consequence that severely injured patients sometimes experience substantial difficulties, setbacks and delays on their way back to social participation. This article presents the various phases of rehabilitation and the existing challenges in order to guarantee the universally acknowledged demand for a continuous rehabilitation chain. Reference is made to the missing structures and simultaneously to the necessary continuity of the processes, the quality assurance and the financial prerequisites for new forms of care. This is exemplified by how the continuum of posttraumatic rehabilitation of the German statutory accident insurance with the successful reintegration of trauma victims in work and social life could be a model for insured persons of the statutory health insurance and the German pension fund. The scientific societies of trauma surgery and rehabilitation medicine also promote the model of a differentiated trauma rehabilitation and sustain the idea of a trauma rehabilitation network to increase the chances of the severely injured for the best possible quality of life and social participation.

Prevalencia de las úlceras por presión al egreso hospitalario en chile: tendencia del indicador 2001 al 2019

Objetivo: Analizar la tendencia de la prevalencia de úlceras por presión en Chile y sus regiones de acuerdo con los egresos hospitalarios. Material y Método: Estudio ecológico de series temporales, que analizó la prevalencia de úlceras por presión entre 2001 y 2019. Se realizó un análisis descriptivo, bivariante y lineal de tendencias. Este último con método de autorregresión Prais Winsten, calculando el cambio porcentual anual (APC) y sus intervalos de confianza al 95% (IC-95%). Resultados: La muestra fue de 11.060 casos. El 55,2% (6.103) fueron hombres, la media de edad fue 60 años (± 27.5) y la estancia hospitalaria fue 21,80 (± 35,084) días, siendo significativamente mayor en quienes presentaban lesiones por presión (p< 0,001). Existe una tendencia creciente y significativa en la prevalencia de úlceras por presión en Chile y todas sus regiones, teniendo promedio de un 11,33% de crecimiento interanual (APC= 0,0019; IC:95%= 0,0016-0,0022). Conclusión: Los resultados no son alentadores a pesar del aumento de la notificación de medidas de prevención y estandarización en los cuidados.

Objective: To analyze the trend in the prevalence of pressure ulcers in Chile and its regions according to hospital discharges. Material and Method: Ecological time series study, which analyzed the prevalence of pressure ulcers between 2001 and 2019. A descriptive, bivariate and linear analysis of trends was carried out. The latter with the Prais Winsten auto-regression method, calculating the annual percentage change (APC) and its 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Results: The sample was 11,060 cases. 55.2% (6,103) were men, the average age was 60 years (± 27.5) and the hospital stay was 21.80 (± 35,084) days, being significantly longer in those with pressure injuries (p< 0.001). There is a growing and significant trend in the prevalence of pressure ulcers in Chile and all its regions, with an average of 11.33% interannual growth (APC= 0.0019; 95% CI= 0.0016-0.0022). Conclusion: The results are not encouraging despite the increase in notification of prevention measures and standardization of care.

Objetivo: Analisar a tendência da prevalência de úlceras por pressão no Chile e suas regiões de acordo com as altas hospitalares. Material e Método: Estudo ecológico de série temporal, que analisou a prevalência de úlceras por pressão entre 2001 e 2019. Foi realizada análise descritiva, bivariada e linear de tendências. Este último com o método de autorregressão de Prais Winsten, calculando a variação percentual anual (APC) e seus intervalos de confiança de 95% (IC 95%). Resultados: A amostra foi de 11.060 casos. 55,2% (6.103) eram homens, a idade média foi de 60 anos (± 27,5) e o tempo de internação foi de 21,80 (± 35.084) dias, sendo significativamente maior naqueles com lesão por pressão (p< 0,001). Há uma tendência crescente e significativa na prevalência de úlceras por pressão no Chile e em todas as suas regiões, com uma média de crescimento interanual de 11,33% (APC= 0,0019; IC 95%= 0,0016-0,0022). Conclusão: Os resultados não são animadores apesar do aumento da notificação de medidas de prevenção e da padronização dos cuidados.

Smooth Transitions: Enhancing Interprofessional Collaboration when Planned Community Births Transfer to Hospital Care.

In Washington state, planned community births are attended by direct entry licensed midwives (LMs) and certified nurse-midwives (CNMs). The most recently published vital statistics data from 2018 reported that 3.6% of the 84,648 births in Washington occurred at home or in freestanding birthing centers. Approximately 16.2% of planned home birth and birth center clients experience intrapartum or early postpartum transfer to the hospital, while 1.8% of their newborns do. The safety of and satisfaction with these types of referrals depends on multisystem processes performed by a variety of health care professionals. Smooth Transitions is a quality improvement (QI) initiative in Washington state that was developed to enhance interprofessional collaboration between community-based midwives, emergency medical services (EMS), and hospital personnel to improve the quality of hospital transfers from planned community settings. Key interventions to date have included (1) information sharing to dispel misconceptions and provide context regarding community births and midwives; (2) co-creation of transfer guidelines; (3) regularly held interprofessional meetings to review transfers and build relationships; and (4) ongoing review of qualitative feedback that captures the perspectives of all involved. Responses on questionnaires and audits indicate that Smooth Transitions has had a positive impact on provider, staff, and patient experiences with hospital transfers. Future endeavors will include strengthening quantitative data collection processes to measure safety indicators, expanding relationships with EMS, and building a case review process that is legally protected. By engaging representatives of all stakeholder groups and addressing community-to-hospital transfers as a multisystems issue, replication of the Smooth Transitions QI Program nationally could promote increased community midwifery integration by enhancing the referral experience for both patients and caregivers.

Calidad en el servicio de alimentación de Casas de la niñez indígena, México: Estudio de caso

RESUMEN El Instituto Nacional de los Pueblos Indígenas es el organismo mexicano encargado de brindar alimentación, además de hospedaje a niñas y niños que provienen de localidades indígenas que no cuentan con acceso educativo en sus lugares de origen, a través de albergues denominados "Casas de la niñez indígena". En 2019 se llevó a cabo el presente estudio, cuyo objetivo fue analizar la calidad del servicio de alimentación otorgado en un albergue del Estado de México, entidad cercana a la Ciudad de México. La calidad se estudió desde una perspectiva multidimensional, por lo que se examinaron tres elementos: la estructura, los procesos y los resultados. Para verificar el cumplimiento de la estructura y los procesos se aplicaron dos listas de cotejo y se establecieron porcentajes de cumplimiento, en el caso de la dimensión resultados se evaluó la aceptabilidad del servicio, a través de la aplicación de 42 cuestionarios a usuarios de 8 a 19 años de edad, cada respuesta del cuestionario obtuvo un puntaje promedio categorizado en rechazo o aceptación del servicio. La estructura del servicio mostró un cumplimiento alto de la calidad (85,7% de cumplimiento), los procesos obtuvieron un cumplimiento medio de la calidad (64,4% de cumplimiento) y la dimensión resultados demostró baja aceptabilidad del servicio respecto a la cantidad de comida servida. Ante el bajo cumplimiento de la calidad en algunos procesos se recomendó la implementación de herramientas e indicadores de calidad para identificar problemáticas y garantizar la inocuidad, además de la calidad del servicio.

ABSTRACT The National Institute of Indigenous People is a Mexican institution in charge of providing food and lodging for indigenous children living in rural areas. These services were provided in shelters known as "Casas de la niñez indígena". In 2019, we carried out this research with the objective of analyzing the quality of the food service provided in a shelter near Mexico City. Quality was analyzed from a multidimensional perspective, we studied three elements: structure, processes and results. The structure and processes were evaluated through checklists and compliance percentages. Results focused on evaluating the acceptability of the service through the application of 42 questionnaires to users from 8 to 19 years of age. Answers were analyzed through an average score categorized in rejection or acceptance of the service. Structure demonstrated high-quality compliance (85.7%), medium quality compliance (64.4%) for processes and the results dimension showed little acceptance to the amount of food served. The implementation of quality tools and indicators were recommended to identify problems in the processes and to guarantee food safety and quality of service.

The impact of learner involvement in emergency department patient assessments on short-term return visits requiring hospital admission: a cross-sectional study.

PURPOSE: Learners, either medical students or residents, often perform the initial assessment of patients visiting the emergency department (ED). It is unclear, however, if learners affect the rate of short-term unscheduled return visits. The objective of this study was to determine if the involvement of learners in ED visits increases the rate of return visits. METHODS: This was a retrospective cross-sectional analysis of ED visit data at a single tertiary care centre over a 1-year period. Return visits were defined as those presenting within 72 h of discharge from an initial non-admit ED visit and resulting in an admission on the second visit. A generalized linear mixed model was used to determine the odds ratios of return visits, adjusting for prespecified co-variates, with and without learners involved during the initial visit. Secondary analyses assessed for associations between learner level of training, program of study and return visits. RESULTS: Return visits occurred after 658 (1.3%) of 51,149 encounters involving learners and 701 (0.8%) of 83,310 encounters with no learner involvement. Involvement of learners in ED initial visits was not associated with increased odds of return visits (adjusted OR 1.13 [95% CI 0.71-1.81]), although the point estimates were heterogeneous over learner level of training, with clerkship students (medical student years 3 and 4) and senior residents (post-graduate years 4 and 5) trending towards reduced odds of a return visit. Resident program of study did not independently predict return visits. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that the involvement of learners in ED patient assessments is not associated with increased odds of short-term unscheduled return visits.

RéSUMé: OBJECTIF: Les apprenants, qu'ils soient étudiants en médecine ou résidents, procèdent souvent à l'évaluation initiale des patients qui se rendent au service des urgences (SU). Il n'est pas clair, cependant, si les apprenants ont une incidence sur le taux de visites de retour imprévues à court terme. L'objectif de cette étude était de déterminer si la participation des apprenants dans les visites aux urgences augmentait le taux de retour des visites. MéTHODES: Il s'agissait d'une analyse transversale rétrospective des données sur les visites à l'urgence dans un seul centre de soins tertiaires sur une période d'un an. Les visites de retour ont été définies comme celles qui se sont présentées dans les 72 heures suivant la sortie d'une première visite à l'urgence sans admission et qui ont donné lieu à une admission lors de la deuxième visite. Un modèle linéaire mixte généralisé a été utilisé pour déterminer les rapports de cotes des visites de retour, en tenant compte des co-variables préétablies, avec et sans participation des apprenants pendant la visite initiale. Des analyses secondaires ont évalué les associations entre le niveau de formation de l'apprenant, le programme d'études et les visites de retour. RéSULTATS: Les visites de retour ont eu lieu après 658 (1,3%) des 51 149 rencontres impliquant des apprenants et 701 (0,8%) des 83 310 rencontres sans participation de l'apprenant. L'implication des apprenants dans les visites initiales à l'urgence n'était pas associée à une probabilité accrue de visites ultérieures (OR ajusté = 1,13 [IC à 95% 0,71­1,81]), bien que les estimations ponctuelles aient été hétérogènes selon le niveau de formation de l'apprenant, les étudiants en externat (années d'études en médecine 3 et 4) et les résidents seniors (années 4 et 5 des études supérieures) ont tendance à réduire les risques de visite de retour. Le programme d'études des résidents n'a pas prédit de manière indépendante les visites de retour. CONCLUSIONS: Cette étude a démontré que la participation des apprenants aux évaluations des patients à l'urgence n'est pas associée à une probabilité accrue de visites de retour imprévues à court terme.

Combining molecular testing and the Bethesda category III:VI ratio for thyroid fine-needle aspirates: A quality-assurance metric for evaluating diagnostic performance in a cytopathology laboratory.

BACKGROUND: Molecular testing (MT) of thyroid fine-needle aspiration (FNA)-derived genetic material is commonly used to assess malignancy risk for indeterminate cases. The Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology (TBS) provides limited guidance for the appropriate use of category III (atypia of undetermined significance [AUS]). The authors combined MT with cytomorphology to monitor AUS diagnoses in a cytopathology laboratory. METHODS: Neoplasia-associated genetic alterations (NGAs) were determined by MT of preoperative FNA biopsies or resected malignancies and were categorized as BRAF V600E mutations, RAS-like mutations (HRAS, NRAS, or KRAS mutations or non-V600E BRAF mutations), or other mutations. RESULTS: Among 7382 thyroid FNA biopsies, the AUS rate was 9.3% overall and ranged from 4.3% to 24.2% among 6 cytopathologists (CPs) who evaluated >150 cases. The ratio of specimens falling into TBS category III to specimens falling into category VI (malignant) (the III:VI ratio) was 2.4 overall (range, 1.1-8.1), and the ratio of specimens falling into TBS categories III and IV (follicular neoplasm or suspicious for follicular neoplasm) combined (III+IV) to specimens falling into category VI (the [III+IV]:VI ratio) was 2.9 overall (range, 1.4-9.5). MT was performed on 588 cases from 560 patients (79% women) with a median age of 56 years (range, 8-89 years). BRAF V600E mutation was the most common (76% of cases) in TBS category VI and was rare (3%) in category III. RAS-like mutations were most common in TBS categories III (13%), IV (25%), and V (suspicious for malignancy) (17.5%). The NGA rate in AUS cases fell between 5% and 20% for 5 of 6 CPs and did not correlate with the III:VI ratio or the (III+IV):VI ratio. CONCLUSIONS: Lack of correlation between the NGA rate and easily calculable diagnostic ratios enables the calibration of diagnostic thresholds, even for CPs who have normal metrics. Specifically, calculation of the NGA rate and the III:VI ratio may allow individual CPs to determine whether they are overcalling or undercalling cases that other CPs might otherwise recategorize.

Improving cancer care locally: Study of a hospital affiliate network model.

PURPOSE: The University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center Affiliate Network (MCCAN) increased access to high-quality cancer care for patients treated in community hospitals across the state by leveraging the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer (CoC) standards to improve quality among its member sites. This study describes the network activities and services identified as most helpful or effective to its members, as well as the perceived value of joining MCCAN or pursing accreditation. METHODS: An independent research team conducted in-depth, semistructured interviews with 18 administrators and clinicians from 10 MCCAN hospitals in 2019. Interviews were transcribed and a thematic analysis was conducted. FINDINGS: Network affiliation and CoC accreditation were perceived as helpful to improving quality of care. Having both clinician and administrative champions were key facilitators to achieving CoC standards and made mentoring of member sites a critical activity of the Network. Other components identified as valuable and/or key to the Network's success included providing access to specific CoC-required clinical services (eg, genetic counseling); offering regular performance monitoring and individualized feedback; establishing a culture of quality improvement; and fostering trust within the Network with patient referrals (ie, sending patients back to their local hospital for ongoing care). CONCLUSIONS: Quality improvement in community cancer programs is challenging but several strategies were identified by members as valuable and effective. Efforts to disseminate the MCCAN model should focus on identifying the needs of community hospitals, implementing a quality monitoring system, and fostering site-level champions who can be influential drivers of change.

Improving Transparency of Hospitals' Performance: Recommendations for Iran.

Public reporting of hospitals' performance data is a growing trend. This transparency may improve patient choices, competition, and service quality. This study aims to provide recommendations to improve hospitals' transparency in Iran. A qualitative study designed with 18 semi-structured interviews. Recommendations were categorized into five main themes, including passing a comprehensive law on transparency to create political commitment, educating people and healthcare providers to create the culture, developing a simple and efficient structure to foster transparency, and monitoring and evaluating transparency. The most important issue is political commitment. If it exists, the rest of the obstacles can be solved.

Panorama da acreditação (inter)nacional no Brasil / Panorama de la acreditación (inter) nacional en Brasil / Overview of (inter)national accreditation in Brazil

RESUMO Objetivo delinear o panorama da Acreditação nacional e internacional no Brasil. Método estudo descritivo, de abordagem quantitativa e fonte documental. Os campos de inquérito foram as páginas online de acesso irrestrito das seguintes metodologias acreditadoras: Organização Nacional de Acreditação (ONA), Joint Commission International (JCI), Accreditation Canada International (ACI) e QMentum Internacional, além da página do Cadastro Nacional de Estabelecimentos de Saúde (CNES) e/ou sites institucionais. Foram extraídas as variáveis: tipo de instituição/estabelecimento de saúde; regime de gestão setorial; localidade; nível de certificação (em caso de selo concedido pela ONA) e porte (para hospitais). Empregou-se análise estatística descritiva. Resultados apuraram-se os dados de 1.122 certificações, especialmente da ONA (77,2%) e QMentum International (13,2%). Os hospitais prevaleceram na adesão à Acreditação (35,3%), principalmente os de grande porte (60,3%) e do setor privado (75,8%). Houve concentração dos selos de qualidade na região Sudeste do Brasil (64,5%), e a região Norte apresentou menor proporção de estabelecimentos certificados (3%). Conclusões e implicações para a prática as certificações de Acreditação no Brasil remetem à metodologia nacional, com enfoque na área hospitalar privada e na região Sudeste do país. O mapeamento delineado pode sustentar assertividade em políticas de incentivo à gestão da qualidade e avaliação externa no Brasil.

RESUMEN Objetivo delinear el panorama de la Acreditación nacional e internacional en Brasil. Método estudio descriptivo, con enfoque cuantitativo y fuente documental. Los campos de consulta fueron las páginas en línea de libre acceso de las siguientes metodologías de acreditación: Organización Nacional de Acreditación (ONA), Joint Commission International (JCI), Accreditation Canada International (ACI) y QMentum Internacional, además del Registro Nacional de Establecimientos Salud (CNES) y/o sitios web institucionales. Se extrajeron las variables: tipo de institución/establecimiento de salud; régimen de gestión sectorial; localidad; nivel de certificación (en caso de sello otorgado por la ONA) y tamaño (para hospitales). Se utilizó análisis estadístico descriptivo. Resultados se recogieron datos de 1.122 certificaciones, especialmente de ONA (77,2%) y QMentum International (13,2%). Los hospitales prevalecieron en la adhesión a la Acreditación (35,3%), en especial los hospitales grandes (60,3%) y el sector privado (75,8%). Hubo concentración de sellos de calidad en la región Sudeste de Brasil (64,5%), y la región Norte tuvo la menor proporción de establecimientos certificados (3%). Conclusiones e implicaciones para la práctica las certificaciones de acreditación en Brasil se refieren a la metodología nacional, con foco en el área hospitalaria privada y la región Sudeste del país. El mapeo esbozado puede apoyar la asertividad en las políticas de fomento de la gestión de la calidad y la evaluación externa en Brasil.

ABSTRACT Objective to outline the panorama of national and international Accreditation in Brazil. Method a descriptive study, of quantitative approach and documental source. The survey fields were the unrestricted access online pages of the following accrediting methodologies: National Accreditation Organization (ONA), Joint Commission International (JCI), Accreditation Canada International (ACI), and QMentum International, besides the page of the National Registry of Health Establishments (CNES) and/or institutional sites. Variables were extracted: type of institution/health care facility; sector management regime; location; level of certification (in case of a seal granted by ONA), and size (for hospitals). Descriptive statistical analysis was used. Results data from 1,122 certifications was obtained, especially from ONA (77.2%) and QMentum International (13.2%). Hospitals prevailed in the Accreditation adherence (35.3%), mainly the large ones (60.3%) and from the private sector (75.8%). There was a concentration of quality seals in the Southeast region of Brazil (64.5%), and the North region presented the lowest proportion of certified establishments (3%). Conclusions and implications for practice the Accreditation certifications in Brazil refer to the national methodology, focusing on the private hospital area and the Southeast region of the country. The mapping outlined can support assertiveness in incentive policies for quality management and external evaluation in Brazil.