Effect of enforcement of the national referral guidelines on patterns of orthopedic admissions to Kenyatta National Hospital, Kenya: Pre-post intervention study.

BACKGROUND: Inappropriate utilization of higher-level health facilities and ineffective management of referral processes in resource-limited settings are becoming increasingly a concern in health care management in developing countries. This is characterized by self-referral and frequent bypassing of the nearest health facilities coupled with low formal referral mechanisms. This scenario lends itself to a situation where uncomplicated medical conditions are unnecessarily managed in a high-cost health facility. On July 1, 2021, Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) enforced the Kenya Health Sector Referral Implementation Guidelines, 2014, which required patients to receive approval from the KNH referral office and a formal referral letter to be admitted at KNH to reduce the number of walk-ins and allow KNH to function as a referral facility as envisioned by the Kenya 2010 Constitution and KNH legal statue of 1987. OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of enforcing the national referral guidelines on patterns of orthopaedic admissions to the KNH. This was a pre-post intervention study. Data abstraction was done for 459 and 446 charts before and after the enforcement of the national referral guidelines, respectively. RESULTS: Enforcement of the national referral guidelines reduced the proportion of walk-in admissions from 54.9% to 45.1%, while the proportion of facility referrals increased from 46.6% to 53.4% (p = 0.013). The percentage of non-trauma orthopaedic admissions doubled from 12.0% to 22.4% (p<0.001). There was also an increase in admissions through the Outpatient Clinic and Corporate Outpatient Clinic. The proportion of emergency admissions declined, while that of elective admissions increased. The increase in elective cases was mainly driven by the increase in female admissions with active insurance cover, tertiary education, non-trauma-related conditions and older age groups. However, the use of official formal written referral letters did not change despite the enforcement of the national referral guidelines. CONCLUSION: The enforcement of the national referral guidelines reduced the proportion of walk-ins' admissions to KNH. While the enforcement of the national referral guidelines had no effect on the use of official formal written referral letters, it did limit access and utilization of inpatient orthopedic services for young male patients with no active insurance cover and in need of emergency orthopedic care.

Availability and geographic access to breast cancer pathology services in Ghana.

INTRODUCTION: Breast cancer poses a significant health challenge in Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in Ghana, where late-stage diagnoses and limited healthcare access contribute to elevated mortality rates. This study focuses on the crucial role of pathology and laboratory medical (PALM) services in the timely diagnosis of breast cancer within Ghana. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of hospitals was completed from November 2020 to October 2021, with 94.8% of identified in-country hospitals participating. Pathology service-related parameters assessed included whether pathology was available for the diagnosis of breast cancer on-site or via external referral, the number of pathology personnel, additional breast cancer diagnostic capabilities including estrogen and progesterone and/or HER2 testing, and the time from biopsy to patients receiving their results. Geospatial mapping was used to identify areas of limited access. RESULTS: Of the 328 participating hospitals, 136 (41%) reported breast cancer pathology services, with only 6 having on-site capabilities. Pathology personnel, comprising 15 consultants and 15 specialists, were concentrated in major referral centers, particularly in Greater Accra and Kumasi. An assessment of referral patterns suggested that 75% of the population reside within an hour of breast cancer pathology services. Among the 136 hospitals with access to breast cancer pathology, only a limited number reported that results included ER/PR (38%) and HER2 testing (33%). CONCLUSION: Ghana has been able to ensure significant pathology service availability through robust referral pathways with centralized labs. Despite this, difficulties persist with the majority of pathology results not including hormone receptor testing which is important in providing tumor specific treatment.

Proactive integrated consultation-liaison psychiatry and time spent in hospital by older medical inpatients in England (The HOME Study): a multicentre, parallel-group, randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Older people admitted to hospital in an emergency often have prolonged inpatient stays that worsen their outcomes, increase health-care costs, and reduce bed availability. Growing evidence suggests that the biopsychosocial complexity of their problems, which include cognitive impairment, depression, anxiety, multiple medical illnesses, and care needs resulting from functional dependency, prolongs hospital stays by making medical treatment less efficient and the planning of post-discharge care more difficult. We aimed to assess the effects of enhancing older inpatients' care with Proactive Integrated Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry (PICLP) in The HOME Study. We have previously described the benefits of PICLP reported by patients and clinicians. In this Article, we report the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of PICLP-enhanced care, compared with usual care alone, in reducing time in hospital. METHODS: We did a parallel-group, multicentre, randomised controlled trial in 24 medical wards of three English acute general hospitals. Patients were eligible to take part if they were 65 years or older, had been admitted in an emergency, and were expected to remain in hospital for at least 2 days from the time of enrolment. Participants were randomly allocated to PICLP or usual care in a 1:1 ratio by a database software algorithm that used stratification by hospital, sex, and age, and randomly selected block sizes to ensure allocation concealment. PICLP clinicians (consultation-liaison psychiatrists supported by assisting clinicians) made proactive biopsychosocial assessments of patients' problems, then delivered discharge-focused care as integrated members of ward teams. The primary outcome was time spent as an inpatient (during the index admission and any emergency readmissions) in the 30 days post-randomisation. Secondary outcomes were the rate of discharge from hospital for the total length of the index admission; discharge destination; the length of the index admission after random allocation truncated at 30 days; the number of emergency readmissions to hospital, the number of days spent as an inpatient in an acute general hospital, and the rate of death in the year after random allocation; the patient's experience of the hospital stay; their view on the length of the hospital stay; anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder-2); depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-2); cognitive function (Montreal Cognitive Assessment-Telephone version); independent functioning (Barthel Index of Activities of Daily Living); health-related quality of life (five-level EuroQol five-dimension questionnaire); and overall quality of life. Statisticians and data collectors were masked to treatment allocation; participants and ward staff could not be. Analyses were intention-to-treat. The trial had a patient and public involvement panel and was registered with ISRTCN (ISRCTN86120296). FINDINGS: 2744 participants (1399 [51·0%] male and 1345 [49·0%] female) were enrolled between May 2, 2018, and March 5, 2020; 1373 were allocated to PICLP and 1371 to usual care. Participants' mean age was 82·3 years (SD 8·2) and 2565 (93·5%) participants were White. The mean time spent in hospital in the 30 days post-randomisation (analysed for 2710 [98·8%] participants) was 11·37 days (SD 8·74) with PICLP and 11·85 days (SD 9·00) with usual care; adjusted mean difference -0·45 (95% CI -1·11 to 0·21; p=0·18). The only statistically and clinically significant difference in secondary outcomes was the rate of discharge, which was 8.5% higher (rate ratio 1·09 [95% CI 1·00 to 1·17]; p=0·042) with PICLP-a difference most apparent in patients who stayed for more than 2 weeks. Compared with usual care, PICLP was estimated to be modestly cost-saving and cost-effective over 1 and 3, but not 12, months. No intervention-related serious adverse events occurred. INTERPRETATION: This is the first randomised controlled trial of PICLP. PICLP is experienced by older medical inpatients and ward staff as enhancing medical care. It is also likely to be cost-saving in the short-term. Although the trial does not provide strong evidence that PICLP reduces time in hospital, it does support and inform its future development and evaluation. FUNDING: UK National Institute for Health and Care Research.

Disclosure of HIV Status to Sexual Partners Among People With HIV in Singida Regional Referral Hospital of Tanzania: A Cross-Sectional Study.

ABSTRACT: HIV status nondisclosure to sexual partners remains a major challenge in Tanzania's health system. This hospital-based, descriptive, cross-sectional study design recruited 380 people living with HIV (PLWH) to assess voluntary HIV status disclosure to sexual partners, the associated factors, and outcomes among PLWH in Tanzania. Approximately 78% ( n = 297) of the study participants reported disclosing their HIV status to their sexual partners. Adjusted multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that HIV status disclosure to sexual partners was significantly associated with living with a sexual partner (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 3.91, 95% CI [1.43-10.72]), knowledge of HIV disclosure (AOR = 11.71, 95% CI [2.88-47.63]), known serostatus of the sexual partner (AOR = 40.20, 95% CI [15.31-105.56]), and HIV disclosure-related stigma (AOR = 0.92, 95% CI [0.85-0.99]). Addressing these significant factors will maximize the magnitude of voluntary disclosure to sexual partners.

Changes in illness perception, pain catastrophizing, and psychological distress following hand surgeon consultation: A prospective study.

BACKGROUND: Baseline mindset factors are important factors that influence treatment decisions and outcomes. Theoretically, improving the mindset prior to treatment may improve treatment decisions and outcomes. This prospective cohort study evaluated changes in patients' mindset following hand surgeon consultation. Additionally, we assessed if the change in illness perception differed between surgical and nonsurgical patients. METHODS: The primary outcome was illness perception, measured using the total score of the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (B-IPQ, range 0-80). Secondary outcomes were the B-IPQ subscales, pain catastrophizing (measured using the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS)), and psychological distress (measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire-4). RESULTS: A total of 276 patients with various hand and wrist conditions completed the mindset questionnaires before and after hand surgeon consultation (median time interval: 15 days). The B-IPQ total score improved from 39.7 (±10.6) before to 35.8 (±11.3) after consultation (p < 0.0001, Cohen's d = 0.36); scores also improved for the B-IPQ subscales Coherence, Concern, Emotional Response, Timeline, Treatment Control, and Identity and the PCS. There were no changes in the other outcomes. Surgical patients improved on the B-IPQ subscales Treatment Control and Timeline, while nonsurgical patients did not. CONCLUSIONS: Illness perception and pain catastrophizing improved following hand surgeon consultation, suggesting that clinicians may actively influence the patients' mindset during consultations, and that they may try to enhance this effect to improve outcomes. Furthermore, surgical patients improved more in illness perceptions, indicating that nonsurgical patients may benefit from a more targeted strategy for changing mindset.

Functional structure of a high resolution thyroid nodule unit. Economic impact and results of its implementation in an Endocrinology department.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The high incidence of nodular thyroid pathology has led to growing concern about the economic impact that this pathology represents on the healthcare system. There are conclusive data about the cost-effectiveness of high-resolution units for nodular thyroid pathology; however, their implementation is not homogeneous in the Endocrinology and Nutrition services of our country. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the economic impact of the implementation of the high-resolution thyroid nodule unit (HRTNU) in our center. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The present work is a prospective, observational and descriptive study carried out in 1314 patients (82% women, mean age 58 years ds = 11) evaluated at the HRTNU during the period of August 2022-August 2023. Demographic data (age and sex) were analyzed, referral center and consultation type, number of total consultations and neck ultrasound performed, number of fine needle aspiration (FNAB) performed, and cytology results were analyzed. RESULTS: In the period from August 2022 to August 2023, a total of 1314 patients were evaluated (neck ultrasound and clinical consultation) and a total of 133 FNAB were performed, of which only 2.26% were non-diagnostic. Compared to the percentage of unsatisfactory FNAB from the previous year August 2021-July 2022 of 25%, a mean saving of 9931.43 euros was estimated. 84.47% of the patients evaluated for the first time by the HRTNU were discharged, estimating a mean saving of 133,200 euros. CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of a HRTNU at the Endocrinology and Nutrition departments, coordinated with primary and specialized care, is a cost-effectiveness alternative, as it reduces the number of medical consultations and is accompanied by a higher rate of diagnostic FNAB.

Appropriateness of colonoscopies in a Tunisian endoscopy center: factors and EPAGE-I/II criteria comparison.

BACKGROUND: There is a growing demand for colonoscopy, worldwide, resulting in increased rate of inappropriate referrals. This "overuse" of colonoscopies has become a major burden for health care. OBJECTIVES: to assess the appropriateness of colonoscopies performed at the endoscopy unit of the university hospital of Sousse and to compare these results of appropriateness according to the European Panel of Appropriateness of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (EPAGE) I and EPAGE II criteria. PATIENTS AND METHODS: this cross-sectional study included all consecutive patients referred for a diagnostic colonoscopy, between January 2017 and December 2018. Patients referred for exclusively therapeutic indications, those with incomplete colonoscopies were not included. Patients with poor bowel preparation or missing data were also excluded. Indications were assessed using the EPAGE I and EPAGE II criteria. RESULTS: From 1972 consecutive patients, 1307 were included. Overall, 986 (75.4%) of all referrals were for out-patients. The majority of patients were referred by gastroenterologists (n = 1026 patients; 78.5%), followed by general surgeons (n = 85; 6.5%). The commonest indications were lower abdominal symptoms (275; 21%) followed by uncomplicated diarrhea (152; 11.6%). Relevant findings were present in 363 patients (27.7%). Neoplastic lesions were the dominant finding in 221 patients (16.9%). EPAGE I and EPAGE II criteria were applicable for 1237 (88.8%) and 1276 (97.7%) patients respectively. Hematochezia and abdominal pain recorded the highest inappropriate rates with both sets of criteria. Appropriate colonoscopies increased to 76.4% when EPAGE II criteria were applied; whereas uncertain and inappropriate procedures decreased to 10.3% and 10.9% respectively Appropriateness of indication was significantly higher in hospitalized patients. For the EPAGE II criteria, the specialty of the referring physician was also significantly associated to the appropriate use. The agreement between EPAGE I and EPAGE II criteria was slight using the weighted version of k (k = 0.153). CONCLUSIONS: The updated and improved EPAGE II guidelines are a simple and valid tool for assessing the appropriateness of colonoscopies. They decreased the inappropriate rate and the possibility of missing potentially severe diagnoses.

Prevalence and associated factors of atrial fibrillation among patients with rheumatic heart disease attending public referral hospitals in Bahir Dar city, Northwest Ethiopia, 2023.

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a supraventricular arrhythmia associated with uncoordinated atrial activation. Atrial fibrillation is complication of rheumatic heart disease and is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. It is a growing public health problem and economic and social burden. Studies investigating the prevalence and factors associated with atrial fibrillation among chronic rheumatic heart disease patients in Ethiopia are scarce. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with atrial fibrillation in patients with chronic rheumatic heart disease. METHODS AND MATERIALS: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted. A total of 410 patients were selected using a systematic random sampling method. The data were entered into Epi-Data version 4.6 and subsequently exported to SPSS version 26 software for analysis. A binary logistic regression model was applied to identify significant variables related to AF. RESULTS: In this study, 410 patient charts were reviewed. The prevalence of atrial fibrillation was 43% (95% CI of 38% up to 48%). Male (AOR = 3.81, 95% CI 2.00-7.26), age greater than 30 years (AOR = 7.26, 95% CI 3.93-13.41), heart failure (AOR = 4.65, 95% CI 2.39-9.04), mitral valve stenosis (AOR = 6.36, 95% CI 2.92-13.87), and left atrial diameter enlargement (AOR = 3.41, 95% CI 1.64-7.09) were associated with atrial fibrillation. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: Atrial fibrillation leads patients to frequent hospital admission and increases hospital mortality. As a result, health care professionals need to pay more attention to and apply more clinical treatment for older patients, those with heart failure, those with mitral valve stenosis, and those with left atrial diameter enlargement-associated causes of atrial fibrillation.

Diagnostic delay in inflammatory bowel diseases in a German population.

BACKGROUND: Early diagnosis is key to prevent bowel damage in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Risk factor analyses linked with delayed diagnosis in European IBD patients are scarce and no data in German IBD patients exists. AIM: To identify risk factors leading to prolonged diagnostic time in a German IBD cohort. METHODS: Between 2012 and 2022, 430 IBD patients from four Berlin hospitals were enrolled in a prospective study and asked to complete a 16-item questionnaire to determine features of the path leading to IBD diagnosis. Total diagnostic time was defined as the time from symptom onset to consulting a physician (patient waiting time) and from first consultation to IBD diagnosis (physician diagnostic time). Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify risk factors for each time period. RESULTS: The total diagnostic time was significantly longer in Crohn's disease (CD) compared to ulcerative colitis (UC) patients (12.0 vs 4.0 mo; P < 0.001), mainly due to increased physician diagnostic time (5.5 vs 1.0 mo; P < 0.001). In a multivariate analysis, the predominant symptoms diarrhea (P = 0.012) and skin lesions (P = 0.028) as well as performed gastroscopy (P = 0.042) were associated with longer physician diagnostic time in CD patients. In UC, fever was correlated (P = 0.020) with shorter physician diagnostic time, while fatigue (P = 0.011) and positive family history (P = 0.046) were correlated with longer physician diagnostic time. CONCLUSION: We demonstrated that CD patients compared to UC are at risk of long diagnostic delay. Future efforts should focus on shortening the diagnostic delay for a better outcome in these patients.

A long way from Frome: improving connections between patients, local services and communities to reduce emergency admissions.

BACKGROUND: Low socio-economic status can lead to poor patient outcomes, exacerbated by lack of integration between health and social care and there is a demand for developing new models of working. AIM: To improve connections between patients, local services and their communities to reduce unscheduled admissions. DESIGN AND SETTING: A primary care cluster with areas of high deprivation, consisting of 11 general practices serving over 74,000 people. METHOD: A multi-disciplinary team with representatives from healthcare, local council and the third sector was formed to provide support for people with complex or social needs. A discharge liaison hub contacted patients following hospital discharge offering support, while cluster pharmacists led medicine reviews. Wellbeing Connectors were commissioned to act as a link to local wellbeing and social resources. Advance Care Planning was implemented to support personalised decision making. RESULTS: Unscheduled admissions in the over 75 age group decreased following the changes, equating to over 800 avoided monthly referrals to assessment units for the cluster. Over 2,500 patients have been reviewed by the MDT since its inception with referrals to social prescribing groups, physiotherapy and mental health teams; these patients are 20% less likely to contact their GP after their case is discussed. An improved sense of wellbeing was reported by 80% of patients supported by wellbeing connectors. Staff feel better able to meet patient needs and reported an increased joy in working. CONCLUSION: Improved integration between health, social care and third sector has led to a reduction in admissions, improved patient wellbeing and has improved job satisfaction amongst staff.

Implementation and performance evaluation of an integrated specimen referral system in Burkina Faso using the national courier services (2020-2022).

Introduction: In 2017, the Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene (MoH) of Burkina Faso designed and piloted a specimen transport system using the national courier services (La Poste BF) in 4 districts. Based on satisfactory performance indicators, the MoH set a vision aimed at scaling up this system to strengthen disease detection and surveillance of epidemic prone diseases across the country. This work describes the implementation process, performances, and lessons learned. Methodology: This work describes the implementation process, performances, and lessons learned. Under the leadership of the Directorate of Population Health Protection within the MoH, a stepwise approach was used to bring together multiple partners across sectors to develop the first needed documents including a guide, an implementation plan, Standard Operating Procedures, and data collection tools. Then, the execution phase included equipment purchase, trainings, and consensus on a financing mechanism. Key indicators were defined to allow performance monitoring. Result: The integrated biological specimen referral system (SITEB) was officially launched in January 2020 to transport human biological specimens of priority diseases including COVID-19 from district level to reference laboratories nationwide. As of December 31, 2022, La Poste BF transported 168,856 packages containing 206,314 specimens from all 13 regions. 99.66% of packages were delivered in <24 h as required, and 99.68% of specimens were in good condition at reception. COVID-19 specimens represented respectively 18% and 63% of samples transported in 2020 and 2021. Discussion: The political will combined with the experience gained during the pilot phase and the commitment and support from all stakeholders laid to the foundation of the effective implementation of this system. Collaboration between two government entities (MoH and Minister of Transport, Urban Mobility, and Road Safety) to benefit public health has led to reasonable pricing for sustainability. Although all documents integrate the "One Health" approach, the system ensures the transport of only human samples for now. Despite security constraints, Burkina Faso has successfully set up a system using the national postal service to ensure the routine transport of specimens for all diseases under laboratory surveillance including laboratory tests for HIV and TB from the district level to reference laboratories nationwide. This system has also proved to be useful and efficient in managing public health emergency.

Hospitalists' perception of their communication with primary care providers - survey results from six hospitals in Central Switzerland.

OBJECTIVES: Due to the increasing complexity of the healthcare system, effective communication and data exchange between hospitalists (in-hospital physicians) and primary care physicians (PCPs) is both central and challenging. In Switzerland, little is known about hospitalists' perception of their communication with PCPs. The primary objective was to assess hospitalists' satisfaction with their communication with PCPs. Secondary objectives addressed all information about the referral process and communication with PCPs during and after the hospital encounter. Lastly, the results of a previous survey among PCPs were juxtaposed to compare their responses to similar questions. METHODS: This study surveyed hospitalists in six hospitals in the Central Switzerland region. The survey was sent via email to hospitalists from November 2021 to February 2022. The questionnaire contained 17 questions with single- and multiple-choice answers and the option of free-text entry. Exploratory multivariable logistic regression was used to analyse independent associations. RESULTS: In total, 276 of 1134 hospitalists responded (response rate 24.3%): (1) the majority of hospitalists are satisfied with the general communication (n = 162, 58.7%) as well as with referral letters (n = 145, 52.5%), (2) preferred information channels for referral letters are email (n = 212, 76.8%) and electronic portals (n = 181, 65.5%), (3) the three most important items of information in referrals are: medication list, diagnoses and reason for referral. In multivariable regression, compared to other clinicians, internists independently favoured informing PCPs of emergency admissions of their patients in a timely manner (OR 2.04; 95%CI 1.21-3.49). Comparing responses from PCPs (n = 109), the most prominent discrepancy was that 67% (n = 184) of hospitalists claimed to "always" inform after an encounter, whereas only 7% (n = 8) of PCPs agreed. CONCLUSION: Most hospitalists are satisfied with the communication with PCPs and prefer electronic communication channels. Room for improvement was found around timely transmission of patient information before and after hospital encounters.

Closing the gap in access to child mental health care: provider feedback from the Wisconsin Child Psychiatry Consultation Program.

BACKGROUND: Mental illnesses are common among children and negatively impact wellbeing during childhood as well as later in life. However, many children with these conditions are not able to access needed mental health care. The Wisconsin Child Psychiatry Consultation Program (WI CPCP) was created to reduce gaps in access to care by providing primary care providers with referral resources, access to behavioral health consultations, and training on mental health topics. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was 1) to assess the effectiveness of the WI CPCP in Milwaukee County, providing specific insights into provider's ability to care for child mental health, and 2) identify challenges Milwaukee PCPs faced in providing mental health care to child patients and contextualize these challenges in a conceptual framework of access to health care. METHODS: A cross-sectional mixed-methods secondary data analysis was conducted using data collected from online baseline and nine-month follow-up surveys completed by providers participating in the program practicing in Milwaukee County from 2014 to 2022. Provider confidence and skill in providing mental health care was analyzed quantitatively using Two-sample Wilcoxon rank-sum (Mann-Whitney) tests (baseline vs. follow-up survey responses) and descriptive statistics (follow-up survey only). Provider challenges to providing mental health care were analyzed qualitatively using a thematic analysis research approach. RESULTS: Results from quantitative analyses showed that provider confidence and skill in treating childhood anxiety and depression improved from baseline to follow-up. Results from qualitative analyses were categorized by factors within and beyond the scope of WI CPCP. Within the scope of WI CPCP, providers reported a lack of knowledge of referral options and a lack of training in mental health care as well as a lack of knowledge in assessing and treating mental disorders. Still, many barriers to mental healthcare access persist that are beyond the scope of WI CPCP, such as long wait times and a lack of insurance coverage. CONCLUSIONS: This study supports the effectiveness of the program to improve access to care for children. However, there is a need for additional solutions such as better reimbursement for mental health professionals and expanded insurance coverage.

Effect of cancer waiting time standards in the English National Health Service: a threshold analysis.

BACKGROUND: The English National Health Service has multiple waiting time standards relating to cancer diagnosis and treatment. Targets can have unintended effects, such as prioritisation based on targets instead of clinical need. In this case, a `threshold effect' will appear as a spike in hospitals just meeting the target. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of publicly available cancer waiting time data, including a 2-week wait for a specialist appointment, a 31-day decision to first treatment and a 62-day referral to treatment standard that attracted a financial penalty. We examined the performance of hospital trusts against these targets by financial year to look for threshold effects, using Cattaneo et al. manipulation density test. RESULTS: Trust performance against cancer waiting targets declined over time, and this trend accelerated since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Statistical evidence of a threshold effect for the 2-week and 31-day standard was only present in a few years. However, there was strong statistical evidence of a threshold effect for the 62-day standard across all financial years (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The data suggests that the effect of threshold targets alters hospital behaviour at target levels but does not do so equally for all standards. Evidence of threshold effects for the 62-day standard was particularly strong, possibly due to some combination of a smaller volume of eligible patients, a larger penalty, multiple waypoints where hospitals can intervene, baseline performance against the target and where the target is set (i.e. how much headroom is available). RCTs of the use of threshold targets and of different designs for such targets in the future would be extremely informative.

Genomic characterization of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolated from patients attending regional referral hospitals in Tanzania.

BACKGROUND: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) colonization increases the risk of subsequent infection by MRSA strain complex interlinking between hospital and community-acquired MRSA which increases the chance of drug resistance and severity of the disease. OBJECTIVE: Genomic characterization of Staphylococcus aures strains isolated from patients attending regional referral hospitals in Tanzania. METHODOLOGY: A laboratory-based cross-sectional study using short read-based sequencing technology, (Nextseq550,Illumina, Inc. San diego, California, USA). The samples used were collected from patients attending selected regional referral hospitals in Tanzania under the SeqAfrica project. Sequences were analyzed using tools available in the center for genomic and epidemiology server, and visualization of the phylogenetic tree was performed in ITOL 6.0. SPSS 28.0 was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Among 103 sequences of S. aureus, 48.5% (50/103) carry the mecA gene for MRSA. High proportions of MRSA were observed among participants aged between 18 and 34 years (52.4%), in females (54.3%), and among outpatients (60.5%). The majority of observed MRSA carried plasmids rep5a (92.0%), rep16 (90.0%), rep7c (90.0%), rep15 (82.0%), rep19 (80.0%) and rep10 (72.0%). Among all plasmids observed rep5a, rep16, rep20, and repUS70 carried the blaZ gene, rep10 carried the erm(C) gene and rep7a carried the tet(K) gene. MLST and phylogeny analysis reveal high diversity among MRSA. Six different clones were observed circulating at selected regional hospitals and MRSA with ST8 was dominant. CONCLUSION: The study reveals a significant presence of MRSA in Staphylococcus aureus strains from Tanzanian regional hospitals, with nearly half carrying the mecA gene. MRSA is notably prevalent among young adults, females, and outpatients, showing high genetic diversity and dominance of ST8. Various plasmids carrying resistance genes indicate a complex resistance profile, highlighting the need for targeted interventions to manage MRSA infections in Tanzania.

Hospital referrals, exclusions from hospital care, and deaths among long-term care residents in the Community of Madrid during the March-April 2020 COVID-19 epidemic period: a multivariate time series analysis.

BACKGROUND: From March 7 to April 7, 2020, the Community of Madrid (CoM), Spain, issued interventions in response to the COVID-19 epidemic, including hospital referral triage protocols for long-term care facility (LTCF) residents (March 18-25). Those with moderate to severe physical disability and cognitive impairment were excluded from hospital referral. This research assesses changes in the association between daily hospital referrals and the deaths of LTCF residents attributable to the triage protocols. METHODS: Daily hospital referrals and all-cause mortality from January to June 2020 among LTCF residents and the CoM population aged 65 + were obtained. Significant changes in LTCF resident daily hospital referrals time series, and in-LTCF and in-hospital daily deaths, were examined with tests for breaks and regimes in time series. Multivariate time series analyses were conducted to test changes in the associations between LTCF resident hospital referrals with daily deaths in-hospital and in-LTCF, and in the CoM population aged 65 + when the triage protocols were implemented. RESULTS: Among LTCF residents, hospital referrals declined sharply from March 6 to March 23, 2020. Increases in LTCF residents' daily deaths occurred from March 7 to April 1, followed by a decrease reaching pre-epidemic levels after April 28. The daily ratio of in-hospital deaths to in-LTCF deaths reached its lowest values from March 9 to April 19, 2020. The four versions of the triage protocol, published from March 18 to March 25 had no impact on further changes in the association of hospital referrals with daily deaths of LTCF residents in-hospital or in-LTCF. CONCLUSIONS: While LTCF residents' deaths increased, hospital referrals of LTCF residents decreased with the introduction of the CoM governmental interventions on March 7. They were implemented before the enactment of the triage protocols, protecting hospitals from collapse while overlooking the need for standards of care within LTCFs. The CoM triage protocols sanctioned the existing restrictions on hospital referrals of LTCF residents.

Social disparities in access and quality of consultation in outpatient care in Germany.

BACKGROUND: Overall, research on social determinants of access and quality of outpatient care in Germany is scarce. Therefore, social disparities (according to sex, age, income, migration background, and health insurance) in perceived access and quality of consultation in outpatient care (primary care physicians and specialists) in Germany were explored in this study. METHODS: Analyses made use of a cross-sectional online survey. An adult population sample was randomly drawn from a panel which was recruited offline (N = 2,201). Perceived access was assessed by waiting time for an appointment (in days) and travel time to the practice (in minutes), while quality of consultation was measured by consultation time (in minutes) and quality of communication (scale of four items, Cronbach's Alpha 0.89). RESULTS: In terms of primary care, perceived access and quality of consultation was worse among women compared to men. Estimated consultation time was shorter among people with statutory health insurance compared to privately insured respondents. Regarding specialist care, people aged 60 years and older reported shorter waiting times and better quality of communication. Lower income groups reported lower quality of communication, while perceived access and quality of consultation was worse among respondents with a statutory health insurance. Variances explained by the social characteristics ranged between 1% and 4% for perceived access and between 3% and 7% for quality of consultation. CONCLUSION: We found social disparities in perceived access and quality of consultation in outpatient care in Germany. Such disparities in access may indicate structural discrimination, while disparities in quality of consultation may point to interpersonal discrimination in health care.

A longitudinal study of a mHealth app and regional policies on the uptake of postpartum depression referral after positive screening in Shenzhen.

BACKGROUND: Postpartum depression (PPD) has received widespread attention. Shenzhen has been running a large-scale program for PPD since 2013. The program requires mothers to self-assess when applying information technology to PPD screening beginning in 2021. The purpose of this study was to conduct a longitudinal analysis of the impact of mHealth apps on the health-seeking behaviors of PPD patients. METHODS: Longitudinal data from districts in the Shenzhen Maternal and Child Health Management Information System (MCHMIS) for ten years was used in this study. Referral success rate (RSR, successful referrals to designated hospitals as a percentage of needed referrals) was used to assess health-seeking behavior. Trend χ2 tests were used to assess the overall trend of change after the implementation of mHealth in ten districts in Shenzhen. Interrupted Time Series Analysis (ITSA) was employed to assess the role of the mHealth app in changing patient health-seeking behaviors. RESULTS: For the results of the trend χ2 tests, the ten districts of Shenzhen showed an upward trend. For the ITSA results, different results were shown between districts. Nanshan district, Longhua district, and Longgang district all demonstrated an upward trend in the first-year application of the mHealth app. Nanshan district and Longgang district both exhibited an upward trend in terms of sustained effects. CONCLUSIONS: There is a difference in the performance of the mHealth app across the ten districts. The results show that the three districts with better health resource allocation, Nanshan, Longgang, and Longhua districts, demonstrated more significant mHealth app improvements. The mHealth app's functions, management systems, and health resource allocation may be potential factors in the results. This suggests that when leveraging mHealth applications, the first step is to focus on macro-level area resource allocation measures. Secondly, there should be effective process design and strict regulatory measures. Finally, there should also be appropriate means of publicity.

Practical management recommendations for incidental otolaryngologic findings on cone beam computed tomography.

Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) frequently captures unexpected structural abnormalities unrelated to the original intent of the diagnostic test. Once identified by dentists, these findings often require appropriate clinical referral for further investigation. This study reviewed recent literature using a comprehensive search to identify and curate common CBCT incidental findings (IFs). Studies were included if they reported CBCT IFs and included more than 10 cases. The review included 16 primary studies in addition to 4 studies described in recent relevant systematic reviews. A total of 51 descriptive terms used to describe key IFs across studies were identified, and terms were organized semantically into 15 core finding categories. Recommendations for management and referral acuity were derived from otolaryngologic clinical practice guidelines and input from practicing otolaryngologists, and the results were integrated into a clinical management algorithm for acuity of referral. This comprehensive review offers practical recommendations to facilitate appropriate clinical management of CBCT IFs via otolaryngologic referral.