Beyond the consultation room: Proposals to approach health promotion in primary care according to health-care users, key community informants and primary care centre workers.

BACKGROUND: Primary health care (PHC) is the ideal setting to provide integrated services centred on the person and to implement health promotion (HP) activities. OBJECTIVE: To identify proposals to approach HP in the context of primary care according to health-care users aged 45-75 years, key community informants and primary care centre (PCC) workers. METHODS: Descriptive-interpretive qualitative research with 276 participants from 14 PCC of seven Spanish regions. A theoretical sampling was used for selection. A total of 25 discussion groups, two triangular groups and 30 semi-structured interviews were carried out. A thematic interpretive contents analysis was carried out. RESULTS: Participants consider that HP is not solely a matter for the health sector and they emphasize intersectoral collaboration. They believe that it is important to strengthen community initiatives and to create a healthy social environment that encourages greater responsibility and participation of health-care users in decisions regarding their own health and better management of public services and resources. HP, care in the community and demedicalization should be priorities for PHC. Participants propose organizational changes in the PCC to improve HP. PCC workers are aware that HP falls within the scope of their responsibilities and propose to increase their training, motivation, competences and knowledge of the social environment. Informants emphasize that HP should be person-centred approach and empathic communication. HP activities should be appealing, ludic and of proven effectiveness. CONCLUSIONS: According to a socio-ecological and intersectoral model, PHC services must get actively involved in HP together with community and through outreach interventions.

Key aspects related to implementation of risk stratification in health care systems-the ASSEHS study.

BACKGROUND: The lack of proven efficacy of new healthcare interventions represents a problem for health systems globally. It is partly related to suboptimal implementation processes, leading to poor adoption of new interventions. Activation of Stratification Strategies and Results of the interventions on frail patients of Healthcare Services (ASSEHS) EU project (N° 2013 12 04) aims to study current existing health Risk Stratification (RS) strategies and tools on frail elderly patients. This paper aims at identifying variables that make the implementation of population RS tools feasible in different healthcare services. METHODS: Two different methods have been used to identify the key elements in stratification implementation; i) a Scoping Review, in order to search and gather scientific evidence and ii) Semi-structured interviews with six key experts that had been actively involved in the design and/or implementation of RS strategies. It aims to focus the implementation construct on real-life contextual understandings, multi-level perspectives, and cultural influences. RESULTS: A Feasibility Framework has been drawn. Two dimensions impact the feasibility of RS: (i) Planning, deployment and change management and (ii) Care intervention. The former comprises communication, training and mutual learning, multidisciplinarity of the team, clinicians' engagement, operational plan and ICT display and functionalities. The latter includes case finding and selection of the target population, pathway definition and quality improvement process. CONCLUSIONS: The Feasibility Framework provides a list of key elements that should be considered for an effective implementation of population risk stratification interventions. It helps to identify, plan and consider relevant elements to ensure a proper RS implementation.

Is organizational progress in the EFQM model related to employee satisfaction?

BACKGROUND: To determine whether there is greater employee satisfaction in organisations that have made more progress in implementation of the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) model. METHODS: A series of cross-sectional studies (one for each assessment cycle) comparing staff satisfaction survey results between groups of healthcare organisations by degree of implementation of the EFQM model (assessed in terms of external recognition of management quality in each organisation). SETTING: 30 healthcare organisations including hospitals, primary care and mental health providers in Osakidetza, the Basque public health service. PARTICIPANTS: Employees of 30 Osakidetza organisations. INTERVENTION: Progress in implementation of EFQM model. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Scores in 9 dimensions of employee satisfaction from questionnaires administered in healthcare organisations in 4 assessment cycles between 2001 and 2010. RESULTS: Comparing satisfaction results in organisations granted Gold or Silver Q Awards and those without this type of external recognition, we found statistically significant differences in the dimensions of training and internal communication. Then, comparing recipients of Gold Q Awards with those with no Q Certification, differences in leadership style and in policy and strategy also emerged as significant. CONCLUSIONS: Progress of healthcare organisations in the implementation of the EFQM Excellence Model is associated with increases in their employee satisfaction in dimensions that can be managed at the level of each organisation, while dimensions in which no statistically significant differences were found represent common organisational elements with little scope for self-management.

Efficacy of a self-management education programme on patients with type 2 diabetes in primary care: A randomised controlled trial.

AIM: The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of the Spanish Diabetes Self-Management Program (SDSMP) versus usual care in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) residing in a Spanish region. METHODS: A two-year follow-up randomised controlled trial. The intervention consisted of 6 weekly structured peer-to-peer workshops. The primary outcome was change in HbA1c levels. Secondary outcomes included other clinical measures, quality of life, self-efficacy, life-style changes, medication and use of healthcare services. Mixed effect models were fitted. RESULTS: n=297 patients were recruited in each study arm. Baseline HbA1c levels were comparable in both groups with an overall mean 7.1 (SD=1.2). The intervention did not significantly modify HbA1c, or other cardiovascular variables. Significant improvements were seen in self-efficacy, and in particularly its disease control component. Certain differences were also observed in the use of healthcare resources and medication consumption. High workshop participation and satisfaction rates were achieved. CONCLUSION: HbA1c reductions are difficult to obtain in adequately controlled patients. On the other hand, raising awareness on one's disease can increase disease control self-efficacy. This finding, accompanied by reduced medication consumption and healthcare use rates, highlights that usual care would be benefited by incorporating certain SDSMP aspects. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT01642394.

A Pilot Study to Assess the Feasibility of the Spanish Diabetes Self-Management Program in the Basque Country.

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility of the Spanish Diabetes Self-Management Program (SDSMP) in the primary care setting of the Basque Health Service and offer initial estimations of the randomized controlled trial (RCT) effects. Methods. Ten health centers (HCs) participated in a single-arm pilot study with a 6-month follow-up period between February 2011 and June 2012. Recruitment was performed via invitation letters, health professionals, and the local media. Each intervention group consisted of 8-15 people. The ability of each HC in forming up to 2 groups, participants' compliance with the course, and coordination and data collection issues were evaluated. Glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) was the main outcome variable. Secondary outcomes were cardiovascular risk factors, drugs consumption, medical visits, quality of life, self-efficacy, physical exercise, and diet. Results. Two HCs did not organize a course. A total of 173 patients initiated the program, 2 dropped out without baseline data, and 90% completed it. No pre-post HbA1c differences existed. Certain improvements were observed in blood pressure control, self-efficacy, physical activity, and some dietary habits. Conclusion. The SDSMP is feasible in our setting. Our experience can be of interest when planning and conducting this program in similar health settings. The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT01642394.