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PloS One 2024Blood banks are an important part of healthcare systems. They embrace critical processes that start with donor recruitment and blood collection, followed by blood...
BACKGROUND
Blood banks are an important part of healthcare systems. They embrace critical processes that start with donor recruitment and blood collection, followed by blood processing to produce different types of blood components used in transfusions, blood storage, blood distribution, and transfusion. Blood components must be generated at high quality, preserved safely, and transfused in a timely manner. This can be achieved by operating interrelated processes within a complex network. There is no comprehensive blueprint of Blood Banking and Transfusion (BB&T) processes and their relationships; therefore, this study aims to develop and evaluate a BB&T process architecture using the Riva method.
RESEARCH DESIGN
This research adopts a design science research methodology process (DSRM) that aims to create artifacts for the purpose of serving humanity through six phases: identifying problems, identifying solutions and objectives, designing and developing artifacts, demonstrating and evaluating the artifacts, and communicating the work. The adapted DSRM process is used to build a process architecture in the BB&T unit to improve the quality and strategic planning of BB&T processes. Applying the adapted DSRM process generated four increments before the outcomes were communicated as a highly comprehensive BB&T process architecture (BB&TPA) blueprint for virtual organizations. Finally, the generated BB&TPA is tested and validated at a reference hospital.
RESULTS
A Riva-based process architecture diagram was successfully developed, acting as a reference model for virtual BB&T organizations. It is a novel output in the domain of BB&T and can also be considered as a reference model to evaluate the existing processes in BB&T real-world units. This assists domain experts in performing gap analysis in their BB&T units and paths for developing BB&T management information systems and can be incorporated in the inspection workflow of accreditation organizations.
Topics: Humans; Blood Banks; Blood Transfusion
PubMed: 38838043
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0303970 -
JB & JS Open Access 2024Orthopaedic surgery continues to be one of the most competitive specialties to match into as a medical student, particularly for osteopathic medical students. Therefore,... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
Orthopaedic surgery continues to be one of the most competitive specialties to match into as a medical student, particularly for osteopathic medical students. Therefore, in this study, we sought to examine the prevalence of osteopathic students (DO) matching into orthopaedic surgery at traditional Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) accredited programs (former allopathic residency programs) in recent years.
METHODS
A retrospective review of National Residency Match Program annual reports and Association of American Medical Colleges's Electronic Residency Application Service Statistic reports were performed to determine the number of applications and match rates among osteopathic (DO) and allopathic (MD) medical students into orthopaedic surgery from 2019 to 2023. Data on the degree type of current residents at all ACGME-accredited residency programs were identified.
RESULTS
During the analyzed study period of 2019 to 2023, there were 3,473 (74.5%) allopathic students and 571 (59.9%) osteopathic students who successfully matched into orthopaedic surgery. This match rate for allopathic students was 74.5% compared with 59.9% for osteopathic students. Of the 3,506 medical students who hold postgraduate orthopaedic surgery positions at former allopathic programs over the past 5 years, only 58 (1.7%) hold an osteopathic degree. Of the 560 medical students who hold postgraduate orthopaedic surgery positions at former osteopathic programs over the past 5 years, 47 (8.4%) hold an allopathic degree. The match rate of allopathic students at former osteopathic programs is significantly higher than the match rate of osteopathic students at former allopathic programs.
CONCLUSIONS
Osteopathic students continue to match into orthopaedic surgery at lower rates than their allopathic counterparts. In addition, there remains a consistent and low number of osteopathic students matching into former allopathic programs. Allopathic students also have a higher likelihood of matching into former osteopathic programs when compared with osteopathic students matching into previous allopathic orthopaedic surgery programs.
PubMed: 38835938
DOI: 10.2106/JBJS.OA.24.00027 -
Geriatric Orthopaedic Surgery &... 2024It is appealing to accurately predict postoperative delirium (POD) before surgeries. In this study, it was hypothesized that a novel electroencephalogram-derived index,...
A Novel Preoperative Electroencephalogram-Derived Index to Predict Early Postoperative Delirium in Elderly Patients After Hip Fracture Surgeries: Development of a Prediction Model.
INTRODUCTION
It is appealing to accurately predict postoperative delirium (POD) before surgeries. In this study, it was hypothesized that a novel electroencephalogram-derived index, the delirium index (DELi), could extract latent information regarding the predisposing factors of POD preoperatively. This study was aimed at developing a concise model that incorporated this DELi score to predict the early POD of elderly patients after hip surgeries.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Elderly patients scheduled for elective hip fracture surgeries were prospectively enrolled in a tertiary care hospital from November 2020 to June 2022. DELi scores and patient characteristics (age, sex, types of fracture and surgery, the time interval between fracture and surgery, cognitive function assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and frailty status assessed using the FRAIL scale) were collected preoperatively as candidate predictors. POD diagnosed using the confusion assessment method (CAM) was the outcome. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analysis was used to select predictors. Then, these predictors were entered into a backward logistical regression analysis to develop a prediction model. Discrimination, calibration and clinical utility were validated using the bootstrapping method.
RESULTS
All data (144 qualified patients of 170) were used for development. POD was observed in 71 patients (49.3%). Preoperative DELi scores predicted early POD (the area under the curve (AUC) = .786, 95% confidence interval (CI): .712, .860, in internal validation). A nomogram with MoCA, FRAIL scale and DELi score was constructed with excellent discrimination (AUC = .920, 95% CI: .876, .963, in internal validation), accredited calibration ( = .733, Hosmer‒Lemeshow test), and a wide range of threshold probabilities (5% to 95%).
CONCLUSIONS
Preoperative DELi scores predicted the early POD of elderly patients after hip surgeries. A concise prediction model was developed and demonstrated excellent discrimination.
PubMed: 38835410
DOI: 10.1177/21514593241258654 -
Human Resources For Health Jun 2024The resource needs of health services are served by the recognition of qualifications across borders which allows professionals to migrate between countries. The... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study
BACKGROUND
The resource needs of health services are served by the recognition of qualifications across borders which allows professionals to migrate between countries. The movement of dentists across the European Union (EU), especially into the United Kingdom (UK), has provided a valuable boost to workforce supply. Recent changes to policy recognising overseas qualifications have brought attention to the equivalence of qualifications awarded in EU countries. Professional regulators need to be confident that dentists who qualified elsewhere have the appropriate knowledge, skills and experience to practise safely and effectively. The aim of this study was to compare UK and EU dental curricula, identify any differences, and compare the extent of pre-qualification clinical experience.
METHODS
This was a mixed methods study comprising a questionnaire and website searches to identify information about curricula, competences, and quality assurance arrangements in each country. The questionnaire was sent to organisations responsible for regulating dental education or dental practice in EU member states. This was supplemented with information obtained from website searches of stakeholder organisations for each country including regulators, professional associations, ministries, and providers of dental education. A map of dental training across the EU was created.
RESULTS
National learning outcomes for dental education were identified for seven countries. No national outcomes were identified 13 countries; therefore, learning outcomes were mapped at institution level only. No information about learning outcomes was available for six countries. In one country, there is no basic dental training. Clinical skills and communication were generally well represented. Management and leadership were less represented. Only eight countries referenced a need for graduates to be aware of their own limitations. In most countries, quality assurance of dental education is not undertaken by dental organisations, but by national quality assurance agencies for higher education. In many cases, it was not possible to ascertain the extent of graduates' direct clinical experience with patients.
CONCLUSIONS
The findings demonstrate considerable variation in learning outcomes for dental education between countries and institutions in Europe. This presents a challenge to decision-makers responsible for national recognition and accreditation of diverse qualifications across Europe to maintain a safe, capable, international workforce; but one that this comparison of programmes helps to address.
Topics: Humans; Education, Dental; Curriculum; Clinical Competence; Surveys and Questionnaires; Dentists; European Union; Europe; United Kingdom; Foreign Professional Personnel; Emigration and Immigration; Health Workforce
PubMed: 38835022
DOI: 10.1186/s12960-024-00918-9 -
JAMA Network Open Jun 2024Military members and veterans (hereafter, veterans) with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) increasingly seek psychiatric service dogs as a complementary intervention,...
IMPORTANCE
Military members and veterans (hereafter, veterans) with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) increasingly seek psychiatric service dogs as a complementary intervention, yet the effectiveness of service dogs is understudied.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the associations between psychiatric service dog partnership and self-reported and clinician-rated PTSD symptom severity, depression, anxiety, and psychosocial functioning after 3 months of intervention among veterans.
DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS
This nonrandomized controlled trial used standardized and validated assessment instruments completed by participants and administered by blinded clinicians. Recruitment, eligibility screening, and enrollment were conducted between August 2017 and December 2019. Veterans were recruited using the database of an accredited nonprofit service dog organization with constituents throughout the US. Participants were veterans with a PTSD diagnosis; they were allocated to either the intervention group (n = 81) or control group (n = 75). Outcome assessments were performed at baseline and at the 3-month follow-up. Data analyses were completed in October 2023.
INTERVENTIONS
Participants allocated to the intervention group received a psychiatric service dog for PTSD, whereas those allocated to the control group remained on the waiting list based on the date of application submitted to the service dog organization. Both groups had unrestricted access to usual care.
MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES
The primary outcomes were PTSD symptom severity, depression, and anxiety after 3 months, and the secondary outcomes were psychosocial functioning, such as quality of life and social health. The self-reported PTSD Checklist for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) was used to measure symptom severity, and the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5) was used to assess PTSD diagnosis (score range for both instruments: 0-80, with higher scores indicating greater PTSD symptoms).
RESULTS
The 156 participants included in the trial had a mean (SD) age of 37.6 (8.3) years and included 117 males (75%), 17 Black or African American individuals (11%), 30 Hispanic individuals (19%), and 117 White individuals (76%). Compared with the control group, the intervention group had significantly lower PTSD symptom severity based on the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 mean (SD) score (41.9 [16.9] vs 51.7 [16.1]; difference in means, -11.5 [95% CI, -16.2 to -6.6]; P < .001) and the CAPS-5 mean (SD) score (30.2 [10.2] vs 36.9 [10.2]; difference in means, -7.0 [95% CI, -10.8 to -4.5]; P < .001) at 3 months. The intervention group also had significantly lower depression scores (odds ratio [OR], 0.45 [95% CI, 0.23-0.86]; difference in means, -3.3 [95% CI, -6.8 to -0.6]), anxiety (OR, 0.25 [95% CI, 0.13-0.50]; difference in means, -4.4 [95% CI, -6.9 to -2.1]), and most areas of psychosocial functioning (eg, social isolation: OR, 0.34 [95% CI, 0.18-0.64]).
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
This nonrandomized controlled trial found that compared with usual care alone, partnership with a trained psychiatric service dog was associated with lower PTSD symptom severity and higher psychosocial functioning in veterans. Psychiatric service dogs may be an effective complementary intervention for military service-related PTSD.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT03245814.
Topics: Humans; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic; Dogs; Male; Veterans; Female; Animals; Adult; Middle Aged; Military Personnel; Animal Assisted Therapy; United States; Anxiety
PubMed: 38833250
DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.14686 -
Rural and Remote Health Jun 2024Despite universal health coverage and high life expectancy, Japan faces challenges in health care that include providing care for the world's oldest population,...
INTRODUCTION
Despite universal health coverage and high life expectancy, Japan faces challenges in health care that include providing care for the world's oldest population, increasing healthcare costs, physician maldistribution and an entrenched medical workforce and training system. Primary health care has typically been practised by specialists in other fields, and general medicine has only been certified as an accredited specialty since 2018. There are continued challenges to develop an awareness and acceptance of the primary health medical workforce in Japan. The impact of these challenges is highest in rural and island areas of Japan, with nearly 50% of rural and remote populations considered 'elderly'. Concurrently, these areas are experiencing physician shortages as medical graduates gravitate to urban areas and choose medical specialties more commonly practised in cities. This study aimed to understand the views on the role of rural generalist medicine (RGM) in contributing to solutions for rural and island health care in Japan.
METHODS
This was a descriptive qualitative study. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews with 16 participants, including Rural Generalist Program Japan (RGPJ) registrars and supervisors, the RGPJ director, government officials, rural health experts and academics. Interviews were of 35-50 minutes duration and conducted between May and July 2019. Some interviews were conducted in person at the WONCA Asia-Pacific Conference in Kyoto, some onsite in hospital settings and some were videoconferenced. Interviews were recorded and transcribed. All transcripts were analysed through an inductive thematic process based on the grouping of codes.
RESULTS
From the interview analysis, six main themes were identified: (1) key issues facing rural and island health in Japan; (2) participant background; (3) local demography and population; (4) identity, perception and role of RGM; (5) RGPJ experience; and (6) suggested reforms and recommendations.
DISCUSSION
The RGPJ was generally considered to be a positive step toward reshaping the medical workforce to address the geographic inequities in Japan. While improvements to the program were suggested by participants, it was also generally agreed that a more systematic, national approach to RGM was needed in Japan. Key findings from this study are relevant to this goal. This includes considering the drivers to participating in the RGPJ for future recruitment strategies and the need for an idiosyncratic Japanese model of RGM, with agreed advanced skills and supervision models. Also important are the issues raised by participants on the need to improve community acceptance and branding of rural generalist doctors to support primary care in rural and island areas.
CONCLUSION
The RGPJ represents an effort to bolster the national rural medical workforce in Japan. Discussions from participants in this study indicate strong support to continue research, exploration and expansion of a national RGM model that is contextualised for Japanese conditions and that is branded and promoted to build community support for the role of the rural generalist.
Topics: Humans; Japan; Rural Health Services; Qualitative Research; Primary Health Care; Rural Population; Interviews as Topic; Female; General Practice; Islands; Male
PubMed: 38832438
DOI: 10.22605/RRH8641 -
BMC Medical Education Jun 2024Few published articles provide a comprehensive overview of the available evidence on the topic of evaluating competency-based medical education (CBME) curricula. The... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Few published articles provide a comprehensive overview of the available evidence on the topic of evaluating competency-based medical education (CBME) curricula. The purpose of this review is therefore to synthesize the available evidence on the evaluation practices for competency-based curricula employed in schools and programs for undergraduate and postgraduate health professionals.
METHOD
This systematized review was conducted following the systematic reviews approach with minor modifications to synthesize the findings of published studies that examined the evaluation of CBME undergraduate and postgraduate programs for health professionals.
RESULTS
Thirty-eight articles met the inclusion criteria and reported evaluation practices in CBME curricula from various countries and regions worldwide, such as Canada, China, Turkey, and West Africa. 57% of the evaluated programs were at the postgraduate level, and 71% were in the field of medicine. The results revealed variation in reporting evaluation practices, with numerous studies failing to clarify evaluations' objectives, approaches, tools, and standards as well as how evaluations were reported and communicated. It was noted that questionnaires were the primary tool employed for evaluating programs, often combined with interviews or focus groups. Furthermore, the utilized evaluation standards considered the well-known competencies framework, specialized association guidelines, and accreditation criteria.
CONCLUSION
This review calls attention to the importance of ensuring that reports of evaluation experiences include certain essential elements of evaluation to better inform theory and practice.
Topics: Competency-Based Education; Humans; Curriculum; Clinical Competence; Program Evaluation; Education, Medical, Undergraduate; Education, Medical
PubMed: 38831271
DOI: 10.1186/s12909-024-05609-6 -
Global Health Action Dec 2024Quality healthcare is a global priority, reliant on robust health systems for evidence-based medicine. Clinical laboratories are the backbone of quality healthcare...
BACKGROUND
Quality healthcare is a global priority, reliant on robust health systems for evidence-based medicine. Clinical laboratories are the backbone of quality healthcare facilitating diagnostics, treatment, patient monitoring, and disease surveillance. Their effectiveness depends on sustainable delivery of accurate test results. Although the Strengthening Laboratory Management Towards Accreditation (SLMTA) programme has enhanced laboratory quality in low-income countries, the long-term sustainability of this improvement remains uncertain.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the sustainability of quality performance in clinical laboratories in Rwanda following the conclusion of SLMTA.
METHODS
A quasi-experimental design was adopted, involving 47 laboratories divided into three groups with distinct interventions. While one group received continuous mentorship and annual assessments (group two), interventions for the other groups (groups one and three) ceased following the conclusion of SLMTA. SLMTA experts collected data for 10 years through assessments using WHO's StepwiseLaboratory Quality Improvement Process Towards Accreditation (SLIPTA) checklist. Descriptive and t-test analyses were conducted for statistical evaluation.
RESULTS
Improvements in quality were noted between baseline and exit assessments across all laboratory groups (mean baseline: 35.3%, exit: 65.8%, < 0.001). However, groups one and three experienced performance declines following SLMTA phase-out (mean group one: 64.6% in reference to 85.8%, = 0.01; mean group three: 57.3% in reference to 64.7%, < 0.001). In contrast, group two continued to enhance performance even years later (mean: 86.6%compared to 70.6%, = 0.03).
CONCLUSION
A coordinated implementation of quality improvement plan that enables regular laboratory assessments to pinpoint and address the quality gaps is essential for sustaining quality services in clinical laboratories.
Topics: Rwanda; Humans; Quality Improvement; Accreditation; Laboratories, Clinical; Developing Countries; Quality of Health Care
PubMed: 38828509
DOI: 10.1080/16549716.2024.2358633 -
Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences 2024External Quality Assessment schemes (EQAS) are mandatory to ensure quality standards in diagnostic methods and achieve laboratory accreditation. As host institution for...
External Quality Assessment schemes (EQAS) are mandatory to ensure quality standards in diagnostic methods and achieve laboratory accreditation. As host institution for two German culture-based bacteriology EQAS (RV-A and RV-B), we investigated the obtained data of 590 up to 720 surveys per year in RV-A and 2,151 up to 2,929 in RV-B from 2006 to 2023. As educational instruments, they function to review applied methodology and are valuable to check for systemic- or method-dependent failures in microbiology diagnostics or guidelines. Especially, containment of multi-resistant bacteria in times of rising antibiotic resistance is one major point to assure public health. The correct identification and reporting of these strains is therefore of high importance to achieve this goal. Moreover, correct antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) is important for selecting appropriate therapy, to restrict broad-spectrum antibiotics and minimize resistance development. The reports of participating laboratories displayed a high level of correct identification results in both schemes with mostly consistent failure rates around 2.2% (RV-A) and 3.9% (RV-B) on average. In contrast, results in AST revealed increasing failure rates upon modification of AST requirements concerning adherence to standards and subsequent bacterial species-specific evaluation. Stratification on these periods revealed in RV-A a moderate increase from 1.3% to 4.5%, while in RV-B failure rates reached 14% coming from 4.3% on average. Although not mandatory, subsequent AST evaluation and consistent reporting are areas of improvement to benefit public health.
PubMed: 38828394
DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2024.1395410 -
Canadian Medical Education Journal May 2024Patient and family-centered care and patient engagement practices have strong evidence-based links with quality and safety for both patients and health care providers....
Patient and family-centered care and patient engagement practices have strong evidence-based links with quality and safety for both patients and health care providers. Expectations for patient and family-centered care have advanced beyond hearing the patient perspective and taking patient wishes into account. A participatory approach including patients as partners in their care journey is expected, but attitudes toward patient and family-centered care remain barriers in practice. As health service organizations shift from a system-centered approach to a patient and family-centered care delivery model, black ice occurs. In this Black Ice article, we present some practical tips for medical educators to improve opportunities for medical students to develop knowledge, attitudes, and skills that support patient and family-centered care.
Topics: Patient-Centered Care; Humans; Education, Medical, Undergraduate; Patient Participation; Students, Medical
PubMed: 38827901
DOI: 10.36834/cmej.71342