Quality in Healthcare: The New Frontier of“Patient-Centered Care Approach” in Day Clinics

This article aims to study methodologically hospital buildings and, in particular, the design of day clinics in the recovery area. The definition of design guidelines to improve and qualify the day clinic, enhancing their performance, takes into account the fact that the established requirements of medical protocols must be accompanied by those new requirements related to the massive evolution in health organizations. Changes in medicine, culture and society have necessarily led to a new formulation of the hospital model and the introduction of the theme of the humanization of the curing process has conditioned the morphological-space configuration and the presence of new relationships and spatial functions in the hospitals. The research of this article attempts, therefore, to explore the use of technology to improve the quality of day clinics’ design, formulating strategies that contribute on one side to facilitating the efficiency of service, and on the other side to making the user feel at ease in a welcoming and comfortable environment.

Emperor’s syndrome in the COVID-19 era:Time for patient-centered nephrology?

The coronavirus disease-19(COVID-19)pandemic has been a wake-up call in which has forced us to react worldwide.Health policies and practices have attracted particular attention in terms of human and financial cost.Before COVID-19,chronic kidney disease was already considered a risk multiplier in patients with diabetes and hypertension,the two now being the major risk factors for COVID-19 infection and adverse outcome.In contrast to the urgent need for action,the nephrology field is considered to be in a state of stagnation regarding the management of chronic kidney disease patients who still experience unacceptably high morbidity and mortality.Ironically and paradoxically in a field lacking robust clinical trials,clinical practice is driven by guidelines-based medicine on weak evidence.The Emperor’s syndrome,referring to Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale,has been described in medicine as voluntary blindness to an obvious truth,being a weak evidence-based therapeutic intervention or weak health care.A promising positive example of improving heart and kidney outcomes is the emerging treatment with sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors.COVID-19 could boost actions for patient-centered care as a positive shift in nephrology care.

Patient-Centered Care Approach:Strategies for HealingGardens

This article aims to study methodologically hospital buildings and,in particular,the strategies to design a healing garden,considered,nowadays,a key factor in the healthcare structures,based on the new frontiers of patient-centeredness.Changes in medicine,culture and society have necessarily led to a new formulation of the hospital model,based on a patient-care approach,where outdoor spaces can offer both opportunities for meeting and socializing,and opportunities for distraction,not only for patients and family members,but also for caregivers and medical staff.For a patient,visitor,or member of staff,spending long hours in a hospital can be a stressful experience.Nearby access to natural landscape or a garden can enhance people’s ability to deal with stress and so improve health outcomes.The definition of design guidelines to improve and qualify the healing gardens,enhancing their performance,takes into account the fact that the established requirements of medical protocols must be accompanied by those new requirements related to the patient-centerdness.The research of this article attempts,therefore,to explore the use of technology to formulate strategies to design a healing garden,improving,in this way,the overall quality of life in the healthcare structures and promoting the users’well-being.

Factors Influencing Patient-Centered Care in the Primary Health Care Settings: The Impact of the Pandemic Crisis and Nurses’ Experience

Patient-centered care has over the past decades, been recognized worldwide as an important component of the health system giving a wider dimension to high-quality healthcare and service delivery. The impact on healthcare and services to the patient is the nurses’ ability to create a friendly rapport with the patients. Yet, the majority in the rural Primary Health Care facilities are still facing many challenges in demonstrating patient-centeredness services to the community. Thus, the objective of this study is to explore and describe the factors influencing patient-centered care provision and nurses’ experience in Primary Health Care facilities. An exploratory qualitative approach with purposive sampling was used to gather data. Individual interviews with 35 nurses were conducted using a semi-structure interview guide question in the Primary Health Care settings in Nigeria. Each of the interviews with the nurses lasted for 25 minutes to one hour. All interviews were audio-taped, and transcribed verbatim using Microsoft Word. The transcripts were read and re-read, coded using NVivo version 12 software to organize the relevant information and categorized them into themes and sub-themes. Thematic analysis guided this study. The findings revealed three themes and sub-themes. The impact of environmental factors with two subthemes—suitable working environment and coordinated care;resources—shortage of staff and inadequate resources as sub-themes, and lastly, cultural sensitivity and religious influence—communication. Poor implementation of PCC strategies in most of the PHC facilities could lead to poor patient care and a lack of job satisfaction among nurses. This study identified that nurses have both negative and positive experience in providing patient-centered care health services. Providing patient-centered care in the Primary Health Care setting promotes the goal of achieving universal health coverage in Nigeria if the government would prioritize nurses’ pay, employ more staff, provide a conducive working environment, and opportunities for further training programs for nurses to enable and empower them with the necessary knowledge and skills. This, in turn, will translate into a range of outcomes that are socially valued, such as health responsiveness, health coverage and fairness.

Challenges for Nurses in Providing Patient-Centered Care in Rural Primary Health Care Clinics in Nigeria

Globally, patient-centered care has become the focus of the healthcare system. It is imperative to note that during a global pandemic crisis, patient-centered care principles seek to empower partnering approaches in Primary Health Care (PHC), and have recently gained prominence in nursing practice and applied nursing research. However, nurses are faced with challenges in achieving the desired results in the PHC system. Thus, the study aimed to explore the factors that influence PCC utilization in the PHC facilities in Nigeria. A qualitative exploratory-descriptive design was used for this study. Data collection was conducted with the nurses from PHC facilities through individual interviews. Data saturation was achieved with 35 participants from 30 PHC facilities in Osun State, Nigeria, using a purposive sampling technique. All interviews were audio-recorded, later transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using the thematic analysis approach. NVivo 12 software was used for data management. The results from this study were categorized into two factors: Organizational factors and individual factors. Six themes that emerged from the study include inadequate management support, insufficient opportunities for further training, work overload and time constraints, health personnel readiness to use PCC, dearth enthusiasm for change, and poor nurses’ Accountability. The study shows that nurses encountered diverse challenges in providing patient-centered care. To improve the quality of healthcare delivery in the PHC facilities, there is a need to reinforce adequate management support, education, continued training, and the internal motivation of nurses to achieve transformative health outcomes in the community.

Doctor,Ease My Mind!Associations between Cancer Patients’Emotional Distress and Their Perception of Patient-Centeredness during Oncology Consultations

Objective: To investigate whether perceived patient-centered communication during oncology consultations relates to patient satisfaction and degree of emotional distress following the medical encounter. Methods: 226 cancer patients attending an oncology outpatient clinic completed questionnaires before and after a consultation including the Physician-Patient Relationship Inventory, the brief Profile of Mood States, and the Information satisfaction questionnaire. Results: Patients who perceived the communication during the consultations to be highly patient-centered were more likely to be maximally satisfied with information provided by the oncologist. Additionally, adjusting for pre-consultation distress, as well as sociodemographic, clinical, and consultation-related variables, patients who perceived the oncologist to communicate in a highly patient-centered manner, experienced lower levels of emotional distress after the consultation. Conclusion: Patient-centered communication may be an important quality in oncology as an approach to positively influence patient outcomes, including emotional distress. However, the findings in the present study of an effect of PCC on patient satisfaction and emotional distress are modest, and no firm conclusions can thus be drawn. Practice Implications: Oncology settings may benefit from the positive effects of patient-centered care and physicians should acknowledge the potential of their own relational competence in order to facilitate patient-centered communication.

Patient-centered care through internal and external participation in medical rehabilitation

Patient-centeredness is one of the most important quality and outcome criteria in health care. Health care organizations are continually searching for approaches that will enable them to establish sustainable patient-centeredness in their daily practice. Existing approaches frequently focus on interaction between patient and health care professional (external participation). However, this is often not sufficient;other elements, such as good teamwork among the health care professionals (internal participation), are also essential. The model of integrated patient-centeredness differentiates between these two participations forms, both of which are explored from a patient and health care professional perspective in our study. The aim of the study was to confirm the model from the viewpoint of staff and patients. To this end we conducted a multi-center cross-sectional study consisting of a patient and staff survey to assess internal and external participation and patient-centeredness. A total of 15 rehabilitation clinics were involved, with 272 staff members and 536 patients included in the final analysis. Although evaluation was positive (mainly slightly above the middle of the scale), there was potential for improvement for both types of participation. Internal and external rating differed between patients and health care staff, with the first group assessing internal significantly better and external lower than the second group. The low to middle correlation of both types, as well as the correlation and regression with patient-centeredness, confirmed the model of integrated patient-centeredness. The model underlines the importance of both participation forms for patient-centeredness, as well as their interdependence. Further studies are needed in order to verify the impact of internal and external participation, as well as that of further possible dimensions of patient-centeredness, on clinical and functional outcome criteria.

Patient-centered care in diabetes care-concepts,relationships and practice

We still do not have comprehensive knowledge of which framework of patientcentered care(PCC)is appropriate for diabetes care,which elements of PCC are evidence-based,and the mechanism by which PCC elements are associated with outcomes through mediators.In this review,we elaborate on these issues.We found that for diabetes care,PCC elements such as autonomy support(patient individuality),cooperation and collaboration(system-level approach),communication and education(behavior change techniques),emotional support(biopsychosocial approach),and family/other involvement and support are critically important.All of these factors are directly associated with different patient outcomes and indirectly associated with outcomes through patient activation.We present the practical implications of these PCC elements.

Patient-centric periodontal research:A pioneering application of patient-reported outcome measures

Conventional dentistry or periodontal research often ignores the human component in favor of clinical outcomes and biological causes.Clinical research is driven by the statistical significance of outcome parameters rather than the satisfaction level of the patient.In this context,patient-centric periodontal research(PCPR)is an approach that considers the patient´s feedback concerning their functional status,experience,clinical outcomes,and accessibility to their treatments.It is argued that data self-reported by the patient might have low reliability owing to the confounding effect of their personal belief,cultural background,and social and economic factors.However,literature has shown that the incorporation of“patient-centric outcome”components considerably enhances the validity and applicability of research findings.Variations in the results of different studies might be due to the use of different and non-standardized assessment tools.To overcome this problem,this editorial enlists various reliable tools available in the literature.In conclusion,we advocate that the focus of researchers should shift from mere periodontal research to PCPR so that the results can be effectively applied in clinical settings and the therapeutic strategy can also change from mere periodontal therapy to patient-centric periodontal therapy.

Patient-centered medical home and integrated care in the United States: An opportunity to maximize delivery of primary care

The reciprocal relationship between mental and physical health is well established.Undiagnosed,untreated,and poorly managed mental health conditions are associated with numerous physical health complications,poor treatment adherence,and decreased quality of life.Despite growing evidence regarding the importance of effectively addressing these conditions in primary care,the rates of identification remain low and follow-up and management by primary care providers has been criticized.The objective of this review was to demonstrate the role of Patient-Centered Medical Home(PCMH)and mental health integration in addressing comprehensive health care needs in primary care patients,and to describe common barriers and facilitators to the implementation of these types of programs.

A population-based approach to the management of depression in a patient-centered medical home

Objective:This article describes the implementation of a population-based strategy to man-age depression in a patient-centered medical home.Methods:Review of English language articles;description of specific protocols utilized in one medical home.Results:Depression is a global concern estimated to affect 350 million people worldwide.Rates for depression vary between the United States and the Peoples’Republic of China,possibly due to significant factors in under diagnosis of this often hidden burden.Given the comorbidity of depres-sion with other health factors and the need for ongoing monitoring and care of this chronic illness,primary care has become a significant part of treatment interventions.Utilizing electronic health records(EHR),our strategy included the creation of a patient registry;selection of evidence-based treatment guidelines and protocols for point of care procedures;patient outreach and screening.Conclusion:The population-based program we outline is highly dependent on the EHR and the flexibility of roles and responsibilities of clinical staff.Further investigation is warranted into improved patient outcomes.

21st century critical care medicine:An overview

Critical care medicine in the 21st century has witnessed remarkable advancements that have significantly improved patient outcomes in intensive care units(ICUs).This abstract provides a concise summary of the latest developments in critical care,highlighting key areas of innovation.Recent advancements in critical care include Precision Medicine:Tailoring treatments based on individual patient characteristics,genomics,and biomarkers to enhance the effectiveness of therapies.The objective is to describe the recent advancements in Critical Care Medicine.Telemedicine:The integration of telehealth technologies for remote patient monitoring and consultation,facilitating timely interventions.Artificial intelligence(AI):AI-driven tools for early disease detection,predictive analytics,and treatment optimization,enhancing clinical decision-making.Organ Support:Advanced life support systems,such as Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation and Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy provide better organ support.Infection Control:Innovative infection control measures to combat emerging pathogens and reduce healthcare-associated infections.Ventilation Strategies:Precision ventilation modes and lung-protective strategies to minimize ventilatorinduced lung injury.Sepsis Management:Early recognition and aggressive management of sepsis with tailored interventions.Patient-Centered Care:A shift towards patient-centered care focusing on psychological and emotional wellbeing in addition to medical needs.We conducted a thorough literature search on PubMed,EMBASE,and Scopus using our tailored strategy,incorporating keywords such as critical care,telemedicine,and sepsis management.A total of 125 articles meeting our criteria were included for qualitative synthesis.To ensure reliability,we focused only on articles published in the English language within the last two decades,excluding animal studies,in vitro/molecular studies,and non-original data like editorials,letters,protocols,and conference abstracts.These advancements reflect a dynamic landscape in critical care medicine,where technology,research,and patient-centered approaches converge to improve the quality of care and save lives in ICUs.The future of critical care promises even more innovative solutions to meet the evolving challenges of modern medicine.

Palliative care with adequate pain relief challenges the need for euthanasia legislation

Background:In today’s society the ongoing discussion about euthanasia triggers emotionally charged debates surrounding the delicate balance between valuing life and respecting an individual’s autonomy.With the persistence of this debate,there has been the emergence of the concept of the so-called alternative:palliative care.Positioned as a substitute for euthanasia,palliative care aims to alleviate suffering in terminally ill patients without engaging in the ethical dilemmas associated with euthanasia.Methods:This paper explores the facets of palliative care highlighting its core objectives such as providing adequate pain relief as a compassionate alternative to euthanasia.Results:By examining palliative care as a comprehensive approach to end of life support,this study challenges the perceived necessity of euthanasia and advocates,for compassionate and dignified end of life experiences.Conclusion:In conclusion,palliative care emerges as a viable and ethically sound alternative to euthanasia,emphasizing the importance of compassionate end-of-life care and pain management.

A Comparative Analysis of the Old Medical Structure and the ACO Vision 2030 in Saudi Arabia

This article explores the progress of the healthcare sector in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia over the past two decades. Through continuous coordination and efforts to improve the quality and quantity of health services, the government has significantly increased the availability of health facilities across the nation. This steady growth has allowed the country to maintain an upward trajectory in healthcare sector development in comparison to other countries. The Saudi Arabian government is preparing to implement Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) as part of their “Vision 2030.” By aligning with the goals of this visionary roadmap, the government aims to address the challenges faced by the existing healthcare system under the Ministry of Health (MOH). This strategic move is expected to transform the healthcare sector, positioning Saudi Arabia at par with its international counterparts and bolstering its economic competitiveness. This article highlights the historical context of Saudi Arabia’s healthcare system, and compares it with the forthcoming ACO implementation under “Vision 2030.” This information provides valuable insights into the trajectory of the country’s healthcare landscape and the potential impact of ACOs in shaping the Kingdom’s future in healthcare and economic development overall.

Prenatal radiographic evaluation of congenital transverse limb deficiencies:A scoping review

BACKGROUND Congenital transverse deficiencies are horizontal deficiencies of the long bones that occur with a reported incidence as high 0.38%.They can occur alone or represent a manifestation of a various clinical syndromes.Diagnosis has tradi-tionally comprised of conventional radiography and prenatal imaging studies.There has been much advancement regarding prenatal imaging modalities to allow for early diagnosis and appropriate treatment.AIM To summarize the current state of knowledge on congenital transverse limb deficiencies and to provide an update regarding the radiographic evaluation of congenital transverse limb deficiencies.METHODS This IRB-exempt scoping review followed the PRISMA-ScR checklist for scoping reviews strictly.Five search engines were searched for a total of 265 publications.Four authors reviewed these during the screening process.Of these,51 studies were included in our article.Prenatal magnetic resonance imaging(MRI),3D Ultrasound,and multidetector Computed tomography(CT)exist are emerging modalities that have the potential to improve diagnosis.RESULTS Use of the appropriate classification system,three-dimensional ultrasonography with a maximum intensity projection,and appropriate use of prenatal MRI and prenatal CT can improve diagnosis and inter-provider communication.CONCLUSION Further scholarly efforts are required to develop improve standardized guidelines regarding the pre-natal radiographic evaluation of congenital limb deficiencies.

医生“以患者为中心”自我效能中文版量表的信效度研究

目的汉化“以患者为中心”自我效能量表(The self-efficacy in patient-centeredness questionnaire,SEPCQ),并检验其在医生群体中应用的信效度,为评估医生“以患者为中心”的自我效能水平提供可靠工具。方法遵循Brislin量表翻译原则,经过直译、回译、文化调适及预调查,形成中文版SEPCQ。采用分层随机抽样方法,选取珠三角、粤东、粤西及粤北地区26所三甲综合医院1318名临床医生进行问卷调查,并检验量表心理测量学特性。结果中文版SEPCQ具有较好的内部一致性(Cronbach’sα=0.988)和折半信度(Guttman系数=0.961)。探索性及验证性因子分析结果均反映量表结构效度良好。量表共包含识别患者需求、共享信息和权力、应对沟通挑战3个维度、26个条目,与原量表结构基本一致,累积方差解释率为85.162%。验证性因子分析显示模型拟合良好。结论中文版SEPCQ在医生群体中应用具有较好的信效度,可作为评估中国医生“以患者为中心”自我效能水平的工具。

在线医患闲聊话语情感支持的语用研究

作为一种常规化与边缘化的谈话方式,闲聊在医患交流中的积极作用受到学界广泛关注。尽管医患闲聊的积极作用主要体现在人际功能的实现,却鲜有研究将情感支持这一推进人际关系的言语行为纳入医患闲聊研究视阈中。基于此,本研究以春雨医生线上经典问答为语料(约25万字),重点考察中国医患闲聊中的情感支持策略。研究结果表明,医生在线上闲聊过程中,主动利用移情、安慰、接纳、保证、伙伴关系等情感支持策略,拉近医患距离、建立医患信任、构建特定身份。作为虚拟“社会资本”的医患闲聊亦具有潜在的“货币资本”价值,并为中国特色社会主义医患交流“文化资本”的形成奠定基础。

基于患者体验的医院绩效评价研究进展

文章在解释患者报告健康状况和患者体验内涵的基础上,介绍了国内外基于患者体验的医院绩效评价研究并比较国内外相对成熟的基于患者体验的医疗服务质量评价量表。借鉴国外医院绩效评估经验,提出下一阶段我国公立医院绩效评价的重要内容,为建立系统、科学的公立医院绩效评价体系提供借鉴。

以病人为中心的思想是医院文化建设的根本内涵

医院文化作为一种高科技含量的特殊服务行业文化,是企业文化的一种特殊形式,应纳入我国社会主义丈化建设的大框架之中。“以病人为中心”的思想可以比较准确地概括我国社会主义医院文化的基本特点。在全体员工中牢固地树立“以病人为中心”的思想观念是医院文化建设的基本内涵。“以病人为中心”是以“为人民服务”为核心的社会主义道德在卫生行业的特征性描述,并体现了“以人为本”的伦理思想。“以病人为中心”的医院文化能够最充分地说明医院在目前的社会主义市场经济情况下所应采取的经济与经营活动策略。

医院以病人为中心运行模式的设计与思考

要使以病人为中心的工作处于常规运行状态,关键是建立一种与之相适应的运行模式。为此,医院服务模式必须由微观方面的改革向宏观方面的改革深化;医疗模式实现以医生为中心到以病人为中心的转变;管理模式实现由技术管理迈向素质管理的跨越。