Journal of general internal medicine
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Policy initiatives have attempted to reduce healthcare inequalities in the USA, but evidence on whether these initiatives have reduced racial and ethnic disparities in pain treatment in primary care is lacking. ⋯ These findings suggest that additional intervention strategies, or better implementation of existing strategies, are needed to eliminate ethnic and racial disparities in pain treatment towards the goal of equitable healthcare.
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Pragmatism in clinical trials is focused on increasing the generalizability of research findings for routine clinical care settings. Hybridism in clinical trials (i.e., assessing both clinical effectiveness and implementation success) is focused on speeding up the process by which evidence-based practices are developed and adopted into routine clinical care. Even though pragmatic trial methodologies and implementation science evolved from very different disciplines, Pragmatic Trials and Hybrid Effectiveness-Implementation Trials share many similar design features. ⋯ The purpose of this paper is to clarify the similarities and differences of these trial types for funders, researchers, and policy-makers. In addition, recommendations are offered to help investigators choose, label, and operationalize the most appropriate trial type to answer their research question. These recommendations complement existing reporting guidelines for clinical effectiveness trials (TIDieR) and implementation trials (StaRI).
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Healthcare systems are increasingly screening and referring patients for unmet social needs (e.g., food insecurity). Little is known about the intensity of support necessary to address unmet needs, how this support may vary by circumstance or time (duration), or the factors that may contribute to this variation. ⋯ The required intensity and support given to meet patients' medical and social needs is substantial and has significant variation. Meeting the needs of complex patients will require considerable investments in human capital, and a risk stratification system to help identify those most in need of services.
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Burnout among providers negatively impacts patient care experiences and safety. Providers at Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) are at high risk for burnout due to high patient volumes; inadequate staffing; and balancing the demands of patients, families, and team members. ⋯ Creating provider-team relationships and environments where providers have the time and space necessary to discuss changes to improve care, ideas are shared, leadership supports QI, and QI is monitored and discussed were related to not being burned out. Reducing time pressures and improving support needed for providers to address the high-need levels of FQHC patients can also decrease burnout. Such leadership and support to improving care may be a separate protective factor against burnout. Research is needed to further examine which aspects of leadership drive down burnout and increase provider involvement in change efforts and improving care.