Journal of evaluation in clinical practice
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Review Meta Analysis
The effectiveness of person-centred quality improvement strategies on the management and control of hypertension in primary care: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
To evaluate the effectiveness of person-centred quality improvement strategies on the management and control of adults with hypertension in primary care. ⋯ Person-centred quality improvement strategies were effective in improving blood pressure outcomes. Further research is needed regarding the context of implementing interventions to provide greater insight into the components of a person-centred quality improvement intervention most effective in improving hypertension outcomes.
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To identify outcome measures used to evaluate performance of healthcare professional role substitution against usual medical doctor or specialist medical doctor care to facilitate our understanding of the adequacy of these measures in assessing quality of healthcare delivery. ⋯ There are a growing number of studies measuring the performance of non-medical healthcare professional substitution roles. Few have been subject to robust evaluations, and there is limited evidence on the scientific rigour and adequacy of outcomes measured. A systematic and coordinated approach is required to support healthcare settings in assessing the value of non-medical role substitution healthcare delivery models.
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Requests for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exams have notably increased in Canada. However, many of these exams may not always be indicated. The Joint Department of Medical Imaging and the eReferral Program have worked collaboratively to embed an integrated clinical decision support (DS) tool within the eReferral process for diagnostic imaging requests. This retrospective chart review aimed to assess the necessity of MRI exams for knee pain patients at the point of referral in relation to the referral method (no DS tools within fax- vs. DS tools within eReferral). ⋯ Our findings highlight the positive impact of integrating DS tools at the point of referral in supporting the ordering of necessary MRI scans, suggesting that service re-design and implementation of automated assistive technology services would impact patient care.
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Sturmberg and Martin make a compelling case for primary healthcare (PHC) to be the foundation for universal healthcare (UHC). They state that a system should have necessary resources, but what does that mean? Basic economic theory postulates that all resources are limited and that choices must be made between competing options. For a UHC system to be successful and resilient, it must accept that healthcare is a limited right, there will always be inequalities in healthcare delivery and outcomes, primary care physicians and their teams must accept the added burden of balancing the needs of their personal patients with the greater system, leaders and observers of healthcare systems must accept that moderation and balance will often be the best outcome even though they are difficult to measure, and leaders of healthcare systems must accept that they cannot control the system, but contribute by providing context and limited constraints, information, and resources. A deeper understanding of complex adaptive systems will best guide these necessary changes.