The Effect of Residential Aged Care Size,Ownership Model,and Multichain Affiliation on Resident Comfort and Symptom Management at the End of Life

Context

In most resource-rich countries, a large and growing proportion of older adults with complex needs will die while in a residential aged care (RAC) facility.

Endoscopic ear surgery

ObjectivesThis article reviews the advantages and disadvantages of endoscopic ear surgery (EES).MethodPubmed, Google and the Proquest Central Database at Kırıkkale University were queried using the keywords “endoscopic ear surgery”, “ear surgery” and “endoscopy” to identify the literature needed for the review.ResultsEndoscopes allow for enhanced surgical visualisation. The distal part of the apparatus is illuminated and contains lenses angled to allow a wider view of the operative area. Transcanal endoscopic techniques have transformed the external ear canal (EAC) into an operative gateway. The benefits EES can offer include wider views, enhanced imaging capabilities and increased magnification, and ways to see otherwise poorly visualisable portions of the middle ear. EES permits surgeons to operate using minimally invasive otological techniques. When compared with microscope-assisted surgery, endoscopic tympanoplasty has been shown to require a shorter operating time in some instances. There are a number of drawbacks to EES, however, which include the fact that it is a single-handed technique, that the light source may produce thermal injury and that visualisation using the endoscope is severely curtailed if bleeding is profuse.ConclusionEES is a safe and effective technique. The current literature supports the idea that the results achieved by endoscopic methods are usually comparably beneficial to results obtained using conventional microscopic methods.     

Lower lip depressor reanimation using anterior belly of digastric muscle transfer improves psychological wellbeing in facial palsy patients

The authors previously published positive peer-reviewed (21 raters using the Terzis scale) and photogrammetric (Emotrics) outcomes in patients who had undergone two-stage lower lip reanimations up to 2018. Other series have published surgeon and peer-rated results, but we know of only two (n=12) that have assessed patients’ views using patient satisfaction surveys. This paper presents patient-rated outcomes (PROMS) in an 11-year series of both single and two-stage anterior belly of digastric muscle (ABDM) lower lip reanimations. Demographics, paralysis characteristics, operative details, and complications were recorded. Patients were telephoned and requested to complete the Glasgow Benefit Inventory (GBI) to assess patient-rated outcomes. Thirty-two patients were eligible (mean age 36.4 years). Twenty-one (63.6%) completed the GBI (mean score +33.3). More patients reported benefit than detriment (95.2% vs 4.8%). Complications were infrequent and included three cases of superficial infections and one of dermatitis. Four patients (12.5%) underwent minor revisions, mostly lipofilling of lip notches. The median (range) duration of follow up was 2.8 (0.3 – 8.5) years. ABDM transfer for lower lip reanimation is a safe, low morbidity procedure that enhances the psychological wellbeing of patients with facial palsy.     

Does hospital ownership influence hospital referral region health rankings in the United States

Extensive evidence demonstrates that a hospital's organizational ownership structure impacts its overall performance, but little is known concerning the influence of hospital structure on the health of its community. This paper explores the association between US hospital referral region (HRR) health rankings and hospital ownership and performance. Data from the 2016 Commonwealth Fund Scorecard on Local Health System Performance, the American Hospital Association dataset, and the Hospital Value‐Based Purchasing dataset are utilized to conduct a cross‐sectional analysis of 36 quality measures across 306 HRRs. Multivariate regression analysis was used to estimate the association among hospital ownership, system performance measures—access and affordability, prevention and treatment, avoidable hospital use and cost, and healthy lives—and performance as measured by value‐based purchasing total performance scores. We found that indicators of access and affordability, as well as prevention and treatment, were significantly associated across all 3 hospitals' organizational structures. Hospital referral regions with a greater number of not‐for‐profit hospitals demonstrated greater indications of access and affordability, as well as better prevention and treatment rankings than for‐profit and government hospitals. Hospital referral regions with a greater number of government, nonfederal hospitals had worse scores for healthy lives. Furthermore, the greater the total performance scores score, the better the HRR score on prevention and treatment rankings. The greater the per capita income, the better the score across all 4 dimensions. As such, this inquiry supports the assertion that performance of a local health system is dependent on its community's resources of health care delivery entities and their structure.     

The principal–agent problem and owner‐managers: An instrumental variables application to nursing home quality

The literature on provider ownership has primarily focused broadly on for‐profits compared with nonprofits and chains versus nonchains. However, the understanding of more nuanced ownership arrangements within individual facilities is limited. Utilizing the principal–agent and managerial control frameworks, we study the role of managerial ownership and its relationship to quality among for‐profit nursing homes (NHs). We identify NH administrators with more than 5% ownership (owner‐manager) from Ohio Medicaid Cost Reports (2005–2010) and link these data to long‐stay resident records in the Minimum Data Set. Using differential distance to the nearest NHs with a salaried manager relative to an owner‐manager, we address the differential selection into these two types of NHs. After instrumenting for admissions to owner‐managed NHs, quality among long‐stay residents at owner‐managed NHs is generally better than NHs with salaried managers. We find suggestive evidence that the magnitudes of quality difference are larger when the principal–agent problem is likely more pronounced, such as when NHs that are part of a multifacility chain and located in more concentrated markets.     

Farmers' Market Manager's Level of Communication and Influence on Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) Adoption at Midwest Farmers' Markets

Objective

To understand market managers' level of communication and use of technology that might influence decision to adopt Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) at farmers' markets.

药品福利管理试点实施现状及利益相关方的态度分析——以安徽省芜湖市为例

目的:了解安徽省芜湖市药品福利管理(Pharmacy Benefit Management, PBM)试点的开展现状、运作方式、利益相关方对PBM的态度、PBM实施的初步效果及存在问题,为PBM在我国的发展提供实证经验。方法:本文定性资料来源于关键人物深度访谈及重点流程观察,定量资料来源于机构统计报表,采用主题框架法结合描述性分析对PBM模式进行探讨。结果:试点地区PBM模式主要在社区卫生服务中心开展。开展后,药品种类增加,门诊量提高一倍,广受参与患者好评,一定程度上慢病患者回流基层并推进了基本公共卫生服务的开展。但利益相关方对其态度不一,其发展受多种因素的影响。结论:PBM能够提升基层药品可及性,在一定程度上促进慢病管理和医药分开,但其长期效果还需要更多的随访研究。     

丹红注射液对低营养小鼠生理与生化指标的影响

摘要目的观察小剂量丹红注射液对低营养模型小鼠生理及生化指标的影响,并评价其安全性。检验该体系在中药注射剂安全性再评价中的实用价值。方法选取生长期ICR小鼠32只,制备玉米低营养小鼠模型,分为正常对照组（给予0.9%氯化钠溶液）,以及丹红注射液小、中、大3个剂量（0.2,0.4及0.6 mL）组,每组8只;连续腹腔给药7 d,于第8天取血样后处死,完整剖取9种脏器组织,检测相关生理、生化指标。采用损益指数 总积分（BDI GS）体系评价丹红注射液安全性。结果丹红注射液对主要脏器或组织损伤较轻,BDI值均＞0.85,GS值均＞9.0;不同剂量丹红注射液对脾脏及胰腺的BDI值均＞1.0,表现出良好的补益及健康效应,与正常对照组比较差异有统计学意义（P＜0.05或P＜0.01）。同时,表现出良好的降血糖效应。结论丹红注射液在小剂量下用药风险低,安全性良好。同时,低营养模型结合BDI GS体系可以作为临床中药注射剂安全性再评价的一种新方式。     

Factors Associated with Furry Pet Ownership Among Patients with Asthma

Background. Exposure to indoor allergens is an established risk factor for poor asthma control. Current guidelines recommend removing pets from the home of patients with asthma. Objectives. This cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence of furry pet ownership in asthmatics compared to nonasthmatics and to identify factors associated with furry pet ownership among those with asthma. Secondary analysis assessed characteristics among asthmatics that might be associated with allowing a furry pet into the bedroom. Methods. Using data from The National Asthma Survey collected from 2003 to 2004, we carried out univariate and multiple regression analyses, in 2009, to identify independent predictors of furry pet ownership in asthma sufferers after controlling for potential confounders. Results. Overall, asthmatics were more likely to own a furry pet than nonasthmatic individuals in the general population (49.9% versus 44.8%, p < .001). Multivariate analysis showed that female sex, older age, white race, and high income were independent predictors of furry pet ownership among asthmatics. Additionally, 68.7% of patients with asthma who own a furry pet allowed them into their bedroom. Higher income and carrying out ≤2 environmental control practices in the home were associated with increased likelihood of allowing a furry pet into the bedroom. Conclusions. Furry pet ownership is equally or more common among asthmatics compared to those without asthma. The majority of asthmatics with furry pets allow them into the bedroom. Recognizing and addressing these problems may help decrease asthma morbidity.