Moving Forward in GME Reform: A 4 + 1 Model of Resident Ambulatory Training

BACKGROUND

Traditional ambulatory training models have limitations in important domains, including opportunities for residents to learn, fragmentation of care delivery experience, and satisfaction with ambulatory experiences. New models of ambulatory training are needed.

AIM

To compare the impact of a traditional ambulatory training model with a templated 4 + 1 model.

SETTING

A large university-based internal medicine residency using three different training sites: a patient-centered medical home, a hospital-based ambulatory clinic, and community private practices.

PARTICIPANTS

Residents, faculty, and administrative staff.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Development of a templated 4 + 1 model of residency where trainees do not attend to inpatient and outpatient responsibilities simultaneously.

PROGRAM EVALUATION

A mixed-methods analysis of survey and nominal group data measuring three primary outcomes: 1) Perception of learning opportunities and quality of faculty teaching; 2) Reported fragmentation of care delivery experience; 3) Satisfaction with ambulatory experiences. Self-reported empanelment was a secondary outcome. Residents’ learning opportunities increased (p = 0.007) but quality of faculty teaching was unchanged. Participants reported less fragmentation in the care residents provide patients in the inpatient and outpatient setting (p < 0.0001). Satisfaction with ambulatory training improved (p < 0.0001). Self-reported empanelment also increased (p < 0.0001). Results held true for residents, faculty, and staff at all three ambulatory training sites (p < 0.0001).

DISCUSSION

A 4 + 1 model increased resident time in ambulatory continuity clinic, enhanced learning opportunities, reduced fragmentation of care residents provide, and improved satisfaction with ambulatory experiences. More studies of similar models are needed to evaluate effects on additional trainee and patient outcomes.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11606-013-2387-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.KEY WORDS: ambulatory training, 4 + 1 model     

Association Between Receipt of Brief Alcohol Intervention and Quality of Care among Veteran Outpatients with Unhealthy Alcohol Use

BACKGROUND

Brief alcohol intervention, including advice to reduce or abstain from drinking, is widely recommended for general medical outpatients with unhealthy alcohol use, but it is challenging to implement. Among other implementation challenges, providers report reluctance to deliver such interventions, citing concerns about negatively affecting their patient relationships.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to determine whether patient-reported receipt of brief intervention was associated with patient-reported indicators of high-quality care among veteran outpatients with unhealthy alcohol use.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional secondary data analysis was performed using the Veterans Health Administration (VA) Survey of Healthcare Experiences of Patients (SHEP).

PARTICIPANTS

The study included veteran outpatients who (1) responded to the outpatient long-form SHEP (2009–2011), (2) screened positive for unhealthy alcohol use (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test–Consumption (AUDIT-C) questionnaire score ≥ 3 for women, ≥ 4 for men), and (3) responded to questions assessing receipt of brief intervention and quality of care.

MAIN MEASURES

We used logistic regression models to estimate the adjusted predicted prevalence of reporting two indicators of high-quality care—patient ratings of their VA provider and of overall VA healthcare (range 0–10, dichotomized as ≥ 9 indicating high quality)—for both patients who did and did not report receipt of brief intervention (receiving alcohol-related advice from a provider) within the previous year.

KEY RESULTS

Among 10,612 eligible veterans, 43.8 % reported having received brief intervention, and 84.2 % and 79.1 % rated their quality of care as high from their provider and the VA healthcare system, respectively. In adjusted analyses, compared to veterans who reported receiving no brief intervention, a higher proportion of veterans reporting receipt of brief intervention rated the quality of healthcare from their provider (86.9 % vs. 82.0 %, p < 0.01) and the VA overall (82.7 % vs. 75.9 %, p < 0.01) as high.

CONCLUSIONS

In this cross-sectional analysis of veterans with unhealthy alcohol use, a higher proportion of those who reported receipt of brief intervention reported receiving high-quality care compared to those who reported having received no such intervention. These findings do not support provider concerns that delivering brief intervention adversely affects patients’ perceptions of care.KEY WORDS: Alcoholism and addictive behavior, Quality assessment, Veterans, Patient satisfaction     

Empathy Training for Resident Physicians: A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Neuroscience-Informed Curriculum

Background

Physician empathy is an essential attribute of the patient–physician relationship and is associated with better outcomes, greater patient safety and fewer malpractice claims.

Objective

We tested whether an innovative empathy training protocol grounded in neuroscience could improve physician empathy as rated by patients.

Design

Randomized controlled trial.

Intervention

We randomly assigned residents and fellows from surgery, medicine, anesthesiology, psychiatry, ophthalmology, and orthopedics (N = 99, 52% female, mean age 30.6 ± 3.6) to receive standard post-graduate medical education or education augmented with three 60-minute empathy training modules.

Main Measure

Patient ratings of physician empathy were assessed within one-month pre-training and between 1–2 months post-training with the use of the Consultation and Relational Empathy (CARE) measure. Each physician was rated by multiple patients (pre-mean = 4.6 ± 3.1; post-mean 4.9 ± 2.5), who were blinded to physician randomization. The primary outcome was change score on the patient-rated CARE.

Key Results

The empathy training group showed greater changes in patient-rated CARE scores than the control (difference 2.2; P = 0.04). Trained physicians also showed greater changes in knowledge of the neurobiology of empathy (difference 1.8; P < 0.001) and in ability to decode facial expressions of emotion (difference 1.9; P < 0.001).

Conclusions

A brief intervention grounded in the neurobiology of empathy significantly improved physician empathy as rated by patients, suggesting that the quality of care in medicine could be improved by integrating the neuroscience of empathy into medical education.KEY WORDS: empathy, randomized controlled trial, communication skills, graduate medical education, patient–physician relationship     

Do First Opinions Affect Second Opinions?

Background

Second medical opinions have become commonplace and even mandatory in some health-care systems, as variations in diagnosis, treatment or prognosis may emerge among physicians.

Objective

To evaluate whether physicians’ judgment is affected by another medical opinion given to a patient.

Design

Orthopedic surgeons and neurologists filled out questionnaires presenting eight hypothetical clinical scenarios with suggested treatments. One group of physicians (in each specialty) was told what the other physician’s opinion was (study group), and the other group was not told what it was (control group).

Participants

A convenience sample of 332 physicians in Israel: 172 orthopedic surgeons (45.9% of their population) and 160 neurologists (64.0% of their population).

Measurements

Scoring was by choice of less or more interventional treatment in the scenarios. We used χ² tests and repeated measures ANOVA to compare these scores between the two groups. We also fitted a cumulative ordinal regression to account for the dependence within each physician’s responses.

Results

Orthopedic surgeons in the study group chose a more interventionist treatment when the other physician suggested an intervention than those in the control group [F (1, 170) = 4.6, p = 0.03; OR = 1.437, 95% CI 1.115-1.852]. Evaluating this effect separately in each scenario showed that in four out of the eight scenarios, they chose a more interventional treatment when the other physician suggested an intervention (scenario 1, p = 0.039; scenario 2, p < 0.001; scenario 3, p = 0.033; scenario 6, p < 0.001). These effects were insignificant among the neurologists [F (1,158) = 0.44, p = 0.51; OR = 1.087, 95% CI 0.811-1.458]. In both specialties there were no differences in responses by level of clinical experience [orthopedic surgeons: F (2, 166) = 0.752, p = 0.473; neurologists: F (2,154) = 1.951, p = 0.146].

Conclusions

The exploratory survey showed that in some cases physicians’ judgments may be affected by other physicians’ opinions, but unaffected in other cases. Weighing previous opinions may yield a more informed clinical decision, yet physicians may be unintentionally influenced by previous opinions. Second opinion has the potential to improve the clinical decision-making processes, and mechanisms are needed to reconcile discrepant opinions.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11606-012-2056-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.KEY WORDS: second-opinion, differential diagnosis, diagnostic reasoning, medical decision-making, health policy, surgery, orthopedics, neurology, surveys, consultation     

Does Patient Gender Impact Resident Physicians’ Approach to the Cardiac Exam?

Background

Physical examination remains an important part of the initial evaluation of patients presenting with chest pain but little is known about the effect of patient gender on physician performance of the cardiovascular exam.

Objective

To determine if resident physicians are less likely to perform five key components of the cardiovascular exam on female versus male standardized patients (SPs) presenting with acute chest pain.

Design

Videotape review of SP encounters during Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) administered by the Emory University Internal Medicine Residency Program in 2006 and 2007. Encounters were reviewed to assess residents’ performance of five cardiac exam skills: auscultation of the aortic, pulmonic, tricuspid, and mitral valve areas and palpation for the apical impulse.

Participants

One hundred forty-nine incoming residents.

Main Measures

Residents’ performance for each skill was classified as correct, incorrect, or unknown.

Key Results

One hundred ten of 149 (74 %) of encounters were available for review. Residents were less likely to correctly perform each of the five skills on female versus male SPs. This difference was statistically significant for auscultation of the tricuspid (p = 0.004, RR = 0.62, 95 % CI 0.46–0.83) and mitral (p = 0.007, RR = 0.58, 95 % CI = 0.41–0.83) valve regions and palpation for the apical impulse (p < 0.001, RR = 0.27, 95 % CI = 0.16–0.47). Male residents were less likely than female residents to correctly perform each maneuver on female versus male SPs. The interaction of SP gender and resident gender was statistically significant for auscultation of the mitral valve region (p = 0.006) and palpation for the apical impulse (p = 0.01).

Conclusions

We observed significant differences in the performance of key elements of the cardiac exam for female versus male SPs presenting with chest pain. This observation represents a previously unidentified but potentially important source of gender bias in the evaluation of patients presenting with cardiovascular complaints.KEY WORDS: cardiovascular disease, clinical skills assessment, disparities, women’s health, medical student and residency education     

Outcomes of Anticoagulation Therapy in Patients with Mental Health Conditions

Background

Patients with mental health conditions (MHCs) experience poor anticoagulation control when using warfarin, but we have limited knowledge of the association between specific mental illness and warfarin treatment outcomes.

Objective

To examine the relationship between the severity of MHCs and outcomes of anticoagulation therapy.

Design

Retrospective cohort analysis.

Participants

We studied 103,897 patients on warfarin for 6 or more months cared for by the Veterans Health Administration during fiscal years 2007–2008. We identified 28,216 patients with MHCs using ICD-9 codes: anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, and other psychotic disorders.

Main Measures

Outcomes included anticoagulation control, as measured by percent time in the therapeutic range (TTR), as well as major hemorrhage. Predictors included different categories of MHC, Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scores, and psychiatric hospitalizations.

Key Results

Patients with bipolar disorder, depression, and other psychotic disorders experienced TTR decreases of 2.63 %, 2.26 %, and 2.92 %, respectively (p < 0.001), after controlling for covariates. Patients with psychotic disorders other than schizophrenia experienced increased hemorrhage after controlling for covariates [hazard ratio (HR) 1.24, p = 0.03]. Having any MHC was associated with a slightly increased hazard for hemorrhage (HR 1.19, p < 0.001) after controlling for covariates.

Conclusion

Patients with specific MHCs (bipolar disorder, depression, and other psychotic disorders) experienced slightly worse anticoagulation control. Patients with any MHC had a slightly increased hazard for major hemorrhage, but the magnitude of this difference is unlikely to be clinically significant. Overall, our results suggest that appropriately selected patients with MHCs can safely receive therapy with warfarin.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11606-014-2784-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.KEY WORDS: anticoagulation, mental health, veterans, warfarin therapy, psychiatric conditions     

The Impact of Postgraduate Training on USMLE? Step 3? and its Computer-Based Case Simulation Component

BACKGROUND

The United States Medical Licensing Examination® (USMLE®) Step 3® examination is a computer-based examination composed of multiple choice questions (MCQ) and computer-based case simulations (CCS). The CCS portion of Step 3 is unique in that examinees are exposed to interactive patient-care simulations.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of the following study is to investigate whether the type and length of examinees’ postgraduate training impacts performance on the CCS component of Step 3, consistent with previous research on overall Step 3 performance.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study

PARTICIPANTS

Medical school graduates from U.S. and Canadian institutions completing Step 3 for the first time between March 2007 and December 2009 (n = 40,588).

METHODS

Post-graduate training was classified as either broadly focused for general areas of medicine (e.g. pediatrics) or narrowly focused for specific areas of medicine (e.g. radiology). A three-way between-subjects MANOVA was utilized to test for main and interaction effects on Step 3 and CCS scores between the demographic characteristics of the sample and type of residency. Additionally, to examine the impact of postgraduate training, CCS scores were regressed on Step 1 and Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) scores. Residuals from the resulting regressions were plotted.

RESULTS

There was a significant difference in CCS scores between broadly focused (μ = 216, σ = 17) and narrowly focused (μ=211, σ = 16) residencies (p < 0.001). Examinees in broadly focused residencies performed better overall and as length of training increased, compared to examinees in narrowly focused residencies. Predictors of Step 1 and Step 2 CK explained 55% of overall Step 3 variability and 9% of CCS score variability.

CONCLUSIONS

Factors influencing performance on the CCS component may be similar to those affecting Step 3 overall. Findings are supportive of the validity of the Step 3 program and may be useful to program directors and residents in considering readiness to take this examination.KEY WORDS: USMLE, Step 3, CCS, postgraduate training, graduate medical education     

Medical Home Features of VHA Primary Care Clinics and Avoidable Hospitalizations

Background

As the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) reorganizes providers into the patient-centered medical home, questions remain whether this model of care can demonstrate improved patient outcomes and cost savings.

Objective

We measured adoption of medical home features by VHA primary care clinics prior to widespread implementation of the patient-centered medical home and examined if they were associated with lower risk and costs of potentially avoidable hospitalizations.

Design

Secondary patient data was linked to clinic administrative and survey data. Patient and clinic factors in the baseline year (FY2009) were used to predict patient outcomes in the follow-up year.

Participants

2,853,030 patients from 814 VHA primary care clinics

Main Measures

Patient outcomes were measured by hospitalizations for an ambulatory care sensitive condition (ACSC) and their costs and identified through diagnosis and procedure codes from inpatient records. Clinic adoption of medical home features was obtained from the American College of Physicians Medical Home Builder®.

Key Results

The overall mean home builder score in the study clinics was 88 (SD = 13) or 69 %. In adjusted analyses an increase of 10 points in the medical home adoption score in a clinic decreased the odds of an ACSC hospitalization for patients by 3 % (P = 0.032). By component, higher access and scheduling (P = 0.004) and care coordination and transitions (P = 0.020) component scores were related to lower risk of an ACSC hospitalization, and higher population management was related to higher risk (P = 0.023). Total medical home features was not related to ACSC hospitalization costs among patients with at least one (P = 0.074).

Conclusion

Greater adoption of medical home features by VHA primary care clinics was found to be significantly associated with lower risk of avoidable hospitalizations with access and scheduling and care coordination/transitions in care as key factors.KEY WORDS: medical home, avoidable hospitalizations, access, care coordination     

Randomized controlled trial of health maintenance reminders provided directly to patients through an electronic PHR

BACKGROUND

Provider and patient reminders can be effective in increasing rates of preventive screenings and vaccinations. However, the effect of patient-directed electronic reminders is understudied.

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether providing reminders directly to patients via an electronic Personal Health Record (PHR) improved adherence to care recommendations.

DESIGN

We conducted a cluster randomized trial without blinding from 2005 to 2007 at 11 primary care practices in the Partners HealthCare system.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 21,533 patients with access to a PHR were invited to the study, and 3,979 (18.5%) consented to enroll.

INTERVENTIONS

Patients in the intervention arm received health maintenance (HM) reminders via a secure PHR “eJournal,” which allowed them to review and update HM and family history information. Patients in the active control arm received access to an eJournal that allowed them to input and review information related to medications, allergies and diabetes management.

MAIN MEASURES

The primary outcome measure was adherence to guideline-based care recommendations.

KEY RESULTS

Intention-to-treat analysis showed that patients in the intervention arm were significantly more likely to receive mammography (48.6% vs 29.5%, p = 0.006) and influenza vaccinations (22.0% vs 14.0%, p = 0.018). No significant improvement was observed in rates of other screenings. Although Pap smear completion rates were higher in the intervention arm (41.0% vs 10.4%, p < 0.001), this finding was no longer significant after excluding women’s health clinics. Additional on-treatment analysis showed significant increases in mammography (p = 0.019) and influenza vaccination (p = 0.015) for intervention arm patients who opened an eJournal compared to control arm patients, but no differences for any measure among patients who did not open an eJournal.

CONCLUSIONS

Providing patients with HM reminders via a PHR may be effective in improving some elements of preventive care.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11606-011-1859-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.KEY WORDS: health maintenance reminders, personal health record, preventive care, clinical decision support, Patient Gateway     

A Randomized Trial of Peer Coach and Office Staff Support to Reduce Coronary Heart Disease Risk in African-Americans with Uncontrolled Hypertension

OBJECTIVE

Adopting features of the Chronic Care Model may reduce coronary heart disease risk and blood pressure in vulnerable populations. We evaluated a peer and practice team intervention on reduction in 4-year coronary heart disease risk and systolic blood pressure.

DESIGN AND SUBJECTS

A single blind, randomized, controlled trial in two adjacent urban university-affiliated primary care practices. Two hundred eighty African-American subjects aged 40 to 75 with uncontrolled hypertension.

INTERVENTION

Three monthly calls from trained peer patients with well-controlled hypertension and, on alternate months, two practice staff visits to review a personalized 4-year heart disease risk calculator and slide shows about heart disease risks. All subjects received usual physician care and brochures about healthy cooking and heart disease.

MAIN MEASURES

Change in 4-year coronary heart disease risk (primary) and change in systolic blood pressure, both assessed at 6 months.

KEY RESULTS

At baseline, the 136 intervention and 144 control subjects’ mean 4-year coronary heart disease risk did not differ (intervention = 5.8 % and control = 6.4 %, P = 0.39), and their mean systolic blood pressure was the same (140.5 mmHg, p = 0.83). Endpoint data for coronary heart disease were obtained for 69 % of intervention and 82 % of control subjects. After multiple imputation for missing endpoint data, the reduction in risk among all 280 subjects favored the intervention, but was not statistically significant (difference −0.73 %, 95 % confidence interval: -1.54 % to 0.09 %, p = 0.08). Among the 247 subjects with a systolic blood pressure endpoint (85 % of intervention and 91 % of control subjects), more intervention than control subjects achieved a >5 mmHg reduction (61 % versus 45 %, respectively, p = 0.01). After multiple imputation, the absolute reduction in systolic blood pressure was also greater for the intervention group (difference −6.47 mmHg, 95 % confidence interval: −10.69 to −2.25, P = 0.003). One patient died in each study arm.

CONCLUSIONS

Peer patient and office-based behavioral support for African-American patients with uncontrolled hypertension did not result in a significantly greater reduction in coronary heart disease risk but did significantly reduce systolic blood pressure.KEY WORDS: coronary heart disease, hypertension, African American, peer support     

An Inpatient Treatment and Discharge Planning Protocol for Alcohol Dependence: Efficacy in Reducing 30-Day Readmissions and Emergency Department Visits

BACKGROUND

Alcohol dependence results in multiple hospital readmissions, but no discharge planning protocol has been studied to improve outcomes. The inpatient setting is a frequently missed opportunity to discuss treatment of alcohol dependence and initiate medication-assisted treatment, which is effective yet rarely utilized.

AIM

Our aim was to implement and evaluate a discharge planning protocol for patients admitted with alcohol dependence.

SETTING

The study took place at the San Francisco General Hospital (SFGH), a university-affiliated, large urban county hospital.

PARTICIPANTS

Learner participants included Internal Medicine residents at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) who staff the teaching service at SFGH. Patient participants included inpatients with alcohol dependence admitted to the Internal Medicine teaching service.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

We developed and implemented a discharge planning protocol for patients admitted with alcohol dependence that included eligibility assessment and initiation of medication-assisted treatment.

PROGRAM EVALUATION

Rates of medication-assisted treatment increased from 0 % to 64 % (p value < 0.001). All-cause 30-day readmission rates to SFGH decreased from 23.4 % to 8.2 % (p value = 0.042). All-cause emergency department visits to SFGH within 30 days of discharge decreased from 18.8 % to 6.1 % (p value = 0.056).

DISCUSSION

Through implementation of a discharge planning protocol by Internal Medicine residents for patients admitted with alcohol dependence, there was a statistically significant increase in medication-assisted treatment and a statistically significant decrease in both 30-day readmission rates and emergency department visits.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11606-014-2968-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.KEY WORDS: alcoholism and addictive behavior, care transitions, medical student and residency education, substance abuse, medical education-clinical skills training     

Electronic Tools to Assist with Identification and Counseling for Overweight Patients: a Randomized Controlled Trial

Background

Physicians often do not recognize when their patients are overweight and infrequently counsel them about weight loss.

Objective

To evaluate a set of electronic health record (EHR)-embedded tools to assist with identification and counseling of overweight patients.

Design

Randomized controlled trial.

Participants

Physicians at an academic general internal medicine clinic were randomized to activation of the EHR tools (n = 15) or to usual care (n = 15). Patients of these physicians were included in analyses if they had a body mass index (BMI) between 27 and 29.9 kg/m².

Intervention

The EHR tool set included: a physician point-of-care alert for overweight (BMI 27–29. 9 kg/m²); a counseling template to help physicians counsel patients on action plans; and an order set to facilitate entry of overweight as a diagnosis and to order relevant patient handouts.

Main Measures

Physician documentation of overweight as a problem; documentation of weight-specific counseling; physician perceptions of the EHR tools; patient self-reported progress toward their goals and perspectives about counseling received.

Key Results

Patients of physicians receiving the intervention were more likely than those of usual care physicians to receive a diagnosis of overweight (22% vs. 7%; p = 0.02) and weight-specific counseling (27% vs. 15%; p = 0.02). Most patients receiving counseling in the intervention group reported increased motivation to lose weight (90%) and taking steps toward their goal (93%). Most intervention physicians agreed that the tool alerted them to patients they did not realize were overweight (91%) and improved the effectiveness of their counseling (82%); more than half (55%) reported counseling overweight patients more frequently (55%). However, most physicians used the tool infrequently because of time barriers.

Conclusions

EHR-based alerts and management tools increased documentation of overweight and counseling frequency; the majority of patients for whom the tools were used reported short-term behavior change.KEY WORDS: overweight, counseling, electronic health record     

Diet Soft Drink Consumption is Associated with an Increased Risk of Vascular Events in the Northern Manhattan Study

BACKGROUND

Diet and regular soft drinks have been associated with diabetes and the metabolic syndrome, and regular soft drinks with coronary heart disease.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the association between soft drinks and combined vascular events, including stroke.

DESIGN

A population-based cohort study of stroke incidence and risk factors.

PARTICANTS

Participants (N = 2564, 36% men, mean age 69 ± 10, 20% white, 23% black, 53% Hispanic) were from the Northern Manhattan Study.

MAIN MEASURES

We assessed diet and regular soft drink consumption using a food frequency questionnaire at baseline, and categorized: none (<1/month, N = 1948 diet, N = 1333 regular), light (1/month-6/week, N = 453 diet, N = 995 regular), daily (≥1/day, N = 163 diet, N = 338 regular). Over a mean follow-up of 10 years, we examined the association between soft drink consumption and 591 incident vascular events (stroke, myocardial infarction, vascular death) using Cox models.

KEY RESULTS

Controlling for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, smoking, physical activity, alcohol consumption, BMI, daily calories, consumption of protein, carbohydrates, total fat, saturated fat, and sodium, those who drank diet soft drinks daily (vs. none) had an increased risk of vascular events, and this persisted after controlling further for the metabolic syndrome, peripheral vascular disease, diabetes, cardiac disease, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia (HR = 1.43, 95% CI = 1.06–1.94). There was no increased risk of vascular events associated with regular soft drinks or light diet soft drink consumption.

CONCLUSIONS

Daily diet soft drink consumption was associated with several vascular risk factors and with an increased risk for vascular events. Further research is needed before any conclusions can be made regarding the potential health consequences of diet soft drink consumption.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11606-011-1968-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.KEY WORDS: diet, epidemiology, myocardial infarction, stroke, cardiovascular disease     

Enhancing Care for Hospitalized Older Adults with Cognitive Impairment: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background

Approximately 40% of hospitalized older adults have cognitive impairment (CI) and are more prone to hospital-acquired complications. The Institute of Medicine suggests using health information technology to improve the overall safety and quality of the health care system.

Objective

Evaluate the efficacy of a clinical decision support system (CDSS) to improve the quality of care for hospitalized older adults with CI.

Design

A randomized controlled clinical trial.

Setting

A public hospital in Indianapolis.

Population

A total of 998 hospitalized older adults were screened for CI, and 424 patients (225 intervention, 199 control) with CI were enrolled in the trial with a mean age of 74.8, 59% African Americans, and 68% female.

Intervention

A CDSS alerts the physicians of the presence of CI, recommends early referral into a geriatric consult, and suggests discontinuation of the use of Foley catheterization, physical restraints, and anticholinergic drugs.

Measurements

Orders of a geriatric consult and discontinuation orders of Foley catheterization, physical restraints, or anticholinergic drugs.

Results

Using intent-to-treat analyses, there were no differences between the intervention and the control groups in geriatric consult orders (56% vs 49%, P = 0.21); discontinuation orders for Foley catheterization (61.7% vs 64.6%, P = 0.86); physical restraints (4.8% vs 0%, P = 0.86), or anticholinergic drugs (48.9% vs 31.2%, P = 0.11).

Conclusion

A simple screening program for CI followed by a CDSS did not change physician prescribing behaviors or improve the process of care for hospitalized older adults with CI.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11606-012-1994-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.KEY WORDS: cognitive impairment, clinical trial, decision support, hospitalized elders     

Impact of a 360-degree Professionalism Assessment on Faculty Comfort and Skills in Feedback Delivery

Background

Professionalism is identified as a competency of resident education. Best approaches to teaching and evaluating professionalism are unknown, but feedback about professionalism is necessary to change practice and behavior. Faculty discomfort with professionalism may limit their delivery of feedback to residents.

Objectives

A pilot program to implement a 360-degree evaluation of observable professionalism behaviors and determine how its use impacts faculty feedback to residents.

Design

Internal Medicine (IM) residents were evaluated during ambulatory rotations using a 360-degree assessment of professional behaviors developed by the National Board of Medical Examiners®. Faculty used evaluation results to provide individual feedback to residents.

Patients/Participants

Fifteen faculty members.

Measurements and Main Results

Faculty completed pre- and post-intervention surveys. Using a 7-point Likert scale, faculty reported increased skill in giving general feedback (4.85 vs 4.36, p < .05) and feedback about professionalism (4.71 vs 3.57, p < .01) after the implementation of the 360-degree evaluation. They reported increased comfort giving feedback about professionalism (5.07 vs 4.35, p < .05) but not about giving feedback in general (5.43 vs 5.50).

Conclusions

A 360-degree professionalism evaluation instrument used to guide feedback to residents improves faculty comfort and self-assessed skill in giving feedback about professionalism.KEY WORDS: professionalism, feedback, 360-degree evaluation, internship, residency     

Usual Source of Care and Outcomes Following Acute Myocardial Infarction

Background

The quality of the relationship between a patient and their usual source of care may impact outcomes, especially after an acute clinical event requiring regular follow-up.

Objective

To examine the association between the presence and strength of a usual source of care with mortality and readmission after hospitalization for acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Design

Prospective Registry Evaluating Myocardial Infarction: Event and Recovery (PREMIER), an observational, 19-center study.

Patients

AMI patients discharged between January 2003 and June 2004.

Main Measures

The strength of the usual source of care was categorized as none, weak, or strong based upon the duration and familiarity of the relationship. Main outcome measures were readmissions and mortality at 6 months and 12 months post-AMI, examined in multivariable analysis adjusting for socio-demographic characteristics, access and barriers to care, financial status, baseline risk factors, and AMI severity.

Key Results

Among 2,454 AMI patients, 441 (18.0 %) reported no usual source of care, whereas 247 (10.0 %) and 1,766 (72.0 %) reported weak and strong usual sources of care, respectively. When compared with a strong usual source of care, adults with no usual source of care had higher 6-month mortality rates [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) = 3.15, 95 % CI, 1.79–5.52; p < 0.001] and 12-month mortality rates (aHR = 1.92, 95 % CI, 1.19–3.12; p = 0.01); adults with a weak usual source of care trended toward higher mortality at 6 months (aHR = 1.95, 95 % CI, 0.98–3.88; p = 0.06), but not 12 months (p = 0.23). We found no association between the usual source of care and readmissions.

Conclusions

Adults with no or weak usual sources of care have an increased risk for mortality following AMI, but not for readmission.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11606-014-2794-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.KEY WORDS: doctor and patient relationship, usual source of care, myocardial infarction     

Interventions to improve outcomes for minority adults with asthma: a systematic review

OBJECTIVES

To systematically review the literature to characterize interventions with potential to improve outcomes for minority patients with asthma.

DATA SOURCES

Medline, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Cochrane Trial Databases, expert review, reference review, meeting abstracts.

STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA, PARTICIPANTS, AND INTEVENTIONS

Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) terms related to asthma were combined with terms to identify intervention studies focused on minority populations. Inclusion criteria: adult population; intervention studies with majority of non-White participants.

STUDY APPRAISAL AND SYNTHESIS OF METHODS

Study quality was assessed using Downs and Black (DB) checklists. We examined heterogeneity of studies through comparing study population, study design, intervention characteristics, and outcomes.

RESULTS

Twenty-four articles met inclusion criteria. Mean quality score was 21.0. Study populations targeted primarily African American (n = 14), followed by Latino/a (n = 4), Asian Americans (n = 1), or a combination of the above (n = 5). The most commonly reported post-intervention outcome was use of health care resources, followed by symptom control and self-management skills. The most common intervention-type studied was patient education. Although less-than half were culturally tailored, language-appropriate education appeared particularly successful. Several system–level interventions focused on specialty clinics with promising findings, although health disparities collaboratives did not have similarly promising results.

LIMITATIONS

Publication bias may limit our findings; we were unable to perform a meta-analysis limiting the review’s quantitative evaluation.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS OF KEY FINDINGS

Overall, education delivered by health care professionals appeared effective in improving outcomes for minority patients with asthma. Few were culturally tailored and one included a comparison group, limiting the conclusions that can be drawn from cultural tailoring. System-redesign showed great promise, particularly the use of team-based specialty clinics and long-term follow-up after acute care visits. Future research should evaluate the role of tailoring educational strategies, focus on patient-centered education, and incorporate outpatient follow-up and/or a team-based approach.KEY WORDS: asthma, disparities, interventions, culturally tailored     

Effect of Exercise on Blood Pressure in Type 2 Diabetes: A Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

Increased blood pressure (BP) in type 2 diabetes (T2DM) markedly increases cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality risk compared to having increased BP alone.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether exercise reduces suboptimal levels of untreated suboptimal BP or treated hypertension.

DESIGN

Prospective, randomized controlled trial for 6 months.

SETTING

Single center in Baltimore, MD, USA.

PATIENTS

140 participants with T2DM not requiring insulin and untreated SBP of 120–159 or DBP of 85–99 mmHg, or, if being treated for hypertension, any SBP <159 mmHg or DBP < 99 mmHg; 114 completed the study.

INTERVENTION

Supervised exercise, 3 times per week for 6 months compared with general advice about physical activity.

MEASUREMENTS

Resting SBP and DBP (primary outcome); diabetes status, arterial stiffness assessed as carotid-femoral pulse-wave velocity (PWV), body composition and fitness (secondary outcomes).

RESULTS

Overall baseline BP was 126.8 ± 13.5 / 71.7 ± 9.0 mmHg, with no group differences. At 6 months, BP was unchanged from baseline in either group, BP 125.8 ± 13.2 / 70.7 ± 8.8 mmHg in controls; and 126.0 ± 14.2 / 70.3 ± 9.0 mmHg in exercisers, despite attaining a training effects as evidenced by increased aerobic and strength fitness and lean mass and reduced fat mass (all p < 0.05), Overall baseline PWV was 959.9 ± 333.1 cm/s, with no group difference. At 6-months, PWV did not change and was not different between group; exercisers, 923.7 ± 319.8 cm/s, 905.5 ± 344.7, controls.

LIMITATIONS

A completion rate of 81 %.

CONCLUSIONS

Though exercisers improve fitness and body composition, there were no reductions in BP. The lack of change in arterial stiffness suggests a resistance to exercise-induced BP reduction in persons with T2DM.KEY WORDS: exercise training, diabetes, high blood pressure, randomized trial