Addressing complex healthcare problems in diverse settings: insights from activity theory

In the U.K., approaches to policy implementation, service improvement and quality assurance treat policy, management and clinical care as separate, hierarchical domains. They are often based on the central knowledge transfer (KT) theory idea that best practice solutions to complex problems can be identified and 'rolled out' across organisations. When the designated 'best practice' is not implemented, this is interpreted as local--particularly management--failure. Remedial actions include reiterating policy aims and tightening performance management of solution implementation, frequently to no avail. We propose activity theory (AT) as an alternative approach to identifying and understanding the challenges of addressing complex healthcare problems across diverse settings. AT challenges the KT conceptual separations between levels of policy, management and clinical care. It does not regard knowledge and practice as separable, and does not understand them in the commodified way that has typified some versions of KT theory. Instead, AT focuses on "objects of activity" which can be contested. It sees new practice as emerging from contradiction and understands knowledge and practice as fundamentally entwined, not separate. From an AT perspective, there can be no single best practice. The contributions of AT are that it enables us to understand the dynamics of knowledge-practice in activities rather than between levels. It shows how efforts to reduce variation from best practice may paradoxically remove a key source of practice improvement. After explaining the principles of AT we illustrate its explanatory potential through an ethnographic study of primary healthcare teams responding to a policy aim of reducing inappropriate hospital admissions of older people by the 'best practice' of rapid response teams.     

Micro-computed tomography utility for estimation of intraparenchymal spinal cord cystic lesions in small animals

Precise assessment of spinal cord cystic lesions is crucial to formulate effective therapeutic strategies,yet histological assessment of the lesion remains the primary method despite numerous studies showing inconsistent results regarding estimation of lesion size via histology.On the other hand,despite numerous advances in micro-computed tomography(micro-CT)imaging and analysis that have allowed precise measurements of lesion size,there is not enough published data on its application to estimate intraspinal lesion size in laboratory animal models.This work attempts to show that micro-CT can be valuable for spinal cord injury research by demonstrating accurate estimation of syrinx size and compares between micro-CT and traditional histological analysis.We used a post-traumatic syringomyelia rat model to compare micro-CT analysis to conventional histological analysis.The study showed that micro-CT can detect lesions within the spinal cord very similar to histology.Importantly,micro-CT appears to provide more accurate estimates of the lesions with more measures(e.g.,surface area),can detect compounds within the cord,and can be done with the tissue of interest(spinal cord)intact.In summary,the experimental work presented here provides one of the first investigations of the use of micro-CT for estimating the size of intraparenchymal cysts and detecting materials within the spinal cord.All animal procedures were approved by the University of Akron Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee(IACUC)(protocol#LRE 16-05-09 approved on May 14,2016).     

A view from the clinic – Perspectives from Dutch patients and professionals on high myopia care

Purpose

To understand and compare perspectives of patients and professionals on current ophthalmologic care for high myopia, and to identify challenges and future opportunities.

Methods

Self-reported data were collected through two online questionnaires. Patient perspective was obtained from highly myopic members of a patient organisation based in the Netherlands using a 17-item questionnaire consisting of open and multiple-choice questions regarding personal experience with myopia care. The ophthalmologist perspective was obtained from practising Dutch ophthalmologists with a 12-item questionnaire of multiple-choice questions on work-related demographics, myopia care in daily practice and need for improvement. The response rate for patients was 27% (n = 136/500) and for ophthalmologists, 24% (n = 169/716).

Results

Patients were highly concerned about personal progressive loss of vision (69%) and feared their psychological well-being (82%) in case this would happen. The quality of performance of care provided by ophthalmologists was rated as excellent or satisfactory by 64% of the patients. These ratings for multidisciplinary care and insurance reimbursement were as low as 28% and 18% respectively. The mean concern among ophthalmologists about the rise in high myopia was 6.9 (SEM 0.1) on a 10-point scale. Sixty-nine per cent of the ophthalmologists reported that asymptomatic myopic patients should not be examined regularly at outpatient clinics. Ophthalmologists urged the development of clinical guidelines (74%), but did report (95%) that they informed patients about risk factors and complications. This contrasted with the view of patients, of whom 42% were discontent with information provided by ophthalmologists.

Conclusions

These questionnaires demonstrated that the current clinical care delivered to highly myopic patients is in need of improvement. The expected higher demand for myopia care in the near future requires preferred practice patterns, professionals specifically trained to manage myopic pathology, accurate and comprehensive information exchange and collaboration of in- and out-of-hospital professionals across the full eye care chain.     

Hand structure and function in an industrial setting.

The influence of patterns of usage on the structure and function of the hands was formally tested. Three groups of female textile workers, each employed in a distinct and defined, atraumatic, repetitive, stereotyped manual task for at least 20 years, were identified in a single rural mill. Replicate data were obtained for the following measures of structure and function: range of motion, a score for the degree of radiographic degenerative changes at each hand joint, malalignment at digital joints determined radiographically, and a quantitative measure of osteophyte formation. Significant and consistent differences in the right hand when compared to the left were detected. Furthermore, highly significant task-related differences were demonstrated. These task-related differences in the structure and function of the hands were consistent with the pattern of usage. Therefore these three patterns of usage influence hand structure and function in the population studied.     

Rates of adherence to cancer treatment guidelines in Australia and the factors associated with adherence: A systematic review

Adherence to cancer treatment clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) varies enormously across Australia, despite being associated with improved patient outcomes. This systematic review aims to characterize adherence rates to active-cancer treatment CPGs in Australia and related factors to inform future implementation strategies. Five databases were systematically searched, abstracts were screened for eligibility, a full-text review and critical appraisal of eligible studies performed, and data extracted. A narrative synthesis of factors associated with adherence was conducted, and the median adherence rates within cancer streams calculated. A total of 21,031 abstracts were identified. After duplicates were removed, abstracts screened, and full texts reviewed, 20 studies focused on adherence to active-cancer treatment CPGs were included. Overall adherence rates ranged from 29% to 100%. Receipt of guideline recommended treatments was higher for patients who were younger (diffuse large B-cell lymphoma [DLBCL], colorectal, lung, and breast cancer); female (breast and lung cancer), and male (DLBCL and colorectal cancer); never smokers (DLBCL and lung cancer); non-Indigenous Australians (cervical and lung cancer); with less advanced stage disease (colorectal, lung, and cervical cancer), without comorbidities (DLBCL, colorectal, and lung cancer); with good-excellent Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (lung cancer); living in moderately accessible places (colon cancer); and; treated in metropolitan facilities (DLBLC, breast and colon cancer). This review characterized active-cancer treatment CPG adherence rates and associated factors in Australia. Future targeted CPG implementation strategies should account for these factors, to redress unwarranted variation particularly in vulnerable populations, and improve patient outcomes (Prospero number: CRD42020222962).