Amer Kaissi

How does the culture of medical group practices influence the types of programs used to assure quality of care

Objective: It is widely acknowledged that the culture of medical group practices greatly influences the quality of care, but little is known about how cultures are translated into specific types of programs focused on quality. This study explores this issue by assessing the influence of the organizational culture on these types of programs in medical group practices in the upper Midwest. Design and Methods: Data were obtained from two surveys of medical group practices. The first survey was designed to assess the culture of the practice using a nine-dimension instrument developed previously. The second survey was designed to obtain organizational structure data including the programs identified by the literature as important to the quality of care in medical practices. Completed surveys were obtained from eighty-eight medical groups. The relationship of the group practice culture to structural programs focused on quality of care was analyzed using logistic regression equations. Results: Several interesting patterns emerged. As expected, practices with a strong information culture favor electronic data systems and formal programs that provide comparative or evidence-based data to enhance their clinical practices. However, those with a quality-centered culture appear to prefer patient satisfaction surveys to assess the quality of their care, while practices that are more business-oriented rely on bureaucratic strategies such as benchmarking and physician profiling. Cultures that emphasize the autonomy of physician practice were negatively (but not at a statistically significant level) associated with all the programs studied. Practices with a highly collegial culture appear to rely on informal peer review mechanisms to assure quality rather than any of the structural programs included in this analysis. Conclusion: This study suggests that the types of quality programs that group practices develop differ according to their cultures. Consequently, it is important for practice administrators and medical directors to develop quality assurance programs that fit their cultures if they are to gain buy-in by their clinicians. Future research should assess the effect of culture-structure fit on quality and safety outcomes.

Measuring the culture of medical group practices.

Objective: To develop an instrument that can be used to assess the organizational culture of medical group practices. Data Sources and Study Setting: Study participants were primary care physicians in 267 medical group practices. The iterative process began in Minnesota and then expanded to practices in 21 other states. Data Collection Methods: Practice culture statements were collected using questionnaires distributed at a national medical group practice meeting and mailed questionnaires sent to a broader set of participants identified by the Medical Group Management Association. Study Design: Using a framework developed earlier, physicians in medical groups were asked to react to statements that described the basic assumptions and patterns of behavior characteristic of their practices. An iterative process involving over 500 physicians in 267 practices was used to identify and refine statements. Factor analysis was used to group the statements into cohesive cultural dimensions. Principal Findings: Thirty-nine statements correlated with nine cultural dimensions were identified and a test of this instrument found that it successfully identified differences in the cultures of medical groups. Conclusions: Although there is increasing agreement that the culture of medical group practices is one of the most important factors influencing the cost and quality of care, efforts to understand and manage these cultures have been hampered by the lack of a measurement instrument. This article presents an instrument that has broad face validity in the group practice field and successfully differentiates the cultures of different types of practices.

Uncertainty in health care environments: myth or reality?

Abstract: Health care leaders and analysts typically describe the health care environment as dynamic, complex, and highly uncertain. This study conceptualizes environmental uncertainty as an individual perception that blends subjective and objective realities derived from the complexity and dynamism of the organizational task environment. Exploratory judgments of the complexity and dynamism of the environment of health care organizations are included.

The influence of the structure and culture of medical group practices on prescription drug errors.

Background:This project was designed to identify the magnitude of prescription drug errors in medical group practices and to explore the influence of the practice structure and culture on those error rates. Seventy-eight practices serving an upper Midwest managed care (Care Plus) plan during 2001 were included in the study. Methods:Using Care Plus claims data, prescription drug error rates were calculated at the enrollee level and then were aggregated to the group practice that each enrollee selected to provide and manage their care. Practice structure and culture data were obtained from surveys of the practices. Data were analyzed using multivariate regression. Results:Both the culture and the structure of these group practices appear to influence prescription drug error rates. Seeing more patients per clinic hour, more prescriptions per patient, and being cared for in a rural clinic were all strongly associated with more errors. Conversely, having a case manager program is strongly related to fewer errors in all of our analyses. The culture of the practices clearly influences error rates, but the findings are mixed. Practices with cohesive cultures have lower error rates but, contrary to our hypothesis, cultures that value physician autonomy and individuality also have lower error rates than those with a more organizational orientation. Our study supports the contention that there are a substantial number of prescription drug errors in the ambulatory care sector. Even by the strictest definition, there were about 13 errors per 100 prescriptions for Care Plus patients in these group practices during 2001. Conclusions:Our study demonstrates that the structure of medical group practices influences prescription drug error rates. In some cases, this appears to be a direct relationship, such as the effects of having a case manager program on fewer drug errors, but in other cases the effect appears to be indirect through the improvement of drug prescribing practices. An important aspect of this study is that it provides insights into the relationships of the structure and culture of medical group practices and prescription drug errors and provides direction for future research. Research focused on the factors influencing the high error rates in rural areas and how the interaction of practice structural and cultural attributes influence error rates would add important insights into our findings. For medical practice directors, our data show that they should focus on patient care coordination to reduce errors.

Strategic planning processes and hospital financial performance.

Many common management practices in healthcare organizations, including the practice of strategic planning, have not been subject to widespread assessment through empirical research. If management practice is to be evidence-based, evaluations of such common practices need to be undertaken. The purpose of this research is to provide evidence on the extent of strategic planning practices and the association between hospital strategic planning processes and financial performance. In 2006, we surveyed a sample of 138 chief executive officers (CEOs) of hospitals in the state of Texas about strategic planning in their organizations and collected financial information on the hospitals for 2003. Among the sample hospitals, 87 percent reported having a strategic plan, and most reported that they followed a variety of common practices recommended for strategic planning-having a comprehensive plan, involving physicians, involving the board, and implementing the plan. About one-half of the hospitals assigned responsibility for the plan to the CEO. We tested the association between these planning characteristics in 2006 and two measures of financial performance for 2003. Three dimensions of the strategic planning process--having a strategic plan, assigning the CEO responsibility for the plan, and involving the board--are positively associated with earlier financial performance. Further longitudinal studies are needed to evaluate the cause-and-effect relationship between planning and performance.

Organizational Factors Associated With Self-management Behaviors in Diabetes Primary Care Clinics

Purpose The purpose of this article is to examine the relationship between organizational characteristics as measured by the Chronic Care Model (CCM) and patient self-management behaviors among patients with type 2 diabetes. Methods The study design was cross-sectional. The study setting included 20 primary care clinics from South Texas. The sample included approximately 30 consecutive patients that were enrolled from each clinic for a sample of 617 patients. For the data collection procedures, the CCM survey was completed by caregivers in the clinic. Self-management behaviors were obtained from patient exit surveys. For measures, the CCM consisted of 6 structural dimensions: (1) organization support, (2) community linkages, (3) self-management support, (4) decision support system, (5) delivery system design, and (6) clinical information systems. Patient self-management behavior included whether the patient reported always doing all 4 of the following behaviors as they were instructed: (1) checking blood sugars, (2) following diabetes diet, (3) exercising, and (4) taking medications. For data analyses, to account for clustering of patients within clinics, hierarchical logistic regression models were used. Results Self-management support was positively associated with medication adherence, while decision support system was positively associated with exercise and all 4 self-management behaviors. Surprisingly, community linkages were negatively associated with medication adherence, while clinical information system was negatively associated with diet and all 4 behaviors. A total score, including all dimensions, was positively associated with only exercise. Conclusions Health care providers and diabetes educators in primary care clinics should consider how organizational characteristics of the clinic might influence self-management behaviors of patients. The focus should be on better access to evidence-based information at the point of care and self-management needs and activities.

Are Elements of the Chronic Care Model Associated with Cardiovascular Risk Factor Control in Type 2 Diabetes

BACKGROUND Control of modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular (CV) disease, the most common cause of morbidity and mortality among people with Type 2 diabetes is dependent on both patient self-care behaviors and the characteristics of the clinic in which care is delivered. The relationship between control of CV risk factors, patient self-care behaviors, and the presence of CCM (Chronic Care Model) components across multiple primary care clinic settings was examined. METHODS Thirty consecutive patients presenting with Type 2 diabetes were enrolled from each of 20 primary care clinics from across South Texas. Patients were asked about their stage of change for four self-care behaviors: diet, exercise, glucose monitoring, and medication adherence. CV risk factors included the most recent values of glycosolated hemoglobin (A1C), blood pressure, and (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol. Clinicians in each clinic completed the Assessment of Chronic Illness Care (ACIC) survey, a validated measure of the CCM components. Hierarchical logistic regression models were used. RESULTS Only 25 (13%) of the 618 patients had good control of all three CV risk factors. Good control of these risk factors was positively associated with community linkages and delivery system design but was inversely associated with clinical information systems. Patients who were in the maintenance stage of change for all four self-care behaviors were more likely to have all three risk factors well controlled. DISCUSSION Risk factors for CV disease among patients with diabetes are associated with the structure and design of the clinical microsystem where care is delivered. In addition to focusing on clinician knowledge, future interventions should address the clinical microsystems structure and design to reduce the burden of CV disease among patients with Type 2 diabetes.

An exploratory study of healthcare strategic planning in two metropolitan areas

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Little is known about empirical variation in the extent to which healthcare organizations conduct formal strategic planning or the extent to which strategic planning affects performance. Structural contingency and complexity science theory offer differing interpretations of the value of strategic planning. Structural contingency theory emphasizes adaptation to achieve organizational fit with a changing environment and views strategic planning as a way to chart the organizations path. Complexity science argues that planning is largely futile in changing environments. Interviews of leaders in 20 healthcare organizations in the metropolitan areas of Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, and San Antonio, Texas, reveal that strategic planning is a common and valued function in healthcare organizations. Respondents emphasized the need to continuously update strategic plans, involve physicians and the governing board, and integrate strategic plans with other organizational plans. Most leaders expressed that strategic planning contributes to organizational focus, fosters stakeholder participation and commitment, and leads to achievement of strategic goals. Because the widespread belief in strategic planning is based largely on experience, intuition, and faith, we present recommendations for developing an evidence base for healthcare strategic planning.

Health status and health systems financing in the MENA region: roadmap to universal health coverage

BackgroundSince the declaration of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in 1990, many countries of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region made some improvements in maternal and child health and in tackling communicable diseases. The transition to the global agenda of Sustainable Development Goals brings new opportunities for countries to move forward toward achieving progress for better health, well-being, and universal health coverage. This study provides a profile of health status and health financing approaches in the MENA region and their implications on universal health coverage.MethodsTime-series data on socioeconomics, health expenditures, and health outcomes were extracted from databases and reports of the World Health Organization, the World Bank and the United Nations Development Program and analyzed using Stata 12 statistical software. Countries were grouped according to the World Bank income categories. Descriptive statistics, tables and charts were used to analyze temporal changes and compare the key variables with global averages.ResultsNon-communicable diseases (NCDs) and injuries account for more than three quarters of the disability-adjusted life years in all but two lower middle-income countries (Sudan and Yemen). Prevalence of risk factors (raised blood glucose, raised blood pressure, obesity and smoking) is higher than global averages and counterparts by income group. Total health expenditure (THE) per capita in most of the countries falls short of global averages for countries under similar income category. Furthermore, growth rate of THE per capita has not kept pace with the growth rate of GDP per capita. Out-of-pocket spending (OOPS) in all but the high-income countries in the group exceeds the threshold for catastrophic spending implying that there is a high risk of households getting poorer as a result of paying for health care.ConclusionThe alarmingly high prevalence of NCDs and injuries and associated risk factors, health spending falling short of the GDP and GDP growth rate, and high OOPS pose serious challenges for universal health coverage. Using multi-sector interventions, countries should develop and implement evidence-informed health system financing roadmaps to address these obstacles and move forward toward universal health coverage.

Hospital-Owned Retail Clinics in the United States: Operations, Patients and Marketing

Retail clinics are walk-in clinics located in grocery stores and retail pharmacies and providing care for minor conditions. Hospital systems have recently started owning and operating them. No studies have to our knowledge described hospital-owned clinics. In this paper, we assess the operational issues, types of conditions treated and types of marketing approaches used by hospital-owned retail clinics. Data on 19 health systems that own and operate retail clinics was collected by Merchant Medicine. Only 4 out of 19 hospital systems reported that their first owned retail clinic was operating at breakeven. About one third of the patients treated are cash-pay patients while half are covered by private health insurance plans. The clinics tend to focus on a few limited conditions such as upper respiratory infections, allergies, minor skin conditions, and physical exams and shots. A small minority of the patient population is very young (under 5) or very old (over 65), with the other age segments almost equally represented. Patients that visit the clinics seem to have heard about it especially through word of mouth. The health systems invest modestly in some marketing media such as print, radio and billboard advertising, Internet, direct mail and sponsoring of community events. Retail clinics can play an important role for hospital systems in the future, especially as part of a larger primary care strategy.