Emily Gard Marshall

A Long-Term Care—Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (LTC-CGA) Tool: Improving Care for Frail Older Adults?

Background Most older adults living in long-term care facilities (LTCF) are frail and have complex care needs. Holistic understanding of residents’ health status is key to providing good care. Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) is a valid assessment method which aims to embrace complexity. Here we aimed to study a CGA that has been modified for use in long-term care (the LTC-CGA) and to investigate its acceptability and usefulness to stakeholders and users. Methods This mixed methods study, conducted in 10 LTCFs in Halifax, Nova Scotia, reviewed 598 resident charts from pre- and post-implementation of the LTC-CGA. Qualitative methods explored stakeholder perspectives (physicians, nurses, paramedics, administrators, residents and families) though focus groups. Results The LTC-CGA was present in 78% of LTCF charts in the post -implementation, period though it did not appear in acute care charts of transferred residents, despite the intention that it accompany residents between care sites. Some items had suboptimal completion rates (e.g., Advance Directives at 56.4%), though these were located in other sections of the LTCF chart (98.2%). Nevertheless, qualitative findings suggest the LTC-CGA describes a clinical baseline health status which enabled timely and informed clinical decision-making. Conclusions The LTC-CGA is a useful resource whose full capacity may not yet have been realized.

Insights into the Implementation and Operation of a Novel Paramedic Long-term Care Program

Abstract Objective. An extended-care paramedic (ECP) program was implemented to provide emergency assessment and care on site to long-term care (LTC) residents suffering acute illness or injury. A single paramedic works collaboratively with physicians, LTC staff, patient, and family to develop care plans to address acute situations, often avoiding the need to transport the resident to hospital. We sought to identify insights gained and lessons learned during implementation and operation of this novel program. Methods. The perceptions and experiences of various stakeholders were explored in focus groups, using a semi-structured interview guide. Two investigators independently conducted thematic analysis and identified emerging themes and related codes. Congruence and differences were discussed to achieve consensus. Results. Twenty-one participants took part in four homogeneous focus groups: paramedics and dispatchers, ECPs, ECP oversight physicians, and decision-makers. The key themes identified were (1) program implementation, (2) ECP process of care, (3) communications, and (4) end-of-life care. Conclusion. The ECP program has positive implications for the relationship between EMS and LTC, requires additional paramedic training, and can positively affect LTC patient experiences during acute medical events. ECPs have a novel role to play in end-of-life care and find this new role rewarding.

Impact of a Novel Collaborative Long-Term Care –EMS Model: A Before-and-After Cohort Analysis of an Extended Care Paramedic Program

Abstract To compare system and clinical outcomes before and after an extended care paramedic (ECP) program was implemented to better address the emergency needs of long-term care (LTC) residents. Data were collected from emergency medical services (EMS), hospital, and ten LTC facility charts for two five-month time periods, before and after ECP implementation. Outcomes include: number of EMS patients transported to emergency department (ED) and several clinical, safety, and system secondary outcomes. Statistics included descriptive, chi-squared, t-tests, and ANOVA; α = <0.05. 413 cases were included (before: n = 136, 33%; after n = 277, 67%). Median patient age was 85 years (IQR 77–91 years) and 292/413 (70.7%) were female. The number of transports to ED before implementation was 129/136 (94.9%), with 147/224 (65.6%) after, p < 0.001. In the after period, fewer patients seen by ECP were transported: 58/128 (45.3%) vs. 89/96 (92.7%) of those not seen by ECP, p < 0.001. Hospital admissions were similar between phases: 39/120 (32.5%) vs. 56/213 (29.4%), p = NS, but in the after phase, fewer ECP patients were admitted vs. non-ECP: 21/125 (16.8%) vs. 35/88 (39.8%), p < 0.001. Mean EMS call time (dispatch to arrive ED or clear scene) was shorter before than after: 25 minutes vs. 57 minutes, p < 0.001. In the after period, calls with ECP were longer than without ECP: 1 hour, 35 minutes vs. 30 minutes, p < 0.001. The mean patient ED length-of-stay was similar before and after: 7 hours, 29 minutes compared to 8 hours, 11 minutes; p = NS. In the after phase, ED length-of-stay was somewhat shorter with ECPs vs. no ECPs: 7 hours, 5 minutes vs. 9 hours, p = NS. There were zero relapses after no-transport in the before phase and three relapses from 77 calls not transported in the after phase (3/77, 3.9%); two involved ECP (2/70, 2.8%). Reductions were observed in the number of LTC patients transported to the ED when the ECP program was introduced, with fewer patients admitted to the hospital. EMS calls take longer with ECP involved. The addition of ECP to the LTC model of care appears to be beneficial and safe, with few relapse calls identified.

A New Long-Term Care Facilities Model in Nova Scotia, Canada: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Study of Care by Design

Background Prior to the implementation of a new model of care in long-term care facilities in the Capital District Health Authority, Halifax, Nova Scotia, residents entering long-term care were responsible for finding their own family physician. As a result, care was provided by many family physicians responsible for a few residents leading to care coordination and continuity challenges. In 2009, Capital District Health Authority (CDHA) implemented a new model of long-term care called “Care by Design” which includes: a dedicated family physician per floor, 24/7 on-call physician coverage, implementation of a standardized geriatric assessment tool, and an interdisciplinary team approach to care. In addition, a new Emergency Health Services program was implemented shortly after, in which specially trained paramedics dedicated to long-term care responses are able to address urgent care needs. These changes were implemented to improve primary and emergency care for vulnerable residents. Here we describe a comprehensive mixed methods research study designed to assess the impact of these programs on care delivery and resident outcomes. The results of this research will be important to guide primary care policy for long-term care. Objective We aim to evaluate the impact of introducing a new model of a dedicated primary care physician and team approach to long-term care facilities in the CDHA using a mixed methods approach. As a mixed methods study, the quantitative and qualitative data findings will inform each other. Quantitatively we will measure a number of indicators of care in CDHA long-term care facilities pre and post-implementation of the new model. In the qualitative phase of the study we will explore the experience under the new model from the perspectives of stakeholders including family doctors, nurses, administration and staff as well as residents and family members. The proposed mixed method study seeks to evaluate and make policy recommendations related to primary care in long-term care facilities with a focus on end-of-life care and dementia. Methods This is a mixed methods study with concurrent quantitative and qualitative phases. In the quantitative phase, a retrospective time series study is being conducted. Planned analyses will measure indicators of clinical, system, and health outcomes across three time periods and assess the effect of Care by Design as a whole and its component parts. The qualitative methods explore the experiences of stakeholders (ie, physicians, nurses, paramedics, care assistants, administrators, residents, and family members) through focus groups and in depth individual interviews. Results Data collection will be completed in fall 2013. Conclusions This study will generate a considerable amount of outcome data with applications for care providers, health care systems, and applications for program evaluation and quality improvement. Using the mixed methods design, this study will provide important results for stakeholders, as well as other health systems considering similar programs. In addition, this study will advance methods used to research new multifaceted interdisciplinary health delivery models using multiple and varied data sources and contribute to the discussion on evidence based health policy and program development.

Improving Continuity of Care Reduces Emergency Department Visits by Long-Term Care Residents

Introduction: Care by Design™ (CBD) (Canada), a model of coordinated team-based primary care, was implemented in long-term care facilities (LTCFs) in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, to improve access to and continuity of primary care and to reduce high rates of transfers to emergency departments (EDs). Methods: This was an observational time series before and after the implementation of CBD (Canada). Participants are LTCF residents with 911 Emergency Health Services calls from 10 LTCFs, representing 1424 beds. Data were abstracted from LTCF charts and Emergency Health Services databases. The primary outcome was ambulance transports from LTCFs to EDs. Secondary outcomes included access (primary care physician notes in charts) and continuity (physician numbers and contacts). Results: After implementation of CBD (Canada), transports from LTCFs to EDs were reduced by 36%, from 68 to 44 per month (P = .01). Relational and informational continuity of care improved with resident charts with ≥10 physician notes, increasing 38% before CBD to 55% after CBD (P = .003), and the median number of chart notes increased from 7 to 10 (P = .0026). Physicians contacted before 911 calls and onsite assessment increased from 38% to 54% (P = .01) and 3.7% to 9.2% (P = .03), respectively, before CBD to after CBD. Conclusion: A 34% reduction in overall transports from LTCFs to EDs is likely attributable to improved onsite primary care, with consistent physician and team engagement and improvements in continuity of care.

Polypharmacy and use of potentially inappropriate medications in long-term care facilities: does coordinated primary care make a difference?

Polypharmacy is both common and harmful for frail residents of long‐term care facilities (LTCF). We aimed to study rates of polypharmacy and potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) before and after the implementation of a new model of coordinated primary care in LTCF, ‘Care by Design (CBD)’.

Centralized Waiting Lists for Unattached Patients in Primary Care: Learning from an Intervention Implemented in Seven Canadian Provinces

Introduction: Centralized waiting lists (CWLs) are one solution to reduce the problematic number of patients without a regular primary care provider. This article describes different models of CWLs for unattached patients implemented in seven Canadian provinces and identifies common issues in the implementation of these CWLs. Methods: Logic models of each provinces intervention were built after a grey literature review, 42 semi-structured interviews and a validation process with key stakeholders were performed. Results: Our analysis across provinces showed variability and common features in the design of CWLs such as same main objective to attach patients to a primary care provider; implementation as a province-wide program with the exception of British Columbia; management at a regional level in most provinces; voluntary participation for providers except in two provinces where it was mandatory for providers to attach CWL patients; fairly similar registration process across the provinces; some forms of prioritization of patients either using simple criteria or assessing for vulnerability was performed in most provinces except New Brunswick. Conclusion: Despite their differences in design, CWLs implemented in seven Canadian provinces face common issues and challenges regarding provider capacity to address the demand for attachment, barriers to the attachment of more vulnerable and complex patients as well as non-standardized approaches to evaluating their effectiveness. Sharing experiences across provinces as CWLs were being implemented would have fostered learning and could have helped avoid facing similar challenges.

Barriers to primary and emergency healthcare for trans adults

Abstract Trans individuals are less healthy than the general population in part because of their avoidance and underutilisation of healthcare. Using qualitative research methods, the objective of this study was to explore the barriers trans adults encounter when pursuing primary and emergency care in Nova Scotia, Canada. Findings reveal that trans adults often feel discriminated against and socially excluded in primary and emergency care settings. This marginalisation is manifested in relationships with healthcare providers and within both the physical care and social care environments. The findings suggest that there is a ‘discrimination continuum’ with experiences of discrimination ranging from subtle to overt. Findings indicate that subtle discriminatory experiences may be encountered most frequently. Both kinds of experiences are reported to have detrimental consequences. The findings also indicate that trans adults are often burdened by the expectation that they will take on a more active role in their care than cisgender patients, including educating their healthcare providers and remaining resilient in the face of discrimination.

Identifying and understanding the health and social care needs of older adults with multiple chronic conditions and their caregivers: a protocol for a scoping review

Introduction People are living longer; however, they are not necessarily experiencing good health and well-being as they age. Many older adults live with multiple chronic conditions (MCC), and complex health issues, which adversely affect their day-to-day functioning and overall quality of life. As a result, they frequently rely on the support of friend and/or family caregivers. Caregivers of older adults with MCC often face challenges to their own well-being and also require support. Currently, not enough is known about the health and social care needs of older adults with MCC and the needs of their caregivers or how best to identify and meet these needs. This study will examine and synthesise the literature on the needs of older adults with MCC and those of their caregivers, and identify gaps in evidence and directions for further research. Methods and analysis We will conduct a scoping review of the peer-reviewed and grey literature using the updated Arksey and O’Malley framework. The literature will be identified using a multidatabase and grey literature search strategy developed by a health sciences librarian. Papers, reports and other materials addressing the health and social care needs of older adults and their friend/family caregivers will be included. Search results will be screened, independently, by two reviewers, and data will be abstracted from included literature and charted in duplicate. Ethics and dissemination This scoping review does not require ethics approval. We anticipate that study findings will inform novel strategies for identifying and ascertaining the health and social care needs of older adults living with MCC and those of their caregivers. Working with knowledge-user members of our team, we will prepare materials and presentations to disseminate findings to relevant stakeholder and end-user groups at local, national and international levels. We will also publish our findings in a peer-reviewed journal.

Comparison of Access to Nurse Practitioners in Primary Healthcare across Three Team Structures

The addition of nurse practitioners (NPs) in primary healthcare (PHC) is intended to improve accessibility. This study compared access to NP services in consultative, dyad and multiprofessional team structures in Nova Scotia. Accessibility indicators included NP appointment wait times, after-hours coverage and acceptance of new patients. Secondary analysis of province-wide survey data from PHC providers showed multiprofessional structures had shorter median NP appointment wait times: 0.5 days for urgent appointments versus 6.5 days (dyad, p= 0.004) and 4.5 days (consultative, p= 0.003), 4 days for non-urgent appointments versus 15 days (dyad, p= 0.020) and 4.5 days (consultative, p> 0.05). Only NPs in the multiprofessional structure provided after-hours coverage and over half the NPs in each structure were accepting new patients. These results support the use of team-based care and should be considered along with local needs and resources when planning team structures.