Lisa Zubkoff

Implementation of Evidence-Based Psychotherapies for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in VA Specialty Clinics

OBJECTIVE The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has engaged in substantial efforts to promote the use of evidence-based psychotherapies for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The authors evaluated the effectiveness of these efforts. METHODS This study used a cross-sectional, mixed-methods evaluation of treatment provided by the VA at specialty PTSD clinics in New England during the first six months of fiscal year 2010. Natural language processing algorithms were applied to clinical notes to determine utilization of evidence-based psychotherapy (prolonged exposure therapy and cognitive-processing therapy) among patients who were newly diagnosed as having PTSD. Data regarding efforts to implement evidence-based psychotherapy and other clinic characteristics were obtained through qualitative interviews with clinical and administrative staff (N=30), and the Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services framework was used to identify clinic factors associated with use of evidence-based psychotherapy. RESULTS Six percent of patients (N=1,924) received any sessions of an evidence-based psychotherapy for PTSD (median=five sessions). Several clinic factors were associated with an increased rate of implementation, including prior experience with use of the treatments, customization of training, and prolonged contact with the implementation and training team. Facilitation with broad training goals and clinics with highly organized systems of care were negatively associated with implementation. CONCLUSIONS Few patients with PTSD received evidence-based psychotherapy for PTSD during their first six months of treatment at a VA specialty PTSD clinic. The implementation framework poorly predicted factors associated with uptake of evidence-based psychotherapy. These results suggest that additional research is needed to understand implementation of evidence-based therapy in mental health settings.

Clinicians’ Perception of Patient Readiness for Treatment: An Emerging Theme in Implementation Science?

Despite a training program to help veterans administration (VA) clinicians implement evidence-based psychotherapies (EBPs) for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), uptake has been limited. To understand clinicians’ implementation challenges, we performed thematic analysis of semi-structured telephone interviews guided by the Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services framework. Our sample included 22 psychotherapists in VA PTSD clinics in one region. We identified a theme not captured by our implementation framework: clinicians’ perceptions about their patients’ readiness for treatment. Clinician perception of patient readiness may be important to the uptake of EBPs and should be considered in mental health implementation work.

Using a Virtual Breakthrough Series Collaborative to Reduce Postoperative Respiratory Failure in 16 Veterans Health Administration Hospitals

BACKGROUND The Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) Virtual Breakthrough Series (VBTS) process was used in an eight-month (June 2011-January 2012) quality improvement (QI) project to improve care related to reducing postoperative respiratory failure. The VBTS collaborative drew on Patient Safety Indicator 11: Postoperative Respiratory Failure Rate to guide changes in care at the bedside. METHODS Sixteen Veterans Health Administration hospitals, each representing a regional Veterans Integrated Service Network, participated in the QI project. During the prework phase (initial two months), hospitals formed multidisciplinary teams, selected measures related to their goals, and collected baseline data. The six-month action phase included group conference calls in which the faculty presented clinical background on the topic, discussed evidence-based processes of care, and/or presented content regarding reducing postoperative respiratory failure. During a final, six-month continuous improvement and spread phase, teams were to continue implementing changes as part of their usual processes. RESULTS The six most commonly reported interventions to reduce postoperative respiratory failure focused on improving incentive spirometer use, documenting implementation of targeted interventions, oral care, standardized orders, early ambulation, and provider education. A few teams reported reduced ICU readmissions for respiratory failure. CONCLUSIONS The VBTS collaborative helped teams implement process changes to help reduce postoperative respiratory complications. Teams reported initial success at implementing site-specific improvements using real-time data. The VBTS model shows promise for knowledge sharing and efficient multifacility improvement efforts, although long-term sustainability and testing in these and other settings need to be examined.

Virtual Breakthrough Series, Part 1: Preventing Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection and Hospital-Acquired Pressure Ulcers in the Veterans Health Administration.

BACKGROUND In 2014 the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) implemented a Virtual Breakthrough Series (VBTS) collaborative to help VHA facilities prevent hospital-acquired conditions: catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) and hospital-acquired pressure ulcers (HAPUs). METHODS During the prework phase, participating facilities assembled a multidisciplinary team, assessed their current system for CAUTI or HAPU prevention, and examined baseline data to set improvement aims. The action phase consisted of educational conference calls, coaching, and monthly team reports. Learning was conducted via phone, web-based options, and e-mail. The CAUTI bundle focused on four key principles: (1) avoidance of indwelling urinary catheters, (2) proper insertion technique, (3) proper catheter maintenance, and (4) timely removal of the indwelling catheter. The HAPU bundle focused on assessment and inspection, pressure-relieving surfaces, turning and repositioning, incontinence management, and nutrition/hydration assessment and intervention. RESULTS For the 18 participating units, the mean aggregated CAUTI rate decreased from 2.37 during the prework phase to 1.06 per 1,000 catheter-days during the action (implementation) phase (p < 0.001); the rate did not change for CAUTI nonparticipating sites. HAPU data were available only for 21 of the 31 participating units, whose mean aggregated HAPU rate decreased from 1.80 to 0.99 from prework to continuous improvement (p < 0.001). Staff education and documentation improvement were the most frequently implemented changes. CONCLUSION This project helped improve CAUTI and HAPU rates in the VHA and presents a promising model for implementing a virtual model for improvement.

Virtual Breakthrough Series, Part 2: Improving Fall Prevention Practices in the Veterans Health Administration

BACKGROUND The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) implemented a Virtual Breakthrough Series (VBTS) collaborative to help prevent falls and fall-related injuries. This project enabled teams to expand program infrastructure, redesign improvement strategies, and enhance program evaluation. METHODS A VBTS collaborative involves prework, action, and continuous improvement. Actions included educational calls, monthly reports, coaching, and feedback. Evaluation included assessment of interventions, team capacity and infrastructure changes, and rates of falls and fall-related major injuries. RESULTS Fifty-nine teams completed the project. The majority submitted monthly reports. The average number of interventions per team was 6.66 (range, 1-12; mode = 6). The most frequently implemented changes were staff education; post-fall huddles; data tracking; and classifying falls, handoff communication, and intentional rounding. On a program questionnaire aggregated average summary scores improved from 136.54 (baseline) to 58.26 (follow-up; range, 0-189; p < 0.0001). The mean aggregated fall-related major injury rate for participants decreased from 6.8 to 4.8 per 100,000 bed-days of care (p = 0.02), or 5 major injuries avoided per month. No statistically significant changes occurred for nonparticipants. The mean aggregated fall rate did not change significantly from baseline to follow-up for participants (p = 0.42) or nonparticipants (p = 0.21). CONCLUSION Teams submitted reports and implemented changes resulting in decreased major injuries related to falls for participating units. Teams also made changes in their fall prevention programs such as classifying how they analyze falls and implementing injury reduction strategies. The approaches used show promise for reducing fall-related harm for inpatients, as well as assisting teams in implementing changes.

Staff Perceptions of Substance Use Disorder Treatment in VA Primary Care-Mental Health Integrated Clinics.

INTRODUCTION Guidelines recommend that substance use disorder (SUD) treatment be available in primary care-mental health integrated clinics, which offer mental and behavioral health assessment and treatment in the primary care setting. Despite this recommendation it is unclear what barriers and facilitators exist to SUD treatment being provided in that setting. This work sought to understand current SUD services in such integrated clinics, explore other services may that be appropriate, and identify barriers to such services. METHODS We conducted qualitative interviews with 23 staff members from integrated clinics at 6 Veterans Affairs medical centers. We transcribed interviews and performed thematic analysis to identify emergent themes. RESULTS We identified seven themes affecting staff experience and ability to provide SUD services in the integrated clinic: clinical effectiveness, clinical requirements, regulatory requirements, program goals, proximity of the integrated clinic and SUD services, training on substance use disorder, and role specialization. CONCLUSIONS VA primary care-mental health integrated clinic staff members do not currently view SUD treatment as the focus of their work, but are open to offering SUD treatment including brief psychological interventions or medication. Several barriers to providing SUD treatment were identified, including the need for additional staff training around appropriate interventions for the integrated clinic setting, additional staffing and space, and a structured implementation strategy to promote the use of SUD treatments.

Implementation of a Lifestyle Intervention for People With Serious Mental Illness in State-Funded Mental Health Centers

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to evaluate health outcomes of a state-supported implementation in community mental health settings of an evidence-based lifestyle intervention for overweight and obese adults with serious mental illness. METHODS Weight and fitness outcomes were evaluated for 122 overweight or obese adults with serious mental illness in four community mental health centers (CMHCs) that were participating in a phased statewide implementation of the In SHAPE lifestyle intervention. Six- and 12-month outcomes were compared between two CMHCs that implemented In SHAPE in the first 12 months and two CMHCs with similar characteristics that implemented In SHAPE in a subsequent phase in the statewide implementation 12 months later. RESULTS Participants in the two In SHAPE sites (N=63 participants) lost significantly more weight (p=.003) and showed greater improvement in fitness (p=.011) compared with participants at the two usual care control sites (N=59 participants). At six months, nearly half (49%) of In SHAPE participants and at 12 months more than half (60%) of In SHAPE participants showed clinically significant cardiovascular risk reduction defined as ≥5% weight loss or improved fitness (>50 m [164 feet] increase on the six-minute walk test). The difference between the In SHAPE and control groups was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS This natural experiment demonstrated promising public health benefits of a practical implementation of health promotion programming for overweight and obese adults with serious mental illness and offers a potential model for reducing risk of early mortality among individuals served by state-funded mental health centers nationwide.

Preventing Pressure Ulcers in the Veterans Health Administration Using a Virtual Breakthrough Series Collaborative.

The Veterans Health Administration implemented a Virtual Breakthrough Series to prevent pressure ulcers. The pressure ulcer rate decreased from 1.2 to 0.9 per 1000 bed days of care (P = .017). The most common interventions were education (N = 26; 68%), improved documentation (N = 23; 61%), and the use of equipment and supplies (N = 21; 55%). In summary, this project helped improve pressure ulcer rates in the Veterans Health Administration and presents a promising model for implementing a virtual model for improvement.