Renée R. Shield

Gradual Electronic Health Record Implementation: New Insights on Physician and Patient Adaptation

PURPOSE Although there is significant interest in implementation of electronic health records (EHRs), limited data have been published in the United States about how physicians, staff, and patients adapt to this implementation process. The purpose of this research was to examine the effects of EHR implementation, especially regarding physician-patient communication and behaviors and patients’ responses. METHODS We undertook a 22-month, triangulation design, mixed methods study of gradual EHR implementation in a residency-based family medicine outpatient center. Data collection included participant observation and time measurements of 170 clinical encounters, patient exit interviews, focus groups with nurses, nurse’s aides, and office staff, and unstructured observations and interviews with nursing staff and physicians. Analysis involved iterative immersion-crystallization discussion and searches for alternate hypotheses. RESULTS Patient trust in the physician and security in the physician-patient relationship appeared to override most patients’ concerns about information technology. Overall, staff concerns about potential deleterious consequences of EHR implementation were dispelled, positive anticipated outcomes were realized, and unexpected benefits were found. Physicians appeared to become comfortable with the “third actor” in the room, and nursing and office staff resistance to EHR implementation was ameliorated with improved work efficiencies. Unexpected advantages included just-in-time improvements and decreased physician time out of the examination room. CONCLUSIONS Strong patient trust in the physician-patient relationship was maintained and work flow improved with EHR implementation. Gradual EHR implementation may help support the development of beneficial physician and staff adaptations, while maintaining positive patient-physician relationships and fostering the sharing of medical information.

Culture Change Practice in U.S. Nursing Homes: Prevalence and Variation by State Medicaid Reimbursement Policies

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY To estimate the prevalence of culture change practice in U.S. nursing homes (NHs) and examine how state Medicaid policies may be associated with this prevalence. DESIGN AND METHODS In 2009/2010, we conducted a survey of a stratified proportionate random sample of NH directors of nursing (DONs) and administrators (NHAs) at 4,149 U.S. NHs; contact was achieved with 3,695. Cooperation rates were 62.6% for NHAs and 61.5% for DONs. Questions focused on NH (physical) environment, resident-centered care, and staff empowerment domains. Domain scores were created and validated, in part, using qualitative interviews from 64 NHAs. Other NH covariate data were from Medicare/Medicaid surveys (Online Survey, Certification and Reporting), aggregated resident assessments (Minimum Data Set), and Medicare claims. Medicaid policies studied were a states average NH reimbursement rate and pay-for-performance (P4P) reimbursement (including and not including culture change performance measures). Multivariate generalized ordered logit regressions were used. RESULTS Eighty-five percent of DONs reported some culture change implementation. Controlling for NH attributes, a

Teaching communication and compassionate care skills: An innovative curriculum for pre-clerkship medical students

10 higher Medicaid rate was associated with higher NH environment scores. Compared with NHs in non-P4P states, NHs in states with P4P including culture change performance measures had twice the likelihood of superior culture change scores across all domains, and NHs in other P4P states had superior physical environment and staff empowerment scores. Qualitative interviews supported the validity of survey results. IMPLICATIONS Changes in Medicaid reimbursement policies may be a promising strategy for increasing culture change practice implementation. Future research examining NH culture change practice implementation pre-post P4P policy changes is recommended.

Vigilant at the End of Life: Family Advocacy in the Nursing Home

Background: Physicians require communications training to improve effective and compassionate care. Clinicians discuss challenging communication issues in existing hospital “Schwartz Rounds.” Aims: To improve communication skills, the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University designed “Schwartz Communication Sessions” for the mandatory 2-year pre-clerkship Doctoring course. Alongside learning interviewing, physical examination, and professionalism skills, the new Schwartz curriculum provides medical students with the rationale and proficiency for effective communication with patients, families and the healthcare team. Methods: First-year students experience a graduated curriculum of three sessions on themes such as empathy and professionalism using innovative methods. Sessions highlight cases and videos depicting successful and ineffective interactions, large and small group discussions, role play and skills practice, guest patient presentations, and multi-disciplinary panels. The second-year students’ session focuses on communications with challenging patients. Results: Students and faculty rate the sessions highly on effectiveness of enhancing communication skills, gaining perspective in healthcare communication, and appreciating the complexities of healthcare situations. Expansion of the program using case-based sessions for clerkship students is planned for a continuous and graduated experience. Conclusions: Integrating a pre-clerkship communications curriculum may help improve future physicians’ interactions with patients and families. Implications of this curriculum for medical education are discussed.

Does the introduction of nursing home culture change practices improve quality

BACKGROUND Increasing numbers of Americans die in nursing homes. Little is known about the roles and experiences of family members of persons who die in nursing homes. METHODS The authors conducted 54 qualitative telephone interviews of close family or friends of individuals who had spent at least 48 hours in the last month of life in a nursing home. Respondents had earlier participated in a national survey that found 587 of 1578 decedents (37.2%) received end-of-life nursing home care. In qualitative interviews respondents described the last year of life, focusing on the nursing home experience. Interviews were analyzed by a multidisciplinary team to identify key themes of areas of concern. RESULTS An important interview theme revealed families often felt the need to advocate for their dying relative because of low expectations or experiences with poor quality nursing home care. They noted staff members who did not fully inform them about what to expect in the dying process. Respondents reported burden and gratification in care they themselves provided, which sometimes entailed collaboration with staff. Interviews also identified ways hospice care impacted families, including helping to relieve family burden. CONCLUSIONS End-of-life advocacy takes on increased urgency when those close to the dying resident have concerns about basic care and do not understand the dying course. Enhancing communication, preparing families at the end of life, and better understanding of hospice are likely to increase family trust in nursing home care, improve the care of dying residents, and help reduce family burden.

Why and how do nursing homes implement culture change practices? Insights from qualitative interviews in a mixed methods study.

To understand whether nursing home (NH) introduction of culture change practices is associated with improved quality.

Medical Staff Involvement in Nursing Homes Development of a Conceptual Model and Research Agenda

To understand the process of instituting culture change (CC) practices in nursing homes (NHs). NH Directors of Nursing (DONs) and Administrators (NHAs) at 4,149 United States NHs were surveyed about CC practices. Follow-up interviews with 64 NHAs were conducted and analyzed by a multidisciplinary team which reconciled interpretations recorded in an audit trail. Results: The themes include: (a) Reasons for implementing CC practices vary; (b) NH approaches to implementing CC practices are diverse; (c) NHs consider resident mix in deciding to implement practices; (d) NHAs note benefits and few costs to implementing CC practices; (e) Implementation of changes is challenging and strategies for change are tailored to the challenges encountered; (f) Education and communication efforts are vital ways to institute change; and (g) NHA and other staff leadership is key to implementing changes. Diverse strategies and leadership skills appear to help NHs implement reform practices, including CC innovations.

Defining Patient Safety in Hospice: Principles To Guide Measurement and Public Reporting

Medical staff (physicians, nurse practitioners, physicians’ assistants) involvement in nursing homes (NH) is limited by professional guidelines, government policies, regulations, and reimbursements, creating bureaucratic burden. The conceptual NH Medical Staff Involvement Model, based on our mixed-methods research, applies the Donabedian “structure–process–outcomes” framework to the NH, identifying measures for a coordinated research agenda. Quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews conducted with medical directors, administrators and directors of nursing, other experts, residents and family members and Minimum Data Set, the Online Certification and Reporting System and Medicare Part B claims data related to NH structure, process, and outcomes were analyzed. NH control of medical staff, or structure, affects medical staff involvement in care processes and is associated with better outcomes (e.g., symptom management, appropriate transitions, satisfaction). The model identifies measures clarifying the impact of NH medical staff involvement on care processes and resident outcomes and has strong potential to inform regulatory policies.

Overcoming Resistance to Culture Change: Nursing Home Administrators’ Use of Education, Training, and Communication

Despite progress towards safer care in most settings, there has been much less attention to improving safety in hospices, which care for more than 1,500,000 patients every year. In this article, we describe three serious conflicts that arise when safety measures from other settings are applied to hospice. First, safety measures that are imposed in order to reduce morbidity and mortality may be irrelevant for a hospice patient whose goals focus on comfort. Second, safety measures that are defined in patients with a life expectancy of years can be inappropriate for hospice patients whose typical survival is measured in days. Third, it can be very difficult to assign responsibility for the safety of hospice patients, whose care is provided mostly by family and friends. Therefore, generally accepted safety measures are often inappropriate for hospice care, and can lead to unintended consequences if they are applied without critical evaluation or modification. Instead, we suggest three principles that can guide the development of hospice-appropriate safety measures by considering a patients goals and life expectancy, and the degree to which responsibility for a patients care is shared.

Medicare and Medicaid Reimbursement Rates for Nursing Homes Motivate Select Culture Change Practices But Not Comprehensive Culture Change

Nursing home culture change is becoming more prevalent, and research has demonstrated its benefits for nursing home residents and staff—but little is known about the role of nursing home administrators in culture change implementation. The purpose of this study was to determine what barriers nursing home administrators face in implementing culture change practices, and to identify the strategies used to overcome them. The authors conducted in-depth individual interviews with 64 administrators identified through a nationally representative survey. Results showed that a key barrier to culture change implementation reported by administrators was staff, resident, and family member resistance to change. Most nursing home administrators stressed the importance of using communication, education and training to overcome this resistance. Themes emerging around the concepts of communication and education indicate that these efforts should be ongoing, communication should be reciprocal, and that all stakeholders should be included.