Effects of hospital facilities on patient outcomes after cancer surgery: an international, prospective, observational study

Background Early death after cancer surgery is higher in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) compared with in high-income countries, yet the impact of facility characteristics on early postoperative outcomes is unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the association between hospital infrastructure, resource availability, and processes on early outcomes after cancer surgery worldwide.Methods A multimethods analysis was performed as part of the GlobalSurg 3 study-a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study of patients who had surgery for breast, colorectal, or gastric cancer. The primary outcomes were 30-day mortality and 30-day major complication rates. Potentially beneficial hospital facilities were identified by variable selection to select those associated with 30-day mortality. Adjusted outcomes were determined using generalised estimating equations to account for patient characteristics and country-income group, with population stratification by hospital.Findings Between April 1, 2018, and April 23, 2019, facility-level data were collected for 9685 patients across 238 hospitals in 66 countries (91 hospitals in 20 high-income countries; 57 hospitals in 19 upper-middle-income countries; and 90 hospitals in 27 low-income to lower-middle-income countries). The availability of five hospital facilities was inversely associated with mortality: ultrasound, CT scanner, critical care unit, opioid analgesia, and oncologist. After adjustment for case-mix and country income group, hospitals with three or fewer of these facilities (62 hospitals, 1294 patients) had higher mortality compared with those with four or five (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 3.85 [95% CI 2.58-5.75]; p<0.0001), with excess mortality predominantly explained by a limited capacity to rescue following the development of major complications (63.0% vs 82.7%; OR 0.35 [0.23-0.53]; p<0.0001). Across LMICs, improvements in hospital facilities would prevent one to three deaths for every 100 patients undergoing surgery for cancer.Interpretation Hospitals with higher levels of infrastructure and resources have better outcomes after cancer surgery, independent of country income. Without urgent strengthening of hospital infrastructure and resources, the reductions in cancer-associated mortality associated with improved access will not be realised

Attitude of primary care physicians toward patient safety in Aseer region, Saudi Arabia

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the attitude of physicians at primary health-care centers (PHCC) in Aseer region toward patient safety. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted among working primary health-care physicians in Aseer region, Saudi Arabia, in August 2011. A self-administered questionnaire consisting of three parts was used; the first part was on the socio-demographic, academic and about the work profile of the participants. The attitude consisting of 26 questions was assessed on a Likert scale of 7 points using attitude to patients safety questionnaire-III items and the last part concerned training on "patient safety," definition and factors that contribute to medical errors. Data of the questionnaire were entered and analyzed by Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 15. Results: The total number of participants was 228 doctors who represent about 65% of the physicians at PHCC, one-third of whom had attended a course on patient safety and only 52% of whom defined medical error correctly. The best score was given for the reduction of medical errors (6.2 points), followed by role of training and learning on patient safety (6 and 5.9 points), but undergraduate training on patient safety was given the least score. Confidence to report medical errors scored 4.6 points as did reporting the errors of other people and 5.6 points for being open with the supervisor about an error made. Participants agreed that "even the most experienced and competent doctors make errors" (5.9 points), on the other hand, they disagreed that most medical errors resulted from nurses′ carelessness (3.9 points) or doctors′ carelessness (4 points). Conclusion: This study showed that PHCC physicians in Aseer region had a positive attitude toward patient safety. Most of them need training on patient safety. Undergraduate education on patient safety which was considered a priority for making future doctors′ work effective was inadequate

Quality of hypertension care in the family practice center, Aseer Region, Saudi Arabia

Introduction: Hypertension (HTN) is a common health problem in Saudi Arabia. Good control depends on the quality of care, which should be supervised and monitored regularly through clinical audit. Aims: The objective of this study was to assess the quality of HTN care at Al-Manhal Family Practice, Aseer Region, Saudi Arabia. Settings and Design: This study was conductedin 2009 at Al-Manhal Family Practice, Aseer Region, Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: Medical records of all hypertensive patients were extracted and reviewed using master sheets. Assessment of processes and outcomes of HTN care were based on the standards of quality assurance manual issuedby the Ministry of Health. Statistical Analysis Used: Data were entered and analyzed by SPPS, version 15. Relevant statistical tests were used accordingly and the P-value was considered significant when it was less than 0.05. Results: A total of 295 medical records were reviewed and assessed. Most patients were Saudi, married, and about 50% were educated. Two-hundred and thirty-one records were assessed for processes and outcomes of HTN care. Weight measurement and physical examination were carried out for 99% and 97% of the patients, respectively. For 53% of the patients, blood was checked for glucose and kidney function and a lipid profile was done. More than two-thirds of the patients were overweight and obese while 46% had diabetes. Less than one half of the patients had good control of HTN. Conclusions: By most standards, quality of HTN care in Al-Manhal Family Practice was unsatisfactory. Most of the patients had comorbidities and poor HTN control. Essential facilities should be provided to the practice to optimize HTN care and to improve the degree of control

Experience of the health promotion clinics in Aseer region, Saudi Arabia

Context: Health promotion is the most important element of primary health care. Therefore, it is essential for the health team to apply such activity. Objective: To describe a newly established health promotion clinic at primary health care centers, in Abha city, KSA. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted during the year 2009. The files of 429 individuals were reviewed after one year from attending the health promotion clinics in Abha city, KSA. Master sheet was designed based on the relevant items of the file. The health promotion services used in the study were based on the recommendation of the relevant guidelines. Data entry and analysis was carried out using Statistical Program for the Social Sciences (SPSS). P-values less than 0.05 were selected for statistical significance. Results: After one year, the percentage of the individuals who intake imbalanced diet and did not perform any type of physical activity was more than 90% while 8% are currently smokers and 14% had depression. Clinical examination and investigation revealed that more than one quarter of our subjects were overweight. Obesity was 42% in males versus 51% in females (P<0.04). Pre-hypertension and hypertension were detected among 44 and 12% respectively. About one fifth of our subjects had pre-diabetes 21% and 3% were confirmed to have diabetes mellitus. Diet and physical activity counseling was given to all participants while referral to concerned clinics was done for individuals who suffer from high blood sugar, abnormal lipid profile, obesity and depression. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that health promotion clinics provided by trained professional health care team can be used as a new approach for early detection and management of the common health problems in primary health care centers

Hypertension care in Aseer region, Saudi Arabia: Barriers and solutions

The aim of this study is to assess the current situation of hypertension (HTN) care, to explore the barriers and to suggest the practical solutions to improve the quality of HTN care in primary health care centers (PHCC) in the Aseer region, KSA. This cross-sectional study was conducted in PHCCs in this region in 2010. Data collection sheets used to achieve the aims of this study consisted of three checklists, the first one derived from the quality assurance manual and HTN records used at the PHCCs giving details of the structural base of HTN care. Satisfaction with HTN care was assessed by using a five-point Likert scale questionnaire, while the third part was assessed by a checklist designed for the HTN care processes. Data were coded, entered and analyzed using SPSS version 16. The total number of HTN patients registered at PHCCs in Aseer region was 23,156 patients. Of them, 15,942 (69%) had files at PHCCs. Most of the essential infrastructures were acceptable, except training of doctors and nurses on HTN, which were 75% and 89%, respectively. About 40% of patients were on Beta blockers or ACE inhibitors and 30% were being given Aspirin in addition. HTN was uncontrolled among 45% of patients, while the defaulter rate was 22%. The rates of complications ranged from 0.7% for stroke to 7% for ischemic heart diseases. It was found that more than one-third of the patients had obesity and diabetes, while 10% suffered from dyslipidemia. Health teams were unsatisfied with the community participation (43%), patient compliance with appointment (32%) and coordination with hospitals (20%). They were satisfied with the health team (85%), while satisfaction with other items ranged from 60% to 75%. This study revealed that HTN patients received insufficient care, which could be attributed to many different barriers. In order to improve the quality of HTN care for HTN, these barriers should be overcome by implementation of the recommendations

BARRIERS AGAINST APPLICATION OF EVIDENCE-BASED MEDICINE IN GENERAL HOSPITALS IN ASEER REGION, KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA

Objective: To explore the attitudes of doctors in the general hospitals and their application of evidence-based medicine (EBM) and to identify the barriers that hinder its use. Subjects and Methods: This study included 346 doctors in the general hospitals of Aseer. A questionnaire was designed to assess their awareness as well as the barriers that hinder their practice of EBM. A visual analogue scale was used to assess their attitude. Results: The attitudes of doctors toward aspects of EBM were generally positive. However, their use of EBM sources and application were generally poor. The main reasons for retrieving evidence were to keep them up-to-date (72.8%) and to help make clinical decisions (70.2%). The least mentioned reason for evidence retrieval was research (41.9%). Review of textbooks was the main method of evidence retrieval (71.1%), while a database search was the method least used (22.8%). The main barriers to the practice of EBM practice were "lack of facilities" followed by "lack of time", while the barrier least mentioned was the "lack of interest". Conclusions: Although doctors have positive attitudes toward EBM, their knowledge and application of EBM need much improvement. The main barriers to their application of EBM are the lack of facilities and the lack of time. Recommendations: The necessary infrastructure for the application of EBM should be made available for all medical staff. There is a need for special courses and hands-on workshops in general hospitals to address the necessary knowledge and skills of EBM are essential

Family medicine practice in Saudi Arabia: The current situation and Proposed Strategic Directions Plan 2020

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to assess the current situation of the teaching and training of undergraduate and postgraduate programs in family medicine in KSA, assess the current practice of family medicine, and draw a roadmap to achieve Saudi vision 2020. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was conducted with the support and collaboration of the Primary Health Care Department of the Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia, and World Health Organization (EMRO) in November 2015. Based on the literature review of previous studies conducted for similar purposes, relevant questionnaires were developed. These consisted of four forms, each of which was directed at a different authority to achieve the above-mentioned objectives. Data of all questionnaires were coded, entered, and analyzed using SPSS version 16. RESULTS: There are 2282 primary health-care centers (PHCCs), 60% of which are in rural areas. More than half of the PHCCs have a laboratory and more than one-third have a Radiology Department. Out of the 6107 physicians, 636 are family physicians (10%). All medical colleges have a family medicine department with a total staff of 170 medical teachers. Thirteen departments run family medicine courses of 4–8 weeks' duration for students. Fourteen colleges have internship programs in family medicine and four colleges have postgraduate centers for family medicine (27%). There are 95 training centers for Saudi Board (Saudi Board of Family Medicine [SBFM]) and 68 centers for Saudi Diploma (Saudi Diploma of Family Medicine [SDFM]). The total number of trainers was 241, while the total trainees were 756 in SBFM and 137 in SDFM. CONCLUSIONS: This survey showed that there is a shortage of qualified family physicians in all health sectors in Saudi Arabia as a result of the lack of a strategic plan for the training of family physicians. A national strategic plan with specific objectives and an explicit budget are necessary to deal with this shortage and improve the quality of health-care services at PHCCs

Adherence of primary health care physicians to hypertension management guidelines in the Aseer region of Saudi Arabia

Although there has been significant progress in the management of hypertension, rates for control of this chronic disease in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has been shown to be very low. This study was aimed to assess the knowledge of primary health care (PHC) physicians and the extent of their adherence to the recommendations of clinical practice guidelines concerning care of hypertensive patients. The assessment was made in the Aseer region of KSA using a modified version of the World Health Organization "Physician Inquiry Questionnaire." Only 5.6% of the participants measured blood pressure (BP) with the patient in sitting and other postures. Variable sphygmomanometer cuff sizes for different patients were used by 56.5% of the participants, while 74.8% correctly recorded the diastolic BP at Koratkoff sound, phase- 5. Among non- diabetics, the correct diagnosis of systolic and diastolic hypertension was reported by 76.7% and 81.4% respectively, of the PHC physicians. Among diabetics, the correct diagnosis of systolic and diastolic hypertension was reported by 36% and 17.1% of the PHC physicians, respectively. Most physicians inquired about cardiovascular risk factors. Several important items of patients′ clinical examination were not completely covered by physicians, e.g., fundus examination (75.2%). PHC physicians missed a few investigations and laboratory tests, e.g., ECG (87.9%), serum creatinine (88.2%) and lipid profile (89.8%). Less than one- fifth of the physicians correctly chose the thiazide diuretics as the preferred initial anti- hypertensive agent (19.9%). Almost two- thirds of the physicians (65.2%) emphasized the importance of BP self- measurement, 89.8% encouraged patients to use a reminder system while 96.3% motivated patients for BP control. Measures for lifestyle modification included weight reduction (98.8%), sodium restriction (97.5%), physical exercise (96.3%) and behavioral improvement (87.6%). Our study suggests that continuing medical education and training courses on guidelines for hypertension management should be arranged for PHC physicians in Aseer