Patient-perceived responsiveness of primary care systems across Europe and the relationship with the health expenditure and remuneration systems of primary care doctors

Abstract Background Health systems are expected to be responsive, that is to provide services that are user-oriented and respectful of people. Several surveys have tried to measure all or some of the dimensions of the responsiveness (e.g. autonomy, choice, clarity of communication, confidentiality, dignity, prompt attention, quality of basic amenities, and access to family and community support), however there is little evidence regarding the level of responsiveness of primary care (PC) systems. Methods This work analyses the capacity of primary care systems to be responsive. Data collected from 32 PC systems were used to investigate whether a relationship exists between the responsiveness of PC systems and the PC doctor remuneration systems and domestic health expenditure. Results There appears to be a higher responsiveness of PC when doctors are paid via capitation than when they only receive a fee for services or a mixed payment method. In addition, countries that spend more on health services are associated with higher levels of dignity and autonomy. Conclusion Quality, as measured from the patient's perspective, does not necessarily overlap with PC performance based on structure and process indicators. The results could also stimulate a new debate on the role of economic resources and PC workforce payment mechanisms in the achievement of quality goals, in this case related to the capacity of PC systems to be responsive

Stressed and overworked? A cross-sectional study of the working situation of urban and rural general practitioners in Austria in the framework of the QUALICOPC project

Aim To assess the workload of general practitioners (GPs) in Austria, with a focus on identifying the differences between GPs working in urban and rural areas. Methods Within the framework of the Quality and Costs of Primary Care in Europe (QUALICOPC) study, data were collected from a stratified sample of GPs using a standardized questionnaire between November 2011 and May 2012. Data analysis included descriptive statistics and regression analysis. Results The analysis included data from 173 GPs. GPs in rural areas reported an average of 49.3 working hours per week, plus 23.7 on-call duties per 3 months and 26.2 outof- office care services per week. Compared to GPs working in urban areas, even in the fully adjusted regression model, rural GPs had significantly more working hours (B 7.00; P = 0.002) and on-call duties (B 18.91; P < 0.001). 65.8% of all GPs perceived their level of stress as high and 84.6% felt they were required to do unnecessary administrative work. Conclusion Our findings show a high workload among Austrian GPs, particularly those working in rural areas. Since physicians show a diminishing interest to work as GPs, there is an imperative to improve this situation

Genomic and Epigenetic Changes Drive Aberrant Skeletal Muscle Differentiation in Rhabdomyosarcoma

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS), the most common soft-tissue sarcoma in children and adolescents, represents an aberrant form of skeletal muscle differentiation. Both skeletal muscle development, as well as regeneration of adult skeletal muscle are governed by members of the myogenic family of regulatory transcription factors (MRFs), which are deployed in a highly controlled, multi-step, bidirectional process. Many aspects of this complex process are deregulated in RMS and contribute to tumorigenesis. Interconnected loops of super-enhancers, called core regulatory circuitries (CRCs), define aberrant muscle differentiation in RMS cells. The transcriptional regulation of MRF expression/activity takes a central role in the CRCs active in skeletal muscle and RMS. In PAX3::FOXO1 fusion-positive (PF+) RMS, CRCs maintain expression of the disease-driving fusion oncogene. Recent single-cell studies have revealed hierarchically organized subsets of cells within the RMS cell pool, which recapitulate developmental myogenesis and appear to drive malignancy. There is a large interest in exploiting the causes of aberrant muscle development in RMS to allow for terminal differentiation as a therapeutic strategy, for example, by interrupting MEK/ERK signaling or by interfering with the epigenetic machinery controlling CRCs. In this review, we provide an overview of the genetic and epigenetic framework of abnormal muscle differentiation in RMS, as it provides insights into fundamental mechanisms of RMS malignancy, its remarkable phenotypic diversity and, ultimately, opportunities for therapeutic intervention

Прискорене моделювання стаціонарного розподілу кількості вимог у системі SMBAP|G| ∞

Розглядається система масового обслуговування з нескінченною кількістю обслуговуючих пристроїв. В систему надходить груповий потік вимог, який керується напівмарковським процесом. Запропоновано метод прискореного моделювання стаціонарної ймовірності кількості вимог у системі, що ґрунтується на методі істотної вибірки та використовує центральну граничну теорему. Оцінки є асимптотично незміщеними. Виграш в дисперсії порівняно з методом Монте-Карло становить в середньому два порядки.Рассматривается система массового обслуживания с бесконечным количеством обслуживающих устройств. В систему поступает групповой поток требований, управляемый полумарковским процессом. Предложен метод ускоренного моделирования стационарной вероятности количества требований в системе, основанный на методе существенной выборки и использующий центральную предельную теорему. Оценки — асимптотически несмещенные. Выигрыш в дисперсии по сравнению с методом Монте-Карло составляет в среднем два порядка.A queueing system with the infinite number of servers and batch arrival process controlled by the semi-Markov process is investigated. A fast simulation method for the evaluation of the steady-state distribution of the number of customers in the system is proposed, which is based on essential sampling and the central limit theorem. The estimates are asymptotically unbiased. The gain in variance compared to the Monte Carlo method is on the average two orders of magnitude

Use of biobehavioral interventions in children undergoing surgery and associated patient-reported outcomes

Background: Biobehavioral interventions including relaxation, distraction, and mindfulness meditation exercises have been shown to decrease perioperative stress, anxiety, and pain. Our aims were to 1) quantify pediatric surgical patient-reported pre-operative exposure to and post-operative use of biobehavioral interventions; 2) understand barriers and facilitators to incorporation of biobehavioral interventions into clinical practice; and 3) evaluate associated patient-reported outcomes. Methods: We conducted an embedded mixed-methods study with a quantitative focus. Data were collected as part of the 18-hospital ENhanced Recovery In CHildren Undergoing Surgery (ENRICH-US) clinical trial for children, ages 10–18 years, undergoing elective gastrointestinal surgery. Patients/caregivers were surveyed about preoperative exposure to and postoperative use of biobehavioral interventions. Four semi-structured group interviews with 20 pediatric surgery providers were conducted. Outcomes included pain-related functional disability, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and perioperative nervousness. Results: 41 % (n = 67) of 164 enrolled patients/caregivers reported preoperative exposure to and 71 % (n = 117) reported postoperative use of a biobehavioral intervention(s). Barriers to incorporation of biobehavioral interventions included lack of standardized workflows, clinician knowledge, and resources. Potential facilitators included media and peer-counseling. After adjusting for individual and hospital characteristics, those who reported using a biobehavioral intervention(s) were 70 % less likely to report worsened postoperative nervousness (95 % CI 0.10–0.91; p = 0.03). Reported use of a biobehavioral intervention(s) was not found to be associated with pain-related functional disability or HRQoL. Conclusions: Use of a biobehavioral intervention(s) may stabilize postoperative nervousness of children undergoing surgery. There is a need for redesign of clinical workflows and clinician training to facilitate integration of biobehavioral interventions.</p

QUALICOPC, a multi-country study evaluating quality, costs and equity in primary care

Contains fulltext : 96249.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: The QUALICOPC (Quality and Costs of Primary Care in Europe) study aims to evaluate the performance of primary care systems in Europe in terms of quality, equity and costs. The study will provide an answer to the question what strong primary care systems entail and which effects primary care systems have on the performance of health care systems. QUALICOPC is funded by the European Commission under the "Seventh Framework Programme". In this article the background and design of the QUALICOPC study is described. METHODS/DESIGN: QUALICOPC started in 2010 and will run until 2013. Data will be collected in 31 European countries (27 EU countries, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Turkey) and in Australia, Israel and New Zealand. This study uses a three level approach of data collection: the system, practice and patient. Surveys will be held among general practitioners (GPs) and their patients, providing evidence at the process and outcome level of primary care. These surveys aim to gain insight in the professional behaviour of GPs and the expectations and actions of their patients. An important aspect of this study is that each patient's questionnaire can be linked to their own GP's questionnaire. To gather data at the structure or national level, the study will use existing data sources such as the System of Health Accounts and the Primary Health Care Activity Monitor Europe (PHAMEU) database. Analyses of the data will be performed using multilevel models. DISCUSSION: By its design, in which different data sources are combined for comprehensive analyses, QUALICOPC will advance the state of the art in primary care research and contribute to the discussion on the merit of strengthening primary care systems and to evidence based health policy development

QUALICOPC – az alapellátás minőségének, költségének és méltányosságának vizsgálata Európa országaiban: magyarországi ág = QUALICOPC – Primary Care Study on Quality, Costs and Equity in European Countries: The Hungarian Branch

Az alapellátás fontosságát már évtizedekkel ezelőtt felismerték és sok fejlett ország egészségügyében prioritást kapott. Európában igen eltérő keretek és feltételek között működnek az egyes országok alapellátási rendszerei. A QUALICOPC vizsgálat során 31 európai és három tengerentúli országban hasonlítják össze az alapellátás költségét, minőségét és méltányosságát. Hasonlóan a többi részt vevő országhoz, Magyarországon is a reprezentativitásra törekedve, országos koordináció alapján, 222 háziorvosi körzetben történt kérdőíves felmérés, a praxisokban dolgozó háziorvosok munkakörülményei, működési feltételei, megengedett és gyakorolt kompetenciája, érdekeltségi rendszere irányában. Minden körzetben 10 betegnek az ellátással kapcsolatos tapasztalatait, igényét és véleményét is kikérték a független kérdezőbiztos munkatársak. A szerzők a résztvevők és a metodika leírása mellett a vizsgálat kezdeti tapasztalatait mutatják be. A vizsgálat befejezését követően a részt vevő országokban nyert eredmények megismerése segítheti a politikai döntéshozókat és az egészségügy tervezőit. The importance of primary care has already been recognized in the developed countries, where the structure and function of primary care is very heterogeneous. In the QUALICOPC study, the costs, quality and equity of primary care systems will be compared in the 34 participating countries. Representative samples of primary care practices were recruited in Hungary. An evaluation with questionnaire was performed in 222 practices on the work circumstances, conditions, competency and fi nancial initiatives. Ten patients in each practice were also questioned by independent fieldworkers. In this work, the methodology and Hungarian experience are described. The final results of the international evaluation will be analyzed and published later. It is expected that data obtained from the QUALICOPC study may prove to be useful in health service planning and may be shared with policy makers

Acute Muscular Sarcocystosis: An International Investigation Among Ill Travelers Returning From Tioman Island, Malaysia, 2011-2012

A large outbreak of acute muscular sarcocystosis (AMS) among international tourists who visited Tioman Island, Malaysia, is described. Clinicians evaluating travelers returning ill from Malaysia with myalgia, with or without fever, should consider AMS in their differential diagnosi