A continuidade de cuidados de saúde na perspetiva dos utentes / Continuity of care from the perspective of users

Resumo O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar a continuidade de cuidados nas Unidades de Saúde no município de Évora (Portugal), na perspetiva dos utentes. Trata-se de um estudo transversal, exploratório e descritivo de abordagem quantitativa, com uma amostra constituída por 342 utentes das unidades de saúde. O instrumento utilizado foi um questionário adaptado de estudos ingleses e espanhóis. Os resultados revelam que foram identificados elementos de continuidade ao nível das diferentes dimensões da continuidade de cuidados - relacional, de gestão, informação e de alguns itens da continuidade flexível. A continuidade longitudinal apresenta os valores mais baixos no atendimento de enfermagem. Como conclusão, destaca-se positivamente, e nas suas diferentes dimensões, a continuidade relacional em que a maioria dos utentes recomendam o seu médico de família e enfermeira a familiares e amigos e a continuidade flexível, que se traduz por reduzidos tempos de espera no atendimento por um médico ou enfermeiro e acessibilidade aos cuidados. Negativamente sobressai o fraco envolvimento do utente nos cuidados, pelos profissionais de saúde, numa das dimensões da continuidade relacional.

Abstract Continuity of care, in addition to ensuring improvement of the quality of care, contributes to the reduction of health costs. The objective of this study was to analyse the continuity of care in health units in the municipality of Évora (south of Portugal), from the perspective of users. This is across-sectional, exploratory and descriptive study with a quantitative approach, with a sample consisting of 342 users of health units. The instrument was a questionnaire adapted from English and Spanish studies. The results show that elements of continuity were identified in the different dimensions of the continuity of care - relational, management, information and some items of flexible continuity. Longitudinal continuity has the lowest values in nursing care. In conclusion, what stands out positively, and in its different dimensions, is relational continuity, in which most users recommend their family doctor and nurse to family and friends, and flexible continuity, which translates into reduced waiting times to be attended by a doctor or nurse and access to care. What stands out negatively is the weak involvement of the user in care by health professionals, in the dimensions of relational continuity.

Continuity of Care for Elderly Patients with Diabetes Mellitus, Hypertension, Asthma, and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in Korea

We sought to assess continuity of care for elderly patients in Korea and to examine any association between continuity of care and health outcomes (hospitalization, emergency department visits, health care costs). This was a retrospective cohort study using the Korea National Health Insurance Claims Database. Elderly people, 65-84 yr of age, who were first diagnosed with diabetes mellitus (n=268,220), hypertension (n=858,927), asthma (n=129,550), or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD, n=131,512) in 2002 were followed up for four years, until 2006. The mean of the Continuity of Care Index was 0.735 for hypertension, 0.709 for diabetes mellitus, 0.700 for COPD, and 0.663 for asthma. As continuity of care increased, in all four diseases, the risks of hospitalization and emergency department visits decreased, as did health care costs. In the Korean health care system, elderly patients with greater continuity of care with health care providers had lower risks of hospital and emergency department use and lower health care costs. In conclusion, policy makers need to develop and try actively the program to improve the continuity of care in elderly patients with chronic diseases.

Expenditure survey on continued veno-venous hemodialysis procedure in the intensive care unit / Levantamento do custo do procedimento de hemodiálise veno-venosa contínua em unidades de terapia intensiva / Levantamiento del costo del procedimiento de hemodiálisis vena-venosa continua en unidades de terapia intensiva

This study aimed to characterize patients submitted to dialytic treatment with CVVHD in ICUs; monitor procedure time duration; estimate nurses' labor wages and; estimate the direct procedures mean costs. The study was developed in a public teaching hospital located in São Paulo, Brazil. A total of 93 procedures performed in 50 patients composed the sample. The results showed the predominance of male patients (62 percent); mean age was 60.8 years old; ICU hospitalization time was 19.2 days; 86 percent of the patients died; 76 percent of the patients presented acute renal insufficiency and, mean procedure time per patient was 1.9. The mean procedure duration was 26.6 hours. The mean cost of nurses' wages were R$ 592.04 which represented 28.7 percent of the total cost. The mean total expenditure was R$ 2,065.36 ranging from R$ 733.65 to R$ 6,994.18.

Os objetivos deste estudo foram: caracterizar a clientela submetida ao tratamento dialítico de Hemodiálise Veno-Venosa Contínua (CVVHD) em Unidades de Terapia Intensiva (UTIs), levantar o tempo de duração dos procedimentos, calcular o custo da mão-de-obra dos enfermeiros, estimar o custo médio direto dos procedimentos. O estudo foi desenvolvido em um hospital escola público no município de São Paulo. A amostra foi constituída por 93 procedimentos realizados em 50 pacientes. Os resultados mostraram predominância do sexo masculino (62 por cento), a idade média foi de 60,8 anos, o tempo médio de permanência na UTI foi de 19,2 dias, 86 por cento evoluíram a óbito e a média do número de procedimentos por paciente foi de 1,9. A insuficiência renal aguda (IRA) estava presente em 76 por cento dos pacientes. A duração média do procedimento foi de 26,6 horas. O custo da mão-de-obra direta do enfermeiro foi em média R$ 592,04, representando 28,7 por cento do custo total. O custo total médio do procedimento foi de R$ 2.065,36, variando de R$ 733,65 a R$ 6.994,18.

El objetivo de este estudio fue identificar características sócio-demográficas de los pacientes sometidos al tratamiento de Hemodiálisis Vena-Venosa Continua (CVVHD) en Unidades de Terapia Intensiva (UTIs); identificar el tiempo de duración de los procedimientos; calcular el costo del tiempo de los enfermeros y evaluar el costo promedio directo de los procedimentos. El estudio fue realizado en un hospital escuela público en la ciudad de São Paulo. La muestra fue constituida por 93 procedimientos realizados en 50 pacientes. Los resultados mostraron la predominancia del sexo masculino (62 por ciento); la edad promedia fue de 60,8 años; el tiempo promedio de permanencia en la UTI fue de 19,2 días; el 86 por ciento evolucionó a óbito y el promedio del número de los procedimientos por paciente fue de 1,9 días. La insuficiencia renal aguda (IRA) está presente en el 76 por ciento de los pacientes. La duración promedia fue de 26,6 horas. El costo del tiempo del enfermero fue en promedio R$ 592,04 y representó el 28,7 por ciento del costo total. El costo total promedio del procedimiento fue de R$ 2.065,36, con variación de R$ 733,65 a R$ 6.994,18.

Continuity of Care of Patient with Diabetes and Its Affecting Factors in Korea / 예방의학회지

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to estimate the continuity of care for all Koreans with diabetes and to identify factors affecting the continuity of care. METHODS: We obtained National Health Insurance claims data for patients with diabetes who visited health-care providers during the year 2004. A total of 1,498,327 patients were included as study subjects. Most Frequent Provider Continuity (MFPC) and Modified, Modified Continuity Index (MMCI) were used as indexes of continuity of care. A multiple linear regression analysis was used to identify factors affecting continuity of care. RESULTS: The average continuity of care in the entire population of 1,498,327 patients was 0.89+/-0.17 as calculated by MFPC and 0.92+/-0.16 by MMCI. In a multiple linear regression analysis, both MFPC and MMCI were lower for females than males, disabled than non-disabled, Medicaid beneficiaries than health insurance beneficiaries, patients with low monthly insurance contributions, patients in rural residential areas, and patients whose most frequently visited provider is the hospital. CONCLUSIONS: The continuity of care for patients with diabetes is high in Korea. However, women, the disabled and people of low socio-economic status have relatively low continuity of care. Therefore, our first priority is to promote a diabetes management program for these patients.

Costos de atención médica de personas con diabetes anteriores y posteriores a su hospitalización en Argentina / Health care costs of persons with diabetes prior to and following hospitalization in Argentina

OBJETIVO: Analizar los costos de atención ambulatoria de personas con diabetes hospitalizadas por causas relacionadas con esta enfermedad -anteriores o posteriores a la hospitalización- y compararlos con los de personas diabéticas que no fueron hospitalizadas durante el mismo período. MÉTODOS: Determinamos los gastos de atención hospitalaria y ambulatoria de personas con diabetes afiliadas a una empresa argentina de medicina prepaga que habían sido hospitalizadas durante el período de estudio y comparamos estos últimos con los de afiliados diabéticos que no habían sido hospitalizados durante dicho período. RESULTADOS: Identificamos 2 760 personas con diabetes (2,4 por ciento del total de afiliados a la empresa de medicina prepaga); de ellas, 1 683 (59 por ciento) trataban la diabetes y los factores de riesgo cardiovascular asociados con medicación específica; la diabetes se asociaba con uno (41 por ciento) o dos (24 por ciento) factores de riesgo cardiovascular. De estas 1 683 personas, 102 (6 por ciento) fueron hospitalizadas por causas relacionadas con la diabetes durante el período estudiado; la frecuencia de hospitalización aumentó significativamente cuando la diabetes se asociaba con hipertensión arterial y dislipidemia. La enfermedad cardiovascular originó el 43,1 por ciento de las hospitalizaciones, con un costo per capita significativamente mayor que el registrado por otras causas (media ± error estándar de la media [1 673 ± 296,8] dólares estadounidenses [US$]; P < 0,05). Los costos totales anuales per capita de atención de las personas que fueron hospitalizadas resultaron mayores que los relativos a las que no fueron hospitalizadas (US$ [2 907,8 ± 262,5] frente a US$ [473,4 ± 9,8], respectivamente; P < 0,01). Los costos totales de atención ambulatoria posteriores a la hospitalización fueron un 12 por ciento mayores que los del período anterior a la hospitalización (US$ [903,6 ± 108,6] frente a US$ [797,6 ± 14,9]; diferencia...

OBJECTIVE: To analyze and compare the ambulatory care expenditures for persons with diabetes during prehospitalization and posthospitalization periods with those of diabetics who were not hospitalized for diabetes-related illnesses during the same period. METHODS: We determined the hospitalization and ambulatory care expenses incurred by an Argentine health insurer for the hospitalization of diabetic clients during the study period, and compared these expenses to the expenses of insured diabetics who were not hospitalized during that period. RESULTS: We identified 2 760 persons with diabetes (2.4 percent of the total number of persons covered by the insurance company). Of those, 1 683 (59 percent) were on medication for diabetes and its associated cardiovascular risk factors. Diabetes was associated with either one (41 percent) or two (24 percent) cardiovascular risk factors. Of those 1 683 persons, 102 (6 percent) were hospitalized for diabetes-related reasons during the study period. The frequency of hospitalization increased significantly in cases where diabetes was associated with arterial hypertension and dyslipidemia. Cardiovascular illness was the cause of 43.1 percent of the hospitalizations, with a significantly higher per capita cost than any of the other causes identified (mean ± standard error of the mean: US$ 1 673 ± US$ 296.8; P < 0.05). The total annual per capita cost for health care for the diabetics who had been hospitalized was greater than for those who had not (US$ 2 907.8 ± US$ 262.5 compared to US$ 473.4 ± US$ 9.8, respectively; P < 0.01). While the total posthospitalization ambulatory care expenditures were 12 percent higher than the prehospitalization costs (US$ 903.6 ± US$ 108.6 vs. US$ 797.6 ± US$ 14.9), the difference was not significant. CONCLUSION: Ambulatory care expenditures increase significantly in the prehospitalization and posthospitalization periods. The results suggest that intensive treatment of...