Evaluation of a new assistive technology: the StandBar.

PURPOSE: Evaluate the potential of a wheelchair assistive technology (StandBar) to promote power wheelchair users' ability to safely stand independently from their power wheelchair and determine the impact of the device use on psychological well-being for both power wheelchair users and their caregivers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A convenience sample of 11 power wheelchair users and caregiver dyads provided study data. Participants included power wheelchair users who were existing StandBar users or currently in training with the StandBar as part of their rehabilitation. Assessments were conducted at baseline and at six-month follow-up and included physiological assessments and functional testing with and without the StandBar. Monthly follow-up phone calls were completed to collect information on adverse events (e.g., falls, hospitalizations, and skin breakdown). A qualitative interview assessed StandBar users' and caregivers' perception at six-month follow-up. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: StandBar use provided power wheelchair users a higher level of independence, confidence, and safety. All participants highly recommended StandBar use to others with similar levels of functional impairment. StandBar use allowed many participants the ability to complete functional tasks that were otherwise not possible without assistance. Qualitative interviews reported improved independence and psychological well-being for StandBar users as well as reduced levels of anxiety and burden of care by caregivers. The StandBar is a cost-effective assistive technology that promotes independence and functionality for power wheelchair users and improves the psychological well-being of users and their caregivers. Implications for RehabilitationStandBar allows power wheelchair users to:Minimize negative effects of immobilization.Increase independence for activities of daily living (grooming, hygiene, toileting, transfers) and instrumental activities of daily living (social experiences).Improve their quality of life through increasing independence and confidence.Reduce need for assistance and corresponding caregiver burden.

Using Geographic Information System Mapping in Emergency Management: Expanding the Role of Nurses in Home Based Primary Care.

The Veterans Health Administration Home Based Primary Care (VHA-HBPC) program serves Veterans with complex, chronic conditions. Emergency management is a concern for VHA-HBPC programs. Geographic information system (GIS) mapping has been implemented for local program operations in 30 locations. An evaluation assessed GIS mapping as a tool in emergency management, including frontline nurses' and nurse leaders' experiences. Nurses' roles included making and using maps for preparedness and response. Maps provided valuable information, including locations of vulnerable patients (eg, ventilator dependent), community emergency resources, and environmental threats (eg, hurricane). Nurses' willingness to embrace this new technology and skill set was notable.

Implementing Geographic Information Systems (GIS) into VHA Home Based Primary Care.

The Veteran's Health Administration (VHA) Home Based Primary Care (HBPC) program provides comprehensive in-home primary care services to elderly Veterans with complex chronic medical conditions. Nurses have prominent roles in HBPC including as program leaders, primary care providers and nurses who make home visits. Delivery of primary care services to patients in their homes can be challenging due to travel distances, difficult terrain, traffic, and adverse weather. Mapmaking with geographic information systems (GIS) can support optimization of resource utilization, travel efficiency, program capacity, and management during normal operations, and patient safety during disasters. This paper reports on the feasibility, acceptability and outcomes of an initiative to implement GIS mapmaking in VHA HBPC programs. A mixed method evaluation assessed extent of adoption and identified facilitators and barriers to uptake. Results indicate that GIS mapping in VHA HBPC is feasible and can increase effectiveness and efficiency of VHA HBPC nurses.

Qualitative Inquiry Explores Health-Related Quality of Life of Female Veterans With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

As the number of female veterans increases, health care systems must be prepared to meet the individualized needs of this population. To date, published data on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) focus on quantitative data and primarily represent the male population. The purpose of this study was to qualitatively explore the impact of PTSD on female veterans' HRQOL. A descriptive qualitative study used focus groups and demographic surveys to achieve data collection in a sample of veterans with PTSD. This report focuses on the analysis of a sample of 12 females to explore PTSD HRQOL experiences unique to female veterans. Female veterans reported several areas in which their HRQOL was impacted adversely in social participation, physical, cognitive, and emotional aspects of their lives. Issues with self-medication and substance abuse were also reported by participants. Female participants' perceptions about Veterans Health Administration were also discussed, highlighting unmet needs when receiving care for PTSD. These data provide unique insights from the perspective of female veterans with PTSD about their HRQOL and receiving care within the Veterans Health Administration health care system. These data can inform future research to better address the needs of female veterans living with PTSD.

Large-Scale Survey Findings Inform Patients' Experiences in Using Secure Messaging to Engage in Patient-Provider Communication and Self-Care Management: A Quantitative Assessment.

BACKGROUND: Secure email messaging is part of a national transformation initiative in the United States to promote new models of care that support enhanced patient-provider communication. To date, only a limited number of large-scale studies have evaluated users' experiences in using secure email messaging. OBJECTIVE: To quantitatively assess veteran patients' experiences in using secure email messaging in a large patient sample. METHODS: A cross-sectional mail-delivered paper-and-pencil survey study was conducted with a sample of respondents identified as registered for the Veteran Health Administrations' Web-based patient portal (My HealtheVet) and opted to use secure messaging. The survey collected demographic data, assessed computer and health literacy, and secure messaging use. Analyses conducted on survey data include frequencies and proportions, chi-square tests, and one-way analysis of variance. RESULTS: The majority of respondents (N=819) reported using secure messaging 6 months or longer (n=499, 60.9%). They reported secure messaging to be helpful for completing medication refills (n=546, 66.7%), managing appointments (n=343, 41.9%), looking up test results (n=350, 42.7%), and asking health-related questions (n=340, 41.5%). Notably, some respondents reported using secure messaging to address sensitive health topics (n=67, 8.2%). Survey responses indicated that younger age (P=.039) and higher levels of education (P=.025) and income (P=.003) were associated with more frequent use of secure messaging. Females were more likely to report using secure messaging more often, compared with their male counterparts (P=.098). Minorities were more likely to report using secure messaging more often, at least once a month, compared with nonminorities (P=.086). Individuals with higher levels of health literacy reported more frequent use of secure messaging (P=.007), greater satisfaction (P=.002), and indicated that secure messaging is a useful (P=.002) and easy-to-use (P≤.001) communication tool, compared with individuals with lower reported health literacy. Many respondents (n=328, 40.0%) reported that they would like to receive education and/or felt other veterans would benefit from education on how to access and use the electronic patient portal and secure messaging (n=652, 79.6%). CONCLUSIONS: Survey findings validated qualitative findings found in previous research, such that veterans perceive secure email messaging as a useful tool for communicating with health care teams. To maximize sustained utilization of secure email messaging, marketing, education, skill building, and system modifications are needed. These findings can inform ongoing efforts to promote the sustained use of this electronic tool to support for patient-provider communication.

A participatory approach to designing and enhancing integrated health information technology systems for veterans: protocol.

BACKGROUND: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has developed health information technologies (HIT) and resources to improve veteran access to health care programs and services, and to support a patient-centered approach to health care delivery. To improve VA HIT access and meaningful use by veterans, it is necessary to understand their preferences for interacting with various HIT resources to accomplish health management related tasks and to exchange information. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this paper was to describe a novel protocol for: (1) developing a HIT Digital Health Matrix Model; (2) conducting an Analytic Hierarchy Process called pairwise comparison to understand how and why veterans want to use electronic health resources to complete tasks related to health management; and (3) developing visual modeling simulations that depict veterans' preferences for using VA HIT to manage their health conditions and exchange health information. METHODS: The study uses participatory research methods to understand how veterans prefer to use VA HIT to accomplish health management tasks within a given context, and how they would like to interact with HIT interfaces (eg, look, feel, and function) in the future. This study includes two rounds of veteran focus groups with self-administered surveys and visual modeling simulation techniques. This study will also convene an expert panel to assist in the development of a VA HIT Digital Health Matrix Model, so that both expert panel members and veteran participants can complete an Analytic Hierarchy Process, pairwise comparisons to evaluate and rank the applicability of electronic health resources for a series of health management tasks. RESULTS: This protocol describes the iterative, participatory, and patient-centered process for: (1) developing a VA HIT Digital Health Matrix Model that outlines current VA patient-facing platforms available to veterans, describing their features and relevant contexts for use; and (2) developing visual model simulations based on direct veteran feedback that depict patient preferences for enhancing the synchronization, integration, and standardization of VA patient-facing platforms. Focus group topics include current uses, preferences, facilitators, and barriers to using electronic health resources; recommendations for synchronizing, integrating, and standardizing VA HIT; and preferences on data sharing and delegation within the VA system. CONCLUSIONS: This work highlights the practical, technological, and personal factors that facilitate and inhibit use of current VA HIT, and informs an integrated system redesign. The Digital Health Matrix Model and visual modeling simulations use knowledge of veteran preferences and experiences to directly inform enhancements to VA HIT and provide a more holistic and integrated user experience. These efforts are designed to support the adoption and sustained use of VA HIT to support patient self-management and clinical care coordination in ways that are directly aligned with veteran preferences.

Implications for patient safety in the use of safe patient handling equipment: a national survey.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of musculoskeletal injuries among nursing staff has been high due to patient handling and movement. Internationally, healthcare organizations are integrating technological equipment into patient handling and movement to improve safety. Although evidence shows that safe patient handling programs reduce work-related musculoskeletal injuries in nursing staff, it is not clear how safe these new programs are for patients. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to explore adverse patient events associated with safe patient handling programs and preventive approaches in US Veterans Affairs medical centers. METHODS: The study surveyed a convenience sample of safe patient handling program managers from 51 US Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers to collect data on skin-related and fall-related adverse patient events. RESULTS: Both skin- and fall-related adverse patient events associated with safe patient handling occurred at VA Medical centers. Skin-related events included abrasions, contusions, pressure ulcers and lacerations. Fall-related events included sprains and strains, fractures, concussions and bleeding. Program managers described contextual factors in these adverse events and ways of preventing the events. CONCLUSIONS: The use of safe patient handling equipment can pose risks for patients. This study found that organizational factors, human factors and technology factors were associated with patient adverse events. The findings have implications for how nursing professionals can implement safe patient handling programs in ways that are safe for both staff and patients.

Perceived Benefits of Group Exercise Among Individuals With Peripheral Neuropathy.

Exercise and training programs improve strength, functional balance, and prevent falls in a variety of populations. This article presents the qualitative findings related to the perceived benefits of participants in a randomized controlled trial that compared the effectiveness of group exercise on gait and balance in persons with peripheral neuropathy (PN). Participants with moderately severe PN were randomized into groups that received 10-week classes of Functional Balance Training (FBT) or Tai Chi or education alone. Perceptions of the intervention were overwhelmingly positive regardless of the study group. Perceived benefits reported by participants in the FBT and Tai Chi groups included awareness of how to deal with the effects of neuropathy by implementing balance strategies and a heightened sense of walking to prevent falls. This study offers a guide to design future exercise studies that promote simple balance exercises that can be performed in group settings.

Evaluating user experiences of the secure messaging tool on the Veterans Affairs' patient portal system.

BACKGROUND: The United States Department of Veterans Affairs has implemented an electronic asynchronous "Secure Messaging" tool within a Web-based patient portal (ie, My HealtheVet) to support patient-provider communication. This electronic resource promotes continuous and coordinated patient-centered care, but to date little research has evaluated patients' experiences and preferences for using Secure Messaging. OBJECTIVE: The objectives of this mixed-methods study were to (1) characterize veterans' experiences using Secure Messaging in the My HealtheVet portal over a 3-month period, including system usability, (2) identify barriers to and facilitators of use, and (3) describe strategies to support veterans' use of Secure Messaging. METHODS: We recruited 33 veterans who had access to and had previously used the portal's Secure Messaging tool. We used a combination of in-depth interviews, face-to-face user-testing, review of transmitted secure messages between veterans and staff, and telephone interviews three months following initial contact. We assessed participants' computer and health literacy during initial and follow-up interviews. We used a content-analysis approach to identify dominant themes in the qualitative data. We compared inferences from each of the data sources (interviews, user-testing, and message review) to identify convergent and divergent data trends. RESULTS: The majority of veterans (27/33, 82%) reported being satisfied with Secure Messaging at initial interview; satisfaction ratings increased to 97% (31/32, 1 missing) during follow-up interviews. Veterans noted Secure Messaging to be useful for communicating with their primary care team to manage health care needs (eg, health-related questions, test requests and results, medication refills and questions, managing appointments). Four domains emerged from interviews: (1) perceived benefits of using Secure Messaging, (2) barriers to using Secure Messaging, (3) facilitators for using Secure Messaging, and (4) suggestions for improving Secure Messaging. Veterans identified and demonstrated impediments to successful system usage that can be addressed with education, skill building, and system modifications. Analysis of secure message content data provided insights to reasons for use that were not disclosed by participants during interviews, specifically sensitive health topics such as erectile dysfunction and sexually transmitted disease inquiries. CONCLUSIONS: Veterans perceive Secure Messaging in the My HealtheVet patient portal as a useful tool for communicating with health care teams. However, to maximize sustained utilization of Secure Messaging, marketing, education, skill building, and system modifications are needed. Data from this study can inform a large-scale quantitative assessment of Secure Messaging users' experiences in a representative sample to validate qualitative findings.

Using ensemble models to classify the sentiment expressed in suicide notes.

In 2007, suicide was the tenth leading cause of death in the U.S. Given the significance of this problem, suicide was the focus of the 2011 Informatics for Integrating Biology and the Bedside (i2b2) Natural Language Processing (NLP) shared task competition (track two). Specifically, the challenge concentrated on sentiment analysis, predicting the presence or absence of 15 emotions (labels) simultaneously in a collection of suicide notes spanning over 70 years. Our team explored multiple approaches combining regular expression-based rules, statistical text mining (STM), and an approach that applies weights to text while accounting for multiple labels. Our best submission used an ensemble of both rules and STM models to achieve a micro-averaged F(1) score of 0.5023, slightly above the mean from the 26 teams that competed (0.4875).