A short screening tool identifying systemic barriers to distress screening in cancer care.

INTRODUCTION: International guidelines on cancer treatment recommend screening for early detection and treatment of distress. However, screening rates are insufficient. In the present study, a survey was developed to assess perceived systemic barriers to distress screening. METHODS: A three-step approach was used for the study. Based on qualitative content analysis of interviews and an expert panel, an initial survey with 53 questions on barriers to screening was designed. It was completed by 98 nurses in a large comprehensive cancer center in Switzerland. From this, a short version of the survey with 24 questions was derived using exploratory principal component analysis. This survey was completed by 150 nurses in four cancer centers in Switzerland. A confirmatory factor analysis was then performed on the shortened version, yielding a final set of 14 questions. RESULTS: The initial set of 53 questions was reduced to a set of 14 validated questions retaining 53% of the original variance. These 14 questions allow for an assessment within 2-3 min that identifies relevant barriers to distress screening from the perspective of those responsible for implementation of distress screening. Across several hospitals in Switzerland, the timing of the first distress screening, lack of capacity, patient and staff overload, and refusal of distressed patients to be referred to support services emerged as major problems. CONCLUSION: The validated 14 questions on barriers to screening cancer patients for distress enable clinicians and hospital administrators to quickly identify relevant issues and take action to improve screening programs.

Emergency Nurse Consensus on Most Effective and Accessible Support Strategies During COVID-19: A Delphi Study.

INTRODUCTION: Emergency nurses face significant risk for stress-related complications while working during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there is limited empirical evidence on the effectiveness and accessibility of support strategies for nurses in this novel situation. Expert consensus may help fill this knowledge gap. Therefore, the study objective was to gain expert consensus from emergency nurses on the most effective and accessible strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: This 2-round Delphi study recruited an online expert panel from emergency nurses practicing during the COVID-19 pandemic within a single Mountain West health system spanning 9 urban and rural emergency departments. Over 10 weeks in the summer of 2021, participants completed 2 sequential surveys to rate and rank employee-led and employer-led support strategies collated from a literature review. RESULTS: Of 327 recruitment emails sent, 28 nurses joined the expert panel. Emergency nurses reached a consensus on preference for employee-led self-care activities, including enhancing social well-being and strengthening emotional well-being. None of the employer-led strategies reached group consensus regarding high effectiveness, accessibility, and the likelihood of participation. Additionally, emergency nurses favored in-person support strategies over other delivery methods. DISCUSSION: Numerous studies have explored the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on health care workers. Although experts and researchers seek to determine the best support strategies, this study highlights how emergency nurses wish to be supported. Employers can tailor support strategies for maximum effect by understanding health care worker perceptions and preferences.

Research on the implementation path of professional training for hospital administrators from the perspective of high quality development / 中华医院管理杂志

Promoting hospital management is key to high quality development of medical service. In view of the development reality of healthcare, Shenzhen was focused on professionalization and specialization, exploring the implementation path of professional training for hospital administrators. The professional training path consisted of a strict procedure of trainees′ selection, hierarchical and classified curriculum modules setup, as well as program implementation of training and an integral evaluation system. The curriculum modules were designed as a " 5+ 4" system, which referred to five long-term customized courses (i.e., the Party′s construction, government governance, policies and regulations, medical humanities and modern hospital management), and four short-term specialized training courses (i.e., leadership, discipline construction, intelligent hospital and international healthcare). Shenzhen selected 20 trainees from public hospitals and health administrative departments in the city, and held the first professional training course for public hospital presidents in 2020, totalling 336 class hours of systematic training. The 20 trainees scored their general satisfaction over the teaching content and teacher performance of the 5 long-term customized courses as follows. Their scores ranked from high to low were modern hospital management (9.79), policies and regulations (9.75), government governance (9.74), Party′s construction (9.67), and medical humanities (9.64). The score of the trainees′ integral evaluation was (107.2±10.9). This implementation has proved successful, and could provide references for professional training of hospital managers in China.

Shifting the management model of Brazilian health services: perceptions of major stakeholders on the participation of the private sector in public hospital administration.

In Brazil, public hospitals are managed according to several different models. The participation of private or third-sector organizations has been growing in a significant manner, especially in the past decade. The present study explores the perception of public administrators and health councilors on the main aspects of outsourcing the management of public health services to the private sector. The study shows that the main disadvantages are related to the reduction of the State's role as regulator, making it more difficult to size services up according to the demands of the population. Among the main advantages pointed out are contributions to reduce bureaucracy in the administration and more freedom for the management of physical, financial, and human resources. The present study contributes to transcend the political-ideological discussion on private sector participation in the management of public and universal constitutionally guaranteed services, presenting the point of view of administrators in Brazil, not very explored in recent literature.

Perceptions and Experiences of Orthodox Health Practitioners and Hospital Administrators towards Integrating Traditional Medicine into the Ghanaian Health System.

The government of Ghana has been piloting traditional medicine (TM) integration in 17 health facilities across the country. However, the nature of current practice of integrated healthcare has not been thoroughly explored. This paper sought to explore the experiences and recommendations of orthodox health practitioners and hospital administrators in the Ashanti region regarding the practice of integrated healthcare in Ghana. The study adopted a qualitative, phenomenological approach involving 22 interviews. Purposive sampling technique was used in selecting study participants. Framework analysis was used to draw on the experiences of participants relating to TM integration. Participants were knowledgeable about the existence of integrated health facilities and stated that TM integration has created options in health services. However, participants deemed the integrated system ineffective and attributed the inefficiency to poor processing and certification of TM products, opposition of medical doctors to TM usage, absence of a protocol to guide the integration process, and inadequate publicity. Professional training of TM practitioners and inclusion of TM in medical school curriculum could improve collaboration between the health practitioners. Future research should focus on assessing the opinions and involvements of TM practitioners regarding the integration of traditional therapies into national health systems.

Working Hours, Job Burnout, and Subjective Well-Being of Hospital Administrators: An Empirical Study Based on China's Tertiary Public Hospitals.

(1) Purpose: To analyze the role of job burnout in connection with working hours and subjective well-being (SWB) among hospital administrators in China's tertiary public hospitals. (2) Methods: A multi-stage, stratified, cluster random sampling method was used to select 443 hospital administrators in six tertiary public hospitals for study. The data were collected and analyzed using the working hours measuring scale, Maslach burnout, and the subjective well-being schedule. Pearson correlation, structural equation model, and bootstrap tests were conducted to examine the association between job burnout, working hours, and SWB. (3) Results: Among the 443 respondents, 330 worked more than 8 h per day on average (76.2%), 81 had the longest continuous working time more than 16 h (18.7%), and 362 worked overtime on weekends (82.2%). The prevalence of job burnout in hospital administrators was 62.8%, among which, 59.8% have mild burnout and 3.00% have severe burnout. In the dimension of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal achievement, the proportion of people in high burnout was 21.0% (91/433), 15.0% (65/433), and 45.3% (196/433), respectively. Job burnout has a mediating effect between working hours and SWB, which accounted for 95.5% of the total effect. (4) Conclusion: Plagued by long working hours and severe job burnout, the hospital administrators in China's tertiary public hospitals may have low SWB. Working hours have a negative direct impact on job burnout and SWB, and an indirect impact on SWB through job burnout as a mediator. Targeted strategies should be taken to adjust working hours to promote the physical and mental health of hospital administrators.

The effects in assistance indicators of changes on a nursing team / Impactos da alteração da equipe de enfermagem nos indicadores da assistência

INTRODUCTION: This article discusses the path of healthcare associated infections (HAI) indicators in the intensive care unit (ICU) of a public teaching hospital in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil, after certain change in its nursing staff: pair of nursing caregivers. The model of a pair of caregivers consists in assigning one nurse and one nursing technician for every three patients. The indicators analyzed were infection related to central venous catheters (CVCs), the risk of HAI, turnover, and absenteeism. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this paper is to understand the impact of the restructuring of the nursing staff in Human Resources and on the rate of infection in the ICU. METHODS: As for methods, it is a qualitative and descriptive research carried out as a case study. RESULTS: The results have shown that the risk of HAIs significantly increased after the change in staffing, but the density of vascular access infection associated with CVCs was drastically reduced. The results of turnover of nursing technics decreased and the turnover of nurses increased while the absenteeism of the nursing team decreased after the change. The interviews revealed that there was a gain at the care due to the change. CONCLUSION: As a conclusion, the results of the study have shown that the proposed nursing model caused a care gain, once the interviews exposed that and indicator directly related to nursing team care (infection associated with CVCs) decreased.

INTRODUÇÃO: Esse artigo discute a evolução do indicador de infecção relacionada à assistência à saúde (IRAS) em uma Unidade de Tratamento Intensivo (UTI) em um hospital-escola público de Belo Horizonte, Brasil, após alteração na equipe de enfermagem: par de cuidadores. Esse modelo de par de cuidadores consistiu em determinar um enfermeiro e um técnico em enfermagem para cada três pacientes. Os indicadores analisados foram infecções de corrente sanguínea associadas ao Cateter Venoso Central (CVC), risco de IRAS, turnover e absenteísmo. OBJETIVO: Compreender o impacto da reestruturação do time de enfermagem na área de Recursos Humanos e a taxa de infecção na UTI. MÉTODOS: Como métodos, é uma pesquisa qualitativa e descritiva, obtida por meio do estudo de caso. RESULTADOS: Os resultados apontaram que o risco das IRAS aumentou significativamente após a mudança da equipe de enfermagem, mas a densidade do indicador de infecções de corrente sanguínea associadas ao CVC reduziu drasticamente. Os resultados de turnover entre os técnicos de enfermagem caiu e dos enfermeiros aumentou, enquanto o absenteísmo da equipe de enfermagem reduziu. As entrevistas revelaram que houve um ganho na qualidade do cuidado relacionado à mudança. CONCLUSÃO: Conclui-se que os resultados demonstraram um ganho assistencial obtido pela mudança na equipe de enfermagem, uma vez que isso foi relevado nas entrevistas e houve redução nos resultados do indicador diretamente relacionado ao trabalho do enfermeiro (infecções associadas ao CVC)

Practice of management personnel training in county hospital of West China-Mabian Medical Alliance / 中华医院管理杂志

The construction of hospital administration talent echelon has become a " bottleneck" problem in the core competence construction of county-level public hospitals in ethnic regions. West China-Mabian Medical Alliance has made a preliminary exploration on the cultivation of hospital management talents in county-level public hospitals. The hospital carried out the working principle of " setting up a talent pool by post" , and gradually established a reserve talent pool with suitable scale and dynamic adjustment by providing part-time project management positions for young employees in the hospital. There were three kinds of part-time project management positions: part-time assistant to president, part-time project supervisor and part-time department management assistant. In addition, the hospital strengthened the ideological and political education, medical management theory training and practical training of the reserve talents in a planned way. The practical experience of hospital reserve management personnel training based on West China-Mabian Medical Alliance can be used for reference by other county-level hospitals.

AKI!Now Initiative: Recommendations for Awareness, Recognition, and Management of AKI.

The American Society of Nephrology has established a new initiative, AKI!Now, with the goal of promoting excellence in the prevention and treatment of AKI by building a foundational program that transforms education and delivery of AKI care, aiming to reduce morbidity and associated mortality and to improve long-term outcomes. In this article, we describe our current efforts to improve early recognition and management involving inclusive interdisciplinary collaboration between providers, patients, and their families; discuss the ongoing need to change some of our current AKI paradigms and diagnostic methods; and provide specific recommendations to improve AKI recognition and care. In the hospital and the community, AKI is a common and increasingly frequent condition that generates risks of adverse events and high costs. Unfortunately, patients with AKI may frequently have received less than optimal quality of care. New classifications have facilitated understanding of AKI incidence and its impact on outcomes, but they are not always well aligned with AKI pathophysiology. Despite ongoing research efforts, treatments to promote or hasten kidney recovery remain ineffective. To avoid progression, the current approach to AKI emphasizes the promotion of early recognition and timely response. However, a lack of awareness of the importance of early recognition and treatment among health care team members and the heterogeneity of approaches within the health care teams assessing the patient remains a major challenge. Early identification is further complicated by differences in settings where AKI occurs (the community or the hospital), and by differences in patient populations and cultures between the intensive care unit and ward environments. To address these obstacles, we discuss the need to improve education at all levels of care and to generate specific guidance on AKI evaluation and management, including the development of a widely applicable education and an AKI management toolkit, engaging hospital administrators to incorporate AKI as a quality initiative, and raising awareness of AKI as a complication of other disease processes.

Health-Care Administrator Perspectives on Prevention Guidelines and Healthy Lifestyle Counseling in a Primary Care Setting in New York State.

INTRODUCTION: The incidence of chronic disease and treatment costs have been steadily increasing in the United States over the past few decades. Primary prevention and healthy lifestyle counseling have been identified as important strategies for reducing health-care costs and chronic disease prevalence. This article seeks to examine decision-makers' experiences and self-perceived roles in guideline and lifestyle counseling implementation in a primary care setting in the United States. METHODS: Qualitative interviews were conducted with administrators at a health-care network in Upstate New York and with state-level administrators, such as insurers. Decision-makers were asked to discuss prevention guidelines and healthy lifestyle counseling, as well as how they support implementation of these initiatives. Interviews were analyzed using a thematic analysis framework and relevant sections of text were sorted using a priori codes. RESULTS: Interviews identified numerous barriers to guideline implementation. These included the complexity and profusion of guidelines, the highly politicized nature of health-care provision, and resistance from providers who sometimes prefer to make decisions autonomously. Barriers to supporting prevention counseling included relatively time-limited patient encounters, the lack of reimbursement mechanisms for counseling, lack of patient resources, and regulatory complexities. CONCLUSIONS: Our research indicates that administrators and administrative structures face barriers to supporting prevention activities such as guideline implementation and healthy lifestyle counseling in primary care settings. They also identified several solutions for addressing existing primary prevention barriers, such as relying on nurses to provide healthy lifestyle support to patients. This article provides an important assessment of institutional readiness to support primary prevention efforts.

Hospital-Level Cardiovascular Management Practices in Kerala, India.

Background Hospital management practices are associated with cardiovascular process of care measures and patient outcomes. However, management practices related to acute cardiac care in India has not been studied. Methods and Results We measured management practices through semistructured, in-person interviews with hospital administrators, physician managers, and nurse managers in Kerala, India between October and November 2017 using the adapted World Management Survey. Trained interviewers independently scored management interview responses (range: 1-5) to capture management practices ranging from performance data tracking to setting targets. We performed univariate regression analyses to assess the relationship between hospital-level factors and management practices. Using Pearson correlation coefficients and mixed-effect logistic regression models, we explored the relationship between management practices and 30-day major adverse cardiovascular events defined as all-cause mortality, reinfarction, stroke, or major bleeding. Ninety managers from 37 hospitals participated. We found suboptimal management practices across 3 management levels (mean [SD]: 2.1 [0.5], 2.0 [0.3], and 1.9 [0.3] for hospital administrators, physician managers, and nurse managers, respectively [ P=0.08]) with lowest scores related to setting organizational targets. Hospitals with existing healthcare quality accreditation, more cardiologists, and private ownership were associated with higher management scores. In our exploratory analysis, higher physician management practice scores related to operation, performance, and target management were correlated with lower 30-day major adverse cardiovascular event. Conclusions Management practices related to acute cardiac care in participating Kerala hospitals were suboptimal but were correlated with clinical outcomes. We identified opportunities to strengthen nonclinical practices to improve patient care.

Study on Hospital Administrators' Beliefs and Attitudes toward the Practice of Evidence-Based Management.

The authors' purpose was to explore hospital administrators' beliefs and attitudes toward the practice of evidence-based management (EBMgt) and to identify the needs for EBMgt training programs. A cross-sectional, nonexperimental design was utilized. Survey data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Spearman's correlation. The results showed that hospital administrators had positive attitudes toward the practice of EBMgt. There was a significant correlation between attitudes and percentage of healthcare management decisions made using an evidence-based practice approach (p < .01). The study findings suggest EBMgt educational training programs would likely help hospital administrators adopt evidence-based practice in management decision-making.

Assessment of Hospital Management and Surge Capacity in Disasters.

BACKGROUND: Hospital administrators play a key role in the effective management of surge capacity in disasters, but there is little information available about the characteristics required to manage this. OBJECTIVES: In this study, we aimed to identify characteristics of hospital administrators that are important in the effective management of surge capacity in disasters. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a qualitative study. Semi-structured purposive interviews were conducted with 28 hospital administrators who had experience working in surge situations in hospitals during disasters. Framework analysis was used to analyze the data. RESULTS: Three themes and 12 subthemes were identified. The themes were as follows: 1) crisis managerial characteristics, 2) personal characteristics, and 3) specific requirements. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, some characteristics that had a positive impact on the success of a manager in a hospital surge situation were identified. These characteristics ought to be taken into account when appointing hospital administrators and designing training programs for hospital administrators with the aim of being better prepared to face disasters.

Information Resources for Hospital Administrator Healthcare Management Decision-Making.

The purpose of this study was to identify information used by hospital administrators for healthcare management decision-making and what barriers hinder their practice of evidence-based management (EBMgt). A cross-sectional and non-experimental design was utilized. One hundred eight questionnaires were distributed to potential participants. Data analyses were performed using Spearman's correlation. The findings showed that the main resources hospital administrators used for decision-making was organizational data and personal experience. Lack of time was the top barrier to hospital administrators' practice of EBMgt. There was a significant correlation between lack of information searching skills and unfamiliarity with EBMgt (p<0.01) among hospital administrators.

Modelo de dirección de hospitales por enfermeras / A Hospital Management Model for Nurses / Modelo de endereço dos hospitais por enfermeiras

Con el propósito de comprender los comportamientos y procesos organizacionales, operacionales y de gestión, se realizó una investigación sustentada en la teoría del pensamiento estratégico; el objeto de estudio fue el sistema de administración hospitalario. Se empleó un método cualitativo y de estudio de caso aplicando las siguientes etapas: adaptación a los procesos, construcción de explicaciones, análisis temporales, modelos lógicos y presentación de casos cruzados, lo que permitió desarrollar sistemáticamente el procesamiento de información y análisis de datos. La última etapa guía la presentación de resultados logrando el objetivo propuesto: discutir el paradigma del sistema de administración ejercido por las enfermeras gerentes desde la perspectiva de sus subalternas. Los resultados revelan que estas últimas reconocieron una gestión innovadora, con una supervisión directa y central, resaltando el modelo de Gestión innovadora/ Gestión por programas/Leve y flexible, que a la par que exige mayor profesionalismo, propicia autonomía. La comunicación fue horizontal, de puertas abiertas hacia la dirección; la función de las directoras consistió en evaluar la actividad personal en forma directa. Finalmente, se emprendieron cambios con base en concepciones teórico-metodológicas socializadas de administración descentralizada, al romper comportamientos individuales de resistencia, y asegurar el cumplimiento de metas y objetivos comunes.

Research based on the theory of strategic thinking to understand organizational, operational and administrative behavior and processes is the subject of this article. With the hospital administrative system as the object of study, this research used a qualitative approach and a case-study method by applying a series of stages; namely, adaptation to the roster, construction of explanations, temporal analysis, logical models and cross-case presentation, which made it possible to process the information and to analyze the data systematically. The final stage guided the presentation of results and achieved the proposed objective; that is, to discuss the paradigm of the administrative system applied by managing nurses, based on the perception of their subordinates. The results show the subordinate nurses recognized innovative management, with direct and central supervision, and emphasized the model for innovative management/management-by-programs, which is light and flexible. It also requires a higher degree of professionalism and fosters autonomy. Communication was horizontal, leaving the door open to management. The function of the supervisors was to evaluate personal activity in a direct way. Lastly, changes based on socialized theoretical-methodological ideas of decentralized administration were instituted by breaking down individual resistance and ensuring the accomplishment of common goals and objectives.

Conhecer os comportamentos de uma organização e processos de gestão tem como objetivo de estudo o sistema de administração hospitalar, desenvolveu-se a pesquisa com enfoque qualitativo. Esta foi sustentada pela teoria do pensamento estratégico, utilizando-se o método de estudo de caso, com as seguintes etapas: adequação ao padrão, construção de explanações, análises temporais, modelos lógicos e interpretação da interrelação de casos, o que permitiu desenvolver sistematicamente o processamento de informação e de análise do dados. Esta última etapa orientam os resultados com objetivo proposto: discutir o paradigma do sistema de administração exercido pela gerência das enfermeiras, sob a perspectiva de suas subordinadas. Os resultados revelam que as enfermeiras subordinadas reconheceram uma gestão inovadora, onde se envolveram no diagnóstico institucional a todos os integrantes, com uma supervisão direta e central, ressaltando o modelo de Gestão Inovadora/Gestão por Programas/Leve e flexível, que exige maior profissionalismo e autonomia. A comunicação foi horizontal, abertas à direção; a função das diretoras consistiu em avaliar a atividade pessoal de forma direta. Conclusão: As mudanças foram empreendidas com base em concepções teórico-metodológicas socializadas de administração descentralizada, rompendo comportamentos individuais de resistência e garantir o cumprimento de metas e objetivos comuns.

Financially motivated transfers and discharges: administrators' ethics and public expectations.

In response to a competitive environment, hospital administrators are pressuring physicians to discharge Medicare patients "sicker and quicker" and to transfer indigent patients from their emergency rooms. This paper compares health administrators' ethics to public expectations regarding financially motivated hospital transfers and discharges. Health administrators use balancing strategies: code morality, survivalism, mission dependency, and tithing. Public expectations, exemplified in P.L. 99-272, P.L. 99-509, and recent case law, are based on norms of potential for patient harm and patient occupancy. These norms are morally preferable to those of health administrators; they reinforce the value of identified lives and the reliability of the health care system.