A Chinese Multi-Specialty Delphi Consensus to Optimize RAASi Usage and Hyperkalaemia Management in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease and Heart Failure.

Objective: Variations are present in common clinical practices regarding best practice in managing hyperkalaemia (HK), there is therefore a need to establish a multi-specialty approach to optimal renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors (RAASi) usage and HK management in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) & heart failure (HF).This study aimed to establish a multi-speciality approach to the optimal use of RAASi and how to manage HK in patients with CKD and HF.Methods: A steering expert group of cardiology and nephrology experts from across China convened to discuss challenges to HK management through a nominal group technique (NGT). The group then created a list of 41 statements for a consensus questionnaire, which was distributed for a further survey of in extended panel group of cardiologists and nephrologists across China. Consensus was assessed using a modified Delphi technique, with agreement defined as "strong" (≥75% and <90%) and "very strong" (≥90%). The steering group, data collection, and analysis were aided by an independent facilitator. Results: A total of 150 responses from 21 provinces across China were recruited in the survey. Respondents were comprised of an even split (n=75, 50%) between cardiologists and nephrologists. All 41 statements achieved the 75% consensus agreement threshold, of which 27 statements attained very strong consensus (≥90% agreement) and 14 attained strong consensus (agreement between 75% and 90%). Conclusions: Based on the agreement levels from respondents, the steering group agreed a set of recommendations intended to improve patient outcomes in the use of RAASi therapy and HK management in China.

Analgesic stewardship in Australian residential aged care facilities: Retrospective audit of a collaborative approach to optimising opioid use.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate retrospectively an analgesic stewardship role of a non-dispensing pharmacist as part of a general practice team providing primary care services to residential aged care facilities (RACF). METHODS: Our general practice implemented an analgesic stewardship program to optimise and monitor opioid usage for our patients located across 12 RACF in Canberra from March 2019 to September 2020. The primary objective was the development of a multidisciplinary chronic pain care plan to document treatment and monitoring strategies for optimising pain control. The pharmacist reviewed and documented existing pain management strategies in a care plan for each patient and discussed recommendations for optimisation with the general practitioner. The general practitioner implemented accepted recommendations and distributed finalised care plans to the RACF. A retrospective audit of care plans was undertaken to assess the outcomes: mean daily oral morphine equivalence to monitor opioid usage, and pain scores to monitor for any potential harm associated with analgesic stewardship. RESULTS: One hundred and sixty-seven residents received an initial care plan. Residents were scheduled for a follow-up care plan after 6 months, which was achieved for 100 residents (60%). Scope for optimising opioid therapy was identified for 47 residents (28%) at baseline and 23 residents (23%) at follow-up. Mean opioid usage and pain scores were reduced at follow-up; 19.4 mg (SD 40.8) versus 13.4 mg (SD 22.8), and 4.2 (SD 2.3) versus 3.9 (SD 2.0), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: A systematic, multidisciplinary analgesic stewardship approach may optimise pain management plans and reduce opioid usage in RACF residents.

Geriatrician-led multidisciplinary team management improving polypharmacy among older inpatients in China.

Background/Aim: Polypharmacy is prevalent among older inpatients and associated with adverse outcomes. To determine whether a geriatrician-led multidisciplinary team (MDT) management mode could reduce medications use among older inpatients. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted in a geriatric department of a tertiary hospital in China with 369 older inpatients, including 190 patients received MDT management (MDT cohort), and 179 patients received usual treatment (non-MDT cohort). The primary outcome was to compare the changes of the amount of medications before and after hospitalization in two cohorts. Results: We reported that MDT management significantly reduced the number of medications used in older inpatients at discharge (at home: n = 7 [IQR: 4, 11] vs at discharge: n = 6 [IQR: 4, 8], p < 0.05). Hospitalization with the MDT management had a significant effect on the change in the amount of medications (F = 7.813, partial-η2 = 0.011, p = 0.005). The discontinuance of medications was associated with polypharmacy at home (OR: 96.52 [95% CI: 12.53-743.48], p < 0.001), and the addition of medications was associated with a diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (OR: 2.36 [95% CI: 1.02-5.49], p = 0.046). Conclusion: The results indicated that the geriatrician-led MDT mode during hospitalization could reduce the number of medications used by older patients. The patients with polypharmacy were more likely to "deprescription" after MDT management, while the patients with COPD were more likely to be under-prescription at home, polypharmacy which could be made up for after MDT management.

Developing Core Elements and Checklist Items for Implementing Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs in Korean General Hospitals: A Modified Delphi Survey.

BACKGROUND: Antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) aim to optimize antimicrobial use by minimizing the spread of antimicrobial resistance. The core elements for implementing ASPs in healthcare facilities have been developed by the World Health Organization, international research group and government agencies of various countries. However, to date, there is no documented core elements for implementation of ASP in Korea. This survey aimed to establish a national consensus on a set of core elements and their related checklist items for the implementation of ASPs in Korean general hospitals. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The survey was conducted from July 2022 to August 2022 by the Korean Society for Antimicrobial Therapy with support from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. A literature review was conducted by searching Medline and relevant websites to retrieve a list of core elements and checklist items. These core elements and checklist items were evaluated by a multidisciplinary panel of experts using a structured modified Delphi consensus procedure, using two-step survey included online in-depth questionnaires and in-person meeting. RESULTS: The literature review identified 6 core elements (Leadership commitment, Operating system, Action, Tracking, Reporting, and Education) and 37 related checklist items. Fifteen experts participated in the consensus procedures. Ultimately, all 6 core elements were retained, and 28 checklist items were proposed, all with ≥80% agreement; in addition 9 items were merged into 2 items, 2 items were deleted, and 15 items were rephrased. CONCLUSION: This Delphi survey provides useful indicators for the implementation of ASP in Korea and suggests national policy improvement about the barriers (e.g., shortage of staffing and financial support) existing in Korea for optimal implementation of ASPs.

SBAR Method for Improving Well-Being in the Internal Medicine Unit: Quasi-Experimental Research.

SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation) is a tool for standardizing and improving interprofessional communication. This study aims to explore the impact of SBAR in healthcare professionals' wellbeing, through concepts such as job satisfaction, engagement, resilience, and job performance, in the internal medicine unit of a university hospital in the province of León (Spain). This is an observational, descriptive, longitudinal case study with a pre- and post-intervention approach. Questionnaires were distributed to a group of doctors, nurses, and healthcare assistants before and after the implementation of the SBAR tool in the ward. The use of SBAR was monitored to ensure staff compliance. Data statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS program. Resilience levels increased significantly post-intervention. Job satisfaction and engagement levels remained neutral, slightly decreasing post-intervention. Besides' being a useful tool to improve communication, SBAR was effective in improving resilience among staff. Several aspects related to hospital management may have had an impact on job satisfaction and engagement results.

"Who can I ring? Where can I go?" Living with advanced cancer whilst navigating the health system: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: People with advanced cancer often experience greater physical and psychosocial morbidity compared to those with early disease. Limited research has focused on their experiences within the Australian health system. The aim of this study was to explore the lived experiences of adults receiving care for advanced cancer. METHODS: A qualitative design with a descriptive phenomenological approach was used to explore the lived experiences of people with advanced cancer following their diagnosis. Twenty-three people living with an advanced solid malignancy receiving care were referred by their oncologists to take part in an interview conducted at their home, the hospital, or over the phone. RESULTS: Three key themes emerged relating to participants' experiences of living with advanced cancer: (1) living with a life-limiting diagnosis and uncertainty, (2) living with symptom burden and side effects, and (3) living within the health system, with two subthemes, the patient-clinician relationship, and care coordination. Participant relationships with their health professionals were particularly important and had a defining impact on whether patient experiences living with cancer were positive or negative. CONCLUSION: People with advanced cancer experienced broad variation in their experiences navigating the health system, and their relationships with clinicians and other health professionals were important factors affecting their perceptions of their experiences. Attention to the coordination of care for people with advanced cancer is necessary to improve their experiences and improve symptom control and the management of their psychosocial burden.

Hospital organizational structure factors related to discharge planning activities for alcoholics by nurses in Japan.

AIM: Nurses play a significant role in providing discharge support for alcoholics. We aimed to explore the organizational structures of hospitals that are related to effective discharge planning activities provided by nurses. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of Japanese hospitals with psychiatric wards that accept alcoholics. The survey questionnaire was administered to one nurse per hospital from August to September 2019. The Discharge Planning Scale for Ward Nurses (DPWN) was used to assess the actual status of the hospital nurse teams' discharge planning activities. The DPWN consists of four subscales: subscale I, "collect information from patients and their families"; subscale II, "supports for decision-making for the patients and families"; subscale III, "utilization of social resources"; and subscale IV, "discharge guidance by cooperating with community support teams and multidisciplinary teams." RESULTS: From the valid responses of 116 hospitals, scores on subscale IV were significantly lower than scores on subscales I, II, and III, indicating that medical care guidance through multidisciplinary collaboration between hospitals and the community was inadequate. In addition, multiple regression analysis showed that "hospital management and administrators understanding about nurses' discharge support activities," and "planning discharge schedules, such as using clinical paths" were significantly and independently related to the total DPWN and each of subscale scores, regardless of the hospital's establishment body and size. "Multidisciplinary discharge support" was significantly related to subscale II. CONCLUSIONS: These findings have implications for the management of discharge planning activities provided by nurses for alcoholics through multidisciplinary collaboration.

[Continuity of medication after hospitalisation in geriatric follow-up and rehabilitation care]. / Continuité médicamenteuse après une hospitalisation en soins de suite et de réadaptation gériatrique.

After one year of practice, the medication reconciliation approach in follow-up and rehabilitation care was evaluated. The aim of the activity was to identify changes in treatment (CT). Three hundred and two patients benefited from the process. Some 82.2% of drug lines had voluntary TCs at discharge and all of patients had at least one TC at discharge. What are the consequences of so many TCs and what are the levers to limit these effects?

Addressing Post-COVID Symptoms: A Guide for Primary Care Physicians.

BACKGROUND: Post-COVID symptoms, defined as symptoms lasting >4 weeks postinfection, have been identified not only among those patients who were hospitalized with severe symptoms but also among those who were asymptomatic or with only mild symptoms. Primary care providers (PCPs) will often be the first point of contact for patients experiencing potential complications of post-COVID symptoms. The aim of this article is to present a post-COVID management tool for PCPs to use as a quick reference and guide to the initial workup and management of the most common post-COVID symptoms. METHODS: Published guidance, recent literature, and expert specialist opinion were used to create the structure outlining the outpatient evaluation and treatment for post-COVID symptoms. RESULTS: A quick-reference guide for management of post-COVID symptoms was created for PCPs. Educational materials were created for clinicians to share with patients. Our article reviews several common complaints including respiratory, cognitive, and neurological symptoms, chronic fatigue, dysautonomia, and anosmia and presents recommendations for management. CONCLUSIONS: Data on long-term effects of COVID-19 are still emerging, and rapid dissemination of this data to front-line PCPs is crucial. This table was our effort to make the currently available evidence accessible for our PCPs in a simple, easy-to-use format.

Programa multidisciplinar para el diagnóstico y tratamiento de infección por virus de hepatitis C en prisiones / Multidisciplinary program for the diagnosis and treatment of hepatitis C virus infections in prisons

Objetivos: El diagnóstico y tratamiento del VHC en prisiones podría ser una estrategia para evitar su propagación. El objetivo es el desarrollo de un programa multidisciplinar de VHC en prisiones.Métodos: El programa se implantó en tres prisiones entre junio de 2016 – septiembre de 2019. El equipo sanitario estuvo compuesto por enfermeras, médicos y farmacéuticos hospitalarios. Se realizaron tests de serología para detección del VHC, determinándose carga viral y genotipado en casos positivos. Posteriormente, los reclusos con VHC fueron tratados. Se recogieron datos poblacionales y de tratamientos. La efectividad se evaluó mediante respuesta al final del tratamiento (RFT) y respuesta viral sostenida en semana 12 (RVS12). La tolerancia fue medida mediante efectos adversos irreversibles. Se compararon la prevalencia de VHC antes y después de implantar el programa.Resultados: La población global fue 2.065 presos. Los pacientes con serología positiva de VHC y carga viral detectable fueron 214. El 91,6% fueron varones. Los genotipos de VHC más frecuentes fueron 1a (31,3%) y 3 (26,2%). Los tratamientos más usados fueron glecaprevir/pibrentasvir (28,0%) y sofosbuvir/velpatasvir (22,9%). El 99,5% de los presidiarios tratados alcanzaron RFT. El 93,2% de pacientes valorables presentaron RVS12, con 5 recidivas. No se observaron casos de reinfección por VHC. Los efectos adversos irreversibles fueron observados en 2 pacientes. La prevalencia al comienzo del programa fue 10,4%, mientras que al final fue 1,7%.Conclusiones: El programa multidisciplinar de diagnóstico y tratamiento de VHC en prisiones consiguió una elevada curación de la enfermedad, evitando nuevas reinfecciones y con pocos efectos adversos irreversibles. (AU)

Aims: Diagnosis and treatment of HCV in prisons could be a strategy to prevent the spread of infection. The aim is the development of a multidisciplinary program for HCV in prisons.Method: The program was implemented in three prisons between June 2016 – September 2019. Health staff was composed of nurses, physicians and hospital pharmacists. Serology tests for the detection of VHC was performed. Viral load and genotyping were determined in the positive cases. Subsequently, inmates with HCV were treated. Population data and treatments were collected. The effectiveness was assessed by response at the end of treatment (EOT) and viral response sustained at week 12 (SVR12). Tolerance was measured by irreversible adverse effects. HCV prevalence before implementation of program was compared to with prevalence after the program.Results: Global population was 2,065 prisoners. Patients with positive HCV serology and detectable viral load was 214. The 91.6% of patients were male. The most frequent HCV genotypes were 1a (31.3%) and 3 (26.2%). Glecaprevir/pibrentasvir (28.0%) and sofosbuvir/velpatasvir (22.9%) were the most frequently used treatments. EOT was reached by 99.5% of inmates. SVR12 was presented by 93.2% valuable patients, with 5 recurrences. There were no HCV reinfections. Irreversible adverse effects associated were observed in 2 patients. The prevalence at the beginning of program was 10.4% while it was 1.7% at the end.Conclusions: The multidisciplinary program of diagnosis and treatment of HCV in prisons has achieved a high cure for the disease, avoiding new reinfections and few irreversible adverse effects. (AU)

Virtual Clinical and Precision Medicine Tumor Boards-Cloud-Based Platform-Mediated Implementation of Multidisciplinary Reviews Among Oncology Centers in the COVID-19 Era: Protocol for an Observational Study.

BACKGROUND: Multidisciplinary tumor boards play a pivotal role in the patient-centered clinical management and in the decision-making process to provide best evidence-based, diagnostic, and therapeutic care to patients with cancer. Among the barriers to achieve an efficient multidisciplinary tumor board, lack of time and geographical distance play a major role. Therefore, the elaboration of an efficient virtual multidisciplinary tumor board (VMTB) is a key point to successfully obtain an oncology team and implement a network among health professionals and institutions. This need is stronger than ever during the COVID-19 pandemic. OBJECTIVE: This paper presents a research protocol for an observational study focused on exploring the structuring process and the implementation of a multi-institutional VMTB in Sicily, Italy. Other endpoints include analysis of cooperation between participants, adherence to guidelines, patients' outcomes, and patient satisfaction. METHODS: This protocol encompasses a pragmatic, observational, multicenter, noninterventional, prospective trial. The study's programmed duration is 5 years, with a half-yearly analysis of the primary and secondary objectives' measurements. Oncology care health professionals from various oncology subspecialties at oncology departments in multiple hospitals (academic and general hospitals as well as tertiary centers and community hospitals) are involved in a nonhierarchic manner. VMTB employs an innovative, virtual, cloud-based platform to share anonymized medical data that are discussed via a videoconferencing system both satisfying security criteria and compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. RESULTS: The protocol is part of a larger research project on communication and multidisciplinary collaboration in oncology units and departments spread in the Sicily region. The results of this study will particularly focus on the organization of VMTBs, involving oncology units present in different hospitals spread in the area, and creating a network to allow best patient care pathways and a hub-and-spoke relationship. The present results will also include data concerning organization skills and pitfalls, barriers, efficiency, number, and types with respect to clinical cases and customer satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: VMTB represents a unique opportunity to optimize patient management through a patient-centered approach. An efficient virtualization and data-banking system is potentially time-saving, a source for outcome data, and a detector of possible holes in the hull of clinical pathways. The observations and results from this VMTB study may hopefully be useful to design nonclinical and organizational interventions that enhance multidisciplinary decision-making in oncology. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/26220.

Classification and analysis of asynchronous communication content between care team members involved in breast cancer treatment.

OBJECTIVE: A growing research literature has highlighted the work of managing and triaging clinical messages as a major contributor to professional exhaustion and burnout. The goal of this study was to discover and quantify the distribution of message content sent among care team members treating patients with breast cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed nearly two years of communication data from the electronic health record (EHR) between care team members at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. We applied natural language processing to perform sentence-level annotation into one of five information types: clinical, medical logistics, nonmedical logistics, social, and other. We combined sentence-level annotations for each respective message. We evaluated message content by team member role and clinic activity. RESULTS: Our dataset included 81 857 messages containing 613 877 sentences. Across all roles, 63.4% and 21.8% of messages contained logistical information and clinical information, respectively. Individuals in administrative or clinical staff roles sent 81% of all messages containing logistical information. There were 33.2% of messages sent by physicians containing clinical information-the most of any role. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate that EHR-based asynchronous communication is integral to coordinate care for patients with breast cancer. By understanding the content of messages sent by care team members, we can devise informatics initiatives to improve physicians' clerical burden and reduce unnecessary interruptions.

'Traversing difficult terrain'. Advance care planning in residential aged care through multidisciplinary case conferences: A qualitative interview study exploring the experiences of families, staff and health professionals.

BACKGROUND: Advance care planning improves the quality of end-of-life care for older persons in residential aged care; however, its uptake is low. Case conferencing facilitates advance care planning. AIM: To explore the experience of participating in advance care planning discussions facilitated through multidisciplinary case conferences from the perspectives of families, staff and health professionals. DESIGN: A qualitative study (February-July 2019) using semi-structured interviews. SETTING: Two residential aged care facilities in one Australian rural town. PARTICIPANTS: Fifteen informants [family (n = 4), staff (n = 5), health professionals (n = 6)] who had participated in advance care planning discussions facilitated through multidisciplinary case conferences. RESULTS: Advance care planning was like navigating an emotional landscape while facing the looming loss of a loved one. This emotional burden was exacerbated for substitute decision-makers, but made easier if the resident had capacity to be involved or had previously made their wishes clearly known. The 'conversation' was not a simple task, and required preparation time. Multidisciplinary case conferences facilitated informed decision-making and shared responsibility. Opportunity to consider all care options provided families with clarity, control and a sense of comfort. This enabled multiple stakeholders to bond and connect around the resident. CONCLUSION: While advance care planning is an important element of high quality care it involves significant emotional labour and burden for families, care staff and health professionals. It is not a simple administrative task to be completed, but a process that requires time and space for reflection and consensus-building to support well-considered decisions. Multidisciplinary case conferences support this process.

The Growth of Integrated Care Models in Urology.

With heightened awareness of health care outcomes and efficiencies and reimbursement-based metrics, it is ever more important that urologists consider the effects of integrated care models on physicians/staff/clinics fulfillment and patient outcomes, and whether and how to optimally implement these models within their unique practice settings. Despite growing evidence that integrating care improves outcomes, uncertainty persists regarding which approach is most efficient and achievable in terms of specialty considerations and financial resources. In this article, we discuss strategies for integrating urologic care and its impact on current and future health care delivery.

Multidisciplinary telephone conferences about medication therapy after discharge of older inpatients: a feasibility study.

Background Studies have shown poor post-discharge implementation by the general practitioner of changes made to patients' medication during admission. Objective To assess the feasibility of conducting telephone conferences delivering information about changes in older patients' medications from hospital to general practitioners. Setting Two departments of geriatric medicine in a Danish routine healthcare setting. Method Older polypharmacy patients (≥ 65 years and ≥ 5 prescriptions) consecutively admitted were eligible for inclusion. Telephone conferences based on a review of these patient's medication therapy during hospital stay were arranged between a pharmacist and a geriatrician from the hospital, and a general practitioner. Interviews were conducted with pharmacists, geriatricians, and general practitioners about their perspectives on the feasibility of telephone conferences. Interviews were analyzed using systematic text condensation. Main outcome measure The proportion of telephone conferences conducted and perspectives on the feasibility of the study. Results A total of 113 patients were included and 82 patients (75%) were eligible for telephone conferences. A total of 40 (49%) telephone conferences were conducted. The main reasons for conferences not being conducted were general practitioners not wanting to participate or not returning the calls from the pharmacists. Three themes emerged from the qualitative analysis: considerations on planning and running the project, Barriers, facilitators, and implications of the telephone conference, and Actual and desirable cross-sectorial communication. Conclusion Telephone conferences were only possible for half of the patients. The participating general practitioners, pharmacists and geriatricians expressed varied benefit and agreed that telephone conferences were mainly relevant for complex patients.

Carga de trabalho da enfermagem associada com frequência de visitas multidisciplinares: um estudo transversal / Nursing workload associated with the frequency of multidisciplinary rounds: a cross-sectional study

RESUMO Objetivo: Avaliar a frequência de visitas multidisciplinares durante a estadia na unidade de terapia intensiva e a participação dos diferentes profissionais da unidade, identificar as razões pelas quais as visitas não foram realizadas em dias específicos e se a taxa de ocupação e a carga de trabalho da enfermagem estavam associadas com a realização de visitas multidisciplinares. Métodos: Realizamos um estudo transversal para avaliar a frequência de visitas multidisciplinares em quatro unidades de terapia intensiva localizadas em um centro para tratamento de câncer. Colhemos também dados referentes à participação de profissionais, a razões para não realização das visitas nos casos em que elas não ocorriam e a taxas diárias de ocupação de leitos, assim como avaliamos a carga de trabalho da enfermagem por meio do Nursing Activity Score. Resultados: Foram conduzidas visitas multidisciplinares em 595 (65,8%) dos 889 dias de unidade de terapia intensiva avaliados. Mais frequentemente tomaram parte dessas visitas enfermeiros, médicos, fisioterapeutas respiratórios e profissionais ligados ao controle de infecções. As visitas não ocorreram em razão da admissão de novos pacientes no horário programado para a visita (136; 44,7%) e do envolvimento dos enfermeiros em atividades não relacionadas ao cuidado de pacientes (97; 31,9%). Na análise multivariada, níveis mais elevados do Nursing Activity Score se associaram com maior tendência à realização de visitas multidisciplinares (RC = 1,06; IC95% 1,04 - 1,10; p < 0,01), enquanto as taxas de ocupação não tiveram essa associação (RC = 0,99; IC95% 0,97 - 1,00; p = 0,18). Conclusão: Realizaram-se visitas multidisciplinares em menos de dois terços dos dias de unidade de terapia intensiva pesquisados. Muitas das visitas foram canceladas em razão de atividades não relacionadas aos cuidados com o paciente. A carga de trabalho é um possível gatilho para discussão dos alvos do dia para melhorar os desfechos dos pacientes e incrementar a efetividade das equipes multidisciplinares.

Abstract Objective: To assess the frequency of multidisciplinary rounds during ICU days, to evaluate the participation of diverse healthcare professionals, to identify the reasons why rounds were not performed on specific days, and whether bed occupancy rate and nurse workload were associated with the conduction of multidisciplinary rounds. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study to assess the frequency of multidisciplinary rounds in four intensive care units in a cancer center. We also collected data on rates of professional participation, reasons for not performing rounds when they did not occur, and daily bed occupancy rates and assessed nurse workload by measuring the Nursing Activity Score. Results: Rounds were conducted on 595 (65.8%) of 889 surveyed intensive care unit days. Nurses, physicians, respiratory therapists, pharmacists, and infection control practitioners participated most often. Rounds did not occur due to admission of new patients at the scheduled time (136; 44.7%) and involvement of nurses in activities unrelated to patients' care (97; 31.9%). In multivariate analysis, higher Nursing Activity Scores were associated with greater odds of conducting multidisciplinary rounds (OR = 1.06; 95%CI 1.04 - 1.10; p < 0.01), whereas bed occupancy rates were not (OR = 0.99; 95%CI 0.97 - 1.00; p = 0.18). Conclusion: Multidisciplinary rounds were conducted on less than two-thirds of surveyed intensive care unit days. Many rounds were cancelled due to activities unrelated to patient care. Unexpectedly, increased workload was associated with higher odds of conducting rounds. Workload is a possible trigger to discuss daily goals to improve patient outcomes and to enhance the effectiveness of multidisciplinary teams.

[Cancer nursing on tumor boards]. / Onkologische Pflege im Tumorboard: Rolle der Pflege in der multidisziplinären onkologischen Versorgung.

BACKGROUND: The increasingly complex treatment options for oncological diseases with multimodal treatment strategies transcend the boundaries of a single discipline and require multidisciplinary cooperation in order to ensure guideline-based and patient-oriented care. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The implementation of an effective tumour board is required in the goals of the National Cancer Plan of the Federal Ministry of Health and the certification guidelines of the German Cancer Society. RESULTS: In Germany, specialist competence in the field of oncological nursing has so far rarely been integrated. CONCLUSION: The Konferenz Onkologischer Kranken- und Kinderkrankenpflege (KOK), a working group of Section B in the German Cancer Society, is working intensively on strengthening the role of oncological nursing so that oncological nurses and advanced practice nurses specialising in oncology, as an integral part of the multidisciplinary team, can contribute valuable nursing aspects, taking into account the individual patient perspective, and thus improve the quality of oncological care.

Merkel Cell Carcinoma Treatment in Finland in 1986-2016-A Real-World Data Study.

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare cutaneous carcinoma that has gained enormous interest since the discovery of Merkel cell polyoma virus, which is a causative oncogenic agent in the majority of MCC tumours. Increased research has focused on effective treatment options with immuno-oncology. In this study, we reviewed the real-world data on different treatments given to MCC patients in Finland in 1986-2016. We used the Finnish Cancer Registry database to find MCC patients and the Hospital Discharge Register and the Cause-of-Death Register to obtain treatment data. We identified 376 MCC patients and 33 different treatment entities and/or combinations of treatment. An increase was noted in the incidence of MCC since 2005. Therefore, the cohort was divided into two groups: the "early" group with time of diagnosis between years 1986 and 2004 and the "late" group with time of diagnosis between 2005 and 2016. The multitude of different treatment combinations is a relatively new phenomenon; before the year 2005, only 11 treatments or treatment combinations were used for MCC patients. Our data show that combining radiation therapy with simple excision provided a survival advantage, which was, however, lost after adjustment for stage or age. Our registry study serves as a baseline treatment efficacy comparison as we move into the age of immunotherapy in MCC. Standardizing the treatment of MCC patients in Finland requires more work on awareness and multidisciplinary co-operation.

Multidisciplinary transcatheter aortic valve replacement heart team programme improves mortality in aortic stenosis.

Objectives: To analyse the effect of the implementation of a transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and multidisciplinary heart team programme on mortality in severe aortic stenosis (AS). Methods: A retrospective, observational cohort study was performed using the echocardiography, cardiothoracic surgery and TAVR databases between 1 January 2006 and 31 December 2016. Outcomes were compared between the pre- and post-TAVR programme eras in a tertiary referral centre providing transcatheter and surgical interventions for AS.All-cause mortality within 5 years from diagnosis was determined for 3399 patients with echocardiographically defined severe AS. Results: Of 3399 patients, there were 210 deaths (6.2%) at 30 days and 1614 deaths (47.5%) at 5 years.Overall, patients diagnosed in the post-TAVR programme era were older, with a lower ejection fraction and more severe AS, but were less comorbid.Among 705 patients undergoing intervention, those in the post-TAVR programme era were older, with a lower ejection fraction and more severe AS but no significant differences in comorbidities.Using an inverse probability weighted cohort and a Cox proportional hazards model, a significant mortality benefit was noted between eras alone (HR=0.86, 95% CI 0.77 to 0.97, p=0.015). When matching for age, comorbidities and valve severity, this benefit was more evident (HR=0.82, 95% CI 0.73 to 0.92, p=0.001).After adjusting for the presence of aortic valve intervention, a significant benefit persisted (HR=0.84, 95% CI 0.75 to 0.95, p=0.005). Conclusion: The implementation of a TAVR programme is associated with a mortality benefit in the population with severe AS, independent of the expansion of access to intervention.