Mixed-Methods Evaluation of Real-Time Safety Reporting by Hospitalized Patients and Their Care Partners: The MySafeCare Application.

Objective: The aims of the study were to evaluate the amount and content of data patients and care partners reported using a real-time electronic safety tool compared with other reporting mechanisms and to understand their perspectives on safety concerns and reporting in the hospital.

Methods: This study used mixed methods including 20-month preimplementation and postimplementation trial evaluating MySafeCare, a web-based application, which allows hospitalized patients/care partners to report safety concerns in real time. The study compared MySafeCare submission rates for three hospital units (oncology acute care, vascular intermediate care, medical intensive care) with submissions rates of Patient Family Relations (PFR) Department, a hospital service to address patient/family concerns.

Applying User-Centered Design Methods to the Development of an mHealth Application for Use in the Hospital Setting by Patients and Care Partners.

Introduction: Developing an optimized and user-friendly mHealth application for patients and family members in the hospital environment presents unique challenges given the diverse patient population and patients' various states of well-being.

Objective: This article describes user-centered design methods and results for developing the patient and family facing user interface and functionality of MySafeCare, a safety reporting tool for hospitalized patients and their family members.

Methods: Individual and group usability sessions were conducted with specific testing scenarios for participants to follow to test the usability and functionality of the tool.

Estimated annual health care expenditures in individuals with peripheral arterial disease.

Objective: The clinical impact of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is well characterized and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Health care-related expenditures among individuals with PAD, particularly for patients, are not well described.

Methods: Health care-related expenditure data from the 2011 to 2014 Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Medical Expenditure Panel Surveys were analyzed for individuals with a diagnosis of PAD compared with U.

Comparison of risk factors for length of stay and readmission following lower extremity bypass surgery.

Objective: Recent initiatives to improve health care quality have focused attention on length of stay (LOS) and readmission rates for surgical patients, yet these two outcomes may be inversely related. This study was designed to elucidate the risk factors for both outcomes and to clarify the relationship between them in patients undergoing lower extremity bypass (LEB).

Methods: Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) patients who underwent LEB were identified from the 2007-2010 California State Inpatient Database.

Health-related quality-of-life outcomes after open versus endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair.

Objective: Endovascular repair (EVAR) of abdominal aortic aneurysms is a safe alternative to open aneurysm repair (OAR) in selected patients. The aim of this study was to compare the health-related quality-of-life (HR-QoL) outcomes of patients following EVAR and OAR.

Methods: A literature search of PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library identified five randomized trials that reported on HR-QoL in EVAR and OAR for elective management of infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms.

Comparing Preoperative Targets to Failure-to-Rescue for Surgical Mortality Improvement.

Background: Failure-to-rescue (FTR or death after postoperative complication) is thought to explain surgical mortality excesses across hospitals, and FTR is an emerging performance measure and target for quality improvement. We compared the FTR population to preoperatively identifiable subpopulations for their potential to close the mortality gap between lowest- and highest-mortality hospitals.

Study Design: Patients undergoing small bowel resection, pancreatectomy, colorectal resection, open abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, lower extremity arterial bypass, and nephrectomy were identified in the 2007 to 2011 Nationwide Inpatient Sample.

Distal esophageal foreign bodies: is it a common occurrence post-fundoplication requiring immediate intervention?

Objective: Dysphagia secondary to "tight" distal esophageal wraps are a well-known complication of Nissen fundoplication (NF). However, the literature makes no mention of distal esophageal foreign bodies (DEFB) appearing after NF. This study was undertaken to determine the occurrence of asymptomatic DEFB in children post-fundoplication.