Trends in pressure injury prevalence rates and average days to healing associated with adoption of a comprehensive wound care program and technology in skilled nursing facilities in the United States.

Introduction: A large SNF system in the United States adopted a holistic wound care model that included an AI DWMS to improve PI care.

Objective: To compare the trend in PI point prevalence rates and average days to healing linked to adopting technology in practice from 2021 to 2022, and to assess the rate of received PI F686 citations in facilities that adopted the technology compared with those that did not.

Methods: The study used the DWMS database to compare anonymized PI data assessed in 2021 (15 583 patients) vs 2022 (30 657 patients) from all SNF facilities that adopted the technology in 2021 and 2022.

Comparison of wound surface area measurements obtained using clinically validated artificial intelligence-based technology versus manual methods and the effect of measurement method on debridement code reimbursement cost.

Background: Evidence shows that ongoing accurate wound assessments using valid and reliable measurement methods is essential to effective wound monitoring and better wound care management. Relying on subjective interpretation in measuring wound dimensions and assuming a rectilinear shape of all wounds renders an inconsistent and inaccurate wound area measurement.

Objective: The authors investigated the discrepancy in wound area measurements using a DWMS versus TPR methods and compared debridement codes submitted for reimbursement by assessment method.

A time motion study of manual versus artificial intelligence methods for wound assessment.

Objectives: This time-motion study explored the amount of time clinicians spent on wound assessments in a real-world environment using wound assessment digital application utilizing Artificial Intelligence (AI) vs. manual methods. The study also aimed at comparing the proportion of captured quality wound images on the first attempt by the assessment method.

Exploring the use and challenges of implementing virtual visits during COVID-19 in primary care and lessons for sustained use.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has rapidly transformed how healthcare is delivered to limit the transmission of the virus. This descriptive cross-sectional study explored the current use of virtual visits in providing care among primary care providers in southwestern Ontario during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and the anticipated level of utilization post-pandemic. It also explored clinicians' perceptions of the available support tools and resources and challenges to incorporating virtual visits within primary care practices.

The impact of integrating electronic referral within a musculoskeletal model of care on wait time to receive orthopedic care in Ontario.

An MSK model of care for hip and knee patients integrated with an electronic referral solution (eReferral) has been deployed within four subregions across Ontario. Referrals are sent from primary care offices to a central intake (CI), where the referral forms are reviewed and forwarded, if appropriate, to a rapid access clinic (RAC) where patients are assessed by an advanced practice clinician (APC). The pragmatic design of eReferral allows for a seamless flow of electronic orthopedic referrals from primary care to CI.

Unnecessary ordering of magnetic resonance imaging of the knee: A retrospective chart review of referrals to orthopedic surgeons.

There is a noticeable increase in the unnecessary ordering of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of the knee in older patients. This quality improvement study assessed the frequency of unnecessary pre-consultation knee MRIs and investigated the effect on the outcome of the patients' consultation with the orthopedic surgeon. 650 medical charts of patients aged 55 years or older referred to an orthopedic clinic with knee complaints were reviewed.

A Framework for Evaluating Vendor Procurement in a Digital Health Project.

The eHealth Centre of Excellence, a Waterloo, Ontario-based organization that advances and promotes digital health initiatives in clinical care, developed and assessed an innovative evaluation procurement framework. The purpose of the framework was to assess and support long-term vendor-organization procurement partnerships to develop, improve and expand electronic referral (eReferral) solutions. The framework focused on six criteria: the quality of the eReferral solution, its implementation, the service provided, the extent of training and knowledge transfer, the quality of the vendor's team and the vendor's project experience.

Assessing Patient Satisfaction and Experience With an Electronic Referral Process.

Background And Objectives: Our study aimed to identify patients' perception of an eReferral process and e-mail notification system.

Methods: Patients within the Waterloo Wellington Local Health Integration Network who registered their e-mail address with physicians who adopted the eReferral system, and therefore received e-mail notifications of their booked appointment, were invited to complete an online satisfaction survey. This patient experience survey is an ongoing online link embedded within the confirmation e-mail of the booked appointment.

Using Digital Health to Support Best Practices: Impact of MRI Ordering Guidelines Embedded Within an Electronic Referral Solution.

Background: Between 2003 and 2012, the number of MRIs performed in Canada more than doubled to 1.7 million [1]. According to a 2010 Health Council of Canada report nearly 30% of MRIs were inappropriately ordered [2].

Do pictorial health warnings on waterpipe tobacco packs matter? Recall effectiveness among Egyptian waterpipe smokers & non-smokers.

Introduction: Despite the global rise in waterpipe tobacco smoking (WTS), the effectiveness of waterpipe tobacco health warnings remain understudied, especially in countries with high WTS rates. Egypt has been employing waterpipe tobacco labelling for a decade, however, their effectiveness is unknown. Our overall aim was to measure the effectiveness of pictorial health warnings (PHWs) on waterpipe tobacco packs (WTPs) through participant memory recall and to investigate whether they induced behavioural responses in waterpipe smokers and deterred uptake of WTS in non-smokers, examining the differentials of effectiveness among socio-demographic subgroups.

Plain packaging of waterpipe tobacco? A qualitative analysis exploring waterpipe smokers' and non-smokers' responses to enhanced versus existing pictorial health warnings in Egypt.

Objective: Despite the global increase in waterpipe tobacco smoking (WTS) including in Egypt, few studies have assessed the effectiveness of waterpipe tobacco (WT) health warnings. Egypt has used pictorial health warnings (PHWs) on waterpipe tobacco packs (WTPs) and has rotated these every two years since 2008. We explored in this qualitative study how participants perceived existing PHWs on WTPs, assessed how they interpreted novel plain packaging of WT featuring enhanced PHWs, and probed perceptions of how existing and novel sets would affect uptake or cessation of WTS.

Would placing pictorial health warnings on waterpipe devices reduce waterpipe tobacco smoking? A qualitative exploration of Egyptian waterpipe smokers' and non-smokers' responses.

Background: Although Egypt places four generic pictorial health warnings (PHWs) on the front and back half of waterpipe tobacco packs (WTPs), waterpipe tobacco smoking (WTS) rates have continued to rise. It has been suggested that PHWs would be more salient if placed on the waterpipe device itself. This qualitative study explored how participants perceived the effects placing PHWs on waterpipe devices would have on warning salience and uptake or quitting of WTS.

Vitamin D supplementation for bone health in adults with epilepsy: A systematic review.

Objective: Several antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) have been associated with a detrimental effect on bone health through a reduction in serum vitamin D. Subsequently, several studies have investigated the effect of vitamin D supplementation in persons with epilepsy being treated with AEDs. The present systematic review of published literature was conducted to determine the effect of vitamin D intervention on bone health in adults with epilepsy.

Graphic health warnings and their best position on waterpipes: A cross-sectional survey of expert and public opinion.

Introduction: Our aim was to assess the visibility and efficiency of graphic health warnings (GHWs) on waterpipe tobacco packs (WTPs) and to explore other more effective places to display them for better impact. We also evaluated the visibility of GHWs when placed on the waterpipe device.

Methods: We conducted 3 cross-sectional study phases using face-to-face survey questionnaires in 2014-2015.

Knowledge, Perceptions and Attitudes toward Chronic Pain and Its Management: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Frontline Pharmacists in Ontario, Canada.

The treatment of chronic pain consumes a significant share of primary care. Community and family health team pharmacists frequently see patients with chronic pain, thus have the opportunity to improve their care. To assess the knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes of Ontario pharmacists, we invited 5,324 Ontario pharmacists, to participate in an online survey we developed using Qualtrics.