What do family caregivers of patients with life-threatening diseases need from healthcare professionals? A qualitative study.

Objectives: To explore the common ground of what family caregivers need in their various roles (caregiver, care recipient and patient's partner, child or friend) from healthcare professionals across healthcare settings and disease trajectories.

Design: Interviews were conducted with family caregivers of patients with life-threatening diseases who were treated at home, in hospitals, nursing homes or hospices between 2017 and 2022. Reflexive thematic analysis was performed.

Tools and Strategies to Integrate Multi-Domain Information for Personalized Decision-Making in Oncological Care Pathways: A Scoping Review.

Introduction: There is a growing interest in personalized decision-making in oncology. According to the Integrated Oncological Decision-Making Model (IODM), decisions should be based on information from three domains: (1) medical technical information, (2) patients' general health status and (3) patients' preferences and goals. Little is known about what kind of tool/strategy is used to collect the information, by whom this is collected (nurse, clinician) when this is collected (moment in the care pathway), and how this information should be collected and integrated within decision-making in oncological care pathways, and what its impact is.

Understanding how a personalized risk prediction tool (VALUE-PERSARC) supports informed treatment decisions of soft-tissue sarcomas patients in daily clinical practice - A mixed methods study.

Introduction: Risk prediction models (RPM) can help soft-tissue sarcoma(STS) patients and clinicians make informed treatment decisions by providing them with estimates of (disease-free) survival for different treatment options. However, it is unknown how RPMs are used in the clinical encounter to support decision-making. This study aimed to understand how a PERsonalised SARcoma Care (PERSARC) RPM is used to support treatment decisions and which barriers and facilitators influence its use in daily clinical practice.

Barriers and facilitators for reducing low-value home-based nursing care: A qualitative exploratory study among homecare professionals.

Aim: To explore barriers and facilitators for reducing low-value home-based nursing care.

Design: Qualitative exploratory study.

Method: Seven focus group interviews and two individual interviews were conducted with homecare professionals, managers and quality improvement staff members within seven homecare organizations.

DOSAGE study: protocol for a phase III non-inferiority randomised trial investigating dose-reduced chemotherapy for advanced colorectal cancer in older patients.

Introduction: Treating older adults with chemotherapy remains a challenge, given their under-representation in clinical trials and the lack of robust treatment guidelines for this population. Moreover, older patients, especially those with frailty, have an increased risk of developing chemotherapy-related toxicity, resulting in a decreased quality of life (QoL), increased hospitalisations and high healthcare costs. Phase II trials have suggested that upfront dose reduction of chemotherapy can reduce toxicity rates while maintaining efficacy, leading to fewer treatment discontinuations and an improved QoL.

Bridging the gap: facilitating the use of rheumatology research results in clinical practice with hybrid implementation effectiveness studies.

The implementation of proven effective pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions into routine rheumatology practice is a lengthy and complex process. Bridging this gap between research and practice is crucial. Hybrid implementation effectiveness studies, integrating effectiveness and implementation aspects, emerge as a proactive and innovative solution to shorten the process of translation of proven interventions into clinical practice.

Linking Patient-Reported Outcome Measure Scores to Adverse Event Data to Gain Insight into Overestimation of Postoperative Patient-Reported Outcome Measure Improvement After Total Hip Arthroplasty and Total Knee Arthroplasty Due to Selective Nonresponse.

Background: The purpose of the study was to gain insight into how clinically relevant improvement in patient-reported outcome measure scores after total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) may be underestimated or overestimated, we compared patient-reported outcome measure respondents and nonrespondents on their adverse event rates and assessed whether adverse event occurrence was associated with clinically relevant patient-reported outcome measure improvement from those without adverse events.

Methods: All primary THAs and TKAs performed in 19 Dutch hospitals between January 2017 and December 2019 were included. The hip disability and osteoarthritis outcome score-physical function short form (HOOS-PS) and knee injury and osteoarthritis outcome score-physical function short form (KOOS-PS) were used to assess the physical function after THA and TKA, respectively.

Geriatric Assessment in CKD Care: An Implementation Study.

Rationale & Objective: Older people with progressive chronic kidney disease (CKD) have complex health care needs. Geriatric evaluation preceding decision making for kidney replacement is recommended in guidelines, but implementation is lacking in routine care. We aimed to evaluate implementation of geriatric assessment in CKD care.

[Paediatricians report an increased demand for diagnostic tests for reassurance].

Objective: Test decisions depend on the context in which health care is delivered. We interviewed paediatricians about perceived societal developments and their influence on diagnostic testing.

Design: Qualitative interview study.

Changes in Health-Related Quality of Life following Surgery in Patients with High-Grade Extremity Soft-Tissue Sarcoma: A Prospective Longitudinal Study.

Introduction: Changes in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) during the diagnostic and treatment trajectory of high-grade extremity soft-tissue sarcoma (eSTS) has rarely been investigated for adults (18-65 y) and the elderly (aged ≥65 y), despite a potential variation in challenges from diverse levels of physical, social, or work-related activities. This study assesses HRQoL from time of diagnosis to one year thereafter among adults and the elderly with eSTS.

Methods: HRQoL of participants from the VALUE-PERSARC trial ( = 97) was assessed at diagnosis and 3, 6 and 12 months thereafter, utilizing the PROMIS Global Health (GH), PROMIS Physical Function (PF) and EQ-5D-5L.

Reduction in use of MRI and arthroscopy among patients with degenerative knee disease in independent treatment centers versus general hospitals: a time series analysis.

The use of MRI and arthroscopy are considered low-value care in most patients with degenerative knee disease. To reduce these modalities, there have been multiple efforts to increase awareness. Reductions have been shown for general hospitals (GH), but it is unclear whether this may be partly explained by a shift of patients receiving these modalities in independent treatment centers (ITCs).

Substantial Variation in Decision Making to Perform Subacromial Decompression Surgery for Subacromial Pain Syndrome Between Orthopaedic Shoulder Surgeons for Identical Clinical Scenarios: A Case-Vignette Study.

Purpose: To provide further insight into the variation in decision making to perform subacromial decompression (SAD) surgery in patients with subacromial pain syndrome (SAPS) and its influencing factors.

Methods: Between November 2021 and February 2022, we invited 202 Dutch Shoulder and Elbow Society members to participate in a cross-sectional Web-based survey including 4 clinical scenarios of SAPS patients. Scenarios varied in patient characteristics, clinical presentation, and other contextual factors.

(Cost-)effectiveness of an individualised risk prediction tool (PERSARC) on patient's knowledge and decisional conflict among soft-tissue sarcomas patients: protocol for a parallel cluster randomised trial (the VALUE-PERSARC study).

Introduction: Current treatment decision-making in high-grade soft-tissue sarcoma (STS) care is not informed by individualised risks for different treatment options and patients' preferences. Risk prediction tools may provide patients and professionals insight in personalised risks and benefits for different treatment options and thereby potentially increase patients' knowledge and reduce decisional conflict. The VALUE-PERSARC study aims to assess the (cost-)effectiveness of a personalised risk assessment tool (PERSARC) to increase patients' knowledge about risks and benefits of treatment options and to reduce decisional conflict in comparison with usual care in high-grade extremity STS patients.

Barriers and Facilitators to the Implementation of the Early-Onset Sepsis Calculator: A Multicenter Survey Study.

Prior studies demonstrated the neonatal early-onset sepsis (EOS) calculator's potential in drastically reducing antibiotic prescriptions, and its international adoption is increasing rapidly. To optimize the EOS calculator's impact, successful implementation is crucial. This study aimed to identify key barriers and facilitators to inform an implementation strategy.

Longer-term quality of care, effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness of implementing a model of care for osteoarthritis: A cluster-randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To assess the quality of care, effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness over 12 months after implementing a structured model of care for hip and knee osteoarthritis (OA) in primary healthcare as compared to usual care.

Design: In this pragmatic cluster-randomized, controlled trial with a stepped-wedge cohort design, we recruited 40 general practitioners (GPs), 37 physiotherapists (PTs), and 393 patients with symptomatic hip or knee OA from six municipalities (clusters) in Norway. The model included the delivery of a 3-hour patient education and 8-12 weeks individually tailored exercise programs, and interactive workshops for GPs and PTs.

What information sources do Dutch medical specialists use in medical decision-making: a qualitative interview study.

Objective: To explore what information sources medical specialists currently use to inform their medical decision-making.

Design: Qualitative, semistructured interviews.

Setting And Participants: A total of 20 semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 surgeons and 10 internal medicine specialists who work in academic and/or regional hospitals in the Netherlands.

Follow-Up after Curative Surgical Treatment of Soft-Tissue Sarcoma for Early Detection of Recurrence: Which Patients Have More or Fewer Visits than Advised in Guidelines?

Introduction: Follow-up (FU) in soft-tissue sarcoma (STS) patients is designed for early detection of disease recurrence. Current guidelines are not evidenced-based and not tailored to patient or tumor characteristics, so they remain debated, particularly given concerns about cost, radiation frequency, and over-testing. This study assesses the extent to which STS patients received guideline-concordant FU and to characterize which type of patients received more or fewer visits than advised.

Health-Related Quality of Life of Bone and Soft-Tissue Tumor Patients around the Time of Diagnosis.

Background: Bone and soft-tissue tumor patients experience long-lasting physical and psychological challenges. It is unknown to what extent Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) is already affected during the diagnostic process. This study assesses the HRQoL of bone and soft-tissue tumor patients around time of diagnosis and explores which patient or tumor characteristics are associated with a reduced HRQoL.

The relationship between publication of high-quality evidence and changes in the volume and trend of subacromial decompression surgery for patients with subacromial pain syndrome in hospitals across Australia, Europe and the United States: a controlled interrupted time series analysis.

Aims: To evaluate the extent to which publication of high-quality randomised controlled trials(RCTs) in 2018 was associated with a change in volume or trend of subacromial decompression(SAD) surgery in patients with subacromial pain syndrome(SAPS) treated in hospitals across various countries.

Methods: Routinely collected administrative data of the Global Health Data@work collaborative were used to identify SAPS patients who underwent SAD surgery in six hospitals from five countries (Australia, Belgium, Netherlands, United Kingdom, United States) between 01/2016 and 02/2020. Following a controlled interrupted time series design, segmented Poisson regression was used to compare trends in monthly SAD surgeries before(01/2016-01/2018) and after(02/2018-02/2020) publication of the RCTs.

Educational readiness among health professionals in rheumatology: low awareness of EULAR offerings and unfamiliarity with the course content as major barriers-results of a EULAR-funded European survey.

Background: Ongoing education of health professionals in rheumatology (HPR) is critical for high-quality care. An essential factor is education readiness and a high quality of educational offerings. We explored which factors contributed to education readiness and investigated currently offered postgraduate education, including the European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) offerings.

Diagnostic testing in children: A qualitative study of pediatricians' considerations.

Aims And Objectives: Studies in adult medicine have shown that physicians base testing decisions on the patient's clinical condition but also consider other factors, including local practice or patient expectations. In pediatrics, physicians and parents jointly decide on behalf of a (young) child. This might demand more explicit and more complex deliberations, with sometimes conflicting interests.

Impact of Active Disinvestment on Decision-Making for Surgery in Patients With Subacromial Pain Syndrome: A Qualitative Semi-structured Interview Study Among Hospital Sales Managers and Orthopedic Surgeons.

Background: Withdrawal of reimbursement for low-value care through a policy change, ie, active disinvestment, is considered a potentially effective de-implementation strategy. However, previous studies have shown conflicting results and the mechanism through which active disinvestment may be effective is unclear. This study explored how the active disinvestment initiative regarding subacromial decompression (SAD) surgery for subacromial pain syndrome (SAPS) in the Netherlands influenced clinical decision-making around surgery, including the perspectives of orthopedic surgeons and hospital sales managers.

Practice of Supporting Family Caregivers of Patients with Life-Threatening Diseases: A Two-phase Study Among Healthcare Professionals.

Although support for family caregivers is an essential component of palliative care, routine provision of such support is often lacking. To improve support for family caregivers, we assessed current practice and influencing factors as perceived by healthcare professionals. A two-phase study was conducted including a survey exploring healthcare professionals' practice of supporting family caregivers in Western urbanized Netherlands in 2017, and focus groups exploring facilitators and barriers to supporting family caregivers in 2018.