Patterns of care in the management of high-risk COPD in the US (2011-2019): an observational study for the CONQUEST quality improvement program.

Background: In this study, we compare management of patients with high-risk chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the United States to national and international guidelines and quality standards, including the COllaboratioN on QUality improvement initiative for achieving Excellence in STandards of COPD care (CONQUEST).

Methods: Patients were identified from the DARTNet Practice Performance Registry and categorized into three high-risk cohorts in each year from 2011 to 2019: newly diagnosed (≤12 months after diagnosis), already diagnosed, and patients with potential undiagnosed COPD. Patients were considered high-risk if they had a history of exacerbations or likely exacerbations (respiratory consult with prescribed medication).

Identification of key opportunities for optimising the management of high-risk COPD patients in the UK using the CONQUEST quality standards: an observational longitudinal study.

Background: This study compared management of high-risk COPD patients in the UK to national and international management recommendations and quality standards, including the COllaboratioN on QUality improvement initiative for achieving Excellence in STandards of COPD care (CONQUEST). The primary comparison was in 2019, but trends from 2000 to 2019 were also examined.

Methods: Patients identified in the Optimum Patient Care Research Database were categorised as newly diagnosed (≤12 months after diagnosis), already diagnosed, and potential COPD (smokers having exacerbation-like events).

Leveraging Administrative Data to Better Understand and Address Child Maltreatment: A Scoping Review of Data Linkage Studies.

Background: This scoping review aimed to overview studies that used administrative data linkage in the context of child maltreatment to improve our understanding of the value that data linkage may confer for policy, practice, and research.

Methods: We searched MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and ERIC electronic databases in June 2019 and May 2020 for studies that linked two or more datasets (at least one of which was administrative in nature) to study child maltreatment. We report findings with numerical and narrative summary.

Characteristics of patients in platform C19, a COVID-19 research database combining primary care electronic health record and patient reported information.

Background: Data to better understand and manage the COVID-19 pandemic is urgently needed. However, there are gaps in information stored within even the best routinely-collected electronic health records (EHR) including test results, remote consultations for suspected COVID-19, shielding, physical activity, mental health, and undiagnosed or untested COVID-19 patients. Observational and Pragmatic Research Institute (OPRI) Singapore and Optimum Patient Care (OPC) UK established Platform C19, a research database combining EHR data and bespoke patient questionnaire.

Risk Predictors and Symptom Features of Long COVID Within a Broad Primary Care Patient Population Including Both Tested and Untested Patients.

Introduction: Symptoms may persist after the initial phases of COVID-19 infection, a phenomenon termed long COVID. Current knowledge on long COVID has been mostly derived from test-confirmed and hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Data are required on the burden and predictors of long COVID in a broader patient group, which includes both tested and untested COVID-19 patients in primary care.

Recognising Colorectal Cancer in Primary Care.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer worldwide. Primary care professionals can play an important role in both prevention and early detection of CRC. Most CRCs are attributed to modifiable lifestyle factors, which can be addressed within primary care, and promotion of population-based screening programmes can aid early cancer detection in asymptomatic patients.

Faecal immunochemical test to triage patients with abdominal symptoms for suspected colorectal cancer in primary care: review of international use and guidelines.

Background: Recently, faecal immunochemical tests (FITs) have been introduced for investigation of primary care patients with low-risk symptoms of colorectal cancer (CRC), but recommendations vary across the world. This systematic review of clinical practice guidelines aimed to determine how FITs are used in symptomatic primary care patients and the underpinning evidence for these guidelines.

Methods: MEDLINE, Embase and TRIP databases were systematically searched, from 1 November 2008 to 1 November 2018 for guidelines on the assessment of patients with symptoms suggestive of CRC.

Variation in the initial assessment and investigation for ovarian cancer in symptomatic women: a systematic review of international guidelines.

Background: Women with ovarian cancer can present with a variety of symptoms and signs, and an increasing range of tests are available for their investigation. A number of international guidelines provide advice for the initial assessment of possible ovarian cancer in symptomatic women. We systematically identified and reviewed the consistency and quality of these documents.

Quality of the diagnostic process in patients presenting with symptoms suggestive of bladder or kidney cancer: a systematic review.

Objectives: In urological cancers, sex disparity exists for survival, with women doing worse than men. Suboptimal evaluation of presenting symptoms may contribute.

Design: We performed a systematic review examining factors affecting the quality of the diagnostic process of patients presenting with symptoms of bladder or kidney cancer.

Transitional safety incidents as reported by patients and healthcare professionals in the Netherlands: A descriptive study.

Background: Care transitions between general practice and hospital are hazardous regarding patient safety. For developing an improvement strategy adjusted to local settings, understanding of type and potential causes of transitional safety incidents (TSIs) is needed.

Objectives: To provide a broad overview of the nature of TSIs reported by patients and healthcare professionals.

The transitional risk and incident questionnaire was valid and reliable for measuring transitional patient safety from the patients' perspective.

Objective: This study describes the development and validation of the Transitional Risk and Incident Questionnaire (TRIQ), which measures transitional patient safety from the patients' perspective.

Methods: The TRIQ was developed based on literature review, tested in the target group using a think-aloud procedure, and validated by a cross-sectional study among patients receiving health care at the interface between general practice and hospital care in two regions in the Netherlands. Exploratory factor analysis was performed, and internal consistency was assessed.

Validity and reliability of a medical record review method identifying transitional patient safety incidents in merged primary and secondary care patients' records.

Objective: Inadequate information transfer during transitions in healthcare is a major patient safety issue. Aim of this study was to pilot a review of medical records to identify transitional safety incidents (TSIs) for use in a large intervention study and assess its reliability and validity.

Design: A retrospective medical record review study.

Measurement tools and outcome measures used in transitional patient safety; a systematic review.

Background: Patients are at risk for harm when treated simultaneously by healthcare providers from different healthcare organisations. To assess current practice and improvements of transitional patient safety, valid measurement tools are needed.

Aim And Methods: To identify and appraise all measurement tools and outcomes that measure aspects of transitional patient safety, PubMed, Cinahl, Embase and Psychinfo were systematically searched.

In-hospital prescription changes and documentation in the medical records of the primary care provider: results from a medical record review study.

Background: An increasing number of transitions due to substitution of care of more complex patients urges insight in and improvement of transitional medication safety. While lack of documentation of prescription changes and/or lack of information exchange between settings likely cause adverse drug events, frequency of occurrence of these causes is not clear. Therefore, we aimed at determining the frequency of in-hospital patients’ prescription changes that are not or incorrectly documented in their primary care provider’s (PCP) medical record.

Validation of a questionnaire measuring transitional patient safety climate indicated differences in transitional patient safety climate between primary and secondary care.

Objectives: This study describes the development and validation of the TRAnsitional patient safety Climate Evaluation (TRACE) questionnaire, measuring transitional patient safety climate from the perspective of general practitioners and hospital physicians. Patient safety climate reflects the professionals' perception of the organizational patient safety culture.

Study Design And Setting: In the development of the TRACE, we adjusted existing questionnaires on patient safety culture.

Pilot study on identification of incidents in healthcare transitions and concordance between medical records and patient interview data.

Objective: To investigate whether transitional incidents can be identified from the medical records of the general practitioners and the hospital and to assess the concordance of transitional incidents between medical records and patient interviews.

Design: A pilot study.

Setting: The study was conducted in 2 regions in the Netherlands: a rural and an urban region.

Exploring patient safety culture in primary care.

Objective: To explore perceptions of safety culture in nine different types of primary care professions and to study possible differences.

Design: Cross-sectional survey.

Setting: Three hundred and thirteen practices from nine types of primary care profession groups in the Netherlands.

Three life years gained after reperfusion therapy in acute myocardial infarction: 25-30 years after a randomized controlled trial.

Aim: Reperfusion therapy in acute myocardial infarction reduces infarct size and increases hospital survival. We investigated whether the benefit of reperfusion therapy for myocardial infarction was sustained long-term and assessed the gain in life expectancy by reperfusion therapy.

Methods And Results: We analysed the outcome of 533 patients (mean age 56 years, 82% men), who were randomized to either reperfusion therapy or conventional therapy during 1980-1985.