Optimizing care coordination to address social determinants of health needs for dual-use veterans.

Background: Veterans increasingly utilize both the Veteran's Health Administration (VA) and non-VA hospitals (dual-users). Dual-users are at increased risk of fragmented care and adverse outcomes and often do not receive necessary follow-up care addressing social determinants of health (SDOH). We developed a Veteran-informed social worker-led Advanced Care Coordination (ACC) program to decrease fragmented care and provide longitudinal care coordination addressing SDOH for dual-users accessing non-VA emergency departments (EDs) in two communities.

VA Care Coordination Program Increased Primary Care Visits and Improved Transitional Care for Veterans Post Non-VA Hospital Discharge.

Veterans are increasingly eligible for non-VA care through the Veteran Health Administration (VA) Maintaining Internal Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Networks Act while maintaining care in the VA. Continuity of care is challenging when delivered across multiple systems resulting in avoidable complications. The Community Hospital Transitions Program (CHTP) intervention was developed to address challenges veterans face post non-VA hospitalization.

Making Implementation Science More Rapid: Use of the RE-AIM Framework for Mid-Course Adaptations Across Five Health Services Research Projects in the Veterans Health Administration.

Implementation science frameworks have helped advance translation of research to practice. They have been widely used for planning and evaluation, but seldom to inform and guide mid-course adjustments to intervention and implementation strategies. This study developed an innovative methodology using the RE-AIM framework and related tools to guide mid-course assessments and adaptations across five diverse health services improvement projects in the Veterans Health Administration (VA).

The advanced care coordination program: a protocol for improving transitions of care for dual-use veterans from community emergency departments back to the Veterans Health Administration (VA) primary care.

Background: Veterans who access both the Veterans Health Administration (VA) and non-VA health care systems require effective care coordination to avoid adverse health care outcomes. These dual-use Veterans have diverse and complex needs. Gaps in transitions of care between VA and non-VA systems are common.

Perspectives of Clinicians, Staff, and Veterans in Transitioning Veterans from non-VA Hospitals to Primary Care in a Single VA Healthcare System.

Background: Veterans with healthcare needs utilize both Veterans Health Administration (VA) and non-VA hospitals. These dual-use veterans are at high risk of adverse outcomes due to the lack of coordination for safe transitions.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to understand the barriers and facilitators to providing high-quality continuum of care for veterans transitioning from non-VA hospitals to the VA primary care setting.

Using the Practical, Robust Implementation and Sustainability Model (PRISM) to qualitatively assess multilevel contextual factors to help plan, implement, evaluate, and disseminate health services programs.

There is consensus in dissemination and implementation (D&I) science that addressing contextual factors is critically important for understanding translation of health care delivery interventions but little agreement on which contextual factors are key determinants of implementation outcomes. We describe the application of the Practical Robust Implementation and Sustainability Model (PRISM), which expands the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework to identify contextual factors across four diverse programs. Multiple qualitative methods were used to collect multilevel, multistakeholder perspectives from the adopting organizations and staff.

Study protocol: improving the transition of care from a non-network hospital back to the patient's medical home.

Background: The process of transitioning Veterans to primary care following a non-Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitalization can be challenging. Poor transitions result in medical complications and increased hospital readmissions. The goal of this transition of care quality improvement (QI) project is to identify gaps in the current transition process and implement an intervention that bridges the gap and improves the current transition of care process within the Eastern Colorado Health Care System (ECHCS).

Widespread Bordetella parapertussis Infections-Wisconsin, 2011-2012: Clinical and Epidemiologic Features and Antibiotic Use for Treatment and Prevention.

Background: During October 2011-December 2012, concurrent with a statewide pertussis outbreak, 443 Bordetella parapertussis infections were reported among Wisconsin residents. We examined clinical features of patients with parapertussis and the effect of antibiotic use for treatment and prevention.

Methods: Patients with polymerase chain reaction results positive for B.

Completeness and accuracy of the wisconsin immunization registry: an evaluation coinciding with the beginning of meaningful use.

Context: Vaccination coverage rates can be improved through the application of complete and accurate immunization information systems (IISs).

Objective: Evaluate the completeness and accuracy of Wisconsin's IIS, the Wisconsin Immunization Registry (WIR).

Design: Cross-sectional evaluation, comparing vaccination medical records (MRs) from provider clinics with WIR records.

Enhancing emergency medicine initiatives with a quality improvement program: lessons learned in the emergency department of Tikur Anbessa Hospital, Addis Ababa Ethiopia.

Introduction: A Twinning Partnership between the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW) and Addis Ababa University (AAU) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia was formed to strengthen the development of emergency medical services at AAU's Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital (TASHI) through medical education and exchanges. The Twinning philosophy which emphasizes collaboration and joint learning was an ideal program in which QI program was incorporated to maximize success, promote sustainability, and reinforce basic principles for effective healthcare service delivery. This article describes the QI methodology, capacity building strategy, implementation approach, and lessons learned.

Estimating the effectiveness of tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis vaccine (Tdap) for preventing pertussis: evidence of rapidly waning immunity and difference in effectiveness by Tdap brand.

Background: We estimated the vaccine effectiveness (VE) of tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis vaccine (Tdap) for preventing pertussis among adolescents during a statewide outbreak of pertussis in Wisconsin during 2012.

Methods: We used the population-based Wisconsin Immunization Registry (WIR) to construct a cohort of Wisconsin residents born during 1998-2000 and collect Tdap vaccination histories. Reports of laboratory-confirmed pertussis with onset during 2012 were matched to WIR clients.