PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Some NHS trusts consistently outperform others on patient experience

Do some trusts deliver a consistently better experience for patients? An analysis of patient experience across acute care surveys in English NHS trusts

2012-03-15
(Press-News.org) Some NHS trusts consistently outperform others on a range of measures of patient experience, finds research published online in BMJ Quality & Safety.

Furthermore, the top performers tend to be Foundation Trusts and teaching hospitals, the study shows.

Patient experience is one of the five domains for assessing NHS performance (NHS Outcomes Framework) and is recognised internationally as a key dimension of healthcare quality.

But it is one of the more difficult areas to measure because of the many contributory factors involved, say the authors.

The authors, from health think-tank The King's Fund, and the Picker Institute Europe, used data from inpatient, outpatient and emergency care surveys from 145 hospital trusts in England for 2008 and 2009.

They looked at six areas (domains), which were common to the various surveys, to reflect patient experience. These were: cleanliness; dignity and respect; consistency of communication; patient involvement in decisions; information provision; and confidence in staff.

They then applied a series of statistical techniques to examine whether or not trust performance was consistent across the different surveys, and to identify factors associated with performance, such as foundation trust status and deprivation levels among the trust's patients.

Their analysis showed that, overall, trusts scored an average of 70 or higher out of 100 across all the surveys for patient experience, with the exception of information provision on issues such as drug side effects and danger signals to look out for after discharge.

Domains with the largest number of above average scoring trusts were dignity and respect (85 trusts) and consistency of communication (80 trusts). Domains with the smallest number of above average performers were confidence in staff (43 trusts) and patient involvement in decisions (50).

Domains with highest number of below average performers were information provision (52 trusts) and confidence in staff (40 trusts); those with the smallest number of below average performers were cleanliness (17 trusts) and involvement in decisions (8 trusts).

But the analysis identified certain trusts which performed consistently above or below average on all six domains in all three surveys.

One in five (21%) trusts performed above average in all the surveys. Most had Foundation Trust status, but not one was in London.

At the other end of the scale, six trusts (4%) performed below average in all the surveys. All these trusts were in London, and none had Foundation Trust or teaching hospital status.

Below average performers also had the highest average deprivation scores and the lowest proportion of patients from white backgrounds.

Feedback from patients from black and minority ethnic backgrounds shows that they are often less satisfied with the healthcare they receive than their white peers, which may have to do with language and cultural factors, say the authors.

But they say: "Population differences should never be seen as an 'excuse' or 'justification' for poor patient experience."

They suggest that the consistency of their findings indicate system wide successes or failures, and that some trusts are more successful than others at fostering a culture or mechanisms for delivering a good experience for their patients.

While the performance of trusts, overall, was skewed towards higher scores, the authors point out: "However, the survey results overall show considerable room for improvement."

INFORMATION:

END



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Heavy rucksacks storing up back problems for many school-kids

2012-03-15
Significant numbers of teens regularly carry rucksacks for school which top 10 to 15 per cent of their body weight and risk back pain and other related disorders, finds research published online in the Archives of Disease in Childhood. The problem is compounded by a predominantly sedentary lifestyle, say the researchers. They assessed the back health of 1403 pupils between the ages of 12 and 17, drawn from 11 schools in one province in North Western Spain. The teens were weighed twice - once without coats and other items likely to add weight, such as mobile phones, ...

Advice to breastfeed exclusively for 6 months may be 'unhelpful' and too idealistic

2012-03-15
Advising women to breastfeed exclusively for six months may be "unhelpful" and far too idealistic, suggests a qualitative study of new mothers, their partners, and close relatives, published in the online journal BMJ Open. Exclusive breastfeeding for six months is known to confer considerable health benefits for mother and baby, and many governments around the world endorse the World Health Organization recommendations to do so. But more realistic, incremental, and achievable goals should be set instead, particularly in countries that have struggled to meet targets ...

Dietary cadmium may be linked with breast cancer risk

2012-03-15
PHILADELPHIA — Dietary cadmium, a toxic metal widely dispersed in the environment and found in many farm fertilizers, may lead to an increased risk of breast cancer, according to a study published in Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research. Cadmium occurs at low concentrations naturally, but scientists are concerned because contamination of farmland mainly due to atmospheric deposition and use of fertilizers leads to higher uptake in plants. "Because of a high accumulation in agricultural crops, the main sources of dietary cadmium ...

Lung doctors expect respiratory diseases will worsen with global climate change

2012-03-15
Worldwide increases in the incidences of asthma, allergies, infectious and cardiovascular diseases will result from a variety of impacts of global climate change, including rising temperatures, worsening ozone levels in urban areas, the spread of desertification, and expansions of the ranges of communicable diseases as the planet heats up, the professional organization representing respiratory and airway physicians stated in a new position paper released today. The paper is published online and in print in the Proceedings of the American Thoracic Society. The society ...

Food stamp customers buy more at farmers' markets when point-of-sale system is available

Food stamp customers buy more at farmers markets when point-of-sale system is available
2012-03-15
Philadelphia, PA, March 15, 2012 – Record numbers of Americans are receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, as food stamps are now known, and many SNAP participants live in neighborhoods with little or no access to healthy food. A study conducted at the Clark Park Farmers' Market, in Philadelphia, PA, has found that making it easier for vendors to collect SNAP payments with electronic point-of-sale systems increased fresh produce sales to SNAP recipients by 38%. However, the costs associated with such systems may put them out of reach for farmers. ...

Higher European Union e-waste collection objective is unfeasible

2012-03-15
The forthcoming EU collection objective for discarded electrical equipment and energy saving lamps (e-waste) is only achievable if governments are prepared to introduce additional measures. By 2021, all EU countries will need to collect 65 percent of the average weight of equipment and lamps which was sold annually the three previous years. However, part of the e-waste is outside of the producers' reach, as this concerns legal or illegal exports, or because it has disappeared into the waste bin. This conclusion was reached during an international e-waste conference ...

4wholeness.com Bridges the Gap Between Traditional and Holistic Breast Cancer Care

2012-03-15
These days, there is a wide swath of online information readily available regarding treatment of and recovery from breast cancer. Finding a website that targets overall health and healing of the mind, body, and spirit is a challenging task for breast cancer patients, survivors, and the people closest to them. Finding doctors and other healthcare professionals who offer expertise grounded in an integrative approach of both holistic and allopathic medicine is an even more daunting search. At last, a website that joins these two audiences as one vibrant community is available: ...

Honkamp Krueger & Co., P.C. Jon F. Thoms and Michael P. Welbes Speak at Culver's Leading the True Blue Way 2012 Reunion

Honkamp Krueger & Co., P.C. Jon F. Thoms and Michael P. Welbes Speak at Culvers Leading the True Blue Way 2012 Reunion
2012-03-15
Jon F. Thoms, CPA, partner and Michael P. Welbes, CPA, ABV, partner of Honkamp Krueger & Co., P.C. (HK) recently addressed Culver's single and multi-unit franchisee owners at the Culver's Leading the True Blue Way 2012 Reunion in Phoenix, Arizona. Thoms presented "The Seven Steps of Fiscal Fitness." This presentation provided franchise owners the opportunity to learn about budgeting and business planning, understanding integrated financial statements, creating a useful accounting system and accounting functions. Welbes informed Culver's franchisee ...

Leading infectious diseases experts call for increased focus on protecting antibiotics

2012-03-15
Arlington, VA (March 15, 2012) — As the supply of life-saving antibiotics becomes increasingly threatened, infectious diseases experts urge healthcare systems and policymakers to step up efforts to protect patients by preserving the effectiveness of available antibiotics through antimicrobial stewardship initiatives. A new position paper from the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA), Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society (PIDS) outlines measures necessary to improve the use and ensure the impact of antibiotics ...

Monitoring antibiotic use cuts millions in wasteful spending, study finds

2012-03-15
CHICAGO (March 12, 2012)— Curbing unnecessary use of antibiotics is our best defense against the spread of drug-resistant infections. A new study suggests another benefit to antimicrobial stewardship: a potential cost savings of millions of dollars now wasted on therapies that don't help patients. The research is published in the April issue of Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, the journal of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, in a special topic issue focused on antimicrobial stewardship. Antimicrobial stewardship programs and interventions ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Are lifetimes of big appliances really shrinking?

Pink skies

Monkeys are world’s best yodellers - new research

Key differences between visual- and memory-led Alzheimer’s discovered

% weight loss targets in obesity management – is this the wrong objective?

An app can change how you see yourself at work

NYC speed cameras take six months to change driver behavior, effects vary by neighborhood, new study reveals

New research shows that propaganda is on the rise in China

Even the richest Americans face shorter lifespans than their European counterparts, study finds

Novel genes linked to rare childhood diarrhea

New computer model reveals how Bronze Age Scandinavians could have crossed the sea

Novel point-of-care technology delivers accurate HIV results in minutes

Researchers reveal key brain differences to explain why Ritalin helps improve focus in some more than others

Study finds nearly five-fold increase in hospitalizations for common cause of stroke

Study reveals how alcohol abuse damages cognition

Medicinal cannabis is linked to long-term benefits in health-related quality of life

Microplastics detected in cat placentas and fetuses during early pregnancy

Ancient amphibians as big as alligators died in mass mortality event in Triassic Wyoming

Scientists uncover the first clear evidence of air sacs in the fossilized bones of alvarezsaurian dinosaurs: the "hollow bones" which help modern day birds to fly

Alcohol makes male flies sexy

TB patients globally often incur "catastrophic costs" of up to $11,329 USD, despite many countries offering free treatment, with predominant drivers of cost being hospitalization and loss of income

Study links teen girls’ screen time to sleep disruptions and depression

Scientists unveil starfish-inspired wearable tech for heart monitoring

Footprints reveal prehistoric Scottish lagoons were stomping grounds for giant Jurassic dinosaurs

AI effectively predicts dementia risk in American Indian/Alaska Native elders

First guideline on newborn screening for cystic fibrosis calls for changes in practice to improve outcomes

Existing international law can help secure peace and security in outer space, study shows

Pinning down the process of West Nile virus transmission

UTA-backed research tackles health challenges across ages

In pancreatic cancer, a race against time

[Press-News.org] Some NHS trusts consistently outperform others on patient experience
Do some trusts deliver a consistently better experience for patients? An analysis of patient experience across acute care surveys in English NHS trusts