NHS healthcare providers: working with choice and competition

"Being able to choose a provider can directly benefit patients. Effective patient choice incentivises providers to deliver higher quality and more efficient services than would otherwise be the case. For choice to be effective, patients need to be well informed about the options that are available to them. Patients need to know when they have choices, what choices are available, and how the different options compare."

NHS healthcare providers: working with choice and competition
Monitor
September 2014

Find out more here.

Estimating NHS and social care spend: a tool for commissioners

"This Excel-based tool aims to help NHS commissioners by approximating how their local care economy spends its money by age group, patient group and care settings, and how this may evolve over time. By filling in some basic variables, commissioners can create a quick, indicative patient segmentation for their locality."

Estimating NHS and social care spend: a tool for commissioners
Monitor
September 2014

Access the tool and find out more here.

Priorities for the next government

"The next government must ensure that the focus on improving quality of care established in the wake of the Francis report is sustained. It will also need to set in train a transformation of services to meet the needs of patients more effectively."

Priorities for the next government
The King's Fund
September 2014

Read more here.

Multi-level factors influence the implementation and use of complex innovations in cancer care

"The implementation of innovations (i.e., new tools and practices) in healthcare organizations remains a significant challenge. The objective of this study was to examine the key interpersonal, organizational, and system level factors that influenced the implementation and use of synoptic reporting tools in three specific areas of cancer care"

Multi-level factors influence the implementation and use of complex innovations in cancer care: a multiple case study of synoptic reporting

R Urquhart, GA Porter, J Sargeant, L Jackson, E Grunfeld
Implementation Science 2014, 9:121

Read more here.

My NHS: Open data for better services

The Department of Health and NHS England have released a new website that aims to "support transparency and drive quality" by making performance data more available to patients. The My NHS site contains performance statistics for hospitals, social care services, and for public health services and outcomes.

Access the website here.

Urgent and planned care: operational resilience and capacity planning

"Guidance to support NHS healthcare providers and commissioners with their planning for operational resilience during 2014/15."

Urgent and planned care: operational resilience and capacity planning for 2014/15
Monitor, NHS England and NHS Trust Development Authority
June 2014

Read more here.

Facilitators and barriers to applying a national quality registry for quality improvement in stroke care

"the quality improvement process needs to be facilitated by stakeholders collaborating within and outside the context, who know how to initiate, perform, and evaluate quality improvement, and who have the resources to do so."

Facilitators and barriers to applying a national quality registry for quality improvement in stroke care
AC Eldh, M Fredriksson, C Halford, L Wallin, T Dahlström, S Vengberg, U Winblad
BMC Health Services Research 2014, 14:354

Read more here.

Organising health care services for people with an acquired brain injury

"The review found evidence to support integrated care, early supported discharge and quality monitoring interventions however, this evidence was based on studies conducted with people following stroke and may not be appropriate for all people with an ABI."

Organising health care services for people with an acquired brain injury: an overview of systematic reviews and randomised controlled trials
K Laver et al.
BMC Health Services Research 2014, 14:397

Read more here.

Consensus on quality indicators to assess the organisation of palliative cancer and dementia care

"International experts selected a set of 23 QIs for the organisation of palliative care. Although we particularly focused on the organisation of cancer and dementia palliative care, most QIs are generic and are applicable for other types of diseases as well."

Consensus on quality indicators to assess the organisation of palliative cancer and dementia care applicable across national healthcare systems and selected by international experts
J van Riet Paap, M Vernooij-Dassen, R Dröes, L Radbruch, K Vissers,Y Engels
BMC Health Services Research 2014, 14:396

Read more here.

Self-management support interventions to reduce health care utilisation without compromising outcomes

"Self-management support interventions can reduce health service utilization without compromising patient health outcomes, although effects were generally small, and the evidence was strongest in respiratory and cardiovascular disorders. Further work is needed to determine which components of self-management support are most effective."

Self-management support interventions to reduce health care utilisation without compromising outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis
M Panagioti et al.
BMC Health Services Research 2014, 14:356

Read more here.

British Orthopaedic Association commissioning guides

The British Orthopaedic Association and Royal College of Surgeons have developed a range of guides to support commissioning. The guides are currently available for the following conditions:

• Painful deformed great toe in adults
• Painful tingling fingers
• Pain arising from the hip in adults
• Painful osteoarthritis of the knee
• Low back pain
• Subacromial shoulder pain

Access the guides here.

Determinants of treatment plan implementation in multidisciplinary team meetings for patients with chronic diseases

"Greater multidisciplinarity is not necessarily associated with more effective decision making. Explicit goals and procedures are also crucial. Decision implementation should be routinely monitored to ensure the equitable provision of care."

Determinants of treatment plan implementation in multidisciplinary team meetings for patients with chronic diseases: a mixed-methods study
R Raine et al.
BMJ Quality and Safety 2014;23:867-876

Read more here.

User-generated quality standards for youth mental health in primary care

"The development of patient-generated quality standards may offer a more formal method of incorporating the views of service users into quality improvement initiatives. This method can be adapted for generating quality standards applicable to other patient groups."

User-generated quality standards for youth mental health in primary care: a participatory research design using mixed methods
T Graham, D Rose, J Murray, M Ashworth, A Tylee
BMJ Quality and Safety 2014;23:857-866

Read more here.

Tweets about hospital quality: a mixed methods study

"Only a small proportion of tweets directed at hospitals discuss quality of care and there was no clear relationship between Twitter sentiment and other measures of quality, potentially limiting Twitter as a medium for quality monitoring. However, tweets did contain information useful to target quality improvement activity"

Tweets about hospital quality: a mixed methods study
F Greaves, AA Laverty, D Ramirez Cano, K Moilanen, S Pulman, A Darzi1, C Millett
BMJ Quality and Safety 2014;23:838-846

Read more here.

WalkRounds in neonatal intensive care units is associated with a better patient safety culture and less caregiver burnout

"WalkRounds are linked to patient safety and burnout. In NICUs, where they occurred more often, the workplace appears to be a better place to deliver and to receive care.

Exposure to Leadership WalkRounds in neonatal intensive care units is associated with a better patient safety culture and less caregiver burnout
JB Sexton et al.
BMJ Quality and Safety 2014;23:814-822

Read more here.

Improving patient discharge and reducing hospital readmissions by using Intervention Mapping

"There is a growing impetus to reorganize the hospital discharge process to reduce avoidable readmissions and costs. The aim of this study was to provide insight into hospital discharge problems and underlying causes, and to give an overview of solutions that guide providers and policy-makers in improving hospital discharge."

Improving patient discharge and reducing hospital readmissions by using Intervention Mapping
G Hesselink et al.
BMC Health Services Research 2014, 14:389

Read more here.

Strategies to improve the efficiency and utility of multidisciplinary team meetings in urology cancer care

"This study is the first to explore which areas of urology MDT working healthcare professionals perceive to be valuable, and how MDT working might be improved in terms of effectiveness and efficiency."

Strategies to improve the efficiency and utility of multidisciplinary team meetings in urology cancer care: a survey study
BW Lamb, RT Jalil, N Sevdalis, C Vincent, JSA Green
BMC Health Services Research 2014, 14:377

Read more here.

Societal cost-effectiveness analysis of the 21-gene assay in early-stage breast cancer in Japan

"The 21-gene assay for women with estrogen-receptor–positive, lymph-node–negative, early-stage breast cancer is projected to be cost-effective in Japan."

Societal cost-effectiveness analysis of the 21-gene assay in estrogen-receptor–positive, lymph-node–negative early-stage breast cancer in Japan
H Yamauchi et al.
BMC Health Services Research 2014, 14:372

Read more here.

Implementing electronic health records in hospitals: a systematic literature review

"Although EHR systems are anticipated as having positive effects on the performance of hospitals, their implementation is a complex undertaking. This systematic review reveals reasons for this complexity and presents a framework of 19 interventions that can help overcome typical problems in EHR implementation."

Implementing electronic health records in hospitals: a systematic literature review
A Boonstra1, A Versluis, JFJ Vos
BMC Health Services Research 2014, 14:370

Read more here.

Do large-scale hospital and system-wide interventions improve patient outcomes

"Common findings show the difficulty of introducing large-scale interventions, and that effective leadership and clinical champions, adequate financial and educational resources, and dedicated promotional activities appear to be common factors in successful system-wide change."

Do large-scale hospital and system-wide interventions improve patient outcomes: a systematic review
R Clay-Williams, H Nosrati, FC Cunningham, K Hillman, J Braithwaite
BMC Health Services Research 2014, 14:369

Read more here.

Hospital discharge of the elderly - functions, variability and performance-shaping factors

"Precision issues related to (1) decision-making criteria concerning the medical fitness decision and appropriate level of care, (2) quality of discharge planning, (3) degree of patient involvement, and (4) quality of information transfer."

Hospital discharge of the elderly-an observational case study of functions, variability and performance-shaping factors
K Laugaland, K Aase, J Waring
BMC Health Services Research 2014, 14:365

Read more here.

Prioritising health service innovation investments using public preferences

"Discrete choice approaches can help policy makers, those designing innovations, and decision-makers in health services make more of the public’s views on how services invest their money."

Prioritising health service innovation investments using public preferences: a discrete choice experiment
S Erdem, C Thompson
BMC Health Services Research 2014, 14:360

Read more here.

Quality care outcomes following transitional care interventions for older people from hospital to home

"Gaps in the evidence base were apparent in the quality domains of timeliness, equity, efficiencies for community providers, effectiveness/symptom management, and domains of person and family centred care. Further research that involves the person and their family/caregiver in transitional care interventions is needed."

Quality care outcomes following transitional care interventions for older people from hospital to home: a systematic review
J Allen, AM Hutchinson, R Brown, PM Livingston
BMC Health Services Research 2014, 14:346

Read more here.

A new settlement for health and social care

"A new settlement is needed for health and social care in England that breaks down the historic divide between the two systems and provides a much simpler path through the current maze of health and social care."

A new settlement for health and social care: Final report
K Barker
The King's Fund
September 2014

Read more here.

Dyspepsia/GORD: clinical audit and costing statement

NICE have released a clinical audit tool and a costing statement for the treatment of dyspepsia and gastro‑oesophageal reflux disease to be used alongside their guidance documentation:

CG184 Dyspepsia/GORD: costing statement
CG184 Dyspepsia/GORD: clinical audit tools

Multiple sclerosis (relapsing remitting) - dimethyl fumarate: costing report

"The costing template can be used by health communities to assess the local impact of implementing the recommendations, based on the local population. The national assumptions used in the template can be altered to reflect local circumstances."

TA320 Multiple sclerosis (relapsing remitting) - dimethyl fumarate: costing report
NICE
August 2014

Read more here.

Cost saving guidance:Long-acting reversible contraception

"The recommendations relate to offering women seeking contraception an informed choice and access to long-acting reversible methods. These methods are more reliable than the oral contraceptive pill, where user-error often results in unplanned pregnancy. The additional cost of providing these methods is more than offset by the costs of unplanned pregnancies (reduced terminations or reduced births)."

Cost saving guidance:Long-acting reversible contraception (CG30)
NICE
September 2014

Read more here.

NICE Drug allergy: costing statement

"This costing statement considers the cost implications of implementing the recommendations made in Drug allergy: diagnosis and management of drug allergy in adults, children and young people (NICE clinical guideline 183). 1.2 A costing statement of resource effects has been produced for this guideline as variation in clinical practice across the country means users should consider and assess the impact locally."

Costing statement: Drug allergy: diagnosis and management of drug allergy in adults, children 
and young people. Implementing the NICE guideline on Drug allergy in adults, children and young people (CG183)
NICE
September 2014

Read more here.

Bed rest and posture for preventing post-dural puncture headache

"There are no clear benefits associated with either bed rest or fluid supplementation. It is not current practice for patients to be kept in hospital strictly for bed rest and so this review would not result in the freeing up of beds but there may be cash savings from the reduced use of intravenous fluids."

Bed rest and posture for preventing post-dural puncture headache
The Cochrane Collaboration
September 2014

Read more here.

Wireless working in hospitals: Improving efficiency and safety of out-of hours

"This initiative introduced a wireless IT system to manage workflow out of hours in hospitals, replacing the pager system. The objectives were to improve the quality and speed of communication between doctors and nurses, reduce information loss and improve satisfaction for both clinicians and patients." 

Wireless working in hospitals: Improving efficiency and safety of out-of hours
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust
NICE QIPP Case Study
Quality and productivity example

June 2014

Read more here.

NICE Tobacco return on investment tool

"The NICE tobacco return on investment tool has been developed to help decision making in tobacco control at local and sub-national levels."

Tobacco return on investment tool
Public Health ROI Tool
NICE
September 2014

Access the tool and all the resources here.

NICE Physical activity return on investment tool

"The physical activity return on investment tool has been developed to help decision making in physical activity programme planning at local and sub-national levels."

Physical activity return on investment tool
NICE
September 2014

Access the tool and all of the resources here.

NICE Alcohol return on investment tool

"The alcohol use return on investment tool has been developed to help decision making on interventions and strategies to prevent and reduce alcohol use at local and sub-national levels."

Alcohol return on investment tool

Public Health ROI Tool

NICE

September 2014

Access the tool and all the resources here.

Changes in costs and effects after the implementation of disease management programs

"After one year we have found indications of improvements in level of integrated care for cardiovascular risk patients and lifestyle indicators for all diseases, but in none of the diseases we have found indications of cost savings due to disease management programs. However, it is likely that it takes more time before the improvements in care lead to reductions in complications and hospitalizations."

Changes in costs and effects after the implementation of disease management programs in the Netherlands: variability and determinants
A Tsiachristas, J Murray Cramm, AP Nieboer, MPMH Rutten-van Mölken
Cost Effectiveness and Resource Allocation 2014, 12:17

Read more here.

Guidance on priority setting in health care

"This Guidance for Priority Setting in Health Care (GPS-Health), initiated by the World Health Organization, offers a comprehensive map of equity criteria that are relevant to healthcare priority setting and should be considered in addition to cost-effectiveness analysis."

Guidance on priority setting in health care (GPS-Health): the inclusion of equity criteria not captured by cost-effectiveness analysis
OF Norheim et al.
Cost Effectiveness and Resource Allocation 2014, 12:18

Read more here.