Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2024-06-13"
Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
Results Per Page
Sort Options
- Improving quality and patient safety in surgical care through standardisation and harmonisation of perioperative care (SAFEST project): A research protocol for a mixed methods studyPublication . Valli, Claudia; Schäfer, Willemijn L.A.; Bañeres, Joaquim; Groene, Oliver; Arnal-Velasco, Daniel; Leite, Andreia; Suñol, Rosa; Ballester, Marta; Gibert Guilera, Marc; Wagner, Cordula; Calsbeek, Hiske; Emond, Yvette; Heideveld-Chevalking, Anita J. ; Kristensen, Kaja; Huibertina Davida van Tuyl, Lilian; Põlluste, Kaja; Weynants, Cathy; Garel, Pascal; Sousa, Paulo; Talving, Peep; Marx, David; Žaludek, Adam; Romero, Eva; Rodríguez, Anna; Orrego, CarolaIntroduction: Adverse events in health care affect 8% to 12% of patients admitted to hospitals in the European Union (EU), with surgical adverse events being the most common types reported. Aim: SAFEST project aims to enhance perioperative care quality and patient safety by establishing and implementing widely supported evidence-based perioperative patient safety practices to reduce surgical adverse events. Methods: We will conduct a mixed-methods hybrid type III implementation study supporting the development and adoption of evidence-based practices through a Quality Improvement Learning Collaborative (QILC) in co-creation with stakeholders. The project will be conducted in 10 hospitals and related healthcare facilities of 5 European countries. We will assess the level of adherence to the standardised practices, as well as surgical complications incidence, patient-reported outcomes, contextual factors influencing the implementation of the patient safety practices, and sustainability. The project will consist of six components: 1) Development of patient safety standardised practices in perioperative care; 2) Guided self-evaluation of the standardised practices; 3) Identification of priorities and actions plans; 4) Implementation of a QILC strategy; 5) Evaluation of the strategy effectiveness; 6) Patient empowerment for patient safety. Sustainability of the project will be ensured by systematic assessment of sustainability factors and business plans. Towards the end of the project, a call for participation will be launched to allow other hospitals to conduct the self-evaluation of the standardized practices. Discussion: The SAFEST project will promote patient safety standardized practices in the continuum of care for adult patients undergoing surgery. This project will result in a broad implementation of evidence-based practices for perioperative care, spanning from the care provided before hospital admission to post-operative recovery at home or outpatient facilities. Different implementation challenges will be faced in the application of the evidence-based practices, which will be mitigated by developing context-specific implementation strategies. Results will be disseminated in peer-reviewed publications and will be available in an online platform.
- Hepatitis B Virus Genotypes and Subgenotypes Circulating in Infected Residents in a Country with High Vaccination RatePublication . Silva, Carolina; Ramos, Diogo; Quina, Miriam; Pádua, ElizabethDespite the availability of a vaccine against hepatitis B virus (HBV), this infection still causes public health problems, particularly in susceptible populations. In Portugal, universal free vaccination started in 1994, and most HBV infections are diagnosed in immigrants from high-prevalence countries. Our aim was to assess the pattern of HBV genotypes/subgenotypes in samples collected between 2017 and 2021 from a convenience sample of 70 infected residents in Portugal. The HBV pol/HBsAg region was amplified and sequenced, allowing the analysis of RT sequences submitted to phylogenetic analysis and mutations assessment. A total of 37.1% of samples were from native Portuguese, aged 25–53 years (mean: 36.7 years), and the remaining samples were from individuals born outside of Portugal. A high diversity of HBV was identified: subgenotypes A1–A3 in 41.0% (16/39); D1, D3, and D4 in 30.7% (12/39); E in 23.1% (9/39); and F4 in 2.6% (1/39). Besides genotypes A and D, Portuguese were also infected with genotypes E and F, which are prevalent in Africa and South America, respectively. Resistance mutations in RT sequences were not found. The findings provide valuable insights for updating the HBV molecular epidemiology in Portugal. However, successful strategies to prevent and control the infection are still needed in the country, especially among susceptible and vulnerable populations.