Browsing by Author "Churchill, Katie"

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    Experiences of shared decision-making in community rehabilitation: a focused ethnography
    (2020-04-19) Manhas, Kiran P; Olson, Karin; Churchill, Katie; Vohra, Sunita; Wasylak, Tracy
    Abstract Background Shared decision-making (SDM) can advance patient satisfaction, understanding, goal fulfilment, and patient-reported outcomes. We lack clarity on whether this physician-focused literature applies to community rehabilitation, and on the integration of SDM policies in healthcare settings. We aimed to understand patient and provider perceptions of shared decision-making (SDM) in community rehabilitation, particularly the barriers and facilitators to SDM. Methods We used a focused ethnography involving 14 community rehabilitation sites across Alberta, including rural, regional-urban and metropolitan-urban sites. We conducted semi-structured interviews that asked participants about their positive and negative communication experiences (n = 23 patients; n = 26 providers). Results We found SDM experiences fluctuated between extremes: Getting Patient Buy-In and Aligning Expectations. The former is provider-driven, prescriptive and less flexible; the latter is collaborative, inquisitive and empowering. In Aligning Expectations, patients and providers express humility and openness, communicate in the language of ask and listen, and view education as empowering. Patients and providers described barriers and facilitators to SDM in community rehabilitation. Facilitators included geography influencing context and connections; consistent, patient-specific messaging; patient lifestyle, capacity and perceived outlook; provider confidence, experience and perceived independence; provider training; and perceptions of more time (and control over time) for appointments. SDM barriers included lack of privacy; waitlists and financial barriers to access; provider approach; how choices are framed; and, patient’s perceived assertiveness, lack of capacity, and level of deference. Conclusions We have found both excellent experiences and areas for improvement for applying SDM in community rehabilitation. We proffer recommendations to advance high-quality SDM in community rehabilitation based on promoting facilitators and overcoming barriers. This research will support the spread, scale and evaluation of a new Model of Care in rehabilitation by the provincial health system, which aimed to promote patient-centred care.
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    Implementation of EQ-5D-5L as a routine outcome measure in Community Outpatient and Specialized Rehabilitation Services
    (2021-10-12) Churchill, Katie; Warner, Lisa; Keogh, Eileen; Al Sayah, Fatima
    Abstract Rehabilitation is a person-centred approach that optimizes functioning to reduce impairments in individuals with illness, injury or disability. Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) have a role in rehabilitation to inform clinical practice, enhance patient-centered care, support health services programming, direct performance measurement, and contribute to quality improvement. A Canadian provincial health system implemented a Rehabilitation Model of Care that provides a real-world perspective on the adoption of a standardized PROM, the EuroQol EQ-5D-5L, in the community rehabilitation setting. This article will provide an overview of PROMs implementation in the community rehabilitation context, and discuss key facilitators and challenges to implementation within the 18 early adopter sites and with the spread and scale to 152 urban and rural sites. A change management approach, contextualized local coaching and strong leadership support were facilitators in the initial phases of implementation. Adequate resources and infrastructure from technological platforms for electronic data capture and visualization were assets in addition to clinical teams that had existing strong quality improvement cultures to collect PROMS in existing workflows. Challenges to implementation include the clinical relevance of the PROM, difficulty with contextualization to suit diverse clinical and programmatic teams, and the need for further knowledge sharing activities to build readiness for adoption. The implementation of PROMs in community rehabilitation has added value at the clinical (micro), programmatic (meso) and health system level (macro). Clinically, it has promoted the importance of incorporating the patients’ voice into outcome measurement. At the program level, the cultivation of a data informed learning community was fostered as teams make improvements and use data to inform future program growth or service changes. Finally, at the health system level, data visualization promotes transparency and accountability with performance across the province and the standardized use of the EQ-5D-5L provides a consistent language to promote measurement throughout the health system.
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    “None of us are lying”: an interpretive description of the search for legitimacy and the journey to access quality health services by individuals living with Long COVID
    (2023-12-12) Brehon, Katelyn; Miciak, Maxi; Hung, Pam; Chen, Shu-Ping; Perreault, Kadija; Hudon, Anne; Wieler, Marguerite; Hunter, Simone; Hoddinott, Lance; Hall, Mark; Churchill, Katie; Brown, Darren A.; Brown, Cary A.; Bostick, Geoffrey; Skolnik, Kate; Lam, Grace; Weatherald, Jason; Gross, Douglas P.
    Abstract Background Understanding of Long COVID has advanced through patient-led initiatives. However, research about barriers to accessing Long COVID services is limited. This study aimed to better understand the need for, access to, and quality of, Long COVID services. We explored health needs and experiences of services, including ability of services to address needs. Methods Our study was informed by the Levesque et al.’s (2013) “conceptual framework of access to health care.” We used Interpretive Description, a qualitative approach partly aimed at informing clinical decisions. We recruited participants across five settings. Participants engaged in one-time, semi-structured, virtual interviews. Interviews were transcribed verbatim. We used reflexive thematic analysis. Best practice to ensure methodological rigour was employed. Results Three key themes were generated from 56 interviews. The first theme illustrated the rollercoaster-like nature of participants’ Long COVID symptoms and the resulting impact on function and health. The second theme highlighted participants’ attempts to access Long COVID services. Guidance received from healthcare professionals and self-advocacy impacted initial access. When navigating Long COVID services within the broader system, participants encountered barriers to access around stigma; appointment logistics; testing and ‘normal’ results; and financial precarity and affordability of services. The third theme illuminated common factors participants liked and disliked about Long COVID services. We framed each sub-theme as the key lesson (stemming from all likes and dislikes) that, if acted upon, the health system can use to improve the quality of Long COVID services. This provides tangible ways to improve the system based directly on what we heard from participants. Conclusion With Long COVID services continuously evolving, our findings can inform decision makers within the health system to better understand the lived experiences of Long COVID and tailor services and policies appropriately.
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    The use of EQ-5D-5L as a patient-reported outcome measure in evaluating community rehabilitation services in Alberta, Canada
    (2023-11-17) Short, Hilary; Al Sayah, Fatima; Churchill, Katie; Keogh, Eileen; Warner, Lisa; Ohinmaa, Arto; Johnson, Jeffrey A.
    Abstract Background The purpose of this study was to describe the characteristics and health-related quality of life (HRQL) of patients accessing community rehabilitation services in Alberta, Canada, using routinely collected EQ-5D-5L data, and explore factors associated with the impact of these services. Methods A retrospective, longitudinal, observational design was used. Patients completed the EQ-5D-5L and demographic questions at intake and end of rehabilitation care. Change in EQ-5D-5L dimensions from intake until end of rehabilitation was examined using the Pareto Classification of Health Change. Change scores were calculated for the EQ-5D-5L index, VAS, and total sum scores. Change groups in the EQ-5D-5L index and VAS scores, were defined by minimally important differences of 0.04 and 7.0, respectively. One level change was considered important for the total sum score. Effect size of the change in index, VAS, and total sum scores was also examined. Chi-squared tests were conducted to examine whether change in EQ-5D-5L varied by age, gender, region, and having anxiety/depression at intake. Results Three service programs were examined; pulmonary rehabilitation (n = 542), group-based community exercise (n = 463), and physiotherapy for bone and joint care (n = 391). At intake, HRQL in all programs was lower than that of the general Alberta population norms and improved by end of rehabilitation. The mean (SD) change in index, VAS, and total sum scores were 0.02 (0.13), 6.0 (18.3), and − 0.5 (2.4) in pulmonary rehabilitation, 0.06 (0.13), 6.6 (18.7), − 1.2 (2.4) in community exercise, and 0.13 (0.16), 1.2 (0.9), and − 2.8 (2.8) in physiotherapy, respectively. Based on change of the index score, 24% deteriorated, 38% improved, and 38% had no change in pulmonary rehabilitation; 17% deteriorated, 51% improved, and 32% had no change in community exercise; 5% deteriorated, 72% improved, and 23% had no change in physiotherapy. Similar trends were seen in the VAS and total sum scores. Older age, urban region, and having anxiety/depression at intake were associated with positive change in EQ-5D-5L. Conclusions The results of this study are intended to inform program/service level decisions by describing the characteristics and HRQL of patients accessing community rehabilitation, as well as the predictors of change in health status, which will help direct future program growth and service changes.