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Frank Sullivan

Publications and source records attributed to Frank Sullivan.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2005

What is eHealth (4): a scoping exercise to map the field.

BACKGROUND: Lack of consensus on the meaning of eHealth has led to uncertainty among academics, policymakers, providers and consumers. This project was commissioned in light of the rising profile of eHealth on the international policy agenda and the emerging UK National Programme for Information Technology (now called Connecting for Health) and related developments in the UK National Health Service. OBJECTIVES: To map the emergence and scope of eHealth as a topic and to identify its place within the wider health informatics field, as part of a larger review of research and expert analysis pertaining to current evidence, best practice and future trends. METHODS: Multiple databases of scientific abstracts were explored in a nonsystematic fashion to assess the presence of eHealth or conceptually related terms within their taxonomies, to identify journals in which articles explicitly referring to eHealth are contained and the topics covered, and to identify published definitions of the concept. The databases were Medline (PubMed), the Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), the Science Citation Index (SCI), the Social Science Citation Index (SSCI), the Cochrane Database (including Dare, Central, NHS Economic Evaluation Database [NHS EED], Health Technology Assessment [HTA] database, NHS EED bibliographic) and ISTP (now known as ISI proceedings). We used the search query, "Ehealth OR e-health OR e*health". The timeframe searched was 1997-2003, although some analyses contain data emerging subsequent to this period. This was supplemented by iterative searches of Web-based sources, such as commercial and policy reports, research commissioning programmes and electronic news pages. Definitions extracted from both searches were thematically analyzed and compared in order to assess conceptual heterogeneity. RESULTS: The term eHealth only came into use in the year 2000, but has since become widely prevalent. The scope of the topic was not immediately discernable from that of the wider health informatics field, for which over 320000 publications are listed in Medline alone, and it is not explicitly represented within the existing Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) taxonomy. Applying eHealth as narrative search term to multiple databases yielded 387 relevant articles, distributed across 154 different journals, most commonly related to information technology and telemedicine, but extending to such areas as law. Most eHealth articles are represented on Medline. Definitions of eHealth vary with respect to the functions, stakeholders, contexts and theoretical issues targeted. Most encompass a broad range of medical informatics applications either specified (eg, decision support, consumer health information) or presented in more general terms (eg, to manage, arrange or deliver health care). However the majority emphasize the communicative functions of eHealth and specify the use of networked digital technologies, primarily the Internet, thus differentiating eHealth from the field of medical informatics. While some definitions explicitly target health professionals or patients, most encompass applications for all stakeholder groups. The nature of the scientific and broader literature pertaining to eHealth closely reflects these conceptualizations. CONCLUSIONS: We surmise that the field -- as it stands today -- may be characterized by the global definitions suggested by Eysenbach and Eng.

Delivery of Health Care↗
PubMed2005

Adoption and perception of electronic clinical communications in Scotland.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the uptake of multiple eHealth facilities enabled by the NHS Scotland Electronic Clinical Communications Implementation Programme (ECCI) and to ascertain primary and secondary care users' perceptions. DESIGN: Prospective monthly measurement of 37 indicators of roll-out and adoption. Retrospective questionnaire survey of users. SETTING: Scottish health board regions. Quantitative implementation indicators were gathered in primary and secondary care across all 16 regions. Questionnaire data were obtained from recorded users in five representative regions (112 general practices, 92 secondary care units). OUTCOME MEASURES: Change in uptake levels of ECCI facilities over a 15-month period. Users' perceptions of benefits, facilitators and barriers. RESULTS: All health boards participated in the monthly data set collection. The response rate to the survey was 62% in primary care and 37% in secondary care. Across Scotland as a whole, the process of implementation was gradual. While there were marked gains in the availability of ECCI facilities over the observation period, rates of adoption lagged behind and varied across alternative facilities. Electronic results were widely used, with most laboratories offering them and around half of general practices receiving them. More modest rates of adoption were observed for e-discharge letters, e-referrals, e-clinic letters and clinical e-mail. E-booking was used very little. Among engaged users responding to the survey, electronic access to test results was the most frequently utilised facility and electronic outpatient booking the least. Perceived benefits of ECCI facilities included convenience, ease of use, time-saving and provision of an audit trail. Perceived barriers included the need to duplicate data entry where new systems were not universally implemented, technological difficulties, time, training and resources. CONCLUSIONS: Significant progress was observed in the implementation of ECCI facilities across Scotland. Users reported that these improved communication and were beneficial, but system reliability, incompatibility and duplication of data hindered more widespread uptake. Data were collected at a transitional phase of the programme. Whilst, among users of ECCI facilities, perceptions of the programme and its potential benefits were generally positive, its full impact will not become evident until the new electronic tools are implemented nationally and have been more fully integrated into normal work routines.

Attitude to Computers↗
PubMed2005

Improving management of hypertension in general practice: a randomised controlled trial of feedback derived from electronic patient data.

BACKGROUND: Although absolute risk of death associated with raised blood pressure increases with age, the benefits of treatment are greater in older patients. However, fewer patients in this group are identified, treated, and controlled. AIM: To evaluate the impact of the provision of different levels of feedback on identification, treatment, and control of older patients with hypertension. DESIGN OF STUDY: Randomised controlled trial. SETTING: Fifty-two Scottish general practices. METHOD: Practices were randomly allocated to either control (n = 19), audit only feedback (n = 16), or audit plus risk feedback, prioritising patients by absolute risk (n = 17). Electronic data were extracted from practice computer systems annually from 1999 to 2001 and used to develop feedback. Data were collected for 30 345 patients aged 65-79 years. RESULTS: The majority of known patients with hypertension in each group had an initial blood pressure recorded (control = 89.6%; audit = 80.4%; risk = 96.1%) and this increased over the study period (control = 92.3%; audit = 86.0%; risk = 96.6%). Initially, more than 80% of patients in each group were treated but many were uncontrolled (blood pressure >/=160/ >/=90 mmHg) (control = 41.5%; audit = 41.3%; risk = 36.1%). The numbers of untreated and uncontrolled patients in each group reduced (control = 32.3%; audit = 38.3%; risk = 32.6%). There was some evidence of a significant difference in mean systolic pressure between the audit plus risk and audit only groups: (149.6 versus 152.7 mmHg; P = 0.019) and of significantly greater control in the audit plus risk group compared with the other groups 49.4% (versus audit only = 35.4%; versus control = 46.5%; odds ratio = 1.72 [95% confidence interval = 1.09 to 2.70]; P = 0.019). CONCLUSIONS: Levels of identification, treatment, and control improved in each group. Although there were still significant numbers of patients with uncontrolled hypertension, there is some evidence to suggest that providing patient-specific feedback may have a positive impact on identification and management of hypertension in older people and produce an increase in control.

Aged↗
PubMed2005

Organisational factors in relation to control of blood pressure: an observational study.

BACKGROUND: Studies show that 60-75% of treated patients with hypertension in general practice, still do not reach the recommended blood pressure targets of <150/90 mmHg. AIM: To investigate aspects of hypertension management in relation to sociodemographic variables, antihypertensive drug treatment, and organisational factors in primary care. DESIGN OF STUDY: Observational study over 3 years. SETTING: Eight general practices in Tayside, UK. METHOD: Participants were 560 randomly selected patients aged 40-79 years receiving treatment for hypertension. The outcome measurement was blood pressure control, expressed in binary form based on the British Hypertension Society audit standard of <150/90 mmHg. RESULTS: Of 536 eligible patients, 261 (49%) were defined as having inadequate blood pressure control at the end of the study period. No significant associations were discovered with sex, age, deprivation score and comorbidity. In those patients with inadequate control, 30% had no modifications to their drug treatment during the study period. Blood pressure control at the end of the study period was not associated with number of antihypertensive drugs taken or number of antihypertensive drug modifications. The mean number of clinician contacts was 11 (standard deviation = 8), and mean continuity in primary care was high, although this was not associated with improved blood pressure control. A higher proportion of hypertension-related consultations were associated with increased odds of having inadequate blood pressure control. CONCLUSION: Achieving adequate blood pressure control continues to represent a substantial health problem in a significant proportion of the hypertensive population. Patient, physician and organisational elements play a role in ensuring effective delivery of hypertension care in the community.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

A retrospective, study of prescribing for erectile dysfunction in a UK population during 1997-2000: demand was neither excessive nor continuing to rise.

PURPOSE: The UK NHS restricted the prescription of sildenafil to a range of clearly defined clinical situations. We describe the pattern of pharmaceutical management of erectile dysfunction (ED) during the period when the new drug was introduced and then regulated. METHODS: We studied the population of males aged over 16 (n = 121,783) who were continuously registered with 60 practices in Tayside between 1 October 1997 and 30 June 2000 using record linkage and case-note verification. The patients' GPs allowed a research nurse to examine the records of these patients for demographic details, comorbidities and resource use. RESULTS: Five hundred and fifty five patients received 2493 prescriptions for alprostadil or sildenafil. The addition of an oral agent to the available therapies in 1998 did lead to a more rapid rise in prescribed treatments but this reached a plateau 3.47 per 1000 adult males per quarter after 12-15 months. Fifty eight per cent of the men had a comorbidity associated with ED. More comorbidities were found in men aged 50-69 and those living in areas of greater deprivation. Depression was a more common comorbidity in younger patients and more men from affluent areas were prescribed sildenafil following prostatectomy. CONCLUSIONS: In the Tayside region of the UK, the introduction of an effective, acceptable oral therapy for erectile dysfunction led to a rise in prescriptions issued for ED. This rise appeared to stop after 12-15 months, perhaps partly because of the governmental restrictions imposed.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Electronic Clinical Communications Implementation (ECCI) in Scotland: a mixed-methods programme evaluation.

AIMS: The Electronic Clinical Communications Implementation programme aims to facilitate implementation of electronic systems for primary-secondary care communication, focusing on laboratory results reporting, outpatient appointment booking, referral, discharge and clinic correspondence, and clinical e-mail. This independent programme evaluation explored the processes and outcomes of implementation, barriers and facilitators to system adoption, and benefits and drawbacks for professional users. METHODS: The mixed methods approach incorporated document review, surveys, stakeholder interviews, consensus exercises, and monthly recording of quantitative process and outcome variables. RESULTS: Qualitative and survey work highlighted wide variation in the technologies and implementation approaches adopted. A consensus process was used to instigate a national minimum dataset. To date, implementation of laboratory results reporting has demonstrated the greatest success and electronic outpatient booking the least. A mixed-format survey of users in clinical practice revealed a more detailed picture of behaviour and attitudes demonstrating that where systems are available and accepted they are utilized, while product usability, process complexity and user-engagement methods influence uptake. CONCLUSIONS: The evaluation has demonstrated the difficulties faced when attempting to implement a multifaceted technological and behavioural change intervention on a national scale, but has also revealed unexpected benefits, including general improvements in Information Management & Technology capability across the Scottish health service.

Efficiency, Organizational↗
PubMed2004

Using electronic patient records to inform strategic decision making in primary care.

Although absolute risk of death associated with raised blood pressure increases with age, the benefits of treatment are greater in elderly patients. Despite this, the 'rule of halves' particularly applies to this group. We conducted a randomised controlled trial to evaluate different levels of feedback designed to improve identification, treatment and control of elderly hypertensives. Fifty-two general practices were randomly allocated to either: Control (n=19), Audit only feedback (n=16) or Audit plus Strategic feedback, prioritising patients by absolute risk (n=17). Feedback was based on electronic data, annually extracted from practice computer systems. Data were collected for 265,572 patients, 30,345 aged 65-79. The proportion of known hypertensives in each group with BP recorded increased over the study period and the numbers of untreated and uncontrolled patients reduced. There was a significant difference in mean systolic pressure between the Audit plus Strategic and Audit only groups and significantly greater control in the Audit plus Strategic group. Providing patient-specific practice feedback can impact on identification and management of hypertension in the elderly and produce a significant increase in control.

Aged↗
PubMed2003

Systematic review of scope and quality of electronic patient record data in primary care.

OBJECTIVE: To systematically review measures of data quality in electronic patient records (EPRs) in primary care. DESIGN: Systematic review of English language publications, 1980-2001. DATA SOURCES: Bibliographic searches of medical databases, specialist medical informatics databases, conference proceedings, and institutional contacts. STUDY SELECTION: Studies selected according to a predefined framework for categorising review papers. DATA EXTRACTION: Reference standards and measurements used to judge quality. RESULTS: Bibliographic searches identified 4589 publications. After primary exclusions 174 articles were classified, 52 of which met the inclusion criteria for review. Selected studies were primarily descriptive surveys. Variability in methods prevented meta-analysis of results. Forty eight publications were concerned with diagnostic data, 37 studies measured data quality, and 15 scoped EPR quality. Reliability of data was assessed with rate comparison. Measures of sensitivity were highly dependent on the element of EPR data being investigated, while the positive predictive value was consistently high, indicating good validity. Prescribing data were generally of better quality than diagnostic or lifestyle data. CONCLUSION: The lack of standardised methods for assessment of quality of data in electronic patient records makes it difficult to compare results between studies. Studies should present data quality measures with clear numerators, denominators, and confidence intervals. Ambiguous terms such as "accuracy" should be avoided unless precisely defined.

Ambulatory Care Information Systems↗
PubMed2003

Efficacy and tolerability of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors compared with tricyclic antidepressants in depression treated in primary care: systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy and tolerability of tricyclic antidepressants with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in depression in primary care. DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. DATA SOURCES: Register of the Cochrane Collaboration's depression, anxiety, and neurosis group. Reference lists of initial studies and other relevant review papers. Selected authors and experts. SELECTION OF STUDIES: Studies had to meet minimum requirements on: adequacy of sample size, adequate allocation concealment, clear description of treatment, representative source of subjects, use of diagnostic criteria or clear specification of inclusion criteria, details regarding number and reasons for withdrawal by group, and outcome measures described clearly or use of validated instruments. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Standardised mean difference of final mean depression scores and relative risk of response when using the clinical global impression score. Relative risk of withdrawing from treatment at any time, and the number withdrawing due to side effects. RESULTS: 11 studies (2951 participants) compared a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor with a tricyclic antidepressant. Efficacy between selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and tricyclics did not differ significantly (standardised weighted mean difference, fixed effects 0.07, 95% confidence interval -0.02 to 0.15; z=1.59, P<0.11). Significantly more patients receiving a tricyclic withdrew from treatment (relative risk 0.78, 95% confidence interval 0.68 to 0.90; z=3.37, P<0.0007) and withdrew specifically because of side effects (0.73, 0.60 to 0.88; z=3.24, P<0.001). Most studies included were small and supported by commercial funding. Many studies were of low methodological quality or did not present adequate data for analysis, or both, and were of short duration, typically six to eight weeks. CONCLUSION: The evidence on the relative efficacy of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and tricyclic antidepressants in primary care is sparse and of variable quality. The study setting is likely to be an important factor in assessing the efficacy and tolerability of treatment with antidepressant drugs.

Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic↗
PubMed2003

DARTS 2000 online diabetes management system: formative evaluation in clinical practice.

RATIONALE, AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: Failure to engage in user-informed evaluation of emergent health informatics tools can have negative consequences for future implementation, related both to poor usability or clinical utility and to suboptimal stakeholder buy-in. This paper describes a formative evaluation in primary care of a multifaceted, web-based resource for diabetes management. The primary aims were to assess the usability and utility of the prototype in order to inform system refinements prior to implementation, and to investigate barriers and facilitators to system use so as to aid the development of a tailored implementation plan. METHODS: A mixed-method approach involving survey, remote observation, semi-structured interviews and electronic feedback. CONTEXT: One Scottish local health care cooperative comprising five general practice surgeries and their staff. RESULTS: A survey following temporary exposure to a dummy site revealed high levels of computer familiarity, welcoming attitudes and positive ratings of usability, format and utility. Comments mainly addressed content accuracy, feature suggestions and usability issues. Key barriers and facilitators to use included time and training. Remote observation following access to live clinical data enabled profiling of usage by individual and professional group. In the 3 month observation period administrators were the most frequent users, followed by GPs and nurses, with clinical and data entry screens accessed most often. Semi-structured interviews with key respondents sampled by professional group and usage frequency provided richer qualitative information on barriers and facilitators to use, patterns of system integration into work routines and system usability, content and utility. Content analysis of electronic feedback revealed mainly technical queries and general expressions of satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: Evaluation informed a number of important and unforeseen improvements to the prototype and helped refine the implementation plan. Engagement in the process of evaluation has led to high levels of stakeholder ownership and widespread implementation.

Attitude to Computers↗
PubMed2003

A survey of computer use in Scottish primary care: general practitioners are no longer technophobic but other primary care staff need better computer access.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the use of computing systems by primary care staff in Scotland. Participants Practice managers in Scotland on behalf of their practice teams. METHODS: A survey of computer use in Scottish general practices was carried out by the Scottish Clinical Information Management in Primary Care (SCIMP) group in April 2001. Every practice was sent an electronic copy of a questionnaire using NHSnet. Practices that did not respond to the electronic version were sent a paper version of the questionnaire. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Access to computers, use during consultations, links to laboratories, problems experienced by users. RESULTS: A total of 308 practices (30%) replied to the electronic questionnaire and 346 practices (33%) to a paper version, giving an overall response rate of 63% (654 practices). A total of 296 (29%) of practices could not receive the electronic version. It was reported that 94% of general practitioners and 74% of practice nurses frequently used a computer; 72% of practices used their computer for chronic disease management. There was great variability in links to laboratories for lab results (range 1-30% by region). Of responding practices, 16% had plans for a unified patient record, but access to a computer is still a major problem for community nurses. Satisfaction was expressed for all systems and many practices also use third-party programs. CONCLUSIONS: Most Scottish doctors make frequent use of computers for a variety of clinical and practice management activities. Many other staff want to make greater use of computers, but are often unable to obtain access.

Attitude to Computers↗