Biomedical subjects

Y M Coyle

Publications and source records attributed to Y M Coyle.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2000

Developing theoretical constructs for outcomes research.

BACKGROUND: In March of 1998, The Advisory Commission on Consumer Protection and Quality in Health Industry released a report in response to the US Presidential Executive Order that recommended increasing funding for outcomes research. This report indicated that outcomes research was critical to assessing the effectiveness of treatment and the quality of care. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted of the pertinent English literature that describes the development, methods, and limitations of outcomes research to identify methods for minimizing its limitations. RESULTS: Current evidence indicates that approximately 80% of commonly used medical treatments have not been shown to be efficacious, primarily because the necessary randomized controlled trials have not been conducted because of methodological problems, the time required for their execution, the expense, or ethical reasons. Therefore, physicians disagree on the value of many common clinical practices, which is reflected in the large variation in medical care prescribed for different populations. Outcomes research, which is conducted under actual clinical practice conditions using effectiveness studies, offers an efficient approach for investigating the link between medical care and outcomes. However, the major limitation of past outcomes research has been its limited ability to link medical care with outcomes, because of the lack of theory development to guide the research process, inadequate data sources, or both. CONCLUSIONS: The literature review suggests that the use of pertinent theoretical constructs to guide the outcomes research process will generate the results needed to assess the effectiveness of treatment and the quality of care.

Humans↗

PubMed1999

Using antecedents of medical care to develop valid quality of care measures.

OBJECTIVE: To present a new model for using the antecedents of medical care in outcomes assessment to develop valid quality of care measures. METHODS: The pertinent literature describing the history of outcomes assessment and the influence of patient and environmental risk factors on health status were reviewed. RESULTS: Past outcomes assessment studies have not consistently demonstrated a correlation between the processes and the outcomes of care. The use of the model described in this article indicates that the lack of correlation between process and outcome is probably because past outcomes assessment studies lacked the inclusion of medical care antecedents (primarily patient and environmental risk factors) that had a significant influence on the outcomes measured. Included is a description of a study that tests the utility of incorporating the antecedents of medical care into outcomes assessment to develop valid quality of care measures. CONCLUSION: The model presented in this article advances quality of care measure development by using: (i) qualitative research to characterize the pertinent antecedents of medical care; and (ii) as many of the pertinent antecedents of medical care as possible to develop risk adjustment models for measuring outcomes that are more likely to identify the true linkages between the processes and outcomes of care. Knowing the linkages between the processes and outcomes of care would provide the information needed to develop valid quality of care measures, so that quality can be measured accurately and the groundwork for its improvement can be laid.

Humans↗

PubMed1999

Measuring and predicting academic generalists' work satisfaction: implications for retaining faculty.

PURPOSE: To develop a measure that could be used to identify interventions to improve the work satisfaction of academic generalists. METHODS: To field-test the measure, the authors surveyed the generalist faculty at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. Ninety-four (80%) of the faculty responded. The measure's reliability was established using Cronbach's alpha, and its validity was established with the Pearson correlation coefficient using a previously validated global work-satisfaction measure. Using ten work-satisfaction dimensions and selected faculty characteristics, the authors performed univariate and stepwise multiple regression analyses to predict the generalist faculty's global work satisfaction and intentions of leaving their positions. RESULTS: Work-satisfaction dimension predictors were autonomy in the workplace, professional status, teaching activities, clinical resources and activities, professional relationships, institutional governance, compensation, and professional advancement. Faculty characteristic predictors were gender, age, race or ethnicity, and living with children. CONCLUSION: The measure includes eight valid and reliable work-satisfaction dimensions that predict global work satisfaction or intentions to leave. Others may want to use this measure, along with the four faculty-characteristic predictors, as a management tool for improving academic generalists' work satisfaction and, ultimately, their performances and retention.

Adult↗

PubMed1997

Developing strategic plans for academic general internal medicine.

There is an increasing need to train more primary care physicians. Therefore, it would be advantageous for academic general internal medicine (GIM) to develop strategies to meet these demands. Our GIM division developed a strategic planning process with the participant groups being the division faculty, a pertinent literature review (the surrogate expert), and selected medical administrators. The IDEALS systems design provided the conceptual framework for the strategic planning process. This process used the Delphi technique to develop the theoretically ideal work system based on the division's vision for its future role, and the Nominal Group Process Technique to create the recommended work system, using the Delphi results. The strategic planning process was economical and division faculty agreed that it was useful.

Delphi Technique↗