Evaluation of headache service quality indicators: pilot implementation in two specialist-care centres

The Journal of Headache and Pain

Research Article

Rigmor Jensen¹  Zaza Katsarava²  Anja Schoppe³  Charly Gaul⁴  Timothy J Steiner⁵  Raquel Gil Gouveia⁶  Sara Schramm⁷ 

[1] Danish Headache Centre, Department of Neurology, University of Copenhagen, Glostrup Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark;Department of Neurology, Evangelical Hospital Unna, Holbeinstrasse 10, 59423, Unna, Germany;Department of Neurology, Western German Headache Centre, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany;Department of Neurology, Western German Headache Centre, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany;Department of Neurology, Western German Headache Centre, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany;Migraine and Headache Clinic, Königstein, Germany;Department of Neuroscience, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway;Division of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK;Hospital da Luz Headache Centre, Neurology Department, Hospital da Luz, Lisbon, Portugal;Institute of Epidemiology, Biometry and Statistics, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany;

关键词: Headache disorders;    Headache care;    Service quality evaluation;    Global campaign against headache;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s10194-015-0537-1

 received in 2015-03-18, accepted in 2015-06-01,  发布年份 2015

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundEvaluating quality of health care is increasingly recognized as an important contributor to the advancement of health-care delivery. We recently developed a set of quality indicators for headache care, intended to be applicable across countries, cultures and settings so that deficiencies in headache care worldwide might be recognized and rectified. These indicators themselves require evaluation and proof of fitness for purpose. This pilot study begins this process.MethodsWe tested the quality indicators in the tertiary headache centres of the University of Duisburg-Essen in Essen, Germany, and the Hospital da Luz in Lisbon, Portugal. Using seven previously-developed enquiry instruments, we interrogated health-care providers (HCPs), including doctors, nurses, psychologists and physiotherapists, as well as consecutive patients and their medical records.ResultsThe questionnaires were easily understood by both HCPs and patients and were not unduly time-consuming. The results from the two headache centres were comparable despite their differences in structure, staffing and language. These findings met the purpose of the study.Diagnoses were made according to ICHD criteria and critically evaluated during follow-up. However, diagnostic diaries and instruments assessing burden and response to treatment were not always in place or routinely utilised. Triage systems adjusted waiting times to urgency of need. Treatment plans included pathways to other specialities. Patients felt welcomed, reassured and educated, and were mostly satisfied. Discussion points arose over inclusion of psychological therapies in treatment plans; over recording of outcomes; over indicators of efficiency and equitability (protocols to limit wastage of resources, systems to measure input costs and means of ensuring equal access to the services); and over protocols for reporting serious adverse events.ConclusionThis pilot study to assess feasibility of the methods and acceptability of the instruments of headache service quality evaluation was successful. The project is ready to be taken into its next stages.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© Katsarava et al. 2015. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly credited.