Bupa UK Foundation

Abstract Introduction Improving the quality of care while minimizing risks remains a core objective for healthcare organizations. Aged care (AC) presents unique challenges associated with the older population, particularly polypharmacy, nutritional deficits, and reduced mobility. This study illustrates how digitalization and data-driven approaches can support quality improvement in AC, through the evaluation of 3 recent initiatives. Methods We are a non-profit international healthcare provider that delivers AC. In the UK, an Electronic Medication Administration Record (eMAR) system was gradually implemented across 120 care homes (CH) between June 2023 and June 2024. The effectiveness of this intervention was assessed through reported medication error rates. In the Australia, 57 CH are supported by 13 Wellness Hubs staffed by 24/7 Nurse Practitioners, who coordinate multidisciplinary teams including dietitians, physiotherapists, wound care specialists... As a quality indicator, we measured the time to healing for pressure ulcers. In Spain, 45 CH adopted a digital care model including voice assistants (Alexa) in each room to provide real-time care instructions, based on individualized care plans. The incidence of falls per 1,000 bed-days was reported. All data were consolidated using Power BI dashboards. Results Following the implementation of eMAR, minor medication errors decreased by 7%, and moderate to major errors declined by 50%. In APAC, the healing time for pressure ulcers was reduced by 42 days. In Spain, the rate of falls decreased to below 5 per 1,000 bed-days. Conclusion These findings suggest that the implementation of tailored, technology-enabled initiatives can significantly enhance quality and safety in AC.

Globally, diseases of the cardiovascular system stand as principal contributors to mortality and are expected to show an upward trajectory. The occurrence of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) has been linked to underlying inflammatory processes. The monocyte-to-high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol ratio (MHR) has garnered significant attention as a prognostic biomarker, encapsulating the synergistic roles of inflammation and lipid metabolism in the pathophysiology of cardiovascular diseases, including ACS. This meta-analysis examines the prognostic MHR ratio in ACS patients. We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library databases to identify the relevant meta-analyses published before February 26, 2024. The findings were aggregated into risk ratios with 95% confidence intervals. Eleven studies, with 7421 patients, were included. Low MHR levels compared to high MHR levels were associated with statistically significantly lower in-hospital mortality (0.9% vs. 5.5%; respectively; P <0.001), 3-month mortality (4.4% vs. 11.2%; P = 0.02), 6-month follow-up mortality (4.0% vs. 10.2%; P = 0.03), 1-year mortality (4.2% vs. 10.2%; P <0.001), as well as long-term follow-up mortality (7.5% vs. 13.7%; P <0.001). MHR has both good predictive properties for mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events (short- and long-term). Data indicate that MHR may improve in-hospital and long-term cardiovascular risk prediction. It may, therefore, be an effective tool for risk re-estimation and selection of patients for whom intensive lipid-lowering treatment may be particularly useful.

hether you're joining from another industry or looking to take your skills to the next level, the dental sector provides many different opportunities to advance your career. New Bupa research shows more than two in five people want a new role, either to increase their job satisfaction (40%), try a new challenge (35%), or do something more meaningful (42%). But for a quarter of people (27%), a lack self-belief is holding them back, while others are worried about starting again, learning the skills required, or having to take time out to study.

Acute respiratory infections (ARI) are an important cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, affecting mainly children and the elderly. They are associated with a high economic burden, increased number of medical visits and hospitalizations. The surveillance of the circulation of respiratory viruses can reduce the health care associated costs, and to optimize the health response. A platform based on R and its package Shiny was designed, to create an interactive and friendly web interface for gathering, analysis and publication of the data. The data from the Chilean metropolitan respiratory viruses surveillance network, available since 2006, was uploaded into the platform. Using this platform, the researcher spends less than 1 minute to upload the data, and the analysis and publication is immediate, available to be seen by any user with a device connected to Internet, who can choose the variables to be displayed. With a very low cost, in a short time, and using the R programming language, it was possible to create a simple, and interactive platform, considerably decreasing the upload and analysis time, and increasing the impact and availability of this surveillance.

Introduction: Delivery of craving management tools (CMTs) via smartphone applications (apps) may improve smoking cessation rates, but research on such programmes remainslimited, especially in real-world settings. This study evaluated the effectiveness of adding CMTs in a cessation app (BupaQuit).Methods: The study was a two-arm pragmatic pilot parallel randomised controlled trial, comparing a fully-automated BupaQuit app with CMT with a control app version withoutCMT. A total of 425 adult UK-based daily smokers were enrolled through open online recruitment (February 2015-March 2016), with no researcher involvement, and individually randomised within the app to the intervention (n=208) or control (n=217). The primary outcome was self-reported 14-day continuous abstinence assessed at 4-week follow-up. Secondary outcomes included 6-month point-prevalence and sustained abstinence, and app usage. The primary outcome was assessed with Fisher’s exact test using intent to treat with those lost to follow-up counted as smoking. Participants were not reimbursed.Results: Re-contact rates were 50.4% at 4 weeks and 40.2% at 6 months. There was no significant difference between intervention and control arms on the primary outcome (13.5% vs 15.7%; p=0.58;RR=0.86, 95% Confidence Interval (CI)=0.54-1.36) or secondary cessation outcomes (6-month point prevalence: 14.4% vs. 17.1%, p=0.51;RR=0.85, 95%CI=0.54-1.32; 6-month sustained: 11.1% vs 13.4%, p=0.55,RR=0.83,95%CI=0.50-1.38). Bayes factors supported the null hypothesis (B[0, 0,1.0986]=.20). Usage was similar across the conditions (mean/median logins: 9.6/4 vs. 10.5/5; time spent: 401.8/202s vs. 325.8/209s).Conclusions: The addition of craving management tools did not affect cessation, and the limited engagement with the app may have contributed to this.

The nature of work and the way it is conceptualised has been evolving since the dawn of humankind.[...].

Background: Activation of Kv7 potassium channels may decrease the reactivity of mesolimbic dopaminergic neurons that are implicated in mediating the reinforcing effects of ethanol. Objectives: The objective of this study was to determine whether the administration of the Kv7 potassium channel opener retigabine would decrease ethanol intake in Long Evans rats. Methods: A limited access two-bottle choice model of alcohol (10% solution) consumption was used in this study. A separate group of animals was tested to evaluate the actions of retigabine on sucrose (5% solution) consumption to determine whether this drug might produce non-selective impairment of the ability of rats to drink liquids. Animals were treated with either vehicle or increasing doses (2.5–7.5 mg/kg SC) of retigabine administered over a 3-day period. Results: Compared to vehicle, retigabine at a dose of 7.5 mg/kg produced a reduction in the amount of ethanol consumed. These effects did not occur in association with significant changes in water consumption. A significant time effect was found for the actions of retigabine in sucrose-drinking rats with a trend for an increase in sucrose intake with the highest dose of retigabine administered. Conclusions: These results indicate that the administration of retigabine may produce a decrease in ethanol consumption by rats at doses that do not significantly reduce the drinking of either water or a sucrose solution. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that activation of Kv7 channels facilitates the reduction of alcohol consumption in the rat.

Cameron and Kurrle strike a note of frustration in their editorial accompanying the paper on preventive strategies to minimise falls.1 2 Falls in older people are sensitive to several spheres of influence: the physical status of the individual; the mental state of the individual; the influence of environmental factors; the impact of medication, adverse or beneficial; and acts of violence …