Lutheran Family Health Centers

Building a learning health system (LHS) at a federally qualified health center (FQHC) can generate research with diverse communities. However, FQHCs face challenges in integrating research with their mission to deliver high-quality primary care to vulnerable populations. Our FQHC serves over110,000 patients annually and partners with an academic medical center. We have implemented LHS strategies to align research with health care service priorities, enable clinician involvement in research, support data analysis, disseminate findings, and seek research funding. Drawing on the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research, we identify contextual factors that impeded or facilitated our LHS implementation. Lessons can inform LHS practice in safety-net primary care. Case study of LHS development at an FQHC. FQHC leaders, clinicians, staff, and academic partners. APPROACH: Descriptive analysis of 168 research proposals and 13 grant-funded studies. Review of procedures to approve, implement, and disseminate research. Supportive leadership, preexisting culture of continuous QI, academic partners who understand the FQHC mission, and investment in research infrastructure (e.g., structured research review and access to data) facilitated the implementation of our strategies to integrate research with health care delivery as part of building an LHS. Inherent characteristics of research can pose challenges for research-practice integration, e.g., research often runs on longer timelines than quality improvement initiatives. Importantly, our approach is modular and iterative: we selectively and progressively launched strategies for LHS development, beginning with essential processes to review research, administer grants, provide data, and share findings. Alongside continually enhancing these processes, our work ahead includes building clinician and staff competencies for research, extending data analyst capacity, and establishing an organizational policy on equitable patient and community engagement in research. Taking a modular approach and iterating LHS activities can enable FQHCs to integrate research with health care service delivery in safety-net primary care.

Introduction: Chronic gastrointestinal bleeding in patients with Crohn’s disease presents diagnostic challenges. Adult intussusception is rare and typically caused by a pathological lead point, such as a tumor or inflammatory lesion. Lipomas, though benign, can lead to obstruction and bleeding, requiring differentiation from inflammatory causes for appropriate management. Case Presentation: A 70-year-old male with Crohn’s disease and chronic anemia presented with recurrent obscure gastrointestinal bleeding. Initial endoscopy was unremarkable, but capsule endoscopy identified a bleeding jejunal lesion. Double-balloon enteroscopy and imaging confirmed a jejunal lipoma causing intermittent intussusception. Due to persistent anemia, the patient underwent laparoscopic resection, with pathology confirming an ulcerated lipoma. His anemia resolved postoperatively. Conclusion: This case underscores the importance of considering structural lesions like lipomas in patients with chronic bleeding and Crohn’s disease. A multimodal approach, including advanced imaging and enteroscopy, is crucial for accurate diagnosis and management. Surgical resection remains the preferred treatment for symptomatic small bowel lipomas.

BackgroundResearch demonstrates the importance of documenting adaptations to implementation strategies that support integration of evidence-based interventions into practice. While studies have utilized the FRAME-IS [Framework for Reporting Adaptations and Modifications for Implementation Strategies] to collect structured adaptation data, they are limited by a focus on discrete implementation strategies (e.g., training), which do not reflect the complexity of multifaceted strategies like practice facilitation. In this paper, we apply the FRAME-IS to our trial evaluating the effectiveness of PF on implementation fidelity of an evidence-based technology-facilitated team care model for improved hypertension control within a federally qualified health center (FQHC).MethodsThree data sources are used to document adaptations: (1) implementation committee meeting minutes, (2) narrative reports completed by practice facilitators, and (3) structured notes captured on root cause analysis and Plan-Do-Study-Act worksheets. Text was extracted from the data sources according to the FRAME-IS modules and inputted into a master matrix for content analysis by two authors; a third author conducted member checking and code validation.ResultsWe modified the FRAME-IS to include part 2 of module 2 (what is modified) to add greater detail of the modified strategy, and a numbering system to track adaptations across the modules. This resulted in identification of 27 adaptations, of which 88.9% focused on supporting practices in identifying eligible patients and referring them to the intervention. About half (52.9%) of the adaptations were made to modify the context of the PF strategy to include a group-based format, add community health workers to the strategy, and to shift the implementation target to nurses. The adaptations were often widespread (83.9%), affecting all practices within the FQHC. While most adaptations were reactive (84.6%), they resulted from a systematic process of reviewing data captured by multiple sources. All adaptations included the FQHC in the decision-making process.ConclusionWith modifications, we demonstrate the ability to document our adaptation data across the FRAME-IS modules, attesting to its applicability and value for a range of implementation strategies. Based on our experiences, we recommend refinement of tracking systems to support more nimble and practical documentation of iterative, ongoing, and multifaceted adaptations.Trial registrationClinicaltrials.gov NCT03713515, Registration date: October 19, 2018.

Introduction: Ketamine as a recreational hallucinogenic substance has grown increasingly popular and has sparse safety data regarding toxicity. There is also growing interest in its therapeutic efficacy for major depressive disorder, for which S-ketamine has been recently FDA-approved. Though ketamine use has been linked with urologic dysfunction, information is limited regarding its hepatotoxic and cholangiopathic effects. Here, we present a case of ketamine-induced cholangiopathy with severe obstructive uropathy. Case Description/Methods: A previously healthy 23-year-old male presented to the hospital with fatigue, cachexia, and flank pain. He reported snorting ketamine twice daily for 6 months. Labs were significant for aspartate aminotransferase (AST) 516, alanine transaminase (ALT) 671, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) 1521, total bilirubin (TBili) 4.3, direct bilirubin (DBili) 3.5. The patient had a severe acute kidney injury (creatinine 5.56), hyperkalemia to 6.3, and hyponatremia to 108. His viral hepatitis panel was negative. Abdominal computerized tomography (CT) scan demonstrated severe bilateral hydroureteronephrosis and colonic distention secondary to renal obstruction. Abdominal ultrasound showed abnormal liver echotexture with linear hyperechoic tubular structures, and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) demonstrated fusiform dilatation of the common bile duct and intrahepatic biliary duct irregularity and no obstructing stone or lesion. After 30 days of abstinence from ketamine, liver function tests improved with AST 19, ALT 52, ALP 394, and Tbili and Dbili within normal limits (Figure 1). Discussion: Ketamine is metabolized in the liver and excreted in bile and urine. The pathogenesis of ketamine-induced cholangiopathy has been hypothesized to be associated with direct hepatocyte damage as well as chronic smooth muscle stimulation around the bile ducts by the N-Methyl-D-aspartic acid receptor antagonist. This receptor activity may also precipitate cholangiopathy by dysregulating gallbladder motility. As seen here, findings and lab abnormalities typically resolve with cessation of ketamine use. In rare cases, however, there may be stricture formation requiring repeat MRCP and possible endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP).With ketamine’s success in mental health treatment, we can anticipate a surge of its use in the future; however, detailed toxicity data is imperative given the adverse effects in the hepatobiliary system.Figure 1.: Mild fusiform dilatation of the common bile duct, measuring up to 0.8 cm. No evidence of choledocholithiasis or obstructing lesion. Mild diffuse intrahepatic biliary duct irregularity, with alternating areas of beading and stricturing, without evidence of dominant stricture. Normal gallbladder.

Analysis of policy implementation for chronic disease in Belgium highlights the difficulties of launching experiments for integrated care in a health system with fragmented governance. It also entreats us to consider the inherent challenges of piloting integrated care for chronic disease. Sociomedical characteristics of chronic disease –political, social, and economic aspects of improving outcomes – pose distinct problems for pilot projects, particularly because addressing health inequity requires collaboration across health and social sectors and a long-term, life-course perspective on health. Drawing on recent US experience with demonstration projects for health service delivery reform and on chronic disease research, I discuss constraints of and lessons from pilot projects. The policy learning from pilots lies beyond their technical evaluative yield. Pilot projects can evince political and social challenges to achieving integrated chronic disease care, and can illuminate overlooked perspectives, such as those of community-based organizations (CBOs), thereby potentially extending the terms of policy debate.

Abstract Tourette syndrome (TS) is a neuropsychiatric disorder with involvement of genetic and environmental factors. We investigated genetic loci previously implicated in Tourette syndrome and associated disorders in interaction with pre- and perinatal adversity in relation to tic severity using a case-only (N=518) design. We assessed 98 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) selected from (I) top SNPs from genome-wide association studies (GWASs) of TS; (II) top SNPs from GWASs of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and autism spectrum disorder (ASD); (III) SNPs previously implicated in candidate gene-studies of TS; (IV) SNPs previously implicated in OCD or ASD; and (V) tagging SNPs in neurotransmitter-related candidate genes. Linear regression models were used to examine the main effects of the SNPs on tic severity, and the interaction effect of these SNPs with a cumulative pre- and perinatal adversity score. Replication was sought for SNPs that met the threshold of significance (after correcting for multiple testing) in a replication sample (N = 678). One SNP (rs7123010), previously implicated in a TS meta-analysis, was significantly related to higher tic severity. We found a gene-environment interaction for rs6539267, another top TS GWAS SNP. These findings were not independently replicated. Our study highlights the future potential of TS GWAS top hits in gene-environment studies.

BackgroundThe coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in significant morbidity and mortality; large numbers of patients require intensive care, which is placing strain on health care systems worldwide. There is an urgent need for a COVID-19 disease severity assessment that can assist in patient triage and resource allocation for patients at risk for severe disease.ObjectiveThe goal of this study was to develop, validate, and scale a clinical decision support system and mobile app to assist in COVID-19 severity assessment, management, and care.MethodsModel training data from 701 patients with COVID-19 were collected across practices within the Family Health Centers network at New York University Langone Health. A two-tiered model was developed. Tier 1 uses easily available, nonlaboratory data to help determine whether biomarker-based testing and/or hospitalization is necessary. Tier 2 predicts the probability of mortality using biomarker measurements (C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, D-dimer) and age. Both the Tier 1 and Tier 2 models were validated using two external datasets from hospitals in Wuhan, China, comprising 160 and 375 patients, respectively.ResultsAll biomarkers were measured at significantly higher levels in patients who died vs those who were not hospitalized or discharged (P<.001). The Tier 1 and Tier 2 internal validations had areas under the curve (AUCs) of 0.79 (95% CI 0.74-0.84) and 0.95 (95% CI 0.92-0.98), respectively. The Tier 1 and Tier 2 external validations had AUCs of 0.79 (95% CI 0.74-0.84) and 0.97 (95% CI 0.95-0.99), respectively.ConclusionsOur results demonstrate the validity of the clinical decision support system and mobile app, which are now ready to assist health care providers in making evidence-based decisions when managing COVID-19 patient care. The deployment of these new capabilities has potential for immediate impact in community clinics and sites, where application of these tools could lead to improvements in patient outcomes and cost containment.

88 year female with medical history of hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, osteoarthritis, gastroesophageal reflux disease and a vague history of peptic ulcer disease (PUD) presented to emergency department with 2 episodes of black stool and increasing fatigue over the past 3 days. She also reported using ibuprofen regularly for osteoarthritic related symptoms. Physical exam and basic laboratory investigations were also normal with the exception of hemoglobin, which was 7g/dL. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) demonstrated a large non-bleeding ulcer (15mm in largest dimension) in the antrum. Notably, there was also a second luminal opening between the antrum and duodenal bulb adjacent to the ulcer consistent with a double pylorus (see Fig. 1 and Fig. 2). Double pylorus is a rare endoscopic finding, found in 0.001% to 0.4% of EGD. It is characterized by two openings between the distal stomach and the duodenal bulb. It can be classified as congenital or acquired based on etiology. Congenital double pylorus is usually found in association with other congenital anomalies like heterotopic pancreatic tissue, pancreatic divisum or gastric duplication. The acquired double pylorus (ADP) is usually associated with PUD and results from a prepyloric ulcer or duodenal bulb ulcer eroding into the duodenum or stomach creating a fistulous opening. Additionally, the use of NSAIDS, corticosteroids and persistent H. pylori infection can affect the healing of ulcers and can lead to ADP. Diagnosis is made by endoscopy or occasionally by radiography with the lesser curvature of stomach being the most common location of these fistulous openings. Double pylorus should be differentiated from a gastric diverticulum during endoscopy and can also be mistaken with a large mucosal fold, tumor or polyp during evaluation with upper gastrointestinal series. Treatment of double pylorus consists of promotion of mucosal healing with proton pump inhibitor and less commonly H2 blockers, avoidance of NSAIDS/corticosteroids, and treatment of H. pylori infection. The majority of fistulas do not close (or may only partially close), however endoscopic division of the bridging tissue with a sphinterotome should be considered for patients presenting with gastric outlet obstruction. Surgical intervention is an option for patients with obstruction refractory to endoscopic treatment or the presence of other complications such as perforation or refractory bleeding.Figure: Second luminal opening between the antrum and duodenal bulb adjacent to the ulcer consistent with a double pylorus.Figure: Second luminal opening between the antrum and duodenal bulb adjacent to the ulcer consistent with a double pylorus.

A patient navigation model was implemented to improve breast and cervical cancer screening among women who were homeless in five shelters and shelter clinics in New York City in 2014. Navigation consisted of opt-out screening to eligible women; cancer health and screening education; scheduling and following up for screening completion, obtaining, and communicating results to patients and providers; and care coordination with social services organizations. Women (n = 162, aged 21-74, 58% black) completed mammogram (88%) and Pap testing (83%) from baselines of 59% and 50%, respectively. There was no association between mental health or substance abuse and screening completion. Adjusted analysis showed a significant association between refusing/missing Pap testing and older age (odds ratio [OR] 1.12, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.04-1.20); independent predictors of mammogram included more pregnancies (OR 0.57, 95% CI 0.37-0.88) and older age (OR 0.84, 95% CI 0.79-0.90). Opt-out patient navigation is feasible and effective and may mitigate multilevel barriers to cancer screening among women with unstable housing.

Background Millions of Americans experience homelessness annually. Medical providers do not receive adequate training in primary care of the homeless.Methods Starting in 2012, a comprehensive curriculum was offered to medical students during their family medicine or ambulatory clerkship, covering clinical, social and advocacy, population-based, and policy aspects. Students were taught to: elicit specific social history, explore health expectations, and assess barriers to healthcare; evaluate clinical conditions specific to the homeless and develop plans for care tailored toward patients’ medical and social needs; collaborate with shelter staff and community organizations to improve disease management and engage in advocacy efforts. A mixed methods design was used to evaluate students’ knowledge, attitudes, and skills including pre- and post-curriculum surveys, debriefing sessions, and observed clinical skills.Results The mean age of the students (n = 30) was 26.5 years; 55 % were female. The overall scores improved significantly in knowledge, attitude, and self-efficacy domains using paired t‑test (p < 0.01). Specific skills in evaluating mental health, substance abuse, and risky behaviours improved significantly (p < 0.05). In evaluation of communication skills, the majority were rated as having ‘outstanding rapport with patients.’Conclusions Comprehensive and ongoing clinical component in shelter clinics, complementary teaching, experienced faculty, and working relationship and collaboration with community organizations were key elements.