Event Title
Enhancing Medications Adherence Behaviors Among Ambulatory Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Patients
Description
PURPOSE: The purpose of this quality improvement project was to enhance medication adherence behaviors among pediatric hematology and oncology patients and their families within an ambulatory West Michigan hematology and oncology clinic. CHALLENGE: Treatment guidelines for pediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the most common pediatric malignancy, dictate daily administration of 6-mercapturine for two years (Cooper & Brown, 2015). However, for these patients, adherence rates < 90% have been found to have a 3.9-fold increased risk for relapse (Bhatia et al., 2014). Furthermore, adolescent sickle cell patients have been found to have adherence rates merely as high as 40% (Pernell et al., 2017). Due to the potential consequences of medication errors and nonadherence, these statistics represent a clear necessity to address this component of care delivery. EXPERIENCE: This project included a systematic literature review to identify evidence-based interventions, an organizational assessment, and a three-phase multifaceted quality improvement process. OUTCOME: To increase patients bringing medications to appointments, 32 medication transportation bags were distributed. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze trends in patient medication behaviors, and staff perceptions of interventions. IMPACT: This project greatly enhanced my understanding of clinical outcome and quality improvement processes. Furthermore, adjusting to real-time clinical barriers and navigating virtual engagement greatly enhanced my ability to provide clinical leadership, create realistic engagement among clinical staff, and influence improvements in patient care delivery.
Enhancing Medications Adherence Behaviors Among Ambulatory Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Patients
PURPOSE: The purpose of this quality improvement project was to enhance medication adherence behaviors among pediatric hematology and oncology patients and their families within an ambulatory West Michigan hematology and oncology clinic. CHALLENGE: Treatment guidelines for pediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the most common pediatric malignancy, dictate daily administration of 6-mercapturine for two years (Cooper & Brown, 2015). However, for these patients, adherence rates < 90% have been found to have a 3.9-fold increased risk for relapse (Bhatia et al., 2014). Furthermore, adolescent sickle cell patients have been found to have adherence rates merely as high as 40% (Pernell et al., 2017). Due to the potential consequences of medication errors and nonadherence, these statistics represent a clear necessity to address this component of care delivery. EXPERIENCE: This project included a systematic literature review to identify evidence-based interventions, an organizational assessment, and a three-phase multifaceted quality improvement process. OUTCOME: To increase patients bringing medications to appointments, 32 medication transportation bags were distributed. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze trends in patient medication behaviors, and staff perceptions of interventions. IMPACT: This project greatly enhanced my understanding of clinical outcome and quality improvement processes. Furthermore, adjusting to real-time clinical barriers and navigating virtual engagement greatly enhanced my ability to provide clinical leadership, create realistic engagement among clinical staff, and influence improvements in patient care delivery.