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Lookup NU author(s): Professor Justin DurhamORCiD, Dr Matthew Breckons, Professor Vera Araujo-SoaresORCiD, Professor Catherine Exley, Emeritus Professor Jimmy Steele CBE, Professor Luke ValeORCiD
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
Background: Pain affecting the face or mouth and lasting longer than three months ("chronic orofacial pain", COFP) is relatively common in the UK. This study aims to describe and model current care pathways for COFP patients, identify areas where current pathways could be modified, and model whether these changes would improve outcomes for patients and use resources more efficiently. Methods/Design: The study takes a prospective operations research approach. A cohort of primary and secondary care COFP patients (n = 240) will be recruited at differing stages of their care in order to follow and analyse their journey through care. The cohort will be followed for two years with data collected at baseline 6, 12, 18, and 24 months on: 1) experiences of the care pathway and its impacts; 2) quality of life; 3) pain; 4) use of health services and costs incurred; 5) illness perceptions. Qualitative in-depth interviews will be used to collect data on patient experiences from a purposive sub-sample of the total cohort (n = 30) at baseline, 12 and 24 months. Four separate appraisal groups (public, patient, clincian, service manager/commissioning) will then be given data from the pathway analysis and asked to determine their priority areas for change. The proposals from appraisal groups will inform an economic modelling exercise. Findings from the economic modelling will be presented as incremental costs, Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALYs), and the incremental cost per QALY gained. At the end of the modelling a series of recommendations for service change will be available for implementation or further trial if necessary. Discussion: The recent white paper on health and the report from the NHS Forum identified chronic conditions as priority areas and whilst technology can improve outcomes, so can simple, appropriate and well-defined clinical care pathways. Understanding the opportunity cost related to care pathways benefits the wider NHS. This research develops a method to help design efficient systems built around one condition (COFP), but the principles should be applicable to a wide range of other chronic and long-term conditions.
Author(s): Durham J, Breckons M, Araujo-Soares V, Exley C, Steele J, Vale L
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: BMC Oral Health
Year: 2014
Volume: 14
Online publication date: 21/01/2014
Acceptance date: 13/01/2014
Date deposited: 23/05/2014
ISSN (electronic): 1472-6831
Publisher: BioMed Central Ltd.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1472-6831-14-6
DOI: 10.1186/1472-6831-14-6
Notes: ARTN 6
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