HEALTHCARE LEADERSHIP: MOVING FROM CLINICAL SPECIALIST TO HEALTHCARE LEADER

Medical doctors may not have the necessary evidence-based knowledge of specific leadership styles to excel in a leadership role. This article explores the various leadership styles adopted by a clinical professional transitioning into a leadership role. The goal-path theory, developed by Robert House in 1971, was used as the theoretical lens for this study. Twenty peer-reviewed scientific articles, written in English and published between 2015 and 2020, were analyzed and synthesized to produce results. The results showed that employee retention was positively associated with transformational and authentic leadership styles; organizational commitment was positively related to transformational, transactional, and genuine leadership styles; and job satisfaction was positively related to transformational and authentic leadership styles. In particular, the transformational leadership style showed higher employee retention and job satisfaction rates than the transactional and non-interventional leadership styles. The original and transformative leadership styles increased job satisfaction and commitment, but the correlation between an authentic leadership style and these benefits was less clear. Clinical professionals must apply a transformational leadership style to become influential leaders.

Optimized SNR-based ECAP threshold determination is comparable to the judgement of human evaluators

In cochlear implant (CI) users, measurements of electrically evoked compound action potentials (ECAPs) prove the functionality of the neuron-electrode interface. Objective measures, e.g., the ECAP threshold, may serve as a basis for the clinical adjustment of the device for the optimal benefit of the CI user. As for many neural responses, the threshold determination often is based on the subjective assessment of the clinical specialist, whose decision-making process could be aided by autonomous computational algorithms. To that end, we extended the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) approach for ECAP threshold determination to be applicable for FineGrain (FG) ECAP responses. The new approach takes advantage of two features: the FG stimulation paradigm with its enhanced resolution of recordings, and SNR-based ECAP threshold determination, which allows defining thresholds independently of morphology and with comparably low computational power. Pearson’s correlation coefficient r between the ECAP threshold determined by five experienced evaluators and the threshold determined with the FG-SNR algorithm was in the range of r = 0.78–0.93. Between evaluators, r was in a comparable range of 0.84–0.93. A subset of the parameters of the algorithm was varied to identify the parameters with the highest potential to improve the FG-SNR formalism in the future. The two steps with the strongest influence on the agreement between the threshold estimate of the evaluators and the algorithm were the removal of undesired frequency components (denoising of the response traces) and the exact determination of the two time windows (signal and noise and noise only).”The parameters were linked to the properties of an ECAP response, indicating how to adjust the algorithm for the automatic detection of other neurophysiological responses.

Barriers to effective research supervision in clinical specialist training: Experience from a medical school in Malaysia

Introduction: A compulsory research component is becoming increasingly common for clinical residents. However, integrating research into a busy clinical training schedule can be challenging. This study aimed to explore barriers to research supervision in specialist training programmes from the perspectives of clinical supervisors and trainees at a Malaysian university hospital. Methods: Qualitative interviews and focus group discussions were conducted (December 2016 to July 2017) with clinical supervisors (n=11) and clinical trainees (n=26) utilising a topic guide exploring institutional guidelines, research culture and supervisor-student roles. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically to identify barriers to research supervision. Results: Supervisors and trainees from 11 out of 18 departments participated. Both clinical supervisors and trainees struggled to successfully integrate a compulsory research component into residency training. Among the reasons identified included a lack of supervisory access due to the nature of clinical rotations and placements, clashing training priorities (clinical vs research) that discouraged trainees and supervisors from engaging in research, poor research expertise and experience among clinical supervisors hampering high-quality supervision, and a frustrating lack of clear standards between the various parties involved in research guidance and examination. Conclusion: Both clinical supervisors and trainees struggled to successfully integrate a compulsory research component into residency training. This was not only an issue of resource limitation since questions regarding clinical priorities and unclear research standards emerged. Thus, institutional coordinators need to set clear standards and provide adequate training to make research meaningful and achievable for busy clinical supervisors and trainees.

Remote operation for non-fluoroscopic navigation of complex tachycardias

Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Introduction Non-fluoroscopy navigation systems have evolved and it has had a positive impact on the electrophysiological procedures. Non-medical staff as field clinical specialists (FCS) have been essential in obtain these results, nevertheless, they need to provide their duties on-site. In some situations as a Pandemic sceneries, remote operation of the navigation system could avoid unnecessary exposure of this staff to a high-risk hospital environment. Purpose Remote system operation technology was developed and applied to a non-fluoroscopic navigation system in order to overcome Spanish mobility restrictions caused by Covid-19 pandemic infection and subsequently used routinely. Methods Fifty consecutive complex ablations were performed in different days using this technology. All these procedures were assisted remotely with the only intervention of a field clinical specialist located at his home who took full control of the navigation system (keyboard, mouse and screen) and had bidirectional real time audio/video feedback with the operating physician. Once the connection was established, the remote field clinical specialist replicated the Rhythmia screen at the remote location with all its features, and interacted identically with the physician, essentially with no perceptible differences from being physically present. Results There were neither interruptions nor perceptible delays in the bidirectional communications between the remote field clinical specialist and the operating physician during the procedures. Video signal delay ranged from 265 to 325 milliseconds. All the procedures were uneventful. Conclusions Remote System Operation allowed full teleoperation of a non-fluoroscopic navigation system (keyboard, mouse and screen) as well as bidirectional real time audio/video feedback with the operating physician, providing a fully autonomous remote assistance in 50 complex ablation procedures. This technology ensures workflow continuity and optimal workforce flexibility and has relevant and promising implications in the field of training, teaching and resource optimization that deserves further development. Latency measurements.Hospital LocationPamplonaPamplonaPamplonaRemote operator locationBilbaoMadridTarragonaT1 (s/ms)58s 120ms28s 340ms33s 380msT2 (s/ms)58s 680ms28s 960ms33s 940msT2-T1 (ms)560 ± 32620 ± 33560 ± 30Latency = (T2-T1)/2 (ms)280 ±15310 ± 15280 ± 10Measurements of the video delay ranged from 265 to 325 milliseconds.Abstract Figure. Local and Wide area network architecture

The justification of non-obstetric ultrasound referrals: A safe and effective practice

Introduction In 2015 the British Medical Ultrasound Society released a referral justification document for rejection of inappropriate ultrasound referrals to help manage increasing demand and ensure correct utilisation of diagnostic imaging tests. In our trust, referrals that were not aligned with the guidance were cancelled and returned to general practitioners, providing reasons for cancellation and advising other diagnostic tests if appropriate. Methodology: In total, 1000 cases cancelled between April and August 2019 were retrospectively audited by a team of clinical specialist sonographers. Interoperator agreement against BMUS justification guidelines and safety of this cancellation process were established. Duplicate imaging referrals, referrals made that should have been placed on management pathways or referrals cancelled by the patient directly were excluded in the safety assessment. Results There was strong agreement amongst sonographers regarding cancellations. After exclusions, 389 cases were included for review. The majority (90.5%) required no onward imaging and were therefore deemed cancelled appropriately. There were 37 patients found with pathology on subsequent imaging, two of which were found to have cancer and the remainder with benign pathology. Conclusions Overall, we found the cancellation process to be safe and the justification document easy to utilise in practice. This process has ensured a minimal waiting time for ultrasound imaging is maintained and that demand can be managed to meet the available capacity.

Case Report: Thromboembolism and Hemorrhagic Pericardial Effusion—The Janus Face of Primary Pericardial Angiosarcoma

Background: Primary cardiac angiosarcomas, especially those originating in the pericardium, are extremely rare and aggressive tumors with poor prognosis. These types of malignant tumors have diverse clinical presentations and are often masked by other comorbidities.Case Summary: Our hospital reported a 59-year-old woman who initially presented with pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) and was subsequently treated with low-molecular-weight heparin. However, she experienced acute pericardial tamponade after anticoagulation therapy, where no obvious mass was primarily identified upon imaging, both in the pericardium or within the heart. Emergency pericardiocentesis and drainage were performed, where a total of 210 mL of bloody effusion was drained. Four months later, she was hospitalized with progressive hemoptysis and dyspnea. A large mixed mass occupying the right pericardium was later identified by coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA). The mass was consistent with the right atrium, with heterogeneous thickened pericardium and localized moderate pericardial effusion. CCTA and positron emission tomography scans later showed metastases in both lungs and bilateral pleura. Nodules in hilar and mediastinal lymph nodes were also significant. Ultrasound-guided biopsy was performed, and the patient was ultimately diagnosed with an angiosarcoma based on final positive results for both CD31 and CD34 markers. The patient refused chemotherapy and passed away while waiting for her pathology results. The patient survived for 6 months since the first reported episode of PTE.Conclusions: Our case indicates that patients presenting with both embolism and hemorrhage should urgently be channeled to a clinical specialist to confirm any malignant etiology. This would be beneficial to confirm an early diagnosis and lengthen the duration of patient survival. However, the diagnosis of primary cardiac angiosarcoma is still challenging and requires multiple imaging modalities and biopsies in order to assist the accurate diagnosis of disease and achieve effective patient management.