Efficiency Analysis of a Therapist-Driven Protocol - Literature review Example

Does the therapist driven protocol increase the efficiency of work (patient outcomes) and reduce hospital costs? Introduction Various therapeutic treatments have been used in the field of respiratory therapy. These therapies and similar modes of treatment have all been under scrutiny at one point in time. This scrutiny is often essential in order to increase the efficiency of healthcare and to reduce health care costs. Some methods have indeed been more effective than others in terms of efficiency and cost. This paper shall discuss the therapist-driven protocol for respiratory therapists. It shall present studies related to the subject matter and assess such studies in terms of relevance and significance to the present subject matter. It shall also relate these studies to each other in terms of consistency across a variety of variables. Background of the Study The therapist-driven approach in respiratory therapy as described by the American Association of Respiratory Care (Des Jardins & Burton, 2006, p. 131) focuses first on delivering individualized diagnostic and therapeutic care to patients; second, on assisting the physician in evaluating the needs of the patient; third, on determining the indications for respiratory therapy and what mode would work best in providing quality health services to the patient; and lastly, on empowering practitioners in allocating signs-and-symptoms based algorithms for patient treatment. This type of therapy is based on the individual needs of a patient. The interaction with the therapist would primarily decide the treatment protocols for the patient. Each patient has unique qualities and unique needs that often ultimately influence the choices that would work best for patients. The therapist-driven protocols are also known for being specific respiratory care services which are implemented under the supervision of the respiratory care practitioners (Stoller, 1998, p. 408). It primarily seeks to implement care services for patients more specifically based on their needs, and administered by experts in respiratory care. The development of the care is collaborative and planned with the assistance of the other members of the health care team equipped with the necessary expertise as regards respiratory care. The collaboration takes into consideration all factors pertinent to the needs of the patient. More often than not, the therapist-driven approach extends to the respiratory consult service, also known as the evaluate-and-treat program. This is a program “in which respiratory care is directed by respiratory care practitioners based on a menu of protocols for individual respiratory care services” (Stoller, 1998, p.408). Again, sharp and distinct focus is brought on individualized patient care, which is now currently the main focus of health care services. As a consequence of this therapist-driven approach, the therapist also has to conduct his own assessment of the patient’s signs and symptoms. This is apart from the assessment usually carried out by the other members of the health care team. Members of the health care team usually conduct assessments based on their roles and responsibilities in the health care service. A nurse has her own responsibilities which require her to undertake her assessment based on these responsibilities. The same is true for doctors, for physical therapists, for pharmacists, and, in this case and study, for the respiratory care therapist. This study is relevant because it seeks to establish the most effective therapy and treatment for patients and at the lowest possible cost. This study will help benefit patients who often have to bear excessive hospital costs and still not receive the best and the most effective health care services. It is important to establish if this type of therapy is cost effective for the patient considering the deterrent factor that high health care cost can often create in the patient’s mind. For a respiratory therapist who is able to deliver quality care at minimal cost to his patients, his workload can potentially decrease and his time be more efficiently spent on more productive enterprises. In the current health care deficit, every concession is needed and is helpful in order to ensure that available funds in health care are efficiently allocated to the patients. Review of Related Literature The literature review will discuss similar studies which were undertaken on the above subject matter. It shall primarily discuss therapist-driven protocol and whether or not such protocol increases the efficiency of work (patient outcomes) and reduces hospital costs. Related studies shall primarily be gathered through library catalogue searches. Catalogue searches of books shall primarily focus on those which are related to respiratory therapy and therapist-driven protocol in respiratory therapy. The index of these books shall be searched for the words respiratory-driven protocol. Books authored within the past 5-10 years shall be included in this search. The authors of these books shall be assessed and evaluated for their reliability and for their expertise on the subject matter at hand. Library searches for journals shall also be conducted. The Chest Journal, the Respiratory Care Journal, the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, the Critical Care Medicine Journal, and similar databases shall be searched for related studies. Again, journals about 5-10 years shall be assessed for this paper. The authors shall also be assessed for reliability and expertise on the subject matter. An internet search shall also be accomplished with the help of the Google and the ASAP search engine. The keywords – therapy-driven protocol respiratory therapy shall be entered in order to extract materials relevant to the subject matter. Materials from PubMedCentral, NCBI, Medscape, New England Medical Journal, and similar internet medical databases shall also be checked. This literature review is being conducted in order to assess and evaluate similar studies conducted on this subject matter. Various studies have been conducted in this subject matter. These studies often show similar results based on variables and factors included by the researchers. There is a need to assess such studies in order to determine their areas of concentration, their strengths, their weaknesses, and their relation to this current research. The limitations of these studies may also be determined through this review, and adjustments may be made based on the recommendations of previous studies on the subject matter. This literature review is being conducted in order to determine possible factors and variables which may be deemed relevant for this research. This literature review is also being conducted in order to serve as basis for possible comparisons of results. This literature review can be used in order to support the findings of this study or to negate previous results from other studies. Through literature reviews, evidence can be gathered in order to support the adoption or the application of a particular kind of treatment for a patient. This helps form the basis for evidence-based and patient-centered approach to treatment and to respiratory therapy. This literature review is also a valuable tool in assessing the possible direction of this study, and possible results to expect or even disprove. Articles which were included in this study were those which dealt specifically with the therapy-driven protocol for respiratory therapy. It included studies which were able to exemplify applications of this treatment, including multiple variables relevant to respiratory therapy. Studies by authors who are considered experts or specialists on the subject matter were also included in this paper. Inclusion criteria for the literature review include reliability and validity processes which were applied by the researchers in their study. Without the application of such tools, it is difficult to assess whether or not the study went through the proper and the thorough research process. Studies comparing variables were also chosen for this research because, potentially, they yield results which allow the current research to evaluate various elements of a single treatment while considering factors affecting patient care. Studies which were able to use a substantial population and sample size were included in this review. Sample size often affects the reliability and the generalizability of the studies. Both prospective and retrospective studies were considered in this paper; but preferences leaned towards prospective studies because they provide more accurate and observable results. Studies chosen also came from primary resources. The choices made in this literature search also focused on how the studies built on existing and known facts. Studies on therapist-driven protocol already exist; facts have already been laid out regarding this protocol. Therefore, the studies which add to this existing knowledge were chosen in order to evaluate their ability to either support or defer existing knowledge. Studies which were not included in this review are those which did not exemplify complete details on research methods. Studies which do not present adequate methodology are unreliable and invalid because they do not show how the results were reached and the precautions which were taken by the researchers in order to protect the accuracy of the research process. Studies which were also not included in this review are those which were not authored by reliable researchers and specialists on the subject matter. Researchers also need to be reliable and to be adequately qualified because the analysis involved in this topic are highly technical matters which can only be evaluated by those who have the necessary technical knowledge. Studies which did not cover a sufficient number in their population were not included in this review because they cannot be generalized or applied to a larger population. In the assessment of studies included in this literature review, researches were evaluated based on their ability to cover the areas which were already indicated in the proposal. The studies were critically assessed by noting flaws in the flow of thought and logic or facts, and even the conclusions reached after results were presented. Suggestions on possible ways to improve the logic of the researches were also considered by this literature review. 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