According to statistics, more than 70,000 people around the globe are living with Cystic Fibrosis (CF) with approximately 1000 new cases been reported annually. Treatment of CF on patients usually depends on the severity of the symptoms and although treatment might contain the same element, it is usually uniquely tailored to work for patients differently in accordance with the circumstances (Orenstein et al., 2015) . With keen supervision from clinicians, patients usually receive individualized treatment plans. However, practitioners across the discipline have indicated the failure by clinicians in most instances to adhere to the prescribed evidence-based treatment plans (Orenstein et al., 2015) . The journal article chosen is informed by this.
The article is based on a research study conducted with the objective of increasing clinician adherence to prescribing guidelines for pulmonary medications in children with cystic fibrosis (Kraynack & Mcbride, 2009). The study conducted on children already diagnosed with cystic fibrosis using evidence based prescribed guidelines revealed that after 3 months, there was an increment in the rate of clinician adherence to prescribing guidelines (Kraynack & Mcbride, 2009). The study further showed that raising awareness on clinicians and family members of patients, with regards to prescribing guidelines, usually improves their adherence to the same (Kraynack & Mcbride, 2009).
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Poor clinician adherence to prescribing guidelines has been termed as the main barrier to improving pulmonary care in CF patients ( Scheuing et al., 2014). For instance, adherence to oral anti-inflammatory therapies such as azithromycin and tobramycin is at 66% and 67% respectively. This, therefore, means that many CF patients usually receive substandard pulmonary care ( Scheuing et al., 2014). In support of this proposition, a study conducted in the U.S between 1998 and 2004 showed that over 22,000 deaths of patients with myocardial infarction occurred as a result of poor prescribing adherence by clinicians. This lack of adherence is attributed to factors such as lack of awareness of guidelines and the already established practices which are difficult in overcoming ( Scheuing et al., 2014).
The article is relevant in that it tries to provide a means through which the quality of evidence based care in CF patients can be improved. This is the main reason as to why I chose it. It also seeks to answer the question as to why there exists a huge difference between evidence based prescription guidelines and the clinical practice across the world in the different health disciplines including pulmonary care for CF patients. For instance, statistics show that the adherence to prescribed guidelines for surgical interventions in patients with valvular heart diseases across both America and Europe is at a worrying 60% ( Scheuing et al., 2014).
The findings of the study are very important since they provide a framework of improving the quality of health care services offered to CF patients. This is accomplished by involving a number of stakeholders such as family members of the patients in the whole treatment process. The conventional clinical practice has always been allocating sole responsibility on clinicians of prescribing the guidelines prescriptions. The study has, however, revealed that involving family members helps in improving clinicians’ adherence to the guidelines (Kraynack & Mcbride, 2009). These findings are, therefore, relevant since they present a novel clinical practice that has better patient treatment outcomes than the conventional practices. I will use the findings in my practice by empowering families to promote prescribing adherence by sharing guidelines with them.
In conclusion, breaking away from the old practices in the treatment of CF patients is necessary in the improving of patient treatment outcomes. This breaking away involves the embracing of the new practices that entail raising awareness on clinicians and family members on the evidence-based prescription guidelines (Kraynack & Mcbride, 2009).
References
Kraynack, N., & Mcbride, J. (2009). Improving Care at Cystic Fibrosis Centers through Quality Improvement. Seminars in Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine,30 (05), 547-558. doi:10.1055/s-0029-1238913. Retrieved from https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/383804
Scheuing, N., Berger, G., Bergis, D., Gohlke, B., Konrad, K., Laubner, K., . . . Holl, R. W. (2014). Adherence to clinical care guidelines for cystic fibrosis-related diabetes in 659 German/Austrian patients. Journal of Cystic Fibrosis,13 (6), 730-736. doi:10.1016/j.jcf.2014.05.006
Orenstein, D. M., Spahr, J. E., & Weiner, D. J. (2015). Cystic Fibrosis: A Guide for Patient and Family . Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer Health.
