Scholarlink

<p><b>Introduction</b> Providing dental care to persons with special healthcare needs is often seen as complex; however, this complexity is difficult to capture given the spectrum of presentations patients may present with.</p><p><b>Aims</b> This study discusses the development, validation and pilot use of a complexity checklist (CC): a brief (12-item) instrument designed to characterise the complexity of dental care provided to persons with special healthcare needs.</p><p><b>Methods</b> The CC was developed by the authors and then discussed and refined by clinicians who specialise in the dental management of persons with special healthcare needs. Firstly, validation of the tool included a test-retest study using simulated cases based on real-world clinical scenarios. Analysis included assessment of inter-dentist and intra-dentist reliability, as well as correlation with ‘gold-standard' responses. Secondly, the tool was piloted in a tertiary specialist referral service over a six-month period where the CC was completed at the end of each appointment.</p><p><b>Results</b> Analysis of the test-retest study revealed good reproducibility, criterion validity, and interpretability. Pilot study data revealed variations in how complex patients presented.</p><p><b>Conclusion</b> Initial validation and use of the CC has shown encouraging results but warrants further investigation. Results of the study suggest that aspects of complexity are not captured in existing case mix tools.</p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

Development and pilot use of a novel complexity checklist for patients with special healthcare needs in Australia and New Zealand

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年12月5日

查看全文
  • Pritam Daniel Sundaresan,
  • Estie Kruger,
  • Mathew Lim,
  • John McGeachie,
  • Marc Tennant

摘要

Introduction Providing dental care to persons with special healthcare needs is often seen as complex; however, this complexity is difficult to capture given the spectrum of presentations patients may present with.

Aims This study discusses the development, validation and pilot use of a complexity checklist (CC): a brief (12-item) instrument designed to characterise the complexity of dental care provided to persons with special healthcare needs.

Methods The CC was developed by the authors and then discussed and refined by clinicians who specialise in the dental management of persons with special healthcare needs. Firstly, validation of the tool included a test-retest study using simulated cases based on real-world clinical scenarios. Analysis included assessment of inter-dentist and intra-dentist reliability, as well as correlation with ‘gold-standard' responses. Secondly, the tool was piloted in a tertiary specialist referral service over a six-month period where the CC was completed at the end of each appointment.

Results Analysis of the test-retest study revealed good reproducibility, criterion validity, and interpretability. Pilot study data revealed variations in how complex patients presented.

Conclusion Initial validation and use of the CC has shown encouraging results but warrants further investigation. Results of the study suggest that aspects of complexity are not captured in existing case mix tools.