1. Understanding clinical complexity in organ and organizational systems: Challenges local and global.
- Author
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Samitinjay A, Vaishnavi K, Gongireddy R, Kulakarni SC, Panuganti R, Vishwanatham C, Manikanta AK, and Biswas R
- Subjects
- Humans, Delivery of Health Care, Renal Dialysis, Alcoholism, Renal Insufficiency, Chronic, Heart Failure
- Abstract
Introduction: Complexity in healthcare systems has been arbitrarily defined as tasks or systems ranging from complicated to intractable, with a general view of these not being 'simple'. Complexity in healthcare systems in first-world countries has been well elucidated, however, data from third-world countries is still scant. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We present four cases each from three different organ systems-chronic kidney disease, alcohol use disorder, and heart failure-in the backdrop of our healthcare organization. We present our analysis of the complexities faced clinically and, in our local healthcare system which led to these events., Results: Analysis of these cases showed that patients with chronic kidney disease had vertebral-spinal pathologies due to poor infection control measures during haemodialysis. All these patients were young with a long history of secondary hypertension. In patients with alcohol use disorder, a common theme of how government regulations and peer pressure promote alcohol use is analysed. In the four patients with unexplained heart failure, vascular health is viewed as a fractal dimension and the various factors affecting vascular health are elaborated., Conclusion: Complexities exist clinically in making a diagnosis, and organizationally, in the variables and nodes dictating patient outcomes. Clinical complexities cannot be simplified but have to be navigated in an optimized way to improve clinical outcomes., (© 2023 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)
- Published
- 2024
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