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Grota T, Betihavas V, Burston A, Jacob E. Roles of nurse-surgeons in global surgical care: A scoping review. J Adv Nurs 2024; 80:3006-3036. [PMID: 37897097 DOI: 10.1111/jan.15906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
AIM To identify the roles of nurse-surgeons in the provision of surgical care. DESIGN Scoping review. METHODS This scoping review adhered to the JBI guideline for scoping reviews and EQUATOR Network's PRISMA-ScR checklist. Searches were performed from May 2022 to July 2022 using a combination of MeSH headings, keywords and filters via database and hand searching based on the eligibility criteria. Keywords included nurse-surgeon, nurse endoscopist, nurse hysteroscopist and nurse cystoscopist. Data sources were CINAHL, Cochrane, Google Scholar, PubMed and Scopus. Descriptive analysis was used to report the findings. RESULTS Ninety-six included records indicated nurse-surgeon practice in 26 countries. Forty-one nurse-surgeon titles were found, the majority of which were types of nurse practitioner. A total of 5,684,198 surgeries were performed by nurse-surgeons varying from laparotomies to biopsies. Nine records reported that nurse-surgeons perform surgeries safely and on par with physicians with zero to minimal complications. Nineteen records reported improved surgical care efficiency by nurse-surgeons in terms of patient access to surgery, waiting times, surgery times, patient show rates, patient education, physician workload and junior physicians' training. Seven records reported high patient satisfaction. Nurse-surgeons were cost-effective according to five records. Thirteen records recommended the standardization of nurse-surgeon practice. CONCLUSION Nurse-surgeons performed millions of surgeries worldwide assisting in easing the global surgical burden. This review identified the roles and benefits nurse-surgeons play in global surgical care. Research gaps on nurse-surgeon roles were discovered including the ambiguity in nurse-surgeon titles and the need to regulate nurse-surgeon practice. IMPACT This research addressed the clinical safety, quality, contribution to timely surgical access and cost efficiency of nurse-surgeon performed surgeries, as well as the need to standardize nurse-surgeon practice and use a more consistent nurse-surgeon title to ensure role identification and monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tenber Grota
- School of Nursing, Midwifery and Paramedicine, Australian Catholic University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Vasiliki Betihavas
- School of Nursing & Midwifery, University of Notre Dame, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Adam Burston
- School of Nursing, Midwifery and Paramedicine, Australian Catholic University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Nursing Research and Practice Development Centre, The Prince Charles Hospital, Chermside, Queensland, Australia
| | - Elisabeth Jacob
- School of Nursing, Midwifery and Paramedicine, Australian Catholic University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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Hsuan C, Vanness DJ, Zebrowski A, Carr BG, Norton EC, Buckler DG, Wang Y, Leslie DL, Dunham EF, Rogowski JA. Racial and ethnic disparities in emergency department transfers to public hospitals. Health Serv Res 2024; 59:e14276. [PMID: 38229568 PMCID: PMC10915485 DOI: 10.1111/1475-6773.14276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine racial/ethnic differences in emergency department (ED) transfers to public hospitals and factors explaining these differences. DATA SOURCES AND STUDY SETTING ED and inpatient data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project for Florida (2010-2019); American Hospital Association Annual Survey (2009-2018). STUDY DESIGN Logistic regression examined race/ethnicity and payer on the likelihood of transfer to a public hospital among transferred ED patients. The base model was controlled for patient and hospital characteristics and year fixed effects. Models II and III added urbanicity and hospital referral region (HRR), respectively. Model IV used hospital fixed effects, which compares patients within the same hospital. Models V and VI stratified Model IV by payer and condition, respectively. Conditions were classified as emergency care sensitive conditions (ECSCs), where transfer is protocolized, and non-ECSCs. We reported marginal effects at the means. DATA COLLECTION/EXTRACTION METHODS We examined 1,265,588 adult ED patients transferred from 187 hospitals. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Black patients were more likely to be transferred to public hospitals compared with White patients in all models except ECSC patients within the same initial hospital (except trauma). Black patients were 0.5-1.3 percentage points (pp) more likely to be transferred to public hospitals than White patients in the same hospital with the same payer. In the base model, Hispanic patients were more likely to be transferred to public hospitals compared with White patients, but this difference reversed after controlling for HRR. Hispanic patients were - 0.6 pp to -1.2 pp less likely to be transferred to public hospitals than White patients in the same hospital with the same payer. CONCLUSIONS Large population-level differences in whether ED patients of different races/ethnicities were transferred to public hospitals were largely explained by hospital market and the initial hospital, suggesting that they may play a larger role in explaining differences in transfer to public hospitals, compared with other external factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charleen Hsuan
- Department of Health Policy & AdministrationPennsylvania State UniversityState CollegePennsylvaniaUSA
| | - David J. Vanness
- Department of Health Policy & AdministrationPennsylvania State UniversityState CollegePennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Alexis Zebrowski
- Department of Emergency MedicineIcahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew York CityNew YorkUSA
- Department of Population Health Science and PolicyIcahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew York CityNew YorkUSA
| | - Brendan G. Carr
- Department of Emergency MedicineIcahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew York CityNew YorkUSA
- Department of Population Health Science and PolicyIcahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew York CityNew YorkUSA
| | - Edward C. Norton
- Department of Health Management and PolicyUniversity of Michigan School of Public HealthAnn ArborMichiganUSA
- Department of EconomicsUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMichiganUSA
| | - David G. Buckler
- Department of Emergency MedicineIcahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew York CityNew YorkUSA
| | - Yinan Wang
- Department of Health Policy & AdministrationPennsylvania State UniversityState CollegePennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Douglas L. Leslie
- Department of Public Health Sciences, College of MedicinePennsylvania State UniversityState CollegePennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Eleanor F. Dunham
- Department of Emergency Medicine, College of MedicinePennsylvania State UniversityState CollegePennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Jeannette A. Rogowski
- Department of Health Policy & AdministrationPennsylvania State UniversityState CollegePennsylvaniaUSA
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Maldonado-Puebla M, Akenroye A, Busby J, Cardet JC, Louisias M. Pharmacoequity in Allergy-Immunology: Disparities in Access to Medications for Allergic Diseases and Proposed Solutions in the United States and Globally. THE JOURNAL OF ALLERGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY. IN PRACTICE 2024; 12:272-280. [PMID: 37951413 PMCID: PMC10922722 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaip.2023.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
Pharmacoequity is the principle that individuals should have access to high-quality medications regardless of race and ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or availability of resources. In this review, we summarize access to therapeutics for allergic diseases in the United States and other selected countries. We focus on domains of health care access (health insurance coverage, medication availability, and specialist access) as well as system-level factors and clinician- and patient-level factors such as interpersonal racism and cultural beliefs, and how they can affect timely access to appropriate therapy for allergic diseases. Finally, we propose how pharmacoequity in allergy-immunology can be achieved by highlighting solutions to factors limiting access to medications for allergic diseases, and identify potential future research directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Maldonado-Puebla
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa, Fla
| | - Ayobami Akenroye
- Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Mass; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass; Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Mass
| | - John Busby
- Centre for Public Health, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom, (f)Department of Immunology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Mass
| | - Juan Carlos Cardet
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa, Fla
| | - Margee Louisias
- Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Mass; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass.
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4
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Tsai JW, Janke A, Krumholz HM, Khidir H, Venkatesh AK. Race and Ethnicity and Emergency Department Discharge Against Medical Advice. JAMA Netw Open 2023; 6:e2345437. [PMID: 38015503 PMCID: PMC10685883 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.45437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Importance Although discharges against medical advice (DAMA) are associated with greater morbidity and mortality, little is known about current racial and ethnic disparities in DAMA from the emergency department (ED) nationally. Objective To characterize current patterns of racial and ethnic disparities in rates of ED DAMA. Design, Setting, and Participants This cross-sectional study used data from the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample on all hospital ED visits made between January to December 2019 in the US. Main Outcomes and Measures The main outcome was odds of ED DAMA for Black and Hispanic patients compared with White patients nationally and in analysis adjusted for sociodemographic factors. Secondary analysis examined hospital-level variation in DAMA rates for Black, Hispanic, and White patients. Results The study sample included 33 147 251 visits to 989 hospitals, representing the estimated 143 million ED visits in 2019. The median age of patients was 40 years (IQR, 22-61 years). Overall, 1.6% of ED visits resulted in DAMA. DAMA rates were higher for Black patients (2.1%) compared with Hispanic (1.6%) and White (1.4%) patients, males (1.7%) compared with females (1.5%), those with no insurance (2.8%), those with lower income (<$27 999; 1.9%), and those aged 35 to 49 years (2.2%). DAMA visits were highest at metropolitan teaching hospitals (1.8%) and hospitals that served greater proportions of racial and ethnic minoritized patients (serving ≥57.9%; 2.1%). Odds of DAMA were greater for Black patients (odds ratio [OR], 1.45; 95% CI, 1.31-1.57) and Hispanic patients (OR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.04-1.29) compared with White patients. After adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics (age, sex, income, and insurance status), the adjusted OR (AOR) for DAMA was lower for Black patients compared with the unadjusted OR (AOR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.09-1.28) and there was no difference in odds for Hispanic patients (AOR, 1.03; 95% CI, 0.92-1.15) compared with White patients. After additional adjustment for hospital random intercepts, DAMA disparities reversed, with Black and Hispanic patients having lower odds of DAMA compared with White patients (Black patients: AOR, 0.94 [95% CI, 0.90-0.98]; Hispanic patients: AOR, 0.68 [95% CI, 0.63-0.72]). The intraclass correlation in this secondary analysis model was 0.118 (95% CI, 0.104-0.133). Conclusions and Relevance This national cross-sectional study found that Black and Hispanic patients had greater odds of ED DAMA than White patients in unadjusted analysis. Disparities were reversed after patient-level and hospital-level risk adjustment, and greater between-hospital than within-hospital variation in DAMA was observed, suggesting that Black and Hispanic patients are more likely to receive care in hospitals with higher DAMA rates. Structural racism may contribute to ED DAMA disparities via unequal allocation of health care resources in hospitals that disproportionately treat racial and ethnic minoritized groups. Monitoring variation in DAMA by race and ethnicity and hospital suggests an opportunity to improve equitable access to health care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer W. Tsai
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Alexander Janke
- VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System/University of Michigan Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, National Clinician Scholars Program, Ann Arbor
| | - Harlan M. Krumholz
- Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Yale-New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Connecticut
- Section of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Hazar Khidir
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
- National Clinician Scholars Program, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Arjun K. Venkatesh
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
- Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Yale-New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Connecticut
- National Clinician Scholars Program, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
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Cao JA, Patel SB, Wong CW, Garcia D, Munoz J, Cone C, Zamora D, Reagan M, Nguyen TV, Pearce W, Fish RH, Brown DM, Chaudhary V, Wykoff CC, Fan KC. Demographic and Socioeconomic Factors in Prospective Retina-Focused Clinical Trial Screening and Enrollment. J Pers Med 2023; 13:880. [PMID: 37373869 DOI: 10.3390/jpm13060880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Historically marginalized populations are disproportionately affected by many diseases that commonly affect the retina, yet they have been traditionally underrepresented in prospective clinical trials. This study explores whether this disparity affects the clinical trial enrollment process in the retina field and aims to inform future trial recruitment and enrollment. Age, gender, race, ethnicity, preferred language, insurance status, social security number (SSN) status, and median household income (estimated using street address and zip code) for patients referred to at least one prospective, retina-focused clinical trial at a large, urban, retina-based practice were retrospectively extracted using electronic medical records. Data were collected for the 12-month period from 1 January 2022, through 31 December 2022. Recruitment status was categorized as Enrolled, Declined, Communication (defined as patients who were not contacted, were contacted with no response, were waiting for a follow-up, or were scheduled for screening following a clinical trial referral.), and Did Not Qualify (DNQ). Univariable and multivariable analyses were used to determine significant relationships between the Enrolled and Declined groups. Among the 1477 patients, the mean age was 68.5 years old, 647 (43.9%) were male, 900 (61.7%) were White, 139 (9.5%) were Black, and 275 (18.7%) were Hispanic. The distribution of recruitment status was: 635 (43.0%) Enrolled, 232 (15.7%) Declined, 290 (19.6%) Communication, and 320 (21.7%) DNQ. In comparing socioeconomic factors between the Enrolled and Declined groups, significant odds ratios were observed for age (p < 0.02, odds ratio (OR) = 0.98, 95% confidence interval (CI) [0.97, 1.00]), and between patients who preferred English versus Spanish (p = 0.004, OR = 0.35, 95% CI [0.17, 0.72]. Significant differences between the Enrolled and Declined groups were also observed for age (p < 0.05), ethnicity (p = 0.01), preferred language (p < 0.05), insurance status (p = 0.001), and SSN status (p < 0.001). These factors may contribute to patient participation in retina-focused clinical trials. An awareness of these demographic and socioeconomic disparities may be valuable to consider when attempting to make clinical trial enrollment an equitable process for all patients, and strategies may be useful to help address these challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sagar B Patel
- Retina Consultants of Texas, Houston, TX 77401, USA
- Blanton Eye Institute, Houston Methodist Hospital & Weill Cornell Medical College, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Calvin W Wong
- McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - David Garcia
- Retina Consultants of Texas, Houston, TX 77401, USA
| | - Jose Munoz
- Retina Consultants of Texas, Houston, TX 77401, USA
| | | | | | - Mary Reagan
- Retina Consultants of Texas, Houston, TX 77401, USA
| | - Tieu V Nguyen
- Retina Consultants of Texas, Houston, TX 77401, USA
- Blanton Eye Institute, Houston Methodist Hospital & Weill Cornell Medical College, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Will Pearce
- Retina Consultants of Texas, Houston, TX 77401, USA
- Blanton Eye Institute, Houston Methodist Hospital & Weill Cornell Medical College, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Richard H Fish
- Retina Consultants of Texas, Houston, TX 77401, USA
- Blanton Eye Institute, Houston Methodist Hospital & Weill Cornell Medical College, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - David M Brown
- Retina Consultants of Texas, Houston, TX 77401, USA
- Blanton Eye Institute, Houston Methodist Hospital & Weill Cornell Medical College, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Varun Chaudhary
- Department of Surgery, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Charles C Wykoff
- Retina Consultants of Texas, Houston, TX 77401, USA
- Blanton Eye Institute, Houston Methodist Hospital & Weill Cornell Medical College, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Kenneth C Fan
- Retina Consultants of Texas, Houston, TX 77401, USA
- Blanton Eye Institute, Houston Methodist Hospital & Weill Cornell Medical College, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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HSUAN CHARLEEN, CARR BRENDANG, VANNESS DAVID, WANG YINAN, LESLIE DOUGLASL, DUNHAM ELEANOR, ROGOWSKI JEANNETTEA. A Conceptual Framework for Optimizing the Equity of Hospital-Based Emergency Care: The Structure of Hospital Transfer Networks. Milbank Q 2023; 101:74-125. [PMID: 36919402 PMCID: PMC10037699 DOI: 10.1111/1468-0009.12609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Policy Points Current pay-for-performance and other payment policies ignore hospital transfers for emergency conditions, which may exacerbate disparities. No conceptual framework currently exists that offers a patient-centered, population-based perspective for the structure of hospital transfer networks. The hospital transfer network equity-quality framework highlights the external and internal factors that determine the structure of hospital transfer networks, including structural inequity and racism. CONTEXT Emergency care includes two key components: initial stabilization and transfer to a higher level of care. Significant work has focused on ensuring that local facilities can stabilize patients. However, less is understood about transfers for definitive care. To better understand how transfer network structure impacts population health and equity in emergency care, we proposea conceptual framework, the hospital transfer network equity-quality model (NET-EQUITY). NET-EQUITY can help optimize population outcomes, decrease disparities, and enhance planning by supporting a framework for understanding emergency department transfers. METHODS To develop the NET-EQUITY framework, we synthesized work on health systems and quality of health care (Donabedian, the Institute of Medicine, Ferlie, and Shortell) and the research framework of the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities with legal and empirical research. FINDINGS The central thesis of our framework is that the structure of hospital transfer networks influences patient outcomes, as defined by the Institute of Medicine, which includes equity. The structure of hospital transfer networks is shaped by internal and external factors. The four main external factors are the regulatory, economic environment, provider, and sociocultural and physical/built environment. These environments all implicate issues of equity that are important to understand to foster an equitable population-based system of emergency care. The framework highlights external and internal factors that determine the structure of hospital transfer networks, including structural racism and inequity. CONCLUSIONS The NET-EQUITY framework provides a patient-centered, equity-focused framework for understanding the health of populations and how the structure of hospital transfer networks can influence the quality of care that patients receive.
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Janke AT, Gettel C, Koski-Vacirca R, Lin MP, Kocher KE, Venkatesh AK. Trends In Treat-And-Release Emergency Care Visits With High-Intensity Billing In The US, 2006-19. Health Aff (Millwood) 2022; 41:1772-1780. [PMID: 36469824 DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.2022.00484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/08/2022]
Abstract
Clinicians' billing practices for professional services in the emergency department (ED) have come under scrutiny as the proportion of expensive high-intensity visits has grown in recent decades. Clinicians respond to payers' criticism by citing the worsening health status of undifferentiated patients alongside increasing expectations of ED care, with few data available to disentangle these phenomena from coding practices. We performed an observational study of US treat-and-release ED visits using data from the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample. In 2006, 4.8 percent of treat-and-release ED visits exhibited high-intensity billing, and this figure rose to 19.2 percent by 2019. The proportion of visits for older patients, those with more comorbidities, and those with nonspecific but potentially serious diagnoses grew. Of the observed growth in high-intensity billing, 47 percent was expected, based on changes in administrative measures for patient case-mix and care services. Any emergency care reimbursement reform must account for growing patient complexity and an evolving role for EDs in the health care system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander T Janke
- Alexander T. Janke , Veterans Affairs Ann Arbor Healthcare System and University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | | | | | - Michelle P Lin
- Michelle P. Lin, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | | | - Arjun K Venkatesh
- Arjun K. Venkatesh, Yale University and Yale-New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Connecticut
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Mazimba S. Toward equitable utilization of durable left ventricular assist device therapy in advanced heart failure-Raising the veil of health disparities. J Card Surg 2022; 37:3595-3597. [PMID: 36124425 PMCID: PMC9825975 DOI: 10.1111/jocs.16933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Heart failure (HF) is a progressive disease with high attendant morbidity and mortality. Contemporary guideline-directed medical therapies have led to remarkable improvements in HF outcomes. However, in a subset of patients, progression to advanced HF stages requiring durable left ventricular assist device (LVAD) and or heart transplantation is inevitable. LVADs improve survival and quality of life in eligible patients with advanced HF. However, access to LVAD therapy is marked by disparities, attributable to race and ethnicity, social-economic status, geography, and sex and gender categories. This commentary addresses the findings by Jones and colleagues on "The Impact of Race on Utilization of Durable Left Ventricular Assist Device Therapy in Patients with Advanced Heart Failure" and also highlights the importance of social determinants of health in defining health disparities as well as the urgent work needed to improve HF clinical outcomes by dismantling these disparities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sula Mazimba
- Department of Medicine, University of VirginiaDivision of Cardiovascular MedicineCharlottesvilleVirginiaUSA
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9
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Gao YN, Olfson M. Insurance and inpatient admission of emergency department patients with depression in the United States. Gen Hosp Psychiatry 2022; 78:28-34. [PMID: 35841753 PMCID: PMC9474607 DOI: 10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2022.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Revised: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To estimate the contribution of insurance on rates of inpatient admission for emergency department visits with depression diagnoses. METHODS We identified 3,681,581 visits for depression in the National Emergency Department Sample (2007-2018). We classified them by concurrent injury, suicidal ideation, or neither. Payer categories were defined, non-exclusively, as Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance, and no insurance. Logistic regression models, adjusted for age, year, and comorbidities, were used to describe differences in rates of inpatient admission by payer type, stratified by visit features. RESULTS Rates of inpatient admission for visits with neither injury nor suicidal ideation (31.9%; 95%CI, 30.8-33.0) were lower than for visits with injury (37.9%; 95%CI, 36.7-39.1) or with suicidal ideation (39.7%; 95%CI, 37.3-42.1). Rates of admission were significantly lower for those without insurance (26.6%; 95%CI, 25.5-27.8) than for those with insurance (37.1%; 95%CI, 36.1-38.1). In adjusted models, insurance was associated with increased likelihood (OR = 1.81, 95%CI, 1.69-1.94) of admission. Insurance continued to be a significant predictor of admission among ED visits for depression with concurrent injury (OR = 1.39; 95%CI, 1.29-1.51). CONCLUSION After controlling for demographic characteristics and medical comorbidities, patients with depression who have insurance are significantly more likely to be admitted to the hospital compared to those without insurance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y Nina Gao
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, USA.
| | - Mark Olfson
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, USA
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10
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Khoury MK, Weaver FA, Tsai S, Nevarez NM, Ramanan B, Kirkwood ML, Modrall JG. Renal Artery Aneurysms in the Inpatient Setting. Ann Vasc Surg 2022; 86:50-57. [PMID: 35803463 DOI: 10.1016/j.avsg.2022.05.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2022] [Revised: 05/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The risk of rupture of renal artery aneurysms (RAAs) remains undefined. A recent paper from the Vascular Low-Frequency Disease Consortium (VLFDC) identified only 3 ruptures in 760 patients. However, over 80% of patients in the VLFDC study were treated at large academic centers, which may not reflect the pattern of care of RAAs nationwide. Thus, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the pattern of nonelective versus elective surgery requiring inpatient admission for RAAs, including nephrectomies, and their outcomes using a national database. METHODS The National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database from 2012 to 2018 was utilized. Patients with a primary diagnosis of RAAs were identified using ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes. Ruptured RAAs (rRAAs) were identified utilizing surrogate ICD codes. The primary outcome variables for this study were proportion of RAAs requiring non-elective surgery and in-hospital mortality. RESULTS A total of 590 inpatient admissions for RAA were identified with 554 procedures at 467 hospitals across the country. Of the 590 inpatient admissions, 380 (64.4%) admissions were deemed nonelective. There was an increasing proportion of nonelective admissions over the study period. The overall rate of nephrectomies was 7.1% (n = 42). In-hospital mortality rate for the cohort was 1.4% (n = 8) with no differences in in-hospital mortality in the elective versus nonelective setting (1.0% vs. 1.6%; P = 0.718). In the nonelective setting, patients requiring a nephrectomy (n = 23) had significantly higher rates of in-hospital mortality compared those not requiring a nephrectomy (8.7% vs. 1.1%, P = 0.045). rRAA (n = 50) patients had significantly higher in-hospital mortality compared to the remainder of the cohort (6.0% vs. 0.9%, P = 0.024). rRAA patients were also more likely to undergo a nephrectomy compared to the remainder of the cohort (16.0% vs. 6.3%, P = 0.019). CONCLUSIONS These data demonstrate that treatment of RAAs are primarily done in the nonelective setting with a high proportion of ruptures, which could continue to rise as the threshold for repair has decreased.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mitri K Khoury
- University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, TX; Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Dallas, TX
| | - Fred A Weaver
- University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA; Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Shirling Tsai
- University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, TX; Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Dallas, TX; Surgical Service, Dallas Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | - Nicole M Nevarez
- University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, TX; Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Dallas, TX
| | - Bala Ramanan
- University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, TX; Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Dallas, TX; Surgical Service, Dallas Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | - Melissa L Kirkwood
- University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, TX; Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Dallas, TX
| | - J Gregory Modrall
- University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, TX; Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Dallas, TX; Surgical Service, Dallas Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Dallas, TX.
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11
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Preoperative Treatment of Severe Diabetes Mellitus and Hypertension Mitigates Healthcare Disparities and Prevents Adverse Postoperative Discharge to a Nursing Home. Ann Surg 2022; 276:e185-e191. [PMID: 35762618 DOI: 10.1097/sla.0000000000005544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate whether patients of Black race are at higher risk of losing the ability to live independently after surgery, and if a higher prevalence of severe diabetes mellitus and hypertension are contributing. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA It is unclear whether a patient's race predicts adverse discharge to a nursing home after surgery, and if preexisting diseases are contributing. METHODS 368,360 adults undergoing surgery between 2007 and 2020 across two academic healthcare networks in New England were included. Patients of self-identified Black or White race were compared. The primary outcome was postoperative discharge to a nursing facility. Mediation analysis was used to examine the impact of preexisting severe diabetes mellitus and hypertension on the primary association. RESULTS 10.3% (38,010/368,360) of patients were Black and 26,434 (7.2%) patients lost the ability to live independently after surgery. Black patients were at increased risk of postoperative discharge to a nursing facility (adjusted absolute risk difference [ARDadj] 1.9%;95%CI 1.6-2.2%;P<0.001). A higher prevalence of preexisting severe diabetes mellitus and hypertension in Black patients mediated 30.2% and 15.6% of this association. Preoperative medication-based treatment adherent to guidelines in patients with severe diabetes mellitus or hypertension mitigated the primary association (p-for-interaction<0.001). The same pattern of effect mitigation by pharmacotherapy was observed for the endpoint 30-day readmission. CONCLUSIONS Black race was associated with postoperative discharge to a nursing facility compared to White race. Optimized preoperative assessment and treatment of diabetes and hypertension improves surgical outcomes and provides an opportunity to the surgeon to help eliminate healthcare disparities.
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Usher MG, Tignanelli CJ, Hilliard B, Kaltenborn ZP, Lupei MI, Simon G, Shah S, Kirsch JD, Melton GB, Ingraham NE, Olson AP, Baum KD. Responding to COVID-19 Through Interhospital Resource Coordination: A Mixed-Methods Evaluation. J Patient Saf 2022; 18:287-294. [PMID: 34569998 PMCID: PMC8940726 DOI: 10.1097/pts.0000000000000916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The COVID-19 pandemic stressed hospital operations, requiring rapid innovations to address rise in demand and specialized COVID-19 services while maintaining access to hospital-based care and facilitating expertise. We aimed to describe a novel hospital system approach to managing the COVID-19 pandemic, including multihospital coordination capability and transfer of COVID-19 patients to a single, dedicated hospital. METHODS We included patients who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by polymerase chain reaction admitted to a 12-hospital network including a dedicated COVID-19 hospital. Our primary outcome was adherence to local guidelines, including admission risk stratification, anticoagulation, and dexamethasone treatment assessed by differences-in-differences analysis after guideline dissemination. We evaluated outcomes and health care worker satisfaction. Finally, we assessed barriers to safe transfer including transfer across different electronic health record systems. RESULTS During the study, the system admitted a total of 1209 patients. Of these, 56.3% underwent transfer, supported by a physician-led System Operations Center. Patients who were transferred were older (P = 0.001) and had similar risk-adjusted mortality rates. Guideline adherence after dissemination was higher among patients who underwent transfer: admission risk stratification (P < 0.001), anticoagulation (P < 0.001), and dexamethasone administration (P = 0.003). Transfer across electronic health record systems was a perceived barrier to safety and reduced quality. Providers positively viewed our transfer approach. CONCLUSIONS With standardized communication, interhospital transfers can be a safe and effective method of cohorting COVID-19 patients, are well received by health care providers, and have the potential to improve care quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael G. Usher
- From the Section of Hospital Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine
| | - Christopher J. Tignanelli
- Department of Surgery, University of Minnesota Medical School
- Institute for Health Informatics, University of Minnesota
| | - Brian Hilliard
- From the Section of Hospital Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine
| | - Zachary P. Kaltenborn
- From the Section of Hospital Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine
| | | | - Gyorgy Simon
- Institute for Health Informatics, University of Minnesota
| | - Surbhi Shah
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine
| | - Jonathan D. Kirsch
- From the Section of Hospital Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine
| | - Genevieve B. Melton
- Department of Surgery, University of Minnesota Medical School
- Institute for Health Informatics, University of Minnesota
| | - Nicholas E. Ingraham
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Andrew P.J. Olson
- From the Section of Hospital Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine
| | - Karyn D. Baum
- From the Section of Hospital Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine
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Patel K, Taneja K, Mohamed A, Batchu S, Hsiung H, Mott C, Tornberg H, Patel UK. An Analysis of Epidemiological Factors in Heart Failure Outcomes. Cureus 2022; 14:e22627. [PMID: 35371698 PMCID: PMC8958989 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.22627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 02/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Various socioeconomic and demographic factors play a role in determining treatment outcomes across numerous conditions. Different studies have shown that certain demographic factors, such as income status, directly correlate with treatment outcomes. In this study, we analyze the effect of some of these variables, namely, insurance and age, on various endpoints, including length of stay and discharge status, among heart failure patients. Methodology The data used in this project were retrieved from the HealthCare Utilization Project. We sorted the data by insurance, age, length of stay, and discharge status. To compare discharge status between different insurance types and age groups, we used Stata to compute odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. To compare the length of stay among different age groups and insurance types, we conducted an unpaired two-tailed Student’s t-test. Results Across all age groups, we found that younger patients with heart failure are more likely to discharge against medical advice compared to older patients. The average length of stay for heart failure patients was the same across all age groups except those 85 and older. Moreover, patients with a lower socioeconomic status, as determined by insurance type, were more likely to discharge against medical advice and less likely to die within hospitals. Conclusions Our results speak to the socioeconomic inequalities seen in medicine today. Studies have shown that those with a lower socioeconomic status tend to have worse outcomes across various conditions. Our analysis shows this phenomenon holds true for heart failure as well. In addition, our study helps to determine which groups are at higher risk of making medical decisions, such as discharging against medical advice, that will negatively affect their condition. Identifying these high-risk groups is a key first step to counteracting such behavior.
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Rubens M, Ramamoorthy V, Saxena A, Appunni S, Sundil S, Veledar E, McGranaghan P, Tonse R, Fitz SJT, Chuong MD, Odia Y, Kotecha R, Mehta MP, Kotecha R. Relationship between insurance status and interhospital transfers among cancer patients in the United States. BMC Cancer 2022; 22:121. [PMID: 35093015 PMCID: PMC8801067 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-022-09242-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The relationship between insurance status and interhospital transfers has not been adequately researched among cancer patients. Hence this study aimed for understanding this relationship using a nationally representative database. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted using National Inpatient Sample (NIS) data collected during 2010–2016 and included all cancer hospitalization between 18 and 64 years of age. Interhospital transfers were compared based on insurance status (Medicare, Medicaid, private, and uninsured). Weighted multivariable logistic regressions were used to calculate the odds of interhospital transfers based on insurance status, after adjusting for many covariates. Results There were 3,580,908 weighted cancer hospitalizations, of which 72,353 (2.02%) had interhospital transfers. Uninsured patients had significantly higher rates of interhospital transfers, compared to those with Medicare (P = 0.005) and private insurance (P < 0.001). Privately insured patients had significantly lower rates of interhospital transfers, compared to those with Medicare (P < 0.001) and Medicaid (P < 0.001). Logistic regression analyses showed that the odds of having interhospital transfers were significantly higher among uninsured (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.57, 95% CI: 1.45–1.69), Medicare (aOR, 1.38, 95% CI: 1.32–1.45) and Medicaid (aOR, 1.23, 95% CI: 1.16–1.30) patients when compared to those with private insurance coverages. Conclusion Among cancer patients, uninsured and Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries were more likely to experience interhospital transfers. In addition to medical reasons, factors such as affordability and socioeconomic status are influencing interhospital transfer decisions, indicating existing healthcare disparities. Further studies should focus on identifying the causal associations between factors explored in this study as well as additional unexplored factors. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12885-022-09242-8.
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15
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Bergmann PJ, Ahlgren NA, Torres Stone RA. County-level societal predictors of COVID-19 cases and deaths changed through time in the United States: A longitudinal ecological study. PLOS GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 2:e0001282. [PMID: 36962644 PMCID: PMC10022229 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0001282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
People of different racial/ethnic backgrounds, demographics, health, and socioeconomic characteristics have experienced disproportionate rates of infection and death due to COVID-19. This study tests if and how county-level rates of infection and death have changed in relation to societal county characteristics through time as the pandemic progressed. This longitudinal study sampled monthly county-level COVID-19 case and death data per 100,000 residents from April 2020 to March 2022, and studied the relationships of these variables with racial/ethnic, demographic, health, and socioeconomic characteristics for 3125 or 97.0% of U.S. counties, accounting for 96.4% of the U.S. population. The association of all county-level characteristics with COVID-19 case and death rates changed significantly through time, and showed different patterns. For example, counties with higher population proportions of Black, Native American, foreign-born non-citizen, elderly residents, households in poverty, or higher income inequality suffered disproportionately higher COVID-19 case and death rates at the beginning of the pandemic, followed by reversed, attenuated or fluctuating patterns, depending on the variable. Patterns for counties with higher White versus Black population proportions showed somewhat inverse patterns. Counties with higher female population proportions initially had lower case rates but higher death rates, and case and death rates become more coupled and fluctuated later in the pandemic. Counties with higher population densities had fluctuating case and death rates, with peaks coinciding with new variants of COVID-19. Counties with a greater proportion of university-educated residents had lower case and death rates throughout the pandemic, although the strength of this relationship fluctuated through time. This research clearly shows that how different segments of society are affected by a pandemic changes through time. Therefore, targeted policies and interventions that change as a pandemic unfolds are necessary to mitigate its disproportionate effects on vulnerable populations, particularly during the first six months of a pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip J Bergmann
- Department of Biology, Clark University, Worcester, MA, United States of America
| | - Nathan A Ahlgren
- Department of Biology, Clark University, Worcester, MA, United States of America
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16
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Riegler J. Insurance-based inequities in emergency interhospital transfers: an argument for the prioritisation of patient care. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ETHICS 2021; 47:766-769. [PMID: 33509791 DOI: 10.1136/medethics-2020-107074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Revised: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Currently there is an inequity in transfer rates of uninsured patients versus their insured counterparts. While this may vary by hospital system, studies indicate that this is a national trend, especially in emergency situations, and represents a prioritisation of profits over ethical obligations. This creates a variety of ethical issues for patients and society that generates a concordance between deontological and utilitarian viewpoints, two generally opposed schools of thought. The prioritisation of profit maximisation in order to provide better care for a select population is insufficient to justify deleterious health outcomes, stress and financial burden on patients. Current policy regarding patient transfers in the emergency department is insufficient to protect the uninsured and must be reevaluated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob Riegler
- College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA
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17
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Wallace AS, Luther BL, Sisler SM, Wong B, Guo JW. Integrating social determinants of health screening and referral during routine emergency department care: evaluation of reach and implementation challenges. Implement Sci Commun 2021; 2:114. [PMID: 34620248 PMCID: PMC8499465 DOI: 10.1186/s43058-021-00212-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Despite the importance of social determinants in health outcomes, little is known about the best practices for screening and referral during clinical encounters. This study aimed to implement universal social needs screening and community service referrals in an academic emergency department (ED), evaluating for feasibility, reach, and stakeholder perspectives. Methods Between January 2019 and February 2020, ED registration staff screened patients for social needs using a 10-item, low-literacy, English-Spanish screener on touchscreens that generated automatic referrals to community service outreach specialists and data linkages. The RE-AIM framework, specifically the constructs of reach and adoption, guided the evaluation. Reach was estimated through a number of approaches, completed screenings, and receipt of community service referrals. Adoption was addressed qualitatively via content analysis and qualitative coding techniques from (1) meetings, clinical interactions, and semi-structured interviews with ED staff and (2) an iterative “engagement studio” with an advisory group composed of ED patients representing diverse communities. Results Overall, 4608 participants were approached, and 61% completed the screener. The most common reason for non-completion was patient refusal (43%). Forty-seven percent of patients with completed screeners communicated one or more needs, 34% of whom agreed to follow-up by resource specialists. Of the 482 participants referred, 20% were reached by outreach specialists and referred to community agencies. Only 7% of patients completed the full process from screening to community service referral; older, male, non-White, and Hispanic patients were more likely to complete the referral process. Iterative staff (n = 8) observations and interviews demonstrated that, despite instruction for universal screening, patient presentation (e.g., appearance, insurance status) drove screening decisions. The staff communicated discomfort with, and questioned the usefulness of, screening. Patients (n = 10) communicated a desire for improved understanding of their unmet needs, but had concerns about stigmatization and privacy, and communicated how receptivity of screenings and outreach are influenced by the perceived sincerity of screening staff. Conclusions Despite the limited time and technical barriers, few patients with social needs ultimately received service referrals. Perspectives of staff and patients suggest that social needs screening during clinical encounters should incorporate structure for facilitating patient-staff relatedness and competence, and address patient vulnerability by ensuring universal, private screenings with clear intent. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04630041. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s43058-021-00212-y.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea S Wallace
- College of Nursing, University of Utah, 10 South 2000 East, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112-5880, USA. .,Department of Population Health Sciences, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, USA.
| | - Brenda L Luther
- College of Nursing, University of Utah, 10 South 2000 East, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112-5880, USA
| | - Shawna M Sisler
- College of Nursing, University of Utah, 10 South 2000 East, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112-5880, USA
| | - Bob Wong
- College of Nursing, University of Utah, 10 South 2000 East, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112-5880, USA
| | - Jia-Wen Guo
- College of Nursing, University of Utah, 10 South 2000 East, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112-5880, USA
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18
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Lieng MK, Marcin JP, Dayal P, Tancredi DJ, Swanson MB, Haynes SC, Romano PS, Sigal IS, Rosenthal JL. Emergency Department Pediatric Readiness and Potentially Avoidable Transfers. J Pediatr 2021; 236:229-237.e5. [PMID: 34000284 PMCID: PMC8830940 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2021.05.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Revised: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine the association between potentially avoidable transfers (PATs) and emergency department (ED) pediatric readiness scores and the score's associated components. STUDY DESIGN This cross-sectional study linked the 2012 National Pediatric Readiness Project assessment with individual encounter data from California's statewide ED and inpatient databases during the years 2011-2013. A probabilistic linkage, followed by deterministic heuristics, linked pretransfer, and post-transfer encounters. Applying previously published definitions, a transferred child was considered a PAT if they were discharged within 1 day from the ED or inpatient care and had no specialized procedures. Analyses were stratified by injured and noninjured children. We compared PATs with necessary transfers using mixed-effects logistic regression models with random intercepts for hospital and adjustment for patient and hospital covariates. RESULTS After linkage, there were 6765 injured children (27% PATs) and 18 836 noninjured children (14% PATs) who presented to 283 hospitals. In unadjusted analyses, a 10-point increase in pediatric readiness was associated with lower odds of PATs in both injured (OR 0.93, 95% CI 0.90-0.96) and noninjured children (OR 0.90, 95% CI 0.88-0.93). In adjusted analyses, a similar association was detected in injured patients (aOR 0.92, 95% CI 0.86-0.98) and was not detected in noninjured patients (aOR 0.94, 95% CI 0.88-1.00). Components associated with decreased PATs included having a nurse pediatric emergency care coordinator and a quality improvement plan. CONCLUSIONS Hospital ED pediatric readiness is associated with lower odds of a PAT. Certain pediatric readiness components are modifiable risk factors that EDs could target to reduce PATs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica K Lieng
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Davis Health, Sacramento, CA.
| | - James P Marcin
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Davis Health, Sacramento, CA
| | - Parul Dayal
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Davis Health, Sacramento, CA
| | - Daniel J Tancredi
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Davis Health, Sacramento, CA
| | - Morgan B Swanson
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Iowa College of Public Health, Iowa City, IA
| | - Sarah C Haynes
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Davis Health, Sacramento, CA
| | - Patrick S Romano
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Davis Health, Sacramento, CA
| | - Ilana S Sigal
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Davis Health, Sacramento, CA
| | - Jennifer L Rosenthal
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Davis Health, Sacramento, CA
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Weiner SG, Hoppe JA. Prescribing Naloxone to High-Risk Patients in the Emergency Department: Is it Enough? Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf 2021; 47:340-342. [PMID: 33958290 PMCID: PMC8165019 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcjq.2021.03.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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20
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National trends in emergency department closures, mergers, and utilization, 2005-2015. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0251729. [PMID: 34015007 PMCID: PMC8136839 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0251729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Study objectives To describe nationwide hospital-based emergency department (ED) closures and mergers, as well as the utilization of emergency departments and inpatient beds, over time and across varying geographic areas in the United States. Methods Observational analysis of the American Hospital Association (AHA) Annual Survey from 2005 to 2015. Primary outcomes were hospital-based ED closure and merger. Secondary outcomes were yearly ED visits per hospital-based ED and yearly hospital admissions per hospital bed. Results The total number of hospital-based EDs decreased from 4,500 in 2005 to 4,460 in 2015, with 200 closures, 138 mergers, and 160 new hospital-based EDs. While yearly ED visits per hospital-based ED exhibited a 28.6% relative increase (from 25,083 to 32,248), yearly hospital admissions per hospital bed had a 3.3% relative increase (from 45.4 to 43.9) from 2005 to 2015. The number of hospital admissions and hospital beds did not change significantly in urban areas and declined in rural areas. ED visits grew more uniformly across urban and rural areas. Conclusions The number of hospital-based ED closures is small when accounting for mergers, but occurs as many more patients are presenting to a stable number of EDs in larger health systems, though rural areas may differentially affected. EDs were managing accelerating patient volumes alongside stagnant inpatient bed capacity.
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21
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Shannon EM, Zheng J, Orav EJ, Schnipper JL, Mueller SK. Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Interhospital Transfer for Conditions With a Mortality Benefit to Transfer Among Patients With Medicare. JAMA Netw Open 2021; 4:e213474. [PMID: 33769508 PMCID: PMC7998076 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.3474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Interhospital transfer (IHT) of patients is a common occurrence in modern health care. Racial/ethnic disparities are prevalent throughout US health care, but their presence in IHT is not well characterized. OBJECTIVE To determine if there are racial/ethnic disparities in IHT for medical diagnoses for which IHT is associated with a mortality benefit. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This cross-sectional analysis used 2013 data from the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services 100% Master Beneficiary Summary and Inpatient Claims merged with 2013 American Hospital Association data. Individuals with Medicare aged 65 years or older continuously enrolled in Medicare Part A and B with an inpatient hospitalization claim in 2013 for primary diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction, stroke, sepsis, or respiratory diseases were included. Data analysis occurred from November 2019 through July 2020. EXPOSURES Race/ethnicity. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary outcome of interest was IHT. For the primary analysis, a series of logistic regression models were created to estimate the adjusted odds of IHT for Black and Hispanic patients compared with White patients, controlling for patient clinical and demographic variables and incorporating hospital fixed effects. In secondary analyses, subgroup analyses were conducted by diagnosis, hospital teaching status, and hospitalization to hospitals in the top decile of Black and Hispanic patient proportion. RESULTS Among 899 557 patients, 734 958 patients were White (81.7%), 84 544 patients were Black (9.4%), and 47 588 patients were Hispanic (5.3%); there were 418 683 men (46.5%), and 306 215 patients (34.0%) were older than 84 years. The mean (SD) age was 76.8 (7.5) years. Among all patients, 20 171 White patients (2.7%), 1913 Black patients (2.3%), and 1062 Hispanic patients (2.2%) underwent IHT. After controlling for patient variables and hospital fixed effects, Black patients had a persistently lower odds of IHT (adjusted odds ratio, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.81-0.92; P < .001), while Hispanic patients had higher odds of IHT (adjusted odds ratio, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.05-1.24; P = .002) compared with White patients. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE This national evaluation of IHT among patients hospitalized with diagnoses previously found to have mortality benefit with transfer found that, compared with White patients, Black patients had persistently lower adjusted odds of transfer after accounting for patient and hospital characteristics and measured across various hospital settings. Meanwhile, Hispanic patients had higher adjusted odds of transfer. This research highlights the need for the development of strategies to mitigate disparate transfer practices by patient race/ethnicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan Michael Shannon
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jie Zheng
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - E. John Orav
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
- Division of General Internal Medicine and Primary Care, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jeffrey L. Schnipper
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Division of General Internal Medicine and Primary Care, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Stephanie K. Mueller
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Division of General Internal Medicine and Primary Care, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
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22
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Billig JI, Nasser JS, Cho HE, Chou CH, Chung KC. Association of Interfacility Transfer and Patient and Hospital Characteristics With Thumb Replantation After Traumatic Amputation. JAMA Netw Open 2021; 4:e2036297. [PMID: 33533928 PMCID: PMC7859845 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.36297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Given that 40% of hand function is achieved with the thumb, replantation of traumatic thumb injuries is associated with substantial quality-of-life benefits. However, fewer replantations are being performed annually in the US, which has been associated with less surgical expertise and increased risk of future replantation failures. Thus, understanding how interfacility transfers and hospital characteristics are associated with outcomes warrants further investigation. OBJECTIVE To assess the association of interfacility transfer, patient characteristics, and hospital factors with thumb replantation attempts and success. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This cross-sectional study used data from the US National Trauma Data Bank from 2009 to 2016 for adult patients with isolated traumatic thumb amputation injury who underwent revision amputation or replantation. Data analysis was performed from May 4, 2020, to July 20, 2020. EXPOSURES Interfacility transfer, defined as transfer of a patient from 1 hospital to another to obtain care for traumatic thumb amputation. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Replantation attempt and replantation success, defined as having undergone a replantation without a subsequent revision amputation during the same hospitalization. Multilevel logistic regression models were used to assess the associations of interfacility transfer, patient characteristics, and hospital factors with replantation outcomes. RESULTS Of 3670 patients included in this analysis, 3307 (90.1%) were male and 2713 (73.9%) were White; the mean (SD) age was 45.8 (16.5) years. A total of 1881 patients (51.2%) were transferred to another hospital; most of these patients were male (1720 [91.4%]) and White (1420 [75.5%]). After controlling for patient and hospital characteristics, uninsured patients were less likely to have thumb replantation attempted (odds ratio [OR], 0.61; 95% CI, 0.47-0.78) or a successful replantation (OR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.49-0.84). Interfacility transfer was associated with increased odds of replantation attempt (OR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.13-1.59), with 13% of the variation at the hospital level. Interfacility transfer was also associated with increased replantation success (OR, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.03-1.47), with 14% of variation at the hospital level. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In this cross-sectional study, interfacility transfer and particularly hospital-level variation were associated with increased thumb replantation attempts and successes. These findings suggest a need for creating policies that incentivize hospitals with replantation expertise to provide treatment for traumatic thumb amputations, including promotion of centralization of replantation care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica I. Billig
- Section of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Michigan Medicine, Ann Arbor
| | - Jacob S. Nasser
- The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC
| | - Hoyune E. Cho
- Section of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Michigan Medicine, Ann Arbor
- Department of Plastic Surgery, University of California, Irvine
| | - Ching-Han Chou
- Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Kevin C. Chung
- Section of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Michigan Medicine, Ann Arbor
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Chu QD, White RK, Gibbs JF. Transfer of emergency general surgery patients. Could the role of insurance status be underestimated? Surgery 2020; 169:1264. [PMID: 33272609 DOI: 10.1016/j.surg.2020.10.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Quyen D Chu
- Departments of Surgery at LSU Health Sciences Center-Shreveport, Shreveport, LA.
| | - Robert Keith White
- Departments of Surgery at LSU Health Sciences Center-Shreveport, Shreveport, LA
| | - John F Gibbs
- Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, Hackensack, NJ
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Shannon EM, Schnipper JL, Mueller SK. Identifying Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Interhospital Transfer: an Observational Study. J Gen Intern Med 2020; 35:2939-2946. [PMID: 32700216 PMCID: PMC7572909 DOI: 10.1007/s11606-020-06046-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Interhospital transfer (IHT) is often performed to provide patients with specialized care. Racial/ethnic disparities in IHT have been suggested but are not well-characterized. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the association between race/ethnicity and IHT. DESIGN Cross-sectional analysis of 2016 National Inpatient Sample data. PATIENTS Patients aged ≥ 18 years old with common medical diagnoses at transfer, including acute myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, arrhythmia, stroke, sepsis, pneumonia, and gastrointestinal bleed. MAIN MEASURES We performed a series of logistic regression models to estimate adjusted odds of transfer by race/ethnicity controlling for patient demographics, clinical variables, and hospital characteristics and to identify potential mediators. In secondary analyses, we estimated adjusted odds of transfer among patients at community hospitals (those more likely to transfer patients) and performed subgroup analyses by region and primary medical diagnosis. KEY RESULTS Of 5,774,175 weighted hospital admissions, 199,015 (4.5%) underwent IHT, including 4.7% of White patients, compared with 3.9% of Black patients and 3.8% of Hispanic patients. Black (OR 0.83, 95% CI 0.78-0.89) and Hispanic (OR 0.81, 95% CI 0.75-0.87) patients had lower crude odds of transfer compared with White patients, but this became non-significant after adjusting for hospital-level characteristics. In secondary analyses among patients hospitalized at community hospitals, Hispanic patients had lower adjusted odds of transfer (aOR 0.89, 95% CI 0.79-0.98). Disparities in IHT by race/ethnicity varied by region and medical diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS Black and Hispanic patients had lower odds of IHT, largely explained by a higher likelihood of being hospitalized at urban teaching hospitals. Racial/ethnic disparities in transfer were demonstrated at community hospitals, in certain geographic regions and among patients with specific diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan Michael Shannon
- Division of General Internal Medicine and Primary Care, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Jeffrey L Schnipper
- Division of General Internal Medicine and Primary Care, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Stephanie K Mueller
- Division of General Internal Medicine and Primary Care, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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Kaviani P, Landi SN, McKethan A, Brookhart MA, McGrath LJ. Who are we missing? Underrepresentation of data sources used for pharmacoepidemiology research in the United States. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf 2020; 29:1494-1498. [PMID: 32819030 DOI: 10.1002/pds.5087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2020] [Revised: 06/11/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Research using healthcare databases often includes patients frequently excluded from clinical trials; yet it is not known whether commonly used data represents the overall population or specific sub-populations of interest. We aimed to examine population representativeness from data sources in recent research studies in the United States (US). METHODS We identified data sources from abstracts accepted to the 34th International Conference on Pharmacoepidemiology & Therapeutic Risk Management. The final sample included research studies using ≥1 data source from the US. We classified data sources broadly as claims, linkage, electronic health records (EHR), survey, distributed data network, and other. Studies using claims and EHRs were further classified into more specific categories, including special populations of interest (eg, children). RESULTS We identified 356 abstracts. The majority used claims data (n = 201, 56.5%), followed by data linkages (n = 46, 12.9%), and EHR data (n = 39, 11.0%). Among EHR studies, most (n = 16, 41.0%) came from network data sources (eg, Kaiser Permanente). Almost half (49.4%) of claims-based studies used commercial claims data sources, followed by Medicare (22.1%), Medicaid (11.3%), and Medicare Supplemental (6.1%). Only 15% of studies included children in the study population (n = 53), with 8% focused on a pediatric topic (n = 27). CONCLUSIONS We find that certain populations in the US are under-represented in pharmacoepidemiology, particularly Medicaid enrollees and children. Researchers should strive to utilize data sources that may be more representative of the US population, particularly vulnerable populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pardiss Kaviani
- Montgomery College, Rockville, Maryland, USA.,NoviSci, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | | | - Aaron McKethan
- NoviSci, Durham, North Carolina, USA.,Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - M Alan Brookhart
- NoviSci, Durham, North Carolina, USA.,Department of Population Health Sciences, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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26
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Lin MP, Vargas-Torres C, Schuur JD, Shi D, Wisnivesky J, Richardson LD. Trends and predictors of hospitalization after emergency department asthma visits among U.S. Adults, 2006-2014. J Asthma 2020; 57:811-819. [PMID: 31112431 PMCID: PMC8820214 DOI: 10.1080/02770903.2019.1621889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2019] [Revised: 05/13/2019] [Accepted: 05/16/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Background: Asthma hospitalizations are an ambulatory care-sensitive condition; a majority originate in emergency departments (EDs).Objective: Describe trends and predictors of adult asthma hospitalizations originating in EDs.Methods: Observational study of ED visits resulting in hospitalization using a nationally representative sample. We tested trend in hospitalization rates from 2006 to 2014 using logistic regression, then assessed the association between hospitalization rates and patient and hospital characteristics using hierarchical multivariable regression accounting for hospital-level clustering.Results: Total ED asthma visits increased 15% from 2006 to 2014, from 1.06 to 1.22 million, while the likelihood of hospitalization decreased (20.9-18.2%, p < 0.01). Adjusting for increased asthma prevalence, ED visit rates and hospitalization rates decreased by 10 and 21%, respectively. Hospitalization was independently associated with older age, female gender (OR = 1.23, 95% CI 1.20-1.26), higher Charlson score (OR = 1.99, 95% CI 1.97-2.01), Medicaid (OR = 1.05, 95% CI 1.01-1.08) and Medicare (OR = 1.26, 95% CI 1.22-1.31) insurance, and trauma centers (OR = 1.34, 95% CI 1.12-1.60). Hospitalization was less likely for uninsured visits (OR = 0.7, 95% CI 0.67-0.73), lower income areas (OR = 0.89, 95% CI 0.85-0.93), non-metropolitan teaching hospitals (OR = 0.83, 95% CI 0.71-0.96), Midwestern (OR = 0.84, 95% CI 0.69-1.01) or Western regions (OR 0.69, 95% CI 0.56-0.83). Unmeasured hospital-specific effects account for 15.8% of variability in hospital admission rates after adjusting for patient and hospital factors.Conclusions: Total asthma ED visits increased, but prevalence-adjusted ED visits, and ED hospitalization rates have declined. Uninsured patients have disproportionately more ED visits but 30% lower odds of hospitalization. Substantial variation implies unmeasured clinical, social and environmental factors accounting for hospital-specific differences in hospitalization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle P. Lin
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY
| | - Carmen Vargas-Torres
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY
| | - Jeremiah D. Schuur
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Dorothy Shi
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY
| | - Juan Wisnivesky
- Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY
- Department of Population Health Science and Policy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY
| | - Lynne D. Richardson
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY
- Department of Population Health Science and Policy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY
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27
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Bauer J, Klingelhöfer D, Maier W, Schwettmann L, Groneberg DA. Prediction of hospital visits for the general inpatient care using floating catchment area methods: a reconceptualization of spatial accessibility. Int J Health Geogr 2020; 19:29. [PMID: 32718317 PMCID: PMC7384227 DOI: 10.1186/s12942-020-00223-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2020] [Accepted: 07/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The adequate allocation of inpatient care resources requires assumptions about the need for health care and how this need will be met. However, in current practice, these assumptions are often based on outdated methods (e.g. Hill-Burton Formula). This study evaluated floating catchment area (FCA) methods, which have been applied as measures of spatial accessibility, focusing on their ability to predict the need for health care in the inpatient sector in Germany. Methods We tested three FCA methods (enhanced (E2SFCA), modified (M2SFCA) and integrated (iFCA)) for their accuracy in predicting hospital visits regarding six medical diagnoses (atrial flutter/fibrillation, heart failure, femoral fracture, gonarthrosis, stroke, and epilepsy) on national level in Germany. We further used the closest provider approach for benchmark purposes. The predicted visits were compared with the actual visits for all six diagnoses using a correlation analysis and a maximum error from the actual visits of ± 5%, ± 10% and ± 15%. Results The analysis of 229 million distances between hospitals and population locations revealed a high and significant correlation of predicted with actual visits for all three FCA methods across all six diagnoses up to ρ = 0.79 (p < 0.001). Overall, all FCA methods showed a substantially higher correlation with actual hospital visits compared to the closest provider approach (up to ρ = 0.51; p < 0.001). Allowing a 5% error of the absolute values, the analysis revealed up to 13.4% correctly predicted hospital visits using the FCA methods (15% error: up to 32.5% correctly predicted hospital). Finally, the potential of the FCA methods could be revealed by using the actual hospital visits as the measure of hospital attractiveness, which returned very strong correlations with the actual hospital visits up to ρ = 0.99 (p < 0.001). Conclusion We were able to demonstrate the impact of FCA measures regarding the prediction of hospital visits in non-emergency settings, and their superiority over commonly used methods (i.e. closest provider). However, hospital beds were inadequate as the measure of hospital attractiveness resulting in low accuracy of predicted hospital visits. More reliable measures must be integrated within the proposed methods. Still, this study strengthens the possibilities of FCA methods in health care planning beyond their original application in measuring spatial accessibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Bauer
- Division of Health Services Research, Institute of Occupational Medicine, Social Medicine and Environmental Medicine, Goethe University, Theodor Stern Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt, Germany.
| | - D Klingelhöfer
- Division of Health Services Research, Institute of Occupational Medicine, Social Medicine and Environmental Medicine, Goethe University, Theodor Stern Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - W Maier
- Institute of Health Economics and Health Care Management, Helmholtz Zentrum München-German Research Center for Environmental Health (GmbH), Ingolstädter Landstr. 1, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - L Schwettmann
- Institute of Health Economics and Health Care Management, Helmholtz Zentrum München-German Research Center for Environmental Health (GmbH), Ingolstädter Landstr. 1, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany.,Department of Economics, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06099, Halle an der Saale, Germany
| | - D A Groneberg
- Division of Health Services Research, Institute of Occupational Medicine, Social Medicine and Environmental Medicine, Goethe University, Theodor Stern Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt, Germany
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28
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McNaughton CD, Bonnet K, Schlundt D, Mohr NM, Chung S, Kaboli PJ, Ward MJ. Rural Interfacility Emergency Department Transfers: Framework and Qualitative Analysis. West J Emerg Med 2020; 21:858-865. [PMID: 32726256 PMCID: PMC7390588 DOI: 10.5811/westjem.2020.3.46059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Accepted: 03/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Interfacility transfers from rural emergency departments (EDs) are an important means of access to timely and specialized care. Methods Our goal was to identify and explore facilitators and barriers in transfer processes and their implications for emergency rural care and access. Semi-structured interviews with ED staff at five rural and two urban Veterans Health Administration (VHA) hospitals were recorded, transcribed, coded, and analyzed using an iterative inductive-deductive approach to identify themes and construct a conceptual framework. Results From 81 interviews with clinical and administrative staff between March–June 2018, four themes in the interfacility transfer process emerged: 1) patient factors; 2) system resources; and 3) processes and communication for transfers, which culminate in 4) the location decision. Current and anticipated resource limitations were highly influential in transfer processes, which were described as burdensome and diverting resources from clinical care for emergency patients. Location decision was highly influenced by complexity of the transfer process, while perceived quality at the receiving location or patient preferences were not reported in interviews as being primary drivers of location decision. Transfers were described as burdensome for patients and their families. Finally, patients with mental health conditions epitomized challenges of emergency transfers. Conclusion Interfacility transfers from rural EDs are multifaceted, resource-driven processes that require complex coordination. Anticipated resource needs and the transfer process itself are important determinants in the location decision, while quality of care or patient preferences were not reported as key determinants by interviewees. These findings identify potential benefits from tracking transfer boarding as an operational measure, directed feedback regarding outcomes of transferred patients, and simplified transfer processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Candace D McNaughton
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Department of Emergency Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee.,Tenessee Valley Healthcare System, Department of Emergency Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Kemberlee Bonnet
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Department of Emergency Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - David Schlundt
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Department of Emergency Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Nicholas M Mohr
- Evaluation (CADRE) Iowa City VA Healthcare System, Center for Access & Delivery Research and Evaluation, Iowa City, Iowa.,University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa.,University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Department of Anesthesia, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Suemin Chung
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Department of Emergency Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Peter J Kaboli
- Evaluation (CADRE) Iowa City VA Healthcare System, Center for Access & Delivery Research and Evaluation, Iowa City, Iowa.,University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Michael J Ward
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Department of Emergency Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee.,Tenessee Valley Healthcare System, Department of Emergency Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee
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COVID-19 and US Health Financing: Perils and Possibilities. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEALTH SERVICES 2020; 50:396-407. [DOI: 10.1177/0020731420931431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
While the COVID-19 pandemic presents every nation with challenges, the United States’ underfunded public health infrastructure, fragmented medical care system, and inadequate social protections impose particular impediments to mitigating and managing the outbreak. Years of inadequate funding of the nation’s federal, state, and local public health agencies, together with mismanagement by the Trump administration, hampered the early response to the epidemic. Meanwhile, barriers to care faced by uninsured and underinsured individuals in the United States could deter COVID-19 care and hamper containment efforts, and lead to adverse medical and financial outcomes for infected individuals and their families, particularly those from disadvantaged groups. While the United States has a relatively generous supply of Intensive Care Unit beds and most other health care infrastructure, such medical resources are often unevenly distributed or deployed, leaving some areas ill-prepared for a severe respiratory epidemic. These deficiencies and shortfalls have stimulated a debate about policy solutions. Recent legislation, for instance, expanded coverage for testing for COVID-19 for the uninsured and underinsured, and additional reforms have been proposed. However comprehensive health care reform – for example, via national health insurance – is needed to provide full protection to American families during the COVID-19 outbreak and in its aftermath.
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30
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Chin T, Kahn R, Li R, Chen JT, Krieger N, Buckee CO, Balsari S, Kiang MV. U.S. county-level characteristics to inform equitable COVID-19 response. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2020:2020.04.08.20058248. [PMID: 32511610 PMCID: PMC7276037 DOI: 10.1101/2020.04.08.20058248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Background The spread of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) across the United States confirms that not all Americans are equally at risk of infection, severe disease, or mortality. A range of intersecting biological, demographic, and socioeconomic factors are likely to determine an individual's susceptibility to COVID-19. These factors vary significantly across counties in the United States, and often reflect the structural inequities in our society. Recognizing this vast inter-county variation in risks will be critical to mounting an adequate response strategy. Methods and Findings Using publicly available county-specific data we identified key biological, demographic, and socioeconomic factors influencing susceptibility to COVID-19, guided by international experiences and consideration of epidemiological parameters of importance. We created bivariate county-level maps to summarize examples of key relationships across these categories, grouping age and poverty; comorbidities and lack of health insurance; proximity, density and bed capacity; and race and ethnicity, and premature death. We have also made available an interactive online tool that allows public health officials to query risk factors most relevant to their local context.Our data demonstrate significant inter-county variation in key epidemiological risk factors, with a clustering of counties in certain states, which will result in an increased demand on their public health system. While the East and West coast cities are particularly vulnerable owing to their densities (and travel routes), a large number of counties in the Southeastern states have a high proportion of at-risk populations, with high levels of poverty, comorbidities, and premature death at baseline, and low levels of health insurance coverage.The list of variables we have examined is by no means comprehensive, and several of them are interrelated and magnify underlying vulnerabilities. The online tool allows readers to explore additional combinations of risk factors, set categorical thresholds for each covariate, and filter counties above different population thresholds. Conclusion COVID-19 responses and decision making in the United States remain decentralized. Both the federal and state governments will benefit from recognizing high intra-state, inter-county variation in population risks and response capacity. Many of the factors that are likely to exacerbate the burden of COVID-19 and the demand on healthcare systems are the compounded result of long-standing structural inequalities in US society. Strategies to protect those in the most vulnerable counties will require urgent measures to better support communities' attempts at social distancing and to accelerate cooperation across jurisdictions to supply personnel and equipment to counties that will experience high demand.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taylor Chin
- Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics, Department of Epidemiology, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA
| | - Rebecca Kahn
- Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics, Department of Epidemiology, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA
| | - Ruoran Li
- Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics, Department of Epidemiology, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA
| | - Jarvis T Chen
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA
| | - Nancy Krieger
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA
| | - Caroline O Buckee
- Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics, Department of Epidemiology, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA
| | - Satchit Balsari
- Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School
- FXB Center for Health and Human Rights, Harvard University
| | - Mathew V Kiang
- FXB Center for Health and Human Rights, Harvard University
- Center for Population Health Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA
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Odetola FO, Gebremariam A. Transfer hospitalizations for pediatric severe sepsis or septic shock: resource use and outcomes. BMC Pediatr 2019; 19:196. [PMID: 31196011 PMCID: PMC6567483 DOI: 10.1186/s12887-019-1577-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2018] [Accepted: 06/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sepsis is a major cause of child mortality and morbidity. To enhance outcomes, children with severe sepsis or septic shock often require escalated care for organ support, sometimes necessitating interhospital transfer. The association between transfer admission for the care of pediatric severe sepsis or septic shock and in-hospital patient survival and resource use is poorly understood. METHODS Retrospective study of children 0-20 years old hospitalized for severe sepsis or septic shock, using the 2012 Kids' Inpatient Database. After descriptive and bivariate analysis, multivariate regression methods assessed the independent relationship between transfer status and outcomes of in-hospital mortality, duration of hospitalization, and hospital charges, after adjustment for potential confounders including illness severity. RESULTS Of an estimated 11,922 hospitalizations (with transfer information) for pediatric severe sepsis and septic shock nationally in 2012, 25% were transferred, most often to urban teaching hospitals. Compared to non-transferred children, transferred children were younger, and had a higher frequency of extreme illness severity (84% vs. 75%, p < .01), and of multiple organ dysfunction (32% vs. 24%, p < .01). They also had higher use of invasive medical devices including arterial catheters, invasive mechanical ventilation, and central venous catheters; and of specialized technology, including renal replacement therapy (6.2% vs. 4.6%, p < .01) and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (5.7% vs. 1.8%, p < .01). Transferred children had longer hospitalization and accrued higher charges than non-transferred children (p < .01). Crude mortality was higher among transferred than non-transferred children (21.4% vs.15.0%, p < .01), a difference no longer statistically significant after multivariate adjustment for potential confounders (Odds Ratio:1.04, 95% Confidence interval: 0.88-1.24). Similarly, adjusted length of hospital stay and hospital charges were not statistically different by transfer status. CONCLUSION One in four children with severe sepsis or septic shock required interhospital transfer for specialized care associated with greater use of invasive medical devices and specialized technology. Despite higher crude mortality and resource consumption among transferred children, adjusted mortality and resource use did not differ by transfer status. Further research should identify quality-of-care factors at the receiving hospitals that influence clinical outcomes and resource use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Folafoluwa O. Odetola
- Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases, Division of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, 6C07, 300 North Ingalls Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA
- Child Health Evaluation and Research Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA
| | - Achamyeleh Gebremariam
- Child Health Evaluation and Research Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA
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