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Adepoju OE, Kim LH, Starks SM. Hospital Length of Stay in Patients with and without Serious and Persistent Mental Illness: Evidence of Racial and Ethnic Differences. Healthcare (Basel) 2022; 10:healthcare10061128. [PMID: 35742179 PMCID: PMC9223052 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare10061128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Prior studies have documented racial and ethnic differences in mental healthcare utilization, and extensively in outpatient treatment and prescription medication usage for mental health disorders. However, limited studies have investigated racial and ethnic differences in length of inpatient stay (LOS) in patients with and without Serious and Persistent Mental Illness. Understanding racial and ethnic differences in LOS is necessary given that longer stays in hospital are associated with adverse health outcomes, which in turn contribute to health inequities. Objective: To examine racial and ethnic differences in length of stay among patients with and without serious and persistent mental illness (SPMI) and how these differences vary in two age cohorts: patients aged 18 to 64 and patients aged 65+. Methods: This study employed a retrospective cohort design to address the research objective, using the 2018 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) National Inpatient Sample. After merging the 2018 National Inpatient Sample’s Core and Hospital files, Generalized Linear Model (GLM), adjusting for covariates, was applied to examine associations between race and ethnicity, and length of stay for patients with and without SPMI. Results: Overall, patients from racialized groups were likely to stay longer than White patients regardless of severe mental health status. Of all races and ethnicities examined, Asian patients had the most extended stays in both age cohorts: 8.69 days for patients with SPMI and 5.73 days for patients without SPMI in patients aged 18 to 64 years and 8.89 days for patients with SPMI and 6.05 days for patients without SPMI in the 65+ cohort. For individuals aged 18 to 64, differences in length of stay were significantly pronounced in Asian patients (1.6 days), Black patients (0.27 days), and Native American patients/patients from other races (0.76 days) if they had SPMI. For individuals aged 65 and older, Asian patients (1.09 days) and Native American patients/patients from other races (0.45 days) had longer inpatient stays if they had SPMI. Conclusion: Racial and ethnic differences in inpatient length of stay were most pronounced in Asian patients with and without SPMI. Further studies are needed to understand the mechanism(s) for these differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omolola E. Adepoju
- Department of Health Systems and Population Health Sciences, University of Houston College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77204, USA;
- Humana Integrated Health Systems Sciences Institute, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA;
- Correspondence:
| | - Lyoung H. Kim
- Humana Integrated Health Systems Sciences Institute, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA;
| | - Steven M. Starks
- Department of Health Systems and Population Health Sciences, University of Houston College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77204, USA;
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2
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Draper B. Older people in hospitals for the insane in New South Wales, Australia, 1849-1905. HISTORY OF PSYCHIATRY 2021; 32:436-448. [PMID: 34269082 DOI: 10.1177/0957154x211029479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Older people had high admission rates to hospitals for the insane in New South Wales, Australia, in the second half of the nineteenth century. The medical casebooks of 226 patients aged 60 years and over admitted to two hospitals for the insane between 1849 and 1905 were examined. Aggressive behaviour (35.4%), suicidal behaviour (23.9%), fears of harm to self (19.9%) and alcohol issues (13.7%) were identified. Physical health factors (35.8%), functional impairment (18.6%) and poor nourishment (8.8%) were noted. Common diagnoses were mania (36.7%), dementia (31.9%) and melancholia (17.7%). Twenty-first-century diagnoses were assigned in nearly 94 per cent of cases with concordance that varied by diagnosis. The majority of admissions had serious mental disorders, with only 29.6 per cent being discharged.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian Draper
- School of Psychiatry, University of NSW, Sydney, Australia
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3
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Thana-Udom K, Rattanamung A, Wansrisuthon W, Sanguanpanich N, Pariwatcharakul P. Length of stay and its predictors in psychogeriatric inpatients: a retrospective study in Bangkok, Thailand. Psychogeriatrics 2021; 21:440-442. [PMID: 33765689 DOI: 10.1111/psyg.12686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2020] [Revised: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kitikan Thana-Udom
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Apichaya Rattanamung
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.,Samutsakorn Hospital, Samutsakorn, Thailand
| | - Wandee Wansrisuthon
- Division of Medical Record, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Naratip Sanguanpanich
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Pornjira Pariwatcharakul
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
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4
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Durns TA, O'Connell PH, Shvartsur A, Grey JS, Kious BM. Effects of temporary psychiatric holds on length of stay and readmission risk among persons admitted for psychotic disorders. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LAW AND PSYCHIATRY 2021; 76:101695. [PMID: 33761439 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijlp.2021.101695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Revised: 03/10/2021] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The practice of involuntary psychiatric commitment is central to the acute treatment of persons with severe mental illness and others in psychiatric crisis. Deciding whether a patient should be admitted involuntarily requires weighing respect for autonomy against beneficence, considering the clinical needs of the patient, and navigating ambiguous legal standards. The relative dearth of information about the impact of involuntary commitment on objective patient outcomes complicates matters ethically, legally, and clinically. To address this gap in the literature, we sought to determine the association between temporary psychiatric holds and length of stay and readmission rates among a retrospective sample of adult patients admitted to a large psychiatric hospital with diagnoses of schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, mania, and other psychotic disorders. In total, we identified 460 patients and 559 unique encounters meeting our inclusion criteria; 90 of the encounters were voluntary (involving a temporary psychiatric hold) and 469 were involuntary. Univariable and multivariable analyses suggested that temporary psychiatric holds were not significantly associated with either length of stay or readmission rate. These findings are relevant to clinicians who must decide whether to admit a patient involuntarily, as they suggest that making a patient involuntary is not associated with differences in length of stay or readmission risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler A Durns
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Utah, 501 Chipeta Way, Salt Lake City, UT, 84108, USA.
| | - Patrick H O'Connell
- University of Utah School of Medicine, 30 N 1900 E, Salt Lake City, UT, 84132, USA.
| | - Anna Shvartsur
- University of Utah School of Medicine, 30 N 1900 E, Salt Lake City, UT, 84132, USA.
| | - Jessica S Grey
- University of Utah School of Medicine, 30 N 1900 E, Salt Lake City, UT, 84132, USA.
| | - Brent M Kious
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Utah, 501 Chipeta Way, Salt Lake City, UT, 84108, USA.
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5
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Xu Z, Xue C, Zhao F, Hu C, Wu Y, Zhang L. Hospitalization Costs and Length of Stay in Chinese Naval Hospitals Between 2008 and 2016 Based on Influencing Factors: A Longitudinal Comparison. Mil Med 2021; 185:e282-e289. [PMID: 31287875 DOI: 10.1093/milmed/usz170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2019] [Revised: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 06/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION A retrospective review conducted in three hospitals of Guangdong and Hainan, China. To analyze the variation tendency of mean hospitalization costs and length of stay (LOS) in naval hospitals over nine years, paying special attention to the factors affecting hospitalization costs and LOS to provide a reference base for health resource allocation in naval hospitals. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 21,375 cases of military patients who were hospitalized and treated in three naval hospitals between January 2008 to December 2016 were extracted from the military health system. There were 16,278 complete and effective cases during those nine years. The situation, trends, and factors influencing hospitalization costs and LOS were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis H test, and multiple linear regressions. RESULTS The following factors showed statistically significant differences in hospitalization costs: special care, primary care, year, military rank, critical illness, allergies, and condition (p < 0.0001); and number of hospitalizations, gender, and age (p < 0.01). The following factors showed statistically significant differences in hospital LOS: year, number of hospitalizations, outcomes, military rank, special care, severity of illness, and condition (p < 0.0001); allergy (p < 0.01); and service and gender (p < 0.05). LOS between 2008-2016 showed a decreasing tendency, while hospitalization costs showed an increasing trend. There were 6 factors that affected Abstract (or Structured Summary) both the cost of hospitalization and LOS: special care, year, military rank, condition, allergy, and gender. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that improving efficiency of military hospital require strengthening hierarchical referrals and controlling hospital LOS. Shortening LOS, optimizing clinical pathways, and reasonably controlling the costs associated with medicines and surgery can help reduce hospitalization costs for military patients. Controlling the growth of hospitalization costs can help avoid the physical and psychological burden of medical over-treatment on patients and may also optimize the allocation of military health resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenqing Xu
- Department of Military Health Management, College of Health Service, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 100433, China.,952nd Hospital of PLA, Glomud, Qinghai, China
| | - Chen Xue
- Department of Military Health Management, College of Health Service, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 100433, China
| | - Fangjie Zhao
- Department of Military Health Management, College of Health Service, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 100433, China
| | - Chaoqun Hu
- Department of Military Health Management, College of Health Service, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 100433, China
| | - Yaomin Wu
- Department of Military Health Management, College of Health Service, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 100433, China
| | - Lulu Zhang
- Department of Military Health Management, College of Health Service, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 100433, China
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Wu J, Kong G, Lin Y, Chu H, Yang C, Shi Y, Wang H, Zhang L. Development of a scoring tool for predicting prolonged length of hospital stay in peritoneal dialysis patients through data mining. ANNALS OF TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE 2020; 8:1437. [PMID: 33313182 PMCID: PMC7723539 DOI: 10.21037/atm-20-1006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Background The hospital admission rate is high in patients treated with peritoneal dialysis (PD), and the length of stay (LOS) in the hospital is a key indicator of medical resource allocation. This study aimed to develop a scoring tool for predicting prolonged LOS (pLOS) in PD patients by combining machine learning and traditional logistic regression (LR). Methods This study was based on patient data collected using the Hospital Quality Monitoring System (HQMS) in China. Three machine learning methods, classification and regression tree (CART), random forest (RF), and gradient boosting decision tree (GBDT), were used to develop models to predict pLOS, which is longer than the average LOS, in PD patients. The model with the best prediction performance was used to identify predictive factors contributing to the outcome. A multivariate LR model based on the identified predictors was then built to derive the score assigned to each predictor. Finally, a scoring tool was developed, and it was tested by stratifying PD patients into different pLOS risk groups. Results A total of 22,859 PD patients were included in our study, with 25.2% having pLOS. Among the three machine learning models, the RF model achieved the best prediction performance and thus was used to identify the 10 most predictive variables for building the scoring system. The multivariate LR model based on the identified predictors showed good discrimination power with an AUROC of 0.721 in the test dataset, and its coefficients were used as a basis for scoring tool development. On the basis of the developed scoring tool, PD patients were divided into three groups: low risk (≤5), median risk [5–10], and high risk (>10). The observed pLOS proportions in the low-risk, median-risk, and high-risk groups in the test dataset were 11.4%, 29.5%, and 54.7%, respectively. Conclusions This study developed a scoring tool to predict pLOS in PD patients. The scoring tool can effectively discriminate patients with different pLOS risks and be easily implemented in clinical practice. The pLOS scoring tool has a great potential to help physicians allocate medical resources optimally and achieve improved clinical outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyi Wu
- National Institute of Health Data Science, Peking University, Beijing, China.,Advanced Institute of Information Technology, Peking University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Guilan Kong
- National Institute of Health Data Science, Peking University, Beijing, China.,Advanced Institute of Information Technology, Peking University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yu Lin
- National Institute of Health Data Science, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Hong Chu
- Renal Division, Department of Medicine, Peking University First Hospital, Peking University Institute of Nephrology, Beijing, China
| | - Chao Yang
- Renal Division, Department of Medicine, Peking University First Hospital, Peking University Institute of Nephrology, Beijing, China
| | - Ying Shi
- China Standard Medical Information Research Center, Shenzhen, China
| | - Haibo Wang
- National Institute of Health Data Science, Peking University, Beijing, China.,Advanced Institute of Information Technology, Peking University, Hangzhou, China.,China Standard Medical Information Research Center, Shenzhen, China
| | - Luxia Zhang
- National Institute of Health Data Science, Peking University, Beijing, China.,Advanced Institute of Information Technology, Peking University, Hangzhou, China.,Renal Division, Department of Medicine, Peking University First Hospital, Peking University Institute of Nephrology, Beijing, China
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7
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Oh H, Lee J, Kim S, Rufino KA, Fonagy P, Oldham JM, Schanzer B, Patriquin MA. Time in treatment: Examining mental illness trajectories across inpatient psychiatric treatment. J Psychiatr Res 2020; 130:22-30. [PMID: 32768710 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2020.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Revised: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Early discharge or reduced length of stay for inpatient psychiatric patients is related to increased readmission rates and worse clinical outcomes including increased risk for suicide. Trajectories of mental illness outcomes have been identified as an important method for predicting the optimal length of stay but the distinguishing factors that separate trajectories remain unclear. We sought to identify the distinct classes of patients who demonstrated similar trajectories of mental illness over the course of inpatient treatment, and we explore the patient characteristics associated with these mental illness trajectories. We used data (N = 3406) from an inpatient psychiatric hospital with intermediate lengths of stay. Using growth mixture modeling, latent mental illness scores were derived from six mental illness indicators: psychological flexibility, emotion regulation problems, anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, and disability. The patients were grouped into three distinct trajectory classes: (1) High-Risk, Rapid Improvement (HR-RI); (2) Low-Risk, Gradual Improvement (LR-GI); and (3) High-Risk, Gradual Improvement (HR-GI). The HR-GI was significantly younger than the other two classes. The HR-GI had significantly more female patients than males, while the LR-GI had more male patients than females. Our findings indicated that younger females had more severe mental illness at admission and only gradual improvement during the inpatient treatment period, and they remained in treatment for longer lengths of stay, than older males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyuntaek Oh
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, 1977 Butler Blvd., Houston, TX, 77030, USA; The Menninger Clinic, 12301 S Main St, Houston, TX, 77035, USA.
| | - Jaehoon Lee
- Department of Educational Psychology and Leadership, College of Education, Texas Tech University, 3002 18th Street, Lubbock, TX, 79409, USA
| | - Seungman Kim
- Department of Educational Psychology and Leadership, College of Education, Texas Tech University, 3002 18th Street, Lubbock, TX, 79409, USA
| | - Katrina A Rufino
- The Menninger Clinic, 12301 S Main St, Houston, TX, 77035, USA; Department of Social Sciences, University of Houston - Downtown, One Main St, Houston, TX, 77002, USA
| | - Peter Fonagy
- Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, UK
| | - John M Oldham
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, 1977 Butler Blvd., Houston, TX, 77030, USA; The Menninger Clinic, 12301 S Main St, Houston, TX, 77035, USA
| | - Bella Schanzer
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, 1977 Butler Blvd., Houston, TX, 77030, USA; The Menninger Clinic, 12301 S Main St, Houston, TX, 77035, USA
| | - Michelle A Patriquin
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, 1977 Butler Blvd., Houston, TX, 77030, USA; The Menninger Clinic, 12301 S Main St, Houston, TX, 77035, USA
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8
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Ignatyev Y, Mundt AP, von Peter S, Heinze M. Hospital length of stay among older people treated with flexible and integrative psychiatric service models in Germany. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 2019; 34:1557-1564. [PMID: 31276239 DOI: 10.1002/gps.5165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2018] [Accepted: 06/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Since 2012, a new law (§64b, Book V of the Social Security Code [SGB V]) regulates the implementation of flexible and integrative psychiatric treatment projects (FIT64b) in Germany. FIT64b allows rapid discharge of patients from inpatient to outpatient settings and cost reductions of hospital stays. Several psychiatric centres exclusively provide FIT64b; others provide FIT64b alongside with standard health care. The aim of the study was to assess the average hospital length of stay (AHLS) of older patients with mental illness included in FIT64b projects. METHODS A secondary data analysis was conducted using administrative data from eight German mental health centres providing FIT64b. The effects of gender, age, type of centre, and main diagnosis on AHLS were calculated for all older patients with age 65 years or older (n = 3495) treated in FIT64b in the year 2016. Data were analysed with descriptive statistics and robust multiway procedures. RESULTS The AHLS of older people with mental illness was 4.8 (SD = 11.5) days. The AHLS was shorter in centres exclusively providing FIT64b than in centres providing FIT64b alongside with standard health care: 3.2 (SD = 6.4) vs 8.4 (SD = 17.8) days, P = .001. This difference was particularly marked among patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders, mood disorders, and neurotic, stress-related, and somatoform disorders. CONCLUSIONS FIT64b relates to very short AHLS even among older people. Centres using FIT64b alongside with standard health care usually provide standard care to most patients, which could lead to lower fidelity in the implementation of FIT64b.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuriy Ignatyev
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Immanuel Klinik Rüdersdorf, Brandenburg Medical School Theodor Fontane, Rüdersdorf, Germany
| | - Adrian P Mundt
- Medical Faculty, Universidad Diego Portales, Santiago, Chile.,Medical School, Universidad San Sebastián, Puerto Montt, Chile
| | - Sebastian von Peter
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Immanuel Klinik Rüdersdorf, Brandenburg Medical School Theodor Fontane, Rüdersdorf, Germany
| | - Martin Heinze
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Immanuel Klinik Rüdersdorf, Brandenburg Medical School Theodor Fontane, Rüdersdorf, Germany
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9
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Hielscher E, Diminic S, Harris M, Castle D, Lee YY, Kealton J, Whiteford H. Impact of the carer on length of hospital stay for mental health: Results from two Australian surveys. Int J Ment Health Nurs 2019; 28:436-447. [PMID: 30246493 DOI: 10.1111/inm.12543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Informal carers play a vital role in supporting Australians living with a mental illness, including during the acute phases of illness; however, little is known about their impact on length of hospital stay. We aimed to investigate the impact of having a carer and of carer burden on length of hospital stay for mental health. Two Australian datasets were used. Data from the 2010 National Survey of High Impact Psychosis (n = 1825) were used to investigate the impact of having versus not having a carer on length of hospital stay for mental health. Data from the UQ Carer Survey 2016 (n = 105), a convenience sample of mental health carers, were used to investigate the impact of weekly hours of care (a measure of objective carer burden) on length of stay. Multiple logistic regression and correlation analyses were performed to investigate the association between carer status/burden and length of stay. Having a carer was associated with a significantly longer length of hospital stay; however, this relationship was no longer significant after adjusting for diagnosis, global functioning, depressive symptoms, deliberate self-harm, mental health outpatient contacts and type of admission. Weekly hours of care did not significantly impact on length of stay. Patients with carers had poorer functioning which may be related to longer stays. Our analysis was not able to look at subgroups of carers with different needs. Future work is required to determine other components of the admission and discharge process where having a carer is influential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Hielscher
- Policy and Epidemiology Group, Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research (QCMHR), The Park Centre for Mental Health, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.,School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.,Centre for Clinical Research, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Sandra Diminic
- Policy and Epidemiology Group, Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research (QCMHR), The Park Centre for Mental Health, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.,School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Meredith Harris
- Policy and Epidemiology Group, Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research (QCMHR), The Park Centre for Mental Health, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.,School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - David Castle
- University of Melbourne and St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Yong Yi Lee
- Policy and Epidemiology Group, Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research (QCMHR), The Park Centre for Mental Health, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.,School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Jan Kealton
- Carer Consultant, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | - Harvey Whiteford
- Policy and Epidemiology Group, Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research (QCMHR), The Park Centre for Mental Health, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.,School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.,Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
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Carpar E, McCarthy G, Adamis D, Donmezler G, Cesur E, Fistikci N. Socio-demographic characteristics and factors associated with hospitalization in psychiatry of old age patients: an international comparison between Ireland and Turkey. Aging Clin Exp Res 2018; 30:651-660. [PMID: 28808907 DOI: 10.1007/s40520-017-0813-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2017] [Accepted: 08/02/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Taking predictors of hospitalization characteristics into consideration internationally would broaden our understanding of this population on a local basis. AIMS We aimed to examine and compare socio-demographic profiles along with hospitalization characteristics including length of hospital stay (LOS), reasons for admission and diagnoses among older adult inpatients hospitalized in Ireland and Turkey, and to assess factors predicting these features. METHODS The admission charts of 356 psychiatric inpatients over 65 years of age who were admitted to two different acute psychiatric hospitals (Sligo/Ireland and Istanbul/Turkey) were analysed by means of descriptive modalities and logistic regression. RESULTS There were significant differences in several domains of socio-demographics, reasons of admission and diagnoses. LOS was significantly longer in Ireland. Living alone was the only significant predictor for longer LOS in both countries, whereas in addition to living alone, younger age was also a contributor for longer LOS in Turkey. DISCUSSION Given that the only factor predicting LOS both in Turkey and Ireland was living alone, helping to identify more acceptable ways of providing social support for living arrangements constitutes an important service to shorten LOS in old age psychiatric population. CONCLUSIONS It is possible to infer that independent from the cultural diversities, living arrangement is a consistent entity to influence length of hospital stay in older adult population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elif Carpar
- Department of Psychiatry, Bakirkoy Research and Training Hospital for Psychiatry, Neurology and Neurosurgery, Zuhuratbaba, 34147, Istanbul, Turkey.
| | - Geraldine McCarthy
- Departmant of Psychiatry, Sligo Leitrim South Donegal Mental Health Service, Sligo, Ireland
| | - Dimitrios Adamis
- Departmant of Psychiatry, Sligo Leitrim South Donegal Mental Health Service, Sligo, Ireland
| | - Gizem Donmezler
- Department of Psychiatry, Bakirkoy Research and Training Hospital for Psychiatry, Neurology and Neurosurgery, Zuhuratbaba, 34147, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Ender Cesur
- Department of Psychiatry, Bakirkoy Research and Training Hospital for Psychiatry, Neurology and Neurosurgery, Zuhuratbaba, 34147, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Nurhan Fistikci
- Department of Psychiatry, Bakirkoy Research and Training Hospital for Psychiatry, Neurology and Neurosurgery, Zuhuratbaba, 34147, Istanbul, Turkey
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11
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Graham CR, Banerjee S, Gill RS. Using postal questionnaires to identify carer depression prior to initial patient contact. PSYCHIATRIC BULLETIN 2018. [DOI: 10.1192/pb.bp.108.020982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Aims and MethodTo assess whether postal questionnaires, used as a local initiative, were useful in identifying carer depression allowing early support for community-dwelling carers of older adults with mental health needs. the Geriatric Depression Scale and a questionnaire collecting information on the carer's circumstances were sent to carers of consecutive patients routinely referred to a community mental health team for older adults in south London. Rates of carer depression between postal questionnaire responders and non-responders were compared.ResultsThe response rate to the postal questionnaires (33%) was similar to that observed in other postal studies; 42% of responders had depression compared with only 4.6% of non-responders.Clinical ImplicationsPre-contact postal questionnaires may present a simple method of enhancing early detection of carer depression for minimal economic outlay.
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12
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Tucker S, Hargreaves C, Wilberforce M, Brand C, Challis D. What becomes of people admitted to acute old age psychiatry wards? An exploration of factors affecting length of stay, delayed discharge and discharge destination. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 2017; 32:1027-1036. [PMID: 27515770 DOI: 10.1002/gps.4563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2016] [Revised: 07/07/2016] [Accepted: 07/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The study sought to identify the variables associated with increased length of stay on old age psychiatry inpatient wards. It also explored the factors related to delayed discharge and the likelihood of patients admitted from home returning there. METHODS Data were collected on the sociodemographic, clinical and service receipt characteristics of a 6-month series of admissions to seven wards in England in 2010/2011. The cohort was followed for a 9- to 11-month period. The relationship between patients' status on admission and the specified outcome variables was explored. RESULTS Information was collected on 216 admissions, of whom 165 were discharged in the study period. Mean length of stay was 64 days. Female gender, higher dependency, greater challenging behaviour and locality predicted extended stay. Forty per cent of cases experienced delayed discharge. Better physical health, more cognitive impairment, receipt of social care and locality were associated with delayed discharge. The vast majority of patients admitted from home returned there. Younger patients and patients with less dependency, cognitive impairment and challenging behaviour had a higher likelihood of returning home. Patients receiving social care or admitted because of carer stress, a risk of self-neglect, accidental self-harm or abuse/exploitation were less likely to return home. CONCLUSIONS The study provides a useful starting point for identifying cases on which future efforts to improve inpatient outcomes might centre and suggests local rather than national responses may be needed. It also highlights an urgent need for a national focus on the scope, purpose and effectiveness of acute inpatient care. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sue Tucker
- Personal Social Services Research Unit, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Claire Hargreaves
- Personal Social Services Research Unit, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Mark Wilberforce
- Personal Social Services Research Unit, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Christian Brand
- Personal Social Services Research Unit, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.,Department of Health Services Research and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - David Challis
- Personal Social Services Research Unit, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
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Wolff J, McCrone P, Patel A, Kaier K, Normann C. Predictors of length of stay in psychiatry: analyses of electronic medical records. BMC Psychiatry 2015; 15:238. [PMID: 26446584 PMCID: PMC4597607 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-015-0623-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2015] [Accepted: 09/30/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Length of stay is a straightforward measure of hospital costs and retrospective data are widely available. However, a prospective idea of a patient's length of stay would be required to predetermine hospital reimbursement per case based on patient classifications. The aim of this study was to analyse the predictive power of patient characteristics in terms of length of stay in a psychiatric hospital setting. A further aim was to use patient characteristics to predict episodes with extreme length of stay. METHODS The study included all inpatient episodes admitted in 2013 to a psychiatric hospital. Zero-truncated negative binomial regression was carried out to predict length of stay. Penalized maximum likelihood logistic regressions were carried out to predict episodes experiencing extreme length of stay. Independent variables were chosen on the basis of prior research and model fit was cross-validated. RESULTS A total of 738 inpatient episodes were included. Seven patient characteristics showed significant effects on length of stay. The strongest increasing effects were found in the presence of affective disorders as main diagnosis, followed by severity of disease and chronicity of disease. The strongest decreasing effects were found in danger to others, followed by the presence of substance-related disorders as main diagnosis, the daily requirement of somatic care and male gender. The squared correlation between out-of-sample predictions and observed values was 0.14. The root-mean-square-error was 40 days. CONCLUSION Prospectively defining reimbursement per case might not be feasible in mental health because length of stay cannot be predicted by patient characteristics. Per diem systems should be used.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Wolff
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's Health Economics, King's College London, De Crespigny Park, SE5 8AF, London, United Kingdom. .,Department for Management and Controlling, Medical Centre-University of Freiburg, Hugstetter Strasse 49, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.
| | - Paul McCrone
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's Health Economics, King's College London, De Crespigny Park, SE5 8AF, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Anita Patel
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's Health Economics, King's College London, De Crespigny Park, SE5 8AF, London, United Kingdom. .,Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Centre for Primary Care and Public Health, Queen Mary University of London, 58 Turner Street, E12AB, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Klaus Kaier
- Institute of Medical Biometry, Medical Centre-University of Freiburg, Hugstetter Strasse 49, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.
| | - Claus Normann
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Centre- University of Freiburg, Hauptstrasse 5, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.
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Abstract
Background and Purpose An ageing population at greater risk of proximal femoral fracture places an additional clinical and financial burden on hospital and community medical services. We analyse the variation in i) length of stay (LoS) in hospital and ii) costs across the acute care pathway for hip fracture from emergency admission, to hospital stay and follow-up outpatient appointments. Patients and Methods We analyse patient-level data from England for 2009/10 for around 60,000 hip fracture cases in 152 hospitals using a random effects generalized linear multi-level model where the dependent variable is given by the patient’s cost or length of stay (LoS). We control for socio-economic characteristics, type of fracture and intervention, co-morbidities, discharge destination of patients, and quality indicators. We also control for provider and social care characteristics. Results Older patients and those from more deprived areas have higher costs and LoS, as do those with specific co-morbidities or that develop pressure ulcers, and those transferred between hospitals or readmitted within 28 days. Costs are also higher for those having a computed tomography (CT) scan or cemented arthroscopy. Costs and LoS are lower for those admitted via a 24h emergency department, receiving surgery on the same day of admission, and discharged to their own homes. Interpretation Patient and treatment characteristics are more important as determinants of cost and LoS than provider or social care factors. A better understanding of the impact of these characteristics can support providers to develop treatment strategies and pathways to better manage this patient population.
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Abstract
This paper examined predictors of length of stay in a freestanding geriatric psychiatry hospital. Data on patient and treatment characteristics of geriatric inpatients (N = 1,593) were extracted from an archival administrative tracking database from Mary Starke Geriatric Harper Center. Five independent variables (length of time between last discharge and most recent admission, number of previous admissions, number of assaults, co-morbid medical condition, and admitting psychiatric diagnosis) were entered into a hierarchical regression model as potential predictors of length of stay in a geriatric psychiatry hospital. Number of assaults committed by the patient was the only significant predictor of length of stay, such that patients that had a greater number of assaults were more likely to have longer lengths of stay than those with fewer assaults. These findings highlight the importance of identifying patients at risk for assaultive behavior and developing effective interventions for aggression in geriatric psychiatry hospitals.
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE This article reviews the available evidence for predicting length of stay in a psychiatric hospital based on several patient characteristics. METHODS An OVID Medline search was done for studies in this area with terms: length of stay, acute psychiatric hospital and predictors. Indexed articles were searched for additional references and subsequently cross referenced. The variables described in various studies were classified into demographic, diagnostic, treatment related and system-based variables ( Table 1 ). RESULTS Substance abuse has been consistently shown to be associated with a shorter length of stay. Mood and psychotic disorders have shown to lengthen the stay in an acute psychiatric hospital. Women tend to stay longer in an acute psychiatric hospital. Other demographic variables like age and education have had equivocal results, while a married marital status and employment are consistently related to a shorter length of stay. Use of restraints and ECT during hospitalization has shown to lengthen the stay in the hospital. CONCLUSIONS Many studies have explored the relationship between the demographics, diagnosis and treatment variables on length of stay in an acute psychiatric hospital. These studies have been able to account for about 10-37% of the variance in the length of stay. The relevant findings impacting the length of stay are shown in Table 2 .
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Muaid Ithman
- a Department of Psychiatry , University Hospital , Columbia, Missouri , USA
| | - Kari Malwitz
- a Department of Psychiatry , University Hospital , Columbia, Missouri , USA
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Ismail Z, Arenovich T, Granger R, Grieve C, Willett P, Patten S, Mulsant BH. Associations of medical comorbidity, psychosis, pain, and capacity with psychiatric hospital length of stay in geriatric inpatients with and without dementia. Int Psychogeriatr 2014; 27:1-9. [PMID: 25330847 DOI: 10.1017/s1041610214002002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Background: Geriatric psychiatry hospital beds are a limited resource. Our aim was to determine predictors of hospital length of stay (LOS) for geriatric patients with dementia admitted to inpatient psychiatric beds. Methods: Admission and discharge data from a large urban mental health center, from 2005 to 2010 inclusive, were retrospectively analyzed. Using the resident assessment instrument - mental health (RAI-MH), an assessment that is used to collect demographic and clinical information within 72 hours of hospital admission, 169 geriatric patients with dementia were compared with 308 geriatric patients without dementia. Predictors of hospital LOS were determined using a series of general linear models. Results: A diagnosis of dementia did not predict a longer LOS in this geriatric psychiatry inpatient population. The presence of multiple medical co-morbidities had an inverse relationship to length of hospital LOS - a greater number of co-morbidities predicted a shorter hospital LOS in the group of geriatric patients who had dementia compared to the without dementia study group. The presence of incapacity and positive psychotic symptoms predicted longer hospital LOS, irrespective of admission group (patients with dementia compared with those without). Conversely, pain on admission predicted shorter hospital LOS. Conclusions: Specific clinical characteristics generally determined at the time of admission are predictive of hospital LOS in geriatric psychiatry inpatients. Addressing these factors early on during admission and in the community may result in shorter hospital LOS and more optimal use of resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahinoor Ismail
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute,University of Calgary,Calgary,Alberta,Canada
| | - Tamara Arenovich
- Clinical Research Department,Centre for Addiction and Mental Health,Division of Biostatistics,Dalla Lana School of Public Health,University of Toronto,Toronto,Ontario,Canada
| | - Robert Granger
- Department of Psychiatry,University of Alberta,Edmonton,Alberta,Canada
| | | | - Peggie Willett
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health,Toronto,Ontario,Canada
| | - Scott Patten
- Departments of Psychiatry and Community Health Sciences,University of Calgary,Calgary,Alberta,Canada
| | - Benoit H Mulsant
- Department of Psychiatry,University of Toronto,Centre for Addiction and Mental Health,Toronto,Ontario,Canada
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Clapp JD, Grubaugh AL, Allen JG, Mahoney J, Oldham JM, Fowler JC, Ellis T, Elhai JD, Frueh BC. Modeling trajectory of depressive symptoms among psychiatric inpatients: a latent growth curve approach. J Clin Psychiatry 2013; 74:492-9. [PMID: 23759452 PMCID: PMC4313384 DOI: 10.4088/jcp.12m07842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2012] [Accepted: 10/17/2012] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Changes in the parameters of inpatient psychiatric care have inspired a sizable literature exploring correlates of prolonged intervention as well as symptom change over varying lengths of hospitalization. However, existing data offer limited insight regarding the nature of symptom change over time. Objectives of this longitudinal research were to (1) model the trajectory of depressive symptoms within an inpatient psychiatric sample, (2) identify characteristics associated with unique patterns of change, and (3) evaluate the magnitude of expected gains using objective clinical benchmarks. METHOD Participants included 1,084 psychiatric inpatients treated between April 2008 and December 2010. Latent growth curve modeling was used to determine the trajectory of Beck Depression Inventory II depressive symptoms in response to treatment. Age, gender, trauma history, prior hospitalization, and DSM-IV diagnoses were examined as potential moderators of recovery. RESULTS Results indicate a nonlinear model of recovery, with symptom reductions greatest following admission and slowing gradually over time. Female gender, probable trauma exposure, prior psychiatric hospitalization, and primary depressive diagnosis were associated with more severe trajectories. Diagnosis of alcohol/substance use, by contrast, was associated with more moderate trajectories. Objective benchmarks occurred relatively consistently across patient groups, with clinically significant change occurring between 2-4 weeks after admission. CONCLUSIONS The nonlinear trajectory of recovery observed in these data provides insight regarding the dynamics of inpatient recovery. Across all patient groups, symptom reduction was most dramatic in the initial week of hospitalization. However, notable improvement continued for several weeks after admission. Results suggest that timelines for adequate inpatient care are largely contingent on program-specific goals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua D. Clapp
- Medical University of South Carolina, Dept. of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, 67 President St., Charleston, SC 29425,University of Wyoming, Dept. of Psychology, 1000 E. University Ave, Laramie, WY 82071
| | - Anouk L. Grubaugh
- Medical University of South Carolina, Dept. of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, 67 President St., Charleston, SC 29425,Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, 109 Bee St., Charleston, SC 29401
| | - Jon G. Allen
- The Menninger Clinic, 2801 Gessner Dr., Houston, TX 77080,Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Jane Mahoney
- The Menninger Clinic, 2801 Gessner Dr., Houston, TX 77080,Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030
| | - John M. Oldham
- The Menninger Clinic, 2801 Gessner Dr., Houston, TX 77080,Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030
| | - J. Christopher Fowler
- The Menninger Clinic, 2801 Gessner Dr., Houston, TX 77080,Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Tom Ellis
- The Menninger Clinic, 2801 Gessner Dr., Houston, TX 77080,Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Jon D. Elhai
- University of Toledo, Dept. of Psychology, 2801 West Bancroft St., Toledo, OH 43606,University of Toledo, Dept. of Psychiatry, 3000 Arlington Ave., Toledo, OH 43606
| | - B. Christopher Frueh
- The Menninger Clinic, 2801 Gessner Dr., Houston, TX 77080,University of Hawaii, Dept. of Psychology, 200 West Kawili St., Hilo, HI 96720
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Liu CM, Li CS, Liu CC, Tu CC. Determinants of psychogeriatric inpatient length of stay and direct medical costs: a 6-year longitudinal study using a national database in Taiwan. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2012; 66:423-31. [PMID: 22834661 DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-1819.2012.02377.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
AIMS This research examined factors related to the average length of hospital stay (LOS) and average direct medical costs (DMC) for 2291 psychogeriatric inpatients (aged 65 and over) admitted for the first time to a psychiatric ward in 2002. METHODS Hospitalization claim data of these inpatients were traced for the subsequent 6 years (2002-2007) from the dataset of Taiwan's National Health Insurance program. Analysis was carried out using the t-test, χ(2) -test and zero truncated Tobit regression. RESULTS Mean LOS and mean DMC were significantly different according to sex, psychiatric diagnosis, institution type, ownership type, and number of hospitalizations, but age was the exception. Both LOS and DMC exhibited downward U-shape for the number of hospitalizations. Factors significantly associated with longer LOS and higher DMC were: male sex; schizophrenic and delusional disorders (compared with dementia); and public institution (compared with private hospital). Compared with dementia, organic mental and anxiety disorders had significantly shorter LOS, and affective disorders had shorter LOS but higher DMC. Community and psychiatric hospitals (compared with general hospital) significantly influenced LOS but not DMC. CONCLUSION Our results can be used as a reference for providers and policymakers to improve psychiatric care efficiency and carry out National Health Insurance financial reform for psychogeriatric inpatients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chin-Ming Liu
- PhD Program in Business Department of Risk Management and Insurance, Feng Chia University Department of Psychosomatics, Cheng Ching Hospital Department of International Business, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan
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Rocca P, Mingrone C, Mongini T, Montemagni C, Pulvirenti L, Rocca G, Bogetto F. Outcome and length of stay in psychiatric hospitalization, the experience of the University Clinic of Turin. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 2010; 45:603-10. [PMID: 19585061 DOI: 10.1007/s00127-009-0091-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2009] [Accepted: 06/25/2009] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Given the current tendency to shorten psychiatric hospitalization and change its organization, an issue could be raised regarding its outcomes. PURPOSE To analyze features related to length of stay in a short-term inpatient treatment, to study outcomes and to evaluate the diagnosis-specific effects of hospitalization. METHOD A sample of 310 consecutive hospitalized patients, with psychotic disorder, depressive disorder and bipolar disorder (DSM IV-TR), was recruited at the University Psychiatric Clinic, Service for Cognitive Disorders, Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin. Severity of illness was rated using the brief psychiatry rating scale (BPRS). We evaluated relations between length of stay and clinical and socio-demographic features (linear regression) and possible differences confronting BPRS scores at admission and discharge in the different diagnostic subgroups (ANOVA for repeated measures). RESULTS All the sample of patients showed a significant improvement in symptomatology during hospitalization. Worse symptomatology in anxiety-depression domain of BPRS at admission in the whole sample was positively correlated with length of stay. A longer length of stay was also shown in patients with diagnosis of depressive disorder. Finally, a different pattern of improvement of BPRS (total score and domains) was shown between the different diagnostic groups. CONCLUSION Brief hospitalization in our service was shown to be highly effective. Different diagnostic groups had different response to hospitalization, showing faster improvement in characteristic symptomatology, but the anxiety-depression domain showed the highest percentage of change for all the diagnostic groups. We therefore suppose that hospitalization has two effects: a specific (due to tailored therapies) and a non-specific one (due to non-specific therapy and to a placebo-like effect).
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Rocca
- Psychiatric Section, Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Via Cherasco 11, 10126, Turin, Italy.
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Smith B, Hassett A, Harrigan S, Fortune T. A profile of inpatient admissions to an aged psychiatry service in Victoria. Australas Psychiatry 2010; 18:146-51. [PMID: 20175670 DOI: 10.3109/10398560903314112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The study aimed to characterize the demographics, diagnostic makeup and aspects of patient management for the inpatient population of a large aged psychiatry service. METHOD Sociodemographic and clinical variables were retrospectively collated from inpatient files and discharge summaries over a 3-year period. Age, gender, country of birth, diagnostic group, length of stay, involuntary care status and number of admissions were described and analysed. A total of 604 patients were included in the study, with complete data available for 516. RESULTS Approximately half of the patients were aged 65-75 years and 59.3% were female. More than half had been born outside of Australia. The primary diagnosis was an affective disorder in 39.0% of admissions, dementia in 27.5% and psychotic illnesses in 25.8%. The median length of stay was 28 days; 60.8% had a period of involuntary care and 79.8% had only one admission. CONCLUSION In the near future, aged psychiatry services will face increased numbers of patients and rising expectations. To best respond to these challenges, we need to have an understanding of current patient and service profiles. The findings of this study illustrate a range of patient, diagnostic and management variables in aged psychiatry practice. This information can be used for comparison with other services and in planning for future development of services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brad Smith
- Academic Unit for Psychiatry of Old Age, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
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Chung W, Oh SM, Suh T, Lee YM, Oh BH, Yoon CW. Determinants of length of stay for psychiatric inpatients: analysis of a national database covering the entire Korean elderly population. Health Policy 2009; 94:120-8. [PMID: 19783062 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2009.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2009] [Revised: 09/01/2009] [Accepted: 09/07/2009] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE In a rapidly aging society, inappropriately long geropsychiatric inpatient hospitalization is a challenging concern for mental health policy-makers and researchers. This study aimed to investigate patient and institutional factors affecting geropsychiatric inpatient length of stay (LOS), providing an overview of current geropsychiatric health care system in South Korea. METHODS This retrospective, population-based, cross-sectional study analysed nationwide reimbursement claim databases covering the entire elderly population of Korea between January 2005 and June 2006. Given the nested structure of the data, a multivariate multilevel regression analysis was performed. RESULTS The average LOS was 128 days. Males, patients with schizophrenia, and those enrolled in a National Medical Care Aid program tended to have longer hospital stays. Patient age was negatively related to LOS. Institutional variables related to longer hospitalizations included a psychiatric hospital, a higher number of beds, fewer human resource employees, a higher proportion of male, oldest old, and patients with dementia. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that policies targeting geropsychiatric patients diagnosed with schizophrenia, enrolled in National Medical Care Aid programs, and admitted to psychiatric hospitals could reduce LOS. Additionally, the impact of the patient composition of a medical institution on LOS needs to be closely investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Woojin Chung
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Graduate School of Public Health and Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-752, Republic of Korea
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Gigantesco A, de Girolamo G, Santone G, Miglio R, Picardi A. Long-stay in short-stay inpatient facilities: risk factors and barriers to discharge. BMC Public Health 2009; 9:306. [PMID: 19698136 PMCID: PMC2746213 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-9-306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2009] [Accepted: 08/22/2009] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The aim of the present study was to assess the characteristics of long-stay inpatients in public and private Italian acute inpatient facilities, to identify risk factors and correlates of the long duration of hospital stay in these patients, and to identify possible barriers to alternative placements. Methods All patients in 130 Italian public and private psychiatric inpatient units who had been hospitalized for more than 3 months during a specific index period were assessed with standardized assessment instruments and compared to patients discharged during the same index period, but staying in hospital for less than 3 months (short-stay inpatients). Assessed domains included demographic, clinical, and treatment characteristics, as well as process of care. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify specific variables predicting inpatient long-stay status. Reasons for delaying patient discharge, as reported by treatment teams, were also analyzed. Results No overall differences between long-stay and short-stay patients emerged in terms of symptom severity or diagnostic status. Admission to a private inpatient facility and display of violent behavior during hospital stay were the most powerful predictors of long-stay. Lack of housing and a shortage of community support were the reasons most commonly cited by treatment teams as barriers to discharge. Conclusion Extra-clinical factors are important determinants of prolonged hospitalization in acute inpatient settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonella Gigantesco
- Mental Health Unit, Center of Epidemiology, Health Surveillance and Promotion, Italian National Institute of Health, Roma, Italy.
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Oostervink F, Boomsma MM, Nolen WA. Bipolar disorder in the elderly; different effects of age and of age of onset. J Affect Disord 2009; 116:176-83. [PMID: 19087895 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2008.11.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2008] [Revised: 11/14/2008] [Accepted: 11/14/2008] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Information about differences between younger and elderly patients with bipolar disorder and between elderly patients with early and late age of onset of illness is limited. METHOD The European Mania in Bipolar Longitudinal Evaluation of Medication (EMBLEM) study was a 2-year prospective, observational study in 3459 bipolar patients on the treatment and outcome of patients with an acute manic or mixed episode. Within this study, elderly patients (>60 years of age; n=475) were compared with younger patients (<50 years of age; n=2286), and within the elderly group, Late Onset Bipolar (LOB) patients (onset > or =50 years; n=141) were compared with Early Onset Bipolar (EOB) patients (<50 years; n=323). RESULTS In the year prior to enrollment, elderly patients, especially those with EOB, more frequently reported a rapid cycling course of illness, but fewer suicide attempts. At baseline, elderly patients more often used one psychotropic medication and demonstrated less severe manic and psychotic symptoms, but no difference in depressive symptomatology. However, prior to enrollment and during the acute phase of treatment, elderly patients more frequently received antidepressants. Atypical antipsychotics were given less frequently. Regarding 12-week outcomes, there was no difference between elderly and younger patients, although LOB elderly recovered faster, and were discharged sooner than EOB elderly patients. LIMITATIONS Information about somatic conditions was not systematically collected nor was information about concurrent use of non-psychiatric medication which might have given some indication of somatic comorbidity. CONCLUSION Elderly bipolar manic patients differ from younger bipolar manic patients regarding treatment but not treatment outcome. LOB elderly patients demonstrated a more favourable outcome. The use of medication and the occurrence of rapid cycling in EOB elderly patients warrant further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frits Oostervink
- GGZ Haagstreek Department of Psychiatry, Leidschendam, The Netherlands.
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Patterns of hospitalisation for depressive and anxiety disorders across the lifespan in Australia. J Affect Disord 2009; 113:195-200. [PMID: 18571242 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2008.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2007] [Revised: 05/09/2008] [Accepted: 05/09/2008] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hospitalisation rates for anxiety and depressive disorders vary with age and sex but there are few detailed analyses. METHODS Specialist psychiatric hospital separation data compiled by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare in the National Hospital Morbidity Database from 1998/99-2004/5 were analysed for the principal psychiatric diagnoses of depressive disorders and neurotic, stress related and somatoform disorders. Separation rates were calculated by age, year and sex using population data linearly extrapolated from Australian censuses. RESULTS The average annual rate of specialised psychiatric separations for all depressive disorders was 2.61 per 1000 for men, 4.77 for women. The highest separation rates for depression occurred in men aged 75-79 years. Severe depression without psychosis separations peaked in women in midlife. Psychotic depression separations peaked in late life. The average annual rate of separations for neurotic, stress related and somatoform disorder was 2.08 per 1000 for men, 1.96 for women. In women rates declined with age but in men rates peaked between ages 50 and 60 years due to PTSD. The average length of stay for depressive and anxiety disorders increased with age. LIMITATIONS Accuracy of data collection by clinicians and coding by medical records staff is unknown. CONCLUSIONS Planning for hospital services should take into account that separation rates for depressive and anxiety disorders vary with age, sex and type of disorder.
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Cheng IC, Liao SC, Lee MB, Tseng MMC. Predictors of treatment response and length of stay for inpatients with major depression. J Formos Med Assoc 2008; 106:903-10. [PMID: 18063511 DOI: 10.1016/s0929-6646(08)60060-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND/PURPOSE Depressive illness is highly recurrent, frequently chronic and associated with a high level of functional disability. Studies have shown that depression combined with anxiety is the most common reason for admission worldwide. This study aimed to examine the variables associated with treatment response or length of stay (LOS) among a group of inpatients with major depression. METHODS The attending psychiatrist rated severity of depression (using the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, HAM-D) of the patients (n = 67), and the patients were asked to complete several self-rating scales (including the Beck Depression Inventory, BDI) on admission. Three days before discharge, these assessments were repeated. Logistic regression models were used to examine the variables of remission status (defined by the HAM-D or the BDI) and LOS (dichotomized by a median of 25 days), respectively. RESULTS The remission rates of depression at discharge defined by the HAM-D (</= 7) and the BDI (</= 8) were 40% and 16%, respectively. Lower socioeconomic status and less clinical severity at admission were associated with clinicians' objective assessment of remission, while suicide attempt during this index episode was associated with patients' subjective remission. LOS of depressive inpatients was neither related to baseline severity nor to remission status at discharge. Patients with positive family history and more frequent hospitalization were associated with a hospital stay of longer than 25 days. CONCLUSION There was no evidence to show that patients with a long hospital stay would gain treatment benefits over patients with short stay. This study provides evidence to support that a structured inpatient treatment plan might gain some economic benefits without compromising treatment efficacy. The admission of hospitalization repeaters should be managed optimally based on the considerations of treatment efficacy and its impact on longer hospital stay.
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Affiliation(s)
- I-Chih Cheng
- Department of Psychiatry, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
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Austin PC, Tu JV, Daly PA, Alter DA. The use of quantile regression in health care research: a case study examining gender differences in the timeliness of thrombolytic therapy. Stat Med 2005; 24:791-816. [PMID: 15532082 DOI: 10.1002/sim.1851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Investigators are frequently interested in determining patient and system characteristics associated with delays in the provision of essential medical treatment. Investigators have typically used either multiple linear regression or Cox proportional hazards models to assess the impact of patient and system characteristics on the timeliness of medical treatment. A drawback to the use of these two methods is that they allow, at best, a partial exploration of how a distribution of delays in treatment or of waiting times changes with patient characteristics. In contrast, quantile regression models allow one to assess how any quantile of a conditional distribution changes with patient characteristics. We illustrate the utility of quantile regression by examining gender differences in the delivery of thrombolysis in patients with an acute myocardial infarction. We demonstrate that richer inferences can be drawn through the use of quantile regression. Females were more likely to experience delays in treatment compared to males. Furthermore, gender had a greater impact upon those patients who had the greatest delays in treatment. Investigators who want to determine how a distribution of delays in treatment or of waiting times changes with patient or system characteristics should consider complementing their analyses with the use of quantile regression.
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Blank K, Hixon L, Gruman C, Robison J, Hickey G, Schwartz HI. Determinants of geropsychiatric inpatient length of stay. Psychiatr Q 2005; 76:195-212. [PMID: 15884745 DOI: 10.1007/s11089-005-2339-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Despite efforts to decrease lengths of acute psychiatric hospital stays, some geriatric inpatients continue to have extended stays. This research examined factors related to length of stay (LOS), including legal and administrative factors not traditionally included in prior studies. The charts of 384 patients, representing all 464 discharges from an inpatient geropsychiatric unit over a one-year period, were evaluated retrospectively and analyzed using logistic regression and logarithmic transformation. The LOS of over 12% of the inpatients was 26 days or more (average LOS 14.1). Factors significantly associated with longer LOS were: receiving electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), higher Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) positive symptoms scores, falling, pharmacology complications, multiple prior psychiatric hospitalizations, requiring court proceedings to continue hospitalization or medicate against will, consultation delays and not performing ECT on weekends. Neither demographics nor diagnoses alone had influence on length of stay. Incorporation of LOS predictors into Medicare Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) would more accurately account for the complexity in the cost of caring for geropsychiatry patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Blank
- Braceland Center for Mental Health and Aging, Institute of Living, Hartford Hospital, CT 06106, USA.
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Savoie I, Morettin D, Green CJ, Kazanjian A. Systematic review of the role of gender as a health determinant of hospitalization for depression. Int J Technol Assess Health Care 2004; 20:115-27. [PMID: 15209172 DOI: 10.1017/s026646230400090x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Objectives:To conduct a systematic review of selected health determinants, including gender, and their impact on hospitalization rates for depression. Depression includes both depressive and bipolar disorders. Selected health determinants were gender, age, sex, family structure, education, and socioeconomic status.Methods:Systematic search of conventional and fugitive literature sources. All reports of primary data, systematic reviews, and meta-analysis of primary data were included if they focused on hospitalization for depression and reported data by one or more of the selected health determinants. Two researchers independently evaluated each citation for inclusion and extracted data from the included studies.Results:There is an important underreporting of health determinants data in studies of hospitalization for depression. No studies examined the role of gender. Age and sex were reported in 83 percent and 80 percent of the 110 included studies. Women showed a higher rate of hospitalization for depression than men (p<.05). Age and diagnosis had different effects in men and women. Adult women were significantly more likely than men to report a depressive disorder, whereas men were more likely to report a bipolar disorder (p<.05). Little can be concluded on the other health determinants.Conclusions:The importance of reporting hospitalization data and conducting hospital utilization analysis by sex and health determinants, including gender, must be emphasized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabelle Savoie
- BC Office of Health Technology Assessment, University of British Columbia, Canada.
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Jiménez RE, Lam RM, Marot M, Delgado A. Observed-predicted length of stay for an acute psychiatric department, as an indicator of inpatient care inefficiencies. Retrospective case-series study. BMC Health Serv Res 2004; 4:4. [PMID: 15102334 PMCID: PMC387834 DOI: 10.1186/1472-6963-4-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2003] [Accepted: 02/17/2004] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Length of stay (LOS) is an important indicator of efficiency for inpatient care but it does not achieve an adequate performance if it is not adjusted for the case mix of the patients hospitalized during the period considered. After two similar studies for Internal Medicine and Surgery respectively, the aims of the present study were to search for Length of Stay (LOS) predictors in an acute psychiatric department and to assess the performance of the difference: observed-predicted length of stay, as an indicator of inpatient care inefficiencies. Methods Retrospective case-series of patients discharged during 1999 from the Psychiatric Department from General Hospital "Hermanos Ameijeiras" in Havana, Cuba. The 374 eligible medical records were randomly split into two groups of 187 each. We derived the function for estimating the predicted LOS within the first group. Possible predictors were: age; sex; place of residence; diagnosis, use of electroconvulsive therapy; co morbidities; symptoms at admission, medications, marital status, and response to treatment. LOS was the dependent variable. A thorough exam of the patients' records was the basis to assess the capacity of the function for detecting inefficiency problems, within the second group. Results The function explained 37% of LOS variation. The strongest influence on LOS came from: age (p = 0.002), response to treatment (p < 0.0001), the dummy for personality disorders (p = 0.01), ECT therapy (p = 0.003), factor for sexual and/or eating symptoms (p = 0.003) and factor for psychotic symptoms (p = 0.025). Mean observed LOS is 2 days higher than predicted for the group of records with inefficient care, whereas for the group with acceptable efficiency, observed mean LOS was 4 days lower than predicted. The area under the ROC curve for detecting inefficiencies was 69% Conclusions This study demonstrates the importance of possible predictors of LOS, in an acute care Psychiatric department. The proposed indicator can be readily used to detect inefficiencies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa E Jiménez
- "Hermanos Ameijeiras" General Hospital. Research and Projects Department. San Lázaro 701, Centro Habana 10300, Ciudad Habana. CUBA
| | - Rosa M Lam
- Hematology and Immunology Institute. Calzada de Aldabó y Calle E, La Habana, Boyeros, 10800, Ciudad Habana. CUBA
| | - Milagros Marot
- "Hermanos Ameijeiras" General Hospital. Psychiatric Department. San Lázaro 701, Centro Habana 10300, Ciudad Habana. CUBA
| | - Ariel Delgado
- Ariel Delgado. Statistics Department, Province Health Division, Matanzas, CUBA
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Paton JM, Fahy MA, Livingston GA. Delayed discharge--a solvable problem? The place of intermediate care in mental health care of older people. Aging Ment Health 2004; 8:34-9. [PMID: 14690866 DOI: 10.1080/13607860310001613310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
The National Service Framework for Older People envisages the development of intermediate care for older people. This study examined the possible role of intermediate care beds within mental health trusts. We interviewed senior clinicians in an inner city old age psychiatry service about the 91 current in-patients on the old age psychiatric wards. Sixty-five were classified as acute patients and the remaining 26 were continuing care patients. Structured instruments were used to collect information regarding neuropsychiatric symptoms, activities of daily living and current met and unmet needs. Where discharge was delayed an assessment was made regarding the appropriateness for an intermediate care setting according to the criteria set by the Department of Health guidelines. A total of 30 (46%) patients' discharges were delayed. Of these, 19 (29%) patients met the DOH criteria for intermediate care; 10 (53%) had dementia, five (26%) affective disorder, and four (21%) with schizophrenia. The 11 other delayed discharges were because of lack of availability of finance for placements. The study found that the prompt discharge of older patients from acute psychiatric care was a significant problem and many of those patients may benefit from the therapeutic and rehabilitative process afforded by intermediate care.
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Affiliation(s)
- J M Paton
- Department of Psychiatry, University College London, Highgate Hill, UK.
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Burge P, Ouellette-Kuntz H, Saeed H, McCreary B, Paquette D, Sim F. Acute psychiatric inpatient care for people with a dual diagnosis: patient profiles and lengths of stay. CANADIAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY. REVUE CANADIENNE DE PSYCHIATRIE 2002; 47:243-9. [PMID: 11987475 DOI: 10.1177/070674370204700304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study describes characteristics of psychiatry inpatients with developmental disabilities (DD) and their admissions to psychiatry wards in 2 acute care hospitals. It also compares differences in lengths of stay between admissions of this group with a comparison sample of inpatient admissions without DD. METHOD A retrospective chart review was conducted on all individuals with DD who were psychiatric inpatients at 2 Kingston, Ontario, general hospitals, within a 4-year period (1994 to 1998). A comparison sample of admissions of patients without DD was chosen. Frequency tables were used to describe the inpatients with DD and to describe the 2 samples of admissions. Nonparametric statistics were used to compare the median length of stay between the 2 samples. Associations between length of stay and other covariates were explored within the sample of patient admissions with DD. RESULTS The 62 individuals with DD had 101 admissions over the study period. Suicidal ideation was the most common admission reason (46%), and mood disorder was the most common discharge diagnosis (29%). The median length of stay for patients with DD was 8 days, which did not differ meaningfully from the comparison sample. Variables that were significantly associated with length of stay among individuals with DD included sex, referral source, and diagnosis. CONCLUSION When individuals with DD are psychiatric inpatients, their length of stay is affected by some factors that have been identified in previous studies not specific to DD (for example, referral source and diagnosis). Our finding that male patients with DD have longer lengths of stay than do female patients in the same sample has not been reported in previous research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip Burge
- Queen's University, Department of Psychiatry, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6.
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Greene E, Cunningham CJ, Eustace A, Kidd N, Clare AW, Lawlor BA. Recurrent falls are associated with increased length of stay in elderly psychiatric inpatients. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 2001; 16:965-8. [PMID: 11607940 DOI: 10.1002/gps.463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To identify factors which may contribute to prolonged length of stay in an elderly psychiatric inpatient setting. DESIGN Retrospective case note study. METHODS A list of all patients over the age of 65 discharged from a private psychiatric hospital over a three-year period excluding those with a length of stay of over 365 days was obtained (n = 1147). A random sample of 150 patients was selected from the study population. A case note study was then performed looking at a number of variables which have been postulated to affect length of stay. The resulting data was analysed using multivariate statistics. RESULTS There was no statistically significant association found between baseline factors (including age, gender, cognitive impairment, marital status, order of admission and preadmission living arrangement) and length of stay. Having recurrent falls whilst an inpatient was associated with prolonged hospital stay (p = 0.0006). CONCLUSION Experiencing recurrent falls whilst an inpatient is associated with prolonged length of stay. Recurrent falls in the elderly may be associated with both physical illness and the use of psychotropic medications. A prospective study examining factors contributing to falls would be important in decreasing fall risk and reducing length of stay.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Greene
- Mercers Institute for Research on Ageing, St James's Hospital, James's St, Dublin 8, Ireland.
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McDonagh MS, Smith DH, Goddard M. Measuring appropriate use of acute beds. A systematic review of methods and results. Health Policy 2000; 53:157-84. [PMID: 10996065 DOI: 10.1016/s0168-8510(00)00092-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 125] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
A systematic review of the methods used to assess appropriateness of acute bed use and the evidence on the scale of inappropriate use in different patient groups is presented. Issues of generalisability of the findings are also addressed. Criteria based tools are the accepted way of measuring inappropriate days of stay and admissions, although opinion based classification is very common. While a number of tools exist, few have been adequately tested for reliability and validity. The Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol (AEP) is the most commonly used tool, and has been tested more widely. It appears to be both reliable and valid. An estimated 29% of admissions to acute psychiatric may be inappropriate. Regarding days of care after admission, between 24 and 58% of stays were not judged to be appropriate for continued stay on an acute ward. The need for continued acute psychiatric care may become lower as patients experience continued stay in the acute setting. A lack of housing and community support was the most commonly cited reason preventing discharge. Rates of inappropriate use appear to be higher for older patients than for the general population. Wide variation in rates of inappropriate days of stay was found, but it may be safe to assume that inappropriate use is greater than 20% across a wide variety of settings. Reasons for older patients to remain in an acute hospital bed after medically necessary are typically moderate nursing care needs (i.e. long-term care). The estimates of inappropriate use in other groups was found to be highly variable. Before definitive conclusions on the inappropriate use of acute beds can be made, future research needs to take into account the methodological problems discussed here.
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Affiliation(s)
- M S McDonagh
- Centre for Reviews and Dissemination, University of York, Heslington, Y010 5DD, York, UK.
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Abstract
The objective of this study was to review outcomes of acute service delivery in old age psychiatry. Sources of data included Medline, PsycINFO and Cochrane Collaboration databases of English language papers to 1998 on service delivery evaluation in 'old age psychiatry', 'psychogeriatrics' and 'geriatric psychiatry', supplemented by a manual search of references from relevant literature. All controlled trials, audits, and surveys of the outcomes of service delivery in old age psychiatry located in acute hospitals and community settings were included. Service delivery by medical, adult psychiatry and consultation/liaison services were included. With the exception of outreach services to nursing homes, long term institutional care was excluded. All data were extracted by the author. Data quality was assessed by applying an evidence hierarchy. Evaluation strategies were qualitatively reviewed. Controlled trials, audits and surveys were each found to provide important data in the evaluation of service delivery. There is better quality evidence to support the effectiveness of components of old age psychiatry services than other service types. The majority of studies indicate that old age psychiatry services have positive acute treatment outcomes, particularly with depression. There is insufficient evidence to determine which processes of care are associated with better outcomes. Pluralistic evaluations indicate that carers often have unmet needs and are not as positive about outcomes. There have been no controlled comparisons of service delivery provided by other services. In conclusion, controlled trials and audits indicate that old age psychiatry services are effective. Further pluralistic evaluations and comparisons with other services are required.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Draper
- Schools of Psychiatry and Community Medicine, University of New South Wales, Australia.
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Draper B, Luscombe G. The Effects of Physical Health upon the Outcome of Admission to an Acute Psychogeriatrics Ward. Australas J Ageing 1999. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1741-6612.1999.tb00114.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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