Achievement of Key Performance Indicators in Initial Assessment and Care of Injured Patients in Ghanaian Non-tertiary Hospitals: An Observational Study

The ABCDE approach in critically ill patients: A scoping review of assessment tools, adherence and reported outcomes

Aim

The systematic Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability, and Exposure (ABCDE) approach is a priority-based consensus approach for the primary assessment of all categories of critically ill or injured patients. The aims of this review are to provide a wide overview of all relevant literature about existing ABCDE assessment tools, adherence to the ABCDE approach and related outcomes of teaching or application of the ABCDE approach by healthcare professionals.

Methods

A comprehensive scoping review was conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines and reported according to the PRISMA-ScR Checklist. An a priori protocol was developed. In March 2024, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and Cochrane library were searched to identify studies describing healthcare professionals applying the ABCDE approach in either simulation settings or clinical practice. Two reviewers independently screened records for inclusion and performed data extraction.

Results

From n = 8165 results, fifty-seven studies met the inclusion criteria and reported data from clinical care (n = 27) or simulation settings (n = 30). Forty-two studies reported 39 different assessment tools, containing 5 to 36 items. Adherence to the approach was reported in 43 studies and varied from 18-84% in clinical practice and from 29-35% pre-intervention to 65-97% post-intervention in simulation settings. Team leader presence and attending simulation training improved adherence. Data on patient outcomes were remarkably scarce.

Conclusion

Many different tools with variable content were identified to assess the ABCDE approach. Adherence was the most frequently reported outcome and varied widely among included studies. However, association between the ABCDE approach and patient outcomes is yet to be investigated.

Improvement in quality of trauma care at non-tertiary hospitals in Ghana during on-hours and off-hours with a trauma intake form: A stepped-wedge cluster randomized trial

BACKGROUND

We sought to determine the achievement of key performance indicators (KPIs) of initial trauma care at non-tertiary hospitals in Ghana during on-hours (8AM-5PM weekdays) compared to off-hours (nights, weekends, and holidays). We also sought to assess the effectiveness of a standardized trauma intake form (TIF) with built-in decision support prompts to improve care and to assess whether this effectiveness varied between on-hours and off-hours.

METHODS

A stepped-wedge cluster randomized trial was performed with research assistants directly observing trauma care before and after introducing the TIF at emergency units of eight hospitals for 17.5 months. Differences in KPIs and mortality were assessed using multivariable logistic regression and generalized linear mixed regression.

RESULTS

Management of 4,077 patients was observed; 1,126 (28 %) during on-hours and 2,951(72 %) during off-hours. At baseline, four of 20 KPIs were performed significantly more often during off-hours. TIF improved care during both on- and off-hours. Seventeen KPIs improved during on-hours and 18 KPIs improved during off-hours. After TIF, six KPIs were performed more often during on-hours, but differences, though significant, were small (1-5 %). Examples of KPIs which were performed more often during on-hours after TIF included: airway assessment (99 % for on-hours vs. 98 % for off-hours), evaluation for intra-abdominal bleeding (91 % vs. 87 %), and spine immobilization for blunt trauma (90 % vs. 85 %) (all p < 0.05). At baseline, mortality among seriously injured patients (Injury Severity Score >9) was higher during on-hours (27 %) compared to off-hours (17 %, p = 0.047). TIF lowered mortality for seriously injured patients during both on-hours (27 % before TIF, 8 % after, p = 0.027) and during off-hours (17 % before, 7 % after, p = 0.004). After TIF, mortality among seriously injured patients was equal between on- and off-hours (8 % vs. 7 %, NS).

CONCLUSIONS

At baseline, KPIs of trauma care were slightly better during off-hours compared with on-hours, and mortality was lower among seriously injured patient during off-hours. A quality improvement initiative (the TIF) using built-in decision support prompts improved care strongly in both on- and off-hours and eliminated the mortality difference between on- and off-hours. Use of similar decision support prompts during initial trauma care should be promoted widely in other low- and middle-income countries.

Assessment and reassessment of injured patients at non-tertiary hospitals in Ghana: A stepped-wedge cluster randomized trial

Introduction

Frequent reassessment of injured patients is an important component of trauma and emergency care. How frequently such reassessment is done in African hospitals has been minimally addressed. We sought to address this gap, as well as to assess the effectiveness of a standardized trauma intake form (TIF) to improve assessment and reassessment rates.

Methods

We undertook a stepped-wedge cluster randomized trial with research assistants observing trauma care before and after introducing the TIF at emergency units of eight non-tertiary Ghanaian hospitals for 17.5 months. Differences in seven key performance indicators (KPIs) of assessment and reassessment were evaluated using generalized linear mixed regression. KPIs included: respiratory rate, heart rate, blood pressure, level of consciousness, mobility, temperature, and oxygen saturation.

Results

Management of 4077 patients was observed: 2067 before TIF initiation and 2010 after. In the before period, completion of KPIs of initial assessment ranged from 55% (oxygen saturation) to 88% (level of consciousness). KPIs for reassessment for patients still in the EU after 30 min (n = 1945, in before period) were much lower than for initial assessment, ranging from 10% (respiratory rate and oxygen saturation) to 13% (level of consciousness). The TIF did not significantly improve performance of any KPI of assessment or reassessment. Similar patterns pertained for the subgroup of seriously injured patients (Injury Severity Score ≥9).

Conclusion

At non-tertiary hospitals in Ghana, performance of KPIs of initial assessment were mostly adequate, but with room for improvement. Performance of KPIs for reassessment were very low, even for seriously injured patients. The intervention (trauma intake form) did not impact reassessment rates, despite previously having been shown to impact many other KPIs of trauma care. Potential avenues to pursue to improve reassessment rates include other quality improvement efforts and increased emphasis on reassessment in training courses.

Care of Injured Children Compared to Adults at District and Regional Hospitals in Ghana and the Impact of a Trauma Intake Form: A Stepped-Wedge Cluster Randomized Trial

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of a standardized trauma intake form (TIF) to improve achievement of key performance indicators (KPIs) of initial trauma care among injured children, compared to adults, at non-tertiary hospitals in Ghana.

METHODS

A stepped-wedge cluster randomized trial was performed with research assistants directly observing the management of injured patients before and after introducing the TIF at emergency units of 8 non-tertiary hospitals for 17.5 months. Differences in outcomes between children and adults in periods before and after TIF introduction were determined with multivariable logistic regression. Differences in outcomes among children after TIF introduction were determined using generalized linear mixed regression.

RESULTS

Management of 3889 injured patients was observed; 757 (19%) were children <18 years. Trauma care KPIs at baseline were lower for children compared to adults. Improvements in primary survey KPIs were observed among children after TIF introduction. Examples include airway assessment [279 (71%) to 359 (98%); adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 74.42, p = 0.005)] and chest examination [225 (58%) to 349 (95%); AOR 53.80, p = 0.002)]. However, despite these improvements, achievement of KPIs was still lower compared to adults. Examples are pelvic fracture evaluation [children: 295 (80%) vs adults: 1416 (88%), AOR: 0.56, p = 0.001] and respiratory rate assessment (children: 310 (84%) vs adults: 1458 (91%), AOR: 058, p = 0.030).

CONCLUSIONS

While the TIF was effective in improving most KPIs of pediatric trauma care, more targeted education is needed to bridge the gap in quality between pediatric and adult trauma care at non-tertiary hospitals in Ghana and other low- and middle-income countries.

TYPE OF STUDY

Stepped-wedged cluster randomized controlled trial.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

I.

Standardized trauma intake form with clinical decision support prompts improves care and reduces mortality for seriously injured patients in non-tertiary hospitals in Ghana: stepped-wedge cluster randomized trial

BACKGROUND

The WHO Trauma Care Checklist improved key performance indicators (KPIs) of trauma care at tertiary hospitals. A standardized trauma intake form (TIF) with real-time clinical decision support prompts was developed by adapting the WHO Trauma Care Checklist for use in smaller low- and middle-income country hospitals, where care is delivered by non-specialized providers and without trauma teams. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of the TIF for improving KPIs in initial trauma care and reducing mortality at non-tertiary hospitals in Ghana.

METHODS

A stepped-wedge cluster randomized trial was conducted by stationing research assistants at emergency units of eight non-tertiary hospitals for 17.5 months to observe management of injured patients before and after introduction of the TIF. Differences in performance of KPIs in trauma care (primary outcomes) and mortality (secondary outcome) were estimated using generalized linear mixed regression models.

RESULTS

Management of 4077 injured patients was observed (2067 before TIF introduction, 2010 after). There was improvement in 14 of 16 primary survey and initial care KPIs after TIF introduction. Airway assessment increased from 72.9 to 98.4 per cent (adjusted OR 25.27, 95 per cent c.i. 2.47 to 258.94; P = 0.006) and breathing assessment from 62.1 to 96.8 per cent (adjusted OR 38.38, 4.84 to 304.69; P = 0.001). Documentation of important clinical data improved from 52.4 to 76.7 per cent (adjusted OR 2.14, 1.17 to 3.89; P = 0.013). The mortality rate decreased from 17.7 to 12.1 per cent among 302 patients (186 before, 116 after) with impaired physiology on arrival (hypotension or decreased level of consciousness) (adjusted OR 0.10, 0.02 to 0.56; P = 0.009).

CONCLUSION

The TIF improved overall initial trauma care and reduced mortality for more seriously injured patients.

REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT04547192 (http://www.clinicaltrials.gov).