1
|
V Carvalho AS, Broekema B, Brito Fernandes Ó, Klazinga N, Kringos D. Acute care pathway assessed through performance indicators during the COVID-19 pandemic in OECD countries (2020-2021): a scoping review. BMC Emerg Med 2024; 24:19. [PMID: 38273229 PMCID: PMC10811879 DOI: 10.1186/s12873-024-00938-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted care for non-COVID patients. Performance indicators to monitor acute care, timely reported and internationally accepted, lacked during the pandemic in OECD countries. This study aims to summarize the performance indicators available in the literature to monitor changes in the quality of acute care in OECD countries during the first year and a half of the pandemic (2020-July 2021) and to assess their trends. METHODS Scoping review. Search in Embase and MEDLINE (07-07-2022). Acute care performance indicators and indicators related to acute general surgery were collected and collated following a care pathway approach. Indicators assessing identical clinical measures were grouped under a common indicator title. The trends from each group of indicators were collated (increase/decrease/stable). RESULTS A total of 152 studies were included. 2354 indicators regarding general acute care and 301 indicators related to acute general surgery were included. Indicators focusing on pre-hospital services reported a decreasing trend in the volume of patients: from 225 indicators, 110 (49%) reported a decrease. An increasing trend in pre-hospital treatment times was reported by most of the indicators (n = 41;70%) and a decreasing trend in survival rates of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (n = 61;75%). Concerning care provided in the emergency department, most of the indicators (n = 752;71%) showed a decreasing trend in admissions across all levels of urgency. Concerning the mortality rate after admission, most of the indicators (n = 23;53%) reported an increasing trend. The subset of indicators assessing acute general surgery showed a decreasing trend in the volume of patients (n = 50;49%), stability in clinical severity at admission (n = 36;53%), and in the volume of surgeries (n = 14;47%). Most of the indicators (n = 28;65%) reported no change in treatment approach and stable mortality rate (n = 11,69%). CONCLUSION This review signals relevant disruptions across the acute care pathway. A subset of general surgery performance indicators showed stability in most of the phases of the care pathway. These results highlight the relevance of assessing this care pathway more regularly and systematically across different clinical entities to monitor disruptions and to improve the resilience of emergency services during a crisis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ana Sofia V Carvalho
- Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, Public and Occupational Health, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Quality of Care, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Bente Broekema
- Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, Public and Occupational Health, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Pediatrics, Dijklander Hospital, Location Hoorn, Maelsonstraat 3, Hoorn, 1624 NP, The Netherlands
| | - Óscar Brito Fernandes
- Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, Public and Occupational Health, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Quality of Care, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Niek Klazinga
- Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, Public and Occupational Health, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Quality of Care, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Dionne Kringos
- Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, Public and Occupational Health, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Quality of Care, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Osterman E, Jakobsson S, Larsson C, Linder F. Effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the care for acute cholecystitis: a Swedish multicentre retrospective cohort study. BMJ Open 2023; 13:e078407. [PMID: 38035739 PMCID: PMC10689379 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-078407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The present study aimed to investigate if and how the panorama of acute cholecystitis changed in 2020 in Sweden. Seven aspects were identified, the incidence of cholecystitis, the Tokyo grade, the timing of diagnosis and treatment, the proportion treated with early surgery, the proportion of patients treated with delayed surgery, and new complications from gallstones. DESIGN Retrospective multicentre cohort study. SETTING 3 hospitals in Sweden, covering 675 000 inhabitants. PARTICIPANTS 1634 patients with cholecystitis. OUTCOMES The incidence, treatment choice and diagnostic and treatment delay were investigated by comparing prepandemic and pandemic patients. RESULTS Patients diagnosed with cholecystitis during the pandemic were more comorbid (American Society of Anesthesiologists 2-5, 86% vs 81%, p=0.01) and more often had a diagnostic CT (67% vs 59%, p=0.01). There were variations in the number of patients corresponding with the pandemic waves, but there was no overall increase in the number of patients with cholecystitis (78 vs 76 cases/100 000 inhabitants, p=0.7) or the proportion of patients treated with surgery during the pandemic (50% vs 50%, p=0.4). There was no increase in time to admission from symptoms (both median 1 day, p=0.7), or surgery from admission (both median 1 day, p=0.9). The proportion of grades 2-3 cholecystitis was not higher during the pandemic (46% vs 44%, p=0.9). The median time to elective surgery increased (184 days vs 130 days, p=0.04), but there was no increase in new gallstone complications (35% vs 39%, p=0.3). CONCLUSION Emergency surgery for cholecystitis was not impacted by the pandemic in Sweden. Patients were more comorbid but did not have more severe cholecystitis nor was there a delay in seeking care. Fewer patients non-operatively managed had elective surgery within 6 months of their initial diagnosis but there was no corresponding increase in gallstone complications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Erik Osterman
- CKF Gävleborg, Uppsala University, Gävle, Sweden
- Department of Surgery, Gävle Sjukhus, Gävle, Sweden
| | - Sofia Jakobsson
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | | | - Fredrik Linder
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Department of Surgery, Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Lorenz W, Yang H, Paton L, Barbat S, Matthews B, Reinke CE, Schiffern L, Baimas-George M. Virtual triage from freestanding emergency departments: a propensity score-weighted analysis of short-term outcomes in emergency general surgery. Surg Endosc 2023; 37:7901-7907. [PMID: 37418149 DOI: 10.1007/s00464-023-10241-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Freestanding emergency departments (FSEDs) have generated improved hospital metrics, including decreased ED wait times and increased patient selection. Patient outcomes and process safety have not been evaluated. This study investigates the safety of FSED virtual triage in the emergency general surgery (EGS) patient population. METHODS AND PROCEDURES A retrospective review evaluated all adult EGS patients admitted to a community hospital between January 2016 and December 2021 who either presented at a FSED and received virtual evaluation from a surgical team (fEGS) or presented at the community hospital emergency department and received in-person evaluation from the same surgical group (cEGS). Patients' demographics, acute care utilization history, and clinical characteristics at the onset of the index visit were used to build a propensity score model and stabilized Inverse Probability of Treatment Weights (IPTW) were used to create a weighted sample. Multivariable regression models were then employed to the weighted sample to evaluate the treatment effect of virtual triage compared to in-person evaluation on short-term outcomes, including length of stay (LOS) and 30-day readmission and mortality. Variables which occurred during the index visit (such as surgery duration and type of surgery) were adjusted for in the multivariable analyses. RESULTS Of 1962 patients, 631 (32.2%) were initially evaluated virtually (fEGS) and 1331 (67.8%) underwent an in-person evaluation (cEGS). Baseline characteristics demonstrated significant differences between the cohorts in gender, race, payer status, BMI, and CCI score. Baseline risks were well balanced in the IPTW-weighted sample (SD range 0.002-0.18). Multivariable analysis found no significant differences between the balanced cohorts in 30-day readmission, 30-day mortality, and LOS (p > 0.05 for all). CONCLUSION Patients who undergo virtual triage have similar outcomes to those who undergo in-person triage for EGS diagnoses. Virtual triage at FSED for these EGS patients may be an efficient and safe means for initial evaluation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- William Lorenz
- Department of Surgery, Carolinas Medical Center, 1000 Blythe Blvd, Charlotte, NC, 28203, USA
| | - Hongmei Yang
- Atrium Health, Information and Analytics Services, 720 East Morehead St, Charlotte, NC, 28203, USA
| | - Lauren Paton
- Department of Surgery, Carolinas Medical Center, 1000 Blythe Blvd, Charlotte, NC, 28203, USA
| | - Selwan Barbat
- Department of Surgery, Carolinas Medical Center, 1000 Blythe Blvd, Charlotte, NC, 28203, USA
| | - Brent Matthews
- Department of Surgery, Carolinas Medical Center, 1000 Blythe Blvd, Charlotte, NC, 28203, USA
| | - Caroline E Reinke
- Department of Surgery, Carolinas Medical Center, 1000 Blythe Blvd, Charlotte, NC, 28203, USA
| | - Lynnette Schiffern
- Department of Surgery, Carolinas Medical Center, 1000 Blythe Blvd, Charlotte, NC, 28203, USA
| | - Maria Baimas-George
- Department of Surgery, Carolinas Medical Center, 1000 Blythe Blvd, Charlotte, NC, 28203, USA.
- Carolinas Medical Center, 1025 Morehead Medical Plaza, Suite #300, Charlotte, NC, 28204, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Al manasra ARA, Alabdallah NB, Mesmar Z, Almasarweh SA, Nofal M, Shattarah O, Aljarrah Q, Ibrahim KS, Al-qaoud D. The impact of partial and complete lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic on acute surgical services: a retrospective cohort study. Eur J Med Res 2023; 28:13. [PMID: 36611196 PMCID: PMC9825033 DOI: 10.1186/s40001-022-00971-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE The burden of the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the healthcare sector has been overwhelming, leading to drastic changes in access to healthcare for the public. We aimed to establish the impact of implemented government partial and complete lockdown policies on the volume of surgical patient admissions at a tertiary referral center during the pandemic. METHODS A database was retrospectively created from records of patients admitted to the surgical ward through the emergency department. Three 6-week periods were examined: The complete lockdown period (CLP), which included a ban on the use of cars with the exception of health service providers and essential sector workers; A pre-COVID period (PCP) 1 year earlier (no lockdown); and a partial lockdown period (PLP) that involved a comprehensive curfew and implementing social distancing regulations and wear of personal protective equipment (e.g., masks) in public places. RESULTS The number of patients admitted to the surgery ward was significantly higher in the PCP cohort compared to the CLP and PLP cohorts (p = 0.009), with a 42.1% and 37% decline in patients' admissions, respectively. Admission rates for patients with biliary pathologies and vascular thrombotic events increased. 30-day mortality rates did not differ significantly between the three periods (p = 0.378). CONCLUSIONS While COVID-19 lockdown regulations had a significant impact on patient admission rates, surgical outcomes were not affected and the standards of care were maintained. Future protocols should strive to improve access to healthcare to avoid complications caused by delayed diagnosis and treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Abdel Rahman A. Al manasra
- grid.37553.370000 0001 0097 5797Department of General Surgery and Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Nadeem B. Alabdallah
- grid.415773.3Princess Basma Teaching Hospital, Ministry of Health, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Zaid Mesmar
- grid.37553.370000 0001 0097 5797Department of General Surgery and Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| | | | - Mohammad Nofal
- grid.37553.370000 0001 0097 5797Department of General Surgery and Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Osama Shattarah
- grid.37553.370000 0001 0097 5797Department of General Surgery and Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Qusai Aljarrah
- grid.37553.370000 0001 0097 5797Department of General Surgery and Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Khalid S. Ibrahim
- grid.37553.370000 0001 0097 5797Department of General Surgery and Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Doaa Al-qaoud
- grid.33801.390000 0004 0528 1681Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, The Hashemite University, Zarqa, Jordan
| |
Collapse
|