Predictors of discharge destination in patients with major traumatic injury: Analysis of Oklahoma Trauma Registry

Anterior internal versus external fixation of unstable pelvis fractures was not associated with discharge destination, critical care, length of stay, or hospital charges

PURPOSE

Determine if anterior internal versus supra-acetabular external fixation of unstable pelvic fractures is associated with care needs or discharge.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study was performed at two tertiary trauma referral centers. Adults with unstable pelvis fractures (AO/OTA 61B/61C) who received operative fixation of the anterior and posterior pelvic ring by two orthopedic trauma surgeons from October 2020 to November 2022 were included. The primary outcome was discharge destination. Secondary outcomes included intensive care unit (ICU) or ventilator days, length of stay, and hospital charges.

RESULTS

Eighty-three eligible patients were 38.6% female, with a mean age of 47.2 ± 20.3 years and BMI 28.1 ± 6.4 kg/m2. Fifty-nine patients (71.1%) received anterior pelvis internal fixation and 24 (28.9%) received external fixation. External fixation was associated with weight-bearing restrictions (91.7% versus 49.2%, p = 0.01). No differences in demographic, functional status, insurance type, fracture classification, or injury severity measures were observed by treatment. Internal versus external anterior pelvic fixation was not associated with discharge to home (49.2% versus 29.2%, p = 0.10), median ICU days (3.0 [interquartile range (IQR) 7.8 versus 5.5 [IQR 4.3], p = 0.14, ventilator days (0 [IQR 6.0] versus 0 [IQR 2.8], p = 0.51), length of stay (13.0 [IQR 13.0] versus 17.5 (IQR 20.5), p = 0.38), or total hospital charges (US dollars 180,311 [IQR 219,061.75] versus 243,622 [IQR 187,111], p = 0.14).

CONCLUSIONS

Anterior internal versus supra-acetabular external fixation of unstable pelvis fractures was not significantly associated with discharge destination, critical care, hospital length of stay, or hospital charges. This sample may be underpowered to detect differences between groups.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Therapeutic Level IV.

Original Research: Breaking Through the Bottleneck: Acuity Adaptability in Noncritical Trauma Care

BACKGROUND

Achieving efficient throughput of patients is a challenge faced by many hospital systems. Factors that can impede efficient throughput include increased ED use, high surgical volumes, lack of available beds, and the complexities of coordinating multiple patient transfers in response to changing care needs. Traditionally, many hospital inpatient units operate via a fixed acuity model, relying on multiple intrahospital transfers to move patients along the care continuum. In contrast, the acuity-adaptable model allows care to occur in the same room despite fluctuations in clinical condition, removing the need for transfer. This model has been shown to be a safe and cost-effective approach to improving throughput in populations with predictable courses of hospitalization, but has been minimally evaluated in other populations, such as patients hospitalized for traumatic injury.

PURPOSE

This quality improvement project aimed to evaluate implementation of an acuity-adaptable model on a 20-bed noncritical trauma unit. Specifically, we sought to examine and compare the pre- and postimplementation metrics for throughput efficiency, resource utilization, and nursing quality indicators; and to determine the model's impact on patient transfers for changes in level of care.

METHODS

This was a retrospective, comparative analysis of 1,371 noncritical trauma patients admitted to a level 1 trauma center before and after the implementation of an acuity-adaptable model. Outcomes of interest included throughput efficiency, resource utilization, and quality of nursing care. Inferential statistics were used to compare patients pre- and postimplementation, and logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the impact of the acuity-adaptable model on patient transfers.

RESULTS

Postimplementation, the median ED boarding time was reduced by 6.2 hours, patients more often remained in their assigned room following a change in level of care, more progressive care patient days occurred, fall and hospital-acquired pressure injury index rates decreased respectively by 0.9 and 0.3 occurrences per 1,000 patient days, and patients were more often discharged to home. Logistic regression analyses revealed that under the new model, patients were more than nine times more likely to remain in the same room for care after a change in acuity and 81.6% less likely to change rooms after a change in acuity. An increase of over $11,000 in average daily bed charges occurred postimplementation as a result of increased progressive care-level bed capacity.

CONCLUSIONS

The implementation of an acuity-adaptable model on a dedicated noncritical trauma unit improved throughput efficiency and resource utilization without sacrificing quality of care. As hospitals continue to face increasing demand for services as well as numerous barriers to meeting such demand, leaders remain challenged to find innovative ways to optimize operational efficiency and resource utilization while ensuring delivery of high-quality care. The findings of this study demonstrate the value of the acuity-adaptable model in achieving these goals in a noncritical trauma care population.

Predictors of adverse outcomes in elders hospitalised for isolated orthopaedic trauma: a multicentre cohort study

BACKGROUND

Patients >64 years of age now represent more than 51% of injury hospitalisations in Canada. The tools used to identify older patients who could benefit the most from an interdisciplinary approach include complex parameters difficult to collect in the ED, which suggests that better tools with higher accuracy and using items that can be derived from routinely collected data are needed. We aimed to identify variables that are associated with adverse outcomes in older patients admitted to a trauma centre for an isolated orthopaedic injury.

METHODS

We conducted a multicentre retrospective cohort study between 1 April 2013 and 31 March 2019 on older patients hospitalised with a primary diagnosis of isolated orthopaedic injury (n=19 928). Data were extracted from the provincial trauma registry (Registre des traumatismes du Québec). We used multilevel logistic regression to estimate the associations between potential predictors and adverse outcomes (extended length of stay, mortality, complications, unplanned readmission and adverse discharge destination).

RESULTS

Increasing age, male sex, specific comorbidities, type of orthopaedic injuries, increasing number of comorbidities, severe orthopaedic injury, head injuries and admission in the year before the injury were all significant predictors of adverse outcomes.

CONCLUSION

We identified eight predictors of adverse outcomes in patients >64 years of age admitted to a trauma centre for orthopaedic injury. These variables could eventually be used to develop a clinical decision rule to identify elders who may benefit the most from interdisciplinary care.

Impact of Treatment Modalities on Discharge Disposition in Blunt Splenic Injuries

BACKGROUND

Management of blunt splenic trauma has evolved over several decades, trending towards nonoperative management and splenic artery embolization. Extensive research has been conducted regarding the management of blunt splenic injuries, but there is little data on the association of treatment modality with discharge disposition.

METHODS

This is an observational retrospective study conducted at a level-one trauma center with blunt splenic trauma patients of age ≥18 years between January 2010 and December 2021. The primary outcome of unfavorable discharge was defined as discharge to an acute care facility, intermediate care facility, long-term care facility, rehabilitation (inpatient) facility, or skilled nursing facility.

RESULTS

Five hundred seventy-nine patients were included in the analysis, with 108 (18.7%) in the unfavorable group and 471 (81.3%) in the favorable group. Most patients were managed nonoperatively (69.3%), followed by splenectomy (25.0%) and embolization (5.7%). Due to the low number of embolizations performed during the study period, treatment modalities were grouped into two broad categories: intervention (embolization and splenectomies) and nonintervention. The treatment modality was found to have no significant impact on unfavorable discharge. Independent risk factors for unfavorable discharge included age >55 years, injury severity score (ISS) >15, hospital-acquired pneumonia, and in-hospital complications of sepsis.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides an understanding of specific demographic and clinical factors that may predispose blunt splenic injury trauma patients to an unfavorable discharge. Providers may apply these data to identify at-risk patients and subsequently adapt the care they provide in an effort to prevent the development of in-hospital pneumonia and sepsis.

Factors associated with discharge destination from acute care after moderate-to-severe traumatic injuries in Norway: a prospective population-based study

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have demonstrated that the trauma population has needs for rehabilitation services that are best provided in a continuous and coordinated way. The discharge destination after acute care is the second step to ensuring quality of care. There is a lack of knowledge regarding the factors associated with the discharge destination for the overall trauma population. This paper aims to identify sociodemographic, geographical, and injury-related factors associated with discharge destination following acute care at trauma centers for patients with moderate-to-severe traumatic injuries.

METHODS

A multicenter, population-based, prospective study was conducted with patients of all ages with traumatic injury [New Injury Severity Score (NISS) > 9] admitted within 72 h after the injury to regional trauma centers in southeastern and northern Norway over a 1-year period (2020).

RESULTS

In total, 601 patients were included; a majority (76%) sustained severe injuries, and 22% were discharged directly to specialized rehabilitation. Children were primarily discharged home, and most of the patients ≥ 65 years to their local hospital. Depending on the centrality of their residence [Norwegian Centrality Index (NCI) 1-6, where 1 is most central], we found that patients residing in NCI 3-4 and 5-6 areas sustained more severe injuries than patients residing in NCI 1-2 areas. An increase in the NISS, number of injuries, or a spinal injury with an Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) ≥ 3 was associated with discharge to local hospitals and specialized rehabilitation than to home. Patients with an AIS ≥ 3 head injury (RRR 6.1, 95% Confidence interval 2.80-13.38) were significantly more likely to be discharged to specialized rehabilitation than patients with a less severe head injury. Age < 18 years was negatively associated with discharge to a local hospital, while NCI 3-4, preinjury comorbidity, and increased severity of injuries in the lower extremities were positively associated.

CONCLUSIONS

Two-thirds of the patients sustained severe traumatic injury, and 22% were discharged directly to specialized rehabilitation. Age, centrality of the residence, preinjury comorbidity, injury severity, length of hospital stay, and the number and specific types of injuries were factors that had the greatest influence on discharge destination.

The DEPARTS Score: A Novel Tool for Predicting Discharge Disposition in Geriatric Trauma Patients

BACKGROUND

Geriatric trauma patients (GTPs) represent a high-risk population for needing post-acute care, such as skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) and long-term acute care hospitals (LTACs), due to a combination of traumatic injuries and baseline functional health. As there is currently no well-established tool for predicting these needs, we aimed to create a scoring tool that predicts disposition to SNFs/LTACs in GTPs.

METHODS

The adult 2017 Trauma Quality Improvement Program database was divided at random into two equal sized sets (derivation and validation sets) of GTPs >65 years old. First, multiple logistic regression models were created to determine risk factors for discharge to a SNF/LTAC in admitted GTPs. Second, the weighted average and relative impact of each independent predictor was used to derive a DEPARTS (Discharge of Elderly Patients After Recent Trauma to SNF/LTAC) score. We then validated the score using the area under the receiver-operating curve (AROC).

RESULTS

Of 66 479 patients in the derivation set, 36 944 (55.6%) were discharged to a SNF/LTAC. Number of comorbidities, fall mechanism, spinal cord injury, long bone fracture, and major surgery were each independent predictors for discharge to SNF/LTAC, and a DEPARTS score was derived with scores ranging from 0 to 19. The AROC for this was .74. In the validation set, 66 477 patients also had a SNF/LTAC discharge rate of 55.7%, and the AROC was .74.

DISCUSSION

The DEPARTS score is a good predictor of SNF/LTAC discharge for GTPs. Future prospective studies are warranted to validate its accuracy and clinical utility in preventing delays in discharge.

Fewer Levels of Dedicated Trauma Care Leads to Better Outcomes

BACKGROUND

Dedicated trauma intensive care units (ICUs) staffed by surgical intensivists lead to better patient outcomes. Increased length of stay (LOS) leads to worse outcomes. Little research has focused on the effect of dedicated trauma medical-surgical units or ICU/medicalsurgical systems. In 2018, our Level 1 trauma center transitioned from 3 non-dedicated levels of care (ICU/stepdown unit/medical-surgical) to 2 dedicated levels of care (ICU/medical-surgical). Our objective was to look at patient outcomes pre- and post-intervention.

METHODS

Retrospective analysis of trauma registry data was performed on patients (age ≥18) admitted to the trauma service at a Level 1 rural trauma center over 46-months. In the pre-intervention group, step down and medical-surgical patients were combined as "Non-ICU" for analysis. Standard statistical analysis was performed.

RESULTS

Analysis included 6103 patients. The group demographics were similar, except pre-intervention patients had higher ISS and fewer comorbidities. Emergency department LOS decreased from 30 versus 13.9% (P < .0001) and 15.9 versus 5.8% (P < .0001) for greater than 3 and 6 hours, respectively. Median LOS decreased for all patients (P < .0001). Mortality dropped from 9.0 versus 5.5% (P = .0009) for ICU and 1.7 versus 0.26% (P = .0013) for non-ICU patients. Overall patient mortality was level at 3.7%. Inpatient complications dropped from 9.9 versus 8.5% (P = .07). Unplanned ICU readmissions were unchanged (P = .4169). For patients with 3+ comorbidities, overall LOS dropped by 2 days (P < .0001) and home discharge increased from 42.8 versus 51% (P < .0001).

CONCLUSION

Implementation of 2 levels of dedicated care has decreased ED and hospital LOS for all trauma patients without increasing mortality or complications. Patients with extensive comorbidities saw the most improvements.

Association between type 2 diabetes and long-term outcomes in middle-aged and older trauma patients

BACKGROUND

Diabetes is associated with increased hospital complications and mortality following trauma. However, there is limited research on the longer-term recovery of trauma patients with diabetes. The aim of this study was to explore the association between type 2 diabetes (T2D) and in-hospital and 24-month outcomes in major trauma patients.

METHODS

In this cohort study using the Victorian State Trauma Registry, middle-aged and older adults (≥45 years) with major trauma were followed up at 24 months postinjury. Logistic regression (univariable and multivariable) analyses were used to determine the association between diabetes status and 24-month patient-reported outcomes. In-hospital outcomes were compared between groups using χ2 tests.

RESULTS

Of the 11,490 participants who survived to hospital discharge, 8,493 survived to 24 months postinjury and were followed up at that time point: 953 people (11%) with and 7540 (89%) without T2D. People with T2D had a higher in-hospital death rate (19%) compared with people without T2D (16%; p < 0.001). After adjusting for confounders, people with T2D had poorer outcomes 24 months postinjury than people without T2D, with respect to functional recovery (Glasgow Outcome Scale Extended) (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 0.58; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.48-0.69) and return to work/study (AOR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.37-0.71]). People with T2D experienced higher odds of problems with mobility (AOR, 1.92; 95% CI, 1.60-2.30), self-care (AOR, 1.94; 95% CI, 1.64, 2.29), usual activities (AOR, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.26-1.79), pain and discomfort (AOR, 1.75; 95% CI, 1.49-2.07), anxiety and depression (AOR, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.24, 1.70), and self-reported disability (AOR, 1.51; 95% CI, 1.28-1.79) than people without T2D.

CONCLUSION

Major trauma patients with T2D have a poorer prognosis than patients without T2D, both during their hospital admission and 24 months postinjury. Patients with T2D may need additional health care and support following trauma to reach their recovery potential.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Prognostic, level III.

Preinjury Functional Independence is not Associated with Discharge Location in Older Trauma Patients

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between pre-injury Katz Index of Independence in Activities of Daily Living (Katz ADL) functional status and discharge to a facility in non-neurologically injured older trauma patients.

METHODS

Data were obtained from 207 patients in the Trauma Medical Home study cohort. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify factors associated with non-home discharge.

RESULTS

Average patient age was 67.9 (SD 11.1). Patients were predominantly white (89.4%) and female (52.2%) with a median ISS of 11 (IQR 9-14). The most common mechanism of injury was fall (48.3%), followed by motor vehicle crash (41.1%). Nearly all patients (94.7%) reported independence in activities of daily living prior to hospitalization for injury. Discharge disposition varied, 51.7% of patients were discharged home, 37.7% to subacute rehabilitation, 10.1% to acute rehabilitation and 0.5% to long-term acute care. There was no relationship between pre-injury independence and likelihood of discharge home (P = 0.1331). Age (P < 0.0001), BMI (P = 0.0002), Charlson comorbidity score of 3 or greater (P = 0.0187), being single (P = 0.0077), ISS ≥ 16 (P = 0.0075) and being female with self-reported symptoms of anxiety and/or depression over the past two weeks (P = 0.0092) were associated with significantly greater odds of non-home discharge.

CONCLUSIONS

Pre-injury Katz ADL is not associated with discharge disposition, though other significantly associated factors were identified. It is imperative that discussions regarding discharge disposition are initiated early during acute hospitalization. Trauma programs could potentially benefit from implementing an inpatient intervention focused on building coping skills for older patients exhibiting symptoms of anxiety or depression.

Hospital effects drive variation in access to inpatient rehabilitation after trauma

BACKGROUND

Postacute care rehabilitation is critically important to recover after trauma, but many patients do not have access. A better understanding of the drivers behind inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) use has the potential for major cost-savings as well as higher-quality and more equitable patient care. We sought to quantify the variation in hospital rates of trauma patient discharge to inpatient rehabilitation and understand which factors (patient vs. injury vs. hospital level) contribute the most.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective cohort study of 668,305 adult trauma patients admitted to 900 levels I to IV trauma centers between 2011 and 2015 using the National Trauma Data Bank. Participants were included if they met the following criteria: age >18 years, Injury Severity Score of ≥9, identifiable injury type, and who had one of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services preferred diagnoses for inpatient rehabilitation under the "60% rule."

RESULTS

The overall risk- and reliability-adjusted hospital rates of discharge to IRF averaged 18.8% in the nonelderly adult cohort (18-64 years old) and 23.4% in the older adult cohort (65 years or older). Despite controlling for all patient-, injury-, and hospital-level factors, hospital discharge of patients to IRF varied substantially between hospital quintiles and ranged from 9% to 30% in the nonelderly adult cohort and from 7% to 46% in the older adult cohort. Proportions of total variance ranged from 2.4% (patient insurance) to 12.1% (injury-level factors) in the nonelderly adult cohort and from 0.3% (patient-level factors) to 26.0% (unmeasured hospital-level factors) in the older adult cohort.

CONCLUSION

Among a cohort of injured patients with diagnoses that are associated with significant rehabilitation needs, the hospital at which a patient receives their care may drive a patient's likelihood of recovering at an IRF just as much, if not more, than their clinical attributes.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Care management, level IV.

Predicting Discharge Disposition in Trauma Patients: Development, Validation, and Generalization of a Model Using the National Trauma Data Bank

Background

Limited work has been done in predicting discharge disposition in trauma patients; most studies use single institutional data and have limited generalizability. This study develops and validates a model to predict, at admission, trauma patients’ discharge disposition using NTDB, transforms the model into an easy-to-use score, and subsequently evaluates its generalizability on institutional data.

Methods

NTDB data were used to build and validate a binary logistic regression model using derivation-validation (ie, train-test) approach to predict patient disposition location (home vs non-home) upon admission. The model was then converted into a trauma disposition score (TDS) using an optimization-based approach. The generalizability of TDS was evaluated on institutional data from a single Level I trauma center in the U.S.

Results

A total of 614 625 patients in the NTDB were included in the study; 212 684 (34.6%) went to a non-home location. Patients with a non-home disposition compared to home had significantly higher age (69 ± 19.7 vs 48.3 ± 20.3) and ISS (11.2 ± 8.2 vs 8.2 ± 6.3); P < .001. Older age, female sex, higher ISS, comorbidities (cancer, cardiovascular, coagulopathy, diabetes, hepatic, neurological, psychiatric, renal, substance abuse), and Medicare insurance were independent predictors of non-home discharge. The logistic regression model’s AUC was 0.8; TDS achieved a correlation of 0.99 and performed similarly well on institutional data (n = 3161); AUC = 0.8.

Conclusion

We developed a score based on a large national trauma database that has acceptable performance on local institutions to predict patient discharge disposition at the time of admission. TDS can aid in early discharge preparation for likely-to-be non-home patients and may improve hospital efficiency.