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Michelson KA, Ramgopal S, Kociolek LK, Zerr DM, Neuman MI, Bettenhausen JL, Hall M, Macy ML. Children's Hospital Resource Utilization During the 2022 Viral Respiratory Surge. Pediatrics 2024; 154:e2024065974. [PMID: 38867705 PMCID: PMC11246698 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2024-065974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Multiple viral respiratory epidemics occurred concurrently in 2022 but their true extent is unclear. To aid future surge planning efforts, we compared epidemiology and resource utilization with prepandemic viral respiratory seasons in 38 US children's hospitals. METHODS We performed a serial cross-sectional study from October 2017 to March 2023. We counted daily emergency department (ED), inpatient, and ICU volumes; daily surgeries; viral tests performed; the proportion of ED visits resulting in revisit within 3 days; and proportion of hospitalizations with a 30-day readmission. We evaluated seasonal resource utilization peaks using hierarchical Poisson models. RESULTS Peak volumes in the 2022 season were 4% lower (95% confidence interval [CI] -6 to -2) in the ED, not significantly different in the inpatient unit (-1%, 95% CI -4 to 2), and 8% lower in the ICU (95% CI -14 to -3) compared with each hospital's previous peak season. However, for 18 of 38 hospitals, their highest ED and inpatient volumes occurred in 2022. The 2022 season was longer in duration than previous seasons (P < .02). Peak daily surgeries decreased by 15% (95% CI -20 to -9) in 2022 compared with previous peaks. Viral tests increased 75% (95% CI 69-82) in 2022 from previous peaks. Revisits and readmissions were lowest in 2022. CONCLUSIONS Peak ED, inpatient, and ICU volumes were not significantly different in the 2022 viral respiratory season compared with earlier seasons, but half of hospitals reached their highest volumes. Research on how surges impact boarding, transfer refusals, and patient outcomes is needed as regionalization reduces pediatric capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth A Michelson
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - Sriram Ramgopal
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - Larry K Kociolek
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - Danielle M Zerr
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington and Seattle Children’s Hospital, Seattle, WA
| | - Mark I Neuman
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Jessica L Bettenhausen
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Mercy Kansas City, University of Missouri Kansas City School of Medicine, Kansas City, MO
| | - Matt Hall
- Children’s Hospital Association, Lenexa, KS
| | - Michelle L Macy
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60611
- Mary Ann & J. Milburn Smith Child Health Outcomes, Research and Evaluation Center, Stanley Manne Children’s Research Institute, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL
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Wu L, Chen X, Khalemsky A, Li D, Zoubeidi T, Lauque D, Alsabri M, Boudi Z, Kumar VA, Paxton J, Tsilimingras D, Kurland L, Schwartz D, Hachimi-Idrissi S, Camargo CA, Liu SW, Savioli G, Intas G, Soni KD, Junhasavasdikul D, Cabello JJT, Rathlev NK, Tazarourte K, Slagman A, Christ M, Singer AJ, Lang E, Ricevuti G, Li X, Liang H, Grossman SA, Bellou A. The Association between Emergency Department Length of Stay and In-Hospital Mortality in Older Patients Using Machine Learning: An Observational Cohort Study. J Clin Med 2023; 12:4750. [PMID: 37510865 PMCID: PMC10381297 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12144750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The association between emergency department (ED) length of stay (EDLOS) with in-hospital mortality (IHM) in older patients remains unclear. This retrospective study aims to delineate the relationship between EDLOS and IHM in elderly patients. From the ED patients (n = 383,586) who visited an urban academic tertiary care medical center from January 2010 to December 2016, 78,478 older patients (age ≥60 years) were identified and stratified into three age subgroups: 60-74 (early elderly), 75-89 (late elderly), and ≥90 years (longevous elderly). We applied multiple machine learning approaches to identify the risk correlation trends between EDLOS and IHM, as well as boarding time (BT) and IHM. The incidence of IHM increased with age: 60-74 (2.7%), 75-89 (4.5%), and ≥90 years (6.3%). The best area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was obtained by Light Gradient Boosting Machine model for age groups 60-74, 75-89, and ≥90 years, which were 0.892 (95% CI, 0.870-0.916), 0.886 (95% CI, 0.861-0.911), and 0.838 (95% CI, 0.782-0.887), respectively. Our study showed that EDLOS and BT were statistically correlated with IHM (p < 0.001), and a significantly higher risk of IHM was found in low EDLOS and high BT. The flagged rate of quality assurance issues was higher in lower EDLOS ≤1 h (9.96%) vs. higher EDLOS 7 h <t≤ 8 h (1.84%). Special attention should be given to patients admitted after a short stay in the ED and a long BT, and new concepts of ED care processes including specific areas and teams dedicated to older patients care could be proposed to policymakers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijuan Wu
- Institute of Sciences in Emergency Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510080, China
- Medical Research Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Xuanhui Chen
- Medical Big Data Center, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Anna Khalemsky
- Management Department, Hadassah Academic College, Jerusalem 91010, Israel
| | - Deyang Li
- Institute of Sciences in Emergency Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Taoufik Zoubeidi
- Department of Statistics, College of Business and Economics, UAE University, Al Ain 1555, United Arab Emirates
| | - Dominique Lauque
- Department of Emergency of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Teaching Hospital of Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Purpan Hospital and Toulouse III University, 31300 Toulouse, France
| | - Mohammed Alsabri
- Department of Emergency of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Teaching Hospital of Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center, 1 Brookdale Plaza, Brooklyn, NY 11212, USA
| | - Zoubir Boudi
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Dr Sulaiman Alhabib Hospital, Dubai 2542, United Arab Emirates
- Global Network on Emergency Medicine, Brookline, MA 02446, USA
| | - Vijaya Arun Kumar
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - James Paxton
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Dionyssios Tsilimingras
- Department of Family Medicine & Public Health Sciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Lisa Kurland
- Department of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, 70182 Örebro, Sweden
| | - David Schwartz
- Information Systems Department, Graduate School of Business Administration, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 529002, Israel
| | - Said Hachimi-Idrissi
- Global Network on Emergency Medicine, Brookline, MA 02446, USA
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Carlos A Camargo
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Shan W Liu
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Gabriele Savioli
- Emergency Department, IRCCS Fondazione Policlinico San Matteo, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Geroge Intas
- Department of Critical Care, General Hospital of Nikaia Agios Panteleimon, 18454 Athens, Greece
| | - Kapil Dev Soni
- Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Center, Ring Road, New Delhi 110029, India
| | - Detajin Junhasavasdikul
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | | | - Niels K Rathlev
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Baystate, Springfield, MA 01199, USA
| | - Karim Tazarourte
- Department of Health Quality, University Hospital, Hospices Civils, 69002 Lyon, France
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University Hospital, Hospices Civils, 69002 Lyon, France
| | - Anna Slagman
- Division of Emergency and Acute Medicine, Campus Virchow Klinikum and Charité Campus Mitte, Charité Universitätsmedizin, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Michael Christ
- Department of Emergency Medicine, 6000 Lucerne, Switzerland
| | - Adam J Singer
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Renaissance Scholl of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Eddy Lang
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Emergency Medicine Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Giovanni Ricevuti
- Emergency Medicine, School of Pharmacy, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Xin Li
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Huiying Liang
- Medical Big Data Center, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Shamai A Grossman
- Department of Emergency of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Teaching Hospital of Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Abdelouahab Bellou
- Institute of Sciences in Emergency Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510080, China
- Department of Emergency of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Teaching Hospital of Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Global Network on Emergency Medicine, Brookline, MA 02446, USA
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510080, China
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Length-of-Stay in the Emergency Department and In-Hospital Mortality: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Clin Med 2022; 12:jcm12010032. [PMID: 36614835 PMCID: PMC9821325 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12010032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 11/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The effect of emergency department (ED) length of stay (EDLOS) on in-hospital mortality (IHM) remains unclear. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to determine the association between EDLOS and IHM. We searched the PubMed, Medline, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Controlled Register of Trials, CINAHL, PsycInfo, and Scopus databases from their inception until 14−15 January 2022. We included studies reporting the association between EDLOS and IHM. A total of 11,337 references were identified, and 52 studies (total of 1,718,518 ED patients) were included in the systematic review and 33 in the meta-analysis. A statistically significant association between EDLOS and IHM was observed for EDLOS over 24 h in patients admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) (OR = 1.396, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.147 to 1.701; p < 0.001, I2 = 0%) and for low EDLOS in non-ICU-admitted patients (OR = 0.583, 95% CI: 0.453 to 0.745; p < 0.001, I2 = 0%). No associations were detected for the other cut-offs. Our findings suggest that there is an association between IHM low EDLOS and EDLOS exceeding 24 h and IHM. Long stays in the ED should not be allowed and special attention should be given to patients admitted after a short stay in the ED.
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Al-Qahtani MF, Khubrani FY. Exploring Potential Association Between Emergency Department Crowding Status and Patients' Length of Stay at a University Hospital in Saudi Arabia. Open Access Emerg Med 2021; 13:257-263. [PMID: 34188561 PMCID: PMC8235939 DOI: 10.2147/oaem.s305885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Emergency department (ED) crowding has been described as the most serious problem that endangers the reliability of healthcare system worldwide. The aim of this study was to explore the possible relationship of ED crowding status and length of stay in patient received care. In addition, association between LOS and other variables in relation to crowding status has been explored. Methods This is a retrospective cohort analysis study done by using dataset abstracted from Quadra Med Information System of patients visited emergency department of a tertiary university hospital at Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia during the period of January 1st, 2018 to December 30th, 2018. ED occupancy rates were used to define crowding status (as crowding and overcrowding), while the percentage of patient who spent in ED more than 6 hours was used to define the length of stay in ED. Results There were 53,309 crowded and 57,290 overcrowded presentations in ED. The median length ± interquartile range of the length of stay for low-crowded and high-crowded conditions were 211 ± 606 and 242 ± 659 minutes, respectively. There was a significant association between ED crowding status and length of stay (p < 0.05). Conclusion The increased patients' length of stay at ED was associated with crowding status of ED. Therefore, decision-makers at ministry of health should develop and implement measures and interventions to shed light on the causes of crowding, to reduce the crowding at ED, and resolve the problem steamed from such crowding for the purpose of shorten patients' length of stay at ED.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mona Faisal Al-Qahtani
- Department of Public Health, College of Public Health, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, 31441, Saudi Arabia
| | - Fatimah Yahyia Khubrani
- Quality Control Department, Medical Center, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Mineral, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
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Stoyanov KM, Biener M, Hund H, Mueller-Hennessen M, Vafaie M, Katus HA, Giannitsis E. Effects of crowding in the emergency department on the diagnosis and management of suspected acute coronary syndrome using rapid algorithms: an observational study. BMJ Open 2020; 10:e041757. [PMID: 33033102 PMCID: PMC7545662 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-041757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Fast diagnostic algorithms using high-sensitivity troponin (hsTn) in suspected acute coronary syndrome (ACS) are regarded as beneficial to expedite diagnosis and safe discharge of patients in crowded emergency departments (ED). This study investigates the effects of crowding on process times related to the diagnostic protocol itself or other time delays, and outcomes. DESIGN Prospective single-centre observational study. SETTING ED (Germany). PARTICIPANTS Final study population of 2525 consecutive patients with suspected ACS within 12 months, after exclusion of patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction, missing blood samples, referral from other hospitals or repeated visits. INTERVENTIONS Use of fast algorithms as per 2015 European Society of Cardiology guidelines. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Crowding was defined as mismatch between patient numbers and monitoring capacities, or mean physician time per case, categorised as normal, high and very high crowding. Outcome measures were length of ED stay, direct discharge from ED, laboratory turn around times (TAT), utilisation of fast algorithms, absolute and relative non-laboratory time, as well as mortality. RESULTS Crowding was associated with increased length of ED stay (3.75-4.89 hours, p<0.001). While median TAT of the first hsTnT increased (53-57 min, p<0.001), total TAT of serial hsTnT did not increase significantly with higher crowding (p=0.170). Lower utilisation of fast algorithms (p=0.009) and increase of additional hsTnT measurements after diagnosis (p=0.001) were observed in higher crowding. Most importantly, crowding was significantly associated with prolonged absolute (p<0.001), and particularly relative non-laboratory time (63.3%-71.3%, p<0.001). However, there was no significant effect of crowding on mortality, even after adjustment for relevant clinical variables. CONCLUSIONS Process times, and particularly non-laboratory times, are prolonged in a crowded ED diminishing some positive effects of fast diagnostic algorithms in suspected ACS. Higher crowding levels were not significantly associated with higher all-cause mortality rates. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT03111862.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiril M Stoyanov
- Department of Cardiology, Angiology and Pulmonology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Moritz Biener
- Department of Cardiology, Angiology and Pulmonology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Hauke Hund
- Department of Cardiology, Angiology and Pulmonology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Informatics, Heilbronn University of Applied Sciences, Heilbronn, Germany
| | - Matthias Mueller-Hennessen
- Department of Cardiology, Angiology and Pulmonology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Mehrshad Vafaie
- Department of Cardiology, Angiology and Pulmonology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Hugo A Katus
- Department of Cardiology, Angiology and Pulmonology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Evangelos Giannitsis
- Department of Cardiology, Angiology and Pulmonology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
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Andersson J, Nordgren L, Cheng I, Nilsson U, Kurland L. Long emergency department length of stay: A concept analysis. Int Emerg Nurs 2020; 53:100930. [PMID: 33035877 DOI: 10.1016/j.ienj.2020.100930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2020] [Revised: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 09/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Emergency Department (ED) Length of stay (LOS) has been associated with poor patient outcomes, which has led to the implementation of time targets designed to keep EDLOS below a specific limit. The cut-offs defining long EDLOS varies across settings and seem to be arbitrarily chosen. This study aimed to clarify the meaning of long EDLOS. METHODS A concept analysis using the Walker and Avant approach was conducted. It included a literature search aiming to identify all uses of the concept, resulting in a set of defining attributes and a way of measuring the concept empirically. RESULTS Long EDLOS was primarily used as proxy for other phenomena, e.g. boarding or crowding. The definitions had cut-offs ranging between 4 and 48 h. The attributes defining long EDLOS was waiting, a crowded ED environment and an inefficient organization. DISCUSSION Time targets are probably more suitable when directed towards and tailored for specific sub-groups of the ED population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Andersson
- School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden; Centre for Clinical Research Sörmland/Uppsala University, Mälarsjukhuset, Eskilstuna, Sweden.
| | - Lena Nordgren
- Centre for Clinical Research Sörmland/Uppsala University, Mälarsjukhuset, Eskilstuna, Sweden; Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Ivy Cheng
- School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden; University of Toronto, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ulrica Nilsson
- Division of Nursing, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences, and Society, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lisa Kurland
- School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
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Kim JS, Seo DW, Kim YJ, Jeong J, Kang H, Han KS, Kim SJ, Lee SW, Ahn S, Kim WY. Prolonged Length of Stay in the Emergency Department and Increased Risk of In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: A nationwide Population-Based Study in South Korea, 2016-2017. J Clin Med 2020; 9:jcm9072284. [PMID: 32708363 PMCID: PMC7408893 DOI: 10.3390/jcm9072284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Revised: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
This study was to determine whether prolonged emergency department (ED) length of stay (LOS) is associated with increased risk of in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA). A retrospective cohort with a nationwide database of all adult patients who visited the EDs in South Korea between January 2016 and December 2017 was performed. A total of 18,217,034 patients visited an ED during the study period. The median ED LOS was 2.5 h. IHCA occurred in 9,180 patients (0.2%). IHCA was associated with longer ED LOS (4.2 vs. 2.5 h), and higher rates of intensive care unit (ICU) admission (58.6% vs. 4.7%) and in-hospital mortality (35.7% vs. 1.5%). The ED LOS correlated positively with the development of IHCA (Spearman ρ = 0.91; p < 0.01) and was an independent risk factor for IHCA (odds ratio (OR) 1.10; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.10-1.10). The development of IHCA increased in a stepwise fashion across increasing quartiles of ED LOS, with ORs for the second, third, and fourth relative to the first being 3.35 (95% CI, 3.26-3.44), 3.974 (95% CI, 3.89-4.06), and 4.97 (95% CI, 4.89-5.05), respectively. ED LOS should be reduced to prevent adverse events in patients visiting the ED.
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Affiliation(s)
- June-sung Kim
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Ulsan, College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Korea; (J.-s.K.); (D.W.S.); (Y.-J.K.); (S.A.)
| | - Dong Woo Seo
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Ulsan, College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Korea; (J.-s.K.); (D.W.S.); (Y.-J.K.); (S.A.)
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Ulsan, College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Korea
| | - Youn-Jung Kim
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Ulsan, College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Korea; (J.-s.K.); (D.W.S.); (Y.-J.K.); (S.A.)
| | - Jinwoo Jeong
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Dong-A University, College of Medicine, Busan 61656, Korea;
| | - Hyunggoo Kang
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Hanyang University, College of Medicine, Seoul 04763, Korea;
| | - Kap Su Han
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Korea University, College of Medicine, Seoul 02841, Korea; (K.S.H.); (S.J.K.); (S.W.L.)
| | - Su Jin Kim
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Korea University, College of Medicine, Seoul 02841, Korea; (K.S.H.); (S.J.K.); (S.W.L.)
| | - Sung Woo Lee
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Korea University, College of Medicine, Seoul 02841, Korea; (K.S.H.); (S.J.K.); (S.W.L.)
| | - Shin Ahn
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Ulsan, College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Korea; (J.-s.K.); (D.W.S.); (Y.-J.K.); (S.A.)
| | - Won Young Kim
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Ulsan, College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Korea; (J.-s.K.); (D.W.S.); (Y.-J.K.); (S.A.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +82-2-3010-3350
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8
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Wretborn J, Henricson J, Ekelund U, Wilhelms DB. Prevalence of crowding, boarding and staffing levels in Swedish emergency departments - a National Cross Sectional Study. BMC Emerg Med 2020; 20:50. [PMID: 32552701 PMCID: PMC7301476 DOI: 10.1186/s12873-020-00342-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2020] [Accepted: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Emergency Department (ED) crowding occurs when demand for care exceeds the available resources. Crowding has been associated with decreased quality of care and increased mortality, but the prevalence on a national level is unknown in most countries. Method We performed a national, cross-sectional study on staffing levels, staff workload, occupancy rate and patients waiting for an in-hospital bed (boarding) at five time points during 24 h in Swedish EDs. Results Complete data were collected from 37 (51% of all) EDs in Sweden. High occupancy rate indicated crowding at 12 hospitals (37.5%) at 31 out of 170 (18.2%) time points. Mean workload (measured on a scale from 1, no workload to 6, very high workload) was moderate at 2.65 (±1.25). Boarding was more prevalent in academic EDs than rural EDs (median 3 vs 0). There were an average of 2.6, 4.6 and 3.2 patients per registered nurse, enrolled nurse and physician, respectively. Conclusion ED crowding based on occupancy rate was prevalent on a national level in Sweden and comparable with international data. Staff workload, boarding and patient to staff ratios were generally lower than previously described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jens Wretborn
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Local Health Care Services in Central Östergötland, Linköping, Sweden.,Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Joakim Henricson
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Local Health Care Services in Central Östergötland, Linköping, Sweden.,Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, S58185, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Ulf Ekelund
- Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Daniel B Wilhelms
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Local Health Care Services in Central Östergötland, Linköping, Sweden. .,Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, S58185, Linköping, Sweden.
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Abstract
Emergency department crowding is a multifactorial issue with causes intrinsic to the emergency department and to the health care system. Understanding that the causes of emergency department crowding span this continuum allows for a more accurate analysis of its effects and a more global consideration of potential solutions. Within the emergency department, boarding of inpatients is the most appreciable effect of hospital-wide crowding, and leads to further emergency department crowding. We explore the concept of emergency department crowding, and its causes, effects, and potential strategies to overcome this problem.
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Affiliation(s)
- James F Kenny
- Milstein Adult Emergency Department, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, Department of Emergency Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, 622 West 168th Street, Suite VC2-260, New York, NY 10032, USA.
| | - Betty C Chang
- Milstein Adult Emergency Department, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, Department of Emergency Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, 622 West 168th Street, Suite VC2-260, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Keith C Hemmert
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce Street, Ground Floor Ravdin, Philadelphia PA 19104, USA
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10
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess whether prolonged length of stay in the emergency department was associated with risk of death. METHODS We analysed data from 165,183 arrivals at St. Olav's University Hospital's emergency department from 2011 to 2018, using an instrumental variable method. As instruments for prolonged length of emergency department stay, we used indicators measured before arrival of the patient. These indicators were used to study the association between prolonged length of emergency department stay and risk of death, being discharged from the emergency department and length of hospitalisation for those who were hospitalised. RESULTS Mean length of stay in the emergency department was 2.9 hours, and 30-day risk of death was 3.4%. Per hour prolonged length of stay in the emergency department, the overall change in risk of death was close to zero, with a narrow 95% confidence interval of -0.5 to 0.7 percentage points. Prolonged emergency department stay was associated with a higher probability of being discharged from the emergency department without admission to the hospital. We found no substantial differences in length of hospitalisation for patients who were admitted. CONCLUSION In this study, prolonged emergency department stay was not associated with increased risk of death.
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Rasouli HR, Aliakbar Esfahani A, Abbasi Farajzadeh M. Challenges, consequences, and lessons for way-outs to emergencies at hospitals: a systematic review study. BMC Emerg Med 2019; 19:62. [PMID: 31666023 PMCID: PMC6822347 DOI: 10.1186/s12873-019-0275-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2019] [Accepted: 10/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Emergency Department (ED) overcrowding adversely affects patients’ health, accessibility, and quality of healthcare systems for communities. Several studies have addressed this issue. This study aimed to conduct a systematic review study concerning challenges, lessons and way outs of clinical emergencies at hospitals. Methods Original research articles on crowding of emergencies at hospitals published from 1st January 2007, and 1st August 2018 were utilized. Relevant studies from the PubMed and EMBASE databases were assessed using suitable keywords. Two reviewers independently screened the titles, abstracts and the methodological validity of the records using data extraction format before their inclusion in the final review. Discussions with the senior faculty member were used to resolve any disagreements among the reviewers during the assessment phase. Results Out of the total 117 articles in the final record, we excluded 11 of them because of poor quality. Thus, this systematic review synthesized the reports of 106 original articles. Overall 14, 55 and 29 of the reviewed refer to causes, effects, and solutions of ED crowding, respectively. The review also included four articles on both causes and effects and another four on causes and solutions. Multiple individual patients and healthcare system related challenges, experiences and responses to crowding and its consequences are comprehensively synthesized. Conclusion ED overcrowding is a multi-facet issue which affects by patient-related factors and emergency service delivery. Crowding of the EDs adversely affected individual patients, healthcare delivery systems and communities. The identified issues concern organizational managers, leadership, and operational level actions to reduce crowding and improve emergency healthcare outcomes efficiently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamid Reza Rasouli
- Trauma Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Ali Aliakbar Esfahani
- Marine Medicine Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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12
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Rasouli HR, Esfahani AA, Nobakht M, Eskandari M, Mahmoodi S, Goodarzi H, Abbasi Farajzadeh M. Outcomes of Crowding in Emergency Departments; a Systematic Review. ARCHIVES OF ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2019; 7:e52. [PMID: 31602435 PMCID: PMC6785211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Emergency Department (ED) crowding is a global public health phenomenon affecting access and quality of care. In this study, we seek to conduct a systematic review concerning the challenges and outcomes of ED crowding. METHODS This systematic review utilized original research articles published from 1st January 2007, to 1st January 2019. Relevant articles from the PubMed (MEDLINE), EMBASE, and Google scholar databases were extracted using predesigned keywords. Following the PRISMA guidelines, two reviewers independently evaluated the quality of the studies using Critical Appraisal Skills Programme for cohort studies and qualitative studies, and Joanna Briggs Institute Meta-Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument for studies. RESULTS Out of the total of 73 articles in the final record, we excluded 15 of them because of poor quality. This systematic review synthesized the reports of 58 original articles. The outcomes of multiple individual patients and healthcare-related challenges are comprehensively assessed. CONCLUSIONS ED crowding affects individual patients, healthcare systems and communities at large. The negative influences of crowding on healthcare service delivery result in delayed service delivery, poor quality care, and inefficiency; all negatively affecting the emergency patients' healthcare outcomes, in turn.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamid Reza Rasouli
- Trauma Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali Aliakbar Esfahani
- Marine Medicine Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Nobakht
- Marine Medicine Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohsen Eskandari
- Marine Medicine Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sardollah Mahmoodi
- Trauma Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hassan Goodarzi
- Trauma Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohsen Abbasi Farajzadeh
- Marine Medicine Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Corresponding author: Mohsen Abbasi Farajzadeh; Marine Medicine Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. E-mail: , Tel: +9888053766, Mobile: +989368507054
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Mataloni F, Pinnarelli L, Perucci CA, Davoli M, Fusco D. Characteristics of ED crowding in the Lazio Region (Italy) and short-term health outcomes. Intern Emerg Med 2019; 14:109-117. [PMID: 29802522 PMCID: PMC6329731 DOI: 10.1007/s11739-018-1881-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2017] [Accepted: 05/18/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The effect of emergency department (ED) crowding on patient care has been studied for several years in the scientific literature. We evaluate the association between ED crowding and short-term mortality and hospitalization in the Lazio region (Italy) using two different measures. A cohort of visits in the Lazio region ED during 2012-2014 was enrolled. Only discharged patients were selected. ED crowding was estimated using two measures, length of stay (LOS), and Emergency Department volume (EDV). LOS was defined as the interval of time from entrance to discharge; EDV was defined at the time of each new entrance in ED. The outcomes under study were mortality and hospitalization within 7 days from ED discharge. A multivariate logistic model was performed (Odds Ratios, ORs, 95% CI). The cohort includes 2,344,572 visits. ED crowding is associated with an increased risk of short-term hospitalization using both LOS and EDV as exposures (LOS 1-2 h: OR = 1.71, 95% CI 1.66-1.76, LOS 2-5 h: OR = 1.38, 95% CI 1.34-1.43, LOS > 5 h OR = 1.45 95% CI 1.40-1.50 compared to patients with 1 h of LOS; EDV 75°-95° percentile: OR = 1.02, 95% CI 0.99-1.05 and EDV > 95° percentile: OR = 1.06, 95% CI 1.01-1.11 compared to patients with a EDV < 75° percentile upon arrival). Increased risk of short-term mortality is found with increasing level of LOS. High levels of EDV at the time of patients' arrival and longer LOS in ED are associated with greater risks of hospitalization for patients discharged 7 days before. LOS in ED is also associated with an increased risk of mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Mataloni
- Department of Epidemiology, Lazio Regional Health Service, Via Cristoforo Colombo, 112, 00147, Rome, Italy.
| | - Luigi Pinnarelli
- Department of Epidemiology, Lazio Regional Health Service, Via Cristoforo Colombo, 112, 00147, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Marina Davoli
- Department of Epidemiology, Lazio Regional Health Service, Via Cristoforo Colombo, 112, 00147, Rome, Italy
| | - Danilo Fusco
- Department of Epidemiology, Lazio Regional Health Service, Via Cristoforo Colombo, 112, 00147, Rome, Italy
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Stephens AS, Broome RA. Impact of emergency department occupancy on waiting times, rates of admission and representation, and length of stay when hospitalised: A data linkage study. Emerg Med Australas 2018; 31:555-561. [DOI: 10.1111/1742-6723.13204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2018] [Revised: 07/10/2018] [Accepted: 10/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre S Stephens
- Public Health Observatory Sydney Local Health District, Sydney New South Wales Australia
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, School of Public Health, The University of Sydney Sydney New South Wales Australia
- Research Office, Northern New South Wales Local Health District Lismore New South Wales Australia
| | - Richard A Broome
- Public Health Observatory Sydney Local Health District, Sydney New South Wales Australia
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15
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Gabayan GZ, Gould MK, Weiss RE, Chiu VY, Sarkisian CA. A Risk Score to Predict Short-term Outcomes Following Emergency Department Discharge. West J Emerg Med 2018; 19:842-848. [PMID: 30202497 PMCID: PMC6123082 DOI: 10.5811/westjem.2018.7.37945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2018] [Revised: 06/06/2018] [Accepted: 07/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction The emergency department (ED) is an inherently high-risk setting. Risk scores can help practitioners understand the risk of ED patients for developing poor outcomes after discharge. Our objective was to develop two risk scores that predict either general inpatient admission or death/intensive care unit (ICU) admission within seven days of ED discharge. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients age > 65 years using clinical data from a regional, integrated health system for years 2009–2010 to create risk scores to predict two outcomes, a general inpatient admission or death/ICU admission. We used logistic regression to predict the two outcomes based on age, body mass index, vital signs, Charlson comorbidity index (CCI), ED length of stay (LOS), and prior inpatient admission. Results Of 104,025 ED visit discharges, 4,638 (4.5%) experienced a general inpatient admission and 531 (0.5%) death or ICU admission within seven days of discharge. Risk factors with the greatest point value for either outcome were high CCI score and a prolonged ED LOS. The C-statistic was 0.68 and 0.76 for the two models. Conclusion Risk scores were successfully created for both outcomes from an integrated health system, inpatient admission or death/ICU admission. Patients who accrued the highest number of points and greatest risk present to the ED with a high number of comorbidities and require prolonged ED evaluations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gelareh Z Gabayan
- University of California, Los Angeles, Department of Emergency Medicine, Los Angeles, California
| | - Michael K Gould
- Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Department of Research and Evaluation, Pasadena, California
| | - Robert E Weiss
- University of California, Los Angeles, Fielding School of Public Health, Department of Biostatistics, Los Angeles, California
| | - Vicki Y Chiu
- Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Department of Research and Evaluation, Pasadena, California
| | - Catherine A Sarkisian
- University of California, Los Angeles, Department of Medicine, Los Angeles, California.,Greater Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, Department of Medicine, Los Angeles, California
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Guittard JA, Wardi G, Castillo EM, Stock BJ, Heuberger S, Tomaszewski CA. Grow the Pie: Interdepartmental Cooperation as a Method for Achieving Operational Efficiency in an Emergency Department. J Emerg Med 2018; 55:269-277. [PMID: 29885735 DOI: 10.1016/j.jemermed.2018.04.054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2017] [Revised: 03/09/2018] [Accepted: 04/20/2018] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite sufficient literature analyzing macroscopic and microscopic methods of addressing emergency department (ED) operations, there is a paucity of studies that analyze methods between these extremes. OBJECTIVE We conducted a quasi-experimental study incorporating a pre/post-intervention comparison to determine whether interdepartmental cooperation is effective at improving ED operations by combining microscopic and macroscopic concepts. METHODS We performed an analysis of operational and financial data from a cooperative investment in imaging transport personnel between the emergency and radiology departments. Our primary outcome, order to table time (OTT), measured imaging times by modality (computed tomography [CT], ultrasound [US], magnetic resonance imaging [MRI]). These were compared for statistically significant change before and after the intervention. Our secondary outcome, gross profit, was calculated using the revenue generated from gained outpatient studies minus the associated direct personnel costs. RESULTS Transporters improved OTTs by decreasing median imaging times from 132 min to 116 min (p < 0.0005). Efficiency improved for CT scans with median time decreasing from 142 min to 114 min (p < 0.0005). Transport hires had adverse effects on US, with an increase in median OTT from 91 min to 99 min (p < 0.018). MRI experienced a similar trend in OTT, as median times worsened from 215 min to 235 min (p < 0.225). The investment in transporters generated a gross profit of $1.03 million for the radiology department over 9 months. CONCLUSIONS Interdepartmental cooperation is a broadly applicable macroscopic method that is effective at achieving microscopic, site-specific gains in ED efficiency. Transporters provided operational gains for the ED and financial gains for the radiology department.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse A Guittard
- Department of Emergency Medicine, UC San Diego Health System, San Diego, California
| | - Gabe Wardi
- Department of Emergency Medicine, UC San Diego Health System, San Diego, California
| | - Edward M Castillo
- Department of Emergency Medicine, UC San Diego Health System, San Diego, California
| | - Blake J Stock
- Perioperative and Imaging Services, UC San Diego Health System, San Diego, California
| | - Shannon Heuberger
- Budgeting and Financial Forecasting, UC San Diego Health System, San Diego, California
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Nurse Staffing and Hospital Characteristics Predictive of Time to Diagnostic Evaluation for Patients in the Emergency Department. J Emerg Nurs 2017; 43:138-144. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jen.2016.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2016] [Revised: 04/14/2016] [Accepted: 07/14/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Lee DS, Lee JS, Schull MJ, Grimshaw JM, Austin PC, Tu JV. Design and rationale for the Acute Congestive Heart Failure Urgent Care Evaluation: The ACUTE Study. Am Heart J 2016; 181:60-65. [PMID: 27823694 DOI: 10.1016/j.ahj.2016.07.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2015] [Accepted: 07/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Heart failure (HF) is one of the leading reasons for emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalization. However, externally validated risk algorithms for acute prognostication of heart failure patients are not available. Thus, many low-risk patients are hospitalized and some high-risk patients are discharged home, which, in some cases, may lead to death. OBJECTIVES The first objective of the ACUTE study is to perform a prospective validation of the Emergency Heart failure Mortality Risk Grade (EHMRG), which is a risk score derived to predict 7-day mortality in the ED setting. The second objective is to independently validate the 30-day model extension of the risk score (EHMRG30-ST) in the same cohort. STUDY DESIGN Patients with HF presenting to the ED will be recruited with a waiver of informed consent as a minimal risk study. The ED physician will calculate the EHMRG 7-day risk score, but treatment decisions will not be influenced by the predictive models. Follow-up will be obtained using probabilistic linkage with the Registered Persons Database of vital statistics, whereby deaths will be ascertained. We will examine mortality rates according to EHMRG and EHMRG30-ST algorithms. We will also compare physician-judged risk estimates, based on clinical judgment alone, with the EHMRG score. CONCLUSION The ACUTE study will determine if a retrospectively derived algorithm for simultaneous estimation of 7-day and 30-day mortality risk can accurately identify low- and high-risk patients with acute HF and improve upon physician-judged risk estimation.
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Ramlakhan S, Qayyum H, Burke D, Brown R. The safety of emergency medicine. Emerg Med J 2015; 33:293-9. [PMID: 26531857 DOI: 10.1136/emermed-2014-204564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2014] [Accepted: 10/07/2015] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
The patient safety movement has been active for over a decade, but the issue of patient safety in emergency care and the emergency department (ED) has only recently been brought into the forefront. The ED environment has traditionally been considered unsafe, but there is little data to support this assertion. This paper reviews the literature on patient safety and highlights the challenges associated with using the current evidence base to inform practice due to the variability in methods of measuring safety. Studies looking at safety in the ED report low rates for adverse events ranging from 3.6 to 32.6 events per 1000 attendances. The wide variation in reported rates on adverse events reflects the significant differences in methods of reporting and classifying safety incidents and harm between departments; standardisation in the ED context is urgently required to allow comparisons to be made between departments and to quantify the impact of specific interventions. We outline the key factors in emergency care which may hinder the provision of safer care and consider solutions which have evolved or been proposed to identify and mitigate against harm. Interventions such as team training, telephone follow-up, ED pharmacist interventions and rounding, all show some evidence of improving safety in the ED. We further highlight the need for a collaborative whole system approach as almost half of safety incidents in the ED are attributable to external factors, particularly those related to information flow, crowding, demand and boarding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shammi Ramlakhan
- Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, Sheffield, UK Sheffield Children's Hospital, Sheffield, UK
| | | | - Derek Burke
- Sheffield Children's Hospital, Sheffield, UK
| | - Ruth Brown
- Imperial Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK
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20
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Emergency Care at the Crossroads: Emergency Department Crowding, Payment Reform, and One Potential Future. Ann Emerg Med 2015; 66:493-5. [DOI: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2015.05.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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