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Sabbatini AK, Parrish C, Liao JM, Wright B, Basu A, Kreuter W, Joynt-Maddox KE. Hospital Performance Under Alternative Readmission Measures Incorporating Observation Stays. Med Care 2023; 61:779-786. [PMID: 37712715 PMCID: PMC10592134 DOI: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000001920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine the extent to which counting observation stays changes hospital performance on 30-day readmission measures. METHODS This was a retrospective study of inpatient admissions and observation stays among fee-for-service Medicare enrollees in 2017. We generated 3 specifications of 30-day risk-standardized readmissions measures: the hospital-wide readmission (HWR) measure utilized by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which captures inpatient readmissions within 30 days of inpatient discharge; an expanded HWR measure, which captures any unplanned hospitalization (inpatient admission or observation stay) within 30 days of inpatient discharge; an all-hospitalization readmission (AHR) measure, which captures any unplanned hospitalization following any hospital discharge (observation stays are included in both the numerator and denominator of the measure). Estimated excess readmissions for hospitals were compared across the 3 measures. High performers were defined as those with a lower-than-expected number of readmissions whereas low performers had higher-than-expected or excess readmissions. Multivariable logistic regression identified hospital characteristics associated with worse performance under the measures that included observation stays. RESULTS Our sample had 2586 hospitals with 5,749,779 hospitalizations. Observation stays ranged from 0% to 41.7% of total hospitalizations. Mean (SD) readmission rates were 16.6% (5.4) for the HWR, 18.5% (5.7) for the expanded HWR, and 17.9% (5.7) in the all-hospitalization readmission measure. Approximately 1 in 7 hospitals (14.9%) would switch from being classified as a high performer to a low performer or vice-versa if observation stays were fully included in the calculation of readmission rates. Safety-net hospitals and those with a higher propensity to use observation would perform significantly worse. CONCLUSIONS Fully incorporating observation stays in readmission measures would substantially change performance in value-based programs for safety-net hospitals and hospitals with high rates of observation stays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amber K. Sabbatini
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA
- Department of Health Systems and Population Health, University of Washington, School of Public Health
| | - Canada Parrish
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA
- Department of Health Systems and Population Health, University of Washington, School of Public Health
| | - Joshua M. Liao
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA
- Value System Science Lab, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
| | - Brad Wright
- Department of Health Services, Policy and Management University of South Carolina School of Public Health, Columbia, SC
| | - Anirban Basu
- The Comparative Health Outcomes, Policy and Economics (CHOICE) Institute, University of Washington School of Pharmacy, Seattle, WA
| | - William Kreuter
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA
- The Comparative Health Outcomes, Policy and Economics (CHOICE) Institute, University of Washington School of Pharmacy, Seattle, WA
| | - Karen E. Joynt-Maddox
- Division of Cardiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
- Center for Health Economics and Policy, Institute for Public Health, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri
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The Impact of Virtual Care in an Emergency Department Observation Unit. Ann Emerg Med 2023; 81:222-233. [PMID: 36253299 DOI: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2022.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
STUDY OBJECTIVE(S) We report the impact of telemedicine virtual rounding in emergency department observation units (EDOU) on the effectiveness, safety, and cost relative to traditional observation care. METHODS In this retrospective diff-in-diff study, we compared observation visit outcomes from 2 EDOUs before (pre) and after (post) full adoption of telemedicine rounding tele-observation (tele-obs) with usual care in control EDOU and care in a hospital bed in an integrated health system without tele-obs. Tele-obs physicians did not work at the control hospital. Outcomes were the length of stay, total direct costs, admission status, and adverse events (ICU and death). Difference-in-differences modeling evaluated outcomes with covariates including age, sex, payer type, and clinical classification software diagnostic category. Data from a system data warehouse and a cost accounting database were used. RESULTS Of the 20,861 EDOU visits, 15,630 (74.9%) were seen in the preperiod and 6,657 (31.9%) in control EDOU. Of 23,055 non-EDOU inpatient visits assigned to observation status (nonobservation unit), 76% were seen in the preperiod. Adjusted length of stay was not significantly different for tele-obs and control EDOUs (26.4 hours versus 23.5 hours), which remained lower than in hospital settings (37.9 hours). The pre-post diff-in-diff was not significant (P=.78). Inpatient admission status was similar for tele-obs and control EDOUs (20.9% versus 22.4.%) and lower than in hospital settings (30.3%). Prepost odds ratios for inpatient admission and adverse outcomes did not change significantly for all study groups. Adjusted costs increased over time for all settings; however, the prepost median cost change was not significantly different between tele-obs EDOUs and control EDOUs ($162.5 versus $235) and was lower than the change for control hospital settings ($783). Median tele-obs EDOU cost over both periods ($1,541) remained significantly lower than hospital costs ($2,413). CONCLUSION Using tele-obs to manage observation patients in an ED observation unit was not associated with significant differences in length of stay, admission status, measured adverse events, or total direct cost.
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Sabir R, Umar M, Medarametla V, Sreedhrala A. Impact of an Observation Medicine Educational Intervention on Residents' Confidence, Knowledge, and Attitudes: A Quasi-Experimental Study. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL EDUCATION AND CURRICULAR DEVELOPMENT 2023; 10:23821205231183220. [PMID: 37362580 PMCID: PMC10286210 DOI: 10.1177/23821205231183220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Driven by innovations in healthcare, observation medicine (OM) is expanding as a medical specialty. Despite exponential growth, education on OM remains underemphasized in the internal medicine (IM) residency programs. We assessed the impact of an educational intervention pairing didactic and experiential learning with an interdepartmental approach on IM residents' confidence, knowledge, and attitudes when providing observation care to patients with neuro-cardiovascular diseases in the hospital setting. METHODS Our multifaceted intervention incorporated OM's principles and practice in a flipped classroom with the team-, case-, lecture- and evidence-based learning model. Kirkpatrick's evaluation model was used to assess the educational intervention's effectiveness according to the first three levels, ie, reaction, learning, and behavior, using quantitative surveys. The surveys were completed pre-intervention, and immediately upon completion of the educational intervention. RESULTS Of 55 eligible residents, 55 (100%) participated in this intervention. Fifty (90%) completed the pre-intervention survey, and 21 (38%) completed the immediate post-intervention survey. Kirkpatrick's evaluation framework showed that the intervention had a positive impact on residents' motivational reaction (attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction [ARCS], M = 3.8, SD = 0.87), their knowledge of common observation diagnoses (pre = 49%, post = 63%), particularly on cardiac diagnostic workup and approach to patients with transient neurological symptoms (P < .05), and their behavior and self-assessment of core competency domains (pre-mean = 2.69, post-mean = 3.18, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS Our multimodal intervention provides a framework for a structured OM educational experience that can be incorporated into residency training, even without a formal observation unit rotation. The analysis also offers literary data on the current state of OM education in an IM residency program and supports the need to expand OM's educational resources to counteract the growth in hospital observation services. Future research should include an analysis of residents' knowledge and skills from a longitudinal OM experience and advancing the results to residency programs where observation care is as applicable as ours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riffat Sabir
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School-Baystate Medical Center, Springfield, MA, USA
| | - Muhammad Umar
- Department of Hospital Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School-Baystate Medical Center, Springfield, MA, USA
| | - Venkatrao Medarametla
- Department of Hospital Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School-Baystate Medical Center, Springfield, MA, USA
| | - Aseesh Sreedhrala
- Department of Hospital Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School-Baystate Medical Center, Springfield, MA, USA
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Synhorst DC, Hall M, Macy ML, Bettenhausen JL, Markham JL, Shah SS, Moretti A, Raval MV, Tian Y, Russell H, Hartley J, Morse R, Gay JC. Financial Implications of Short Stay Pediatric Hospitalizations. Pediatrics 2022; 149:185686. [PMID: 35355068 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2021-052907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Observation status (OBS) stays incur similar costs to low-acuity, short-stay inpatient (IP) hospitalizations. Despite this, payment for OBS is likely less and may represent a financial liability for children's hospitals. Thus, we described the financial outcomes associated with OBS stays compared to similar IP stays by hospital and payer. METHODS We conducted a retrospective cohort study of clinically similar pediatric OBS and IP encounters at 15 hospitals contributing to the revenue management program in 2017. Clinical and demographic characteristics were described. For each hospitalization, the cost coverage ratio (CCR) was calculated by dividing revenue by estimated cost of hospitalization. Differences in CCR were evaluated using Wilcoxon rank sum tests and results were stratified by billing designation and payer. CCR for OBS and IP stays were compared by institution, and the estimated increase in revenue by billing OBS stays as IP was calculated. RESULTS OBS was assigned to 70 981 (56.9%) of 124 789 hospitalizations. Use of OBS varied across hospitals (8%-86%). For included hospitalizations, OBS stays were more likely than IP stays to result in financial loss (57.0% vs 35.7%). OBS stays paid by public payer had the lowest median CCR (0.6; interquartile range [IQR], 0.2-0.9). Paying OBS stays at the median IP rates would have increased revenue by $167 million across the 15 hospitals. CONCLUSIONS OBS stays were significantly more likely to result in poor financial outcomes than similar IP stays. Costs of hospitalization and billing designations are poorly aligned and represent an opportunity for children's hospitals and payers to restructure payment models.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Matt Hall
- Children's Mercy Kansas City, Kansas City, Missouri.,Children's Hospital Association, Lenexa, Kansas
| | - Michelle L Macy
- Department of Pediatrics and.,Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and
| | - Jessica L Bettenhausen
- Children's Mercy Kansas City, Kansas City, Missouri.,University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City, Kansas
| | - Jessica L Markham
- Children's Mercy Kansas City, Kansas City, Missouri.,University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City, Kansas
| | - Samir S Shah
- Division of Hospital Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio.,University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Anthony Moretti
- Department of Quality and Utilization Management, Loma Linda Children's Hospital, Loma Linda, California.,Blue Shield of California, Oakland, California
| | - Mehul V Raval
- Division of Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois.,Surgical Outcomes Quality Improvement Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Yao Tian
- Surgical Outcomes Quality Improvement Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Heidi Russell
- Department of Pediatrics, Nationwide Children's Hospital, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio
| | | | - Rustin Morse
- Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - James C Gay
- Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
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Chaftari P, Lipe DN, Wattana MK, Qdaisat A, Krishnamani PP, Thomas J, Elsayem AF, Sandoval M. Outcomes of Patients Placed in an Emergency Department Observation Unit of a Comprehensive Cancer Center. JCO Oncol Pract 2021; 18:e574-e585. [PMID: 34905410 PMCID: PMC9014449 DOI: 10.1200/op.21.00478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Emergency department observation units (EDOUs) have been shown to decrease length of stay and improve cost effectiveness. Yet, compared with noncancer patients, patients with cancer are placed in EDOUs less often. In this study, we aimed to describe patients who were placed in a cancer center's EDOU to discern their clinical characteristics and outcomes. Outcomes of patients placed in an emergency department observation unit of a comprehensive cancer center
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Chaftari
- Department of Emergency Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Demis N Lipe
- Department of Emergency Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Monica K Wattana
- Department of Emergency Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Aiham Qdaisat
- Department of Emergency Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | | | - Jomol Thomas
- Department of Emergency Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Ahmed F Elsayem
- Department of Emergency Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Marcelo Sandoval
- Department of Emergency Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
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Terry N, Franks N, Moran T, Pitts S, Osborne A, Ross MA. The Changing Role of Chest Pain in the Emergency Department Observation Unit. Crit Pathw Cardiol 2021; 20:119-125. [PMID: 33534505 DOI: 10.1097/hpc.0000000000000253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study objective was to describe changes in the utilization of a protocol-driven emergency department observation unit (EDOU) for chest pain over time. METHODS This is a retrospective serial cross-sectional study of data from a clinical data warehouse of a single integrated healthcare system. We estimated long-term trends (2009-2019) in EDOU visits at 4 system hospitals, using monthly proportions as the main outcome, and month of visit as the exposure variable, accounting for age and sex. Rate changes associated with compulsory use of the History, EKG, Age, Risk factors, Troponin (HEART) score in 2016 were analyzed. RESULTS There were 83,168 EDOU admissions among 1.3 million ED visits during the study interval, with an average admission rate of 5.9% of ED visits. The most common conditions were chest pain (41.2%), transient ischemic attack (7.8%), dehydration (6.3%), syncope (5.8%), and abdominal pain (5.2%). In each hospital, there was a temporal annual decline in the proportion of EDOU visits for chest pain protocols ranging from -7.9% to -2.8%, an average rate of -3.3% per year (95% CI, -4.6% to -2.0%) or a 54% (from 54% to 25%) relative decline in over the 11-year study interval. This decline was significantly steeper in younger middle-aged patients (ages 39-49). The HEART score intervention had a small impact on baseline decline of -3.1% at the 2 intervention hospitals, reducing it by -1.5% (95% CI, -2.2% to -0.8%). CONCLUSIONS Utilization of the EDOU for chest pain decreased over time, with corresponding increases in other conditions. This decline preceded the introduction of the HEART score.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nataisia Terry
- From the Department of Emergency Medicine, Emory, Atlanta, GA
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Perry M, Franks N, Pitts SR, Moran TP, Osborne A, Peterson D, Ross MA. The impact of emergency department observation units on a health system. Am J Emerg Med 2021; 48:231-237. [PMID: 33991972 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajem.2021.04.079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Revised: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Protocol driven ED observation units (EDOU) have been shown to improve outcomes for patients and payers, however their impact on an entire health system is unknown. Two thirds of US hospitals do not have such units. OBJECTIVE To determine the impact of a protocol-driven EDOU on health system length of stay, cost, and resource utilization. METHODS A retrospective, observational, cross-sectional study of observation patients managed over 25 consecutive months in a four-hospital academic health system. Patients were identified using the "admit to observation" order and limited to adult, emergent / urgent, non-obstetric patients. Data was retrieved from a cost accounting database. The primary study exposure was the setting for observation care which was broken into three discrete groups: EDOUs (n = 3), hospital medicine observation units (HMSOU, n = 2), and a non-observation unit (NOU) bed located anywhere in the hospital. Outcomes included observation-to-inpatient admission rate, length of stay (LoS), total direct cost, and inpatient bed days saved. Unadjusted outcomes were compared, and outcomes were adjusted using multiple study variables. LoS and cost were compared using quantile regressions. Inpatient admit rate was compared using logistic regressions. RESULTS The sample consisted of 48,145 patients who were 57.4% female, 48% Black, 46% White, median age of 58, with some variation in most common diagnoses and payer groups. The median unadjusted outcomes favored EDOU over NOU settings for admission rate (13.1% vs 37.1%), LoS [17.9 vs 35.6 h), and cost ($1279 vs $2022). The adjusted outcomes favored EDOU over NOU settings for admission rates [12.3% (95% CI 9.7-15.3) vs 26.4% (CI 21.3-32.3)], LoS differences [11.1 h (CI 10.6-11.5 h)] and cost differences [$127.5 (CI $105.4 - $149.5)]. Adjusted differences were similar and favored EDOU over HMSOU settings. For the health system, the total adjusted annualized savings of the EDOUs was 10,399 bed days and $1,329,443 in total direct cost per year. CONCLUSION Within an academic medical center, EDOUs were associated with improved resource utilization and reduced cost. This represents a significant opportunity for hospitals to improve efficiency and contain costs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Perry
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Nicole Franks
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Stephen R Pitts
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Tim P Moran
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Anwar Osborne
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | | | - Michael A Ross
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Observation Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, 531 Asbury Circle - Annex, Suite N340, Atlanta, Georgia.
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Synhorst DC, Hall M, Bettenhausen JL, Markham JL, Macy ML, Gay JC, Morse R. Observation Status Stays With Low Resource Use Within Children's Hospitals. Pediatrics 2021; 147:peds.2020-013490. [PMID: 33707196 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2020-013490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND High costs associated with hospitalization have encouraged reductions in unnecessary encounters. A subset of observation status patients receive minimal interventions and incur low use costs. These patients may contain a cohort that could safely be treated outside of the hospital. Thus, we sought to describe characteristics of low resource use (LRU) observation status hospitalizations and variation in LRU stays across hospitals. METHODS We conducted a retrospective cohort study of pediatric observation encounters at 42 hospitals contributing to the Pediatric Health Information System database from January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2019. For each hospitalization, we calculated the use ratio (nonroom costs to total hospitalization cost). We grouped stays into use quartiles with the lowest labeled LRU. We described associations with LRU stays and performed classification and regression tree analyses to identify the combination of characteristics most associated with LRU. Finally, we described the proportion of LRU hospitalizations across hospitals. RESULTS We identified 174 315 observation encounters (44 422 LRU). Children <1 year (odds ratio [OR] 3.3; 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.1-3.4), without complex chronic conditions (OR 3.6; 95% CI 3.2-4.0), and those directly admitted (OR 4.2; 95% CI 4.1-4.4) had the greatest odds of experiencing an LRU encounter. Those children with the combination of direct admission, no medical complexity, and a respiratory diagnosis experienced an LRU stay 69.5% of the time. We observed variation in LRU encounters (1%-57% of observation encounters) across hospitals. CONCLUSIONS LRU observation encounters are variable across children's hospitals. These stays may include a cohort of patients who could be treated outside of the hospital.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Matthew Hall
- Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, Missouri.,Children's Hospital Association, Lenexa, Kansas
| | | | | | - Michelle L Macy
- Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois.,Department of Pediatrics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
| | - James C Gay
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee; and
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10
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Madsen T, Perkins R, Holt B, Carlson M, Steenblik J, Bossart P, Hartsell S. Emergency Department Observation Unit Utilization Among Older Patients With Chest Pain. Crit Pathw Cardiol 2019; 18:19-22. [PMID: 30747761 DOI: 10.1097/hpc.0000000000000166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although some emergency department observation units (EDOUs) may exclude patients over 65 years old, our EDOU accepts patients up to 79 years old. We assessed the utilization of our EDOU by older patients (those 65-79 years old). METHODS We prospectively enrolled emergency department (ED) patients with chest pain. We gathered baseline data at the time of ED presentation and tracked outcomes related to the ED stay, EDOU, and/or inpatient admission. Our primary outcome included EDOU placement among older patients. Our secondary outcome was the rate of major adverse cardiac events [MACE: myocardial infarction, stent, coronary artery bypass graft, and death]. RESULTS Over the 5-year study period, we evaluated 2242 ED patients with chest pain, of whom 19.4% (95% confidence interval, 17.8%-21.1%) were 65-79 years old. Older patients were more likely to be placed in the EDOU after the ED visit (45.8% vs. 36.6%; P = 0.001) and more likely to be admitted to an inpatient unit from the ED (31.8% vs. 17.9%;P < 0.001) than those under 65 years old. The overall MACE rate was similar between admitted older patients and those in the EDOU: 5.9% versus 4.3% (P = 0.57). Of the admitted older patients, 30.4% (95% confidence interval, 22.3%-39.9%) were low risk and there were no cases of MACE in this group. CONCLUSIONS In an EDOU that allows older patients, we noted substantial utilization by these patients for the evaluation of chest pain. The characteristics of admitted older patients suggest the potential for even greater EDOU utilization in this group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Troy Madsen
- From the Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT
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11
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Southerland LT, Simerlink SR, Vargas AJ, Krebs M, Nagaraj L, Miller KN, Adkins EJ, Barrie MG. Beyond observation: Protocols and capabilities of an Emergency Department Observation Unit. Am J Emerg Med 2018; 37:1864-1870. [PMID: 30639128 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajem.2018.12.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2018] [Revised: 12/04/2018] [Accepted: 12/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Emergency Department Observation Units (Obs Units) provide a setting and a mechanism for further care of Emergency Department (ED) patients. Our hospital has a protocol-driven, type 1, complex 20 bed Obs Unit with 36 different protocols. We wanted to understand how the different protocols performed and what types of care were provided. METHODS This was an IRB-approved, retrospective chart review study. A random 10% of ED patient charts with a "transfer to observation" order were selected monthly from October 2015 through June 2017. This database was designed to identify high and low functioning protocols based on length of stays (LOS) and admission rates. RESULTS Over 20 months, a total of 984 patients qualified for the study. The average age was 49.5 ± 17.2 years, 57.3% were women, and 32.3% were non-Caucasian. The admission rate was 23.5% with an average LOS in observation of 13.7 h [95% CI 13.3-14.1]. Thirty day return rate was 16.8% with 5.3% of the patients returning to the ED within the first 72 h. Thirty six different protocols were used, with the most common being chest pain (13.9%) and general (13.2%). Almost 70% received a consultation from another service, and 7.2% required a procedure while in observation. Procedures included fluoroscopic-guided lumbar punctures, endoscopies, dental extractions, and catheter replacements (nephrostomy, gastrostomy, and biliary tubes). CONCLUSIONS An Obs Unit can care for a wide variety of patients who require multiple consultations, procedures, and care coordination while maintaining an acceptable length of stay and admission rate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren T Southerland
- Department of Emergency Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA. https://twitter.com/LSGeriatricEM
| | | | - Anthony J Vargas
- The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Margaret Krebs
- Department of Emergency Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Lalitha Nagaraj
- Department of Emergency Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Krystin N Miller
- Department of Emergency Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Eric J Adkins
- Department of Emergency Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Michael G Barrie
- Department of Emergency Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA
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12
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Southerland LT, Hunold KM, Carpenter CR, Caterino JM, Mion LC. A National Dataset Analysis of older adults in emergency department observation units. Am J Emerg Med 2018; 37:1686-1690. [PMID: 30563716 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajem.2018.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2018] [Revised: 12/03/2018] [Accepted: 12/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Emergency Department (ED) Observation Units (Obs Units) are prevalent in the US, but little is known regarding older adults in observation. Our objective was to describe the Obs Units nationally and observation patients with specific attention to differences in care with increasing age. DESIGN This is an analysis of 2010-2013 data from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS), a national observational cohort study including ED patients. Weighted means are presented for continuous data and weighted percent for categorical data. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify variables associated with placement in and admission from observation. RESULTS The number of adult ED visits varied from 100 million to 107 million per year and 2.3% of patients were placed in observation. Adults ≥65 years old made up a disproportionate number of Obs Unit patients, 30.6%, compared to only 19.7% of total ED visits (odds ratio 1.5 (95% CI 1.5-1.6), adjusting for sex, race, month, day of week, payer source, and hospital region). The overall admission rate from observation was 35.6%, ranging from 31.3% for ages 18-64 years to 47.5% for adults ≥85 years old (p < 0.001). General symptoms (e.g., nausea, dizziness) and hypertensive disease were the most common diagnoses overall. Older adults varied from younger adults in that they were frequently observed for diseases of the urinary system (ICD-9 590-599) and metabolic disorders (ICD-9 270-279). CONCLUSIONS Older adults are more likely to be cared for in Obs Units. Older adults are treated for different medical conditions than younger adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren T Southerland
- Department of Emergency Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA.
| | - Katherine M Hunold
- Department of Emergency Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA
| | | | - Jeffrey M Caterino
- Department of Emergency Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Lorraine C Mion
- College of Nursing, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA
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