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Viegas da Silva E, Hartwig FP, Yousafzai A, Bertoldi AD, Murray J. The effects of a large-scale home visiting programme for child development on use of health services in Brazil. Health Policy Plan 2024; 39:344-354. [PMID: 38491997 PMCID: PMC11005834 DOI: 10.1093/heapol/czae015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Partnership between early childhood development interventions and primary health care services can help catalyse health care uptake by socially vulnerable families. This study aimed to assess the real-life effects of a large-scale home visiting programme [Primeira Infância Melhor (PIM)] in Brazil on the use of preventive (prenatal visits, well child visits, dentist visits and vaccination) and recovery (emergency room visits and hospitalization) health services. A quasi-experiment nested in a population-based birth cohort study was conducted. The intervention group was firstly defined as all children enrolled in PIM up to age 6 months, and afterwards stratified between those enrolled during pregnancy or after birth up to 6 months. Children receiving PIM were matched with controls on propensity scores based on 27 confounders to estimate effects on health service use from prenatal to age 2 years. Double adjustment was applied in outcome Quasi-Poisson regressions. No evidence was found for effects of PIM starting anytime up to 6 months (262 pairs), or for the children enrolled only after birth (133 pairs), on outcomes occurring after age 6 months. When the programme started during pregnancy (129 pairs), there was a 13% higher prevalence of adequate prenatal visits (prevalence ratio = 1.13; 95% confidence interval 1.01-1.27), but no effect on use of any other health service. Sensitivity analyses suggested longer participation in the programme with reduced visitor turnover might improve its impact on prenatal visits. Integration between PIM and primary health care was not adequate to affect overall patterns of contacts with health services. Nevertheless, prenatal home visits showed potential to increase health service contact during a sensitive period of development, indicating the need to start such programmes before birth, when there is more time for maternal care, and family engagement in a network of services is facilitated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo Viegas da Silva
- Postgraduate Program in Epidemiology, Federal University of Pelotas, Marechal Deodoro - 1160, Pelotas, RS 96020220, Brazil
- Human Development and Violence Research Centre (DOVE), Postgraduate Program in Epidemiology, Federal University of Pelotas, Marechal Deodoro - 1160, Pelotas, RS 96020220, Brazil
- State Health Surveillance Centre, State Health Department, Rio Grande do Sul, Ipiranga - 5400, Porto Alegre, RS 90610000, Brazil
| | - Fernando Pires Hartwig
- Postgraduate Program in Epidemiology, Federal University of Pelotas, Marechal Deodoro - 1160, Pelotas, RS 96020220, Brazil
| | - Aisha Yousafzai
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard School of Public Health, 677 - Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, United States
| | - Andréa Dâmaso Bertoldi
- Postgraduate Program in Epidemiology, Federal University of Pelotas, Marechal Deodoro - 1160, Pelotas, RS 96020220, Brazil
| | - Joseph Murray
- Postgraduate Program in Epidemiology, Federal University of Pelotas, Marechal Deodoro - 1160, Pelotas, RS 96020220, Brazil
- Human Development and Violence Research Centre (DOVE), Postgraduate Program in Epidemiology, Federal University of Pelotas, Marechal Deodoro - 1160, Pelotas, RS 96020220, Brazil
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Rosychuk RJ, Chen AA, Ospina MB, McRae AD, Hu XJ, McLane P. Transitions in health care settings for frequent and infrequent users of emergency departments: a population-based retrospective cohort study. BMC Health Serv Res 2023; 23:1250. [PMID: 37964274 PMCID: PMC10644485 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-023-10260-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Efforts to reduce emergency department (ED) volumes often target frequent users. We examined transitions in care across ED, hospital, and community settings, and in-hospital death, for high system users (HSUs) compared to controls. METHODS Population-based databases provided ED visits and hospitalizations in Alberta and Ontario, Canada. The retrospective cohort included the top 10% of all the ED users during 2015/2016 (termed HSUs) and a random sample of controls (4 per each HSU) from the bottom 90% per province. Rates of transitions among ED, hospitalization, community settings, and in-hospital mortality were adjusted for sociodemographic and ED variables in a multistate statistical model. RESULTS There were 2,684,924 patients and 579,230 (21.6%) were HSUs. Patient characteristics associated with shorter community to ED transition times for HSUs included Alberta residence (ratio of hazard ratio [RHR] = 1.11, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.11,1.12), living in areas in the lower income quintile (RHR = 1.06, 95%CI 1.06,1.06), and Ontario residents without a primary health care provider (RHR = 1.13, 95%CI 1.13,1.14). Once at the ED, characteristics associated with shorter ED to hospital transition times for HSUs included higher acuity (e.g., RHR = 1.70, 95% CI 1.61, 1.81 for emergent), and for many diagnoses including chest pain (RHR = 1.71, 95%CI 1.65,1.76) and gastrointestinal (RHR = 1.66, 95%CI 1.62,1.71). Once admitted to hospital, HSUs did not necessarily have longer stays except for conditions such as chest pain (RHR = 0.90, 95% CI 0.86, 0.95). HSUs had shorter times to death in the ED if they presented for cancer (RHR = 2.51), congestive heart failure (RHR = 1.93), myocardial infarction (RHR = 1.53), and stroke (RHR = 1.84), and shorter times to death in-hospital if they presented with cancer (RHR = 1.29). CONCLUSIONS Differences between HSUs and controls in predictors of transitions among care settings were identified. Co-morbidities and limitations in access to primary care are associated with more rapid transitions from community to ED and hospital among HSUs. Interventions targeting these challenges may better serve patients across health systems.. TRIAL REGISTRATION Not applicable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rhonda J Rosychuk
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 1C9, Canada.
- Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada.
| | - Anqi A Chen
- Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Maria B Ospina
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Andrew D McRae
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 2T9, Canada
- Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 4Z6, Canada
| | - X Joan Hu
- Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Patrick McLane
- Emergency Strategic Clinical Network, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB, T5J 3E4, Canada
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2R7, Canada
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Varner CE, Park AL, Ray JG. Maternal Emergency Department Use Before Pregnancy and Infant Emergency Department Use After Birth. JAMA Netw Open 2023; 6:e232931. [PMID: 36912832 PMCID: PMC10011931 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.2931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/14/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Maternal emergency department (ED) use before or during pregnancy is associated with worse obstetrical outcomes, for reasons including preexisting medical conditions and challenges in accessing health care. It is not known whether maternal prepregnancy ED use is associated with higher use of the ED by their infant. OBJECTIVE To study the association between maternal prepregnancy ED use and risk of infant ED use in the first year of life. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This population-based cohort study included all singleton livebirths in all of Ontario, Canada, from June 2003 to January 2020. EXPOSURES Any maternal ED encounter within 90 days preceding the start of the index pregnancy. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Any infant ED visit up to 365 days after the index birth hospitalization discharge date. Relative risks (RR) and absolute risk differences (ARD) were adjusted for maternal age, income, rural residence, immigrant status, parity, having a primary care clinician, and number of prepregnancy comorbidities. RESULTS There were 2 088 111 singleton livebirths; the mean (SD) maternal age was 29.5 (5.4) years, 208 356 (10.0%) were rural dwelling, and 487 773 (23.4%) had 3 or more comorbidities. Among singleton livebirths, 206 539 mothers (9.9%) had an ED visit within 90 days before the index pregnancy. ED use in the first year of life was higher among infants whose mother had visited the ED before pregnancy (570 per 1000) vs those whose mother had not (388 per 1000) (RR, 1.19 [95% CI, 1.18-1.20]; ARD, 91.1 per 1000 [95% CI, 88.6-93.6 per 1000]). Compared with mothers without a prepregnancy ED visit, the RR of infant ED use in the first year was 1.19 (95% CI, 1.18-1.20) if its mother had 1 prepregnancy ED visit, 1.18 (95% CI, 1.17-1.20) following 2 visits, and 1.22 (95% CI, 1.20-1.23) after at least 3 maternal visits. A low-acuity maternal prepregnancy ED visit was associated with an adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of 5.52 (95% CI, 5.16-5.90) for a low-acuity infant ED visit, which was numerically higher than the pairing of a high-acuity ED use between mother and infant (aOR, 1.43, 95% CI, 1.38-1.49). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In this cohort study of singleton livebirths, prepregnancy maternal ED use was associated with a higher rate of ED use by the infant in the first year of life, especially for low-acuity ED use. This study's results may suggest a useful trigger for health system interventions aimed at reducing some ED use in infancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine E. Varner
- Schwartz/Reisman Emergency Medicine Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Joel G. Ray
- ICES, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Keenan Research Centre, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Departments of Medicine, and Obstetrics and Gynaecology, St Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Molina M, Evans J, Montoy JC, Cawley C, Graham-Squire D, Perez K, Raven M, Kanzaria HK. Analysis of Emergency Department Encounters Among High Users of Health Care and Social Service Systems Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic. JAMA Netw Open 2022; 5:e2239076. [PMID: 36306131 PMCID: PMC9617170 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.39076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Although the general US population had fewer emergency department (ED) visits during the COVID-19 pandemic, patterns of use among high users are unknown. OBJECTIVES To examine natural trends in ED visits among high users of health and social services during an extended period and assess whether these trends differed during COVID-19. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This retrospective cohort study combined data from 9 unique cohorts, 1 for each fiscal year (July 1 to June 30) from 2012 to 2021, and used mixed-effects, negative binomial regression to model ED visits over time and assess ED use among the top 5% of high users of multiple systems during COVID-19. Data were obtained from the Coordinated Care Management System, a San Francisco Department of Public Health platform that integrates medical and social information with service use. EXPOSURES Fiscal year 2020 was defined as the COVID-19 year. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Measured variables were age, gender, language, race and ethnicity, homelessness, insurance status, jail health encounters, mental health and substance use diagnoses, and mortality. The main outcome was annual mean ED visit counts. Incidence rate ratios (IRRs) were used to describe changes in ED visit rates both over time and in COVID-19 vs non-COVID-19 years. RESULTS Of the 8967 participants, 3289 (36.7%) identified as White, 3005 (33.5%) as Black, and 1513 (16.9%) as Latinx; and 7932 (88.5%) preferred English. The mean (SD) age was 46.7 (14.2) years, 6071 (67.7%) identified as men, and 7042 (78.5%) had experienced homelessness. A statistically significant decrease was found in annual mean ED visits among high users for every year of follow-up until year 8, with the largest decrease occurring in the first year of follow-up (IRR, 0.41; 95% CI, 0.40-0.43). However, during the pandemic, ED visits decreased 25% beyond the mean reduction seen in prepandemic years (IRR, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.72-0.79). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In this study, multiple cohorts of the top 5% of high users of multiple health care systems in San Francisco had sustained annual decreases in ED visits from 2012 to 2021, with significantly greater decreases during COVID-19. Further research is needed to elucidate pandemic-specific factors associated with these findings and understand how this change in use was associated with health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Molina
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California, San Francisco
- Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies, University of California, San Francisco
| | - Jennifer Evans
- Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative, Center for Vulnerable Populations, University of California, San Francisco
| | - Juan Carlos Montoy
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California, San Francisco
| | - Caroline Cawley
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California, San Francisco
- Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative, Center for Vulnerable Populations, University of California, San Francisco
- Provincial Health Services Authority, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Dave Graham-Squire
- Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative, Center for Vulnerable Populations, University of California, San Francisco
| | - Kenneth Perez
- Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative, Center for Vulnerable Populations, University of California, San Francisco
| | - Maria Raven
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California, San Francisco
- Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative, Center for Vulnerable Populations, University of California, San Francisco
- Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies, University of California, San Francisco
| | - Hemal K. Kanzaria
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California, San Francisco
- Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative, Center for Vulnerable Populations, University of California, San Francisco
- Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies, University of California, San Francisco
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Vivier PM, Rogers ML, Gjelsvik A, Linakis JG, Schlichting LE, Mello MJ. Frequent Emergency Department Use by Children. Pediatr Emerg Care 2021; 37:e995-e1000. [PMID: 31305503 DOI: 10.1097/pec.0000000000001859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Frequent use of the emergency department (ED) is often targeted as a quality improvement metric. The objective of this study was to assess ED visit frequency by the demographic and health characteristics of children who visit the ED to better understand risk factors for high ED utilization. METHODS The majority of pediatric ED services in Rhode Island are provided by a hospital network that includes the state's only children's hospital. Using 10 years of data (2005-2014) from this statewide hospital network, we examined ED use in this network for all children aged 0 to 17 years. Patients' home addresses were geocoded to assess their neighborhood characteristics. RESULTS Between 2005 and 2014, 17,844 children visited 1 or more of the network EDs at least once. In their year of maximum use, 67.8% had only 1 ED visit, 20.1% had 2 visits, 6.9% had 3 visits, and 5.2% had 4 or more visits. In the adjusted multinomial logistic regression model, age, race/ethnicity, language, insurance coverage, medical complexity, neighborhood risk, and distance to the ED were found to be significantly associated with increased visit frequency. CONCLUSIONS Risk factors for frequent ED use by children include age, race/ethnicity, language, insurance coverage, medical complexity, neighborhood risk, and distance to the hospital. To decrease frequent pediatric ED use, improved medical management of complex medical problems is needed, but it is also essential to address modifiable social determinants of health care utilization in this population.
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Greenfield G, Okoli O, Quezada-Yamamoto H, Blair M, Saxena S, Majeed A, Hayhoe B. Characteristics of frequently attending children in hospital emergency departments: a systematic review. BMJ Open 2021; 11:e051409. [PMID: 34663662 PMCID: PMC8523960 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-051409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To summarise the literature on frequent attendances to hospital emergency departments (EDs) and describe sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of children who attend EDs frequently. SETTING Hospital EDs. PARTICIPANTS Children <21 years, attending hospital EDs frequently. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES Outcomes measures were defined separately in each study, and were predominantly the number of ED attendances per year. RESULTS We included 21 studies representing 6 513 627 children. Between 0.3% and 75% of all paediatric ED users were frequent users. Most studies defined four or more visits per year as a 'frequent ED' usage. Children who were frequent ED users were more likely to be less than 5 years old. In the USA, patients with public insurance were more likely to be frequent attenders. Frequent ED users more likely to be frequent users of primary care and have long-term conditions; the most common diagnoses were infections and gastroenteritis. CONCLUSIONS The review included a wide range of information across various health systems, however, children who were frequent ED users have some universal characteristics in common. Policies to reduce frequent attendance might usefully focus on preschool children and supporting primary care in responding to primary care oriented conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geva Greenfield
- Primary Care and Public Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Olivia Okoli
- Primary Care and Public Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Harumi Quezada-Yamamoto
- Primary Care and Public Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Mitch Blair
- Primary Care and Public Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Sonia Saxena
- Primary Care and Public Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Azeem Majeed
- Primary Care and Public Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Benedict Hayhoe
- Primary Care and Public Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
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Giannouchos TV, Washburn DJ, Gary JC, Foster MJ. Frequent emergency department use in the paediatric population: A systematic literature review. J Eval Clin Pract 2021; 27:193-203. [PMID: 32141125 DOI: 10.1111/jep.13382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2019] [Revised: 02/07/2020] [Accepted: 02/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We systematically reviewed the literature on paediatric frequent emergency department (ED) users to identify and to synthesize characteristics and factors associated with frequent ED utilization among this population in the United States. METHODS We searched Medline (Ovid), CINAHL (Ebsco), and Embase (Ovid) to identify all relevant studies after 1990. We focused on US studies analysing paediatric frequent ED (PFED) users excluding those focused on specific subgroups. Two reviewers independently selected articles and extracted data on predisposing, enabling, behavioural, need and reinforcing factors. RESULTS Fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria. PFED users comprised 3% to 14% of all paediatric ED users and accounted for 9% to 42% of all paediatric ED visits in 11 studies that defined frequent use as four to six ED visits per year. Most PFED users were less than 5 years old who had public insurance coverage and a regular provider. Public insurance compared to private residency in disadvantaged areas, having at least one chronic or complex condition and a history of hospitalization, were associated with frequent use. Children who had a regular primary care provider were less likely to exhibit frequent ED use. CONCLUSIONS Minimizing unnecessary ED visits by frequent utilizers is a quality improvement and cost-saving priority for health systems. Our findings indicate that many PFED users have greater healthcare needs and face barriers accessing care in a timely manner, even though some have regular providers. To better address the needs of this vulnerable group, health systems should focus on educating caregivers and expanding access to providers in other settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theodoros V Giannouchos
- School of Public Health, Department of Health Policy and Management, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA.,Population Informatics Lab, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - David J Washburn
- School of Public Health, Department of Health Policy and Management, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Jodie C Gary
- Health Science Center College of Nursing, Texas A&M University, Bryan, Texas, USA
| | - Margaret J Foster
- Medical Sciences Library, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
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Chiu Y, Racine-Hemmings F, Dufour I, Vanasse A, Chouinard MC, Bisson M, Hudon C. Statistical tools used for analyses of frequent users of emergency department: a scoping review. BMJ Open 2019; 9:e027750. [PMID: 31129592 PMCID: PMC6537981 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-027750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Frequent users represent a small proportion of emergency department users, but they account for a disproportionately large number of visits. Their use of emergency departments is often considered suboptimal. It would be more efficient to identify and treat those patients earlier in their health problem trajectory. It is therefore essential to describe their characteristics and to predict their emergency department use. In order to do so, adequate statistical tools are needed. The objective of this study was to determine the statistical tools used in identifying variables associated with frequent use or predicting the risk of becoming a frequent user. METHODS We performed a scoping review following an established 5-stage methodological framework. We searched PubMed, Scopus and CINAHL databases in February 2019 using search strategies defined with the help of an information specialist. Out of 4534 potential abstracts, we selected 114 articles based on defined criteria and presented in a content analysis. RESULTS We identified four classes of statistical tools. Regression models were found to be the most common practice, followed by hypothesis testing. The logistic regression was found to be the most used statistical tool, followed by χ2 test and t-test of associations between variables. Other tools were marginally used. CONCLUSIONS This scoping review lists common statistical tools used for analysing frequent users in emergency departments. It highlights the fact that some are well established while others are much less so. More research is needed to apply appropriate techniques to health data or to diversify statistical point of views.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yohann Chiu
- Department of Family Medicine and Emergency Medicine, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
| | - François Racine-Hemmings
- Department of Family Medicine and Emergency Medicine, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
| | - Isabelle Dufour
- Department of Family Medicine and Emergency Medicine, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
| | - Alain Vanasse
- Department of Family Medicine and Emergency Medicine, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
| | | | - Mathieu Bisson
- Department of Family Medicine and Emergency Medicine, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
| | - Catherine Hudon
- Department of Family Medicine and Emergency Medicine, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
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Samuels-Kalow M, Peltz A, Rodean J, Hall M, Alpern ER, Aronson PL, Berry JG, Shaw KN, Morse RB, Freedman SB, Cohen E, Simon HK, Shah SS, Katsogridakis Y, Neuman MI. Predicting Low-Resource-Intensity Emergency Department Visits in Children. Acad Pediatr 2018; 18:297-304. [PMID: 29331346 DOI: 10.1016/j.acap.2017.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2017] [Revised: 12/15/2017] [Accepted: 12/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Interventions to reduce frequent emergency department (ED) use in children are often limited by the inability to predict future risk. We sought to develop a population-based model for predicting Medicaid-insured children at risk for high frequency (HF) of low-resource-intensity (LRI) ED visits. METHODS We conducted a retrospective cohort analysis of Medicaid-insured children (aged 1-18 years) included in the MarketScan Medicaid database with ≥1 ED visit in 2013. LRI visits were defined as ED encounters with no laboratory testing, imaging, procedures, or hospitalization; and HF as ≥3 LRI ED visits within 365 days of the initial encounter. A generalized linear regression model was derived and validated using a split-sample approach. Validity testing was conducted examining model performance using 3 alternative definitions of LRI. RESULTS Among 743,016 children with ≥1 ED visit in 2013, 5% experienced high-frequency LRI ED use, accounting for 21% of all LRI visits. Prior LRI ED use (2 visits: adjusted odds ratio = 3.5; 95% confidence interval, 3.3, 3.7; and ≥3 visits: adjusted odds ratio = 7.7; 95% confidence interval, 7.3, 8.1) and presence of ≥3 chronic conditions (adjusted odds ratio = 1.7; 95% confidence interval, 1.6, 1.8) were strongly associated with future HF-LRI ED use. A model incorporating patient characteristics and prior ED use predicted future HF-LRI ED utilization with an area under the curve of 0.74. CONCLUSIONS Demographic characteristics and patterns of prior ED use can predict future risk of HF-LRI ED use in the following year. Interventions for reducing low-value ED use in these high-risk children should be considered.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alon Peltz
- Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholars Program, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn
| | | | | | - Elizabeth R Alpern
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Ill
| | - Paul L Aronson
- Section of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Departments of Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn
| | - Jay G Berry
- Division of General Pediatrics, Department of Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass
| | - Kathy N Shaw
- Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa
| | - Rustin B Morse
- Children's Health System of Texas, Dallas, Tex; Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, Tex
| | - Stephen B Freedman
- Sections of Pediatric Emergency Medicine and Gastroenterology, Department of Pediatrics, Alberta Children's Hospital, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Eyal Cohen
- Division of Pediatric Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Harold K Simon
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Departments of Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Ga
| | - Samir S Shah
- Divisions of Hospital Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Yiannis Katsogridakis
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Ill
| | - Mark I Neuman
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass
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MacGeorge CA, Simpson KN, Basco WT, Bundy DG. Constipation-Related Emergency Department Use, and Associated Office Visits and Payments Among Commercially Insured Children. Acad Pediatr 2018; 18:952-956. [PMID: 29673883 PMCID: PMC6322666 DOI: 10.1016/j.acap.2018.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2017] [Revised: 03/29/2018] [Accepted: 04/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Pediatric constipation is common, costly, and often managed in the Emergency Department (ED). The objectives of this study were to determine the frequency of constipation-related ED visits in a large commercially insured population, the frequency of an office visit in the month before and after these visits, demographic characteristics associated with these office visits, and the ED-associated payments. METHODS Data were extracted from the Truven MarketScan database for commercially insured children from 2012 to 2013. Data on the presence and timing of clinic visits within 30 days before and after an ED constipation visit and demographic variables were extracted. Logistic regression was used to predict an outcome of presence of a visit with independent variables of age, sex, and region of the country. RESULTS In a population of 17 million children aged 0 to 17 years, 448,440 (2.6%) were identified with constipation in at least 1 setting, with 65,163 (14.5%) having an ED visit for constipation. Of all children with a constipation-related ED visit, 45% had no office visit in the 30 days before or after the ED visit. Increasing age was associated with absence of an office visit. The median payment by insurance for an ED constipation visit was $523, the median out-of-pocket payment was $100, for a total of $623 per visit. CONCLUSION One in 7 children with constipation in this commercially insured population received ED care for constipation, many without an outpatient visit in the month before or after. Efforts to improve primary care utilization for this condition should be encouraged.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire A MacGeorge
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC.
| | - Kit N Simpson
- Department of Healthcare Leadership and Management, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
| | - William T Basco
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
| | - David G Bundy
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
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Schlichting LE, Rogers ML, Gjelsvik A, Linakis JG, Vivier PM. Pediatric Emergency Department Utilization and Reliance by Insurance Coverage in the United States. Acad Emerg Med 2017; 24:1483-1490. [PMID: 28833943 DOI: 10.1111/acem.13281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2017] [Revised: 08/09/2017] [Accepted: 08/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES For many children, the emergency department (ED) serves as the main destination for health care, whether it be for emergent or nonurgent reasons. Through examination of repeat utilization and ED reliance (EDR), in addition to overall ED utilization, we can identify subpopulations dependent on the ED as their primary source of health care. METHODS Nationally representative data from the 2010 to 2014 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey were used to examine the annual ED utilization of children age 0 to 17 years by insurance coverage. Overall utilization, repeat utilization (two or more ED visits), and EDR (percentage of all health care visits that occur in the ED) were examined using multivariate models, accounting for weighting and the complex survey design. High EDR was defined as having > 33% of outpatient visits in a year being ED visits. RESULTS A total of 47,926 children were included in the study. Approximately 12% of children visited an ED within a 1-year period. A greater number of children with public insurance (15.2%) visited an ED at least once, compared to privately insured (10.1%) and uninsured (6.4%) children. Controlling for covariates, children with public insurance were more likely to visit the ED (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.55, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.40-1.73) than children with private insurance, whereas uninsured children were less likely (aOR = 0.64, 95% CI = 0.51-0.81). Children age 3 and under were significantly more likely to visit the ED than children age 15 to 17, whereas female children and Hispanic and non-Hispanic other race children were significantly less likely to visit the ED than male children and non-Hispanic white children. Among children with ED visits, 21% had two or more visits to the ED in a 1-year period. Children with public insurance were more likely to have two or more visits to the ED (aOR = 1.53, 95% CI = 1.19-1.98) than children with private insurance whereas there was no significant difference in repeat ED utilization for uninsured children. Publicly insured (aOR = 1.70, 95% CI = 1.47-1.97) and uninsured children (aOR = 1.90, 95% CI = 1.49-2.42) were more likely to be reliant on the ED than children with private insurance. CONCLUSIONS Health insurance coverage was associated with overall ED utilization, repeat ED utilization, and EDR. Demographic characteristics, including sex, age, income, and race/ethnicity were important predictors of ED utilization and reliance.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Annie Gjelsvik
- Hassenfeld Child Health Innovation Institute; Providence RI
- Department of Epidemiology; Providence RI
- Department of Pediatrics; Alpert Medical School; Providence RI
| | - James G. Linakis
- Hassenfeld Child Health Innovation Institute; Providence RI
- Department of Pediatrics; Alpert Medical School; Providence RI
- Department of Emergency Medicine; Alpert Medical School; Providence RI
- Injury Prevention Center; Rhode Island Hospital; Providence RI
| | - Patrick M. Vivier
- Hassenfeld Child Health Innovation Institute; Providence RI
- Department of Pediatrics; Alpert Medical School; Providence RI
- Department of Health Services, Policy, and Practice; Brown University; Providence RI
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12
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Peltz A, Samuels-Kalow ME, Rodean J, Hall M, Alpern ER, Aronson PL, Berry JG, Shaw KN, Morse RB, Freedman SB, Cohen E, Simon HK, Shah SS, Katsogridakis Y, Neuman MI. Characteristics of Children Enrolled in Medicaid With High-Frequency Emergency Department Use. Pediatrics 2017; 140:peds.2017-0962. [PMID: 28765381 PMCID: PMC5574719 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2017-0962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Some children repeatedly use the emergency department (ED) at high levels. Among Medicaid-insured children with high-frequency ED use in 1 year, we sought to describe the characteristics of children who sustain high-frequency ED use over the following 2 years. METHODS Retrospective longitudinal cohort study of 470 449 Medicaid-insured children appearing in the MarketScan Medicaid database, aged 1-16 years, with ≥1 ED discharges in 2012. Children with high ED use in 2012 (≥4 ED discharges) were followed through 2014 to identify characteristics associated with sustained high ED use (≥8 ED discharges in 2013-2014 combined). A generalized linear model was used to identify patient characteristics associated with sustained high ED use. RESULTS A total of 39 945 children (8.5%) experienced high ED use in 2012, accounting for 25% of total ED visits in 2012. Sixteen percent of these children experienced sustained high ED use in the following 2 years. Adolescents (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 1.4 [95% confidence interval: 1.3-1.5]), disabled children (aOR: 1.3 [95% confidence interval: 1.1-1.5]), and children with 3 or more chronic conditions (aOR: 2.1, [95% confidence interval: 1.9-2.3]) experienced the highest likelihood for sustaining high ED use. CONCLUSIONS One in 6 Medicaid-insured children with high ED use in a single year experienced sustained high levels of ED use over the next 2 years. Adolescents and individuals with multiple chronic conditions were most likely to have sustained high rates of ED use. Targeted interventions may be indicated to help reduce ED use among children at high risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alon Peltz
- Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholars Program and .,Department of Pediatrics, Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | | | | | - Elizabeth R. Alpern
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Paul L. Aronson
- Section of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics and of Emergency Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | | | - Kathy N. Shaw
- Departments of Pediatrics and,Emergency Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Rustin B. Morse
- Children’s Health System of Texas, and Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, Texas
| | - Stephen B. Freedman
- Sections of Pediatric Emergency Medicine and,Gastroenterology, Department of Pediatrics, Alberta Children’s Hospital, Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Eyal Cohen
- Division of Pediatric Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Harold K. Simon
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, Emory University and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia; and
| | - Samir S. Shah
- Divisions of Hospital Medicine and,Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Yiannis Katsogridakis
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Mark I. Neuman
- Emergency Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts
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