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Ramirez GA, Damanti S, Caruso PF, Mette F, Pagliula G, Cariddi A, Sartorelli S, Falbo E, Scotti R, Di Terlizzi G, Dagna L, Praderio L, Sabbadini MG, Bozzolo EP, Tresoldi M. Sustainability in Internal Medicine: A Year-Long Ward-Wide Observational Study. J Pers Med 2024; 14:115. [PMID: 38276237 PMCID: PMC10820757 DOI: 10.3390/jpm14010115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 01/14/2024] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Population aging and multimorbidity challenge health system sustainability, but the role of assistance-related variables rather than individual pathophysiological factors in determining patient outcomes is unclear. To identify assistance-related determinants of sustainable hospital healthcare, all patients hospitalised in an Internal Medicine Unit (n = 1073) were enrolled in a prospective year-long observational study and split 2:1 into a training (n = 726) and a validation subset (n = 347). Demographics, comorbidities, provenance setting, estimates of complexity (cumulative illness rating scale, CIRS: total, comorbidity, CIRS-CI, and severity, CIRS-SI subscores) and intensity of care (nine equivalents of manpower score, NEMS) were analysed at individual and Unit levels along with variations in healthcare personnel as determinants of in-hospital mortality, length of stay and nosocomial infections. Advanced age, higher CIRS-SI, end-stage cancer, and the absence of immune-mediated diseases were correlated with higher mortality. Admission from nursing homes or intensive care units, dependency on activity of daily living, community- or hospital-acquired infections, oxygen support and the number of exits from the Unit along with patient/physician ratios were associated with prolonged hospitalisations. Upper gastrointestinal tract disorders, advanced age and higher CIRS-SI were associated with nosocomial infections. In addition to demographic variables and multimorbidity, physician number and assistance context affect hospitalisation outcomes and healthcare sustainability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe A. Ramirez
- Unit of Immunology, Rheumatology, Allergy and Rare Diseases, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, 20132 Milan, Italy
- Faculty of Medicine, Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, 20132 Milan, Italy (E.F.)
- Unit of General Medicine and Advanced Care, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, 20132 Milan, Italy (G.D.T.); (M.T.)
| | - Sarah Damanti
- Faculty of Medicine, Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, 20132 Milan, Italy (E.F.)
- Unit of General Medicine and Advanced Care, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, 20132 Milan, Italy (G.D.T.); (M.T.)
| | - Pier Francesco Caruso
- Faculty of Medicine, Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, 20132 Milan, Italy (E.F.)
- Unit of General Medicine and Advanced Care, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, 20132 Milan, Italy (G.D.T.); (M.T.)
| | - Francesca Mette
- Faculty of Medicine, Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, 20132 Milan, Italy (E.F.)
- Unit of General Medicine and Advanced Care, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, 20132 Milan, Italy (G.D.T.); (M.T.)
| | - Gaia Pagliula
- Faculty of Medicine, Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, 20132 Milan, Italy (E.F.)
- Unit of General Medicine and Advanced Care, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, 20132 Milan, Italy (G.D.T.); (M.T.)
| | - Adriana Cariddi
- Unit of Immunology, Rheumatology, Allergy and Rare Diseases, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, 20132 Milan, Italy
- Faculty of Medicine, Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, 20132 Milan, Italy (E.F.)
- Unit of General Medicine and Advanced Care, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, 20132 Milan, Italy (G.D.T.); (M.T.)
| | - Silvia Sartorelli
- Unit of Immunology, Rheumatology, Allergy and Rare Diseases, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, 20132 Milan, Italy
- Faculty of Medicine, Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, 20132 Milan, Italy (E.F.)
- Unit of General Medicine and Advanced Care, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, 20132 Milan, Italy (G.D.T.); (M.T.)
| | - Elisabetta Falbo
- Faculty of Medicine, Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, 20132 Milan, Italy (E.F.)
- Unit of General Medicine and Advanced Care, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, 20132 Milan, Italy (G.D.T.); (M.T.)
| | - Raffaella Scotti
- Unit of General Medicine and Advanced Care, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, 20132 Milan, Italy (G.D.T.); (M.T.)
| | - Gaetano Di Terlizzi
- Unit of General Medicine and Advanced Care, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, 20132 Milan, Italy (G.D.T.); (M.T.)
| | - Lorenzo Dagna
- Unit of Immunology, Rheumatology, Allergy and Rare Diseases, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, 20132 Milan, Italy
- Faculty of Medicine, Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, 20132 Milan, Italy (E.F.)
| | - Luisa Praderio
- Unit of General Medicine and Advanced Care, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, 20132 Milan, Italy (G.D.T.); (M.T.)
| | - Maria Grazia Sabbadini
- Faculty of Medicine, Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, 20132 Milan, Italy (E.F.)
- Unit of General Medicine and Advanced Care, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, 20132 Milan, Italy (G.D.T.); (M.T.)
| | - Enrica P. Bozzolo
- Unit of General Medicine and Advanced Care, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, 20132 Milan, Italy (G.D.T.); (M.T.)
| | - Moreno Tresoldi
- Unit of General Medicine and Advanced Care, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, 20132 Milan, Italy (G.D.T.); (M.T.)
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Florissi I, Radomski SN, Shou B, Cloyd JM, Kim A, Grotz T, Fournier K, Baumgartner JM, Lambert L, Abbott DE, Schwartz P, Staley CA, Clarke C, Dineen S, Patel SH, Wilson GC, Raoof M, Johnston FM, Greer JB. Weekend Discharge Is Not Associated With Increased Readmission After Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy. J Surg Res 2024; 293:403-412. [PMID: 37806228 DOI: 10.1016/j.jss.2023.08.026] [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: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION We explored the association between weekend discharge and 30- and 90-d readmission rates in patients undergoing hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS/HIPEC) for peritoneal carcinomatosis. METHODS The US HIPEC Collaborative database, comprised of a longitudinal cohort of patients undergoing CRS/HIPEC for peritoneal carcinomatosis at twelve academic institutions between 2000 and 2017, was queried for date of discharge information. Patients were retrospectively divided into weekday and weekend/holiday discharge groups. Patients <18 y old, lacking day of discharge information, or who experienced intraoperative/in-hospital mortality were excluded. Comparisons were made between patients discharged on a weekday versus those discharged on a weekend or major holiday. RESULTS 1415 patients met inclusion criteria for the study: 1108 (78%) patients with a weekday discharge and 308 (22%) with a weekend/holiday discharge. Median age at time of surgery was 55 y (Interquartile Range: 46-63); 59% (n = 841) patients were female, 25% (n = 328) of patients had high volume disease (defined as a peritoneal cancer index >20 intraoperatively), and 92% (n = 1210) of patients had a complete cytoreduction (defined as a completeness of cytoreduction score of 0 or 1). Overall, 15% (n = 218) of patients were readmitted within 30 d and 19% (n = 265) within 90 d. In a linear mixed effects model, weekend discharge was not associated with higher 30- or 90-d readmissions (P = 0.291, P = 0.743). CONCLUSIONS Weekend discharges are safe following CRS/HIPEC. Length of stay initiatives should focus on discharging the patient when medically ready, rather than avoiding weekend discharge out of an abundance of caution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabella Florissi
- Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Shannon N Radomski
- Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Benjamin Shou
- Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Jordan M Cloyd
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Alex Kim
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Travis Grotz
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreas Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Keith Fournier
- Department of Surgical Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Joel M Baumgartner
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Laura Lambert
- Peritoneal Surface Malignancy Program, Section of Surgical Oncology, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Daniel E Abbott
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Patrick Schwartz
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Charles A Staley
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Callisia Clarke
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
| | - Sean Dineen
- Moffitt Cancer Center, Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology, Department of Oncologic Sciences, Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa, Florida
| | - Sameer H Patel
- Department of Surgery, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Gregory C Wilson
- Department of Surgery, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Mustafa Raoof
- City of Hope National Medical Center, Department of Surgery, Duarte, California
| | - Fabian M Johnston
- Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Jonathan B Greer
- Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.
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Ra H, Lee HY, Park DK, Kwon OS, Kim YJ. Better medical care quality in weekday daytime schedule with gastrointestinal hospitalists than conventional care teams. Hosp Pract (1995) 2023; 51:255-261. [PMID: 37929667 DOI: 10.1080/21548331.2023.2277676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study sought to uncover whether having a gastrointestinal (GI) hospitalist available during weekday daytime hours results in higher-quality medical care compared to care provided by a team of residents. METHODS Our hospitalist GI team consisted of two gastroenterologists working weekday daytime hours and two physician assistants. The team of conventional care headed by thirteen professors, comprised twelve residents and eight physician assistants. We conducted a retrospective cohort study in South Korea between March 2 and December 9, 2020 The hospitalist team treated 528 patients, while the conventional care team treated 2,335. We assessed the medical parameters of length of stay (LOS), rates of in-hospital mortality, transfer to the intensive care unit, and readmission rate within 30 days. Furthermore, we gathered feedback from nurses working with both teams. RESULTS The study found that there was no significant difference in LOS between infections (P = 0.422) and other GI diseases like bleeding (P = 0.226). There was no significant difference in the rates of in-hospital mortality (P = 0.865) and transfer to the intensive care unit (P = 0.486) between the two teams. However, the hospitalist team had notably lower readmission rates than the conventional care team (P = 0.002) as well as a lower unscheduled readmission rate (P = 0.046). Furthermore, the survey results indicated that nurses who worked with the hospitalist team had significantly better responses than those who worked with the conventional care team (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS This study indicates that having GI hospitalists work weekday daytime hours improves patient care, and treatment and reduces readmission rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Ra
- Division of Hospital Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Incheon, South Korea
| | - Hye Young Lee
- Division of Hospital Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Incheon, South Korea
| | - Dong Kyun Park
- Division of Hospital Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Incheon, South Korea
| | - Oh Sang Kwon
- Division of Hospital Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Incheon, South Korea
| | - Yoon Jae Kim
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of internal medicine, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Incheon, South Korea
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Lautamatti E, Mattila KJ, Suominen S, Sillanmäki L, Sumanen M. A named General Practitioner (GP) is associated with an increase of hospital days in a single predictor analysis: a follow-up of 15 years. BMC Health Serv Res 2023; 23:1178. [PMID: 37898748 PMCID: PMC10613364 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-023-10184-5] [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: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/30/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Continuity of care constitutes the basis of primary health care services and is associated with decreased hospitalization. In Finland, accessibility to primary care and increased use of hospital services are recognized challenges for the health care system. OBJECTIVES The aim of the study was to determine whether having a named GP is associated with hospital service use. METHODS The data are part of the Health and Social Support study (HeSSup) based on a random Finnish working-age population sample. The cohort of the study comprised participants of postal surveys in 1998 (n = 25,898) who returned follow-up questionnaires both in 2003 and 2012 (n = 11,924). Background characteristics were inquired in the questionnaires, and hospitalization was derived from national registries (Hilmo-register). RESULTS A named GP was reported both in 2003 and 2012 only by 34.3% of the participants. The association between hospital days and a named GP was linearly rising and statistically significant in a single predictor model. The strongest associations with hospital use were with health-related factors, and the association with a named GP was no longer significant in multinomial analysis. CONCLUSION A named GP is associated with an increased use of hospital days, but in a multinomial analysis the association disappeared. Health related factors showed the strongest association with hospital days. From the perspective of the on-going Finnish health and social services reform, continuity of care should be emphasized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmi Lautamatti
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.
- The Wellbeing Services County of Pirkanmaa, Tampere, Finland.
| | - Kari J Mattila
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Sakari Suominen
- Department of Public Health, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- The Wellbeing Services County of Southwest Finland, Research Centre, Turku, Finland
- School of Health Sciences, University of Skövde, Skövde, Sweden
| | - Lauri Sillanmäki
- The Wellbeing Services County of Southwest Finland, Research Centre, Turku, Finland
- University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Public Health, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Markku Sumanen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
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Machut KZ, Gilbart C, Murthy K, Michelson KN. A Qualitative Study of Nurses' Perspectives on Neonatologist Continuity of Care. Adv Neonatal Care 2023; 23:467-477. [PMID: 37499687 PMCID: PMC10544817 DOI: 10.1097/anc.0000000000001096] [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] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Families and staff in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) value continuity of care (COC), though definitions, delivery, and impacts of COC are incompletely described. Previously, we used parental perspectives to define and build a conceptual model of COC provided by neonatologists. Nursing perspectives about COC remain unclear. PURPOSE To describe nursing perspectives on neonatologist COC and revise our conceptual model with neonatal nurse input. METHODS This was a qualitative study interviewing NICU nurses. The investigators analyzed transcripts with directed content analysis guided by an existing framework of neonatologist COC. Codes were categorized according to previously described COC components, impact on infants and families, and improvements for neonatologist COC. New codes were identified, including impact on nurses, and codes were classified into themes. RESULTS From 15 nurses, 5 themes emerged: (1) nurses validated parental definitions and benefits of COC; (2) communication is nurses' most valued component of COC; (3) neonatologist COC impact on nurses; (4) factors that modulate the delivery of and need for COC; (5) conflict between the need for COC and the need for change. Suggested improvement strategies included optimizing staffing and transition processes, utilizing clinical guidelines, and enhancing communication at all levels. Our adapted conceptual model describes variables associated with COC. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE AND RESEARCH Interdisciplinary NICU teams need to develop systematic strategies tailored to their unit's and patients' needs that promote COC, focused to improve parent-clinician communication and among clinicians. Our conceptual model can help future investigators develop targeted interventions to improve COC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerri Z. Machut
- Department of Pediatrics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University (Chicago, IL)
- Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago (Chicago, IL)
| | | | - Karna Murthy
- Department of Pediatrics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University (Chicago, IL)
- Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago (Chicago, IL)
| | - Kelly N. Michelson
- Department of Pediatrics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University (Chicago, IL)
- Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago (Chicago, IL)
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Thornton M, Bonzo S, Khan R, Souza L. Internal Operational Metrics and Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services Hospital Compare Quality Ratings. J Healthc Qual 2022; 44:331-340. [PMID: 36318294 DOI: 10.1097/jhq.0000000000000347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has made several refinements to their model for calculating hospital quality star ratings (Hospital Compare) amidst criticism and evidence of bias against some institutions. We argue that the CMS model does align with important internal quality metrics and encourage a measured approach to redesign, potentially using categorizations or tiers, rather than a complete abandonment of the ratings system. We find that institutional characteristics (available resources, average severity of illness, and academic affiliation) are associated with internal quality metrics related to patient flow. Furthermore, regression results from the original and revised CMS star rating methodologies suggest that patient flow metrics (discharges before noon [p < .01] and weekend discharges [p < .001]) have a positive relationship with the Hospital Compare rating. Hospitals with better patient flow, as measured by higher levels of discharges before noon and weekend discharges, are associated with higher CMS quality ratings. These findings suggest that CMS star ratings do reflect key aspects of operational performance, specifically efforts to improve patient flow, but the ranking system should consider hospital characteristics that influence internal operations as we move toward a system capable of quality and price transparency for consumers.
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Lautamatti E, Mattila K, Suominen S, Sillanmäki L, Sumanen M. A named GP increases self-reported access to health care services. BMC Health Serv Res 2022; 22:1262. [PMID: 36261827 PMCID: PMC9580200 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-022-08660-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Continuity of care strengthens health promotion and decreases mortality, although the mechanisms of these effects are still unclear. In recent decades, continuity of care and accessibility of health care services have both decreased in Finland. Objectives The aim of the study was to investigate whether a named and assigned GP representing continuity of care is associated with the use of primary and hospital health care services and to create knowledge on the state of continuity of care in a changing health care system in Finland. Methods The data are part of the Health and Social Support (HeSSup) mail survey based on a random Finnish working age population sample of 64,797 individuals drawn in 1998 and follow-up surveys in 2003 and 2012. The response rate in 1998 was 40% (n = 25,898). Continuity of care was derived from the 2003 and 2012 data sets, other variables from the 2012 survey (n = 11,924). The principal outcome variables were primary health care and hospital service use reported by participants. The association of the explanatory variables (gender, age, education, reported chronic diseases, health status, smoking, obesity, NYHA class of any functional limitation, depressive mood and continuity of care) with the outcome variables was analysed by binomial logistic regression analysis. Results A named and assigned GP was independently and significantly associated with more frequent use of primary and hospital care in the adjusted logistic regression analysis (ORs 1.53 (95% CI 1.35–1.72) and 1.19 (95% CI 1.08–1.32), p < 0.001). Conclusion A named GPs is associated with an increased use of primary care and hospital services. A named GP assures access to health care services especially to the chronically ill population. The results depict the state of continuity of care in Finland. All benefits of continuity of care are not enabled although it still assures treatment of population in the most vulnerable position.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmi Lautamatti
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland. .,Centre for General Practice, Pirkanmaa Hospital District, Tampere, Finland.
| | - Kari Mattila
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Sakari Suominen
- School of Health Sciences, University of Skövde, Skövde, Sweden.,Department of Public Health and Clinical Research Centre, University of Turku, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Lauri Sillanmäki
- Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Turku, Finland.,Department of Public Health, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Markku Sumanen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
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Optimizing the patient handoff and progress note documentation efficiency in the EPIC EMR system within a neurosurgery residency: A quality improvement initiative. J Clin Neurosci 2022; 105:86-90. [PMID: 36116353 DOI: 10.1016/j.jocn.2022.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Handoffs and documentation are a potentially modifiable source of medical error. However, little attention has been given toenhancementof these within the neurosurgical field. We aim to increase efficiency and accuracy of neurosurgical handoffs, including the neurological exam, thus decreasing medical documentation time within current duty-hour restrictions. METHODS The existing Epic electronic medical record system was modified to include the neurological exam in the handoff: a tool used to generate lists including relevant patient clinical details and plans. The handoff tool was also converted into a subjective, objective, assessment, and plan (SOAP) format, which was leveraged to efficiently generate daily progress notes. A four-question survey was developed to assess the effectiveness of this new format. Mean note times were compared before and after the EPIC update using an independent samples t-test. RESULTS All of the surveyed neurosurgery residents at our institution reported a decrease in documentation time per progress note, felt the notes were more accurate, and found it easier to recall the neurological exams of patients. 8/9 residents felt that the new handoff made in-house call less stressful. There was a significant difference in mean note time, with the mean note time of 37.9 s after the EPIC upgrade compared to 120 s prior the upgrade. We project that over 241 h of documentation will be saved annually at our institution. CONCLUSIONS This QI project demonstrates how a low-effort initiative improved resident recall of patients' neurological exams while saving time spent documenting daily progress notes.
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Chiou LJ, Chen HM, Pan LF, Lee CC. Holiday ratio of hospitalization and 30-day readmission rates among cancer patients after major surgery. Cancer Med 2021; 11:743-752. [PMID: 34904394 PMCID: PMC8817097 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.4482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Revised: 10/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background To determine the association of 30‐day readmission with weekend discharge and the number of holiday days during a hospital stay (holiday ratio). Methods This retrospective cohort study used the clinical research database and cancer registry data of our hospital from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2017. Patient characteristics, tumor factors, clinical laboratory data, and proxies of continuity of care, such as weekend discharge or holiday ratio (holiday days/total hospitalization days), received statistical analysis. Multivariate logistic regression identified the independent factors for 30‐day potentially avoidable readmission rate (PAR). Results Of 1433 patients receiving tumor resection, 520 (36.29%) had colon cancer; 440 (30.70%) had head and neck cancer (HNC), and 473 (33.01%) had other cancers (lung, liver, and prostate). The rate of 30‐day PAR was 6.3% for those with colon cancer, 8.6% for HNC, and 3.6% for other cancers. The 30‐day PAR did not significantly differ by discharge on a weekend versus weekday for those with colon cancer (8.33% vs. 5.90%; p = 0.379), HNC (7.06% vs. 9.01%; p = 0.566), or other cancers (0.00% vs. 4.28%; p = 0.960). Colon cancer patients with holiday ratio >0.3 had a higher readmission rate (9.58% vs. 4.82%, p = 0.041). In multivariate analysis, a holiday ratio >0.3 (adjusted odds ratio 2.16; 95% Confidence Interval, 1.05–4.39) in those with colon cancer was an independent predictor of 30‐day PAR. Conclusions Weekend discharge after major surgery did not affect 30‐day readmission rates in cancer patients, but the holiday ratio did affect 30‐day PAR for those with colon cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling-Jan Chiou
- Department of Health Business Administration, Department of Nursing, and Department of Oral Hygiene, Meiho University, Pingtung, Taiwan
| | - Hsiu-Min Chen
- Department of Medical Education and Research, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Li-Fei Pan
- Department of Medical Affair Administration, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Ching-Chih Lee
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.,Institute of Hospital and Health Care Administration, National Yang Ming Chao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan.,School of Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
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Parental Perspectives on Neonatologist Continuity of Care. Adv Neonatal Care 2021; 21:E162-E170. [PMID: 34138794 DOI: 10.1097/anc.0000000000000895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Continuity of care (COC) is highly regarded; however, data about benefits are mixed. Little is known about components, parental views, or the value COC may provide to neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) infants and families. PURPOSE To describe parents' perspectives on definitions, reasons they value, and suggested improvements regarding COC provided by neonatologists. METHODS We performed a qualitative study of in-person, semistructured interviews with parents of NICU infants hospitalized for 28 days or more. We analyzed interview transcripts using content analysis, identifying codes of parental experiences, expressed value, and improvement ideas related to neonatologist COC, and categorizing emerging themes. RESULTS Fifteen families (15 mothers and 2 fathers) described 4 themes about COC: (1) longitudinal neonatologists: gaining experience with infants and building relationships with parents over time; (2) background knowledge: knowing infants' clinical history and current condition; (3) care plans: establishing patient-centered goals and management plans; and (4) communication: demonstrating consistent communication and messaging. Parents described benefits of COC as decreasing knowledge gaps, advancing clinical progress, and decreasing parental stress. Suggested improvement strategies included optimizing staffing and sign-out/transition processes, utilizing clinical guidelines, and enhancing communication. Using parent input and existing literature, we developed a definition and conceptual framework of COC. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE NICUs should promote practices that enhance COC. Parental suggestions can help direct improvement efforts. IMPLICATIONS FOR RESEARCH Our COC definition and conceptual framework can guide development of research and quality improvement projects. Future studies should investigate nursing perspectives on NICU COC and the impact of COC on infant and family outcomes.
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Rajasingh CM, Graham LA, Richman J, Mell MW, Morris MS, Hawn MT. Challenging weekend discharges associated with excess length of stay in surgical patients at Veterans Affairs hospitals. Surgery 2021; 171:405-410. [PMID: 34736786 DOI: 10.1016/j.surg.2021.09.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Revised: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Challenging discharges can lead to prolonged hospital stays. We hypothesized that surgical patients discharged from Veterans Affairs hospitals on weekdays have longer hospital stays and greater excess length of stay. METHODS We identified inpatient general and vascular procedures at Veterans Affairs hospitals from 2007 to 2014. Expected length of stay was calculated using a stratified negative binomial model adjusted for patient/operative characteristics. Excess length of stay was defined as the difference between observed and expected length of stay. RESULTS We identified 135,875 patients (80.4% weekday discharges, 19.6% weekend discharges). The average length of stay was 7.5 days. Patients with weekday discharges spent on average 2.5 more days in the hospital compared with patients discharged on weekends (8.0 vs. 5.5 days, P < .001); 28.5% of patients with weekday discharges had an observed length of stay at least 1 day longer than expected, compared with 16.4% of patients with weekend discharges (P < .001). CONCLUSION Surgical patients are less frequently discharged from Veterans Affairs hospitals on the weekends than during the week, and this corresponds to an increased excess length of stay for patients ultimately discharged on weekdays. Exploring the opportunity to coordinate safe weekend discharges may improve efficiency of post-surgery hospital care and reduce healthcare costs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Laura A Graham
- Health Economics Resource Center, VA Palo Alto Health Care System, CA; S-SPIRE Center, Department of Surgery, Stanford University, CA
| | - Joshua Richman
- Birmingham VA Medical Center, Birmingham, AL; Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, AL
| | - Matthew W Mell
- Department of Surgery, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA
| | - Melanie S Morris
- Birmingham VA Medical Center, Birmingham, AL; Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, AL
| | - Mary T Hawn
- Department of Surgery, Stanford University, CA
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12
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Implications of continuity of care on infant caloric intake in the neonatal intensive care unit. J Perinatol 2020; 40:1405-1411. [PMID: 32157220 DOI: 10.1038/s41372-020-0636-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2019] [Revised: 02/19/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To estimate the association of continuity of neonatologist care with caloric intake and growth velocity (GV) in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants. STUDY DESIGN We created a daily continuity index (DCI) defined as the number of days the neonatologist worked in the previous week. We estimated the independent associations between this index and infants' daily caloric intake (kcal/kg/day) and GV (g/kg/day) through the first 6 weeks of life using regression analyses. RESULTS Twenty-eight neonatologists cared for 115 infants over 4643 patient-days. The DCI was independently associated with increased caloric intake (β = 1.27 kcal/kg/day per each day of continuity, p < 10-4); this effect was magnified (β = 3.33, p < 10-4) in the first 2 weeks. No association was observed between the index and GV. CONCLUSIONS Neonatologist continuity may contribute to caloric intake in VLBW infants. Quality metrics focused on this area of health care delivery warrant further discovery.
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Chiu CY, Oria D, Yangga P, Kang D. Quality assessment of weekend discharge: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Qual Health Care 2020; 32:347-355. [PMID: 32453404 DOI: 10.1093/intqhc/mzaa060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2020] [Revised: 04/13/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Hospital bed utility and length of stay affect the healthcare budget and quality of patient care. Prior studies already show admission and operation on weekends have higher mortality rates compared with weekdays, which has been identified as the 'weekend effect.' However, discharges on weekends are also linked with quality of care, and have been evaluated in the recent decade with different dimensions. This meta-analysis aims to discuss weekend discharges associated with 30-day readmission, 30-day mortality, 30-day emergency department visits and 14-day follow-up visits compared with weekday discharges. DATA SOURCES PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched from January 2000 to November 2019. STUDY SELECTION Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses guidelines were followed. Only studies published in English were reviewed. The random-effects model was applied to assess the effects of heterogeneity among the selected studies. DATA EXTRACTION Year of publication, country, sample size, number of weekday/weekend discharges, 30-day readmission, 30-day mortality, 30-day ED visits and 14-day appointment follow-up rate. RESULTS OF DATA SYNTHESIS There are 20 studies from seven countries, including 13 articles from America, in the present meta-analysis. There was no significant difference in odds ratio (OR) in 30-day readmission, 30-day mortality, 30-day ED visit, and 14-day follow-up between weekday and weekend. However, the OR for 30-day readmission was significantly higher among patients in the USA, including studies with high heterogeneity. CONCLUSION In the USA, the 30-day readmission rate was higher in patients who had been discharged on the weekend compared with the weekday. However, interpretation should be cautious because of data limitation and high heterogeneity. Further intervention should be conducted to eliminate any healthcare inequality within the healthcare system and to improve the quality of patient care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chia-Yu Chiu
- Department of Internal Medicine, Lincoln Medical Center, Room 8-20, 234 E 149th St, New York, NY 10451, USA
| | - David Oria
- Department of Internal Medicine, Lincoln Medical Center, Room 8-20, 234 E 149th St, New York, NY 10451, USA
| | - Peter Yangga
- Department of Internal Medicine, Lincoln Medical Center, Room 8-20, 234 E 149th St, New York, NY 10451, USA
| | - Dasol Kang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Lincoln Medical Center, Room 8-20, 234 E 149th St, New York, NY 10451, USA
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14
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Jones A, Bronskill SE, Seow H, Junek M, Feeny D, Costa AP. Associations between continuity of primary and specialty physician care and use of hospital-based care among community-dwelling older adults with complex care needs. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0234205. [PMID: 32559214 PMCID: PMC7304563 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0234205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective While research suggests that higher continuity of primary and specialty physician care can improve patient outcomes, their effects have rarely been examined and compared concurrently. We investigated associations between continuity of primary and specialty physician care and emergency department visits and hospital admissions among community-dwelling older adults with complex care needs. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study of home care patients in Ontario, Canada, from October 2014 to September 2016. We measured continuity of primary and specialty physician care over the two years prior to a home care assessment and categorized them into low, medium, and high groups using terciles of the distribution. We used Cox regression models to concurrently test the associations between continuity of primary and specialty care and risk of an emergency department visit and hospital admission within six months of assessment, controlling for potential confounders. We examined interactions between continuity of care and count of chronic conditions, count of physician specialties seen, functional impairment, and cognitive impairment. Results Of 178,686 participants, 49% had an emergency department visit during follow-up and 27% had a hospital admission. High vs. low continuity of primary care was associated with a reduced risk of an emergency department visit (HR = 0.90 (0.89–0.92)) as was continuity of specialty care (HR = 0.93 (0.91–0.95)). High vs. low continuity of primary care was associated also with a reduced risk of a hospital admission (HR = 0.94 (0.92–0.96)) as was continuity of specialty care (HR = 0.92 (0.90–0.94)). The effect of continuity of specialty care was moderately stronger among patients who saw four or more physician specialties. Conclusion Higher continuity of primary physician and specialty physician care had independent, protective effects of similar magnitude against emergency department use and hospital admissions. Improving continuity of specialty care should be a priority alongside improving continuity of primary care in complex, older adult populations with significant specialist use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron Jones
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- * E-mail:
| | - Susan E. Bronskill
- ICES, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Health Policy, Management & Evaluation, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Hsien Seow
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Oncology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mats Junek
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - David Feeny
- Department of Economics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Andrew P. Costa
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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15
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Matoba M, Suzuki T, Ochiai H, Shirasawa T, Yoshimoto T, Minoura A, Sano H, Ishii M, Kokaze A, Otake H, Kasama T, Kamijo Y. Seven-day services in surgery and the "weekend effect" at a Japanese teaching hospital: a retrospective cohort study. Patient Saf Surg 2020; 14:24. [PMID: 32518591 PMCID: PMC7271452 DOI: 10.1186/s13037-020-00250-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2019] [Accepted: 05/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hospitals deliver 24-h, 7-day care on a 5-day workweek model, as fewer resources are available on weekends. In prior studies, poorer outcomes have been observed with weekend admission or surgery. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of 7-day service at a hospital, including outpatient consultations, diagnostic examinations and elective surgeries, on the likelihood of the "weekend effect" in surgery. METHODS This was a retrospective cohort study of patients who underwent surgery between April 2014 and October 2016 at an academic medical centre in Tokyo, Japan. The main outcome measure was 30-day in-hospital mortality from the index surgery. The characteristics of the participants were compared using the Mann-Whitney U test or the chi-squared test as appropriate. Logistic regression was used to test for differences in the mortality rate between the two groups, and propensity score adjustments were made. RESULTS A total of 7442 surgeries were identified, of which, 1386 (19%) took place on the weekend. Of the 947 emergency surgeries, 25% (235) were performed on the weekend. The mortality following emergency weekday surgery was 21‰ (15/712), compared with 55‰ (13/235) following weekend surgery. Of the 6495 elective surgeries, 18% (1151) were performed on the weekend. The mortality following elective weekday surgery was 2.3‰ (12/5344), compared with 0.87‰ (1/1151) following weekend surgery. After adjustment, weekend surgeries were associated with an increased risk of death, especially in the emergency setting (emergency odds ratio: 2.7, 95% confidence interval: 1.2-6.5 vs. elective odds ratio: 0.4, 95% confidence interval: 0.05-3.2). CONCLUSIONS Patients undergoing emergency surgery on the weekend had higher 30-day mortality, but showed no difference in elective surgery mortality. These findings have potential implications for health administrators and policy makers who may try to restructure the hospital workweek or consider weekend elective surgery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masaaki Matoba
- Department of Health Management, Showa University Graduate School of Health Sciences, 1-5-8 Hatanodai, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, 142-8555 Japan
- Department of Hygiene, Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Showa University School of Medicine, 1-5-8 Hatanodai, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, 142-8555 Japan
| | - Takashi Suzuki
- Department of Anesthesiology, Showa University Koto Toyosu Hospital, 5-1-38 Toyosu, Koto-ku, Tokyo, 135-8577 Japan
| | - Hirotaka Ochiai
- Department of Hygiene, Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Showa University School of Medicine, 1-5-8 Hatanodai, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, 142-8555 Japan
| | - Takako Shirasawa
- Department of Hygiene, Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Showa University School of Medicine, 1-5-8 Hatanodai, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, 142-8555 Japan
| | - Takahiko Yoshimoto
- Department of Hygiene, Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Showa University School of Medicine, 1-5-8 Hatanodai, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, 142-8555 Japan
| | - Akira Minoura
- Department of Hygiene, Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Showa University School of Medicine, 1-5-8 Hatanodai, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, 142-8555 Japan
| | - Hitomi Sano
- Department of Anesthesiology, Showa University Koto Toyosu Hospital, 5-1-38 Toyosu, Koto-ku, Tokyo, 135-8577 Japan
| | - Mizue Ishii
- Department of Anesthesiology, Showa University Koto Toyosu Hospital, 5-1-38 Toyosu, Koto-ku, Tokyo, 135-8577 Japan
| | - Akatsuki Kokaze
- Department of Hygiene, Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Showa University School of Medicine, 1-5-8 Hatanodai, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, 142-8555 Japan
| | - Hiroshi Otake
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Showa University School of Medicine, 1-5-8 Hatanodai, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, 142-8555 Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Kasama
- Department of Rheumatology, Showa University School of Medicine, 1-5-8 Hatanodai, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, 142-8555 Japan
| | - Yumi Kamijo
- Department of Health Management, Showa University Graduate School of Health Sciences, 1-5-8 Hatanodai, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, 142-8555 Japan
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16
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Teno JM, Mitchell S, Bunker J, Meltzer D, Gozalo P. Continuity of Hospital Care and Feeding Tube Use in Cognitively Impaired Hospitalized Persons. J Am Geriatr Soc 2020; 68:1852-1856. [PMID: 32402137 DOI: 10.1111/jgs.16523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2019] [Revised: 04/09/2020] [Accepted: 04/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Hospitalists are increasingly the attending physician for hospitalized patients, and the scheduling of their shifts can affect patient continuity. For dementia patients, the impact is unknown. DESIGN Longitudinal study using physician billing claims between 2000 and 2014 to examine the association of continuity of care with the insertion of a feeding tube (FT). SETTING US hospitals. PARTICIPANTS Between 2000 and 2014, 166,056 hospitalizations of patients with a prior nursing home stay, advanced cognitive impairment, and impairments in four or more activities of daily living (mean age = 84.2 years; 30.4% male; 81.0% white). MEASUREMENTS Continuity of care measured at the hospital level with the Sequential Continuity Index (SECON; range = 0 to 100; higher score indicates higher continuity). RESULTS Rates of a hospitalist acting as the attending physician increased from 9.6% in 2000 to 22.6% in 2010, whereas a primary care physician with a predominant outpatient focus acting as the attending physician decreased from 50.3% in 2000 to 12.6% in 2014. Post-2010, a mixture of physician specialties increased from 55.5% to 66.4% with a reduction in hospitalists from 22.6% (2010) to 14.1% (2013). Continuity of care decreased over time with SECON dropping from 63.0 to 43.5. Adjusting for patient baseline risk factors, a nonlinear association was observed between SECON and FT insertion. Using cubic splines in the multivariate logistics regression model, the risk of FT insertion in hospitals where the SECON score dropped from 82 to 23 had an adjusted risk ratio (ARR) of FT insertion of 1.48 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.34-1.63); hospitals in which SECON dropped from 51 to 23 had an ARR of FT insertion of 1.38 (95% CI = 1.27-1.50). CONCLUSION Hospitalized dementia patients in hospitals in which continuity of care was lower had higher rates of FT insertions. Newer models of care are needed to enhance care continuity and thus ensure treatment consistent with likely outcomes of care and goals of care. J Am Geriatr Soc 68:1852-1856, 2020.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joan M Teno
- Divison of General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, OHSU, Portland, Oregon
| | - Susan Mitchell
- Institute for Aging Research in Boston, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jennifer Bunker
- Divison of General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, OHSU, Portland, Oregon
| | - David Meltzer
- Chief of the Section of Hospital Medicine, and Director of the Center for Health and the Social Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Pedro Gozalo
- Center for Gerontology and Health Care Research, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, Rhode Island
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17
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Han SJ, Jung HW, Oh DY, Lee JH, Moon SD, Lee S, Yoon JH. Comparisons of Clinical Outcomes between Weekday-Only and Full-Time, 24-Hour/7-Day Coverage Hospitalist Systems. J Korean Med Sci 2020; 35:e117. [PMID: 32383363 PMCID: PMC7211511 DOI: 10.3346/jkms.2020.35.e117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2019] [Accepted: 02/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Since the launch of pilot programs in 2016, varying ranges of hospitalist coverage exist in Korea. We evaluated the effects of differing depths of hospitalist coverage on clinical outcomes. METHODS This study retrospectively reviewed the records of 513 patients admitted to a medical hospitalist unit through emergency department at Seoul National University Hospital. The full-time group included patients admitted in 2018 who received 24/7 hospitalist service, whereas the weekday group included patients admitted in 2019 with only weekday hospitalist service. In-hospital clinical outcomes were compared between the two groups. RESULTS Unplanned intensive care unit admission rate was lower in the full-time group than in the weekday group (0.4% vs. 2.9%; P = 0.042). Discharges to local hospitals for subacute or chronic care were more frequent in the full-time group than in the weekday group (12.6% vs. 5.8%; P = 0.007). The weekday coverage was a predictive factor of in-ward mortality (odds ratio, 2.00; 95% confidence interval, 1.01-3.99) after adjusting for potential confounding factors. CONCLUSION Uninterrupted weekend coverage hospitalist service is helpful for care-plan decision and timely care transitions for acutely and severely ill patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung Jun Han
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea
| | - Hee Won Jung
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
| | - Do Youn Oh
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea
- Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jae Hyun Lee
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea
| | - Sung Do Moon
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea
| | - Sunhye Lee
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jung Hwan Yoon
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Internal Medicine and Liver Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
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18
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Gershengorn HB, Pilcher DV, Litton E, Anstey M, Garland A, Wunsch H. Association Between Consecutive Days Worked by Intensivists and Outcomes for Critically Ill Patients. Crit Care Med 2020; 48:594-598. [PMID: 32205608 DOI: 10.1097/ccm.0000000000004202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the association between consecutive days worked by intensivists and ICU patient outcomes. DESIGN Retrospective cohort study linked with survey data. SETTING Australia and New Zealand ICUs. PATIENTS Adults (16+ yr old) admitted to ICU in the Australia New Zealand Intensive Care Society Centre for Outcome and Resource Evaluation Registries (July 1, 2016, to June 30, 2018). INTERVENTIONS None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS We linked data on staffing schedules for each unit from the Critical Care Resources Registry 2016-2017 annual survey with patient-level data from the Adult Patient Database. The a priori chosen primary outcome was ICU length of stay. Secondary outcomes included hospital length of stay, ICU readmissions, and mortality (ICU and hospital). We used multilevel multivariable regression modeling to assess the association between days of consecutive intensivist service and patient outcomes; the predicted probability of death was included as a covariate and individual ICU as a random effect. The cohort included 225,034 patients in 109 ICUs. Intensivists were scheduled for seven or more consecutive days in 43 (39.4%) ICUs; 27 (24.7%) scheduled intensivists for 5 days, 22 (20.1%) for 4 days, seven (6.4%) for 3 days, four (3.7%) for 2 days, and six (5.5%) for less than or equal to 1 day. Compared with care by intensivists working 7+ consecutive days (adjusted ICU length of stay = 2.85 d), care by an intensivist working 3 or fewer consecutive days was associated with shorter ICU length of stay (3 consecutive days: 0.46 d fewer, p = 0.010; 2 consecutive days: 0.77 d fewer, p < 0.001; ≤ 1 consecutive days: 0.68 d fewer, p < 0.001). Shorter schedules of consecutive intensivist days worked were also associated with trends toward shorter hospital length of stay without increases in ICU readmissions or hospital mortality. CONCLUSIONS Care by intensivists working fewer consecutive days is associated with reduced ICU length of stay without negatively impacting mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hayley B Gershengorn
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL
- Division of Critical Care Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY
| | - David V Pilcher
- Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Research Centre, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Centre for Outcome and Resource Evaluation, Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Intensive Care, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Edward Litton
- Intensive Care Unit, St John of God Hospital, Subiaco, WA, Australia
- School of Medicine, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Matthew Anstey
- Intensive Care Department, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands, WA, Australia
- School of Public Health, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, Australia
| | - Allan Garland
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Hannah Wunsch
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Sunnybrook Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Anesthesiology and Interdepartmental Division of Critical Care Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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19
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Association of Neonatologist Continuity of Care and Short-Term Patient Outcomes. J Pediatr 2019; 212:131-136.e1. [PMID: 31201026 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2019.05.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2018] [Revised: 04/10/2019] [Accepted: 05/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To describe neonatologist continuity of care and estimate the association between these transitions and selected patient outcomes. STUDY DESIGN We linked Children's Hospitals Neonatal Database records with masked neonatologist daily schedules at 4 centers, which use 2- and 3-week and 1-month "on service" blocks to provide care. After describing the neonatologist transitions, we estimated associations between these transitions and selected short-term patient outcomes using multivariable Poisson, logistic, and linear regression analyses, independent of length of stay (LOS) and case-mix. We also completed analyses after stratifying the cohort by LOS, birthweight, age at admission categories, and selected diagnoses. RESULTS Stratified by LOS, patient transitions varied between centers in both unadjusted (P < .001) and multivariable analyses (adjusted incidence rate ratio; 95% CI for center B = 3.98 (3.81-4.15), center C = 4.92 (4.71-5.13), center D = 4.2 (4.0-4.4), P < .001), independent of LOS, gestational age, birthweight, surgical intervention, ventilator duration, and mortality. Only central venous line duration (adjusted incidence rate ratio 1.015, 95% CI 1.01-1.02) was minimally and independently associated with the number of transitions. No differences were observed in ventilator duration, oxygen use at neonatal intensive care unit discharge, bloodstream infections, or urinary tract infections. Surviving infants with meconium aspiration, hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, cerebral infarction, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and diaphragmatic hernia demonstrated similar findings. CONCLUSIONS Transitions in neonatologists are frequent in regional neonatal intensive care units but appear unrelated to short-term patient outcomes. Future work to define continuity of care and develop effective strategies that promote longitudinal inpatient management is needed.
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van Walraven C. The Influence of Inpatient Physician Continuity on Hospital Discharge. J Gen Intern Med 2019; 34:1709-1714. [PMID: 31197735 PMCID: PMC6712124 DOI: 10.1007/s11606-019-05031-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2018] [Revised: 05/30/2018] [Accepted: 04/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Inpatient attending physicians may change during a patient's hospital stay. This study measured the association of attending physician continuity and discharge probability. METHODS All patients admitted to general medicine service at a tertiary care teaching hospital in 2015 were included. Attending inpatient physician continuity was measured as the consecutive number of days each patient was treated by the same staff-person. Generalized estimating equation methods were used to model the adjusted association of attending inpatient physician continuity with daily discharge probability. RESULTS 6301 admissions involving 41 internists, 5134 patients, and 38,242 patient-days were studied. The final model had moderate discrimination (c-statistic = 0.70) but excellent calibration (Hosmer-Lemeshow statistic 11.5, 18 df, p value 0.89). Daily discharge probability decreased significantly with greater severity of illness, higher patient death risk, and longer length of stay, on admission day, for elective admissions, and on the weekend. Discharge likelihood increased significantly with attending inpatient physician continuity; daily discharge probability increased for the average patient from 15.3 to 20.9% when the consecutive number of days the patient was treated by the same attending inpatient physician increased from 1 to 7 days. CONCLUSIONS Inpatient attending physician continuity is significantly associated with the likelihood of patient discharge. This finding could be considered if resource utilization is a factor when scheduling attending inpatient physician coverage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carl van Walraven
- Medicine and Epidemiology & Community Medicine, University of Ottawa, ICES uOttawa, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
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21
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Feng CX. Zero-augmented accelerated spatial failure model for modeling hospital length of stay data. Spat Spatiotemporal Epidemiol 2019; 29:121-137. [PMID: 31128621 DOI: 10.1016/j.sste.2018.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2017] [Revised: 05/02/2018] [Accepted: 05/18/2018] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
Abstract
Hospital length of stay (LOS) is often used as an indicator for hospital efficiency and resource utilization. LOS is nonnegative with presence of zeros and typically positively skewed with a long right tail, which may not be adequately modelled by traditional distributions, such as lognormal. We developed a zero-augmented accelerated frailty model for modeling the extreme skewness with the presence of zeros. Levels of utilization of health services may vary geographically, so conditional autoregressive priors were used to provide spatial smoothing across neighboring hospital health districts. The random effect terms are further linked to investigate if the capacity for longer LOS are consistently higher or lower at the health district level. Modeling and inference used the Bayesian approach via Markov Chain Monte Carlo simulation techniques. We demonstrated the proposed model for modeling the LOS of patients admitted due to chronic lower respiratory disease in Saskatchewan, Canada.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cindy Xin Feng
- School of Public Health, University of Saskatchewan, 104 Clinic Place, Saskatoon, SK S7N2Z4, Canada.
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22
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Zhang H, Best TJ, Chivu A, Meltzer DO. Simulation-based optimization to improve hospital patient assignment to physicians and clinical units. Health Care Manag Sci 2019; 23:117-141. [PMID: 31004223 DOI: 10.1007/s10729-019-09483-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2018] [Accepted: 04/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
A fundamental activity in hospital operations is patient assignment, which we define as the process of assigning hospital patients to specific physician services and clinical units based on their diagnosis. When the preferred assignment is not possible, typically due to capacity limits, hospitals often allow for overflow, which is the assignment of patients to other services and/or units. Overflow accelerates assignment, but can also reduce care quality and increase length of stay. This paper develops a discrete-event simulation model to evaluate different assignment strategies. Using a simulation-based optimization approach, we evaluate and heuristically optimize these strategies accounting for expected hospital and physician profit, care quality and patient waiting time. We apply the model using data from the University of Chicago Medical Center. We find that the strategies that use heuristically optimized designation of overflow services and units increase expected profit relative to the capacity-based strategy in which overflow patients are assigned to a service and unit with the most available capacity. We also find further improvement in the strategy that uses heuristically optimized overflow services and units as well as a holding unit that holds patients until a bed in their primary or secondary unit becomes available. Additionally, we demonstrate the effects of these strategies on other performance measures such as patient concentration, waiting time, and outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Zhang
- The Center for Health and the Social Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
| | - Thomas J Best
- The Center for Health and the Social Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.,Department of Health Informatics and Administration, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, 53211-2906, USA
| | - Anton Chivu
- Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - David O Meltzer
- The Center for Health and the Social Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.,Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
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Sutton E, Bion J, Aldridge C, Boyal A, Willars J, Tarrant C. Quality and safety of in-hospital care for acute medical patients at weekends: a qualitative study. BMC Health Serv Res 2018; 18:1015. [PMID: 30594209 PMCID: PMC6310936 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-018-3833-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2018] [Accepted: 12/18/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The increased mortality risk associated with weekend admission to hospital (the 'weekend effect') has been reported across many health systems. More recently research has focused on causal mechanisms. Variations in the organisation and delivery of in-hospital care between weekends and weekdays have been identified, but this is not always to the detriment of weekend admissions, and the impact on mortality is uncertain. The insights of frontline staff and patients have been neglected. This article reports a qualitative study of patients and clinicians, to explore their views on quality and safety of care at weekends. METHODS We conducted focus groups and interviews with clinicians and patients with experience of acute medical care, recruited from three UK hospital Trusts. We analysed the data using a thematic analysis approach, aided by the use of NVivo, to explore quality and safety of care at weekends. RESULTS We held four focus groups and completed six in-depth interviews, with 19 clinicians and 12 patients. Four threats to quality and safety were identified as being more prominent at weekends, relating to i) the rescue and stabilisation of sick patients; ii) monitoring and responding to deterioration; iii) timely accurate management of the therapeutic pathway; iv) errors of omission and commission. CONCLUSIONS At weekends patients and staff are well aware of suboptimal staffing numbers, skill mix and access to resources at weekends, and identify that emergency admissions are prioritised over those already hospitalised. The consequences in terms of quality and safety and patient experience of care are undesirable. Our findings suggest the value of focusing on care processes and systems resilience over the weekends, and how these can be better supported, even in the limited resource environment that exists in many hospitals at weekends.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Sutton
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Julian Bion
- University Hospitals Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | | | | | - Janet Willars
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Carolyn Tarrant
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
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24
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Selvam PV, Furqan MM, York S, Vaidya D, Hoang E, Trost JC, Williams MS, Chandra-Strobos N, Zakaria S. The correlation between intensive care unit attending physician continuity of care with financial and clinical outcomes. J Eval Clin Pract 2018; 24:713-717. [PMID: 29797761 DOI: 10.1111/jep.12949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2017] [Revised: 04/17/2018] [Accepted: 04/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE "Attending rotations" on intensive care unit (ICU) services have been in place in most teaching hospitals for decades. However, the ideal frequency of patient care handoffs is unknown. Frequent attending physician handoffs could result in delays in care and other complications, while too few handoffs can lead to provider burnout and exhaustion. Therefore, we sought to determine the correlation between frequency of attending shifts with ICU charges, 30-day readmission rates, and mortality rates. METHODS We performed a retrospective cohort study at a large, urban, academic community hospital in Baltimore, MD. We included patients admitted into the cardiac or medical ICUs between September 1, 2012, and December 10, 2015. We tracked the number of attending shifts for each patient and correlated shifts with financial outcomes as a primary measure. RESULTS For any given ICU length of stay, we found no distinct association between handoff frequency and charges, 30-day readmission rates, or mortality rates. CONCLUSIONS Despite frequent handoffs in care, there was no objective evidence of care compromise or differences in cost. Further validation of these observations in a larger cohort is justified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pooja V Selvam
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Sarah York
- Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Etter Hoang
- Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jeffrey C Trost
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | | | - Sammy Zakaria
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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25
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Pereira Gray DJ, Sidaway-Lee K, White E, Thorne A, Evans PH. Continuity of care with doctors-a matter of life and death? A systematic review of continuity of care and mortality. BMJ Open 2018; 8:e021161. [PMID: 29959146 PMCID: PMC6042583 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-021161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 346] [Impact Index Per Article: 57.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2017] [Revised: 03/15/2018] [Accepted: 04/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Continuity of care is a long-standing feature of healthcare, especially of general practice. It is associated with increased patient satisfaction, increased take-up of health promotion, greater adherence to medical advice and decreased use of hospital services. This review aims to examine whether there is a relationship between the receipt of continuity of doctor care and mortality. DESIGN Systematic review without meta-analysis. DATA SOURCES MEDLINE, Embase and the Web of Science, from 1996 to 2017. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR SELECTING STUDIES Peer-reviewed primary research articles, published in English which reported measured continuity of care received by patients from any kind of doctor, in any setting, in any country, related to measured mortality of those patients. RESULTS Of the 726 articles identified in searches, 22 fulfilled the eligibility criteria. The studies were all cohort or cross-sectional and most adjusted for multiple potential confounding factors. These studies came from nine countries with very different cultures and health systems. We found such heterogeneity of continuity and mortality measurement methods and time frames that it was not possible to combine the results of studies. However, 18 (81.8%) high-quality studies reported statistically significant reductions in mortality, with increased continuity of care. 16 of these were with all-cause mortality. Three others showed no association and one demonstrated mixed results. These significant protective effects occurred with both generalist and specialist doctors. CONCLUSIONS This first systematic review reveals that increased continuity of care by doctors is associated with lower mortality rates. Although all the evidence is observational, patients across cultural boundaries appear to benefit from continuity of care with both generalist and specialist doctors. Many of these articles called for continuity to be given a higher priority in healthcare planning. Despite substantial, successive, technical advances in medicine, interpersonal factors remain important. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER CRD42016042091.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Eleanor White
- St Leonard's Practice, Exeter, UK
- Medical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Angus Thorne
- St Leonard's Practice, Exeter, UK
- Medical School, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Philip H Evans
- St Leonard's Practice, Exeter, UK
- Medical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
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26
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Assessing the implementation of a bedside service handoff on an academic hospitalist service. Healthcare (Basel) 2018; 6:117-121. [DOI: 10.1016/j.hjdsi.2017.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2016] [Revised: 05/09/2017] [Accepted: 06/17/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
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27
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Liu W, Yuan S, Wei F, Yang J, Zhu C, Yu Y, Ma J. Inappropriate hospital days of a tertiary hospital in Shanghai, China. Int J Qual Health Care 2018; 29:699-704. [PMID: 28992148 DOI: 10.1093/intqhc/mzx091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2016] [Accepted: 07/04/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective This study aims to evaluate the prevalence of inappropriate hospital stays in a tertiary hospital in Shanghai, identify the causes for the inappropriateness and analyze the predictors. Design A retrospective review of medical records. Setting The cardiology and the orthopedics departments of a tertiary hospital in Shanghai, China. Participants About 806 patients discharged from the cardiology or the orthopedics department of a tertiary hospital from March 2013 to February 2014. Interventions Two reviewers audited 8396 hospital days of the cardiology department (n = 3606) and the orthopedics department (n = 4790) by adopting the Chinese Version of the Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol. Univariate and multivariate analysis were adopted to identify the predictors of higher levels of inappropriateness produced by internal causes. Main outcome measure The prevalence of inappropriate hospital days. Results It was found that 910 (25.2%) and 1940 (40.5%) hospital days were judged to be inappropriate in the cardiology and the orthopedics departments, respectively; and 753 (20.9%) and 1585 (33.1%) of these inappropriate hospital days were due to internal reasons, respectively. Awaiting tests, surgery or discharge were determined to constitute the main causes of inappropriateness for both departments. The predictors of higher levels of inappropriateness in the cardiology department were younger age, self-pay, outpatient admission and inappropriate admission. Self-pay, surgical and/or first-time admission patients exhibited the highest levels of inappropriateness in the orthopedics department. Conclusions The rates of inappropriateness in the involved departments were relatively high. Further interventions should be designed and implemented, accordingly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenwei Liu
- School of Philosophy, Law and Political Science, Shanghai Normal University, No. 100 Guilin Road, Shanghai 200234, China
| | - Suwei Yuan
- School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No. 227 South Chong Qing Road, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Fengqing Wei
- School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No. 227 South Chong Qing Road, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Jing Yang
- Department of Medical Administration, Shanghai Rui Jin Hospital, No. 197 Rui Jin Er Road, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Changbin Zhu
- Department of Pathology, Erasmus Medical Center, Postbus 2040, Rotterdam 3000 CA, Netherlands
| | - Y Yu
- Department of Total Quality Management, Shanghai First People's Hospital, No. 100 Haining Road, Shanghai 200080, China
| | - Jin Ma
- School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No. 227 South Chong Qing Road, Shanghai 200025, China
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28
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Improta G, Balato G, Romano M, Ponsiglione AM, Raiola E, Russo MA, Cuccaro P, Santillo LC, Cesarelli M. Improving performances of the knee replacement surgery process by applying DMAIC principles. J Eval Clin Pract 2017; 23:1401-1407. [PMID: 28948662 PMCID: PMC6585639 DOI: 10.1111/jep.12810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2017] [Accepted: 07/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE, AIMS, AND OBJECTIVES The work is a part of a project about the application of the Lean Six Sigma to improve health care processes. A previously published work regarding the hip replacement surgery has shown promising results. Here, we propose an application of the DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve, and Control) cycle to improve quality and reduce costs related to the prosthetic knee replacement surgery by decreasing patients' length of hospital stay (LOS) METHODS: The DMAIC cycle has been adopted to decrease the patients' LOS. The University Hospital "Federico II" of Naples, one of the most important university hospitals in Southern Italy, participated in this study. Data on 148 patients who underwent prosthetic knee replacement between 2010 and 2013 were used. Process mapping, statistical measures, brainstorming activities, and comparative analysis were performed to identify factors influencing LOS and improvement strategies. RESULTS The study allowed the identification of variables influencing the prolongation of the LOS and the implementation of corrective actions to improve the process of care. The adopted actions reduced the LOS by 42%, from a mean value of 14.2 to 8.3 days (standard deviation also decreased from 5.2 to 2.3 days). CONCLUSIONS The DMAIC approach has proven to be a helpful strategy ensuring a significant decreasing of the LOS. Furthermore, through its implementation, a significant reduction of the average costs of hospital stay can be achieved. Such a versatile approach could be applied to improve a wide range of health care processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Improta
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Materials and Industrial Production, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Giovanni Balato
- Department of Public Health, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Maria Romano
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University "Magna Graecia" of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy.,S. Maugeri' Foundation, Scientific Institute of Telese Terme (BN), IRCCS Telese, Terme, Italy
| | | | - Eliana Raiola
- Department of Public Health, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | | | | | - Liberatina Carmela Santillo
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Materials and Industrial Production, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Mario Cesarelli
- S. Maugeri' Foundation, Scientific Institute of Telese Terme (BN), IRCCS Telese, Terme, Italy.,Department of Electrical and Information Technology Engineering, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
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29
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Welch CD, Check J, O'Shea TM. Improving care collaboration for NICU patients to decrease length of stay and readmission rate. BMJ Open Qual 2017; 6:e000130. [PMID: 29450288 PMCID: PMC5699126 DOI: 10.1136/bmjoq-2017-000130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2017] [Accepted: 08/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Medically complex patients in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) typically require long hospitalisations and care from multiple subspecialists. Scheduled multidisciplinary discussions could improve collaboration and continuity of care and thereby improve patient outcomes. The specific aims of the project were to decrease the average length of hospitalisation by at least 1 day and improve parent satisfaction ratings on a standard questionnaire by the end of our project’s first year, and to maintain a stable (or decreased) cause-related (30-day) readmission rate. Methods We designed a quality improvement project to enhance collaboration and continuity of care for medically complex infants cared for in the NICU of Brenner Children’s Hospital. Weekly multidisciplinary team meetings were held to discuss the long-term plan for patients who met specific criteria. Attendees included attending neonatologists, paediatric surgeons, a physical therapist, an occupational therapist, a speech therapist, a social worker, a nurse coordinator for palliative care, a family support coordinator, the NICU Nurse Manager, a hospital chaplain, mid-level providers, bedside nurses, a nurse quality improvement leader and the leaders and database manager for the quality improvement project. When needed for specific patients, a bioethicist was included. Results One year after implementing the project, the average duration of hospitalisation had decreased by 6.5 days. Cause-related readmission rates decreased from 3.33% to 0.95%. Parent satisfaction scores did not change significantly. Conclusions Weekly multidisciplinary meetings to coordinate and provide continuity of care for medically complex neonates in our NICU was associated with improved patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cherrie D Welch
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Wake Forest Baptist Health, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA
| | - Jennifer Check
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Wake Forest Baptist Health, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA
| | - T Michael O'Shea
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, UNC Hospitals, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
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30
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Chen HM, Chen CM. A Chinese version of the Patient Continuity of Care Questionnaire: reliability and validity assessment. J Clin Nurs 2017; 26:1338-1350. [PMID: 27906485 DOI: 10.1111/jocn.13679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES To examine the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of Patient Continuity of Care Questionnaire (PCCQ) to see whether the Patient Continuity of Care Questionnaire can be applied in Chinese context. BACKGROUND The rapid increase in the number of older adults with chronic diseases has made caring for this vulnerable population a priority healthcare issue in Taiwan. The PCCQ has been widely used in international studies. However, research has not yet assessed the suitability and applicability of the PCCQ in Taiwan. DESIGN A cross-sectional survey design was applied for the psychometric testing of the scale. METHODS A total of 314 older Taiwanese adults with chronic diseases receiving discharge planning intervention were pooled from a hospital in Central Taiwan. After receiving permission from the author of the PCCQ, a Chinese translation and back translation were made. RESULTS The scale was first rated by eleven experts with a Content Validity Index of 0·93. Two factors were extracted with the exploratory factor analysis, namely 'information transfer to patients' and 'relationships with providers during hospitalisation', with a total of 70·34% of the variance explained. CONCLUSIONS The PCCQ - Chinese can be used to assist professionals to fully understand the continuity of care of the discharged patients under consideration. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE A PCCQ - Chinese version can be used as a guide for discharging preparation that enables patients to receive high-quality continuity of care and further to self-manage their conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsiao-Mei Chen
- Institute of Allied Health Sciences, College of Medicine, Tainan City, Taiwan.,Department of Nursing, Cheng Ching Hospital, Taichung City, Taiwan
| | - Ching-Min Chen
- Department of Nursing/Institute of Gerontology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City, Taiwan
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Davis MC, Kuhn EN, Agee BS, Oster RA, Markert JM. Implications of transitioning to a resident night float system in neurosurgery: mortality, length of stay, and resident experience. J Neurosurg 2016; 126:1269-1277. [PMID: 27392266 DOI: 10.3171/2016.5.jns152585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Many neurosurgical training programs have moved from a 24-hour resident call system to a night float system, but the impact on outcomes is unclear. Here, the authors compare length of stay (LOS) for neurosurgical patients admitted before and after initiation of a night float system at a tertiary care training hospital. METHODS The neurosurgical residency at the University of Alabama at Birmingham transitioned from 24-hour call to a night float resident coverage system in July 2013. In this cohort study, all patients admitted to the neurosurgical service for 1 year before and 1 year after this transition were compared with respect to hospital and ICU LOSs, adjusted for potential confounders. RESULTS A total of 4619 patients were included. In the initial bivariate analysis, night float was associated with increased ICU LOS (p = 0.032) and no change in overall LOS (p = 0.65). However, coincident with the transition to a night float system was an increased frequency of resident service transitions, which were highly associated with hospital LOS (p < 0.01) and ICU LOS (p < 0.01). After adjusting for resident service transitions, initiation of the night float system was associated with decreased hospital LOS (p = 0.047) and no change in ICU LOS (p = 0.35). CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that a dedicated night float resident may improve night-to-night continuity of care and decrease hospital LOS, but caution must be exercised when initiation of night float results in increased resident service transitions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Robert A Oster
- Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Alabama
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Kuhn EN, Davis MC, Agee BS, Oster RA, Markert JM. Effect of resident handoffs on length of hospital and intensive care unit stay in a neurosurgical population: a cohort study. J Neurosurg 2016; 125:222-8. [DOI: 10.3171/2015.7.jns15920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
OBJECT
Handoffs and services changes are potentially modifiable sources of medical error and delays in transition of care. This cohort study assessed the relationship between resident service handoffs and length of stay for neurosurgical patients.
METHODS
All patients admitted to the University of Alabama at Birmingham neurosurgical service between July 1, 2012, and July 1, 2014, were retrospectively identified. A service handoff was defined as any point when a resident handed off coverage of a service for longer than 1 weekend. A conditional probability distribution was constructed to adjust length of stay for the increasing probability of a random handoff. The Student t-test and ANCOVA were used to assess relationships between resident service handoffs and length of hospital stay, adjusted for potential confounders.
RESULTS
A total of 3038 patients met eligibility criteria and were included in the statistical analyses. Adjusted length of hospital stay (5.32 vs 3.53 adjusted days) and length of ICU stay (4.38 vs 2.96 adjusted days) were both longer for patients who experienced a service handoff, with no difference in mortality. In the ANCOVA model, resident service handoff remained predictive of both length of hospital stay (p < 0.001) and length of ICU stay (p < 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS
Occurrence of a resident service handoff is an independent predictor of length of hospital and ICU stay in neurosurgical patients. This finding is novel in the neurosurgical literature. Future research might identify mechanisms for improving continuity of care and mitigating the effect of resident handoffs on patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Robert A. Oster
- 2Division of Preventive Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Alabama
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Nassar AP, Caruso P. ICU physicians are unable to accurately predict length of stay at admission: a prospective study. Int J Qual Health Care 2015; 28:99-103. [DOI: 10.1093/intqhc/mzv112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/15/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
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