The successful implementation of pharmaceutical practice guidelines. Analysis of associated outcomes and cost savings. SWiPE Group. Systematic Withdrawal of Perioperative Expenses

Sources of Variation in Anesthetic Drug Costs

BACKGROUND

Increasing attention has been focused on health care expenditures, which include anesthetic-related drug costs. Using data from 2 large academic medical centers, we sought to identify significant contributors to anesthetic drug cost variation.

METHODS

Using anesthesia information management systems, we calculated volatile and intravenous drug costs for 8 types of inpatient surgical procedures performed from July 1, 2009, to December 31, 2011. For each case, we determined patient age, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status, gender, institution, case duration, in-room provider, and attending anesthesiologist. These variables were then entered into 2 fixed-effects linear regression models, both with logarithmically transformed case cost as the outcome variable. The first model included duration, attending anesthesiologist, patient age, ASA physical status, and patient gender as independent variables. The second model included case type, institution, patient age, ASA physical status, and patient gender as independent variables. When all variables were entered into 1 model, redundancy analyses showed that case type was highly correlated (R = 0.92) with the other variables in the model. More specifically, a model that included case type was no better at predicting cost than a model without the variable, as long as that model contained the combination of attending anesthesiologist and case duration. Therefore, because we were interested in determining the effect both variables had on cost, 2 models were created instead of 1. The average change in cost resulting from each variable compared to the average cost of the reference category was calculated by first exponentiating the β coefficient and subtracting 1 to get the percent difference in cost. We then multiplied that value by the mean cost of the associated reference group.

RESULTS

A total of 5504 records were identified, of which 4856 were analyzed. The median anesthetic drug cost was $38.45 (25th percentile = $23.23, 75th percentile = $63.82). The majority of the variation was not described by our models-35.2% was explained in the model containing case duration, and 32.3% was explained in the model containing case type. However, the largest sources of variation our models identified were attending anesthesiologist, case type, and procedure duration. With all else held constant, the average change in cost between attending anesthesiologists ranged from a cost decrease of $41.25 to a cost increase of $95.67 (10th percentile = -$19.96, 90th percentile = +$20.20) when compared to the provider with the median value for mean cost per case. The average change in cost between institutions was significant but minor ($5.73).

CONCLUSIONS

The majority of the variation was not described by the models, possibly indicating high per-case random variation. The largest sources of variation identified by our models included attending anesthesiologist, procedure type, and case duration. The difference in cost between institutions was statistically significant but was minor. While many prior studies have found significant savings resulting from cost-reducing interventions, our findings suggest that because the overall cost of anesthetic drugs was small, the savings resulting from interventions focused on the clinical practice of attending anesthesiologists may be negligible, especially in institutions where access to more expensive drugs is already limited. Thus, cost-saving efforts may be better focused elsewhere.

Why Money Alone Can’t (Always) “Nudge” Physicians

Behavioral economics seeks to define how humans respond to incentives, how to maximize desired behavioral change, and how to avoid perverse negative impacts on work effort. Relatively new in their application to physician behavior, behavioral economic principles have primarily been used to construct optimized financial incentives. This review introduces and evaluates the essential components of building successful financial incentive programs for physicians, adhering to the principles of behavioral economics. Referencing conceptual publications, observational studies, and the relatively sparse controlled studies, the authors offer physician leaders, healthcare administrators, and practicing anesthesiologists the issues to consider when designing physician incentive programs to maximize effectiveness and minimize unintended consequences.

'PICO-D Management'; a decision-aid for evidence-based chiropractic education and clinical practice

Background

Various models and decision-making aids exist for chiropractic clinical practice.

Results

“PICO-D Man” (Patient-Intervention-Comparator-Outcome-Duration Management) is a decision-aid developed in an educational setting which field practitioners may also find useful for applying defensible evidence-based practice. Clinical decision-making involves understanding and evaluating both the proposed clinicalintervention(s) and the relevant and available management options with respect to describing the patient and their problem, clinical and cost effectiveness, safety, feasibility and time-frame.

Conclusions

For people consulting chiropractors this decision-aid usually requires the practitioner to consider a comparison of usual chiropractic care, (clinical management including a combination of active care and passive manual interventions), to usual medical care usually including medications, or other allied healthmanagement options while being mindful of the natural history of the persons’ condition.

Cost-Conscious of Anesthesia Physicians: An awareness survey

Objective:

Increasing competitive pressure and health performance system in the hospitals result in pressure to reduce the resources allocated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anesthesiology and intensive care physicians awareness of the cost of the materials used and to determine the factors that influence it.

Methods:

This survey was conducted between September 2012 and September 2013 after the approval of the local ethics committee. Overall 149 anesthetists were included in the study. Participants were asked to estimate the cost of 30 products used by anesthesiology and intensive care units.

Results:

One hundred forty nine doctors, 45% female and 55% male, participated in this study. Of the total 30 questions the averages of cost estimations were 5.8% accurate estimation, 35.13% underestimation and 59.16% overestimation. When the participants were divided into the different groups of institution, duration of working in this profession and sex, there were no statistically significant differences regarding accurate estimation. However, there was statistically significant difference in underestimation. In underestimation, there was no significant difference between 16-20 year group and >20 year group but these two groups have more price overestimation than the other groups (p=0.031). Furthermore, when all the participants were evaluated there were no significant difference between age-accurate cost estimation and profession time-accurate cost estimation.

Conclusion:

Anesthesiology and intensive care physicians in this survey have an insufficient awareness of the cost of the drugs and materials that they use. The institution and experience are not effective factors for accurate estimate. Programs for improving the health workers knowledge creating awareness of cost should be planned in order to use the resources more efficiently and cost effectively,

Influencing Anesthesia Provider Behavior Using Anesthesia Information Management System Data for Near Real-Time Alerts and Post Hoc Reports

In this review article, we address issues related to using data from anesthesia information management systems (AIMS) to deliver near real-time alerts via AIMS workstation popups and/or alphanumeric pagers and post hoc reports via e-mail. We focus on reports and alerts for influencing the behavior of anesthesia providers (i.e., anesthesiologists, anesthesia residents, and nurse anesthetists). Multiple studies have shown that anesthesia clinical decision support (CDS) improves adherence to protocols and increases financial performance through facilitation of billing, regulatory, and compliance documentation; however, improved clinical outcomes have not been demonstrated. We inform developers and users of feedback systems about the multitude of concerns to consider during development and implementation of CDS to increase its effectiveness and to mitigate its potentially disruptive aspects. We discuss the timing and modalities used to deliver messages, implications of outlier-only versus individualized feedback, the need to consider possible unintended consequences of such feedback, regulations, sustainability, and portability among systems. We discuss statistical issues related to the appropriate evaluation of CDS efficacy. We provide a systematic review of the published literature (indexed in PubMed) of anesthesia CDS and offer 2 case studies of CDS interventions using AIMS data from our own institution illustrating the salient points. Because of the considerable expense and complexity of maintaining near real-time CDS systems, as compared with providing individual reports via e-mail after the fact, we suggest that if the same goal can be accomplished via delayed reporting versus immediate feedback, the former approach is preferable. Nevertheless, some processes require near real-time alerts to produce the desired improvement. Post hoc e-mail reporting from enterprise-wide electronic health record systems is straightforward and can be accomplished using system-independent pathways (e.g., via built-in e-mail support provided by the relational database management system). However, for some of these enterprise-wide systems, near real-time data access, necessary for CDS that generates concurrent alerts, has been challenging to implement.

Limiting the accessibility of cost-prohibitive drugs reduces overall anesthetic drug costs: a retrospective before and after analysis

PURPOSE

Cost effectiveness is becoming increasingly important in today's healthcare environment. Remifentanil, dexmedetomidine, and desflurane are costly agents that often have suitable alternatives to their use. We sought to identify changes in cost and outcomes following interventions that limited the availability of these drugs.

METHODS

We calculated anesthetic drug costs for all operating room procedures performed before and after the accessibility interventions. We retrospectively compared drug costs per case and the frequency of agent use before and after the interventions. In addition, we analyzed the incidence of adverse outcomes, including delayed out-of-room times, postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), unplanned intubations, use of naloxone, and reintubations. Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney and Chi square analyses were used to quantify differences in cost, use, and outcomes between cohorts.

RESULTS

Of the 27,233 cases we identified, 24,201 cases were analyzed. The mean anesthetic drug costs per case were significantly lower after the interventions vs before at ($21.44 vs $32.39, respectively), a cost savings of $10.95 (95% confidence interval, $9.86 to $12.04; P < 0.001). Additionally, a comparison of data after vs before the interventions revealed the following results: remifentanil use was significantly lower (3.5% vs 9.2% of cases; P < 0.001). Dexmedetomidine use did not differ significantly (0.4% vs 0.5% of cases; P = 0.07), and desflurane use was significantly lower (0.6% vs 20.2% of cases; P < 0.001). There was no significant relationship between the interventions and the frequency of delayed out-of-room times (15.5% vs 15.9%; P = 0.41), unplanned intubations (0.02% vs 0.03%; P = 0.60), and reintubations (0.01% vs 0.03%; P = 0.28). Postoperative nausea and vomiting decreased significantly after the interventions (22.8% vs 24.4%; P = 0.003), and naloxone use showed a significant increase (0.22% vs 0.11% of cases; P = 0.04).

CONCLUSIONS

Reducing the accessibility of these cost-prohibitive agents resulted in significant anesthetic drug cost savings and decreased utilization of remifentanil and desflurane. The interventions had no significant effect on patient recovery time, incidence of unplanned intubations, or incidence of reintubation, but they were associated with a decrease in PONV and an increase in naloxone use.

Amalgamation of management information system into anaesthesiology practice: A boon for the modern anaesthesiologists

Over the years, traditional anaesthesia record keeping system has been the backbone of anaesthesiology ever since its introduction in the 1890s by Dr. Harvey Cushing and Dr. Ernest A. Codman. Besides providing the important information regarding patients’ vital physiologic parameters, paper records had been a reliable source for various clinical research activities. The introduction of electronic monitoring gadgets and electronic record keeping systems has revolutionised the anaesthesiology practice to a large extent. Recently, the introduction of anaesthesia information management system (AIMS), which incorporates all the features of monitoring gadgets, such as electronic storage of large accurate data, quality assurance in anaesthesia, enhancing patient safety, ensuring legal protection, improved billing services and effecting an organisational change, is almost a revolution in modern-day anaesthesiology practice. The clinical research activities that are responsible for taking anaesthesiology discipline to higher peaks have also been boosted by the amalgamation of AIMS, enabling multicenter studies and sharing of clinical data. Barring few concerns in its installation, cost factors and functional aspects, the future of AIMS seems to be bright and will definitely prove to be a boon for modern-day anaesthesiology practice.

Evidence of overtesting for vitamin D in Australia: an analysis of 4.5 years of Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) data

OBJECTIVE

To comprehensively examine pathology test utilisation of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) testing in each state of Australia to determine the cost impact and value and to add evidence to enable the development of vitamin D testing guidelines.

DESIGN

Longitudinal analysis of all 25(OH)D pathology tests in Australia.

SETTING

Primary and Tertiary Care.

MEASUREMENTS

The frequency of 25(OH)D testing between 1 April 2006 and 30 October 2010 coded for each individual by provider, state and month between 2006 and 2010. Rate of tests per 100 000 individuals and benefit for 25(OH)D, full blood count (FBC) and bone densitometry by state and quarter between 2000 and 2010.

RESULTS

4.5 million tests were performed between 1 April 2006 and 30 October 2010. 42.9% of individuals had more than one test with some individuals having up to 79 tests in that period. Of these tests, 80% were ordered by general practitioners and 20% by specialists. The rate of 25(OH)D testing increased 94-fold from 2000 to 2010. Rate varied by state whereby the most southern state represented the highest increase and northern state the lowest increase. In contrast, the rate of a universal pathology test such as FBC remained relatively stable increasing 2.5-fold. Of concern, a 0.5-fold (50%) increase in bone densitometry was seen.

CONCLUSIONS

The marked variation in the frequency of testing for vitamin D deficiency indicates that large sums of potentially unnecessary funds are being expended. The rate of 25(OH)D testing increased exponentially at an unsustainable rate. Consequences of such findings are widespread in terms of cost and effectiveness. Further research is required to determine the drivers and cost benefit of such expenditure. Our data indicate that adoption of specific guidelines may improve efficiency and effectiveness of 25(OH)D testing.

Managing fresh gas flow to reduce environmental contamination

Anesthetic drugs have the potential to contribute to global warming. There is some debate about the overall impact of anesthetic drugs relative to carbon dioxide, but there is no question that practice patterns can limit the degree of environmental contamination. In particular, careful attention to managing fresh gas flow can use anesthetic drugs more efficiently--reducing waste while achieving the same effect on the patient. The environmental impact of a single case may be minimal, but when compounded over an entire career, the manner in which fresh gas flow is managed by each individual practitioner can make a significant difference in the volume of anesthetic gases released into the atmosphere. The maintenance phase of anesthesia is the best opportunity to reduce fresh gas flow because circuit gas concentrations are relatively stable and it is often the longest phase of the procedure. There are, however, methods for managing fresh gas flow during induction and emergence that can reduce the amount of wasted anesthetic vapor. This article provides background information and discusses strategies for managing fresh gas flow during each phase of anesthesia with the goal of reducing waste when using a circle anesthesia system. Monitoring oxygen and anesthetic gas concentrations is essential to implementing these strategies safely and effectively. Future technological advances in anesthetic delivery systems are needed to make it less challenging to manage fresh gas flow.

Evaluation of a computerized anesthesia report

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

In Brazil, the use of information systems that allows filling out anesthesia reports automatically is still in its initial stages. The objective of this study was to validate an automated anesthesia record.

METHODS

This study was approved by the Ethics Commission of the institution; an industry-university partnership (Dixtal, São Paulo, Brazil and Universidade de São Paulo) was developed, and the study received a grant from FINEP (Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos do Ministério de Ciência e Tecnologia). The integration of hospital information systems for recovery of data regarding identification, preoperative evaluation, and laboratorial exams was the premise of this study. The applicability of the final version of the prototype of the automated system was evaluated by applying a semi-structured tool to 33 physicians, residents, and/or anesthesiologists during surgery procedures in 66 patients. Descriptive evaluation of the data was undertaken.

RESULTS

The computerized system was considered reliable even for large surgeries by 81% of the participants. The majority of the anesthesiologists considered the prototype of great value for future studies and capable of meeting the requirements of anesthesia reports, bringing benefits for anesthesiologists, patients, and hospitals. The full use of the system requires training and some of its aspects can be improved.

CONCLUSIONS

Validation of this prototype of a computerized system for elaboration of anesthesia reports showed the viability of this type of solution to help anesthesiologists in their daily tasks, increasing the reliability of the data. Besides, when evaluating the applicability, anesthesiologists considered that the prototype could be useful for patients, physicians, and hospitals.

Management by outcomes: efficiency and operational success in the ambulatory surgery center

Quality of care and service in health care can benefit from the use of algorithm-driven care (standard work) that integrates literature assessment and analysis of local outcome and process data to eliminate unnecessary variation that causes error and waste. Effective management of an ambulatory surgery center requires that leadership emphasize constant improvement in the processes of care to achieve maximum patient safety and satisfaction, delivered with highest efficiency. Process improvement may be achieved by simple measurement alone (the Hawthorne effect). However, as shown in this article, the authors have successfully used the implementation of regular measurement and open discussion of patients' clinical outcomes and other operational metrics to focus active systems improvement projects in ambulatory surgery centers, with excellent results.

Residual neuromuscular block: lessons unlearned. Part I: definitions, incidence, and adverse physiologic effects of residual neuromuscular block

In this review, we summarize the clinical implications of residual neuromuscular block. Data suggest that residual neuromuscular block is a common complication in the postanesthesia care unit, with approximately 40% of patients exhibiting a train-of-four ratio <0.9. Volunteer studies have demonstrated that small degrees of residual paralysis (train-of-four ratios 0.7-0.9) are associated with impaired pharyngeal function and increased risk of aspiration, weakness of upper airway muscles and airway obstruction, attenuation of the hypoxic ventilatory response (approximately 30%), and unpleasant symptoms of muscle weakness. Clinical studies have also identified adverse postoperative events associated with intraoperative neuromuscular management. Large databased investigations have identified intraoperative use of muscle relaxants and residual neuromuscular block as important risk factors in anesthetic-related morbidity and mortality. Furthermore, observational and randomized clinical trials have demonstrated that incomplete neuromuscular recovery during the early postoperative period may result in acute respiratory events (hypoxemia and airway obstruction), unpleasant symptoms of muscle weakness, longer postanesthesia care unit stays, delays in tracheal extubation, and an increased risk of postoperative pulmonary complications. These recent data suggest that residual neuromuscular block is an important patient safety issue and that neuromuscular management affects postoperative outcomes.

[Use of nitrous oxide in Uruguay]

BACKGROUND

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a medicinal gas that has been used for anesthesia for over a century and a half. As evidence of the adverse effects of N2O have been contrasted with the good safety profiles of new anesthetic agents, use of the older gas has declined.

OBJECTIVE

To describe and analyze the use of N2O for anesthesia in the Eastern Republic of Uruguay. To describe the use of other drugs for general anesthesia.

METHODS

The study had 2 phases. In the first phase, information on the use of N2O and other drugs for general anesthesia was obtained from the medical records of a sample of patients who underwent surgery between November 2007 and November 2008 at nationally important hospitals. In the second phase 80 physician anesthesiologists were surveyed to obtain information on their reported use of N2O for general anesthesia. The respondents were found working during the first half of 2008.

RESULTS

A total of 104 patients' records were read and 80 anesthesiologists were surveyed. We found that 31 (29.8%) patients received N2O during anesthesia. The survey showed that 62 (77.5%) of the anesthesiologists had used N2O in the last 6 months. Nine (50%) of the anesthesiologists who had not used N2O said their reason was that it was unavailable. The other 9 referred either to the risk of postoperative nausea and/or vomiting (n = 6) or the fact of having better alternatives (n = 9).

CONCLUSION

This study shows that N2O is little used in current anesthesia practice. The tendency in Uruguay continues to be toward declining use.

Electronic Reminders Improve Procedure Documentation Compliance and Professional Fee Reimbursement

BACKGROUND

Medicolegal, clinical, and reimbursement needs warrant complete and accurate documentation. We sought to identify and improve our compliance rate for the documentation of arterial catheterization in the perioperative setting.

METHODS

We first reviewed 12 mo of electronic anesthesia records to establish a baseline compliance rate for arterial catheter documentation. Residents and Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists were randomly assigned to a control group and experimental group. When surgical incision and anesthesia end were documented in the electronic record keeper, a reminder routine checked for an invasive arterial blood pressure tracing. If a case used an arterial catheter, but no procedure note was observed, the resident or Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist assigned to the case was sent an automated alphanumeric pager and e-mail reminder. Providers in the control group received no pager or e-mail message. After 2 mo, all staff received the reminders.

RESULTS

A baseline compliance rate of 80% was observed (1963 of 2459 catheters documented). During the 2-mo study period, providers in the control group documented 152 of 202 (75%) arterial catheters, and the experimental group documented 177 of 201 (88%) arterial lines (P < 0.001). After all staff began receiving reminders, 309 of 314 arterial lines were documented in a subsequent 2 mo period (98%). Extrapolating this compliance rate to 12 mo of expected arterial catheter placement would result in an annual incremental $40,500 of professional fee reimbursement.

CONCLUSIONS

The complexity of the tertiary care process results in documentation deficiencies. Inexpensive automated reminders can drastically improve compliance without the need for complicated negative or positive feedback.

Changing Medical Group Behaviors: Increasing the Rate of Documentation of Quality Assurance Events Using an Anesthesia Information System

In the United States, quality assurance (QA) documentation is required by numerous agencies for each anesthetic performed. The goal of this study was to determine the effect of several interventions on the voluntary completion rate of QA documentation. We hypothesized that optimizing workflow integration would increase both QA completion rates and complication capture rates and promote long-term successful changes in reporting behavior. Whereas electronic scanning of anesthetic records may automate some aspects of QA, there will continue to be a need for anesthesiologists to enter QA documentation that cannot be automated. Starting from a baseline completion rate of 48%, we instituted a series of interventions. We successively increased the completion rate to 55% (education), 68% (workflow integration), and 78% (individual feedback). Each intervention increased the completion rate from the previous intervention (P < 0.001). The increased completion rate suggests better overall data capture, because the percentage of "no complication" entries decreased. After the study period, the completion rate increased to 94%, principally because of the improved workflow integration. As implementation of anesthesia information systems increases, attention to user interface design may be a key component in the functionality and utility of these systems.

The Medicolegal Importance of Enhancing Timeliness of Documentation When Using an Anesthesia Information System and the Response to Automated Feedback in an Academic Practice

Documentation should ideally occur in real time immediately after completion of a service. Although electronic records often do not print the time that documentation notes were entered on the medical record, automated anesthesia record keeping systems store an audit trail that time stamps events entered by all anesthesia providers. As more lawyers become aware of this fact and requisition audit trails, prospective charting of necessary documentation may undermine the integrity of an anesthesia care team accused of malpractice, with potentially significant medicolegal consequences. We changed existing documentation practices of a large academic practice via a three-step process. Educational sessions increased the percentage of cases with correct timing of emergence documentation from 25% to 60% over a 2-mo period. Automated email performance feedback further increased correct note timing to 70%. When combined with personal contact by a member of the billing office and email copy notification of the chair, the percentage increased to >99.5%. The behavioral change was seen in all individuals, as 95% of attendings had < or = 2 records/mo with untimely documentation at the end of the study period. Once the habits were ingrained, further input was rarely necessary over the next 9 mo. This suggests physician behavioral change related to work process flow, unlike that related to patient care, is easily sustained.

Strategies and algorithms for management of the difficult airway

Management of the difficult airway is the most important patient safety issue in the practice of anaesthesia. Many national societies have developed algorithms and guidelines for management of the difficult airway. The key issues of this chapter are definition of terms, the advantages and disadvantages of the use of guidelines, and a comparison of different algorithms and guidelines for management of the most important clinical airway scenarios. Although there is no strong evidence of benefit for any specific strategy or algorithm for management of the difficult airway, there is strong agreement that a pre-planned strategy may lead to improved outcome.

Reduction of Anesthesia Process Times After the Introduction of an Internal Transfer Pricing System for Anesthesia Services

To improve operating room workflow, an internal transfer pricing system (ITPS) for anesthesia services was introduced in our hospital in 2001. The basic principle of the ITPS is that the department of anesthesia receives reimbursement only for the surgically controlled time, not for anesthesia-controlled time (ACT). A reduction in anesthesia process times is therefore beneficial for the anesthesia department. In this study, we analyzed the ACT (with its parts: preparation before induction, induction, extubation, and recovery room transfer) for 3 yr before and 3 yr after the introduction of the ITPS in 55,776 cases. Furthermore, the anesthesia cases were subsegmented into 10 different anesthesia techniques, and the process times were studied. The average total ACT was reduced from 40.4 +/- 23.5 min in 1998 to 34.3 +/- 21.7 min in 2003. The main effect came from reductions in anesthesia preparation time and recovery room transfer time, whereas induction and extubation time changed little. A significant reduction in average ACT was seen in 7 of 10 analyzed anesthesia techniques, ranging from 4 to 18 min. We conclude that transfer pricing of anesthesia services based on the surgically controlled time can be a successful approach to reduce anesthesia process times.

Acute pain treatment for older adults hospitalized with hip fracture: current nursing practices and perceived barriers

This article examines acute pain management practices for patients 65 years of age and older who were hospitalized during 1999 for hip fracture. Data were collected from the medical records of patients (N = 709) admitted to 12 hospitals in the Midwest and from questionnaires on pain practices completed by nurses (N = 172) caring for these patients. The major variables examined were (1). pharmacological and nonpharmacological treatments for acute pain in hospitalized elders, (2). nurses' perceived stage of adoption for avoiding meperidine use and for administering analgesics around-the-clock, and (3). nurses' perceived barriers to optimal treatment of acute pain in elders. Acetaminophen was the most frequently administered analgesic, but administered doses were far less than the maximum daily recommended dose. More than one third (39%) of the nurses reported that they always avoided the use of meperidine, and over half reporting avoiding its use sometimes. However, the majority of patients (56.8%) received at least one dose of meperidine, even though evidence suggests that other analgesic agents are more appropriate for treatment of acute pain in elders. Only 27% of patients received patient-controlled analgesia, and only 22.3% of patients received around-the-clock administration during the first 24 hours after admission of analgesics that had been ordered on a prn basis. The majority of nurses were aware that around-the-clock administration of analgesics was preferable, but only 33.7% were persuaded (believed) that this method should be used. Intramuscular injection was used for 52.2% of patients, even though this route is not recommended for older adults. The most frequently used nonpharmacological intervention was repositioning, followed by use of pressure relief devices and cold application. Nurses reported difficulty contacting physicians and difficulty communicating with them about type and/or dose of analgesics as the greatest barriers to pain management. Findings from this multi-site study show that active and focused "translation" interventions are needed to promote adoption of evidence-based acute pain management practices by health care providers.

Postanesthesia Care Unit Recovery Times and Neuromuscular Blocking Drugs: A Prospective Study of Orthopedic Surgical Patients Randomized to Receive Pancuronium or Rocuronium

In this study, we examined the effect of choice of neuromuscular blocking drug (NMBD) (pancuronium versus rocuronium) on postoperative recovery times and associated adverse outcomes in patients undergoing orthopedic surgical procedures. Seventy patients were randomly allocated to a pancuronium or rocuronium group. On arrival to the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) and again 30 min later, train-of-four ratios were quantified by using acceleromyography. Immediately after acceleromyographic measurements, patients were assessed for signs and symptoms of residual paresis. During the PACU admission, episodes of hypoxemia, nausea, and vomiting were recorded. The time required for patients to meet discharge criteria and the time of actual PACU discharge were noted. Forty percent of patients in the pancuronium group had train-of-four ratios <0.7 on arrival to the PACU, compared with only 5.9% of subjects in the rocuronium group (P < 0.001). Patients in the pancuronium group were more likely to experience symptoms of muscle weakness (blurry vision and generalized weakness; P < 0.001) and hypoxemia (10 patients in the rocuronium group versus 21 patients in the pancuronium group; P = 0.015) during the PACU admission. Significant delays in meeting PACU discharge criteria (50 min [45-60 min] versus 30 min [25-40 min]) and achieving actual discharge (70 min [60-90 min] versus 57.5 min [45-61 min]) were observed when the pancuronium group was compared with the rocuronium group (P < 0.001). In conclusion, our study indicates that PACU recovery times may be prolonged when long-acting NMBDs are used in surgical patients.

IMPLICATIONS

Clinical recovery may be delayed in surgical patients administered long-acting neuromuscular blocking drugs. During the postanesthesia care unit admission, patients randomized to receive pancuronium (versus rocuronium) were more likely to exhibit symptoms of muscle weakness, develop hypoxemia, and require more time to meet discharge criteria.

Nausées–vomissements postopératoires : avantage et coût d’un programme d’assurance qualité. Partie I : en salle de surveillance post-interventionnelle

OBJECTIVES

To report the efficiency and direct cost induced by a quality insurance programme (QIP) aimed to reduce the incidence of post-operative nausea and vomiting (PONV) in the post-anaesthesia care unit.

TYPE OF STUDY

Prospective and descriptive study.

METHODS

The occurrence and treatment of PONV were prospectively recorded in the post-anaesthesia care unit in a standardised file before and following therapeutic recommendations made by volunteers component of a QIP. Prophylaxis was administered to patients according to a score of risks based on the type of surgery and patient characteristics. The real cost induced by this change of practice was evaluated according to pharmacists' accounts over 1 year.

RESULTS

The QIP was associated to a 33.5% reduction of PONV relative risk and a 50% increase in prophylactic treatments. When this reduction of PONV was extrapolated to the total number of anaesthesia over 1 year, this QIP avoided PONV in 770 patients each year. The increase of cost reached 3572 as the cost by patient receiving a prophylactic treatment increased from 0.66 to 1.

CONCLUSION

Despite an increase in the individual cost of PONV prophylaxis, the selection of patients by a "home" score of risk limits the indications of prophylactic treatment. Thus the increase in cost remains in acceptable ranges.

A comparison of the costs and efficacy of ondansetron and dolasetron in the prophylaxis of postoperative vomiting in pediatric patients undergoing ambulatory surgery

Postoperative vomiting (POV) after ambulatory surgery remains a major problem. We designed this study to determine the smallest dose of dolasetron equivalent to the Food and Drug Administration approved dose of ondansetron 100 micro g/kg IV, for the prophylaxis of POV in children undergoing surgery. In this double-blinded controlled study, 204 healthy ASA I-II children aged 2-12 yr, undergoing superficial ambulatory (day-case) surgery, were randomized to receive either ondansetron 100 micro g/kg IV, or dolasetron 45, 175, 350, or 700 micro g/kg IV during a standardized perioperative regimen. The primary end-point was the incidence of complete response, defined as the absence of POV symptoms. Costs were calculated from the perspective of the hospital using a previously described model. The incidence of early (0-6 h) and 24-h emesis was more frequent in the dolasetron 45 micro g/kg group compared with the dolasetron 350 and 700 micro g/kg groups and with the ondansetron group. Repeated POV occurred more often when dolasetron was used in a dose <350 micro g/kg. There were no significant differences in emesis rates between the dolasetron 175, 350, and 700 micro g/kg groups or between these groups and the ondansetron 100 micro g/kg group. The smallest dose of dolasetron with acceptable equivalent efficacy and patient satisfaction scores to ondansetron 100 micro g/kg was 350 micro g/kg. Institutional costs for managing POV were less with dolasetron 350 micro g/kg than with ondansetron.

IMPLICATIONS

This randomized double-blinded dose-ranging study concluded that dolasetron, 350 micro g/kg IV, was the smallest dose that provided acceptable equivalent efficacy and patient satisfaction scores to ondansetron, 100 micro g/kg IV, for the prophylaxis of postoperative vomiting in children undergoing outpatient surgery. However, with this dose, the costs to the institution for managing postoperative vomiting were less.

Catching up on health outcomes: the Texas Medication Algorithm Project

OBJECTIVE

To develop a statistic measuring the impact of algorithm-driven disease management programs on outcomes for patients with chronic mental illness that allowed for treatment-as-usual controls to "catch up" to early gains of treated patients.

DATA SOURCES/STUDY SETTING

Statistical power was estimated from simulated samples representing effect sizes that grew, remained constant, or declined following an initial improvement. Estimates were based on the Texas Medication Algorithm Project on adult patients (age > or = 18) with bipolar disorder (n = 267) who received care between 1998 and 2000 at 1 of 11 clinics across Texas.

STUDY DESIGN

Study patients were assessed at baseline and three-month follow-up for a minimum of one year. Program tracks were assigned by clinic.

DATA COLLECTION/EXTRACTION METHODS

Hierarchical linear modeling was modified to account for declining-effects. Outcomes were based on 30-item Inventory for Depression Symptomatology-Clinician Version.

PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

Declining-effect analyses had significantly greater power detecting program differences than traditional growth models in constant and declining-effects cases. Bipolar patients with severe depressive symptoms in an algorithm-driven, disease management program reported fewer symptoms after three months, with treatment-as-usual controls "catching up" within one year.

CONCLUSIONS

In addition to psychometric properties, data collection design, and power, investigators should consider how outcomes unfold over time when selecting an appropriate statistic to evaluate service interventions. Declining-effect analyses may be applicable to a wide range of treatment and intervention trials.

[Relative anesthesia-cost for laparoscopic cholecystectomy: fairly low]

PURPOSE

The relative contribution of anesthesia costs to total perioperative costs is not known precisely. The goal of this prospective study was to measure the proportion of anesthesia costs relative to total hospital costs of elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) for in-patients.

METHODS

With Institutional approval, the total hospital costs of elective LC for 62 ASA I-III patients were analyzed. All direct and indirect variable costs, including salaries of anesthesia and surgery teams, were obtained for each patient. Data are expressed as mean +/- SEM.

RESULTS

Intraoperative anesthesia costs as a percentage of the total hospital costs equaled 10.5 +/- 0.3%. Postanesthesia care unit (PACU) cost was 3.1 +/- 0.2%. The largest hospital cost category was the operating room with 37.4 +/- 0.6%. The costs attributed to the ward equaled 31.3 +/- 3%. Other costs were generated by radiology (6.2 +/- 1.1%), laboratory (5.4 +/- 0.7%), admission unit (3.4 +/- 0.2%), pharmacy (2.0 +/- 0.4%) and administration (0.7 +/- 0.1%).

CONCLUSION

Even if salaries are included, anesthesia and PACU costs (13.6%) represent a small portion only of total hospital costs. Cost savings thus may result from improving operating room efficiency and shortening of hospitalisation rather than programs aiming at lowering anesthesia costs.

Desflurane improves the throughput of patients in the PACU. A cost-effectiveness comparison with isoflurane

PURPOSE

In a pharmacoeconomic approach of anesthesia, postanesthesia care unit (PACU) occupancy can be chosen as a criteria of effectiveness to compare two anesthetic drugs with different rates of elimination and different costs of administration. Our objective was to develop a cost-effectiveness approach for the comparison of isoflurane (I) and desflurane (D).

METHOD

In this prospective observational study, 68 patients aged 18-70 received either D or I for maintenance of anesthesia for inpatient abdominal procedures. Length of stay (LOS) in PACU was collected by a blinded observer. After the relationship between duration of surgery and LOS in PACU had been established in the 68 observed patients, we estimated the PACU occupancy according to duration of surgery and time of admission in PACU using a computer model of 204 consecutive patients, based on the hypothesis of an exclusive use of either D or I. Outcome measures were direct costs of the anesthesia procedure and occupancy of the PACU.

RESULTS

The direct cost of the anesthetic was significantly higher with D than with I. This represents an increase of CAN$ 2 708 for the 204 patients. PACU occupancy was reduced by at least one patient (out of five beds) during 26.1% of the time with D (P <0.01).

DISCUSSION

Improving the throughput of patients in PACU by using new halogenated anesthetic agents with faster rates of elimination may outweigh the incremental cost of this strategy. This becomes particularly meaningful in operating theatres experiencing frequent overcrowded periods.

Drug wastage contributes significantly to the cost of routine anesthesia care

STUDY OBJECTIVE

To complement previous studies that employed indirect methods of measuring anesthesia drug waste.

DESIGN

Prospective, blinded observational study.

SETTING

Operating rooms of a single university hospital.

SUBJECTS

Anesthesia providers practicing in this setting who were completely unaware of the conduct of the study.

MEASUREMENTS

All opened and unused or unusable intravenous (IV) anesthesia drugs left over at the end of each workday were collected over a randomly selected typical 2-week period.

MAIN RESULTS

166 weekday cases were performed. Thirty different drugs were represented in the 157 syringes and 139 ampoules collected. Opioid waste as well as opened vials that became outdated were counted in the tally. Based on actual hospital drug acquisition costs, $1,802 of drugs were wasted during this 2-week period ($300/OR), amounting to an average cost per case of $10.86. On a cost basis, six drugs accounted for three quarters of the total wastage: phenylephrine (20.8%), propofol (14.5%), vecuronium (12.2%), midazolam (11.4%), labetalol (9.1%), and ephedrine (8.6%). Because incompletely used syringes or vials that were discarded in the trash were not measured in this analysis, the results may underestimate the total cost of drug wastage at this institution by up to 40%.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study are similar to those of previous studies that employed electronic record keeping techniques to calculate drug waste. Intravenous drugs that are prepared but unused may be a significant cost of intraoperative anesthesia care. Methods to reduce the amount of drug wasted are proposed.

Effect of return hospital visits on economics of ambulatory surgery

This review examines the effect of unanticipated admission, return hospital visits and readmission on the economics of ambulatory surgery. The overall rate of unanticipated admission was approximately 1% and the overall rate of readmission to hospital was approximately 1%. Ambulatory surgery allows total cost savings of 20-50% when compared with inpatient surgery. If 98% of ambulatory surgery patients experience uneventful recovery, the decrease in cost savings caused by unanticipated admission and return hospital visit is very small. Modifications of anesthesia and surgical technique can help to further reduce the incidence of unanticipated admission or readmission to hospital.

The pharmacoeconomics of neuromuscular blocking drugs: a perioperative cost-minimization strategy in children

The purpose of this investigation was to compare the costs of intermediate-acting neuromuscular blocking drugs in children during routine ambulatory surgery. We studied 200 healthy, 2-10-yr-old children undergoing elective dental restorative surgery. During Part 1 of the study, children received an inhaled anesthetic with halothane and nitrous oxide, whereas in Part 2, the anesthetic was IV propofol with nitrous oxide. The study drugs were atracurium, cisatracurium, mivacurium, rocuronium, and vecuronium. Patients were initially administered 2x the effective dose for 95% of the study drug. After recovery to 10% of baseline neuromuscular function, the neuromuscular blockade was rigidly maintained with an infusion of the study drug at about 10% of baseline function. Neuromuscular drug costs were approximated as drug usage x cost/unit. The initial drug costs were not substantially different for both Parts 1 and 2, but over time, mivacurium became the most expensive drug and cisatracurium the least expensive. In conclusion, based on current costs, cisatracurium is the least expensive intermediate-acting neuromuscular drug.

IMPLICATIONS

For children undergoing minor ambulatory procedures of 1-2 h, and continuous intraoperative neuromuscular blockade is indicated, cisatracurium currently is the least expensive drug.