Physical Therapist Determination of Discharge Disposition in the Acute Care Setting

Lower AM-PAC 6-Clicks Basic Mobility Score Predicts Discharge to a Postacute Care Facility Among Patients in Cardiac Intensive Care Units

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to determine the ability of the Activity Measure for Post-Acute Care "6-Clicks" Basic Mobility Short Form to predict patient discharge destination (home vs postacute care [PAC] facility) from the cardiac intensive care unit (ICU), including patients from the cardiothoracic surgical ICU and coronary care unit.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study utilized electronic medical records of patients in cardiac ICU (n = 359) in an academic teaching hospital in the southeastern region of United States from September 1, 2017, through August 31, 2018.

RESULTS

The median interquartile range age of the sample was 68 years (75-60), 55% were men, the median interquartile range 6-Clicks score was 16 (20-12) at the physical therapist evaluation, and 79% of the patients were discharged to home. Higher score on 6-Clicks indicates improved function. A prediction model was constructed based on a machine learning approach using a classification tree. The classification tree was constructed and evaluated by dividing the sample into a train-test split using the Leave-One-Out cross-validation approach. The classification tree split the data into 4 distinct groups along with their predicted outcomes. Patients with a 6-Clicks score >15.5 and a score between 11.5 and 15.5 with primary insurance other than Medicare were discharged to home. Patients with a 6-Clicks score between 11.5 and 15.5 with Medicare insurance and those with a score ≤11.5 were discharged to a PAC facility.

CONCLUSION

Patients with lower 6-Clicks scores were more likely to be discharged to a PAC facility. Patients without Medicare insurance had to be significantly lower functioning, as indicated by lower 6-Clicks scores for PAC facility placement than those with Medicare insurance.

IMPACT

The ability of 6-Clicks along with primary insurance to determine discharge destination allows for early discharge planning from cardiac ICUs.

Is Discordance Between Recommended and Actual Postacute Discharge Setting a Risk Factor for Readmission in Patients With Congestive Heart Failure?

Background

Readmissions in patients with congestive heart failure are common and often preventable. Limited data suggest that patients discharged to a less intensive postacute care setting than recommended are likely to readmit. We examined whether postacute setting discordance (discharge to a less intensive postacute setting than recommended by a physical and occupational therapist) was associated with hospital readmission in patients with congestive heart failure. We also assessed sociodemographic and clinical predictors of setting discordance.

Methods and Results

Retrospective analysis of administrative claims and electronic health record data was conducted on 25 500 adults with a discharge diagnosis of congestive heart failure from 12 acute care hospitals in Western Pennsylvania. Generalized linear mixed models were estimated to examine the association between postacute setting discordance and 30‐day hospital readmission and to identify predictors of setting discordance. The 30‐day readmission and postacute setting discordance rates were high (23.7%, 20.6%). While controlling for demographic and clinical covariates, patients in discordant postacute settings were more likely to be readmitted within 30 days (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 1.12; 95% CI, 1.04–1.20). The effect was also seen in the subgroup of patients with low mobility scores (adjusted OR, 1.20; 95% CI, 1.08–1.33). Factors associated with setting discordance were lower‐income, higher comorbidity burden, therapist recommendation disagreement, and midrange mobility limitations.

Conclusions

Postacute setting discordance was associated with an increased readmission risk in patients hospitalized with congestive heart failure. Maximizing concordance between therapist recommended and actual postacute discharge setting may decrease readmissions. Understanding factors associated with post‐acute setting discordance can inform strategies to improve the quality of the discharge process.

Using Systematic Functional Measurements in the Acute Hospital Setting to Combat the Immobility Harm

Hospitalized patients often experience unnecessary immobility and inactivity leading to direct harms and poor outcomes. Despite growing evidence that early and regular mobility and activity are safe and helpful for patients in the hospital, there remains substantial room for improvement in clinical practice. Key to improvement is establishing an interdisciplinary approach to measurement and communication using a common language of function. Here we provide a framework for systematic functional measurement in the hospital. We also provide 3 specific examples of how this framework has been used to improve care: (1) targeting specialized rehabilitation providers to the patients most likely to need their services, (2) generating a daily mobility goal for all patients, and (3) identifying patients early who are likely to require postacute care.

Physical Function in the Hospital Is Associated With Patient-Centered Outcomes in an Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility

OBJECTIVE

Poor knowledge of the relationships between physical function (PF) in the hospital and patient outcomes in an inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) limits the identification of patients most appropriate for discharge to an IRF. This study aimed to test for independent associations between PF measured via the AM-PAC "6-clicks" basic mobility short form in the hospital and outcomes in an IRF.

METHODS

This was a retrospective cohort study. Primary data were collected from an acute hospital and IRF at 1 academic medical center. Associations were tested between PF at hospital admission or discharge and PF improvement in the IRF, discharge from the IRF to the community, and 30-day hospital events by estimating adjusted relative risk (aRR) using modified Poisson regression and the relative difference in IRF length of stay (LOS) using Gamma regression.

RESULTS

A total of 1323 patients were included. Patients with moderately low, (aRR = 1.50; 95% CI = 1.15-1.93), moderately high (aRR = 1.52; 95% CI = 1.16-2.01), or high (aRR = 1.37; 95% CI = 1.02-1.85) PF at hospital discharge were more likely than those with very low PF to improve their PF while in the IRF. These same patients were more likely to discharge from IRF to the community and had significantly shorter IRF LOS. Hospital-measured PF did not differentiate risk for 30-day hospital events.

CONCLUSION

Patients with moderate-but not very low or very high-PF measured near the time of acute hospital discharge were likely to achieve meaningful PF improvement in an IRF. They also had a shorter IRF LOS so may be ideal candidates for discharge to IRF. Prospective studies with larger samples are necessary to test this assertion.

IMPACT

Providers in the hospital should identify patients with moderate PF near the time of hospital discharge as those who may benefit most from post-acute rehabilitation in an IRF.