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Pradhan M, Waghmare KT, Alghabshi R, Almahdouri F, Al Sawafi KM, M I, Alhadhramy AM, AlYaqoubi ER. Exploring the Economic Aspects of Hospitals: A Comprehensive Examination of Relevant Factors. Cureus 2024; 16:e54867. [PMID: 38533171 PMCID: PMC10964728 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.54867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/24/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Financial limitations in the hospital industry have the potential to exacerbate healthcare disparities, impede investments in cutting-edge medical treatments, as well as impair patient outcomes. The interdependent connection between a hospital economy and the general well-being of the community highlights the necessity of careful financial oversight and inventive healthcare policies. Effective collaboration among policymakers, healthcare administrators, and stakeholders is imperative in the development of sustainable economic models that give equal weight to fiscal prudence and optimal patient outcomes. This article aims to underscore the pivotal importance of strategic fund allocation guided by hospital administrators, accentuating several key initiatives capable of revolutionizing healthcare delivery and elevating the institution's stature within the medical community. The other important aspects discussed here are fund allocation in hospitals, the boom of online consultations, and emphasis on the use of sustainable and cost-effective modalities of energy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madhur Pradhan
- Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Khoula Hospital, Muscat, OMN
| | | | | | | | | | - Iman M
- Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Khoula Hospital, Muscat, OMN
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Hamada O, Tsutsumi T, Imanaka Y. Efficiency of the Japanese Hospitalist System for Patients with Urinary Tract Infection: A Propensity-matched Analysis. Intern Med 2022; 62:1131-1138. [PMID: 36070954 PMCID: PMC10183293 DOI: 10.2169/internalmedicine.8944-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective The hospitalist system in the United States has been considered successful in terms of the quality of care and cost effectiveness. In Japan, however, its efficacy has not yet been extensively examined. This study examined the impact of the hospitalist system on the quality of care and healthcare economics in a Japanese population using treatment of urinary tract infection as an example. Methods We analyzed 271 patients whose most resource-consuming diagnosis at admission was urinary tract infection between April 2017 and March 2019. Propensity-matched analyses were performed to compare health care economics and the quality of care between the hospitalist system and the conventional system. Results In matched pairs, care by the hospitalist system was associated with a significantly shorter length of stay than that by the conventional system. The quality of care (oral antibiotics switch rate, rate of appropriate antibiotics change based on urine or blood culture results, detection rate of urinary tract infection etiology and the number of laboratory tests) was also considered to be favorably impacted by the hospitalist system. Although not statistically significant, hospital costs tended to be lower with the hospitalist system than with the conventional system. The mortality rate and 30-day readmission were also not significantly different between the groups. Conclusion The hospitalist system had a favorable impact on the quality of care and length of stay without increasing readmission in patients with urinary tract infection. This study is further evidence of the strong potential for the positive impact of an implemented hospitalist system in Japan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Osamu Hamada
- Department of General Internal Medicine, Takatsuki General Hospital, Japan
- Department of Healthcare Economics and Quality Management, Graduate School of Medicine and Faculty of Medicine, Kyoto University, Japan
| | - Takahiko Tsutsumi
- Department of General Internal Medicine, Takatsuki General Hospital, Japan
- Department of Healthcare Economics and Quality Management, Graduate School of Medicine and Faculty of Medicine, Kyoto University, Japan
| | - Yuichi Imanaka
- Department of Healthcare Economics and Quality Management, Graduate School of Medicine and Faculty of Medicine, Kyoto University, Japan
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Quality Improvement Initiative Increasing Early Discharges From an Acute Care Cardiology Unit for Cardiac Surgery and Cardiology Patients–Associated With Reduced Hospital Length of Stay. Pediatr Qual Saf 2022; 7:e587. [PMID: 35928019 PMCID: PMC9345632 DOI: 10.1097/pq9.0000000000000587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Discharging patients from the acute care setting is complex and requires orchestration of many clinical and technical processes. Focusing on timely discharges improves throughput by off-loading ICUs and coordinating safe outpatient transitions. Our data review demonstrated most discharges occurred later in the day. We sought to improve our discharge times for cardiology and cardiovascular surgery (CVS) patients in our 26-bed inpatient acute care cardiology unit (ACCU). We aimed to increase the number of discharges between 6 am and 12 pm for cardiology and CVS patients on ACCU from 5 to 10 patients per month over 6 months and sustain.
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Demidowich AP, Batty K, Love T, Sokolinsky S, Grubb L, Miller C, Raymond L, Nazarian J, Ahmed MS, Rotello L, Zilbermint M. Effects of a Dedicated Inpatient Diabetes Management Service on Glycemic Control in a Community Hospital Setting. J Diabetes Sci Technol 2021; 15:546-552. [PMID: 33615858 PMCID: PMC8120056 DOI: 10.1177/1932296821993198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Community hospitals account for over 84% of all hospitals and over 94% of hospital admissions in the United States. In academic settings, implementation of an Inpatient Diabetes Management Service (IDMS) model of care has been shown to reduce rates of hyper- and hypoglycemia, hospital length of stay (LOS), and associated hospital costs. However, few studies to date have evaluated the implementation of a dedicated IDMS in a community hospital setting. METHODS This retrospective study examined the effects of changing the model of inpatient diabetes consultations from a local, private endocrine practice to a full-time endocrine hospitalist on glycemic control, LOS, and 30-day readmission rates in a 267-bed community hospital. RESULTS Overall diabetes patient days for the hospital were similar pre- and post-intervention (20,191 vs 20,262); however, the volume of patients seen by IDMS increased significantly after changing models. Rates of hyperglycemia decreased both among patients seen by IDMS (53.8% to 42.5%, P < .0001) and those not consulted on by IDMS (33.2% to 29.9%; P < .0001). When examined over time, rates of hypoglycemia steadily decreased in the 24 months after dedicated IDMS initiation (P = .02); no such time effect was seen prior to IDMS (P = .34). LOS and 30DRR were not significantly different between IDMS models. CONCLUSIONS Implementation of an endocrine hospitalist-based IDMS at a community hospital was associated with significantly decreased hyperglycemia, while avoiding concurrent increases in hypoglycemia. Further studies are needed to investigate whether these effects are associated with improvements in clinical outcomes, patient or staff satisfaction scores, or total cost of care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew P. Demidowich
- Johns Hopkins Community Physicians
at Howard County General Hospital (HCGH), Division of Hospital Medicine,
Johns Hopkins Medicine, Columbia, MD, USA
- Division of Endocrinology,
Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of
Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Andrew P. Demidowich, MD, Assistant
Professor of Medicine, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Howard County General
Hospital, 5755 Cedar Ln, Columbia, MD 21044, USA.
| | - Kristine Batty
- Johns Hopkins Community Physicians
at Howard County General Hospital (HCGH), Division of Hospital Medicine,
Johns Hopkins Medicine, Columbia, MD, USA
| | - Teresa Love
- Rehab Services, Diabetes
Management & The Center for Wound Healing, HCGH, Johns Hopkins Medicine,
Columbia, MD, USA
| | - Sam Sokolinsky
- JHHS Quality and Clinical
Analytics, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Baltimore, MD,
USA
| | - Lisa Grubb
- Johns Hopkins Armstrong Institute
at HCGH, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Columbia, MD, USA
| | - Catherine Miller
- Division of Nursing – Critical
Care, HCGH, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Columbia, MD, USA
| | - Larry Raymond
- Rehab Services, Diabetes
Management & The Center for Wound Healing, HCGH, Johns Hopkins Medicine,
Columbia, MD, USA
| | - Jeanette Nazarian
- Johns Hopkins Community Physicians
at Howard County General Hospital (HCGH), Division of Hospital Medicine,
Johns Hopkins Medicine, Columbia, MD, USA
| | - M. Shafeeq Ahmed
- Johns Hopkins Armstrong Institute
at HCGH, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Columbia, MD, USA
| | - Leo Rotello
- Johns Hopkins Community Physicians
at Suburban Hospital, Division of Hospital Medicine, Johns Hopkins Medicine,
Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Mihail Zilbermint
- Division of Endocrinology,
Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of
Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Johns Hopkins Community Physicians
at Suburban Hospital, Division of Hospital Medicine, Johns Hopkins Medicine,
Bethesda, MD, USA
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Graham M, Parikh P, Hirpara S, McCarthy MC, Haut ER, Parikh PP. Predicting Discharge Disposition in Trauma Patients: Development, Validation, and Generalization of a Model Using the National Trauma Data Bank. Am Surg 2020; 86:1703-1709. [DOI: 10.1177/0003134820949523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Background Limited work has been done in predicting discharge disposition in trauma patients; most studies use single institutional data and have limited generalizability. This study develops and validates a model to predict, at admission, trauma patients’ discharge disposition using NTDB, transforms the model into an easy-to-use score, and subsequently evaluates its generalizability on institutional data. Methods NTDB data were used to build and validate a binary logistic regression model using derivation-validation (ie, train-test) approach to predict patient disposition location (home vs non-home) upon admission. The model was then converted into a trauma disposition score (TDS) using an optimization-based approach. The generalizability of TDS was evaluated on institutional data from a single Level I trauma center in the U.S. Results A total of 614 625 patients in the NTDB were included in the study; 212 684 (34.6%) went to a non-home location. Patients with a non-home disposition compared to home had significantly higher age (69 ± 19.7 vs 48.3 ± 20.3) and ISS (11.2 ± 8.2 vs 8.2 ± 6.3); P < .001. Older age, female sex, higher ISS, comorbidities (cancer, cardiovascular, coagulopathy, diabetes, hepatic, neurological, psychiatric, renal, substance abuse), and Medicare insurance were independent predictors of non-home discharge. The logistic regression model’s AUC was 0.8; TDS achieved a correlation of 0.99 and performed similarly well on institutional data (n = 3161); AUC = 0.8. Conclusion We developed a score based on a large national trauma database that has acceptable performance on local institutions to predict patient discharge disposition at the time of admission. TDS can aid in early discharge preparation for likely-to-be non-home patients and may improve hospital efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mitchell Graham
- Department of Surgery, Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine, Dayton, OH, USA
| | - Pratik Parikh
- Department of Surgery, Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine, Dayton, OH, USA
- Department of Biomedical, Industrial and Human Factors Engineering, Wright State University, Dayton, OH, USA
| | - Sagar Hirpara
- Department of Biomedical, Industrial and Human Factors Engineering, Wright State University, Dayton, OH, USA
| | - Mary C. McCarthy
- Department of Surgery, Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine, Dayton, OH, USA
| | - Elliott R. Haut
- Division of Acute Care Surgery, Department of Surgery, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- The Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality (ERH), Johns Hopkins Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Health Policy and Management (ERH), The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Priti P. Parikh
- Department of Surgery, Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine, Dayton, OH, USA
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Abstract
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Hospitals experiencing financial pressures are seeking to gain efficiencies through innovation. One solution is to engage hospitalists to help reduce the average length of stay (ALOS). This study considers whether and to what extent hospitalists affect ALOS and whether an association exists between the number of hospitalists per occupied bed (density) and ALOS. We examined 2,858 hospitals nationwide, including 20,180 hospital-years of data from 2007 through 2015 derived from the American Hospital Association Annual Survey database. Key findings showed that hospitals using hospitalists reported a statistically significant shorter ALOS than hospitals without hospitalists. The results also indicated a statistically significant decrease in ALOS for an increase in hospitalist full-time equivalent per occupied bed. This study is important because of the generalizability of its results and suggests that hospitals may form partnerships with hospitalists to improve hospital efficiency.
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Salim SA, Elmaraezy A, Pamarthy A, Thongprayoon C, Cheungpasitporn W, Palabindala V. Impact of hospitalists on the efficiency of inpatient care and patient satisfaction: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Community Hosp Intern Med Perspect 2019; 9:121-134. [PMID: 31044043 PMCID: PMC6484472 DOI: 10.1080/20009666.2019.1591901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2019] [Accepted: 03/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Over the past 20 years, hospitalists have assumed a greater portion of healthcare service for hospitalized patients. This was mainly due to reducing the length of stay (LOS) and hospital costs shown by many studies. In contrast, other studies suggested increased cost and resources utilization associated with hospitalist-run care models. Aim: We aimed to provide class 1 evidence regarding the effect of hospitalist-run care models on the efficiency of care and patient satisfaction. Design: Meta-analysis. Methods: Four electronic medical databases were searched to retrieve all relevant studies. Two authors screened titles and abstracts of search results for eligibility according to predefined criteria. Initially eligible studies were screened for full text inclusion. Included studies were reviewed for data on LOS, hospital cost, readmission, mortality, and patient satisfaction. Available data were abstracted and analyzed using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis. Results: Sixty-one studies were included for analysis. The overall effect size favored hospitalist-run care models in terms of LOS (MD = -0.67 day, 95% CI [-0.78, -0.56], p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in terms of hospital cost (MD = $92.1, 95% CI [-910.4, 1094.6], p = 0.86) whereas patient satisfaction was similar or even better in hospitalist compared to non-hospitalist (NH) service. Conclusion: Our analysis showed that hospitalist care is associated with decreased LOS and increased patient satisfaction compared to NH. This indicates an increase in the efficiency of care that does not come at the expense of care quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sohail Abdul Salim
- Division of Nephrology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, USA
| | - Ahmed Elmaraezy
- Global Clinical Scholars Research Training (GCSRT) Program, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt.,Al-Razi Medical Research Academy, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Amaleswari Pamarthy
- Division of Nephrology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, USA
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Bergmann S, Tran M, Robison K, Fanning C, Sedani S, Ready J, Conklin K, Tamondong-Lachica D, Paculdo D, Peabody J. Standardising hospitalist practice in sepsis and COPD care. BMJ Qual Saf 2019; 28:800-808. [DOI: 10.1136/bmjqs-2018-008829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2018] [Revised: 02/15/2019] [Accepted: 03/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
BackgroundHospitalist medicine was predicated on the belief that providers dedicated to inpatient care would deliver higher quality and more cost-effective care to acutely hospitalised patients. The literature shows mixed results and has identified care variation as a culprit for suboptimal quality and cost outcomes. Using a scientifically validated engagement and measurement approach such as Clinical Performance and Value (CPV), simulated patient vignettes may provide the impetus to change provider behaviour, improve system cohesion, and improve quality and cost efficiency for hospitalists.MethodsWe engaged 33 hospitalists from four disparate hospitalist groups practising at Penn Medicine Princeton Health. Over 16 months and four engagement rounds, participants cared for two patients per round (with a diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD] and sepsis), then received feedback, followed by a group discussion. At project end, we evaluated both simulated and real-world data to measure changes in clinical practice and patient outcomes.ResultsParticipants significantly improved their evidence-based practice (+13.7% points, p<0.001) while simultaneously reducing their variation (−1.4% points, p=0.018), as measured by the overall CPV score. Correct primary diagnosis increased significantly for both sepsis (+19.1% points, p=0.004) and COPD (+22.7% points, p=0.001), as did adherence to the sepsis 3-hour bundle (+33.7% points, p=0.010) and correct admission levels for COPD (+26.0% points, p=0.042). These CPV changes coincided with real-world improvements in length of stay and mortality, along with a calculated $5 million in system-wide savings for both disease conditions.ConclusionThis study shows that an engagement system—using simulated patients, benchmarking and feedback to drive provider behavioural change and group cohesion, using parallel tracking of hospital data—can lead to significant improvements in patient outcomes and health system savings for hospitalists.
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Haq N, Stewart-Corral R, Hamrock E, Perin J, Khaliq W. Emergency department throughput: an intervention. Intern Emerg Med 2018; 13:923-931. [PMID: 29335822 DOI: 10.1007/s11739-018-1786-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2017] [Accepted: 01/03/2018] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Shortening emergency department (ED) boarding time and managing hospital bed capacity by expediting the inpatient discharge process have been challenging for hospitals nationwide. The objective of this study is was to explore the effect of an innovative prospective intervention on hospital workflow, specifically on early inpatient discharges and the ED boarding time. The intervention consisted of a structured nursing "admission discharge transfer" (ADT) protocol receiving new admissions from the ED and helping out floor nursing with early discharges. ADT intervention was implemented in a 38-bed hospitalist run inpatient unit at an academic hospital. The study population consisted of 4486 patients (including inpatient and observation admissions) who were hospitalized to the medicine unit from March 2013-March 2014. Of these hospitalizations, 2259 patients received the ADT intervention. Patients' demographics, discharge and ED boarding data were collected for from March 4, 2013 to March 31, 2014 for both intervention and control groups (28 weeks each). Chi-square and unpaired t tests were utilized to compare population characteristics. Poisson regression analysis was conducted to estimate the association between intervention and hospital length of stay adjusted for differences in patient demographics. Mean age of the study population was 58.6 years, 23% were African Americans and 55% were women. A significant reduction in ED boarding time (p < 0.001) and improvement in early (before 2 PM) hospital discharges (p = 0.01) were noticed among patients in the intervention groups. There was a slight but significant reduction in hospital length of stay for observation patients in the intervention group; however, no such difference was noted for inpatient admissions. Our study showed that dedicating nursing resources towards ED-boarded patients and early inpatient discharges can significantly improve hospital workflow and reduce hospital length of stay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nowreen Haq
- Division of Hospital Medicine, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 5200 Eastern Avenue, MFL Bldg, West Tower 6th Floor, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
| | - Rona Stewart-Corral
- Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Johns Hopkins University, School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Eric Hamrock
- Department of Operations Integration, Johns Hopkins Health System, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jamie Perin
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Department of International Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Waseem Khaliq
- Division of Hospital Medicine, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 5200 Eastern Avenue, MFL Bldg, West Tower 6th Floor, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA.
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Ochonma OG, Nwatu SI. Assessing the predictors for training in management amongst hospital managers and chief executive officers: a cross-sectional study of hospitals in Abuja, Nigeria. BMC MEDICAL EDUCATION 2018; 18:138. [PMID: 29903001 PMCID: PMC6003084 DOI: 10.1186/s12909-018-1230-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2016] [Accepted: 05/18/2018] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is a compelling need for management training amongst hospital managers in Nigeria mostly because management was never a part of the curricula in medical schools and this has resulted in their deficiencies in effective policymaking, planning and bottom line management. There has been no study to the best of our knowledge on the need and likely factors that may influence the acquisition of such training by hospital managers and this in effect was the reason for this study. METHODS Data for this study came from a cross-sectional survey distributed amongst management staff in twenty five (25) hospitals that were purposively selected. One hundred and twenty five (125) questionnaires were distributed, out of which one hundred and four (104) were answered and returned giving a response rate of 83.2%. Descriptive and Inferential statistics were used to summarize the results. Decisions were made at 5% level of significance. A binary logistic regression was performed on the data to predict the logit of being formally and informally trained in health management. These statistical techniques were done using the IBM SPSS version 20. RESULTS The result revealed a high level of formal and informal trainings amongst the respondent managers. In formal management training, only few had no training (27.9%) while in informal management training, all had obtained a form of training of which in-service training predominates (84.6%). Most of the administrators/managers also had the intention of attending healthcare management programme within the next five years (62.5%). Socio-demographically, age (p = .032) and academic qualification (p < .001) had significant influence on training. Number of hospital beds (p < .001) and number of staff (p < .001) including managers' current designation (p < .001) also had significant influence on training. CONCLUSION Our work did establish the critical need for both formal and informal trainings in health management for health care managers. Emphasis on training should be directed at younger managers who are the least likely to acquire such trainings, the smaller and private hospitals who are less likely to encourage such trainings amongst their staff and the least educated amongst health managers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ogbonnia Godfrey Ochonma
- Department of Health Administration and Management, Faculty of Health Sciences and Technology, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, Enugu State, Nigeria
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GHASEMI M, GHADIRI NEJAD M, BAGZIBAGLI K. Knowledge Management Orientation: An Innovative Perspective to Hospital Management. IRANIAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH 2017; 46:1639-1645. [PMID: 29259938 PMCID: PMC5734963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND By considering innovation as a new project in hospitals, all the project management's standard steps should be followed in execution. This study investigated the validation of a new set of measures in terms of providing a procedure for knowledge management-oriented innovation that enriches the hospital management system. METHODS The relation between innovation and all the knowledge management areas, as the main constructs of project management, was illustrated by referring to project management standard steps and previous studies. Through consultations and meetings with a committee of professional project managers, a questionnaire was developed to measure ten knowledge management areas in hospital's innovation process. Additionally, a group of experts from hospital managers were invited to comment on the applicability of the questionnaires by considering if the items are measurable in hospitals practically. RESULTS A close-ended, Likert-type scale items, consisted of ten sections, were developed based on project management body of knowledge thorough Delphi technique. It enables the managers to evaluate hospitals' situation to be aware whether the organization follows the knowledge management standards in innovation process or not. By pilot study, confirmatory factor analysis and exploratory factor analysis were conducted to ensure the validity and reliability of the measurement items. CONCLUSION The developed items seem to have a potential to help hospital managers and subsequently delivering new products/services successfully based on the standard procedures in their organization. In all innovation processes, the knowledge management areas and their standard steps help hospital managers by a new tool as questionnaire format.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matina GHASEMI
- Faculty of Tourism, Eastern Mediterranean University, TRNC, Famagusta, Turkey,Corresponding Author:
| | - Mazyar GHADIRI NEJAD
- Young Researchers and Elite Club, South Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Kemal BAGZIBAGLI
- Dept. of Economics, Faculty of Business and Economics, Eastern Mediterranean University, TRNC, Famagusta, Turkey
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Lavin JM, Schroeder JW, Thompson DM. The "Surgeon on Service" Model for Timely, Economically Viable Inpatient Care of Tracheostomy Patients in Academic Pediatric Otolaryngology. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2017; 143:1003-1007. [PMID: 28817750 PMCID: PMC5710253 DOI: 10.1001/jamaoto.2017.1368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2017] [Accepted: 05/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Importance The traditional practice model for pediatric otolaryngologists at high-volume academic centers is to simultaneously balance outpatient care responsibilities with those of the inpatient service, emergency department, and ambulatory care clinics. This model leads to challenges with care coordination, timeliness of nonemergency operative care, and consistent participation in care and consultation at the attending surgeon level. The "surgeon on service" (SOS) model-where faculty members rotate to manage the inpatient service in lieu of outpatient responsibilities-has been described as one method to address this conundrum. The operational and economic feasibility of the SOS model has been demonstrated; however, its impact on care coordination, time from consultation to surgical care, and length of stay (LOS) have not been evaluated. Objective To determine the impact of the SOS model on the quality principles of timeliness and efficiency of tracheostomy tube placement and to determine if the SOS model is fiscally feasible in an academic pediatric otolaryngology practice. Design, Setting, and Participants Medical record review of patients undergoing tracheostomy in a pediatric academic medical center and survey of their treating physician trainees, comparing the 6-month SOS pilot phase (postimplementation, January-June 2016) with the 6-month preimplementation period (January-June 2015). Intervention Implementation of the SOS model. Main Outcomes and Measures Time to tracheostomy, frequency of successful coordination of tracheostomy with gastrostomy tube placement, total LOS, productivity measured in work relative value units, and responses to trainee surveys. Results Of the 41 patients included in the study (24 boys and 17 girls; mean age, 3 years; range, 3 months to 17 years), 15 were treated before SOS implementation, and 26 after. Also included were 21 trainees. Before SOS implementation, median time to tracheostomy was 7 days (range, 2-20 days); after SOS implementation, it was 4 days (range, 1-10 days) (difference between the medians, before to after, -3 days; 95% CI, -5 to 0 days). There was no significant difference in overall LOS or ability to coordinate tracheostomy with gastrostomy tube placement. Preimplementation trainee surveys cited dissatisfaction with the communication channels to the primary team when the consulting surgeon was not immediately available to perform tracheostomy. No challenges were reported after implementation. Productivity was comparable to that in the outpatient setting. Conclusions and Relevance In this study, the presence of a rotating inpatient pediatric otolaryngologist was a productive approach to patient care associated with more timely performance of tracheostomy. Other benefits were an improved balance of service with education to trainees and a better perception of communication with consulting services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer M. Lavin
- Division of Pediatric Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
- Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
| | - James W. Schroeder
- Division of Pediatric Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
- Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Dana M. Thompson
- Division of Pediatric Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
- Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
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Commentaries on health services research. JAAPA 2017. [DOI: 10.1097/01.jaa.0000520533.03260.31] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Hensel KO, van den Bruck R, Klare I, Heldmann M, Ghebremedhin B, Jenke AC. Nursing staff fluctuation and pathogenic burden in the NICU - effective outbreak management and the underestimated relevance of non-resistant strains. Sci Rep 2017; 7:45014. [PMID: 28322345 PMCID: PMC5359565 DOI: 10.1038/srep45014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2016] [Accepted: 02/20/2017] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
In the course of a hospital management takeover, a microbial outbreak took place in a tertiary neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Here, we characterize the outbreak and its management. About 4 months prior to takeover, there was a sharp increase in positive isolates for MSSA and multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs). Simultaneously, the nursing staff sick leave rate increased dramatically which directly correlated with the number of infection/colonization per week (r2 = 0.95, p = 0.02). During the following months we observed several peaks in positive isolates of methicillin-sensitive staphylococcus aureus (MSSA), MDROs and subsequently a vancomycin-resistant enterococcus (VRE) outbreak. Interventional outbreak management measures were only successful after substantial recruitment of additional nursing staff. None of the VRE, but 44% (n = 4) of MDRO and 32% (n = 23) of MSSA colonized infants developed symptomatic infections (p = 0.02). Among the latter, 35% suffered from serious consequences such as osteomyelitis. The most important risk factors for colonization-to-infection progression were low gestational age and birth weight. Nursing staff fluctuation poses a substantial risk for both bacterial colonization and infection in neonates. Comprehensive outbreak management measures are only successful if adequate nursing staff is available. Non resistant strains account for most neonatal infections - possibly due to their limited perception as being harmful.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai O. Hensel
- HELIOS University Medical Center Wuppertal, Department of Pediatrics and Neonatology, Center for Clinical and Translational Research (CCTR), Witten/Herdecke University, Germany
| | | | - Ingo Klare
- Robert-Koch Institute, Wernigerode, Germany
| | - Michael Heldmann
- HELIOS University Medical Center Wuppertal, Department of Pediatrics and Neonatology, Center for Clinical and Translational Research (CCTR), Witten/Herdecke University, Germany
| | - Beniam Ghebremedhin
- HELIOS University Medical Center Wuppertal, Institute of Medical Laboratory Diagnostics, Center for Clinical and Translational Research (CCTR), Witten/Herdecke University, Germany
| | - Andreas C. Jenke
- EKO Children' Hospital, Oberhausen, Witten/Herdecke University, Germany
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Barati O, Sadeghi A, Khammarnia M, Siavashi E, Oskrochi G. A Qualitative Study to Identify Skills and Competency Required for Hospital Managers. Electron Physician 2016; 8:2458-65. [PMID: 27504159 PMCID: PMC4965194 DOI: 10.19082/2458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2016] [Accepted: 04/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Hospital managers aim to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their institutions through leadership and guidance of medical personnel. Fulfilling these objectives requires a holistic approach to both the management of people and institutional prioritization. The aim of this study was to identify the skills and competencies that hospital managers must demonstrate in order to achieve their objectives. METHODS In 2015, a regional, multi-center qualitative study was undertaken in Shiraz, Iran. Interviews and focus group discussions were conducted with university hospital managers, senior managers, faculty members, and post-graduate students, and the results were analyzed using the content analysis method by MAXQDA software. RESULTS Eight key skill themes (communication, experience, appreciation of institution logistics/infrastructure, management skills, motivation, systematic problem solving, ethics, and financial/legal awareness) were identified among the hospital managers. The common challenges that face hospital institutions include problems with hierarchical and organizational structure, excessive rules and regulations, lack of resources, poor post-graduate education, and overall management. Recurring themes with respect to how these could be addressed included changing the culture and belief structure of the hospital, restructuring the organizational hierarchy, and empowering the people. CONCLUSION In our cohort, practical skills, such as communication and experience, were considered more important than theoretical skills for the effective management and administration of hospitals. Therefore, we suggest that practical, skill-based training should be emphasized for students of these disciplines so they will be better suited to deal with real world challenges. Further organizational improvements also can be attained by the active and constructive involvement of senior university managers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omid Barati
- Ph.D. of Health Care Management, Assistant Professor, Department of Health Care Management, School of Management and Information Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran; Health Human Resource Research Center, School of Management and Medical Information, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Ahmad Sadeghi
- Health Human Resource Research Center, School of Management and Medical Information, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran; Ph.D. Candidate of Health Care Management, Department of Health Care management, School of Management and Information Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Mohammad Khammarnia
- Ph.D. of Health Care Management, Assistant Professor, Department of Public Health, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Iran
| | - Elham Siavashi
- Health Human Resource Research Center, School of Management and Medical Information, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran; Ph.D. Candidate of Health Care Management, Department of Health Care management, School of Management and Information Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Gholamreza Oskrochi
- Full Professor. American University of the Middle East, College of Engineering and Technology, Kuwait
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Swart E, Vasudeva E, Makhni EC, Macaulay W, Bozic KJ. Dedicated Perioperative Hip Fracture Comanagement Programs are Cost-effective in High-volume Centers: An Economic Analysis. Clin Orthop Relat Res 2016; 474:222-33. [PMID: 26260393 PMCID: PMC4686498 DOI: 10.1007/s11999-015-4494-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2015] [Accepted: 07/30/2015] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Osteoporotic hip fractures are common injuries typically occurring in patients who are older and medically frail. Studies have suggested that creation of a multidisciplinary team including orthopaedic surgeons, internal medicine physicians, social workers, and specialized physical therapists, to comanage these patients can decrease complication rates, improve time to surgery, and reduce hospital length of stay; however, they have yet to achieve widespread implementation, partly owing to concerns regarding resource requirements necessary for a comanagement program. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES We performed an economic analysis to determine whether implementation of a comanagement model of care for geriatric patients with osteoporotic hip fractures would be a cost-effective intervention at hospitals with moderate volume. We also calculated what annual volume of cases would be needed for a comanagement program to "break even", and finally we evaluated whether universal or risk-stratified comanagement was more cost effective. METHODS Decision analysis techniques were used to model the effect of implementing a systems-based strategy to improve inpatient perioperative care. Costs were obtained from best-available literature and included salary to support personnel and resources to expedite time to the operating room. The major economic benefit was decreased initial hospital length of stay, which was determined via literature review and meta-analysis, and a health benefit was improvement in perioperative mortality owing to expedited preoperative evaluation based on previously conducted meta-analyses. A break-even analysis was conducted to determine the annual case volume necessary for comanagement to be either (1) cost effective (improve health-related quality of life enough to be worth additional expenses) or (2) result in cost savings (actually result in decreased total expenses). This calculation assumed the scenario in which a hospital could hire only one hospitalist (and therapist and social worker) on a full-time basis. Additionally, we evaluated the scenario where the necessary staff was already employed at the hospital and could be dedicated to a comanagement service on a part-time basis, and explored the effect of triaging only patients considered high risk to a comanagement service versus comanaging all geriatric patients. Finally, probabilistic sensitivity analysis was conducted on all critical variables, with broad ranges used for values around which there was higher uncertainty. RESULTS For the base case, universal comanagement was more cost effective than traditional care and risk-stratified comanagement (incremental cost effectiveness ratios of USD 41,100 per quality-adjusted life-year and USD 81,900 per quality-adjusted life-year, respectively). Comanagement was more cost effective than traditional management as long as the case volume was more than 54 patients annually (range, 41-68 patients based on sensitivity analysis) and resulted in cost savings when there were more than 318 patients annually (range, 238-397 patients). In a scenario where staff could be partially dedicated to a comanagement service, universal comanagement was more cost effective than risk-stratified comanagement (incremental cost effectiveness of USD 2300 per quality-adjusted life-year), and both comanagement programs had lower costs and better outcomes compared with traditional management. Sensitivity analysis was conducted and showed that the level of uncertainty in key variables was not high enough to change the core conclusions of the model. CONCLUSIONS Implementation of a systems-based comanagement strategy using a dedicated team to improve perioperative medical care and expedite preoperative evaluation is cost effective in hospitals with moderate volume and can result in cost savings at higher-volume centers. The optimum patient population for a comanagement strategy is still being defined. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Level 1, Economic and Decision Analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Swart
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY USA
| | - Eshan Vasudeva
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY USA
| | - Eric C. Makhni
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY USA
| | - William Macaulay
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY USA
| | - Kevin J. Bozic
- Department of Surgery and Perioperative Care, University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School, 1912 Speedway, Suite 564, Sanchez Building, Austin, TX 78712 USA
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Terzic-Supic Z, Bjegovic-Mikanovic V, Vukovic D, Santric-Milicevic M, Marinkovic J, Vasic V, Laaser U. Training hospital managers for strategic planning and management: a prospective study. BMC MEDICAL EDUCATION 2015; 15:25. [PMID: 25889166 PMCID: PMC4355452 DOI: 10.1186/s12909-015-0310-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2014] [Accepted: 02/17/2015] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Training is the systematic acquisition of skills, rules, concepts, or attitudes and is one of the most important components in any organization's strategy. There is increasing demand for formal and informal training programs especially for physicians in leadership positions. This study determined the learning outcomes after a specific training program for hospital management teams. METHODS The study was conducted during 2006 and 2007 at the Centre School of Public Health and Management, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade and included 107 participants involved in the management in 20 Serbian general hospitals. The management teams were multidisciplinary, consisting of five members on average: the director of the general hospital, the deputy directors, the head nurse, and the chiefs of support services. The managers attended a training program, which comprised four modules addressing specific topics. Three reviewers independently evaluated the level of management skills at the beginning and 12 months after the training program. Principal component analysis and subsequent stepwise multiple linear regression analysis were performed to determine predictors of learning outcomes. RESULTS The quality of the SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analyses performed by the trainees improved with differences between 0.35 and 0.49 on a Likert scale (p < 0.001). Principal component analysis explained 81% of the variance affecting their quality of strategic planning. Following the training program, the external environment, strategic positioning, and quality of care were predictors of learning outcomes. The four regression models used showed that the training program had positive effects (p < 0.001) on the ability to formulate a Strategic Plan comprising the hospital mission, vision, strategic objectives, and action plan. CONCLUSION This study provided evidence that training for strategic planning and management enhanced the strategic decision-making of hospital management teams, which is a requirement for hospitals in an increasingly competitive, complex and challenging context. For the first time, half of state general hospitals involved in team training have formulated the development of an official strategic plan. The positive effects of the formal training program justify additional investment in future education and training.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zorica Terzic-Supic
- Institute of Social Medicine, University of Belgrade, School of Medicine, Belgrade, Serbia.
| | - Vesna Bjegovic-Mikanovic
- Centre-School of Public Health and Management, University of Belgrade, School of Medicine, Belgrade, Serbia.
| | - Dejana Vukovic
- Institute of Social Medicine, University of Belgrade, School of Medicine, Belgrade, Serbia.
| | | | - Jelena Marinkovic
- Institute of Medical Statistics and Informatics, University of Belgrade, School of Medicine, Belgrade, Serbia.
| | - Vladimir Vasic
- Department of Statistics and Mathematics, Faculty of Economics, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
| | - Ulrich Laaser
- Section of International Public Health (S-IPH), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Bielefeld, Bielefeld, Germany.
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DePuccio MJ. Managed care and organizational influences on hospitalist program adoption. Hosp Top 2014; 92:105-11. [PMID: 25529791 DOI: 10.1080/00185868.2014.968495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Hospitalists help improve healthcare efficiency, but less is known about the factors that influence hospitals to utilize hospitalists. The purpose of this research was to investigate the influence of managed care and hospital case mix on hospitalist program adoption in general hospitals. Maximum likelihood estimation was used to estimate a nonlinear binary response model to predict hospitalist program adoption. Hospital case mix was positively and significantly associated with the adoption of a hospitalist program while health maintenance organization market share was negatively related to hospitalist program adoption. Managers may want to consider these factors when planning to adopt a hospitalist program.
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Kociol RD, Hammill BG, Fonarow GC, Heidenreich PA, Go AS, Peterson ED, Curtis LH, Hernandez AF. Associations between use of the hospitalist model and quality of care and outcomes of older patients hospitalized for heart failure. JACC-HEART FAILURE 2013; 1:445-53. [PMID: 24621978 DOI: 10.1016/j.jchf.2013.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2013] [Accepted: 07/17/2013] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study sought to examine the associations of hospitalist and cardiologist care of patients with heart failure with outcomes and adherence to quality measures. BACKGROUND The hospitalist model of inpatient care has grown nationally, but its associations with quality of care and outcomes of patients hospitalized with heart failure are not known. METHODS We analyzed data from the Get With the Guidelines-Heart Failure registry linked to Medicare claims for 2005 through 2008. For each hospital, we calculated the percentage of heart failure hospitalizations for which a hospitalist was the attending physician. We examined outcomes and care quality for patients stratified by rates of hospitalist use. Using multivariable models, we estimated associations between hospital-level use of hospitalists and cardiologists and 30-day risk-adjusted outcomes and adherence to measures of quality care. RESULTS The analysis included 31,505 Medicare beneficiaries in 166 hospitals. Across hospitals, the use of hospitalists varied from 0% to 83%. After multivariable adjustment, a 10% increase in the use of hospitalists was associated with a slight increase in mortality (risk ratio: 1.03; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.00 to 1.06) and decrease in length of stay (0.09 days; 95% CI: 0.02 to 0.16). There was no association with 30-day readmission. Increased use of hospitalists in hospitals with high use of cardiologists was associated with improved defect-free adherence to a composite of heart failure performance measures (risk ratio: 1.03; 95% CI: 1.01 to 1.06). CONCLUSIONS Hospitalist care varied significantly across hospitals for heart failure admissions and was not associated with improved 30-day outcomes. Comanagement by hospitalists and cardiologists may help to improve adherence to some quality measures, but it remains unclear what care model improves 30-day clinical outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robb D Kociol
- CardioVascular Institute, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
| | - Bradley G Hammill
- Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Gregg C Fonarow
- Ahmanson-UCLA Cardiomyopathy Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Paul A Heidenreich
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Palo Alto Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California
| | - Alan S Go
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, California; Departments of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and Medicine, University of California, San Francisco
| | - Eric D Peterson
- CardioVascular Institute, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Lesley H Curtis
- CardioVascular Institute, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Adrian F Hernandez
- CardioVascular Institute, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina
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Abstract
A study was undertaken to examine various factors that impact career satisfaction of hospitality. This study used data collected by the Center for Studying Health System Change's 2008 Health Tracking Physician survey. The 2008 HTP data set consisted of 4720 physicians belonging to the American Medical Association, of which 206 identified themselves as hospitalists. Results suggested that 41% of hospitalists were very satisfied with their careers in medicine. More than 26% of the hospitalists were 53 years or older. Seven of 10 hospitalists were men, whereas more than 55% were white. In addition, an average respondent earned between $150 000 and $200 000. Nearly 36% of the hospitalists in the study specialized in internal medicine. Regression analysis indicates that high-quality care had a highly significant impact on career satisfaction of hospitalists (P ≤ .00). In addition, formal written guidelines (P ≤ .07), gender (P ≤ .06), and white race (P ≤ .07) also had a significant impact on career satisfaction of hospitalists. It was concluded that perceived quality of care, presence of formal written guidelines, gender, and race were major predictors of career satisfaction of hospitalists.
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Orlando A, Salottolo K, Uribe P, Howell PA, Slone DS, Bar-Or D. A 5-year review of a trauma-trained hospitalist program for trauma patients: A matched cohort study. Surgery 2012; 152:61-8. [PMID: 22386713 DOI: 10.1016/j.surg.2012.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2011] [Accepted: 01/16/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Level I trauma centers have requirements on the percentage of trauma patients admitted to either a trauma surgeon or surgical subspecialist; however, surgical resources are in steady decline. Therefore, a trauma system might better utilize its surgical resources if trained hospitalists admitted a larger percentage of mild to moderately injured trauma patients. The objective of this report is to provide a 5-year evaluation of a trauma medical service (TMED) at treating mild to moderately injured trauma patients. METHODS Adult trauma patients consecutively admitted to a Level I trauma center between January 2006 and December 2010 were analyzed. Patients admitted to trauma surgical services were matched 1:1 to those admitted to TMED, via propensity scores. Paired t tests examined differences in hospital duration of stay (DOS), and exact conditional logistic regression examined differences in the odds of having a delayed diagnosis, developing a complication, and dying. RESULTS Of 1,202 TMED patients, 494 were matched; matched TMED patients had similar patient outcomes to nonmatched TMED patients. There were no differences between study groups in the mean hospital DOS, the proportion having a delayed diagnosis, or in the odds of dying in the hospital (P > .05 for all). The TMED group had a nominally higher complication rate (P = .12) owing to a higher rate of urinary tract infections. CONCLUSION Since its inception, the TMED service has successfully and safely treated mild to moderately injured trauma patients, and decreased the dependency on trauma surgical services. Trauma centers might utilize declining surgical services more efficiently with the addition of trauma medical hospitalists.
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Do hospitalist physicians improve the quality of inpatient care delivery? A systematic review of process, efficiency and outcome measures. BMC Med 2011; 9:58. [PMID: 21592322 PMCID: PMC3123228 DOI: 10.1186/1741-7015-9-58] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2011] [Accepted: 05/18/2011] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite more than a decade of research on hospitalists and their performance, disagreement still exists regarding whether and how hospital-based physicians improve the quality of inpatient care delivery. This systematic review summarizes the findings from 65 comparative evaluations to determine whether hospitalists provide a higher quality of inpatient care relative to traditional inpatient physicians who maintain hospital privileges with concurrent outpatient practices. METHODS Articles on hospitalist performance published between January 1996 and December 2010 were identified through MEDLINE, Embase, Science Citation Index, CINAHL, NHS Economic Evaluation Database and a hand-search of reference lists, key journals and editorials. Comparative evaluations presenting original, quantitative data on processes, efficiency or clinical outcome measures of care between hospitalists, community-based physicians and traditional academic attending physicians were included (n = 65). After proposing a conceptual framework for evaluating inpatient physician performance, major findings on quality are summarized according to their percentage change, direction and statistical significance. RESULTS The majority of reviewed articles demonstrated that hospitalists are efficient providers of inpatient care on the basis of reductions in their patients' average length of stay (69%) and total hospital costs (70%); however, the clinical quality of hospitalist care appears to be comparable to that provided by their colleagues. The methodological quality of hospitalist evaluations remains a concern and has not improved over time. Persistent issues include insufficient reporting of source or sample populations (n = 30), patients lost to follow-up (n = 42) and estimates of effect or random variability (n = 35); inappropriate use of statistical tests (n = 55); and failure to adjust for established confounders (n = 37). CONCLUSIONS Future research should include an expanded focus on the specific structures of care that differentiate hospitalists from other inpatient physician groups as well as the development of better conceptual and statistical models that identify and measure underlying mechanisms driving provider-outcome associations in quality.
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Soremekun OA, Biddinger PD, White BA, Sinclair JR, Chang Y, Carignan SB, Brown DFM. Operational and financial impact of physician screening in the ED. Am J Emerg Med 2011; 30:532-9. [PMID: 21419587 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajem.2011.01.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2010] [Revised: 12/29/2010] [Accepted: 01/19/2011] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Physician screening is one of many front-end interventions being implemented to improve emergency department (ED) efficiency. STUDY OBJECTIVE We aimed to quantify the operational and financial impact of this intervention at an urban tertiary academic center. METHODS We conducted a 2-year before-after analysis of a physician screening system at an urban tertiary academic center with 90 000 annual visits. Financial impact consisted of the ED and inpatient revenue generated from the incremental capacity and the reduction in left without being seen (LWBS) rates. The ED and inpatient margin contribution as well as capital expenditure were based on available published data. We summarized the financial impact using net present value of future cash flows performing sensitivity analysis on the assumptions. Operational outcome measures were ED length of stay and percentage of LWBS. RESULTS During the first year, we estimate the contribution margin of the screening system to be $2.71 million and the incremental operational cost to be $1.86 million. Estimated capital expenditure for the system was $1 200 000. The NPV of this investment was $2.82 million, and time to break even from the initial investment was 13 months. Operationally, despite a 16.7% increase in patient volume and no decrease in boarding hours, there was a 7.4% decrease in ED length of stay and a reduction in LWBS from 3.3% to 1.8%. CONCLUSIONS In addition to improving operational measures, the implementation of a physician screening program in the ED allowed for an incremental increase in patient care capacity leading to an overall positive financial impact.
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Fulton BR, Drevs KE, Ayala LJ, Malott DL. Patient satisfaction with hospitalists: facility-level analyses. Am J Med Qual 2011; 26:95-102. [PMID: 21364030 DOI: 10.1177/1062860610381274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Despite concerns and disagreements about the impact of hospitalist models on health care, hospitalists are becoming the dominant means of providing inpatient care, and models continue to diversify. Understanding their impact and the factors that influence their adoption is essential. This study examined hospitalists' impact on patient satisfaction, considering a host of characteristics. Cross-sectional data received in calendar year 2008, aggregated to the facility level, represent 1777 hospitals (41% of which employed hospitalists) and 2 648 275 patients. Press Ganey's psychometrically sound inpatient satisfaction survey consists of 38 items (10 sections) rated on a 5-point Likert-type scale. Findings suggest that facilities with hospitalists may have an advantage regarding satisfaction with nursing and personal issues (eg, privacy, emotional needs, response to complaints), both of which may be related to broader communication issues. Moreover, teaching (overall satisfaction) and large facilities (satisfaction with admissions, nursing, and tests/treatments) might especially benefit from the presence of hospitalists. Exploring how specific hospitalist functions influence patient satisfaction may reap rewards.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bradley R Fulton
- Department of Research and Analytics, Press Ganey Associates, 404 Columbia Place, South Bend, IN 46601, USA.
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Hock Lee K, Yang Y, Soong Yang K, Chi Ong B, Seong Ng H. Bringing generalists into the hospital: outcomes of a family medicine hospitalist model in Singapore. J Hosp Med 2011; 6:115-21. [PMID: 21387546 DOI: 10.1002/jhm.821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The aim of this study was to assess a newly introduced hospitalist care model in a Singapore hospital. Clinical outcomes of the family medicine hospitalists program were compared with the traditional specialists-based model using the hospital's administrative database. METHODS Retrospective cohort study of hospital discharge database for patients cared for by family medicine hospitalists and specialists in 2008. Multivariate analysis models were used to compare the clinical outcomes and resource utilization between patients cared for by family medicine hospitalists and specialist with adjustment for demographics, and comorbidities. RESULTS Of 3493 hospitalized patients in 2008 who met the criteria of the study, 601 patients were under the care of family medicine hospitalists. As compared with patients cared for by specialists, patients cared for by family medicine hospitalists had a shorter hospital length of stay (adjusted LOS, geometric mean, GM, 4.4 vs. 5.3 days; P < 0.001) and lower hospitalization costs (adjusted cost, GM, $2250.7 vs. $2500.0; P= 0.003), but a similar in-patient mortality rate (4.2% vs. 5.3%, P= 0.307) and 30-day all-cause unscheduled readmission rate (7.5% vs. 8.4%, P= 0.231) after adjustment for age, ethnicity, gender, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, numbers of organ failures, and comorbidities. CONCLUSION The family medicine hospitalist model was associated with reductions in hospital LOS and cost of care without adversely affecting mortality or 30-day all-cause readmission rate. These findings suggest that the hospitalist care model can be adapted for health systems outside North America and may produce similar beneficial effects in care efficiency and cost savings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kheng Hock Lee
- Family Medicine and Continuing Care, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore.
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Lundberg S, Balingit P, Wali S, Cope D. Cost-effectiveness of a hospitalist service in a public teaching hospital. ACADEMIC MEDICINE : JOURNAL OF THE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN MEDICAL COLLEGES 2010; 85:1312-1315. [PMID: 20671457 DOI: 10.1097/acm.0b013e3181e574c4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The authors report implementing an academic hospitalist team as a cost-effective solution to the problem of an inpatient census that exceeds their public hospital's teaching service limits. Medi-Cal (California's Medicaid program) per diem reimbursement was the primary source of revenue, which rendered moot some traditional advantages of hospitalist services. METHOD The authors assessed cost-effectiveness by comparing average inpatient census, payment denial rate, and Medi-Cal reimbursement for internal medicine in 2008 and in 2007. They also focused on Medi-Cal patients admitted with low-risk chest pain in 2008, comparing the length-of-stay and denied-day rate data with data from 2005. RESULTS Overall Medi-Cal reimbursement was $2,310,000 higher in 2008 than in 2007. Overall payment denial rate fell from 29% to 27.4%, while yearly admissions increased from 8,069 to 8,643, and the average daily census increased from 97.7 to 107.1 patients. For low-risk chest pain admissions, length of stay decreased from 2.48 to 1.92 days, denial rate decreased from 43.8% to 31.8%, and average reimbursement per inpatient day increased from $787 to $955. Total salary outlay for the first year of the service was approximately $310,000. CONCLUSIONS By reducing payment denials and increasing the inpatient census, hospitalists were able to more than offset their compensation with a substantial increase in revenue under per diem reimbursement, which adds a new dimension to prior reports of cost-effectiveness of hospitalist services in diagnosis-based, capitated, or fee-for-service reimbursement systems. Hospitalists are a cost-effective solution to the problem of increasing inpatient workloads at public teaching hospitals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott Lundberg
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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Supic ZT, Bjegovic V, Marinkovic J, Milicevic MS, Vasic V. Hospital management training and improvement in managerial skills: Serbian experience. Health Policy 2010; 96:80-9. [PMID: 20116126 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2010.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2009] [Revised: 12/19/2009] [Accepted: 01/03/2010] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to analyze the improvement of managerial skills of hospitals' top managers after a specific management training programme, and to explore possible predictors and relations. METHODS The study was conducted during the years 2006 and 2007 with cohort of 107 managers from 20 Serbian general hospitals. The managers self-assessed the improvement in their managerial skills before and after the training programme. RESULTS After the training programme, all managers' skills had improved. The biggest improvement was in the following skills: organizing daily activities, motivating and guiding others, supervising the work of others, group discussion, and situation analysis. The least improved were: applying creative techniques, working well with peers, professional self-development, written communication, and operational planning. Identified predictors of improvement were: shorter years of managerial experience, type of manager, type of profession, and recognizing the importance of the managerial skills in oral communication, evidence-based decision making, and supervising the work of others. CONCLUSIONS Specific training programme related to strategic management can increase managerial competencies, which are an important source of competitive advantage for organizations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zorica Terzic Supic
- Institute of Social Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Dr Subotica 15, Belgrade, Serbia.
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Freed GL, Dunham KM, Switalski KE. Assessing the value of pediatric hospitalist programs: the perspective of hospital leaders. Acad Pediatr 2009; 9:192-6. [PMID: 19450780 DOI: 10.1016/j.acap.2009.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2008] [Revised: 12/29/2008] [Accepted: 01/02/2009] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE There has been a rapid increase in the number of pediatric hospitalist programs in the United States. As most pediatric hospitalist services are believed to be subsidized by hospitals, gaining a better understanding of the rationale for these subsidies is critical to the future success and existence of these programs. Our objective was to determine the rationale for pediatric hospitalist program subsidies from the perspective of hospital leaders. METHODS A survey was mailed to hospital executives from a national sample of 112 hospitals between October 2007 and February 2008. RESULTS The overall response rate was 69% (N = 77). Twelve hospitals no longer used hospitalists to provide care for children, leaving 65 hospitals for the analysis. The majority of hospital leaders indicated they subsidize their pediatric hospitalist program (78%, n = 51) and the average proportion subsidized was 49% of program costs. The majority of hospitals (82%, n = 40) do not plan to phase out the subsidy of hospitalists over time, as they do not anticipate their program will be able to cover its costs. Hospital leaders provided a broad rational for this subsidization but most commonly cited the nonmonetary benefits of patient (83%, n = 39) and referring physician satisfaction (81%, n = 38) as reason for their investment. CONCLUSIONS Despite the fact that most pediatric hospitalist programs are unable to cover their costs, the majority of hospitals plan to continue subsidizing these programs. Discussions of the value added by hospitalists should not presume that hospital investment in hospitalist programs is based on monetary benefits alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gary L Freed
- Child Health Evaluation and Research, Unit and Division of General Pediatrics, University of Michigan, 300 North Ingalls Building 6E08, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-0456, USA.
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Peterson MC. A systematic review of outcomes and quality measures in adult patients cared for by hospitalists vs nonhospitalists. Mayo Clin Proc 2009; 84:248-54. [PMID: 19252112 PMCID: PMC2664594 DOI: 10.4065/84.3.248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
A systematic review of English-language literature was undertaken to answer the question, "Are there differences in cost or quality of inpatient medical care provided to adults by hospitalists vs nonhospitalists?" A computerized search was performed, using hospitalist and either quality, outcome, or cost as search terms. References from relevant articles were searched by hand. A standard data-extraction tool was used, and articles were included on the basis of quality and relevance. The reports that were included (N=33) show general agreement that hospitalist care leads to shorter length of stay and lower cost per stay. Three reports show improvement in outcomes for orthopedic surgery patients who had hospitalist consultation or comanagement, 3 reports show improvement in markers of quality of care for patients with pneumonia, and 2 reports show improvement in aspects of heart failure management. Further research should seek to determine why differences in care exist, whether these improvements might be generalized to other physicians, and whether hospitalists provide demonstrable benefit in other areas of care.
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Peterson MC. A systematic review of outcomes and quality measures in adult patients cared for by hospitalists vs nonhospitalists. Mayo Clin Proc 2009; 84:248-54. [PMID: 19252112 PMCID: PMC2664594 DOI: 10.1016/s0025-6196(11)61142-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
A systematic review of English-language literature was undertaken to answer the question, "Are there differences in cost or quality of inpatient medical care provided to adults by hospitalists vs nonhospitalists?" A computerized search was performed, using hospitalist and either quality, outcome, or cost as search terms. References from relevant articles were searched by hand. A standard data-extraction tool was used, and articles were included on the basis of quality and relevance. The reports that were included (N=33) show general agreement that hospitalist care leads to shorter length of stay and lower cost per stay. Three reports show improvement in outcomes for orthopedic surgery patients who had hospitalist consultation or comanagement, 3 reports show improvement in markers of quality of care for patients with pneumonia, and 2 reports show improvement in aspects of heart failure management. Further research should seek to determine why differences in care exist, whether these improvements might be generalized to other physicians, and whether hospitalists provide demonstrable benefit in other areas of care.
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Balla U, Malnick S, Schattner A. Early readmissions to the department of medicine as a screening tool for monitoring quality of care problems. Medicine (Baltimore) 2008; 87:294-300. [PMID: 18794712 DOI: 10.1097/md.0b013e3181886f93] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
With growing awareness of medical fallibility, researchers need to develop tools to identify and study medical mistakes. We examined the utility of hospital readmissions for this purpose in a prospective case-control study in a large academic medical center in Israel. All patients with nonelective readmissions to 2 departments of medicine within 30 days of discharge were interviewed, and their medical records were carefully examined with emphasis on the index admission. Patient data were compared to data for age- and sex-matched controls (n = 140) who were not readmitted. Medical records of readmitted and control patients were blindly evaluated by 2 senior clinicians who independently identified potential quality of care (QOC) problems during the index admission. Inhospital and late mortality was determined 6 months after discharge.Over a period of 3 months there were 1988 urgent admissions; 1913 discharges and subsequently 271 unplanned readmissions occurred (14.1% of discharges). Readmissions occurred an average of 10 days after discharge, and readmitted patients were sicker than controls (mean, 4.3 vs. 3.3 diagnoses per patient), although their length of stay was similarly short (3.4 +/- 2.8 d). Analysis of all readmissions revealed QOC problems in 90/271 (33%) of readmissions, 4.5% of hospitalizations. All were deemed preventable. Interobserver agreement was good (83%, kappa = 0.67). Among matched controls, only 8/140 admissions revealed QOC problems (6%, p < 0.001) (k = 0.77). The preventable readmissions mostly involved a vascular event or congestive heart failure; they occurred within a mean of 10 +/- 8 days of the index admission, and their inpatient mortality was 6.7% vs. 1.7% among readmissions that had no QOC problems (odds ratio, 4.1; 95% confidence interval, 1.0-16.7). The main pitfalls identified during the index admission included incomplete workup (33%), too short hospital stay (31%), inappropriate medication (44%), diagnostic error (16%), and disregarding a significant laboratory result (12%). In many patients more than 1 pitfall was identified (mean, 1.5 per patient). Risk factors for preventable readmission include older age and living in an institution (p < 0.05). Almost two-thirds of the readmitted patients with QOC problems were discharged after spending 2 days or fewer at the hospital. In conclusion, unplanned readmissions within 30 days of discharge are frequent, more prevalent in sicker patients, and possibly associated with increased mortality. In a third of readmitted patients a QOC problem can be identified, and these problems are preventable. Thus, readmission may be used as a screening tool for potential QOC problems in the department of medicine. Routine monitoring of all readmissions may provide a simple cost-effective means of identifying and addressing medical mistakes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uri Balla
- From Department of Medicine, Kaplan Medical Centre, Rehovot; Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel
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Early discharge and home intervention reduces unit costs after total hip replacement: results of a cost analysis in a randomized study. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2008; 8:181-92. [PMID: 18566886 DOI: 10.1007/s10754-008-9036-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2006] [Accepted: 06/02/2008] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Total hip replacement (THR) is a common and costly procedure. The number of THR is expected to increase over the coming years. Two pathways of postoperative treatment were compared in a randomized study. Fifty patients from two hospitals were randomized into a study group (SG) of 27 patients receiving preoperative and postoperative education programs, as well as home visits from an outpatient team. A control group (CG) of 23 patients received "conventional" rehabilitation augmented by a stay at a rehabilitation center if needed. All costs for the two groups both in hospitals and after discharge were collected and analyzed. On average total costs for the SG were $8,550 and $11,952 for the CG, a 28% cost reduction. Total inpatient costs were $5,225 for the SG and $6,515 for the CG. In a regression analysis the group difference is statistically significant. Adjusting for changes in the Oxford Hip Score gives effective costs (C/E). The ratio of the SGs C/E to the CGs is 0.60. That is a cost-effectiveness gain of 40%. A shorter hospital stay augmented with better preoperative education and home treatment appears to be more effective and costs less than the traditional in hospital pathway of treatment.
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Srivastava R, Landrigan CP, Ross-Degnan D, Soumerai SB, Homer CJ, Goldmann DA, Muret-Wagstaff S. Impact of a hospitalist system on length of stay and cost for children with common conditions. Pediatrics 2007; 120:267-74. [PMID: 17671051 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2006-2286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study examined mechanisms of efficiency in a managed care hospitalist system on length of stay and total costs for common pediatric conditions. PATIENTS AND METHODS We conducted a retrospective cohort study (October 1993 to July 1998) of patients in a not-for-profit staff model (HMO 1) and a non-staff-model (HMO 2) managed care organization at a freestanding children's hospital. HMO 1 introduced a hospitalist system for patients in October 1996. Patients were included if they had 1 of 3 common diagnoses: asthma, dehydration, or viral illness. Linear regression models examining length-of-stay-specific costs for prehospitalist and posthospitalist systems were built. Distribution of length of stay for each diagnosis before and after the system change in both study groups was calculated. Interrupted time series analysis tested whether changes in the trends of length of stay and total costs occurred after implementation of the hospitalist system by HMO1 (HMO 2 as comparison group) for all 3 diagnoses combined. RESULTS A total of 1970 patients with 1 of the 3 study conditions were cared for in HMO 1, and 1001 in HMO 2. After the hospitalist system was introduced in HMO 1, length of stay was reduced by 0.23 days (13%) for asthma and 0.19 days (11%) for dehydration; there was no difference for patients with viral illness. The largest relative reduction in length of stay occurred in patients with a shorter length of stay whose hospitalizations were reduced from 2 days to 1 day. This shift resulted in an average cost-per-case reduction of $105.51 (9.3%) for patients with asthma and $86.22 (7.8%) for patients with dehydration. During the same period, length of stay and total cost rose in HMO 2. CONCLUSIONS Introduction of a hospitalist system in one health maintenance organization resulted in earlier discharges and reduced costs for children with asthma and dehydration compared with another one, with the largest reductions occurring in reducing some 2-day hospitalizations to 1 day. These findings suggest that hospitalists can increase efficiency and reduce costs for children with common pediatric conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajendu Srivastava
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah Health Sciences Center, 100 N Medical Dr, Primary Children's Medical Center, Salt Lake City, UT 84113, USA.
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Lye PS, Rauch DA, Ottolini MC, Landrigan CP, Chiang VW, Srivastava R, Muret-Wagstaff S, Ludwig S. Pediatric hospitalists: report of a leadership conference. Pediatrics 2006; 117:1122-30. [PMID: 16585306 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2005-0401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To summarize a meeting of academic pediatric hospitalists and to describe the current state of the field. METHODS The Ambulatory Pediatric Association sponsored a meeting for academic pediatric hospitalists in November 2003. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss and to define roles of academic pediatric hospitalists, including their roles as clinicians, educators, and researchers, and to discuss organizational issues and unique hospitalist issues within general academic pediatrics. Workshops were held in the areas of organization and administration, academic life, research, and education. A literature review was also conducted in the areas discussed. RESULTS More than 130 physicians attended. Thirteen workshops were held, and all information was summarized in large-group sessions for all attendees. CONCLUSIONS Pediatric hospital medicine is a rapidly growing field, with an estimated 800 to 1000 pediatric hospitalists currently practicing. Initial work has defined the clinical environment and has begun to stake out a unique knowledge and skill set. The Pediatric Hospitalists in Academic Settings conference demonstrated the audience for additional development and the resources to move forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia S Lye
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Research Institute, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53226, USA.
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Ettner SL, Kotlerman J, Afifi A, Vazirani S, Hays RD, Shapiro M, Cowan M. An alternative approach to reducing the costs of patient care? A controlled trial of the multi-disciplinary doctor-nurse practitioner (MDNP) model. Med Decis Making 2006; 26:9-17. [PMID: 16495196 DOI: 10.1177/0272989x05284107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Hospitals adapt to changing market conditions by exploring new care models that allow them to maintain high quality while containing costs. The authors examined the net cost savings associated with care management by teams of physicians and nurse practitioners, along with daily multidisciplinary rounds and postdischarge patient follow-up. METHODS One thousand two hundred and seven general medicine inpatients in an academic medical center were randomized to the intervention versus usual care. Intervention costs were compared to the difference in nonintervention costs, estimated by comparing changes between preadmission and postadmission in regression-adjusted costs for intervention versus usual care patients. Intervention costs were calculated by assigning hourly costs to the time spent by different providers on the intervention. Patient costs during the index hospital stay were estimated from administrative records and during the 4-month follow-up by weighting self-reported utilization by unit costs. RESULTS Intervention costs were $1187 per patient and associated with a significant $3331 reduction in nonintervention costs. About $1947 of the savings were realized during the initial hospital stay, with the remainder attributable to reductions in postdischarge service use. After adjustment for possible attrition bias, a reasonable estimate of the cost offset was $2165, for a net cost savings of $978 per patient. Because health outcomes were comparable for the 2 groups, the intervention was cost-effective. CONCLUSIONS Wider adoption of multidisciplinary interventions in similar settings might be considered. The savings previously reported with hospitalist models may also be achievable with other models that focus on efficient inpatient care and appropriate postdischarge care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan L Ettner
- School of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine and Health Services Research, UCLA School of Medicine, 911 Broxton Plaza, Room 106, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
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Abstract
The hospitalist "specialty" is sweeping the inpatient setting with numbers of physicians choosing this specialty expected to exceed 20,000 by 2010. Yet, little is known about the involvement of nursing in the design, implementation, and evaluation of a hospitalist initiative. The author suggests the chief nursing officer's pivotal role in proactively encouraging the design and implementation of a hospitalist-nurse manager patient-centered care delivery model. The chief nursing officer can create an environment to foster research designed to identify outcomes from this partnership of hospitalist and clinical (nurse) manager.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynda Olender
- Bronx VA Medical Center, Bronx, New York 10468, USA.
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Coffman J, Rundall TG. The impact of hospitalists on the cost and quality of inpatient care in the United States: a research synthesis. Med Care Res Rev 2005; 62:379-406. [PMID: 16049131 DOI: 10.1177/1077558705277379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
There is substantial disagreement regarding the impact of hospitalists on costs, quality, and satisfaction with inpatient care. The authors reviewed 21 evaluations of the use of hospitalists in U.S. hospitals. Most evaluations found that patients managed by hospitalists had lower total costs or charges than patients in comparison groups and that these savings were achieved primarily by reducing length of stay. Most evaluations found no statistically significant differences in quality of care or satisfaction. However, lack of random assignment limits the ability to draw causal inferences from many of the evaluations. All randomized studies were conducted in teaching hospitals, raising questions as to the generalizability of findings to nonteaching hospitals. Further research is needed to better identify the mechanisms by which hospitalists reduce length of stay and to ascertain which types of hospitalist programs are most effective and which patients are most likely to benefit.
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Gregory D, DeNofrio D, Konstam MA. The Economic Effect of a Tertiary Hospital-Based Heart Failure Program. J Am Coll Cardiol 2005; 46:660-6. [PMID: 16098432 DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2005.05.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2004] [Revised: 04/12/2005] [Accepted: 05/03/2005] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study was designed to determine the economic effect of a tertiary heart failure (HF) program at an academic medical center. BACKGROUND Most hospitals use cross-sectional financial models to analyze the economic contribution of clinical programs for a budget period. We estimated the incremental value of a tertiary hospital HF program on the basis of the longitudinal utilization of a sample of HF patients. METHODS The primary data source was a sample of 82 HF patients referred for cardiac transplant evaluation at an academic medical center during calendar years 2000 to 2001. Cumulative recurrent rates of utilization, cost, and reimbursement for hospital services were computed as functions of time using reliability models. The economic contribution of patients transplanted was contrasted with those not transplanted. RESULTS Mean hospitalizations and outpatient encounters per patient at the end of the first year of follow-up for those transplanted were 2.1 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.6 to 2.7) and 11.9 (95% CI 9.2 to 15.4), compared with 1.1 (95% CI 0.8 to 1.6) and 6.0 (95% CI 4.8 to 7.6), respectively, for those not transplanted. Mean revenue and direct cost per patient were 194,470 dollars (95% CI 136,683 dollars to 276,689 dollars) and 146,623 dollars (95% CI 96,377 dollars to 233,065 dollars), respectively, for transplanted patients and 43,587 dollars (95% CI 28,149 dollars to 67,503 dollars) and 33,424 dollars (95% CI 21,584 dollars to 51,760 dollars), respectively, for non-transplanted patients. The point estimates of first-year contribution margins per patient for transplanted and non-transplanted patients were 47,847 dollars and 10,163 dollars, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Newly evaluated patients for cardiac transplantation at an academic medical center generated substantial incident demands for inpatient and outpatient services over a two-year follow-up period. The estimated contribution margin associated with these services was positive. Hospitals without cardiac transplantation that serve high-acuity HF patients may generate favorable long-term contribution margins, on the basis of the results for the non-transplant group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas Gregory
- Cardiovascular Clinical Studies and Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
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Abstract
Hospitalists are physicians who spend at least 25% of their professional time serving as the physicians-of-record for inpatients, during which time they accept "hand-offs" of hospitalized patients from primary care providers, returning the patients to their primary care providers at the time of hospital discharge. The hospitalist movement is only about 5 years old, yet at least 7000 hospitalists practice today and an estimated 19,000 will ultimately practice, approximately the current number of emergency medicine physicians. The emerging positivist literature on hospitalists' impact is the subject of this review. It traces the nature and evolution of the hospitalist movement; summarizes empirical evidence about costs, clinical outcomes, patient satisfaction, and education; and appraises whether the hospitalist model is indeed novel. The review concludes by outlining research questions about the hospitalist model's viability over time, the mechanisms by which it produces benefits, and especially hospitalists' longitudinal effect on continuity of patient care. A literature "scorecard" might rank evidence to date on costs as positive, evidence on clinical outcomes and education as nonnegative, and evidence on patient satisfaction and continuity of care as inconclusive. Above all, longitudinal research must illuminate whether hospitalists' advantages comeat the cost of the doctor-patient relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
- David H Freed
- Nyack Hospital, 160 North Midland Avenue, Nyack, NY 10960, USA
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Abstract
Heart failure and episodes of acute decompensated heart failure have an important effect on the US health care system, especially the elderly Medicare population. Efforts to improve the quality of care for patients hospitalized with acute decompensated heart failure have focused on creating standardized treatment guidelines based on substantial clinical evidence, but inadequate implementation of these guidelines continues to result in excess morbidity and mortality from heart failure. Hospitalists specializing in inpatient treatment strategies may play an important role in implementing clinical guidelines because their main commitment is to overall clinical treatment of inpatients. This review focuses on current recommended guidelines for diagnosis, treatment, and long-term management of patients with acute decompensated heart failure and the hospitalist's role in providing the oversight needed to adhere to these guidelines and manage this complex disease state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alpesh N Amin
- Department of Medicine, Hospitalist Program, University of California, Irvine, Orange, CA, USA.
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Koopmans GT, Donker MCH, Rutten FHH. Length of hospital stay and health services use of medical inpatients with comorbid noncognitive mental disorders: a review of the literature. Gen Hosp Psychiatry 2005; 27:44-56. [PMID: 15694218 DOI: 10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2004.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2003] [Accepted: 09/16/2004] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
We reviewed 23 studies on the association between noncognitive mental disorders and the use of general health care services by medical patients admitted to a general hospital. Only studies with a prospective design and with a correction for possible confounding factors were included. In most studies, only service use during index admission was observed, but eight studies included a longer observation period during follow-up after hospital discharge. The 15 studies that were restricted to service use during index admission showed mixed results: length of hospital stay was related to common mental disorders in some studies, but other studies did not find such an association. The eight studies that used a longer observation period showed findings that are more consistent. They demonstrated mainly that symptoms or complaints of depression are related to a higher resource use within general medical services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerrit T Koopmans
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Erasmus University Medical Center, P.O. Box 1738, 3000 DR Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
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