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Grabinski Z, Woo KM, Akindutire O, Dahn C, Nash L, Leybell I, Wang Y, Bayer D, Swartz J, Jamin C, Smith SW. Evaluation of a Structured Review Process for Emergency Department Return Visits with Admission. Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf 2024; 50:516-527. [PMID: 38653614 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcjq.2024.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 03/10/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Review of emergency department (ED) revisits with admission allows the identification of improvement opportunities. Applying a health equity lens to revisits may highlight potential disparities in care transitions. Universal definitions or practicable frameworks for these assessments are lacking. The authors aimed to develop a structured methodology for this quality assurance (QA) process, with a layered equity analysis. METHODS The authors developed a classification instrument to identify potentially preventable 72-hour returns with admission (PPRA-72), accounting for directed, unrelated, unanticipated, or disease progression returns. A second review team assessed the instrument reliability. A self-reported race/ethnicity (R/E) and language algorithm was developed to minimize uncategorizable data. Disposition distribution, return rates, and PPRA-72 classifications were analyzed for disparities using Pearson chi-square and Fisher's exact tests. RESULTS The PPRA-72 rate was 4.8% for 2022 ED return visits requiring admission. Review teams achieved 93% agreement (κ = 0.51) for the binary determination of PPRA-72 vs. nonpreventable returns. There were significant differences between R/E and language in ED dispositions (p < 0.001), with more frequent admissions for the R/E White at the index visit and Other at the 72-hour return visit. Rates of return visits within 72 hours differed significantly by R/E (p < 0.001) but not by language (p = 0.156), with the R/E Black most frequent to have a 72-hour return. There were no differences between R/E (p = 0.446) or language (p = 0.248) in PPRA-72 rates. The initiative led to system improvements through informatics optimizations, triage protocols, provider feedback, and education. CONCLUSION The authors developed a review methodology for identifying improvement opportunities across ED 72-hour returns. This QA process enabled the identification of areas of disparity, with the continuous aim to develop next steps in ensuring health equity in care transitions.
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Marx T, Moore L, Talbot D, Guertin JR, Lachapelle P, Blais S, Singbo N, Simonyan D, Lavallée J, Zada N, Shahrigharahkoshan S, Huard B, Olivier P, Mallet M, Létourneau M, Lafrenière M, Archambault P, Berthelot S. Value-based comparison of ambulatory children with respiratory diseases in an emergency department and a walk-in clinic: a retrospective cohort study in Québec, Canada. BMJ Open 2024; 14:e078566. [PMID: 38670620 PMCID: PMC11057281 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-078566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To compare health outcomes and costs given in the emergency department (ED) and walk-in clinics for ambulatory children presenting with acute respiratory diseases. DESIGN A retrospective cohort study. SETTING This study was conducted from April 2016 to March 2017 in one ED and one walk-in clinic. The ED is a paediatric tertiary care centre, and the clinic has access to lab tests and X-rays. PARTICIPANTS Inclusion criteria were children: (1) aged from 2 to 17 years old and (2) discharged home with a diagnosis of upper respiratory tract infection (URTI), pneumonia or acute asthma. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The primary outcome measure was the proportion of patients returning to any ED or clinic within 3 and 7 days of the index visit. The secondary outcome measures were the mean cost of care estimated using time-driven activity-based costing and the incidence of antibiotic prescription for URTI patients. RESULTS We included 532 children seen in the ED and 201 seen in the walk-in clinic. The incidence of return visits at 3 and 7 days was 20.7% and 27.3% in the ED vs 6.5% and 11.4% in the clinic (adjusted relative risk at 3 days (aRR) (95% CI) 3.17 (1.77 to 5.66) and aRR at 7 days 2.24 (1.46 to 3.44)). The mean cost (95% CI) of care (CAD) at the index visit was $C96.68 (92.62 to 100.74) in the ED vs $C48.82 (45.47 to 52.16) in the clinic (mean difference (95% CI): 46.15 (41.29 to 51.02)). Antibiotic prescription for URTI was less common in the ED than in the clinic (1.5% vs 16.4%; aRR 0.10 (95% CI 0.03 to 0.32)). CONCLUSIONS The incidence of return visits and cost of care were significantly higher in the ED, while antibiotic use for URTI was more frequent in the walk-in clinic. These data may help determine which setting offers the highest value to ambulatory children with acute respiratory conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tania Marx
- Axe Santé des populations et Pratiques optimales en santé, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Lynne Moore
- Axe Santé des populations et Pratiques optimales en santé, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
- Département de médecine sociale et préventive, Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Denis Talbot
- Axe Santé des populations et Pratiques optimales en santé, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
- Département de médecine sociale et préventive, Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Jason Robert Guertin
- Axe Santé des populations et Pratiques optimales en santé, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
- Département de médecine sociale et préventive, Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Philippe Lachapelle
- Direction de la performance clinique et organisationnelle, CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Sébastien Blais
- Direction de la performance clinique et organisationnelle, CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Narcisse Singbo
- Axe Santé des populations et Pratiques optimales en santé, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - David Simonyan
- Axe Santé des populations et Pratiques optimales en santé, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Jeanne Lavallée
- Axe Santé des populations et Pratiques optimales en santé, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Nawid Zada
- Axe Santé des populations et Pratiques optimales en santé, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Shaghayegh Shahrigharahkoshan
- Axe Santé des populations et Pratiques optimales en santé, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Benoit Huard
- Axe Santé des populations et Pratiques optimales en santé, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Pascale Olivier
- Axe Santé des populations et Pratiques optimales en santé, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Myriam Mallet
- Axe Santé des populations et Pratiques optimales en santé, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Mélanie Létourneau
- Direction de la performance clinique et organisationnelle, CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
| | | | - Patrick Archambault
- Département de médecine de famille et de médecine d'urgence, Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
- Centre de recherche du Centre intégré de santé et de services sociaux de Chaudière-Appalaches, Lévis, Québec, Canada
- VITAM - Centre de recherche en santé durable, Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Simon Berthelot
- Axe Santé des populations et Pratiques optimales en santé, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
- Département de médecine de famille et de médecine d'urgence, Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
- VITAM - Centre de recherche en santé durable, Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
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Seers T, Reynard C, Martin GP, Body R. Development and Internal Validation of a Multivariable Prediction Model to Predict Repeat Attendances in the Pediatric Emergency Department: A Retrospective Cohort Study. Pediatr Emerg Care 2024; 40:16-21. [PMID: 37195679 DOI: 10.1097/pec.0000000000002975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Unplanned reattendances to the pediatric emergency department (PED) occur commonly in clinical practice. Multiple factors influence the decision to return to care, and understanding risk factors may allow for better design of clinical services. We developed a clinical prediction model to predict return to the PED within 72 hours from the index visit. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed all attendances to the PED of Royal Manchester Children's Hospital between 2009 and 2019. Attendances were excluded if they were admitted to hospital, aged older than 16 years or died in the PED. Variables were collected from Electronic Health Records reflecting triage codes. Data were split temporally into a training (80%) set for model development and a test (20%) set for internal validation. We developed the prediction model using LASSO penalized logistic regression. RESULTS A total of 308,573 attendances were included in the study. There were 14,276 (4.63%) returns within 72 hours of index visit. The final model had an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.64 (95% confidence interval, 0.63-0.65) on temporal validation. The calibration of the model was good, although with some evidence of miscalibration at the high extremes of the risk distribution. After-visit diagnoses codes reflecting a nonspecific problem ("unwell child") were more common in children who went on to reattend. CONCLUSIONS We developed and internally validated a clinical prediction model for unplanned reattendance to the PED using routinely collected clinical data, including markers of socioeconomic deprivation. This model allows for easy identification of children at the greatest risk of return to PED.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Seers
- From the Emergency Department, Manchester Royal Infirmary, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, United Kingdom
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Cavallaro SC, Michelson KA, D'Ambrosi G, Monuteaux MC, Li J. Critical Revisits Among Children After Emergency Department Discharge. Ann Emerg Med 2023; 82:575-582. [PMID: 37462598 PMCID: PMC10889433 DOI: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2023.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023]
Abstract
STUDY OBJECTIVE Identifying higher risk groups could reveal ways to prevent critical emergency department (ED) revisits. The study objectives were to determine the rate of critical ED revisits among children discharged from the ED and to identify factors associated with critical revisits. METHODS We performed a retrospective study using the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project State ED Databases (SEDD) and the State Inpatient Databases (SID). We included data from 6 states from 2014 through 2017. Critical ED revisit was defined as either ICU admission or death within 3 days of the initial ED discharge. We included all patients younger than 21 years. The main outcome was the rate of critical ED revisit. We also determined the relative risk (RR) of a critical ED revisit for the most common index ED visit diagnoses. We used negative binomial regression to calculate incidence rate ratios (IRR) of a critical ED visit by pediatric volume and complex chronic conditions. RESULTS A total of 16.3 million children were discharged from an ED over the 4-year study period. There were 18,704 (0.1%) critical ED revisits, 180 (0.00001%) of whom died. Asthma (RR 2.24, 95% confidence interval [CI] [2.11 to 2.38) had the highest relative risk of a critical revisit among all ED diagnoses. Adjusting for hospital volume and patient age, patients with complex chronic conditions were also more likely to have a critical ED revisit (IRR 11.03, 95% CI, 7.76 to 15.67). CONCLUSIONS Critical revisits after ED discharge were uncommon among children in our study sample, with revisits resulting in patient death within 3 days of an ED discharge being rare. Given the short time interval between ED discharges, however, future research should focus on understanding higher risk patients among those with asthma and a history of complex chronic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah C Cavallaro
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA.
| | | | | | | | - Joyce Li
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA
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Ramgopal S, Rodean J, Alpern ER, Hall M, Chaudhari PP, Marin JR, Shah SS, Freedman SB, Eltorki M, Badaki-Makun O, Shapiro DJ, Rhine T, Morse RB, Neuman MI. Ambulatory follow-up among publicly insured children discharged from the emergency department. Acad Emerg Med 2023; 30:721-730. [PMID: 36809681 DOI: 10.1111/acem.14704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND While children discharged from the emergency department (ED) are frequently advised to follow up with ambulatory care providers, the extent to which this occurs is unknown. We sought to characterize the proportion of publicly insured children who have an ambulatory visit following ED discharge, identify factors associated with ambulatory follow-up, and evaluate the association of ambulatory follow-up with subsequent hospital-based health care utilization. METHODS We performed a cross-sectional study of pediatric (<18 years) encounters during 2019 included in the IBM Watson Medicaid MarketScan claims database from seven U.S. states. Our primary outcome was an ambulatory follow-up visit within 7 days of ED discharge. Secondary outcomes were 7-day ED return visits and hospitalizations. Logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards were used for multivariable modeling. RESULTS We included 1,408,406 index ED encounters (median age 5 years, IQR 2-10 years), for which a 7-day ambulatory visit occurred in 280,602 (19.9%). Conditions with the highest proportion of 7-day ambulatory follow-up included seizures (36.4%); allergic, immunologic, and rheumatologic diseases (24.6%); other gastrointestinal diseases (24.5%); and fever (24.1%). Ambulatory follow-up was associated with younger age, Hispanic ethnicity, weekend ED discharge, ambulatory encounters prior to the ED visit, and diagnostic testing performed during the ED encounter. Ambulatory follow-up was inversely associated with Black race and ambulatory care-sensitive or complex chronic conditions. In Cox models, ambulatory follow-up was associated with a higher hazard ratio (HR) of subsequent ED return (HR range 1.32-1.65) visit and hospitalization (HR range 3.10-4.03). CONCLUSIONS One-fifth of children discharged from the ED have an ambulatory visit within 7 days, which varied by patient characteristics and diagnoses. Children with ambulatory follow-up have a greater subsequent health care utilization, including subsequent ED visit and/or hospitalization. These findings identify the need to further research the role and costs associated with routine post-ED visit follow-up.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sriram Ramgopal
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | | | - Elizabeth R Alpern
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Matt Hall
- Children's Hospital Association, Lenexa, Kansas, USA
| | - Pradip P Chaudhari
- Division of Emergency and Transport Medicine, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Department of Pediatrics, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Jennifer R Marin
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Samir S Shah
- Division of Hospital Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Stephen B Freedman
- Sections of Pediatric Emergency Medicine and Gastroenterology, Departments of Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine, Alberta Children's Hospital, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Mohamed Eltorki
- Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, McMaster Children's Hospital, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Oluwakemi Badaki-Makun
- Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Center for Data Science in Emergency Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Daniel J Shapiro
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Tara Rhine
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Rustin B Morse
- Department of Pediatrics, Center for Clinical Excellence, Nationwide Children's Hospital, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Ohio, Columbus, USA
| | - Mark I Neuman
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Akcan Yildiz L, Karaca Vural O, Tehci AK, Akca H, Kurt F, Akca Caglar A, Dibek Misirlioglu E. Pediatric emergency revisits of children with COVID-19. Postgrad Med 2022; 135:379-385. [PMID: 36516279 DOI: 10.1080/00325481.2022.2157634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study was conducted to reveal the characteristics of pediatric emergency revisits of children with COVID-19 and the factors associated with clinical worsening and hospitalization at the revisit. MATERIALS AND METHODS In pediatric emergency visits of children between July 2020 and March 2021 with COVID-19, the patients who had a revisit within 7 days were included in the study. Demographic and clinical characteristics, test results, and the relationship of these variables with clinical worsening and hospitalization at the revisit were investigated. RESULTS In 6779 children with COVID-19, 284 (4.1%) patients included in the study. 51.8% of the patients were male, the median age was 11.1 years, and median time to revisit time was 2.0 days. The rates of clinical worsening and hospitalization were 9.1% and 14.7%, respectively. Children younger than 24 months and those with chronic diseases were more commonly hospitalized at the revisit. Though the frequency of laboratory and radiologic testing at the revisit was significantly increased compared to the first presentation, tests did not play an important role in the decision-making processes. More than 85% of patients were clinically mild at the first presentation and revisit. CONCLUSIONS Children with a diagnosis of COVID-19 can revisit the emergency without evident clinical worsening. Since revisits cause increase in frequency of laboratory and radiological testing, preventing unnecessary revisits of children with COVID-19 can reduce the workload and cost of health care services. We may consider changing our perspective on revisit patients to make decisions based on clinical findings instead of obtaining for more laboratory tests.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ali Kansu Tehci
- University of Health Sciences Ankara City Hospital Pediatrics
| | - Halise Akca
- University of Yildirim Beyazit Ankara City Hospital, Pediatric Emergency Clinic
| | - Funda Kurt
- Ankara City Hospital Pediatric Emergency Clinic
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Ling DA, Sung CW, Fang CC, Ko CH, Chou E, Herrala J, Lu TC, Huang CH, Tsai CL. High-risk Return Visits to United States Emergency Departments, 2010–2018. West J Emerg Med 2022; 23:832-840. [DOI: 10.5811/westjem.2022.7.57028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Although factors related to a return visit to the emergency department (ED) have been reported, only a few studies have examined “high-risk” ED revisits with serious adverse outcomes. In this study we aimed to describe the incidence and trend of high-risk ED revisits in United States EDs and to investigate factors associated with these revisits.
Methods: We obtained data from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS), 2010–2018. Adult ED revisits within 72 hours of a previous discharge were identified using a mark on the patient record form. We defined high-risk revisits as revisits with serious adverse outcomes, including intensive care unit admissions, emergency surgery, cardiac catheterization, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) during the return visit. We performed analyses using descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression, accounting for NHAMCS’s complex survey design.
Results: Over the nine-year study period, there were an estimated 37,700,000 revisits, and the proportion of revisits in the entire ED population decreased slightly from 5.1% in 2010 to 4.5% in 2018 (P for trend = 0.02). By contrast, there were an estimated 827,000 high-risk ED revisits, and the proportion of high-risk revisits in the entire ED population remained stable at approximately 0.1%. The mean age of these high-risk revisit patients was 57 years, and 43% were men. Approximately 6% of the patients were intubated, and 13% received CPR. Most of them were hospitalized, and 2% died in the ED. Multivariable analysis showed that older age (65+ years), Hispanic ethnicity, daytime visits, and arrival by ambulance during the revisit were independent predictors of high-risk revisits.
Conclusion: High-risk revisits accounted for a relatively small fraction (0.1%) of ED visits. Over the period of the NHAMCS survey between 2010-2018, this fraction remained stable. We identified factors during the return visit that could be used to label high-risk revisits for timely intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dean-An Ling
- National Taiwan University Hospital, Department of Emergency Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Wei Sung
- College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Department of Emergency Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Chung Fang
- National Taiwan University Hospital, Department of Emergency Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan; College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Department of Emergency Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Hsin Ko
- National Taiwan University Hospital, Department of Emergency Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Eric Chou
- Baylor Scott and White All Saints Medical Center, Department of Emergency Medicine, Fort Worth, Texas
| | - Jeffrey Herrala
- Highland Hospital-Alameda Health System, Department of Emergency Medicine, Oakland, California
| | - Tsung-Chien Lu
- National Taiwan University Hospital, Department of Emergency Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan; College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Department of Emergency Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chien-Hua Huang
- National Taiwan University Hospital, Department of Emergency Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan; College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Department of Emergency Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chu-Lin Tsai
- National Taiwan University Hospital, Department of Emergency Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan; College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Department of Emergency Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
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Ramgopal S, Varma S, Victor TW, McCarthy DM, Rising KL. Pediatric Return Visits to the Emergency Department: The Time to Return Curve. Pediatr Emerg Care 2022; 38:e1454-e1461. [PMID: 35727757 DOI: 10.1097/pec.0000000000002790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Although 72-hour return visits are a frequently reported metric for pediatric patients discharged from the emergency department (ED), the basis for this metric is not established. Our objective was to statistically derive a cutoff time point for the characterization of pediatric return visits. METHODS We performed a retrospective cohort study using data of patients discharged from any of 44 pediatric EDs. We selected the first encounter per patient from January 1 to December 31, 2019, as the index encounter and included the first return visit within 30 days. We constructed a cumulative hazard curve to characterize the timing of return visits and constructed a multivariable adaptive regression spline model to identify a hinge point in return visit presentations. We identified the association between admission for early return visits and admission for late return visits using generalized linear mixed modeling. RESULTS Of 1,986,778 index ED discharges, 193,605 (9.7%) ED return visits were included. A double-exponential decay model demonstrated superior fit compared with a single exponential model ( P < 0.0001). Multivariable adaptive regression spline modeling identified a hinge at 7 days. When comparing proportions of return visits leading to hospitalization between early (23.8%) and late (15.1%) return visits, early visits (≤7 days) had higher adjusted odds of hospital admission (adjusted odds ratio, 1.73; 95% confidence interval, 1.69-1.77) relative to late return visits (>7 days). Findings were similar in sensitivity analyses within age subgroups, Census region, and in which the diagnosis (using the Diagnosis and Grouping System) was the same between the index and return visit. Among return visits that occurred within 7 days of the index visit, 46.3% had the same diagnosis grouping in both visits. CONCLUSIONS An empirically derived 7-day cutoff may be more appropriate for characterization of pediatric return visits to the ED. Encounters after this period had lower adjusted odds of admission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sriram Ramgopal
- From the Division of Emergency Medicine, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL
| | - Selina Varma
- From the Division of Emergency Medicine, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL
| | - Timothy W Victor
- Graduate School of Education, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Danielle M McCarthy
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL
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Holmstrom SE, Varma S, Augustine E, Wilson PM, Ramgopal S. Longitudinal Trends in Pediatric Return Visits to US Emergency Departments. Pediatr Emerg Care 2022; 38:e1237-e1244. [PMID: 35380752 DOI: 10.1097/pec.0000000000002566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study aimed to evaluate trends in pediatric emergency department (ED) 72-hour return visits and factors associated with return visits. METHODS We performed a cross-sectional study from 2002 to 2018 using the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, a complex survey of nonfederal US ED encounters. Patients 18 years or older were excluded. Our outcome of interest was 72-hour return ED encounter. We assessed changes in proportions of return visits over time using the Spearman rank-correlation test. We performed survey-weighted univariable and multivariable logistic regressions to identify factors associated with 72-hour return visit status. RESULTS A total of 501 million (95% confidence interval [CI], 452-551 million) pediatric survey-weighted ED encounters occurred during the 17-year study period, of which 14,353,697 (3.2%; 95% CI, 2.7%-3.7%) represented 72-hour return visits. The proportion of pediatric ED return visits increased from 22.9 to 36.5 per 1000 pediatric encounters over the study period (ρ = 0.68, P < 0.01). Most return visits were of lower acuity (73.0%; 95% CI, 68.6%-11.5%), and 8.1% (95% CI, 6.3%-9.9%) of return visits were admitted to the hospital or transferred to a different facility. In multivariable analyses, older age, abnormal heart rate, and abnormal temperature had lower adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of 72-hour return visits compared with encounters not classified as return visit. Complaints of returning for test results, treatment, and diagnostic screening/administrative purposes were associated with a higher aOR of return visit. Admission/transfer (in comparison with discharge) had a higher odds of return visit status in univariable (odds ratio, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.24-2.04) and multivariable (aOR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.03-1.68) analyses. CONCLUSIONS The proportion of 72-hour US pediatric ED return visits is increasing over time. Return visit status was associated with admission/transfer, but otherwise with markers of lower patient acuity. These findings inform quality improvement efforts aimed at improving pediatric transition to outpatient care after an ED encounter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara E Holmstrom
- From the Division of Emergency Medicine, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL
| | - Selina Varma
- From the Division of Emergency Medicine, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL
| | - Erin Augustine
- From the Division of Emergency Medicine, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL
| | | | - Sriram Ramgopal
- From the Division of Emergency Medicine, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL
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Hussain B, Kannikeswaran N, Mathew R, Arora R. Evaluation of advanced practice provider related return visits to a pediatric emergency department and their outcomes. Am J Emerg Med 2021; 52:174-178. [PMID: 34942426 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajem.2021.11.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND While multiple studies have evaluated physician-related return visits (RVs) to a pediatric emergency department (PED) limited data exists for Advanced Practice Provider (APP)-related RVs, hence our study aimed to evaluate APP-related RVs and their outcomes in a PED. METHODS We conducted a retrospective review of 72-h RVs where clinical care was independently provided by an APP during the index visit from January 2018 to December 2019. We extracted patient demographics, index and return visits' characteristics and outcomes. Reasons for RVs were categorized as progression of illness, medication-related, callbacks and others. Index visits were assessed for any diagnostic errors; impact of which to the patient was classified as none, minor or major. RESULTS Our APP-related RV rate was 2.1% (653/30,328). 462 eligible RVs were included in the final analysis. Majority of RVs were for medical reasons (n = 442, 95.7%); lower acuity (Emergency Severity Index ≥3, n = 426, 92.2%); due to persistence/progression of illness (n = 403; 87.2%) with viral illness being the common diagnosis (n = 159; 34.4%). 12 (2.6%) RVs were secondary to callbacks (8 radiology callbacks; 4 false positive blood cultures). Diagnostic errors were noted in 14 (3%) encounters of which 3 resulted in a major impact; radiological (7 fractures) and ophthalmological (2 corneal abrasions and 2 foreign bodies) misses constituted the majority of these. CONCLUSIONS APP-related RVs for low acuity medical patients remain low and are associated with good outcomes. Diagnostic errors account for a minority of these RVs. Focused interventions targeting provider errors can further decrease these RVs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Batool Hussain
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellow, Children's Hospital of Michigan, 3901 Beaubien Blvd, Detroit, MI 48201, United States of America.
| | - Nirupama Kannikeswaran
- Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine, Central Michigan University, Carman and Ann Adams Department of Pediatrics, Division of Emergency Medicine, Children's Hospital of Michigan, MI, United States of America.
| | - Reny Mathew
- Pediatric Resident, Children's Hospital of Michigan, MI, United States of America.
| | - Rajan Arora
- Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine, Central Michigan University, Carman and Ann Adams Department of Pediatrics, Division of Emergency Medicine, Children's Hospital of Michigan, MI, United States of America.
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11
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Marchese RF, Taylor A, Voorhis CB, Wall J, Szydlowski EG, Shaw KN. A Framework for Quality Assurance of Pediatric Revisits to the Emergency Department. Pediatr Emerg Care 2021; 37:e1419-e1424. [PMID: 32106156 DOI: 10.1097/pec.0000000000002063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Emergency department return visits significantly impact medical costs and patient flow. A comprehensive approach to understanding these patients is required to identify deficits in care, system level inefficiencies, and improve diagnosis specific management protocols. We aimed to identify factors needed to successfully analyze return visits to explore root causes leading to unplanned returns and inform system-level improvements. METHODS A multidisciplinary committee collaborated to develop a quality review process for return visits within 72 hours to our pediatric emergency department that were then subsequently admitted to the hospital. The committee developed methodology and a web-based tool for chart review and analysis. RESULTS Of 197,076 ED visits (159,164 discharged at initial visit), 5390 (3.4%) patients were discharged and represented to the ED within 72 hours and 1658 (1.0%) of those resulted in admission. Using defined criteria, approximately one third (n = 564) of revisits with admission were identified for chart review. Reason for revisit included natural progression of disease (67.6%), new condition or problem (11.2%), diagnostic error (6.9%), and scheduled or planned readmissions (3.5%). All diagnostic errors had not been previously identified by ED leadership. Of the reviewed cases, most were not preventable (84.0%); however, a number of system-level actions resulted from discussion of the potentially preventable revisits. CONCLUSIONS Seventy-two-hour ED revisits were efficiently and systematically categorized with determination of root causes and preventability. This process resulted in shared provider-level feedback, identifying trends in revisits, and implementation of system-level actions, therefore, encouraging other institutions to adopt a similar process.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - April Taylor
- From the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
| | | | | | | | - Kathy N Shaw
- From the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
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12
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Lyons TW, Michelson KA, Nigrovic LE, Perron CE, Fine AM. Attending-Provider Handoffs and Pediatric Emergency Department Revisits. Pediatr Emerg Care 2021; 37:e679-e685. [PMID: 31977767 PMCID: PMC10071514 DOI: 10.1097/pec.0000000000001983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to determine if intradepartment attending-provider transitions of care (handoffs) during a pediatric emergency department (ED) encounter were associated with return ED visits resulting in hospitalization. METHODS We analyzed ED encounters for patients younger than 21 years discharged from a single pediatric ED from January 2013 to February 2017. We classified an encounter as having a handoff when the initial attending and discharging attending differed. Our primary outcome was a revisit within 72 hours resulting in hospitalization. Our secondary outcomes were any revisit within 72 hours and revisits resulting in hospitalization with potential deficiencies in care. We compared outcome rates for ED encounters with and without provider handoffs, both with and without adjustment for demographic, clinical, and visit characteristics. RESULTS Of the 177,350 eligible ED encounters, 1961 (1.1%) had a return visit resulting in hospitalization and 6821 (3.9%) had any return visit. In unadjusted analyses, handoffs were associated with an increased likelihood of a return visit resulting in hospitalization (odds ratio [OR], 1.46; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.26-1.70) or any return visit (OR, 1.20; 95% CI, 1.10-1.31). However, after adjustment, provider handoffs were not associated with return ED visits resulting in hospitalization (OR, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.81-1.13) or any return ED visits (OR, 1.00; 95% CI, 0.90-1.10). CONCLUSIONS Provider handoffs in a pediatric ED did not increase the risk of return ED visits or return ED visits with deficiencies in care after adjustment for demographic, clinical, and visit factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Todd W. Lyons
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA and Department of Pediatrics Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Computational Health Informatics Program (CHiP) at Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Kenneth A. Michelson
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA and Department of Pediatrics Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Lise E. Nigrovic
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA and Department of Pediatrics Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Catherine E. Perron
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA and Department of Pediatrics Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Andrew M. Fine
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA and Department of Pediatrics Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
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13
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Sung CW, Lu TC, Fang CC, Lin JY, Yeh HF, Huang CH, Tsai CL. Factors associated with a high-risk return visit to the emergency department: a case-crossover study. Eur J Emerg Med 2021; 28:394-401. [PMID: 34191766 DOI: 10.1097/mej.0000000000000851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND IMPORTANCE Although factors related to a return emergency department (ED) visit have been reported, few studies have examined 'high-risk' return ED visits with serious adverse outcomes. Understanding factors associated with high-risk return ED visits may help with early recognition and prevention of these catastrophic events. OBJECTIVES We aimed to (1) estimate the incidence of high-risk return ED visits, and (2) to investigate time-varying factors associated with these revisits. DESIGN Case-crossover study. SETTINGS AND PARTICIPANTS We used electronic clinical warehouse data from a tertiary medical center. We retrieved data from 651 815 ED visits over a 6-year period. Patient demographics and computerized triage information were extracted. OUTCOME MEASURE AND ANALYSIS A high-risk return ED visit was defined as a revisit within 72 h of the index visit with ICU admission, receiving emergency surgery, or with in-hospital cardiac arrest during the return ED visit. Time-varying factors associated with a return visit were identified. MAIN RESULTS There were 440 281 adult index visits, of which 19 675 (4.5%) return visits occurred within 72 h. Of them, 417 (0.1%) were high-risk revisits. Multivariable analysis showed that time-varying factors associated with an increased risk of high-risk revisits included the following: arrival by ambulance, dyspnea, or chest pain on ED presentation, triage level 1 or 2, acute change in levels of consciousness, tachycardia (>90/min), and high fever (>39°C). CONCLUSIONS We found a relatively small fraction of discharges (0.1%) developed serious adverse events during the return ED visits. We identified symptom-based and vital sign-based warning signs that may be used for patient self-monitoring at home, as well as new-onset signs during the return visit to alert healthcare providers for timely management of these high-risk revisits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chih-Wei Sung
- Department of Emergency Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital Hsin-Chu Branch, Hsinchu
| | - Tsung-Chien Lu
- Department of Emergency Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital
- Department of Emergency Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Chung Fang
- Department of Emergency Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital
- Department of Emergency Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Jia-You Lin
- Department of Emergency Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital
| | - Huang-Fu Yeh
- Department of Emergency Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital
| | - Chien-Hua Huang
- Department of Emergency Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital
- Department of Emergency Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chu-Lin Tsai
- Department of Emergency Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital
- Department of Emergency Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
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14
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Portillo EN, Stack AM, Monuteaux MC, Curt A, Perron C, Lee LK. Association of limited English proficiency and increased pediatric emergency department revisits. Acad Emerg Med 2021; 28:1001-1011. [PMID: 34431157 DOI: 10.1111/acem.14359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Revised: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Limited English proficiency (LEP) is a risk factor for health care inequity and an important focus for improving communication and care quality. This study examines the association between LEP and pediatric emergency department (ED) revisits. METHODS This was a retrospective, cross-sectional study of patients 0 to 21 years old discharged home after an initial visit from an academic, tertiary care pediatric ED from January 1, 2017, to June 30, 2018. We calculated rates of ED revisits within 72 h resulting in discharge or hospitalization and assessed rate differences between LEP and English-proficient (EP) patients. Multivariable logistic regression models examined the association between revisits and LEP status controlling for age, race, ethnicity, triage acuity, clinical complexity, and ED arrival time. Sensitivity models including insurance were also conducted. RESULTS There were 63,601 index visits in the study period; 12,986 (20%) were by patients with LEP. There were 2,387 (3.8%) revisits within 72 h of initial ED visit. Among LEP and EP patient visits, there were 4.53 and 3.55 revisits/100 initial ED visits, respectively (rate difference = 0.97, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.58 to 1.37). In the multivariable analyses, LEP was associated with increased odds of revisits resulting in discharge (odds ratio [OR] = 1.15, 95% CI = 1.01 to 1.30) and in hospitalization (OR = 1.28, 95% CI = 1.03 to 1.58). Sensitivity analyses additionally adjusting for insurance status attenuated these results. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that LEP was associated with increased pediatric ED revisits. Improved understanding of language barrier effects on clinical care is important for decreasing health care disparities in the ED.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elyse N. Portillo
- Section of Emergency Medicine Baylor College of MedicineTexas Children’s Hospital Houston Texas USA
| | - Anne M. Stack
- Division of Emergency Medicine Boston Children’s Hospital Boston Massachusetts USA
| | - Michael C. Monuteaux
- Division of Emergency Medicine Boston Children’s Hospital Boston Massachusetts USA
| | - Alexa Curt
- Division of Emergency Medicine Boston Children’s Hospital Boston Massachusetts USA
| | - Catherine Perron
- Division of Emergency Medicine Boston Children’s Hospital Boston Massachusetts USA
| | - Lois K. Lee
- Division of Emergency Medicine Boston Children’s Hospital Boston Massachusetts USA
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15
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Tsai CL, Ling DA, Lu TC, Lin JCC, Huang CH, Fang CC. Inpatient Outcomes Following a Return Visit to the Emergency Department: A Nationwide Cohort Study. West J Emerg Med 2021; 22:1124-1130. [PMID: 34546889 PMCID: PMC8463058 DOI: 10.5811/westjem.2021.6.52212] [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: 02/20/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Emergency department (ED) revisits are traditionally used to measure potential lapses in emergency care. However, recent studies on in-hospital outcomes following ED revisits have begun to challenge this notion. We aimed to examine inpatient outcomes and resource use among patients who were hospitalized following a return visit to the ED using a national database. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study using the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan. One-third of ED visits from 2012–2013 were randomly selected and their subsequent hospitalizations included. We analyzed the inpatient outcomes (mortality and intensive care unit [ICU] admission) and resource use (length of stay [LOS] and costs). Comparisons were made between patients who were hospitalized after a return visit to the ED and those who were hospitalized during the index ED visit. Results Of the 3,019,416 index ED visits, 477,326 patients (16%) were directly admitted to the hospital. Among the 2,504,972 patients who were discharged during the index ED visit, 229,059 (9.1%) returned to the ED within three days. Of them, 37,118 (16%) were hospitalized. In multivariable analyses, the inpatient mortality rates and hospital LOS were similar between the two groups. Compared with the direct-admission group, the return-admission group had a lower ICU admission rate (adjusted odds ratio, 0.78; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.72–0.84), and lower costs (adjusted difference, −5,198 New Taiwan dollars, 95% CI, −6,224 to −4,172). Conclusion Patients who were hospitalized after a return visit to the ED had a lower ICU admission rate and lower costs, compared to those who were directly admitted. Our findings suggest that ED revisits do not necessarily translate to poor initial care and that subsequent inpatient outcomes should also be considered for better assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chu-Lin Tsai
- National Taiwan University Hospital, Department of Emergency Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.,National Taiwan University Hospital, College of Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Dean-An Ling
- National Taiwan University Hospital, Department of Emergency Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Tsung-Chien Lu
- National Taiwan University Hospital, Department of Emergency Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.,National Taiwan University Hospital, College of Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Jasper Chia-Cheng Lin
- National Taiwan University Hospital, Department of Emergency Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.,National Taiwan University Hospital, College of Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chien-Hua Huang
- National Taiwan University Hospital, Department of Emergency Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.,National Taiwan University Hospital, College of Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Chung Fang
- National Taiwan University Hospital, Department of Emergency Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.,National Taiwan University Hospital, College of Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
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16
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Michelson KA, Williams DN, Dart AH, Mahajan P, Aaronson EL, Bachur RG, Finkelstein JA. Development of a rubric for assessing delayed diagnosis of appendicitis, diabetic ketoacidosis and sepsis. Diagnosis (Berl) 2021; 8:219-225. [PMID: 32589599 PMCID: PMC7759568 DOI: 10.1515/dx-2020-0035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Using case review to determine whether a patient experienced a delayed diagnosis is challenging. Measurement would be more accurate if case reviewers had access to multi-expert consensus on grading the likelihood of delayed diagnosis. Our objective was to use expert consensus to create a guide for objectively grading the likelihood of delayed diagnosis of appendicitis, new-onset diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), and sepsis. METHODS Case vignettes were constructed for each condition. In each vignette, a patient has the condition and had a previous emergency department (ED) visit within 7 days. Condition-specific multi-specialty expert Delphi panels reviewed the case vignettes and graded the likelihood of a delayed diagnosis on a five-point scale. Delayed diagnosis was defined as the condition being present during the previous ED visit. Consensus was defined as ≥75% agreement. In each Delphi round, panelists were given the scores from the previous round and asked to rescore. A case scoring guide was created from the consensus scores. RESULTS Eighteen expert panelists participated. Consensus was achieved within three Delphi rounds for all appendicitis and sepsis vignettes. We reached consensus on 23/30 (77%) DKA vignettes. A case review guide was created from the consensus scores. CONCLUSIONS Multi-specialty expert reviewers can agree on the likelihood of a delayed diagnosis for cases of appendicitis and sepsis, and for most cases of DKA. We created a guide that can be used by researchers and quality improvement specialists to allow for objective case review to determine when delayed diagnoses have occurred for appendicitis, DKA, and sepsis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David N. Williams
- Division of Orthopedic Surgery, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Arianna H. Dart
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Prashant Mahajan
- Departments of Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Emily L. Aaronson
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Richard G. Bachur
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
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17
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Lin CF, Huang YS, Tsai MT, Wu KH, Lin CF, Chiu IM. In-Hospital Outcomes in Patients Admitted to the Intensive Care Unit after a Return Visit to the Emergency Department. Healthcare (Basel) 2021; 9:healthcare9040431. [PMID: 33917232 PMCID: PMC8067995 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare9040431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Revised: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Intensive care unit (ICU) admission following a short-term emergency department (ED) revisit has been considered a particularly undesirable outcome among return-visit patients, although their in-hospital prognosis has not been discussed. We aimed to compare clinical outcomes between adult patients admitted to the ICU after unscheduled ED revisits and those admitted during index ED visits. Method: This retrospective study was conducted at two tertiary medical centers in Taiwan from 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2017. All adult non-trauma patients admitted to the ICU directly via the ED during the study period were included and divided into two comparison groups: patients admitted to the ICU during index ED visits and those admitted to the ICU during return ED visits. The outcomes of interest included in-hospital mortality, mechanical ventilation (MV) support, profound shock, hospital length of stay (HLOS), and total medical cost. Results: Altogether, 12,075 patients with a mean (standard deviation) age of 64.6 (15.7) years were included. Among these, 5.3% were admitted to the ICU following a return ED visit within 14 days and 3.1% were admitted following a return ED visit within 7 days. After adjusting for confounding factors for multivariate regression analysis, ICU admission following an ED revisit within 14 days was not associated with an increased mortality rate (adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 1.08, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.89 to 1.32), MV support (aOR: 1.06, 95% CI: 0.89 to 1.26), profound shock (aOR: 0.99, 95% CI: 0.84 to 1.18), prolonged HLOS (difference: 0.04 days, 95% CI: −1.02 to 1.09), and increased total medical cost (difference: USD 361, 95% CI: −303 to 1025). Similar results were observed after the regression analysis in patients that had a 7-day return visit. Conclusion: ICU admission following a return ED visit was not associated with major in-hospital outcomes including mortality, MV support, shock, increased HLOS, or medical cost. Although ICU admissions following ED revisits are considered serious adverse events, they may not indicate poor prognosis in ED practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Fu Lin
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, No. 123, Dapi Rd. Niaosong Dist., Kaohsiung 83301, Taiwan; (C.-F.L.); (Y.-S.H.); (M.-T.T.); (K.-H.W.); (C.-F.L.)
| | - Yi-Syun Huang
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, No. 123, Dapi Rd. Niaosong Dist., Kaohsiung 83301, Taiwan; (C.-F.L.); (Y.-S.H.); (M.-T.T.); (K.-H.W.); (C.-F.L.)
| | - Ming-Ta Tsai
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, No. 123, Dapi Rd. Niaosong Dist., Kaohsiung 83301, Taiwan; (C.-F.L.); (Y.-S.H.); (M.-T.T.); (K.-H.W.); (C.-F.L.)
| | - Kuan-Han Wu
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, No. 123, Dapi Rd. Niaosong Dist., Kaohsiung 83301, Taiwan; (C.-F.L.); (Y.-S.H.); (M.-T.T.); (K.-H.W.); (C.-F.L.)
| | - Chien-Fu Lin
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, No. 123, Dapi Rd. Niaosong Dist., Kaohsiung 83301, Taiwan; (C.-F.L.); (Y.-S.H.); (M.-T.T.); (K.-H.W.); (C.-F.L.)
| | - I-Min Chiu
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, No. 123, Dapi Rd. Niaosong Dist., Kaohsiung 83301, Taiwan; (C.-F.L.); (Y.-S.H.); (M.-T.T.); (K.-H.W.); (C.-F.L.)
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, National Sun Yet-Sen University, Kaohsiung 804, Taiwan
- Correspondence: or
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18
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Pediatric Emergency Department Return Visits: An Innovative and Systematic Approach to Promote Quality Improvement and Patient Safety. Pediatr Emerg Care 2020; 36:e726-e731. [PMID: 31977769 DOI: 10.1097/pec.0000000000001999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Emergency department (ED) return visits (RVs) leading to hospital admission are a quality measure that can potentially signal gaps in patient care. Systematic capture and investigation of RVs at a case level can provide an understanding of patient- and visit-level factors associated with RVs, and thus inform system-level quality improvement (QI) opportunities. Our objective is to describe the development of a database that enables tracking and analyzing of all pediatric ED RVs, to understand recurring themes and inform QI initiatives. METHODS A single-center retrospective cohort study was conducted at a quaternary care children's hospital during a 3-year period (December 2013 to November 2016). All 72-hour RVs were audited for patient- and visit-level variables and clinicians completed root-cause analyses of their RVs. Using descriptive statistics, variables associated with RVs and system-level quality themes were identified. RESULTS Of 214,047 ED patient visits, 1546 (0.7%) patients returned within 72 hours and were admitted. The RV patients had higher acuity scores on both visits compared with all ED visits, and the RV group had a higher proportion of children younger than 12 months than the overall ED visit group (25.0% vs 16.2%). The underlying cause for the majority of RVs was determined to be natural disease progression (63%), whereas 9% were callbacks for positive blood cultures or discrepant radiology results, and 6% were categorized as misdiagnoses. Several successful QI initiatives were completed as a result of the program. CONCLUSIONS Systematic monitoring and investigation of all ED RVs provides an innovative and effective approach to seeking provider- and system-level improvement opportunities.
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19
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Navanandan N, Schmidt SK, Cabrera N, Topoz I, DiStefano MC, Mistry RD. Seventy-two-hour Return Initiative: Improving Emergency Department Discharge to Decrease Returns. Pediatr Qual Saf 2020; 5:e342. [PMID: 34616961 PMCID: PMC8487775 DOI: 10.1097/pq9.0000000000000342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Accepted: 07/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Unscheduled return visits within 72 hours of discharge account for 4% of pediatric emergency department (ED) visits each year and are a quality indicator of ED care. This project aimed to reduce the unexpected 72-hour return visit rate for a network of ED and urgent cares (UC) by improving discharge processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nidhya Navanandan
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colo
| | - Sarah K Schmidt
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colo
| | - Natasha Cabrera
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Critical Care Medicine, University of Washington
| | - Irina Topoz
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colo
| | - Michael C DiStefano
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colo
| | - Rakesh D Mistry
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colo
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20
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Keret A, Shir Y, Schwartz S, Berliner E, Erlichman M, Weiser G. The rates of hospital admissions and return visits to a rapidly growing pediatric emergency department as measures of quality of care. Isr J Health Policy Res 2020; 9:40. [PMID: 32787928 PMCID: PMC7422502 DOI: 10.1186/s13584-020-00397-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2019] [Accepted: 08/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Return visits to the emergency department are viewed as a quality measure of patient management. Avoiding unnecessary admissions to the ward can potentially cause an increase in return visits, thus effecting quality assessment. Methods After implementing an educational process the relationship between admissions and return visits was assessed over time at a rapidly growing pediatric emergency department. Results There was a 264% increase in visits from 2004 to 2017. In the study period admission rates declined from 25 to 14%. This was achieved without a rise in return visits and with a stable percentage of admissions from return visits. Conclusions Interventions aimed at decreasing unnecessary admissions do not lead to increased return visits and return visit admissions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amit Keret
- Hebrew university medical school, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Yakir Shir
- Pediatric emergency department, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, 12 Bait st, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Shepard Schwartz
- Pediatric emergency department, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, 12 Bait st, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Elihay Berliner
- Pediatric emergency department, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, 12 Bait st, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Mattityahu Erlichman
- Pediatric emergency department, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, 12 Bait st, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Giora Weiser
- Pediatric emergency department, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, 12 Bait st, Jerusalem, Israel.
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21
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Valiuddin H, Ring H, Fallon M, Valiuddin Y. Comparison of admission rates among patients treated by male and female emergency physicians: a multicenter study. BMC Emerg Med 2020; 20:54. [PMID: 32611316 PMCID: PMC7329465 DOI: 10.1186/s12873-020-00349-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND No study to date has looked at the gender of emergency medicine (EM) physicians in the United States in relation to admission rates. This study seeks to investigate admission rates of adult patients treated by female vs male EM physicians, to identify whether a practice pattern bias exists. METHODS This was a multicenter retrospective study of four community hospitals. POPULATION All patient encounters between July 1, 2016 and June 30, 2017. OUTCOME We compared multiple benchmarks, including admission rates, patient acuity, length of stay, return visits, patient age, and years of practice using descriptive statistics and Pearson Correlation Coefficients. RESULTS 171,762 encounters by 71 EM physicians; 29 females, 42 males. Average admission rates: female 30.1%, male 28.0%, p = .188. Average encounters: female 2456, male 2394, p = 0.77. Acuity: female 149.3, male 146.9, p = .227. Average length of stay (minutes): female 294.4, male 277.4, p = .137. Average patient age: female 50.9, male 50.2, p = .457. Median time of encounter: female 12.8, male 12.7, p = .964. Years of practice: female 16.2, male 19.1, p = .274. Average return visits per one thousand: female 8.5, male 8.5, p = .864. Secondary analysis of Pearson Correlation Coefficient of Significance; admission rate and length of stay: female 0.53, p = .0026; male 0.76, p < .0001. Admission rate and acuity: female 0.56, p = .0012; male 0.76, p < .0001. Admission rate and patient age: female 0.54, p = 0.0018; male 0.50, p = 0.0003. CONCLUSION No statistically significant difference exists between the admission rates of male and female emergency medicine physicians. The admission rate in both groups had the highest correlation with patients' age, acuity, and length of stay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hisham Valiuddin
- Department of Emergency Medicine, St. Mary Mercy Hospital, 36475 Five Mile, Livonia, MI 48154 USA
| | - Hope Ring
- Department of Emergency Medicine, St. Mary Mercy Hospital, 36475 Five Mile, Livonia, MI 48154 USA
| | - Michelle Fallon
- Department of Emergency Medicine, St. Mary Mercy Hospital, 36475 Five Mile, Livonia, MI 48154 USA
| | - Yaser Valiuddin
- Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, 2265 Kraft Drive, Blacksburg, VA 24060 USA
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Chiang CY, Chen YL, Lin YR, Cheng FJ, Wu KH, Chiu IM. Characteristics of Febrile Children Admitted to the ICU Following an Unscheduled ED Revisit Within 72 h, a Case-Control Study. Front Pediatr 2020; 8:411. [PMID: 32850531 PMCID: PMC7426702 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2020.00411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 06/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: The purpose of this article was to demonstrate related characteristics of intensive care unit (ICU) admission after an unscheduled revisit by febrile children visiting the emergency department (ED). Method: We performed a retrospective study in a tertiary medical center from 2010 to 2016. Patients whose chief complaint was fever and who were admitted to the ICU following a 72-h return visit to the ED were included, and we selected patients who were discharged from the same emergency department for comparison. Results: During the study period, 54 (0.03%) patients met the inclusion criteria, and 216 patients were selected for the matched control group. Regarding clinical variables on initial ED visit, visiting during the night shift (66.7 vs. 46.8%, p = 0.010), shorter length of 1st ED stay (2.5 ± 2.63 vs. 3.5 ± 3.44 h, p = 0.017), and higher shock index (SI) (1.6 ± 0.07 vs. 1.4 ± 0.02, p = 0.008) were associated with ICU admission following a return visit. On the return ED visit, we found that clinical variables such as elevated heart rate, SI, white blood cell count, and C-reactive protein level were all associated with ICU admission. Furthermore, elevated SI and pediatric age-adjusted (SIPA) values were observed in the study group in both the initial (42.2 vs. 20.1%, OR:2.3 (1.37-4.31), p = 0.002) and return ED visits (29.7 vs. 6.9%, OR: 4.6 (2.42-8.26), p < 0.001). Conclusion: For children who visited the emergency department with a febrile complaint, elevated SIPA values on the initial ED visit were associated with ICU admission following an unscheduled ED revisit within 72 h.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charng-Yen Chiang
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Lun Chen
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Yan-Ren Lin
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua, Taiwan.,School of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.,School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Fu-Jen Cheng
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Kuan-Han Wu
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - I-Min Chiu
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.,Department of Computer Science and Engineering, National Sun Yet-sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
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Chiang CY, Cheng FJ, Huang YS, Chen YL, Wu KH, Chiu IM. ICU admission following an unscheduled return visit to the pediatric emergency department within 72 hours. BMC Pediatr 2019; 19:268. [PMID: 31375075 PMCID: PMC6676510 DOI: 10.1186/s12887-019-1644-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2019] [Accepted: 07/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The purpose of this study was to describe the demographic characteristics and prognosis of children admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) after a pediatric emergency department (PED) return visit within 72 h. METHOD We conducted this retrospective study from 2010 to 2016 in the PED of a tertiary medical center in Taiwan and included patients under the age of 18 years old admitted to the ICU after a PED return visit within 72 h. Clinical characteristics were collected to perform demographic analysis. Pediatric patients who were admitted to the ICU on an initial visit were also enrolled as a comparison group for outcome analysis, including mortality, ventilator use, and length of hospital stay. RESULTS We included a total of 136 patients in this study. Their mean age was 3.3 years old, 65.4% were male, and 36.0% had Chronic Health Condition (CHC). Disease-related return (73.5%) was by far the most common reason for return. Compared to those admitted on an initial PED visit, clinical characteristics, including vital signs at triage and laboratory tests on return visit with ICU admission, demonstrated no significant differences. Regarding prognosis, ICU admission on return visit has a higher likelihood of ventilator use (aOR:2.117, 95%CI 1.021~4.387), but was not associated with increased mortality (aOR:0.658, 95%CI 0.150~2.882) or LOHS (OR:-1.853, 95%CI -4.045~0.339). CONCLUSION Patients who were admitted to the ICU on return PED visits were associated with an increased risk of ventilator use but not mortality or LOHS compared to those admitted on an initial visit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charng-Yen Chiang
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, No.123, Dapi Rd. Niaosong Dist, Kaohsiung City, 83301, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Fu-Jen Cheng
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, No.123, Dapi Rd. Niaosong Dist, Kaohsiung City, 83301, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Yi-Syun Huang
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, No.123, Dapi Rd. Niaosong Dist, Kaohsiung City, 83301, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Yu-Lun Chen
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, No.123, Dapi Rd. Niaosong Dist, Kaohsiung City, 83301, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Kuan-Han Wu
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, No.123, Dapi Rd. Niaosong Dist, Kaohsiung City, 83301, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - I-Min Chiu
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, No.123, Dapi Rd. Niaosong Dist, Kaohsiung City, 83301, Taiwan, Republic of China.
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Michelson KA, Lyons TW, Bachur RG, Monuteaux MC, Finkelstein JA. Timing and Location of Emergency Department Revisits. Pediatrics 2018; 141:peds.2017-4087. [PMID: 29650806 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2017-4087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Emergency department (ED) revisits are used as a measure of care quality. Many EDs measure only revisits to the same facility, underestimating true rates. We sought to determine the frequency, location, and predictors of ED revisits to the same or a different ED. METHODS We studied ED discharges for children <18 years old in Maryland and New York in the statewide ED and inpatient databases. Revisits were defined as ED visits within 7 days of an index visit. Our primary outcome was the proportion of revisits that were different-hospital revisits (DHRs). We measured the underestimation of total revisits when only same-hospital revisits were measured. We determined the risk of DHR by quartile of annual ED pediatric volume, adjusting for case mix, insurance, state, and urban location. RESULTS Revisits across 261 EDs occurred after 5.9% of 4.3 million discharges. A per-ED median 21.9% of revisits were DHRs (interquartile range 14.2%-34.6%). Measuring only same-hospital revisits underestimated total revisits by 17.4%. The proportions of revisits that were DHRs by increasing volume quartile were 28.1%, 25.5%, 22.6%, and 14.5%. The adjusted risk of DHR was lower for increasing quartiles of pediatric volume (adjusted odds ratio for highest versus lowest quartile 0.27; 95% confidence interval, 0.19-0.36). CONCLUSIONS Measuring ED revisits only at the index ED significantly underestimates total revisits. Lower pediatric volume is associated with higher DHRs as a proportion of revisits. When using revisits as a measure of emergency care quality, effort should be made to assess revisits to different EDs.
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