Activity-based funding for safety and quality: A policy discussion of issues and directions for nursing-focused health services outcomes research

The pressure injury prevalence and practice improvements (PIPPI) study: A multiple methods evaluation of pressure injury prevention practices in an acute-care hospital

Pressure injuries are a significant problem for immobile patients in acute care and can have a profound impact on patients' health and well-being, putting pressure on healthcare systems and strain on the healthcare economy. Nurses play a pivotal role in preventing pressure injuries. A study using multiple methods was conducted to explore pressure injury prevention practices in four inpatient units within a tertiary-level Australian Hospital. Quantitative and qualitative methods were used to gather data across a 9-month period. Observations, audits, surveys and interviews were used to collect data across five time points. Statistical analysis of the quantitative data was undertaken, and thematic analysis was used to analyse qualitative data. Data were integrated using a realist evaluation framework. Ethical approval for the study was granted. The quantitative results demonstrated significant reductions in pressure injury prevalence from 11.5% at commencement to 4.8% at completion of the study. Hospital-acquired pressure injuries also reduced from 4.6% to 1.9%. These results were achieved even though nursing knowledge and attitudes did not increase during the study period. Three qualitative themes were identified: Making Nursing Care Visible, Understanding the 'Why' and Engagement is Key. This study demonstrates that pressure injuries can be prevented with improvements in nursing care processes. Nurses' knowledge and attitudes towards pressure injury prevention did not change throughout this study and further research is required on how nurses' knowledge and attitudes contribute towards pressure injury prevention practices.

Validation of a quantitative instrument measuring critical success factors and acceptance of Casemix system implementation in the total hospital information system in Malaysia

OBJECTIVES

This study aims to address the significant knowledge gap in the literature on the implementation of Casemix system in total hospital information systems (THIS). The research focuses on validating a quantitative instrument to assess medical doctors' acceptance of the Casemix system in Ministry of Health (MOH) Malaysia facilities using THIS.

DESIGNS

A sequential explanatory mixed-methods study was conducted, starting with a cross-sectional quantitative phase using a self-administered online questionnaire that adapted previous instruments to the current setting based on Human, Organisation, Technology-Fit and Technology Acceptance Model frameworks, followed by a qualitative phase using in-depth interviews. However, this article explicitly emphasises the quantitative phase.

SETTING

The study was conducted in five MOH hospitals with THIS technology from five zones.

PARTICIPANTS

Prior to the quantitative field study, rigorous procedures including content, criterion and face validation, translation, pilot testing and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) were undertaken, resulting in a refined questionnaire consisting of 41 items. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was then performed on data collected from 343 respondents selected via stratified random sampling to validate the measurement model.

RESULTS

The study found satisfactory Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin model levels, significant Bartlett's test of sphericity, satisfactory factor loadings (>0.6) and high internal reliability for each item. One item was eliminated during EFA, and organisational characteristics construct was refined into two components. The study confirms unidimensionality, construct validity, convergent validity, discriminant validity and composite reliability through CFA. After the instrument's validity, reliability and normality have been established, the questionnaire is validated and deemed operational.

CONCLUSION

By elucidating critical success factor and acceptance of Casemix, this research informs strategies for enhancing its implementation within the THIS environment. Moving forward, the validated instrument will serve as a valuable tool in future research endeavours aimed at evaluating the adoption of the Casemix system within THIS, addressing a notable gap in current literature.

Hospital episode-of-care costs for hip fractures: an activity-based costing analysis

Background

Despite the large impact of hip fracture care on hospital budgets, accurate episode-of-care costs (EOCC) calculations for this injury remains a challenge. The objective of this article was to assess EOCC for geriatric patients with hip fractures using an activity-based costing methodology and identify intraoperative, perioperative, and patient-specific factors associated with higher EOCC.

Material and Methods

This is a retrospective cohort study involving a total of 109 consecutive patients with hip fracture treated surgically at a Canadian level-1 trauma center from April 2018 to February 2019. Clinical and demographic data were extracted through the institution's centralized data warehouse. Data acquisition also included direct and indirect costs per episode of care, adverse events, and precise temporal data.

Results

The median total EOCC was $13,113 (interquartile range 6658), excluding physician fees. Out of the total cost, 75% was attributed to direct costs, which represented a median expenditure of $9941. The median indirect cost of the EOCC was $3322. Based on the multivariate analysis, patients not operated within the 48 hours guidelines had an increased length of stay by 5.7 days (P = 0.003), representing an increase in EOCC of close to 5000$. Higher American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) scores were associated with elevated EOCC.

Conclusion

The cost of managing a patient with geriatric hip fracture from arrival in the emergency department to discharge from surgical ward represented $13,113. Main factors influencing the EOCC included adherence to the 48-hour benchmark surgical delay and ASA score. High-quality costing data are vital in assessing health care spending, conducting cost effectiveness analyses, and ultimately in guiding policy decisions.

Level of Evidence

Level III (3), retrospective cohort study.

Burden of paediatric hospitalisations to the health care system, child and family: a systematic review of Australian studies (1990-2022)

Background

Paediatric hospitalisations represent a significant cost to the health system and cause significant burden to children and their families. Understanding trends in hospitalisation costs can assist with health planning and support strategies across stakeholders. The objective of this systematic review is to examine the trends in costs and burden of paediatric hospitalisations in Australia to help inform policy and promote the well-being of children and their families.

Methods

Electronic data sources (Embase, Medline, Web of Science, PSYCH-Info, CINAHL and Scopus) were searched from 1990 until December 2022. Any quantitative or qualitative studies conducted in Australian tertiary hospitals were included in the review. Eligible studies were those that included paediatric (<18 years) hospitalisations and reported on economic and/or non-economic costs for the child, family unit and/or health system. Study quality and risk of bias for each study were assessed with the Joanna Briggs Critical Appraisal Tools. We present a summary of the findings of the hospitalisation burden across major diagnostic admission categories and for the child and family unit. The systematic review was registered with Prospero (ID: CRD42021276202).

Findings

The review summarises a total of 88 studies published between 1990 and December 2022. Overall, the studies identified that paediatric hospitalisations incur significant financial costs, which have not shown significant reductions over time. In-patient direct hospital costs varied depending on the type of treatment and diagnostic condition. The costs per-case were found to range from just below AUD$2000 to AUD$20,000 or more. The financial burden on the family unit included loss of productivity, transport and travel costs. Some studies reported estimates of these costs upward of AUD$500 per day. Studies evaluating 'hospital in the home' options identified significant benefits in reducing hospitalisations and costs without compromising care.

Interpretation

Increasing focus on alternative models of care may help alleviate the significant costs associated with paediatric hospitalisation.

Funding

This research was supported by Hospitals United for Sick Kids (formerly Curing Homesickness).

Episode-of-care costs of total hip arthroplasty: day surgery versus same-day admission

BACKGROUND

Although day surgery (DS) total hip arthroplasty (THA) has good patient satisfaction and a good safety profile, accurate episode-of-care cost (EOCC) calculations for this procedure compared to standard same-day admission (SDA) THA are not well known. We determined the EOCCs for patients who underwent THA, comparing DS and SDA pathways.

METHODS

We evaluated the EOCCs for consecutive patients who underwent DS or SDA THA for osteoarthritis or osteonecrosis performed by a single surgeon at 1 academic centre from July 2018 to January 2020. Patient demographic and clinical data were recorded, as were preoperative diagnosis, type of anesthesia, type of implant used, surgical time and estimated blood loss. We determined direct and indirect costs from time of arrival at the presurgical unit to hospital discharge. We determined the EOCCs using an ABC method.

RESULTS

The study included 50 patients who underwent THA (25 DS, 25 SDA). The mean length of stay in the SDA group was 45.1 (standard deviation [SD] 21.4) hours. Differences were observed between the 2 groups in mean age, mean Charlson Comorbidity Index score, surgical technique and mean surgical time (p ≤ 0.001). The mean total EOCC for SDA THA was $10 911 (SD $706.12, range $9944.07-$12 871.95), compared to $9672 (SD $546.55, range $8838.30-$11 058.07) for DS THA, a difference of 11.4%, mostly attributable to hospital resources such as laboratory tests, radiologic studies and cost of the surgical admission.

CONCLUSION

Day surgery THA is cost-effective in selected patient populations. With the savings identified in this study, every 10 additional DS THA procedures would save sufficient resources to perform an additional THA operation.

Disease and economic burden of infections in hospitalised children in New South Wales, Australia

ObjectivesTo describe the burden of disease and hospitalisation costs in children with common infections using statewide administrative data.MethodsWe analysed hospitalisation prevalence and costs for 10 infections: appendicitis, cellulitis, cervical lymphadenitis, meningitis, osteomyelitis, pneumonia, pyelonephritis, sepsis, septic arthritis, and urinary tract infections in children aged <18 years admitted to hospital within New South Wales, Australia, using an activity-based management administrative dataset over three financial years (1 July 2016-30 June 2019).ResultsAmong 339 077 admissions, 28 748 (8.48%) were coded with one of the 10 infections, associated with a total hospitalisation cost of AUD230 905 190 and a per episode median length-of-stay of 3 bed-days. Pneumonia was the most prevalent coded infection (3.1% [n = 10 524] of all admissions), followed by appendicitis (1.61%; n = 5460), cellulitis (1.22%; n = 4126) and urinary tract infections (0.94%; n = 3193). Eighty per cent of children (n = 22 529) were admitted to a non-paediatric hospital. Mean costs were increased 1.18-fold per additional bed-day, 2.14-fold with paediatric hospital admissions, and 5.49-fold with intensive care unit admissions, which were both also associated with greater total bed-day occupancy. Indigenous children comprised 9.7% of children admitted with these infections, and mean per episode costs, and median bed-days were reduced compared with non-Indigenous children (0.84 [95% CI 0.78, 0.89] and 3 (IQR: 2,5) vs 2 (IQR: 2,4), respectively.ConclusionsInfections in children requiring hospitalisation contributea substantial burden of disease and cost to the community. This varies by infection, facility type, and patient demographics, and this information should be used to inform and prioritise programs to improve care for children.

Comparison of self-report and administrative data sources to capture health care resource use in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease following pulmonary rehabilitation

Background

The optimal method to collect accurate healthcare utilisation data in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is not well established. The aim of this study was to determine feasibility and compare self-report and administrative data sources to capture health care resource use in people with COPD for 12 months following pulmonary rehabilitation.

Methods

This is a secondary analysis of a randomised controlled equivalence trial comparing centre-based and home-based pulmonary rehabilitation. Healthcare utilisation data were collected for 12 months following pulmonary rehabilitation from self-report (monthly telephone questionnaires and diaries) and administrative sources (Medicare Benefits Schedule, medical records). Feasibility was assessed by the proportion of self-reports completed and accuracy was established using month-by-month and per participant comparison of self-reports with administrative data.

Results

Data were available for 145/163 eligible study participants (89%, mean age 69 (SD 9) years, mean forced expiratory volume in 1 s 51 (SD 19) % predicted; n = 83 male). For 1725 months where data collection was possible, 1160 (67%) telephone questionnaires and 331 (19%) diaries were completed. Accuracy of recall varied according to type of health care encounter and self-report method, being higher for telephone questionnaire report of emergency department presentation (Kappa 0.656, p < 0.001; specificity 99%, sensitivity 59%) and hospital admission (Kappa 0.669, p < 0.001; specificity 97%, sensitivity 68%) and lower for general practitioner (Kappa 0.400, p < 0.001; specificity 62%, sensitivity 78%) and medical specialist appointments (Kappa 0.458, p < 0.001; specificity 88%, sensitivity 58%). A wide variety of non-medical encounters were reported (allied health and nursing) which were not captured in administrative data.

Conclusion

For self-reported methods of healthcare utilisation in people with COPD following pulmonary rehabilitation, monthly telephone questionnaires were more frequently completed and more accurate than diaries. Compared to administrative records, self-reports of emergency department presentations and inpatient admissions were more accurate than for general practitioner and medical specialist appointments.

Trial registration

NCT01423227 at clinicaltrials.gov

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12913-020-05920-0.

Classification performance of administrative coding data for detection of invasive fungal infection in paediatric cancer patients

BACKGROUND

Invasive fungal infection (IFI) detection requires application of complex case definitions by trained staff. Administrative coding data (ICD-10-AM) may provide a simplified method for IFI surveillance, but accuracy of case ascertainment in children with cancer is unknown.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the classification performance of ICD-10-AM codes for detecting IFI using a gold-standard dataset (r-TERIFIC) of confirmed IFIs in paediatric cancer patients at a quaternary referral centre (Royal Children's Hospital) in Victoria, Australia from 1st April 2004 to 31st December 2013.

METHODS

ICD-10-AM codes denoting IFI in paediatric patients (<18-years) with haematologic or solid tumour malignancies were extracted from the Victorian Admitted Episodes Dataset and linked to the r-TERIFIC dataset. Sensitivity, positive predictive value (PPV) and the F1 scores of the ICD-10-AM codes were calculated.

RESULTS

Of 1,671 evaluable patients, 113 (6.76%) had confirmed IFI diagnoses according to gold-standard criteria, while 114 (6.82%) cases were identified using the codes. Of the clinical IFI cases, 68 were in receipt of ≥1 ICD-10-AM code(s) for IFI, corresponding to an overall sensitivity, PPV and F1 score of 60%, respectively. Sensitivity was highest for proven IFI (77% [95% CI: 58-90]; F1 = 47%) and invasive candidiasis (83% [95% CI: 61-95]; F1 = 76%) and lowest for other/unspecified IFI (20% [95% CI: 5.05-72%]; F1 = 5.00%). The most frequent misclassification was coding of invasive aspergillosis as invasive candidiasis.

CONCLUSION

ICD-10-AM codes demonstrate moderate sensitivity and PPV to detect IFI in children with cancer. However, specific subsets of proven IFI and invasive candidiasis (codes B37.x) are more accurately coded.