1
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Jensen KV, Morrison A, Ma K, Alqurashi W, Erickson T, Curran J, Goldman RD, Gouin S, Kam A, Poonai N, Principi T, Scott S, Stang A, Candelaria P, Schreiner K, Yaskina M, Ali S. Low caregiver health literacy is associated with non-urgent pediatric emergency department use. CAN J EMERG MED 2024:10.1007/s43678-024-00771-8. [PMID: 39331337 DOI: 10.1007/s43678-024-00771-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 08/18/2024] [Indexed: 09/28/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Caregivers with low health literacy are more likely to overestimate illness severity and have poor adherence with health-promoting behaviors. Our primary objective was to relate caregiver health literacy to the urgency of emergency department (ED) utilization. The secondary objective was to explore the relationship between social and demographic characteristics, health literacy, and urgency of ED use. METHODS This sub-study was a descriptive cross-sectional survey with health record review. Data were collected from ten Canadian pediatric EDs. Study variables included demographics, visit details, and the Newest Vital Sign measurement of health literacy. ED visits were classified as urgent or non-urgent based on the resource utilization method. RESULTS The response rate was 97.6% (n = 2005). Mean (SD) caregiver age was 37.0 (7.7) years, 74.3% (n = 1950) were mothers, 72.6% (n = 1953) spoke English as a primary language, 51.0% (n = 1946) had a university degree, and 45.1% (n = 1699) had a household income greater than $100,000. The mean (SD) age of the children was 5.9 (5.0) years and 48.1% (n = 1956) were female. 43.7% (n = 1957) of caregivers had low health literacy. Being a caregiver with a child < 2 years old [aOR 1.83 (1.35, 2.48)] and low health literacy [aOR 1.56 (1.18, 2.05)] were associated with greater non-urgent pediatric ED use. Interprovincial variation was evident: Quebec caregivers were less likely to use the pediatric ED for non-urgent presentations compared to Alberta, while those in Nova Scotia, Manitoba, British Columbia, and Ontario were more likely compared to Alberta. CONCLUSION Almost half of caregivers presenting to Canadian pediatric EDs have low health literacy, which may limit their ability to make appropriate healthcare decisions for their children. Low caregiver health literacy is a modifiable factor associated with increased non-urgent ED utilization. Efforts to address this may positively influence ED utilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharine V Jensen
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Women & Children's Health Research Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | | | - Keon Ma
- Department of Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Waleed Alqurashi
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Tannis Erickson
- Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Janet Curran
- School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Professions, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Ran D Goldman
- The Pediatric Research in Emergency Therapeutics (PRETx) Program, Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia and BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | | | - April Kam
- Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Naveen Poonai
- Departments of Paediatrics, Internal Medicine, Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Tania Principi
- Department of Pediatrics, Hospital for SickKids, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Shannon Scott
- Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Antonia Stang
- Department of Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Patricia Candelaria
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Kurt Schreiner
- PEAK Research Team, Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Maryna Yaskina
- Women & Children's Health Research Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Samina Ali
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
- Women & Children's Health Research Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
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Shapiro DJ, Hall M, Ramgopal S, Alpern ER, Chaudhari PP, Eltorki M, Badaki-Makun O, Bergmann KR, Macy ML, Foster CC, Neuman MI. Acute care utilization for ambulatory care-sensitive conditions among publicly insured children. Acad Emerg Med 2024; 31:346-353. [PMID: 38385565 PMCID: PMC11014776 DOI: 10.1111/acem.14867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although characteristics of preventable hospitalizations for ambulatory care-sensitive conditions (ACSCs) have been described, less is known about patterns of emergency and other acute care utilization for ACSCs among children who are not hospitalized. We sought to describe patterns of utilization for ACSCs according to the initial site of care and to determine characteristics associated with seeking initial care in an acute care setting rather than in an office. A better understanding of the sequence of health care utilization for ACSCs may inform efforts to shift care for these common conditions to the medical home. METHODS We performed a retrospective analysis of pediatric encounters for ACSCs between 2017 and 2019 using data from the IBM Watson MarketScan Medicaid database. The database includes insurance claims for Medicaid-insured children in 10 anonymized states. We assessed the initial sites of care for ACSC encounters, which were defined as either acute care settings (emergency or urgent care) or office-based settings. We used generalized estimating equations clustered on patient to identify associations between encounter characteristics and the initial site of care. RESULTS Among 7,128,515 encounters for ACSCs, acute care settings were the initial site of care in 27.9%. Diagnoses with the greatest proportion of episodes presenting to acute care settings were urinary tract infection (52.0% of episodes) and pneumonia (44.6%). Encounters on the weekend (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 6.30, 95% confidence interval [CI] 6.27-6.34 compared with weekday) and among children with capitated insurance (aOR 1.55, 95% CI 1.54-1.56 compared with fee for service) were associated with increased odds of seeking care first in an acute care setting. CONCLUSIONS Acute care settings are the initial sites of care for more than one in four encounters for ACSCs among publicly insured children. Expanded access to primary care on weekends may shift care for ACSCs to the medical home.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J Shapiro
- Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Matt Hall
- Children's Hospital Association, Lenexa, Kansas, USA
| | - 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
| | - 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
| | - 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
| | - Kelly R Bergmann
- Department of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Children's Hospital Minnesota, South Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Michelle L Macy
- 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
| | - Carolyn C Foster
- Division of Advanced Pediatrics and Primary Care, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago and Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Mark I Neuman
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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3
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Davis E, Fagnano M, Halterman JS, Frey SM. Utilization of the emergency department as a routine source of care among children with asthma. J Asthma 2023; 60:1377-1385. [PMID: 36399630 PMCID: PMC10192056 DOI: 10.1080/02770903.2022.2149409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Objective: To describe characteristics of children with persistent asthma in the ED who receive most of their healthcare in emergency settings; and determine whether recent asthma experiences or historic patterns of care are associated with identifying the ED as a typical location for care.Methods: We conducted a sub-analysis of baseline data from Telemedicine Enhanced Asthma Management through the Emergency Department (TEAM-ED), an RCT of children (3-12 years) presenting to the ED with persistent asthma (2016-2020). Caregivers identified reasons for seeking emergency care, including if their child received most overall healthcare in the ED ('ED Care'; primary outcome) or not ('Other Care'). Independent variables included demographics, recent symptoms and quality of life (QOL), and historic preventive care and healthcare use. We compared responses between ED Care and Other Care groups using bivariate and multivariate analyses.Results: We analyzed data for 355 children (31% ED Care, 69% Other Care). Compared with Other Care, ED Care respondents were more likely to identify the ED as the closest source of healthcare; report fewer symptom nights but a poorer quality of life; and describe the ED as a usual place for sick care, despite most having a PCP.Conclusions: Many children with asthma use the ED as a typical source of healthcare, and are distinguished by need for proximity, poorer caregiver QOL, and historic patterns of care-seeking. Efforts to improve timely access to outpatient care and reinforce the role of PCP-directed asthma management, such as through telemedicine, may reduce preventable morbidity including ED visits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin Davis
- University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY
| | - Maria Fagnano
- University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY
| | - Jill S. Halterman
- University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY
| | - Sean M. Frey
- University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY
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Frey SM, Rowe RK, Halterman JS. The prevalence of childhood asthma: interpreting falling rates in the context of shifting measurement and the COVID-19 pandemic. Curr Opin Pulm Med 2023; 29:197-201. [PMID: 36917214 PMCID: PMC10090305 DOI: 10.1097/mcp.0000000000000959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The estimated prevalence of childhood asthma in the United States, as measured by the National Health Information Survey (NHIS), has decreased by 30% since 2017. This review provides context for observed changes in asthma rates by describing recent shifts in NHIS data collection and analysis, and considers whether the COVID-19 pandemic might impact asthma prevalence in years to come. RECENT FINDINGS The NHIS underwent a planned redesign in 2019 with updated sampling weights to better match the U.S. population. In early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in unplanned modifications to NHIS implementation, which may have included fewer children from populations at a heightened risk for asthma. Decreasing prevalence estimates in recent years are likely at least in part due to these survey changes rather than true epidemiologic shift. However, pandemic-related changes to risk factors for childhood asthma (including exposure to rhinovirus infections and allergic sensitization) may also influence prevalence in the future. SUMMARY Recent changes in estimated rates of childhood asthma in the USA are likely driven by changes to survey methods and implementation, both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additional years of data are needed to determine whether a true shift in disease prevalence is occurring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean M Frey
- University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York, USA
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Wells JM, Rodean J, Cook L, Sills MR, Neuman MI, Kornblith AE, Jain S, Hirsch AW, Goyal MK, Fleegler EW, DeLaroche AM, Aronson PL, Leonard JC. Injury-Related Pediatric Emergency Department Visits in the First Year of COVID-19. Pediatrics 2022; 150:188520. [PMID: 35836331 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2021-054545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To describe the epidemiology of pediatric injury-related visits to children's hospital emergency departments (EDs) in the United States during early and later periods of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional study using the Pediatric Health Information System, an administrative database to identify injury-related ED visits at 41 United States children's hospitals during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic period (March 15, 2020 to March 14, 2021) and a 3 year comparator period (March 15-March 14, 2017-2020). For these 2 periods, we compared patient characteristics, injury type and severity, primary discharge diagnoses, and disposition, stratified by early (March 15, 2020 to June 30, 2020), middle (July 1, 2020 to October 31, 2020), and late (November 1, 2020 to March 14, 2021) pandemic periods. RESULTS Overall, ED injury-related visits decreased by 26.6% during the first year of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, with the largest decline observed in minor injuries. ED injury-related visits resulting in serious-critical injuries increased across the pandemic (15.9% early, 4.9% middle, 20.6% late). Injury patterns with the sharpest relative declines included superficial injuries (41.7% early) and sprains/strains (62.4% early). Mechanisms of injury with the greatest relative increases included (1) firearms (22.9% early; 42.8% middle; 37% late), (2) pedal cyclists (60.4%; 24.9%; 32.2%), (3) other transportation (20.8%; 25.3%; 17.9%), and (4) suffocation/asphyxiation (21.4%; 20.2%; 28.4%) and injuries because of suicide intent (-16.2%, 19.9%, 21.8%). CONCLUSIONS Pediatric injury-related ED visits declined in general. However, there was a relative increase in injuries with the highest severity, which warrants further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordee M Wells
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Emergency Medicine, Nationwide Children's Hospital, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio
| | | | - Lawrence Cook
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, The University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Marion R Sills
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Mark I Neuman
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Aaron E Kornblith
- Departments of Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Shobhit Jain
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, Missouri
| | - Alexander W Hirsch
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Monika K Goyal
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's National Hospital, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Eric W Fleegler
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Amy M DeLaroche
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Children's Hospital of Michigan, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Paul L Aronson
- Departments of Pediatrics and of Emergency Medicine, Section of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Julie C Leonard
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Emergency Medicine, Nationwide Children's Hospital, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio
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Pianucci L, Longacre ML. Nonurgent Emergency Department Use by Pediatric Patients in the United States: A Systematic Literature Review. Pediatr Emerg Care 2022; 38:540-544. [PMID: 35580154 DOI: 10.1097/pec.0000000000002718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Pediatric use of the emergency department (ED) for nonurgent reasons is common in the United States. Patients with nonurgent conditions can receive more appropriate, cost-efficient care in other settings. We conducted a systematic literature review to understand the breadth of factors that contribute to use of the ED for nonurgent conditions by pediatric patients in the United States. METHODS The literature search was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines for systematic reviews and was guided by the social-ecological model for synthesis of articles. Published articles were identified through a search of Academic Search Ultimate, Google Scholar, and PubMed. All articles were organized and managed using Endnote software and screened for eligibility criteria before full-text review. RESULTS The initial search yielded 679 articles with 530 articles remaining after the removal of duplicates. Of these, 31 articles were reviewed in full text with 19 remaining for the final analysis. All articles assessed individual-level factors, including parental perceptions of ED and health literacy. Additional findings of nonurgent use of the ED were shown to pertain to the organizational and public policy levels of the model, including primary care clinic and insurance characteristics. CONCLUSIONS The findings of this review suggest tailored interventions to address parents'/caregivers' ED perceptions and health literacy in addition to access (ie, public policy).
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Pianucci
- From the Department of Public Health, Arcadia University, Glenside, PA
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7
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Hall JE, Pham PK, Liberman DB. Describing the Patient Population of a Pediatric Emergency Department Based on Visit Frequency. Pediatr Emerg Care 2022; 38:e1620-e1625. [PMID: 36173434 DOI: 10.1097/pec.0000000000002615] [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: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE A small number of children in the United States use a disproportionate share of emergency healthcare services. Our study objective was to examine characteristics associated with frequent pediatric emergency department (PED) utilization. METHODS A retrospective cohort-sequential study of patients seen in the PED of an urban children's hospital was conducted. Patients were categorized into 2 groups: infrequent users (<4 visits during index year 2017) and frequent users (≥4 visits in 2017). Frequent PED users were further divided into persistent frequent (≥4 visits in the year before and after 2017) and incidental frequent (≥4 visits in 2017). Patient- and visit-level characteristics were analyzed for associations with PED utilization. RESULTS In 2017, there were 82,361 visits by 56,767 patients to our PED. Frequent users comprised 4% of the total patient volume but accounted for 13% of visits. Compared with infrequent users, frequent users were younger, more likely publicly insured, and English speaking. Frequent user visits were more likely to occur outside clinic hours, be triaged as emergent, and involve subspecialists. Compared with visits by incidental frequent users, visits by persistent frequent users were more likely to be emergent or urgent, and involve subspecialists, diagnostic imaging, laboratory testing, and medication administration. CONCLUSIONS Although the percentage of frequent users to a PED in 2017 was low, they made up a disproportionate share of total visits. Differences between persistent and incidental frequent PED users suggest that these subgroups may benefit from tailored interventions to reduce frequent PED utilization.
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Kaiser SV, Hall M, Bettenhausen JL, Sills MR, Hoffmann JA, Noelke C, Morse RB, Lopez MA, Parikh K. Neighborhood Child Opportunity and Emergency Department Utilization. Pediatrics 2022; 150:189362. [PMID: 36052604 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2021-056098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED The Child Opportunity Index measures the structural neighborhood context that may influence a child's healthy development. We examined relationships between the Child Opportunity Index and emergency department utilization. BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES The Child Opportunity Index (COI) is a multidimensional measure of structural neighborhood context that may influence a child's healthy development. Our objective was to determine if COI is associated with children's emergency department (ED) utilization using a national sample. METHODS This was a retrospective cohort study of the Pediatric Health Information Systems, a database from 49 United States children's hospitals. We analyzed children aged 0 to 17 years with ED visits from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2019. We modeled associations between COI and outcomes using generalized regression models that adjusted for patient characteristics (eg, age, clinical severity). Outcomes included: (1) low-resource intensity (LRI) ED visits (visits with no laboratories, imaging, procedures, or admission), (2) ≥2 or ≥3 ED visits, and (3) admission. RESULTS We analyzed 6 810 864 ED visits by 3 999 880 children. LRI visits were more likely among children from very low compared with very high COI (1 LRI visit: odds ratio [OR] 1.35 [1.17-1.56]; ≥2 LRI visits: OR 1.97 [1.66-2.33]; ≥3 LRI visits: OR 2.4 [1.71-3.39]). ED utilization was more likely among children from very low compared with very high COI (≥2 ED visits: OR 1.73 [1.51-1.99]; ≥3 ED visits: OR 2.22 [1.69-2.91]). Risk of hospital admission from the ED was lower for children from very low compared with very high COI (OR 0.77 [0.65-0.99]). CONCLUSIONS Children from neighborhoods with low COI had higher ED utilization overall and more LRI visits, as well as visits more cost-effectively managed in primary care settings. Identifying neighborhood opportunity-related drivers can help us design interventions to optimize child health and decrease unnecessary ED utilization and costs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunitha V Kaiser
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, California.,Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies, San Francisco, California
| | | | - Jessica L Bettenhausen
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine, Kansas City, Missouri
| | - Marion R Sills
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Jennifer A Hoffmann
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Clemens Noelke
- Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts
| | - Rustin B Morse
- Nationwide Children's Hospital, Center for Clinical Excellence, Columbus, Ohio.,Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University, College of Medicine, Columbus, OH
| | - Michelle A Lopez
- Department of Pediatrics.,Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Kavita Parikh
- Division of Hospital Medicine, Children's National Hospital, Washington, District of Columbia
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Anyatonwu SC, Giannouchos TV, Washburn DJ, Quinonez RA, Ohsfeldt RL, Kum HC. Predictors of Pediatric Frequent Emergency Department Use Among 7.6 million Pediatric Patients in New York. Acad Pediatr 2022; 22:1073-1080. [PMID: 35385791 DOI: 10.1016/j.acap.2022.03.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Revised: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study examines the characteristics and factors associated with frequent emergency department (ED) utilization among the pediatric population. METHODS We conducted a pooled cross-sectional secondary analysis using the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project State Emergency and Inpatient Databases on ED visits to all hospitals in New York from 2011 to 2016 by patients aged 0 to 21. We used multivariable logistic and negative binomial regressions to investigate the predictors of multiple ED visits in the pediatric population. RESULTS Overall, our study included 7.6 million pediatric patients who accounted for more than 12 million ED visits. Of those, 6.2% of patients were frequent ED users (≥4 visits/year), accounting for 20.8% of all ED visits (5.4 ED visits/year on average). The strongest predictors of frequent ED use were having at least one ED visit related to asthma (aOR = 8.37 [95% CI: 6.34-11.04]), mental health disorders (aOR = 9.67 [95% CI: 8.60-10.89]), or multiple comorbidities compared to none. Larger shares of ED visits for not-emergent conditions were also associated with frequent ED use (aOR = 6.63 [95% CI = 5.08-8.65]). Being covered by Medicaid compared to private (aOR = 0.45 [95% CI: 0.42-0.47]) or no insurance (aOR = 0.41 [95% CI: 0.38-0.44]) were further associated with frequent ED use. The results from the negative binomial regression yielded consistent findings. CONCLUSIONS Pediatric patients who exhibit increased ED use are more medically complex and have increased healthcare needs that are inextricably tied to social determinants of health. Better integrated health systems should emphasize connecting vulnerable patients to appropriate social and primary care services outside of emergency settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophia C Anyatonwu
- Population Informatics Lab, School of Public Health (SC Anyatonwu, TV Giannouchos, DJ Washburn, RL Ohsfeldt, and HC Kum), Texas A&M University, College Station, Tex; Department of Health Policy & Management, School of Public Health (SC Anyatonwu, DJ Washburn, RL Ohsfeldt, and HC Kum), Texas A&M University, College Station, Tex
| | - Theodoros V Giannouchos
- Population Informatics Lab, School of Public Health (SC Anyatonwu, TV Giannouchos, DJ Washburn, RL Ohsfeldt, and HC Kum), Texas A&M University, College Station, Tex; Department of Health Services Policy & Management, Arnold School of Public Health (TV Giannouchos), University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC.
| | - David J Washburn
- Population Informatics Lab, School of Public Health (SC Anyatonwu, TV Giannouchos, DJ Washburn, RL Ohsfeldt, and HC Kum), Texas A&M University, College Station, Tex; Department of Health Policy & Management, School of Public Health (SC Anyatonwu, DJ Washburn, RL Ohsfeldt, and HC Kum), Texas A&M University, College Station, Tex
| | - Ricardo A Quinonez
- Section of Pediatric Hospital Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine (RA Quinonez), Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Tex
| | - Robert L Ohsfeldt
- Population Informatics Lab, School of Public Health (SC Anyatonwu, TV Giannouchos, DJ Washburn, RL Ohsfeldt, and HC Kum), Texas A&M University, College Station, Tex; Department of Health Policy & Management, School of Public Health (SC Anyatonwu, DJ Washburn, RL Ohsfeldt, and HC Kum), Texas A&M University, College Station, Tex
| | - Hye-Chung Kum
- Population Informatics Lab, School of Public Health (SC Anyatonwu, TV Giannouchos, DJ Washburn, RL Ohsfeldt, and HC Kum), Texas A&M University, College Station, Tex; Department of Health Policy & Management, School of Public Health (SC Anyatonwu, DJ Washburn, RL Ohsfeldt, and HC Kum), Texas A&M University, College Station, Tex
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10
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Rosychuk RJ, Chen AA, McRae A, McLane P, Ospina MB, Hu XIJ. Age-varying effects of repeated emergency department presentations for children in Canada. J Health Serv Res Policy 2022; 27:278-286. [PMID: 35521743 PMCID: PMC9548929 DOI: 10.1177/13558196221094248] [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] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Objectives Repeated presentations to emergency departments (EDs) may indicate a lack of
access to other health care resources. Age is an important predictor of
frequent ED use; however, age-varying effects are not generally
investigated. This study examines the age-specific effects of predictors on
ED presentation frequency for children in Alberta and Ontario, Canada. Methods This retrospective study used population-based data during April 2010 to
March 2017. Data were extracted from the National Ambulatory Care Reporting
System for children aged <18 who were members of the top 10% of ED users
in any one of the fiscal years 2011/2012 to 2015/2016 along with a
comparison sample from the bottom 90%. A marginal regression model studied
the age-varying associations on the frequency of ED presentations with
province, sex, access to primary health care provider (for Ontario only),
area of residence and lowest neighbourhood income quintile. Results There were 2,481,172 patients who made 9,229,156 ED presentations. The
effects of sex, lowest income quintile, rural residence, access to primary
health care provider and province on the frequency of presentations varied
by age. Notably, boys go from having more frequent presentations than girls
when aged ≤5 (i.e. adjusted intensity ratio [IR]=1.04 at age 5, 95%
confidence interval [CI] = 1.03,1.06) to less frequent for ages 8–11 years
and beyond 14 (i.e. IR = 0.80 at age 15, 95% CI = 0.78,0.81). Adolescents
aged ≥15 without access to a primary care provider had more frequent
presentations compared to those with a primary care provider. Conclusions When examining the frequency of ED presentations in children, age-varying
effects of predictors should be considered. Our more nuanced examination of
age provides insights into how health services might better target
programmes for different ages to potentially reduce unnecessary ED use by
providing other health care alternatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rhonda J Rosychuk
- Department of Pediatrics, 3158University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Anqi A Chen
- Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science, 1763Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Andrew McRae
- Department of Emergency Medicine, 2129University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Patrick McLane
- Emergency Strategic Clinical Network, 3146Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Maria B Ospina
- Department of Pediatrics, 3158University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - X Iaoqiong Joan Hu
- Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science, 1763Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
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11
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Morrison B, Lim E, Jun Ahn H, Chen JJ. Factors Related to Pediatric Readmissions of Four Major Diagnostic Categories in Hawai`i. HAWAI'I JOURNAL OF HEALTH & SOCIAL WELFARE 2022; 81:108-114. [PMID: 35415615 PMCID: PMC8995857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Readmissions are a key quality measure for health care decision making and understanding variables associated with readmissions has become a crucial research area. This study identified patient-level factors that might be associated with pediatric readmissions using a database that included inpatient data from 2008 to 2017 from Hawai`i. Four major diagnostic categories with the most pediatric readmissions in the state were identified: respiratory, digestive, mental, and nervous system diseases and disorders. The associations between readmission and patient-level variables, such as age, sex, race/ethnicity, insurance status, and Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), were determined for each diagnosis and for overall readmissions. CCI and insurance were the strongest predictors when all diagnoses were combined. However, for some diagnoses, there was weak or no association between CCI, insurance, and readmission. This suggests that diagnosis-specific analysis of predictors of readmission may be more useful than looking at predictors of readmission for all diagnoses combined. While this study focused on patient variables, future studies should also incorporate how hospital variables may also be related to diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Breanna Morrison
- Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawai`i, Honolulu, HI
| | - Eunjung Lim
- Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawai`i, Honolulu, HI
| | - Hyeong Jun Ahn
- Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawai`i, Honolulu, HI
| | - John J. Chen
- Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawai`i, Honolulu, HI
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12
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Rosychuk RJ, Chen A, McRae A, McLane P, Ospina MB, Stang AS. Characteristics of Pediatric Frequent Users of Emergency Departments in Alberta and Ontario. Pediatr Emerg Care 2022; 38:108-114. [PMID: 34772876 DOI: 10.1097/pec.0000000000002569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Emergency department (ED) volumes have drawn attention to frequent users but less attention has been paid to children. This study examined sociodemographic and ED presentation characteristics of pediatric high-system ED users (HSUs) in 2 provinces in Canada. METHODS Cohorts of HSUs were created from the National Ambulatory Care Reporting System in 2015/2016 for children with the top 10% of ED presentations. Controls were random samples of non-HSU patients. Factors were explored in multivariable logistic regression models. RESULTS There were 151,497 HSUs (51.7% girls, average age, 6.4 years) and 591,545 controls (53.1% girls; average age, 7.4 years). High-system ED users were more likely to be younger (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.89 per 5 years; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.88-0.89), live in less populated areas (aOR, 1.85; 95% CI, 1.82-1.88), and from lowest income neighborhoods (aOR, 1.51; 95% CI, 1.48-1.54) than controls. High-system ED users had higher proportions of presentations for pediatric complex chronic (aOR, 1.25 per 0.25 increase; 95% CI, 1.21-1.29), respiratory (aOR, 1.14 per 0.25; 95% CI, 1.12-1.15), and mental health (aOR, 1.14 per 0.25; 95% CI, 1.13-1.16) conditions than controls. CONCLUSIONS Complex factors underlie pediatric health care utilization decisions. Findings identified conditions to target in interventions to improve health care access and utilization. Future work should engage children and families to design interventions.
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13
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Murray A, Fein J, Beulah B, Mollen C. Examination of Caregiver Social Factors and Its Influence on Low-Acuity Pediatric Emergency Department Utilization. Pediatr Emerg Care 2022; 38:e611-e617. [PMID: 33848096 DOI: 10.1097/pec.0000000000002426] [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 Social factors, such as adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), often influence health care utilization. Our study explores the association between caregiver social factors and low-acuity pediatric emergency department (ED) utilization, with the hypothesis that caregivers with high ACE exposure may use ED services more frequently for low-acuity complaints. METHODS In this case-control study, we performed surveys of caregivers with children aged 1 to 12 years registered for care in our pediatric ED. We defined high utilizers (cases) as those children with ≥3 low-acuity visits in the previous year and low utilizers (controls) as having no prior low-acuity visits, exclusive of the current visit. We compared the proportion of high ACE exposure (≥4 ACEs) between both groups. RESULTS We enrolled 114 cases and 134 controls. We found no association between number of ACEs and odds of being a case or control (ED utilization). Demographics were significantly different between the 2 groups (ie, caregiver age, race, education, and household income); caregiver ACE exposure was high in both groups (20.2% cases vs 29.1% controls with [≥4 ACEs]). CONCLUSIONS Although we did not find an association between caregiver ACEs and frequent low-acuity pediatric ED utilization, our data shed light on the overall prevalence of caregiver ACEs in families that seek care in our pediatric ED, even for the first time. Our findings emphasize the risk of conscious bias that can lead to inaccuracy: assuming that it is only high utilizers who experience social stressors. Future work should explore the contribution of structural inequities that influence caretakers' decisions to seek care for their children for low-acuity complaints, and consider types of interventions that could address and mitigate these inequities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Brianna Beulah
- Center for Violence Prevention, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
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14
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Michelson KA, Cushing AM, Bucholz EM. Association of County-Level Availability of Pediatricians With Emergency Department Visits. Pediatr Emerg Care 2022; 38:e953-e957. [PMID: 34282091 PMCID: PMC8770659 DOI: 10.1097/pec.0000000000002502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The relationship between pediatrician availability and emergency department (ED) attendance is uncertain. We determined whether children in counties with more pediatricians had fewer ED visits. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional study of all ED visits among children younger than 18 years from 6 states. We obtained ED visit incidences by county and assessed the relationship to pediatrician density (pediatricians per 1000 children). Possible confounders included state, presence of an urgent care facility in the county, urban-rural status, and quartile of county-level characteristics: English-speaking, Internet access, White race, socioeconomic status, and public insurance. We estimated county-level changes in incidence by pediatrician density adjusting for state and separately for all possible confounders. RESULTS Each additional pediatrician per 1000 children was associated with a 13.7% (95% confidence interval, -19.6% to -7.5%) decrease in ED visits in the state-adjusted model. In the full model, there was no association (-1.4%, 95% confidence interval, -7.2% to 4.8%). The presence of an urgent care, higher socioeconomic status score, urban status, and higher proportions of White race and nonpublic insurance were each associated with decreased ED visit rates. CONCLUSIONS Pediatrician density is not associated with decreased ED visits after adjusting for other county demographic factors. Increasing an area's availability of pediatricians may not affect ED attendance.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anna M Cushing
- Department of Cardiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Emily M Bucholz
- Division of Emergency and Transport Medicine, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
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15
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Pulcini CD, Coller RJ, Macy ML, Alpern E, Harris D, Rodean J, Hall M, Chung PJ, Berry JG. Low-Resource Emergency Department Visits for Children With Complex Chronic Conditions. Pediatr Emerg Care 2022; 38:e856-e862. [PMID: 34009894 DOI: 10.1097/pec.0000000000002437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Reducing emergency department (ED) use in children with complex chronic conditions (CCC) is a national health system priority. Emergency department visits with minimal clinical intervention may be the most avoidable. We assessed characteristics associated with experiencing such a low-resource ED visit among children with a CCC. METHODS A retrospective study of 271,806 ED visits between 2014 and 2017 among patients with a CCC in the Pediatric Health Information System database was performed. The main outcome was a low-resource ED visit, where no medications, laboratory, procedures, or diagnostic tests were administered and the patient was not admitted to the hospital. χ2 Tests and generalized linear models were used to assess bivariable and multivariable relationships of patients' demographic, clinical, and health service characteristics with the likelihood of a low- versus higher-resource ED visit. RESULTS Sixteen percent (n = 44,111) of ED visits among children with CCCs were low-resource. In multivariable analysis, the highest odds of experiencing a low- versus higher-resource ED visit occurred in patients aged 0 year (vs 16+ years; odds ratio [OR], 3.9 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 3.7-4.1]), living <5 (vs 20+) miles from the ED (OR, 1.7 [95% CI, 1.7-1.8]), and who presented to the ED in the day and evening versus overnight (1.5 [95% CI, 1.4-1.5]). CONCLUSIONS Infant age, living close to the ED, and day/evening-time visits were associated with the greatest likelihood of experiencing a low-resource ED visit in children with CCCs. Further investigation is needed to assess key drivers for ED use in these children and identify opportunities for diversion of ED care to outpatient and community settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian D Pulcini
- From the Department of Surgery and Pediatrics, University of Vermont Medical Center and Children's Hospital, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, VT
| | - Ryan J Coller
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI
| | - Michelle L Macy
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Ann & Robert H Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL
| | - Elizabeth Alpern
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Ann & Robert H Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL
| | | | | | | | - Paul J Chung
- Health Systems Science, Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine, Departments of Pediatrics and Health Policy & Management, UCLA RAND Health, RAND Corporation, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Jay G Berry
- Division of General Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
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16
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Sojar S, Gjelsvik A, Tsao HS, Amanullah S. Do Unmet Health Needs Drive Pediatric Emergency Department Utilization?: A Population-Based Assessment. Pediatr Emerg Care 2022; 38:e569-e574. [PMID: 33635045 DOI: 10.1097/pec.0000000000002319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Lack of access to basic health services is thought to increase emergency department (ED) utilization. This study assessed the relationship between unmet health care needs and pediatric ED utilization in the United States. METHODS The National Survey of Children's Health was used (2016-2017; n = 71,360). Parent/guardians reported number of ED visits and the presence of unmet health needs (medical, dental, mental health, vision, hearing, other) in the last 12 months. Associations were analyzed using multinomial logistic regression modeling and accounted for the weighting and complex survey design of the National Survey of Children's Health. RESULTS Children with 2 or more unmet health needs had 3.72 times (95% confidence interval, 2.25-6.16) risk of ≥2 ED visits when compared with those with 0 unmet health needs. This risk became nonsignificant when adjusted for race, ethnicity, age, insurance, having asthma, current medication status, health description, number of preventative health visits, and place to go for preventative health (aRR, 1.77; 95% confidence interval, 0.96-3.27). The adjusted association was also nonsignificant for specific types of unmet needs. Race, insurance status, age 0 to 3 years, current medication status, having asthma, ≥2 preventative visits, and poorer health were associated with ≥2 ED visits. CONCLUSIONS Unmet health needs were not found to be a significant driving force for ED utilization. Other factors were found to be more strongly associated with it. Future studies to understand the perception, motives, and complex interaction of various factors leading to ED use in high-risk populations may optimize care for these children.
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17
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Vrijlandt SEW, Nieboer D, Zachariasse JM, Oostenbrink R. Characteristics of pediatric emergency department frequent visitors and their risk of a return visit: A large observational study using electronic health record data. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0262432. [PMID: 35085300 PMCID: PMC8794145 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0262432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Among pediatric emergency department (ED) visits, a subgroup of children repeatedly visits the ED, making them frequent visitors (FVs). The aim of this study is to get insight into the group of pediatric ED FVs and to determine risk factors associated with a revisit. Methods and findings Data of all children aged 0–18 years visiting the ED of a university hospital in the Netherlands between 2017 and 2020 were included in this observational study based on routine data extraction. Children with 4 or more ED visits within 365 days were classified as FVs. Descriptive analysis of the study cohort at patient- and visit-level were performed. Risk factors for a recurrent ED visit were determined using a Prentice Williams and Peterson gap time cox-based model. Our study population of 10,209 children with 16,397 ED visits contained 500 FVs (4.9%) accounting for 3,481 visits (21.2%). At patient-level, FVs were younger and more often suffered from chronic diseases (CDs). At visit-level, frequent visits were more often initiated by self-referral and were more often related to medical problems (compared to trauma’s). Overall, FVs presented at the ED more often because of an infection (41.3%) compared to non-FVs (27.4%), either associated or not with the body system affected by the CD. We identified the presence of a comorbidity (non-complex CD HR 1.66; 1.52–1.81 and complex CD HR 2.00; 1.84–2.16) as determinants with the highest hazard for a return visit. Conclusion Pediatric ED FVs are a small group of children but account for a large amount of the total ED visits. FVs are younger patients, suffering from (complex) comorbidities and present more often with infectious conditions compared to non-FVs. Healthcare pathways, including safety-netting strategies for acute manifestations from their comorbidity, or for infectious conditions in general may contribute to support parents and redirect some patients from the ED.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanne E. W. Vrijlandt
- Department of General Pediatrics, Erasmus MC-Sophia Children’s Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Daan Nieboer
- Center for Medical Decision Sciences, Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Joany M. Zachariasse
- Department of General Pediatrics, Erasmus MC-Sophia Children’s Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Rianne Oostenbrink
- Department of General Pediatrics, Erasmus MC-Sophia Children’s Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- * E-mail:
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18
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Parry Y, Willis E, Kendall S, Marriott R, Ankers M. A Nurse Practitioner service designed to address the health needs of children living in housing instability: A non‐randomised, concurrent mixed methods study protocol. J Adv Nurs 2022; 78:1166-1175. [DOI: 10.1111/jan.15152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2021] [Revised: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yvonne Parry
- College of Nursing and Health Sciences Flinders University Bedford Park South Australia Australia
| | - Eileen Willis
- College of Nursing and Health Sciences Flinders University Bedford Park South Australia Australia
| | - Sally Kendall
- Centre for Health Services Studies University of Kent Kent UK
| | - Rhonda Marriott
- Pro Vice Chancellor Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Leadership, and Director of Ngangk Yira (Sun Rising) Research Centre Murdoch University Perth Western Australia Australia
| | - Matthew Ankers
- College of Nursing and Health Sciences Flinders University Bedford Park South Australia Australia
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19
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Cohen JS, Berkowitz D, Nosker L, Shaukat H, Kim D, Koutroulis I, Breslin KA. Patient and Visit Characteristics of Pediatric Patients With High-frequency Low-acuity Emergency Department Visits. Pediatr Emerg Care 2022; 38:e417-e421. [PMID: 33273428 DOI: 10.1097/pec.0000000000002312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Pediatric patients account for a disproportionate number of low-acuity emergency department (ED) visits. The aim of this study is to describe pediatric patient and visit characteristics for high-frequency users for low-acuity visits. METHODS This was a retrospective cohort study of children presenting to a tertiary care pediatric ED and an affiliated community ED, over a 2-year period, with at least 10 low-acuity visits. Twenty patients with the highest number of visits were classified as "superusers." We analyzed patient data from the larger sample of high-frequency users and visit specific data from superuser visits. IBM SPSS Statistics 25 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL) was used to perform descriptive statistics and to summarize demographic and visit specific variables. RESULTS We identified 181 high-frequency users with a mean number of visits of 14.3 ± 4.3 and a subpopulation of 20 superusers accounting for 434 visits. The majority of high-frequency users (89%) identified as African American and had public insurance (96.1%). Many patients received primary care affiliated with the home institution. In the first year of the study, 50.3% of high-frequency users were infants younger than 1 year at the index visit and 47.4% of superusers were infants at the index visit.Superuser visits were evenly distributed among seasons and the majority of visits occurred during the weekdays (70.7%). The majority of visits were for medical complaints (86.6%) and almost half (47.6%) resulted in some testing (24.9%) or treatment (30.6%); however, only 1.4% resulted in hospital admission. CONCLUSIONS In our sample, most high-frequency low-acuity ED patients were infants, African American and have public insurance. Many are seen during clinic hours and are paneled at affiliated clinics. Among superusers, the majority of the visits did not require any testing, intervention, or treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Lois Nosker
- From the Division of Emergency Medicine, Children's National Health System
| | | | - Dana Kim
- From the Division of Emergency Medicine, Children's National Health System
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20
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Masonbrink AR, Richardson T, Goyal MK, Hall M, Reed JL, Alpern ER, Samuels-Kalow ME, Neuman MI. Acute Care Utilization and Health Care Expenditures in Medicaid-Enrolled Children. Pediatr Emerg Care 2022; 38:e132-e137. [PMID: 32541405 DOI: 10.1097/pec.0000000000002173] [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: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Although recent health care reform efforts have focused on minimizing high cost health care utilization, the relationship between acute care use and health care expenditures among certain vulnerable populations such as Medicaid-insured children remains poorly understood. We sought to evaluate the association between acute care utilization and health care expenditures and to identify characteristics associated with high spending. METHODS We performed a retrospective cohort study of Medicaid-enrolled children 1-21 years old from 1/1/2016 to 12/31/2016. Children were categorized by acute care use (including emergency department and urgent care visits) as 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 or more visits. Our main outcomes were annualized spending, total per-member-per-year spending, and acute care-related per-member-per-year spending. RESULTS There were 5.1 million Medicaid-enrolled children that comprised the study cohort, accounting for US $32.6 billion in total spending. Children with 4 or more acute care visits were more likely to be younger than 2 years or older than 14 years, female, and have a chronic condition. Children with 4 or more acute care visits consisted of only 4% of the cohort but accounted for 15% (US $4.7 billion) of the total spending. Increasing acute care visits were associated with increasing total annualized spending in adjusted analyses (P < 0.001). This association was disproportionately observed in older age groups and children without chronic medical conditions. CONCLUSIONS Medicaid spending for children increases with increasing acute care use; this trend was disproportionately observed in older age groups and children without chronic medical conditions. Improved understanding of factors contributing to frequent acute care utilization and disproportionate spending is needed to potentially reduce unnecessary health care costs in these pediatric populations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Monika K Goyal
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's National Health System, The George Washington University, Washington, DC
| | | | | | - Elizabeth R Alpern
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
| | | | - Mark I Neuman
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
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21
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Vivier PM, Rogers ML, Gjelsvik A, Linakis JG, Schlichting LE, Mello MJ. Frequent Emergency Department Use by Children. Pediatr Emerg Care 2021; 37:e995-e1000. [PMID: 31305503 DOI: 10.1097/pec.0000000000001859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Frequent use of the emergency department (ED) is often targeted as a quality improvement metric. The objective of this study was to assess ED visit frequency by the demographic and health characteristics of children who visit the ED to better understand risk factors for high ED utilization. METHODS The majority of pediatric ED services in Rhode Island are provided by a hospital network that includes the state's only children's hospital. Using 10 years of data (2005-2014) from this statewide hospital network, we examined ED use in this network for all children aged 0 to 17 years. Patients' home addresses were geocoded to assess their neighborhood characteristics. RESULTS Between 2005 and 2014, 17,844 children visited 1 or more of the network EDs at least once. In their year of maximum use, 67.8% had only 1 ED visit, 20.1% had 2 visits, 6.9% had 3 visits, and 5.2% had 4 or more visits. In the adjusted multinomial logistic regression model, age, race/ethnicity, language, insurance coverage, medical complexity, neighborhood risk, and distance to the ED were found to be significantly associated with increased visit frequency. CONCLUSIONS Risk factors for frequent ED use by children include age, race/ethnicity, language, insurance coverage, medical complexity, neighborhood risk, and distance to the hospital. To decrease frequent pediatric ED use, improved medical management of complex medical problems is needed, but it is also essential to address modifiable social determinants of health care utilization in this population.
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22
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Greenfield G, Okoli O, Quezada-Yamamoto H, Blair M, Saxena S, Majeed A, Hayhoe B. Characteristics of frequently attending children in hospital emergency departments: a systematic review. BMJ Open 2021; 11:e051409. [PMID: 34663662 PMCID: PMC8523960 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-051409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To summarise the literature on frequent attendances to hospital emergency departments (EDs) and describe sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of children who attend EDs frequently. SETTING Hospital EDs. PARTICIPANTS Children <21 years, attending hospital EDs frequently. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES Outcomes measures were defined separately in each study, and were predominantly the number of ED attendances per year. RESULTS We included 21 studies representing 6 513 627 children. Between 0.3% and 75% of all paediatric ED users were frequent users. Most studies defined four or more visits per year as a 'frequent ED' usage. Children who were frequent ED users were more likely to be less than 5 years old. In the USA, patients with public insurance were more likely to be frequent attenders. Frequent ED users more likely to be frequent users of primary care and have long-term conditions; the most common diagnoses were infections and gastroenteritis. CONCLUSIONS The review included a wide range of information across various health systems, however, children who were frequent ED users have some universal characteristics in common. Policies to reduce frequent attendance might usefully focus on preschool children and supporting primary care in responding to primary care oriented conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geva Greenfield
- Primary Care and Public Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Olivia Okoli
- Primary Care and Public Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Harumi Quezada-Yamamoto
- Primary Care and Public Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Mitch Blair
- Primary Care and Public Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Sonia Saxena
- Primary Care and Public Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Azeem Majeed
- Primary Care and Public Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Benedict Hayhoe
- Primary Care and Public Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
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23
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Edwards C, Bolling-Walker K, Deupree J. Actionability and Usability of a Fever Management Tool for Pediatric Caregivers. J Contin Educ Nurs 2021; 51:338-344. [PMID: 32579230 DOI: 10.3928/00220124-20200611-10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2019] [Accepted: 01/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Effective fever management in children relies on caregivers having adequate general and numerical literacy. Nationally, nine of 10 adults have difficulty understanding health information. Lack of understanding basic information about fever management is a primary reason given for nonurgent pediatric emergency department visits. The Assess-Communicate-Treat (A.C.T.) tool was created by nurses 18 years ago to help parents better understand fever management. METHOD This article describes a quality improvement project that used an expert health care provider panel and parents who attended focus groups to reevaluate the A.C.T. tool. The Simply Put manual, Simple Measure of Gobbledygook readability formula (SMOG) tool, Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL) readability test, and Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool (PEMAT-P) were used to evaluate the A.C.T. tool. RESULTS Following focus groups, 45 of 72 items on the A.C.T. tool were revised using a 4-point Likert scale. After revision, the tool rated 88% for understandability and 83% actionability using the PEMAT-P tool. CONCLUSION Recognizing caregivers' health literacy needs is critical to optimizing health outcomes and reducing health care costs in the pediatric population. [J Contin Educ Nurs. 2020;51(7):338-344.].
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Chang L, Stewart AM, Monuteaux MC, Fleegler EW. Neighborhood Conditions and Recurrent Emergency Department Utilization by Children in the United States. J Pediatr 2021; 234:115-122.e1. [PMID: 33395566 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2020.12.071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine the associations of social and physical neighborhood conditions with recurrent emergency department (ED) utilization by children in the US. STUDY DESIGN This cross-sectional study was conducted with the National Survey of Children's Health from 2016 to 2018 to determine the associations of neighborhood characteristics of cohesion, safety, amenities, and detractors with the proportions of children aged 1-17 years with recurrent ED utilization, defined as 2 or more ED visits during the past 12 months. A multivariable regression model was used to determine the independent association of each neighborhood characteristic with recurrent ED utilization controlling for individual-level characteristics. RESULTS In this study of 98 711 children weighted to a population of 70 million nationally, children had significantly greater rates of recurrent ED utilization if they lived in neighborhoods that were not cohesive, were not safe, or had detractors present (all P < .001). With adjustment for individual-level covariates and the other neighborhood characteristics, only neighborhood detractors were independently associated with recurrent ED utilization (1 detractor: aOR 1.32, 95% CI 1.03-1.68; 2 or 3 detractors: aOR 1.37, 95% CI 1.04-1.81). CONCLUSIONS Among neighborhood characteristics, the presence of physical detractors such as rundown housing and vandalism was most strongly associated with recurrent ED utilization by children. Negative attributes of the built environment may be a potential target for neighborhood-level, place-based interventions to alleviate disparities in child healthcare utilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lawrence Chang
- Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Department of Pediatrics, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA.
| | - Amanda M Stewart
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Michael C Monuteaux
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Eric W Fleegler
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
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DeLaroche AM, Rodean J, Aronson PL, Fleegler EW, Florin TA, Goyal M, Hirsch AW, Jain S, Kornblith AE, Sills MR, Wells JM, Neuman MI. Pediatric Emergency Department Visits at US Children's Hospitals During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Pediatrics 2021; 147:peds.2020-039628. [PMID: 33361360 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2020-039628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 148] [Impact Index Per Article: 49.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES The impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on pediatric emergency department (ED) visits is not well characterized. We aimed to describe the epidemiology of pediatric ED visits and resource use during the pandemic. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional study using the Pediatric Health Information System for ED visits to 27 US children's hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic period (March 15, 2020, to August 31, 2020) and a 3-year comparator period (March 15 to August 31, 2017-2019). ED visit rates, patient and visit characteristics, resource use, and ED charges were compared between the time periods. We specifically evaluated changes in low-resource-intensity visits, defined as ED visits that did not result in hospitalization or medication administration and for which no laboratory tests, diagnostic imaging, or procedures were performed. RESULTS ED visit rates decreased by 45.7% (average 911 026 ED visits over 2017-2019 vs 495 052 visits in 2020) during the pandemic. The largest decrease occurred among visits for respiratory disorders (70.0%). The pandemic was associated with a relative increase in the proportion of visits for children with a chronic condition from 23.7% to 27.8% (P < .001). The proportion of low-resource-intensity visits decreased by 7.0 percentage points, and total charges decreased by 20.0% during the pandemic period. CONCLUSIONS The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a marked decrease in pediatric ED visits across a broad range of conditions; however, the proportional decline of poisoning and mental health visits was less pronounced. The impact of decreased visits on patient outcomes warrants further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy M DeLaroche
- Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Michigan, Detroit, Michigan;
| | | | - Paul L Aronson
- Section of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Departments of Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Eric W Fleegler
- Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Todd A Florin
- Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago and Department of Pediatrics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Monika Goyal
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's National Hospital and The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Alexander W Hirsch
- Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Shobhit Jain
- Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, Missouri
| | - Aaron E Kornblith
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Marion R Sills
- Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado; and
| | - Jordee M Wells
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Nationwide Children's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University Columbus, Ohio
| | - Mark I Neuman
- Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts
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Pulcini CD, Belardo Z, Ketterer T, Zorc JJ, Mollen CJ. Improving Emergency Care for Children With Medical Complexity: Parent and Physicians' Perspectives. Acad Pediatr 2021; 21:513-520. [PMID: 32947009 DOI: 10.1016/j.acap.2020.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Revised: 09/08/2020] [Accepted: 09/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Children with medical complexity (CMC) have high rates of emergency department (ED) utilization, but little evidence exists on the perceptions of parents and pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) physicians about emergency care. We sought to explore parent and PEM physicians' perspectives about 1) ED care for CMC, and 2) how emergency care can be improved. METHODS We performed semistructured interviews with parents and PEM physicians at a single academic, children's hospital. English-speaking parents were selected utilizing a standard definition of CMC during an ED visit in which their child was admitted to the hospital. All PEM physicians were eligible. We developed separate interview guides utilizing open-ended questions. The trained study team developed and modified a coding tree through an iterative process, double-coded transcripts, monitored inter-rater reliability to ensure adherence, and performed thematic analysis. RESULTS Twenty interviews of parents of CMC and 16 of PEM physicians were necessary for saturation. Parents identified specific challenges related to ED care of their children involving time, information gathering, logistics/convenience, and multifaceted communication between health teams and parents. PEM physicians identified time, data accessibility and availability, and communication as inter-related challenges in caring for CMC in the ED. Suggestions reflected potential solutions to the challenges identified. CONCLUSIONS Time, data, and communication challenges were the main focus for both parents and PEM physicians, and suggestions mirrored these challenges. Further research and quality improvement efforts to better characterize and mitigate the identified challenges could be of value for this vulnerable population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian D Pulcini
- Department of Surgery & Pediatrics, University of Vermont Medical Center and Children's Hospital, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine (CD Pulcini) Burlington, VT.
| | - Zoe Belardo
- University of Pennsylvania (Z Belardo), Philadelphia, Pa
| | - Tara Ketterer
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (T Ketterer, JJ Zorc, and CJ Mollen), Philadelphia, Pa
| | - Joseph J Zorc
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (T Ketterer, JJ Zorc, and CJ Mollen), Philadelphia, Pa
| | - Cynthia J Mollen
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (T Ketterer, JJ Zorc, and CJ Mollen), Philadelphia, Pa
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Rogers J, Reed MP, Blaine K, Manning H. Children with medical complexity: A concept analysis. Nurs Forum 2021; 56:676-683. [PMID: 33625740 DOI: 10.1111/nuf.12559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2020] [Revised: 01/01/2021] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
AIM The aim of this paper is to conduct a concept analysis on the term, "children with medical complexity." BACKGROUND Children with medical complexity (CMC) describes pediatric patients with chronic, sustained acuity; however, there is a lack of consensus in the literature regarding its exact meaning, characteristics, and implications. DESIGN This analysis relied upon the framework described by Walker and Avant. DATA SOURCE The CINAHL, MEDLINE, and PubMed databases were queried from April 2020 to December 2020 with an initial search of the literature for the keyword, "children with medical complexity" and other associated terms, such as "pediatric medical complexity" and "nursing care of children with medical complexity." REVIEW METHODS This analysis will explore the concept of CMC and its significance, attributes, antecedents, and consequences. RESULTS This investigation revealed that CMC are a growing population of pediatric patients who have one or more complex chronic conditions that affect multiple body systems, experience functional limitations, require extensive care coordination from multiple providers, and are dependent upon life-sustaining medical technology. CONCLUSIONS The findings can serve as a foundation for future work advancing the understanding of the topic of CMC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jayne Rogers
- Medical Nursing Service, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Mary P Reed
- Medical Nursing Service, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kevin Blaine
- Institute for Nursing and Interprofessional Research, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Haylee Manning
- Medical Nursing Service, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Giannouchos TV, Washburn DJ, Gary JC, Foster MJ. Frequent emergency department use in the paediatric population: A systematic literature review. J Eval Clin Pract 2021; 27:193-203. [PMID: 32141125 DOI: 10.1111/jep.13382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2019] [Revised: 02/07/2020] [Accepted: 02/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We systematically reviewed the literature on paediatric frequent emergency department (ED) users to identify and to synthesize characteristics and factors associated with frequent ED utilization among this population in the United States. METHODS We searched Medline (Ovid), CINAHL (Ebsco), and Embase (Ovid) to identify all relevant studies after 1990. We focused on US studies analysing paediatric frequent ED (PFED) users excluding those focused on specific subgroups. Two reviewers independently selected articles and extracted data on predisposing, enabling, behavioural, need and reinforcing factors. RESULTS Fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria. PFED users comprised 3% to 14% of all paediatric ED users and accounted for 9% to 42% of all paediatric ED visits in 11 studies that defined frequent use as four to six ED visits per year. Most PFED users were less than 5 years old who had public insurance coverage and a regular provider. Public insurance compared to private residency in disadvantaged areas, having at least one chronic or complex condition and a history of hospitalization, were associated with frequent use. Children who had a regular primary care provider were less likely to exhibit frequent ED use. CONCLUSIONS Minimizing unnecessary ED visits by frequent utilizers is a quality improvement and cost-saving priority for health systems. Our findings indicate that many PFED users have greater healthcare needs and face barriers accessing care in a timely manner, even though some have regular providers. To better address the needs of this vulnerable group, health systems should focus on educating caregivers and expanding access to providers in other settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theodoros V Giannouchos
- School of Public Health, Department of Health Policy and Management, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA.,Population Informatics Lab, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - David J Washburn
- School of Public Health, Department of Health Policy and Management, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Jodie C Gary
- Health Science Center College of Nursing, Texas A&M University, Bryan, Texas, USA
| | - Margaret J Foster
- Medical Sciences Library, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
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29
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Braun L, Steurer M, Henry D. Healthcare Utilization of Complex Chronically Ill Children Managed by a Telehealth-Based Team. Front Pediatr 2021; 9:689572. [PMID: 34222153 PMCID: PMC8242159 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2021.689572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives: Medical advances have improved survival of critically ill children, increasing the number that have substantial ongoing care needs. The first aim of this study was to compare healthcare utilization of children with complex chronic conditions across an extensive geographic area managed by a predominantly telehealth-based team (FamiLy InteGrated Healthcare Transitions-FLIGHT) compared to matched historical controls. The second aim was to identify risk factors for healthcare utilization within the FLIGHT population. Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of all patients enrolled in the care management team. First, we compared them to age- and technology-based matched historic controls across medical resource-utilization outcomes. Second, we used univariable and multivariable linear regression models to identify risk factors for resource utilization within the FLIGHT population. Results: Sixty-four FLIGHT patients were included, with 34 able to be matched with historic controls. FLIGHT patients had significantly fewer hospital days per year (13.6 vs. 30.3 days, p = 0.02) and shorter admissions (6.0 vs. 17.3 days, p = 0.02) compared to controls. Within the telehealth managed population, increased number of technologies was associated with more admissions per year (coefficient 0.90, CI 0.05 - 1.75) and hospital days per year (16.83, CI 1.76 - 31.90), although increased number of complex chronic conditions was not associated with an increase in utilization. Conclusion: A telehealth-based care coordination team was able to significantly decrease some metrics of healthcare utilization in a complex pediatric population. Future study is warranted into utilization of telemedicine for care coordination programs caring for children with medical complexity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay Braun
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States.,University of California, Benioff Children's Hospital, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Martina Steurer
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States.,University of California, Benioff Children's Hospital, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Duncan Henry
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States.,University of California, Benioff Children's Hospital, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
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30
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Procter AM, Gialamas A, Pilkington RM, Montgomerie A, Chittleborough CR, Smithers LG, Lynch JW. Characteristics of paediatric frequent presenters at emergency departments: A whole-of-population study. J Paediatr Child Health 2021; 57:64-72. [PMID: 32815640 DOI: 10.1111/jpc.15119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Revised: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
AIM To quantify the frequency of emergency department (ED) presentations and profile the socio-demographic, health and presentation characteristics of paediatric ED frequent presenters. METHODS A population-based data linkage study of 55 921 children in the South Australian Early Childhood Data Project aged 0-12 years with 100 976 presentations to public hospital EDs in South Australia. For each child, the total number of recurrent ED presentations during a 364-day period post-index presentation was calculated. Frequent presenters were children who experienced ≥4 recurrent ED presentations. We determined the socio-demographic, health and presentation characteristics by number of recurrent presentations. RESULTS Children with ≥4 recurrent presentations (4.4%) accounted for 15.4% of all paediatric ED presentations and 22.5% of subsequent admissions to hospital during the 12-month study period. Compared to children with no recurrent ED presentation, frequent presenters had higher proportions of socio-economic and health disadvantage at birth. One in two (49.3%) frequent presenters had at least one injury presentation and one (21.3%) in five had at least one presentation related to a chronic condition. CONCLUSIONS Children with ≥4 presentations do not represent the majority of ED users. Nevertheless, they represent a disproportionate burden accounting for 15% of all paediatric ED presentations in a 12-month period. Frequent presenters were characterised by early socio-economic and health disadvantage, and childhood injury. Strategies targeting social disadvantage and childhood injury may reduce the burden of ED presentations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra M Procter
- School of Public Health, Robinson Research Institute, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Angela Gialamas
- School of Public Health, Robinson Research Institute, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Rhiannon M Pilkington
- School of Public Health, Robinson Research Institute, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Alicia Montgomerie
- School of Public Health, Robinson Research Institute, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Catherine R Chittleborough
- School of Public Health, Robinson Research Institute, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Lisa G Smithers
- School of Public Health, Robinson Research Institute, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - John W Lynch
- School of Public Health, Robinson Research Institute, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,Population Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
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Greenfield G, Blair M, Aylin PP, Saxena S, Majeed A, Bottle A. Characteristics of frequent paediatric users of emergency departments in England: an observational study using routine national data. Emerg Med J 2020; 38:146-150. [PMID: 33199272 DOI: 10.1136/emermed-2019-209122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2019] [Revised: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 10/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Frequent attendances of the same users in emergency departments (ED) can intensify workload pressures and are common among children, yet little is known about the characteristics of paediatric frequent users in EDs. AIM To describe the volume of frequent paediatric attendance in England and the demographics of frequent paediatric ED users in English hospitals. METHOD We analysed the Hospital Episode Statistics dataset for April 2014-March 2017. The study included 2 308 816 children under 16 years old who attended an ED at least once. Children who attended four times or more in 2015/2016 were classified as frequent users. The preceding and subsequent years were used to capture attendances bordering with the current year. We used a mixed effects logistic regression with a random intercept to predict the odds of being a frequent user in children from different sociodemographic groups. RESULTS One in 11 children (9.1%) who attended an ED attended four times or more in a year. Infants had a greater likelihood of being a frequent attender (OR 3.24, 95% CI 3.19 to 3.30 vs 5 to 9 years old). Children from more deprived areas had a greater likelihood of being a frequent attender (OR 1.57, 95% CI 1.54 to 1.59 vs least deprived). Boys had a slightly greater likelihood than girls (OR 1.05, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.06). Children of Asian and mixed ethnic groups were more likely to be frequent users than those from white ethnic groups, while children from black and 'other' had a lower likelihood (OR 1.03, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.05; OR 1.04, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.06; OR 0.88, 95% CI 0.86 to 0.90; OR 0.90, 95% CI 0.87 to 0.92, respectively). CONCLUSION One in 11 children was a frequent attender. Interventions for reducing paediatric frequent attendance need to target infants and families living in deprived areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geva Greenfield
- Department of Primary Care and Public Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Mitch Blair
- Department of Primary Care and Public Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Paul P Aylin
- Department of Primary Care and Public Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Sonia Saxena
- Department of Primary Care and Public Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Azeem Majeed
- Department of Primary Care and Public Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Alex Bottle
- Department of Primary Care and Public Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
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di Bella E, Gandullia L, Leporatti L, Locatelli W, Montefiori M, Persico L, Zanetti R. Frequent use of emergency departments and chronic conditions in ageing societies: a retrospective analysis based in Italy. Popul Health Metr 2020; 18:29. [PMID: 33168009 PMCID: PMC7654169 DOI: 10.1186/s12963-020-00237-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2019] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Most western countries are facing relevant demographic changes, and the percentage of older people is destined to rise in the next decades. This fact is likely to affect the sustainability of healthcare systems significantly, mainly due to the connected issue of chronicity. METHODS In this paper, using an extensive and comprehensive administrative dataset, we analyse the phenomenon of frequent use of emergency departments (ED) in the oldest region in Europe (i.e. Liguria) over 4 years (2013-2016). Two alternative approaches are used to define categories of ED users based on the intensity and frequency of accesses and splitting patients into different age groups. RESULTS Results allow identifying clinical and socio-demographic risk-factors connected to different levels of ED utilisation and highlight the influential role played by chronic conditions (particularly mental disorders, respiratory diseases) and by multiple chronic conditions. CONCLUSIONS The study aims at representing an informative tool to support policy-makers in setting proper policies addressed, on the one side, towards the potentially preventable frequent users and, on the other, towards those accessing due to complex medical conditions. The results can help in building a warning system to help general practitioners in the identification of potential frequent users and to develop preventive policies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrico di Bella
- Department of Political Sciences, University of Genoa, Piazzale E. Brignole, 3A, 16124, Genoa, Italy
| | - Luca Gandullia
- Department of Political Sciences, University of Genoa, Piazzale E. Brignole, 3A, 16124, Genoa, Italy
| | - Lucia Leporatti
- Department of Economics and Business Studies, University of Genoa, Via Vivaldi 5, 16126, Genoa, Italy.
| | - Walter Locatelli
- A.Li.Sa, Regione Liguria, Piazza della Vittoria, 15, 16121, Genoa, Italy
| | - Marcello Montefiori
- Department of Economics and Business Studies, University of Genoa, Via Vivaldi 5, 16126, Genoa, Italy
| | - Luca Persico
- Department of Economics and Business Studies, University of Genoa, Via Vivaldi 5, 16126, Genoa, Italy
| | - Roberta Zanetti
- A.Li.Sa, Regione Liguria, Piazza della Vittoria, 15, 16121, Genoa, Italy
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Lee JH, Park GJ, Kim SC, Kim H, Lee SW. Characteristics of frequent adult emergency department users: A Korean tertiary hospital observational study. Medicine (Baltimore) 2020; 99:e20123. [PMID: 32358403 PMCID: PMC7440327 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000020123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Emergency department (ED) crowding is a public health burden that impedes the provision of high-quality emergency care and is related to poor outcomes. Frequent ED visits are known to contribute to ED crowding. This study aimed to identify frequent ED users' characteristics and risk factors related to frequent ED visits.A retrospective observational study was conducted using ED-based data derived from adult patients at a university hospital. The main exposure variable was frequent ED visits, which were defined as ≥4 visits within 12 months (January 1-December 31, 2018). Characteristics and risk factors for frequent ED users were evaluated using stepwise regression analysis.Within the study period, there were 36,932 ED visits involving 29,759 patients. Of these, 3031 (8.2%) visits were from 556 (1.9%) patients classified as frequent ED users. The independent risk factors for frequent ED visits were older patients (≥65 years); the winter season; daytime discharge from ED; patients with medical aid insurance; and patients designated as high acuity at their first visit. Patients with a malignant neoplasm, mental health disorder, alcohol-related liver disease, chronic kidney disease, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were associated with more frequent ED visits.Frequent ED users comprised a significant proportion of total ED visits. Frequent ED users were more likely than occasional ED users to be in poorer health, older, or have a chronic disease or a mental health disorder.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Pediatric returns to the emergency department (RTED) vary between 3% and 13% of the total ED volume of visits. However, the incidence and contribution of scheduled RTED on pediatric emergency department (PED) utilization is less clear. Antimicrobial stewardship programs on inpatient wards have been shown to improve judicious use of outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) in upon discharge. The implementation of such programs in PEDs has yet to be reported. The objectives of this study are to quantify the burden of scheduled RTED for OPAT on PED utilization and to examine how frequently OPAT use are supported by published practice standards for 3 common pediatric infections-cellulitis, pneumonia, and urinary tract infections. METHODS We conducted a single-center retrospective cohort study of all visits made to the British Columbia Children's Hospital PED from May 1, 2012, to April 30, 2013. We identified scheduled RTEDs and characterized those associated with OPAT use with regard to their measures of PED utilization and clinical features. RESULTS Of 3904 RTED visits, 1310 (33.6%) were scheduled, of which 1029 were OPAT related. Among the latter, 749 RTEDs (69%) were for cellulitis, pneumonia, or urinary tract infections. The median length of stay for OPAT-related RTEDs was 2.0 hours. For 75 (24%) of 317 index visits and 213 (28%) of 749 subsequent RTEDs, oral antibiotic therapy would have been an appropriate option and OPAT could have been avoided. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that OPAT poses a sizable burden on PED utilization, with a proportion of them potentially preventable.
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Mecham C, Mirea L, Bode R, McGreevy J. Trends in adult patients presenting to pediatric emergency departments. Am J Emerg Med 2020; 38:1884-1889. [PMID: 32745921 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajem.2020.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2020] [Revised: 03/29/2020] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Adults presenting to pediatric emergency departments (PEDs) include those with complex chronic conditions (CCCs) often still followed by pediatric providers, and those without CCCs (non-CCCs). This paper describes recent trends in adults seen within PEDs, both by age subgroups and CCC status. METHODS Data were retrospectively reviewed from the Pediatric Health Information System for PED visits between Jan 1, 2013 and Dec 31, 2017. Yearly visit rates were trended for all adult visits, age subgroups (18-21, 22-25, 26-40, and 41-95 years), and by CCC status. The most frequent diagnoses were reviewed for each adult age group and CCC category. RESULTS Rates of adult PED visits significantly increased from 3.7% in 2013 to 4.2% in 2017 (P < 0.0001). While the overall majority (88% overall and >70% for each age group) of adult PED patients were non-CCC, the rate of CCC patients increased overall (P < 0.0001), especially among older patients (41-95 years) from 8.7% in 2013 to 29% in 2017 (P < 0.0001). The most frequent CCC diagnoses were sickle cell disease (18-21 and 22-25 years), cardiac pathology (26-40 years), and hyperlipidemia (41-95 years). The most frequent non-CCC diagnoses were abdominal pain (18-21 years), pregnancy-related (22-25 and 26-40 years), and chest pain (41-95 years). CONCLUSION Visits to PEDs by adult patients have increased over time, with the majority of the population being represented by non-CCC adults. The results of this study can be used to guide specifics in adult medicine training during Pediatric Emergency Medicine fellowship and assist in continuing education efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lucia Mirea
- Phoenix Children's Hospital, United States of America
| | - Ryan Bode
- Nationwide Children's Hospital, United States of America
| | - Jon McGreevy
- Phoenix Children's Hospital, United States of America
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Taylor T, Altares Sarik D, Salyakina D. Development and Validation of a Web-Based Pediatric Readmission Risk Assessment Tool. Hosp Pediatr 2020; 10:246-256. [PMID: 32075853 DOI: 10.1542/hpeds.2019-0241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Accurately predicting and reducing risk of unplanned readmissions (URs) in pediatric care remains difficult. We sought to develop a set of accurate algorithms to predict URs within 3, 7, and 30 days of discharge from inpatient admission that can be used before the patient is discharged from a current hospital stay. METHODS We used the Children's Hospital Association Pediatric Health Information System to identify a large retrospective cohort of 1 111 323 children with 1 321 376 admissions admitted to inpatient care at least once between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2017. We used gradient boosting trees (XGBoost) to accommodate complex interactions between these predictors. RESULTS In the full cohort, 1.6% of patients had at least 1 UR in 3 days, 2.4% had at least 1 UR in 7 days, and 4.4% had at least 1 UR within 30 days. Prediction model discrimination was strongest for URs within 30 days (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.811; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.808-0.814) and was nearly identical for UR risk prediction within 3 days (AUC = 0.771; 95% CI: 0.765-0.777) and 7 days (AUC = 0.778; 95% CI: 0.773-0.782), respectively. Using these prediction models, we developed a publicly available pediatric readmission risk scores prediction tool that can be used before or during discharge planning. CONCLUSIONS Risk of pediatric UR can be predicted with information known before the patient's discharge and that is easily extracted in many electronic medical record systems. This information can be used to predict risk of readmission to support hospital-discharge-planning resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thom Taylor
- Nicklaus Children's Research Institute, .,Nicklaus Children's Health System, Miami, Florida; and.,Research Facilitation Laboratory, Northrop Grumman, Monterey, California
| | | | - Daria Salyakina
- Nicklaus Children's Research Institute.,Nicklaus Children's Health System, Miami, Florida; and
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Coller RJ, Rodean J, Linares DE, Chung PJ, Pulcini C, Hall M, Alpern E, Mosquera R, Casto E, Berry JG. Variation in Hospitalization Rates Following Emergency Department Visits in Children with Medical Complexity. J Pediatr 2019; 214:113-120.e1. [PMID: 31540760 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2019.07.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2019] [Revised: 06/21/2019] [Accepted: 07/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To evaluate factors associated with admission from emergency department (ED) encounters for children with medical complexity (CMC) and to quantify the hospital admission rate as well as variation in adjusted hospital admission rates across EDs. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective study of 271 806 visits to 37 EDs in freestanding children's hospitals from January 1, 2014, to June 30, 2017, for patients of all ages with a complex chronic condition. Associations between patient demographic, clinical, and health services characteristics and the likelihood of hospital admission were identified using generalized linear models, which were then used to calculate adjusted hospital admission rates. RESULTS Hospital admission occurred with 25.7% of ED visits. Characteristics with the greatest aOR of hospitalization were ≥3 compared with 0 prior hospitalizations in 365 days (4.7; 95% CI, 4.5-4.9), ED arrival overnight compared with during workday 3.2 (95% CI, 3.1-3.3)], and ≥6 vs 0-1 chronic conditions (1.6; 95% CI, 1.5-1.6). Adjusted hospital admission rates varied significantly (P < .001) across EDs (21.1% [10th percentile]) and 30.0% [90th percentile]). Significant variation remained when excluding low-intensity ED visits, excluding hospitalizations requiring surgery and/or intensive care, or restricting the cohort to overnight ED arrival and to children with ≥3 prior hospitalizations. CONCLUSIONS CMC are frequently admitted from the ED. Substantial variation in CMC hospital admission rates across EDs exists after case-mix adjustment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan J Coller
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI
| | | | - Deborah E Linares
- Health Resources and Services Administration, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Office of Epidemiology and Research, Division of Research, Rockville, MD
| | - Paul J Chung
- Health Systems Science, Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine, Departments of Pediatrics and Health Policy & Management, UCLA RAND Health, RAND Corporation, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Christian Pulcini
- Emergency Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Matt Hall
- Children's Hospital Association, Lenexa, KS; Department of Pediatrics, Children's Mercy Kansas City, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine, Kansas City, MO
| | - Elizabeth Alpern
- Emergency Medicine, Ann and Robert H Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL
| | - Ricardo Mosquera
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Medical School, Houston, TX
| | - Elizabeth Casto
- Division of General Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Jay G Berry
- Division of General Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
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Lynch S, Pines J, Mutter R, Teich JL, Hendry P. Characterizing behavioral health-related emergency department utilization among children with Medicaid: Comparing high and low frequency utilizers. SOCIAL WORK IN HEALTH CARE 2019; 58:807-824. [PMID: 31422764 DOI: 10.1080/00981389.2019.1653418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2018] [Revised: 07/23/2019] [Accepted: 08/03/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
While the frequency of children's behavioral health (BH)-related visits to the emergency department (ED) is rising nationwide, few studies have examined predictors of high rates of ED use. This study examines Florida Medicaid claims (2011-2012) for children age 0-18 who were seen in an emergency department (ED) for behavioral health (BH) conditions. A logistic regression model was used to explore factors associated with frequent ED use and patterns of psychotropic medication utilization. The majority (95%) of patients with at least one BH-related ED visit had three or fewer of these visits, but 5% had four or more. Seventy-four percent of ED visits were not associated with psychotropic medication, including over half (54%) of visits for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Frequent ED use was higher among older children and those with substance use disorders. The implementation of interventions that reduce non-emergent ED visits through the provision of care coordination, social work services, and/or the use of community health workers as care navigators may address these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean Lynch
- U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Behavioral Health Statistics & Quality , Rockville , MD , USA
| | - Jesse Pines
- Department of Emergency Medicine, George Washington University , Washington , DC , USA
| | - Ryan Mutter
- U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Behavioral Health Statistics & Quality , Rockville , MD , USA
| | - Judith L Teich
- U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Behavioral Health Statistics & Quality , Rockville , MD , USA
| | - Phyllis Hendry
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Florida-Jacksonville , Jacksonville , FL , USA
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Andrews AL, Brinton DL, Simpson KN, Simpson AN. A Longitudinal Examination of the Asthma Medication Ratio in Children with Medicaid. J Asthma 2019; 57:1083-1091. [PMID: 31313611 DOI: 10.1080/02770903.2019.1640727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Background/Objective: An efficient and accurate strategy for identifying children with asthma at high-risk for exacerbation is needed. The objective of this study is to conduct a longitudinal examination of the asthma medication ratio (AMR) (#of controller medication claims/(# of controller medication claims + # of rescue medication claims)) in Medicaid-funded children with asthma. This measure has the potential to be a near real-time risk assessment tool.Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 2013-2014 Truven Health Medicaid data. We analyzed pharmacy and medical claims for a cohort of children with asthma. We identified patients age 2-17 years with at least one claim for an inhaled corticosteroid. We calculated an AMR for rolling 3-month periods and examined the proportion who were classified as low risk (AMR ≥ .5), high-risk (AMR < .5) and no medication claims (no asthma medication claims). Using logistic regression, we tested how the AMR predicted severe exacerbations.Results: 214,452 eligible children were identified. The mean age is 7.8 years. 8-9% had a high-risk AMR in any given period. High-risk AMR is associated with increased odds of a severe exacerbation in the subsequent 3 months (compared to all other children) (OR 1.7-1.9 depending on time period evaluated).Conclusions: In this analysis of Medicaid-insured children with asthma, we found that the AMR is a reliable predictor of exacerbations. This will inform the development of an AMR-based risk assessment and communication intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annie Lintzenich Andrews
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Medical, University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Daniel L Brinton
- Department of Healthcare Leadership and Management, College of Health Professions, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Kit N Simpson
- Department of Healthcare Leadership and Management, College of Health Professions, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Annie N Simpson
- Department of Healthcare Leadership and Management, College of Health Professions, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
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Chiu Y, Racine-Hemmings F, Dufour I, Vanasse A, Chouinard MC, Bisson M, Hudon C. Statistical tools used for analyses of frequent users of emergency department: a scoping review. BMJ Open 2019; 9:e027750. [PMID: 31129592 PMCID: PMC6537981 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-027750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Frequent users represent a small proportion of emergency department users, but they account for a disproportionately large number of visits. Their use of emergency departments is often considered suboptimal. It would be more efficient to identify and treat those patients earlier in their health problem trajectory. It is therefore essential to describe their characteristics and to predict their emergency department use. In order to do so, adequate statistical tools are needed. The objective of this study was to determine the statistical tools used in identifying variables associated with frequent use or predicting the risk of becoming a frequent user. METHODS We performed a scoping review following an established 5-stage methodological framework. We searched PubMed, Scopus and CINAHL databases in February 2019 using search strategies defined with the help of an information specialist. Out of 4534 potential abstracts, we selected 114 articles based on defined criteria and presented in a content analysis. RESULTS We identified four classes of statistical tools. Regression models were found to be the most common practice, followed by hypothesis testing. The logistic regression was found to be the most used statistical tool, followed by χ2 test and t-test of associations between variables. Other tools were marginally used. CONCLUSIONS This scoping review lists common statistical tools used for analysing frequent users in emergency departments. It highlights the fact that some are well established while others are much less so. More research is needed to apply appropriate techniques to health data or to diversify statistical point of views.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yohann Chiu
- Department of Family Medicine and Emergency Medicine, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
| | - François Racine-Hemmings
- Department of Family Medicine and Emergency Medicine, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
| | - Isabelle Dufour
- Department of Family Medicine and Emergency Medicine, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
| | - Alain Vanasse
- Department of Family Medicine and Emergency Medicine, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
| | | | - Mathieu Bisson
- Department of Family Medicine and Emergency Medicine, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
| | - Catherine Hudon
- Department of Family Medicine and Emergency Medicine, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
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Samuels-Kalow M, Neuman MI, Rodean J, Marin JR, Aronson PL, Hall M, Freedman SB, Morse RB, Cohen E, Simon HK, Shah SS, Alpern ER. The Care of Adult Patients in Pediatric Emergency Departments. Acad Pediatr 2019; 19:942-947. [PMID: 30853574 PMCID: PMC6732041 DOI: 10.1016/j.acap.2019.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2018] [Revised: 02/11/2019] [Accepted: 03/03/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Adult patients are increasingly receiving care in pediatric emergency departments (PEDs), but little is known about the epidemiology of these visits. The goals of this study were to examine the characteristics of adult patients (≥21 years) treated in PEDs and to describe the variation in resource utilization across centers. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional study examining visits to 30 PEDs (2012-2016) using the Pediatric Health Information System. Visits were categorized using All Patient Refined Diagnosis Related Groups and compared between age cohorts. We used multivariable logistic models to examine variation in demographics, utilization, testing, treatment, and disposition. RESULTS There were 12,958,626 visits to the 30 PEDs over 5 years; 70,636 (0.6%) were by adults. Compared with children, adult patients had more laboratory testing (49% vs 34%), diagnostic imaging (32% vs 29%), and procedures (48% vs 31%), and they were more often admitted (17% vs 11%) or transferred (21% vs 0.7%) (P < .001 for all). In multivariable analysis, older age, black race, Hispanic ethnicity, and private insurance were associated with decreased odds of admission in adults seen in PEDs. Across PEDs, the admission rates (7%-25%) and transfer rates (6%-46%) for adults varied. CONCLUSIONS Adult patients cared for at PEDs have higher rates of testing, diagnostic imaging, procedures, and admission or transfer. There is wide variation in the care of adults in PEDs, highlighting the importance of further work to identify the optimal approach to adults who present for care in pediatric centers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret Samuels-Kalow
- Department of Emergency Medicine (M Samuels-Kalow), Massachusetts General Hospital, and.
| | - Mark I. Neuman
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, Boston, MA
| | | | - Jennifer R. Marin
- Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA
| | - Paul L. Aronson
- Section of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Departments of Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | | | - Stephen B. Freedman
- Sections of Pediatric Emergency Medicine and Gastroenterology, Department of Pediatrics, Alberta Children’s Hospital, Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | | | - Eyal Cohen
- Division of Pediatric Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Harold K. Simon
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Departments of Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta GA
| | - Samir S. Shah
- Divisions of Hospital Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH
| | - 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, IL
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Supat B, Brennan JJ, Vilke GM, Ishimine P, Hsia RY, Castillo EM. Characterizing pediatric high frequency users of California emergency departments. Am J Emerg Med 2018; 37:1699-1704. [PMID: 30651182 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajem.2018.12.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2018] [Revised: 12/10/2018] [Accepted: 12/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Emergency department (ED) utilization has increased for the last several decades. Despite a focus on adult frequent ED users, little research has examined pediatric frequent ED users. The purpose of this study was to assess pediatric ED utilization in California and to describe those identified as frequent ED users. METHODS This was a retrospective multi-facility study of ED visits by children 1-17 years of age using statewide data from the California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development. Patients were classified into utilization groups by the number of ED visits in a one-year period prior to their last visit in 2016: occasional (1-5 visits) vs. frequent (>5 visits). Differences in patient characteristics were compared between occasional and frequent users. RESULTS There were 690,130 patients between 1 and 17 years of age with 1,238,262 visits during the study period. Children with ≥6 visits (2.3%) accounted for 9.3% of all visits. 67% of frequent users had no visits to a pediatric ED. Over 40% (41.4%) of frequent users visited 2 or more hospitals, compared to 7.7% of occasional users. In multivariate analysis, the characteristics with the largest associations with frequent ED use were age, payer, and being admitted/transferred. CONCLUSIONS The majority of pediatric frequent users do not seek care in pediatric EDs. Age, prior admission, and Medicare/Medicaid appear to have the largest associations with pediatric patient frequent ED utilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Supat
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California San Diego, 200 W Arbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92103, United States.
| | - Jesse J Brennan
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California San Diego, 200 W Arbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92103, United States
| | - Gary M Vilke
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California San Diego, 200 W Arbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92103, United States
| | - Paul Ishimine
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California San Diego, 200 W Arbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92103, United States; Department of Emergency Medicine, Rady Children's Hospital, 3020 Children's Way, San Diego, CA 92123, United States
| | - Renee Y Hsia
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California San Francisco, 1001 Potrero Ave, San Francisco, CA 94110, United States; Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies, University of California San Francisco, 3333 California St, San Francisco, CA 94118, United States
| | - Edward M Castillo
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California San Diego, 200 W Arbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92103, United States
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Abstract
OBJECTIVES The aims of this study were to determine differences in emergency department (ED) use by Native American (NA) children in rural and urban settings and identify factors associated with frequent ED visits. METHODS This cross-sectional, cohort study examined visits to 6 EDs: 2 rural, 2 midsize urban, and 2 large urban EDs from June 2011 to May 2012. Univariate and multiple regression analyses were conducted. Frequent ED visitors had more than 4 visits in the study period. RESULTS We studied 8294 NA visits (5275 patients) and 44,503 white visits (33,945 patients). Rural EDs had a higher proportion of NA patients, those below 200% of the income poverty level, and those who traveled more than 10 miles from their residence to attend the ED (all P < 0.05) compared with midsize and urban EDs. Native American patients had a high proportion of mental health diagnoses compared with whites (4.9% vs 1.9%, P < 0.001). Frequent ED visitors had greater odds of NA race, age younger than 1 year, public insurance, female sex, residence within less than 5 miles from the ED, and chronic disease. CONCLUSIONS Native American children seem to have greater challenges compared with whites obtaining care in rural areas. Native American children were more likely to be frequent ED visitors, despite having to travel farther from their residence to the ED. Native American children visiting rural and midsize urban EDs had a much higher prevalence of mental health problems than whites. Additional efforts to provide both medical and mental health services to rural NA are urgently needed.
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Rose L, McKim D, Leasa D, Nonoyama M, Tandon A, Bai YQ, Goldstein R, Amin R, Katz S, Gershon A. Respiratory health service utilization of children with neuromuscular disease. Pediatr Pulmonol 2018; 53:1378-1386. [PMID: 30129703 DOI: 10.1002/ppul.24145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2018] [Accepted: 07/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To quantify health service utilization including assessment, monitoring, and treatment of respiratory complications of children with neuromuscular disease (NMD), identifying practice variation and adherence to guideline recommendations at a population level. METHODS North American population-based cohort study (2003-2015) of children with NMD using hospital diagnostic and physician billing codes within health administrative databases. RESULTS We identified 18 163 children with NMD. Mean (SD) age was 7.8 (5.6) years with 40% ≤5; 45% were female. Most common diagnoses were cerebral palsy (50%) and spina bifida (16%); 8% had muscular dystrophy. From fiscal years 2003-2014, 15 600 (86%) children went to an emergency department on average 3.5 times every 3 years; 6575 (36%) for respiratory reasons. 8788 (48%) were admitted to hospital with 2190 (12%) for respiratory reasons and 2451 (13%) required intensive care. Respiratory specialist outpatient visits occurred for 2226 (12%) children on average 6.5 visits every 3 years; 723 (4%) had in-hospital respiratory specialist consultation. Pulmonary function testing was conducted in 3194 (18%) children on average 2.4 times every 3 years; sleep studies in 1389 (8%). CONCLUSION In this population-based study of children with NMD, healthcare utilization for respiratory complications was considerable. Frequency of respiratory specialist consultation, monitoring of respiratory function and sleep disordered breathing was variable but on average reflected professional society recommendations. Children with NMD are frequent ED users suggesting a need to improve community and social supports. We did not detect reduced access to respiratory monitoring or specialist consultation in adolescents transitioning to adult services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise Rose
- Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and Sunnybrook Research Institute, Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery, and Palliative Care, Kings College London, Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing and Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Institute of Clinical Evaluative Sciences, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Douglas McKim
- The Ottawa Hospital Respiratory Rehabilitation and The Ottawa Hospital Sleep Centre, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - David Leasa
- Department of Medicine, Divisions of Critical Care and Respirology London Health Sciences Centre, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mika Nonoyama
- University of Ontario Institute of Technology, Child Health Evaluative Sciences & Respiratory Therapy, SickKids, Rehabilitation Sciences & Physical Therapy, University of Toronto, Oshawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Anu Tandon
- Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Yu Qing Bai
- Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Roger Goldstein
- West Park Healthcare Centre, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Reshma Amin
- Division of Respiratory Medicine, SickKids, SickKids Research Institute, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sherri Katz
- Division of Respirology, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Andrea Gershon
- Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Sunnybrook Research Institute and the Institute of Clinical Evaluative Sciences, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Cabey WV, Shea JA, Kangovi S, Kennedy D, Onwuzulike C, Fein J. Understanding Pediatric Caretakers' Views on Obtaining Medical Care for Low-acuity Illness. Acad Emerg Med 2018; 25:1004-1013. [PMID: 29741232 DOI: 10.1111/acem.13436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2018] [Revised: 04/07/2018] [Accepted: 04/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A significant proportion of low-acuity emergency department (ED) visits are by patients under 18 years of age. Results from prior interventions designed to reduce low-acuity pediatric ED use have been mixed or poorly sustained, perhaps because they were not informed by patient and caretakers' perspectives. The objective of this study was to explore caretaker decision-making processes, values, and priorities when deciding to seek care. METHODS We conducted semistructured interviews of caretakers in both emergency and primary care settings, incorporating stimulated recall methodology. We also explored receptiveness to two care delivery innovations: use of community health workers (CHWs) and video teleconferencing. RESULTS Interviews of 57 caretakers identified multiple barriers to accessing primary care for their children's acute illness, including transportation, work constraints, and childcare. Frequent ED users lacked reliable social supports to overcome barriers. Fear of unforeseen health outcomes and a lack of trust in unfamiliar providers also influenced decision-making, rather than lack of general knowledge about minor illness. Receptiveness to CHWs was mixed, reflecting concerns for privacy and level of expertise. The option of video teleconferencing for low-acuity care was well received by caretakers. CONCLUSIONS Caretakers who used the ED frequently had limited social support and reported difficulty accessing care when compared to other caretakers. Fear also motivated care seeking and a desire for immediate medical care. Teleconferencing for low-acuity visits may be a useful health care delivery tool to reduce access barriers and provide rapid reassurance without engaging the ED.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Judy A. Shea
- Department of Medicine Division of General Internal Medicine Philadelphia PA
| | - Shreya Kangovi
- Department of Medicine Division of General Internal Medicine Philadelphia PA
| | | | | | - Joel Fein
- Department of Pediatrics Perelman School of Medicine The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Philadelphia PA
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Taylor T, Salyakina D. Health Care Access Barriers Bring Children to Emergency Rooms More Frequently: A Representative Survey. Popul Health Manag 2018; 22:262-271. [PMID: 30160608 PMCID: PMC6555172 DOI: 10.1089/pop.2018.0089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Children may visit the emergency department (ED) regularly in part because they and their caregivers may be experiencing barriers to appropriate and timely pediatric care. However, assessing the wide range of potential barriers to access to care that children and their caregivers may experience is often a challenge. The objective of this study was to assess the barriers to pediatric health care reported by caregivers and to examine the association between those reported barriers to care with the frequency of children's ED visits in the past 12 months. Assessment of ED utilization and access to care barriers was made through a telephone interview survey conducted as part of a broader Community Health Needs Assessment in 2015. A weighted community sample of adult caregivers (N = 1057) of children between the ages of 0-17 residing in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties, Florida were contacted. This study found that multiple ED visits (≥2 vs. 0) in the past 12 months by a child were most strongly associated with access to care barriers attributed to language and culture (relative risk [RR] = 2.51), trouble finding a doctor (RR = 1.86), scheduling an appointment (RR = 1.68), and transportation access (RR = 1.73). These findings suggest that access to care barriers experienced by households may exacerbate the risk of a child experiencing repeated visits to the ED in a year. Findings are discussed further in the context of actionable population health management strategies to reduce risk of frequent ED utilization by children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thom Taylor
- Nicklaus Children's Research Institute, Miami, Florida
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Riney LC, Brokamp C, Beck AF, Pomerantz WJ, Schwartz HP, Florin TA. Emergency Medical Services Utilization Is Associated With Community Deprivation in Children. PREHOSP EMERG CARE 2018; 23:225-232. [PMID: 30118621 DOI: 10.1080/10903127.2018.1501124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pediatric emergency medical services (EMS) utilization is costly and resource intensive; significant variation exists across large-scale geographies. Less is known about variation at smaller geographic levels where factors including lack of transportation, low health literacy, and decreased access to medical homes may be more relevant. Our objective was to determine whether pediatric EMS utilization varied across Hamilton County, Ohio, census tracts and whether such utilization was associated with socioeconomic deprivation. METHODS This was a retrospective analysis of children living in Hamilton County, Ohio, transported by EMS to the Cincinnati Children's emergency department between July 1, 2014, and July 31, 2016. Participants' addresses were assigned to census tracts and an EMS utilization rate and deprivation index were calculated for each. Pearson's correlation coefficients evaluated relationships between tract-level EMS utilization and deprivation. Tract-level deprivation was used as a predictor in patient-level evaluations of acuity. RESULTS During the study period, there were 4,877 pediatric EMS transports from 219 of the 222 county census tracts. The county EMS utilization rate during the study period was 2.4 transports per 100 children (range 0.2-11). EMS utilization rates were positively correlated with increasing deprivation (r = 0.72, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.65-0.77). Deprivation was associated with lower illness severity at triage, fewer transports resulting in resuscitation suite use, and fewer transports resulting in hospitalizations (all p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS EMS utilization varied substantially across census tracts in Hamilton County, Ohio. A deeper understanding into why certain socioeconomically deprived areas contribute to disproportionately high rates of EMS utilization could support development of targeted interventions to improve use.
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Ladley A, Hieger AW, Arthur J, Broom M. Educational Text Messages Decreased Emergency Department Utilization Among Infant Caregivers: A Randomized Trial. Acad Pediatr 2018; 18:636-641. [PMID: 29432907 DOI: 10.1016/j.acap.2018.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2017] [Revised: 01/19/2018] [Accepted: 02/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine the feasibility and effectiveness of text messages as an educational tool to reduce the prevalence of nonurgent emergency department (ED) visits among a population with high levels of low health literacy. METHODS This prospective, randomized experiment conducted in a large, urban, academic pediatric primary care practice enrolled 231 caregivers of infants into 2 groups: enhanced standard of care materials at well-child visits through 6 months (n = 99 completing), and enhanced standard of care and 4 text messages a week through 6 months (n = 108 completing). Use of the ED and visit urgency were compared between groups via chart review at 1 year of age. RESULTS Of the 230 included in the analysis, 84.2% (n = 194 of 230) were racial or ethnic minorities, 69.7% (n = 142 of 204) reported yearly incomes of less than $20,000 per year, and 70.4% (n = 142 of 204) were identified as having likely or probable limited health literacy. Participants who received text messages had fewer visits to the ED in their first year (2.14 visits in the control group to 1.47 visits in the intervention group who received text messages; P < .05). CONCLUSIONS Sending educational text messages to caregivers is effective in reducing the number of visits to the ED. Given the accessibility and small expense of sending text messages, these findings have direct implications on the cost of health care, in addition to improving continuity and quality of care for pediatric patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy Ladley
- Department of Pediatrics, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St Louis, Mo
| | - Amanda Waltos Hieger
- Department of Pediatrics, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St Louis, Mo
| | - Joshua Arthur
- Department of Pediatrics, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St Louis, Mo
| | - Matthew Broom
- Department of Pediatrics, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St Louis, Mo.
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Shumskiy I, Richardson T, Brar S, Hall M, Cox J, Crofton C, Peltz A, Samuels-Kalow M, Alpern ER, Neuman MI, Berry JG. Well-Child Visits of Medicaid-Insured Children with Medical Complexity. J Pediatr 2018; 199:223-230.e2. [PMID: 29752175 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2018.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2017] [Revised: 02/28/2018] [Accepted: 04/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Well-child visits (WCVs) help optimize children's health. We measured annual WCVs for children with medical complexity (CMC) and correlated WCVs with hospitalizations. STUDY DESIGN This was a retrospective analysis of 93 121 CMC aged 1-18 years continuously enrolled in 10 state Medicaid programs in the Truven MarketScan Database between 2010 and 2014. CMC had a complex chronic condition or 3 or more chronic conditions of any complexity identified from International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes, and the use of 1 or more chronic medications. We measured the number of years with 1 or more WCVs. The χ2 test and logistic regression were used to assess the relationships of WCV-years with the children's characteristics and hospitalization. RESULTS Over 5 years, 13.4% of CMC had 0 WCVs; 17.3% had WCVs in 1 year, 40.8% had WCVs in 2-3 years, and 28.5% had WCVs in 4-5 years. Fewer children received WCVs in 4-5 years when enrolled in Medicaid fee-for-service compared with managed care (20.9% vs 31.5%; P < .001) and when enrolled due to a disability compared with another reason (18.2% vs 32.2%; P < .001). The percentage of CMC hospitalized decreased as the number of years receiving WCV increased (21.5% at 0 years vs 16.9% at 5 years; P < .001). The adjusted odds of hospitalization were higher in CMC with WCVs in 0-4 years compared with CMC with WCVs in all 5 years (OR range across years, 1.1 [95% CI, 1.0-1.2] to 1.3 [95% CI, 1.3-1.4]). CONCLUSIONS Most Medicaid-insured CMC do not receive annual WCVs consistently over time. Children with fewer annual WCVs have a higher likelihood of hospitalization. Further investigation is needed to improve the use of WCVs in CMC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor Shumskiy
- Boston Combined Residency Program in Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA
| | | | - Sumeet Brar
- Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA
| | - Matt Hall
- Children's Hospital Association, Lenexa, KS
| | - Joanne Cox
- Complex Care Service, Division of General Pediatrics, Department of Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Charis Crofton
- Complex Care Service, Division of General Pediatrics, Department of Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Alon Peltz
- Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholars Program, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | | | - 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, IL
| | - Mark I Neuman
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Jay G Berry
- Complex Care Service, Division of General Pediatrics, Department of Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
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Samuels‐Kalow ME, Faridi MK, Espinola JA, Klig JE, Camargo CA. Comparing Statewide and Single-center Data to Predict High-frequency Emergency Department Utilization Among Patients With Asthma Exacerbation. Acad Emerg Med 2018; 25:657-667. [PMID: 29105238 DOI: 10.1111/acem.13342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2017] [Revised: 10/11/2017] [Accepted: 10/23/2017] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous studies examining high-frequency emergency department (ED) utilization have primarily used single-center data, potentially leading to ascertainment bias if patients visit multiple centers. The goals of this study were 1) to create a predictive model to prospectively identify patients at risk of high-frequency ED utilization for asthma and 2) to examine how that model differed using statewide versus single-center data. METHODS To track ED visits within a state, we analyzed 2011 to 2013 data from the New York State Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project State Emergency Department Databases. The first year of data (2011) was used to determine prior utilization, 2012 was used to identify index ED visits for asthma and for demographics, and 2013 was used for outcome ascertainment. High-frequency utilization was defined as 4+ ED visits for asthma within 1 year after the index visit. We performed analyses separately for children (age < 21 years) and adults and constructed two models: one included all statewide (multicenter) visits and the other was restricted to index hospital (single-center) visits. Multivariable logistic regression models were developed from potential predictors selected a priori. The final model was chosen by evaluating model performance using Akaike's Information Criterion scores, 10-fold cross-validation, and receiver operating characteristic curves. RESULTS Among children, high-frequency ED utilization for asthma was observed in 2,417 of 94,258 (2.56%) using all statewide visits, compared to 1,853 of 94,258 (1.97%) for index hospital visits only. Among adults, the corresponding results were 7,779 of 159,874 (4.87%) and 5,053 of 159,874 (3.16%), respectively. In the multicenter visit model, the area under the curve (AUC) from 10-fold cross-validation for children was 0.70 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.69-0.72), compared to 0.71 (95% CI = 0.69-0.72) in the single-center visit model. The corresponding AUC results for adults were 0.76 (95% CI = 0.76-0.77) and 0.76 (95% CI = 0.75-0.77), respectively. CONCLUSION Data available at the index ED visit can predict subsequent high-frequency utilization for asthma with AUC ranging from 0.70 to 0.76. Model accuracy was similar regardless of whether outcome ascertainment included all statewide visits (multicenter) or was limited to the index hospital (single-center).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mohammad K. Faridi
- Department of Emergency Medicine Massachusetts General Hospital Boston MA
| | - Janice A. Espinola
- Department of Emergency Medicine Massachusetts General Hospital Boston MA
| | - Jean E. Klig
- Department of Emergency Medicine Massachusetts General Hospital Boston MA
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