Interrupted time series evaluation of the impact of a dementia wellbeing service on avoidable hospital admissions for people with dementia in Bristol, England

OBJECTIVES

To determine whether a dementia wellbeing service (DWS) signposting people with dementia to community services decreases the rate of avoidable hospital admissions, in-hospital mortality, complexity of admissions (number of comorbidities) or length of stay.

METHODS

Interrupted time series analysis to estimate the effects of the DWS on hospital outcomes. We included all unplanned admissions for ambulatory care sensitive conditions ('avoidable hospital admissions') with a dementia diagnosis recorded in the Hospital Episode Statistics. The intervention region was compared with a demographically similar control region in the 2 years before and 3 years after the implementation of the new service (October 2013 to September 2018).

RESULTS

There was no strong evidence that admission rates reduced and only weak evidence that the trend in average length of stay reduced slowly over time. In-hospital mortality decreased immediately after the introduction of the dementia wellbeing service compared to comparator areas (x0.64, 95% CI 0.42, 0.97, p = 0.037) but attenuated over the following years. The rate of increase in comorbidities also appeared to slow after the service began; they were similar to comparator areas by September 2018.

CONCLUSIONS

We found no major impact of the DWS on avoidable hospital admissions, although there was weak evidence for slightly shorter length of stay and reduced complexity of hospital admissions. These findings may or may not reflect a true benefit of the service and require further investigation. The DWS was established to improve quality of dementia care; reducing hospital admissions was never its sole purpose. More targeted interventions may be required to reduce hospital admissions for people with dementia.

Reducing inequality in avoidable emergency admissions: Case studies of local health care systems in England using a realist approach

OBJECTIVE

People in disadvantaged areas are more likely to have an avoidable emergency hospital admission. Socio-economic inequality in avoidable emergency hospital admissions is monitored in England. Our aim was to inform local health care purchasing and planning by identifying recent health care system changes (or other factors), as reported by local health system leaders, that might explain narrowing or widening trends.

METHODS

Case studies were undertaken in one pilot and at five geographically distinct local health care systems (Clinical Commissioning Groups, CCGs), identified as having consistently increasing or decreasing inequality. Local settings were explored through discussions with CCG officials and stakeholders to identify potential local determinants. Data were analysed using a realist evaluation approach to generate context-mechanism-outcome (CMO) configurations.

RESULTS

Of the five geographically distinct CCGs, two had narrowing inequality, two widening, and one narrowing inequality, which widened during the project. None of the CCGs had designed a large-scale package of service changes with the explicit aim of reducing socio-economic inequality in avoidable emergency admissions, and local decision makers were unfamiliar with their own trends. Potential primary and community care determinants included: workforce, case finding and exclusion, proactive care co-ordination for patients with complex needs, and access and quality. Potential commissioning determinants included: data use and incentives, and targeting of services. Other potential determinants included changes in care home services, national A&E targets, and wider issues - such as public services financial constraints, residential gentrification, and health care expectations.

CONCLUSIONS

We did not find any bespoke initiatives that explained the inequality trends. The trends were more likely due to an interplay of multiple health care and wider system factors. Local decision makers need greater awareness, understanding and support to interpret, use and act upon inequality indicators. They are unlikely to find simple, cheap interventions to reduce inequalities in avoidable emergency admissions. Rather, long-term multifaceted interventions are required that embed inequality considerations into mainstream decision making.

Incident Dementia, Glycated Hemoglobin (HbA1c) Levels and Potentially Preventable Hospitalizations in People Age 65 and Older with Diabetes

BACKGROUND

To determine whether incident dementia and HbA1c levels are associated with increased rates of potentially preventable hospitalizations (PPH) in persons with diabetes.

METHODS

565 adults age 65+ ever treated for diabetes were from ACT study. PPH were from principal discharge diagnoses and included diabetes PPH (dPPH), respiratory PPH (rPPH), urinovolemic PPH (uPPH), cardiovascular, and other PPH. Poisson generalized estimating equations estimated rate ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the associations between dementia or HbA1c measures and rate of PPH.

RESULTS

562 individuals contributed 3602 dementia-free years, and 132 individuals contributed 511 dementia follow-up years. 128 (23%) dementia-free individuals had 210 PPH admissions and a crude rate of 58 per 1000 person-years while 55 (42%) individuals with dementia had 93 PPH admissions, a rate of 182 per 1000 person-years. The adjusted RR (95% CI) comparing rates between dementia and dementia-free groups were 2.27 (1.60, 3.21) for overall PPH; 5.90 (2.70, 12.88) for dPPH; 5.17 (2.49, 10.73) for uPPH, and 2.01 (1.06, 3.83) for rPPH. Compared with HbA1c of 7-8% and adjusted for dementia, the RR (95% CI) for overall PPH was 1.43 (1.00, 2.06) for >8% and 1.18 (0.85, 1.65) for <7% HbA1c. The uPPH RR was also increased, comparing >8% and <7% HbA1c levels.

CONCLUSION

Incident dementia is associated with higher rates of PPH among people with diabetes, especially PPHs due to diabetes, UTI, and dehydration. Potential evidence suggested that HbA1c levels of >8% vs. lower levels are associated with higher rates of overall, UTI and dehydration-related PPHs.

Landscapes on Prevention Quality Indicators: A Spatial Analysis of Diabetes Preventable Hospitalizations in Portugal (2016-2017)

Preventable hospitalizations due to complications of diabetes mellitus (DM), represented by the related prevention quality indicators (PQI), are ambulatory care-sensitive conditions that can be prevented and controlled through effective primary health care (PHC) treatment. It is important to reduce mortality and promote the quality of life to diabetic patients in regions with higher hospitalization rates. The study aims to analyze the results of the DM age-sex-adjusted PQI, by groups of health centers (ACES), distributed in the Portuguese territory. The most representative PQI at a national level were identified, and the trends were mapped and analyzed. Also, it presents the ACES with the highest age-adjusted rates of avoidable hospitalizations for DM. The absolute number of preventable hospitalizations for all DM complications in Portugal has decreased by 20%, thus passing from the rate of 79 in 2016 to 65.2/100,000 inhabitants in 2017. Despite the improvement in results for PQI 03, 20 of 48 ACES that were above the national 2017 median rate in 2016, achieved better results the following year, and for the overall preventable diabetes hospitalizations (PQI 93) only 11 out 39, revealing the need for further studies and PHC actions to improve the diabetic quality of life.

Identifying priorities for primary care investment in Ireland through a population-based analysis of avoidable hospital admissions for ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSC)

BACKGROUND

In 2016, the Irish acute hospital system operated well above internationally recommended occupancy targets. Investment in primary care can prevent hospital admissions of ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSCs).

OBJECTIVE

To measure the impact of ACSCs on acute hospital capacity in the Irish public system and identify specific care areas for enhanced primary care provision.

DESIGN

National Hospital In-patient Enquiry System data were used to calculate 2011-2016 standardised bed day rates for selected ACSC conditions. A prioritisation exercise was undertaken to identify the most significant contributors to bed days within our hospital system. Poisson regression was used to determine change over time using incidence rate ratios (IRR).

RESULTS

In 2016 ACSCs accounted for almost 20% of acute public hospital beds (n=871 328 bed days) with adults over 65 representing 69.1% (n=602 392) of these. Vaccine preventable conditions represented 39.1% of ACSCs. Influenza and pneumonia were responsible for 99.8% of these, increasing by 8.2% (IRR: 1.02; 95% CI 1.02 to 1.03) from 2011 to 2016. Pyelonephritis represented 47.6% of acute ACSC bed days, increasing by 46.5% (IRR: 1.07; 95% CI 1.06 to 1.08) over the 5 years examined.

CONCLUSIONS

Prioritisation for targeted investment in integrated care programmes is enabled through analysis of ACSC's in terms of acute hospital bed days. This analysis demonstrates that primary care investment in integrated care programmes for respiratory ACSC's from prevention to rehabilitation at scale could assist with bed capacity in acute hospitals in Ireland. In adults 65 years and over, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients, the current analysis supports targeting community based pulmonary rehabilitation including pneumococcal and influenza vaccination programmes in order to reduce the burden of infection and hospitalisations. Further exploration of pyelonephritis is necessary in order to ascertain patient profile and appropriateness of admissions.

Characterizing Potentially Preventable Admissions: A Mixed Methods Study of Rates, Associated Factors, Outcomes, and Physician Decision-Making

BACKGROUND

Potentially preventable admissions are a target for healthcare cost containment.

OBJECTIVE

To identify rates of, characterize associations with, and explore physician decision-making around potentially preventable admissions.

DESIGN

A comparative cohort study was used to determine rates of potentially preventable admissions and to identify associated factors and patient outcomes. A qualitative case study was used to explore physicians' clinical decision-making.

PARTICIPANTS

Patients admitted from the emergency department (ED) to the general medicine (GM) service over a total of 4 weeks were included as cases (N = 401). Physicians from both emergency medicine (EM) and GM that were involved in the cases were included (N = 82).

APPROACH

Physicians categorized admissions as potentially preventable. We examined differences in patient characteristics, admission characteristics, and patient outcomes between potentially preventable and control admissions. Interviews with participating physicians were conducted and transcribed. Transcriptions were systematically analyzed for key concepts regarding potentially preventable admissions.

KEY RESULTS

EM and GM physicians categorized 22.2% (90/401) of admissions as potentially preventable. There were no significant differences between potentially preventable and control admissions in patient or admission characteristics. Potentially preventable admissions had shorter length of stay (2.1 vs. 3.6 days, p < 0.001). There was no difference in other patient outcomes. Physicians discussed several provider, system, and patient factors that affected clinical decision-making around potentially preventable admissions, particularly in the "gray zone," including risk of deterioration at home, the risk of hospitalization, the cost to the patient, and the presence of outpatient resources. Differences in provider training, risk assessment, and provider understanding of outpatient access accounted for differences in decisions between EM and GM physicians.

CONCLUSIONS

Collaboration between EM and GM physicians around patients in the gray zone, focusing on patient risk, cost, and outpatient resources, may provide an avenues for reducing potentially preventable admissions and lowering healthcare spending.

Using Avoidable Admissions to Measure Quality of Care for Cardiometabolic and Other Physical Comorbidities of Psychiatric Disorders: A Population-Based, Record-Linkage Analysis

OBJECTIVE

Quality of care for comorbid physical disorders in psychiatric patients can be assessed by the number of avoidable admissions for ambulatory care sensitive (ACS) conditions. These are admissions for physical conditions that, with appropriate primary care, should not require inpatient treatment. Avoidable admissions for ACS conditions feature prominently in Australia's National Health Performance Framework and have been used to assess health care provision for marginalized groups, such as Indigenous patients or those of lower socioeconomic status. They have not been applied to people with mental illness.

METHODS

A population-based, record-linkage analysis was used to measure ACS admissions for physical disorder in psychiatric patients of state-based facilities in Queensland, Australia, during 5 years.

RESULTS

There were 77 435 males (48.0%) and 83 783 females (52%) (total n = 161 218). Among these, 13 219 psychiatric patients (8.2%) had at least 1 ACS admission, the most common being for diabetes (n = 6086) and angina (n = 2620). Age-standardized rates were double those of the general population. Within the psychiatric group, and after adjusting for confounders, those who had ever been psychiatric inpatients experienced the highest rates of ACS admissions, especially for diabetes.

CONCLUSIONS

In common with other marginalized groups, psychiatric patients have increased ACS admissions. Therefore, this measure could be used as an indicator of difficulties in access to appropriate primary care in Canada, given the availability of similar administrative data.

Economic impact of hospitalisations among patients in the last year of life: an observational study

BACKGROUND

Hospital admissions among patients at the end of life have a significant economic impact. Avoiding unnecessary hospitalisations has the potential for significant cost savings and is often in line with patient preference.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the extent of potentially avoidable hospital admissions among patients admitted to hospital in the last year of life and to cost these accordingly.

DESIGN

An observational retrospective case note review with economic impact assessment.

SETTING

Two large acute hospitals in the North of England, serving contrasting socio-demographic populations.

PATIENTS

A total of 483 patients who died within 1 year of admission to hospital.

MEASUREMENTS

Data were collected across a range of clinical, demographic, economic and service use variables and were collected from hospital case notes and routinely collected sources. Palliative medicine consultants identified admissions that were potentially avoidable.

RESULTS

Of 483 admissions, 35 were classified as potentially avoidable. Avoiding these admissions and caring for the patients in alternative locations would save the two hospitals £5.9 million per year. Reducing length of stay in all 483 patients by 14% has the potential to save the two hospitals £47.5 million per year; however, this cost would have to be offset against increased community care costs.

LIMITATIONS

A lack of accurate cost data on alternative care provision in the community limits the accuracy of economic estimates.

CONCLUSIONS

Reducing length of hospital stay in palliative care patients may offer the potential to achieve higher hospital cost savings than preventing avoidable admissions. Further research is required to determine both the feasibility of reducing length of hospital stay for patients with palliative care needs and the economic impact of doing so.