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Farcas AM, Crowe RP, Kennel J, Little N, Haamid A, Camacho MA, Pleasant T, Owusu-Ansah S, Joiner AP, Tripp R, Kimbrell J, Grover JM, Ashford S, Burton B, Uribe J, Innes JC, Page DI, Taigman M, Dorsett M. Achieving Equity in EMS Care and Patient Outcomes through Quality Management Systems: A Position Statement. PREHOSP EMERG CARE 2024:1-16. [PMID: 38727731 DOI: 10.1080/10903127.2024.2352582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Improving health and safety in our communities requires deliberate focus and commitment to equity. Inequities are differences in access, treatment, and outcomes between individuals and across populations that are systemic, avoidable, and unjust. Within health care in general, and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in particular, there are demonstrated inequities in the quality of care provided to patients based on a number of characteristics linked to discrimination, exclusion, or bias. Given the critical role that EMS plays within the health care system, it is imperative that EMS systems reduce inequities by delivering evidence-based, high-quality care for the communities and patients we serve.To achieve equity in EMS care delivery and patient outcomes, the National Association of EMS Physicians recommends that EMS systems and agencies:make health equity a strategic priority and commit to improving equity at all levels.assess and monitor clinical and safety quality measures through the lens of inequities as an integrated part of the quality management process.ensure that data elements are structured to enable equity analysis at every level and routinely evaluate data for limitations hindering equity analysis and improvement.involve patients and community stakeholders in determining data ownership and stewardship to ensure its ongoing evolution and fitness for use for measuring care inequities.address biases as they translate into the quality of care and standards of respect for patients.pursue equity through a framework rooted in the principles of improvement science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andra M Farcas
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine
| | | | - Jamie Kennel
- Oregon Health & Science University and Oregon Institute of Technology
| | | | - Ameera Haamid
- Section of Emergency Medicine; University of Chicago Medicine
| | - Mario Andres Camacho
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Denver Health Medical Center, University of Colorado School of Medicine
| | | | - Sylvia Owusu-Ansah
- Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
| | - Anjni P Joiner
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine
| | - Rickquel Tripp
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
| | - Joshua Kimbrell
- Department of Pre-Hospital Care, Jamaica Hospital Medical Center
| | | | | | | | | | - Johanna C Innes
- Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (University at Buffalo)
| | - David I Page
- Center for Prehospital Care, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles
| | | | - Maia Dorsett
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center
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Kamta J, Fregoso B, Lee A, Kutsuris C, Kadow E, Walker C, Sensenbach B, O'Donnell C, Porter A, Blankenberg J, Acquisto N, Mazzillo J, Farney A, Cushman JT, Dorsett M. Improving Emergency Medicine Clinician Awareness of Prehospital-Administered Medications. PREHOSP EMERG CARE 2023; 28:506-512. [PMID: 37478002 DOI: 10.1080/10903127.2023.2238815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/23/2023]
Abstract
Background/problem: Information transfer between emergency medical services (EMS) and emergency medicine (EM) is at high risk for omissions and errors. EM awareness of prehospital medication administration affects patient management and medication error. In April 2020, we surveyed emergency physicians and emergency department nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) regarding the EMS handoff process. Emergency physicians and NPs/PAs endorsed knowing what medications were given, or having received direct verbal handoff from EMS "Often" or "Always" only 20% of the time (n = 71), identifying a need to improve the written handoff process. To assess rates of medication error due to lack of awareness of prehospital administered medications, we measured glucocorticoid redosing in the emergency department (ED) following prehospital dexamethasone administration. In 2020, glucocorticoids were redosed 30% of the time, and our aim was to reduce glucocorticoid redosing to 10% by June 2022. Intervention: We developed and implemented a system innovation where prehospital-administered medications documented in a nursing flowsheet during verbal handoff are pulled directly into the triage note where they are more likely to be reviewed by receiving EM clinicians. Results: Shewhart p-charts were used to evaluate for statistical process change in the process measure of triage note documentation of prehospital medication administration and the outcome measure of glucocorticoid redosing. While the frequency of prehospital dexamethasone administration in the triage note increased, no statistical process change outcome measure of glucocorticoid redosing was observed. However, on repeat survey of EM clinicians in July 2022, 50% now indicated they were aware of prehospital medication administration "Often" or "Always" (n = 61, p = 0.003), 87% maintained they use the triage note as the main source of information regarding prehospital medication administration, and 81% "Always" review the triage note. Conclusions: Innovations that improve accessibility of written documentation of prehospital medication administration were associated with improved subjective assessment of EM clinician awareness of prehospital medications, but not the outcome measure of medication error. Effective error reduction likely requires better system integration between prehospital and EM records.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeff Kamta
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York
- Inova Fairfax Medical Campus, Fairfax, Virginia
| | - Bryan Fregoso
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York
| | - Andrew Lee
- School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York
| | - Catherine Kutsuris
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York
| | - Elizabeth Kadow
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York
| | - Christopher Walker
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York
| | - Benjamin Sensenbach
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York
| | | | - Andrew Porter
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York
| | - Jessica Blankenberg
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York
| | - Nicole Acquisto
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York
| | - Justin Mazzillo
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York
| | - Aaron Farney
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York
| | - Jeremy T Cushman
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York
| | - Maia Dorsett
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York
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Dorsett M, Panchal AR, Stephens C, Farcas A, Leggio W, Galton C, Tripp R, Grawey T. Prehospital Airway Management Training and Education: An NAEMSP Position Statement and Resource Document. PREHOSP EMERG CARE 2022; 26:3-13. [PMID: 35001822 DOI: 10.1080/10903127.2021.1977877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
AbstractAirway management competency extends beyond technical skills to encompass a comprehensive approach to optimize patient outcomes. Initial and continuing education for airway management must therefore extend beyond a narrow focus on psychomotor skills and task completion to include appreciation of underlying pathophysiology, clinical judgment, and higher-order decision making. NAEMSP recommends:Active engagement in deliberate practice should be the guiding approach for developing and maintaining competence in airway management.EMS learners and clinicians must be educated in an escalating approach to airway management, where basic airway maneuvers form the central focus.Educational activities should extend beyond fundamental knowledge to focus on the development of clinical judgment.Optimization of patient outcomes should be valued over performance of individual airway management skills.Credentialing and continuing education activities in airway management are essential to advance clinicians beyond entry-level competency.Initial and continuing education programs should be responsive to advances in the evidence base and maintain adaptability to re-assess content and expected outcomes on a continual basis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maia Dorsett
- Received August 10, 2021 from Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY (MD); Department of Emergency Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH (ARP); Departments of Anesthesiology and Emergency Medicine, UTHealth McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX (CS); Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California San Diego (UCSD) San Diego California USA, San Diego, CA (AF); Office of the Chief Medical Officer, Austin-Travis County EMS, Austin, TX (WL); Departments of Anesthesiology and Emergency Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY (CG); Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA (RT); Department of Emergency Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI (TG). Revision received August 31, 2021; accepted for publication September 3, 2021
| | - Ashish R Panchal
- Received August 10, 2021 from Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY (MD); Department of Emergency Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH (ARP); Departments of Anesthesiology and Emergency Medicine, UTHealth McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX (CS); Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California San Diego (UCSD) San Diego California USA, San Diego, CA (AF); Office of the Chief Medical Officer, Austin-Travis County EMS, Austin, TX (WL); Departments of Anesthesiology and Emergency Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY (CG); Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA (RT); Department of Emergency Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI (TG). Revision received August 31, 2021; accepted for publication September 3, 2021
| | - Christopher Stephens
- Received August 10, 2021 from Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY (MD); Department of Emergency Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH (ARP); Departments of Anesthesiology and Emergency Medicine, UTHealth McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX (CS); Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California San Diego (UCSD) San Diego California USA, San Diego, CA (AF); Office of the Chief Medical Officer, Austin-Travis County EMS, Austin, TX (WL); Departments of Anesthesiology and Emergency Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY (CG); Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA (RT); Department of Emergency Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI (TG). Revision received August 31, 2021; accepted for publication September 3, 2021
| | - Andra Farcas
- Received August 10, 2021 from Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY (MD); Department of Emergency Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH (ARP); Departments of Anesthesiology and Emergency Medicine, UTHealth McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX (CS); Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California San Diego (UCSD) San Diego California USA, San Diego, CA (AF); Office of the Chief Medical Officer, Austin-Travis County EMS, Austin, TX (WL); Departments of Anesthesiology and Emergency Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY (CG); Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA (RT); Department of Emergency Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI (TG). Revision received August 31, 2021; accepted for publication September 3, 2021
| | - William Leggio
- Received August 10, 2021 from Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY (MD); Department of Emergency Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH (ARP); Departments of Anesthesiology and Emergency Medicine, UTHealth McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX (CS); Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California San Diego (UCSD) San Diego California USA, San Diego, CA (AF); Office of the Chief Medical Officer, Austin-Travis County EMS, Austin, TX (WL); Departments of Anesthesiology and Emergency Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY (CG); Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA (RT); Department of Emergency Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI (TG). Revision received August 31, 2021; accepted for publication September 3, 2021
| | - Christopher Galton
- Received August 10, 2021 from Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY (MD); Department of Emergency Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH (ARP); Departments of Anesthesiology and Emergency Medicine, UTHealth McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX (CS); Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California San Diego (UCSD) San Diego California USA, San Diego, CA (AF); Office of the Chief Medical Officer, Austin-Travis County EMS, Austin, TX (WL); Departments of Anesthesiology and Emergency Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY (CG); Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA (RT); Department of Emergency Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI (TG). Revision received August 31, 2021; accepted for publication September 3, 2021
| | - Rickquel Tripp
- Received August 10, 2021 from Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY (MD); Department of Emergency Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH (ARP); Departments of Anesthesiology and Emergency Medicine, UTHealth McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX (CS); Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California San Diego (UCSD) San Diego California USA, San Diego, CA (AF); Office of the Chief Medical Officer, Austin-Travis County EMS, Austin, TX (WL); Departments of Anesthesiology and Emergency Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY (CG); Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA (RT); Department of Emergency Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI (TG). Revision received August 31, 2021; accepted for publication September 3, 2021
| | - Tom Grawey
- Received August 10, 2021 from Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY (MD); Department of Emergency Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH (ARP); Departments of Anesthesiology and Emergency Medicine, UTHealth McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX (CS); Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California San Diego (UCSD) San Diego California USA, San Diego, CA (AF); Office of the Chief Medical Officer, Austin-Travis County EMS, Austin, TX (WL); Departments of Anesthesiology and Emergency Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY (CG); Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA (RT); Department of Emergency Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI (TG). Revision received August 31, 2021; accepted for publication September 3, 2021
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Natalzia P, Murk W, Thompson JJ, Dorsett M, Cushman JT, Reed P, Clemency BM. Evidence-based crisis standards of care for out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in a pandemic. Resuscitation 2020; 156:149-156. [PMID: 32758516 PMCID: PMC7832761 DOI: 10.1016/j.resuscitation.2020.07.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2020] [Revised: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & PURPOSE Pandemics such as COVID-19 can lead to severe shortages in healthcare resources, requiring the development of evidence-based Crisis Standard of Care (CSC) protocols. A protocol that limits the resuscitation of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA) to events that are more likely to result in a positive outcome can lower hospital burdens and reduce emergency medical services resources and infection risk, although it would come at the cost of lives lost that could otherwise be saved. Our primary objective was to evaluate candidate OHCA CSC protocols involving known predictors of survival and identify the protocol that results in the smallest resource burden, as measured by the number of hospitalizations required per favorable OHCA outcome achieved. Our secondary objective was to describe the effects of the CSC protocols in terms of health outcomes and other measures of resource burden. METHODS We conducted a retrospective cohort study of adult patients in the Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival (CARES) database. Non-traumatic OHCA events from 2018 were included (n = 79,533). Candidate CSC protocols involving combinations of known predictors of good survival for OHCA were applied to the existing dataset to measure the resulting numbers of resuscitation attempts, transportations to hospital, hospital admissions, and favorable neurological outcomes. These outcomes were also assessed under Standard Care, defined as no CSC protocol applied to the data. RESULTS The CSC protocol with the smallest number of hospitalizations per survivor with a favorable neurological outcome was that an OHCA resuscitation should only be attempted if the arrest was witnessed by emergency medical services or the first monitored rhythm was shockable (number of hospitalizations: 2.26 [95% CI: 2.21-2.31] vs. 3.46 [95% CI: 3.39-3.53] under Standard Care). This rule resulted in significant reductions in resource utilization (46.1% of hospitalizations and 29.2% of resuscitation attempts compared to Standard Care) while still preserving 70.5% of the favorable neurological outcomes under Standard Care. For every favorable neurological outcome lost under this CSC protocol, 6.3 hospital beds were made free that could be used to treat other patients. CONCLUSION In a pandemic scenario, pre-hospital CSC protocols that might not otherwise be considered have the potential to greatly improve overall survival, and this study provides an evidence-based approach towards selecting such a protocol. As this study was performed using data generated before the COVID-19 pandemic, future studies incorporating pandemic-era data will further help develop evidence-based CSC protocols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Natalzia
- Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, 955 Main St., Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
| | - William Murk
- Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, 955 Main St., Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
| | - Jeffrey J Thompson
- Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, 955 Main St., Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
| | - Maia Dorsett
- University of Rochester Medical Center 601 Elmwood Ave., Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Jeremy T Cushman
- University of Rochester Medical Center 601 Elmwood Ave., Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Philip Reed
- Canisius College, 2001 Main St., Buffalo, NY 14208, USA
| | - Brian M Clemency
- Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, 955 Main St., Buffalo, NY 14203, USA.
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