scholarly journals Inappropriate use of the emergency department for nonurgent conditions: Patient characteristics and associated factors at a Japanese hospital

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 146-153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Asako Miyazawa ◽  
Takami Maeno ◽  
Fumio Shaku ◽  
Madoka Tsutsumi ◽  
Hiroshi Kurihara ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Associated Factors ◽  
Patient Characteristics ◽  
Inappropriate Use

Inappropriate use of an accident and emergency department: Magnitude, associated factors, and reasons—An approach with explicit criteria

2001 ◽  
Vol 37 (6) ◽  
pp. 568-579 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teresa Sempere-Selva ◽  
Salvador Peiró ◽  
Pilar Sendra-Pina ◽  
Consuelo Martínez-Espín ◽  
Inmaculada López-Aguilera
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Associated Factors ◽  
Inappropriate Use ◽  
Accident And Emergency ◽  
Accident And Emergency Department ◽  
Explicit Criteria

Functional Decline in Emergency Department Patients with Dyspnea; a Register-Based Cohort

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karoline Stentoft Rybjerg Larsen ◽  
Marianne Lisby ◽  
Hans Kirkegaard ◽  
Annemette Krintel Petersen
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Electronic Patient Record ◽  
Hospital Admissions ◽  
Functional Decline ◽  
Patient Characteristics ◽  
Risk Of Death ◽  
Record Data ◽  
Emergency Department Patients ◽  
One Year ◽  
Historic Cohort

Abstract Background Functional decline is associated with frequent hospital admissions and elevated risk of death. Presumably patients acutely admitted to hospital with dyspnea have a high risk of functional decline. The aim of this study was to describe patient characteristics, hospital trajectory, and use of physiotherapy services of dyspneic patients in an emergency department. Furthermore, to compare readmission and death among patients with and without a functional decline, and to identify predictors of functional decline. Methods Historic cohort study of patients admitted to a Danish Emergency Department using prospectively collected electronic patient record data from a Business Intelligence Registry of the Central Denmark Region. The study included adult patients that due to dyspnea in 2015 were treated at the emergency department (ED). The main outcome measures were readmission, death, and functional decline. Results In total 2,048 dyspneic emergency treatments were registered. Within 30 days after discharge 20% was readmitted and 3.9% had died. Patients with functional decline had a higher rate of 30-day readmission (31.2% vs. 19.1%, p<0.001) and mortality (9.3% vs. 3.6%, p=0.009) as well as mortality within one year (36.1% vs. 13.4%, p<0.001). Predictors of functional decline were age ≥60 years and hospital stay ≥6 days. Conclusion Patients suffering from acute dyspnea are seen at the ED at all hours. In total one in five patients were readmitted and 3.9% died within 30 days. Patients with a functional decline at discharge seems to be particularly vulnerable.

scholarly journals Characteristics of Parkinson’s Disease in Patients with and without Cognitive Impairment

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Julie Chandler ◽  
Radhika Nair ◽  
Kevin Biglan ◽  
Erin A. Ferries ◽  
Leanne Munsie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Emergency Department ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Memory Loss ◽  
Patient Characteristics ◽  
Emergency Department Visits ◽  
Administrative Claims ◽  
Newly Diagnosed ◽  
Comorbidity Burden

Background: Characterizing patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and cognitive impairment is important toward understanding their natural history. Objective: Understand clinical, treatment, and cost characteristics of patients with PD pre- and post-cognitive impairment (memory loss/mild cognitive impairment/dementia or dementia treatment) recognition. Methods: 2,711 patients with PD newly diagnosed with cognitive impairment (index) were identified using administrative claims data. They were matched (1:1) on age and gender to patients with PD and no cognitive impairment (controls). These two cohorts were compared on patient characteristics, healthcare resource utilization, and total median costs for 3 years pre- and post-index using Chi-square tests, t-tests, and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests. Logistic regression was used to identify factors predicting cognitive impairment. Results: Comorbidity indices for patients with cognitive impairment increased during the 6-year study period, especially after the index. Enrollment in Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug plans vs. commercial (OR = 1.60), dual Medicare/Medicaid eligibility (OR = 1.36), cerebrovascular disease (OR = 1.24), and PD medication use (OR = 1.46) were associated with a new cognitive impairment diagnosis (all p <  0.05). A greater proportion of patients with cognitive impairment had hospitalizations and emergency department visits and higher median total healthcare costs than controls for each year pre- and post-index. Conclusion: In patients with PD newly diagnosed with cognitive impairment, comorbidity burden, hospitalizations, emergency department visits, and total costs peaked 1-year pre- and post-identification. These data coupled with recommendations for annual screening for cognitive impairment in PD support the early diagnosis and management of cognitive impairment in order to optimize care for patients and their caregivers.

Inappropriate outpatient antibiotic use in children insured by Kentucky Medicaid

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Bethany A. Wattles ◽  
Kahir S. Jawad ◽  
Yana Feygin ◽  
Maiying Kong ◽  
Navjyot K. Vidwan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Claims Data ◽  
Inappropriate Prescribing ◽  
Patient Characteristics ◽  
Antibiotic Use ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Antibiotic Prescribing ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Inappropriate Use ◽  
Pharmacy Claims ◽  
Medicaid Children

Abstract Objective: To describe risk factors associated with inappropriate antibiotic prescribing to children. Design: Cross-sectional, retrospective analysis of antibiotic prescribing to children, using Kentucky Medicaid medical and pharmacy claims data, 2017. Participants: Population-based sample of pediatric Medicaid patients and providers. Methods: Antibiotic prescriptions were identified from pharmacy claims and used to describe patient and provider characteristics. Associated medical claims were identified and linked to assign diagnoses. An existing classification scheme was applied to determine appropriateness of antibiotic prescriptions. Results: Overall, 10,787 providers wrote 779,813 antibiotic prescriptions for 328,515 children insured by Kentucky Medicaid in 2017. Moreover, 154,546 (19.8%) of these antibiotic prescriptions were appropriate, 358,026 (45.9%) were potentially appropriate, 163,654 (21.0%) were inappropriate, and 103,587 (13.3%) were not associated with a diagnosis. Half of all providers wrote 12 prescriptions or less to Medicaid children. The following child characteristics were associated with inappropriate antibiotic prescribing: residence in a rural area (odds ratio [OR], 1.09; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.07–1.1), having a visit with an inappropriate prescriber (OR, 4.15; 95% CI, 4.1–4.2), age 0–2 years (OR, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.37–1.41), and presence of a chronic condition (OR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.28–1.33). Conclusions: Inappropriate antibiotic prescribing to Kentucky Medicaid children is common. Provider and patient characteristics associated with inappropriate prescribing differ from those associated with higher volume. Claims data are useful to describe inappropriate use and could be a valuable metric for provider feedback reports. Policies are needed to support analysis and dissemination of antibiotic prescribing reports and should include all provider types and geographic areas.

Qualitative and quantitative analysis of emergency department cardiac arrest publications

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Cardiac Arrest ◽  
Prediction Models ◽  
Patient Characteristics ◽  
Research Direction ◽  
Medical Emergency ◽  
Aggregated Data ◽  
Academic Publications ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
Hospital Cardiac Arrest

Cardiac arrest is a medical emergency with a poor prognosis. Patient characteristics and outcomes are associated with location and are traditionally categorized into out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) or in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA). Increasing evidence has revealed that cardiac arrest occurring in the emergency department is distinct from OHCA or IHCA in other locations in hospitals, but most academic publications combine these populations and apply the knowledge arising from OHCA or IHCA to patients with emergency department cardiac arrest (EDCA). The aim of this study was to identify the research direction of EDCA in the past 20 years and to analyze the characteristics and content of academic publications. We searched the MEDLINE and EMBASE databases for eligible articles until May 30, 2021. Two independent reviewers extracted data by using a customized form to record crucial information, and any conflicts between the two reviewers were resolved through discussion with another independent reviewer. The aggregated data underwent a scoping review and analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. In total, 52 original articles investigating EDCA were included; only 15 articles simply focused on EDCA, while other articles involved OHCA or IHCA simultaneously. There were 3 articles discussing the relationship of overcrowdedness and EDCA, 12 articles for prediction and risk factors associated with EDCA, 15 articles for epidemiology and prognosis, and 22 articles for specific diagnostic or resuscitation skills with regard to EDCA. Studies focusing on EDCA are increasing but still scarce. Applying the knowledge arising from OHCA or IHCA to EDCA is questionable, and research focused on EDCA is necessary. ED overcrowdedness-associated EDCA and prediction models for EDCA are essential topics that need further investigation.

Questions to the article: Predicting Unscheduled Emergency Department Return Visits Among Older Adults (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shu-Chun Kuo ◽  
Tsair-wei Chien ◽  
Willy Chou
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Decision Tree ◽  
Class Imbalance ◽  
Patient Characteristics ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Clinical Settings ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Online Module ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Return Visits

UNSTRUCTURED The article published on 28 July 2021 is well-written and of interest, but remains several questions that are required for clarifications, such as (1) the Figure 1 is too complex to release the decision criteria for predicting unscheduled emergency department return visits (EDRVs); (2) the Table 1 with 11 rules is not succinct for readers to capture the core features of the influencing factors on the unscheduled EDRVs, and (3) the decision tree technique using Weka software did not demonstrate an online module that can be implemented in clinical settings. We suggested three ways to improve the study in methods and illustrated examples presented in previous studies using the decision tree technique. In addition, to solve the problem of class imbalance in data should be combined with an MP4 video(or a Multimedia Appendix) to make readers easily replicate similar research in the future. The patient characteristics and variables deposited in Multimedia Appendix 1 are insufficient. A small sample of data (e.g., one-tenth from the 10-fold cross-validation method to randomly partition the data set into ten subsets in the study) should be provided for readers to verify the decision tree that can yield appropriately 76.65% and 76.95% in sensitivity and specificity, respectively, as did in predicting the unscheduled EDRVs. Otherwise, the study results are doubtable.

Rapid referral for headache management from Emergency Department to Headache Centre: four years data

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Negro ◽  
Valerio Spuntarelli ◽  
Paolo Sciattella ◽  
Paolo Martelletti
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Adequate Treatment ◽  
Inappropriate Use ◽  
Headache Centre ◽  
Headache Management ◽  
Medical Bills ◽  
Head Computed Tomography ◽  
Unnecessary Testing ◽  
Discharge Length

Abstract Background Headache is one of the most common reason for medical consultation to emergency department (ED). Inappropriate use of ED for non-urgent conditions is a problem in terms of crowding emergency facilities, unnecessary testing and treatment, increased medical bills, burden on medical service providers and weaker patient-primary care provider relationships. The aim of this study was to analyzed the different steps of the ED management of patients with headache to detect those deficiencies that can be overcome by a prompt referral to a headache clinic.Methods The study is a retrospective analysis of the electronic medical records (EMRs) of patients discharged from an academic ED between 1 January 2015 and 31 December 2018 and referred to the tertiary level headache centre of the same hospital. We analyzed all the aspects related to the permanence in ED and we also assessed if there was a concordance between ED diagnosis and ours.Results Among our sample of 244 patients, 76.2% were admitted as green tag, 75% underwent a head computed tomography, 19.3% received neurological consultation, 43% did not receive any pharmacological treatment and 62.7% still had headache at discharge. Length in ED stay was associated with the complaint of the first aura ever (p = 0.014) and if patients received consultations (p < 0.001). Concordance analysis shown a significant moderate agreement only for the diagnosis of migraine and only between triage and headache centre.Conclusions The majority of patients who went to the ED complaining of headache received the same therapy regardless of their diagnosis and in many cases the headache had not yet resolved at the time of discharge. Given the several shortcomings of ED management of headaches, a rapid referral to the headache centre is of primary importance to help the patient obtain a definite diagnosis and adequate treatment.

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