scholarly journals LO39: Healthcare costs among homeless and/or substance using adults presenting to the emergency department: a single centre study

CJEM ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 19 (S1) ◽  
pp. S41
Author(s):  
V.V. Puri ◽  
K. Dong ◽  
B.H. Rowe ◽  
S.W. Kirkland ◽  
C. Vandenberghe ◽  
...  

Introduction: Active substance use and unstable housing are both associated with increased emergency department (ED) utilization. This study examined ED health care costs among a cohort of substance using and/or homeless adults following an index ED visit, relative to a control ED population. Methods: Consecutive patients presenting to an inner-city ED between August 2010 and November 2011 who reported unstable housing and/or who had a chief presenting complaint related to acute or chronic substance use were evaluated. Controls were enrolled in a 1:4 ratio. Participants’ health care utilization was tracked via electronic medical record for six months after the index ED visit. Costing data across all EDs in the region was obtained from Alberta Health Services and calculated to include physician billing and the cost of an ED visit excluding investigations. The cost impact of ED utilization was estimated by multiplying the derived ED cost per visit by the median number of visits with interquartile ranges (IQR) for each group during follow up. Proportions were compared using non-parametric tests. Results: From 4679 patients screened, 209 patients were enrolled (41 controls, 46 substance using, 91 unstably housed, 31 both unstably housed and substance using (UHS)). Median costs (IQR) per group over the six-month period were $0 ($0-$345.42) for control, $345.42 ($0-$1139.89) for substance using, $345.42 ($0-$1381.68) for unstably housed and $1381.68 ($690.84-$4248.67) for unstably housed and substance using patients (p<0.05). Conclusion: The intensity of excess ED costs was greatest in patients who were both unstably housed and presenting with a chief complaint related to substance use. This group had a significantly larger impact on health care expenditure relative to ED users who were not unstably housed or who presented with a substance use related complaint. Further research into how care or connection to community resources in the ED can reduce these costs is warranted.

2015 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jane W. Njeru ◽  
Jennifer L. St. Sauver ◽  
Debra J. Jacobson ◽  
Jon O. Ebbert ◽  
Paul Y. Takahashi ◽  
...  

CJEM ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 19 (S1) ◽  
pp. S102
Author(s):  
S.W. Kirkland ◽  
A. Soleimani ◽  
B.H. Rowe ◽  
A.S. Newton

Introduction: Diverting patients away from the emergency department (ED) has been proposed as a solution for reducing ED overcrowding. The objective of this systematic review is to examine the effectiveness of diversion strategies designed to either direct patients seeking care at an ED to an alternative source of care. Methods: Seven electronic databases and grey literature were searched. Randomized/controlled clinical trials and cohort studies assessing the effectiveness of pre-hospital and ED-based diversion interventions with a comparator were eligible for inclusion. Two reviewers independently screened the studies for relevance, inclusion, and risk of bias. Intervention effects are reported as proportions (%) or relative risks (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Methodological and clinical heterogeneity prohibited pooling of study data. Results: From 7,306 citations, ten studies were included. Seven studies evaluated a pre-hospital diversion strategy and three studies evaluated an ED-based diversion strategy. The impact of diversion on subsequent health services was mixed. One study of paramedic practitioners reported increased ED attendance within 7 days (11.9% vs. 9.5%; p=0.049) but no differences in return visits for similar conditions (75.2% vs. 72.1%; p=0.64). The use of paramedic practitioners was associated with an increased risk of subsequent contact with health care services (RR=1.21, 95% CI 1.06, 1.38), while the use of deferred care was associated with no increase in risk of subsequently seeking physician care (RR=1.09, 95% CI 0.23, 5.26). While two studies reported that diverted patients were at significantly reduced risk for hospitalization, two other studies reported no significant differences between diverted or standard care patients. Conclusion: The evidence regarding the impact of pre-hospital and ED-based diversion on ED utilization and subsequent health care utilization is mixed. Additional high-quality comparative effectiveness studies of diversion strategies are required prior to widespread implementation.


2014 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 66-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole Redmond ◽  
LeRoi S. Hicks ◽  
Debbie M. Cheng ◽  
Donald Allensworth-Davies ◽  
Michael R. Winter ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
pp. e1-e4
Author(s):  
Jessica L. Adler ◽  
Weiwei Chen ◽  
Timothy F. Page

Objectives. To examine rates of emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalizations among incarcerated people in Florida during a period when health care management in the state’s prisons underwent transitions. Methods. We used Florida ED visit and hospital discharge data (2011–2018) to depict the trend in ED visit and hospital discharge rates among incarcerated people. We proxied incarcerated people using individuals admitted from and discharged or transferred to a court or law enforcement agency. We fitted a regression with year indicators to examine the significance of yearly changes. Results. Among incarcerated people in Florida, ED visit rates quadrupled, and hospitalization rates doubled, between 2015 and 2018, a period when no similar trends were evident in the nonincarcerated population. Public Health Implications. Increasing the amount and flexibility of payments to contractors overseeing prison health services may foster higher rates of hospital utilization among incarcerated people and higher costs, without addressing major quality of care problems. Hospitals and government agencies should transparently report on health care utilization and outcomes among incarcerated people to ensure better oversight of services for a highly vulnerable population. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print March 18, 2021: e1–e4. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2020.305988 )


2021 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 247-256
Author(s):  
Lacey B. Robinson ◽  
Anna Chen Arroyo ◽  
Rebecca E. Cash ◽  
Susan A. Rudders ◽  
Carlos A. Camargo

Background and Objective: Allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, are rising among children. Little is known about health care utilization among infants and toddlers. Our objective was to characterize health care utilization and charges for acute allergic reactions (AAR). Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of trends in emergency department (ED) visits and revisits, hospitalizations and rehospitalizations, and charges among infants and toddlers (ages < 3 years), with an index ED visit or hospitalization for AAR (including anaphylaxis). We used data from population-based multipayer data: State Emergency Department Databases and State Inpatient Databases from New York and Nebraska. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with ED revisits and rehospitalizations. Results: Between 2006 and 2015, infant and toddler ED visits for AAR increased from 27.8 per 10,000 population to 35.2 (Ptrend < 0.001), whereas hospitalizations for AAR remained stable (Ptrend = 0.11). In the one year after an index AAR visit, 5.1% of these patients had at least one AAR ED revisit and 5.9% had at least one AAR rehospitalization. Factors most strongly associated with AAR ED revisits included an index visit hospitalization and receipt of epinephrine. Total charges for AAR ED visits (2009‐2015) and hospitalizations (2011‐2015) were more than $29 million and $11 million, respectively. Total charges increased more than fourfold for both AAR ED revisits for AAR rehospitalizations during the study period. Conclusion: Infants and toddlers who presented with an AAR were at risk for ED revisits and rehospitalizations for AAR within the following year. The charges associated with these revisits were substantial and seemed to be increasing.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 18-28
Author(s):  
Paula Tanabe ◽  
Audrey L. Blewer ◽  
Emily Bonnabeau ◽  
Hayden B. Bosworth ◽  
Denise H. Clayton ◽  
...  

Background: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a genetic condition affecting primarily individuals of African descent, who happen to be disproportionately impacted by poverty and who lack access to health care. Individuals with SCD are at high likelihood of high acute care utilization and chronic pain episodes. The multiple complications seen in SCD contribute to significant morbidity and premature mortality, as well as substantial costs to the healthcare system. Objectives: SCD is a complex chronic disease resulting in the need for primary, specialty and emergency care. Many providers do not feel prepared to care for individuals with SCD, despite the existence of evidence-based guidelines. We report the development of a SCD toolbox and the dissemination process to primary care and emergency department (ED) providers in North Carolina (NC). We report the effect of this dissemination on health-care utilization, cost of care, and overall cost-benefit. Methods: The SCD toolbox was adapted from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute recommendations. Toolbox training was provided to quality improvement specialists who then disseminated the toolbox to primary care providers (PCPs) affiliated with the only NC managed care coordination system and ED providers. Tools were made available in paper, online, and in app formats to participating managed care network practices (n=1800). Medicaid claims data were analyzed for total costs and benefits of the toolbox dissemination for a 24-month pre- and 18-month post-intervention period. Results: There was no statistically significant shift in the number of outpatient specialty visits, ED visits or hospitalizations. There was a small decrease in the number of PCP visits in the post-implementation period. The dissemination resulted in a net cost-savings of $361 414 ($14.03 per-enrollee per-month on average). However, the estimated financial benefit associated with the dissemination of the SCD toolbox was not statistically significant. Conclusions: Although we did not find the expected shift to increased PCP visits and decreased ED visits and hospitalizations, there were many lessons learned.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Brandenberger ◽  
Christian Pohl ◽  
Florian Vogt ◽  
Thorkild Tylleskär ◽  
Nicole Ritz

Abstract BackgroundAsylum-seeking children represent an increasing and vulnerable group of patients whose health needs are largely unmet. Data on the health care provision to asylum-seeking children in European contexts is scarce. In this study we compare the health care provided to recent asylum-seeking and non-asylum-seeking children at a Swiss tertiary hospital.MethodsWe performed a cross-sectional retrospective study in a pediatric tertiary care hospital in Basel, Switzerland. All patients and visits from January 2016 to December 2017 were identified, using administrative and medical electronic health records. The asylum-seeking status was systematically assessed and the patients were allocated accordingly in the two study groups.Results A total of 202,316 visits by 55,789 patients were included, of which asylum-seeking patients accounted for 1674 (1%) visits by 439 (1%) individuals. The emergency department recorded the highest number of visits in both groups with a lower proportion in asylum-seeking compared to non-asylum-seeking children: 19% (317/1674) and 32% (64,315/200,642) respectively. The median number of visits per patient was 1 (IQR 1-2) in the asylum-seeking and 2 (IQR 1-4) in the non-asylum-seeking children. Hospital admissions were more common in asylum-seeking compared to non-asylum-seeking patients with 11% (184/1674) and 7% (14,692/200,642). Frequent visits (>15 visits per patient) accounted for 48% (807/1674) of total visits in asylum-seeking and 25% (49,886/200,642) of total visits in non-asylum-seeking patients. ConclusionsHospital visits by asylum-seeking children represented a small proportion of all visits. The emergency department had the highest number of visits in all patients but was less frequently used by asylum-seeking children. Frequent care suggests that asylum-seeking patients also present with more complex diseases. Further studies are needed, focusing on asylum-seeking children with medical complexity.


2018 ◽  
Vol 85 (1) ◽  
pp. 148-154 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anamaria J. Robles ◽  
Lucy Z. Kornblith ◽  
Carolyn M. Hendrickson ◽  
Benjamin M. Howard ◽  
Amanda S. Conroy ◽  
...  

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 42-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kimberly R Huyser ◽  
Jennifer Rockell ◽  
Valarie Blue Bird Jernigan ◽  
Tori Taniguchi ◽  
Charlton Wilson ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Background The American Indian (AI) population experiences significant diet-related health disparities including diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Owing to the relatively small sample size of AIs, the population is rarely included in large national surveys such as the NHANES. This exclusion hinders efforts to characterize potentially important differences between AI men and women, track the costs of these disparities, and effectively treat and prevent these conditions. Objective We examined the sex differences in diabetes prevalence, comorbidity experience, health care utilization, and treatment costs among AIs within a Northern Plains Indian Health Service (IHS) service unit. Methods We assessed data from a sample of 11,144 persons using an IHS service unit in the Northern Plains region of the United States. Detailed analyses were conducted for adults (n = 7299) on prevalence of diabetes by age and sex. We described sex differences in comorbidities, health care utilization, and treatment costs among the adults with diabetes. Results In our sample, adult men and women had a similar prevalence of diabetes (10.0% and 11.0%, respectively). The prevalence of CVD among men and women with diabetes was 45.7% and 34.0%, respectively. Among adults with diabetes, men had a statistically higher prevalence of hypertension and substance use disorders than women. The men were statistically less likely to have a non–substance use mental health disorder. Although men had higher utilization and costs for hospital inpatient services than women, the differences were not statistically significant. Conclusions In this AI population, there were differences in comorbidity profiles between adult men and women with diabetes, which have differential mortality and cost consequences. Appropriate diabetes management addressing gender-specific comorbidities, such as substance use disorders for men and non–substance use mental health disorders for women, may help reduce additional comorbidities or complications to diabetes.


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