scholarly journals LO66: Did the Choosing Wisely Canada campaign work? A retrospective analysis of its impact on emergency department imaging utilization for head injuries

CJEM ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 19 (S1) ◽  
pp. S50-S51
Author(s):  
S. Masood ◽  
L.B. Chartier
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Head Injuries ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Significant Proportion ◽  
Emergency Department Visits ◽  
Choosing Wisely ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Imaging Utilization ◽  
Ct Head ◽  
The Impact

Introduction: Head injuries are a commonly encountered presentation in emergency departments (ED) and the Choosing Wisely Canada (CWC) campaign was released in June 2015 in an attempt to decrease imaging utilization for patients with minor head injuries. The impact of the CWC campaign on imaging utilization for head injuries has not been explored in the ED setting. In our study, we describe the characteristics of patients with head injuries presenting to a tertiary care academic ED and the impact of the CWC campaign on CT head utilization. Methods: This retrospective cohort study used linked databases from the province of Ontario, Canada to assess emergency department visits with a primary diagnosis of head injury made between June 1, 2014 and Aug 31, 2016 at the University Health Network in Toronto, Canada. We examined the number of visits during the study period, the proportion of patients that had a CT head performed before and after the release of the CWC campaign, as well as mode of arrival, and disposition. Results: There were 4,322 qualifying visits at our site during the study period. The median presenting age was 44.12 years (IQR 27.83,67.45), the median GCS was 15 (IQR 15,15) and the majority of patients presenting had intermediate acuity (CTAS 3). Overall, 43.17% of patients arrived via ambulance, 49.24 % of patients received a CT head and 10.46% of patients were admitted. Compared to patients presenting before the CWC campaign release, there was no significant difference in the rate of CT heads after the CWC (50.41% vs 47.68%, P=0.07). There were also no significant differences between the two groups in mode of arrival (ambulance vs ambulatory) (42.94% vs 43.48%, P=0.72) or admission rates (9.85% vs 11.26%, P=0.15). However, more patients belonged to the high acuity groups (CTAS 1 or 2) in the post CWC campaign release group (12.98% vs 8.11% P<0.001). Conclusion: Visits for head injuries make up a significant proportion of total ED visits and approximately half of these patients receive CT imaging in the ED. The CWC campaign did not seem to impact imaging utilization for head injuries in the 14 months following its launch. Further efforts, including local quality improvement initiatives, are likely needed to increase adherence to its recommendation and reduce imaging utilization for head injuries.

scholarly journals P035: Impact of EMS direct referral to community care on emergency department utilization

CJEM ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (S1) ◽  
pp. S75
Author(s):  
A. Dukelow ◽  
M. Lewell ◽  
J. Loosley ◽  
S. Pancino ◽  
K. Van Aarsen
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Home Care ◽  
Community Care ◽  
Home Care Services ◽  
Emergency Department Visits ◽  
Emergency Department Utilization ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Ed Visits ◽  
The Impact

Introduction: The Community Referral by Emergency Medical Services (CREMS) program was implemented in January 2015 in Southwestern Ontario. The program allows Paramedics interacting with a patient to directly refer those in need of home care support to their local Community Care Access Centre (CCAC) for needs assessment. If indicated, subsequent referrals are made to specific services (e.g. nursing, physiotherapy and geriatrics) by CCAC. Ideally, CREMS connects patients with appropriate, timely care, supporting individual needs. Previous literature has indicated CREMS results in an increase of home care services provided to patients. Methods: The primary objective of this project is to evaluate the impact of the CREMS program on Emergency Department utilization. Data for all CCAC referrals from London-Middlesex EMS was collected for a thirteen month period (February 2015-February 2016). For all patients receiving a new or increased service from CCAC the number of Emergency Department visits 2 years before referral and 2 years after referral were calculated. A related samples Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test was performed to examine the difference in ED visits pre and post referral to CCAC. Results: There were 213 individuals who received a new or increased service during the study timeframe. Median [IQR] patient age was 77 [70-85.5]. 113/213 (53%) of patients were female. The majority of patients 135/213 (63.4%) were a new referral to CCAC. The median [IQR] number of hospital visits before referral was 3 [1-5] and after referral was 2 [0-4]. There was no significant difference in the overall number of ED visits before versus after referral (955 vs 756 visits, p = 0.051). Conclusion: Community based care can improve patient experience and health outcomes. Paramedics are in a unique position to assess patients in their home to determine who might benefit from home care services. CREMS referrals for this patient group showed a trend towards decreased ED visits after referral but the trend was not statistically significant.

Evaluation of Early Versus Late Postdischarge Medication Reconciliation on Readmission Rates and Emergency Department Visits

2017 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 279-283 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tina Joseph ◽  
Rebecca A. Barros ◽  
Elise Kim ◽  
Bupendra Shah
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Clinical Pharmacist ◽  
Medication Reconciliation ◽  
Emergency Department Visits ◽  
Optimal Timing ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Late Group ◽  
Hospital Use

Background: The current literature speculates ideal postdischarge follow-up focusing on transitions from hospital to home can range anywhere between 48 hours and 2 weeks. However, there is a lack of evidence regarding the optimal timing of follow-up visit to prevent readmissions. Objective: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of early (<48 hours) versus late (48 hours-14 days) postdischarge medication reconciliation on readmissions and emergency department (ED) use. Methods: In this retrospective study, data for patients who had a clinic visit with a primary care provider (PCP), clinical pharmacist, or both for postdischarge medication reconciliation were reviewed. Primary outcome included hospital use rate at 30 days. Secondary outcomes included hospital use rate at 90 days and hospital use rate with a postdischarge PCP follow-up visit, clinical pharmacist, or both at 30 days. Results: One hundred sixty patients were included in the analysis: 31 early group patients and 129 late group patients. There was no significant difference on hospital use at 30 days in patients who received early or late groups (32.3% vs 21.8%, P = .947). There was also no significant difference on hospital use at 90 days in patients in early versus late group (51.6% vs 50.3%, P = .842). The type of provider (PCP vs pharmacists) conducting postdischarge medication reconciliation did not show significance on hospital use at 30 days (19.9% vs 21.4%, P = .731). Conclusion: Results from this study suggest patients can be seen up to 14 days postdischarge for medication reconciliation with no significant difference on hospital use.

scholarly journals Impact of Delayed Admission to the Intensive Care Unit from the Emergency Department upon Sepsis Outcomes and Sepsis Protocol Compliance

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Agustin ◽  
Lori Lyn Price ◽  
Augustine Andoh-Duku ◽  
Peter LaCamera
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Hospital Mortality ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Included Study ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Protocol Compliance ◽  
Sepsis And Septic Shock ◽  
The Impact

Rationale. The impact of emergency department length of stay (EDLOS) upon sepsis outcomes needs clarification. We sought to better understand the relationship between EDLOS and both outcomes and protocol compliance in sepsis. Methods. We performed a retrospective observational study of septic patients admitted to the ICU from the ED between January 2012 and December 2015 in a single tertiary care teaching hospital. 287 patients with severe sepsis and septic shock were included. Study population was divided into patients with EDLOS < 6 hrs (early admission) versus ≥6 hours (delayed admission). We assessed the impact of EDLOS on hospital mortality, compliance with sepsis protocol, and resuscitation. Statistical significance was determined by chi-square test. Results. Of the 287 septic ED patients, 137 (47%) were admitted to the ICU in <6 hours. There was no significant in-hospital mortality difference between early and delayed admissions (p=0.68). Both groups have similar compliance with the 3-hour protocol (p=0.77). There was no significant difference in achieving optimal resuscitation within 12 hours (p=0.35). Conclusion. We found that clinical outcomes were not significantly different between early and delayed ICU admissions. Additionally, EDLOS did not impact compliance with the sepsis protocol with the exception of repeat lactate draw.

scholarly journals 112 Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on emergency department visits at a university medical centre

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. e81-e82
Author(s):  
Viviane Mallette ◽  
Claude Cyr
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Emergency Room ◽  
Emergency Department Visits ◽  
Medical Centre ◽  
Pediatric Care ◽  
Emergency Room Visits ◽  
Traumatic Injuries ◽  
Health Measures ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Primary Subject area Emergency Medicine - Paediatric Background The new coronavirus, SARS-Cov-2, responsible for a global pandemic, led to the declaration of a health emergency and the implementation of large-scale public health measures by governments in 2020. Those measures, combined with the overlapping symptoms of COVID-19 disease and common viral infections in children, have led hospitals to prepare for possible changes in volume of emergency room visits by children. Objectives This study aims to determine the effect of the pandemic and governmental restrictions on the use of the emergency department by pediatric patients at a university medical centre, as well as to assess the impact on the severity of initial presentations. Design/Methods A single-centre study was conducted at a university hospital among children aged 0 to 17 who visited the emergency room. We used interrupted time series analysis to compare the average of pre-COVID-19 data (from January 1 2017, to December 31 2019) with data from the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic (from January 1 to September 2020). Emergency room visits, initial triage codes, and admission and pediatric consultation rates were analyzed to assess whether there was a significant difference between periods. Results An important increase in total daily visits (+11.18, 95% CI [6.23-16.14]) was first observed with the emergence of COVID-19 cases in Canada. Then, during the strict confinement, which corresponds to an active period of COVID-19, we detected a significant drop in daily visits (-25.64, 95% CI [-30.4 to -20.66]), which continued while progressively loosening restrictions. The proportion of admissions and pediatric consultations rose slightly only throughout the time of intensive health measures (respectively +4.07% and +3.32%), but no changes in the severity of the triage codes at the emergency department were observed for all periods. Traumatic injuries also saw a significant decrease (p=0.018) when comparing data by groups of diagnosis. Conclusion These results show a significantly lower number of children’s visits to the emergency room of a university medical centre, and a transient increase in pediatric care with little impact on the immediate severity of the initial presentations during strict government health measures in the first wave of COVID-19. These measures also had a beneficial effect in reducing the number of traumatic injuries.

scholarly journals A dangerously underrated entity? Non-specific complaints at emergency department presentation are associated with utilisation of less diagnostic resources

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tanja Birrenbach ◽  
Andrea Geissbühler ◽  
Aristomenis K. Exadaktylos ◽  
Wolf E. Hautz ◽  
Thomas C. Sauter ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Geometric Mean ◽  
Univariate Analysis ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Diagnostic Testing ◽  
Triage Category ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Patients Experience ◽  
Specific Symptoms ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Patients presenting with non-specific complaints (NSC), such as generalised weakness, or feeling unwell, constitute about 20% of emergency care consultations. In contrast to patients presenting with specific symptoms, these patients experience more hospitalisations, longer stays in hospital and even higher mortality. However, little is known about the actual resources spent on patients with NSC in the emergency department (ED). Methods We have conducted a retrospective analysis from January 1st, 2013 until December 31st, 2017 in a Swiss tertiary care ED to assess the impact of NSC on the utilisation of diagnostic resources in adult patients with highlyurgent or urgent medical complaints. Results We randomly selected 1500 medical consultations from our electronic health record database: The majority of patients (n = 1310, 87.3%) presented with a specific complaint; n = 190 (12.7%) with a NSC. Univariate analysis showed no significant difference in the utilisation of total diagnostic resources in the ED [specific complaints: 844 (577–1313) vs. NSC: 778 (551–1183) tax points, p = 0.092, median (interquartile range)]. A backward selection logistic regression model was adjusted for the identified covariates (age, diabetes, cerebrovascular and liver disease, malignancy, past myocardial infarction, antihypertensive, antithrombotic or antidiabetic medication, night or weekend admission and triage category). This identified a significant association of NSC with lower utilisation of ED diagnostic resources [geometric mean ratio (GMR) 0.91, 95% CI: 0.84–0.99, p = 0.042]. Conclusions Non-specific complaints (NSC) are a frequent reason for emergency medicine consultations and are associated with lower utilisation of diagnostic resources during ED diagnostic testing than with specific complaints.

scholarly journals Impact of Pharmacist-led Discharge Counseling on Hospital Readmission and Emergency Department Visits: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (01) ◽  
pp. 52-59 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aline Bonetti ◽  
Walleri C Reis ◽  
Antonio M Mendes ◽  
Inajara Rotta ◽  
Fernanda S Tonin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Emergency Department ◽  
Usual Care ◽  
Hospital Readmission ◽  
Data Extraction ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Emergency Department Visits ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
The Impact

BACKGROUND: Transitions of care can contribute to medication errors and other adverse drug events. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of pharmacist-led discharge counseling on hospital readmission and emergency department visits through a systematic review and meta-analysis. DATA SOURCES: Electronic searches were performed in PubMed, Scopus, and DOAJ (Directory of Open Access Journals), along with a manual search (July 2017). PROSPERO registration no. CRD42017068444. STUDY SELECTION: Two independent reviewers performed all the steps of the systematic review process (screening of titles and abstracts, full-text appraisal, data extraction, and quality assessment), with contributions from a third researcher. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) reporting data on pharmacist-led discharge counseling. DATA EXTRACTION: Primary extracted outcomes were emergency department visits and hospital readmission rates. DATA SYNTHESIS: Meta-analyses of intervention versus usual care for hospital readmission and emergency department visit rates were performed using the inverse variance method. Results are reported as risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Prediction intervals (PIs) were also calculated. Sensitivity and subgroup analyses were performed. A total of 21 RCTs were included in the qualitative synthesis and 18 in the meta-analyses (n = 7,244 patients). The original meta-analysis revealed a significant difference in the impact between pharmacist-led discharge counseling and usual care on overall hospital readmission (RR = 0.864 [95% CI 0.763-0.997], P = .020) and emergency department (RR = 0.697 [95% CI 0.535-0.907], P = .007) visits. However, the small number of included studies, the high heterogeneity among trials (I2 between 40% and 60%), and the wide PIs (hospital readmission: PI 0.542-1.186; emergency department visits: PI 0.027-1.367) prevented drawing further conclusions. CONCLUSIONS: Insufficient evidence exists regarding the effect of pharmacist-led discharge counseling on hospital readmission and emergency department visits. Further well-designed clinical trials with defined core outcome sets are needed.

scholarly journals P064: Effect of increased availability of pre-authorized radiological test ordering on CT scan utilization in the emergency department

CJEM ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (S1) ◽  
pp. S100-S100
Author(s):  
K. Huszarik ◽  
K. Wood ◽  
M. Columbus ◽  
A. Dukelow
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Length Of Stay ◽  
Ct Scan ◽  
Patient Flow ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Ct Scans ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Implementation Period ◽  
Flow Through ◽  
The Impact

Introduction: Computed tomography (CT) scan utilization has increased dramatically over the past 25 years. This has sparked concern for potential overuse leading to unnecessary radiation exposure for patients and increased health care costs, without any improvement in health outcomes. In order to improve workflow through the Emergency Department (ED) at our institution, an existing pre-authorization policy during weekday business hours allows emergency physicians to order CT scans directly without the need for approval from a radiologist. This policy was recently expanded on September 28, 2015 to allow pre-authorized CT scan orders during weekday evening hours. The objective of our study is to evaluate the impact of increased availability of pre-authorized CT scan ordering on CT scan utilization and patient flow through the ED at two tertiary care hospitals in London, Ontario. Methods: This is a retrospective review comparing monthly CT scan utilization rates in the pre-implementation period from September 28, 2014 to February 28, 2015, to rates in the post-implementation period from September 28, 2015 to February 28, 2016. Length of stay parameters including time from physician initial assessment to CT scan order, completion, report and patient discharge will also be compared between the groups. Results: Results will be presented at CAEP 2016. No significant difference is expected in the monthly number of CT scans ordered per registered ED visits between the pre- and post-implementation groups. We also anticipate a significantly shorter average length of stay for patients receiving a CT scan in the post-implementation group. Conclusion: We expect there will be no significant increase in CT scan utilization with increased availability of pre-authorized CT scan ordering in our EDs. We also anticipated decreased patient length of stay leading to improved patient flow through the ED. Findings may offer support for organizations to safely implement or increase availability of pre-authorized CT scan orders to help improve patient flow and decrease costs in the ED.

The Effect of Language Barriers at Discharge on Pediatric Adenotonsillectomy Outcomes and Healthcare Contact

2020 ◽  
pp. 000348942098017
Author(s):  
Xi Dai ◽  
Marisa A. Ryan ◽  
Anna Christina Clements ◽  
David E. Tunkel ◽  
Anne R. Links ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Language Barriers ◽  
Emergency Department Visits ◽  
Discharge Instructions ◽  
Phone Calls ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
The Impact ◽  
English Group

Objective: Effective delivery of discharge instructions and access to postoperative care play a critical role in outcomes after pediatric surgery. Previous studies in the pediatric emergency department suggest that caregivers with language barriers have less comprehension of discharge instructions despite use of interpretation services. However, the impact of language barriers during discharge on surgical outcomes in a pediatric surgical setting has not been studied. This study examined the effect of parental language during discharge on number and mode of healthcare contact following pediatric adenotonsillectomy. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on children who underwent adenotonsillectomy at a tertiary care pediatric academic medical center from July 1, 2016 to June 1, 2018. Data were collected on consecutive patients with non-English-speaking caregivers and a systematic sampling of patients with English-speaking caregiver. Surgery-related complications and healthcare contacts within 90 days after discharge were collected. Two-tailed t tests, χ2 tests, and logistic regression were performed to assess the association between parental primary language and incidence of healthcare contact after surgery. Results: A total of 136 patients were included: 85 English-speaking and 51 non-English-speaking. The groups were comparable in age, sex, and comorbidities. The non-English group had more patients with public insurance (86% vs. 56%; P < .001). Number of encounters and types of complications following discharge were similar, but the non-English group was more likely to utilize the emergency department compared to phone calls (OR, 9.3; 95% CI, 2.3-38.2), even after adjustment for insurance type (OR, 7.9; 95% CI, 1.6-39.4). Conclusion: Language barriers at discharge following pediatric otolaryngology surgery is associated with a meaningful difference in how patients utilized medical care. Interventions to improve comprehension and access may help reduce preventable emergency department visits and healthcare costs.

scholarly journals The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Emergency Department Visits at a Canadian Academic Tertiary Care Center

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 851-859
Author(s):  
Edmund Kwok ◽  
Glenda Clapham ◽  
Samantha Calder-Sprackman
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Care Center ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Emergency Department Visits ◽  
World Health ◽  
Tertiary Care Center ◽  
Public Health Response ◽  
Coronary Syndrome ◽  
Ed Visits ◽  
The Impact

Introduction: Public health response to the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has emphasized social distancing and stay-at-home policies. Reports of decreased emergency department (ED) visits in non-epicenters of the outbreak have raised concerns that patients with non-COVID-19 emergencies are delaying or avoiding seeking care. We evaluated the impact of the pandemic on ED visits at an academic tertiary care center. Methods: We conducted an observational health records review between January 1–April 22, 2020, comparing characteristics of all ED visits between pre- and post-pandemic declaration by the World Health Organization. Measures included triage acuity, presenting complaints, final diagnoses, disposition, and mortality. We further examined three time-sensitive final diagnoses: stroke; sepsis; and acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Results: In this analysis, we included 44,497 ED visits. Average daily ED visits declined from 458.1 to 289.0 patients/day (-36.9%). For the highest acuity triaged patients there was a drop of 1.1 patients/day (-24.9%). Daily ED visits related to respiratory complaints increased post-pandemic (+14.1%) while ED visits for many other complaints decreased, with the greatest decline in musculoskeletal (-52.5%) and trauma (-53.6%). On average there was a drop of 1.0 patient/day diagnosed with stroke (-17.6%); a drop of 1.6 patients/day diagnosed with ACS (-49.9%); and no change in patients diagnosed with sepsis (pre = 2.8 patients/day; post = 2.9 patients/day). Conclusion: Significant decline in ED visits was observed immediately following formal declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic, with potential for delayed/missed presentations of time-sensitive emergencies. Future research is needed to better examine long-term clinical outcomes of the decline in ED visits during pandemics.

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