Impact of clinical guidance and rapid molecular pathogen detection on evaluation and outcomes of febrile or hypothermic infants

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (11) ◽  
pp. 1285-1291
Author(s):  
Jennifer Crook ◽  
Meng Xu ◽  
James C. Slaughter ◽  
Jeremy Willis ◽  
Whitney Browning ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Clinical Guideline ◽  
Young Infant ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Admission Rate ◽  
Entire Study ◽  
Clinical Guidance ◽  
Period 2 ◽  
Ancillary Test ◽  
The Impact

AbstractObjective:To quantify the impact of clinical guidance and rapid respiratory and meningitis/encephalitis multiplex polymerase chain reaction (mPCR) testing on the management of infants.Design:Before-and-after intervention study.Setting:Tertiary-care children’s hospital.Patients:Infants ≤90 days old presenting with fever or hypothermia to the emergency department (ED).Methods:The study spanned 3 periods: period 1, January 1, 2011, through December 31, 2014; period 2, January 1, 2015, through April 30, 2018; and period 3, May 1, 2018, through June 15, 2019. During period 1, no standardized clinical guideline had been established and no rapid pathogen testing was available. During period 2, a clinical guideline was implemented, but no rapid testing was available. During period 3, a guideline was in effect, plus mPCR testing using the BioFire FilmArray respiratory panel 2 (RP 2) and the meningitis encephalitis panel (MEP). Outcomes included antimicrobial and ancillary test utilization, length of stay (LOS), admission rate, 30-day mortality. Outcomes were compared across periods using Kruskal-Wallis and Pearson tests and interrupted time series analysis.Results:Overall 5,317 patients were included: 2,514 in period 1, 2,082 in period 2, and 721 in period 3. Over the entire study period, we detected reductions in the use of chest radiographs, lumbar punctures, LOS, and median antibiotic duration. After adjusting for temporal trends, we observed that the introduction of the guideline was associated with reductions in ancillary tests and lumbar punctures. Use of mPCR testing with the febrile infant clinical guideline was associated with additional reductions in ancillary testing for all patients and a higher proportion of infants 29–60 days old being managed without antibiotics.Conclusions:Use of mPCR testing plus a guideline for young infant evaluation in the emergency department was associated with less antimicrobial and ancillary test utilization compared to the use of a guideline alone.

Effect of pharmacist-led task force to reduce opioid prescribing in the emergency department

2019 ◽  
Vol 76 (22) ◽  
pp. 1853-1861
Author(s):  
Nicole M Acquisto ◽  
Rachel F Schult ◽  
Sandra Sarnoski-Roberts ◽  
Jaclyn Wilmarth ◽  
Courtney M C Jones ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Task Force ◽  
Care Center ◽  
Linear Regression Analysis ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Interrupted Time Series Analysis ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
Entire Study ◽  
Opioid Prescribing ◽  
Reduction Program

Abstract Purpose Results of a study to determine the effect of a pharmacist-led opioid task force on emergency department (ED) opioid use and discharge prescriptions are presented. Methods An observational evaluation was conducted at a large tertiary care center (ED volume of 115,000 visits per year) to evaluate selected opioid use outcomes before and after implementation of an ED opioid reduction program by interdisciplinary task force of pharmacists, physicians, and nurses. Volumes of ED opioid orders and discharge prescriptions were evaluated over the entire 25-month study period and during designated 1-month preimplementation and postimplementation periods (January 2017 and January 2018). Opioid order trends were evaluated using linear regression analysis and further investigated with an interrupted time series analysis to determine the immediate and sustained effects of the program. Results From January 2017 to January 2018, ED opioid orders were reduced by 63.5% and discharge prescriptions by 55.8% from preimplementation levels: from 246.8 to 90.1 orders and from 85.3 to 37.7 prescriptions per 1,000 patient visits, respectively. Over the entire study period, there were significant decreases in both opioid orders (β, –78.4; 95% confidence interval [CI], –88.0 to –68.9; R2, 0.93; p < 0.0001) and ED discharge prescriptions (β, –24.4; 95% CI, –27.9 to –20.9; R2, 0.90; p < 0.001). The efforts of the task force had an immediate effect on opioid prescribing practices; results for effect sustainability were mixed. Conclusion A clinical pharmacist–led opioid reduction program in the ED was demonstrated to have positive results, with a more than 50% reduction in both ED opioid orders and discharge prescriptions.

scholarly journals Emergency Department Referral Profile of Traumatic Brain Injury Records at a Tertiary Care Hospital of Pakistan

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Khan ◽  
Uzair Yaqoob ◽  
Zair Hassan ◽  
Muhammad Muizz Uddin
Keyword(s):  
Traumatic Brain Injury ◽  
Emergency Department ◽  
Brain Injury ◽  
Road Traffic ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Initial Assessment ◽  
Care Hospital ◽  
Mild Tbi ◽  
Epidemiological Characteristics ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background: Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality all over the world and the impact is much worse in Pakistan. The objective here is to describe the epidemiological characteristics of patients with TBI in our country and to determine the immediate outcomes of patients with TBI after the presentation.Method: This was a cross-sectional study conducted at the Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar, Pakistan. Data were extracted from the medical records from January 1st to December 31st, 2019. Patient age, sex, type of trauma, and immediate outcome of the referral to the Emergency Department were recorded. The severity of TBI was categorized based on Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) in mild (GCS 13-15), moderate (GCS 9-12), and severe (GCS <8) classes. The Emergency Department referral profile was classified as admissions, disposed, detained and disposed, referred.Results: Out of 5047 patients, 3689 (73.1%) males and 1358 (26.9%) females. The most commonly affected age group was 0-10 years (25.6%) and 21-30 years (20.1%). Road Traffic accident was the predominant cause of injury (38.8%, n=1960) followed by fall (32.7%, n=1649). Most (93.6%, n=4710) of the TBIs were mild. After the full initial assessment and workup, and completing all first-aid management, the immediate outcome was divided into four, most frequent (67.2%, n=3393) of which was “disposed (discharged)”, and 9.3% (n=470) were admitted for further management.Conclusion: Our study represents a relatively commonplace picture of epidemiological data on the burden of TBI in Pakistan. As a large proportion of patients had a mild TBI, and there is a high risk of mild TBI being under-diagnosed, we warrant further investigation of mild TBI in population-based studies.

114 Allowing Overlapping Surgery Decreases Length of Stay in an Academic, Safety-Net Hospital

Neurosurgery ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 64 (CN_suppl_1) ◽  
pp. 224-224
Author(s):  
Anthony Michael DiGiorgio ◽  
Praveen V Mummaneni ◽  
Jonathan Lloyd Fisher ◽  
Adam Podet ◽  
Clifford Crutcher ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Length Of Stay ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Wait Time ◽  
Multivariate Regression Analysis ◽  
Safety Net ◽  
Neurosurgical Procedures ◽  
Urgent Surgery ◽  
Period 2 ◽  
Safety Net Hospital ◽  
The Impact

Abstract INTRODUCTION The practice of surgeons performing overlapping surgery has recently come under scrutiny. We sought to examine the impact of overlapping rooms on surgery wait time and length of stay in patients admitted to a tertiary care, safety-net hospital for urgent neurosurgical procedures. METHODS Our hospital functions as a safety-net, tertiary care, level-1 trauma center in the Southern United States. The neurosurgery service transitioned from routinely allowing one room per day (period 1) to overlapping rooms (period 2), with the second room being staffed by the same attending surgeon. Patients undergoing neurosurgical intervention in each period were retrospectively compared. Case urgency, patient demographics, case type, indication, length of stay and time from admission to surgery were tracked. RESULTS >452 total cases were reviewed (201 in period 1 & 251 in period 2), covering 7 months in each period. 122 of the cases were classified as “urgent” (59 in period 1 and 63 in period 2). In the these patients, length of stay was significantly decreased in period 2 (13.09 days vs 19.52, p = .002) and the time from admission to surgery for urgent cases trended towards a shorter time (5.12 days vs 7.00, p = .084). Insurance status of these patients was 26.2% uninsured, 39.3% Medicaid, 18.9% Medicare, 9% commercial and the remainder workers compensation, liability or prisoner care. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that being in period 1, having Medicare, having trauma as the indication for surgery, and undergoing a non-cranial or non-spinal procedure as significant factors for increased length of stay. CONCLUSION Recent studies suggest overlapping surgeries are safe for patients. In the case of our safety net hospital, allowing the neurosurgery service to run overlapping rooms significantly reduces length of stay in a vulnerable population who is admitted in need of urgent surgery.

scholarly journals P139: The impact of a pancreatitis admission algorithm on emergency department length of stay in a tertiary care academic hospital

CJEM ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (S1) ◽  
pp. S114-S115
Author(s):  
A. Albina ◽  
F. Kegel ◽  
F. Dankoff ◽  
G. Clark
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Length Of Stay ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Physician Satisfaction ◽  
Academic Hospital ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Potential Applicability ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Algorithm Implementation ◽  
The Impact

Background: Emergency department (ED) overcrowding is associated with a broad spectrum of poor medical outcomes, including medical errors, mortality, higher rates of leaving without being seen, and reduced patient and physician satisfaction. The largest contributor to overcrowding is access block – the inability of admitted patients to access in-patient beds from the ED. One component to addressing access block involves streamlining the decision process to rapidly determine which hospital service will admit the patient. Aim Statement: As of Sep 2011, admission algorithms at our institution were supported and formalised. The pancreatitis algorithm clarified whether general surgery or internal medicine would admit ED patients with pancreatitis. We hypothesize that this prior uncertainty delayed the admission decision and prolonged ED length of stay (LOS) for patients with pancreatitis. Our project evaluates whether implementing a pancreatitis admission algorithm at our institution reduced ED time to disposition (TTD) and LOS. Measures & Design: A retrospective review was conducted in a tertiary care academic hospital in Montreal for all adult ED patients diagnosed with pancreatitis from Apr 2010 to Mar 2014. The data was used to plot separate run charts for ED TTD and LOS. Serial measurements of each outcome were used to monitor change and evaluate for special cause variation. The mean ED LOS and TTD before and after algorithm implementation were also compared using the Student's t test. Evaluation/Results: Over four years, a total of 365 ED patients were diagnosed with pancreatitis and 287 (79%) were admitted. The mean ED LOS for patients with pancreatitis decreased following the implementation of an admission algorithm (1616 vs. 1418 mins, p = 0.05). The mean ED TTD was also reduced (1171 vs. 899 mins, p = 0.0006). A non-random signal of change was suggested by a shift above the median prior to algorithm implementation and one below the median following. Discussion/Impact: This project demonstrates that in a busy tertiary care academic hospital, an admission algorithm helped reduce ED TTD and LOS for patients with pancreatitis. This proves especially valuable when considering the potential applicability of such algorithms to other disease processes, such as gastrointestinal bleeding and congestive heart failure, among others. Future studies demonstrating this external applicability, and the impact of such decision algorithms on physician decision fatigue and within non-academic institutions, proves warranted.

scholarly journals Impact of a specialist service in the Emergency Department on admission, length of stay and readmission of patients presenting with falls, syncope and dizziness

QJM ◽  
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
K Jusmanova ◽  
C Rice ◽  
R Bourke ◽  
A Lavan ◽  
C G McMahon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Length Of Stay ◽  
Admission Rate ◽  
Readmission Rates ◽  
Specialist Service ◽  
Admission Rates ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Bed Days ◽  
The Mean ◽  
The Impact

Summary Background Up to half of patients presenting with falls, syncope or dizziness are admitted to hospital. Many are discharged without a clear diagnosis for their index episode, however, and therefore a relatively high risk of readmission. Aim To examine the impact of ED-FASS (Emergency Department Falls and Syncope Service) a dedicated specialist service embedded within an ED, seeing patients of all ages with falls, syncope and dizziness. Design Pre- and post-cohort study. Methods Admission rates, length of stay (LOS) and readmission at 3 months were examined for all patients presenting with a fall, syncope or dizziness from April to July 2018 (pre-ED-FASS) inclusive and compared to April to July 2019 inclusive (post-ED-FASS). Results There was a significantly lower admission rate for patients presenting in 2019 compared to 2018 [27% (453/1676) vs. 34% (548/1620); X2 = 18.0; P &lt; 0.001], with a 20% reduction in admissions. The mean LOS for patients admitted in 2018 was 20.7 [95% confidence interval (CI) 17.4–24.0] days compared to 18.2 (95% CI 14.6–21.9) days in 2019 (t = 0.98; P = 0.3294). This accounts for 11 344 bed days in the 2018 study period, and 8299 bed days used after ED-FASS. There was also a significant reduction in readmission rates within 3 months of index presentation, from 21% (109/1620) to 16% (68/1676) (X2 = 4.68; P = 0.030). Conclusion This study highlights the significant potential benefits of embedding dedicated multidisciplinary services at the hospital front door in terms of early specialist assessment and directing appropriate patients to effective ambulatory care pathways.

Initial evaluation of patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer within a community health system.

2015 ◽  
Vol 33 (3_suppl) ◽  
pp. 269-269
Author(s):  
Kathryn Tzung-Kai Chen
Keyword(s):  
Pancreatic Cancer ◽  
Emergency Department ◽  
Health System ◽  
Community Health ◽  
Outpatient Clinic ◽  
Care Center ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Initial Evaluation ◽  
Entire Cohort ◽  
The Impact

269 Background: The management of pancreatic patients who are referred to a tertiary care center is well described. However, many patients receive their initial evaluation and care at community health systems. We sought to describe how patients present within the community, the patterns of initial evaluation, and the impact on management. Methods: In a period spanning 3 years (2010-2013), 82 patients were newly diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, as identified by a cancer registry at a community health system. Under IRB approval, data regarding patient characteristics, initial evaluation, and management were retrospectively collected from the electronic medical record (EMR) and analyzed. Results: Of the 82 patients, 68 patients had sufficient data available in the EMR for analysis. Thirty-two patients (47%) initially presented to outpatient clinic, and 36 patients (53%) presented to the emergency department. The presenting complaint was identified as abdominal pain in 33 patients (49%), jaundice in 20 patients (29%), and general malaise in 9 patients (13%). Patients who presented through outpatient clinic vs. emergency department received similar initial imaging studies upfront, including CT of the abdomen and pelvis (61% vs. 72%) and abdominal ultrasound (27% vs. 17%). Sixteen percent of those patients evaluated in outpatient clinic were subsequently admitted, compared to 94% of those patients evaluated in the emergency department. Finally, 31% of those presenting in outpatient clinic eventually underwent surgical resection, compared to 8% of those presenting through the ER, and the median time to surgery for the entire cohort was 1.1 months. Conclusions: Within the community, half of all patients present through the emergency department, and the majority of these are admitted for work up and management of symptoms. In contrast, those patients who present through outpatient clinic are less likely to be admitted, and are more likely to undergo definitive resection. This likely represents a disparity on several levels: the acuity of patients presenting to the emergency department vs. clinic, and how they are managed in each setting.

scholarly journals An Assessment of Emergency Department Throughput and Provider Satisfaction after the Implementation of a Scribe Program

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brandon Allen ◽  
Ben Banapoor ◽  
Emily C. Weeks ◽  
Thomas Payton
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Program Implementation ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Care Facility ◽  
Workplace Satisfaction ◽  
Electronic Survey ◽  
Left Without Being Seen ◽  
Tertiary Care Facility ◽  
Discharged Patients ◽  
The Impact

Objectives. To assess the impact of a scribe program on an academic, tertiary care facility. Methods. A retrospective analysis of emergency department (ED) data, prior to and after scribe program implementation, was used to quantitatively assess the impact of the scribe program on measures of ED throughput. An electronic survey was distributed to all emergency medicine residents and advanced practice providers to qualitatively assess the impact of the scribe program on providers. Results. Several throughput time measures were significantly lower in the postscribe group, compared to prescribe implementation, including time to disposition. The left without being seen (LWBS) decrease was not statistically significant. A total of 30 providers responded to the survey. 100% of providers indicated scribes are a valuable addition to the department and they enjoy working with scribes. 90% of providers indicated scribes increase their workplace satisfaction and quality of life. Conclusions. Through evaluation of prescribe and postscribe implementation, the postscribe time period reflects many throughput improvements not present before scribes began. Scribe Program implementation led to improved ED throughput for discharged patients with further system-wide challenges needing to be addressed for admitted patients.

scholarly journals Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on emergency department attendances and acute medical admissions

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael E. Reschen ◽  
Jordan Bowen ◽  
Alex Novak ◽  
Matthew Giles ◽  
Sudhir Singh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Admission Rate ◽  
Deterrent Effect ◽  
Chronic Obstructive ◽  
Electronic Patient Records ◽  
Bed Occupancy ◽  
Acute Medicine ◽  
Obesity And Diabetes ◽  
Co Morbidity ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background To better understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on hospital healthcare, we studied activity in the emergency department (ED) and acute medicine department of a major UK hospital. Methods Electronic patient records for all adult patients attending ED (n = 243,667) or acute medicine (n = 82,899) during the pandemic (2020–2021) and prior year (2019) were analysed and compared. We studied parameters including severity, primary diagnoses, co-morbidity, admission rate, length of stay, bed occupancy, and mortality, with a focus on non-COVID-19 diseases. Results During the first wave of the pandemic, daily ED attendance fell by 37%, medical admissions by 30% and medical bed occupancy by 27%, but all returned to normal within a year. ED attendances and medical admissions fell across all age ranges; the greatest reductions were seen for younger adults in ED attendances, but in older adults for medical admissions. Compared to non-COVID-19 pandemic admissions, COVID-19 admissions were enriched for minority ethnic groups, for dementia, obesity and diabetes, but had lower rates of malignancy. Compared to the pre-pandemic period, non-COVID-19 pandemic admissions had more hypertension, cerebrovascular disease, liver disease, and obesity. There were fewer low severity ED attendances during the pandemic and fewer medical admissions across all severity categories. There were fewer ED attendances with common non-respiratory illnesses including cardiac diagnoses, but no change in cardiac arrests. COVID-19 was the commonest diagnosis amongst medical admissions during the first wave and there were fewer diagnoses of pneumonia, myocardial infarction, heart failure, cellulitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, urinary tract infection and other sepsis, but not stroke. Levels had rebounded by a year later with a trend to higher levels of stroke than before the pandemic. During the pandemic first wave, 7-day mortality was increased for ED attendances, but not for non-COVID-19 medical admissions. Conclusions Reduced ED attendances in the first wave of the pandemic suggest opportunities for reducing low severity presentations to ED in the future, but also raise the possibility of harm from delayed or missed care. Reassuringly, recent rises in attendance and admissions indicate that any deterrent effect of the pandemic on attendance is diminishing.

scholarly journals Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Suicide and Self Harm among Patients Presenting to the Emergency Department of a Teaching Hospital in Nepal

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roshana Shrestha ◽  
Shisir Siwakoti ◽  
Saumya Singh ◽  
Anmol Purna Shrestha
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Care Center ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Clinical Profile ◽  
Organophosphate Poisoning ◽  
P Value ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Period 2 ◽  
Self Harm ◽  
The Impact

ABSTRACTBackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic is a global challenge that is not just limited to the physical consequences but also a significant degree of a mental health crisis. Self-harm (SH) and suicide are its extreme effects. The aim of this study was to provide an overview of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the occurrence and clinical profile of suicide and SH in our ED.MethodsThis is a cross-sectional observational study conducted in the ED of a tertiary care center. Records of all fatal and nonfatal SH patients presenting to the ED during the lockdown period (March 24-June 23, 2020; Period1), matching periods in the previous year (March 24-June 23,2019; Period 2) and 3 months period prior (December 24 2019-March 23, 2020; Period 3) was included by searching the electronic medical record (EMR) system. The prevalence and the clinical profile of the patients were compared between these three periods.ResultsA total of 125 (periods 1=55, 2=38, and 3=32) suicide and SH cases were analyzed. The cases of suicide/SH had increased by 44% and 71.9% during the lockdown period in comparison to the period 2 and 3. Organophosphate poisoning was the most common mode. Females were predominant in all three periods with a mean age of 32 (95%CI: 29.3-34.7). There was a significant delay in arrival of the patients in period 1 (p-value=0.045) with increased hospital admission (p-value =0.009) and in-hospital mortality (18.2% vs 2.6 % and 3.1%) (p-value=.001).ConclusionWe found an increase in patients presenting with suicide and SH in our ED during the pandemic which is likely to reflect an increased prevalence of mental illness in the community. We hope that the result will prime all mental health care stakeholders to initiate mental health screening and intervention for the vulnerable population during this period of crisis.

Pediatric emergency department utilisation during Ramadan: a retrospective cross-sectional study

2020 ◽  
pp. archdischild-2020-319173
Author(s):  
Rasha D Sawaya ◽  
Cynthia Wakil ◽  
Sami Shayya ◽  
Moustafa Al Hariri ◽  
Alik Dakessian ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Pediatric Emergency ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Peak Time ◽  
Work Efficiency ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Tertiary Care Centre ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
The Impact

ObjectiveTo investigate the impact of Ramadan on patient characteristics, diagnoses and metrics in the paediatric emergency department (PED).DesignRetrospective cross-sectional study.SettingPED of a tertiary care centre in Lebanon.PatientsAll paediatric patients.ExposureRamadan (June 2016 and 2017) versus the months before and after Ramadan (non-Ramadan).Main outcome measuresPatient and illness characteristics and PED metrics including peak patient load; presentation timings; length of stay; and times to order tests, receive samples and report results.ResultsWe included 5711 patients with mean age of 6.1±5.3 years and 55.4% males. The number of daily visits was 28.3±6.5 during Ramadan versus 31.5±7.3 during non-Ramadan (p=0.004). The peak time of visits ranged from 18:00 to 22:00 during non-Ramadan versus from 22:00 to 02:00 during Ramadan. During Ramadan, there were significantly more gastrointestinal (GI) and trauma-related complaints (39.0% vs 35.4%, p=0.01 and 2.9% vs 1.8%, p=0.005). The Ramadan group had faster work efficiency measures such as times to order tests (21.1±21.3 vs 24.3±28.1 min, p<0.0001) and to collect samples (50.7±44.5 vs 54.8±42.6 min, p=0.03).ConclusionsRamadan changes presentation patterns, with fewer daily visits and a later peak time of visits. Ramadan also affects illness presentation patterns with more GI and trauma cases. Fasting times during Ramadan did not affect staff work efficiency. These findings could help EDs structure their staffing to optimise resource allocation during Ramadan.

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