scholarly journals Advancing Pharmacy Practice through an Innovative Ambulatory Care Transitions Program at an Academic Medical Center

Pharmacy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 40
Author(s):  
Jamie Cavanaugh ◽  
Nicole Pinelli ◽  
Stephen Eckel ◽  
Mark Gwynne ◽  
Rowell Daniels ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Usual Care ◽  
Hospital Readmission ◽  
Medical Center ◽  
Academic Medical Center ◽  
Hospital Readmissions ◽  
Care Transition ◽  
Day Hospital ◽  
Transition Intervention ◽  
Academic Medical

Hospital readmissions are common and often preventable, leading to unnecessary burden on patients, families, and the health care system. The purpose of this descriptive communication is to share the impact of an interdisciplinary, outpatient clinic-based care transition intervention on clinical, organizational, and financial outcomes. Compared to usual care, the care transition intervention decreased the median time to Internal Medicine Clinic (IMC) or any clinic follow-up visit by 5 and 4 days, respectively. By including a pharmacist in the hospital follow-up visit, the program significantly reduced all-cause 30-day hospital readmission rates (9% versus 26% in usual care) and the composite endpoint of 30-day health care utilization, which is defined as readmission and emergency department (ED) rates (19% versus 44% usual care). Over the course of one year, this program can prevent 102 30-day hospital readmissions with an estimated cost reduction of $1,113,000 per year. The pharmacist at the IMC collaborated with the Family Medicine Clinic (FMC) pharmacist to standardize practices. In the FMC, the hospital readmission rate was 6.5% for patients seen by a clinic-based pharmacist within 30 days of discharge compared to 20% for those not seen by a pharmacist. This transitions intervention demonstrated a consistent and recognizable contribution from pharmacists providing direct patient care and practicing in the ambulatory care primary care settings that has been replicated across clinics at our academic medical center.

Abstract T P168: A Wake-up Call for Wake-up Strokes

Stroke ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 46 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Josephine F Huang ◽  
Jennifer E Fugate ◽  
Alejandro A Rabinstein
Keyword(s):  
Ischemic Stroke ◽  
Medical Center ◽  
Academic Medical Center ◽  
Stroke Treatment ◽  
Good Outcome ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Academic Medical ◽  
Younger Age ◽  
Stroke Mechanism

INTRODUCTION: Studies suggest 8%-28% of ischemic strokes present as wake-up strokes (WUS). The unknown time of symptom onset precludes these patients from approved treatments for acute ischemic stroke, but a substantial proportion of patients may be deemed candidates for treatment if other factors are considered. The aim of this study was to identify characteristics associated with clinical outcomes of WUS patients. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical record of patients with ischemic stroke admitted to a large academic medical center between January 2011 and May 2012. We identified patients with stroke symptoms upon awakening or those who were found with stroke symptoms with an unknown time of onset. Baseline demographics, stroke mechanism, presenting NIHSS, Alberta Stroke Program Early Computed Tomography Score (ASPECTS), and modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores on discharge and at 3-month follow-up were obtained. A good outcome was defined as mRS 0-2. RESULTS: WUS patients comprised 22% (162/731) of all patients with ischemic stroke at our institution during this time period. Median age was 74 years (range 15-100), median presenting NIHSS was 5 (range 0-28), and median initial ASPECTS 10 (range 0-10). A cardioembolic mechanism was identified in 68 patients (42%). Predictors of good outcome at hospital discharge were lower initial NIHSS (3.5 versus 12.0, p<0.0001) and higher ASPECTS (9.8 versus 8.1, p=0.0002). The predictors of good outcomes at 3 months were younger age (69.1 versus 75.8, p=0.009), lower initial NIHSS (5.0 versus 12.6, p<0.0001), and higher ASPECTS (9.5 versus 8.1, p=0.0006). One hundred and eleven patients (68.5%) had initial ASPECTS of 10. Of those, 19 had NIHSS≥10 and 7 were treated with acute recanalization therapies. Four of the 7 treated patients had good outcomes, and 2 of the 12 untreated patients had good outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Few patients with strokes of unknown onset and severe deficits have good outcomes without acute stroke treatment. Patients with NIHSS≥10 and ASPECTS 10 may be candidates for acute recanalization therapy.

Growth and Management of Repaired Complete Tracheal Rings after Slide Tracheoplasty

2019 ◽  
Vol 161 (1) ◽  
pp. 164-170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lyndy J. Wilcox ◽  
Claudia Schweiger ◽  
Catherine K. Hart ◽  
Alessandro de Alarcon ◽  
Nithin S. Peddireddy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Medical Center ◽  
Academic Medical Center ◽  
Balloon Dilation ◽  
Case Series ◽  
Slide Tracheoplasty ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Academic Medical ◽  
Operative Notes ◽  
Over Time

ObjectiveThis study documents the growth and course of repaired complete tracheal rings over time after slide tracheoplasty.Study DesignCase series with review.SettingTertiary pediatric academic medical center.Subjects/MethodsMedical records of pediatric patients with confirmed tracheal rings on bronchoscopy who underwent slide tracheoplasty between January 2001 and December 2015 were reviewed. Patients who had operative notes documenting tracheal sizing over time were included. Exclusion criteria included tracheal stenosis not caused by complete tracheal rings, surgical repair prior to presentation at our institution, or lack of adequate sizing information. The postoperative follow-up was examined and airway growth over time documented.ResultsOf 197 slide tracheoplasties performed during the study time period, 139 were for complete tracheal rings, and 40 of those children met inclusion criteria. The median age at time of surgery was 7 months, and the median initial airway size was 3.9 mm (n = 34). The median growth postoperatively was 1.9 mm over a median follow-up period of 57 months (0.42 mm/year), which is similar to growth rates of unrepaired complete tracheal rings ( P = .53). Children underwent a median of 10 postoperative endoscopies, with time between endoscopies increasing further out from surgery. The most commonly performed adjunctive procedure was balloon dilation.ConclusionsThis is the first study documenting continued growth of repaired complete tracheal rings after slide tracheoplasty. Postoperative endoscopic surveillance ensures adequate growth. Intervals between airway endoscopies can be increased as the child gets older, as the airway increases in size, and as long as symptoms are minimal.

scholarly journals Reducing Preventable Readmissions in a Neurosurgical Patient Population at an Academic Medical Center

Neurosurgery ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 66 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shayan Moosa ◽  
Lindsay Bowerman ◽  
Ellen Smith ◽  
Mindy Bryant ◽  
Natalie Krovetz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Risk ◽  
Patient Population ◽  
Medical Center ◽  
Academic Medical Center ◽  
Readmission Rates ◽  
Academic Medical ◽  
Neurosurgical Patient ◽  
Neurosurgical Patients ◽  
Significant Difference

Abstract INTRODUCTION Hospital readmissions are extremely costly in terms of time and resources and negatively impact patient safety and satisfaction. In this study, we performed a Pareto analysis of 30-day readmissions in a neurosurgical patient population in order to identify patients at high-risk for readmission. Using this information, we implemented a new practice parameter with the goal of reducing preventable readmissions. METHODS Patient characteristics and causes for readmission were prospectively collected for all neurosurgical patients readmitted to an academic medical center within 30 d of discharge between July and October 2018. A program was then initiated where postoperative neurosurgical spine patients were contacted by phone at standardized intervals before their 2-wk follow-up appointment, with the purpose of more quickly addressing surgical concerns and/or coordinating care for general medical issues. Finally, 30-d readmission rates were compared between the initial 4-mo period and January 2019 through April 2019. RESULTS Prior to intervention, the largest group of readmitted patients included those who had undergone recent spinal surgery (16/47, 34%). Among spine readmissions during this time, 47% were readmitted before their two-week follow-up appointment, 67% lived over 50 miles from the medical center, and 40% were Medicare-insured. There was a statistically significant difference in the mean rate of spine readmissions per month in the periods before (7.0%) and after (3.0%) the program onset (P = .029, 57% decline). The total number of surgically and medically related spine readmissions decreased between the pre- and postintervention periods from 10 to 3 (70%) and 3 to 1 (67%), respectively. CONCLUSION Our data suggests that a large number of neurosurgical readmissions may be prevented by the simple process of early follow-up and consistent communication via telephone. Readmission rates may be further reduced by standardizing the coordination of postoperative general medical follow-up and providing thorough wound care teaching for high-risk patients.

Holiday Discharges Are Associated with Higher 30-Day General Internal Medicine Hospital Readmissions at an Academic Medical Center

2019 ◽  
Vol 112 (6) ◽  
pp. 338-343
Author(s):  
Ajay Dharod ◽  
Brian J. Wells ◽  
Kristin Lenoir ◽  
Wesley G. Willeford ◽  
Michael W. Milks ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Internal Medicine ◽  
General Internal Medicine ◽  
Medical Center ◽  
Academic Medical Center ◽  
Hospital Readmissions ◽  
General Internal ◽  
Academic Medical

scholarly journals Effect of Obesity on Complications in Short-Scar Breast Reduction: A Retrospective Study of 236 Consecutive Patients

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 238-243
Author(s):  
Eleanor Rose Goldwasser Tomczyk ◽  
Ava Chappell ◽  
Nathaniel Erskine ◽  
Mustafa Akyurek
Keyword(s):  
Adverse Outcome ◽  
Medical Center ◽  
Reduction Mammaplasty ◽  
Academic Medical Center ◽  
Adverse Outcomes ◽  
Positive Trend ◽  
Academic Medical ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Short Scar

Background: Prior studies have examined the relationship between obesity and adverse outcomes after reduction mammaplasty, suggesting a correlation between increasing body mass index (BMI) and postoperative complications. However, there is little data published regarding such correlation with respect to short-scar technique. Methods: A total of 236 patients underwent short-scar mammaplasty with a superomedial pedicle from 2008 to 2014. The procedure was performed by a single surgeon at an academic medical center. Adverse outcomes included delayed healing, major wounds, nipple necrosis, fat necrosis, seroma, hematoma, infection, revision, and dog ear deformities. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to calculate crude and adjusted odds ratios for the association of BMI category with the development of any adverse outcome. Results: Patients were grouped by the following BMI categories: <25 kg/m2 (n = 27), 25 to <30 kg/m2 (n = 71), 30 to <35 kg/m2 (n = 73), 35 to <40 kg/m2 (n = 45), and >40 kg/m2 (n = 20). The mean follow-up period was 260 days. The total complication rate in each group was 22.2%, 23.9%, 27.4%, 33.3%, and 45.0%, respectively. Although the proportion of patients experiencing at least 1 adverse outcome increased across the ascending BMI categories ( P trend = .145), there was no statistically significant difference between the groups. Conclusion: This study of 236 patients who underwent short-scar reduction mammaplasty found a positive trend in the incidence of adverse outcomes as BMI increased. However, this was not statistically significant.

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