Comparing outcomes for non-metastatic rectal cancer in academic vs. community centers: A propensity-matched analysis of the National Cancer Database.

BACKGROUND: Little is known regarding the impact of hospital academic status on outcomes following rectal cancer surgery. We compare these outcomes for nonmetastatic rectal adenocarcinoma at academic versus community institutions. METHODS: The National Cancer Database (2010-2016) was queried for patients with nonmetastatic rectal adenocarcinoma who underwent resection. Propensity score matching was performed across facility cohorts to balance confounding covariates. Kaplan-Meier estimation and Cox-proportional hazards regression were used to analyze survival, other short and long-term outcomes were analyzed by way of logistic regression. RESULTS: After matching, 15,096 patients were included per cohort. Academic centers were associated with significantly decreased odds of conversion and positive margins with significantly increased odds of ≥12 regional nodes examined. Academic programs also had decreased odds of 30 and 90-day mortality and decreased 5-year mortality hazard. After matching for facility volume, no significant differences in outcomes between centers was seen. CONCLUSIONS: No difference between academic and community centers in outcomes following surgery for non-metastatic rectal cancer was seen after matching for facility procedural volume.

Use of Telemedicine to Improve Interfacility Communication and Aid in Triage of Patients with Intracerebral Hemorrhage: A Pilot Study.

INTRODUCTION: Over the past several years there has been a dramatic increase in the implementation of telemedicine technology to aid in the delivery of care across community, inpatient, and emergency settings. This technology has proved valuable for acute life-threatening clinical scenarios. We aimed to pilot a novel neurosurgical telemedicine program within an academic tertiary care center to assist in consultation of patients with high-grade intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) (ICH score 4, 5). METHODS: A quality improvement conceptual framework was developed. Subsequently, a process map and improvement interventions were created. Patients in community hospitals with high-grade ICH or pre-existing Do Not Resuscitate/Do Not Intubate orders with an admitting diagnosis of ICH triggered a TeleNeurosurgery consultation. Patients who met the inclusion criteria, with consent of their decision makers, were enrolled in the study. Post-encounter physician surveys were used to evaluate overall satisfaction with the implementation. RESULTS: This 18-month pilot study proved feasible, with an enrollment of 63.6% (n = 14 of 22) of patients who met criteria. All patients who were enrolled in the study and participated in TeleNeurosurgery consultation remained at the presenting facility for end-of-life care and palliative medicine consultation. Both community emergency physicians and subspecialists who performed the consultations reported satisfaction with the TeleNeurosurgery consultation process and a perceived benefit both to patients, families, and emergency medicine physicians. CONCLUSIONS: The program proved feasible and several areas in need of improvement within the health system were identified. Emergency physicians reported comfort with the process, program effectiveness, and improved access to care by implementation of this program.

Inter-facility transfer of patients with traumatic intracranial hemorrhage and GCS 14-15: The pilot study of a screening protocol by neurosurgeon to avoid unnecessary transfers.

We sought to evaluate feasibility and cost-reduction potential of a pilot screening program involving neurosurgeon tele-consultation for inter-facility transfer decisions in TBI patients with GCS 14-15 and abnormal CT head at a community hospital. The authors performed a retrospective comparative analysis of two patient cohorts during the pilot at a large hospital system from 2015 to 2017. In "screened" patients (n = 85), images and examination were reviewed remotely by a neurosurgeon who made recommendations regarding transfer to a level 1 trauma center. In the "unscreened" group (n = 39), all patients were transferred. Baseline patient characteristics, outcomes, and costs were reviewed. Patient demographics were similar between cohorts. Traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage was more common in screened patients (29.4% vs 12.8%, P = 0.02). The presence of midline shift >5 mm was comparable between groups. Among screened patients, 5 were transferred (5.8%) and one required evacuation of chronic subdural hematoma. In unscreened patients, 7 required evacuation of subdural hematoma. None of the screened patients who were not transferred deteriorated. Screened patients had significantly reduced average total cost compared to unscreened patients ($2,003 vs. $4,482, P = 0.03) despite similar lengths of stay (2.6 vs. 2.7 days, P = 0.85). In non-surgical patients, costs were less in the screened group ($2,025 vs. $2,939), although statistically insignificant (P = 0.38). In this pilot study, remote review of images and examination by a neurosurgeon was feasible to avoid unnecessary transfer of patients with traumatic intracranial hemorrhage and GCS 14-15. The true potential in cost-reduction will be realized in system-wide large-scale implementation.

The predictors of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery utilization and practice variations in elective colorectal surgery: a provincial survey.

BACKGROUND: Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols use evidence-based perioperative practices that reduce morbidity and length of stay and improve patient satisfaction. ERAS is considered standard of care; however, utilization remains low and substantial practice variation exists. The aim of this study was to pragmatically characterize variation in colorectal surgery practice and identify predictors of ERAS utilization. METHODS: A survey of general surgeons identified using the Ontario College of Physicians and Surgeons database was conducted. Information on basic demographic characteristics, utilization of ERAS and predictors of ERAS implementation was collected. Nine ERAS behaviours were analyzed. Multivariable analysis was used to determine effects of demographic, hospital and surgeon covariates on ERAS utilization. RESULTS: Seven hundred and ninety-seven general surgeons were invited to participate in the survey, and 235 general surgeons representing 84 Ontario hospitals responded (30% response rate). Surgeons practising in academic settings and in large community hospitals represented 30% and 47% of the respondents, respectively. A total of 20% of the respondents used all 9 ERAS behaviours consistently. Rates of diet advancement on postoperative day 0, intravenous fluid restriction and having catheter and line procedures were significantly higher among respondents who adhered to ERAS protocols than among those who did not (74% v. 54%, p = 0.004; 92% v. 80%, p = 0.01; and 91% v. 41%, p < 0.001, respectively). Respondents from academic settings reported practising nearly 1 more ERAS behaviour than those from small community hospitals (odds ratio [OR] 0.86, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.42 to 1.31, p < 0.001). Multivariable analysis demonstrated that colorectal fellowship training or exposure to ERAS during training did not significantly affect ERAS behaviour utilization (OR 0.32, 95% CI -0.31 to 0.94, p = 0.16; OR 0.28, 95% CI -0.26 to 0.82, p = 0.16, respectively). CONCLUSION: Substantial practice variation in colorectal surgery still exists. Individual ERAS principles are commonly followed; however, ERAS behaviours are not widely formalized into hospital protocols.

CONTEXTE: Les protocoles de récupération optimisée après une chirurgie (ou ERAS, pour enhanced recovery after surgery) utilisent des pratiques périopératoires fondées sur des données probantes pour réduire la morbidité, abréger la durée des séjours hospitaliers et améliorer la satisfaction des patients. Les protocoles ERAS sont considérés comme une norme thérapeutique; toutefois, leur utilisation reste faible et on note une importante variation dans leur application. Le but de cette étude était de caractériser dans les faits les variations des pratiques en chirurgie colorectale et d'identifier les prédicteurs de l'utilisation des protocoles ERAS. MÉTHODES: Un sondage a été effectué auprès des chirurgiens généraux de la base de données du Collège des médecins et chirurgiens de l'Ontario. On a recueilli des données sur les caractéristiques démographiques de base, l'utilisation des protocoles ERAS et les prédicteurs de leur déploiement. Neuf pratiques ERAS ont été analysées. L'analyse multivariée a permis de déterminer les effets des covariables démographiques, hospitalières et celles des chirurgiens sur le recours aux protocoles ERAS. RÉSULTATS: Nous avons invité 797 chirurgiens généraux à participer au sondage, et 235 d'entre eux représentant 84 hôpitaux ontariens y ont répondu (taux de réponse 30 %). Les chirurgiens des établissements universitaires et des grands hôpitaux communautaires ont représenté respectivement 30 % et 47 % des répondants. En tout, 20 % des répondants ont déclaré appliquer les 9 pratiques ERAS de manière constante. L'alimentation précoce au Jour 0 postopératoire, la restriction des liquides intraveineux et les directives concernant les cathéters et les sondes étaient significativement mieux observées chez les répondants qui adhéraient aux protocoles ERAS que chez ceux qui n'y adhéraient pas (74 % c. 54 %, p = 0,004; 92 % c. 80 %, p = 0,01; et 91 % c. 41 %, p < 0,001, respectivement). Les répondants des milieux universitaires ont indiqué appliquer près de 1 comportement ERAS de plus que ceux des petits hôpitaux communautaires (rapport des cotes [RC] 0,86, intervalle de confiance [IC] de 95 % de 0,42 à 1,31, p < 0,001). L'analyse multivariée a démontré que la spécialisation en chirurgie colorectale ou l'exposition aux protocoles ERAS en cours de formation n'ont pas significativement influé sur l'application des pratiques ERAS (RC 0,32, IC de 95 % de ­0,31 à 0,94, p = 0,16; RC 0,28, IC de 95 % de ­0,26 à 0,82, p = 0,16, respectivement). CONCLUSION: On continue d'observer une importante variation des pratiques en chirurgie colorectale. Les principes ERAS individuels sont généralement suivis, mais ils ne sont pas formellement intégrés aux protocoles hospitaliers.

Thyroid Ultrasound Reports: Will the Thyroid Imaging, Reporting, and Data System Improve Natural Language Processing Capture of Critical Thyroid Nodule Features?

BACKGROUND: Critical thyroid nodule features are contained in unstructured ultrasound (US) reports. The Thyroid Imaging, Reporting, and Data System (TI-RADS) uses five key features to risk stratify nodules and recommend appropriate intervention. This study aims to analyze the quality of US reporting and the potential benefit of Natural Language Processing (NLP) systems in efficiently capturing TI-RADS features from text reports. MATERIALS AND METHOD: This retrospective study used free-text thyroid US reports from an academic center (A) and community hospital (B). Physicians created "gold standard" annotations by manually extracting TI-RADS features and clinical recommendations from reports to determine how often they were included. Similar annotations were created using an automated NLP system and compared with the gold standard. RESULTS: Two hundred eighty-two reports contained 409 nodules at least 1-cm in maximum diameter. The gold standard identified three nodules (0.7%) which contained enough information to calculate a complete TI-RADS score. Shape was described most often (92.7% of nodules), whereas margins were described least often (11%). A median number of two TI-RADS features are reported per nodule. The NLP system was significantly less accurate than the gold standard in capturing echogenicity (27.5%) and margins (58.9%). One hundred eight nodule reports (26.4%) included clinical management recommendations, which were included more often at site A than B (33.9 versus 17%, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest a gap between current US reporting styles and those needed to implement TI-RADS and achieve NLP accuracy. Synoptic reporting should prompt more complete thyroid US reporting, improved recommendations for intervention, and better NLP performance.

A Post-Merger Value Realization Framework for a Large Community Hospital.

To capture the value of the Scarborough Health Network amalgamation, a value realization framework (VRF) was developed, based on three themes and nine goals. Each goal was mapped to key strategies and indicators that signalled our delivery of value to the community. Value was achieved when indicators moved in the desired direction. The VRF acknowledged that integration is a journey and identified value in the short, medium and long term. Four quarterly VRF progress reports were completed, illustrating a positive story of the post-merger period. The VRF provided a standardized framework for tracking and monitoring strategies for a successful organizational transition.

Implementation of order sets for opioid alternatives in community hospital emergency departments.

PURPOSE: The design and implementation of alternatives to opioids (ALTO) order sets for the treatment of acute pain in a community health system's emergency departments are described. SUMMARY: Healthcare institutions nationwide have incorporated policies and procedures to assist prescribers in the safe and effective management of pain. These adopted approaches may be targeted at mitigating opioid prescribing as well as promoting the optimization of nonopioid analgesics. Institutions that enact innovations and track outcomes may be eligible for reimbursement through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' Merit-based Incentive Payment System. Emergency departments may monitor implementation progress and outcomes through participation in the American College of Emergency Physician's Emergency Quality Network. Clinical pharmacists were tasked with assisting an institution's emergency departments to create and implement two order sets containing ALTO analgesics and supportive medications for atraumatic headache and general acute pain management. Key steps of order set implementation included collaborative development with emergency department providers, implementation with information services, and the development of provider-focused education by project pharmacists. The implementation of ALTO order sets has set the foundation for expansion of pain control protocols and algorithms within our institution. Furthermore, the approach detailed in this article can be adapted and implemented by other healthcare systems to help reduce opioid prescribing. CONCLUSION: The implementation of ALTO order sets within an electronic health record can encourage decreased prescribing of opioids for the treatment of acute pain, promote and optimize dosing of nonopioid analgesics, and may augment reimbursement for services in the emergency department.

Surviving the surge: Evaluation of early impact of COVID-19 on inpatient pharmacy services at a community teaching hospital.

PURPOSE: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has presented novel challenges to healthcare systems; however, an analysis of the impact of the pandemic on inpatient pharmacy services has not yet been conducted. METHODS: Results of an observational assessment of operational and clinical pharmacy services at a community teaching hospital during the first weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic are presented. Service outcomes of the inpatient pharmacy were evaluated from February 1 to April 8, 2020. Outcomes during the weeks preceding the first COVID-19 admission (February 1 to March 11, 2020) and during the pandemic period (March 12 to April 8, 2020) were compared. Evaluated outcomes included daily order verifications, clinical interventions, and usage of relevant medications. An exploratory statistical analysis was conducted using Student's t test. RESULTS: During the pandemic period, the number of new order verifications decreased from approximately 5,000 orders per day to 3,300 orders per day (P < 0.01), a reduction of 30% during the first 4 weeks of the pandemic compared to the weeks prior. Average daily pharmacokinetic dosing consults were reduced in the pandemic period (from 82 to 67; P < 0.01) compared to the prepandemic period; however, total daily pharmacist interventions did not differ significantly (473 vs 456; P = 0.68). Dispensing of hydroxychloroquine, azithromycin, enoxaparin, and sedative medications increased substantially during the pandemic period (P < 0.01 for all comparisons). CONCLUSION: The operational and clinical requirements of an inpatient pharmacy department shifted considerably during the first weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic. Pharmacy departments must be adaptable in order to continue to provide effective pharmaceutical care during the pandemic.

Process analysis of procalcitonin monitoring within community hospitals.

PURPOSE: Monitoring of procalcitonin (PCT) levels may support appropriate antibiotic discontinuation. The purpose of this study was to determine the current state of PCT monitoring at community hospitals across the United States. METHODS: Data from adult patients who were admitted to community hospitals affiliated with a large healthcare system between August 1, 2016, and July 31, 2017, and who received antibiotics were evaluated for the number of PCT levels drawn and the timing between multiple levels. Data from eligible patients were evaluated for the discontinuation of antibiotics after meeting prespecified PCT thresholds for discontinuation of therapy, namely, a PCT measurement of <0.5 µg/L or a decrease of ≥80% from a previous peak value. RESULTS: PCT levels were evaluated for 103,913 patient data sets collected from 136 hospitals. Of these, 70% of the data sets showed a single PCT level drawn, and approximately 30% (30,887) of the data sets showed multiple levels drawn. The first PCT measurement was drawn within 36 hours of antibiotic initiation in 96% of the patients. Of those with multiple levels, 23% (7,089) had levels drawn 24 to 72 hours apart. A small proportion (20% [6,127]) of the patients with multiple levels were eligible for evaluation of appropriate antibiotic discontinuation. Of these, 1,973 (32.2%) patients had antibiotics discontinued within 36 hours of meeting the prespecified PCT thresholds; these patients had a mean duration of antibiotic therapy of 6.1 days with a median of 4.7. CONCLUSION: Additional standardization of ongoing PCT monitoring and education regarding the appropriate discontinuation of antibiotics when thresholds are reached could aid in the use of this biomarker in support of antibiotic and laboratory stewardship.

Characteristics of Poor Tuberculosis Treatment Outcomes among Patients with Pulmonary Tuberculosis in Community Hospitals of Thailand.

Pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) is a major global public health problem. Thailand is listed as one of the countries with a high burden of pulmonary TB. Various factors are known to contribute to unsuccessful pulmonary TB treatment. However, studies in Thailand remain limited, especially in rural settings. This study aimed to identify the prevalence and associated factors of unsuccessful pulmonary TB treatment in community hospitals. A cross-sectional study was conducted from June-July 2019. We enrolled all patients receiving treatments in four community hospitals in central Thailand. The collected data included baseline characteristics, comorbid illnesses, a history of directly observed treatment-short course (DOTS), sputum acid-fast bacilli smear results, and chest radiography and treatment outcomes. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify factors associated with unsuccessful pulmonary TB treatment. A total of 786 patients were enrolled in the study. Prevalence of unsuccessful treatment was 18.7%. Associated factors of unsuccessful pulmonary TB treatment were previously treated TB (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 2.1, 95% CI: 1.2-3.7), existence of comorbid illnesses (AOR: 2.8, 95% CI: 1.5-5.0), DOTS not performed (AOR: 2.5, 95% CI: 1.4-4.5), chest radiography showing multiple lung lesions at first diagnosis (AOR: 3.0, 95% CI: 1.7-5.2), no chest radiography improvement in the first follow-up (AOR: 17.7, 95% CI: 8.2-38.0), and unknown status of chest radiography in the first follow-up (AOR: 48.1, 95% CI: 22.3-103.5). Health promotion and primary care should be implemented in the communities to achieve ultimate successful treatment.

"All boats will rise": Physicians' perspectives on multidisciplinary lung cancer care in a community-based hospital setting.

PURPOSE: We explored the perceived strengths, barriers to implementation, and suggestions for sustainable implementation of a multidisciplinary model within a community-based hospital system from the physicians' perspectives. METHODS: We conducted 9 focus groups with 37 physicians involved in the care of lung cancer patients. Grounded theory methodology guided the identification of recurrent themes that emerged from the qualitative data analysis. RESULTS: The majority of study participants agreed that the multidisciplinary model could benefit patients by promoting high quality, efficient, and well-coordinated care. Co-location, financial disincentives, and time constraints were identified as major deterrents to full participation in a multidisciplinary clinic. Other perceived challenges were the integration of a multidisciplinary care model into the existing healthcare system, maintenance of referral streams, and designation of the physician primarily responsible for a patient's care. Educating physicians about the availability of a multidisciplinary clinic, establishing efficient processes for initial consultations, implementing technology for virtual participation, and using a nurse navigator with reliable closed-loop communication were suggested to improve the implementation of the multidisciplinary model. CONCLUSIONS: Physicians generally agreed that the multidisciplinary model could improve lung cancer care, but they perceived significant personal, institutional, and system-level barriers that need to be addressed for its successful implementation in a community healthcare setting.

A scope of practice that works 'out here': exploring the effects of a changing medical regulatory environment on a rural New Zealand health service.

INTRODUCTION: In 2008, the Medical Council of New Zealand recognised rural hospital medicine as a vocational scope of practice. The aim was to provide training and professional development standards for medical practitioners working in New Zealand's rural hospitals and to encourage quality systems to become established in rural hospitals. Hokianga Health in New Zealand's far north is an established integrated health service that includes a rural hospital and serves a largely Māori community. The aim of this study was to explore how the new scope had affected health practitioners and the health service at Hokianga Health. METHODS: A case study design was used, employing qualitative methods. Documentary analysis was undertaken tracking change and development at Hokianga Health. Twenty-six documents (10 from within and 16 from outside Hokianga Health) were included in the analysis. Eleven face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted with employees of Hokianga Health. The interviews explored participants' views of the rural hospital medicine scope. Interviews were recorded and transcribed. Thematic analysis of the interviews was undertaken using the framework method. The two data sources were analysed separately. RESULTS: Four themes capturing the main issues were identified: (1) 'What I do': articulating the scope of medical practice at Hokianga, (2) 'What we do': the role of the hospital at Hokianga, (3) 'On the fringes', and (4) Survival. With changing regulatory policy an established part of Hokianga Health practice, the hospital aspect was outside the scope of general practice. This mismatch created a vulnerability for individual doctors and threatened the hospital service. The new scope filled the gap, rural hospital medicine together with general practice now covering the whole practice scope at Hokianga Health. With the introduction of the rural hospital medicine scope and the accompanying national definition of a rural hospital came a sense of belonging and increased connectedness, Hokianga Health and its practitioners realigning with the new scope, its policies, processes and language. The new scope brought for the first time a specific focus on the inpatient and emergency care aspects of practice at Hokianga and with this validation of the hospital aspect of the medical practitioners work. The critical importance of a fit-for-purpose scope and rural-specific postgraduate training programs in minimising inequity of care and opportunity for rural communities was emphasised. The importance of benchmarking with its associated costs was also highlighted. The main challenges identified related to the real (as well as potential) increased regulatory requirements of two separate scopes of practice for practitioners and a small rural health service working across primary and secondary care. CONCLUSION: In better equipping medical practitioners for rural hospital work and strengthening hospital systems and standards, the rural hospital medicine scope has met its intentions at Hokianga Health. The rural hospital medicine pathway is a necessary partial solution to rural medical practitioners maintaining a broad skill set. Continued flexibility is required in training programs in order to meet a range of different practitioner and rural health service needs.

Qualitative descriptive study to explore nurses' perceptions and experience on pain, agitation and delirium management in a community intensive care unit.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences, beliefs and perceptions of intensive care unit (ICU) nurses on the management of pain, agitation and delirium (PAD) in critically ill patients. DESIGN: A qualitative descriptive study. SETTING: This study took place in a community hospital ICU located in a medium size Canadian city. PARTICIPANTS: Purposeful sampling was conducted. Participants included full-time nurses working in the ICU. Forty-six ICU nurses participated. METHODS: A total of five focus group sessions were held to collect data. There were one to three separate groups in each focus group session, with no more than seven participants in each group. There were 10 separate groups in total. A semistructured question guide was used. Thematic analysis method was adopted to analyse the data, and to search for emergent themes and patterns. RESULTS: Three main themes emerged: (1) the professional perspectives on patient wakefulness state, (2) the professional perspectives on PAD management of critically ill patients and (3) the factors impacting PAD management. Nurses have different opinions on the optimal level of patient sedation and felt that many factors, including environmental, healthcare teams, patients and family members, can influence PAD management. This potentially leads to inconsistent PAD management in critically ill patients. The nurses also believed that PAD management requires a multidisciplinary approach including healthcare teams and patients' families. CONCLUSIONS: Many external and internal factors contribute to the complexity of PAD management including the attitudes of nursing staff towards PAD. The themes emerged from this study suggested the need of a multifaceted and multidisciplinary quality improvement programme to optimise the management of PAD in the ICU.

Improving Simulated Pediatric Airway Management in Community Emergency Departments Using a Collaborative Program With a Pediatric Academic Medical Center.

BACKGROUND: Pediatric airway management is a challenging process at community emergency departments (CEDs) due to lower pediatric volume, a lack of pediatric expertise among staff, and a lack of pediatric-specific equipment and resources. This has contributed to increased mortality in pediatric patients presenting to CEDs in comparison to pediatric academic medical centers (AMCs). We hypothesized that a collaborative program between CEDs and the state AMC would improve the quality of pediatric airway management provided by CEDs in simulated settings and the CEDs' pediatric emergency readiness scores. METHODS: This prospective, pre- and post-intervention study utilized in situ simulation and was conducted in 10 CEDs in the state of Indiana. A team from the pediatric AMC led a multi-faceted improvement program, which included post-simulation debriefing, addressing pediatric airway management issues, targeted assessment reports, access to pediatric resources, and ongoing communication with the AMC. The primary outcome of the study was improvement of simulated pediatric airway management in the CEDs. The secondary outcome was improvement of the CEDs' pediatric emergency readiness scores score. RESULTS: A total of 35 multidisciplinary teams participated in pre-intervention sessions, and 40 teams participated in post-intervention sessions. Overall adherence to a critical action checklist improved from 52% at the pre-intervention visits to 71% post-intervention (P = .003). There were significant improvements in the use of appropriate endotracheal tube (ETT) size (from 67% to 100%, P = .02), cuffed ETT (from 8% to 71%, P < .001), appropriate blade size (from 58% to 100%, P = .03), and availability of suction catheter (from 10% to 42%, P = .049). The CEDs' total pediatric emergency readiness scores score improved from 58.8 ± 15.6 pre-intervention to 75.8 ± 9.3 post-intervention (P = .01). CONCLUSIONS: A collaborative improvement program between a pediatric AMC and CEDs improved the CEDs' simulated pediatric emergency airway management. This model can be utilized to improve management of other pediatric critical conditions in these CEDs.

Success of Hospital Intervention and State Legislation on Decreasing and Standardizing Postoperative Opioid Prescribing Practices.

BACKGROUND: We sought to evaluate change in postoperative prescription practices in an independent community-based hospital after hospital interventions and a state legislation change. STUDY DESIGN: This is a retrospective review of opioid-naïve adult subjects who underwent 5 common general surgical procedures between 2015 and 2017, including cholecystectomy, appendectomy, minimally invasive inguinal hernia repair, open inguinal hernia repair, and breast lumpectomy. Educational interventions were introduced, new statewide legislation was passed, and 129 subsequent cases were reviewed. RESULTS: Mean ± SD oral morphine equivalent (OME) prescribed for all procedures on retrospective review was 218.8 ± 113.7 (n = 722), cholecystectomy 235.3 ± 133.8 (n = 248), appendectomy 220.2 ± 103.2 (n = 175), open inguinal hernia repair 214.4 ± 97.2 (n = 119), minimally invasive inguinal hernia repair 187.7 ± 87.8 (n = 117), and lumpectomy 212.5 ± 114.5 (n = 63). There was significant variation in OME prescribed by procedure and by surgeon (p = 0.006 and p = 0.008, respectively). Review of post-intervention cases showed a significant reduction in the OME prescribed each year (mean OME 197.6 in 2015 to 2017 vs 72.3 in 2018; p < 0.005), and a 60% to 70% reduction in mean OME per procedure. Post-intervention data also revealed resolution of previously seen variation in prescription practices, and a significant increase in the percentage of patients prescribed multimodal pain therapy (23.5% in 2015 to 2017 to 31.5% in 2018; p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: We achieved a 60% to 70% decrease in postoperative opioid prescription at our community hospital for 5 common surgical procedures, and resolution of variation in opioid prescription practices after a hospital-wide intervention and statewide legislation.

T.I.M.E. to improve patient outcomes: use of a clinical decision support tool to optimise wound care.

Patients with wounds pose an important healthcare challenge. Many of these wounds are managed in community care and can take weeks or months to resolve. Delays in wound healing can be perpetuated by clinicians who make poor treatment choices, fail to recognise complications and/or do not seek timely advice. Improving patient outcomes requires a proactive approach to care that includes accurate and timely assessment and re-assessment, treatment of the underlying cause using a multidisciplinary team approach and the use of evidence-based practice and clinical judgement to develop an appropriate treatment plan. A structured approach to care, such as the newly developed T.I.M.E. clinical decision support tool, has the potential to improve wound healing outcomes and reduce the burden of chronic wounds in community nursing services.

Challenges in wound care for community nurses: a case review.

Wound care in primary settings can be complex if patients are discharged early and have comorbidities. With community nurses often working alone, it is imperative that support is available to guide clinical decision making, for example, through both senior or specialist nurses, guidelines, protocols, wound care formularies, care pathways and care plans. Unfortunately some patients try to dictate their care when at home. Community nurses must continue with a professional approach, ensuring care is delivered in a safe and appropriate way. The patient may sometimes seek reassurance when they feel vulnerable; in these scenarios it is essential for the nurse to establish a trusting relationship, offering fully informed explanations of procedures and gaining patient consent. This report describes a gentleman whose whose personal anxieties led him to refuse care.

Management of diabetic foot ulcers in the community: an update.

Diabetic foot ulceration is costly, both in terms of NHS expenditure and quality of life for the patient. This article reviews the guidelines for assessment and management of the diabetic foot ulcer and provides instruction on undertaking vascular and neurological assessments of the diabetic foot. Wound assessment, with an overview of the TEXAS and SINBAD wound classification systems, is also explored, as is the importance of the 1 working day referral for expert assessment for any new diabetic foot ulcer in order to reduce wound complications, length of hospital stay and, ultimately, amputation.