Imaging Wisely Campaign: Initiative to Reduce Imaging for Low Back Pain Across a Large Safety Net System.

OBJECTIVES: Low back pain is a common clinical presentation that often results in expensive and unnecessary imaging that may lead to undue patient harm, including unnecessary procedures. We present an initiative in a safety net system to reduce imaging for low back pain. METHODS: This quality improvement study was conducted across 70 ambulatory clinics and 11 teaching hospitals. Three electronic health record changes, using the concept of a nudge, were introduced into orders for lumbar radiography (x-ray), lumbar CT, and lumbar MRI. The primary outcome was the number of orders per 1,000 patient-days or encounters for each imaging test in the inpatient, ambulatory, and emergency department (ED) settings. Variation across facilities was assessed, along with selected indications. RESULTS: Across all clinical environments, there were statistically significant decreases in level differences pre- and postintervention for lumbar x-ray (-52.9% for inpatient encounters, P < .001; -23.7% for ambulatory encounters, P < .001; and -17.3% for ED only encounters, P < .01). There was no decrease in ordering of lumbar CTs in the inpatient and ambulatory settings, although there was an increase in lumbar CTs in ED-only encounters. There was no difference in lumbar MRI ordering. Variation was seen across all hospitals and clinics. DISCUSSION: Our intervention successfully decreased lumbar radiography across all clinical settings, with a reduction in lumbar CTs in the inpatient and ambulatory settings. There were no changes for lumbar MRI orders.

Initiative to reduce unnecessary routine daily testing of complete blood counts across 11 safety net hospitals.

OBJECTIVES: National societies recommend against performing routine daily laboratory testing without a specific indication. Unnecessary testing can lead to patient harm, such as hospital-acquired anemia. The objective of this study was to reduce repeat complete blood counts (CBCs) after initial testing. METHODS: This was a quality improvement initiative implemented across 11 safety net hospitals in New York City. A best practice advisory (BPA) was implemented that asked the user to remove a CBC if the last 2 CBCs within 72 hours had normal white blood cell and platelet counts and unchanged hemoglobin levels. The outcome measure was the rate of CBCs per 1000 patient days preintervention (January 8, 2020, to December 22, 2020) to postintervention (December 23, 2020, to December 7, 2021). The process measure was the acceptance rate of the BPA, defined as the number of times the repeat CBC order was removed through the BPA divided by the total number of times the BPA triggered. RESULTS: Across 11 hospitals, repeat CBC testing decreased by 12.3% (73.05 to 64.04 per 1000 patient days, P < .001). Six of the 11 hospitals exhibited statistically significant decreases, ranging from a 10% to 48.9% decrease of repeat CBCs. The overall BPA action rate was 20.0% (24,029 of 119,944 repeat CBCs). CONCLUSIONS: This low-effort, electronic health record-based intervention can effectively reduce unnecessary laboratory testing.

Reducing unnecessary routine laboratory testing for noncritically ill patients with COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: Reducing unnecessary routine laboratory testing is a Choosing Wisely® recommendation, and new areas of overuse were noted during the COVID-19 pandemic. OBJECTIVE: To reduce unnecessary repetitive routine laboratory testing for patients with COVID-19 during the pandemic across a large safety net health system. DESIGNS, SETTINGS AND PARTICIPANTS: This quality improvement initiative was initiated by the System High-Value Care Council at New York City Health + Hospitals (H + H), the largest public healthcare system in the United States consisting of 11 acute care hospitals. INTERVENTION: four overused laboratory tests in noncritically ill hospitalized patients with COVID-19 were identified: C-reactive protein (CRP), ferritin, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and procalcitonin. A two-pronged electronic health record intervention was implemented consisting of (1) nonintrusive, informational nudge statements placed on selected order sets, and (2) a forcing function of one consecutive day limit on ordering. MAIN OUTCOME AND MEASURES: The average of excess tests per encounter days (ETPED) for each of four target laboratory testing only in patients with COVID-19. OBJECTIVE: Interdisciplinary System High-Value Care Council identified four overused laboratory tests (inflammatory markers) in noncritically ill hospitalized patients with COVID-19: C-reactive protein (CRP), ferritin, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and procalcitonin. Within an 11-hospital safety net health system, a two-pronged electronic health record intervention was implemented consisting of (1) nonintrusive, informational nudge statements placed on selected order sets, and (2) a forcing function of one consecutive day limit on ordering. The preintervention period (March 16, 2020 to January 24, 2021) was compared to the postintervention period (January 25, 2021 to March 22, 2022). RESULTS: Time series linear regression showed decreases in CRP (-17.9%, p < .05), ferritin (-37.6%, p < .001), and LDH (-30.1%, p < .001). Slope differences were significant (CRP, ferritin, and LDH p < 0.001; procalcitonin p < 0.05). Decreases were observed across weekly averages: CRP (-19%, p < .01), ferritin (-37.9%, p < .001), LDH (-28.7%, p < .001), and procalcitonin (-18.4%, p < .05). CONCLUSION: This intervention was associated with reduced routine inflammatory marker testing in non-intensive care unit COVID-19 hospitalized patients across 11 hospitals. Variation was high among individual hospitals.

National Outreach of Telepalliative Medicine Volunteers for a New York City Safety Net System COVID-19 Pandemic Response.

The coronavirus disease 2019 surge in New York City created an increased demand for palliative care (PC) services. In staff-limited settings such as safety net systems, and amid growing reports of health care worker illness, leveraging help from less-affected areas around the country may provide an untapped source of support. A national social media outreach effort recruited 413 telepalliative medicine volunteers (TPMVs). After expedited credentialing and onboarding of 67 TPMVs, a two-week pilot was initiated in partnership with five public health hospitals without any previous existing telehealth structure. The volunteers completed 109 PC consults in the pilot period. Survey feedback from TPMVs and on-site PC providers was largely positive, with areas of improvement identified around electronic health record navigation and continuity of care. This was a successful, proof of concept, and quality improvement initiative leveraging TPMVs from across the nation for a PC pandemic response in a safety net system.

Palliative Care Screening and Assessment in the Emergency Department: A Systematic Review.

CONTEXT: Emergency department (ED) providers and policy makers are increasingly interested in developing palliative care (PC) interventions for ED patients. Many patients in the ED may benefit from PC screening and referral. Multiple ED-based PC screening projects have been undertaken, but there has been no study of these projects or their effects. OBJECTIVES: To conduct a systematic review and critical analysis to evaluate the methods, tools, and outcomes of PC screening and referral projects in the ED. METHODS: Three reviewers independently selected eligible studies from the PubMed database. Eligible studies evaluated a PC screening tool, assessment, or referral modality aimed at identifying patients appropriate for PC. Four reviewers independently evaluated the final articles. Two reviewers extracted data on study characteristics, methodological quality, and outcomes. RESULTS: Seven studies met inclusion criteria. Each was reviewed for methodological quality and strength. The studies were synthesized using a narrative approach. Each study developed an independent screening or evaluation tool for PC needs. Each required additional ED personnel to perform screening and referral, and success was limited by availability of specialized personnel. All the studies were successful in increasing rates of PC referral. CONCLUSION: We have identified multiple studies demonstrating that screening and referral for PC consultation are feasible in the ED setting. The strengths and limitations of these studies were explored. Further evidence for the development of an effective, evidence-based PC screening, and referral process is needed. We recommend a screening framework based on a synthesis of available evidence.

Apoptosis in human glioblastoma cells produced using embryonic stem cell-derived astrocytes expressing tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand.

OBJECT: Embryonic stem (ES) cell-derived astrocytes have several theoretical and practical advantages as gene therapy vectors in the treatment of malignant gliomas. The aim of this study was to test the proapoptotic effects of ES cell-derived astrocytes expressing transgenic tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) in human malignant glioma cells. METHODS: Mouse ES cells containing a doxycycline-inducible transgene were engineered with human TRAIL (hTRAIL) and then directed to differentiate into astrocytes. The ES cell-derived-TRAIL-expressing astrocytes were cocultured with human malignant glioma cells. Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, immunocytochemistry, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick-end labeling, and flow cytometry were used to quantify results. In vitro coculture of ES cell-derived astrocytes expressing hTRAIL with A172 human malignant glioma cells after doxycycline induction caused a significant decrease in cell viability from 85 +/- 2% at baseline to 8 +/- 2% posttreatment (p < 0.001). Labeling with apoptotic markers showed that cell death occurred by means of apoptosis. A significant increase in apoptotic rate (88 +/- 3%) from baseline (4 +/- 2%) was found in A172 cells after doxycycline induction (p < 0.005). This effect was superior to the apoptotic rate seen after treatment with recombinant TRAIL (57 +/- 2%). A decrease in cell viability and an increase in the apoptotic rate were not found in TRAIL-expressing-ES cell-derived astrocytes after induction with doxycycline or in A172 cells exposed to doxycycline alone. CONCLUSIONS: Engineering of transgenic hTRAIL by using ES cell-derived astrocytes induced apoptosis in human malignant glioma cells while sparing nontumor astrocytes. The apoptotic effects of transgenic hTRAIL are greater than those of recombinant hTRAIL. Analysis of these results suggests that hTRAIL-expressing-ES cell-derived astrocytes should be considered in the development of new in vivo strategies to treat malignant human gliomas.