Default Palliative Care Consultation for Seriously Ill Hospitalized Patients: A Pragmatic Cluster Randomized Trial.

Importance: Increasing inpatient palliative care delivery is prioritized, but large-scale, experimental evidence of its effectiveness is lacking. Objective: To determine whether ordering palliative care consultation by default for seriously ill hospitalized patients without requiring greater palliative care staffing increased consultations and improved outcomes. Design, Setting, and Participants: A pragmatic, stepped-wedge, cluster randomized trial was conducted among patients 65 years or older with advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, dementia, or kidney failure admitted from March 21, 2016, through November 14, 2018, to 11 US hospitals. Outcome data collection ended on January 31, 2019. Intervention: Ordering palliative care consultation by default for eligible patients, while allowing clinicians to opt-out, was compared with usual care, in which clinicians could choose to order palliative care. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was hospital length of stay, with deaths coded as the longest length of stay, and secondary end points included palliative care consult rate, discharge to hospice, do-not-resuscitate orders, and in-hospital mortality. Results: Of 34 239 patients enrolled, 24 065 had lengths of stay of at least 72 hours and were included in the primary analytic sample (10 313 in the default order group and 13 752 in the usual care group; 13 338 [55.4%] women; mean age, 77.9 years). A higher percentage of patients in the default order group received palliative care consultation than in the standard care group (43.9% vs 16.6%; adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 5.17 [95% CI, 4.59-5.81]) and received consultation earlier (mean [SD] of 3.4 [2.6] days after admission vs 4.6 [4.8] days; P < .001). Length of stay did not differ between the default order and usual care groups (percent difference in median length of stay, -0.53% [95% CI, -3.51% to 2.53%]). Patients in the default order group had higher rates of do-not-resuscitate orders at discharge (aOR, 1.40 [95% CI, 1.21-1.63]) and discharge to hospice (aOR, 1.30 [95% CI, 1.07-1.57]) than the usual care group, and similar in-hospital mortality (4.7% vs 4.2%; aOR, 0.86 [95% CI, 0.68-1.08]). Conclusions and Relevance: Default palliative care consult orders did not reduce length of stay for older, hospitalized patients with advanced chronic illnesses, but did improve the rate and timing of consultation and some end-of-life care processes. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02505035.

Developing a template matching algorithm for benchmarking hospital performance in a diverse, integrated healthcare system.

Template matching is a proposed approach for hospital benchmarking, which measures performance based on matching a subset of comparable patient hospitalizations from each hospital. We assessed the ability to create the required matched samples and thus the feasibility of template matching to benchmark hospital performance in a diverse healthcare system.Nationwide Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals, 2017.Observational cohort study.We used administrative and clinical data from 668,592 hospitalizations at 134 VA hospitals in 2017. A standardized template of 300 hospitalizations was selected, and then 300 hospitalizations were matched to the template from each hospital.There was substantial case-mix variation across VA hospitals, which persisted after excluding small hospitals, hospitals with primarily psychiatric admissions, and hospitalizations for rare diagnoses. Median age ranged from 57 to 75 years across hospitals; percent surgical admissions ranged from 0.0% to 21.0%; percent of admissions through the emergency department, 0.1% to 98.7%; and percent Hispanic patients, 0.2% to 93.3%. Characteristics for which there was substantial variation across hospitals could not be balanced with any matching algorithm tested. Although most other variables could be balanced, we were unable to identify a matching algorithm that balanced more than ∼20 variables simultaneously.We were unable to identify a template matching approach that could balance hospitals on all measured characteristics potentially important to benchmarking. Given the magnitude of case-mix variation across VA hospitals, a single template is likely not feasible for general hospital benchmarking.

Incorporating Longitudinal Comorbidity and Acute Physiology Data in Template Matching for Assessing Hospital Quality: An Exploratory Study in an Integrated Health Care Delivery System.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to build on the template-matching methodology by incorporating longitudinal comorbidities and acute physiology to audit hospital quality. STUDY SETTING: Patients admitted for sepsis and pneumonia, congestive heart failure, hip fracture, and cancer between January 2010 and November 2011 at 18 Kaiser Permanente Northern California hospitals. STUDY DESIGN: We generated a representative template of 250 patients in 4 diagnosis groups. We then matched between 1 and 5 patients at each hospital to this template using varying levels of patient information. DATA COLLECTION: Data were collected retrospectively from inpatient and outpatient electronic records. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Matching on both present-on-admission comorbidity history and physiological data significantly reduced the variation across hospitals in patient severity of illness levels compared with matching on administrative data only. After adjustment for longitudinal comorbidity and acute physiology, hospital rankings on 30-day mortality and estimates of length of stay were statistically different from rankings based on administrative data. CONCLUSIONS: Template matching-based approaches to hospital quality assessment can be enhanced using more granular electronic medical record data.

Accuracy of international classification of diseases, ninth revision, codes for postpartum hemorrhage among women undergoing cesarean delivery.

BACKGROUND: Determining the accuracy of International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9) codes for postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is vital for reaching valid conclusions about the epidemiology of PPH. Our primary objectives were to assess the performance characteristics of ICD-9 PPH codes against a reference standard using estimated blood loss (EBL) among a cohort undergoing Cesarean delivery. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: We analyzed maternal discharge and EBL data from women who underwent Cesarean delivery at Kaiser Permanente Northern California facilities between 2010 and 2013. We defined PPH as an EBL of at least 1000 mL. In a secondary analysis, ICD-9 performance characteristics were assessed using an EBL of at least 1500 mL to classify severe PPH. RESULTS: We identified 35,614 hospitalizations for Cesarean delivery. Using EBL of at least 1000 mL as the "gold standard," PPH codes had a sensitivity of 27.8%, specificity of 97%, positive predictive value (PPV) of 74.5%, and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 80.9%. The prevalence of a PPH code (9%) was lower than the prevalence using a blood loss of at least 1000 mL (24%). Using a reference standard of EBL of at least 1500 mL, PPH codes had a sensitivity of 61.7%, specificity of 93.8%, PPV of 34.2%, and NPV of 97.9%. CONCLUSION: PPH ICD-9 codes have high specificity, moderately high PPVs and NPVs, and low sensitivity. An EBL of at least 1500 mL as a reference standard has higher sensitivity. Our findings suggest that, for women undergoing Cesarean delivery, quality improvement efforts are needed to enhance PPH ICD-9 coding accuracy in administrative data sets.

Trends in red blood cell transfusion and 30-day mortality among hospitalized patients.

BACKGROUND: Blood conservation strategies have been shown to be effective in decreasing red blood cell (RBC) utilization in specific patient groups. However, few data exist describing the extent of RBC transfusion reduction or their impact on transfusion practice and mortality in a diverse inpatient population. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using comprehensive electronic medical record data from 21 medical facilities in Kaiser Permanente Northern California. We examined unadjusted and risk-adjusted RBC transfusion and 30-day mortality coincident with implementation of RBC conservation strategies. RESULTS: The inpatient study cohort included 391,958 patients who experienced 685,753 hospitalizations. From 2009 to 2013, the incidence of RBC transfusion decreased from 14.0% to 10.8% of hospitalizations; this change coincided with a decline in pretransfusion hemoglobin (Hb) levels from 8.1 to 7.6 g/dL. Decreased RBC utilization affected broad groups of admission diagnoses and was most pronounced in patients with a nadir Hb level between 8 and 9 g/dL (n = 73,057; 50.8% to 19.3%). During the study period, the standard deviation of risk-adjusted RBC transfusion incidence across hospitals decreased by 44% (p < 0.001). Thirty-day mortality did not change significantly with declines in RBC utilization in patient groups previously studied in clinical trials nor in other subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: After the implementation of blood conservation strategies, RBC transfusion incidence and pretransfusion Hb levels decreased broadly across medical and surgical patients. Variation in RBC transfusion incidence across hospitals decreased from 2010 to 2013. Consistent with clinical trial data, more restrictive transfusion practice did not appear to impact 30-day mortality.

Persistent recurring wheezing in the fifth year of life after laboratory-confirmed, medically attended respiratory syncytial virus infection in infancy.

BACKGROUND: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection in infancy is associated with subsequent recurrent wheezing. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study examined children born at ≥32 weeks gestation between 1996-2004. All children were enrolled in an integrated health care delivery system in Northern California and were followed through the fifth year of life. The primary endpoint was recurrent wheezing in the fifth year of life and its association with laboratory-confirmed, medically-attended RSV infection during the first year, prematurity, and supplemental oxygen during birth hospitalization. Other outcomes measured were recurrent wheezing quantified through outpatient visits, inpatient hospital stays, and asthma prescriptions. RESULTS: The study sample included 72,602 children. The rate of recurrent wheezing in the second year was 5.6% and fell to 4.7% by the fifth year. Recurrent wheezing rates varied by risk status: the rate was 12.5% among infants with RSV hospitalization, 8% among infants 32-33 weeks gestation, and 18% in infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia. In multivariate analyses, increasing severity of respiratory syncytial virus infection was significantly associated with recurrent wheezing in year 5; compared with children without RSV infection in infancy, children who only had an outpatient RSV encounter had an adjusted odds ratio of 1.38 (95% CI,1.03-1.85), while children with a prolonged RSV hospitalization had an adjusted odds ratio of 2.59 (95% CI, 1.49-4.50). CONCLUSIONS: Laboratory-confirmed, medically attended RSV infection, prematurity, and neonatal exposure to supplemental oxygen have independent associations with development of recurrent wheezing in the fifth year of life.

Antibiotic use in premature infants after discharge from the neonatal intensive care unit.

Using a retrospective cohort of premature infants, we constructed multivariable Poisson models to determine factors associated with the receipt of antibiotics during the first year after discharge, N = 891. Black race (incidence rate ratio 1.80 compared with White infants, P = .008), male gender (incidence rate ratio 1.44; P = .007), bronchopulmonary dysplasia (incidence rate ratio 1.47; P = .04), and each additional child at home (incidence rate ratio 1.21, P = .002) increased the receipt of antibiotics for any reason. Male gender and additional children at home increased the receipt of non-recommended antibiotics, while Black infants received care at facilities that prescribed more non-recommended antibiotics. Even in a high-risk population of children, factors other than the medical history and presentation of the child may alter antibiotic prescription patterns and result in variations in care.

Infant functional status: the timing of physiologic maturation of premature infants.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the maturation of physiologic milestones in preterm infants born between 24 and 32 weeks' gestational age. METHODS: We abstracted daily physiologic maturity information on 865 infants born at < or =32 weeks' gestation in the Northern California Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program between 1998 and 2001. Data included ventilator and incubator settings, body temperature, apnea and bradycardia spells, use of methylxanthines, feeding method, and requirements for intravenous fluids. Multivariable quantile regression models identified risk factors associated with longer postmenstrual age to achieve various physiologic milestones, including time to full oral feeding, time to wean from supplemental heat, the last day with an apnea or bradycardia episode, the last day on methylxanthine medications, and the last day on supplemental oxygen. RESULTS: Most milestones were achieved between 34 and 36 weeks' postmenstrual age, although there were wide variations between patients. In most cases, feeding and oxygen milestones were achieved last. For each milestone there was a monotonic relationship between birth gestational age and the median achievement postmenstrual age. However, bronchopulmonary dysplasia and necrotizing enterocolitis strongly influenced these results in infants of younger gestational age. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides epidemiologic data describing the achievement of basic physiologic milestones that influence the discharge of a premature infant. This work serves as an additional contribution in the development of algorithms to monitor the progress of neonates through their initial hospitalization and provides a reference population for future interventions to improve the physiologic maturation of prematurely born infants.

Using drink size to talk about drinking during pregnancy: a randomized clinical trial of Early Start Plus.

This clinical trial compared two brief alcohol use interventions in prenatal clinics: Early Start (ES), a substance-abuse screening and treatment program integrated with prenatal care focused on abstention (n=298), and Early Start Plus (ESP), adding a computerized drink-size assessment tool and intervention focused on drinking less (n=266). Controls were untreated alcohol users (n=344). Controls had higher adverse neonatal and maternal outcome rates. Findings favored ESP for preterm labor and ES for low birth weight. No differences between ES and ESP were statistically significant. ESP provides clinicians with an innovative assessment tool that creates open dialogue about drinking during pregnancy.

Racial differences in the use of respiratory medications in premature infants after discharge from the neonatal intensive care unit.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of race and ethnicity on the use of oral beta-agonists, inhaled beta-agonists, and inhaled corticosteroids to treat respiratory symptoms in former premature infants after controlling for medical conditions, socioeconomic status, and site of outpatient care. STUDY DESIGN: Using a population cohort of infants born at a gestational age < or = 34 weeks at 5 Northern California Kaiser Permanente hospitals between 1998 and 2001 (n = 1436), we constructed multivariable models to determine predictive factors for the receipt of respiratory medications during the first year after discharge. RESULTS: After controlling for confounding factors, black infants were more likely to receive oral beta-agonists compared with white infants (OR 4.30, 95% CI 2.33-7.94), and Hispanic infants were less likely to receive inhaled beta-agonists (OR 0.62, 95% CI 0.39-0.99) or inhaled corticosteroids (OR 0.28, 95% CI 0.12-0.67). These findings were not explained by more outpatient visits for respiratory symptoms in black or Hispanic infants, because the observed racial differences persisted when children of similar respiratory symptoms were examined. CONCLUSIONS: Even in a high-risk population of insured infants, substantial racial differences persist in the use of respiratory medications that could not be explained by differences in respiratory symptoms.

Trends in severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia rates between 1994 and 2002.

OBJECTIVE: To examine temporal trends in the rates of severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) between 1994 and 2002. STUDY DESIGN: In a retrospective cohort study, all infants with a gestational age (GA) <33 weeks in a large managed care organization were identified. Annual rates of BPD (defined as an oxygen requirement at 36 weeks corrected GA), severe BPD (defined as respiratory support at 36 weeks corrected GA), and death before 36 weeks corrected GA were examined. RESULTS: Of the 5115 infants in the study cohort, 603 (12%) had BPD, including 246 (4.9%) who had severe BPD. There were 481 (9.5%) deaths before 36 weeks corrected GA. Although the decline in BPD in this period was not significant, the rates of severe BPD declined from 9.7% in 1994 to 3.7% in 2002. Controlling for gestational age, the odds ratio (95% CI) for annual rate of decline in severe BPD was 0.890 (0.841-0.941). Controlling for gestational age, deaths before 36 weeks corrected GA also declined, with the odds ratio (CI) for the annual decline being 0.944 (0.896-0.996). CONCLUSIONS: In this study population, the odds of having of BPD remained constant after controlling for GA. However, the odds of having severe BPD declined on average 11% per year between 1994 and 2002.

Prepregnancy health status and the risk of preterm delivery.

BACKGROUND: Despite extensive evaluation, our understanding of risk factors for premature delivery is incomplete. OBJECTIVE: To examine whether a woman's health status and risk factors before pregnancy are associated with a woman's risk of preterm delivery, independent of risk factors that occur during pregnancy. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Prospective cohort of pregnant women in the San Francisco Bay area who delivered a singleton infant (n = 1619). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Preterm delivery (<37 weeks' gestational age). RESULTS: Sociodemographic characteristics alone explained 13.0% of the risk of preterm delivery, whereas risk factors that occurred before pregnancy explained 39.8% and risk factors that occurred during pregnancy explained 47.1%. After we adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics, prepregnancy risk factors, and pregnancy risk factors, women who reported poor physical function during the month before conception were nearly twice as likely to experience a preterm delivery (odds ratio, 1.97; 95% confidence interval, 1.18-3.30) as women with better physical function. CONCLUSION: A broader focus on the health of women prior to pregnancy may improve rates of preterm delivery.

Rehospitalization in the first year of life among infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

OBJECTIVE: To describe rates and identify risk factors for rehospitalization during the first year of life among infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). STUDY DESIGN: This was a retrospective cohort study of infants born at a gestational age (GA) <33 weeks, between 1995 and 1999. BPD was defined as requirement of supplemental oxygen and/or mechanical ventilation at 36 weeks' corrected GA. The outcome was rehospitalization for any reason before first birthday. RESULTS: In the first year of life, 118 of 238 (49%) infants with BPD were rehospitalized, more than twice the rate of rehospitalization of the non-BPD population, which was 309 of 1359 (23%) (P=<.0001). No measured factor discriminated between those infants with BPD who were and were not rehospitalized, even when only rehospitalizations for respiratory diagnoses were considered. CONCLUSIONS: Among premature infants, BPD substantially increases the risk of rehospitalization during the first year of life. Neither demographic nor physiologic factors predicted rehospitalization among the infants with BPD. Other factors, such as air quality of home environment, passive smoking exposure, respiratory syncytial virus prophylaxis, breast-feeding status, and/or parenting and primary care management styles, should be examined in future studies.

Perinatal substance abuse intervention in obstetric clinics decreases adverse neonatal outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of Early Start, a managed care organization's obstetric clinic-based perinatal substance abuse treatment program, on neonatal outcomes. STUDY DESIGN: Study subjects were 6774 female Kaiser Permanente members who delivered babies between July 1, 1995 and June 30, 1998 and were screened by completing prenatal substance abuse screening questionnaires and urine toxicology screening tests. Four groups were compared: substance abusers screened, assessed, and treated by Early Start ("SAT," n=782); substance abusers screened and assessed by Early Start who had no follow-up treatment ("SA," n=348); substance abusers who were only screened ("S," n=262); and controls who screened negative ("C," n=5382). RESULTS: Infants of SAT women had assisted ventilation rates (1.5%) similar to control infants (1.4%), but lower than the SA (4.0%, p=0.01) and S groups (3.1%, p=0.12). Similar patterns were found for low birth weight and preterm delivery. CONCLUSION: Improved neonatal outcomes were found among babies whose mothers received substance abuse treatment integrated with prenatal care. The babies of SAT women did as well as control infants on rates of assisted ventilation, low birth weight, and preterm delivery. They had lower rates of these three neonatal outcomes than infants of either SA or S women.