The Baltimore Community-Based Organizations Neighborhood Network: Enhancing Capacity Together (CONNECT) Cluster RCT.

INTRODUCTION: This cluster RCT aimed to reduce healthcare utilization and increase the referral of patients between an academic health center and local community-based organizations (CBOs) that address social determinants of health. STUDY DESIGN: Cluster RCT. SETTINGS/PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-two CBOs located in Baltimore, Maryland, were randomly assigned to the intervention or control group, and 5,255 patients were allocated to the intervention or control group based on whether they lived closer to an intervention or control CBO. Data were collected in 2014-2016; the analysis was conducted in 2016. INTERVENTION: A multicomponent intervention included an online tool to help refer clients to community resources, meet-and-greet sessions between CBO staff and healthcare staff, and research assistants. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcomes were patient emergency department visits and days spent in the hospital. Additional outcomes for CBO clients included knowledge of other CBOs, number of referrals to CBOs by the healthcare system, and number of referrals to healthcare system by CBOs. Outcomes for CBO staff included the number of referrals made to and received from the healthcare system and the number of referrals made to and received from other CBOs. RESULTS: There was no significant effect of the intervention on healthcare utilization outcomes, CBO client outcomes, or CBO staff outcomes. Ancillary analyses demonstrated a 2.9% increase in referrals by inpatient staff to intervention CBOs (p=0.051) and a 6.6% increase in referrals by outpatient staff to intervention CBOs between baseline and follow-up (p=0.027). Outpatient staff reported a significant reduction in barriers related to the lack of information about CBO services (-18.3%, p=0.004) and an increase in confidence in community resources (+14.4%, p=0.023) from baseline to follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The intervention did not improve healthcare utilization outcomes but was associated with increased healthcare staff knowledge of, and confidence in, local CBOs. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study is registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov NCT02222909.

Baltimore CONNECT: A Randomized Trial to Build Partnership Between Community Organizations and a Local Health System.

BACKGROUND: Community-based organizations (CBOs) are key partners in supporting care, but health systems and CBOs operate in silos. Baltimore Community-based Organizations Neighborhood Network: Enhancing Capacity Together (CONNECT) was a randomized, controlled trial based on the core tenets of the World Health Organization's (WHO) African Partnerships for Patient Safety Community Engagement (ACE) approach. OBJECTIVES: We describe a research protocol and lessons learned from a partnership between Johns Hopkins Health System and 11 CBOs. METHODS: Baltimore CONNECT involved 22 CBOs in East Baltimore randomized to a co-developed intervention bundle versus control. Data were from review of notes and minutes from meetings, and discussions with each CBO on value added by intervention elements and on impact of the project. LESSONS LEARNED: It is feasible to engage and maintain a network of CBOs linked with a local health system. CONCLUSIONS: The WHO ACE approach supported development and sustainment of a network of organizations linking health care and social services across East Baltimore.

Pediatric Emergency Department Return: A Literature Review of Risk Factors and Interventions.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Children discharged from emergency departments (EDs) are often at risk for ED return. The objective was to identify risk factors and interventions to mitigate or prevent ED return among this patient population. METHODS: Structured literature review of PubMed and clinicaltrials.gov was conducted to identify relevant studies. Inclusion criteria were studies evaluating ED returns by identifying risk factors and interventions in the pediatric population. Emergency department return was defined as returning to the ED within 1 year after initial visit. Abstract and full text articles were reviewed, and data were abstracted by 2 independent authors. RESULTS: A total of 963 articles were screened and yielded 42 potential relevant articles involving pediatric population. After full text review, a total of 12 articles were included in the final analysis (6 on risk factors and 6 on interventions). Risk factors for pediatric ED return included behavioral/psychiatric problems, younger age, acuity of illness, medical history of asthma, and social factors. Interventions included computer-generated instructions, postdischarge telephone coaching, ED-made appointments, case management, and home environment intervention. Emergency department-made appointments and postdischarge telephone coaching plus monetary incentive improved outpatient follow-up rate but not ED return. Home environment assessment coupled with case management reduced ED returns specifically among asthma patients. CONCLUSIONS: Several patient and visit characteristics can help predict children at risk for ED return. Although some interventions are successful at improving postdischarge follow-up, most did not reduce ED returns.

The Role of Care Management as a Population Health Intervention to Address Disparities and Control Hypertension: A Quasi-Experimental Observational Study.

OBJECTIVE: We studied whether care management is a pragmatic solution for improving population blood pressure (BP) control and addressing BP disparities between Blacks and Whites in routine clinical environments. DESIGN: Quasi-experimental, observational study. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: 3,964 uncontrolled hypertensive patients receiving primary care within the last year from one of six Baltimore clinics were identified as eligible. INTERVENTION: Three in-person sessions over three months with registered dietitians and pharmacists who addressed medication titration, patient adherence to healthy behaviors and medication, and disparities-related barriers. MAIN MEASURES: We assessed the population impact of care management using the RE-AIM framework. To evaluate effectiveness in improving BP, we used unadjusted, adjusted, and propensity-score matched differences-in-differences models to compare those who completed all sessions with partial completers and non-participants. RESULTS: Of all eligible patients, 5% participated in care management. Of 629 patients who entered care management, 245 (39%) completed all three sessions. Those completing all sessions on average reached BP control (mean BP 137/78) and experienced 9 mm Hg systolic blood pressure (P<.001) and 4 mm Hg DBP (P=.004) greater improvement than non-participants; findings did not vary in adjusted or propensity-score matched models. Disparities in systolic and diastolic BP between Blacks and Whites were not detectable at completion. CONCLUSIONS: It may be possible to achieve BP control among both Black and White patients who participate in a few sessions of care management. However, the very limited reach and patient challenges with program completion should raise significant caution with relying on care management alone to improve population BP control and eliminate related disparities.

Patient Safety Events and Harms During Medical and Surgical Hospitalizations for Persons With Serious Mental Illness.

OBJECTIVE: This study explored the risk of patient safety events and associated nonfatal physical harms and mortality in a cohort of persons with serious mental illness. This group experiences high rates of medical comorbidity and premature mortality and may be at high risk of adverse patient safety events. METHODS: Medical record review was conducted for medical-surgical hospitalizations occurring during 1994-2004 in a community-based cohort of Maryland adults with serious mental illness. Individuals were eligible if they died within 30 days of a medical-surgical hospitalization and if they also had at least one prior medical-surgical hospitalization within five years of death. All admissions took place at Maryland general hospitals. A case-crossover analysis examined the relationships among patient safety events, physical harms, and elevated likelihood of death within 30 days of hospitalization. RESULTS: A total of 790 hospitalizations among 253 adults were reviewed. The mean number of patient safety events per hospitalization was 5.8, and the rate of physical harms was 142 per 100 hospitalizations. The odds of physical harm were elevated in hospitalizations in which 22 of the 34 patient safety events occurred (p<.05), including medical events (odds ratio [OR]=1.5, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.3-1.7) and procedure-related events (OR=1.6, CI=1.2-2.0). Adjusted odds of death within 30 days of hospitalization were elevated for individuals with any patient safety event, compared with those with no event (OR=3.7, CI=1.4-10.3). CONCLUSIONS: Patient safety events were positively associated with physical harm and 30-day mortality in nonpsychiatric hospitalizations for persons with serious mental illness.

Characteristics of primary care providers who adopted the hospitalist model from 2001 to 2009.

BACKGROUND: The characteristics of primary care providers (PCPs) who use hospitalists are unknown. METHODS: Retrospective study using 100% Texas Medicare claims from 2001 through 2009. Descriptive statistics characterized proportion of PCPs using hospitalists over time. Trajectory analysis and multilevel models of 1172 PCPs with ≥20 inpatients in every study year characterized how PCPs adopted the hospitalist model and PCP factors associated with this transition. RESULTS: Hospitalist use increased between 2001 and 2009. PCPs who adopted the hospitalist model transitioned rapidly. In multilevel models, hospitalist use was associated with US training (odds ratio [OR] 1.46, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.23-1.73 in 2007-2009), family medicine specialty (OR: 1.46, 95% CI: 1.25-1.70 in 2007-2009), and having high outpatient volumes (OR: 1.32, 95% CI: 1.20-1.44 in 2007-2009). Over time, relative hospitalist use decreased among female PCPs (OR: 1.91, 95% CI: 1.46-2.50 in 2001-2003; OR: 1.50, 95% CI: 1.15-1.95 in 2007-2009), those in urban locations (OR: 3.34, 95% CI: 2.72-4.09 in 2001-2003; OR: 2.22, 95% CI: 1.82-2.71 in 2007-2009), and those with higher inpatient volumes (OR: 1.05, 95% CI: 0.95-1.18 in 2001-2003; OR: 0.55, 95% CI: 0.51-0.60 in 2007-2009). Longest-practicing PCPs were more likely to transition in the early 2000s, but this effect disappeared by the end of the study period (OR: 1.35, 95% CI: 1.06-1.72 in 2001-2003; OR: 0.92, 95% CI: 0.73-1.17 in 2007-2009). PCPs with practice panels dominated by patients who were white, male, or had comorbidities are more likely to use hospitalists. CONCLUSIONS: PCP characteristics are associated with hospitalist use. The association between PCP characteristics and hospitalist use has evolved over time.

A multi-level system quality improvement intervention to reduce racial disparities in hypertension care and control: study protocol.

BACKGROUND: Racial disparities in blood pressure control have been well documented in the United States. Research suggests that many factors contribute to this disparity, including barriers to care at patient, clinician, healthcare system, and community levels. To date, few interventions aimed at reducing hypertension disparities have addressed factors at all of these levels. This paper describes the design of Project ReD CHiP (Reducing Disparities and Controlling Hypertension in Primary Care), a multi-level system quality improvement project. By intervening on multiple levels, this project aims to reduce disparities in blood pressure control and improve guideline concordant hypertension care. METHODS: Using a pragmatic trial design, we are implementing three complementary multi-level interventions designed to improve blood pressure measurement, provide patient care management services and offer expanded provider education resources in six primary care clinics in Baltimore, Maryland. We are staggering the introduction of the interventions and will use Statistical Process Control (SPC) charting to determine if there are changes in outcomes at each clinic after implementation of each intervention. The main hypothesis is that each intervention will have an additive effect on improvements in guideline concordant care and reductions in hypertension disparities, but the combination of all three interventions will result in the greatest impact, followed by blood pressure measurement with care management support, blood pressure measurement with provider education, and blood pressure measurement only. This study also examines how organizational functioning and cultural competence affect the success of the interventions. DISCUSSION: As a quality improvement project, Project ReD CHiP employs a novel study design that specifically targets multi-level factors known to contribute to hypertension disparities. To facilitate its implementation and improve its sustainability, we have incorporated stakeholder input and tailored components of the interventions to meet the specific needs of the involved clinics and communities. Results from this study will provide knowledge about how integrated multi-level interventions can improve hypertension care and reduce disparities. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01566864.