Advanced practice providers and children's hospital-based pediatric otolarynology practices.

INTRODUCTION: Advanced practice providers (APPs), including nurse practitioners and physician assistants, have been deployed in children's hospital-based academic pediatric otolaryngology practices for many years. However, this relationship in terms of prevalence, roles, financial consequences and satisfaction has not been examined. The objective of this study is to explore how APPs impact healthcare delivery in this setting. METHODS: Pediatric otolaryngology chiefs of all academic children's hospitals in the US were electronically surveyed about the ways APPs intersected clinically and financially in their respective practice. RESULTS: A total of 29 of 36 children's hospital-based pediatric otolaryngology practices completed the survey, of which 26 practices (90%) utilized APP. There were large variances within the APP practice cohort in faculty size (mean/median/range = 9.4/8.5/3-29); annual patient visits (mean/median = 18,373/17,600); number of practice site (mean/median/range = 4.3/4/2-9) and number of outpatient APP (mean/median/range = 6.3/5/1-30). No factors (faculty size, annual visits and number of practice sites) differentiated between the APP and non-APP practices. Among APP practices, significant correlation (p<.00001) was observed between size of APP cohort to faculty size and annual visits. 69% of the practices did not differentiate job functions of nurse practitioners and physician assistants. 85% of the practices utilized APPs in all practice sites and 19% utilized APPs in the operating room. 77% of APPs billed independently and 46% had on-site supervision. The most prevalent APP salary bracket based on 0-5, 6-10 and > 11 years of tenure were $76-100K (65%), $100-150K (77%) and $100-150K (86%), respectively. In 46% of the practices, APPs were able to generate enough revenue to cover more than 75% of their salary and 23% of practices generated a profit. 81% of the chiefs ranked the effectiveness of APPs as high (4 and 5) on a 5-point Likert scale. DISCUSSION: The majority of academic pediatric otolaryngology practices employed APPs. Despite the diversity seen in practice complexity, APP functionality and financial impact, most found the APP model to be beneficial in improving patient care, patient access and faculty productivity.

Trends in Pediatric Otolaryngology Disparities Research.

Objectives To describe trends in disparities research within pediatric otolaryngology as evidenced by major meeting presentations and to compare observed trends with those in the realm of patient safety and quality improvement (PSQI). Study Design Retrospective review of presentations at national otolaryngology meetings. Setting Online review of meeting programs. Subjects and Methods Meeting programs from the American Society of Pediatric Otolaryngology, Triological Society, American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation, and Society for Ear, Nose and Throat Advances in Children from 2003 to 2016 were manually searched for pediatric oral and poster presentations addressing disparities and socioeconomic determinants of health, as well as PSQI. Presentation frequency was compared between categories and within each category over time. Results Of 11,311 total presentations, 3078 were related to the pediatric population, and 1945 (63.2%) of those were oral presentations. Disparities-related presentations increased from 0 in 2003 to 17 in 2016. From 2003 to 2009, 9 of 656 (1.4%) presentations involved disparities, as opposed to 70 of 2422 (2.9%) from 2010 to 2016 ( P = .03). The proportion of presentations regarding PSQI also increased: from 42 of 656 (6.4%) in 2003-2009 to 221 of 2422 (9.1%) in 2010-2016 ( P = .01). PSQI presentations remain more common than disparities presentations (9.1% vs 2.9%, P < .001). Conclusion Health care disparities are increasingly addressed in pediatric otolaryngology meeting presentations. Compared with the well-established realm of PSQI, disparities research remains nascent but is gaining attention. Health care reform and quality improvement efforts should recognize the role of socioeconomic factors and include strategies for addressing disparities.

Emergency department use for acute rhinosinusitis: Insurance dependent for children and adults.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: Patients with Medicaid or self-pay insurance status are more likely to present to the emergency department (ED) for uncomplicated acute rhinosinusitis (ARS). Our aim was to determine if this pattern holds true for both pediatric and adult visits. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study using the 2005 to 2012 National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Surveys and National Ambulatory Medical Care Surveys. METHODS: We included all visits with International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes for ARS and without codes for ARS complications. We tested for associations between insurance type and presentation to an ED versus a primary care physician (PCP), stratifying children versus adults. We used univariate and multivariable logistic regression modeling, controlling for clinical and demographic characteristics for analysis. RESULTS: There were 51,579,977 uncomplicated ARS visits to PCPs (48,213,335 visits) and EDs (3,366,642 visits). Medicaid and uninsured patients were under-represented for ARS visits. Medicaid insurance was significantly associated with ED presentation for ARS for both children (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 7.0, P < 0.001) and adults (adjusted OR = 6.8, P < 0.001). Children with ARS and self-pay insurance status were much more likely to present to the ED (adjusted OR = 48.8, P < 0.001) than adults (adjusted OR = 5.2, P < 0.001); this difference between children and adults with self-pay insurance was significant (P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: With respect to absolute numbers of visits, patients with Medicaid or no insurance use less care overall for uncomplicated ARS than do privately insured patients. Medicaid is associated with ED presentation for ARS for pediatric and adult visits. Self-pay insurance status is strongly associated with ED presentation for adult and pediatric visits, and is significantly more common for children. These results suggest limitations in primary care access for uncomplicated ARS based on insurance status, particularly for uninsured pediatric patients. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4. Laryngoscope, 128:299-303, 2018.

Healthcare disparities in pediatric otolaryngology: A systematic review.

OBJECTIVES: Multiple studies have reported healthcare disparities in particular settings and conditions within pediatric otolaryngology, but a systematic examination of the breadth of the problem within the field is lacking. This study's objectives are to synthesize the available evidence regarding healthcare disparities in pediatric otolaryngology, highlight recurrent themes with respect to etiologies and manifestations, and demonstrate potential impacts from patient and provider standpoints. METHODS: A qualitative systematic review of the PubMed, Ovid, and Cochrane databases for articles focusing on racial, ethnic, or socioeconomic disparities related to pediatric otolaryngology conditions or settings was conducted. United States-based studies of any design or publication date with analysis of children 0 to 18 years old were included. RESULTS: Of 711 abstracts identified, 39 met inclusion criteria. Manual review of references from these articles yielded 22 additional studies, for a total of 61. Disparities were identified in nearly every subspecialty within pediatric otolaryngology, with otologic conditions the most frequently studied (33 of 61). The most commonly cited disparities involved low socioeconomic status (25 of 61), inadequate insurance (23 of 61), nonwhite race (21 of 61), and barriers to accessing care (21 of 61). Only six articles found no disparities regarding the condition examined in their study. CONCLUSION: Through a variety of study topics, designs, and settings, a growing body of literature documents disparities across the spectrum of pediatric otolaryngology care. The etiologies and manifestations of such disparities are myriad. This evidence suggests the need for interventions to address these disparities at various professional and institutional levels, ideally with methodological rigor to assess the effectiveness of such interventions. Laryngoscope, 128:1699-1713, 2018.

Socioeconomic determinants of overnight and weekend emergency department use for acute rhinosinusitis.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: Prior work has shown Medicaid and self-pay insurance status is associated with emergency department (ED), rather than outpatient clinic, presentation for uncomplicated acute rhinosinusitis (ARS). We investigate whether the disparate use of ED resources for this nonemergent condition by patients with Medicaid and self-pay insurance can be attributed to presentation overnight or on weekends. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey of 990,849 patients from the 2009 and 2010 National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey presenting to EDs with uncomplicated ARS. Patients with orbital and intracranial complications of ARS were excluded. METHODS: Univariate and multivariate associations identified demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, including insurance status, which were independently associated with overnight (between 5 pm and 7 am) or daytime weekend ED presentation for uncomplicated ARS. RESULTS: Medicaid or self-pay insurance status was associated with evening/overnight ED presentation (odds ratio=1.88, P=.018) in comparison to private or Medicare insurance. However, weekend daytime ED presentation was not associated with Medicaid or self-pay insurance statuses (P=.144). Income and education levels of patients' zip codes, taken as markers of socioeconomic status, were not associated with either evening/overnight or daytime weekend ED presentation for uncomplicated ARS (P>.05). CONCLUSIONS: ARS patients with Medicaid or self-pay status, previously shown to preferentially use EDs for uncomplicated ARS, were more likely to present for overnight ED care compared to patients with private insurance or Medicare. These findings suggest a potential lack of access to extended-hours primary care during evenings and nights for Medicaid patients. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4.

Insurance status and quality of outpatient care for uncomplicated acute rhinosinusitis.

IMPORTANCE: Previous work suggests an association between insurance status and location of presentation (emergency department vs outpatient clinic) for evaluation of uncomplicated acute rhinosinusitis (ARS). OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether the quality of outpatient care for ARS likewise differs based on insurance status. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Cross-sectional study of 13 680 145 pediatric and adult patients from the 2009 and 2010 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey diagnosed with uncomplicated ARS at an outpatient care facility. EXPOSURES: Health insurance status. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The primary outcome measures were continuity of care with the patients' primary care physician (PCP) and time spent with a physician, which were chosen as proxies for quality of care. We evaluated associations between insurance status and these quality measures while controlling for clinical, demographic and socioeconomic patient characteristics, and outpatient practice setting. RESULTS: Most patients (76.4%) had private insurance vs Medicare (12.3%), Medicaid (8.6%), or self-pay (2.8%). There was no association between insurance status and presentation of patients to their PCP. Physicians spent more time with Medicaid patients compared with patients with private insurance (ß = 4.59; P = .01), independent of other factors. Provision of health education (ß = 4.42; P < .001), necessity of a follow-up visit (ß = 3.20; P = .002), and increasing patient age (ß = 0.07; P = .01) were associated with longer visits. In multivariate analysis, living in a medium or small metropolitan area was associated with higher likelihood of being seen by one's own PCP than living in a large metropolitan area (odds ratio, 6.37; 95% CI, 2.13-19.05; P = .001). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: This study did not identify any quality of care issues with respect to insurance coverage and primary care encounters for patients with ARS. In contrast to expectations, patients with Medicaid had longer outpatient physician visits and were equally likely to see their own PCP compared with patients with private insurance or Medicare.

Regional and socioeconomic disparities in emergency department use of radiographic imaging for acute pediatric sinusitis.

BACKGROUND: Acute pediatric sinusitis (APS) is a common complication of pediatric upper respiratory tract infections. Children with all degrees of APS severity may present to emergency departments (EDs) for evaluation and management. This study was designed to analyze the use of imaging in APS presenting to U.S. EDs. METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis of the 2008 National Emergency Department Sample database was performed. One hundred one thousand six hundred sixty children, aged ≤18 years, assigned at least one ICD9 code for APS were identified. Current procedural terminology codes for sinus plain film radiographs, computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging identified children who underwent sinus imaging. Association of performance of sinus imaging was sought with multiple predictor variables including clinicodemographic and hospital characteristics. RESULTS: The use of any imaging was associated with older age (odds ratio [OR] = 1.07; p < 0.001), male gender (OR = 1.57; p < 0.001), and diagnosis of chronic rhinosinusitis (OR = 2.46; p < 0.001). Imaging was more common in metropolitan teaching (OR = 1.40;0 p < 0.001) and nonteaching (OR = 5.64; p < 0.001) hospitals. Markers of higher socioeconomic status--private health insurance (OR = 1.37; p < 0.001) and higher income level (OR = 1.96; p < 0.001)--were associated with greater use of imaging, especially CT scans. CONCLUSION: The use of ED imaging in APS is appropriately associated with factors known to be associated with APS complications. However, additional disparities with respect to regional and socioeconomic factors exist. Interventions to eliminate these health care disparities in use of imaging resources may lead to quality improvement in care and outcomes for APS.

Socioeconomic disparities in the presentation of acute bacterial sinusitis complications in children.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: To identify characteristics and disparities associated with presentation of pediatric acute bacterial sinusitis (ABS) complications. STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional study of the 2008 Nationwide Emergency Department Sample database. METHODS: A total of 101,660 children 18 years of age or younger diagnosed with ABS, 696 of whom had orbital or intracranial complications, were identified. Patient and hospital-specific characteristics were investigated for association with childhood ABS complications. RESULTS: Orbital and intracranial complications occurred in 0.7% of children with ABS. Such complications were more common in boys (odds ratio [OR]: 1.65, P<.001) and children with chronic rhinosinusitis (OR: 7.89, P<.001), and were associated with presentation to metropolitan teaching (OR: 2.15, P<.001) and nonteaching (OR: 14.39, P<.001) hospitals. Orbital complications were associated with younger age (OR: 0.96, P<.001), whereas intracranial complications were associated with older age (OR: 1.11, P<.001). A dichotomy in socioeconomic background differentiated children with orbital ABS complications from those with intracranial complications. Although orbital complications were associated with higher income (OR: 2.13, P<.001) and private insurance (OR: 1.36, P=.003), intracranial complications were associated with Medicaid (OR: 2.96, P<.001) or no insurance at all (OR: 3.73, P=.001). CONCLUSIONS: Socioeconomic disparities exist in presentation of ABS complications in children. Although hinted at by the association with urban/metropolitan hospitals, explicit evidence is provided by association of intracranial complications with markers of low socioeconomic status and poor access to healthcare. Efforts to aid early diagnosis and treatment should target providers in metropolitan areas who treat children of lower socioeconomic status. Such interventions will ideally improve outcomes and limit healthcare costs related to the high morbidity of pediatric ABS complications. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 2b.

Clinical assessment is an accurate predictor of which patients will need septoplasty.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: Septoplasty is a frequently performed surgical procedure with the most common indication being nasal airway obstruction. Almost universally, health insurance companies mandate a trial of medical therapy consisting of intranasal corticosteroids prior to performance of septoplasty regardless of clinical assessment. Evidence for this requirement is lacking. We sought to evaluate the initial clinical assessment as a predictor of response to this mandated trial of medical treatment. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective review of prospectively collected data on 137 consecutive patients who presented with symptoms of nasal obstruction and a deviated nasal septum on physical examination. METHODS: Patients were placed into one of three cohorts based on prediction of 1) failure of medical therapy with subsequent septoplasty, 2) success of medical therapy without subsequent septoplasty, or 3) unable to make a prediction. Patients from each cohort were assessed for subsequent response to medical therapy and ultimate need for septoplasty. RESULTS: Overall clinical assessment had a sensitivity of 86.9%, specificity of 91.8%, positive predictive value of 93.6%, and negative predictive value of 96.4% for detecting/predicting need for septoplasty. The accuracy of the overall clinical assessment is considerably better than severe deviation at any one septal anatomical site. Of patients whose response to medical therapy could not be predicted, 61.3% failed medical therapy and needed surgery; this is statistically equivalent to a 50/50 distribution between either needing septoplasty or not. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical assessment at initial presentation of patients with nasal obstruction and deviated septum is highly accurate in predicting which patients will need septoplasty.

Importance of early audiologic assessment in distal renal tubular acidosis.

Autosomal recessive distal renal tubular acidosis is usually a severe disease of childhood, often presenting as failure to thrive in infancy. It is often, but not always, accompanied by sensorineural hearing loss, the clinical severity and age of onset of which may be different from the other clinical features. Mutations in either ATP6V1B1 or ATP6V0A4 are the chief causes of primary distal renal tubular acidosis with or without hearing loss, although the loss is often milder in the latter. We describe a kindred with compound heterozygous alterations in ATP6V0A4, where hearing loss was formally diagnosed late in both siblings such that they missed early opportunities for hearing support. This kindred highlights the importance of routine audiologic assessments of all children with distal renal tubular acidosis, irrespective either of age at diagnosis or of which gene is mutated. In addition, when diagnostic genetic testing is undertaken, both genes should be screened irrespective of current hearing status. A strategy for this is outlined.

The 80-hour work guidelines and resident survey perceptions of quality.

OBJECTIVE: We hypothesized that resident fatigue error should improve, related to well-rested trainees as a direct cause/effect benefit. However, patient hospital care quality is multifactorial, so impact on patient care quality by changing only one variable for a single caregiver group was unknown. DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS: Convenience samples of 156 residents from three surgical specialties were administered a questionnaire in early 2004 addressing perceptions of patient care quality before and after the 80-h workweek. Additionally, residents recently under work-hour restrictions (Newly Restricted, NR) were compared to New York state trainees already regulated by work-hour restrictions (Previously Restricted, PR). SETTING: Surgical residency training venues. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Survey results; the level of significance for all tests was 0.05. RESULTS: The participation response rate was 94.5%. Eighty-eight percent of respondents indicated by survey subjective impression that patient care quality was either unchanged (63%) or worse (26%) due to work-hour restrictions (P = 0.003). PR residents were more likely than NR residents to report unchanged or worse quality of care (P = 0.015). Residents overall did perceive improvement in some types of error with fewer fatigue-related errors (P < 0.001), e.g., medication (P < 0.001), judgment (P = 0.001), and dexterity (P = 0.013), subsequent to work-hour restrictions. However, more errors were perceived related to continuity of care (P < 0.001), miscommunication (P = 0.001), and cross-coverage availability (P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Despite an expected perception of improvement in fatigue-related errors, most participants (particularly PR residents) reported impressions that patient care quality had remained unchanged or had declined under the work-hour restrictions. Unresolved challenges with continuity of care, miscommunication, and cross-coverage availability are possible explanations. Mere work-hour reduction does not appear to improve patient care quality automatically nor to decrease the possibility for some types of error. Process interventions that specifically target trainee sign-out coverage constraints as part of a global reassessment will be important for future attempts to enhance quality hospital patient care.