Effect of Mental Health Screening and Integrated Mental Health on Adolescent Depression-Coded Visits.

Adolescent depression causes morbidity and is underdiagnosed. It is unclear how mental health screening and integrated mental health practitioners change adolescent depression identification. We conducted a retrospective primary care network natural cohort study where 10 out of 19 practices implemented mental health screening, followed by the remaining 9 practices implementing mental health screening with less coaching and support. Afterward, a different subset of 8 practices implemented integrated mental health practitioners. Percentages of depression-coded adolescent visits were compared between practices (1) with and without mental health screening and (2) with and without integrated mental health practitioners, using difference-in-differences analyses. The incidence of depression-coded visits increased more in practices that performed mental health screening (ratio of odds ratios = 1.22; 95% confidence interval =1.00-1.49) and more in practices with integrated mental health practitioners (ratio of odds ratios = 1.58; 95% confidence interval = 1.30-1.93). Adolescent mental health screening and integrated mental health practitioners increase depression-coded visits in primary care.

Effect of a Pharmacist-Driven Monitoring Program and Electronic Health Record on Bleeding Log Completeness and Documentation.

BACKGROUND: Pharmacists have the ability to enhance comprehensive care for bleeding disorders patients by bridging the gap between hemophilia treatment centers (HTC) and specialty pharmacies, specifically by monitoring bleeding logs. In September 2015, a pharmacist-driven monitoring program was implemented through the specialty pharmacy associated with a medical center to improve bleeding log completeness and electronic documentation for HTC patients. OBJECTIVE: To measure the effect of a pharmacist-driven bleeding disorder monitoring program on bleeding log completeness, successful bleeding log documentation in the electronic health record (EHR), and pharmacist-driven clinical interventions using an EHR tool. METHODS: A single-group pre-post intervention study was conducted of a pharmacist-driven monitoring program. Pre-implementation (January 1, 2014-December 31, 2014), all patients who received and returned a bleeding log following an appointment at the HTC were included; post-implementation (September 1, 2015-December 30, 2015) included patients seen at the HTC who chose to participate in the program for at least 3 months. Before implementation, patient-completed bleeding logs were scanned into the EHR by clinic staff. After implementation, bleeding logs were completed by a pharmacist and documented using a case management tool in the integrated EHR. Bleeding log records successfully documented in the EHR were collected. Completeness was calculated based on 10 clinical data elements for each bleeding log record. Pharmacist-driven interventions resulting from the program in the post-implementation period were recorded. RESULTS: In the pre-implementation period, 19 of 117 bleeding log records (16.2%) were documented in the EHR; all 15 (100%) records were documented post-implementation (P < 0.001). Among all clinical data elements across all records, 706 of 1,170 data elements were recorded pre-implementation (60.3%), and 120 of 150 (80.0%) were recorded post-implementation (P < 0.001). Pre-implementation, no logs were 100% complete; post-implementation, only 6.7% of logs were fully complete (P = 0.114). For the 15 bleeding log records documented in the EHR during the post-implementation period, 14 documented pharmacist-driven clinical interventions occurred. The majority of interventions fell under coordination of care (8 [57.1%]). CONCLUSIONS: Improvement in bleeding log completeness and documentation in the EHR was associated with the use of an EHR tool and pharmacist-driven monitoring program. DISCLOSURES: Not outside funding supported this study. The authors have nothing to disclose.

Efficiency analysis of a barcode-enabled and integrated medication-tracking system.

PURPOSE: Operational efficiency improvements for pharmacy workflow processes were evaluated using a barcode-enabled and integrated medication-tracking system for medications dispensed from the pharmacy to the emergency department (ED). METHODS: The preimplementation study period (Period 1) was defined as November 17-December 16, 2015; system implementation and training, were defined as December 17, 2015-January 18, 2016; and postimplementation (Period 2) was defined as January 19-February 17, 2016. Periods 1 and 2 were compared to (1) quantify the number and type of phone calls received related to medication inquiries, (2) evaluate the percentage of redispensed doses per total dispensed doses, and (3) assess the rate of medication administration record (MAR) messages received per total dispensed doses. RESULTS: A reduction in the total number of phone calls by 77% was observed (from 125 to 29 calls). A 0.7% difference was detected for re-dispensed doses as well as MAR messages (0.009% difference in rate) between the 2 study periods. This difference was observed despite an increase in the total amount of dispensed doses that occurred for both redispensed doses (936) and MAR messages (920) during Period 2. CONCLUSION: A barcode-enabled and integrated medication-tracking system was successfully implemented into the medication distribution process in the ED. The process change increased operational pharmacy efficiencies by decreasing medication status phone calls, redispensed doses, and MAR messages.

Evaluation of TCOM/HBOT practice guideline for the treatment of foot burns occurring in diabetic patients.

OBJECTIVES: A multidisciplinary team developed an evidence-based guideline for the management of foot burns occurring in diabetic patients that included transcutaneous oxygen measurements (TCOM) and application of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) to selected patients. This report represents an evaluation of preliminary TCOM/HBOT data. METHODS: This is a retrospective review of patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) who were admitted to a single American Burn Association (ABA) verified burn center for the treatment of foot burns. Patients were treated via the guideline if they were over the age of 16, admitted for the initial care of burns involving the feet between 4/01/2012 and 7/22/2013, and had a known or new diagnosis of DM. RESULTS: Eighteen patients were treated according to the guideline, 14 men and 4 women. Average age was 54 years+14.78. Average BMI was 30.63+6.34. Median burn size was 0.88% TBSA (median partial thickness of 1% and median full thickness of 0.5%). The average HbA1c was 9.08+2.42. Seven patients received pre-operative HBOT, two received post-operative HBOT and three patients healed their wounds with HBOT alone. Average hospital length of stay was 13.39 days+9.94 and was significantly longer for the group receiving HBOT. Admission HbA1c was not a predictor of the need for HBOT. CONCLUSIONS: While TCOM/HBOT therapy has not been widely applied to the management of diabetic foot burns, the use of an evidence-based guideline incorporating TCOM/HBOT can provide a systematic way to evaluate the patients' microcirculation and ability to heal burns of the foot. The incorporation of TCOM determination and application of HBOT in selected patients with DM and burns of the feet warrant continued study.