Predictors of Hospital Reuse Among Publicly Insured Children Hospitalized for Status Asthmaticus.

BACKGROUND: Asthma is a common cause of pediatric hospitalization. Nonadherence to asthma medications is associated with worse outcomes; however, there is a paucity of data regarding posthospitalization prescription filling and hospital reuse. Our objective was to identify patients at risk for hospital reuse after being hospitalized for asthma. METHODS: This is a retrospective study of patients with asthma who were discharged from a children's hospital in which we use Medicaid claims data to evaluate prescription fills within 30 days and 12 months. Chart reviews were used for demographics, chronic asthma severity, admission severity, and hospital reuse. t and χ2 tests were performed for continuous and categorical variables. A generalized linear mixed model was fitted to predict the odds of hospital reuse, which was defined as requiring an emergency department visit or rehospitalization. Survival analysis using log-rank testing was used for modeling the time to hospital reuse. RESULTS: Fifty-four percent of patients discharged with asthma had hospital reuse within 1 year of discharge. There was no association between hospital reuse and prescription filling for systemic steroids (odds ratio [OR] 1.30; confidence interval [CI]: 0.85-2.00; P = .21) or controller medications (OR 1.5; CI: 0.92-2.52; P = .10). There was a higher number of controller and systemic steroid prescription fills over 12 months for patients with hospital reuse. The factors associated with greater odds of hospital reuse were severity of chronic asthma diagnosis (P = .03) as well as African American race (OR 1.92; CI: 1.17-3.13; P = .01). CONCLUSIONS: For Medicaid-insured patients discharged with asthma, worse chronic asthma severity and African American race were associated with greater odds of hospital reuse. Decreased prescription filling was not associated with greater odds of hospital reuse.

Improving Inpatient Asthma Management: The Implementation and Evaluation of a Pediatric Asthma Clinical Pathway.

INTRODUCTION: Asthma exacerbations are a leading cause of pediatric hospitalizations. Despite national guidelines, variability exists in the use and dosing of bronchodilators, oxygen management, and respiratory assessments of patients. We aimed to implement an inpatient Asthma Clinical Pathway (Pathway) to standardize care and reduce length of stay (LOS). METHODS: A respiratory therapy-driven Pathway was designed for inpatient asthma management. The Pathway included standardized respiratory therapy assessments, bronchodilator dosing, and protocols for progression and clinical worsening. We monitored key process measures. Patients admitted to the Pathway during pilot implementation (March to December 2011) were compared retrospectively with a "Usual Care" cohort admitted during the same period. We compared average LOS, average billed charges per hospitalization (charges), and 30-day readmissions between groups. Statistical process control charts were utilized to analyze LOS and charges for all asthma admissions following Pathway implementation (March 2011 to September 2016). Readmissions and Pathway removals were balancing measures. RESULTS: During pilot, Pathway patients (n = 153) compared with "Usual Care" patients (n = 166) had shorter LOS (0.95 versus 1.86 days; P < 0.001) and lower charges ($7,413 versus $11,078; P < 0.001). Readmission rates were not significantly different between groups. LOS for all asthma admissions (n = 3,429) decreased from 2.30 to 1.44 days (P < 0.001) following Pathway implementation. Charges remained stable. The readmission rate (per 100 discharges) for all asthma was 2.42 and not significantly different between Pathway and non-Pathway groups. CONCLUSIONS: Pathway implementation reduced LOS and stabilized charges while not increasing readmission rates. The Pathway facilitated sustainable widely adopted improvements in asthma care.