Prevalence and Causes of Diagnostic Errors in Hospitalized Patients Under Investigation for COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic required clinicians to care for a disease with evolving characteristics while also adhering to care changes (e.g., physical distancing practices) that might lead to diagnostic errors (DEs). OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency of DEs and their causes among patients hospitalized under investigation (PUI) for COVID-19. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort. SETTING: Eight medical centers affiliated with the Hospital Medicine ReEngineering Network (HOMERuN). TARGET POPULATION: Adults hospitalized under investigation (PUI) for COVID-19 infection between February and July 2020. MEASUREMENTS: We randomly selected up to 8 cases per site per month for review, with each case reviewed by two clinicians to determine whether a DE (defined as a missed or delayed diagnosis) occurred, and whether any diagnostic process faults took place. We used bivariable statistics to compare patients with and without DE and multivariable models to determine which process faults or patient factors were associated with DEs. RESULTS: Two hundred and fifty-seven patient charts underwent review, of which 36 (14%) had a diagnostic error. Patients with and without DE were statistically similar in terms of socioeconomic factors, comorbidities, risk factors for COVID-19, and COVID-19 test turnaround time and eventual positivity. Most common diagnostic process faults contributing to DE were problems with clinical assessment, testing choices, history taking, and physical examination (all p < 0.01). Diagnostic process faults associated with policies and procedures related to COVID-19 were not associated with DE risk. Fourteen patients (35.9% of patients with errors and 5.4% overall) suffered harm or death due to diagnostic error. LIMITATIONS: Results are limited by available documentation and do not capture communication between providers and patients. CONCLUSION: Among PUI patients, DEs were common and not associated with pandemic-related care changes, suggesting the importance of more general diagnostic process gaps in error propagation.

Aspirin Compared with Anticoagulation to Prevent Venous Thromboembolism After Knee or Hip Arthroplasty: a Large Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Although guidelines now allow the use of aspirin as an alternative to anticoagulants for venous thromboembolism prophylaxis after knee or hip arthroplasty, there is limited data on contemporary use and outcomes with aspirin. OBJECTIVE: To describe the use of pharmacologic thromboprophylaxis and to assess venous thromboembolic risk with aspirin compared with anticoagulation after knee or hip arthroplasty. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study using data from the US MedAssets database. PATIENTS: Adults with a principal discharge diagnosis of knee or hip arthroplasty between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2014. MAIN MEASURES: We identified charges for medications used for thromboprophylaxis within 7 days after the index surgery from billing records. The primary outcome was postoperative venous thromboembolism identified by International Classification of Diseases, 9th edition codes, from the index hospitalization, rehospitalization within 30 days, or during an outpatient visit within 90 days postoperatively. We compared postoperative thromboembolic risk in patients receiving aspirin-only and those receiving anticoagulants using propensity score-adjusted multivariable logistic regression models. KEY RESULTS: We identified 74,234 patients with knee arthroplasty and 36,192 with hip arthroplasty who received pharmacologic thromboprophylaxis. Aspirin-only was used in 27.9% of all patients, while 24.2% and 24.1% received warfarin or enoxaparin as prophylactic monotherapy, respectively. Postoperative venous thromboembolism occurred in 495 (0.67%) patients undergoing knee arthroplasty and 145 (0.40%) undergoing hip arthroplasty. Aspirin-only was not related to increased odds of postoperative venous thromboembolism compared with anticoagulants in multivariable adjusted analyses (odds ratio [OR] 0.70; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.56-0.87, and OR 0.93; 95% CI, 0.62-1.38 for knee or hip arthroplasty, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: More than a fourth of all patients received aspirin as the sole antithrombotic agent after knee or hip arthroplasty. Postoperative thromboprophylaxis with aspirin-only was not associated with a higher risk of postoperative venous thromboembolism compared with anticoagulants after hip or knee arthroplasty.

High Rate of Hospital Admissions Among Patients with Cirrhosis Seeking Care in US Emergency Departments.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Emergency Departments (ED) can serve as a gateway to specialty care for patients with cirrhosis with limited care access. We described the rates and characteristics of patients with cirrhosis who access United States (US) EDs, and identified factors associated with subsequent hospitalization. METHODS: Using data from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, cirrhosis-related ED from 2000 to 2009 were identified and compared to all other ED visits. RESULTS: From 2000 to 2009, there were an estimated 1,029,693 cirrhosis and 877 million non-cirrhosis visits. Compared to the general ED population, those with cirrhosis were more frequently male (58 vs. 44 %, p = 0.02), Hispanic (18.6 vs. 10.6 %, p < 0.05), seeking care in urban areas (91.6 vs. 73.4 %, p < 0.05) and had Medicaid/no insurance (43 vs. 35 %, p < 0.01). Patients with cirrhosis were more frequently triaged immediately or emergently (72.3 vs. 54.2 %, p < 0.01). The majority were admitted or transferred to another hospital (66.8 vs. 17.4 %, p < 0.01). Among patients with cirrhosis, patients with age ≥ 65 years were more likely to be admitted (adjusted OR 2.49, 95 % CI 1.08-5.73), and Medicaid/uninsured (adjusted OR 0.34; 95 % CI 0.17-0.67) were less likely to be admitted, after adjusting for patient demographics, hospital characteristics, and triage score. CONCLUSIONS: Patient with cirrhosis account for approximately 100,000 US ED visits annually. The higher admission rates among patients with cirrhosis indicate a high acuity of illness. Older age among those admitted may reflect poorer functional status. Finally, high visit but low admission rates among those with Medicaid/no insurance suggest a gap in specialty care.

Emergency department visits in the neonatal period in the United States.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to estimate the incidence of emergency department (ED) visits in the neonatal period in a nationally representative sample and to examine variation by race. METHODS: The National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey is a nationally representative survey of utilization of ambulatory care services including EDs. We studied all ED visits for patients who were younger than 28 days old from 2003 to 2008. Using the national birth certificate data, we calculated the visit rates by race. Emergency department visits were also characterized by age, insurance status, diagnosis category, region, and hospital type (safety-net vs non-safety-net hospitals). RESULTS: There was an average of 320,540 neonatal ED visits in the United States per year, with an estimated 7.6% of births visiting the ED within 28 days. Estimated rates of ED visits were highest among non-Hispanic blacks, with 14.4% (95% confidence interval [CI], 10.0-19.2) of newborns having an ED visit in the neonatal period, compared with 6.7% (95% CI, 4.9-7.2) for whites and 7.7% (95% CI, 5.7-9.8) for Hispanics. Hispanic and black neonates were more likely to be seen in safety-net hospitals (75.8%-78.2%) than white (57.1%) patients (P = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: In this first nationally representative study of neonatal visits to the ED, visits were common, with the highest rates in non-Hispanic blacks. Hispanic and black neonates were more commonly seen in safety-net hospitals. Reasons for high visit rates deserve further study to determine whether hospital discharge practices and/or access to primary care are contributing factors.

Increasing critical care admissions from U.S. emergency departments, 2001-2009.

OBJECTIVES: Little is known about how recent system-wide increases in demand for critical care have affected U.S. emergency departments (EDs). This study describes changes in the amount of critical care provided in U.S. EDs between 2001 and 2009. DESIGN: Analysis of data from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey for the years 2001-2009. SETTING: National multistage probability sample of U.S. ED data. U.S. ED capacity was estimated using the National Emergency Department Inventory-United States. PATIENTS: : ED patients admitted a critical care unit. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS: Annual hours of ED-based critical care and annual number critical care ED visits. Clinical characteristics, demographics, insurance status, setting, geographic region, and ED length of stay for critically ill ED patients. MAIN RESULTS: Annual critical care unit admissions from U.S. EDs increased by 79% from 1.2 to 2.2 million. The proportion of all ED visits resulting in critical care unit admission increased from 0.9% to 1.6% (ptrend < 0.001). Between 2001 and 2009, the median ED length of stay for critically ill patients increased from 185 to 245 minutes (+ 60 min; ptrend < 0.02). For the aggregated years 2001-2009, ED length of stay for critical care visits was longer among black patients (12.6% longer) and Hispanic patients (14.8% longer) than among white patients, and one third of all critical care ED visits had an ED length of stay greater than 6 hrs. Between 2001 and 2009, total annual hours of critical care at U.S. EDs increased by 217% from 3.2 to 10.1 million (ptrend < 0.001). The average daily amount of critical care provided in U.S. EDs tripled from 1.8 to 5.6 hours per ED per day. CONCLUSIONS: The amount of critical care provided in U.S. EDs has increased substantially over the past decade, driven by increasing numbers of critical care ED visits and lengthening ED length of stay. Increased critical care burden will further stress an already overcapacity U.S. emergency care system.

Emergency department crowding and younger age are associated with delayed corticosteroid administration to children with acute asthma.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to identify factors associated with delayed or omission of indicated steroids for children seen in the emergency department (ED) for moderate-to-severe asthma exacerbation. METHODS: This was a retrospective study of pediatric (age ≤ 21 years) patients treated in a general academic ED from January 2006 to September 2011 with a primary diagnosis of asthma (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision code 493.xx) and moderate-to-severe exacerbations. A moderate-to-severe exacerbation was defined as requiring 2 or more (or continuous) bronchodilators. We determined the proportion of visits in which steroids were inappropriately omitted or delayed (>1 hour from arrival). Multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify patient, physician, and system factors associated with delayed or omitted steroids. RESULTS: Of 1333 pediatric asthma ED visits, 817 were for moderate-to-severe exacerbation; 645 (79%) received steroids. Patients younger than 6 years (odds ratio [OR], 2.25; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.19-4.24), requiring more bronchodilators (OR, 2.82; 95% CI, 2.10-3.79), initially hypoxic (OR, 2.78; 95% CI, 1.33-5.83), or tachypneic (OR, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.05-2.20) were more likely to receive steroids. Median time to steroid administration was 108 minutes (interquartile range, 65-164 minutes). Steroid administration was delayed in 502 visits (78%). Patients with hypoxia (OR, 1.91; 95% CI, 1.11-3.27) or tachypnea (OR, 1.82; 95% CI, 1.17-2.84) were more likely to receive steroids 1 hour or less of arrival, whereas children younger than 2 years (OR, 0.16; 95% CI, 0.07-0.35) and those arriving during periods of higher ED volume (OR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.67-0.94) were less likely to receive timely steroids. CONCLUSIONS: In this ED, steroids were underprescribed and frequently delayed for pediatric ED patients with moderate-to-severe asthma exacerbation. Greater ED volume and younger age are associated with delays. Interventions are needed to expedite steroid administration, improving adherence to National Institutes of Health asthma guidelines.

Comparison of presenting complaint vs discharge diagnosis for identifying " nonemergency" emergency department visits.

IMPORTANCE: Reduction in emergency department (ED) use is frequently viewed as a potential source for cost savings. One consideration has been to deny payment if the patient's diagnosis upon ED discharge appears to reflect a "nonemergency" condition. This approach does not incorporate other clinical factors such as chief complaint that may inform necessity for ED care. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether ED presenting complaint and ED discharge diagnosis correspond sufficiently to support use of discharge diagnosis as the basis for policies discouraging ED use. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: The New York University emergency department algorithm has been commonly used to identify nonemergency ED visits. We applied the algorithm to publicly available ED visit data from the 2009 National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS) for the purpose of identifying all "primary care-treatable" visits. The 2009 NHAMCS data set contains 34,942 records, each representing a unique ED visit. For each visit with a discharge diagnosis classified as primary care treatable, we identified the chief complaint. To determine whether these chief complaints correspond to nonemergency ED visits, we then examined all ED visits with this same group of chief complaints to ascertain the ED course, final disposition, and discharge diagnoses. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Patient demographics, clinical characteristics, and disposition associated with chief complaints related to nonemergency ED visits. RESULTS: Although only 6.3% (95% CI, 5.8%-6.7%) of visits were determined to have primary care-treatable diagnoses based on discharge diagnosis and our modification of the algorithm, the chief complaints reported for these ED visits with primary care-treatable ED discharge diagnoses were the same chief complaints reported for 88.7% (95% CI, 88.1%-89.4%) of all ED visits. Of these visits, 11.1% (95% CI, 9.3%-13.0%) were identified at ED triage as needing immediate or emergency care; 12.5% (95% CI, 11.8%-14.3%) required hospital admission; and 3.4% (95% CI, 2.5%-4.3%) of admitted patients went directly from the ED to the operating room. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Among ED visits with the same presenting complaint as those ultimately given a primary care-treatable diagnosis based on ED discharge diagnosis, a substantial proportion required immediate emergency care or hospital admission. The limited concordance between presenting complaints and ED discharge diagnoses suggests that these discharge diagnoses are unable to accurately identify nonemergency ED visits.

Regional differences in emergency medical services use for patients with acute stroke (findings from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey Emergency Department Data File).

BACKGROUND: Our objectives were to describe the proportion of stroke patients who arrive by ambulance nationwide and to examine regional differences and factors associated with the mode of transport to the emergency department (ED). METHODS: Patients with a primary discharge diagnosis of stroke based on previously validated International Classification of Disease, 9th revision codes were abstracted from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey for the years 2007 to 2009. We excluded subjects<18 years of age and those with missing data. Using logistic regression, we identified independent predictors of arrival by ambulance to the ED. RESULTS: Overall, 566 patients met the entry criteria, representing 2,153,234 patient records nationally, based on 2010 US census data. Of these, 50.4% arrived by ambulance. After adjustment for potential confounders, age was associated with use of an ambulance. In addition, patients residing in the west and south had lower odds of arriving by ambulance for stroke when compared to northeast (South: odds ratio [OR] 0.45 and 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.26-0.76; West: OR 0.45 and 95% CI 0.25-0.84; Midwest: OR 0.56 and 95% CI 0.31-1.01). Compared to the Medicare population, privately insured and self-insured patients had lower odds of arriving by ambulance (OR for private insurance 0.48 and 95% CI 0.28-0.84; OR for self-payers 0.36 and 95% CI 0.14-0.93). Gender, race, urban or rural location of ED, and safety net status was not independently associated with ambulance use. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with stroke arrive by ambulance more frequently in the Northeast than in other regions of the United States. Identifying reasons for this difference may be useful in improving stroke care.

Incidence, predictors, and outcomes associated with postoperative atrial fibrillation after major noncardiac surgery.

BACKGROUND: Although major noncardiac surgery is common, few large-scale studies have examined the incidence and consequences of post-operative atrial fibrillation (POAF) in this population. We sought to define the incidence of POAF and its impact on outcomes after major noncardiac surgery. METHODS: Using administrative data, we retrospectively reviewed the hospital course of adults who underwent major noncardiac surgery at 375 US hospitals over a 1-year period. Clinically significant POAF was defined as atrial fibrillation occurring during hospitalization that necessitated therapy. RESULTS: Of 370,447 patients, 10,957 (3.0%) developed clinically significant POAF while hospitalized. Of patients with POAF, 7,355 (67%) appeared to have pre-existing atrial fibrillation and 3,602 (33%) had newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation. Black patients had a lower risk of POAF (adjusted odds ratio, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.48-0.59; P < .001). Patients with POAF had higher mortality (adjusted odds ratio, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.59-1.86; P < .001), markedly longer length of stay (adjusted relative difference, +24.0%; 95% CI, +21.5% to +26.5%; P < .001), and higher costs (adjusted difference, +$4,177; 95% CI, +$3,764 to +$4,590; P < .001). These findings did not differ by whether POAF was a recurrence of pre-existing atrial fibrillation, or a new diagnosis. CONCLUSION: POAF following noncardiac surgery is not uncommon and is associated with increased mortality and cost. Our study identifies risk factors for POAF, which appear to include race. Strategies are needed to not only prevent new POAF, but also improve management of patients with pre-existing atrial fibrillation.

Unintended consequences of a standard admission order set on venous thromboembolism prophylaxis and patient outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Standard order sets often increase the use of desirable interventions for patients likely to benefit from them. Whether such order sets also increase misuse of these interventions in patients potentially harmed by them is unknown. We measured the association between a paper-based standard admission order set with a venous thromboembolism pharmacoprophylaxis (VTEP) module and use of VTEP for patients likely to benefit from it as well as patients with unclear benefit or potential harm from it. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using administrative and pharmacy charge data of patients admitted between 1 July 2005 and 31 December 2008 to two medical and three surgical services that implemented a standard admission order set in August 2006. The primary outcome was use of VTEP in patients with likely benefit, unclear benefit, and potential harm from VTEP prior to and following order set implementation. KEY RESULTS: A total of 8,429 patients (32%) were admitted prior to and 17,635 (68%) following order set implementation. There was a small unadjusted rise in overall VTEP use after implementation (51% to 58%, p < 0.001). In multivariable models with interrupted time series analysis, patients with potential harm from VTEP had the largest increase in VTEP use at the time of implementation [adjusted odds ratio = 1.58; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.12-2.22]. The increased likelihood of receiving VTEP in this subgroup gradually returned to baseline (adjusted odds ratio per month = 0.98; 95% CI, 0.96-0.99). CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of a standard admission order set transiently increased VTEP in patients with potential harm from it. Order set and guideline success should be judged based on the degree to which they successfully target patients likely to benefit from the intervention without inadvertently targeting patients potentially harmed.

Association of emergency department length of stay with safety-net status.

CONTEXT: Performance measures, particularly pay for performance, may have unintended consequences for safety-net institutions caring for disproportionate shares of Medicaid or uninsured patients. OBJECTIVE: To describe emergency department (ED) compliance with proposed length-of-stay measures for admissions (8 hours or 480 minutes) and discharges, transfers, and observations (4 hours or 240 minutes) by safety-net status. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: The 2008 National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS) ED data were stratified by safety-net status (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention definition) and disposition (admission, discharge, observation, transfer). The 2008 NHAMCS is a national probability sample of 396 hospitals (90.2% unweighted response rate) and 34 134 patient records. Visits were excluded for patients younger than 18 years, missing length-of-stay data or dispositions of missing, other, left against medical advice, or dead on arrival. Median and 90th percentile ED lengths of stay were calculated for each disposition and admission/discharge subcategories (critical care, psychiatric, routine) stratified by safety-net status. Multivariable analyses determined associations with length-of-stay measure compliance. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Emergency Department length-of-stay measure compliance by disposition and safety-net status. RESULTS: Of the 72.1% ED visits (N = 24 719) included in the analysis, 42.3% were to safety-net EDs and 57.7% were to non-safety-net EDs. The median length of stay for safety-net was 269 minutes (interquartile range [IQR], 178-397 minutes) for admission vs 281 minutes (IQR, 178-401 minutes) for non-safety-net EDs; 156 minutes (IQR, 95-239 minutes) for discharge vs 148 minutes (IQR, 88-238 minutes); 355 minutes (IQR, 221-675 minutes) for observations vs 298 minutes (IQR, 195-440 minutes); and 235 minutes (IQR, 155-378 minutes) for transfers vs 239 minutes (IQR, 142-368 minutes). Safety-net status was not independently associated with compliance with ED length-of-stay measures; the odds ratio was 0.83 for admissions (95% CI, 0.52-1.34); 1.03 for discharges (95% CI, 0.83-1.27); 1.05 for observations (95% CI, 0.57-1.95), 1.30 for transfers (95% CI, 0.70-2.45]); or subcategories except for psychiatric discharges (1.67, [95% CI, 1.02-2.74]). CONCLUSION: Compliance with proposed ED length-of-stay measures for admissions, discharges, transfers, and observations did not differ significantly between safety-net and non-safety-net hospitals.

Pediatric emergency departments are more likely than general emergency departments to treat asthma exacerbation with systemic corticosteroids.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether systemic corticosteroids are under-prescribed (as measured by current NIH treatment guidelines) for children in the United States seen in the emergency department (ED) for acute asthma, and to identify factors associated with prescribing systemic corticosteroids. METHODS: We used data from the 2001-2007 National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. The study population was children ≤ 18 years old in the ED with a primary diagnosis of asthma (ICD-9-CM code 493.xx) who received bronchodilator(s). The primary outcome was receipt of a systemic corticosteroid in the ED. Independent variables included patient-level (e.g., demographics, insurance, fever, admission), physician-level (provider type, ancillary medications and tests ordered), and system-level factors (e.g., ED type, geographic location, time of day, season, year). We used multivariable logistic regression techniques to identify factors associated with systemic corticosteroid treatment. RESULTS: Systemic corticosteroids were prescribed at only 63% of pediatric acute asthma visits to EDs. Over the study period, there was a trend toward increasing systemic corticosteroid use (p for trend = .05). After adjusting for potential confounders, patients were more likely to receive systemic corticosteroids when treated in pediatric EDs than in general EDs (OR = 2.45; 95% CI: 1.26-4.77). CONCLUSION: Systemic corticosteroids are under-prescribed for children who present to EDs with acute asthma exacerbations. Pediatric EDs are more likely than general EDs to treat asthma exacerbations with systemic corticosteroids. Differences in the process of care in pediatric ED settings (compared to general EDs) may increase the likelihood of adherence to NIH treatment guidelines.

C-reactive protein testing does not decrease antibiotic use for acute cough illness when compared to a clinical algorithm.

BACKGROUND: Antibiotics are commonly overused in adults seeking emergency department (ED) care for acute cough illness. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of a point-of-care C-reactive protein (CRP) blood test on antibiotic treatment of acute cough illness in adults. METHODS: A randomized controlled trial was conducted in a single urban ED in the United States. The participants were adults (age ≥ 18 years) seeking care for acute cough illness (≤ 21 days duration); 139 participants were enrolled, and 131 completed the ED visit. Between November 2005 and March 2006, study participants had attached to their medical charts a clinical algorithm with recommendations for chest X-ray study or antibiotic treatment. For CRP-tested patients, recommendations were based on the same algorithm plus the CRP level. RESULTS: There was no difference in antibiotic use between CRP-tested and control participants (37% [95% confidence interval (CI) 29-45%] vs. 31% [95% CI 23-39%], respectively; p = 0.46) or chest X-ray use (52% [95% CI 43-61%] vs. 48% [95% CI 39-57%], respectively; p = 0.67). Among CRP-tested participants, those with normal CRP levels received antibiotics much less frequently than those with indeterminate CRP levels (20% [95% CI 7-33%] vs. 50% [95% CI 32-68%], respectively; p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Point-of-care CRP testing does not seem to provide any additional value beyond a point-of-care clinical decision support for reducing antibiotic use in adults with acute cough illness.

Factors associated with prolonged emergency department length of stay for admitted children.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of and to identify factors associated with prolonged emergency department length-of-stay (ED-LOS) for admitted children. METHODS: Data were from the 2001-2006 National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. The primary outcome was prolonged ED-LOS (defined as total ED time >8 hours) among admitted children. Predictor variables included patient-level (eg, demographics including race/ethnicity, triage score, diagnosis, and admission to inpatient bed vs intensive care unit), physician-level (intern/resident vs attending physician), and system-level (eg, region, metropolitan area, ED and hospital type, time and season, and diagnostic and therapeutic procedures) factors. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify independent predictors of prolonged ED-LOS. RESULTS: Median ED-LOS for admitted children was 3.7 hours. Thirteen percent of pediatric patients admitted from the ED experienced prolonged ED-LOS. Factors associated with prolonged ED-LOS for admitted children were Hispanic ethnicity (odds ratio [OR], 1.76; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.10-2.81), ED arrival between midnight and 8 a.m. (OR, 2.80; 95% CI, 1.87-4.20), winter season (January-March: OR, 1.81; 95% CI, 1.20-2.74), computed tomography scan or magnetic resonance imaging (OR, 1.65; 95% CI, 1.05-2.58), and intravenous fluids or medications (OR, 1.81; 95% CI, 1.10-2.97). Children requiring ICU admissions (OR, 0.29; 95% CI, 0.11-0.77) or receiving pulse oximetry in the ED (OR, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.34-0.81) had a lower risk of experiencing prolonged ED-LOS. CONCLUSIONS: We found that prolonged ED-LOS occurs frequently for admitted pediatric patients and is associated with Hispanic ethnicity, presentation during winter season, and early morning arrival. Potential strategies to reduce ED-LOS include improved availability of interpreter services and enhanced staffing and additional inpatient bed availability during winter season and overnight hours.

Supervising the supervisors--procedural training and supervision in internal medicine residency.

BACKGROUND: At teaching hospitals, bedside procedures (paracentesis, thoracentesis, lumbar puncture, arthrocentesis and central venous catheter insertion) are performed by junior residents and supervised by senior peers. Residents' perceptions about supervision or how often peer supervision produces unsafe clinical situations are unknown. OBJECTIVE: To examine the experience and practice patterns of residents performing bedside procedures. DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS: Cross-sectional e-mail survey of 653 internal medicine (IM) residents at seven California teaching hospitals. MEASUREMENTS: Surveys asked questions in three areas: (1) resident experience performing procedures: numbers of procedures performed and whether they received other (e.g., simulator) training; (2) resident comfort performing and supervising procedures; (3) resident reports of their current level of supervision doing procedures, experience with complications as well as perceptions of factors that may have contributed to complications. RESULTS: Three hundred sixty-seven (56%) of the residents responded. Most PGY1 residents had performed fewer than five of any of the procedures, but most PGY-3 residents had performed at least ten by the end of their training. Resident comfort for each procedure increased with the number of procedures performed (p < 0.001). Although residents reported that peer supervision happened often, they also reported high rates of supervising a procedure before feeling comfortable with proper technique. The majority of residents (64%) reported at least one complication and did not feel supervision would have prevented complications, even though many reported complications represented technique- or preparation-related problems. CONCLUSIONS: Residents report low levels of comfort and experience with procedures, and frequently report supervising prior to feeling comfortable. Our findings suggest a need to examine best practices for procedural supervision of trainees.

Decreasing frequency of asthma education in primary care.

BACKGROUND: Provision of asthma education is associated with decreased hospitalizations and emergency department visits for patients with asthma. Our objective was to describe national trends in the provision of asthma education by primary care physicians in office settings. METHODS: We used the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, a nationally representative dataset of patient visits to office-based physicians. We identified visits to primary care physicians for patients where asthma was a reason for the visit (asthma-related visits) or who had a diagnosis of asthma, but asthma was not a specific reason for the visit (asthma-unrelated visits) and estimated the percentage of visits where asthma education was provided. Data were available for asthma-related visits from 2001-2006 and from 2005-2006 only for asthma-unrelated visits. We examined time trends in asthma education and used multivariable logistic regression to identify independent patient and system-related factors that were predictors of asthma education. RESULTS: The percentage of asthma-related visits where asthma education was provided declined during the study period, from 50% in 2001-2002 to 38% in 2005-2006 (p = 0.03). Asthma education was provided less frequently during asthma-unrelated visits compared to asthma-related visits (12% vs. 38%, p<0.0001). Independent predictors of providing asthma education included age < or = 18 years, receipt of a controller medication, incorporation of an allied health professional during the visit, longer visit duration and Northeast region. CONCLUSIONS: Asthma education is underused by primary care physicians and rates have declined from 2001-2006. Interventions designed to promote awareness and greater use of asthma education are needed.

ED antibiotic use for acute respiratory illnesses since pneumonia performance measure inception.

OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to determine if emergency department (ED)-administered antibiotics for patients discharged home with nonpneumonia acute respiratory tract infections (ARIs) have increased since national pneumonia performance measure implementation, including antibiotic administration within 4 hours of arrival. DESIGN: Time series analysis. SETTING: Six university and 7 Veterans Administration EDs participating in the Improving Antibiotic Use for Acute Care Treatment (IMPAACT) trial (randomized educational intervention to reduce antibiotics for bronchitis). PARTICIPANTS: Randomly selected adult (age >18 years) ED visits for acute cough, diagnosed with nonpneumonia ARIs, discharged home during winters (November-February) of 2003 to 2007. MAIN OUTCOME: Time trend in ED-administered antibiotics, adjusted for patient demographics, comorbidities, vital signs, ED length of stay, IMPAACT intervention status, geographic region, Veterans Administration/university setting, and site and provider level clustering. RESULTS: Six thousand four hundred seventy-six met study criteria. Three hundred ninety-four (6.1%) received ED-administered antibiotics. Emergency department-administered antibiotics did not increase across the study period among all IMPAACT sites (odds ratio [OR], 0.88; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.76-1.01) after adjusting for age, congestive heart failure history, temperature higher than 100 degrees F, heart rate more than 100, blood cultures obtained, diagnoses, and ED length of stay. The ED-administered antibiotic rate decreased at IMPAACT intervention (OR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.69-0.93) but not nonintervention sites (OR, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.91-1.19). Adjusted proportions receiving ED-administered antibiotics were 6.1% (95% CI, 2.7%-13.2%) for 2003 to 2004; 4.8% (95% CI, 2.2%-10.0%) for 2004 to 2005; 4.6% (95% CI, 2.7%-7.8%) for 2005 to 2006; and 4.2% (95% CI, 2.2%-8.0%) for 2006 to 2007. CONCLUSIONS: Emergency department-administered antibiotics did not increase for patients with acute cough discharged home with nonpneumonia ARIs since pneumonia antibiotic timing performance measure implementation in these academic EDs.

Shop for quality or volume? Volume, quality, and outcomes of coronary artery bypass surgery.

BACKGROUND: Care from high-volume centers or surgeons has been associated with lower mortality rates in coronary artery bypass surgery, but how volume and quality of care relate to each other is not well understood. OBJECTIVE: To determine how volume and differences in quality of care influence outcomes after coronary artery bypass surgery. DESIGN: Observational cohort. SETTING: 164 hospitals in the United States. PATIENTS: 81,289 patients 18 years or older who had coronary artery bypass grafting from 1 October 2003 to 1 September 2005. MEASUREMENTS: Hospital and surgeon case volumes were estimated by using a data set. Quality measures were defined by whether patients received specific medications and by counting the number of measures missed. Hierarchical models were used to estimate effects of volume and quality on death and readmission up to 30 days. RESULTS: After adjustment for clinical factors, lowest surgeon volume and highest hospital volume were associated with higher mortality rates and lower readmission risk, respectively. Patients who did not receive aspirin (odds ratio, 1.89 [95% CI, 1.65 to 2.16) or beta-blockers (odds ratio, 1.29 [CI, 1.12 to 1.49]) had higher odds for death, after adjustment for clinical risk factors and case volume. Adjustment for individual quality measures did not alter associations between volume and readmission or death. However, if no quality measures were missed, mortality rates at the lowest-volume centers (adjusted mortality rate, 1.05% [CI, 0.81% to 1.29%]) and highest-volume centers (adjusted mortality rate, 0.98% [CI, 0.72% to 1.25%]) were similar. LIMITATION: Because administrative data were used, the quality measures may not replicate measures collected through chart abstraction. CONCLUSION: Maximizing adherence to quality measures is associated with improved mortality rates, independent of hospital or surgeon volume. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE: California HealthCare Foundation.

Physician champions are key to improving antibiotic prescribing quality.

BACKGROUND: The previously reported IMPAACT study was a cluster randomized controlled trial of a patient and physician educational intervention designed to reduce antibiotic prescribing for acute respiratory tract infections (ARIs) in emergency departments (EDs) in the United States. On average, the intervention resulted in a modest improvement in antibiotic prescribing behavior at the end of Year 1 and further improvement after Year 2. Yet the intervention's impact was large at some sites but minimal or even negative at others. A study was undertaken to identify organizational factors that influenced the effectiveness (Organizational Effect Modifiers [OEMs]) of the intervention. METHODS: Focus groups of nurses and ED staff and semistructured interviews of local project leaders, nurse managers, and quality improvement (QI) officers were performed at seven EDs across the United States. Effectiveness of the local project leader, institutional emphasis on patient satisfaction ratings, and institutional history with and approach to QI were initially identified as key potential OEMs. Two investigators independently read the transcripts for each site and, using prespecified rating scales, rated the presence of each OEM. FINDINGS: The perceived effectiveness of the local project leader was most strongly linked to the effectiveness of the intervention. Perceived institutional emphasis on patient satisfaction and institutional history of and approach to QI (top down or bottom up) did not appear to be closely linked with intervention effectiveness. DISCUSSION: An effective local leader to serve as a physician champion was key to the success of this project. Organizational factors modify the effectiveness of QI interventions targeting individual physician performance and should be addressed during program implementation.

Does gender influence emergency department management and outcomes in geriatric abdominal pain?

Prior studies have suggested gender-based differences in the care of elderly patients with acute medical conditions such as myocardial infarction and stroke, but it is unknown whether these differences are seen in the care of abdominal pain. The objective of this study was to examine differences in evaluation, management, and diagnoses between elderly men and women presenting to the Emergency Department (ED) with abdominal pain. For this observational cohort study, a chart review was conducted of consecutive patients aged 70 years or older presenting with a chief complaint of abdominal pain. Primary outcomes were care processes (e.g., receipt of pain medications, imaging) and clinical outcomes (e.g., hospitalization, etiology of pain, and mortality). Of 131 patients evaluated, 60% were women. Groups were similar in age, ethnicity, insurance status, and predicted mortality. Men and women did not differ in the frequency of medical (56% vs. 57%, respectively), surgical (25% vs. 18%, respectively), or non-specific abdominal pain (19% vs. 25%, respectively, p = 0.52) diagnoses. Similar proportions underwent abdominal imaging (62% vs. 68%, respectively, p = 0.42), received antibiotics (29% vs. 30%, respectively, p = 0.85), and opiates for pain (35% vs. 41%, respectively, p = 0.50). Men had a higher rate of death within 3 months of the visit (19% vs. 1%, respectively, p < 0.001). Unlike prior research in younger patients with abdominal pain and among elders with other acute conditions, we noted no difference in management and diagnoses between older men and women who presented with abdominal pain. Despite a similar predicted mortality and ED evaluation, men had a higher rate of death within 3 months.