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1.
JCO Oncol Pract ; 20(1): 59-68, 2024 Jan.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38085028

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Despite guidelines recommending bone-modifying agents (BMAs) to decrease skeletal-related events (SREs) in men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), BMAs are underutilized. In this retrospective cohort study, we report the factors associated with BMA use in a national health care delivery system. METHODS: We used the Veterans Affairs Corporate Data Warehouse to identify men with mCRPC between 2010 and 2017. BMA prescribing frequency was evaluated, and the association between patient- and disease-specific factors with BMA use was assessed using multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: Among 3,980 men identified with mCRPC (mean age 73.5 years, 29% Black), 47% received a BMA; median time to BMA from start of mCRPC treatment was 102 days. Factors associated with BMA use included previous BMA use (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 7.81 [95% CI, 6.48 to 9.47]), diagnosis code for bone metastases (aOR, 1.26 [95% CI, 1.08 to 1.46]), and concomitant corticosteroid use (aOR, 1.53 [95% CI, 1.29 to 1.82]). Decreased BMA use was associated with advancing age (aOR, 0.85 per 10 years [95% CI, 0.78 to 0.92]), Charlson comorbidity index ≥2 (aOR, 0.76 [95% CI, 0.63 to 0.93]), Black race (aOR, 0.83 [95% CI, 0.70 to 0.98]), and decreased estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR; aOR, 0.19 [95% CI, 0.11 to 0.32] for eGFR 0-29 mL/minutes; aOR, 0.76 [95% CI, 0.64 to 0.91] for 30-59 mL/minutes). CONCLUSION: Patients who are older, Black, or have more comorbidities are less likely to receive guideline concordant care to prevent SREs. These observations highlight the unique challenges of caring for patients with mCRPC and the need for future studies to increase BMA use in these populations.


Subject(s)
Bone Neoplasms , Prostatic Neoplasms, Castration-Resistant , Male , Humans , Aged , Child , Prostatic Neoplasms, Castration-Resistant/drug therapy , Prostatic Neoplasms, Castration-Resistant/complications , Prostatic Neoplasms, Castration-Resistant/pathology , Retrospective Studies , Bone Neoplasms/drug therapy , Bone Neoplasms/complications , Bone Neoplasms/pathology , Delivery of Health Care
2.
Urology ; 184: 135-141, 2024 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37951360

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To examine survival and disease control outcomes, including metastasis-related survival outcomes, in a large contemporary cohort of patients undergoing radical prostatectomy for localized prostate cancer. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of men with localized prostate cancer treated with radical prostatectomy from 2005 to 2015 with follow-up through 2019 in the Veterans Health Administration. We defined biochemical recurrence (BCR) as a prostate-specific antigen ≥0.2 ng/mL. We used a validated natural language processing encoded dataset to identify incident metastatic prostate cancer. We estimated overall survival from time of surgery, time of BCR, and time of first metastasis using the Kaplan-Meier method. We then estimated time from surgery to BCR, BCR to metastatic disease, and prostate-cancer-specific survival from various time points using cumulative incidence considering competing risk of death. RESULTS: Of 21,992 men undergoing radical prostatectomy, we identified 5951 (27%) who developed BCR. Of men with BCR, 677 (11%) developed metastases. We estimated the 10-year cumulative incidence of BCR and metastases after BCR were 28% and 20%, respectively. Median overall survival after BCR was 14years, with 10-year survival of 70%. From the time of metastasis, median overall survival approached 7years, with 10-year overall survival of 34%. Prostate cancer-specific survival for the entire cohort at 10years was 94%. CONCLUSION: In this large contemporary national cohort, survival for men with biochemically recurrent prostate cancer is longer than historical cohorts. When counseling patients and designing clinical studies, these updated estimates may serve as more reliable reflections of current outcomes.


Subject(s)
Prostate , Prostatic Neoplasms , Male , Humans , Prostate/pathology , Retrospective Studies , Prostatic Neoplasms/pathology , Prostate-Specific Antigen , Prostatectomy/methods
3.
Gastroenterology ; 165(6): 1420-1429.e10, 2023 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37597631

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Tools that can automatically predict incident esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) and gastric cardia adenocarcinoma (GCA) using electronic health records to guide screening decisions are needed. METHODS: The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Corporate Data Warehouse was accessed to identify Veterans with 1 or more encounters between 2005 and 2018. Patients diagnosed with EAC (n = 8430) or GCA (n = 2965) were identified in the VHA Central Cancer Registry and compared with 10,256,887 controls. Predictors included demographic characteristics, prescriptions, laboratory results, and diagnoses between 1 and 5 years before the index date. The Kettles Esophageal and Cardia Adenocarcinoma predictioN (K-ECAN) tool was developed and internally validated using simple random sampling imputation and extreme gradient boosting, a machine learning method. Training was performed in 50% of the data, preliminary validation in 25% of the data, and final testing in 25% of the data. RESULTS: K-ECAN was well-calibrated and had better discrimination (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AuROC], 0.77) than previously validated models, such as the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study (AuROC, 0.68) and Kunzmann model (AuROC, 0.64), or published guidelines. Using only data from between 3 and 5 years before index diminished its accuracy slightly (AuROC, 0.75). Undersampling men to simulate a non-VHA population, AUCs of the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study and Kunzmann model improved, but K-ECAN was still the most accurate (AuROC, 0.85). Although gastroesophageal reflux disease was strongly associated with EAC, it contributed only a small proportion of gain in information for prediction. CONCLUSIONS: K-ECAN is a novel, internally validated tool predicting incident EAC and GCA using electronic health records data. Further work is needed to validate K-ECAN outside VHA and to assess how best to implement it within electronic health records.


Subject(s)
Adenocarcinoma , Esophageal Neoplasms , Stomach Neoplasms , Male , Humans , Cardia/pathology , Electronic Health Records , Esophageal Neoplasms/diagnosis , Esophageal Neoplasms/epidemiology , Esophageal Neoplasms/pathology , Adenocarcinoma/diagnosis , Adenocarcinoma/epidemiology , Adenocarcinoma/pathology , Esophagus , Stomach Neoplasms/diagnosis , Stomach Neoplasms/epidemiology , Stomach Neoplasms/pathology , Machine Learning
4.
Cancer ; 129(20): 3326-3333, 2023 10 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37389814

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Accurate information regarding real-world outcomes after contemporary radiation therapy for localized prostate cancer is important for shared decision-making. Clinically relevant end points at 10 years among men treated within a national health care delivery system were examined. METHODS: National administrative, cancer registry, and electronic health record data were used for patients undergoing definitive radiation therapy with or without concurrent androgen deprivation therapy within the Veterans Health Administration from 2005 to 2015. National Death Index data were used through 2019 for overall and prostate cancer-specific survival and identified date of incident metastatic prostate cancer using a validated natural language processing algorithm. Metastasis-free, prostate cancer-specific, and overall survival using Kaplan-Meier methods were estimated. RESULTS: Among 41,735 men treated with definitive radiation therapy, the median age at diagnosis was 65 years and median follow-up was 8.7 years. Most had intermediate (42%) and high-risk (33%) disease, with 40% receiving androgen deprivation therapy as part of initial therapy. Unadjusted 10-year metastasis-free survival was 96%, 92%, and 80% for low-, intermediate-, and high-risk disease. Similarly, unadjusted 10-year prostate cancer-specific survival was 98%, 97%, and 90% for low-, intermediate-, and high-risk disease. The unadjusted overall survival was lower across increasing disease risk categories at 77%, 71%, and 62% for low-, intermediate-, and high-risk disease (p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: These data provide population-based 10-year benchmarks for clinically relevant end points, including metastasis-free survival, among patients with localized prostate cancer undergoing radiation therapy using contemporary techniques. The survival rates for high-risk disease in particular suggest that outcomes have recently improved.


Subject(s)
Prostatic Neoplasms , Male , Humans , Prostatic Neoplasms/pathology , Androgen Antagonists/therapeutic use , Androgens , Disease-Free Survival , Prostate-Specific Antigen , Delivery of Health Care , Treatment Outcome
5.
Am J Gastroenterol ; 118(7): 1168-1174, 2023 07 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36716445

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Guidelines suggest 1-time screening with esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) for Barrett's esophagus (BE) in individuals at an increased risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). We aimed to estimate the yield of repeat EGD performed at prolonged intervals after a normal index EGD. METHODS: We conducted a national retrospective analysis within the U S Veterans Health Administration, identifying patients with a normal index EGD between 2003 and 2009 who subsequently had a repeat EGD. We tabulated the proportion with a new diagnosis of BE, EAC, or esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma (EGJAC) and conducted manual chart review of a sample. We fitted logistic regression models for the odds of a new diagnosis of BE/EAC/EGJAC. RESULTS: We identified 71,216 individuals who had a repeat EGD between 1 and 16 years after an index EGD without billing or cancer registry codes for BE/EAC/EGJAC. Of them, 4,088 had a new billing or cancer registry code for BE/EAC/EGJAC after the repeat EGD. On manual review of a stratified sample, most did not truly have new BE/EAC/EGJAC. A longer duration between EGD was associated with greater odds of a new diagnosis (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] for each 5 years 1.31; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.19-1.44), particularly among those who were younger during the index EGD (ages 19-29 years: aOR 3.92; 95% CI 1.24-12.4; ages 60-69 years: aOR 1.19; 95% CI 1.01-1.40). DISCUSSION: The yield of repeat EGD for BE/EAC/EGJAC seems to increase with time after a normal index EGD, particularly for younger individuals. Prospective studies are warranted to confirm these findings.


Subject(s)
Adenocarcinoma , Barrett Esophagus , Esophageal Neoplasms , Humans , Barrett Esophagus/diagnosis , Barrett Esophagus/pathology , Retrospective Studies , Esophageal Neoplasms/diagnosis , Esophageal Neoplasms/epidemiology , Esophageal Neoplasms/etiology , Adenocarcinoma/diagnosis , Adenocarcinoma/epidemiology , Adenocarcinoma/complications , Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal/adverse effects
6.
Transl Behav Med ; 12(11): 1029-1037, 2022 11 21.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36408955

ABSTRACT

Obesity is a well-established risk factor for increased morbidity and mortality. Comprehensive lifestyle interventions, pharmacotherapy, and bariatric surgery are three effective treatment approaches for obesity. The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) offers all three domains but in different configurations across medical facilities. Study aim was to explore the relationship between configurations of three types of obesity treatments, context, and population impact across VHA using coincidence analysis. This was a cross-sectional analysis of survey data describing weight management treatment components linked with administrative data to compute population impact for each facility. Coincidence analysis was used to identify combinations of treatment components that led to higher population impact. Facilities with higher impact were in the top two quintiles for (1) reach to eligible patients and (2) weight outcomes. Sixty-nine facilities were included in the analyses. The final model explained 88% (29/33) of the higher-impact facilities with 91% consistency (29/32) and was comprised of five distinct pathways. Each of the five pathways depended on facility complexity-level plus factors from one or more of the three domains of weight management: comprehensive lifestyle interventions, pharmacotherapy, and/or bariatric surgery. Three pathways include components from multiple treatment domains. Combinations of conditions formed "recipes" that lead to higher population impact. Our coincidence analyses highlighted both the importance of local context and how combinations of specific conditions consistently and uniquely distinguished higher impact facilities from lower impact facilities for weight management.


Obesity can contribute to increased rates of ill health and earlier death. Proven treatments for obesity include programs that help people improve lifestyle behaviors (e.g., being physically active), medications, and/or bariatric surgery. In the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), all three types of treatments are offered, but not at every medical center­in practice, individual medical centers offer different combinations of treatment options to their patients. VHA medical centers also have a wide range of population impact. We identified high-impact medical centers (centers with the most patients participating in obesity treatment who would benefit from treatment AND that reported the most weight loss for their patients) and examined which treatment configurations led to better population-level outcomes (i.e., higher population impact). We used a novel analysis approach that allows us to compare combinations of treatment components, instead of analyzing them one-by-one. We found that optimal combinations are context-sensitive and depend on the type of center (e.g., large centers affiliated with a university vs. smaller rural centers). We list five different "recipes" of treatment combinations leading to higher population-level impact. This information can be used by clinical leaders to design treatment programs to maximize benefits for their patients.


Subject(s)
Veterans Health , Veterans , United States/epidemiology , Humans , United States Department of Veterans Affairs , Cross-Sectional Studies , Obesity/therapy , Obesity/epidemiology
8.
BMC Health Serv Res ; 21(1): 797, 2021 Aug 11.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34380495

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: While the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) MOVE! weight management program is effective in helping patients lose weight and is available at every VHA medical center across the United States, reaching patients to engage them in treatment remains a challenge. Facility-based MOVE! programs vary in structures, processes of programming, and levels of reach, with no single factor explaining variation in reach. Configurational analysis, based on Boolean algebra and set theory, represents a mathematical approach to data analysis well-suited for discerning how conditions interact and identifying multiple pathways leading to the same outcome. We applied configurational analysis to identify facility-level obesity treatment program arrangements that directly linked to higher reach. METHODS: A national survey was fielded in March 2017 to elicit information about more than 75 different components of obesity treatment programming in all VHA medical centers. This survey data was linked to reach scores available through administrative data. Reach scores were calculated by dividing the total number of Veterans who are candidates for obesity treatment by the number of "new" MOVE! visits in 2017 for each program and then multiplied by 1000. Programs with the top 40 % highest reach scores (n = 51) were compared to those in the lowest 40 % (n = 51). Configurational analysis was applied to identify specific combinations of conditions linked to reach rates. RESULTS: One hundred twenty-seven MOVE! program representatives responded to the survey and had complete reach data. The final solution consisted of 5 distinct pathways comprising combinations of program components related to pharmacotherapy, bariatric surgery, and comprehensive lifestyle intervention; 3 of the 5 pathways depended on the size/complexity of medical center. The 5 pathways explained 78 % (40/51) of the facilities in the higher-reach group with 85 % consistency (40/47). CONCLUSIONS: Specific combinations of facility-level conditions identified through configurational analysis uniquely distinguished facilities with higher reach from those with lower reach. Solutions demonstrated the importance of how local context plus specific program components linked together to account for a key implementation outcome. These findings will guide system recommendations about optimal program structures to maximize reach to patients who would benefit from obesity treatment such as the MOVE!


Subject(s)
United States Department of Veterans Affairs , Veterans , Humans , Life Style , Obesity/prevention & control , United States , Veterans Health
9.
J Gen Intern Med ; 36(2): 288-295, 2021 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32901440

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Integrating evidence-based innovations (EBIs) into sustained use is challenging; most implementations in health systems fail. Increasing frontline teams' quality improvement (QI) capability may increase the implementation readiness and success of EBI implementation. OBJECTIVES: Develop a QI training program ("Learn. Engage. Act. Process." (LEAP)) and evaluate its impact on frontline obesity treatment teams to improve treatment delivered within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). DESIGN: This was a pre-post evaluation of the LEAP program. MOVE! coordinators (N = 68) were invited to participate in LEAP; 24 were randomly assigned to four starting times. MOVE! coordinators formed teams to work on improvement aims. Pre-post surveys assessed team organizational readiness for implementing change and self-rated QI skills. Program satisfaction, assignment completion, and aim achievement were also evaluated. PARTICIPANTS: VHA facility-based MOVE! teams. INTERVENTIONS: LEAP is a 21-week QI training program. Core components include audit and feedback reports, structured curriculum, coaching and learning community, and online platform. MAIN MEASURES: Organizational readiness for implementing change (ORIC); self-rated QI skills before and after LEAP; assignment completion and aim achievement; program satisfaction. KEY RESULTS: Seventeen of 24 randomized teams participated in LEAP. Participants' self-ratings across six categories of QI skills increased after completing LEAP (p< 0.0001). The ORIC measure showed no statistically significant change overall; the change efficacy subscale marginally improved (p < 0.08), and the change commitment subscale remained the same (p = 0.66). Depending on the assignment, 35 to 100% of teams completed the assignment. Nine teams achieved their aim. Most team members were satisfied or very satisfied (81-89%) with the LEAP components, 74% intended to continue using QI methods, and 81% planned to continue improvement work. CONCLUSIONS: LEAP is scalable and does not require travel or time away from clinical responsibilities. While QI skills improved among participating teams and most completed the work, they struggled to do so amid competing clinical priorities.


Subject(s)
Mentoring , Quality Improvement , Clinical Competence , Curriculum , Humans , Implementation Science
10.
Fed Pract ; 36(Suppl 1): S16-S21, 2019 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30867631

ABSTRACT

Guideline concordance with PSA surveillance among veterans treated with definitive radiation therapy was generally high, but opportunities may exist to improve surveillance among select groups.

11.
BJU Int ; 124(1): 55-61, 2019 07.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30246937

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To characterise bone scan use, and potential overuse, after radical prostatectomy (RP) using data from a large, national integrated delivery system. Overuse of imaging is well documented in the setting of newly diagnosed prostate cancer, but whether overuse persists after RP remains unknown. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We identified 12 269 patients with prostate cancer treated with RP between 2005 and 2008 using the Veterans Administration Central Cancer Registry. We used administrative and laboratory data to examine rates of bone scan use, including preceding prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, and receipt of adjuvant or salvage therapy. We then performed multivariable logistic regression to identify factors associated with post-RP bone scan use. RESULTS: At a median follow-up of 6.8 years, one in five men (22%) underwent a post-RP bone scan at a median PSA level of 0.2 ng/mL. Half of bone scans (48%) were obtained in men who did not receive further treatment with androgen-deprivation or radiation therapy. After adjustment, post-RP bone scan was associated with a prior bone scan (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.55, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.32-1.84), positive surgical margin (aOR 1.68, 95% CI 1.40-2.01), preoperative PSA level (aOR 1.02, 95% CI 1.01-1.03), as well as Hispanic ethnicity, Black race, and increasing D'Amico risk category, but not with age or comorbidity. CONCLUSION: We found a substantial rate of bone scan utilisation after RP. The majority were performed for PSA levels of <1 ng/mL where the likelihood of a positive test is low. More judicious use of imaging appears warranted in the post-RP setting.


Subject(s)
Bone Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging , Prostatectomy , Prostatic Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging , Prostatic Neoplasms/therapy , Tomography, X-Ray Computed/statistics & numerical data , Aged , Androgen Antagonists/therapeutic use , Bone Neoplasms/secondary , Combined Modality Therapy , Humans , Male , Margins of Excision , Middle Aged , Procedures and Techniques Utilization , Prostate-Specific Antigen/blood , Prostatic Neoplasms/pathology , Salvage Therapy
12.
Med Care ; 57(4): e22-e27, 2019 04.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30394981

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Electronic health records provide clinically rich data for research and quality improvement work. However, the data are often unstructured text, may be inconsistently recorded and extracted into centralized databases, making them difficult to use for research. OBJECTIVES: We sought to quantify the variation in how key laboratory measures are recorded in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Corporate Data Warehouse (CDW) across hospitals and over time. We included 6 laboratory tests commonly drawn within the first 24 hours of hospital admission (albumin, bilirubin, creatinine, hemoglobin, sodium, white blood cell count) from fiscal years 2005-2015. RESULTS: We assessed laboratory test capture for 5,454,411 acute hospital admissions at 121 sites across the VA. The mapping of standardized laboratory nomenclature (Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes, LOINCs) to test results in CDW varied within hospital by laboratory test. The relationship between LOINCs and laboratory test names improved over time; by FY2015, 109 (95.6%) hospitals had >90% of the 6 laboratory tests mapped to an appropriate LOINC. All fields used to classify test results are provided in an Appendix (Supplemental Digital Content 1, http://links.lww.com/MLR/B635). CONCLUSIONS: The use of electronic health record data for research requires assessing data consistency and quality. Using laboratory test results requires the use of both unstructured text fields and the identification of appropriate LOINCs. When using data from multiple facilities, the results should be carefully examined by facility and over time to maximize the capture of data fields.


Subject(s)
Data Warehousing/statistics & numerical data , Electronic Health Records/statistics & numerical data , Electronic Health Records/standards , Hospitals, Veterans , Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes , Humans , Longitudinal Studies , Middle Aged , United States , United States Department of Veterans Affairs
13.
JMIR Diabetes ; 3(3): e14, 2018 Oct 09.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30305265

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The burden of obesity is high among US veterans, yet many face barriers to engaging in in-person, facility-based treatment programs. To improve access to weight-management services, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) developed TeleMOVE, a home-based, 82-day curriculum that utilizes in-home messaging devices to promote weight loss in VHA patients facing barriers to accessing facility-based services. OBJECTIVE: The primary aim was to establish preliminary evidence for the program by comparing outcomes for TeleMOVE with standard, facility-based MOVE weight-management services (group, individual modalities) over the evaluation period based on the number of patients enrolled per site and the program's clinical effectiveness, as demonstrated by average weight lost per patient. The secondary aim was to understand factors influencing TeleMOVE implementation variability across demonstration sites to develop recommendations to improve national program dissemination. METHODS: We employed a formative mixed-methods design to evaluate the phased implementation of TeleMOVE at 9 demonstration sites and compare patient- and site-level measures of program uptake. Data were collected between October 1, 2009 and September 30, 2011. Patient-level program outcomes were extracted from VHA patient care databases to evaluate program enrollment rates and clinical outcomes. To assess preliminary clinical effectiveness, weight loss outcomes for veterans who enrolled in TeleMOVE were compared with outcomes for veterans enrolled in standard MOVE! at each demonstration site, as well as with national averages during the first 2 years of program implementation. For the secondary aim, we invited program stakeholders to participate in 2 rounds of semistructured interviews about aspects of TeleMOVE implementation processes, site-level contextual factors, and program delivery. Twenty-eight stakeholders participated in audio-recorded interviews. RESULTS: Although stakeholders at 3 sites declined to be interviewed, objective program uptake was high at 2 sites, delayed-high at 2 sites, and low at 5 sites. At 6 months post enrollment, the mean weight loss was comparable for TeleMOVE (n=417) and MOVE! (n=1543) participants at -5.2 lb (SD 14.4) and -5.1 lb (SD 12.2), respectively (P=.91). All sites reported high program complexity because TeleMOVE required more staff time per participant than MOVE! due to logistical and technical assistance issues related to the devices. High-uptake sites overcame implementation challenges by leveraging communication networks with stakeholders, adapting the program to patient needs whenever possible, setting programmatic goals and monitoring feedback of results, and taking time to reflect and evaluate on delivery to foster incremental delivery improvements, whereas low-uptake sites reported less leadership support and effective communication among stakeholders. CONCLUSIONS: This implementation evaluation of a clinical telehealth program demonstrated the value of partnership-based research in which researchers not only provided operational leaders with feedback regarding the effectiveness of a new program but also relevant feedback into contextual factors related to program implementation to enable adaptations for national deployment efforts.

14.
Health Serv Outcomes Res Methodol ; 18(3): 143-154, 2018 Sep.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36176573

ABSTRACT

Hospital readmission is a key metric of hospital quality, such as for comparing Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals to private sector hospitals. To calculate readmission rates, one must first identify individual hospitalizations. However, in the VA Corporate Data Warehouse (CDW), data are organized by "bedded stays," that is, any stay in a healthcare facility where a patient is provided a bed, not hospitalizations. Thus, CDW data poses several challenges to identifying hospitalizations including: (1) bedded stays include both non-acute inpatient stays (i.e. nursing home, mental health) and acute inpatient hospital care; (2) transfers between VA facilities appear as separate bedded stays; and (3) VA care may also be fragmented by non-VA care. Thus, we sought to develop a rigorous method to identify acute hospitalizations using the VA CDW. We examined all VA bedded stays with an admission date in 2009. Non-acute portions of a stay were dropped. VA to VA transfers were merged when consecutive discharge and admission dates were within one calendar day. Finally, hospitalizations that occurred in a non-VA facility were merged. The 30-day readmission rate was calculated at each step of the algorithm to demonstrate the impact. The total number of VA medical hospitalizations in 2009 with live discharges was 505,861. The 30-day readmission rate after adjusting for VA to VA transfers and incorporating non-VA care was 18.3% (95% confidence interval (CI): 18.2, 18.4%).

15.
Am J Prev Med ; 53(1): 70-77, 2017 Jul.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28094135

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: This clinical demonstration trial compared the effectiveness of the Veterans Affairs Diabetes Prevention Program (VA-DPP) with an evidence-based usual care weight management program (MOVE!®) in the Veterans Health Administration health system. DESIGN: Prospective, pragmatic, non-randomized comparative effectiveness study of two behavioral weight management interventions. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: Obese/overweight Veterans with prediabetes were recruited from three geographically diverse VA sites between 2012 and 2014. INTERVENTION: VA-DPP included 22 group-based intensive lifestyle change sessions. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Weight change at 6 and 12 months, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) at 12 months, and VA health expenditure changes at 15 months were assessed using VA electronic health record and claims data. Between- and within-group comparisons for weight and HbA1c were done using linear mixed-effects models controlling for age, gender, race/ethnicity, baseline outcome values, and site. Analyses were conducted in 2015-2016. RESULTS: A total of 387 participants enrolled (273 VA-DPP, 114 MOVE!). More VA-DPP participants completed at least one (73.3% VA-DPP vs 57.5% MOVE! p=0.002); four (57.5% VA-DPP vs 42.5% MOVE!, p=0.007); and eight or more sessions (42.5% VA-DPP vs 31% MOVE!, p=0.035). Weight loss from baseline was significant at both 6 (p<0.001) and 12 months (p<0.001) for VA-DPP participants, but only significant at 6 months for MOVE! participants (p=0.004). Between groups, there were significant differences in 6-month weight loss (-4.1 kg VA-DPP vs -1.9 kg MOVE!, p<0.001), but not 12-month weight loss (-3.4 kg VA-DPP vs -2.0 kg MOVE!, p=0.16). There were no significant differences in HbA1c change or outpatient, inpatient, and total VA expenditures. CONCLUSIONS: VA-DPP participants had higher participation rates and weight loss at 6 months, but similar weight, HbA1c, and health expenditures at 12 months compared to MOVE! PARTICIPANTS: Features of VA-DPP may help enhance the capability of MOVE! to reach a larger proportion of the served population and promote individual-level weight maintenance.


Subject(s)
Behavior Therapy/methods , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/prevention & control , Obesity/therapy , Prediabetic State/therapy , Veterans Health , Weight Reduction Programs/methods , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Body Weight , Disease Progression , Electronic Health Records/statistics & numerical data , Evidence-Based Medicine/methods , Exercise/physiology , Female , Glycated Hemoglobin/analysis , Humans , Life Style , Male , Middle Aged , Obesity/blood , Obesity/complications , Prediabetic State/blood , Prediabetic State/pathology , Prospective Studies , Treatment Outcome , United States , United States Department of Veterans Affairs/statistics & numerical data , Weight Loss
16.
Urology ; 60(2): 344, 2002 Aug.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-12137846

ABSTRACT

Cystic dysplasia is a benign congenital lesion of the rete testis often associated with ipsilateral wolffian duct and ureteral abnormalities. We present a case of cystic dysplasia and associated anomalies in a 12-year-old boy. The workup revealed right testicular cystic dysplasia, ipsilateral renal agenesis, contralateral crossed renal ectopia, and vesicoureteral reflux. We performed right testicular-preserving cyst enucleation and ureteroneocystostomy. No testicular atrophy or new cyst formation was evident at 1 year of follow-up. This is the first reported case of cystic dysplasia associated with ipsilateral renal agenesis and contralateral crossed renal ectopia.


Subject(s)
Cysts/complications , Kidney/abnormalities , Testicular Diseases/complications , Vesico-Ureteral Reflux/complications , Child , Cysts/pathology , Humans , Male , Testicular Diseases/pathology
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