Stemming the Flow: Causes and Solutions for Blood and Blood Component Wastage in a Tertiary Care Hospital.

Aim This study aims to analyze the discard rates and causes of blood and blood component wastage in a hospital transfusion service and identify strategies for improvement. Methodology We conducted a retrospective study reviewing data from the Department of Transfusion Medicine over five years. We calculated discard rates for different blood components and categorized the reasons for discard. Results The overall discard rate was 18%. Platelets were the most commonly discarded component (91.6%), followed by plasma (4.4%) and packed red blood cells (3.8%). Expired shelf life was the most frequent reason for discard (97%), followed by transfusion-transmitted infection (TTI) reactivity (2.9%), and bag breakage (0.01%). Conclusions Platelets were the most commonly discarded component, and expiry due to non-utilization was the main cause. Implementing strategies such as improved blood utilization guidelines, staff training, and inventory management can help reduce wastage.

CRABEL Score Assessment for Oral Surgery Excision Biopsy Case Notes of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Background Oral surgical records contain all the information regarding a patient, including their history, clinical findings, diagnostic test results, pre-and postoperative care, progress, and medication. Notes that are properly drafted will help the physician argue that the course of therapy is appropriate. Several tools have been created for auditing clinical records; one such tool that may be used for any inpatient specialty is the CRABEL score system developed by CRAwford-BEresford-Lafferty. Aims This research aimed to evaluate the oral surgical records using the CRABEL scoring system for quality assessment. Materials and methods The case audit was performed from June 2023 to February 2024 for all Excisional biopsy cases of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Relevant data was retrieved from the Dental Information Archival Software (DIAS) of Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Chennai. It was evaluated by two independent oral pathologists trained in CRABEL scores. Two consecutive case records were evaluated. Fifty points were given for each case record. Scoring was given according to initial clerking (10 points), subsequent entries (30 points), consent (5 points), and discharge summary (5 points). The total score was calculated by subtracting the total deduction from 100 to give the final score. The mean scores of the case records were calculated. A descriptive statistical analysis was done with Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS version 23.0; IBM Inc., Armonk, New York). Inter-observer agreement and reliability assessment were made using Kappa statistics.  Results From the DIAS in that period, the data of 52 cases were retrieved and reviewed. There was no proof of a reference source in the audited records, and one deduction was made to the reference score in the initial clerking, and the effective score was 98 out of 100. The mean values of 52 case records were also 98 out of 100. The observed kappa score was 1.0. There was no inter-observer bias in the scoring criteria. Both observers also gave the same scoring. Conclusion Our study illustrates that oral surgery case records in our institution were found to be accurate, as they maintained 98% of the CRABEL score value. Frequent audit cycles will help in standardizing and maintaining the quality of oral surgery case records.

Developing integrated person-centered care quality indicators for home health agencies in Shanghai, China: A modified Delphi-analytic hierarchy process study.

OBJECTIVES: To develop person-centered integrated care quality indicators for home health agencies in Shanghai, China. DESIGN: The study combined the Delphi method and the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The Delphi consultation questionnaire was distributed to experts in home healthcare in Shanghai, China. A panel of experts with experience in home healthcare in Shanghai, China, was selected. Purposive sampling was used to choose experts. In this study, ten experts were selected from within sub-fields of home healthcare, including nursing, health policy, quality improvement, person-centered care (PCC), and integrated care. RESULTS: The authority coefficient (Cr) in this study was 0.835. The coordination degree of experts' opinions, which is expressed by Kendall coordination coefficient W (a higher value, better coordination of the item), ranged from 0.352 to 0.386 (p < 0.001). The consistency ratio (CR) values for each level were less than 0.1. The quality indicator system included three first-level indicators, 15 second-level indicators, and 56 third-level indicators. CONCLUSIONS: A person-centered integrated care quality indicator system was developed for home health agencies. The findings from this study enable nurses, managers, and policymakers in home and community-based settings to evaluate person-centered integrated care quality using a robust framework. In addition, these indicators can also be used as a standardized tool to guide the development of long-term care services and supports (LTSS) for home-bound elderly.

Implementation of quality indicators for vulvar cancer in gynaecological cancer centres certified by the German Cancer Society (DKG).

PURPOSE: In 2018, the first guideline-based quality indicators (QI) for vulvar cancer were implemented in the data-sheets of certified gynaecological cancer centres. The certification process includes guideline-based QIs as a fundamental component. These indicators are specifically designed to evaluate the level of care provided within the centres. This article aims to give an overview of the developing process of guideline based-QIs for women with vulvar cancer and presents the QIs results from the certified gynaecological cancer centres. METHODS: The QIs were derived in a standardized multiple step process during the update of the 2015 S2k guideline "Diagnosis, Therapy, and Follow-Up Care of Vulvar Cancer and its Precursors" (registry-number: no. 015/059) and are based on strong recommendations. RESULTS: In total, there are eight guideline-based QIs for vulvar cancer. Four QIs are part of the certification process. In the treatment year 2021, 2.466 cases of vulvar cancer were treated in 177 centres. The target values in the centres for pathology reports on tumour resection and lymphadenectomy as well as sentinel lymph nodes have increased since the beginning of the certification process and have been above 90% over the past three treatment years (2019-2021). DISCUSSION: QIs based on strong guideline recommendations, play a crucial role in measuring and allowing to quantify essential aspects of patient care. By utilizing QIs, centres are able to identify areas for process optimization and draw informed conclusions. Over the years the quality of treatment of vulvar cancer patients measured by the QIs was improved. The certification system is continuously reviewed to enhance patient care even further by using the outcomes from QIs revaluation.

Impact of early death recording on international comparison of acute myocardial infarction mortality - administrative hospital data study using the example of Germany and the United States.

BACKGROUND: In-hospital mortality from acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is widely used in international comparisons as an indicator of health system performance. Because of the high risk of early death after AMI, international comparisons may be biased by differences in the recording of early death cases in hospital inpatient data. This study examined whether differences in the recording of early deaths affect international comparisons of AMI in-hospital mortality by using the example of Germany and the United States, and explored approaches to address this issue. METHODS: The German Diagnosis-Related Groups Statistics (DRG Statistics), the U.S. National Inpatient Sample (NIS) and the U.S. Nationwide Emergency Department Sample (NEDS) were analysed from 2014 to 2019. Cases with treatment for AMI were identified in German and U.S. inpatient data. AMI deaths occurring in the emergency department (ED) without inpatient admission were extracted from NEDS data. 30-day in-hospital mortality figures were calculated according to the OECD indicator definition (unlinked data) and modified by including ED deaths, or excluding all same-day cases. RESULTS: German age-and-sex standardized 30-day in-hospital mortality was substantially higher compared to the U.S. (in 2019, 7.3% vs. 4.6%). The ratio of German vs. U.S. mortality was 1.6. After inclusion of ED deaths in U.S. data this ratio declined to 1.4. Exclusion of same-day cases in German and U.S. data led to a similar ratio. CONCLUSIONS: While short-duration treatments due to early death are generally recorded in German inpatient data, in U.S. inpatient data those cases are partially missing. Excluding cases with short-duration treatment from the calculation of mortality indicators could be a feasible approach to account for differences in the recording of early deaths, that might be existent in other countries as well.

Benchmarking System Monitoring on Quality Improvement in Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: A Nationwide Registry in Japan.

Background: Quality indicators (QIs) have been developed to improve and standardize care quality in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). In Japan, consecutive PCI procedures are registered in a nationwide database (the Japanese Percutaneous Coronary Intervention registry), which introduces a benchmarking system for comparing individual institutional performance against the national average. Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the impact of the benchmarking system implementation on QI improvement at the hospital level. Methods: A total of 734,264 PCIs were conducted at 1,194 institutions between January 2019 and December 2021. In January 2018, a web-based benchmarking system encompassing 7 QIs for PCI at the institutional level, including door-to-balloon time and rate of transradial intervention, was introduced. The process by which institutions tracked their QIs was centrally monitored. Results: During the 3-year study period, the benchmarking system was reviewed at least once at 742 institutions (62.1%) (median 4 times; Q1-Q3: 2-7 times). The institutions that reviewed their records had higher PCI volumes. Among these institutions, although door-to-balloon time was not directly associated, the proportion of transradial intervention increased by 2.3% in the system review group during the initial year compared with 0.7% in their counterparts. However, in the subsequent year, the association between system reviews and QI improvement was attenuated. Conclusions: The implementation of a benchmarking system, reviewed by participating institutions in Japan, was partially associated with improved QIs during the first year; however, this improvement was attenuated in the subsequent year, highlighting the need for further efforts to develop effective and sustainable interventions to enhance care quality in PCI.

Identification of Nursing Outcomes and Quality Indicators for Home Health Care in Older Adults with End-Stage Cancer.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to identify nursing outcomes and quality indicators for older adults with end-stage cancer receiving home health care. METHODS: Nineteen experts and professional caregivers, including palliative doctors, nursing faculty, advanced practice nurses, and registered nurses, participated in the Delphi technique. Final medians and interquartile ranges were calculated. RESULT: Seven components with 43 nursing outcomes and quality indicators for older adults with end-stage cancer were developed, encompassing physical pain relief, symptom management, physical well-being, complication prevention, psychosocial support, caregiver and family roles in end-of-life care, and advance care planning. CONCLUSION: The caregiver and family's role in end-of-life care had the most indicators, reflecting the significance of family involvement in Thailand's cultural context. Consistent implementation of these indicators is crucial, and correlational analysis of indicator scores can enhance their validity.

[Synthetic indicator of compliance with standards for Quality Units of health centers and multicenter prospective pilot study]. / Indicador sintético de cumplimiento de estándares para Unidades de Calidad de centros sanitarios y estudio de pilotaje prospectivo multicéntrico.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: In Spain, Quality Units play a key and unique role in advising healthcare centers on the methodology of healthcare quality. The objectives of the study were to develop computer algorithms to obtain a synthetic indicator of standard compliance for Quality Units and to pilot its functioning in these units. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Excel program was used to establish evaluation algorithms, and quantitatively interrelate and weight various categories of standards, as a computer evaluation tool, to build a continuous improvement cycle system, and offer a global synthetic indicator of compliance. The tool was tested in a prospective multicenter pilot study, in which coordinators of Quality Units from different health centers and care settings participated, to evaluate the usefulness of the tool and compliance with the standards, in addition to analyzing the content validity of each standard. RESULTS: The formulas for the structured computer algorithms were developed, consecutively, in a «PLAN-DO-CHECK-ACT¼ improvement cycle for the 9 categories of standards, resulting in a single synthetic indicator of compliance. Twenty-one Quality Units participated in the piloting. The overall average compliance rate for the synthetic indicator was 55.63% with differences between centers (P=.002) and between categories (P<.0001), but not by autonomous communities (P=.86) or by areas (P=.97). Content validity was ensured through the variable of «understanding¼ of the standards (P<.001), and through their «justification¼ with documentary evidence (P<.001). CONCLUSIONS: The computer tool with the synthetic indicator have allowed for the evaluation of standard compliance in Quality Units of healthcare centers.

Application of trigger tools for detecting adverse drug events in older people: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To identify trigger tools applied to detect adverse drug events (ADEs) in older people and describe their utility and performance. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted in the PubMed, Lilacs, and Scopus databases (January 2024). Studies that developed, applied, or validated trigger tools and evaluated their utility and/or performance for detecting ADEs in older people were considered. Direct proportion meta-analyses using the inverse-variance method were performed for prevalence of ADEs and positive predictive value (PPV). RESULTS: Twenty-four studies (25 publications) were included. Twelve trigger tools were identified, of which six were developed for detecting ADEs in older population, four developed for general population and modified for older people, and two developed for general population. No tools for detecting ADEs in older people receiving palliative care or hospitalized in intensive or surgical care units were found. The performance of triggers was presented through PPV (11.5-71%), negative predictive values (83.3%), and sensitivity (30-94.8%). The overall PPV was 33.3% (95%CI: 32.5-34.2%). Triggers with good performance were changes in plasma levels of digoxin, glucose, and potassium; changes in international normalized ratio; abrupt medication stop; hypotension; and constipation. The prevalence of ADEs ranged from 2.8 to 66%, with overall prevalence of ADEs of 20% (95%CI: 19.3-20.8%). Preventability ranged from 8.4 to 94.4%. Metabolic or electrolyte disturbances induced by diuretics, constipation induced by opioids, and falls and delirium induced by benzodiazepines were the most prevalent ADEs. CONCLUSION: The trigger tools are flexible and easy to apply, and they can contribute to the detection of ADEs, their associated risk factors, the level of harm, and preventability in different health settings. However, there is no consensus on good or poor values of PPV, which indicate the performance of triggers. Furthermore, there is limited evidence regarding the evaluation of performance through negative predictive value, sensitivity, and specificity. PROSPERO: CRD42022379893.

Uncertainty analysis of greenhouse gas emissions of monorail transit during the construction.

This paper examines the uncertainty of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions during monorail construction. Firstly, a deterministic analysis is conducted. Subsequently, the obtained data are evaluated using the data quality indicator (DQI), and a Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) simulation method is employed to assume different parameter distributions. The results of the deterministic calculation indicate that the calculated emissions per unit area of the station amount to 1.97 ton CO2e/m2, while the calculated emissions per unit section length reach 7.55 ton CO2e/m2. To simulate parameter distribution, we utilize a Beta distribution with good shape applicability. Furthermore, we establish scenarios involving system boundary reduction, low-emission factors, and reduced material and energy inputs in order to analyze scenario uncertainties. Regarding model uncertainty, this paper assumes that the material and energy quantity data conform to the normal, log-normal, uniform, and triangular distributions, respectively, subsequently analyzing the uncertainty distributions. This paper analyzes the GHG emission uncertainty evaluation of 16 monorail stations and sections during the construction period, which is divided into parameter, scenario, and model uncertainty. We provide a concrete framework for studying uncertainties related to GHG emissions at stations and sections during the monorail construction period. The scenario analysis results will help to make decisions about the choice of parameters, system boundaries, and other settings. It provides new guidance for emission reduction policies, such as reducing the use of steel-related products or using alternative environmentally friendly materials, considering emission reduction factors more comprehensively and setting emission reduction factors according to uniform distribution principle as far as possible.

Development of AI-based hybrid soft computing models for prediction of critical river water quality indicators.

Prediction of river water quality indicators (RWQIs) using artificial intelligence (AI)-based hybrid soft computing modeling techniques could provide essential predictions required for efficient river health planning and management. The study described the development of a novel AI-based relative weighted ensemble (AIRWE) hybrid model for predicting critical RWQIs, i.e., biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and total coliform (TC). The study involved comprehensive water quality (WQ) monitoring from 30 locations along the Damodar River to establish the baseline data and delineate the WQ. The representative input features showing a strong association with BOD and TC were identified using Spearman's rank-coupled orthogonal linear transformation (SOT). The relative weighted ensemble (RWE) method was applied to determine the relative weights for base learners in the AIRWE model. The statistical analysis of the developed model revealed that it was most efficient and accurate for predicting BOD (R2, 0.97; RMSE, 0.06; MAE, 0.04) and TC (R2, 0.98; RMSE, 0.06; MAE, 0.05) over the traditional techniques. The tstat (BOD 0.02 and TC 0.47) was lesser than tcrit (1.672), confirming its unbiased predictions. The SOT technique removed the data noise and multicollinearity, whereas RWE curtailed the individual model's limitations and predicted more reliable results. The model resulted 97% accuracy with high precision (96%) in classifying the river water quality for various end uses. The study describes a novel approach for researchers, scientists, and decision-makers for modeling and predicting various environmental attributes.

Association between out-of-hospital cardiac arrest quality indicator and prehospital management and clinical outcomes for major trauma.

INTRODUCTION: It is unclear whether emergency medical service (EMS) agencies with good out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) quality indicators also perform well in treating other emergency conditions. We aimed to evaluate the association of an EMS agency's non-traumatic OHCA quality indicators with prehospital management processes and clinical outcomes of major trauma. METHODS: This retrospective cross-sectional study analyzed data from registers of nationwide, population-based OHCA (adult EMS-treated non-traumatic OHCA patients from 2017 to 2018) and major trauma (adult, EMS-treated, and injury severity score ≥16 trauma patients in 2018) in South Korea. We developed a prehospital ROSC prediction model to categorize EMS agencies into quartiles (Q1-Q4) based on the observed-to-expected (O/E) ROSC ratio for each EMS agency. We evaluated the national EMS protocol compliance of on-scene management according to O/E ROSC ratio quartile. The association between O/E ROSC ratio quartiles and trauma-related early mortality was determined in a multi-level logistic regression model by adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95 % confidence intervals (95 % CI). RESULTS: Among 30,034 severe trauma patients, 4,836 were analyzed. Patients in Q4 showed the lowest early mortality rate (5.6 %, 5.5 %, 4.8 %, and 3.4 % in Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4, respectively). In groups Q1 to Q4, increasing compliance with the national EMS on-scene management protocol (trauma center transport, basic airway management for patients with altered mentality, spinal motion restriction for patients with spinal injury, and intravenous access for patients with hypotension) was observed (p for trend <0.05). Multivariable multi-level logistic regression analysis showed significantly lower early mortality in Q4 than in Q1 (adjusted OR [95 % CI] 0.56 [0.35-0.91]). CONCLUSION: Major trauma patients managed by EMS agencies with high success rates in achieving prehospital ROSC in non-traumatic OHCA were more likely to receive protocol-based care and exhibited lower early mortality.

Quality of surgery and treatment and its association with hospital volume: A population-based study in more than 5000 Belgian ovarian cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: Different sets of quality indicators are used to identify areas for improvement in ovarian cancer care. This study reports transparently on how (surgical) indicators were measured and on the association between hospital volume and indicator results in Belgium, a country setting without any centralisation of ovarian cancer care. METHODS: From the population-based Belgian Cancer Registry, patients with a borderline malignant or invasive epithelial ovarian tumour diagnosed between 2014 and 2018 were selected and linked to health insurance and vital status data (n = 5119). Thirteen quality indicators on diagnosis and treatment were assessed and the association with hospital volume was analysed using logistic regression adjusted for case-mix. RESULTS: The national results for most quality indicators on diagnosis and systemic therapy were around the predefined target value. Other indicators showed results below the benchmark: genetic testing, completeness of staging surgery, lymphadenectomy with at least 20 pelvic/para-aortic lymph nodes removed, and timely start of chemotherapy after surgery (within 42 days). Ovarian cancer care in Belgium is dispersed over 100 hospitals. Lower volume hospitals showed poorer indicator results compared to higher volume hospitals for lymphadenectomy, staging, timely start of chemotherapy and genetic testing. In addition, surgery for advanced stage tumours was performed less often in lower volume hospitals. CONCLUSIONS: The indicators that showed poorer results on a national level were also those with poorer results in lower-volume hospitals compared to higher-volume hospitals, consequently supporting centralisation. International benchmarking is hampered by different (surgical) definitions between countries and studies.

Unplanned 30-day readmission rate after ophthalmological surgery as a quality-of-care indicator.

BACKGROUND: The 30-day readmission rate provides a standardised quantitative evaluation of some postoperative complications. It is widely used worldwide in many medical and surgical specialities, and the World Health Organization recommends its use for monitoring healthcare system performance. In ophthalmology, its measurement is biased by the frequent and close planned surgery on one eye and then the other, particularly in the case of cataract surgery. This study measures the 30-day unplanned readmission rate in ophthalmology, globally and by surgery subtype, and describes the causes of readmission. METHODS: All patients readmitted within 30 days of ophthalmic surgery at Nantes University Hospital between January 2017 and December 2020 were identified in the Medical Information System. An ophthalmologist examined each medical record and collected the following data: the reason for readmission, comorbidities, the pathology treated, surgery type, surgery duration, the surgeon's experience, anaesthesia type, severity and readmission morbidity. RESULTS: For the 8522 ophthalmic surgeries performed in the four-year study period, 282 30-day unplanned readmissions were identified. The overall 30-day unplanned readmission rate was 2.07% for elective surgery, with a high variability depending on the surgery type: 0.95% for phacoemulsification, 4.95% for vitreoretinal surgery (3.42% for non-elective vitreoretinal surgery, 5.44% for retinal detachment surgery), 5.66% for deep lamellar keratoplasty and 11.90% for trabeculectomy. The unplanned 30-day readmission rate for ocular trauma surgery (emergency care) was 11.0%. Seven percent of all unplanned 30-day readmissions were not associated with an ophthalmological problem. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first to report 30-day unplanned readmission in ophthalmology, globally and by surgical subtype, for elective and urgent procedures. This indicator can be used longitudinally to detect an increase in risk or transversely to compare the quality of care between different public or private hospitals.

Revolutionising Quality Management in the Oral Pathology Laboratory: A Deep Dive Into the Six Sigma Methodology.

Six Sigma Foundations is a statistical standard that indicates an exceptionally high level of quality, along with a customer satisfaction management approach that intends to lower error rates and boost process efficiency. The Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve, and Control (DMAIC) approach is a fundamental component of Six Sigma and provides an organised framework for process improvement. In contrast to conventional techniques that are more manual-based, Six Sigma emphasises and focuses on making decisions based on facts and evidence. The key to the success of Six Sigma is its reliance on statistical methods. Advanced tools like Pareto charts, histograms, regression analysis, and fishbone diagrams are used ardently for the benefit of customers and to reduce the overall error rate. To support clinical decision-making, a clinical laboratory's primary responsibility is to generate test results that are accurate, repeatable, fast, and appropriately interpreted. Ensuring desired clinical outcomes must be the ultimate objective. To accomplish this goal, laboratories must prioritise cost-effectiveness while establishing and maintaining quality in all laboratory procedures. The concept of the Lean Six Sigma (LSS) methodology, which mainly centres on efficiency by discerning and eradicating actions or operations that do not provide any benefit to the organisation, is combined with the proposition of Six Sigma, which emphasises data-driven analyses and optimization. The integration of these powerful concepts aids in the overall improvement of the organisations adopting these techniques. This review provides a brief overview of the benefits of the LSS methodology and its implementation in the oral pathology laboratory.

Quality of care in patients with hypertension: a retrospective cohort study of primary care routine data in Germany.

BACKGROUND: Hypertension is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality if not properly managed. Primary care has a major impact on these outcomes if its strengths, such as continuity of care, are deployed wisely. The analysis aimed to evaluate the quality of care for newly diagnosed hypertension in routine primary care data. METHODS: In the retrospective cohort study, routine data (from 2016 to 2022) from eight primary care practices in Germany were exported in anonymized form directly from the electronic health record (EHR) systems and processed for this analysis. The analysis focused on five established quality indicators for the care of patients who have been recently diagnosed with hypertension. RESULTS: A total of 30,691 patients were treated in the participating practices, 2,507 of whom have recently been diagnosed with hypertension. Prior to the pandemic outbreak, 19% of hypertensive patients had blood pressure above 140/90 mmHg and 68% received drug therapy (n = 1,372). After the pandemic outbreak, the proportion of patients with measured blood pressure increased from 63 to 87%, while the other four indicators remained relatively stable. Up to 80% of the total variation of the quality indicators could be explained by individual practices. CONCLUSION: For the majority of patients, diagnostic procedures are not used to the extent recommended by guidelines. The analysis showed that quality indicators for outpatient care could be mapped onto the basis of routine data. The results could easily be reported to the practices in order to optimize the quality of care.

Defining quality indicators, pharmaceutical care bundles and outcomes of clinical pharmacy service delivery using a Delphi consensus approach.

BACKGROUND: Clinical pharmacy quality indicators are often non-uniform and measure individual activities not linked to outcomes. AIM: To define a consensus agreed pharmaceutical care bundle and patient outcome measures across an entire state health service. METHOD: A four-round modified-Delphi approach with state Directors of Pharmacy was performed (n = 25). They were asked to rate on a 5-point Likert scale the relevance and measurability of 32 inpatient clinical pharmacy quality indicators and outcome measures. They also ranked clinical pharmacy activities in order from perceived most to least beneficial. Based upon these results, pharmaceutical care bundles consisting of multiple clinical pharmacy activities were formed, and relevance and measurability assessed. RESULTS: Response rate ranged from 40 to 60%. Twenty-six individual clinical pharmacy quality indicators reached consensus. The top ranked clinical pharmacy quality indicator was 'proportion of patients where a pharmacist documents an accurate list of medicines during admission'. There were nine pharmaceutical care bundles formed consisting between 3 and 7 activities. Only one pharmaceutical care bundle reached consensus: medication history, adverse drug reaction/allergy documentation, admission and discharge medication reconciliation, medication review, provision of medicines education and provision of a medication list on discharge. Sixteen outcome measures reached consensus. The top ranked were hospital acquired complications, readmission due to medication misadventure and unplanned readmission within 10 days. CONCLUSION: Consensus has been reached on one pharmaceutical care bundle and sixteen outcomes to monitor clinical pharmacy service delivery. The next step is to measure the extent of pharmaceutical care bundle delivery and the link to patient outcomes.

Diagnostic Paracentesis Within 1 Day Is Associated With Reduced Mortality and Length of Hospital Stay in Patients with Cirrhosis and Ascites.

Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is the most common infection in patients with cirrhosis and is associated with high mortality. Although recent literature reports mortality benefits to early diagnostic paracentesis, current guidelines do not offer specific recommendations for how quickly diagnostic paracentesis should be performed in patients with cirrhosis and ascites who are admitted to the hospital. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate outcomes among patients admitted to the hospital with cirrhosis and ascites receiving paracentesis within ≤ 12, ≤ 1 day, and > 1 day. Eight studies with 116,174 patients were included in the final meta-analysis. The pooled risk of in-hospital mortality was significantly lower in patients who underwent early (≤ 12 h or ≤ 1 day) compared to delayed (> 12 h or > 1 day) paracentesis (RR: 0.69, p < 0.00001), and in patients who underwent paracentesis compared to no paracentesis (RR: 0.74, p < 0.00001). On subgroup analysis, in-hospital mortality was significantly lower in both paracentesis within ≤ 12 h (RR: 0.61, p = 0.02) vs. > 12 h, and within ≤ 1 day (RR: 0.70, p < 0.00001) vs. > 1 day. While there was a trend towards decreased mortality in those undergoing paracentesis within ≤ 12 h compared to ≤ 1 day, the difference did not reach statistical significance. The length of hospital stay was significantly shorter by 5.38 days in patients who underwent early (≤ 12 h) compared to delayed (> 12 h) paracentesis (95% CI 4.24-6.52, p < 0.00001). Early paracentesis is associated with reduced mortality and length of hospital stay. We encourage providers to perform diagnostic paracentesis in a timely manner, at least within 1 day of hospital admission, for all patients with cirrhosis and ascites.