Cost of care pathways before and after appropriate and inappropriate transfers to the emergency department among nursing home residents: results from the FINE study.

BACKGROUND: Transfers of nursing home (NH) residents to the emergency department (ED) is frequent. Our main objective was to assess the cost of care pathways 6 months before and after the transfer to the emergency department among NH residents, according to the type of transfer (i.e. appropriate or inappropriate). METHODS: This was a part of an observational, multicenter, case-control study: the Factors associated with INappropriate transfer to the Emergency department among nursing home residents (FINE) study. Sixteen public hospitals of the former Midi-Pyrénées region participated in recruitment, in 2016. During the inclusion period, all NH residents arriving at the ED were included. A pluri-disciplinary team categorized each transfer to the ED into 2 groups: appropriate or inappropriate. Direct medical and nonmedical costs were assessed from the French Health Insurance (FHI) perspective. Healthcare resources were retrospectively gathered from the FHI database and valued using the tariffs reimbursed by the FHI. Costs were recorded over a 6-month period before and after transfer to the ED. Other variables were used for analysis: sex, age, Charlson score, season, death and presence inside the NH of a coordinating physician or a geriatric nursing assistant. RESULTS: Among the 1037 patients initially included in the FINE study, 616 who were listed in the FHI database were included in this economic study. Among them, 132 (21.4%) had an inappropriate transfer to the ED. In the 6 months before ED transfer, total direct costs on average amounted to 8,145€ vs. 6,493€ in the inappropriate and appropriate transfer groups, respectively. In the 6 months after ED transfer, they amounted on average to 9,050€ vs. 12,094€. CONCLUSIONS: Total costs on average are higher after transfer to the ED, but there is no significant increase in healthcare expenditure with inappropriate ED transfer. Support for NH staff and better pathways of care could be necessary to reduce healthcare expenditures in NH residents. TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov, NCT02677272.

Inter-hospital transfer for thrombectomy: transfer time is brain.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Patients with acute ischaemic stroke and a large vessel occlusion who present to a non-endovascular-capable centre often require inter-hospital transfer for thrombectomy. Whether the inter-hospital transfer time is associated with 3-month functional outcome is poorly known. METHODS: Acute stroke patients enrolled between January 2015 and December 2022 in the prospective French multicentre Endovascular Treatment of Ischaemic Stroke registry were retrospectively analysed. Patients with an anterior circulation large vessel occlusion transferred from a non-endovascular to a comprehensive stroke centre for thrombectomy were eligible. Inter-hospital transfer time was defined as the time between imaging in the referring hospital and groin puncture for thrombectomy. The relationship between transfer time and favourable 3-month functional outcome (modified Rankin Scale 0-2) was assessed through a mixed logistic regression model adjusting for centre and symptom-onset-to-referring-hospital imaging time, age, sex, diabetes, referring hospital National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score, Alberta Stroke Programme Early Computed Tomography Score, occlusion site and intravenous thrombolysis use. RESULTS: Overall, 3769 patients were included (median inter-hospital transfer time 161 min, interquartile range 128-195; 46% with favourable outcome). A longer transfer time was independently associated with lower rates of favourable outcome (p < 0.001). Compared to patients with transfer time below 120 min, there was a 15% reduction in the odds of achieving favourable outcome for transfer times between 120 and 180 min (adjusted odds ratio 0.85; 95% confidence interval 0.67-1.07), and a 36% reduction for transfer times beyond 180 min (adjusted odds ratio 0.64; 95% confidence interval 0.50-0.81). CONCLUSIONS: A shorter inter-hospital transfer time is strongly associated with favourable 3-month functional outcome. A speedier inter-hospital transfer is of critical importance to improve outcome.

Characteristics of Transport of Ill Pediatric Patients in the Emergency Department: A Latin America Multicenter Prospective Study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim was to describe the characteristics of the transport system of critically ill pediatric patients in the emergency departments (EDs) in Latin America (LA). METHODOLOGY: This is a prospective cross-sectional study in a 1-year period. Patients were recruited on days 1, 7, 14, 21, and 28 of each month in the EDs in LA. We included ill-pediatric patients aged 1 month to 18 years. Patients who needed transfer for a diagnostic study, with arrival mode not by ambulance, or with the impossibility of interviewing the transfer team were excluded from the study. RESULTS: A total of 389 patients were included in the study. The majority were males (57%) with a median age of 49 months (interquartile range, 10-116). Thirty-three percent (129) of transfers had the participation of a coordinating center; 97.1% (375) were carried out by road ambulance, and 84.3% (323) were interhospital transfers, with a mean distance traveled of 83.2 km (SD, 105 km). The main reason for transfer in 88.17% (343) was the need for a more complex health center. The main diagnosis was respiratory distress (71; 18.2%), acute abdomen (70; 18%), Traumatic Brain Injury (33; 8.48%), multiple trauma (32; 8.23%), septic shock (31; 7.9%), and COVID-19-related illness (19; 4.8%). A total of 296 (76.5%) patients had peripheral vascular access, and 171 (44%) patients had oxygen support with 49 (28.6%) having invasive ventilation; the most frequent monitoring method (67.8%) was pulse oximetry, and 83.4% (313) did not record adverse events. Regarding the transfer team, 88% (342) had no specialized personnel, and only 62.4% (243) had a physician on their teams. CONCLUSIONS: In LA, there is great variability in personnel training, equipment for pediatric transport, team composition, and characterization of critical care transport systems. Continued efforts to improve conditions in our countries may help reduce patient morbidity and mortality.

Patient- and family-centred care transition interventions for adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs.

Although patient centredness is part of providing high-quality health care, little is known about the effectiveness of care transition interventions that involve patients and their families on readmissions to the hospital or emergency visits post-discharge. This systematic review (SR) aimed to examine the evidence on patient- and family-centred (PFC) care transition interventions and evaluate their effectiveness on adults' hospital readmissions and emergency department (ED) visits after discharge. Searches of Medline, CINAHL, and Embase databases were conducted from the earliest available online year of indexing up to and including 14 March 2021. The studies included: (i) were about care transitions (hospital to home) of ≥18-year-old patients; (ii) had components of patient-centred care and care transition frameworks; (iii) reported on one or more outcomes were among hospital readmissions and ED visits after discharge; and (iv) were cluster-, pilot- or randomized-controlled trials published in English or French. Study selection, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment were completed by two independent reviewers. A narrative synthesis was performed, and pooled odd ratios, standardized mean differences, and mean differences were calculated using a random-effects meta-analysis. Of the 10,021 citations screened, 50 trials were included in the SR and 44 were included in the meta-analyses. Care transition intervention types included health assessment, symptom and disease management, medication reconciliation, discharge planning, risk management, complication detection, and emotional support. Results showed that PFC care transition interventions significantly reduced the risk of hospital readmission rates compared to usual care [incident rate ratio (IRR), 0.86; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.75-0.98; I2 = 73%] regardless of time elapsed since discharge. However, these same interventions had minimal impact on the risk of ED visit rates compared to usual care group regardless of time passed after discharge (IRR, 1.00; 95% CI, 0.85-1.18; I2 = 29%). PFC care transition interventions containing a greater number of patient-centred care (IRR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.57-0.94; I2 = 59%) and care transition components (IRR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.64-0.91; I2 = 4%) significantly decreased the risk of patients being readmitted. However, these interventions did not significantly increase the risk of patients visiting the ED after discharge (IRR, 1.54; CI 95%, 0.91-2.61). Future interventions should focus on patients' and families' values, beliefs, needs, preferences, race, age, gender, and social determinants of health to improve the quality of adults' care transitions.

Traslado no programado de pacientes pediátricos desde una sala de internación general a una unidad de cuidados intensivos / Unplanned transfer of pediatric patients from the general ward to the intensive care unit

Introducción. Durante la internación, los pacientes pueden presentar un deterioro clínico significativo y requerir el ingreso no programado a la unidad de cuidados intensivos pediátricos (UCIP). Esto puede conllevar un aumento de la morbilidad y la mortalidad. Frecuentemente, estos eventos están precedidos por una fase de deterioro que podría pasar desapercibida. Objetivo. Determinar la frecuencia, analizar las causas, describir las características clínicas y los resultados de los traslados no programados en pacientes pediátricos hospitalizados, desde el área de internación general pediátrica (IGP) a la UCIP, y analizar las diferencias entre traslados urgentes y emergentes. Población y métodos. Estudio descriptivo prospectivo; se analizaron todos los traslados no programados desde IGP a la UCIP ocurridos entre el 1 de enero de 2014 y el 31 de diciembre 2019. Resultados. Se constataron 212 traslados no programados (21 traslados cada 1000 ingresos). El 76 % de los pacientes trasladados presentaban una comorbilidad asociada ­la más frecuente fue la patología oncológica (36 %)­ y llevaban más de 24 horas internados en IGP. Las causas más frecuentes de traslado fueron dificultad respiratoria (43 %), sepsis (20 %) y complicaciones neurológicas/neuroquirúrgicas (20 %). La tasa de mortalidad global fue del 8,96 % (19 pacientes). Conclusiones. El análisis de los traslados no programados es un elemento esencial en la evaluación de la calidad de atención y seguridad del paciente de un área, y debe constituir un indicador integrado al tablero de control. La interpretación de los traslados no programados como un evento prevenible constituye un cambio de paradigma clave.

Introduction. During hospitalization, patients may develop significant clinical deterioration and require unplanned admission to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). This may result in increased morbidity and mortality. These events are often preceded by a deterioration phase that may go unnoticed. Objective. To determine the frequency, analyze the causes, and describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes of unplanned transfers of hospitalized pediatric patients from the general pediatric ward (GPW) to the PICU, and analyze the differences between urgent and emergent transfers. Population and methods. Prospective, descriptive study; all unplanned transfers from the GPW to the PICU occurring between January 1st, 2014 and December 31st, 2019 were analyzed. Results. There were 212 unplanned transfers (21 transfers per 1000 admissions). An associated comorbidity was present in 76% of transferred patients ­being cancer the most frequent one (36%)­ and they had been hospitalized for more than 24 hours in the GPW. The most frequent causes of transfer were respiratory distress (43%), sepsis (20%), and neurological/neurosurgical complications (20%). The overall mortality rate was 8.96% (19 patients). Conclusions. The analysis of unplanned transfers is a critical component in the assessment of the quality of care and patient safety of an area, and should be an indicator integrated into the control panel. The interpretation of unplanned transfers as a preventable event is a key paradigm shift.

Leveraging the Science of Teamwork to Sustain Handoff Improvements in Cardiovascular Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Improving the reliability of handoffs and care transitions is an important goal for many health care organizations. Increasing evidence shows that human-centered design and improved teamwork can lead to sustainable care transition improvements and better patient outcomes. This study was conducted within a cardiovascular service line at an academic medical center that performs more than 600 surgical procedures annually. A handoff process previously implemented at the center was poorly adopted. This work aimed to improve cardiovascular handoffs by applying human factors and the science of teamwork. METHODS: The study's quality improvement method used Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles and participatory design and ergonomics to develop, implement, and assess a new handoff process and bundle. Trained observers analyzed video-recorded and live handoffs to assess teamwork, leadership, communication, coordination, cooperation, and sustainability of unit-defined handoff best practices. The intervention included a teamwork-focused redesign process and handoff bundle with supporting cognitive aids and assessment metrics. RESULTS: The study assessed 153 handoffs in multiple phases over 3 years (2016-2019). Quantitative and qualitative assessments of clinician (teamwork) and implementation outcomes were performed. Compared with the baseline, the observed handoffs demonstrated improved team leadership (p < 0.0001), communication (p < 0.0001), coordination (p = 0.0018), and cooperation (p = 0.007) following the deployment of the handoff bundle. Sustained improvements in fidelity to unit-defined handoff best practices continued 2.3 years post-deployment of the handoff bundle. CONCLUSION: Participatory design and ergonomics, combined with implementation and safety science principles, can provide an evidence-based approach for sustaining complex sociotechnical change and making handoffs more reliable.

Intensivist-Led Transportation of Patients on Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: A Single Center Experience.

This study evaluated the suitability, feasibility, safety, and outcomes of transport of the ECMO-dependent patient (EDP) by EDP transport team (EDPTT) in China. Eighty-two EDPs (forty-one cases on VV ECMO and forty-one cases on VA ECMO) received transport between June 2018 and June 2021 and were retrospectively analyzed. ECMO circulation was performed by the outlying hospital, mainly using percutaneous ECMO cannulation. The EDPTT consists of three intensive therapists, one of whom serves as a team leader, and one intensive care unit nurse. Of these, 81 (98.8%) patients were transferred by ambulance, no deaths occurred during transport, the EDP-related complications were 19% (n = 16); bleeding at the cannula site (n = 7, 8.5%) was the most prominent; equipment-related problems accounted for 14.6% of the problems requiring urgent intervention, with hand cranking being the most common (9.7%). The survival rate during transport was 100%, with 36 (43.9%) patients surviving to discharge. The ECMO weaning rate was 61% for VV ECMO and 63.7% for VA ECMO. The results demonstrated the suitability, feasibility, and safety of transporting EDP in a team led by an intensivist, with few complications and no deaths during transport. This may be the recommended staffing model for EDP transport in developing countries.

Mi Puente (My Bridge) Care Transitions Program for Hispanic/Latino Adults with Multimorbidity: Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Multimorbidity frequently co-occurs with behavioral health concerns and leads to increased healthcare costs and reduced quality and quantity of life. Unplanned readmissions are a primary driver of high healthcare costs. OBJECTIVE: We tested the effectiveness of a culturally appropriate care transitions program for Latino adults with multiple cardiometabolic conditions and behavioral health concerns in reducing hospital utilization and improving patient-reported outcomes. DESIGN: Randomized, controlled, single-blind parallel-groups. PARTICIPANTS: Hispanic/Latino adults (N=536; 75% of those screened and eligible; M=62.3 years (SD=13.9); 48% women; 73% born in Mexico) with multiple chronic cardiometabolic conditions and at least one behavioral health concern (e.g., depression symptoms, alcohol misuse) hospitalized at a hospital that serves a large, mostly Hispanic/Latino, low-income population. INTERVENTIONS: Usual care (UC) involved best-practice discharge processes (e.g., discharge instructions, assistance with appointments). Mi Puente ("My Bridge"; MP) was a culturally appropriate program of UC plus inpatient and telephone encounters with a behavioral health nurse and community mentor team who addressed participants' social, medical, and behavioral health needs. MAIN MEASURES: The primary outcome was 30- and 180-day readmissions (inpatient, emergency, and observation visits). Patient-reported outcomes (quality of life, patient activation) and healthcare use were also examined. KEY RESULTS: In intention-to-treat models, the MP group evidenced a higher rate of recurrent hospitalization (15.9%) versus UC (9.4%) (OR=1.91 (95% CI 1.09, 3.33)), and a greater number of recurrent hospitalizations (M=0.20 (SD=0.49) MP versus 0.12 (SD=0.45) UC; P=0.02) at 30 days. Similar trends were observed at 180 days. Both groups showed improved patient-reported outcomes, with no advantage in the Mi Puente group. Results were similar in per protocol analyses. CONCLUSIONS: In this at-risk population, the MP group experienced increased hospital utilization and did not demonstrate an advantage in improved patient-reported outcomes, relative to UC. Possible reasons for these unexpected findings are discussed. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02723019. Registered on 30 March 2016.

Unplanned transfer of pediatric patients from the general ward to the intensive care unit. / Traslado no programado de pacientes pediátricos desde una sala de internación general a una unidad de cuidados intensivos.

Introduction. During hospitalization, patients may develop significant clinical deterioration and require unplanned admission to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). This may result in increased morbidity and mortality. These events are often preceded by a deterioration phase that may go unnoticed. Objective. To determine the frequency, analyze the causes, and describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes of unplanned transfers of hospitalized pediatric patients from the general pediatric ward (GPW) to the PICU, and analyze the differences between urgent and emergent transfers. Population and methods. Prospective, descriptive study; all unplanned transfers from the GPW to the PICU occurring between January 1st , 2014 and December 31st, 2019 were analyzed. Results. There were 212 unplanned transfers (21 transfers per 1000 admissions). An associated comorbidity was present in 76% of transferred patients -being cancer the most frequent one (36%)- and they had been hospitalized for more than 24 hours in the GPW. The most frequent causes of transfer were respiratory distress (43%), sepsis (20%), and neurological/neurosurgical complications (20%). The overall mortality rate was 8.96% (19 patients). Conclusions. The analysis of unplanned transfers is a critical component in the assessment of the quality of care and patient safety of an area, and should be an indicator integrated into the control panel. The interpretation of unplanned transfers as a preventable event is a key paradigm shift.

Introducción. Durante la internación, los pacientes pueden presentar un deterioro clínico significativo y requerir el ingreso no programado a la unidad de cuidados intensivos pediátricos (UCIP). Esto puede conllevar un aumento de la morbilidad y la mortalidad. Frecuentemente, estos eventos están precedidos por una fase de deterioro que podría pasar desapercibida. Objetivo. Determinar la frecuencia, analizar las causas, describir las características clínicas y los resultados de los traslados no programados en pacientes pediátricos hospitalizados, desde el área de internación general pediátrica (IGP) a la UCIP, y analizar las diferencias entre traslados urgentes y emergentes. Población y métodos. Estudio descriptivo prospectivo; se analizaron todos los traslados no programados desde IGP a la UCIP ocurridos entre el 1 de enero de 2014 y el 31 de diciembre 2019. Resultados. Se constataron 212 traslados no programados (21 traslados cada 1000 ingresos). El 76 % de los pacientes trasladados presentaban una comorbilidad asociada ­la más frecuente fue la patología oncológica (36 %)­ y llevaban más de 24 horas internados en IGP. Las causas más frecuentes de traslado fueron dificultad respiratoria (43 %), sepsis (20 %) y complicaciones neurológicas/neuroquirúrgicas (20 %). La tasa de mortalidad global fue del 8,96 % (19 pacientes). Conclusiones. El análisis de los traslados no programados es un elemento esencial en la evaluación de la calidad de atención y seguridad del paciente de un área, y debe constituir un indicador integrado al tablero de control. La interpretación de los traslados no programados como un evento prevenible constituye un cambio de paradigma clave.

Patients' experiences of preparing for transfer from the intensive care unit to a hospital ward: A multicentre qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: The transfer from an intensive care unit (ICU) to a regular ward often causes confusion and stress for patients and family members. However, little is known about the patients' perspective on preparing for the transfer. AIM: The purpose of the study was to describe patients' experiences of preparing for transfer from an ICU to a ward. STUDY DESIGN: Individual interviews with 14 former ICU patients from three urban hospitals in Stockholm, Sweden were conducted 3 months after hospital discharge. Qualitative content analysis was used to interpret the interview transcripts. Reporting followed the consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research checklist. RESULTS: The results showed that the three categories, the discharge decision, patient involvement, and practical preparations were central to the patients' experiences of preparing for the transition from the intensive care unit to the ward. The discharge decision was associated with a sense of relief, but also worry about what would happen on the ward. The patients felt that they were not involved in the decision about the discharge or the planning of their health care. To handle the situation, patients needed information about planned care and treatment. However, the information was often sparse, delivered from a clinician's perspective, and therefore not much help in preparing for transfer. CONCLUSIONS: ICU patients experienced that they were neither involved in the process of forthcoming care nor adequately prepared for the transfer to the ward. Relevant and comprehensible information and sufficient time to prepare were needed to reduce stress and promote efficient recovery. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The study suggests that current transfer strategies are not optimal, and a more person-centred discharge procedure would be beneficial to support patients and family members in the transition from the ICU to the ward.

Strategies for a safe interhospital transfer with an intubated patient or where readiness for intubation is needed: A critical incidents study.

INTRODUCTION: The number of interhospital transports with intubated patients or where intubation readiness is required is increasing in Sweden and globally. Specialist nurses are often responsible for these transports, which involve numerous risks for critically ill patients. AIM: The aim of this study was to describe nurse anaesthetists' and intensive care nurses' strategies for safe interhospital transports with intubated patients or where intubation readiness is required. METHOD: A qualitative study was conducted using the critical incident technique. During March and April 2020, 12 semi-structured interviews were conducted with nurse anaesthetists and intensive care nurses. Data were analysed according to the critical incident technique, and a total of 197 critical incidents were identified. The analysis revealed five final strategies for safe interhospital transport. RESULTS: Participants described the importance of ensuring clear and adequate information transfers between caregivers to obtain vital patient information that enables the nurse in charge to identify risks and problems in advance and create an action plan. Stabilising and optimising the patient's condition before departure and preparing drugs and equipment were other strategies described by the participants, as well as requesting assistance or support if questions or complications arose during transport. CONCLUSION: Transports with intubated patients or where intubation readiness is required are complex and require systematic patient-safety work to ensure that strategies for increasing patient safety and decreasing risks are visible to the nurses in charge, that they are applied, and that they are, indeed, effective.

Communication During Interhospital Transfers of Emergency General Surgery Patients: A Qualitative Study of Challenges and Opportunities.

OBJECTIVES: Transferred emergency general surgery (EGS) patients experience worse outcomes than directly admitted patients. Improving communication during transfers may improve patient care. We sought to understand the nature of and challenges to communication between referring (RP) and accepting (AP) providers transferring EGS patients from the transfer center nurse's (TCN) perspective. METHODS: Guided by the Relational Coordination Framework, we interviewed 17 TCNs at an academic medical center regarding (in)efficient and (in)effective communication between RPs and APs. In-person interviews were recorded, transcribed, and managed in NVivo. Four researchers developed a codebook, cocoded transcripts, and met regularly to build consensus and discuss emergent themes. We used data matrices to perform constant comparisons and arrive at higher-level concepts. RESULTS: Challenges to ideal communication centered on the appropriateness and completeness of information, efficiency of the conversation, and degree of consensus. Transfer center nurses described that RPs provided incomplete information because of a lack of necessary infrastructure, personnel, or technical knowledge; competing clinical demands; or a fear of the transfer request being rejected. Inefficient communication resulted from RPs being unfamiliar with the information APs expected and the lack of a structured process to share information. Communication also failed when providers disagreed about the necessity of the transfer. Accepting providers diffused tension and facilitated communication by embracing the role of a "coach," negotiating "wait-and-see" agreements, and providing explanations of why transfers were unnecessary. CONCLUSIONS: Transfer center nurses described numerous challenges to provider communication. Opportunities for improvement include sharing appropriate and complete information, ensuring efficient communication, and reaching consensus about the course of action.

Improving Timeliness of Pediatric Emergency Department Admissions.

INTRODUCTION: The goal of this quality improvement project was to improve timing, communication, and continued care for pediatric patients who present to the emergency department at a Level I pediatric trauma center and require inpatient admission. METHODS: Using continuous improvement methodology, a patient flow process was created to improve the throughput of pediatric patients requiring inpatient admission from the emergency department, aimed at decreasing the time from decision to admit to actual admission. The new workflow included ED and inpatient nursing collaboration, with nursing leaders coordinating patient transfer. RESULTS: Baseline data indicated that, in 2019, patients admitted to a short-stay pediatric unit from the emergency department had an average time of 106.8 minutes from decision to admit to the actual admission. After the implementation of a new admission process, time from decision to admit to actual admission decreased from a mean of 106.8 minutes to 82.84 minutes for patients admitted to a short-stay unit. This illustrates an improvement from 59.75% to 68.75% of patients admitted within 60 minutes from ED admission to arrival on a short-stay unit. This model was then replicated throughout other units in the hospital. DISCUSSION: There are no known benchmark data to guide practice for rapid admission from the pediatric emergency department to inpatient units and continuing care. This quality improvement project demonstrates a model that has been successful admitting patients in an efficient, time-controlled manner. Additional research is needed to document benchmarks for admission timing and to demonstrate other measurable outcomes in patient care.

Effect of pharmacy-led interventions during care transitions on patient hospital readmission: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) established the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP) to reduce reimbursement payments to hospitals with excessive patient readmissions. Because of this program, hospitals have developed transitions of care (TOC) programs to improve patient outcomes. OBJECTIVES: To identify and uniformly summarize the impact of pharmacy-led TOC interventions on 30-day readmission rates since the implementation of CMS HRRP. METHODS: This study followed an a-priori protocol that was registered to International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews. A systematic search was conducted using PubMed, EMBASE, International Pharmaceutical Abstracts, and CINAHL from January 1, 2013 through January 14, 2022. Studies were included if they met the following criteria: pharmacy-led intervention, 30-day readmission outcomes, patients at least 18 years old, original research performed in the United States, and English language only articles. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize study characteristics, outcomes, and elements of the study interventions. RESULTS: A total of 1964 abstracts were screened with 123 studies being included in the review. A total of 110 (89.4%) studies showed a decrease in readmission rates. The largest decrease in readmission rates was 44.5% (range 0.2%-44.5%, median = 7.4%) and the most common pharmacy-led intervention was patient counseling (n = 119, 96.7%) followed by medication reconciliation (n = 111, 90.2%). High-risk patient populations were commonly targeted with 52 studies (42.3%) focusing on CMS HRRP related diagnoses. CONCLUSION: Most pharmacist-led TOC interventions contributed to lower rates of 30-day readmission. Future studies should investigate the types of interventions that most significantly impact readmission rates.

Helicopter inter-hospital transfer for patients undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: a retrospective 12-year analysis of a service system.

BACKGROUND: Patients undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) are critically ill and show high mortality. Inter-hospital transfer of these patients has to be safe, with high survival rates during transport without potentially serious and life-threatening adverse events. The Swiss Air-Rescue provides 24-h/7-days per week inter-hospital helicopter transfers that include on-site ECMO cannulation if needed. This retrospective observational study describes adverse events of patients on ECMO transported by helicopter, and their associated survival. METHODS: All patients on ECMO with inter-hospital transfer by helicopter from start of service in February 2009 until May 2021 were included. Patients not transported by helicopter or with missing medical records were excluded. Patient demographics (age, sex) and medical history (type of and reason for ECMO), mission details (flight distance, times, primary or secondary transport), adverse events during the inter-hospital transfer, and survival of transferred patients were recorded. The primary endpoint was patient survival during transfer. Secondary endpoints were adverse events during transfer and 28-day survival. RESULTS: We screened 214 ECMO-related missions and included 191 in this analysis. Median age was 54.6 [IQR 46.1-62.0] years, 70.7% were male, and most patients had veno-arterial ECMO (56.5%). The main reasons for ECMO were pulmonary (46.1%) or cardiac (44.0%) failure. Most were daytime (69.8%) and primary missions (n = 100), median total mission time was 182.0 [143.0-254.0] min, and median transfer distance was 52.7 [33.2-71.1] km. All patients survived the transfer. Forty-four adverse events were recorded during 37 missions (19.4%), where 31 (70.5%) were medical and none resulted in patient harm. Adverse events occurred more frequently during night-time missions (59.9%, p = 0.047). Data for 28-day survival were available for 157 patients, of which 86 (54.8%) were alive. CONCLUSION: All patients under ECMO survived the helicopter transport. Adverse events were observed for about 20% of the flight missions, with a tendency during the night-time flights, none harmed the patients. Inter-hospital transfer for patients undergoing ECMO provided by 24-h/7-d per week helicopter emergency medical service teams can be considered as feasible and safe. The majority of the patients (54.8%) were still alive after 28 days.

Father newborn skin-to-skin wheelchair transfer from delivery room to neonatal care unit: Possible change in practices.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the transfer of newborns from the delivery room to the neonatal care unit with their fathers on wheelchairs in terms of the safety of the procedure and paternal anxiety. METHODS: A prospective observational single-center before-and-after pilot study was conducted from February to May 2018 at the University Maternity Hospital of Nantes. Safe transfer was judged on the basis of episodes of hypothermia or hypoglycemia. Paternal anxiety was assessed with the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) scale after newborn transfer. RESULTS: Overall, 70 preterm newborns were enrolled, 44 were carried in wheelchairs in the father's arms (target group) and 26 were transferred in an incubator (control group). After adjusting for gestational age and birthweight, there were no statistically significantly differences between the target and the control group in the rates of hypothermia (43.9% vs 30.8%, p = 0,59) and hypoglycemia (9.52% vs 19.23%, p = 0,19). The STAI scale score was not significantly different between groups after incubator transfer or wheelchair transfer, at 35 ± 8.2 and 38 ± 10.2, respectively (p = 0.07). CONCLUSION: Transferring a newborn to the neonatal care unit via wheelchair with the father is a safe alternative to incubator transfer.

Therapeutic Hypothermia in Transport Permits Earlier Treatment Regardless of Transfer Distance.

OBJECTIVE: Therapeutic hypothermia (TH) is currently the only effective therapy available to improve outcomes in neonates with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and has maximal effect when initiated within 6 hours of birth. Neonates affected by HIE are commonly born outside of cooling centers and transport is a barrier to timely initiation. In this study, we sought to determine if the initiation of servo-controlled TH in transport allowed neonates to reach target temperature earlier, without a significant delay in the transfer process, for both local and long-distance transport. STUDY DESIGN: In this single-center cohort study of neonates referred to a level IV neonatal intensive care unit for TH, we determined the chronologic age at which target temperature was reached for those cooled in transport. Short-term outcome measures were assessed, including survival, incidence of electrographic seizures, discharge feeding method, and length of hospitalization. RESULTS: In a study population of 85 neonates, those receiving TH during transport (n = 23), achieved target temperature (33-34°C) 77 minutes sooner (230 ± 71 vs. 307 ± 79 minutes of life (MOL); p < 0.001). Locally transported neonates (<15 miles) achieved target temperature 69 minutes earlier (215 ± 48 vs. 284 ± 74 MOL; p < 0.01). TH during long-distance transports allowed neonates to reach target temperature 81 minutes sooner (213 ± 85 vs. 294 ± 79 MOL; p < 0.01). Infants who were cooled in transport discharged 4 days earlier (13.7 ± 8 vs. 17.8 ± 13 days; p = 0.18) and showed a significantly higher rate of oral feeding at discharge (95 vs. 71%; p = 0.03). CONCLUSION: For those starting TH in transport, time to target temperature was decreased. In our cohort, cooling in transport was associated with improved short-term outcomes, although additional studies are needed to correlate these findings with long-term outcomes. KEY POINTS: · Therapeutic hypothermia started during transport allows shorter time to target temperature.. · Transfer was minimally delayed by starting cooling in transport.. · Cooling in transport was associated with increased rate of oral feeding at hospital discharge..

Emergency general surgery transfer to lower acuity facility: The role of right-sizing care in emergency general surgery regionalization.

BACKGROUND: Regionalization of emergency general surgery (EGS) has primarily focused on expediting care of high acuity patients through interfacility transfers. In contrast, triaging low-risk patients to a nondesignated trauma facility has not been evaluated. This study evaluates a 16-month experience of a five-surgeon team triaging EGS patients at a tertiary care, Level I trauma center (TC) to an affiliated community hospital 1.3 miles away. METHODS: All EGS patients who presented to the Level I TC emergency department from January 2020 to April 2021 were analyzed. Patients were screened by EGS surgeons covering both facilities for transfer appropriateness including hemodynamics, resource need, and comorbidities. Patients were retrospectively evaluated for disposition, diagnosis, comorbidities, length of stay, surgical intervention, and 30-day mortality and readmission. RESULTS: Of 987 patients reviewed, 31.5% were transferred to the affiliated community hospital, 16.1% were discharged home from the emergency department, and 52.4% were admitted to the Level I TC. Common diagnoses were biliary disease (16.8%), bowel obstruction (15.7%), and appendicitis (14.3%). Compared with Level I TC admissions, Charlson Comorbidity Index was lower (1.89 vs. 4.45, p < 0.001) and length of stay was shorter (2.23 days vs. 5.49 days, p < 0.001) for transfers. Transfers had a higher rate of surgery (67.5% vs. 50.1%, p < 0.001) and lower readmission and mortality (8.4% vs. 15.3%, p = 0.004; 0.6% vs. 5.0%, p < 0.001). Reasons not to transfer were emergency evaluation, comorbidity burden, operating room availability, and established care. No transfers required transfer back to higher care (under-triage). Bed days saved at the Level I TC were 693 (591 inpatients). Total operating room minutes saved were 24,008 (16,919, between 7:00 am and 5:00 pm). CONCLUSION: Transfer of appropriate patients maintains high quality care and outcomes, while improving operating room and bed capacity and resource utilization at a tertiary care, Level I TC. Emergency general surgery regionalization should consider triage of both high-risk and low-risk patients. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prospective comparative cohort study, Level II.