Bed downtime: the novel use of a quality metric allows inpatient providers to improve patient flow from the emergency department.

BACKGROUND: Emergency department (ED) boarding time is associated with increased length of stay (LOS) and inpatient mortality. Despite the documented impact of ED boarding on inpatient outcomes, a disparity continues to exist between the attention paid to the issue by inpatient and ED providers. A perceived lack of high yield strategies to address ED boarding from the perspective of the inpatient provider may discourage involvement in improvement initiatives on the subject. As such, further work is needed to identify inpatient metrics and strategies to address patient flow problems, and which may improve ED boarding time. METHODS: After initial system analysis, our multidisciplinary quality improvement (QI) group defined the process time metric 'bed downtime'-the time from which a bed is vacated by a discharged patient to the time an ED patient is assigned to that bed. Using the Lean Sigma QI approach, this metric was targeted for improvement on the internal medicine hospitalist service at a tertiary care academic medical centre. INTERVENTIONS: Interventions included improving inpatient provider awareness of the problem, real-time provider notification of empty beds, a weekly retrospective emailed performance dashboard and the creation of a guideline document for admission procedures. RESULTS: This package of interventions was associated with a 125 min reduction in mean bed downtime for incoming ED patients (254 min to 129 min) admitted to the intervention unit. CONCLUSION: Use of the bed downtime metric as a QI target was associated with marked improvements in process time during our project. The use of this metric may enhance the ability of inpatient providers to participate in QI efforts to improve patient flow from the ED. Further study is needed to determine if use of the metric may be effective at reducing boarding time without requiring alterations to LOS or discharge patterns.

Peroral endoscopic myotomy: anterior versus posterior approach: a randomized single-blinded clinical trial.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) has become the mainstay for the treatment of achalasia at many institutions around the world since its inception in 2008. POEM can be performed using either the anterior or posterior approach. The primary aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of the anterior and posterior approaches at 1 year after POEM. METHODS: This is a single-blinded, randomized, noninferiority international clinical trial. Eligible participants were adult patients with a confirmed diagnosis of achalasia via high-resolution esophageal manometry. Patients were randomly allocated with a 1:1 ratio to receive POEM with anterior or posterior approach. The primary aim was to compare the rate of clinical success (Eckardt score <3) of anterior and posterior approaches at 1 year. RESULTS: One hundred fifty patients were randomized to receive either anterior (n = 73) or posterior (n = 77) POEM. One hundred forty-eight patients received the POEM treatment, and 138 patients completed the 1-year follow-up and were included in the primary efficacy analysis. Technical success was achieved in 71 patients (97.3%) in the anterior group versus 77 patients (100%) in the posterior group (P = .23). The median (interquartile range) length of hospital stay after the procedure was 2 (1-3) days for both groups. Adverse events occurred in 15 patients (10%), 8 patients (11%) in the anterior group and 7 patients (9%) in the posterior group (P = .703). Clinical success was achieved in 90% of patients in the anterior group and 89% of patients in the posterior group. Abnormal esophageal acid exposure was detected in 29 of 59 patients (49%) and 25 of 60 patients (42%) in the anterior and posterior groups, respectively (P = .67). GERD questionnaire scores were also not significantly different between the study groups. In both groups, quality of life improved after POEM for all 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey measures and was similar between both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Posterior myotomy during POEM was not inferior to anterior myotomy in terms of efficacy and safety in the treatment of patients with achalasia. (Clinical trial registration number: NCT02454335.).

HIV viral suppression and geospatial patterns of HIV antiretroviral therapy treatment facility use in Rakai, Uganda.

OBJECTIVE: To assess geospatial patterns of HIV antiretroviral therapy (ART) treatment facility use and whether they were impacted by viral load suppression. METHODS: We extracted data on the location and type of care services utilized by HIV-positive persons accessing ART between February 2015 and September 2016 from the Rakai Community Cohort Study in Uganda. The distance from Rakai Community Cohort Study households to facilities offering ART was calculated using the open street map road network. Modified Poisson regression was used to identify predictors of distance traveled and, for those traveling beyond their nearest facility, the probability of accessing services from a tertiary care facility. RESULTS: In total, 1554 HIV-positive participants were identified, of whom 68% had initiated ART. The median distance from households to the nearest ART facility was 3.10 km (interquartile range, 1.65-5.05), but the median distance traveled was 5.26 km (interquartile range, 3.00-10.03, P < 0.001) and 57% of individuals travelled further than their nearest facility for ART. Those with higher education and wealth were more likely to travel further. In total, 93% of persons on ART were virally suppressed, and there was no difference in the distance traveled to an ART facility between those with suppressed and unsuppressed viral loads (5.26 vs. 5.27 km, P = 0.650). CONCLUSION: Distance traveled to HIV clinics was increased with higher socioeconomic status, suggesting that wealthier individuals exercise greater choice. However, distance traveled did not vary by those who were or were not virally suppressed.

Human immunodeficiency virus care cascade among sub-populations in Rakai, Uganda: an observational study.

INTRODUCTION: To assess progress towards the UNAIDS 90-90-90 initiative targets, we examined the HIV care cascade in the population-based Rakai Community Cohort Study (RCCS) in rural Uganda and examined differences between sub-groups. METHODS: Self-reports and clinical records were used to assess the proportion achieving each stage in the cascade. Statistical inference based on a χ2 test for categorical variables and modified Poisson regression were used to estimate prevalence risk ratios (PRRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for enrolment into care and initiating antiretroviral therapy (ART). RESULTS: From September 2013 through December 2015, 3,666 HIV-positive participants were identified in the RCCS. As of December 2015, 98% had received HIV Counseling and Testing (HCT), 74% were enrolled in HIV care, and 63% had initiated ART of whom 92% were virally suppressed after 12 months on ART. Engagement in care was lower among men than women (enrolment in care: adjPRR 0.84, 95% CI 0.77-0.91; ART initiation: adjPRR 0.75, 95% CI 0.69-0.82), persons aged 15-24 compared to those aged 30-39 (enrolment: adjPRR 0.72, 95% CI 0.63-0.82; ART: adjPRR 0.69, 95%CI 0.60-0.80), unmarried persons (enrolment: adjPRR 0.84, 95% CI 0.71-0.99; ART adjPRR 0.80, 95% CI 0.66-0.95), and new in-migrants (enrolment: adjPRR 0.75, 95% CI 0.67-0.83; ART: adjPRR 0.76, 95% CI 0.67-0.85). This cohort achieved 98-65-92 towards the UNAIDS "90-90-90" targets with an estimated 58% of the entire HIV-positive RCCS population virally suppressed. CONCLUSIONS: This cohort achieved over 90% in both HCT and viral suppression among ART users, but only 65% in initiating ART, likely due to both an ART eligibility criterion of <500 CD4 cells/mL and suboptimal entry into care among men, younger individuals, and in-migrants. Interventions are needed to promote enrolment in HIV care, particular for hard-to-reach sub-populations.

Effectiveness of peer support on care engagement and preventive care intervention utilization among pre-antiretroviral therapy, HIV-infected adults in Rakai, Uganda: a randomized trial.

442 pre-ART, HIV-infected adults were randomized to peer support consisting of structured home visits to promote clinic attendance and preventive care intervention use or standard of care. At baseline, 62 % reported previously visiting an HIV clinic, 45 % reported taking cotrimoxazole prophylaxis, and 31 % were "care-naïve" (no previous clinic visit and not on cotrimoxazole). After 1 year, intervention participants were more likely to report being in care (92 vs 84 %; PRR 1.09, p = 0.039), on cotrimoxazole (89 vs 81 %; PRR 1.10, p = 0.047), and safe water vessel adherence (23 vs 14 %; PRR 1.64, p = 0.024). The effect was observed only among care-naïve participants (n = 139) with 83 % intervention versus 56 % controls reporting being in HIV care (PRR 1.47, p = 0.006), 78 versus 58 % on cotrimoxazole (PRR 1.35, p = 0.04), and 20 versus 4 % safe water vessel adherence (PRR 5.78, p = 0.017). Peer support may be an effective intervention to facilitate pre-ART care compliance in this important population.

Religiosity and HIV-related drug risk behavior: a multidimensional assessment of individuals from communities with high rates of drug use.

We examined the relationship between religiosity and HIV-related drug risk behavior among individuals from communities with high rates of drug use who participated in the SHIELD (Self-Help in Eliminating Life-Threatening Disease) study. This analysis examined the dimensions of religious ideation, religious participation, and religious support separately to further understand the relationship with risk taking. Results indicate that greater religious participation appeared to be the dimension most closely associated with drug behaviors. Specifically, we found that those with greater religious participation are significantly less likely to report recent opiates or cocaine use; injection drug use; crack use; and needle, cotton or cooker sharing. Future work to understand the nature of these associations will assist in the development of interventions in communities with high rates of drug use.

HIV risk-related behaviors in the United States household population aged 15-44 years: data from the National Survey of Family Growth, 2002 and 2006-2010.

OBJECTIVE: This report presents national estimates of selected HIV risk-related behaviors among men and women 15-44 years of age in the United States, based on the 2006-2010 National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG). Data from the 2006-2010 NSFG are compared with data from the 2002 NSFG. METHODS: Data for 2006-2010 were collected through in-person interviews with a national sample of 22,682 men and women aged 15-44 years in the household population of the United States. The measures presented in this report were collected using audio computer-assisted self-interviewing (ACASI), in which the respondent enters his or her own answers into the computer without telling them to an interviewer. The response rate for the 2006-2010 NSFG was 77%, 78% for women and 75% for men. HIV risk-related behavioral measures examined in this report include sexual risk, drug risk, and recent STD treatment. RESULTS: Approximately 10% of men and 8% of women in 2006-2010 reported at least one of the HIV risk-related behavioral measures examined in this report, representing 6.5 million men and 4.9 million women in the general U.S. household population. This represents a decline from the 13% of men and 11% of women who reported one or more of these measures in 2002. This decline appears to be due to a decrease in sexual risk behaviors reported in 2006-2010, however further analysis as well as comparisons with other household surveys are needed to fully understand and describe trends over time. Significant variations were seen by demographic and socioeconomic characteristics including age, race and Hispanic origin, sex, education, and poverty level income. Among men, those with recent prison experience were more likely than other men to report one or more HIV risk-related behaviors in the past year.

HIV testing in the U.S. household population aged 15-44: data from the National Survey of Family Growth, 2006-2010.

OBJECTIVES: This report presents nationally representative estimates and trends for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing among the U.S. household population aged 15-44. Data are presented for lifetime experience with HIV testing and HIV testing in the past year, including testing done as part of prenatal care. METHODS: Data for this report come from the 2006-2010 National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG), consisting of 22,682 interviews with men and women aged 15-44, conducted from June 2006 through June 2010. The overall response rate for the 2006-2010 NSFG was 77%: 78% for women and 75% for men. RESULTS: Among U.S. women aged 15-44, the percentage ever tested for HIV outside of blood donation increased significantly from 35% in 1995 to 55% in 2002, and to 59% in 2006-2010. Among men aged 15-44, the percentage ever tested outside blood donation fell from 47% in 2002 to 42% in 2006-2010. Within gender groups in 2006-2010, the proportions ever tested for HIV outside of blood donation were similar for Hispanic and non-Hispanic white persons: roughly 6 out of 10 among women and 4 out of 10 among men. However, a higher percentage of non-Hispanic black women (75%) and non-Hispanic black men (61%) had ever been tested for HIV outside of blood donation. Based on 2006-2010 data, 21% of women were tested for HIV within the 12 months prior to interview, compared with 13% of men. While NSFG data cannot ascertain the temporal sequencing of risk-related behaviors and HIV testing, the data indicate that testing within the past year occurs more often among individuals reporting potential HIV risk-related behaviors.