Anticoagulation Patterns Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults With Atrial Fibrillation.

OBJECTIVES: To assess clinicians' prescribing practices for anticoagulation in older adults with atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter (AF/F) and determine factors common among those without anticoagulation. METHODS: We performed a community-based retrospective cohort study of adults aged 65 years and older with a history of nonvalvular AF/F to determine the rate of oral anticoagulation utilization. We also assessed for associations between anticoagulation use and comorbid conditions and common geriatric syndromes. RESULTS: A total of 3832 patients with a diagnosis of nonvalvular AF/F were included (mean [SD] age, 79.9 [8.4] years), 2693 (70.3%) of whom were receiving anticoagulation (51.7%, a vitamin K antagonist; 48.1%, a direct-acting oral anticoagulant). Patients with higher Elderly Risk Assessment index (ERA) scores, a surrogate for health vulnerability, received anticoagulation less often than patients with lower scores. The percentage of patients with a history of falling was higher among those who did not receive anticoagulation than among those who did (44.4% vs 32.8%; P < .001). Similarly, a diagnosis of dementia was more common in the no-anticoagulation group than the anticoagulation group (18.5% vs 12.7%; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: A substantial proportion of older adults with AF/F do not receive anticoagulation. Those without anticoagulation had higher risk of health deterioration based on higher ERA scores and had a higher incidence of dementia and fall history. This suggests that the presence of geriatric syndromes may influence the decision to withhold anticoagulation.

Reflect, Inspire, Strengthen, and Empower 2.0 Program: Advancing Careers and Leadership for Women Physician Staff in an Academic Institution.

Background: To study the effects of the Reflect, Inspire, Strengthen, and Empower (RISE) 2.0 Program designed for professional development of women staff. Topics included emotional intelligence, appreciative coaching, resilience, and strategic career development. Methods: The RISE 2.0 program was held between September 2020 and February 2021. After each session, program satisfaction surveys were sent to evaluate whether session objectives were met. Professional network, professional mentor, and professional goals were surveyed at the introductory session and at 1 month after the program ended. Survey data about leadership self-efficacy, motivation to lead, and well-being were collected at the introductory session (baseline) and at months 1 and 3 to evaluate the sustainability of program outcomes. Results: Of the 71 notified, 41 (58%) committed to the program. Results increased for having a robust professional network from baseline to month 1 for very good (7.3% to 13.3%) and excellent (19.5% to 40%). Those who responded favorably to setting and attaining ambitious goals increased from 78.1% to 93.3%. For leadership self-efficacy, all except 2 respondents reported an increase in ratings from baseline to month 3. Motivation to lead changed only slightly. Well-being scores fluctuated as affected by daily needs and fulfillment. For 10 of 15 respondents, well-being increased overall from baseline to month 1 or 3, from month 1 to 3. Conclusions: Based on participant evaluations and feedback, the RISE 2.0 program received positive responses overall in achieving its learning goals. The program exhibited promise in fostering career advancement and leadership development, particularly when assessed using indicators predictive of successful leadership, such as self-efficacy, motivation to lead, and overall wellbeing.

Impact of Intra-Articular Corticosteroid Injection on Glycemic Control: A Population-Based Cohort Study.

This retrospective cohort study investigated the longer-term hyperglycemic effects of intra-articular corticosteroid (IACS) administration by evaluating changes in A1C after large joint IACS injection. Among 1,169 patients (mean age 66.1 ± 12.2 years, 52.8% female), 184 (15.7%) experienced a greater-than-expected rise in A1C (actual A1C ≥0.5% above predicted) after IACS. Greater-than-expected rise in A1C was associated solely with baseline A1C (odds ratio [OR] 1.84, 95% CI 1.08-3.13 for baseline A1C of 7.0-8.0% compared with <7.0% and OR 4.79, 95% CI 2.83-8.14 for baseline A1C >8.0% compared with <7.0%). Although most patients do not experience an increase in A1C after IACS, clinicians should counsel patients with suboptimally controlled diabetes about risks of further hyperglycemia after IACS administration.

Decision Support System Detecting Patients at Risk of Prolonged QT and Associated Mortality.

Prolonged QT interval is an independent risk factor for all-cause mortality. However, evaluation of mortality associated to the implementation of a clinical decision support system to increase awareness and provide management recommendations has been challenging. Here we present our attempt to develop a model using only electronic data and different control groups.

Improving Handoffs After Osteoporotic Fractures.

Osteoporotic fractures among long-term care residents have substantial economic and human costs. After a fracture, many older adults do not receive an osteoporosis diagnosis or evidence-based treatment, which leads to increased risk of recurrent fractures. Optimal processes are well defined for transitioning medical care after a hip or vertebral fracture for osteoporosis evaluation, but the handoff process from the specialist back to a primary care practitioner (PCP) or to a rehabilitative setting is not well defined. Our interdisciplinary quality improvement team developed and evaluated a program for transitioning care from a hospital-based fracture liaison clinic (FLC) to PCPs caring for older adults across the care continuum. To understand the current process of postfracture care transitions, we analyzed the postfracture patient experience. We surveyed PCPs to assess barriers to osteoporosis treatment, and retrospectively conducted a baseline analysis of 87 patients who had sustained an osteoporotic fracture in 2020. This preliminary work showed several opportunities for practice improvement and helped us develop a practical multicomponent intervention aimed at improving care transitions from the FLC to PCPs. The intervention (June-September 2021) comprised a standardized documentation template in the electronic health record (EHR) for FLC clinicians, a structured handoff process, and an engagement tool for patients outlining the roles and responsibilities of each care team member. We compared care transition measures before and after intervention. EHR documentation of an osteoporosis diagnosis increased from 56% (49 of 87 patients) before intervention to 92% (48 of 52) after intervention (P < .001). Additionally, increases were observed in documentation of treatment recommendations, associated risk factors, and PCP discussions with patients regarding osteoporosis and related treatment. This practical, commonsense intervention established clear roles for each care team member. The intervention addressed systemwide barriers in facilitating a safe transition from a subspecialty care team to PCPs providing care to older adults with osteoporosis.

Postdischarge Video Visits for Adherence to Hospital Discharge Recommendations: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Objective: To determine whether a postdischarge video visit with patients, conducted by hospital medicine advanced practice providers, improves adherence to hospital discharge recommendations. Patients and Methods: We conducted a single-institution 2-site randomized clinical trial with 1:1 assignment to intervention vs control, with enrollment from August 10, 2020, to June 23, 2022. Hospital medicine patients discharged home or to an assisted living facility were randomized to a video visit 2-5 days postdischarge in addition to usual care (intervention) vs usual care (control). During the video visit, advanced practice providers reviewed discharge recommendations. Both intervention and control groups received telephone follow-up 3-6 days postdischarge to ascertain the primary outcome of adherence to all discharge recommendations for new and chronic medication management, self-management and action plan, and home support. Results: Among 1190 participants (594 intervention; 596 control), the primary outcome was ascertained in 768 participants (314 intervention; 454 control). In intervention vs control, there was no difference in the proportion of participants with the primary outcome (76.7% vs 72.5%; P=.19) or in the individual domains of the primary outcome: new and chronic medication management (94.1% vs 92.8%; P=.50), self-management and action plan (76.5% vs 71.5%; P=.18), and home support (94.1% vs 94.3%; P=.94). Women receiving intervention vs control had higher adherence to recommendations (odds ratio, 1.77; 95% CI, 1.08-2.91). Conclusion: In hospital medicine patients, a postdischarge video visit did not improve adherence to discharge recommendations. Potential gender differences in adherence require further investigation.Clinicaltrials.gov number, NCT04547803.

Global well-being, anxiety, social isolation, and emotional support among hospitalists during COVID-19 and Mpox outbreaks.

OBJECTIVE: The Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic caused a decline in hospitalist wellness. The COVID-19 pandemic has evolved, and new outbreaks (i.e. Mpox) have challenged healthcare systems. The objective of the study was to assess changes in hospitalist wellness and guide interventions. METHODS: We surveyed hospitalists (physicians and advanced practice providers [APPs]), in May 2021 and September 2022, at a healthcare system's 16 hospitals in four US states using PROMIS® measures for global well-being, anxiety, social isolation, and emotional support. We compared wellness score between survey periods; in the September 2022 survey, we compared wellness scores between APPs and physicians and evaluated the associations of demographic and hospital characteristics with wellness using logistic (global well-being) and linear (anxiety, social isolation, emotional support) regression models. RESULTS: In May 2021 vs. September 2022, respondents showed no statistical difference in top global well-being for mental health (68.4% vs. 57.4%) and social activities and relationships (43.8% vs. 44.3%), anxiety (mean difference: +0.8), social isolation (mean difference: +0.5), and emotional support (mean difference: -1.0) (all, p ≥ 0.05). In September 2022, in logistic regression models, APPs, compared with physicians, had lower odds for top (excellent or very good) global well-being mental health (odds ratio [95% CI], 0.31 [0.13-0.76]; p < 0.05). In linear regression models, age <40 vs. ≥40 years was associated with higher anxiety (estimate ± standard error, 2.43 ± 1.05; p < 0.05), and concern about contracting COVID-19 at work was associated with higher anxiety (3.74 ± 1.10; p < 0.01) and social isolation (3.82 ± 1.21; p < 0.01). None of the characteristics showed association with change in emotional support. In September 2022, there was low concern for contracting Mpox in the community (4.6%) or at work (10.0%). CONCLUSION: In hospitalists, concern about contracting COVID-19 at work was associated with higher anxiety and social isolation. The unchanged wellness scores between survey periods identified opportunities for intervention. Mpox had apparently minor impact on wellness.

Skin Cancer Associated With Chronic Leg Ulcers in the Population of Olmsted County, Minnesota.

Malignant skin tumors in the setting of chronic leg ulcers (CLUs) are often underdiagnosed which may contribute to treatment delay and poor outcomes. The aims of our study were to determine the incidence and clinical characteristics of skin cancers in leg ulcers in the Olmsted County population from 1995 to 2020. We used the Rochester Epidemiology Project (a collaboration between health care providers) infrastructure to describe this epidemiology, allowing "population-based" research. Electronic medical records of adult patients with International Classification of Diseases diagnosis codes for leg ulcers and skin cancers on the legs were queried. Thirty-seven individuals with skin cancers in nonhealing ulcers were identified. The cumulative incidence of skin cancer over the 25-year period was 37:7864 (0.47%). The overall incidence rate was 470 per 100,000 patients. Eleven (29.7%) men and 26 (70.3%) women were identified with mean age of 77 years. History of venous insufficiency was present in 30 (81.1%) patients and diabetes in 13 (35.1%) patients. Clinical characteristics of CLU with skin cancer included abnormal granulation tissue in 36 (94.7%) and irregular borders in 35 (94.6%) cases. Skin cancers among CLUs included 17 (41.5%) basal cell carcinomas, 17 (41.5%) squamous cell carcinomas, 2 (4.9%) melanomas, 2 (4.9%) porocarcinomas, 1 (2.4%) basosquamous cell carcinoma, and 1 (2.4%) eccrine adenocarcinoma. The apparent association between chronic wounds and subsequent biopsy-proven skin cancer of the same site was primarily observed in elderly patients; malignant transformation of wounds favored basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. This retrospective cohort study further characterizes the association between skin cancers and chronic leg wounds.

Use of Gabapentin for Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome in the Hospital Setting: A Randomized Open-Label Controlled Trial.

Background/objectives: Patients hospitalized with alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) are typically treated with CIWA-directed benzodiazepines to prevent complications, such as seizures and delirium tremens. Gabapentin is an evidence-based alternative to benzodiazepines in the outpatient setting, but there is limited data for hospitalized patients with AWS. This study compared fixed-dose gabapentin to CIWA-directed benzodiazepines for AWS in the hospital setting. Methods: This open-label, randomized controlled trial enrolled 88 adults from February 1, 2017 to August 16, 2020 with a risk of complicated alcohol withdrawal as defined by the Prediction of Alcohol Withdrawal Severity Scale (PAWSS) ≥4. Patients were randomized within 16 h of admission to either fixed-dose gabapentin taper or continued CIWA-directed benzodiazepine administration. The primary outcome was the length of stay (LOS). Secondary outcomes included seizure, delirium tremens, ICU transfer, and patient-reported symptoms (alcohol cravings, anxiety, sleepiness). Results: LOS was shorter, but not statistically different in the gabapentin group compared to the benzodiazepine group. Because benzodiazepines were received in both gabapentin and benzodiazepine groups before randomization, the mean amount of benzodiazepines received in each group was also not statistically different, although the amount received by the gabapentin group was less than half of that received by the benzodiazepine group (4.3 vs. 10.6 mg, p = 0.146 by per protocol analysis). There were no statistical differences in secondary measures. Conclusions: Fixed-dose gabapentin taper showed similar outcomes compared to CIWA-directed benzodiazepines for the treatment of hospitalized patients with mild/moderate AWS, but the interpretation of the results is limited due to under-enrollment and the use of benzodiazepines in both groups pre-enrollment.Clinical trial registration: NCT03012815.

Papanicolaou test collection with the Papette brush or the spatula with cytobrush: A pragmatic study.

BACKGROUND: Cotesting with the Papanicolaou (Pap) and human papillomavirus tests detects most precancerous and cancerous lesions and increases the sensitivity for detecting high-grade precancerous and invasive cervical cancers compared with human papillomavirus testing alone. OBJECTIVE: To compare the use of the Papette brush (hereafter Papette) to the traditional spatula with endocervical brush (cytobrush) for cervical cancer screening. DESIGN: Pragmatic observational study. METHODS: Adult women aged 21-64 years who were eligible for a Papanicolaou test at a Midwest Community Internal Medicine practice underwent cervical cancer screening using the Papette or spatula with cytobrush from 18 August 2021 through 1 February 2022. Cluster sampling was used across the practice. Pathology reports were then analyzed to compare the number of satisfactory versus unsatisfactory results between the two collection techniques. RESULTS: We collected results for 756 Pap tests. The test results were satisfactory with the Papette 93.8% of the time compared with 93.0% for the spatula with cytobrush. CONCLUSION: The Papette is not inferior to a spatula with cytobrush as a collection method for Pap tests.

Well-being in the Workplace: A Book Club Among Health Care Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

INTRODUCTION/OBJECTIVES: A culture of joy in the workplace supports well-being, but less is known about the effect of a shared experience on well-being and burnout in a health care setting. This pilot study investigated personal well-being and occupational burnout among primary care staff who participated in a 3-month virtual book club. METHODS: In December 2021, health care workers from a primary care practice were invited to participate in a 3-month virtual book club. Participants were emailed a preintervention survey with questions regarding well-being and burnout, the pandemic's influence on emotional health, and demographic information. The book club met virtually every month from January 2022 through March 2022. After the March 2022 book club meeting, a paired postintervention survey was sent to participants with additional questions regarding their participation in the book club. Well-being and burnout were measured with the 11-point Well-Being Index, and the pandemic's influence on emotional health was assessed with the 64-point Pandemic Emotional Impact Scale. RESULTS: Of 12 book club participants, 9 participants (6 physicians and 3 nurses) completed surveys before and after the intervention. Postintervention improvement in the median score of the Pandemic Emotional Impact Scale was significant (7 points, P = .04). Although Well-Being Index results uniformly favored improved well-being after book club participation, the median improvement of 1 point was not significant (P = .69). CONCLUSIONS: Social connection through a virtual workplace activity such as a book club may contribute to well-being and may decrease occupational burnout.

Mindfulness Using a Wearable Brain Sensing Device for Health Care Professionals During a Pandemic: A Pilot Program.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this feasibility pilot study was to evaluate safety and adherence of a wearable brain sensing wellness device designed to reduce stress among healthcare professionals (HCP). METHODS: A total of 40 HCP were invited to participate in an open-label pilot study. Participants were asked to use a brain sensing wearable device (MUSE-S™) on a daily basis to reduce their stress, for a total of 90 days. Total study participation duration was 180 days. Study enrollment began in August 2021 and ended December 2021. The exploratory outcomes included stress, depression, sleep, burn-out, resilience, quality of life, and cognition. RESULTS: Among the 40 HCP in study, the majority were female (85%), white (87.5%) and with an average age of 41.3 ± 11.0 years (SD). Participants used the wearable device an average of 23.8 times over a 30-day period with a mean duration of 5.8 min with each use. Study results demonstrate the positive impact of guided mindfulness using the wearable device MUSE-S™ and its accompanying application (APP). A statistically significant improvement was found for a reduction in stress (P < .001) and improvement in resilience (P = .02), quality of life (P = .003), and cognition (P < .001). The majority (91.9%) of the participants indicated they felt more relaxed after using the device, and 73% indicated they would continue to use this device at end-of-study. No adverse effects were reported. CONCLUSION: Study results show that 3 to 10 min of guided meditation during work hours through the use of a brain sensing wearable device is safe and acceptable, with associated health benefits for HCP.

Odds of Influenza in Patients Receiving Intra-articular Corticosteroid Injections: A Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: Although intra-articular corticosteroid (IACS) is injected locally, some systemic absorption occurs, potentially causing immunosuppression in recipients. This study examined the odds of influenza in patients who received IACS compared with matched controls. DESIGN: Adults in the authors' health system who received IACS from May 2012 through April 2018 were 1:1 matched to adults without IACS. The primary outcome was overall odds of influenza. Secondary analyses examined influenza odds by timing of IACS, joint size, and vaccination status. RESULTS: A total of 23,368 adults (mean age, 63.5 yrs, 62.5% female) received IACS and were matched to a control. Although there was no difference in influenza odds by IACS status overall (odds ratio, 1.13; 95% confidence interval, 0.97-1.32), patients receiving IACS during influenza season had higher odds of influenza than matched controls (odds ratio, 1.34; 95% confidence interval, 1.03-1.74). Furthermore, unvaccinated patients who received IACS during influenza season had higher influenza odds compared with matched controls (odds ratio, 1.41; 95% confidence interval, 1.04-1.91]), whereas there was no difference among vaccinated patients. CONCLUSION: Patients receiving IACS injections during influenza season had higher odds of influenza. However, vaccination seemed to mitigate this risk. Patients receiving IACS injections should be counseled on infection risk and importance of vaccinations. Further research is needed to examine IACS effects on other viral illnesses. TO CLAIM CME CREDITS: Complete the self-assessment activity and evaluation online at http://www.physiatry.org/JournalCME. CME OBJECTIVES: Upon completion of this article, the reader should be able to: (1) Identify potential adverse effects of intra-articular corticosteroids; (2) Recognize risk factors for influenza diagnosis; and (3) Describe importance of influenza vaccination. LEVEL: Advanced. ACCREDITATION: The Association of Academic Physiatrists is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.The Association of Academic Physiatrists designates this Journal-based CME activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™ . Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Gabapentinoid Prescribing Practices at a Large Academic Medical Center.

Objective: To evaluate indications for gabapentinoid prescription at an academic medical center. Patients and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed patients aged 18 years or older who were prescribed gabapentinoids (gabapentin or pregabalin) during the 2019 calendar year at an academic medical center in the US Midwest. Patient demographic characteristics, indications for gabapentinoid prescription, and prescribing clinician specialities were abstracted from a random sample, and the findings were extrapolated to the overall cohort. Results: A total of 6205 prescriptions for gabapentinoids were initially identified. In the random sample of prescriptions (n=721), 89.5% were for gabapentin and 10.5% were for pregabalin. More women than men were prescribed gabapentinoids, and the mean ± SD patient age was 58.6±16.9 years. The top 5 indications for gabapentinoid prescriptions were neuropathic pain, musculoskeletal pain, restless legs syndrome, anxiety, and headache. A majority (66.7%) of prescriptions had substantial-to-modest evidence, but 29.0% of prescriptions had conflicting or insufficient evidence. Conclusion: To our knowledge, this study is one of the first to manually review clinical notes from multiple clinical specialities to ascertain indications for gabapentinoid prescriptions. Although most prescriptions had modest evidence to support their use, a high percentage of gabapentinoid prescriptions were issued for indications not supported by robust evidence. This suggests that prescribers are gravitating toward gabapentinoid use for reasons that are currently not fully understood. Clinician intent for off-label gabapentinoid prescriptions at the point of care should be further studied to understand the factors that lead to these clinical decisions.

Stress Resilience Program for Health Care Professionals During a Pandemic: A Pilot Program.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to increased burnout and staff turnover for health care providers (HCPs). The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the safety and acceptability of a Stress Resilience Program (SRP) for reducing perceived stress and improving resilience among HCPs during a pandemic. METHOD: Of the 12 HCPs expressing interest in the study, 10 were enrolled in this study. Participants attended three in-person visits (consent/screen, baseline, and end-of-study). The SRP consisted of education related to resilience enhancement and a breathing device (BreatherFit®) for combined respiratory muscle training (cRMT). Participants completed 4 weeks of cRMT and applied situational breathing strategies as needed. Outcomes measured were changes in stress (PSS-10), resilience (BRS), depression (PRIME-MD), and sleep (PSQI and Oura Ring®). FINDINGS: The majority of participants were male (60%) and White (60%) with an average age of 39.7 years. Changes from baseline to end-of-treatment indicated a positive trend with significant stress reduction (-3.2 ± 3.9, p = .028) and nonsignificant depression reduction (-0.5 ± 0.7, p = .05). Resilience was high at baseline and continued to stay high during the study with a nonsignificant increase at end-of-study (+0.07 ± 0.7, p = .77). No changes in overall sleep scores were noted. All participants agreed the study was worthwhile, 80% indicated they would repeat the experience, while 90% indicated they would recommend the study to others. CONCLUSION/APPLICATION TO PRACTICE: Because of its size and portability, SRP is an easily applicable and promising option for reducing stress among HCPs during a high-stress period, such as a pandemic. Larger studies are needed.

Dementia Care in the Last Year of Life: Experiences in a Community Practice and in Skilled Nursing Facilities.

OBJECTIVE: People living with dementia often have high care needs at the end-of-life. We compared care delivery in the last year of life for people living with dementia in the community (home or assisted living facilities [ALFs]) versus those in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). METHODS: A retrospective study was performed of older adults with a dementia diagnosis who died in the community or SNFs from 2013 through 2018. Primary outcomes were numbers of hospitalizations and emergency department visits in the last year of life. Secondary outcomes were completed advance care plans, hospice enrollment, time in hospice, practitioner visits, and intensive care unit admissions. RESULTS: Of 1203 older adults with dementia, 622 (51.7%) lived at home/ALFs; 581 (48.3%) lived in SNFs. At least 1 hospitalization was recorded for 70.7% living at home/ALFs versus 50.8% in SNFs (P < .001), similar to percentages of emergency department visits (80.2% vs 58.0% of the home/ALF and SNF groups, P < .001). SNF residents had more practitioner visits than home/ALF residents: median (IQR), 9.0 (6.0-12.0) versus 5.0 (3.0-9.0; P < .001). No advance care plan was documented for 12.2% (n = 76) of the home/ALF group versus 4.6% (n = 27) of the SNF group (P < .001). Nearly 57% of SNF residents were enrolled in hospice versus 68.3% at home/ALFs (P < .001). The median time in hospice was 26.5 days in SNFs versus 30.0 days at home/ALFs (P = .67). CONCLUSIONS: Older adults with dementia frequently receive acute care in their last year of life. Hospice care was more common for home/ALF residents. Time in hospice was short.

Multisite analysis of patient experience scores and risk of hospital admission: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Routinely collected patient experience scores may inform risk of patient outcomes. The objective of the study was to evaluate the risk of hospital admission within 30-days following third-party receipt of the patient experience survey and guide interventions. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, we analyzed Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems surveys, January 2016-July 2019, from an institution's 20 hospitals in four U.S. states. Surveys were routinely sent to patients using census sampling. We analyzed surveys received ≤60 days following discharge from patients living ≤60 miles of any of the institution's hospitals. The exposures were 19 survey items. The outcome was hospital admission within 30 days after third-party receipt of the survey. We evaluated the association of favorable (top-box) vs unfavorable (non-top-box) score for survey items with risk of 30-day hospital admission in models including patient and hospitalization characteristics and reported adjusted odds ratios (aOR [95% confidence interval]). RESULTS: Among 40,162 respondents (mean age ± standard deviation: 68.1 ± 14.0 years), 49.8% were women and 4.3% had 30-day hospital admission. Patients with 30-day hospital admission, compared to those not admitted, were more likely to be discharged from a medical service line (62.9% vs 42.3%; P < 0.001) and have a higher Elixhauser index. Favorable vs unfavorable score for hospital rating was associated with lower odds of 30-day hospital admission in the overall cohort (0.88 [0.77-0.99]; P = 0.04), medical service line (0.81 [0.70-0.94]; P = 0.007), and upper tertile of Elixhauser index (0.79 [0.67-0.92]; P = 0.003). Favorable score for recommend hospital was associated with lower odds of 30-day hospital admission in the medical service line (0.83 [0.71-0.97]; P = 0.02) but for others (e.g. cleanliness of hospital environment) showed no association. CONCLUSION: In routinely collected patient experience scores, favorable hospital rating was associated with lower odds of 30-day hospital admission and may inform risk stratification and interventions. Evidence-based survey items linked to patient outcomes may also inform future surveys.

Post-discharge early assessment with remote video link (PEARL) initiative for patients discharged from hospital medicine services.

OBJECTIVES: The COVID-19 pandemic impacted the availability and accessibility of outpatient care following hospital discharge. Hospitalists (physicians) and hospital medicine advanced practice providers (HM-APPs) coordinate discharge care of hospitalized patients; however, it is unknown if they can deliver post-discharge virtual care and overcome barriers to outpatient care. The objective was to develop and provide post-discharge virtual care for patients discharged from hospital medicine services. METHODS: We developed the Post-discharge Early Assessment with Remote video Link (PEARL) initiative for HM-APPs to conduct a post-discharge video visit (to review recommendations) and telephone follow-up (to evaluate adherence) with patients 2-6 days following hospital discharge. Participants included patients discharged from hospital medicine services at an institution's hospitals in Rochester (May 2020-August 2020) and Austin (November 2020-February 2021) in Minnesota, US. HM-APPs also interviewed patients about their experience with the video visit and completed a survey on their experience with PEARL. RESULTS: Of 386 eligible patients, 61.4% were enrolled (n = 237/386) including 48.1% women (n = 114/237). In patients with complete video visit and telephone follow-up (n = 141/237), most were prescribed new medications (83.7%) and took them as prescribed (93.2%). Among five classes of chronic medications, patient-reported adherence ranged from 59.2% (narcotics) to 91.5% (anti-hypertensives). Patient-reported self-management of 12 discharge recommendations ranged from 40% (smoking cessation) to 100% (checking rashes). Patients reported benefit from the video visit (agree: 77.3%) with an equivocal preference for video visits over clinic visits. Among HM-APPs who responded to the survey (88.2%; n = 15/17), 73.3% reported benefit from visual contact with patients but were uncertain if video visits would reduce emergency department visits. CONCLUSION: In this novel initiative, HM-APPs used video visits to provide care beyond their hospital role, reinforce discharge recommendations for patients, and reduce barriers to outpatient care. The effect of this initiative is under evaluation in a randomized controlled trial.