Ambulatory Admissions Research Articles

A new approach for perioperative parathyroid hormone (PTH) measurement to establish cure in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism.

In this study, we analyse the possibility to omit pre-incision PTH measurement since we routinely measure it at the time of pre-surgery ambulatory admission. A total of 435 patients were enrolled. All patients with pHPT included underwent pre-surgical PTH level assessment as part of the pre-admission preparation to surgery. Intraoperative PTH was routinely assessed after induction of the anaesthesia (pre-incision PTH) and 15min after resection of the enlarged gland(s) (post-excision PTH). Moreover, calcium and PTH levels were routinely assessed on the first postoperative day. Cure was defined as an intraoperative drop of > 50% or into normal range on first post-operative day. The median value of the preoperative and pre-incision PTH were both 127 pg/ml (p = ns). Thirty-two patients (7.3%) exhibited a not appropriate drop of post-excision PTH level. Nevertheless, nineteen of them (59.3%) showed a satisfying PTH drop on 1st POD. Ten patients (2.3%) experienced a persistent disease with six achieving cure through reoperation. Additionally, three patients (0.6%) showed normalization of calcium and PTH values during the follow-up. Three patients, apparently deemed cured after an adequate PTH-drop on the day of surgery, showed persistence. Cure rate at primary surgery was 98.4%. Accuracy of our simplified protocol is 99.3%. Pre-incision PTH is not superior to preoperative PTH blood test and can be omitted without compromising the sensitivity of cure prediction. One blood sample 15min after resection, along with the postoperative PTH value on the day after surgery, is sufficient to predict the surgical outcome bearing the cost of a very low reoperation rate.

The Economic Impact of Providing Evidence-Based Pediatric Mental Health Literacy Training to Primary Care Physicians.

ObjectiveThis paper presents a review of the current state of child and adolescent mental health literacy and provides current evidence of the economic impact of a pediatric mental health literacy (MHL) training program. MethodsEmploying a case-series-comparison design, physician referrals to urgent and specialized mental health services were linked with patient-specific information comparing referrals from MHL participants and non-participating physicians. The economic impact analysis was based on changes in the admitted referral frequency and lengths of stay for the MHL group, compared to themselves pretraining, and over the same time period compared to non-participating physicians. ResultsAverage scheduled ambulatory admission rates per physician remained constant for trained and untrained pre-post groups. Average scheduled ambulatory admission wait time and length of stay reduced significantly post-training for MHL-trained physicians compared to pre-training and untrained physicians. In addition to reductions in length of stay, the total bed costs saving for emergency/inpatients admission deferrals was $2,932,112 or about $20,000 per MHL-trained physician. ConclusionThe estimated economic impact of the MHL training shows a substantial return on investment and supports wider implementation. The MHL training program should be a key feature of mental health reform strategies, as well as continuing and undergraduate medical education.

The selection of patients for ambulatory endovascular aneurysm repair of elective asymptomatic abdominal aortic aneurysm

ObjectivesTo identify candidates undergoing elective endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) of asymptomatic infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm who are eligible for early (≤6 hours) hospital discharge or to have EVAR performed in free-standing ambulatory surgery centers. MethodsA retrospective medical record review of all elective EVAR performed at a university medical center over 5 years was undertaken. Potential candidates for early discharge or to have EVAR performed in a free-standing ambulatory surgery setting were defined as those who used routine monitoring services only or had self-limited minor adverse events (AE) that were identified, treated, and resolved within 6 hours of surgery. Risk factors for ineligibility were determined by logistic regression. Sensitivity, specificity, negative and positive predictive values were measured to determine the veracity of the risk factor profile. ResultsThere were 272 elective EVARs; the mean patient age was 74 years (range, 52-94 years), and 75% were male. Twenty-five operative major AEs (MAE) occurred in 21 patients (7.7%): bleeding (5.9%), thrombosis (1.8%), and arterial injury (1.8%). Percutaneous EVAR (PEVAR) attempted in 260 patients (96%) was successful in 238 (88%). Failed PEVAR was associated with operative MAE (P < .001). Combined operative/postoperative MAE occurred in 43 patients (15.8%); 17 (6%) required intensive care admission; 88% directly from the operating room/postanesthesia care unit. Only two MAE (0.7%) occurred beyond 6 hours; (congestive heart failure at 24 hours, thrombosis/reoperation at 15 hours). Other AE included nausea (17%), blood pressure alteration (15%), and urinary retention (13%). Need for nonroutine services or treatment of other AE occurred in 131 (48%) patients with 79 (29%) developing or requiring treatment ≥6 hours postoperatively. However, 22 (8%) were treated/resolved in <6 hours; 30 (11%) patients required monitoring only and 36% had no complications, so, overall eligibility for same-day discharge/free-standing ambulatory surgery center was 55%. Failed PEVAR (odds ratio [OR], 2.37; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.25-4.49; P = .008), PEVAR performed outside of instructions for use (IFU) criteria (OR, 2.84; 95% CI, 1.07-7.56; P = .037), Endologix AFX graft (OR, 1.66; 95% CI, 1.19-2.33; P = .003) were independent predictors of MAE or AE occurring/requiring treatment >6 hours postoperatively; EVAR, which did not require an additional aortic cuff, was associated with a lower incidence (OR, 0.17; 95% CI, 0.04-0.65; P = .01). Neither aortic nor limb IFU were independent predictors. Profiles using PEVAR IFU, PEVAR failure, and graft type demonstrated only moderate sensitivity (63%), specificity (71%), positive predictive value (70%), and negative predictive value (63%). ConclusionsMore than one-half of all patients who undergo EVAR are ready for discharge within 6 hours postoperatively. Failed PEVAR, aortic cuffs, and Endologix AFX graft were independent predictors of MAE or AE occurring/requiring treatment for ≥6 hours. However, sensitivity parameters of this profile were insufficient to advocate EVAR in free-standing ambulatory surgical units at this time, but hospital-based ambulatory admission with same-day discharge would be a viable option because of easy inpatient transition for those requiring continued care.

Addressing inequalities in medical workforce distribution: evidence from a quasi-experimental study in Brazil

BackgroundBrazil faces huge health inequality challenges since not all municipalities have access to primary care physicians. The More Doctors Programme (MDP), which started in 2013, was born out of this...

Early Impact of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act on Delivery of Children's Surgical Care.

The impact of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) on children's access to surgical care is not well-defined. Our objective was to describe the early impact of PPACA on children's surgical care before and after Medicaid expansion in 2014. We compared pediatric and young adult surgical outcomes in 2013 and 2014 in Medicaid expansion and nonexpansion states; young adults were included as a control group. From 4 states, 1 597 708 encounters met all inclusion criteria. Comparing expansion to nonexpansion states, modest increases were noted in elective instead of urgent/emergent admissions; in ambulatory instead of inpatient surgeries; in inpatient length of stays; in discharges to home instead of other inpatient care facilities; and in charges for inpatient admissions. A modest decrease of -1.1% was noted in ambulatory admission charges. Overall, we conclude that Medicaid expansion likely increased children's access to surgical care, resulting in improved delivery and slightly reduced charges.

Links Between Strokes and Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia: A Population-Based Study.

Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is a disease of abnormal vasculature where patients are predisposed to strokes of multiple etiologies. We assessed yearly stroke incidence among Albertans with HHT and compared with the general population. Given the tendency for stroke in HHT patients, we expected HHT patients to have higher stroke incidence, in particular at younger ages. Population-based administrative health data on inpatient and ambulatory admissions were extracted over a 16-year period using International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-9 and ICD-10, Canada codes. We analyzed overall occurrence of strokes in Alberta by age, gender, stroke subtype, and diagnosis of HHT. The age-standardized incidence rate of stroke in HHT was 450 per 100,000 compared with 260 per 100,000 in the general population with a rate ratio of 1.73 (95% confidence interval (CI) [1.046-2.842]). This study found a higher HHT prevalence in Alberta (1 in 3800) compared to the world average of 1 in 5000. Women were also more likely to be diagnosed with HHT, with a 3.25:1 female gender preponderance in the yearly incidence.InterpretationThis study not only shows that HHT patients are at higher risk of having a stroke but also quantifies that risk using an age-adjusted metric in Alberta. This province has a higher than expected disease burden of HHT, with the majority of cases affecting women. Our study found that acute ischemic strokes and transient ischemic attacks are far more common than hemorrhage in HHT. As HHT is a rare, multi-system, chronic disease, these patients should be referred to an HHT Centre of Excellence.

A population based perspective of twenty years of specialized ambulatory treatment for alcohol use disorders in publicly financed clinics. Barcelona 1996–2015

ObjectiveTo provide information on persons treated for alcohol use disorders (AUD) over 20 years in a large city in a Southern European country and its trends, adding knowledge on the frequency of treatment from a population perspective. MethodsThis is a study of the number of annual admissions to ambulatory addiction treatment centers funded by the public sector in Barcelona (Catalonia, Spain) for the years 1996–2015. Descriptive analyses of AUD admissions were conducted, comparing changes in the number of patients entering treatment by different independent variables across periods. For city residents, sex and age-specific population annual treatment initiation rates were estimated. ResultsThe number of ambulatory admissions to AUD treatment increased over the study period. There were about 2100 treatment admissions per year in 2011–2015, of which one fourth were women. About half of these patients had never been treated before for any substance use disorder. Annual rates of treatment initiation among city residents were 208 and 68 per 100,000 people aged 15 and older for men and women respectively, almost the double among 45–54 years old citizens. Rates of total AUD treatment admission increased moderately, but declined among younger adult men. ConclusionsThese figures provide a basic population-based estimation for formal AUD treatment use in a Southern European urban setting with services available free of charge. The development of ambulatory publicly funded addiction centers may have improved access to treatment for people with AUD. age-related changes in treatment admissions may either be related to trends in the population pattern of drinking or to changes in the city demographics.

PSS18 - Budget Impact Analysis of Xydalba from the Perspective of Italian National Health System

Acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI) are a frequent cause of morbidity for the community and represent the most frequent cause of admission to the emergency room. The aim of this study was to estimate the economic impact of Xydalba® in the treatment of hospitalized patients for ABSSSI from the perspective of the National Health Service (NHS). A Budget Impact excel based model was developed following the ISPOR guidelines in order to estimate the costs of hospitalized patients with ABSSSI. The epidemiological and cost data for the standard of care (SoC) scenario were derived from an extrapolation of the national and regional administrative databases (hospital information system). All admissions for cellulitis, post-surgical infections and post-traumatic infections were selected in ordinary regime in terms of diagnosis related group (DRG) or International Classification of Diseases 9th revision as primary diagnosis. SoC scenario was compared to the innovative Xydalba scenario where patients could reduce the length of stay to 4 days with an additional ambulatory admission at day 8 for subsequent administration. An average of 55.159 hospital admission per year for 516.109 hospital stay (9.4 days per admission) were extrapolated from the administrative databases. The model consider a mean annual costs in the SoC scenario equal to € 3.58 billion. The introduction of Xydalba within the therapeutic course of ABSSSI patient could generate a reduction of 5.3 days in terms of length of stay with a consequent cost reduction between € 253.12 and € 86.06 million depending on the scenario analysed (34% or 12% of total patients treated with Xydalba respectively). Adequate and effective administration of treatment is essential to try to limit the hospital stay and in this context the introduction of Xydalba generates a significant reduction in spending on the National Health Service (NHS).

Abstract T MP46: Stroke Occurrence in Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia

Purpose: Stroke is an important manifestation of Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT). Many individuals may be unaware they have HHT, even after a stroke, due to its rarity. Our goal was to assess the occurrence of stroke among patients with HHT compared to the general population. Methods: Population-based administrative health data on inpatient and ambulatory admissions were extracted for the period 1997 to 2012 in Alberta using ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes. We observed overall occurrence of strokes in the HHT population and subsequently analyzed the data by gender, specific age groups, and stroke subtypes. Then we compared our findings to stroke occurrence among the general population. Results: The age-standardized occurrence rate of stroke in HHT was about 450 [95% CI 276.4, 622.6] per 100,000 PY compared to 260 [95% CI 259.3, 262.1] per 100,000 PY in the general population. Less than 3% of strokes occurred under 30 years old in both groups. Although the majority of strokes occurred after 60 years of age, 23% of strokes in the general population occurred in the middle-aged group (31-60). The prevalence of HHT in Alberta is 1 in 3,800 and three times as many women were diagnosed with HHT than men by 2012. Conclusion: The prevalence of HHT in Alberta was considerably higher than the North American estimate (1 in 5,000). Individuals diagnosed with HHT were 1.73 times more likely to have a stroke than average, a statistically significant difference. Among the general population, a substantial number of strokes occurred in the middle-aged group. There is a higher probability of an underlying genetic component in strokes occurring before 60 years. For patients who have a stroke before 60 without a clear etiology, clinicians should consider evaluation for genetic disorders such as HHT. This is particularly true for males in whom there may be underdiagnosis of HHT.

The Financial Consequences of Lost Demand and Reducing Boarding in Hospital Emergency Departments

Some have suggested that emergency department (ED) boarding is prevalent because it maximizes revenue as hospitals prioritize non-ED admissions, which reimburse higher than ED admissions. We explore the revenue implications to the overall hospital of reducing boarding in the ED. We quantified the revenue effect of reducing boarding-the balance of higher ED demand and the reduction of non-ED admissions-using financial modeling informed by regression analysis and discrete-event simulation with data from 1 inner-city teaching hospital during 2 years (118,000 ED visits, 22% ED admission rate, 7% left without being seen rate, 36,000 non-ED admissions). Various inpatient bed management policies for reducing non-ED admissions were tested. Non-ED admissions generated more revenue than ED admissions ($4,118 versus $2,268 per inpatient day). A 1-hour reduction in ED boarding time would result in $9,693 to $13,298 of additional daily revenue from capturing left without being seen and diverted ambulance patients. To accommodate this demand, we found that simulated management policies in which non-ED admissions are reduced without consideration to hospital capacity (ie, static policies) mostly did not result in higher revenue. Many dynamic policies requiring cancellation of various proportions of non-ED admissions when the hospital reaches specific trigger points increased revenue. The optimal strategies tested resulted in an estimated $2.7 million and $3.6 in net revenue per year, depending on whether left without being seen patients were assumed to be outpatients or mirrored ambulatory admission rates, respectively. Dynamic inpatient bed management in inner-city teaching hospitals in which non-ED admissions are occasionally reduced to ensure that EDs have reduced boarding times is a financially attractive strategy.

Iron deficiency and Helicobacter pylori infection in children

To examine the relationship between iron deficiency (ID) and Helicobacter pylori infection in school-aged children. Altogether 363 children from ambulatory admission were consecutively enrolled in the study. Haemoglobin (Hb), soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR), IgG against H. pylori and IgA against tissue transglutaminase were measured. The criteria for ID were sTfR > 5.7 mg/L in children aged 7-12 years and sTfR > 4.5 mg/L in older children, for anaemia Hb < 115 g/L in the younger group and Hb < 130 g/L for older boys and Hb < 120 g/L for girls. Iron deficiency was found in 17% of the children, 5% had also anaemia. H. pylori colonization was detected in 27% and serum markers for coeliac disease in 0.6% of the children. The prevalence of ID and H. pylori seropositivity was higher in older children (23% and 29%, vs 9% and 22%, respectively). Children with H. pylori were significantly shorter [length SDS 1.0 (0.98-1.01) vs 0.98 (0.97-0.99)]. Older children had risk for ID (OR 1.1, 95% CI 1.0-1.3, p = 0.03). Although the prevalence of H. pylori seropositivity was higher in the ID group, it was not significantly associated with ID in multivariate analysis. Helicobacter pylori seropositivity was not associated with ID. The associated factor for ID was age.

PW01-221 - The relationship between personality traits and anxiety/depression levels in different types of substance abuse

To analyse the relationship between personality structure and emotional state of dyferent types of drug abusers, the objectives of this study were to examine: the levels of Eysenck's personality dimensions and the levels of anxiety and depression of heroin addicts and recreate drug users; the relationship between personality and emotion variables; and differences between those two groups of subjects concerning their personality traits and emotional state.During their ambulatory admission, 288 (219 males and 69 females) patients were completed Eysenck's Personality Questionnaire (EPQ R/A) and Beck's Anxiety (BAI) and Depression Inventory (BDI). 191 of them were in the group of heroin addicts and 97 of them in the group of recreate drug users identified by the DSM-IV classification. Their averaged age was 22, ranged from 14 to 44.Significantly higher levels of psychoticism, neuroticism, criminality and addiction, that were determined in the group of heroin addicts, were significantly correlated with the higher levels of anxiety and depression. Higher extraversion and social conformity were determined in the group of recreate drug users who still had dispositions to resist of developing the addiction problem. Finally, even great differences in personality structure were determined between heroin addicts and recreate drug users, and even higher depression was found in the first group, there was no significant difference in the anxiety level between those two groups. The findings implied at the used measurement instruments here as the useful diagnostic tool that could provide with advantageous treatment directions.

Lower extremity endovascular interventions: Can we improve cost-efficiency?

Management of lower extremity arterial disease with endovascular intervention is on the rise. Current practice patterns vary widely across and within specialty practices that perform endovascular intervention. This study evaluated reimbursement and costs of different approaches for offering endovascular intervention and identified strategies to improve cost-efficiency. The medical records of all patients admitted to a university health system during 2005 for an endovascular intervention were retrospectively reviewed. Procedure type, setting, admission status, and financial data were recorded. Groups were compared using analysis of variance, Student t test for independent samples, and chi2. A total of 296 endovascular interventions were completed, and 184 (62%) met inclusion criteria. Atherectomy and stenting were significantly more costly when performed in the operating room than in the radiology suite: atherectomy, dollars 6596 vs dollars 4867 (P = .002); stent, dollars 5884 vs dollars 3292, (P < .001); angioplasty, dollars 2251 vs dollars 1881 (P = .46). Reimbursement was significantly higher for inpatient vs ambulatory admissions (P < .001). Costs were lowest when the endovascular intervention was done in the radiology suite on an ambulatory basis and highest when done as an inpatient in the operating room (dollars 5714 vs dollars 12,278; P < .001). Contribution margins were significantly higher for inpatients. Net profit was appreciated only for interventions done as an inpatient in the radiology suite. Reimbursement, contribution margins, and net profit were significantly lower among private pay patients in both the ambulatory and inpatient setting. The 30-day hospital readmission after ambulatory procedures was seven patients (6%). Practice patterns for endovascular interventions differ considerably. Costs vary by procedure and setting, and reimbursement depends on admission status and accurate documentation; these dynamics affect affordability. Organizing vascular services within a hub will ensure that care is delivered in the most cost-efficient manner. Guidelines may include designating the radiology suite as the primary venue for endovascular interventions because it is less costly than the operating room. Selective stenting policies should be considered. Contracts with private insurers must include carve-outs for stent costs and commensurate reimbursement for ambulatory procedures, and Current Procedural Terminology (CPT; American Medical Association, Chicago, Ill) coding must be proficient to make ambulatory endovascular interventions fiscally acceptable.