Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol Research Articles

Inappropriate hospital admission as a risk factor for the subsequent development of adverse events: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundAll health overuse implies an unnecessary risk of patients suffering adverse events (AEs). However, this hypothesis has not been corroborated by direct estimates for inappropriate hospital admission (IHA). The objectives of the study were the following: (1) to analyze the association between IHA and the development of subsequent AEs; (2) to explore the distinct clinical and economic implications of AEs subsequent IHA compared to appropriate admissions.MethodsAn observational cross-sectional study was conducted on hospitalized patients in May 2019 in a high-complexity hospital in Madrid, Spain. The Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol was used to measure IHA, and the methodologies of the Harvard Medical Practice Study and the European Point Prevalence Survey of Healthcare-associated Infections were used to detect and characterize AEs. The association between IHA and the subsequent.ResultsA total of 558 patients in the hospital ward were studied. IHA increased the risk of subsequent occurrence of AEs (OR [95% CI]: 3.54 [1.87 to 6.69], versus appropriate) and doubled the mean AEs per patient (coefficient [95% CI]: 0.19 [0.08 to 0.30] increase, versus appropriate) after adjusting for confounders. IHA was a predictive variable of subsequent AEs and the number of AEs per patient. AEs developed after IHA were associated with scheduled admissions (78.9% of AEs, versus 27.9% after appropriate admissions; p < 0.001). Compared with AEs developed after appropriate admissions, AEs after IHA added 2.4 additional days of stay in the intensive care unit and incurred an extra cost of €166,324.9 for the studied sample.ConclusionsPatients with IHA have a higher risk of subsequent occurrence of AE. Due to the multifactorial nature of AEs, IHA is a possible contributing factor. AEs developed after IHA are associated with scheduled admissions, prolonged ICU stays, and resulted in significant cost overruns.

Is there a change in the appropriateness of admission after patients were admitted? Evidence from four county hospitals in rural China.

This study aims to investigate the changes in admission appropriateness after patients were admitted and provide a reference for physicians to make admission decisions and for the supervision of medical service behavior by the medical insurance regulatory department. Medical records of 4,343 inpatients were obtained based on the largest and most capable public comprehensive hospital in four counties in central and western China for this retrospective study. The binary logistic regression model was employed to examine the determinants of changes in admission appropriateness. Nearly two-in-thirds (65.39%) of the 3,401 inappropriate admissions changed to appropriate at discharge. Age, type of medical insurance, medical service type, severity of the patient upon admission, and disease category were found to be associated with the changes in the appropriateness of admission. Older patients (OR = 3.658, 95% CI [2.462-5.435]; P < 0.001) were more likely to go from "inappropriate" to "appropriate" than younger counterparts. Compared with circulatory diseases, the case evaluated as "appropriate" at discharge was more frequent in the urinary diseases (OR = 1.709, 95% CI [1.019-2.865]; P = 0.042) and genital diseases (OR = 2.998, 95% CI [1.737-5.174]; P < 0.001), whereas the opposite finding was observed for patients with respiratory diseases (OR = 0.347, 95% CI [0.268-0.451]; P < 0.001) and skeletal and muscular diseases (OR = 0.556, 95% CI [0.355-0.873]; P = 0.011). Many disease characteristics gradually emerged after the patient was admitted, thus the appropriateness of admission changed. Physicians and regulators need to take a dynamic view of disease progression and inappropriate admission. Aside from referring to the appropriateness evaluation protocol (AEP), they both should pay attention to individual and disease characteristics to make a comprehensive judgment, and strict control and attention should be paid to the admission of respiratory, skeletal, and muscular diseases.

Strategies to improve the flow of admissions and hospital stays: a Delphi study of an adaptation of the Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol (AEP)

Introduction and aimThe Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol (AEP) tool analyzes inappropriate hospital stays and admissions. This study aimed to adapt the AEP questionnaire in order to analyse the appropriateness of hospital admissions and stays in our healthcare reality. MethodsA study was conducted using the Delphi method in which 15 experts in clinical management and hospital care participated. The initial questionnaire items were taken from the first version of the AEP. In the first round, the participants contributed new items that they considered relevant in our current reality. In rounds 2 and 3, they evaluated 80 items according to their relevance using a Likert scale from 1 to 4 (maximum usefulness). Pursuant to the study’s design, AEP items were considered adequate if the mean score according to the experts’ evaluation was greater than or equal to 3. ResultsThe participants defined a total of 19 new items. In the end, 47 items earned a mean score greater than or equal to 3. The resulting modified questionnaire include 17 items in “Reasons for Appropriate Admissions,” 5 in “Reasons for Inappropriate Admissions,” 15 in “Reasons for Appropriate Hospital Stays,” and 10 in “Reasons for Inappropriate Hospital Stays.” ConclusionsThe identification according to expert opinion of priority items to determine the appropriateness of admissions and extended stays could be used in the future to help create an instrument to be used in our setting.

Estrategias para mejorar el flujo de ingresos y estancias hospitalarias: adaptación del cuestionario Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol (AEP): estudio Delphi

Introduction and aimThe Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol (AEP) tool analyzes inappropriate hospital stays and admissions. This study aimed to adapt the AEP questionnaire in order to analyze the appropriateness of hospital admissions and stays in our healthcare reality. MethodsA study was conducted using the Delphi method in which 15 experts in clinical management and hospital care participated. The initial questionnaire items were taken from the first version of the AEP. In the first round, the participants contributed new items that they considered relevant in our current reality. In rounds 2 and 3, they evaluated 80 items according to their relevance using a Likert scale from 1 to 4 (maximum usefulness). Pursuant to the study's design, AEP items were considered adequate if the mean score according to the experts’ evaluation was greater than or equal to 3. ResultsThe participants defined a total of 19 new items. In the end, 47 items earned a mean score greater than or equal to 3. The resulting modified questionnaire include 17 items in “Reasons for Appropriate Admissions”, 5 in “Reasons for Inappropriate Admissions”, 15 in “Reasons for Appropriate Hospital Stays”, and 10 in “Reasons for Inappropriate Hospital Stays”. ConclusionsThe identification according to expert opinion of priority items to determine the appropriateness of admissions and extended stays could be used in the future to help create an instrument to be used in our setting.

Inappropriate Hospital Admission According to Patient Intrinsic Risk Factors: an Epidemiological Approach

BackgroundInappropriate hospital admissions compromise the efficiency of the health care system. This work analyzes, for the first time, the prevalence of inappropriate admission and its association with clinical and epidemiological patient characteristics.ObjectivesTo estimate the prevalence, associated risk factors, and economic impact of inappropriate hospital admissions.Design and ParticipantsThis was a cross-sectional observational study of all hospitalized patients in a high complexity hospital of over 901 beds capacity in Spain. The prevalence of inappropriate admission and its causes, the association of inappropriateness with patients’ intrinsic risk factors (IRFs), and associated financial costs were analyzed with the Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol in a multivariate model.Main Measures and Key ResultsA total of 593 patients were analyzed, and a prevalence of inappropriate admissions of 11.9% (95% CI: 9.5 to 14.9) was found. The highest number of IRFs for developing health care-related complications was associated with inappropriateness, which was more common among patients with 1 IRF (OR [95% CI]: 9.68 [3.6 to 26.2.] versus absence of IRFs) and among those with surgical admissions (OR [95% CI]: 1.89 [1.1 to 3.3] versus medical admissions). The prognosis of terminal disease reduced the risk (OR [95% CI]: 0.28 [0.1 to 0.9] versus a prognosis of full recovery based on baseline condition). Inappropriate admissions were responsible for 559 days of avoidable hospitalization, equivalent to €17,604.6 daily and €139,076.4 in total, mostly attributable to inappropriate emergency admissions (€96,805.3).ConclusionsThe prevalence of inappropriate admissions is similar to the incidence found in previous studies and is a useful indicator in monitoring this kind of overuse. Patients with a moderate number of comorbidities were subject to a higher level of inappropriateness. Inappropriate admission had a substantial and avoidable financial impact.

Appropriateness of Hospital Admission and Length of Stay in the Pediatric Department of a Tertiary Care Hospital in West Bengal.

Appropriateness of admissions and inpatient length of stay (LOS) are important factors controlling health-care expenditure. The current study was conducted to assess the proportion of appropriate admissions among 29-day to 12-year--old aged patients admitted to pediatric wards of a tertiary health-care center in one month and evaluate inappropriate LOS among them. An observational longitudinal study was carried out for two months among patients admitted to the pediatric inpatient department using Pediatric Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol (PAEP)-II tool. All patients admitted to the institution during the study period were included in the study. Among 495 children, 438 (88.5%) were appropriately admitted. Inappropriate admission was mostly found in children aged 1 to 5 years (29, 16.6%), those who lived >5 km from the hospital (45, 15.2%), and those who presented with other systemic illnesses (13, 31.7%). Among the appropriately admitted children, 333 (76%) met the criteria of appropriate LOS during their hospital stays. Multivariable logistic regression showed that the age of the children (AOR = 0.99; 95% CI = 0.98, 0.99), age-appropriate feeding (AOR = 2.12;95% CI = 1.30,3.47), and hematological disorder (AOR = 0.16; 95% CI = 0.05, 0.52) were found to be associated with the children being kept at the hospital inappropriately. The current study observed a high proportion of appropriate admission in children. However, a higher proportion of inappropriate LOS among them was seen. The younger age group, age-appropriate feeding, and type of illness were found as the primary predictors for inappropriate LOS.

Rate and causes of inappropriate stays and the resulting financial burden in a single specialty burns hospital

BackgroundOne of the most important challenges facing hospitals is inappropriate admissions and stays the reduction of which can contribute to a decline in healthcare costs without reducing the quality of services. The aim of this study was to estimate the rate and causes of inappropriate stays and their financial burden in a single specialty burns hospital.MethodsThis is mixed methods study conducted in 2021. In the quantitative phase, all medical records of patients admitted to a burn hospital were reviewed and 260 cases were randomly selected. The records were evaluated based on the Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol to estimate the rate and preliminary causes of inappropriate stays and their direct costs. Frequencies and logistic regression were used for the rates and the influential factors in causing inappropriate stay, respectively. In the qualitative phase, 13 senior and middle managers of the hospital were interviewed for their interpretation of the quantitative data and the main causes of inappropriate stays. Qualitative data were analyzed by using Graneheim-Lundman method.ResultsAbout 28.5% of the patients had at least 1 day of inappropriate stay and about 6% of the total hospitalization days were inappropriate. Marital status, insurance status, and the length of stay were significantly associated with inappropriate admission (p < 0.05). In addition, the annual inappropriate admission days and the direct cost imposed on the patients were estimated at 1490 days and $ 66,848.17. The main causes of inappropriate stays are categorized under themes of healthcare providers, service recipients, financial issues, extra-organizational features, and equipment.ConclusionA significant percentage of patients experience inappropriate admissions. The number of inappropriate stays, which imposes a high cost on patients, can be reduced by considering the standard criteria for appropriate admissions. In addition, hospital officials can prevent inappropriate stays as much as possible and reduce the costs and increase the productivity of hospitals through proper management and planning as well as a regular monitoring of physicians and patients.

Prevalence and associated factors of inappropriate hospital admissions and days of children in a secondary hospital in Shanghai, China.

BackgroundAlthough the appropriateness of hospital utilization of adults and the elderly in China was audited by several studies, the appropriateness of hospital use by children in Shanghai remains to be determined. This study aims to assess the level of inappropriate hospital admissions and hospital days, to detect factors associated with inappropriateness, and to elucidate reasons for inappropriateness.MethodsA retrospective review of the records of 291 admissions and 1449 hospital days of children inpatients from a secondary hospital in Shanghai was performed by two reviewers using the Chinese version Pediatric Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol (C-PAEP). Demographics, socio-economic characteristics, and other admission- or hospital stay-related information were collected and analyzed to determine factors associated with inappropriateness utilizing multivariate regression models.Results38.5% (n = 112) of admissions and 9.5% (n = 137) of hospital days were categorized as inappropriate, according to the C-PAEP. Children who were non-Shanghai residents (p < 0.001), admitted through the emergency sector (p = 0.030), and/or received services in a surgical ward (p < 0.001) had a higher risk of being admitted inappropriately. Payment method (p = 0.006), service type (p < 0.001), comorbidity (p = 0.016), length of stay (p = 0.007), and appropriateness of admission (p < 0.001) were found to be associated with prevalence of inappropriate hospital days. Approximately three-fourths of the inappropriate admissions were premature admissions (75.9%, n = 85). The most frequent reasons for inappropriate hospital days were awaiting test results (34.3%, n = 47), awaiting surgery (19.7%, n = 27), awaiting test execution (10.9%, n = 15), and family unprepared for home care (10.9%, n = 15).ConclusionsAlthough the extent of inappropriate hospital days was moderate compared with that found by previous investigations, the prevalence of inappropriateness of admission was considerable. To enhance the appropriateness of hospital care for children, interventions could be implemented according to the associated factors and identified causes.

Inappropriate and potentially avoidable emergency department visits of Swiss nursing home residents and their resource use: a retrospective chart-review

BackgroundEmergency department (ED) visits for nursing home residents lead to higher morbidity and mortality. Therefore, inappropriate visits (for conditions treatable elsewhere) or potentially avoidable visits (those avoidable through adequate chronic care management) must be minimized. This study aimed to investigate factors and resource consumption patterns associated with inappropriate and potentially avoidable visits in a Swiss tertiary hospital.MethodsThis is a single-center retrospective chart review in an urban Swiss university hospital ED. A consecutive sample of 1276 visits by nursing home residents (≥ 65 years old), recorded between January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2017 (three calendar years) were included. Case characteristics were extracted from ED electronic documentation. Appropriateness was assessed via a structured Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol; potentially avoidable visits—measured as ambulatory-care sensitive conditions (ACSCs)—were analyzed separately. Inter-group differences concerning ED resource use were tested respectively with chi-square or Wilcoxon rank sum tests. To identify predictors of inappropriate or potentially-avoidable visits, we used multivariable logistic regression analysis.ResultsSix percent of visits were rated as inappropriate: they had lower triage levels (OR 0.55 [95%-CI 0.33-0.92], p=0.024) and, compared to ambulance calls, they had higher odds of initiation via either patient-initiated walk-in (OR 3.42 [95%-CI 1.79-6.55], p≤0.001) or GP referrals (OR 2.13 [95%-CI 1.16-3.90], p=0.015). For inappropriate visits, overall ED resource use was significantly lower (median 568 vs. 1403 tax points, p≤0.001). Of all visits included, 29% were due to (often potentially-avoidable) ACSCs. In those cases, compared to ambulance initiation, odds of being potentially-avoidable were considerably lower for walk-in patients (OR 0.46 [95%-CI 0.27-0.77], p=0.004) but higher for GP referrals (OR 1.40 [95%-CI 1.00-1.94], p=0.048). Nurse work (93 tax points vs. 64, p≤0.001) and laboratory resource use (334 tax points vs. 214, p≤0.001) were higher for potentially-avoidable ED visits.ConclusionsWe revealed substantial differences between the investigated groups. While nearly one third of ED visits from nursing homes were potentially avoidable, inappropriate visits were lower in numbers and not resource-intensive. Further research is required to differentiate potentially avoidable visits from inappropriate ones and to determine these findings’ public health implications.

Inappropriate Hospital Stay of Patients Admitted Under Care of General Medicine Units: A retrospective study.

This study aimed to assess the incidence of inappropriate hospital stay and to identify the reasons behind inappropriate hospitalisation. This retrospective cohort study included patients admitted in the General Internal Medicine Unit, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman, from January to June 2020. The average length of hospital stay for all included patients was calculated. The appropriateness evaluation protocol technique was used to examine admissions that exceeded the average length of hospital stay; subsequently, the reasons for the inappropriate hospital stay were identified. There were 855 admissions during the study period. In this cohort, 53.1% were male and the median age was 64 years (interquartile range [IQR]: 44-75 years). There was a total of 6,785.4 hospitalisation days and the average length of hospital stay was five days (IQR: 3-9 days). A total of 31.8% of admissions (n = 272) and 9.9% of hospitalisation days (n = 674 days) were classified as inappropriate. Delay in complementary tests (29.0%) and unavailability of extra hospital resources (21.7%) were identified as the most common reasons associated with inappropriate hospital stays. Old age was associated with increase in inappropriate hospital stay. A significant proportion of hospitalisation days were inappropriate due to hospital-related factors. Therefore, auditing hospital services and investing in home-based care are among the top strategies that are likely to improve early discharge and minimise inappropriate hospital bed occupancy.

Appropriateness of hospital admissions in a university hospital in Egypt: Analyzing a preintervention phase.

Identifying the magnitude of this improper use and applying interventions to eliminate unnecessary hospitalization will reduce health-care expenditure, improve the quality of care for patients, and increase the accessibility to care for actual patients in need on waiting lists. Aim of Work To measures the rate of inappropriate admissions at the Ain Shams University Hospital. This research is the preintervention phase of a study conducted to improve the appropriateness of patient admission at this hospital. The appropriateness evaluation protocol (AEP) was used to review the appropriateness of 576 hospital admissions over 100 days. The patients' medical records were stratified according to the admission route into two groups, namely emergency and outpatient admission. Next, the systematic random samples were taken from each stratum based on the admission list of the previous day. The results showed that 20.5% of the sampled cases were inappropriately admitted. Furthermore, a statistically significant difference was observed between appropriately and inappropriately admitted cases regarding gender and shifts during which admission occurred in addition to body systems affected; inappropriate admissions were more among females, and admissions occurred most frequently during the morning shifts (8:00 am-2:00 pm). The remaining other factors that were studied also proved insignificant. It can be concluded that a considerable proportion of hospital admissions is inappropriate, especially in the elective surgery department, and these admissions vary according to patient's gender, shifts during which admission occurred, and the affected body systems. Adopting hospital admission policies based on the AEP criteria in addition to training of physicians on these criteria would help prevent inappropriate admission and ensure optimization during use of hospital facilities.

Predictors and reasons for inappropriate hospitalization days for surgical patients in a tertiary hospital in Wuhan, China: a retrospective study

BackgroundInappropriate hospitalization day (IHD) is recognized as an important indication of the excessive demand for health-care services, especially for surgical patients. We aim to examine the degree of IHDs, predictors associated with higher incidences of IHDs, and reasons for each IHD in different periods of hospitalization.MethodsA total of 4586 hospital days from 408 cases were evaluated by a cross-sectional and retrospective audit program carried out in a tertiary hospital with 5613 beds and 9623 faculty in Wuhan, China. This study used the revised Chinese version of the Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol (C-AEP) to assess IHDs, and the Delay Tool to ascertain each reason for IHDs. A binary logistic regression model was performed to examine the predictors of higher incidences of IHDs.ResultsThe average frequency of IHDs was 23.24 %, and a total of 322 cases (78.92 %) were reported to have experienced at least one IHD. The multivariate analysis showed that patients at the age of 60–69 with respect to under 50, and with overlength of stay were predictors of higher incidences of preoperative IHDs, while admission from outpatient, multiple diagnosis, higher surgical incision level, and overlength of stay were predictors of higher incidence of postoperative IHDs. The most frequent reasons related to health providers for IHDs were doctor’s conservative views of patient management and delays in inspection, prescription, appointment, or result report. Patient factors gave rise to nearly a quarter of postoperative IHDs.Conclusions Findings from this study indicate that measures including paying more attention to the construction of MDT for diagnosis and treatment in general surgery, reducing laboratory turnaround time, dispelling distrust among health-care providers and patients, setting stricter discharge standards and, providing integrated out-of-hospital services could be adopted accordingly to improve the inappropriateness of hospital stays.

Inappropriate hospital stays and association with lack of homecare services.

Efforts to reduce inappropriate hospital stay, including alternatives such as homecare, are important to improve patient care and reduce health care costs. This study evaluated inappropriate hospital stay in Shiraz, Islamic Republic of Iran and the extent to which these stays were due to lack of homecare services and others factors needed for homecare. This cross-sectional study was conducted between January 2018 and September 2019 at two public hospitals in Shiraz. All adult patients hospitalized in these two hospitals in the study period were included, except patients in mental care wards. Appropriateness of patients' hospital stay was assessed on a daily basis using the Iranian version of the Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol. The chi-squared test was used to assess association between need for homecare and patient characteristics. Of 6458 hospitalization days assessed (for 1954 patients), 710 (11.0%) days were inappropriate. The greatest proportion of causes of inappropriate stay were physician-related (32.9%). Of the 710 inappropriate hospitalization days, 231 were due to lack of homecare services. Most patients who were inappropriately hospitalized because of lack of homecare services were insured through Salamat insurance (64.0%). A statistically significant relationship was found between the need for homecare services and the type of health insurance (P = 0.01). Of the patients admitted to hospital because of lack of homecare services, 36.8% had endocrine diseases, especially diabetes, and 21.8% needed oxygen services. Institutionalizing home health care in the Iranian health system could encourage more home health care referral and reduce inappropriate hospitalization, especially for diabetes.

Trends in Hospitalization of Patients with Potentially Serious Diseases Evaluated at a Quick Diagnosis Clinic.

Although quick diagnosis units (QDU) have become a cost-effective alternative to inpatient admission for diagnosis of potentially serious diseases, the rate of return hospitalizations among evaluated patients is unknown. This study examined the temporal trends in admissions of QDU patients through 15 years. Adult patients referred to QDU from 2004 to 2019 who were hospitalized between the first and last visit in the unit were eligible. Decisions about admissions were mainly based on the Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol and required independent validation by experienced clinicians using a customized tool. The final analysis included 825 patients. Patient characteristics and major reasons for admission were compared each year and linear trends were analyzed. Admission rates decreased from 7.2% in 2004–2005 to 4.3% in 2018–2019 (p < 0.0001). While a significant increasing trend was observed in the rate of admissions due to cancer-related complications (from 39.5% in 2004–2005 to 61.7% in 2018–2019; p < 0.0001), those due to anemia-related complications and scheduled invasive procedures experienced a significant downward trend. A likely explanation for these declining trends was the relocation of the unit to a new daycare center in 2013–2014 with recovery rooms and armchairs for IV treatments. The facts of this study could help in the provision of anticipatory guidance for the optimal management of patients at risk of clinical complications.

Assessment of appropriateness of hospitalisations in Ukraine: analytical framework, method and findings

ObjectivesThis article reviews the applicability of a customised version of the Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol (AEP) to evaluate the magnitude of inappropriate hospitalisations in two regions of Ukraine.Data and methodsThe original...

Evaluation of Inappropriate Admission and Hospitalization According to Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol and Estimation of Direct Financial Burden

Background: Appropriate allocation of resources is an important issue in the delivery of services that can reduce the health system costs. The inappropriateness of healthcare services is one of the problems that increase the pressure on hospitals and patients. Methods: In this study, the data were collected using the appropriateness evaluation protocol by a medicine specialist at Rasoul Akram Hospital. In total, 248 participants were selected through systematic sampling. To calculate the financial burden simultaneously with the evaluation of inappropriate hospitalization days, the medicine and facility costs along with the cost of bed-day were estimated. Data were analyzed by SPSS software. Results: The type of treatment was surgery in 56.8% of the patients and 43.2% of them were admitted to the hospital for internal medicine. The mean length of stay was 4 ± 6 days. The inappropriate admission rate was estimated at about 6% and the rate of inappropriate hospital stays was 21.5%. The most important factors influencing the inappropriateness of hospitalization were delayed medical consultations, delayed surgery, conservative practitioner, and the follow-up of clinical test results. The sum of the direct financial burden of inappropriate hospitalization for the patients was estimated at around 1060 dollars. Conclusions: The findings of this study indicated that inappropriate hospitalization and admission imposed a huge financial burden on the health system and community. Hospital authorities by considering issues such as delayed medical consultations and delayed surgery can decrease the financial burden of inappropriate hospitalization to a large extent.

Reliability and Validity of the Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol for Public Hospitals in Korea.

ObjectivesThis study was conducted to assess the applicability of the Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol (AEP) for public hospitals in Korea.MethodsIn May 2016, 1500 admission claims were collected from Korean public district hospitals using stratified random sampling. Of these claims, 560 admissions to 37 hospitals were retrieved for analysis. Medical records administrators determined the appropriateness of admission using the criteria detailed in the AEP, and a physician separately assessed the appropriateness of admission based on her clinical judgment. To examine the applicability of the AEP, the concordance of the decisions made between a pair of AEP reviewers and between an AEP reviewer and a physician reviewer was compared.ResultsThe results showed an almost perfect inter-rater agreement between the AEP reviewers and a moderate agreement between the AEP reviewers and the physician. The sensitivity and specificity of the AEP were calculated as 0.86 and 0.56, respectively.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that the AEP could potentially be applied to Korean public hospitals as a reliable and valid instrument for assessing the appropriateness of admissions.

PRS42 DETERMINANTS OF INAPPROPRIATE ADMISSIONS TO COUNTY HOSPITAL FOR RESPIRATORY DISEASES IN RURAL CHINA: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Inappropriate admissions of respiratory diseases is high and difficult to regulate. The aim of this study was to identify the determinants of inappropriate admission to hospitalized patients with respiratory diseases in rural areas. In this study, 1141 inpatient records of respiratory diseases from 4 counties were collected by a stratified random sampling method in central and western China. An adjusted Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol (AEP) was used to evaluate the admission records of inpatients suffering from respiratory diseases. Determinants related to the inappropriate admissions to county hospital for respiratory diseases were analyzed by using a binary logistic regression. The top five positive indicators of respiratory disease assessment were B14 acute hematopathy, severe medium-sized leukopaenia, thrombocytopaenia, leukocytosis, erythrocytosis, thrombocytosis or haemolysis-resulted symptoms, A2 treatment with varying dosages or drugs on a regular basis under direct medical supervision), A3 calculation of intake and output volume, B19 lung infection above 50% or leafy lesions according to X-ray examination and A8 stopping (at least once every 8 h) or continuing oxygen inhalation. The inappropriate admission rate of respiratory diseases was 33.7 %, among which Dingyuan County in Anhui Province was the highest (42.5%), and Huining County in Gansu Province was the lowest (27.6%). Inappropriate admissions were more likely in internal medicine (36.9%) and surgery (37.0%) department, mainly found for patients aged 40–59 years (41%) and who admitted in spring (37.7%) and the length of stay more than 14 days(48.6%). The logistic regression analysis showed that county, gender, age, season, admitted severity, health status and disease were determinants of inappropriate admission to patients with respiratory diseases in county hospitals. Policymakers must act to reduce the high prevalence of inappropriate admissions for respiratory diseases in county hospitals in rural China, by strengthening chronic disease prevention and control and changing the motivating mechanism of these hospitals.

Distribution of the Indicator of the Appropriate Admission of Patients with Circulatory System Diseases to County Hospitals in Rural China: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: The inappropriate admission of patients with circulatory system diseases (CSDs) have contributed to the rapid increase in hospitalisation rates in China. The purpose of this study is to identify the key indicators of appropriate admission and their distribution by analysing CSD cases. Methods: A total of 794 records of inpatient CSD cases were collected from county hospitals in five counties in midwestern rural China through stratified random sampling and evaluated by using the Rural Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol (RAEP). RAEP has two parts: Indicator A, which represents requirement for services, and Indicator B, which represents diseases severity. Indicator distribution was analysed through frequency analysis. A three-level logistic regression model was used to examine the sociodemographic determinants of the positive indicators of appropriate CDSs admissions. Result: The inappropriate admission rate of CSDs was 33.4% and varied between counties. A2 (Varying dosage/drug under supervision, 58.22%), A8 (Stopping/continuing oxygen inhalation, 38.19%), A7 (Electrocardiogram per 2 hours, 34.22%), A3 (Calculation of intake and output volume, 31.19%) and B14 (Abnormal blood condition, 27.98%) were the top five positive indicators of CSDs. Indicator A (requirements for services) was more active than Indicator B (disease severity). The limitation of the role of Indicator B over time may be attributed to the different policies and environments of rural China and stimulated the increase in inappropriate admission rates. The results of three-level logistic regression suggested that the influence of gender, year, region and disease type on positive indicators should receive increased attention in the evaluation of CSDs admissions. Conclusion: This study found that A2, A8, A7, A3 and B14 were the key indicators and were helpful to determine the appropriate admission of CSDs in rural China. Managers may focus on these indicators, particularly the use of indicator A.

Effect of inappropriate admissions on hospitalization performance in county hospitals: a cross-sectional study in rural China

BackgroundInappropriate admissions cause excessive utilization of health services compared with outpatient services. However, it is still unclear whether inappropriate admissions cause excessive use of health services compared with appropriate admissions. This study aims to clarify the differences in the hospitalization performances between appropriately admitted inpatients and inappropriately admitted inpatients.MethodsA total of 2575 medical records were obtained after cluster sampling in three counties. Admission appropriateness was assessed by appropriateness evaluation protocol (AEP). The propensity score matching (PSM) was computed to match patients in treatment and control group with similar characteristics, and to examine the differences in the utilization of hospitalization services between the two groups. The samples were matched in two major steps in this study. In the first step, total samples were matched to examine the differences in the utilization of hospital services between the two groups using 15 individual covariates. In the second step, PSM was computed to analyze the differences between the two groups in different disease systems using 14 individual covariates.ResultsFor the whole sample, the inappropriate group has lower expenditure of hospitalization (EOH) (difference = − 0.12, p = 0.003) and shorter length of stay (LOS) (difference = − 0.73, p = 0.016) than the appropriate group. For number of clinical inspection (NCI), it has no statistically significant difference (difference = − 0.39, p = 0.082) between the two groups. Among different disease systems, no significant differences were observed between the two groups among EOH, LOS and NCI, except that the EOH was lower in the inappropriate group than that in the appropriate group for surgical disease (difference = − 0.169, p = 0.043).ConclusionInappropriate admissions have generated excessive health service utilization compared with appropriate admissions, especially for internal diseases. The departments in charge of medical services and hospital managers should pay high attention to the health service utilization of the inappropriately admitted inpatients. Relevant medical policies should be designed or optimized to increase the appropriateness in health care service delivery and precision in clinical pathway management.