Emergency Department Patients Research Articles

Does Elective Admission vs. Emergency Department Presentation Affect Surgical Outcomes in Metastatic Spine Surgery?

Introduction: Approximately 20% of patients with metastatic spine disease develop symptomatic spinal cord compression, and these patients can present urgently to the emergency department (ED) or, in a more organized fashion, to a clinic. In a cohort of patients undergoing metastatic spine surgery, we sought to (1) determine the rate of ED presentation, (2) identify preoperative and perioperative risk factors associated with ED presentation, and (3) evaluate whether ED vs. clinic presentation impacts long-term outcomes. Methods: A single-institution, multi-surgeon, retrospective cohort study was undertaken of patients undergoing metastatic spinal tumor surgery between 02/2010 and 01/2021. The primary exposure variable was presentation setting, dichotomized to the ED vs. clinic. The primary outcomes were postoperative functional status, measured with the Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS) and McCormick Scale (MMS), local recurrence (LR), and overall survival (OS). Secondary outcomes included complications and readmissions. Results: A total of 311 patients underwent metastatic spine surgery (51.7% ED vs. 48.3% clinic). Those presenting to the ED had higher rates of smoking (21.7% vs. 16.0%, p = 0.02), were more likely to have 2+ comorbidities (47.2% vs. 32.7%, p = 0.011), and were more likely to have public insurance (43.5% vs. 32.0%, p = 0.043). Preoperative KPS was lower in ED patients (p < 0.001), while the Bilsky score was higher (p = 0.049). ED patients had higher rates of oligometastatic disease (p = 0.049), higher total decompressed levels (p = 0.041), and higher rates of costotransversectomy (p = 0.031) compared to clinic patients. Length of stay was significantly longer for ED patients (7.7 ± 6.1 vs. 6.1 ± 5.8 days, p = 0.020), and they were less likely to be discharged home (52.2% vs. 69.3%, p = 0.025). ED presentation was significantly associated with shorter overall survival (HR =1.53 95% CI = 1.13–2.08, p = 0.006). Conclusions: Of patients undergoing metastatic spine disease, approximately half presented through the ED vs. clinic. ED patients had higher rates of smoking, public insurance, and higher Bilsky score. ED patients also underwent more extensive surgery, had longer LOS, were less likely discharged home, and most importantly, had a shorter overall survival. These results suggest that initial presentation for patients undergoing surgery for metastatic spine disease significantly impacts outcomes, and signs/symptoms of metastatic spine disease should be recognized as soon as possible to prevent ED presentation.

Medical Maximizing-Minimizing Preferences and Health Beliefs Associated with Emergency Department Patients’ Intentions to Take a Cardiac Stress Test after Receiving Information about Testing

Medical Maximizing-Minimizing Preferences and Health Beliefs Associated with Emergency Department Patients’ Intentions to Take a Cardiac Stress Test after Receiving Information about Testing

Assessing the clinical utility of abdominal computed tomography in sepsis patients with unknown origin: A retrospective cohort study.

Early identification of the sources of infection in emergency department (ED) patients of sepsis remains challenging. Computed tomography (CT) has the potential to identify sources of infection. This retrospective study aimed to investigate the role of CT in identifying sources of infection in patients with sepsis without obvious infection foci in the ED. A retrospective chart review was conducted on patients with fever and sepsis visiting the ED of Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital between July 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021. Data on patient demographics, vital signs, clinical symptoms, underlying medical conditions, laboratory results, administered interventions, length of hospital stay, and mortality outcomes were collected and analyzed. Of 218 patients included in the study, 139 (63.8%) had positive CT findings. The most common sources of infection detected by CT included liver abscesses, acute pyelonephritis, and cholangitis. Laboratory results showed that patients with positive CT findings had higher white blood cell and absolute neutrophil counts and lower hemoglobin levels. Positive blood culture results were more common in patients with positive CT findings. Additionally, the length of hospital stay was longer in the group with positive CT findings. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that hemoglobin levels and positive blood culture results independently predicted positive CT findings in patients with fever or sepsis without an obvious source of infection. In patients with sepsis with an undetermined infection focus, those presenting with leukocytosis, anemia, and elevated absolute neutrophil counts tended to have positive findings on abdominal CT scans. These patients had high rates of bacteremia and longer lengths of stay. Abdominal CT remains a valuable diagnostic tool for identifying infection sources in carefully selected patients with sepsis of undetermined infection origins.

Enhancing trauma care through innovative trauma and disaster team response training: A blended learning approach in Tanzania.

In Tanzania, inadequate infrastructures and shortages of trauma-response training exacerbate trauma-related fatalities. McGill University's Centre for Global Surgery introduced the Trauma and Disaster Team Response course (TDTR) to address these challenges. This study assesses the impact of simulation-based TDTR training on care providers' knowledge/skills and healthcare processes to enhance patient outcomes. The study used a pre-post-interventional design. TDTR, led by Tanzanian instructors at Muhimbili Orthopedic Institute from August 16-18, 2023, involved 22 participants in blended online and in-person approaches with simulated skills sessions. Validated tools assessed participants' knowledge/skills and teamwork pre/post-interventions, alongside feedback surveys. Outcome measures included evaluating 24-h emergency department patient arrival-to-care time pre-/post-TDTR interventions, analyzed using parametric and non-parametric tests based on data distributions. Participants' self-assessment skills significantly improved (median increase from 34 to 58, p<0.001), along with teamwork (median increase from 44.5 to 87.5, p<0.003). While 99% of participants expressed satisfaction with TDTR meeting their expectations, 97% were interested in teaching future sessions. The six-month post-intervention arrival-to-care time significantly decreased from 29 to 13min, indicating a 55.17% improvement (p<0.004). The intervention led to fewer ward admissions (35.26% from 51.67%) and more directed to operating theaters (29.83% from 16.85%), suggesting improved patient management (p<0.018). The study confirmed surgical skills training effectiveness in Tanzanian settings, highlighting TDTR's role in improving teamwork and healthcare processes that enhanced patient outcomes. To sustain progress and empower independent trauma educators, ongoing refresher sessions and expanding TDTR across low- and middle-income countries are recommended to align with global surgery goals.

Urinary catheterization of patients with acute heart failure in a hospital emergency department: a factor associated with prognosis.

To analyze whether urinary catheterization in a hospital emergency department (ED) affects short-term prognosis in patients with acute heart failure (AHF). We prospectively recorded baseline and other clinical data in a consecutive cohort of ED patients treated for AHF. Crude and adjusted associations were calculated between catheterization and a primary composite outcome (30-day readmission for AHF and/or death) and secondary outcomes (in-hospital mortality, urinary tract infection [UTI], and duration of hospital stay.). Nine hundred ninety-one patients were admitted for AHF. The mean (SD) age was 66 (10.5) years; 71% were women. Catheterization was required for 29.2% in the ED. The primary composite outcome was observed in 7.7% of the patients who were not catheterized and 12.8% of the catheterized patients (P = .02). In-hospital mortality occurred in 5.9% and 9.7% of non-catheterized and catheterized patients, respectively (P = .04), and UTIs occurred in 19.1% and 26.6% (P = .01). Twelve of the non-catheterized patients (1.7%) were readmitted for AHF (vs 11 (3.8%) of the catheterized patients (P = .06), and there were no differences between the groups in hospital stay (11 vs 10.9 days, P = .78). In the adjusted analysis of associations between catheterization and the primary outcome the odds and hazard ratios (OR and HR, respectively) were OR, 1.7 (95% CI, 1.1-2.7) (P = .02) and HR, 1.6 (95% CI, 1.1-2.5) (P = .03). For secondary outcomes, significant associations emerged between catheterization and UTIs (OR, 1.8 [95% CI, 1.1-2.2]; P = .008) and readmission for AHF (OR, 2.9 [95% CI, 1.2-7.3]; P = .02). Routine insertion of a urinary catheter in patients with AHF in the ED is associated with worse 30-day clinical outcomes.

Evaluating follow-up rates in cancer screening interventions among emergency department patients.

Evaluating follow-up rates in cancer screening interventions among emergency department patients.

Prediction of anemia in real-time using a smartphone camera processing conjunctival images.

Anemia is defined as a low hemoglobin (Hb) concentration and is highly prevalent worldwide. We report on the performance of a smartphone application (app) that records images in RAW format of the palpebral conjunctivae and estimates Hb concentration by relying upon computation of the tissue surface high hue ratio. Images of bilateral conjunctivae were obtained prospectively from a convenience sample of 435 Emergency Department patients using a dedicated smartphone. A previous computer-based and validated derivation data set associating estimated conjunctival Hb (HBc) and the actual laboratory-determined Hb (HBl) was used in deriving Hb estimations using a self-contained mobile app. Accuracy of HBc was 75.4% (95% CI 71.3, 79.4%) for all categories of anemia, and Bland-Altman plot analysis showed a bias of 0.10 and limits of agreement (LOA) of (-4.73, 4.93 g/dL). Analysis of HBc estimation accuracy around different anemia thresholds showed that AUC was maximized at transfusion thresholds of 7 and 9 g/dL which showed AUC values of 0.92 and 0.90 respectively. We found that the app is sufficiently accurate for detecting severe anemia and shows promise as a population-sourced screening platform or as a non-invasive point-of-care anemia classifier.

Emergency Profile of Pediatric Patients Based on Pediatric Early Warning Score in the Emergency Department of the Adam Malik Hospital

Background: High morbidity and mortality rates in pediatric patients indicate the necessity of a Pediatric Early Warning Score (PEWS) capable of early clinical deterioration identification and providing an opportunity for healthcare professionals to promptly manage patients. This study aimed to serve as foundational data and as an evaluative tool to enhance the proficiency of healthcare workers in assessing patient deterioration. Methods: This study utilized a descriptive method with a cross-sectional design and consecutive sampling technique who were treated from January to December 2022. Results: there were 119 samples, the majority of gender was male (54.6%), the majority of the age group was 1-4 years old (37.8%), and the majority of the disease group was infection (31.1%). Both male and female majority had green PEWS (54.6%) and (45.4%), the majority of patients with an age range of 1 month to 5 years had red PEWS, the majority of infectious disease group had green PEWS, and the majority of patients with green PEWS had discharge outcome. Conclusion: This study provides an overview of characteristics in pediatric patients and shows the majority of pediatric emergency department patients come with non-emergency conditions.

An Evaluation of the Performance, Patient Acceptability and Feasibility of a Point-of-Care HIV-Syphilis Assay in an Urban Emergency Department.

Point-of-care (POC) tests for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) permit delivery of results during the patient's emergency department (ED) encounter. We evaluated performance, patient acceptability, and feasibility of a new duplex POC test, Chembio DPP® HIV-Syphilis Assay in an urban ED setting. Convenience sampling approach prioritizing those considered at increased risk for an STI and/or with a history of HIV. For the performance evaluation, participants were tested for HIV/syphilis with the Chembio POC assay, and the reference laboratory tests; sensitivity and specificity were determined. For the patient acceptability evaluation, participants completed pre- and post-user surveys. For the feasibility evaluation, ED clinical technicians completed a survey evaluating their perceptions regarding feasibility of use of this POC test. 327 patients were consented and enrolled. The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of the Chembio POC assay for HIV was 96.5% (95% CI: 90.1%, 99.3%) and 99.6% (95% CI: 97.7%, 100.0%), respectively, and for syphilis was 93.9% (95% CI: 85.0%, 98.3%) and 99.6% (95% CI: 97.9%, 100.0%), respectively. Regarding patient acceptability: 87% trusted the result; and 93% reported they were more likely to seek treatment if they received a positive STI test result in the ED rather than after the ED visit. Regarding feasibility: 90% of the technicians reported they would recommend using the test in EDs. The Chembio DPP® HIV-Syphilis POC assay had excellent performance characteristics when evaluated in an ED population, as well as high perceived acceptability from patients, and feasibility for ED use from clinical technicians. The test may have utility for HIV-syphilis screening among high-risk ED patients.

Comparison of the clinical chemistry score to other biomarker algorithms for rapid rule-out of acute myocardial infarction and risk stratification

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements None. Background The clinical chemistry score (CCS) comprising high-sensitivity (hs) cardiac troponins (cTn), glucose and estimated glomerular filtration rate has been previously validated with superior accuracy for detection and risk stratification of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) compared to hs-cTn alone. Methods The CCS was directly compared to other biomarker-based algorithms for rapid rule-out and prognostication of AMI including the hs-cTnT limit-of-blank (LOB, &amp;lt;3 ng/L) or limit-of-detection (LOD, &amp;lt;5 ng/L) and the dual marker strategy (DMS) (copeptin &amp;lt;10 pmol/L and hs-cTnT ≤14 ng/L) in 1506 patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with symptoms suggestive of acute coronary syndrome. Negative predictive values (NPV) and sensitivities for rule-out of AMI were assessed and outcomes included rates of the combined end-point of all-cause mortality, myocardial re-infarction and stroke within 12 months. Results NPVs of 100% (98.3-100%) could be found for a CCS=0, hs-cTnT LoB and hs-cTnT LoD with rule-out efficacies of 11.1%, 7.6% and 18.3% as well as specificities of 13.0% (9.9-16.6%), 8.8% (7.3-10.5%) and 21.4% (19.2-23.8%), respectively. A CCS≤ 1 achieved a rule-out in 32.2% of all patients with a NPV of 99.6% (98.4-99.9%) and specificity of 37.4% (34.2-40.5%) compared to a rule-out efficacy of 51.2%, NPV of 99.0 (98.0-99.5) and specificity of 59.7% (57.0-62.4%) for the DMS. Rates of the combined end-point of death/AMI within 30 days ranged between 0.0% and 0.5% for all fast-rule-out protocols. Conclusions The CCS enables a reliable rule-out of AMI with low outcome rates in short and long-term follow-up for a specific population of ED patients. However, compared to a single or dual biomarker strategy, the CCS rule-out is attenuated by a loss of specificity and lower efficacy. Thus, the clinical benefit of the CCS in clinical practice seems to be negligible.

ReDS to detect pulmonary congestion in the emergency department: reproducibility and effect of pulmonary comorbidities

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: Public hospital(s). Main funding source(s): This work was supported by the research fund of Bispebjerg University Hospital and Helsefonden. Background Remote Dielectric Sensing (ReDS) is a fast, non-invasive bedside method that estimates lung fluid content observer-independently. We previously described that ReDS has a moderate accuracy to detect acute heart failure in consecutive patients, and we hypothesise that unprecise ReDS estimates may arise from concomitant pulmonary diseases. Still, it is unknown how common comorbidities influence estimates of pulmonary congestion when using ReDS in the emergency department (ED). Purpose To examine the reproducibility of ReDS and the effect of pulmonary comorbidities in dyspnoeic patients in the ED. Method This prospective observational study included consecutive ED patients ≥50 years with acute dyspnoea. Upon admission, all patients were examined with a low-dose chest computed tomography (CT), an echocardiography and a ReDS examination. The default ReDS examination is performed with the ReDS device placed on the right hemithorax in sitting position. However, for reproducibility comparisons, we conducted three ReDS measurements on the right hemithorax after small adjustments, and in supine position (Picture 1: Scenario 1 and 2). Two blinded radiologists evaluated the CT scans for pulmonary congestion and other common pulmonary diseases. Results 97 patients were included and had study examinations conducted within a median of 4.8 hours from admission. Reproducibility comparisons revealed coefficients of variations (CV) of 9.6%, 8.2%, and 8.3% for three ReDS measurements on the right hemithorax (Picture 1: Scenario 1). Similarly, CV was 9.5% for sitting versus supine positions (Picture 1: Scenario 2). For scenario 2, patients with CT verified pulmonary congestion had CV of 5.9%, while those without pulmonary congestion had CV of 10.3%. In multivariate linear regression, we examined the relationship between pulmonary findings on CT and ReDS as a response variable (overall mean ReDS=31.6%, p&amp;lt;0.001). Lower ReDS estimates were observed in patients with pneumonia (-1.81, p=0.215, N=51) and emphysema (-5.44, p=0.001, N=26). Higher ReDS estimates were observed in fibrosis (5.58, p=0.032, N=8) and pulmonary congestion (5.79, p=0.002, N=17). Conclusion ReDS showed good reproducibility for patients with CT verified pulmonary congestion. However, the reproducibility was only moderate for consecutive patients with dyspnoea, who had a high prevalence of CT verified emphysema, lowering the ReDS estimates.Reproducibility comparisons

Prevalence and Genetic Diversity of Adenovirus 40/41, Astrovirus, and Sapovirus in Children with Acute Gastroenteritis in Kansas City 2011-2016.

Most U.S. acute gastroenteritis (AGE) episodes in children are attributed to norovirus, whereas very little information is available on adenovirus 40/41 (AdV40/41), astrovirus or sapovirus. The New Vaccine Surveillance Network (NVSN) conducted prospective, active, population-based AGE surveillance in young children. We tested and typed stool specimens collected between December 2011 to June 2016 from one NVSN site in Kansas City for the three viruses, and calculated hospitalization and emergency department (ED) detection rate. Of 3,205 collected specimens, 2,453 (76.5%) were from AGE patients (339 inpatients and 2,114 ED patients) and 752 (23.5%) were from healthy controls (HC). In AGE patients, astrovirus was detected in 94 (3.8%), sapovirus in 252 (10.3%) and AdV40/41 in 101 (4.5%) of 2249 patients. In HC, astrovirus was detected in 13 (1.7%) and sapovirus in 15 (2.0%) specimens. Astrovirus type 1 (37.7%) and genogroup I sapoviruses (59.3%) were most prevalent.Hospitalization rates were 5 (AdV40/41), 4 (astrovirus) and 8 (sapovirus) per 100,000 children <11 years old, whereas ED rates were 2.4 (AdV40/41), 1.9 (astrovirus) and 5.3 (sapovirus) per 1000 children <5 years old. Overall, AdV40/41, astrovirus, and sapovirus were detected in 18.6% of AGE in a large pediatric hospital in Kansas City.

Naloxone distribution programs in the emergency department: A scoping review of the literature.

This scoping review summarized the literature regarding naloxone distribution from emergency departments (EDs) without a prescription. Our intention was to examine various naloxone distribution programs, their methodologies, and the level of effectiveness of each. Understanding these key aspects of naloxone distribution could lead to improved standardized protocols, saving countless additional lives from opioid overdose. This review evaluated studies reporting naloxone distribution from EDs in the United States. The included studies were written in English and published between January 1, 2017, and December 31, 2022. Searches were performed using PubMed and Embase. A total of 129 studies were reviewed, with only 12 meeting the necessary criteria for analysis. Heterogeneity was found across naloxone distribution programs, including how patients were identified, how naloxone was dispensed to patients, and the specific naloxone products made available. The protocols included various methods, such as patient screening, where information used for this screening was sometimes obtained from health records or patient interviews. Some programs detailed only the distribution of naloxone, while others included additional interventions such as behavior counseling, peer support, and education. In four studies, patients received buprenorphine with naloxone kits. The various programs differed in their implementation but were generally successful in improving naloxone distribution. However, among the studies reviewed, the percentage of ED patients receiving naloxone varied from ∼30% to 70%, suggesting that certain program elements may be more impactful. Further research is needed to identify key elements of the most impactful programs in order to improve naloxone distribution and improve patient odds of surviving an opioid overdose.

Does Point-of-Care Ultrasound Affect Fluid Resuscitation Volume in Patients with Septic Shock: A Retrospective Review.

Fixed, large volume resuscitation with intravenous fluids (IVFs) in septic shock can cause inadvertent hypervolemia, increased medical interventions, and death when unguided by point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS). The primary study objective was to evaluate whether total IVF volume differs for emergency department (ED) septic shock patients receiving POCUS versus no POCUS. We conducted a retrospective observational cohort study from 7/1/2018 to 8/31/2021 of atraumatic adult ED patients with septic shock. We agreed upon a priori variables and defined septic shock as lactate ≥4 and hypotension (SBP <90 or MAP <65). A sample size of 300 patients would provide 85% power to detect an IVF difference of 500 milliliters between POCUS and non-POCUS cohorts. Data are reported as frequencies, median (IQR), and associations from bivariate logistic models. 304 patients met criteria and 26% (78/304) underwent POCUS. Cardiac POCUS demonstrated reduced ejection fraction in 15.4% of patients. Lung ultrasound showed normal findings in 53% of patients. The POCUS vs. non-POCUS cohorts had statistically significant differences for the following variables: higher median lactate (6.7 [IQR 5.2-8.7] vs. 5.6], p = 0.003), lower systolic blood pressure (77.5 [IQR 61-86] vs. 85.0, p < 0.001), more vasopressor use (51% vs. 34%, p = 0.006), and more positive pressure ventilation (38% vs. 24%, p = 0.017). However, there were no statistically significant differences between POCUS and non-POCUS cohorts in total IVF volume ml/kg (33.02 vs. 32.1, p = 0.47), new oxygen requirement (68% vs. 59%, p = 0.16), ED death (3% vs. 4%, p = 0.15), or hospital death (31% vs. 27%, p = 0.48). There were similar distributions of lactate, total fluids, and vasopressors in patients with CHF and severe renal failure. Among ED patients with septic shock, POCUS was more likely to be used in sicker patients. Patients who had POCUS were given similar volume of crystalloids although these patients were more critically ill. There were no differences in new oxygen requirement or mortality in the POCUS group compared to the non-POCUS group.

Association of biliary distention with a diagnosis of acute cholecystitis

BackgroundGallbladder distention has been described in radiology literature but its value on point-of-care ultrasound (PoCUS) performed by emergency physicians is unclear. We sought to determine the test characteristics of gallbladder distention on PoCUS for cholecystitis (acute or chronic), and secondarily whether distention was associated with an obstructing stone-in-neck (SIN), acute cholecystitis on subsequent pathology report, and longer cholecystectomy operative times. MethodsThis was a dual-site retrospective cohort study of all Emergency Department (ED) patients that underwent diagnostic biliary PoCUS and were subsequently admitted from 11/1/2020 to 10/31/2022. Patients with pregnancy, liver failure, ascites, hepatobiliary cancer, prior cholecystectomy, or known cholecystitis were excluded. Gallbladder distention was defined as a width ≥4 cm or a length ≥10 cm. Saved ultrasound images were reviewed by three independent reviewers who obtained measurements during the review. Test characteristics, Cohen's kappa (κ), and strength of association between distention and our variables (acute cholecystitis on pathology report and SIN on PoCUS) were calculated using a Chi Square analysis, where intervention (cholecystectomy, percutaneous cholecystostomy, or intravenous antibiotics) was used as the reference standard for AC. A one-tail two sample t-test was calculated for mean operative times. ResultsOf 280 admitted patients who underwent ED biliary PoCUS, 53 were excluded, and 227 were analyzed. Of the 227 patients, 113 (49.8%) had cholecystitis according to our reference standard, and 68 (30.0%) had distention on PoCUS: 32 distended by both width and length, 16 distended by width alone, and 20 distended by length alone. Agreement between investigators was substantial for width (κ 0.630) and length (κ 0.676). Distention was 85.09% (95% CI 77.20–91.07%) specific and 45.1% (95% CI 35.8–54.8%) sensitive for cholecystitis. There was an association between distention and SIN; odds ratio (OR) 2.76 (95% CI 1.54–4.97). Distention of both length and width was associated with acute over chronic cholecystitis; OR 4.32 (95% CI 1.42–13.14). Among patients with acute cholecystitis, mean operative times were 114 min in patients with distention and 89 min in patients without distention (p = 0.03). ConclusionGallbladder distention on PoCUS was specific for cholecystitis (acute or chronic), and associated with SIN, acute cholecystitis on subsequent pathology report, and longer cholecystectomy operative times. Measurement of gallbladder dimensions as part of the assessment of cholecystitis may be advantageous.

Using quality improvement approaches to increase emergency department provider engagement in research participant enrollment during COVID-19 and opioid overdose public health emergencies.

We utilized quality improvement (QI) approaches to increase emergency department (ED) provider engagement with research participant enrollment during the opioid crisis and coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. The context of this work is the Evaluating Microdosing in the Emergency Department (EMED) study, a randomized trial offering buprenorphine/naloxone to ED patients through randomization to standard or microdosing induction. Engaging providers is crucial for participant recruitment to our study. Anticipating challenges sustaining long-term engagement after a 63% decline in provider referrals four months into enrollments, we applied Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles to develop and implement an engagement strategy to increase and sustain provider engagement by 50% from baseline within 9months. Our engagement strategy was centered on Coffee Carts rounds: 5-min study-related educational presentations for providers on shift; and a secondary initiative, a Suboxone Champions program, to engage interested providers as study-related peer educators. We used provider referrals to our team as a proxy for study engagement and report the percent change in mean weekly referrals across two PDSA cycles relative to our established referral baseline. A QI approach afforded real-time review of interventions based on research and provider priorities, increasing engagement via mean weekly provider referrals by 14.5% and 49% across two PDSA cycles relative to baseline, respectively. Our Coffee Carts and Suboxone Champions program are efficient, low-barrier, educational initiatives to convey study-related information to providers. This work supported our efforts to maximally engage providers, minimize burden, and provide life-saving buprenorphine/naloxone to patients at risk of fatal overdose.

Real-Time Electronic Patient Portal Use Among Emergency Department Patients

Patients with inequitable access to patient portals frequently present to emergency departments (EDs) for care. Little is known about portal use patterns among ED patients. To describe real-time patient portal usage trends among ED patients and compare demographic and clinical characteristics between portal users and nonusers. In this cross-sectional study of 12 teaching and 24 academic-affiliated EDs from 8 health systems in California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington, patient portal access and usage data were evaluated for all ED patients 18 years or older between April 5, 2021, and April 4, 2022. Use of the patient portal during ED visit. The primary outcomes were the weekly proportions of ED patients who logged into the portal, viewed test results, and viewed clinical notes in real time. Pooled random-effects models were used to evaluate temporal trends and demographic and clinical characteristics associated with real-time portal use. The study included 1 280 924 unique patient encounters (53.5% female; 0.6% American Indian or Alaska Native, 3.7% Asian, 18.0% Black, 10.7% Hispanic, 0.4% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, 66.5% White, 10.0% other race, and 4.0% with missing race or ethnicity; 91.2% English-speaking patients; mean [SD] age, 51.9 [19.2] years). During the study, 17.4% of patients logged into the portal while in the ED, whereas 14.1% viewed test results and 2.5% viewed clinical notes. The odds of accessing the portal (odds ratio [OR], 1.36; 95% CI, 1.19-1.56), viewing test results (OR, 1.63; 95% CI, 1.30-2.04), and viewing clinical notes (OR, 1.60; 95% CI, 1.19-2.15) were higher at the end of the study vs the beginning. Patients with active portal accounts at ED arrival had a higher odds of logging into the portal (OR, 17.73; 95% CI, 9.37-33.56), viewing test results (OR, 18.50; 95% CI, 9.62-35.57), and viewing clinical notes (OR, 18.40; 95% CI, 10.31-32.86). Patients who were male, Black, or without commercial insurance had lower odds of logging into the portal, viewing results, and viewing clinical notes. These findings suggest that real-time patient portal use during ED encounters has increased over time, but disparities exist in portal access that mirror trends in portal usage more generally. Given emergency medicine's role in caring for medically underserved patients, there are opportunities for EDs to enroll and train patients in using patient portals to promote engagement during and after their visits.

Comparative analysis of ChatGPT, Gemini and emergency medicine specialist in ESI triage assessment

IntroductionThe term Artificial Intelligence (AI) was first coined in the 1960s and has made significant progress up to the present day. During this period, numerous AI applications have been developed. GPT-4 and Gemini are two of the best-known of these AI models. As a triage system The Emergency Severity Index (ESI) is currently one of the most commonly used for effective patient triage in the emergency department. The aim of this study is to evaluate the performance of GPT-4, Gemini, and emergency medicine specialists in ESI triage against each other; furthermore, it aims to contribute to the literature on the usability of these AI programs in emergency department triage. MethodsOur study was conducted between February 1, 2024, and February 29, 2024, among emergency medicine specialists in Turkey, as well as with GPT-4 and Gemini. Ten emergency medicine specialists were included in our study but as a limitation the emergency medicine specialists participating in the study do not frequently use the ESI triage model in daily practice. In the first phase of our study, 100 case examples related to adult or trauma patients were extracted from the sample and training cases found in the ESI Implementation Handbook. In the second phase of our study, the provided responses were categorized into three groups: correct triage, over-triage, and under-triage. In the third phase of our study, the questions were categorized according to the correct triage responses. ResultsIn the results of our study, a statistically significant difference was found between the three groups in terms of correct triage, over-triage, and under-triage (p < 0.001). GPT-4 was found to have the highest correct triage rate with an average of 70.60 (±3.74), while Gemini had the highest over-triage rate with an average of 35.2 (±2.93) (p < 0.001). The highest under-triage rate was observed in emergency medicine specialists (32.90 (±11.83)). In the ESI 1–2 class, Gemini had a correct triage rate of 87.77%, GPT-4 had 85.11%, and emergency medicine specialists had 49.33%. ConclusionIn conclusion, our study shows that both GPT-4 and Gemini can accurately triage critical and urgent patients in ESI 1&2 groups at a high rate. Furthermore, GPT-4 has been more successful in ESI triage for all patients. These results suggest that GPT-4 and Gemini could assist in accurate ESI triage of patients in emergency departments.

Enhancing pneumonia prognosis in the emergency department: a novel machine learning approach using complete blood count and differential leukocyte count combined with CURB-65 score

BackgroundPneumonia poses a major global health challenge, necessitating accurate severity assessment tools. However, conventional scoring systems such as CURB-65 have inherent limitations. Machine learning (ML) offers a promising approach for prediction. We previously introduced the Blood Culture Prediction Index (BCPI) model, leveraging solely on complete blood count (CBC) and differential leukocyte count (DC), demonstrating its effectiveness in predicting bacteremia. Nevertheless, its potential in assessing pneumonia remains unexplored. Therefore, this study aims to compare the effectiveness of BCPI and CURB-65 in assessing pneumonia severity in an emergency department (ED) setting and develop an integrated ML model to enhance efficiency.MethodsThis retrospective study was conducted at a 3400-bed tertiary medical center in Taiwan. Data from 9,352 patients with pneumonia in the ED between 2019 and 2021 were analyzed in this study. We utilized the BCPI model, which was trained on CBC/DC data, and computed CURB-65 scores for each patient to compare their prognosis prediction capabilities. Subsequently, we developed a novel Cox regression model to predict in-hospital mortality, integrating the BCPI model and CURB-65 scores, aiming to assess whether this integration enhances predictive performance.ResultsThe predictive performance of the BCPI model and CURB-65 score for the 30-day mortality rate in ED patients and the in-hospital mortality rate among admitted patients was comparable across all risk categories. However, the Cox regression model demonstrated an improved area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.713 than that of CURB-65 (0.668) for in-hospital mortality (p<0.001). In the lowest risk group (CURB-65=0), the Cox regression model outperformed CURB-65, with a significantly lower mortality rate (2.9% vs. 7.7%, p<0.001).ConclusionsThe BCPI model, constructed using CBC/DC data and ML techniques, performs comparably to the widely utilized CURB-65 in predicting outcomes for patients with pneumonia in the ED. Furthermore, by integrating the CURB-65 score and BCPI model into a Cox regression model, we demonstrated improved prediction capabilities, particularly for low-risk patients. Given its simple parameters and easy training process, the Cox regression model may be a more effective prediction tool for classifying patients with pneumonia in the emergency room.

Transitioning from the Emergency Department to a General Internist Outpatient Clinic for Paracentesis: A Qualitative Inquiry.

Repeated paracentesis for ascites can place significant demands on the emergency department (ED). A new general internist-led outpatient procedure clinic to alleviate this demand required ED staff and patients to accept this transition of care. This qualitative study evaluates barriers and facilitators to implementing the FLuid ASPiration (FLASP) clinic in a safety net hospital. The FLASP clinic opened during the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2021. From February to April 2022, semi-structured interviews were conducted with: 10 ED physicians and nurses; 5 FLASP clinic patients; and 4 patients receiving paracentesis in the ED. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using a Grounded Theory approach for themes categorized by Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) domains including: attitudes/knowledge; social norms; and logistics. Thematic analysis found that ED staff appreciated reduced demand for paracentesis, but barriers included: lack of knowledge; concerns about unstable patients and patient expectations (norms); and scheduling logistics. FLASP clinic patients had only favorable themes: belief in clinic safety; positive relationship with staff; and clinic efficiency. Patients using the ED for paracentesis expressed only concerns: possible need for testing or hospitalization; care usually in the ED; and unclear clinic scheduling. This study reveals challenges to transitioning sites of care for paracentesis including the need for greater ED staff education and standardizing methods to triage patients to appropriate site of care. Greater support and education of ED patients about the benefits of an outpatient procedure clinic may also reduce ED burden for paracentesis.