Emergency Department Visits Research Articles

From triage to treatment

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on healthcare systems worldwide, leading to changes in presentation types, service utilization, and admission rates to emergency departments (ED). This study examines changes in ED visit patterns and triage misclassifications during the pandemic in Alberta, Canada. Methods: We conducted a retrospective population-level time-series analysis of all patients who presented to 12 EDs in the Edmonton Alberta Zone between March 3, 2019, and March 3, 2022. Routinely collected electronic health record data were analyzed and with primary categories of reporting including Canadian Triage Acuity Scale (CTAS), age, Canadian Emergency Department Information System (CEDIS) presenting complaint, admission status, triage misclassifications, and time markers for patient care. Results: 1.24 million cases from 12 hospitals were included. When we compare the patterns of presentation to the pre-pandemic period, we found a relative increase of 12.5% in EMS volumes, a 43.2% relative reduction in the proportion of patients presenting to tertiary EDs, 17.2% relative reduction in the number of patients under the age of 18, and a global increase in acuity with the highest relative increase 19.7% coming from patients in the highest acuity level: CTAS 1. Complaint distributions during these periods demonstrated that mental health, substance use, and environmental complaints experienced 15.5%, 22.4%, and 26.7% relative increases in volume, respectively; pediatric specific complaints experienced a 56.5% relative reduction. By the end of the study period, patients spent an average of 59 minutes longer in the ED compared to the pre-pandemic period. The proportion of patients triaged using Epic increased from 7.8% of all patients triaged in the pre-pandemic period to over 66.1% during the pandemic, and there was a 22.9% and 24.2% relative reduction in high-risk triage misclassifications (22.9%) and pain related triage misclassifications (24.2%) by the end of the period compared to the before the pandemic. Conclusion: Our study adds to the pandemic-related emergency care knowledge base by describing ED visit trends, changes in presenting complaint categories and time markers for patient care over a big-data pre and post pandemic dataset. Nursing-specific ED quality indicators that have not been previously described over a three-year duration between March 3rd 2019 and March 3rd 2022. are also presented. Our study findings have significant implications for healthcare professionals and policymakers in understanding both the impact of the pandemic on ED care delivery as well as future pandemic and post-pandemic ED operations.

The Incidence and Severity of Pediatric Injuries Sustained by Electric Bikes and Powered Scooters: The Experience of an Urban, Tertiary Pediatric Emergency Department.

This study aimed to describe the incidence and severity of electrical bicycle (E-bike)- and power scooter (P-scooter)-related injuries and their secular trends among pediatric patients presenting to a pediatric emergency department (ED). This retrospective cohort study of patients aged <18 years who sustained E-bike and P-scooter injuries was performed between 2018 and 2023. We explored trends of severe trauma cases, ED visits, hospitalizations, and surgical interventions. Severity of trauma was rated by either an injury severity score (ISS) of >15 or the patient's need for acute care as defined by intensive care unit (ICU) admission, direct disposition to the operating room, acute interventions performed in the trauma room, and in-hospital death. Of the 1466 pediatric patients who presented to our pediatric ED following P-scooter and E-bike injuries, 216 (14.7%) were hospitalized, with a median age of 14.0 years (interquartile range, 10.5-16.0 years) and male predominance (69.0%). The number of ED visits increased 3.5-fold by study closure, with a parallel increase in hospitalizations, surgical interventions, and severe trauma cases. The relative percentages of severe trauma cases were not significantly different over time. Among hospitalized patients, 3 patients (1.4%) died and 9 (4.1%) required rehabilitation care. The incidence and severity of E-bike and P-scooter injuries and fatalities continue to increase within the pediatric population. Current personal and road safety regulations are providing inadequate in preventing these injuries, highlighting an urgent need for revision and stricter enforcement.

Opioid antagonist Utilization Patterns in United States Emergency Department Visit: A Retrospective Study

Opioid antagonist Utilization Patterns in United States Emergency Department Visit: A Retrospective Study

Pediatric Hospitalizations and Emergency Department Visits Related to Mental Health Conditions and Self-Harm

Mental disorders among the pediatric population are a major area of public health concern. Little is known regarding changes in pediatric hospital resource use related to mental health (MH) long after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. To assess rates and trends of hospitalizations and emergency department (ED) visits related to MH and self-harm (SH) among children before and during the 3 years following the pandemic onset. This cross-sectional study used national hospital data. The study sample included all MH- and SH-related hospitalizations and ED visits among children aged 6 to 17 years in France between January 1, 2016, to May 31, 2023. Interrupted time-series analysis of monthly rates of MH- and SH-related hospitalizations and ED visits per 100 000 children was conducted to assess changes before and every year after the pandemic onset. Rate ratios (RRs) between estimated and expected rates were calculated. Overall, 583 244 hospitalizations (81.4% for MH and 18.6% for SH) and 432 725 ED visits (79.9% for MH and 20.1% for SH) were analyzed. The mean (SD) age of the children was 13.7 (2.9) and 14.8 (1.7) years for MH-related and SH-related hospitalizations, respectively, and 14.2 (2.6) and 14.6 (2.1) years for MH-related and SH-related ED visits, respectively. For MH-related hospitalizations, 52.6% were female and 47.4% were male; for SH-related hospitalizations, 83.1% were female and 16.9% were male. For MH-related ED visits, 62.8% were female and 37.2% were male; for SH-related ED visits, 77.4% were female and 22.6% were male. Before the pandemic, an increasing trend in all monthly rates, except that of MH-related hospitalizations, was observed. After an immediate decrease in hospitalization and ED visit rates during the initial pandemic period (March 1 to May 31, 2020), trends increased in the first 2 years following the pandemic onset and decreased thereafter. Overall, rates of MH-related hospitalizations and ED visits exceeded expected rates in only the second year after the pandemic onset, with increases of 6.0% (RR, 1.06 [95% CI, 1.05-1.06]) and 5.0% (RR, 1.05 [95% CI, 1.04-1.05]), respectively. However, rates of hospitalizations and ED visits for behavioral syndromes (mainly eating and sleeping disorders) persistently exceeded expected rates, with increases of 29.0% (RR, 1.29 [95% CI, 1.25-1.34]) and 26.0% (RR, 1.26 [95% CI, 1.21-1.31]) in the third year, respectively. Likewise, rates of SH-related hospitalizations and ED visits persistently rose above expected rates, with increases of 29.0% (RR, 1.29 [95% CI, 1.26-1.32]) and 43.0% (RR, 1.43 [95% CI, 1.40-1.47]) in the third year, respectively. In this cross-sectional study, persistent increases in the use of hospital resources to treat eating and sleeping disorders and intentional SH among pediatric patients were observed long after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings warrant future research to identify persistent stress factors in children.

Comparative Analysis of Safety and Efficacy Between Anterior and Posterior Calyceal Entry in Supine Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy.

Introduction: One advantage of supine percutaneous nephrolithotomy (sPCNL) is the ability to access anterior as well as posterior calyces, but the safety and efficacy of anterior calyceal entry has never been investigated to our knowledge. We prospectively evaluated patients scheduled for sPCNL comparing anterior and posterior calyceal access. Materials and Methods: After Institutional Review Board approval, we prospectively enrolled 100 consecutive patients undergoing sPCNL from February to September 2023. Primary outcomes included intraoperative complications, blood transfusions, 30-day complication rates, and emergency department (ED) visits or readmissions. Secondary outcomes included stone-free rates (SFR). Results: Seventy-six patients had anterior calyceal entry and 24 had posterior. No significant differences were found in terms of baseline demographics (age, body mass index), stone characteristics (location, density, complexity), or intraoperative features (operative time, location of access). Safety outcomes, including intraoperative complications (1% vs 4%), blood transfusions (3% vs 8%), 30-day complication rates (17% vs 21%), and ED visits (1% vs 0) or readmissions (11% vs 21%) were comparable between groups. Overall SFRs were equivalent (86% vs 90%). Conclusion: We found that anterior and posterior accesses in sPCNL offer similar safety and efficacy, with no significant differences in complications or SFRs. Surgeons can select either approach based on patient anatomy and surgical needs without concern for increased complications. Further research is necessary to confirm these findings and guide best practices for calyx selection in sPCNL.

Clinical and socioeconomic predictors of hospital use and emergency department visits among children with medical complexity: A machine learning approach using administrative data

Objectives The primary objective of this study was to identify clinical and socioeconomic predictors of hospital and ED use among children with medical complexity within 1 and 5 years of an initial discharge between 2010 and 2013. A secondary objective was to estimate marginal associations between important predictors and resource use. Methods This retrospective, population-cohort study of children with medical complexity in Alberta linked administrative health data with Canadian census data and used tree-based, gradient-boosted regression models to identify clinical and socioeconomic predictors of resource use. Separate analyses of cumulative numbers of hospital days and ED visits modeled the probability of any resource use and, when present, the amount of resource use. We used relative importance in each analysis to identify important predictors. Results The analytic sample included 11 105 children with medical complexity. The best short- and long-term predictors of having a hospital stay and number of hospital days were initial length of stay and clinical classification. Initial length of stay, residence rurality, and other socioeconomic factors were top predictors of short-term ED use. The top predictors of ED use in the long term were almost exclusively socioeconomic, with rurality a top predictor of number of ED visits. Estimates of marginal associations between initial length of stay and resource use showed that average number of hospital days increases as initial length of stay increases up to approximately 90 days. Children with medical complexity living in rural areas had more ED visits on average than those living in urban or metropolitan areas. Conclusions Clinical factors are generally better predictors of hospital use whereas socioeconomic factors are more predictive of ED use among children with medical complexity in Alberta. The results confirm existing literature on the importance of socioeconomic factors with respect to health care use by children with medical complexity.

Sociodemographic Disparities in 1-Year Outcomes of Children With Community-Acquired Acute Kidney Injury

Racial disparities have been identified in pediatric community-acquired acute kidney injury (CA-AKI), and they are associated with increased risk of child mortality, morbidity, and progression of kidney disease. To assess clinical outcomes at 1 year among children with CA-AKI, stratified by age, race, and ethnicity. This retrospective cohort study is a population-based analysis of deidentified, aggregated electronic health record data collected by 61 large health care organizations from 2003 to 2023 and accessed through the TriNetX platform. Outcomes were assessed at 1 year after a CA-AKI episode. Participants included pediatric patients (aged <18 years) with AKI. Data were accessed in January 2024. A diagnosis of CA-AKI and sociodemographic factors such as race, ethnicity, and age, as reported in electronic health records. The primary end point of this study was to assess differences in clinical outcomes within 1 year of an episode of CA-AKI, including all-cause emergency department (ED) visits, intensive care unit (ICU) admissions, mechanical intubation and ventilation, and mortality. Risk was compared between White children and Asian (including Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Other Pacific Islander), Black, and Hispanic children, stratified by age group. Measures of association, Cox proportional hazard analyses, and Kaplan-Meier survival curves were performed within the TriNetX Advanced Analytics Platform between racial and ethnic groups for each analysis. From the total sample of 18 152 children, those with hospital-acquired AKI, chronic kidney disease, end-stage kidney failure, or dialysis dependence were excluded, leaving a final cohort of 17 125 children (mean [SD] age, 11.2 [5.2] years; 9424 male [55.3%]). Eligible patients were divided into racial and ethnic groups as follows: non-Hispanic Asian, 1169 children (6.5%); non-Hispanic Black, 4636 children (27.3%); Hispanic, 1786 children (10.2%); and non-Hispanic White, 9534 children (55.9%). Patients were further subdivided into groups aged 0 to 9 years (546 Asian children, 1675 Black children, 689 Hispanic children, and 3340 White children) and 10 to 18 years (623 Asian children, 2961 Black children, 1091 Hispanic children, and 6104 White children). Within 1 year of CA-AKI diagnosis, compared with White children, Black children experienced greater rates of ED visits (hazard ratio [HR], 1.53; 95% CI, 1.40-1.67), ICU admissions (HR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.16-1.47), mechanical ventilation (HR, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.13-1.56), and all-cause mortality (HR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.09-1.48), as well as the greatest risk for composite outcomes (HR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.33-1.53). Hispanic children experienced greater rates of ED visits (HR, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.21-1.62) and the greatest risk of all-cause mortality (HR, 1.66; 95% CI, 1.31-2.09), whereas Asian children experienced greater rates of mechanical ventilation (HR, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.26-2.27), compared with White children. Black and Hispanic children aged 0 to 9 years were at greatest risk of experiencing poor clinical outcomes. Black children had a 11.41% lower survival probability and Hispanic children had a 7.14% lower survival probability compared with White children after an initial ED encounter. Among children with an identified episode of CA-AKI diagnosed in an ED, within 1 year, Black and Hispanic children had a poorer survival probability compared with White children. Future studies are needed to understand these disparities and improve awareness and follow-up after emergency care.

Electronic Health Record Phenotyping of Pediatric Suicide-Related Emergency Department Visits

Suicide is a leading cause of death among young people. Accurate detection of self-injurious thoughts and behaviors (SITB) underpins equity in youth suicide prevention. To compare methods of detecting SITB using structured electronic health information and measure algorithmic performance across demographics. This cross-sectional study used medical records among youths aged 6 to 17 years with at least 1 mental health-related emergency department (ED) visit in 2017 to 2019 to an academic health system in Southern California serving 787 000 unique individuals each year. Analyses were conducted between January and September 2023. Multiexpert electronic health record review ascertained the presence of SITB using the Columbia Classification Algorithm of Suicide Assessment. Random forest classifiers with nested cross-validation were developed using (1) International Statistical Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) codes for nonfatal suicide attempt and self-harm and chief concern and (2) all available structured data, including diagnoses, medications, and laboratory tests. Detection performance was assessed overall and stratified by age group, sex, and race and ethnicity. The sample comprised 2702 unique youths with an MH-related ED visit (1384 youths who identified as female [51.2%]; 131 Asian [4.8%], 266 Black [9.8%], 719 Hispanic [26.6%], 1319 White [48.8%], and 233 other race [8.6%]; median [IQR] age, 14 [12-16] years), including 898 children and 1804 adolescents. Approximately half of visits were related to SITB (1286 visits [47.6%]). Sensitivity of SITB detection using only codes and chief concern varied by age group and increased until age 15 years (6-9 years: 59.3% [95% CI, 48.5%-69.5%]; 10-12 years: 69.0% [95% CI, 63.8%-73.9%]; 13-15 years: 88.4% [95% CI, 85.1%-91.2%]; 16-17 years: 83.1% [95% CI, 79.1%-86.6%]), while specificity remained constant. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) was lower among preadolescents (0.841 [95% CI, 0.815-0.867]) and male (0.869 [95% CI, 0.848-0.890]), Black (0.859 [95% CI, 0.813-0.905]), and Hispanic (0.861 [95% CI, 0.831-0.891]) youths compared with adolescents (0.925 [95% CI, 0.912-0.938]), female youths (0.923 [95% CI, 0.909-0.937]), and youths of other races and ethnicities (eg, White: 0.901 [95% CI, 0.884-0.918]). Augmented classification (ie, using all available structured data) outperformed classification with codes and chief concern alone (AUROC, 0.975 [95% CI, 0.968-0.980] vs 0.894 [95% CI, 0.882-0.905]; P < .001). In this study, diagnostic codes and chief concern underestimated SITB prevalence, particularly among minoritized youths. These results suggest that priority on algorithmic fairness in suicide prevention strategies must extend to accurate detection of youths with suicide-related emergencies.

Outcomes following off-site remote systemic cancer therapy administration.

The Veterans Affairs Nebraska Western Iowa Health Care System (VA-NWIHCS) uses teleoncology and remote systemic cancer therapy services to expand care to veterans in rural Nebraska via remote sites in Lincoln and Grand Island. This study compares clinical outcomes in patients receiving care at these remote sites to those at the primary site in Omaha. Data were retrospectively reviewed for 151 patients who received first-line systemic therapy at VA sites in Omaha, Lincoln, or Grand Island between January 1, 2018, and December 31, 2020. This included patient demographics, malignancy type and stage, survival, systemic therapy received, treatment intent and toxicities, missed or delayed cycles, and frequency of hospitalizations or emergency department visits. SAS version 9.4 was used for analysis. The study population included 108 patients who received their systemic therapy in Omaha, whereas 43 received therapy at the remote sites. The demographic of both populations was predominantly male with a median age of 69 years and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status of 0 to 1. The two groups were comparable in terms of comorbidities. Both populations had a similar distribution of cancer types, proportion of patients with stage IV disease, and treatment with curative intent. There was no difference in 1- and 2-year survival, systemic therapy-related toxicity classification and prevalence, number of delayed/missed cycles, and hospitalization/emergency department visits. Evaluated outcomes in patients treated in Omaha versus remote sites via teleoncology under the same providers were similar. Effective oncology care, including systemic therapy, can be provided via teleoncology, and this model can help mitigate issues with access to care.

Head injuries in prehospital and Emergency Department settings: a prospective multicenter cross-sectional study in France

BackgroundHead injuries are the leading cause of trauma in Emergency Departments (EDs). Recent studies have shown epidemiological changes in patients consulting ED for head injuries. The main objective of this study was to describe the profile of head injury patients consulting in the EDs in France and assess i) head injury severity across age groups; ii) the delay between the occurrence of head injury and ED arrival; iii) factors associated with traumatic intracranial hemorrhage (ICH).MethodsThis cross-sectional study collected patient data over a three-day period in March 2023. All adult patients (≥ 18 years old) admitted to the ED with a head injury (defined as a trauma to the head) were included. TBI severity was classified according to patients’ initial Glasgow Coma Scale score in the ED: severe (3–8); moderate (9 -12); mild (13–15); and simple head trauma in the absence of transient or persistent neurological symptoms.ResultsAmong the 71 participating EDs, 26,008 patients visited EDs and a total of 1070 patients (4.1%, IC 95 3.9—4.4) presented a head injury were included in the study, with a median age of 68.5 [37–85] years old. Most of the patients (66.7%) were referred to ED after a call to the Emergency Medical Dispatcher (EMD). The median time from head injury to ED visit was 2 h [1.0 – 5.5]. Ground-level falls were the leading cause of head injury (60.3%). Most of patient presented a simple head trauma (n = 715, 66.8%) followed by mild TBI (n = 337, 31.5%). CT head scans were performed for 636 patients (59.6%), of which 58 were positive. Traumatic ICH prevalence was 5.4% (95% CI: 4.1–6.9) and three patients (0.3%) required an urgent neurosurgical intervention. Neither preinjury anticoagulant (p = 0.97) nor antiplatelet (p = 0.93) use was associated with an increased risk of traumatic ICH.ConclusionsOne head injury patient out of two presenting in the ED is aged over 65 years. Patients referred by EMD were more likely to visit ED promptly. The majority of older patients underwent a head CT scan and preinjury anticoagulant use was not associated with increased risk of traumatic ICH.

The Effect of Obesity on Postoperative Analgesia Practices and Complications Following Endoscopic Sinus Surgery: A Propensity Score-Matched Cohort Study.

Despite growing concern regarding over-prescription of narcotic pain medication following ambulatory surgery, little is known about the analgesic prescribing practices following endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) in obese patients in comparison to non-obese patients. To compare the rates of opioid versus non-opioid prescriptions, the need for steroids, and post-operative adverse events between obese and non-obese adult patients undergoing ESS. Using TriNetX Live database, we identified all patients aged ≥18 years who underwent ESS (n = 1303) between 2014 and 2022 across several healthcare institutions across the state of Tennessee. We 1:1 propensity score-matched obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) and non-obese (18.5 kg/m2 ≤ BMI < 30 kg/m2) cohorts for age, gender, race, and comorbidities including asthma, nicotine dependence, and sleep apnea. Rates of prescriptions and post-operative adverse events between cohorts were analyzed using risk ratios (RR) and confidence intervals (CI). A toal of 532 obese patients were compared to 532 propensity score-matched non-obese patients in the first 14 post-operative days following ESS. The obese cohort was significantly more likely to be prescribed analgesics generally (RR = 1.72; 95% CI = 1.20-2.47), non-opioid analgesics (RR = 1.73; 95% CI = 1.19-2.50), and opioid analgesics (RR = 1.64; 95% CI = 1.14-2.36) than non-obese patients. There was no difference in rates of antibiotic or antiemetic prescription, prednisone/methylprednisolone, dexamethasone, ED visits, critical care service, epistaxis, transfusion, anemia, revision sinus surgery, mechanical ventilation, CPAP, or inhalation airway treatments. Obese patients undergoing ESS were significantly more likely to be prescribed non-opioid and opioid analgesia in the first 14 days post-operatively compared to non-obese patients. There were no differences in post-operative adverse events or other prescriptions. Otolaryngologists should be aware that obese patients are at increased risk of opioid induced airway obstruction and steroid induced hyperglycemia, especially in patients with comorbid sleep apnea or diabetes. Emphasis on non-opioid analgesics and multimodal pain management should be advocated for this population.

Healthcare utilization following acute myocardial infarction findings from RECORD MI registry

Abstract Background As therapeutic options and epidemiology have evolved rapidly, the contemporary healthcare utilization following acute myocardial infarction (MI) is not well known. Methods All patients admitted with MI between 01/2015 and 12/2021 in the Baylor Scott &amp; White health system were studied. Patient characteristics and outcomes including hospital readmissions, cardiovascular (CV)-related hospital readmissions, emergency department (ED) encounters, and outpatient visits were studied. Results Of 6804 patients, 6556 were discharged alive. Median age was 69 years, 60% were male, and 77% had non-ST elevation MI (NSTEMI); 1172 (22%) had an LVEF &amp;lt;40%, 493 (7.5%) were revascularized within 3 months of discharge, and 1090 (17%) had multivessel disease. The number of unique patients with first hospital readmission within 30-days, 3-months, and 12-months were 844 (13%), 1372 (21%) and 2306 (35%), respectively, with a higher risk in patients with NSTEMI, prior heart failure (HF), new HF, and LVEF &amp;lt;40%. ED visits at 12 months for any cause were 2401 (37%) and for CV cause were 1321 (20%), with a higher risk in patients with prior HF. Patients with at least 1 primary care visit within 12 months of discharge were captured for 4102 (63%), CV specialty visits for 5009 (76%), and non-CV visits for 3860 patients (59%), with similar distribution across subgroups (Table). Conclusions Post-MI patients had a high risk of readmissions, and ED and outpatient visits, especially amongst those with a prior or new HF diagnosis.

Community Paramedicine Program in Social Housing and Health Service Utilization

Community Paramedicine at Clinic (CP@clinic) is a chronic disease prevention program that decreases 911 calls for emergency medical services, but its wider system effects are unknown. To evaluate the effects of CP@clinic vs usual care on individual-level health service utilization outcomes. This open-label, pragmatic cluster randomized clinical trial evaluated all residents 55 years or older in 30 social housing buildings in Ontario, Canada, that had (1) a unique postal code, (2) at least 50 apartments, (3) 60% or more residents 55 years or older, and (4) a similar building for pairing (15 intervention and 15 control buildings, pair-matched randomization). The 12-month intervention had a staggered start date from January 1, 2015, to December 1, 2015, and ended between December 31, 2015, and November 30, 2016. Administrative health data analysis was conducted in May 2022. CP@clinic was a health promotion and disease prevention program led by specially trained community paramedics who held weekly drop-in sessions in social housing buildings. These paramedics conducted 1-on-1 risk assessments, provided health education and referrals to relevant community resources, and, with consent, sent assessments to family physicians. Control buildings received usual care (universal health care, including free primary and specialty medical care). Individual-level health service utilization was measured from administrative health data, with ED visits via ambulance as the primary outcome; secondary outcomes included ED visits for any reason, primary care visits, hospitalizations, length of hospital stay, laboratory tests, receipt of home care, transfer to long-term care, and medication initiation. Generalized estimating equations were used to estimate intervention effects on individual-level health service utilization, accounting for trial design and individual-level baselines. The 30 social housing buildings had 3695 residents (1846 control and 1849 intervention participants; mean [SD] age, 72.8 [9.1] years; 2400 [65.0%] female). Intention-to-treat analysis found no significant difference in ED visits by ambulance (445 of 1849 [24.1%] vs 463 of 1846 [25.1%]; adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 0.97; 95% CI, 0.89-1.05) but found higher antihypertensive medication initiation (74 of 500 [14.8%] vs 47 of 552 [8.5%]; AOR, 1.74; 95% CI, 1.19-2.53) and lower anticoagulant initiation (48 of 1481 [3.2%] vs 69 of 1442 [4.8%]; AOR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.53-0.86) in the intervention arm vs the control arm. CP@clinic attendance was associated with higher incidence of primary care visits (adjusted incidence rate ratio, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.03-1.17), higher odds of receiving home care (AOR, 1.07; 95% CI, 1.01-1.13), and lower odds of long-term care transfers (AOR, 0.32; 95% CI, 0.13-0.81). In this cluster randomized clinical trial of CP@clinic, the intervention did not affect the rate of ED visits by ambulance; however, there were increased primary care visits and connections to home care services, which may have increased antihypertensive medication initiation and reduced long-term care transfers from social housing. Health policymakers should consider CP@clinic's impact as an upstream approach to improve care for older adults with low income. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02152891.

Clinical and financial implications of inpatient and outpatient management strategies for worsening heart failure

Abstract Introduction Hospitalizations for worsening heart failure (HF) represent an enormous public health and financial burden. Accordingly, select centers have developed outpatient worsening HF (WHF) management strategies focused on care in emergency departments (ED), observation units, or intravenous (IV) diuretic clinics. However, broad use of these outpatient strategies and the associated outcomes and healthcare costs remain unclear. Methods Among US Medicare beneficiaries age ≥65 years hospitalized for HF in the Get With The Guidelines Heart Failure registry 2010-2018, we identified patients with a post-discharge non-fatal WHF event. Patients were divided into 4 mutually exclusive groups defined by type of first post-discharge WHF event (HF hospitalization, ED visit with ED discharge, observation unit stay, and outpatient clinic visit with IV diuretics). Following each type of WHF event, mortality, home-time (days alive and out of any healthcare institution), and healthcare costs were compared over the subsequent 12-months. Costs of the initial WHF management strategy were also assessed. Results Among 181,827 patients hospitalized for HF, during the 12-months post-discharge, 83,971 (46.2%) survived with no WHF event, 36,697 (20.2%) died prior to a WHF event, and 61,159 (33.6%) had a WHF event. Of patients with a WHF event, 48,612 were managed with HF hospitalization (79.5%), 8,139 (13.3%) with an ED visit, 1,767 (2.9%) with an observation unit stay, and 2,641 (4.3%) with an outpatient IV diuretic visit. Compared with HF hospitalization, patients with WHF managed in the ED, observation unit, or IV diuretic clinic experienced lower subsequent mortality (Figure 1). Mean 12-month home-time was lowest following HF hospitalization (207 ± 144 days), intermediate following ED (238 ±136 days) and outpatient IV diuretic visits (252 ±128 days), and highest following observation unit stays (277 ± 125 days). For the initial WHF event, median (25th, 75th) total per-patient costs were highest for HF hospitalization and lowest for outpatient IV diuretic visits (Figure 2). Over the 12-months following the WHF event, median total per-patient costs were highest following outpatient IV diuretic visits, intermediate following HF hospitalization and ED stays, and lowest following observation unit stays. Conclusions In a nationwide analysis of older US adults, 1 in 5 episodes of recurrent WHF were exclusively managed as an outpatient within the ED, observation unit, or IV diuretic clinic. High rates of death and substantial reductions in home-time occurred following WHF regardless of inpatient or outpatient management, but were worse following HF hospitalization. Outpatient IV diuretic administration was the least expensive initial management strategy, but was associated with the highest per-patient costs over the subsequent 12 months.

Emergency Department Utilization for Postpartum Behavioral Health Problems and Assault Injury During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Objective: Distinctive stressors facing pregnant and postpartum individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic may have affected their emergency department (ED) care-seeking for behavioral health concerns and violence victimization. We tested whether the incidence of postpartum behavioral health and assault injury ED visits differed for individuals according to their months of postpartum pandemic exposure. Methods: We used statewide, longitudinally linked hospital and ED administrative claims data from California to classify all individuals with hospital deliveries between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2020, according to their months of postpartum pandemic exposure. Outcomes comprised 12-month incidence of any ED visit for a psychiatric disorder, drug use disorder/overdose, alcohol use disorder/intoxication, or assault injury, defined using International Classification of Diseases-Clinical Modification, version 10 codes. Risk ratios compared the incidence of each outcome among people with 1-12 months of postpartum pandemic exposure to those with 0 months of exposure. Results: Compared to people with 0 months of postpartum pandemic exposure (n = 1,163,215), delivering people with 1-12 month' exposure (range: n = 26,836 to n = 273,561) were approximately equally likely to have a postpartum ED visit for a psychiatric disorder, drug use disorder, or alcohol use disorder, after adjusting for demographic differences (most p > 0.10). The incidence of assault injury was significantly lower among delivering individuals with 11 or 12 months of pandemic exposure (RRadj = 0.70 and 0.91, respectively; both p < 0.01) compared to those with 0 months. Conclusions: Contrary to expectations, the pandemic did not appear to have affected ED utilization for most behavioral health conditions among postpartum individuals, but assault injury ED visits declined.

Automated digital counselling with social network support for chronic heart failure fails to improve health status but promotes health-related quality of life: ODYSSEE-vCHAT pilot trial

Abstract Background Automated digital counselling programs have the potential to provide a scalable, complementary behavioural intervention to improve clinical outcomes for chronic heart failure (CHF). Purpose The primary hypothesis for this pilot trial was that automated digital counseling with social network support (ODYSSEE-vCHAT) vs. Usual Care would decrease the incidence of all-cause re-hospitalization or ED visits. Secondary outcomes included: minimal clinically important difference for improvement on the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire-Overall Summary (KCCQ-OS), and improvement on ENRICHD Social Support Index (ESSI), Patient Health Questionnaire for Depression (PHQ-9) Godin-Shephard Leisure Time Physical Activity Scale (GSLTPAQ), and Self-Efficacy in Managing Chronic Disease (SEMCD6). Methods This 2-arm, parallel group, single-blind pilot trial randomized patients to ODYSSEE-vCHAT vs. Usual Care. Patients were ≥18 years of age with CHF (reduced ejection fraction [HFrEF] &amp;lt; 40%, mid-range [HFmrEF] 40-49%, or preserved [HFpEF] ≥ 50%). Exclusion was based on inability to participate due to co-morbidities. All-cause hospitalization or ED visit were assessed digitally by hospital administrative data. Questionnaires were administered at baseline and end-of-study (approximately 8 months). The digital counselling protocol aimed to improve CHF self-care, HRQL, and adherence to medications, exercise, diet, and smoke-free living (Figure 1). The primary outcome was assessed using multivariable binary logistic regression. Secondary outcomes were assessed using multivariable linear regression analyses with ethno-racial group as a covariate. Results 61 patients were randomized: ODYSSEE-vCHAT, n = 30 (49%), vs. Usual Care, n = 31 (51%). There were 2 deaths, 3 withdrawals, and 12 patients failed to complete secondary outcome assessments. Sample characteristics included mean age = 59 years (95% Confidence Interval, CI, 30, 76), gender identity as women, n = 23 (38%), ethno-racial group other than White, n = 17, (28%) and CHF with HFrEF, n = 47 (77%), HFmrEF, n = 8 (13%), and HFpEF, n = 4 (7%). Duration of enrollment to trial endpoint: mean = 247 days, (95% CI, 75, 382). Figure 2 indicates that ODYSSEE-vCHAT was not associated with lower incidence of all-cause hospitalization/ED visit: composite index events for Usual Care, n = 8 (28%), ODYSSEE-vCHAT, n = 7 (23%). However, ODYSSEE-vCHAT was associated with greater prevalence of KCCQ-OS change (≥ 5 points), and greater improvement in self-efficacy (SEMCD6) for managing CHF. There was a statistical trend to decreased prevalence of depression. Social support was inversely associated with ODYSSEE-vCHAT. No benefit was observed for physical activity (Figure 2). Conclusions Automated digital counselling with social network support promotes improvement in HRQL indices, but not health status. Findings for this pilot trial support a follow-up phase 2 randomized controlled trial.Digital Counselling ProtocolODYSSEE-vCHAT Outcomes

Neighborhood socioeconomic factors and characteristics correlated with avoidable emergency department visits: A spatial analysis of a Canadian academic hospital.

The influence of neighborhood characteristics and socioeconomic status (SES) factors on avoidable emergency department (ED) utilization is not well understood in a universal healthcare system. We examined correlations between these factors and avoidable ED visits at a Canadian academic hospital. We conducted a retrospective cohort study using administrative ED data from a hospital in Hamilton, Canada from April 1, 2018 to August 31, 2023, and neighborhood data from the Statistics Canada Census of Population 2021. Avoidable visits were classified using the Emergency Department Avoidability Classification (EDAC), and mapped to neighborhoods using Canadian postal codes. SES was defined primarily based on education attained, household income, employment and housing security. The top 20 postal codes with the highest avoidable ED visits were categorized into quartiles and analyzed for trends using chi-squared tests of spatial association and Spearman rank correlations. A consistent ordinal trend across quartiles was observed throughout the study period, with quartile 1 representing the lowest avoidable ED visits and quartile 4 the highest. The quartiles were unevenly distributed spatially, though there was a significant association between close proximity to the ED and avoidable visits (X2 = 7.07, p <0.05). The quartile with the highest avoidable ED visits (quartile 4) had the greatest proportion of one-person households (35.5%) and one-parent families (37.8%), and showed statistically significant positive correlations with male sex, living alone and having an indigenous identity. Quartile 4 had the highest rates of individuals not completing high school (18.6%, p < 0.05), unemployment (13.7%), households spending greater than 30% of their income on shelter (26.5%), and households earning less than $30,000 annually (16.6%, compared to 8.7% in quartile 1 with the lowest avoidable ED visits). In a universal healthcare setting, lower SES neighborhoods were correlated with higher rates of avoidable ED visits. Targeted interventions that address social determinants of health disparities in neighborhoods with lower SES could reduce the burden of avoidable ED visits, and promote more equitable healthcare utilization.

The use of a point of care high sensitivity troponin in the investigation of patients presenting to the Emergency Department with undifferentiated chest pain

Abstract Background In 2012 in a hospital, New Zealand, a chest pain pathway was instituted for the use in patients presenting to the Emergency Department (ED) with undifferentiated chest pain. This reduced hospital admissions and ED length of stay (LOS) without adversely affecting outcomes. The pathway consists of risk stratification combined with ECG and troponin testing. The pathway suggests, but does not enforce, that low risk patients can be discharged after a single troponin, intermediate risk patients are for serial troponins (which can be done in ED or the next day in the community), with further testing if appropriate, and high risk patients are reviewed by Cardiology or General medicine. In August 2023, Siemens point of care high sensitivity troponin I (POC-hsTnI) was introduced for the use in ED, although Beckman laboratory troponin I (Lab–hsTnI) is still available. A POC test reduces result turnaround times but until recently there has been a lack of POC assays fulfilling criteria for "high sensitivity". Purpose To ascertain whether the availability of a POC-hsTnI in the ED is a viable option for use in the chest pain pathway Methods A 1 month "snap shot" of all consecutive patients presenting to the ED with chest pain was undertaken and the patients followed for adverse events using electronic notes review. October 2023 was selected for the post POC-hsTnI period and compared with April 2022. Results There were 688 patients presenting to ED with undifferentiated chest pain during October 2023 with a type 1 acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rate of 80 (11.6%), median age 58 (41-72), female 335 (48.7%). POC-hsTnI was used in isolation in 377 (54.8%), in conjunction with Lab-hsTnI in 218 (31.7%) and Lab-hsTnI was used alone in 93 (13.5%). The median turnaround time for POC-hsTnI was 11 minutes (10-11) compared with Lab-hsTnI 87 minutes (61-129). The POC-hsTnI was less sensitive for AMI than the Lab-hsTnI on presentation using the upper reference limit, 72.1% (60.6-81.6) versus 91.5% (83.0-96.4). However, when used with risk stratification, there were no excess adverse events (cardiac death or AMI) at 4 months in patients discharged with a diagnosis of non-cardiac chest pain – 7 (1.4%) (n=495) versus 5 (1.2%), (n=424) in 2022. Median LOS in the ED was 4.4 hours (2.9-6.2) versus 4.0h (3.0-5.9) in 2022. However, a higher proportion of patients had a second cTn: 414 (60.2%) versus 309 (48.4%) and a lower proportion had their second troponin the next day in the community, 28 (6.7%) versus 56 (18.1%). Conclusion The use of a POC-hsTnI is a practical solution to reduce turnaround times for troponin results and has the potential to reduce LOS or allow serial troponins to be measured in a timely manner during their ED visit, obviating the need for a next day community troponin. Whilst POC-hsTnI has a lower early sensitivity for AMI, the use of POC-hsTnI as part of a pathway does not adversely affect outcomes.

Remote management of worsening heart failure events and subsequent rate of emergency department admission

Abstract Background Worsening heart failure (WHF) is the leading cause of hospitalization among individuals aged ≥ 65 years and constitutes a substantial burden for both the patient and the healthcare systems. Moreover, heart failure contributes to exacerbate the pressure on emergency departments which are involved in 64% of heart failure hospital admission (1). Remote management of heart failure as been shown to reduce the number of days lost due to unplanned cardiovascular hospitalizations and all-cause mortality (2, 3), but little is known about the effect on the emergency healthcare use. We aimed to describe the effect of a telemonitoring program on the rate of emergency admissions for WHF in chronic heart failure patients. Methods All patients enrolled in the heart failure remote management program of two French centers between 13 April 2020 and 31 January 2023 were included in the study. Follow-up data were collected until 31 January 2023. Inclusion criteria were chronic heart failure (HF) with New York Heart Association ≥II and an elevated B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP &amp;gt; 100 pg/mL or N-terminal-pro-BNP &amp;gt; 1000 pg/mL). Remote evaluation included measurements of body weight, blood pressure, heart rate, symptoms, biochemical parameters, and data from cardiac implantable electronic devices when available. Results A total of 1,095 patients (72±11.8 years old, 69.7% male), were followed for a median [IQR] of 437 [182; 739] days with a mean adherence to the remote monitoring system of 67.6±30.3%. Over this period, 198 (18.1%) patients had 949 WHF events, the majority of whom were remotely detected: 830 (87.5%). Overall, 246 (26%) of the WHF episodes required hospitalisation and 109 (11%) prompted an emergency department visit. When the WHF event was remotely detected, hospitalization was only required in 127 (15%) cases and the rate of emergency department visit was reduced to 3%. Conclusion In HF patients engaged in a multiparametric remote management program, the rate of emergency department admission is very low. Adopting such a strategy for patients with chronic HF may be useful in reducing emergency department overcrowding.Baseline characteristics of patientsPatients course and use of resources

Emergency consultations to pediatric dermatology at a large children’s hospital in Saudi Arabia

Dermatology is commonly considered a non-urgent and outpatient-centered specialty. Limited studies have evaluated skin diseases presenting to the pediatric emergency department. This study aims to characterize the most common pediatric dermatological conditions prompting an emergency department visit between August 2018 and August 2023 in a large children’s hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A total of 183 patients were included. The majority of patients were 2 years old and younger [87 (47.5%)]. Gender was almost equally distributed, with 51.4% of the population being females. Infectious and inflammatory disorders were the most commonly encountered conditions, accounting for 35.5% and 33.9%, respectively. The top three diagnoses were atopic dermatitis (12.02%), impetigo (6.56%), and infantile hemangioma (6.01%). Understanding the variety of skin disorders presented to pediatric emergency departments can positively enhance patient care in dermatology clinics and promote preventative public health initiatives, thus minimizing emergency department visits.