Adult Emergency Department Visits Research Articles

TRENDS IN FALL-RELATED EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT VISITS INVOLVING ALCOHOL AMONG OLDER ADULTS: 2011–2020

Abstract Falls disproportionately affect older adults (≥65) resulting in three million emergency department (ED) visits annually. The relationship between alcohol and falls is unclear, but side effects of alcohol consumption include gait and balance impairments, which are risk factors for falls. This study examined trends of older adult fall-related ED visits involving alcohol from 2011-2020. Alcohol data are not routinely collected during ED visits. Alcohol involvement was identified from National Electronic Injury Surveillance System-All Injury Program free-text narratives using natural language processing and text analytic techniques. Joinpoint regression was used and cross-validated with SAS to determine significant older adult fall changes from 2011-2020 by sex and to compare older adult trends to adults < 65 (20-34, 35-54, 55-64). From 2011-2020, 2.2% of all ED visits for older adult falls involved alcohol. Alcohol-involved fall ED visit rates for older adults increased annually by 7.2% (95%CI:6.1%-8.4%). These older adult ED visit rates increased by 6.8% (95%CI:5.4%-8.2%) for males and 7.4% (95%CI:6.0%-8.9%) for females annually. For adults aged 20-34 and 35-54, alcohol-involved fall ED visit rates increased annually by 1.3% (95%CI:0.1%-2.6%) and 3.8% (95%CI:2.7%-5.0%), respectively, until 2017 and then decreased by 4.4% (95%CI:1.2%-7.5%) and 4.0% (95%CI:0.3%-7.5%). For adults aged 55-64, ED visit rates increased annually by 8.5% (95%CI:6.8%-10.2%) until 2018 and then stabilized. Documenting alcohol use when treating falls is important for monitoring trends. Assessing alcohol use in conjunction with assessments for other fall risk factors can inform healthcare providers on effective strategies to recommend to reduce fall risk.

The association between vacant housing demolition and safety and health in Baltimore, MD

We measured the association between vacant housing demolitions and changes in crime and emergency department (ED) visits in Baltimore, MD. We included 646 block groups in Baltimore, 224 of which experienced at least one demolition from 2012 to 2019. The exposure was the number of demolitions completed in a block group during the previous quarter. Crime (all, property, and violent) and ED visits (all, adults, children, and for specific causes) were examined as the change in the rate per 1000 people from the previous quarter to the current quarter and analyzed using multivariable mixed effects regression models. Demolitions were associated with a small decrease in total ED visits (difference = −0.068 per 1000 people from the previous quarter to the current quarter, 95% CI -0.119, −0.018) but no significant change in crime. For each demolition, the rate of total child ED visits was 0.452 lower compared to the previous quarter (95% CI -0.777, −0.127). Demolitions were associated with small decreases in adult injury-related ED visits in the short term.

Social Risk Factor Documentation in Emergency Departments

Social Z codes are International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification codes that provide one way of documenting social risk factors in electronic health records. Despite the utility and availability of these codes, no study has examined social Z code documentation prevalence in emergency department (ED) settings. In this descriptive, cross-sectional study of all ED visits included in the 2018 Nationwide Emergency Department Sample, we estimated the prevalence of social Z code documentation and used logistic regression to examine the association between documentation and patient and hospital characteristics. Of more than 35.8 million adult and pediatric ED visits, there was a 1.21% weighted prevalence (n=452,499) of at least 1 documented social Z code. Social Z codes were significantly more likely to be documented in ED visits among patients aged 35 to 64 compared to patients aged 18 to 34 (18.6/1000 [16.9 to 20.4] versus 12.7/1000 [11.5 to 14.0], odds ratio (OR) 1.47 [1.42 to 1.53]), male patients (16.6/1000 [15.1 to 18.2] versus female 8.5/1000 [7.8 to 9.2], OR 1.97 [1.89 to 2.06]), patients with Medicaid compared to patients with private insurance (15.9/1000 [14.4 to 17.6] versus (6.6/1000 [6.0 to 7.2], OR 2.45 [1.30 to 1.63]), and patients who had a Charlson Comorbidity Index≥1 compared to those with a Charlson Comorbidity Index of 0 (ranges 15.0 to 16.6/1000 versus 10.6/1000 [9.6 to 11.7], ORs ranging 1.43 to 1.58). ED visits with a primary diagnosis of mental, behavioral, and neurodevelopmental illness had the strongest positive association with social Z code documentation (85.6/1000 [78.4 to 93.4], OR 10.75 [9.88 to 11.70]) compared to ED visits without this primary diagnosis. We found a very low prevalence of social Z code documentation in ED visits nationwide. More systematic social Z code documentation could support targeted social interventions, social risk payment adjustments, and future policy reforms.

Examining racial and ethnic disparities in adult emergency department patient visits for concussion in the United States.

BackgroundRacial and ethnic differences in emergency department (ED) visits have been reported among adolescent patients but are unsubstantiated among adults. Therefore, our purpose in this study was to examine the relationship between race/ethnicity and adult ED visits for concussions, their injury mechanisms, and computed tomography (CT) scan use among a nationally representative sample.MethodsWe used the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey database from 2010–2015 to examine 63,725 adult (20–45 years old) patient visits, representing an estimated 310.6 million visits presented to EDs. Of these visits, 884 (4.5 million national estimate) were diagnosed with a concussion. Visit records detailed patient information (age, sex, race/ethnicity, geographic region, primary payment type), ED visit diagnoses, injury mechanism (sport, motor vehicle, fall, struck by or against, “other”), and head CT scan use. The primary independent variable was race/ethnicity (non-Hispanic Asian, non-Hispanic Black or African American, Hispanic/Latinx, non-Hispanic multiracial or another, and non-Hispanic White). We used multivariable logistic and multinomial regression models with complex survey sampling design weighting to examine the relationship between concussion ED visits, injury mechanisms, and CT scan use separately by race/ethnicity while accounting for covariates.ResultsThere were no associations between race/ethnicity and concussion diagnosis among adult ED visits after accounting for covariates. Relative to sports-related injuries, non-Hispanic Black or African American patient visits were associated with a motor vehicle (OR = 2.69, 95% CI: 1.06–6.86) and “other” injury mechanism (OR = 4.58, 95% CI: 1.34–15.69) compared to non-Hispanic White patients. Relative to sports-related injuries, non-Hispanic Asian, multiracial, or patients of another race had decreased odds of falls (OR = 0.20, 95% CI: 0.04–0.91) and “other” injuries (OR = 0.09, 95% CI: 0.01–0.55) compared to non-Hispanic White patients. The odds of a CT scan being performed were significantly lower among Hispanic/Latinx patient visits relative to non-Hispanic White patients (OR = 0.52, 95% CI: 0.30–0.91), while no other race/ethnicity comparisons differed.ConclusionOur findings indicate that the overarching concussion ED visit likelihood may not differ by race/ethnicity in adults, but the underlying mechanism causing the concussion and receiving a CT scan demonstrates considerable differences. Prospective future research is warranted to comprehensively understand and intervene in the complex, multi-level race/ethnicity relationships related to concussion health care to ensure equitable patient treatment.

Cost variation and revisit rate for adult patients with asthma presenting to the emergency department

BackgroundAsthma is common, resulting in 53 million emergency department (ED) visits annually. Little is known about variation in cost and quality of ED asthma care. Study objectiveWe sought to describe variation in costs and 7-day ED revisit rates for asthma care across EDs. Our primary objective was to test for an association between ED costs and the likelihood of a 7-day revisit for another asthma exacerbation. MethodsWe used the 2014 Florida State Emergency Department Database to perform an observational study of ED visits by patients ≥18 years old with a primary diagnosis of asthma that were discharged home. We compared patient and hospital characteristics of index ED discharges with and without 7-day revisits, then tested the association between ED revisits and index ED costs. Multilevel regression was performed to account for hospital-level clustering. ResultsIn 2014, there were 54,060 adult ED visits for asthma resulting in discharge, and 1667 (3%) were associated with an asthma-related ED revisit within 7 days. Median cost for an episode of ED asthma care was $597 with an interquartile range of $371–980. After adjusting for both patient and hospital characteristics, lack of insurance was associated with higher odds of revisit (OR 1.42, 95% CI 1.18–1.71), while private insurance, female gender, and older age were associated with lower odds of revisit. Hospital costs were not associated with ED revisits (OR = 1.00; 95% CI 1.00–1.00). ConclusionHospital costs associated with ED asthma visits vary but are not associated with odds of ED revisit.

Epidemiology and outcomes of hypertensive crisis in patients with chronic kidney disease: a nationwide analysis.

The epidemiology and outcomes of hypertensive crisis (HTN-C) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) have not been well studied. The objective of our study is to describe the incidence, clinical characteristics, and outcomes of emergency department (ED) visits for HTN-C in patients with CKD and ESRD. We performed a secondary analysis of Nationwide Emergency Department Sample databases for years 2016-2018 by identifying adult patients presenting to ED with hypertension related conditions as primary diagnosis using appropriate diagnosis codes. There were 348 million adult ED visits during the study period. Of these, 680 333 (0.2%) ED visits were for HTN-C. Out of these, majority were in patients without renal dysfunction (82%), with 11.4 and 6.6% were in patients with CKD and ESRD, respectively. The CKD and ESRD groups had significantly higher percentages of hypertensive emergency (HTN-E) presentation than in the No-CKD group (38.9, 34.2 and 22.4%, respectively; P < 0.001). ED visits for HTN-C frequently resulted in hospital admission and these were significantly higher in patients with CKD and ESRD than in No-CKD (78.3 vs. 72.6 vs. 44.7%; P < 0.0001). In-hospital mortality was overall low but was higher in CKD and ESRD than in No-CKD group (0.3 vs. 0.2 vs. 0.1%; P < 0.0001), as was cost of care (USD 28 534, USD 29 465 and USD 26 394, respectively; P < 0.001). HTN-C constitutes a significant burden on patients with CKD and ESRD compared with those without CKD with a higher proportion of ED visits, incidence of HTN-E, hospitalization rate, in-hospital mortality and cost of care.

How Outpatient Diabetes Education Programs Can Support Local Hospitals to Reduce Emergency Department Visits for Adults With Diabetes

ObjectivesOur aim in this study was to assess the level of collaboration between a hospital-based outpatient diabetes education program (DEP) and emergency departments (EDs) for reducing number of ED revisits and hospital admissions by implementing intervention strategies to promote education services and streamlining referral and appointment intake processes. MethodsPatients (≥18 years of age) with an ED visit for hyper- or hypoglycemia were analyzed in 2 cohorts based on their intervention exposure. We conducted a single-cohort analysis of the exposed cohort (exposure to the intervention strategies) and compared 2-year outcomes with those of the unexposed cohort. Primary outcomes were hyper- or hypoglycemia-related ED revisit and hospitalization rates. Process outcomes included DEP referrals and DEP attendance. ResultsThere were no significant differences in ED revisits and hospital admissions between the exposed and unexposed cohorts. However, patients were more likely to be referred to a DEP by ED physicians (odds ratio [OR], 1.76; p=0.02) and to attend a DEP appointment (OR, 1.96; p<0.01) after intervention exposure. DEP attendees from both cohorts became less likely to revisit an ED (exposed: OR, 0.41; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.23 to 0.71; unexposed: OR, 0.4; 95% CI, 0.15 to 1.15) at 12-month follow up; however, this reduction was sustained only among the exposed cohort (OR, 0.5; 95% CI, 0.31 to 0.81) and not the unexposed cohort (OR, 1.32; 95% CI, 0.60 to 2.91) at 24 months (p=0.04 when comparing the 2 cohorts). ConclusionsCollaboration between outpatient DEPs with local EDs could effectively reduce diabetes-related ED revisits by increasing diabetes program utilization.

The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on emergency department visits and associated mortality during 14 months of the pandemic in Israel

BackgroundA substantial drop in emergency department (ED) visit volume was previously demonstrated at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.ObjectiveTo examine changes in the number of non-COVID adult ED visits and their associated 30-day mortality during 14 months of the pandemic in Israel.MethodsThis is a retrospective cohort study including 1,285,270 adult ED visits between 1st March, 2018 and 30th April, 2021 to the internal and surgical EDS in eight general hospitals of the largest healthcare organization in Israel. The 14 months of the pandemic period (March 2020–April 2021) were divided into seven periods according to dates of the three lockdowns. Exposure to each of these periods was compared to the parallel period during the two previous years. March 2020–April 2021 was compared to the parallel periods in 2018 and 2019.ResultsDuring the pandemic period, the largest decline in ED visits (44.6% and 50.9% for internal and surgical EDs, respectively) and the highest excess 30-day mortality following an ED visit (internal EDs Adjusted OR (ORadj), 1.49; 95% CI, 1.34–1.66 and surgical EDs: ORadj 1.50; CI, 1.16–1.94) were 95%, observed during the first lockdown. Both gradually levelled-off subsequently until near-normalization was reached in March–April 2021 for both parameters.ConclusionsA substantial decline in non-COVID ED visits and excess mortality at the beginning of the pandemic, are probably the results of social distancing restrictions alongside patients’ fear of exposure to COVID-19, which gradually moderated thereafter, until near normalization was reached after 14 months. Gradual return to pre-pandemic ED utilization patterns were noticed as the population and the healthcare system acclimatize to life alongside COVID.

Emergency department visits for hemodialysis by insurance status in the United States.

ObjectiveMany uninsured patients with end‐stage kidney disease (ESKD) depend upon the emergency department (ED) for hemodialysis (HD). We sought to characterize ED visits for emergent HD by insurance status.MethodsWe performed a cross‐sectional analysis of the 2017 Nationwide Emergency Department Sample, including ED visits by patients ≥18 years old with a length of stay ≤1 day and performance of HD. Insurance status determined by “insured” as Medicare, Medicaid, or commercial and “uninsured” as self‐pay or charity.ResultsOf 118,034,396 adult ED visits, 235,988 were associated with HD: uninsured 62,503 (incidence 5.30 per 10,000, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 5.26–5.34) and insured 172,889 (incidence 14.65 per 10,000, 95% CI: 14.60–14.74). The south census region accounted for 89% of uninsured ED HD (odds ratio [OR] 31.55, 95% CI: 8.97–110.97). Compared to insured patients, uninsured ED HD patients were more likely to be younger (age 18–44, 37.6% vs 19.9%). The most common primary diagnosis for uninsured and insured ED HD patients was hypertensive chronic kidney disease (34.6% and 26.2%, respectively). Uninsured ED HD patients were less likely to be admitted (3.4% vs 36.0%, OR 0.06, 95% CI: 0.02–0.20). Most ED HD patients were discharged home (95.2% uninsured vs 57.6% insured). ED charges per visit were $5,992.32 for uninsured and $10,985.87 for insured ED HD patients.ConclusionsOur findings highlight the health care burden of ED HD. Novel system approaches are needed for the management of uninsured and insured patients with ESKD.

Healthcare Utilization and Costs for Musculoskeletal Disorders in Ontario, Canada

To examine the magnitude and costs of ambulatory primary care, specialist physician care, and hospital service use for musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in Canada's largest province, Ontario. Administrative health databases were analyzed for fiscal year 2013-2014 for adults aged ≥ 18 years, including data on physician services, emergency department (ED) visits, and hospitalizations. International Classification of Diseases diagnostic codes were used to identify MSD services. A validated algorithm was used to estimate direct medical costs. Person-visit rates and numbers of persons and visits were tabulated by care setting, age, sex, and physician specialty. Data were examined for all MSDs combined, as well as for specific diagnostic groupings. Overall, 3.1 million adult Ontarians (28.5%) made over 8 million outpatient physician visits associated with MSDs. These included 5.6 million primary care visits. MSDs accounted for 560,000 (12.3%) of all adult ED visits. Total costs for MSD-related care were $1.6 billion, with 12.6% of costs attributed to primary care, 9.2% to specialist care, 8.6% to ED care, 8.5% to day surgery, and 61.2% associated with inpatient hospitalizations. Costs due to arthritis accounted for 40% of total MSD care costs ($639 million). MSD-related imaging costs were $169 million, yielding a total cost estimate of $1.8 billion for MSDs overall. MSDs place a significant and costly burden on the healthcare system. Health system planning needs to consider the large and escalating demand for care to reduce both the individual and population burden.

Incidence of Emergency Department Visits for Electric Rental Scooters Using Detailed Ridership Data.

IntroductionElectric scooter (e-scooter) rental usage has increased exponentially around the country, expanding to more than 120 cities by the end of 2018. Early attempts to capture the safety effects of widespread adoption of this technology have been hampered by lack of accurate ridership data. Here we describe a 17-month evolution of ridership characteristics in St. Louis, Missouri, and the frequency of e-scooter rental-related injuries serious enough to require an emergency department (ED) visit over this time frame; we also provide estimates of incidence rates of injuries based on company ridership data.MethodsWe performed a combination retrospective chart review and prospective questionnaire-based analysis of adult e-scooter rental-related ED visits in both downtown St. Louis Level 1 trauma centers during the first 17 months of e-scooter rental usage (August 2018–December 2019). The retrospective portion focused on demographics, alcohol use, helmet use, disposition, operative repair, and temporal and severity markers. The prospective portion focused on more detailed crash and rider data. Finally, we used ridership data from both e-scooter rental companies in St. Louis to estimate incidence and temporal trends.ResultsA total of 221 patients had e-scooter rental-related ED visits. The median age of our population was 31 years with 58.8% male and 53.8% White. There were no deaths. Ninety-two patients were found to have fractures with 38% requiring surgery. Of the 21 patients diagnosed with head injury, five had an intracranial bleed. Overall incidence of ED visits related to e-scooters was 2.1 per 10,000 trips and 2.2 per 10,000 miles with the number of ED visits by month closely correlated with the number of rides per month (Pearson correlation coefficient = 0.95).ConclusionThe number of e-scooter rental-related injuries seen in St. Louis trauma centers was relatively low and correlated closely with overall number of rides. The number of injuries decreased and were less severe from 2018 to 2019 with infrequent intracranial injuries and a large percentage of fractures requiring operative repair.

Synergistic effect of hypoalbuminaemia and hypotension in predicting in-hospital mortality and intensive care admission: a retrospective cohort study

ObjectiveHypoalbuminaemia is an important prognostic factor. It may be associated with poor nutritional states, chronic heart and kidney disease, long-standing infection and cancer. Hypotension is a hallmark of circulatory failure....

Head and Neck CTA Utilization: Analysis of Ordering Frequency and Nonroutine Results Communication, With Focus on the 50 Most Common Emergency Department Clinical Presentations.

BACKGROUND. Utilization of head and neck CTA in the emergency department (ED) has grown disproportionately to other neuroimaging examinations. OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this article was to characterize utilization of head and neck CTA in the ED, comparing utilization and frequency of nonroutine results communication among patients' chief concerns. METHODS. All adult ED visits for a single health care system from January 2014 to December 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. Variables recorded included chief concerns, whether head and neck CTA was performed, and, if so, whether the report documented nonroutine results communication. The 50 chief concerns resulting in the highest number of head and neck CTA examinations were identified. Frequencies of head and neck CTA ordering and of nonroutine results communication were calculated. A subset of reports documenting nonroutine communication were manually reviewed. RESULTS. Head and neck CTA was ordered in 2.5% (17,903) of 708,145 ED visits in 236,476 patients (mean age, 49.8 ± 20.5 [SD] years; 110,952 men, 125,521 women, 3 unknown sex). Head and neck CTA was ordered for 833 distinct chief concerns. Nonroutine results communication was documented for 17.6% (3155/17,903) of examinations. Among the 50 chief concerns associated with the highest number of examinations, frequency of ordering head and neck CTA ranged from less than 0.5% (five concerns) to 55.2% (stroke code), and frequency of nonroutine communication ranged from 5.6% (transient ischemic attack) to 67.5% (unresponsive). Chief concerns not among the 50 most common accounted for 50.0% (8956/17,903) of examinations; these exhibited a collective frequency of nonroutine communication of 4.8% (429/8956). Manual review of 11.1% (350/3155) of reports with a nonroutine communication indicated an acute finding related to the indication in 51.1%, nonemergent but potentially explanatory finding in 14.0%, incidental finding in 28.0%, and communication of negative results in 6.9%. CONCLUSION. Head and neck CTA is ordered in 2.5% of ED visits for a wide range of chief concerns. Frequencies of ordering and of nonroutine results communication are highly variable among chief concerns. Acute indication-related findings account for half of nonroutine radiologist communications. CLINICAL IMPACT. Insight into patterns regarding head and neck CTA ordering and nonroutine results may help optimize patient selection and radiologist communications in the ED setting.

Emergency Department Visits by Patients with Substance Use Disorder in the United States.

IntroductionWe aimed to characterize emergency department (ED) utilization and clinical characteristics of patients with substance use disorder (SUD) seeking emergency care for all reasons.MethodsUsing 2016–2017 ED data from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, we investigated demographics, ED resource utilization, and clinical characteristics of patients with SUD vs those without SUD.ResultsOf all adult ED visits (N = 27,609) in the US in 2016–2017, 11.1% of patients had SUD. Among ED patients with SUD, they were mostly non-Hispanic White (62.5%) and were more likely to be male (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.80 confidence interval [CI], 1.66–1.95). Emergency department patients with SUD were also more likely to return to the ED within 72 hours (aOR 1.32, CI, 1.09–1.61) and more likely to be admitted to the hospital (aOR 1.28, CI, 1.14–1.43) and intensive care unit (aOR 1.40, CI, 1.05–1.85).ConclusionPatients with SUD have specific demographic, socioeconomic, and clinical characteristics associated with their ED visits. These findings highlight the importance of recognizing co-existing SUD as risk factors for increasing morbidity in acutely ill and injured patients, and the potential role of the ED as a site for interventions aimed at reducing harm from SUD.

Seasonal variation in fall-related emergency department visits by location of fall – United States, 2015

Introduction: In the United States, fall-related emergency department (ED) visits among older adults (age 65 and older) have increased over the past decade. Studies document seasonal variation in fall injuries in other countries, while research in the United States is inconclusive. The objectives of this study were to examine seasonal variation in older adult fall-related ED visits and explore if seasonal variation differs by the location of the fall (indoors vs. outdoors), age group, and sex of the faller. Methods: Fall-related ED visit data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System-All Injury Program were analyzed by season of the ED visit, location of the fall, and demographics for adults aged 65 years and older. Results: Total fall-related ED visits were higher during winter compared with other seasons. This seasonal variation was found only for falls occurring outdoors. Among outdoor falls, the variation was found among males and adults aged 65 to 74 years. The percentages of visits for weather-related outdoor falls were also higher among males and the 65–74 year age group. Conclusions: In 2015, there was a seasonal variation in fall-related ED visits in the United States. Weather-related slips and trips in winter may partially account for the seasonal variation. Practical Implications: These results can inform healthcare providers about the importance of screening all older adults for fall risk and help to identify specific patients at increased risk during winter. They may encourage community-based organizations serving older adults to increase fall prevention messaging during winter.

Forecasting emergency department hourly occupancy using time series analysis.

To develop a novel predictive model for emergency department (ED) hourly occupancy using readily available data at time of prediction with a time series analysis methodology. We performed a retrospective analysis of all ED visits from a large academic center during calendar year 2012 to predict ED hourly occupancy. Due to the time-of-day and day-of-week effects, a seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average with external regressor (SARIMAX) model was selected. For each hour of a day, a SARIMAX model was built to predict ED occupancy up to 4-h ahead. We compared the resulting model forecast accuracy and prediction intervals with previously studied time series forecasting methods. The study population included 65,132 ED visits at a large academic medical center during the year 2012. All adult ED visits during the first 265 days were used as a training dataset, while the remaining ED visits comprised the testing dataset. A SARIMAX model performed best with external regressors of current ED occupancy, average department-wide ESI, and ED boarding total at predicting up to 4-h-ahead ED occupancy (Mean Square Error (MSE) of 16.20, and 64.47 for 1-hr- and 4-h- ahead occupancy, respectively). Our 24-SARIMAX model outperformed other popular time series forecasting techniques, including a 60% improvement in MSE over the commonly used rolling average method, while maintaining similar prediction intervals. Accounting for current ED occupancy, average department-wide ESI, and boarding total, a 24-SARIMAX model was able to provide up to 4 h ahead predictions of ED occupancy with improved performance characteristics compared to other forecasting methods, including the rolling average. The prediction intervals generated by this method used data readily available in most EDs and suggest a promising new technique to forecast ED occupancy in real time.

The Utility of Pain Scale to Assess Verifiable vs Non-Verifiable Pain in United States Emergency Departments.

IntroductionWe sought to examine the utility of self-reported pain scale by comparing emergency department (ED) triage pain scores of self-reported but non-verifiable painful conditions with those of verifiable painful conditions using a large, nationally representative sample.MethodsWe analyzed the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS) 2015. Verifiable painful conditions were identified based on the final diagnoses in the five included International Classification of Diseases 9th revision codes. Non-verifiable painful conditions were identified by the five main reasons for visit. Only adults 18 years of age or older were included. The primary outcome variable was the pain scale from 0 to 10 at triage. We performed descriptive and multivariate analyses to investigate the relationships between the pain scale and whether the painful condition was verifiable, controlling for patient characteristics.ResultsThere were 55 million pain-related adult ED visits in 2015. The average pain scale was 6.49. For verifiable painful diagnoses, which were about 24% of the total visits, the average was 6.27, statistically significantly lower than that for non-verifiable painful conditions, 6.56. Even after controlling for the confounding of patient characteristics and comorbidities, verifiable painful diagnoses still presented less pain than those with non-verifiable painful complaints. Older age, female gender, and urban residents had significantly higher pain scores than their respective counterparts, controlling for other confounding factors. Psychiatric disorders were independently associated with higher pain scores by about a half point.ConclusionSelf-reported pain scales obtained at ED triage likely have a larger psychological component than a physiological one. Close attention to clinical appropriateness and overall patient comfort are more likely to lead to better health outcomes and patient experiences than focusing on self-reported pain alone.

Prevalence and charges of opioid-related visits to U.S. emergency departments

ObjectiveAn overwhelming responsibility for responding to the opioid epidemic falls on hospital emergency departments (ED). We sought to examine the overall prevalence rate and associated charges of opioid-related diagnoses and overdoses. Although charge data do not necessarily represent cost, they are proxy indicators of resource utilization and burden. MethodsWe conducted a retrospective study of the National Emergency Department Sample (NEDS) dataset, the largest all-payer ED database in the United States. We queried using specific relevant ICD-10 codes to estimate the number of adult ED visits for both opioid poisonings and other opioid-related diagnoses during 2016 and 2017, which was the most recent publicly available data. Prevalence rates and financial charges were calculated by year and odds ratios were used to examine differences. ResultsOf approximately 234 million adult visits to EDs across 2016 and 2017, 2.88 million (1.23%) were related to opioids, with overdoses comprising nearly 27.5% and visits for other opioid-related diagnoses totaling 72.5%. As the primary diagnosis, opioids were responsible for 37% of all ED visits across both years. Total opioid-related visits for the two years accounted for $9.57 billion in ED charges, or $4.78 billion annually, with Medicaid and Medicare responsible for 66% of all charges. Conclusion and relevanceApproximately one of every 80 visits to the ED were opioid-related, leading to financial charges approaching $5 billion per year. Since both prevalence and the economic burden of opioid-related visits are high, targeted interventions to address this epidemic’s impact on healthcare systems should be a national priority.

Comparative associations between anticholinergic burden and emergency department visits for anticholinergic adverse events in older Korean adults: a nested case-control study using national claims data for validation of a novel country-specific scale

sBackgroundConsidering the limited generalizability of previous anticholinergic burden scales, the Korean Anticholinergic Burden Scale (KABS) as a scale specific to the Korean population was developed. We aimed to validate the KABS by detecting the associations between high anticholinergic burden, measured with the KABS, and emergency department (ED) visits compared to the pre-existing validated scales in older Korean adults.MethodsA nested case-control study was conducted using national claims data. The cases included the first anticholinergic ED visits between July 1 and December 31, 2016. Anticholinergic ED visits were defined as ED visits with a primary diagnosis of constipation, delirium, dizziness, fall, fracture, or urinary retention.Propensity score-matched controls were identified. Average daily AB scores during 30 days before the index date were measured. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed.ResultsIn total, 461,034 were included. The highest proportion of those with high AB was identified with KABS (5.0%). Compared with those who had a KABS score of 0, older adults with a score ≥ 3 were at higher risk for overall anticholinergic ED visits (aOR, 1.62, 95% CI, 1.53–1.72), as well as visits for falls/fractures (aOR: 1.54, 95% CI: 1.40–1.69), dizziness (aOR: 1.44, 95% CI: 1.30–1.59), delirium (aOR: 2.96, 95% CI: 2.28–3.83), constipation (aOR: 1.84, 95% CI: 1.68–2.02), and urinary retention (aOR: 2.13, 95% CI: 1.79–2.55). High AB by KABS showed a stronger association with overall anticholinergic ED visits and visits due to delirium and urinary retention than those by other scales.ConclusionsIn conclusion, KABS is superior to pre-existing scales in identifying patients with high AB and predicting high AB-related ED visits in older Korean adults.

Standing at the edge of mortality; Five-year audit of an emergency department of a tertiary care hospital in a low resource setup.

Background & Objective:Understanding the demographics of mortality and its burden in the emergency department of a tertiary care setup can lead to better planning and allocation of resources to streamline process flow. This can be achieved systematically through mortality audit that can identify the loopholes and areas of improvement. Our objective was to characterize the epidemiology of ED mortality in a tertiary care hospital of Karachi, Pakistan.Methods:A five-year retrospective chart review of 322 adult mortalities presenting between January l, 2014 – December 31, 2018 was conducted in the emergency department (ED) of The Indus Hospital (TIH), Karachi. All expiries in ED were included while those brought dead and with do not resuscitate order (DNAR) were excluded.Results:Mortality incidence of 0.076% (7.6/10,000 ED visits in five years) was reported. Amongst 507,759 adult ED visits, 322 mortalities were documented. Mean time lapse before presentation was 44±147 hours and mean length of stay before death was 3.4±2.8 hours. Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) was the predominant cause of death with 109 (33.8%) expiries. Significant association was reported between no history of prior care and high priority (P1) cases (p=0.013).Conclusions:This study identified the contributing factors to adverse outcome such as delayed presentation with systemic gaps in management and unknown disposition. The need to improve these factors at local and national level can lead to improvement in Pakistani healthcare sector.