Reduce Health Care Utilization Research Articles

Financial model for a transitional pain service at a large tertiary academic center in the USA

Approximately 1 in 10 patients undergoing surgery is considered at high risk for poor pain and opioid-related outcomes due to chronic pain or persistent opioid use prior to surgery, leading...

Home health care is associated with an increased risk of readmission and cost of care without reducing risk of complication following shoulder arthroplasty: a propensity-score analysis

BackgroundHome health services provide patients with additional professional care and supervision following discharge from the hospital to theoretically reduce the risk of complication and reduce healthcare utilization. The aim of this investigation was to determine if patients assigned home health services following total shoulder arthroplasty (anatomic (TSA) and reverse (RSA)) exhibited lower rates of medical complications, lower healthcare utilization, and lower cost of care compared to patients not receiving these services. MethodsA national insurance database was retrospectively reviewed to identify all patients undergoing primary anatomic and reverse total shoulder arthroplasty from 2010 to 2019. Patients who received home health services were matched using a propensity score algorithm to a set of similar patients who were discharged home without services. We compared medical complication rates, emergency department (ED) visits, readmissions, and 90-day cost of care between the groups. Multivariate regression analysis was performed to determine the independent effect of home health services on all outcomes. Results1,119 patients received home health services and were matched to 11,190 patients who were discharged home without services. There was no significant difference in patients who received home health services compared to those who did not receive home health services with respect to rates of ED visits within 30 days (OR 1.293; p = 0.0328) and 90 days (OR 1.215; P = 0.0378), while the home health group demonstrated increased readmissions within 90 days (OR 1.663; P<0.001). For all medical complications, there was no difference between cohorts. Episode-of-care costs for home health patients were higher than those discharged without these services ($12,521.04 vs $9,303.48; P < .001). ConclusionPatients assigned home health care services exhibited higher cost of care and readmission rates without a reduction in the rate of complication or early return to the ED. These findings suggest that home healthcare services should be strongly analyzed on a case-by-case basis to determine if a patient may benefit from its implementation.

Transitional Care Interventions From Hospital to Community to Reduce Health Care Use and Improve Patient Outcomes

Discharge from the hospital to the community has been associated with serious patient risks and excess service costs. To evaluate the comparative effectiveness associated with transitional care interventions with different complexity levels at improving health care utilization and patient outcomes in the transition from the hospital to the community. CENTRAL, Embase, MEDLINE, and PsycINFO were searched from inception until August 2022. Randomized clinical trials evaluating transitional care interventions from hospitals to the community were identified. At least 2 reviewers were involved in all data screening and extraction. Random-effects network meta-analyses and meta-regressions were applied. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed. The primary outcomes were readmission at 30, 90, and 180 days after discharge. Secondary outcomes included emergency department visits, mortality, quality of life, patient satisfaction, medication adherence, length of stay, primary care and outpatient visits, and intervention uptake. Overall, 126 trials with 97 408 participants were included, 86 (68%) of which were of low risk of bias. Low-complexity interventions were associated with the most efficacy for reducing hospital readmissions at 30 days (odds ratio [OR], 0.78; 95% CI, 0.66 to 0.92) and 180 days (OR, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.30 to 0.66) and emergency department visits (OR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.48 to 0.96). Medium-complexity interventions were associated with the most efficacy at reducing hospital readmissions at 90 days (OR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.45 to 0.92), reducing adverse events (OR, 0.42; 95% CI, 0.24 to 0.75), and improving medication adherence (standardized mean difference [SMD], 0.49; 95% CI, 0.30 to 0.67) but were associated with less efficacy than low-complexity interventions for reducing readmissions at 30 and 180 days. High-complexity interventions were most effective for reducing length of hospital stay (SMD, -0.20; 95% CI, -0.38 to -0.03) and increasing patient satisfaction (SMD, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.22 to 0.82) but were least effective for reducing readmissions at all time periods. None of the interventions were associated with improved uptake, quality of life (general, mental, or physical), or primary care and outpatient visits. These findings suggest that low- and medium-complexity transitional care interventions were associated with reducing health care utilization for patients transitioning from hospitals to the community. Comprehensive and consistent outcome measures are needed to capture the patient benefits of transitional care interventions.

Self-management of geriatric syndromes - an observational study

BackgroundSelf-management of health refers to various actions and decisions that impact health outcomes. To improve health, independence, and quality of life (QoL) while reducing healthcare utilization and costs, patients’ self-management abilities can be enhanced. However, disease-specific self-management interventions may not be applicable for older adults with multiple illnesses. Instead, focusing on prevalent geriatric syndromes, such as frailty, cognitive decline, pain, incontinence, or impaired mobility, may be more beneficial. To achieve this, a detailed understanding of the specific needs of the older population is crucial.MethodsPatients who are 70 years old or older will be chosen from four geriatric hospitals, which include both inpatient and outpatient facilities. At baseline, each participant will undergo a comprehensive geriatric evaluation and answer various questionnaires that focus on their current self-management abilities, self-efficacy, anxiety, aging perception, and QoL. Moreover, extensive data on the presence and impact of geriatric syndromes will be gathered. Three and six months after the initial evaluation, follow-up assessments will be conducted to identify any changes in participants’ health, independence in daily activities, geriatric syndromes, cognition and mood, QoL, and self-management.DiscussionThe present investigation aims to assess the factors that may facilitate or impede self-management in older adults afflicted with geriatric syndromes. Instead of concentrating on particular diseases, this study will analyze the association between self-management and geriatric syndromes. The information obtained will contribute to clinical expertise on the self-management habits of older adults and their effects on their well-being, autonomy, and overall QoL, as well as provide insights into geriatric syndromes. This valuable knowledge will be crucial for developing personalised programs to enhance self-management among older adults.Trial registrationGerman Trial Register (Deutsches Register Klinischer Studien) DRKS00031016.

Outcomes of a 3-Year Quality Improvement Study to Improve Advance Care Planning in Patients With Decompensated Cirrhosis.

To report outcomes of a 3-year quality improvement pilot study to improve advance directive (AD) completion. The pilot consisted of champions, education, electronic health record templates, and workflow changes. We assessed changes, predictors, and effects of AD completion. The pilot led to greater (8.3%-36%) and earlier AD completion, particularly among those divorced, with alcohol-associated liver disease, and with higher Model of End-Stage Liver Disease-Sodium score. Decedents whose AD specified nonaggressive goals experienced lower hospital lengths of stay. Advance care planning initiatives are feasible and may reduce health care utilization among decedents requesting less aggressive care.

Healthcare utilization impacts of an eConsult program for headache at an academic medical center.

Interprofessional consultations ("eConsults") can reduce healthcare utilization. However, the impact of eConsults on healthcare utilization remains poorly characterized among patients with headache. We performed a retrospective, 1:1 matched cohort study comparing patients evaluated for headache via eConsult request or in-person referral at the Mount Sinai Health System in New York. Groups were matched on clinical and demographic characteristics. Our primary outcome was one or more outpatient headache-related encounters in 6 months following referral date. Secondary outcomes included one or more all-cause outpatient neurology and headache-related emergency department (ED) encounters during the same period. We used univariable and multivariable logistic regression to model associations between independent variables and outcomes. We identified 74 patients with headache eConsults who were matched to 74 patients with in-person referrals. Patients in the eConsult group were less likely to achieve the primary outcome (29.7% vs 62.2%, P < 0.0001) or have an all-cause outpatient neurology encounter (33.8% vs 79.7%, P < 0.0001) than patients in the comparison group. Both groups did not significantly differ by headache-related ED encounters. In multivariable analyses, patients in the eConsult group had significantly lower odds of having one or more headache-related or all-cause neurology encounters than patients in the comparison group (odds ratio (OR) 0.3, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.1-0.6; OR 0.1, 95% CI 0.1-0.3, respectively). In comparison to in-person referrals, eConsult requests for headache were associated with reduced likelihood of outpatient neurology encounters in the short-term but not with differential use of headache-related ED encounters. Larger-scale, prospective studies should validate our findings and assess patient outcomes.

Patient Autonomy in Practice - A Privilege or a Burden?

Abstract Background Patient-centered approach contributes to overall quality of healthcare, can reduce healthcare utilization by targeted treatments, and may increase patient-provider trust. Beyond attention to patient's needs and characteristics, granting them with autonomy in the decisions-making process is required. However, it is important to recognize not all patients are capable nor desire to translate autonomy into action. Methods A survey among a representative sample of 462 adults in Israel (50% response rate), examined the ability and willingness of individuals to be involved in decisions related to their own care. The questionnaire included items concerning trust in providers, perceived ability, and degree of desired autonomy (decisional and executive). Results While 341 (74%) estimated their abilities as medium or high, only 171 participants (37%) express they will to make the decisions (following doctor's opinion, or even against recommendations). A mediation process model demonstrated that high capabilities indirectly effects trust in providers through two mediators - decisional and executive autonomy [F(8,402) = 2.82, R2 = .06, p=.0047]. High perceived capabilities associate participants with higher desired autonomy to take the decision by themselves, and the latter associates with higher tendency to execute willingness to actions (e.g., non-adhere to treatment recommendations). Finally, higher tendency to perform executive autonomy results in lower trust in providers. The indirect effect is significant (-.006, .003, [-.0118-0010]). Conclusions we present an innovative model correlating autonomy, trust and willing to act by patients facing health decisions. Providers should be aware that the desire to be autonomous does not always merge with the ability or willing to take actions. Personalized approach based on the autonomous profile of each patient could lead to more efficient utilization of medical resources. Key messages • Autonomy may not align with desires and abilities of some patients. • Autonomy preferences affect adherence, trust and potentially also healthcare utilization, emphasizing the need for personalized care.

Determinants of vaccine uptake in the elderly. Results from a mobile health clinic survey in Italy

Abstract Background Vaccination is one of the most effective public health tools for improving the quality of life of adults and reducing healthcare utilisation. Despite numerous vaccination campaigns targeting this population, vaccine uptake is generally low. The aim of this study was to investigate the main determinants of vaccine uptake in people aged 65 years and over. Methods A mobile health clinic initiative for health promotion has been set up in a railway wagon in the Veneto Region, Italy, in October 2022. Access was free and voluntary. Information was collected on age, gender, nationality, education level, BMI, as well as on smoking, physical activity, vegetable consumption and presence of hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and diabetes. Uptake of flu, zoster, pneumococcal and tetanus vaccines was reported by participants, as was any recommendation by healthcare professional. The effect of the variables on uptake was assessed using a multivariable logistic regression. Results A total of 638 participants were included, of whom 50.9% female. Mean age 72.6±6.1. Uptake of flu vaccine was 61.8%, while zoster 17.1%, pneumococcal 21.6% and tetanus 10.0%. The main factor for uptake was having received a recommendation from a healthcare professional (flu: AOR=4.29 95%CI 2.77-6.63; zoster: AOR=3.12, 95%CI 1.52-6.40; pneumococcal: AOR=5.11, 95%CI 2.50-10.44; tetanus: AOR=14.23, 95%CI 4.20-48,35). Flu vaccine uptake was associated with hypertension (AOR=1.77, 95%CI 1.03-3.06) and smoking (AOR=1.84, 95%CI 1.04-3.25). No association was found with other comorbidities, lifestyle or SES. Conclusions Population growth and increasing average life expectancy in Europe make vaccine uptake by older adults an integral part of a healthy lifestyle. Among factors involved in the decision whether or not to vaccinate, the recommendation from a healthcare provider remains the most important determinant, and this is more evident in the absence of specific campaigns, as in the case of tetanus. Key messages • Among possible determinants, recommendation from a healthcare provider is associated with a significantly higher uptake for flu, zoster, pneumococcal and tetanus vaccine in the 65+ population. • The magnitude of this effect is even greater in the absence of specific campaigns, as in the case of tetanus, when it increases uptake 14-fold.

Effect of malnutrition on outcomes of hospitalisations for acute pulmonary embolism: a national inpatient database study

BackgroundTo evaluate the occurrence of malnutrition in pulmonary embolism (PE)-related hospitalisations and assess the impact of malnutrition on the outcomes of patients with PE.MethodsA retrospective observational study using data extracted...

Video Tutorials to Empower Caregivers of Ill Children and Reduce Health Care Utilization

Young children often fall ill, leading to concern among their caregivers and urgent contact with health care services. To assess the effectiveness and safety of video tutorials to empower caregivers in caring for acutely ill children. Caregivers calling the out-of-hours Medical Helpline 1813 (MH1813), Emergency Medical Services Capital Region, Denmark, and their children aged 0.5 to 11.9 years were randomized to video tutorials (intervention) or telephone triage by a nurse or physician (control) from October 2020 to December 2021 and followed up for 72 hours blinded to the intervention. Data were analyzed from March to July 2022. The intervention group had the call disconnected before telephone triage and received video tutorials on managing common symptoms in acutely ill children and when to seek medical help. Caregivers could subsequently call MH1813 for telephone triage. The primary outcome was caregivers' self-efficacy, reported in an electronic survey the following day. Secondary outcomes were satisfaction, child status, assessment by a general practitioner or physician at the hospital, telephone triage, and adverse events during the 72-hour follow-up period. In total, 4686 caregivers and children were randomized to intervention (2307 participants) or control (2379 participants), with a median (IQR) child age of 2.3 (1.3-5.1) years and 53% male distribution in both groups (2493 participants). Significantly more caregivers in the intervention group reported high self-efficacy (80% vs 76%; crude odds ratio [OR], 1.30; 95% CI, 1.01-1.67; P = .04). The intervention group received fewer telephone triages during follow-up (887 vs 2374 in the control group). Intention-to-treat analysis showed no difference in secondary outcomes, but per-protocol subanalysis showed fewer hospital assessments when caregivers watched video tutorials (27% vs 35%; adjusted OR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.55-0.82). Randomization to video tutorials did not increase adverse outcomes. In this randomized clinical trial, offering caregivers video tutorials significantly and safely increased self-efficacy and reduced use of telephone triage. Children had fewer hospital assessments when caregivers watched videos. This suggests a future potential of health care information to empower caregivers and reduce health care utilization. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04301206.

Dynamic zero-COVID policy and healthcare utilization patterns in China during the Shanghai COVID-19 Omicron outbreak

BackgroundIn April 2022, an outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 virus Omicron variant in Shanghai precipitated an extensive lockdown. We assessed changes in healthcare utilization during this outbreak and investigated the relationship between the stringency of mitigation strategies and disruptions in healthcare utilization.MethodsUsing provincial-level data from routine health information systems covering all hospitals across Mainland China, we conducted an interrupted time series analysis to examine changes in healthcare utilization during the Shanghai outbreak. Linear regression was used to evaluate the direction and magnitude of the association between the relative changes in the move-out movement index, a proxy for the stringency in population-level mitigation strategies, and the estimated relative changes in healthcare utilization.ResultsOverall, there were 22.9 billion outpatient visits and 1.2 billion discharged inpatients during the study period from January 2016 to May 2022, including 9.1 billion (39.7%) and 0.46 billion (38.2%) in the post-COVID-19 period (January 2020–May 2022), respectively. From March through May 2022, the outbreak resulted in an accumulative loss of 23.5 million (47%) outpatient visits and 0.6 million (55%) discharged inpatients in Shanghai, and a loss of 150.3 million (14%) outpatient visits and 3.6 million (7%) discharged inpatients in other regions. We find that for every 10-percentage point reduction in the relative change of move-out index, a 2.7 (95% CI: 2.0–3.4) percentage point decline in the relative change of outpatient visits, and a 4.3 (95% CI: 3.5–5.2) percentage points decline in the relative change of inpatient discharges.ConclusionsThe Shanghai COVID-19 Omicron outbreak associates with a substantial reduction in outpatient visits and inpatient discharges within Shanghai and other regions in China. The stringency of the COVID-19 lockdown policies associates with more profound reductions in healthcare utilization.

SAT294 Effectiveness Of Electronic Consults For Immune Related Endocrine Toxicities In Reducing Appointment Access Time And Preventing Hospital Admissions

Abstract Disclosure: A.I. Shariff: Consulting Fee; Self; Bristol-Myers Squibb. Speaker; Self; Merck. Background: Endocrine irAEs are noted in 4% to 14.6% of ICI treated patients leading to 12.2% of irAE related admissions.1Delayed access, diagnosis and management are often causes of preventable hospital admissions in cancer patient.2 3 Herein, we describe a single-institution experience with an e- consult platform from oncology to endocrinology as a cost effective and high impact solution to this limitation. Methods: Between 5/1/2020 to 11/1/2021 patients who received ICI were included in a retrospective observational cohort study. Data collection included patient demographic, cancer, treatments, irAE and appointment specifics. Results: 102 e-consults were reviewed during the study period. Thyroiditis was noted as the most common irAE while NSCLC, and pembrolizumab use were most commonly noted in the cohort. 88 and 60 consults received diagnostic and treatment recommendations respectively. Reduction in median time to appointment was lowered from 60.5 days to 38.50 days. Among e-consulted patients, 2 (2.23%) required hospitalization for further evaluation and management. This is a reduction from previous data at the same institution (2007- 2017) where 11% endocrine toxicities were admitted. With an average length of stay approximated to 6.4 days at $3,142 per day, a total of $100,544 was saved as a result of the consult service.1 We also noted that these e-consults were poorly reimbursed by all payers, and current average reimbursement ranged from $15- $32/ consult.4Conclusion: This study underscores the impact and effectiveness of e consults as a tool for timely recommendations and improving access leading to reduction in health care utilization. To support e-consults, the effort-payment mismatch must be addressed by health systems and payers that can propel integration and scalability of these effective services across oncology and other subspecialty practices to enhance access and mitigate gaps in specialty care provided to cancer patients. Presentation Date: Saturday, June 17, 2023

Multidisciplinary Care for Pediatric Patients With Psychogenic Nonepileptic Seizures May Be Associated With Decreased Health Care Utilization.

Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) are paroxysmal events that resemble epileptic seizures but have psychological underpinnings. Patients with PNES have high health care utilization. We hypothesize that appropriate care would lead to decreases in utilization. The aim of this study was to measure the impact of a multidisciplinary PNES clinic in reducing health care utilization (HCU) in youth with PNES referred to the clinic. We reviewed the frequency of visits to the emergency department (ED), urgent care (UC), planned and unplanned hospitalizations, neurodiagnostic studies, and total charges associated with these encounters 12 months before and 12 months after initial referral to the clinic. Manual chart review of all patients referred from November 2017 to March 2020 was performed. Two hundred and twelve unique patients were included in this retrospective study. Patient sex was identified as 71% female, 28% male, and 1% other, with an average age of 14 years at diagnosis. These patients visited the ED a total of 410 times before being seen in the PNES clinic, which decreased to 187 visits after (75% reduction). All measures of HCU decreased in the 12 months after the visit, and statistically significant differences were observed in all measures of HCU except for head MRIs, leading to an estimated potential cost savings of $7,978,447. Patients with PNES were found to have decreased health care utilization in the 12 months after referral to the Nationwide Children's Hospital multidisciplinary clinic, including significant decreases in emergency services and unnecessary diagnostic testing, in the 12 months after the referral.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare services utilization among people living with HIV in Catalonia, Spain: A population-based cohort study

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic disrupted healthcare services usage. We estimated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare services utilization among people living with HIV (PLWH) in Catalonia, Spain. MethodsWe accessed public healthcare usage in HIV units, primary care, hospitals, and emergency departments among 17,738 PLWH in the PISCIS cohort from January 1, 2017, to December 31, 2020. We performed an interrupted time series analysis using the autoregressive integrated moving average to estimate the effect of COVID-19 on medical visits and HIV monitoring among PLWH. ResultsA non-significant decrease of 17.1% (95% CI: [−29.4, 0.4]) in overall medical visits was observed during the lockdown, followed by a steady resumption until the end of 2020. Three health facilities presented statistically significant declines in visits during the lockdown: HIV units (−44.8% [−56.7, −23.6]), hospitals (−40.4% [−52.8, −18.1]), and emergency departments (−36.9% [−47.0, −21.9]); thereafter, the visits have begun to increase steadily but not to previous levels as of December 2020. In contrast, primary care visits remained unchanged during the lockdown by 1.9% (95% CI: −13.5, 23.9). CD4 cell (54.2% [95% CI: −64.4, −36.0]) and HIV RNA viral load (53.1% [95% CI: −62.9, −36.1]) laboratory monitoring reduced significantly during the lockdown. ConclusionCOVID-19 lockdowns significantly disrupted in-person healthcare services usage among PLWH. The reduction in healthcare utilization however did not affect primary care services. Despite services gradually rebounding to pre-pandemic levels, it is imperative to effectively prepare for future pandemics and implement measures to ensure continuous provision of care to PLWH during pandemic lockdowns.

Exacerbations and Real-World Outcomes After Single-Inhaler Triple Therapy of Budesonide/Glycopyrrolate/Formoterol Fumarate, Among Patients with COPD: Results from the EROS (US) Study.

Triple therapy to prevent exacerbations from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with improved health compared to single and dual-agent therapy in some populations. This study assessed the benefits of prompt administration of budesonide/glycopyrrolate/formoterol fumarate (BGF) following a COPD exacerbation. EROS was a retrospective analysis of people with COPD using the MORE2 Registry®. Inclusion required ≥1 severe, ≥2 moderate, or ≥1 moderate exacerbation while on other maintenance treatment. Within 12 months following the index exacerbation, ≥1 pharmacy claim for BGF was required. Primary outcomes were the rate of COPD exacerbations and healthcare costs for those that received BGF promptly (within 30 days of index exacerbation) versus delayed (31-180 days) and very delayed (181-365 days). The effect of each 30-day delay in initiation of BGF was estimated using a multivariable negative binomial regression model. 2409 patients were identified: 434 prompt, 1187 delayed, and 788 very delayed. The rate (95% CI) of total exacerbations post-index increased as time to BGF initiation increased: prompt 1.52 (1.39-1.66); delayed 2.00 (1.92-2.09); and very delayed 2.30 (2.20-2.40). Adjusting for patient characteristics, each 30-day delay in receiving BGF was associated with a 5% increase in the average number of subsequent exacerbations (rate ratio, 95% CI: 1.05, 1.01-1.08; p<0.05). Prompt initiation of BGF was also associated with lower post-index annualized COPD-related costs ($5002 for prompt vs $7639 and $8724 for the delayed and very delayed groups, respectively). Following a COPD exacerbation, promptly initiating BGF was associated with a reduction in subsequent exacerbations and reduced healthcare utilization and costs.

Mandated checkups, knowledge of own health status, and chronic care utilization: The effect of HIV medical evaluation mandates on healthcare quality and expenditure in a US-single payer system.

In an effort to improve military readiness, in 2014 the US Air Force reduced the frequency of mandated HIV medical evaluation visits from every 6months to every 12months. We employ this natural experiment using data for 2676 active-duty Military Health System beneficiaries living with HIV with a difference-in-differences empirical strategy using the Army, Navy, and Marines as a control group to estimate the causal effect of reducing the frequency of mandated evaluation visits on the quality and cost of medical care for active-duty military members living with HIV. We find that reducing the frequency of mandated HIV medical evaluation visits reduced the likelihood of regular HIV visits by 23 percentage points but did not affect the likelihood of receiving other preventive care, adhering to HIV therapy, or maintaining viral testing and suppression. The study finds evidence that the recommended level of regular HIV visits may be higher than necessary. The reduction in regular HIV visits was not associated with a similar reduction in the studied quality of care measures, therefore, the effect of alleviating the mandate was overall positive in terms of reducing healthcare utilization without adversely affecting preventive care, HIV therapy, or viral testing and suppression.

An Integrated Patient-Centred Medical Home (PCMH) Care Model Reduces Prospective Healthcare Utilisation for Community-Dwelling Older Adults with Complex Needs: A Matched Observational Study in Singapore.

The global ageing population is associated with increased health service use. The PCMH care model integrates primary care and home-based care management to deliver comprehensive and personalised healthcare to community-dwelling older adults with bio-psycho-social needs. We examined if an integrated PCMH reduced healthcare utilisation burden of older persons in Singapore. We compared the healthcare utilisation between the intervention group and coarsened exact matched controls for a follow-up of 15 months. Baseline matching covariates included socio-demographics, health status, and past healthcare use. We accounted for COVID-19 social distancing effects on health-seeking behaviour. The intervention group consisted of 165 older adults with complex needs. We analysed national administrative healthcare utilisation data from 2017 to 2020. We applied multivariable zero-inflated regression modelling and presented findings stratified by high (CCI ≥ 5) and low disease burden (CCI < 5). Compared to controls, there were significant reductions in emergency department (β = -0.85; 95%CI = -1.55 to -0.14) and primary care visits (β = -1.70; 95%CI = -2.17 to -1.22) and a decrease in specialist outpatient visits (β = -0.29; 95%CI = -0.64 to 0.07) in the 3-month period immediately after one-year enrolment. The number of acute hospitalisations remained stable. Compared to controls, the intervention group with high and low comorbidity burden had significant decreases in primary care use, while only those with lower comorbidity burden had significant reductions in utilisation of other service types. An integrated PCMH appears beneficial in reducing healthcare utilisation for older persons with complex needs after 1 year in the programme. Future research can explore longer-term utilisation and scalability of the care model.

The road to recovery: impact of COVID-19 on healthcare utilization in South Korea in 2016–2022 using an interrupted time-series analysis

The COVID-19 pandemic substantially disrupted healthcare utilization patterns, globally. South Korea had been praised widely in its efforts to contain the spread of the pandemic, which may have contributed to a significantly smaller reduction in healthcare utilization compared to neighboring countries. However, it remains unknown how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted utilization patterns across population sub-groups, particularly vulnerable patient groups in South Korea. This paper quantifies the changes in healthcare utilization attributable to COVID-19 and the COVID-19 vaccination by sub-groups. An interrupted time series analysis was conducted to examine the impact of COVID-19 on healthcare utilization in South Korea from January 2016 to December 2022 using aggregated patient-level data from the national health insurance system that accounts for 99% of all healthcare services in South Korea. We applied negative binomial models adjusting for seasonality and serial correlation. Falsification tests were conducted to test the validity of breakpoints. Stratified analyses by type of healthcare services, age, sex, income level, health facility type, and avoidable/non-avoidable hospitalizations was performed, and we assessed differences in utilization trends between population groups across three phases of the pandemic. In early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a reduction in monthly volume of outpatient utilization by 15.7% [95% CI 13.3%-18.1%, p<0.001] and inpatient utilization by 11.6% [10.1%-13.0%, p<0.001]. Most utilization recovered and rebounded to pre-COVID-19 levels as of December 2022 although variations existed. We observed heterogeneity in the magnitude of relative changes in utilization across types of services, varying from a 42.7% [36.8%-48.0%, p<0.001] decrease for pediatrics, a 23.4% [20.1%-26.5%%, p<0.001] reduction in utilization of public health centers, and a 24.2% [21.2%-27.0%, p<0.001] reduction in avoidable hospitalizations compared to the pre-pandemic period. Contrary to global trends, health utilization among the elderly population (65 and older) in South Korea saw only marginal reductions compared to other age groups. Similarly, Medicaid patients and lower income groups experienced a smaller reduction compared to higher income groups. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare utilization in South Korea was less pronounced compared to the global average. Utilization of vulnerable populations, including adults over 65 years old and lowest-income groups reduced less than other type of patients. No funding.

Multimodal analgesia regime for open spine fixation surgery: A case series

Postoperative pain is a common and significant problem that affects millions of patients worldwide. Inadequate pain control can lead to a range of negative outcomes, including prolonged hospital stays, delayed recovery, increased healthcare costs, and decreased patient satisfaction. Therefore, effective management of postoperative pain is essential for improving patient outcomes and reducing healthcare utilization. While progress has been made in improving postoperative pain management, there are still significant gaps in our understanding of the mechanisms underlying postoperative pain and the most effective interventions for its management. Further research is needed to optimize pain management strategies and reduce the burden of postoperative pain on patients and healthcare systems.Multimodal analgesia is an approach to pain management that uses a combination of medications and other interventions to effectively manage pain while minimizing side effects. The goal is to target pain at different points in the pain pathway, using different mechanisms of action, to achieve better pain control than could be achieved with a single medication alone. By using multiple medications that work through different mechanisms, a lower dose of each medication can be used, reducing the risk of side effects. The approach is often tailored to the individual patient, taking into account their medical history, the type of surgery or injury, and their level of pain. Overall, multimodal analgesia aims to improve pain control and patient outcomes while reducing the risk of adverse effects.

Types and Effects of Telenursing in Home Health Care: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Purpose: This systematic review aimed to identify the types and effectiveness of telenursing in home health care (HHC) compared to conventional HHC. Methods: This study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis 2020 guidelines. A random-effects meta-analysis was performed. The risk of bias was assessed using the Risk of Bias 2.0 tool. The quality of bias was evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation system. Results: A total of 17 studies published between 2003 and 2022 were included in the review. The majority of the targeted health conditions of the patients were chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or congestive heart failure (70%). We categorized telenursing interventions according to different technology (N = 4) and nursing (N = 7) types. Among the identified types of nursing, fundamental nursing to monitor patients' symptoms was the most representative. Telemonitoring was found to be the most common technology type, followed by synchronous technology using video or telephone. The telenursing outcomes, including health care utilization, physiological/psychological outcomes, and quality of life, varied. In the meta-analysis, participants who received telenursing reported fewer hospital admissions (standardized mean difference [SMD]: -0.18; confidence interval [95% CI]: -0.43 to -0.02) and emergency department visits (SMD: -0.28; 95% CI: -0.45 to -0.10). Conclusion: Telenursing in HHC tends to improve the quality of life and could result in many benefits, including a reduction in health care utilization and facilitating the management of chronic diseases. These results ultimately represent the potential effectiveness of telenursing in community health care settings.