Subspecialty Care Research Articles

Initiatives to improve lung and sleep health in children: Delphi consensus from the pediatrics, pulmonary, and sleep conference.

The lung and sleep health of adults is heavily influenced by early factors, both genetic and environmental; therefore, optimizing respiratory health begins in childhood. Multiple barriers impede improvements in lung and sleep health for children. First, the traditional siloing between general pediatric care in the community, pediatric pulmonary and sleep subspecialty care, and the research community limits the translation of knowledge into practice. Additionally, identifying and addressing health disparities remains a challenge. The 2021 NHLBI-sponsored workshop "Defining and Promoting Pediatric Pulmonary Health (DAP3H)" was a first step in defining critical gaps in our current healthcare system in identifying and optimizing lung and sleep health in children. The workshop identified key opportunities including measuring pulmonary function in young children, sleep-focused outcomes, developing biomarkers, and longitudinal research cohorts. To expand on the work of DAP3H and continue initiatives to improve childhood lung and sleep health, the Pediatrics & Pulmonary Network: Improving Health Together conference was held in 2023. A modified Delphi process was applied to form consensus surrounding gaps, barriers, and action items, with the goal of identifying the most urgent opportnities for improving childhood lung and sleep health. Cross-cutting foundational principles were identified as: (1) Authentic Stakeholder Collaboration & Engagement, (2) Reach & Implementation in Real World Settings, (3) Understanding Current Landscape & Resources and (4) Purposeful Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Initiatives. To improve lung and sleep health in children, these principles should be the foundation for research design, development, and implementation.

Clinical progression of Parkinson’s disease in the early 21st century: Insights from the Accelerating Medicine Partnership (AMP-PD) data

BackgroundParkinson’s disease (PD) therapeutic strategies have evolved since levodopa introduction in mid 1900s. To understand their impact and research gaps, this study delineated the clinical progression of PD in recent years. MethodsUsing Accelerating Medicine Partnership-PD (AMP-PD) data harmonized from seven biomarker discovery studies (2010-2020), we extracted: overall [Schwab and England (S&E), PD Questionnaire (PDQ-39)]; motor [Movement Disorders Society Unified PD Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS)-II and -III and Hoehn & Yahr (HY)]; and non-motor [MDS-UPDRS-I, University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS)] scores. Age at diagnosis was set as 0 years, and data were tracked for 15 subsequent years. ResultsAmong 3,001 PD cases identified to be suitable for this study, 2,838 are white, 1,843 are males, with a mean age at diagnosis was 60.2±10.3 years. At baseline evaluation, the disease duration was 9.9±6.0 years overall, 1915 within 0-5, 541 with 6-10, 254 within 11-15, and 163 greater than 15 years. Participants largely reported independence (S&E, 5y: 86.6±12.3; 10y: 78.9±19.3; 15y: 78.5±17.0) and good quality of life (PDQ-39, 5y: 15.5±12.3; 10y: 22.1±15.8; 15y: 24.3±14.4). Motor scores displayed a linear progression, whereas non-motor scores plateaued ∼10-15 years. Younger onset age and female correlated with slower progression. ConclusionsTwenty-first century PD patients remain largely independent in the first decade of disease at tertiary subspecialty care and research centers. There are data gaps for those who are non-whites or longer PD duration, and sensible metrics that can gauge non-motor progression when PD is beyond 10 years.

Self-Reported Patient and Provider Satisfaction With Neurology Telemedicine Visits After Rapid Telemedicine Implementation in an Urban Academic Center: Cross-Sectional Survey.

Many clinics and health systems implemented telemedicine appointment services out of necessity due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our objective was to evaluate patient and general provider satisfaction with neurology telemedicine implementation at an urban academic medical center. Patients who had completed 1 or more teleneurology visits from April 1 to December 31, 2020, were asked to complete a survey regarding their demographic information and satisfaction with teleneurology visits. Providers of all specialties within the same hospital system were given a different survey to gather their experiences of providing telemedicine care. Of the estimated 1500 patients who had completed a teleneurology visit within the given timeframe, 117 (7.8%) consented to complete the survey. Of these 117 respondents, most appointments were regarding epilepsy (n=59, 50.4%), followed by multiple sclerosis (n=33, 28.2%) and neuroimmunology (n=7, 6%). Overall, 74.4% (n=87) of patients rated their experience as 8 out of 10 or higher, with 10 being the highest satisfaction. Furthermore, 75.2% (n=88) of patients reported missing an appointment in the previous year due to transportation issues and thought telemedicine was more convenient instead. A significant relationship between racial or ethnic group and comfort sharing private information was found (P<.001), with 52% (26/50) of Black patients reporting that an office visit is better, compared to 25% (14/52) of non-Black patients. The provider survey gathered 40 responses, with 75% (n=30) of providers agreeing that virtual visits are a valuable tool for patient care and 80% (n=32) reporting few to no technical issues. The majority of provider respondents were physicians on faculty or staff (n=21, 52%), followed by residents or fellows (n=15, 38%) and nurse practitioners or physician assistants (n=4, 10%). Of the specialties represented, 15 (38%) of the providers were in neurology. Our study found adequate satisfaction among patients and providers regarding telemedicine implementation and its utility for patient care in a diverse urban population. Additionally, while access to technology and technology literacy are barriers to telemedical care, a substantial majority of patients who responded to the survey had access to devices (101/117, 86.3%) and were able to connect with few to no technological difficulties (84/117, 71.8%). One area identified by patients in need of improvement was comfortability in communicating via telemedicine with their providers. Furthermore, while providers agreed that telemedicine is a useful tool for patient care, it limits their ability to perform physical exams. More research and quality studies are needed to further appreciate and support the expansion of telemedical care into underserved and rural populations, especially in the area of subspecialty neurological care.

Telemedicine in Eye Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Review of Patient & Physician Perspectives.

There has been an increase in the adoption of telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic. This review used systematic search and review criteria to assess the literature on patient and physician perspectives toward telemedicine for vision care during the pandemic. We conducted a comprehensive search on PubMed, Embase, and Scopus using relevant MeSH terms to identify peer-reviewed studies examining telemedicine use in eye care during the pandemic. The search strategy encompassed three key concepts: COVID-19 or pandemic, telehealth or telemedicine, and eye care. Further screening of references and similar articles was conducted to identify additional relevant studies. We identified 24 relevant studies published between 2020 and 2022. Of these, 15 focused on patients' perspectives, while 12 explored physicians' perspectives. Predominantly cross-sectional in design, these studies were mainly conducted during the initial wave of the pandemic (March 2020 to June 2020), primarily in urban locations and hospital settings. Patients were satisfied with telemedicine and considered it equally effective to in-person visits. Patients believed telemedicine was convenient, improved eye care access, and a beneficial triage tool. Physicians acknowledged telemedicine's convenience for follow-up assessment and its ability to expand the capacity for emergency cases. However, both patients and physicians voiced concerns about the absence of ancillary examination and technological challenges. Our review highlights the positive impact of telemedicine in eye care during the pandemic. Nonetheless, most studies were limited in sample size. They did not delve into potential disparities based on race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and geographic location, factors that could influence patient attitudes toward telemedicine. Further research is warranted to validate the findings from our selected studies and explore factors that influence the implementation of telemedicine, particularly across various eye care subspecialties.

Using Panel Management to Identify Adult Patients With High-Risk Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease/Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis Fibrosis in a Primary Care Clinic: A Pilot Study.

As rates of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) rise, national organizations have released new guidance for primary care-driven detection of patients with advanced fibrosis who are most likely to have clinically relevant morbidity. Yet time constraints, workflow, and practitioner awareness limit integration of risk identification into clinical care. At the authors' primary care clinic, they implemented a panel management strategy that utilized the electronic health record to identify patients older than 35 years of age at risk for MASLD fibrosis with abnormal Fibrosis-4 (Fib-4) scores. Using a proactive model, these patients were offered elastography-based screening and follow-up appointments focused on metabolic health, with referrals to subspecialty care when indicated. Of 855 patients older than 35 years of age, 384 were identified as having risk factors for MASLD/MASH. Of these, 53 had abnormal Fib-4 scores with no prior work-up; 29 patients consented to a shear wave elastography; 16 underwent shear wave elastography; and 6 had moderate or high results concerning for at-risk fibrosis. Twenty patients attended MASLD-focused appointments. Reluctance to pursue testing was driven by skepticism surrounding preventative medicine, perceived cost, and desire to focus on other medical problems, some of which were life-limiting. Panel management represents a scalable strategy to quickly identify patients in primary care most likely to experience complications from MASLD/MASH and provides a targeted intervention to direct further management. Limitations include access to care, medical complexity, and patient acceptance.

Social and Environmental Benefits of Pediatric Infectious Disease Telemedicine.

We provided safe, effective pediatric infectious disease management through telemedicine over a 3.5-year period, saving patients over 31 000 vehicular travel miles. Telemedicine has potential to decrease indirect patient costs while sustainably increasing access to subspecialty care.

Handoffs and Equity: Impact of a Patient Distribution Model on Handoffs for Black Patients.

Hospital medicine patient distribution models (PDM) assign patients to inpatient services on hospital admission. Models balance tradeoffs including patient handoffs, physician wellness, subspecialty care, and other factors to ensure optimal outcomes; however, equity is rarely considered. Handoffs during inpatient care can result in medical error and worse patient outcomes. This study evaluates the impact of a PDM that prioritizes use of specialty care services and an overflow service (OS) during high census on racial inequities in handoff frequency. A single-center retrospective cohort study of inpatient encounters on hospital medicine services from July 2017 to December 2019 was conducted. The primary exposures included being discharged by a general medicine service (GMS) or cared for by an OS. The primary outcome was handoffs per day of stay, analyzed by multivariable regression adjusted for age, gender, race, ethnicity, insurance, discharge from GMS, and care from OS. A total of 4165 inpatient hospitalizations with the majority of their stay on a hospital medicine service were reviewed. Patients discharged by GMS (78.2% vs. 58.1%, p < .001) and cared for by OS (78.7% vs. 67.0%, p < .001) were more likely to identify as Black. Multivariable analysis showed a handoff risk ratio of 1.53 (p < .001) for OS patients and 1.06 (p = .01) if discharged from GMS, but race alone did not significantly affect risk of handoffs. The PDM prioritization drove increased handoffs disproportionately for Black patients. Multivariable analysis showed that race alone did not contribute to increased handoffs suggesting the creation of a systemic bias in patient care.

MNGA-04 SOCIOECONOMIC DISPARITIES IN ACCESS TO SUBSPECIALTY CARE FOR MENINGIOMA PATIENTS: A LITERATURE REVIEW

Abstract Meningiomas, the most prevalent brain tumors, constitute nearly 40% of all head tumors, with the majority being benign. Presenting symptoms vary widely, including headaches, vision changes, seizures, and extremity weakness. Given the frequency of meningiomas and their diverse symptoms, access to subspecialty care is crucial for determining treatment necessity. However, existing global healthcare disparities often limit access to the necessary subspecialty care for addressing meningiomas. This literature review investigates the impact of socioeconomic disparities on neuro-oncologic care access, drawing from retrospective cohort studies and multi-cohort analyses. PubMed was utilized to search for articles published between 2000 and 2024, focusing on the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and care access, treatment, and outcomes among meningioma patients. Demographic analyses across studies revealed disparities in access to care across age groups, from young adults (20-39 years old) to the elderly (60 years and older). Additionally, disparities were noted among racial and ethnic groups, including African American, Hispanic, and Caucasian populations. Geographic disparities were also evident, with studies spanning regions within the United States and globally, underscoring variations in healthcare access and outcomes. Findings consistently emphasized the disproportionate burden borne by individuals from lower SES backgrounds, characterized by delayed diagnosis, limited treatment options, and poorer survival rates compared to their higher SES counterparts. Structural barriers, such as inadequate health literacy, limited insurance coverage, and geographical constraints, were significant contributors to these disparities, perpetuating health inequities among meningioma patients. Addressing disparities requires comprehensive interventions, including policy reforms to improve insurance coverage, enhance specialist access, and promote culturally sensitive care. Prioritizing initiatives targeting socioeconomic barriers ensures equitable care for all meningioma patients. In conclusion, concerted efforts at all levels are needed to dismantle structural barriers and foster equitable healthcare access and delivery.

Clinical utility and impact of a diagnostic oncology clinic.

74 Background: Oncologists have expertise in the work-up and management of patients with a suspected diagnosis of cancer. Patients diagnosed with cancer during acute care hospitalization often have poorer outcomes than those diagnosed as outpatients. For these patients, time to appropriate cancer diagnosis, management of cancer-related symptoms, and timely initiation of treatment are key to improved outcomes. Outpatient new diagnosis clinics may improve patient outcomes by improving access to subspecialty care. Methods: Patients seen by the inpatient oncology consult service over a two-month period (8/1/23-8/31/23 and 10/1/23-10/31/23) were included in this analysis. Inpatient management of disease was defined as an invasive procedure to treat the disease or a complication of the disease, initiation of systemic anti-neoplastic treatment, or radiation therapy. Surveys regarding perceived barriers to timely outpatient oncology care were distributed to oncology fellows and attendings. A Diagnostic Oncology Clinic (DOC) was started 2/1/2024 with the goal to decrease time to first outpatient oncology by a median of 12 days to less than 10 days, decrease hospital length of stay (LOS), improve outpatient management of cancer related symptoms, and improve time to treatment. Results: A total of 95 patients were evaluated. 74 (78%) of patients had a new diagnosis of cancer. Most patients had gastrointestinal cancer (n = 40, 42%) or thoracic cancer (n = 24, 25%). 51 patients (53.7%) had metastatic disease. 48 patients (50.5%) had an ECOG performance status of 0 or 1 at the time of consultation. The median hospital LOS was 11 days (IQR, 5-19). 13 patients (13.7%) had an inpatient PET scan and 43 patients (45.3%) required inpatient management of their disease or disease-related complication. 57 patients (60%) were discharged home, 21 (22%) to an extended care facility, and 17 (18%) expired or transitioned to hospice. 35 patients (37%) were seen as new outpatients with a median time to visit of 12 days (IQR 7-20). The median time to initiation of anti-neoplastic therapy as an outpatient was 24 days (IQR 18-33). There were 29 survey respondents corresponding to a response rate of 69%. 16 (55%) felt that about half the time or less patients will have timely follow-up with an oncologist after discharge, and 19 (65%) felt half the time or less patients will have appropriate cancer-related symptom management after discharge. Conclusions: Most patients seen by the inpatient oncology consult service with a new diagnosis of cancer have advanced and symptomatic disease. Historically, there has been significant time to outpatient care and cancer-specific management led by an oncologist. Creation of a diagnostic oncology clinic may shift some diagnostic testing and symptom management from the inpatient to outpatient setting, decrease time to first outpatient visit, and improve provider workflow for a vulnerable patient population. Analysis of this intervention is ongoing.

Health professionals’ and caregivers’ perspectives on improving paramedics’ provision of palliative care in Australian communities: a qualitative study

ObjectivesParamedics have the potential to make a substantial contribution to community-based palliative care provision. However, they are hindered by a lack of policy and institutional support, as well as targeted...

Role of Hospital Connectedness in Brain Metastasis Outcomes

Although patients with brain metastases receive interdisciplinary and multi-institutional care, the association between neuro-oncologic care networks and patient outcomes remains unknown. As patients often interact with multiple facilities, quantifying this association across a network of hospitals is critical to capture the complexity of the health care journey for patients with brain metastases. To evaluate how statewide health care network metrics are associated with inpatient mortality and hospital length of stay (LOS) for patients with brain metastases. This multicenter, statewide cohort study used data from the 2018 to 2019 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project State Inpatient and Emergency Department Databases. Primary analyses were completed by August 2023. Participants included adults with a brain metastases receiving care in Massachusetts. All inpatient and emergency department visits mapped for patients following the first diagnosis of brain metastasis. Inpatient mortality and hospital LOS were the main outcomes assessed. Hospital interdependence in brain metastases care was calculated using a connectedness score (weighted degree: weighted sum of ties to other care facilities). The association between hospital connectedness and clinical outcomes was analyzed using mixed-effects logistic and linear regression models, adjusting for hospital-level features. In this cohort study, 4679 patients with brain metastases were identified with inpatient or ED encounters in Massachusetts (from 2018 to 2019). The median (IQR) age was 64 (57-73) years, and 2559 (55%) were female. There was interdependence in brain metastases care, with 993 patients (21%) visiting 2 or more unique hospitals. Highly connected hospitals were heterogeneous, with many being small and one-half lacking subspecialty neuro-oncologic care or teaching status. Increased hospital connectedness was significantly associated with improved inpatient mortality for patients with brain metastases, with the lowest connectedness quartile associated with more than double the risk of mortality compared with the highest quartile (odds ratio, 2.34; 95% CI, 1.33-4.11; P = .003). A stepwise increase in inpatient mortality risk was observed as hospital connectedness decreased, independently of hospital volume. Furthermore, intermediate hospital connectedness was associated with increased hospital LOS (coefficient, 1.08; 95% CI, 0.17-1.95; P = .006). This study found that hospital-to-hospital interconnectedness was significantly associated with improved clinical outcomes for patients with brain metastases. The salience of network metrics highlights their potential role alongside other patient-level and hospital-level variables to evaluate and improve oncology care delivery.

WP6.9 - Essential Surgery Skills Course: A One Week Training Program to Prepare Surgeons for Humanitarian Deployment

Abstract Background Medical students, surgical trainees, and surgical faculty are increasingly interested in incorporating global surgery into their clinical practices and professional careers. However, many concerns remain about the preparation of surgeons for operating in resource-limited settings and their exposure to critical procedures such as cesarean sections, hysterectomies, or fracture reductions. In an attempt to address these concerns, academic institutions have developed advanced professional training programs for the global surgeon. Methods A six-day essential surgery skills conference was created at a large academic institution that provides trainees and surgeons with an overview of common surgical scenarios across orthopedics, urology, obstetrics, gynecology, general surgery, anesthesia and ultrasound in the form of didactics, simulations, and wet labs. Results 11 surgical trainees from four large academic institutions attended the essential surgery skills conference. Trainees attended sessions on point of care ultrasound, regional anesthesia, general anesthesia, hysterectomies, cesarean sections, post-partum hemorrhage, fracture reduction and fixation, ureteral injuries, and humanitarian deployment. A pre and post-test was administered. Improvement was noted in the trainees scores on the post-test in their knowledge of surgical subspecialty care. Trainees also reported feeling better prepared for humanitarian deployment. Conclusion Global surgery conferences can be designed to provide a networking and collaboration forum for improving access to surgical services worldwide. One-week predeparture conferences that discuss essential technical skills and relevant global surgery knowledge may better prepare surgeons to operate in resource-limited settings.

Abstract P407: Sex and age differences in cardiovascular health in youth referred for hypertension disorders at baseline: A SUPERHERO Registry analysis

Background: The prevalence of hypertension (HTN) and other cardiovascular (CV) disease risk factors (e.g., target organ injury (TOI), obesity, dyslipidemia, hyperglycemia) are increasing steadily in youth. In adults, sex and age differences are established, but remain unknown in children (1–12 years) and adolescents (≥13 years). Objective: Determine sex and age differences in blood pressure (BP) severity, TOI, and CV health in youth referred for HTN disorders. Design/Methods: Cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from the Study of the Epidemiology of Pediatric Hypertension (SUPERHERO), a multisite retrospective Registry of youth referred to subspecialty care for HTN disorders using EHR data. Inclusion criteria were an initial subspecialty clinic visit for HTN disorders identified by ICD-10 codes from 1/1/2016–12/31/2023 and age &lt;19 years. Exclusion criteria were kidney failure on dialysis, kidney transplantation, or pregnancy by ICD-10 codes. The exposures were sex and age at the index visit. Outcomes were BP severity at the index visit based on age, sex, and height-based U.S. guidelines, obesity by BMI or weight-for-length percentiles, and dyslipidemia, hyperglycemia, and TOI (heart and kidney-specific) by ICD-10 codes. We estimated the associations with unadjusted generalized linear models; our directed acyclic graphs did not identify any open, biasing paths necessitating adjustment for confounding factors . Results: Of the 9,356 participants, mean age ± SD was 12.8 ±4.5 years, 36% (n=3,372) were female, 56% (n=5,261) were adolescents, 23% (n=2,162) had stage 2 HTN, 5% (n=451) had TOI (2% heart, 3% kidney), 60% (n=5,655) had obesity, 9% (n=834) had dyslipidemia, and 10% (n=944) had hyperglycemia. Despite less BP severity, females had a higher risk of kidney TOI (RR 1.49, CI: 1.19 to 1.86), hyperglycemia (RR 1.48, CI: 1.3 to 1.68), and number of CV health risk factors (RR 1.1, CI:1.01 to 1.19). Compared to children, adolescents were more likely to have worse BP severity (RR 1.7, CI: 1.6 to 1.8) and HTN (RR 1.1, CI:1.1 to 1.2), and less risk for dyslipidemia (RR: 0.8, 0.7 to 0.9) Conclusions: In a large multisite cohort of youth referred for HTN disorders, females had a 49% higher risk of TOI and 48% greater risk for hyperglycemia despite lower BP severity. Adolescents had more severe BP and HTN compared to children. Next steps in this study include investigating age and sex differences in ambulatory BP and laboratory and echocardiogram data.

Insight Into the Clinical Practices of US-Based Surgical Nongovernmental Organizations

IntroductionA growing sector of humanitarian surgical nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) is providing care in low- and middle-income countries. Minimal data exists regarding this extremely heterogeneous community. This study aims to describe the demographics and clinical practices of surgical NGOs. We hypothesize there are identifiable attributes of such organizations which correlate with success. MethodsA survey was sent to 83 US-based surgical NGOs directly providing general or subspecialty surgical care in low- and middle-income countries. Further information was obtained from organizations’ websites. Descriptive statistics were performed to analyze organizational attributes and define protocol-driven practices. ResultsThirty NGOs (36%) responded, averaging 20 ± 11 y of operation. Annually, US humanitarian surgical organizations performed a wide range of operations (10-15,000) with 52% performing fewer than 200 operations per year. Sixty-seven percent of responders were classified as strongly protocol-driven. Only twenty percent reported deviation from standard US practice occurs often or very often, most commonly in pain management (18%), preoperative workup (16%), and operative technique (16%). ConclusionsTo our knowledge, this is the first effort to describe the characteristics and clinical practices of the humanitarian surgical sector. There exists a wide scope of clinical practice among responding surgical NGOs, however mostly consistent with US standards, with a prevalance of protocol-driven clinical approach. Developing consensus-based protocols may help standardize and improve quality of care for surgical NGOs.

Effect of Cash Benefits on Health Care Utilization and Health

Poverty is associated with greater barriers to health care and worse health outcomes, but it remains unclear whether income support can improve health. To examine the effect of cash benefits on health care utilization and health. The City of Chelsea, Massachusetts, a low-income community near Boston, randomly assigned individuals by lottery to receive cash benefits. Participants' medical records were linked across multiple health systems. Outcomes were assessed during the intervention period from November 24, 2020, to August 31, 2021. Cash benefits via debit card of up to $400 per month for 9 months. The primary outcome was emergency department visits. Secondary outcomes included specific types of emergency department visits, outpatient use overall and by specialty, COVID-19 vaccination, and biomarkers such as cholesterol levels. Among 2880 individuals who applied for the lottery, mean age was 45.1 years and 77% were female. The 1746 participants randomized to receive the cash benefits had significantly fewer emergency department visits compared with the control group (217.1 vs 317.5 emergency department visits per 1000 persons; adjusted difference, -87.0 per 1000 persons [95% CI, -160.2 to -13.8]). This included reductions in emergency department visits related to behavioral health (-21.6 visits per 1000 persons [95% CI, -40.2 to -3.1]) and substance use (-12.8 visits per 1000 persons [95% CI, -25.0 to -0.6]) as well as those that resulted in a hospitalization (-27.3 visits per 1000 persons [95% CI, -53.6 to -1.1]). The cash benefit had no statistically significant effect on total outpatient visits (424.3 visits per 1000 persons [95% CI, -118.6 to 967.2]), visits to primary care (-90.4 visits per 1000 persons [95% CI, -308.1 to 127.2]), or outpatient behavioral health (83.5 visits per 1000 persons [95% CI, -182.9 to 349.9]). Outpatient visits to other subspecialties were higher in the cash benefit group compared with the control group (303.1 visits per 1000 persons [95% CI, 32.9 to 573.2]), particularly for individuals without a car. The cash benefit had no statistically significant effect on COVID-19 vaccination, blood pressure, body weight, glycated hemoglobin, or cholesterol level. In this randomized study, individuals who received a cash benefit had significantly fewer emergency department visits, including those related to behavioral health and substance use, fewer admissions to the hospital from the emergency department, and increased use of outpatient subspecialty care. Study results suggest that policies that seek to alleviate poverty by providing income support may have important benefits for health and access to care.

Current status and the urgent need for a geriatric healthcare system in a super-aged society

Background: The Korean healthcare system is ill-equipped to manage geriatric diseases, even though we are on the verge of becoming a super-aged society.Current Concepts: In Korea’s delivery of healthcare system, which is centered on subspecialty care from primary to tertiary care, older adults with multiple chronic diseases are forced to receive fragmented care from multiple doctors. In medical education and residency programs, even the most fundamental concepts of geriatrics are misunderstood, and geriatricians receive inadequate training. Consequently, along with the rapidly growing elderly population, elderly patients with complex health problems, frailty, and dysfunction are deprived of the opportunity to achieve healthy aging by taking multiple medications and suffering from geriatric syndromes caused by fragmented medical care.Discussion and Conclusion: Establishing a system for training geriatricians and strengthening geriatric education is necessary to ensure existing specialists can assign them the role of primary care geriatricians. Additionally, person-centered, integrated geriatric care that requires appropriate management of various complex diseases, as well as maintenance of function and frailty prevention, will be possible by establishing a geriatric healthcare system that ranges from frailty prevention, polypharmacy management, and home visits in primary healthcare to multidisciplinary geriatric care and transitional care in tertiary healthcare. Implementing this strategy as early as possible will help older adults age well and reduce the caregiving burden in later life. This could also ease concerns regarding physician shortages induced by the rapidly growing elderly population.

Responding to the workforce crisis: consensus recommendations from the Second Workforce Summit of the American Society of Pediatric Nephrology

ImportancePediatric patients with complex medical problems benefit from pediatric sub-specialty care; however, a significant proportion of children live greater than 80 mi. away from pediatric sub-specialty care.ObjectiveTo identify current knowledge gaps and outline concrete next steps to make progress on issues that have persistently challenged the pediatric nephrology workforce.Evidence reviewWorkforce Summit 2.0 employed the round table format and methodology for consensus building using adapted Delphi principles. Content domains were identified via input from the ASPN Workforce Committee, the ASPN’s 2023 Strategic Plan survey, the ASPN’s Pediatric Nephrology Division Directors survey, and ongoing feedback from ASPN members. Working groups met prior to the Summit to conduct an organized literature review and establish key questions to be addressed. The Summit was held in-person in November 2023. During the Summit, work groups presented their preliminary findings, and the at-large group developed the key action statements and future directions.FindingsA holistic appraisal of the effort required to cover inpatient and outpatient sub-specialty care will help define faculty effort and time distribution. Most pediatric nephrologists practice in academic settings, so work beyond clinical care including education, research, advocacy, and administrative/service tasks may form a substantial amount of a faculty member’s time and effort. An academic relative value unit (RVU) may assist in creating a more inclusive assessment of their contributions to their academic practice. Pediatric sub-specialties, such as nephrology, contribute to the clinical mission and care of their institutions beyond their direct billable RVUs. Advocacy throughout the field of pediatrics is necessary in order for reimbursement of pediatric sub-specialist care to accurately reflect the time and effort required to address complex care needs. Flexible, individualized training pathways may improve recruitment into sub-specialty fields such as nephrology.Conclusions and relevanceThe workforce crisis facing the pediatric nephrology field is echoed throughout many pediatric sub-specialties. Efforts to improve recruitment, retention, and reimbursement are necessary to improve the care delivered to pediatric patients.Graphical A higher resolution version of the Graphical abstract is available as Supplementary information.

740 Subspecialty Career Choices in Orthopaedics – What Factors Affect the Decision-Making Process?

740 Subspecialty Career Choices in Orthopaedics – What Factors Affect the Decision-Making Process?

U.S. primary care physician perceptions on barriers to providing guideline-driven care for UTI and recurrent UTI: a qualitative study

BackgroundUrinary tract infections (UTI) affect almost two-thirds of all women during their lives and many experience recurrent infections. There are evidence-based guidelines from multiple international societies for evaluation and treatment; however, recent claims-based analyses have demonstrated that adherence to these guidelines is poor. This study seeks to understand the barriers experienced by U.S. primary care providers (PCPs) to providing guideline-based care for UTI and recurrent UTI (rUTI).MethodsSemi-structured interviews of 18 PCPs, recruited from the greater Los Angeles area, examined real-world clinical management of UTI/rUTI episodes, decisions to refer to subspecialty care, and resources guiding counseling and management. Grounded theory methodology served to analyze interview transcripts and identify preliminary and major themes.ResultsParticipants expressed the desire to obtain urine cultures for each cystitis episode, but felt pressured to make compromises by patient demands or barriers to care. PCPs had lower thresholds to empirical treatment if patients had a history of rUTIs, were elderly, or declined evaluation. Laboratory data was minimally utilized in clinical decision-making: urinalyses were infrequently considered when interpreting culture data. PCPs treated a broad set of urologic and non-urologic symptoms as UTI, even with negative cultures. PCPs did not feel comfortable initiating UTI prophylaxis, instead seeking specialist evaluation for anatomic causes. They were unaware of management guidelines, typically utilizing UpToDate® as their primary resource. Few evidence-based UTI prevention interventions were recommended by providers.ConclusionsLow availability of succinct and clear professional guidelines are substantial barriers to appropriate UTI/rUTI care. Poor useability of clinical guidance documents results in substantial confusion about the role of preventative measures and additional diagnostic testing. Difficulties in patient access to care providers lead to expectations for presumptive treatment. Future studies are needed to determine if improved educational materials for providers and/or management algorithms can improve guideline concordance of UTI management.

Clinical management of lupus in the United States: A claims-based analysis

ObjectivesTo understand the evaluation and management of patients coded with lupus in the broad clinical community in the United States. MethodsClaims data for diagnoses, procedures, medications, and physician specialties were evaluated for three lupus cohorts [lupus nephritis (LN), systemic lupus erythematosus excluding LN (SLE), and cutaneous lupus erythematosus excluding SLE and LN (CLE)] using the EVERSANA claims databases. Identification of patients was based upon the occurrence of lupus-specific codes, with the requirement that a single patient receive a lupus-related ICD code twice within a six-month period. ResultsUsing ICD codes, we were able to identify 28,372 patients coded with LN, 82,744 patients coded with SLE, and 13,920 patients coded with CLE, and subsequently evaluate the journey of patients in each group in the year before and after being coded as having a diagnosis of lupus. For the three lupus cohorts, the basis of diagnosis was not always apparent, as clinical features of lupus were not often obtained, autoantibody testing was not usual, biopsies were uncommon and subspecialty involvement was not routine. In addition, a significant increase in laboratory testing, non-lupus diagnoses, emergency department visits and cost during the year before receiving a lupus code suggested uncertainty in disease recognition. Nevertheless, these patients received two separate lupus coding events within a six-month period, supporting a sustained or repeated diagnosis of lupus by the evaluating clinicians. When compared, the three lupus cohorts differed with regard to frequency of laboratory testing, subspecialty care, skin and renal biopsies, and medication management. Moreover, there was an increase in the cost of care of patients coded with lupus compared to a reference patient population both during the year before and after being coded with a diagnosis of lupus. ConclusionThe data present a comprehensive report of the care of patients coded as having a diagnosis of lupus in the United States, including those outside of specialty centers. Despite the unclear basis of diagnosis in some patients, evaluation and management of patients coded as having a diagnosis of lupus in the general care community does not closely follow the recommended guidelines set forth by professional societies.