Hospital Teaching Status Research Articles

DO TEACHING HOSPITALS HAVE COMPARABLE OUTCOMES TO NON-TEACHING HOSPITALS FOR PERCUTANEOUS CORONARY INTERVENTIONS?

Objectives: Teaching hospitals may have comparable surgical outcomes as compare to non-teaching hospitals from major surgical conditions. However, limited data are available regarding percutaneous coronary interventions performed in teaching hospitals involving trainées. Methods: In this observational study, 103 patients who had percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in a hospital attached to a medical college were retrospectively evaluated. The indications for PCI were ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), improvement in quality of life in patients with atypical chest pain, angina (stable and unstable, a positive stress test, or non-STEMI, and patients without any documented angina, chest pain, or positive stress test. Teaching hospital status was as defined by the National Medical Commission-based number of teaching faculty/trainees to-bed ratio. Trainee participation in at least 50% PCI procedures in the teaching hospital was a pre-requisite for inclusion in the study. Results: The mean age of participants was 60.4±9.8 years; there was a male preponderance (84.4%). Prior PCI was done in 11.3% patients and 7.5% had history of stroke previously. About 20.6% were diabetics, 33.9% had dyslipidemia, and 50.9% had systemic hypertension, respectively. Left anterior descending with the left coronary circumflex artery was the most affected vessels in both sexes combined and 84.4% patients had double-vessel disease. Thirty-one (31.9%) underwent PCI by femoral route and 72 (68%) by radial route, respectively. PCI was successful in 74 (71.8%) and 10 (9.7%) had vascular complication. The mortality rate was 6 (5.8%). Twenty-five (24.3%) patients had reinfarction. Conclusion: Although vascular complications may occur at the hands of trainees, the overall mortality rates are low for PCI in teaching hospitals.

National Trends and In-Hospital Outcomes for Immediate Implant-Based Versus Autologous-Based Breast Reconstruction: A Propensity Score-Matched Analysis.

Breast reconstruction consists primarily of two methods: autologous breast reconstruction (ABR) and implant-based breast reconstruction (IBR). Each of these methods has its advantages and disadvantages. The current study used the National Inpatient Sample (NIS), the largest inpatient database in the United States, to explore the trends, complications, and disparities in the use of IBR and ABR. The current study used the NIS database from 2016 to 2020, including the International Classification of Diseases, 10th version (ICD-10) codes. A propensity score-matching (1:1) analysis was used to match the IBR and ABR groups. The percentage of breast reconstruction increased from 58.8% in 2016 to 63.4% by 2020. The trend of ABR was upward, and the trend of IBR was downward. In addition, the ABR group had significantly higher rates of cardiovascular complications (odds ratio [OR], 1.29), respiratory complications (OR, 4.26), vascular complications requiring surgery (OR, 7.82), blood transfusions (OR, 3.44), vasopressor need (OR, 1.409), and acute kidney injury (OR, 1.68). However, the ABR group had significantly lower rates of wound infection (OR, 0.430), wound dehiscence (OR, 0.213), wound seroma (OR, 0.602), and sepsis (OR, 0.252). A significant disparity was found in using ABR for different subgroups based on age, hospital teaching status, racial background, socioeconomic status, and hospital bed size. The current study showed an upward trend in the utilization of ABR and a downward trend for IBR. Although ABR had a higher rate of pulmonary, cardiovascular, vascular, and bleeding complications, it had a lower rate of wound-related complications.

Risk of short-term cardiovascular disease in relation to the mode of delivery in singleton pregnancies: a retrospective cohort study

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is increasing in prevalence and affects up to 4% of pregnancies in otherwise healthy persons. The specific factors that drive the development of CVD in pregnant people are poorly characterised. This study aimed to determine whether the mode of delivery in singletons affects the risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality within one year in patients without prior CVD. We designed a retrospective cohort study utilising the Nationwide Readmissions Database (NRD) to identify singleton delivery hospitalisations in the United States from Jan 1, 2010 to Nov 30, 2018. International Classification of Disease (ICD) versions 9 and 10 codes were used to identify patients with readmission for CVD within the calendar year of index delivery. Patients aged 15-54 who underwent a singleton vaginal or caesarean delivery were included. Patients with pre-existing CVD hospitalisations before or during delivery, ectopic pregnancies, or abortive outcomes were excluded. Participant data was retrieved from the NRD database. The primary outcome was hospital readmission, defined by ICD 9 and 10 codes for fatal or non-fatal CVD in the same calendar year as delivery. Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to adjust for confounders. These included maternal age, hospital bed size, hospital type, hospital teaching status, income quartile, insurance, and year of delivery. Additional sub-analyses were performed adjusting for hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and diabetes mellitus. Of the 14,179,299 singleton deliveries, 32% (n=4,553,492) underwent a caesarean. CVD readmissions occurred in 255.2 per 100,000 (n=11,710) caesarean deliveries compared with 133.9 per 100,000 (n=12,507) vaginal deliveries (rate difference [RD], 121.4, 95% confidence interval [CI], 114.8-127.9; hazard ratio [HR] adjusted for all confounders including hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and diabetes mellitus was 1.42, 95% CI 1.35-1.50). This association was highest in the first 0-29 days following delivery (HR 1.68, 95% CI 1.59-1.78). The risk of readmission for CVD persisted for one year. These findings suggest that caesarean delivery of singletons is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular morbidity in patients without pre-existing CVD. This risk was highest in the first month but remained elevated for one year after delivery. These findings add to the accumulating evidence that undergoing caesarean delivery may have long-standing health implications and support the extension of the post-partum surveillance period. Limitations of this study include the lack of adjustment for body mass index, race, and parity. We were also unable to determine the reason for the caesarean delivery. None.

Factors affecting adherence to recommendations on pre-operative cardiac testing: A cohort study.

Cardiac risk evaluation prior to noncardiac surgery is fundamental to tailor peri-operative management to patient's estimated risk. Data on the degree of adherence to guidelines in patients at cardiovascular risk in Europe and factors influencing adherence are underexplored. The aim of this analysis was to describe the degree of adherence to [2014 European Society of Cardiology (ESC)/European Society of Anaesthesiology (ESA) guidelines] recommendations on rest echocardiography [transthoracic echocardiography (TTE)] and to stress imaging prior to noncardiac surgery in a large European sample and to assess factors potentially affecting adherence. Secondary analysis of a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study (MET-REPAIR). Twenty-five European centres of all levels of care that enrolled patients between 2017 and 2020. With elevated cardiovascular risk undergoing in-hospital elective, noncardiac surgery. (Non)adherence to each pre-operative TTE and stress imaging recommendations classified as guideline-adherent, overuse and underuse. We performed descriptive analysis. To explore the impact of patients' sex, age, geographical region, and hospital teaching status, we conducted multivariate multinominal regression analysis. Out of 15 983 patients, 15 529 were analysed (61% men, mean age 72 ± 8 years). Overuse (conduction in spite of class III) and underuse (nonconduction in spite of class I recommendation) for pre-operative TTE amounted to 16.6% (2542/15 344) and 6.6% (1015/15 344), respectively. Stress imaging overuse and underuse amounted to 1.7% (241/14 202) and 0.4% (52/14 202) respectively. Male sex, some age categories and some geographical regions were significantly associated with TTE overuse. Male sex and some regions were also associated with TTE underuse. Age and regions were associated with overuse of stress imaging. Male sex, age, and some regions were associated with stress imaging underuse. Adherence to pre-operative stress imaging recommendation was high. In contrast, adherence to TTE recommendations was moderate. Both patients' and geographical factors affected adherence to joint ESC/ESA guidelines. NCT03016936.

Factors Associated With Potentially Unnecessary Transfers for Children With Asthma: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Our objective was to identify the hospital- and community-related factors associated with the hospital-level rate of potentially unnecessary interfacility transfers (IFTs) for pediatric patients with asthma exacerbations. We analyzed California Emergency Department (ED) data from 2016 to 2019 to capture ED visits where a pediatric patient (age, 2-17 years) presented with an asthma exacerbation and was transferred to another ED or acute care hospital. The primary outcome was hospital-level rate of potentially unnecessary IFTs, defined as a visit where length of stay after transfer was <24 hours and no advanced services (eg, critical care) were used. Hospital- and community-related characteristics included urbanicity, teaching hospital status, availability of pediatric resources in the sending facility and patient's community, pediatric patient volume, and Social Vulnerability Index. We described and compared hospitals in the top quartile of potentially unnecessary IFT rate versus all others and used a multivariable modified Poisson model to identify factors associated with potentially unnecessary IFT. A total of 325 sending hospitals were included, with a median 573 pediatric asthma visits (interquartile range, 183-1309) per hospital annually. Nearly half of the hospitals (145/325, 45%) sent a potentially unnecessary IFT. Most (90%) hospitals were urban, 9% were teaching hospitals, 5% had >500 beds, and 22% had a pediatric ED on-site. Factors associated with higher adjusted prevalence of potentially unnecessary IFT included availability of pediatric telehealth (prevalence ratio [PR], 1.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2-2.0), increased pediatric volume (eg, <1800 vs ≥10,000 visits: PR, 2.6; 95% CI, 1.4-4.7), and higher community Social Vulnerability Index (PR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.1-1.9). Several hospital- and community-related factors were associated with potentially unnecessary IFTs among pediatric patients presenting to the ED with asthma exacerbations. These findings provide insight into disparities in potentially unnecessary IFT across communities and can guide the development of future interventions.

Erratum: Effect of Hospital Teaching Status on Mortality and In-Hospital Outcomes in Patients Hospitalized With Acute Leukemia: A National Study.

Erratum: Effect of Hospital Teaching Status on Mortality and In-Hospital Outcomes in Patients Hospitalized With Acute Leukemia: A National Study.

Effect of hospital teaching status on in-hospital outcomes of autologous and implant-based breast reconstruction

Effect of hospital teaching status on in-hospital outcomes of autologous and implant-based breast reconstruction

Effect of Hospital Teaching Status on Mortality and In-Hospital Outcomes in Patients Hospitalized With Acute Leukemia: A National Study

PURPOSE Acute leukemia is a complex hematologic malignancy characterized by the uncontrolled proliferation of developing leukocytes. Prior studies have considerably investigated the impact of medical training settings on the outcomes of hospitalized patients. Nevertheless, there remains a paucity of studies exploring the correlation between teaching hospital status and patient outcomes for those admitted with acute leukemia. METHOD We used the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) 2017-2020 to identify patients admitted with the primary diagnosis of acute leukemia (including acute myeloid and acute lymphoblastic leukemia.) We stratified the patients into those admitted to teaching hospitals (TH) and nonteaching hospitals (NTH). The primary outcome studied was mortality between the two groups, and the secondary outcomes included length of stay, total cost of hospitalization, and adverse in-hospital outcomes. RESULTS A total of 108,495 patients were hospitalized with acute leukemia, of which 9,156 (8.4%) were admitted to NTH and 99,327 (91.5%) were admitted to TH. The mean age of patients was 49.26 ±25.88, p&lt;0.001. Of the admitted patients, 17.9% were &lt;18 years old, and 82.05% were ≥ 18. Males in TH and NTH were 55.68% vs. 54.34%, respectively, and females in TH and NTH were 44.32% vs. 45.66%, respectively, p&lt;0.001. After adjusting for confounding variables, no difference was noted in the odds of mortality between TH and NTH (OR=1.12, 95% CI (0.91-1.36), p=0.263). Those admitted in TH had prolonged length of stay (+7.92 days, 95% CI (6.77-9.08), p&lt;0.001) and increased total cost of hospitalization ($131,854, 95% CI ($105,895-$157,813), p&lt;0.001). Patients in TH also had increased odds of acute kidney injury (OR=1.20, 95% CI (1.03-1.39), p=0.01), fluid and electrolyte disorders (OR= 1.38, 95% CI (1.21-1.59), p&lt;0.001), sepsis (OR=1.42, 95% CI (1.15-1.76), p=0.001), ICU admission (OR=1.28, 95% CI (1.02-1.61), p=0.03), intubation (OR=1.39, 95% CI (1.09-1.78), p=0.007), vasopressor use (OR=1.92, 95%CI(1.13-3.25), p=0.015), febrile neutropenia (OR=1.62, 95% CI (1.37-1.93), p&lt;0.001), and delirium (OR=2.63, 95% CI (1.35-5.10), p=0.004). CONCLUSION Our study shows that hospital teaching status is not considered an independent predictor of mortality in hospitalized patients with acute leukemia. However, patients admitted to TH had prolonged lengths of stay and total costs of hospitalization, along with other adverse hospital outcomes. Further prospective studies are needed to validate the findings of our research.

Impact of Body Mass Index on Delirious Patients Outcomes: A Nation-Wide Analysis

Background: Delirium is a common serious health problem characterized by abrupt changes in consciousness and cognitive function. It leads to poor prognosis, especially among older adults. Low body mass index (BMI) is an independent risk factor for intensive care unit and postoperative delirium, though the impact of body mass index on the prognosis of delirium has not been well studied. This study aims to examine the correlation of BMI on outcomes of delirium patients. Methods: This cross-sectional study utilized national inpatient sample (NIS) database to examine the association of low BMI (&lt;= 19 kg/m2) termed underweight with patient outcomes among patients admitted with delirium diagnosis between January 1, 2020, and December 31, 2020. This study included adult patients (&gt;18 years old) with delirium as primary and underweight (Z68.1) as secondary diagnosis using International Classification of Diseases (ICD) 10 codes. The study variables included gender, age, race, Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), insurance, median household income, hospital region, hospital bed size, teaching hospital status and dementia. We compared baseline characteristics and outcomes for delirium hospitalization. Primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Hospital length of stay (LOS) and total hospital charges were secondary outcomes. Main determinant variable was BMI status (underweight vs non-underweight). Values were presented as percentages or as mean±standard deviations. Recommended discharge and hospital weights were included to construct national estimates for every analysis. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were used to find odds ratio and adjusted mean differences. Variables with univariate test with a p &lt; 0.20 was included in multivariable model, along with other variables of known clinical importance. STATA version 18.0 (StataCorp LLC, Texas, USA) was used for statistics, and p &lt; 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: About 130,805 patients were hospitalized with delirium as primary diagnosis with 6,605 (5.05%) being underweight patients. Overall, in-hospital mortality among the delirium hospitalization group was 2.2%. Most underweight delirium patients were females (63.1%), mean age of 74 years, Caucasian (71.04%), with a low median household income (29.4%) and Medicare payer type (81.2%). Hospital characteristics for most of these admissions include large bed size (49.5%), urban teaching hospitals (70.9%) and located in southern part of United States (38.4%). In multivariate regression analysis, underweight delirium patients had statistically significant increased risk of in-hospital mortality (adjusted odds ratio, [AOR] 2.03; p &lt; 0.001), higher average LOS (additional 2.28 days; p &lt; 0.001) and higher total hospital charges per stay (additional $10,295.26; p &lt; 0.003) when compared to non-underweight patients after controlling for patient and hospital characteristics, CCI and dementia. Conclusions: Underweight is an independent risk factor for in-hospital mortality, longer LOS, and higher costs among adult delirium patients. This study aims to create awareness about this special subgroup of delirium patients for improving their outcome.

Hospital teaching status is an independent predictor of surgical intervention of distal radius fractures

BackgroundDistal radius fractures are among the most common orthopaedic injuries and are managed both surgically and non-surgically. To date, no study has examined the role hospital teaching status plays in the rates of surgical intervention. MethodsThe Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) was queried for years 2003–2014. Patients with a distal radius fracture were identified using International Classification for Disease, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) disease codes. Surgical intervention was determined using ICD-9 procedure codes. Exclusion criteria were patients younger than age 18, polytrauma, open fractures, records with missing data, and records where the primary procedure was something other than open reduction of a radius or ulna fracture, closed reduction of a radius or ulna fracture, or blank. Chi-squared tests were run for demographic and socioeconomic data to identify significant variables. Significant variables were then included alongside hospital teaching status in a binomial logistic regression model. Significance was defined as P < 0.05. ResultsA weighted total of 98,831 patients were included in the study. Of those, 45,234 (45.8 %) were treated at teaching hospitals. Patients in teaching hospitals were more likely to be younger, male, non-white, and non-Medicare insured than non-teaching hospitals. Injuries were treated surgically in 64.6 % of total cases. Surgical intervention was more common in teaching hospitals than non-teaching hospitals (69.1 % vs. 60.8 %, P < 0.01). After controlling for demographic and socioeconomic factors, patients at teaching hospitals were 31 % more likely to undergo surgical treatment than those at non-teaching hospitals. Other factors that were independently predictive of surgical treatment were age, race, and insurance type. ConclusionIn the setting of distal radius fractures, teaching hospitals have higher rates of surgical intervention than non-teaching hospitals. These results suggest that the involvement of medical trainees may play a role in the surgical decision-making process.

Association between polycystic ovary syndrome and the risk of malignant gynecologic cancers (ovarian, endometrial, and cervical): A population-based study from the U.S.A. National Inpatient Sample 2016–2019

ObjectiveThis study aimed to systematically examine the relationship between polycystic ovary syndrome and ovarian, endometrial, and cervical cancers using the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database. MethodsWe utilized the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) system to identify relevant codes from the NIS database (2016–2019). Univariate and multivariable regression analyses (adjusted age, race, hospital region, hospital teaching status, income Zip score, smoking, alcohol use, and hormonal replacement therapy) were conducted to evaluate association between PCOS and gynecologic cancers. Results were summarized as odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). ResultsOverall, 15,024,965 patients were analyzed, of whom 56,183 and 14,968,782 patients were diagnosed with and without PCOS, respectively. Among the patients diagnosed with gynecologic cancers (n = 91,599), there were 286 with PCOS and 91,313 without PCOS. Univariate analysis revealed that PCOS was significantly associated with higher risk of endometrial cancer (OR = 1.39, 95 % CI [1.18–1.63], p < 0.0001), but lower risk of ovarian cancer (OR = 0.55, 95 % CI [0.45–0.67], p < 0.0001) and cervical cancer (OR = 0.68, 95 % CI [0.51–0.91], p = 0.009). In contrast, after Bonferroni correction, multivariable analysis depicted that PCOS remained significantly associated with higher risk of endometrial cancer (OR = 3.90, 95 % CI [4.32–4.59], p < 0.0001). There was no significant correlation between PCOS and risk of ovarian cancer (OR = 1.09, 95 % CI [0.89–1.34], p = 0.409) and cervical cancer (OR = 0.83, 95 % CI [0.62–1.11], p = 0.218). ConclusionThis first-ever NIS analysis showed that patients with PCOS exhibited unique gynecologic cancer risk profiles, with higher risk for endometrial cancer, and no significant risk for ovarian or cervical cancers.

Quality of hospital labour and delivery care: A multilevel analysis in Southern Nations and Nationalities People's Region of Ethiopia.

Ethiopia has one of the highest maternal mortality ratios in Africa. Few have examined the quality of labour and delivery (L&D) care in the country. This study evaluated the quality of routine L&D care and identified patient-level and hospital-level factors associated with the quality of care in a subset of government hospitals. This was a facility-based, cross-sectional study using direct non-participant observation carried out in 2016. All mothers who received routine L&D care services at government hospitals (n = 20) in one of the populous regions of Ethiopia, Southern Nations Nationalities and People's Region (SNNPR), were included. Mixed effects multilevel linear regression modeling was employed in two stages using hospital as a random effect, with quality of L&D care as the outcome and selected patient and hospital characteristics as independent variables. Patient characteristics included woman's age, number of previous births, number of skilled attendants involved in care process, and presence of any danger sign in current pregnancy. Hospital characteristics included teaching hospital status, mean number of attended births in the previous year, number of fulltime skilled attendants in the L&D ward, whether the hospital had offered refresher training on L&D care in the previous 12 months, and the extent to which the hospital met the 2014 Ethiopian Ministry of Health standards regarding to resources available for providing quality of L&D care (measured on a 0-100% scale). These standards pertain to availability of human resource by category and training status, availability of essential drugs, supplies and equipment in L&D ward, availability of laboratory services and safe blood, and availability of essential guidelines for key L&D care processes. On average, the hospitals met two-thirds of the standards for L&D care quality, with substantial variation between hospitals (standard deviation 10.9 percentage points). While the highest performing hospital met 91.3% of standards, the lowest performing hospital met only 35.8% of the standards. Hospitals had the highest adherence to standards in the domain of immediate and essential newborn care practices (86.8%), followed by the domain of care during the second and third stages of labour (77.9%). Hospitals scored substantially lower in the domains of active management of third stage of labour (AMTSL) (42.2%), interpersonal communication (47.2%), and initial assessment of the woman in labour (59.6%). We found the quality of L&D care score was significantly higher for women who had a history of any danger sign (β = 5.66; p-value = 0.001) and for women who were cared for at a teaching hospital (β = 12.10; p-value = 0.005). Additionally, hospitals with lower volume and more resources available for L&D care (P-values < 0.01) had higher L&D quality scores. Overall, the quality of L&D care provided to labouring mothers at government hospitals in SNNPR was limited. Lack of adherence to standards in the areas of the critical tasks of initial assessment, AMTSL, interpersonal communication during L&D, and respect for women's preferences are especially concerning. Without greater attention to the quality of L&D care, regardless of how accessible hospital L&D care becomes, maternal and neonatal mortality rates are unlikely to decrease substantially.

(104) PREDICTORS OF LENGTH OF STAY IN PELVIC INFLAMMATORY DISEASE HOSPITALIZATION: INSIGHTS FROM THE NATIONAL INPATIENT SAMPLE

Abstract Introduction Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is a common and potentially serious reproductive health condition that may require hospitalization for proper management. Accurate prediction of the length of stay (LOS) for PID hospitalizations can aid clinicians in resource allocation, patient counseling, and improving overall patient care. Prior studies have explored potential risk factors for a poor clinical course among women hospitalized with PID, but to our knowledge, no study to date has explored potential predictors of LOS in PID hospitalization. Objective This study aims to characterize the predictors for LOS in PID hospitalizations based on patient and hospital characteristics using a large national database. Methods The National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database was queried from 2019 to 2020 for all female patients 18 years and older with a primary diagnosis of acute pelvic inflammatory disease using ICD-10 codes. Data on patient demographics, clinical characteristics, comorbidities, and hospital-related variables were collected using variables as defined by NIS and summarized using descriptive statistics. Bivariate and multivariable associations between LOS and covariates were assessed using linear regression models and estimates were reported as regression coefficients. Covariates that were statistically significant in the bivariate models were included as covariates during the multivariate regression analysis. Results A total of 14,505 hospitalized female patients with a principal diagnosis code for acute PID were included. Mean LOS for PID hospitalization was 5.8 days, with a range of 0 – 88 days. The average patient age was 42.9 years (age range 18 – 90 years old), with 55.1% White, 23.4% Black, 12.5% Hispanic, and 2.3% Asian or Pacific Islander. The main primary payers included Medicaid (40.0%), private insurance (36.1%), Medicare (19.1%), and self-pay (4.7%). About 34% of patients were in the lowest quartile for median household income, 45% in the middle two quartiles, and 19% in the highest quartile. In univariable analysis, increased LOS was associated with increasing age, larger hospital bed size, urban teaching hospital status, and the presence of hypertension, diabetes, obesity, or immunodeficiency. Decreased LOS was associated with Hispanic or Native American race and having a non-Medicare primary payer. In multivariable analysis, increased LOS was associated with increasing age (+0.06 days per increasing year, p &amp;lt; 0.0001) and large hospital bed size (+0.6 days compared to small bed size, p = 0.03). Decreased LOS was associated with Asian or Pacific Islander race (-1.1 days compared to White race, p = 0.02), Native American race (-1.4 days compared to White race, p = 0.03), and being billed as ‘no charge’ (-2.1 days compared to Medicare, p = 0.03). Conclusions This study identifies possible predictors of LOS in PID hospitalization, providing insights that may help optimize resource allocation and better characterize factors that may impact PID management. Several factors, including age, race, expected primary payer, and bed size of hospital were found to significantly impact LOS. Additionally, this study highlights the potential role of social determinants of health in PID hospitalization and management and can help guide future research and initiatives aimed at improving population health and addressing disparities in PID. Disclosure No.

Teaching Hospitals and Textbook Outcomes After Major Urologic Cancer Surgery

ObjectivesTo assess textbook outcomes by hospital teaching status follow major surgery for genitourinary malignancies. MethodsWe used 100% national Medicare Provider Analysis and Review files from 2017-2020 to assess rates of textbook outcomes in undergoing bladder (i.e., radical cystectomy), kidney (i.e., radical or partial nephrectomy), and prostate (i.e., radical prostatectomy) surgery for genitourinary malignancies. The extent of integration of learners into each hospital’s workforce—defined as major, minor and non- teaching—was the primary exposure. A textbook outcome, measured at the patient level, was defined as the absence of in-hospital mortality and mortality within 30 days of surgery, no readmission 30 days following discharge, no postoperative complication, and no prolonged length of stay. ResultsTextbook outcomes were achieved in 51% (8,564/16,786) of patients after bladder cancer surgery, 70% (39,938/57,300) of patients after kidney cancer surgery, and 82% (50,408/61,385) of patients after prostate cancer surgery. After adjusting for patient- and hospital-level characteristics, teaching hospitals had higher rates of textbook outcomes in those undergoing bladder (50.7% vs 44.0%; p = 0.001), kidney (72.0% vs 69.7%; p = 0.02), and prostate (85.3% vs 81.0%; p < 0.001) surgery. This effect was attenuated, but not eliminated, by surgical volume in additional sensitivity analyses for bladder (OR: 1.20, 95% CI: 1.00 -1.42; p = 0.04) and prostate (OR: 1.15, 95% CI: 1.00-1.32; p = 0.04) surgery. There were no significant differences in kidney cancer surgery outcomes after adjusting for hospital volume (OR: 1.03, 95% CI: 0.93 – 1.14; p = 0.6). ConclusionsUndergoing major cancer surgery at a teaching hospital was associated with an increased likelihood of receiving a textbook outcome. This effect was attenuated by volume but persisted for bladder and prostate surgery.

Critical care therapy use after radical cystectomy in patients with non-metastatic bladder cancer

PurposeTo assess critical care therapy use in patients with non-metastatic bladder cancer undergoing radical cystectomy. MethodsUsing the National Inpatient Sample (2000-2019), we identified non-metastatic bladder cancer patients undergoing radical cystectomy. Study endpoints consisted of critical care therapy use, defined as total parenteral nutrition, invasive mechanical ventilation, dialysis, percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube insertion, tracheostomy, and in-hospital mortality. Estimated annual percentage changes (EAPC) and multivariable logistic regression models were used. ResultsOf 25,535 patients, 3,091 (12.1%) received critical care therapy. Critical care therapy use decreased from 13.1 in 2000 to 5.9% in 2019 (EAPC -2.4; p=0.005), and in-hospital mortality also decreased from 3.4 to 0.7% (EAPC -4.2%; p<0.001). Older (≥80 years: odds ratio [OR] 1.91; p<0.001, and 60-79 years OR 1.41; p<0.001) and sicker patients (Charlson comorbidity index [CCI] ≥3: OR 3.16; p<0.001; CCI 1-2 OR 1.89; p<0.001) were more likely to receive critical care therapy. Conversely, minimally-invasive surgical approach (OR 0.66; p=0.01) and teaching hospital status (OR 0.70; p=0.008) independently predicted lower critical care therapy use. The same risk factors were identified for in-hospital mortality. ConclusionsCritical care therapy use in radical cystectomy patients decreased from 13.1 in 2000 to 5.9% in 2019 and so did in-hospital mortality (3.4 to 0.7%). Of all critical care therapy determinants, CCI ≥3 (OR 3.2) represented the strongest followed by octogenarian age (OR 1.9). Even after adjustment for patient age and comorbidities, minimally-invasive surgical approach and teaching hospital status were associated with lower critical care therapy use, and lower in-hospital mortality.

Prevalence and predictors of coronary artery stent re-stenosis in patients with cancer with prior history of percutaneous coronary intervention: A nationwide analysis.

e24018 Background: Data regarding the prevalence, and predictors of development of in-stent restenosis (ISR) in cancer patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are scarce. This study aimed to identify factors associated with the development of ISR following PCI in cancer patients. Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study using the National Inpatient Sample(NIS) from 2016 to 2020. Discharges with ICD-10 CM code indicating stenosis of coronary artery stent, and secondary ICD-10 CM code indicating cancer, and prior history of PCI were included. Primary outcome was development of ISR. Multivariate logistic regression model was used to identify predictors of ISR development, and p value of less than 0.05 was considered significant. Results: There were 873,320 patients who met inclusion criteria, among which 4060 patients were admitted for coronary stent re-stenosis. Mean age of included patients was 73, and 31% were females. The prevalence rate of in-stent restenosis was 0.46%. Factors associated with increased odds of development of ISR included diabetes (OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.13-1.51, p &lt; 0.001), dyslipidemia (OR 1.92, 95% CI 1.60-2.31, p &lt; 0.001), congestive heart failure (OR 1.78, 95% CI 1.52-2.06, p &lt; 0.01), carotid disease (OR 1.99, 95% CI 1.43-2.78, p &lt; 0.001), and aortic disease (OR 1.83, 95% CI 1.12-2.98, p 0.01). Age, gender, race, median household income, hospital location and hospital teaching status didn’t exhibit statistically significant increased risk. Conclusions: The prevalence of in-stent restenosis was 0.46%. Appropriate management of risk factors such as diabetes, dyslipidaemia, congestive heart failure is prudent to prevent development of ISR in cancer patients, underscoring the importance of regular cardiology follow up, along with routine cancer care.

Outcomes of Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding at United States Teaching and Non-teaching Hospitals: A National Inpatient Sample Analysis.

Studies have varied results regarding the impact of the teaching and non-teaching status of hospitals on the outcomes for hospitalized patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB). To evaluate these outcomes, we conducted a retrospective cohort study using the 2014 National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database. We included all adult patients who were admitted with the principal diagnosis of UGIB. Patients admitted to rural and urban non-teaching hospitals were classified as non-teaching, whereas those admitted to urban teaching hospitals were classified as teaching. The main outcomes of interest were in-hospital mortality, percentage of patients requiring inpatient endoscopy, and endoscopic therapy, packed red blood cell (PRBC) transfusion, length of stay (LOS), and total hospitalization charges. The study included 132,085 (97%) with nonvariceal UGIB (NVUGIB) and 4,200 (3%) with variceal UGIB (VUGIB). Of them, 62% were managed at teaching hospitals. Compared with admitted patients at non-teaching hospitals, patients with nonvariceal UGIB admitted at teaching hospitals had similar adjusted in-hospital mortality rates (adjusted odds ratio (OR): 0.97, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.79-1.19), inpatient endoscopy rates (OR: 0.98, 95% CI: 0.91-1.1), and early endoscopy rates (within 24 hours) (OR: 0.98, 95% CI: 0.91-1.1) and lower PRBC transfusionrates (OR: 0.87, 95% CI: 0.79-0.97) but higher endoscopic therapyrates (OR: 1.3, 95% CI: 1.2-1.4), length of stay (mean increase of 0.43 days) (P<0.01), and total hospital charges (mean increase of $4,369) (P<0.01). Patients with variceal UGIBhad similar adjusted in-hospital mortality rates (OR: 1.2, 95% CI: 0.61-2.3), inpatientendoscopy rates (OR: 0.97, 95% CI: 0.67-1.4), early endoscopy rates (within 24 hours) (OR: 0.97, 95% CI: 0.67-1.4), endoscopic therapy rates (OR: 2.5, 95% CI: 0.54- 11.2), and total hospital charges (P=0.45), and lower PRBC transfusionrates (OR: 0.63, 95% CI: 0.45-0.88) but higher length of stay (mean increase of 0.69 days) (P=0.02). Patients with nonvariceal UGIB treated at US teaching hospitals and non-teaching hospitals have similar mortality, rates of in-hospital endoscopy, and early endoscopy, but teaching hospitals have higher rates of in-hospital therapeutic endoscopy, length of stay, and total hospital charges. There was no difference in any of the outcomes for varicealgastrointestinal (GI) bleeding treated at teaching hospitals compared with those treated at non-teaching hospitals, except for length of stay, which was higher among patients admitted to teaching hospitals compared to those admitted tonon-teaching hospitals.

Inpatient mortality outcomes of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma with congestive heart failure: A nationwide retrospective cohort study.

e16256 Background: Chronic conditions create challenges in improving outcomes and treatment strategies for cancer patients. In the general population, for example, congestive heart failure (CHF) has been associated with poor cardiovascular health and thus increased mortality. However, its prognostic implications in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are less clear despite the physiological connection of the cardiohepatic system. This study aims to elucidate the relationship between CHF and mortality among HCC patients, offering insights that could inform clinical management strategies and improve care. Methods: The 2017 – 2019 versions of the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) were used to acquire the sample population. ICD-10 codes were used to identify diagnoses and procedures. The main sample population consisted of all patients diagnosed with HCC. A multivariate regression model was used (adjusted for age, sex, race, median household income based on patient ZIP code, Charleston Comorbidity Index score, hospital region, hospital teaching status based on rural/urban setting) to calculate the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) for outcomes. First, the association between CHF and inpatient outcomes was examined. Then mortality was calculated for HCC patients receiving therapeutic interventions (chemoradiation, liver transplant, radiation, or immunotherapy) based on CHF status. Results: There were 29,396 patients with HCC. Of this amount, 3,810 patients (13%) had CHF diagnoses. For inpatient procedures, 1,120 patients (3.8%) underwent a liver transplant, 265 (0.9%) received chemotherapy, 2 (0.01%) received immunotherapy, and 5 (0.02%) received radiation therapy. The cohort of CHF patients was found to be older than non-CHF patients (70.2 ± 0.3 years and 64.3 ± 0.2 years, respectively, with p &lt; 0.001). The multivariate regression analysis for the entire sample showed that the adjusted odds of mortality for HCC patients with CHF was 0.92 times that of not having CHF but not significant (95% CI 0.8 – 1.07, p = 0.3). The analysis was then applied to HCC patients receiving one of the four treatments during their hospitalization. Results showed that the CHF cohorts had increased odds of mortality if they received a liver transplant (aOR 20.3, 95% CI 2.5 – 165.7; p = 0.005) or chemotherapy (aOR 338.4, 95% CI 10.0 – 11428.9; p = 0.001). Conclusions: Having CHF is not a significant predictor of mortality in patients with HCC. However, when considering HCC patients undergoing liver transplantation, having comorbid CHF significantly carried about a 20-fold odds in mortality. In addition, HCC patients receiving chemotherapy had a 338-fold odds of death if they have CHF. Thus, careful consideration and planning must be taken into account to optimize patients’ cardiac status when considering treatment options.

Trends, Sociodemographic and Hospital-Level Factors Associated with Palliative Care Utilization Among Metastatic Prostate Cancer Patients.

Background: Several factors are reported to be associated with palliative care utilization among patients with various cancers, but literature is lacking on metastatic prostate cancer (MPC) specific factors. Early integration of palliative care in management of MPC patients could increase their quality of life and overall outcomes. Methods: Retrospective longitudinal analyses were conducted using the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) data (2010 - 2019). Prevalence trends in palliative care utilization were assessed, and sociodemographic and hospital-level factors associated with palliative care utilization in MPC patients were examined. Results: The overall prevalence of palliative care utilization was 13.1% with an increasing trend from 8490 to 15,231 per 100,000 MPC admissions (p-trend <.001). MPC patients aged 65 years and above had similar odds of receiving palliative care compared to younger patients. Relative to non-Hispanic Whites, other racial groups had similar likelihood to utilize palliative care services. Patients in higher median household national income quartiles had greater odds of utilizing palliative care relative to those in the first income quartile. Patients on Medicaid, private insurance and other insurance types had greater odds of palliative care use in comparison to those on Medicare. Other factors identified were hospital region, location and teaching status, patient disposition, admission type, length of stay, and number of comorbidities. Conclusion: Our findings underscore the significance of enhanced government policies and institutional support in improving palliative care use among hospitalized MPC patients. Health systems must be proactive in addressing barriers to optimization of palliative care utilization in this population.

Burn Care Funding in the Era of Price Transparency-Does Verification Signal Bargaining Power?

The Price Transparency Rule of 2021 forced payors and hospitals to publicly disclose negotiated prices to foster competition and reduce the cost. Burn care is costly and concentrated at less than 130 centers in the US. We aimed to analyze geographic price variations for inpatient burn care and measure the effects of American Burn Association (ABA) verification status and market concentration on prices. All available commercial rates for 2021-2022 for burn-related diagnosis-related groups (DRGs) 927, 928, 929, 933, 934, and 935 were merged with hospital-level variables, ABA verification status, and Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI) data. For the DRG 927 (most intensive burn admission), a linear mixed effects model was fit with cost as the outcome and the following variables as covariates: HHI, plan type, safety net status, profit status, verification status, rural status, and teaching hospital status. Random intercepts allowed for individual burn centers. There were 170,738 rates published from 1541 unique hospitals. Commercial reimbursement rates for the same DRG varied by a factor of approximately three within hospitals for all DRGs. Similarly, rates across different hospitals varied by a factor of 3 for all DRGs, with DRG 927 having the most variation. Burn center status was independently associated with higher reimbursement rates adjusting for facility-level factors for all DRGs except for 935. Notably, HHI was the largest predictor of commercial rates (P < .001). Negotiated prices for inpatient burn care vary widely. ABA-verified centers garner higher rates along with burn centers in more concentrated/monopolistic markets.