Unplanned Healthcare Use Research Articles

Readmission and unplanned healthcare use after radical cystectomy are independent of discharge destination

Introduction: Our primary purpose was studying utilization rates of home nursing assistance (HNA) and skilled nursing facility (SNF) placement after radical cystectomy (RC) and evaluating if their use was associated with emergency department (ED) visits, hospital readmissions, or mortality. Secondarily, we evaluated if patient socioeconomic status was associated with these factors following RC. Methods: Patients who underwent RC for bladder cancer were retrospectively analyzed. Discharge destination was labeled as home, HNA, or SNF. The incidence of ED visits was recorded at 30 and 90 days after discharge from surgical admission. Readmissions were tracked similarly. Area Deprivation Index (ADI) was collected on each patient and organized in quartiles (ADIQ), with worsening socioeconomic status as ADIQ increased. Results: A total of 215 patients were discharged home, 148 to HNA and 25 to SNF. ED visits and readmissions after RC at the 30- and 90-day marks did not differ based on discharge destination (p>0.05). Home patients had a lower incidence of death after RC compared to HNA and SNF (p=0.037), but not overall survival time (p=0.572). Readmission to the hospital after 30 days of discharge was more likely as ADIQ increased (p=0.017). Discharge destination, ED visits, and readmission after 90 days of discharge from RC was not different based on patient ADIQ (p>0.05). Conclusions: Discharge to home after RC is associated with lower mortality rates. Rates of readmission and use of ED resources appear independent of discharge destination. A greater ADIQ may interact with likelihood of admission post-RC. Future efforts remain warranted to address disparities in postoperative management in the pursuit of health equity in urology.

Association between insurance type, clinical characteristics, and healthcare use in adults with congenital heart disease

IntroductionAdults with congenital heart disease (CHD) represent a heterogeneous and growing population with high healthcare utilization. We sought to understand the association between insurance type, healthcare use, and outcomes among adults with CHD in Oregon. MethodsThe Oregon All Payers All Claims database from 2010 to 2017 was queried for adults aged 18–65 in 2014 with ICD-9 or 10 codes consistent with CHD; patient demographics, comorbidities, healthcare use, and disease severity were identified. Insurance type was categorized as either public (Medicare and Medicaid) or private (commercial). Descriptive statistics were used to compare groups. Use rates and odds ratios were calculated representing probability of at least one event per person-year using logistic regression with clustering on patients. ResultsOf 13,792 adults with CHD, 48 % had a form of public insurance. More publicly insured patients had moderate or severe anatomic complexity (29.5 % vs. 23.0 %; p < 0.0001), treatment for drug and alcohol use (25.0 % vs. 7.2 %; p < 0.0001), and mental health diagnoses (66.6 % vs. 51.0 %; p < 0.0001). They were more likely to reside in a rural area (24.5 % vs. 16.1 %; p < 0.0001). Adjusted for age and CHD severity, publicly insured patients were less likely to access overall ambulatory care (aOR 0.72, 99 % CI 0.66 to 0.80) but more likely to access emergency (aOR 3.86, 99 % CI 3.62 to 4.12) and inpatient (aOR 3.06, 99 % CI 2.81 to 3.33) care, as shown in Fig. 1. Length of hospital stay (5.7 vs. 4.4 days, p < 0.0001) and rates of 30-day readmission (17.1 % vs. 11.0 %, p < 0.001) were higher in those with public insurance. However, individuals with public insurance were significantly more likely to undergo their annual guideline-indicated echocardiogram (aOR 1.49, 99 % CI 1.23 to 1.80) and attend their annual ACHD visits (aOR 1.62, 99 % CI 1.40 to 1.87). ConclusionsOur study shows that publicly insured adults with CHD in Oregon have more anatomically complex disease, more comorbidities, and higher healthcare use. While they were more likely to receive guideline-indicated ACHD care, they were also higher utilizers of emergency room and inpatient resources, implying that they may benefit from targeted interventions to improve outcomes and decrease unplanned healthcare use.

Social needs and healthcare utilization in NICU graduates

ObjectiveUnplanned healthcare utilization after neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) discharge challenges families and healthcare systems. The impact of social needs on post-NICU healthcare utilization is underexplored. Our objective was to identify social needs among NICU graduates and examine associations between social needs and post-NICU healthcare utilization.Study designA prospective cohort design was used to screen for social needs and track healthcare utilization among 112 NICU graduates attending a NICU follow-up clinic (2021–2022). Associations between social needs and healthcare utilization were analyzed using non-parametric statistical tests.ResultsOf 112 patients screened, 20 (18%) had some social need. Infants with social needs experienced statistically significant higher rates of hospitalizations, overall encounters, and missed appointments.ConclusionSocial needs are associated with increased unplanned healthcare utilization and missed appointments. Addressing these needs during NICU follow-up may improve preventative care attendance and reduce unplanned healthcare use, leading to better outcomes for vulnerable infants and cost-savings for healthcare systems.

More competent informal caregivers reduce advanced cancer patients' unplanned healthcare use and costs.

Patients with metastatic cancer experience high healthcare use and costs, most of which are unplanned. We aimed to assess whether patients with more competent informal caregivers have lower unplanned healthcare use and costs. This study used data from a prospective cohort of patients with solid metastatic cancer. Patients and their informal family caregivers were surveyed every 3 months until patients' death. Patients' unplanned healthcare use/costs were examined through hospital records. Caregivers responded to the 4-item Caregiver Competence Scale. First, in a deceased subsample of patients and their caregivers, we used patients' last 2 years of data (226 dyads) to assess the association between caregivers' competency (independent variable) and patients' unplanned healthcare use/costs (outcomes). Next, in a prospective sample of patient-caregiver dyads (up to 15 surveys), we assessed whether patients' functional well-being and psychological distress moderated the association between caregivers' competency and unplanned healthcare use/costs (311 dyads). In the deceased subsample, during last 2 years of patients' life, caregivers' higher competency lowered the odds of patients' unplanned healthcare use [OR (CI) = 0.86 (0.75, 0.98), p = 0.03], and was associated with a significant reduction in unplanned healthcare costs [Coeff (CI) = -0.19 (-0.36, -0.01), p = 0.03]. In the prospective sample, patients' functional well-being and psychological distress moderated the association between caregivers' competency and patients' unplanned healthcare use/costs. With deterioration in patients' condition and an increase in caregiving demands, improving caregivers' competency can reduce patients' unplanned healthcare use and costs. This should be further tested in future trials.

Person-centred quality indicators are associated with unplanned care use following hospital discharge

ObjectivePerformance indicators are used to evaluate the quality of healthcare services. The majority of these, however, are derived solely from administrative data and rarely incorporate feedback from patients who receive...

Care coordination in homecare and its relationship with quality of care: A national multicenter cross-sectional study

IntroductionAs health care complexity increases, skilled care coordination is becoming increasingly necessary. This is especially true in homecare settings, where services tend to be highly interprofessional. Poor coordination can result in services being provided twice, at the wrong time, unnecessarily or not at all. In addition to risking harm to the client, such confusion leads to unnecessary costs. From the patient's perspective, then, professional coordination should help both to remove barriers limiting quality of care and to minimize costs. To date, though, studies examining the relationship between care coordination and care quality have faced multiple challenges, leading to mixed results. And in homecare contexts, where the clients are highly vulnerable and diverse care interfaces make coordination especially challenging, such studies are rare. ObjectivesTherefore, the aim of this study was to explore the relationship, from the perspectives of clients and of homecare professionals, between coordination and quality of care. For both groups, we hypothesized that better coordination would correlate with higher ratings of quality of care. For the clients, we predicted that higher coordination ratings would lead to lower incidence of unplanned health care use, i.e., emergency department (ED) visits, unscheduled urgent medical visits and hospitalizations. Design and methodsThis study is part of a national multi-center cross-sectional study in the Swiss homecare setting. We recruited 88 homecare agencies and collected data between January and September 2021 through written questionnaires for agencies' managers, employees (n = 3223) and clients (n = 1509). To test our hypotheses, we conducted multilevel analyses. ResultsEmployee-perceived care coordination ratings correlated positively with employee-rated quality of care (OR = 2.78, p < .001); client-perceived care coordination problems correlated inversely with client-reported quality of care (β = −0.55, p < .001).Client-perceived coordination problems also correlated positively with hospitalizations (IRR = 1.20, p < .05) and unscheduled urgent medical visits (IRR = 1.18, p < .05), but not significantly with ED visits. No associations were discernible between employee-perceived coordination quality and either health care service use or client quality-of-care ratings. DiscussionWhile results indicate relationships between coordination and diverse aspects of care quality, various coordination gaps (e.g., poor information flow) also became apparent. The measurement of both care coordination and quality of care remains a challenge. Further research should focus on developing and validating a coordination questionnaire that measures care coordination.

Associations between sarcopenia and clinical outcomes in men with metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer.

12056 Background: Understanding the impact of sarcopenia on clinical outcomes in patients with metastatic cancer will assist clinicians with risk stratification, treatment decision-making, and inform the need for targeted supportive care strategies. Our objective was to comprehensively assess sarcopenia using measures of muscle mass (radiographically) and function (i.e., muscle strength and walking speed) and examine its impact on severe treatment toxicity, time to first emergency room (ER) visit, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) progression, radiographic progression, and overall mortality in men initiating androgen receptor-axis targeted therapy (ARAT) or chemotherapy for mCRPC. Methods: This was a secondary analysis of a prospective observational study of older men with mCRPC at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. Sarcopenia was defined as the combination of low muscle strength (grip strength &lt; 35.5kg), slowness (walking speed &lt; 0.8m/s), and low muscle quantity or quality prior to treatment initiation. The skeletal muscle index and skeletal muscle density were assessed through computed tomography scans prior to ARAT or chemotherapy initiation to determine muscle quantity and quality, respectively, using published cut-offs. Severe treatment toxicity, unplanned healthcare use, and disease progression were assessed from treatment initiation until treatment termination or loss to follow up. The associations between sarcopenia and severe treatment toxicity (i.e., grade 3+ toxicity) were assessed using multivariable logistic regression. Survival analyses were used to assess the impact of sarcopenia on the time to first ER visit, PSA progression, radiographic progression, and overall mortality. An interaction term for sarcopenia by treatment was introduced in all multivariable models and when necessary, an analysis by treatment was performed. Results: In total, 110 men participated, of whom 30 (27.3%) had sarcopenia prior to initiating treatment. Sarcopenia was associated with severe treatment toxicity (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 6.26, 95%CI = 1.17-33.58, P = 0.032) and time to first ER visit (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) = 4.41, 95%CI = 1.26-15.43, p = 0.020) in the group that was initiating ARAT but not chemotherapy. Sarcopenia was a significant predictor of radiographic progression (aHR = 2.39, 95%CI = 1.06-5.36, p = 0.035) and overall mortality (aHR = 2.44, 95%CI = 1.17-5.08, p = 0.018) in the entire cohort. Conclusions: Sarcopenia may predict severe treatment toxicity and emergency room visits in men starting ARAT for mCRPC. Additionally, sarcopenia predicts radiographic progression and overall mortality regardless of treatment type in men with mCRPC. Confirmation is needed from large-scale studies. Assessment of sarcopenia can assist clinicians in treatment decision making while identifying high-risk patients that require targeted supportive care strategies.

Tracking Complications and Unplanned Healthcare Utilization in Aesthetic Surgery: An Analysis of 214,504 Patients Using the TOPS Database.

Tracking surgical complications and unplanned healthcare utilization is essential to inform quality initiatives in aesthetic surgery. This study used the Tracking Operations and Outcomes for Plastic Surgeons database to characterize rates and predictors of surgical complications and unplanned healthcare utilization across common aesthetic surgery procedures. The Tracking Operations and Outcomes for Plastic Surgeons database was queried for all patients undergoing breast augmentation, liposuction, blepharoplasty, rhinoplasty, and abdominoplasty from 2008 to 2019. Incidence and risk factors for complications and unplanned readmission, reoperation, and emergency room visits were determined. A total of 214,504 patients were identified. Overall, 94,618 breast augmentations, 56,756 liposuction procedures, 29,797 blepharoplasties, 24,946 abdominoplasties, and 8387 rhinoplasties were included. A low incidence of perioperative complications was found, including seroma (1.1%), hematoma (0.7%), superficial wound complication (0.9%), deep surgical-site infection (0.2%), need for blood transfusion (0.05%), and deep venous thrombosis/pulmonary embolism (0.1%). Incidence of unplanned readmission, emergency room visits, and reoperation were 0.34%, 0.25%, and 0.80%, respectively. Patients who underwent an abdominoplasty more commonly presented to the emergency room and had unplanned readmissions or reoperations compared with other studied procedures. Furthermore, increased age, diabetes, higher body mass index, American Society of Anesthesiologists class, longer operative times, and pursuit of combined aesthetic procedures were associated with increased risk for unplanned health care use. There is a low incidence of perioperative complications and unplanned healthcare utilization following common aesthetic surgery procedures. Continued entry into large national databases in aesthetic surgery is essential for internal benchmarking and quality improvement. Risk, III.

Unplanned Admissions, Emergency Department Visits, and Epilepsy After Critical Neurological Illness Requiring Prolonged Mechanical Ventilation in Children.

Long-term outcomes after pediatric neurocritical illness are poorly characterized. This study aims to characterize the frequency and risk factors for post-discharge unplanned health resource use in a pediatric neurocritical care population using insurance claims data. Retrospective cohort study evaluating children who survived a hospitalization for an acute neurologic illness or injury requiring mechanical ventilation for >72hours and had insurance eligibility in Colorado's All Payers Claims database. Insurance claims identified unplanned readmissions and emergency department [ED] visits during the post-discharge year. For patients without pre-existing epilepsy/seizures, we evaluated for post-ICU epilepsy identified by claim(s) for a maintenance anti-seizure medication during months 6-12 post-discharge. Multivariable logistic regression identified factors associated with each outcome. 101 children, median age 3.7years (interquartile range (IQR) .4-11.9), admitted for trauma (57%), hypoxic-ischemic injury (17%) and seizures (15%). During the post-discharge year, 4 (4%) patients died, 26 (26%) were readmitted, and 48 (48%) had an ED visit. Having a pre-existing complex chronic condition was independently associated with readmission and emergency department visit. Admission for trauma was protective against readmission. Of those without pre-existing seizures (n = 86), 25 (29%) developed post-ICU epilepsy. Acute seizures during admission and prolonged ICU stays were independently associated with post-ICU epilepsy. Survivors of pediatric neurocritical illness are at risk of unplanned healthcare use and post-ICU epilepsy. Critical illness risk factors including prolonged ICU stay and acute seizures may identify cohorts for targeted follow up or interventions to prevent unplanned healthcare use and post-ICU epilepsy.

Feasibility of Prospectively Comparing Opioid Analgesia With Opioid-Free Analgesia After Outpatient General Surgery

The overprescription of opioids to surgical patients is recognized as an important factor contributing to the opioid crisis. However, the value of prescribing opioid analgesia (OA) vs opioid-free analgesia (OFA) after postoperative discharge remains uncertain. To investigate the feasibility of conducting a full-scale randomized clinical trial (RCT) to assess the comparative effectiveness of OA vs OFA after outpatient general surgery. This parallel, 2-group, assessor-blind, pragmatic pilot RCT was conducted from January 29 to September 3, 2020 (last follow-up on October 2, 2020). at 2 university-affiliated hospitals in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Participants were adult patients (aged ≥18 years) undergoing outpatient abdominal (ie, cholecystectomy, appendectomy, or hernia repair) or breast (ie, partial or total mastectomy) general surgical procedures. Exclusion criteria were contraindications to drugs used in the trial, preoperative opioid use, conditions that could affect assessment of outcomes, and intraoperative or early complications requiring hospitalization. Patients were randomized 1:1 to receive OA (around-the-clock nonopioids and opioids for breakthrough pain) or OFA (around-the-clock nonopioids with increasing doses and/or addition of nonopioid medications for breakthrough pain) after postoperative discharge. Main outcomes were a priori RCT feasibility criteria (ie, rates of surgeon agreement, patient eligibility, patient consent, treatment adherence, loss to follow-up, and missing follow-up data). Secondary outcomes included pain intensity and interference, analgesic intake, 30-day unplanned health care use, and adverse events. Between-group comparison of outcomes followed the intention-to-treat principle. A total of 15 surgeons were approached; all (100%; 95% CI, 78%-100%) agreed to have patients recruited and adhered to the study procedures. Rates of patient eligibility and consent were 73% (95% CI, 66%-78%) and 57% (95% CI, 49%-65%), respectively. Seventy-six patients were randomized (39 [51%] to OA and 37 [49%] to OFA) and included in the intention-to-treat analysis (mean [SD] age, 55.5 [14.5] years; 50 [66%] female); 40 (53%) underwent abdominal surgery, and 36 (47%) underwent breast surgery. Seventy-five patients (99%; 95% CI, 93%-100%) adhered to the allocated treatment; 1 patient randomly assigned to OFA received an opioid prescription. Seventeen patients (44%) randomly assigned to OA consumed opioids after discharge. Seventy-three patients (96%; 95% CI, 89%-99%) completed the 30-day follow-up. The rate of missing questionnaires was 37 of 3724 (1%; 95% CI, 0.7%-1.4%). All the a priori RCT feasibility criteria were fulfilled. The findings of this pilot RCT support the feasibility of conducting a robust, full-scale RCT to inform evidence-based prescribing of analgesia after outpatient general surgery. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04254679.

Symptoms Used In Heart Failure Research And Reviewed By Patients And Clinicians

<h3>Introduction</h3> Patients with heart failure (HF) commonly experience multiple symptoms. Increasing symptom burden can lead to HF decompensation and frequent use of healthcare resource including rehospitalization. Even though the American Heart Association (AHA) lists seven symptoms as common HF-related symptoms, many HF studies have used additional symptoms to measure patient outcomes. Our goal was to identify symptoms associated with heart failure from contemporary literature and obtain patient and clinician perspective on their importance. <h3>Aim</h3> . To determine frequent symptoms used in research to improve HF outcomes. <h3>Methods</h3> We searched PubMed, Embase and google scholar databases through entering combinations of search terms: "heart failure" [mesh] OR "heart failure" in the title and abstract AND symptom in the title" for articles published between 2016 and 2020. Of 495 matches, we excluded articles that did not mention HF in the title, did not mention individual symptoms in the abstract, or were focused on validation of instruments, symptom perception, or relationship of scores of instruments and outcomes. We selected 132 final articles and identified symptoms that were frequently described as part of HF research or evaluated as outcome measures. We then asked 15 patients with HF to review the list of symptoms and select the ones most bothersome in connection with their experience of the disease. Lastly, we had six clinicians review the symptoms identified by the patients and weigh in on their importance from clinician perspective. <h3>Results</h3> Among 43 symptoms identified in the 132 articles, we selected 13 that were mentioned in more than four articles (see Figure). Fifteen patients with HF ranked the 13 symptoms by how bothersome they were. The top seven symptoms ranked by patients were dyspnea, depression, fatigue, sleep disturbance, edema, pain and cognitive alterations. Depression, sleep disturbance and pain were three symptoms that are not routinely assessed. These three symptoms have also been shown as risk factors for negative outcomes such as poor quality of life, lower functional status, and unplanned healthcare use. <h3>Conclusions</h3> We present symptoms ranked by patients with HF according to burden. Depression, sleep disturbance and pain were important symptoms that in particular may require better assessment, monitoring and treatment.

School-based self-management intervention using theatre to improve asthma control in adolescents: a pilot cluster-randomised controlled trial

BackgroundChildren with poorly controlled asthma have higher rates of unplanned healthcare use and school absences, as well as lower rates of medication adherence and knowledge. They also feel less comfortable using their medication at school, due to social fears and bullying. In this study, this was addressed through two school-based self-management interventions piloted to determine which one to use in a full trial.MethodsWe sought to assess the feasibility and acceptability of two school-based self-management intervention aimed at improving asthma control. Schools in London were randomised to (i) a theatre workshop for the whole year group aimed at raising awareness of asthma in schools, followed by self-management workshops for children (full intervention), (ii) theatre workshop alone (theatre only), or (iii) usual care (controls). Opt-out consent was obtained from parents. The study was a cluster randomised pilot trial, using London schools as the unit of allocation. Our primary aim was to assess the feasibility of delivering a self-management intervention in schools aimed at improving the asthma control test (ACT) score at 6 months. Secondary outcomes included acceptability of the school-based interventions, suitability of the theatre intervention and the full intervention with the self-management workshops, and generation of randomised data to inform future power calculations. Data were analysed by generalised mixed-effect models.ResultsThe recruitment strategy for this trial was effective. Five schools were randomised to full intervention (189 children), four to theatre only (103 children), and six to controls (83 children). Asthma control test (ACT) score at baseline and 6 months was obtained from 178/358 participating children. Compared with the controls, there were no large differences found in ACT score with the full intervention; knowledge and perception of asthma improved though. GP and hospital visits increased in the full intervention group. Compared with controls, ACT score was unchanged in the theatre only group.ConclusionThe asthma self-management intervention trial in schools is feasible and acceptable. The full intervention consisting of both theatre and self-management workshop for asthmatics tended to be better suited to improve outcomes than the theatre intervention on its own. This full intervention should be the one carried forward into a main trial if funding for further research was sought. Further work is needed to understand why there was evidence that unscheduled visits to healthcare professionals increased with the full intervention.Trial registrationThe study was registered on the clinical trials database on 14th May 2018 (ID NCT03536416).

Student-Led discharge counseling program for High-Risk medications in a teaching hospital in Saudi Arabia: A pilot study

Discharge counseling by pharmacists reduces adverse medication events, emergency department visits, and readmissions. Studies indicate that pharmacy students in advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPE) can deliver effective medication-related activities.An open label randomized controlled trial was conducted in adults discharged on warfarin, insulin, or both. Pharmacy students performed medication reconciliation, structured medication counseling, and follow-up calls 72-hours post-discharge. The usual care arm received traditional education. The primary outcome was the 30-day readmission rate post-discharge. Ninety-eight patients on high-risk medications were randomized to intervention (n = 51) or usual care (n = 47). The 30-day hospital readmission rate was lower in the intervention group (8/51, 15% vs. 11/47, 23%); (p = 0.48). There was no statistical difference in the time to first unplanned health care use (hazard ratio = 0.49 (95 %CI, 0.19–1.24), or the time-to-first clinic visit post-discharge (p = 0.94) between the two arms. Students identified 26 drug-related problems during reconciliation. Patients in the intervention arm reported high satisfaction with the service (mean 3.94; SD 0.11).Involving APPE students in the transition of care activities presents an excellent opportunity to minimize pharmacists' workload while maintaining patient care services.

Cost-Related Nonadherence to Medications Among US Adults With Chronic Liver Diseases

ObjectiveTo estimate the prevalence, risk factors, and consequences of cost-related medication nonadherence (CRN) in individuals with chronic liver diseases (CLDs) in the United States. Patients and MethodsUsing the National Health Interview Survey from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2018, we identified individuals with CLDs. Using complex weighted survey analysis, we obtained national estimates and risk factors for CRN and its association with cost-reducing behaviors and measures of financial toxicity. We evaluated the association of CRN with unplanned health care use, adjusting for age, sex, race/ethnicity, insurance, income, education, and comorbid conditions. ResultsOf 3237 respondents (representing 4.6 million) US adults with CLDs, 813 (representing 1.2 million adults, or 25%; 95% CI, 23% to 27%) reported CRN, of whom 68% (n=554/813) reported maladaptive cost-reducing behaviors. Younger age, female sex, low income, and multimorbidity were associated with a higher prevalence of CRN. Compared with patients without CRN, patients experiencing CRN had 5.1 times higher odds of financial hardship from medical bills (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 5.05; 95% CI, 3.73 to 6.83) and 2.9 times higher odds of food insecurity (aOR, 2.85; 95% CI, 2.02 to 4.01). The CRN was also associated with 1.5 times higher odds of emergency department visits (aOR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.11 to 1.94). ConclusionWe observed a high prevalence of CRN and associated consequences such as high financial distress, financial hardship from medical bills, food insecurity, engagement in maladaptive cost-reducing strategies, increased health care use, and work absenteeism among patients with CLD. These financial determinants of health have important implications in the context of value-based care.

Financial Hardship From Medical Bills Among Adults With Chronic Liver Diseases: National Estimates From the United States

Background and Aims Chronic liver diseases (CLD) affect approximately 2% of the U.S. population and are associated with substantial burden of hospitalization and costs. We estimated the national burden and consequences of financial hardship from medical bills in individuals with CLD. Approach and Results Using the National Health Interview Survey from 2014 to 2018, we identified individuals with self‐reported CLD. We used complex weighted survey analysis to obtain national estimates of financial hardship from medical bills and other financial toxicity measures (eg, cost‐related medication nonadherence, personal and/or health care–related financial distress, food insecurity). We evaluated the association of financial hardship from medical bills with unplanned health care use and work productivity, accounting for differences in age, sex, race/ethnicity, insurance, income, education, and comorbidities. Of the 3,666 (representing 5.3 million) U.S. adults with CLD, 1,377 (representing 2 million [37%, 95% CI: 35%‐39%]) reported financial hardship from medical bills, including 549 (representing 740,000 [14%, 95% CI: 13%‐16%]) who were unable to pay medical bills at all. Adults who were unable to pay medical bills had 8.4‐times higher odds of cost‐related medication nonadherence (adjusted OR [aOR], 8.39 [95% CI, 5.72‐12.32]), 6.3‐times higher odds of financial distress (aOR, 6.33 [4.44‐9.03]), and 5.6‐times higher odds of food insecurity (aOR, 5.59 [3.74‐8.37]), as compared to patients without financial hardship from medical bills. Patients unable to pay medical bills had 1.9‐times higher odds of emergency department visits (aOR, 1.85 [1.33‐2.57]) and 1.8‐times higher odds of missing work due to disease (aOR, 1.83 [1.26‐2.67]). Conclusions One in 3 adults with CLD experience financial hardship from medical bills, and frequently experience financial toxicity and unplanned healthcare use. These financial determinates of health have important implications in the context of value‐based care.

Randomized trial of remote cancer symptom monitoring during COVID-19: Impact on symptoms, QoL, and unplanned health care utilization.

12000 Background: Unplanned health care utilization due to poorly controlled cancer symptoms is common and important to avoid during the Covid-19 pandemic. In a randomized trial we evaluated whether remote symptom monitoring and management utilizing Symptom Care at Home (SCH), would reduce symptom burden, improve quality of life, and decrease unplanned health care use in cancer patients receiving active treatment. Methods: Patients (n = 252) receiving chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy were randomized to the SCH intervention (n = 128) or usual care (UC) (n = 124). Daily, those in the intervention group, utilized the SCH system to report the presence and severity of 9 common symptoms during treatment. For symptoms endorsed, SCH participants received immediate, tailored automated self-management coaching. Symptoms at moderate to severe levels were automatically reported to oncology nurse practitioners who called the SCH patients to improve symptom management based on a decision support dashboard. Participants from both groups were assessed at baseline and monthly for up to 5 months on symptom burden (MDASI), mental health well-being and social isolation (PROMIS; HADS) and Health-related Quality of Life (HRQoL) (Penedo Covid-19 HRQoL subscale). Unplanned health care use was extracted from the EHR. Descriptive statistics examined equivalency between groups. Mixed effects models with random intercepts were utilized to examine group differences over time with post-hoc analyses to determine specific timepoint differences. Results: Participants did not differ on demographic or baseline measures. On average participants were 61 years of age, predominantly female (61%) and white (93%). A variety of cancers were represented with colon, breast and ovarian most common and 60% had stage 3 or 4 disease. Longitudinal mixed effects models found significant effects for lower symptom burden (p =.018) and better HRQoL (p =.007) for SCH participants versus UC at months 1 and 2 with improvements subsiding over the remaining months. Mental health wellbeing and social isolation were not significantly different. There were a total of 71 unplanned health care episodes with 28 for SCH and 43 for UC. Unplanned episode types included: unplanned clinic visit- 3 SCH vs 2 UC; ED visit- 10 SCH vs 16 UC and unplanned hospitalizations-15 SCH vs 25 UC. More SCH participants had no unplanned health care episodes than UC participants (χ2 4.08; p =.04). Conclusions: Remote monitoring and management of patients’ cancer and treatment-related symptoms during the Covid-19 pandemic reduced symptom burden and improved quality of life during the first two months of monitoring. Unplanned health care utilization trended lower for those remotely monitored. Extending care to the home during the pandemic can decrease demand on the health care system and improve cancer patients’ symptom experience. Clinical trial information: NCT04464486.

Chemotherapy Remote Care Monitoring Program: Integration of SMS Text Patient-Reported Outcomes in the Electronic Health Record and Pharmacist Intervention for Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting.

Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) is a common cause of unplanned healthcare utilization. The University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center initiated the chemotherapy remote care monitoring program (CRCMP) to proactively identify patients experiencing CINV and intervene before the need for urgent evaluation. High-risk patients for CINV are identified by neurokinin-1 (NK-1) antagonist administration, enrolled in the CRCMP, and received a daily text message survey for 7 days after chemotherapy administration to report symptoms. Responses above a set threshold trigger a message to the team pharmacist for intervention. The primary outcome of 14-day unplanned healthcare use was evaluated before and after CRCMP implementation. In 8 months, 652 patients received an NK-1 antagonist (2,244 cycles) and 387 patients were enrolled in the CRCMP (59%). Text message response rate was 94%. Clinical pharmacists provided 248 interventions in 121 patient episodes meeting threshold criteria. Fourteen-day unplanned healthcare use was decreased in the CRCMP-enrolled NK-1 episodes (6.68% v 4.53%, P = .02). Admissions were numerically lower for those enrolling in CRCMP when only admissions for nausea were considered (0.63% v 0.35%, P = .33). The CRCMP allowed for real-time management of patient-reported CINV symptom burden based on patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and an electronic medical record-integrated SMS text questionnaire. Clinical pharmacists were key team members to manage patient symptoms. Enrollment in CRCMP significantly reduced overall unplanned healthcare utilization. Although these changes were numerically small, any reduction in unnecessary care utilizing PROs can contribute to high-value care for patients with cancer.

Association Between Patient Activation and Health Care Utilization After Thoracic and Abdominal Surgery

Increased patient activation (PA) (ie, knowledge, skills, motivation, confidence to participate in care) may result in improved outcomes, especially in surgical settings. To estimate the extent to which PA is associated with 30-day postdischarge unplanned health care utilization after major thoracic or abdominal surgery. This cohort study was performed at 2 centers of a tertiary care hospital network between October 2017 and January 2019. Adult patients undergoing thoracic or abdominal surgery were included. Of 880 patients assessed for eligibility, 692 were deemed eligible, of whom 34 declined to participate, 1 withdrew consent, and 4 were excluded after consent. Patient activation was measured immediately after surgery during the initial admission using the Patient Activation Measure (score range, 0-100). Patients were dichotomized into low and high PA groups using previously described thresholds (Patient Activation Measure score, ≤55.1). The primary outcome was unplanned 30-day postdischarge health care utilization (composite including emergency department and outpatient clinic visits and/or hospital readmission). Secondary outcomes were length of stay, 30-day emergency department visits, 30-day readmissions, and postoperative complications. A total of 653 patients admitted for thoracic, general, colorectal, and gynecologic surgery were included in the study (mean [SD] age, 58 [15] years; 369 women [56%]; 366 [56%] had minimally invasive surgery; 52 [8%] had emergency surgery), of which 152 (23%) had a low level of PA. Baseline characteristics were similar between patients with low- and high-level PA. Low PA was associated with unplanned health care utilization (odds ratio [OR], 3.15; 95% CI, 2.05-4.86; P < .001), emergency department visits (OR, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.02-2.64; P = .04), complications (OR, 1.63; 95% CI, 1.11-2.41; P = .01), and length of stay (adjusted mean difference, 1.19 days; 95% CI, 0.06-2.33; P = .04). Low PA was not associated with a higher risk of readmission (adjusted OR, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.56-1.93; P = .90). In this study, low level of PA was associated with postdischarge unplanned health care use, hospital stay, and complications after major surgery. Identification of patients with low activation may allow the implementation of interventions to improve health care knowledge and support self-management postdischarge.

A cluster randomized controlled trial on a multifaceted implementation strategy to promote integrated palliative care in COPD: study protocol of the COMPASSION study

BackgroundDespite the urgent need for palliative care for patients with advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), it is not yet daily practice. Important factors influencing the provision of palliative care are adequate communication skills, knowing when to start palliative care and continuity of care. In the COMPASSION study, we address these factors by implementing an integrated palliative care approach for patients with COPD and their informal caregivers.MethodsAn integrated palliative care intervention was developed based on existing guidelines, a literature review, and input from patient and professional organizations. To facilitate uptake of the intervention, a multifaceted implementation strategy was developed, comprising a toolbox, (communication) training, collaboration support, action planning and monitoring. Using a hybrid effectiveness-implementation type 2 design, this study aims to simultaneously evaluate the implementation process and effects on patient, informal caregiver and professional outcomes. In a cluster randomized controlled trial, eight hospital regions will be randomized to receive the integrated palliative care approach or to provide care as usual. Eligible patients are identified during hospitalization for an exacerbation using the Propal-COPD tool. The primary outcome is quality of life (FACIT-Pal) at 6 months. Secondary outcome measures include spiritual well-being, anxiety and depression, unplanned healthcare use, informal caregiver burden and healthcare professional’s self-efficacy to provide palliative care. The implementation process will be investigated by a comprehensive mixed-methods evaluation assessing the following implementation constructs: context, reach, dose delivered, dose received, fidelity, implementation level, recruitment, maintenance and acceptability. Furthermore, determinants to implementation will be investigated using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research.DiscussionThe COMPASSION study will broaden knowledge on the effectiveness and process of palliative care integration into COPD-care. Furthermore, it will improve our understanding of which strategies may optimize the implementation of integrated palliative care.Trial registrationNetherlands Trial Register (NTR): NL7644. Registration date: April 7, 2019.

Ureteroscopy in Patients Taking Anticoagulant or Antiplatelet Therapy: Practice Patterns and Outcomes in a Surgical Collaborative.

AUA guidelines recommend ureteroscopy as first line therapy for patients on anticoagulant or antiplatelet therapy and advocate using a ureteral access sheath. We examined practice patterns and unplanned health care use for these patients in Michigan. Using the Michigan Urological Surgery Improvement Collaborative (MUSIC) clinical registry we identified ureteroscopy cases from 2016 to 2019. We assessed outcomes and adherence to guidelines based on therapy at time of ureteroscopy: 1) anticoagulant: continuous warfarin or novel oral agent therapy; 2) antiplatelet: continuous clopidogrel or aspirin therapy; 3) control: not on anticoagulant/antiplatelet therapy. We fit multivariate models to assess anticoagulant or antiplatelet therapy association with emergency department visits, hospitalization and ureteral access sheath use. In total, 9,982 ureteroscopies were performed across 31 practices with 3.1% and 7.8% on anticoagulant and antiplatelet therapy, respectively. There were practice (0% to 21%) and surgeon (0% to 35%) variations in performing ureteroscopy on patients on anticoagulant/antiplatelet therapy regardless of volume. After adjusting for risk factors, anticoagulant or antiplatelet therapy was not associated with emergency department visits. Hospitalization rates in anticoagulant, antiplatelet and control groups were 4.3%, 5.5% and 3.2%, respectively, and significantly increased with antiplatelet therapy (OR 1.48, 95% CI 1.02-2.14). Practice-level ureteral access sheath use varied (23% to 100%) and was not associated with anticoagulant/antiplatelet therapy. Limitations include inability to risk stratify between type/dosage of anticoagulant/antiplatelet therapy. We found practice-level and surgeon-level variation in performing ureteroscopy while on anticoagulant/antiplatelet therapy. Ureteroscopy on anticoagulant is safe. However, antiplatelet therapy increases the risk of hospitalization. Despite guideline recommendations, ureteral access sheath use is not associated with anticoagulant/antiplatelet therapy.