Hospital Readmissions and Repeat Emergency Department Visits Among Children With Medical Complexity: An Integrative Review

BACKGROUND: One approach to optimize clinical and economic management of congestive heart failure is the use of multidisciplinary outpatient clinics in which advanced practice nurses coordinate care. One such clinic was developed in 1995 at a southeastern university hospital to enhance management of patients with chronic congestive heart failure. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effects of a multidisciplinary outpatient heart failure clinic on the clinical and economic management of patients with congestive heart failure. METHODS: Data on hospital readmissions, emergency department visits, length of stay, charges, and reimbursement from the 6 months before 15 patients joined a heart failure clinic were compared with data from the 6 months after the patients joined the clinic. RESULTS: The patients had a total of 38 hospital admissions (151 hospital days) in the 6 months before joining the clinic and 19 admissions (72 hospital days) in the 6 months afterward. The mean length of stay decreased from 4.3 days in the 6 months before joining to 3.8 days in the 6 months afterward, and the number of emergency department visits also decreased, although neither decrease was statistically significant. Mean inpatient hospital charges decreased from $10,624 per patient admission to $5893. Reimbursements were $7751 (73% collection rate) and $5138 (87% collection rate), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Patients seemed to benefit from participation in the heart failure clinic. If a healthcare provider is available to manage early signs and symptoms of worsening heart failure, hospital readmissions may be decreased and patients' outcomes may be improved.

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Opioid Prescribing for Proximal Row Carpectomy versus Four-Corner Arthrodesis

Journal of Wrist Surgery ◽

10.1055/s-0041-1731821 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Thomas E. Moran ◽

Sheriff D. Akinleye ◽

Alex J. Demers ◽

Grace L. Forster ◽

Brent R. DeGeorge

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Health Care ◽

Emergency Department ◽

Health Care Utilization ◽

Hospital Readmissions ◽

Emergency Department Visits ◽

Prescribing Patterns ◽

Care Utilization ◽

Proximal Row Carpectomy ◽

Opioid Prescribing

Abstract Background Proximal row carpectomy (PRC) and four-corner arthrodesis (4-CA) represent motion-sparing procedures for addressing degenerative wrist pathologies. While both procedures demonstrate comparable functional outcomes, postoperative pain presents a surgical challenge that often necessitates the use of opioids. Objectives The aim of this study was to (1) compare opioid prescribing patterns surrounding PRC and 4-CA, (2) identify risk factors predisposing patients to increased perioperative and prolonged postoperative opioids, and (3) examine the association between opioids and perioperative health care utilization. Patients and Methods PearlDiver Patients Records Database was used to retrospectively identify patients undergoing primary PRC and 4-CA between 2010 and 2018. Patient demographics, comorbidities, prescription drug usage, and perioperative health care utilization were evaluated. Perioperative opioid prescriptions and post-operative opioid prescriptions were recorded. Logistic regression analysis evaluated the association of patient risk factors. Results There was no significant difference in perioperative (PRC [odds ratio {OR}: 0.84, p = 0.788]; 4-CA [OR: 0.75, p = 0.658]) or prolonged postoperative opioid prescriptions (PRC [OR: 0.95, p = 0.927]; 4-CA [OR: 0.99, p = 0.990]) between PRC and 4-CA. Chronic back pain and use of benzodiazepines or anticonvulsants were associated with increased risks of prolonged postoperative opioids. Prolonged postoperative opioids presented increased risks of emergency department visits (OR: 2.09, p = 0.019) and hospital readmissions (OR: 10.2, p = 0.003). Conclusion No significant differences exist in the prescription of opioids for PRC versus 4-CA. Both procedures have high amounts of prolonged postoperative opioid use, which is associated with increased risks of emergency department visits and hospital readmissions. Level of Evidence This is a level III, retrospective comparative study.

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