scholarly journals MP27: Costs of emergency syncope care in Canada

CJEM ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 19 (S1) ◽  
pp. S74
Author(s):  
S. Kim ◽  
O. Cook ◽  
L. Yau ◽  
M.A. Mukarram ◽  
K. Arcot ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Length Of Stay ◽  
Average Cost ◽  
Hospital Setting ◽  
Cost Savings ◽  
Clinical Decision ◽  
Cardiac Monitoring ◽  
Risk Scores ◽  
Care Utilization ◽  
Total Annual Cost ◽  
Potential Cost

Introduction: Syncope is a common emergency department (ED) presentation and constitutes 1% of all ED visits, approximately 160,000 visits annually across Canada. Lack of standardized syncope care has economic and cost implications. Currently, emergency medical services (EMS) is over utilized, variations in ED management exist and a substantial proportion (46.5%) are hospitalized for cardiac monitoring. Our previous studies have proposed ways to reduce health care utilization through development of EMS clinical decision tool, ED risk scores and remote cardiac monitoring. We sought to: 1) Estimate costs associated with syncope care in the pre-hospital, ED and inpatient settings; and 2) Determine potential cost savings if the proposed alternate strategies were adopted. Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted in five Canadian EDs from 2010-2014. We enrolled adult (≥16 years) syncope patients and excluded those with prolonged loss of consciousness, mental status changes, seizure, significant trauma, or alcohol/illicit drug abuse. Demographics, medical history, mode of arrival, EMS time points, reasons for hospitalization, ED and inpatient length of stay, final ED diagnosis and any serious adverse event within 30 days of index visit were collected. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used. Results: Out of 4,064 patients enrolled, 67.3% were transported to the ED by EMS and the average cost per event was $262.78 (range at study sites: $156.43-$553.03). The average cost per ED visit was $267.98 (range: $174.66-$374.95). 12.9% of the patients were admitted and the average of cost per admission was $9,886.15 (range: $9,715.23-$10,277.98). Syncope is associated with an estimated total annual cost of $257 million. In Canada, we estimate that diverting low-risk patients will save $5 million in the pre-hospital setting and $15 million in the ED annually, and implementing a remote cardiac monitoring strategy will save $50 million annually. Conclusion: It is estimated that the proposed strategies will save $70 million annually. This is likely an underestimation as cost savings due to reduction in investigations related to diversion of ED patients, reduction in ED length of stay and hospitalization are unaccounted. Adoption of similar strategies will likely lead to significantly higher cost savings in countries with higher resource utilization for syncope management.

Inpatient Insulin Pen Implementation, Waste, and Potential Cost Savings: A Community Hospital Experience

2021 ◽  
pp. 193229682110025
Author(s):  
Urooj Najmi ◽  
Waqas Zia Haque ◽  
Umair Ansari ◽  
Eyerusalem Yemane ◽  
Lee Ann Alexander ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Insulin Aspart ◽  
Community Hospital ◽  
Task Force ◽  
Hospital Setting ◽  
Cost Savings ◽  
Self Management ◽  
Self Administration ◽  
Potential Cost ◽  
Hospital Leadership ◽  
Insulin Pens

Background: Insulin pen injectors (“pens”) are intended to facilitate a patient’s self-administration of insulin and can be used in hospitalized patients as a learning opportunity. Unnecessary or duplicate dispensation of insulin pens is associated with increased healthcare costs. Methods: Inpatient dispensation of insulin pens in a 240-bed community hospital between July 2018 and July 2019 was analyzed. We calculated the percentage of insulin pens unnecessarily dispensed for patients who had the same type of insulin pen assigned. The estimated cost of insulin pen waste was calculated. A pharmacist-led task force group implemented hospital-wide awareness and collaborated with hospital leadership to define goals and interventions. Results: 9516 insulin pens were dispensed to 3121 patients. Of the pens dispensed, 6451 (68%) were insulin aspart and 3065 (32%) were glargine. Among patients on insulin aspart, an average of 2.2 aspart pens was dispensed per patient, but only an estimated 1.2 pens/patient were deemed necessary. Similarly, for inpatients prescribed glargine, an average of 2.1 pens/patient was dispensed, but only 1.3 pens/patient were necessary. A number of gaps were identified and interventions were undertaken to reduce insulin pen waste, which resulted in a significant decrease in both aspart (p = 0.0002) and glargine (p = 0.0005) pens/patient over time. Reductions in pen waste resulted in an estimated cost savings of $66 261 per year. Conclusions: In a community hospital setting, identification of causes leading to unnecessary insulin dispensation and implementation of hospital-wide staff education led to change in insulin pen dispensation practice. These changes translated into considerable cost savings and facilitated diabetes self-management education.

scholarly journals MP023: Reasons for referral and hospitalization among emergency department patients with syncope

CJEM ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (S1) ◽  
pp. S74-S74
Author(s):  
O. Cook ◽  
M.A. Mukarram ◽  
M. Rahman ◽  
S. Kim ◽  
K. Arcot ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Length Of Stay ◽  
Improve Patient Safety ◽  
Hospital Length ◽  
Hospital Length Of Stay ◽  
Cardiac Monitoring ◽  
Inpatient Cost ◽  
Monitoring Strategy ◽  
Potential Cost ◽  
Cardiac Syncope ◽  
Number Of Patients

Introduction: Syncope can be caused by serious life-threatening conditions not obvious during the initial ED assessment leading to wide variations in management. We aimed to identify the reasons for consultations and hospitalizations, outcomes, and the potential cost savings if an outpatient cardiac monitoring strategy were developed. Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study of adult syncope patients at 5 academic EDs over 41 months. We collected baseline characteristics, reasons for consultation and hospitalization, hospital length of stay and average total inpatient cost. Adjudicated 30-day serious adverse events (SAEs) included death, myocardial infarction, arrhythmia, structural heart disease, pulmonary embolism, significant hemorrhage and procedural intervention. We used descriptive statistics with 95% CI. Results: Of the 4,064 patients enrolled (mean age 53.1 years, 55.9% female), 3,255 (80.1%) were discharged from the ED, 209 (5.2%) had a SAE identified in the ED, 600 (14.8%) with no SAE were referred for consultation in the ED and 299 (7.4%) were hospitalized: 55.5% of referrals and 55.2% of hospitalizations were for suspected cardiac syncope (46.5% admitted for cardiac monitoring of whom 71.2% had no cause identified). SAE among groups were 9.7% in total; 2.5% discharged by ED physician; 3.4% discharged by consultant from ED; 21.7% as inpatient and 4.8% following discharge from hospital. The mean hospital length of stay for cardiac syncope was 6.7 (95%CI 5.8, 7.7) days with total estimated costs of $7,925 per patient (95% CI: 7434, 8417). Conclusion: Suspected cardiac syncope, particularly arrhythmia, was the major reason for ED referral and hospitalization. The majority of patients hospitalized for cardiac monitoring had no identified cause. An important number of patients suffered SAE, particularly arrhythmias outside the hospital. These findings highlight the need to develop a robust syncope prediction tool and a remote cardiac monitoring strategy to improve patient safety while saving substantial health care resources.

Deaths among pancreatic cancer in-hospital, and the utilization of palliative care.

2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. e16803-e16803
Author(s):  
Anup Kasi ◽  
Raed Moh'd Taiseer Al-Rajabi ◽  
Anwaar Saeed ◽  
Weijing Sun ◽  
Saqib Abbasi
Keyword(s):  
Pancreatic Cancer ◽  
Palliative Care ◽  
Length Of Stay ◽  
Hospital Setting ◽  
Primary Diagnosis ◽  
Hospital Length ◽  
Hospital Length Of Stay ◽  
Care Utilization ◽  
Seer Data ◽  
Total Charges

e16803 Background: Pancreatic cancer has a dismal 5 year survival of 5-10%. Deaths commonly occur in-hospital as they present with acute complications. The purpose of this study is characterize this population compared to all pancreatic deaths, identify causes for admission, trends in palliative care utilization and its effect on costs and patient stay. Methods: From the years of 2002 to 2014, admissions for patients with a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer were identified using the National Inpatient Sample. Annual trends in death were compared to overalls deaths using SEER data. Trends in hospital length of stay (LOS) and total charges (TC) were assessed, as well as utilization of palliative care. The effect of palliative care utilization on hospital LOS and TC were also identified. Results: 97,389 (weighted) patient deaths occurred from 2002 to 2014, with 7,634 in 2002, compared to 7,200 in 2014. Compared to total overall deaths of 38,026 and 42,047 respectively. Signifying 25% (2002) to 21% (2014) total patients expiring in an in-patient setting. The most common billed primary diagnosis was sepsis at 15.5%, followed by acute renal failure and fluid disorder (12.5%) and liver failure (5.3%). Overall length of stay trended down from 9.0 days to 7.5 days (p < 0.001). And total charges for admission increased from $36,704 to $88,063 (p < 0.001). Palliative care consults increased from 12% in 2002 to 45% in 2014. In 2014, the TC for deaths among those who received palliative care consults was $52,612 (p < 0.001 when compared to all deaths). LOS among these patients also decreased from 7.5 days to 6.2 days. When looking at patients with sepsis who did not die, a palliative care consult decreased costs from $86,738 to $74,544 (p < 0.001). LOS was not significantly different at 8.8 days compared to 8.5 days (p = 0.15). Conclusions: A quarter of patients with pancreatic cancer die in an in-hospital setting. Palliative involvement decreased health care resource utilization. In reviewing patients who developed sepsis without in-hospital mortality, a palliative care consult decreased total charges of admission.

Retrospective Quality Improvement Study of Insulin-Induced Hypoglycemia and Implementation of Hospital-Wide Initiatives

2021 ◽  
pp. 193229682110085
Author(s):  
Carter Shelton ◽  
Andrew P. Demidowich ◽  
Mahsa Motevalli ◽  
Sam Sokolinsky ◽  
Periwinkle MacKay ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Improvement ◽  
Community Hospital ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Hospital Setting ◽  
Cost Savings ◽  
Cost Of Care ◽  
Potential Cost ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Reduction Strategies ◽  
Risk Reduction Strategies

Background: Hospitalized patients who are receiving antihyperglycemic agents are at increased risk for hypoglycemia. Inpatient hypoglycemia may lead to increased risk for morbidity, mortality, prolonged hospitalization, and readmission within 30 days of discharge, which in turn may lead to increased costs. Hospital-wide initiatives targeting hypoglycemia are known to be beneficial; however, their impact on patient care and economic measures in community nonteaching hospitals are unknown. Methods: This retrospective quality improvement study examined the effects of hospital-wide hypoglycemia initiatives on the rates of insulin-induced hypoglycemia in a community hospital setting from January 1, 2016, until September 30, 2019. The potential cost of care savings has been calculated. Results: Among 49 315 total patient days, 2682 days had an instance of hypoglycemia (5.4%). Mean ± SD hypoglycemic patient days/month was 59.6 ± 16.0. The frequency of hypoglycemia significantly decreased from 7.5% in January 2016 to 3.9% in September 2019 ( P = .001). Patients with type 2 diabetes demonstrated a significant decrease in the frequency of hypoglycemia (7.4%-3.8%; P < .0001), while among patients with type 1 diabetes the frequency trended downwards but did not reach statistical significance (18.5%-18.0%; P = 0.08). Based on the reduction of hypoglycemia rates, the hospital had an estimated cost of care savings of $98 635 during the study period. Conclusions: In a community hospital setting, implementation of hospital-wide initiatives targeting hypoglycemia resulted in a significant and sustainable decrease in the rate of insulin-induced hypoglycemia. These high-leverage risk reduction strategies may be translated into considerable cost savings and could be implemented at other community hospitals.

scholarly journals Incremental Cost of Prematurity by Week of Gestational Age

2019 ◽  
Vol 09 (01) ◽  
pp. e76-e83 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eileen Walsh ◽  
Sherian Li ◽  
Libby Black ◽  
Michael Kuzniewicz
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Gestational Age ◽  
Cost Savings ◽  
Care Utilization ◽  
Potential Cost ◽  
Term Infants ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Very Preterm Infants ◽  
Hospitalization Costs ◽  
Cost Differences

Objective This study was aimed to compare health care costs and utilization at birth through 1 year, between preterm and term infants, by week of gestation. Methods A cross-sectional study of infants born at ≥ 23 weeks of gestational age (GA) at Kaiser Permanente Northern California facilities between 2000 and 2011, using outcomes data from an internal neonatal registry and cost estimates from an internal cost management database. Adjusted models yielded estimates for cost differences for each GA group. Results Infants born at 25 to 37 weeks incur significantly higher birth hospitalization costs and experience significantly more health care utilization during the initial year of life, increasing progressively for each decreasing week of gestation, when compared with term infants. Among all very preterm infants (≤ 32 weeks), each 1-week decrease in GA is associated with incrementally higher rates of mortality and major morbidities. Conclusion We provide estimates of potential cost savings that could be attributable to interventions that delay or prevent preterm delivery. Cost differences were most extreme at the lower range of gestation (≤ 30 weeks); however, infants born moderately preterm (31–36 weeks) also contribute substantially to the burden, as they represent a higher proportion of total births.

Improving postoperative mobilisation rates in patients undergoing elective major hepatopancreatobiliary surgery

2020 ◽  
pp. postgradmedj-2020-138650
Author(s):  
Jun Han Tang ◽  
Bei Wang ◽  
Jie Ling Jaclyn Chow ◽  
Priscilla M Joseph ◽  
Jia Ying Chan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Length Of Stay ◽  
Enhanced Recovery ◽  
Cost Savings ◽  
Hospital Length ◽  
Hospital Length Of Stay ◽  
Quality Improvement Intervention ◽  
Early Mobilisation ◽  
Potential Cost ◽  
Improvement Project ◽  
Pareto Chart

BackgroundEarly mobilisation reduces postoperative complications such as pneumonia, deep vein thrombosis and hospital length of stay. Many authors have reported poor compliance with early mobilisation within Enhanced Recovery After Surgery initiatives.ObjectivesThe primary objective was to increase postoperative day (POD) 2 mobilisation rate from 23% to 75% in patients undergoing elective major hepatopancreatobiliary (HPB) surgery within 6 months.MethodsWe report a multidisciplinary team clinical practice improvement project (CPIP) to improve postoperative mobilisation of patients undergoing elective major HPB surgery. We identified the common barriers to mobilisation and analysed using the fishbone or cause-and-effect diagram and Pareto chart. A series of Plan–Do–Study–Act cycles followed this. We tracked the rate of early mobilisation and mean distance walked. In the post hoc analysis, we examined the potential cost savings based on reduced hospital length of stay.ResultsMobilisation rate on POD 2 following elective major HPB surgery improved from 23% to 78.9%, and this sustained at 6 months after the CPIP. Wound pain was the most common reason for failure to ambulate on POD 2. Hospital length of stay reduced from a median of 8 days to 6 days with an estimated cost saving of S$2228 per hospital stay.ConclusionMultidisciplinary quality improvement intervention effort resulted in an improved POD 2 mobilisation rate for patients who underwent elective major HPB surgery. This observed outcome was sustained at 6 months after completion of the CPIP with potential cost savings.

scholarly journals The Effect of tPA on Inpatient Rehabilitation after Stroke: A Cost Comparison

2014 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 482-485 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marina Richardson ◽  
Matthew Meyer ◽  
Robert Teasell
Keyword(s):  
Sensitivity Analysis ◽  
Length Of Stay ◽  
Plasminogen Activator ◽  
Tissue Plasminogen Activator ◽  
Cost Savings ◽  
Inpatient Rehabilitation ◽  
Cost Comparison ◽  
Economic Evaluations ◽  
Potential Cost ◽  
Tissue Plasminogen

Background:Tissue plasminogen activator has been found to significantly improve patient outcomes post stroke. Previous economic evaluations have adjusted for fewer admissions to inpatient rehabilitation but not for decreased length of stay in rehabilitation. Our objective was to estimate the potential cost savings associated with a decreased length of stay in inpatient rehabilitation for patients who receive tissue plasminogen activator compared to those who do not, in a Canadian context.Methods:Decreased length of stay in inpatient rehabilitation for patients who received tissue plasminogen activator compared to controls was reported previously in a population of 1962 patients admitted to hospital with an ischemic stroke in Ontario between July 1, 2003 and March 31, 2008. Average per diem cost savings associated with the use of tissue plasminogen activator were calculated using a literature based cost estimate. Sensitivity analysis varying the length of stay in inpatient rehabilitation was performed.Results:The estimated mean per diem cost of inpatient rehabilitation derived from the literature was $626. Based on previously reported estimates for reduced length of stay, receipt of tissue plasminogen activator was estimated to result in savings of $939 per patient during inpatient rehabilitation. Sensitivity analysis suggested that these cost savings could range from $501 to $1377 per patient on average.Conclusions:Future economic evaluations of tissue plasminogen activator should consider adjusting for shortened length of stay in inpatient rehabilitation for patients who receive tissue plasminogen activator.

scholarly journals Maximizing Potentially Avoidable Hospitalizations and Cost Savings Beyond Targeting the Most Costly Patients (Preprint)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariana Simons ◽  
Sara Golas ◽  
Stephen Agboola ◽  
Jorn op den Buijs ◽  
Jennifer Felsted ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Older Patients ◽  
Health Care Organizations ◽  
Health Care Cost ◽  
Cost Savings ◽  
Categorical Variables ◽  
Care Utilization ◽  
Potential Cost ◽  
Great Opportunity ◽  
Avoidable Hospitalizations

BACKGROUND Many health care organizations use value-based care strategies that include population health management programs and data analytics to stratify their population and identify high-risk and high-cost patients. Most of these programs target the top 5% most expensive patients. However, little is known about these patients prior to reaching the top 5% of cost, or how their characteristics change over time. To address these gaps, we analyzed the differences in characteristics of patients from 3 different cost segments over 5 years (2011-2015). OBJECTIVE To evaluate potentially avoidable hospitalizations and associated savings in the health care cost of older patients using Personal Emergency Response Service (PERS). METHODS We conducted a retrospective, longitudinal, multicenter study to evaluate potentially avoidable hospitalizations of 2643 older patients over 5 years (2011-2015). All patients had at least one inpatient and/or outpatient encounter, and at least one episode of home health care during the study period. Additionally, all patients used PERS at home anytime during the study period. We ranked patients by their annual health care cost and then grouped them into the following segments for each respective year: T-segment constitutes the top 5% most expensive patients; M-segment comprises the middle 45% of patients; B-segment includes the bottom 50% least expensive patients. We then evaluated differences in the characteristics of patients in the B-, M- and T-cost segments in each study year. Continuous variables were compared by t test (two-tailed) for normally distributed variables and Kruskal-Wallis Rank Sum test for skewed variables. The chi-square test was used for categorical variables. RESULTS The three cost segments differed significantly each year (P<.05) with respect to: demographics (age, education), PERS utilization (Incidents, ER transport), health care utilization (hospitalizations, length of stay, 30-, 90-, and 180-day readmissions, outpatient encounters) and medical conditions (number of conditions, Charlson Comorbidity Index). Further, we analyzed the number of potentially avoidable hospitalizations (as defined by CMS) and associated cost savings in each segment. All hospitalizations occurred among patients in the T- and M-segments while the B-segment was hospitalization-free each year. The percentage of avoidable hospitalizations in the M-segment compared with the T-segment was 3 times greater (75% vs 25%, P<.001). While the potential cost saving from avoidable hospitalizations in the entire population increased from $3.0M to $8.2M (2011-2015), the majority of these cost savings were in the M-segment compared with the T-segment (60% vs 40%, P<.001). CONCLUSIONS Although many health care organizations target intensive and costly interventions to their most expensive patients, this analysis suggests there is untapped potential to control costs and improve care beyond focusing on the highest cost patients. Namely, targeting patients in the middle cost segment may offer great opportunity for population management programs to maximize both potentially avoidable hospitalizations and cost savings.

scholarly journals The use of bedside ultrasound and community-based paracentesis in a palliative care service

2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda Landers ◽  
Bridget Ryan
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Clinical Decision Making ◽  
Care Service ◽  
Palliative Care Service ◽  
Cost Savings ◽  
Clinical Decision ◽  
Potential Cost ◽  
Home Setting ◽  
Common Diagnosis

INTRODUCTION: There is little information, particularly in New Zealand, on the use of ultrasound to enhance clinical decision-making in a specialist palliative care service. Technological advances have resulted in increasingly portable, user-friendly ultrasound machines that can be used in the home setting to offer convenient access to this treatment option. AIM: To evaluate the clinical use of portable ultrasonography in the management of abdominal ascites in a community palliative care service. METHODS: Patients referred to the Nurse Maude Hospice and Palliative Care Service requiring assessment for abdominal ascites over 12 months were scanned using a newly purchased handheld ultrasound machine. The patients had a variety of diagnoses; the most common diagnosis was ovarian cancer. RESULTS: Forty-one ultrasound scans performed for 32 patients to assess for ascites drainage were recorded. Fluid was identified in 19 assessments and drainage undertaken in 17. Over half the scans were completed at home, allowing nine procedures to be performed safely and conveniently, which reduced time spent at the local hospital. There were no major complications. DISCUSSION: Ultrasonography is a tool that has not previously been utilised in palliative care locally, but has significant potential patient benefits. This novel use of technology also highlighted potential cost savings to the patient and health system, which may be beneficial to other palliative care services in New Zealand. KEYWORDS: Ascites; community health services; palliative care; paracentesis, ultrasonography

scholarly journals A simulation-based evaluation of machine learning models for clinical decision support: application and analysis using hospital readmission

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Velibor V. Mišić ◽  
Kumar Rajaram ◽  
Eilon Gabel
Keyword(s):  
Machine Learning ◽  
Patient Outcomes ◽  
Learning Algorithm ◽  
Hospital Readmissions ◽  
Cost Savings ◽  
Predictive Performance ◽  
Clinical Decision ◽  
Clinical Value ◽  
Potential Cost ◽  
Using Data

AbstractThe interest in applying machine learning in healthcare has grown rapidly in recent years. Most predictive algorithms requiring pathway implementations are evaluated using metrics focused on predictive performance, such as the c statistic. However, these metrics are of limited clinical value, for two reasons: (1) they do not account for the algorithm’s role within a provider workflow; and (2) they do not quantify the algorithm’s value in terms of patient outcomes and cost savings. We propose a model for simulating the selection of patients over time by a clinician using a machine learning algorithm, and quantifying the expected patient outcomes and cost savings. Using data on unplanned emergency department surgical readmissions, we show that factors such as the provider’s schedule and postoperative prediction timing can have major effects on the pathway cohort size and potential cost reductions from preventing hospital readmissions.

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