scholarly journals P070: Mixed effectiveness of emergency department diversion strategies: a systematic review

CJEM ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 19 (S1) ◽  
pp. S102
Author(s):  
S.W. Kirkland ◽  
A. Soleimani ◽  
B.H. Rowe ◽  
A.S. Newton
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Emergency Department ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Study Data ◽  
Care Utilization ◽  
Alternative Source ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
The Impact

Introduction: Diverting patients away from the emergency department (ED) has been proposed as a solution for reducing ED overcrowding. The objective of this systematic review is to examine the effectiveness of diversion strategies designed to either direct patients seeking care at an ED to an alternative source of care. Methods: Seven electronic databases and grey literature were searched. Randomized/controlled clinical trials and cohort studies assessing the effectiveness of pre-hospital and ED-based diversion interventions with a comparator were eligible for inclusion. Two reviewers independently screened the studies for relevance, inclusion, and risk of bias. Intervention effects are reported as proportions (%) or relative risks (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Methodological and clinical heterogeneity prohibited pooling of study data. Results: From 7,306 citations, ten studies were included. Seven studies evaluated a pre-hospital diversion strategy and three studies evaluated an ED-based diversion strategy. The impact of diversion on subsequent health services was mixed. One study of paramedic practitioners reported increased ED attendance within 7 days (11.9% vs. 9.5%; p=0.049) but no differences in return visits for similar conditions (75.2% vs. 72.1%; p=0.64). The use of paramedic practitioners was associated with an increased risk of subsequent contact with health care services (RR=1.21, 95% CI 1.06, 1.38), while the use of deferred care was associated with no increase in risk of subsequently seeking physician care (RR=1.09, 95% CI 0.23, 5.26). While two studies reported that diverted patients were at significantly reduced risk for hospitalization, two other studies reported no significant differences between diverted or standard care patients. Conclusion: The evidence regarding the impact of pre-hospital and ED-based diversion on ED utilization and subsequent health care utilization is mixed. Additional high-quality comparative effectiveness studies of diversion strategies are required prior to widespread implementation.

Interventions to Decrease Use in Prehospital and Emergency Care Settings Among Super-Utilizers in the United States: A Systematic Review

2019 ◽  
Vol 77 (2) ◽  
pp. 99-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samantha Iovan ◽  
Paula M. Lantz ◽  
Katie Allan ◽  
Mahshid Abir
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Acute Care ◽  
Emergency Care ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
The United States ◽  
Care Utilization ◽  
Regression To The Mean ◽  
High Quality ◽  
The Impact

Interest in high users of acute care continues to grow as health care organizations look to deliver cost-effective and high-quality care to patients. Since “super-utilizers” of acute care are responsible for disproportionately high health care spending, many programs and interventions have been implemented to reduce medical care use and costs in this population. This article presents a systematic review of the peer-reviewed and grey literature on evaluations of interventions to decrease prehospital and emergency care use among U.S. super-utilizers. Forty-six distinct evaluations were included in the review. The most commonly evaluated intervention was case management. Although a number of interventions reported reductions in prehospital and emergency care utilization and costs, methodological and study design weaknesses—especially regression to the mean—were widespread and call into question reported positive findings. More high-quality research is needed to accurately assess the impact of interventions to reduce prehospital and emergency care use in the super-utilizer population.

A Systematic Review of the Impact of Healthcare Reforms on Access to Emergency Department and Elective Surgery Services

2017 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
pp. 81-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandeep Reddy ◽  
Peter Jones ◽  
Harsha Shanthanna ◽  
Raechel Damarell ◽  
John Wakerman
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Emergency Department ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Elective Surgery ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Unintended Consequences ◽  
Health Care Reforms ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
The Impact

This systematic review sought to identify whether health care reforms led to improvement in the emergency department (ED) length of stay (LOS) and elective surgery (ES) access in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. The review was registered in the PROSPERO database (CRD42015016343), and nine databases were searched for peer-reviewed, English-language reports published between 1994 and 2014. We also searched relevant “grey” literature and websites. Included studies were checked for cited and citing papers. Primary studies corresponding to national and provincial ED and ES reforms in the four countries were considered. Only studies from Australia and the United Kingdom were eventually included, as no studies from the other two countries met the inclusion criteria. The reviewers involved in the study extracted the data independently using standardized forms. Studies were assessed for quality, and a narrative synthesis approach was taken to analyze the extracted data. The introduction of health care reforms in the form of time-based ED and ES targets led to improvement in ED LOS and ES access. However, the introduction of targets resulted in unintended consequences, such as increased pressure on clinicians and, in certain instances, manipulation of performance data.

scholarly journals Relationship Between Intensive Care Unit Delirium Severity and 2-Year Mortality and Health Care Utilization

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 311-317
Author(s):  
Patricia S. Andrews ◽  
Sophia Wang ◽  
Anthony J. Perkins ◽  
Sujuan Gao ◽  
Sikandar Khan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Emergency Department ◽  
Intensive Care ◽  
Health Care Utilization ◽  
Mortality Risk ◽  
Hazard Ratio ◽  
Emergency Department Visits ◽  
Care Utilization ◽  
Increased Risk

Background Critical care patients with delirium are at an increased risk of functional decline and mortality long term. Objective To determine the relationship between delirium severity in the intensive care unit and mortality and acute health care utilization within 2 years after hospital discharge. Methods A secondary data analysis of the Pharmacological Management of Delirium and Deprescribe randomized controlled trials. Patients were assessed twice daily for delirium or coma using the Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale and the Confusion Assessment Method for the Intensive Care Unit (CAM-ICU). Delirium severity was measured using the CAM-ICU-7. Mean delirium severity (from time of randomization to discharge) was categorized as rapidly resolving, mild to moderate, or severe. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to model time to death, first emergency department visit, and rehospitalization. Analyses were adjusted for age, sex, race, Charlson Comorbidity Index, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score, discharge location, diagnosis, and intensive care unit type. Results Of 434 patients, those with severe delirium had higher mortality risk than those with rapidly resolving delirium (hazard ratio 2.21; 95% CI, 1.35-3.61). Those with 5 or more days of delirium or coma had higher mortality risk than those with less than 5 days (hazard ratio 1.52; 95% CI, 1.07-2.17). Delirium severity and number of days of delirium or coma were not associated with time to emergency department visits and rehospitalizations. Conclusion Increased delirium severity and days of delirium or coma are associated with higher mortality risk 2 years after discharge.

scholarly journals Characteristics and Recovery Methods of Studies Falsely Excluded During Literature Screening –A Systematic Review

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Affengruber ◽  
Andreea Dobrescu ◽  
Emma Persad ◽  
Irma Klerings ◽  
Gernot Wagner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Citation Index ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Case Series ◽  
Rapid Review ◽  
Reference List ◽  
Search Methods ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background: Due to the growing need to provide evidence syntheses under time constraints, researchers have begun focusing on the exploration of rapid review methods, which often employ single-reviewer literature screening. However, single-reviewer screening misses, on average, 13% of relevant studies, compared to 3% with dual-reviewer screening. Little guidance exists regarding methods to recover studies falsely excluded during literature screening. Likewise, it is unclear whether specific study characteristics can predict an increased risk of false exclusion. This systematic review aimed to identify supplementary search methods that can be used to recover studies falsely excluded during literature screening. Moreover, it strove to identify study-level predictors that indicate an elevated risk of false exclusions of studies during literature screening. Methods: We performed literature searches for eligible studies in Medline, Science Citation Index Expanded, Social Sciences Citation Index, Current Contents Connect, Embase, Epistemonikos.org, and Information Science & Technology Abstracts from 1999 to June 23, 2020. We searched for grey literature, checked reference lists, and conducted hand searches in two relevant journals and similar articles searches current to January 28, 2021. Two investigators independently screened the literature; one investigator performed the data extraction, a second investigator checked for correctness and completeness. Two reviewers assessed the risk of bias of eligible studies. We synthesized the results narratively. Results: Three methods studies, two with a case study design and one with a case series design, met the inclusion criteria. One study reported that all falsely excluded publications (8%) could be recovered through reference list checking compared to other supplementary search methods. No included methods study analyzed the impact of recovered studies on conclusions or meta-analyses. Two studies reported that up to 8% of studies were falsely excluded due to uninformative titles and abstracts, and one study showed that 11% of non-English studies were falsely excluded. Conclusions: Due to the limited evidence based on two case studies and one case series, we can draw no firm conclusion about the most reliable and most valid method to recover studies falsely excluded during literature screening or about the characteristics that might predict a higher risk of false exclusion. Systematic review registration: https://osf.io/v2pjr/

scholarly journals COVID-19 and Its Impact on Older Adults’ Routine and Urgent Health Care Visits

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 723-723
Author(s):  
Lindsay Wilkinson ◽  
Julie Masters ◽  
Julie Blaskewicz Boron
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Financial Strain ◽  
Care Utilization ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Logistic Regression Models ◽  
Care Visit ◽  
Health Care Visit ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Older adults have not only been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, but relatedly, are also more vulnerable to other health problems. Moreover, previous research on epidemics shows that health care services are often disrupted during health crises—leading to less access to and lower utilization of health services unrelated to the health crisis. The primary aim of this research is to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on both routine and urgent health care visits. Using data collected in December 2020 on adults ages 54 to 100 living in one of nine senior living communities (SLCs) in the state of Nebraska (n = 723), logistic regression models were used to investigate correlates of missed health care visits, adjusting for sociodemographic and health characteristics. The results show that 58% of older adults in SLCs skipped or postponed a routine health care visit due to the pandemic, whereas 8% of older adults missed an urgent health care visit. The results further reveal that older adults with better perceived health (p < 0.05), higher life satisfaction (p < 0.01), and higher resilience (p < 0.05) all had lower odds of missing a routine health care visit due to the pandemic. In contrast, those who missed an urgent health care visit were more likely to have higher perceived financial strain (p < 0.05). The findings from this study demonstrate the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on older adults’ health care utilization, which may have serious implications for their long-term health.

scholarly journals Impact of obstetric unit closures, travel time and distance to obstetric services on maternal and neonatal outcomes in high-income countries: a systematic review

BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. e036852
Author(s):  
Reem Saleem Malouf ◽  
Claire Tomlinson ◽  
Jane Henderson ◽  
Charles Opondo ◽  
Peter Brocklehurst ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Risk Of Bias ◽  
High Income ◽  
Travel Distance ◽  
Neonatal Outcomes ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Maternal And Neonatal Outcomes ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Travel Distances

ObjectivesTo systematically review (1) The effect of obstetric unit (OU) closures on maternal and neonatal outcomes and (2) The association between travel distance/time to an OU and maternal and neonatal outcomes.DesignSystematic review of any quantitative studies with a comparison group.Data sourcesEmbase, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Applied Social Science Index and Abstracts, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health and grey literature were searched.MethodsEligible studies explored the impact of closure of an OU or the effect of travel distance/time on prespecified maternal or neonatal outcomes. Only studies of women giving birth in high-income countries with universal health coverage of maternity services comparable to the UK were included. Identification of studies, extraction of data and risk of bias assessment were undertaken by at least two reviewers independently. The risk of bias checklist was based on the Cochrane Effective Practice and Organisation of Care criteria and the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. Heterogeneity across studies precluded meta-analysis and synthesis was narrative, with key findings tabulated.Results31 studies met the inclusion criteria. There was some evidence to suggest an increase in babies born before arrival following OU closures and/or associated with longer travel distances or time. This may be associated with an increased risk of perinatal or neonatal mortality, but this finding was not consistent across studies. Evidence on other maternal and neonatal outcomes was limited but did not suggest worse outcomes after closures or with longer travel times/distances. Interpretation of findings for some studies was hampered by concerns around how accurately exposures were measured, and/or a lack of adjustment for confounders or temporal changes.ConclusionIt is not possible to conclude from this review whether OU closure, increased travel distances or times are associated with worse outcomes for the mother or the baby.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42017078503.

The Use of Smartphone Applications (Apps) for Enhancing Communication With Surgical Patients: A Systematic Review of the Literature

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 244-259 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martha F. I. De La Cruz Monroy ◽  
Afshin Mosahebi
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Feasibility Studies ◽  
Perioperative Period ◽  
Potential Cost ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Mhealth Apps ◽  
The Ideal

Background. The widespread use and development of smartphones and mHealth apps has the potential to overcome communication deficiencies in health care. Objective. To carry out a literature review of studies that evaluate patients’ experience on the use of perioperative mHealth apps. Methods. An up-to-date systematic review on studies assessing patients’ use of mHealth apps for communicating with the health care team in the perioperative period was performed following the PRISMA statement. Results. Ten studies (in 11 articles) were identified: 8 feasibility studies and 2 randomized controlled trials. Nine studies included apps used for postoperative monitoring while 1 study also provided preoperative guidance. Discussion. An analysis of barriers and motivations of patients and health care professionals to the use of perioperative mHealth apps was performed. Barriers included patients’ lack of confidence when using apps and potential lack of time from health care professionals to monitor information submitted by patients. Motivations included patients’ sense of being looked after and potential cost-effectiveness and increased efficiency of health care services. This analysis led to the concept of the “ideal app” that would need to be developed following adequate protocols and security standards. Features of the ideal app include preoperative advice on medications and investigations, information on surgery, and a remote follow-up tool to improve safety and to minimize unnecessary clinic appointments and associated costs. Conclusion. There is an overall positive impression of the use of perioperative mHealth apps. However, further studies are required to assess the impact that they have on patients’ care and healthcare professional services.

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