Evaluation of antibiotic prescribing in emergency departments and urgent care centers across the Veterans’ Health Administration

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
James L. Lowery ◽  
Bruce Alexander ◽  
Rajeshwari Nair ◽  
Brett H. Heintz ◽  
Daniel J. Livorsi
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Departments ◽  
Respiratory Infections ◽  
Antibiotic Use ◽  
Veterans Health Administration ◽  
Urgent Care ◽  
Antibiotic Prescribing ◽  
Veterans Health ◽  
Health Administration ◽  
Urgent Care Centers ◽  
Exacerbation Of Copd

Abstract Objective: Assessments of antibiotic prescribing in ambulatory care have largely focused on viral acute respiratory infections (ARIs). It is unclear whether antibiotic prescribing for bacterial ARIs should also be a target for antibiotic stewardship efforts. In this study, we evaluated antibiotic prescribing for viral and potentially bacterial ARIs in patients seen at emergency departments (EDs) and urgent care centers (UCCs). Design: This retrospective cohort included all ED and UCC visits by patients who were not hospitalized and were seen during weekday, daytime hours during 2016–2018 in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Guideline concordance was evaluated for viral ARIs and for 3 potentially bacterial ARIs: acute exacerbation of COPD, pneumonia, and sinusitis. Results: There were 3,182,926 patient visits across 129 sites: 80.7% in EDs and 19.3% in UCCs. Mean patient age was 60.2 years, 89.4% were male, and 65.6% were white. Antibiotics were prescribed during 608,289 (19.1%) visits, including 42.7% with an inappropriate indication. For potentially bacterial ARIs, guideline-concordant management varied across clinicians (median, 36.2%; IQR, 26.0–52.7) and sites (median, 38.2%; IQR, 31.7–49.4). For viral ARIs, guideline-concordant management also varied across clinicians (median, 46.2%; IQR, 24.1–68.6) and sites (median, 40.0%; IQR, 30.4–59.3). At the clinician and site levels, we detected weak correlations between guideline-concordant management for viral ARIs and potentially bacterial ARIs: clinicians (r = 0.35; P = .0001) and sites (r = 0.44; P < .0001). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that, across EDs and UCCs within VHA, there are major opportunities to improve management of both viral and potentially bacterial ARIs. Some clinicians and sites are more frequently adhering to ARI guideline recommendations on antibiotic use.

scholarly journals Inpatient antibiotic utilization in the Veterans’ Health Administration during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas D. Dieringer ◽  
Daisuke Furukawa ◽  
Christopher J. Graber ◽  
Vanessa W. Stevens ◽  
Makoto M. Jones ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antibiotic Use ◽  
Veterans Health Administration ◽  
Antibiotic Prescribing ◽  
Veterans Health ◽  
Health Administration ◽  
Prescribing Practices ◽  
Antibiotic Utilization ◽  
Days Of Therapy

Abstract Antibiotic prescribing practices across the Veterans’ Health Administration (VA) experienced significant shifts during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. From 2015 to 2019, antibiotic use between January and May decreased from 638 to 602 days of therapy (DOT) per 1,000 days present (DP), while the corresponding months in 2020 saw antibiotic utilization rise to 628 DOT per 1,000 DP.

scholarly journals High Variability of Opioid Prescribing Within and Across Emergency Departments in the US Veterans Health Administration

2018 ◽  
Vol 33 (11) ◽  
pp. 1831-1832
Author(s):  
Timothy Joseph Sowicz ◽  
Adam J. Gordon ◽  
Walid F. Gellad ◽  
Xinhua Zhao ◽  
Hongwei Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Departments ◽  
Veterans Health Administration ◽  
High Variability ◽  
Veterans Health ◽  
Health Administration ◽  
Opioid Prescribing ◽  
The Us ◽  
Us Veterans

scholarly journals Feasibility Study of a Quasi‐experimental Regional Opioid Safety Prescribing Program in Veterans Health Administration Emergency Departments

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (8) ◽  
pp. 734-741
Author(s):  
Nathalie Dieujuste ◽  
Rachel Johnson‐Koenke ◽  
Melissa Christopher ◽  
Elise C. Gunzburger ◽  
Thomas Emmendorfer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Feasibility Study ◽  
Emergency Departments ◽  
Veterans Health Administration ◽  
Veterans Health ◽  
Health Administration ◽  
Quasi Experimental

scholarly journals Carbon Monoxide Poisoning in the Veterans Health Administration, 2010 - 2016

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gina Oda ◽  
Russell Ryono ◽  
Cynthia A. Lucero-Obusan ◽  
Patricia Schirmer ◽  
Mark Holodniy
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Monoxide ◽  
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning ◽  
Veterans Health Administration ◽  
The United States ◽  
Time Frame ◽  
Urgent Care ◽  
Veterans Health ◽  
Co Poisoning ◽  
Health Administration ◽  
Self Harm

ObjectiveTo describe characteristics of Veterans Health Administration(VHA) patients with ICD 9/10 CM inpatient discharge and/oremergency department (ED)/urgent care outpatient encounter codesfor carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.IntroductionIt is estimated that in the United States (US), unintentional non-firerelated CO poisoning causes an average of 439 deaths annually, and in2007 confirmed CO poisoning cases resulted in 21,304 ED visits and2,302 hospitalizations (71 per million and 8 per million population,respectively)1. Despite the significant risk of morbidity and mortalityassociated with CO poisoning, existing surveillance systems in theUnited States are limited. This study is the first to focus specificallyon CO poisoning trends within the VHA population.MethodsQueries were performed in VA PraedicoTMPublic HealthSurveillance System for inpatient discharges and emergency roomand urgent care outpatient visits with ICD 9/10 CM codes for COpoisoning from 1/1/2010 – 6/30/2016. A dataset of unique patientencounters with CO poisoning was compiled and further classified asaccidental, self-harm or unspecified. Patients with carboxyhemoglobin(COHb) blood level measurements≥10%2for the same timeframewere extracted and merged with the CO poisoning dataset.We analyzed for demographic, geographic and seasonal variables.Rates were calculated using total unique users of VHA care formatching time frame and geographic area as denominators.ResultsThere were a total of 671 unique VHA patients identified with COpoisoning. Of these, 298 (44%) were classified as accidental, 104(15%) self-harm, and 269 (40%) unspecified. A total of 6 patientsdied within 30 days of their coded diagnosis, however only 1 ofthese was directly attributable to CO poisoning. The overall rate ofCO poisoning over the study time frame was 18 per million uniqueusers of VHA care. CO poisoning diagnoses were obtained from396 (59%) outpatients, 216 (32%) inpatients, and 59 (9%) patientswith both and outpatient visit and inpatient admission. Patientswith self-harm classification were less likely to be seen in the ED(only 24 (6%) unique patients compared to 190 (48%) accidental and182 (46%) unspecified classifications). Of patients seen in the ED andsubsequently admitted, patients with the classification of accidentalpoisoning made up the largest percentage with 36 unique patients(61%). There were 71 (11%) females compared to 600 (89%) males.The highest represented age group was 45-64 with 342 unique patients(51%). Rates by US Census Region were highest in the Midwestand Northeast (27 and 23 per million unique users, respectively)compared to the West and South (15 and 13 per million uniqueusers, respectively) (Figure 1). Accidental CO poisonings showed aseasonal pattern with peaks occurring in late fall, winter, and earlyspring months (Figure 2). CO poisonings classified as unspecifiedhad a similar but less pronounced pattern, while those classified asself-harm were too few to observe any pattern over time. COHb bloodlevels≥10% were present in 111 (17%) of patients with CO poisoningcodes. Of patients with COHb measures≥10%, those with self-harmclassification were least represented with only 7 unique patients (6%).Accidental and unspecified classifications were equally representedwith 53 (48%) and 51 (46%) unique patients, respectively.ConclusionsThe impact of CO poisoning on the VHA patient population hasnot been well studied. The geographic distribution of the majorityof cases in the Midwest and Northeast, and the seasonal distributionof accidental cases in colder months seems to be appropriate withrespect to what is known of unintentional CO poisoning as oftenassociated with heat-generating sources3. Opportunities for furtherinvestigation include how potential CO poisoning cases are evaluatedin VHA given the low percentage of cases with COHb blood levelmeasurements.

scholarly journals Impact of Implementation of the Core Elements of Outpatient Antibiotic Stewardship within Veterans Health Administration Emergency Department and Primary Care Clinics on Antibiotic Prescribing and Patient Outcomes

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karl Madaras-Kelly ◽  
Christopher Hostler ◽  
Mary Townsend ◽  
Emily M Potter ◽  
Emily S Spivak ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Tract ◽  
Antibiotic Stewardship ◽  
Odds Ratio ◽  
Veterans Health Administration ◽  
Antibiotic Prescribing ◽  
Veterans Health ◽  
Health Administration ◽  
Difference In Differences ◽  
The Core ◽  
Core Elements

Abstract Background The Core Elements of Outpatient Antibiotic Stewardship provide a framework to improve antibiotic use, but evidence supporting safety are limited. We report the impact of Core Elements implementation within Veterans Health Administration sites. Methods A quasi-experimental controlled study assessed the effects of an intervention targeting antibiotic prescription for uncomplicated acute respiratory tract infections (ARI). Outcomes included per-visit antibiotic prescribing, treatment appropriateness, potential benefits and complications of reduced antibiotic treatment, and change in ARI diagnoses over a 3-year pre-implementation and 1-year post implementation period. Logistic regression adjusted for covariates [OR (95% CI)] and a difference-in-differences analysis compared outcomes between intervention and control sites. Results From 2014-2019, there were 16,712 and 51,275 patient-visits in 10 intervention and 40 control sites, respectively. Antibiotic prescribing rates pre-post implementation in intervention sites were 59.7% and 41.5%, respectively; in control sites they were 73.5% and 67.2%, respectively [difference-in-differences p&lt;0.001]. The intervention site pre-post implementation odds ratio to receive appropriate therapy increased [1.67 (1.31, 2.14)] which remained unchanged within control sites [1.04 (0.91, 1.19)]. There was no difference in ARI-related return visits post-implementation [(-1.3% vs. -2.0%; difference-in-differences p=0.76] but all-cause hospitalization was lower within intervention sites [(-0.5% vs. -0.2%); difference-in-differences p=0.02]. The odds ratio to diagnose upper respiratory tract infection not otherwise specified compared to other non-ARI diagnosis increased post-implementation for intervention [1.27(1.21,1.34)] but not control [0.97(0.94,1.01)] sites. Conclusions Implementation of the Core Elements was associated with reduced antibiotic prescribing for uncomplicated ARIs and a reduction in hospitalizations. ARI diagnostic coding changes were observed.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document