A multidisciplinary perioperative medicine clinic to improve high-risk patient outcomes: A service evaluation audit

Various perioperative interventions have been demonstrated to improve outcomes for high-risk patients undergoing surgery. This audit assessed the impact of introducing a multidisciplinary perioperative medicine clinic on postoperative outcomes and resource usage amongst high-risk patients. Between January 2019 and March 2020, our institution piloted a Comprehensive High-Risk Surgical Patient Clinic. Surgical patients were eligible for referral when exhibiting criteria known to increase perioperative risk. The patient’s decision whether to proceed with surgery was recorded; for those proceeding with surgery, perioperative outcomes and bed occupancy were recorded and compared against a similar surgical population identified as high-risk at our institution in 2017. Of 23 Comprehensive High-Risk Surgical Patient Clinic referrals, 11 did not proceed with the original planned surgery. Comprehensive High-Risk Surgical patients undergoing original planned surgery, as compared to high-risk patients from 2017, experienced reduced unplanned intensive care unit admission (8% versus 19%, respectively), 30-day mortality (0% versus 13%) and 30-day re-admission to hospital (0% versus 20%); had shorter postoperative lengths of stay (median (range) 8 (7–14) days versus 10.5 (5–28)) and spent more days alive outside of hospital at 30 days (median (range) 18 (0–25) versus 21 (16–23)). Cumulatively, the Comprehensive High-Risk Surgical patient cohort compared to the 2017 cohort (both n=23) occupied fewer postoperative intensive care (total 13 versus 24) and hospital bed-days (total 106 versus 212). The results of our Comprehensive High-Risk Surgical Patient pilot project audit suggest improved individual outcomes for high-risk patients proceeding with surgery. In addition, the results support potential resource savings through more appropriate patient selection.

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Deep Vein Thrombosis Prophylaxis: Audit of Practice in General Surgical Patients in a Teaching Hospital

Phlebology The Journal of Venous Disease ◽

10.1177/026835550001500206 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 15 (2) ◽

pp. 71-74 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

O. Agu ◽

A. Handa ◽

G Hamilton ◽

D. M. Baker

Keyword(s):

Deep Vein Thrombosis ◽

High Risk ◽

Teaching Hospital ◽

Surgical Patients ◽

Thrombosis Prophylaxis ◽

High Risk Patients ◽

Vein Thrombosis ◽

Dvt Prophylaxis ◽

Risk Patients ◽

Deep Vein

Objective: To audit the prescription and implementation of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) prophylaxis in general surgical patients in a teaching hospital. Methods: All inpatients on three general surgical wards were audited for adequacy of prescription and implementation prophylaxis (audit A). A repeat audit 3 months later (audit B) closed the loop. The groups were compared using the chi-square test. Results: In audit A 50 patients participated. Prophylaxis was correctly prescribed in 36 (72%) and implemented in 30 (60%) patients. Eighteen patients at moderate or high risk (45%) received inadequate prophylaxis. Emergency admission, pre-operative stay and inadequate risk assignment were associated with poor implementation of protocol. In audit B 51 patients participated. Prescription was appropriate in 45 (88%) and implementation in 40 (78%) patients (p< 0.05). Eleven patients at moderate or high risk received inadequate prophylaxis. Seven of 11 high-risk patients in audit A (64%) received adequate prophylaxis, in contrast to all high-risk patients in audit B. The decision not to administer prophylaxis was deemed appropriate in 5 of 15 (30%) in audit A compared with 6 of 10 (60%) in audit B. Conclusion: Increased awareness, adequate risk assessment, updating of protocols and consistent reminders to staff and patients may improve implementation of DVT prophylaxis.

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The impact of the incorporation of a feasible postoperative mortality model at the Post-Anaesthestic Care Unit (PACU) on postoperative clinical deterioration: A pragmatic trial with 5,353 patients

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0257941 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (11) ◽

pp. e0257941

Author(s):

Claudia de Souza Gutierrez ◽

Katia Bottega ◽

Stela Maris de Jezus Castro ◽

Gabriela Leal Gravina ◽

Eduardo Kohls Toralles ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Improvement ◽

High Risk ◽

Clinical Deterioration ◽

Surgical Patients ◽

Predictive Tool ◽

Postoperative Death ◽

High Risk Patients ◽

Death Probability ◽

Risk Patients ◽

The Impact

Background Practical use of risk predictive tools and the assessment of their impact on outcome reduction is still a challenge. This pragmatic study of quality improvement (QI) describes the preoperative adoption of a customised postoperative death probability model (SAMPE model) and the evaluation of the impact of a Postoperative Anaesthetic Care Unit (PACU) pathway on the clinical deterioration of high-risk surgical patients. Methods A prospective cohort of 2,533 surgical patients compared with 2,820 historical controls after the adoption of a quality improvement (QI) intervention. We carried out quick postoperative high-risk pathways at PACU when the probability of postoperative death exceeded 5%. As outcome measures, we used the number of rapid response team (RRT) calls within 7 and 30 postoperative days, in-hospital mortality, and non-planned Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission. Results Not only did the QI succeed in the implementation of a customised risk stratification model, but it also diminished the postoperative deterioration evaluated by RRT calls on very high-risk patients within 30 postoperative days (from 23% before to 14% after the intervention, p = 0.05). We achieved no survival benefits or reduction of non-planned ICU. The small group of high-risk patients (13% of the total) accounted for the highest proportion of RRT calls and postoperative death. Conclusion Employing a risk predictive tool to guide immediate postoperative care may influence postoperative deterioration. It encouraged the design of pragmatic trials focused on feasible, low-technology, and long-term interventions that can be adapted to diverse health systems, especially those that demand more accurate decision making and ask for full engagement in the control of postoperative morbi-mortality.

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Does the implementation of a novel intensive care discharge risk score and nurse-led inpatient review tool improve outcome? A prospective cohort study in two intensive care units in the UK

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2017-018322 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 7 (12) ◽

pp. e018322

Author(s):

Jez Fabes ◽

William Seligman ◽

Carolyn Barrett ◽

Stuart McKechnie ◽

John Griffiths

Keyword(s):

Intensive Care ◽

High Risk ◽

Risk Score ◽

Prospective Cohort ◽

Data Set ◽

High Risk Patients ◽

Poor Outcome ◽

Icu Discharge ◽

Risk Patients ◽

Risk Scoring

ObjectiveTo develop a clinical prediction model for poor outcome after intensive care unit (ICU) discharge in a large observational data set and couple this to an acute post-ICU ward-based review tool (PIRT) to identify high-risk patients at the time of ICU discharge and improve their acute ward-based review and outcome.DesignRetrospective patient cohort of index ICU admissions between June 2006 and October 2011 receiving routine inpatient review. Prospective cohort between March 2012 and March 2013 underwent risk scoring (PIRT) which subsequently guided inpatient ward-based review.SettingTwo UK adult ICUs.Participants4212 eligible discharges from ICU in the retrospective development cohort and 1028 patients included in the prospective intervention cohort.InterventionsMultivariate analysis was performed to determine factors associated with poor outcome in the retrospective cohort and used to generate a discharge risk score. A discharge and daily ward-based review tool incorporating an adjusted risk score was introduced. The prospective cohort underwent risk scoring at ICU discharge and inpatient review using the PIRT.OutcomesThe primary outcome was the composite of death or readmission to ICU within 14 days of ICU discharge following the index ICU admission.ResultsPIRT review was achieved for 67.3% of all eligible discharges and improved the targeting of acute post-ICU review to high-risk patients. The presence of ward-based PIRT review in the prospective cohort did not correlate with a reduction in poor outcome overall (P=0.876) or overall readmission but did reduce early readmission (within the first 48 hours) from 4.5% to 3.6% (P=0.039), while increasing the rate of late readmission (48 hours to 14 days) from 2.7% to 5.8% (P=0.046).ConclusionPIRT facilitates the appropriate targeting of nurse-led inpatient review acutely after ICU discharge but does not reduce hospital mortality or overall readmission rates to ICU.

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Impact of the Beta-Glucan Test on Management of Intensive Care Unit Patients at Risk for Invasive Candidiasis

Journal of Clinical Microbiology ◽

10.1128/jcm.01996-19 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 58 (6) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Antonios Kritikos ◽

Julien Poissy ◽

Antony Croxatto ◽

Pierre-Yves Bochud ◽

Jean-Luc Pagani ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Intensive Care ◽

High Risk ◽

Invasive Candidiasis ◽

Test Results ◽

Beta Glucan ◽

High Risk Patients ◽

Therapeutic Decisions ◽

Risk Patients ◽

The Impact ◽

Test Result

ABSTRACT The 1,3-beta-d-glucan (BDG) test is used for the diagnosis of invasive candidiasis (IC) in intensive care units (ICUs). However, its utility for patient management is unclear. This study assessed the impact of BDG test results on therapeutic decisions. This was a single-center observational study conducted in an ICU over two 6-month periods. All BDG test requests for the diagnosis of IC were analyzed. Before the second period, the ICU physicians received a pocket card instruction (algorithm) for targeted BDG testing in high-risk patients. The performance of the BDG test for IC diagnosis was assessed, as well as its impact on antifungal (AF) prescription. Overall, 72 patients had ≥1 BDG test, and 14 (19%) patients had an IC diagnosis. The BDG test results influenced therapeutic decisions in 41 (57%) cases. The impact of the BDG test was positive in 30 (73%) of them, as follows: AF abstention/interruption following a negative BDG result (n = 27), and AF initiation/continuation triggered by a positive BDG test result and subsequently confirmed IC (n = 3). In 10 (24%) cases, a positive BDG test result resulted in AF initiation/continuation with no further evidence of IC. A negative BDG result and AF abstention with subsequent IC diagnosis were observed in one case. The positive predictive value (PPV) of BDG was improved if testing was restricted to the algorithm’s indications (80% versus 36%, respectively). However, adherence to the algorithm was low (26%), and no benefit of the intervention was observed. The BDG result had an impact on therapeutic decisions in more than half of the cases, which consisted mainly of safe AF interruption/abstention. Targeted BDG testing in high-risk patients improves PPV but is difficult to achieve in ICU.

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AKI in Low-Risk versus High-Risk Patients in Intensive Care

Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology ◽

10.2215/cjn.03200314 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 187-196 ◽

Cited By ~ 47

Author(s):

Florentina E. Sileanu ◽

Raghavan Murugan ◽

Nicole Lucko ◽

Gilles Clermont ◽

Sandra L. Kane-Gill ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Intensive Care ◽

High Risk ◽

Low Risk ◽

High Risk Patients ◽

Risk Patients

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Risk Factors for New Detection of Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci in Acute-Care Hospitals That Employ Strict Infection Control Procedures

Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy ◽

10.1128/aac.47.8.2492-2498.2003 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 47 (8) ◽

pp. 2492-2498 ◽

Cited By ~ 48

Author(s):

Alexander A. Padiglione ◽

Rory Wolfe ◽

Elizabeth A. Grabsch ◽

Di Olden ◽

Stephen Pearson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Intensive Care ◽

High Risk ◽

Infection Control ◽

Broad Spectrum ◽

Rectal Swab ◽

High Risk Patients ◽

Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci ◽

Risk Patients ◽

Vancomycin Resistant

ABSTRACT Accurate assessment of the risk factors for colonization with vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) among high-risk patients is often confounded by nosocomial VRE transmission. We undertook a 15-month prospective cohort study of adults admitted to high-risk units (hematology, renal, transplant, and intensive care) in three teaching hospitals that used identical strict infection control and isolation procedures for VRE to minimize nosocomial spread. Rectal swab specimens for culture were regularly obtained, and the results were compared with patient demographic factors and antibiotic exposure data. Compliance with screening was defined as “optimal” (100% compliance) or “acceptable” (minor protocol violations were allowed, but a negative rectal swab specimen culture was required within 1 week of becoming colonized with VRE). Colonization with VRE was detected in 1.56% (66 of 4,215) of admissions (0.45% at admission and 0.83% after admission; the acquisition time was uncertain for 0.28%), representing 1.91% of patients. No patients developed infection with VRE. The subsequent rate of new acquisition of VRE was 1.4/1,000 patient days. Renal units had the highest rate (3.23/1,000 patient days; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.54 to 6.77/1,000 patient days). vanB Enterococcus faecium was the most common species (71%), but other species included vanB Enterococcus faecalis (21%), vanA E. faecium (6%), and vanA E. faecalis (2%). The majority of isolates were nonclonal by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis. Multivariate analysis of risk factors in patients with an acceptable screening suggested that being managed by a renal unit (hazard ratio [HR] compared to the results for patients managed in an intensive care unit, 4.6; 95% CI, 1.2 to 17.0 [P = 0.02]) and recent administration of either ticarcillin-clavulanic acid (HR, 3.6; 95% CI, 1.1 to 11.6 [P = 0.03]) or carbapenems (HR, 2.8; 95% CI, 1.0, 8.0 [P = 0.05]), but not vancomycin or broad-spectrum cephalosporins, were associated with acquisition of VRE. The relatively low rates of colonization with VRE, the polyclonal nature of most isolates, and the possible association with the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics are consistent with either the endogenous emergence of VRE or the amplification of previously undetectable colonization with VRE among high-risk patients managed under conditions in which the risk of nosocomial acquisition was minimized.

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