scholarly journals Does Case Management Provide Support for Staff Facing Frequent Users of Emergency Departments? A Comparative Mixed-Method Evaluation of ED Staff Perception

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael von Allmen ◽  
Véronique S. Grazioli ◽  
Miriam Kasztura ◽  
Oriane Chastonay ◽  
Joanna C. Moullin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Case Management ◽  
Emergency Departments ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Qualitative Assessment ◽  
Current Form ◽  
Frequent Users ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Psychiatric Staff ◽  
Ed Visits

Abstract Objective Frequent users of emergency departments (FUED) account for a disproportionate number of emergency department (ED) visits and contribute to a wide range of challenges for ED staff. While several research has documented that case management (CM) tailored to FUED leads to a reduction in ED visits and a better quality of life (QoL) among FUED, whether there is added value for ED staff remains to be explored. This study aimed to compare, among staff in two academic EDs in Switzerland (one with and one without CM), the FUED-related knowledge, perceptions of the extent of the FUED issue, FUED-related work challenges and FUEDs’ legitimacy to use ED. Method Mixed methods were employed. First, ED physicians and nurses (N = 253) of the two EDs completed an online survey assessing their knowledge and perceptions of FUEDs. Results between healthcare providers working in an ED with CM to those working in an ED without CM were compared using independent two-sided T-tests. Next, a sample of participants (n = 16) took part in a qualitative assessment via one-to-one interviews (n = 6) or focus groups (n = 10). Results Both quantitative and qualitative results documented that the FUED-related knowledge, the extent FUED were perceived as an issue and perceived FUEDs’ legitimacy to use ED were not different between groups. The level of perceived FUED-related challenges was also similar between groups. Quantitative results showed that nurses with CM experienced more challenges related to FUED. Qualitative exploration revealed that lack of psychiatric staff within the emergency team and lack of communication between ED staff and CM team were some of the explanations behind these counterintuitive findings. Conclusion Despite promising results on FUEDs’ QoL and frequency of ED visits, these preliminary findings suggest that CM may provide limited support to ED staff in its current form. Given the high burden of FUED-related challenges encountered by ED staff, improved communication and FUED-related knowledge transfer between ED staff and the CM team should be prioritized to increase the value of a FUED CM intervention for ED staff.

scholarly journals Does case management provides support for staff facing frequent users of emergency departments?

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
M von Allmen ◽  
V Grazioli ◽  
M Kasztura ◽  
M Lemoine ◽  
O Chastonay ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Case Management ◽  
Emergency Departments ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Practical Experience ◽  
University Hospitals ◽  
Frequent Users ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Ed Visits

Abstract Background Frequent users of emergency departments (FUED; 5 ED visits during the preceding 12 months) account for a disproportionate part of ED visits, causing a wide range of work difficulties to ED staff potentially leading to FUED discrimination. Whereas case management (CM) tailored to FUED leads to a reduction in ED visits, CM impact on ED staff has not been explored yet. This study aimed to compare ED staff perceptions of FUED with and without dedicated CM support. Methods Participants (N = 253) were ED staff (81 physicians; 172 nurses/assistant nurses) of two Swiss university hospitals, one with CM and one without CM support. Perceptions regarding FUED (i.e., knowledge and awareness of the issue extent; related work difficulties; FUEDs’ legitimate use of ED resources) were measured with a 25-item online survey (4 to 10-level Likert scales). Multivariable regression analyses were conducted to 1) explore the associations between CM implementation and FUED perceptions, and 2) test the moderating effect of profession (physician or nurse/nurse assistant) on these associations. All analyses were adjusted by gender and years of practical experience. Results Physicians with CM considered FUED as a less important problem (=.375, R2=.11, p <.05) and rated their knowledge of FUED issue higher (=.245, R2=.077, p <.05) compared to those without CM. In contrast, nurses without CM perceived fewer FUED-related work difficulties (i.e., feeling of failure and helplessness) than nurses with CM. (=-1.01, R2=.06, p <.05) No significant difference was found regarding ED staff’s perceptions of FUEDs’ legitimate use of ED resources and frequentation, nor on nurses’ knowledge of the issue. Conclusions These results suggest that CM intervention for FUED is a potential source of support for ED physicians working with FUED. Further qualitative research is needed to explore why nurses without CM support reported feeling less failure and helplessness regarding FUED. Key messages By highlighting a different impact of CM on nurses’ perception, this study illustrates where CM intervention might be improved. This study supports CM as a promising intervention for FUED by potentially having a positive impact on ED physicians’ perception besides the one previously proved on FUEDs’ number of visits and QOL.

scholarly journals Healthcare Providers’ Perceptions of Challenges with Frequent Users of Emergency Department Care in Switzerland: A Qualitative Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 58 ◽  
pp. 004695802110281
Author(s):  
Patrick Bodenmann ◽  
Miriam Kasztura ◽  
Madison Graells ◽  
Elodie Schmutz ◽  
Oriane Chastonay ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Emergency Services ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Emergency Department Care ◽  
Frequent Users ◽  
Complex Needs ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Ed Overcrowding ◽  
Ed Visits

Frequent users of emergency departments (FUED; ≥ 5 ED visits/year) commonly cumulate medical, social, and substance use problems requiring complex and sustained care coordination often unavailable in ED. This study aimed to explore ED healthcare providers’ challenges related to FUED care to gain insight into the support and resources required to address FUED complex needs. An online survey was sent to all general adult emergency services within Switzerland (N = 106). Participants were asked to indicate the extent to which they perceived that FUED represented a problem and to describe the main challenges encountered. In total, 208 physicians and nurses from 75 EDs (70.7%) completed the survey. Among the 208 participants, 134 (64%) reported that FUED represented a challenge and 133 described 1 to 5 challenges encountered. A conventional content analysis yielded 4 main categories of perceived challenges. Negative consequences in the ED secondary to FUED’s presence (eg, ED overcrowding, staff helplessness, and fatigue) was the most frequently reported challenge, followed by challenges related to FUEDs’ characteristics (eg, mental health and social problems) leading to healthcare complexity. The third most frequently encountered challenge was related to the ED inappropriateness and inefficiency to address FUEDs’ needs. Finally, challenges related to the lack of FUED healthcare network were the least often mentioned. ED healthcare providers experience a wide range of challenges related to FUED care. These findings suggest that currently EDs nor their staff are equipped to address FUEDs’ complex needs.

scholarly journals Characteristics of frequently attending children in hospital emergency departments: a systematic review

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. e051409
Author(s):  
Geva Greenfield ◽  
Olivia Okoli ◽  
Harumi Quezada-Yamamoto ◽  
Mitch Blair ◽  
Sonia Saxena ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Emergency Departments ◽  
Hospital Emergency ◽  
Long Term Conditions ◽  
Frequent Users ◽  
Frequent Attendance ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Common Policies ◽  
Hospital Emergency Departments

ObjectiveTo summarise the literature on frequent attendances to hospital emergency departments (EDs) and describe sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of children who attend EDs frequently.SettingHospital EDs.ParticipantsChildren <21 years, attending hospital EDs frequently.Primary outcome measuresOutcomes measures were defined separately in each study, and were predominantly the number of ED attendances per year.ResultsWe included 21 studies representing 6 513 627 children. Between 0.3% and 75% of all paediatric ED users were frequent users. Most studies defined four or more visits per year as a ‘frequent ED’ usage. Children who were frequent ED users were more likely to be less than 5 years old. In the USA, patients with public insurance were more likely to be frequent attenders. Frequent ED users more likely to be frequent users of primary care and have long-term conditions; the most common diagnoses were infections and gastroenteritis.ConclusionsThe review included a wide range of information across various health systems, however, children who were frequent ED users have some universal characteristics in common. Policies to reduce frequent attendance might usefully focus on preschool children and supporting primary care in responding to primary care oriented conditions.

scholarly journals If You Build It They Will Come…and Stay: A Community-Based Family Medicine Program

PRiMER ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary-Kay Whittaker ◽  
Stu Murdoch ◽  
Linda Rozmovits ◽  
Caroline Abrahams ◽  
Risa Freeman
Keyword(s):  
Family Medicine ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Health Centre ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Independent Practice ◽  
Data Set ◽  
University Of Toronto ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Location Methods

Introduction: In response to a government request to address physician shortages in underserved communities, the University of Toronto (U of T) established the Family Medicine Residency Program (FMRP) at the Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH) in Barrie, Ontario, Canada. Prior to establishing the FMRP, approximately 21% of Barrie residents did not have a family physician. This study investigated residents’ training experiences, strengths and opportunities for improvement of a community FMRP, reasons why graduates choose to work in Barrie after graduation, and graduates’ practice setting and location. Methods: RVH graduates from 2011-2016 (N=45) were invited to participate. Semistructured one-on-one interviews sought insight into graduates’ experience in the program. We collected online survey data to gather demographic information. We determined current practice location using a government-funded data set and the public registry of the provincial licensing body. Results: Analysis of qualitative data provided insights into an overwhelmingly positive educational experience that contributed to graduates choosing to stay and work in Barrie. Participants noted the wide range of hands-on training opportunities as a strength of the program. They perceived that the program added value to the local community by increasing capacity to provide care to an underserved patient population. Tracking data demonstrated that two-thirds of graduates continued to work in the RVH region after graduation. Conclusions: The successful establishment of a new university-affiliated FMRP in an underserved community provides a strong mechanism to recruit physicians. Training in this setting provided excellent educational experiences to residents, who felt prepared to enter independent practice upon completion of training.

scholarly journals Stepping Up to Edge Hill University: the value and impact for students following the completion of a virtual pre-entry module

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen Jamieson ◽  
Julie Nolan
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Student Satisfaction ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Education Student ◽  
Main Role ◽  
Open Education ◽  
Wide Range

As learning developers, our main role is to support students in developing their academic skills throughout their time at university. We are particularly interested in students’ transition into university and have developed a programme-specific pre-entry module within Blackboard Open Education to support undergraduate students with their transition into their academic programme of study. As part of a pedagogical research project for the Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching in Higher Education (PGCTHE), we have attempted to assess the value and impact of this pre-entry module. Our project employed a mixed methods analysis of a wide range of quantitative and qualitative data, including student conversion data (Quercus Student Records System); module engagement and completion data (Blackboard Open Education); student satisfaction data (Bristol Online Survey); value and impact data from key academic staff (semi-structured interviews) and students (focus group/semi-structured interview and Bristol Online Survey); and a thorough review of associated literature. We shared our preliminary findings at the Association for Learning Developers in Higher Education conference (ALDHE) in Exeter in April 2019. Our research has shown that, although student satisfaction is high with some indication of added value and a positive impact on the students’ transitional experience, these are self-reported and we thus conclude that this research would benefit from further exploration and more extensive student, stakeholder and platform evaluation.

scholarly journals Healthcare providers’ perceptions of difficulties related to frequent users of emergency departments

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
V Grazioli ◽  
M Kasztura ◽  
O Chastonay ◽  
M Graells ◽  
E Schmutz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Case Management ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Management Support ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Frequent Users ◽  
Complex Needs ◽  
Wide Range

Abstract Background Frequent users of emergency department (FUEDs; ≥ 5 ED visits/ year) are often vulnerable individuals cumulating medical, social and substance use problems. FUEDs often require complex and sustained care coordination generally unavailable in ED and are commonly considered contributing to ED crowding. In view of supporting ED health-care providers through specific training and interventions tailored to FUEDs, this study aimed to explore ED healthcare providers’ perceptions of difficulties related to FUEDs. Methods Participants (N = 208) were ED healthcare providers (i.e., nurses, physicians) from 75 university and community hospitals in Switzerland (71% of all EDs) who answered a questionnaire on FUEDs. They were asked to indicate the extent to which FUEDs represent a problem in their ED. Perceived difficulties related to FUEDs were elicited by an open-ended question. Conventional content analysis was used to extract common categories and themes. Results Among the 208 participants, 134 (64%) reported that FUEDs represent a problem. Of those, 132 provided 1 to 5 answers to the open-ended question. Twenty-eight categories were identified and organized in 4 themes. First, participants reported difficulties related to FUEDs’ characteristics themselves (e.g., problem’s chronicity; behavioural difficulties) leading to healthcare complexity. Second, participants perceived negative consequences related to the presence of FUEDs in the ED (e.g., work overload, staff helplessness and fatigue). Third, ED healthcare offer was considered inappropriate and inefficient to respond to FUEDs needs and fourth collaborating with FUEDs’ existing healthcare network was perceived as difficult. Conclusions ED healthcare providers experience a wide range of difficulties related to the management of FUEDs. Providing training and implementing a case management intervention tailored to FUEDs might support ED health-care providers and contribute to address FUEDs’ complex needs. Key messages ED healthcare providers perceive FUEDs to represent a problem. Perceived difficulties might decrease through training and case management support might contribute to better address FUEDs complex needs.

Suicidal Behavior and Non-Suicidal Self-Injury in Emergency Departments Underestimated by Administrative Claims Data

Crisis ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (5) ◽  
pp. 318-325 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Stanley ◽  
Glenn W. Currier ◽  
Megan Chesin ◽  
Sadia Chaudhury ◽  
Shari Jager-Hyman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Departments ◽  
Suicide Attempts ◽  
The United States ◽  
Administrative Claims ◽  
Suicide Attempters ◽  
Self Injury ◽  
Axis I ◽  
Ed Visits ◽  
External Causes ◽  
Severe Psychopathology

Abstract. Background: External causes of injury codes (E-codes) are used in administrative and claims databases for billing and often employed to estimate the number of self-injury visits to emergency departments (EDs). Aims: This study assessed the accuracy of E-codes using standardized, independently administered research assessments at the time of ED visits. Method: We recruited 254 patients at three psychiatric emergency departments in the United States between 2007 and 2011, who completed research assessments after presenting for suicide-related concerns and were classified as suicide attempters (50.4%, n = 128), nonsuicidal self-injurers (11.8%, n = 30), psychiatric controls (29.9%, n = 76), or interrupted suicide attempters (7.8%, n = 20). These classifications were compared with their E-code classifications. Results: Of the participants, 21.7% (55/254) received an E-code. In all, 36.7% of research-classified suicide attempters and 26.7% of research-classified nonsuicidal self-injurers received self-inflicted injury E-codes. Those who did not receive an E-code but should have based on the research assessments had more severe psychopathology, more Axis I diagnoses, more suicide attempts, and greater suicidal ideation. Limitations: The sample came from three large academic medical centers and these findings may not be generalizable to all EDs. Conclusion: The frequency of ED visits for self-inflicted injury is much greater than current figures indicate and should be increased threefold.

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