scholarly journals Inpatient hospital performance is associated with post-discharge sepsis mortality

Critical Care ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas M. Mohr ◽  
Alexis M. Zebrowski ◽  
David F. Gaieski ◽  
David G. Buckler ◽  
Brendan G. Carr

Abstract Background Post-discharge deaths are common in patients hospitalized for sepsis, but the drivers of post-discharge deaths are unclear. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that hospitals with high risk-adjusted inpatient sepsis mortality also have high post-discharge mortality, readmissions, and discharge to nursing homes. Methods Retrospective cohort study of age-qualifying Medicare beneficiaries with sepsis hospitalization between January 2013 and December 2014. Hospital survivors were followed for 180-days post-discharge, and mortality, readmissions, and new admission to skilled nursing facility were measured. Inpatient hospital-specific sepsis risk-adjusted mortality ratio (observed: expected) was the primary exposure. Results A total of 830,721 patients in the cohort were hospitalized for sepsis, with inpatient mortality of 20% and 90-day mortality of 48%. Higher hospital-specific sepsis risk-adjusted mortality was associated with increased 90-day post-discharge mortality (aOR 1.03 per each 0.1 increase in hospital inpatient O:E ratio, 95% CI 1.03–1.04). Higher inpatient risk adjusted mortality was also associated with increased probability of being discharged to a nursing facility (aOR 1.03, 95% CI 1.02–1.03) and 90-day readmissions (aOR 1.03, 95% CI 1.02–1.03). Conclusions Hospitals with the highest risk-adjusted sepsis inpatient mortality also have higher post-discharge mortality and increased readmissions, suggesting that post-discharge complications are a modifiable risk that may be affected during inpatient care. Future work will seek to elucidate inpatient and healthcare practices that can reduce sepsis post-discharge complications.

Circulation ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 142 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ambarish Pandey ◽  
Neil Keshvani ◽  
Mary S. Vaughan-Sarrazin ◽  
Yubo Gao ◽  
Saket Girotra

Background: The utility of 30-day risk-standardized readmission rate (RSRR) as a hospital performance metric has been a matter of debate. Home time is a patient-centered outcome measure that accounts for rehospitalization, mortality, and postdischarge care. We aim to characterize risk-adjusted 30-day home time in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) as a hospital-level performance metric and to evaluate associations with 30-day RSRR, 30-day risk-standardized mortality rate (RSMR), and 1-year RSMR. Methods: The study included 984 612 patients with AMI hospitalization across 2379 hospitals between 2009 and 2015 derived from 100% Medicare claims data. Home time was defined as the number of days alive and spent outside of a hospital, skilled nursing facility, or intermediate-/long-term acute care facility 30 days after discharge. Correlations between hospital-level risk-adjusted 30-day home time and 30-day RSRR, 30-day RSMR, and 1-year RSMR were estimated with the Pearson correlation. Reclassification in hospital performance using 30-day home time versus 30-day RSRR and 30-day RSMR was also evaluated. Results: Median hospital-level risk-adjusted 30-day home time was 24.0 days (range, 15.3–29.0 days). Hospitals with higher home time were more commonly academic centers, had available cardiac surgery and rehabilitation services, and had higher AMI volume and percutaneous coronary intervention use during the AMI hospitalization. Of the mean 30-day home time days lost, 58% were to intermediate-/long-term care or skilled nursing facility stays (4.7 days), 30% to death (2.5 days), and 12% to readmission (1.0 days). Hospital-level risk-adjusted 30-day home time was inversely correlated with 30-day RSMR ( r =−0.22, P <0.0001) and 30-day RSRR (r =−0.25, P <0.0001). Patients admitted to hospitals with higher risk-adjusted 30-day home time had lower 30-day readmission (quartile 1 versus 4, 21% versus 17%), 30-day mortality rate (5% versus 3%), and 1-year mortality rate (18% versus 12%). Furthermore, 30-day home time reclassified hospital performance status in ≈30% of hospitals versus 30-day RSRR and 30-day RSMR. Conclusions: Thirty-day home time for patients with AMI can be assessed as a hospital-level performance metric with the use of Medicare claims data. It varies across hospitals, is associated with postdischarge readmission and mortality outcomes, and meaningfully reclassifies hospital performance compared with the 30-day RSRR and 30-day RSMR metrics.


2007 ◽  
Vol 107 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael A. Williams ◽  
Phoebe Sharkey ◽  
Doris Van Doren ◽  
George Thomas ◽  
Daniele Rigamonti

Object The goal in this study was to determine the percentage of patients with hydrocephalus who were treated with shunt surgery and to assess Medicare expenditures for those with and without shunt surgery. Methods Retrospective cost analyses were performed using the Standard Analytic Files of paid claims for beneficiaries enrolled in both Parts A (Inpatient) and B (Outpatient) of the Medicare program for 1997 through 2001. The main outcome measures were 5-year total payments and 5-year payments for separate types of service; for example, acute hospital (inpatient and outpatient), skilled nursing facility, home health, and physician/supplier services. Results Of 1441 patients with hydrocephalus, 25.1% underwent shunt surgery during the study period. The effect of a shunt procedure on 5-year Medicare expenditures is a cost difference of $25,477 (p < 0.0001) less per patient, which is equal to a potential −$184.3 million difference in 5-year Medicare expenditures. The following three factors had a negative association with whether shunt surgery was performed: 1) age 80 to 84 years (odds ratio [OR] 0.619, confidence interval [CI] 0.390–0.984); 2) age 85 years or older (OR 0.201, CI 0.110–0.366); and 3) African-American race (OR 0.506, CI 0.295–0.869). The effect of age on the likelihood of shunt surgery persisted after adjusting for the propensity to die score. Conclusions Medicare expenditures for patients with hydrocephalus treated with shunt surgery are significantly lower than expenditures for untreated patients. Research to improve the diagnosis and treatment of hydrocephalus has the potential to improve outcomes and reduce health care expenditures further.


2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohan Tanniru ◽  
Jacqueline Jones ◽  
Samer Kazziha ◽  
Michelle Hornberger

Background: Healthcare providers have focused on improving patient care transitions to reduce unanticipated readmission costs, improve patient care quality post-discharge and increase patient satisfaction. This is especially true in US since the introduction of the Affordable Care Act. While there are several practices and evidence-based programs discussed in the literature to address care transition post-discharge, the key challenge remains the same – how to structure the care transition program to influence its effectiveness. In this paper, we focus on modeling one particular care transition – moving a patient from a hospital to a skilled nursing facility (SNF) – and discuss how improved capacity building and use of intermediaries such as advanced nurse practitioners have shown promise in reducing patient readmissions.Method: The methodology proposed here uses service dominant (SD) logic research to inductively derive a model for service exchanges between the two provider ecosystems. This model is then used to analyze service gaps and look for opportunities to innovate within an SNF and improve its capacity to deliver care. Use of intermediation that expands the service model with the addition of more care providers besides the hospital and SNF is also discussed to reduce patient readmissions.   Results: The study demonstrates that a number of actors have to work collaboratively to make care transition effective in meeting the patient and provider goals. Specifically, when two care facilities, hospital and SNF, are involved in care transition, opportunities exist to improve their internal capacity to address care within and across facilities.    Conclusion: The paper makes two important contributions. It shows the role of SD Logic in identifying opportunities for service innovations in support of care transition, and it shows the role of actors in provider-customer ecosystems to make the transition effective.    


2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 2473011418S0019
Author(s):  
Daniel Cunningham ◽  
Samuel Adams ◽  
Mark Easley ◽  
Vasili Karas ◽  
James DeOrio

Category: Ankle Arthritis Introduction/Purpose: The Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement model (CJR) provides bundled payments for in-hospital and 90-day post-discharge care of patients undergoing total ankle arthroplasty (TAA). Defining patient factors associated with increased costs during TAA could help refine patient selection strategies and identify modifiable preoperative patient factors that can be addressed prior to the patient entering the bundle. Methods: This study is part of an IRB-approved single-center observational study of patients undergoing TAA from 1/1/2012 to 12/15/2016. Patients were included if they met CJR criteria for inclusion into the bundled payment model and had Medicare as the insurance payer. Costs related to readmissions, diagnosis, and procedures that had been excluded by CJR were also excluded from this financial analysis. All inpatient and outpatient payments beginning at the index procedure through 90 days postoperatively were identified. Patient medical profile including Charlson-Deyo and Elixhauser comorbidity scores, preoperative comorbidities, and perioperative factors were then completed based on institutional data and chart review. Additionally, post-discharge disposition, readmissions, emergency department (ED) utilization, and outpatient plastic surgery consultation were recorded within the 90-day bundled payment period. Results: Out of 199 patients with Medicare payments in the study timeframe, 137 had consented to the study and were analyzed. Baseline and operative characteristics are given in Table 1. Increased length of stay (LOS) at the initial procedure, increased Charlson-Deyo comorbidity score, cerebrovascular disease, and peripheral vascular disease were significantly associated with higher payments. Discharge to skilled nursing facility (skilled nursing facility), admissions, ED visits, and wound complications were significant drivers of payment. Conclusion: Increased Charlson-Deyo score and vascular disease along with increased LOS were associated with increased payments from Medicare. Discharge to SNF, readmission, ED visits, and wound complications considerably increased payments. This study identifies the relationship between patient profile and increased financial burden, highlighting the potential utility of pre-operative mitigation of modifiable risk factors and stratification of payments based on patient profile. Lastly, reducing rates of SNF placement, readmission, ED visitation, and wound complications are targets for decreasing costs for patients undergoing TAA.


2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. S414-S414
Author(s):  
Cherie Faith Monsalud ◽  
Rachel Lim ◽  
Shane Zelencik ◽  
Kamaljit Singh

Abstract Background A majority of healthcare-associated urinary tract infections (UTIs) are caused by the use of urinary catheters (CAUTI). Finding of bacteriuria is common in catheterized patients and often leads to unnecessary antibiotic treatment, increased length of stay and additional healthcare costs. We implemented an innovative intervention to improve urine culture (UCx) orders and prevent overdiagnosis of CAUTIs. Methods Orders for UCx in adult patients with short-term urinary catheters at NorthShore University HealthSystem, IL were reviewed daily for appropriateness based on the Infectious Diseases Society of America Guidelines. Appropriate urine testing was defined as: (1) presence of fever ( >38°C) within past 48 hours, (2) new urinary complaints: flank or suprapubic pain/tenderness or dysuria, frequency, urgency or incontinence within 48 hours after catheter removal, and (3) no other reasonable explanation for fever. If UCx was deemed inappropriate, ordering provider was contacted to cancel the order. Chart review was performed at least 30-days post-discharge to determine whether patients developed recurrent UTI, sepsis, were readmitted or expired. Results Between 1 January to 31 March 2019, 65 UCx were submitted. Sixty-four patients (98%) did not meet criteria for testing. Most common reasons for not meeting criteria were absence of fever (60%) and no localizing UTI signs or symptoms (57%). 35 (54%) UCx were canceled after discussion with ordering providers. 21/35 patients (60%) were treated with antibiotics. All 35 patients were discharged, with a majority going to a skilled nursing facility (34%) or home (31%). 4/35 (11%) had a subsequent positive UCx. Two patients developed symptomatic UTI (sUTI) during the index admission. Two patients developed sUTI within 30-days post-discharge; one patient was transitioned to hospice after completion of therapy. All 4 patients were treated for sUTI. Conclusion We were able to safely discontinue UCx in 89% of patients. A majority of patients were already started on empiric treatment and development of subsequent sUTI was infrequent (11% of patients). Our findings suggest that discontinuation of inappropriately ordered UCx is safe with low risk for sepsis or mortality. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.


1999 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 203-203
Author(s):  
Kendra Carlson

The Supreme Court of California held, in Delaney v. Baker, 82 Cal. Rptr. 2d 610 (1999), that the heightened remedies available under the Elder Abuse Act (Act), Cal. Welf. & Inst. Code, §§ 15657,15657.2 (West 1998), apply to health care providers who engage in reckless neglect of an elder adult. The court interpreted two sections of the Act: (1) section 15657, which provides for enhanced remedies for reckless neglect; and (2) section 15657.2, which limits recovery for actions based on “professional negligence.” The court held that reckless neglect is distinct from professional negligence and therefore the restrictions on remedies against health care providers for professional negligence are inapplicable.Kay Delaney sued Meadowood, a skilled nursing facility (SNF), after a resident, her mother, died. Evidence at trial indicated that Rose Wallien, the decedent, was left lying in her own urine and feces for extended periods of time and had stage I11 and IV pressure sores on her ankles, feet, and buttocks at the time of her death.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document