scholarly journals 2.5 years on: what are the effects of a ‘frequent attenders’ service in the Emergency Department?

2019 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 112-116
Author(s):  
Soraia Sousa ◽  
Tracey Hilder ◽  
Christopher Burdess ◽  
Philippa Bolton
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Conflict Of Interest ◽  
Frequent Attenders ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
Two Samples ◽  
The Individual

This study focused on an evaluation over 2.5 years to establish if a frequent attenders' service in an Emergency Department (ED) impacted on the overall number of patients attending as well as the numbers of their attendances. For this, three patient lists from April-September 2015 and three lists from a matched period in 2017 were randomly selected and the two samples compared. Results showed both a reduction in the number of total patients identified as frequent attenders as well as a reduction on the number of attendances to ED. The study suggests that the implementation of a frequent attenders' service is associated with benefits, not only for the individual attendances per patient, but also in an overall reduction of the number patients classed as frequent attenders.Declaration of interestThe authors have no conflict of interest to declare regarding this manuscript.

3 Reducing frequent attenders to the emergency department at west suffolk hospital

2020 ◽  
Vol 96 (1132) ◽  
pp. 119.3-120
Author(s):  
Fiona Huang ◽  
Yusef Kiberu ◽  
Sreejib Das
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Care Plan ◽  
Liaison Psychiatry ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Significance Level ◽  
Frequent Attenders ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Multi Disciplinary Team

IntroductionPatients who repeatedly attend the emergency department (ED) often have underlying complex social, psychological and chronic medical issues which are difficult to address in the emergency/acute medicine environment alone. Their attendances not only present a burden to the ED, but also can be a sign that the patient’s primary issue has been insufficiently addressed. At West Suffolk Hospital, we are trialling an approach to reduce frequency of ED attendances in a specific cohort of patients identified as being frequent attenders. In order to do this, we are using a multi-disciplinary approach including psychiatry services and ED clinicians.MethodsOur cohort of frequent attenders were identified as patients presenting more than 4 times to ED between March 2017 to April 2018. Exclusion criteria was if the patient is under 18 years old, has known long term medical conditions and known safeguarding concerns. With collaborative working by the emergency medicine clinician and liaison psychiatry, a letter was sent to 38 patients in May 2018, identifying them as frequent attenders and inviting them to a tailored multi-disciplinary team meeting. Initially we are assessing the impact of the letter, so 6 months after the letters were sent out, we assessed patient attendances again. 2 patients were excluded due to moving out of area and being in prison. Paired sample for means t-test was used to compare attendances pre- and post-intervention.ResultsThere were a wide range of presenting complaints to ED, most of which were psychiatric related – overdose, deliberate self harm, alcohol/drug related. The intervention letter improved the attendance rate the most in this cohort, whereas it had a negligible effect on attendances with physical complaints. The average fall in attendance was 33% in the 6 months post patients receiving the intervention letter. This reached significance level with p=0.039.ConclusionsSending frequent attender patients a letter and putting in place a care plan could significantly reduce Emergency Department attendances. However there were a small number of patients, making it difficult to assess the efficacy of our intervention especially when adjusting for patient relocation.We are hoping to disseminate the locally trialed strategy region wide across East Anglia, providing many more data points. We can also implement the model not just in patients with psychiatric background, but also patients with chronic medical problems too with additions to the multi-disciplinary team as per the needs of the patient.

Analysis of Deliberate Self-Wrist-Cutting Episodes Presenting to the Emergency Department

Crisis ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 155-160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jin Kim ◽  
Han Joon Kim ◽  
Soo Hyun Kim ◽  
Sang Hoon Oh ◽  
Kyu Nam Park
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Medical Records ◽  
Attempted Suicide ◽  
Suicide Attempts ◽  
Psychiatric Interview ◽  
Clinical Variables ◽  
Completed Suicide ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
Group A ◽  
Efficacy Of Treatment

Abstract. Background: Previous suicide attempts increase the risk of a completed suicide. However, a large proportion of patients with deliberate self-wrist cutting (DSWC) are often discharged without undergoing a psychiatric interview. Aims: The aims of this study were to investigate the differences in the characteristics and outcomes of patients with DSWC and those with deliberate self-poisoning (DSP) episodes. The results of this study may be used to improve the efficacy of treatment for DSWC patients. Method: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 598 patients with DSWC and DSP who were treated at the emergency department of Seoul Saint Mary's Hospital between 2008 and 2013. We assessed sociodemographic information, clinical variables, the reasons for the suicide attempts, and the severity of the suicide attempts. Results: A total of 141 (23.6%) patients were included in the DSWC group, and 457 (76.4%) were included in the DSP group. A significantly greater number of patients in the DSWC group had previously attempted suicide (p = .014). A total of 63 patients (44.7%) in the DSWC group and 409 patients (89.5%) in the DSP group underwent psychiatric interviews. Conclusion: More DSWC patients had previously attempted suicide, but fewer of them underwent psychiatric interviews compared with the DSP patients.

Development and Performance Assessment of a Digital Serious Game to Assess Multi-Patient Care Skills in a Simulated Pediatric Emergency Department

2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (4) ◽  
pp. 550-570
Author(s):  
Cindy Luu ◽  
Thomas B. Talbot ◽  
Cha Chi Fung ◽  
Eyal Ben-Isaac ◽  
Juan Espinoza ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Diagnostic Accuracy ◽  
Patient Care ◽  
Skill Acquisition ◽  
Video Game ◽  
Rank Correlation ◽  
Fixed Time ◽  
Serious Game ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Number Of Patients

Objective. Multi-patient care is important among medical trainees in an emergency department (ED). While resident efficiency is a typically measured metric, multi-patient care involves both efficiency and diagnostic / treatment accuracy. Multi-patient care ability is difficult to assess, though simulation is a potential alternative. Our objective was to generate validity evidence for a serious game in assessing multi-patient care skills among a variety of learners. Methods. This was a cross-sectional validation study using a digital serious game VitalSignsTM simulating multi-patient care within a pediatric ED. Subjects completed 5 virtual “shifts,” triaging, stabilizing, and discharging or admitting patients within a fixed time period; patients arrived at cascading intervals with pre-programmed deterioration if neglected. Predictor variables included generic multi-tasking ability, video game experience, medical knowledge, and clinical efficiency with real patients. Outcome metrics in 3 domains measured diagnostic accuracy (i.e. critical orders, diagnoses), efficiency (i.e. number of patients, time-to-order) and critical thinking (number of differential diagnoses); MANOVA determined differences between novice learners and expected expert physicians. Spearman Rank correlation determined associations between levels of expertise. Results. Ninety-five subjects’ gameplays were analyzed. Diagnostic accuracy and efficiency distinguished skill level between residency trained (residents, fellows and attendings) and pre-residency trained (medical students and undergraduate) subjects, particularly for critical orders, patients seen, and correct diagnoses (p < 0.003). There were moderate to strong correlations between the game’s diagnostic accuracy and efficiency metrics compared to level of training, including patients seen (rho = 0.47, p < 0.001); critical orders (rho = 0.80, p < 0.001); time-to-order (rho = −0.24, p = 0.025); and correct diagnoses (rho = 0.69, p < 0.001). Video game experience also correlated with patients seen (rho = 0.24, p = 0.003). Conclusion. A digital serious game depicting a busy virtual ED can distinguish between expected experts in multi-patient care at the pre- vs. post-residency level. Further study can focus on whether the game appropriately assesses skill acquisition during residency.

scholarly journals Measuring the impact of an acute visiting scheme on emergency department attendances – a pre-post cohort design

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Axel Kaehne ◽  
Paula Keating
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Service Use ◽  
Emergency Department Visits ◽  
Service Utilisation ◽  
Specific Patient ◽  
Access Points ◽  
Latent Demand ◽  
Frequent Attenders ◽  
Cohort Design ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Emergency department (ED) attendances are contributing to rising costs of the National Health Service (NHS) in England. Critically assessing the impact of new services to reduce emergency department use can be difficult as new services may create additional access points, unlocking latent demand. The study evaluated an Acute Visiting Scheme (AVS) in a primary care context. We asked if AVS reduces overall ED demand and whether or not it changed utilisation patterns for frequent attenders. Method The study used a pre post single cohort design. The impact of AVS on all-cause ED attendances was hypothesised as a substitution effect, where AVS duty doctor visits would replace emergency department visits. Primary outcome was frequency of ED attendances. End points were reduction of frequency of service use and increase of intervals between attendances by frequent attenders. Results ED attendances for AVS users rose by 47.6%. If AVS use was included, there was a more than fourfold increase of total service utilisation, amounting to 438.3%. It shows that AVS unlocked significant latent demand. However, there was some reduction in the frequency of ED attendances for some patients and an increase in time intervals between ED attendances for others. Conclusion The study demonstrates that careful analysis of patient utilisation can detect a differential impact of AVS on the use of ED. As the new service created additional access points for patients and hence introduces an element of choice, the new service is likely to unlock latent demand. This study illustrates that AVS may be most useful if targeted at specific patient groups who are most likely to benefit from the new service.

scholarly journals Applying quality improvement principles to improve accident and emergency department overcrowding and flow in Rwanda: a case study

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (5) ◽  
pp. 47 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean Claude Byiringiro ◽  
Rex Wong ◽  
Caroline Davis ◽  
Jeffery Williams ◽  
Joseph Becker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Quality Improvement ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Triage System ◽  
Accident And Emergency ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
Accident And Emergency Department ◽  
The Impact

Few case studies exist related to hospital accident and emergency department (A&E) quality improvement efforts in lowerresourced settings. We sought to report the impact of quality improvement principles applied to A&E overcrowding and flow in the largest referral and teaching hospital in Rwanda. A pre- and post-intervention study was conducted. A linked set of strategies included reallocating room space based on patient/visitor demand and flow, redirecting traffic, establishing a patient triage system and installing white boards to facilitate communication. Two months post-implementation, the average number of patients boarding in the A&E hallways significantly decreased from 28 (pre-intervention) to zero (post-intervention), p < .001. Foot traffic per dayshift hour significantly decreased from 221 people to 160 people (28%, p < .001), and non-A&E related foot traffic decreased from 81.4% to 36.3% (45% decrease, p < .001). One hundred percent of the A&E patients have been formally triaged since the implementation of the newly established triage system. Our project used quality improvement principles to reduce the number of patients boarding in the hallways and to decrease unnecessary foot traffic in the A&E department with little investment from the hospital. Key success factors included a collaborative multidisciplinary project team, strong internal champions, data-driven analysis, evidence-based interventions, senior leadership support, and rapid application of initial implementation learnings. Results to date show the application of quality improvement principles can help hospitals in resource-limited settings improve quality of care at relatively low cost.

The impact of frequent attenders on a UK emergency department

2010 ◽  
Vol 17 (6) ◽  
pp. 332-336 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra Dent ◽  
Glenys Hunter ◽  
Andrew Philip Webster
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Frequent Attenders ◽  
The Impact

scholarly journals Demographic and Risk Factor Differences between Children with “One-Time” and “Repeat” Visits to the Emergency Department for Asthma

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 486
Author(s):  
Pavani Rangachari ◽  
Jie Chen ◽  
Nishtha Ahuja ◽  
Anjeli Patel ◽  
Renuka Mehta
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Emergency Department ◽  
Risk Factor ◽  
Childhood Asthma ◽  
Medical Center ◽  
Academic Medical Center ◽  
Retrospective Chart Review ◽  
Primary Research ◽  
Ed Visits ◽  
The Individual

This retrospective study examines demographic and risk factor differences between children who visited the emergency department (ED) for asthma once (“one-time”) and more than once (“repeat”) over an 18-month period at an academic medical center. The purpose is to contribute to the literature on ED utilization for asthma and provide a foundation for future primary research on self-management effectiveness (SME) of childhood asthma. For the first round of analysis, an 18-month retrospective chart review was conducted on 252 children (0–17 years) who visited the ED for asthma in 2019–2020, to obtain data on demographics, risk factors, and ED visits for each child. Of these, 160 (63%) were “one-time” and 92 (37%) were “repeat” ED patients. Demographic and risk factor differences between “one-time” and “repeat” ED patients were assessed using contingency table and logistic regression analyses. A second round of analysis was conducted on patients in the age-group 8–17 years to match another retrospective asthma study recently completed in the outpatient clinics at the same (study) institution. The first-round analysis indicated that except age, none of the individual demographic or risk factors were statistically significant in predicting of “repeat” ED visits. More unequivocally, the second-round analysis revealed that none of the individual factors examined (including age, race, gender, insurance, and asthma severity, among others) were statistically significant in predicting “repeat” ED visits for childhood asthma. A key implication of the results therefore is that something other than the factors examined is driving “repeat” ED visits in children with asthma. In addition to contributing to the ED utilization literature, the results serve to corroborate findings from the recent outpatient study and bolster the impetus for future primary research on SME of childhood asthma.

scholarly journals Development and validation of a delirium risk assessment tool in older patients admitted to the Emergency Department Observation Unit

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Zucchelli ◽  
R. Apuzzo ◽  
C. Paolillo ◽  
V. Prestipino ◽  
S. De Bianchi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Emergency Department ◽  
Older Patients ◽  
Older Persons ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Training Sample ◽  
Risk Assessment Tool ◽  
Observation Unit ◽  
Old Patients ◽  
Two Samples

Abstract Background Delirium is frequent though undetected in older patients admitted to the Emergency Department (ED). Aims To develop and validate a delirium risk assessment tool for older persons admitted to the ED Observation Unit (OU). Methods We used data from two samples of 65 + year-old patients, one admitted to the ED of Brescia Hospital (n = 257) and one to the ED of Desio Hospital (n = 107), Italy. Data from Brescia were used as training sample, those collected in Desio as testing one. Delirium was assessed using the 4AT and patients’ characteristic were retrieved from medical charts. Variables found to be associated with delirium in the training sample were tested for the creation of a delirium risk assessment tool. The resulting tool’s performances were assessed in the testing subsample. Results Of all possible scores tested, the combination with the highest discriminative ability in the training sample included: age ≥ 75 years, dementia diagnosis, chronic use of neuroleptics, and hearing impairment. The delirium score exhibited an AUC of 0.874 and 0.893 in the training and testing samples, respectively. For a 1-point increase in the score, the odds of delirium increased more than twice in both samples. Discussion We propose a delirium risk assessing tool that includes variables that can be easily collected at ED admission and that can be calculated rapidly. Conclusion A risk assessment tool could help improving delirium detection in older persons referring to ED.

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