scholarly journals Predicting Unscheduled Emergency Department Return Visits Among Older Adults: Population-Based Retrospective Study

10.2196/22491 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. e22491
Author(s):  
Rai-Fu Chen ◽  
Kuei-Chen Cheng ◽  
Yu-Yin Lin ◽  
I-Chiu Chang ◽  
Cheng-Han Tsai
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Emergency Department ◽  
Health Insurance ◽  
Chronic Illness ◽  
Length Of Stay ◽  
Prediction Model ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
National Health Insurance ◽  
Research Database ◽  
Return Visits

Background Unscheduled emergency department return visits (EDRVs) are key indicators for monitoring the quality of emergency medical care. A high return rate implies that the medical services provided by the emergency department (ED) failed to achieve the expected results of accurate diagnosis and effective treatment. Older adults are more susceptible to diseases and comorbidities than younger adults, and they exhibit unique and complex clinical characteristics that increase the difficulty of clinical diagnosis and treatment. Older adults also use more emergency medical resources than people in other age groups. Many studies have reviewed the causes of EDRVs among general ED patients; however, few have focused on older adults, although this is the age group with the highest rate of EDRVs. Objective This aim of this study is to establish a model for predicting unscheduled EDRVs within a 72-hour period among patients aged 65 years and older. In addition, we aim to investigate the effects of the influencing factors on their unscheduled EDRVs. Methods We used stratified and randomized data from Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database and applied data mining techniques to construct a prediction model consisting of patient, disease, hospital, and physician characteristics. Records of ED visits by patients aged 65 years and older from 1996 to 2010 in the National Health Insurance Research Database were selected, and the final sample size was 49,252 records. Results The decision tree of the prediction model achieved an acceptable overall accuracy of 76.80%. Economic status, chronic illness, and length of stay in the ED were the top three variables influencing unscheduled EDRVs. Those who stayed in the ED overnight or longer on their first visit were less likely to return. This study confirms the results of prior studies, which found that economically underprivileged older adults with chronic illness and comorbidities were more likely to return to the ED. Conclusions Medical institutions can use our prediction model as a reference to improve medical management and clinical services by understanding the reasons for 72-hour unscheduled EDRVs in older adult patients. A possible solution is to create mechanisms that incorporate our prediction model and develop a support system with customized medical education for older patients and their family members before discharge. Meanwhile, a reasonably longer length of stay in the ED may help evaluate treatments and guide prognosis for older adult patients, and it may further reduce the rate of their unscheduled EDRVs.

scholarly journals Predicting Unscheduled Emergency Department Return Visits Among Older Adults: Population-Based Retrospective Study (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rai-Fu Chen ◽  
Kuei-Chen Cheng ◽  
Yu-Yin Lin ◽  
I-Chiu Chang ◽  
Cheng-Han Tsai
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Emergency Department ◽  
Health Insurance ◽  
Chronic Illness ◽  
Length Of Stay ◽  
Prediction Model ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
National Health Insurance ◽  
Research Database ◽  
Return Visits

BACKGROUND Unscheduled emergency department return visits (EDRVs) are key indicators for monitoring the quality of emergency medical care. A high return rate implies that the medical services provided by the emergency department (ED) failed to achieve the expected results of accurate diagnosis and effective treatment. Older adults are more susceptible to diseases and comorbidities than younger adults, and they exhibit unique and complex clinical characteristics that increase the difficulty of clinical diagnosis and treatment. Older adults also use more emergency medical resources than people in other age groups. Many studies have reviewed the causes of EDRVs among general ED patients; however, few have focused on older adults, although this is the age group with the highest rate of EDRVs. OBJECTIVE This aim of this study is to establish a model for predicting unscheduled EDRVs within a 72-hour period among patients aged 65 years and older. In addition, we aim to investigate the effects of the influencing factors on their unscheduled EDRVs. METHODS We used stratified and randomized data from Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database and applied data mining techniques to construct a prediction model consisting of patient, disease, hospital, and physician characteristics. Records of ED visits by patients aged 65 years and older from 1996 to 2010 in the National Health Insurance Research Database were selected, and the final sample size was 49,252 records. RESULTS The decision tree of the prediction model achieved an acceptable overall accuracy of 76.80%. Economic status, chronic illness, and length of stay in the ED were the top three variables influencing unscheduled EDRVs. Those who stayed in the ED overnight or longer on their first visit were less likely to return. This study confirms the results of prior studies, which found that economically underprivileged older adults with chronic illness and comorbidities were more likely to return to the ED. CONCLUSIONS Medical institutions can use our prediction model as a reference to improve medical management and clinical services by understanding the reasons for 72-hour unscheduled EDRVs in older adult patients. A possible solution is to create mechanisms that incorporate our prediction model and develop a support system with customized medical education for older patients and their family members before discharge. Meanwhile, a reasonably longer length of stay in the ED may help evaluate treatments and guide prognosis for older adult patients, and it may further reduce the rate of their unscheduled EDRVs.

scholarly journals Association of socioeconomic status with outcomes in older adult community-dwelling patients after visiting the emergency department: a retrospective cohort study

BMJ Open ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (12) ◽  
pp. e019318 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joyce J H Wachelder ◽  
Isabelle van Drunen ◽  
Patricia M Stassen ◽  
Steffie H A Brouns ◽  
Suze L E Lambooij ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Emergency Department ◽  
Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Low Ses ◽  
Inhospital Mortality ◽  
Average Household Income ◽  
Return Visits ◽  
Triage Level

ObjectivesOlder adults frequently visit the emergency department (ED). Socioeconomic status (SES) has an important impact on health and ED utilisation; however, the association between SES and ED utilisation in elderly remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between SES in older adult patients visiting the ED on outcomes.DesignA retrospective study.ParticipantsOlder adults (≥65 years) visiting the ED, in the Netherlands. SES was stratified into tertiles based on average household income at zip code level: low (<€1800/month), intermediate (€1800–€2300/month) and high (>€2300/month).Primary outcomesHospitalisation, inhospital mortality and 30-day ED return visits. Effect of SES on outcomes for all groups were assessed by logistic regression and adjusted for confounders.ResultsIn total, 4828 older adults visited the ED during the study period. Low SES was associated with a higher risk of hospitalisation among community-dwelling patients compared with high SES (adjusted OR 1.3, 95% CI 1.1 to 1.7). This association was not present for intermediate SES (adjusted OR 1.1, 95% CI 0.95 to 1.4). Inhospital mortality was comparable between the low and high SES group, even after adjustment for age, comorbidity and triage level (low OR 1.4, 95% CI 0.8 to 2.6, intermediate OR 1.3, 95% CI 0.8 to 2.2). Thirty-day ED revisits among community-dwelling patients were also equal between the SES groups (low: adjusted OR 1.0, 95% CI 0.7 to 1.4, and intermediate: adjusted OR 0.8, 95% CI 0.6 to 1.1).ConclusionIn older adult ED patients, low SES was associated with a higher risk of hospitalisation than high SES. However, SES had no impact on inhospital mortality and 30-day ED revisits after adjustment for confounders.

scholarly journals Hyperlipidemia Is a Risk Factor of Adhesive Capsulitis: Real-World Evidence Using the Taiwanese National Health Insurance Research Database

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 232596712098680
Author(s):  
Jr-Yi Wang ◽  
Chen-Kun Liaw ◽  
Chi-Chang Huang ◽  
Tsan-Hon Liou ◽  
Hui-Wen Lin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factor ◽  
Health Insurance ◽  
Propensity Score ◽  
National Health Insurance ◽  
National Health ◽  
Glenohumeral Joint ◽  
Adhesive Capsulitis ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Research Database ◽  
Statin Use

Background: Patients with adhesive capsulitis are evaluated for pain and progressive contracture of the glenohumeral joint. Whether endocrine, immune, or inflammatory processes are involved in its definite pathogenesis is still under debate. Some cross-sectional studies with a small sample size have noted that hyperlipidemia is a possible risk factor for frozen shoulders. Purpose/Hypothesis: The purpose was to conduct a longitudinal population-based study to investigate the risk of adhesive capsulitis among patients with hyperlipidemia. It was hypothesized that patients with hyperlipidemia would have a higher risk of adhesive capsulitis and that the use of statin drugs could reduce the rate. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: Using data from the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) of Taiwan, the authors obtained the records of patients with hyperlipidemia who received a diagnosis between 2004 and 2005 and were followed up until the end of 2010. The control cohort comprised age- and sex-matched patients without hyperlipidemia. Propensity score matching was performed for the other comorbidities. A Cox multivariate proportional hazards model was applied to analyze the risk factors of adhesive capsulitis. The hazard ratio (HR) and adjusted HR were estimated between the study and control cohorts after adjustment for confounders. The effects of statin use on adhesive capsulitis risk were also analyzed. Results: The NHIRD records of 28,748 patients and 114,992 propensity score–matched controls were evaluated. A higher incidence rate of adhesive capsulitis was revealed in the hyperlipidemia cohort, with a crude HR of 1.70 (95% CI, 1.61-1.79; P < .001) and adjusted HR of 1.50 (95% CI, 1.41-1.59; P < .001). Patients with hyperlipidemia who used a statin still had higher crude and adjusted HRs compared with controls. Statin use did not exert protective effects on patients with hyperlipidemia. Conclusion: Patients with hyperlipidemia had a 1.5-fold higher risk of adhesive capsulitis than did healthy controls. Statin use did not provide protection against adhesive capsulitis in patients with hyperlipidemia.

Iatrogenic Vocal Fold Paralysis: A Population-Based Cohort Study in Taiwan

2021 ◽  
pp. 000348942110412
Author(s):  
Ying-Ta Lai ◽  
Pin-Zhir Chao ◽  
Yu-Kang Chang ◽  
Yu-Chun Yen ◽  
Yu-Ting Shen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Insurance ◽  
Cervical Spine ◽  
National Health Insurance ◽  
National Health ◽  
Vocal Fold ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Vocal Fold Paralysis ◽  
Research Database ◽  
Bilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis ◽  
Co Morbidity

Objective: Iatrogenic vocal fold paralysis is an important issue in laryngology, yet there are few population-based studies regarding the epidemiology. This study used a nationwide population-based claims database (the National Health Insurance Research Database) to investigate the epidemiology of iatrogenic unilateral and bilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP/BVFP) among the general adult population in Taiwan. Method: This study analyzed patients (20-90 years old) who underwent thyroid, parathyroid, thoracic, cardiac, or anterior cervical spine operations with vocal fold paralysis among adults in Taiwan from January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2013. The codes for vocal fold paralysis were defined by International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM). Claims data in the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database were used. Results: The most commonly performed operations which were related to vocal fold paralysis in Taiwan were, in descending order of frequency, thyroid, cervical spine, cardiac, thoracic (esophagectomy), and parathyroid operations. The operations that put laryngeal nerves at risk (ONRs) most commonly associated with a diagnosis of UVFP were, in descending order of frequency, thoracic, thyroid, parathyroid, cardiac, and cervical spine. For both UVFP and BVFP, the most commonly associated age group was 51 to 60. For both UVFP and BVFP, the more commonly associated sex was women. Increased length of stay was associated with a higher incidence of UVFP and BVFP. Charlson medical co-morbidity index (CCI) was not associated with UVFP but BVFP was associated with higher Charlson medical co-morbidity scores. Conclusions: Thyroid operations, age 51 to 60, longer hospital stays are associated with vocal fold paralysis. Overall women are more surgically affected than men. This is the first population-based study of iatrogenic vocal fold paralysis.

scholarly journals Rates and characteristics of lower limb amputations in Taiwan, 1997

2002 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Y. Chen ◽  
W. C. Chie ◽  
C. Lan ◽  
M. C. Lin ◽  
J. S. Lai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Insurance ◽  
National Health Insurance ◽  
National Health ◽  
Lower Limb ◽  
The United States ◽  
Research Database ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Female Rate ◽  
Insurance Programme ◽  
National Health Insurance Programme

This study aims to describe the national incidence rate and characteristics of lower limb amputations (LLA) in 1997 from an island-wide database of the national health insurance programme in Taiwan. Some 117,647 discharge records from a sampled database (1 in 20) of the National Health Insurance Research Database were analysed. This study included records (n=171) containing LLA procedures. The LLA procedure rates were obtained by multiplying the number of identified procedures by 20 as the numerator and mid-year total population of Taiwan in 1997 as the denominator. Each procedure was further analysed according to the demographic characteristics of the patients, cause and level of amputation. Summarised gender ratios of LLA procedure rates were obtained by Poisson regression analysis. The crude LLA procedure rate was 18.1 per 100,000 population per year and the crude major LLA procedure rate was 8.8 per 100,000 population per year in Taiwan in 1997. The major cause of LLA procedures was peripheral vascular disease (72%), and the toe was most frequently amputated (48%). The LLA procedure rates, which increased logarithmically with age of patients, were significantly higher in men with a summarised male to female rate ratio of 1.65. The age-standardised LLA procedure rate in Taiwan was lower than that reported in the United States, Finland, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom (Leeds, Middlesborough, and Newcastle), but higher than Spain, Italy, and Japan. The trend of an increasing proportion of PVD-related LLA procedures will prompt the health professionals to develop strategies for LLA prevention.

The impact of national health insurance on the volume and severity of emergency department use

1998 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 92-94 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yeong-Liang Lin ◽  
Chuhsing Kate Hsiao ◽  
Huel-Ming Ma ◽  
Hong-Yuan Hsu ◽  
Shih-Ming Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Health Insurance ◽  
National Health Insurance ◽  
National Health ◽  
Emergency Department Use ◽  
The Impact
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