scholarly journals Sex-Specific Differences in Hospital Transfers of Nursing Home Residents: Results from the HOspitalizations and eMERgency Department Visits of Nursing Home Residents (HOMERN) Project

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (11) ◽  
pp. 3915 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Maximilian Fassmer ◽  
Alexandra Pulst ◽  
Guido Schmiemann ◽  
Falk Hoffmann
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Nursing Home ◽  
Hospital Admissions ◽  
Nursing Home Residents ◽  
Emergency Department Visits ◽  
Sociocultural Factors ◽  
Transfer Policy ◽  
Hospital Transfer ◽  
Ed Visits ◽  
Multicenter Prospective Study

Nursing home (NH) residents are often transferred to hospital (emergency department (ED) visits or hospital admissions) and this occurs more frequently in males. However, respective reasons are rather unclear. We conducted a multicenter prospective study in 14 northwest German NHs with 802 residents in which NH staff recorded anonymized data between March 2018 and July 2019 for each hospital transfer. Measures were analyzed using descriptive statistics and compared between sexes via univariate logistic regression analyses using mixed models with random effects. Eighty-eight planned transfers (53.5% hospital admissions, 46.5% ED visits) occurred as well as 535 unplanned transfers (63.1% hospital admissions, 36.9% ED visits). The two most common causes for unplanned transfers were deteriorations of health status (35.1%) and falls/accidents/injuries (33.5%). Male transferred residents were younger, more often married; their advance directives were more commonly not considered correctly and the NH staff identified more males nearing the end of life than females (52.9% vs. 38.2%). Only 9.2% of transfers were rated avoidable. For advance directive availability and NH staff’s perceptions on transfer conditions, we found marked inter-facility differences. There might be sociocultural factors influencing hospital transfer decisions of male and female nursing home residents and facility characteristics that may affect transfer policy.

scholarly journals Characteristics of outpatient emergency department visits of nursing home residents: an analysis of discharge letters

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie Heinold ◽  
Alexander Maximilian Fassmer ◽  
Guido Schmiemann ◽  
Falk Hoffmann
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Nursing Home ◽  
Nursing Staff ◽  
Wound Care ◽  
Nursing Home Residents ◽  
Emergency Department Visits ◽  
Therapeutic Interventions ◽  
Ed Visits ◽  
Multi Center Study ◽  
Gp Care

Abstract Background Unplanned emergency department (ED) visits of nursing home residents (NHR) are common, with many transfers not leading to hospitalization. However, there is little research on what diagnostic and therapeutic measures are performed during visits. Aims We analyzed underlying diagnoses, characteristics and performed medical procedures of unplanned outpatient ED visits by NHR. Methods We conducted a multi-center study of 14 nursing homes (NHs) in northwestern Germany in 03/2018–07/2019. Hospital transfers were documented by nursing staff using a standardized questionnaire for 12 months. In addition, discharge letters were used to collect information about the respective transfer, its reasons and the extend of the medical services performed in the ED. Results A total of 161 unplanned ED visits were included (mean age: 84.2 years; 68.3% females). The main transfer reasons were trauma (59.0%), urinary catheter and nutritional probe problems (overall 10.6%; male NHR 25.5%) and altered mental state (9.9%). 32.9% where discharged without imaging or blood test prior. 67.4% of injured NHR (n = 95) required no or only basic wound care. Catheter-related problems (n = 17) were mainly treated by changing an existing suprapubic catheter (35.3%) and by flushing the pre-existing catheter (29.4%). Discussion Our data suggest that the diagnostic and therapeutic interventions performed in ED, often do not exceed general practitioner (GP) care and many ED visits seem to be unnecessary. Conclusion Better coordination and consultation with GPs as well as better training of nursing staff in handling catheter problems could help to reduce the number of ED visits.

scholarly journals Repeat emergency department visits by nursing home residents: a cohort study using health administrative data

2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Gruneir ◽  
Candemir Cigsar ◽  
Xuesong Wang ◽  
Alice Newman ◽  
Susan E. Bronskill ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Cohort Study ◽  
Nursing Home ◽  
Administrative Data ◽  
Nursing Home Residents ◽  
Emergency Department Visits ◽  
Health Administrative Data

scholarly journals Paramedics’ Perspectives on the Hospital Transfers of Nursing Home Residents—A Qualitative Focus Group Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (11) ◽  
pp. 3778
Author(s):  
Alexandra Pulst ◽  
Alexander Maximilian Fassmer ◽  
Falk Hoffmann ◽  
Guido Schmiemann
Keyword(s):  
Nursing Home ◽  
Nursing Staff ◽  
Hospital Admissions ◽  
Urinary Catheter ◽  
Nursing Home Residents ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Focus Group Study ◽  
Professional Groups ◽  
Catheter Complications ◽  
Ed Visits

Emergency department (ED) visits and hospital admissions are common among nursing home residents (NHRs). Little is known about the perspectives of emergency medical services (EMS) which are responsible for hospital transports. The aim of this study was to explore paramedics’ experiences with transfers from nursing homes (NHs) and their ideas for possible interventions that can reduce transfers. We conducted three focus groups following a semi-structured question guide. The data were analyzed by content analysis using the software MAXQDA. In total, 18 paramedics (mean age: 33 years, male n = 14) participated in the study. Paramedics are faced with complex issues when transporting NHRs to hospital. They mainly reported on structural reasons (e.g., understaffing or lacking availability of physicians), which led to the initiation of an emergency call. Handovers were perceived as poorly organized because required transfer information (e.g., medication lists, advance directives (ADs)) were incomplete or nursing staff was insufficiently prepared. Hospital transfers were considered as (potentially) avoidable in case of urinary catheter complications, exsiccosis/infections and falls. Legal uncertainties among all involved professional groups (nurses, physicians, dispatchers, and paramedics) seemed to be a relevant trigger for hospital transfers. In paramedics’ point of view, emergency standards in NHs, trainings for nursing staff, the improvement of working conditions and legal conditions can reduce potentially avoidable hospital transfers from NHs.

Construction and Validation of Risk-adjusted Rates of Emergency Department Visits for Long-stay Nursing Home Residents

Medical Care ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
pp. 174-182 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huiwen Xu ◽  
John R. Bowblis ◽  
Yue Li ◽  
Thomas V. Caprio ◽  
Orna Intrator
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Nursing Home ◽  
Nursing Home Residents ◽  
Emergency Department Visits

scholarly journals The impact of COVID-19 on hospital admissions and emergency department visits: A population-based study

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. e0252441
Author(s):  
Elissa Rennert-May ◽  
Jenine Leal ◽  
Nguyen Xuan Thanh ◽  
Eddy Lang ◽  
Shawn Dowling ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Emergency Department ◽  
Hospital Admissions ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Emergency Department Visits ◽  
System Capacity ◽  
Population Based Study ◽  
Health Measures ◽  
Ed Visits ◽  
The Impact

Background As a result of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), there have been widespread changes in healthcare access. We conducted a retrospective population-based study in Alberta, Canada (population 4.4 million), where there have been approximately 1550 hospital admissions for COVID-19, to determine the impact of COVID-19 on hospital admissions and emergency department (ED visits), following initiation of a public health emergency act on March 15, 2020. Methods We used multivariable negative binomial regression models to compare daily numbers of medical/surgical hospital admissions via the ED between March 16-September 23, 2019 (pre COVID-19) and March 16-September 23, 2020 (post COVID-19 public health measures). We compared the most frequent diagnoses for hospital admissions pre/post COVID-19 public health measures. A similar analysis was completed for numbers of daily ED visits for any reason with a particular focus on ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSC). Findings There was a significant reduction in both daily medical (incident rate ratio (IRR) 0.86, p<0.001) and surgical (IRR 0.82, p<0.001) admissions through the ED in Alberta post COVID-19 public health measures. There was a significant decline in daily ED visits (IRR 0.65, p<0.001) including ACSC (IRR 0.75, p<0.001). The most common medical/surgical diagnoses for hospital admissions did not vary substantially pre and post COVID-19 public health measures, though there was a significant reduction in admissions for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and a significant increase in admissions for mental and behavioral disorders due to use of alcohol. Conclusions Despite a relatively low volume of COVID-19 hospital admissions in Alberta, there was an extensive impact on our healthcare system with fewer admissions to hospital and ED visits. This work generates hypotheses around causes for reduced hospital admissions and ED visits which warrant further investigation. As most publicly funded health systems struggle with health-system capacity routinely, understanding how these reductions can be safely sustained will be critical.

scholarly journals The effects of cognitive impairment on nursing home residents' emergency department visits and hospitalizations

2014 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 835-843 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline E. Stephens ◽  
Robert Newcomer ◽  
Mary Blegen ◽  
Bruce Miller ◽  
Charlene Harrington
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Nursing Home ◽  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Nursing Home Residents ◽  
Emergency Department Visits
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