scholarly journals Bed-to-Bed Transfer Program Among Patients Who Need Hospitalization in a Crowded Emergency Department in Taiwan

Author(s):  
Nai-Wen Ku ◽  
Chu-Lin Tsai ◽  
Shyr-Chyr Chen ◽  
Chien-Hua Huang ◽  
Cheng-Chung Fang ◽  
...  

Background: Emergency department (ED) crowding is a universal issue. In Taiwan, patients with common medical problems prefer to visit ED of medical centers, resulting in overcrowding. Thus, a bed-to-bed transfer program has been implemented since 2014. However, there was few studies that compared clinical outcomes among patients who choose to stay in medical centers to those being transferred to regional hospitals. The aim of this study was to explore the transfer rate, delineate the factors related to patient transfer, and clarify the influence upon the program outcomes. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using demographic and clinical disease factors from the patient electronic referral system, electronic medical records (EMRs) of a medical center in Taipei, and response to referrals from regional hospitals. The study included adult patients who were assessed as appropriate for transfer in 2016. We analyzed the outcomes (length of stay and mortality rate) between the referrals were accepted and refused using propensity score matching. Results: Of the 1759 patients eligible for transfer to regional hospitals, 420 patients (24%) accepted the referral. Medical records were obtained from the regional hospitals for 283 patients (67%). After propensity score matching, the results showed that interhospital transfer resulted in similar median total length of stay (8.7 days in the medical center vs 7.9 days in regional hospitals; P=.245). In-hospital mortality was low for both groups (3.1% in the medical center vs 1.3% in regional hospitals; P=.344). Conclusion: Transfer from an overcrowded ED in a medical center to regional hospitals in eligible patients results in non-significant outcome of total length of stay. With the caveat of an underpowered sample, we did not find statistically significant differences in in-hospital mortality. This healthcare delivery model may be used in other cities facing similar problems of ED overcrowding.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ting Yang ◽  
Yongchun Shen ◽  
John G. Park ◽  
Phillip J Schulte ◽  
Andrew C Hanson ◽  
...  

Abstract BackgroundAcute respiratory failure associated with sepsis contributes to higher in-hospital mortality. Intubation and invasive mechanical ventilation is a common rescue procedure. However, the 2016 International Guidelines for Management of Sepsis and Septic Shock does not provide any recommendation on indication nor timing of intubation. Timely intubation may improve outcome. The decision to intubate those patients is often hampered by the fear of further hemodynamic deterioration following intubation. MethodsThis study aimed at evaluating the impact of timely intubation on outcome in sepsis associated respiratory failure. We conducted an ancillary analysis of a prospective registry od adult ICU patients with septic shock admitted to the medical ICU in a tertiary medical center, between April 30th, 2014 and December 31st, 2017. All cases of sepsis with lactate >4 mmol/L, mean arterial pressure <65 mmHg, or vasopressor use after 30 mL/kg fluid boluses and suspected or confirmed infection. Patients who remained hospitalized at 24 hours following sepsis onset were separated into intubated and non-intubated groups. The primary outcome was hospital mortality. Univariate and multivariable analyses were used, adjusted for admission characteristics and stabilization of shock within 6 hours. In a secondary analysis, time-dependent propensity score matching was used to match intubated and non-intubated patients.ResultsWe identified 345 (33%) patients intubated within 24 hours and 707 (67%) not intubated. Intubated patients were younger, transferred more often from an outside facility, had higher severity of illness scores, more lung infection, achieved blood pressure goals more often but less often lactate normalization within 6 hours. The crude in-hospital mortality was higher, 89 (26%) vs. 82 (12%), p<0.001, as were ICU mortality, and ICU and hospital length of stay. After adjustment, intubation showed no effect on hospital mortality but fewer hospital-free days through day 28. After 1:1 propensity score matching, there was no difference in hospital mortality, but fewer hospital-free days in the intubated group. ConclusionsIntubation within 24 hours of sepsis onset was safe and not associated with hospital mortality, but was associated with less 28-day hospital-free days. Intubation should not be discouraged in appropriate patients with septic shock.


2001 ◽  
Vol 22 (9) ◽  
pp. 565-571 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Clifford McDonald ◽  
Hui Tzu Yu ◽  
Hsiao Chun Yin ◽  
Chao Agnes Hsiung ◽  
Chien-Ching Hung ◽  
...  

AbstractObjective:To determine factors that correlate with increased antibiotic use among adult inpatients in Taiwan.Design:Retrospective survey of medical records.Setting:14 acute-care hospitals (8 regional hospitals, 6 medical centers) in Taiwan.Participants:A systematic probability sample from each hospital, totaling 663 adult inpatients who were discharged or had died in early 1999.Measurements:Infectious disease physicians at the 14 hospitals collected data from medical records regarding patient demographics, hospitalization, discharge diagnosis, and antibiotics received.Results:A total of 447 (67%) patients received antibiotics for an overall rate of 813 antibiotic-days (number of days patients received each antibiotic)/1,000 patient-days. Both the proportion of beds in intensive care units ([ICUs] Pearson correlation coefficient [r], 0.67; 95% confidence interval [CI95], 0.36-0.89;P<.01) and the proportion of patients admitted to surgical services (r,0.66; CI95, 0.20-0.88;P=.01) correlated with the mean patient rate of antibiotic-days/hospital-day (MPAUD). In contrast, we found no correlation between the proportion of patients who received antibiotics and the MPAUD. Using multiple linear regression, medical center status was the only independent predictor for increased MPAUD (regression coefficient [b], 0.15; CI95, 0.05-0.24;P<.01). There was no correlation between pooled rates of antibiotic-days/hospital-day and any hospital demographic factors. First-generation cephalosporin (39%) and aminoglycoside (24%) use accounted for the majority of antibiotic-days.Conclusions:Antibiotic use is greater in medical centers than in regional hospitals and appears to be independent of surgical case mix or the proportion of ICU beds. Determination of multiple, independent measures of antibiotic use may be necessary to understand the relation between antibiotic use and resistance in hospitals.


2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (Supplement_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
C Jin ◽  
Y Yang ◽  
B Liu

Abstract Purpose To compare the outcomes of patients with AMI underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) complicated by cardiogenic shock treated with IABP vs MLVAD. Methods The Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database is the largest inpatient registry in the U.S. We used NIS year 2009–2014 to identify adult patients admitted for AMI, who received PCI and complicated by cardiogenic shock. Based on the use of IABP or MLVAD, the study population was divided into 2 groups. To reduce selection bias, we performed propensity score matching using Kernell method. Patient characteristics, hospital characteristics, and comorbidities were matched. Logistic regression was used for categorical variables including in-hospital mortality, requirement of blood transfusion, sepsis, cardiac arrest and cardiac complications (including iatrogenic complications, hemopericardium, and cardiac tamponade). Poisson regression was used for continuous variables including length of stay and total cost. Results A total of 49837 patients were identified. With propensity score match, 34132 patients in IABP group were matched to 1430 patients in MLVAD group. Compared with MLVAD group, the IABP group had lower in-hospital mortality rates (28.29% vs 40.36%, OR 0.58 (0.42–0.81), p=0.002), lower rate of blood transfusion (9.63% vs 11.50%, OR 0.49 (0.27–0.88), p=0.017), and lower cost (47167 vs 70429 USD, p&lt;0.001). IABP and MLVAD group had similar length of stay (8.9 versus 9.3 days, p=0.882), rates of cardiac complication (6.50% vs 7.24%, OR 0.56 (0.26–1.19), p=0.134), rates of sepsis (9.30% vs 14.98%, OR 0.66 (0.38–1.14), p=0.133), and rates of cardiac arrest (37.84% vs 41.05%, OR 0.70 (0.45–1.10), p=0.123). Conclusion In patients with AMI underwent PCI and complicated by cardiogenic shock, MLAVD compared with IABP was associated with higher risk of in-hospital mortality, requirement of blood transfusion indicating presence of major bleeding complications, and cost, although study interpretation is limited by retrospective observational design. Further research is warranted to elucidate the optimal MCSD in these patients. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None


2009 ◽  
Vol 75 (10) ◽  
pp. 932-936 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin M. Reavis ◽  
Marcelo W. Hinojosa ◽  
Brian R. Smith ◽  
James B. Wooldridge ◽  
Sindhu Krishnan ◽  
...  

Studies have shown conflicting data with regard to the volume and outcome relationship for gastrectomy. Using the University HealthSystem Consortium national database, we examined the influence of the hospital's volume of gastrectomy on outcomes at academic centers between 2004 and 2008. Outcome measures, including length of stay, 30-day readmission, morbidity, and in-hospital mortality, were compared among high- (13 or greater), medium- (6 to 12), and low-volume (five or less) hospitals. There were 10 high- (n = 593 cases), 36 medium- (n = 1076 cases), and 75 low-volume (n = 500 cases) hospitals. There were no significant differences between high- and low-volume hospitals with regard to length of stay, overall complications, 30-day readmission rate, and in-hospital mortality (2.4 vs 4.4%, respectively, P = 0.06). Despite the small number of gastrectomies performed at the low-volume hospitals, these same hospitals performed a large number of other types of gastric surgery such as gastric bypass for the treatment of morbid obesity (102 cases/year). Within the context of academic medical centers, lower annual volume of gastrectomy for neoplasm is not a predictor of poor outcomes which may be explained by the gastric operative experience derived from other types of gastric surgery.


Diagnosis ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Eames ◽  
Arie Eisenman ◽  
Richard J. Schuster

AbstractPrevious studies have shown that changes in diagnoses from admission to discharge are associated with poorer outcomes. The aim of this study was to investigate how diagnostic discordance affects patient outcomes.: The first three digits of ICD-9-CM codes at admission and discharge were compared for concordance. The study involved 6281 patients admitted to the Western Galilee Medical Center, Naharyia, Israel from the emergency department (ED) between 01 November 2012 and 21 January 2013. Concordant and discordant diagnoses were compared in terms of, length of stay, number of transfers, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, readmission, and mortality.: Discordant diagnoses was associated with increases in patient mortality rate (5.1% vs. 1.5%; RR 3.35, 95% CI 2.43, 4.62; p<0.001), the number of ICU admissions (6.7% vs. 2.7%; RR 2.58, 95% CI 2.07, 3.32; p<0.001), hospital length of stay (3.8 vs. 2.5 days; difference 1.3 days, 95% CI 1.2, 1.4; p<0.001), ICU length of stay (5.2 vs. 3.8 days; difference 1.4 days, 95% CI 1.0, 1.9; p<0.001), and 30 days readmission (14.11% vs. 12.38%; RR 1.14, 95% CI 1.00, 1.30; p=0.0418). ED length of stay was also greater for the discordant group (3.0 vs. 2.9 h; difference 8.8 min; 95% CI 0.1, 0.2; p<0.001): These findings indicate discordant admission and discharge diagnoses are associated with increases in morbidity and mortality. Further research should identify modifiable causes of discordance.


2021 ◽  

Background: Emergency department (ED) overcrowding and overuse are global healthcare problems. Despite that substantial pieces of literature have explored quality parameters to monitor the patients’ safety and quality of care in the ED, to the best of our knowledge, no reasonable patient-to-ED staff ratios were established. Objectives: This study aimed to find the association between unexpected emergency department cardiac arrest (EDCA) and the patient-to-ED staff ratio. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted in a medical center in Taiwan. Non-trauma patients (age > 18) who visited the ED from January 1, 2016 to November 30, 2018 were included. The total number of patients in ED, number of patients waiting for boarding, length of stay over 48 hours, and physician/nurse number in ED were collected and analyzed. The primary outcome was the association of each parameter with the incidence of EDCA. Results: A total of 508 patients were included. The total number of patients in ED ( > 361, RR: 1.54; 95% CI {1.239-1.917}), ED occupancy rate (> 280, RR: 1.54; 95% CI {1.245-1.898}), ED bed occupancy rate (> 184, RR: 1.63; 95% CI {1.308-2.034}), number of patients waiting for boarding (> 134, RR: 1.45; 95% CI {1.164-1.805}), number of patients in ED with length of stay over 48 hours (> 36, RR: 1.27; 95% CI {1.029-1.558}) and patient-to-nurse ratio (> 8.5, adjusted RR: 1.33; 95% CI {1.054-1.672}) had significant associations with higher incidence of EDCA. However, the patient-to-physician ratio was not associated with EDCA incidence. Discussions: Regarding loading parameters, the patient-to-nurse ratio is more representative than the patient-to-physician ratio as regards association with higher EDCA incidence. Conclusions: A higher patient-to-nurse ratio (> 8.5) was associated with an increment in the incidence of EDCA. Our findings provide a basis for setting different thresholds for different ED settings to adjust ED staff and develop individually tailored approaches corresponding to the level of ED overcrowding.


2011 ◽  
Vol 70 (6) ◽  
pp. 1317-1325 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathan T. Mowery ◽  
Stacy D. Dougherty ◽  
Amy N. Hildreth ◽  
James H. Holmes ◽  
Michael C. Chang ◽  
...  

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (15) ◽  
pp. 1275-1284 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shinya Hasegawa ◽  
Atsushi Shiraishi ◽  
Makito Yaegashi ◽  
Naoto Hosokawa ◽  
Konosuke Morimoto ◽  
...  

Aim: To compare hospital mortality in patients with aspiration-associated pneumonia treated with ceftriaxone (CTRX) and in those treated with ampicillin/sulbactam (ABPC/SBT). Methods: From a Japanese multicentre observational study cohort of patients with pneumonia, those diagnosed with pneumonia and having at least one aspiration-related risk factor were selected. Propensity score-matching analysis was used to balance baseline characteristics of the participants and compare hospital mortality of patients treated with CTRX and those treated with ABPC/SBT. Results: Hospital mortality did not significantly differ between patients treated with CTRX and those treated with ABPC/SBT (6.6 vs 10.7%, risk difference -4.0, 95% CI [-9.4, 1.3]; p = 0.143). Conclusion: Further studies are needed to compare CTRX and ABPC/SBT treatments in patients with aspiration-associated pneumonia.


2020 ◽  
Vol 49 (3) ◽  
pp. 364-371
Author(s):  
Kentarou Hayashi ◽  
Yusuke Sasabuchi ◽  
Hiroki Matsui ◽  
Mikio Nakajima ◽  
Hiroyuki Ohbe ◽  
...  

Introduction: Sepsis is a systemic inflammatory response syndrome caused by infectious diseases, with cytokines possibly having an important role in the disease mechanism. Acrylonitrile-co-methallyl sulfonate surface-treated (AN69ST) membrane is expected to improve the outcomes of patients with sepsis through cytokine adsorption. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the clinical effect of the AN69ST membrane in comparison to standard continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) membranes for panperitonitis due to lower gastrointestinal perforation. Methods: Using the Diagnosis Procedure Combination database, we identified adult patients with sepsis due to panperitonitis receiving any CRRT. Propensity score matching was used to compare patients who received CRRT with the AN69ST membrane (AN69ST group) and those who received CRRT with other membranes (non-AN69ST group). The primary outcome measure was in-hospital mortality. Results: A total of 528 and 1,445 patients were included in the AN69ST group and in the non-AN69ST group, respectively. Propensity score matching resulted in 521 pairs. There was no significant difference in in-hospital mortality (32.1 vs. 35.5%; p = 0.265) and 30-day mortality (41.3 vs. 42.8%, p = 0.074) between the AN69ST group and the non-AN69ST group. Conclusion: There is no significant difference in-hospital mortality between CRRT with the AN69ST membrane and CRRT with standard CRRT membranes for panperitonitis due to lower gastrointestinal perforation. These results indicate that the AN69ST membrane is not superior to the standard CRRT membrane.


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