Post-discharge phone follow-up: a collaboration for optimizing medications management upon transition of care

SummaryA high incidence of post-discharge venous thromboembolism in orthopaedic surgery patients has been recently reported drawing further attention to the unresolved issue of the optimal duration of the pharmacological prophylaxis. We performed an overview analysis in order to evaluate the incidence of late occurring clinically overt venous thromboembolism in major orthopaedic surgery patients discharged from the hospital with a negative venography and without further pharmacological prophylaxis. We selected the studies published from January 1974 to December 1995 on the prophylaxis of venous thromboembolism after major orthopaedic surgery fulfilling the following criteria: 1) adoption of pharmacological prophylaxis, 2) performing of a bilateral venography before discharge, 3) interruption of pharmacological prophylaxis at discharge in patients with negative venography, and 4) post-discharge follow-up of the patients for at least four weeks. Out of 31 identified studies, 13 fulfilled the overview criteria. The total number of evaluated patients was 4120. An adequate venography was obtained in 3469 patients (84.1%). In the 2361 patients with negative venography (68.1%), 30 episodes of symptomatic venous thromboembolism after hospital discharge were reported with a resulting cumulative incidence of 1.27% (95% C.I. 0.82-1.72) and a weighted mean incidence of 1.52% (95% C.I. 1.05-1.95). Six cases of pulmonary embolism were reported. Our overview showed a low incidence of clinically overt venous thromboembolism at follow-up in major orthopaedic surgery patients discharged with negative venography. Extending pharmacological prophylaxis in these patients does not appear to be justified. Venous thrombi leading to hospital re-admission are likely to be present but asymptomatic at the time of discharge. Future research should be directed toward improving the accuracy of non invasive diagnostic methods in order to replace venography in the screening of asymptomatic post-operative deep vein thrombosis.

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Impact of pharmacist-conducted anticoagulation patient education and telephone follow-up on transitions of care: a randomized controlled trial

BMC Health Services Research ◽

10.1186/s12913-021-06156-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Lamis R. Karaoui ◽

Elsy Ramia ◽

Hanine Mansour ◽

Nisrine Haddad ◽

Nibal Chamoun

Keyword(s):

Tertiary Care ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Bleeding Event ◽

Transitions Of Care ◽

Control Group ◽

Published Data ◽

Post Discharge ◽

Readmission Rates ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background There is limited published data in Lebanon evaluating the impact of supplemental education for anticoagulants use, especially DOACs, on clinical outcomes such as bleeding. The study aims to assess the impact of pharmacist-conducted anticoagulation education and follow-up on bleeding and readmission rates. Methods This study was a randomized, non-blinded interventional study conducted between August 2017 and July 2019 in a tertiary care teaching Lebanese hospital. Participants were inpatients ≥18 years discharged on an oral anticoagulant for treatment. Block randomization was used. The control group received the standard nursing counseling while the intervention group additionally received pharmacy counseling. Phone call follow-ups were done on day 3 and 30 post-discharge. Primary outcomes included readmission rates and any bleeding event at day 3 and 30 post-discharge. Secondary outcomes included documented elements of education in the medical records and reported mortality upon day 30 post-discharge. Results Two hundred patients were recruited in the study (100 patients in each study arm) with a mean age of 73.9 years. In the pharmacist-counseled group, more patients contacted their physician within 3 days (14% versus 4%; p = 0.010), received explicit elements of education (p < 0.001) and documentation in the chart was better (p < 0.05). In the standard of care group, patients were more aware of their next physician appointment date (52% versus 31%, p < 0.001). No difference in bleeding rates at day 3 and 30 post-discharge was observed between the groups. Conclusions Although pharmacist-conducted anticoagulation education did not appear to reduce bleeding or readmission rates at day 30, pharmacist education significantly increased patient communication with their providers in the early days post-discharge. Trial registration Lebanon Clinical Trial Registry LBCTR2020033424. Retrospectively registered. Date of registration: 06/03/2020.

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COVID-19-associated rhino-orbital mucormycosis (CAROM)—a case report

Egyptian Journal of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine ◽

10.1186/s43055-021-00547-5 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 52 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Humsheer Singh Sethi ◽

Kamal Kumar Sen ◽

Sudhansu Sekhar Mohanty ◽

Sangram Panda ◽

Kolluru Radha Krishna ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Case Report ◽

Health Care Professionals ◽

Opportunistic Infections ◽

Fungal Spores ◽

Nasal Discharge ◽

Contributing Factors ◽

Post Discharge ◽

Pulmonary Mucormycosis ◽

The Right

Abstract Background There has been a rapid rise in the number of COVID-19-associated rhino-orbital mucormycosis (CAROM) cases especially in South Asian countries, to an extent that it has been considered an epidemic among the COVID-19 patients in India. As of May 13, 2021, 101 CAROM cases have been reported, of which 82 cases were from India and 19 from the rest of the world. On the other hand, pulmonary mucormycosis associated with COVID-19 has a much lesser reported incidence of only 7% of the total COVID-19-associated mucormycosis cases (Singh AK, Singh R, Joshi SR, Misra A, Diab Metab Syndr: Clin Res Rev, 2021). This case report attempts to familiarize the health care professionals and radiologists with the imaging findings that should alarm for follow-up and treatment in the lines of CAROM. Case presentation Rhino-orbital mucormycosis (ROM) is a manifestation of mucormycosis that is thought to be acquired by inhalation of fungal spores into the paranasal sinuses. Here, we describe a 55-year-old male, post COVID-19 status with long standing diabetes who received steroids and ventilator therapy for the management of the viral infection. Post discharge from the COVID-19 isolation ICU, the patient complained of grayish discharge from the right nostril and was readmitted to the hospital for the nasal discharge. After thorough radiological and pathological investigation, the patient was diagnosed with CAROM and managed. Conclusion Uncontrolled diabetes and imprudent use of steroids are both contributing factors in the increased number of CAROM cases. Our report emphasizes on the radiological aspect of CAROM and reinforces the importance of follow-up imaging in post COVID-19 infection cases with a strong suspicion of opportunistic infections.

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Pharmacist-Led Transition of Care Interventions Identify and Reduce Medication Errors in Heart Failure Patients Post-Discharge

Journal of Cardiac Failure ◽

10.1016/j.cardfail.2016.06.416 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 22 (8) ◽

pp. S134-S135

Author(s):

Michelle Fine ◽

R. Kannan Mutharasan ◽

Preeti Kansal ◽

Hannah Alphs Jackson ◽

Corrine Benacka ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heart Failure ◽

Medication Errors ◽

Transition Of Care ◽

Post Discharge ◽

Heart Failure Patients

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LB742 Predictors of post-discharge follow-up attendance among hospitalized dermatology patients

Journal of Investigative Dermatology ◽

10.1016/j.jid.2021.07.027 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 141 (9) ◽

pp. B10

Author(s):

A. Zakaria ◽

A. Chang ◽

P. Kim-Lim ◽

R. Arakaki ◽

K. Shinkai ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Post Discharge

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Clinical and laboratory follow-up after hospitalization for COVID-19 at an Italian tertiary care center

Open Forum Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1093/ofid/ofab049 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Michele Spinicci ◽

Iacopo Vellere ◽

Lucia Graziani ◽

Marta Tilli ◽

Beatrice Borchi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Infectious Diseases ◽

Care Center ◽

Tertiary Care ◽

University Hospital ◽

Tertiary Care Center ◽

Persistent Symptom ◽

Post Discharge

Abstract We evaluated 100 post-acute COVID-19 patients, a median of 60 days (IQR 48-67) after discharge from the Careggi University Hospital, Italy. Eighty-four (84%) had at least one persistent symptom, irrespective of COVID-19 severity. A considerable number of hospital re-admission (10%) and/or infectious diseases (14%) during the post-discharge period was reported.

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High incidence of patients lost to follow-up after venous thromboembolism diagnosis – Identifying an unmet need for targeted transition of care

Vascular ◽

10.1177/17085381211020969 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 170853812110209

Author(s):

Rae S Rokosh ◽

Jack H Grazi ◽

David Ruohoniemi ◽

Eugene Yuriditsky ◽

James Horowitz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Emergency Department ◽

Pulmonary Embolism ◽

Venous Thromboembolism ◽

Venous Thrombosis ◽

Deep Venous Thrombosis ◽

Time Of Day ◽

Transition Of Care ◽

Initial Discharge ◽

Significant Difference

Objectives Venous thromboembolism, including deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, is a major source of morbidity, mortality, and healthcare utilization. Given the prevalence of venous thromboembolism and its associated mortality, our study sought to identify factors associated with loss to follow-up in venous thromboembolism patients. Methods This is a single-center retrospective study of all consecutive admitted (inpatient) and emergency department patients diagnosed with acute venous thromboembolism via venous duplex examination and/or chest computed tomography from January 2018 to March 2019. Patients with chronic deep venous thrombosis and those diagnosed in the outpatient setting were excluded. Lost to venous thromboembolism-specific follow-up (LTFU) was defined as patients who did not follow up with vascular, cardiology, hematology, oncology, pulmonology, or primary care clinic for venous thromboembolism management at our institution within three months of initial discharge. Patients discharged to hospice or dead within 30 days of initial discharge were excluded from LTFU analysis. Statistical analysis was performed using STATA 16 (College Station, TX: StataCorp LLC) with a p-value of <0.05 set for significance. Results During the study period, 291 isolated deep venous thrombosis, 25 isolated pulmonary embolism, and 54 pulmonary embolism with associated deep venous thrombosis were identified in 370 patients. Of these patients, 129 (35%) were diagnosed in the emergency department and 241 (65%) in the inpatient setting. At discharge, 289 (78%) were on anticoagulation, 66 (18%) were not, and 15 (4%) were deceased. At the conclusion of the study, 120 patients (38%) had been LTFU, 85% of whom were discharged on anticoagulation. There was no statistically significant difference between those LTFU and those with follow-up with respect to age, gender, diagnosis time of day, venous thromboembolism anatomic location, discharge unit location, or anticoagulation choice at discharge. There was a non-significant trend toward longer inpatient length of stay among patients LTFU (16.2 days vs. 12.3 days, p = 0.07), and a significant increase in the proportion of LTFU patients discharged to a facility rather than home ( p = 0.02). On multivariate analysis, we found a 95% increase in the odds of being lost to venous thromboembolism-specific follow-up if discharged to a facility (OR 1.95, CI 1.1–3.6, p = 0.03) as opposed to home. Conclusions Our study demonstrates that over one-third of patients diagnosed with venous thromboembolism at our institution are lost to venous thromboembolism-specific follow-up, particularly those discharged to a facility. Our work suggests that significant improvement could be achieved by establishing a pathway for the targeted transition of care to a venous thromboembolism-specific follow-up clinic.

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Abstract 247: A Randomized Controlled Study of a Platform to Maximize Patient Knowledge of Health Goals After Acute Myocardial Infarction

Circulation Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes ◽

10.1161/circoutcomes.10.suppl_3.247 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 10 (suppl_3) ◽

Author(s):

Robin Mathews ◽

Peter Shrader ◽

Vladimir Demyaneko ◽

Vincent Miller ◽

Laura Webb ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Myocardial Infarction ◽

Secondary Prevention ◽

Outpatient Visit ◽

Medication Use ◽

Treatment Goals ◽

Post Discharge ◽

Risk Factor Control ◽

Health Goals ◽

Education Tool

Objectives: Patients vary in the degree to which they understand and engage in their health care. We hypothesized that a personalized patient health education tool will promote patient communication and align patient and provider treatment goals in follow-up visits in order to optimize guideline adherence, including evidence-based therapy use and cardiovascular risk factor control, after an acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Methods: We developed a personalized patient education tool that summarized each patient’s status at discharge of secondary prevention risk factors (blood pressure (BP), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and glycemic control), medication use (aspirin, beta blocker, ACE inhibitor/ARB, statin, P2Y 12 inhibitor), and outpatient treatment goals. Patients were randomized 1:1 to usual care vs. receipt of the education tool within 2 weeks post-discharge (before the outpatient visit). We compared secondary prevention medication use, cardiovascular risk factor control, and awareness of treatment goals between randomized groups at 6 months post-discharge. Results: Among 192 enrolled AMI patients, the median age was 60 years, 42% female, and 35% African American; demographic and clinical characteristics were well balanced between randomized groups. We noted high rates of secondary prevention therapy use at 6 months (Table). By 6 months post-discharge, mean systolic BP decreased by 10 mmHg with 80% of patients <140/90 mmHg, and mean LDL-C decreased by 13 mg/dl with 64% of patients under 100mg/dl. Overall, 36% of patients participated in cardiac rehabilitation. We observed no significant differences between randomized groups in any of these outcomes. Only 9% of patients who received the education tool brought it to their outpatient visit for discussion. Conclusion: Though secondary prevention medication use remains reasonably high at 6 months, achievement of secondary prevention health goals remains suboptimal after a myocardial infarction. Few patients utilized the health tool in discussions with outpatient providers during their follow-up visit which likely explains the lack of outcomes differences between randomized groups. Further work is needed to find effective interventions to engage patients and promote sustained behavioral modification for secondary prevention.

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Attendance at an outpatient follow-up clinic by HIV-positive psychiatric patients initiated on ART as inpatients

South African Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.4102/sajpsychiatry.v21i3.695 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 21 (3) ◽

pp. 5

Author(s):

Yvette M Nel ◽

Gregory Jonsson

Keyword(s):

Psychiatric Patients ◽

Mental Healthcare ◽

Limited Resource ◽

Primary Objective ◽

Hiv Treatment ◽

Hiv Positive ◽

Hiv Status ◽

Post Discharge ◽

Resource Setting

Background. Evidence suggests that the presence of mental illness may be associated with poorer adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART). There is also a general understanding that patients initiated on ART as inpatients have poorer outcomes than those initiated as outpatients. Negative perceptions regarding future adherence may affect the clinical decision to initiate ART in hospitalised psychiatric patients. Attendance at clinic appointments is an indicator of medication adherence, and is easily measurable in a limited-resource setting. Objectives. The primary objective of this study was to examine the rate of attendance at the first clinic appointment post discharge from a period of psychiatric hospitalisation in HIV-positive psychiatric patients initiated on ART as inpatients. A secondary objective was to determine which factors, if any, were associated with clinic attendance. Methods. This study was a retrospective record review, conducted at the Luthando Neuropsychiatric HIV Clinic in Soweto, which is an integrated mental healthcare and ART clinic. Patients who were initiated on ART as psychiatric inpatients from 1 July 2009 to 31 December 2010, and subsequently discharged for outpatient follow-up at Luthando Clinic were included in the sample. Results. There were 98 patients included in the analysis. The sample was predominantly female. The rate of attendance was 80%. The attendant and non-attendant groups were similar in terms of demographic and clinical data. Significantly fewer non-attendant patients had disclosed their HIV status to their treatment supporter (p=0.01). Conclusion. Non-disclosure of HIV status needs to be further addressed in integrated psychiatric HIV treatment facilities in order to improve attendance. Female predominance in this setting should also be further investigated.

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