scholarly journals Ketamine Safety and Use in the Emergency Department for Pain and Agitation/Delirium: A Health System Experience

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 272-281 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanjie Mo ◽  
Matthew Campbell ◽  
Baruch Fertel ◽  
Simon Lam ◽  
Elizabeth Wells ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Adverse Events ◽  
Health System ◽  
Endotracheal Intubation ◽  
Retrospective Chart Review ◽  
Excited Delirium ◽  
Ed Visits ◽  
Collection Form ◽  
One Year ◽  
Favorable Safety

Introduction: Two protocols were developed to guide the use of subdissociative dose ketamine (SDDK) for analgesia and dissociative sedation ketamine for severe agitation/excited delirium in the emergency department (ED). We sought to evaluate the safety of these protocols implemented in 18 EDs within a large health system. Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review to evaluate all adult patients who received intravenous (IV) SDDK for analgesia and intramuscular (IM) dissociative sedation ketamine for severe agitation/excited delirium in 12 hospital-based and six freestanding EDs over a one-year period from the protocol implementation. We developed a standardized data collection form and used it to record patient information regarding ketamine use, concomitant medication use, and any comorbidities that could have impacted the incidence of adverse events. Results: Approximately 570,000 ED visits occurred during the study period. SDDK was used in 210 ED encounters, while dissociative sedation ketamine for severe agitation/excited delirium was used in 37 ED encounters. SDDK was used in 83% (15/18) of sites while dissociative sedation ketamine was used in 50% (9/18) of sites. Endotracheal intubation, non-rebreather mask, and nasal cannula ≥ four liters per minute were identified in one, five, and three patients, respectively. Neuropsychiatric adverse events were identified in 4% (9/210) of patients who received SDDK. Conclusion: Patients experienced limited neuropsychiatric adverse events from SDDK. Additionally, dissociative sedation ketamine for severe agitation/excited delirium led to less endotracheal intubation than reported in the prehospital literature. The favorable safety profile of ketamine use in the ED may prompt further increases in usage.

scholarly journals P083: Why do older adults in assisted living facilities use the emergency department: are all these visits necessary?

CJEM ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (S1) ◽  
pp. S106-S106
Author(s):  
E. Losier ◽  
A. McCollum ◽  
P. Jarrett ◽  
R. McCloskey ◽  
P. Nicholson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Assisted Living ◽  
Demographic Data ◽  
Care Home ◽  
Functional Decline ◽  
Retrospective Chart Review ◽  
Community Services ◽  
Level 3 ◽  
Ed Visits ◽  
One Year

Introduction: Special Care Home (SCH) residents require supervision for activities of daily living but not regular nursing care. Emergency Department (ED) use by seniors in SCHs is poorly studied. A recent study in Nova Scotia found seniors represented over 20% of ED visits. We studied SCH resident ED visits in a community with a population of 30,000 aged over 65 years and with 785 SCH beds, to define reasons for ED visits to a tertiary ED, and if these could be avoided. Methods: We performed a retrospective chart review of SCH residents’ visits to an ED (SCH-ED) which has 56,000 total ED (TED) visits over one year. Reasons for visit, admission data, and avoidability were collected. A geriatrician and ED physician independently reviewed visits. Initial disagreement on avoidability (27%) was adjudicated through case discussion. Results: Demographic data revealed 344 ED visits by 111 SCH residents over one year; 37% of visits resulted in admission. 13.9% of residents visited the ED on at least one occasion (average 3.1 visits); mean age 78.4 years; female 66.7%; ambulance arrival 91.0%. The three most common chief complaints were shortness of breath, weakness and abdominal pain. Most SCH-ED visits were Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale (CTAS) Level 3 (63.4%, TED 53.3%). Of CTAS Level 3 visits, 35.3% were admitted (TED 12.9%). SCH-ED visits were avoidable in 40.6% of cases. Gastrointestinal (18%), pain (16.5%), falls, functional decline or injury (14%) and respiratory (12%) were the most common avoidable diagnostic groups, accounting for 57% of total SCH visits. Conclusion: ED visits by SCH residents demonstrated increased acuity and admission rates with a high number of repeat visits. Of all SCH-ED visits, 40% were potentially avoidable. Further study may determine if improved community services reduces ED visits or hospital admission. Gastrointestinal, respiratory, falls and pain diagnoses may be important areas of focus.

scholarly journals Causes of early postpartum complications that result in visits to the emergency department

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (11) ◽  
pp. e0260101
Author(s):  
Prabhpreet Hundal ◽  
Rahim Valani ◽  
Cassandra Quan ◽  
Shayan Assaie-Ardakany ◽  
Tanmay Sharma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Health System ◽  
Wound Care ◽  
Group B Streptococcus ◽  
Community Setting ◽  
Retrospective Chart Review ◽  
Postpartum Visit ◽  
Early Postpartum ◽  
Ed Visits ◽  
Group B

Objective This study aimed to review the reasons why postpartum women present to the emergency department (ED) over a short term (≤10 days post-delivery) and to identify the risk factors associated with early visits to the ED. Methods This retrospective chart review included all women who delivered at a regional health system (William Osler Health System, WOHS) in 2018 and presented to the WOHS ED within 10 days after delivery. Baseline descriptive statistics were used to examine the patient demographics and identify the timing of the postpartum visit. Univariate tests were used to identify significant predictors for admission. A multivariate model was developed based on backward selection from these significant factors to identify admission predictors. Results There were 381 visits identified, and the average age of the patients was 31.22 years (SD: 4.83), with median gravidity of 2 (IQR: 1–3). Most patients delivered via spontaneous vaginal delivery (53.0%). The median time of presentation to the ED was 5.0 days, with the following most common reasons: abdominal pain (21.5%), wound-related issues (12.6%), and urinary issues (9.7%). Delivery during the weekend (OR 1.91, 95% CI 1.00–3.65, P = 0.05) was predictive of admission while Group B Streptococcus positive patients were less likely to be admitted (OR 0.22, CI 0.05–0.97, P<0.05) Conclusions This was the first study in a busy community setting that examined ED visits over a short postpartum period. Patient education on pain management and wound care can reduce the rate of early postpartum ED visits.

Harnessing the Chaplain’s Capacity to Identify Unmet Palliative Needs of Vulnerable Older Adults in the Emergency Department

2021 ◽  
pp. 082585972110033
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Hamill Howard ◽  
Rachel Schwartz ◽  
Bruce Feldstein ◽  
Marita Grudzen ◽  
Lori Klein ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Palliative Care ◽  
End Of Life Care ◽  
Older Patients ◽  
Chart Review ◽  
Retrospective Chart Review ◽  
Life Care ◽  
Emergency Medicine Physician ◽  
Medicine Physician ◽  
One Year

Objective: To explore chaplains’ ability to identify unmet palliative care (PC) needs in older emergency department (ED) patients. Methods: A palliative chaplain-fellow conducted a retrospective chart review evaluating 580 ED patients, age ≥80 using the Palliative Care and Rapid Emergency Screening (P-CaRES) tool. An emergency medicine physician and chaplain-fellow screened 10% of these charts to provide a clinical assessment. One year post-study, charts were re-examined to identify which patients received PC consultation (PCC) or died, providing an objective metric for comparing predicted needs with services received. Results: Within one year of ED presentation, 31% of the patient sub-sample received PCC; 17% died. Forty percent of deceased patients did not receive PCC. Of this 40%, chaplain screening for P-CaRES eligibility correctly identified 75% of the deceased as needing PCC. Conclusion: Establishing chaplain-led PC screenings as standard practice in the ED setting may improve end-of-life care for older patients.

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 MP52: Effectiveness of an outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy clinic for adults with non-purulent cellulitis

CJEM ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (S1) ◽  
pp. S61-S61
Author(s):  
A. Mattice ◽  
R. Yip ◽  
D. Eagles ◽  
H. Rosenberg ◽  
K. Suh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Adverse Events ◽  
Antibiotic Therapy ◽  
Hospital Admission ◽  
Treatment Failure ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Parenteral Antibiotic ◽  
Monthly Data ◽  
Outpatient Parenteral Antibiotic Therapy ◽  
Ed Visits ◽  
One Year

Introduction: Emergency department (ED) patients with cellulitis that are treated with intravenous (IV) antibiotics may be eligible for outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy (OPAT). The primary objective of this study was to determine whether the implementation of an OPAT clinic results in decreased hospitalization and return ED visits for patients treated with IV antibiotics. Methods: We conducted a before-after implementation study involving adults (age >=18 years) that presented to two tertiary care EDs with cellulitis and were treated with IV antibiotics. The intervention was referral to an infectious disease physician within one week of the index ED visit at the newly created OPAT clinic. The primary outcomes were hospital admission and return ED visits within 14 days. Secondary outcomes were treatment failure (admission after 48 hours of OPAT) and adverse events (e.g. vomiting, diarrhea). We conducted an interrupted time series analysis from January to December both pre-intervention (2013) and post-intervention (2015), with 24 monthly data points. The year of clinic implementation (2014) was considered a transition period. A segmented non-linear regression autoregressive error model was used to aggregate the monthly data to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention. Results: A total of 1,666 patients met inclusion criteria: 858 pre-intervention (mean age 59 years, 53.1% male) and 808 post-intervention (mean age 62 years, 54.5% male). Hospitalization rates were not significantly higher one year after clinic implementation (p = 0.53) although there was a non-statistically significant gradual increase of 0.8% per month (95%CI -0.3% to 1.9%). One year after introduction of the OPAT clinic, return ED visits were significantly lower (change in intercept -24.4%, 95%CI -34.2% to -14.6%; p < 0.001), followed by an additional drop of 1.4% per month (95%CI -2.1% to -0.6%; p = 0.002). By the end of the study, return visits were 40.7% lower (95%CI 25.6% to 55.9%) than if the intervention had not been introduced. Treatment failure rates were <2% and adverse events were <5% in both groups. Conclusion: Implementation of an OPAT clinic significantly reduced return ED visits for cellulitis, which is critically important given the current ED overcrowding crisis. There was no significant change in hospital admission rates. There were low rates of treatment failures and adverse events. An OPAT clinic should be considered to reduce ED crowding while maintaining safe patient care.

The role of chronic disease in the costs of potentially preventable emergency department use during treatment: A regional study.

2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. 6505-6505 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Elizabeth Panattoni ◽  
Catherine R. Fedorenko ◽  
Karma L. Kreizenbeck ◽  
Stuart Greenlee ◽  
Julia Rose Walker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Chronic Disease ◽  
Chronic Conditions ◽  
Healthcare Research ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Regional Study ◽  
Diagnosis Codes ◽  
Ed Visits ◽  
One Year

6505 Background: The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a quality metric for potentially preventable chemotherapy-associated emergency department (ED) use, effective in 2020. This metric excludes diagnoses with emerging evidence for outpatient management, such as proactive symptom management (PSM) and those for ambulatory care sensitive chronic conditions. Little is known about the intersection between potentially preventable ED visits due to cancer vs. other chronic disease. This study characterized the number and costs of ED visits during treatment. Methods: Western Washington cancer registry records from 2011- 2015 were linked with claims from two commercial insurers. Patients with newly diagnosed solid tumors undergoing initial treatment with chemotherapy or radiation were eligible. ED use was tracked one year post treatment initiation. ED diagnosis codes for fields 1-10 from the CMS metric and the PSM literature were labeled “Potentially Preventable” (Pp). Codes from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s Prevention Quality Indicators (PQI) for Chronic Conditions were labeled “Potentially Preventable-Chronic Disease” (PpChronic). Costs were adjusted to $2016. Results: Of the 7,053 eligible patients, 2,543 (36.1%) visited the ED (median # visits [IQR]: 1 [1-2]). The most commonly listed codes included Pain (1,054 visits) and Dyspnea (279 visits) for Pp, Hypertension-PQI (652 visits) and COPD-PQI (206 visits) for PpChronic, and Diabetes (247 visits) and Hyperlipidemia (181 visits) for the other codes. Spending on ED visits including both potentially preventable cancer and chronic disease diagnoses totalled $706,552 (20% of ED costs). Conclusions: One fifth of ED costs potentially resulted from simultaneous poor cancer symptom and chronic disease management. Future research should explore the role of chronic illness in categorizing which ED visits are potentially preventable during cancer treatment. [Table: see text]

scholarly journals Patient Controlled Analgesia for Adults with Sickle Cell Disease Awaiting Admission from the Emergency Department

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Josue Santos ◽  
Sasia Jones ◽  
Daniel Wakefield ◽  
James Grady ◽  
Biree Andemariam
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Sickle Cell Disease ◽  
Sickle Cell ◽  
Treatment Algorithm ◽  
Retrospective Chart Review ◽  
Cell Disease ◽  
Patient Controlled Analgesia ◽  
Analgesic Treatment ◽  
Pain Scores ◽  
Ed Visits

Background.A treatment algorithm for sickle cell disease (SCD) pain in adults presenting to a single emergency department (ED) was developed prioritizing initiation of patient controlled analgesia (PCA) for patients awaiting hospitalization.Objectives.Evaluate the proportion of ED visits in which PCA was started in the ED.Methods.A two-year retrospective chart review of consecutive SCD pain ED visits was undertaken. Data abstracted included PCA initiation, low versus high utilizer status, pain scores, bolus opioid number, treatment times, and length of hospitalization.Results.258 visits resulted in hospitalization. PCA was initiated in 230 (89%) visits of which 157 (68%) were initiated in the ED. Time to PCA initiation was longer when PCA was begun after hospitalization versus in the ED (8.6 versus 4.5 hours,p<0.001). ED PCA initiation was associated with fewer opioid boluses following decision to admit and less time without analgesic treatment (allp<0.05). Mean pain intensity (MPI) reduction did not differ between groups. Among visits where PCA was begun in the ED, low utilizers demonstrated greater MPI reduction than high utilizers (2.8 versus 2.0,p=0.04).Conclusions.ED PCA initiation for SCD-related pain is possible and associated with more timely analgesic delivery.

scholarly journals Reduction in Emergency Department Presentations in a Regional Health System during the Covid-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 842-850
Author(s):  
Edana Mann ◽  
Daniel Swedien ◽  
Jonathan Hansen ◽  
Susan Peterson ◽  
Mustapha Saheed ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Health System ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Hospital System ◽  
Vein Thrombosis ◽  
Diagnosis Codes ◽  
Icd 10 ◽  
Ed Visits ◽  
Clinical Conditions ◽  
Deep Vein

Introduction: Nationally, there has been more than a 40% decrease in Emergency Department (ED) patient volume during the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) crisis, with reports of decreases in presentations of time-sensitive acute illnesses. We analyzed ED clinical presentations in a Maryland/District of Columbia regional hospital system while health mitigation measures were instituted. Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational cohort study of all adult ED patients presenting to five Johns Hopkins Health System (JHHS) hospitals comparing visits from March 16 through May 15, in 2019 and 2020. We analyzed de-identified demographic information, clinical conditions, and ICD-10 diagnosis codes for year-over-year comparisons. Results: There were 36.7% fewer JHHS ED visits in 2020 compared to 2019 (43,088 vs. 27,293, P<.001). Patients 75+ had the greatest decline in visits (-44.00%, P<.001). Both genders had significant decreases in volume (-41.9%, P<.001 females vs -30.6%, P<.001 males). Influenza like illness (ILI) symptoms increased year-over-year including fever (640 to 1253, 95.8%, P<.001) and shortness of breath (2504 to 2726, 8.9%, P=.002). ICD-10 diagnoses for a number of time-sensitive illnesses decreased including deep vein thrombosis (101 to 39, -61%, P<.001), acute myocardial infarction (157 to 105, -33%, P=.002), gastrointestinal bleeding (290 to 179, -38.3%, P<.001), and strokes (284 to 234, -17.6%, P=0.03). Conclusion: ED visits declined significantly among JHHS hospitals despite offsetting increases in ILI complaints. Decreases in presentations of time-sensitive illnesses were of particular concern. Efforts should be taken to inform patients that EDs are safe, otherwise preventable morbidity and mortality will remain a problem.

scholarly journals Diagnosis and Treatment of Acute Gout at a University Hospital Emergency Department

2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naomi Schlesinger ◽  
Diane C Radvanski ◽  
Tina C Young ◽  
Jonathan V McCoy ◽  
Robert Eisenstein ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Retrospective Chart Review ◽  
University Hospital ◽  
Diagnosis And Treatment ◽  
Acute Gout ◽  
Inflammatory Drug ◽  
Ed Visits ◽  
Inflammatory Drugs ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Anti Inflammatory

Background : Acute gout attacks account for a substantial number of visits to the emergency department (ED). Our aim was to evaluate acute gout diagnosis and treatment at a University Hospital ED. Methods : Our study was a retrospective chart review of consecutive patients with a diagnosis of acute gout seen in the ED 1/01/2004 - 12/31/2010. We documented: demographics, clinical characteristics, medications given, diagnostic tests, consultations and whether patients were hospitalized. Descriptive and summary statistics were performed on all variables. Results : We found 541 unique ED visit records of patients whose discharge diagnosis was acute gout over a 7 year period. 0.13% of ED visits were due to acute gout. The mean patient age was 54; 79% were men. For 118 (22%) this was their first attack. Attack duration was ≤ 3 days in 75%. Lower extremity joints were most commonly affected. Arthrocentesis was performed in 42 (8%) of acute gout ED visits. During 355 (66%) of ED visits, medications were given in the ED and/or prescribed. An anti-inflammatory drug was given during the ED visit during 239 (44%) visits. Medications given during the ED visit included: NSAIDs: 198 (56%): opiates 190 (54%); colchicine 32 (9%) and prednisone 32 (9%). During 154 (28%) visits an anti-inflammatory drug was prescribed. Thirty two (6%) were given no medications during the ED visit nor did they receive a prescription. Acute gout rarely (5%) led to hospitalizations. Conclusion : The diagnosis of acute gout in the ED is commonly clinical and not crystal proven. Anti-inflammatory drugs are the mainstay of treatment in acute gout; yet, during more than 50% of ED visits, anti-inflammatory drugs were not given during the visit. Thus, improvement in the diagnosis and treatment of acute gout in the ED may be required.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document