Improving triage accuracy through a modified nurse-administered emergency department assessment of chest pain score on patients with chest pain at triage (EDACT): A prospective observational study

BackgroundChest pain triage in our emergency department (ED) prioritize patients for consultation based on unstructured nursing gestalt. The Emergency Department Assessment of Chest Pain Score (EDACS) identifies patients at low-risk for major adverse cardiac events and may provide standardization for chest pain triage in ED.MethodsWe conducted a prospective observational study, including adult patients with chief complaint of chest pain who were self-conveyed. We aimed to evaluate the overall diagnostic performance of a modified EDACS in triaging these patients.ResultsData was collected over 6 weeks, with 284 patients included in the final analysis. Nursing gestalt had higher sensitivity (97.6%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 87.4% to 99.9% versus EDACS 45.2%, 95% CI 29.8% to 61.3%), while modified EDACS provided higher specificity (76.4%, 95% CI 70.6% to 81.6%, versus nursing gestalt 29.8%, 95% CI 24.1% to 35.9%). EDACS with electrocardiogram had significantly better area under the receiver operating characteristic curve statistic (0.712; 95% CI 0.631 to 0.793) than EDACS alone (0.608; 95% CI 0.528 to 0.689) and nursing gestalt (0.637; 95% CI 0.600 to 0.674) (p = 0.0324).ConclusionsFurther studies should explore if modified EDACS, together with nursing gestalt, can improve triage accuracy for ED patients with chest pain.     

Clinical Decision Support for Recognizing and Managing Hypertensive Blood Pressure in Youth: No Significant Impact on Medical Costs

ObjectiveTo evaluate economic costs from the health system perspective of an electronic health record-based clinical decision support (CDS) tool, TeenBP, designed to assist in the recognition and management of hypertension in youth.MethodsTwenty primary care clinics within an integrated health system were randomized to the TeenBP CDS or usual care (UC), with patient enrollment from 4/15/14 to 4/14/16. The 12-month change in standardized medical care costs for insured patients aged 10 to 17 years without prior hypertension were calculated for each study arm. The primary analysis compared patients with ≥1 visit with blood pressure (BP) ≥95th percentile (isolated hypertensive BP), and secondary analyses compared patients with ≥3 visits within one year with BP ≥95th percentile (incident hypertension). Generalized estimating equation models estimated the difference-in-differences in costs between groups over time.ResultsAmong 925 insured patients with an isolated hypertensive BP, the pre-to-post change in overall costs averaged $22 more for TeenBP CDS versus UC patients over 12 months, but this difference was not statistically significant (P = .723). Among 159 insured patients with incident hypertension, the pre-to-post change in overall costs over 12 months was higher by $227 per person on average for TeenBP CDS versus UC patients, but this difference also was not statistically significant (P = .313).ConclusionsThe TeenBP CDS intervention was previously found to significantly improve identification and management of hypertensive BP in youth, and in this study, we find that this tool did not significantly increase care costs in its first 12 months of clinical use.     

Screening and Referral for Low-Income Families’ Social Determinants of Health by US Pediatricians

ObjectiveTo measure the frequency US pediatricians report screening and referring for social needs and identify pediatrician and practice-level predictors for screening and referral.MethodsData were from the American Academy of Pediatrics Periodic Survey for October 2014 to March 2015 with a response rate of 46.6% (732/1570). Respondents reported on: 1) routine screening of low-income families for social needs, 2) attitudes toward screening, and 3) referral of low-income families for community resources. Results were analyzed by pediatrician and practice characteristics.ResultsAlthough most pediatricians (61.6%) thought that screening is important, fewer (39.9%) reported that screening is feasible or felt prepared addressing families’ social needs (20.2%). The topics that pediatricians reported routinely asking low-income families about at visits (defined as ≥50% visits) were need for childcare (41.5%) and transportation barriers (28.4%). Pediatricians were less likely to report asking about housing (18.7%), food (18.6%), and utilities/heating (14.0%) insecurity. In multivariable analyses, pediatricians were more likely to report both that they screen and refer when they reported having more patients in financial hardship and having someone in the practice with the responsibility to connect low-income families to community services. Pediatricians who endorsed the importance of screening and who reported being prepared were also more likely to screen/refer.ConclusionsA minority of pediatricians report routinely screening for social needs. Pediatricians were more likely to report that they screen and refer if they had positive attitudes toward the importance of screening, felt prepared, and had support staff to assist families in need.     

Factors Associated With Timing of First Outpatient Visit After Newborn Hospital Discharge

ObjectiveTo determine factors associated with newborns having their first outpatient visit (FOV) beyond 3 days after postpartum hospital discharge.MethodsRetrospective cohort analysis of all newborns born at a large urban university hospital during a 1-year period, discharged home within 96 hours of birth, and with an outpatient visit with an affiliated provider within 60 days after discharge.ResultsOf 3282 newborns, 1440 (44%) had their FOV beyond 3 days after discharge. Newborns born to first-time mothers, breast-feeding, at high risk for hyperbilirubinemia, or with a pathological diagnosis were significantly (P < .05) less likely to have FOV beyond 3 days in adjusted multivariable analysis, while newborns born via Caesarian section, of older gestational age, with Medicaid insurance, or discharged on a Thursday or Friday were more likely to have FOV beyond 3 days. Discharging provider characteristics independently associated with FOV beyond 3 days included family medicine providers, providers out of residency longer, and providers practicing at the institution longer. In addition, practice of outpatient follow-up had an independent impact on timing of FOV. Having an appointment date and time recorded on the nursery record or first appointment with a home nurse decreased the odds that time to FOV was beyond 3 days of discharge.ConclusionsPhysician decisions regarding timing of outpatient visit after newborn discharge may take into account newborn medical and social characteristics, but certain patient, provider, and practice features associated with this timing may represent unrecognized barriers to care.