Trends in advanced imaging and hospitalization for emergency department syncope care before and after ACEP clinical policy

ObjectivesTo describe recent trends in advanced imaging and hospitalization of emergency department (ED) syncope patients, both considered “low-value”, and examine trend changes before and after the publication of American College Emergency Physician (ACEP) syncope guidelines in 2007, compared to conditions that had no changes in guideline recommendations.MethodsWe analyzed 2002–2015 National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey data using an interrupted-time series with comparison series design. The primary outcomes were advanced imaging among ED visits with principal diagnosis of syncope and headache and hospitalization for ED visits with principal diagnosis of syncope, chest pain, dysrhythmia, and pneumonia. We adjusted annual imaging and hospitalization rates using survey-weighted multivariable logistic regression, controlling for demographic and visit characteristics. Using adjusted outcomes as datapoints, we compared linear trends and trend changes of annual imaging and hospitalization rates before and after 2007 with aggregate-level multivariable linear regression.ResultsFrom 2002 to 2007, advanced imaging rates for syncope increased from 27.2% to 42.1% but had no significant trend after 2007 (trend change: ?3.1%; 95%CI ?4.7, ?1.6). Hospitalization rates remained at approximately 37% from 2002 to 2007 but declined to 25.7% by 2015 (trend change: ?2.2%; 95%CI ?3.0, ?1.4). Similar trend changes occurred among control conditions versus syncope, including advanced imaging for headache (difference in trend change: ?0.6%; 95%CI ?2.8, 1.6) and hospitalizations for chest pain, dysrhythmia, and pneumonia (differences in trend changes: 0.1% [95%CI ?1.9, 2.0]; ?0.9% [95%CI ?3.1, 1.3]; and ?1.2% [95%CI ?5.3, 2.9], respectively).ConclusionsBefore and after the release of 2007 ACEP syncope guidelines, trends in advanced imaging and hospitalization for ED syncope visits had similar changes compared to control conditions. Changes in syncope care may, therefore, reflect broader practice shifts rather than a direct association with the 2007 ACEP guideline. Moreover, utilization of advanced imaging remains prevalent. To reduce low-value care, policymakers should augment society guidelines with additional policy changes such as reportable quality measures.     

Background rates of all-cause mortality,hospitalizations, and emergency department visits among nursing home residents in Ontario,Canada to inform COVID-19 vaccine safety assessments

BackgroundNursing home (NH) residents are prioritized for COVID-19 vaccination. We report monthly mortality, hospitalizations, and emergency department (ED) visit incidence rates (IRs) during 2010–2020 to provide context for COVID-19 vaccine safety assessments.MethodsWe observed outcomes among all NH residents in Ontario using administrative databases. IRs were calculated by month, sex, and age group. Comparisons between months were assessed using one-sample t-tests; comparisons by age and sex were assessed using chi-squared tests.ResultsFrom 2010 to 2019, there were 83,453 (SD: 652.4) NH residents per month, with an average of 2.3 (SD: 0.28) deaths, 3.1 (SD: 0.16) hospitalizations, and 3.6 (SD: 0.17) ED visits per 100 residents per month. From March to December 2020, mortality IRs were increased, but hospitalization and ED visit IRs were reduced (p < 0.05).ConclusionWe identified consistent monthly mortality, hospitalization, and ED visit IRs during 2010–2019. Marked differences in these rates were observed during 2020, coinciding with the COVID-19 pandemic.     

Le fil institutionnel en période Covid : utilisation de la plateforme Discord au CMPA

The COVID crisis led hospitals to reorganize care services and to develop innovative strategies to provide care at a distance. In our health care and education centre for adolescents, which provides both long-term psychiatric care and high school education, inpatients and outpatients were mostly confined at home. In order to ensure continuity of care as well as maintain institutional ties, different communication tools were used. Among them, we particularly relied upon Discord (social network initially designed for gamers) which allowed us to set up an entire virtual ward, maintain individual and group care programmes as well as team meetings. This innovation generated a number of preliminary questions and precautions which guided our decisions regarding the server settings. The outcome of this experiment is globally positive, both quantitatively and qualitatively, even if care at a distance showed its limits. Despite the involvement and creativity of health professionals, the confinement period disrupted and even led to the discontinuation of some care projects.     

Durée d’hospitalisation en pédopsychiatrie : étude rétrospective des facteurs prédictifs sur deux ans en unité d’adolescents

BackgroundIn a context of increasing needs for child and adolescent psychiatry, psychiatric inpatient units are more and more solicited. We aim here to determine the factors predicting the length of stay (LOS) in an adolescent psychiatric unit.MethodsWe conducted a monocentric retrospective chart-review study based on all medical charts of adolescents who had been hospitalized in two full-time hospitalization units for adolescents in a university-based child psychiatry service (n = 191).ResultsThe mean LOS in this sample was 96 days (SD = 101, min = 1, max = 600, median 67). In multivariate analyses, the variables statistically associated with LOS were: a diagnosis of schizophrenia, an eating disorder, presence of suicidal ideation, a low score on the Children's Global Assessment of Functioning (C-GAF) scale at admission, having an educational measure, and being addressed at discharge to a part-time ambulatory care center. This model predicted around 40% of the LOS variance.ConclusionThe association between clinical and functional factors and the LOS are independent. The contribution of other factors (e.g., social factors and due to the health care system) raises questions about the objectives of inpatient treatment (i.e., crisis interventions, or developing the outpatient health care project via collaborative works with other professions).     

2015年基于大数据的宜昌市城区高血压就诊与费用情况

目的 研究2015年宜昌市城区综合性医疗机构中的高血压患者门诊和住院现况及费用状况.方法 通过分析经宜昌市人口健康信息平台2015年1月1日至12月31日的高血压患者数据,分析宜昌市城区高血压患病就诊,医疗费用的情况.利用Execl进行数据清理,SPSS 20.0进行数据统计,采用描述性统计学方法.结果 宜昌市城区2015年综合性医疗机构门诊共接诊高血压患者65 947,共收治住院高血压患者16 276人.因高血压而花费的总费用,门诊为20 880 174.35元,住院总费用为194 722046.17元.次均医保外个人费用,门诊患者的为51.05元,住院患者为941.91元.次均医保范围总额,门诊患者为112.78元,住院患者为1 813.03元.结论 高血压的患病就诊给社会带来了极大的疾病经济负担,而改变生活方式,对高血压进行干预和预防,是降低高血压经济负担的最有效方式.