Impact of the implementation of a fast-track on emergency department length of stay and quality of care indicators in the Champagne-Ardenne region: a before-after study.
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: Objectives
We aimed to evaluate the effect of the implementation of a fast-track on emergency department (ED) length of stay (LOS) and quality of care indicators.Design
Adjusted before-after analysis.Setting
A large hospital in the Champagne-Ardenne region, France.Participants
Patients admitted to the ED between 13 January 2015 and 13 January 2017.Intervention
Implementation of a fast-track for patients with small injuries or benign medical conditions (13 January 2016).Primary and secondary outcome measures
Proportion of patients with LOS ≥4 hours and proportion of access block situations (when patients cannot access an appropriate hospital bed within 8 hours). 7-day readmissions and 30-day readmissions.Results
The ED of the intervention hospital registered 53 768 stays in 2016 and 57 965 in 2017 (+7.8%). In the intervention hospital, the median LOS was 215 min before the intervention and 186 min after the intervention. The exponentiated before-after estimator for ED LOS ≥4 hours was 0.79; 95% CI 0.77 to 0.81. The exponentiated before-after estimator for access block was 1.19; 95% CI 1.13 to 1.25. There was an increase in the proportion of 30 day readmissions in the intervention hospital (from 11.4% to 12.3%). After the intervention, the proportion of patients leaving without being seen by a physician decreased from 10.0% to 5.4%.Conclusions
The implementation of a fast-track was associated with a decrease in stays lasting ≥4 hours without a decrease in access block. Further studies are needed to evaluate the causes of variability in ED LOS and their connections to quality of care indicators.
SUBMITTER: Chrusciel J
PROVIDER: S-EPMC6588991 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Similar Datasets
Project description:BACKGROUND:Emergency department (ED) crowding and prolonged length of stay (LOS) are associated with delays in treatment, adverse outcomes and decreased patient satisfaction. Hospital restructuring and mergers are often associated with increased ED crowding. The aim of this study was to explore ED crowding and LOS in Norway's largest ED before and after an increased catchment area. METHODS:The catchment area of Akershus University Hospital increased by approximately 150,000 inhabitants in 2011, from 340,000 to 490,000. In this retrospective study, admissions to the ED during a six-year period, from Jan 1st 2010 to Dec 31st 2015 were included and analyzed. RESULTS:A total of 179,989 admissions were included (51.0% men). The highest occupancy rate was in the age group 70-79?years. Following the increase in the catchment area, the annual ED admissions increased by 8343 (40.9%) from 2010 to 2011, and peaked in 2013 (34,002). Mean LOS increased from 3:59?h in 2010 to 4:17 in 2012 (highest), and decreased to 3:45?h in 2015 after staff, capacity and organizational measures. In 2010, 37.9% of the ED patients experienced crowding, and this proportion increased to between 52.9-77.6% in 2011-2015. Crowding peaked between 4 and 5?PM. CONCLUSIONS:LOS increased and crowding was more frequent after a major increase in the hospital's catchment area in Norway's largest emergency department. Even after 5 years, the LOS was higher than before the expansion, mainly because of the throughput and output components, which were not properly adapted to the changes in input.
| S-EPMC6647148 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Background and purpose - Telemedicine could allow patients to be discharged more quickly after surgery and contribute to improve fast-track procedures without compromising quality, patient safety, functionality, anxiety, or other patient-perceived parameters. We investigated whether using telemedicine support (TMS) would permit hospital discharge after 1?day without loss of self-assessed quality of life, loss of functionality, increased anxiety, increased rates of re-admission, or increased rates of complications after hip replacement. Patients and methods - We performed a randomized controlled trial involving 72 Danish patients in 1 region who were referred for elective fast-track total hip replacement between August 2009 and March 2011 (654 were screened for eligibility). Half of the patients received a telemedicine solution connected to their TV. The patients were followed until 1 year after surgery. Results - Length of stay was reduced from 2.1 days (95% CI: 2.0-2.3) to 1.1?day (CI: 0.9-1.4; p < 0.001) with the TMS intervention. Health-related quality of life increased in both groups, but there were no statistically significant differences between groups. There were also no statistically significant differences between groups regarding timed up-and-go test and Oxford hip score at 3-month follow-up. At 12-month follow-up, the rates of complications and re-admissions were similar between the groups, but the number of postoperative hospital contacts was lower in the TMS group. Interpretation - Length of postoperative stay was shortened in patients with the TMS solution, without compromising patient-perceived or clinical parameters in patients undergoing elective fast-track surgery. These results indicate that telemedicine can be of value in fast-track treatment of patients undergoing total hip replacement.
| S-EPMC5251263 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Study objectiveOur institution experienced a change in SARS-CoV-2 testing policy as well as substantial changes in local COVID-19 prevalence, allowing for a unique examination of the relationship between SARS-CoV-2 testing and emergency department (ED) length of stay.MethodsThis was an observational interrupted time series of all patients admitted to an academic health system between March 15, 2020, and September 30, 2020. Given testing limitations from March 15 to April 24, all patients receiving SARS-CoV-2 tests were symptomatic. On April 24, testing was expanded to all ED admissions. The primary and secondary outcomes were ED length of stay and number needed to test to obtain a positive, respectively.ResultsA total of 70,856 patients were cared for in the EDs during the 7-month period. The testing change increased admission length of stay by 1.89 hours (95% confidence interval 1.39 to 2.38). The number needed to test was 2.5 patients and was highest yield on April 1, 2020, when the state positivity rate was 39.7%; however, the number needed to test exceeded 170 patients by Sept 1, 2020, at which point the state positivity rate was 0.5%.ConclusionAlthough universal SARS-CoV-2 testing of ED admissions may meaningfully support mitigation and containment efforts, the clinical cost of testing all admissions amid low community positivity is notable. In our system, universal ED SARS-CoV-2 testing was associated with a 24% increase in admission length of stay alongside the detection of only 1 positive case every other day. Given the known harms and risks of ED boarding and crowding, solutions must be developed to support regular operational flow while balancing infection prevention needs.
| S-EPMC8424016 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BACKGROUND:Emergency department length of stay (ED-LOS) has been associated with worse outcomes after various medical conditions. However, there is a relative paucity of data for ischemic stroke patients. We sought to determine whether a longer ED-LOS is associated with a poor 90-day outcome after ischemic stroke. METHODS:This study is a retrospective analysis of a single-center cohort of consecutive ischemic stroke patients (n?=?325). Multivariable linear and logistic regression models were constructed to determine factors independently associated with ED-LOS as well as a poor 90-day outcome (modified Rankin Scale [mRS] score >2), respectively. RESULTS:The median ED-LOS in the cohort was 5.8 hours. For patients admitted to the inpatient stroke ward (n?=?160) versus the neuroscience intensive care unit (NICU; n?=?165), the median ED-LOS was 8.2 hours versus 3.7 hours, respectively. On multivariable linear regression, NICU admission (P?<.001), endovascular stroke therapy (P?=?.001), and thrombolysis (P?=?.021) were inversely associated with the ED-LOS. Evening shift presentation was associated with a longer ED-LOS (P?=?.048). On multivariable logistic regression, a greater admission National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score (P?<.001), worse preadmission mRS score (P?=?.001), hemorrhagic conversion (P?=?.041), and a shorter ED-LOS (P?=?.016) were associated with a poor 90-day outcome. Early initiation of statin therapy (P?=?.049), endovascular stroke therapy (P?=?.041), NICU admission (P?=?.029), and evening shift presentation (P?=?.035) were associated with a good 90-day outcome. CONCLUSIONS:In contrast to prior studies, a shorter ED-LOS was associated with a worse 90-day functional outcome, possibly reflecting prioritized admission of more severely affected patients who are at high risk of a poor functional outcome.
| S-EPMC5600670 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Performance measures, particularly pay for performance, may have unintended consequences for safety-net institutions caring for disproportionate shares of Medicaid or uninsured patients.To describe emergency department (ED) compliance with proposed length-of-stay measures for admissions (8 hours or 480 minutes) and discharges, transfers, and observations (4 hours or 240 minutes) by safety-net status.The 2008 National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS) ED data were stratified by safety-net status (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention definition) and disposition (admission, discharge, observation, transfer). The 2008 NHAMCS is a national probability sample of 396 hospitals (90.2% unweighted response rate) and 34 134 patient records. Visits were excluded for patients younger than 18 years, missing length-of-stay data or dispositions of missing, other, left against medical advice, or dead on arrival. Median and 90th percentile ED lengths of stay were calculated for each disposition and admission/discharge subcategories (critical care, psychiatric, routine) stratified by safety-net status. Multivariable analyses determined associations with length-of-stay measure compliance.Emergency Department length-of-stay measure compliance by disposition and safety-net status.Of the 72.1% ED visits (N = 24 719) included in the analysis, 42.3% were to safety-net EDs and 57.7% were to non-safety-net EDs. The median length of stay for safety-net was 269 minutes (interquartile range [IQR], 178-397 minutes) for admission vs 281 minutes (IQR, 178-401 minutes) for non-safety-net EDs; 156 minutes (IQR, 95-239 minutes) for discharge vs 148 minutes (IQR, 88-238 minutes); 355 minutes (IQR, 221-675 minutes) for observations vs 298 minutes (IQR, 195-440 minutes); and 235 minutes (IQR, 155-378 minutes) for transfers vs 239 minutes (IQR, 142-368 minutes). Safety-net status was not independently associated with compliance with ED length-of-stay measures; the odds ratio was 0.83 for admissions (95% CI, 0.52-1.34); 1.03 for discharges (95% CI, 0.83-1.27); 1.05 for observations (95% CI, 0.57-1.95), 1.30 for transfers (95% CI, 0.70-2.45]); or subcategories except for psychiatric discharges (1.67, [95% CI, 1.02-2.74]).Compliance with proposed ED length-of-stay measures for admissions, discharges, transfers, and observations did not differ significantly between safety-net and non-safety-net hospitals.
| S-EPMC3641855 | biostudies-literature
Project description:PurposeTo examine the relationships between emergency department length of stay (EDLOS) with hospital length of stay (HLOS) and clinical outcome in hemodynamically stable trauma patients.MethodsProspective data collected for 2 years from consecutive trauma patients admitted to the trauma resuscitation bay. Only stable blunt trauma patients with appropriate trauma triage criteria requiring trauma team activation were included in the study. EDLOS was determined short if patient spent less than 2 h in the emergency department (ER) and long for more than 2 h.ResultsA total of 248 patients were enrolled in the study. The mean total EDLOS was 125 min (range 78-180). Injury severity score (ISS) were significantly higher in the long EDLOS group (17 ± 13 versus 11 ± 9, p < 0.001). However, when leveled according to ISS, there were no differences in mean in diagnostic workup, admission rate to intensive care unit (ICU) or HLOS between the short and long EDLOS groups.ConclusionEDLOS is not a significant parameter for HLOS in stable trauma patients.
| S-EPMC6543458 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Emergency department length of stay (ED LOS) is currently used in Australasia as a quality measure. In our ED, Maori, the indigenous people of New Zealand, have a shorter ED LOS than European patients. This is despite Maori having poorer health outcomes overall. This study sought to determine drivers of LOS in our provincial New Zealand ED, particularly looking at ethnicity as a determining factor.This was a retrospective cohort study that reviewed 80,714 electronic medical records of ED patients from December 1, 2012, to December 1, 2014. Univariate and multivariate analyses were carried out on raw data, and we used a complex regression analysis to develop a predictive model of ED LOS. Potential covariates were patient factors, temporal factors, clinical factors, and workload variables (volume and acuity of patients three hours prior to and two hours after presentation by a baseline patient). The analysis was performed using R studio 0.99.467.Ethnicity dropped out in the stepwise regression procedure; after adjusting for other factors, a specific ethnicity effect was not informative. Maori were, on average, younger, less likely to receive bloodwork and radiographs, less likely to go to our observation area, less likely to have a general practitioner, and more likely to be discharged and to self-discharge; all of these factors decreased their length of stay.Length of stay in our ED does not seem to be related to ethnicity alone. Patient factors had only a small impact on ED LOS, while clinical factors, temporal factors, and workload variables had much greater influence.
| S-EPMC4944800 | biostudies-other
Project description:Emergency Departments (ED) are trying to alleviate crowding using various interventions. We assessed the effect of an alternative model of care, the Medical Team Evaluation (MTE) concept, encompassing team triage, quick registration, redesign of triage rooms and electronic medical records (EMR) on door-to-doctor (waiting) time and ED length of stay (LOS). We conducted an observational, before-and-after study at an urban academic tertiary care centre. On July 17th 2014, MTE was initiated from 9:00 a.m. to 10 p.m., 7 days a week. A registered triage nurse was teamed with an additional senior ED physician. Data of the 5-month pre-MTE and the 5-month MTE period were analysed. A matched comparison of waiting times and ED LOS of discharged and admitted patients pertaining to various Emergency Severity Index (ESI) triage categories was performed based on propensity scores. With MTE, the median waiting times improved from 41.2 (24.8-66.6) to 10.2 (5.7-18.1) minutes (min; P < 0.01). Though being beneficial for all strata, the improvement was somewhat greater for discharged, than for admitted patients. With a reduction from 54.3 (34.2-84.7) to 10.5 (5.9-18.4) min (P < 0.01), in terms of waiting times, MTE was most advantageous for ESI4 patients. The overall median ED LOS increased for about 15 min (P < 0.01), increasing from 3.4 (2.1-5.3) to 3.7 (2.3-5.6) hours. A significant increase was observed for all the strata, except for ESI5 patients. Their median ED LOS dropped by 73% from 1.2 (0.8-1.8) to 0.3 (0.2-0.5) hours (P < 0.01). In the same period the total orders for diagnostic radiology increased by 1,178 (11%) from 10,924 to 12,102 orders, with more imaging tests being ordered for ESI 2, 3 and 4 patients. Despite improved waiting times a decrease of ED LOS was only seen in ESI level 5 patients, whereas in all the other strata ED LOS increased. We speculate that this was brought about by the tendency of triage physicians to order more diagnostic radiology, anticipating that it may be better for the downstream physician to have more information rather than less.
| S-EPMC4841508 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ObjectiveEven if performing rapid influenza diagnostic tests test will not change clinical decision making, we sometimes perform at triage to reduce length of stay in Japan. Whether performing rapid influenza diagnostic tests at triage may shorten emergency department (ED) length of stay (LOS) is remains unclear. We aimed to determine the utility of rapid influenza diagnostic tests at triage in shortening ED length of stay LOS.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed medical records of patients discharged from our ED after receiving results from rapid influenza diagnostic tests during the influenza season from December, 2013 to March, 2019. Eligibility criteria were a walk-in visit, age ≥15 years, triage performed, rapid influenza diagnostic test administered, and no admission. The triage group received rapid influenza diagnostic tests at triage. The after-examination group received their tests only after examination by a doctor. The primary outcome was ED LOS after propensity score matching to adjust for several covariates.ResultsOf 2,768 eligible patients, 2,554 patients were enrolled in the triage group (n = 363) or after examination group (n = 2,191). There were 329 matched pairs after propensity score matching. Median ED LOS was significantly shorter in the triage group than in the after-examination group after propensity score matching (81 min (interquartile range [IQR] 60 to 111) vs 106 min (IQR 80-142); median difference 24 min (95% confidence interval 17-30)).ConclusionsPerforming rapid influenza diagnostic tests at triage was associated with shorter ED LOS during the influenza season.
| S-EPMC7493520 | biostudies-literature
Project description:IntroductionOur study aimed to determine 1) the association between time spent in the emergency department (ED) hallway and the development of delirium and 2) the hospital location of delirium development.MethodsThis single-center, retrospective chart review included patients 18+ years old admitted to the hospital after presenting, without baseline cognitive impairment, to the ED in 2018. We identified the Delirium group by the following: key words describing delirium; orders for psychotropics, special observation, and restraints; or documented positive Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) screen. The Control group included patients not meeting delirium criteria. We used a multivariable logistic regression model, while adjusting for confounders, to assess the odds of delirium development associated with percentage of ED LOS spent in the hallway.ResultsA total of 25,156 patients met inclusion criteria with 1920 (7.6%) meeting delirium criteria. Delirium group vs. Control group patients spent a greater percentage of time in the ED hallway (median 50.5% vs 10.8%, P<0.001); had longer ED LOS (median 11.94 vs 8.12 hours, P<0.001); had more ED room transfers (median 5 vs 4, P<0.001); and had longer hospital LOS (median 5.0 vs 4.6 days, P<0.001). Patients more frequently developed delirium in the ED (77.5%) than on inpatient units (22.5%). The relative odds of a patient developing delirium increased by 3.31 times for each percent increase in ED hallway time (95% confidence interval, 2.85, 3.83).ConclusionPatients with delirium had more ED hallway exposure, longer ED LOS, and more ED room transfers. Understanding delirium in the ED has substantial implications for improving patient safety.
| S-EPMC8202999 | biostudies-literature