Showing papers in "Journal of Hospital Medicine in 2013"

Project BOOST: effectiveness of a multihospital effort to reduce rehospitalization.

Abstract: BACKGROUND Rehospitalization is a prominent target for healthcare quality improvement and performance-based reimbursement. The generalizability of existing evidence on best practices is unknown. OBJECTIVE To determine the effect of Project BOOST (Better Outcomes for Older adults through Safe Transitions) on rehospitalization rates and length of stay. DESIGN Semicontrolled pre–post study. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS Volunteer sample of 11 hospitals varying in geography, size, and academic affiliation. INTERVENTION Hospitals implemented Project BOOST-recommended tools supported by an external quality improvement physician mentor. METHODS Pre–post changes in readmission rates and length of stay within BOOST units, and between BOOST units and site-designated control units. RESULTS The average rate of 30-day rehospitalization in BOOST units was 14.7% prior to implementation and 12.7% 12 months later (P = 0.010), reflecting an absolute reduction of 2% and a relative reduction of 13.6%. Rehospitalization rates for matched control units were 14.0% in the preintervention period and 14.1% in the postintervention period (P = 0.831). The mean absolute reduction in readmission rates in BOOST units compared to control units was 2.0% (P = 0.054 for signed rank test comparing differences in readmission rate reduction in BOOST units compared to site-matched control units). CONCLUSIONS Participation in Project BOOST appeared to be associated with a decrease in readmission rates. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2013;8:421–427. © 2013 Society of Hospital Medicine

Hospital value-based purchasing.

Abstract: Hospital Value Based Purchasing (VBP) aims to incentivize inpatient providers to delivery high value, as opposed to high volume, health care. The formal mandate of hospitals to provide high value health care through financial incentives marks an important change in Medicare and Medicaid policy. In this opportune review of VBP, we discuss the relevant historical changes in the reimbursement environment of U.S. hospitals that have set the stage for VBP. We describe the structure of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' VBP program, with a focus on which hospitals are eligible to participate in the program, the specific outcomes measured and incentivized, how rewards and penalties are allocated, and how the program will be funded. In an effort to anticipate some of the issues that lie ahead, we then highlight a number of potential challenges to the success of VBP, and discuss how VBP will impact the delivery and reimbursement of inpatient care services. We conclude by examining how the VBP program is likely to evolve over time.

Choosing wisely in pediatric hospital medicine: Five opportunities for improved healthcare value

Abstract: BACKGROUND In an effort to lead physicians in addressing the problem of overuse of medical tests and treatments, the American Board of Internal Medicine Foundation developed the Choosing Wisely campaign. The Society of Hospital Medicine (SHM) joined the initiative to highlight the need to critically appraise resource utilization in hospitals. METHODS The SHM employed a staged methodology to develop the adult Choosing Wisely list. This included surveys of the organization's leaders and general membership, a review of the literature, and Delphi panel voting. RESULTS The 5 recommendations that were subsequently approved by the SHM Board are: (1) Do not place, or leave in place, urinary catheters for incontinence or convenience or monitoring of output for non–critically ill patients (acceptable indications: critical illness, obstruction, hospice, perioperatively for <2 days for urologic procedures; use weights instead to monitor diuresis). (2) Do not prescribe medications for stress ulcer prophylaxis to medical inpatients unless at high risk for gastrointestinal complications. (3) Avoid transfusions of red blood cells for arbitrary hemoglobin or hematocrit thresholds and in the absence of symptoms or active coronary disease, heart failure, or stroke. (4) Do not order continuous telemetry monitoring outside of the intensive care unit without using a protocol that governs continuation. (5) Do not perform repetitive complete blood count and chemistry testing in the face of clinical and lab stability. CONCLUSIONS Hospitalists have many opportunities to impact overutilization of care. The adult hospital medicine Choosing Wisely recommendations offer an explicit starting point for eliminating waste in the hospital. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2013;8:486–492. © 2013 Society of Hospital Medicine

Delirium superimposed on dementia is associated with prolonged length of stay and poor outcomes in hospitalized older adults

Abstract: Background Current literature does not identify the significance of underlying cognitive impairment and delirium on older adults during and 30 days following acute care hospitalization.

Epidemiology and outcomes of acute respiratory failure in the United States, 2001 to 2009: a national survey.

Abstract: Background The objective of this study was to evaluate trends in hospitalization, cost, and short-term outcomes in acute respiratory failure (ARF) between 2001 and 2009 in the United States.

Choosing wisely in adult hospital medicine: Five opportunities for improved healthcare value: Choosing Wisely in Hospital Medicine

Abstract: BACKGROUND In an effort to lead physicians in addressing the problem of overuse of medical tests and treatments, the American Board of Internal Medicine Foundation developed the Choosing Wisely campaign. The Society of Hospital Medicine (SHM) joined the initiative to highlight the need to critically appraise resource utilization in hospitals. METHODS The SHM employed a staged methodology to develop the adult Choosing Wisely list. This included surveys of the organization's leaders and general membership, a review of the literature, and Delphi panel voting. RESULTS The 5 recommendations that were subsequently approved by the SHM Board are: (1) Do not place, or leave in place, urinary catheters for incontinence or convenience or monitoring of output for non-critically ill patients (acceptable indications: critical illness, obstruction, hospice, perioperatively for <2 days for urologic procedures; use weights instead to monitor diuresis). (2) Do not prescribe medications for stress ulcer prophylaxis to medical inpatients unless at high risk for gastrointestinal complications. (3) Avoid transfusions of red blood cells for arbitrary hemoglobin or hematocrit thresholds and in the absence of symptoms or active coronary disease, heart failure, or stroke. (4) Do not order continuous telemetry monitoring outside of the intensive care unit without using a protocol that governs continuation. (5) Do not perform repetitive complete blood count and chemistry testing in the face of clinical and lab stability. CONCLUSIONS Hospitalists have many opportunities to impact overutilization of care. The adult hospital medicine Choosing Wisely recommendations offer an explicit starting point for eliminating waste in the hospital.

Moving beyond readmission penalties: Creating an ideal process to improve transitional care

Abstract: Hospital readmissions are common and costly; this has resulted in their emergence as a key quality indicator in the current era of renewed focus on cost containment. However, many concerns remain about the use of readmissions as a hospital quality measure and about how to reduce hospital readmissions. These concerns stem in part from deficiencies in the state of the science of transitional care. A conceptualization of the "ideal" discharge process could help address these deficiencies and move the state of the science forward. We describe an ideal transition in care, explicate the key components, discuss its implications in the context of recent efforts to reduce readmissions, and suggest next steps for policymakers, researchers, healthcare administrators, practitioners, and educators.

Zolpidem is independently associated with increased risk of inpatient falls

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Inpatient falls are associated with significant morbidity and increased healthcare costs. Zolpidem has been reported to decrease balance and is associated with falls. Yet, it is a commonly used hypnotic agent in the inpatient setting. Zolpidem use in hospitalized patients may be a significant and potentially modifiable risk factor for falling. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether inpatients administered zolpidem are at greater risk of falling. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Adult non-intensive care unit (non-ICU) inpatients at a tertiary care center. METHODS: Adult inpatients who were prescribed zolpidem were identified. Electronic medical records were reviewed to capture demographics and other risk factors for falls. The fall rate was compared in those administered zolpidem versus those only prescribed zolpidem. Multivariate analyses were performed to determine whether zolpidem was independently associated with falls. RESULTS: The fall rate among patients who were prescribed and received zolpidem (n = 4962) was significantly greater than among patients who were prescribed but did not receive zolpidem (n = 11,358) (3.04% vs 0.71%; P < 0.001). Zolpidem use continued to remain significantly associated with increased fall risk after accounting for age, gender, insomnia, delirium status, dose of zolpidem, Charlson comorbidity index, Hendrich's fall risk score, length of hospital stay, presence of visual impairment, gait abnormalities, and dementia/cognitive impairment (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 4.37, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.34–5.76; P < 0.001). Additionally, patients taking zolpidem who experienced a fall did not differ from other hospitalized adult patients who fell in terms of age, opioids, antidepressants, sedative-antidepressants, antipsychotics, benzodiazepine, or antihistamine use. CONCLUSION: Zolpidem use was a strong, independent, and potentially modifiable risk factor for inpatient falls. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2013. © 2012 Society of Hospital Medicine

The impact of penicillin skin testing on clinical practice and antimicrobial stewardship

Abstract: BACKGROUND Penicillin skin testing (PST) is a simple and reliable way of diagnosing penicillin allergy. After being off the market for 4 years, penicilloyl-polylysine was reintroduced in 2009 as PRE-PEN. We describe the negative predictive value (NPV) of PST and the impact on antibiotic selection in a sample of hospitalized patients with a reported history of penicillin allergy. METHODS We introduced a quality improvement process at our 861-bed tertiary care hospital that used PST to guide antibiotic usage in patients with a history consistent with an immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated reaction to penicillin. Subjects with a negative PST were then transitioned to a β-lactam agent for the remainder of their therapy. NPV of skin testing was established at 24-hour follow-up. We are reporting the result of 146 patients tested between March 2012 and July 2012. RESULTS A total of 146 patients with a history of penicillin allergy and negative PST were treated with β-lactam antibiotics. Of these, only 1 subject experienced an allergic reaction to the PST. The remaining 145 patients tolerated a full course of β-lactam therapy without an allergic response, giving the PST a 100% NPV. We estimated that PST-guided antibiotic alteration for these patients resulted in an estimated annual savings of $82,000. CONCLUSION Patients with a history of penicillin allergy who have a negative PST result are at a low risk of developing an immediate-type hypersensitivity reaction to β-lactam antibiotics. The increased use of PST may help improve antibiotic stewardship in the hospital setting. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2013;8:341–345. © 2013 Society of Hospital Medicine

Hospital-acquired anemia: prevalence, outcomes, and healthcare implications

Abstract: BACKGROUND Evidence suggests that patients with normal hemoglobin (Hgb) levels on hospital admission who subsequently develop hospital-acquired anemia (HAA) may be at risk for adverse outcomes. Our objectives were to (1) determine the prevalence of HAA and (2) examine whether HAA is associated with increased mortality, length of stay (LOS), and total hospital charges. METHODS The population consisted of 417,301 adult hospitalizations from January 1, 2009 to August 31, 2011, in an academic medical center and 9 community hospitals. Patients with anemia on admission, and hospitals in the health system without available laboratory data were excluded; 188,447 hospitalizations were included in the analysis. Demographics, comorbidities, and outcomes were retrieved from administrative data; Hgb values were taken from the electronic medical record. Regression modeling was used to examine the association between demographics, comorbidity, hospitalization type, and HAA variables (mild: Hgb >11 and 11 and <13 g/dL for men; moderate: Hgb 9.1 to ≤11.0 g/dL; severe: Hgb ≤9.0 g/dL) on mortality, LOS, and hospital charges. RESULTS Among 188,447 hospitalizations, 139,807 patients (74%) developed HAA: mild, 40,828 (29%); moderate, 57,184 (41%); and severe, 41,795 (30%). Risk-adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for in-hospital mortality with HAA were: mild, 1.0 (0.88–1.17; P = 0.8); moderate, 1.51 (1.33–1.71, P < 0.001); and severe, 3.28 (2.90–3.72, P < 0.001). Risk–adjusted relative mean LOS and hospital charges relative to no HAA were higher with HAA: LOS: mild, 1.08 (1.08–1.10, P < 0.001); moderate, 1.28 (1.26–1.29, P < 0.001); severe, 1.88 (1.86–1.89, P < 0.001). Hospital charges: mild, 1.06 (1.06–1.07, P < 0.001); moderate, 1.18 (1.17–1.19, P < 0.001); severe, 1.80 (1.79–1.82, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS HAA is common and associated with increased mortality and resource utilization. Factors related to its development necessitate further study. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2013;8:506–512. © 2013 Society of Hospital Medicine

Nutrition in the hospitalized patient

Abstract: Almost 50% of patients are malnourished on admission; many others develop malnutrition during admission. Malnutrition contributes to hospital morbidity, mortality, costs, and readmissions. The Joint Commission requires malnutrition risk screening on admission. If screening identifies malnutrition risk, a nutrition assessment is required to create a nutrition care plan. The plan should be initiated early in the hospital course, as even patients with normal nutrition become malnourished quickly when acutely ill. While the Harris-Benedict equation is the most commonly used method to estimate calories, its accuracy may not be optimal in all patients. Calculating the caloric needs of acutely ill obese patients is particularly problematic. In general, a patient's caloric intake should be slightly less than calculated needs to avoid the metabolic risks of overfeeding. However, most patients do not receive their goal calories or receive parenteral nutrition due to erroneous practices of awaiting return of bowel sounds or holding feeding for gastric residual volumes. Patients with inadequate intake over time may develop potentially fatal refeeding syndrome. The hospitalist must be able to recognize the risk factors for malnutrition, patients at risk of refeeding syndrome, and the optimal route for nutrition support. Finally, education of patients and their caregivers about nutrition support must begin before discharge, and include coordination of care with outpatient facilities. As with all other aspects of discharge, it is the hospitalist's role to assure smooth transition of the nutrition care plan to an outpatient setting. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2013. © 2012 Society of Hospital Medicine

Mortality, morbidity, and disease severity of patients with aspiration pneumonia

Abstract: Background Aspiration pneumonia is a common syndrome, although less well characterized than other pneumonia syndromes We describe a large population of patients with aspiration pneumonia

A trial of a real-time alert for clinical deterioration in patients hospitalized on general medical wards.

Abstract: BACKGROUND With limited numbers of intensive care unit (ICU) beds available, increasing patient acuity is expected to contribute to episodes of inpatient deterioration on general wards. OBJECTIVE To prospectively validate a predictive algorithm for clinical deterioration in general–medical ward patients, and to conduct a trial of real-time alerts based on this algorithm. DESIGN Randomized, controlled crossover study. SETTING/PATIENTS Academic center with patients hospitalized on 8 general wards between July 2007 and December 2011. INTERVENTIONS Real-time alerts were generated by an algorithm designed to predict the need for ICU transfer using electronically available data. The alerts were sent by text page to the nurse manager on intervention wards. MEASUREMENTS Intensive care unit transfer, hospital mortality, and hospital length of stay. RESULTS Patients meeting the alert threshold were at nearly 5.3-fold greater risk of ICU transfer (95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.6-6.0) than those not satisfying the alert threshold (358 of 2353 [15.2%] vs 512 of 17678 [2.9%]). Patients with alerts were at 8.9-fold greater risk of death (95% CI: 7.4-10.7) than those without alerts (244 of 2353 [10.4%] vs 206 of 17678 [1.2%]). Among patients identified by the early warning system, there were no differences in the proportion of patients who were transferred to the ICU or who died in the intervention group as compared with the control group. CONCLUSIONS Real-time alerts were highly specific for clinical deterioration resulting in ICU transfer and death, and were associated with longer hospital length of stay. However, an intervention notifying a nurse of the risk did not result in improvement in these outcomes. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2013;8:236–242. © 2013 Society of Hospital Medicine

Prevalence of multidrug-resistant pseudomonas aeruginosa and carbapenem-resistant enterobacteriaceae among specimens from hospitalized patients with pneumonia and bloodstream infections in the United States from 2000 to 2009

Abstract: BACKGROUND Antimicrobial resistance complicates antibiotic selection. Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA), common in pneumonia and blood stream infections (BSIs), is frequently resistant to multiple antimicrobial classes. Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) have emerged as a pathogen of concern over the past decade. OBJECTIVE To determine the prevalence of CRE and multidrug-resistant PA (MDR-PA) in pneumonia and BSI hospitalizations. DESIGN Survey of data from a nationally representative sample of microbiology laboratories in 217 hospitals in the United States. METHODS/SETTING We examined Eurofins' The Surveillance Network database from 2000 to 2009 to explore the proportion of all PA in pneumonia and BSI that is MDR. We performed the same analysis for CRE as a proportion of Enterobacteriaceae. We defined MDR-PA as any isolate resistant to ≥3 drug classes. Enterobacteriaceae were CRE if resistant to both a third generation cephalosporin and a carbapenem. RESULTS We identified 205,526 PA (187,343 pneumonia; 18,183 BSI) and 95,566 Enterobacteriaceae specimens (58,810 pneumonia; 36,756 BSI). The prevalence of MDR-PA was ∼15-fold higher than CRE in both infection types (pneumonia: 22.0% MDR-PA vs 1.6% CRE; BSI: 14.7% MDR-PA vs 1.1% CRE). There was a net rise in MDR-PA as a proportion of all PA from 2000 to 2009 (BSI: 10.7%–13.5%; pneumonia: 19.2%–21.7%). The CRE phenotype emerged in 2002 in both infection types, peaking in 2008 at 3.6% in BSI and 5.3% in pneumonia, and stabilized thereafter. CONCLUSIONS Although CRE organisms have emerged as an important pathogen in BSI and pneumonia, MDR-PA remains more prevalent in the United States. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2013;8:559–563. © 2013 Society of Hospital Medicine

Where do you want to spend your last days of life? Low concordance between preferred and actual site of death among hospitalized adults.

Abstract: At the turn of the 20th century, most deaths in the United States occurred at home. By the 1960s, over 70% of deaths occurred in an institutional setting, reflecting an evolution of medical technology.1-3 With the birth of the hospice movement in the 1970s, dying patients had the opportunity to have both death at home and aggressive symptom control at the end of life. Although there has been a slow decline in the proportion of deaths that occur in the hospital over the past 2 decades,3 the overwhelming majority of persons state that they would prefer to die at home. However, recent findings suggest that most people will die in an institutional setting.3-6 Although good data exist describing population preferences for location of death, and we know, based on death records, where deaths occur in the United States, there are few studies that examine concordance between preferred and actual site of death at the individual patient level. Furthermore, although factors have been identified that predict death at home, factors predicting concordance between preferred and actual site of death are not well described.3,6-13 Regardless of where death ultimately occurs, most adults will experience multiple hospitalizations within the last years of their life. Understanding the preferences and subsequent experiences of this population is of particular relevance to hospitalist physicians who are in a unique position to elicit goals from seriously ill patients and help match patient preferences with their medical care. In this observational study, we sought to determine preferences for site of death in a cohort of adult patients admitted to the hospital for medical illness, and then follow those patients to determine where death occurred for those who died. We also sought to explore factors that may predict concordance between preferred and actual site of death. We hypothesized that ethnic diversity and lower socioeconomic status would be associated with a lower likelihood of concordance between preferred and actual site of death. We also hypothesized that advanced care planning would be associated with a higher likelihood of concordance. The Colorado Multi-Institutional Review Board approved this study.

Decreasing unnecessary utilization in acute bronchiolitis care: results from the value in inpatient pediatrics network.

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Acute viral bronchiolitis is the most common diagnosis resulting in hospital admission in pediatrics. Utilization of non–evidence-based therapies and testing remains common despite a large volume of evidence to guide quality improvement efforts. OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to reduce utilization of unnecessary therapies in the inpatient care of bronchiolitis across a diverse network of clinical sites. METHODS: We formed a voluntary quality improvement collaborative of pediatric hospitalists for the purpose of benchmarking the use of bronchodilators, steroids, chest radiography, chest physiotherapy, and viral testing in bronchiolitis using hospital administrative data. We shared resources within the network, including protocols, scores, order sets, and key bibliographies, and established group norms for decreasing utilization. RESULTS: Aggregate data on 11,568 hospitalizations for bronchiolitis from 17 centers was analyzed for this report. The network was organized in 2008. By 2010, we saw a 46% reduction in overall volume of bronchodilators used, a 3.4 dose per patient absolute decrease in utilization (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.4–5.8). Overall exposure to any dose of bronchodilator decreased by 12 percentage points as well (95% CI 5%–25%). There was also a statistically significant decline in chest physiotherapy usage, but not for steroids, chest radiography, or viral testing. CONCLUSIONS: Benchmarking within a voluntary pediatric hospitalist collaborative facilitated decreased utilization of bronchodilators and chest physiotherapy in bronchiolitis. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2013. © 2012 Society of Hospital Medicine

Risk factors for unplanned transfer to intensive care within 24 hours of admission from the emergency department in an integrated healthcare system

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Emergency department (ED) ward admissions subsequently transferred to the intensive care unit (ICU) within 24 hours have higher mortality than direct ICU admissions. DESIGN, SETTING, PATIENTS: Describe risk factors for unplanned ICU transfer within 24 hours of ward arrival from the ED. METHODS: Evaluation of 178,315 ED non-ICU admissions to 13 US community hospitals. We tabulated the outcome of unplanned ICU transfer by patient characteristics and hospital volume. We present factors associated with unplanned ICU transfer after adjusting for patient and hospital differences in a hierarchical logistic regression. RESULTS: There were 4,252 (2.4%) non-ICU admissions transferred to the ICU within 24 hours. Admitting diagnoses most associated with unplanned transfer, listed by descending prevalence were: pneumonia (odds ratio [OR] 1.5; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.2–1.9), myocardial infarction (MI) (OR 1.5; 95% CI 1.2–2.0), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (OR 1.4; 95% CI 1.1–1.9), sepsis (OR 2.5; 95% CI 1.9–3.3), and catastrophic conditions (OR 2.3; 95% CI 1.7–3.0). Other significant predictors included: male sex, Comorbidity Points Score >145, Laboratory Acute Physiology Score ≥7, arriving on the ward between 11 PM and 7 AM. Decreased risk was found with admission to monitored transitional care units (OR 0.83; 95% CI 0.77–0.90) and to higher volume hospitals (OR 0.94 per 1,000 additional annual ED inpatient admissions; 95% CI 0.91–0.98). CONCLUSIONS: ED patients admitted with respiratory conditions, MI, or sepsis are at modestly increased risk for unplanned ICU transfer and may benefit from better triage from the ED, earlier intervention, or closer monitoring to prevent acute decompensation. More research is needed to determine how intermediate care units, hospital volume, time of day, and sex affect unplanned ICU transfer. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2013. © 2012 Society of Hospital Medicine

Comprehensive quality of discharge summaries at an academic medical center

Abstract: BACKGROUND Discharge summaries are essential for safe transitions from hospital to home. OBJECTIVE To conduct a comprehensive quality assessment of discharge summaries. DESIGN Prospective cohort study. SUBJECTS Three hundred seventy-seven patients discharged home after hospitalization for acute coronary syndrome, heart failure, or pneumonia. MEASURES Discharge summaries were assessed for timeliness of dictation, transmission of the summary to appropriate outpatient clinicians, and presence of key content including elements required by The Joint Commission and elements endorsed by 6 medical societies in the Transitions of Care Consensus Conference (TOCCC). RESULTS A total of 376 of 377 patients had completed discharge summaries. A total of 174 (46.3%) summaries were dictated on the day of discharge; 93 (24.7%) were completed more than a week after discharge. A total of 144 (38.3%) discharge summaries were not sent to any outpatient physician. On average, summaries included 5.6 of 6 The Joint Commission elements and 4.0 of 7 TOCCC elements. Summaries dictated by hospitalists were more likely to be timely and to include key content than summaries dictated by housestaff or advanced practice nurses. Summaries dictated on the day of discharge were more likely to be sent to outside physicians and to include key content. No summary met all 3 quality criteria of timeliness, transmission, and content. CONCLUSIONS Discharge summary quality is inadequate in many domains. This may explain why individual aspects of summary quality such as timeliness or content have not been associated with improved patient outcomes. However, improving discharge summary timeliness may also improve content and transmission. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2013;8:436–443. © 2013 Society of Hospital Medicine

Development of a checklist of safe discharge practices for hospital patients.

Abstract: BACKGROUND Discharge from hospital can be a vulnerable period for patients. Multifaceted “discharge bundles” facilitate care transitions and possibly decrease adverse outcomes. We describe a structured approach to discharge planning, starting from admission and proceeding through discharge, using a standardized checklist of tasks to be performed for each hospitalization day. OBJECTIVE To create an evidence-based checklist of safe discharge practices for hospital patients. METHODS In the province of Ontario, the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care convened a panel of expert members from multiple disciplines and across several healthcare sectors. The panel conducted a systematic search of the literature and used a structured approach to review evidence-based practices that ensure efficient, effective, safe, and patient-centered care transitions. A discharge-checklist tool was created to facilitate safe discharge from hospital. RESULTS The final checklist describes the processes necessary for a safe and optimal discharge and recommended timeline of when to complete each step, starting from the first day of admission. The checklist domains include (1) indication for hospitalization, (2) primary care, (3) medication safety, (4) follow-up plans, (5) home-care referral, (6) communication with outpatient providers, and (7) patient education. CONCLUSIONS The Checklist of Safe Discharge Practices for Hospital Patients summarizes the sequence of events that need to be completed throughout a typical hospitalization. Standardizing discharge planning and initiating processes early on in a patient's hospital stay may ensure a safe transition home. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2013;8:444–449. © 2013 Society of Hospital Medicine.

Estimating hospital costs of catheter‐associated urinary tract infection

Abstract: Healthcare-associated infections are common, costly, and potentially deadly. However, effective prevention strategies are underutilized, particularly for catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI), one of the most common healthcare-associated infections. Further, since 2008, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services no longer reimburses hospitals for the additional costs of caring for patients who develop CAUTI during hospitalization. Given the resulting payment pressures on hospitals stemming from this decision, it is important to factor in cost implications when attempting to encourage decision makers to support infection prevention measures. To this end, we present a simple tool (with easy-to-use online implementation) that hospitals can use to estimate hospital costs due to CAUTI, both before and after an intervention, to reduce inappropriate urinary catheterization. Using previously published cost and risk estimates, we show that an intervention yielding clinically feasible reductions in catheter use can lead to an estimated 50% reduction in CAUTI-related costs. Our tool is meant to complement the Society of Hospital Medicine's Choosing Wisely campaign, which highlights avoiding placement or continued use of nonindicated urinary catheters as a key area for improving decision making and quality of care while decreasing costs.

Procalcitonin-guided antibiotic therapy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Abstract: (CI): 22.59 to 21.52) without increasing morbidity or mortal- ity. In contrast, procalcitonin-guided intensification of antibi- otics in adult ICU patients increased antibiotic usage and morbidity. In adult patients with respiratory tract infections, procalcitonin guidance significantly reduced antibiotic dura- tion by 2.35 days (95% CI: 24.38 to 20.33), antibiotic pre- scription rate by 22% (95% CI: 241% to 24%), and total antibiotic exposure without affecting morbidity or mortality. A single, good quality study of neonates with suspected sepsis demonstrated reduced antibiotic duration by 22.4 hours (P 50.012) and reduced the proportion of neonates on antibiotics for � 72 hours by 27% (P 50.002) with procal- citonin guidance. CONCLUSION: Procalcitonin guidance can safely reduce antibiotic usage when used to discontinue antibiotic therapy in adult ICU patients and when used to initiate or discon- tinue antibiotics in adult patients with respiratory tract infec- tions. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2013;000:000-000. V C 2013 Society of Hospital Medicine

The Readmission Risk Flag: Using the Electronic Health Record to Automatically Identify Patients at Risk for 30-day Readmission

Abstract: BACKGROUND Identification of patients at high risk for readmission is a crucial step toward improving care and reducing readmissions. The adoption of electronic health records (EHR) may prove important to strategies designed to risk stratify patients and introduce targeted interventions. OBJECTIVE To develop and implement an automated prediction model integrated into our health system's EHR that identifies on admission patients at high risk for readmission within 30 days of discharge. DESIGN Retrospective and prospective cohort. SETTING Healthcare system consisting of 3 hospitals. PATIENTS All adult patients admitted from August 2009 to September 2012. INTERVENTIONS An automated readmission risk flag integrated into the EHR. MEASURES Thirty-day all-cause and 7-day unplanned healthcare system readmissions. RESULTS Using retrospective data, a single risk factor, ≥2 inpatient admissions in the past 12 months, was found to have the best balance of sensitivity (40%), positive predictive value (31%), and proportion of patients flagged (18%), with a C statistic of 0.62. Sensitivity (39%), positive predictive value (30%), proportion of patients flagged (18%), and C statistic (0.61) during the 12-month period after implementation of the risk flag were similar. There was no evidence for an effect of the intervention on 30-day all-cause and 7-day unplanned readmission rates in the 12-month period after implementation. CONCLUSIONS An automated prediction model was effectively integrated into an existing EHR and identified patients on admission who were at risk for readmission within 30 days of discharge. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2013;8:689–695. © 2013 Society of Hospital Medicine

The epidemiology of acute organ system dysfunction from severe sepsis outside of the intensive care unit

Abstract: This work was supported in part by the US National Insti- tutes of Health–K08, HL091249 (TJI) and the University of Michigan Specialist–Hospitalist Allied Research Program (SHARP). This work was also supported in part by VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center (GRECC).

It's not about pager replacement: an in-depth look at the interprofessional nature of communication in healthcare.

Abstract: BACKGROUND Institutions have tried to replace the use of numeric pagers for clinical communication by implementing health information technology (HIT) solutions. However, failing to account for the sociotechnical aspects of HIT or the interplay of technology with existing clinical workflow, culture, and social interactions may create other unintended consequences. OBJECTIVE To evaluate a Web-based messaging system that allows asynchronous communication between health providers and identify the unintended consequences associated with implementing such technology. DESIGN Intervention—a Web-based messaging system at the University Health Network to replace numeric paging practices in May 2010. The system facilitated clinical communication on the medical wards for coordinating patient care. Study design—pre-post mixed methods utilizing both quantitative and qualitative measures. PARTICIPANTS Five residents, 8 nurses, 2 pharmacists, and 2 social workers were interviewed. Pre-post interruption—15 residents from 5 clinical teams in both periods. MEASUREMENTS The study compared the type of messages sent to physicians before and after implementation of the Web-based messaging system; a constant comparative analysis of semistructured interviews was used to generate key themes related to unintended consequences. RESULTS Interruptions increased 233%, from 3 pages received per resident per day pre-implementation to 10 messages received per resident per day post-implementation. Key themes relating to unintended consequences that emerged from the interviews included increase in interruptions, accountability, and tactics to improve personal productivity. CONCLUSIONS Meaningful improvements in clinical communication can occur but require more than just replacing pagers. Introducing HIT without addressing the sociotechnical aspects of HIT that underlie clinical communication can lead to unintended consequences. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2013;8:137–143. © 2013 Society of Hospital Medicine

Beyond statistical prediction: qualitative evaluation of the mechanisms by which pediatric early warning scores impact patient safety.

Abstract: BACKGROUND Early warning scores (EWSs) assign points to clinical observations and generate scores to help clinicians identify deteriorating patients. Despite marginal predictive accuracy in retrospective datasets and a paucity of studies prospectively evaluating their clinical effectiveness, pediatric EWSs are commonly used. OBJECTIVE To identify mechanisms beyond their statistical ability to predict deterioration by which physicians and nurses use EWSs to support their decision making. DESIGN Qualitative study. SETTING A children's hospital with a rapid response system. PARTICIPANTS Physicians and nurses who recently cared for patients with false-positive and false-negative EWSs (score failures). INTERVENTION Semistructured interviews. MEASUREMENTS Themes identified through grounded theory analysis. RESULTS Four themes emerged among the 57 subjects interviewed: (1) The EWS facilitates safety by alerting physicians and nurses to concerning changes and prompting them to think critically about deterioration. (2) The EWS provides less-experienced nurses with vital sign reference ranges. (3) The EWS serves as evidence that empowers nurses to overcome barriers to escalating care. (4) In stable patients, those with baseline abnormal physiology, and those experiencing neurologic deterioration, the EWS may not be helpful. CONCLUSIONS Although pediatric EWSs have marginal performance when applied to datasets, clinicians who recently experienced score failures still considered them valuable to identify deterioration and transcend hierarchical barriers. Combining an EWS with a clinician's judgment may result in a system better equipped to respond to deterioration than retrospective data analyses alone would suggest. Future research should seek to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of EWSs in real-world settings. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2013;8:248–253. © 2013 Society of Hospital Medicine

Risk of redocumenting penicillin allergy in a cohort of patients with negative penicillin skin tests.

Abstract: BACKGROUND Even though electronic documentation of allergies is critical to patient safety, inaccuracies in documentation can potentiate serious problems. Prior studies have not evaluated factors associated with redocumenting penicillin allergy in the medical record despite a proven tolerance with a penicillin skin test (PST). OBJECTIVE Assess the prevalence of reinstating inaccurate allergy information and associated factors thereof. DESIGN We conducted a retrospective observational study from August 1, 2012 to July 31, 2013 of patients who previously had a negative PST. We reviewed records from the hospital, long-term care facilities (LTCF), and primary doctors' offices. SETTING Vidant Health, a system of 10 hospitals in North Carolina. SUBJECTS Patients with proven penicillin tolerance rehospitalized within a year period from the PST. MEASUREMENTS We gauged hospital reappearances, penicillin allergy redocumentation, residence, antimicrobial use, and presence of dementia or altered mentation. RESULTS Of the 150 patients with negative PST, 55 (37%) revisited a Vidant system hospital within a 1-year period, of whom 21 were LTCF residents. Twenty (36%) of the 55 patients had penicillin allergy redocumented without apparent reason. Factors associated with penicillin allergy redocumentation included age >65 years (P = 0.011), LTCF residence (P = 0.0001), acutely altered mentation (P < 0.0001), and dementia (P < 0.0001). Penicillin allergy was still listed in all 21 (100%) of the LTCF records. CONCLUSIONS At our hospital system, penicillin allergies are often redocumented into the medical record despite proven tolerance. The benefits of PST may be limited by inadequately removing the allergy from different electronic/paper hospital, LTCF, primary physician, and community pharmacy records. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2013;8:615–618. © 2013 Society of Hospital Medicine

Opportunity lost: end-of-life discussions in cancer patients who die in the hospital.

Abstract: Most patients prefer to die at home, pain free and without the use of life-sustaining treatments1,2 yet the majority of patients with serious illness die in the hospital.3–5 When hospitalized patient die, the care is frequently focused on life-sustaining treatments6; pain, dyspnea, and agitation levels are higher when compared with patients who die in non-hospital settings.7–9 End-of-life discussions and their products (ie, advanced directives) can clarify treatment options with patients and family,10 and help ensure that patients receive care consistent with their beliefs.11–13 End-of-life discussions are associated with a decrease use of life-sustaining treatments, improved quality of life, and reduced costs of care.14,15 For the majority of patients dying of cancer, the first end-of-life discussion takes place in the hospital setting.16 Conducting end-of-life conversations in the hospital setting can be challenging. Patients are acutely ill and nearly 40% are incapable of making their own medical decisions.17 In order to participate in an end-of-life discussion, a physician must determine that a patient meets the 4 criteria of decisional capacity as outlined by Appelbaum and Grisso:18 Does the patient (1) communicate a clear and consistent choice; (2) understand the relevant information surrounding that decision; (3) appreciate the consequences of that decision; and (4) communicate reasoning for that decision?19 In practice, however, clinicians inaccurately assign capacity up to 25% of the time.17 When a physician determines, accurately or inaccurately, that the patient does not meet this standard for decisional capacity, discussions must be held instead with a surrogate decision-maker. Surrogate decision-making can make communication with the physician more difficult,20 delay important medical decisions,21 and be stressful on the decision-maker.22 To our knowledge, no studies have examined patient and surrogate participation in end-of-life discussions at the time of terminal hospitalization and its association with end-of-life treatments received. Our goals were to examine physician assessment of decisional capacity and the prevalence of end-of-life discussions during the terminal hospitalization of patients with advanced cancer. Our research questions were: (1) What proportion of patients were assessed to have decisional capacity by the clinical team at the time of their terminal hospital admission? (2) What proportion of these patients had a documented discussion about end-of-life care with the clinical team, and for what proportion was the conversation held instead by the patient’s surrogate decision-maker because the patient was considered to have lost decisional capacity? (3) Was patient participation in a discussion about end-of-life care associated with life-sustaining and palliative treatments received?

Review of Computerized Physician Handoff Tools for Improving the Quality of Patient Care

Abstract: BACKGROUND Computerized physician handoff tools (CHTs) are designed to allow distributed access and synchronous archiving of patient information via Internet protocols. However, their impact on the quality of physician handoff, patient care, and physician work efficiency have not been extensively analyzed. METHODS We searched MEDLINE, PUBMED, EMBASE, CINAHL, the Cochrane database for systematic reviews, and the Cochrane central register for clinical trials, from January 1960 to December 2011. We selected all articles that reported randomized controlled trials, controlled clinical trials, controlled before–after studies, and quasi-experimental studies of the use of CHTs for physician handoff for hospitalized patients. Relevant studies were evaluated independently for their eligibility for inclusion by 2 individuals in a 2-stage process. RESULTS The literature search identified 1026 citations of which 6 satisfied the inclusion criteria. One study was a randomized controlled trial, whereas 5 were controlled before–after studies. Two studies showed that using CHTs reduced adverse events and missing patients. Three studies demonstrated improved overall quality of handoff after CHT implementation. One study suggested that CHTs could potentially enhance work efficiency and continuity of care during physician handoff. Conflicting impacts on consistency of handoff were found in 2 studies. CONCLUSIONS The evidence that CHTs improve physician handoff and quality of hospitalized patient care is limited. CHT may improve the efficiency of physician work, reduce adverse events, and increase the completeness of physician handoffs. However, further evaluation using rigorous study designs is needed. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2013;8:456–463; © 2012 Society of Hospital Medicine

Risks and benefits of prophylactic inferior vena cava filters in patients undergoing bariatric surgery

Abstract: BACKGROUND The United States Food and Drug Administration recently issued a warning about adverse events in patients receiving inferior vena cava (IVC) filters. OBJECTIVE To assess relationships between IVC filter insertion and complications while controlling for differences in baseline patient characteristics and medical venous thromboembolism prophylaxis. DESIGN Propensity-matched cohort study. SETTING The prospective, statewide, clinical registry of the Michigan Bariatric Surgery Collaborative. PATIENTS Bariatric surgery patients (n=35,477) from 32 hospitals during the years 2006 through 2012. INTERVENTION Prophylactic IVC filter insertion. MEASUREMENTS Outcomes included the occurrence of complications (pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis, and overall combined rates of complications by severity) within 30 days of bariatric surgery. RESULTS There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics among the 1,077 patients with IVC filters and in 1,077 matched control patients. Patients receiving IVC filters had higher rates of pulmonary embolism (0.84% vs 0.46%; odds ratio [OR], 2.0; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.6-6.5; P=0.232), deep vein thrombosis (1.2% vs 0.37%; OR, 3.3; 95% CI, 1.1-10.1; P=0.039), venous thromboembolism (1.9% vs 0.74%; OR, 2.7; 95% CI, 1.1-6.3, P=0.027), serious complications (5.8% vs 3.8%; OR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.0-2.4; P=0.031), permanently disabling complications (1.2% vs 0.37%; OR, 4.3; 95% CI, 1.2-15.6; P=0.028), and death (0.7% vs 0.09%; OR, 7.0; 95% CI, 0.9-57.3; P=0.068). Of the 7 deaths among patients with IVC filters, 4 were attributable to pulmonary embolism and 2 to IVC thrombosis/occlusion. CONCLUSIONS We have identified no benefits and significant risks to the use of prophylactic IVC filters among bariatric surgery patients and believe that their use should be discouraged. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2013;8:173–177. © 2013 Society of Hospital Medicine

Development of a handoff evaluation tool for shift-to-shift physician handoffs: The handoff CEX

Abstract: BACKGROUND Increasing frequency of shift-to-shift handoffs coupled with regulatory requirements to evaluate handoff quality make a handoff evaluation tool necessary. OBJECTIVE To develop a handoff evaluation tool. DESIGN Tool development. SETTING Two academic medical centers. SUBJECTS Nurse practitioners, medicine housestaff, and hospitalist attendings. INTERVENTION Concurrent peer and external evaluations of shift-to-shift handoffs. MEASUREMENTS The Handoff CEX (clinical evaluation exercise) consists of 6 subdomains and 1 overall assessment, each scored from 1 to 9, where 1 to 3 is unsatisfactory and 7 to 9 is superior. We assessed range of scores, performance among subgroups, internal consistency, and agreement among types of raters. RESULTS We conducted 675 evaluations of 97 unique individuals during 149 handoff sessions. Scores ranged from unsatisfactory to superior in each domain. The highest rated domain for handoff providers was professionalism (median: 8; interquartile range [IQR]: 7–9); the lowest was content (median: 7; IQR: 6–8). Scores at the 2 institutions were similar, and scores did not differ significantly by training level. Spearman correlation coefficients among the CEX subdomains for provider scores ranged from 0.71 to 0.86, except for setting (0.39–0.40). Third-party external evaluators consistently gave lower marks for the same handoff than peer evaluators did. Weighted kappa scores for provider evaluations comparing external evaluators to peers ranged from 0.28 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.01, 0.56) for setting to 0.59 (95% CI: 0.38, 0.80) for organization. CONCLUSIONS This handoff evaluation tool was easily used by trainees and attendings, had high internal consistency, and performed similarly across institutions. Because peers consistently provided higher scores than external evaluators, this tool may be most appropriate for external evaluation. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2013;8:191–200. © 2013 Society of Hospital Medicine