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Sample records for hospital-patient relations

  1. Pediatric Patients' Malnutrition and Its Relation to Hospitalization Times and Causes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guimarey, Luis M.; And Others

    1984-01-01

    Relates the nutritional status of 1,378 hospitalized pediatric patients to length of hospitalization and definitive hospitalization diagnosis. Findings indicated the length of hospitalization time increased markedly with malnutrition, especially for patients with diarrhea. (BJD)

  2. Cardiovascular diseases-related hospital admissions of patients with inflammatory arthritis.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ursum, J.; Nielen, M.M.J.; Twisk, J.W.R.; Peters, M.J.L.; Schellevis, F.G.; Nurmohamed, M.T.; Korevaar, J.C.

    2015-01-01

    Objective: Patients with inflammatory arthritis (IA) have an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), suggesting a high rate of CVD-related hospitalizations, but data on this topic are limited. Our study addressed hospital admissions for CVD in a primary care-based population of patients

  3. Hospital Related Stress Among Patients Admitted to a Psychiatric In-patient Unit in India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Latha KS

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available The psychiatric patient’s attitudes towards hospitalization have found an association between patient perceptions of the ward atmosphere and dissatisfaction. The aim of the study was to determine the aspects of stress related to hospitalization in inpatients admitted to a psychiatric facility. Fifty in-patients of both sexes admitted consecutively to a psychiatric unit in a General Hospital were asked to rate the importance of, and their satisfaction with, 38 different aspects of in-patient care and treatment. Results showed that the major sources of stress were related to having a violent patient near to his/her bed; being away from family; having to stay in closed wards; having to eat cold and tasteless food; losing income or job due to illness, being hospitalized away from home; not able to understand the jargons used by the clinical staff and not getting medication for sleep. A well-differentiated assessment of stress and satisfaction has implications for the evaluation of the quality of psychiatric care and for the improvement of in-patient psychiatric care.

  4. [Factors related to patient satisfaction with hospital emergency services].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parra Hidalgo, Pedro; Bermejo Alegría, Rosa María; Más Castillo, Adelia; Hidalgo Montesinos, María Dolores; Gomis Cebrián, Rafael; Calle Urra, José Eduardo

    2012-01-01

    To determine the perceived quality variables related to satisfaction and to identify the influence of sociodemographic factors on user satisfaction with hospital emergencies. A telephone survey was conducted with a specifically designed questionnaire for use in a sample of 3,600 users of hospital emergency services in nine public hospitals in 2008 and 2009. The adjusted model including all perceived quality and sociodemographic variables explained 47.1% of the variance (adjusted R(2)). Of all the independent variables included, only eight were significant in predicting the level of patient satisfaction. These variables were related to the patient's opinion of the relationship with medical staff (p = 0.041), nurses' and porters' professionalism (p = 0.010 and 0.022), infrastructure (cleanliness and comfort) (p = 0.033 and 0.008), information received at discharge (p = 0.000), waiting time in the emergency department (p = 0.000) and the perception of treatment-diagnosis without failure (p = 0.028). The variables influencing emergency patients' satisfaction were determined, allowing areas where corrective action could be introduced to be identified. In addition, possible confounding factors that should be controlled for when comparing results among distinct hospitals were identified. The emergency satisfaction questionnaire is a useful instrument to evaluate and improve quality of care. Copyright © 2011 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  5. How to Deal With Relatives of Patients Dying in the Hospital? Qualitative Content Analysis of Relatives' Experiences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Witkamp, Erica; Droger, Mirjam; Janssens, Rien; van Zuylen, Lia; van der Heide, Agnes

    2016-08-01

    Hospital care and communication tend to be focused on the individual patient, and decision making is typically based on the principle of individual autonomy. It can be questioned whether this approach is adequate when a patient is terminally ill. Our aim was to explore the involvement and experiences of relatives in the hospital during the patient's last phase of life. This study was embedded in a retrospective questionnaire study on the quality of dying of a consecutive sample of patients who died in a general university hospital in The Netherlands. We performed a secondary qualitative analysis of relatives' comments and answers to open questions. Relatives of 951 deceased adult patients were asked to complete a questionnaire; 451 questionnaires were returned and analyzed for this study. Relatives expressed a need for 1) comprehensible, timely, and sensitive information and communication, 2) involvement in decision making, 3) acknowledgment of their position, 4) being able to trust health care staff, and 5) rest and privacy. When relatives felt that their role had sufficiently been acknowledged by health care professionals (HCPs), their experiences were more positive. Relatives emphasized their relation with the patient and their involvement in care of the patient dying in the hospital. An approach of HCPs to care based on the concept of individual autonomy seems inadequate. The role of relatives might be better addressed by the concept of relational autonomy, which provides HCPs with opportunities to create a relationship with relatives in care that optimally addresses the needs of patients. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Are hospitals also for relatives?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nissen, Nina Konstantin; Madsen, Mette; Kjøller, Mette

    2008-01-01

    at relatives of patients with cardiac diseases is sparse. This study aimed to survey the prevalence of health services for relatives of cardiac patients in Denmark. METHODS: We surveyed activities offered by Danish hospitals to the relatives of cardiac patients. Data were obtained from an Internet-based survey...... and 50 of 55 invited hospital departments participated. RESULTS: Almost all departments offer activities to relatives of cardiac patients, but only one-quarter have activities specifically aimed at supporting relatives. Large departments offer activities for relatives more often than smaller departments....... Participation rates for relatives are generally low, and the departments experience numerous barriers in providing activities for relatives of heart patients. CONCLUSIONS: Danish hospitals focus very little on relatives of cardiac patients, and this seems to be due to several factors, including lack...

  7. Collaboration between relatives of elderly patients and nurses and its relation to satisfaction with the hospital care trajectory

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lindhardt, Tove; Nyberg, Per; Hallberg, Ingalill Rahm

    2008-01-01

    in care. A new role for relatives as partners in decision-making rather than passive recipients of information is indicated for the benefit of care quality. Further, increased collaboration between relatives and nurses, assigning relatives' influence, may reduce their powerlessness and guilt and thereby......BACKGROUND: Relatives are often involved in the care of frail elderly patients prior to admission and are thus important collaborative partners for nurses. They hold valuable knowledge, which may improve care planning for the benefit of the patient and the hospital care trajectory. Satisfaction...... among relatives may be an indicator of this. Aim: To investigate collaboration between relatives and nurses among those relatives reporting high versus low satisfaction with the hospital care trajectory. Further, the aim was to investigate the relationship between satisfaction with the hospital care...

  8. Adverse Drug Reactions Related to Drug Administration in Hospitalized Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gallelli, Luca; Siniscalchi, Antonio; Palleria, Caterina; Mumoli, Laura; Staltari, Orietta; Squillace, Aida; Maida, Francesca; Russo, Emilio; Gratteri, Santo; De Sarro, Giovambattista

    2017-01-01

    Drug treatment may be related to the development of adverse drug reactions (ADRs). In this paper, we evaluated the ADRs in patients admitted to Catanzaro Hospital. After we obtained the approval by local Ethical Committee, we performed a retrospective study on clinical records from March 01, 2013 to April 30, 2015. The association between drug and ADR or between drug and drug-drug-interactions (DDIs) was evaluated using the Naranjo's probability scale and Drug Interaction Probability Scale (DIPS), respectively. During the study period, we analyzed 2870 clinical records containing a total of 11,138 prescriptions, and we documented the development of 770 ADRs. The time of hospitalization was significantly higher (P<0.05) in women with ADRs (12.6 ± 1.2 days) with respect to men (11.8± 0.83 days). Using the Naranjo score, we documented a probable association in 78% of these reactions, while DIPS revealed that about 22% of ADRs were related to DDIs. Patients with ADRs received 3052 prescriptions on 11,138 (27.4%) having a mean of 6.1±0.29 drugs that was significantly higher (P<0.01) with respect to patients not experiencing ADRs (mean of 3.4±0.13 drugs). About 19% of ADRs were not diagnosed and were treated as new diseases. Our results indicate that drug administration induces the development of ADRs also during the hospitalization, particularly in elderly women. Moreover, we also documented that ADRs in some patients are under-diagnosed, therefore, it is important to motivate healthcare to report the ADRs in order to optimize the patients' safety. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  9. [Patient-related complexity in nursing care - Collective case studies in the acute care hospital].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gurtner, Caroline; Spirig, Rebecca; Staudacher, Diana; Huber, Evelyn

    2018-06-04

    Patient-related complexity in nursing care - Collective case studies in the acute care hospital Abstract. Patient-related complexity of nursing is defined by the three characteristics "instability", "uncertainty", and "variability". Complexity increased in the past years, due to reduced hospital length of stay and a growing number of patients with chronic and multiple diseases. We investigated the phenomenon of patient-related complexity from the point of view of nurses and clinical nurse specialists in an acute care hospital. In the context of a collective case study design, nurses and clinical nurse specialists assessed the complexity of nursing situations with a questionnaire. Subsequently, we interviewed nurses and clinical nurse specialists about their evaluation of patient-related complexity. In a within-case-analysis we summarized data inductively to create case narratives. By means of a cross-case-analysis we compared the cases with regard to deductively derived characteristics. The four cases exemplarily showed that the degree of complexity depends on the controllability and predictability of clinical problems. Additionally, complexity increases or decreases, according to patients' individual resources. Complex patient situations demand professional expertise, experience, communicative competencies and the ability for reflection. Beginner nurses would benefit from support and advice by experienced nurses to develop these skills.

  10. Collaboration between relatives of elderly patients and nurses and its relation to satisfaction with the hospital care trajectory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lindhardt, Tove; Nyberg, Per; Hallberg, Ingalill Rahm

    2008-12-01

    Relatives are often involved in the care of frail elderly patients prior to admission and are thus important collaborative partners for nurses. They hold valuable knowledge, which may improve care planning for the benefit of the patient and the hospital care trajectory. Satisfaction among relatives may be an indicator of this. To investigate collaboration between relatives and nurses among those relatives reporting high versus low satisfaction with the hospital care trajectory. Further, the aim was to investigate the relationship between satisfaction with the hospital care trajectory and (i) participants' characteristics and (ii) the dimensions of collaboration. Relatives of elderly patients (n = 156) in acute hospital wards. Women constituted 74.8%, adult children 63.9% and spouses 20% of the participants. Mean age was 60.78 (SD 11.99). Cross-sectional, comparative, analytical. A self-report, structured questionnaire covering attributes, prerequisites, outcome and barriers/promoters for collaboration. Respondents reporting high versus low satisfaction were compared with regards to characteristics and mean scores in dimensions of collaboration. Multivariate logistic regression analyses examined predictors for satisfaction with the hospital care trajectory. Low satisfaction was significantly related to low level of collaboration. Other predictors for low satisfaction were: feelings of guilt and powerlessness, having provided help for less than a year and not providing psychosocial help. Satisfaction with care as a hypothesized outcome of collaboration was supported in this study. Hitherto, research has mainly focussed on relatives as potential clients; this study has focussed on relatives as competent collaborative partners in care. A new role for relatives as partners in decision-making rather than passive recipients of information is indicated for the benefit of care quality. Further, increased collaboration between relatives and nurses, assigning relatives

  11. Hospital nurses' working conditions in relation to motivation and patient safety.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Toode, Kristi; Routasalo, Pirkko; Helminen, Mika; Suominen, Tarja

    2015-03-01

    There is a lack of empirical knowledge about nurses' perceptions of their workplace characteristics and conditions, such as level of autonomy and decision authority, work climate, teamwork, skill exploitation and learning opportunities, and their work motivation in relation to practice outputs such as patient safety. Such knowledge is needed particularly in countries, such as Estonia, where hospital systems for preventing errors and improving patient safety are in the early stages of development. This article reports the findings from a cross-sectional survey of hospital nurses in Estonia that was aimed at determining their perceptions of workplace characteristics, working conditions, work motivation and patient safety, and at exploring the relationship between these. Results suggest that perceptions of personal control over their work can affect nurses' motivation, and that perceptions of work satisfaction might be relevant to patient safety improvement work.

  12. Anxiety and depression related to the hospitalization experience of patients receiving radioiodine ablation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Koc, Z.; Karaboc, A.; Balci, T.; Kepenek, F.; Atmaca, M.

    2015-01-01

    Full text of publication follows. Objective: the hospital rooms for radioiodine ablation of differentiated thyroid carcinoma are designed according to radiation safety lows where patients have to remain isolated. The aim of the present study is to investigate depression and anxiety levels of the patients associated with hospitalization experience for radioiodine ablation. Methods: 30 patients (8 M, 22 F; mean: 45±13 years old) with differentiated thyroid carcinoma were included into study. After withdrawal of thyroid hormone replacement at least for 3 weeks, the patients were subject of the ablation treatment. After routine psychiatric examination Hamilton Anxiety and Depression scales were administered to the patients before and after complement of hospitalization for 1-3 days. Results: according to the statistical analysis there was not any significant difference between Hamilton depression and anxiety scores and state and trait anxiety scores of the patients before and after treatment (P>0.05). However, 18 patients had depression, with major depression of six, and 21 had high anxiety levels, according to Hamilton Depression and Anxiety Scales. Conclusion: Although the patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma do not experience anxiety or depression related to the hospitalization itself for radioiodine ablation they might frequently have depression or anxiety just before the treatment. (authors)

  13. Prognostic Factors in Tuberculosis Related Mortalities in Hospitalized Patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ghazal Haque

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Setting. The study was undertaken at the Department of Pulmonology at a public, tertiary care centre in Karachi, Pakistan. Objectives. To evaluate factors concerned with in-hospital deaths in patients admitted with pulmonary tuberculosis (TB. Design. A retrospective case-control audit was performed for 120 patients hospitalised with pulmonary TB. Sixty of those discharged after treatment were compared to sixty who did not survive. Radiological findings, clinical indicators, and laboratory values were compared between the two groups to identify factors related to poor prognosis. Results. Factors concerned with in-hospital mortality listed late presentation of disease (P<0.01, noncompliance to antituberculosis therapy (P<0.01, smoking (P<0.01, longer duration of illness prior to treatment (P<0.01, and low body weight (P<0.01. Most deaths occurred during the first week of admission (P<0.01 indicating late referrals as significant. Immunocompromised status and multi-drug resistance were not implicated in higher mortality. Conclusions. Poor prognosis was associated with noncompliance to therapy resulting in longer duration of illness, late patient referrals to care centres, and development of complications. Early diagnosis, timely referrals, and monitored compliance may help reduce mortality. Adherence to a more radically effective treatment regimen is required to eliminate TB early during disease onset.

  14. Health-related quality of life and anemia in hospitalized patients with heart failure

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kraai, I. H.; Luttik, M. L. A.; Johansson, P.; De Jong, R. M.; Van Veldhuisen, D. J.; Hillege, H. L.; Jaarsma, T.

    2012-01-01

    Background: Anemia is a serious and highly prevalent co-morbidity in chronic heart failure (HF) patients. Its influence on health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) has rarely been studied, and no data is available regarding the role it plays in hospitalized HF patients. Methods: Baseline data from

  15. Health-related quality of life and anemia in hospitalized patients with heart failure

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kraai, Imke H.; Luttik, Marie Louise; Johansson, P.; van Veldhuisen, Dirk J.; Hillege, Hans L.; de Jong, Remco; Jaarsma, Tiny

    2012-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Anemia is a serious and highly prevalent co-morbidity in chronic heart failure (HF) patients. Its influence on health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) has rarely been studied, and no data is available regarding the role it plays in hospitalized HF patients. METHODS: Baseline data from

  16. Four minutes for a patient, twenty seconds for a relative - an observational study at a university hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xander Carola J

    2010-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background In the modern hospital environment, increasing possibilities in medical examination techniques and increasing documentation tasks claim the physicians' energy and encroach on their time spent with patients. This study aimed to investigate how much time physicians at hospital wards spend on communication with patients and their families and how much time they spend on other specific work tasks. Methods A non-participatory, observational study was conducted in thirty-six wards at the University Medical Center Freiburg, a 1700-bed academic hospital in Germany. All wards belonging to the clinics of internal medicine, surgery, radiology, neurology, and to the clinic for gynaecology took part in the study. Thirty-four ward doctors from fifteen different medical departments were observed during a randomly chosen complete work day. The Physicians' time for communication with patients and relatives and time spent on different working tasks during one day of work were assessed. Results 374 working hours were analysed. On average, a physician's workday on a university hospital ward added up to 658.91 minutes (10 hrs 58 min; range 490 - 848 min. Looking at single items of time consumption on the evaluation sheet, discussions with colleagues ranked first with 150 minutes on average. Documentation and administrative requirements took an average time of 148 minutes per day and ranked second. Total time for communication with patients and their relatives was 85 minutes per physician and day. Consequently, the available time for communication was 4 minutes and 17 seconds for each patient on the ward and 20 seconds for his or her relatives. Physicians assessed themselves to communicate twice as long with patients and sevenfold with relatives than they did according to this study. Conclusions Workload and time pressure for physicians working on hospital wards are high. To offer excellent medical treatment combined with patient centred care and

  17. [Hospitalization rate in relation to severe complications of transrectal prostate biopsy: About 2715 patients biopsied].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tamarelle, B; Perrin, P; Devonec, M; Paparel, P; Ruffion, A

    To identify hospitalizations directly related to a complication occurring within 30 days following a transrectal prostate biopsy (PBP). Overall hospitalization rates, mortality rates, potential predisposing factors for complications. Single-center study including all patients who underwent PBP between January 2005 and January 2012. Any hospitalization occurring within 30 days of the PBP for urgent motive was considered potentially attributable to biopsy. We identified the reason for hospitalization with direct complications (urinary infection or fever, rectal bleeding, bladder caillotage, retention) and indirect (underlying comorbidities decompensation) of the biopsy. The contributing factors were anticoagulant or antiplatelet treatment well as waning immunity factors (corticosteroid therapy, HIV, chemotherapy or immunodulateur). Among 2715 men who underwent PBP, there were 120 (4.4%) hospitalizations including 28 (1.03%) caused by the biopsy. Twenty-five (0.92%) were related to a direct complication of biopsy: 14 (56%) for urinary tract infection or fever including 1 hospitalization in intensive care, 5 (20%) for rectal bleeding which required several transfusions 1, 10 (40%) urinary retention and 3 (0.11%) for an indirect complication (2 coronary syndromes and 1 respiratory failure). Several direct complications were associated in 3 cases. Only two hospitalizations associated with rectal bleeding were taking an antiplatelet or anticoagulant. There was no association between hospitalization for urinary tract infections and a decreased immune status. The first death observed in our study occurred at D31 of pulmonary embolism (advanced metastatic patient with bladder cancer). Twenty (60.6%) patients urgently hospitalized did not have prostate cancer. Within this large sample of patients the overall rate of hospitalization due to the realization of a PBP was 1%. It has not been found predictive of complications leading to hospitalization. 4. Copyright © 2016

  18. Motorcycle-related hospitalizations of the elderly.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hsieh, Ching-Hua; Liu, Hang-Tsung; Hsu, Shiun-Yuan; Hsieh, Hsiao-Yun; Chen, Yi-Chun

    2017-04-01

    To investigate the injury pattern, mechanisms, severity, and mortality of the elderly hospitalized for treatment of trauma following motorcycle accidents. Motorcycle-related hospitalization of 994 elderly and 5078 adult patients from the 16,548 hospitalized patients registered in the Trauma Registry System between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2013. The motorcycle-related elderly trauma patients had higher injury severity, less favorable outcomes, higher proportion of patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU), prolonged hospital and ICU stays and higher mortality than those adult motorcycle riders. It also revealed that a significant percentage of elderly motorcycle riders do not wear a helmet. Compared to patients who had worn a helmet, patients who had not worn a helmet had a lower first Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score, and a greater percentage presented with unconscious status (GCS score ≤8), had sustained subdural hematoma, subarachnoid hemorrhage, cerebral contusion, severe injury (injury severity score 16-24 and ≥25), had longer hospital stay and higher mortality, and had required admission to the ICU. Elderly motorcycle riders tend to present with a higher injury severity, worse outcome, and a bodily injury pattern differing from that of adult motorcycle riders, indicating the need to emphasize use of protective equipment, especially helmets, to reduce their rate and severity of injury. Copyright © 2017 Chang Gung University. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Factors Affecting Health Related Quality of Life in Hospitalized Patients with Heart Failure

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Georgia Audi

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available This study identified factors affecting health related quality of life (HRQOL in 300 hospitalized patients with heart failure (HF. Data were collected by the completion of a questionnaire which included patients’ characteristics and the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ. Analysis of data showed that the median of the total score of MLHFQ was 46 and the median of the physical and mental state was 22 and 6, respectively. Also, participants who were householders or had “other” professions had lower score of 17 points and therefore better quality of life compared to patients who were civil/private employees (p<0.001 and p<0.001, resp.. Patients not receiving anxiolytics and antidepressants had lower quality of life scores of 6 and 15.5 points, respectively, compared to patients who received (p=0.003 and p<0.001, resp.. Patients with no prior hospitalization had lower score of 7 points compared to those with prior hospitalization (p=0.002, whereas patients not retired due to the disease had higher score of 7 points (p=0.034. Similar results were observed for the physical and mental state. Improvement of HF patients’ quality of life should come to the forefront of clinical practice.

  20. Nurses' experience of collaboration with relatives of frail elderly patients in acute hospital wards: A qualitative study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tove, Lindhardt; Hallberg, Ingalill Rahm; Poulsen, Ingrid

    2008-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Frail elderly people admitted to hospital often receive help from relatives in managing their daily lives. These relatives are likely to continue to feel responsible after admission, and to hold valuable knowledge, which may contribute to decision-making related to care and treatment....... OBJECTIVE: To illuminate nurses' experience of collaboration with relatives of frail elderly patients in acute hospital wards, and of the barriers and promoters for collaboration. DESIGN AND SETTING: The design was descriptive. Three acute units in a large Danish university hospital participated....... PARTICIPANTS: Six registered nurses and two auxiliary nurses in charge of discharge planning for the patients were included. METHOD: Open interviews using an interview guide. Manifest and latent content analysis was applied. RESULT: The main theme Encountering relatives-to be caught between ideals and practice...

  1. Nurses' experience of collaboration with relatives of frail elderly patients in acute hospital wards: a qualitative study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lindhardt, Tommi Bo; Hallberg, I.R.; Poulsen, Ingrid

    2008-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Frail elderly people admitted to hospital often receive help from relatives in managing their daily lives. These relatives are likely to continue to feel responsible after admission, and to hold valuable knowledge, which may contribute to decision-making related to care and treatment....... OBJECTIVE: To illuminate nurses' experience of collaboration with relatives of frail elderly patients in acute hospital wards, and of the barriers and promoters for collaboration. DESIGN AND SETTING: The design was descriptive. Three acute units in a large Danish university hospital participated....... PARTICIPANTS: Six registered nurses and two auxiliary nurses in charge of discharge planning for the patients were included. METHOD: Open interviews using an interview guide. Manifest and latent content analysis was applied. RESULT: The main theme Encountering relatives-to be caught between ideals and practice...

  2. Changes in patient satisfaction related to hospital renovation: experience with a new clinical building.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siddiqui, Zishan K; Zuccarelli, Rebecca; Durkin, Nowella; Wu, Albert W; Brotman, Daniel J

    2015-03-01

    There is an increasing trend toward designing hospitals with patient-centered features like reduced noise, improved natural light, visitor friendly facilities, well-decorated rooms, and hotel-like amenities. It has also been suggested that because patients cannot reliably distinguish positive experiences with the physical environment from positive experience with care, an improved hospital environment leads to higher satisfaction with physicians, nursing, food service, housekeeping, and higher overall satisfaction. To characterize changes in patient satisfaction that occurred when clinical services (comprised of stable nursing, physician, and unit teams) were relocated to a new clinical building with patient-centered features. We hypothesized that new building features would positively impact provider, ancillary staff, and overall satisfaction, as well as improved satisfaction with the facility. Natural experiment utilizing a pre-post design with concurrent controls. Academic tertiary care hospital. We included all patients discharged from 12 clinical units that relocated to the new clinical building who returned surveys in the 7.5-month period following the move. Premove baseline data were captured from the year prior to the move. Patients on unmoved clinical units who returned satisfaction surveys served as concurrent controls. Patient-centered design features incorporated into the new clinical building. All patients during the baseline period and control patients during the study period were located in usual patient rooms with standard hospital amenities. The primary outcome was satisfaction scores on the Press Ganey and Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey, dichotomized at highest category versus lower categories. We performed logistic regression to identify predictors of "top-box" scores. The move was associated with improved room- and visitor-related satisfaction without significant improvement in satisfaction with clinical

  3. Radiation Exposure to Relatives of Patients Treated with Iodine-131 for Thyroid Cancer at Siriraj Hospital

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tonnonchiang, S.; Sritongkul, N.; Chaudakshetrin, P.; Tuntawiroon, M.

    2012-01-01

    Thyroid carcinoma patients treated with I-131 are potential source of high radiation exposure to relatives who are knowingly and willingly exposed to ionizing radiation as a result of providing support and comfort to patients undergoing radionuclide therapy. The purpose of this study is to present the results of measurements of radiation doses to relatives who designated to care fornon self-supporting patients treated with radioiodine at Radionuclide Therapy Ward, Siriraj Hospital. Twenty caregivers of 20 patients underwent radioiodine therapy for thyroid cancers with a standard protocol were given specific instructions with regard to radiation safety and provided with electronic digital dosimeter (PDM 112) to continuously measure radiation dose received on the daily basis, during three days in the hospital. On the day of patients' release, in vivo bioassays were performed on caregivers to determine the thyroid uptake estimates. The 3-day accumulative doses to caregivers to patients receiving 5.55 GBq (n=11) and 7.4 GBq (n=9) of I-131 ranged from 37 to 333 μSv and 176 to 1920 μSv respectively depending on the extent and level of supports required. The thyroid uptake estimates in all caregivers were undetectable. Electronic dosimeters indicated a maximum whole-body effective dose of 1920 μSv was more than the public dose limit of 1 mSv but within the general dose constraint of 5 mSv. Radiation dose to caregivers of a non self-supporting hospitalized patient undergoing radioiodine therapy were well below the limits recommended by the ICRP and the IAEA. The patients can be comforted with confidence that dose to caregivers will be below the 5- mSv limit. This study provides guidance for medical practitioners to obtain practical radiation safety concerns associated with hospitalized patients receiving I-131 therapy especially when patients are comforted in the hospital ward by caregivers. (author)

  4. Relation Between Demographic Factors And Hospitalization In ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Relation Between Demographic Factors And Hospitalization In Patients With Gastrointestinal Disorders, Using Quantail Regression Analysis. ... East African Journal of Public Health ... Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate relation between demographic factors and hospitalization in gastrointestinal disorders.

  5. Patient and social work factors related to successful placement of long-term psychiatric in-patients from a specialist psychiatric hospital in South Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krüger, C; Lewis, C

    2011-05-01

    The slow discharge of long-term psychiatry patients from Weskoppies Hospital into the community has not matched the national and international drive towards deinstitutionalisation. This article investigates patient and social work factors related to successful community placement, in the context of limited community care facilities. Thirty-six long-term patients who were successfully placed outside of the hospital during a seven month period were compared to 235 unplaced long-term patients in terms of demographic and clinical variables. Social work services were analysed in terms of which patients received the most interventions, and the most common type of interventions. The most significant patient factors associated with successful placement were: female patients; medium-to-high level of functioning; having involved relatives living far away; a low frequency of behavioural problems (especially of cannabis abuse, verbal or physical aggression, uncontrolled sexual activity), and agitation or restlessness. These patient factors were mirrored in the social work services rendered to the long-term patients during the study period: The recipients were mostly female, in open wards (higher-functioning); and the social services utilised were mostly related to planning for placement and patient support. The lack of community care facilities in the Pretoria area that are able to care for the more difficult long-term psychiatry patients, limits successful placement and increases the burden of hospital based social workers. The problem cannot be resolved at a hospital level and needs to be addressed in the context of provincial and national health departments.

  6. Age-related in-hospital mortality among patients with acute myocardial infarction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abid, A.R.; Rafique, S.; Ahmed, R.Z.; Anjum, A.H.; Tarin, S.M.A.

    2004-01-01

    Objective: To evaluate the in-hospital mortality of acute myocardial infarction among different age groups. Subjects and Methods: The subjects were 460 admitted patients of acute myocardial infarction who fulfilled our inclusion criteria. Patients were divided into four age groups. Group-I included patients in 20-40 years, group-II (41-50 years), group-III (51-60 years) and group-IV (>60 years). Mortality was compared between different age groups by Chi-square and linear-regression models. Results: The total in-hospital mortality was 16.7%. It gradually increased from 5.6% in group-I (20-40 years) patients to 21% in group-IV (>60 years) patients. While mortality in groups group-II (41-50 years) and group-III (51-60 years) patients was 16.7% and 18.6% respectively. A marked increase in mortality was noted with increase in age. Group- IV (>60 years) patients presented 2 hours late to the hospital than the group-I (20-40 years) patients. There was no statistical difference in site of infarction in different age groups. Old age (group-IV i.e. >60 years old) was more associated with heart failure (higher Killip class) on presentation. Lesser number of patients in group-IV received thrombolytic therapy than group-I. Only 31.09% patients in group-IV and 62.5% patients in group-I received streptokinase therapy respectively. Conclusion: In patients with acute myocardial infarction age was a powerful independent predictor of in-hospital mortality and complications. (author)

  7. A Computerized Hospital Patient Information Management System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wig, Eldon D.

    1982-01-01

    The information processing needs of a hospital are many, with varying degrees of complexity. The prime concern in providing an integrated hospital information management system lies in the ability to process the data relating to the single entity for which every hospital functions - the patient. This paper examines the PRIMIS computer system developed to accommodate hospital needs with respect to a central patient registry, inpatients (i.e., Admission/Transfer/Discharge), and out-patients. Finally, the potential for expansion to permit the incorporation of more hospital functions within PRIMIS is examined.

  8. Exploring relationships between patient safety culture and patients' assessments of hospital care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sorra, Joann; Khanna, Kabir; Dyer, Naomi; Mardon, Russ; Famolaro, Theresa

    2014-10-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine relationships among 2 Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality measures of hospital patient safety and quality, which reflect different perspectives on hospital performance: the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (Hospital SOPS)--a hospital employee patient safety culture survey--and the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Hospital Survey (CAHPS Hospital Survey)--a survey of the experiences of adult inpatients with hospital care and services. Our hypothesis was that these 2 measures would be positively related. We performed multiple regressions to examine the relationships between the Hospital SOPS measures and CAHPS Hospital Survey measures, controlling for hospital bed size and ownership. Analyses were conducted at the hospital level with each survey's measures using data from 73 hospitals that administered both surveys during similar periods. Higher overall Hospital SOPS composite average scores were associated with higher overall CAHPS Hospital Survey composite average scores (r = 0.41, P G 0.01). Twelve of 15 Hospital SOPS measures were positively related to the CAHPS Hospital Survey composite average score after controlling for bed size and ownership, with significant standardized regression coefficients ranging from 0.25 to 0.38. None of the Hospital SOPS measures were significantly correlated with either of the two single-item CAHPS Hospital Survey measures (hospital rating and willingness to recommend). This study found that hospitals where staff have more positive perceptions of patient safety culture tend to have more positive assessments of care from patients. This finding helps validate both surveys and suggests that improvements in patient safety culture may lead to improved patient experience with care. Further research is needed to determine the generalizability of these results to larger sets of hospitals, to hospital units, and to other settings of care.

  9. Patient characteristics related to metabolic disorders and chronic complications in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients hospitalized at the Qingdao Endocrine and Diabetes Hospital from 2006 to 2012 in China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dong, Yanhu; Gao, Weiguo; Zhang, Lei; Wei, Jia; Hammar, Niklas; Cabrera, Claudia S; Wu, Xiaoli; Qiao, Qing

    2017-01-01

    To study the clinical characteristics related to metabolic disorders and complications in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients hospitalized in the Qingdao Endocrine and Diabetes Hospital from 2006 to 2012 in Qingdao, China. Data from 14,289 (51% males) type 2 diabetes mellitus patients hospitalized between 2006 and 2012 were collected and analysed. Information on patients' demographic, anthropometric, laboratory and disease histories were extracted from electronic medical records. The mean age of the patients was 60.5 years, with median diabetes duration of 9.0 years. Mean haemoglobin A1c was 8.4%, where 1.9% had hypertriglyceridaemia. Retinopathy was diagnosed in 51.1% of patients, nephropathy in 21.6%, neuropathy in 50.4%, hypertension in 77.4%, coronary heart disease in 27.6% and peripheral vascular disease in 58.6%. Once hospitalized, 71.1% of patients underwent insulin injection treatments, either mono-therapy or combined with other anti-diabetic drugs. Metformin was prescribed to 36.9% of patients, followed by acarbose 29.9%, thiazolidinediones 18.1%, meglitinides 14.8% and sulfonylureas 10.7%. Inadequate control of hyperglycaemia, poor metabolic profiles and diabetic complications were common challenges for long-term diabetes management in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. © The Author(s) 2016.

  10. Impact of bleeding-related complications and/or blood product transfusions on hospital costs in inpatient surgical patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Reynolds Matthew W

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Inadequate surgical hemostasis may lead to transfusion and/or other bleeding-related complications. This study examines the incidence and costs of bleeding-related complications and/or blood product transfusions occurring as a consequence of surgery in various inpatient surgical cohorts. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted using Premier's Perspective™ hospital database. Patients who had an inpatient procedure within a specialty of interest (cardiac, vascular, non-cardiac thoracic, solid organ, general, reproductive organ, knee/hip replacement, or spinal surgery during 2006-2007 were identified. For each specialty, the rate of bleeding-related complications (including bleeding event, intervention to control for bleeding, and blood product transfusions was examined, and hospital costs and length of stay (LOS were compared between surgeries with and without bleeding-related complications. Incremental costs and ratios of average total hospital costs for patients with bleeding-related complications vs. those without complications were estimated using ordinary least squares (OLS regression, adjusting for demographics, hospital characteristics, and other baseline characteristics. Models using generalized estimating equations (GEE were also used to measure the impact of bleeding-related complications on costs while accounting for the effects related to the clustering of patients receiving care from the same hospitals. Results A total of 103,829 cardiac, 216,199 vascular, 142,562 non-cardiac thoracic, 45,687 solid organ, 362,512 general, 384,132 reproductive organ, 246,815 knee/hip replacement, and 107,187 spinal surgeries were identified. Overall, the rate of bleeding-related complications was 29.9% and ranged from 7.5% to 47.4% for reproductive organ and cardiac, respectively. Overall, incremental LOS associated with bleeding-related complications or transfusions (unadjusted for covariates was 6.0 days and ranged from 1

  11. The epidemiology of assault-related hospital in-patient admissions and ED attendances.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    O'Farrell, A

    2013-03-01

    The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiology and impact of serious assault warranting in-patient care over six years and its impact on ED attendances in a large teaching hospital in Dublin over 2 years. There were 16,079 emergency assault-related inpatient hospital discharges reducing from 60.1 per 100,000 population in 2005 to 50.6 per 100,000 population in 2010. The median length of stay was 1 day (1-466) representing 49,870 bed days. The majority were young males (13,921, 86.6%; median age 26 years). Overall crime figures showed a similar reduction. However, knife crimes did not reduce over this period. Data on ED attendances confirmed the age and gender profile and also showed an increase at weekends. Alcohol misuse was recorded in 2,292\\/16079 (14%) of in-patient cases and 242\\/2484 (10%) in ED attendances. An inter-sectoral preventative approach specifically targeting knife crime is required to reduce this burden on health services.

  12. Mixed-method research protocol: defining and operationalizing patient-related complexity of nursing care in acute care hospitals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huber, Evelyn; Kleinknecht-Dolf, Michael; Müller, Marianne; Kugler, Christiane; Spirig, Rebecca

    2017-06-01

    To define the concept of patient-related complexity of nursing care in acute care hospitals and to operationalize it in a questionnaire. The concept of patient-related complexity of nursing care in acute care hospitals has not been conclusively defined in the literature. The operationalization in a corresponding questionnaire is necessary, given the increased significance of the topic, due to shortened lengths of stay and increased patient morbidity. Hybrid model of concept development and embedded mixed-methods design. The theoretical phase of the hybrid model involved a literature review and the development of a working definition. In the fieldwork phase of 2015 and 2016, an embedded mixed-methods design was applied with complexity assessments of all patients at five Swiss hospitals using our newly operationalized questionnaire 'Complexity of Nursing Care' over 1 month. These data will be analysed with structural equation modelling. Twelve qualitative case studies will be embedded. They will be analysed using a structured process of constructing case studies and content analysis. In the final analytic phase, the quantitative and qualitative data will be merged and added to the results of the theoretical phase for a common interpretation. Cantonal Ethics Committee Zurich judged the research programme as unproblematic in December 2014 and May 2015. Following the phases of the hybrid model and using an embedded mixed-methods design can reach an in-depth understanding of patient-related complexity of nursing care in acute care hospitals, a final version of the questionnaire and an acknowledged definition of the concept. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  13. Hospital-Level Variation in Practice Patterns and Patient Outcomes for Pediatric Patients Hospitalized With Functional Constipation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Librizzi, Jamie; Flores, Samuel; Morse, Keith; Kelleher, Kelly; Carter, Jodi; Bode, Ryan

    2017-06-01

    Constipation is a common pediatric condition with a prevalence of 3% to 5% in children aged 4 to 17 years. Currently, there are no evidence-based guidelines for the management of pediatric patients hospitalized with constipation. The primary objective was to evaluate practice patterns and patient outcomes for the hospital management of functional constipation in US children's hospitals. We conducted a multicenter, retrospective cohort study of children aged 0 to 18 years hospitalized for functional constipation from 2012 to 2014 by using the Pediatric Health Information System. Patients were included by using constipation and other related diagnoses as classified by International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision . Patients with complex chronic conditions were excluded. Outcome measures included percentage of hospitalizations due to functional constipation, therapies used, length of stay, and 90-day readmission rates. Statistical analysis included means with 95% confidence intervals for individual hospital outcomes. A total of 14 243 hospitalizations were included, representing 12 804 unique patients. The overall percentage of hospitalizations due to functional constipation was 0.65% (range: 0.19%-1.41%, P hospitalization included: electrolyte laxatives: 40% to 96%; sodium phosphate enema: 0% to 64%; mineral oil enema: 0% to 61%; glycerin suppository: 0% to 37%; bisacodyl 0% to 47%; senna: 0% to 23%; and docusate 0% to 11%. Mean length of stay was 1.97 days (range: 1.31-2.73 days, P hospitalized with functional constipation across US children's hospitals. Collaborative initiatives to adopt evidence-based best practices guidelines could help standardize the hospital management of pediatric functional constipation. Copyright © 2017 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

  14. The role of public relations activities in hospital choice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tengilimoglu, Dilaver; Yesiltas, Mehmet; Kisa, Adnan; Dziegielewski, Sophia F

    2007-01-01

    Public relations activities for all organizations can have an important effect on consumer decision-making when buying goods or services. This study examines the effect that public relations activities can have regarding consumer decisions and choice. To explore exemplify this relationship a questionnaire was given to 971 patients within public, university and private hospitals in Ankara, Turkey. Study results show that public relations activities were a crucial factor in determining consumer hospital choice. The majority of respondents reported that the behaviors and attitude of personnel as public relations activities that support the hospital's reputation within the public were the primary variables in hospital choice. Health care managers can use these findings to further understand how patients make informed choices related to usage of a health care facility and to develop and/or improve public relations activities.

  15. Patients' perceptions of interactions with hospital staff are associated with hospital readmissions: a national survey of 4535 hospitals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Lianping; Liu, Chaojie; Huang, Cunrui; Mukamel, Dana B

    2018-01-29

    Reducing 30-day hospital readmissions has become a focus of the current national payment policies. Medicare requires that hospitals collect and report patients' experience with their care as a condition of payment. However, the extent to which patients' experience with hospital care is related to hospital readmission is unknown. We established multivariate regression models in which 30-day risk-adjusted readmission rates were the dependent variables and patients' perceptions of the responsiveness of the hospital staff and communication (as measured by the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) scores) were the independent variables of interest. We selected six different clinical conditions for analyses, including acute myocardial infarction (AMI), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart failure, hip/knee surgery, pneumonia, and stroke. Data included all acute care hospitals reporting in Hospital Compare in 2014. The number of hospitals with reported readmissions ranged from 2234 hospitals for AMI to 3758 hospitals for pneumonia. The average 30-day readmission rates ranged from 5.19% for knee/hip surgery to 22.7% for COPD. Patient experience of hospital-staff responsiveness as "top-box" ranged from 64% to 67% across the six clinical conditions, communication with nurses ranged from 77% to 79% and communication with doctors ranged from 80% to 81% (higher numbers are better). Our finding suggests that hospitals with better staff responsiveness were significantly more likely to have lower 30-day readmissions for all conditions. The effect size depended on the baseline readmission rates, with the largest effect on hospitals in the upper 75th quartile. A ten-percentage-point increase in staff responsiveness led to a 0.03-0.18 percentage point decrease in readmission rates. We found that neither communication with physicians nor communication with nurses was significantly associated with hospital readmissions. Our findings

  16. Candiduria in hospitalized patients in teaching hospitals of Ahvaz.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zarei-Mahmoudabadi, A; Zarrin, M; Ghanatir, F; Vazirianzadeh, B

    2012-12-01

    Nosocomial infections are usually acquired during hospitalization. Fungal infection of the urinary tract is increasing due to predisposing factors such as; antibacterial agents, indwelling urinary catheters, diabetes mellitus, long hospitalization, immunosuppressive agents, use of IV catheters, radiation therapy, malignancy. The aim of our study was to determine the prevalence of candiduria and urinary tract infection in patients admitted in Golestan and Emam Khomeini hospitals of Ahvaz, Iran. During 14 months, a total of 744 urine samples were collected and transferred to medical mycology laboratory immediately. Ten µl of uncentrifuged sample was cultured on CHROM agar Candida plates and incubated at 37°C for 24-48h aerobically. Candida species were identified based on colony morphology on CHROM agar Candida, germ tube production and micro-morphology on corn meal agar including 1% Tween 80. In the present study, 744 hospitalized patients were sampled (49.5%, female; 50.5%, male). The prevalence of candiduria in subjects was 16.5% that included 65.1% female and 34.9% male. The most common isolates were C. albicans (53.3%), followed by C. glabrata (24.4%), C. tropicalis (3.7%), C. krusei (2.2%), and Geotrichum spp. (0.7%) Urine cultures yielded more than 10,000 yeast colonies in 34.1% of cases, and the major predisposing factor associated with candiduria was antibiotic therapy (69.1%). Candiduria is relatively common in hospitalized patients in educational hospitals of Ahvaz. In addition, there is a strong correlation between the incidence of candiduria in hospitalized patients and broad-spectrum antibiotics therapy.

  17. A Study of Power Relations in Doctor-Patient Interactions in Selected Hospitals in Lagos State, Nigeria

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adam, Qasim

    2014-01-01

    This paper explores power relations in clinical interactions in Nigeria. It seeks to investigate the use of power between doctors and patients during consultations on patient-centred approach to medicine in selected public and private hospitals in Lagos State, Nigeria. The objective is to establish how doctors' projection of power, using the…

  18. Pre-hospital and hospital delay in patients with non-ST elevation acute coronary syndromes in tertiary care

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G.S. Youssef

    2017-09-01

    Conclusion: Pre-hospital delay was mainly patient-related. Hospital delay was mainly related to healthcare resources. Governmental measures to promote ambulance emergency services may reduce the pre-hospital delay, while improving the utilization of healthcare resources may reduce hospital delay.

  19. Drug-drug Interactions of Statins Potentially Leading to Muscle-Related Side Effects in Hospitalized Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bucsa, Camelia; Farcas, Andreea; Leucuta, D; Mogosan, Cristina; Bojita, M; Dumitrascu, D L

    2015-01-01

    The associations of drugs that may interact with the statins resulting in elevated serum concentration of the statins are an important risk factor for statin induced muscle disorders. We aimed to determine the prevalence of these associations in all hospitalized patients that had been prescribed statins before/during hospitalization and to find out how often they are associated with muscle-related side effects. This prospective, non-interventional study performed in two internal medicine departments included patients with statin therapy before/during hospitalization. Data on each patient demographic characteristics, co-morbidities and treatment was collected from medical charts and interviews. We evaluated patients' therapy for the targeted associations using Thomson Micromedex Drug Interactions checker and we ranked the identified drug-drug interactions (DDIs) accordingly. Each patient with statin treatment before admission was additionally interviewed in order to identify muscular symptoms. In 109 patients on statin treatment we found 35 potential (p) DDIs of statins in 30 (27.5%) patients, most of which were in the therapy before admission (27 pDDIs). The pDDIs were moderate (20 pDDIs) and major (15 pDDIs). Of the total number of pDDIs, 24 were targeting the muscular system. The drugs most frequently involved in the statins' pDDIs were amiodarone and fenofibrate. Two of the patients with pDDIs reported muscle pain, both having additional risk factors for statin induced muscular effects. The prevalence of statins' pDDIs was high in our study, mostly in the therapy before admission, with only a small number of pDDIs resulting in clinical outcome.

  20. The predictive value of an adjusted COPD assessment test score on the risk of respiratory-related hospitalizations in severe COPD patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barton, Christopher A; Bassett, Katherine L; Buckman, Julie; Effing, Tanja W; Frith, Peter A; van der Palen, Job; Sloots, Joanne M

    2017-02-01

    We evaluated whether a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) assessment test (CAT) with adjusted weights for the CAT items could better predict future respiratory-related hospitalizations than the original CAT. Two focus groups (respiratory nurses and physicians) generated two adjusted CAT algorithms. Two multivariate logistic regression models for infrequent (≤1/year) versus frequent (>1/year) future respiratory-related hospitalizations were defined: one with the adjusted CAT score that correlated best with future hospitalizations and one with the original CAT score. Patient characteristics related to future hospitalizations ( p ≤ 0.2) were also entered. Eighty-two COPD patients were included. The CAT algorithm derived from the nurse focus group was a borderline significant predictor of hospitalization risk (odds ratio (OR): 1.07; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.00-1.14; p = 0.050) in a model that also included hospitalization frequency in the previous year (OR: 3.98; 95% CI: 1.30-12.16; p = 0.016) and anticholinergic risk score (OR: 3.08; 95% CI: 0.87-10.89; p = 0.081). Presence of ischemic heart disease and/or heart failure appeared 'protective' (OR: 0.17; 95% CI: 0.05-0.62; p = 0.007). The original CAT score was not significantly associated with hospitalization risk. In conclusion, as a predictor of respiratory-related hospitalizations, an adjusted CAT score was marginally significant (although the original CAT score was not). 'Previous respiratory-related hospitalizations' was the strongest factor in this equation.

  1. Chronic Hepatitis C-Related Cirrhosis Hospitalization Cost Analysis in Bulgaria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Dimitrova

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available ObjectiveHCV infection is a leading cause of chronic liver disease with long-term complications—extensive fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. The objective of this study is to perform cost analysis of therapy of patients with chronic HCV-related cirrhosis hospitalized in the University Hospital “Queen Joanna-ISUL” for 3-year period (2012–2014.MethodsIt is a prospective, real life observational study of 297 patients with chronic HCV infection and cirrhosis monitored in the University Hospital “Queen Joanna-ISUL” for 3-year period. Data on demographic, clinical characteristics, and health-care resources utilization (hospitalizations, highly specialized interventions, and pharmacotherapy were collected. Micro-costing approach was applied to evaluate the total direct medical costs. The points of view are that of the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF, hospital and the patients. Collected cost data are from the NHIF and hospitals tariffs, patients, and from the positive dug list for medicines prices. Descriptive statistics, chi-squared test, Kruskal–Wallis, and Friedman tests were used for statistical processing.Results76% of patients were male. 93% were diagnosed in grade Child-Pugh A and B. 97% reported complications, and almost all developed esophageal varices. During the 3 years observational period, patients did not change the critical clinical values for Child-Pugh status and therefore the group was considered as homogenous. 847 hospitalizations were recorded for 3 years period with average length of stay 17 days. The mortality rate of 6.90% was extremely high. The total direct medical costs for the observed cohort of patients for 3-year period accounted for 1,290,533 BGN (€659,839 with an average cost per patient 4,577 BGN (€2,340. Statistically significant correlation was observed between the total cost per patient from the different payers’ perspective and the Child-Pugh cirrhosis score.ConclusionHCV-related

  2. Adherence to treatment and hospitalization risk in hemodialysis patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vaiciuniene, Ruta; Kuzminskis, Vytautas; Ziginskiene, Edita; Skarupskiene, Inga; Bumblyte, Inga A

    2012-01-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate whether adherence to treatment is associated with hospitalization risk in hemodialysis patients. We completed a cohort analysis of risk factors during 1 census month (November) and 1 year of follow-up during 5 consecutive years (2002-2006) in all end-stage renal disease patients hemodialyzed in the Kaunas region. During the census month, we collected data on noncompliance defined as (i) skipping of a hemodialysis (HD) session, (ii) shortening of 1 or more HD sessions, (iii) presence of hyperkalemia, (iv) presence of hyperphosphatemia, or (v) interdialytic weight gain (IDWG). In addition, data on age, sex, disability status, comorbidities, anemia control, malnutrition and inflammation, calcium-phosphorus metabolism and hospitalization rate were collected. Relative risk of hospitalization was estimated using Cox regression evaluating time to first hospitalization. We analyzed 559 patients for a total of 1,163 patient-years during the 5 years of the study. On multivariate analysis, adjusting for ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus, higher number of comorbid conditions, higher systolic blood pressure before dialysis, worse disability status, lower hemoglobin, albumin and urea before dialysis, the relative risk for hospitalization increased by 1.1 for every additional percentage point of IDWG and by 1.19 with each 1 mmol/L rise of serum phosphorus level. Skipping or shortening of hemodialysis sessions and serum potassium level were not associated with hospitalization. Higher IDWG and higher serum levels of phosphorus independently increased the relative risk of hospitalizations in hemodialysis patients. With skipped and shortened dialysis sessions, higher serum potassium level was not associated with hospitalization risk.

  3. Cholecystectomy and Diagnosis-Related Groups (DRGs): patient classification and hospital reimbursement in 11 European countries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paat-Ahi, Gerli; Aaviksoo, Ain; Swiderek, Maria

    2014-12-01

    As part of the EuroDRG project, researchers from eleven countries (i.e. Austria, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, and Spain) compared how their Diagnosis-Related Groups (DRG) systems deal with cholecystectomy patients. The study aims to assist surgeons and national authorities to optimize their DRG systems. National or regional databases were used to identify hospital cases with a procedure of cholecystectomy. DRG classification algorithms and indicators of resource consumption were compared for those DRGs that individually contained at least 1% of cases. Six standardised case vignettes were defined, and quasi prices according to national DRG-based hospital payment systems were ascertained and compared to an index case. European DRG systems vary widely: they classify cholecystectomy patients according to different sets of variables into diverging numbers of DRGs (between two DRGs in Austria and Poland to nine DRGs in England). The most complex DRG is valued at four times more resource intensive than the index case in Ireland but only 1.3 times more resource intensive than the index case in Austria. Large variations in the classification of cholecystectomy patients raise concerns whether all systems rely on the most appropriate classification variables. Surgeons, hospital managers and national DRG authorities should consider how other countries' DRG systems classify cholecystectomy patients in order to optimize their DRG systems and to ensure fair and appropriate reimbursement.

  4. Children's Hospitals' Solutions for Patient Safety Collaborative Impact on Hospital-Acquired Harm.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lyren, Anne; Brilli, Richard J; Zieker, Karen; Marino, Miguel; Muething, Stephen; Sharek, Paul J

    2017-09-01

    To determine if an improvement collaborative of 33 children's hospitals focused on reliable best practice implementation and culture of safety improvements can reduce hospital-acquired conditions (HACs) and serious safety events (SSEs). A 3-year prospective cohort study design with a 12-month historical control population was completed by the Children's Hospitals' Solutions for Patient Safety collaborative. Identification and dissemination of best practices related to 9 HACs and SSE reduction focused on key process and culture of safety improvements. Individual hospital improvement teams leveraged the resources of a large, structured children's hospital collaborative using electronic, virtual, and in-person interactions. Thirty-three children's hospitals from across the United States volunteered to be part of the Children's Hospitals' Solutions for Patient Safety collaborative. Thirty-two met all the data submission eligibility requirements for the HAC improvement objective of this study, and 21 participated in the high-reliability culture work aimed at reducing SSEs. Significant harm reduction occurred in 8 of 9 common HACs (range 9%-71%; P collaborative dedicated to implementing HAC-related best-practice prevention bundles and culture of safety interventions designed to increase the use of high-reliability organization practices resulted in significant HAC and SSE reductions. Structured collaboration and rapid sharing of evidence-based practices and tools are effective approaches to decreasing hospital-acquired harm. Copyright © 2017 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

  5. Association between acute geriatric syndromes and medication-related hospital admissions

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wierenga, Peter C.; Buurman, Bianca M.; Parlevliet, Juliette L.; van Munster, Barbara C.; Smorenburg, Susanne M.; Inouye, Sharon K.; de Rooij, Sophia E. J. A.

    2012-01-01

    Background: Elderly patients are at a 4-fold higher risk of adverse drug events (ADEs) and drug-related hospitalization. Hospitalization of an elderly patient is often preceded by geriatric syndromes, like falls or delirium. Objectives: The primary aim of this study was to investigate whether

  6. Association between Acute Geriatric Syndromes and Medication-Related Hospital Admissions

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wierenga, Peter C.; Buurman, Bianca M.; Parlevliet, Juliette L.; van Munster, Barbara C.; Smorenburg, Susanne M.; Inouye, Sharon K.; de Rooij, Sophia E. J. A.

    2012-01-01

    Background: Elderly patients are at a 4-fold higher risk of adverse drug events (ADEs) and drug-related hospitalization. Hospitalization of an elderly patient is often preceded by geriatric syndromes, like falls or delirium. Objectives: The primary aim of this study was to investigate whether

  7. "Against the silence": Development and first results of a patient survey to assess experiences of safety-related events in hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Schwappach David LB

    2008-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Involvement of patients in the detection and prevention of safety related events and medical errors have been widely recommended. However, it has also been questioned whether patients at large are willing and able to identify safety-related events in their care. The aim of this study was to develop and pilot test a brief patient safety survey applicable to inpatient care in Swiss hospitals. Methods A survey instrument was developed in an iterative procedure. The instrument asks patients to report whether they have experienced specific undesirable events during their hospital stay. The preliminary version was developed together with experts and tested in focus groups with patients. The adapted survey instrument was pilot-tested in random samples of patients of two Swiss hospitals (n = 400. Responders to the survey that had reported experience of any incident were sampled for qualitative interviews (n = 18. Based on the interview, the researcher classified the reported incidents as confirmed or discarded. Results The survey was generally well accepted in the focus groups and interviews. In the quantitative pilot test, 125 patients returned the survey (response rate: 31%. The mean age of responders was 55 years (range 17–91, SD 18 years and 62.5% were female. The 125 participating patients reported 94 "definitive" and 34 "uncertain" events. 14% of the patients rated any of the experienced events as "serious". The definitive and uncertain events reported with highest frequency were phlebitis, missing hand hygiene, allergic drug reaction, unavailability of documents, and infection. 23% of patients reported some or serious concerns about their safety. The qualitative interviews indicate that both, the extent of patients' uncertainty in the classification of events and the likelihood of confirmation by the interviewer vary very much by type of incident. Unexpectedly, many patients reported problems and incidents related to food

  8. Hip fracture in hospitalized medical patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zapatero, Antonio; Barba, Raquel; Canora, Jesús; Losa, Juan E; Plaza, Susana; San Roman, Jesús; Marco, Javier

    2013-01-08

    The aim of the present study is to analyze the incidence of hip fracture as a complication of admissions to internal medicine units in Spain. We analyzed the clinical data of 2,134,363 adults who had been admitted to internal medicine wards. The main outcome was a diagnosis of hip fracture during hospitalization.Outcome measures included rates of in-hospital fractures, length of stay and cost. A total of 1127 (0.057%) admittances were coded with an in-hospital hip fracture. In hospital mortality rate was 27.9% vs 9.4%; p patients with a hip fracture (20.7 days vs 9.8 days; p hip-fracture patients (6927€ per hospitalization vs 3730€ in non fracture patients). Risk factors related to fracture were: increasing age by 10 years increments (OR 2.32 95% CI 2.11-2.56), female gender (OR 1.22 95% CI 1.08-1.37), admission from nursing home (OR 1.65 95% CI 1.27-2.12), dementia (1.55 OR 95% CI1.30-1.84), malnutrition (OR 2.50 95% CI 1.88-3.32), delirium (OR 1.57 95% CI 1.16-2.14), and anemia (OR 1.30 95%CI 1.12-1.49). In-hospital hip fracture notably increased mortality during hospitalization, doubling the mean length of stay and mean cost of admission. These are reasons enough to stress the importance of designing and applying multidisciplinary plans focused on reducing the incidence of hip fractures in hospitalized patients.

  9. [Nutritional status recording in hospitalized patient notes].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matos, L; Teixeira, M A; Henriques, A; Tavares, M M; Alvares, L; Antunes, A; Amaral, Teresa F

    2007-01-01

    The prevalence of disease-related malnutrition (DRM) is described to be of 30-60% on admission to hospital, and of 10% in the community. It has been associated with worse clinical outcomes, namely higher morbidity and mortality as well as higher frequency of health care and its associated costs. The lack of screening and monitoring of nutritional status have been said to be risk factors for the increased prevalence of DRM during hospital stay. The aims of this study were to evaluate the importance given by health care professionals to certain aspects related with nutritional status (weight, food intake) of hospital patients and to see if there were any differences between the under and non undernourished ones. A systematic sample of patients from six hospitals was collected. Pregnancy, paediatric age and critical illness were exclusion criteria as well as incapacity to fulfil nutritional risk screening protocol and length-of-stay less than 24h. Socio-demographic, anthropometric data and clinical notes (e.g. weight, food/nutrient intake) from medical records were collected and Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 protocol was applied. A total of 1152 patients were included in this study. The prevalence of nutritional risk varied between 28.5% and 47.3% while undernutrition classified by anthropometrical parameters was considerably lower (6.3% to 14.9%). Two thirds of the patients had their food intake monitored and registered in medical records but only one third were weighted. Undernourished patients had their food intake more frequently monitored but their weight was less frequently measured, than the well-nourished ones. DRM prevalence amongst hospital patients on admission is significantly high. Clinical notes regarding nutritional status is rather infrequent on medical records. This study showed that urges the need to empower health care providers of the importance of the screening and monitoring of weight and food intake, on admission and during hospital stay.

  10. Acute myocardial infarction and diagnosis-related groups: patient classification and hospital reimbursement in 11 European countries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quentin, Wilm; Rätto, Hanna; Peltola, Mikko; Busse, Reinhard; Häkkinen, Unto

    2013-01-01

    Aims As part of the diagnosis related groups in Europe (EuroDRG) project, researchers from 11 countries (i.e. Austria, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, and Sweden) compared how their DRG systems deal with patients admitted to hospital for acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The study aims to assist cardiologists and national authorities to optimize their DRG systems. Methods and results National or regional databases were used to identify hospital cases with a primary diagnosis of AMI. Diagnosis-related group classification algorithms and indicators of resource consumption were compared for those DRGs that individually contained at least 1% of cases. Six standardized case vignettes were defined, and quasi prices according to national DRG-based hospital payment systems were ascertained. European DRG systems vary widely: they classify AMI patients according to different sets of variables into diverging numbers of DRGs (between 4 DRGs in Estonia and 16 DRGs in France). The most complex DRG is valued 11 times more resource intensive than an index case in Estonia but only 1.38 times more resource intensive than an index case in England. Comparisons of quasi prices for the case vignettes show that hypothetical payments for the index case amount to only €420 in Poland but to €7930 in Ireland. Conclusions Large variation exists in the classification of AMI patients across Europe. Cardiologists and national DRG authorities should consider how other countries' DRG systems classify AMI patients in order to identify potential scope for improvement and to ensure fair and appropriate reimbursement. PMID:23364755

  11. Acute myocardial infarction and diagnosis-related groups: patient classification and hospital reimbursement in 11 European countries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quentin, Wilm; Rätto, Hanna; Peltola, Mikko; Busse, Reinhard; Häkkinen, Unto

    2013-07-01

    As part of the diagnosis related groups in Europe (EuroDRG) project, researchers from 11 countries (i.e. Austria, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, and Sweden) compared how their DRG systems deal with patients admitted to hospital for acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The study aims to assist cardiologists and national authorities to optimize their DRG systems. National or regional databases were used to identify hospital cases with a primary diagnosis of AMI. Diagnosis-related group classification algorithms and indicators of resource consumption were compared for those DRGs that individually contained at least 1% of cases. Six standardized case vignettes were defined, and quasi prices according to national DRG-based hospital payment systems were ascertained. European DRG systems vary widely: they classify AMI patients according to different sets of variables into diverging numbers of DRGs (between 4 DRGs in Estonia and 16 DRGs in France). The most complex DRG is valued 11 times more resource intensive than an index case in Estonia but only 1.38 times more resource intensive than an index case in England. Comparisons of quasi prices for the case vignettes show that hypothetical payments for the index case amount to only €420 in Poland but to €7930 in Ireland. Large variation exists in the classification of AMI patients across Europe. Cardiologists and national DRG authorities should consider how other countries' DRG systems classify AMI patients in order to identify potential scope for improvement and to ensure fair and appropriate reimbursement.

  12. Nurses' burnout and unmet nursing care needs of patients' relatives in a Turkish State Hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tekindal, Benian; Tekindal, Mustafa Agah; Pinar, Gul; Ozturk, Filiz; Alan, Sumeyra

    2012-02-01

    One of the biggest problems of work life today is burnout. With burnout, satisfaction of clients and service givers reduces. In this study, burnout levels of nurses working in the internal, surgical and intensive care units of a university hospital and the unmet needs of the patients' relatives related to nursing care were investigated. In the study, 225 nurses and 222 relatives of patients constituted the sample group of this study. Three separate forms were used in the study, namely, Nurse and Patient Relative Identification Form, the Maslach Burnout Inventory and the Nursing Services Satisfaction Inventory. In the study, burnout levels of the nurses were found to be high. Conditions like younger ages, scarcity of experience in the profession, lower levels of education, having chosen the profession and the unit they work in not willingly and working in environments like intensive care increase the burnout and as a result, expectations of the relatives of patients from nursing care are not fully met. Some suggestions have been made to make some regulations to prevent the burnout of nurses and to increase the satisfaction of relatives. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  13. Hospital-admitted COPD patients treated at home using telemedicine technology in The Virtual Hospital Trial

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jacobsen, Anna Svarre; Laursen, Lars C; Østergaard, Birte

    2013-01-01

    Recent reviews suggest that telemedicine solutions for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may prevent hospital readmissions and emergency room visits and improve health-related quality of life. However, the studies are few and only involve COPD patients who are in a stable...... phase or in-patients who are ready for discharge. COPD patients hospitalized with an acute exacerbation may also benefit from telemedicine solutions. The overall aim is to investigate a telemedicine-based treatment solution for patients with acute exacerbation of COPD at home as compared to conventional...... hospital treatment measured according to first treatment failure, which is defined as readmission due to COPD within 30 days after discharge....

  14. Service quality of private hospitals: the Iranian patients' perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zarei, Asghar; Arab, Mohammad; Froushani, Abbas Rahimi; Rashidian, Arash; Ghazi Tabatabaei, S Mahmoud

    2012-02-02

    Highly competitive market in the private hospital industry has caused increasing pressure on them to provide services with higher quality. The aim of this study was to determine the different dimensions of the service quality in the private hospitals of Iran and evaluating the service quality from the patients' perspective. A cross-sectional study was conducted between October and November 2010 in Tehran, Iran. The study sample was composed of 983 patients randomly selected from 8 private general hospitals. The study questionnaire was the SERVQUAL questionnaire, consisting of 21 items in service quality dimensions. The result of factor analysis revealed 3 factors, explaining 69% of the total variance. The total mean score of patients' expectation and perception was 4.91(SD = 0.2) and 4.02(SD = 0.6), respectively. The highest expectation and perception related to the tangibles dimension and the lowest expectation and perception related to the empathy dimension. The differences between perception and expectation were significant (p SERVQUAL is a valid, reliable, and flexible instrument to monitor and measure the quality of the services in private hospitals of Iran. Our findings clarified the importance of creating a strong relationship between patients and the hospital practitioners/personnel and the need for hospital staff to be responsive, credible, and empathetic when dealing with patients.

  15. Prevalence of Cigarette Smoking in Schizophrenic Patients Compared to Other Hospital Admitted Psychiatric Patients

    OpenAIRE

    Ziaaddini, Hassan; Kheradmand, Ali; Vahabi, Mostafa

    2009-01-01

    Background: This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of cigarette smoking and some of the related factors among schizophrenic and other hospitalized psychiatric patients. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study on 120 patients hospitalized in Shahid Beheshti hospital in Kerman in 2005. Patients were equally devided in two groups of schizophrenia and other psychiatric disorders. Sampling was based on statistical census and data were collected using a questionnaire including 27 questions o...

  16. Implementation of patient safety strategies in European hospitals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suñol, R; Vallejo, P; Groene, O; Escaramis, G; Thompson, A; Kutryba, B; Garel, P

    2009-02-01

    This study is part of the Methods of Assessing Response to Quality Improvement Strategies (MARQuIS) research project on cross-border care, investigating quality improvement strategies in healthcare systems across the European Union (EU). To explore to what extent a sample of acute care European hospitals have implemented patient safety strategies and mechanisms and whether the implementation is related to the type of hospital. Data were collected on patient safety structures and mechanisms in 389 acute care hospitals in eight EU countries using a web-based questionnaire. Subsequently, an on-site audit was carried out by independent surveyors in 89 of these hospitals to assess patient safety outputs. This paper presents univariate and bivariate statistics on the implementation and explores the associations between implementation of patient safety strategies and hospital type using the chi(2) test and Fisher exact test. Structures and plans for safety (including responsibilities regarding patient safety management) are well developed in most of the hospitals that participated in this study. The study found greater variation regarding the implementation of mechanisms or activities to promote patient safety, such as electronic drug prescription systems, guidelines for prevention of wrong patient, wrong site and wrong surgical procedure, and adverse events reporting systems. In the sample of hospitals that underwent audit, a considerable proportion do not comply with basic patient safety strategies--for example, using bracelets for adult patient identification and correct labelling of medication.

  17. Cholecystectomy and Diagnosis-Related Groups (DRGs: Patient Classification and Hospital Reimbursement in 11 European Countries

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gerli Paat-Ahi

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Background As part of the EuroDRG project, researchers from eleven countries (i.e. Austria, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, and Spain compared how their Diagnosis-Related Groups (DRG systems deal with cholecystectomy patients. The study aims to assist surgeons and national authorities to optimize their DRG systems. Methods National or regional databases were used to identify hospital cases with a procedure of cholecystectomy. DRG classification algorithms and indicators of resource consumption were compared for those DRGs that individually contained at least 1% of cases. Six standardised case vignettes were defined, and quasi prices according to national DRG-based hospital payment systems were ascertained and compared to an index case. Results European DRG systems vary widely: they classify cholecystectomy patients according to different sets of variables into diverging numbers of DRGs (between two DRGs in Austria and Poland to nine DRGs in England. The most complex DRG is valued at four times more resource intensive than the index case in Ireland but only 1.3 times more resource intensive than the index case in Austria. Conclusion Large variations in the classification of cholecystectomy patients raise concerns whether all systems rely on the most appropriate classification variables. Surgeons, hospital managers and national DRG authorities should consider how other countries’ DRG systems classify cholecystectomy patients in order to optimize their DRG systems and to ensure fair and appropriate reimbursement.

  18. How do NHS general hospitals in England deal with patients with alcohol-related problems? A questionnaire survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Owens, Lynn; Gilmore, Ian T; Pirmohamed, Munir

    2005-01-01

    Alcohol-related disease represents a major burden on hospitals. However, it is unclear whether hospitals have developed the necessary expertise and guidelines to deal with this burden. The aim of this survey was to determine what measures general hospital NHS Trusts in England had in place to deal with alcohol-related problems, including the employment of dedicated alcohol specialist nurses. Two postal surveys of all NHS general hospital Trusts in England, the first in 2000 (n = 138; 54% response rate) and the second in 2003 after the publication of the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) report on alcohol in secondary care (n = 164; 75% response rate). Between the two surveys, there was a significant increase (P = 0.005) in the number of dedicated alcohol nurses employed by general hospital trusts; however, the numbers remain low (n = 21). Additionally, the availability of prescribing guidelines for the management of alcohol withdrawal increased significantly (P = 0.0001). The survey indicates that most general hospitals do not have appropriate services in place to deal with such patients. Although there is a need and willingness to develop alcohol services in general hospitals, which is one of the key recommendations of the RCP report, the lack of funding is going to act as a major barrier.

  19. Marginal Hospital Cost of Surgery-related Hospital-acquired Pressure Ulcers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spector, William D; Limcangco, Rhona; Owens, Pamela L; Steiner, Claudia A

    2016-09-01

    Patients who develop hospital-acquired pressure ulcers (HAPUs) are more likely to die, have longer hospital stays, and are at greater risk of infections. Patients undergoing surgery are prone to developing pressure ulcers (PUs). To estimate the hospital marginal cost of a HAPU for adults patients who were hospitalized for major surgeries, adjusted for patient characteristics, comorbidities, procedures, and hospital characteristics. Data are from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) State Inpatient Databases and the Medicare Patient Safety Monitoring System for 2011 and 2012. PU information was obtained using retrospective structured record review from trained MPMS data abstractors. Costs are derived using HCUP hospital-specific cost-to-charge ratios. Marginal cost estimates were made using Extended Estimating Equations. We estimated the marginal cost at the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentiles of the cost distribution using Simultaneous Quantile Regression. We find that 3.5% of major surgical patients developed HAPUs and that the HAPUs added ∼$8200 to the cost of a surgical stay after adjusting for comorbidities, patient characteristics, procedures, and hospital characteristics. This is an ∼44% addition to the cost of a major surgical stay but less than half of the unadjusted cost difference. In addition, we find that for high-cost stays (75th percentile) HAPUs added ∼$12,100, whereas for low-cost stays (25th percentile) HAPUs added ∼$3900. This paper suggests that HAPUs add ∼44% to the cost of major surgical hospital stays, but the amount varies depending on the total cost of the visit.

  20. [Attitudes towards patient safety culture in a hospital setting and related variables].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mir-Abellán, Ramon; Falcó-Pegueroles, Anna; de la Puente-Martorell, María Luisa

    To describe attitudes towards patient safety culture among workers in a hospital setting and determine the influence of socio-demographic and professional variables. The Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture was distributed among a sample of professionals and nursing assistants. A dimension was considered a strength if positive responses exceeded 75% and an opportunity for improvement if more than 50% of responses were negative. 59% (n=123) of respondents rated safety between 7 and 8. 53% (n=103) stated that they had not used the notification system to report any incidents in the previous twelve months. The strength identified was "teamwork in the unit/service" and the opportunity for improvement was "staffing". A more positive attitude was observed in outpatient services and among nursing professionals and part-time staff. This study has allowed us to determine the rating of the hospital in patient safety culture. This is vital for developing improvement strategies. Copyright © 2016 SESPAS. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  1. Financial analysis of diabetic patients hospitalizations submitted to lower limb amputation in a public hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Renata Santos Silva

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available This study is a documental descriptive analysis which aimed to verify the cost established in 2006, in relation to the hospitalization of 21 diabetic patients submitted to the lower limb amputation in a public hospital and the value transferred by the Unified Health System (SUS regarding this procedure. Among the studied patients, 57.14% were female and 42.86% male, aged 40 to 90 years. The time of diagnosis varied from 5 to 25 years. The average of hospitalization was 14 days per patient. The cost to the hospital was R$ 99,455.74, average cost per patient was R$ 4,735.98. The total amount transferred by SUS to the hospital was R$ 27,740.15, a cost 3.6 times lower than the hospital costs. The SUS transferring is in accordance with the predetermined values for its table of procedure. Prevention is the only alternative to reduce the rate of amputation and improve survival of diabetes patients. It is necessary an early diagnosis and better control of diabetes mellitus with appropriate government and institutional policies.

  2. Needs of relatives of critically ill patients in an academic hospital in Chile.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Padilla-Fortunatti, C; Rojas-Silva, N; Amthauer-Rojas, M; Molina-Muñoz, Y

    To identify the importance of the needs of family members of patients in an intensive care unit (ICU). Descriptive, comparative and cross-sectional study based on a secondary data analysis of 251 relatives of ICU patients at a university hospital in Santiago, Chile. Using non-random sampling, the 'Critical Care Family Needs Inventory' was used to establish the family needs, as well as a sociodemographic questionnaire that included: age, gender, educational level, patient relationship and previous ICU experience. A descriptive statistical analysis, Student's T test and ANOVA were performed. The most important family needs related to the dimensions of 'security' (mean=3.90) and 'information' (mean=3.76), while those of minor importance with 'support' (mean=3.09). In the latter, differences were observed at an older age (P<.05), an educational level (P<.001) and relationship with the patient (P<.05). The most relevant needs for family members in the ICU are related to safety and information. Less important needs are influenced by certain sociodemographic variables. Identifying the degree of importance of family needs will allow the health team to improve its relationship with families in ICUs. Copyright © 2017 Sociedad Española de Enfermería Intensiva y Unidades Coronarias (SEEIUC). Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  3. Patients' Expectations and Perceptions of Service Quality in the Selected Hospitals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nadi, Aliasghar; Shojaee, Jalil; Abedi, Ghassem; Siamian, Hasan; Abedini, Ehsan; Rostami, Farideh

    2016-04-01

    Hospital's success depends on patients' expectations, perceptions, and judgment on the quality of services provided by hospitals. This study was conducted to assess the patients' perceptions and expectations from the quality of inpatient health care in Vali-Asr hospital, Ghaemshahr, and Imam Khomeini and Shafa Hospitals, Sari. This study is applied regarding the objective of the study. Considering the research methodology, it is a descriptive - analytical study. The sample of this study consists of 600 patients with at least 24 hours of being hospitalized in internal, surgery, women, and children sectors of Vali-Asr, Ghaemshahr, Imam Khomeini, and Shafa Hospitals. Using random sampling method, the classifications relevant to the size of each class were selected. The data required was collected through the standard SERVQUAL questionnaire and then it was analyzed using the SPSS software. The overall mean value and standard deviation of expectations were equal to 10.4 and 28, respectively. The mean value for the field of perception was 69.2 and the relevant standard deviation was 26. In terms of patients and hospital visits in concrete cases, the highest priority is related to empathy. The second priority is related to physical appearance, the third priority is related to responsiveness, the fourth priority is related to assurance, and the lowest priority is related to the reliability of the SERVQUAL approach. Examining the gap between patients' perceptions and expectations, the widest gap was observed in the Vali-Asr Hospital with the mean and SD (-92.0±39.0) and the lowest gap was observed in Shafa Hospital with the mean value of (-39.9±44.0). According to The Kruskal-Wallis test, the difference observed in these three hospitals were significant. The results showed that patients' expectations had not been met in any of the examined dimensions and their consent has not been achieved. It seemed that necessary for managers and relevant authorities to plan and pay

  4. Influential Factors for and Outcomes of Hospitalized Patients with Suicide-Related Behaviors: A National Record Study in Taiwan from 1997-2010.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yu-Wen Lin

    Full Text Available Investigating the factors related to suicide is crucial for suicide prevention. Psychiatric disorders, gender, socioeconomic status, and catastrophic illnesses are associated with increased risk of suicide. Most studies have typically focused on the separate influences of physiological or psychological factors on suicide-related behaviors, and have rarely used national data records to examine and compare the effects of major physical illnesses, psychiatric disorders, and socioeconomic status on the risk of suicide-related behaviors.To identify the characteristics of people who exhibited suicide-related behaviors and the multiple factors associated with repeated suicide-related behaviors and deaths by suicide by examining national data records.This is a cohort study of Taiwan's national data records of hospitalized patients with suicide-related behaviors from January 1, 1997, to December 31, 2010.The study population included all people in Taiwan who were hospitalized with a code indicating suicide or self-inflicted injury (E950-E959 according to the International Classification of Disease, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification.Self-poisoning was the most common method of self-inflicted injury among hospitalized patients with suicide-related behaviors who used a single method. Those who were female, had been hospitalized for suicide-related behaviors at a younger age, had a low income, had a psychiatric disorder (i.e., personality disorder, major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcohol-related disorder, or adjustment disorder, had a catastrophic illness, or had been hospitalized for suicide-related behaviors that involved two methods of self-inflicted injury had a higher risk of hospitalization for repeated suicide-related behaviors. Those who were male, had been hospitalized for suicide-related behaviors at an older age, had low income, had schizophrenia, showed repeated suicide-related behaviors, had a catastrophic illness

  5. Medicare program; hospital inpatient prospective payment systems for acute care hospitals and the long-term care hospital prospective payment system and Fiscal Year 2014 rates; quality reporting requirements for specific providers; hospital conditions of participation; payment policies related to patient status. Final rules.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-08-19

    We are revising the Medicare hospital inpatient prospective payment systems (IPPS) for operating and capital-related costs of acute care hospitals to implement changes arising from our continuing experience with these systems. Some of the changes implement certain statutory provisions contained in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (collectively known as the Affordable Care Act) and other legislation. These changes will be applicable to discharges occurring on or after October 1, 2013, unless otherwise specified in this final rule. We also are updating the rate-of-increase limits for certain hospitals excluded from the IPPS that are paid on a reasonable cost basis subject to these limits. The updated rate-of-increase limits will be effective for cost reporting periods beginning on or after October 1, 2013. We also are updating the payment policies and the annual payment rates for the Medicare prospective payment system (PPS) for inpatient hospital services provided by long-term care hospitals (LTCHs) and implementing certain statutory changes that were applied to the LTCH PPS by the Affordable Care Act. Generally, these updates and statutory changes will be applicable to discharges occurring on or after October 1, 2013, unless otherwise specified in this final rule. In addition, we are making a number of changes relating to direct graduate medical education (GME) and indirect medical education (IME) payments. We are establishing new requirements or have revised requirements for quality reporting by specific providers (acute care hospitals, PPS-exempt cancer hospitals, LTCHs, and inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs)) that are participating in Medicare. We are updating policies relating to the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) Program and the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program. In addition, we are revising the conditions of participation (CoPs) for hospitals relating to the

  6. Physical and nutrition statuses of geriatric patients after trauma-related hospitalization: Data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2013-2015.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cho, Hang Joo; Hong, Tae Hwa; Kim, Maru

    2018-03-01

    Population aging is associated with increasing numbers of geriatric trauma patients, and various studies have evaluated their short-term outcomes, assessment, and treatment. However, there is insufficient information regarding their long-term outcomes. This study evaluated the physical and nutritional statuses of geriatric patients after trauma-related hospitalization.Data regarding physical and nutritional status were obtained from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey VI (2013-2015).A total of 21,069 individuals participated in the survey, including 5650 geriatric individuals. After excluding individuals with missing data, 3731 cases were included in the analyses. The average age was 68 years, and most individuals were women (n = 2055, 55.08%). There were 94 patients had been hospitalized because of trauma. Trauma-related hospitalization among geriatric patients was significantly associated with reduced strength exercise (23.56% vs 12.99%, P = .043), activity limitations caused by joint pain (0.65% vs 3.31%, P = .028), self-care problems (8.00% vs 16.77%, P = .008), pain or discomfort (29.48% vs 40.51%, P = .024), hypercholesterolemia (27.37% vs 39.36%, P = .037), and mastication discomfort (39.98% vs 57.85% P = .005). The adjusted analyses revealed that trauma-related hospitalization was independently associated with activity limitations caused by joint pain (odds ratio [OR]: 5.04, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.29-19.67, P = .020), self-care problems (OR: 2.24, 95% CI: 1.11-4.53, P = .025), pain or discomfort (OR: 1.77, 95% CI: 1.08-2.89, P = .023), and mastication discomfort (OR: 2.06, 95% CI: 1.22-3.46, P = .007).Medical staff should be aware that geriatric patients have relatively poor physical and nutritional statuses after trauma-related hospitalization, and manage these patients accordingly.

  7. Health related quality of life and care dependency among elderly hospital patients: an international comparison.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dijkstra, Ate; Hakverdioğlu, Gülendam; Muszalik, Marta; Andela, Richtsje; Korhan, Esra Akın; Kędziora-Kornatowska, Kornelia

    2015-03-01

    Many countries in Europe and the world have to cope with an aging population. Although health policy in many countries aims at increasing disability-free life expectancy, elderly patients represent a significant proportion of all patients admitted to different hospital departments. The aim of the research was to investigate the relationship between health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and the care dependency status among elderly hospital patients. In 2012, a descriptive survey was administered to a convenience sample of 325 elderly hospital patients (> 60 years) from The Netherlands (N = 125), from Poland (N = 100), and from Turkey (N = 100). We employed the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy (FACIT) Measurement System and the Care Dependency Scale. FACIT is a collection of HRQOL questionnaires that assess multidimensional health status in people with various chronic illnesses. From demographic variables, gender (female) (r = -0.13, p < 0.05), age and informal care given by family members (r = -0.27 to 0.27, p < 0.01) were significantly correlated with the care dependency status for the whole samples. All HRQOL variables, hearing aid and duration of illness correlated with care dependency status (r = -0.20 to 0.50, p < 0.01). Moreover, the FACIT sum score (Poland and Turkey) and functional wellbeing (The Netherlands) are significantly associated with the decrease in care dependency status. Thus, the FACIT variables are the most powerful indicators for care dependency. The study provides healthcare professionals insight into improvement of quality of care in all three countries.

  8. "I have nine specialists. They need to swap notes!" Australian patients' perspectives of medication-related problems following discharge from hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eassey, Daniela; McLachlan, Andrew J; Brien, Jo-Anne; Krass, Ines; Smith, Lorraine

    2017-10-01

    Research has shown that patients are most susceptible to medication-related problems (MRPs) when transitioning from hospital to home. Currently, the literature in this area focuses on interventions, which are mainly orientated around the perspective of the health-care professional and do not take into account patient perspectives and experiences. To capture the experiences and perceptions of Australian patients regarding MRPs following discharge from hospital. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a questionnaire collecting quantitative and qualitative data. Thematic analysis was conducted of the qualitative data. Survey participants were recruited through The Digital Edge, an online market research company. Five hundred and six participants completed the survey. A total of 174 participants self-reported MRPs. Two concepts and seven subthemes emerged from the analysis. The first concept was types of MRPs and patient experiences. Three themes were identified: unwanted effects from medicines, confusion about medicines and unrecognized medicines. The second concept was patient engagement in medication management, of which four themes emerged: informing patients, patient engagement, communication amongst health-care professionals and conflicting advice. This study provides an important insight into patients' experiences and perceptions of MRPs following discharge from hospital. Future direction for practice and research should look into implementing patient-centred care at the time of hospital discharge to ensure the provision of clear and consistent information, and developing ways to support and empower patients to ensure a smooth transition post-discharge from hospital. © 2017 The Authors Health Expectations Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  9. Nutrition care-related practices and factors affecting nutritional intakes in hospital patients at risk of pressure ulcers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roberts, S; Chaboyer, W; Desbrow, B

    2015-08-01

    Malnutrition is common in hospitals and is a risk factor for pressure ulcers. Nutrition care practices relating to the identification and treatment of malnutrition have not been assessed in patients at risk of pressure ulcers. The present study describes nutrition care practices and factors affecting nutritional intakes in this patient group. The study was conducted in four wards at two hospitals in Queensland, Australia. Adult patients at risk of pressure ulcers as a result of restricted mobility were observed for 24 h to determine their daily oral intake and practices such as nutrition screening, documentation and intervention. Independent samples t-tests and chi-squared tests were used to analyse dietary intake and nutrition care-related data. Predictors of receiving a dietitian referral were identified using logistic regression analyses. Two hundred and forty-one patients participated in the present study. The observed nutritional screening rate was 59% (142 patients). Weight and height were documented in 71% and 34% of cases. Sixty-nine patients (29%) received a dietitian referral. Predictors of receiving a dietitian referral included lower body mass index and longer length of stay. On average, patients consumed 73% and 72% of the energy and protein provided, respectively. Between 22% and 38% of patients consumed meals. Nutrition care practices including malnutrition risk screening and documentation of nutritional parameters appear to be inadequate in patients at risk of pressure ulcers. A significant proportion of these patients eat inadequately at main meals, further increasing their risk of malnutrition and pressure ulcers. © 2014 The British Dietetic Association Ltd.

  10. Evaluation of Drug Use Attitudes of Patient and Its Relatives Attending to Cukurova University Medical Faculty Balcali Hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yusuf Karatas

    2012-03-01

    Conclusion: Information of rational drug usage pattern is sufficient for the patients who visit Balcali Hospital and this condition is related to their gender, educational level and social security level. [Cukurova Med J 2012; 37(1: 1-8

  11. The effect of hospital volume on patient outcomes in severe acute pancreatitis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shen Hsiu-Nien

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background We investigated the relation between hospital volume and outcome in patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP. The determination is important because patient outcome may be improved through volume-based selective referral. Methods In this cohort study, we analyzed 22,551 SAP patients in 2,208 hospital-years (between 2000 and 2009 from Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database. Primary outcome was hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes were hospital length of stay and charges. Hospital SAP volume was measured both as categorical and as continuous variables (per one case increase each hospital-year. The effect was assessed using multivariable logistic regression models with generalized estimating equations accounting for hospital clustering effect. Adjusted covariates included patient and hospital characteristics (model 1, and additional treatment variables (model 2. Results Irrespective of the measurements, increasing hospital volume was associated with reduced risk of hospital mortality after adjusting the patient and hospital characteristics (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 0.995, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.993-0.998 for per one case increase. The patients treated in the highest volume quartile (≥14 cases per hospital-year had 42% lower risk of hospital mortality than those in the lowest volume quartile (1 case per hospital-year after adjusting the patient and hospital characteristics (adjusted OR 0.58, 95% CI 0.40-0.83. However, an inverse relation between volume and hospital stay or hospital charges was observed only when the volume was analyzed as a categorical variable. After adjusting the treatment covariates, the volume effect on hospital mortality disappeared regardless of the volume measures. Conclusions These findings support the use of volume-based selective referral for patients with SAP and suggest that differences in levels or processes of care among hospitals may have contributed to the volume

  12. Increased relative risk of subsequent affective disorders in patients with a hospital diagnosis of obesity

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thomsen, A F; Kvist, T K; Andersen, P K

    2006-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To investigate the risk of clinical affective disorders of patients who were hospitalized because of obesity in the study period 1 January 1977 to 31 December 1999. METHOD: Using data from Danish hospital registers, three study cohorts were identified by their diagnoses at discharge from...... discharged with an index diagnosis was identified. In total, 1081 events occurred in the observation period. An index diagnosis of obesity was associated with an increased risk of affective-disorders hospitalization when compared with patients with osteoarthritis (Rate ratio: 1.35 (95% CI: 1.......09-1.67)) and tended to be associated with an increased risk when compared to patients with non-toxic goiter (Rate ratio: 1.23 (95% CI: 0.99-1.53)). Patients with obesity diagnoses who did not have additional hospital diagnoses of substance- or alcohol abuse had a risk of affective disorders that was 1.55 (95% CI: 1...

  13. Inpatient and Day Hospital Treatment of Patients with Depression and Job-related Burnout.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meyer, Lisa Kristin; Lange, Sabine; Behringer, Johanna; Söllner, Wolfgang

    Burnout is a process of physical and emotional exhaustion that often results in clinical depression. Detailed descriptions and evaluations of specialized psychosomatic treatment are rare. This pilot study investigates the feasibility of inpatient and day hospital treatment of patients with burnout syndrome. Additionally, we present results of an initial, noncontrolled, pre-post-evaluation of changes in symptoms and individual work-related risk factors for burnout. Sixty-four consecutive patients with burnout syndrome were assessed before and after specialized multimodal treatment using a clinical symptom checklist (ICD-10 Symptom Rating) and burnout-specific instruments (Maslach Burnout Inventory, Occupational Stress & Coping Inventory). Patients' average age was 45 (range 23 to 61), 70% were currently employed, 24% in managerial positions or self-employed, and 89% diagnosed with an affective disorder. The average length of time off work due to illness in the past year was 13 weeks. Treatment lasted five weeks on average. After treatment, depression (p work (p = 0.001; d = 0.36) decreased, while emotional distancing (p balance and mental stability (p life satisfaction (p work-related risk factors. Controlled studies are necessary to establish treatment efficacy.

  14. Assessment of Patient Safety Friendly Hospital Initiative in Three Hospitals Affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Firoozeh Bairami

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: The aim of this study was to assess the status of patient safety in three hospitals, affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences, based on the critical standards of Patient Safety Friendly Hospital Initiative (PSFHI. Materials and Methods:In this cross-sectional study, conducted in 2014, we used PSFHI assessment tool to evaluate the status of patient safety in three hospitals, affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences; these general referral hospitals were selected purposefully. PSFHI assessment tool is comprised of 140 patient safety standards in five domains, categorized in 24 sub-domains. The five major domains include leadership and management, patient and public involvement, safe evidence-based clinical practices, safe environment, and lifelong learning. Results: All three hospitals met more than 70% of the critical standards. The highest score in critical standards (> 80% was related to the domain of leadership and management in all hospitals. The average score in the domain of safe evidence-based clinical practices was 70% in the studied hospitals. Finally, all the hospitals met 50% of the critical standards in the domains of patient and public involvement and safe environment. Conclusion: Based on the findings, PSFHI is a suitable program for meeting patient safety goals. The selected hospitals in this survey all had a high managerial commitment to patient safety; therefore, they could obtain high scores on critical standards.

  15. Cholecystectomy and Diagnosis-Related Groups (DRGs): Patient Classification and Hospital Reimbursement in 11 European Countries

    OpenAIRE

    Gerli Paat-Ahi; Ain Aaviksoo; Maria Świderek

    2014-01-01

    Background As part of the EuroDRG project, researchers from eleven countries (i.e. Austria, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, and Spain) compared how their Diagnosis-Related Groups (DRG) systems deal with cholecystectomy patients. The study aims to assist surgeons and national authorities to optimize their DRG systems. Methods National or regional databases were used to identify hospital cases with a procedure of cholecystectom...

  16. Myocardial Revascularization in Dyalitic Patients: In-Hospital Period Evaluation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Miranda, Matheus; Hossne, Nelson Américo Jr.; Branco, João Nelson Rodrigues; Vargas, Guilherme Flora; Fonseca, José Honório de Almeida Palma da; Pestana, José Osmar Medina de Abreu; Juliano, Yara; Buffolo, Enio

    2014-01-01

    Coronary artery bypass grafting currently is the best treatment for dialytic patients with multivessel coronary disease, but hospital morbidity and mortality related to procedure is still high. Evaluate results and in-hospital outcomes of coronary artery bypass grafting in dialytic patients. Retrospective unicentric study including 50 consecutive and not selected dialytic patients, who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting in a tertiary university hospital from 2007 to 2012. High prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors was observed (100% hypertensive, 68% diabetic and 40% dyslipidemic). There was no intra-operative death and 60% of the procedures were performed off-pump. There were seven (14%) in-hospital deaths. Postoperative infection, previous heart failure, cardiopulmonary bypass, abnormal ventricular function and surgical re-exploration were associated with increased mortality. Coronary artery bypass grafting is feasible to dialytic patients although high in-hospital morbidity and mortality. It is necessary better understanding about metabolic aspects to plan adequate interventions

  17. Myocardial Revascularization in Dyalitic Patients: In-Hospital Period Evaluation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Miranda, Matheus, E-mail: matheus10miranda@gmail.com; Hossne, Nelson Américo Jr.; Branco, João Nelson Rodrigues; Vargas, Guilherme Flora; Fonseca, José Honório de Almeida Palma da; Pestana, José Osmar Medina de Abreu [Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (Unifesp), São Paulo, SP (Brazil); Juliano, Yara [Universidade de Santo Amaro, São Paulo, SP (Brazil); Buffolo, Enio [Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (Unifesp), São Paulo, SP (Brazil)

    2014-02-15

    Coronary artery bypass grafting currently is the best treatment for dialytic patients with multivessel coronary disease, but hospital morbidity and mortality related to procedure is still high. Evaluate results and in-hospital outcomes of coronary artery bypass grafting in dialytic patients. Retrospective unicentric study including 50 consecutive and not selected dialytic patients, who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting in a tertiary university hospital from 2007 to 2012. High prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors was observed (100% hypertensive, 68% diabetic and 40% dyslipidemic). There was no intra-operative death and 60% of the procedures were performed off-pump. There were seven (14%) in-hospital deaths. Postoperative infection, previous heart failure, cardiopulmonary bypass, abnormal ventricular function and surgical re-exploration were associated with increased mortality. Coronary artery bypass grafting is feasible to dialytic patients although high in-hospital morbidity and mortality. It is necessary better understanding about metabolic aspects to plan adequate interventions.

  18. Bilateral effects of hospital patient-safety procedures on nurses' job satisfaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Inoue, T; Karima, R; Harada, K

    2017-09-01

    The aim of this study was to examine how hospital patient-safety procedures affect the job satisfaction of hospital nurses. Additionally, we investigated the association between perceived autonomy and hospital patient-safety procedures and job satisfaction. Recently, measures for patient safety have been recognized as an essential requirement in hospitals. Hospital patient-safety procedures may enhance the job satisfaction of nurses by improving the quality of their work. However, such procedures may also decrease their job satisfaction by imposing excessive stress on nurses because they cannot make mistakes. The participants included 537 nurses at 10 private hospitals in Japan (The surveys were collected from March to July 2012). Factors related to hospital patient-safety procedures were demonstrated using factor analysis, and the associations between these factors and nurses' self-perceived autonomy and job satisfaction were examined using structural equation modelling. Five factors regarding hospital patient-safety procedures were extracted. Additionally, structural equation modelling revealed statistically significant associations between these factors and the nurses' self-perceived autonomy and job satisfaction. The findings showed that nurses' perceived autonomy of the workplace enhanced their job satisfaction and that their perceptions of hospital patient-safety procedures promoted their job satisfaction. However, some styles of chief nurses' leadership regarding patient safety restrict nurses' independent and autonomous decision-making and actions, resulting in a lowering of job satisfaction. This study demonstrated that hospital patient-safety procedures have ambiguous effects on nurses' job satisfaction. In particular, chief nurses' leadership relating to patient safety can have a positive or negative effect on nurses' job satisfaction. The findings indicated that hospital managers should demonstrate positive attitudes to improve patient safety for

  19. Clinical audit of COPD patients requiring hospital admissions in Spain: AUDIPOC study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Francisco Pozo-Rodríguez

    Full Text Available BACKGROUNDS: AUDIPOC is a nationwide clinical audit that describes the characteristics, interventions and outcomes of patients admitted to Spanish hospitals because of an exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (ECOPD, assessing the compliance of these parameters with current international guidelines. The present study describes hospital resources, hospital factors related to case recruitment variability, patients' characteristics, and adherence to guidelines. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: An organisational database was completed by all participant hospitals recording resources and organisation. Over an 8-week period 11,564 consecutive ECOPD admissions to 129 Spanish hospitals covering 70% of the Spanish population were prospectively identified. At hospital discharge, 5,178 patients (45% of eligible were finally included, and thus constituted the audited population. Audited patients were reassessed 90 days after admission for survival and readmission rates. A wide variability was observed in relation to most variables, hospital adherence to guidelines, and readmissions and death. Median inpatient mortality was 5% (across-hospital range 0-35%. Among discharged patients, 37% required readmission (0-62% and 6.5% died (0-35%. The overall mortality rate was 11.6% (0-50%. Hospital size and complexity and aspects related to hospital COPD awareness were significantly associated with case recruitment. Clinical management most often complied with diagnosis and treatment recommendations but rarely (<50% addressed guidance on healthy life-styles. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The AUDIPOC study highlights the large across-hospital variability in resources and organization of hospitals, patient characteristics, process of care, and outcomes. The study also identifies resources and organizational characteristics associated with the admission of COPD cases, as well as aspects of daily clinical care amenable to improvement.

  20. [Satisfaction of hospitalized patients in a hospital in Apurimac, Peru].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sihuin-Tapia, Elsa Yudy; Gómez-Quispe, Oscar Elisban; Ibáñez-Quispe, Vladimiro

    2015-01-01

    In order to determine the satisfaction of hospitalized patients in the Sub-regional Hospital of Andahuaylas, 175 patients were surveyed using the Servqual multidimensional model. The estimate of variables associated with the satisfaction of the hospitalized patients was performed by using bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. We found 25.0% satisfaction. Lower levels of satisfaction were associated with having a secondary level education (aOR: 0.05; 95% CI: 0.01 to 0.64) and with having been hospitalized in the surgery department (aOR 0.14, CI: 95%: 0.04 to 0.53). It was concluded that there was a low level of satisfaction with the quality of care received by hospitalized patients and this was associated with the level of education and type of hospital department.

  1. Development of an instrument to measure patient perception of the quality of nursing care and related hospital services at the national hospital of sri lanka.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Senarat, Upul; Gunawardena, Nalika S

    2011-06-01

    This study aimed to develop and validate an instrument to measure patient perception of quality of nursing care and related hospital services in a tertiary care setting. We compiled an instrument with 72 items that patients may perceive as quality of nursing care and related hospital services, following an extensive literature search, discussions with patients and care pro-I viders and a brainstorming session with an expert panel. A cross-sectional study was conducted at the National Hospital of Sri Lanka. A sample (n = 120) of patients stayed in general surgical or medical units responded to the interviewer administered instrument upon discharge. Item analysis and principal component factor analysis were performed to assess validity, and internal consistency was calculated to measure reliability. Of the 72 items, 18 had greater than 20% of responses as 'not relevant'. A further 11 items were eliminated since item-total correlations were less than .2. Factor analysis was performed on remaining 43 items which resulted in 36 items classifying into eight factors accounting for 71% of the variation. Factor loadings in the final solution after Varimax rotation were interpersonal aspects (.68-.85), efficiency (.62-.79), competency (.66-.68), comfort (.60-.84), physical environment (.65-.82), cleanliness (.81-.85), personalized information (.76-.83), and general instructions (.61-.78). The instrument had high Internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = .91). We developed a comprehensive, reliable and valid, 36-item instrument that may be used to measure patient perception of quality of nursing care in tertiary care settings. Copyright © 2011 Korean Society of Nursing Science. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Hospital patient loyalty: causes and correlates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    MacStravic, R S

    1994-01-01

    This study was designed to test whether factors associated with customer and employee loyalty are linked to hospital loyalty, and to measure the relative strength of the associations between traditional patient satisfaction factors and loyalty as compared to non-traditional factors.

  3. Steering patients to safer hospitals? The effect of a tiered hospital network on hospital admissions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scanlon, Dennis P; Lindrooth, Richard C; Christianson, Jon B

    2008-10-01

    To determine if a tiered hospital benefit and safety incentive shifted the distribution of admissions toward safer hospitals. A large manufacturing company instituted the hospital safety incentive (HSI) for union employees. The HSI gave union patients a financial incentive to choose hospitals that met the Leapfrog Group's three patient safety "leaps." The analysis merges data from four sources: claims and enrollment data from the company, the American Hospital Association, the AHRQ HCUP-SID, and a state Office of the Insurance Commissioner. Changes in hospital admissions' patterns for union and nonunion employees using a difference-in-difference design. We estimate the probability of choosing a specific hospital from a set of available alternatives using conditional logistic regression. Patients affiliated with the engineers' union and admitted for a medical diagnosis were 2.92 times more likely to select a hospital designated as safer in the postperiod than in the preperiod, while salaried nonunion (SNU) patients (not subject to the financial incentive) were 0.64 times as likely to choose a compliant hospital in the post- versus preperiod. The difference-in-difference estimate, which is based on the predictions of the conditional logit model, is 0.20. However, the machinists' union was also exposed to the incentive and they were no more likely to choose a safer hospital than the SNU patients. The incentive did not have an effect on patients admitted for a surgical diagnosis, regardless of union status. All patients were averse to travel time, but those union patients selecting an incentive hospital were less averse to travel time. Patient price incentives and quality/safety information may influence hospital selection decisions, particularly for medical admissions, though the optimal incentive level for financial return to the plan sponsor is not clear.

  4. Zolpidem prescribing and adverse drug reactions in hospitalized general medicine patients at a Veterans Affairs hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mahoney, Jane E; Webb, Melissa J; Gray, Shelly L

    2004-03-01

    Zolpidem is prescribed for sleep disruption in hospitalized patients, but data on the incidence of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are based largely on outpatient studies. Thus, the incidence of ADRs in hospitalized patients may be much higher. The goal of this study was to describe prescribing patterns of zolpidem for hospitalized medical patients aged 50 years, the incidence of ADRs possibly and probably associated with its use, and the factors associated with central nervous system (CNS) ADRs. This case series was conducted in 4 general medicine wards at a Veterans Affairs hospital and was a consecutive sample of patients aged 50 years who were hospitalized between 1993 and 1997 and received zolpidem as a hypnotic during hospitalization, but had not received it in the previous 3 months. Chart review was conducted by 2 evaluators. Data extracted from the medical records included admission demographic characteristics, medications, comorbidities, and levels of function in performing basic and instrumental activities of daily living. The main outcome measure was ADRs possibly or probably related to zolpidem use. The association between zolpidem and the occurrence of CNS ADRs (eg, confusion, dizziness, daytime somnolence) was analyzed separately. The review included 119 medical patients aged > or =50 years who had newly received zolpidem for sleep disruption during hospitalization. The median age of the population was 70 years; 86 (72.3%) patients were aged 65 years. The initial zolpidem dose was 5 mg in 42 patients (35.3%) and 10 mg in 77 patients (64.7%). Twenty-three patients had a respective 16 and 10 ADRs possibly and probably related to zolpidem use (19.3% incidence). Of a total of 26 ADRs, 21 (80.8%) were CNS ADRs, occurring with both zolpidem 5 mg (10.8% of users) and 10 mg (18.3% of users). On univariate analyses, the only factor significantly associated with a CNS ADR was functional impairment at baseline (P = 0.003). Zolpidem was discontinued in 38.8% of

  5. Appendectomy and diagnosis-related groups (DRGs): patient classification and hospital reimbursement in 11 European countries

    OpenAIRE

    Quentin, Wilm; Scheller-Kreinsen, David; Geissler, Alexander; Busse, Reinhard

    2012-01-01

    Background As part of the EuroDRG project, researchers from 11 countries (i.e., Austria, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, and Spain) compared how their diagnosis-related groups (DRG) systems deal with appendectomy patients. The study aims to assist surgeons and national authorities to optimize their DRG systems. Methods National or regional databases were used to identify hospital cases with a diagnosis of appendicitis treated with a procedure ...

  6. Coronary artery bypass grafts and diagnosis related groups: patient classification and hospital reimbursement in 10 European countries

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-01-01

    Background The prospective reimbursement of hospitals through the grouping of patients into a finite number of categories (Diagnosis Related Groups, DRGs), is common to many European countries. However, the specific categories used vary greatly across countries, using different characteristics to define group boundaries and thus those characteristics which result in different payments for treatment. In order to assist in the construction and modification of national DRG systems, this study analyses the DRG systems of 10 European countries. Aims To compare the characteristics used to categorise patients receiving a coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery into DRGs. Further, to compare the structure into which DRGs are placed and the relative price paid for patients across Europe. Method Patients with a procedure of CABG surgery are analysed from Austria, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Poland, Spain and Sweden. Diagrammatic algorithms of DRG structures are presented for each country. The price in Euros of seven typical case vignettes, each made up of a set of a hypothetical patient’s characteristics, is also analysed for each country. In order to enable comparisons across countries the simplest case (index vignette) is taken as baseline and relative price levels are calculated for the other six vignettes, each representing patients with different combinations of procedures and comorbidities. Results European DRG payment structures for CABG surgery vary in terms of the number of different DRGs used and the types of distinctions which define patient categorisation. Based on the payments given to hospitals in different countries, the most resource intensive patient, relative to the index vignette, ranges in magnitude from 1.37 in Poland to 2.82 in Ireland. There is also considerable variation in how much different systems pay for particular circumstances, such as the occurrence of catheterisation or presence of comorbidity. Conclusion Past

  7. Patient-controlled hospital admission for patients with severe mental disorders

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thomsen, Christoffer Torgaard; Benros, Michael Eriksen; Hastrup, Lene Halling

    2016-01-01

    INTRODUCTION: Patient-controlled hospital admission for individuals with severe mental disorders is a novel approach in mental healthcare. Patients can admit themselves to a hospital unit for a short stay without being assessed by a psychiatrist or contacting the emergency department. Previous...... studies assessing the outcomes of patient-controlled hospital admission found trends towards reduction in the use of coercive measures and length of hospital stay; however, these studies have methodological shortcomings and small sample sizes. Larger studies are needed to estimate the effect of patient-controlled...... hospital admission on the use of coercion and of healthcare services. DESIGN AND METHODS: We aim to recruit at least 315 patients who are offered a contract for patient-controlled hospital admissions in eight different hospitals in Denmark. Patients will be followed-up for at least 1 year to compare...

  8. Understanding Design Vulnerabilities in the Physical Environment Relating to Patient Fall Patterns in a Psychiatric Hospital: Seven Years of Sentinel Events.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bayramzadeh, Sara; Portillo, Margaret; Carmel-Gilfilen, Candy

    2018-05-01

    The influence of the physical environment on patient falls has not been fully explored in psychiatric units, despite this patient population's vulnerability and the critical role of the physical environment in patient safety. The research objective is to describe the spatial and temporal pattern of falls occurrences and their location in relation to the levels of safety continuum model. This article presents an exploratory case study design. Seven years of retrospective data on patient falls, yielding 818 sentinel events, in an 81-bed psychiatric hospital in the United States were collected and analyzed. Data focused on extrinsic factors for falls, emphasizing the physical environment. Through a content analysis of the sentinel event narratives, recorded by the hospital staff, this study explored patient falls related to location and elements of the physical environment. The analysis revealed that 15% of recorded falls were attributed to some aspect of or element within the physical environment. The most typical locations of falls were patient rooms (39%), patient bathrooms (22%), and dayrooms (20%). Also, the results identified patterns of environmental factors that appeared linked to increasing patients' susceptibility to falls. Risk factors included poor nighttime lighting, flooring surfaces that were uneven, and spaces that inadvertently limited visual access and supervision. The physical environment plays an often-unexamined role in fall events and specific locations. These results are deserving of further research on design strategies and applications to reduce patient falls in psychiatric hospital settings.

  9. Hip Fracture-Related Pain Strongly Influences Functional Performance of Patients With an Intertrochanteric Fracture Upon Discharge From the Hospital

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kristensen, Morten Tange

    2013-01-01

    .7 seconds to perform the TUG. No significant differences were observed in baseline characteristics or pain medication given for patients with a cervical versus an intertrochanteric fracture (P ≥ .22), but patients with an intertrochanteric fracture presented more often with moderate to severe pain during......OBJECTIVE: To examine whether functional performance upon hospital discharge is influenced by pain in the region of the hip fracture or related to the fracture type. DESIGN: Prospective observational study. SETTING: A 20-bed orthopedic hip fracture unit. PATIENTS: Fifty-five cognitively intact...... patients (20 men and 35 women; ages 75.8 ± 10 years), 33 with a cervical hip fracture and 22 with an intertrochanteric hip fracture, all of whom were allowed to bear full weight after surgery. METHODS: All patients were evaluated upon discharge from the hospital to their own homes at a mean of 10 ± 6 days...

  10. Patient choice modelling: how do patients choose their hospitals?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Honora; Currie, Christine; Chaiwuttisak, Pornpimol; Kyprianou, Andreas

    2018-06-01

    As an aid to predicting future hospital admissions, we compare use of the Multinomial Logit and the Utility Maximising Nested Logit models to describe how patients choose their hospitals. The models are fitted to real data from Derbyshire, United Kingdom, which lists the postcodes of more than 200,000 admissions to six different local hospitals. Both elective and emergency admissions are analysed for this mixed urban/rural area. For characteristics that may affect a patient's choice of hospital, we consider the distance of the patient from the hospital, the number of beds at the hospital and the number of car parking spaces available at the hospital, as well as several statistics publicly available on National Health Service (NHS) websites: an average waiting time, the patient survey score for ward cleanliness, the patient safety score and the inpatient survey score for overall care. The Multinomial Logit model is successfully fitted to the data. Results obtained with the Utility Maximising Nested Logit model show that nesting according to city or town may be invalid for these data; in other words, the choice of hospital does not appear to be preceded by choice of city. In all of the analysis carried out, distance appears to be one of the main influences on a patient's choice of hospital rather than statistics available on the Internet.

  11. Incidence of patient safety events and process-related human failures during intra-hospital transportation of patients: retrospective exploration from the institutional incident reporting system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Shu-Hui; Jerng, Jih-Shuin; Chen, Li-Chin; Li, Yu-Tsu; Huang, Hsiao-Fang; Wu, Chao-Ling; Chan, Jing-Yuan; Huang, Szu-Fen; Liang, Huey-Wen; Sun, Jui-Sheng

    2017-11-03

    Intra-hospital transportation (IHT) might compromise patient safety because of different care settings and higher demand on the human operation. Reports regarding the incidence of IHT-related patient safety events and human failures remain limited. To perform a retrospective analysis of IHT-related events, human failures and unsafe acts. A hospital-wide process for the IHT and database from the incident reporting system in a medical centre in Taiwan. All eligible IHT-related patient safety events between January 2010 to December 2015 were included. Incidence rate of IHT-related patient safety events, human failure modes, and types of unsafe acts. There were 206 patient safety events in 2 009 013 IHT sessions (102.5 per 1 000 000 sessions). Most events (n=148, 71.8%) did not involve patient harm, and process events (n=146, 70.9%) were most common. Events at the location of arrival (n=101, 49.0%) were most frequent; this location accounted for 61.0% and 44.2% of events with patient harm and those without harm, respectively (pprocess step was the preparation of the transportation team (n=91, 48.9%). Contributing unsafe acts included perceptual errors (n=14, 7.5%), decision errors (n=56, 30.1%), skill-based errors (n=48, 25.8%), and non-compliance (n=68, 36.6%). Multivariate analysis showed that human failure found in the arrival and hand-off sub-process (OR 4.84, pprocess at the location of arrival and prevent errors other than omissions. Long-term monitoring of IHT-related events is also warranted. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  12. Evaluation of Drug Use Attitudes of Patient and Its Relatives Attending to Cukurova University Medical Faculty Balcali Hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yusuf Karatas

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available Objective: Irrational drug usage is one of the important public health problems in all countries. Also in our country irrational drug usage patterns is a serious problem and it increases the drug’s share of public health care costs. The aim of our study was evaluate the drug use patterns of patients and relatives of patients in Cukurova University Medical Faculty Balcali Hospital. Material and Methods: Face-to-face interviews (using a questionnaire about Rational Drug Use Survey with 209 patients and patients relatives, admitted to Cukurova University Medical Faculty Balcali Hospital clinics. Results: 209 people participated in this study and 58 % (124 of these are women. The mean age of women was 41,39±13,76 and the mean age of the man was 44,67±13,55. If we decompose the participants to their educational attainment; primary school (34,4 %, secondary school (18,7 %, high school (26,3 % and university (20,6 %. 11,0 % of the participants have no social security. 5,7 % of the participants have acute disease, 54,5 % of them have chronic disease and 39,7 % of them have no medical problems. 53,1 % of the participants said that they do not use drugs without consulting a medical doctor, 11,0 % of the participants said that they sometimes use drugs, 30,6 % of the participants said that they rarely use drugs and 5,3 % of the participants said that they often use drugs without consulting a medical doctor. 14,8 % of the participants said that they use drugs with advise of their relatives, friends and neighbors, 17,2 % of the participants said that they advise the drugs to their relatives, friends and neighbors when they were sick. 16,7 % of the participants said that they often use antibiotics and 77,5 % of the participants said that they sometimes use antibiotics without consulting a doctor when they had common cold or flu. 40,2 % of the participants said that they do not use herbal medicine in treatment. Patients with canser 2,4 %, patients with

  13. Utilization and Predictors of Electrical Cardioversion in Patients Hospitalized for Atrial Fibrillation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yogita M. Rochlani

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Atrial fibrillation (AF is a common arrhythmia in adults associated with thromboembolic complications. External electrical cardioversion (DCCV is a safe procedure used to convert AF to normal sinus rhythm. We sought to study factors that affect utilization of DCCV in hospitalized patients with AF. The study sample was drawn from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project in the United States. Patients with a primary discharge diagnosis of AF that received DCCV during hospitalization in the years 2000–2010 were included. An estimated 2,810,530 patients with a primary diagnosis of AF were hospitalized between 2001 and 2010, of which 1,19,840 (4.26% received DCCV. The likelihood of receiving DCCV was higher in patients who were males, whites, privately insured, and aged < 40 years and those with fewer comorbid conditions. Higher CHADS2 score was found to have an inverse association with DCCV use. In-hospital stroke, in-hospital mortality, length of stay, and cost for hospitalization were significantly lower for patients undergoing DCCV during AF related hospitalization. Further research is required to study the contribution of other disease and patient related factors affecting the use of this procedure as well as postprocedure outcomes.

  14. Hospitals need to customise care according to patients' differing information-seeking behaviour

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Riiskjær, Erik; Ammentorp, Jette; Nielsen, Jørn Flohr

    2014-01-01

    INTRODUCTION: The aim of the study was to describe how often patients seek information about their disease in connection with contact to a hospital and to elucidate how information-seeking behaviour is related to the patients' perception of this contact. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was based...... on patient surveys from the Danish county of Aarhus from 1999 to 2006 including eight public hospitals. The patients' information-seeking behaviour was related to patient characteristics, organisational context and patient perceptions. RESULTS: Among the 75,769 patients who responded, 33.4% had actively...

  15. The Association Between Potentially Inappropriate Prescribing and Medication-Related Hospital Admissions in Older Patients : A Nested Case Control Study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van der Stelt, C. A K; Vermeulen Windsant-van den Tweel, A. M A; Egberts, A. C G; van den Bemt, P. M L A; Leendertse, A. J.; Hermens, W. A J J; van Marum, R. J.; Derijks, H. J.

    2016-01-01

    Introduction: Medication-related problems can cause serious adverse drug events (ADEs) that may lead to hospitalization of the patient. There are multiple screening methods to detect and reduce potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) and potential prescribing omissions (PPOs). Whether this will

  16. The Association Between Potentially Inappropriate Prescribing and Medication-Related Hospital Admissions in Older Patients: A Nested Case Control Study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van der Stelt, C.A.K.; Vermeulen Windsant-van den Tweel, A.M.A.; Egberts, A.C.G.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/162850050; van den Bemt, P.M.L.A.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/151330689; Leendertse, A.J.; Hermens, W.A.J.J.; van Marum, R.J.; Derijks, Jeroen|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/304840505

    2016-01-01

    Introduction: Medication-related problems can cause serious adverse drug events (ADEs) that may lead to hospitalization of the patient. There are multiple screening methods to detect and reduce potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) and potential prescribing omissions (PPOs). Whether this will

  17. Exploring relationships between hospital patient safety culture and Consumer Reports safety scores.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Scott Alan; Yount, Naomi; Sorra, Joann

    2017-02-16

    A number of private and public companies calculate and publish proprietary hospital patient safety scores based on publicly available quality measures initially reported by the U.S. federal government. This study examines whether patient safety culture perceptions of U.S. hospital staff in a large national survey are related to publicly reported patient safety ratings of hospitals. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (Hospital SOPS) assesses provider and staff perceptions of hospital patient safety culture. Consumer Reports (CR), a U.S. based non-profit organization, calculates and shares with its subscribers a Hospital Safety Score calculated annually from patient experience survey data and outcomes data gathered from federal databases. Linking data collected during similar time periods, we analyzed relationships between staff perceptions of patient safety culture composites and the CR Hospital Safety Score and its five components using multiple multivariate linear regressions. We analyzed data from 164 hospitals, with patient safety culture survey responses from 140,316 providers and staff, with an average of 856 completed surveys per hospital and an average response rate per hospital of 56%. Higher overall Hospital SOPS composite average scores were significantly associated with higher overall CR Hospital Safety Scores (β = 0.24, p Consumer Reports Hospital Safety Score, which is a composite of patient experience and outcomes data from federal databases. As hospital managers allocate resources to improve patient safety culture within their organizations, their efforts may also indirectly improve consumer-focused, publicly reported hospital rating scores like the Consumer Reports Hospital Safety Score.

  18. Patient Characteristics Predicting Readmission Among Individuals Hospitalized for Heart Failure

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Connor, Melissa; Murtaugh, Christopher M.; Shah, Shivani; Barrón-Vaya, Yolanda; Bowles, Kathryn H.; Peng, Timothy R.; Zhu, Carolyn W.; Feldman, Penny H.

    2015-01-01

    Heart failure is difficult to manage and increasingly common with many individuals experiencing frequent hospitalizations. Little is known about patient factors consistently associated with hospital readmission. A literature review was conducted to identify heart failure patient characteristics, measured before discharge, that contribute to variation in hospital readmission rates. Database searches yielded 950 potential articles, of which 34 studies met inclusion criteria. Patient characteristics generally have a very modest effect on all-cause or heart failure–related readmission within 7 to 180 days of index hospital discharge. A range of cardiac diseases and other comorbidities only minimally increase readmission rates. No single patient characteristic stands out as a key contributor across multiple studies underscoring the challenge of developing successful interventions to reduce readmissions. Interventions may need to be general in design with the specific intervention depending on each patient's unique clinical profile. PMID:26180045

  19. Oncology patients hospitalized in the Clinicas Hospital Dr. Manuel Quintela

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arostegui, M.; Borba, M.; Caldarelli, D.; Eguiia, A.; Fernandez, E.; Peleteiro, M.; Pereira, C.; Vico, M.

    2004-01-01

    This work was carried out by a nursery licensed group in the Clinicas Hospital - Dr. Manuel Quintela.The nature and functioning of Services and the allocation of resources, are essential for the analysis of the Survey of the hospitalized oncology patients in the Institution. To develop a model of care that constitutes a health care as well as teaching and research in the country regarding the quality of care was defined the following topics: lower risks for the patient, safer care, personal trained and specialized to promote relationship between the offering and the person receiving the service. The assessment and management performance of the services involved in the operation are the result of the degree of user satisfaction. Objective: To determine the human and material necessary for the care of cancer resources users, considering their number, treatment, complications and nursing care derived from each pathology and stage of disease. Methodology: A comparative descriptive study of the same population was conducted in two transverse sections in relation to two different times which are based on the design of a form that allowed hospitalized to collect information on users 6/12/03 and 6/16/04. Other instruments used were the clinical history and the daily census staff Patients and Nursing Division. Results and conclusions: A comparative descriptive analysis already mentioned are: increased internships and cancer patients; between 50 and 64 is the highest number of patients; diagnoses Face and Neck and maintain the Digestive System more cases; the number of patients doubles and Hematology Neurological from one to another period. Chemotherapy is the treatment choice and there is a decrease in the surgical and medical; more patients in the study; in the origin, Montevideo has the largest number of patients followed by Canelones. Line of nursing intervention will be carried out in short, medium and long term

  20. Ethnic inequalities in patient safety in Dutch hospital care

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Rosse, F.

    2015-01-01

    This thesis shows the first results of Dutch studies on the relation between ethnicity and patient safety. We used mixed methods to identify patient safety outcomes and patient safety risks in a cohort study in 4 urban hospitals among 763 Dutch patients and 576 ethnic minority patients. In a record

  1. Hospital Admissions for Malnutrition and Dehydration in Patients With Dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marshall, Katherine A; Burson, Rosanne; Gall, Kristyn; Saunders, Mitzi M

    2016-01-01

    Dehydration and malnutrition are commonly experienced by patients with dementia and can result in hospitalizations and decreased quality of life. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe retrospectively, the incidence and correlations of variables that may precede hospitalizations for dehydration/malnutrition in the community-dwelling patient with dementia. Data from the Outcome and Assessment Information Set (OASIS) Start of Care (SOC) on 44 patients served by a Michigan home care agency were retrieved for analysis. This study did not reveal any single or collection of variables that would predict risk for hospitalization for dehydration/malnutrition. With the lack of specific predictors of hospitalization related to dehydration and malnutrition, clinicians need to place high priority on risk-lowering strategies and preventive education for patients, family, and caregivers.

  2. Telemonitoring and home hospitalization in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: study TELEPOC.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mirón Rubio, Manuel; Ceballos Fernández, Rocío; Parras Pastor, Inmaculada; Palomo Iloro, Amaya; Fernández Félix, Borja Manuel; Medina Miralles, Jenifer; Zamudio López, Esther; González Pastor, Javier; Amador Lorente, Caridad; Mena Hortelano, Nazaret; Domínguez Sánchez, Alejandro; Alonso-Viteri, Soledad

    2018-04-01

    Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major consumer of healthcare resources, with most costs related to disease exacerbations. Telemonitoring of patients with COPD may help to reduce the number of exacerbations and/or the related costs. On the other hand, home hospitalization is a cost-saving alternative to inpatient hospitalization associated with increased comfort for patients. The results are reported regarding using telemonitoring and home hospitalization for the management of patients with COPD. Twenty-eight patients monitored their health parameters at home for six months. A nurse remotely revised the collected parameters and followed the patients as programmed. A home care unit was dispatched to the patients' home if an alarm signal was detected. The outcomes were compared to historical data from the same patients. The number of COPD exacerbations during the study period did not reduce but the number of hospital admissions decreased by 60% and the number of emergency room visits by 38%. On average, costs related to utilization of healthcare resources were reduced by €1,860.80 per patient per year. Telemonitoring of patients with COPD combined with home hospitalization may allow for a reduction in healthcare costs, although its usefulness in preventing exacerbations is still unclear.

  3. Costs of the Patients Hospitalized with Acute Exacerbations of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in a University Hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fatma Yıldırım

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Objective: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD, although a preventable and treatable disease continues to be a major health problem. Acute exacerbations of COPD is a major cause of hospitalization of patients and it constitutes a significant portion of COPD-related health care costs. In this study, we aimed to determine the cost of patients hospitalized with acute exacerbations of COPD in a university hospital. Methods: Data of the patients that were hospitalized due to COPD exacerbation between 1 September 2013-1 September 2014 in Hospital of Gazi University Medical Faculty were retrospectively analyzed. Cost data were gathered from data processing department. Costs were identified for drugs, laboratory tests, bed costs and other materials. Results: A total of 790 patients were hospitalized during twelve months. Among these patients 181 (23.0% patients had COPD and 99 (12.5% were hospitalized due to acute exacerbation of COPD. Of these 99 patients 77 (77.8% were male and 22 (22.2% were female. Forty-nine (49.5% patients were hospitalized from the emergency department, 50 (50.5% patients were from the outpatient clinic. The median age was 70 (64-77 years old and median length of hospital stay was 8 (6-13 days. Ninety-one (91.9% of them were discharged from the service. Eight (8.1% patients were transfered to the intensive care unit (ICU due to respiratory failure, and 7 of these patients (7.4% hospitalized back to the service after treatment at ICU, 2 (2.1% patients died. The median cost per patient was 1.064 (726-1.866 Turkish Lira (TL. Drug costs accounted the largest portion (36.0% of the median cost, followed by bed cost (26.0%. Two (2.1% of patients died in hospital. Although the number of patients without antibiotic usage is less (17.2% vs 82.8%; the median cost per patient in the antibiotic using group was higher than that were without antibiotic using (median 643 vs 1.162 TL p=0.001. Presence of a comorbidity, hypoxemia

  4. A 5-year retrospective study of demographic, anamnestic, and clinical factors related to psychiatric hospitalizations of adolescent patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Di Lorenzo R

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Rosaria Di Lorenzo,1 Nina Cimino,2 Elena Di Pietro,3 Gabriella Pollutri,4 Vittoria Neviani,5 Paola Ferri2 1Service of Psychiatric Diagnosis and Treatment, Department of Mental Health, AUSL Modena, Modena, 2School of Nursing, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 3School of Neuro-Psychiatry, 4School of Psychiatry, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 5 “The Medlar”, Villa Igea Hospital, Modena, Italy Background: Psychiatric emergencies of children and adolescents have greatly increased during the last years, but this phenomenon has not been studied in detail. The aim of this study was to analyze the correlation between acute psychiatric hospitalizations of adolescents and selected variables to highlight risk factors for psychiatric emergencies. Methods: This retrospective research was conducted in the acute psychiatric public ward, Service of Psychiatric Diagnosis and Treatment (SPDT, and in the residential facility for adolescents, “The Medlar”, located in Modena. The sample was constituted by all adolescent patients (n=101, age range 14–18 who had acute hospitalizations (n=140 in SPDT and had been successively transferred to “The Medlar” (n=83, from February 2, 2010 to January 31, 2015. From clinical charts, we extracted demographic and anamnestic characteristics of patients and clinical variables related to hospitalizations. Data were statistically analyzed. Results: Sixty-one percent of our patients lived with one divorced parent, with adoptive or immigrant family, or in institutions; 51% had experienced stressful events during childhood; 81% had a normal intellective level, but only 6% presented regular school performance. Parental psychiatric illness was negatively related, in a statistically significantly way, with onset age of adolescent mental disorders (coefficient -2.28, 95% confidence interval [CI]: -3.53 to 1.01, P<0.001, single linear regression; odds ratio: 4.39, 95% CI: 1.43–13.47, P<0.010, single logistic

  5. Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter-Related Infections in a Cohort of Hospitalized Adult Patients

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bouzad, Caroline, E-mail: caroline.bouzad@gmail.com [Percy Military Teaching Hospital, Radiology Department (France); Duron, Sandrine, E-mail: duronsandrine@yahoo.fr [GSBdD, Military Centre for Epidemiology and Public Health (CESPA) (France); Bousquet, Aurore, E-mail: aurorebousquet@yahoo.fr [Begin Military Teaching Hospital, Bacteriology Department (France); Arnaud, François-Xavier, E-mail: fxa0160@hotmail.com [Percy Military Teaching Hospital, Radiology Department (France); Valbousquet, Laura, E-mail: laura.valbousquet@gmail.com [Begin Military Teaching Hospital, Radiology Department (France); Weber-Donat, Gabrielle, E-mail: weberdonatgabrielle@yahoo.fr; Teriitehau, Christophe, E-mail: cteriitehau@me.com; Baccialone, Jacques, E-mail: jacques.baccialone@wanadoo.fr; Potet, Julien, E-mail: potet-julien@yahoo.fr [Percy Military Teaching Hospital, Radiology Department (France)

    2016-03-15

    PurposeTo determine the incidence and the risks factors of peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC)-related infectious complications.Materials and MethodsMedical charts of every in-patient that underwent a PICC insertion in our hospital between January 2010 and October 2013 were reviewed. All PICC-related infections were recorded and categorized as catheter-related bloodstream infections (CR-BSI), exit-site infections, and septic thrombophlebitis.ResultsNine hundred and twenty-three PICCs were placed in 644 unique patients, mostly male (68.3 %) with a median age of 58 years. 31 (3.4 %) PICC-related infections occurred during the study period corresponding to an infection rate of 1.64 per 1000 catheter-days. We observed 27 (87.1 %) CR-BSI, corresponding to a rate of 1.43 per 1000 catheter-days, 3 (9.7 %) septic thrombophlebitis, and 1 (3.2 %) exit-site infection. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed a higher PICC-related infection rate with chemotherapy (odds ratio (OR) 7.2–confidence interval (CI) 95 % [1.77–29.5]), auto/allograft (OR 5.9–CI 95 % [1.2–29.2]), and anti-coagulant therapy (OR 2.2–95 % [1.4–12]).ConclusionChemotherapy, auto/allograft, and anti-coagulant therapy are associated with an increased risk of developing PICC-related infections.Clinical AdvanceChemotherapy, auto/allograft, and anti-coagulant therapy are important predictors of PICC-associated infections. A careful assessment of these risk factors may be important for future success in preventing PICC-related infections.

  6. Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter-Related Infections in a Cohort of Hospitalized Adult Patients

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bouzad, Caroline; Duron, Sandrine; Bousquet, Aurore; Arnaud, François-Xavier; Valbousquet, Laura; Weber-Donat, Gabrielle; Teriitehau, Christophe; Baccialone, Jacques; Potet, Julien

    2016-01-01

    PurposeTo determine the incidence and the risks factors of peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC)-related infectious complications.Materials and MethodsMedical charts of every in-patient that underwent a PICC insertion in our hospital between January 2010 and October 2013 were reviewed. All PICC-related infections were recorded and categorized as catheter-related bloodstream infections (CR-BSI), exit-site infections, and septic thrombophlebitis.ResultsNine hundred and twenty-three PICCs were placed in 644 unique patients, mostly male (68.3 %) with a median age of 58 years. 31 (3.4 %) PICC-related infections occurred during the study period corresponding to an infection rate of 1.64 per 1000 catheter-days. We observed 27 (87.1 %) CR-BSI, corresponding to a rate of 1.43 per 1000 catheter-days, 3 (9.7 %) septic thrombophlebitis, and 1 (3.2 %) exit-site infection. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed a higher PICC-related infection rate with chemotherapy (odds ratio (OR) 7.2–confidence interval (CI) 95 % [1.77–29.5]), auto/allograft (OR 5.9–CI 95 % [1.2–29.2]), and anti-coagulant therapy (OR 2.2–95 % [1.4–12]).ConclusionChemotherapy, auto/allograft, and anti-coagulant therapy are associated with an increased risk of developing PICC-related infections.Clinical AdvanceChemotherapy, auto/allograft, and anti-coagulant therapy are important predictors of PICC-associated infections. A careful assessment of these risk factors may be important for future success in preventing PICC-related infections

  7. Factors associated with the risk of falls in hospitalized adult patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vivian Lemes Lobo Bittencourt

    Full Text Available Abstract OBJECTIVE Analyzing factors related to the risk of falls in hospitalized adult patients. METHOD A cross-sectional, analytical and quantitative study, developed in Clinical and Surgical Hospitalization Units from June to August 2015. Data collection instruments were sociodemographic and clinical forms, and the Morse Scale. Data were obtained with the patients and from medical records. Absolute and relative frequencies were used in the univariate statistical analysis, and chi-square test in the bivariate analysis. RESULTS 612 patients participated in the study. An association (p<0.001 was found between the high risk of falls and clinical neurological hospitalization, surgical trauma (hospitalization and comorbidities such as diabetes mellitus, systemic arterial hypertension, visual impairment, vertigo and fear of falling. CONCLUSION An association between the risk of falls was found due to hospitalization, comorbidities and intrinsic factors. Regarding extrinsic factors, an association between mats/carpets and risk of falls was found. No association between the risk of falls with other extrinsic factors was found.

  8. How patients perceive the role of hospital chaplains: a preliminary exploration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ellis, J M; McManus, C; Newton, B A

    1995-09-01

    An exploratory study of the attitudes of hospital patients to the service provided by hospital chaplains. Questionnaire study of hospital inpatients in December 1992. One large teaching hospital in London. 180 hospital inpatients in 14 different general wards, 168 (93%) of whom agreed to take part. Attitudes to chaplains and their role contained in 12 questions developed during a pilot study on hospital inpatients (16) and staff (14) and their relation to patients' age, sex, length of hospital stay, and religious beliefs, according to Kendall rank order correlations. Of 168(93%) respondents, 72(43%) were women; mean age of patients was 63.1 (SD 16.8) years. Forty five (27%) were inpatients of three days or less and 22(13%) for one month or more. 136(81%) were Christian; 17(10%) atheist, agnostic, or had no religion; and 15(9%) were of other religions. In general, patients showed positive attitudes towards the role of hospital chaplains and to the services they provided. The correlation analysis showed that there was a significant tendency for older patients, those who had been inpatients for longer, and those with religious beliefs to be more sympathetic to the role of hospital chaplains. Hospital chaplains provide a service which is appreciated by patients. This study provides a simple instrument for assessing patients' attitudes to chaplains.

  9. Hospital variation in sphincter preservation for elderly rectal cancer patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dodgion, Christopher M; Neville, Bridget A; Lipsitz, Stuart R; Schrag, Deborah; Breen, Elizabeth; Zinner, Michael J; Greenberg, Caprice C

    2014-09-01

    The primary goal of an operation for rectal cancer is to cure cancer and, where possible, preserve continence. A wide range of sphincter preservation rates have been reported. This study evaluated hospital variation in the use of low anterior resection (LAR), local excision (LE), and abdominoperineal resection (APR) in the treatment of elderly rectal cancer patients. Using Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare linked data, we identified 4959 patients older than 65 y with stage I-III rectal cancer diagnosed from 2000-2005 who underwent operative intervention at one of 370 hospitals. We evaluated the distribution of hospital-specific procedure rates and used generalized mixed models with random hospital effects to examine the influence of patient characteristics and hospital on operation type, using APR as a reference. The median hospital performed APR on 33% of elderly patients with rectal cancer. Hospital was a stronger predictor of LAR receipt than any patient characteristic, explaining 32% of procedure choice, but not a strong predictor of LE, explaining only 3.8%. Receipt of LE was primarily related to tumor size and tumor stage, which combined explained 31% of procedure variation. Receipt of LE is primarily determined by patient characteristics. In contrast, the hospital where surgery is performed significantly influences whether a patient undergoes an LAR or APR. Understanding the factors that cause this institutional variation is crucial to ensuring equitable availability of sphincter preservation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Atrial fibrillation is a predictor of in-hospital mortality in ischemic stroke patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ong CT

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Cheung-Ter Ong,1,2 Yi-Sin Wong,3 Chi-Shun Wu,1 Yu-Hsiang Su1 1Department of Neurology, Chia-Yi Christian Hospital, 2Department of Nursing, Chung Jen Junior College of Nursing, Health Science and Management, Chiayi, 3Department of Family Medicine, Chia-Yi Christian Hospital, Chiayi, Taiwan, Republic of China Background/purpose: In-hospital mortality rate of acute ischemic stroke patients remains between 3% and 18%. For improving the quality of stroke care, we investigated the factors that contribute to the risk of in-hospital mortality in acute ischemic stroke patients.Materials and methods: Between January 1, 2007, and December 31, 2011, 2,556 acute ischemic stroke patients admitted to a stroke unit were included in this study. Factors such as demographic characteristics, clinical characteristics, comorbidities, and complications related to in-hospital mortality were assessed.Results: Of the 2,556 ischemic stroke patients, 157 received thrombolytic therapy. Eighty of the 2,556 patients (3.1% died during hospitalization. Of the 157 patients who received thrombolytic therapy, 14 (8.9% died during hospitalization. History of atrial fibrillation (AF, P<0.01 and stroke severity (P<0.01 were independent risk factors of in-hospital mortality. AF, stroke severity, cardioembolism stroke, and diabetes mellitus were independent risk factors of hemorrhagic transformation. Herniation and sepsis were the most common complications of stroke that were attributed to in-hospital mortality. Approximately 70% of in-hospital mortality was related to stroke severity (total middle cerebral artery occlusion with herniation, basilar artery occlusion, and hemorrhagic transformation. The other 30% of in-hospital mortality was related to sepsis, heart disease, and other complications.Conclusion: AF is associated with higher in-hospital mortality rate than in patients without AF. For improving outcome of stroke patients, we also need to focus to reduce serious neurological

  11. Hospital-at-home Integrated Care Program for Older Patients With Orthopedic Processes: An Efficient Alternative to Usual Hospital-Based Care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Closa, Conxita; Mas, Miquel À; Santaeugènia, Sebastià J; Inzitari, Marco; Ribera, Aida; Gallofré, Miquel

    2017-09-01

    To compare outcomes and costs for patients with orthogeriatric conditions in a home-based integrated care program versus conventional hospital-based care. Quasi-experimental longitudinal study. An acute care hospital, an intermediate care hospital, and the community of an urban area in the North of Barcelona, in Southern Europe. In a 2-year period, we recruited 367 older patients attended at an orthopedic/traumatology unit in an acute hospital for fractures and/or arthroplasty. Patients were referred to a hospital-at-home integrated care unit or to standard hospital-based postacute orthogeriatric unit, based on their social support and availability of the resource. We compared home-based care versus hospital-based care for Relative Functional Gain (gain/loss of function measured by the Barthel Index), mean direct costs, and potential savings in terms of reduction of stay in the acute care hospital. No differences were found in Relative Functional Gain, median (Q25-Q75) = 0.92 (0.64-1.09) in the home-based group versus 0.93 (0.59-1) in the hospital-based group, P =.333. Total health service direct cost [mean (standard deviation)] was significantly lower for patients receiving home-based care: €7120 (3381) versus €12,149 (6322), P home-based care [10.1 (7)] than in patients discharged to the postacute orthogeriatric hospital-based unit [15.3 (12) days, P home integrated care program was suitable for managing older patients with orthopedic conditions who have good social support for home care. It provided clinical care comparable to the hospital-based model, and it seems to enable earlier acute hospital discharge and lower direct costs. Copyright © 2017 AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Patient Characteristics Predicting Readmission Among Individuals Hospitalized for Heart Failure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Connor, Melissa; Murtaugh, Christopher M; Shah, Shivani; Barrón-Vaya, Yolanda; Bowles, Kathryn H; Peng, Timothy R; Zhu, Carolyn W; Feldman, Penny H

    2016-02-01

    Heart failure is difficult to manage and increasingly common with many individuals experiencing frequent hospitalizations. Little is known about patient factors consistently associated with hospital readmission. A literature review was conducted to identify heart failure patient characteristics, measured before discharge, that contribute to variation in hospital readmission rates. Database searches yielded 950 potential articles, of which 34 studies met inclusion criteria. Patient characteristics generally have a very modest effect on all-cause or heart failure-related readmission within 7 to 180 days of index hospital discharge. A range of cardiac diseases and other comorbidities only minimally increase readmission rates. No single patient characteristic stands out as a key contributor across multiple studies underscoring the challenge of developing successful interventions to reduce readmissions. Interventions may need to be general in design with the specific intervention depending on each patient's unique clinical profile. © The Author(s) 2015.

  13. Oropharyngeal Microbiota in Frail Older Patients Unaffected by Time in Hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Victoria C. Ewan

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Respiratory tract infections are the commonest nosocomial infections, and occur predominantly in frailer, older patients with multiple comorbidities. The oropharyngeal microbiota is the major reservoir of infection. This study explored the relative contributions of time in hospital and patient demographics to the community structure of the oropharyngeal microbiota in older patients with lower limb fracture. We collected 167 throat swabs from 53 patients (mean age 83 over 14 days after hospitalization, and analyzed these using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. We calculated frailty/comorbidity indices, undertook dental examinations and collected data on respiratory tract infections. We analyzed microbial community composition using correspondence (CA and canonical correspondence analysis. Ten patients were treated for respiratory tract infection. Microbial community structure was related to frailty, number of teeth and comorbidity on admission, with comorbidity exerting the largest effect. Time in hospital neither significantly changed alpha (t = −0.910, p = 0.365 nor beta diversity (CA1 t = 0.022, p = 0.982; CA2 t = −0.513, p = 0.609 of microbial communities in patient samples. Incidence of respiratory pathogens were not associated with time in hospital (t = −0.207, p = 0.837, nor with alpha diversity of the oral microbiota (t = −1.599, p = 0.113. Patient characteristics at admission, rather than time in hospital, influenced the community structure of the oral microbiota.

  14. Hospital-related incidents; causes and its impact on disaster preparedness and prehospital organisations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Khorram-Manesh Amir

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background A hospital's capacity and preparedness is one of the important parts of disaster planning. Hospital-related incidents, a new phenomenon in Swedish healthcare, may lead to ambulance diversions, increased waiting time at emergency departments and treatment delay along with deterioration of disaster management and surge capacity. We aimed to identify the causes and impacts of hospital-related incidents in Region Västra Götaland (western region of Sweden. Methods The regional registry at the Prehospital and Disaster Medicine Center was reviewed (2006–2008. The number of hospital-related incidents and its causes were analyzed. Results There were an increasing number of hospital-related incidents mainly caused by emergency department's overcrowdings, the lack of beds at ordinary wards and/or intensive care units and technical problems at the radiology departments. These incidents resulted in ambulance diversions and reduced the prehospital capacity as well as endangering the patient safety. Conclusion Besides emergency department overcrowdings, ambulance diversions, endangering patient s safety and increasing risk for in-hospital mortality, hospital-related incidents reduces and limits the regional preparedness by minimizing the surge capacity. In order to prevent a future irreversible disaster, this problem should be avoided and addressed properly by further regional studies.

  15. [Screening for malnutrition among hospitalized patients in a Colombian University Hospital].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cruz, Viviana; Bernal, Laura; Buitrago, Giancarlo; Ruiz, Álvaro J

    2017-04-01

    On admission, 30 to 50% of hospitalized patients have some degree of malnutrition, which is associated with longer length of stay, higher rates of complications, mortality and greater costs. To determine the frequency of screening for risk of malnutrition in medical records and assess the usefulness of the Malnutrition Screening Tool (MST). In a cross-sectional study, we searched for malnutrition screening in medical records, and we applied the MST tool to hospitalized patients at the Internal Medicine Wards of San Ignacio University Hospital. Of 295 patients included, none had been screened for malnutrition since hospital admission. Sixty one percent were at nutritional risk, with a higher prevalence among patients with HIV (85.7%), cancer (77.5%) and pneumonia. A positive MST result was associated with a 3.2 days increase in length of hospital stay (p = 0.024). The prevalence of malnutrition risk in hospitalized patients is high, but its screening is inadequate and it is underdiagnosed. The MST tool is simple, fast, low-cost, and has a good diagnostic performance.

  16. Sex-related differences in the risk factors for in-hospital mortality and outcomes of ischemic stroke patients in rural areas of Taiwan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ong, Cheung-Ter; Wong, Yi-Sin; Sung, Sheng-Feng; Wu, Chi-Shun; Hsu, Yung-Chu; Su, Yu-Hsiang; Hung, Ling-Chien

    2017-01-01

    Sex-related differences in the clinical presentation and outcomes of stroke patients are issues that have attracted increased interest from the scientific community. The present study aimed to investigate sex-related differences in the risk factors for in-hospital mortality and outcome in ischemic stroke patients. A total of 4278 acute ischemic stroke patients admitted to a stroke unit between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2014 were included in the study. We considered demographic characteristics, clinical characteristics, co-morbidities, and complications, among others, as factors that may affect clinical presentation and in-hospital mortality. Good and poor outcomes were defined as modified Ranking Score (mRS)≦2 and mRS>2. Neurological deterioration (ND) was defined as an increase of National Institutes of Health Stroke Score (NIHSS) ≥ 4 points. Hemorrhagic transformation (HT) was defined as signs of hemorrhage in cranial CT or MRI scans. Transtentorial herniation was defined by brain edema, as seen in cranial CT or MRI scans, associated with the onset of acute unilateral or bilateral papillary dilation, loss of reactivity to light, and decline of ≥ 2 points in the Glasgow coma scale score. Of 4278 ischemic stroke patients (women 1757, 41.1%), 269 (6.3%) received thrombolytic therapy. The in hospital mortality rate was 3.35% (139/4278) [4.45% (80/1757) for women and 2.34% (59/2521) for men, p stroke, 56.1% (1813/3231) showed good outcomes [47.4% (629/1328) for women and 62.2% (1184/1903) for men, p stroke history, and old age were factors contributing to poor outcomes in men and women. Hypertension was associated with poor outcomes in women but not in men in comparison with patients without hypertension. Stroke severity and increased intracranial pressure were associated with increased in-hospital mortality in men and women. AF was associated with increased in-hospital mortality in women but not in men compared with patients without AF. The in-hospital

  17. Use of foreign-educated nurses and patient satisfaction in U.S. hospitals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mazurenko, Olena; Menachemi, Nir

    2016-01-01

    In the context of value-based purchasing, this study examines the association between the utilization of foreign-educated registered nurses (RNs) and patient satisfaction among U.S. acute care hospitals. We utilized data from the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems to measure patient satisfaction and data from the American Hospital Association regarding the utilization of foreign-educated RNs in 2012. In this study, a cross-sectional design with propensity score adjustment to examine the relationship between use of foreign-educated nurses and 10 patient satisfaction outcome measures. Control variables include hospital size, ownership, geographic location, teaching status, system membership, a high-technology index, and U.S. region based on census categories. The utilization of foreign-educated RNs was negatively and significantly related to six patient satisfaction measures. Specifically, hospitals with foreign-educated RNs scored, on average, lower on measures related to nurse communication (β = -0.649, p = .01), doctor's communication (β = -0.837, p ≤ .001), communication about administered drugs (β = -0.539, p = .81), and communication about what to do during their recovery at home (β = -0.571, p = .01). Moreover, hospitals utilizing foreign-educated RNs scored, on average, lower on overall satisfaction measures including rating the hospital as 9 or 10 overall (β = -1.20, p = .005), and patients would definitely recommend the hospital (β = -1.32, p = .006). Utilization of foreign-educated RNs is negatively associated with measures of patient satisfaction pertaining to communication and overall perceptions of care. Hospitals that utilize foreign-educated RNs should consider strategies that enhance communication competency and aid improving perception of care among patients.

  18. CIGARETTE SMOKING IN SCHIZOPHRENIC PATIENTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY TREATED IN A MEXICAN HOSPITAL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Oscar Rodríguez-Mayoral

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Objective: tobacco smoking is the most commonly substance abused in psychiatric patients; among them, patients with schizophrenia are the highest abusers. Smoking is related to a decrease in the quality life and life expectancy, as well as interacting with psychotropic drugs. In Mexico, there is not basic descriptive knowledge about the main variables related to cigarette smoking in psychiatric population. The aim of this study was to know the relation among variables (beginning and course of the disease, use of other drugs and times of hospitalization among others and cigarette smoking in a Mexican population of hospitalized schizophrenic patients. Method: The relation between the main variables and smoking were evaluated in a Mexican population of schizophrenic patients while hospitalized. A casuistic sampling was performed in 96 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia and they were divided into three groups: 1 non-smokers, 2 ex-smokers and 3 smokers; according to their score on the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence. Results: The results showed that hospitalized schizophrenic patients smoke 2.7 times more than the general population. Most of these patients showed moderate to high dependence of nicotine, as well as a higher risk for other drugs abuse (marihuana mainly. Most patients started smoking before the first positive symptoms of schizophrenia appeared, and their symptoms started at an earlier age than in patients without a smoking background. Conclusions: Similar studies will allow deepening into specific aspects that modify and or improve the prescribed treatments for each psychiatric patient in hospital settings.

  19. Drug-related acute renal failure in hospitalised patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iavecchia, Lujan; Cereza García, Gloria; Sabaté Gallego, Mònica; Vidal Guitart, Xavier; Ramos Terrades, Natalia; de la Torre, Judith; Segarra Medrano, Alfons; Agustí Escasany, Antònia

    2015-01-01

    The information available on the incidence and the characteristics of patients with acute renal failure (ARF) related to drugs is scarce. To estimate the incidence of drug-related ARF in hospitalised patients and to compare their characteristics with those of patients with ARF due to other causes. We selected a prospective cohort of patients with ARF during hospital admission (July 2010-July 2011). Information on patients' demographics, medical antecedents, ARF risk factors, ARF severity according to the RIFLE classification and hospital drug administration was collected. We analysed the relationship of drugs with the ARF episodes using Spanish Pharmacovigilance System methods and algorithm. A total of 194 cases had an episode of hospital-acquired ARF. The median age of patients was 72 years [IQR 20]; 60% were men. The ARF incidence during hospitalization was 9.6 per 1,000 admissions. According to the RIFLE classification, a risk of kidney damage or kidney injury was present in 77.8% of cases. In 105 (54.1%) cases, ARF was drug-related; the drugs most frequently involved were diuretics, agents acting on the renin-angiotensin system, immunosuppressants, β-blocking agents, calcium channel blockers, contrast media and non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs. Patients with drug-related ARF had more multi-morbidity, fewer ARF risk factors and lower mortality. Half of ARF episodes during hospitalisation were drug related. Patients with drug-related ARF had higher cardiovascular morbidity than those with ARF related to other causes, but they had a lower frequency of ARF risk factors and mortality. Copyright © 2015 Sociedad Española de Nefrología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  20. The risk factors for impulsivity-related falls among hospitalized older adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferrari, Marisa; Harrison, Barbara; Lewis, Doresea

    2012-01-01

    Falls among older adults are a common, preventable problem associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Impulsivity is a known risk factor for older adult falls; however, there is a gap in evidence demonstrating the unique risk factors associated with impulsivity related falls (IRF). The research explored the association between seven fall risk factors and impulsivity related falls in hospitalized older adults in a community hospital. This retrospective descriptive study analyzed the association between seven fall risk factors and IRF in hospitalized older adults. The sample (N = 233) included patients age 65 years and older who had a documented in-patient fall in 2008. Of the falls, 29.7% were classified as IRF. The mean age of patients with IRF was 78 years, with the median day of fall being Day 5 of hospitalization/rehabilitation admission. Logistic regression demonstrated that only inattention and cognitive impairment were significant risk factors for IRF. The incidence of IRF was 29.7%. Our findings also indicate that cognitive impairment and inattention are strongest predictors for IRF among usual risk factors. Early identification of the unique risk factors associated with IRF could improve identification and reduce fall rates among hospitalized older adults. © 2012 Association of Rehabilitation Nurses.

  1. Patient with stroke: hospital discharge planning, functionality and quality of life

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Henrique José Mendes Nunes

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Stroke still causes high levels of human inability and suffering, and it is one of the main causes of death in developed countries, including Portugal. Objective: analyze the strategies of hospital discharge planning for these patients, increasing the knowledge related to hospitalhome transition, discharge planning processes and the main impact on the quality of life and functionality. Method: integrative literature review using the PICOD criteria, with database research. Results: 19 articles were obtained, using several approaches and contexts. For quality of life, the factors related to the patient satisfaction with care and the psychoemotional aspects linked with functionality are the most significant. Conclusion: during the hospitalization period, a careful hospital discharge planning and comprehensive care to patients and caregivers - in particular the functional and psychoemotional aspects - tend to have an impact on the quality of life of patients.

  2. Circumstances of falls and falls-related injuries in a cohort of older patients following hospital discharge

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hill AM

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available Anne-Marie Hill,1 Tammy Hoffmann,2,3 Terry P Haines4,51School of Physiotherapy, Institute for Health Research, The University of Notre Dame Australia, Fremantle, WA, 2Centre for Research in Evidence-Based Practice, Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, Bond University, Gold Coast, QLD, 3School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, 4School of Primary Health Care, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 5Allied Health Research Unit, Kingston Centre, Southern Health, Clayton, VIC, AustraliaBackground: Older people are at increased risk of falls after hospital discharge. This study aimed to describe the circumstances of falls in the six months after hospital discharge and to identify factors associated with the time and location of these falls.Methods: Participants in this randomized controlled study comprised fallers (n = 138 who were part of a prospective observational cohort (n = 343 nested within a randomized controlled trial (n = 1206. The study tested patient education on falls prevention in hospital compared with usual care in older patients who were discharged from hospital and followed for six months after hospital discharge. The outcome measures were number of falls, falls-related injuries, and the circumstances of the falls, measured by use of a diary and a monthly telephone call to each participant.Results: Participants (mean age 80.3 ± 8.7 years reported 276 falls, of which 150 (54.3% were injurious. Of the 255 falls for which there were data available about circumstances, 190 (74.5% occurred indoors and 65 (25.5% occurred in the external home environment or wider community. The most frequent time reported for falls was the morning (between 6 am and 10 am when 79 (28.6% falls, including 49 (32.7% injurious falls, occurred. The most frequently reported location for falls (n = 80, 29.0%, including injurious falls (n = 42, 28.0%, was the bedroom. Factors associated with falling in the bedroom included

  3. Patient safety challenges in a case study hospital--of relevance for transfusion processes?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aase, Karina; Høyland, Sindre; Olsen, Espen; Wiig, Siri; Nilsen, Stein Tore

    2008-10-01

    The paper reports results from a research project with the objective of studying patient safety, and relates the finding to safety issues within transfusion medicine. The background is an increased focus on undesired events related to diagnosis, medication, and patient treatment in general in the healthcare sector. The study is designed as a case study within a regional Norwegian hospital conducting specialised health care services. The study includes multiple methods such as interviews, document analysis, analysis of error reports, and a questionnaire survey. Results show that the challenges for improved patient safety, based on employees' perceptions, are hospital management support, reporting of accidents/incidents, and collaboration across hospital units. Several of these generic safety challenges are also found to be of relevance for a hospital's transfusion service. Positive patient safety factors are identified as teamwork within hospital units, a non-punitive response to errors, and unit manager's actions promoting safety.

  4. Brief hospitalizations of elderly patients

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Strømgaard, Sofie; Rasmussen, Søren Wistisen; Schmidt, Thomas Andersen

    2014-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Crowded departments are a common problem in Danish hospitals, especially in departments of internal medicine, where a large proportion of the patients are elderly. We therefore chose to investigate the number and character of hospitalizations of elderly patients with a duration of less...

  5. Identification of older hospitalized patients at risk for functional decline

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hoogerduijn, J.G.

    2011-01-01

    Between 30% and 60% of older patients experience functional decline after hospitalization, resulting in a decline in health-related quality of life and autonomy. This is associated with increased risk of readmission, nursing home placement and mortality, increased length of hospital stay and

  6. Psychological symptoms and quality of life of dermatology outpatients and hospitalized dermatology patients

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zachariae, R.; Zachariae, C.; Ibsen, H.H.

    2004-01-01

    The aim of the investigation was to compare psychological symptoms and health-related quality of life of dermatology patients and healthy controls. The sample consisted of 333 consecutively recruited patients from four dermatology outpatient clinics, 172 hospitalized dermatological patients from...... two university hospitals and 293 matched healthy controls. All patients and controls completed Beck's Depression Inventory, the Brief Symptom Inventory and the Dermatology Life Quality Index. Hospitalized patients were more distressed than outpatients and healthy controls and reported greater...... of dermatology patients, especially among patients with atopic dermatitis and psoriasis....

  7. Quality indicators for colorectal cancer surgery and care according to patient-, tumor-, and hospital-related factors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mathoulin-Pélissier, Simone; Bécouarn, Yves; Belleannée, Geneviève; Pinon, Elodie; Jaffré, Anne; Coureau, Gaëlle; Auby, Dominique; Renaud-Salis, Jean-Louis; Rullier, Eric

    2012-01-01

    Colorectal cancer (CRC) care has improved considerably, particularly since the implementation of a quality of care program centered on national evidence-based guidelines. Formal quality assessment is however still needed. The aim of this research was to identify factors associated with practice variation in CRC patient care. CRC patients identified from all cancer centers in South-West France were included. We investigated variations in practices (from diagnosis to surgery), and compliance with recommended guidelines for colon and rectal cancer. We identified factors associated with three colon cancer practice variations potentially linked to better survival: examination of ≥12 lymph nodes (LN), non-use and use of adjuvant chemotherapy for stage II and stage III patients, respectively. We included 1,206 patients, 825 (68%) with colon and 381 (32%) with rectal cancer, from 53 hospitals. Compliance was high for resection, pathology report, LN examination, and chemotherapy use for stage III patients. In colon cancer, 26% of stage II patients received adjuvant chemotherapy and 71% of stage III patients. 84% of stage US T3T4 rectal cancer patients received pre-operative radiotherapy. In colon cancer, factors associated with examination of ≥12 LNs were: lower ECOG score, advanced stage and larger hospital volume; factors negatively associated were: left sided tumor location and one hospital district. Use of chemotherapy in stage II patients was associated with younger age, advanced stage, emergency setting and care structure (private and location); whereas under-use in stage III patients was associated with advanced age, presence of comorbidities and private hospitals. Although some changes in practices may have occurred since this observational study, these findings represent the most recent report on practices in CRC in this region, and offer a useful methodological approach for assessing quality of care. Guideline compliance was high, although some organizational

  8. The effect of performance-related pay of hospital doctors on hospital behaviour: a case study from Shandong, China

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mills Anne

    2005-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background With the recognition that public hospitals are often productively inefficient, reforms have taken place worldwide to increase their administrative autonomy and financial responsibility. Reforms in China have been some of the most radical: the government budget for public hospitals was fixed, and hospitals had to rely on charges to fill their financing gap. Accompanying these changes was the widespread introduction of performance-related pay for hospital doctors – termed the "bonus" system. While the policy objective was to improve productivity and cost recovery, it is likely that the incentive to increase the quantity of care provided would operate regardless of whether the care was medically necessary. Methods The primary concerns of this study were to assess the effects of the bonus system on hospital revenue, cost recovery and productivity, and to explore whether various forms of bonus pay were associated with the provision of unnecessary care. The study drew on longitudinal data on revenue and productivity from six panel hospitals, and a detailed record review of 2303 tracer disease patients (1161 appendicitis patients and 1142 pneumonia patients was used to identify unnecessary care. Results The study found that bonus system change over time contributed significantly to the increase in hospital service revenue and hospital cost recovery. There was an increase in unnecessary care and in the probability of admission when the bonus system switched from one with a weaker incentive to increase services to one with a stronger incentive, suggesting that improvement in the financial health of public hospitals was achieved at least in part through the provision of more unnecessary care and drugs and through admitting more patients. Conclusion There was little evidence that the performance-related pay system as designed by the sample of Chinese public hospitals was socially desirable. Hospitals should be monitored more closely

  9. Language barriers and patient safety risks in hospital care. A mixed methods study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Rosse, Floor; de Bruijne, Martine; Suurmond, Jeanine; Essink-Bot, Marie-Louise; Wagner, Cordula

    2016-02-01

    A language barrier has been shown to be a threat for quality of hospital care. International studies highlighted a lack of adequate noticing, reporting, and bridging of a language barrier. However, studies on the link between language proficiency and patient safety are scarce, especially in Europe. The present study investigates patient safety risks due to language barriers during hospitalization, and the way language barriers are detected, reported, and bridged in Dutch hospital care. We combined quantitative and qualitative methods in a sample of 576 ethnic minority patients who were hospitalized on 30 wards within four urban hospitals. The nursing and medical records of 17 hospital admissions of patients with language barriers were qualitatively analyzed, and complemented by 12 in-depth interviews with care providers and patients and/or their relatives to identify patient safety risks during hospitalization. The medical records of all 576 patients were screened for language barrier reports. The results were compared to patients' self-reported Dutch language proficiency. The policies of wards regarding bridging language barriers were compared with the reported use of interpreters in the medical records. Situations in hospital care where a language barrier threatened patient safety included daily nursing tasks (i.e. medication administration, pain management, fluid balance management) and patient-physician interaction concerning diagnosis, risk communication and acute situations. In 30% of the patients that reported a low Dutch proficiency, no language barrier was documented in the patient record. Relatives of patients often functioned as interpreter for them and professional interpreters were hardly used. The present study showed a wide variety of risky situations in hospital care for patients with language barriers. These risks can be reduced by adequately bridging the language barrier, which, in the first place, demands adequate detecting and reporting of a

  10. Implementation of patient safety and patient-centeredness strategies in Iranian hospitals.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Asgar Aghaei Hashjin

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To examine the extent of implementation for patient safety (PS and patient-centeredness (PC strategies and their association with hospital characteristics (type, ownership, teaching status, annual evaluation grade in Iran. METHODS: A cross-sectional study through an adapted version of the MARQuIS questionnaire, eliciting information from hospital and nursing managers in 84 Iranian hospitals on the implementation of PS and PC strategies in 2009-2010. RESULTS: The majority of hospitals reported to have implemented 84% of the PS and 72% of the PC strategies. In general, implementation of PS strategies was unrelated to the type of hospital, with the exception of health promotion reports, which were more common in the Social Security Organization (SSO, and MRSA testing, which was reported more often in nonprofit hospitals. MRSA testing was also more common among teaching hospitals compared to non-teaching hospitals. The higher grade hospitals reported PS strategies significantly more frequently than lower grade hospitals. Overall, there was no significant difference in the reported implementation of PC strategies across general and specialized hospitals; except for the provision of information in different languages and recording of patient's diet which were reported significantly more often by general than specialized hospitals. Moreover, patient hotel services were more common in private compared to public hospitals. CONCLUSIONS: Despite substantial reporting of PS and PC strategies, there is still room for strengthening standard setting on safety, patient services and patient-centered information strategies in Iranian hospitals. To assure effective implementation of PS and PC strategies, enforcing standards, creating a PS and PC culture, increasing organizational responsiveness, and partnering with patients and their families need more attention.

  11. Implementation of patient safety and patient-centeredness strategies in Iranian hospitals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aghaei Hashjin, Asgar; Kringos, Dionne S; Manoochehri, Jila; Ravaghi, Hamid; Klazinga, Niek S

    2014-01-01

    To examine the extent of implementation for patient safety (PS) and patient-centeredness (PC) strategies and their association with hospital characteristics (type, ownership, teaching status, annual evaluation grade) in Iran. A cross-sectional study through an adapted version of the MARQuIS questionnaire, eliciting information from hospital and nursing managers in 84 Iranian hospitals on the implementation of PS and PC strategies in 2009-2010. The majority of hospitals reported to have implemented 84% of the PS and 72% of the PC strategies. In general, implementation of PS strategies was unrelated to the type of hospital, with the exception of health promotion reports, which were more common in the Social Security Organization (SSO), and MRSA testing, which was reported more often in nonprofit hospitals. MRSA testing was also more common among teaching hospitals compared to non-teaching hospitals. The higher grade hospitals reported PS strategies significantly more frequently than lower grade hospitals. Overall, there was no significant difference in the reported implementation of PC strategies across general and specialized hospitals; except for the provision of information in different languages and recording of patient's diet which were reported significantly more often by general than specialized hospitals. Moreover, patient hotel services were more common in private compared to public hospitals. Despite substantial reporting of PS and PC strategies, there is still room for strengthening standard setting on safety, patient services and patient-centered information strategies in Iranian hospitals. To assure effective implementation of PS and PC strategies, enforcing standards, creating a PS and PC culture, increasing organizational responsiveness, and partnering with patients and their families need more attention.

  12. Appendectomy and diagnosis-related groups (DRGs): patient classification and hospital reimbursement in 11 European countries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quentin, Wilm; Scheller-Kreinsen, David; Geissler, Alexander; Busse, Reinhard

    2012-02-01

    As part of the EuroDRG project, researchers from 11 countries (i.e., Austria, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, and Spain) compared how their diagnosis-related groups (DRG) systems deal with appendectomy patients. The study aims to assist surgeons and national authorities to optimize their DRG systems. National or regional databases were used to identify hospital cases with a diagnosis of appendicitis treated with a procedure of appendectomy. DRG classification algorithms and indicators of resource consumption were compared for those DRGs that together comprised at least 97% of cases. Six standardized case vignettes were defined, and quasi prices according to national DRG-based hospital payment systems were ascertained. European DRG systems vary widely: they classify appendectomy patients according to different sets of variables (between two and six classification variables) into diverging numbers of DRGs (between two and 11 DRGs). The most complex DRG is valued 5.1 times more resource intensive than an index case in France but only 1.1 times more resource intensive than an index case in Finland. Comparisons of quasi prices for the case vignettes show that hypothetical payments for the most complex case vignette amount to only 1,005 in Poland but to 12,304 in France. Large variations in the classification of appendectomy patients raise concerns whether all systems rely on the most appropriate classification variables. Surgeons and national DRG authorities should consider how other countries' DRG systems classify appendectomy patients in order to optimize their DRG system and to ensure fair and appropriate reimbursement.

  13. Patient safety incident reports related to traditional Japanese Kampo medicines: medication errors and adverse drug events in a university hospital for a ten-year period.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shimada, Yutaka; Fujimoto, Makoto; Nogami, Tatsuya; Watari, Hidetoshi; Kitahara, Hideyuki; Misawa, Hiroki; Kimbara, Yoshiyuki

    2017-12-21

    Kampo medicine is traditional Japanese medicine, which originated in ancient traditional Chinese medicine, but was introduced and developed uniquely in Japan. Today, Kampo medicines are integrated into the Japanese national health care system. Incident reporting systems are currently being widely used to collect information about patient safety incidents that occur in hospitals. However, no investigations have been conducted regarding patient safety incident reports related to Kampo medicines. The aim of this study was to survey and analyse incident reports related to Kampo medicines in a Japanese university hospital to improve future patient safety. We selected incident reports related to Kampo medicines filed in Toyama University Hospital from May 2007 to April 2017, and investigated them in terms of medication errors and adverse drug events. Out of 21,324 total incident reports filed in the 10-year survey period, we discovered 108 Kampo medicine-related incident reports. However, five cases were redundantly reported; thus, the number of actual incidents was 103. Of those, 99 incidents were classified as medication errors (77 administration errors, 15 dispensing errors, and 7 prescribing errors), and four were adverse drug events, namely Kampo medicine-induced interstitial pneumonia. The Kampo medicine (crude drug) that was thought to induce interstitial pneumonia in all four cases was Scutellariae Radix, which is consistent with past reports. According to the incident severity classification system recommended by the National University Hospital Council of Japan, of the 99 medication errors, 10 incidents were classified as level 0 (an error occurred, but the patient was not affected) and 89 incidents were level 1 (an error occurred that affected the patient, but did not cause harm). Of the four adverse drug events, two incidents were classified as level 2 (patient was transiently harmed, but required no treatment), and two incidents were level 3b (patient was

  14. Medicare Hospital Spending Per Patient - Hospital

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — The "Medicare hospital spending per patient (Medicare Spending per Beneficiary)" measure shows whether Medicare spends more, less or about the same per Medicare...

  15. Psychological symptoms and quality of life of dermatology outpatients and hospitalized dermatology patients

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zachariae, Robert; Zachariae, Claus; Ibsen, Hans Henning

    2004-01-01

    The aim of the investigation was to compare psychological symptoms and health-related quality of life of dermatology patients and healthy controls. The sample consisted of 333 consecutively recruited patients from four dermatology outpatient clinics, 172 hospitalized dermatological patients from...... impairment of disease-related quality of life than outpatients. More hospitalized patients had suicidal thoughts and were characterized as having severe to moderate depression compared with outpatients and controls. Female patients and younger patients were generally more distressed than male patients...... and older patients, and patients with atopic dermatitis and psoriasis were more distressed than patients with urticaria and eczemas. Disease-related impairment of quality of life was the main predictor of psychological symptoms, when controlling for diagnosis, age, gender, disease duration and disease...

  16. Contributing risk factors for orthopedic device related infections in sina hospital, tehran, iran.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hadadi, A; Zehtab, M J; Babagolzadeh, H; Ashraf, H

    2011-02-01

    In spite of decreasing incidence of orthopedic device-related infections to 1%, nowadays, device-related infection still remains a diagnostic, therapeutic and cost-related problem. The objective of this study is to evaluate the contributing risk factors for orthopedic device-related infections in Sina Hospital, Tehran, Iran. Three hundred and thirty patients who underwent orthopedic device implantation from 2002-2006 were enrolled; among them, 110 patients were complicated with infection. Descriptive and logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the risk factors for device related infections. Patients with infection were older compared to those without infection. The Staphylococcus aureus was the commonest organism. A correlation was observed between wound infection and external fixation, an underlying health condition, and addiction which were independent risk factors for a device related infection. Orthopedic device-related infection puts a great financial burden on patients and hospital resources and could lead to morbidity and mortality in patients. So, appropriate pre and postoperative wound care for dirty wounds, especially when external fixators are used, and in patients with poor conditions or addiction should be done with more caution.

  17. Hospital Malnutrition Related to Fasting and Underfeeding: Is It an Ethical Issue?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arenas Moya, Diego; Plascencia Gaitán, Alejandra; Ornelas Camacho, Denisse; Arenas Márquez, Humberto

    2016-06-01

    Hospital malnutrition is a relevant clinical issue present in about 50% of patients that is associated with increased morbidity, mortality, and cost of care. Because of the relation of malnutrition with chronic and acute inflammatory processes secondary to disease, nutrition therapy is considered an important medical treatment. However, there is little discussion about the impact of another critical issue related to hospital malnutrition, that is, lack of appropriate food or nutrition therapy given to the patients. Unnecessary fasting practices and the use of inappropriate nutrition prescriptions result in underfeeding that can be a related or direct cause of hospital malnutrition, independent of disease or inflammatory state. Suboptimal prescription of oral, enteral, and parenteral nutrition should be analyzed and discussed from an ethical perspective since this practice has the potential to harm patients. In addition, absence or inadequate provision of nutrition may present barriers for improved patient outcomes and could be prevented by simply recognizing lack of knowledge, skills, or experience in nutrition and entrusting nutrition prescription to interdisciplinary teams with clinicians well prepared in nutrition sciences. This article reviews potential barriers to the prevention or treatment of hospital malnutrition and proposes specific actions that can help clinicians to overcome and implement optimal nutrition not just as medical therapy but also as a basic comfort care that may help patients nutritionally, clinically, physically, and emotionally. © 2016 American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition.

  18. A Descriptive Study Of The Burden Of Animal-Related Trauma At Cork University Hospital.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Sheehan, M

    2018-01-01

    Farming is the most dangerous occupation in Ireland1 and the incidence of farm accidents is rising. This study examines major farm animal-related trauma treated at Cork University Hospital over a 5 year period. There were 54 patients admitted to Cork University Hospital (C.U.H.) with major farm animal-related trauma. The median age was 56 years, 85% were male and the median hospital length of stay was four days. Older patients had longer lengths of stay; 5.5 vs 4 days (p=0.026). Tibia\\/fibula fractures were the most common injuries (N=13, 24%); head injury occurred in six patients (11%). There were 32 (59%) patients who required surgery, the majority for orthopaedic injuries. There were nine patients (16.7%) admitted to the intensive care unit; their median ICU stay was four days. Injury prevention and treatment strategies require that the age profile, mechanism of injury and injury patterns of farmers sustaining animal-related trauma is recognised.

  19. Dignity realization of patients with stroke in hospital care: A grounded theory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rannikko, Sunna; Stolt, Minna; Suhonen, Riitta; Leino-Kilpi, Helena

    2017-01-01

    Dignity is seen as an important but complex concept in the healthcare context. In this context, the discussion of dignity includes concepts of other ethical principles such as autonomy and privacy. Patients consider dignity to cover individuality, patient's feelings, communication, and the behavior of healthcare personnel. However, there is a lack of knowledge concerning the realization of patients' dignity in hospital care and the focus of the study is therefore on the realization of dignity of the vulnerable group of patients with stroke. The aim of the study was to create a theoretical construct to describe the dignity realization of patients with stroke in hospital care. Research design and participants: Patients with stroke (n = 16) were interviewed in 2015 using a semi-structured interview containing open questions concerning dignity. The data were analyzed using constant comparison of Grounded Theory. Ethical considerations: Ethical approval for the research was obtained from the Ethics Committee of the University. The permission for the research was given by the hospital. Informed consent was obtained from participants. The "Theory of Dignity Realization of Patients with Stroke in Hospital Care" consists of a core category including generic elements of the new situation and dignity realization types. The core category was identified as "Dignity in a new situation" and the generic elements as health history, life history, individuality and stroke. Dignity of patients with stroke is realized through specific types of realization: person-related dignity type, control-related dignity type, independence-related dignity type, social-related dignity type, and care-related dignity type. The theory has similar elements with the previous literature but the whole construct is new. The theory reveals possible special characteristics in dignity realization of patients with stroke. For healthcare personnel, the theory provides a frame for a better understanding and

  20. Hospital networks and the dispersal of hospital-acquired pathogens by patient transfer.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tjibbe Donker

    Full Text Available Hospital-acquired infections (HAI are often seen as preventable incidents that result from unsafe practices or poor hospital hygiene. This however ignores the fact that transmissibility is not only a property of the causative organisms but also of the hosts who can translocate bacteria when moving between hospitals. In an epidemiological sense, hospitals become connected through the patients they share. We here postulate that the degree of hospital connectedness crucially influences the rates of infections caused by hospital-acquired bacteria. To test this hypothesis, we mapped the movement of patients based on the UK-NHS Hospital Episode Statistics and observed that the proportion of patients admitted to a hospital after a recent episode in another hospital correlates with the hospital-specific incidence rate of MRSA bacteraemia as recorded by mandatory reporting. We observed a positive correlation between hospital connectedness and MRSA bacteraemia incidence rate that is significant for all financial years since 2001 except for 2008-09. All years combined, this correlation is positive and significantly different from zero (partial correlation coefficient r = 0.33 (0.28 to 0.38. When comparing the referral pattern for English hospitals with referral patterns observed in the Netherlands, we predict that English hospitals more likely see a swifter and more sustained spread of HAIs. Our results indicate that hospitals cannot be viewed as individual units but rather should be viewed as connected elements of larger modular networks. Our findings stress the importance of cooperative effects that will have a bearing on the planning of health care systems, patient management and hospital infection control.

  1. Predictors of in-hospital mortality among older patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thiago J. A. Silva

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine predictors of in-hospital mortality among older patients admitted to a geriatric care unit. INTRODUCTION: The growing number of older individuals among hospitalized patients demands a thorough investigation of the factors that contribute to their mortality. METHODS: This was a prospective observational study implemented from February 2004 to October 2007 in a tertiary university hospital. A consecutive sample of 922 patients was evaluated for possible inclusion in this study. Patients hospitalized for palliative care, those who declined to participate, and those with incomplete data were excluded, resulting in a group of 856 patients aged 60 to 104 years. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine associations between in-patient mortality and gender, age, length of stay, number of prescribed medications and diagnoses at admission, history of heart failure, neoplastic disease, immobility syndrome, delirium, infectious disease, and laboratory tests at admission (serum albumin and creatinine. RESULTS: The overall mortality rate was 16.4%. The following factors were associated with higher in-hospital mortality: delirium (OR=4.13, CI=2.65-6.44, P1.3mg/dL (OR=2.39, CI=1.53-3.72, P<.001, history of heart failure (OR=1.97, CI=1.20-3.22, P=.007, immobility (OR=1.84, CI=1.16-2.92, P =.009, and advanced age (OR=1.03, CI=1.01-1.06, P=.019. CONCLUSIONS: This study strengthens the perception of delirium as a mortality predictor among older inpatients. Cancer, immobility, low albumin levels, elevated creatinine levels, history of heart failure and advanced age were also related to higher mortality rates in this population.

  2. The Turkish adaptation of scale to measure patient perceptions of the quality of nursing care and related hospital services: A validity and reliability study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oren, Besey; Zengin, Neriman; Yildiz, Nebahat

    2016-01-01

    This study aimed to test the validity and reliability of a version of the tool developed in Sri Lanka in 2011 to assess patient perceptions of the quality of nursing care and related hospital services created for use with Turkish patients. This methodological study was conducted between November 2013 and November 2014 after obtaining ethical approval and organizational permission. Data was collected during discharge from 180 adult patients who were hospitalized for at least 3 days at a medical school hospital located in Istanbul. After language validation, validity and reliability analyses of the scale were conducted. Content validity, content validity index (CVI), construct validity, and exploratory factor analysis were assessed and examined, and reliability was tested using the Cronbach's alpha coefficient and item-total correlations. Mean CVI was found to be 0.95, which is above expected value. Exploratory factor analysis revealed 4 factors with eigenvalues above 1, which explained 82.4% of total variance in the Turkish version of the tool to measure patient perceptions of nursing care and other hospital services. Factor loading for each item was ≥.40. Cronbach's alpha coefficient of sub-dimensions and total scale were found to be 0.84-0.98 and 0.98, respectively. Item-total correlations ranged from 0.56 to 0.83 for the entire group, which was above expected values. The Turkish version of the scale to assess patient perceptions of the quality of nursing care and related hospital services, which comprised 4 sub-dimensions and 36 items, was found to be valid and reliable for use with the Turkish population.

  3. [Notification of incidents related to patient safety in hospitals in Catalonia, Spain during the period 2010-2013].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oliva, Glòria; Alava, Fernando; Navarro, Laura; Esquerra, Miquel; Lushchenkova, Oksana; Davins, Josep; Vallès, Roser

    2014-07-01

    The aim of this paper is to discover the aggregated results of a general notification system for incidents related to patient safety implemented in Catalan hospitals from 2010 to 2013. Observational study describing the incidents notified from January 2010 to December 2013 from all hospitals in Catalonia forming part of the project to create operational patient safety management units. The Patient Safety Notification and Learning System (SiNASP) was used. This makes it possible to classify incidents depending on the area where they occur, the type of incident notified, the consequences, the seriousness according to the Severity Assessment Code (SAC) and the profession of the notifying party, as the principal variables. The system was accessed via the Internet (SiNASP portal). Access was voluntary and anonymous or with a name given and later removed. During the study period, notification of a total of 5,948 incidents came from 22-29 hospitals. 5,244 of the incidents were handled by the centres and these are the ones analysed in the study. 64% (3,380) affected patients, 18% (950) created a situation capable of causing an incident and 18% (914) did not affect patients. 26% of incidents that affected patients (864) caused some kind of harm. Most incidents occurred during hospitalisation (54%) and in casualty (15%), followed by the ICU (9%) and the surgical block (8%). The most frequent notifying parties were nurses (71%) followed by doctors (15%) and pharmacists (9%). In terms of severity, most incidents were classified as low-risk (37%) or incidents that did not affect the patient (36%). However, 40 cases (0.76%) of extreme risk should be highlighted. In terms of the types of incident notified, most were due to a medication error (26.8%), followed by falls (16.3%) and patient identification (10.6%). The majority of notifications were incidents that affected patients and, of these, 26% caused harm. In general, they occurred in hospitalisation units and notification was

  4. Implementation of Patient Safety and Patient-Centeredness Strategies in Iranian Hospitals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aghaei Hashjin, Asgar; Kringos, Dionne S.; Manoochehri, Jila; Ravaghi, Hamid; Klazinga, Niek S.

    2014-01-01

    Objective To examine the extent of implementation for patient safety (PS) and patient-centeredness (PC) strategies and their association with hospital characteristics (type, ownership, teaching status, annual evaluation grade) in Iran. Methods A cross-sectional study through an adapted version of the MARQuIS questionnaire, eliciting information from hospital and nursing managers in 84 Iranian hospitals on the implementation of PS and PC strategies in 2009–2010. Results The majority of hospitals reported to have implemented 84% of the PS and 72% of the PC strategies. In general, implementation of PS strategies was unrelated to the type of hospital, with the exception of health promotion reports, which were more common in the Social Security Organization (SSO), and MRSA testing, which was reported more often in nonprofit hospitals. MRSA testing was also more common among teaching hospitals compared to non-teaching hospitals. The higher grade hospitals reported PS strategies significantly more frequently than lower grade hospitals. Overall, there was no significant difference in the reported implementation of PC strategies across general and specialized hospitals; except for the provision of information in different languages and recording of patient’s diet which were reported significantly more often by general than specialized hospitals. Moreover, patient hotel services were more common in private compared to public hospitals. Conclusions Despite substantial reporting of PS and PC strategies, there is still room for strengthening standard setting on safety, patient services and patient-centered information strategies in Iranian hospitals. To assure effective implementation of PS and PC strategies, enforcing standards, creating a PS and PC culture, increasing organizational responsiveness, and partnering with patients and their families need more attention. PMID:25268797

  5. Varicella-related Primary Health-care Visits, Hospitalizations and Mortality in Norway, 2008-2014.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mirinaviciute, Grazina; Kristensen, Erle; Nakstad, Britt; Flem, Elmira

    2017-11-01

    Norway does not currently implement universal varicella vaccination in childhood. We aimed to characterize health care burden of varicella in Norway in the prevaccine era. We linked individual patient data from different national registries to examine varicella vaccinations and varicella-coded primary care consultations, hospitalizations, outpatient hospital visits, deaths and viral infections of central nervous system in the whole population of Norway during 2008-2014. We estimated health care contact rates and described the epidemiology of medically attended varicella infection. Each year approximately 14,600 varicella-related contacts occurred within primary health care and hospital sector in Norway. The annual contact rate was 221 cases per 100,000 population in primary health care and 7.3 cases per 100,000 in hospital care. Both in primary and hospital care, the highest incidences were observed among children 1 year of age: 2,654 and 78.1 cases per 100,000, respectively. The annual varicella mortality was estimated at 0.06 deaths per 100,000 and in-hospital case-fatality rate at 0.3%. Very few (0.2-0.5%) patients were vaccinated against varicella. Among hospitalized varicella patients, 22% had predisposing conditions, 9% had severe-to-very severe comorbidities and 5.5% were immunocompromised. Varicella-related complications were reported in 29.3% of hospitalized patients. Varicella zoster virus was the third most frequent virus found among 16% of patients with confirmed viral infections of central nervous system. Varicella causes a considerable health care burden in Norway, especially among children. To inform the policy decision on the use of varicella vaccination, a health economic assessment of vaccination and mathematical modeling of vaccination impact are needed.

  6. [Patient-related color preference and color design in the hospital].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schuschke, G; Christiansen, H

    1994-06-01

    Colour-physiological studies involving volunteers and colour-psychological interviewing of patients with varied diagnoses revealed that, currently, no compelling scientific reasons can be given for coloration in the hospital. Interviewing 68 patients from a number of clinics on the coloration of sick-rooms yielded the following preferred colours, irrespective of the patients' classing into groups by various criteria: Light colours were consistently preferred for all objects such as ceiling, walls, floor, curtains, furniture, and bed linen. It should be emphasized that even white was a desirable colour for ceilings and bed linen. Beige was found to rank first for walls, floors, curtains, and furniture, whereas the colours of wood and grey shared the second rank for floors and furniture. Green and pink ranked second for bed linen. White and green ranked second for walls and curtains, respectively. In view of the heterogeneity, the findings may not be converted into an absolute just as the recommendations by other workers. Still, the patients' wish should be given priority over decreed recommendations by experts when basic considerations of illumination (reflectance!) are allowed for in the particular overall colour design project.

  7. Assessment of hospitalization and mortality of scleroderma in-patients: a thirteen-year study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Saeedeh Shenavandeh

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Objective: Systemic sclerosis (SSc is an uncommon non-hereditary sporadic disease that increases the risk of premature death, especially in diffuse type. We determined the prevalence of SSc in the last 13 years in our rheumatologic hospitals as a referral center for southern Iranian patients, the causes of hospitalization, the average length of stay (LOS, the mortality rate, and the reason for their mortality. Material and methods : A cross-sectional study was performed in Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Iran. The studied population included all patients diagnosed with systemic sclerosis. We calculated the hospitalization rates, in-hospital mortality rates, and mean LOS. Results: There were 446 admissions by 181 patients with SSc. The female to male ratio was about 10.7 : 1. The overall mean LOS was 5.95 days. Digital ulcer and interstitial lung disease (ILD were the most common causes of hospitalizations among the SSc-related events. For those with a non-SSc-related condition, infection was the most prevalent event. Most of the deaths were due to ILD and pulmonary artery hypertension(PAH, and the overall in-hospital mortality rate was 16.5%. Conclusions : Women with SSc had higher rates of hospitalization but lower in-hospital mortality than men.There were some differences between our study and other similar studies in the causes of hospitalization and in-hospital death among SSc patients, especially the lower age of death. The patients with digital ulcers and those with intestinal lung disease or pulmonary hipertension were most commonly admitted to the hospital in our study group. Probably, increasing the skin care of these patients and asking other specialty groups to cooperate will decrease the high rate of hospitalizations in our population.

  8. Hypogonadism in aged hospitalized male patients: prevalence and clinical outcome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iglesias, P; Prado, F; Macías, M C; Guerrero, M T; Muñoz, A; Ridruejo, E; Tajada, P; García-Arévalo, C; Díez, J J

    2014-02-01

    Male hypogonadism is common in the elderly and has been associated with increased risk of mortality. Our objective has been to assess the prevalence of primary and central hypogonadism in elderly male patients admitted to the hospital because of acute illness. We also evaluated the relationships between gonadal dysfunction and in-hospital mortality. 150 patients, aged ≥65 years, admitted during 2010 and 2011 in our geriatric unit, were studied. Serum concentrations total, bioavailable and free testosterone, as well as of follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone were quantified in every patient. Hypogonadism was defined by the presence of serum testosterone levels lower than 200 ng/dl. Hypogonadism was found in 80 patients (53.3 %). Serum gonadotropin concentrations were elevated in 43.7 % of these patients, whereas 41.3 % of hypogonadic patients showed normal and 15 % low gonadotropin concentrations. Respiratory tract infection and congestive heart failure were the main causes of hospitalization in hypogonadal men, whereas acute cerebrovascular disease was the main reason for admission in eugonadal patients. Of the 13 patients who died during hospitalization, 12 were hypogonadic. Patients who died showed significantly lower serum levels of total, free and bioavailable testosterone than those found in patients who survived. Our results show that about half of patients admitted for acute illness have hypogonadism, mainly of non-hypergonadotropic type. Gonadal hypofunction is significantly related with in-hospital mortality. A low value of serum testosterone may be a predictor for mortality in elderly male patients.

  9. The contribution of hospital nursing leadership styles to 30-day patient mortality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cummings, Greta G; Midodzi, William K; Wong, Carol A; Estabrooks, Carole A

    2010-01-01

    Nursing work environment characteristics, in particular nurse and physician staffing, have been linked to patient outcomes (adverse events and patient mortality). Researchers have stressed the need for nursing leadership to advance change in healthcare organizations to create safer practice environments for patients. The relationship between styles of nursing leadership in hospitals and patient outcomes has not been well examined. The purpose of this study was to examine the contribution of hospital nursing leadership styles to 30-day mortality after controlling for patient demographics, comorbidities, and hospital factors. Ninety acute care hospitals in Alberta, Canada, were categorized into five styles of nursing leadership: high resonant, moderately resonant, mixed, moderately dissonant, and high dissonant. In the secondary analysis, existing data from three sources (nurses, patients, and institutions) were used to test a hypothesis that the styles of nursing leadership at the hospital level contribute to patient mortality rates. Thirty-day mortality was 7.8% in the study sample of 21,570 medical patients; rates varied across hospital categories: high resonant (5.2%), moderately resonant (7.4%), mixed (8.1%), moderately dissonant (8.8%), and high dissonant (4.3%). After controlling for patient demographics, comorbidities, and institutional and hospital nursing characteristics, nursing leadership styles explained 5.1% of 72.2% of total variance in mortality across hospitals, and high-resonant leadership was related significantly to lower mortality. Hospital nursing leadership styles may contribute to 30-day mortality of patients. This relationship may be moderated by homogeneity of leadership styles, clarity of communication among leaders and healthcare providers, and work environment characteristics.

  10. Hospital cannot be held liable for breach of patient's privacy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1997-04-04

    The Minnesota Court of Appeals ruled that a law guaranteeing the confidentiality of a patient's medical records did not create a private cause of actions for damages when the patient's HIV was revealed. The plaintiff, known as [name removed], requested that his stepbrother not be told his HIV status. A relative gained access to his medical file while working at a medical center and disclosed [name removed]'s HIV status to his stepbrother. [name removed] sued the relative and the hospital. The district court ruled that he did not have a cause of action against the hospital and the Court of Appeals agreed. The State does not recognize claims for an invasion of privacy under the Minnesota Patients Bill of Rights.

  11. COMPARISON OF MEDICAL COSTS AND CARE OF APPENDECTOMY PATIENTS BETWEEN FEE-FOR-SERVICE AND SET FEE FOR DIAGNOSIS-RELATED GROUP SYSTEMS IN 20 CHINESE HOSPITALS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yin-hua; He, Guo-ping; Liu, Jing-wei

    2016-09-01

    The objective of this study was to compare the fee-for-service and set fee for diagnosis-related group systems with regard to quality of medical care and cost to appendectomy patients. We conducted a retrospective study of 208 inpatients (from 20 hospitals) who undergone appendectomy in Changsha, China during 2013. Data were obtained from databases of medical insurance information systems directly connected to the hospital information systems. We collected and compared patient ages, length of study, and total medical costs for impatient appendectomies between patients using fee-for-service and set fee for diagnosisrelated group systems. One hundred thirty-three patients used the fee for service system and 75 used the set fee diagnosis related group system. For those using the diagnosis-related group system, the mean length of hospitalization (6.2 days) and mean number of prescribed antimicrobials (2.4) per patient were significantly lower than those of the patients who used the fee-for-service system (7.3 days and 3.0, respectively; p = 0.018; p < 0.05) and were accompanied by lower medical costs and cost of antimicrobials (RMB 2,518 versus RMB 4,484 and RMB476 versus RMB1,108, respectively; p = 0.000, p = 0.000). There were no significant differences in post-surgical complications between the two systems. The diagnosis-related group system had significantly medical costs for appendectomy compared to the fee-for-service system, without sacrificing quality of medical care.

  12. Medical complications of intra-hospital patient transports: implications for architectural design and research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ulrich, Roger S; Zhu, Xuemei

    2007-01-01

    Literature on healthcare architecture and evidence-based design has rarely considered explicitly that patient outcomes may be worsened by intra-hospital transport (IHT), which is defined as transport of patients within the hospital. The article focuses on the effects of IHTs on patient complications and outcomes, and the implications of such impacts for designing safer, better hospitals. A review of 22 scientific studies indicates that IHTs are subject to a wide range of complications, many of which occur frequently and have distinctly detrimental effects on patient stability and outcomes. The research suggests that higher patient acuity and longer transport durations are associated with more frequent and serious IHT-related complications and outcome effects. It appears no rigorous research has compared different hospital designs and layouts with respect to having possibly differential effects on transport-related complications and worsened outcomes. Nonetheless, certain design implications can be extracted from the existing research literature, including the importance of minimizing transport delays due to restricted space and congestion, and creating layouts that shorten IHT times for high-acuity patients. Limited evidence raises the possibility that elevator-dependent vertical building layouts may increase susceptibility to transport delays that worsen complications. The strong evidence indicating that IHTs trigger complications and worsen outcomes suggests a powerful justification for adopting acuity-adaptable rooms and care models that substantially reduce transports. A program of studies is outlined to address gaps in knowledge.Key WordsPatient transports, transports within hospitals, patient safety, evidence-based design, hospital design, healthcare architecture, intra-hospital transport complications, acuity-adaptable care, elevators, outcomes.

  13. Polypharmacy and Unplanned Hospitalizations in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Filkova, Maria; Carvalho, João; Norton, Sam; Scott, David; Mant, Tim; Molokhia, Mariam; Cope, Andrew; Galloway, James

    2017-12-01

    Polypharmacy (PP), the prescribing of multiple drugs for an individual, is rising in prevalence. PP associates with an increased risk of adverse drug reactions (ADR) and hospital admissions. We investigated the relationship between PP, characteristics of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and the risk of unplanned hospital admissions. Patients from a hospital RA cohort were retrospectively analyzed. Information was collected from electronic medical records. Cox proportional hazards were used to compare hospitalization risk according to levels of PP. Admissions were adjudicated to determine whether an ADR was implicated. The study included 1101 patients; the mean number of all medications was 5. PP correlated with increasing age, disease duration, disease activity, and disability. At least 1 unplanned admission occurred for 16% of patients. Patients taking ≥ 10 medications had an adjusted HR for hospitalization of 3.1 (95% CI 2.1-4.5), compared to those taking 0-5 medications. Corticosteroid use associated with a doubling in adjusted risk of admission of 1.7 (95% CI 1.2-2.4). The most common reason for hospitalization was infection (28%). While in half of all admissions an ADR was a possible contributing factor, only 2% of admissions were found to directly result from an ADR. PP is common in RA and is a prognostic marker associated with increased risk of acute hospitalizations. Our data suggest that PP may be an indicator of comorbidity burden rather than a contributing cause of a drug-related toxicity. PP should be monitored to minimize inappropriate combination of prescribed medications. PP may be a useful predictor of clinical outcomes in epidemiologic studies.

  14. Power and resistance within the hospital's hierarchical system: the experiences of chronically ill patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Griscti, Odette; Aston, Megan; Warner, Grace; Martin-Misener, Ruth; McLeod, Deborah

    2017-01-01

    To explore experiences of chronically ill patients and registered nurses when they negotiate patient care in hospital settings. Specifically, we explored how social and institutional discourses shape power relations during the negotiation process. The hospital system is embedded in a hierarchical structure where the voice of the healthcare provider as expert is often given more importance than the patient. This system has been criticised as being oppressive to patients who are perceived to be lower in the hierarchy. In this study, we illustrate how the hospital's hierarchical system is not always oppressing but can also create moments of empowerment for patients. A feminist poststructuralist approach informed by the teaching of Foucault was used to explore power relations between nurses and patients when negotiating patient care in hospital settings. Eight individuals who suffered from chronic illness shared their stories about how they negotiated their care with nurses in hospital settings. The interviews were tape-recorded. Discourse analysis was used to analyse the data. Patients recounted various experiences when their voices were not heard because the current hospital system privileged the healthcare provider experts' advice over the patients' voice. The hierarchical structure of hospital supported these dynamics by privileging nurses as gatekeepers of service, by excluding the patients' input in the nursing notes and through a process of self-regulation. However, patients in this study were not passive recipients of care and used their agency creatively to resist these discourses. Nurses need to be mindful of how the hospital's hierarchical system tends to place nurses in a position of power, and how their authoritative position may positively or adversely affect the negotiation of patient care. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  15. Inadequate Nutritional Status of Hospitalized Cancer Patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ali Alkan

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Objective: In oncology practice, nutrition and also metabolic activity are essential to support the nutritional status and prevent malignant cachexia. It is important to evaluate the patients and plan the maneuvers at the start of the therapy. The primary objective of the study is to define the nutritional status of hospitalized patients and the factors affecting it in order to define the most susceptible patients and maneuvers for better nutritional support. Methods: Patients hospitalized in oncology clinic for therapy were evaluated for food intake and nutritional status through structured interviews. The clinical properties, medical therapies, elements of nutritional support were noted and predictors of inadequate nutritional status (INS were analyzed. Results: Four hundred twenty three patients, between 16-82 years old (median: 52 were evaluated. Nearly half of the patients (185, 43% reported a better appetite at home than in hospital and declared that hospitalization is an important cause of loss of appetite (140/185, 75.6%. Presence of nausea/vomiting (N/V, depression, age less than 65 and use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs were associated with increased risk of INS in hospitalized cancer patients. On the contrary, steroid medication showed a positive impact on nutritional status of cancer patients. Conclusion: N/V, younger age, presence of depression and NSAIDs medication were associated with INS in hospitalized cancer patients. Clinicians should pay more attention to this group of patients. In addition, unnecessary hospitalizations and medications that may disturb oral intake must be avoided. Corticosteroids are important tools for managing anorexia and INS.

  16. Contextual factors affecting autonomy for patients in Iranian hospitals: A qualitative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ebrahimi, Hossein; Sadeghian, Efat; Seyedfatemi, Naeimeh; Mohammadi, Eesa; Crowley, Maureen

    2016-01-01

    Consideration of patient autonomy is an essential element in individualized, patient-centered, ethical care. Internal and external factors associated with patient autonomy are related to culture and it is not clear what they are in Iran. The aim of this study was to explore contextual factors affecting the autonomy of patients in Iranian hospitals. This was a qualitative study using conventional content analysis methods. Thirty-four participants (23 patients, 9 nurses, and 2 doctors) from three Iranian teaching hospitals, selected using purposive sampling, participated in semi-structured interviews. Unstructured observation and filed notes were other methods for data collection. The data were subjected to qualitative content analysis and analyzed using the MAXQDA-10 software. Five categories and sixteen subcategories were identified. The five main categories related to patient autonomy were: Intrapersonal factors, physical health status, supportive family and friends, communication style, and organizational constraints. In summary, this study uncovered contextual factors that the care team, managers, and planners in the health field should target in order to improve patient autonomy in Iranian hospitals.

  17. Contextual factors affecting autonomy for patients in Iranian hospitals: A qualitative study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ebrahimi, Hossein; Sadeghian, Efat; Seyedfatemi, Naeimeh; Mohammadi, Eesa; Crowley, Maureen

    2016-01-01

    Background: Consideration of patient autonomy is an essential element in individualized, patient-centered, ethical care. Internal and external factors associated with patient autonomy are related to culture and it is not clear what they are in Iran. The aim of this study was to explore contextual factors affecting the autonomy of patients in Iranian hospitals. Materials and Methods: This was a qualitative study using conventional content analysis methods. Thirty-four participants (23 patients, 9 nurses, and 2 doctors) from three Iranian teaching hospitals, selected using purposive sampling, participated in semi-structured interviews. Unstructured observation and filed notes were other methods for data collection. The data were subjected to qualitative content analysis and analyzed using the MAXQDA-10 software. Results: Five categories and sixteen subcategories were identified. The five main categories related to patient autonomy were: Intrapersonal factors, physical health status, supportive family and friends, communication style, and organizational constraints. Conclusions: In summary, this study uncovered contextual factors that the care team, managers, and planners in the health field should target in order to improve patient autonomy in Iranian hospitals. PMID:27186203

  18. The impact of the hospitalization process on the caregiver of a chronic critical patient hospitalized in a Semi-Intensive Care Unit

    OpenAIRE

    Neves, Letícia; Gondim, Andressa Alencar; Soares, Sara Costa Martins Rodrigues; Coelho, Denis Pontes; Pinheiro, Joana Angélica Marques

    2018-01-01

    Abstract Objective: To understand the impact of the hospitalization process on the family companion of critical patients admitted to a Semi-Intensive Care Unit (SICU). Method: Exploratory research with a qualitative approach, conducted in the months of April to July of 2016 through a semi-structured interview applied to relatives who were accompanying patients hospitalized in an SICU of a high complexity care hospital in Fortaleza. The interviews were submitted to content analysis. Results...

  19. Role of duration of catheterization and length of hospital stay on the rate of catheter-related hospital-acquired urinary tract infections

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Al-Hazmi H

    2015-03-01

    : three patients had UTI out of 37 catheterized patients (8% at 10 days LOS, while 42 patients had UTI out of 49 catheterized patients (85.7% at 18 days LOS. The longer the LOS, the higher the UTI rate: LOS for each patient (median 18 days for infected patients versus 10 days for noninfected patients; P-value <0.05, and number of hospital-acquired catheter-related UTI (100 patients had UTI out of 250 catheterized patients, P=0.04.Conclusion: Reduction of the duration of catheterization and LOS of the patient have a positive impact in reduction of catheter-related UTI.Keywords: urinary catheters, catheter duration, adult

  20. Bedding, not boarding. Psychiatric patients boarded in hospital EDs create crisis for patient care and hospital finances.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kutscher, Beth

    2013-11-18

    As the supply of psychiatric beds dwindles, hospitals are devising innovative ways handle psych patients who come through the emergency department. Some collaborate with other hospitals, use separate pysch EDs or refer patients to residential treatment centers.

  1. Annual economic burden of hepatitis B virus-related diseases among hospitalized patients in twelve cities in China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, S; Ma, Q; Liang, S; Xiao, H; Zhuang, G; Zou, Y; Tan, H; Liu, J; Zhang, Y; Zhang, L; Feng, X; Xue, L; Hu, D; Cui, F; Liang, X

    2016-03-01

    A nationwide survey of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated economic burden has not previously been performed in China. The purpose of this study was to examine the direct, indirect, and intangible costs of HBV-related diseases within the span of one year. A random sample was taken from specialty and general hospitals across 12 cities in six provinces of China. Intangible costs were estimated based on willingness to pay or open-ended answers provided by patients. The results showed that 27 hospitals were enrolled, with a sample population of 4726 patients (77.7% response rate). The average annual costs were $4454.0 (direct), $924.3 (indirect), and $6611.10 (intangible), corresponding to 37.3%, 7.7%, and 55.1% of the total costs, respectively. The direct medical fees were substantially greater than the non-medical fees. Annual indirect costs were divided into outpatient ($112.9) and inpatient ($811.40) loss of income. The intangible costs of chronic HBV were notably higher than either the direct or indirect costs, consistent with the social stigma in China. The comparison amongst individual cities for the average ratio of direct to indirect costs revealed that the sizes of ratios were negatively correlated with the socioeconomic status of the regions. This study suggested that as a whole in China, the HBV-related diseases caused a heavy financial burden which was positively associated with disease severity. Although the intangible costs coincided with a high prevalence of discrimination against CHB patients in Chinese society, our study may serve as future reference for detailed exploration. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  2. Service quality of hospital outpatient departments: patients' perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zarei, Ehsan

    2015-01-01

    Assessment of patient perceptions of health service quality as an important element in quality assessments has attracted much attention in recent years. The purpose of this paper is to assess the service quality of hospital outpatient departments affiliated to Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences from the patients' perspective. This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2014 in Tehran, Iran. The study samples included 500 patients who were selected by multi-stage random sampling from four hospitals. The data collection instrument was a questionnaire consisting of 50 items, and the validity and reliability of the questionnaire were confirmed. For data analysis, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, Friedman test, and descriptive statistics were used through LISREL 8.54 and SPSS 18 applications. Eight significant factors were extracted for outpatient service quality, which explained about 67 per cent of the total variance. Physician consultation, information provided to the patient, and the physical environment of the clinic were the three determining factors of the quality of outpatient services. The highest and lowest perceptions were related to physician consultation and perceived waiting time dimension, respectively. The mean score of patients' perception of outpatient service quality was 3.89 (±0.60). About 59.5 per cent of patients assessed the quality of outpatient services as good, 38.2 per cent as moderate, and 2.3 per cent as poor. Practical implications - The instrument developed for this study is valid and reliable, and it can help hospital managers to identify the areas needing improvement and correction. According to the findings of this study, the majority of patients had a positive experience with outpatient departments of teaching hospitals, and the services provided in these centres were of adequate quality, based on patient assessments.

  3. Changing patient classification system for hospital reimbursement in Romania.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Radu, Ciprian-Paul; Chiriac, Delia Nona; Vladescu, Cristian

    2010-06-01

    To evaluate the effects of the change in the diagnosis-related group (DRG) system on patient morbidity and hospital financial performance in the Romanian public health care system. Three variables were assessed before and after the classification switch in July 2007: clinical outcomes, the case mix index, and hospital budgets, using the database of the National School of Public Health and Health Services Management, which contains data regularly received from hospitals reimbursed through the Romanian DRG scheme (291 in 2009). The lack of a Romanian system for the calculation of cost-weights imposed the necessity to use an imported system, which was criticized by some clinicians for not accurately reflecting resource consumption in Romanian hospitals. The new DRG classification system allowed a more accurate clinical classification. However, it also exposed a lack of physicians' knowledge on diagnosing and coding procedures, which led to incorrect coding. Consequently, the reported hospital morbidity changed after the DRG switch, reflecting an increase in the national case-mix index of 25% in 2009 (compared with 2007). Since hospitals received the same reimbursement over the first two years after the classification switch, the new DRG system led them sometimes to change patients' diagnoses in order to receive more funding. Lack of oversight of hospital coding and reporting to the national reimbursement scheme allowed the increase in the case-mix index. The complexity of the new classification system requires more resources (human and financial), better monitoring and evaluation, and improved legislation in order to achieve better hospital resource allocation and more efficient patient care.

  4. Relative effects of bronchial drainage and exercise for in-hospital care of patients with cystic fibrosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cerny, F J

    1989-08-01

    Bronchial hygiene therapy is a standard part of the treatment of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). Coughing alone promotes sputum expectoration and is probably the primary effective component of standard bronchial hygiene therapy. The purpose of this study was to determine whether substituting regular exercise, which also promotes coughing, for two of three daily bronchial hygiene treatments would affect the expected improvements in pulmonary function and exercise response in hospitalized patients with CF. Seventeen patients with CF hospitalized (means length of stay = 13.0 +/- 2.6 days) for an acute exacerbation of their pulmonary disease participated in the study. The patients were randomly assigned to either a group that participated in two cycle ergometer exercise sessions and one bronchial hygiene treatment session per day (EX Group [n = 9]) or a group that participated in three bronchial hygiene treatment sessions per day (PD Group [n = 8]). Pulmonary functions and responses to a progressive, incremental cycle ergometer exercise test were measured on admission and before discharge. Bronchial hygiene therapy consisted of postural drainage, in six positions, with chest percussion and vibration. Therapeutic exercise was of moderate intensity and was individually adjusted based on the patient's heart rate and arterial oxygen saturation response to the admission exercise test. Coughing was encouraged during and after all treatments. Pulmonary function and exercise response were significantly improved over the period of hospitalization in both groups; the improvements were the same in the two groups. These results indicate that, in some hospitalized patients with CF, exercise therapy may be substituted for at least part of the standard protocol of bronchial hygiene therapy.

  5. Patients' perception of the ambulance services at Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anisah, A; Chew, K S; Mohd Shaharuddin Shah, C H; Nik Hisamuddin, N A R

    2008-08-01

    Little is known regarding public opinion of prehospital care in Malaysia. This study was conducted to find out the public's perception and expectations of the ambulance services in one of the university hospitals in Malaysia. A six-month prospective cross-sectional study to look at patients' perception of Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia's (HUSM) ambulance service was conducted from February 2006 to July 2006. Upon arrival at the hospital, patients or their relatives (who used our hospital's ambulances) were interviewed with a set of questions regarding their perception of the ambulance services and were asked to rate the perception on a Likert Scale from 1 to 10. A convenient sampling method was applied. A total of 87 samples were obtained. Despite the many problems faced by the ambulance service in HUSM, the mean score for each of the questions on patient's perception ranged from 9.33 to 9.70 out of 10. The questions with the highest mean score, which were both 9.70 each, were related to staff attentiveness and staff gentleness. Patients' perceptions can be very subjective, but until further similar studies could be carried out in other parts of Malaysia, this set of data merely represents a numerical measure of public perception of the ambulance services from HUSM.

  6. Case-controlled Study on Risk Factors for the Development of Constipation in Hospitalized Patients

    OpenAIRE

    Ueki, Tetsuya; Nagai, Keiko; Ooe, Nobuharu; Nakashima, Mihoko N.; Nishida, Koyo; Nakamura, Junzo; Nakashima, Mikiro

    2011-01-01

    Constipation is a common problem in hospitalized patients; however, the relative risks of its development with various factors have not been clarified. To clarify the risk factors associated with constipation, we performed a case-controlled study of 165 hospitalized patients who were not laxative users on admission. They were divided into case (n=35) and control (n=130) groups according to laxative administration during hospitalization. Comparison of the patient backgrounds in the two groups ...

  7. What happens to stroke patients after hospital discharge?

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Noone, I

    2001-05-01

    Of 231 stroke patients discharged from hospital, 34 patients (14.7%) had died when reviewed 6 months later. Of 195 survivors, 115 (58%) were independent and living in the community. The remaining 80 (42%) patients were dependent. The majority of dependent patients were in institutional care but 29 (36%) were residing in the community of whom a substantial number were not receiving physiotherapy, occupational therapy or day care. Patients who were dependent in nursing homes were less likely to have received physiotherapy (48% versus 70%) or occupational therapy (28% versus 60%) compared to disabled patients in hospital based extended nursing care. 45 patients (24%) had been re-admitted to hospital although only 48% of patients had been reviewed in hospital outpatients since discharge. 64% of patients were on anti-thrombotic treatment. This survey suggests that 6 months after hospital discharge, most stroke patients are still alive and living in the community. Many of the dependent survivors have ongoing unmet medical and rehabilitation needs.

  8. Differences in emergency colorectal surgery in Medicaid and uninsured patients by hospital safety net status.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bradley, Cathy J; Dahman, Bassam; Sabik, Lindsay M

    2015-02-01

    We examined whether safety net hospitals reduce the likelihood of emergency colorectal cancer (CRC) surgery in uninsured and Medicaid-insured patients. If these patients have better access to care through safety net providers, they should be less likely to undergo emergency resection relative to similar patients at non- safety net hospitals. Using population-based data, we estimated the relationship between safety net hospitals, patient insurance status, and emergency CRC surgery. We extracted inpatient admission data from the Virginia Health Information discharge database and matched them to the Virginia Cancer Registry for patients aged 21 to 64 years who underwent a CRC resection between January 1, 1999, and December 31, 2005 (n = 5488). We differentiated between medically defined emergencies and those that originated in the emergency department (ED). For each definition of emergency surgery, we estimated the linear probability models of the effects of being treated at a safety net hospital on the probability of having an emergency resection. Safety net hospitals reduce emergency surgeries among uninsured and Medicaid CRC patients. When defining an emergency resection as those that involved an ED visit, these patients were 15 to 20 percentage points less likely to have an emergency resection when treated in a safety net hospital. Our results suggest that these hospitals provide a benefit, most likely through the access they afford to timely and appropriate care, to uninsured and Medicaid-insured patients relative to hospitals without a safety net mission.

  9. Patient perception of pain care in hospitals in the United States

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anita Gupta

    2009-11-01

    Full Text Available Anita Gupta1, Sarah Daigle2, Jeffrey Mojica3, Robert W Hurley41Pain Management Division, Department of Anesthesiology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA; 2Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, 3Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Division of Pain Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; 4Medical Director of the Johns Hopkins Pain Treatment Center, Division of Pain Medicine, Deparment of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USAStudy objective: Assessment of patients’ perception of pain control in hospitals in the United States.Background: Limited data are available regarding the quality of pain care in the hospitalized patient. This is particularly valid for data that allow for comparison of pain outcomes from one hospital to another. Such data are critical for numerous reasons, including allowing patients and policy-makers to make data-driven decisions, and to guide hospitals in their efforts to improve pain care. The Hospital Quality Alliance was recently created by federal policy makers and private organizations in conjunction with the Centers for Medicare and Medicare Services to conduct patient surveys to evaluate their experience including pain control during their hospitalization.Methods: In March 2008, the results of the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS survey was released for review for health care providers and researchers. This survey includes a battery of questions for patients upon discharge from the hospital including pain-related questions and patient satisfaction that provide valuable data regarding pain care nationwide. This study will review the results from the pain questions from this available data set and evaluate the performance of these hospitals in pain care in relationship to patient satisfaction. Furthermore, this analysis will be providing valuable

  10. Outcome among patients suffering from in-hospital cardiac arrest

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Trpković Sladjana

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction. In relation to pre-hospital treatment of patients with cardiac arrest (CA in the field where resuscitation is often started by nonprofessionals, resuscitation in hospital is most commonly performed by well-trained personnel. Objective. The aim was to define the factors associated with an improved outcome among patients suffering from the inhospital CA (IHCA. Methods. The prospective study included a total of 100 patients in the Emergency Center over two-year period. The patterns by the Utstein-Style guidelines recorded the following: age, sex, reason for hospital admission, comorbidity, cause and origin of CA, continuous monitoring, time of arrival of the medical emergency team and time of delivery of the first defibrillation shock (DC. Results. Most patients (61% had cardiac etiology. Return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC was achieved in 58% of patients. ROSC was more frequently achieved in younger patients (57.69±11.37, (p<0.05, non-surgical patients (76.1%, (p<0.01 and in patients who were in continuous monitoring (66.7% (p<0.05. The outcome of CPR was significantly better in patients who received advanced life support (ALS (76.6% (p<0.01. Time until the delivery of the first DC shock was significantly shorter in patients who achieved ROSC (1.67±1.13 min, (p<0.01. A total of 5% of IHCA patients survived to hospital discharge. Conclusion. In our study, the outcome of CPR was better in patients who were younger and with non-surgical diseases, which are prognostic factors that we cannot control. Factors associated with better outcome of IHCA patients were: continuous monitoring, shorter time until the delivery of the first DC and ALS. This means that better education of medical staff, better organization and up-to-dated technical equipment are needed.

  11. Relationship Between Hospital Performance on a Patient Satisfaction Survey and Surgical Quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sacks, Greg D; Lawson, Elise H; Dawes, Aaron J; Russell, Marcia M; Maggard-Gibbons, Melinda; Zingmond, David S; Ko, Clifford Y

    2015-09-01

    The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services include patient experience as a core component of its Value-Based Purchasing program, which ties financial incentives to hospital performance on a range of quality measures. However, it remains unclear whether patient satisfaction is an accurate marker of high-quality surgical care. To determine whether hospital performance on a patient satisfaction survey is associated with objective measures of surgical quality. Retrospective observational study of participating American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Project (ACS NSQIP) hospitals. We used data from a linked database of Medicare inpatient claims, ACS NSQIP, the American Hospital Association annual survey, and Hospital Compare from December 2, 2004, through December 31, 2008. A total of 103 866 patients older than 65 years undergoing inpatient surgery were included. Hospitals were grouped by quartile based on their performance on the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey. Controlling for preoperative risk factors, we created hierarchical logistic regression models to predict the occurrence of adverse postoperative outcomes based on a hospital's patient satisfaction scores. Thirty-day postoperative mortality, major and minor complications, failure to rescue, and hospital readmission. Of the 180 hospitals, the overall mean patient satisfaction score was 68.0% (first quartile mean, 58.7%; fourth quartile mean, 76.7%). Compared with patients treated at hospitals in the lowest quartile, those at the highest quartile had significantly lower risk-adjusted odds of death (odds ratio = 0.85; 95% CI, 0.73-0.99), failure to rescue (odds ratio = 0.82; 95% CI, 0.70-0.96), and minor complication (odds ratio = 0.87; 95% CI, 0.75-0.99). This translated to relative risk reductions of 11.1% (P = .04), 12.6% (P = .02), and 11.5% (P = .04), respectively. No significant relationship was noted between patient satisfaction

  12. [Nutritional assessment for hospitalized patients].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Henríquez Martínez, T; Armero Fuster, M

    1991-01-01

    A review of the following points was performed: Factors favouring the development and presence of malnutrition among hospitalized patients. Useful parameters in nutritional evaluation. Types of malnutrition. The Chang nutritional evaluation protocol is used in our Hospital, which is simple, inexpensive, reliable, specific and easily reproduced. This is based on five variables (three anthropometric and two biochemical), randomized and based on reference tables and values. A study was made on data corresponding to 70 patients, in whom a prevalence of malnutrition was observed in critical patients. The patients were classified based on three different definitive possibilities (Marasmo, Kwashiorkor and combined), and three grades of malnutrition (slight, moderate and severe).

  13. Organisational patient management, as shown by the radiology department of a hospital

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schluechtermann, J.

    1990-01-01

    For years now, rationalization has been the prime goal that put hospitals under pressure to establish appropriate procedures. Work scheduling is of great significance in this context, especially in the light of modified framework conditions of the hospital's financing terms. The book in hand comprehensively discusses the problem of patient flow control, which has to serve two somewhat contradictory purposes, namely to achieve best possible capacity utilization in terms of equipment and personnel, and shortest possible waiting time for patients. The contributions offered by methods of the quantitative operations analysis for problem solving are set forth, as well as the role of computerized information systems in patient-related work scheduling. As both approaches reveal considerable weak points, a concept is presented that aims at integrating patient-related appointment methods into hospital information systems. The concept is explained by the example of a radiology department. Some scheduling heuristics are set up and are verified by empirical data. (orig./HSCH) [de

  14. Model construction of nursing service satisfaction in hospitalized tumor patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Yongyi; Liu, Jingshi; Xiao, Shuiyuan; Liu, Xiangyu; Tang, Xinhui; Zhou, Yujuan

    2014-01-01

    This study aims to construct a satisfaction model on nursing service in hospitalized tumor patients. Using questionnaires, data about hospitalized tumor patients' expectation, quality perception and satisfaction of hospital nursing service were obtained. A satisfaction model of nursing service in hospitalized tumor patients was established through empirical study and by structural equation method. This model was suitable for tumor specialized hospital, with reliability and validity. Patient satisfaction was significantly affected by quality perception and patient expectation. Patient satisfaction and patient loyalty was also affected by disease pressure. Hospital brand was positively correlated with patient satisfaction and patient loyalty, negatively correlated with patient complaint. Patient satisfaction was positively correlated with patient loyalty, patient complaints, and quality perception, and negatively correlated with disease pressure and patient expectation. The satisfaction model on nursing service in hospitalized tumor patients fits well. By this model, the quality of hospital nursing care may be improved.

  15. [Hospitality for elderly patients in the emergency department].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boulet, Marie-Claude; Dami, Fabrice; Hugli, Olivier; Renard, Delphine; Foucault, Eliane; Carron, Pierre-Nicolas

    2015-12-09

    Demographic evolution results in a growing use of emergency department by elderly patients. They require special care to avoid any further degradation of cognitive and functional abilities already compromised by the disease or injury that led them to hospital in the first place. Through a clinical case, we list the risks related to the care of these particular patients in the emergency department. Early recognition of those risks and careful management of these patients' specific needs can significantly contribute to reduce lengths of stay, an important outcome from both the individual patient's and society's perspective.

  16. Are comparisons of patient experiences across hospitals fair? A study in Veterans Health Administration hospitals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cleary, Paul D; Meterko, Mark; Wright, Steven M; Zaslavsky, Alan M

    2014-07-01

    Surveys are increasingly used to assess patient experiences with health care. Comparisons of hospital scores based on patient experience surveys should be adjusted for patient characteristics that might affect survey results. Such characteristics are commonly drawn from patient surveys that collect little, if any, clinical information. Consequently some hospitals, especially those treating particularly complex patients, have been concerned that standard adjustment methods do not adequately reflect the challenges of treating their patients. To compare scores for different types of hospitals after making adjustments using only survey-reported patient characteristics and using more complete clinical and hospital information. We used clinical and survey data from a national sample of 1858 veterans hospitalized for an initial acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical center during fiscal years 2003 and 2004. We used VA administrative data to characterize hospitals. The survey asked patients about their experiences with hospital care. The clinical data included 14 measures abstracted from medical records that are predictive of survival after an AMI. Comparisons of scores across hospitals adjusted only for patient-reported health status and sociodemographic characteristics were similar to those that also adjusted for patient clinical characteristics; the Spearman rank-order correlations between the 2 sets of adjusted scores were >0.97 across 9 dimensions of inpatient experience. This study did not support concerns that measures of patient care experiences are unfair because commonly used models do not adjust adequately for potentially confounding patient clinical characteristics.

  17. Children presenting to a Canadian hospital with trampoline-related cervical spine injuries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leonard, Heather; Joffe, Ari R

    2009-02-01

    Trampoline-related injuries are preventable by avoidance. There are few published reports focusing on cervical spine injuries from trampolines in the paediatric population. Patients younger than 18 years of age who presented to Stollery Children's Hospital (Edmonton, Alberta) between 1995 and 2006, with a cervical spine injury or death from trampoline use were identified via a medical records database search. Data were collected retrospectively from the hospital charts, and were presented using descriptive statistics. There were seven cases of cervical spine injury secondary to trampoline use. Four patients had lasting neurological deficits at discharge from hospital, and another patient died at the scene due to refractory cardiac arrest. Injuries were sustained both on (n=5) and off (n=2) the trampoline mat from mechanisms that included attempted somersaults on the trampoline and falls from the trampoline. All the trampolines were privately owned home trampolines. An ambulance was called for five patients, intravenous fluids were administered to two patients with hypotension and spinal shock, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation was performed on one patient. All six patients surviving the initial injury were admitted to hospital for a mean +/- SD of 9.5+/-9.0 days. These six patients underwent imaging including x-rays, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, and three patients required surgery for spinal stabilization. Cervical spine injuries from trampolines lead to severe neurological sequelae, death, hospitalization and significant resource use. The authors agree with the Canadian Paediatric Society's statement that trampolines should not be used for recreational purposes at home, and they support a ban on all paediatric use of trampolines.

  18. Out-of-hospital mortality among patients receiving methadone for noncancer pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ray, Wayne A; Chung, Cecilia P; Murray, Katherine T; Cooper, William O; Hall, Kathi; Stein, C Michael

    2015-03-01

    Growing methadone use in pain management has raised concerns regarding its safety relative to other long-acting opioids. Methadone hydrochloride may increase the risk for lethal respiratory depression related to accidental overdose and life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias. To compare the risk of out-of-hospital death in patients receiving methadone for noncancer pain with that in comparable patients receiving sustained-release (SR) morphine sulfate. A retrospective cohort study was conducted using Tennessee Medicaid records from 1997 through 2009. The cohort included patients receiving morphine SR or methadone who were aged 30 to 74 years, did not have cancer or another life-threatening illness, and were not in a hospital or nursing home. At cohort entry, 32 742 and 6014 patients had filled a prescription for morphine SR or methadone, respectively. The patients' median age was 48 years, 57.9% were female, and comparable proportions had received cardiovascular, psychotropic, and other musculoskeletal medications. Nearly 90% of the patients received the opioid for back pain or other musculoskeletal pain. The median doses prescribed for morphine SR and methadone were 90 mg/d and 40 mg/d, respectively. The primary study end point was out-of-hospital mortality, given that opioid-related deaths typically occur outside the hospital. There were 477 deaths during 28 699 person-years of follow-up (ie, 166 deaths per 10 000 person-years). After control for study covariates, patients receiving methadone had a 46% increased risk of death during the follow-up period, with an adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of 1.46 (95% CI, 1.17-1.83; P Methadone doses of 20 mg/d or less, the lowest dose quartile, were associated with an increased risk of death (HR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.01-2.51, P = .046) relative to a comparable dose of morphine SR (methadone in this retrospective cohort study, even for low doses, supports recommendations that it should not be a drug of first choice for

  19. Adoption of HIV-related services among urban US hospitals: 1988 and 1991.

    Science.gov (United States)

    LeBlanc, A J; Hurley, R E

    1995-09-01

    Recent reports document that US hospitals vary considerably, notably by ownership, in the number of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients they treat. Still, little is known about other types of hospital response to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and AIDS and the relative strength of ownership as a determining factor. With annual survey data from the American Hospital Association the authors examine the formal adoption of HIV-related services among urban US hospitals at the turn of the decade. Descriptive analyses of 2 years of data (1988 and 1991) are presented. A multivariate logistic regression analysis, conducted on the 1991 data, tests for unique ownership effects on the likelihood that hospitals are heavy investors in HIV-related care. Patterns of service adoption for 1991 strongly resemble those for 1988. Nearly three fourths of urban US hospitals offer general inpatient AIDS care, and over half provide HIV testing. Few urban hospitals offer outpatient services; even fewer operate AIDS units. A substantial minority report no formal adoption of HIV-related services. For-profit hospitals stand out as least likely to formally adopt these HIV-related services. Those adopting a comprehensive set of HIV-related services typically are public or secular, not-for-profit in ownership, large, affiliated with a medical school, and high volume users of Medicaid funding. The logistic regression analysis suggests that public ownership is a key determinant of greater service investment, even after controlling for other explanatory factors. This study appears to mirror a familiar pattern of hospital response to undercompensated care in the United States.

  20. Patient life in hospital

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ludvigsen, Mette Spliid

    Patient life in hospital.A qualitative study of informal relationships between hospitalised patients Introduction Within a patientology framework, this PhD dissertation is about an empirical study on patient life that provides insight into the nature of informal relationships between patients...... are created through stories about three roughly framed aspects of hospitalisation: A. Being together with fellow patients entails a constant dilemma, B. Relationships between patients are restricted and extended and C. Shifting perspectives in solidarity. Conclusion Patients' hospitalisation is strongly...

  1. Demographic factors and hospital size predict patient satisfaction variance--implications for hospital value-based purchasing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McFarland, Daniel C; Ornstein, Katherine A; Holcombe, Randall F

    2015-08-01

    Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (HVBP) incentivizes quality performance-based healthcare by linking payments directly to patient satisfaction scores obtained from Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) surveys. Lower HCAHPS scores appear to cluster in heterogeneous population-dense areas and could bias Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) reimbursement. Assess nonrandom variation in patient satisfaction as determined by HCAHPS. Multivariate regression modeling was performed for individual dimensions of HCAHPS and aggregate scores. Standardized partial regression coefficients assessed strengths of predictors. Weighted Individual (hospital) Patient Satisfaction Adjusted Score (WIPSAS) utilized 4 highly predictive variables, and hospitals were reranked accordingly. A total of 3907 HVBP-participating hospitals. There were 934,800 patient surveys by the most conservative estimate. A total of 3144 county demographics (US Census) and HCAHPS surveys. Hospital size and primary language (non-English speaking) most strongly predicted unfavorable HCAHPS scores, whereas education and white ethnicity most strongly predicted favorable HCAHPS scores. The average adjusted patient satisfaction scores calculated by WIPSAS approximated the national average of HCAHPS scores. However, WIPSAS changed hospital rankings by variable amounts depending on the strength of the predictive variables in the hospitals' locations. Structural and demographic characteristics that predict lower scores were accounted for by WIPSAS that also improved rankings of many safety-net hospitals and academic medical centers in diverse areas. Demographic and structural factors (eg, hospital beds) predict patient satisfaction scores even after CMS adjustments. CMS should consider WIPSAS or a similar adjustment to account for the severity of patient satisfaction inequities that hospitals could strive to correct. © 2015 Society of Hospital Medicine.

  2. [Communication between the primary care physician, hospital staff and the patient during hospitalization].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Menahem, Sasson; Roitgarz, Ina; Shvartzman, Pesach

    2011-04-01

    HospitaL admission is a crisis for the patient and his family and can interfere with the continuity of care. It may lead to mistakes due to communication problems between the primary care physician and the hospital medical staff. To explore the communication between the primary care physician, the hospital medical staff, the patient and his family during hospitalization. A total of 269 questionnaires were sent to all Clalit Health Services-South District, primary care physicians; 119 of these questionnaires (44.2%) were completed. Half of the primary care physicians thought that they should, always or almost always, have contact with the admitting ward in cases of internal medicine, oncology, surgery or pediatric admissions. However, the actual contact rate, according to their report, was only in a third of the cases. A telephone contact was more common than an actual visit of the patient in the ward. Computer communication between the hospital physicians and the primary care physicians is still insufficiently developed, although 96.6% of the primary care physicians check, with the aid of computer software, for information on their hospitalized patients. The main reasons to visit the hospitalized patient were severe medical conditions or uncertainty about the diagnosis; 79% of the physicians thought that visiting their patients strengthened the level of trust between them and their patients. There are sometimes communication difficulties and barriers between the primary care physicians and the ward's physicians due to partial information delivery and rejection from the hospital physicians. The main barriers for visiting admitted patients were workload and lack of pre-allocated time on the work schedule. No statistically significant differences were found between communication variables and primary care physician's personal and demographic characteristics. The communication between the primary care physician and the hospital physicians should be improved through

  3. Organizational culture: an important context for addressing and improving hospital to community patient discharge.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hesselink, Gijs; Vernooij-Dassen, Myrra; Pijnenborg, Loes; Barach, Paul; Gademan, Petra; Dudzik-Urbaniak, Ewa; Flink, Maria; Orrego, Carola; Toccafondi, Giulio; Johnson, Julie K; Schoonhoven, Lisette; Wollersheim, Hub

    2013-01-01

    Organizational culture is seen as having a growing impact on quality and safety of health care, but its impact on hospital to community patient discharge is relatively unknown. To explore aspects of organizational culture to develop a deeper understanding of the discharge process. A qualitative study of stakeholders in the discharge process. Grounded Theory was used to analyze the data. In 5 European Union countries, 192 individual and 25 focus group interviews were conducted with patients and relatives, hospital physicians, hospital nurses, general practitioners, and community nurses. Three themes emerged representing aspects of organizational culture: a fragmented hospital to primary care interface, undervaluing administrative tasks relative to clinical tasks in the discharge process, and lack of reflection on the discharge process or process improvement. Nine categories were identified: inward focus of hospital care providers, lack of awareness to needs, skills, and work patterns of the professional counterpart, lack of a collaborative attitude, relationship between hospital and primary care providers, providing care in a "here and now" situation, administrative work considered to be burdensome, negative attitude toward feedback, handovers at discharge ruled by habits, and appreciating and integrating new practices. On the basis of the data, we hypothesize that the extent to which hospital care providers value handovers and the outreach to community care providers is critical to effective hospital discharge. Community care providers often are insufficiently informed about patient outcomes. Ongoing challenges with patient discharge often remain unspoken with opportunities for improvement overlooked. Interventions that address organizational culture as a key factor in discharge improvement efforts are needed.

  4. Analysis of possible food/nutrient and drug interactions in hospitalized patients

    OpenAIRE

    Lopes, Everton Moraes; Carvalho, Rumão Batista Nunes de; Freitas, Rivelilson Mendes de

    2010-01-01

    ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the prescription in relation to the possible interactions between drugs and foods/nutrients in the diets of patients in the Hospital Regional Justino Luz in the municipality of Picos, Piauí, Brazil. Methods: The sample consisted of 60 medical records of patients admitted at the hospital. The records were analyzed according to the presence or absence of interactions between drugs and foods/nutrients of the prescribed diets. Results: Of the 82 drugs prescribed...

  5. The role of public relations for image creating in health services: a sample patient satisfaction survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kirdar, YalçIn

    2007-01-01

    This study discusses the role of public relations for image creating in health services. Hospitals require public relations activities to distinguish them from competitors, provide bidirectional communication between the society and the hospital, and assist to create of a strong hospital image and culture. A satisfaction survey was conducted on 264 patients who have received health services at Maltepe University Hospital. The research focused on how the Hospital's examination, care, catering and physical services; doctor and nurse politeness towards patients and patient relatives, their attitudes and behaviors; examination, check-in, bedding and discharge operations; public relations activities in and out of the hospital were perceived. Another subject of the study was the degree of recommendation of patients who have been served by the hospital's health services to prospective patients seeking treatment.

  6. One year survey of hospitalized psoriatic patients and their treatment in Razi Hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Farnaghi F

    1998-05-01

    Full Text Available During one year survey, 77 psoriatic patients were hospitalized in the dermatology department of Razi Hospital. This comprised 19% of admitted patients in this period. 29% (n=22 of psoriatic patients had previous history of hospitalization. On admission, the mean age of patients was 32.8 years, the mean and peak age of disease onset were 26.46 and between 11-20 years, respectively. 14% (n=10 of the patients had a family history of psoriasis and 70% (n=7 of those with a positive family history had their age of onset under 20 years. Involvement of different regions was as follows: Scalp: 88% (n=68, nails: 53% (n=41 and joints (arthritis: 10% (n=8. Psoriasis was associated with scrotal tongue in 19% (n=13 and with geographic tongue in 10% (n=8 of patients. Regarding the medical treatment, the drugs which were used most frequently were tigason in 34% (n=41 and ditranol in 22% (n=26 of the cases. The mean duration of hospitalization was 39.29 days and most patients were discharged from the hospital in a good condition without any serious complication. During this period 9% of patients had a relapse of their disease.

  7. Risk of hospitalization for fire-related burns during extreme cold weather.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ayoub, Aimina; Kosatsky, Tom; Smargiassi, Audrey; Bilodeau-Bertrand, Marianne; Auger, Nathalie

    2017-10-01

    Environmental factors are important predictors of fires, but no study has examined the association between outdoor temperature and fire-related burn injuries. We sought to investigate the relationship between extremely cold outdoor temperatures and the risk of hospitalization for fire-related burns. We carried out a time-stratified case-crossover study of 2470 patients hospitalized for fire-related burn injuries during cold months between 1989 and 2014 in Quebec, Canada. The main exposure was the minimum outdoor temperature on the day of and the day before the burn. We computed odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) to evaluate the relationship between minimum temperature and fire-related burns, and assessed how associations varied across sex and age. Exposure to extreme cold temperature was associated with a significantly higher risk of hospitalization for fire-related burns. Compared with 0°C, exposure to a minimum temperature of -30°C was associated with an OR of 1.51 (95% CI 1.22-1.87) for hospitalization for fire-related burns. The associations were somewhat stronger for women, youth, and the elderly. Compared with 0°C, a minimum temperature of -30°C was associated with an OR for fire-related burn hospitalization of 1.65 for women (95% CI 1.13-2.40), 1.60 for age fire-related burns. Measures to prevent fires should be implemented prior to the winter season, and enhanced during extreme cold. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Health service interventions targeting relatives of heart patients

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nissen, Nina Konstantin; Madsen, Mette; Olsen Zwisler, Ann-Dorthe

    2008-01-01

    AIMS: Relatives of heart patients experience anxiety, uncertainty, and low quality of life, and the hospitalization of a heart patient is associated with increased risk of death for the partner. Relatives' physical and mental problems may be rectified by activities established by the health...

  9. Treatment, monitoring, and economic outcomes of venous thromboembolism among hospitalized patients in China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Eric Q; Xie, Jipan; Wu, Chun; Du, Ella Xiaoyan; Li, Nanxin; Tan, Ruoding; Liu, Yuanli

    2014-03-01

    The prevalence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) has been increasing in China. However, the treatment pattern and economic burden of these patients have not been well-understood. The objective of this study was to examine the patient characteristics, treatment pattern, anticoagulant monitoring, and economic burden of VTE among hospitalized patients in China. Hospitalizations with a diagnosis of VTE [including deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism (PE)] between 1 January 2010 and 30 June 2013 were included. Descriptive analysis was conducted for patients' characteristics, anticoagulant treatment, international normalized ratio (INR) monitoring, and hospitalization cost [in 2013 Chinese yuan (Y) and US dollars (US$)]. Multivariate regressions were performed to assess factors associated with oral anticoagulant use and total costs of inpatient care. A total of 1,047 VTE-related hospitalizations were selected. The sample had a mean age of 62.4 years, with 45.9 % female. About 46.3 % of hospitalizations used heparin only, 35.0 % used warfarin, 0.8 % used rivaroxaban, and 18.0 % did not use anticoagulants. Among hospitalizations where warfarin was used, 90.8 % received at least one INR test and only 30 % had the last INR within the target therapeutic range (2-3) before discharge. The mean (standard deviation) total cost per hospitalization was Y29,114 (43,772) [US$4,757 (7,152)]. PE, VTE as primary diagnosis, female, insurance coverage, anticoagulant treatment, co-morbidities, admission condition, and surgical procedure were significantly associated with inpatient costs. Conventional anticoagulants were most commonly used in the study sample. Under-monitoring and suboptimal care may be an issue for patients treated with warfarin. The average total inpatient cost of VTE-related hospitalizations is high.

  10. Demographic Factors and Hospital Size Predict Patient Satisfaction Variance- Implications for Hospital Value-Based Purchasing

    Science.gov (United States)

    McFarland, Daniel C.; Ornstein, Katherine; Holcombe, Randall F.

    2016-01-01

    Background Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (HVBP) incentivizes quality performance based healthcare by linking payments directly to patient satisfaction scores obtained from Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) surveys. Lower HCAHPS scores appear to cluster in heterogeneous population dense areas and could bias CMS reimbursement. Objective Assess nonrandom variation in patient satisfaction as determined by HCAHPS. Design Multivariate regression modeling was performed for individual dimensions of HCAHPS and aggregate scores. Standardized partial regression coefficients assessed strengths of predictors. Weighted Individual (hospital) Patient Satisfaction Adjusted Score (WIPSAS) utilized four highly predictive variables and hospitals were re-ranked accordingly. Setting 3,907 HVBP-participating hospitals. Patients 934,800 patient surveys, by most conservative estimate. Measurements 3,144 county demographics (U.S. Census), and HCAHPS. Results Hospital size and primary language (‘non-English speaking’) most strongly predicted unfavorable HCAHPS scores while education and white ethnicity most strongly predicted favorable HCAHPS scores. The average adjusted patient satisfaction scores calculated by WIPSAS approximated the national average of HCAHPS scores. However, WIPSAS changed hospital rankings by variable amounts depending on the strength of the predictive variables in the hospitals’ locations. Structural and demographic characteristics that predict lower scores were accounted for by WIPSAS that also improved rankings of many safety-net hospitals and academic medical centers in diverse areas. Conclusions Demographic and structural factors (e.g., hospital beds) predict patient satisfaction scores even after CMS adjustments. CMS should consider WIPSAS or a similar adjustment to account for the severity of patient satisfaction inequities that hospitals could strive to correct. PMID:25940305

  11. Diagnosis-related groups for stroke in Europe: patient classification and hospital reimbursement in 11 countries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peltola, Mikko; Quentin, Wilm

    2013-01-01

    Diagnosis-related groups (DRGs) are increasingly being used for various purposes in many countries. However, there are no studies comparing different DRG systems in the care of stroke. As part of the EuroDRG project, researchers from 11 countries (i.e. Austria, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden and Spain) compared how their DRG systems deal with stroke patients. The study aims to assist clinicians and national authorities to optimize their DRG systems. National or regional databases were used to identify hospital cases with a diagnosis of stroke. DRG classification algorithms and indicators of resource consumption were compared for those DRGs that individually represent at least 1% of stroke cases. In addition, standardized case vignettes were defined, and quasi prices according to national DRG-based hospital payment systems were ascertained. European DRG systems vary widely: they classify stroke patients according to different sets of variables (between 1 and 7 classification variables) into diverging numbers of DRGs (between 1 and 10 DRGs). In 6 of the countries more than half of the patients are concentrated within a single DRG. The countries' systems also vary with respect to the evaluation of different kinds of stroke patients. The most complex DRG is considered 3.8 times more resource intensive than an index case in Finland. By contrast, in England, the DRG system does not account for complex cases. Comparisons of quasi prices for the case vignettes show that hypothetical payments for the index case amount to only EUR 907 in Poland but to EUR 7,881 in Ireland. Large variations in the classification of stroke patients raise concerns whether all systems rely on the most appropriate classification variables and whether the DRGs adequately reflect differences in the complexity of treating different groups of patients. Learning from other DRG systems may help in improving the national systems. Clinicians and

  12. Case-controlled study on risk factors for the development of constipation in hospitalized patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ueki, Tetsuya; Nagai, Keiko; Ooe, Nobuharu; Nakashima, Mihoko N; Nishida, Koyo; Nakamura, Junzo; Nakashima, Mikiro

    2011-03-01

    Constipation is a common problem in hospitalized patients; however, the relative risks of its development with various factors have not been clarified. To clarify the risk factors associated with constipation, we performed a case-controlled study of 165 hospitalized patients who were not laxative users on admission. They were divided into case (n=35) and control (n=130) groups according to laxative administration during hospitalization. Comparison of the patient backgrounds in the two groups revealed significant differences in the activities of daily living, length of fasting, rest level on admission, cerebrovascular disease, and administration of hypnotics. Multiple logistic regression analysis using these five factors as autonomous variables showed that administration of hypnotics (odds ratio, 2.79; 95% confidence interval, 1.10-7.06; p=0.031) was significantly related to laxative use. Therefore, the administration of hypnotics may be the principal cause of constipation development in hospitalized patients and they should be used with caution.

  13. [Successful patient-activated help call for a doctor during in-hospital stay].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hansen, Mette Mejlby; Hasselkvist, Birgith; Thordal, Sofie; Riiskjær, Erik; Kelsen, Jens

    2014-09-29

    Department of Medicine, Randers Regional Hospital, conducted a study of patient-activated help call, involving 1,050 patients with nearly 3,700 days in-hospital stay. Patients were encou-raged to bypass traditional clinical hierarchy of communication when they felt, that their concern was not met by the staff. Three help calls were related to the management of pain. In two cases it resulted in a surgical procedure. A survey including 104 patients revealed that one third reported that patient safety was improved by the initiative and nearly three quarters re-ported that they would be willing to activate the call.

  14. Travel-related illness at a tertiary care hospital in Osaka, Japan

    OpenAIRE

    Hadano,Yoshiro; Shirano,Michinori; Goto,Tetsushi

    2016-01-01

    Yoshiro Hadano, Michinori Shirano, Tetsushi Goto Center for Infectious Diseases, Osaka City General Hospital, Osaka, Japan Abstract: We analyzed the travel-related health problems in persons returning to Japan from overseas. Data were extracted retrospectively for all patients visiting the infectious diseases department of Osaka City General Hospital, Osaka, Japan, between July 2012 and September 2013. There were 209 sick returning travelers during the period of the study. ...

  15. Implementing Patient Safety Initiatives in Rural Hospitals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klingner, Jill; Moscovice, Ira; Tupper, Judith; Coburn, Andrew; Wakefield, Mary

    2009-01-01

    Implementation of patient safety initiatives can be costly in time and energy. Because of small volumes and limited resources, rural hospitals often are not included in nationally driven patient safety initiatives. This article describes the Tennessee Rural Hospital Patient Safety Demonstration project, whose goal was to strengthen capacity for…

  16. Patient, hospital, and local health system characteristics associated with the use of observation stays in veterans health administration hospitals, 2005 to 2012.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wright, Brad; OʼShea, Amy M J; Glasgow, Justin M; Ayyagari, Padmaja; Vaughan-Sarrazin, Mary

    2016-09-01

    Recent studies have documented that a significant increase in the use of observation stays along with extensive variation in patterns of use across hospitals.The objective of this longitudinal observational study was to examine the extent to which patient, hospital, and local health system characteristics explain variation in observation stay rates across Veterans Health Administration (VHA) hospitals.Our data came from years 2005 to 2012 of the nationwide VHA Medical SAS inpatient and enrollment files, American Hospital Association Survey, and Area Health Resource File. We used these data to estimate linear regression models of hospitals' observation stay rates as a function of hospital, patient, and local health system characteristics, while controlling for time trends and Veterans Integrated Service Network level fixed effects.We found that observation stay rates are inversely related to hospital bed size and that hospitals with a greater proportion of younger or rural patients have higher observation stay rates. Observation stay rates were nearly 15 percentage points higher in 2012 than 2005.Although we identify several characteristics associated with variation in VHA hospital observation stay rates, many factors remain unmeasured.

  17. Prevention of Tracheostomy-Related Hospital-Acquired Pressure Ulcers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Toole, Thomas R; Jacobs, Natalie; Hondorp, Brian; Crawford, Laura; Boudreau, Lisa R; Jeffe, Jill; Stein, Brian; LoSavio, Phillip

    2017-04-01

    Objective To determine if standardization of perioperative tracheostomy care procedures decreased the incidence of hospital-acquired tracheostomy-related pressure ulcers. Methods All patients at least 18 years old who underwent placement of a tracheostomy tube in the operating room from July 1, 2014, through June 30, 2015, were cared for postoperatively through an institutionally adopted quality improvement protocol. This included 4 elements: (1) placement of a hydrocolloid dressing underneath the tracheostomy flange in the postoperative period, (2) removal of plate sutures within 7 days of the tracheostomy procedure, (3) placement of a polyurethane foam dressing after suture removal, and (4) neutral positioning of the head. One year after the bundle was initiated, a retrospective analysis was performed to compare the percentage of tracheostomy patients who developed pressure ulcers versus the preintervention period. Results The incidence of tracheostomy-related pressure ulcers decreased from 20 of 183 tracheostomies (10.93%) prior to use of the standardized protocol to 2 of 155 tracheostomies (1.29%). Chi-square analysis showed a significant difference between the groups, with a P value of .0003. Discussion Adoption of this care bundle at our institution resulted in a significant reduction in the incidence of hospital-acquired tracheostomy-related pressure ulcers. The impact of any single intervention within our protocol was not assessed and could be an area of further investigation. Implications for Practice Adoption of a standardized posttracheostomy care bundle at the institution level may result in the improved care of patients with tracheostomies and specifically may reduce the incidence of pressure ulcers.

  18. A path analysis study of factors influencing hospital staff perceptions of quality of care factors associated with patient satisfaction and patient experience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leggat, Sandra G; Karimi, Leila; Bartram, Timothy

    2017-11-16

    Hospital staff are interested in information on patient satisfaction and patient experience that can help them improve quality of care. Staff perceptions of quality of care have been identified as useful proxies when patient data are not available. This study explores the organizational factors and staff attitudes that influence staff perceptions of the quality of the care they provide in relation to patient satisfaction and patient experience. Cross sectional survey completed by 258 staff of a large multi-campus, integrated metropolitan hospital in Australia. Structured equation modelling was used to analyse the data. Our data suggest that different perceived organizational factors and staff attitudes contribute to different pathways for patient satisfaction and patient experience indicators. Hospital staff in our sample were more likely to indicate they provided the care that would result in higher patient satisfaction if they felt empowered within a psychologically safe environment. Conversely their views on patient experience were related to their commitment towards their hospital. There was no relationship between the staff perceptions of patient satisfaction and the staff response to the friends and family test. This study provides empirical evidence that staff perceptions of the quality of care they provide that is seen to be related to patient satisfaction and patient experience are enacted through different pathways that reflect differing perceptions of organizational factors and workplace psychological attitudes.

  19. Hospital-physician relations: the relative importance of economic, relational and professional attributes to organizational attractiveness

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-01-01

    Background Belgian hospitals face a growing shortage of physicians and increasingly competitive market conditions. In this challenging environment hospitals are struggling to build effective hospital-physician relationships which are considered to be a critical determinant of organizational success. Methods Employed physicians of a University hospital were surveyed. Organizational attributes were identified through the literature and two focus groups. Variables were measured using validated questionnaires. Descriptive analyses and linear regression were used to test the model and relative importance analyses were performed. Results The selected attributes predict hospital attractiveness significantly (79.3%). The relative importance analysis revealed that hospital attractiveness is most strongly predicted by professional attributes (35.3%) and relational attributes (29.7%). In particular, professional development opportunities (18.8%), hospital prestige (16.5%), organizational support (17.2%) and leader support (9.3%) were found to be most important. Besides these non-economic aspects, the employed physicians indicated pay and financial benefits (7.4%) as a significant predictor of hospital attractiveness. Work-life balance and job security were not significantly related to hospital attractiveness. Conclusions This study shows that initiatives aimed at strengthening physicians’ positive perceptions of professional and relational aspects of practicing medicine in hospitals, while assuring satisfactory financial conditions, may offer useful avenues for increasing the level of perceived hospital attractiveness. Overall, hospitals are advised to use a differentiated approach to increase their attractiveness to physicians. PMID:24884491

  20. Hospital-physician relations: the relative importance of economic, relational and professional attributes to organizational attractiveness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trybou, Jeroen; Gemmel, Paul; Van Vaerenbergh, Yves; Annemans, Lieven

    2014-05-21

    Belgian hospitals face a growing shortage of physicians and increasingly competitive market conditions. In this challenging environment hospitals are struggling to build effective hospital-physician relationships which are considered to be a critical determinant of organizational success. Employed physicians of a University hospital were surveyed. Organizational attributes were identified through the literature and two focus groups. Variables were measured using validated questionnaires. Descriptive analyses and linear regression were used to test the model and relative importance analyses were performed. The selected attributes predict hospital attractiveness significantly (79.3%). The relative importance analysis revealed that hospital attractiveness is most strongly predicted by professional attributes (35.3%) and relational attributes (29.7%). In particular, professional development opportunities (18.8%), hospital prestige (16.5%), organizational support (17.2%) and leader support (9.3%) were found to be most important. Besides these non-economic aspects, the employed physicians indicated pay and financial benefits (7.4%) as a significant predictor of hospital attractiveness. Work-life balance and job security were not significantly related to hospital attractiveness. This study shows that initiatives aimed at strengthening physicians' positive perceptions of professional and relational aspects of practicing medicine in hospitals, while assuring satisfactory financial conditions, may offer useful avenues for increasing the level of perceived hospital attractiveness. Overall, hospitals are advised to use a differentiated approach to increase their attractiveness to physicians.

  1. Induction-related cost of patients with acute myeloid leukaemia in France.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nerich, Virginie; Lioure, Bruno; Rave, Maryline; Recher, Christian; Pigneux, Arnaud; Witz, Brigitte; Escoffre-Barbe, Martine; Moles, Marie-Pierre; Jourdan, Eric; Cahn, Jean Yves; Woronoff-Lemsi, Marie-Christine

    2011-04-01

    The economic profile of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is badly known. The few studies published on this disease are now relatively old and include small numbers of patients. The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate the induction-related cost of 500 patients included in the AML 2001 trial, and to determine the explanatory factors of cost. "Induction" patient's hospital stay from admission for "induction" to discharge after induction. The study was performed from the French Public Health insurance perspective, restrictive to hospital institution costs. The average management of a hospital stay for "induction" was evaluated according to the analytical accounting of Besançon University Teaching Hospital and the French public Diagnosis-Related Group database. Multiple linear regression was used to search for explanatory factors. Only direct medical costs were included: treatment and hospitalisation. Mean induction-related direct medical cost was estimated at €41,852 ± 6,037, with a mean length of hospital stay estimated at 36.2 ± 10.7 days. After adjustment for age, sex and performance status, only two explanatory factors were found: an additional induction course and salvage course increased induction-related cost by 38% (± 4) and 15% (± 1) respectively, in comparison to one induction. These explanatory factors were associated with a significant increase in the mean length of hospital stay: 45.8 ± 11.6 days for 2 inductions and 38.5 ± 15.5 if the patient had a salvage course, in comparison to 32.9 ± 7.7 for one induction (P cost for patients with AML.

  2. Quality of care and patient satisfaction in hospitals with high concentrations of black patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brooks-Carthon, J Margo; Kutney-Lee, Ann; Sloane, Douglas M; Cimiotti, Jeannie P; Aiken, Linda H

    2011-09-01

    To examine the influence of nursing-specifically nurse staffing and the nurse work environment-on quality of care and patient satisfaction in hospitals with varying concentrations of Black patients. Cross-sectional secondary analysis of 2006-2007 nurse survey data collected across four states (Florida, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and California), the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey, and administrative data. Global analysis of variance and linear regression models were used to examine the association between the concentration of Black patients on quality measures (readiness for discharge, patient or family complaints, health care-associated infections) and patient satisfaction, before and after accounting for nursing and hospital characteristics. Nurses working in hospitals with higher concentrations of Blacks reported poorer confidence in patients' readiness for discharge and more frequent complaints and infections. Patients treated in hospitals with higher concentrations of Blacks were less satisfied with their care. In the fully adjusted regression models for quality and patient satisfaction outcomes, the effects associated with the concentration of Blacks were explained in part by nursing and structural hospital characteristics. This study demonstrates a relationship between nursing, structural hospital characteristics, quality of care, and patient satisfaction in hospitals with high concentrations of Black patients. Consideration of nursing factors, in addition to other important hospital characteristics, is critical to understanding and improving quality of care and patient satisfaction in minority-serving hospitals. © 2011 Sigma Theta Tau International.

  3. Patient evaluation of the hotel function of hospitals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oz, M C; Zikria, J; Mutrie, C; Slater, J P; Scott, C; Lehman, S; Connolly, M W; Asher, D T; Ting, W; Namerow, P B

    2001-01-01

    A means of measuring patient satisfaction is essential in the effort to improve the quality of health care delivered in our nation's hospitals. Accurate feedback allows employers to better meet patients' needs and allows hospital administrators to improve service delivery. Patients are empowered by having a voice in the manner in which their health care is delivered. Moreover, improving the efficiency of the health care delivery system decreases health care costs. Hospital comparisons can be made readily available to a large audience through the Internet, resulting in empowerment of the patient and a universal improvement in hospital care. This is the first multi-institutional analysis of patient satisfaction among New York City and northern New Jersey area tertiary care hospitals. In this study, we evaluated the patient-assessed hotel function of hospitals in a single geographic region to determine whether clinically and statistically significant differences would be revealed that could provide beneficial information to stakeholders in the healthcare system. Patients (n = 261) who had spent a night during the past year in one of eleven hospitals within 60 miles of New York City were chosen at random from doctors' waiting rooms. On average, 24 patients from each hospital were surveyed. They were asked to complete a questionnaire that rated the various departments in the hospital on qualities such as courtesy, promptness, and cleanliness. The questionnaire also rated important characteristics of the patient experience, such as the ease of parking and the taste of the food. Each item on the survey was coded on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the most positive response. The 26 specific questions were divided into 14 domains. Averages in each domain were compared by gender, age, and hospital identity, attractiveness, and setting. All statistical calculations were performed using SPSS/PC, and means were compared using t-tests. Analysis designed to evaluate outcomes

  4. Characteristics of patients hospitalized at an intensive care unit due to drug abuse

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Flávia Antunes

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available Objective. To characterize the clinical and demographic profile of patients hospitalized due to drug intoxication at an intensive care unit (ICU of a teaching hospital between 2004 and 2010. Methodology. In this descriptive study, information was collected from the hospitalized patients, as informed by a Toxicology Care Center (CAT in Paraná (Brazil. The clinical files were checked and information was collected about age, gender, toxic agents and intoxication circumstances, comorbidities and clinical outcomes. Results. Sixty-two patients were included in the study, with a mean age of 58 years and 77% male. Alcohol was the substance related to most hospitalizations (77%, followed by psychoactive drugs (14% and marihuana and crack (5% each. The main comorbidities were bronchopneumonia due to aspiration (37%, alcohol-related liver cirrhosis (24% and traumatic brain injury (19%. The most frequent intoxication circumstances were chronic abuse (79%, attemptive suicide (19% and acute abuse (4.9%. Thirty-nine percent of the patients died during hospitalization. Conclusion. The results show a concerning reality, as most of the patients are men of economically active age, who were intoxicated by a legal substance like alcohol, with a relevant number of deaths. Nurses need to pay particular attention to this health problem, in the context of which they play a fundamental role as educators with a view to the encouragement of healthy lifestyles.

  5. Predictors of Hospitalization in Patients with Syncope Assisted in Specialized Cardiology Hospital

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fischer, Leonardo Marques; Dutra, João Pedro Passos [Instituto de Cardiologia, Fundação Universitária de Cardiologia do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS (Brazil); Mantovani, Augusto [UFCSPA - Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS (Brazil); Lima, Gustavo Glotz de [Instituto de Cardiologia, Fundação Universitária de Cardiologia do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS (Brazil); UFCSPA - Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS (Brazil); Leiria, Tiago Luiz Luz, E-mail: drleiria@cardiol.br [Instituto de Cardiologia, Fundação Universitária de Cardiologia do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS (Brazil)

    2013-12-15

    Risk stratification of a syncopal episode is necessary to better differentiate patients needing hospitalization of those who can be safely sent home from the emergency department. Currently there are no strict guidelines from our Brazilian medical societies to guide the cardiologist that evaluate patients in an emergency setting. To analyze the criteria adopted for defining the need for hospitalization and compare them with the predictors of high risk for adverse outcome defined by the OESIL score that is already validated in the medical literature for assessing syncope. A cross-sectional study of patients diagnosed with syncope during emergency department evaluation at our institution in the year 2011. Of the 46,476 emergency visits made in that year, 216 were due to syncope. Of the 216 patients analyzed, 39% were hospitalized. The variables associated with the need of hospital admission were - having health care insurance, previous known cardiovascular disease, no history of prior stroke, previous syncope and abnormal electrocardiograms during the presentation. Patients classified in OESIL scores of 0-1 had a greater chance of emergency discharge; 2-3 scores showed greater association with the need of hospitalization. A score ≥ 2 OESIL provided an odds ratio 7.8 times higher for hospitalization compared to score 0 (p <0.001, 95% CI:4,03-15,11). In approximately 39% no etiological cause for syncope was found and in 18% cardiac cause was identified. Factors such as cardiovascular disease, prior history of syncope, health insurance, no previous stroke and abnormal electrocardiograms, were the criteria used by doctors to indicate hospital admission. There was a good correlation between the clinical judgment and the OESIL criteria for high risk described in literature.

  6. Predictors of Hospitalization in Patients with Syncope Assisted in Specialized Cardiology Hospital

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fischer, Leonardo Marques; Dutra, João Pedro Passos; Mantovani, Augusto; Lima, Gustavo Glotz de; Leiria, Tiago Luiz Luz

    2013-01-01

    Risk stratification of a syncopal episode is necessary to better differentiate patients needing hospitalization of those who can be safely sent home from the emergency department. Currently there are no strict guidelines from our Brazilian medical societies to guide the cardiologist that evaluate patients in an emergency setting. To analyze the criteria adopted for defining the need for hospitalization and compare them with the predictors of high risk for adverse outcome defined by the OESIL score that is already validated in the medical literature for assessing syncope. A cross-sectional study of patients diagnosed with syncope during emergency department evaluation at our institution in the year 2011. Of the 46,476 emergency visits made in that year, 216 were due to syncope. Of the 216 patients analyzed, 39% were hospitalized. The variables associated with the need of hospital admission were - having health care insurance, previous known cardiovascular disease, no history of prior stroke, previous syncope and abnormal electrocardiograms during the presentation. Patients classified in OESIL scores of 0-1 had a greater chance of emergency discharge; 2-3 scores showed greater association with the need of hospitalization. A score ≥ 2 OESIL provided an odds ratio 7.8 times higher for hospitalization compared to score 0 (p <0.001, 95% CI:4,03-15,11). In approximately 39% no etiological cause for syncope was found and in 18% cardiac cause was identified. Factors such as cardiovascular disease, prior history of syncope, health insurance, no previous stroke and abnormal electrocardiograms, were the criteria used by doctors to indicate hospital admission. There was a good correlation between the clinical judgment and the OESIL criteria for high risk described in literature

  7. THE FACTORS AFFECTING SATISFACTION LEVELS IN HOSPITALIZED PATIENTS: AN APPLICATION IN PUBLIC HOSPITAL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Neşe ACAR

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available This study was conducted to determine the factors that affect the level of satisfaction of services provided by public hospitals. Patients' satisfaction levels were measured by interviewing 156 patients in a public hospital. Factor analysis of the data obtained from the research resulted in five factors called nurses 'behaviors, physical conditions, doctors' behavior, technical staff behaviors, food and beverage. MANOVA analysis was conducted to determine the differences in the perception of factors with respect to the demographic characteristics of the patients and differences were found in terms of profession. It has been seen that it is important that public hospitals have specialist doctors and modern equipment and that they have qualities such as the quality of the health personnel in preferring patients to public hospitals.

  8. The Effect of Service Quality on Patient loyalty: a Study of Private Hospitals in Tehran, Iran.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arab, M; Tabatabaei, Sm Ghazi; Rashidian, A; Forushani, A Rahimi; Zarei, E

    2012-01-01

    Service quality is perceived as an important factor for developing patient's loyalty. The aim of this study was to determine the hospital service quality from the patients' viewpoints and the relative importance of quality dimensions in predicting the patient's loyalty. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2010. The study sample was composed of 943 patients selected from eight private general hospitals in Tehran. The survey instrument was a questionnaire included 24 items about the service quality and 3 items about the patient's loyalty. Exploratory factor analysis was employed to extracting the dimensions of service quality. Also, regression analysis was performed to determining the relative importance of the service quality dimensions in predicting the patient's loyalty. The mean score of service quality and patient's loyalty was 3.99 and 4.16 out of 5, respectively. About 29% of the loyalty variance was explained by the service quality dimensions. Four quality dimensions (Costing, Process Quality, Interaction Quality and Environment Quality) were found to be key determinants of the patient's loyalty in the private hospitals of Tehran. The patients' experience in relation to the private hospitals' services has strong impact on the outcome variables like willingness to return to the same hospital and reuse its services or recommend them to others. The relationship between the service quality and patient's loyalty proves the strategic importance of improving the service quality for dragging and retaining patients and expanding the market share.

  9. Food intake, plate waste and its association with malnutrition in hospitalized patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simzari, Kobra; Vahabzadeh, Davoud; Nouri Saeidlou, Sakineh; Khoshbin, Susan; Bektas, Yener

    2017-11-16

    Hospital malnutrition is a worldwide dilemma and challenge. High levels of plate waste contribute to malnutrition-related complications in hospital. We investigated the association between the levels of plate waste, food intake and patient satisfaction with nutritional risk and malnutrition prevalence in three hospital settings. The sample population of 120 patients, aged 18-65 year, admitted consecutively over a 12 month period to 3 different educational university hospitals was included. For all the patients, diet history, anthropometric measurements, body mass index and patient satisfaction with the hospital food service was evaluated. Weight plate waste for all daily meals was done and actual intakes computed individually for each day. Nutrition risk screening (NRS)-2002 (≥ 3) tool was used for estimating the nutritionally at-risk population. Results: From one hundred twenty non-critically ill patients with a mean 8.9 ± 3.5 day length of hospital stay, 40.8% (49) were men and 59.2% (71) were female. Mean energy and protein requirements were 2,030.3 ± 409.03 kcal/day and 76.13 ± 15.33 g/day respectively. Mean intakes were 1,326 ± 681.44 kcal/day and 66.81 ± 31.66 g/day respectively. The mean percent of plate waste for lunch and dinner were 37.7 ± 29.88 and 30.4 ± 23.61 respectively. In the total population, 25% of patients were satisfied and 75% patients were unsatisfied with hospital foods. Based on BMI ( 10%), malnutrition prevalence was 12.5% and 14.2% respectively during hospitalization. The prevalence of nutritionally at-risk population was 30% at admission time and reached 33.3% at discharge. Plate waste and hospital malnutrition were highly prevalent in accompanying with increasing nutritionally risk progression. So it should be addressed as an important health issue and appropriate strategies for stimulating governmental policies should be adopted.

  10. Preventing drug-related adverse events following hospital discharge: the role of the pharmacist

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nicholls J

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Justine Nicholls,1 Craig MacKenzie,1 Rhiannon Braund2 1Dunedin Hospital Pharmacy, 2School of Pharmacy, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand Abstract: Transition of care (ToC points, and in particular hospital admission and discharge, can be associated with an increased risk of adverse drug events (ADEs and other drug-related problems (DRPs. The growing recognition of the pharmacist as an expert in medication management, patient education and communication makes them well placed to intervene. There is evidence to indicate that the inclusion of pharmacists in the health care team at ToC points reduces ADEs and DRPs and improves patient outcomes. The objectives of this paper are to outline the following using current literature: 1 the increased risk of medication-related problems at ToC points; 2 to highlight some strategies that have been successful in reducing these problems; and 3 to illustrate how the role of the pharmacist across all facets of care can contribute to the reduction of ADEs, particularly for patients at ToC points. Keywords: pharmacist, adverse drug events, drug-related problems, transitions of care, hospital discharge

  11. 'Real-time' burden of community and healthcare-related infections in medical and rehabilitation patients in a public hospital in Auckland, New Zealand.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Read, Kerry; Bhally, Hansan; Sapsford, Sabrina; Sapsford, Thomas

    2015-12-04

    To determine the prevalence and spectrum of infections on admission, or acquired during hospitalisation (HAI) at Waitakere Hospital, Auckland. A questionnaire was completed on two separate days for all adult in-patients admitted to medical and rehabilitation wards for greater than 24 hours. Information obtained included patient characteristics, the presence and type of infection on admission or acquired during hospitalisation, as well as information on indwelling devices. Infection was the admitting diagnosis in 81 (41%) of 195 patients reviewed, with lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) diagnosed in 50%, urine infections in 22% and cellulitis 18%. Only 40% LRTIs were supported by radiology or microbiological criteria. Twenty-five HAIs occurred in 21 patients (cumulative and point prevalence of 10.7% and 5.0% respectively). Urinary tract infection (UTI) was the most common HAI in 13 patients (62%), including 4 catheter-related infections. Patients with HAI were older and appeared to have had longer hospital stays, and higher urinary catheter usage. This study highlights the ongoing high burden of infections contributing to hospitalisation of adult patients in a developed country. The prevalence of HAI, patient characteristics and risk factors are comparable to previous studies in similar settings.

  12. Nursing roles and functions addressing relatives during in-hospital rehabilitation following stroke. Care needs and involvement

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Aadal, Lena; Angel, Sanne; Langhorn, Leanne

    2017-01-01

    RATIONALE: In the last decades, length of stay of in-hospital rehabilitation of patients with stroke has been significantly reduced. Health authorities expect relatives to be at disposal to convey the knowledge of everyday life and to provide emotional as well as practical support in relation...... and the actual contribution from nurses. AIM: This study describes nurses' experienced roles and functions addressing the relatives of patients with stroke during in-hospital rehabilitation. METHODOLOGICAL DESIGN: A phenomenological hermeneutic approach influenced by Paul Ricoeur. In a secondary analysis focus...... and the relatives and support the interaction between the patient and the relatives. Four themes occurred: the changed lives of relatives; shared life after stroke; noncooperating relatives; time for the relatives. CONCLUSION: Nurses experience their roles and functions addressing relatives after stroke as crucial...

  13. Integrated Patient Education on U.S. Hospital Web Sites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Edgar; Wu, Kerong; Edwards, Kelsey

    2016-01-01

    Based on a census of the 2015 Most Wired Hospitals, this content analysis aimed to find out how patient education has been integrated on these best IT hospitals' Web sites to serve the purposes of marketing and meeting online visitors' needs. This study will help hospitals to understand where the weaknesses are in their interactive patient education implementation and come up with a smart integration strategy. The study found that 70% of these hospitals had adopted interactive patient education contents, 76.6% of such contents were from a third-party developer, and only 20% of the hospitals linked their patient education contents to one or more of the hospital's resources while 26% cross-references such contents. The authors concluded that more hospitals should take advantage of modern information communication technology to cross-reference their patient education contents and to integrate such contents into their overall online marketing strategy to benefit patients and themselves.

  14. Hospital based patient coordination for ethnic minority patients - a health technology assessment

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sodemann, Morten

    A cross diciplinary, cross specialty, cross sectoral hospital based approach to cultural management of ethnic minority patients is effective in creating more approprite patient flows, better quality of care and increases functional level of patients. Surprisingly the aggregated effect saves...... especially on public medicine expenses and social services. Ethnic minority patients can achieve increased empowerment & Equity in type and quality of hospital care through cross dicplinary cross specialty cultural case management & support between hospital departments and primary sectors...

  15. Hospitalization Risk and Potentially Inappropriate Medications among Medicare Home Health Nursing Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lohman, Matthew C; Cotton, Brandi P; Zagaria, Alexandra B; Bao, Yuhua; Greenberg, Rebecca L; Fortuna, Karen L; Bruce, Martha L

    2017-12-01

    Hospitalizations and potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) use are significant and costly issues among older home health patients, yet little is known about the prevalence of PIM use in home health or the relationship between PIM use and hospitalization risk in this population. To describe the prevalence of PIM use and association with hospitalization among Medicare home health patients. Cross-sectional analysis using data from 132 home health agencies in the US. Medicare beneficiaries starting home health nursing services between 2013 and 2014 (n = 87,780). Prevalence of individual and aggregate PIM use at start of care, measured using the 2012 Beers criteria. Relative risk (RR) of 30-day hospitalization or re-hospitalization associated with individual and aggregate PIM use, compared to no PIM use. In total, 30,168 (34.4%) patients were using at least one PIM, with 5969 (6.8%) taking at least two PIMs according to the Beers list. The most common types of PIMs were those affecting the brain or spinal cord, analgesics, and medications with anticholinergic properties. With the exception of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), PIM use across all classes was associated with elevated risk (10-33%) of hospitalization compared to non-use. Adjusting for demographic and clinical characteristics, patients using at least one PIM (excluding NSAIDs) had a 13% greater risk (RR = 1.13, 95% CI: 1.09, 1.17) of being hospitalized than patients using no PIMs, while patients using at least two PIMs had 21% greater risk (RR = 1.21, 95% CI: 1.12, 1.30). Similar associations were found between PIMs and re-hospitalization risk among patients referred to home health from a hospital. Given the high prevalence of PIM use and the association between PIMs and hospitalization risk, home health episodes represent opportunities to substantially reduce PIM use among older adults and prevent adverse outcomes. Efforts to address medication use during home health episodes

  16. The effect on patient loyalty of service quality, patient visit experience and perceived switching costs: lessons from one Taiwan university hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Hsiu-Ling; Huang, Jun-Ying; Howng, Shen-Long

    2011-02-01

    The reimbursement system changed from fee-for-service to fixed prospective payments in Taiwan, the effect on the physician-patient's relationship is worth being studied. We examined the relationship between patient visit experience, cost perceptions and the two important aspects of quality of care, curing and interpersonal performance, and patients' loyalty to the hospital physicians. A total of 404 patients from an acute care hospital in Taiwan, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital (KMUH), were investigated using a self-administered mailing survey. All measures including patient loyalty (PL), curing service quality (CSQ), interpersonal service quality (ISQ), visit experience (VE) and perceived switching costs (PSC), were adapted and modified from existing scales. Our results showed that the physician's CSQ and ISQ positively affected patients' loyalty to KMUH. The interaction between the main effects of service quality, patients' VE and three types of switching visit costs, yielded additional insights into the importance of service quality for patient retention. The CSQ of physicians becomes a more important determinant of loyalty than ISQ as patients' VE increases. The importance of CSQ and ISQ increases in relation to PL as the perceived procedural and relational costs of changing care providers increases. Neither CSQ nor ISQ has a reduced relationship with PL as the perceived financial costs of switching hospitals increase. Our study indicates that the impact of CSQ and ISQ on loyalty varies according to the perceived visit costs of changing hospitals and the patients' VE.

  17. Patients' Hand Washing and Reducing Hospital-Acquired Infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haverstick, Stacy; Goodrich, Cara; Freeman, Regi; James, Shandra; Kullar, Rajkiran; Ahrens, Melissa

    2017-06-01

    Hand hygiene is important to prevent hospital-acquired infections. Patients' hand hygiene is just as important as hospital workers' hand hygiene. Hospital-acquired infection rates remain a concern across health centers. To improve patients' hand hygiene through the promotion and use of hand washing with soap and water, hand sanitizer, or both and improve patients' education to reduce hospital-acquired infections. In August 2013, patients in a cardiothoracic postsurgical step-down unit were provided with individual bottles of hand sanitizer. Nurses and nursing technicians provided hand hygiene education to each patient. Patients completed a 6-question survey before the intervention, at hospital discharge and 1, 2, and 3 months after the intervention. Hospital-acquired infection data were tracked monthly by infection prevention staff. Significant correlations were found between hand hygiene and rates of infection with vancomycin-resistant enterococci ( P = .003) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus ( P = .01) after the intervention. After the implementation of hand hygiene interventions, rates of both infections declined significantly and patients reported more staff offering opportunities for and encouraging hand hygiene. This quality improvement project demonstrates that increased hand hygiene compliance by patients can influence infection rates in an adult cardiothoracic step-down unit. The decreased infection rates and increased compliance with hand hygiene among the patients may be attributed to the implementation of patient education and the increased accessibility and use of hand sanitizer. ©2017 American Association of Critical-Care Nurses.

  18. Determining the effects of patient casemix on length of hospital stay: a proportional hazards frailty model approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, A H; Yau, K K

    2001-01-01

    To identify factors associated with hospital length of stay (LOS) and to model variations in LOS within Diagnosis Related Groups (DRGs). A proportional hazards frailty modelling approach is proposed that accounts for patient transfers and the inherent correlation of patients clustered within hospitals. The investigation is based on patient discharge data extracted for a group of obstetrical DRGs. Application of the frailty approach has highlighted several significant factors after adjustment for patient casemix and random hospital effects. In particular, patients admitted for childbirth with private medical insurance coverage have higher risk of prolonged hospitalization compared to public patients. The determination of pertinent factors provides important information to hospital management and clinicians in assessing the risk of prolonged hospitalization. The analysis also enables the comparison of inter-hospital variations across adjacent DRGs.

  19. The effect of financing hospital health care providers through updated Diagnosis Related Groups. Case studies: the municipal hospitals in Romania

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emil OLTEANU

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available In our scientific approach we tried to develop a model with which to highlight the effect of financing hospital health care providers using the hospital 's Diagnosis Related Groups (DRG and Mean Relative Values (MRV. The econometric model used is simple linear regression model form. Development of the model was performed by using the EViews 7 to the municipal hospitals in Romania during 2010 - 2012, being considered DRG dependent variable and independent variables: C and MRV. Analyzing in detail the results recorded by providers following simple regression model is observed that there are units which, although recorded low values in the number of patients discharged, they were able to achieve a relatively high VRM or to contract a level of TAC over average of the entire sample.

  20. [Related factors to re-bleeding and mortality in cirrhotic patients with acute variceal bleeding at Hipolito Unanue Hospital, Lima, Peru].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parra Pérez, Víctor Felipe; Raymundo Cajo, Roxana Magali; Gutiérrez de Aranguren, Constantino Fernando

    2013-01-01

    To determine related factors to 5 days re-bleeding and 6 week-mortality of an episode of variceal bleeding in cirrhotic patients. Observational, descriptive, co relational, retrospective study. In this study were included the cirrhotic patients who entered to Hipolito Unanue Hospital, Lima, Peru, between January 2006 and February 2012 with suspicion of variceal bleeding. Were excluded patients who bled from nonvariceal origin, or that did not have the data in clinical history to calculate the Child Pugh score, the Model for terminal diseases of the liver (MELD), or the endoscopic report detailing the bleeding source and the presence of esophageal and/or gastric varices. We include 63 patients, 35 (55.6%) were men. The median of age was of 64 years. 26 of them (41.3%) were Child Pugh C, where as the median of MELD score was 9. The multivariate analysis found that the Child Pugh score was related to 6 weeks-mortality (p=0,003), where as the presence of active bleeding during endoscopy (p=0.012) and the value of creatinine (p=0.012) were related to 5 days re-bleeding. The Child Pugh score was related to 6 weeks-mortality in cirrhotic patients with variceal bleeding. Active bleeding during endoscopy and the value of creatinine were related to 5 days re-bleeding.

  1. Preferences for photographic art among hospitalized patients with cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hanson, Hazel; Schroeter, Kathryn; Hanson, Andrew; Asmus, Kathryn; Grossman, Azure

    2013-07-01

    To determine the preferences of patients with cancer for viewing photographic art in an inpatient hospital setting and to evaluate the impact of viewing photographic art. Quantitative, exploratory, single-group, post-test descriptive design incorporating qualitative survey questions. An academic medical center in the midwestern United States. 80 men (n = 44) and women (n = 36) aged 19-85 years (X = 49) and hospitalized for cancer treatment. Participants viewed photographs via computers and then completed a five-instrument electronic survey. Fatigue, quality of life, performance status, perceptions of distraction and restoration, and content categories of photographs. Ninety-six percent of participants enjoyed looking at the study photographs. The photographs they preferred most often were lake sunset (76%), rocky river (66%), and autumn waterfall (66%). The most rejected photographs were amusement park (54%), farmer's market vegetable table (51%), and kayakers (49%). The qualitative categories selected were landscape (28%), animals (15%), people (14%), entertainment (10%), imagery (10%), water (7%), spiritual (7%), flowers (6%), and landmark (3%). Some discrepancy between the quantitative and qualitative sections may be related to participants considering water to be a landscape. The hypothesis that patients' preferences for a category of photographic art are affected by the psychophysical and psychological qualities of the photographs, as well as the patients' moods and characteristics, was supported. Nurses can play an active role in helping patients deal with the challenges of long hospital stays and life-threatening diagnoses through distraction and restoration interventions such as viewing photographic images of nature. Nurses can use photographic imagery to provide a restorative intervention during the hospital experience. Photographic art can be used as a distraction from the hospital stay and the uncertainty of a cancer diagnosis. Having patients view

  2. Designated Stroke Center Status and Hospital Characteristics as Predictors of In-Hospital Mortality among Hemorrhagic Stroke Patients in New York, 2008-2012.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gatollari, Hajere J; Colello, Anna; Eisenberg, Bonnie; Brissette, Ian; Luna, Jorge; Elkind, Mitchell S V; Willey, Joshua Z

    2017-01-01

    Although designated stroke centers (DSCs) improve the quality of care and clinical outcomes for ischemic stroke patients, less is known about the benefits of DSCs for patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Compared to non-DSCs, hospitals with the DSC status have lower in-hospital mortality rates for hemorrhagic stroke patients. We believed these effects would sustain over a period of time after adjusting for hospital-level characteristics, including hospital size, urban location, and teaching status. We evaluated ICH (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision; ICD-9: 431) and SAH (ICD-9: 430) hospitalizations documented in the 2008-2012 New York State Department of Health Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System inpatient sample database. Generalized estimating equation logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between DSC status and in-hospital mortality. We calculated ORs and 95% CIs adjusted for clustering of patients within facilities, other hospital characteristics, and individual level characteristics. Planned secondary analyses explored other hospital characteristics associated with in-hospital mortality. In 6,352 ICH and 3,369 SAH patients in the study sample, in-hospital mortality was higher among those with ICH compared to SAH (23.7 vs. 18.5%). Unadjusted analyses revealed that DSC status was related with reduced mortality for both ICH (OR 0.7, 95% CI 0.5-0.8) and SAH patients (OR 0.4, 95% CI 0.3-0.7). DSC remained a significant predictor of lower in-hospital mortality for SAH patients (OR 0.6, 95% CI 0.3-0.9) but not for ICH patients (OR 0.8, 95% CI 0.6-1.0) after adjusting for patient demographic characteristics, comorbidities, hospital size, teaching status and location. Admission to a DSC was independently associated with reduced in-hospital mortality for SAH patients but not for those with ICH. Other patient and hospital characteristics may explain the benefits of DSC

  3. Why patients may not exercise their choice when referred for hospital care. An exploratory study based on interviews with patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Victoor, Aafke; Delnoij, Diana; Friele, Roland; Rademakers, Jany

    2016-06-01

    Various north-western European health-care systems encourage patients to make an active choice of health-care provider. This study explores, qualitatively, patients' hospital selection processes and provides insight into the reasons why patients do or do not make active choices. Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with 142 patients in two departments of three Dutch hospitals. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed in accordance with the grounded theory approach. Three levels of choice activation were identified - passive, semi-active and active. The majority of the patients, however, visited the default hospital without having used quality information or considered alternatives. Various factors relating to patient, provider and health-care system characteristics were identified that influenced patients' level of choice activation. On the whole, the patients interviewed could be classified into five types with regard to how they chose, or 'ended up at' a hospital. These types varied from patients who did not have a choice to patients who made an active choice. A large variation exists in the way patients choose a hospital. However, most patients tend to visit the default without being concerned about choice. Generally, they do not see any reason to choose another hospital. In addition, barriers exist to making choices. The idea of a patient who actively makes a choice originates from neoclassical microeconomic theory. However, policy makers may try in vain to bring principles originating from this theory into health care. Even so, patients do value the opportunity of attending 'their' own hospital. © 2014 The Authors Health Expectations Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  4. Nursing dependency, diagnosis-related groups, and length of hospital stay

    OpenAIRE

    Halloran, Edward J.; Kiley, Marylou

    1987-01-01

    Most efforts to modify the diagnosis-related group (DRG) case classification system focus on variables related to medical management. In this study, we investigated the separate but related natures of medicine and nursing by examining 1,288 adult medical and surgical patients in an urban teaching hospital. The complexity of medical treatment was measured by use of the DRG relative cost weight. The nursing indicator was derived from a set of nursing diagnoses. We found that the DRG cost weight...

  5. Recurrent spine surgery patients in hospital administrative database

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Sami Walid

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Hospital patient databases are typically used by administrative staff to estimate loss-profit ratios and to help with the allocation of hospital resources. These databases can also be very useful in following rehospitalization. This paper studies the recurrence of spine surgery patients in our hospital population based on administrative data analysis. Methods: Hospital data on 4,958 spine surgery patients operated between 2002 and 2009 were retrospectively reviewed. After sorting the cohort per ascending discharge date, the patient official name, consisting of first, middle and last names, was used as the variable determining duplicate cases in the SPSS statistical program, designating the first case in each group as primary. Yearly recurrence rate and change in procedure distribution were studied. In addition, hospital charges and length of stay were compared using the Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test. Results: Of 4,958 spine surgery patients 364 (7.3% were categorized as duplicate cases by SPSS. The number of primary cases from which duplicate cases emerged was 327 meaning that some patients had more than two spine surgeries. Among primary patients (N=327 the percentage of excision of intervertebral disk procedures was 33.3% and decreased to 15.1% in recurrent admissions of the same patients (N=364. This decrease was compensated by an increase in lumbar fusion procedures. On the other hand, the rate of cervical fusion remained the same. The difference in hospital charges between primary and duplicate patients was $2,234 for diskectomy, $6,319 for anterior cervical fusion, $8,942 for lumbar fusion – lateral technique, and $12,525 for lumbar fusion – posterior technique. Recurrent patients also stayed longer in hospital, up to 0.9 day in lumbar fusion – posterior technique patients. Conclusion: Spine surgery is associated with an increasing possibility of additional spine surgery with rising invasiveness and cost.

  6. Racial Disparity in Duration of Patient Visits to the Emergency Department: Teaching Versus Non-teaching Hospitals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zynal Karaca

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: The sources of racial disparity in duration of patients’ visits to emergency departments (EDs have not been documented well enough for policymakers to distinguish patient-related factors from hospital- or area-related factors. This study explores the racial disparity in duration of routine visits to EDs at teaching and non-teaching hospitals.Methods: We performed retrospective data analyses and multivariate regression analyses to investigate the racial disparity in duration of routine ED visits at teaching and non-teaching hospitals. The Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP State Emergency Department Databases (SEDD were used in the analyses. The data include 4.3 million routine ED visits encountered in Arizona, Massachusetts, and Utah during 2008. We computed duration for each visit by taking the difference between admission and discharge times.Results: The mean duration for a routine ED visit was 238 minutes at teaching hospitals and 175 minutes at non-teaching hospitals. There were significant variations in duration of routine ED visits across race groups at teaching and non-teaching hospitals. The risk-adjusted results show that the mean duration of routine ED visits for Black/African American and Asian patients when compared to visits for white patients was shorter by 10.0 and 3.4%, respectively, at teaching hospitals; and longer by 3.6 and 13.8%, respectively, at non-teaching hospitals. Hispanic patients, on average, experienced 8.7% longer ED stays when compared to white patients at non-teaching hospitals.Conclusion: There is significant racial disparity in the duration of routine ED visits, especially in non-teaching hospitals where non-White patients experience longer ED stays compared to white patients. The variation in duration of routine ED visits at teaching hospitals when compared to non-teaching hospitals was smaller across race groups. [West J Emerg Med. 2013;14(5:529–541.

  7. Hospital dental practice in special patients

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silvestre-Rangil, Javier; Espín-Gálvez, Fernando

    2014-01-01

    Dental patients with special needs are people with different systemic diseases, multiple disorders or severe physical and/or mental disabilities. A Medline search was made, yielding a total of 29 articles that served as the basis for this study, which offers a brief description of the dental intervention protocols in medically compromised patients. Dental treatment in patients with special needs, whether presenting medical problems or disabilities, is sometimes complex. For this reason the hospital should be regarded as the ideal setting for the care of these individuals. Before starting any dental intervention, a correct patient evaluation is needed, based on a correct anamnesis, medical records and interconsultation reports, and with due assessment of the medical risks involved. The hospital setting offers the advantage of access to electronic medical records and to data referred to any complementary tests that may have been made, and we moreover have the possibility of performing treatments under general anesthesia. In this context, ambulatory major surgery is the best approach when considering general anesthesia in patients of this kind. Key words:Hospital dentistry, special patients, medically compromised patients. PMID:24121921

  8. US hospital care for patients with HIV infection and pneumonia: the role of public, private, and Veterans Affairs hospitals in the early highly active antiretroviral therapy era.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uphold, Constance R; Deloria-Knoll, Maria; Palella, Frank J; Parada, Jorge P; Chmiel, Joan S; Phan, Laura; Bennett, Charles L

    2004-02-01

    We evaluated differences in processes and outcomes of HIV-related pneumonia care among patients in Veterans Affairs (VA), public, and for-profit and not-for-profit private hospitals in the United States. We compared the results of our current study (1995 to 1997) with those of our previous study that included a sample of patients receiving care during the years 1987 to 1990 to determine how HIV-related pneumonia care had evolved over the last decade. The sample consisted of 1,231 patients with HIV infection who received care for Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) and 750 patients with HIV infection who received care for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) during the years 1995 to 1997. We conducted a retrospective medical record review and evaluated patient and hospital characteristics, HIV-related processes of care (timely use of anti-PCP medications, adjunctive corticosteroids), non-HIV-related processes of care (timely use of CAP treatment medications, diagnostic testing, ICU utilization, rates of endotracheal ventilation, placement on respiratory isolation), length of inpatient hospital stay, and inpatient mortality. Rates of timely use of antibiotics and adjunctive corticosteroids for treating PCP were high and improved dramatically from the prior decade. However, compliance with consensus guidelines that recommend public, private not-for-profit hospitals, and for-profit hospitals. This study provides the first overview of HIV-related pneumonia care in the early highly active antiretroviral therapy era, and contrasts current findings with those of a similarly conducted study from a decade earlier. Quality of care for patients with PCP improved, but further efforts are needed to facilitate the appropriate management of CAP. In the third decade of the epidemic, it will be important to monitor whether variations in processes of care for various HIV-related clinical diagnoses among different types of hospitals persist.

  9. Nosocomial infections and related factors in southern khorasan hospitals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bita Bijari

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Background and Aim: Nosocomial infections are defined as infections occurring during a patient's stay at hospital (48-72h after admission.Nosocomial infections are one of the important problems of health. This study aimed was determine the prevalence of nosocomial infections, and related factors in hospitals with more than 100 beds in south Khorasan Province. Materials and Methods: In this crass-sectional study, an investigator-administered questionnaire was completed for each patient with nosocomial infections diagnosis in hospitals with more than 100 beds in South Khorasan. This questionnaire conation demographic characteristic of patients, department, duration of admission, kind of pathogen and risk factors that was designed according to standard questionnaire of Iranian Nasocomial infections surveillance system (INIS of Center for communicable Disease Control, Ministry of Health. Data were analyzed with SPSS 16 software. Results and discussion: Number of patients with nosocomial infection was 358. The incidence of nosocomial infection was 0.9%. ICU had the highest incidence rate (17.3%. The most common nosocomial infection was pneumonia (43%, and urinary tract infection (UTI (15.1%. In 33.5% culture result were negative. In other cases, culture results showed klebsiella spp. (12.8% and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (9.8% were the most prevalent bacteria. Most factors associated with nosocomial infection in patients were urinary catheters (70.4%, suction (66.8% and tracheal tube (54.2%. 24% of patients expired. The results showed lower ratio of nosocomial infection, that the main reason is failure to detection and reporting of actual cases of nosocomial infection. Promoting detection and reporting system for Prevention and control of nosocomial infection was recommended

  10. Malnutrition in hospitalized patients: results from La Rioja.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martín Palmero, Ángela; Serrano Pérez, Andra; Chinchetru Ranedo, Mª José; Cámara Balda, Alejandro; Martínez de Salinas Santamarí, Mª Ángeles; Villar García, Gonzalo; Marín Lizárraga, Mª Del Mar

    2017-03-30

    There is a high malnutrition prevalence in hospitalized patients. To determine the malnutrition prevalence in hospitalized patients of La Rioja Community (Spain) when evaluated with different screening/ evaluation tools and its relationship with hospital stay and mortality. Cross sectional observational study of hospitalized adult patients (age > 18 years old) from medical and surgical departments that underwent within 72 h of their admission a nutritional screening with Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST), Nutritional Risk Screening (NRS) 2002, Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) y Subjective Global Assessment (SGA). 384 patients (273 medical and 111 surgical) were evaluated. Almost fifty percent of them were considered malnourished independently of the screening/assessment tool used. High concordance was found between SGA and NRS-2002 (k = 0.758). Malnourished patients had a longer hospital stay than those well-nourished (9.29 vs. 7.10 days; p = 0.002), used a greater number of medicines (9.2 vs. 7.4; p = 0.001) and underwent a higher number of diagnostic tests (16.4 vs. 12.5; p = 0,002). Half of the hospitalized patients in the medical and surgical department of La Rioja are malnourished. This is associated with a longer hospital stay, higher use of medicines, diagnostics tests and greater mortality. Malnutrition could be detected with easy screening tools to treat it appropriately.

  11. Nationwide time trends and risk factors for in-hospital falls-related major injuries

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jorgensen, T. S. H.; Hansen, A. H.; Sahlberg, M.

    2015-01-01

    BackgroundAccidental falls during hospitalisation have a range of complications and more information is needed to improve prevention. We investigated patterns of in-hospital fall-related major injuries in the period 2000-2012 and the association between chronic conditions and in-hospital fall......-related major injuries. MethodsUsing administrative databases, patients aged 65+ years with in-hospital falls causing fractures or head injuries with need for surgery or intensive observation were identified as cases and were individually matched with five controls. Joinpoint regression was used to examine time...... trends and conditional logistic regression was used to analyse odds ratio (OR) for in-hospital falls-related major injuries according to a range of comorbidities. ResultsFour thousand seven hundred and fifty-four cases were identified from 2000 to 2012 and the most common injury was femur fracture (61...

  12. Prognostic Importance of Low Admission Serum Creatinine Concentration for Mortality in Hospitalized Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thongprayoon, Charat; Cheungpasitporn, Wisit; Kittanamongkolchai, Wonngarm; Harrison, Andrew M; Kashani, Kianoush

    2017-05-01

    The study objective was to assess the association between low serum creatinine value at admission and in-hospital mortality in hospitalized patients. This was a retrospective single-center cohort study conducted at a tertiary referral hospital. All hospitalized adult patients between 2011 and 2013 who had an admission creatinine value available were identified for inclusion in this study. Admission creatinine value was categorized into 7 groups: ≤0.4, 0.5 to 0.6, 0.7 to 0.8, 0.9 to 1.0, 1.1 to 1.2, 1.3 to 1.4, and ≥1.5 mg/dL. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Logistic regression analysis was performed to obtain the odds ratio of in-hospital mortality for the various admission creatinine levels, using a creatinine value of 0.7 to 0.8 mg/dL as the reference group in the analysis of all patients and female patients and of 0.9 to 1.0 mg/dL in the analysis of male patients because it was associated with the lowest in-hospital mortality. Of 73,994 included patients, 973 (1.3%) died in the hospital. The association between different categories of admission creatinine value and in-hospital mortality assumed a U-shaped distribution, with both low and high creatinine values associated with higher in-hospital mortality. After adjustment for age, sex, ethnicity, principal diagnosis, and comorbid conditions, very low creatinine value (≤0.4 mg/dL) was significantly associated with increased mortality (odds ratio, 3.29; 95% confidence interval, 2.08-5.00), exceeding the risk related to a markedly increased creatinine value of ≥1.5 mg/dL (odds ratio, 2.56; 95% confidence interval, 2.07-3.17). The association remained significant in the subgroup analysis of male and female patients. Low creatinine value at admission is independently associated with increased in-hospital mortality in hospitalized patients. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Perceptions of patient-centred care at public hospitals in Nelson ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    In South Africa, the quality of health care is directly related to the concept of patientcentred care and the enactment of the Batho Pele Principles and the Patients' Rights Charter. Reports in the media indicate that public hospitals in the Eastern Cape Province are on the brink of collapse, with many patients being treated in ...

  14. Management of Parenteral Nutrition in Hospitalized Adult Patients [Formula: see text].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mundi, Manpreet S; Nystrom, Erin M; Hurley, Daniel L; McMahon, M Molly

    2017-05-01

    Despite the high prevalence of malnutrition in adult hospitalized patients, surveys continue to report that many clinicians are undertrained in clinical nutrition, making targeted nutrition education for clinicians essential for best patient care. Clinical practice models also continue to evolve, with more disciplines prescribing parenteral nutrition (PN) or managing the cases of patients who are receiving it, further adding to the need for proficiency in general PN skills. This tutorial focuses on the daily management of adult hospitalized patients already receiving PN and reviews the following topics: (1) PN basics, including the determination of energy and volume requirements; (2) PN macronutrient content (protein, dextrose, and intravenous fat emulsion); (3) PN micronutrient content (electrolytes, minerals, vitamins, and trace elements); (4) alteration of PN for special situations, such as obesity, hyperglycemia, hypertriglyceridemia, refeeding, and hepatic/renal disease; (5) daily monitoring and adjustment of PN formula; and (6) PN-related complications (PN-associated liver disease and catheter-related complications).

  15. Perceptions of patient-centred care at public hospitals in Nelson Mandela Bay

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sihaam Jardien-Baboo

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available In South Africa, the quality of health care is directly related to the concept of patient-centred care and the enactment of the Batho Pele Principles and the Patients' Rights Charter. Reports in the media indicate that public hospitals in the Eastern Cape Province are on the brink of collapse, with many patients being treated in condemned hospitals which lacked piped water, electricity and essential medical equipment. Receiving quality care, and principally patient-centred care, in the face of such challenges is unlikely and consequently leads to the following question: “Are patients receiving patient-centred care in public hospitals?” A qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual study was conducted to explore and describe the perceptions of professional nurses regarding patient-centred care in public hospitals in Nelson Mandela Bay. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a total of 40 purposively selected professional nurses working in public hospitals in Nelson Mandela Bay, Eastern Cape Province. Interviews were analysed according to the method described by Tesch in Creswell (2009:192. Professional nurses perceive patient-centred care as an awareness of the importance of the patient's culture, involving the patient's family, incorporating values of love and respect, optimal communication in all facets of patient care and accountability to the patient. Factors which enable patient-centred care were a positive work environment for staff, nursing manager's demonstrating exemplary professional leadership, continuous in service education for staff and collaborative teamwork within the interdisciplinary team. Barriers to patient-centred care were a lack of adequate resources, increased administrative work due to fear of litigation and unprofessional behaviour of nursing staff.

  16. Implementation of evidence into practice for cancer-related fatigue management of hospitalized adult patients using the PARIHS framework.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Li Tian

    Full Text Available This study aimed to explore an evidence-based nursing practice model of CRF management in hospitalized adult patients using the PARIHS evidence-implementation framework as the theoretical structure to provide guidance for similar nursing practices. The implementation of guideline evidence into clinical practice was conducted on the oncology and radiotherapy wards of a university-affiliated hospital. The process of integrating the guideline into the symptom management system of cancer patients was described. The impact of the evidence implementation was evaluated from three aspects: organizational innovations and outcome measures associated with nurses and with patients pre- and post-evidence implementation. During the implementation of evidence into practice on the wards, a nursing process, health education, a quality control sheet and CRF training courses were established. Through this implementation, compliance with evidence related to CRF increased significantly on the two wards, with that of ward B being higher than that of ward A. Regarding nursing outcomes, nursing knowledge, attitude and behavior scores with respect to CRF nursing care increased substantially after its application on the two wards, and the ward B nurses' scoring was higher than that of the ward A nurses. Qualitative analysis concerning the nurses suggested that leadership, patient concern about CRF management, and the need for professional development were the main motivators of the application, whereas the shortage and mobility of nursing human resources and insufficient communication between doctors and nurses were the main barriers. Additionally, most nurses felt more professional and confident about their work. Regarding patient outcomes, patient knowledge, attitude and behavior scores regarding CRF self-management increased significantly. Patients' post-implementation CRF was alleviated compared with the pre-implementation treatment cycle. The PARIHS framework may

  17. Assessing medication adherence and healthcare utilization and cost patterns among hospital-discharged patients with schizoaffective disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karve, Sudeep; Markowitz, Michael; Fu, Dong-Jing; Lindenmayer, Jean-Pierre; Wang, Chi-Chuan; Candrilli, Sean D; Alphs, Larry

    2014-06-01

    Hospital-discharged patients with schizoaffective disorder have a high risk of re-hospitalization. However, limited data exist evaluating critical post-discharge periods during which the risk of re-hospitalization is significant. Among hospital-discharged patients with schizoaffective disorder, we assessed pharmacotherapy adherence and healthcare utilization and costs during sequential 60-day clinical periods before schizoaffective disorder-related hospitalization and post-hospital discharge. From the MarketScan(®) Medicaid database (2004-2008), we identified patients (≥18 years) with a schizoaffective disorder-related inpatient admission. Study measures including medication adherence and healthcare utilization and costs were assessed during sequential preadmission and post-discharge periods. We conducted univariate and multivariable regression analyses to compare schizoaffective disorder-related and all-cause healthcare utilization and costs (in 2010 US dollars) between each adjacent 60-day post-discharge periods. No adjustment was made for multiplicity. We identified 1,193 hospital-discharged patients with a mean age of 41 years. The mean medication adherence rate was 46% during the 60-day period prior to index inpatient admission, which improved to 80% during the 60-day post-discharge period. Following hospital discharge, schizoaffective disorder-related healthcare costs were significantly greater during the initial 60-day period compared with the 61- to 120-day post-discharge period (mean US$2,370 vs US$1,765; p schizoaffective disorder-related costs declined during the 61- to 120-day post-discharge period and remained stable for the remaining post-discharge periods (days 121-365). We observed considerably lower (46%) adherence during 60 days prior to the inpatient admission; in comparison, adherence for the overall 6-month period was 8% (54%) higher. Our study findings suggest that both short-term (e.g., 60 days) and long-term (e.g., 6-12 months) medication

  18. Nurses' perceptions of patient safety culture in Jordanian hospitals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khater, W A; Akhu-Zaheya, L M; Al-Mahasneh, S I; Khater, R

    2015-03-01

    Patients' safety culture is a key aspect in determining healthcare organizations' ability to address and reduce risks of patients. Nurses play a major role in patients' safety because they are accountable for direct and continuous patient care. There is little known information about patients' safety culture in Jordanian hospitals, particularly from the perspective of healthcare providers. The study aimed to assess patient safety culture in Jordanian hospitals from nurses' perspective. A cross-sectional, descriptive design was utilized. A total number of 658 nurses participated in the current study. Data were collected using an Arabic version of the hospital survey of patients' safety culture. Teamwork within unit dimensions had a high positive response, and was perceived by nurses to be the only strong suit in Jordanian hospitals. Areas that required improvement, as perceived by nurses, are as follows: communication openness, staffing, handoff and transition, non-punitive responses to errors, and teamwork across units. Regression analysis revealed factors, from nurses' perspectives, that influenced patients' safety culture in Jordanian hospital. Factors included age, total years of experience, working in university hospitals, utilizing evidence-based practice and working in hospitals that consider patient safety to be a priority. Participants in this study were limited to nurses. Therefore, there is a need to assess patient safety culture from other healthcare providers' perspectives. Moreover, the use of a self-reported questionnaire introduced the social desirability biases. The current study provides insight into how nurses perceive patient safety culture. Results of this study have revealed that there is a need to replace the traditional culture of shame/blame with a non-punitive culture. Study results implied that improving patient safety culture requires a fundamental transformation of nurses' work environment. New policies to improve collaboration between

  19. Social and hospital costs of patients admitted to a university hospital in Brazil due to motorcycle crashes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dos Anjos, Katia Campos; de Rezende, Marcelo Rosa; Mattar, Rames

    2017-08-18

    This study aimed to investigate the social and hospital costs of patients treated at a public hospital who were motorcycle crash victims. This prospective study was on 68 motorcycle riders (drivers or passengers), who were followed up from hospital admission to 6 months after the crash. A questionnaire covering quantitative and qualitative questions was administered. Motorcycle crash victims were responsible for 12% of the institution's hospital admissions; 54.4% were young (18-28 years of age); 92.6% were the drivers; 91.2% were male; and 50% used their motorcycles as daily means of transportation. Six months afterward, 94.1% needed help from someone; 83.8% had changed their family dynamics; and 73.5% had not returned to their professional activities. Among the injuries, 94.7% had some type of fracture, of which 53.5% were exposed fractures; 35.3% presented temporary sequelae; and 32.4% presented permanent sequelae. They used the surgical center 2.53 times on average, with a mean hospital stay of 18 days. The per capita hospital cost of these victims' treatment was US$17,481.50. The social and hospital costs were high, relative to the characteristics of a public institution. Temporary or permanent disability caused changes to family dynamics, as shown by the high numbers of patients who were still away from their professional activities more than 6 months afterward.

  20. Identification of relevant ICF categories by patients in the acute hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grill, Eva; Huber, Erika Omega; Stucki, Gerold; Herceg, Malvina; Fialka-Moser, Veronika; Quittan, Michael

    To describe functioning and health of patients in the acute hospital and to identify the most common problems using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). Cross-sectional survey in a convenience sample of neurological, musculoskeletal and cardiopulmonary patients requiring rehabilitation in the acute hospital. The second level categories of the ICF were used to collect information on patients' problems. For the ICF components Body Functions, Body Structures and Activities and Participation absolute and relative frequencies of impairments/limitations in the study population were reported. For the component Environmental Factors absolute and relative frequencies of perceived barriers or facilitators were reported. The mean age in the sample was 57.6 years with a median age of 60.5, 49% of the patients were female. In 101 patients with neurological conditions, 115 ICF categories had a prevalence of 30% and more: 32 categories of Body Functions, 13 categories of Body Structures, 32 categories of Activities and Participation and 38 categories of Environmental Factors. In 105 patients with cardiopulmonary conditions, 80 categories had a prevalence of 30% and more: 36 categories of Body Functions, eight categories of Body Structures, 10 categories of Activities and Participation and 26 categories of Environmental Factors. In 90 patients with musculoskeletal conditions, 61 categories had a prevalence of 30% and more: 14 categories of Body Functions, five categories of Body Structures, 16 categories of Activities and Participation and 26 categories of Environmental Factors. This study is a first step towards the development of ICF Core Sets for patients in the acute hospital.

  1. Building patient-centeredness: hospital design as an interpretive act.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bromley, Elizabeth

    2012-09-01

    Hospital designs reflect the sociocultural, economic, professional, and aesthetic priorities prevalent at a given time. As such, hospital buildings concretize assumptions about illness, care and healing, patienthood, and medical providers' roles. Trends in hospital design have been attributed to the increasing influence of consumerism on healthcare, the influx of business-oriented managers, and technological changes. This paper describes the impact of the concept of patient-centeredness on the design of a new hospital in the USA. Data come from 35 interviews with planners, administrators, and designers of the new hospital, as well as from public documents about the hospital design. Thematic content analysis was used to identify salient design principles and intents. For these designers, administrators, and planners, an interpretation of patient-centeredness served as a heuristic, guiding the most basic decisions about space, people, and processes in the hospital. I detail the particular interpretation of patient-centeredness used to build and manage the new hospital space and the roles and responsibilities of providers working within it. Three strategies were central to the implementation of patient-centeredness: an onstage/offstage layout; a concierge approach to patients; and the scripting of communication. I discuss that this interpretation of patient-centeredness may challenge medical professionals' roles, may construct medical care as a product that should sate the patient's desire, and may distance patients from the realities of medical care. By describing the ways in which hospital designs reflect and reinforce contemporary concepts of patienthood and caring, this paper raises questions about the implementation of patient-centeredness that deserve further empirical study by medical social scientists. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Evaluation of factors influencing patient satisfaction in social security hospitals in Mazandaran province, North of Iran.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jafari Kelarijani, Seyed Ebrahim; Jamshidi, Reza; Heidarian, Ali Reza; Khorshidi, Mohamad

    2014-01-01

    Patient satisfaction is affected by hospital services and may have an effect on the cultural, social and personal conditions of the people living in the region. This research aimed to evaluate the patient satisfaction in social security hospitals in Mazandaran province. From Spring 2012 to Summer 2013, all patients admitted to social security hospitals in Mazandaran province were entered in the study. Data regarding to inhabitation, sex, income and patients' educational level and satisfaction with the hospital services were collected. Seven hundred seventy-six patients with mean age of 47.35±7.41 years were analyzed. Patient's inhabitant, educational attainment and income level had a significant relationship with patient satisfaction level (ppatients' gender. The results show that the patient's inhabitant, educational and income level are related to attain patients' satisfaction.

  3. What is the impact of a clinically related readmission measure on the assessment of hospital performance?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khouri, Roger K; Hou, Hechuan; Dhir, Apoorv; Andino, Juan J; Dupree, James M; Miller, David C; Ellimoottil, Chad

    2017-11-28

    The Hospital Readmission Reduction Program (HRRP) penalizes hospitals for high all-cause unplanned readmission rates. Many have expressed concern that hospitals serving patient populations with more comorbidities, lower incomes, and worse self-reported health status may be disproportionately penalized by readmissions that are not clinically related to the index admission. The impact of including clinically unrelated readmissions on hospital performance is largely unknown. We sought to determine if a clinically related readmission measure would significantly alter the assessment of hospital performance. We analyzed Medicare claims for beneficiaries in Michigan admitted for pneumonia and joint replacement from 2011 to 2013. We compared each hospital's 30-day readmission rate using specifications from the HRRP's all-cause unplanned readmission measure to values calculated using a clinically related readmission measure. We found that the mean 30-day readmission rates were lower when calculated using the clinically related readmission measure (joint replacement: all-cause 5.8%, clinically related 4.9%, p impact hospital performance in the HRRP.

  4. Prevalence of Risk Factors for the Refeeding Syndrome in Older Hospitalized Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pourhassan, M; Cuvelier, I; Gehrke, I; Marburger, C; Modreker, M K; Volkert, D; Willschrei, H P; Wirth, R

    2018-01-01

    The incidence of refeeding syndrome (RFS) in older patients is not well-known. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of known risk factors for RFS in older individuals during hospitalization at geriatric hospital departments. 342 consecutive older participants (222 females) who admitted at acute geriatric hospital wards were included in a cross-sectional study. We applied the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) criteria for determining patients at risk of RFS. In addition, Mini Nutritional Assessment Short Form (MNA®-SF) was used to identify patients at risk of malnutrition. Weight and height were assessed. The degree of weight loss was obtained by interview. Serum phosphate, magnesium, potassium, sodium, calcium, creatinine and urea were analyzed according to standard procedures. Of 342 older participants included in the study (mean age 83.1 ± 6.8, BMI range of 14.7-43.6 kg/m2), 239 (69.9%) were considered to be at risk of RFS, in which 43.5% and 11.7% were at risk of malnutrition and malnourished, respectively, according to MNA-SF. Patients in the risk group had significantly higher weight loss, lower phosphate and magnesium levels. In a multivariate logistic regression analysis, low levels of phosphate and magnesium followed by weight loss were the major risk factors for fulfilling the NICE criteria. The incidence of risk factors for RFS was relatively high in older individuals acutely admitted in geriatric hospital units, suggesting that, RFS maybe more frequent among older persons than we are aware of. Patients with low serum levels of phosphate and magnesium and higher weight loss are at increased risk of RFS. The clinical characteristics of the older participants at risk of RFS indicate that these patients had a relatively poor nutritional status which can help us better understand the potential scale of RFS on admission or during the hospital stay.

  5. [Analysis of drug-related problems in a tertiary university hospital in Barcelona (Spain)].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferrández, Olivia; Casañ, Borja; Grau, Santiago; Louro, Javier; Salas, Esther; Castells, Xavier; Sala, Maria

    2018-05-07

    To describe drug-related problems identified in hospitalized patients and to assess physicians' acceptance rate of pharmacists' recommendations. Retrospective observational study that included all drug-related problems detected in hospitalized patients during 2014-2015. Statistical analysis included a descriptive analysis of the data and a multivariate logistic regression to evaluate the association between pharmacists' recommendation acceptance rate and the variable of interest. During the study period 4587 drug-related problems were identified in 44,870 hospitalized patients. Main drug-related problems were prescription errors due to incorrect use of the computerized physician order entry (18.1%), inappropriate drug-drug combination (13.3%) and dose adjustment by renal and/or hepatic function (11.5%). Acceptance rate of pharmacist therapy advice in evaluable cases was 81.0%. Medical versus surgical admitting department, specific types of intervention (addition of a new drug, drug discontinuation and correction of a prescription error) and oral communication of the recommendation were associated with a higher acceptance rate. The results of this study allow areas to be identified on which to implement optimization strategies. These include training courses for physicians on the computerized physician order entry, on drugs that need dose adjustment with renal impairment, and on relevant drug interactions. Copyright © 2018 SESPAS. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  6. How to govern physician-hospital exchanges: contractual and relational issues in Belgian hospitals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trybou, Jeroen; Gemmel, Paul; Annemans, Lieven

    2014-07-01

    Our aim was to investigate contractual mechanisms in physician-hospital exchanges. The concepts of risk-sharing and the nature of physician-hospital exchanges - transactional versus relational - were studied. Two qualitative case studies were performed in Belgium. Hospital executives and physicians were interviewed to develop an in-depth understanding of contractual and relational issues that shape physician-hospital contracting in acute care hospitals. The underlying theoretical concepts of agency theory and social exchange theory were used to analyse the data. Our study found that physician-hospital contracting is highly complex. The contract is far more than an economic instrument governing financial aspects. The effect of the contract on the nature of exchange - whether transactional or relational - also needs to be considered. While it can be argued that contractual governance methods are increasingly necessary to overcome the difficulties that arise from the fragmented payment framework by aligning incentives and sharing financial risk, they undermine the necessary relational governance. Relational qualities such as mutual trust and an integrative view on physician-hospital exchanges are threatened, and may be difficult to sustain, given the current fragmentary payment framework. Since health care policy makers are increasing the financial risk borne by health care providers, it can be argued that this also increases the need to share financial risk and to align incentives between physician and hospital. However, our study demonstrates that while economic alignment is important in determining physician-hospital contracts, the corresponding impact on working relationships should also be considered. Moreover, it is important to avoid a relationship between hospital and physician predominantly characterized by transactional exchanges thereby fostering an unhealthy us-and-them divide and mentality. Relational exchange is a valuable alternative to contractual

  7. Electronic health record use, intensity of hospital care, and patient outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blecker, Saul; Goldfeld, Keith; Park, Naeun; Shine, Daniel; Austrian, Jonathan S; Braithwaite, R Scott; Radford, Martha J; Gourevitch, Marc N

    2014-03-01

    Previous studies have suggested that weekend hospital care is inferior to weekday care and that this difference may be related to diminished care intensity. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a metric for measuring intensity of hospital care based on use of the electronic health record was associated with patient-level outcomes. We performed a cohort study of hospitalizations at an academic medical center. Intensity of care was defined as the hourly number of provider accessions of the electronic health record, termed "electronic health record interactions." Hospitalizations were categorized on the basis of the mean difference in electronic health record interactions between the first Friday and the first Saturday of hospitalization. We used regression models to determine the association of these categories with patient outcomes after adjusting for covariates. Electronic health record interactions decreased from Friday to Saturday in 77% of the 9051 hospitalizations included in the study. Compared with hospitalizations with no change in Friday to Saturday electronic health record interactions, the relative lengths of stay for hospitalizations with a small, moderate, and large decrease in electronic health record interactions were 1.05 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.00-1.10), 1.11 (95% CI, 1.05-1.17), and 1.25 (95% CI, 1.15-1.35), respectively. Although a large decrease in electronic health record interactions was associated with in-hospital mortality, these findings were not significant after risk adjustment (odds ratio 1.74, 95% CI, 0.93-3.25). Intensity of inpatient care, measured by electronic health record interactions, significantly diminished from Friday to Saturday, and this decrease was associated with length of stay. Hospitals should consider monitoring and correcting temporal fluctuations in care intensity. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. The role of expectations in patients' hospital assessments: a Turkish university hospital example.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bakar, Coskun; Akgün, H Seval; Al Assaf, A F

    2008-01-01

    This paper aims to conduct a preliminary assessment of patient attitudes regarding important aspects of service dimensions using SERVQUAL. The SERVQUAL scale is routinely used at the Baskent University Hospitals Network, Turkey. The study consisted of 550 randomly chosen patients who presented to any member of the hospital network during January and February 2006 and received treatment as inpatients or outpatients at those healthcare facilities. The patients' perceived scores were higher than expected for an ordinary hospital but lower than expected for a high-quality hospital. Young patients had a high-expected service score gap and a low adequate service score difference. Highly educated patients had a high-expected service score difference. Uninsured patients had a low adequate service score difference. Baskent University multidisciplinary healthcare teams have performed periodic patient satisfaction surveys in order to identify strengths and problem areas, formulate the quality improvement objectives and monitor progress towards achieving these objectives. However, patient satisfaction survey results are often highly positive. In these cases, improving care is not easy because measures are not sensitive enough to changes. Therefore a more sensitive measurement tool based on the SERVQUAL scale was developed. The authors believe that patient opinions are extremely important because they provide information that is not necessarily emphasized by managers or health care professionals, resulting in a more complete assessment of past performance and a clearer road map for future action.

  9. Patient experience and hospital profitability: Is there a link?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Richter, Jason P; Muhlestein, David B

    Patient experience has had a direct financial impact on hospitals since value-based purchasing was instituted by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services in 2013 as a method to reward or punish hospitals based on performance on various measures, including patient experience. Although other industries have shown an indirect impact of customer experience on overall profitability, that link has not been well established in the health care industry. Return-to-provider rate and perceptions of health quality have been associated with profitability in the health care industry. Our aims were to assess whether, independent of a direct financial impact, a more positive patient experience is associated with increased profitability and whether a more negative patient experience is associated with decreased profitability. We used a sample of 19,792 observations from 3767 hospitals over the 6-year period 2007-2012. The data were sourced from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems. Using generalized estimating equations to account for repeated measures, we fit four separate models for three dependent variables: net patient revenue, net income, and operating margin. Each model included one of the following independent variables of interest: percentage of patients who definitely recommend the hospital, percentage of patients who definitely would not recommend the hospital, percentage of patients who rated the hospital 9 or 10, and percentage of patients who rated the hospital 6 or lower. We identified that a positive patient experience is associated with increased profitability and a negative patient experience is even more strongly associated with decreased profitability. Management should have greater justification for incurring costs associated with bolstering patient experience programs. Improvements in training, technology, and staffing can be justified as a way to improve not only quality but now

  10. Reducing Hospital Toxicity: Impact on Patient Outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Milani, Richard V; Bober, Robert M; Lavie, Carl J; Wilt, Jonathan K; Milani, Alexander R; White, Christopher J

    2018-05-02

    Circadian rhythms are endogenous 24-hour oscillations in biologic processes that drive nearly all physiologic and behavioral functions. Disruption in circadian rhythms can adversely impact short and long-term health outcomes. Routine hospital care often causes significant disruption in sleep-wake patterns that is further compounded by loss of personal control of health information and health decisions. We wished to evaluate measures directed at improving circadian rhythm and access to daily health information on hospital outcomes. We evaluated 3,425 consecutive patients admitted to a medical-surgical unit comprised of an intervention wing (n=1,185) or standard control wing (n=2,240) over a 2.5-year period. Intervention patients received measures to improve sleep that included reduction of nighttime noise, delay of routine morning phlebotomy, passive vital sign monitoring, and use of red-enriched lighting after sunset, as well as access to daily health information utilizing an inpatient portal. Intervention patients accessed the inpatient portal frequently during hospitalization seeking personal health and care team information. Measures impacting the quality and quantity of sleep were significantly improved. LOS was 8.6 hours less (p=0.04), 30 and 90-day readmission rates were 16% and 12% lower, respectively (both p≤ 0.02), and self-rated emotional/mental health was higher (69.2% vs. 52.4%; p=0.03) in the intervention group compared to controls. Modest changes in routine hospital care can improve the hospital environment impacting sleep and access to health knowledge, leading to improvements in hospital outcomes. Sleep-wake patterns of hospitalized patients represent a potential avenue for further enhancing hospital quality and safety. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  11. Time interval between stroke onset and hospital arrival in acute ischemic stroke patients in Shanghai, China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fang, Jing; Yan, Weihong; Jiang, Guo-Xin; Li, Wei; Cheng, Qi

    2011-02-01

    To observe the time interval between stroke onset and hospital arrival (time-to-hospital) in acute ischemic stroke patients and analyze its putatively associated factors. During the period from November 1, 2006 to August 31, 2008, patients with acute ischemic stroke admitted consecutively to the Department of Neurology, Ninth Hospital, Shanghai, were enrolled in the study. Information of the patients was registered including the time-to-hospital, demographic data, history of stroke, season at attack, neurological symptom at onset, etc. Characteristics of the patients were analyzed and logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with the time-to-hospital. There were 536 patients in the study, 290 (54.1%) males and 246 (45.9%) females. The median time-to-hospital was 8h (ranged from 0.1 to 300 h) for all patients. Within 3h after the onset of stroke, 162 patients (30.2%) arrived at our hospital; and within 6h, 278 patients (51.9%). Patients with a history of stroke, unconsciousness at onset, or a high NIHSS score at admission had significantly less time-to-hospital. The time interval between stroke onset and hospital arrival was importance of seeking immediate medical help after stroke onset of patients and their relatives could significantly influence their actions. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Clinical outcome in measles patients hospitalized with complications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rehman, A.U.; Saeed, T.

    2008-01-01

    Measles is a highly communicable viral illness and is common cause of childhood mortality and morbidity. Keeping in view the high prevalence of measles in the developing world, we carried out this study to look into the complicated measles cases and clinical outcome in patients admitted in children ward of Ayub Teaching Hospital. Detailed history and physical examination of all the hospitalized patients with complication of measles were recorded in a proforma. Immunization and nutritional status of each admitted patient was assessed and the clinical outcome of measles was compared with demographic profile. one hundred thirty six hospitalized patients with complications of measles were studied. There was 60.3% male and 57.3% of patients were vaccinated against measles. Malnourished patients were 71.35% and had longer hospital stay (>5 days). Pneumonia (39.7%) and diarrhoea (38.2%) were the commonest complications. Seven children died and encephalitis (57.1%) was the commonest cause of death. The most common complications of measles are pneumonia and diarrhoea with dehydration requiring admission. Malnutrition results in more complications and longer hospital stay. Mortality is significantly associated with encephalitis. (author)

  13. Funds for Treatment of Hospitalized Patients: Evidence from Bangladesh

    Science.gov (United States)

    Begum, Farhana; Hossain, Akmal

    2014-01-01

    ABSTRACT This study was designed to explore sources of funds for health expenditure of patients if they are hospitalized. We have included 379 patients of 3 private and 7 public hospitals to estimate total expenditure. Of them, 229 (60.4%) were from public and 150 (39.6%) from private hospitals. Mean expenditure was Tk 60,613.3 and 8,262.7, and duration of hospital stay was 10.7 and 11.8 days in private and public hospitals respectively. More than half (55%) of the patients from middle class were treated in private hospitals. Of them, 278 (74.0%) were funded by themselves, 48 (12.8%) by loan with interest rate of 100% to 180%, 23 (6.1%) by loan without interest, 17 (4.5%) by losing their fixed asset, and 4 (1.1%) by begging in the street. Most of the patients did bear expenditure by themselves, followed by loan with high interest rate. ‘Distress’ selling of property was also a source. Middle-class patients could be comfortable with expenditure if they were in public hospitals. PMID:25395909

  14. Funds for treatment of hospitalized patients: evidence from Bangladesh.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Begum, Farhana; Alam, Shahinul; Hossain, Akmal

    2014-09-01

    This study was designed to explore sources of funds for health expenditure of patients if they are hospitalized. We have included 379 patients of 3 private and 7 public hospitals to estimate total expenditure. Of them, 229 (60.4%) were from public and 150 (39.6%) from private hospitals. Mean expenditure was Tk 60,613.3 and 8,262.7, and duration of hospital stay was 10.7 and 11.8 days in private and public hospitals respectively. More than half (55%) of the patients from middle class were treated in private hospitals. Of them, 278 (74.0%) were funded by themselves, 48 (12.8%) by loan with interest rate of 100% to 180%, 23 (6.1%) by loan without interest, 17 (4.5%) by losing their fixed asset, and 4 (1.1%) by begging in the street. Most of the patients did bear expenditure by themselves, followed by loan with high interest rate. 'Distress' selling of property was also a source. Middle-class patients could be comfortable with expenditure if they were in public hospitals.

  15. Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder: Illness and Hospital Course in Patients Hospitalized for Nutritional Insufficiency.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strandjord, Sarah E; Sieke, Erin H; Richmond, Miranda; Rome, Ellen S

    2015-12-01

    Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), a recently defined Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5 eating disorder diagnosis, has not been extensively studied in the inpatient population. This study compares hospitalized ARFID and anorexia nervosa (AN) patients, including differences in presentation, treatment response, and 1-year outcomes. We conducted a retrospective chart review of ARFID and AN patients hospitalized between 2008 and 2014 for acute medical stabilization at an academic medical center. Data, including characteristics on admission, during hospitalization, and 1 year after discharge, were recorded for each patient and compared between ARFID and AN patients. On presentation, ARFID patients (n = 41) were younger with fewer traditional eating disorder behaviors and less weight loss, comorbidity, and bradycardia than AN patients (n = 203). During hospitalization, although ARFID and AN patients had similar caloric intake, ARFID patients relied on more enteral nutrition and required longer hospitalizations than AN patients (8 vs. 5 days; p = .0006). One year after discharge, around half of ARFID and AN patients met criteria for remission (62% vs. 46%; p = .18), and less than one-quarter required readmission (21% vs. 24%; p = .65). The findings from this study reveal several differences in hospitalized eating disorder patients and emphasize the need for further research on ARFID patients, including research on markers of illness severity and optimal approaches to refeeding. Similar remission and readmission rates among ARFID and AN patients highlight both the success and the continued need for improvement in eating disorder treatment regardless of diagnosis. Copyright © 2015 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Patients' experience of outsourcing and care related to magnetic resonance examinations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tavakol Olofsson, Parvin; Aspelin, Peter; Bergstrand, Lott; Blomqvist, Lennart

    2014-11-01

    Outsourcing radiological examinations from public university hospitals affects the patient, who has to attend a different clinic or hospital for the radiological examination. We currently have a limited understanding of how patients view outsourcing and their care related to MR examinations. To examine the experiences of patients who are sent to private radiology units when their referrals for MR examinations are outsourced from a university hospital, as well as to explore factors which influence patient satisfaction regarding the quality of care related to the MR examination. A group of patients (n = 160) referred for MR examinations and either examined at a university hospital or at an external private unit were interviewed. The interview was designed as a verbal questionnaire. Data were analyzed using Student's t test, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Pearson's correlation. Sixty-nine percent of the patients could neither choose nor influence the location at which they were examined. For those who could, aspects that influenced the patient's choice of radiology department were: short waiting time 79% (127/160), ease of traveling to the radiology department 68% (110/160), and short distance to their home or work 58% (93/160). For 40% (60/160) of the patients, a short time in the waiting room was related to a positive experience of the MR examination. If patients were informed about outsourcing and could also choose where to have their examination, key factors contributing to patient satisfaction could be met even when MR examinations are outsourced.

  17. Impacts of patient characteristics on hospital care experience in 34,000 Swedish patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wolf Axel

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Standardized patient surveys are widely used for assessing quality of healthcare from the patient perspective. An important purpose of such surveys is to identify disparities in care among different patient groups. The purpose of this study was to 1. evaluate aspects of the validity of the adapted Swedish version of the Picker Patient Care Experience -15 (PPE-15 survey and 2. examine the explanatory value of various socio-demographic and health characteristics in predicting patients’ care experiences. Methods A retrospective cross-sectional study design was used. Patients discharged from internal medicine wards at regional and university hospitals in different parts of Sweden during 2010 were invited to participate in the regularly administered national care-experience survey for hospital care. The internal validity of the PPE-15 was assessed with Cronbach’s alpha and item-scale correlations. Pearson product–moment correlation coefficients were used to compare PPE-15 total scores with overall care satisfaction ratings and Spearman correlation coefficients were used to compare PPE-15 total scores with various patient characteristics. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to examine the influence of various patient characteristics on PPE-15 scores. Results The response rate was 66% (n = 34 603. Cronbach’s alpha was 0.87. The correlation between the PPE-15 total score and overall care satisfaction was high (0.62, p  Conclusions Our results supported the internal validity of the Swedish adapted version of the PPE-15. The explanatory value of the examined patient socio-demographic and health characteristics was low, suggesting the need for exploring other patient-related determinants of care experiences. Our findings also suggest a care paradox: patients in greatest need of hospital care are least satisfied with the quality of the care they receive.

  18. Randomized trial of pragmatic education for low-risk COPD patients: impact on hospitalizations and emergency department visits.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siddique, Haamid H; Olson, Raymond H; Parenti, Connie M; Rector, Thomas S; Caldwell, Michael; Dewan, Naresh A; Rice, Kathryn L

    2012-01-01

    Most interventions aimed at reducing hospitalizations and emergency department (ED) visits in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have employed resource-intense programs in high-risk individuals. Although COPD is a progressive disease, little is known about the effectiveness of proactive interventions aimed at preventing hospitalizations and ED visits in the much larger population of low-risk (no known COPD-related hospitalizations or ED visits in the prior year) patients, some of whom will eventually become high-risk. We tested the effect of a simple educational and self-efficacy intervention (n = 2243) versus usual care (n = 2182) on COPD/breathing-related ED visits and hospitalizations in a randomized study of low-risk patients at three Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers in the upper Midwest. Administrative data was used to track VA admissions and ED visits. A patient survey was used to determine health-related events outside the VA. Rates of COPD-related VA hospitalizations in the education and usual care group were not significantly different (3.4 versus 3.6 admissions per 100 person-years, respectively; 95% CI of difference -1.3 to 1.0, P = 0.77). The much higher patient-reported rates of non-VA hospitalizations for breathing-related problems were lower in the education group (14.0 versus 19.0 per 100 person-years; 95% CI -8.6 to -1.4, P = 0.006). Rates of COPD-related VA ED visits were not significantly different (6.8 versus 5.3; 95% CI -0.1 to 3.0, P = 0.07), nor were non-VA ED visits (32.4 versus 36.5; 95% CI -9.3 to 1.1, P = 0.12). All-cause VA admission and ED rates did not differ. Mortality rates (6.9 versus 8.3 per 100 person-years, respectively; 95% CI -3.0 to 0.4, P = 0.13) did not differ. An educational intervention that is practical for large numbers of low-risk patients with COPD may reduce the rate of breathing-related hospitalizations. Further research that more closely tracks hospitalizations to non-VA facilities is

  19. Trends in hospital admissions, re-admissions, and in-hospital mortality among HIV-infected patients between 1993 and 2013: Impact of hepatitis C co-infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meijide, Héctor; Mena, Álvaro; Rodríguez-Osorio, Iria; Pértega, Sonia; Castro-Iglesias, Ángeles; Rodríguez-Martínez, Guillermo; Pedreira, José; Poveda, Eva

    2017-01-01

    New patterns in epidemiological characteristics of people living with HIV infection (PLWH) and the introduction of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) have changed the profile of hospital admissions in this population. The aim of this study was to evaluate trends in hospital admissions, re-admissions, and mortality rates in HIV patients and to analyze the role of HCV co-infection. A retrospective cohort study conducted on all hospital admissions of HIV patients between 1993 and 2013. The study time was divided in two periods (1993-2002 and 2003-2013) to be compared by conducting a comparative cross-sectional analysis. A total of 22,901 patient-years were included in the analysis, with 6917 hospital admissions, corresponding to 1937 subjects (75% male, mean age 36±11 years, 37% HIV/HCV co-infected patients). The median length of hospital stay was 8 days (5-16), and the 30-day hospital re-admission rate was 20.1%. A significant decrease in hospital admissions related with infectious and psychiatric diseases was observed in the last period (2003-2013), but there was an increase in those related with malignancies, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and chronic respiratory diseases. In-hospital mortality remained high (6.8% in the first period vs. 6.3% in the second one), with a progressive increase of non-AIDS-defining illness deaths (37.9% vs. 68.3%, P<.001). The admission rate significantly dropped after 1996 (4.9% yearly), but it was less pronounced in HCV co-infected patients (1.7% yearly). Hospital admissions due to infectious and psychiatric disorders have decreased, with a significant increase in non-AIDS-defining malignancies, cardiovascular, and chronic respiratory diseases. In-hospital mortality is currently still high, but mainly because of non-AIDS-defining illnesses. HCV co-infection increased the hospital stay and re-admissions during the study period. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Enfermedades Infecciosas y

  20. Quality of life and fall risk in frail hospitalized elderly patients

    Science.gov (United States)

    Öztürk, Zeynel Abidin; Özdemir, Sedat; Türkbeyler, İbrahim Halil; Demir, Zeynep

    2017-11-13

    Background/aim: Frailty is a complex, multifactorial, and important geriatric syndrome characterized by decline in physiological reserves and functional deficiency in multiple systems. The aim of the current study is to investigate the prevalence of frailty and to determine the correlation between quality of life (QoL) and falling risk in geriatric hospitalized patients. Materials and methods: A total of 420 patients, aged 65 years and above, were enrolled in the study. All participants were hospitalized at a university hospital in the internal medicine clinics. The Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS) frailty scale, Health-Related Quality of Life Short Form (SF-36) scale, and Hendrich II Fall Risk Model were administered to the patients. Demographic data of patients, number of chronic diseases, and information on used medication were also collected.Results: The median age of patients was 71.9 ± 6.3 years and 49.5% of the patients were female. By applying the CHS frailty scale, the proportion of frail patients was determined to be 65.5%. There were statistically significant differences among quality of life mean scores of robust, prefrail, and frail patients (P patients had the lowest scores in all SF-36 subgroups. Eighty-three (19.8%) patients were in the low-risk group while 337 (80.2%) were high-risk according to the Hendrich II Fall Risk Model. The rate of patients with high falling risk and poor QoL reached a maximum in the frail group (96%).Conclusion: Frailty is an important geriatric syndrome in elderly hospitalized patients. Poor QoL and high falling risk are issues commonly experienced with frailty.

  1. Patients with worsening chronic heart failure who present to a hospital emergency department require hospital care

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shafazand Masoud

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Chronic heart failure (CHF is a major public health problem characterised by progressive deterioration with disabling symptoms and frequent hospital admissions. To influence hospitalisation rates it is crucial to identify precipitating factors. To characterise patients with CHF who seek an emergency department (ED because of worsening symptoms and signs and to explore the reasons why they are admitted to hospital. Method Patients (n = 2,648 seeking care for dyspnoea were identified at the ED, Sahlgrenska University Hospital/Östra. Out of 2,648 patients, 1,127 had a previous diagnosis of CHF, and of these, 786 were included in the present study with at least one sign and one symptom of worsening CHF. Results Although several of the patients wanted to go home after acute treatment in the ED, only 2% could be sent home. These patients were enrolled in an interventional study, which evaluated the acute care at home compared to the conventional, in hospital care. The remaining patients were admitted to hospital because of serious condition, including pneumonia/respiratory disease, myocardial infarction, pulmonary oedema, anaemia, the need to monitor cardiac rhythm, pathological blood chemistry and difficulties to communicate. Conclusion The vast majority of patients with worsening CHF seeking the ED required hospital care, predominantly because of co-morbidities. Patients with CHF with symptomatic deterioration may be admitted to hospital without additional emergency room investigations.

  2. The relationship between traits optimism and anxiety and health-related quality of life in patients hospitalized for chronic diseases: data from the SATISQOL study

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-01

    Background The impact of psychological factors is often taken into account in the evaluation of quality of life. However, the effect of optimism and trait anxiety remains controversial and they are rarely studied simultaneously. We aimed to study the effect of this factor on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of patients after a hospitalization in relation with their chronic disease. Methods Using cross-sectional data from the SATISQOL cohort, we conducted a multicentric study, including patients hospitalized for an intervention in connection with their chronic disease. Six months after hospitalization, patients completed a generic HRQOL questionnaire (SF-36), and the STAI and LOT-R questionnaires to evaluate optimism and trait anxiety. We studied the effect of each trait on HRQOL separately, and simultaneously, taking account of their interaction in 3 models, using an ANOVA. Results In this study, 1529 patients were included in three participating hospitals and there existed wide diversity in the chronic diseases in our population. The HRQOL score increased for all dimensions of SF36 between 15,8 and 44,5 when the level of anxiety decreased (p optimism (optimism on HRQOL. In the model 3, assessing the effect of both anxiety and optimism on HRQOL, and their interaction, the HRQOL score for all dimensions of the SF36 increased when the level of anxiety decreased (p optimism (p optimism was significant for the Social Functioning dimension (p = 0.0021). Conclusions Optimism and trait anxiety appeared to be significantly correlated with HRQOL. Furthermore, an interaction existed between the trait anxiety and optimism for some dimensions of SF36. Contrary to optimism, it seems essential to evaluate trait anxiety in future studies about HRQOL, since it could represent a confounding factor. PMID:23914779

  3. Cost of Treatment of Hospitalized Patients with Diabetes in Prenda Hospital Medicine Service, Angola

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    António Zangulo

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Diabetes has a major impact on morbidity and mortality today. It is estimated that by 2040, about 642 million people are affected worldwide, of which, 34.2 million are from sub-Saharan countries. The direct annual cost of diabetes health care worldwide is estimated at about 153 billion dollars. These patients represent 30% to 40% of all admissions to emergency services, leading to high values of hospital expenditure. We aim to evaluate the cost of treatment of patients with diabetes admitted to Prenda Hospital Medicine Service in 2012. Methods: Retrospective analytical observational study, with data collected from the clinical processes of medical service (age and gender, length of hospitalization, resources consumed, cost of treatment per patient and discharge. Results: Out of 121 patients, the majority was female (n = 70, 57.9%. The age group of 36 to 45 years old was the most frequent among these patients (n = 26, 21.5%. November was the month that recorded the largest number of admissions (n = 17, 14%. About 45.5% were hospitalized during five to eight days, on average for nine days. The majority (76.9% was discharged due to health condition improvement. The price of materials used for treatment of the disease had high variation, and 31 550.15 kwanzas was spent to acquire them. The direct cost per patient per day was 4170.11 kwanzas and the estimated annual cost of care of diabetic patients admitted to Prenda Hospital was 45 525 490.9 kwanzas in 2012. Discussion and Conclusion: These results are in accordance with other studies, indicating a relevant cost of treatment of diabetic patients admitted to Prenda Hospital Medicine Service in 2012.

  4. A metasynthesis of patient-provider communication in hospital for patients with severe communication disabilities: informing new translational research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hemsley, Bronwyn; Balandin, Susan

    2014-12-01

    Poor patient-provider communication in hospital continues to be cited as a possible causal factor in preventable adverse events for patients with severe communication disabilities. Yet to date there are no reports of empirical interventions that investigate or demonstrate an improvement in communication in hospital for these patients. The aim of this review was to synthesize the findings of research into communication in hospital for people with severe communication disabilities arising from lifelong and acquired stable conditions including cerebral palsy, autism, intellectual disability, aphasia following stroke, but excluding progressive conditions and those solely related to sensory impairments of hearing or vision. Results revealed six core strategies suggested to improve communication in hospital: (a) develop services, systems, and policies that support improved communication, (b) devote enough time to communication, (c) ensure adequate access to communication tools (nurse call systems and communication aids), (d) access personally held written health information, (e) collaborate effectively with carers, spouses, and parents, and (f) increase the communicative competence of hospital staff. Currently there are no reports that trial or validate any of these strategies specifically in hospital settings. Observational and evaluative research is needed to investigate the ecological validity of strategies proposed to improve communication.

  5. Older hospitalized patients' experiences of dialogue with healthcare providers in hospitals

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Gitte; Larsen, Karen Lyng; Uhrenfeldt, Lisbeth

    2017-01-01

    REVIEW QUESTION/OBJECTIVE:: The objective is to identify and synthesize findings from qualitative studies of older (over 65 years) hospitalized patients' experiences of the barriers and facilitators to their dialogues with healthcare providers (HCPs) concerning their health and well-being.Specifi......REVIEW QUESTION/OBJECTIVE:: The objective is to identify and synthesize findings from qualitative studies of older (over 65 years) hospitalized patients' experiences of the barriers and facilitators to their dialogues with healthcare providers (HCPs) concerning their health and well...

  6. Risk characterization of hospitalizations for mental illness and/or behavioral disorders with concurrent heat-related illness.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael T Schmeltz

    Full Text Available Many studies have found significant associations between high ambient temperatures and increases in heat-related morbidity and mortality. Several studies have demonstrated that increases in heat-related hospitalizations are elevated among individuals with diagnosed mental illnesses and/or behavioral disorders (MBD. However, there are a limited number of studies regarding risk factors associated with specific mental illnesses that contribute, at least in part, to heat-related illnesses (HRI in the United States.To identify and characterize individual and environmental risk factors associated with MBD hospitalizations with a concurrent HRI diagnosis.This study uses hospitalization data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (2001-2010. Descriptive analyses of primary and secondary diagnoses of MBDs with an HRI were examined. Risk ratios (RR were calculated from multivariable models to identify risk factors for hospitalizations among patients with mental illnesses and/or behavioral disorders and HRI.Nondependent alcohol/drug abuse, dementia, and schizophrenia were among the disorders that were associated with increased frequency of HRI hospitalizations among MBD patients. Increased risk of MBD hospitalizations with HRI was observed for Males (RR, 3.06, African Americans (RR, 1.16, Native Americans (RR, 1.70, uninsured (RR, 1.92, and those 40 years and older, compared to MBD hospitalizations alone.Previous studies outside the U.S. have found that dementia and schizophrenia are significant risk factors for HRI hospitalizations. Our results suggest that hospitalizations among substance abusers may also be an important risk factor associated with heat morbidity. Improved understanding of these relative risks could help inform future public health strategies.

  7. Evaluation of patient wristbands and patient identification process in a training hospital in Turkey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cengiz, Canan; Celik, Yusuf; Hikmet, Neset

    2016-10-10

    Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the utilisation of patient wristbands (PWs) and patient identification (PI) process in a training hospital in Ankara, Turkey. Design/methodology/approach This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted in a training hospital with 640 beds, accreditied by Joint Commission International. The views of 348 patients and 419 hospital personnel on the implementation of patient wristbands and identification process were evaluated. Findings The results indicated that lack of information among patients about the importance of PWs and the misknowledge among staff participants on when, where, and by whom PWs should be put on and verified were the weakest points in this hospital. Research limitations/implications PI process must be strictly implemented according to the standard procedures of patient safety. Both patients and hospital personnel should be trained continuously, and training sessions must be held to increase their awareness about the importance of PWs and identification process. Practical implications Finding new ways and using new methods for increasing knowledge about PI and PWs are necessary. Hospital management should prepare a written PI and PW policy and procedure documents by taking the views of patients and hospital personnel and share these with them. Originality/value This study incorporates the views and attitudes of patients and health care personnel in improving health care quality by increasing awareness about PI and wristbands.

  8. Change in Vascular Access and Hospitalization Risk in Long-Term Hemodialysis Patients

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Weiling; Lazarus, J. Michael; Hakim, Raymond M.

    2010-01-01

    Background and objectives: Conversion from central venous catheters to a graft or a fistula is associated with lower mortality risk in long-term hemodialysis (HD) patients; however, a similar association with hospitalization risk remains to be elucidated. Design, setting, participants, & measurements: We conducted a prospective observational study all maintenance in-center HD patients who were treated in Fresenius Medical Care, North America legacy facilities; were alive on January 1, 2007; and had baseline laboratory data from December 2006. Access conversion (particularly from a catheter to a fistula or a graft) during the 4-month period from January 1 through April 30, 2007, was linked using Cox models to hospitalization risk during the succeeding 1-year follow-up period (until April 30, 2008). Results: The cohort (N = 79,545) on January 1, 2007 had 43% fistulas, 29% catheters, and 27% grafts. By April 30, 2007, 70,852 patients were still on HD, and among 19,792 catheters initially, only 10.3% (2045 patients) converted to either a graft or a fistula. With catheters as reference, patients who converted to grafts/fistulas had similar adjusted hazard ratios (0.69) as patients on fistulas (0.71), while patients with fistulas/grafts who converted to catheters did worse (1.22), all P < 0.0001. Conclusions: Catheters remain associated with the greatest hospitalization risk. Conversion from a catheter to either graft or fistula had significantly lower hospitalization risk relative to keeping the catheter. Prospective studies are needed to determine whether programs that reduce catheters will decrease hospitalization risk in HD patients. PMID:20884778

  9. Assessment of Antibiotics prescription in Hospitalized Patients at ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Objective: This study aimed to assess the pattern of antibiotics usage in medical wards at Elobeid teaching hospital, West Sudan. Patients and method: This is a descriptive hospital-based study. The data were retrospectively collected from the patient's records. Systemic random sampling was used to select 427 patient's ...

  10. Risk factors for falls of hospitalized stroke patients

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Tutuarima, J. A.; van der Meulen, J. H.; de Haan, R. J.; van Straten, A.; Limburg, M.

    1997-01-01

    Patients with stroke are at a high risk for falling. We assessed the fall incidence and risk factors for patients hospitalized as the result of an acute stroke. We studied a cohort of 720 stroke patients from 23 hospitals in The Netherlands. The data were abstracted from the medical and nursing

  11. Validating administrative data for the detection of adverse events in older hospitalized patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ackroyd-Stolarz S

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Stacy Ackroyd-Stolarz,1,2 Susan K Bowles,3–5 Lorri Giffin6 1Performance Excellence Portfolio, Capital District Health Authority, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada; 2Department of Emergency Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada; 3Geriatric Medicine, Capital District Health Authority, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada; 4College of Pharmacy and Division of Geriatric Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada; 5Department of Pharmacy at Capital District Health Authority, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada; 6South Shore Family Health, Bridgewater, Nova Scotia, Canada Abstract: Older hospitalized patients are at risk of experiencing adverse events including, but not limited to, hospital-acquired pressure ulcers, fall-related injuries, and adverse drug events. A significant challenge in monitoring and managing adverse events is lack of readily accessible information on their occurrence. Purpose: The objective of this retrospective cross-sectional study was to validate diagnostic codes for pressure ulcers, fall-related injuries, and adverse drug events found in routinely collected administrative hospitalization data. Methods: All patients 65 years of age or older discharged between April 1, 2009 and March 31, 2011 from a provincial academic health sciences center in Canada were eligible for inclusion in the validation study. For each of the three types of adverse events, a random sample of 50 patients whose records were positive and 50 patients whose records were not positive for an adverse event was sought for review in the validation study (n=300 records in total. A structured health record review was performed independently by two health care providers with experience in geriatrics, both of whom were unaware of the patient's status with respect to adverse event coding. A physician reviewed 40 records (20 reviewed by each health care provider to establish interrater agreement. Results: A total of 39 pressure ulcers, 56 fall-related

  12. Winter excess in hospital admissions, in-patient mortality and length of acute hospital stay in stroke: a hospital database study over six seasonal years in Norfolk, UK.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Myint, Phyo K; Vowler, Sarah L; Woodhouse, Peter R; Redmayne, Oliver; Fulcher, Robert A

    2007-01-01

    Several studies have examined the incidence and mortality of stroke in relation to season. However, the evidence is conflicting partly due to variation in the populations (community vs. hospital-based), and in climatic conditions between studies. Moreover, they may not have been able to take into account the age, sex and stroke type of the study population. We hypothesized that the age, sex and type of stroke are major determinants of the presence or absence of winter excess in morbidity and mortality associated with stroke. We analyzed a hospital-based stroke register from Norfolk, UK to examine our prior hypothesis. Using Curwen's method, we performed stratified sex-specific analyses by (1) seasonal year and (2) quartiles of patients' age and stroke subtype and calculated the winter excess for the number of admissions, in-patient deaths and length of acute hospital stay. There were 5,481 patients (men=45%). Their ages ranged from 17 to 105 years (median=78 years). There appeared to be winter excess in hospital admissions, deaths and length of acute hospital stay overall accounting for 3/100,000 extra admissions (winter excess index of 3.4% in men and 7.6% in women) and 1/100,000 deaths (winter excess index of 4.7 and 8.6% in women) due to stroke in winter compared to non-winter periods. Older patients with non-haemorrhagic stroke mainly contribute to this excess. If our findings are replicated throughout England and Wales, it is estimated that there are 1,700 excess admissions, 600 excess in-patient deaths and 24,500 extra acute hospital bed days each winter, related to stroke within the current population of approximately 60 million. Further research should be focused on the determinants of winter excess in morbidity and mortality associated with stroke. This may subsequently reduce the morbidity and mortality by providing effective preventive strategies in future. (c) 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  13. [Impact of family support over food intake and depressive status in cervical cancer patients during hospitalization].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bejarano, M; Fuchs, V; Fernández, N; Amancio, O

    2009-01-01

    Uterine cervical cancer represents a public health problem in Mexico; the patients suffer physical and psychological stress leading to depression and weight loss. Eating with a relative has positive effects in food ingestion and depressive status in hospitalized patients. In our society, food is the closest way that family members have to bring care and to show affection to the patient that has less appetite as disease goes on. To establish the relationship between presence of the family during the meals and depresion, food intake, and weight variation during hospitalization. 106 women admitted to the Oncology Department at the General Hospital of Mexico with a diagnosis of CUCA clinical stage II and III were studied in order to improve their condition. Weight and height, diet by means of 24 hour recalls were assessed both at hospital admission and discharge, and Beck's depression inventory was applied; the frequency with which the relatives escorted the patient was recorded. Patients were classified in two groups according to the frequency of family escorting; it was found that 43 patients (40.6%) were accompanied, and 63 patients (59.4%) were not. We did not find significant differences in age and days of hospital stay between the groups (p > 0.05). The escorted patients had more foods available during hospitalization (p < 0.05). Energy consumption (kcal) in escorted patients was higher by 12.7% as compared to non-escorted patients. 76.7% of the escorted patients were depressed, as compared to 55% in the non-escorted group. Significant differences were found with regards to clinical status and presence of depression (p < 0.05) between the study groups. Family escorting does not have an influence on the amount of foods consumed during hospitalization or body weight variation; however, it does have an influence on the presence of depression.

  14. Prognostic value of relative adrenal insufficiency after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pene, Frédéric; Hyvernat, Hervé; Mallet, Vincent; Cariou, Alain; Carli, Pierre; Spaulding, Christian; Dugue, Marie-Annick; Mira, Jean-Paul

    2005-05-01

    To assess the prevalence of relative adrenal insufficiency in patients successfully resuscitated after cardiac arrest, and its prognostic role in post-resuscitation disease. A prospective observational single-center study in a medical intensive care unit. 64 patients hospitalised in the intensive care unit after successful resuscitation for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. A corticotropin-stimulation test was performed between 12 and 24 h following admission: serum cortisol level was measured before and 60 min after administration of tetracosactide 250 microg. Patients with an incremental response less than 9 microg/dl were considered to have relative adrenal insufficiency (non-responders). Variables were expressed as medians and interquartile ranges. 33 patients (52%) had relative adrenal insufficiency. Baseline cortisol level was higher in non-responders than in responders (41 [27.2-55.5] vs. 22.8 [15.7-35.1] microg/dl respectively, P=0.001). A long interval before initiation of cardiopulmonary resuscitation was associated with relative adrenal insufficiency (5 [3-10] vs. 3 [3-5] min, P=0.03). Of the 38 patients with post-resuscitation shock, 13 died of irreversible multiorgan failure. The presence of relative adrenal insufficiency was identified as a poor prognostic factor of shock-related mortality (log-rank P=0.02). A trend towards higher mortality in non-responders was identified in a multivariate logistic regression analysis (odds ratio 6.77, CI 95% 0.94-48.99, P=0.058). Relative adrenal insufficiency occurs frequently after successful resuscitation of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, and appears to be associated with a poor prognosis in cases of post-resuscitation shock. The role of corticosteroid supplementation should be evaluated in this setting.

  15. A Strategic Framework for Improving the Patient Experience in Hospitals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Birkelien, Natalie L

    Hospitals are taking new approaches to satisfy consumers and deliver on customer expectations by enhancing their patients' comprehensive experience. The HCAHPS (Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) survey and value-based purchasing initiatives have tied reimbursement to patient satisfaction scores, bringing patient perspectives on care to the forefront of hospitals' strategic priorities. This essay reviews the patient experience literature and argues that hospitals should adopt an expanded approach beyond HCAHPS measures to enhance the patient experience. Such an approach allows providers to deliver quality outcomes that satisfy patients' wants and needs.

  16. Guidelines for the Treatment of Smoking in Hospitalized Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiménez Ruiz, Carlos A; de Granda Orive, Jose Ignacio; Solano Reina, Segismundo; Riesco Miranda, Juan Antonio; de Higes Martinez, Eva; Pascual Lledó, Jose Francisco; Garcia Rueda, Marcos; Lorza Blasco, Jose Javier; Signes Costa-Miñana, Jaime; Valencia Azcona, Borja; Villar Laguna, Cristina; Cristóbal Fernández, Maribel

    2017-07-01

    Between 15 and 27% of patients admitted to Spanish hospitals are smokers. Hospitalization is an ideal time for a smoker to decide to quit. We performed a MEDLINE search of controlled, randomized or observational studies associated with helping hospitalized patients quit smoking, published between January 1, 2002 and September 30, 2015. On the basis of the results of those studies, we have issued some recommendations for the treatment of smoking in hospitalized patients. The recommendations were drawn up according to the GRADE system. Offering the smoker psychological counselling and prolonging follow-up for at least 4 weeks after discharge is the most effective recommendation for helping hospitalized patients to quit. Copyright © 2016 SEPAR. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  17. Patient Satisfaction at America’s Lowest Performing Hospitals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Girotra, Saket; Cram, Peter; Popescu, Ioana

    2012-01-01

    BACKGROUND Previous studies have identified hospitals with poor performance on cardiac process measures. How these hospitals fare in other domains such as patient satisfaction remains unknown. METHODS We used Hospital Compare data to identify hospitals that reported acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and heart failure (HF) process measures for 2006–2008 and calculated respective composite performance scores. Using these scores, we classified hospitals as low-performing (bottom decile for all three years), top-performing (top decile for all three years), and intermediate (all others). We used Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems 2008 data to compare overall satisfaction between low, intermediate, and top-performing hospitals. RESULTS Low-performing hospitals had fewer beds, fewer nurses per-patient, and were more likely rural, safety-net hospitals located in the South, compared to intermediate and top-performing hospitals (Ppatient satisfaction (kappa statisticpatient satisfaction on average suggesting that these hospitals have overall poor quality of care. However, there is discordance between the two measures in profiling hospital quality. PMID:22496113

  18. Transforming Patient Value: Comparison of Hospital, Surgical, and General Surgery Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pitt, Henry A; Tsypenyuk, Ella; Freeman, Susan L; Carson, Steven R; Shinefeld, Jonathan A; Hinkle, Sally M; Powers, Benjamin D; Goldberg, Amy J; DiSesa, Verdi J; Kaiser, Larry R

    2016-04-01

    Patient value (V) is enhanced when quality (Q) is increased and cost (C) is diminished (V = Q/C). However, calculating value has been inhibited by a lack of risk-adjusted cost data. The aim of this analysis was to measure patient value before and after implementation of quality improvement and cost reduction programs. Multidisciplinary efforts to improve patient value were initiated at a safety-net hospital in 2012. Quality improvement focused on adoption of multiple best practices, and minimizing practice variation was the strategy to control cost. University HealthSystem Consortium (UHC) risk-adjusted quality (patient mortality + safety + satisfaction + effectiveness) and cost (length of stay + direct cost) data were used to calculate patient value over 3 fiscal years. Normalized ranks in the UHC Quality and Accountability Scorecard were used in the value equation. For all hospital patients, quality scores improved from 50.3 to 66.5, with most of the change occurring in decreased mortality. Similar trends were observed for all surgery patients (42.6 to 48.4) and for general surgery patients (30.9 to 64.6). For all hospital patients, cost scores improved from 71.0 to 2.9. Similar changes were noted for all surgical (71.6 to 27.1) and general surgery (85.7 to 23.0) patients. Therefore, value increased more than 30-fold for all patients, 3-fold for all surgical patients, and almost 8-fold for general surgery patients. Multidisciplinary quality and cost efforts resulted in significant improvements in value for all hospitalized patients as well as general surgery patients. Mortality improved the most in general surgery patients, and satisfaction was highest among surgical patients. Copyright © 2016 American College of Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Profiling quality of care for patients with chronic headache in three different German hospitals – a case study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hager Stefan

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Legal requirements for quality assurance in German rehabilitation hospitals include comparisons of providers. Objective is to describe and to compare outcome quality of care offered by three hospitals providing in-patient rehabilitative treatment exemplified for patients with chronic headache. Methods We performed a prospective three center observational study on patients suffering from chronic headache. Patients underwent interventions commonly used according to internal guidelines of the hospitals. Measurements were taken at three points in time (at admission, at discharge and 6 months after discharge. Indicators of outcome quality included pain intensity and frequency of pain, functional ability, depression, quality of life and health related behavior. Analyses of differences amongst the hospitals were adjusted by covariates due to case-mix situation. Results 306 patients from 3 hospitals were included in statistical analysis. Amongst the hospitals, patients differed significantly in age, education, diagnostic subgroups, beliefs, and with respect to some pain-related baseline values (covariates. Patients in all three hospitals benefited from intervention to a clinically relevant degree. At discharge from hospital, outcome quality differed significantly after adjustment according to case-mix only in terms of patients' global assessment of treatment results. Six months after discharge, the only detectable significant differences were for secondary outcomes like improved coping with stress or increased use of self-help. The profiles for satisfaction with the hospital stay showed clear differences amongst patients. Conclusion The results of this case study do not suggest a definite overall ranking of the three hospitals that were compared, but outcome profiles offer a multilayer platform of reliable information which might facilitate decision making.

  20. Evaluation of Patients Hospitalized in Intensive Care Unit Due to Drug-Related Suicide Attempt and Access to Drugs: A Single Center Prospective Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fatih Doğu Geyik

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Aim: We aimed to evaluate patients who were hospitalized in our intensive care unit due to drug-related suicide attempt (medical or insecticides and their access to these drugs. Methods: We prospectively recorded the demographic characteristics and medical data of 50 patients (32 females and 18 males who were hospitalized in our intensive care unit due to drug-related suicide attempt. Results: 66% of subjects were between the ages of 15 and 24 years with a mean age of 25.4±8.8 years. Multiple drug overdose was observed in 28% of patients. The unemployment rate was higher for women than men (p<0.001. Men obtained drugs from pharmacy more often than women (27.8% vs 6.2%, p=0,03. Of the patients, 86% got the drugs from home medicine cabinet while this rate was 93% among women (n=30. The level of toxicity was higher among patients who got the drugs from pharmacy than in those who used drugs at home (p=0.06. The length of stay in the intensive care unit was longer among patients with toxic level of medication (p=0.001. Conclusion: Patients usually use drugs or insecticides available at home to commit suicide. We believe that in patients with risk of suicide attempt, access to drugs should be limited and state regulations should be applied. (The Me­di­cal Bul­le­tin of Ha­se­ki 2014; 52:111-5

  1. Patient satisfaction scores and their relationship to hospital website quality measures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ford, Eric W; Huerta, Timothy R; Diana, Mark L; Kazley, Abby Swanson; Menachemi, Nir

    2013-01-01

    Hospitals and health systems are using web-based and social media tools to market themselves to consumers with increasingly sophisticated strategies. These efforts are designed to shape the consumers' expectations, influence their purchase decisions, and build a positive reputation in the marketplace. Little is known about how these web-based marketing efforts are taking form and if they have any relationship to consumers' satisfaction with the services they receive. The purpose of this study is to assess if a relationship exists between the quality of hospitals' public websites and their aggregated patient satisfaction ratings. Based on analyses of 1,952 U.S. hospitals, our results show that website quality is significantly and positively related to patients' overall rating of the hospital and their intention to recommend the facility to others. The potential for web-based information sources to influence consumer behavior has important implications for policymakers, third-party payers, health care providers, and consumers.

  2. Patient's medicines brought to hospital: an overlooked resource?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ware, G J

    1993-10-27

    To quantify potential cost advantages and identify practical safeguards required for utilising patients own medicines while in hospital, and returning them on discharge. All medicines brought in by patients in two wards of a geriatric assessment and rehabilitation unit at Auckland Hospital were examined by the pharmacist, and their suitability for re-issue assessed. Medicines were regarded as suitable for use where they could be positively identified, had been dispensed within 3 months of admission, or if packed in foil, provided the expiry date and manufacturer identification were on the foil. Medicines (260 items) totalling $2,976, assessed over a 6 month period, were regarded as suitable for use by the patient, with a mean value of $11.36 per patient. Patients own medicines used within the hospital with a unit-of-issue distribution system, and taken home by them on discharge, would provide appreciable savings for the hospital medicine budget and reduction in waste of the overall health dollar.

  3. The Mystery of Increased Hospitalizations of Elderly Patients

    Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

    Pneumonia is a common illness that affects millions of people in the United States every year. In some people, particularly the elderly and those who are ill from pre-existing conditions, bacterial pneumonia may follow influenza or even a common cold. Dr. Martin Meltzer, discusses two articles in the May 2008 issue of Emerging Infectious Diseases journal about increased pneumonia-related hospitalizations of elderly patients in England.

  4. Extent, nature and hospital costs of fireworks-related injuries during the Wednesday Eve festival in Iran.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alinia, Siros; Rezaei, Satar; Daroudi, Rajabali; Hadadi, Mashyaneh; Akbari Sari, Ali

    2013-01-01

    Fireworks are commonly used in local and national celebrations. The aim of this study is to explore the extent, nature and hospital costs of injuries related to the Persian Wednesday Eve festival in Iran. Data for injuries caused by fireworks during the 2009 Persian Wednesday Eve festival were collected from the national Ministry of Health database. Injuries were divided into nine groups and the average and total hospital costs were estimated for each group. The cost of care for patients with burns was estimated by reviewing a sample of 100 patients randomly selected from a large burn center in Tehran. Other costs were estimated by conducting semi structured interviews with expert managers at two large government hospitals. 1817 people were injured by fireworks during the 2009 Wednesday Eve festival. The most frequently injured sites were the hand (43.3%), eye (24.5%) and face (13.2%), and the most common types of injury were burns (39.9%), contusions/abrasions (24.6%) and lacerations (12.7%). The mean length of hospital stay was 8.15 days for patients with burns, 10.7 days for those with amputations, and 3 days for those with other types of injury. The total hospital cost of injuries was US$ 284 000 and the average cost per injury was US$ 156. The total hospital cost of patients with amputations was US$ 48 598. Most of the costs were related to burns (56.6%) followed by amputations (12.2%). Injuries related to the Persian Wednesday Eve festival are common and lead to extensive morbidity and medical costs. © 2013 KUMS, All rights reserved.

  5. Factors Associated with Readmission of Patients with Congenital Heart Disease in a Swiss University Hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chave, Morgane; Marques-Vidal, Pedro

    2017-04-01

    Congenital heart defects (CHD) lead to extensive use of healthcare resources. Still, there is little information available regarding readmission rates or associated factors. We sought to evaluate readmission rates and their determinants among patients with CHD hospitalized in a Swiss university hospital. We conducted a retrospective study using data from all non-adult (readmissions, 83 (86.5%) were related to the CHD. Median time to readmission was 10 days (interquartile range 6-20) and median length of readmission was 12 days (interquartile range 6-20). After multivariate adjustment, foreign nationality, greater distance to hospital and length of index hospitalization readmission. Patients who underwent surgery were less likely to be readmitted (8.7%). We conclude that readmissions were frequent, almost 1 in 10 patients, and associated with several socio-clinical factors. Providing patients who live far from hospital with specialized care closer to home may help reduce the rate of readmission.

  6. Catheter-related candidemia caused by Candida haemulonii in a patient in long-term hospital care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Sunyong; Ko, Kwan Soo; Moon, Su Yeon; Lee, Mi Suk; Lee, Mi Young; Son, Jun Seong

    2011-02-01

    Candida haemulonii, one of the non-albicans Candida species, is an emerging yeast pathogen that is known to be resistant to amphotericin B and other antifungal agents such as azoles. These anti-fungal agents have often been associated with clinical treatment failure, so no treatment regimen has been clearly established for invasive C. haemulonii infections. We investigated a catheter-related infection of C. haemulonii candidemia in an adult patient in long-term hospital care. In the early stages, the candidemia remained persistent despite treatment with fluconazole. However, after changing the antifungal agent to caspofungin, the candidemia was resolved. Fluconazole and amphotericin B are not reliable empirical antifungal agents for invasive C. haemulonii infections, as shown in previous case reports. An echinocandin such as caspofungin may be an appropriate empirical choice of antifungal agent for an invasive C. haemulonii infection.

  7. Acute Hospitalization of the Older Patient

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bodilsen, Ann Christine; Pedersen, Mette Merete; Petersen, Janne

    2013-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: Acute hospitalization of older patients may be associated with loss of muscle strength and functional performance. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of acute hospitalization as a result of medical disease on muscle strength and functional performance in older medical...... patients. DESIGN: Isometric knee-extension strength; handgrip strength; and functional performance, that is, the Timed Up and Go test, were assessed at admission, at discharge, and 30 days after discharge. Twenty-four-hour mobility was measured during hospitalization. RESULTS: The mean (SD) age was 82.7 (8...... hospitalization, from 17.3 secs at admission to 13.3 secs at discharge (P = 0.003), but with no improvement at the 30-day follow-up (12.4 secs, P = 0.064). The median times spent in lying, sitting, and standing/walking were 17.4 hrs per day, 4.8 hrs per day, and 0.8 hrs per day, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Muscle...

  8. Quality of sleep for hospitalized patients in Rasoul-Akram hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghanbari Jolfaei, Atefeh; Makvandi, Alena; Pazouki, Abdolreza

    2014-01-01

    Sleep disturbances have negative effects on medical conditions, mental health and cognitive performance. It was shown that about 60% of inpatients suffer from sleep problems. The aim of this study was to assess the correlation between sleep quality and other factors in the inpatients of Rasoul-e-Akram hospital. In this cross-sectional study, all the hospitalized patients in twelve wards of Rasoul-e-Akram hospital during September 2012, were examined. Sleeping habits of 209 inpatients of different wards were assessed through the Persian version of Pittsburgh Sleep Questionnaire (PSQI). A self-designed 18- question questionnaire was conducted for all patients in order to assess their attitude to interior and atmosphere of wards. Content validity and test retest reliability were evaluated. The pain level was also measured by the visual analog scale (VAS) and scores analyzed by the statistical methods of frequency, percentage, chi-square and logistic regression. The mean of the total scores in PSQI was 8.8±4.8 and 70.8% of the patients were 'poor sleepers' (global PSQI> 5). Age and gender had no effect on the PSQI total score, but the number of roommates, type of the ward, hospitalization period, presence and severity of pain, taking sleep medication and attitude toward the overall atmosphere and interior of wards have caused deviation in scores. Sleep problems are quite frequent in medical inpatients. Pain management and modification of the ward interior and atmosphere can impact inpatients sleep quality.

  9. Health care costs associated with hospital acquired complications in patients with chronic kidney disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bohlouli, Babak; Jackson, Terri; Tonelli, Marcello; Hemmelgarn, Brenda; Klarenbach, Scott

    2017-12-28

    Patients with CKD are at increased risk of potentially preventable hospital acquired complications (HACs). Understanding the economic consequences of preventable HACs, may define the scope and investment of initiatives aimed at prevention. Adult patients hospitalized from April, 2003 to March, 2008 in Alberta, Canada comprised the study cohort. Healthcare costs were determined and categorized into 'index hospitalization' including hospital cost and in-hospital physician claims, and 'post discharge' including ambulatory care cost, physician claims, and readmission costs from discharge to 90 days. Multivariable regression was used to estimate the incremental healthcare costs associated with potentially preventable HACs. In fully adjusted models, the median incremental index hospitalization cost was CAN-$6169 (95% CI; 6003-6336) in CKD patients with ≥1 potentially preventable HACs, compared with those without. Post-discharge incremental costs were 1471(95% CI; 844-2099) in those patients with CKD who developed potentially preventable HACs within 90 days after discharge compared with patients without potentially preventable HACs. Additionally, the incremental costs associated with ≥1 potentially preventable HACs within 90 days from admission in patients with CKD were $7522 (95% CI; 7219-7824). A graded relation of the incremental costs was noted with the increasing number of complications. In patients without CKD but with ≥1 preventable HACs incremental costs within 90 days from hospital admission was $6688 (95% CI: 6612-6723). Potentially preventable HACs are associated with substantial increases in healthcare costs in people with CKD. Investment in implementing targeted strategies to reduce HACs may have a significant benefit for patient and health system outcomes.

  10. A família e a internação psiquiátrica em hospital geral La familia y la internación psiquiátrica en hospital general Patient's relatives and the psychiatric hospitalization in a general hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rita Mello de Mello

    2011-06-01

    profesionales de la salud mental reflexionen sobre sus acciones y sobre el involucramiento de la familia en una unidad de internación psiquiátrica en un hospital general.Qualitative study based upon Alfred Schutz' phenomenological sociology approach aims at identifying the reasons for psychiatric hospitalization in a general hospital by patients' relatives. Fourteen relatives having one of the family members hospitalized in a general hospital psychiatric unit from August through October 2009 were interviewed. The guiding question of phenomenological interview was "What do you expect from the psychiatric admittance in a general hospital?" The phenomenological sociology grounds were used to analyze the statements, from which three defined categories have arisen leading to reasons for: treatment guidelines and continuity; betterment perspectives; projection on normality. This research allows identifying the experiences of such relatives, contributing with mental care professionals so as they could think about their actions and family involvement in a general hospital psychiatric unit.

  11. Determining Disturbing Factors of Sleep Quality among Hospitalized Elderly Patients in Kashan Hospitals, Iran 2009

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M Kafaei

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Sleep is an effective factor in the recovery processes. Many variables affect on the sleep quality of hospitalized elderly people. This study was conducted to determine the factors disturbing sleep quality among hospitalized older adult patients in Kashan hospitals. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out on a sample of 390 elderly hospitalized patients in Kashan hospitals. The study data was gathered via Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI Questionnaire. A global total score of 5 or greater indicated a “poor" quality of sleep. The data were analyzed using Chi square, t- test and binary logistic regression at multivariate model. Results: The total quality of sleep was poor in hospitalized elderly patients (7/2±4/8. Sex, marital status, level of education, type of ward, previous hospitalization experience, use of hypnotics at home and hospital, and previous sleep disorders were statistically associated with quality of sleep; however, there was not significant relationship between quality of sleep and age, length of hospitalization, and daytime napping. In the final regression model, marital status (OR=4.6, level of education (OR=1.9, length of hospitalization (OR=1.1, Previous hospitalization experience (OR=0.4, use of hypnotics in hospital (OR=0.27 and previous sleep disorder (OR=0.01 were the most important determinants of sleep quality. Conclusion: Quality of sleep was poor in hospitalized elderly due to a wide range of sleep disturbing factors. The most important factors involved marital status, level of education, previous hospitalization experience, previous sleep disorder and use of hypnotics in hospital.

  12. An evaluation of adherence to the patient's rights charter among patients and physicians at the emergency department of Imam Khomeini Hospital, Tehran

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Seyyed Hassan Emami Razavi

    2006-03-01

    Full Text Available It is the cherished goal of the health care providers to observe the patient rights. An official order to install the patient rights charter in all crowded places of hospitals motivated us to evaluate the patient rights both from the patients' and resident points of view. "nThis is a descriptive survey with cross-sectional method. The research was conducted to examine the patients and residents awareness of the contents of "Patients' Rights Charter" in emergency department of Imam Khomeini hospital in Tehran and their views on the adherence of the cares to the articles of the charter. 140 patients and 70 residents were chosen by simple randomized method by Cochrane formula and the data was gathered by questionnaires. "n57.9% of patients were not aware of this announcement. 78% of patients believed that patients' rights is being carried out relatively. 88.6% of residents believed that they complied with the rights of patients. The patients were relatively satisfied with the nursing cares, medical services and hospital equipments (69% were satisfied with availability of physicians in necessary situations, 47% satisfied with the nursing cares and 93.6% satisfied with the hospital equipments."nTwo years after installation of the charter, patients and residents awareness of installation were low. According to the patient views, patients' rights were relatively adhered. Unawareness of patients of their rights may limit their expectations from physicians and if they become aware of the contents of charter, their satisfaction from current situation may alter.

  13. Outcomes of interprofessional collaboration for hospitalized cancer patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    San Martin-Rodriguez, Leticia; D'Amour, Danielle; Leduc, Nicole

    2008-01-01

    This study aims to evaluate the effect of the intensity of interprofessional collaboration on hospitalized cancer patients. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 312 patients to examine the effects of intensity of interprofessional collaboration (low vs high intensity collaboration) on patient satisfaction, uncertainty, pain management, and length of stay. Data on the intensity of interprofessional collaboration, patient satisfaction, and uncertainty were collected from professionals and patients using valid and reliable instruments. Administrative and clinical records were used to calculate the index of pain management and length of hospital stay. The analysis revealed the existence of significant differences between patients who are cared for by teams operating with a high intensity of collaboration and those who are cared for by teams operating with a low intensity of collaboration, as measured by the mean satisfaction (P management (P = .047). The analysis also found no significant difference (P = .217) in their length of hospital stay. The findings suggest that intensity of interprofessional collaboration has a positive effect on patient satisfaction, reduces uncertainty, and improves pain management, yet they also suggest that the degree of collaboration does not influence the length of hospital stay.

  14. Monitoring adverse events in hospitals: how safe are hospitals for patients?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Baines, R.J.

    2018-01-01

    This thesis aims to assess trends in adverse event and preventable adverse event rates in hospitals in the Netherlands through the time period 2004 –2012. Furthermore patient safety for specific care processes and patient groups are assessed. Patient safety has been high on the international agenda

  15. Depressive Affect and Hospitalization Risk in Incident Hemodialysis Patients

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bruce, Lisa; Li, Nien-Chen; Mooney, Ann; Maddux, Franklin W.

    2014-01-01

    Background and objectives Recent studies demonstrated an association between depressive affect and higher mortality risk in incident hemodialysis patients. This study sought to determine whether an association also exists with hospitalization risk. Design, setting, participants, & measurements All 8776 adult incident hemodialysis patients with Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36 survey results treated in Fresenius Medical Care North America facilities in 2006 were followed for 1 year from the date of survey, and all hospitalization events lasting >24 hours were tracked. A depressive affect score was derived from responses to two Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36 questions (“down in the dumps” and “downhearted and blue”). A high depressive affect score corresponded with an average response of “some of the time” or more frequent occurrence. Cox and Poisson models were constructed to determine associations of depressive affect scores with risk for time to first hospitalization and risk for hospitalization events, as well as total days spent in the hospital, respectively. Results Incident patients with high depressive affect score made up 41% of the cohort and had a median (interquartile range) hospitalization event rate of one (0, 3) and 4 (0, 15) total hospital days; the values for patients with low depressive affect scores were one (0, 2) event and 2 (0, 11) days, respectively. For high-scoring patients, the adjusted hazard ratio for first hospitalization was 1.12 (1.04, 1.20). When multiple hospital events were considered, the adjusted risk ratio was 1.13 (1.02, 1.25) and the corresponding risk ratio for total hospital days was 1.20 (1.07, 1.35). High depressive affect score was generally associated with lower physical and mental component scores, but these covariates were adjusted for in the models. Conclusions Depressive affect in incident hemodialysis patients was associated with higher risk of hospitalization and more hospital days. Future

  16. Variation in guideline adherence in non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma care: impact of patient and hospital characteristics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stienen, Jozette J.C.; Hermens, Rosella P.M.G.; Wennekes, Lianne; Schans, Saskia A.M. van de; Maazen, Richard W.M. van der; Dekker, Helena M.; Liefers, Janine; Krieken, Johan H.J.M. van; Blijlevens, Nicole M.A.; Ottevanger, Petronella B.

    2015-01-01

    The objective of this observational study was to assess the influence of patient, tumor, professional and hospital related characteristics on hospital variation concerning guideline adherence in non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) care. Validated, guideline-based quality indicators (QIs) were used as a tool to assess guideline adherence for NHL care. Multilevel logistic regression analyses were used to calculate variation between hospitals and to identify characteristics explaining this variation. Data for the QIs regarding diagnostics, therapy, follow-up and organization of care, together with patient, tumor and professional related characteristics were retrospectively collected from medical records; hospital characteristics were derived from questionnaires and publically available data. Data of 423 patients diagnosed with NHL between October 2010 and December 2011 were analyzed. Guideline adherence, as measured with the QIs, varied considerably between the 19 hospitals: >20 % variation was identified in all 20 QIs and high variation between the hospitals (>50 %) was seen in 12 QIs, most frequently in the treatment and follow-up domain. Hospital variation in NHL care was associated more than once with the characteristics age, extranodal involvement, multidisciplinary consultation, tumor type, tumor aggressiveness, LDH level, therapy used, hospital region and availability of a PET-scanner. Fifteen characteristics identified at the patient level and at the hospital level could partly explain hospital variation in guideline adherence for NHL care. Particularly age was an important determinant: elderly were less likely to receive care as measured in the QIs. The identification of determinants can be used to improve the quality of NHL care, for example, for standardizing multidisciplinary consultations in daily practice

  17. [Pain management nursing in hospitalized patients with non-oncological diseases].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sepúlveda-Sánchez, Juana María; Canca-Sánchez, José Carlos; Rivas-Ruiz, Francisco; Martín-García, Mónica; Pérez-González, María Josefa; Timonet-Andreu, Eva María

    2016-01-01

    To assess pain management in patients hospitalized with a non-oncological disease and evaluate factors involved in pain assessment. A descriptive, cross-sectional study. We reviewed pain episodes documented in the medical records of 105 patients aged>18 years admitted to the medical units of a regional hospital between September and December 2014. Reports of pain episodes were evaluated by assessing 22 variables related to pain management quality criteria. A total of 184 reports were reviewed. Pain was measured using the visual analogue scale (VAS) in 70.1% of patients (n=129); pain was reassessed in 44.3% (n=54) of patients. Pain reassessment was significantly more frequent in patients agedPain was more frequently considered to be unrelated to the cause of admission in women as compared to men (50 vs. 25.7% p=0.027). Pain was identified in the patient care plan as a collaborative problem by the nurse for 21.1% of the patients. Some aspects of pain management should be improved, especially those regarding pain description and reassessment. The age and sex of patients significantly influence the approach of pain. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  18. Technology, Incentives, or Both? Factors Related to Level of Hospital Health Information Exchange.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Sunny C; Everson, Jordan; Adler-Milstein, Julia

    2018-02-28

    To assess whether the level of health information exchange (HIE) in U.S. hospitals is related to technology capabilities, incentives to exchange, or both. A total of 1,812 hospitals attesting to stage 2 of Medicare's Meaningful Use Incentive Program through April 2016. Hospital-level, multivariate OLS regression with state fixed effects was used to analyze the relationship between technology capability and incentives measures, and percent of care transitions with summary of care records (SCRs) sent electronically to subsequent providers. Stage 2 hospitals reported sending SCRs electronically for an average of 41 percent (median = 33 percent) of transitions. HIE level is related to four capability measures, one incentive measure, and one measure that is related to both capability and incentive. Percent of transitions with SCRs sent electronically was 3 percentage points higher (95 percent CI: 0.1-5.1) for hospitals with a third-party HIE vendor, 3 percentage points higher (95 percent CI: 0.5-5.4) for hospitals with an EHR vendor as their HIE vendor, and 3 percentage points higher (95 percent CI: 0.4-5.4) for hospitals that automatically alert primary care providers. The direction and statistical significance of the relationships between specific EHR vendor and electronic SCR transmission level varied by vendor. Nonprofits and government hospitals performed 5 percentage points higher (95 percent CI: 1.5-9.1) and 8 percentage points higher (95 percent CI: 3.4-12.3) than for-profits. Hospitals in systems performed 3 percentage points higher (95 percent CI: 0.8-6.1). The overall level of HIE is low, with hospitals sending an SCR electronically for less than half of patient transitions. Specific hospital characteristics related to both technology capabilities and incentives were associated with higher levels of HIE. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

  19. Pre-hospital physical activity status affects in-hospital course of elderly patients with acute myocardial infarction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miyamoto, Takamichi; Obayashi, Tohru; Hattori, Eijirou; Yamauchi, Yasuteru; Niwa, Akihiro; Isobe, Mitsuaki

    2010-03-01

    The clinical course of elderly patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) can sometimes unexpectedly result in an adverse outcome even when therapy appears to be successful. We suspect that specific factors may characterize this worsening of status during hospitalization. This study examines whether the pre-hospital physical activity status of the elderly treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for AMI affects their in-hospital course. We studied 110 consecutive patients, aged 80 or older, who had undergone emergent PCI for AMI. Patients were divided into two groups based on clinical presentation: Better Killip class (Killip classes I and II) and Worse Killip class (Killip classes III and IV). Patients were also divided into two groups based on pre-hospital physical activity status, determined retrospectively by review of medical records: Good physical activity (n=57) comprising those able to go out alone independently and Poor physical activity comprising those mainly confined to home (n=53). The overall in-hospital mortality rate was 9.1% for the study population. The Worse Killip class group had a higher in-hospital mortality rate than the Better Killip class group (27.8% vs 5.4%, respectively; p=0.0102). In addition, the Poor physical activity group had a higher in-hospital mortality rate than the Good physical activity group (15.1% vs. 3.5%, respectively; p=0.047). These data suggest that pre-hospital physical activity status in elderly patients with AMI may affect in-hospital mortality as well as Killip class.

  20. [Evaluations by hospital-ward physicians of patient care management quality for patients hospitalized after an emergency department admission].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bartiaux, M; Mols, P

    2017-01-01

    patient management in the acute and sub-acute setting of an Emergency Department is challenging. An assessment of the quality of provided care enables an evaluation of failings. It contributes to the identification of areas for improvement. to obtain an analysis, by hospital-ward physicians, of adult patient care management quality, as well as of the correctness of diagnosis made during emergency admissions. To evaluate the consequences of inadequate patient care management on morbidity, mortality and cost and duration of hospitalization. prospective data analysis obtained between the 1/12/2009 and the 21/12/2009 from physicians using a questionnaire on adult-patient emergency admissions and subsequent hospitalization. questionnaires were completed for 332 patients. Inadequate management of patient care were reported for 73/332 (22 %) cases. Incorrect diagnoses were reported for 20/332 (6 %) cases. 35 cases of inadequate care management (10.5 % overall) were associated with morbidity (34 cases) or mortality (1 case), including 4 cases (1.2 % ) that required emergency intensive-care or surgical interventions. this quality study analyzed the percentage of patient management cases and incorrect diagnoses in the emergency department. The data for serious outcome and wrong diagnosis are comparable with current literature. To improve performance, we consider the process for establishing a diagnosis and therapeutic care.

  1. An analysis of electronic health record-related patient safety incidents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palojoki, Sari; Mäkelä, Matti; Lehtonen, Lasse; Saranto, Kaija

    2017-06-01

    The aim of this study was to analyse electronic health record-related patient safety incidents in the patient safety incident reporting database in fully digital hospitals in Finland. We compare Finnish data to similar international data and discuss their content with regard to the literature. We analysed the types of electronic health record-related patient safety incidents that occurred at 23 hospitals during a 2-year period. A procedure of taxonomy mapping served to allow comparisons. This study represents a rare examination of patient safety risks in a fully digital environment. The proportion of electronic health record-related incidents was markedly higher in our study than in previous studies with similar data. Human-computer interaction problems were the most frequently reported. The results show the possibility of error arising from the complex interaction between clinicians and computers.

  2. Sociodemographic and clinical profile of patients in voluntary and involuntary psychiatric hospitalizations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlos Robson Bezerra de Medeiros

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To assess the sociodemographic and clinical profile of patients in psychiatric hospitalizations of voluntary inpatients (IPV and involuntary (IPI, in psychiatric hospitals of Fortaleza-CE, Brazil, under contract with the Unified Health System (SUS. Methods: A quantitative study, descriptive, cross-sectional and analytical. The sample comprised 393 patients, distributed among 253 IPV and 140 IPI, submitted to Psychiatry specialtytreatment, in the year 2007. Results: For both patients, IPV and IPI, most were male: 185 (73.1% and 82 (58.6%; single: 181 (46.7% and 103 (26.5%; living in Fortaleza: 181 (71.5% and 95 (67.9%, respectively, and aged 20 to 60 years (mean age of 37 years. Weobserved significant difference between the type of hospital and patient gender (p = 0.003, which did not occur with marital status (p = 0.688 and origin (p = 0.95. The main symptom profiles which justified the clinical admission of these patients were the use of alcohol or drugs 70 (27.6%, changes in critical judgments 40 (28.6% and psychological distress 68 (26.9%. Family members were the main responsible for conducting these patients to the hospital. Conclusion: The results showed that patients on IPV and IPI, which joined in the study, had a socio-demographic and clinical profile characterized by: prevalence of male patients, from the capital Fortaleza, single, mean age of 37 years, having been brought tohospital by a relative, mainly due to alcohol use or drugs.

  3. Hospitalized Patients' Responses to Offers of Prayer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McMillan, Kathy; Taylor, Elizabeth Johnston

    2018-02-01

    Most Americans pray; many pray about their health. When they are hospitalized, however, do patients want an offer of prayer from a healthcare provider? This project allowed for the measurement of hospitalized patient's responses to massage therapists' offers of a colloquial prayer after a massage. After the intervention, 78 patients completed questionnaires that elicited quantitative data that were analyzed using uni- and bivariate statistical analyses. In this sample, 88% accepted the offer of prayer, 85% found it helpful, and 51% wanted prayer daily. Patients may welcome prayer, as long as the clinician shows "genuine kindness and respect."

  4. The relationship of air pollution and asthma patients admitted to hospitals in Kermanshah (2008-2009

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Razieh Khamutian

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Industrialization and urbanization have had a devastating impact on public health. Asthma is considered as one of the major challenges of public health. The purpose of this study was to determine the association between air pollution and the number of asthma patients admitted to hospitals in Kermanshah, Iran. Methods: In this cross-sectional and ecological study, the data on the number of asthma patients, the concentration levels of air pollutants and weather conditions were collected from the city of Kermanshah. To determine the association between asthma patients admitted to hospitals and air pollutants, Poisson regression was used (P<0.05. Results: according to the statistical analysis, air pollutants had significant correlation with each other. Based on the results of multiple Poisson regression, among air pollutants CO and O3 were significantly correlated with the number of asthma patients referred to hospitals, with relative risk of 1.18 and 1.016, respectively, and based on the results of single Poisson regression, among air pollutants NOx, NO, NO2 and CO were significantly correlated with the number of asthma patients referred to hospitals with relative risk of 1.011, 1.012, 1.054 and 1.247, respectively. Conclusion: according to the results of the present study, there was a significant association between air pollutants (mainly carbon monoxide and ozone and the total number of asthma patients referred to the hospitals in Kermanshah.

  5. Activity-based costs of blood transfusions in surgical patients at four hospitals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shander, Aryeh; Hofmann, Axel; Ozawa, Sherri; Theusinger, Oliver M; Gombotz, Hans; Spahn, Donat R

    2010-04-01

    Blood utilization has long been suspected to consume more health care resources than previously reported. Incomplete accounting for blood costs has the potential to misdirect programmatic decision making by health care systems. Determining the cost of supplying patients with blood transfusions requires an in-depth examination of the complex array of activities surrounding the decision to transfuse. To accurately determine the cost of blood in a surgical population from a health system perspective, an activity-based costing (ABC) model was constructed. Tasks and resource consumption (materials, labor, third-party services, capital) related to blood administration were identified prospectively at two US and two European hospitals. Process frequency (i.e., usage) data were captured retrospectively from each hospital and used to populate the ABC model. All major process steps, staff, and consumables to provide red blood cell (RBC) transfusions to surgical patients, including usage frequencies, and direct and indirect overhead costs contributed to per-RBC-unit costs between $522 and $1183 (mean, $761 +/- $294). These exceed previously reported estimates and were 3.2- to 4.8-fold higher than blood product acquisition costs. Annual expenditures on blood and transfusion-related activities, limited to surgical patients, ranged from $1.62 to $6.03 million per hospital and were largely related to the transfusion rate. Applicable to various hospital practices, the ABC model confirms that blood costs have been underestimated and that they are geographically variable and identifies opportunities for cost containment. Studies to determine whether more stringent control of blood utilization improves health care utilization and quality, and further reduces costs, are warranted.

  6. Direct medical cost of influenza-related hospitalizations among severe acute respiratory infections cases in three provinces in China.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lei Zhou

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Influenza-related hospitalizations impose a considerable economic and social burden. This study aimed to better understand the economic burden of influenza-related hospitalizations among patients in China in different age and risk categories. METHODS: Laboratory-confirmed influenza-related hospitalizations between December 2009 and June 2011 from three hospitals participating in the Chinese Severe Acute Respiratory Infections (SARI sentinel surveillance system were included in this study. Hospital billing data were collected from each hospital's Hospital Information System (HIS and divided into five cost categories. Demographic and clinical information was collected from medical records. Mean (range and median (interquartile range [IQR] costs were calculated and compared among children (≤15 years, adults (16-64 years and elderly (≥65 years groups. Factors influencing cost were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 106 laboratory-confirmed influenza-related hospitalizations were identified, 60% of which were children. The mean (range direct medical cost was $1,797 ($80-$27,545 for all hospitalizations, and the median (IQR direct medical cost was $231 ($164, $854 ($890, and $2,263 ($7,803 for children, adults, and elderly, respectively. Therapeutics and diagnostics were the two largest components of direct medical cost, comprising 57% and 23%, respectively. Cost of physician services was the lowest at less than 1%. CONCLUSION: Direct medical cost of influenza-related hospitalizations imposes a heavy burden on patients and their families in China. Further study is needed to provide more comprehensive evidence on the economic burden of influenza. Our study highlights the need to increase vaccination rate and develop targeted national preventive strategies.

  7. Do Hospitals Support Second Victims? Collective Insights From Patient Safety Leaders in Maryland.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edrees, Hanan H; Morlock, Laura; Wu, Albert W

    2017-09-01

    Second victims-defined as health care providers who are emotionally traumatized after a patient adverse event-may not receive needed emotional support. Although most health care organizations have an employee assistance program (EAP), second victims may be reluctant to access this service because of worries about confidentiality. A study was conducted to describe the extent to which organizational support for second victims is perceived as desirable by patient safety officers in acute care hospitals in Maryland and to identify existing support programs. Semistructured interviews (using existing and newly developed questions) were conducted with 43 patient safety representatives from 38 of the 46 acute care hospitals in Maryland (83% response rate). All but one of the responding hospitals offered EAP services to their employees, but there were gaps in the services provided related to timeliness, EAP staff's ability to relate to clinical providers, and physical accessibility. There were no valid measures in place to assess the effectiveness of EAP services. Participants identified a need for peer support, both for the second victim and potentially for individuals who provide that support. Six (16%) of the 38 hospitals had second victim support programs, which varied in structure, accessibility, and outcomes, while an additional 5 hospitals (13%) were developing such a program. Patient safety officers thought their organizations should reevaluate the support currently provided by their EAPs, and consider additional peer support mechanisms. Future research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of these programs. Copyright © 2017 The Joint Commission. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. A survey on postanesthetic patient satisfaction in a university hospital

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    Adel Ali Alshehri

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Background and Objectives: Patient satisfaction after anesthesia is an important outcome of hospital care. The aim is to evaluate the postoperative patient satisfaction during the patient stay at King Khalid University Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Patients and Methods: Three hundred and fifty-three patients who underwent surgery under general/regional anesthesia were surveyed. They were interviewed face to face on the first postoperative day. We recorded pain and pain controls in addition to some common complication of anesthesia like nausea and vomiting (postoperative nausea and vomiting as a parameter to assess the rate of patient′s satisfaction. Results: The overall level of satisfaction was high (95.2%; 17 (4.8% patients were dissatisfied with their anesthetic care. There was a strong relation between patient dissatisfaction and: (i Patients with poor postoperative pain control 13 (12.4%, (ii patients with moderate nausea 8 (11.1% and (iii patients with static and dynamic severe pain 6 (21.4. Several factors were associated with dissatisfaction can be prevented, or better treated. Conclusion: We concluded that the patient satisfaction was high. Postoperative visit should be routinely performed in order to assess the quality and severity of postoperative pain, nausea and vomiting and the other side-effects postoperatively.

  9. Relatives to Critically Ill Patients Have No Sense of Coherence

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Laursen, Jannie; Andresen, Kristoffer; Rosenberg, Jacob

    2016-01-01

    shown that relatives do not always receive the attention they need from health professionals. There is a lack of studies that focus on relatives' satisfaction and involvement during their family members' hospitalization. Design. A mixed methods design was chosen. Methods. A quantitative study...... of the dissatisfaction, a qualitative approach was used and the in-depth interviews revealed three themes: lack of continuity and structure, responsibility of coordination, and relatives feeling left on their own with no guiding and support. Conclusion. Health professionals' key role in relation to relatives must......Aims and Objective. To investigate the relatives' satisfaction and involvement on a general surgery ward regarding the critically ill patient. Introduction. Relatives to critically ill patients are affected both physically and mentally during the hospitalization of a family member. Research has...

  10. Outcomes of In-Hospital Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Among Patients With Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zafar, Waleed; Ghafoor, Irum; Jamshed, Arif; Gul, Sabika; Hafeez, Haroon

    2017-04-01

    To review all episodes where an emergency code was called in a cancer-specialized hospital in Pakistan and to assess survival to discharge among patients who received a cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). We reviewed demographic and clinical data related to all "code blue" calls over 3 years. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to test the association of clinical characteristics with the primary outcome of survival to discharge. A total of 646 code blue calls were included in the analysis. The CPR was performed in 388 (60%) of these calls. For every 20 episodes of CPR among patients with cancer of all ages, only 1 resulted in a patient's survival to discharge, even though in 52.2% episodes there was a return of spontaneous circulation. No association was found between the type of rhythm at initiation of CPR and likelihood of survival to discharge. The proportion of patients with advanced cancer surviving to discharge after in-hospital CPR in a low-income country was in line with the reported international experience. Most patients with cancer who received in-hospital CPR did not survive to discharge and did not appear to benefit from resuscitation. Advance directives by patients with cancer limiting aggressive interventions at end of life and proper documentation of these directives will help in provision of care that is humane and consonant with patients' wishes for a dignified death. Patients' early appreciation of the limited benefits of CPR in advanced cancer is likely to help them formulate such advance directives.

  11. Factors Affecting Mortality in Elderly Patients Hospitalized for Nonmalignant Reasons

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    Teslime Ayaz

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Elderly population is hospitalized more frequently than young people, and they suffer from more severe diseases that are difficult to diagnose and treat. The present study aimed to investigate the factors affecting mortality in elderly patients hospitalized for nonmalignant reasons. Demographic data, reason for hospitalization, comorbidities, duration of hospital stay, and results of routine blood testing at the time of first hospitalization were obtained from the hospital records of the patients, who were over 65 years of age and hospitalized primarily for nonmalignant reasons. The mean age of 1012 patients included in the study was 77.8 ± 7.6. The most common reason for hospitalization was diabetes mellitus (18.3%. Of the patients, 90.3% had at least a single comorbidity. Whilst 927 (91.6% of the hospitalized patients were discharged, 85 (8.4% died. Comparison of the characteristics of the discharged and dead groups revealed that the dead group was older and had higher rates of poor general status and comorbidity. Differences were observed between the discharged and dead groups in most of the laboratory parameters. Hypoalbuminemia, hypertriglyceridemia, hypopotassemia, hypernatremia, hyperuricemia, and high TSH level were the predictors of mortality. In order to meet the health necessities of the elderly population, it is necessary to well define the patient profiles and to identify the risk factors.

  12. Age group analysis of psychological, physical and functional deterioration in patients hospitalized for pneumonia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martín-Salvador, Adelina; Torres-Sánchez, Irene; Sáez-Roca, Germán; López-Torres, Isabel; Rodríguez-Alzueta, Elisabeth; Valenza, Marie Carmen

    2015-10-01

    Hospital admissions due to pneumonia range from 1.1 to 4 per 1,000 patients and this figure increases with age. Hospitalization causes a decline in functional status. Physical impairment impedes recovery and constitutes a higher risk of disability and mortality in elderly people. The objective of this study is to assess the impact of hospital stay in patients with pneumonia related with age. A total of 116 patients with pneumonia were included in this study, and divided into two age groups:psychological and emotional profile were evaluated. Pneumonia severity, nutritional status, independence and comorbidities were also assessed. Statistical analyses revealed significant differences between both age groups in pneumonia severity and comorbidities. Significant improvements between admission and discharge were found in lung function in both groups (pgroup. Hospitalization leads to a significant physical impairment in patients admitted for pneumonia. This deterioration increases with age. Copyright © 2014 SEPAR. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  13. Superficial mycoses among psychiatric patients in Mathari hospital ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Terbinafin was the most effective antifungal while ketoconazole was the least effective. Conclusion: All patients admitted at Mathari hospital should be screened for fungal infection and treated. Terbinafin can be used as first line treatment of dermatomycosis after screening all psychiatric patients in Mathari Mental hospital.

  14. Assessing patient safety culture in hospitals across countries

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wagner, C.; Smits, M.; Sorra, J.; Huang, C.C.

    2013-01-01

    Objective. It is believed that in order to reduce the number of adverse events, hospitals have to stimulate a more open culture and reflective attitude towards errors and patient safety. The objective is to examine similarities and differences in hospital patient safety culture in three countries:

  15. Assessing patient safety culture in hospitals across countries.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wagner, C.; Smits, M.; Sorra, J.; Huang, C.C.

    2013-01-01

    Objective: It is believed that in order to reduce the number of adverse events, hospitals have to stimulate a more open culture and reflective attitude towards errors and patient safety. The objective is to examine similarities and differences in hospital patient safety culture in three countries:

  16. Assessing patient safety culture in hospitals across countries

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wagner, C.; Smits, M.; Sorra, J.; Huang, C.C.

    2013-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: It is believed that in order to reduce the number of adverse events, hospitals have to stimulate a more open culture and reflective attitude towards errors and patient safety. The objective is to examine similarities and differences in hospital patient safety culture in three countries:

  17. Patient Safety Outcomes in Small Urban and Small Rural Hospitals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vartak, Smruti; Ward, Marcia M.; Vaughn, Thomas E.

    2010-01-01

    Purpose: To assess patient safety outcomes in small urban and small rural hospitals and to examine the relationship of hospital and patient factors to patient safety outcomes. Methods: The Nationwide Inpatient Sample and American Hospital Association annual survey data were used for analyses. To increase comparability, the study sample was…

  18. Temporal Patterns of In-Hospital Falls of Elderly Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    López-Soto, Pablo J; Smolensky, Michael H; Sackett-Lundeen, Linda L; De Giorgi, Alfredo; Rodríguez-Borrego, María A; Manfredini, Roberto; Pelati, Cristiano; Fabbian, Fabio

    A potentially important factor yet to receive adequate study is the time when hospital falls occur. A prior study conducted before the system-wide introduction of preventive measures revealed a biphasic 24-hour pattern of hospital falls with major peak in the morning. The purpose was to identify the temporal patterning of falls among elderly patients in hospitals with comprehensive fall prevention programs in place. A 4-year observational study was conducted by the local health authority in the five nonteaching public hospitals located in the province of Ferrara, Italy. Fall records involving patients of ages ≥65 years hospitalized in the general medical departments were used. Single- and multiple-component cosinor (time series) analyses were used to explore 24-hour, weekly, and annual patterns of falls. A total of 763 falls were experienced by 709 different elderly hospitalized patients. Falls typically took place in the patient's hospital room (72%) and bathroom (23%). Major causes were patient instability (32%) and accident (13%), and most occurred when not wearing footwear (45%) or wearing inappropriate sling-back open-toe shoes (39%). Falls happened while standing (39%), while seated (21%), and while getting into, out of, or laying in bed (32%)-either with the bed rails raised or lowered. Fall outcome usually involved no injury (58%) or slight injury (35%), but some (7%) were disabling. Fall occurrence was higher during the night (46%) compared to either the morning (30%) or afternoon (24%) shift. Patterns across 24 hours were characterized by a single major and one or more minor peaks that seemed to be associated with a variety of scheduled patient, hospital, and nursing activities. Multiple-component cosinor analysis identified significant (p footwear. Falls were more frequent, but not significantly so, on Fridays, Sundays, and Mondays compared with Tuesdays, and were more frequent in winter and spring (p = .003). Documentation by cause and circumstance of

  19. Hip fracture in hospitalized medical patients

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    Zapatero Antonio

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The aim of the present study is to analyze the incidence of hip fracture as a complication of admissions to internal medicine units in Spain. Methods We analyzed the clinical data of 2,134,363 adults who had been admitted to internal medicine wards. The main outcome was a diagnosis of hip fracture during hospitalization. Outcome measures included rates of in-hospital fractures, length of stay and cost. Results A total of 1127 (0.057% admittances were coded with an in-hospital hip fracture. In hospital mortality rate was 27.9% vs 9.4%; p  Conclusions In-hospital hip fracture notably increased mortality during hospitalization, doubling the mean length of stay and mean cost of admission. These are reasons enough to stress the importance of designing and applying multidisciplinary plans focused on reducing the incidence of hip fractures in hospitalized patients.

  20. Understanding patients' behavioral intentions: evidence from Iran's private hospitals industry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zarei, Ehsan; Arab, Mohammad; Tabatabaei, Seyed Mahmoud Ghazi; Rashidian, Arash; Forushani, Abbas Rahimi; Khabiri, Roghayeh

    2014-01-01

    In the ever-increasing competitive market of private hospital industry, creating a strong relationship with the customers that shapes patients' loyalty has been considered a key factor in obtaining market share. The purpose of this paper is to test a model of customer loyalty among patients of private hospitals in Iran. This cross-sectional study was carried out in Tehran, the capital of the Islamic Republic of Iran in 2010. The study samples composed of 969 patients who were consecutively selected from eight private hospitals. The survey instrument was designed based on a review of the related literature and included 36 items. Data analysis was performed using structural equation modeling. For the service quality construct, three dimensions extracted: Process, interaction, and environment. Both process and interaction quality had significant effects on perceived value. Perceived value along with the process and interaction quality were the most important antecedents of patient overall satisfaction. The direct effect of the process and interaction quality on behavioral intentions was insignificant. Perceived value and patient overall satisfaction were the direct antecedents of patient behavioral intentions and the mediators between service quality and behavioral intentions. Environment quality of service delivery had no significant effect on perceived value, overall satisfaction, and behavioral intentions. Contrary to previous similar studies, the role of service quality was investigated not in a general sense, but in the form of three types of qualities including quality of environment, quality of process, and quality of interaction.

  1. Building a patient-centered hospital web site: best practices in china.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Edgar

    2015-01-01

    In this case study, based on six criteria, four Chinese hospitals were chosen from a national sample to showcase, through content analysis and in-depth interviews, the best practices of serving patients online. The extensive findings have addressed the following three questions: what these hospitals have in common in their Web development, what problems and challenges they are facing, and how they have excelled in serving their patients online. The study concludes that, like larger hospitals, smaller hospitals can also excel in creating an outstanding Web site to serve their patients so long as they truly care about their patients, have a clear vision and strong expertise in IT development. The study also concludes that Chinese private hospitals can learn from these state-owned hospitals in establishing a good reputation through professional and responsible interaction with patients. The four hospitals studied may shed light on the Web development in many other Chinese hospitals that are going through the same healthcare new media adoption. The findings from this study can also help Chinese hospitals form their visions in serving patients online.

  2. Patients who fall in hospital - Contributing factors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M.I. Bright

    1983-09-01

    Full Text Available This is a retrospective study of the factors which contributed to accidental injuries sustained by those patients who fell in a White provincial hospital in die period 1 January to 30 June 1982. The research study was undertaken by Diploma in Nursing Administration students during their 3-week hospital practice at a White provincial hospital.

  3. Malnutrition upon Hospital Admission in Geriatric Patients: Why Assess It?

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    Paolo Orlandoni

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available ObjectiveTo assess the prevalence of malnutrition according to the new ESPEN definition in a population of geriatric hospital patients and to determine how malnutrition affects the length of hospital stay (LOS and hospital mortality.DesignA retrospective analysis of data gathered during nutritional screening surveys carried out three consecutive years, from 2012 to 2014, in an Italian geriatric research hospital (INRCA, Ancona was performed. On the day of the study, demographic data, data on clinical conditions and the nutritional status of newly admitted patients were collected. Patients were screened for malnutrition risk using the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST. Subsequently, malnutrition was diagnosed, for subjects at high risk, following the criteria suggested by the European Association for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism [body mass index (BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 or different combinations of unintentional weight loss over time and BMI values]. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value of MUST compared to ESPEN criteria were assessed. The characteristics of patients with a diagnosis of malnutrition were compared to those of non-malnourished patients. The impact of malnutrition on LOS and hospital mortality was investigated through logistic and linear regression models.SettingThe study was performed in an Italian geriatric research hospital (INRCA, Ancona.SubjectsTwo hundred eighty-four newly hospitalized geriatric patients from acute care wards (mean age 82.8 ± 8.7 years, who gave their written consent to participate in the study, were enrolled.ResultsAccording to the MUST, high risk of malnutrition at hospitalization was found in 28.2% of patients. Malnutrition was diagnosed in 24.6% of subjects. The malnutrition was an independent predictor of both the LOS and hospital mortality. The multivariate analyses—linear and logistic regression—were performed considering different potential

  4. A Cost Analysis of Hospitalizations for Infections Related to Injection Drug Use at a County Safety-Net Hospital in Miami, Florida.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hansel Tookes

    Full Text Available Infections related to injection drug use are common. Harm reduction strategies such as syringe exchange programs and skin care clinics aim to prevent these infections in injection drug users (IDUs. Syringe exchange programs are currently prohibited by law in Florida. The goal of this study was to estimate the mortality and cost of injection drug use-related bacterial infections over a 12-month period to the county safety-net hospital in Miami, Florida. Additionally, the prevalence of HIV and hepatitis C virus among this cohort of hospitalized IDUs was estimated.IDUs discharged from Jackson Memorial Hospital were identified using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, codes for illicit drug abuse and endocarditis, bacteremia or sepsis, osteomyelitis and skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs. 349 IDUs were identified for chart abstraction and 92% were either uninsured or had publicly funded insurance. SSTIs, the most common infection, were reported in 64% of IDUs. HIV seroprevalence was 17%. Seventeen patients (4.9% died during their hospitalization. The total cost for treatment for injection drug use-related infections to Jackson Memorial Hospital over the 12-month period was $11.4 million.Injection drug use-related bacterial infections represent a significant morbidity for IDUs in Miami-Dade County and a substantial financial cost to the county hospital. Strategies aimed at reducing risk of infections associated with injection drug use could decrease morbidity and the cost associated with these common, yet preventable infections.

  5. Constipation in the acutely hospitalized older patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cardin, Fabrizio; Minicuci, Nadia; Droghi, Annapaola Teggia; Inelmen, Emine Meral; Sergi, Giuseppe; Terranova, Oreste

    2010-01-01

    The aim of this work was to establish the factors that determine the onset of constipation in acutely hospitalized older patients with a view to contributing towards an evidence-based identification of which patients warrant early, specific preventive measures. To evade the problem posed by the definition of constipation, we have considered parameters that are part of the daily routine in the hospital ward, such as the prescription of laxatives, also paying attention to how the co-operative older person subjectively interpret this condition. One thirds of the 192 hospitalized older patients needed a laxative at least once every 3 days. Multivariate analysis identified the use of laxatives at home as the only risk factor for objective constipation while in hospital (odds ratio (OR)=3.0). A significant risk of being dissatisfied with their bowel emptying emerged among patients who were bedridden for more than 2 weeks (OR=6.0), and in those who experienced cerebrovascular events (OR=3.1). The use of laxatives at home and awareness that satisfaction with bowel movements drops in patients obliged to stay in bed for lengthy periods of time and in those who have suffered cerebrovascular damage, should provide the grounds for a screening program to establish rational guidelines on bowel movement therapy. Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. How patients think about social responsibility of public hospitals in China?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Wenbin; Shi, Lizheng; Pong, Raymond W; Chen, Yingyao

    2016-08-11

    Hospital social responsibility is receiving increasing attention, especially in China where major changes to the healthcare system have taken place. This study examines how patients viewed hospital social responsibility in China and explore the factors that influenced patients' perception of hospital social responsibility. A cross-sectional survey was conducted, using a structured questionnaire, on a sample of 5385 patients from 48 public hospitals in three regions of China: Shanghai, Hainan, and Shaanxi. A multilevel regression model was employed to examine factors influencing patients' assessments of hospital social responsibility. Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs) were calculated to estimate the proportion of variance in the dependent variables determined at the hospital level. The scores for service quality, appropriateness, accessibility and professional ethics were positively associated with patients' assessments of hospital social responsibility. Older outpatients tended to give lower assessments, while inpatients in larger hospitals scored higher. After adjusted for the independent variables, the ICC rose from 0.182 to 0.313 for inpatients and from 0.162 to 0.263 for outpatients. The variance at the patient level was reduced by 51.5 and 48.6 %, respectively, for inpatients and outpatients. And the variance at the hospital level was reduced by 16.7 % for both groups. Some hospital and patient characteristics and their perceptions of service quality, appropriateness, accessibility and professional ethics were associated with their assessments of public hospital social responsibility. The differences were mainly determined at the patient level. More attention to law-abiding behaviors, cost-effective health services, and charitable works could improve perceptions of hospitals' adherence to social responsibility.

  7. A Study of Causes of Readmission Patients Toxicological Ward of the Loghman Hakim Hospital, in Tehran in 2014

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R. Ghasempour

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Readmission to hospital because of the impact on the cost and quality of hospital care and Impose an additional burden on the healthcare system, Is an important priority for hospital managers. The aim of Study Was causes of readmission patients toxicological ward of the loghman hakim hospital, Research in Tehran. Method: This is an applied cross-sectional retrospective study. Research community included Admissions in 1393 in toxicological ward of the loghman hakim hospital. Research Size based on Morgan is 300 clinical records. Sampling Method was simple randomly. Readmission in the present study in hospitalized form was more than one defined. Demographic data includes (age, gender, marital status, occupation, education and variables related to hospitalization (hospitalization Frequency, length of stay, and poisoning quality, discharge situation, referral and insurance by means of information form was extracted from records. In two level Descriptive statistics (frequency and percentage and inferential statistics (correlation chi-square test, dependent T test and Chi-square test were analyzed using SPSS21 software and hypothesis testing was done. Finding: During the study period300 readmission cases were hospitalized in toxicological ward of the loghman hakim hospital.13/4% patient was readmission. The readmission cause in 41/6% patient was related to family issues. It Can be named respectively emotional, spiritual, and addiction with regard to other topics. The total cost of treating patients was 206521754 Rials. The average cost of stay per patient 10256639 Rials, payment by patient 928136 Rials, and Subsidies health payment by health ministry was 1834370 Rials. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that, several factors may be involved in readmission to hospital patients poisons ,the most important of them can be mentioned in the four ares of family problems, emotional problems, mental problems and addiction.

  8. Qualities of Inpatient Hospital Rooms: Patients' Perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Devlin, Ann Sloan; Andrade, Cláudia Campos; Carvalho, Diana

    2016-04-01

    The aim of this qualitative study was to investigate what design features of hospital rooms are valued by inpatients. Little research has explored how patients evaluate the physical environment of their hospital rooms. Most responses are captured by the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey, which includes only two questions about the physical environment. Two hundred thirty-six orthopedic patients (78 in the United States and 158 in Portugal) listed three features of their hospital room that influenced their level of satisfaction with their hospital stay, indicating whether the feature was positive or negative. The comments were more positive (71.4%) than negative (28.6%). Using the framework of supportive design from Ulrich, over half the comments (64.31%) could be categorized in one of the three dimensions: 33.2% (positive distraction), 22.4% (perceived control), and 6.0% (social support). This total includes Internet (2.7%), which could be categorized as either social support or positive distraction. Comments called "other aspects" focused on overall environmental appraisals, cleanliness, and functionality and maintenance. The majority of comments could be accommodated by Ulrich's theory, but it is noteworthy that other aspects emerge from patients' comments and affect their experience. Cross-cultural differences pointed to the greater role of light and sun for Portuguese patients and health status whiteboard for U.S. Qualitative research can add significantly to our understanding of the healthcare experience and may inform design decisions. © The Author(s) 2015.

  9. Opportunistic infection manifestation of HIV-AIDS patients in Airlangga university hospital Surabaya

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asmarawati, T. P.; Putranti, A.; Rachman, B. E.; Hadi, U.; Nasronudin

    2018-03-01

    Opportunistic infections are common in HIV-infected patients especially those who progress to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. There are many factors involved in the prevalence of opportunistic infections. We investigated the patterns of opportunistic infection in HIV-infected patients admitted to Airlangga University Hospital Surabaya. This study was an observational study, conducted in adults patients with HIV infection from January 2016 to September 2017. Data collected from the medical records of the patients. The number of samples in this study was 58. The mean age was 42.9 years, mostly male. Most patients admitted were in clinical stadium III or IV. Heterosexual transmission is a common risk factor in patients. The most prevalent opportunistic infections found in patients were oral candidiasis (58.6%), followed by pulmonary tuberculosis (41.4%) and pneumonia/PCP (41.4%). Other infections found were toxoplasmosis, chronic diarrhea, cytomegalovirus, meningitis TB, hepatitis C, amoebiasis, and cerebritis. Opportunistic infections occurred more often in age≥40 years and increased as clinical stadium get worse. From the results, we conclude that oral candidiasis and pulmonary tuberculosis were the most common opportunistic infections found in Airlangga University Hospital. The pattern of opportunistic infections in this study could help the hospital to set priorities related to the management of patients.

  10. Organizational effects on patient satisfaction in hospital medical-surgical units.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bacon, Cynthia Thornton; Mark, Barbara

    2009-05-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between hospital context, nursing unit structure, and patient characteristics and patients' satisfaction with nursing care in hospitals. Although patient satisfaction has been widely researched, our understanding of the relationship between hospital context and nursing unit structure and their impact on patient satisfaction is limited. The data source for this study was the Outcomes Research in Nursing Administration Project, a multisite organizational study conducted to investigate relationships among nurse staffing, organizational context and structure, and patient outcomes. The sample for this study was 2,720 patients and 3,718 RNs in 286 medical-surgical units in 146 hospitals. Greater availability of nursing unit support services and higher levels of work engagement were associated with higher levels of patient satisfaction. Older age, better health status, and better symptom management were also associated with higher levels of patient satisfaction. Organizational factors in hospitals and nursing units, particularly support services on the nursing unit and mechanisms that foster nurses' work engagement and effective symptom management, are important influences on patient satisfaction.

  11. Evaluation of the patient safety Leadership Walkabout programme of a hospital in Singapore.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lim, Raymond Boon Tar; Ng, Benjamin Boon Lui; Ng, Kok Mun

    2014-02-01

    The Patient Safety Leadership Walkabout (PSLWA) programme is a commonly employed tool in the West, in which senior leaders visit sites within the hospital that are involved in patient care to talk to healthcare staff about patient safety issues. As there is a lack of perspective regarding PSLWA in Asia, we carried out an evaluation of its effectiveness in improving the patient safety culture in Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore. A mixed methods analysis approach was used to review and evaluate all documents, protocols, meeting minutes, post-walkabout surveys, action plans and verbal feedback pertaining to the walkabouts conducted from January 2005 to October 2012. A total of 321 patient safety issues were identified during the study period. Of these, 308 (96.0%) issues were resolved as of November 2012. Among the various categories of issues raised, issues related to work environment were the most common (45.2%). Of all the issues raised during the walkabouts, 72.9% were not identified through other conventional methods of error detection. With respect to the hospital's patient safety culture, 94.8% of the participants reported an increased awareness in patient safety and 90.2% expressed comfort in openly and honestly discussing patient safety issues. PSLWA serves as a good tool to uncover latent errors before actual harm reaches the patient. If properly implemented, it is an effective method for engaging leadership, identifying patient safety issues, and supporting a culture of patient safety in the hospital setting.

  12. Nutritional Assessment in Elderly Hospitalized Patients in Qazvin Teaching Hospitals in 2011

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Azam Ghorbani

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: Nutritional status in the elderly is an important issue in developing countries has been little attention to it. It results from complex interaction between personal and environmental factors that have a considerable effect on mortality, morbidity and quality of life of elderly people especially the hospitalized ones. The aim of this study was to investigate nutritional status in elderly hospitalized patients in Qazvin Teaching Hospitals and know Influential factors to plan appropriate programs for improving their health. Methods & Materials: In this cross-sectional study 233 elderly (151 women and 171 men aging more than 60 years, hospitalized in two hospitals in Qazvin city were studied. Nutritional status were evaluated using Mini Nutritional Assessment, The nutritional status was classified into: malnourished, risk of malnutrition and without malnutrition (adequate. Results: Among the assessed elderly 29.8% were well nourish, 13.4% malnourished and 42.95 at risk of malnutrition. There was more malnutrition in females compared to males (25.8% vs 7.2 P=23(62.5% vs. 12.6% P<0.001, Statistical analysis of the studied variables showed that nutritional status were significantly associated with Age, BMI, WC and WHR Conclusion: This study confirms a high prevalence of malnutrition risk in hospitalized elderly patients. The assessment of nutritional status with MNA that can facilitate evaluation of the nutritional status of elderly individuals in hospitals

  13. Missing dosages and neuroleptic usage may prolong length of stay in hospitalized Parkinson's disease patients.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel Martinez-Ramirez

    Full Text Available Parkinson's disease patients are more likely to be hospitalized, have higher rates of hospital complications, and have an increased risk of deterioration during hospitalization. Length of stay is an important underlying factor for these increased risks. We aimed to investigate potential medication errors that may occur during hospitalization and its impact on length of hospital stay.A cross-sectional chart review of 339 consecutive hospital encounters from 212 PD subjects was performed. Medication errors were defined as wrong timing or omission of administration for dopaminergic drugs and administration of contraindicated dopamine blockers. An analysis of covariance was applied to examine whether these medication errors were related to increased length of hospital stays.A significant effect for dopaminergic administration (p<0.01 on length of hospital stay was observed. Subjects who had delayed administration or missed at least one dose stayed longer (M=8.2 days, SD=8.9 vs. M=3.6 days SD=3.4. Contraindicated dopamine blocking agents were administered in 23% (71/339 of cases, and this was also significantly related to an increased length of stay (M=8.2 days, SD=8.9 vs. M=3.6 days SD=3.4, p<0.05. Participants who received a contraindicated dopamine blocker stayed in the hospital longer (M=7.5 days, SD=9.1 compared to those who did not (M=5.9 days, SD=6.8. Neurologists were consulted in 24.5% of encounters. Specialty consultation had no effect on the medication related errors.Missing dopaminergic dosages and administration of dopamine blockers occur frequently in hospitalized Parkinson's disease patients and this may impact length of stay. These potentially modifiable factors may reduce the risk of a longer stay related to hospitalization.

  14. Costs of terminal patients who receive palliative care or usual care in different hospital wards.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simoens, Steven; Kutten, Betty; Keirse, Emmanuel; Berghe, Paul Vanden; Beguin, Claire; Desmedt, Marianne; Deveugele, Myriam; Léonard, Christian; Paulus, Dominique; Menten, Johan

    2010-11-01

    In addition to the effectiveness of hospital care models for terminal patients, policy makers and health care payers are concerned about their costs. This study aims to measure the hospital costs of treating terminal patients in Belgium from the health care payer perspective. Also, this study compares the costs of palliative and usual care in different types of hospital wards. A multicenter, retrospective cohort study compared costs of palliative care with usual care in acute hospital wards and with care in palliative care units. The study enrolled terminal patients from a representative sample of hospitals. Health care costs included fixed hospital costs and charges relating to medical fees, pharmacy and other charges. Data sources consisted of hospital accountancy data and invoice data. Six hospitals participated in the study, generating a total of 146 patients. The findings showed that palliative care in a palliative care unit was more expensive than palliative care in an acute ward due to higher staffing levels in palliative care units. Palliative care in an acute ward is cheaper than usual care in an acute ward. This study suggests that palliative care models in acute wards need to be supported because such care models appear to be less expensive than usual care and because such care models are likely to better reflect the needs of terminal patients. This finding emphasizes the importance of the timely recognition of the need for palliative care in terminal patients treated in acute wards.

  15. Individual and hospital-related determinants of potentially inappropriate admissions emerging from administrative records.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fusco, Marco; Buja, Alessandra; Piergentili, Paolo; Golfetto, Maria Teresa; Serafin, Gianni; Gallo, Silvia; Dalla Barba, Livio; Baldo, Vincenzo

    2016-11-01

    The appropriate use of health care is an important issue in developed countries. The purpose of this study was to ascertain the extent of potentially inappropriate hospital admissions and their individual, clinical and hospital-related determinants. Medical records were analyzed for the year 2014 held by the Local Heath Unit n. 13 in the Veneto Region of north-east Italy (19,000 records). The outcomes calculated were: admissions for conditions amenable to day hospital care; brief medical admissions; outlier lengths of stay for elderly patients' medical admissions; and medical admissions to surgical wards. Univariate analyses and logistic regression models were used to test associations with demographic, clinical and hospital ward covariates, including organizational indicators. Inappropriate reliance on acute care beds ranged from 6% to 28%, depending on the type of quality indicator analyzed. Some individual features, and wards' specific characteristics were associated with at least one of the phenomena of inappropriate hospital resource usage. In particular, male gender, younger age and transferals seemed to affect inappropriate admissions to surgical wards. Potentially avoidable admissions featuring inpatients amenable to day hospital care were associated with subjects with fewer comorbidities and lower case-mix wards, while inappropriately short medical stays were influenced by patients' higher functional status and local residency and by lower bed occupancy rates. In conclusion, inappropriately long hospital stays for elderly cases were associated with patients with multiple pathologies in wards with a low bed-occupancy. Education level and citizenship did not seem to influence inappropriate admissions. Some individual, clinical ad structural characteristics of patients and wards emerging from administrative records could be associated with inappropriate reliance on acute hospital beds. Analyzing the indicators considered in this study could generate

  16. Muscle Strength and Muscle Mass in Older Patients during Hospitalization: The EMPOWER Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Ancum, Jeanine M.; Scheerman, Kira; Pierik, Vincent D.; Numans, Siger T.; Verlaan, Sjors; Smeenk, Hanne E.; Slee-Valentijn, Monique; Kruizinga, Roeliene C.; Meskers, Carel G.M.; Maier, Andrea B.

    2017-01-01

    Background Low muscle strength and muscle mass are associated with an increased length of hospital stay and higher mortality rate in inpatients. To what extent hospitalization affects muscle strength and muscle mass is unclear. Objective We aimed to assess muscle strength and muscle mass at admission and during hospitalization in older patients and its relation with being at risk of geriatric conditions. Methods The EMPOWER study included patients aged 70 years and older, admitted to 4 wards of the VU University Medical Center in the Netherlands between April and December 2015. At admission, patients were screened for being at risk of 4 geriatric conditions: delirium, falls, malnutrition, and functional disability. At admission and at discharge, muscle strength and muscle mass were assessed. Results A total of 373 patients (mean age, standard deviation [SD]: 79.6, 6.38 years) were included at admission, and 224 patients (mean age, SD: 80.1, 6.32 years) at discharge. At admission, lower muscle strength in both female and male patients and low muscle mass in male patients were associated with being at risk of a higher cumulative number of geriatric conditions. Muscle strength increased during hospitalization, but no change in muscle mass was observed. Changes in muscle measures were not associated with being at risk of geriatric conditions. Discussion Older patients with lower muscle strength and muscle mass at admission were at risk of a higher cumulative number of geriatric conditions. However, being at risk of geriatric conditions did not forecast further decrease in muscle strength and muscle mass during hospitalization PMID:28817825

  17. Maxillofacial trauma of pediatric patients in Malaysia: a retrospective study from 1999 to 2001 in three hospitals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rahman, Roslan Abdul; Ramli, Roszalina; Rahman, Normastura Abdul; Hussaini, Haizal Mohd; Idrus, Sharifah Munirah Ai; Hamid, Abdul Latif Abdul

    2007-06-01

    Maxillofacial trauma in children is not common worldwide. Domestic injuries are frequently seen in younger children while older children are mostly involved in motor vehicle accidents (MVA). The objective of this study was to analyze the pattern of maxillofacial injuries in pediatric patients referred to three government main hospitals in different areas of West Malaysia. Patients' records of three selected hospitals in Malaysia (National University of Malaysia Hospital, Kajang Hospital and Seremban Hospital) from January 1999 to December 2001 were reviewed. Data associated with demographics, etiology of injury in relation to age group, type of injuries whether soft tissues of hard tissue in relation to age group and treatment modalities were collected. A total of 521 pediatric patients' records were reviewed. Malays made up the majority of patients with maxillofacial injuries in the three hospitals. Males outnumbered females in all the three hospitals. Injuries commonly occur in the 11-16 years old. MVA was the most common etiology followed by fall and assault. Soft tissue injuries were the most common type of injuries in all the hospitals. In relation to fractures, mandible was the most common bone to fracture with condyle being the most common site. Orbital fracture was the most common fracture in the midfacial area. Most of the fractures were managed conservatively especially in the younger age groups. Open reduction with or without internal fixation was more frequently carried out in the 11-16 years old group. Children exhibit different pattern of clinical features depending on the etiology and stage of their bone maturation. A dedicated team, who is competent in trauma and aware of the unique anatomy, physical and psychological characteristics of children, should manage pediatric patient with trauma.

  18. Risk factors associated with in-hospital mortality in elderly patients admitted to a regional trauma center after sustaining a fall.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cartagena, L J; Kang, A; Munnangi, S; Jordan, A; Nweze, I C; Sasthakonar, V; Boutin, A; George Angus, L D

    2017-06-01

    Falls are a significant cause of mortality in the elderly patients. Despite this, the literature on in-hospital mortality related to elderly falls remains sparse. Our study aims to determine the risk factors associated with in-hospital mortality in elderly patients admitted to a regional trauma center after sustaining a fall. All elderly case records with fall-related injuries between 2003 and 2013 were retrospectively analyzed for demographic characteristics, injury severities, comorbidity factors and clinical outcomes. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the risk factors associated with in-hospital mortality. In total, 1026 elderly patients with fall-related injuries were included in the study. The average age of patients was 80.94 ± 8.16 years. Seventy seven percent of the patients had at least one comorbid condition. Majority of the falls occurred at home. More than half of the patients fell from ground level. Overall, the in-hospital mortality rate was 16 %. Head injury constituted the most common injury sustained in patients who died (77 %). In addition to age, ISS, GCS, ICU admission and anemia were significantly (P fall patients. Ground-level falls in the elderly can be devastating and carry a significant mortality rate. Elderly patients with anemia were two times more likely to die in the hospital after sustaining a fall in our study population. Increased focus on anemia which is often underappreciated in elderly fall patients can be beneficial in improving outcomes and reducing in-hospital mortality.

  19. Prevalence, risk factors, and health-related quality of life of osteoporosis in patients with COPD at a community hospital in Taiwan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lin CW

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Chun-Wei Lin,1,2 Yih-Yuan Chen,3 Yi-Jen Chen,1,4 Chi-Yen Liang,1 Ming-Shian Lin,1,4 Wei Chen1,5,6 1Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Chia-Yi Christian Hospital, Chia-Yim, 2Division of Chest, Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Kuang Tien General Hospital, Taichung, 3Department of Internal Medicine, Chia-Yi Christian Hospital, 4Department of Respiratory Care, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Chiayi, 5College of Nursing, Dayeh University, 6Department of Respiratory Therapy, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan Background: Data regarding osteoporosis in COPD patients in Taiwan remain limited. The primary end point of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and risk factors of osteoporosis in COPD patients in Taiwan. The secondary end point was to examine the association between osteoporosis and health-related quality of life (HRQL in COPD patients.Materials and methods: This prospective cross-sectional study enrolled 125 COPD patients (mean age 73.6 years, forced expiratory volume in 1 second [FEV1] 1.19±0.43 L who had bone mineral-density measurements performed consecutively. Demographic data, lung function, and HRQL including modified Medical Research Council dyspnea scale, St George’s Respiratory Questionnaire, oxygen-cost diagram, Center for Epidemiologic Studies – depression scale, and COPD Assessment Test scores were recorded. Results: A total of 50 (40% participants were diagnosed as having osteoporosis. In a multivariate logistic regression model including age, smoking amount (pack-year, body mass index (BMI, and FEV1, only BMI (odds ratio 0.824, 95% confidence interval 0.73–0.93; P=0.002 and FEV1 (odds ratio 0.360, 95% confidence interval 0.13–0.98; P=0.046 were negatively associated with an increased risk of osteoporosis in COPD patients. In addition, COPD patients with osteoporosis had significantly higher modified Medical Research Council dyspnea scale scores (1.7±0.8 vs 1.4±0.8, P=0

  20. Effects of resident duty hour reform on surgical and procedural patient safety indicators among hospitalized Veterans Health Administration and Medicare patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosen, Amy K; Loveland, Susan A; Romano, Patrick S; Itani, Kamal M F; Silber, Jeffrey H; Even-Shoshan, Orit O; Halenar, Michael J; Teng, Yun; Zhu, Jingsan; Volpp, Kevin G

    2009-07-01

    Improving patient safety was a strong motivation behind duty hour regulations implemented by Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education on July 1, 2003. We investigated whether rates of patient safety indicators (PSIs) changed after these reforms. Observational study of patients admitted to Veterans Health Administration (VA) (N = 826,047) and Medicare (N = 13,367,273) acute-care hospitals from July 1, 2000 to June 30, 2005. We examined changes in patient safety events in more versus less teaching-intensive hospitals before (2000-2003) and after (2003-2005) duty hour reform, using conditional logistic regression, adjusting for patient age, gender, comorbidities, secular trends, baseline severity, and hospital site. Ten PSIs were aggregated into 3 composite measures based on factor analyses: "Continuity of Care," "Technical Care," and "Other" composites. Continuity of Care composite rates showed no significant changes postreform in hospitals of different teaching intensity in either VA or Medicare. In the VA, there were no significant changes postreform for the technical care composite. In Medicare, the odds of a Technical Care PSI event in more versus less teaching-intensive hospitals in postreform year 1 were 1.12 (95% CI; 1.01-1.25); there were no significant relative changes in postreform year 2. Other composite rates increased in VA in postreform year 2 in more versus less teaching-intensive hospitals (odds ratio, 1.63; 95% CI; 1.10-2.41), but not in Medicare in either postreform year. Duty hour reform had no systematic impact on PSI rates. In the few cases where there were statistically significant increases in the relative odds of developing a PSI, the magnitude of the absolute increases were too small to be clinically meaningful.

  1. Organisational culture: variation across hospitals and connection to patient safety climate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Speroff, T; Nwosu, S; Greevy, R; Weinger, M B; Talbot, T R; Wall, R J; Deshpande, J K; France, D J; Ely, E W; Burgess, H; Englebright, J; Williams, M V; Dittus, R S

    2010-12-01

    Bureaucratic organisational culture is less favourable to quality improvement, whereas organisations with group (teamwork) culture are better aligned for quality improvement. To determine if an organisational group culture shows better alignment with patient safety climate. Cross-sectional administration of questionnaires. Setting 40 Hospital Corporation of America hospitals. 1406 nurses, ancillary staff, allied staff and physicians. Competing Values Measure of Organisational Culture, Safety Attitudes Questionnaire (SAQ), Safety Climate Survey (SCSc) and Information and Analysis (IA). The Cronbach alpha was 0.81 for the group culture scale and 0.72 for the hierarchical culture scale. Group culture was positively correlated with SAQ and its subscales (from correlation coefficient r = 0.44 to 0.55, except situational recognition), ScSc (r = 0.47) and IA (r = 0.33). Hierarchical culture was negatively correlated with the SAQ scales, SCSc and IA. Among the 40 hospitals, 37.5% had a hierarchical dominant culture, 37.5% a dominant group culture and 25% a balanced culture. Group culture hospitals had significantly higher safety climate scores than hierarchical culture hospitals. The magnitude of these relationships was not affected after adjusting for provider job type and hospital characteristics. Hospitals vary in organisational culture, and the type of culture relates to the safety climate within the hospital. In combination with prior studies, these results suggest that a healthcare organisation's culture is a critical factor in the development of its patient safety climate and in the successful implementation of quality improvement initiatives.

  2. [Respect of patient's dignity in the hospital].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duguet, A-M

    2010-12-01

    Every code of ethics of health professionals in France considers the respect of dignity as a fundamental duty. The French 2002 Law on patient rights says that the person has the right to respect of dignity and of private life. After a presentation of the articles of ethics codes regarding dignity, this paper presents recommendations to deliver medical care in situations where dignity might be endangered such as for patients hospitalized in psychiatric services without consent, or for medical examination of prisoners or medical care to vulnerable patients unable to express their will, especially in palliative care or at the end of life. Respect of dignity after death is illustrated by the reflection conducted by the Espace Ethique de l'AP-HP (Paris area hospitals) and in the Chart of the mortuary yard. A survey of the patients' letters of complaint received by the emergency service of the Toulouse University Hospital showed that, in five years, there were 188 letters and 18 pointed out infringements to the dignity of the person. The health professional team is now aware of this obligation, and in the accreditation of the hospitals, the respect of dignity is one of the indicators of the quality of medical care.

  3. Patient-perceived hospital service quality: an empirical assessment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pai, Yogesh P; Chary, Satyanarayana T; Pai, Rashmi Yogesh

    2018-02-12

    Purpose The purpose of this paper is to appraise Pai and Chary's (2016) conceptual framework for measuring patient-perceived hospital service quality (HSQ). Design/methodology/approach A structured questionnaire was used to obtain data from teaching, public and corporate hospital patients. Several tests were conducted to assess the instrument's reliability and validity. Pai and Chary's (2016) nine dimensions for measuring HSQ were examined in this paper. Findings The tests confirm that Pai and Chary's (2016) conceptual framework is reliable and valid. The study also establishes that the nine dimensions measure HSQ. Practical implications The framework empowers managers to assess service quality in any hospital settings, corporate, public and teaching, using an approach that is superior to the existing HSQ scales. Originality/value This paper helps researchers and practitioners to assess HSQ from patient perspectives in any hospital setting.

  4. Developing and testing the patient-centred innovation questionnaire for hospital nurses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Ching-Yuan; Weng, Rhay-Hung; Wu, Tsung-Chin; Lin, Tzu-En; Hsu, Ching-Tai; Hung, Chiu-Hsia; Tsai, Yu-Chen

    2018-03-01

    Develop the patient-centred innovation questionnaire for hospital nurses and establish its validity and reliability. Patient-centred care has been adopted by health care managers in their efforts to improve health care quality. It is regarded as a core concept for developing innovation. A cross-sectional study was employed to collect data from hospital nurses in Taiwan. This study was divided into two stages: pilot study and main study. In the main study, 596 valid responses were collected. This study adopted reliability analysis, exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and selected nurse innovation scale as a criterion to test criterion-related validity. Five-dimension patient-centred innovation questionnaire was proposed: access and practicability, co-ordination and communication, sharing power and responsibility, care continuity, family and person focus. Each dimension demonstrated a reliability of 0.89-0.98. All dimensions had acceptable convergent and discriminate validity. The patient-centred innovation questionnaire and nurse innovation scale exhibited a significantly positive correlation. Patient-centred innovation questionnaire not only had a good theoretical basis but also had sufficient reliability and construct validity, and criterion-related validity. Patient-centred innovation questionnaire could give a measure for evaluating the implementation of patient-centred care and could be used as a management tool during the process of nurse innovation. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  5. Patient satisfaction and quality of surgical care in US hospitals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsai, Thomas C; Orav, E John; Jha, Ashish K

    2015-01-01

    The relationship between patient satisfaction and surgical quality is unclear for US hospitals. Using national data, we examined if hospitals with high patient satisfaction have lower levels of performance on accepted measures of the quality and efficiency of surgical care. Federal policymakers have made patient satisfaction a core measure for the way hospitals are evaluated and paid through the value-based purchasing program. There is broad concern that performance on patient satisfaction may have little or even a negative correlation with the quality of surgical care, leading to potential trade-offs in efforts to improve patient experience with other surgical quality measures. We used the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey data from 2010 and 2011 to assess performance on patient experience. We used national Medicare data on 6 common surgical procedures to calculate measures of surgical efficiency and quality: risk-adjusted length of stay, process score, risk-adjusted mortality rate, risk-adjusted readmission rate, and a composite z score across all 4 metrics. Multivariate models adjusting for hospital characteristics were used to assess the independent relationships between patient satisfaction and measures of surgical efficiency and quality. Of the 2953 US hospitals that perform one of these 6 procedures, the median patient satisfaction score was 69.5% (interquartile range, 63%-75.5%). Length of stay was shorter in hospitals with the highest levels of patient satisfaction (7.1 days vs 7.7 days, P patient satisfaction had the higher process of care performance (96.5 vs 95.5, P patient satisfaction also had a higher composite score for quality across all measures (P patient satisfaction provided more efficient care and were associated with higher surgical quality. Our findings suggest there need not be a trade-off between good quality of care for surgical patients and ensuring a positive patient experience.

  6. Hospitalization in daily home hemodialysis and matched thrice-weekly in-center hemodialysis patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weinhandl, Eric D; Nieman, Kimberly M; Gilbertson, David T; Collins, Allan J

    2015-01-01

    Cardiovascular disease is a common cause of hospitalization in dialysis patients. Daily hemodialysis improves some parameters of cardiovascular function, but whether it associates with lower hospitalization risk is unclear. Observational cohort study using US Renal Data System data. Medicare-enrolled daily (5 or 6 sessions weekly) home hemodialysis (HHD) patients initiating NxStage System One use from January 1, 2006, through December 31, 2009, and contemporary thrice-weekly in-center hemodialysis patients, matched 5 to 1. Daily HHD or thrice-weekly in-center hemodialysis. All-cause and cause-specific hospital admissions, hospital readmissions, and hospital days assessed from Medicare Part A claims. For 3,480 daily HHD and 17,400 thrice-weekly in-center hemodialysis patients in intention-to-treat analysis, the HR of all-cause admission for daily HHD versus in-center hemodialysis was 1.01 (95%CI, 0.98-1.03). Cause-specific admission HRs were 0.89 (95%CI, 0.86-0.93) for cardiovascular disease, 1.18 (95%CI, 1.13-1.23) for infection, 1.01 (95%CI, 0.93-1.09) for vascular access dysfunction, and 1.02 (95%CI, 0.99-1.06) for other morbidity. Regarding cardiovascular disease, first admission and readmission HRs for daily HHD versus in-center hemodialysis were 0.91 and 0.87, respectively. Regarding infection, first admission and readmission HRs were 1.35 and 1.03, respectively. Protective associations of daily HHD with heart failure and hypertensive disease were most pronounced, as were adverse associations of daily HHD with bacteremia/sepsis, cardiac infection, osteomyelitis, and vascular access infection. Results may be confounded by unmeasured factors, including vascular access type; information about dialysis frequency, duration, and dose was lacking; causes of admission may be misclassified; results may not apply to patients without Medicare coverage. All-cause hospitalization risk was similar in daily HHD and thrice-weekly in-center hemodialysis patients. However

  7. Improving Hospital Services Based on Patient Experience Data: Current Feedback Practices and Future Opportunities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaipio, Johanna; Stenhammar, Hanna; Immonen, Susanna; Litovuo, Lauri; Axelsson, Minja; Lantto, Minna; Lahdenne, Pekka

    2018-01-01

    Patient feedback is considered important for healthcare organizations. However, measurement and analysis of patient reported data is useful only if gathered insights are transformed into actions. This article focuses on gathering and utilization of patient experience data at hospitals with the aim of supporting the development of patient-centered services. The study was designed to explore both current practices of collecting and utilizing patient feedback at hospitals as well as future feedback-related opportunities. Nine people working at different hierarchical levels of three university hospitals in Finland participated in in-depth interviews. Findings indicate that current feedback processes are poorly planned and inflexible. Some feedback data are gathered, but not systematically utilized. Currently, it is difficult to obtain a comprehensive picture of the situation. One future hope was to increase the amount of patient feedback to be able to better generalize and utilize the data. Based on the findings the following recommendations are given: attention to both patients' and healthcare staff's perspectives when collecting feedback, employing a coordinated approach for collecting and utilizing patient feedback, and organizational transformation towards a patient-centric culture.

  8. Etiology of vertigo in Thai patients at Thammasat Hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bunasuwan, Parichat; Bunbanjerdsuk, Sacarin; Nilsuwan, Amornwan

    2011-12-01

    The purpose of this research is to study the causes of vertigo in the patients at Otoneurology Clinic, Thammasat Hospital. The data of these patients, collected from the medical records between January 2010 and January 2011, were reviewed and analyzed. From one hundred and forty-nine cases, 49 cases (33%) were men and 100 cases (67%) were women, which yielded the male-to-female ratio of 1:2. The average age of patients was 55 year olds. The most common diagnostic category was peripheral vestibular disorders (80.5%). Other causes were central vestibular disorders (4.7%) and non-vestibular related (4%), whereas the remaining (10.1%) was undiagnosed. The causes of vertigo included benign paroxysmal positional vertigo: BPPV (53%), Meniere's disease (10.1%) and recurrent vestibulopathy (8.1%), while the underlying diseases found were diabetes mellitus (11.4%), hypertension (32.2%) and dyslipidemia (34.2%). In Otoneurology Clinic, Thammasat Hospital, the peripheral vestibular disorders was the main etiology of vertigo, while the three most common causes were BPPV Meniere's disease, and recurrent vestibulopathy respectively.

  9. Does HIPE data capture the complexity of stroke patients in an acute hospital setting?

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Clarke, B

    2010-01-01

    The Hospital Inpatient Enquiry (HIPE) system is currently used as a principle source of national data on discharges from acute hospitals. The Casemix Programme is used to calculate funding for patient care (HIPE activity and Specialty Costs Returns). Th coding is usually undertaken by clerical personnel. We were concerned that the medical complexity of our stroke patients was not captured by the process. The aims of this study were to compare activity coded by HIPE coding staff and medical staff in consecutive stroke patients discharged from the hospital. One hundred consecutive discharged patients with stroke as primary diagnosis were coded by clerical staff [usual practice] and by medical staff. We compared the coding and any differences. We calculated the financial comparison of subsequent differences in Diagnostic Related Groups (DRGs) and Relative Values (RVs). Clinician coded DRGs resulted in a higher assigned RV in 45 cases. The total RV value for HIPE using clerical coding was 595,268.94 euros and using medical coding was 725,252.16 euros. We conclude that medical input is useful in detailing the complications arising in stroke patients. We suggest that physicians should assist in the HIPE coding process in order to capture clinical complexity, so that funding can be appropriately assigned to manage these complex patients.

  10. How do patients define "good" and "bad" doctors? - Qualitative approach to the representations of hospital patients

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Luthy, C; Cedraschi, C; Perrin, E; Allaz, AF

    2005-01-01

    Questions under study: Knowledge of hospital patients' perceptions of doctors' qualities is limited. The purpose of this study was to explore hospital patients' definitions of "good" and "bad" doctors. Methods: Semi-structured interviews conducted with 68 consecutive hospital patients. The questions

  11. Multi-modal intervention improved oral intake in hospitalized patients

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Holst, M; Beermann, T; Mortensen, M N

    2015-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Good nutritional practice (GNP) includes screening, nutrition plan and monitoring, and is mandatory for targeted treatment of malnourished patients in hospital. AIMS: To optimize energy- and protein-intake in patients at nutritional risk and to improve GNP in a hospital setting. METHODS......: A 12-months observational multi-modal intervention study was done, using the top-down and bottom-up principle. All hospitalized patients (>3 days) were included. Setting: A university hospital with 758 beds and all specialities. Measurements: Record audit of GNP, energy- and protein-intake by 24-h...... recall, patient interviews and staff questionnaire before and after the intervention. Interventions: Based on pre-measurements, nutrition support teams in each department made targeted action plans, supervised by an expert team. Education, diagnose-specific nutrition plans, improved menus and eating...

  12. Hospital revenue cycle management and payer mix: do Medicare and Medicaid undermine hospitals' ability to generate and collect patient care revenue?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rauscher, Simone; Wheeler, John R C

    2010-01-01

    The continuing efforts of government payers to contain hospital costs have raised concerns among hospital managers that serving publicly insured patients may undermine their ability to manage the revenue cycle successfully. This study uses financial information from two sources-Medicare cost reports for all US hospitals for 2002 to 2007 and audited financial statements for all bond-issuing, not-for-profit hospitals for 2000 to 2006 to examine the relationship between hospitals' shares of Medicare and Medicaid patients and the amount of patient care revenue they generate as well as the speed with which they collect their revenue. Hospital-level fixed effects regression analysis finds that hospitals with higher Medicare and Medicaid payer mix collect somewhat higher average patient care revenues than hospitals with more privately insured and self-pay patients. Hospitals with more Medicare patients also collect on this revenue faster; serving more Medicaid patients is not associated with the speed of patient revenue collection. For hospital managers, these findings may represent good news. They suggest that, despite increases in the number of publicly insured patients served, managers have frequently been able to generate adequate amounts of patient revenue and collect it in a timely fashion.

  13. Complications and 30-day hospital readmission rates of patients undergoing tracheostomy: A prospective analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spataro, Emily; Durakovic, Nedim; Kallogjeri, Dorina; Nussenbaum, Brian

    2017-12-01

    To determine inpatient and outpatient tracheostomy complication rates and 30-day hospital readmission rates, and to assess patient and procedural risk factors associated with complications and readmissions. Prospective cohort study. Adult patients undergoing tracheostomy at a single academic hospital performed by any service, for any indication, were enrolled in this study over the course of 1 year. All patients had complete 30-day follow-up after discharge to determine complication and hospital readmission rates. Logistic regression was used to assess patient and procedural risk factors associated with these events. One hundred patients were enrolled in this study from June 1, 2015, to June 1, 2016. The overall inpatient tracheostomy complication rate was 47% (95% confidence interval [CI], 37%-57%). Inpatient complications were associated with location in the medical intensive care unit and increased length of hospitalization. The outpatient tracheostomy complication rate was 15% (95% CI, 8%-22%). Outpatient complications were associated with having a previous tracheostomy or an awake tracheostomy under local anesthesia. The all-cause 30-day hospital readmission rate was 33% (95% CI, 24%-42%), and the tracheostomy-specific readmission rate was 13% (95% CI, 6%-20%). All-cause readmissions were associated with diabetes, length of hospitalization after tracheostomy, and outpatient complications. The overall mortality rate during the study period was 11% (95% CI, 5%-17%), with one tracheostomy-related death. Patients undergoing tracheostomies are at high risk for both inpatient and outpatient complications, as well for 30-day hospital readmission. Understanding patient and procedural risk factors associated with these events will help guide interventions for quality improvement. 2b. Laryngoscope, 127:2746-2753, 2017. © 2017 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.

  14. Disaster metrics: quantitative benchmarking of hospital surge capacity in trauma-related multiple casualty events.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bayram, Jamil D; Zuabi, Shawki; Subbarao, Italo

    2011-06-01

    Hospital surge capacity in multiple casualty events (MCE) is the core of hospital medical response, and an integral part of the total medical capacity of the community affected. To date, however, there has been no consensus regarding the definition or quantification of hospital surge capacity. The first objective of this study was to quantitatively benchmark the various components of hospital surge capacity pertaining to the care of critically and moderately injured patients in trauma-related MCE. The second objective was to illustrate the applications of those quantitative parameters in local, regional, national, and international disaster planning; in the distribution of patients to various hospitals by prehospital medical services; and in the decision-making process for ambulance diversion. A 2-step approach was adopted in the methodology of this study. First, an extensive literature search was performed, followed by mathematical modeling. Quantitative studies on hospital surge capacity for trauma injuries were used as the framework for our model. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization triage categories (T1-T4) were used in the modeling process for simplicity purposes. Hospital Acute Care Surge Capacity (HACSC) was defined as the maximum number of critical (T1) and moderate (T2) casualties a hospital can adequately care for per hour, after recruiting all possible additional medical assets. HACSC was modeled to be equal to the number of emergency department beds (#EDB), divided by the emergency department time (EDT); HACSC = #EDB/EDT. In trauma-related MCE, the EDT was quantitatively benchmarked to be 2.5 (hours). Because most of the critical and moderate casualties arrive at hospitals within a 6-hour period requiring admission (by definition), the hospital bed surge capacity must match the HACSC at 6 hours to ensure coordinated care, and it was mathematically benchmarked to be 18% of the staffed hospital bed capacity. Defining and quantitatively benchmarking the

  15. Prevalence of Pressure Injury of Bedridden Patients, Hospitalized in a Public Hospital

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    Sandra Marina Gonçalves Bezerra

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To analyze the prevalence of pressure injury in bedridden patients, hospitalized in a public hospital. Methodology: This is a cross-sectional study conducted in the city of Teresina, state of Piauí. The sample consisted of 27 bedridden patients, with pressure injuries. Results: The injury prevalence was 31,4%. From the 27 patients studied, 59.3% were elderly, 77.8% were male, 48.1% had circulatory system diseases, 22.2% had respiratory system diseases and 59.3% of the pressure injuries were located in the sacral region. Conclusion: The prevalence of pressure injury was high among bedridden patients, which shows the need of preventive measures, such as protocol implantation, use of scale of risk assessment, appropriate supporting surface, repositioning in bed, adequacy of dressings and instructions for patient discharge. Keywords: Pressure ulcer. Prevalence. Nursing.

  16. The impact of quality management on patient satisfaction in a hospital: brief report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ali Mohammad Mosadeghrad

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Background: Patient satisfaction is an important indicator of healthcare quality and effectiveness. Quality management as an organizational strategy enhances the quality of hospital services through continuously improving hospital structures and processes. This study aimed to examine the impact of quality management on patient satisfaction. Methods: A participatory action research was conducted in respiratory intensive care unit, at Labafinejad hospital, Tehran, Iran, in 2013. A quality improvement team was established. Operational processes were improved using a quality management model. The quality improvement team standardized processes, identified quality goals for the processes and improved them until achieved quality goals. Patients’ satisfaction data was collected before and after the intervention using a valid and reliable questionnaire. Results: Patients’ satisfaction was 75 percent at the beginning of the study. Patients were mostly dissatisfied with the nutrition services, amenities, lack of attention to their personal needs and lack of involving them in their treatment processes. An action plan was developed for improving patient satisfaction. After the quality management intervention, patient satisfaction reached to 81 percent at the end of this study. The quality management model improved the quality of services by 54.5 percent and consequently increased patient satisfaction by 7.2 percent. Almost half of the patients at the beginning of this study were definitely willing to recommend the hospital to their friends and relatives. This figure increased to 76 percent. The rest of patients stated that they may recommend the hospital to others. Conclusion: Implementing an appropriate quality management model appropriately in a supportive environment helps improve the quality of services and enhance patient satisfaction and loyalty.

  17. Participation of informal caregivers in the hospital care of elderly patients and their evaluations of the care given: pilot study in three different hospitals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laitinen, P

    1992-10-01

    This action research is an ongoing study which will last from 1991 to 1993. The main purpose of the study is to increase the participation of informal caregivers in the hospital care of elderly patients without decreasing the quality of care. The data reported here are from a pilot study. This study had three aims: (a) to test reliability and validity of the measure used, (b) to investigate the current participation of informal caregivers in the hospital care of elderly patients (aged over 75), and (c) to evaluate and compare the quality of care from both the patients' and the informal caregivers' point of view in three different hospitals. The measure of quality of care was developed on the basis of need theories, mainly those of Maslow and Alderfer. Patients and caregivers were also asked to rate the participation of the caregivers in the hospital care of elderly patients. Participation consisted of 18 activities of daily living. The pilot test with 18 elderly hospital patients and seven family members or significant others showed differences between the two groups in perception of care received. Statistically significant differences (P needs, psychic and spiritual needs and totals. The results supported earlier findings that elderly patients are satisfied with and do not criticize their care. The younger generation (i.e. their children) is more demanding and has precise perceptions about the care given. Relatives could be used more in planning, evaluation and even implementation of care; however, their current participation in patient hospital care is minimal.

  18. Scored patient-generated Subjective Global Assessment: Length of hospital stay and mortality in cancer patients

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    Alexsandro Ferreira dos SANTOS

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objective To determine the association of a scored patient-generated Subjective Global Assessment with mortality and length of hospital stay in cancer patients. Methods Cross-sectional study carried out between July and September 2014 using secondary data collection using data from 366 medical records of patients admitted to a hospital recognized as a cancer center of excellence. The present study included patients with hospital stay over than or equal three days and minimum age of 20 years. The patient-generated Subjective Global Assessment scores were calculated and compared with the patients’ clinical and anthropometric characteristics and outcomes (death and long length of stay in hospital. Results Of the 366 patients evaluated, 36.0% were malnourished. The presence of malnutrition, according to the scored patient-generated Subjective Global Assessment, was statistically associated with the presence of metastasis (52.4%. On the other hand, malnutrition, according to the body mass index in adults (55.8% and in older elderly patients (54.2%, was associated with death (55.0%. The adjusted logistic regression model showed that the following factors were associated with prolonged hospitalization: early nutritional screening, presence of severe malnutrition, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and surgical procedures. As for mortality, the associated factors were: male reproductive system tumor, presence of metastasis, clinical treatment, prolonged hospitalization, and the presence of some degree of malnutrition. Conclusion The patient-generated Subjective Global Assessment score is an important risk marker of prolonged hospitalization and mortality rates. It is a useful tool capable of circumventing significant biases in the nutritional evaluation of cancer patients.

  19. How to Improve Patient Safety Culture in Croatian Hospitals?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Šklebar, Ivan; Mustajbegović, Jadranka; Šklebar, Duška; Cesarik, Marijan; Milošević, Milan; Brborović, Hana; Šporčić, Krunoslav; Petrić, Petar; Husedžinović, Ino

    2016-09-01

    Patient safety culture (PCS) has a crucial impact on the safety practices of healthcare delivery systems. The purpose of this study was to assess the state of PSC in Croatian hospitals and compare it with hospitals in the United States. The study was conducted in three public general hospitals in Croatia using the Croatian translation of the Hospital Survey of Patient Safety Culture (HSOPSC). A comparison of the results from Croatian and American hospitals was performed using a T-square test. We found statistically significant differences in all 12 PSC dimensions. Croatian responses were more positive in the two dimensions of Handoff s and Transitions and Overall Perceptions of Patient Safety. In the remaining ten dimensions, Croatian responses were less positive than in US hospitals, with the most prominent areas being Nonpunitive Response to Error, Frequency of Events Reported, Communication Openness, Teamwork within Units, Feedback & Communication about Error, Management Support for Patient Safety, and Staffing. Our findings show that PSC is significantly lower in Croatian than in American hospitals, particularly in the areas of Nonpunitive Response to Error, Leadership, Teamwork, Communication Openness and Staffing. This suggests that a more comprehensive system for the improvement of patient safety within the framework of the Croatian healthcare system needs to be developed. Our findings also help confirm that HSOPSC is a useful and appropriate tool for the assessment of PSC. HSOPSC highlights the PSC components in need of improvement and should be considered for use in national and international benchmarking.

  20. Patient related factors for optimal blood pressure control in patients ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    EB

    2013-09-03

    Sep 3, 2013 ... e” 90 mm Hg.8. Interview questionnaires. The questionnaires during the interview were comprised of four categories. The first was in relation to formal .... high blood pressure in clinics and hospitals is a major cause. Our earlier study on a rural Australian population showed that 56.7% of the patients with.

  1. [Costs of appendicitis treatment by diagnosis-related groups in a third-level pediatric hospital].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tlacuilo-Parra, Alberto; Hernández-Hernández, Araceli; Venegas-Dávalos, Martha; Gutiérrez-Hermosillo, Violeta; Guevara-Gutiérrez, Elizabeth; Ambriz-González, Gabriela

    2014-01-01

    Diagnosis-related groups (DRGs) are widely used in Europe. They allow performing comparisons in hospitals and incurrent hospital payment systems, defining the payment categories. We undertook this study to classify children who underwent appendectomy according to DRGs. Cross-sectional study. Comorbidities, length of hospitalization, histopathologic classification, and DRG classifications were analyzed. We included 313 patients, 62% males, with an average age of 8 ± 3 years; 91% were referred by another hospital and 67% were treated at night. Average length of hospitalization was 4 ± 3 days. There were comorbidities in 8% and surgical complications in 11%. According to histopathology, appendicitis was edematous (11%), suppurative (36%), gangrenous (22%), perforated (29%), and abscessed (2%). At discharge, 97% of the patients were healthy. Total cost for DRG 343 was $10,470,173.00 (Mexican pesos), DRG 342 was $1,227,592.00 and DRG 340 was $511,521.00. The global amount was $12,209,286.00 (Mexican pesos). The unitary cost for treatment of appendectomy for DRG 343 was $37,935.00, for DRG 342 was $49,103.00 and for DRG 340 was $42,626.00 (Mexican pesos). Because 88% of the cases of appendicitis were uncomplicated, this amount of money could be spent to treat these patients in a second-level hospital, using reimbursement 343 without generating additional expenses.

  2. Risk factors associated with malnutrition in hospitalized patients

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    Roberta Flores Marquezini FRAGAS

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objective To identify factors associated with malnutrition in patients hospitalized in general public hospitals of the city of Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil. Methods This cross-sectional study included 397 patients of both sexes aged more than 18 years, staying at three public hospitals in Manaus, Amazonas. The patients were submitted to anthropometric and subjective global assessments, the latter being the main diagnostic method. For association analyses between malnutrition (dependent variable and other covariates, we used contingency table for variable selection and multiple logistic regression for independent effect test between exposure and outcome. The strength of association between the variables was expressed as odds ratio, with a 95% confidence interval. The analyses were performed by Epi Info 7.0. Results Among the risk factors associated with hospital malnutrition, hospital stays longer than 15 days, when analyzed alone, nearly tripled the odds of malnutrition. However, in the final model, the variables that remained associated were: persistent change in diet, presence of gastrointestinal symptoms, recent weight loss, weight loss in the last six months, cancer, and age higher than 60 years. Conclusion Malnutrition is recurrent in hospitals, and the factors associated with malnutrition can be identified on admission, allowing adequate monitoring during hospital stay. Therefore, a more effective performance of nutritional screening and monitoring programs is critical.

  3. Lack of patients? A hypothesis for understanding discrepancies between hospital resources and productivity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bratlid, Dag

    2006-04-02

    Despite a substantial increase in hospital resources, increased hospital admissions and out-patient visits, long waiting lists have been a significant problem in Norwegian health care. A detailed analysis of the development in resource allocation and productivity at St. Olavs University Hospital in central Norway was therefore undertaken. Resource allocation and patient volume was analysed during the period 1995 to 2001. Data were analysed both for emergency and elective admissions as well as outpatient visits specified into new referrals and follow-up consultations. Full time employee equivalents for doctors and nurses increased by 36.6% and 25.9%, respectively, and all employees by 28.1%. However, admitted patients, outpatient consultations and surgical procedures only increased by 10%, 15% and 8.3%, respectively. Thus, the productivity for each hospital employee, defined as operations pr. surgeon, outpatient consultations pr. doctor etc. was significantly reduced. A striking finding was that although the number of outpatient consultations increased, the number of new referrals actually went down and the whole increase in activity at the outpatient clinics could be explained by a substantial increase in follow-up consultations. This trend was more evident in the surgical departments, where some departments actually showed a reduction in total outpatient consultations. In view of the slow increase in hospital activity in spite of a significant increase in resources, it can be speculated that patient volume might be a limiting factor for hospital activity. The health market (patient population) might not be big enough in relation to the investments in increased production capacity (equipment and manpower).

  4. Patient safety climate and worker safety behaviours in acute hospitals in Scotland.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Agnew, Cakil; Flin, Rhona; Mearns, Kathryn

    2013-06-01

    To obtain a measure of hospital safety climate from a sample of National Health Service (NHS) acute hospitals in Scotland and to test whether these scores were associated with worker safety behaviors, and patient and worker injuries. Data were from 1,866 NHS clinical staff in six Scottish acute hospitals. A Scottish Hospital Safety Questionnaire measured hospital safety climate (Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture), worker safety behaviors, and worker and patient injuries. The associations between the hospital safety climate scores and the outcome measures (safety behaviors, worker and patient injury rates) were examined. Hospital safety climate scores were significantly correlated with clinical workers' safety behavior and patient and worker injury measures, although the effect sizes were smaller for the latter. Regression analyses revealed that perceptions of staffing levels and managerial commitment were significant predictors for all the safety outcome measures. Both patient-specific and more generic safety climate items were found to have significant impacts on safety outcome measures. This study demonstrated the influences of different aspects of hospital safety climate on both patient and worker safety outcomes. Moreover, it has been shown that in a hospital setting, a safety climate supporting safer patient care would also help to ensure worker safety. The Scottish Hospital Safety Questionnaire has proved to be a usable method of measuring both hospital safety climate as well as patient and worker safety outcomes. Copyright © 2013 National Safety Council and Elsevier Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Patient Satisfaction At The Muhimbili National Hospital In Dar Es ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Patient Satisfaction At The Muhimbili National Hospital In Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. ... staffpatient relationship ethos, in which the patient is a viewed as a customer. Keywords: patient satisfaction, reform, Muhimbili National Hospital, referral ...

  6. Latex allergies - for hospital patients

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... ency/patientinstructions/000499.htm Latex allergies - for hospital patients To use the sharing features on this page, ... ADAM Health Solutions. About MedlinePlus Site Map FAQs Customer Support Get email updates Subscribe to RSS Follow ...

  7. How elderly patients with femoral fracture develop pressure sores in hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Versluysen, M

    1986-01-01

    The routine hospital management of 100 consecutive elderly patients was studied to determine the reason for the high incidence of pressure sores among patients admitted to hospital for femoral fractures. Of these patients, 66 developed sores, 83% occurring by the fifth day in hospital. This was due to the long periods that patients were immobilised on high pressure surfaces in the casualty department, wards, and theatres before repair of the fracture and restoration of their weight bearing function. Sores are not simply a ward or nursing problem, but an unintended consequence of hospital treatment. To reduce the incidence of sores elderly patients should be treated on low pressure patient support systems from the point of entry to hospital until mobility is restored. PMID:3085827

  8. Rotating shift work, sleep, and accidents related to sleepiness in hospital nurses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gold, D. R.; Rogacz, S.; Bock, N.; Tosteson, T. D.; Baum, T. M.; Speizer, F. E.; Czeisler, C. A.

    1992-01-01

    A hospital-based survey on shift work, sleep, and accidents was carried out among 635 Massachusetts nurses. In comparison to nurses who worked only day/evening shifts, rotators had more sleep/wake cycle disruption and nodded off more at work. Rotators had twice the odds of nodding off while driving to or from work and twice the odds of a reported accident or error related to sleepiness. Application of circadian principles to the design of hospital work schedules may result in improved health and safety for nurses and patients.

  9. The impact of hospital-onset Clostridium difficile infection on outcomes of hospitalized patients with sepsis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lagu, Tara; Stefan, Mihaela S; Haessler, Sarah; Higgins, Thomas L; Rothberg, Michael B; Nathanson, Brian H; Hannon, Nicholas S; Steingrub, Jay S; Lindenauer, Peter K

    2014-07-01

    To examine the impact of hospital-onset Clostridium difficile infection (HOCDI) on the outcomes of patients with sepsis. Most prior studies that have addressed this issue lacked adequate matching to controls, suffered from small sample size, or failed to consider time to infection. Retrospective cohort study. We identified adults with a principal or secondary diagnosis of sepsis who received care at 1 of the institutions that participated in a large multihospital database between July 1, 2004 and December 31, 2010. Among eligible patients with sepsis, we identified patients who developed HOCDI during their hospital stay. We used propensity matching and date of diagnosis to match cases to patients without Clostridium difficile infections and compared outcomes between the 2 groups. Of 218,915 sepsis patients, 2368 (1.08%) developed HOCDI. Unadjusted in-hospital mortality was significantly higher in HOCDI patients than controls (25% vs 10%, P Clostridium difficile infections was 5.1 days longer than controls (95% confidence interval: 4.4-5.8) and the median-adjusted cost increase was $4916 (P Clostridium difficile infection was associated with increased mortality, LOS, and cost. Our results can be used to assess the cost-effectiveness of prevention programs and suggest that efforts directed toward high-risk patient populations are needed. © 2014 Society of Hospital Medicine.

  10. Cognition and Comorbidity Behavior in Hospitalized Patients Suffering from Stroke. Seychelles 2010-2011

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Armando Carlos Roca Socarras

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available Background: cognitive impairment and high comorbidity are common health problems in patients with cerebrovascular disease. Objective: to describe the behavior of cognitive impairment and comorbidity in hospitalized patients suffering from stroke. Method: descriptive study of 77 patients with ischemic stroke admitted from April 2010 to December 2011, in Seychelles General Hospital. The behavior of this disease in relation to variables such as age, presence of chronic noncommunicable diseases, cognitive impairment, educational level, affected cerebral hemisphere and time of evolution was analyzed. Results: 68,9 % of patients presented cognitive impairment, their average age was 74,2 (± 9,19 years old compared to 62,4 (± 14,2 years old for those with no cognitive impairment. We found a higher frequency of chronic noncommunicable diseases in cognitively impaired patients with a Charlson comorbidity index of 2,11 (± 0,97. 18 patients with cognitive impairment and 23 patients with no cognitive impairment were diagnosed with depression. Conclusions: more than half of hospitalized patients experienced cognitive impairment and in most cases previous to cerebrovascular disease. Male patients predominated. There was an increase in age, severity of depression, as well as in the frequency of chronic noncommunicable diseases, and myocardial infarction of considerable size, in respect to patients with no cognitive impairment.

  11. The use of antibiotics in hospitalized adult typhoid patients in an Indonesian hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anggita Bunga Anggraini

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available AbstrakLatar belakang:Demam tifoid menduduki peringkat ke tiga dari 10 besar penyakit terbanyak pada pasien rawat inap di rumah sakit (RS di Indonesia pada tahun 2010. Selain itu terdapat peningkatan resistensi dan kasus-kasus karier, dan relaps. Penelitian ini menyajikan hasil analisis data tentang penggunaan antibiotik pada pasien tifoid dewasa rawat inap di suatu RS di Indonesia. Metode: Data penelitian diekstrak dari rekam medik pasien tifoid dewasa yang dirawat inap di RS PMI Bogor periode Juli-Desember 2012. Analisis dilakukan dengan kualitatif (DU90% dan kuantitatif (DDD/shr dengan menggunakan metode ATC/DDD. Hasil: Dari 459 pasien tifoid dewasa rawat inap diperoleh DDD/shr pasien tifoid dewasa rawat inap yang menggunakan antibiotik selama dari Juli sampai Desember 2012 sebesar 6,35 DDD/shr. Seftriakson merupakan antibiotika yang dipakai tertinggi yang setara 4,10 DDD/shr, yang berarti bahwa di antara 100 pasien tifoid, 4 pasien memakai seftriakson 2 g setiap hari. Selanjutnya, obat pada segmen 10% lebih banyak dibandingkan pada segmen 90%. Di antara 26 jenis antibiotika, 7 jenis di antaranya termasuk pada segmen DU 90% yaitu seftriakson (64,54%; levofloksasin (13,90%; ciprofloksasin (3,57%; meropenem (2,80%; metronidazol (2,52%; ampisilin-sulbaktam (1,65%; dan sefditoren pivoksil (1,60%.Kesimpulan:Antibiotik seftriakson yang paling banyak digunakan pada perawatan tifoid pasien dewasa rawat inap di rumah sakit. (Health Science Indones 2014;1:40-3Kata kunci:antibiotik, tifoid, ATC/DDD, DU 90%AbstractBackground: Typhoid fever was the third ranked disease among the top 10 diseases in hospitalized patients in Indonesia in 2011. There were increased drug resistance, increased number of carrier, and number of relapse cases. This study aimed to analyze the use of antibiotics in hospitalized adult typhoid patients in a hospital in Indonesia. Methods: The data were extracted from medical records of drug use in adult typhoid patients hospitalized

  12. Presentations of patients of poisoning and predictors of poisoning-related fatality: Findings from a hospital-based prospective study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lin Hung-Jung

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Poisoning is a significant public health problem worldwide and is one of the most common reasons for visiting emergency departments (EDs, but factors that help to predict overall poisoning-related fatality have rarely been elucidated. Using 1512 subjects from a hospital-based study, we sought to describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of poisoning patients and to identify predictors for poisoning-related fatality. Methods Between January 2001 and December 2002 we prospectively recruited poisoning patients through the EDs of two medical centers in southwest Taiwan. Interviews were conducted with patients within 24 hours after admission to collect relevant information. We made comparisons between survival and fatality cases, and used logistic regressions to identify predictors of fatality. Results A total of 1512 poisoning cases were recorded at the EDs during the study period, corresponding to an average of 4.2 poisonings per 1000 ED visits. These cases involved 828 women and 684 men with a mean age of 38.8 years, although most patients were between 19 and 50 years old (66.8%, and 29.4% were 19 to 30 years. Drugs were the dominant poisoning agents involved (49.9%, followed by pesticides (14.5%. Of the 1512 patients, 63 fatalities (4.2% occurred. Paraquat exposure was associated with an extremely high fatality rate (72.1%. The significant predictors for fatality included age over 61 years, insufficient respiration, shock status, abnormal heart rate, abnormal body temperature, suicidal intent and paraquat exposure. Conclusion In addition to well-recognized risk factors for fatality in clinical settings, such as old age and abnormal vital signs, we found that suicidal intent and ingestion of paraquat were significant predictors of poisoning-related fatality. Identification of these predictors may help risk stratification and the development of preventive interventions.

  13. Bed blocking by elderly patients in general-hospital wards.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rubin, S G; Davies, G H

    1975-08-01

    A point prevalence survey, using a questionnaire, was performed in three general hospitals to investigate the problem of elderly patients blocking acute-hospital beds. A total of 1010 occupied general beds were surveyed and all patients, over the age of 60 years, who had been in hospital more than four weeks, and who, in the opinion of medical and nursing staff, were no longer in need of the facilities of a general hospital, were investigated. Forty-eight patients (4.8 per cent of the total) were found to be genuinely in bed inappropriate to their needs. Rehabilitation, together with assessment of these patients, appeared disorganized and lacked consistency, and decisions regarding suitable 'disposal' appeared to be made without sufficient consultation and conformed to no detectable pattern. The main reason for the continuing bed occupancy of the patients was the length of the waiting lists for alternative residential accommodation and the main single medical factor preventing discharge home or to a hostel was the problem of mobility. By interviewing staff and patients and scrutinizing the questionnaires, it was found that 23 patients (48 per cent) were only suitable for transfer to a long-stay hospital. Of these, however, 15 (31 per cent) could be placed in specialized accommodation if some degree of nursing care, at present not available, was provided.

  14. A companionship between strangers - the hospital environment as a challenge in patient-patient interaction in oncology wards.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Larsen, Lene Søndergård; Larsen, Birte Hedegaard; Birkelund, Regner

    2014-02-01

    To present an identification and discussion of the impact of the hospital environment on interaction among people with cancer. In recent years, researchers have focused on identifying and describing features of the hospital environment that promote healing, recovery and well-being. It has been discovered that architectural features affect hospitalized patients both positively and negatively. But the research has failed to include fellow patients as part of the hospital environment. A qualitative approach influenced by ethnography. Participant observation and individual qualitative interviews were used to collect data. From a total of 85 observed people with cancer 10 men and 10 women were interviewed. Data were collected over 6 months in 2010-2011 and analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Patients had ambiguous views regarding their fellow patients and the hospital environment. The hospital environment imposed conditions that caused stress factors such as the loss of personal privacy and control, but it also offered the possibility of good company and support from fellow patients. Refuge from fellow patients was hard to achieve and the fact that personal conversations might be overheard by fellow patients caused patients to withhold important information from healthcare professionals. Nevertheless, patients accepted the hospital environment uncritically, with resignation or with silent rebellion. Despite the challenges, 18 of 20 patients preferred multiple-bed rooms with the company of fellow patients. The influence of the hospital environment on hospitalized people with cancer and their interpersonal interaction needs to be acknowledged by healthcare professionals. In addition, evidence-based hospital design must include research into patient preferences and arguments. Further investigation is needed. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  15. Determinantes de la elección del hospital por parte de los pacientes Factors determining patients' choice of hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    José Joaquín Mira

    2004-06-01

    Full Text Available Objetivo: Determinar cuál es la mejor forma de informar a un paciente para que elija responsablemente el centro y el servicio sanitario, e identificar los principales factores que actuarían como motivadores de esta decisión. Sujetos y método: Se elaboró la información sobre 3 hospitales ficticios y 3 procesos patológicos (cáncer de mama, hipertrofia benigna de próstata y cataratas en 4 modalidades de presentación: 1 folleto con tablas, 1 folleto con gráficos, 3 folletos con tablas y 3 folletos con gráficos, que incluían datos acerca del personal, sobre los resultados médicos y quirúrgicos, los efectos secundarios, la satisfacción de otros pacientes y familiares, y las demandas y reclamaciones efectuadas contra el hospital. La información se suministró a una muestra de 1.259 sujetos, que cumplimentaron un cuestionario con su valoración de la información recibida. Resultados: Ante la elección de tratamiento, la mayoría de los pacientes (88% preferiría que se les informara y tomar la decisión conjuntamente con el médico. Un 64% eligió el hospital con mejores resultados clínicos. La información en un solo folleto resultó más clara mediante tablas (p Objective: To identify the best way to inform patients about centers and services so that they can make a responsible choice, and to identify which factors determine patients' decisions. Subjects and methods: Data on three illnesses (breast cancer, benign prostatic hypertrophy, and cataracts in three fictitious hospitals were shown to patients. The data were presented to 1,259 subjects through four different means: a brochure including a table, a brochure with a bar graph, three brochures with tables, and three brochures with bar graphs. Data on each of the hospitals included: professional profiles, medical and surgical outcomes, side effects, patients' and relatives' satisfaction, and hospital complaints. The subjects completed a questionnaire evaluating the information

  16. The Effect of Service Quality on Patient loyalty: a Study of Pri-vate Hospitals in Tehran, Iran

    OpenAIRE

    E Zarei; A Rahimi Forushani; A Rashidian; SM Ghazi Tabatabaei; M Arab

    2012-01-01

    Background: Service quality is perceived as an important factor for developing patient's loyalty. The aim of this study was to determine the hospital service quality from the patients' viewpoints and the relative importance of quality dimensions in predicting the patient's loyalty. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2010.The study sample was composed of 943 patients selected from eight private general hospitals in Tehran. The survey instrument was a questionnaire included 24 it...

  17. Effect of nurses' work environment on patient satisfaction: A cross-sectional study of four hospitals in Japan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tei-Tominaga, Maki; Sato, Fusako

    2016-01-01

    The Magnet Recognition Program is a system in the USA that recognizes a hospital as a magnet hospital for having a high retention rate of nurses and providing high quality patient care. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of nurses' work environment with characteristics that are similar to those of magnet hospitals on patient satisfaction in Japan. The authors distributed anonymous self-administered questionnaires in August 2011 to all nurses via the directors of the nursing departments of four private hospitals. The response rates were 91% (n = 425) for nurses and 51% (n = 379) for patients. In the questionnaire for nurses, the items addressed basic attributes and a scale of work environment characteristics of a magnet hospital (the Japanese version of the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index [PES-NWI]). The questionnaire for patients addressed basic attributes, information about their hospitalization, and items to assess patient satisfaction. To examine the effects of the PES-NWI subscales on patient satisfaction, the authors conducted multivariate logistic regression analysis for groups, which were dichotomized by 75 percentile of the scores of patient satisfaction. The result of model 1 in the multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that collegial nurse-physician relations showed significant relationships with low patient satisfaction (odds ratio = 0.144, P patient satisfaction in hospitals in Japan. © 2015 Japan Academy of Nursing Science.

  18. Patient safety, satisfaction, and quality of hospital care: cross sectional surveys of nurses and patients in 12 countries in Europe and the United States.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aiken, Linda H; Sermeus, Walter; Van den Heede, Koen; Sloane, Douglas M; Busse, Reinhard; McKee, Martin; Bruyneel, Luk; Rafferty, Anne Marie; Griffiths, Peter; Moreno-Casbas, Maria Teresa; Tishelman, Carol; Scott, Anne; Brzostek, Tomasz; Kinnunen, Juha; Schwendimann, Rene; Heinen, Maud; Zikos, Dimitris; Sjetne, Ingeborg Strømseng; Smith, Herbert L; Kutney-Lee, Ann

    2012-03-20

    quality care (1.11, 1.07 to 1.15) and poor or failing safety grades (1.10, 1.05 to 1.16). Patients in hospitals with better work environments were more likely to rate their hospital highly (1.16, 1.03 to 1.32) and recommend their hospitals (1.20, 1.05 to 1.37), whereas those with higher ratios of patients to nurses were less likely to rate them highly (0.94, 0.91 to 0.97) or recommend them (0.95, 0.91 to 0.98). Results were similar in the US. Nurses and patients agreed on which hospitals provided good care and could be recommended. Deficits in hospital care quality were common in all countries. Improvement of hospital work environments might be a relatively low cost strategy to improve safety and quality in hospital care and to increase patient satisfaction.

  19. Accounting For Patients' Socioeconomic Status Does Not Change Hospital Readmission Rates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bernheim, Susannah M; Parzynski, Craig S; Horwitz, Leora; Lin, Zhenqiu; Araas, Michael J; Ross, Joseph S; Drye, Elizabeth E; Suter, Lisa G; Normand, Sharon-Lise T; Krumholz, Harlan M

    2016-08-01

    There is an active public debate about whether patients' socioeconomic status should be included in the readmission measures used to determine penalties in Medicare's Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP). Using the current Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services methodology, we compared risk-standardized readmission rates for hospitals caring for high and low proportions of patients of low socioeconomic status (as defined by their Medicaid status or neighborhood income). We then calculated risk-standardized readmission rates after additionally adjusting for patients' socioeconomic status. Our results demonstrate that hospitals caring for large proportions of patients of low socioeconomic status have readmission rates similar to those of other hospitals. Moreover, readmission rates calculated with and without adjustment for patients' socioeconomic status are highly correlated. Readmission rates of hospitals caring for patients of low socioeconomic status changed by approximately 0.1 percent with adjustment for patients' socioeconomic status, and only 3-4 percent fewer such hospitals reached the threshold for payment penalty in Medicare's HRRP. Overall, adjustment for socioeconomic status does not change hospital results in meaningful ways. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

  20. Awareness of diagnosis, and information-seeking behavior of hospitalized cancer patients in Greece.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brokalaki, Eirini I; Sotiropoulos, Georgios C; Tsaras, Konstantinos; Brokalaki, Hero

    2005-11-01

    The goal of our study was to evaluate the extent of disease-related knowledge and the need for further information of cancer patients in Greece. We evaluated 203 mentally competent adult cancer patients hospitalized in general and oncological hospitals in the city of Athens and its suburbs. Data were collected by means of semistructured interviews. Patients were evaluated as to whether they had awareness of their diagnosis. Those who did so (n = 83) were further questioned about additional disease-related information. The majority of patients (59%) claimed to have no knowledge of their diagnosis. Women (p = 0.004) as well as high school and university graduates (p = 0.024) showed significantly superior levels of information when compared to men and graduates of elementary schools, respectively. Age was also a factor that influenced the level of the awareness of the diagnosis and the request for additional information: patients who were informed about the diagnosis and patients who asked for more information were significantly younger than their counterparts who ignored the diagnosis (p family beliefs, "mind-set" difficulties, and organizational issues should not become barriers to the patients' right to be fully informed of their diagnoses and choices of potential therapies.

  1. Implementation of subcutaneous insulin protocol for non-critically ill hospitalized patients in andalusian tertiary care hospitals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martínez-Brocca, María Asunción; Morales, Cristóbal; Rodríguez-Ortega, Pilar; González-Aguilera, Beatriz; Montes, Cristina; Colomo, Natalia; Piédrola, Gonzalo; Méndez-Muros, Mariola; Serrano, Isabel; Ruiz de Adana, Maria Soledad; Moreno, Alberto; Fernández, Ignacio; Aguilar, Manuel; Acosta, Domingo; Palomares, Rafael

    2015-02-01

    In 2009, the Andalusian Society of Endocrinology and Nutrition designed a protocol for subcutaneous insulin treatment in hospitalized non-critically ill patients (HIP). To analyze implementation of HIP at tertiary care hospitals from the Andalusian Public Health System. A descriptive, multicenter study conducted in 8 tertiary care hospitals on a random sample of non-critically ill patients with diabetes/hyperglycemia (n=306) hospitalized for ≥48 hours in 5 non-surgical (SM) and 2 surgical (SQ) departments. Type 1 and other specific types of diabetes, pregnancy and nutritional support were exclusion criteria. 288 patients were included for analysis (62.5% males; 70.3±10.3 years; 71.5% SM, 28.5% SQ). A scheduled subcutaneous insulin regimen based on basal-bolus-correction protocol was started in 55.9% (95%CI: 50.5-61.2%) of patients, 63.1% SM vs. 37.8% SQ (P<.05). Alternatives to insulin regimen based on basal-bolus-correction included sliding scale insulin (43.7%), diet (31.3%), oral antidiabetic drugs (17.2%), premixed insulin (1.6%), and others (6.2%). For patients previously on oral antidiabetic drugs, in-hospital insulin dose was 0.32±0.1 IU/kg/day. In patients previously on insulin, in-hospital insulin dose was increased by 17% [-13-53], and in those on insulin plus oral antidiabetic drugs, in-hospital insulin dose was increased by 26.4% [-6-100]. Supplemental insulin doses used for<40 IU/day and 40-80 IU/day were 72.2% and 56.7% respectively. HbA1c was measured in 23.6% of patients (95CI%: 18.8-28.8); 27.7% SM vs. 13.3% SQ (P<.05). Strategies are needed to improve implementation of the inpatient subcutaneous insulin protocol, particularly in surgical departments. Sliding scale insulin is still the most common alternative to insulin regimen based on basal-bolus-correction scheduled insulin. Metabolic control assessment during hospitalization should be encouraged. Copyright © 2014 SEEN. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  2. Causes of poisoning in patients evaluated in a hospital emergency department in Konya, Turkey

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kara, H.; Bayir, A.; Degirmenci, S.; Akinci, M.; Ak, A.; Azap, M.

    2014-01-01

    Objectives: To evaluate demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with poisoning at a community hospital. Methods: The retrospective study comprised records of patients who were admitted to the emergency department of Konya Numune Hospital, Turkey, because of poisoning between January 1, 2009, and December 31, 2011. Data was evaluated for age, gender, educational status, occupation, arrival time, mechanism of intoxication , body temperature, pulse, respiratory rate, Glasgow Coma Scale score, treatment applied, duration of hospital stay, duration of follow-up, test results, final diagnosis, clinical disposition, and outcome. Agents causing the poisoning were also determined. Results: Records of 1036 patients were evaluated. Of them, 764(74%) were female and 272(26%) were male. The predominant age range was 15-24 years in 617(60%) patients. The median time from substance exposure to admission to the emergency department was 2 hours. The most common cause of poisoning was attempted suicide in 955 (92%) patients and drug intoxication was the agent involved in 932 (90%). In the 15-24 year age range, there were 469(76%) female patients. Of the total female population in the study, 716(94%) attempted suicide. The median hospital stay was 24 hours. There were 908(88%) patients who were advised to seek further evaluation at the psychiatry clinic, and 9 (0.9%) patients were admitted to the psychiatry inpatient units after medical treatment. In patients who were hospitalized and followed up, 1 (0.1%) died because of multiple drug poisoning. Conclusion: Most admissions to the emergency department for poisoning related to young women had used drugs during a suicide attempt. (author)

  3. Participant observation of time allocation, direct patient contact and simultaneous activities in hospital physicians

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zupanc Andrea

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Hospital physicians' time is a critical resource in medical care. Two aspects are of interest. First, the time spent in direct patient contact – a key principle of effective medical care. Second, simultaneous task performance ('multitasking' which may contribute to medical error, impaired safety behaviour, and stress. There is a call for instruments to assess these aspects. A preliminary study to gain insight into activity patterns, time allocation and simultaneous activities of hospital physicians was carried out. Therefore an observation instrument for time-motion-studies in hospital settings was developed and tested. Methods 35 participant observations of internists and surgeons of a German municipal 300-bed hospital were conducted. Complete day shifts of hospital physicians on wards, emergency ward, intensive care unit, and operating room were continuously observed. Assessed variables of interest were time allocation, share of direct patient contact, and simultaneous activities. Inter-rater agreement of Kappa = .71 points to good reliability of the instrument. Results Hospital physicians spent 25.5% of their time at work in direct contact with patients. Most time was allocated to documentation and conversation with colleagues and nursing staff. Physicians performed parallel simultaneous activities for 17–20% of their work time. Communication with patients, documentation, and conversation with colleagues and nursing staff were the most frequently observed simultaneous activities. Applying logit-linear analyses, specific primary activities increase the probability of particular simultaneous activities. Conclusion Patient-related working time in hospitals is limited. The potential detrimental effects of frequently observed simultaneous activities on performance outcomes need further consideration.

  4. Looking Through the Patients' Eyes: Measuring Patient Satisfaction in a Public Hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carretta, Elisa; Bond, Trevor G; Cappiello, Giuseppe; Fantini, Maria Pia

    2017-09-01

    Patient satisfaction is a personal evaluation of health-care services that is often used as an indicator of quality of care. The aim of this study was to identify aspects of hospital care that affect patient satisfaction by examining the structural and convergent validity of an in-house questionnaire. The sample consisted of 3320 patients discharged from an Italian public hospital. The questionnaire included items exploring communication with nurses and physicians, pain management, quality of accommodation, and discharge information. Data were analyzed using the Rasch model. From the patients' perspective, the number of response options was excessive and the questionnaire proved to have both medical and accommodation dimensions. Patients, on average, gave higher satisfaction scores to the medical dimension over the accommodation dimension. Higher satisfaction was associated with kindness and courtesy of the nursing staff, doctors' courtesy, and the quality of bed linen. The results support the administration of the questionnaire but suggest change in the hospital's analytical procedures in order to match the drivers of satisfaction as seen by the patients.

  5. Exploring factors associated with the incidence of sexual harassment of hospital nurses by patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hibino, Yuri; Hitomi, Yoshiaki; Kambayashi, Yasuhiro; Nakamura, Hiroyuki

    2009-01-01

    To identify factors affecting nurse-perceived sexual harassment and specific types of patient sexual behavior experienced by Japanese nurses. Cross-sectional questionnaire study of Japanese hospital nurses. Self-administered questionnaires (N=600) were distributed to Japanese hospital nurses, and 464 were returned (response rate of 77.3%). Two instruments were used: one was for determining sexual harassment by patients, and the other was for determining specific types of patient behavior that had sexual connotations. Registered nurses were at a much higher risk of sexual harassment than were nurse assistants. In addition, registered nurses had a much more positive attitude toward gender equality compared with assistant nurses. A positive attitude toward gender equality mediated by a relatively high education level might be associated with increasing reports of sexual harassment. An increasing incidence of sexual harassment claims among nurses should prompt hospital organizations to take proper action against it. Education on gender equality was thus considered a long-term solution for reducing the sexual harassment of Japanese hospital nurses. Establishing a safer working environment could enable nurses to provide better care for patients and thereby promote the development of good relationships between nurses and patients.

  6. Laryngopharyngeal abnormalities in hospitalized patients with dysphagia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Postma, Gregory N; McGuirt, W Frederick; Butler, Susan G; Rees, Catherine J; Crandall, Heather L; Tansavatdi, Kristina

    2007-10-01

    To determine the prevalence of laryngopharyngeal (LP) abnormalities in hospitalized patients with dysphagia referred for flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES). Retrospective, blinded review by two otolaryngologists of 100 consecutive FEES studies performed and video-recorded by a speech-language pathologist (SLP). Two otolaryngologists reviewed videos of 100 consecutive FEES studies on hospitalized patients with dysphagia for the presence of abnormal LP findings. Sixty-one male and 38 female patients comprised the hospital dysphagia cohort. The mean age was 62. One subject could not be evaluated because of the severity of the retained secretions, leaving 99 subjects in the cohort. Seventy-six percent had been previously intubated, with a mean intubation duration of 13 days. The overall prevalence of abnormal LP findings was 79%. Forty-five percent of the patients presented with two or more findings, which included arytenoid edema (33%), granuloma (31%), vocal fold paresis (24%), mucosal lesions (17%), vocal fold bowing (14%), diffuse edema (11%), airway stenosis (3%), and ulcer (6%). There was a significant difference in LP findings between those individuals who had or had not been intubated. Hospitalized patients with dysphagia are at high risk for LP abnormalities, particularly if they have been intubated, and may benefit from either 1) an initial joint examination by the SLP and otolaryngologist or 2) an otolaryngologist's review of the recorded examination conducted by the SLP. Such otolaryngology involvement could identify airway stenosis patients at an earlier stage, initiate granuloma treatment sooner, enable earlier biopsy of unexpected lesions, and allow follow-up of mucosal and neuromuscular findings that do not respond to medical management.

  7. Does the duration of smoking cessation have an impact on hospital admission and health-related quality of life amongst COPD patients?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hassan HA

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Hazlinda Abu Hassan,1,3 Noorizan Abd Aziz,2,* Yahaya Hassan,2,* Fahmi Hassan2,* 1Malacca Pharmaceutical Services Division, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Ayer Keroh, Malaysia; 2Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Puncak Alam, Malaysia; 3Department of Respiratory Medicine, Malacca Hospital, Jalan Mufti Haji Khalil, Malaysia *These authors contributed equally to this work Background: Lack of awareness among ex-smokers on the benefits of sustaining smoking cessation may be the main cause of their smoking relapse. This study explored health-related quality of life (HRQoL and hospital admission amongst chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD patients according to the duration of smoking cessation. Materials and methods: This study recruited COPD patients from a chest clinic who agreed to participate in a medication therapy-adherence program from January to June 2013. They were interviewed during their visits to obtain information regarding their smoking history and HRQoL. They were divided into three groups according to smoking status (sustained quitters, quit ≥5 years; quitters, quit <5 years; and smokers, smoking at least one cigarette/day. The effects of the duration of cessation on HRQoL and hospital admission were analyzed using a multinomial logistic model. Results: A total of 117 participants with moderate COPD met the inclusion criteria, who were comprised of 41 sustained quitters, 40 quitters, and 36 smokers. Several features were similar across the groups. Most of them were married elderly men (aged >64 years with low-to-middle level of education, who smoked more than 33 cigarettes per day and had high levels of adherence to the medication regimen. The results showed that sustained quitters were less likely to have respiratory symptoms (cough, phlegm and dyspnea than smokers (odds ratio 0.02, confidence interval 0–0.12; P<0.001. The hospital admission rate per year was increased in quitters compared to smokers (odds ratio

  8. Can the use of Electronic Health Records in General Practice reduce hospitalizations for diabetes patients?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kongstad, Line Planck; Mellace, Giovanni; Rose Olsen, Kim

    on Electronic Health Records (EHR) on diabetes patients total hospitalizations, diabetes related hospitalizations and hospitalizations with diabetes and cardiovascular related Ambulatory Care Sentive Conditions (ACSC). We use a rich nationwide panel dataset (2004-2013) with information of stepwise enrolment...... of GPs in the EHR program. As a control group we use GPs who never enrolled. Following the recent literature on causal inference with panel data, we use a standard propensity score matching estimator where we also match on pre-treatment outcomes. This allows controlling for all the unobservable...

  9. The Role of Conformity in Relation to Cohesiveness and Intimacy in Day-Hospital Groups of Patients with Schizophrenia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Il Ho; Park, Sun Young; Choi, Sulkee; Lee, Soo Young; Kim, Jae-Jin

    2017-07-01

    Conformity is defined as the act of adjusting one's behavior to match the social responses of others. Patients with schizophrenia often adjust their maladaptive behaviors by conforming in group treatment settings. This study aimed to examine whether the opinions of group members influence conformity of patients with schizophrenia who attend day-hospital programs. Nineteen patients with schizophrenia from four different day-hospital programs and 23 healthy controls from four different social clubs completed the homographic meaning choice task under conditions of prior exposure to the pseudo-opinions of their group members, strangers, and unknown information sources. Group influences on conformity were observed when the level of group cohesiveness was high and the level of intimacy was low across participant groups. Controls did not exhibit a significant effect of group influence on conformity, whereas patients were significantly influenced by their group members when making conformity-based decisions despite significantly lower intimacy and cohesiveness levels. These findings suggest that unlike controls, patients with schizophrenia tend to respond with conformity when influenced by the opinions of their affiliated group. In patients with schizophrenia group conformity may be used to select a more accurate decision and to enhance feelings of affiliation among them.

  10. Overweight, obesity and related conditions: a cross-sectional study of adult inpatients at a Norwegian Hospital

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-01-01

    Background Overweight, obesity and associated conditions are major public health concerns in Norway. The prevalence of overweight and obesity in the general population in Norway is increasing, but there are limited data on how the situation is in hospitals. This study aimed to find the prevalence of overweight and obesity, and explore the associations of overweight, obesity and its related medical conditions in an adult in-patient sample at specified somatic and psychiatric departments at St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim. Results A total of 497 patients participated. The mean BMI for the total sample at screening was 25.4 kg/m2. The prevalence of overweight and obesity was 45.1%. There was a higher association of overweight and obesity among patients aged 40–59 years (OR: 1.7) compared to those being younger. There was no significant difference between the somatic and the psychiatric samples. In the somatic sample overweight and obesity was associated with obesity-related conditions for both genders (OR: 2.0 and 2.1, respectively), when adjusted for age. Conclusion The substantial prevalence of overweight and obese patients may pose a threat to future hospital services. To further address the burden of overweight and obesity in hospitals, we need more knowledge about consequences of length of stay, use of resources and overall cost. PMID:24571809

  11. Psychological effects of relational job characteristics: validation of the scale for hospital nurses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santos, Alda; Castanheira, Filipa; Chambel, Maria José; Amarante, Michael Vieira; Costa, Carlos

    2017-07-01

    This study validates the Portuguese version of the psychological effects of the relational job characteristics scale among hospital nurses in Portugal and Brazil. Increasing attention has been given to the social dimension of work, following the transition to a service economy. Nevertheless, and despite the unquestionable relational characteristics of nursing work, scarce research has been developed among nurses under a relational job design framework. Moreover, it is important to develop instruments that study the effects of relational job characteristics among nurses. We followed Messick's framework for scale validation, comprising the steps regarding the response process and internal structure, as well as relationships with other variables (work engagement and burnout). Statistical analysis included exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis. The psychological effects of the relational job characteristics scale provided evidence of good psychometric properties with Portuguese and Brazilian hospital nurses. Also, the psychological effects of the relational job characteristics are associated with nurses' work-related well-being: positively with work engagement and negatively concerning burnout. Hospitals that foster the relational characteristics of nursing work are contributing to their nurses' work-related well-being, which may be reflected in the quality of care and patient safety. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  12. Hospitalized hemorrhagic stroke patients with renal insufficiency: clinical characteristics, care patterns, and outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ovbiagele, Bruce; Schwamm, Lee H; Smith, Eric E; Grau-Sepulveda, Maria V; Saver, Jeffrey L; Bhatt, Deepak L; Hernandez, Adrian F; Peterson, Eric D; Fonarow, Gregg C

    2014-10-01

    There is a paucity of information on clinical characteristics, care patterns, and clinical outcomes for hospitalized intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). We assessed characteristics, care processes, and in-hospital outcome among ICH patients with CKD in the Get With the Guidelines-Stroke (GWTG-Stroke) program. We analyzed 113,059 ICH patients hospitalized at 1472 US centers participating in the GWTG-Stroke program between January 2009 and December 2012. In-hospital mortality and use of 2 predefined ICH performance measures were examined based on glomerular filtration rate. Renal dysfunction was categorized as a dichotomous (+CKD = estimated glomerular filtration rate mortality was also higher for those with CKD (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 1.47; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.42-1.52), mild dysfunction (adjusted OR, 1.12; 95% CI, 1.08-1.16), moderate dysfunction (adjusted OR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.39-1.53), severe dysfunction (adjusted OR, 1.96; 95% CI, 1.81-2.12), and kidney failure (adjusted OR, 2.22; 95% CI, 2.04-2.43) relative to those with normal renal function. Chronic kidney disease is present in nearly a third of patients hospitalized with ICH and is associated with slightly worse care and substantially higher mortality than those with normal renal function. Copyright © 2014 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Nurses' views of patient handoffs in Japanese hospitals

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gu, Xiuzhu; Andersen, Henning Boje; Madsen, Marlene Dyrløv

    2012-01-01

    Staff perceptions of risks associated with patient handoffs were investigated in a survey of nurses in 6 Japanese hospitals. A total of 1462 valid responses were collected from nurses with an overall response rate of 74%. Respondents are moderately satisfied with the transfer of information and r...... and responsibility during handoffs. However, the handoff system was identified as immature. Hospital, work setting, and work experience affected nurses' views of handoff quality. Strategies for improving patient handoffs in Japan are proposed.......Staff perceptions of risks associated with patient handoffs were investigated in a survey of nurses in 6 Japanese hospitals. A total of 1462 valid responses were collected from nurses with an overall response rate of 74%. Respondents are moderately satisfied with the transfer of information...

  14. Incidence, hospital costs and in-hospital mortality rates of surgically treated patients with traumatic cranial epidural hematoma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Atci Ibrahim Burak

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Background: In this study, the patients who were operated in two clinics due to traumatic cranial epidural hematoma (EDH were assessed retrospectively and the factors that increase the costs were tried to be revealed through conducting cost analyses. Methods: The patients who were operated between 2010 and 2016 with the diagnosis of EDH were assessed in terms of age, sex, trauma etiology, Glasgow coma scale (GCS at admission, the period from trauma to hospital arrival, trauma-related injury in other organs, the localization of hematoma, the size of hematoma, length of stay in the intensive care unit (ICU, length of antibiotherapy administration, number of consultations conducted, total cost of in-hospital treatments of the patients and prognosis. Results: Distribution of GCS were, between 13-15 in 18 (36% patients, 9-13 in 23 (46% patients and 3-8 in 9 (18% patients. The reasons for emergency department admissions were fall from high in 29 (58% patients, assault in 11 (22% patients and motor vehicle accident in 10 (20% patients. The average cost per ICU stay was 2838 $ (range=343-20571 $. The average cost per surgical treatment was 314 $. ICU care was approximately 9 times more expensive than surgical treatment costs. The mortality rate of the study cohort was 14% (7 patients. Conclusion: The prolonged period of stay in the ICU, antibiotherapy and repeat head CTs increase the costs for patients who are surgically treated for EDH.

  15. Age-related differences in the rate and diagnosis of 30-day readmission after hospitalization for acute ischemic stroke.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hirayama, Atsushi; Goto, Tadahiro; Faridi, Mohammad K; Camargo, Carlos A; Hasegawa, Kohei

    2018-01-01

    Background Little is known about the association between age and readmission within 30 days after hospitalization for acute ischemic stroke. Aim To examine the age-related differences in rate and principal reason of 30-day readmissions in patients hospitalized for acute ischemic stroke. Methods In this retrospective, population-based cohort study using State Inpatient Databases from eight US states, we identified all adults hospitalized for acute ischemic stroke. We grouped the patients into four age categories: readmission within 30 days of discharge from the index hospitalization for acute ischemic stroke and the principal diagnosis of 30-day readmission. Results We identified 620,788 hospitalizations for acute ischemic stroke. The overall 30-day readmission rate was 16.6% with an increase with advanced age. Compared to patients aged readmission rate was significantly higher in age 65-74 years (OR 1.19; 95% CI 1.16-1.21), in age 75-84 years (OR 1.29; 95% CI 1.27-1.31), and in ≥ 85 years (OR 1.24; 95% CI 1.22-1.27; all Preadmission rate association between men and women (P interaction  readmissions were assigned stroke-related conditions or rehabilitation care. Compared to younger adults, older adults were more likely to present with non-stroke-related conditions (46.1% in readmission rate after acute ischemic stroke. Compared with younger adults, older adults were more likely to be readmitted for non-stroke-related conditions.

  16. Predicting hospital mortality among frequently readmitted patients: HSMR biased by readmission

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-01

    Background Casemix adjusted in-hospital mortality is one of the measures used to improve quality of care. The adjustment currently used does not take into account the effects of readmission, because reliable data on readmission is not readily available through routinely collected databases. We have studied the impact of readmissions by linking admissions of the same patient, and as a result were able to compare hospital mortality among frequently, as opposed to, non-frequently readmitted patients. We also formulated a method to adjust for readmission for the calculation of hospital standardised mortality ratios (HSMRs). Methods We conducted a longitudinal retrospective analysis of routinely collected hospital data of six large non-university teaching hospitals in the Netherlands with casemix adjusted standardised mortality ratios ranging from 65 to 114 and a combined value of 93 over a five-year period. Participants concerned 240662 patients admitted 418566 times in total during the years 2003 - 2007. Predicted deaths by the HSMR model 2008 over a five-year period were compared with observed deaths. Results Numbers of readmissions per patient differ substantially between the six hospitals, up to a factor of 2. A large interaction was found between numbers of admissions per patient and HSMR-predicted risks. Observed deaths for frequently admitted patients were significantly lower than HSMR-predicted deaths, which could be explained by uncorrected factors surrounding readmissions. Conclusions Patients admitted more frequently show lower risks of dying on average per admission. This decline in risk is only partly detected by the current HSMR. Comparing frequently admitted patients to non-frequently admitted patients commits the constant risk fallacy and potentially lowers HSMRs of hospitals treating many frequently admitted patients and increases HSMRs of hospitals treating many non-frequently admitted patients. This misleading effect can only be demonstrated by an

  17. Prevalence of dental caries in hospitalized patients with schizophrenia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Đorđević Vladan

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Background/Aim. It is considered that over 450 million people worldwide suffer from some form of mental disorder. Previous studies in other countries have shown that schizophrenia is among the most frequent. Oral health is significant for general health and should not be separated from mental health. Studies in other countries have shown an increased incidence of carious and extracted teeth, and less incidence of filled teeth in this group of psychiatric patients. The aim of this study was to establish condition of the existing teeth, to determine the prevalence of caries and to consider possible risk factors that contribute to the current oral health status of hospitalized patients with schizophrenia. Methods. The study comprised 190 patients with schizophrenia, hospitalized at the Clinic for Psychiatric Disorders “Dr. Laza Lazarević” in Belgrade, and 190 mentally healthy patients at the Clinic for Periodontology and Oral Medicine, Faculty of Dental Medicine in Belgrade. The decayed, missing, filled (DMF index, sociodemographic and economic characteristics were registered in both groups, as well as characteristics of the primary disease of hospitalized patients with schizophrenia. Results. The value of DMF index (representing the sum of carious, extracted and filled teeth, in the hospitalized patients with schizophrenia was 18.57 ± 7.07 and 12.47 ± 5.64 in the healthy group (p = 0.000. The structure of the DMF index in the study group showed that caries and extracted teeth dominated with 88.1%; in the control group, filled teeth dominated with 55.6%, which was a statistically significant difference for all the three observed variables. Conclusion. Hospitalized patients with schizophrenia had twice as many caries and extracted teeth, and five time less filled teeth than healthy people. The patient’s age and taking antiparkinsonics were established as predictors of the increased DMF index in hospitalized patients with schizophrenia.

  18. Cancer patient experience, hospital performance and case mix: evidence from England.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abel, Gary A; Saunders, Catherine L; Lyratzopoulos, Georgios

    2014-01-01

      This study aims to explore differences between crude and case mix-adjusted estimates of hospital performance with respect to the experience of cancer patients. This study analyzed the English 2011/2012 Cancer Patient Experience Survey covering all English National Health Service hospitals providing cancer treatment (n = 160). Logistic regression analysis was used to predict hospital performance for each of the 64 evaluative questions, adjusting for age, gender, ethnic group and cancer diagnosis. The degree of reclassification was explored across three categories (bottom 20%, middle 60% and top 20% of hospitals). There was high concordance between crude and adjusted ranks of hospitals (median Kendall's τ = 0.84; interquartile range: 0.82-0.88). Across all questions, a median of 5.0% (eight) of hospitals (interquartile range: 3.8-6.4%; six to ten hospitals) moved out of the extreme performance categories after case mix adjustment. In this context, patient case mix has only a small impact on measured hospital performance for cancer patient experience.

  19. Predictors of hospital re-admissions among Hispanics with hepatitis C-related cirrhosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Atla, Pradeep R; Sheikh, Muhammad Y; Gill, Firdose; Kundu, Rabindra; Choudhury, Jayanta

    2016-01-01

    Hospital re-admissions in decompensated cirrhosis are associated with worse patient outcomes. Hispanics have a disproportionately high prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related morbidity and mortality. The goal of this study was to evaluate the factors affecting re-admission rates among Hispanics with HCV-related cirrhosis. A total of 292 consecutive HCV-related cirrhosis admissions (Hispanics 189, non-Hispanics 103) from January 2009 to December 2012 were retrospectively reviewed; 132 were cirrhosis-related re-admissions. The statistical analysis was performed using STATA version 11.1. Chi-square/Fisher's exact and Student's t-tests were used to compare categorical and continuous variables, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify predictors for hospital readmissions. Among the 132 cirrhosis-related readmissions, 71% were Hispanics while 29% were non-Hispanics (P=0.035). Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) and esophageal variceal hemorrhage were the most frequent causes of the first and subsequent readmissions. Hispanics with readmissions had a higher Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) class (B and C) and higher model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) scores (≥15), as well as a higher incidence of alcohol use, HE, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and varices (P<0.05). The majority of the study patients (81%) had MELD scores <15. Multivariate regression analysis identified alcohol use (OR 2.63; 95%CI 1.1-6.4), HE (OR 5.5; 95%CI 2-15.3), varices (OR 3.2; 95%CI 1.3-8.2), and CTP class (OR 3.3; 95%CI 1.4-8.1) as predictors for readmissions among Hispanics. CTP classes B and C, among other factors, were the major predictors for hospital readmissions in Hispanics with HCV-related cirrhosis. The majority of these readmissions were due to HE and variceal hemorrhage.

  20. Variability of patient safety culture in Belgian acute hospitals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vlayen, Annemie; Schrooten, Ward; Wami, Welcome; Aerts, Marc; Barrado, Leandro Garcia; Claes, Neree; Hellings, Johan

    2015-06-01

    The aim of this study was to measure differences in safety culture perceptions within Belgian acute hospitals and to examine variability based on language, work area, staff position, and work experience. The Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture was distributed to hospitals participating in the national quality and safety program (2007-2009). Hospitals were invited to participate in a comparative study. Data of 47,136 respondents from 89 acute hospitals were used for quantitative analysis. Percentages of positive response were calculated on 12 dimensions. Generalized estimating equations models were fitted to explore differences in safety culture. Handoffs and transitions, staffing, and management support for patient safety were considered as major problem areas. Dutch-speaking hospitals had higher odds of positive perceptions for most dimensions in comparison with French-speaking hospitals. Safety culture scores were more positive for respondents working in pediatrics, psychiatry, and rehabilitation compared with the emergency department, operating theater, and multiple hospital units. We found an important gap in safety culture perceptions between leaders and assistants within disciplines. Administration and middle management had lower perceptions toward patient safety. Respondents working less than 1 year in the current hospital had more positive safety culture perceptions in comparison with all other respondents. Large comparative databases provide the opportunity to identify distinct high and low scoring groups. In our study, language, work area, and profession were identified as important safety culture predictors. Years of experience in the hospital had only a small effect on safety culture perceptions.

  1. Hospital Preparations for Viral Hemorrhagic Fever Patients and Experience Gained from Admission of an Ebola Patient.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haverkort, J J Mark; Minderhoud, A L C Ben; Wind, Jelte D D; Leenen, Luke P H; Hoepelman, Andy I M; Ellerbroek, Pauline M

    2016-02-01

    The Major Incident Hospital of the University Medical Centre of Utrecht has a longstanding history of preparing for the management of highly pathogenic and infectious organisms. An assessment of the hospital's preparations for an outbreak of viral hemorrhagic fever and its experience during admission of a patient with Ebola virus disease showed that the use of the buddy system, frequent training, and information sessions for staff and their relatives greatly increased the sense of safety and motivation among staff. Differing procedures among ambulance services limited the number of services used for transporting patients. Waste management was the greatest concern, and destruction of waste had to be outsourced. The admission of an Ebola patient proceeded without incident but led to considerable demands on staff. The maximum time allowed for wearing personal protective equipment was 45 minutes to ensure safety, and an additional 20 minutes was needed for recovery.

  2. Perceived health competence predicts health behavior and health-related quality of life in patients with cardiovascular disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bachmann, Justin M; Goggins, Kathryn M; Nwosu, Samuel K; Schildcrout, Jonathan S; Kripalani, Sunil; Wallston, Kenneth A

    2016-12-01

    Evaluate the effect of perceived health competence, a patient's belief in his or her ability to achieve health-related goals, on health behavior and health-related quality of life. We analyzed 2063 patients hospitalized with acute coronary syndrome and/or congestive heart failure at a large academic hospital in the United States. Multivariable linear regression models investigated associations between the two-item perceived health competence scale (PHCS-2) and positive health behaviors such as medication adherence and exercise (Health Behavior Index) as well as health-related quality of life (5-item Patient Reported Outcome Information Measurement System Global Health Scale). After multivariable adjustment, perceived health competence was highly associated with health behaviors (pperceived health competence was associated with a decrease in health-related quality of life between hospitalization and 90days after discharge (pPerceived health competence predicts health behavior and health-related quality of life in patients hospitalized with cardiovascular disease as well as change in health-related quality of life after discharge. Patients with low perceived health competence may be at risk for a decline in health-related quality of life after hospitalization and thus a potential target for counseling and other behavioral interventions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Hospital Resource Utilisation by Patients with Community-Acquired Pneumonia

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    McCarthy, S

    2017-09-01

    Little data is available on the resource utilisation of patients admitted with Community-Acquired Pneumonia (CAP) in Ireland. A retrospective review of 50 randomly-selected patients admitted to Beaumont Hospital with CAP was undertaken. The mean length of stay of patients with CAP was 12 days (+\\/- 16 days). All patients were emergency admissions, all had a chest x-ray, a C-reactive protein blood test, and occupied a public bed at some point during admission. Common antimicrobial therapies were intravenous (IV) amoxicillin\\/clavulanic acid and oral clarithromycin; 60% received physiotherapy. The estimated mean cost of CAP per patient was €14,802.17. Costs arising from admission to hospital with CAP are substantial, but efforts can be undertaken to ensure that resources are used efficiently to improve patient care such as discharge planning and fewer in-hospital ward transfers

  4. Ocular disorders in stroke patients in a tertiary hospital in Nigeria

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    2015-08-06

    Aug 6, 2015 ... Abstract. Background: Stroke is a medical emergency of public health ... Aim: To determine the prevalence of ocular disorders in patients with stroke in a Tertiary Hospital in Nigeria. ... Risk factors include old age, high blood pressure, previous .... such as cataract, refractive errors, and age‑related changes.

  5. Work-related stress and work ability among Croatian university hospital midwives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Knezevic, Bojana; Milosevic, Milan; Golubic, Rajna; Belosevic, Ljiljana; Russo, Andrea; Mustajbegovic, Jadranka

    2011-04-01

    to explore the sources and levels of stress at work and work ability among Croatian midwives. midwives are subjected to multiple stressors. Among health-care professionals, psychological distress for a prolonged period of time has negative effects on the worker's health, work ability and quality of patient care. 'Work ability' is a term describing a worker's resources related to physical, mental and social demands at work. As a measure of work ability in midwifery, the Work Ability Index (WAI) is considered to be a very predictive instrument; midwives with a poor WAI score usually leave their current job within five years. university hospitals in Zagreb, Croatia. cross-sectional design survey. 300 health-care workers (105 qualified midwives and 195 paediatric nurses) were invited to complete the questionnaire. The total response rate was 53% (158/300). The sample included 14.7% of all hospital-based midwives in Zagreb hospitals. the Occupational Stress Assessment Questionnaire (OSAQ) for health-care workers and the WAI questionnaire. over three-quarters of the midwives (46/60, 76.7%) believed that their job was stressful, and considered that insufficient work resources caused the most stress. More than half of the midwives associated an insufficient number of coworkers, unexpected situations, inadequate income, night work, incurable patients and poor organisation at work with a high level of stress. The perceived specific stressors differed between midwives and paediatric nurses in the same hospital. Insufficient work resources and poor organisation at work were more common stressors among midwives than paediatric nurses (pworkplace compared with paediatric nurses (pability. After adjusting for age, the difference in WAI score between the groups of workers was not significant. Croatian midwives experienced work-related stress due to: insufficient work resources, insufficient number of coworkers, poor organisation at work, communication with superiors and emotional

  6. Trends in in-hospital mortality among patients with stroke in China.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qian He

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The incidence and burden of stroke in China is increasing rapidly. However, little is known about trends in mortality during stroke hospitalization. The objectives of this study were to assess trends of in-hospital mortality among patients with stroke and explore influence factors of in-hospital death after stroke in China. METHODS: 109 grade III class A hospitals were sampled by multistage stratified cluster sampling. All patients admitted to hospitals between 2007 and 2010 with a discharge diagnosis of stroke were included. Trends in in-hospital mortality among patients with stroke were assessed. Influence factors of in-hospital death after stroke were explored using multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: Overall stroke hospitalizations increased from 79,894 in 2007 to 85,475 in 2010, and in-hospital mortality of stroke decreased from 3.16% to 2.30% (P<0.0001. The percentage of severe patients increased while odds of mortality (2010 versus 2007 decreased regardless of stroke type: subarachnoid hemorrhage (OR 0.792, 95% CI = 0.636 to 0.987, intracerebral hemorrhage (OR 0.647, 95% CI = 0.591 to 0.708, and ischemic stroke (OR 0.588, 95% CI = 0.532 to 0.649. In multivariable analyses, older age, male, basic health insurance, multiple comorbidities and severity of disease were linked to higher odds of in-hospital mortality. CONCLUSIONS: The mortality of stroke hospitalizations decreased likely reflecting advancements in stroke care and prevention. Decreasing of mortality with increasing of severe stroke patients indicated that we should pay more attention to rehabilitation and life quality of stroke patients. Specific individual and hospital-level characteristics may be targets for facilitating further declines.

  7. Complications Requiring Hospital Admission and Causes of In-Hospital Death over Time in Alcoholic and Nonalcoholic Cirrhosis Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Hee Yeon; Kim, Chang Wook; Choi, Jong Young; Lee, Chang Don; Lee, Sae Hwan; Kim, Moon Young; Jang, Byoung Kuk; Wo, Hyun Young

    2016-01-01

    Data on the epidemiology of alcoholic cirrhosis, especially in Asian countries, are limited. We compared the temporal evolution of patterns of alcoholic and nonalcoholic cirrhosis over the last decade. We retrospectively examined the inpatient datasets of five referral centers during 2002 and 2011. The study included patients who were admitted due to specific complications of liver cirrhosis. We compared the causes of hospital admissions and in-hospital deaths between patients with alcoholic and nonalcoholic cirrhosis. Among the included 2,799 hospitalizations (2,165 patients), 1,496 (1,143 patients) were from 2002, and 1,303 (1,022 patients) were from 2011. Over time, there was a reduction in the rate of hepatic encephalopathy (HE) as a cause of hospitalization and an increase in the rate of hepatocellular carcinoma. Deaths that were attributable to HE or spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) significantly decreased, whereas those due to hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) significantly increased over time in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis. However, in patients with nonalcoholic cirrhosis, hepatic failure and HRS remained the principal causes of in-hospital death during both time periods. The major causes of in-hospital deaths have evolved from acute cirrhotic complications, including HE or SBP to HRS in alcoholic cirrhosis, whereas those have remained unchanged in nonalcoholic cirrhosis during the last decade.

  8. The Effects of Hospital-Level Factors on Patients' Ratings of Physician Communication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Amin, Mona; Makarem, Suzanne C

    2016-01-01

    The quality of physician-patient communication influences patient health outcomes and satisfaction with healthcare delivery. Yet, little is known about contextual factors that influence physicians' communication with their patients. The main purpose of this article is to examine organizational-level factors that influence patient perceptions of physician communication in inpatient settings. We used the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey and American Hospital Association data to determine patients' ratings of physician communication at the hospital level, and to collect information about hospital-level factors that can potentially influence physician communication. Our sample consisted of 2,756 hospitals. We ran a regression analysis to determine the predictors of poor physician communication, measured as the percentage of patients in a hospital who reported that physicians sometimes or never communicated well. In our sample of hospitals, this percentage ranged between 0% and 21%, with 25% of hospitals receiving poor ratings from more than 6% of patients. Three organizational factors had statistically significant negative associations with physician communication: for-profit ownership, hospital size, and hospitalists providing care in the hospital, On the other hand, the number of full-time-equivalent physicians and dentists per 10,000 inpatient days, physician ownership of the hospital, Medicare share of inpatient days, and public ownership were positively associated with patients' ratings of physician communication. Physician staffing levels are an understudied area in healthcare research. Our findings indicate that physician staffing levels affect the quality of physician communication with patients. Moreover, for-profit and larger hospitals should invest more in physician communication given the role that HCAHPS plays in value-based purchasing.

  9. How patients experience the surroundings in relation to patient participation: a qualitative study of inpatients with intestinal failure

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thyssen GD

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available Gunvor Dichmann Thyssen, Anne BeckDepartment of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, DenmarkIntroduction: Patient participation is known to improve patients' motivation, compliance, treatment results, and satisfaction with the received care. It is well known that the physical environment is of great importance in supporting patient involvement. A systematic literature search has shown a lack of articles on the subject of “surroundings” in relation to patient participation, for all patient groups.Aim: We aimed to investigate how patients with intestinal failure experience their hospital surroundings in relation to patient participation.Methods: The study included eight patients admitted for at least 2 weeks at the Intestinal Failure Unit, H8, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, United Kingdom. Included patients had a good level of consciousness with no confusion. The included patients participated in a semistructured interview. The interviews were analyzed using Malterud's principles of systematic text condensation.Results: The patients described that the surroundings enabled them to participate in their treatment and care. The surroundings made it possible for them and encouraged them to participate through: the possibility to seek and get information and the possibility to participate in daily activities. This led to a feeling of independence, reassurance, normality, control, responsibility, and confidence.Conclusion: The findings in this study indicate that the hospital surroundings are essential for the patients with respect to their ability to participate in their own care and treatment. The surroundings, in relation to patient participation, should be considered when planning and organizing nursing care. Further research is needed to increase the understanding of the surroundings in relation to patient participation - this research could, for eg, include the nurse's perspective

  10. Multidisciplinary in-hospital teams improve patient outcomes: A review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Epstein, Nancy E

    2014-01-01

    The use of multidisciplinary in-hospital teams limits adverse events (AE), improves outcomes, and adds to patient and employee satisfaction. Acting like "well-oiled machines," multidisciplinary in-hospital teams include "staff" from different levels of the treatment pyramid (e.g. staff including nurses' aids, surgical technicians, nurses, anesthesiologists, attending physicians, and others). Their enhanced teamwork counters the "silo effect" by enhancing communication between the different levels of healthcare workers and thus reduces AE (e.g. morbidity/mortality) while improving patient and healthcare worker satisfaction. Multiple articles across diverse disciplines incorporate a variety of concepts of "teamwork" for staff covering emergency rooms (ERs), hospital wards, intensive care units (ICUs), and most critically, operating rooms (ORs). Cohesive teamwork improved communication between different levels of healthcare workers, and limited adverse events, improved outcomes, decreased the length of stay (LOS), and yielded greater patient "staff" satisfaction. Within hospitals, delivering the best medical/surgical care is a "team sport." The goals include: Maximizing patient safety (e.g. limiting AE) and satisfaction, decreasing the LOS, and increasing the quality of outcomes. Added benefits include optimizing healthcare workers' performance, reducing hospital costs/complications, and increasing job satisfaction. This review should remind hospital administrators of the critical need to keep multidisciplinary teams together, so that they can continue to operate their "well-oiled machines" enhancing the quality/safety of patient care, while enabling "staff" to optimize their performance and enhance their job satisfaction.

  11. The role of expectations in patient assessments of hospital care: an example from a university hospital network, Turkey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bakar, Coskun; Akgün, H Seval; Al Assaf, A F

    2008-01-01

    The aim of this paper is to document a study, in which the SERVQUAL scale was used to evaluate hospital services, conducting a preliminary assessment of patient attitudes regarding the important aspects of service dimensions. The SERVQUAL scale was implemented into routine use at the Baskent University Hospitals Network in Baskent, Turkey. The study consisted of 550 randomly chosen patients who presented to any member hospital in that network during January and February 2006 and received treatment as inpatients or outpatients at those healthcare facilities. The SERVQUAL scale was utilised to evaluate hospital services. A questionnaire was completed by a total of 472 (86.0 per cent) patients. The perceived scores of the patients were higher than expected for an ordinary hospital but lower than expected for a high-quality hospital. The highest difference between the perceived service score and the expected service score was found at the Alanya Application and Research Center in Alanya, Turkey. The paper demonstrates the use of the SERVQUAL scale in measuring the functional quality of the hospitals assessed.

  12. Risk Factors for Multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa Among Hospitalized Patients at a Malaysian Hospital

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mohd, N.M.D.; Nurnajwa, M.H.; Lay, J.; Teoh, J.C.; Syafinaz, A.N.; Niazlin, M.T.

    2015-01-01

    A case-control study was conducted based on medical cases of 100 hospitalized patients with Pseudomonas aeruginosa-isolation at a Malaysian hospital. Cases with 50 multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa MDRPA and 50 non-multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa (NMDRPA) were randomly included and compared with socio-demographic and clinical data of the patients, using Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests as the statistical tool. Analysis found no significant association between MDRPA with ages, gender and ethnicity of patients (p>0.050). Other risk factors being investigated were invasive procedure, immunosuppression, bedridden and clinical diagnosis such as central nervous- and respiratory-system disorder, as well as antibiotic exposure during hospitalization and duration of hospital stay with only the last two were found to have significant association (p=0.035 and 0.019, respectively). Some other studies also reported a similar association indicating that the two factors could serve as an important predictive tool for isolation of MDRPA. More studies involving a larger sampling size are warranted to establish the association. (author)

  13. Outcomes of a telemonitoring-based program (telEPOC in frequently hospitalized COPD patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Esteban C

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Cristóbal Esteban,1,2 Javier Moraza,1 Milagros Iriberri,3 Urko Aguirre,2,4 Begoña Goiria,5 José M Quintana,2,4 Myriam Aburto,1 Alberto Capelastegui1 1Pneumology Department, Galdakao-Usansolo Hospital, Galdakao, 2Red de Investigación en Servicios Sanitarios y Enfermedades Crónicas (REDISSEC, Bilbao, 3Pneumology Department, Cruces Hospital, Barakaldo, 4Research Unit, Galdakao-Usansolo Hospital, Galdakao, 5Primary Care Unit, Barrualde Integrated Healthcare Organisation (OSI-Barrualde, Spain Background: The increasing prevalence of chronic diseases requires changes in health care delivery. In COPD, telemedicine appears to be a useful tool. Our objective was to evaluate the efficacy (in improving health care-resource use and clinical outcomes of a telemonitoring-based program (telEPOC in COPD patients with frequent hospitalizations. Materials and methods: We conducted a nonrandomized observational study in an intervention cohort of 119 patients (Galdakao-Usansolo Hospital and a control cohort of 78 patients (Cruces Hospital, followed up for 2 years (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02528370. The inclusion criteria were two or more hospital admissions in the previous year or three or more admissions in the previous 2 years. The intervention group received telemonitoring plus education and controls usual care. Results: Most participants were men (13% women, and the sample had a mean age of 70 years, forced expiratory volume in 1 second of 45%, Charlson comorbidity index score of 3.5, and BODE (body mass index, airflow obstruction, dyspnea, and exercise capacity index score of 4.1. In multivariate analysis, the intervention was independently related to lower rates of hospital admission (odds ratio [OR] 0.38, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.27–0.54; P<0.0001, emergency department attendance (OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.35–0.92; P<0.02, and 30-day readmission (OR 0.46, 95% CI 0.29–0.74; P<0.001, as well as cumulative length of stay (OR 0.58, 95% CI 0

  14. Patient-centeredness and e-health among Italian hospitals: results of a cross-sectional web-based survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Feo, Emma; de Belvis, Antonio Giulio; Silenzi, Andrea; Specchia, Maria Lucia; Gallì, Paoloa; Ricciardi, Walter

    2012-12-01

    Given the growing recognition of patient-centeredness as a healthcare quality indicator and its limited implementation in practice, our study evaluated how the Italian hospitals (ItHs), including research hospitals (IRCCSs), research teaching hospitals (THs), and independent public hospital trusts (AOs), address the dimension of online data access through their institutional Web sites to promote a patient-centered care. To address patient-centeredness and e-health, eight specific indicators adapted from the Euro Health Consumer Index were evaluated from 169 ItHs: online booking of healthcare services; access to medical records; register of legitimate doctors; waiting times for most commonly delivered healthcare services; transport information; centralized booking; public relations office; and pain management hospital committee. Univariate and bivariate statistics and a logistic regression analysis have been performed. The majority of the ItHs were under public ownership, and half of them are located in Northern Italy. From the logistic regression analysis, AOs appeared to be more likely to develop a patient-centered healthcare approach (odds ratio [OR]=3.69; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.14-11.89) compared with IRCCSs or THs. In addition, when grouped together, all public hospitals show more than threefold higher implementation of patient-centeredness strategies (OR=3.60; 95% CI 1.49-8.72) with respect to private ones. Northern hospitals are more likely to ensure wider implementation of a patient-centered approach to healthcare (OR=3.37; 95% CI 1.49-7.62). According to our results, most of the ItHs are under public ownership, and half of them are located in the northern regions of Italy. The higher implementation of patient-centeredness strategies observed for Northern hospitals highlights interregional disparity in healthcare that needs a coordinated effort at both the hospital and policymaker levels to ensure a widespread implementation of patient-centered care

  15. Survival after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in relation to sex

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wissenberg, Mads; Hansen, Carolina Malta; Folke, Fredrik

    2014-01-01

    ); and in females (4.8% in 2001 to 6.7% in 2010), psexes in patients with a non-shockable rhythm (OR 1.00; CI 0.72-1.40), while female sex was positively associated...... characteristics in females with a lower proportion of shockable rhythm. In an adjusted model, female sex was positively associated with survival in patients with a shockable rhythm.......AIM: Crude survival has increased following an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). We aimed to study sex-related differences in patient characteristics and survival during a 10-year study period. METHODS: Patients≥12 years old with OHCA of a presumed cardiac cause, and in whom resuscitation...

  16. Sepsis in a university hospital: a prospective study for the cost analysis of patients' hospitalization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barreto, Maynara Fernanda Carvalho; Dellaroza, Mara Solange Gomes; Kerbauy, Gilselena; Grion, Cintia Magalhães Carvalho

    2016-04-01

    To estimate the cost of hospitalization of patients with severe sepsis or septic shock admitted or diagnosed in the Urgent and Emergency sector at a university hospital and followed until the clinical outcome. An epidemiological, prospective, observational study conducted in a public hospital in southern Brazil for the period of one year (August 2013 to August 2014). Sepsis notification forms, medical records and data of the cost sector were used for the collection of clinical and epidemiological data. The sample comprised 95 patients, resulting in a total high cost of hospitalization (R$ 3,692,421.00), and an average of R$ 38,867.60 per patient. Over half of the total value of the treatment of sepsis (R$ 2,215,773.50) was assigned to patients who progressed to death (59.0%). The higher costs were related to discharge, diagnosis of severe sepsis, the pulmonary focus of infection and the age group of up to 59 years. The high cost of the treatment of sepsis justifies investments in training actions and institution of protocols that can direct preventive actions, and optimize diagnosis and treatment in infected and septic patients. Estimar o custo da internação de pacientes com sepse grave ou choque séptico admitidos ou diagnosticados no setor de Urgências e Emergências de um hospital universitário e seguidos até o desfecho clínico. Estudo epidemiológico, prospectivo e observacional, realizado em um hospital público do sul do Brasil, no período de 1 ano (agosto de 2013 a agosto de 2014). A coleta dos dados clínico-epidemiológicos utilizou fichas de notificação de sepse, prontuários e dados do setor de custos. Foi realizada análise de tendência central, dispersão e quartis dos custos das internações. Amostra composta por 95 pacientes que totalizaram elevado custo da internação (R$ 3.692.421,00), com média de R$ 38.867,60 por paciente. Mais da metade do valor total do tratamento da sepse (R$ 2.215.773,50) destinou-se a pacientes que evoluíram a

  17. Associations of preexisting depression and anxiety with hospitalization in patients with cardiovascular disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chamberlain, Alanna M; Vickers, Kristin S; Colligan, Robert C; Weston, Susan A; Rummans, Teresa A; Roger, Véronique L

    2011-11-01

    To determine the risk of hospitalization and death in relation to preexisting depression and anxiety among patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD). The cohort consisted of 799 Olmsted County, MN, residents diagnosed with CVD (myocardial infarction or heart failure) from January 1, 1979, to December 31, 2009, who completed a Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) prior to their event. The MMPI was used to identify depression and anxiety, and participants were followed up for hospitalizations and death during an average of 6.2 years. Depression and anxiety were identified in 282 (35%) and 210 (26%) participants, respectively. After adjustment, depression and anxiety were independently associated with a 28% (95% confidence interval [CI], 8%-51%) and 26% (95% CI, 3%-53%) increased risk of being hospitalized, respectively. Depression also conferred an increased risk of all-cause mortality of similar magnitude, whereas the hazard ratio for anxiety was not statistically significant. The combined occurrence of depression and anxiety led to a 35% (95% CI, 8%-71%) increase in the risk of hospitalizations. Among patients with CVD, both preexisting depression and anxiety, occurring on average 17 years before the CVD event, independently predict hospitalizations. In addition, the 2 conditions may act synergistically on increasing health care utilization in patients with CVD.

  18. Increased cancer risk in patients referred to hospital with suspected fibromyalgia

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dreyer, Lene; Mellemkjaer, Lene; Kendall, Sally

    2007-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To analyze whether fibromyalgia (FM) and FM-like symptoms are related to an increased incidence of cancer. METHODS: We identified 1361 patients referred on suspicion of FM in the period 1984-99 from hospital records. Following the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria, patien...... for FM. These patients should be investigated if they develop any new or warning symptoms of malignancy, and treating physicians should be vigilant with screening procedures such as mammography....

  19. Clinical characteristics of synthetic cannabinoid-induced psychosis in relation to schizophrenia: a single-center cross-sectional analysis of concurrently hospitalized patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Altintas M

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Merih Altintas,1 Leman Inanc,2 Gamze Akcay Oruc,1 Selim Arpacioglu,1 Huseyin Gulec1 1Department of Psychiatry, Erenköy Mental and Neurological Diseases Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, 2Department of Psychiatry, Dr Cevdet Aykan Mental Health and Diseases Hospital, Tokat, Turkey Background: This study aimed to evaluate synthetic cannabinoid (SC-induced psychosis in terms of patient profile and clinical characteristics with reference to concurrently hospitalized schizophrenic patients. Methods: A total of 81 male patients diagnosed with psychotic disorder induced by the use of SCs (n=50; mean (standard deviation [SD] age: 25.9 (5.5 years or with schizophrenia (n=31, mean (SD age: 42.9 (11.6 years based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, diagnosis criteria who were concurrently hospitalized at Erenköy Mental and Neurological Diseases Training and Research Hospital were included in this cross-sectional study. Data on sociodemographic characteristics, Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS, Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS, Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB, Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD, and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A were recorded in all the patients. Results: Mean (SD age at disease onset in SC-induced psychosis patients was 22.3 (5.6 years; 26.0% had suicidal ideation and 58.4% were hospitalized involuntarily. Marijuana was the most common first used substance (72.0%, and solitary use of SC was noted in 38.0% of patients. SC-induced psychosis patients had similar PANSS positive, BPRS, HRSD, and FAB scores and significantly lower PANSS negative scores (18.0 [6.5] vs 22.3 [6.0], P=0.004 than patients with schizophrenia, while they had similar HAM-A scores (17.8 [10.3] vs 21.6 [5.5], P=0.085 as young schizophrenics. Age at onset for SC (r=0.364, P=0.05 or substance (r=0.395, P=0.01 use was correlated positively with total FAB scores.Conclusion: In conclusion, our

  20. Exploring improvements in patient logistics in Dutch hospitals with a survey

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    van Lent Wineke AM

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Research showed that promising approaches such as benchmarking, operations research, lean management and six sigma, could be adopted to improve patient logistics in healthcare. To our knowledge, little research has been conducted to obtain an overview on the use, combination and effects of approaches to improve patient logistics in hospitals. We therefore examined the approaches and tools used to improve patient logistics in Dutch hospitals, the reported effects of these approaches on performance, the applied support structure and the methods used to evaluate the effects. Methods A survey among experts on patient logistics in 94 Dutch hospitals. The survey data were analysed using cross tables. Results Forty-eight percent of all hospitals participated. Ninety-eight percent reported to have used multiple approaches, 39% of them used five or more approaches. Care pathways were the preferred approach by 43% of the hospitals, followed by business process re-engineering and lean six sigma (both 13%. Flowcharts were the most commonly used tool, they were used on a regular basis by 94% of the hospitals. Less than 10% of the hospitals used data envelopment analysis and critical path analysis on a regular basis. Most hospitals (68% relied on external support for process analyses and education on patient logistics, only 24% had permanent internal training programs on patient logistics. Approximately 50% of the hospitals that evaluated the effects of approaches on efficiency, throughput times and financial results, reported that they had accomplished their goals. Goal accomplishment in general hospitals ranged from 63% to 67%, in academic teaching hospitals from 0% to 50%, and in teaching hospitals from 25% to 44%. More than 86% performed an evaluation, 53% performed a post-intervention measurement. Conclusions Patient logistics appeared to be a rather new subject as most hospitals had not selected a single approach, they relied on

  1. Exploring improvements in patient logistics in Dutch hospitals with a survey

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-01-01

    Background Research showed that promising approaches such as benchmarking, operations research, lean management and six sigma, could be adopted to improve patient logistics in healthcare. To our knowledge, little research has been conducted to obtain an overview on the use, combination and effects of approaches to improve patient logistics in hospitals. We therefore examined the approaches and tools used to improve patient logistics in Dutch hospitals, the reported effects of these approaches on performance, the applied support structure and the methods used to evaluate the effects. Methods A survey among experts on patient logistics in 94 Dutch hospitals. The survey data were analysed using cross tables. Results Forty-eight percent of all hospitals participated. Ninety-eight percent reported to have used multiple approaches, 39% of them used five or more approaches. Care pathways were the preferred approach by 43% of the hospitals, followed by business process re-engineering and lean six sigma (both 13%). Flowcharts were the most commonly used tool, they were used on a regular basis by 94% of the hospitals. Less than 10% of the hospitals used data envelopment analysis and critical path analysis on a regular basis. Most hospitals (68%) relied on external support for process analyses and education on patient logistics, only 24% had permanent internal training programs on patient logistics. Approximately 50% of the hospitals that evaluated the effects of approaches on efficiency, throughput times and financial results, reported that they had accomplished their goals. Goal accomplishment in general hospitals ranged from 63% to 67%, in academic teaching hospitals from 0% to 50%, and in teaching hospitals from 25% to 44%. More than 86% performed an evaluation, 53% performed a post-intervention measurement. Conclusions Patient logistics appeared to be a rather new subject as most hospitals had not selected a single approach, they relied on external support and they did

  2. Exploring improvements in patient logistics in Dutch hospitals with a survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Lent, Wineke A M; Sanders, E Marloes; van Harten, Wim H

    2012-08-01

    Research showed that promising approaches such as benchmarking, operations research, lean management and six sigma, could be adopted to improve patient logistics in healthcare. To our knowledge, little research has been conducted to obtain an overview on the use, combination and effects of approaches to improve patient logistics in hospitals. We therefore examined the approaches and tools used to improve patient logistics in Dutch hospitals, the reported effects of these approaches on performance, the applied support structure and the methods used to evaluate the effects. A survey among experts on patient logistics in 94 Dutch hospitals. The survey data were analysed using cross tables. Forty-eight percent of all hospitals participated. Ninety-eight percent reported to have used multiple approaches, 39% of them used five or more approaches. Care pathways were the preferred approach by 43% of the hospitals, followed by business process re-engineering and lean six sigma (both 13%). Flowcharts were the most commonly used tool, they were used on a regular basis by 94% of the hospitals. Less than 10% of the hospitals used data envelopment analysis and critical path analysis on a regular basis. Most hospitals (68%) relied on external support for process analyses and education on patient logistics, only 24% had permanent internal training programs on patient logistics. Approximately 50% of the hospitals that evaluated the effects of approaches on efficiency, throughput times and financial results, reported that they had accomplished their goals. Goal accomplishment in general hospitals ranged from 63% to 67%, in academic teaching hospitals from 0% to 50%, and in teaching hospitals from 25% to 44%. More than 86% performed an evaluation, 53% performed a post-intervention measurement. Patient logistics appeared to be a rather new subject as most hospitals had not selected a single approach, they relied on external support and they did not have permanent training programs

  3. Changes in HIV-related hospitalizations during the HAART era in an inner-city hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pulvirenti, Joseph; Muppidi, Uma; Glowacki, Robert; Cristofano, Michael; Baker, Laurie

    2007-08-01

    We evaluated admissions of HIV-positive persons to an inner-city hospital from 2000 to 2005. There was a decline in the number of substance abusers, homeless persons, injection drug abusers, and African Americans, and there was an increase in patients older than 50 years. There were no significant changes in CD4 counts or in utilization of highly active antiretroviral therapy,m but there were more admissions of persons with HIV RNA levels less than 1000 copies/mL, internal medicine problems, cancers, and skin infections. Changes in the demographics of this patient population may reflect external factors (eg, gentrification of low-income housing areas, opening of a new hospital). Lower viral loads suggest better response in those on a highly active antiretroviral regimen, and changes in diagnoses leading to hospitalization may reflect the aging of the HIV population.

  4. Voting pattern of mental patients in a community state hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klein, M M; Grossman, S A

    1967-06-01

    The voting pattern of mental patients in a community-based state hospital was studied. Patients were polled on the New York City mayoralty race. A comparison to the vote of the general population revealed that the hospital sample vote resembled most closely the election results of the hospital district. The results highlight the advantage of community-centered mental health facilities, which undertake the treatment and rehabilitation of mental patients under conditions that maintain ties with family and community.

  5. Inpatient Portals for Hospitalized Patients and Caregivers: A Systematic Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kelly, Michelle M; Coller, Ryan J; Hoonakker, Peter Lt

    2018-06-01

    Patient portals, web-based personal health records linked to electronic health records (EHRs), provide patients access to their healthcare information and facilitate communication with providers. Growing evidence supports portal use in ambulatory settings; however, only recently have portals been used with hospitalized patients. Our objective was to review the literature evaluating the design, use, and impact of inpatient portals, which are patient portals designed to give hospitalized patients and caregivers inpatient EHR clinical information for the purpose of engaging them in hospital care. Literature was reviewed from 2006 to 2017 in PubMed, Web of Science, CINALPlus, Cochrane, and Scopus to identify English language studies evaluating patient portals, engagement, and inpatient care. Data were analyzed considering the following 3 themes: inpatient portal design, use and usability, and impact. Of 731 studies, 17 were included, 9 of which were published after 2015. Most studies were qualitative with small samples focusing on inpatient portal design; 1 nonrandomized trial was identified. Studies described hospitalized patients' and caregivers' information needs and design recommendations. Most patient and caregiver participants in included studies were interested in using an inpatient portal, used it when offered, and found it easy to use and/or useful. Evidence supporting the role of inpatient portals in improving patient and caregiver engagement, knowledge, communication, and care quality and safety is limited. Included studies indicated providers had concerns about using inpatient portals; however, the extent to which these concerns have been realized remains unclear. Inpatient portal research is emerging. Further investigation is needed to optimally design inpatient portals to maximize potential benefits for hospitalized patients and caregivers while minimizing unintended consequences for healthcare teams. © 2017 Society of Hospital Medicine.

  6. Venous Thromboembolism (VTE): Risk Assessment in Hospitalized Patients

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Soomro, Q.; Bhutto, A. A.; Memon, A. A.; Yousaf, N.; Abro, H. A.

    2014-01-01

    Objective: To determine the number of hospitalized patients at risk for developing venous thromboembolism (VTE) / deep vein thrombosis (DVT), identifying the most common risk factor and to document the use of thromboprophylaxis. Study Design: Observational and cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Chandka Medical College Hospital, Larkana, from October to December 2011. Methodology: A total of 170 patients underwent this study and these included 51 (30%) from general medical, and 119 (70%) from surgical units. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were defined and data was collected on printed format. VTE risk assessment was done according to Caprini Model and criteria defined by the American College of Chest Physicians- ACCP. Results: Out of 170 patients, 91 were male and 79 female with mean age of 39 +- 16 years. According to ACCP criteria for VTE risk assessment, 20% (n=34) patients were identified to be at low risk, 20% (n=34) at moderate risk, 47.65% (n=81) at high risk and 12.35% (n=21) at very high risk of developing VTE. The commonest risk factor significantly identified was immobility (54.7%, p < 0.005), followed by advancing age (41.17%, p < 0.005) and obesity (18.23%). The most common risk factor in all types of surgical patients was anaesthesia for more than 45 minutes 82.35% (n=98/119) and in medical patients advancing age 45% (n=23/51). Only 6 (3.5%) patients received thromboprophylaxis, all were surgical patients of very high-risk category. Conclusion: Majority of studied hospitalized patients were at high risk of developing VTE. Immobility was the commonest risk factor for developing VTE, followed by advancing age and obesity. Very few hospitalized patients actually received thromboprophylaxis. (author)

  7. Patients' satisfaction of service quality in Saudi hospitals: a SERVQUAL analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Borie, Hussein M; Damanhouri, Amal M Sheikh

    2013-01-01

    Saudi Arabian hospital performance, vis-á-vis patient satisfaction with service provision, has emerged as a key policy and planning concern. Keeping in view public and private hospital service quality, this article seeks to provide guidelines to the on-going Saudi Arabian health service reorganization, which emphasizes decentralization, bed-capacity expansion, research-based policymaking and initiatives in the health insurance sector. The article outlines an empirical study that compares patient satisfaction with service quality in Saudi Arabian public and private sector hospitals. The authors employ a stratified random sample (1,000 inpatients) from five Saudi Arabian public and five private hospitals. Data were collected through questionnaire using the SERVQUAL scale. For reducing the language bias the questionnaire was translated into Arabic. The response rate was 74.9 percent. Data were analyzed using SPSS and appropriate descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. Cronbach's alpha for five service-quality dimensions (tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, safety and empathy) were high and the SERVQUAL instrument proved to be reliable, valid and appropriate. The results showed that sex, education, income and occupation were statistically significant in influencing inpatients' satisfaction, and all the null hypotheses were rejected. Only inpatient age was not significant. The study highlights service quality influence in the design of broader healthcare strategies for Saudi Arabian public and private hospitals. It demands that management researchers and analysts must identify regional service quality consistencies and related inpatient demographic indicators. The study offers some insights into, and guidance for, hospital quality assurance in Saudi Arabia in general and the urban hospital setting in the Middle-East in particular.

  8. Cost of management in epistaxis admission: Impact of patient and hospital characteristics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goljo, Erden; Dang, Rajan; Iloreta, Alfred M; Govindaraj, Satish

    2015-12-01

    To investigate patient and hospital characteristics associated with increased cost and length of stay in the inpatient management of epistaxis. Retrospective cross-sectional study of the 2008 to 2012 National (Nationwide) Inpatient Sample. Patient and hospital characteristics of epistaxis admissions were analyzed. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to ascertain variables associated with increased cost and length of hospital stay. Variables significantly associated with high cost were further analyzed to determine the contribution of operative intervention and total procedures to cost. A total of 16,828 patients with an admitting diagnosis of epistaxis were identified. The average age was 67.5; 52.3% of the patients were male; 73.3% of the patients were Caucasian; and 70.7% of the hospital stays were government funded. The average length of stay was 3.24 days, and average hospitalization cost was $6,925. Longer length of stay was associated with black race, alcohol abuse, sinonasal disease, renal disease, Medicaid, and care at a northeastern U.S. hospital. Increased hospitalization costs of > $1,000 were associated with Asian/Pacific Islander race; sinonasal disease; renal disease; top income quartile; and care at urban teaching, northeastern, and western hospitals in the United States. High costs were predicted by procedural intervention in patients with comorbid alcohol abuse, sinonasal disease, renal disease, patients with private insurance, and patients managed at large hospitals. Although hospitalization costs are complex and multifactorial, we were able to identify patient and hospital characteristics associated with high costs in the management of epistaxis. Early identification and intervention, combined with implementation of targeted hospital management protocols, may improve outcomes and reduce financial burden. 2C. © 2015 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.

  9. Hospital costs and revenue are similar for resuscitated out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and ST-segment acute myocardial infarction patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Swor, Robert; Lucia, Victoria; McQueen, Kelly; Compton, Scott

    2010-06-01

    Care provided to patients who survive to hospital admission after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OOHCA) is sometimes viewed as expensive and a poor use of hospital resources. The objective was to describe financial parameters of care for patients resuscitated from OOHCA. This was a retrospective review of OOHCA patients admitted to one academic teaching hospital from January 2004 to October 2007. Demographic data, length of stay (LOS), and discharge disposition were obtained for all patients. Financial parameters of patient care including total cost, net revenue, and operating margin were calculated by hospital cost accounting and reported as median and interquartile range (IQR). Groups were dichotomized by survival to discharge for subgroup analysis. To provide a reference group for context, similar financial data were obtained for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients admitted during the same time period, reported with medians and IQRs. During the study period, there were 72 admitted OOCHA patients and 404 STEMI patients. OOCHA and STEMI groups were similar for age, sex, and insurance type. Overall, 27 (38.6%) OOHCA patients survived to hospital discharge. Median LOS for OOHCA patients was 4 days (IQR = 1-8 days), with most of those hospitalized for Financial parameters for OOHCA patients are similar to those of STEMI patients. Financial issues should not be a negative incentive to providing care for these patients. (c) 2010 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

  10. Weekend versus weekday hospital deaths: Analysis of in‑patient ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    2013-02-15

    patients of a tertiary hospital in Nigeria. Materials and Methods: This is a 10‑year retrospective survey conducted at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching. Hospital in which the death records of the hospital were accessed from ...

  11. Organizational performance impacting patient satisfaction in Ontario hospitals: a multilevel analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-01

    Background Patient satisfaction in health care constitutes an important component of organizational performance in the hospital setting. Satisfaction measures have been developed and used to evaluate and improve hospital performance, quality of care and physician practice. In order to direct improvement strategies, it is necessary to evaluate both individual and organizational factors that can impact patients’ perception of care. The study aims were to determine the dimensions of patient satisfaction, and to analyze the individual and organizational determinants of satisfaction dimensions in hospitals. Methods We used patient and hospital survey data as well as administrative data collected for a 2008 public hospital report in Ontario, Canada. We evaluated the clustering of patient survey items with exploratory factor analysis and derived plausible dimensions of satisfaction. A two-level multivariate model was fitted to analyze the determinants of satisfaction. Results We found eight satisfaction factors, with acceptable to good level of loadings and good reliability. More than 95% of variation in patient satisfaction scores was attributable to patient-level variation, with less than 5% attributable to hospital-level variation. The hierarchical models explain 5 to 17% of variation at the patient level and up to 52% of variation between hospitals. Individual patient characteristics had the strongest association with all dimensions of satisfaction. Few organizational performance indicators are associated with patient satisfaction and significant determinants differ according to the satisfaction dimension. Conclusions The research findings highlight the importance of adjusting for both patient-level and organization-level characteristics when evaluating patient satisfaction. Better understanding and measurement of organization-level activities and processes associated with patient satisfaction could contribute to improved satisfaction ratings and care quality. PMID

  12. Nutritional Status and Non-Diet Associated Factors of Hospitalized Heart-Failure Elderly Patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shirin Hosseini

    2010-07-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess nutritional status and identify the most significant MNA-items (Mini Nutritional assessment to accelerate the determination of nutritional risk of heart-failure in elderly patients. Methods and Materials: The present research was a cross-sectional descriptive analytical survey on hospitalized heart- failure elderly patients (n=225. The sampling method was enrolled nonrandomly. The MNA questionnaires (18 items were used for nutritional assessment. Results: Based on the MNA questionnaire, 9.8% of the elderly were malnourished, 80.9% were at risk of malnutrition and 9.3% were well-nourished. Conclusion: Regarding the factors related to nutritional status of heart failure elderly patient, it is indicated that bed sore, the ability of eating, self-view of nutritional status and self-rated health status relative to peers had significant relationship with the nutritional status according to MNA (P<0.005. Regarding high prevalence of vulnerable or malnourished hospitalized elderly, nutritional intervention is necessary.

  13. The Effect of Hospital Service Quality on Patient's Trust.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zarei, Ehsan; Daneshkohan, Abbas; Khabiri, Roghayeh; Arab, Mohammad

    2015-01-01

    The trust is meant the belief of the patient to the practitioner or the hospital based on the concept that the care provider seeks the best for the patient and will provide the suitable care and treatment for him/her. One of the main determinants of patient's trust is the service quality. This study aimed to examine the effect of quality of services provided in private hospitals on the patient's trust. In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 969 patients were selected using the consecutive method from eight private general hospitals of Tehran, Iran, in 2010. Data were collected through a questionnaire containing 20 items (14 items for quality, 6 items for trust) and its validity and reliability were confirmed. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multivariate regression. The mean score of patients' perception of trust was 3.80 and 4.01 for service quality. Approximately 38% of the variance in patient trust was explained by service quality dimensions. Quality of interaction and process (P quality of the environment had no significant effect on the patients' degree of trust. The interaction quality and process quality were the key determinants of patient's trust in the private hospitals of Tehran. To enhance the patients' trust, quality improvement efforts should focus on service delivery aspects such as scheduling, timely and accurate doing of the service, and strengthening the interpersonal aspects of care and communication skills of doctors, nurses and staff.

  14. Herbal medicine for hospitalized patients with severe depressive episode: a retrospective controlled study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Lan-Ying; Feng, Bin; Chen, Jiong; Tan, Qing-Rong; Chen, Zheng-Xin; Chen, Wen-Song; Wang, Pei-Rong; Zhang, Zhang-Jin

    2015-01-01

    Herbal medicine is increasingly used in depressed patients. The purpose of this retrospective controlled study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of herbal medicine treatment of severe depressive episode. A total of 146 severely depressed subjects were selected from patients who were admitted to the Department of Psychosomatics of Tongde Hospital at Hangzhou, China between 1st September 2009 and 30th November 2013. While all were medicated with psychotropic drugs, 78 received additional individualized herbal medicine. The severity of depressive symptoms was measured using 24-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD-24) at admission and thereafter once weekly during hospital stay. The proportion of patients achieving clinical response and remission and incidence of adverse events were compared. The two groups had similar average length of hospital stay for approximately 28 days and were not different in the use of psychotropic medications. Survival analysis revealed that patients with herbal medicine had significantly higher chance of achieving clinical response [relative risk (RR)=2.179, Pherbal medicine. Patients with herbal medicine experienced remarkably fewer incidences of physical tiredness, headache, palpitation, dry mouth and constipation, but had a significantly higher incidence of digestive discomfort compared to patients without herbal medicine. These results indicate that additional treatment with individualized herbal medicine enhances antidepressant response and reduces certain side effects associated with psychotropic medications. Herbal medicine is an effective and relatively safe therapy for severe depressive episode (Trial Registration: ChiCTR-OCH-13003864). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. The attitudes of general hospital doctors toward patients with comorbid mental illness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Noblett, Joanne E; Lawrence, Robert; Smith, Jared G

    2015-01-01

    What are the attitudes of general hospital doctors toward patients with comorbid mental illness? Do certain characteristics of the health professional related to attitude valence to patients with comorbid mental illness? An anonymous questionnaire was sent out to a cohort of doctors working in three General Hospitals in South West London. The questionnaire included vignettes to assess the respondents' attitudes toward eight patients presenting with a physical compliant with different clinical histories, including depression, schizophrenia, personality disorder, diabetes, and criminal behavior. A total of 52 participants completed the questionnaire; 40 females and 12 males. Across all domains, the most positive attitudes were held toward patients without a diagnosis of mental illness. The least positive attitudes were toward patients with schizophrenia, personality disorder, and those classified as "criminals," and negative attitudes relating to the unpredictability of patients was identified in these categories. There was no statistically significant difference in attitudes depending on age or level of training. However, female participants tended to endorse more positive attitudinal responses, most clearly toward patients with depression and heroin addiction. Negative attitudes of doctors were identified toward certain mental illness diagnoses and are likely to contribute the physical health disparity between patients with and without a comorbid mental illness. This raises the question as to how these attitudes can be changed in order to improve the parity of physical health care between patient with and without mental illness. © The Author(s) 2015.

  16. Heterogeneity of European DRG Systems and Potentials for a Common Eurodrg System; Comment on “Cholecystectomy and Diagnosis-Related Groups (DRGs: Patient Classification and Hospital Reimbursement in 11 European Countries”

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexander Geissler

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Diagnosis-Related Group (DRG systems across Europe are very heterogeneous, in particular because of different classification variables and algorithms as well as costing methodologies. But, given the challenge of increasing patient mobility within Europe, health systems are forced to incorporate a common patient classification language in order to compare and identify similar patients e.g. for reimbursement purposes. Beside the national adoption of DRGs for a wide range of purposes (measuring hospital activity vs. paying hospitals, a common DRG system can serve as an international communication basis among health administrators and can reduce the national development efforts as it is demonstrated by the NordDRG consortium.

  17. Chi-Square Test of Word of Mouth Marketing with Impact on the Evaluation of Patients' Hospital and Services: An Application in Teaching and Research Hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yelda ŞENER

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study, using data provided from 223 inpatients in a teaching and research hospital, hospital’s preference is to explain the effect of word of mouth marketing. For this purpose, word of mouth marketing process is evaluated in terms of providing information about the hospital and the patient’s level of intimacy, both of patients and information provider’s level of expertise with related to hospital and services, the patient’s perceived level of risk for hospitals and services and providing information’s level of impact on patient being treated in hospital. The obtain data, after evaluation by frequency distributions these factors impact on word of mouth marketing is demonstrated by descriptive statistics, chi-square analysis and pearson’s correlation analysis. As a result of this study is concluded word of mouth marketing on the training and research hospital is preferred by the patints to have a significant impact.

  18. Review of thromboembolic prophylaxis in patients attending Cork University Hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Byrne, Stephen; Weaver, Daniel Timothy

    2013-06-01

    Although preventable, venous thromboembolism remains a common cause of hospital acquired morbidity and mortality. Guidelines, such as the one produced by the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP), are aimed at reducing hospital associated venous thromboemboli. Unfortunately the majority of studies have revealed inadequate adherence to these guidelines. The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of venous thromboembolism prophylaxis at Cork University Hospital. Cork University Hospital, Wilton, Cork, Ireland. Data from the patient's chart, drug kardex and laboratory results were recorded during April 2010. A Caprini score, a venous thromboembolism risk factor assessment tool, was subsequently calculated for each patient based on data collected. Appropriate prophylaxis was determined after examining data collected, Caprini score and prophylactic regime according to the ACCP 8th edition guidelines. Primary outcome was to analyse adherence to VTE prophylaxis guidelines. A total of 394 patients met the inclusion criteria and were reviewed, of which, 60% (n = 236) were medical and 37% (n = 146) were surgical patients. In total 63% of patients received some form of venous thromboembolism prophylaxis. Furthermore, 54% of medical and 76% of surgical patients received prophylaxis. However only 37% of the patients studied received appropriate thromboprophylaxis according to the ACCP 8th edition guidelines (Geerts et al. in chest 133(6 Suppl):381S-453S, 2008). Additionally 51% of surgical and 27% of medical patients received appropriate prophylaxis. Data collected from Cork University Hospital revealed poor adherence to international venous thromboembolism prophylaxis guidelines. As stated in the ACCP 8th edition guidelines, every hospital should develop a formal strategy for venous thromboembolism prevention (Geerts et al. in chest 133(6 Suppl):381S-453S, 2008). In order to improve adherence to guidelines, Cork University Hospital should develop, implement and

  19. Comprehensive analysis of prognostic factors in hospitalized patients with pneumonia occurring outside hospital: Serum albumin is not less important than pneumonia severity assessment scale.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miyazaki, Hiroyuki; Nagata, Nobuhiko; Akagi, Takanori; Takeda, Satoshi; Harada, Taishi; Ushijima, Shinichiro; Aoyama, Takashi; Yoshida, Yuji; Yatsugi, Hiroshi; Fujita, Masaki; Watanabe, Kentaro

    2018-08-01

    This study aimed to elucidate factors related to 30-day mortality of pneumonia occurring outside hospital by comprehensively analyzing data considered relevant to prognosis. Data considered relevant to prognosis were retrospectively examined from clinical charts and chest X-ray images of all patients with pneumonia occurring outside hospital admitted to our hospital from 2010 to 2016. The primary outcome was 30-day mortality. Data were collected from 534 patients (317 community-acquired pneumonia and 217 nursing- and healthcare associated pneumonia patients; 338 men (63.3%); mean age, 76.2 years-old). Eighty-three patients (9.9%) died from pneumonia within 30 days from the date of admission. The numbers of patients with pneumonia severity index (PSI) classes of I/II/III/IV/V and age, dehydration, respiratory failure, orientation disturbance, pressure (A-DROP) scores of 0/1/2/3/4/5 were 29/66/127/229/83, and 71/107/187/132/30/7, respectively. Mean (standard deviation) body mass index (BMI), serum albumin, blood procalcitonin, white blood cell and C-reactive protein were 20.00 (4.12) kg/m 2 , 3.16 (0.60) g/dL, 3.69 (13.15) ng/mL, 11559.4 (5656.9)/mm 3 , and 10.92 (8.75) mg/dL, respectively. Chest X-ray images from 152 patients exhibited a pneumonia shadow over a quarter of total lung field. Logistic regression analysis revealed that PSI class or A-DROP score, BMI, serum albumin, and extent of pneumonia shadow were related to 30-day mortality. Receiver operating characteristics curve analysis revealed that serum albumin was superior to PSI class or A-DROP score for predicting 30-day mortality. Serum albumin is not less important than PSI class or A-DROP score for predicting 30-day mortality in hospitalized patients with pneumonia occurring outside hospital. Copyright © 2018 Japanese Society of Chemotherapy and The Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Risk factors for geriatric patient falls in rehabilitation hospital settings: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vieira, Edgar Ramos; Freund-Heritage, Rosalie; da Costa, Bruno R

    2011-09-01

    To review the literature to identify and synthesize the evidence on risk factors for patient falls in geriatric rehabilitation hospital settings. Eligible studies were systematically searched on 16 databases from inception to December 2010. The search strategies used a combination of terms for rehabilitation hospital patients, falls, risk factors and older adults. Cross-sectional, cohort, case-control studies and randomized clinical trials (RCTs) published in English that investigated risks for falls among patients ≥65 years of age in rehabilitation hospital settings were included. Studies that investigated fall risk assessment tools, but did not investigate risk factors themselves or did not report a measure of risk (e.g. odds ratio, relative risk) were excluded. A total of 2,824 references were identified; only eight articles concerning six studies met the inclusion criteria. In these, 1,924 geriatric rehabilitation patients were followed. The average age of the patients ranged from 77 to 83 years, the percentage of women ranged from 56% to 81%, and the percentage of fallers ranged from 15% to 54%. Two were case-control studies, two were RCTs and four were prospective cohort studies. Several intrinsic and extrinsic risk factors for falls were identified. Carpet flooring, vertigo, being an amputee, confusion, cognitive impairment, stroke, sleep disturbance, anticonvulsants, tranquilizers and antihypertensive medications, age between 71 and 80, previous falls, and need for transfer assistance are risk factors for geriatric patient falls in rehabilitation hospital settings.

  1. Nurses' Perceptions of Patient Safety Culture in Three Hospitals in Saudi Arabia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alquwez, Nahed; Cruz, Jonas Preposi; Almoghairi, Ahmed Mohammed; Al-Otaibi, Raid Salman; Almutairi, Khalid Obaid; Alicante, Jerico G; Colet, Paolo C

    2018-05-14

    To assess the present patient safety culture of three general hospitals in Saudi Arabia, as perceived by nurses. This study utilized a descriptive, cross-sectional design. A convenience sample of 351 nurses working in three general hospitals in the central region of Saudi Arabia was surveyed in this study using the Hospital Survey of Patients' Safety Culture (HSOPSC) from October 2016 to April 2017. From the 12 composites of the HSOPSC, the nurses perceived only the following two patient safety areas as strengths: teamwork within units and organizational learning-continuous improvement. Six areas of patient safety were identified as weaknesses, namely overall perception of patient safety, handoffs and transitions, communication openness, staffing, frequency of events reported, and nonpunitive response to errors. Nationality, educational attainment, hospital, length of service in the hospital, work area or unit, length of service in the current work area or unit, current position, and direct patient contact or interaction were significant predictors of the nurses' perceived patient safety culture. The findings in this study clarify the current status of patient safety culture in three hospitals in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The present findings should be considered by policymakers, hospital leaders, and nurse executives in creating interventions aimed at improving the patient safety culture in hospitals. A multidimensional network intervention targeting the different dimensions of patient safety culture and involving different organizational levels should be implemented to improve patient safety. © 2018 Sigma Theta Tau International.

  2. Predicting hospital mortality among frequently readmitted patients: HSMR biased by readmission

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kelder Johannes C

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Casemix adjusted in-hospital mortality is one of the measures used to improve quality of care. The adjustment currently used does not take into account the effects of readmission, because reliable data on readmission is not readily available through routinely collected databases. We have studied the impact of readmissions by linking admissions of the same patient, and as a result were able to compare hospital mortality among frequently, as opposed to, non-frequently readmitted patients. We also formulated a method to adjust for readmission for the calculation of hospital standardised mortality ratios (HSMRs. Methods We conducted a longitudinal retrospective analysis of routinely collected hospital data of six large non-university teaching hospitals in the Netherlands with casemix adjusted standardised mortality ratios ranging from 65 to 114 and a combined value of 93 over a five-year period. Participants concerned 240662 patients admitted 418566 times in total during the years 2003 - 2007. Predicted deaths by the HSMR model 2008 over a five-year period were compared with observed deaths. Results Numbers of readmissions per patient differ substantially between the six hospitals, up to a factor of 2. A large interaction was found between numbers of admissions per patient and HSMR-predicted risks. Observed deaths for frequently admitted patients were significantly lower than HSMR-predicted deaths, which could be explained by uncorrected factors surrounding readmissions. Conclusions Patients admitted more frequently show lower risks of dying on average per admission. This decline in risk is only partly detected by the current HSMR. Comparing frequently admitted patients to non-frequently admitted patients commits the constant risk fallacy and potentially lowers HSMRs of hospitals treating many frequently admitted patients and increases HSMRs of hospitals treating many non-frequently admitted patients. This misleading effect can

  3. Socioeconomic disadvantage and oral-health-related hospital admissions: a 10-year analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kruger, Estie; Tennant, Marc

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this Western Australian population study was to assess the relationship of socioeconomic disadvantage and: 1) trends in hospitalisations for oral-health-related conditions over 10 years; 2) insurance status, costs and length of stay in hospital; and 3) specific conditions (principal diagnosis) patients were admitted for. Hospitalisation data (of oral-health-related conditions) were obtained for every episode of discharge from all hospitals in Western Australia for the financial years 1999-2000 to 2008-2009. Area based measures (using the Index of Relative Socioeconomic Disadvantage) was used to determine relationships between socioeconomic status and other variables. The most disadvantaged in the population are being hospitalised at significantly higher rates than other groups, stay in hospital for longer, and at higher costs. This trend remained over a period of 10 years. Those least disadvantaged have the second highest rates of hospitalisation, but the likelihood of being admitted for different procedures differ between these two extremes. The importance of socioeconomic determinants of health are evident when analysing these hospitalisations. Recognition that lifestyle choices are severely restricted among the most marginalised and disadvantaged groups in the population can no longer be ignored in attempts to reduce health inequalities.

  4. Transmission of Pneumocystis carinii from patients to hospital staff

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lundgren, Bettina; Elvin, K; Rothman, L P

    1997-01-01

    rooms in departments of infectious diseases managing patients with P carinii pneumonia (PCP), suggesting the airborne route of transmission. Exposure of staff to P carinii may occur in hospital departments treating patients with PCP. METHODS: Exposure to P carinii was detected by serological responses...... to human P carinii by ELISA, Western blotting, and indirect immunofluorescence in 64 hospital staff with and 79 staff without exposure to patients with PCP from Denmark and Sweden. DNA amplification of oropharyngeal washings was performed on 20 Danish staff with and 20 staff without exposure to patients...... with PCP. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the frequency or level of antibodies to P carinii between staff exposed and those unexposed to patients with PCP. None of the hospital staff had detectable P carinii DNA in oropharyngeal washings. CONCLUSIONS: There is no difference in antibodies...

  5. A taxonomy and cultural analysis of intra-hospital patient transfers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosenberg, Alana; Campbell Britton, Meredith; Feder, Shelli; Minges, Karl; Hodshon, Beth; Chaudhry, Sarwat I; Jenq, Grace Y; Emerson, Beth L

    2018-05-02

    Existing research on intra-hospital patient transitions focuses chiefly on handoffs, or exchanges of information, between clinicians. Less is known about patient transfers within hospitals, which include but extend beyond the exchange of information. Using participant observations and interviews at a 1,541-bed, academic, tertiary medical center, we explored the ways in which staff define and understand patient transfers between units. We conducted observations of staff (n = 16) working in four hospital departments and interviewed staff (n = 29) involved in transfers to general medicine floors from either the Emergency Department or the Medical Intensive Care Unit between February and September 2015. The collected data allowed us to understand transfers in the context of several hospital cultural microsystems. Decisions were made through the lens of the specific unit identity to which staff felt they belonged; staff actively strategized to manage workload; and empty beds were treated as a scarce commodity. Staff concepts informed the development of a taxonomy of intra-hospital transfers that includes five categories of activity: disposition, or determining the right floor and bed for the patient; notification to sending and receiving staff of patient assignment, departure and arrival; preparation to send and receive the patient; communication between sending and receiving units; and coordination to ensure that transfer components occur in a timely and seamless manner. This taxonomy widens the study of intra-hospital patient transfers from a communication activity to a complex cultural phenomenon with several categories of activity and views them as part of multidimensional hospital culture, as constructed and understood by staff. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  6. Does a new steam meal catering system meet patient requirements in hospital?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hickson, M; Fearnley, L; Thomas, J; Evans, S

    2007-10-01

    It has been consistently observed that a significant proportion of hospital inpatients are malnourished and many actually develop malnutrition in hospital. The NHS provides over 300 million meals each year at a cost of pound 500 million, yet there is relatively little research evaluating how well different catering systems provide for the needs of hospital inpatients. The aim of the study was to: (i) evaluate whether a new steam meal catering system (Steamplicity) enables patients in theory to meet their energy requirements in hospital and (ii) compare energy and protein intake using Steamplicity with a traditional bulk cook-chill system. Patients not at nutritional risk had their food intake at one lunchtime assessed. Energy intake was compared with the patients' energy requirements and energy and protein intake were compared with previous data from a bulk system. Fifty-seven patients had a median daily energy requirement of 7648 kJ (1821 kcal) [inter-quartile range (IQR): 6854-9164 kJ]. Assuming 30% [2293 kJ (546 kcal)] should be supplied by the lunch meal the average intake of 1369 kJ (326 kcal) fell short by 40%. Patients served meals from Steamplicity ate less energy [1369 kJ versus 1562 kJ (326 kcal versus 372 kcal) P = 0.04] but similar protein (18 g versus 19 g P = 0.34) to the bulk system. The largest difference was the energy provided by the dessert since the bulk system served more hot high-calorie desserts. Patient intakes did not meet their estimated requirements. The patients in this study were eating well and not at nutritional risk, thus patients with a poor appetite will be even less likely to meet their nutritional requirements. Steamplicity meals result in a lower energy intake than meals from a bulk cook-chill system, but similar protein intakes.

  7. Hospital Costs of Foreign Non-Resident Patients: A Comparative Analysis in Catalonia, Spain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arroyo-Borrell, Elena; Renart-Vicens, Gemma; Saez, Marc; Carreras, Marc

    2017-09-14

    Although patient mobility has increased over the world, in Europe there is a lack of empirical studies. The aim of the study was to compare foreign non-resident patients versus domestic patients for the particular Catalan case, focusing on patient characteristics, hospitalisation costs and differences in costs depending on the typology of the hospital they are treated. We used data from the 2012 Minimum Basic Data Set-Acute Care hospitals (CMBD-HA) in Catalonia. We matched two case-control groups: first, foreign non-resident patients versus domestic patients and, second, foreign non-resident patients treated by Regional Public Hospitals versus other type of hospitals. Hospitalisation costs were modelled using a GLM Gamma with a log-link. Our results show that foreign non-resident patients were significantly less costly than domestic patients (12% cheaper). Our findings also suggested differences in the characteristics of foreign non-resident patients using Regional Public Hospitals or other kinds of hospitals although we did not observe significant differences in the healthcare costs. Nevertheless, women, 15-24 and 35-44 years old patients and the days of stay were less costly in Regional Public Hospitals. In general, acute hospitalizations of foreign non-resident patients while they are on holiday cost substantially less than domestic patients. The typology of hospital is not found to be a relevant factor influencing costs.

  8. The Mystery of Increased Hospitalizations of Elderly Patients

    Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

    2008-04-15

    Pneumonia is a common illness that affects millions of people in the United States every year. In some people, particularly the elderly and those who are ill from pre-existing conditions, bacterial pneumonia may follow influenza or even a common cold. Dr. Martin Meltzer, discusses two articles in the May 2008 issue of Emerging Infectious Diseases journal about increased pneumonia-related hospitalizations of elderly patients in England.  Created: 4/15/2008 by Emerging Infectious Diseases.   Date Released: 4/30/2008.

  9. Hospital variation in 30-day mortality after colorectal cancer surgery in denmark: the contribution of hospital volume and patient characteristics

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Osler, Merete; Iversen, Lene Hjerrild; Borglykke, Anders

    2011-01-01

    This study examines variation between hospitals in 30-day mortality after surgery for colorectal cancer (CRC) in Denmark and explores whether hospital volume and patient characteristics contribute to any variation between hospitals.......This study examines variation between hospitals in 30-day mortality after surgery for colorectal cancer (CRC) in Denmark and explores whether hospital volume and patient characteristics contribute to any variation between hospitals....

  10. Factors associated with patients' choice of physician in the Korean population: Database analyses of a tertiary hospital.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kidong Kim

    Full Text Available This study aimed to determine the factors influencing patients' choice of physician at the first visit through database analysis of a tertiary hospital in South Korea. We collected data on the first treatments performed by physicians who had treated patients for at least 3 consecutive years over 10 years (from 2003 to 2012 from the database of Seoul National University's affiliated tertiary hospital. Ultimately, we obtained data on 524,012 first treatments of 319,004 patients performed by 115 physicians. Variables including physicians' age and medical school and patients' age were evaluated as influencing factors for the number of first treatments performed by each physician in each year using a Poisson regression through generalized estimating equations with a log link. The number of first treatments decreased over the study period. Notably, the relative risk for first treatments was lower among older physicians than among younger physicians (relative risk 0.96; 95% confidence interval 0.95 to 0.98. Physicians graduating from Seoul National University (SNU also had a higher risk for performing first treatments than did those not from SNU (relative risk 1.58; 95% confidence interval 1.18 to 2.10. Finally, relative risk was also higher among older patients than among younger patients (relative risk 1.03; 95% confidence interval 1.01 to 1.04. This study systematically demonstrated that physicians' age, whether the physician graduated from the highest-quality university, and patients' age all related to patients' choice of physician at the first visit in a tertiary university hospital. These findings might be due to Korean cultural factors.

  11. The effects of dutasteride and finasteride on BPH-related hospitalization, surgery and prostate cancer diagnosis: a record-linkage analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cindolo, Luca; Fanizza, Caterina; Romero, Marilena; Pirozzi, Luisella; Autorino, Riccardo; Berardinelli, Francesco; Schips, Luigi

    2013-06-01

    To investigate differences in the risk of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)-related hospitalization, for surgical and non-surgical reasons, and of new prostate cancer (PCa) diagnosis between patients using finasteride or dutasteride. A retrospective cohort study was conducted using data from record linkage of administrative databases (pharmaceutical prescription data, hospital discharge records, Italian population registry). Men aged ≥ 40 years old who had received a prescription for at least 10 packs/year between January 1, 2004 and December 31, 2004 were included and followed for 5 years. The association of the outcomes was assessed using a multiple Cox proportional hazard model. Propensity score-matched analysis and a 5-1, greedy 1:1 matching algorithm were performed. 8,132 patients were identified. Overall incidence rates of BPH hospitalization and BPH-related surgery were 21.05 (95 % CI 19.52-22.71) and 20.97 (95 % CI 19.45-22.61) per 1,000 person-years, respectively. In the dutasteride group compared with finasteride group, the incidence rate of both events was statistically significant lower: 16.07 versus 21.76 for BPH hospitalization and 15.91 versus 21.69 for BPH-related surgery. The incidence rate of new PCa was also lower for the dutasteride group [8.34 (95 % CI 5.96-11.68) vs. 10.25 (95 % CI 9.15-11.49)]. Dutasteride was associated with a reduction in BPH-related hospitalizations (HR 0.75, 95 % CI 0.58-0.98 and 0.58-0.98 for surgical and non-surgical reasons). The matched analysis confirmed the risk reduction with dutasteride for BPH-related surgery. These findings suggest that the clinical effects of dutasteride and finasteride might be different. Patients treated with dutasteride seem to be less likely to experience BPH-related hospitalization. Comparative studies are needed to confirm these results.

  12. An empirical study of patients' expectations and satisfactions in Egyptian hospitals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mostafa, Mohamed M

    2005-01-01

    This paper seeks to investigate how patients perceive service quality in Egypt's public and private hospitals. The paper also tests the SERVQUAL dimensions in hospitals within an Arab, non-Western context. The authors used a cross-sectional questionnaire survey, performed in 2005. A sample of 332 patients from eight hospitals in Egypt participated in the study. The results highlighted a three-factor solution for the SERVQUAL instrument with 67 per cent of variance explained. This result does not support the five-components original SERVQUAL. A discriminant function was estimated for patients who selected public hospitals and those who selected private hospitals. The model was found to be significant in explaining patients' choice of the type of hospital. The use of quantitative methods alone is valuable in establishing relationships between variables, but is considered weak when attempting to identify the reasons for those relationships. Patients may have a complex set of important beliefs that cannot be captured in the questionnaire. Therefore, using qualitative research along quantitative methods in future studies may enhance the findings of this study. This article will be of interest to both public and private hospitals wishing to determine what patients expect from the quality of service provided to them.

  13. Patient and social work factors related to successful placement of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Patient and social work factors related to successful placement of long-term psychiatric in-patients from a specialist psychiatric hospital in South Africa. ... away; a low frequency of behavioural problems (especially of cannabis abuse, verbal or physical aggression, uncontrolled sexual activity), and agitation or restlessness.

  14. Use of antibiotics in patients admitted to the hospital due to acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jacobsen, S K.; Weis, N; Almdal, T

    2002-01-01

    BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to assess to what extent symptoms and signs of bacterial infection are present and evaluated in patients admitted to the hospital for exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in relation to initiation of antibiotic treatment. METHODS......: All adult patients (>18 years of age) discharged from a department of internal medicine in Copenhagen in 1997 with a diagnosis of exacerbation of COPD were included in our study and their reports were retrospectively reviewed. Gender, age, number of admissions and length of hospital stay, use...... was the initial antibiotic of choice. The median hospital stay was 6 days for the entire group of patients. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that, in patients with acute exacerbation of COPD, a relatively high number of patients with only weak symptoms or signs of bacterial infection are treated with antibiotics....

  15. Cancer patients and positive sensory impressions in the hospital environment

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Timmermann, Connie; Uhrenfeldt, Lisbeth; Birkelund, Regner

    2013-01-01

    This study explores how cancer patients experience the meaning of positive sensory impressions in the hospital environment such as architecture, decoration and the interior. Data were obtained at a general hospital in Denmark by interviewing six cancer patients at two different wards. The analysis...... process was guided by the hermeneutical–phenomenological theory of interpretation as presented by the French philosopher Paul Ricoeur. Two main themes were identified: to preserve identity and positive thoughts and feelings. The participants experienced that positive sensory impressions in the hospital...... to recall some of their feelings of identity. This paper adds knowledge about how cancer patients experience sensory impressions in the hospital environment. An environment that provides homeliness and offers a view to nature seems to help some patients to preserve their identity. Furthermore, positive...

  16. The Relationship between Place of Residence and Hospitalization Rate in the Biggest Referral Hospital of the Northwest according to Hospitalization Wards

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amin Talebpour

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available ​ Background and objectives: In accordance with the global pattern, the urban population in Iran is higher than the rural population. But, are the statistics of using hospitalization services in public hospitals in these two categories similar to this pattern? This study seeks to determine the effect of place of residence on hospitalization rate by examining annual hospitalization statistics of the country’s biggest referral hospital in the northwest. Material and Methods: The method used in this study is cross-sectional and all cases of hospitalization in Imam Reza Hospital as the northwest’s biggest referral hospital were picked by available sampling method. The cases of 30260 hospitalized patients were examined through direct observation and items extracted from their files were recorded in the checklist. In order to determine the relations between the variables, K2 test was applied and the P-value was considered less than 0.05 The obtained data were analyzed by SPSS.16 software. Results: Results indicated that the frequency distribution of patients in terms of their urban or rural residence did not yield any significant difference (P>0/05. Results also showed that the highest hospitalization rate for urban patients was 16.1% (3305 individuals in surgery ward while it was 14.2% (1384 individuals for rural patients in orthopedic ward. The least significant statistical difference between urban and rural hospitalization rates was observed in renal ward with 72.9% (1162 individual urban patients and 27.1% (432 individuals rural patients of total patients hospitalized in this ward. The most significant statistical difference between urban and rural hospitalization rates was observed in ICU with 44.9% (297 individuals urban patients and 55.1% (365 individuals rural patients of the total patients hospitalized in this ward. Conclusion: A relative comparison among illnesses in urban and rural populations, aside from illnesses caused by trauma

  17. Quality Pain Management in Adult Hospitalized Patients: A Concept Evaluation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zoëga, Sigridur; Gunnarsdottir, Sigridur; Wilson, Margaret E; Gordon, Debra B

    2016-01-01

    To explore the concept of quality pain management (QPM) in adult hospitalized patients. Pain is common in hospitalized patients, and pain management remains suboptimal in some settings. A concept evaluation based on Morse et al.'s method. Of more than 5,000 articles found, data were restricted to 37 selected key articles published in peer-reviewed journals. Data were extracted from the selected articles and then synthesized according to the following: definition, characteristics, boundaries, preconditions, and outcomes. QPM relates to the Structure: organizationally supported evidence-based policies, competent staff, interprofessional and specialized care, and staff accountability; screening, assessment/reassessment and communication of pain and its treatment, patient/family education, individualized evidence-based treatment, embedded in safe, effective, patient-centered, timely, efficient, and equitable services; and reduced pain severity and functional interference, decreased prevalence/severity of adverse consequences from pain or pain treatment, and increase in patient satisfaction. QPM is a multifaceted concept that remains poorly defined in the literature. Studies should aim to develop valid, reliable, and operational measures of the pillars of QPM and to look at the relationship among these factors. Authors need to state how they define and what aspects of QPM they are measuring. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  18. What Do Patients Want? Survey of Patient Desires for Education in an Urban University Hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thomas Seibert

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: This study examines the emergency department (ED waiting room (WR population’s knowledge about the ED process and hospital function and explores the types of educational materials that might appeal to patients and their companions in an ED waiting room. Our goal was to identify potential high-impact opportunities for patient education. Methods: A 32-question survey about demographics, usage of primary care physicians (PCP, understanding of the ED and triage process, desire to know about delays, health education and understanding of teaching hospitals was offered to all qualified individuals. Results: Five hundred and forty-four surveys were returned. Fifty-five percent reported having a PCP, of which 53% (29% of all WR patients called a PCP prior to coming to the ED. It was found that 51.2% can define triage; 51% as an acuity assessment and 17% as a vital signs check. Sixty-nine percent knew why patients were seen according to triage priority. Seventy-two percent wanted to know about delays, yet only 25% wanted to know others’ wait times. People wanted updates every 41 minutes and only three percent wanted a physician to do this. Forty-one percent wanted information on how the ED functions, 60% via handouts and 43% via video. Information on updates and common medical emergencies is significantly more important than material on common illnesses, finding a PCP, or ED function (p<0.05. Median estimated time for medical workup ranged from 35 minutes for radiographs, to one hour for lab results, computed tomography, specialist consult, and admission. Sixty-nine percent knew the definition of a teaching hospital and of those, 87% knew they were at a teaching hospital. Subgroup analysis between racial groups showed significantly reduced knowledge of the definitions of triage and teaching hospitals and significantly increased desire for information on ED function in minority groups (p<0.05. Conclusion: The major findings in this study

  19. Childbirth and Diagnosis Related Groups (DRGs): patient classification and hospital reimbursement in 11 European countries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bellanger, Martine M; Quentin, Wilm; Tan, Siok Swan

    2013-05-01

    The study compares how Diagnosis-Related Group (DRG) based hospital payment systems in eleven European countries (Austria, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, and Sweden) deal with women giving birth in hospitals. It aims to assist gynaecologists and national authorities in optimizing their DRG systems. National or regional databases were used to identify childbirth cases. DRG grouping algorithms and indicators of resource consumption were compared for those DRGs which account for at least 1% of all childbirth cases in the respective database. Five standardized case vignettes were defined and quasi prices (i.e. administrative prices or tariffs) of hospital deliveries according to national DRG-based hospital payment systems were ascertained. European DRG systems classify childbirth cases according to different sets of variables (between one and eight variables) into diverging numbers of DRGs (between three and eight DRGs). The most complex DRG is valued 3.5 times more resource intensive than an index case in Ireland but only 1.1 times more resource intensive than an index case in The Netherlands. Comparisons of quasi prices for the vignettes show that hypothetical payments for the most complex case amount to only € 479 in Poland but to € 5532 in Ireland. Differences in the classification of hospital childbirth cases into DRGs raise concerns whether European systems rely on the most appropriate classification variables. Physicians, hospitals and national DRG authorities should consider how other countries' DRG systems classify cases to optimize their system and to ensure fair and appropriate reimbursement. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. [Consumer surveys among hospitalized patients with lung disease].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Humborstad, O T; Omenaas, E; Gulsvik, A

    2001-03-30

    The aim of our survey was to record the experiences of hospitalised patients with respiratory diseases in order to create a more patient-friendly department. Our study included 609 patients (response rate 70%) with a median age of 64 years (range 13-91) who were discharged from the Department of Thoracic Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital in October 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995 and 1996. 268 patients had obstructive lung disease, 82 had lung cancer. They answered a questionnaire with 24 questions. Patient reception to the ward and staff knowledge of the patients' illnesses, were for the physicians rated as good or better by 92% and 79% and for the nurses by 94% and 70% respectively. 16% of the patients experienced insecurity, 17% anxiety, 12% helplessness, 9% loneliness and 12% little say in the decision making process. Trend factors for these emotional experiences were female sex, old age, obstructive lung disease and long stay in hospital. Patients aged 50 to 69 years and patients with lung cancer had the lowest rate of negative emotional experiences. Despite staff awareness of the prevalence and of the patients' emotional experiences and the risk factors involved, there was no clear reduction of negative experiences in the later surveys compared to the first survey. Patients in a university hospital with respiratory diseases showed unchanged experiences of health care and personal emotions in repeated surveys over a period of five years.

  1. Prognostic importance of glycaemic variability on hospital mortality in patients hospitalised in Internal Medicine Departments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sáenz-Abad, D; Gimeno-Orna, J A; Pérez-Calvo, J I

    2015-12-01

    The objective was to assess the prognostic importance of various glycaemic control measures on hospital mortality. Retrospective, analytical cohort study that included patients hospitalised in internal medicine departments with a diagnosis related to diabetes mellitus (DM), excluding acute decompensations. The clinical endpoint was hospital mortality. We recorded clinical, analytical and glycaemic control-related variables (scheduled insulin administration, plasma glycaemia at admission, HbA1c, mean glycaemia (MG) and in-hospital glycaemic variability and hypoglycaemia). The measurement of hospital mortality predictors was performed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression. A total of 384 patients (50.3% men) were included. The mean age was 78.5 (SD, 10.3) years. The DM-related diagnoses were type 2 diabetes (83.6%) and stress hyperglycaemia (6.8%). Thirty-one (8.1%) patients died while in hospital. In the multivariate analysis, the best model for predicting mortality (R(2)=0.326; P<.0001) consisted, in order of importance, of age (χ(2)=8.19; OR=1.094; 95% CI 1.020-1.174; P=.004), Charlson index (χ(2)=7.28; OR=1.48; 95% CI 1.11-1.99; P=.007), initial glycaemia (χ(2)=6.05; OR=1.007; 95% CI 1.001-1.014; P=.014), HbA1c (χ(2)=5.76; OR=0.59; 95% CI 0.33-1; P=.016), glycaemic variability (χ(2)=4.41; OR=1.031; 95% CI 1-1.062; P=.036), need for corticosteroid treatment (χ(2)=4.03; OR=3.1; 95% CI 1-9.64; P=.045), administration of scheduled insulin (χ(2)=3.98; OR=0.26; 95% CI 0.066-1; P=.046) and systolic blood pressure (χ(2)=2.92; OR=0.985; 95% CI 0.97-1.003; P=.088). An increase in initial glycaemia and in-hospital glycaemic variability predict the risk of mortality for hospitalised patients with DM. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier España, S.L.U. y Sociedad Española de Medicina Interna (SEMI). All rights reserved.

  2. Appropriateness of hospitalization for CAP-affected pediatric patients: report from a Southern Italy General Hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Antonelli Fabio

    2009-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP is a common disease, responsible for significant healthcare expenditures, mostly because of hospitalization. Many practice guidelines on CAP have been developed, including admission criteria, but a few on appropriate hospitalization in children. The aim of this study was to evaluate appropriate hospital admission for CAP in a pediatric population. Methods We evaluated appropriate admission to a Pediatric Unit performing a retrospective analysis on CAP admitted pediatric patients from a Southern Italy area. Diagnosis was made based on clinical and radiological signs. Appropriate hospital admission was evaluated following clinical and non-clinical international criteria. Family ability to care children was assessed by evaluating social deprivation status. Results In 2 winter seasons 120 pediatric patients aged 1-129 months were admitted because of CAP. Median age was 28.7 months. Raised body temperature was scored in 68.3% of patients, cough was present in 100% of cases, and abdominal pain was rarely evidenced. Inflammatory indices (ESR and CRP were found elevated in 33.3% of cases. Anti-Mycoplasma pneumoniae antibodies were found positive in 20.4%. Trans-cutaneous (TC SaO2 was found lower than 92% in 14.6%. Dyspnoea was present in 43.3%. Dehydration requiring i.v. fluid supplementation was scored in 13.3%. Evaluation of familial ability to care their children revealed that 76% of families (derived from socially depressed areas were "at social risk", thus not able to appropriately care their children. Furthermore, analysis of CAP patients revealed that "at social risk" people accessed E.D. and were hospitalized more frequently than "not at risk" patients (odds ratio = 3.59, 95% CI: 1,15 to 11,12; p = 0.01, and that admitted "at social risk" people presented without clinical signs of severity (namely dyspnoea, and/or SaO2 ≤ 92%, and/or dehydration more frequently than "not at risk" population

  3. Pharmaceutical orientation at hospital discharge of transplant patients: strategy for patient safety.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lima, Lívia Falcão; Martins, Bruna Cristina Cardoso; Oliveira, Francisco Roberto Pereira de; Cavalcante, Rafaela Michele de Andrade; Magalhães, Vanessa Pinto; Firmino, Paulo Yuri Milen; Adriano, Liana Silveira; Silva, Adriano Monteiro da; Flor, Maria Jose Nascimento; Néri, Eugenie Desirée Rabelo

    2016-01-01

    To describe and analyze the pharmaceutical orientation given at hospital discharge of transplant patients. This was a cross-sectional, descriptive and retrospective study that used records of orientation given by the clinical pharmacist in the inpatients unit of the Kidney and Liver Transplant Department, at Hospital Universitário Walter Cantídio, in the city of Fortaleza (CE), Brazil, from January to July, 2014. The following variables recorded at the Clinical Pharmacy Database were analyzed according to their significance and clinical outcomes: pharmaceutical orientation at hospital discharge, drug-related problems and negative outcomes associated with medication, and pharmaceutical interventions performed. The first post-transplant hospital discharge involved the entire multidisciplinary team and the pharmacist was responsible for orienting about drug therapy. The mean hospital discharges/month with pharmaceutical orientation during the study period was 10.6±1.3, totaling 74 orientations. The prescribed drug therapy had a mean of 9.1±2.7 medications per patient. Fifty-nine drug-related problems were identified, in which 67.8% were related to non-prescription of medication needed, resulting in 89.8% of risk of negative outcomes associated with medications due to untreated health problems. The request for inclusion of drugs (66.1%) was the main intervention, and 49.2% of the medications had some action in the digestive tract or metabolism. All interventions were classified as appropriate, and 86.4% of them we able to prevent negative outcomes. Upon discharge of a transplanted patient, the orientation given by the clinical pharmacist together with the multidisciplinary team is important to avoid negative outcomes associated with drug therapy, assuring medication reconciliation and patient safety. Descrever e analisar a orientação farmacêutica oferecida na alta de pacientes transplantados. Trata-se de um estudo transversal, descritivo e retrospectivo, que

  4. Impact of recurrent Clostridium difficile infection: hospitalization and patient quality of life.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilcox, Mark H; Ahir, Harblas; Coia, John E; Dodgson, Andrew; Hopkins, Susan; Llewelyn, Martin J; Settle, Chris; Mclain-Smith, Susan; Marcella, Stephen W

    2017-09-01

    Data quantifying outcomes of recurrent Clostridium difficile infection (rCDI) are lacking. We sought to determine the UK hospital resource use and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) associated with rCDI hospitalizations. A non-interventional study in six UK acute hospitals collected retrospective clinical and resource use data from medical records of 64 adults hospitalized for rCDI and 64 matched inpatient controls with a first episode only (f)CDI. Patients were observed from the index event (date rCDI/fCDI confirmed) for 28 days (or death, if sooner); UK-specific reference costs were applied. HRQoL was assessed prospectively in a separate cohort of 30 patients hospitalized with CDI, who completed the EQ-5D-3L questionnaire during their illness. The median total management cost (post-index) was £7539 and £6294 for rCDI and fCDI, respectively (cost difference, P = 0.075); median length of stay was 21 days and 15.5 days, respectively (P = 0.269). The median cost difference between matched rCDI and fCDI cases was £689 (IQR=£1873-£3954). Subgroup analysis demonstrated the highest median costs (£8542/patient) in severe rCDI cases. CDI management costs were driven primarily by hospital length of stay, which accounted for >85% of costs in both groups. Mean EQ-5D index values were 46% lower in CDI patients compared with UK population values (0.42 and 0.78, respectively); EQ visual analogue scale scores were 38% lower (47.82 and 77.3, respectively). CDI has considerable impact on patients and healthcare resources. This multicentre study provides a contemporaneous estimate of the real-world UK costs associated with rCDI management, which are substantial and comparable to fCDI costs. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  5. Preventing patient-to-worker violence in hospitals: outcome of a randomized controlled intervention

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arnetz, Judith E.; Hamblin, Lydia; Russell, Jim; Upfal, Mark J.; Luborsky, Mark; Janisse, James; Essenmacher, Lynnette

    2016-01-01

    Objective To evaluate the effects of a randomized controlled intervention on the incidence of patient-to-worker (Type II) violence and related injury in hospitals. Methods Forty-one units across 7 hospitals were randomized into intervention (n=21) and control (n=20) groups. Intervention units received unit-level violence data to facilitate development of an action plan for violence prevention; no data were presented to control units. Main outcomes were rates of violent events and injuries across study groups over time. Results Six months post-intervention, incident rate ratios of violent events were significantly lower on intervention units compared to controls (IRR 0.48, 95% CI 0.29-0.80). At 24 months, the risk for violence-related injury was lower on intervention units, compared to controls (IRR 0.37, 95% CI 0.17-0.83). Conclusion This data-driven, worksite-based intervention was effective in decreasing risks of patient-to-worker violence and related injury. PMID:28045793

  6. Impact of dronedarone on hospitalization burden in patients with atrial fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Torp-Pedersen, Christian; Crijns, Harry J G M; Gaudin, Christophe

    2011-01-01

    Cardiovascular (CV) hospitalization is a predictor of CV mortality and has a negative impact on patients' quality of life. The primary endpoint of A placebo-controlled, double-blind, parallel-arm Trial to assess the efficacy of dronedarone 400 mg bid for the prevention of cardiovascular...... Hospitalization or death from any cause in patiENTs with Atrial fibrillation/atrial flutter (ATHENA), a composite of first CV hospitalization or death from any cause, was significantly reduced by dronedarone. This post hoc analysis evaluated the secondary endpoint of CV hospitalization and the clinical benefit...... of dronedarone on the number and duration of CV hospitalizations in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF)....

  7. Study of cardiovascular diseases in hospitalized AECOPD patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohamed El-Shabrawy

    2017-01-01

    Conclusions: The prevalence of cardiovascular diseases (CVD in patients hospitalized for COPD in Zagazig University Hospital was high. Age, sex and CVD trends, as well as life style changes, should be considered when prevention and control strategies are formulated.

  8. Medicare Hospital Spending Per Patient - National

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — The "Medicare hospital spending per patient (Medicare Spending per Beneficiary)" measure shows whether Medicare spends more, less or about the same per Medicare...

  9. Medicare Hospital Spending Per Patient - State

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — The "Medicare hospital spending per patient (Medicare Spending per Beneficiary)" measure shows whether Medicare spends more, less or about the same per Medicare...

  10. Patient Awareness and Expectations of Pharmacist Services During Hospital Stay.

    Science.gov (United States)

    King, Philip K; Martin, Steven J; Betka, Eric M

    2017-10-01

    There are insufficient data in the United States regarding patient awareness and expectations of hospital pharmacist availability and services. The objective of this research is to assess patient awareness and expectations of hospital pharmacist services and to determine whether a marketing campaign for pharmacist services increases patient awareness and expectations. Eligible inpatients were surveyed before and after implementation of a hospital-wide pharmacist services marketing campaign (12 items; Likert scale of 1 [strongly disagree] to 4 [strongly agree]; maximum total score of 48) regarding awareness of pharmacist services. The primary outcome was the change in median total survey scores from baseline. Other outcomes included the frequency of patient requests for pharmacists. Similar numbers of patients completed the survey before and after the campaign (intervention, n = 140, vs control, n = 147). Awareness of pharmacist availability and services was increased (41 [interquartile ranges, IQRs: 36-46] vs 37 [IQR 31-43]; P marketing campaign implementation. Awareness among inpatients of pharmacist services is low. Marketing pharmacist availability and services to patients in the hospital improves awareness and expectations for pharmacist-provided care and increases the frequency of patient-initiated interaction between pharmacists and patients. This could improve patient outcomes as pharmacists become more integrally involved in direct patient care.

  11. Factors Influencing Depression among Elderly Patients in Geriatric Hospitals

    OpenAIRE

    Jee, Young Ju; Lee, Yun Bok

    2013-01-01

    [Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of depression among elderly patients and identify the factors influencing depression in a geriatric hospital in Korea. [Subjects] A self-report questionnaire was administered to the patients in community geriatric hospitals. Participants were 195 elderly patients. [Methods] The instruments utilized in this study were the Geriatric Depression Scale Short Form Korea (GDSSF-K), an activity of daily living scale, a self-esteem ...

  12. Association of Dermatology Consultations With Patient Care Outcomes in Hospitalized Patients With Inflammatory Skin Diseases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Milani-Nejad, Nima; Zhang, Myron; Kaffenberger, Benjamin H

    2017-06-01

    The value of inpatient dermatology consultations has traditionally been demonstrated with frequency in changes of diagnosis and management; however, the impact of dermatology consultations on metrics such as hospital length of stay and readmission rates remains unknown. To determine the association of dermatology consultations with patient care in hospitalized patients using objective values. We retrospectively queried the deidentified database of patients hospitalized between January 1, 2012, and December 31, 2014, at a single university medical center. A total of 413 patients with a primary inflammatory skin condition discharge diagnosis and 647 patients with primary inflammatory skin condition admission diagnosis were selected. Hospital length of stay and 1-year readmission with inflammatory skin conditions. The 413 patients with a primary inflammatory skin condition discharge diagnosis were 61.0% female and had a mean (SD) age of 55.1 (16.4) years. The 647 patients with primary inflammatory skin condition admission diagnosis were 50.8% female and had a mean (SD) age of 57.8 (15.9) years. Multivariable modeling showed that dermatology consultations were associated with a reduction of 1-year inflammatory skin condition readmissions among patients who were discharged primarily with an inflammatory skin condition (readmission probability, 0.0025; 95% CI, 0.00020-0.030 with dermatology consult vs 0.026; 95% CI, 0.0065-0.10 without; odds ratio, 0.093; 95% CI, 0.010-0.840; P = .03). No other confounding variable was associated with reduction in readmissions. Multivariable modeling also showed that dermatology consultations were associated with a reduction in the adjusted hospital length of stay by 2.64 days (95% CI, 1.75-3.53 days; P Dermatology consultations were associated with improvements of outcomes among hospitalized patients. The expansion of the role of dermatology consultation services may improve patient care in a cost-effective manner.

  13. A "Prepaid Package" for Obstetrics: Effect on Teaching and Patient Care in a University Hospital

    Science.gov (United States)

    Young, Philip E.

    1976-01-01

    The changing social milieu has removed the charity patient but not the need for a teaching population. The University Hospital's program is described, in which patients prepaid a fixed, single fee for all obstetrics-related care through the third post partum day. (LBH)

  14. Work-related well-being of South African hospital pharmacists

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sebastiaan Rothmann

    2011-06-01

    Research purpose: The objective of this study was to investigate whether job stress and coping strategies could predict the work-related well-being (burnout and work engagement of hospital pharmacists in South Africa. Motivation for the study: Information about the work-related well-being and coping strategies of hospital pharmacists could be used to plan individual and organisational interventions which can be used to retain them and to manage their well-being and performance. Research design, approach and method: A survey design was used. A stratified random sample (N = 187 of pharmacists in South African hospitals was studied. The Maslach Burnout Inventory – Human Services Survey, Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, Pharmacist Stress Inventory and the COPE questionnaire were administered. Main findings: The results showed that job related stress and three coping strategies (approach coping, avoidant coping, and turning to religion predicted burnout and work engagement of South African hospital pharmacists. Practical implications: Job stressors that are in the main responsible for the unfavourable work environment and that lead to the development of burnout amongst hospital pharmacists should be addressed. It is also important to enhance the coping capabilities of the hospital pharmacists. Contribution/value-add: The findings of this study provide insight into the factors impacting on the work-related well-being of hospital pharmacists in South Africa.

  15. Assessment of jaundice in the hospitalized patient.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kathpalia, Priya; Ahn, Joseph

    2015-02-01

    Jaundice in the hospitalized patient is not an uncommon consultation for the general gastroenterologist. It is essential to explore the underlying cause of jaundice because management is largely aimed at addressing these causes rather than the jaundice itself. Although the diagnostic evaluation for jaundice can be broad, clinical judgment must be used to prioritize between various laboratory tests and imaging studies. Most importantly, clinicians must understand which conditions are emergent and/or require evaluation for liver transplantation. Further studies need to be performed to better understand the outcomes of hospitalized patients who develop jaundice. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Pesticide-Related Hospitalizations Among Children and Teenagers in Texas, 2004-2013.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trueblood, Amber B; Shipp, Eva; Han, Daikwon; Ross, Jennifer; Cizmas, Leslie H

    2016-01-01

    Acute exposure to pesticides is associated with nausea, headaches, rashes, eye irritation, seizures, and, in severe cases, death. We characterized pesticide-related hospitalizations in Texas among children and teenagers for 2004-2013 to characterize exposures in this population, which is less well understood than pesticide exposure among adults. We abstracted information on pesticide-related hospitalizations from hospitalization data using pesticide-related International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) codes and E-codes. We calculated the prevalence of pesticide-related hospitalizations among children and teenagers aged #19 years for all hospitalizations, unintentional exposures, intentional exposures, pesticide classifications, and illness severity. We also calculated age- and sex-specific prevalence of pesticide-related hospitalizations among children. The prevalence of pesticide-related hospitalizations among children and teenagers was 2.1 per 100,000 population. The prevalence of pesticide-related hospitalizations per 100,000 population was 2.7 for boys and 1.5 for girls. The age-specific prevalence per 100,000 population was 5.3 for children aged 0-4 years, 0.3 for children and teenagers aged 5-14 years, and 2.3 for teenagers aged 15-19 years. Children aged 0-4 years had the highest prevalence of unintentional exposures, whereas teenagers aged 15-19 years had the highest prevalence of intentional exposures. Commonly reported pesticide categories were organophosphates/carbamates, disinfectants, rodenticides, and other pesticides (e.g., pyrethrins, pyrethroids). Of the 158 pesticide-related hospitalizations, most were coded as having minor (n=86) or moderate (n=40) illness severity. Characterizing the prevalence of pesticide-related hospitalizations among children and teenagers leads to a better understanding of the burden of pesticide exposures, including the type of pesticides used and the severity of potential

  17. Barriers to quality patient care in rural district hospitals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Johanna E. Eygelaar

    2012-05-01

    Reliability of the instrument was verified using the Cronbach alpha coefficient and a pilot study. The validity, specifically construct and content validity, were assured by means of an extensive literature review, pilot study and use of experts. Ethics approval was obtained from the relevant stakeholders. Results showed that 272 participants (97% disagreed that provision of staff was adequate, with staff above 40 years of age more likely to disagree (p = <0.01. A statistically significant association was shown between availability of doctors and staff not being able to cope with emergencies (p = <0.01. Most participants (n =212; 76% indicated that they were not receiving continuing education, with the registered nurses more likely to disagree (χ² test, p = 0.02. Participants in both hospital types A (n = 131; 82% and B (n = 108; 91% also disagreed that provision of equipment and consumables was adequate. The research showed that inadequacies relating to human resources, professional development, consumables and equipment influenced the quality of patient care. Urgent attention should be given to the problems identified to ensure quality of patient care in rural hospitals.

  18. Changes in Patient and Nurse Outcomes Associated with Magnet Hospital Recognition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kutney-Lee, Ann; Stimpfel, Amy Witkoski; Sloane, Douglas M.; Cimiotti, Jeannie P.; Quinn, Lisa W.; Aiken, Linda H.

    2015-01-01

    Background Research has documented an association between Magnet hospitals and better outcomes for nurses and patients. However, little longitudinal evidence exists to support a causal link between Magnet recognition and outcomes. Objective To compare changes over time in surgical patient outcomes, nurse-reported quality, and nurse outcomes in a sample of hospitals that attained Magnet recognition between 1999 and 2007 with hospitals that remained non-Magnet. Research Design Retrospective, two-stage panel design using four secondary data sources. Subjects 136 Pennsylvania hospitals (11 “emerging” Magnets and 125 non-Magnets) Measures American Nurses Credentialing Center Magnet recognition; risk-adjusted rates of surgical 30-day mortality and failure-to-rescue, nurse-reported quality measures, and nurse outcomes; the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index Methods Fixed effects difference models were used to compare changes in outcomes between emerging Magnet hospitals and hospitals that remained non-Magnet. Results Emerging Magnet hospitals demonstrated markedly greater improvements in their work environments than other hospitals. On average, the changes in 30-day surgical mortality and failure-to-rescue rates over the study period were more pronounced in emerging Magnet hospitals than in non-Magnet hospitals, by 2.4 fewer deaths per 1000 patients (pMagnet hospitals and non-Magnet hospitals were observed in nurse-reported quality of care and nurse outcomes. Conclusions In general, Magnet recognition is associated with significant improvements over time in the quality of the work environment, and in patient and nurse outcomes that exceed those of non-Magnet hospitals. PMID:25906016

  19. Is total lymphocyte count related to nutritional markers in hospitalized older adults?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vânia Aparecida LEANDRO-MERHI

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT BACKGROUND Older patients are commonly malnourished during hospital stay, and a high prevalence of malnutrition is found in hospitalized patients aged more than 65 years. OBJECTIVE To investigate whether total lymphocyte count is related to other nutritional markers in hospitalized older adults. METHODS Hospitalized older adults (N=131 were recruited for a cross-sectional study. Their nutritional status was assessed by the Nutritional Risk Screening (NRS, anthropometry, and total lymphocyte count. The statistical analyses included the chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, and Mann-Whitney test. Spearman's linear correlation coefficient determined whether total lymphocyte count was correlated with the nutritional markers. Multiple linear regression determined the parameters associated with lymphocyte count. The significance level was set at 5%. RESULTS According to the NRS, 41.2% of the patients were at nutritional risk, and 36% had mild or moderate depletion according to total lymphocyte count. Total lymphocyte count was weakly correlated with mid-upper arm circumference (r=0.20507; triceps skinfold thickness (r=0.29036, and length of hospital stay (r= -0.21518. Total lymphocyte count in different NRS categories differed significantly: older adults who were not at nutritional risk had higher mean and median total lymphocyte count ( P =0.0245. Multiple regression analysis showed that higher lymphocyte counts were associated with higher triceps skinfold thicknesses and no nutritional risk according to the NRS. CONCLUSION Total lymphocyte count was correlated with mid-upper arm circumference, triceps skinfold thickness, and nutritional risk according to the NRS. In multiple regression the combined factors that remained associated with lymphocyte count were NRS and triceps skinfold thickness. Therefore, total lymphocyte count may be considered a nutritional marker. Other studies should confirm these findings.

  20. [Customer and patient satisfaction. An appropriate management tool in hospitals?].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pawils, S; Trojan, A; Nickel, S; Bleich, C

    2012-09-01

    Recently, the concept of patient satisfaction has been established as an essential part of the quality management of hospitals. Despite the concept's lack of theoretical and methodological foundations, patient surveys on subjective hospital experiences contribute immensely to the improvement of hospitals. What needs to be considered critically in this context is the concept of customer satisfaction for patients, the theoretical integration of empirical results, the reduction of false satisfaction indications and the application of risk-adjusted versus naïve benchmarking of data. This paper aims to contribute to the theoretical discussion of the topic and to build a basis for planning methodologically sound patient surveys.

  1. Length of stay and hospital costs among high-risk patients with hospital-origin Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Campbell, Rebecca; Dean, Bonnie; Nathanson, Brian; Haidar, Tracy; Strauss, Marcie; Thomas, Sheila

    2013-01-01

    Hospital-onset Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea (HO-CDAD) has been associated with longer length of stay (LOS) and higher hospital costs among patients in general. The burden of HO-CDAD is unknown among patients who may be at particular risk of poor outcomes: older patients, those with complex or chronic conditions (renal disease, cancer, inflammatory bowel disease [IBD]), and those with concomitant antibiotic (CAbx) use during treatment for CDAD. A retrospective analysis (2005-2011) of the Health Facts® database (Cerner Corp., Kansas City, MO) containing comprehensive clinical records from 186 US hospitals identified hospitalized adult patients with HO-CDAD based on a positive C. difficile toxin collected >48 h after admission. Control patients were required to have total hospital LOS ≥2 days. Separate logistic regression models to estimate propensities were developed for each study group, with HO-CDAD vs controls as the outcome. Differences in LOS and costs were calculated between cases and controls for each group. A total of 4521 patients with HO-CDAD were identified. Mean age was 70 years, 54% were female, and 13% died. After matching, LOS was significantly greater among HO-CDAD patients (vs controls) in each group except IBD. The significant difference in LOS ranged from 3.0 (95% CI = 1.4-4.6) additional days in older patients to 7.8 (95% CI = 5.7-9.9) days in patients with CAbx exposure. HO-CDAD was associated with significantly higher costs among older patients (p cost data and potential misclassification of colonized patients as infected. Renal impairment, advanced age, cancer, and CAbx use are associated with significantly longer LOS among HO-CDAD patients, with CAbx users being the most resource intensive. Early identification and aggressive treatment of HO-CDAD in these groups may be warranted.

  2. Evaluation of chest and abdominal injuries in trauma patients hospitalized in the surgery ward of poursina teaching hospital, guilan, iran.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hemmati, Hossein; Kazemnezhad-Leili, Ehsan; Mohtasham-Amiri, Zahra; Darzi, Ali Asghar; Davoudi-Kiakalayeh, Ali; Dehnadi-Moghaddam, Anoush; Kouchakinejad-Eramsadati, Leila

    2013-01-01

    Trauma, especially chest and abdominal trauma are increasing due to the growing number of vehicles on the roads, which leads to an increased incidence of road accidents. Urbanization, industrialization and additional problems are the other associated factors which accelerate this phenomenon. A better understanding of the etiology and pattern of such injuries can help to improve the management and ultimate the outcomes of these patients. This study aimed to evaluate the patients with chest and abdominal trauma hospitalized in the surgery ward of Poursina teaching hospital, Guilan, Iran. In this cross-sectional study, the data of all chest and abdominal trauma patients hospitalized in the surgery ward of Poursina teaching hospital were collected from March 2011 to March 2012. Information about age, gender, injured areas, type of injury (penetrating or blunt), etiology of the injury, accident location (urban or rural) and patients' discharge outcomes were collected by a questionnaire. In total, 211 patients with a mean age of 34.1 ± 1.68 years was entered into the study. The most common cause of trauma was traffic accidents (51.7%). Among patients with chest trauma, 45 cases (35.4%) had penetrating injuries and 82 cases (64.6%) blunt lesions. The prevalence of chest injuries was 35.5% and rib fractures 26.5%. In chest injuries, the prevalence of hemothorax was 65.3%, pneumothorax 2.7%, lung contusion 4% and emphysema 1.3%, respectively. There were 24 cases (27.9%) with abdominal trauma which had penetrating lesions and 62 cases (72.1%) with blunt lesions. The most common lesions in patients with penetrating abdominal injuries were spleen (24.2%) and liver (12.1%) lesions. The outcomes of the patients were as follow: 95.7% recovery and 4.3% death. The majority of deaths were observed among road traffic victims (77.7%). Considering the fact that road-related accidents are quite predictable and controllable; therefore, the quality promotion of traumatic patients' care

  3. Mortality Rates of Traumatic Traffic Accident Patients at the University Hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Atilla Senih MAYDA

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available The aim of the study is to estimate hospitalization and mortality rates in patients admitted to the University Hospital due to traffic accidents, and to determine the mean cost of the applicants in the hospital due to traffic accident. In this retrospective study data were obtained from the records of a university research and practice hospital. There were 802 patients admitted to emergency and other outpatient clinics of the University Hospital because of traffic accidents throughout the year 2012. Out of these patients, 166 (20.7% were hospitalized, and the annual mortality rate was 0.87%. The total cost was 322,545.2 euro and 402.2 euro per patient. Road traffic accident detection reports covered only the numbers of fatal injuries and injuries that happened at the scene of accidents. Determination of the number of the dead and wounded with overall mortality rate would be supposed to reveal the magnitude of public health problem caused by traffic accidents.

  4. Patient experience shows little relationship with hospital quality management strategies.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Groene, O.; Arah, O.A.; Klazinga, N.S.; Wagner, C.; Bartels, P.D.; Kristensen, S.; Saillour, F.; Thompson, C.A.; Pfaff, H.; DerSarkissian, M.; Suñol, R.

    2015-01-01

    Objectives: Patient-reported experience measures are increasingly being used to routinely monitor the quality of care. With the increasing attention on such measures, hospital managers seek ways to systematically improve patient experience across hospital departments, in particular where outcomes

  5. Risk factors of all-cause in-hospital mortality among Korean elderly bacteremic urinary tract infection (UTI) patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chin, Bum Sik; Kim, Myung Soo; Han, Sang Hoon; Shin, So Youn; Choi, Hee Kyung; Chae, Yun Tae; Jin, Sung Joon; Baek, Ji-Hyeon; Choi, Jun Yong; Song, Young Goo; Kim, Chang Oh; Kim, June Myung

    2011-01-01

    Urinary tract infection (UTI) is the most frequent cause of bacteremia/sepsis in elderly people and increasing antimicrobial resistance in uropathogens has been observed. To describe the characteristics of bacteremic UTI in elderly patients and to identify the independent risk factors of all-cause in-hospital mortality, a retrospective cohort study of bacteremic UTI patients of age over 65 was performed at a single 2000-bed tertiary hospital. Bacteremic UTI was defined as the isolation of the same organism from both urine and blood within 48 h. Eighty-six elderly bacteremic UTI patients were enrolled. Community-acquired infection was the case for most patients (79.1%), and Escherichia coli accounted for 88.6% (70/79) among Gram-negative organisms. Non-E. coli Gram-negative organisms were more frequent in hospital-acquired cases and male patients while chronic urinary catheter insertion was related with Gram-positive urosepsis. The antibiotic susceptibility among Gram-negative organisms was not different depending on the source of bacteremic UTI, while non-E. coli Gram-negative organisms were less frequently susceptible for cefotaxime, cefoperazone/sulbactam, and aztreonam. All-cause in-hospital mortality was 11.6%, and functional dependency (adjusted hazard ratio=HR=10.9, 95% confidence interval=95%CI=2.2-54.6) and low serum albumin (adjusted HR=27.0, 95%CI=2.0-361.2) were independently related with increased all-cause in-hospital mortality. Crown Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Patient expectations and their satisfaction in the context of public hospitals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Berhane A

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Adugnaw Berhane,1 Fikre Enquselassie2 1College of Health Sciences, Debre Berhan University, Debre Berhan, Ethiopia; 2School of Public Health, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Background: Patient expectations have been recognized as a factor for patient satisfaction in medical consultations. Although various studies explored the relationship between patient expectations and patient satisfaction in developed countries, there is a lack of research evidence in Ethiopia where the meeting of patient expectations could relate to satisfaction.Objective: To assess the relationship between patients’ expectations and their satisfaction in the consultation of patients at the outpatient department.Study design: Data were collected regarding preconsultation expectations and postconsultation experiences of adult patients attending nine public hospitals. A systematic random sampling method was used where every fifth patient attending an outpatient department was selected. The patients were interviewed before consultation and after consulta­tion to assess whether their pre-consultation expectations were met and to assess how satisfied they were with the consultation. Cronbach’s alpha statistic was used to assess the reliability of the expectation questionnaires, and paired t-test was used to assess any differences between previsit expectations and postvisit experiences. Logistic regression techniques were used to assess variables considered as independent factors for patient satisfaction.Results: A total of 776 patients were interviewed, giving a response rate of 92.3%. About 93.7% mentioned a diagnosis for their condition as a reason for their current hospital visits. There is a significant difference between preconsultation expectation and postconsultation expectation. Postconsultation expectation, perceived health status, and perceived control on health were factors identified as increasing patient satisfaction. In addition, the presence of

  7. Pre-hospitalization, hospitalization, and post-hospitalization costs of patients with neurocysticercosis treated at the Instituto Nacional de Neurologia y Neurocirugia (INNN in Mexico City, Mexico

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rachana Bhattarai

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to estimate the direct costs associated with the diagnosis and treatment of neurocysticercosis (NCC during pre-hospitalization, hospitalization, and post-hospitalization periods for 108 NCC patients treated at the Instituto Nacional de Neurologia y Neurocirugia (INNN in Mexico City, Mexico. Information on clinical manifestations, diagnostic tests, hospitalizations, surgical procedures, prescription medication, and other treatments was collected via medical chart reviews. Uncertain values for costs and frequency of treatments were imputed using bootstrap techniques. The average per-patient pre-hospitalization and hospitalization costs were US$ 257 (95% CI: 185 – 329 and US$ 2,576 (95% CI: 2,244 – 2,908, respectively. Post-hospitalization costs tended to decrease over time, with estimates for the first five years post-hospitalization of US$ 475 (95% CI: 423 – 527, US$ 228 (95% CI: 167 – 288, US$ 157 (95% CI: 111 – 202, US$ 150 (95% CI: 106 – 204, and US$ 91 (95% CI: 27 – 154, respectively. NCC results in a significant economic burden for patients requiring hospitalization, with this burden continuing years post-hospitalization.

  8. [Patient safety culture in hospitals: experiences in planning, organising and conducting a survey among hospital staff].

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Vegten, Amanda; Pfeiffer, Yvonne; Giuliani, Francesca; Manser, Tanja

    2011-01-01

    This article presents the first hospital-wide survey on patient safety climate, involving all staff (medical and non-medical), in the German-speaking area. Its aim is to share our experiences with planning, organising and conducting this survey. The study was performed at the university hospital in Zurich and had a response rate of 46.8% (2,897 valid questionnaires). The survey instrument ("Patientensicherheitsklimainventar") was based on the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (AHRQ). Primarily it allowed for assessing the current patient safety climate as well as identifying specific areas for improvement and creating a hospital-wide awareness and acceptance for patient safety issues and interventions (e.g., the introduction of a Critical Incident Reporting System [CIRS]). We discuss the basic principles and the feedback concept guiding the organisation of the overall project. Critical to the success of this project were the guaranteed anonymity of the respondents, adequate communication through well-established channels within the organisation and the commitment of the management across all project phases. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

  9. Causes and predictors of mortality in hospitalized lupus patient in Sarawak General Hospital, Malaysia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Teh, C L; Ling, G R

    2013-01-01

    Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a serious autoimmune disease that can be life threatening and fatal if left untreated. Causes and prognostic indicators of death in SLE have been well studied in developed countries but lacking in developing countries. We aimed to investigate the causes of mortality in hospitalized patients with SLE and determine the prognostic indicators of mortality during hospitalization in our center. All SLE patients who were admitted to Sarawak General Hospital from January 1, 2006 to December 31, 2010, were followed up in a prospective study using a standard protocol. Demographic data, clinical features, disease activities and damage indices were collected. Logistic regression and Cox regression analysis were used to determine the prognostic indicators of mortality in our patients. There were a total of 251 patients in our study, with the female to male ratio 10 to 1. Our study patients were of multiethnic origins. They had a mean age of 30.5 ± 12.2 years and a mean duration of illness of 36.5 ± 51.6 months. The main involvements were hematologic (73.3%), renal (70.9%) and mucocutaneous (67.3%). There were 26 deaths (10.4%), with the main causes being: infection and flare (50%), infection alone (19%), flare alone (19%) and others (12%). Independent predictors of mortality in our cohort of SLE patients were the presence of both infection and flare of disease (hazard ratio (HR) 5.56) and high damage indices at the time of admission (HR 1.91). Infection and flare were the main causes of death in hospitalized Asian patients with SLE. The presence of infection with flare and high damage indices at the time of admission were independent prognostic indicators of mortality.

  10. Relationship between Drug Attitudes of Schizophrenic Patients on Discharge and Re-hospitalization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hannaneh Taghizadeh

    2008-08-01

    Full Text Available "n "nObjective: Non-compliance is one of the major problems in treatment of patients with schizophrenia. It is also the most significant risk factor for relapse and re-hospitalization. Previous studies showed that 25-70% of all patients with schizophrenia have negative attitudes to drugs. Therefore, the present study aimed to identify the relationship between drug attitude and discharge and the rate of re-hospitalization in patients with schizophrenia. "nMethod: This cohort study was carried out on 200 hospitalized patients with schizophrenia. Drug Attitude Inventory (DAI was completed for all the patients at the time of discharge. All patients were followed-up for one year for ehospitalization. Logistic regression was used to examine the association between drug attitude and specific risk factors. "nResults: The Mean age of patients was 37.34±10.74 years. Positive and negative drug attitudes were 68%.5 and 27% respectively. The rate of rehospitalization was 41.5% during the one year follow-up. The rate of negative attitude was not significantly different between the two groups with and without re-hospitalization. However, the mean DAI score was significantly lower in the re-hospitalized patients. Multivariate analysis showed that lower DAI score and being female were significant and independent risk factors for re-hospitalization. "n "nConclusion: The more negative attitude the patients with schizophrenia had towards drugs, the more rate of re-hospitalization they had. Moreover, female patients are at higher risk for re-hospitalization.

  11. Prevalence of malnutrition and associated factors among hospitalized elderly patients in King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alzahrani, Sami H; Alamri, Sultan H

    2017-07-03

    Malnutrition is a nutritional disorder that adversely affects the body from a functional or clinical perspective. It is very often observed in the elderly population. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of malnutrition among hospitalized elderly patients and its associated factors and outcomes in terms of length of stay and mortality in King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. In a cross-sectional study, we evaluated the nutritional status of hospitalized elderly patients using the most recent version of the short form of Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA-SF). A total of 248 hospitalized patients were included (70.0 ± 7.7 years; 60% female). According to the MNA-SF, a total of 76.6% patients were either malnourished or at risk of malnutrition. Malnourished patients had significantly lower levels of serum albumin (28.2 ± 7.7), hemoglobin (10.5 ± 1.8), and lymphocyte (1.7 ± 0.91). They had increased tendency to stay in the hospital for longer durations (IQR, 5-11 days; median = 7 days) and had a mortality rate of 6.9%. Malnutrition was highly prevalent among hospitalized elderly and was associated with increased length of stay and mortality.

  12. Patient Experience Shows Little Relationship with Hospital Quality Management Strategies

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Groene, Oliver; Arah, Onyebuchi A.; Klazinga, Niek S.; Wagner, Cordula; Bartels, Paul D.; Kristensen, Solvejg; Saillour, Florence; Thompson, Andrew; Thompson, Caroline A.; Pfaff, Holger; Dersarkissian, Maral; Sunol, Rosa

    2015-01-01

    Patient-reported experience measures are increasingly being used to routinely monitor the quality of care. With the increasing attention on such measures, hospital managers seek ways to systematically improve patient experience across hospital departments, in particular where outcomes are used for

  13. Attitudes of Malaysian general hospital staff towards patients with mental illness and diabetes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Midin Marhani

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The context of the study is the increased assessment and treatment of persons with mental illness in general hospital settings by general health staff, as the move away from mental hospitals gathers pace in low and middle income countries. The purpose of the study was to examine whether general attitudes of hospital staff towards persons with mental illness, and extent of mental health training and clinical experience, are associated with different attitudes and behaviours towards a patient with mental illness than towards a patients with a general health problem - diabetes. Methods General hospital health professionals in Malaysia were randomly allocated one of two vignettes, one describing a patient with mental illness and the other a patient with diabetes, and invited to complete a questionnaire examining attitudes and health care practices in relation to the case. The questionnaires completed by respondents included questions on demographics, training in mental health, exposure in clinical practice to people with mental illness, attitudes and expected health care behaviour towards the patient in the vignette, and a general questionnaire exploring negative attitudes towards people with mental illness. Questionnaires with complete responses were received from 654 study participants. Results Stigmatising attitudes towards persons with mental illness were common. Those responding to the mental illness vignette (N = 356 gave significantly lower ratings on care and support and higher ratings on avoidance and negative stereotype expectations compared with those responding the diabetes vignette (N = 298. Conclusions Results support the view that, in the Malaysian setting, patients with mental illness may receive differential care from general hospital staff and that general stigmatising attitudes among professionals may influence their care practices. More direct measurement of clinician behaviours than able to be implemented

  14. Relationship between quantitative cardiac neuronal imaging with 123I-meta-iodobenzylguanidine and hospitalization in patients with heart failure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Parker, Matthew W.; Sood, Nitesh; Ahlberg, Alan W.; Jacobson, Arnold F.; Heller, Gary V.; Lundbye, Justin B.

    2014-01-01

    Hospitalization in patients with systolic heart failure is associated with morbidity, mortality, and cost. Myocardial sympathetic innervation, imaged by 123 I-meta-iodobenzylguanidine ( 123 I-mIBG), has been associated with cardiac events in a recent multicenter study. The present analysis explored the relationship between 123 I-mIBG imaging findings and hospitalization. Source documents from the ADMIRE-HF trial were reviewed to identify hospitalization events in patients with systolic heart failure following cardiac neuronal imaging using 123 I-mIBG. Time to hospitalization was analyzed with the Kaplan-Meier method and compared to the mIBG heart-to-mediastinum (H/M) ratio using multiple-failure Cox regression. During 1.4 years of median follow-up, 362 end-point hospitalizations occurred in 207 of 961 subjects, 79 % of whom had H/M ratio <1.6. Among subjects hospitalized for any cause, 88 % had H/M ratio <1.6 and subjects with H/M ratio <1.6 experienced hospitalization earlier than subjects with higher H/M ratios (log-rank p = 0.003). After adjusting for elevated brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and time since heart failure diagnosis, a low mIBG H/M ratio was associated with cardiac-related hospitalization (HR 1.48, 95 % CI 1.05 - 2.0; p = 0.02). The mIBG H/M ratio may risk-stratify patients with heart failure for cardiac-related hospitalization, especially when used in conjunction with BNP. Further studies are warranted to examine these relationships. (orig.)

  15. A multicomponent approach to identify predictors of hospital outcomes in older in-patients: a multicentre, observational study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stefanie L De Buyser

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The identification of older patients at risk of poor hospital outcomes (e.g. longer hospital stay, in-hospital mortality, and institutionalisation is important to provide an effective healthcare service. OBJECTIVE: To identify factors related to older patients' clinical, nutritional, functional and socio-demographic profiles at admission to an acute care ward that can predict poor hospital outcomes. DESIGN AND SETTING: The CRiteria to assess appropriate Medication use among Elderly complex patients project was a multicentre, observational study performed in geriatric and internal medicine acute care wards of seven Italian hospitals. SUBJECTS: One thousand one hundred twenty-three consecutively admitted patients aged 65 years or older. METHODS: Hospital outcomes were length of stay, in-hospital mortality, and institutionalisation. RESULTS: Mean age of participants was 81 years, 56% were women. Median length of stay was 10 (7-14 days, 41 patients died during hospital stay and 37 were newly institutionalised. Number of drugs before admission, metastasized cancer, renal failure or dialysis, infection, falls at home during the last year, pain, and walking speed were independent predictors of LoS. Total dependency in activities of daily living and inability to perform grip strength test were independent predictors of in-hospital mortality. Malnutrition and total dependency in activities of daily living were independent predictors of institutionalisation. CONCLUSIONS: Our results confirm that not only diseases, but also multifaceted aspects of ageing such as physical function and malnutrition are strong predictors of hospital outcomes and suggest that these variables should be systematically recorded.

  16. Heterogeneity of European DRG systems and potentials for a common EuroDRG system Comment on "Cholecystectomy and Diagnosis-Related Groups (DRGs): patient classification and hospital reimbursement in 11 European countries".

    Science.gov (United States)

    Geissler, Alexander; Quentin, Wilm; Busse, Reinhard

    2015-03-05

    Diagnosis-Related Group (DRG) systems across Europe are very heterogeneous, in particular because of different classification variables and algorithms as well as costing methodologies. But, given the challenge of increasing patient mobility within Europe, health systems are forced to incorporate a common patient classification language in order to compare and identify similar patients e.g. for reimbursement purposes. Beside the national adoption of DRGs for a wide range of purposes (measuring hospital activity vs. paying hospitals), a common DRG system can serve as an international communication basis among health administrators and can reduce the national development efforts as it is demonstrated by the NordDRG consortium. © 2015 by Kerman University of Medical Sciences.

  17. Temporal trends and associated factors for pre-hospital and in-hospital delays of stroke patients over a 16-year period: the Athens study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Papapanagiotou, Panagiotis; Iacovidou, Nicoletta; Spengos, Konstantinos; Xanthos, Theodoros; Zaganas, Ioannis; Aggelina, Afrodite; Alegakis, Athanasios; Vemmos, Konstantinos

    2011-01-01

    The management and outcome of acute ischemic stroke changed dramatically after the introduction of intravenous thrombolysis. However, relatively few patients have received thrombolytic treatment, mainly due to pre-hospital and/or in-hospital delays. Although the causes of these delays have been adequately studied, their change over a long period has not. All acute first-ever stroke patients (n = 2,746) presenting to our academic center from 1993 to 2008 were prospectively documented in a computerized stroke data bank. The time from symptoms onset to presentation at the emergency room and to acquisition of a brain CT was calculated. Time trends over this period as well as the factors affecting them were analyzed. The final study cohort consisted of 2,326 acute stroke patients after excluding 302 patients with an unknown time of stroke onset and 118 who suffered a stroke during hospitalization for another illness. Over the 16-year period, the median time from stroke onset to presentation at the emergency room decreased significantly from 3.15 h (interquartile range 1.30-10.30) to 2.00 h (range 1.00-4.00) (p best early management of acute stroke patients. Copyright © 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  18. Potential drug-drug interactions with direct oral anticoagulants in elderly hospitalized patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Forbes, Heather L; Polasek, Thomas M

    2017-10-01

    To determine the prevalence and nature of potential drug-drug interactions (DDIs) with direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in elderly hospitalized patients. This was a retrospective observational study. Inclusion criteria were: aged over 65 years; taking apixaban, rivaroxaban or dabigatran; and admitted to the Repatriation General Hospital between April 2014 and July 2015. A list of clinically relevant 'perpetrator' drugs was compiled from product information, the Australian Medicines Handbook, the Australian National Prescribing Service resources, and local health network guidelines. The prevalence and nature of potential DDIs with DOACs was determined by comparing inpatient drug charts with the list of perpetrator drugs. There were 122 patients in the study with a mean age of 82 years. Most patients had nonvalvular atrial fibrillation and were taking DOACs to prevent thrombotic stroke (83%). Overall, 45 patients (37%) had a total of 54 potential DDIs. Thirty-five patients had potential pharmacodynamic DDIs with antidepressants, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and antiplatelets (35/122, 29%). Nineteen patients had potential pharmacokinetic DDIs (19/122, 16%). Of these, 68% (13/19) were taking drugs that increase DOAC plasma concentrations (amiodarone, erythromycin, diltiazem or verapamil) and 32% (6/19) were taking drugs that decrease DOAC plasma concentrations (carbamazepine, primidone or phenytoin). There were no cases of patients taking contraindicated interacting drugs. Potential DDIs with DOACs in elderly hospital inpatients are relatively common, particularly interactions that may increase the risk of bleeding. The risk-benefit ratio of DOACs in elderly patients on polypharmacy should always be carefully considered.

  19. Causes of prolonged hospitalization among general internal medicine patients of a tertiary care center.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruangkriengsin, Darat; Phisalprapa, Pochamana

    2014-03-01

    Unnecessary days of prolonged hospitalization may lead to the increase in hospital-related complications and costs, especially in tertiary care center Currently, there have not been many studies about the causes of prolonged hospitalization. Some identified causes could, however, be prevented and improved. To identify the prevalence, causes, predictive factors, prognosis, and economic burden of prolonged hospitalization in patients who had been in general internal medicine wards of the tertiary care center for 7 days or more. Retrospective chart review study was conducted among all patients who were admitted for 7 days or more in general internal medicine wards of Siriraj Hospital, the largest tertiary care center in Thailand. The period of this study was from 1 August 2012 to 30 September 2012. Demographic data, principle diagnosis, comorbid diseases, complications, discharge status, total costs of admission and percentage of reimbursement were collected. The causes of prolonged hospitalization at day 7, 14, 30, and 90 were assessed. Five hundred and sixty-two charts were reviewed. The average length of stay was 25.9 days. The two most common causes of prolonged admission at day 7 were treatment of main diagnosed disease with stable condition (27.6%) and waiting for completion of intravenous antibiotics administration with stable condition (19.5%). The causes of prolonged hospitalization at day 14 were unstable condition from complications (22.6%) and those waiting for completion of intravenous antibiotics administration with stable condition (15.8%). The causes of prolonged admission at day 30 were unstable conditions from complications (25.6%), difficulty weaning or ventilator dependence (17.6%), and caregiver problems (15.2%). The causes of prolonged hospitalization at day 90 were unstable condition from complications (30.0%), caregiver problems (30.0%), and palliative care (25.0%). Poor outcomes were shown in the patients admitted more than 90 days. Percentage

  20. Gaps in patient care practices to prevent hospital-acquired delirium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alagiakrishnan, Kannayiram; Marrie, Thomas; Rolfson, Darryl; Coke, William; Camicioli, Richard; Duggan, D'Arcy; Launhardt, Bonnie; Fisher, Bruce; Gordon, Debbie; Hervas-Malo, Marilou; Magee, Bernice; Wiens, Cheryl

    2009-10-01

    To evaluate the current patient care practices that address the predisposing and precipitating factors contributing to the prevention of hospital-acquired delirium in the elderly. Prospective cohort (observational) study. Patients 65 years of age and older who were admitted to medical teaching units at the University of Alberta Hospital in Edmonton over a period of 7 months and who were at risk of delirium. Medical teaching units at the University of Alberta. Demographic data and information on predisposing factors for hospital-acquired delirium were obtained for all patients. Documented clinical practices that likely prevent common precipitants of delirium were also recorded. Of the 132 patients enrolled, 20 (15.2%) developed hospital-acquired delirium. At the time of admission several predisposing factors were not documented (eg, possible cognitive impairment 16 [12%], visual impairment 52 [39.4%], and functional status of activities of daily living 99 [75.0%]). Recorded precipitating factors included catheter use, screening for dehydration, and medications. Catheters were used in 35 (26.5%) patients, and fluid intake-and-output charting assessed dehydration in 57 (43.2%) patients. At the time of admission there was no documentation of hearing status in 69 (52.3%) patients and aspiration risk in 104 (78.8%) patients. After admission, reorientation measures were documented in only 16 (12.1%) patients. Although all patients had brief mental status evaluations performed once daily, this was not noted to occur twice daily (which would provide important information about fluctuation of mental status) and there was no formal attention span testing. In this study, hospital-acquired delirium was also associated with increased mortality (P < .004), increased length of stay (P < .007), and increased institutionalization (P < .027). Gaps were noted in patient care practices that might contribute to hospital-acquired delirium and also in measures to identify the development