Smoking cessation following admission to a coronary care unit.

Science.gov (United States)

Rigotti, N A; Singer, D E; Mulley, A G; Thibault, G E

1991-01-01

To determine the impact of an episode of serious cardiovascular disease on smoking behavior and to identify factors associated with smoking cessation in this setting. Prospective observational study in which smokers admitted to a coronary care unit (CCU) were followed for one year after hospital discharge to determine subsequent smoking behavior. Coronary care unit of a teaching hospital. Preadmission smoking status was assessed in all 828 patients admitted to the CCU during one year. The 310 smokers surviving to hospital discharge were followed and their smoking behaviors assessed by self-report at six and 12 months. None. Six months after discharge, 32% of survivors were not smoking; the rate of sustained cessation at one year was 25%. Smokers with a new diagnosis of coronary heart disease (CHD) made during hospitalization had the highest cessation rate (53% vs. 31%, p = 0.01). On multivariate analysis, smoking cessation was more likely if patients were discharged with a diagnosis of CHD, had no prior history of CHD, were lighter smokers (less than 1 pack/day), and had congestive heart failure during hospitalization. Among smokers admitted because of suspected myocardial infarction (MI), cessation was more likely if the diagnosis was CHD than if it was noncoronary (37% vs. 19%, p less than 0.05), but a diagnosis of MI led to no more smoking cessation than did coronary insufficiency. Hospitalization in a CCU is a stimulus to long-term smoking cessation, especially for lighter smokers and those with a new diagnosis of CHD. Admission to a CCU may represent a time when smoking habits are particularly susceptible to intervention. Smoking cessation in this setting should improve patient outcomes because cessation reduces cardiovascular mortality, even when quitting occurs after the onset of CHD.

Pre-Hospital Care Management of a Potential Spinal Cord Injured Patient: A Systematic Review of the Literature and Evidence-Based Guidelines

Science.gov (United States)

Ahn, Henry; Singh, Jeffrey; Nathens, Avery; MacDonald, Russell D.; Travers, Andrew; Tallon, John; Fehlings, Michael G.

2011-01-01

Abstract An interdisciplinary expert panel of medical and surgical specialists involved in the management of patients with potential spinal cord injuries (SCI) was assembled. Four key questions were created that were of significant interest. These were: (1) what is the optimal type and duration of pre-hospital spinal immobilization in patients with acute SCI?; (2) during airway manipulation in the pre-hospital setting, what is the ideal method of spinal immobilization?; (3) what is the impact of pre-hospital transport time to definitive care on the outcomes of patients with acute spinal cord injury?; and (4) what is the role of pre-hospital care providers in cervical spine clearance and immobilization? A systematic review utilizing multiple databases was performed to determine the current evidence about the specific questions, and each article was independently reviewed and assessed by two reviewers based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Guidelines were then created related to the questions by a national Canadian expert panel using the Delphi method for reviewing the evidence-based guidelines about each question. Recommendations about the key questions included: the pre-hospital immobilization of patients using a cervical collar, head immobilization, and a spinal board; utilization of padded boards or inflatable bean bag boards to reduce pressure; transfer of patients off of spine boards as soon as feasible, including transfer of patients off spinal boards while awaiting transfer from one hospital institution to another hospital center for definitive care; inclusion of manual in-line cervical spine traction for airway management in patients requiring intubation in the pre-hospital setting; transport of patients with acute traumatic SCI to the definitive hospital center for care within 24 h of injury; and training of emergency medical personnel in the pre-hospital setting to apply criteria to clear patients of cervical spinal injuries, and immobilize patients

Patient stress in intensive care: comparison between a coronary care unit and a general postoperative unit

Science.gov (United States)

Dias, Douglas de Sá; Resende, Mariane Vanessa; Diniz, Gisele do Carmo Leite Machado

2015-01-01

Objective To evaluate and compare stressors identified by patients of a coronary intensive care unit with those perceived by patients of a general postoperative intensive care unit. Methods This cross-sectional and descriptive study was conducted in the coronary intensive care and general postoperative intensive care units of a private hospital. In total, 60 patients participated in the study, 30 in each intensive care unit. The stressor scale was used in the intensive care units to identify the stressors. The mean score of each item of the scale was calculated followed by the total stress score. The differences between groups were considered significant when p < 0.05. Results The mean ages of patients were 55.63 ± 13.58 years in the coronary intensive care unit and 53.60 ± 17.47 years in the general postoperative intensive care unit. For patients in the coronary intensive care unit, the main stressors were “being in pain”, “being unable to fulfill family roles” and “being bored”. For patients in the general postoperative intensive care unit, the main stressors were “being in pain”, “being unable to fulfill family roles” and “not being able to communicate”. The mean total stress scores were 104.20 ± 30.95 in the coronary intensive care unit and 116.66 ± 23.72 (p = 0.085) in the general postoperative intensive care unit. When each stressor was compared separately, significant differences were noted only between three items. “Having nurses constantly doing things around your bed” was more stressful to the patients in the general postoperative intensive care unit than to those in the coronary intensive care unit (p = 0.013). Conversely, “hearing unfamiliar sounds and noises” and “hearing people talk about you” were the most stressful items for the patients in the coronary intensive care unit (p = 0.046 and 0.005, respectively). Conclusion The perception of major stressors and the total stress score were similar between patients

Pre-hospital ticagrelor in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction with long transport time to primary PCI facility.

Science.gov (United States)

Lupi, Alessandro; Schaffer, Alon; Lazzero, Maurizio; Tessitori, Massimo; De Martino, Leonardo; Rognoni, Andrea; Bongo, Angelo S; Porto, Italo

2016-12-01

Pre-hospital ticagrelor, given less than 1h before coronary intervention (PCI), failed to improve coronary reperfusion in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients undergoing primary PCI. It is unknown whether a longer interval from ticagrelor administration to primary PCI might reveal any improvement of coronary reperfusion. We retrospectively compared 143 patients, pre-treated in spoke centers or ambulance with ticagrelor at least 1.5h before PCI (Pre-treatment Group), with 143 propensity score-matched controls treated with ticagrelor in the hub before primary PCI (Control Group) extracted from RENOVAMI, a large observational Italian registry of more than 1400 STEMI patients enrolled from Jan. 2012 to Oct. 2015 (ClinicalTrials.gov id: NCT01347580). The median time from ticagrelor administration and PCI was 2.08h (95% CI 1.66-2.84) in the Pre-treatment Group and 0.56h (95% CI 0.33-0.76) in the Control Group. TIMI flow grade before primary PCI in the infarct related artery was the primary endpoint. The primary endpoint, baseline TIMI flow grade, was significantly higher in Pre-treatment Group (0.88±1.14 vs 0.53±0.86, P=0.02). However in-hospital mortality, in-hospital stent thrombosis, bleeding rates and other clinical and angiographic outcomes were similar in the two groups. In a real world STEMI network, pre-treatment with ticagrelor in spoke hospitals or in ambulance loading at least 1.5h before primary PCI is safe and might improve pre-PCI coronary reperfusion, in comparison with ticagrelor administration immediately before PCI. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Cardiorenal syndrome type 1 in the intensive coronary care unit of the Hospital Nacional Arzobispo Loayza].

Science.gov (United States)

Preza, Paul M; Hurtado, Abdías; Armas, Victoria; Cárcamo, César P

2015-01-01

This study sought to evaluate the incidence of cardiorenal syndrome (CRS) type 1 in a coronary care unit and its association with hospital mortality within 30 days of admission, as well as other epidemiological characteristics. The medical records of all the patients who were hospitalized with the diagnosis of acute heart failure in a 4-year period were reviewed. CRS type 1 was characterized by the presence of acute heart failure and an elevation of serum creatinine ≥0.3mg/dL in comparison to the baseline creatinine calculated by the MDRD75 equation and/or the elevation of ≥50% of the admission serum creatinine within a 48 h period. The incidence of CRS type 1 was 27.87%, 95% CI: 20.13-36.71 (34 of 122). There was a higher frequency of CRS type 1 in those patients who were admitted with the diagnosis of cardiogenic shock (adjusted RR 2.02, 95% CI: 1.20-3.93, p=0.0378) and in those with higher hemoglobin levels (p=0.0412). The CRS type 1 was associated with an increase of 30-day mortality (HR: 4.11, 95% CI: 1.20-14.09, p=0.0244). The incidence of CRS type 1 in the coronary care unit found in our study is similar to those found in foreign studies. The history of stroke and the higher values of hemoglobin were associated with a higher incidence of cardiorenal syndrome type 1. Patients with CRS type 1 had a higher hospital mortality within 30 days of admission. Copyright © 2014 Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez. Published by Masson Doyma México S.A. All rights reserved.

Spinal immobilisaton in pre-hospital and emergency care: A systematic review of the literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Hood, Natalie; Considine, Julie

2015-08-01

Spinal immobilisation has been a mainstay of trauma care for decades and is based on the premise that immobilisation will prevent further neurological compromise in patients with a spinal column injury. The aim of this systematic review was to examine the evidence related to spinal immobilisation in pre-hospital and emergency care settings. In February 2015, we performed a systematic literature review of English language publications from 1966 to January 2015 indexed in MEDLINE and Cochrane library using the following search terms: 'spinal injuries' OR 'spinal cord injuries' AND 'emergency treatment' OR 'emergency care' OR 'first aid' AND immobilisation. EMBASE was searched for keywords 'spinal injury OR 'spinal cord injury' OR 'spine fracture AND 'emergency care' OR 'prehospital care'. There were 47 studies meeting inclusion criteria for further review. Ten studies were case series (level of evidence IV) and there were 37 studies from which data were extrapolated from healthy volunteers, cadavers or multiple trauma patients. There were 15 studies that were supportive, 13 studies that were neutral, and 19 studies opposing spinal immobilisation. There are no published high-level studies that assess the efficacy of spinal immobilisation in pre-hospital and emergency care settings. Almost all of the current evidence is related to spinal immobilisation is extrapolated data, mostly from healthy volunteers. Copyright © 2015 College of Emergency Nursing Australasia Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Variation in Admission Rates of Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients in Coronary Care Unit According to Different Seasons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lashari, M. N.; Soomro, K.

2015-01-01

Objective:Environmental stresses, especially extreme cold and hot weathers, have tendency to have more admissions for acute coronary syndromes. Due to scarcity of local data, we studied the variation in patient admission rates with acute coronary syndrome according to different seasons. Study Design: Descriptive study. Place and Duration of Study: Coronary Care Unit, Civil Hospital and Pakistan Steel Hospital, Karachi, from January 2011 to December 2011. Methodology: The study group comprised consecutive patients with acute coronary syndrome (unstable angina, Non ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (NSTEMI), ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) admitted to the coronary care unit. Patients with stable angina and valvular heart disease were excluded. Data was analyzed for admission according to different seasons, (winter, spring, summer and autumn). Results: The mean age of the 428 cases was 48.5 ± 10.4 years (range 27 to 73 years). Among the study group, 261 (61%) and 167 (39%) cases were male and female respectively. ST-elevation myocardial infarction, non ST-elevation myocardial infarction and unstable angina were present in 206 (48%), 128 (30%) and 94 (22%) respectively. Among the 428 patients, 184 (43%) cases had hypertension, 133 (31%) cases were smokers, 103 (24%) cases had dyslipidemia and diabetes mellitus and 08 (2%) cases had history of premature coronary artery disease. The number of patients admissions with acute coronary syndrome tended to change with sudden change in season. It increased in Winter 158 (36.9%) and Summer 130 (30.3%) in comparison to Spring 80 (18.69%) and Autumn 60 (14.02%) season. Conclusion: It was found variation in admission rates of acute coronary syndrome patients according to different seasons. The number of admissions not only increased in the cold season (winter) but also in hot season (summer) with sudden changes in temperature. (author)

Evaluation of the Prevention and Reactivation Care Program (PReCaP) for the hospitalized elderly: A prospective nonrandomized controlled trial

OpenAIRE

Asmus-Szepesi, Kirsten; Flinterman, Linda; Koopmanschap, Marc; Nieboer, Anna; Bakker, Ton; Mackenbach, Johan; Steyerberg, Ewout

2015-01-01

textabstractBackground: The hospitalized elderly are at risk of functional decline. We evaluated the effects and care costs of a specialized geriatric rehabilitation program aimed at preventing functional decline among at-risk hospitalized elderly. Methods: The prospective nonrandomized controlled trial reported here was performed in three hospitals in the Netherlands. One hospital implemented the Prevention and Reactivation Care Program (PReCaP), while two other hospitals providing usual car...

Relation Between Hospital Length of Stay and Quality of Care in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndromes (from the American Heart Association's Get With the Guidelines--Coronary Artery Disease Data Set).

Science.gov (United States)

Tickoo, Sumit; Bhardwaj, Adarsh; Fonarow, Gregg C; Liang, Li; Bhatt, Deepak L; Cannon, Christopher P

2016-01-15

Worries regarding short length of stay (LOS) adversely impacting quality of care prompted us to assess the relation between hospital LOS and inpatient guideline adherence in patients with acute coronary syndrome. We used the American Heart Association's Get with The Guidelines (GWTG)--Coronary Artery Disease data set. Data were collected from January 2, 2000, to March 21, 2010, for patients with acute coronary syndrome from 405 different sites. Of the 119,398 patients in the study, the mean LOS was 5.5 days with a median of 4 days. There was no difference in the LOS on the basis of hospital size, hospital type, or cardiac surgery availability. The population with an LOS <4 days were younger (63.8 ± 14.1 vs 70 ± 14.5, p <0.0001), men (63.8% vs 55.3%, p <0.0001) and had fewer clinical co-morbidities. The overall adherence was high in the GWTG participating hospitals. Those with the LOS <4 days were more likely to receive aspirin (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.12, 95% CI 1.06 to 1.19; p <0.001), clopidogrel (OR 1.77, 95% CI 1.60 to 1.95; p <0.001), lipid-lowering therapy if indicated (OR 1.13, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.21; p <0.001), angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker for left ventricular systolic dysfunction (OR 1.10, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.21; p = 0.04) and smoking cessation counseling (OR 1.17, 95% CI 1.1 to 1.24; p <0.001) compared to those with the LOS ≥ 4 days. In contrast, those with the LOS <4 days were less likely to receive beta blockers (OR 0.88, 95% CI 0.84 to 0.93; p <0.001). The odds of receiving defect-free care were greater for patients with the LOS <4 days (OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.1 to 1.21; p <0.001). In conclusion, in GWTG participating hospitals, a shorter LOS did not appear to adversely affect adherence to discharge quality of care measures. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Impact of coronary dominance on in-hospital outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with acute coronary syndrome.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Toshiki Kuno

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the manner in which coronary dominance affects in-hospital outcomes of acute coronary syndrome (ACS patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI. BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown that left dominant coronary anatomies are associated with worse prognoses in patients with coronary artery disease. METHODS: Data were analyzed from 4873 ACS patients undergoing PCI between September 2008 and April 2013 at 14 hospitals participating in the Japanese Cardiovascular Database Registry. The patients were grouped based on diagnostic coronary angiograms performed prior to PCI; those with right- or co-dominant anatomy (RD group and those with left-dominant anatomy (LD group. RESULTS: The average patient age was 67.6±11.8 years and both patient groups had similar ages, coronary risk factors, comorbidities, and prior histories. The numbers of patients presenting with symptoms of heart failure, cardiogenic shock, or cardiopulmonary arrest were significantly higher in the LD group than in the RD group (heart failure: 650 RD patients [14.7%] vs. 87 LD patients [18.8%], P = 0.025; cardiogenic shock: 322 RD patients [7.3%] vs. 48 LD patients [10.3%], P = 0.021; and cardiopulmonary arrest: 197 RD patients [4.5%] vs. 36 LD patients [7.8%], P = 0.003. In-hospital mortality was significantly higher among LD patients than among RD patients (182 RD patients [4.1%] vs. 36 LD patients [7.8%], P = 0.001. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that LD anatomy was an independent predictor for in-hospital mortality (odds ratio, 1.75; 95% confidence interval, 1.06-2.89; P = 0.030. CONCLUSION: Among ACS patients who underwent PCI, LD patients had significantly worse in-hospital outcomes compared with RD patients, and LD anatomy was an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality.

Urban and rural implementation of pre-hospital diagnosis and direct referral for primary percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Jacob Thorsted; Terkelsen, Christian Juhl; Nørgaard, Bjarne Linde

2011-01-01

Primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is the preferred treatment for ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The distance to primary PCI centres and the inherent time delay in delivering primary PCI, however, limit widespread use of this treatment. This study aimed to evaluate...... the impact of pre-hospital diagnosis on time from emergency medical services contact to balloon inflation (system delay) in an unselected cohort of patients with STEMI recruited from a large geographical area comprising both urban and rural districts....

Trend in patients and diseases at the coronary care unit in the Jikei University Hospital

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shibata, Takahiro; Yagi, Hidenori; Sakai, Tomohisa

2005-01-01

We investigated the total numbers of cases of representative diseases, including acute myocardial infarction (AMI), unstable angina pectoris (uAP) and aortic dissection, treated at our coronary care unit and therapeutic strategies for them. Both AMI and uAP have been considered types of acute coronary syndrome with similar diagnostic criteria. We found, however, that the therapeutic strategies for these conditions differ slightly. Coronary bypass surgery was performed in a higher percentage of cases of uAP (7%) than of AMI (1%) because more time was available for surgery. The mortality rate was higher in cases of AMI. For aortic dissection, emergent surgery was performed in Stanford A cases with an open false lumen. Medical therapy was performed in Stanford B cases. These strategies were recommended in the guideline of the Japanese Society of Cardiology. In contrast, the strategy for Stanford A cases with intramural hematoma has been unclear. Medical control with careful follow-up computed tomography of the chest has been the preferred strategy for Stanford A cases with intramural hematoma in our coronary care unit. We have had good results with this method. (author)

Thallium-201 myocardial imaging as a selection method for the coronary care unit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wackers, F.J.Th.; Lie, K.I.; Sokole, E.B.; Samson, G.; Schoot, J.B. van der

1980-01-01

In many patients admitted to the coronary care unit, the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction is evident at the time of arrival at the hospital. Nevertheless, a substantial group of patients still remains in whom initial evaluation provides a questionable history and a nondiagnostic electrocardiogram. Results suggested that 201 Tl scintigraphy may have potential value to serve as an appropriate means of selecting patients for admission to the coronary care unit. In order to evaluate this possibility, the authors performed a prospective study from September 1975 to September 1976. During this period 1861 patients were refered to the coronary care unit because of presumed acute myocardial infarction. The study concludes that for patients in whom the history and the electrocardiogram are of little help in decision making, thallium-201 scintigraphy can be viewed as an additional and important diagnostic method, which improves efficient management of patients with potential coronary artery disease syndrome. (Auth.)

(Non-)utilization of pre-hospital emergency care by migrants and non-migrants in Germany.

Science.gov (United States)

Kietzmann, Diana; Knuth, Daniela; Schmidt, Silke

2017-01-01

This study was designed to explore the utilization and non-utilization of pre-hospital emergency care by migrants and non-migrants, and the factors that influence this behaviour. A cross-sectional representative German survey was conducted in a sample of 2.175 people, 295 of whom had a migration background. An additional sample of 50 people with Turkish migration background was conducted, partially in the Turkish language. Apart from socio-demographics, the utilization of emergency services and the reasons for non-utilization were assessed. Migrants had a higher utilization rate of pre-hospital emergency care (RR = 1.492) than non-migrants. Furthermore, migrants who were not born in Germany had a lower utilization rate (RR = 0.793) than migrants who were born in Germany. Regarding non-utilization, the most frequently stated reasons belonged to the categories initial misjudgment of the emergency situation and acting on one's own behalf, with the latter stated more frequently by migrants than by non-migrants. To prevent over-, under-, and lack of supply, it is necessary to transfer knowledge about the functioning of the medical emergency services, including first aid knowledge.

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.

Is the pre-hospital ECG after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest accurate for the diagnosis of ST-elevation myocardial infarction?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Salam, Idrees; Hassager, Christian; Thomsen, Jakob Hartvig

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: Current guidelines recommend that comatose out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients with ST-segment elevations (STEs) following return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) should be referred for an acute coronary angiography. We sought to investigate the diagnostic value of the pre......-hospital ROSC-ECG in predicting ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). METHOD: ROSC-ECGs of 145 comatose survivors of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, randomly assigned in the Target Temperature Management trial, were classified according to the current STEMI ECG criteria (third universal definition...... interval (CI) 62-84), specificity of 65% (95% CI 53-75) and a positive and negative predictive value of 65% (95% CI 54-76) and 73% (95% CI 61-83) in predicting STEMI. Time to ROSC was significantly longer (24 minutes vs. 19 minutes, P=0.02) in STE compared with no STE patients. Percutaneous coronary...

Underutilization of high-intensity statin therapy after hospitalization for coronary heart disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosenson, Robert S; Kent, Shia T; Brown, Todd M; Farkouh, Michael E; Levitan, Emily B; Yun, Huifeng; Sharma, Pradeep; Safford, Monika M; Kilgore, Meredith; Muntner, Paul; Bittner, Vera

2015-01-27

National guidelines recommend use of high-intensity statins after hospitalization for coronary heart disease (CHD) events. This study sought to estimate the proportion of Medicare beneficiaries filling prescriptions for high-intensity statins after hospital discharge for a CHD event and to analyze whether statin intensity before hospitalization is associated with statin intensity after discharge. We conducted a retrospective cohort study using a 5% random sample of Medicare beneficiaries between 65 and 74 years old. Beneficiaries were included in the analysis if they filled a statin prescription after a CHD event (myocardial infarction or coronary revascularization) in 2007, 2008, or 2009. High-intensity statins included atorvastatin 40 to 80 mg, rosuvastatin 20 to 40 mg, and simvastatin 80 mg. Among 8,762 Medicare beneficiaries filling a statin prescription after a CHD event, 27% of first post-discharge fills were for a high-intensity statin. The percent filling a high-intensity statin post-discharge was 23.1%, 9.4%, and 80.7%, for beneficiaries not taking statins pre-hospitalization, taking low/moderate-intensity statins, and taking high-intensity statins before their CHD event, respectively. Compared with beneficiaries not on statin therapy pre-hospitalization, multivariable adjusted risk ratios for filling a high-intensity statin were 4.01 (3.58-4.49) and 0.45 (0.40-0.52) for participants taking high-intensity and low/moderate-intensity statins before their CHD event, respectively. Only 11.5% of beneficiaries whose first post-discharge statin fill was for a low/moderate-intensity statin filled a high-intensity statin within 365 days of discharge. The majority of Medicare beneficiaries do not fill high-intensity statins after hospitalization for CHD. Copyright © 2015 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A consensus-based template for documenting and reporting in physician-staffed pre-hospital services

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kruger, Andreas J; Lockey, David; Kurola, Jouni

2011-01-01

-staffed pre-hospital services in Europe. METHODS: Using predefined criteria, we recruited sixteen European experts in the field of pre-hospital care. These experts were guided through a four-step modified nominal group technique. The process was carried out using both e-mail-based communication and a plenary...... have established a core data set for documenting and reporting in physician-staffed pre-hospital services. We believe that this template could facilitate future studies within the field and facilitate standardised reporting and future shared research efforts in advanced pre-hospital care....

Are severely injured trauma victims in Norway offered advanced pre-hospital care? National, retrospective, observational cohort.

Science.gov (United States)

Wisborg, T; Ellensen, E N; Svege, I; Dehli, T

2017-08-01

Studies of severely injured patients suggest that advanced pre-hospital care and/or rapid transportation provides a survival benefit. This benefit depends on the disposition of resources to patients with the greatest need. Norway has 19 Emergency Helicopters (HEMS) staffed by anaesthesiologists on duty 24/7/365. National regulations describe indications for their use, and the use of the national emergency medical dispatch guideline is recommended. We assessed whether severely injured patients had been treated or transported by advanced resources on a national scale. A national survey was conducted collecting data for 2013 from local trauma registries at all hospitals caring for severely injured patients. Patients were analysed according to hospital level; trauma centres or acute care hospitals with trauma functions. Patients with an Injury Severity Score (ISS) > 15 were considered severely injured. Three trauma centres (75%) and 17 acute care hospitals (53%) had data for trauma patients from 2013, a total of 3535 trauma registry entries (primary admissions only), including 604 victims with an ISS > 15. Of these 604 victims, advanced resources were treating and/or transporting 51%. Sixty percent of the severely injured admitted directly to trauma centres received advanced services, while only 37% of the severely injured admitted primarily to acute care hospitals received these services. A highly developed and widely distributed HEMS system reached only half of severely injured trauma victims in Norway in 2013. © 2017 The Authors. Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica Foundation.

Person-centred care after acute coronary syndrome, from hospital to primary care - A randomised controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Fors, Andreas; Ekman, Inger; Taft, Charles; Björkelund, Cecilia; Frid, Kerstin; Larsson, Maria Eh; Thorn, Jörgen; Ulin, Kerstin; Wolf, Axel; Swedberg, Karl

2015-01-01

To evaluate if person-centred care can improve self-efficacy and facilitate return to work or prior activity level in patients after an event of acute coronary syndrome. 199 patients with acute coronary syndrome < 75 years were randomly assigned to person-centred care intervention or treatment as usual and followed for 6 months. In the intervention group a person-centred care process was added to treatment as usual, emphasising the patient as a partner in care. Care was co-created in collaboration between patients, physicians, registered nurses and other health care professionals and documented in a health plan. A team-based partnership across three health care levels included transparent knowledge about the disease and medical state to achieve agreed goals during recovery. Main outcome measure was a composite score of changes in general self-efficacy ≥ 5 units, return to work or prior activity level and re-hospitalisation or death. The composite score showed that more patients (22.3%, n=21) improved in the intervention group at 6 months compared to the control group (9.5%, n=10) (odds ratio, 2.7; 95% confidence interval: 1.2-6.2; P=0.015). The effect was driven by improved self-efficacy ≥ 5 units in the intervention group. Overall general self-efficacy improved significantly more in the intervention group compared with the control group (P=0.026). There was no difference between groups on re-hospitalisation or death, return to work or prior activity level. A person-centred care approach emphasising the partnership between patients and health care professionals throughout the care chain improves general self-efficacy without causing worsening clinical events. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nursing care system development for patients with cleft lip-palate and craniofacial deformities in Srinagarind Hospital: pre-post operation.

Science.gov (United States)

Augsornwan, Darawan; Pattangtanang, Pantamanas; Pikhunthod, Kritsana

2011-12-01

Cleft lip and palate are the most common craniofacial anomalies. Srinagarind Hospital has 150-200 cases each year. The operating process of care requires continuity of care involving a multidisciplinary team. When the patients go to hospital to have operation, pain, limited activity and food are very different from normal life. During pre and post operative care nurses who work continuously and closely with the patients should have knowledge, experience and ability to take excellent care of their patients and families. This can prevent complications and help their decision process, decrease parents stress and encourage better co-operation. To develop a nursing care system for patients with cleft lip-palate undergoing operation. This is an action research divided into 3 phases. Phase 1, situation review: review of nursing care process by interview, focus group, observation and nursing documents. Phase 2, nursing system management: developing guidelines, composing nursing manual, handbook for parents, VCD for patients and family and story telling. Following that announcement and implementation. Phase 3: evaluation. The authors found that guidelines, nursing manual, handbook for parents, VCD for patients and family and story telling are appropriate and have good utilization, but the pictures in handbook for parents and storytelling were not clear, too small and not attractive. Nursing manual for giving information about pre-post operative care, handbook for parents, story telling and VCD about pre-post operative care provide optimal care for patients and family with cleft lip and palate, but need to evaluate further the nursing outcome after this nursing system development.

The impact of self-care education on life expectancy in acute coronary syndrome patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mahshid Choobdari

2015-04-01

Conclusion: Hospitalized acute coronary syndrome patients have a lower levels of life expectancy. Their life expectancy can increase through providing them with self-care education, which will lead to their independence promotion and self-esteem.

Nationwide trends in use and timeliness of diagnostic coronary angiography in acute coronary syndromes from 2005 to 2011: Does distance to invasive heart centres matter?

Science.gov (United States)

Hansen, Kim W; Sørensen, Rikke; Madsen, Mette; Madsen, Jan K; Jensen, Jan S; von Kappelgaard, Lene M; Mortensen, Poul E; Galatius, Søren

2015-08-01

To examine trends in the use of diagnostic coronary angiography according to distance from home to the nearest invasive heart centre following implementation of fast-track protocols and extensive pre-hospital triaging of acute coronary syndrome patients. We performed a register-based cohort study of all patients admitted to Danish hospitals with incident acute coronary syndrome in 2005-2011. Diagnostic coronary angiography within 60 days of admission was investigated according to distance tertiles (DTs) calculated as range from each patient's home to the nearest invasive heart centre (short DT: 65 km). Cox proportional hazards models were applied.Among the 52,409 patients included, diagnostic coronary angiography was increasingly used during 2005-2011 (short DT: 76% to 81%; medium DT: 74% to 81%; long DT: 69% to 78%; all p-values for trend coronary angiography, and 60-day mortality decreased in all DT. This nationwide study found significant increases in diagnostic coronary angiography use over time in incident acute coronary syndrome patients with a relatively larger increase in patients residing farthest from an invasive heart centre. Additionally, selected quality of care measures improved in the entire cohort, suggesting a benefit of national clinical protocols. © The European Society of Cardiology 2014.

Gender inequality in acute coronary syndrome patients at Omdurman Teaching Hospital, Sudan.

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Mirghani, Hyder O; Elnour, Mohammed A; Taha, Akasha M; Elbadawi, Abdulateef S

2016-01-01

Gender differences among patients with the acute coronary syndrome is still being debated, no research has been done on gender inequality among coronary syndrome patients in Sudan. To study gender differences in presentation, management, and outcomes of acute coronary syndrome in Sudan. This cross-sectional descriptive longitudinal study was conducted in Omdurman Teaching Hospital between July 2014 and August 2015. Patients were invited to sign a written informed consent form, were interviewed and examined by a physician, and then followed during their hospital stay. Information collected includes coronary risk factors, vital signs, echocardiography findings, arrhythmias, heart failure, cardiogenic shock, and death. The Ethical Committee of Omdurman Teaching Hospital approved the research. A total of 197 consecutive acute coronary syndrome patients were included, 43.1% were females. A significant statistical difference was evident between males and females regarding the type of acute coronary syndrome, its presentation, and time of presentation to the hospital, smoking, and receipt of thrombolysis (P 0.05). Women were less likely to receive thrombolytic therapy, present with chest pain, and diagnosed with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. No gender differences were found in acute coronary syndrome risk factors apart from smoking, which was more common in males, and there were no differences between males and females as regards in-hospital complications.

Multislice Computed Tomography Coronary Angiography at a Local Hospital: Pitfalls and Potential

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Kolnes, K.; Velle, Ose H.; Hareide, S.; Hegbom, K.; Wiseth, R. [Volda Hospital (Norway). Depts. of Radiology and Internal Medicine

2006-09-15

Purpose: To evaluate whether the favorable results achieved with multislice computed tomography (MSCT) of coronary arteries at larger centers could be paralleled at a local hospital. Material and Methods: Fifty consecutive patients with suspected coronary artery disease scheduled for invasive investigation with quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) at a university hospital underwent MSCT with a 16-slice scanner at a local hospital. Diagnostic accuracy of MSCT for coronary artery disease was assessed using a 16-segment coronary artery model with QCA as the gold standard. Results: Segments with diameter 50% stenosis for the 416 assessable segments were 92%, 82%, 53%, and 98%, respectively. Conclusion: Our beginners' experience demonstrated favorable results regarding sensitivity and negative predictive value. The positive predictive value, however, was unsatisfactory. Calcifications were identified as the most important factor for false-positive results with MSCT. With widespread use of MSCT coronary angiography, there is a risk of recruiting patients without significant coronary artery disease to unnecessary and potentially harmful invasive procedures.

Pre-hospital treatment of acute poisonings in Oslo

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Heyerdahl, Fridtjof; Hovda, Knut E; Bjornaas, Mari A; Nore, Anne K; Figueiredo, Jose CP; Ekeberg, Oivind; Jacobsen, Dag

2008-01-01

Background Poisoned patients are often treated in and discharged from pre-hospital health care settings. Studies of poisonings should therefore not only include hospitalized patients. Aims: To describe the acutely poisoned patients treated by ambulance personnel and in an outpatient clinic; compare patients transferred to a higher treatment level with those discharged without transfer; and study the one-week mortality after pre-hospital discharge. Methods A one-year multi-centre study with prospective inclusion of all acutely poisoned patients ≥ 16 years of age treated in ambulances, an outpatient clinic, and hospitals in Oslo. Results A total of 3757 health service contacts from 2997 poisoning episodes were recorded: 1860 were treated in ambulances, of which 15 died and 750 (40%) were discharged without transfer; 956 were treated in outpatient clinic, of which 801 (84%) were discharged without transfer; and 941 episodes were treated in hospitals. Patients discharged alive after ambulance treatment were mainly poisoned by opiates (70%), were frequently comatose (35%), had respiratory depression (37%), and many received naloxone (49%). The majority of the patients discharged from the outpatient clinic were poisoned by ethanol (55%), fewer were comatose (10%), and they rarely had respiratory depression (4%). Among the hospitalized, pharmaceutical poisonings were most common (58%), 23% were comatose, and 7% had respiratory depression. Male patients comprised 69% of the pre-hospital discharges, but only 46% of the hospitalized patients. Except for one patient, who died of a new heroin overdose two days following discharge from an ambulance, there were no deaths during the first week after the poisonings in the 90% of the pre-hospital discharged patients with known identity. Conclusion More than half of the poisoned patients treated in pre-hospital treatment settings were discharged without transfer to higher levels. These poisonings were more often caused by drug and

Pre-hospital treatment of acute poisonings in Oslo

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Nore Anne K

2008-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Poisoned patients are often treated in and discharged from pre-hospital health care settings. Studies of poisonings should therefore not only include hospitalized patients. Aims: To describe the acutely poisoned patients treated by ambulance personnel and in an outpatient clinic; compare patients transferred to a higher treatment level with those discharged without transfer; and study the one-week mortality after pre-hospital discharge. Methods A one-year multi-centre study with prospective inclusion of all acutely poisoned patients ≥ 16 years of age treated in ambulances, an outpatient clinic, and hospitals in Oslo. Results A total of 3757 health service contacts from 2997 poisoning episodes were recorded: 1860 were treated in ambulances, of which 15 died and 750 (40% were discharged without transfer; 956 were treated in outpatient clinic, of which 801 (84% were discharged without transfer; and 941 episodes were treated in hospitals. Patients discharged alive after ambulance treatment were mainly poisoned by opiates (70%, were frequently comatose (35%, had respiratory depression (37%, and many received naloxone (49%. The majority of the patients discharged from the outpatient clinic were poisoned by ethanol (55%, fewer were comatose (10%, and they rarely had respiratory depression (4%. Among the hospitalized, pharmaceutical poisonings were most common (58%, 23% were comatose, and 7% had respiratory depression. Male patients comprised 69% of the pre-hospital discharges, but only 46% of the hospitalized patients. Except for one patient, who died of a new heroin overdose two days following discharge from an ambulance, there were no deaths during the first week after the poisonings in the 90% of the pre-hospital discharged patients with known identity. Conclusion More than half of the poisoned patients treated in pre-hospital treatment settings were discharged without transfer to higher levels. These poisonings were more often

Gender inequality in acute coronary syndrome patients at Omdurman Teaching Hospital, Sudan

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Hyder O Mirghani

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Gender differences among patients with the acute coronary syndrome is still being debated, no research has been done on gender inequality among coronary syndrome patients in Sudan. Objectives: To study gender differences in presentation, management, and outcomes of acute coronary syndrome in Sudan. Subjects and Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive longitudinal study was conducted in Omdurman Teaching Hospital between July 2014 and August 2015. Patients were invited to sign a written informed consent form, were interviewed and examined by a physician, and then followed during their hospital stay. Information collected includes coronary risk factors, vital signs, echocardiography findings, arrhythmias, heart failure, cardiogenic shock, and death. The Ethical Committee of Omdurman Teaching Hospital approved the research. Results: A total of 197 consecutive acute coronary syndrome patients were included, 43.1% were females. A significant statistical difference was evident between males and females regarding the type of acute coronary syndrome, its presentation, and time of presentation to the hospital, smoking, and receipt of thrombolysis (P 0.05. Conclusion: Women were less likely to receive thrombolytic therapy, present with chest pain, and diagnosed with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. No gender differences were found in acute coronary syndrome risk factors apart from smoking, which was more common in males, and there were no differences between males and females as regards in-hospital complications.

Association between short sleep and body mass index, hypertension among acute coronary syndrome patients in coronary care unit.

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Sepahvand, Elham; Jalali, Rostam; Mirzaei, Maryam; Kargar Jahromi, Marzieh

2014-11-26

Patients with coronary diseases admitted to special care unit often suffer from sleep disorders, which may cause physiological changes and adversely affect patient's health. The relationship between sleep disorders and obesity is an important factor in studies on sleep disorders and other chronic diseases in all groups, including cardiovascular diseases. Understanding this relationship may increase the chance of progress in effective medical interventions in sleep disorders and obesity. This study was designed to evaluate the association between short sleep and Body Mass Index (BMI), hypertension among acute coronary syndrome patients. In this descriptive analytical study, 221 coronary patients admitted to coronary care unit and general wards were investigated. Data were collected through a researcher-made questionnaire whose validity and reliability had been confirmed. Data were analyzed with SPSS-16 software. A total of 221 patients with acute coronary diseases (including myocardial infarction and angina pectoris) with a mean age of 61.27 years were studied, of whom 61.5% were male and 38.5% were female. A significant association was observed between short sleep and higher BMI (P=0.000). About half the patients (49.3%) had a history of hypertension, and sleep disorders were also significantly related to hypertension (P=0.006). In this study, sleep disorders were patients' main complaint. Researchers found that patients with less than 5 hours or more than 9 hours sleep at night were more likely to have hypertension compared to patients that slept 7-8 hours. Lack of sleep affects metabolism, and daily energy expenditure reduces with increased immobility. In this study, a significant relationship was observed between BMI and sleep duration among hospitalized patients in coronary care unit (P=0.000), and sleep disorders increased with higher BMI. Short of sleep increases sympathetic tonus, cortisol level, and activation of inflammatory pathways, impairing glucose

Segmentation of hospital markets: where do HMO enrollees get care?

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Escarce, J J; Shea, J A; Chen, W

1997-01-01

Commercially insured and Medicare patients who are not in health maintenance organizations (HMOs) tend to use different hospitals than HMO patients use. This phenomenon, called market segmentation, raises important questions about how hospitals that treat many HMO patients differ from those that treat few HMO patients, especially with regard to quality of care. This study of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery found no evidence that HMOs in southeast Florida systematically channel their patients to high-volume or low-mortality hospitals. These findings are consistent with other evidence that in many areas of the country, incentives for managed care plans to reduce costs may outweigh incentives to improve quality.

[Emergency care in the autonomous regions of Spain. Improvement in pre-hospital emergency care and welfare coordination. SESPAS Report 2012].

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Miguel García, Félix; Fernández Quintana, Ana Isabel; Díaz Prats, Amadeo

2012-03-01

The present article describes the general organization of pre-hospital emergency care in the autonomous regions and provides data on activity corresponding to 2010, drawn from the information available in the Primary Care Information System of the Ministry of Health, Social Policy and Equality. Emergency care is provided through various organizational structures covering 24-hour periods. Family medicine attended 17.8 million emergency consultations and nursing attended 10.2 million (year 2010, 14 autonomous communities, 79.7% of the National Health System population). Emergency department utilization ranged between 0.11 and 0.83 urgent family physician consultations per inhabitant/year and between 0.05 and 0.57 nursing consultations per inhabitant/year. Any reform in the management of pre-hospital emergency care will involve organizational changes and aims to produce measurable improvements in healthcare coordination. In the new organizational designs, most of the responsibility lies with human resources in order to achieve the new goals for the future aims to be presented in an operational teamwork structure. Undoubtedly, the main challenge is to achieve optimal coordination with other welfare levels, including the police, social services, nursing homes, etc. If optimal care of the population needs to count on the efforts of all these groups, mobility, individual differences, consistent achievement of high standards, and -most of all- the use of these services by citizens will determine the final result. The results can be quantified in various ways, but evaluation should concentrate on the resources used, the degree of satisfaction among all the parties involved and optimal management of demand, which will help to disseminate the need for a rational resource use. Copyright © 2011 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Variation in critical care unit admission rates and outcomes for patients with acute coronary syndromes or heart failure among high- and low-volume cardiac hospitals.

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van Diepen, Sean; Bakal, Jeffrey A; Lin, Meng; Kaul, Padma; McAlister, Finlay A; Ezekowitz, Justin A

2015-02-27

Little is known about cross-hospital differences in critical care units admission rates and related resource utilization and outcomes among patients hospitalized with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) or heart failure (HF). Using a population-based sample of 16,078 patients admitted to a critical care unit with a primary diagnosis of ACS (n=14,610) or HF (n=1467) between April 1, 2003 and March 31, 2013 in Alberta, Canada, we stratified hospitals into high (>250), medium (200 to 250), or low (<200) volume based on their annual volume of all ACS and HF hospitalization. The percentage of hospitalized patients admitted to critical care units varied across low, medium, and high-volume hospitals for both ACS and HF as follows: 77.9%, 81.3%, and 76.3% (P<0.001), and 18.0%, 16.3%, and 13.0% (P<0.001), respectively. Compared to low-volume units, critical care patients with ACS and HF admitted to high-volume hospitals had shorter mean critical care stays (56.6 versus 95.6 hours, P<0.001), more critical care procedures (1.9 versus 1.2 per patient, <0.001), and higher resource-intensive weighting (2.8 versus 1.5, P<0.001). No differences in in-hospital mortality (5.5% versus 6.2%, adjusted odds ratio 0.93; 95% CI, 0.61 to 1.41) were observed between high- and low-volume hospitals; however, 30-day cardiovascular readmissions (4.6% versus 6.8%, odds ratio 0.77; 95% CI, 0.60 to 0.99) and cardiovascular emergency-room visits (6.6% versus 9.5%, odds ratio 0.80; 95% CI, 0.69 to 0.94) were lower in high-volume compared to low-volume hospitals. Outcomes stratified by ACS or HF admission diagnosis were similar. Cardiac patients hospitalized in low-volume hospitals were more frequently admitted to critical care units and had longer hospitals stays despite lower resource-intensive weighting. These findings may provide opportunities to standardize critical care utilization for ACS and HF patients across high- and low-volume hospitals. © 2015 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American

[Burnout syndrome in pre-hospital and hospital emergency. Cognitive study in two cohorts of nurses].

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Cicchitti, Chiara; Cannizzaro, Giorgia; Rosi, Fabrizio; Maccaroni, Roberto; Menditto, Vincenzo G

2014-01-01

Burnout syndrome (BOS) associated with stress has been documented in health care professionals in many specialties. The emergency department and the pre-hospital healthcare services are highly stressful environments. Little is known about the BOS in critical care nursing staff. The objective of the study is to compare the incidence of BOS and its three domains, namely, emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and reduced professional accomplishment, in two cohorts of critical care nurses: a pre-hospital and a hospital emergency service. A survey using a questionnaire (the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey, MBI-GS), among nurses of two Italian emergency services has been performed: a hospital emergency service (HES, Emergency Department or "Pronto Soccorso") and a pre-hospital emergency service (PHES, territorial healthcare service or "Centrale Operativa 118"). All 60 nurses surveyed (82% female) filled the questionnaires. BOS-related symptoms have been identified in at least 50% of the nurses in the HES: 50% suffered a medium-high emotional exhaustion, 75% had a medium-high depersonalization and 92.5% had a medium-high reduced professional accomplishment. Among the PEHS nurses, BOS-related symptoms have been identified in at least 60% of the respondents: 60% had a medium-high emotional exhaustion, 70% had a medium-high depersonalization and 95% had a medium-high reduced professional accomplishment. Moreover, the likelihood that a nurse has a severe BOS, that is at least one degree of high burnout or ≥2 degrees of medium burnout, is significantly higher in the group of the PHES than in the HES (90% vs 60%, p nursing staff had a severe BOS. The incidence of BOS appeared to be similar among PHES and HES nurses with a higher trend for the former. Further interventional studies are needed to investigate the determinants of BOS among critical care nurses and the potentially preventive strategies.

Nine-year comparison of presentation and management of acute coronary syndromes in Ireland: a national cross-sectional survey

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Shelley Emer

2005-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Shorter time to treatment is associated with lower mortality in acute coronary syndromes (ACS. A previous (1994 survey showed substantial delays for acute myocardial infarction (AMI in Ireland. The present study compared current practice with 1994 and surveyed acute coronary syndromes as a more complete contemporary evaluation of critical cardiac care than assessing AMI alone. Methods Following ethics committee approval, all centres (N = 39 admitting acute cardiac patients to intensive/coronary care unit provided information on 1365 episodes. A cross-sectional survey design was employed. Results Since 1994, median hospital arrival to thrombolysis time was reduced by 41% (76 to 45 minutes. Thrombolysis was delivered more often in the emergency department in 2003 (48% vs 2%. Thrombolysis when delivered in the emergency department was achieved faster than thrombolysis delivered in intensive/coronary care (35 mins v 60 mins; z = 5.62, p Conclusions Substantial improvements in time to thrombolysis have occurred since 1994, probably relating to treatment provision in emergency departments. Patient delay pre-hospital is still the principal impediment to effective treatment of ACS. A recent change of definition of AMI may have precluded an exact comparison between 1994 and 2003 data.

PRE-HOSPITAL EMERGENCY CARE IN SWEDEN

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Ulf BJÖRNSTIG

2004-01-01

In Sweden (9 million inhabitants, a sparsely populated country with sometimes long transportation distances to the nearest trauma hospital, 800 ambulances, 7 ambulance helicopters and 3–5 fixed wing ambulance aircraft are the available transport resources. In case of a mass casualty or disaster situation, inside or outside the country, a governmental project (Swedish National Medevac aims to convert a passenger aircraft from Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS to a qualified medical resource for long distance transport, with capacity to nurse six intensive care patients and an additional 6–20 lieing or seated patients during transport.

Trauma-informed care for children in the ambulance : international survey among pre-hospital providers

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Alisic, Eva; Tyler, Mark P; Giummarra, Melita J; Kassam-Adams, Rahim; Gouweloos, Juul; Landolt, Markus A; Kassam-Adams, Nancy

2017-01-01

Background: Pre-hospital providers, such as paramedics and emergency medical technicians, are in a position to provide key emotional support to injured children and their families. Objective: Our goal was to examine (a) pre-hospital providers' knowledge of traumatic stress in children, attitudes

Quality of Care at Hospitals Identified as Outliers in Publicly Reported Mortality Statistics for Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

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Waldo, Stephen W; McCabe, James M; Kennedy, Kevin F; Zigler, Corwin M; Pinto, Duane S; Yeh, Robert W

2017-05-16

Public reporting of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) outcomes may create disincentives for physicians to provide care for critically ill patients, particularly at institutions with worse clinical outcomes. We thus sought to evaluate the procedural management and in-hospital outcomes of patients treated for acute myocardial infarction before and after a hospital had been publicly identified as a negative outlier. Using state reports, we identified hospitals that were recognized as negative PCI outliers in 2 states (Massachusetts and New York) from 2002 to 2012. State hospitalization files were used to identify all patients with an acute myocardial infarction within these states. Procedural management and in-hospital outcomes were compared among patients treated at outlier hospitals before and after public report of outlier status. Patients at nonoutlier institutions were used to control for temporal trends. Among 86 hospitals, 31 were reported as outliers for excess mortality. Outlier facilities were larger, treating more patients with acute myocardial infarction and performing more PCIs than nonoutlier hospitals ( P fashion (interaction P =0.50) after public report of outlier status. The likelihood of in-hospital mortality decreased at outlier institutions (RR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.81-0.85) after public report, and to a lesser degree at nonoutlier institutions (RR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.87-0.92; interaction P <0.001). Among patients that underwent PCI, in-hospital mortality decreased at outlier institutions after public recognition of outlier status in comparison with prior (RR, 0.72; 9% CI, 0.66-0.79), a decline that exceeded the reduction at nonoutlier institutions (RR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.80-0.96; interaction P <0.001). Large hospitals with higher clinical volume are more likely to be designated as negative outliers. The rates of percutaneous revascularization increased similarly at outlier and nonoutlier institutions after report of outlier status. After outlier

Do stable non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes require admission to coronary care units?

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van Diepen, Sean; Lin, Meng; Bakal, Jeffrey A; McAlister, Finlay A; Kaul, Padma; Katz, Jason N; Fordyce, Christopher B; Southern, Danielle A; Graham, Michelle M; Wilton, Stephen B; Newby, L Kristin; Granger, Christopher B; Ezekowitz, Justin A

2016-05-01

Clinical practice guidelines recommend admitting patients with stable non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE ACS) to telemetry units, yet up to two-thirds of patients are admitted to higher-acuity critical care units (CCUs). The outcomes of patients with stable NSTE ACS initially admitted to a CCU vs a cardiology ward with telemetry have not been described. We used population-based data of 7,869 patients hospitalized with NSTE ACS admitted to hospitals in Alberta, Canada, between April 1, 2007, and March 31, 2013. We compared outcomes among patients initially admitted to a CCU (n=5,141) with those admitted to cardiology telemetry wards (n=2,728). Patients admitted to cardiology telemetry wards were older (median 69 vs 65years, PST-segment myocardial infarction or unstable angina. There were no differences in clinical outcomes observed between patients with NSTE ACS initially admitted to a ward or a CCU. These findings suggest that stable NSTE ACS may be managed appropriately on telemetry wards and presents an opportunity to reduce hospital costs and critical care capacity strain. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Impact of pre-hospital antibiotic use on community-acquired pneumonia.

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Simonetti, A F; Viasus, D; Garcia-Vidal, C; Grillo, S; Molero, L; Dorca, J; Carratalà, J

2014-09-01

Information on the influence of pre-hospital antibiotic treatment on the causative organisms, clinical features and outcomes of patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) remains scarce. We performed an observational study of a prospective cohort of non-immunosuppressed adults hospitalized with CAP between 2003 and 2012. Patients were divided into two groups: those who had received pre-hospital antibiotic treatment for the same episode of CAP and those who had not. A propensity score was used to match patients. Of 2179 consecutive episodes of CAP, 376 (17.3%) occurred in patients who had received pre-hospital antibiotic treatment. After propensity score matching, Legionella pneumophila was more frequently identified in patients with pre-hospital antibiotic treatment, while Streptococcus pneumoniae was less common (p sensitivity and specificity of the pneumococcal urinary antigen test for diagnosing pneumococcal pneumonia were similar in the two groups. Patients with pre-hospital antibiotic treatment were less likely to present fever (p 0.02) or leucocytosis (p 0.001). Conversely, chest X-ray cavitation was more frequent in these patients (p 0.04). No significant differences were found in the frequency of patients classified into high-risk Pneumonia Severity Index classes, in intensive care unit admission, or in 30-day mortality between the groups. In conclusion, L. pneumophila occurrence was nearly three times higher in patients who received pre-hospital antibiotics. After a propensity-adjusted analysis, no significant differences were found in prognosis between study groups. Pre-hospital antibiotic use should be considered when choosing aetiological diagnostic tests and empirical antibiotic therapy in patients with CAP. © 2013 The Authors Clinical Microbiology and Infection © 2013 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.

Opportunities for Prevention: Assessing Where Low-Income Patients Seek Care for Preventable Coronary Artery Disease.

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Klaiman, Tamar A; Valdmanis, Vivian G; Bernet, Patrick; Moises, James

2015-10-01

The Affordable Care Act has many aspects that are aimed at improving health care for all Americans, including mandated insurance coverage for individuals, as well as required community health needs assessments (CHNAs), and reporting of investments in community benefit by nonprofit hospitals in order to maintain tax exemptions. Although millions of Americans have gained access to health insurance, many--often the most vulnerable--remain uninsured, and will continue to depend on hospital community benefits for care. Understanding where patients go for care can assist hospitals and communities to develop their CHNA and implementation plans in order to focus resources where the need for prevention is greatest. This study evaluated patient care-seeking behavior among patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) in Florida in 2008--analyzed in 2013--to assess whether low-income patients accessed specific safety net hospitals for treatment or received care from hospitals that were geographically closer to their residence. This study found evidence that low-income patients went to hospitals that treated more low-income patients, regardless of where they lived. The findings demonstrate that hospitals-especially public safety net hospitals with a tradition of treating low-income patients suffering from CAD-should focus prevention activities where low-income patients reside.

Ways to Reduce In-Hospital Mortality in Patients with Cardiogenic Shock in Acute Coronary Syndrome

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G. V. Artamonova

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: to analyze a medical care system for acute coronary syndrome (ACS in a large city in terms of in-hospital cardiogenic shock mortality risk management. Materials and methods. The health care facility management system for a risk for cardiogenic shock (CS and its poor outcome (death was a methodological basis of this study. The information from case histories of ACS patients consecutively admitted to the Kemerovo Cardiology Dispensary (Kemerovo, Russia in the period 2006 to 2011 was used to develop an electronic database. Sampling included 19281 patients with ACS, 6537 with myocardial infarction (MI, 493 with CS. Results and discussion. The medical care system for patients with ACS encompasses an emergency team (a prehospital level, a specialized cardiac hospital (an in-hospital level with a multistage therapeutic and diagnostic process in relation the severity of a patient’s status. The management is based on the principle of continuity of care, by applying the well-defined activity algorithms through valid information exchange and risk stratification for poor outcomes of ACS. An antishock team working just in the admission unit of a hospital was set up to treat high CS risk patients. A systems approach allowed the strategy of early specialized medical care to be developed with a priority of primary percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI as reperfusion therapy in patients with ST-elevation MI. In 2006-2011, every three patients with suspected ACS had verified MI that was com_ plicated by CS in 7.5%. In the CS group, the in-hospital mortality rates totaled 88.0% of cases; that after primary Адрес для корреспонденции (Correspondence to: PCI was 62.2%. In the examined period, the introduction of innovation clinical and organizational approaches provided a reduction in this indicator by 17.6 and 37.5%, respectively. Conclusion. The efficiency of risk management for CS and its poor outcomes in patients with ACS is

Verbal abuse and mobbing in pre-hospital care services in Chile.

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Campo, Varinia Rodríguez; Klijn, Tatiana Paravic

2018-01-08

to determine the perception of verbal abuse and mobbing and the associated factors of paramedic technicians (nursing assistants) and professionals (nurses, midwives, kinesiologists) in the pre-hospital care areas of three regions in the south of Chile. descriptive and correlational study was performed within the professional community and a two-stage sample of the paramedic technician population in three regions. The questionnaire "workplace violence in the health sector" (spanish version) was applied after signing the informed consent. 51.4% of professionals and 46.6% of paramedic technicians consider they have been verbally abused during last year. 17.6% of paramedic technicians and 13.5% of professionals perceived mobbing. A low percentage of these events are reported. In only one case of mobbing, the aggressor was legally penalized. No significant differences were found between the job categories and the studied regions. A high percentage of participants in each group perceived verbal abuse and non-minor percentage perceived mobbing, but most of these events are not reported.

Influence of inpatient service specialty on care processes and outcomes for patients with non ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes.

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Roe, Matthew T; Chen, Anita Y; Mehta, Rajendra H; Li, Yun; Brindis, Ralph G; Smith, Sidney C; Rumsfeld, John S; Gibler, W Brian; Ohman, E Magnus; Peterson, Eric D

2007-09-04

Since the broad dissemination of practice guidelines, the association of specialty care with the treatment of patients with acute coronary syndromes has not been studied. We evaluated 55 994 patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes (ischemic ST-segment changes and/or positive cardiac markers) included in the CRUSADE (Can Rapid Risk Stratification of Unstable Angina Patients Suppress Adverse Outcomes With Early Implementation of the ACC/AHA Guidelines) Quality Improvement Initiative from January 2001 through September 2003 at 301 tertiary US hospitals with full revascularization capabilities. We compared baseline characteristics, the use of American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines class I recommendations, and in-hospital outcomes by the specialty of the primary in-patient service (cardiology versus noncardiology). A total of 35 374 patients (63.2%) were primarily cared for by a cardiology service, and these patients had lower-risk clinical characteristics, but they more commonly received acute (processes were improved when care was provided by a cardiology service regardless of the propensity to receive cardiology care. The adjusted risk of in-hospital mortality was lower with care provided by a cardiology service (adjusted odds ratio 0.80, 95% confidence interval 0.73 to 0.88), and adjustment for differences in the use of acute medications and invasive procedures partially attenuated this mortality difference (adjusted odds ratio 0.92, 95% confidence interval 0.83 to 1.02). Non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome patients primarily cared for by a cardiology inpatient service more commonly received evidence-based treatments and had a lower risk of mortality, but these patients had lower-risk clinical characteristics. Results from the present analysis highlight the difficulties with accurately determining how specialty care is associated with treatment patterns and clinical outcomes for patients with acute

Impact of Pre-Diabetes on Coronary Plaque Composition and Clinical Outcome in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndromes: An Analysis From the PROSPECT Study.

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Farhan, Serdar; Redfors, Björn; Maehara, Akiko; McAndrew, Thomas; Ben-Yehuda, Ori; De Bruyne, Bernard; Mehran, Roxana; Giustino, Gennaro; Kirtane, Ajay J; Serruys, Patrick W; Mintz, Gary S; Stone, Gregg W

2017-10-14

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of pre-diabetes (pre-DM) on coronary plaque characteristics and ischemic outcomes in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Pre-DM (i.e., the early stages of glucometabolic disturbance) is common among patients with ACS, but the extent to which pre-DM influences coronary plaque characteristics and the risk for adverse ischemic events is unclear. In the PROSPECT (Providing Regional Observations to Study Predictors of Events in Coronary Tree) study, patients with ACS underwent quantitative coronary angiography, grayscale intravascular ultrasound, and radiofrequency intravascular ultrasound after successful percutaneous coronary intervention. Patients were divided into 3 groups according to their glucometabolic status, as defined by the American Diabetes Association: normal glucose metabolism (NGM), pre-DM, and diabetes mellitus (DM). These groups were compared with regard to coronary plaque characteristics and the risk for major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) (defined as cardiac death or arrest, myocardial infarction, or rehospitalization for unstable or progressive angina). Among 547 patients, 162 (29.6%) had NGM, 202 (36.9%) had pre-DM, and 183 (33.4%) had DM. There were no significant differences between the groups with regard to intravascular ultrasound findings indicative of vulnerable plaques. Patients with DM had a higher crude rate of MACEs than those with pre-DM or NGM (25.9% vs. 16.3% and 16.1%; p = 0.03 and p = 0.02, respectively). In an adjusted Cox regression model using NGM as the reference group, DM (hazard ratio: 2.20; 95% confidence interval: 1.25 to 3.86; p = 0.006) but not pre-DM (hazard ratio: 1.29; 95% confidence interval: 0.71 to 2.33; p = 0.41) was associated with increased risk for MACEs. Impaired glucose metabolism is common among patients presenting with ACS. DM but not pre-DM is associated with an increased risk for MACEs. Thus, preventing patients from progressing from pre

Profile of conventional risk factors in patients presenting for coronary angiography in a tertiary care hospital

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qureshi, N.S.

2014-01-01

The conventional risk factors for coronary artery disease (CAD) include hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidaemia and cigarette smoking(1). There is a large body of evidence, which implicates these factors in the causation of coronary artery disease. Objective: To study the attern of the above-mentioned as well as additional risk factors including age, gender, family history, obesity and hepatitis B and C seropositivity in the population of patients undergoing coronary angiography at our tertiary care hospital.Methodology:In this cross-sectional survey, 465 patients undergoing coronary angiography were studied using a questionnaire as well as clinical and laboratory data. The information obtained included age, sex, clinical presentation, past medical history, family history, the presence or absence of previous ischemic heart disease, diabetes, hypertension and a history of smoking. A history of duration of diabetes and hypertension, their treatment and the presence or absence of complications was also noted. A proportion of patients had their fasting blood lipid levels measured. Height, weight and waist circumference as well as HepBsAg and anti-HCV levels were also determined.Results: The 465 patients studied included 383 males and 82 females. The mean age of all patients was 49.68 +- 0.464 years and the difference between genders was not significant. A past history of ischaemic heart disease was present in 31% of patients. Diabetes mellitus was present in 23% of males and 45% of females. A history of hypertension was present in 30.8% males and 70.7% of the females. Of the patients who could be studied, the mean LDL was 110.29 +- 1.706 mg/dL, the mean HDL was 41.01 +- 0.319 mg/dL and the mean TG was 189.67 +- 4.21 mg/dL. The difference in lipid profile values between male and female patients was not significant (p-value >0.05). Waist circumference was increased in 69.7% males and 93.9% females and here the difference between genders was significant, Hep

Smoking restrictions and hospitalization for acute coronary events in Germany.

Science.gov (United States)

Sargent, James D; Demidenko, Eugene; Malenka, David J; Li, Zhongze; Gohlke, Helmut; Hanewinkel, Reiner

2012-03-01

To study the effects of smoking restrictions in Germany on coronary syndromes and their associated costs. All German states implemented laws partially restricting smoking in the public and hospitality sectors between August 2007 and July 2008. We conducted a before-and-after study to examine trends for the hospitalization rate for angina pectoris and acute myocardial infarction (AMI) for an insurance cohort of 3,700,384 individuals 30 years and older. Outcome measures were hospitalization rates for coronary syndromes, and hospitalization costs. Mean age of the cohort was 56 years, and two-thirds were female. Some 2.2 and 1.1% persons were hospitalized for angina pectoris and AMI, respectively, during the study period from January 2004 through December 2008. Law implementation was associated with a 13.3% (95% confidence interval 8.2, 18.4) decline in angina pectoris and an 8.6% (5.0, 12.2) decline in AMI after 1 year. Hospitalization costs also decreased significantly for the two conditions-9.6% (2.5, 16.6) for angina pectoris and 20.1% (16.0, 24.2) for AMI at 1 year following law implementation. Assuming the law caused the observed declines, it prevented 1,880 hospitalizations and saved 7.7 million Euros in costs for this cohort during the year following law implementation. Partial smoking restrictions in Germany were followed by reductions in hospitalization for angina pectoris and AMI, declines that continued through 1 year following these laws and resulted in substantial cost savings. Strengthening the laws could further reduce morbidity and costs from acute coronary syndromes in Germany.

Smoking restrictions and hospitalization for acute coronary events in Germany

Science.gov (United States)

Sargent, James D.; Demidenko, Eugene; Malenka, David J.; Li, Zhongze; Gohlke, Helmut

2013-01-01

Aims To study the effects of smoking restrictions in Germany on coronary syndromes and their associated costs. Methods and results All German states implemented laws partially restricting smoking in the public and hospitality sectors between August 2007 and July 2008. We conducted a before-and-after study to examine trends for the hospitalization rate for angina pectoris and acute myocardial infarction (AMI) for an insurance cohort of 3,700,384 individuals 30 years and older. Outcome measures were hospitalization rates for coronary syndromes, and hospitalization costs. Mean age of the cohort was 56 years, and two-thirds were female. Some 2.2 and 1.1% persons were hospitalized for angina pectoris and AMI, respectively, during the study period from January 2004 through December 2008. Law implementation was associated with a 13.3% (95% confidence interval 8.2, 18.4) decline in angina pectoris and an 8.6% (5.0, 12.2) decline in AMI after 1 year. Hospitalization costs also decreased significantly for the two conditions—9.6% (2.5, 16.6) for angina pectoris and 20.1% (16.0, 24.2) for AMI at 1 year following law implementation. Assuming the law caused the observed declines, it prevented 1,880 hospitalizations and saved 7.7 million Euros in costs for this cohort during the year following law implementation. Conclusions Partial smoking restrictions in Germany were followed by reductions in hospitalization for angina pectoris and AMI, declines that continued through 1 year following these laws and resulted in substantial cost savings. Strengthening the laws could further reduce morbidity and costs from acute coronary syndromes in Germany. PMID:22350716

Teamwork in a coronary care unit: facilitating and hindering aspects

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Bethania Ferreira Goulart

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract OBJECTIVE To identify, within a multidisciplinary team, the facilitating and hindering aspects for teamwork in a coronary care unit. METHOD A descriptive study, with qualitative and quantitative data, was carried out in the coronary care unit of a public hospital. The study population consisted of professionals working in the unit for at least one year. Those who were on leave or who were not located were excluded. The critical incident technique was used for data collection, by means of semi-structured interviews. For data analysis, content analysis and the critical incident technique were applied. RESULTS Participants were 45 professionals: 29 nursing professionals; 11 physicians; 4 physical therapists; and 1 psychologist. A total of 49 situations (77.6% with negative references; 385 behaviors (54.2% with positive references; and 182 consequences emerged (71.9% with negative references. Positive references facilitate teamwork, whereas negative references hinder it. A collaborative/communicative interprofessional relationship was evidenced as a facilitator; whereas poor collaboration among agents/inadequate management was a hindering aspect. CONCLUSION Despite the prevalence of negative situations and consequences, the emphasis on positive behaviors reveals the efforts the agents make in order to overcome obstacles and carry out teamwork.

Effects of a pre-operative home-based inspiratory muscle training programme on perceived health-related quality of life in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Valkenet, K; Trappenburg, J C A; Hulzebos, E H; van Meeteren, N L U; Backx, F J G

2017-09-01

Pre-operative inspiratory muscle training has been shown to decrease the incidence of postoperative pneumonia and length of hospital stay in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG). This study investigated if this decrease acted as a mediator on the time course of quality of life. Complementary analyses of a published randomised controlled trial. The initial trial included patients awaiting CABG surgery at a Dutch university hospital. The secondary analyses used data from the initial trial for patients who had completed at least one quality-of-life questionnaire. Participants were allocated at random to the intervention group or the usual care group. The intervention group followed a home-based pre-operative inspiratory muscle training programme. Quality of life was measured at five time points. Between-group differences in quality-of-life scores were analysed using mixed linear modelling. The secondary analyses used data for 235 patients. In line with the initial trial, pneumonia and length of hospital stay were decreased significantly in the intervention group. The time courses for all patients showed significant improvements in quality of life after surgery compared with baseline. No significant differences in quality of life were observed over time between the two groups. Despite decreased incidence of pneumonia and length of hospital stay in the intervention group, this study did not find any improvements in quality of life due to the pre-operative home-based inspiratory muscle training programme. Clinical trial registration number ISRCTN17691887. Copyright © 2016 Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Multivariate Analysis of Factors Influencing Length of Hospital Stay after Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery in Tehran, Iran

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Amin Torabipour

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Length of hospital stay (LOS is a key indicator for hospital management. Reducing hospital stay is a priority for all health systems. We aimed to determine the length of hospital stay following Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery (CABG based on its clinical and non-clinical factors. A cross-sectional study of 649 consecutive patients who underwent coronary artery bypass graft surgery was conducted in Imam Khomeini and Shariati university hospitals, Tehran, Iran. Data was analyzed by using non-parametric univariate tests and multiple linier regression models. Thirty seven independent variables including pre-operative, intra-operative and post-operative variables were analyzed. Finally, an appropriate model was constructed based on the associated factors. The results showed that 70.3% of the patients were male, and the mean age of the patients was 59.3 ± 10.4 years. The Mean (±SD and median of the LOS were 11.7 ± 7.1 and 9 days, respectively. Of 37 investigated variables, 24 qualitative and quantitative variables were significantly associated with length of stay (p<0.05. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that independent variables including age, medical insurance type, body mass index, and prior myocardial infarction; admission day, admission season, Cross-clamp time, pump usage, admission type, the number of laboratory tests and the number of specialty consultation had more effect on the hospital stay. We concluded that some significant factors influencing hospital stay after CABG were predictable and modifiable by hospital managers and decision makers to manage hospital beds.

Percutaneous coronary intervention of osteal lesions in newly established tertiary care cardiac hospital

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sultana, R.; Sultana, N.; Rasheed, S.J.; Jafary, M.H.; Ishaq, M.; Samad, A.

2010-01-01

To assess the outcome of percutanious Angioplasty in patients with osteal lesions in Coronary artery Diseases. This is a retrospective analysis of all coronary angiograms performed at the catheterization laboratory of Karachi Institute of Heart Diseases (KIHD), a tertiary referral center in Karachi, Pakistan, between the periods August 2006 to August 2008. Fifty patients were enrolled which included thirty-five men and fifteen women and all were >40 years of age. Each patient had a single target osteal lesion: twenty nine patients underwent PCI for ostial LAD lesion (among them twenty males and nine females), six had ostial LCX (five males and one female), and fifteen patients had osteal RCA stenosis (10-male patients and 5- female patients). After high-pressure balloon dilatation residual stenosis was reduced. Twelve patients were treated with bare metal stents (BMS) while thirty eight with drug eluting stents (DES). In all cases the procedure was successful without any pre and post procedural complications. A key issue in the treatment of an osteal lesion is to assure that the stent is inserted proximal enough to fully cover the osteal junction. Improvements in technique, equipment, adjunctive drug therapy and better understanding of the procedure have remarkably changed the practice of interventional cardiology. (author)

Improving sexual health for HIV patients by providing a combination of integrated public health and hospital care services; a one-group pre- and post test intervention comparison

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Dukers-Muijrers Nicole HTM

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Hospital HIV care and public sexual health care (a Sexual Health Care Centre services were integrated to provide sexual health counselling and sexually transmitted infections (STIs testing and treatment (sexual health care to larger numbers of HIV patients. Services, need and usage were assessed using a patient perspective, which is a key factor for the success of service integration. Methods The study design was a one-group pre-test and post-test comparison of 447 HIV-infected heterosexual individuals and men who have sex with men (MSM attending a hospital-based HIV centre serving the southern region of the Netherlands. The intervention offered comprehensive sexual health care using an integrated care approach. The main outcomes were intervention uptake, patients’ pre-test care needs (n=254, and quality rating. Results Pre intervention, 43% of the patients wanted to discuss sexual health (51% MSM; 30% heterosexuals. Of these patients, 12% to 35% reported regular coverage, and up to 25% never discussed sexual health topics at their HIV care visits. Of the patients, 24% used our intervention. Usage was higher among patients who previously expressed a need to discuss sexual health. Most patients who used the integrated services were new users of public health services. STIs were detected in 13% of MSM and in none of the heterosexuals. The quality of care was rated good. Conclusions The HIV patients in our study generally considered sexual health important, but the regular counselling and testing at the HIV care visit was insufficient. The integration of public health and hospital services benefited both care sectors and their patients by addressing sexual health questions, detecting STIs, and conducting partner notification. Successful sexual health care uptake requires increased awareness among patients about their care options as well as a cultural shift among care providers.

Mothers of Pre-Term Infants in Neonate Intensive Care

Science.gov (United States)

MacDonald, Margaret

2007-01-01

In this study, eight mothers of pre-term infants under the care of nursing staff and neonatologists in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Children's Hospital in Vancouver, British Columbia, were observed and interviewed about their birth experience and their images of themselves as mothers during their stay. Patterns and themes in the…

Influence of pre-existing inflammation on the outcome of acute coronary syndrome

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Odeberg, J.; Freitag, M.; Forssell, Henrik

2016-01-01

Objectives: Inflammation is a well-established risk factor for the development of coronary artery disease (CAD) and acute coronary syndrome (ACS). However, less is known about its influence on the outcome of ACS. The aim of this study was to determine if blood biomarkers of inflammation were...... that a pre-existing low-grade inflammation may dispose towards MI over UA....

Pre-treatment with a sinus node blockade, ivabradine, before coronary CT angiography

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lambrechtsen, J; Egstrup, K

2013-01-01

To evaluate whether a simple pre-treatment regimen of sinus node inhibition by ivabradine taken at home for only 1 day resulted in a lower pre-scanning heart rate (HR) and reduced the need for intravenous beta-blockers (BB) prior to coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA)....

Ambient air pollution, temperature and out-of-hospital coronary deaths in Shanghai, China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dai, Jinping; Chen, Renjie; Meng, Xia; Yang, Changyuan; Zhao, Zhuohui; Kan, Haidong

2015-01-01

Few studies have evaluated the effects of ambient air pollution and temperature in triggering out-of-hospital coronary deaths (OHCDs) in China. We evaluated the associations of air pollution and temperature with daily OHCDs in Shanghai, China from 2006 to 2011. We applied an over-dispersed generalized additive model and a distributed lag nonlinear model to analyze the effects of air pollution and temperature, respectively. A 10 μg/m 3 increase in the present-day PM 10 , PM 2.5 , SO 2 , NO 2 and CO were associated with increases in OHCD mortality of 0.49%, 0.68%, 0.88%, 1.60% and 0.08%, respectively. A 1 °C decrease below the minimum-mortality temperature corresponded to a 3.81% increase in OHCD mortality on lags days 0–21, and a 1 °C increase above minimum-mortality temperature corresponded to a 4.61% increase over lag days 0–3. No effects were found for in-hospital coronary deaths. This analysis suggests that air pollution, low temperature and high temperature may increase the risk of OHCDs. - Highlights: • Few studies have evaluated the effects of air pollution and temperature on OHCDs in China. • The present-day concentrations of air pollution were associated with OHCDs. • The effect of high temperatures on OHCDs was more immediate than low temperatures. • No significant effects were found for in-hospital coronary deaths. - Ambient air pollution and temperature may trigger out-of-hospital coronary deaths but not in-hospital coronary deaths

In-Hospital Death Prediction in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Monhart, Z.; Reissigová, Jindra; Zvárová, Jana; Grünfeldová, H.; Janský, P.; Vojáček, J.; Widimský, P.

2013-01-01

Roč. 1, č. 1 (2013), s. 52-52 ISSN 1805-8698. [EFMI 2013 Special Topic Conference. 17.04.2013-19.04.2013, Prague] Institutional support: RVO:67985807 Keywords : acute coronary syndrome * in-hospital death * prediction * multilevel logistic regression * non- PCI hospital Subject RIV: IN - Informatics, Computer Science

Greek Acute Coronary Syndrome Score for the Prediction of In-hospital and 30-Day Mortality of Patients With an Acute Coronary Syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Panagiotakos, Demosthenes B; Pitsavos, Christos; Georgousopoulou, Ekavi N; Notara, Venetia; Stefanadis, Christodoulos

2015-01-01

Risk evaluation of patients hospitalized with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) may contribute to their short-term prognosis improvement. The aim of this work was to develop a prediction index (score) for the risk assessment of 30-day death of ACS patients, using clinical and biological measurements at hospital admission. A sample of 6 Greek hospitals was selected, and almost all consecutive 2172 ACS patients from October 2003 to September 2004 were enrolled. Sociodemographic, biochemical, clinical, and lifestyle characteristics were recorded. Using as components age, systolic blood pressure, white blood cell count, creatine kinase-MB, and creatinine levels at the time of admission and the time between the onset of symptoms and presentation at hospital, a risk score (Greek Acute Coronary Syndrome score; range, 6-36) was developed and tested against in-hospital and 30-day outcome of the patients. The Greek Acute Coronary Syndrome score showed strong discriminating ability for in-hospital mortality (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.812; 95% confidence interval, 0.750-0.874; P period.

Pre-hospital transport times and survival for Hypotensive patients with penetrating thoracic trauma

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Mamta Swaroop

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Achieving definitive care within the "Golden Hour" by minimizing response times is a consistent goal of regional trauma systems . This study hypothesizes that in urban Level I Trauma Centers, shorter pre-hospital times would predict outcomes in penetrating thoracic injuries. Materials and Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed using a statewide trauma registry for the years 1999-2003 . Total pre-hospital times were measured for urban victims of penetrating thoracic trauma. Crude and adjusted mortality rates were compared by pre-hospital time using STATA statistical software. Results: During the study period, 908 patients presented to the hospital after penetrating thoracic trauma, with 79% surviving . Patients with higher injury severity scores (ISS were transported more quickly. Injury severity scores (ISS ≥16 and emergency department (ED hypotension (systolic blood pressure, SBP <90 strongly predicted mortality (P < 0.05 for each . In a logistic regression model including age, race, and ISS, longer transport times for hypotensive patients were associated with higher mortality rates (all P values <0.05. This was seen most significantly when comparing patient transport times 0-15 min and 46-60 min (P < 0.001. Conclusion: In victims of penetrating thoracic trauma, more severely injured patients arrive at urban trauma centers sooner . Mortality is strongly predicted by injury severity, although shorter pre-hospital times are associated with improved survival . These results suggest that careful planning to optimize transport time-encompassing hospital capacity and existing resources, traffic patterns, and trauma incident densities may be beneficial in areas with a high burden of penetrating trauma.

Choice of primary anesthetic regimen can influence intensive care unit length of stay after coronary surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Hert, Stefan G.; van der Linden, Philippe J.; Cromheecke, Stefanie; Meeus, Roel; ten Broecke, Pieter W.; de Blier, Ivo G.; Stockman, Bernard A.; Rodrigus, Inez E.

2004-01-01

BACKGROUND: Volatile anesthetics protect the myocardium during coronary surgery. This study hypothesized that the use of a volatile agent in the anesthetic regimen would be associated with a shorter intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital length of stay (LOS), compared with a total intravenous

ST-segment resolution with bivalirudin versus heparin and routine glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors started in the ambulance in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction patients transported for primary percutaneous coronary intervention

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Van't Hof, Arnoud; Giannini, Francesco; Ten Berg, Jurrien

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: Myocardial reperfusion after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) can be assessed by the extent of post-procedural ST-segment resolution. The European Ambulance Acute Coronary Syndrome Angiography (EUROMAX) trial compared pre-hospital bivalirudin and pre-hospital heparin o...

Pre-hospital administration of tirofiban in diabetic patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary angioplasty: a sub-analysis of the On-Time 2 trial.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Timmer, J.R.; Berg, J.; Heestermans, A.A.; Dill, T.; Werkum, J.W. van; Dambrink, J.H.; Suryapranata, H.; Ottervanger, J.P.; Hamm, C.; Hof, A.W. van 't

2010-01-01

AIMS: Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa blocking agents seem to improve percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) results in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). We aimed to compare the effect of pre-hospital administration of tirofiban in STEMI patients with and without diabetes mellitus

Pre-operative high sensitive C-reactive protein predicts cardiovascular events after coronary artery bypass grafting surgery: A prospective observational study

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Balciunas Mindaugas

2009-01-01

Full Text Available C-reactive protein is a powerful independent predictor of cardiovascular events in patients with coronary artery disease. The relation between C-reactive protein (CRP concentration and in-hospital outcome, after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG, has not yet been established. The study aims to evaluate the predictive value of pre-operative CRP for in-hospital cardiovascular events after CABG surgery. High-sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP levels were measured pre-operatively on the day of surgery in 66 patients scheduled for elective on pump CABG surgery. Post-operative cardiovascular events such as death from cardiovascular causes, ischemic stroke, myocardial damage, myocardial infarction and low output heart failure were recorded. During the first 30 days after surgery, 54 patients were free from observed events and 14 developed the following cardiovascular events: 10 (15% had myocardial damage, four (6% had low output heart failure and two (3% suffered stroke. No patients died during the follow-up period. Serum concentration of hs-CRP ≥ 3.3 mg/l (cut-off point obtained by ROC analysis was related to higher risk of post-operative cardiovascular events (36% vs 6%, P = 0.01, myocardial damage (24% vs 6%, P = 0.04 and low output heart failure (12% vs 0%, P = 0.04. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that hs-CRP ≥ 3.3 mg/l ( P = 0.002, O.R.: 19.3 (95% confidence interval (CI 2.9-128.0, intra-operative transfusion of red blood cells ( P = 0.04, O.R.: 9.9 (95% C.I. 1.1-85.5 and absence of diuretics in daily antihypertensive treatment ( P = 0.02, O.R.: 15.1 (95% C.I. 1.4-160.6 were independent predictors of combined cardiovascular event. Patients having hs-CRP value greater or equal to 3.3 mg/l pre-operatively have an increased risk of post-operative cardiovascular events after on pump coronary artery bypass grafting surgery.

[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

Pre-hospital management of patients with chest pain and/or dyspnoea of cardiac origin. A position paper of the Acute Cardiovascular Care Association (ACCA) of the ESC.

Science.gov (United States)

Beygui, Farzin; Castren, Maaret; Brunetti, Natale Daniele; Rosell-Ortiz, Fernando; Christ, Michael; Zeymer, Uwe; Huber, Kurt; Folke, Fredrik; Svensson, Leif; Bueno, Hector; Van't Hof, Arnoud; Nikolaou, Nikolaos; Nibbe, Lutz; Charpentier, Sandrine; Swahn, Eva; Tubaro, Marco; Goldstein, Patrick

2015-08-27

Chest pain and acute dyspnoea are frequent causes of emergency medical services activation. The pre-hospital management of these conditions is heterogeneous across different regions of the world and Europe, as a consequence of the variety of emergency medical services and absence of specific practical guidelines. This position paper focuses on the practical aspects of the pre-hospital treatment on board and transfer of patients taken in charge by emergency medical services for chest pain and dyspnoea of suspected cardiac aetiology after the initial assessment and diagnostic work-up. The objective of the paper is to provide guidance, based on evidence, where available, or on experts' opinions, for all emergency medical services' health providers involved in the pre-hospital management of acute cardiovascular care. © The European Society of Cardiology 2015.

Depression After First Hospital Admission for Acute Coronary Syndrome

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Osler, Merete; Mårtensson, Solvej; Wium-Andersen, Ida Kim

2016-01-01

We examined incidence of depression after acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and whether the timing of depression onset influenced survival. All first-time hospitalizations for ACS (n = 97,793) identified in the Danish Patient Registry during 2001-2009 and a reference population were followed...

The effect of nursing management development program on clinical competency in coronary care unit

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Ali Akbar Vaezi

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Background: Nurses are the main members in nursing cares and nursing managers can improve their clinical competency by applying better leadership skills. This study carried out to determine the effect of nursing management program on clinical competency of nurses in a coronary care unit (CCU.Methods: A quasi-experimental study was carried out in two educational hospitals in Yazd- Iran. These hospitals were allocated randomly in case and control hospitals. 25 matched nurses were selected by convenience sampling from both case and control hospitals. The clinical competency of nurses was measured by related questioners consisted of two dimensions caring and care management behaviors by self-evaluation and head nurse evaluation in case and control groups. Then, the intervention was implemented in four stages including nurse's development, managers' development, adaptation and supervision period during four months in the case group. After intervention, clinical competency of nurses was measured in both groups.Results: The results showed that before intervention more than 80% of nurses in two groups was in the moderate clinical competency level and they were proficient based on Benner's skill acquisition model. After intervention, nurses' clinical competency improved to higher level in case group but it didn't change in control group (P<0.05. Conclusion: Creating necessary modifications in nursing environments through the management development program by head nurses may improve nurses' clinical competency.

Knowledge of thromboprophylaxis guidelines pre- and post-didactic lectures during a venous thromboembolism awareness day at a tertiary-care hospital.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Dorzi, Hasan M; Cherfan, Antoine; Al-Harbi, Shmylan; Al-Askar, Ahmad; Al-Azzam, Saleh; Hroub, Ahmad; Olivier, Joan; Al-Hameed, Fahad; Al-Moamary, Mohamed; Abdelaal, Mohamed; Poff, Gregory A; Arabi, Yaseen M

2013-07-01

Didactic lectures are frequently used to improve compliance with practice guidelines. This study assessed the knowledge of health-care providers (HCPs) at a tertiary-care hospital of its evidence-based thromboprophylaxis guidelines and the impact of didactic lectures on their knowledge. The hospital launched a multifaceted approach to improve thromboprophylaxis practices, which included posters, a pocket-size guidelines summary and didactic lectures during the annual thromboprophylaxis awareness days. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to HCPs before and after lectures on thromboprophylaxis guidelines (June 2010). The questionnaire, formulated and validated by two physicians, two nurses and a clinical pharmacist, covered various subjects such as risk stratification, anticoagulant dosing and the choice of anticoagulants in specific clinical situations. Seventy-two and 63 HCPs submitted the pre- and post-test, respectively (62% physicians, 28% nurses, from different clinical disciplines). The mean scores were 7.8 ± 2.1 (median = 8.0, range = 2-12, maximum possible score = 15) for the pre-test and 8.4 ± 1.8 for the post-test, P = 0.053. There was no significant difference in the pre-test scores of nurses and physicians (7.9 ± 1.7 and 8.2 ± 2.4, respectively, P = 0.67). For the 35 HCPs who completed the pre- and post-tests, their scores were 7.7 ± 1.7 and 8.8 ± 1.6, respectively, P = 0.003. Knowledge of appropriate anticoagulant administration in specific clinical situations was frequently inadequate, with approximately two-thirds of participants failing to adjust low-molecular-weight heparin doses in patients with renal failure. Education via didactic lectures resulted in a modest improvement of HCPs' knowledge of thromboprophylaxis guidelines. This supports the need for a multifaceted approach to improve the awareness and implementation of thromboprophylaxis guidelines.

Pre-hospital care time intervals among victims of road traffic injuries in Iran. A cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Bigdeli, Maryam; Khorasani-Zavareh, Davoud; Mohammadi, Reza

2010-07-09

Road traffic injuries (RTIs) are a major public health problem, requiring concerted efforts both for their prevention and a reduction of their consequences. Timely arrival of the Emergency Medical Service (EMS) at the crash scene followed by speedy victim transportation by trained personnel may reduce the RTIs' consequences. The first 60 minutes after injury occurrence--referred to as the "golden hour"--are vital for the saving of lives. The present study was designed to estimate the average of various time intervals occurring during the pre-hospital care process and to examine the differences between these time intervals as regards RTIs on urban and interurban roads. A retrospective cross-sectional study was designed and various time intervals in relation to pre-hospital care of RTIs identified in the ambulance dispatch centre in Urmia, Iran from 20 March 2005 to 20 March 2007. All cases which resulted in ambulance dispatches were reviewed and those that had complete data on time intervals were analyzed. In total, the cases of 2027 RTI victims were analysed. Of these, 61.5% of the subjects were injured in city areas. The mean response time for city locations was 5.0 minutes, compared with 10.6 minutes for interurban road locations. The mean on-scene time on the interurban roads was longer than on city roads (9.2 vs. 6.1 minutes, p transport times from the scene to the hospital were also significantly longer for interurban incidents (17.1 vs. 6.3 minutes, p transport and total time intervals among EMS responding to RTI incidents were longer for interurban roads, compared to the city areas. More research should take place on needs-to and access-for EMS on city and interurban roads. The notification interval seems to be a hidden part of the post-crash events and indirectly affects the "golden hour" for victim management and it needs to be measured through the establishment of the surveillance systems.

Care and outcomes of Asian-American acute myocardial infarction patients: findings from the American Heart Association Get With The Guidelines-Coronary Artery Disease program.

Science.gov (United States)

Qian, Feng; Ling, Frederick S; Deedwania, Prakash; Hernandez, Adrian F; Fonarow, Gregg C; Cannon, Christopher P; Peterson, Eric D; Peacock, W Frank; Kaltenbach, Lisa A; Laskey, Warren K; Schwamm, Lee H; Bhatt, Deepak L

2012-01-01

Asian-Americans represent an important United States minority population, yet there are limited data regarding the clinical care and outcomes of Asian-Americans following acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Using data from the American Heart Association Get With The Guidelines-Coronary Artery Disease (GWTG-CAD) program, we compared use of and trends in evidence-based care AMI processes and outcome in Asian-American versus white patients. We analyzed 107,403 AMI patients (4412 Asian-Americans, 4.1%) from 382 United States centers participating in the Get With The Guidelines-Coronary Artery Disease program between 2003 and 2008. Use of 6 AMI performance measures, composite "defect-free" care (proportion receiving all eligible performance measures), door-to-balloon time, and in-hospital mortality were examined. Trends in care over this time period were explored. Compared with whites, Asian-American AMI patients were significantly older, more likely to be covered by Medicaid and recruited in the west region, and had a higher prevalence of diabetes, hypertension, heart failure, and smoking. In-hospital unadjusted mortality was higher among Asian-American patients. Overall, Asian-Americans were comparable with whites regarding the baseline quality of care, except that Asian-Americans were less likely to get smoking cessation counseling (65.6% versus 81.5%). Asian-American AMI patients experienced improvement in the 6 individual measures (P≤0.048), defect-free care (PAsian-Americans and whites. Compared with whites, the adjusted in-hospital mortality rate was higher for Asian-Americans (adjusted relative risk: 1.16; 95% confidence interval: 1.00-1.35; P=0.04). Evidence-based care for AMI processes improved significantly over the period of 2003 to 2008 for Asian-American and white patients in the Get With The Guidelines-Coronary Artery Disease program. Differences in care between Asian-Americans and whites, when present, were reduced over time.

Pharmaceutical care in Kuwait: hospital pharmacists' perspectives.

Science.gov (United States)

Katoue, Maram G; Awad, Abdelmoneim I; Schwinghammer, Terry L; Kombian, Samuel B

2014-12-01

Pharmaceutical care practice has been championed as the primary mission of the pharmacy profession, but its implementation has been suboptimal in many developing countries including Kuwait. Pharmacists must have sufficient knowledge, skills, and positive attitudes to practise pharmaceutical care, and barriers in the pharmacy practice model must be overcome before pharmaceutical care can be broadly implemented in a given healthcare system. To investigate hospital pharmacists' attitudes towards pharmaceutical care, perceptions of their preparedness to provide pharmaceutical care, and the barriers to its implementation in Kuwait. Six general hospitals, eight specialized hospitals and seven specialized health centers in Kuwait. A descriptive, cross-sectional survey was distributed to all pharmacists working in the governmental hospitals in Kuwait (385 pharmacists). Data were collected via a pre-tested self-administered questionnaire. Descriptive statistics including percentages, medians and means Likert scale rating (standard deviations) were calculated and compared using statistical package for social sciences, version 20. Statistical significance was accepted at a p value of Kuwait. Completed surveys were received from 250 (64.9%) of the 385 pharmacists. Pharmacists expressed overall positive attitudes towards pharmaceutical care. They felt well prepared to implement the various aspects of pharmaceutical care, with the least preparedness in the administrative/management aspects. Pharmacists with more practice experience expressed significantly more positive attitudes towards pharmaceutical care (p = 0.001) and they felt better prepared to provide pharmaceutical care competencies (p Kuwait advocate implementation of pharmaceutical care while also appreciating the organizational, technical and professional barriers to its widespread adoption. Collaborative efforts between health authorities and educational institutions, and the integration of innovative approaches in

Rising Billing for Intermediate Intensive Care among Hospitalized Medicare Beneficiaries between 1996 and 2010.

Science.gov (United States)

Sjoding, Michael W; Valley, Thomas S; Prescott, Hallie C; Wunsch, Hannah; Iwashyna, Theodore J; Cooke, Colin R

2016-01-15

Intermediate care (i.e., step-down or progressive care) is an alternative to the intensive care unit (ICU) for patients with moderate severity of illness. The adoption and current use of intermediate care is unknown. To characterize trends in intermediate care use among U.S. hospitals. We examined 135 million acute care hospitalizations among elderly individuals (≥65 yr) enrolled in fee-for-service Medicare (U.S. federal health insurance program) from 1996 to 2010. We identified patients receiving intermediate care as those with intensive care or coronary care room and board charges labeled intermediate ICU. In 1996, a total of 960 of the 3,425 hospitals providing critical care billed for intermediate care (28%), and this increased to 1,643 of 2,783 hospitals (59%) in 2010 (P billed for intermediate care, but billing steadily increased to 22.8% by 2010 (P billed for ICU care and ward-only care declined. Patients billed for intermediate care had more acute organ failures diagnoses codes compared with general ward patients (22.4% vs. 15.8%). When compared with patients billed for ICU care, those billed for intermediate care had fewer organ failures (22.4% vs. 43.4%), less mechanical ventilation (0.9% vs. 16.7%), lower mean Medicare spending ($8,514 vs. $18,150), and lower 30-day mortality (5.6% vs. 16.5%) (P billing increased markedly between 1996 and 2010. These findings highlight the need to better define the value, specific practices, and effective use of intermediate care for patients and hospitals.

Area Median Income and Metropolitan Versus Nonmetropolitan Location of Care for Acute Coronary Syndromes: A Complex Interaction of Social Determinants.

Science.gov (United States)

Fabreau, Gabriel E; Leung, Alexander A; Southern, Danielle A; James, Matthew T; Knudtson, Merrill L; Ghali, William A; Ayanian, John Z

2016-02-23

Metropolitan versus nonmetropolitan status and area median income may independently affect care for and outcomes of acute coronary syndromes. We sought to determine whether location of care modifies the association among area income, receipt of cardiac catheterization, and mortality following an acute coronary syndrome in a universal health care system. We studied a cohort of 14 012 acute coronary syndrome patients admitted to cardiology services between April 18, 2004, and December 31, 2011, in southern Alberta, Canada. We used multivariable logistic regression to determine the odds of cardiac catheterization within 1 day and 7 days of admission and the odds of 30-day and 1-year mortality according to area median household income quintile for patients presenting at metropolitan and nonmetropolitan hospitals. In models adjusting for area income, patients who presented at nonmetropolitan facilities had lower adjusted odds of receiving cardiac catheterization within 1 day of admission (odds ratio 0.22, 95% CI 0.11-0.46, Pcommunities. © 2016 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley Blackwell.

The effect of a sweet potato, footbath, and acupressure intervention in preventing constipation in hospitalized patients with acute coronary syndromes.

Science.gov (United States)

Ren, Kai; Qiu, Jingbo; Wang, Xiaohua; Niu, Fenglin; Jiang, Tingbo

2012-01-01

Constipation is a common health problem that adversely affects quality of life and the prognosis of hospitalized patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). The purpose of this study was to develop and test the sweet potato/footbath/acupressure massage (SFA) intervention as a safe treatment for prevention of constipation and to increase satisfaction with bowel emptying in hospitalized patients with ACS. The study was a prospective, randomized controlled trial with a sample of 93 patients (SFA group, n = 44; usual care group, n = 49). Patients in the SFA group received SFA intervention combined with usual care. The results showed that there were statistical differences between the two groups in terms of (1) the incidence of constipation; (2) the use of laxatives and enemas; (3) patients' subjective satisfaction with their bowel emptying during hospitalization; and (4) sensation of incomplete evacuation and anorectal obstruction/blockade. The SFA intervention was more effective, economical, and practical than usual care alone in managing constipation and satisfaction with defecation in patients hospitalized with ACS.

Costs of war: excess health care burdens during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq (relative to the health care experience pre-war).

Science.gov (United States)

2012-11-01

This report estimates the health care burden related to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan by calculating the difference between the total health care delivered to U.S. military members during wartime (October 2001 to June 2012) and that which would have been delivered if pre-war (January 1998 to August 2001) rates of ambulatory visits, hospitalizations, and hospital bed days of active component members of the U.S. Armed Forces had persisted during the war. Overall, there were estimated excesses of 17,023,491 ambulatory visits, 66,768 hospitalizations, and 634,720 hospital bed days during the war period relative to that expected based on pre-war experience. Army and Marine Corps members and service members older than 30 accounted for the majority of excess medical care during the war period. The illness/injury-specific category of mental disorders was the single largest contributor to the total estimated excesses of ambulatory visits, hospitalizations, and bed days. The total health care burdens associated with the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are undoubtedly greater than those enumerated in this report because this analysis did not address care delivered in deployment locations or at sea, care rendered by civilian providers to reserve component members in their home communities, care of veterans by the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs, preventive care for the sake of force health protection, and future health care associated with wartime injuries and illnesses.

Factors associated with mortality in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cintia Koerich

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objective: to investigate the factors associated with mortality in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting in a cardiovascular referral hospital in Santa Catarina. Method: quantitative, exploratory, descriptive and retrospective study. The medical records of 1447 patients, from 2005 to 2013, were analyzed for statistically related variables, these being: profile, hospitalization diagnosis, risk factors for coronary artery disease, complications recorded during the hospitalization, length of hospitalization and cause of death. Results: the mortality rate was 5.3% during the study period. Death was more common in females and those of black skin color, with a mean age of 65 years. Acute myocardial infarction was the most common hospitalization diagnosis. The majority of the complications recorded during hospitalization were characterized by changes in the cardiovascular system, with longer hospitalization periods being directly related to death from septic shock. Conclusion: the data provide subsidies for nursing work with preventive measures and early detection of complications associated with coronary artery bypass grafting. This reinforces the importance of using the data as quality indicators, aiming to guarantee care guided by reliable information to guide managers in planning patient care and high complexity health services.

Pre-hospital care time intervals among victims of road traffic injuries in Iran. A cross-sectional study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bigdeli Maryam

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Road traffic injuries (RTIs are a major public health problem, requiring concerted efforts both for their prevention and a reduction of their consequences. Timely arrival of the Emergency Medical Service (EMS at the crash scene followed by speedy victim transportation by trained personnel may reduce the RTIs' consequences. The first 60 minutes after injury occurrence - referred to as the "golden hour"- are vital for the saving of lives. The present study was designed to estimate the average of various time intervals occurring during the pre-hospital care process and to examine the differences between these time intervals as regards RTIs on urban and interurban roads. Method A retrospective cross-sectional study was designed and various time intervals in relation to pre-hospital care of RTIs identified in the ambulance dispatch centre in Urmia, Iran from 20 March 2005 to 20 March 2007. All cases which resulted in ambulance dispatches were reviewed and those that had complete data on time intervals were analyzed. Results In total, the cases of 2027 RTI victims were analysed. Of these, 61.5 % of the subjects were injured in city areas. The mean response time for city locations was 5.0 minutes, compared with 10.6 minutes for interurban road locations. The mean on-scene time on the interurban roads was longer than on city roads (9.2 vs. 6.1 minutes, p Conclusion The response, transport and total time intervals among EMS responding to RTI incidents were longer for interurban roads, compared to the city areas. More research should take place on needs-to and access-for EMS on city and interurban roads. The notification interval seems to be a hidden part of the post-crash events and indirectly affects the "golden hour" for victim management and it needs to be measured through the establishment of the surveillance systems.

Community-based home-care program for the management of pre-eclampsia: an alternative.

OpenAIRE

Helewa, M; Heaman, M; Robinson, M A; Thompson, L

1993-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety, acceptability and cost of a community-based home-care program for the management of mild pre-eclampsia. DESIGN: A descriptive study of outcomes between Apr. 1, 1985, and Dec. 31, 1989. SETTING: St. Boniface General Hospital, Winnipeg. PATIENTS: Urban Winnipeg residents between 27 and 40 weeks' gestation with mild pre-eclampsia who demonstrated acceptance and compliance with home-care management; 321 patients of 1330 were enrolled in the program. INTERVENTION...

The pre-hospital administration of tranexamic acid to patients with multiple injuries and its effects on rotational thrombelastometry: a prospective observational study in pre-hospital emergency medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Kunze-Szikszay, Nils; Krack, Lennart A; Wildenauer, Pauline; Wand, Saskia; Heyne, Tim; Walliser, Karoline; Spering, Christopher; Bauer, Martin; Quintel, Michael; Roessler, Markus

2016-10-10

Hyperfibrinolysis (HF) is a major contributor to coagulopathy and mortality in trauma patients. This study investigated (i) the rate of HF during the pre-hospital management of patients with multiple injuries and (ii) the effects of pre-hospital tranexamic acid (TxA) administration on the coagulation system. From 27 trauma patients with pre-hospital an estimated injury severity score (ISS) ≥16 points blood was obtained at the scene and on admission to the emergency department (ED). All patients received 1 g of TxA after the first blood sample was taken. Rotational thrombelastometry (ROTEM) was performed for both blood samples, and the results were compared. HF was defined as a maximum lysis (ML) >15 % in EXTEM. The median (min-max) ISS was 17 points (4-50 points). Four patients (15 %) had HF diagnosed via ROTEM at the scene, and 2 patients (7.5 %) had HF diagnosed via ROTEM on admission to the ED. The median ML before TxA administration was 11 % (3-99 %) vs. 10 % after TxA administration (4-18 %; p > 0.05). TxA was administered 37 min (10-85 min) before ED arrival. The ROTEM results before and after TxA administration did not significantly differ. No adverse drug reactions were observed after TxA administration. HF can be present in severely injured patients during pre-hospital care. Antifibrinolytic therapy administered at the scene is a significant time saver. Even in milder trauma fibrinogen can be decreased to critically low levels. Early administration of TxA cannot reverse or entirely stop this decrease. The pre-hospital use of TxA should be considered for severely injured patients to prevent the worsening of trauma-induced coagulopathy and unnecessarily high fibrinogen consumption. ClinicalTrials.gov ID NCT01938768 (Registered 5 September 2013).

Investigating the effect of collaborative care on depression, anxiety, and stress of patients after coronary angioplasty

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Parastoo Rezapour

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Background: Coronary artery disease and its associated treatment interventions such as angioplasty can lead to emotional problems, including depression, anxiety, and stress, in patients and might have adverse effects on the recovery process. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of collaborative care model on depression, anxiety, and stress in patients after coronary angioplasty. Methods: This clinical trial was conducted on 50 patients undergoing coronary angioplasty, who were referred to intensive care unit and surgical ward of one of the hospitals of Isfahan, Iran, in 2015. Samples were selected through randomized convenience sampling and were divided into intervention and control group (n=25 for each group. Collaborative care model, consisting of four stages of motivation, preparation, engagement, and evaluation, was implemented for the intervention group through five 45-60 minute sessions and a three-month telephone follow-up. Data was collected using depression, anxiety, and stress scale (DASS-42 before and one month after the intervention from both groups. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square, as well as independent and paired t-tests in SPSS, version 18. Results: In this study, mean score of depression was significantly decreased in the intervention group after the implementation of collaborative model (from 31.6±3.7 to 6.3±5.03 (P<0.001, and mean anxiety and stress scores were reduced from 32.6±3.04 and 32.2±3.3 to 6.2±4.1 and 8.5±4.8, respectively (P<0.001. In this regard, a significant difference was observed between the intervention and control groups (P<0.001. Conclusion: Implementation of collaborative care could be associated with lower depression, anxiety, and stress in patients after coronary angioplasty. Therefore, its application is recommended as an effective method for such patients.

Investigating the effect of continuous care model on social health status of family caregivers in hospitalized patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T NasrAbadi

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Chronic patient care causes  some problems, including pressure or burden of care, reducing the time for routine activities and self care, also causes compatibility decline in deal with stress and disorders of physical and mental health, emotional, social and financial prosperity of caregivers. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of continuous care model on social health status of  family caregivers in patients  underwent coronary artery bypass surgeries. Methods: This study was  one-group clinical trial research, the samples consisted 48 family caregiver of  the patients  underwent coronary artery bypass graft  surgeries, who  were selected using purposive sampling method. Data collection tools included the standard questionnaire Data collection tool was Novak and Guest caring burden inventory (CBI s as well as demographic questionnaire, which  was  measured at the baseline and 8 weeks after intervention.  Data were analyzed using  descriptive  and analytic statistic (paired t-test, and covariance analysis with SPSS version 16. Results: The mean score of  caring burden realated  to  the social health status before intervention was 3.86±6.11 and after intervention was 1.81±2.33. In examining five dimensions burden of care,  continuous care model had an impact on all aspects of the  caring burden and it led to the reduction of the burden of care  in  all aspects.  So,  it had a significant decrease  in the social health status (p <0.01. Conclusion: Implementation of continuous care model as the intervention of cheaper and available,  can be an effective step inreducing the burden of care of the  patients with  coronary artery disease in health status of social.

Likelihood of treatment in a coronary care unit for a first-time myocardial infarction in relation to sex, country of birth and socioeconomic position in Sweden.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Dong; James, Stefan; de Faire, Ulf; Alfredsson, Lars; Jernberg, Tomas; Moradi, Tahereh

2013-01-01

To examine the relationship between sex, country of birth, level of education as an indicator of socioeconomic position, and the likelihood of treatment in a coronary care unit (CCU) for a first-time myocardial infarction. Nationwide register based study. Sweden. 199 906 patients (114 387 men and 85,519 women) of all ages who were admitted to hospital for first-time myocardial infarction between 2001 and 2009. Admission to a coronary care unit due to myocardial infarction. Despite the observed increasing access to coronary care units over time, the proportion of women treated in a coronary care unit was 13% less than for men. As compared with men, the multivariable adjusted odds ratio among women was 0.80 (95% confidence interval 0.77 to 0.82). This lower proportion of women treated in a CCU varied by age and year of diagnosis and country of birth. Overall, there was no evidence of a difference in likelihood of treatment in a coronary care unit between Sweden-born and foreign-born patients. As compared with patients with high education, the adjusted odds ratio among patients with a low level of education was 0.93 (95% confidence interval 0.89 to 0.96). Foreign-born and Sweden-born first-time myocardial infarction patients had equal opportunity of being treated in a coronary care unit in Sweden; this is in contrast to the situation in many other countries with large immigrant populations. However, the apparent lower rate of coronary care unit admission after first-time myocardial infarction among women and patients with low socioeconomic position warrants further investigation.

Superbugs causing ventilator associated pneumonia in a tertiary care hospital and the return of pre-antibiotic era!

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S Qureshi

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The rise in super bugs causing Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia (VAP is a major cause of mortality and morbidity despite recent advances in management owing to the looming ′antibiotic apocalypse′. The aetiology and susceptibility pattern of the VAP isolates varies with patient population, type of intensive care unit (ICU and is an urgent diagnostic challenge. The present study carried out for a period of one year in a tertiary care hospital, enrolled patients on mechanical ventilation (MV for ≥48 hrs. Endotracheal aspirates (ETA from suspected VAP patients were processed by semi quantitative method. Staphylococus aureus, members of Enterobacteriaceae were more common in early onset VAP (EOVAP, while Nonfermenting Gram negative bacilli (NFGNB were significantly associated with late onset VAP (LOVAP. Most of the isolates were multi drug resistant (MDR super bugs. With limited treatment options left for this crisis situation like the pre-antibiotic era; it is an alarm for rational antibiotic therapy usage and intensive education programs.

Bridging a divide: architecture for a joint hospital-primary care data warehouse.

Science.gov (United States)

An, Jeff; Keshavjee, Karim; Mirza, Kashif; Vassanji, Karim; Greiver, Michelle

2015-01-01

Healthcare costs are driven by a surprisingly small number of patients. Predicting who is likely to require care in the near future could help reduce costs by pre-empting use of expensive health care resources such as emergency departments and hospitals. We describe the design of an architecture for a joint hospital-primary care data warehouse (JDW) that can monitor the effectiveness of in-hospital interventions in reducing readmissions and predict which patients are most likely to be admitted to hospital in the near future. The design identifies the key governance elements, the architectural principles, the business case, the privacy architecture, future work flows, the IT infrastructure, the data analytics and the high level implementation plan for realization of the JDW. This architecture fills a gap in bridging data from two separate hospital and primary care organizations, not a single managed care entity with multiple locations. The JDW architecture design was well received by the stakeholders engaged and by senior leadership at the hospital and the primary care organization. Future plans include creating a demonstration system and conducting a pilot study.

Digital remote viewing system for coronary care unit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, P.S.; Tillisch, J.; Huang, H.K.

1987-01-01

A digital remote viewing system developed for the coronary care unit at the UCLA Medical Center has been in clinical operation since March 1, 1987. The present system consists of three 512-line monitors, VAX 11/750, Gould IP8500 image processor and a broad-band communication system. The patients' images are acquired with a computed radiography system and are transmitted to the coronary care unit, which is five floors above the radiology department. This exhibit presents the architecture and the performance characteristics of the system. Also, the second-generation system, which consists of an intelligent local work station with three 1,024-line monitors and a fast digital communication network, will be introduced

Frequency of color blindness in pre-employment screening in a tertiary health care center in Pakistan.

Science.gov (United States)

Chhipa, Shaukat Ali; Hashmi, Farzeen K; Ali, Shehreen; Kamal, Mustafa; Ahmad, Khabir

2017-01-01

To describe the frequency of color vision deficiency among Pakistani adults presenting for pre-employment health screening in a tertiary care hospital. The cross-sectional study was carried out at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, and the data was collected for color vision deficiency, age, gender, and job applied for from pre-employment examination during 2013-2014. IBM SPSS 20 was used for statistical analysis. Three thousand four hundred and thirty seven persons underwent pre-employment screening during 2013 and 2014; 1837 (53.44%) were males and 1600 (46.65%) females. The mean age was 29.01 (±6.53) years. A total of 0.9% (32/3437) persons had color vision deficiency with male being 1.4% and female 0.4%. Color vision deficiency was observed in 0.9% of candidates screened for pre-employment health check up in a tertiary care hospital. The color vision deficiency was predominantly present in male individuals.

Effect of sleep-inducing music on sleep in persons with percutaneous transluminal coronary angiography in the cardiac care unit.

Science.gov (United States)

Ryu, Min-Jung; Park, Jeong Sook; Park, Heeok

2012-03-01

The study compared the effect of earplug-delivered sleep-inducing music on sleep in persons with percutaneous transluminal coronary angiography in the cardiac care unit. Diverse types of music have been claimed to improve sleeping elsewhere, but relatively little is known in South Korea. Most studies investigating the effect of sleep-inducing music on sleep have involved persons with insomnia, even though many persons with cardiovascular disease in the intensive care unit suffer from sleeping problems. There is a need to investigate the effect of sleep-inducing music on sleep disorders in persons with percutaneous transluminal coronary angiography in the cardiac care unit. An experimental research design was used. Data collection was conducted in the cardiac care unit of K University Hospital in D city, from 3 September-4 October 2010. Fifty-eight subjects participated and were randomly assigned to the experimental group (earplug-delivered sleep-inducing music for 52 min beginning at 10:00 pm, while wearing an eyeshield, n = 29) and the control group (no music, but earplugs and eyeshield worn, n = 29). The quantity and quality of sleep were measured using questionnaires at 7 am the next morning for each group. Participants in the experimental group reported that the sleeping quantity and quality were significantly higher than control group (t = 3·181, p = 0·002, t = 5·269, p music significantly improved sleep in patients with percutaneous transluminal coronary angiography at a cardiac care unit. Offering earplugs and playing sleep-inducing music may be a meaningful and easily enacted nursing intervention to improve sleep for intensive care unit patients. Nurses working at cardiac care unit can use music to improve sleeping in clients with percutaneous transluminal coronary angiography. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Criteria-based audit of quality of care to women with severe pre-eclampsia and eclampsia in a referral hospital in Accra, Ghana.

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Joyce L Browne

Full Text Available Severe pre-eclampsia and eclampsia are one of the major causes of maternal mortality globally. Reducing maternal morbidity and mortality demands optimizing quality of care. Criteria-based audits are a tool to define, assess and improve quality of care. The aim of this study was to determine applicability of a criteria-based audit to assess quality of care delivered to women with severe hypertensive disorders in pregnancy, and to assess adherence to protocols and quality of care provided at a regional hospital in Accra, Ghana.Checklists for management of severe preeclampsia, hypertensive emergency and eclampsia were developed in an audit cycle based on nine existing key clinical care protocols. Fifty cases were audited to assess quality of care, defined as adherence to protocols. Analysis was stratified for complicated cases, defined as (imminent eclampsia, perinatal mortality and/or one or more WHO maternal near miss C-criteria.Mean adherence to the nine protocols ranged from 15-85%. Protocols for 'plan for delivery' and 'magnesium sulphate administration' were best adhered to (85%, followed by adherence to protocols for 'eclampsia' (64%, 'severe pre-eclampsia at admission' (60%, 'severe pre-eclampsia ward follow-up' (53% and 'hypertensive emergency' (53%. Protocols for monitoring were least adhered to (15%. No difference was observed for severe disease. Increased awareness, protocol-based training of staff, and clear task assignment were identified as contributors to better adherence.A criteria-based audit is an effective tool to determine quality of care, identify gaps in standard of care, and allow for monitoring and evaluation in a health facility, ultimately resulting in improved quality of care provided and reduced maternal morbidity and mortality. In our audit, good adherence was observed for plan for delivery and treatment with magnesium sulphate. Substandard adherence to a number of protocols was identified, and points towards

In-hospital management and outcomes of acute coronary syndromes in relation to prior history of heart failure.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Hanfei; Goodman, Shaun G; Yan, Raymond T; Steg, Ph Gabriel; Kornder, Jan M; Gyenes, Gabor T; Grondin, Francois R; Brieger, David; DeYoung, J Paul; Gallo, Richard; Yan, Andrew T

2016-06-01

The prognostic significance of prior heart failure in acute coronary syndromes has not been well studied. Accordingly, we evaluated the baseline characteristics, management patterns and clinical outcomes in patients with acute coronary syndromes who had prior heart failure. The study population consisted of acute coronary syndrome patients in the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events, expanded Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events and Canadian Registry of Acute Coronary Events between 1999 and 2008. Of the 13,937 eligible patients (mean age 66±13 years, 33% female and 28.3% with ST-elevation myocardial infarction), 1498 (10.7%) patients had a history of heart failure. Those with prior heart failure tended to be older, female and had lower systolic blood pressure, higher Killip class and creatinine on presentation. Prior heart failure was also associated with significantly worse left ventricular systolic function and lower rates of cardiac catheterization and coronary revascularization. The group with previous heart failure had significantly higher rates of acute decompensated heart failure, cardiogenic shock, myocardial (re)infarction and mortality in hospital. In multivariable analysis, prior heart failure remained an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality (odds ratio 1.48, 95% confidence interval 1.08-2.03, p=0.015). Prior heart failure was associated with high risk features on presentation and adverse outcomes including higher adjusted in-hospital mortality in acute coronary syndrome patients. However, acute coronary syndrome patients with prior heart failure were less likely to receive evidence-based therapies, suggesting potential opportunities to target more intensive treatment to improve their outcome. © The European Society of Cardiology 2015.

Clinical implementation of an emergency department coronary computed tomographic angiography protocol for triage of patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome

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Ghoshhajra, Brian B.; Staziaki, Pedro V.; Vadvala, Harshna; Kim, Phillip; Meyersohn, Nandini M.; Janjua, Sumbal A.; Hoffmann, Udo [Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Cardiac MR PET CT Program, Department of Radiology (Cardiovascular Imaging) and Division of Cardiology, Boston, MA (United States); Takx, Richard A.P. [Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Cardiac MR PET CT Program, Department of Radiology (Cardiovascular Imaging) and Division of Cardiology, Boston, MA (United States); University Medical Center Utrecht, Department of Radiology, Utrecht (Netherlands); Neilan, Tomas G.; Francis, Sanjeev [Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Cardiac MR PET CT Program, Department of Radiology (Cardiovascular Imaging) and Division of Cardiology, Boston, MA (United States); Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Division of Cardiology, Boston, MA (United States); Bittner, Daniel [Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Cardiac MR PET CT Program, Department of Radiology (Cardiovascular Imaging) and Division of Cardiology, Boston, MA (United States); University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuernberg (FAU), Department of Medicine 2 - Cardiology, Erlangen (Germany); Mayrhofer, Thomas [Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Cardiac MR PET CT Program, Department of Radiology (Cardiovascular Imaging) and Division of Cardiology, Boston, MA (United States); Stralsund University of Applied Sciences, School of Business Studies, Stralsund (Germany); Greenwald, Jeffrey L. [Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Department of Medicine, Boston, MA (United States); Truong, Quyhn A. [Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Cardiac MR PET CT Program, Department of Radiology (Cardiovascular Imaging) and Division of Cardiology, Boston, MA (United States); Weill Cornell College of Medicine, Department of Radiology, New York, NY (United States); Abbara, Suhny [Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Cardiac MR PET CT Program, Department of Radiology (Cardiovascular Imaging) and Division of Cardiology, Boston, MA (United States); UT Southwestern Medical Center, Department Cardiothoracic Imaging, Dallas, TX (United States); Brown, David F.M.; Nagurney, John T. [Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Department of Emergency Medicine, Boston, MA (United States); Januzzi, James L. [Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Division of Cardiology, Boston, MA (United States); Collaboration: MGH Emergency Cardiac CTA Program Contributors

2017-07-15

To evaluate the efficiency and safety of emergency department (ED) coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) during a 3-year clinical experience. Single-center registry of coronary CTA in consecutive ED patients with suspicion of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The primary outcome was efficiency of coronary CTA defined as the length of hospitalization. Secondary endpoints of safety were defined as the rate of downstream testing, normalcy rates of invasive coronary angiography (ICA), absence of missed ACS, and major adverse cardiac events (MACE) during follow-up, and index radiation exposure. One thousand twenty two consecutive patients were referred for clinical coronary CTA with suspicion of ACS. Overall, median time to discharge home was 10.5 (5.7-24.1) hours. Patient disposition was 42.7 % direct discharge from the ED, 43.2 % discharge from emergency unit, and 14.1 % hospital admission. ACS rate during index hospitalization was 9.1 %. One hundred ninety two patients underwent additional diagnostic imaging and 77 underwent ICA. The positive predictive value of CTA compared to ICA was 78.9 % (95 %-CI 68.1-87.5 %). Median CT radiation exposure was 4.0 (2.5-5.8) mSv. No ACS was missed; MACE at follow-up after negative CTA was 0.2 %. Coronary CTA in an experienced tertiary care setting allows for efficient and safe management of patients with suspicion for ACS. (orig.)

Delay in admission for elective coronary-artery bypass grafting is associated with increased in-hospital mortality

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Levy Adrian R

2008-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Many health care systems now use priority wait lists for scheduling elective coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG surgery, but there have not yet been any direct estimates of reductions in in-hospital mortality rate afforded by ensuring that the operation is performed within recommended time periods. Methods We used a population-based registry to identify patients with established coronary artery disease who underwent isolated CABG in British Columbia, Canada. We studied whether postoperative survival during hospital admission for CABG differed significantly among patients who waited for surgery longer than the recommended time, 6 weeks for patients needing semi-urgent surgery and 12 weeks for those needing non-urgent surgery. Results Among 7316 patients who underwent CABG, 97 died during the same hospital admission, for a province-wide death rate at discharge of 1.3%. The observed proportion of patients who died during the same admission was 1.0% (27 deaths among 2675 patients for patients treated within the recommended time and 1.5% (70 among 4641 for whom CABG was delayed. After adjustment for age, sex, anatomy, comorbidity, calendar period, hospital, and mode of admission, patients with early CABG were only 2/3 as likely as those for whom CABG was delayed to experience in-hospital death (odds ratio 0.61; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.39 to 0.96. There was a linear trend of 5% increase in the odds of in-hospital death for every additional month of delay before surgery, adjusted OR = 1.05 (95% CI 1.00 to 1.11. Conclusion We found a significant survival benefit from performing surgical revascularization within the time deemed acceptable to consultant surgeons for patients requiring the treatment on a semi-urgent or non-urgent basis.

[Minimally invasive coronary artery surgery].

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Zalaquett, R; Howard, M; Irarrázaval, M J; Morán, S; Maturana, G; Becker, P; Medel, J; Sacco, C; Lema, G; Canessa, R; Cruz, F

1999-01-01

There is a growing interest to perform a left internal mammary artery (LIMA) graft to the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) on a beating heart through a minimally invasive access to the chest cavity. To report the experience with minimally invasive coronary artery surgery. Analysis of 11 patients aged 48 to 79 years old with single vessel disease that, between 1996 and 1997, had a LIMA graft to the LAD performed through a minimally invasive left anterior mediastinotomy, without cardiopulmonary bypass. A 6 to 10 cm left parasternal incision was done. The LIMA to the LAD anastomosis was done after pharmacological heart rate and blood pressure control and a period of ischemic pre conditioning. Graft patency was confirmed intraoperatively by standard Doppler techniques. Patients were followed for a mean of 11.6 months (7-15 months). All patients were extubated in the operating room and transferred out of the intensive care unit on the next morning. Seven patients were discharged on the third postoperative day. Duplex scanning confirmed graft patency in all patients before discharge; in two patients, it was confirmed additionally by arteriography. There was no hospital mortality, no perioperative myocardial infarction and no bleeding problems. After follow up, ten patients were free of angina, in functional class I and pleased with the surgical and cosmetic results. One patient developed atypical angina on the seventh postoperative month and a selective arteriography confirmed stenosis of the anastomosis. A successful angioplasty of the original LAD lesion was carried out. A minimally invasive left anterior mediastinotomy is a good surgical access to perform a successful LIMA to LAD graft without cardiopulmonary bypass, allowing a shorter hospital stay and earlier postoperative recovery. However, a larger experience and a longer follow up is required to define its role in the treatment of coronary artery disease.

Evaluation of the effect of collaborative care on depression, anxiety and stress of patients after coronary angioplasty

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Rezapour Parastoo

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Background and Objective: Coronary artery disease and its associated treatment interventions such as angioplasty can lead to emotional problems, including depression, anxiety, and stress, in patients and might have adverse effects on the recovery process. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of collaborative care model on depression, anxiety, and stress in patients after coronary angioplasty. Materials and Methods: This clinical trial was conducted on 50 patients undergoing coronary angioplasty, who were referred to intensive care unit and surgical ward of one of the hospitals of Isfahan, Iran, in 2015. Samples were selected through randomized convenience sampling and were divided into intervention and control group (n=25 for each group. Collaborative care model, consisting of four stages of motivation, preparation, engagement, and evaluation, was implemented for the intervention group through five 45-60 minute sessions and a three-month telephone follow-up. Data was collected using depression, anxiety, and stress scale (DASS-42 before and one month after the intervention from both groups. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square, as well as independent and paired t-tests in SPSS, version 18. Results: In this study, mean score of depression was significantly decreased in the intervention group after the implementation of collaborative model (from 31.6±3.7 to 6.3±5.03 (P <0.001, and mean anxiety and stress scores were reduced from 32.6±3.04 and 32.2±3.3 to 6.2±4.1 and 8.5±4.8, respectively (P<0.001. In this regard, a significant difference was observed between the intervention and control groups (P<0.001. Conclusion: Implementation of collaborative care could be associated with lower depression, anxiety, and stress in patients after coronary angioplasty. Therefore, its application is recommended as an effective method for such patients.

Drug-drug interactions in prescriptions for hospitalized elderly with Acute Coronary Syndrome

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Tiago Aparecido Maschio de Lima

2017-11-01

Full Text Available The objective was to determine the rate of potential drug-drug interactions in prescriptions for elderly diagnosed with Acute Coronary Syndrome in a teaching hospital. This is an exploratory, descriptive study that analyzed 607 prescriptions through databases to identify and classify the interactions based on intensity (major, moderate or minor, the mechanism (pharmacokinetic or pharmacodynamics and documentation relevance. We detected 10,162 drug-drug interactions, distributed in 554 types of different combinations within the prescribed drugs, and 99% of prescriptions presented at least one and a maximum of 53 interactions; highlighting the prevalence of major and moderates ones. There was a correlation between the number of drug-drug interactions and the number of prescribed drugs and the hospitalization time. This study contributes for the delimitation of a prevalence pattern in drug-drug interactions in prescriptions for Acute Coronary Syndrome, besides subsidizing the importance of the effective implementation of the Clinical Pharmacy in teaching hospitals.

Association between use of pre-hospital ECG and 30-day mortality: A large cohort study of patients experiencing chest pain.

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Rawshani, Nina; Rawshani, Araz; Gelang, Carita; Herlitz, Johan; Bång, Angela; Andersson, Jan-Otto; Gellerstedt, Martin

2017-12-01

In the assessment of patients with chest pain, there is support for the use of pre-hospital ECG in the literature and in the care guidelines. Using propensity score methods, we aim to examine whether the mere acquisition of a pre-hospital ECG among patients with chest pain affects the outcome (30-day mortality). The association between pre-hospital ECG and 30-day mortality was studied in the overall cohort (n=13151), as well as in the one-to-one matched cohort with 2524 patients not examined with pre-hospital ECG and 2524 patients examined with pre-hospital ECG. In the overall cohort, 21% (n=2809) did not undergo an ECG tracing in the pre-hospital setting. Among those who had pain during transport, 14% (n=1159) did not undergo a pre-hospital ECG while 32% (n=1135) of those who did not have pain underwent an ECG tracing. In the overall cohort, the OR for 30-day mortality in patients who had a pre-hospital ECG, as compared with those who did not, was 0.63 (95% CI 0.05-0.79; pECG was used. The PH-ECG is underused among patients with chest discomfort and the mere acquisition of a pre-hospital ECG may reduce mortality. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparative care and outcomes for acute coronary syndromes in Central and Eastern European Transitional countries: A review of the literature.

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Smith, Fraser G D; Brogan, Richard A; Alabas, Oras; Laut, Kristina G; Quinn, Tom; Bugiardini, Raffaele; Gale, Chris P

2015-12-01

The purpose of this review was to compare quality of care and outcomes following acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in Central and Eastern European Transitional (CEET) countries. This was a review of original ACS articles in CEET countries from PubMed, ISI Web of Science, Medline and Embase databases published in English from November 2003 to February 2014. Seventeen manuscripts fulfilled the search criteria. Of 19 CEET countries studied, there were no published ACS management or outcome data for four countries. In-hospital mortality for patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) ranged from 6.3% in the Czech Republic to 15.3% in Latvia. In-hospital mortality for ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) ranged from 3.0% in Poland to 20.7% in Romania. For STEMI, primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) ranged from 1.0% to over 92.0%, fibrinolytic therapy from 0.0% to 49.6%, and no reperfusion therapy from 7.0% to 63.0%. Many CEET countries do not have published ACS care and outcomes data. Of those that do, there is evidence for substantial geographical variation in early mortality. Wide variation in emergency reperfusion strategies for STEMI suggests that acute cardiac care is likely to be modifiable and if addressed could reduce mortality from ACS in CEET countries. The collection of ACS care and outcomes data across Europe must be prioritised. © The European Society of Cardiology 2014.

Paramedics' experiences of financial medicine practices in the pre-hospital environment. A pilot study

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Craig Vincent-Lambert

2016-10-01

Objectives: This qualitative pilot study explored and described the experiences of South African Paramedics with regard to the practicing of financial medicine in the local pre-hospital emergency care environment. Method: A sample of South African Paramedics were interviewed either face-to-face or telephonically. The interviews were audio recorded and transcripts produced. Content analysis was conducted to explore, document and describe the participants' experiences with regard to financial medicine practices in the local pre-hospital environment. Results: It emerged that all of the participants had experienced a number of financial medicine practices and associated unethical conduct. Examples included Over-servicing, Selective Patient Treatment, Fraudulent Billing Practices, Eliciting of kickbacks, incentives or benefits and Deliberate Time Wasting. Conclusion: The results of this study are concerning as the actions of service providers described by the participants constitute gross violations of the ethical and professional guidelines for health care professionals. The authors recommend additional studies be conducted to further explore these findings and to establish the reasons for, and ways of, limiting financial medicine practices in the South African emergency care environment.

Coronary computed tomography and triple rule out CT in patients with acute chest pain and an intermediate cardiac risk for acute coronary syndrome

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Henzler, Thomas, E-mail: thomas.henzler@medma.uni-heidelberg.de [Institute of Clinical Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Center, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim (Germany); Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC (United States); Gruettner, Joachim, E-mail: joachim.gruettner@umm.de [Emergency Department, University Medical Center, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim (Germany); Meyer, Mathias, E-mail: mr.meyer.mathias@gmail.com [Institute of Clinical Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Center, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim (Germany); Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC (United States); Rothhaar, Baerbel, E-mail: baerbel.rothhaar@umm.de [Business Development – Medical Controlling, University Medical Center, Mannheim (Germany); Apfaltrer, Paul, E-mail: Paul.Apfaltrer@umm.de [Institute of Clinical Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Center, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim (Germany); Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC (United States); Metzger, Franz, E-mail: franz.metzger@umm.de [Business Development – Medical Controlling, University Medical Center, Mannheim (Germany); Borggrefe, Martin, E-mail: martin.borggrefe@umm.de [1st Department of Medicine (Cardiology), University Medical Center, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim (Germany); Schoepf, U. Joseph, E-mail: schoepf@musc.edu [Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC (United States); Schoenberg, Stefan O., E-mail: stefan.schoenberg@umm.de [Institute of Clinical Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Center, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim (Germany); and others

2013-01-15

Objective: To evaluate the economic impact of integrating coronary CT angiography (cCTA) or whole chest “triple-rule-out” CTA (TRO-CTA) in the work-up of patients with acute chest pain. Materials and methods: 100 consecutive emergency department patients with acute chest pain and an intermediate cardiac risk for ACS underwent cCTA or TRO-CTA (cCTA group). Diagnostic performance, rate and length of hospitalization, hospital costs, hospital reimbursement and hospital profit were analyzed. All findings were compared to those of 100 different patients with acute chest pain that were evaluated with a standard of care (SOC) diagnostic algorithm (SOC group) that did not include cCTA. Diagnostic performance (“safety”) of both algorithms was defined as the absence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) over a 90-day follow-up period. Results: In the cCTA group 60/100 patients were safely discharged at the same day. 19/100 patients were hospitalized due to significant coronary stenosis on cCTA, which was confirmed by invasive coronary catheterization (ICC) in 17/19 patients. Relevant non-coronary disease that led to hospitalization were found in 21 patients of the cCTA group. In the SOC group all patients were hospitalized. 87 of these hospitalized patients underwent ICC for exclusion of coronary artery stenosis. A significant coronary artery stenosis was found in only 25 of these patients. Within the cCTA group no patient suffered from MACE over the 90-day follow-up period. In the SOC group 2 patients were rehospitalized during the 90-day follow-up period due to recurrent chest pain and 1 patient because of a pseudoaneurym of the left femoral artery after ICC. The median hospital costs per patient were significantly lower in the cCTA group than in the SOC group (428.9€ vs. 1575.0€, p < 0.001). The median reimbursement of the cCTA group was less compared to the SOC group (589.8€ vs. 2412.1€, p < 0.001) and patients in the cCTA group gained less profit than

Coronary computed tomography and triple rule out CT in patients with acute chest pain and an intermediate cardiac risk for acute coronary syndrome

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Henzler, Thomas; Gruettner, Joachim; Meyer, Mathias; Rothhaar, Baerbel; Apfaltrer, Paul; Metzger, Franz; Borggrefe, Martin; Schoepf, U. Joseph; Schoenberg, Stefan O.

2013-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the economic impact of integrating coronary CT angiography (cCTA) or whole chest “triple-rule-out” CTA (TRO-CTA) in the work-up of patients with acute chest pain. Materials and methods: 100 consecutive emergency department patients with acute chest pain and an intermediate cardiac risk for ACS underwent cCTA or TRO-CTA (cCTA group). Diagnostic performance, rate and length of hospitalization, hospital costs, hospital reimbursement and hospital profit were analyzed. All findings were compared to those of 100 different patients with acute chest pain that were evaluated with a standard of care (SOC) diagnostic algorithm (SOC group) that did not include cCTA. Diagnostic performance (“safety”) of both algorithms was defined as the absence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) over a 90-day follow-up period. Results: In the cCTA group 60/100 patients were safely discharged at the same day. 19/100 patients were hospitalized due to significant coronary stenosis on cCTA, which was confirmed by invasive coronary catheterization (ICC) in 17/19 patients. Relevant non-coronary disease that led to hospitalization were found in 21 patients of the cCTA group. In the SOC group all patients were hospitalized. 87 of these hospitalized patients underwent ICC for exclusion of coronary artery stenosis. A significant coronary artery stenosis was found in only 25 of these patients. Within the cCTA group no patient suffered from MACE over the 90-day follow-up period. In the SOC group 2 patients were rehospitalized during the 90-day follow-up period due to recurrent chest pain and 1 patient because of a pseudoaneurym of the left femoral artery after ICC. The median hospital costs per patient were significantly lower in the cCTA group than in the SOC group (428.9€ vs. 1575.0€, p < 0.001). The median reimbursement of the cCTA group was less compared to the SOC group (589.8€ vs. 2412.1€, p < 0.001) and patients in the cCTA group gained less profit than

Impact of presentation and transfer delays on complete ST-segment resolution before primary percutaneous coronary intervention

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fabris, Enrico; van't Hof, Arnoud; Hamm, Christian W.

2017-01-01

AIMS: The aim of this study was to identify predictors of complete ST-segment resolution (STR) pre-primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients enrolled in the ATLANTIC trial. METHODS AND RESULTS: ECGs recorded at the time of inclusion (pre-hospital [pre-H]-ECG) and in the cathete...

Uncompensated care provided by for-profit, not-for-profit, and government owned hospitals.

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Cram, Peter; Bayman, Levent; Popescu, Ioana; Vaughan-Sarrazin, Mary S; Cai, Xueya; Rosenthal, Gary E

2010-04-07

There is growing concern certain not-for-profit hospitals are not providing enough uncompensated care to justify their tax exempt status. Our objective was to compare the amount of uncompensated care provided by not-for-profit (NFP), for-profit (FP) and government owned hospitals. We used 2005 state inpatient data (SID) for 10 states to identify patients hospitalized for three common conditions: acute myocardial infarction (AMI), coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), or childbirth. Uncompensated care was measured as the proportion of each hospital's total admissions for each condition that were classified as being uninsured. Hospitals were categorized as NFP, FP, or government owned based upon data obtained from the American Hospital Association. We used bivariate methods to compare the proportion of uninsured patients admitted to NFP, FP and government hospitals for each diagnosis. We then used generalized linear mixed models to compare the percentage of uninsured in each category of hospital after adjusting for the socioeconomic status of the markets each hospital served. Our cohort consisted of 188,117 patients (1,054 hospitals) hospitalized for AMI, 82,261 patients (245 hospitals) for CABG, and 1,091,220 patients for childbirth (793 hospitals). The percentage of admissions classified as uninsured was lower in NFP hospitals than in FP or government hospitals for AMI (4.6% NFP; 6.0% FP; 9.5% government; P < .001), CABG (2.6% NFP; 3.3% FP; 7.0% government; P < .001), and childbirth (3.1% NFP; 4.2% FP; 11.8% government; P < .001). In adjusted analyses, the mean percentage of AMI patients classified as uninsured was similar in NFP and FP hospitals (4.4% vs. 4.3%; P = 0.71), and higher for government hospitals (6.0%; P < .001 for NFP vs. government). Likewise, results demonstrated similar proportions of uninsured patients in NFP and FP hospitals and higher levels of uninsured in government hospitals for both CABG and childbirth. For the three conditions studied NFP

Pre-hospital Emergency Care

African Journals Online (AJOL)

20 Apr 1974 ... lance services, training programmes that are not geared to the needs of these personnel and, not least, a lack of interest on the part of the medical profession, with a few notable exceptions, in the whole question of emergency care. There is a re- luctance on the part of many doctors to assist in the training of ...

Trends in Modifiable Risk Factors Are Associated With Declining Incidence of Hospitalized and Nonhospitalized Acute Coronary Heart Disease in a Population.

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Mannsverk, Jan; Wilsgaard, Tom; Mathiesen, Ellisiv B; Løchen, Maja-Lisa; Rasmussen, Knut; Thelle, Dag S; Njølstad, Inger; Hopstock, Laila Arnesdatter; Bønaa, Kaare Harald

2016-01-05

Few studies have used individual person data to study whether contemporary trends in the incidence of coronary heart disease are associated with changes in modifiable coronary risk factors. We identified 29 582 healthy men and women ≥25 years of age who participated in 3 population surveys conducted between 1994 and 2008 in Tromsø, Norway. Age- and sex-adjusted incidence rates were calculated for coronary heart disease overall, out-of-hospital sudden death, and hospitalized ST-segment-elevation and non-ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction. We measured coronary risk factors at each survey and estimated the relationship between changes in risk factors and changes in incidence trends. A total of 1845 participants had an incident acute coronary heart disease event during 375 064 person-years of follow-up from 1994 to 2010. The age- and sex-adjusted incidence of total coronary heart disease decreased by 3% (95% confidence interval, 2.0-4.0; Pcoronary risk factors accounted for 66% (95% confidence interval, 48-97; Pcoronary heart disease. Favorable changes in cholesterol contributed 32% to the decline, whereas blood pressure, smoking, and physical activity each contributed 14%, 13%, and 9%, respectively. We observed a substantial decline in the incidence of coronary heart disease that was driven by reductions in out-of-hospital sudden death and hospitalized ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction. Changes in modifiable coronary risk factors accounted for 66% of the decline in coronary heart disease events. © 2015 American Heart Association, Inc.

Facilitators and obstacles in pre-hospital medical response to earthquakes: a qualitative study

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2011-01-01

Background Earthquakes are renowned as being amongst the most dangerous and destructive types of natural disasters. Iran, a developing country in Asia, is prone to earthquakes and is ranked as one of the most vulnerable countries in the world in this respect. The medical response in disasters is accompanied by managerial, logistic, technical, and medical challenges being also the case in the Bam earthquake in Iran. Our objective was to explore the medical response to the Bam earthquake with specific emphasis on pre-hospital medical management during the first days. Methods The study was performed in 2008; an interview based qualitative study using content analysis. We conducted nineteen interviews with experts and managers responsible for responding to the Bam earthquake, including pre-hospital emergency medical services, the Red Crescent, and Universities of Medical Sciences. The selection of participants was determined by using a purposeful sampling method. Sample size was given by data saturation. Results The pre-hospital medical service was divided into three categories; triage, emergency medical care and transportation, each category in turn was identified into facilitators and obstacles. The obstacles identified were absence of a structured disaster plan, absence of standardized medical teams, and shortage of resources. The army and skilled medical volunteers were identified as facilitators. Conclusions The most compelling, and at the same time amenable obstacle, was the lack of a disaster management plan. It was evident that implementing a comprehensive plan would not only save lives but decrease suffering and enable an effective praxis of the available resources at pre-hospital and hospital levels. PMID:21575233

Facilitators and obstacles in pre-hospital medical response to earthquakes: a qualitative study.

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Djalali, Ahmadreza; Khankeh, Hamidreza; Öhlén, Gunnar; Castrén, Maaret; Kurland, Lisa

2011-05-16

Earthquakes are renowned as being amongst the most dangerous and destructive types of natural disasters. Iran, a developing country in Asia, is prone to earthquakes and is ranked as one of the most vulnerable countries in the world in this respect. The medical response in disasters is accompanied by managerial, logistic, technical, and medical challenges being also the case in the Bam earthquake in Iran. Our objective was to explore the medical response to the Bam earthquake with specific emphasis on pre-hospital medical management during the first days. The study was performed in 2008; an interview based qualitative study using content analysis. We conducted nineteen interviews with experts and managers responsible for responding to the Bam earthquake, including pre-hospital emergency medical services, the Red Crescent, and Universities of Medical Sciences. The selection of participants was determined by using a purposeful sampling method. Sample size was given by data saturation. The pre-hospital medical service was divided into three categories; triage, emergency medical care and transportation, each category in turn was identified into facilitators and obstacles. The obstacles identified were absence of a structured disaster plan, absence of standardized medical teams, and shortage of resources. The army and skilled medical volunteers were identified as facilitators. The most compelling, and at the same time amenable obstacle, was the lack of a disaster management plan. It was evident that implementing a comprehensive plan would not only save lives but decrease suffering and enable an effective praxis of the available resources at pre-hospital and hospital levels.

Acute Phase Hyperglycemia among Patients Hospitalized with Acute Coronary Syndrome: Prevalence and Prognostic Significance

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Hameed Laftah Wanoose

2011-03-01

Full Text Available AbstractObjectives: Regardless of diabetes status, hyperglycemia on arrival for patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome, has been associated with adverse outcomes including death. The aim of this study is to look at the frequency and prognostic significance of acute phase hyperglycemia among patients attending the coronary care unit with acute coronary syndrome over the in-hospital admission days.Methods: The study included 287 consecutive patients in the Al- Faiha Hospital in Basrah (Southern Iraq during a one year period from December 2007 to November 2008. Patients were divided into two groups with respect to admission plasma glucose level regardless of their diabetes status (those with admission plasma glucose of <140 mg/dl (7.8 mmol/L and those equal to or more than that. Acute phase hyperglycemia was defined as a non-fasting glucose level equal to or above 140 mg/dl (7.8 mmol/L regardless of past history of diabetes.Results: Sixty one point seven percent (177 of patients were admitted with plasma glucose of ≥140 mg/dl (7.8 mmol/L. There were no differences were found between both groups regarding the mean age, qualification, and smoking status, but males were predominant in both groups. A family history of diabetes, and hypertension, were more frequent in patients with plasma glucose of ≥140 mg/dl (7.8 mmol/L. There were no differences between the two groups regarding past history of ischemic heart disease, stroke, lipid profile, troponin-I levels or type of acute coronary syndrome. Again heart failure was more common in the admission acute phase hyperglycemia group, but there was no difference regarding arrhythmia, stroke, or death. Using logistic regression with heart failure as the dependent variable we found that only the admission acute phase hyperglycemia (OR=2.1344, 95�0CI=1.0282-4.4307; p=0.0419 was independently associated with heart failure. While male gender, family history of diabetes mellitus, hypertension and

Management, characteristics and outcomes of patients with acute coronary syndrome in Sri Lanka.

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Galappatthy, Priyadarshani; Bataduwaarachchi, Vipula R; Ranasinghe, Priyanga; Galappatthy, Gamini K S; Wijayabandara, Maheshi; Warapitiya, Dinuka S; Sivapathasundaram, Mythily; Wickramarathna, Thilini; Senarath, Upul; Sridharan, Sathasivam; Wijeyaratne, Chandrika N; Ekanayaka, Ruvan

2018-02-16

Ischaemic heart disease is the leading cause of in-hospital mortality in Sri Lanka. Acute Coronary Syndrome Sri Lanka Audit Project (ACSSLAP) is the first national clinical-audit project that evaluated patient characteristics, clinical outcomes and care provided by state-sector hospitals. ACSSLAP prospectively evaluated acute care, in-hospital care and discharge plans provided by all state-sector hospitals managing patients with ACS. Data were collected from 30 consecutive patients from each hospital during 2-4 weeks window. Local and international recommendations were used as audit standards. Data from 87/98 (88.7%) hospitals recruited 2177 patients, with 2116 confirmed as having ACS. Mean age was 61.4±11.8 years (range 20-95) and 58.7% (n=1242) were males. There were 813 (38.4%) patients with unstable angina, 695 (32.8%) with non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) and 608 (28.7%) with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Both STEMI (69.9%) and NSTEMI (61.4%) were more in males (Pacute setting and on discharge. In STEMI, 407 (66.9%) were reperfused; 384 (63.2%) were given fibrinolytics and only 23 (3.8%) underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Only 42.3 % had thrombolysis in coronary interventions planned. In patients with ACS, aspirin, clopidogrel and statin use met audit standards in acute setting and on discharge. Vast majority of patients with STEMI underwent fibrinolyisis than PCI, due to limited resources. Primary PCI, planned coronary interventions and timely thrombolysis need improvement in Sri Lanka. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

The effect of solar-geomagnetic activity during hospital admission on coronary events within 1 year in patients with acute coronary syndromes

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Vencloviene, J.; Babarskiene, R.; Milvidaite, I.; Kubilius, R.; Stasionyte, J.

2013-12-01

Some evidence indicates the deterioration of the cardiovascular system during space storms. It is plausible that the space weather conditions during and after hospital admission may affect the risk of coronary events in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). We analyzed the data of 1400 ACS patients who were admitted to the Hospital Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, and who survived for more than 4 days. We evaluated the associations between geomagnetic storms (GS), solar proton events (SPE), and solar flares (SF) that occurred 0-3 days before and after hospital admission and the risk of cardiovascular death (CAD), non-fatal ACS, and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) during a period of 1 year; the evaluation was based on the multivariate logistic model, controlling for clinical data. After adjustment for clinical variables, GS occurring in conjunction with SF 1 day before admission increased the risk of CAD by over 2.5 times. GS 2 days after SPE occurred 1 day after admission increased the risk of CAD and CABG by over 2.8 times. The risk of CABG increased by over 2 times in patients admitted during the day of GS and 1 day after SPE. The risk of ACS was by over 1.63 times higher for patients admitted 1 day before or after solar flares.

Prevalence of Pre-Pregnancy Risk Factors and its Relationship with Preconception Care in Isfahan- Iran

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Parisa Shadab

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Background Preconception care means interventions required for maternal and fetal health care and detection of pre-pregnancy risk factors. Some risk factors that have a significant effect on the outcome of pregnancy can be detected and controlled before pregnancy. The present study aimed to determine the prevalence of pre-pregnancy risk factors, and its relationship with preconception care in Isfahan-Iran. Materials and Methods This descriptive study was a cross-sectional research which was conducted with multi-stage sampling (stratified and cluster from April to May 2016 on 702 women giving birth in hospitals in Isfahan (Iran. Data collection tool was a researcher made questionnaire and data were analyzed using SPSS software, descriptive statistics and chi-square test. Results The results showed that, the interval between current pregnancy with a previous pregnancy less than 4 years 22.8%, abnormal weight (13%, sexually transmitted infections (11.3%, thyroid disorders (11 % , and history of hospitalization of infants in the intensive care unit (11.1%, were the highest pre-pregnancy risk factors reported. There was a significant positive correlation between thyroid disorder and polycystic ovary (P

Influence of hospitalization on potentially inappropriate prescribing ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

risk of physical falls in elderly people being the most common for pre- and ... Improving the knowledge of hospital practitioners regarding geriatric pharmacotherapy ..... “Antiplatelet therapy with a documented history of coronary, cerebral or.

Clinical impact and predictors of complete ST segment resolution after primary percutaneous coronary intervention: A subanalysis of the ATLANTIC Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Fabris, Enrico; van 't Hof, Arnoud; Hamm, Christian W; Lapostolle, Frédéric; Lassen, Jens F; Goodman, Shaun G; Ten Berg, Jurriën M; Bolognese, Leonardo; Cequier, Angel; Chettibi, Mohamed; Hammett, Christopher J; Huber, Kurt; Janzon, Magnus; Merkely, Béla; Storey, Robert F; Zeymer, Uwe; Cantor, Warren J; Tsatsaris, Anne; Kerneis, Mathieu; Diallo, Abdourahmane; Vicaut, Eric; Montalescot, Gilles

2017-08-01

In the ATLANTIC (Administration of Ticagrelor in the catheterization laboratory or in the Ambulance for New ST elevation myocardial Infarction to open the Coronary artery) trial the early use of aspirin, anticoagulation, and ticagrelor coupled with very short medical contact-to-balloon times represent good indicators of optimal treatment of ST-elevation myocardial infarction and an ideal setting to explore which factors may influence coronary reperfusion beyond a well-established pre-hospital system. This study sought to evaluate predictors of complete ST-segment resolution after percutaneous coronary intervention in ST-elevation myocardial infarction patients enrolled in the ATLANTIC trial. ST-segment analysis was performed on electrocardiograms recorded at the time of inclusion (pre-hospital electrocardiogram), and one hour after percutaneous coronary intervention (post-percutaneous coronary intervention electrocardiogram) by an independent core laboratory. Complete ST-segment resolution was defined as ≥70% ST-segment resolution. Complete ST-segment resolution occurred post-percutaneous coronary intervention in 54.9% ( n=800/1456) of patients and predicted lower 30-day composite major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (odds ratio 0.35, 95% confidence interval 0.19-0.65; pST-segment resolution were the time from symptoms to pre-hospital electrocardiogram (odds ratio 0.91, 95% confidence interval 0.85-0.98; pST-segment resolution (odds ratio 1.22, 95% confidence interval 0.99-1.51; p=0.06). This study confirmed that post-percutaneous coronary intervention complete ST-segment resolution is a valid surrogate marker for cardiovascular clinical outcomes. In the current era of ST-elevation myocardial infarction reperfusion, patients' delay and diabetes mellitus are independent predictors of poor reperfusion and need specific attention in the future.

Inversion prepared coronary MR angiography: direct visualization of coronary blood flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Katoh, M.; Spuentrup, E.; Buecker, A.; Guenther, R.W.; Stuber, M.; Manning, W.J.; Botnar, R.M.

2005-01-01

Purpose: visualization of coronary blood flow by means of a slice-selective inversion pre-pulse in concert with bright-blood coronary MRA. Materials and methods: coronary magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) of the right coronary artery (RCA) was performed in eight healthy adult subjects on a 1.5 Tesla MR system (Gyroscan ACS-NT, Philips Medical Systems, Best, NL) using a free-breathing navigator-gated and cardiac-triggered 3D steady-state free-precession (SSFP) sequence with radial k-space sampling. Imaging was performed with and without a slice-selective inversion pre-pulse, which was positioned along the main axis of the coronary artery but perpendicular to the imaging volume. Objective image quality parameters such as SNR, CNR, maximal visible vessel length, and vessel border definition were analyzed. Results: in contrast to conventional bright-blood 3D coronary MRA, the selective inversion pre-pulse provided a direct measure of coronary blood flow. In addition, CNR between the RCA and right ventricular blood pool was increased and the vessels had a tendency towards better delineation. Blood SNR and CNR between right coronary blood and epicardial fat were comparable in both sequences. (orig.)

Time Trends and Educational Inequalities in Out-of-Hospital Coronary Deaths in Norway 1995-2009

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sulo, Enxhela; Nygård, Ottar; Vollset, Stein Emil

2017-01-01

using Poisson regression analysis with year as the independent, continuous variable. Information on the highest achieved education was obtained from The National Education Database and classified as primary (up to 10 years of compulsory education), secondary (high school or vocational school......BACKGROUND: Recent time trends and educational gradients characterizing out-of-hospital coronary deaths (OHCD) are poorly described. METHODS AND RESULTS: We identified all deaths from coronary heart disease occurring outside the hospital in Norway during 1995 to 2009. Time trends were explored......), or tertiary (college/university). Educational gradients in OHCD were explored using Poisson regression, stratified by sex and age (

EMS Adherence to a Pre-hospital Cervical Spine Clearance Protocol

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Johnson, David

2001-10-01

Full Text Available Purpose: To determine the degree of adherence to a cervical spine (c-spine clearance protocol by pre-hospital Emergency Medical Services (EMS personnel by both self-assessment and receiving hospital assessment, to describe deviations from the protocol, and to determine if the rate of compliance by paramedic self-assessment differed from receiving hospital assessment. Methods: A retrospective sample of pre-hospital (consecutive series and receiving hospital (convenience sample assessments of the compliance with and appropriateness of c-spine immobilization. The c-spine clearance protocol was implemented for Orange County EMS just prior to the April-November 1999 data collection period. Results: We collected 396 pre-hospital and 162 receiving hospital data forms. From the pre-hospital data sheet. the percentage deviation from the protocol was 4.096 (16/396. Only one out of 16 cases that did not comply with the protocol was due to over immobilization (0.2%. The remaining 15 cases were under immobilized, according to protocol. Nine of the under immobilized cases (66% that should have been placed in c-spine precautions met physical assessment criteria in the protocol, while the other five cases met mechanism of injury criteria. The rate of deviations from protocol did not differ over time. The receiving hospital identified 8.0% (13/162; 6/16 over immobilized, 7/16 under immobilized of patients with deviations from the protocol; none was determined to have actual c-spine injury. Conclusion: The implementation of a pre-hospital c-spine clearance protocol in Orange County was associated with a moderate overall adherence rate (96% from the pre-hospital perspective, and 92% from the hospital perspective, p=.08 for the two evaluation methods. Most patients who deviated from protocol were under immobilized, but no c-spine injuries were missed. The rate of over immobilization was better than previously reported, implying a saving of resources.

The Effect of Medicinal Education on Adherence Taking Warfarin in Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS and Atrial Fibrilation (AF Patients at PKU Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta Hospital

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Jastria Pusmarani

2015-12-01

Full Text Available In order to improve warfarin medication adherence in patient with Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS and Atrial Fibrillation (AF, giving education with leaflet administration is one of the solutions. This study was aim to know the impact of pharmacist education with using prepared leaflet on the adherence to warfarin in ACS and AF patients. This study used pre test and post test with control group design. Data were collected prospectively during 8 weeks in June–July 2014 at the ambulatory ACS and AF patients at PKU Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta hospital, Indonesia. Data were collected by medical record and the questionnaire using Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS. Wilcoxon test was used for statistical analysis. The results shows pre test and post test value in the control group was p=0.194 and pre and post test value in the test group was p=0.058. There was no significant difference (p>0.05 after giving education with leaflet. The education with leaflet had no effect to adherence in warfarin in ACS and AF patients at PKU Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta hospital.

An Intervention to Reduce the Time Interval Between Hospital Entry and Emergency Coronary Angiography in Patients with ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

Science.gov (United States)

Karkabi, Basheer; Jaffe, Ronen; Halon, David A; Merdler, Amnon; Khader, Nader; Rubinshtein, Ronen; Goldstein, Jacob; Zafrir, Barak; Zissman, Keren; Ben-Dov, Nissan; Gabrielly, Michael; Fuks, Alex; Shiran, Avinoam; Adawi, Salim; Hellman, Yaron; Shahla, Johny; Halabi, Salim; Flugelman, Moshe Y; Cohen, Shai; Bergman, Irina; Kassem, Sameer; Shapira, Chen

2017-09-01

Outcomes of patients with acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) are strongly correlated to the time interval from hospital entry to primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI). Current guidelines recommend a door to balloon time of < 90 minutes. To reduce the time from hospital admission to PPCI and to increase the proportion of patients treated within 90 minutes. In March 2013 the authors launched a seven-component intervention program:  Direct patient evacuation by out-of-hospital emergency medical services to the coronary intensive care unit or catheterization laboratory Education program for the emergency department staff Dissemination of information regarding the urgency of the PPCI decision Activation of the catheterization team by a single phone call Reimbursement for transportation costs to on-call staff who use their own cars Improvement in the quality of medical records Investigation of failed cases and feedback. During the 14 months prior to the intervention, initiation of catheterization occurred within 90 minutes of hospital arrival in 88/133 patients(65%); during the 18 months following the start of the intervention, the rate was 181/200 (90%) (P < 0.01). The respective mean/median times to treatment were 126/67 minutes and 52/47 minutes (P < 0.01). Intervention also resulted in shortening of the time interval from hospital entry to PPCI on nights and weekends. Following implementation of a comprehensive intervention, the time from hospital admission to PPCI of STEMI patients shortened significantly, as did the proportion of patients treated within 90 minutes of hospital arrival.

Coaching patients On Achieving Cardiovascular Health (COACH): a multicenter randomized trial in patients with coronary heart disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Vale, Margarite J; Jelinek, Michael V; Best, James D; Dart, Anthony M; Grigg, Leeanne E; Hare, David L; Ho, Betty P; Newman, Robert W; McNeil, John J

Disease management programs in which drugs are prescribed by dietitians or nurses have been shown to improve the coronary risk factor profile in patients with coronary heart disease. However, those disease management programs in which drugs are not prescribed by allied health professionals have not improved coronary risk factor status. The objective of the Coaching patients On Achieving Cardiovascular Health (COACH) study was to determine whether dietitians or nurses who did not prescribe medications could coach patients with coronary heart disease to work with their physicians to achieve the target levels for their total cholesterol (TC) and other risk factors. Multicenter randomized controlled trial in which 792 patients from 6 university teaching hospitals underwent a stratified randomization by cardiac diagnosis within each hospital: 398 were assigned to usual care plus The COACH Program and 394 to usual care alone. Patients in The COACH Program group received regular personal coaching via telephone and mailings to achieve the target levels for their particular coronary risk factors. There was one coach per hospital. The primary outcome was the change in TC (DeltaTC) from baseline (in hospital) to 6 months after randomization. Secondary outcomes included measurement of a wide range of physical, nutritional, and psychological factors. The analysis was performed by intention to treat. The COACH Program achieved a significantly greater DeltaTC than usual care alone: the mean DeltaTC was 21 mg/dL (0.54 mmol/L) (95% confidence interval [CI], 16-25 mg/dL [0.42-0.65 mmol/L]) in The COACH Program vs 7 mg/dL (0.18 mmol/L) (95% CI, 3-11 mg/dL [0.07-0.29 mmol/L]) in the usual care group (PCOACH Program group than in the usual care group. Coaching produced substantial improvements in most of the other coronary risk factors and in patient quality of life. Coaching, delivered as The COACH Program, is a highly effective strategy in reducing TC and many other coronary risk

Transfers to metropolitan hospitals and coronary angiography for rural Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal patients with acute ischaemic heart disease in Western Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Lopez, Derrick; Katzenellenbogen, Judith M; Sanfilippo, Frank M; Woods, John A; Hobbs, Michael S T; Knuiman, Matthew W; Briffa, Tom G; Thompson, Peter L; Thompson, Sandra C

2014-05-01

Aboriginal people have a disproportionately higher incidence rate of ischaemic heart disease (IHD) than non-Aboriginal people. The findings on Aboriginal disparity in receiving coronary artery procedures are inconclusive. We describe the profile and transfers of IHD patients admitted to rural hospitals as emergency admissions and investigate determinants of transfers and coronary angiography. Person-linked hospital and mortality records were used to identify 28-day survivors of IHD events commencing at rural hospitals in Western Australia. Outcome measures were receipt of coronary angiography, transfer to a metropolitan hospital, and coronary angiography if transferred to a metropolitan hospital. Compared to non-Aboriginal patients, Aboriginal patients with IHD were more likely to be younger, have more co-morbidities, reside remotely, but less likely to have private insurance. After adjusting for demographic characteristics, Aboriginal people with MI were less likely to be transferred to a metropolitan hospital, and if transferred were less likely to receive coronary angiography. These disparities were not significant after adjusting for comorbidities and private insurance. In the full multivariate model age, comorbidities and private insurance were adversely associated with transfer to a metropolitan hospital and coronary angiography. Disparity in receiving coronary angiography following emergency admission for IHD to rural hospitals is mediated through the lower likelihood of being transferred to metropolitan hospitals where this procedure is performed. The likelihood of a transfer is increased if the patient has private insurance, however, rural Aboriginal people have a lower rate of private insurance than their non-Aboriginal counterparts. Health practitioners and policy makers can continue to claim that they treat Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people alike based upon clinical indications, as private insurance is acting as a filter to reduce rural residents

A validation of ground ambulance pre-hospital times modeled using geographic information systems.

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Patel, Alka B; Waters, Nigel M; Blanchard, Ian E; Doig, Christopher J; Ghali, William A

2012-10-03

Evaluating geographic access to health services often requires determining the patient travel time to a specified service. For urgent care, many research studies have modeled patient pre-hospital time by ground emergency medical services (EMS) using geographic information systems (GIS). The purpose of this study was to determine if the modeling assumptions proposed through prior United States (US) studies are valid in a non-US context, and to use the resulting information to provide revised recommendations for modeling travel time using GIS in the absence of actual EMS trip data. The study sample contained all emergency adult patient trips within the Calgary area for 2006. Each record included four components of pre-hospital time (activation, response, on-scene and transport interval). The actual activation and on-scene intervals were compared with those used in published models. The transport interval was calculated within GIS using the Network Analyst extension of Esri ArcGIS 10.0 and the response interval was derived using previously established methods. These GIS derived transport and response intervals were compared with the actual times using descriptive methods. We used the information acquired through the analysis of the EMS trip data to create an updated model that could be used to estimate travel time in the absence of actual EMS trip records. There were 29,765 complete EMS records for scene locations inside the city and 529 outside. The actual median on-scene intervals were longer than the average previously reported by 7-8 minutes. Actual EMS pre-hospital times across our study area were significantly higher than the estimated times modeled using GIS and the original travel time assumptions. Our updated model, although still underestimating the total pre-hospital time, more accurately represents the true pre-hospital time in our study area. The widespread use of generalized EMS pre-hospital time assumptions based on US data may not be appropriate in a

Comparing Outcomes of Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Among Large Teaching and Urban Hospitals in China and the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Zhe; Zhang, Heng; Yuan, Xin; Rao, Chenfei; Zhao, Yan; Wang, Yun; Normand, Sharon-Lise; Krumholz, Harlan M; Hu, Shengshou

2017-06-01

Coronary artery disease is prevalent in China, with concomitant increases in the volume of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). The present study aims to compare CABG-related outcomes between China and the United States among large teaching and urban hospitals. Observational analysis of patients aged ≥18 years, discharged from acute-care, large teaching and urban hospitals in China and the United States after hospitalization for an isolated CABG surgery. Data were obtained from the Chinese Cardiac Surgery Registry in China and the National Inpatient Sample in the United States. Analysis was stratified by 2 periods: 2007, 2008, and 2010; and 2011 to 2013 periods. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality, and the secondary outcome was length of stay. The sample included 51 408 patients: 32 040 from 77 hospitals in the China-CABG group and 19 368 from 303 hospitals in the US-CABG group. In the 2007 to 2008, 2010 period and for all-age and aged ≥65 years, the China-CABG group had higher mortality than the US-CABG group (1.91% versus 1.58%, P =0.059; and 3.12% versus 2.20%, P =0.004) and significantly higher age-, sex-, and comorbidity-adjusted odds of death (odds ratio, 1.58; 95% confidential interval, 1.22-2.04; and odds ratio, 1.73; 95% confidential interval, 1.24-2.40). There were no significant mortality differences in the 2011 to 2013 period. For preoperative, postoperative, and total hospital stay, respectively, the median (interquartile range) length of stay across the entire study period between China-CABG and US-CABG groups were 9 (8) versus 1 (3), 9 (6) versus 6 (3), and 20 (12) versus 7 (5) days (all P China and the United States. The longer length of stay in China may represent an opportunity for improvement. © 2017 The Authors.

Cost-effectiveness of improving pediatric hospital care in Nicaragua.

Science.gov (United States)

Broughton, Edward I; Gomez, Ivonne; Nuñez, Oscar; Wong, Yudy

2011-11-01

To determine the costs and cost-effectiveness of an intervention to improve quality of care for children with diarrhea or pneumonia in 14 hospitals in Nicaragua, based on expenditure data and impact measures. Hospital length of stay (LOS) and deaths were abstracted from a random sample of 1294 clinical records completed at seven of the 14 participating hospitals before the intervention (2003) and 1505 records completed after two years of intervention implementation ("post-intervention"; 2006). Disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) were derived from outcome data. Hospitalization costs were calculated based on hospital and Ministry of Health records and private sector data. Intervention costs came from project accounting records. Decision-tree analysis was used to calculate incremental cost-effectiveness. Average LOS decreased from 3.87 and 4.23 days pre-intervention to 3.55 and 3.94 days post-intervention for diarrhea (P = 0.078) and pneumonia (P = 0.055), respectively. Case fatalities decreased from 45/10 000 and 34/10 000 pre-intervention to 30/10 000 and 27/10 000 post-intervention for diarrhea (P = 0.062) and pneumonia (P = 0.37), respectively. Average total hospitalization and antibiotic costs for both diagnoses were US$ 451 (95% credibility interval [CI]: US$ 419-US$ 482) pre-intervention and US$ 437 (95% CI: US$ 402-US$ 464) post-intervention. The intervention was cost-saving in terms of DALYs (95% CI: -US$ 522- US$ 32 per DALY averted) and cost US$ 21 per hospital day averted (95% CI: -US$ 45- US$ 204). After two years of intervention implementation, LOS and deaths for diarrhea decreased, along with LOS for pneumonia, with no increase in hospitalization costs. If these changes were entirely attributable to the intervention, it would be cost-saving.

Pre-hospital ticagrelor in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction in the French ATLANTIC population

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cayla, Guillaume; Lapostolle, Frederic; Ecollan, Patrick

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: ATLANTIC was a randomized study comparing pre- and in-hospital treatment with a ticagrelor loading dose (LD) in ongoing ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). We sought to compare patient characteristics and clinical outcomes in France with other countries participating...... in ATLANTIC. METHODS: The population comprised 1862 patients, 660 (35.4%) from France and 1202 from 12 other countries. The main endpoints were reperfusion (≥70% ST-segment elevation resolution) and TIMI flow grade 3 before (co-primary endpoints) and after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Other...... endpoints included a composite ischaemic endpoint (death/myocardial infarction/stroke/urgent revascularization/definite stent thrombosis) and bleeding events at 30days. RESULTS: In France, median times from first LD to angiography and between first and second LDs were 49 and 35min, respectively, and were...

Multicentre randomised study of the effect and experience of an early inhome programme (PreHomeCare) for preterm infants using video consultation and smartphone applications compared with inhospital consultations: protocol of the PreHomeCare study.

Science.gov (United States)

Hägi-Pedersen, Mai-Britt; Norlyk, Annelise; Dessau, Ram; Stanchev, Hristo; Kronborg, Hanne

2017-03-09

Although premature infants and their parents are discharged earlier to inhomecare programmes, how to optimally support parents during this transition remains unknown. The aim of this study is to compare the effects of early inhomecare (PreHomeCare) including video consultations and mobile applications with those of inhospital consultations regarding breast feeding, parental confidence and parent-infant interactions. A randomised controlled intervention study will be conducted in four neonatal departments offering PreHomeCare (ie, premature infant inhomecare) in Denmark. Parents of hospitalised premature infants who fulfil the inclusion criteria for PreHomeCare will be randomised during hospitalisation to either the intervention (n=80) or control group (n=80) using 1:1 block randomisation. During PreHomeCare, the intervention group will receive a smartphone application with a video system and an infant scale, and the control group will receive usual care (ie, hospital consultations). Additionally, both groups will have planned nurse consultations two to three times a week: the intervention group through video consultations and the control group through inhospital consultations. Data collection will occur at inclusion/baseline, at the end of PreHomeCare and 1 month after discharge using questionnaires and hospital records. The primary outcome is the proportion of exclusively breastfed infants 1 month after discharge/end of PreHomeCare, the secondary outcomes are parent-infant interactions measured by the Mother and baby interaction scale and family confidence in caring for infants measured by the Karitane Parenting Confidence Scale. The process evaluation will consist of two qualitative studies: a field study and an interview study. Data collection will initially involve field observations of three scheduled video consultations with six families from the intervention group. These families will also be interviewed 1 month after PreHomeCare has ended. The project

MBR technology: a promising approach for the (pre-)treatment of hospital wastewater.

Science.gov (United States)

Beier, S; Cramer, C; Mauer, C; Köster, S; Schröder, H Fr; Pinnekamp, J

2012-01-01

Membrane bioreactor (MBR) technology is a very reliable and extensively tested solution for biological wastewater treatment. Nowadays, separate treatment of highly polluted wastewater streams especially from hospitals and other health care facilities is currently under investigation worldwide. In this context, the MBR technology will play a decisive role because an effluent widely cleaned up from solids and nutrients is absolutely mandatory for a subsequent further elimination of organic trace pollutants. Taking hospital wastewater as an example, the aim of this study was to investigate to what extent MBR technology is an adequate 'pre-treatment' solution for further elimination of trace pollutants. Therefore, we investigated - within a 2-year period - the performance of a full-scale hospital wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) equipped with a MBR by referring to conventional chemical and microbiological standard parameters. Furthermore, we measured the energy consumption and tested different operating conditions. According to our findings the MBR treatment of the hospital wastewater was highly efficient in terms of the removal of solids and nutrients. Finally, we did not observe any major adverse effects on the operation and performance of the MBR system which potentially could derive from the composition of the hospital wastewater. In total, the present study proved that MBR technology is a very efficient and reliable treatment approach for the treatment of highly polluted wastewater from hospitals and can be recommended as a suitable pre-treatment solution for further trace pollutant removal.

Should fee-for-service be for all guideline-advocated acute coronary syndrome (ACS) care? Observations from the Snapshot ACS study.

Science.gov (United States)

Briffa, Thomas G; Hammett, Christopher J; Cross, David B; Macisaac, Andrew I; Rankin, James M; Board, Neville; Carr, Bridie; Hyun, Karice K; French, John; Brieger, David B; Chew, Derek P

2015-09-01

The aim of the present study was to explore the association of health insurance status on the provision of guideline-advocated acute coronary syndrome (ACS) care in Australia. Consecutive hospitalisations of suspected ACS from 14 to 27 May 2012 enrolled in the Snapshot study of Australian and New Zealand patients were evaluated. Descriptive and logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the association of patient risk and insurance status with the receipt of care. In all, 3391 patients with suspected ACS from 247 hospitals (23 private) were enrolled in the present study. One-third of patients declared private insurance coverage; of these, 27.9% (304/1088) presented to private facilities. Compared with public patients, privately insured patients were more likely to undergo in-patient echocardiography and receive early angiography; furthermore, in those with a discharge diagnosis of ACS, there was a higher rate of revascularisation (P fee-for-service. In contrast, proportionately fewer privately insured ACS patients were discharged on selected guideline therapies and were referred to a secondary prevention program (P = 0.056), neither of which directly attracts a fee. Typically, as GRACE (the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events) risk score rose, so did the level of ACS care; however, propensity-adjusted analyses showed lower in-hospital adverse events among the insured group (odds ratio 0.68; 95% confidence interval 0.52-0.88; P = 0.004). Fee-for-service reimbursement may explain differences in the provision of selected guideline-advocated components of ACS care between privately insured and public patients.

Impact of coronary collaterals on in-hospital and 5-year mortality after ST-elevation myocardial infarction in the contemporary percutaneous coronary intervention era: a prospective observational study

Science.gov (United States)

Hara, Masahiko; Sakata, Yasuhiko; Nakatani, Daisaku; Suna, Shinichiro; Nishino, Masami; Sato, Hiroshi; Kitamura, Tetsuhisa; Nanto, Shinsuke; Hori, Masatsugu; Komuro, Issei

2016-01-01

Objectives To evaluate the short-term and long-term prognostic impacts of acute phase coronary collaterals to occluded infarct-related arteries (IRA) after ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in the percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) era. Design A prospective observational study. Setting Osaka Acute Coronary Insufficiency Study (OACIS) in Japan. Participants 3340 patients with STEMI from the OACIS database who were admitted to hospitals within 24 hours from the onset and who had a completely occluded IRA. Interventions Patients were divided into 4 groups according to the Rentrop collateral score (RCS) by angiography on admission (RCS-0, no visible collaterals; RCS-1, collaterals without IRA filling; RCS-2, collaterals with partial IRA filling; and RCS-3, collaterals with complete IRA filling). Primary outcome measures In-hospital and 5-year mortality. Results Patients with RCS-0/3 were older than patients with RCS-1/2, and the prevalence of previous myocardial infarction was highest in patients with RCS-3. Median peak creatinine phosphokinase levels decreased as RCS increases (p<0.001), suggesting the acute cardioprotective effects of collaterals. Although RCS-1 and RCS-2 collaterals were associated with better in-hospital mortality (adjusted OR 0.48, p=0.046 and 0.38, p=0.010 for RCS-1 and RCS-2, respectively) and 5-year mortality (adjusted HR 0.53, p=0.004 and 0.46, p<0.001 for RCS-1 and RCS-2, respectively) as compared with R-0, presence of RCS-3 collaterals was not associated with improved in-hospital (adjusted OR 1.35, p=0.331) and 5-year mortality (adjusted HR 0.98, p=0.920), possibly because worse clinical profiles in patients with RCS-3 may mask mortality benefit of coronary collaterals. Conclusions Presence of acute phase coronary collaterals such as RCS-1 and RCS-2 were associated with better in-hospital and 5-year mortality after STEMI in the contemporary PCI era. PMID:27412101

Hospitalization Cost Offset of a Hostility Intervention for Coronary Heart Disease Patients

Science.gov (United States)

Davidson, Karina W.; Gidron, Yori; Mostofsky, Elizabeth; Trudeau, Kimberlee J.

2007-01-01

The authors evaluated hospitalization cost offset of hostility management group therapy for patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) from a previously published randomized controlled trial (Y. Gidron, K. Davidson, & I. Bata, 1999). Twenty-six male patients with myocardial infarction or unstable angina were randomized to either 2 months of…

Development and Evaluation of Care Programs for the Delirium Management in Patients after Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery (CABG

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Safoora Fallahpoor

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Delirium is one of the common problems of cognitive impairment after coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG that its prevention, timely detection, and treatment require a care and management program to be controlled. The present research has studied a care program for the management of delirium in patients after coronary artery bypass graft surgery. This research was performed by action research methodology during a fivestage cycle in two groups of 50 persons (without interference and with intervention. In both groups, the patients were evaluated every 8 hours by CAM-ICU tool in hours (6, 14 and 22 for the occurrence of delirium after surgery until they were in Intensive Care Unit (ICU. In the intervention group, the developed program was implemented in three areas of delirium management before, during, and after the surgery. Then, the collected information was analyzed in two groups using descriptive and analytical statistics in SPSS 20 software. Delirium was observed at least once in 68% of patients without the intervention and 38% of patients with intervention after surgery. The ratio of delirium incidence was significantly lower in the intervention group (P<0.05. In addition, the total number of delirium in ICU was significantly lower for patients in the intervention group (P<0.05.The developed program for reducing the incidence of delirium in hospitalized patients after coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG was confirmed. This means that its applying will lead to a reduction in delirium.

Resuscitation and post resuscitation care of the very old after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is worthwhile.

Science.gov (United States)

Winther-Jensen, Matilde; Kjaergaard, Jesper; Hassager, Christian; Bro-Jeppesen, John; Nielsen, Niklas; Lippert, Freddy K; Køber, Lars; Wanscher, Michael; Søholm, Helle

2015-12-15

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is associated with a poor prognosis. As comorbidity and frailty increase with age; ethical dilemmas may arise when OHCA occur in the very old. We aimed to investigate mortality, neurological outcome and post resuscitation care in octogenarians (≥80) to assess whether resuscitation and post resuscitation care should be avoided. During 2007-2011 consecutive OHCA-patients were attended by the physician-based Emergency Medical Services-system in Copenhagen. Pre-hospital data based on Utstein-criteria, and data on post resuscitation care were collected. Primary outcome was successful resuscitation; secondary endpoints were 30-day mortality and neurological outcome (Cerebral Performance Category (CPC)). 2509 OHCA-patients with attempted resuscitation were recorded, 22% (n=558) were octogenarians/nonagenarians. 166 (30% of all octogenarians with resuscitation attempted) octogenarians were successfully resuscitated compared to 830 (43% with resuscitation attempted) patients <80 years. 30-day mortality in octogenarians was significantly higher after adjustment for prognostic factors (HR=1.61 CI: 1.22-2.13, p<0.001). Octogenarians received fewer coronary angiographies (CAG) (14 vs. 37%, p<0.001), and had lower odds of receiving CAG by multivariate logistic regression (OR: 0.19, CI: 0.08-0.44, p<0.001). A favorable neurological outcome (CPC 1/2) in survivors to discharge was found in 70% (n=26) of octogenarians compared to 86% (n=317, p=0.03) in the younger patients. OHCA in octogenarians was associated with a significantly higher mortality rate after adjustment for prognostic factors. However, the majority of octogenarian survivors were discharged with a favorable neurological outcome. Withholding resuscitation and post resuscitation care in octogenarians does not seem justified. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Præhospital ultralyd

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rognås, Leif Kåre; Christensen, Erika Frischknecht; Sloth, Erik

2009-01-01

Danish anaesthesiologists use ultrasound (US) to examine and treat acutely ill or traumatized patients in the emergency room, operating theatre and intensive care unit. They are also involved in pre-hospital care where US may theoretically be beneficial for both diagnostic and therapeutic purpose....... The literature concerning the potential use of emergency US in the pre-hospital setting is evaluated. Evidence from both Europe and the USA indicates that pre-hospital US improves diagnosis and visitation of acutely ill or traumatized patients. Udgivelsesdato: 2009-Aug-31...

Early results of coronary artery bypass grafting with coronary endarterectomy for severe coronary artery disease

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Toischer Karl

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Despite the existence of controversial debates on the efficiency of coronary endarterectomy (CE, it is still used as an adjunct to coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG. This is particularly true in patients with endstage coronary artery disease. Given the improvements in cardiac surgery and postoperative care, as well as the rising number of elderly patient with numerous co-morbidities, re-evaluating the pros and cons of this technique is needed. Methods Patient demographic information, operative details and outcome data of 104 patients with diffuse calcified coronary artery disease were retrospectively analyzed with respect to functional capacity (NYHA, angina pectoris (CCS and mortality. Actuarial survival was reported using a Kaplan-Meyer analysis. Results Between August 2001 and March 2005, 104 patients underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG with adjunctive coronary endarterectomy (CE in the Department of Thoracic-, Cardiac- and Vascular Surgery, University of Goettingen. Four patients were lost during follow-up. Data were gained from 88 male and 12 female patients; mean age was 65.5 ± 9 years. A total of 396 vessels were bypassed (4 ± 0.9 vessels per patient. In 98% left internal thoracic artery (LITA was used as arterial bypass graft and a total of 114 vessels were endarterectomized. CE was performed on right coronary artery (RCA (n = 55, on left anterior descending artery (LAD (n = 52 and circumflex artery (RCX (n = 7. Ninety-five patients suffered from 3-vessel-disease, 3 from 2-vessel- and 2 from 1-vessel-disease. Closed technique was used in 18%, open technique in 79% and in 3% a combination of both. The most frequent endarterectomized localization was right coronary artery (RCA = 55%. Despite the severity of endstage atherosclerosis, hospital mortality was only 5% (n = 5. During follow-up (24.5 ± 13.4 months, which is 96% complete (4 patients were lost caused by unknown address 8 patients died (cardiac

Cross-sectional study on factors hampering implementation of measles pre- and postexposure measures in Dutch hospitals during the 2013-2014 measles outbreak.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fievez, L C R; Wong, A; Ruijs, W L M; Meerstadt-Rombach, F S; Timen, A

2017-01-01

This study examined adherence to national recommendations on measles pre- and postexposure measures, including immunization of health care workers (HCWs) in Dutch hospitals, during a national outbreak of measles in The Netherlands. This study also investigated which hospital characteristics and

Registered nurses views of caring in coronary care--a deductive and inductive content analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Andersson, Ewa K; Sjöström-Strand, Annica; Willman, Ania; Borglin, Gunilla

2015-12-01

To extend nurses' descriptions of how they understood caring, as reflected in the findings of an earlier study (i.e. the hierarchical outcome space) and to gain additional understandings and perspectives of nurses' views of caring in relation to a coronary care patient case. Scientific literature from the 1970s-1990s contains descriptions of caring in nursing. In contrast, the contemporary literature on this topic--particularly in the context of coronary care--is very sparse, and the few studies that do contain descriptions rarely do so from the perspective of nurses. Qualitative descriptive study. Twenty-one nurses were interviewed using the stimulated recall interview technique. The data were analysed using deductive and inductive qualitative content analysis. The results of the iterative and integrated content analysis showed that the data mainly reproduced the content of the hierarchical outcome space describing how nurses could understand caring; however, in the outcome space, the relationship broke up (i.e. flipped). The nurses' views of caring could now also be understood as: person-centredness 'lurking' in the shadows; limited 'potential' for safeguarding patients' best interests; counselling as virtually the 'only' nursing intervention; and caring preceded by the 'almighty' context. Their views offered alternative and, at times, contrasting perspectives of caring, thereby adding to our understanding of it. Caring was described as operating somewhere between the nurses caring values and the contextual conditions in which caring occurred. This challenged their ability to sustain caring in accordance with their values and the patients' preferences. To ensure that the essentials of caring are met at all times, nurses need to plan and deliver caring in a systematic way. The use of systematic structures in caring, as the nursing process, can help nurses to work in a person-centred way, while sustaining their professional values. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Planning for patient privacy and hospitability: a must do in oncology care.

Science.gov (United States)

Easter, James G

2003-01-01

The number one design challenge in the healthcare environment is the patient room. This space is one of the primary functional areas impacting hospital design and, quite often, the place of greatest controversy. This controversy is due to the length of time the patient spends in the room (compared to other areas), the amount of overall space required and the time dedicated to patient room utilization, maintenance, general arrangement and overall efficiency. In addition, there is a growing list of room types to be considered, many are of the ambulatory care, short stay and observation category. Other room types beyond the routine medical/surgical room include Intensive Care, Coronary Care, Surgical Intensive Care, Skilled Nursing, Rehabilitation and Oncology Care as well as more intensive Bone Marrow Transplantation, for example. Major features of the traditional acute care patient room require the space to be flexible, convertible, expandable and, most importantly, hospitable. For many, many years the patient room was considered a shared space with multiple beds and multiple users. The term semi-private has been used to describe the traditional two-bed and, sometimes 4-bed patient room. This article will address the programmatic elements of an inpatient area, the room and its functional components along with some examples for comparative purposes. For the oncology patient, the development of a family-focused, private room is mandatory. The private room is more flexible, less expensive to operate, safer and environmentally more appealing for the patient, family and staff.

Seasonal Influenza Vaccination in Health Care Workers. A Pre-Post Intervention Study in an Italian Paediatric Hospital

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Francesco Gilardi

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Despite relevant recommendations and evidences on the efficacy of influenza vaccination in health care workers (HCWs, vaccination coverage rates in Europe and Italy currently do not exceed 25%. Aim of the study is to measure the variations in vaccination coverage rates in an Italian pediatric hospital after a promotion campaign performed in the period October–December 2017. The design is a pre-post intervention study. The intervention is based on a wide communication campaign and an expanded offer of easy vaccination on site. The study was carried out at Bambino Gesù Children’s hospital in Rome, Italy, on the whole population of HCWs. Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses were performed. Vaccination coverage rate increased in 2017/18 campaign compared with the 2016/17 one (+95 HCWs vaccinated; +4.4%. The highest increases were detected in males (+45.7%, youngest employees (+142.9%, mean age of employment (+175%, other HCWs (+209.1%, Emergency Area (+151.6% and Imaging Diagnostic Department (+200.0%. At multivariate logistic regression, working in some departments and being nurses represents a higher risk of being unvaccinated. Although the vaccination coverage rate remained low, a continuous increase of the coverage rate and development of a different consciousness in HCWs was highlighted. The study significantly identified the target for future campaigns.

Disparities in acute in-hospital cardiovascular care for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal South Australians.

Science.gov (United States)

Tavella, Rosanna; McBride, Katharine; Keech, Wendy; Kelly, Janet; Rischbieth, Amanda; Zeitz, Christopher; Beltrame, John F; Tideman, Philip A; Brown, Alex

2016-09-05

To assess differences in the rates of angiography and subsequent revascularisation for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal South Australians who presented with an acute coronary syndrome (ACS); to explore the reasons for any observed differences. Analysis of administrative data with logistic regression modelling to assess the relationship between Aboriginal status and the decision to undertake diagnostic angiography. A detailed medical record review of Aboriginal admissions was subsequently undertaken. Emergency ACS admissions to SA cardiac catheterisation hospitals, 2007-2012. 13 701 admissions of patients with an ACS, including 274 Aboriginal patients (2.1%). Rates of coronary angiography and revascularisation; documentation of justification for non-invasive management. After adjustment for age, comorbidities and remoteness, Aboriginal patients presenting with an ACS were significantly less likely than non-Aboriginal patients to undergo angiography (odds ratio [OR], 0.4; 95% CI, 0.3-0.5; P Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal patients who had undergone angiography. Reasons for Aboriginal patients not undergoing angiography included symptoms being deemed non-cardiac (16%), non-invasive test performed (8%), and discharge against medical advice (11%); the reasons were unclear for 36% of Aboriginal patients. After controlling for age and other factors, the rate of coronary angiography was lower among Aboriginal patients with an ACS in SA. The reasons for this disparity are complex, including patient-related factors and their preferences, as well as the appropriateness of the intervention. Improved consideration of the hospital experience of Aboriginal patients must be a priority for reducing health care disparities.

Validating diagnoses from hospital discharge registers change risk estimates for acute coronary syndrome

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Joensen, Albert Marni; Schmidt, E.B.; Dethlefsen, Claus

2007-01-01

of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) diagnoses identified in a hospital discharge register changed the relative risk estimates of well-established risk factors for ACS. Methods All first-time ACS diagnoses (n=1138) in the Danish National Patient Registry were identified among male participants in the Danish...

Early Discharge in Low-Risk Patients Hospitalized for Acute Coronary Syndromes: Feasibility, Safety and Reasons for Prolonged Length of Stay.

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Marie-Eva Laurencet

Full Text Available Length of hospital stay (LHS is an indicator of clinical effectiveness. Early hospital discharge (≤72 hours is recommended in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS at low risk of complications, but reasons for prolonged LHS poorly reported.We collected data of ACS patients hospitalized at the Geneva University Hospitals from 1st July 2013 to 30th June 2015 and used the Zwolle index score to identify patients at low risk (≤ 3 points. We assessed the proportion of eligible patients who were successfully discharged within 72 hours and the reasons for prolonged LHS. Outcomes were defined as adherence to recommended therapies, major adverse events at 30 days and patients' satisfaction using a Likert-scale patient-reported questionnaire.Among 370 patients with ACS, 255 (68.9% were at low-risk of complications but only 128 (50.2%were eligible for early discharge, because of other clinical reasons for prolonged LHS (e.g. staged coronary revascularization, cardiac monitoring in 127 patients (49.8%. Of the latter, only 45 (35.2% benefitted from an early discharge. Reasons for delay in discharge in the remaining 83 patients (51.2% were mainly due to delays in additional investigations, titration of medical therapy, admission or discharge during weekends. In the early discharge group, at 30 days, only one patient (2.2% had an adverse event (minor bleeding, 97% of patients were satisfied by the medical care.Early discharge was successfully achieved in one third of eligible ACS patients at low risk of complications and appeared sufficiently safe while being overall appreciated by the patients.

Early Discharge in Low-Risk Patients Hospitalized for Acute Coronary Syndromes: Feasibility, Safety and Reasons for Prolonged Length of Stay.

Science.gov (United States)

Laurencet, Marie-Eva; Girardin, François; Rigamonti, Fabio; Bevand, Anne; Meyer, Philippe; Carballo, David; Roffi, Marco; Noble, Stéphane; Mach, François; Gencer, Baris

2016-01-01

Length of hospital stay (LHS) is an indicator of clinical effectiveness. Early hospital discharge (≤72 hours) is recommended in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) at low risk of complications, but reasons for prolonged LHS poorly reported. We collected data of ACS patients hospitalized at the Geneva University Hospitals from 1st July 2013 to 30th June 2015 and used the Zwolle index score to identify patients at low risk (≤ 3 points). We assessed the proportion of eligible patients who were successfully discharged within 72 hours and the reasons for prolonged LHS. Outcomes were defined as adherence to recommended therapies, major adverse events at 30 days and patients' satisfaction using a Likert-scale patient-reported questionnaire. Among 370 patients with ACS, 255 (68.9%) were at low-risk of complications but only 128 (50.2%)were eligible for early discharge, because of other clinical reasons for prolonged LHS (e.g. staged coronary revascularization, cardiac monitoring) in 127 patients (49.8%). Of the latter, only 45 (35.2%) benefitted from an early discharge. Reasons for delay in discharge in the remaining 83 patients (51.2%) were mainly due to delays in additional investigations, titration of medical therapy, admission or discharge during weekends. In the early discharge group, at 30 days, only one patient (2.2%) had an adverse event (minor bleeding), 97% of patients were satisfied by the medical care. Early discharge was successfully achieved in one third of eligible ACS patients at low risk of complications and appeared sufficiently safe while being overall appreciated by the patients.

Pre-hospital aspiration is associated with increased pulmonary complications.

Science.gov (United States)

Fawcett, Vanessa J; Warner, Keir J; Cuschieri, Joseph; Copass, Michael; Grabinsky, Andreas; Kwok, Heemun; Rea, Thomas; Evans, Heather L

2015-04-01

Rates of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) are highest among patients intubated on an emergency basis following trauma. We reported previously a retrospective analysis demonstrating an association between subjective aspiration and VAP after pre-hospital intubation. We hypothesize that by directing paramedics to note features of aspiration at intubation, we will confirm prospectively the association between pre-hospital aspiration and subsequent pneumonia in trauma patients. Paramedics collected data regarding aspiration at the time of intubation. All intubated patients admitted to a level 1 trauma center intensive care unit (ICU) were included. Data comprised a clinical impression of pre-hospital aspiration, as well as the presence and timing of blood and emesis in the airway. Injury severity, co-morbidities, and outcomes were collected from the trauma registry. Healthcare-associated pneumonia (HAP) was identified by medical record review of both bronchoalveolar lavage culture results and discharge diagnosis. Descriptive statistics and univariate analysis of outcomes by aspiration status, as well as covariable adjustment using propensity scores, were performed. Of the 228 patients, 89 (39%) were determined by paramedics to have aspirated. The majority of those who aspirated (84 [94%]) did so prior to intubation. Patients who aspirated had higher Injury Severity Scores than those who did not aspirate (25.0 ± 1.7 vs. 21.9 ± 1.5 points; p=0.04) and lower preintubation Glasgow Coma Scale scores (8.2 ± 0.50 vs. 9.6 ± 0.40; p=0.02). Of the 89 patients who aspirated around the time of intubation, 14 (16%) developed HAP vs. five (3.6%) of those who did not aspirate (paspiration (deaths: 21 [23.6%] vs. 23 [16.6%]; p=0.19; ICU LOS: 5.3 ± 0.9 vs. 4.1 ± 0.5 days; p=0.13; duration of mechanical ventilation: 5.3 ± 1.2 vs. 3.2 ± 0.5 days; p=0.10). Aspiration prior to intubation was reported commonly by paramedics and was associated with a higher risk of HAP.

The impact of care management information technology model on quality of care after Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery: "Bridging the Divides".

Science.gov (United States)

Weintraub, William S; Elliott, Daniel; Fanari, Zaher; Ostertag-Stretch, Jennifer; Muther, Ann; Lynahan, Margaret; Kerzner, Roger; Salam, Tabassum; Scherrer, Herbert; Anderson, Sharon; Russo, Carla A; Kolm, Paul; Steinberg, Terri H

Reducing readmissions and improving metrics of care are a national priority. Supplementing traditional care with care management may improve outcomes. The Bridges program was an initial evaluation of a care management platform (CareLinkHub), supported by information technology (IT) developed to improve the quality and transition of care from hospital to home after Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery (CABG) and reduce readmissions. CareLink is comprised of care managers, patient navigators, pharmacists and physicians. Information to guide care management is guided by a middleware layer to gather information, PLR (ColdLight Solutions, LLC) and presented to CareLink staff on a care management platform, Aerial™ (Medecision). In addition there is an analytic engine to help evaluate and guide care, Neuron™ (Coldlight Solutions, LLC). The "Bridges" program enrolled a total of 716 CABG patients with 850 admissions from April 2013 through March 2015. The data of the program was compared with those of 1111 CABG patients with 1203 admissions in the 3years prior to the program. No impact was seen with respect to readmissions, Blood Pressure or LDL control. There was no significant improvement in patients' reported outcomes using either the CTM-3 or any of the SAQ-7 scores. Patient follow-up with physicians within 1week of discharge improved during the Bridges years. The CareLink hub platform was successfully implemented. Little or no impact on outcome metrics was seen in the short follow-up time. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Do HMO penetration and hospital competition impact quality of hospital care?

Science.gov (United States)

Rivers, P A; Fottler, M D

2004-11-01

This study examines the impact of HMO penetration and competition on hospital markets. A modified structure-conduct-performance paradigm was applied to the health care industry in order to investigate the impact of HMO penetration and competition on risk-adjusted hospital mortality rates (i.e. quality of hospital care). Secondary data for 1957 acute care hospitals in the USA from the 1991 American Hospital Association's Annual Survey of Hospitals were used. The outcome variables were risk-adjusted mortality rates in 1991. Predictor variables were market characteristics (i.e. managed care penetration and hospital competition). Control variables were environmental, patient, and institutional characteristics. Associations between predictor and outcome variables were investigated using statistical regression techniques. Hospital competition had a negative relationship with risk-adjusted mortality rates (a negative indicator of quality of care). HMO penetration, hospital competition, and an interaction effect of HMO penetration and competition were not found to have significant effects on risk-adjusted mortality rates. These findings suggest that when faced with intense competition, hospitals may respond in ways associated with reducing their mortality rates.

Managing in-hospital quality improvement: An importance-performance analysis to set priorities for ST-elevation myocardial infarction care.

Science.gov (United States)

Aeyels, Daan; Seys, Deborah; Sinnaeve, Peter R; Claeys, Marc J; Gevaert, Sofie; Schoors, Danny; Sermeus, Walter; Panella, Massimiliano; Bruyneel, Luk; Vanhaecht, Kris

2018-02-01

A focus on specific priorities increases the success rate of quality improvement efforts for broad and complex-care processes. Importance-performance analysis presents a possible approach to set priorities around which to design and implement effective quality improvement initiatives. Persistent variation in hospital performance makes ST-elevation myocardial infarction care relevant to consider for importance-performance analysis. The purpose of this study was to identify quality improvement priorities in ST-elevation myocardial infarction care. Importance and performance levels of ST-elevation myocardial infarction key interventions were combined in an importance-performance analysis. Content validity indexes on 23 ST-elevation myocardial infarction key interventions of a multidisciplinary RAND Delphi Survey defined importance levels. Structured review of 300 patient records in 15 acute hospitals determined performance levels. The significance of between-hospital variation was determined by a Kruskal-Wallis test. A performance heat-map allowed for hospital-specific priority setting. Seven key interventions were each rated as an overall improvement priority. Priority key interventions related to risk assessment, timely reperfusion by percutaneous coronary intervention and secondary prevention. Between-hospital performance varied significantly for the majority of key interventions. The type and number of priorities varied strongly across hospitals. Guideline adherence in ST-elevation myocardial infarction care is low and improvement priorities vary between hospitals. Importance-performance analysis helps clinicians and management in demarcation of the nature, number and order of improvement priorities. By offering a tailored improvement focus, this methodology makes improvement efforts more specific and achievable.

Effects of Psychoeducation on Mental Health in Patients With Coronary Heart Disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Bashiri, Zahra; Aghajani, Mohammad; Masoudi Alavi, Negin

2016-05-01

Patients with coronary heart disease are at high risk for mental health disorders, such as depression and anxiety. Psychoeducation is a well-known intervention for psychiatric patients, but its use has been limited in other health conditions, such as coronary heart disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of psychoeducation on mental health in coronary heart disease patients. This randomized clinical trial included 70 patients with coronary heart disease at Shahid Beheshti hospital, in Kashan, Iran, in 2014. The patients were randomly assigned into two groups: the experimental group, which received eight sessions of psychoeducation, and the control group, which received routine care. Data were collected with the Goldberg mental health questionnaire (GHQ) and were analyzed using independent and paired t-tests performed with SPSS version 16. The means of overall GHQ scores were significantly decreased post-test in the intervention group, and the differences between the two groups were statistically significant in the overall GHQ scores (P = 0.0001). A significant difference was observed between the mean GHQ scores of the intervention group prior to and after the psychoeducational program (PEP) intervention (30 ± 4.66 vs. 20.50 ± 3.30) (P = 0.0001). No significant changes were observed in the control group pre- and post-test (P = 0.07). Psychoeducation resulted in improved mental health in patients with coronary heart disease. Therefore, it is recommended that this approach be performed as a complementary, effective, non-invasive, low-cost nursing intervention to reduce psychological problems in these patients.

Pre-Hospital ECG E-Transmission for Patients with Suspected Myocardial Infarction in the Highlands of Scotland

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Gordon F. Rushworth

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI require prompt treatment, best done by primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI. However, for patients unable to receive PPCI, immediate pre-hospital thrombolysis (PHT is the best alternative. Evidence indicates that diagnostic and management support for staff increases the use of PHT. This study aimed to describe the patient demographics and management of patients, to determine any potential inter-area differences in referral rates to the ECG e-transmission service and to explore the views and experiences of key staff involved in ECG e-transmission within NHS Highland. Data from 2,025 patient episodes of ECG e-transmission identified a statistically significant geographical variation in ECG e-transmission and PHT delivery. Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS staff were more likely than GPs to deliver PHT overall, however, GPs were more likely to deliver in remote areas. Interviews with six Cardiac Care Unit (CCU nurses and six SAS staff highlighted their positive views of ECG e-transmission, citing perceived benefits to patients and interprofessional relationships. Poor access to network signal was noted to be a barrier to engaging in the system. This study has demonstrated that a specialist triage service based on e-transmission of ECGs in patients with suspected STEMI can be implemented in a diverse geographical setting. Work is needed to ensure equity of the service for all patients.

RISK FACTORS AFFECTING THE INCIDENCE OF CORONARY HEART DISEASE AT THE DR. WAHIDIN SUDIROHUSODO GENERAL HOSPITAL IN MAKASSAR IN 2010

OpenAIRE

arsin, A. Arsunan

2011-01-01

Dipresentasikan pada kegiatan " The 43rd APACPH Conference" di Graduate School of Public Health, Yonsei University, Korea. pada tanggal 20-22 Oktober 2011 RISK FACTORS AFFECTING THE INCIDENCE OF CORONARY HEART DISEASE AT THE DR. WAHIDIN SUDIROHUSODO GENERAL HOSPITAL IN MAKASSAR IN 2010 A. Arsunan Arsin, Wiwik, Ridwan Amiruddin Hasanuddin University, Indonesia Coronary heart disease is the first cause of death in the world and the fifth cause of death in all hospitals in Indonesi...

The effects of sacubitril/valsartan on coronary outcomes in PARADIGM-HF.

Science.gov (United States)

Mogensen, Ulrik M; Køber, Lars; Kristensen, Søren L; Jhund, Pardeep S; Gong, Jianjian; Lefkowitz, Martin P; Rizkala, Adel R; Rouleau, Jean L; Shi, Victor C; Swedberg, Karl; Zile, Michael R; Solomon, Scott D; Packer, Milton; McMurray, John J V

2017-06-01

Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE-I), are beneficial both in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HF-REF) and after myocardial infarction (MI). We examined the effects of the angiotensin-receptor neprilysin inhibitor sacubitril/valsartan, compared with the ACE-I enalapril, on coronary outcomes in PARADIGM-HF. We examined the effect of sacubitril/valsartan compared with enalapril on the following outcomes: i) the primary composite endpoint of cardiovascular (CV) death or HF hospitalization, ii) a pre-defined broader composite including, in addition, MI, stroke, and resuscitated sudden death, and iii) a post hoc coronary composite of CV-death, non-fatal MI, angina hospitalization or coronary revascularization. At baseline, of 8399 patients, 3634 (43.3%) had a prior MI and 4796 (57.1%) had a history of any coronary artery disease. Among all patients, compared with enalapril, sacubitril/valsartan reduced the risk of the primary outcome (HR 0.80 [0.73-0.87], Psacubitril/valsartan group, compared with the enalapril group, only CV death was reduced significantly. Compared with enalapril, sacubitril/valsartan reduced the risk of both the primary endpoint and a coronary composite outcome in PARADIGM-HF. Additional studies on the effect of sacubitril/valsartan on atherothrombotic outcomes in high-risk patients are merited. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Predicting health-promoting self-care behaviors in people with pre-diabetes by applying Bandura social learning theory.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Mei-Fang; Wang, Ruey-Hsia; Hung, Shu-Ling

2015-11-01

The aim of this study was to apply Bandura social learning theory in a model for identifying personal and environmental factors that predict health-promoting self-care behaviors in people with pre-diabetes. The theoretical basis of health-promoting self-care behaviors must be examined to obtain evidence-based knowledge that can help improve the effectiveness of pre-diabetes care. However, such behaviors are rarely studied in people with pre-diabetes. This quantitative, cross-sectional survey study was performed in a convenience sample of two hospitals in southern Taiwan. Two hundred people diagnosed with pre-diabetes at a single health examination center were recruited. A questionnaire survey was performed to collect data regarding personal factors (i.e., participant characteristics, pre-diabetes knowledge, and self-efficacy) and data regarding environmental factors (i.e., social support and perceptions of empowerment process) that may have associations with health-promoting self-care behaviors in people with pre-diabetes. Multiple linear regression showed that the factors that had the largest influence on the practice of health-promoting self-care behaviors were self-efficacy, diabetes history, perceptions of empowerment process, and pre-diabetes knowledge. These factors explained 59.3% of the variance in health-promoting self-care behaviors. To prevent the development of diabetes in people with pre-diabetes, healthcare professionals should consider both the personal and the environmental factors identified in this study when assessing health promoting self-care behaviors in patients with pre-diabetes and when selecting the appropriate interventions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Rural emergency medical technician pre-hospital electrocardiogram transmission.

Science.gov (United States)

Powell, A M; Halon, J M; Nelson, J

2014-01-01

Emergent care of the acute heart attack patient continues to be at the forefront of quality and cost reduction strategies throughout the healthcare industry. Although the average cardiac door-to-balloon (D2B) times have decreased substantially over the past few years, there are still vast disparities found in D2B times in populations that reside in rural areas. Such disparities are mostly related to prolonged travel time and subsequent delays in cardiac catherization lab team activation. Urban ambulance companies that are routinely staffed with paramedic level providers have been successful in the implementation of pre-hospital 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) protocols as a strategy to reduce D2B times. The authors sought to evaluate the evidence related to the risk and benefits associated with the replication of an ECG transmission protocol in a small rural emergency medical service. The latter is staffed with emergency medical technician-basics (EMT-B), emergency medical technician-advanced (EMT-A), and emergency medical technician-intermediate (EMT-I) level. The evidence reviewed was limited to studies with relevant data regarding the challenges and complexities of the ECG transmission process, the difficulties associated with ECG transmission in rural settings, and ECG transmission outcomes by provider level. The evidence supports additional research to further evaluate the feasibility of ECG transmission at the non-paramedic level. Multiple variables must be investigated including equipment cost, utilization, and rural transmission capabilities. Clearly, pre-hospital ECG transmission and early activation of the cardiac catheterization laboratory are critical components to successfully decreasing D2B times.

STRATEGIES FOR ADVANCE IN DEVELOPMENT OF A HEALTH CARE INSTITUTION FOR SPECIALIZED PRE-HOSPITAL MEDICAL AID

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Desislava Todorova

2017-12-01

Full Text Available which brings about a competitive environment for an increase of the quality of services offered. The aim of the study is making evident the recommendatory strategies of a health care institution for specialized pre-hospital medical aid in Sofia City for activity performed in the period from the year 2016 to 2018. The task assigned is an analysis of the opportunities for the widening of the activity, products, and markets of "DCC XXIVth-Sofia" EOOD. The chosen healthcare institution is active in a competitive environment in Sofia City, and in the district that it serves. Data from the health care institution, data from the institutions of National Statistics, and scientific literature on the topic were used in connection with the analysis. Some essential approaches of management were applied - analysis of the market share, and SWOT analysis, for determination of strategy. The conclusions of the analysis performed showed four possible strategies of advance in development and opportunities for activity in each of them. The administration of "DCC XXIVth-Sofia" EOOD had opportunities to all practical purposes for minimization of the negative effects, induced by the weaknesses and threats, and to successfully develop the activity - during the period from the year 2016 to 2018. Both the activity of the healthcare institution and the public health services of the population in the corresponding village/town/city depend on the choice of the administration and on its execution by the personnel.

Pre-Hospital Emergency Medical Services: An Epidemiological Survey in Mashhad, Iran

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Mohsen Seyyednozadi

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Providing appropriate care, in the right place and at the right time, is the main goal of emergency medical services (EMS to save lives. The present study aimed to assess the pre-hospital EMS in Mashhad, the second largest metropolis in Iran. Materials and Methods: In this research, data were extracted from the pre-hospital emergency mission forms, which were collected from the EMS stations in Mashhad and suburbs through systematic random sampling. In addition, supplementary information was obtained from the ambulance dispatch cards and emergency communication center forms. Results:Automobile accidents (33.7% and cardiovascular events (17.8% were the most common causes of contacts to the EMS. In the city and road stations, the mean response time was 2.6 and 1.6 minutes, while the mean time of arrival at the scene was 13.2 and 11.4 minutes, and the mean evacuation time was 13.2 and 11.4 minutes, respectively. Individuals aged 20-29 (25.2% and more than 60 years (23.9% constituted the majority of the cases receiving EMS. Conclusion: According to the results, the ‘golden time’ for emergency care was of great importance in the patients injured in car accidents or affected by cardiovascular events. Furthermore, a significant difference was observed in the time indices of EMS in Mashhad city with the EMS standards due to the lack of human resources or EMS facilities. Some contacts to the EMS were unnecessary, and no expert team aid was needed in some cases. It is recommended that citizens be trained on solving the problems associated with road traffic by implementing mobile emergency, while transfer units must be established for the better provision of emergency care by the EMS in Mashhad.

Home medicines reviews following acute coronary syndrome: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

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Bernal Daniel DL

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Despite continual improvements in the management of acute coronary syndromes, adherence to guideline-based medications remains suboptimal. We aim to improve adherence with guideline-based therapy following acute coronary syndrome using an existing service that is provided by specifically trained pharmacists, called a Home Medicines Review. We have made two minor adjustments to target the focus of the existing service including an acute coronary syndrome specific referral letter and a training package for the pharmacists providing the service. Methods/Design We will be conducting a randomized controlled trial to compare the directed home medicines review service to usual care following acute coronary syndromes. All patients aged 18 to 80 years and with a working diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome, who are admitted to two public, acute care hospitals, will be screened for enrolment into the trial. Exclusion criteria will include: not being discharged home, documented cognitive decline, non-Medicare eligibility, and presence of a terminal malignancy. Randomization concealment and sequence generation will occur through a centrally-monitored computer program. Patients randomized to the control group will receive usual post-discharge care. Patients randomized to receive the intervention will be offered usual post-discharge care and a directed home medicines review at two months post-discharge. The study endpoints will be six and twelve months post-discharge. The primary outcome will be the proportion of patients who are adherent to a complete, guideline-based medication regimen. Secondary outcomes will include hospital readmission rates, length of hospital stays, changes in quality of life, smoking cessation rates, cardiac rehabilitation completion rates, and mortality. Discussion As the trial is closely based on an existing service, any improvements observed should be highly translatable into regular practice. Possible

Interleukin-10 serum level in acute coronary syndrome patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Idrus Alwi

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Aim To compare plasma IL-10 concentrations in patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS with those in Coronary Artery Disease (CAD.Methods ACS patients hospitalized in intensive coronary care unit (ICCU of Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital/Faculty of Medicine University of Indonesia (CMH/FMUI, Persahabatan Hospital, MMC Hospital, and Medistra Hospital, Jakarta, between May 2005 and May 2006, were included in this study. The ambulatory CAD patients were taken as comparator. The serum IL-10 level was measured by immunoassay method, and compared by using Independent Student’s t-test. To investigate whether IL-10 serum level could predict ACS, the sensitivity and specificity of this parameter towards ACS in various IL-10 serum levels were calculated as well.Results In this observational study, as many as 146 subjects were analyzed, consisting of 84 ACS patients, and 62 coronary artery disease (CAD. The IL-10 level was higher in the group of ACS patients (7.37 pg/mL + 7.81, CI 95% 5.68-9.07 than that in CAD patients (1.59 pg/mL + 1.55, CI 95% 1.2-1.98. The optimal cut-off point for serum IL-10level is >1.95 pg/mL, with 79.76 % sensitivity and 77.42 % specificity.Conclusion The IL-10 level was higher in the ACS patients compared to that in CAD patients. Serum IL-10 measurement is a quite superior method to distinguish acute and stable condition, eventhough it is not as good as hsCRP for the same purpose. (Med J Indones 2009;18:165-9Key words: Interleukin-10, acute coronary syndrome

The impact of a proactive chronic care management program on hospital admission rates in a German health insurance society.

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Hamar, Brent; Wells, Aaron; Gandy, William; Haaf, Andreas; Coberley, Carter; Pope, James E; Rula, Elizabeth Y

2010-12-01

Hospital admissions are the source of significant health care expenses, although a large proportion of these admissions can be avoided through proper management of chronic disease. In the present study, we evaluate the impact of a proactive chronic care management program for members of a German insurance society who suffer from chronic disease. Specifically, we tested the impact of nurse-delivered care calls on hospital admission rates. Study participants were insured individuals with coronary artery disease, heart failure, diabetes, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who consented to participate in the chronic care management program. Intervention (n  = 17,319) and Comparison (n  = 5668) groups were defined based on records of participating (or not participating) in telephonic interactions. Changes in admission rates were calculated from the year prior to (Base) and year after program commencement. Comparative analyses were adjusted for age, sex, region of residence, and disease severity (stratification of 3 [least severe] to 1 [most severe]). Overall, the admission rate in the Intervention group decreased by 6.2% compared with a 14.9% increase in the Comparison group (P  management care calls can help reduce hospital admissions among German health insurance members with chronic disease.

Frailty in Older Adults Using Pre-hospital Care and the Emergency Department: A Narrative Review.

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Goldstein, Judah P; Andrew, Melissa K; Travers, Andrew

2012-03-01

Older adults use more health-care services per capita than younger age groups and the older adult population varies greatly in its needs. Evidence suggests that there is a critical distinction between relative frailty and fitness in older adults. Here, we review how frailty is described in the pre-hospital literature and in the broader emergency medicine literature. PubMed was used as the primary database, but was augmented by searches of CINAHL and EMBASE. Articles were included if they focused on patients 60 years and older and implemented a definition of frailty or risk screening tool in the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) or Emergency Department setting. IN THE BROAD CLINICAL LITERATURE, THREE TYPES OF MEASURES CAN BE IDENTIFIED: frailty index measures, frailty scales, and a phenotypic definition. Each offers advantages and disadvantages for the EMS stakeholder. We identified no EMS literature on frailty conceptualization or management, although some risk measures from emergency medicine use terms that overlap with the frailty literature. There is a paucity of research on frailty in the Emergency Medical Services literature. No research was identified that specifically addressed frailty conceptualization or management in EMS patients. There is a compelling need for further research in this area.

Transitions from hospital to community care: the role of patient-provider language concordance.

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Rayan, Nosaiba; Admi, Hanna; Shadmi, Efrat

2014-01-01

Cultural and language discordance between patients and providers constitutes a significant challenge to provision of quality healthcare. This study aims to evaluate minority patients' discharge from hospital to community care, specifically examining the relationship between patient-provider language concordance and the quality of transitional care. This was a multi-method prospective study of care transitions of 92 patients: native Hebrew, Russian or Arabic speakers, with a pre-discharge questionnaire and structured observations examining discharge preparation from a large Israeli teaching hospital. Two weeks post-discharge patients were surveyed by phone, on the transition from hospital to community care (the Care Transition Measure (CTM-15, 0-100 scale)) and on the primary-care post-discharge visit. Overall, ratings on the CTM indicated fair quality of the transition process (scores of 51.8 to 58.8). Patient-provider language concordance was present in 49% of minority patients' discharge briefings. Language concordance was associated with higher CTM scores among minority groups (64.1 in language-concordant versus 49.8 in non-language-concordant discharges, P Language-concordant care, coupled with extensive discharge briefings and post-discharge explanations for ongoing care, are important contributors to the quality of care transitions of ethnic minority patients.

Distance to invasive heart centre, performance of acute coronary angiography, and angioplasty and associated outcome in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: a nationwide study.

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Tranberg, Tinne; Lippert, Freddy K; Christensen, Erika F; Stengaard, Carsten; Hjort, Jakob; Lassen, Jens Flensted; Petersen, Frants; Jensen, Jan Skov; Bäck, Caroline; Jensen, Lisette Okkels; Ravkilde, Jan; Bøtker, Hans Erik; Terkelsen, Christian Juhl

2017-06-01

To evaluate whether the distance from the site of event to an invasive heart centre, acute coronary angiography (CAG)/percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and hospital-level of care (invasive heart centre vs. local hospital) is associated with survival in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients. Nationwide historical follow-up study of 41 186 unselected OHCA patients, in whom resuscitation was attempted between 2001 and 2013, identified through the Danish Cardiac Arrest Registry. We observed an increase in the proportion of patients receiving bystander CPR (18% in 2001, 60% in 2013, P acute CAG/PCI (5% in 2001, 27% in 2013, P acute CAG/PCI annually in each region was defined as the CAG/PCI index. The following variables were associated with lower mortality in multivariable analyses: direct admission to invasive heart centre (HR 0.91, 95% CI: 0.89-0.93), CAG/PCI index (HR 0.33, 95% CI: 0.25-0.45), population density above 2000 per square kilometre (HR 0.94, 95% CI: 0.89-0.98), bystander CPR (HR 0.97, 95% CI: 0.95-0.99) and witnessed OHCA (HR 0.87, 95% CI: 0.85-0.89), whereas distance to the nearest invasive centre was not associated with survival. Admission to an invasive heart centre and regional performance of acute CAG/PCI were associated with improved survival in OHCA patients, whereas distance to the invasive centre was not. These results support a centralized strategy for immediate post-resuscitation care in OHCA patients. © The Author 2017. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology.

Nutritional practices in full-day-care pre-schools.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Jennings, A

2011-06-01

Full-day-care pre-schools contribute significantly to the nutritional intake and acquisition of dietary habits of the pre-school child. The present study investigated nutritional practices in full-day-care pre-schools in Dublin, Ireland, aiming to determine the nutritional support that pre-school managers deem necessary, thereby facilitating the amelioration of existing pre-school nutritional training and practices.

In-hospital Death Prediction by Multilevel Logistic Regressin in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndromes

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Reissigová, Jindra; Monhart, Z.; Zvárová, Jana; Hanzlíček, Petr; Grünfeldová, H.; Janský, P.; Vojáček, J.; Widimský, P.

2013-01-01

Roč. 9, č. 1 (2013), s. 11-17 ISSN 1801-5603 Institutional support: RVO:67985807 Keywords : multilevel logistic regression * acute coronary syndromes * risk factors * in-hospital death Subject RIV: IN - Informatics, Computer Science http://www.ejbi.org/img/ejbi/2013/1/Reissigova_en.pdf

Pre-procedural fasting for coronary interventions: is it time to change practice?

Science.gov (United States)

Hamid, Tahir; Aleem, Qaiser; Lau, Yeecheng; Singh, Ravi; McDonald, John; Macdonald, John E; Sastry, Sanjay; Arya, Sanjay; Bainbridge, Anthony; Mudawi, Telal; Balachandran, Kanarath

2014-04-01

Traditionally, patients are kept nil-per-os/nil-by-mouth (NPO/NBM) prior to invasive cardiac procedures, yet there exists neither evidence nor clear guidance about the benefits of this practice. To demonstrate that percutaneous cardiac catheterisation does not require prior fasting. The data source is a retrospective analysis of data registry of consecutive patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and stable angina at two district general hospitals in the UK with no on-site cardiac surgery services. A total of 1916 PCI procedures were performed over a 3-year period. None of the patients were kept NPO/NBM prior to their coronary procedures. The mean age was 67±16 years. 1349 (70%) were men; 38.5% (738/1916) had chronic stable angina, while the rest had ACS. 21% (398/1916) were diabetics while 53% (1017/1916) were hypertensive. PCI was technically successful in 95% (1821/1916) patients. 88.5% (1697/1916) had transradial approach. 77% (570/738) of elective PCI patients were discharged within 6 h postprocedure. No patients required emergency endotracheal intubation and there were no occurrences of intraprocedural or postprocedural aspiration pneumonia. Our observational study demonstrates that patients undergoing PCI do not need to be fasted prior to their procedures.

The impact of care management information technology model on quality of care after percutaneous coronary intervention: "Bridging the Divides".

Science.gov (United States)

Weintraub, William S; Fanari, Zaher; Elliott, Daniel; Ostertag-Stretch, Jennifer; Muther, Ann; Lynahan, Margaret; Kerzner, Roger; Salam, Tabassum; Scherrer, Herbert; Anderson, Sharon; Russo, Carla A; Kolm, Paul; Steinberg, Terri H

2017-07-03

Reducing readmissions and improving metrics of care are a national priority. Supplementing traditional care with care management may improve outcomes. The Bridges program was an initial evaluation of a care management platform (CareLinkHub), supported by information technology (IT) developed to improve the quality and transition of care from hospital to home after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and reduce readmissions. CareLink is comprised of care managers, patient navigators, pharmacists and physicians. Information to guide care management is guided by a middleware layer to gather information, PLR (ColdLight Solutions, LLC) and presented to CareLink staff on a care management platform, Aerial™ (Medecision). An additional analytic engine [Neuron™ (ColdLight Solutions, LLC)] helps, evaluates and guide care. The "Bridges" program enrolled a total of 2054 PCI patients with 2835 admission from April, 1st 2013 through March 1st, 2015. The data of the program was compared with those of 3691 PCI patients with 4414 admissions in the 3years prior to the program. No impact was seen with respect to inpatient and observation readmission, or emergency department visits. Similarly no change was noticed in LDL control. There was minimal improvement in BP control and only in the CTM-3 and SAQ-7 physical limitation scores in the patients' reported outcomes. Patient follow-up with physicians within 1week of discharge improved during the Bridges years. The CareLink hub platform was successfully implemented. Little or no impact on outcome metrics was seen in the short follow-up time. The Bridges program suggests that population health management must be a long-term goal, improving preventive care in the community. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of casemix funding on outcomes in patients admitted to hospital with suspected unstable angina.

Science.gov (United States)

Kerr, G D; Dunt, D; Gordon, I R

1998-01-19

To determine the effect of the introduction of casemix funding on resource utilisation and clinical outcomes in patients admitted to hospital with suspected unstable angina. A prospective cohort study with a 6-month follow-up. A suburban community hospital in Melbourne, Victoria. 336 consecutive patients admitted to the coronary care unit with suspected unstable angina before (156) and after (180) the introduction of casemix funding. Introduction of casemix funding in July 1993. Indices of resource utilisation: length of stay in hospital, length of stay in the coronary care unit, and total cost of investigations (pathology and radiology). Rates of serious cardiac events during hospital stay and after discharge. Readmissions within 28 days and 6 months of discharge. After the introduction of casemix funding there was a 1% increase in duration of hospital stay and a 5% increase in time spent in the coronary care unit, but neither of these increases was statistically significant. However, there was a significant reduction in total cost of investigations (39% decrease; 95% confidence interval, 14%-70%; P Casemix funding had no effect on short term clinical outcomes but resulted in significantly reduced investigation costs.

Occupational Therapy Predischarge Home Visits in Acute Hospital Care: A Randomized Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Clemson, Lindy; Lannin, Natasha A; Wales, Kylie; Salkeld, Glenn; Rubenstein, Laurence; Gitlin, Laura; Barris, Sarah; Mackenzie, Lynette; Cameron, Ian D

2016-10-01

To determine whether an enhanced occupational therapy discharge planning intervention that involved pre- and postdischarge home visits, goal setting, and follow-up (the HOME program) would be superior to a usual care intervention in which an occupational therapy in-hospital consultation for planning and supporting discharge to home is provided to individuals receiving acute care. Randomized controlled trial. Acute and medical wards. Individuals aged 70 and older (N = 400). Primary outcomes: activities daily living (ADLs; Nottingham Extended Activities of Daily Living) and participation in life roles and activities (Late Life Disability Index (LLDI)). Occupational therapist recommendations differed significantly between groups (P occupational therapy recommendations as the in-hospital only consultation, which had a greater emphasis on equipment provision, but HOME did not demonstrate greater benefit in global measures of ADLs or participation in life tasks than in-hospital consultation alone. It is not recommended that home visits be conducted routinely as part of discharge planning for acutely hospitalized medical patients. Further work should develop guidelines for quality in-hospital consultation. © 2016, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2016, The American Geriatrics Society.

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.

Clinical and economic outcomes among hospitalized patients with acute coronary syndrome: an analysis of a national representative Medicare population

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Chen SY

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Shih-Yin Chen,1 Concetta Crivera,2 Michael Stokes,1 Luke Boulanger,1 Jeffrey Schein2 1United BioSource Corporation, Lexington, MA, USA; 2Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC, Raritan, NJ, USA Objective: To evaluate the clinical and economic burden of acute coronary syndrome (ACS, a common cardiovascular illness, in the Medicare population. Methods: Data from the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey were analyzed. Patients with incident hospitalization for ACS without similar events during the 6 months prior were included. Outcomes evaluated included inpatient mortality, 30-day mortality and readmission, subsequent hospitalization events, and total direct health care costs. Sample population weights were applied, accounting for multistage sampling design to obtain nationally representative estimates for the US Medicare population. Results: Between March 1, 2002 and December 31, 2006, we identified 795 incident ACS patients (mean age 76 years; 49% male representing 2,542,211 Medicare beneficiaries. The inpatient mortality rate was 9.71% and the 30-day mortality ranged from 10.96% to 13.93%. The 30-day readmission rate for surviving patients was 18.56% for all causes and 17.90% for cardiovascular disease (CVD-related diagnoses. The incidence of death since admission was 309 cases per 1000 person–years. Among patients discharged alive, the incidence was 197 for death, 847 for CVD-related admission, and 906 for all-cause admission. During the year when the ACS event occurred, mean annual total direct health care costs per person were US$50,458, with more than half attributable to inpatient hospitalization ($27,609. Conclusion: In this national representative Medicare population, we found a substantial clinical and economic burden for ACS. These findings suggest a continuing unmet medical need for more effective management of patients with ACS. The continuous burden underscores the importance of development of new interventions and/or strategies to

[The development of a portable life support device for transporting pre-hospital critically ill patients].

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Zhen-xing; Wu, Tai-hu; Meng, Xing-ju; Lu, Heng-zhi; Zheng, Jie-wen; Wang, Hai-tao

2012-06-01

To describe a portable life support device for transportation of pre-hospital patients with critical illness. The characteristics and requirements for urgent management during transportation of critically ill patients to a hospital were analyzed. With adoption of the original equipment, with the aid of staple of the art soft ware, the overall structure, its installation, fixation, freedom from interference, operational function were studied, and the whole system of life support and resuscitation was designed. The system was composed by different modules, including mechanical ventilation, transfusion, aspiration, critical care, oxygen supply and power supply parts. The system could be fastened quickly to a stretcher to form portable intensive care unit (ICU), and it could be carried by different size vehicles to provide nonstop treatment by using power supply of the vehicle, thus raising the efficiency of urgent care. With characteristics of its small size, lightweight and portable, the device is particularly suitable for narrow space and extreme environment.

Positive Coping: A Unique Characteristic to Pre-Hospital Emergency Personnel.

Science.gov (United States)

Ebadi, Abbas; Froutan, Razieh

2017-01-01

It is important to gain a thorough understanding of positive coping methods adopted by medical emergency personnel to manage stressful situations associated with accidents and emergencies. Thus, the purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of positive coping strategies used by emergency medical service providers. This study was conducted using a qualitative content analysis method. The study participants included 28 pre-hospital emergency personnel selected from emergency medical service providers in bases located in different regions of the city of Mashhad, Iran, from April to November 2016. The purposive sampling method also was used in this study, which was continued until data saturation was reached. To collect the data, semistructured open interviews, observations, and field notes were used. Four categories and 10 subcategories were extracted from the data on the experiences of pre-hospital emergency personnel related to positive coping strategies. The four categories included work engagement, smart capability, positive feedback, and crisis pioneering. All the obtained categories had their own subcategories, which were determined based on their distinctly integrated properties. The results of this study show that positive coping consists of several concepts used by medical emergency personnel, management of stressful situations, and ultimately quality of pre-hospital clinical services. Given the fact that efficient methods such as positive coping can prevent debilitating stress in an individual, pre-hospital emergency authorities should seek to build and strengthen "positive coping" characteristics in pre-hospital medical emergency personnel to deal with accidents, emergencies, and injuries through adopting regular and dynamic policies.

"Flashes" de como as gestantes percebem a assistência pré-natal em um hospital universitário "Flashes" de cómo las embarazadas perciben la asistencia pre-natal en un hospital universitario Flashes of how pregnants perceive pre-natal care in a university hospital

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sonia Silva Marcon

1997-10-01

estudio es mejor que la recibida en otro locales, ella no atiende, segun las propias embarazadas, sus expectativas y necesidades reales. En general, las embarazadas desearían obtener más orientaciones y una asistencia menos impersonal. Los motivos por los cuales no les gusta mucho la asistencia estan relacionados, principalmente, con la rotatividad de los alumnos.This article was based on a research carried out to characterise the pre-natal care offered to pregnant women at the out patient unit of a university hospital. This qualitative study used Ethnography, more precisely Miniethnography. The methodological approach and data collection were done through Participating Observation. Results showed that pregnant in touch with health professionals are able to filter information and, at the same time, behave as non participating clients, since they do not question the care offered to them even if the care is not good. Although women think that the care offered at this hospital is better than the one offered elsewhere, they admit that it does not respond successfully to their real expectations and needs. Generally speaking, they would like to receive more orientation and more personal assistance. They do not like this care very much mainly because of student's rotativity.

Nursing care documentation practice: The unfinished task of nursing care in the University of Gondar Hospital.

Science.gov (United States)

Kebede, Mihiretu; Endris, Yesuf; Zegeye, Desalegn Tegabu

2017-09-01

Even though nursing care documentation is an important part of nursing practice, it is commonly left undone. The objective of this study was to assess nursing care documentation practice and the associated factors among nurses who are working at the University of Gondar Hospital. An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 220 nurses working at the University of Gondar Hospital inpatient wards from March 20 to April 30, 2014. Data were collected using a structured and pre-tested self-administered questionnaire. Data were entered into Epi Info version 7 and analyzed with SPSS version 20. Descriptive statistics, bivariate, and multivariate logistic regression analyses were carried out. Two hundred and six nurses returned the questionnaire. Good nursing care documentation practice among nurses was 37.4%. A low nurse-to-patient ratio AOR = 2.15 (95%CI [1.155, 4.020]), in-service training on standard nursing process AOR = 2.6 (95%CI[1.326, 5.052]), good knowledge AOR = 2.156(95% CI [1.092, 4.254]), and good attitude toward nursing care documentation AOR = 2.22 (95% CI [1.105, 4.471] were significantly associated with nursing care documentation practice. Most of the nursing care provided remains undocumented. Nurse-to-patient ratio, in-service training, knowledge, and attitude of nurses toward nursing care documentation were factors associated with nursing care documentation practice.

Coronary CT in Acute Cardiac Care

NARCIS (Netherlands)

A. Dedic (Admir)

2016-01-01

markdownabstractCoronary CT angiography is a well-established diagnostic modality for stable angina pectoris. It provides an angiographic, non-invasive alternative for the diagnosis of coronary artery disease, exceeding in the ability to exclude important coronary artery disease. Having the ability

Electrocardiographic Findings in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome Presenting With Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest.

Science.gov (United States)

Sarak, Bradley; Goodman, Shaun G; Brieger, David; Gale, Chris P; Tan, Nigel S; Budaj, Andrzej; Wong, Graham C; Huynh, Thao; Tan, Mary K; Udell, Jacob A; Bagai, Akshay; Fox, Keith A A; Yan, Andrew T

2018-02-01

We sought to characterize presenting electrocardiographic findings in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACSs) and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). In the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events and Canadian ACS Registry I, we examined presenting and 24- to 48-hour follow-up ECGs (electrocardiogram) of ACS patients who survived to hospital admission, stratified by presentation with OHCA. We assessed the prevalence of ST-segment deviation and bundle branch blocks (assessed by an independent ECG core laboratory) and their association with in-hospital and 6-month mortality among those with OHCA. Of the 12,040 ACS patients, 215 (1.8%) survived to hospital admission after OHCA. Those with OHCA had higher presenting rates of ST-segment elevation, ST-segment depression, T-wave inversion, precordial Q-waves, left bundle branch block (LBBB), and right bundle branch block (RBBB) than those without. Among patients with OHCA, those with ST-segment elevation had significantly lower in-hospital mortality (20.9% vs 33.0%, p = 0.044) and a trend toward lower 6-month mortality (27% vs 39%, p = 0.060) compared with those without ST-segment elevation. Conversely, among OCHA patients, LBBB was associated with significantly higher in-hospital and 6-month mortality rates (58% vs 22%, p presenting ECG resolved by 24 to 48 hours. In conclusion, compared with ACS patients without cardiac arrest, those with OHCA had higher rates of ST-segment elevation, LBBB, and RBBB on admission. Among OHCA patients, ST-segment elevation was associated with lower in-hospital mortality, whereas LBBB was associated with higher in-hospital and 6-month mortality. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Study of public and private hospital care on a population basis, 1986-1996].

Science.gov (United States)

Rocha, J S; Simões, B J

1999-02-01

The last decade saw the creation and implementation of the Brazilian National Health System (NHS)--public, universal and equalitarian--with the objective of offering wide coverage to meet the population's health needs. The objective of the study was the assessment of the evolution of public and private hospital care on a populational basis during the period of the implementation of the NHS. The 984,142 inpatients of the general hospitals of Ribeirão Preto, Brazil, during the period 1986 to 1996 were studied and those of them living in their own municipal district were selected. The inpatients are classified according to the financing system as private, pre-payment and NHS; the social situation of the patients and the profile of hospital morbidity are analysed. In the period studied a continuous growth in the number of hospitalizations is observed, both in absolute numbers and in coefficient per thousand inhabitants, increasing from 43,773 to 55,844 inpatients per year. Though when the categories of the hospitalizations are studied, it is seen that private inpatients present a reduction both in absolute numbers and as a coefficient from 3,181 (7.3%) to 2,215 (3.9%); the NHS inpatients decrease in absolute numbers and in a percentage by a third at the end of the period--falling from 33,254 (76.0%) to 29,373 (51.7%). On the other hand the pre-payment inpatient system triplicates in absolute numbers and duplicates by rate for inhabitant--from 7,338 (16.8%) to 25,256 (44.4%). The NHS hospital care attends mainly unskilled and semi-skilled manual workers; the professionals, technicians, non manual and skilled manual workers being assisted by the private services. The hospital morbidity of NHS inpatients is different from that of the private inpatient systems. The health policy in that period, limiting NHS financing, repressing demand and discouraging the private providers to work with NHS inpatients led to negative selectivity. The result was an increase in difference

Hidden psychiatric morbidity. Part II: Training health care workers in detection: a pre- and post-study at Karanda Mission Hospital.

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, A; Williams, H

1987-11-01

A simple 5-session training program covering basic mental health problems, and instruction in the use of the Harding Self Report Questionaire, was instituted at Karanda Mission Hospital to help medical students recognise hidden psychiatric morbidity in somatically presenting patients. The Harding Self Report Questionaire was used as both a detection and training instrument, together with a Health Staff Rating Scale. Medical Assistants were assessed pre- and post-training on 2 measures--specificity and sensitivity. The training program demonstrated that health care workers can be trained to more accurately detect and diagnose hidden psychiatric disorder in this group of patients. An additional benefit was that workers developed an increased interest in this difficult area of patient care. In a previous study, the prevalence of hidden psychiatric morbidity in a general medical outpatient population in Bindura Provincial was found to be in line with other developing countries (i.e., in excess of 10%) and detection rate by health care workers (4.25%) was low, although comparable to that found in other studies. One of the conclusions reached after the Bindura study was that a simple program was needed to alert workers to recognise underlying psychiatric disorder in somatically presenting patients. With this in mind, the training program was devised and given at Karanda Mission Hospital which is situated about 220 km from Harare, Zimbabwe. It has 120 beds and is staffed by 2 doctors, 3 locally trained SRNs, several American trained SRNs, and 3 locally trained medical assistants. It also runs a nursing school for medical assistants. The hospital serves a population drawn from both subsistence and purchase area farmers, but is less diverse that that of Bindura. The training program was shown to be effective, as demonstrated in the improved accuracy in detection and diagnosis by medical assistants. The improvement post-training is perhaps all the more remarkable when the

Elevated leukocyte count and adverse hospital events in patients with acute coronary syndromes: findings from the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE).

Science.gov (United States)

Furman, Mark I; Gore, Joel M; Anderson, Fredrick A; Budaj, Andrzej; Goodman, Shaun G; Avezum, Avaro; López-Sendón, José; Klein, Werner; Mukherjee, Debabrata; Eagle, Kim A; Dabbous, Omar H; Goldberg, Robert J

2004-01-01

To examine the association between elevated leukocyte count and hospital mortality and heart failure in patients enrolled in the multinational, observational Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE). Elevated leukocyte count is associated with adverse hospital outcomes in patients presenting with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The association of this prognostic factor with hospital mortality and heart failure in patients with other acute coronary syndromes (ACS) is unclear. We examined the association between admission leukocyte count and hospital mortality and heart failure in 8269 patients presenting with an ACS. This association was examined separately in patients with ST-segment elevation AMI, non-ST-segment elevation AMI, and unstable angina. Leukocyte count was divided into 4 mutually exclusive groups (Q): Q1 12,000. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the association between elevated leukocyte count and hospital events while accounting for the simultaneous effect of several potentially confounding variables. Increasing leukocyte count was significantly associated with hospital death (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 2.8, 95% CI 2.1-3.6 for Q4 compared to Q2 [normal range]) and heart failure (OR 2.7, 95% CI 2.2-3.4) for patients presenting with ACS. This association was seen in patients with ST-segment elevation AMI (OR for hospital death 3.2, 95% CI 2.1-4.7; OR for heart failure 2.4, 95% CI 1.8-3.3), non-ST-segment elevation AMI (OR for hospital death 1.9, 95% CI 1.2-3.0; OR for heart failure 1.7, 95% CI 1.1-2.5), or unstable angina (OR for hospital death 2.8, 95% CI 1.4-5.5; OR for heart failure 2.0, 95% CI 0.9-4.4). In men and women of all ages with the spectrum of ACS, initial leukocyte count is an independent predictor of hospital death and the development of heart failure.

A European benchmarking system to evaluate in-hospital mortality rates in acute coronary syndrome: the EURHOBOP project.

Science.gov (United States)

Dégano, Irene R; Subirana, Isaac; Torre, Marina; Grau, María; Vila, Joan; Fusco, Danilo; Kirchberger, Inge; Ferrières, Jean; Malmivaara, Antti; Azevedo, Ana; Meisinger, Christa; Bongard, Vanina; Farmakis, Dimitros; Davoli, Marina; Häkkinen, Unto; Araújo, Carla; Lekakis, John; Elosua, Roberto; Marrugat, Jaume

2015-03-01

Hospital performance models in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) are useful to assess patient management. While models are available for individual countries, mainly US, cross-European performance models are lacking. Thus, we aimed to develop a system to benchmark European hospitals in AMI and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), based on predicted in-hospital mortality. We used the EURopean HOspital Benchmarking by Outcomes in ACS Processes (EURHOBOP) cohort to develop the models, which included 11,631 AMI patients and 8276 acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients who underwent PCI. Models were validated with a cohort of 55,955 European ACS patients. Multilevel logistic regression was used to predict in-hospital mortality in European hospitals for AMI and PCI. Administrative and clinical models were constructed with patient- and hospital-level covariates, as well as hospital- and country-based random effects. Internal cross-validation and external validation showed good discrimination at the patient level and good calibration at the hospital level, based on the C-index (0.736-0.819) and the concordance correlation coefficient (55.4%-80.3%). Mortality ratios (MRs) showed excellent concordance between administrative and clinical models (97.5% for AMI and 91.6% for PCI). Exclusion of transfers and hospital stays ≤1day did not affect in-hospital mortality prediction in sensitivity analyses, as shown by MR concordance (80.9%-85.4%). Models were used to develop a benchmarking system to compare in-hospital mortality rates of European hospitals with similar characteristics. The developed system, based on the EURHOBOP models, is a simple and reliable tool to compare in-hospital mortality rates between European hospitals in AMI and PCI. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

CLINICAL CASE OF RUSSIAN THROMBOLYTIC AGENT FORTELYZIN® USE IN PATIENTS WITH ACUTE CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. A. Kireev

2015-01-01

Full Text Available One of the three clinical examples of hospital thrombolysis using Russian thrombolytic agent recombinant protein comprising an amino acid sequence of staphylokinase is described. The trial was held in Chelyabinsk Regional Vascular Centre of specialized medical care for patients with acute coronary syndromes. Each of the three patients had similar reasons for systemic intravenous thrombolysis: hospitalization with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, unavailability of coronary interventions due to the X-ray operating room occupancy, high need for the reperfusion therapy in the setting of significant acute myocardial ischemia. In all the cases the pharmacologic reperfusion with recombinant protein comprising an amino acid sequence of staphylokinase was successful, hereafter percutaneous coronary interventions were performed. There were no complications registered.

Insight into the number of pre-malignancies and malignancies of the skin in a hospital population in the Netherlands.

Science.gov (United States)

van Rijsingen, Margit; Seubring, Inge; Maessen-Visch, Birgitte; Lavrijsen, Sjan; van Bergen, Bert; Groenewoud, Johannes; Gerritsen, Marie-Jeanne

2015-01-01

Skin cancer incidence is rising, placing a burden on healthcare systems worldwide. This problem may even be more extensive than expected, since registration of (pre)malignancies of the skin is poor. To provide insight into the numbers of (pre)malignancies in patients with actinic keratosis (AK) or basal cell carcinoma (BCC) in 2 university and 2 general hospitals. The types and numbers of previous tumours and of tumours during a two-year follow-up were collected from 574 patients. Mean time between the first diagnosed (pre)malignancy and time of inclusion was 6.6 years. Overall, 60% had multiple types of (pre)malignancies. In BCC patients, 61% had multiple BCCs, in patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), 40% had multiple SCCs. The combination 'BCC and SCC' occurred in 10%, 'BCC and AK' in 47%, 'SCC and AK' in 14%. High numbers of patients with multiple (pre)malignancies were found in this patient population in university and general hospitals, which may well reflect the Dutch hospital population. We conclude that skin cancer patients are more extensively affected than was expected up till now. Consequently, the management of skin cancer may be in need of adaptation in near future and the question arises whether dermatologists have the capacity for providing care for all these patients.

Statistical coronary motion models for 2D + t/3D registration of X-ray coronary angiography and CTA

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Baka, N.; Metz, C. T.; Schultz, C.

2013-01-01

Accurate alignment of intra-operative X-ray coronary angiography (XA) and pre-operative cardiac CT angiography (CTA) may improve procedural success rates of minimally invasive coronary interventions for patients with chronic total occlusions. It was previously shown that incorporating patient...... specific coronary motion extracted from 4D CTA increases the robustness of the alignment. However, pre-operative CTA is often acquired with gating at end-diastole, in which case patient specific motion is not available. For such cases, we investigate the possibility of using population based coronary...

Inter-regional competition and quality in hospital care.

Science.gov (United States)

Aiura, Hiroshi

2013-06-01

This study analyzes the effect of episode-of-care payment and patient choice on waiting time and the comprehensive quality of hospital care. The study assumes that two hospitals are located in two cities with different population sizes and compete with each other. We find that the comprehensive quality of hospital care as well as waiting time of both hospitals improve with an increase in payment per episode of care. However, we also find that the extent of these improvements differs according to the population size of the cities where the hospitals are located. Under the realistic assumptions that hospitals involve significant labor-intensive work, we find the improvements in comprehensive quality and waiting time in a hospital located in a small city to be greater than those in a hospital located in a large city. The result implies that regional disparity in the quality of hospital care decreases with an increase in payment per episode of care.

Hospital at Home care for older patients with cognitive impairment: a protocol for a randomised controlled feasibility trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Pouw, Maaike A; Calf, Agneta H; van Munster, Barbara C; Ter Maaten, Jan C; Smidt, Nynke; de Rooij, Sophia E

2018-03-27

An acute hospital admission is a stressful life event for older people, particularly for those with cognitive impairment. The hospitalisation is often complicated by hospital-associated geriatric syndromes, including delirium and functional loss, leading to functional decline and nursing home admission. Hospital at Home care aims to avoid hospitalisation-associated adverse outcomes in older patients with cognitive impairment by providing hospital care in the patient's own environment. This randomised, non-blinded feasibility trial aims to assess the feasibility of conducting a randomised controlled trial in terms of the recruitment, use and acceptability of Hospital at Home care for older patients with cognitive impairment. The quality of care will be evaluated and the advantages and disadvantages of the Hospital at Home care programme compared with usual hospital care. Eligible patients will be randomised either to Hospital at Home care in their own environment or usual hospital care. The intervention consists of hospital level care provided at patients' homes, including visits from healthcare professionals, diagnostics (laboratory tests, blood cultures) and treatment. The control group will receive usual hospital care. Measurements will be conducted at baseline, during admission, at discharge and at 3 and 6 months after the baseline assessment. Institutional ethics approval has been granted. The findings will be disseminated through public lectures, professional and scientific conferences, as well as peer-reviewed journal articles. The study findings will contribute to knowledge on the implementation of Hospital at Home care for older patients with cognitive disorders. The results will be used to inform and support strategies to deliver eligible care to older patients with cognitive impairment. e020313; Pre-results. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is

National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — The National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS) is designed to collect data on the utilization and provision of ambulatory care services in hospital...

Is hospital 'community benefit' charity care?

Science.gov (United States)

Bakken, Erik; Kindig, David A

2012-10-01

The Affordable Care Act is drawing increased attention to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Community Benefit policy. To qualify for tax exemption, the IRS requires nonprofit hospitals to allocate a portion of their operating expenses to certain "charitable" activities, such as providing free or reduced care to the indigent. To determine the total amount of community benefit reported by Wisconsin hospitals using official IRS tax return forms (Form 990), and examine the level of allocation across allowable activities. Primary data collection from IRS 990 forms submitted by Wisconsin hospitals for 2009. Community benefit reported in absolute dollars and as percent of overall hospital expenditures, both overall and by activity category. For 2009, Wisconsin hospitals reported $1.064 billion in community benefits, or 7.52% of total hospital expenditures. Of this amount, 9.1% was for charity care, 50% for Medicaid subsidies, 11.4% for other subsidized services, and 4.4% for Community Health Improvement Services. Charity care is not the primary reported activity by Wisconsin hospitals under the IRS Community Benefit requirement. Opportunities may exist for devoting increasing amounts to broader community health improvement activities.

Pre-ART retention in care and prevalence of tuberculosis among HIV-infected children at a district hospital in southern Ethiopia.

Science.gov (United States)

Westerlund, Emil; Jerene, Degu; Mulissa, Zewdie; Hallström, Inger; Lindtjørn, Bernt

2014-10-04

The Ethiopian epidemic is currently on the wane. However, the situation for infected children is in some ways lagging behind due to low treatment coverage and deficient prevention of mother-to-child transmission. Too few studies have examined HIV infected children presenting to care in low-income countries in general. Considering the presence of local variations in the nature of the epidemic a study in Ethiopia could be of special value for the continuing fight against HIV. The aim of this study is to describe the main characteristics of children with HIV presenting to care at a district hospital in a resource-limited area in southern Ethiopia. The aim was also to analyse factors affecting pre-ART loss to follow-up, time to ART-initiation and disease stage upon presentation. This was a prospective cohort study. The data analysed were collected in 2009 for the period January 2003 through December 2008 at Arba Minch Hospital and additional data on the ART-need in the region were obtained from official reports. The pre-ART loss to follow-up rate was 29.7%. Older children (10-14 years) presented in a later stage of their disease than younger children (76.9% vs. 45.0% in 0-4 year olds, chi-square test, χ2 = 8.8, P = 0.01). Older girls presented later than boys (100.0% vs. 57.1%, Fisher's exact test, P = 0.02). Children aged 0-4 years were more likely to be lost to follow-up (40.0 vs. 21.8%, chi-square test, χ2 = 5.4, P = 0.02) and had a longer time to initiate ART (Cox regression analysis, HR: 0.50, 95% CI: 0.25-0.97, P = 0.04, controlling for sex, place of residence, enrollment phase and WHO clinical stage upon presentation). Neither sex was overrepresented in the sample. Tuberculosis prevalence upon presentation and previous history of tubercolosis were 14.5% and 8% respectively. The loss to follow-up is alarmingly high and children present too late. Further research is needed to explore specific causes and possible solutions.

Characteristics and in-hospital outcomes of patients with acute coronary syndromes and heart failure in the United Arab Emirates.

Science.gov (United States)

Shehab, Abdulla; Al-Dabbagh, Bayan; Almahmeed, Wael; Bustani, Nazar; Nagelkerke, Nicolaas; Yusufali, Afzal; Wassef, Adel; Ibrahim, Mohamed; Brek, Azan Bin

2012-09-26

Heart failure (HF) is a serious complication of acute coronary syndromes (ACS), and is associated with high in-hospital mortality and poor long-term survival. The aims of this study were to describe the clinical characteristics, management and in-hospital outcomes of coronary syndrome (ACS) patients with HF in the United Arab Emirates. The study was selected from the Gulf Registry of Acute Coronary Events (Gulf RACE), a prospective multi-national, multicenter registry of patients hospitalized with ACS in six Middle East countries. The present analysis was focused on participants admitted to various hospitals in the UAE with a diagnosis of ACS in 2007 and were analyzed in terms of HF (Killip class II/III and IV) on admission. Of 1691 patients (mean age: 52.6 ± 11.7 years; 210 Females, 1481 Males) with ACS, 356 (21%) had an admission diagnosis of HF (Killip class II/III and IV). HF patients were less frequently males (19.2% vs. 34.3%; P < 0.001). HF was more frequently associated with hypertension (64.3% vs. 43.9%; P < 0.001), hyperlipidemia (49.4% vs. 31.8%; P < 0.001) and diabetes mellitus (DM) (51.1% vs. 36.2%; P < 0.001). HF was significantly associated with in-hospital mortality (OR = 11.821; 95% CI: 5.385-25.948; P < 0.001). In multivariate logistic regression, age, hyperlipidemia, heart rate and DM were associated with higher in-hospital HF. HF is observed in about 1 in 5 patients with ACS in the UAE and is associated with a significant increase in in-hospital mortality and other adverse outcomes.

Pre-fracture individual characteristics associated with high total health care costs after hip fracture.

Science.gov (United States)

Schousboe, J T; Paudel, M L; Taylor, B C; Kats, A M; Virnig, B A; Dowd, B E; Langsetmo, L; Ensrud, K E

2017-03-01

Older women with pre-fracture slow walk speed, high body mass index, and/or a high level of multimorbidity have significantly higher health care costs after hip fracture compared to those without those characteristics. Studies to investigate if targeted health care interventions for these individuals can reduce hip fracture costs are warranted. The aim of this study is to estimate the associations of individual pre-fracture characteristics with total health care costs after hip fracture, using Study of Osteoporotic Fractures (SOF) cohort data linked to Medicare claims. Our study population was 738 women age 70 and older enrolled in Medicare Fee for Service (FFS) who experienced an incident hip fracture between January 1, 1992 and December 31, 2009. We assessed pre-fracture individual characteristics at SOF study visits and estimated costs of hospitalizations, skilled nursing facility and inpatient rehabilitation stays, home health care visits, and outpatient utilization from Medicare FFS claims. We used generalized linear models to estimate the associations of predictor variables with total health care costs (2010 US dollars) after hip fracture. Median total health care costs for 1 year after hip fracture were $35,536 (inter-quartile range $24,830 to $50,903). Multivariable-adjusted total health care costs for 1 year after hip fracture were 14 % higher ($5256, 95 % CI $156 to $10,356) in those with walk speed total health care costs after hip fracture in older women. Studies to investigate if targeted health care interventions for these individuals can reduce the costs of hip fractures are warranted.

The effect of provider affiliation with a primary care network on emergency department visits and hospital admissions

Science.gov (United States)

Bakal, Jeffrey A.; Green, Lee; Bahler, Brad; Lewanczuk, Richard

2018-01-01

BACKGROUND: Primary care networks are designed to facilitate access to inter-professional, team-based care. We compared health outcomes associated with primary care networks versus conventional primary care. METHODS: We obtained data on all adult residents of Alberta who visited a primary care physician during fiscal years 2008 and 2009 and classified them as affiliated with a primary care network or not, based on the physician most involved in their care. The primary outcome was an emergency department visit or nonelective hospital admission for a Patient Medical Home indicator condition (asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart failure, coronary disease, hypertension and diabetes) within 12 months. RESULTS: Adults receiving care within a primary care network (n = 1 502 916) were older and had higher comorbidity burdens than those receiving conventional primary care (n = 1 109 941). Patients in a primary care network were less likely to visit the emergency department for an indicator condition (1.4% v. 1.7%, mean 0.031 v. 0.035 per patient, adjusted risk ratio [RR] 0.98, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.96–0.99) or for any cause (25.5% v. 30.5%, mean 0.55 v. 0.72 per patient, adjusted RR 0.93, 95% CI 0.93–0.94), but were more likely to be admitted to hospital for an indicator condition (0.6% v. 0.6%, mean 0.018 v. 0.017 per patient, adjusted RR 1.07, 95% CI 1.03–1.11) or all-cause (9.3% v. 9.1%, mean 0.25 v. 0.23 per patient, adjusted RR 1.08, 95% CI 1.07–1.09). Patients in a primary care network had 169 fewer all-cause emergency department visits and 86 fewer days in hospital (owing to shorter lengths of stay) per 1000 patient-years. INTERPRETATION: Care within a primary care network was associated with fewer emergency department visits and fewer hospital days. PMID:29530868

Pre-eclampsia: Factores de riesgo. Estudio en el Hospital Nacional Cayetano Heredia.

OpenAIRE

Salviz Salhuana, Manuel; Cordero Muñoz, Luis; Saona Ugarte, Pedro

1996-01-01

Objetivo: El objetivo fue evaluar los factores de riesgo asociados a pre-eclampsia en nuestro hospital. Material y métodos: Se realizó un estudio prospectivo, de tipo caso-control concurrente en 88 pacientes con pre-eclampsia e igual número de controles. El trabajo se llevó a cabo en el Servicio de Obstetricia del Hospital Nacional Cayetano Heredia entre los meses de marzo a agosto de 1993. Resultados: Los factores asociados a pre-eclampsia fueron el antecedente previo a pre-eclampsia (OR:17)...

Home-based intermediate care program vs hospitalization

Science.gov (United States)

Armstrong, Catherine Deri; Hogg, William E.; Lemelin, Jacques; Dahrouge, Simone; Martin, Carmel; Viner, Gary S.; Saginur, Raphael

2008-01-01

OBJECTIVE To explore whether a home-based intermediate care program in a large Canadian city lowers the cost of care and to look at whether such home-based programs could be a solution to the increasing demands on Canadian hospitals. DESIGN Single-arm study with historical controls. SETTING Department of Family Medicine at the Ottawa Hospital (Civic campus) in Ontario. PARTICIPANTS Patients requiring hospitalization for acute care. Participants were matched with historical controls based on case-mix, most responsible diagnosis, and level of complexity. INTERVENTIONS Placement in the home-based intermediate care program. Daily home visits from the nurse practitioner and 24-hour access to care by telephone. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Multivariate regression models were used to estimate the effect of the program on 5 outcomes: length of stay in hospital, cost of care substituted for hospitalization (Canadian dollars), readmission for a related diagnosis, readmission for any diagnosis, and costs incurred by community home-care services for patients following discharge from hospital. RESULTS The outcomes of 43 hospital admissions were matched with those of 363 controls. Patients enrolled in the program stayed longer in hospital (coefficient 3.3 days, P costs of home-based care were not significantly different from the costs of hospitalization (coefficient -$501, P = .11). CONCLUSION While estimated cost savings were not statistically significant, the limitations of our study suggest that we underestimated these savings. In particular, the economic inefficiencies of a small immature program and the inability to control for certain factors when selecting historical controls affected our results. Further research is needed to determine the economic effect of mature home-based programs. PMID:18208958

Pre-resuscitation factors associated with mortality in 49,130 cases of in-hospital cardiac arrest: a report from the National Registry for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation.

Science.gov (United States)

Larkin, Gregory Luke; Copes, Wayne S; Nathanson, Brian H; Kaye, William

2010-03-01

To evaluate key pre-arrest factors and their collective ability to predict post-cardiopulmonary arrest mortality. CPR is often initiated indiscriminately after in-hospital cardiopulmonary arrest. Improved understanding of pre-arrest factors associated with mortality may inform advance care planning. A cohort of 49,130 adults who experienced pulseless cardiopulmonary arrest from January 2000 to September 2004 was obtained from 366 US hospitals participating in the National Registry for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (NRCPR). Logistic regression with bootstrapping was used to model in-hospital mortality, which included those discharged in unfavorable and severely worsened neurologic state (Cerebral Performance Category >/=3). Overall in-hospital mortality was 84.1%. Advanced age, black race, non-cardiac, non-surgical illness category, pre-existing malignancy, acute stroke, trauma, septicemia, hepatic insufficiency, general floor or Emergency Department location, and pre-arrest use of vasopressors or assisted/mechanical ventilation were independently predictive of in-hospital mortality. Retained peri-arrest factors including cardiac monitoring, and shockable initial pulseless rhythms, were strongly associated with survival. The validation model's AUROC curve (0.77) revealed fair performance. Predictive pre-resuscitation factors may supplement patient-specific information available at bedside to assist in revising resuscitation plans during the patient's hospitalization. Copyright 2009. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Assessing the effect of increased managed care on hospitals.

Science.gov (United States)

Mowll, C A

1998-01-01

This study uses a new relative risk methodology developed by the author to assess and compare certain performance indicators to determine a hospital's relative degree of financial vulnerability, based on its location, to the effects of increased managed care market penetration. The study also compares nine financial measures to determine whether hospital in states with a high degree of managed-care market penetration experience lower levels of profitability, liquidity, debt service, and overall viability than hospitals in low managed care states. A Managed Care Relative Financial Risk Assessment methodology composed of nine measures of hospital financial and utilization performance is used to develop a high managed care state Composite Index and to determine the Relative Financial Risk and the Overall Risk Ratio for hospitals in a particular state. Additionally, financial performance of hospitals in the five highest managed care states is compared to hospitals in the five lowest states. While data from Colorado and Massachusetts indicates that hospital profitability diminishes as the level of managed care market penetration increases, the overall study results indicate that hospitals in high managed care states demonstrate a better cash position and higher profitability than hospitals in low managed care states. Hospitals in high managed care states are, however, more heavily indebted in relation to equity and have a weaker debt service coverage capacity. Moreover, the overall financial health and viability of hospitals in high managed care states is superior to that of hospitals in low managed care states.

EXPERIENCE OF CORONARY INTERVENTIONS IN OCTOGENARIANS IN A TERTIARY CARDIAC CARE CENTRE IN SOUTH INDIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Prashanth Kumar Malkiwodeyar

2017-03-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND There is a paucity of data among octogenarians undergoing coronary interventions in India. These patients have generally been excluded from randomised trials. As a result, there are no evidence-based guidelines regarding PCI in very elderly. The aim of this study is to describe the epidemiology, clinical characteristics, management and the outcomes of patients over the age of 80 years who were undergoing coronary interventions. MATERIALS AND METHODS We evaluated the outcomes of all patients over the age of 80 years admitted in KIMS, Hubli, during the year 2015-16 undergoing coronary interventions including coronary angiography and Percutaneous Coronary Interventions (PCI. RESULTS We identified 36 octogenarians (67% men, 33% women; Mean Age of 84.2 ± SD 3.6 years. 52.3 percent of patients presented with an acute coronary syndrome treated either with thrombolysis or medical stabilisation followed by coronary angiography. One patient in the study was taken for primary Percutaneous Coronary Interventions (PCI. Mean duration of hospitalisation was 6.69 ± 6.8 days. Overall, the frequency of in-hospital death was n=2 (5.5% and both the patients died while awaiting CABG. CONCLUSION Our study shows that coronary interventions are safe and effective and are not associated with any major complications, which are specific to this subset. Thus, advanced age should not be considered a contraindication for coronary interventions when clear indications are present.

Beyond the clinic: redefining hospital ambulatory care.

Science.gov (United States)

Rogut, L

1997-07-01

Responding to changes in health care financing, government policy, technology, and clinical judgment, and the rise of managed care, hospitals are shifting services from inpatient to outpatient settings and moving them into the community. Institutions are evolving into integrated delivery systems, developing the capacity to provide a continuum of coordinated services in an array of settings and to share financial risk with physicians and managed care organizations. Over the past several years, hospitals in New York City have shifted considerable resources into ambulatory care. In their drive to expand and enhance services, however, they face serious challenges, including a well-established focus on hospitals as inpatient centers of tertiary care and medical education, a heavy reliance upon residents as providers of medical care, limited access to capital, and often inadequate physical plants. In 1995, the United Hospital Fund awarded $600,000 through its Ambulatory Care Services Initiative to support hospitals' efforts to meet the challenges of reorganizing services, compete in a managed care environment, and provide high-quality ambulatory care in more efficient ways. Through the initiative, 12 New York City hospitals started projects to reorganize service delivery and build an infrastructure of systems, technology, and personnel. Among the projects undertaken by the hospitals were:--broad-based reorganization efforts employing primary care models to improve and expand existing ambulatory care services, integrate services, and better coordinate care;--projects to improve information management, planning and testing new systems for scheduling appointments, registering patients, and tracking ambulatory care and its outcomes;--training programs to increase the supply of primary care providers (both nurse practitioners and primary care physicians), train clinical and support staff in the skills needed to deliver more efficient and better ambulatory care, prepare staff

Comparative Outcomes After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Among Black and White Patients Treated at US Veterans Affairs Hospitals.

Science.gov (United States)

Kobayashi, Taisei; Glorioso, Thomas J; Armstrong, Ehrin J; Maddox, Thomas M; Plomondon, Mary E; Grunwald, Gary K; Bradley, Steven M; Tsai, Thomas T; Waldo, Stephen W; Rao, Sunil V; Banerjee, Subhash; Nallamothu, Brahmajee K; Bhatt, Deepak L; Rene, A Garvey; Wilensky, Robert L; Groeneveld, Peter W; Giri, Jay

2017-09-01

Current comparative outcomes among black and white patients treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in the Veterans Affairs (VA) health system are not known. To compare outcomes between black and white patients undergoing PCI in the VA health system. This study compared black and white patients who underwent PCI between October 1, 2007, and September 30, 2013, at 63 VA hospitals using data recorded in the VA Clinical Assessment, Reporting, and Tracking System for Cardiac Catheterization Laboratories (CART-CL) program. A generalized linear mixed model with a random intercept for site assessed the relative difference in odds of outcomes between black and white patients. The setting was integrated institutionalized hospital care. Excluded were all patients of other races or those with multiple listed races and those with missing data regarding race or the diagnostic cardiac catheterization. The dates of analysis were January 7, 2016, to April 17, 2017. Percutaneous coronary intervention at a VA hospital. The primary outcome was 1-year mortality. Secondary outcomes were 30-day all-cause readmission rates, 30-day acute kidney injury, 30-day blood transfusion, and 1-year readmission rates for myocardial infarction. In addition, variations in procedural and postprocedural care were examined, including the use of intravascular ultrasound, optical coherence tomography, fractional flow reserve measurements, bare-metal stents, postprocedural medications, and radial access. A total of 42 391 patients (13.3% black and 98.4% male; mean [SD] age, 65.2 [9.1] years) satisfied the inclusion and exclusion criteria. In unadjusted analyses, black patients had higher rates of 1-year mortality (7.1% vs 5.9%, P < .001) as well as secondary outcomes of 30-day acute kidney injury (20.8% vs 13.8%, P < .001), 30-day blood transfusion (3.4% vs 2.7%, P < .01), and 1-year readmission rates for myocardial infarction (3.3% vs 2.7%, P = .01) compared with white

78 FR 15882 - Medicare Program; Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals and the...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-03-13

... Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals and the Long Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System and... Register entitled ``Medicare Program; Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals and the Long Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System and Fiscal Year 2013 Rates; Hospitals...

Hospital medicine (Part 2): what would improve acute hospital care?

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Kellett, John

2009-09-01

There are so many obvious delays and inefficiencies in our traditional system of acute hospital care; it is clear that if outcomes are to be improved prompt accurate assessment immediately followed by competent and efficient treatment is essential. Early warning scores (EWS) help detect acutely ill patients who are seriously ill and likely to deteriorate. However, it is not known if any EWS has universal applicability to all patient populations. The benefit of Rapid Response Systems (RRS) such as Medical Emergency Teams has yet to be proven, possibly because doctors and nurses are reluctant to call the RRS for help. Reconfiguration of care delivery in an Acute Medical Assessment Unit has been suggested as a "proactive" alternative to the "reactive" approach of RRS. This method ensures every patient is in an appropriate and safe environment from the moment of first contact with the hospital. Further research is needed into what interventions are most effective in preventing the deterioration and\\/or resuscitating seriously ill patients. Although physicians expert in hospital care decrease the cost and length of hospitalization without compromising outcomes hospital care will continue to be both expensive and potentially dangerous.

Risk assessment of pre-hospital trauma airway management by anaesthesiologists using the predictive Bayesian approach

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Nakstad Anders R

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Introduction Endotracheal intubation (ETI has been considered an essential part of pre-hospital advanced life support. Pre-hospital ETI, however, is a complex intervention also for airway specialist like anaesthesiologists working as pre-hospital emergency physicians. We therefore wanted to investigate the quality of pre-hospital airway management by anaesthesiologists in severely traumatised patients and identify possible areas for improvement. Method We performed a risk assessment according to the predictive Bayesian approach, in a typical anaesthesiologist-manned Norwegian helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS. The main focus of the risk assessment was the event where a patient arrives in the emergency department without ETI despite a pre-hospital indication for it. Results In the risk assessment, we assigned a high probability (29% for the event assessed, that a patient arrives without ETI despite a pre-hospital indication. However, several uncertainty factors in the risk assessment were identified related to data quality, indications for use of ETI, patient outcome and need for special training of ETI providers. Conclusion Our risk assessment indicated a high probability for trauma patients with an indication for pre-hospital ETI not receiving it in the studied HEMS. The uncertainty factors identified in the assessment should be further investigated to better understand the problem assessed and consequences for the patients. Better quality of pre-hospital airway management data could contribute to a reduction of these uncertainties.

Gauging food and nutritional care quality in hospitals

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Diez-Garcia Rosa

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Food and nutritional care quality must be assessed and scored, so as to improve health institution efficacy. This study aimed to detect and compare actions related to food and nutritional care quality in public and private hospitals. Methods Investigation of the Hospital Food and Nutrition Service (HFNS of 37 hospitals by means of structured interviews assessing two quality control corpora, namely nutritional care quality (NCQ and hospital food service quality (FSQ. HFNS was also evaluated with respect to human resources per hospital bed and per produced meal. Results Comparison between public and private institutions revealed that there was a statistically significant difference between the number of hospital beds per HFNS staff member (p = 0.02 and per dietitian (p  Conclusions Food and nutritional care in hospital is still incipient, and actions concerning both nutritional care and food service take place on an irregular basis. It is clear that the design of food and nutritional care in hospital indicators is mandatory, and that guidelines for the development of actions as well as qualification and assessment of nutritional care are urgent.

Management of suspected acute coronary syndrome patients admitted to cardiology or non-cardiology services at Auckland City Hospital: implications for future national data collection.

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Wang, Tom Kai Ming; Chow, Kok-Lam; Lin, Aaron; Chataline, Alexei; White, Harvey; Dawes, Matthew; Gamble, Greg; Ellis, Chris

2018-03-09

To review the number, characteristics and clinical management of suspected ACS patients admitted to cardiology and non-cardiology services at Auckland City Hospital, to assess differences between these services and to assess the number who would potentially be enrolled in the All New Zealand Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) Quality Improvement Programme (ANZACS-QI) database. Auckland City Hospital patient data was extracted from the Australia and New Zealand ACS 'SNAPSHOT' audit, performed over 14 days in May 2012. There were 121 suspected ACS admissions to Auckland City hospital during the audit period, with 45 (37%) patients directly managed by the cardiology service, and 76 (63%) patients cared for by non-cardiology services. Based on the subsequent discharge diagnosis, the cardiology service had more patients with definite ACS than the non-cardiology services; 27/45 (60%) compared to 16/76 (21%), difference (95%CI) 39% (22-56), P<0.0001). Cardiology ACS patients were more likely to undergo echocardiography; 15/27 (56%) compared to 2/16 (13%), difference 42% (18-68), P=0.0089), coronary angiography; 21/27 (78%) compared to 3/16 (19%), difference (95%CI) 59% (34-84), P=0.0003), coronary revascularisation; 18/27 (67%) compared to 3/16 (19%), difference (95%CI) 48% (22-74), P=0.004, and be discharged on two antiplatelet agents; 18/26 (69%) compared to 3/15 (20%), difference (95%CI) 49% (22-76), P=0.0036, or an ACEI/ARB; 20/26 (77%) compared to 5/15 (33%), difference (95%CI) 44% (15-72), P=0.0088. In patients with a discharge diagnosis of definite ACS, those managed by non-cardiology services were less likely to receive guideline-recommended investigations, and management, in this relatively small cohort study. About one-third of all ACS patients are managed by non-cardiology services and would not be recorded by the ANZACS-QI database.

Coronary artery disease in patients undergoing valve replacement at a tertiary care cardiac centre

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Shaikh, A.H.; Hanif, B.; Hasan, K.; Hashmani, S.

2011-01-01

To determine the prevalence of coronary artery disease in patients undergoing valve surgery at a tertiary care cardiac centre. The medical records of 144 consecutive patients who underwent mitral, aortic or dual (mitral and aortic) valve replacement surgery at the Tabba Heart Institute between January 2006 to December 2008 were retrospectively reviewed. All patients underwent coronary angiogram. Significant coronary artery disease (CAD) is defined as coronary stenosis of > 50%. There were 74 (51.4%) males and 70 (48.6%) females in the study. The mean age was 51.64 +- 11 years. Of all, 73 (50.7%) underwent mitral valve replacement, 47 (32.6%) had aortic and 24 (16.7%) had dual valve replacement. Out of 144 patients, 99 (68.8%) had 50% stenosis. In patients who had undergone mitral valve replacement (MVR), significant coronary disease was found in 32.9%, whereas in patients who had undergone aortic valve replacement (AVR) and dual valve replacement (DVR) the prevalence of coronary disease was 31.9% and 25% respectively. Our results suggest that the overall prevalence of coronary artery disease in patients undergoing valve surgery in our population is comparable with prevalence reported in international data. (author)

75 FR 34614 - Medicare Program; Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals and...

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2010-06-17

... Medicare Program; Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals and Fiscal Year 2010 Rates and to the Long- Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System and Rate Year 2010 Rates... Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals and Fiscal Year 2010 Rates and to the Long-Term Care...

[Pre-pregnancy nutritional status, maternal weight gain, prenatal care, and adverse perinatal outcomes among adolescent mothers].

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Santos, Marta Maria Antonieta de Souza; Baião, Mirian Ribeiro; de Barros, Denise Cavalcante; Pinto, Alessandra de Almeida; Pedrosa, Priscila La Marca; Saunders, Claudia

2012-03-01

To identify the association between pre-gestational nutritional status, maternal weight gain, and prenatal care with low birth weight (LBW) and prematurity outcomes in infants of adolescent mothers. Cross-sectional study with 542 pairs of adolescent mothers and their children attending a public maternity hospital in Rio de Janeiro. Data were collected from medical records. To determine the association between independent variables and the outcomes studied, odds ratio (OR) and a 95% confidence interval (CI) were estimated With respect to pre-pregnancy nutritional status of adolescents, 87% had normal weight, 1% were underweight, 10% were overweight, and 2% obese. Inadequate total gestational weight gain (72%) exceeded adequacy (28%). Birth weight was favored with greater gestational weight gain, and reduced with late onset of prenatal care. The comparison between the low birth weight and normal birth weight groups revealed significant differences between variable means: interval between the past pregnancy and current pregnancy (p = 0.022), pre-gestational weight (p = 0.018); pre-gestational body mass index (p pregnancy weight and body mass index before pregnancy. The minimum frequency of six prenatal care visits was a protective factor against LBW and prematurity.

Effects of multimedia nursing education on disease-related depression and anxiety in patients staying in a coronary intensive care unit.

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Demircelik, Muhammed Bora; Cakmak, Muzaffer; Nazli, Yunus; Şentepe, Esra; Yigit, Derya; Keklik, Mevlude; Arslan, Muzeyyen; Cetin, Mustafa; Eryonucu, Beyhan

2016-02-01

We evaluated the effectiveness of an accessibility-enhanced multimedia informational educational program in reducing depression and anxiety increasing satisfaction with the information and materials received by patients in coronary care unit. We selected 100 patients from among the patients who stayed at or who underwent surgery at one of two ICUs for any reason who satisfied the eligibility criteria, and agreed to participate in the research. The participants were included in the control or experimental group by random selection. The patients completed the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale during ICU admission and 1week after hospital discharge. The difference in HADSA score was significantly greater in patients who received education than in patients who did not receive multimedia nursing education (4.2±0.58 vs. 0.6±0.42; pnursing education (2.2±0.53 vs. 0.64±0.46; pdepression associated with hospital can be reduced with multimedia nursing education. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Safety and efficacy of angioplasty with intracoronary stenting in patients with unstable coronary syndromes. Comparison with stable coronary syndromes

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Luís C. L. Correia

2000-06-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To assess safety and efficacy of coronary angioplasty with stent implantation in unstable coronary syndromes. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of in-hospital and late evolution of 74 patients with unstable coronary syndromes (unstable angina or infarction without elevation of the ST segment undergoing coronary angioplasty with stent placement. These 74 patients were compared with 31 patients with stable coronary syndromes (stable angina or stable silent ischemia undergoing the same procedure. RESULTS: No death and no need for revascularization of the culprit artery occurred in the in-hospital phase. The incidences of acute non-Q-wave myocardial infarction were 1.4% and 3.2% (p=0.6 in the unstable and stable coronary syndrome groups, respectively. In the late follow-up (11.2±7.5 months, the incidences of these events combined were 5.7% in the unstable coronary syndrome group and 6.9% (p=0.8 in the stable coronary syndrome group. In the multivariate analysis, the only variable with a tendency to significance as an event predictor was diabetes mellitus (p=0.07; OR=5.2; 95% CI=0.9-29.9. CONCLUSION: The in-hospital and late evolutions of patients with unstable coronary syndrome undergoing angioplasty with intracoronary stent implantation are similar to those of the stable coronary syndrome group, suggesting that this procedure is safe and efficacious when performed in unstable coronary syndrome patients.

75 FR 60640 - Medicare Program; Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals and the...

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2010-10-01

...; RIN 0938-AP33 Medicare Program; Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals and the Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System Changes and FY 2011 Rates; Provider... Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals and the Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective...

77 FR 4908 - Medicare Program; Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals and the...

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2012-02-01

... Systems for Acute Care Hospitals and the Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System and Fiscal... the final rule entitled ``Medicare Program; Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals and the Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System and Fiscal Year 2012 Rates...

77 FR 65495 - Medicare Program; Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals and the...

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2012-10-29

... Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals and the Long Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System and... Federal Register entitled ``Medicare Program; Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals and the Long Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System and Fiscal Year 2013 Rates...

Health Economic Evaluation of Home and Hospital-Based Care in T2D Patients on Insulin Therapy.

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Janati, Ali; Sarabchian, Mohamad Ali; Mohaghegh, Bahram; Aghmohamadzadeh, Naser; Seyedin, Hesam; Gholizadeh, Masumeh; Hasanpoor, Edris

2017-11-01

Type 2 Diabetes is a main concern of public health in contemporary world with remarkable mortality, delayed complications and health costs. Governments are obliged to improve the quality of health care and consider appropriate strategies to reduce the costs. An alternative strategy for hospital services is care at home. Therefore, this study was aimed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of home-based and hospital-based diabetes care. A quasi-experimental, pre-test and post-test design was conducted in Northwest Iran. Sixty subjects who were eligible insulin-treatment type 2 diabetes mellitus were randomly assigned into two equal groups to receive home-based or conventional hospital-based care. Data on glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), hypoglycemia episodes, time needed to achieve glycemic control level, diabetes treatment satisfaction, diabetes knowledge and costs during three months were collected. The cost of home-based care in insulin therapy diabetes was 61% less compared with the hospital-based methods. The former strategy was cost-effective in terms of reduction in HbA1C and the time needed to achieve glycemic control. The patients in home care group were more satisfied and knowledgeable. The care at home approach for type 2 diabetic patients can be introduced and supported as a cost-effective care method in the country.

[Hospitality as an expression of nursing care].

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Barra, Daniela Couto Carvalho; Waterkemper, Roberta; Kempfer, Silvana Silveira; Carraro, Telma Elisa; Radünz, Vera

2010-01-01

Qualitative research whose purpose was to reflect and argue about the relationship between hospitality, care and nursing according to experiences of PhD students. The research was developed from theoretic and practical meeting carried through by disciplines "the care in Nursing and Health" of PhD nursing Program at Santa Catarina Federal University. Its chosen theoretical frame of Hospitality perspective while nursing care. Data were collected applying a semi-structured questionnaire at ten doctoral students. The analysis of the data was carried through under the perspective of the content analysis according to Bardin. Hospitality it is imperative for the individuals adaptation in the hospital context or any area where it is looking for health care.

The Role of Infection in the Development of Acute Coronary Syndrome

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Hala Awadalla

2011-12-01

Full Text Available AIM: A potential link between infectious agents and atherosclerosis has been suggested. Data obtained from several seroepidemiological studies have suggested that infection with Chlamydophila pneumoniae, Helicobacter pylori, and Cytomegalovirus can initiate or maintain the atherosclerotic process. Aim of this study is to evaluate the probable relationship between serum titers of some various infectious agents and the development of acute coronary syndrome and to investigate the relationship between these infectious agents and other risk factors of acute coronary syndrome (smoking, hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, and family history of CVD. METHOD: This is a hospital based case- control study was conducted on two groups: patients group included 86 patients, cases were collected from patients admitted to Cardiac Care Unit (CCU of Cleopatra hospital, and Ain Shams University hospital with acute myocardial infarction between January 2010 and June 2010 and control group included 86 apparently healthy individuals. A questionnaire was designed to determine conventional coronary artery risk factors. The sero-prevalence of Chlamydia pneumoniae (C. pneumoniae, Cytomegalovirus and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori IgG antibodies were evaluated using quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA. RESULTS: The results showed that there was an increased level of serum IgG antibodies of C. pneumoniae, Cytomegalovirus and Helicobacter pylori among patients with acute coronary syndrome compared to control subjects CONCLUSION: C. pneumoniae, Cytomegalovirus and Helicobacter pylori were expected to be predictors for the development of coronary artery disease, as there was significant elevation of the serum level of IgG antibodies against them. [TAF Prev Med Bull 2011; 10(6.000: 715-722

Treatment of patients with a history of penicillin allergy in a large tertiary-care academic hospital.

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Picard, Matthieu; Bégin, Philippe; Bouchard, Hugues; Cloutier, Jonathan; Lacombe-Barrios, Jonathan; Paradis, Jean; Des Roches, Anne; Laufer, Brian; Paradis, Louis

2013-01-01

Prescribing antibiotics to patients with a history of penicillin allergy is common in clinical practice. Opting for non-beta-lactam antibiotics has its inconveniences and is often unnecessary, because most of these patients are in fact not allergic. This study aimed to determine how physicians in a large Canadian tertiary-care academic hospital without allergists on staff treat patients with a history of penicillin allergy. A retrospective study was conducted during a 1-year period among all patients hospitalized in the intensive care unit, coronary care unit, and internal medicine wards. Files of patients with a record of penicillin allergy were reviewed to assess the need for antibiotics during their hospitalization and the decision-making process underlying the choice of antibiotic. The additional costs of alternative antibiotics were calculated. The files of 1738 patients admitted over a 1-year period were hand reviewed. A history of penicillin allergy was found in 172 patients (9.9%). The allergic reaction was described in only 30% of cases and left unmentioned in 20.7%. Beta-lactam antibiotics were used on 56 occasions despite a history of penicillin allergy. The use of alternative antibiotics in place of the beta-lactam standard of care carried an additional cost of $15,672 Canadian. Alleged penicillin allergy is common among hospitalized patients and leads to substantial additional costs. Poor documentation of penicillin allergy likely reflects a lack of knowledge on this issue in the medical community, which impairs optimal treatment of these patients. Increased education on this matter is needed, and allergists on staff could be part of the solution. Copyright © 2013 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pre-hospital electrocardiogram triage with tele-cardiology support is associated with shorter time-to-balloon and higher rates of timely reperfusion even in rural areas: data from the Bari- Barletta/Andria/Trani public emergency medical service 118 registry on primary angioplasty in ST-elevation myocardial infarction.

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Brunetti, Natale Daniele; Di Pietro, Gaetano; Aquilino, Ambrogio; Bruno, Angela I; Dellegrottaglie, Giulia; Di Giuseppe, Giuseppe; Lopriore, Claudio; De Gennaro, Luisa; Lanzone, Saverio; Caldarola, Pasquale; Antonelli, Gianfranco; Di Biase, Matteo

2014-09-01

We report the preliminary data from a regional registry on ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients treated with primary angioplasty in Apulia, Italy; the region is covered by a single public health-care service, a single public emergency medical service (EMS), and a single tele-medicine service provider. Two hundred and ninety-seven consecutive patients with STEMI transferred by regional free public EMS 1-1-8 for primary-PCI were enrolled in the study; 123 underwent pre-hospital electrocardiograms (ECGs) triage by tele-cardiology support and directly referred for primary-PCI, those remaining were just transferred by 1-1-8 ambulances for primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) (diagnosis not based on tele-medicine ECG; already hospitalised patients, emergency-room without tele-medicine support). Time from first ECG diagnostic for STEMI to balloon was recorded; a time-to-balloon primary-PCI). Pre-hospital triage with tele-cardiology ECG in an EMS registry from an area with more than one and a half million inhabitants was associated with shorter time-to-balloon and higher rates of timely treated patients, even in 'rural' areas. © The European Society of Cardiology 2014.

Knowledge translation lessons from an audit of Aboriginal Australians with acute coronary syndrome presenting to a regional hospital.

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Haynes, Emma; Hohnen, Harry; Katzenellenbogen, Judith M; Scalley, Benjamin D; Thompson, Sandra C

2016-01-01

Translation of evidence into practice by health systems can be slow and incomplete and may disproportionately impact disadvantaged populations. Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death among Aboriginal Australians. Timely access to effective medical care for acute coronary syndrome substantially improves survival. A quality-of-care audit conducted at a regional Western Australian hospital in 2011-2012 compared the Emergency Department management of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal acute coronary syndrome patients. This audit is used as a case study of translating knowledge processes in order to identify the factors that support equity-oriented knowledge translation. In-depth interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of the audit team and further key stakeholders with interest/experience in knowledge translation in the context of Aboriginal health. Interviews were analysed for alignment of the knowledge translation process with the thematic steps outlined in Tugwell's cascade for equity-oriented knowledge translation framework. In preparing the audit, groundwork helped shape management support to ensure receptivity to targeting Aboriginal cardiovascular outcomes. Reporting of audit findings and resulting advocacy were undertaken by the audit team with awareness of the institutional hierarchy, appropriate timing, personal relationships and recognising the importance of tailoring messages to specific audiences. These strategies were also acknowledged as important in the key stakeholder interviews. A follow-up audit documented a general improvement in treatment guideline adherence and a reduction in treatment inequalities for Aboriginal presentations. As well as identifying outcomes such as practice changes, a useful evaluation increases understanding of why and how an intervention worked. Case studies such as this enrich our understanding of the complex human factors, including individual attributes, experiences and relationships and systemic factors

Knowledge translation lessons from an audit of Aboriginal Australians with acute coronary syndrome presenting to a regional hospital

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Emma Haynes

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Objective: Translation of evidence into practice by health systems can be slow and incomplete and may disproportionately impact disadvantaged populations. Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death among Aboriginal Australians. Timely access to effective medical care for acute coronary syndrome substantially improves survival. A quality-of-care audit conducted at a regional Western Australian hospital in 2011–2012 compared the Emergency Department management of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal acute coronary syndrome patients. This audit is used as a case study of translating knowledge processes in order to identify the factors that support equity-oriented knowledge translation. Methods: In-depth interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of the audit team and further key stakeholders with interest/experience in knowledge translation in the context of Aboriginal health. Interviews were analysed for alignment of the knowledge translation process with the thematic steps outlined in Tugwell’s cascade for equity-oriented knowledge translation framework. Results: In preparing the audit, groundwork helped shape management support to ensure receptivity to targeting Aboriginal cardiovascular outcomes. Reporting of audit findings and resulting advocacy were undertaken by the audit team with awareness of the institutional hierarchy, appropriate timing, personal relationships and recognising the importance of tailoring messages to specific audiences. These strategies were also acknowledged as important in the key stakeholder interviews. A follow-up audit documented a general improvement in treatment guideline adherence and a reduction in treatment inequalities for Aboriginal presentations. Conclusion: As well as identifying outcomes such as practice changes, a useful evaluation increases understanding of why and how an intervention worked. Case studies such as this enrich our understanding of the complex human factors, including

Effects of a nurse-led transitional care program on clinical outcomes, health-related knowledge, physical and mental health status among Chinese patients with coronary artery disease: A randomized controlled trial.

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Zhang, Pan; Hu, Yu-Ding; Xing, Feng-Mei; Li, Chang-Zai; Lan, Wang-Feng; Zhang, Xiao-Li

2017-09-01

Coronary artery disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality among adults worldwide, including China. After a hospital stay, transitional care could help to ensure improved patient care and outcomes, and reduce Medicare costs. Nevertheless, the results of the existing transitional care are not always satisfactory and our knowledge of how to perform effective transitional care for patients with coronary artery disease is limited in mainland China. To examine the effectiveness of a nurse-led transitional care program on clinical outcomes, health-related knowledge, and physical and mental health status among Chinese patients with coronary artery disease. Randomized controlled trial. The Omaha system and Pender's health promoting model were employed in planning and implementing this nurse-led transitional care program. The sample was comprised of 199 Chinese patients with coronary artery disease. The experimental group (n=100) received nurse-led transitional care intervention in addition to routine care. The nurse-led transitional care intervention included a structured assessment and health education, followed by 7 months of individual teaching and coaching (home visits, telephone follow-up and group activity). The control group (n=99) received a comparable length routine care and follow-up contacts. Evaluations were conducted at baseline and completion of the interventions using the perceived knowledge scale for coronary heart disease, the medical outcomes study 36-item short-form health survey and clinical measures (blood pressure, blood glucose, lipids, body mass index). Data were collected between March and October 2014. Compared with the control group, participants in the experimental group showed significant better clinical outcomes (systolic blood pressure, t=5.762, P=0.000; diastolic blood pressure, t=4.250, P=0.000; fasting blood glucose, t=2.249, P=0.027; total cholesterol, t=4.362, P=0.000; triglyceride, t=3.147, P=0.002; low density lipoprotein

Burden of hospital admission and repeat angiography in angina pectoris patients with and without coronary artery disease: a registry-based cohort study.

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Jespersen, Lasse; Abildstrom, Steen Z; Hvelplund, Anders; Madsen, Jan K; Galatius, Soren; Pedersen, Frants; Hojberg, Soren; Prescott, Eva

2014-01-01

To evaluate risk of hospitalization due to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and repeat coronary angiography (CAG) in stable angina pectoris (SAP) with no obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) versus obstructive CAD, and asymptomatic reference individuals. We followed 11,223 patients with no prior CVD having a first-time CAG in 1998-2009 due to SAP symptoms and 5,695 asymptomatic reference individuals from the Copenhagen City Heart Study through registry linkage for 7.8 years (median). In recurrent event survival analysis, patients with SAP had 3-4-fold higher risk of hospitalization for CVD irrespective of CAG findings and cardiovascular comorbidity. Multivariable adjusted hazard ratios(95%CI) for patients with angiographically normal coronary arteries was 3.0(2.5-3.5), for angiographically diffuse non-obstructive CAD 3.9(3.3-4.6) and for 1-3-vessel disease 3.6-4.1(range)(all P<0.001). Mean accumulated hospitalization time was 3.5(3.0-4.0)(days/10 years follow-up) in reference individuals and 4.5(3.8-5.2)/7.0(5.4-8.6)/6.7(5.2-8.1)/6.1(5.2-7.4)/8.6(6.6-10.7) in patients with angiographically normal coronary arteries/angiographically diffuse non-obstructive CAD/1-, 2-, and 3-vessel disease, respectively (all P<0.05, age-adjusted). SAP symptoms predicted repeat CAG with multivariable adjusted hazard ratios for patients with angiographically normal coronary arteries being 2.3(1.9-2.9), for angiographically diffuse non-obstructive CAD 5.5(4.4-6.8) and for obstructive CAD 6.6-9.4(range)(all P<0.001). Patients with SAP symptoms and angiographically normal coronary arteries or angiographically diffuse non-obstructive CAD suffer from considerably greater CVD burdens in terms of hospitalization for CVD and repeat CAG compared with asymptomatic reference individuals even after adjustment for cardiac risk factors and exclusion of cardiovascular comorbidity as cause. Contrary to common perception, excluding obstructive CAD by CAG in such patients does not ensure a benign

The impact of managed care penetration and hospital quality on efficiency in hospital staffing.

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Mobley, Lee R; Magnussen, Jon

2002-01-01

The state of California has recently mandated minimum nurse-staffing ratios, raising concerns about possible affects on hospital efficiency. In this study, we examine how market factors and quality were related to staffing levels in California hospitals in 1995 (prior to implementation of the new law). We are particularly interested in the affect of managed care penetration on this aspect of hospital efficiency because the call to legislative action was predicated on fears that hospitals were reducing staffing below optimal levels in response to managed care pressures. We derive a unique measure of excess staffing in hospitals based on a data envelopment analysis (DEA) production function model, which explicitly includes ancillary care among the inputs and outputs. This careful specification of production is important because ancillary care use has risen relative to daily hospital services, with the spread of managed care and advances in medical technology. We find that market share (adjusted for size) and market concentration are the major determinants of excess staffing while managed care penetration is insignificant. We also find that poor quality (outcomes worse than expected) is associated with less efficient staffing. These findings suggest that the larger, more efficient urban hospitals will be penalized more heavily under binding staffing ratios than smaller, less-urban hospitals.

Numeracy Predicts Risk of Pre-Hospital Decision Delay: a Retrospective Study of Acute Coronary Syndrome Survival.

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Petrova, Dafina; Garcia-Retamero, Rocio; Catena, Andrés; Cokely, Edward; Heredia Carrasco, Ana; Arrebola Moreno, Antonio; Ramírez Hernández, José Antonio

2017-04-01

Many patients delay seeking medical attention during acute coronary syndromes (ACS), profoundly increasing their risk for death and major disability. Although research has identified several risk factors, efforts to improve patient decision making have generally been unsuccessful, prompting a call for more research into psychological factors. The purpose of this study is to estimate the relationship between ACS decision delay and numeracy, a factor closely related to general decision making skill and risk literacy. About 5 days after experiencing ACS, 102 survivors (mean age = 58, 32-74) completed a questionnaire including measures of numeracy, decision delay, and other relevant factors (e.g., anxiety, depression, symptom severity, knowledge, demographics). Low patient numeracy was related to longer decision delay, OR = 0.64 [95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.44, 0.92], which was in turn related to higher odds of positive troponin on arrival at the hospital, OR = 1.37 [95 % CI 1.01, 2.01]. Independent of the influence of all other assessed factors, a patient with high (vs. low) numeracy was about four times more likely to seek medical attention within the critical first hour after symptom onset (i.e., OR high-low  = 3.84 [1.127, 11.65]). Numeracy may be one of the largest decision delay risk factors identified to date. Results accord with theories emphasizing potentially pivotal roles of patient deliberation, denial, and outcome understanding during decision making. Findings suggest that brief numeracy assessments may predict which patients are at greater risk for life-threatening decision delay and may also facilitate the design of risk communications that are appropriate for diverse patients who vary in risk literacy.

Clinical characteristics, angiographic profile and in hospital mortality in acute coronary syndrome patients in south indian population

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Rajni Sharma

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Aims: The aim was to study the clinical profile, risk factors prevalence, angiographic distribution, and severity of coronary artery stenosis in acute coronary syndrome (ACS patients of South Indian population. Materials and Methods: A total of 1562 patients of ACS were analyzed for various risk factors, angiographic pattern and severity of coronary heart disease, complications and in hospital mortality at Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Research and Sciences, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. Results: Mean age of presentation was 54.71 ± 19.90 years. Majority were male 1242 (79.5% and rest were females. Most patients had ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI 995 (63.7% followed by unstable angina (UA 390 (25% and non-STEMI (NSTEMI 177 (11.3%. Risk factors; smoking was present in 770 (49.3%, hypertension in 628 (40.2%, diabetes in 578 (37%, and obesity in (29.64% patients. Angiography was done in 1443 (92.38% patients. left anterior descending was most commonly involved, left main (LM coronary artery was least common with near similar frequency of right coronary artery and left circumflex involvement among all three groups of ACS patients. Single-vessel disease was present in 168 (45.28% UA, 94 (56.29% NSTEMI and 468 (51.71% STEMI patients. Double-vessel disease was present in 67 (18.08% UA, 25 (14.97% NSTEMI and 172 (19.01% STEMI patients. Triple vessel disease was present in 28 (7.55% UA, 16 (9.58% NSTEMI, 72 (7.95% STEMI patients. LM disease was present in 12 (3.23% UA, 2 (1.19% NSTEMI and 9 (0.99% STEMI patients. Complications; ventricular septal rupture occurred in 3 (0.2%, free wall rupture in 2 (0.1%, cardiogenic shock in 45 (2.9%, severe mitral regurgitation in 3 (0.2%, complete heart block in 11 (0.7% patients. Total 124 (7.9% patients died in hospital after 2.1 ± 1.85 days of admission. Conclusion: STEMI was most common presentation. ACS occurred a decade earlier in comparison to Western population. Smoking was most prevalent

The New York risk score for in-hospital and 30-day mortality for coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

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Hannan, Edward L; Farrell, Louise Szypulski; Wechsler, Andrew; Jordan, Desmond; Lahey, Stephen J; Culliford, Alfred T; Gold, Jeffrey P; Higgins, Robert S D; Smith, Craig R

2013-01-01

Simplified risk scores for coronary artery bypass graft surgery are frequently in lieu of more complicated statistical models and are valuable for informed consent and choice of intervention. Previous risk scores have been based on in-hospital mortality, but a substantial number of patients die within 30 days of the procedure. These deaths should also be accounted for, so we have developed a risk score based on in-hospital and 30-day mortality. New York's Cardiac Surgery Reporting System was used to develop an in-hospital and 30-day logistic regression model for patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery in 2009, and this model was converted into a simple linear risk score that provides estimated in-hospital and 30-day mortality rates for different values of the score. The accuracy of the risk score in predicting mortality was tested. This score was also validated by applying it to 2008 New York coronary artery bypass graft data. Subsequent analyses evaluated the ability of the risk score to predict complications and length of stay. The overall in-hospital and 30-day mortality rate for the 10,148 patients in the study was 1.79%. There are seven risk factors comprising the score, with risk factor scores ranging from 1 to 5, and the highest possible total score is 23. The score accurately predicted mortality in 2009 as well as in 2008, and was strongly correlated with complications and length of stay. The risk score is a simple way of estimating short-term mortality that accurately predicts mortality in the year the model was developed as well as in the previous year. Perioperative complications and length of stay are also well predicted by the risk score. Copyright © 2013 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Collaboration between physicians and a hospital-based palliative care team in a general acute-care hospital in Japan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nishikitani Mariko

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Continual collaboration between physicians and hospital-based palliative care teams represents a very important contributor to focusing on patients' symptoms and maintaining their quality of life during all stages of their illness. However, the traditionally late introduction of palliative care has caused misconceptions about hospital-based palliative care teams (PCTs among patients and general physicians in Japan. The objective of this study is to identify the factors related to physicians' attitudes toward continual collaboration with hospital-based PCTs. Methods This cross-sectional anonymous questionnaire-based survey was conducted to clarify physicians' attitudes toward continual collaboration with PCTs and to describe the factors that contribute to such attitudes. We surveyed 339 full-time physicians, including interns, employed in a general acute-care hospital in an urban area in Japan; the response rate was 53% (N = 155. We assessed the basic characteristics, experience, knowledge, and education of respondents. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to determine the main factors affecting the physicians' attitudes toward PCTs. Results We found that the physicians who were aware of the World Health Organization (WHO analgesic ladder were 6.7 times (OR = 6.7, 95% CI = 1.98-25.79 more likely to want to treat and care for their patients in collaboration with the hospital-based PCTs than were those physicians without such awareness. Conclusion Basic knowledge of palliative care is important in promoting physicians' positive attitudes toward collaboration with hospital-based PCTs.

Time trends in coronary revascularization procedures among people with COPD: analysis of the Spanish national hospital discharge data (2001–2011

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

de Miguel-Díez J

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Javier de Miguel-Díez,1 Rodrigo Jiménez-García,2 Valentín Hernández-Barrera,2 Pilar Carrasco-Garrido,2 Héctor Bueno,3 Luis Puente-Maestu,1 Isabel Jimenez-Trujillo,2 Alejandro Alvaro-Meca,2 Jesús Esteban-Hernandez,2 Ana López de Andrés21Pneumology Department, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain; 2Preventive Medicine and Public Health Teaching and Research Unit, Department of Health Sciences, Health Sciences Faculty, Rey Juan Carlos University, Alcorcón, Madrid, Spain; 3Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares, Instituto de investigación i+12, Cardiology Department, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, SpainBackground: People with COPD suffering from coronary artery disease are frequently treated with revascularization procedures. We aim to compare trends in the use and outcomes of these procedures in COPD and non-COPD patients in Spain between 2001 and 2011.Methods: We identified all patients who had undergone percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs and coronary artery bypass graft (CABG surgeries, using national hospital discharge data. Discharges were grouped into: COPD and no COPD.Results: From 2001 to 2011, 428,516 PCIs and 79,619 CABGs were performed. The sex and age-adjusted use of PCI increased by 21.27% per year from 2001 to 2004 and by 5.47% per year from 2004 to 2011 in patients with COPD. In-hospital mortality (IHM among patients with COPD who underwent a PCI increased significantly from 2001 to 2011 (odds ratio 1.11; 95% confidence interval 1.03–1.20. Among patients with COPD who underwent a CABG, the sex and age-adjusted CABG incidence rate increased by 9.77% per year from 2001 to 2003, and then decreased by 3.15% through 2011. The probability of dying during hospitalization in patients who underwent a CABG did not change significantly in patients with and without COPD (odds ratio, 1.06; 95

Managed care, vertical integration strategies and hospital performance.

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Wang, B B; Wan, T T; Clement, J; Begun, J

2001-09-01

The purpose of this study is to examine the association of managed care with hospital vertical integration strategies, as well as to observe the relationships of different types of vertical integration with hospital efficiency and financial performance. The sample consists of 363 California short-term acute care hospitals in 1994. Linear structure equation modeling is used to test six hypotheses derived from the strategic adaptation model. Several organizational and market factors are controlled statistically. Results suggest that managed care is a driving force for hospital vertical integration. In terms of performance, hospitals that are integrated with physician groups and provide outpatient services (backward integration) have better operating margins, returns on assets, and net cash flows (p < 0.01). These hospitals are not, however, likely to show greater productivity. Forward integration with a long-term-care facility, on the other hand, is positively and significantly related to hospital productivity (p < 0.001). Forward integration is negatively related to financial performance (p < 0.05), however, opposite to the direction hypothesized. Health executives should be responsive to the growth of managed care in their local market and should probably consider providing more backward integrated services rather than forward integrated services in order to improve the hospital's financial performance in today's competitive health care market.

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.

78 FR 38679 - Medicare Program; Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals and the...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-06-27

... Systems for Acute Care Hospitals and the Long Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System and Proposed... Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals and the Long Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System and... regarding MS-DRG classifications and new technology add-on payments. Eva Fung (410) 786-7539, for...

The minimum coronary artery diameter in which coronary spasm can be identified by synchrotron radiation coronary angiography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsushita, Shonosuke; Hyodo, Kazuyuki; Imazuru, Tomohiro; Tokunaga, Chiho; Sato, Fujio; Enomoto, Yoshiharu; Hiramatsu, Yuji; Sakakibara, Yuzuru

2008-01-01

Background: Coronary vasospasm is defined as a temporary, intense narrowing of the coronary conduit artery. It brings about ischemic chest pain and becomes one of the causes of myocardial infarction. Coronary spasms are divided into two categories. One is the coronary spasm of the conduit artery and the other is the coronary microvascular spasm. Although coronary spasms are diagnosed with the images of coronary angiography, microvascular spasms cannot be diagnosed because of the limitations of conventional angiographic systems. However, synchrotron radiation coronary angiography (SRCA) can identify coronary arteries down to 100 μm in diameter in the beating heart and 50 μm in arrested heart. Aim: The purpose of this study was to confirm whether microvascular spasms could be identified or not using SRCA, and then down that size identification was possible. Methods: The Langendorff perfusion system with isolated rat hearts was employed. Krebs-Henseleit solution (KH solution) was used as a perfusate. 10 mM of 4-aminopyridine (4-AP: a voltage-gated potassium channel blocker; spasm inducer) was added to the KH solution and maintained for 5 min. SRCA was performed at pre-, during and 10 min after cessation of the KH solution with 4-AP. Coronary spasms were defined as a temporal 75% reduction of coronary arterial diameter. Results and conclusion: Multiple sizes of coronary arteries showed coronary spasms. The minimum stenosed coronary artery size was 100 μm. Since coronary microvascular spasms are seen in the arterioles (50-400 μm), coronary microvascular spasms may be diagnosed with the use of synchrotron radiation coronary angiography

Providing quality nutrition care in acute care hospitals: perspectives of nutrition care personnel.

Science.gov (United States)

Keller, H H; Vesnaver, E; Davidson, B; Allard, J; Laporte, M; Bernier, P; Payette, H; Jeejeebhoy, K; Duerksen, D; Gramlich, L

2014-04-01

Malnutrition is common in acute care hospitals worldwide and nutritional status can deteriorate during hospitalisation. The aim of the present qualitative study was to identify enablers and challenges and, specifically, the activities, processes and resources, from the perspective of nutrition care personnel, required to provide quality nutrition care. Eight hospitals participating in the Nutrition Care in Canadian Hospitals study provided focus group data (n = 8 focus groups; 91 participants; dietitians, dietetic interns, diet technicians and menu clerks), which were analysed thematically. Five themes emerged from the data: (i) developing a nutrition culture, where nutrition practice is considered important to recovery of patients and teams work together to achieve nutrition goals; (ii) using effective tools, such as screening, evidence-based protocols, quality, timely and accurate patient information, and appropriate and quality food; (iii) creating effective systems to support delivery of care, such as communications, food production and delivery; (iv) being responsive to care needs, via flexible food systems, appropriate menus and meal supplements, up to date clinical care and including patient and family in the care processes; and (v) uniting the right person with the right task, by delineating roles, training staff, providing sufficient time to undertake these important tasks and holding staff accountable for their care. The findings of the present study are consistent with other work and provide guidance towards improving the nutrition culture in hospitals. Further empirical work on how to support successful implementation of nutrition care processes is needed. © 2013 The British Dietetic Association Ltd.

Evaluation of the Prevention and Reactivation Care Program (PReCaP) for the hospitalized elderly: A prospective nonrandomized controlled trial

NARCIS (Netherlands)

K.J.E. Asmus-Szepesi (Kirsten); L.E. Flinterman (Linda); M.A. Koopmanschap (Marc); A.P. Nieboer (Anna); T.J.E.M. Bakker (Ton); J.P. Mackenbach (Johan); E.W. Steyerberg (Ewout)

2015-01-01

textabstractBackground: The hospitalized elderly are at risk of functional decline. We evaluated the effects and care costs of a specialized geriatric rehabilitation program aimed at preventing functional decline among at-risk hospitalized elderly. Methods: The prospective nonrandomized controlled

Pre-hospital transfusion of plasma in hemorrhaging trauma patients independently improves hemostatic competence and acidosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Henriksen, Hanne Herborg; Rahbar, Elaheh; Baer, Lisa A

2016-01-01

hypothesized that pre-hospital plasma would improve hemostatic function as evaluated by rapid thrombelastography (rTEG). METHODS: We conducted a prospective observational study recruiting 257 trauma patients admitted to a Level I trauma center having received either blood products pre-hospital or in......BACKGROUND: The early use of blood products has been associated with improved patient outcomes following severe hemorrhage or traumatic injury. We aimed to investigate the influence of pre-hospital blood products (i.e. plasma and/or RBCs) on admission hemostatic properties and patient outcomes. We......-hospital within 6 hours of admission. Clinical data on patient demographics, blood biochemistry, injury severity score and mortality were collected. Admission rTEG was conducted to characterize the coagulation profile and hemostatic function. RESULTS: 75 patients received pre-hospital plasma and/or RBCs (PH group...

Organization-and-technological model of medical care delivered to patients with coronary heart disease

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Popova Y.V.

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Organization-and-technological model of medical care delivered to patients with coronary heart disease based on IDEF0 methodology and corresponded with clinical guidelines is presented.

Up-Beat UK: A programme of research into the relationship between coronary heart disease and depression in primary care patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pariante Carmine M

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Coronary heart disease and depression are both common health problems and by 2020 will be the two leading causes of disability worldwide. Depression has been found to be more common in patients with coronary heart disease but the nature of this relationship is uncertain. In the United Kingdom general practitioners are now being remunerated for case-finding for depression in patients with coronary heart disease, however it is unclear how general practitioners should manage these patients. We aim to explore the relationship between coronary heart disease and depression in a primary care population and to develop an intervention for patients with coronary heart disease and depression. Methods/design This programme of research will consist of 4 inter-related studies. A 4 year prospective cohort study of primary care patients with coronary heart disease will be conducted to explore the relationship between coronary heart disease and depression. Within this, a nested case-control biological study will investigate genetic and blood-biomarkers as predictors of depression in this sample. Two qualitative studies, one of patients' perspectives of treatments for coronary heart disease and co-morbid depression and one of primary care professionals' views on the management of patients with coronary heart disease and depression will inform the development of an intervention for this patient group. A feasibility study for a randomised controlled trial will then be conducted. Discussion This study will provide information on the relationship between coronary heart disease and depression that will allow health services to determine the efficiency of case-finding for depression in this patient group. The results of the cohort study will also provide information on risk factors for depression. The study will provide evidence on the efficacy and feasibility of a joint patient and professional led intervention and data necessary to plan a

In-hospital mortality after pre-treatment with antiplatelet agents or oral anticoagulants and hematoma evacuation of intracerebral hematomas.

Science.gov (United States)

Stein, Marco; Misselwitz, Björn; Hamann, Gerhard F; Kolodziej, Malgorzata; Reinges, Marcus H T; Uhl, Eberhard

2016-04-01

Pre-treatment with antiplatelet agents is described to be a risk factor for mortality after spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). However, the impact of antithrombotic agents on mortality in patients who undergo hematoma evacuation compared to conservatively treated patients with ICH remains controversial. This analysis is based on a prospective registry for quality assurance in stroke care in the State of Hesse, Germany. Patients' data were collected between January 2008 and December 2012. Only patients with the diagnosis of spontaneous ICH were included (International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision codes I61.0-I61.9). Predictors of in-hospital mortality were determined by univariate analysis. Predictors with Phematoma evacuation (odds ratio [OR]: 2.5; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.24-4.97; P=0.010) compared to patients without antiplatelet pre-treatment treatment (OR: 0.9; 95% CI: 0.79-1.09; P=0.376). In conclusion a higher rate of in-hospital mortality after pre-treatment with antiplatelet agents in combination with hematoma evacuation after spontaneous ICH was observed in the presented cohort. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cardiovascular events and hospital resource utilization pre- and post-transcatheter mitral valve repair in high-surgical risk patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Vemulapalli, Sreekanth; Lippmann, Steven J; Krucoff, Mitchell; Hernandez, Adrian F; Curtis, Lesley H; Foster, Elyse; Qasim, Atif; Wang, Andrew; Glower, Donald D; Feldman, Ted; Hammill, Bradley G

2017-07-01

MitraClip is an approved therapy for mitral regurgitation (MR); however, health care resource utilization pre- and post-MitraClip remains understudied. Patients with functional and degenerative MR at high surgical risk in the EVEREST II High-Risk Registry and REALISM Continued-Access Study were linked to Medicare data. Pre- and post-MitraClip all-cause death, stroke, myocardial infarction, heart failure (HF), and bleeding hospitalizations were identified. Inpatient costs, adjusted to 2010 US dollars, were calculated, and event rate ratios and cost ratios were estimated with multivariable modeling. Among 403 linked patients, the mean age was 80 years, 60% were male, mean baseline left ventricular ejection fraction was 49.6%, 83.3% were New York Heart Association class III/IV, 78.2% were MR grade 3+/4+, and 63.3% had functional MR. All-cause hospitalization decreased from 1,854 to 1,435/1,000 person-years (Pproviders seeking to reduce HF hospitalizations and associated Medicare costs may consider MitraClip among appropriate patients likely to survive 1 year. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of Peer-Facilitated, Video-Based and Combined Peer-and-Video Education on Anxiety Among Patients Undergoing Coronary Angiography: Randomised controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Habibzadeh, Hosein; Milan, Zahra D; Radfar, Moloud; Alilu, Leyla; Cund, Audrey

2018-02-01

Coronary angiography can be stressful for patients and anxiety-caused physiological responses during the procedure increase the risk of dysrhythmia, coronary artery spasms and rupture. This study therefore aimed to investigate the effects of peer, video and combined peer-and-video training on anxiety among patients undergoing coronary angiography. This single-blinded randomised controlled clinical trial was conducted at two large educational hospitals in Iran between April and July 2016. A total of 120 adult patients undergoing coronary angiography were recruited. Using a block randomisation method, participants were assigned to one of four groups, with those in the control group receiving no training and those in the three intervention groups receiving either peer-facilitated training, video-based training or a combination of both. A Persian-language validated version of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory was used to measure pre- and post-intervention anxiety. There were no statistically significant differences in mean pre-intervention anxiety scores between the four groups (F = 0.31; P = 0.81). In contrast, there was a significant reduction in post-intervention anxiety among all three intervention groups compared to the control group (F = 27.71; P <0.01); however, there was no significant difference in anxiety level in terms of the type of intervention used. Peer, video and combined peer-and-video education were equally effective in reducing angiography-related patient anxiety. Such techniques are recommended to reduce anxiety amongst patients undergoing coronary angiography in hospitals in Iran.

Treatment and outcomes of acute coronary syndromes in women: An analysis of a multicenter quality improvement Chinese study.

Science.gov (United States)

Du, Xin; Patel, Anushka; Li, Xian; Wu, Yangfeng; Turnbull, Fiona; Gao, Runlin

2017-08-15

Variations in care and outcomes by sex in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) have been reported worldwide. The aims of this study are to describe ACS management according to sex in China and the effects of a quality improvement program in Chinese male and female ACS patients. Clinical Pathways for Acute Coronary Syndromes - Phase 2 (CPACS-2) was a cluster randomized trial to test whether a clinical pathways-based intervention would improve ACS management in China. The study enrolled 15,141 hospitalized patients [4631 (30.6%) were women] from 75 hospitals throughout China between October 2007 and August 2010. The intervention included clinical pathway implementation and performance measurement using standardized indicators with 6 monthly audit-feedback cycles. Eight key performance indicators reflecting in hospital management of ACS were measured. After adjustment for differences in patient characteristics and comorbidities at presentation, women were significantly less likely to undergo coronary angiography when indicated (RR 0.88 [0.85 to 0.92], Pquality improvement initiative by sex. Sex disparities were apparent in some key quality of care indicators for patients with suspected with ACS presenting to hospitals in China. The beneficial effect of the quality improvement program was consistent in women and men. http://www.anzctr.org.au/default.aspx. Unique identifier: ACTRN12609000491268. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Impact of care pathways for in-hospital management of COPD exacerbation: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Lodewijckx, C; Sermeus, W; Panella, M; Deneckere, S; Leigheb, F; Decramer, M; Vanhaecht, K

2011-11-01

In-hospital management of COPD exacerbation is suboptimal, and outcomes are poor. Care pathways are a possible strategy for optimizing care processes and outcomes. The aim of the literature review was to explore characteristics of existing care pathways for in-hospital management of COPD exacerbations and to address their impact on performance of care processes, clinical outcomes, and team functioning. A literature search was conducted for articles published between 1990 and 2010 in the electronic databases of Medline, CINAHL, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library. Main inclusion criteria were (I) patients hospitalized for a COPD exacerbation; (II) implementation and evaluation of a care pathway; (III) report of original research, including experimental and quasi experimental designs, variance analysis, and interviews of professionals and patients about their perception on pathway effectiveness. Four studies with a quasi experimental design were included. Three studies used a pre-post test design; the fourth study was a non randomized controlled trial comparing an experimental group where patients were treated according to a care pathway with a control group where usual care was provided. The four studied care pathways were multidisciplinary structured care plans, outlining time-specific clinical interventions and responsibilities by discipline. Statistic analyses were rarely performed, and the trials used very divergent indicators to evaluate the impact of the care pathways. The studies described positive effects on blood sampling, daily weight measurement, arterial blood gas measurement, referral to rehabilitation, feelings of anxiety, length of stay, readmission, and in-hospital mortality. Research on COPD care pathways is very limited. The studies described few positive effects of the care pathways on diagnostic processes and on clinical outcomes. Though due to limited statistical analysis and weak design of the studies, the internal validity of results is limited

Health care expenditure for hospital-based delivery care in Lao PDR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Douangvichit Daovieng

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Delivery by a skilled birth attendant (SBA in a hospital is advocated to improve maternal health; however, hospital expenses for delivery care services are a concern for women and their families, particularly for women who pay out-of-pocket. Although health insurance is now implemented in Lao PDR, it is not universal throughout the country. The objectives of this study are to estimate the total health care expenses for vaginal delivery and caesarean section, to determine the association between health insurance and family income with health care expenditure and assess the effect of health insurance from the perspectives of the women and the skilled birth attendants (SBAs in Lao PDR. Methods A cross-sectional study was carried out in two provincial hospitals in Lao PDR, from June to October 2010. Face to face interviews of 581 women who gave birth in hospital and 27 SBAs was carried out. Both medical and non-medical expenses were considered. A linear regression model was used to assess influencing factors on health care expenditure and trends of medical and non-medical expenditure by monthly family income stratified by mode of delivery were assessed. Results Of 581 women, 25% had health care insurance. Health care expenses for delivery care services were significantly higher for caesarean section (270 USD than for vaginal delivery (59 USD. After adjusting for the effect of hospital, family income was significantly associated with all types of expenditure in caesarean section, while it was associated with non-medical and total expenditures in vaginal delivery. Both delivering women and health providers thought that health insurance increased the utilisation of delivery care. Conclusions Substantially higher delivery care expenses were incurred for caesarean section compared to vaginal delivery. Three-fourths of the women who were not insured needed to be responsible for their own health care payment. Women who had higher family

Impact of a DRG-based hospital financing system on quality and outcomes of care in Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Louis, D Z; Yuen, E J; Braga, M; Cicchetti, A; Rabinowitz, C; Laine, C; Gonnella, J S

1999-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To examine potential changes in quality of care associated with a recent financing system implementation in Italy: in 1995, hospital financing reform implemented in Italy included the introduction of a DRG-based hospital financing system with the goals of controlling the growth of hospital costs and making hospitals more accountable for their productivity. DATA SOURCES: Hospital discharge abstract data from 1993 through 1996 for all hospitals (N=32) in the Friuli-Venezia-Giulia region of Italy. Regional population data were used to calculate rates. STUDY DESIGN: Changes between 1993 and 1996 in hospital admissions, length of stay, mortality rates, severity of illness, and readmission rates were studied for nine common medical and surgical conditions: appendicitis, diabetes mellitus, colorectal cancer, cholecystitis, bronchitis/chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bacterial pneumonia, coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease, and hip fracture. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The total number of ordinary hospital admissions decreased from 244,581 to 204,054 between 1993 and 1996, a population-based decrease of 17.3 percent (p<.001). The mean length of stay decreased from 9.1 days to 8.8 days, resulting in a 21.1 percent decrease in hospital bed days (p<.001). Day hospital use increased sevenfold from 16,871 encounters in 1993 to 108,517 encounters in 1996. The largest decrease in hospital admissions among study conditions was a 41 percent decrease for diabetes (from 2.25 per 1,000 in 1993 to 1.31 in 1996, p<.001). For eight of the nine conditions, severity of illness increased. Differences between severity-adjusted expected and observed in-hospital mortality rates were small. CONCLUSIONS: Observed trends showed a decrease in ordinary hospital admissions, an increase in day hospital admissions, and a greater severity of illness among hospitalized patients. There was little or no change in mortality and readmission rates. Administrative data can be used

Post–Acute Care Use and Hospital Readmission after Sepsis

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Tiffanie K.; Fuchs, Barry D.; Small, Dylan S.; Halpern, Scott D.; Hanish, Asaf; Umscheid, Craig A.; Baillie, Charles A.; Kerlin, Meeta Prasad; Gaieski, David F.

2015-01-01

Rationale: The epidemiology of post–acute care use and hospital readmission after sepsis remains largely unknown. Objectives: To examine the rate of post–acute care use and hospital readmission after sepsis and to examine risk factors and outcomes for hospital readmissions after sepsis. Methods: In an observational cohort study conducted in an academic health care system (2010–2012), we compared post–acute care use at discharge and hospital readmission after 3,620 sepsis hospitalizations with 108,958 nonsepsis hospitalizations. We used three validated, claims-based approaches to identify sepsis and severe sepsis. Measurements and Main Results: Post–acute care use at discharge was more likely after sepsis, driven by skilled care facility placement (35.4% after sepsis vs. 15.8%; P Readmission rates at 7, 30, and 90 days were higher postsepsis (P readmission risk was present regardless of sepsis severity (27.3% after sepsis and 26.0–26.2% after severe sepsis). After controlling for presepsis characteristics, the readmission risk was found to be 1.51 times greater (95% CI, 1.38–1.66) than nonsepsis hospitalizations. Readmissions after sepsis were more likely to result in death or transition to hospice care (6.1% vs. 13.3% after sepsis; P readmissions after sepsis hospitalizations included age, malignancy diagnosis, hospitalizations in the year prior to the index hospitalization, nonelective index admission type, one or more procedures during the index hospitalization, and low hemoglobin and high red cell distribution width at discharge. Conclusions: Post–acute care use and hospital readmissions were common after sepsis. The increased readmission risk after sepsis was observed regardless of sepsis severity and was associated with adverse readmission outcomes. PMID:25751120

Medicare's Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program in Surgery May Disproportionately Affect Minority-serving Hospitals.

Science.gov (United States)

Shih, Terry; Ryan, Andrew M; Gonzalez, Andrew A; Dimick, Justin B

2015-06-01

To project readmission penalties for hospitals performing cardiac surgery and examine how these penalties will affect minority-serving hospitals. The Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program will potentially expand penalties for higher-than-predicted readmission rates to cardiac procedures in the near future. The impact of these penalties on minority-serving hospitals is unknown. We examined national Medicare beneficiaries undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting in 2008 to 2010 (N = 255,250 patients, 1186 hospitals). Using hierarchical logistic regression, we calculated hospital observed-to-expected readmission ratios. Hospital penalties were projected according to the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program formula using only coronary artery bypass grafting readmissions with a 3% maximum penalty of total Medicare revenue. Hospitals were classified into quintiles according to proportion of black patients treated. Minority-serving hospitals were defined as hospitals in the top quintile whereas non-minority-serving hospitals were those in the bottom quintile. Projected readmission penalties were compared across quintiles. Forty-seven percent of hospitals (559 of 1186) were projected to be assessed a penalty. Twenty-eight percent of hospitals (330 of 1186) would be penalized less than 1% of total Medicare revenue whereas 5% of hospitals (55 of 1186) would receive the maximum 3% penalty. Minority-serving hospitals were almost twice as likely to be penalized than non-minority-serving hospitals (61% vs 32%) and were projected almost triple the reductions in reimbursement ($112 million vs $41 million). Minority-serving hospitals would disproportionately bear the burden of readmission penalties if expanded to include cardiac surgery. Given these hospitals' narrow profit margins, readmission penalties may have a profound impact on these hospitals' ability to care for disadvantaged patients.

Type D Personality, Social Support, and Depression Among Ethnic Chinese Coronary Artery Disease Patients Undergoing a Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: An Exploratory Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Su, Shu-Fen; He, Chung-Ping

2018-01-01

This study investigated the relationships between Type D personality, depression, and social support among ethnic Chinese coronary artery disease (CAD) patients undergoing percutaneous coronary interventions. Type D personality is associated with CAD, and may increase patients' depression and mortality rate. However, very few studies have explored the relationships between depression and social support among ethnic Chinese Type D CAD patients. A longitudinal, repeated-measures design was used; 105 Taiwanese CAD patients undergoing a percutaneous coronary intervention were recruited between January and December 2015. A demographic questionnaire, Type D Scale, ENRICHD Social Support Inventory, and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 were completed by 102 participants (mean age = 64.42, SD = 13.67 years) at hospitalization, and at the second week and third month after discharge. Data were analyzed using t tests and a generalized estimating equation. Results indicated that 46.7% of participants who had Type D personality had lower social support and higher depression than did the remaining (non-Type D) participants. At two weeks after discharge, the improvement in social support was higher among Type D patients than non-Type D participants; the same was true for depression at two weeks and three months after discharge each. Type D Taiwanese CAD patients showed lower perceived social support and higher depression during hospitalization than did non-Type D participants. Furthermore, the more social support patients received at home, the lower was their depression. Health-care providers should provide continuous mental health care, conduct early screening of mental health issues, and ensure that patients receive sufficient social support to reduce depression.

Hospital Medicine (Part 1): what is wrong with acute hospital care?

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Kellett, John

2009-09-01

Modern hospitals are facing several challenges and, over the last decade in particular, many of these institutions have become dysfunctional. Paradoxically as medicine has become more successful the demand for acute hospital care has increased, yet there is no consensus on what conditions or complaints require hospital admission and there is wide variation in the mortality rates, length of stay and possibly standards of care between different units. Most acutely ill patients are elderly and instead of one straightforward diagnosis are more likely to have a complex combination of multiple co-morbid conditions. Any elderly patient admitted to hospital is at considerable risk which must be balanced against the possible benefits. Although most of the patients in hospital die from only approximately ten diagnoses, obvious life saving treatment is often delayed by a junior doctor in-training first performing an exhaustive complete history and physical, and then ordering a number of investigations before consulting a senior colleague. Following this traditional hierarchy delays care with several "futile cycles" of clinical activity thoughtlessly directed at the patient without any benefit being delivered. If acute hospital medicine is to be improved changes in traditional assumptions, attitudes, beliefs and practices are needed.

Pre-hospital antibiotic treatment and mortality caused by invasive meningococcal disease, adjusting for indication bias

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matute-Cruz Petra

2009-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Mortality from invasive meningococcal disease (IMD has remained stable over the last thirty years and it is unclear whether pre-hospital antibiotherapy actually produces a decrease in this mortality. Our aim was to examine whether pre-hospital oral antibiotherapy reduces mortality from IMD, adjusting for indication bias. Methods A retrospective analysis was made of clinical reports of all patients (n = 848 diagnosed with IMD from 1995 to 2000 in Andalusia and the Canary Islands, Spain, and of the relationship between the use of pre-hospital oral antibiotherapy and mortality. Indication bias was controlled for by the propensity score technique, and a multivariate analysis was performed to determine the probability of each patient receiving antibiotics, according to the symptoms identified before admission. Data on in-hospital death, use of antibiotics and demographic variables were collected. A logistic regression analysis was then carried out, using death as the dependent variable, and pre-hospital antibiotic use, age, time from onset of symptoms to parenteral antibiotics and the propensity score as independent variables. Results Data were recorded on 848 patients, 49 (5.72% of whom died. Of the total number of patients, 226 had received oral antibiotics before admission, mainly betalactams during the previous 48 hours. After adjusting the association between the use of antibiotics and death for age, time between onset of symptoms and in-hospital antibiotic treatment, pre-hospital oral antibiotherapy remained a significant protective factor (Odds Ratio for death 0.37, 95% confidence interval 0.15–0.93. Conclusion Pre-hospital oral antibiotherapy appears to reduce IMD mortality.

Method for Assigning Priority Levels in Acute Care (MAPLe-AC predicts outcomes of acute hospital care of older persons - a cross-national validation

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Ljunggren Gunnar

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Although numerous risk factors for adverse outcomes for older persons after an acute hospital stay have been identified, a decision making tool combining all available information in a clinically meaningful way would be helpful for daily hospital practice. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of the Method for Assigning Priority Levels for Acute Care (MAPLe-AC to predict adverse outcomes in acute care for older people and to assess its usability as a decision making tool for discharge planning. Methods Data from a prospective multicenter study in five Nordic acute care hospitals with information from admission to a one year follow-up of older acute care patients were compared with a prospective study of acute care patients from admission to discharge in eight hospitals in Canada. The interRAI Acute Care assessment instrument (v1.1 was used for data collection. Data were collected during the first 24 hours in hospital, including pre-morbid and admission information, and at day 7 or at discharge, whichever came first. Based on this information a crosswalk was developed from the original MAPLe algorithm for home care settings to acute care (MAPLe-AC. The sample included persons 75 years or older who were admitted to acute internal medical services in one hospital in each of the five Nordic countries (n = 763 or to acute hospital care either internal medical or combined medical-surgical services in eight hospitals in Ontario, Canada (n = 393. The outcome measures considered were discharge to home, discharge to institution or death. Outcomes in a 1-year follow-up in the Nordic hospitals were: living at home, living in an institution or death, and survival. Logistic regression with ROC curves and Cox regression analyses were used in the analyses. Results Low and mild priority levels of MAPLe-AC predicted discharge home and high and very high priority levels predicted adverse outcome at discharge both in the Nordic

Morphological study on coronary ostial and clinicoangiographic analysis of isolated coronary ostial stenosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kanoh, Tatsuji

2007-01-01

A morphological study of coronary ostia was performed in 70 autopsied human hearts, with particular attention being focused on the funnel-shaped structure, aging changes, and relation to atherosclerosis. The following results were obtained: The ostium is particularly well-defined and forms a funnel-shaped structure. The structure is predominantly a double circular shape on the right and comet-shaped on the left. The funnel-shaped structure of coronary ostia is characterized by a longitudinal smooth muscle arrangement in the inner layer and circular one in the outer layer. Including overhang formation, coronary sclerosis of the ostium appears mainly on the upper margin of the funnel-shaped structure of the right ostium and at the upper right margin of the left. In ischemic heart disease, along with changes in coronary arteries themselves, changes in the ostia of these arteries should be paid close attention. Ostial stenosis of the coronary artery in the absence of distal vessel obstructions, isolated ostial stenosis, is a rare form of coronary artery disease. In a previous review of the international literature, the incidence of coronary ostial stenosis varied between 0.13% and 2.7%. Among 7,500 patients undergoing selective coronary cineangiography at Juntendo University Hospital and Juntendo Urayasu Hospital from 1975 to 1990, five women (0.07%) were diagnosed as having ''isolated coronary ostial stenosis'', of which the cause is unknown. Atherosclerosis, particularly early premature atherome, congenital coronary anomaly, fibro-muscular dysplasia, Takayasu's aortitis, humoral factors, spasm, and iatrogenic events have been considered as its causes. In contrast to usual atherosclerotic coronary artery disease, patients with isolated coronary ostial stenosis of unknown etiology were characterized as being middle-aged, premenopausal, slender females having few coronary risk factors, experiencing severe angina pector is with marked ischemic electrocardiogram changes

First-Year Analysis of a New, Home-Based Palliative Care Program Offered Jointly by a Community Hospital and Local Visiting Nurse Service.

Science.gov (United States)

Pouliot, Katherine; Weisse, Carol S; Pratt, David S; DiSorbo, Philip

2017-03-01

There is a growing need for home-based palliative care services, especially for seriously ill individuals who want to avoid hospitalizations and remain with their regular outside care providers. To evaluate the effectiveness of Care Choices, a new in-home palliative care program provided by the Visiting Nurse Services of Northeastern New York and Ellis Medicine's community hospital serving New York's Capital District. This prospective cohort study assessed patient outcomes over the course of 1 year for 123 patients (49 men and 74 women) with serious illnesses who were new enrollees in the program. Quality of life was assessed at baseline and after 1 month on service. Satisfaction with care was measured after 1 and 3 months on service. The number of emergency department visits and inpatient hospitalizations pre- and postenrollment was measured for all enrollees. Patients were highly satisfied (72.7%-100%) with their initial care and reported greater satisfaction ( P care service. An in-home palliative care program offered jointly through a visiting nurse service and community hospital may be a successful model for providing quality care that satisfies chronically ill patients' desire to remain at home and avoid hospital admissions.

The epidemiology of Scottish trauma: A comparison of pre-hospital and in-hospital deaths, 2000 to 2011.

Science.gov (United States)

Morrison, Jonathan J; Yapp, Liam Z; Beattie, Anne; Devlin, Eimar; Samarage, Milan; McCaffer, Craig; Jansen, Jan O

2016-02-01

To characterise the temporal trends and urban-rural distribution of fatal injuries in Scotland through the analysis of mortality data collected by the National Records of Scotland. The prospectively collected NRS database was queried using ICD-10 codes for all Scottish trauma deaths during the period 2000 to 2011. Patients were divided into pre-hospital and in-hospital groups depending on the location of death. Incidence was plotted against time and linear regression was used to identify temporal trends. A total of 13,100 deaths were analysed. There were 4755 (36.3%) patients in the pre-hospital group with a median age (IQR) of 42 (28-58) years. The predominant cause of pre-hospital death related to vehicular injury (27.8%), which had a decreasing trend over the study period (p = 0.004). In-hospital, patients had a median age of 80 (58-88) years and the majority (67.0%) of deaths occurred following a fall on the level. This trend was shown to increase over the decade of study (p = 0.020). In addition, the incidence of urban incidents remained static, but the rate of rural fatal trauma decreased (p Scottish trauma patients die prior to hospital admission and the predominant mechanism of injury is due to road traffic accidents. This contrasts with in-hospital deaths, which are mainly observed in elderly patients following a fall from standing height. Further research is required to determine the preventability of fatal traumatic injury in Scotland. Copyright © 2015 Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (Scottish charity number SC005317) and Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pre-Hospital 12-Lead Electrocardiogram within 60 Minutes Differentiates Proximal versus Nonproximal Left Anterior Descending Artery Myocardial Infarction

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James J McCarthy

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Acute anterior myocardial infarctions caused by proximal left anterior descending (LAD artery occlusions are associated with a higher morbidity and mortality. Early identification of high-risk patients via the 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG could assist physicians and emergency response teams in providing early and aggressive care for patients with anterior ST-elevation myocardial infarctions (STEMI. Approximately 25% of US hospitals have primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI capability for the treatment of acute myocardial infarctions. Given the paucity of hospitals capable of PCI, early identification of more severe myocardial infarction may prompt emergency medical service routing of these patients to PCI-capable hospitals. We sought to determine if the 12 lead ECG is capable of predicting proximal LAD artery occlusions. Methods: In a retrospective, post-hoc analysis of the Pre-Hospital Administration of Thrombolytic Therapy with Urgent Culprit Artery Revascularization pilot trial, we compared the ECG findings of proximal and nonproximal LAD occlusions for patients who had undergone an ECG within 180 minutes of symptom onset. Results: In this study, 72 patients had anterior STEMIs, with ECGs performed within 180 minutes of symptom onset. In patients who had undergone ECGs within 60 minutes (n¼35, the mean sum of ST elevation (STE in leads V1 through V6 plus ST depression (STD in leads II, III, and aVF was 19.2 mm for proximal LAD occlusions and 11.7 mm for nonproximal LAD occlusions (P¼0.007. A sum STE in V1 through V6 plus STD in II, III, and aVF of at least 17.5 mm had a sensitivity of 52.3%, specificity of 92.9%, positive predictive value of 91.7%, and negative predictive value of 56.5% for proximal LAD occlusions. When the ECG was performed more than 60 minutes after symptom onset (n¼37, there was no significant difference in ST-segment deviation between the 2 groups. Conclusion: The sum STE (V1-V6 and STD (II

Processes of early stroke care and hospital costs.

Science.gov (United States)

Svendsen, Marie Louise; Ehlers, Lars H; Hundborg, Heidi H; Ingeman, Annette; Johnsen, Søren P

2014-08-01

The relationship between processes of early stroke care and hospital costs remains unclear. We therefore examined the association in a population based cohort study. We identified 5909 stroke patients who were admitted to stroke units in a Danish county between 2005 and 2010.The examined recommended processes of care included early admission to a stroke unit, early initiation of antiplatelet or anticoagulant therapy, early computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging (CT/MRI) scan, early physiotherapy and occupational therapy, early assessment of nutritional risk, constipation risk and of swallowing function, early mobilization,early catheterization, and early thromboembolism prophylaxis.Hospital costs were assessed for each patient based on the number of days spent in different in-hospital facilities using local hospital charges. The mean costs of hospitalization were $23 352 (standard deviation 27 827). The relationship between receiving more relevant processes of early stroke care and lower hospital costs followed a dose–response relationship. The adjusted costs were $24 566 (95% confidence interval 19 364–29 769) lower for patients who received 75–100% of the relevant processes of care compared with patients receiving 0–24%. All processes of care were associated with potential cost savings, except for early catheterization and early thromboembolism prophylaxis. Early care in agreement with key guidelines recommendations for the management of patients with stroke may be associated with hospital savings.

Pending studies at hospital discharge: a pre-post analysis of an electronic medical record tool to improve communication at hospital discharge.

Science.gov (United States)

Kantor, Molly A; Evans, Kambria H; Shieh, Lisa

2015-03-01

Achieving safe transitions of care at hospital discharge requires accurate and timely communication. Both the presence of and follow-up plan for diagnostic studies that are pending at hospital discharge are expected to be accurately conveyed during these transitions, but this remains a challenge. To determine the prevalence, characteristics, and communication of studies pending at hospital discharge before and after the implementation of an electronic medical record (EMR) tool that automatically generates a list of pending studies. Pre-post analysis. 260 consecutive patients discharged from inpatient general medicine services from July to August 2013. Development of an EMR-based tool that automatically generates a list of studies pending at discharge. The main outcomes were prevalence and characteristics of pending studies and communication of studies pending at hospital discharge. We also surveyed internal medicine house staff on their attitudes about communication of pending studies. Pre-intervention, 70% of patients had at least one pending study at discharge, but only 18% of these were communicated in the discharge summary. Most studies were microbiology cultures (68%), laboratory studies (16%), or microbiology serologies (10%). The majority of study results were ultimately normal (83%), but 9% were newly abnormal. Post-intervention, communication of studies pending increased to 43% (p pending studies, but in usual practice, the presence of these studies has rarely been communicated to outpatient providers in the discharge summary. Communication significantly increased with the implementation of an EMR-based tool that automatically generated a list of pending studies from the EMR and allowed users to import this list into the discharge summary. This is the first study to our knowledge to introduce an automated EMR-based tool to communicate pending studies.

Improving Service Quality in Long-term Care Hospitals: National Evaluation on Long-term Care Hospitals and Employees Perception of Quality Dimensions

OpenAIRE

Kim, Jinkyung; Han, Woosok

2012-01-01

Objectives To investigate predictors for specific dimensions of service quality perceived by hospital employees in long-term care hospitals. Methods Data collected from a survey of 298 hospital employees in 18 long-term care hospitals were analysed. Multivariate ordinary least squares regression analysis with hospital fixed effects was used to determine the predictors of service quality using respondents? and organizational characteristics. Results The most significant predictors of employee-...

Association between gender, process of care measures, and outcomes in ACS in India: results from the detection and management of coronary heart disease (DEMAT registry.

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Neha J Pagidipati

Full Text Available Studies from high-income countries have shown that women receive less aggressive diagnostics and treatment than men in acute coronary syndromes (ACS, though their short-term mortality does not appear to differ from men. Data on gender differences in ACS presentation, management, and outcomes are sparse in India.The Detection and Management of Coronary Heart Disease (DEMAT Registry collected data from 1,565 suspected ACS patients (334 women; 1,231 men from ten tertiary care centers throughout India between 2007-2008. We evaluated gender differences in presentation, in-hospital and discharge management, and 30-day death and major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE; death, re-hospitalization, and cardiac arrest rates. Women were less likely to present with STEMI than men (38% vs. 55%, p<0.001. Overall inpatient diagnostics and treatment patterns were similar between men and women after adjustment for potential confounders. Optimal discharge management with aspirin, clopidogrel, beta-blockers, and statin therapy was lower for women than men, (58% vs. 65%, p = 0.03, but these differences were attenuated after adjustment (OR = 0.86 (0.62, 1.19. Neither the outcome of 30-day mortality (OR = 1.40 (0.62, 3.16 nor MACE (OR = 1.00 (0.67, 1.48 differed significantly between men and women after adjustment.ACS in-hospital management, discharge management, and 30-day outcomes did not significantly differ between genders in the DEMAT registry, though consistently higher treatment rates and lower event rates in men compared to women were seen. These findings underscore the importance of further investigation of gender differences in cardiovascular care in India.

What components of chronic care organisation relate to better primary care for coronary heart disease patients? An observational study.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lieshout, J. van; Frigola Capell, E.; Ludt, S.; Grol, R.P.T.M.; Wensing, M.J.P.

2012-01-01

OBJECTIVES: Cardiovascular risk management (CVRM) received by patients shows large variation across countries. In this study we explored the aspects of primary care organisation associated with key components of CVRM in coronary heart disease (CHD) patients. DESIGN: Observational study. SETTING: 273

A Single Long-Term Acute Care Hospital Experience with a Pressure Ulcer Prevention Program.

Science.gov (United States)

Young, Daniel L; Borris-Hale, Cathy; Falconio-West, Margaret; Chakravarthy, Debashish

2015-01-01

The occurrence of pressure ulcers (PrUs) challenges care facilities. Few studies report PrU reduction efforts in long-term acute care (LTAC). This study described the PrU reduction efforts of a single, LTAC facility using the Medline Pressure Ulcer Prevention Program (mPUPP). This study was a quasi-experimental, quality improvement project, with pre- and postmeasurement design. Outcomes were tracked for 24 months. The mPUPP was implemented in month 11. Education for caregivers was provided through an interactive web-based suite. In addition, all Patient Care Technicians attended a 4-week 1-hour inservice. New skin care products were implemented. The facility also implemented an algorithm for treatment of wounds. There was a significant reduction in the mean monthly hospital-acquired PrU (nPrU) rate when preprogram is compared to postprogram. Sustainable nPrU reduction can be achieved with mPUPP. LTAC hospitals could expect to reduce nPrU with education and incentive of caregivers. © 2014 Association of Rehabilitation Nurses.

An overview of the construction of emergency and pre-hospital first aid platform

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Song Chen

2018-01-01

Full Text Available To further improve the ability of pre-hospital and in-hospital collaborative treatment, strengthen emergency multidisciplinary cooperation and construct a scientific, rational and efficient emergency system, under the support of former chairman Yu Xue-zhong, Dr. Li Chun-sheng and numerous colleagues in the industry, the Emergency Medicine Society of the Chinese Medical Association appeal to us to draft Construction of Emergency and Pre-hospital Platform. Based on this background, the platform of emergency and pre-hospital first aid helps to build a “one horizontal and one Longitudinal” treatment model, using the horizontal and longitudinal patterns to integrate emergency medical resources to satisfy the automatic information integration and intelligent analysis sharing, realizing the emergency management visualization and medical information digitization, simplifying the medical process and establishing a perfect standard for the emergent diseases, thereby ultimately achieving efficient diagnosis and scientific treatment.

Hospitalsbehandling efter hjertestop uden for hospital

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grand, Johannes; Hassager, Christian; Kjærgaard, Jesper

2017-01-01

Survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Denmark has increased significantly since 2001, and important improvements have been made in the post-resuscitation care. The aim of this article is to summarize the most recent international guidelines for post-resuscitation care in a Danish perspe...... perspective. The main aspects concern securing haemodynamic and respiratory functions and performing urgent coronary catheterization and targeted temperature management in selected patients. In prognostication a multi-modal approach should be applied....

Hospital-based home care for children with cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansson, Eva Helena; Kjaergaard, H; Schmiegelow, K

2012-01-01

, as it decreased the strain on the family and the ill child, maintained normality and an ordinary everyday life and fulfilled the need for safety and security. According to family members of children with cancer, hospital-based home care support enhanced their quality of life during the child's cancer trajectory......The study aims to describe the experiences of a hospital-based home care programme in the families of children with cancer. Fourteen parents, representing 10 families, were interviewed about their experiences of a hospital-based home care programme during a 4-month period in 2009 at a university...... hospital in Denmark. Five children participated in all or part of the interview. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using qualitative content analysis. The findings indicate that hospital-based home care enabled the families to remain intact throughout the course of treatment...

Depressive symptoms in patients with coronary artery disease

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Débora Maria Mendonça da Cunha

Full Text Available Objective.To assess the presence of depressive symptoms in patients with coronary artery disease in the preoperative period for coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG in Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil. Methods. A cross-sectional study with 63 hospitalized patients prior to CABG. Two instruments were used for data collection; one for the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, and the other to evaluate the presence of depressive symptoms, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI. Results. The mean age was 58 years; most were male (60.3%; with a partner (81% low educational level (71.4% attended school through elementary school. Among the patients, 36.5% were classified with dysphoria, and 25.4% had some degree of depression (6.3% mild, 17.5% moderate, and 1.6% severe. The group of patients with lower educational level presented higher depressive symptoms. Conclusion. Six of every ten patients with coronary artery disease showed dysphoria or some degree of depression. The results of this study can support the planning of nursing care for patients before and after CABG, as well as the development of public health policies to ensure complete, quality care for these patients, understanding depression as a variable that can interfere with recovery after cardiac surgery.

ST-segment resolution with bivalirudin versus heparin and routine glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors started in the ambulance in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction patients transported for primary percutaneous coronary intervention: The EUROMAX ST-segment resolution substudy.

Science.gov (United States)

Van't Hof, Arnoud; Giannini, Francesco; Ten Berg, Jurrien; Tolsma, Rudolf; Clemmensen, Peter; Bernstein, Debra; Coste, Pierre; Goldstein, Patrick; Zeymer, Uwe; Hamm, Christian; Deliargyris, Efthymios; Steg, Philippe G

2017-08-01

Myocardial reperfusion after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) can be assessed by the extent of post-procedural ST-segment resolution. The European Ambulance Acute Coronary Syndrome Angiography (EUROMAX) trial compared pre-hospital bivalirudin and pre-hospital heparin or enoxaparin with or without GPIIb/IIIa inhibitors (GPIs) in primary PCI. This nested substudy was performed in centres routinely using pre-hospital GPI in order to compare the impact of randomized treatments on ST-resolution after primary PCI. Residual cumulative ST-segment deviation on the single one hour post-procedure electrocardiogram (ECG) was assessed by an independent core laboratory and was the primary endpoint. It was calculated that 762 evaluable patients were needed to show non-inferiority (85% power, alpha 2.5%) between randomized treatments. A total of 871 participated with electrocardiographic data available in 824 patients (95%). Residual ST-segment deviation one hour after PCI was 3.8±4.9 mm versus 3.9±5.2 mm for bivalirudin and heparin+GPI, respectively ( p=0.0019 for non-inferiority). Overall, there were no differences between randomized treatments in any measures of ST-segment resolution either before or after the index procedure. Pre-hospital treatment with bivalirudin is non-inferior to pre-hospital heparin + GPI with regard to residual ST-segment deviation or ST-segment resolution, reflecting comparable myocardial reperfusion with the two strategies.

Severe maternal morbidity in Zanzibar's referral hospital: Measuring the impact of in-hospital care

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Herklots, T.; Acht, L. van; Meguid, T.; Franx, A.; Jacod, B.C.

2017-01-01

OBJECTIVE: to analyse the impact of in-hospital care on severe maternal morbidity using WHO's near-miss approach in the low-resource, high mortality setting of Zanzibar's referral hospital. SETTING: Mnazi Mmoja Hospital, a tertiary care facility, in Zanzibar, Tanzania. METHODS: We identified all

Transitional Home Care program utilizing the Integrated Practice Unit concept (THC-IPU: Effectiveness in improving acute hospital utilization

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Lian Leng Low

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Background: Organizing care into integrated practice units (IPUs around conditions and patient segments has been proposed to increase value. We organized transitional care into an IPU (THC-IPU for a patient segment of functionally dependent patients with limited community ambulation. Methods: 1,166 eligible patients were approached for enrolment into THC-IPU. THC-IPU patients received a comprehensive assessment within two weeks of discharge; medication reconciliation; education using standardized action plans and a dedicated nurse case manager for up to 90 days after discharge. Patients who rejected enrolment into THC-IPU received usual post-discharge care planned by their attending hospital physician, and formed the control group. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients with at least one unscheduled readmission within 30 days after discharge. Results: We found a statistically significant reduction in 30-day readmissions and emergency department visits in patients on THC-IPU care compared to usual care, even after adjusting for confounders. Conclusion: Delivering transitional care to patients with functional dependence in the form of home visits and organized into an IPU reduced acute hospital utilization in this patient segment. Extending the program into the pre-hospital discharge phase to include discharge planning can have incremental effectiveness in reducing avoidable hospital readmissions.

Factors Impacting Mortality in the Pre-Hospital Period After Road Traffic Accidents in Urban India.

Science.gov (United States)

Chandrasekharan, Ananthnarayan; Nanavati, Aditya J; Prabhakar, Sandhya; Prabhakar, Subramaniam

2016-07-01

personal safety, and driving vehicles under adverse conditions are some of the leading causes of road traffic accidents. There should be an emphasis on emergency trauma care in the pre-hospital setting.

What components of chronic care organisation relate to better primary care for coronary heart disease patients? An observational study.

OpenAIRE

Lieshout, J. van; Frigola Capell, E.; Ludt, S.; Grol, R.P.T.M.; Wensing, M.J.P.

2012-01-01

OBJECTIVES: Cardiovascular risk management (CVRM) received by patients shows large variation across countries. In this study we explored the aspects of primary care organisation associated with key components of CVRM in coronary heart disease (CHD) patients. DESIGN: Observational study. SETTING: 273 primary care practices in Austria, Belgium, England, Finland, France, Germany, The Netherlands, Slovenia, Switzerland and Spain. PARTICIPANTS: A random sample of 4563 CHD patients identified by co...

Mechanical ventilators in US acute care hospitals.

Science.gov (United States)

Rubinson, Lewis; Vaughn, Frances; Nelson, Steve; Giordano, Sam; Kallstrom, Tom; Buckley, Tim; Burney, Tabinda; Hupert, Nathaniel; Mutter, Ryan; Handrigan, Michael; Yeskey, Kevin; Lurie, Nicole; Branson, Richard

2010-10-01

The supply and distribution of mechanical ventilation capacity is of profound importance for planning for severe public health emergencies. However, the capability of US health systems to provide mechanical ventilation for children and adults remains poorly quantified. The objective of this study was to determine the quantity of adult and pediatric mechanical ventilators at US acute care hospitals. A total of 5,752 US acute care hospitals included in the 2007 American Hospital Association database were surveyed. We measured the quantities of mechanical ventilators and their features. Responding to the survey were 4305 (74.8%) hospitals, which accounted for 83.8% of US intensive care unit beds. Of the 52,118 full-feature mechanical ventilators owned by respondent hospitals, 24,204 (46.4%) are pediatric/neonatal capable. Accounting for nonrespondents, we estimate that there are 62,188 full-feature mechanical ventilators owned by US acute care hospitals. The median number of full-feature mechanical ventilators per 100,000 population for individual states is 19.7 (interquartile ratio 17.2-23.1), ranging from 11.9 to 77.6. The median number of pediatric-capable device full-feature mechanical ventilators per 100,000 population younger than 14 years old is 52.3 (interquartile ratio 43.1-63.9) and the range across states is 22.1 to 206.2. In addition, respondent hospitals reported owning 82,755 ventilators other than full-feature mechanical ventilators; we estimate that there are 98,738 devices other than full-feature ventilators at all of the US acute care hospitals. The number of mechanical ventilators per US population exceeds those reported by other developed countries, but there is wide variation across states in the population-adjusted supply. There are considerably more pediatric-capable ventilators than there are for adults only on a population-adjusted basis.

Moving Towards the Age-friendly Hospital: A Paradigm Shift for the Hospital-based Care of the Elderly.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Allen R; Larente, Nadine; Morais, Jose A

2011-12-01

Care of the older adult in the acute care hospital is becoming more challenging. Patients 65 years and older account for 35% of hospital discharges and 45% of hospital days. Up to one-third of the hospitalized frail elderly loses independent functioning in one or more activities of daily living as a result of the 'hostile environment' that is present in the acute hospitals. A critical deficit of health care workers with expertise and experience in the care of the elderly also jeopardizes successful care delivery in the acute hospital setting. We propose a paradigm shift in the culture and practice of event-driven acute hospital-based care of the elderly which we call the Age-friendly Hospital concept. Guiding principles include: a favourable physical environment; zero tolerance for ageism throughout the organization; an integrated process to develop comprehensive services using the geriatric approach; assistance with appropriateness decision-making and fostering links between the hospital and the community. Our current proposed strategy is to focus on delirium management as a hospital-wide condition that both requires and highlights the Geriatric Medicine specialist as an expert of content, for program development and of evaluation. The Age-friendly Hospital concept we propose may lead the way to enable hospitals in the fast-moving health care system to deliver high-quality care without jeopardizing risk-benefit, function, and quality of life balances for the frail elderly. Recruitment and retention of skilled health care professionals would benefit from this positive 'branding' of an institution. Convincing hospital management and managing change are significant challenges, especially with competing priorities in a fiscal environment with limited funding. The implementation of a hospital-wide delirium management program is an example of an intervention that embodies many of the principles in the Age-friendly Hospital concept. It is important to change the way

HeartCare+: A Smart Heart Care Mobile Application for Framingham-Based Early Risk Prediction of Hard Coronary Heart Diseases in Middle East

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Hoda Ahmed Galal Elsayed

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Healthcare is a challenging, yet so demanding sector that developing countries are paying more attention to recently. Statistics show that rural areas are expected to develop a high rate of heart diseases, which is a leading cause of sudden mortality, in the future. Thus, providing solutions that can assist rural people in detecting the cardiac risks early will be vital for uncovering and even preventing the long-term complications of cardiac diseases. Methodology. Mobile technology can be effectively utilized to limit the cardiac diseases’ prevalence in rural Middle East. This paper proposes a smart mobile solution for early risk detection of hard coronary heart diseases that uses the Framingham scoring model. Results. Smart HeartCare+ mobile app estimates accurately coronary heart diseases’ risk over 10 years based on clinical and nonclinical data and classifies the patient risk to low, moderate, or high. HeartCare+ also directs the patients to further treatment recommendations. Conclusion. This work attempts to investigate the effectiveness of the mobile technology in the early risk detection of coronary heart diseases. HeartCare+ app intensifies the communication channel between the lab workers and patients residing in rural areas and cardiologists and specialist residing in urban places.

Anticholinergic Medication Burden and 5-Year Risk of Hospitalization and Death in Nursing Home Elderly Residents With Coronary Artery Disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Vetrano, Davide L; La Carpia, Domenico; Grande, Giulia; Casucci, Paola; Bacelli, Tiziana; Bernabei, Roberto; Onder, Graziano

2016-11-01

To assess the association of the anticholinergic medication burden with hospitalization and mortality in nursing home elderly patients and to investigate the role of coronary artery disease (CAD). Longitudinal (5-year) retrospective observational study. Nursing homes in Italy. A total of 3761 nursing home older residents. A comprehensive clinical and functional assessment was carried out through the interRAI long-term care facility instrument. The anticholinergic burden was assessed through the anticholinergic cognitive burden (ACB) scale. Occurrence of hospitalization/all-cause mortality was the primary composite outcome. First hospitalization and all-cause mortality were the secondary outcomes of the study. Hazard ratios (HRs) and subdistribution HRs were obtained through Cox and competing risk (death as competing event for hospitalization) models. Within the sample (mean age 83 ± 7 years; 72% females) the incidence rate of the primary outcome was 10/100 person-year. After adjusting for potential confounders and compared with participants with an ACB of 0, those with an ACB of 1 [HR 1.46; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.12-1.90] and ABC of 2+ (HR 1.41; 95% CI 1.11-1.79) presented an increased risk of developing the primary outcome. After stratification, the risk for the primary outcome increased along with the anticholinergic burden, only for participants affected by CAD (HR 1.53; 95% CI 0.94-2.50 and HR 1.71; 95% CI 1.09-2.68 for the ACB of 1 and ACB of 2+ groups). An ACB score of 2+ was marginally associated with first hospitalization, considering death as a competing risk, only for those with CAD (subdistribution HR 3.47; 95% CI 0.99-12.3). Anticholinergic medication burden is associated to hospitalization and all-cause mortality in institutionalized older adults. CAD increases such risk. The effectiveness and safety profile of complex drug regimens should be reconsidered in this population. Copyright © 2016 AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long

Quality assurance of pre-operative assessment--a review of quality assurance activities related to pre-operative assessment in nine hospitals in The Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Klazinga, N. S.; Helsloot, R.

1989-01-01

Pre-operative assessment of patients for surgery is one of the most prevalent topics for quality assurance by peer-review in Dutch hospitals. This article describes the experiences with pre-operative assessment in nine hospitals. It is discussed why preoperative assessment is performed, what tests

In-hospital management and outcome of patients on warfarin undergoing coronary stent implantation: results of the multicenter, prospective WARfarin and coronary STENTing (WAR-STENT) registry.

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Rubboli, Andrea; Sciahbasi, Alessandro; Briguori, Carlo; Saia, Francesco; Palmieri, Cataldo; Moroni, Luigi Andrea; Calabrò, Paolo; Leone, Antonio Maria; Franco, Nicoletta; Valgimigli, Marco; Varani, Elisabetta; Santi, Michela; Pasqualini, Paola; Capecchi, Alessandro; Piccalò, Giacomo; Margheri, Massimo; di Pasquale, Giuseppe; Galvani, Marcello; Bolognese, Leonardo; Gonzini, Lucio; Maggioni, Aldo Pietro

2013-04-01

The in-hospital management of patients on warfarin undergoing coronary stent implantation (PCI-S) is variable, and the in-hospital outcome incompletely defined. To determine the adherence to the current recommendations, and the incidence of adverse events, we carried out the prospective, multicenter, observational WARfarin and coronary STENTing (WAR-STENT) registry (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT00722319). All consecutive patients on warfarin undergoing PCI-S at 37 Italian centers were enrolled and followed for 12 months. Outcome measures were: major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), including cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, need for urgent revascularization, stroke, and venous thromboembolism, and major and minor bleeding. In this paper, we report the in-hospital findings. Out of the 411 patients enrolled, 92% were at non-low (ie, moderate or high) thromboembolic risk. The radial approach and bare-metal stents were used in 61% and 60% of cases, respectively. Drug-eluting stents were essentially reserved to patients with diabetes, which in turn, significantly predicted the implantation of drug-eluting stents (odds ratio [OR], 2.02; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.29-3.17; P=.002). The in-hospital MACE and major bleeding rates were 2.7% and 2.1%, respectively. At discharge, triple therapy (TT) of warfarin, aspirin, and clopidogrel was prescribed to 76% of patients. Prescription of TT was significantly more frequent in the non-low thromboembolic risk group. Non-low thromboembolic risk, in turn, was a significant predictor of TT prescription (OR, 11.2; 95% CI, 4.83-26.3; P<.0001). In conclusion, real-world warfarin patients undergoing PCI-S are largely managed according to the current recommendations. As a consequence, the risk of in-hospital MACE and major bleedings appears limited and acceptable.

Optical coherence tomography following percutaneous coronary intervention with Excimer laser coronary atherectomy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rawlins, John, E-mail: john.rawlins@doctors.net.uk; Talwar, Suneel; Green, Mark; O’Kane, Peter

2014-01-15

The indications for Excimer laser coronary atherectomy (ELCA) have been refined in modern interventional practice. With the expanding role for optical coherence tomography (OCT) providing high-resolution intra-coronary imaging, this article examines the appearance of the coronary lumen after ELCA. Each indication for ELCA is discussed and illustrated with a clinical case, followed by detailed analysis of the OCT imaging pre and post ELCA. The aim of the article is to provide information to interventional cardiologists to facilitate decision making during PCI, when ELCA has been used as part of the interventional strategy.

Regulation and registration as drivers of continuous professional competence for Irish pre-hospital practitioners: a discussion paper.

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Knox, S; Dunne, S S; Hughes, M; Cheeseman, S; Dunne, C P

2016-05-01

The regulatory body responsible for the registration of Irish pre-hospital practitioners, the Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council (PHECC), identified the need to implement a continuing professional competence (CPC) framework. The first cycle of CPC (focused on emergency medical technicians) commenced in November 2013 creating for the first time a formal relationship between continuing competence and registration to practice. To review current literature and to describe benefits and challenges relevant to CPC, regulation, registration and their respective contributions to professionalism of pre-hospital practitioners: advanced paramedics, paramedics and emergency medical technicians. Online search of cumulative index to nursing and allied health literature (CINAHL Plus with Full Text), Allied and Complementary Medicine (AMED) and 'Pubmed' databases using: 'Continuous Professional Development'; 'Continuous Professional Development'; 'emergency medical technician'; 'paramedic'; 'registration'; 'regulation'; and "profession' for relevant articles published since 2004. Additional policy documents, discussion papers, and guidance documents were identified from bibliographies of papers found. Reports, governmental policies for other healthcare professions, and professional developments internationally for allied professions (e.g., nursing, physiotherapy and medicine) link maintenance of competence with requirements for registration to practice. We suggest that evolving professionalisation of Irish paramedics should be affirmed through behaviours and competencies that incorporate adherence to professional codes of conduct, reflective practice, and commitment to continuing professional development. While the need for ambulance practitioner CPD was identified in Ireland almost a decade ago, PHECC now has the opportunity to introduce a model of CPD for paramedics linking competence and professionalism to annual registration.

Heart rate at admission is a predictor of in-hospital mortality in patients with acute coronary syndromes: Results from 58 European hospitals: The European Hospital Benchmarking by Outcomes in acute coronary syndrome Processes study.

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Jensen, Magnus T; Pereira, Marta; Araujo, Carla; Malmivaara, Anti; Ferrieres, Jean; Degano, Irene R; Kirchberger, Inge; Farmakis, Dimitrios; Garel, Pascal; Torre, Marina; Marrugat, Jaume; Azevedo, Ana

2018-03-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between heart rate at admission and in-hospital mortality in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS). Consecutive ACS patients admitted in 2008-2010 across 58 hospitals in six participant countries of the European Hospital Benchmarking by Outcomes in ACS Processes (EURHOBOP) project (Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Portugal and Spain). Cardiogenic shock patients were excluded. Associations between heart rate at admission in categories of 10 beats per min (bpm) and in-hospital mortality were estimated by logistic regression in crude models and adjusting for age, sex, obesity, smoking, hypertension, diabetes, known heart failure, renal failure, previous stroke and ischaemic heart disease. In total 10,374 patients were included. In both STEMI and NSTE-ACS patients, a U-shaped relationship between admission heart rate and in-hospital mortality was found. The lowest risk was observed for heart rates between 70-79 bpm in STEMI and 60-69 bpm in NSTE-ACS; risk of mortality progressively increased with lower or higher heart rates. In multivariable models, the relationship persisted but was significant only for heart rates >80 bpm. A similar relationship was present in both patients with or without diabetes, above or below age 75 years, and irrespective of the presence of atrial fibrillation or use of beta-blockers. Heart rate at admission is significantly associated with in-hospital mortality in patients with both STEMI and NSTE-ACS. ACS patients with admission heart rate above 80 bpm are at highest risk of in-hospital mortality.

Hospital System Readmissions: A Care Cycle Approach

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Cody Mullen

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Hospital readmission rates can be used as an indicator of the quality of health care services and can highlight high-priority research areas to ensure better health. A readmission is defined as when a patient is discharged from an acute care hospital and is admitted back to an acute care hospital in a set amount of days, with 30 days being the current national standard. On average, 19.6% of Medicare patients are readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of discharge and 56.1% within a year (Jencks, Williams, & Coleman, 2009. The hypothesis of this study was that the discharge location, or where a patient went immediately after discharge, would not have a significant effect on readmissions. A data set with all admission records was obtained from a major health provider. These data contain all hospital patients’ demographic and diagnosis information. General, women’s, and children’s hospitals were looked at from a system perspective to study the discharge location of patients as well as the effects of patient demographics on discharge location. By using a z-significance test in Microsoft Excel and SAS 9.2, it was discovered that patients discharged to home have a significantly lower likelihood of readmission. Generally, patients who are discharged to an extended care or intermediate care facility or patients with home health carerelated services had a significantly higher likelihood of being readmitted. The findings may indicate a possible need for an institution-to-institution intervention as well as institution-to-patient intervention. Future work will develop potential interventions in partnership with hospital staff.

The role of performing life support courses in rural areas in improving pre-hospital physiologic condition of patients with penetrating injuries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naffisi, N.; Mohebbi, H.A.; Moharamzadeh, Y.

2008-01-01

To evaluate the impact of animal model based medical training courses for village healthcare workers on prehospital physiologic condition and prognosis of patients with penetrating injuries. Seventy-six village healthcare workers were trained and equipped to deliver in-field medical first cares. First group (226 patients) consisted of those who received this cares by the trained group and second group (245 patients) were those who received no in-field cares and were transported directly to the trauma center in provincial capital, Ilam. Physiologic Severity Score (PSS) was calculated to determine the physiologic condition of patients in both groups. Results: The most prevalent cause of trauma in both groups was car accidents (61.6%). Controlling of hemorrhage was the most frequent provided initial medical care (40.6%). A significant improvement regarding the PSS score was observed in the first group of patients compared to the second group (7.505 vs. 6.799, 95% CI for difference: 0.3 to 0.9). The mortality rates of the first and second group of patients were 3% and 7.3%, respectively (p=0.051). Performing life support courses in rural areas of low-income countries where there is no pre-hospital triage and emergency medical system and provision of classic resuscitative measures are limited, has a significant impact on improvement of pre-hospital physiologic condition and prognosis of patients with penetrating injuries. (author)

Primary care referral management: a marketing strategy for hospitals.

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Bender, A D; Geoghegan, S S; Lundquist, S H; Cantone, J M; Krasnick, C J

1990-06-01

With increasing competition among hospitals, primary care referral development and management programs offer an opportunity for hospitals to increase their admissions. Such programs require careful development, the commitment of the hospital staff to the strategy, an integration of hospital activities, and an understanding of medical practice management.

A case - control study of risk factors for coronary artery disease in Pakistani females

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nazeer, M.; Naveed, T.; Ullah, A.

2010-01-01

Objectives: To establish the strength of association of conventional risk factors for coronary artery disease in native Pakistani females. Methods: We conducted a case - control hospital based study on 198 females (age 30 - 80 years) scheduled for their first coronary angiography at Punjab Institute of Cardiology, Lahore. Patients were divided into pre-menopausal group (age: 45.1 +- 6.3) and post-menopausal group (62.1 +- 9.1). For each risk factor, patients with significant CAD (= 50% luminal diameter stenosis) were regarded as cases an those without significant CAD were taken as controls. Odds Ratios (OR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated by univariate analysis. Results: In total study cohort, Diabetes mellitus (OR 3.65 95% CI 2.0 - 6.5), Family history of premature coronary artery disease (OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.2 - 4.4), and increased waist circumference (OR 2.11, 95% CI 1.2 - 3.8) were strongly associated with significant CAD. In post menopausal age group, diabetes mellitus (OR 2.66 CI 1.3 - 5.1), hyperlipidaemia (OR 2.25 CI 1.2 - 2.3) and increased waist circumference (OR 2.16 CI 1.1 - 4.2) reached statistical significance. In pre-menopausal females only diabetes was strongly associated with significant coronary artery disease (OR 10 CI 2.6 - 37.4). Association of hypertension was not significant in any of subgroups studied. Very few cases of smoking (6 / 198) were found in our study to merit any further statistical analysis. Conclusions: Diabetes mellitus was the only risk factor in pre-menopausal females associated with coronary artery disease While diabetes, hyperlipidaemia and increased waist circumference were significantly associated with CAD in post menopausal females. (author)

Clinical and economic outcomes among hospitalized patients with acute coronary syndrome: an analysis of a national representative Medicare population.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Shih-Yin; Crivera, Concetta; Stokes, Michael; Boulanger, Luke; Schein, Jeffrey

2013-01-01

To evaluate the clinical and economic burden of acute coronary syndrome (ACS), a common cardiovascular illness, in the Medicare population. Data from the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey were analyzed. Patients with incident hospitalization for ACS without similar events during the 6 months prior were included. Outcomes evaluated included inpatient mortality, 30-day mortality and readmission, subsequent hospitalization events, and total direct health care costs. Sample population weights were applied, accounting for multistage sampling design to obtain nationally representative estimates for the US Medicare population. Between March 1, 2002 and December 31, 2006, we identified 795 incident ACS patients (mean age 76 years; 49% male) representing 2,542,211 Medicare beneficiaries. The inpatient mortality rate was 9.71% and the 30-day mortality ranged from 10.96% to 13.93%. The 30-day readmission rate for surviving patients was 18.56% for all causes and 17.90% for cardiovascular disease (CVD)-related diagnoses. The incidence of death since admission was 309 cases per 1000 person-years. Among patients discharged alive, the incidence was 197 for death, 847 for CVD-related admission, and 906 for all-cause admission. During the year when the ACS event occurred, mean annual total direct health care costs per person were US$50,458, with more than half attributable to inpatient hospitalization ($27,609). In this national representative Medicare population, we found a substantial clinical and economic burden for ACS. These findings suggest a continuing unmet medical need for more effective management of patients with ACS. The continuous burden underscores the importance of development of new interventions and/or strategies to improve long-term outcomes.

Spouses' conceptions of the pre-hospital phase when their partners suffered an acute myocardial infarction--a qualitative analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Johansson, Ingela; Swahn, Eva; Strömberg, Anna

2008-09-01

Delay from onset of acute myocardial infarction symptoms to the delivery of medical care is a major determinant of prognosis. Although studies have explored patient reasons for delay, there are only limited data concerning experiences of the spouse. Was to describe spouses' conceptions of the pre-hospital phase when their partners suffered an acute myocardial infarction. A phenomenographic approach was applied. Fifteen spouses were interviewed rational, and consulting others. The category respecting independence contained: accepting the need for control, marital roles and experiences, restraining emotions, and seeking agreement. Our findings suggest that spouses have a strong influence on the course of events. When accepting the partner's need for control through following earlier marital roles and experiences, restraining own emotions and seeking agreement, this seemed to contribute to delay. However, when the spouse was resourceful by sharing the experience, having knowledge, understanding the severity, being rational and consulting others when needed, this seemed to have a positive influence on the pre-hospital time.

Record of hospitalizations for ambulatory care sensitive conditions: validation of the hospital information system.

Science.gov (United States)

Rehem, Tania Cristina Morais Santa Barbara; de Oliveira, Maria Regina Fernandes; Ciosak, Suely Itsuko; Egry, Emiko Yoshikawa

2013-01-01

To estimate the sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative predictive values of the Unified Health System's Hospital Information System for the appropriate recording of hospitalizations for ambulatory care-sensitive conditions. The hospital information system records for conditions which are sensitive to ambulatory care, and for those which are not, were considered for analysis, taking the medical records as the gold standard. Through simple random sampling, a sample of 816 medical records was defined and selected by means of a list of random numbers using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences. The sensitivity was 81.89%, specificity was 95.19%, the positive predictive value was 77.61% and the negative predictive value was 96.27%. In the study setting, the Hospital Information System (SIH) was more specific than sensitive, with nearly 20% of care sensitive conditions not detected. There are no validation studies in Brazil of the Hospital Information System records for the hospitalizations which are sensitive to primary health care. These results are relevant when one considers that this system is one of the bases for assessment of the effectiveness of primary health care.

Record of hospitalizations for ambulatory care sensitive conditions: validation of the hospital information system

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Tania Cristina Morais Santa Barbara Rehem

2013-09-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: to estimate the sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative predictive values of the Unified Health System's Hospital Information System for the appropriate recording of hospitalizations for ambulatory care-sensitive conditions. METHOD: the hospital information system records for conditions which are sensitive to ambulatory care, and for those which are not, were considered for analysis, taking the medical records as the gold standard. Through simple random sampling, a sample of 816 medical records was defined and selected by means of a list of random numbers using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences. RESULT: the sensitivity was 81.89%, specificity was 95.19%, the positive predictive value was 77.61% and the negative predictive value was 96.27%. In the study setting, the Hospital Information System (SIH was more specific than sensitive, with nearly 20% of care sensitive conditions not detected. CONCLUSION: there are no validation studies in Brazil of the Hospital Information System records for the hospitalizations which are sensitive to primary health care. These results are relevant when one considers that this system is one of the bases for assessment of the effectiveness of primary health care.

Pre-eclampsia: Factores de riesgo. Estudio en el Hospital Nacional Cayetano Heredia.

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Manuel Salviz Salhuana

1996-01-01

Full Text Available Objetivo: El objetivo fue evaluar los factores de riesgo asociados a pre-eclampsia en nuestro hospital. Material y métodos: Se realizó un estudio prospectivo, de tipo caso-control concurrente en 88 pacientes con pre-eclampsia e igual número de controles. El trabajo se llevó a cabo en el Servicio de Obstetricia del Hospital Nacional Cayetano Heredia entre los meses de marzo a agosto de 1993. Resultados: Los factores asociados a pre-eclampsia fueron el antecedente previo a pre-eclampsia (OR:17, el índice de masa corporal elevado (OR:9.6, la raza predominantemente blanca (OR:6.4, el antecedente familiar de hipertensión arterial (OR: 5.2, la falta de control pre-natal y la nuliparidad (OR: 2.5. La incidencia de pre-eclampsia fue 4.11%, y requirieron parto por cesárea el 69.3% de las pacientes. Presentaron complicaciones en el puerperio inmediato 28.4% de los casos, siendo más frecuentes las infecciones. (Rev Med Hered 1996; 7: 24-31.

Promoting accountability: hospital charity care in California, Washington state, and Texas.

Science.gov (United States)

Sutton, Janet P; Stensland, Jeffrey

2004-05-01

Debate as to whether private hospitals meet their charitable obligations is heated. This study examines how alternative state approaches for ensuring hospital accountability to the community affects charitable expenditures and potentially affects access to care for the uninsured. Descriptive and multivariate analyses were used to compare private California hospitals' charity care expenditures with those of hospitals in Texas and Washington state. The key finding from this study is that net of hospital characteristics, market characteristics and community need, Texas hospitals were estimated to provide over 3 times more charity care and Washington hospitals were estimated to provide 66% more charity care than California hospitals. This finding suggests that more prescriptive community benefit or charity care requirements may be necessary to ensure that private hospitals assume a larger role in the care of the uninsured.

Pre-hospital haemostatic dressings: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Granville-Chapman, J; Jacobs, N; Midwinter, M J

2011-05-01

Kingdom Armed Forces; retrospective clinical data supports their efficacy. However, in some recent animal models of lethal haemorrhage, WoundStat(mucoadhesive), Celox (mucoadhesive) and CombatGauze (procoagulant supplementor) have all outperformed both HemCon and QuikClot products. HemCon and QuikClot have augmented the haemostatic capabilities of the military first aid responder, but newer products demonstrate potential to be more effective and should be considered as replacements for current in service systems. These products could have utility for civilian pre-hospital care. 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development and Evaluation of an Educational Initiative to Improve Hospital Personnel Preparedness to Care for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Lucarelli, Jennifer; Welchons, Leah; Sideridis, Georgios; Sullivan, Nancy R; Chan, Eugenia; Weissman, Laura

2018-06-01

To evaluate the effectiveness of a multimodal educational curriculum on increasing hospital personnel's awareness of successful strategies and comfort in caring for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We developed a 3-part training for front-line staff (i.e., front desk, clinical assistants, and phlebotomists) in 8 outpatient hospital departments frequented by patients with ASD. Following a needs assessment, participants completed an online educational module and then attended an in-person seminar tailored to each department. To evaluate training effectiveness, we administered pre-, immediate post-, and 1 month post-training surveys assessing personnel attitudes, comfort, perceived knowledge, and behaviors around caring for patients with ASD. We trained 168 staff members from 8 departments. On the needs assessment, participants (N = 129) reported a mean 2.5 behavioral incidents involving patients with ASD over the previous 3 months; 92% believed that the training would be helpful for their work. Across pre-, immediate- and 1-month post-training surveys, scores improved on all questions related to personnel attitudes about the importance of ASD-friendly care, comfort interacting with patients with ASD, perceived knowledge about ASD, and self-reported frequency of behaviors intended to help children with ASD adjust to the hospital setting (p initiative led to improvement in attitudes, comfort level, perceived knowledge, and self-reported behaviors of hospital personnel working with patients with ASD, which was maintained over 1 month.

Concordance among remission and admission diagnoses at intensive care unit, Hospital Universitario San José, Popayán, 2011

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Victor Daniel Montenegro

2012-03-01

Full Text Available There are few published studies about diagnostic concordance in hospital services. The objective of this study was to calculate the concordance among remission and admission diagnoses from Hospital Universitario San José adult intensive care unit (I.C.U. of Popayán, 2011. Methods: Descriptive and retrospective study about concordance between the main remission and admission diagnoses from patients admitted in the Hospital adult intensive care unit; 914 patients were studied from the intensive care unit database, months January to December 2011. Statistical analysis about sociodemographic variables was performed, and Kappa index according to Landis and Koch scale among remission and admission diagnoses defined as priority was calculated. Results: It was found al almost perfect level of concordance in the diagnoses pancreatitis and intoxication, a substantial level of concordance in the diagnoses acute coronary syndrome, convulsive status, gastric cancer and eclampsia, a moderate level of concordance in the diagnoses stroke, head trauma, politraumatism and cardiac failure, and a fair level of concordance in the diagnoses sepsis, pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD, gastrointestinal bleeding, acute respiratory infection and acute respiratory distress syndrome. Conclusion: Six of the seventeen studied diagnoses presented an outstanding concordance level; this can be related to factors such as: physicians’, diagnostic ability, provenance of the patients remitted to the I.C.U. and diagnostic coding made by health staff.

A subacute model of geriatric care for frail older persons: the Tan Tock Seng Hospital experience.

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Chong, Mei Sian; Empensando, Esmiller F; Ding, Yew Yoong; Tan, Thai Lian

2012-08-01

The subacute care unit in Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) was set up in May 2009. We examined its impact on the transitions at the nexus between hospital and community sectors, patients' discharge destination and functional performance. We studied patients admitted during the initial 6-month period (May to October 2009). Differences in demographics, length of stay (LOS), comorbidity and severity of illness measures, functional outcomes (modified Barthel Index (MBI)) according to discharge destinations were obtained. We also studied the impact of LOS on the geriatric department and the bill size over the pre- and post-subacute implementation periods. Majority of the subacute patients' hospital stay was in subacute care. Of these patients, 44.9% were discharged home, 24.2% to a slow stream rehabilitation (SSR) setting and 29.2% to nursing homes. 16.9% consisted of a subgroup of dementia patients requiring further behavioural and functional interventions, of which 50% managed to be discharged home. Functional gains were seen during subacute stay; with greatest gains observed in the SSR group. There were no differences in overall LOS nor total bill size (DRG-adjusted) for the geriatric medicine department during the first 6 months of operating this new subacute model compared with the prior 4-month period. We propose this subacute model of geriatric care, which allows right-siting of care and improved functional outcomes. It fulfills the role easing transitions between acute hospital and community sectors. In particular, it provides specialised care to a subgroup of dementia patients with challenging behaviours and is fiscally sound from the wider hospital perspective.

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

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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.

Coronary artery calcium before and after hospitalization with pneumonia: The MESA study.

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Corrales-Medina, Vicente F; Dwivedi, Girish; Taljaard, Monica; Petrcich, William; Lima, Joao A; Yende, Sachin; Kronmal, Richard A; Chirinos, Julio A

2018-01-01

Epidemiological analyses demonstrate that pneumonia survivors have a higher risk of myocardial infarction than people with similar load of risk factors for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) but without pneumonia. This may be due to a higher baseline burden of ASCVD in patients with pneumonia that is not captured by the accounting of known ASCVD risk factors in epidemiological analyses or to unfavorable accelerating effects of pneumonia on atherosclerosis. We analyzed data from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. We identified 54 participants that were hospitalized for pneumonia during study follow-up and that also had assessment of coronary artery calcium (CAC, an objective marker of coronary atherosclerotic burden) before and after this hospitalization. We matched them to 54 participants who were not hospitalized for pneumonia but that had CAC assessments at the same study visits as the pneumonia cases. We compared baseline CAC scores and their progression between groups. Baseline CAC scores were similar in both groups (median [IQR]; 6.3 [0-356.8] in pneumonia participants vs. 10.8 [0-178.3] in controls; p = 0.25). After a median of 4.8 years, the direction and magnitude of CAC score change, and the slope of CAC score progression between groups was also similar (median change [IQR], 21.8 [0 to 287.29] in participants with pneumonia versus 15.8 [0 to 140.94] in controls, p = 0.28; difference in slope, 7.7, 95% CI -9.0 to 24.6, p = 0.18). However, among participants with high baseline ASCVD risk (i.e. ACC/AHA 10-year risk estimate ≥7.5%), participants with pneumonia showed a larger increase in CAC scores (median change [IQR]; 159.10 [38.55-407.34] versus 48.72 [0.97-246.99] in controls; p = 0.02) and a trend towards a steeper slope of CAC score progression (difference in slope, 19.7, 95% CI -6.6 to 45.6, p = 0.07). Pneumonia may accelerate the progression of atherosclerosis in people with high baseline ASCVD risk.

Long-term acute care hospitals and Georgia Medicaid: Utilization, outcomes, and cost

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Evan S. Cole

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Objectives: Because most research on long-term acute care hospitals has focused on Medicare, the objective of this research is to describe the Georgia Medicaid population who received care at a long-term acute care hospital, the type and volume of services provided by these long-term acute care hospitals, and the costs and outcomes of these services. For those with select respiratory conditions, we descriptively compare costs and outcomes to those of patients who received care for the same services in acute care hospitals. Methods: We describe Georgia Medicaid recipients admitted to a long-term acute care hospital between 2011 and 2012. We compare them to a population of Georgia Medicaid recipients admitted to an acute care hospital for one of five respiratory diagnosis-related groups. Measurements used include patient descriptive information, admissions, diagnosis-related groups, length of stay, place of discharge, 90-day episode costs, readmissions, and patient risk scores. Results: We found that long-term acute care hospital admissions for Medicaid patients were fairly low (470 90-day episodes and restricted to complex cases. We also found that the majority of long-term acute care hospital patients were blind or disabled (71.2%. Compared to patients who stayed at an acute care hospital, long-term acute care hospital patients had higher average risk scores (13.1 versus 9.0, lengths of stay (61 versus 38 days, costs (US$143,898 versus US$115,056, but fewer discharges to the community (28.4% versus 51.8%. Conclusion: We found that the Medicaid population seeking care at long-term acute care hospitals is markedly different than the Medicare populations described in other long-term acute care hospital studies. In addition, our study revealed that Medicaid patients receiving select respiratory care at a long-term acute care hospital were distinct from Medicaid patients receiving similar care at an acute care hospital. Our findings suggest that

Reduction in nosocomial infection with improved hand hygiene in intensive care units of a tertiary care hospital in Argentina.

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Rosenthal, Victor D; Guzman, Sandra; Safdar, Nasia

2005-09-01

Hand hygiene is a fundamental measure for the control of nosocomial infection. However, sustained compliance with hand hygiene in health care workers is poor. We attempted to enhance compliance with hand hygiene by implementing education, training, and performance feedback. We measured nosocomial infections in parallel. We monitored the overall compliance with hand hygiene during routine patient care in intensive care units (ICUs); 1 medical surgical ICU and 1 coronary ICU, of 1 hospital in Buenos Aires, Argentina, before and during implementation of a hand hygiene education, training, and performance feedback program. Observational surveys were done twice a week from September 2000 to May 2002. Nosocomial infections in the ICUs were identified using the National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance (NNIS) criteria, with prospective surveillance. We observed 4347 opportunities for hand hygiene in both ICUs. Compliance improved progressively (handwashing adherence, 23.1% (268/1160) to 64.5% (2056/3187) (RR, 2.79; 95% CI: 2.46-3.17; P nosocomial infection in both ICUs decreased from 47.55 per 1000 patient-days (104/2187) to 27.93 per 1000 patient days (207/7409) RR, 0.59; 95% CI: 0.46-0.74, P hand hygiene, coinciding with a reduction in nosocomial infection rates in the ICUs.

Maternal and foetal outcome in hellp syndrome at tertiary care hospital

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sadaf, N.; Haq, G.; Din, S.S.U.

2013-01-01

Objective: To determine maternal and foetal outcome in patients of Haemolysis, Elevated Liver enzyme and Low Platelet Cont syndrome. Methods: The descriptive case series was conducted at the Gynae Unit II of Civil Hospital, Karachi, over a period of 12 months in two episodes; first from December 28, 2006, to February 28, 2007, and then from September 1, 2007, to June 30, 2008. It comprised 40 consecutive women with pre-ecampsia and eclampsia along with altered platelet count who met the syndrome criteria. A pre-designed proforma was administered for data collection. Maternal and foetal outcomes were noted. SPSS 10 was used for statistical analysis. Result: Among the 40 mothers, cesarean section was the most common outcome (n=24; 60%). Pulmonary oedema was found in 2 (5%) cases, acute renal failure in 10 (25%), disseminated intravascular coagulation in 6 (15%), and abruptio placenta in 5 (12.5%). Intrauterine growth restriction as a foetal outcome was observed in 18 (45%) cases. Pre-term birth was the result in 20 (50%) cases, and perinatal mortality was high (n=23; 57.5%). Conclusion: Management and delivery of HELLP syndrome patients should be performed at tertiary care centres, where highly trained obstetrician, neonatal intensive care unit personnel and Multi-disciplinary facilities are available. Correct diagnosis and timely intervention can decrease the risk of maternal and perinatal mortality. (author)

Patients' level of satisfaction on quality of health care at Mwananyamala hospital in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

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Khamis, Kudra; Njau, Bernard

2014-09-18

Enhancing quality of health care delivered in public health facilities in developing countries is a key prerequisite to increase utilization and sustainability of health care services in the population. The aim of the study was to determine patients' level of satisfaction on the quality of health care delivered at the out-patient department (OPD) in Mwananyamala hospital in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. A cross-sectional study design was conducted from April to May, 2012. A systematic sampling method was employed to select 422 study subjects. A pre-tested SERVQUAL questionnaire was used to collect data and one-sample t-test was employed to identify patients' level of satisfaction and principal component analysis to identify key items that measure quality of care. Patients' level of satisfaction mean gap score was (-2.88 ± 3.1) indicating overall dissatisfaction with the quality of care. The level of dissatisfaction in the five service dimensions were as follows: assurance (-0.47), reliability (-0.49), tangible (-0.52), empathy (-0.55), and responsiveness (-0.72). Patients attending OPD at Mwananyamala hospital demonstrates an overall dissatisfaction on quality of care. Hospital management should focus on: improvement on communication skills among OPD staff in showing compassion, politeness and active listening, ensure availability of essential drugs, and improvement on clinicians' prescription skills.

Home hospitalization in the spectrum of community geriatric care.

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Stessman, J; Hammerman-Rozenberg, R; Cohen, A

1997-04-01

The Home Hospitalization Programme was initiated in Jerusalem in 1991 to provide intensive medical care at home in order to prevent or shorten hospitalizations. The programme was based upon regular home visits by physicians, and nursing assessment to determine the need for regular nursing care. Primary-care physicians and nurses were renumerated by a global monthly fee, and were on 24-h call in addition to their periodic visits. Patients were recruited by senior geriatric physicians from acute hospital wards, as well as from the community, at the family doctor's request. Ancillary services available to the home hospitalization team included laboratory and electrocardiographic testing, specialty consultations, physical occupational or speech therapy, social work and home help up to 3 h daily. Monthly visits by a senior physician provided oversight and further consultation. Home hospitalization grew out of the continuing care division of the Clalit Sick Fund, a health maintenance organization providing umbrella medical insurance and ambulatory care. The programme grew synergistically with the other facilities of continuing care to encompass a network of comprehensive services to acute, subacute and chronic patients both at home and in institutional settings. In 4 years this network succeeded in establishing the focus of subacute intensive care in the community, achieving high levels of patient and family satisfaction, as well as striking economic advantages. In its first 2 years of operation home hospitalization saved S4 million due to reduced hospital utilization, and preliminary data for the subsequent 2 years indicated that this trend continued. Home hospitalization became the hub of a far-reaching system of supportive, intensive and humane care in the community.

Risk of subsequent coronary heart disease in patients hospitalized for immune-mediated diseases: a nationwide follow-up study from Sweden.

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Bengt Zöller

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Certain immune-mediated diseases (IMDs, such as rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus, have been linked to cardiovascular disorders. We examined whether there is an association between 32 different IMDs and risk of subsequent hospitalization for coronary heart disease (CHD related to coronary atherosclerosis in a nationwide follow up study in Sweden. METHODS AND FINDINGS: All individuals in Sweden hospitalized with a main diagnosis of an IMD (n = 336,479 without previous or coexisting CHD, between January 1, 1964 and December 31 2008, were followed for first hospitalization for CHD. The reference population was the total population of Sweden. Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs for CHD were calculated. Overall risk of CHD during the first year after hospitalization for an IMD was 2.92 (95% CI 2.84-2.99. Twenty-seven of the 32 IMDs studied were associated with an increased risk of CHD during the first year after hospitalization. The overall risk of CHD decreased over time, from 1.75 after 1-5 years (95% CI 1.73-1.78, to 1.43 after 5-10 years (95% CI 1.41-1.46 and 1.28 after 10+ years (95% CI 1.26-1.30. Females generally had higher SIRs than males. The IMDs for which the SIRs of CDH were highest during the first year after hospitalization included chorea minor 6.98 (95% CI 1.32-20.65, systemic lupus erythematosus 4.94 (95% CI 4.15-5.83, rheumatic fever 4.65 (95% CI 3.53-6.01, Hashimoto's thyroiditis 4.30 (95% CI 3.87-4.75, polymyositis/dermatomyositis 3.81 (95% CI 2.62-5.35, polyarteritis nodosa 3.81 (95% CI 2.72-5.19, rheumatoid arthritis 3.72 (95% CI 3.56-3.88, systemic sclerosis 3.44 (95% CI 2.86-4.09, primary biliary cirrhosis 3.32 (95% CI 2.34-4.58, and autoimmune hemolytic anemia 3.17 (95% CI 2.16-4.47. CONCLUSIONS: Most IMDs are associated with increased risk of CHD in the first year after hospital admission. Our findings suggest that many hospitalized IMDs are tightly linked to coronary atherosclerosis.

Generic care pathway for elderly patients in need of home care services after discharge from hospital: a cluster randomised controlled trial.

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Røsstad, Tove; Salvesen, Øyvind; Steinsbekk, Aslak; Grimsmo, Anders; Sletvold, Olav; Garåsen, Helge

2017-04-17

, number of readmissions after hospital discharge, and health care utilisation except for more consultations with the GPs. A targeted exploration of prerequisites for implementation is recommended in the pre-trial phase of complex intervention studies. Clinical Trials.gov NCT01107119 , retrospectively registered 2010.04.18.

The Impact of Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital Payment on Provision of Hospital Uncompensated Care

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Hsieh, Hui-Min; Bazzoli, Gloria J.

2012-01-01

This study examines the association between hospital uncompensated care (UC) and reductions in Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) payments resulting from the 1997 Balanced Budget Act. Data on California hospitals from 1996 to 2003 were examined using two-stage least squares with a first-differencing model to control for potential feedback effects. Our findings suggest that not-for-profit hospitals did reduce UC provision in response to reductions in Medicaid DSH, but the response was inelastic in value. Policy makers need to continue to monitor how UC changes as sources of support for indigent care change with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). PMID:23230705

Patient perception of pain care in hospitals in the United States

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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

77 FR 63751 - Medicare Program; Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals and the...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-10-17

... [CMS-1588-F2] RIN 0938-AR12 Medicare Program; Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals and the Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System and Fiscal Year 2013 Rates..., 2012 Federal Register entitled ``Medicare Program; Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for...

Temporal Trends of Reperfusion Strategies and Hospital Mortality for Patients With STEMI in Percutaneous Coronary Intervention-Capable Hospitals.

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Tran, Dat T; Welsh, Robert C; Ohinmaa, Arto; Thanh, Nguyen X; Kaul, Padma

2017-04-01

The aim of this study was to examine temporal trends and provincial variations in reperfusion strategies and in-hospital mortality among patients presenting with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) at hospitals in Canada capable of performing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We included patients aged ≥ 20 years who were hospitalized between fiscal years 2009 and 2013 in all provinces except Quebec. We categorized patients as receiving fibrinolysis (lysis), primary PCI (pPCI), or no reperfusion. Patients undergoing lysis were further categorized as (1) lysis + PCI ≤ 90 minutes, (2) lysis + PCI > 90 minutes, and (3) lysis only. Patients undergoing pPCI were further categorized as (1) pPCI ≤ 90 minutes and (2) pPCI > 90 minutes. We used logistic regression to examine the baseline-adjusted association between reperfusion strategy and in-hospital mortality. Among 44,650 STEMI episodes in 44,373 patients, 66.3% received pPCI (annual increase of 7.8%; P 90 minutes (adjusted odds ratio of 0.42; 95% confidence interval, 0.32-0.55 compared with pPCI ≤ 90 minutes). The use of pPCI in STEMI has increased significantly in Canada; however, significant interprovincial variation remains. Changes in reperfusion strategies do not appear to have had an impact on in-hospital mortality rates. Patients who underwent lysis followed by PCI in a systematic fashion had the lowest mortality. Copyright © 2017 Canadian Cardiovascular Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Hospital employees' theoretical knowledge on what to do in an in-hospital cardiac arrest

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Herlitz Johan

2010-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Guidelines recommend that all health care professionals should be able to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR, including the use of an automated external defibrillator. Theoretical knowledge of CPR is then necessary. The aim of this study was to investigate how much theoretical knowledge in CPR would increase among all categories of health care professionals lacking training in CPR, in an intervention hospital, after a systematic standardised training. Their results were compared with the staff at a control hospital with an ongoing annual CPR training programme. Methods Health care professionals at two hospitals, with a total of 3144 employees, answered a multiple-choice questionnaire before and after training in CPR. Bootstrapped chi-square tests and Fisher's exact test were used for the statistical analyses. Results In the intervention hospital, physicians had the highest knowledge pre-test, but other health care professionals including nurses and assistant nurses reached a relatively high level post-test. Improvement was inversely related to the level of previous knowledge and was thus most marked among other health care professionals and least marked among physicians. The staff at the control hospital had a significantly higher level of knowledge pre-test than the intervention hospital, whereas the opposite was found post-test. Conclusions Overall theoretical knowledge increased after systematic standardised training in CPR. The increase was more pronounced for those without previous training and for those staff categories with the least medical education.

Hospital administrator's perspectives regarding the health care industry.

Science.gov (United States)

McDermott, D R; Little, M W

1988-01-01

Based on responses from 52 hospital administrators, four areas of managerial concern have been addressed, including: (1) decision-making factors; (2) hospital service offerings: current and future; (3) marketing strategy and service priorities; and (4) health care industry challenges. Of the total respondents, 35 percent indicate a Director of Marketing has primary responsibility for making marketing-related decisions in their hospital, and 19 percent, a Vice-President of Marketing, thus demonstrating the increased priority of the marketing function. The continued importance of the physician being the primary market target is highlighted by 70 percent of the administrators feeling physician referrals will be more important regarding future admissions than in the past, compared to only two percent feeling the physicians' role will be less important. Of primary importance to patients selecting a hospital, as perceived by the administrators, are the physician's referral, the patient's previous experience, the hospital's reputation, and the courtesy of the staff. The clear majority of the conventional-care hospitals surveyed offer out-patient surgery, a hospital pharmacy, obstetrics/maternity care, and diabetic services. The future emphasis on expanding services is evidenced by some 50 percent of the hospital administrators indicating they either possibly or definitely plan to offer long-term nursing care, out-patient substance abuse programs, and cancer clinics by 1990. In addition, some one-third of the respondents are likely to expand their offerings to include wellness/fitness centers, in-patient substance abuse programs, remote or satellite primary care clinics, and diabetic services. Other areas having priority for future offerings include services geared specifically toward women and the elderly. Perceived as highest in priority by the administrators regarding how their hospital can achieve its goals in the next three years are market development strategies

The prevalence and clinical profile of angiographic coronary ectasia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sultana, R.; Ishaq, M.; Samad, A.

2011-01-01

To determine the incidence of Coronary Artery Ectasia (CAE) at our teaching hospital to describe the patients and angiographic characteristics. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on all coronary angiograms performed at the catheterization laboratory of Karachi Institute of Heart Diseases, a tertiary care center, between the period of August 2006 and August 2008. A one year follow up was performed to look for primary and secondary endpoints. Data were collected from catheterization films, and medical records. Results: Five thousand coronary angiograms were performed during the period of of the study. A total of 140 (2.8%) angiograms showed coronary ectasia of both mixed and pure types. Pure ectasia with no coronary obstructive lesions was seen in 75 (1.5%). The left anterior descending artery (LAD) was the most commonly affected vessel (63%) followed by the right coronary artery (RCA) 25% and 10% patients had circumflex artery involvement. The primary composite endpoint showed 6 (4.2%) patients with non-ST elevation MI, 5 (3.6%) with ST elevation inferior wall myocardial infarction, 70 (50%) with unstable angina and 2 (1.4%) deaths due to pulmonary oedema. Secondary endpoints showed 50% of the patients still complaining of chest pain. Conclusion: Prevalence of Coronary ectasia in the population presenting to KIHD during the study period was 1.5%. Majority of patients were males, associated with dyslipidaemia, hypertension and smoking. CAE was associated with obstructive coronary artery disease in about 80% of cases. LAD was the most commonly affected vessel. (author)

Severe maternal morbidity in Zanzibar’s referral hospital : Measuring the impact of in-hospital care

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Herklots, Tanneke; Van Acht, Lieke; Meguid, Tarek; Franx, Arie; Jacod, Benoit

2017-01-01

Objective: to analyse the impact of in-hospital care on severe maternal morbidity using WHO’s near-miss approach in the low-resource, high mortality setting of Zanzibar’s referral hospital. Setting: Mnazi Mmoja Hospital, a tertiary care facility, in Zanzibar, Tanzania. Methods: We identified all

Processes of early stroke care and hospital costs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Svendsen, Marie Louise; Ehlers, Lars H; Hundborg, Heidi H

2014-01-01

Background: The relationship between processes of early stroke care and hospital costs remains unclear. Aims: We therefore examined the association in a population-based cohort study. Methods: We identified 5909 stroke patients who were admitted to stroke units in a Danish county between 2005...... of hospitalization were $23352 (standard deviation 27827). The relationship between receiving more relevant processes of early stroke care and lower hospital costs followed a dose-response relationship. The adjusted costs were $24566 (95% confidence interval 19364-29769) lower for patients who received 75......-100% of the relevant processes of care compared with patients receiving 0-24%. All processes of care were associated with potential cost savings, except for early catheterization and early thromboembolism prophylaxis. Conclusions: Early care in agreement with key guidelines recommendations for the management...

How to Manage Hospital-Based Palliative Care Teams Without Full-Time Palliative Care Physicians in Designated Cancer Care Hospitals: A Qualitative Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Sakashita, Akihiro; Kishino, Megumi; Nakazawa, Yoko; Yotani, Nobuyuki; Yamaguchi, Takashi; Kizawa, Yoshiyuki

2016-07-01

To clarify how highly active hospital palliative care teams can provide efficient and effective care regardless of the lack of full-time palliative care physicians. Semistructured focus group interviews were conducted, and content analysis was performed. A total of 7 physicians and 6 nurses participated. We extracted 209 codes from the transcripts and organized them into 3 themes and 21 categories, which were classified as follows: (1) tips for managing palliative care teams efficiently and effectively (7 categories); (2) ways of acquiring specialist palliative care expertise (9 categories); and (3) ways of treating symptoms that are difficult to alleviate (5 categories). The findings of this study can be used as a nautical chart of hospital-based palliative care team (HPCT) without full-time PC physician. Full-time nurses who have high management and coordination abilities play a central role in resource-limited HPCTs. © The Author(s) 2015.

SCI Hospital in Home Program: Bringing Hospital Care Home for Veterans With Spinal Cord Injury.

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Madaris, Linda L; Onyebueke, Mirian; Liebman, Janet; Martin, Allyson

2016-01-01

The complex nature of spinal cord injury (SCI) and the level of care required for health maintenance frequently result in repeated hospital admissions for recurrent medical complications. Prolonged hospitalizations of persons with SCI have been linked to the increased risk of hospital-acquired infections and development or worsening pressure ulcers. An evidence-based alternative for providing hospital-level care to patients with specific diagnoses who are willing to receive that level of care in the comfort of their home is being implemented in a Department of Veterans Affairs SCI Home Care Program. The SCI Hospital in Home (HiH) model is similar to a patient-centered interdisciplinary care model that was first introduced in Europe and later tested as part of a National Demonstration and Evaluation Study through Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and School of Public Health. This was funded by the John A. Hartford Foundation and the Department of Veterans Affairs. The objectives of the program are to support veterans' choice and access to patient-centered care, reduce the reliance on inpatient medical care, allow for early discharge, and decrease medical costs. Veterans with SCI who are admitted to the HiH program receive daily oversight by a physician, daily visits by a registered nurse, access to laboratory services, oxygen, intravenous medications, and nursing care in the home setting. In this model, patients may typically access HiH services either as an "early discharge" from the hospital or as a direct admit to the program from the emergency department or SCI clinic. Similar programs providing acute hospital-equivalent care in the home have been previously implemented and are successfully demonstrating decreased length of stay, improved patient access, and increased patient satisfaction.

Left Circumflex Coronary Artery Fistula Connected to the Right Bronchial Artery Associated with Bronchiectasis: Multidetector CT and Coronary Angiography Findings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nam, Kyung Jin; Choo, Ki Seok [Dept. of Radiology, Medical Research Institute, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan (Korea, Republic of)

2013-04-15

Coronary to bronchial artery fistula is a rare vascular anomaly secondary to enlargement of pre-existing vascular anastomosis between the coronary and bronchial arteries. This occurs when there is a constant disturbance of the pressure equilibrium involving either coronary or broncho-pulmonary disorder. Localized bronchiectasis is the most common related condition in patients with a coronary to bronchial artery fistula. Herein, we report on a case of a large left circumflex coronary artery to right bronchial artery fistula associated with bronchiectasis.

Cardiovascular risk factor assessment after pre-eclampsia in primary care

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Numans Mattijs E

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Pre-eclampsia is associated with an increased risk of development of cardiovascular disease later in life. It is not known how general practitioners in the Netherlands care for these women after delivery with respect to cardiovascular risk factor management. Methods Review of medical records of 1196 women in four primary health care centres, who were registered from January 2000 until July 2007 with an International Classification of Primary Care (ICPC code indicating pregnancy. Records were searched for indicators of pre-eclampsia. Of those who experienced pre-eclampsia and of a random sample of 150 women who did not, the following information on cardiovascular risk factor management after pregnancy was extracted from the records: frequency and timing of blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose measurements - and vascular diagnoses. Additionally the sensitivity and specificity of ICPC coding for pre-eclampsia were determined. Results 35 women experienced pre-eclampsia. Blood pressure was more often checked after pregnancy in these women than in controls (57.1% vs. 12.0%, p Conclusion Despite the evidence of increased risk of future cardiovascular disease in women with a history of pre-eclampsia, follow-up of these women is insufficient and undeveloped in primary care in the Netherlands.

Determinants of magnesium sulphate use in women hospitalized at <29 weeks with severe or non-severe pre-eclampsia.

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Dane A De Silva

Full Text Available Magnesium sulphate is recommended by international guidelines to prevent eclampsia among women with pre-eclampsia, especially when it is severe, but fewer than 70% of such women receive magnesium sulphate. We aimed to identify variables that prompt Canadian physicians to administer magnesium sulphate to women with pre-eclampsia.Data were used from the Canadian Perinatal Network (2005-11 of women hospitalized at <29 weeks' who were thought to be at high risk of delivery due to pre-eclampsia (using broad Canadian definition. Unadjusted analyses of relative risks were estimated directly and population attributable risk percent (PAR% calculated to identify variables associated with magnesium sulphate use. A multivariable model was created and a generalized estimating equation was used to estimate the adjusted RR that explained magnesium sulphate use in pre-eclampsia. The adjusted PAR% was estimated by bootstrapping.Of 631 women with pre-eclampsia, 174 (30.1% had severe pre-eclampsia, of whom 131 (75.3% received magnesium sulphate. 457 (69.9% women had non-severe pre-eclamspia, of whom 291 (63.7% received magnesium sulphate. Use of magnesium sulphate among women with pre-eclampsia could be attributed to the following clinical factors (PAR%: delivery for 'adverse conditions' (48.7%, severe hypertension (21.9%, receipt of antenatal corticosteroids (20.0%, maternal transport prior to delivery (9.9%, heavy proteinuria (7.8%, and interventionist care (3.4%.Clinicians are more likely to administer magnesium sulphate for eclampsia prophylaxis in the presence of more severe maternal clinical features, in addition to concomitant antenatal corticosteroid administration, and shorter admission to delivery periods related to transport from another institution or plans for interventionist care.

THE EFFECT OF STORYTELLING IN A PLAY THERAPY ON ANXIETY LEVEL IN PRE-SCHOOL CHILDREN DURING HOSPITALIZATION IN THE GENERAL HOSPITAL OF BUTON

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Mimi Yati

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Background: Anxiety is one of the psychical stresses experienced by children during hospitalization. A storytelling in a play therapy is considered effective in reducing anxiety. Objective: This study aims to determine the effect of storytelling in a play therapy on anxiety level in pre-school children during hospitalization in the general hospital of Buton. Methods: This was a quasy-experimental study with pretest-posttest control group design. There were 30 pre-school children selected in this study using accidental sampling, with 15 assigned in each group. The Pre School - Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale (SCAS was used to measure anxiety in pre-school children. Wilcoxon matched paired test was used to analyze the data. Results: Findings showed that the mean of anxiety level in the intervention group in pretest was 42 and in posttest was 31.53. Wilcoxon matched paired test showed p-value 0.003 (<0.05, which indicated that there was a statistically significant effect of storytelling on the level of anxiety in pre-school children. Conclusions: There is a significant influence of storytelling in a play therapy on anxiety levels in pre school children during hospitalization. It is suggested that this intervention could be applied as a nursing intervention to reduce anxiety in children.

The impact of HMOs on hospital-based uncompensated care.

Science.gov (United States)

Thorpe, K E; Seiber, E E; Florence, C S

2001-06-01

Managed care in general and HMOs in particular have become the vehicle of choice for controlling health care spending in the private sector. By several accounts, managed care has achieved its cost-containment objectives. At the same time, the percentage of Americans without health insurance coverage continues to rise. For-profit and not-for-profit hospitals have traditionally financed care for the uninsured from profits derived from patients with insurance. Thus the relationship between growth in managed care and HMOs, hospital "profits," and care for the uninsured represent an important policy question. Using national data over an eight-year period, we find that a ten-percentage point increase in managed care penetration is associated with a two-percentage point reduction in hospital total profit margin and a 0.6 percentage point decrease in uncompensated care.

Shifting hospital care to primary care: An evaluation of cardiology care in a primary care setting in the Netherlands.

Science.gov (United States)

Quanjel, Tessa C C; Struijs, Jeroen N; Spreeuwenberg, Marieke D; Baan, Caroline A; Ruwaard, Dirk

2018-05-09

In an attempt to deal with the pressures on the healthcare system and to guarantee sustainability, changes are needed. This study is focused on a cardiology Primary Care Plus intervention in which cardiologists provide consultations with patients in a primary care setting in order to prevent unnecessary referrals to the hospital. This study explores which patients with non-acute and low-complexity cardiology-related health complaints should be excluded from Primary Care Plus and referred directly to specialist care in the hospital. This is a retrospective observational study based on quantitative data. Data collected between January 1 and December 31, 2015 were extracted from the electronic medical record system. Logistic regression analyses were used to select patient groups that should be excluded from referral to Primary Care Plus. In total, 1525 patients were included in the analyses. Results showed that male patients, older patients, those with the referral indication 'Stable Angina Pectoris' or 'Dyspnoea' and patients whose reason for referral was 'To confirm disease' or 'Screening of unclear pathology' had a significantly higher probability of being referred to hospital care after Primary Care Plus. To achieve efficiency one should exclude patient groups with a significantly higher probability of being referred to hospital care after Primary Care Plus. NTR6629 (Data registered: 25-08-2017) (registered retrospectively).

Kenya Hospices and Palliative Care Association: integrating palliative care in public hospitals in Kenya.

Science.gov (United States)

Ali, Zipporah

2016-01-01

In Kenya, cancers as a disease group rank third as a cause of death after infectious and cardiovascular diseases. It is estimated that the annual incidence of cancer is about 37,000 new cases with an annual mortality of 28,000 cases (Kenya National Cancer Control Strategy 2010). The incidence of non-communicable diseases accounts for more than 50% of total hospital admissions and over 55% of hospital deaths (Kenya National Strategy for the Prevention and Control of Non Communicable Diseases 2015-2020). The prevalence of HIV is 6.8 (KIAS 2014). Most of these patients will benefit from palliative care services, hence the need to integrate palliative care services in the public healthcare system. The process of integrating palliative care in public hospitals involved advocacy both at the national level and at the institutional level, training of healthcare professionals, and setting up services within the hospitals that we worked with. Technical support was provided to each individual institution as needed. Eleven provincial hospitals across the country have now integrated palliative care services (Palliative Care Units) and are now centres of excellence. Over 220 healthcare providers have been trained, and approximately, over 30,000 patients have benefited from these services. Oral morphine is now available in the hospital palliative care units. As a success of the pilot project, Kenya Hospices and Palliative Care Association (KEHPCA) is now working with the Ministry of Health Kenya to integrate palliative care services in 30 other county hospitals across the country, thus ensuring more availability and access to more patients. Other developing countries can learn from Kenya's successful experience.

Post-Hospital Medical Respite Care and Hospital Readmission of Homeless Persons

Science.gov (United States)

Kertesz, Stefan G.; Posner, Michael A.; O’Connell, James J.; Swain, Stacy; Mullins, Ashley N.; Michael, Shwartz; Ash, Arlene S.

2009-01-01

Medical respite programs offer medical, nursing, and other care as well as accommodation for homeless persons discharged from acute hospital stays. They represent a community-based adaptation of urban health systems to the specific needs of homeless persons. This paper examines whether post-hospital discharge to a homeless medical respite program was associated with a reduced chance of 90-day readmission compared to other disposition options. Adjusting for imbalances in patient characteristics using propensity scores, Respite patients were the only group that was significantly less likely to be readmitted within 90 days compared to those released to Own Care. Respite programs merit attention as a potentially efficacious service for homeless persons leaving the hospital. PMID:19363773

Effect of cardiovascular prevention strategies on incident coronary disease hospitalisation rates in Spain; an ecological time series analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Medrano, María José; Alcalde-Cabero, Enrique; Ortíz, Cristina; Galán, Iñaki

2014-02-17

To assess the overall population impact of primary prevention strategies (promotion of healthy lifestyles, prevention of smoking and use of vascular risk drug therapy) of coronary disease in Spain. Ecological time series analysis, 1982-2009. All public and private hospitals in Spain. General population. Incident coronary disease hospitalisation as derived from official hospital discharge data. Annual hospitalisation rates were modelled according to nationwide use of statins, antihypertensive, antidiabetic and antiplatelet drugs, and prevalences of smoking, obesity and overweight. Additive generalised models and mixed Poisson regression models were used for the purpose, taking year as the random-effect variable and adjusting for age, sex, prevalence of vascular risk factors and the number of hospital beds in intensive and coronary care units. Across 28 years and 671.5 million person-years of observation, there were 2 986 834 hospitalisations due to coronary disease; of these, 1 441 980 (48.28%) were classified as incident. Hospitalisation rates increased from 1982 to 1996, with an inflection point in 1997 and a subsequent 52% decrease until 2009. Prevalences of smoking, obesity, overweight and use of vascular risk drug therapy were significantly associated with hospitalisation rates (pcrisis. Future strategies ought to lay special stress on excessive body weight prevention.

The Danish database for acute and emergency hospital contacts

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Lassen AT

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Annmarie T Lassen,1 Henrik Jørgensen,2 Hanne Blæhr Jørsboe,3,4 Annette Odby,5 Mikkel Brabrand,6 Jacob Steinmetz,7 Julie Mackenhauer,8 Hans Kirkegaard,8 Christian Fynbo Christiansen9 1Department of Emergency Medicine, Odense University Hospital, Odense, 2Department of Surgery, Hospital of Northern Sjaelland, Hilleroed, 3Department of Emergency Medicine, Nykobing F Hospital, 4Department of Hospital Administration, Nykobing F Hospital, Nykøbing Falster, 5The Danish Clinical Registers, Registry Support Centre for Health Quality and Informatics, Aarhus, 6Department of Emergency Medicine, Hospital of South West Jutland, Esbjerg, 7Department of Anaesthesia, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, 8Research Center for Emergency Medicine, Aarhus University, 9Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark Aim for database: Aim of the Danish database for acute and emergency hospital contacts (DDAEHC is to monitor the quality of care for all unplanned hospital contacts in Denmark (acute and emergency contacts.Study population: The DDAEHC is a nationwide registry that completely covers all acute and emergency somatic hospital visits at individual level regardless of presentation site, presenting complaint, and department designation since January 1, 2013.Main variables: The DDAEHC includes ten quality indicators – of which two are outcome indicators and eight are process indicators. Variables used to compute these indicators include among others day and time of hospital contact, vital status, ST-elevation myocardial infarction diagnosis, date and time of relevant procedure (percutaneous coronary intervention, coronary angiography, X-ray of wrist, and gastrointestinal surgery as well as time for triage and physician judgment. Data are currently gathered from The Danish National Patient Registry, two existing databases (Danish Stroke Register and Danish Database for Emergency Surgery, and will

Pre-Employment Laboratory Education. Child Care Guidebook.

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Texas Tech Univ., Lubbock. Home Economics Instructional Materials Center.

This guidebook is designed for use in teaching students enrolled in secondary pre-employment laboratory education (PELE) child care programs. The first of two major sections includes an overview for teachers in planning, conducting, and evaluating a child care program. Specific topics discussed in section 1 include (1) the school-operated center,…

Estimating the direct costs of ischemic heart disease: evidence from a teaching hospital in BRAZIL, a retrospective cohort study.

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Schlatter, Rosane Paixão; Hirakata, Vânia Naomi; Polanczyk, Carisi Anne

2017-07-04

Coronary artery disease is the most prevalent cardiovascular disease. In the United States, 7% of adults over 20 years of age are estimated to have coronary artery disease. In Brazil, a prevalence of 5 to 8% has been estimated in adults over 40 years of age, with an increased number of hospitalizations associated with both stable and acute clinical manifestations; and health care costs have quadrupled in the last decade. To estimate the direct costs of managing ischemic heart disease patient care in a teaching hospital in Brazil from the perspective of the service payer, the Brazilian Unified Health System. This study was a retrospective cohort study for the identification and valuation of resources used at both the outpatient and in-hospital levels in a sample of 330 patients selected from the hospital's ischemic heart disease clinic. Data were collected from computerized hospital records and patients' hospital bills from January 2000 to October 2015. A bivariate analysis and binary logistic regression were performed with p cost of outpatient management was US $1,521 per patient. The mean cost per hospitalization was US $1,976, and the expenses were higher in the first and last years of follow-up. Unstable angina, revascularization procedures, diabetes, hypertension and obesity were predictors of higher hospitalization costs (p cost estimates in this study indicate a high proportion of drug treatment costs in the treatment of ischemic heart disease. Treatment costs are higher in the first year and at the end of treatment, and some clinical factors are associated with greater hospital care costs. These results may serve as a basis for the evaluation of existing public policies and inputs for cost-effectiveness studies in coronary artery disease. CEP HCPA 11-0460 . Ethics Committee of Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre.

Comparing the effects of adaptive support ventilation and synchronized intermittent mandatory ventilation on intubation duration and hospital stay after coronary artery bypass graft surgery

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Ahmadreza Yazdannik

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Different modes of mechanical ventilation are used for respiratory support after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG. This study aimed to compare the effect(s of using adaptive support ventilation (ASV and synchronized intermittent mandatory ventilation (SIMV on the length of mechanical ventilation (intubation duration and hospital stay after coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Materials and Methods: In a randomized control trial, 64 patients were ventilated with ASV as the experiment group or with SIMV as the control group after CABG surgery in Chamran Hospital of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. The time of tracheal intubation and the length of hospital stay were compared between the two groups. Data were analyzed and described using statistical analysis (independent t-test. Results: The mean time of intubation duration was significantly lower in ASV group compared with SIMV group. (4.83 h vs 6.71 h, P < 0.001. The lengths of hospital stay in the ASV and the SIMV groups were 140.6 h and 145.1 h, respectively. This difference was significant between the two groups (P = 0.006. Conclusions: According to the results of this study, using ASV mode for mechanical ventilation after CABG led to a decrease in intubation duration and also hospital stay in comparison with the SIMV group. It is recommended to use ASV mode on ventilators for respiratory support of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection: A retrospective analysis of 19,676 coronary angiograms

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Dinesha Basavanna

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Aim: Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD is a rare cause of angina, myocardial infarction (MI, and sudden cardiac death (SCD and may frequently manifest as acute coronary syndrome (ACS. The diagnosis of SCAD relies on angiographic visualization of a radiolucent intimal flap. Therapeutic options include medical therapy, percutaneous coronary interventions, and bypass surgery. The aim of this study is to analyze the clinical profile, inhospital outcomes, management, and follow-up of patients with angiographic SCAD. Methods: About 19,676 diagnostic coronary angiograms (CAGs were reviewed retrospectively during a 2-year period; 64 patients had SCAD and were included in the study. Complete medical histories before and during the event as well as treatment regimens were obtained from patients' hospital files. Results: A total of 64 cases of SCAD were considered for the study within an age range of 25–70 years. Fifty-eight patients presented with ACS, two patients presented with unstable angina, one patient presented with rheumatic mitral stenosis in atrial fibrillation, one patient presented with non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction, one patient with dilated cardiomyopathy with left ventricular dysfunction, and one patient with effort. Out of 64 patients, four patients died and the average hospital stay is 3–5 days. Conclusion: SCAD occurs in 0.32% of patients undergoing CAG for evaluation of coronary artery disease. Majority of SCAD occurs in men. The left coronary artery is most commonly affected. The inhospital outcomes are good. Most of the patients with SCAD have good prognosis following optimal medical therapy.

Percutaneous Stent Implantation for Treating Multivessel Coronary Disease in Patients with and without Involvement of the Proximal Segment of the Anterior Descending Coronary Artery

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Salgueiro Sandro

2002-01-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To assess coronary stent placement in patients with multivessel coronary disease and involvement of the proximal portion of the anterior descending coronary artery. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the in-hospital and late evolution of 189 patients with multivessel coronary disease, who underwent percutaneous coronary stent placement. These patients were divided into 2 groups as follows: group I (GI - 59 patients with involvement of the proximal segment of the anterior descending coronary artery; and group II (GII - 130 patients without involvement of the proximal segment of the anterior descending coronary artery. RESULTS: No significant difference was observed in the success rate of the procedure (91.5% versus 97.6%, p=0.86, nor in the occurrence of major adverse cardiac events (5.1% versus 1.5%, p=0.38, nor in the occurrence of major vascular complications (1.7% versus 0%, p=0.69 in the in-hospital phase. In the late follow-up, the incidence of major adverse cardiac events (15.4% versus 13.7%, p=0.73 and the need for new revascularization (13.5% versus 10.3%, p=0.71 were similar for both groups. CONCLUSION: The in-hospital and late evolution of patients with multivessel coronary disease with and without involvement of the proximal segment of the anterior descending coronary artery treated with coronary stent placement did not differ. This suggests that this revascularization method is an effective procedure and a valuable option for treating these types of patients.

Health care waste management practice in a hospital.

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Paudel, R; Pradhan, B

2010-10-01

Health-care waste is a by-product of health care. Its poor management exposes health-care workers, waste handlers and the community to infections, toxic effects and injuries including damage of the environment. It also creates opportunities for the collection of disposable medical equipment, its re-sale and potential re-use without sterilization, which causes an important burden of disease worldwide. The purpose of this study was to find out health care waste management practice in hospital. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Narayani Sub-Regional Hospital, Birgunj from May to October 2006 using both qualitative and quantitative methods. Study population was four different departments of the hospital (Medical/Paediatric, Surgical/Ortho, Gynae/Obstetric and Emergency), Medical Superintendent, In-charges of four different departments and all sweepers. Data was collected using interview, group discussion, observation and measurement by weight and volume. Total health-care waste generated was 128.4 kg per day while 0.8 kg per patient per day. The composition of health care waste was found to be 96.8 kg (75.4%) general waste, 24.1 kg (8.8%) hazardous waste and 7.5 kg (5.8%) sharps per day by weight. Health staffs and sweepers were not practicing the waste segregation. Occupational health and safety was not given due attention. Majority of the sweepers were unaware of waste management and need of safety measures to protect their own health. Health care waste management practice in the hospital was unsatisfactory because of the lack of waste management plan and carelessness of patients, visitors and staffs. Therefore the hospital should develop the waste management plan and strictly follow the National Health Care Waste Management Guideline.

Does an in-house internist at a GP practice result in reduced referrals to hospital-based specialist care?

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Quanjel, Tessa C C; Winkens, Anne; Spreeuwenberg, Marieke D; Struijs, Jeroen N; Winkens, Ron A G; Baan, Caroline A; Ruwaard, Dirk

2018-03-01

Consistent evidence on the effects of specialist services in the primary care setting is lacking. Therefore, this study evaluated the effects of an in-house internist at a GP practice on the number of referrals to specialist care in the hospital setting. Additionally, the involved GPs and internist were asked to share their experiences with the intervention. A retrospective interrupted times series study. Two multidisciplinary general practitioner (GP) practices. An internist provided in-house patient consultations in two GP practices and participated in the multidisciplinary meetings. The referral data extracted from the electronic medical record system of the GP practices, including all referral letters from the GPs to specialist care in the hospital setting. The number of referrals to internal medicine in the hospital setting. This study used an autoregressive integrated moving average model to estimate the effect of the intervention taking account of a time trend and autocorrelation among the observations, comparing the pre-intervention period with the intervention period. It was found that the referrals to internal medicine did not statistically significant decrease during the intervention period. This small explorative study did not find any clues to support that an in-house internist at a primary care setting results in a decrease of referrals to internal medicine in the hospital setting. Key Points An in-house internist at a primary care setting did not result in a significant decrease of referrals to specialist care in the hospital setting. The GPs and internist experience a learning-effect, i.e. an increase of knowledge about internal medicine issues.

Participation of informal caregivers in the hospital care of elderly patients and their evaluations of the care given: pilot study in three different hospitals.

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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.

Optimal medical therapy for secondary prevention after an acute coronary syndrome: 18-month follow-up results at a tertiary teaching hospital in South Korea

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Byeon HJ

2016-02-01

decreased.Conclusion: The majority of ACS patients in this study received all five guideline-recommended medications at discharge from the hospital. However, the frequency of using all of them had been gradually decreased 3, 6, 12, and 18 months after discharge compared with that at discharge. Careful monitoring of adherence on ACS secondary prevention medications may help improve the outcomes of ACS patients in terms of recurrent ischemic cardiovascular events.Keywords: acute coronary syndrome, secondary prevention, guideline adherence, patient discharge, electronic medical record, cardiovascular disease

Managed Care, Distance Traveled, and Hospital Market Definition

OpenAIRE

Frech, Ted E

1998-01-01

Most scholars and antitrust cases have defined hospital service markets as primarily local. But, two recent decisions have greatly expanded geographic markets, incorporating hospitals as far as 100 miles apart. Managed care plans, now important in most markets, were believed to shift patients to distant hospitals to capture lower prices. We examine distance traveled and its connection to managed care penetration. In contrast to earlier literature, we examine both direct and indirect effects. ...

Residential aged care residents and components of end of life care in an Australian hospital.

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Leong, Laurence Jee Peng; Crawford, Gregory Brian

2018-06-09

With ageing of Australians, the numbers of residential aged care (RAC) residents is rising. This places a spotlight on decisions about appropriate care for this population, including hospitalisation and end-of-life (EOL) care. The aim was to study a sample of RAC residents who attended and died in hospital, to quantify measurable components of EOL care so as to describe the extent of palliative care required. A retrospective case-note review of hospital records was conducted in Adelaide, Australia. Participants were 109 RAC residents who attended from July 2013 to June 2014 and died in hospital. Measurements were advance care planning, health care input from the RAC facilities to hospital and components of EOL care. Residents with and without advanced dementia were compared. Advance care directives (ACDs) were present from 11 to 50%, and advance care plans (ACPs) at 60%. There were more ACPs, resuscitation orders (for/against) and do-not-hospitalise orders in residents with advanced dementia than those without. General practitioner (GP) and extended care paramedic (ECP) input on decisions for hospital transfer were 30% and 1 %. Mean hospital stay to death was 5.2 days. For residents admitted under non-palliative care teams, specialist palliative care (SPC) was needed for phone advice in 5%, consultation in 45%, transfer to palliative care unit in 37%, and takeover by SPC team in 19%. Mean number of documented goals-of-care discussions with family/caregiver was 1.7. In the last 3 days of life, the mean daily number of doses of EOL medications was 4.2. Continuous subcutaneous infusion was commenced in 35%. Staff in RAC need to be adequately resourced to make complex decisions about whether to transfer to hospital. RAC nurses are mainly making these decisions as GP and ECP input were suboptimal. Ways to support nurses and optimise decision-making are needed. Advance care planning can be improved, especially documentation of EOL wishes and hospitalisation orders. By

Effect of a comprehensive health education program on pre-hospital delay intentions in high-risk stroke population and caregivers.

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Yang, Li; Zhao, Qiuli; Zhu, Xuemei; Shen, Xiaoying; Zhu, Yulan; Yang, Liu; Gao, Wei; Li, Minghui

2017-08-01

Many factors influence pre-hospital delays in the event of stroke. This study aimed to develop and evaluate a comprehensive educational program for decreasing pre-hospital delays in high-risk stroke population. We enrolled 220 high-risk stroke population and caregivers from six urban communities in Harbin from May 2013 to May 2015, and randomly divided them into intervention and control groups. We implemented a comprehensive educational program (intervention group), comprising public lectures, instructional brochures, case videos, simulations, and role-playing from May 2013 to May 2015. We delivered conventional oral education in the control group. We compared stroke pre-hospital delay behavioral intention (SPDBI), pre-hospital stroke symptom coping test (PSSCT), and stroke pre-symptoms alert test (SPSAT) results between the groups before and 6, 12, and 18 months after health intervention. There were significant differences between before and after intervention (P educational program was significantly effective in decreasing SPDBI, improving knowledge, enhancing stroke pre-symptoms alert, and reducing the possibility of pre-hospital delays.

Using In-Hospital Mortality as an Indicator of Quality Care and Hospital Performance

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Badia BISBIS

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The in-hospital mortality (MIH is used as a performance indicator and quality healthcare in hospital. However, the majority of deaths resulted from an inevitable disease process (severity of cases and / or co-morbidity, and not medical errors or changes in the quality of care. This work aims to make a distribution of deaths in the Regional Hospital of Eastern, Al Farabi hospital and to highlight that more studies on the MIH are required consistently with detailed clinical data at the admission. The MIH showed its limitation as a health care  indicator. The overall rate of in-hospital deaths within the Al Farabi hospital has averaged 2.4%, with 8.4% in the emergency unit, 28% in intensive care unit, 22% Neonatology unit, 1.6% in pediatric unit. The MIH may depend, firstly, on the condition of patients before hospitalization and secondly, on the conditions of their transfer from one institution to another that supports them as a last resort. Al Farabi hospital supports patients transferred from the provinces of the eastern region. Thus, 6% of patients who died in 2014 come from Berkane, 2% from  Nador, 2% from Bouarfa, 4% from  Taourirt and 2% from Jerrada. One might question about  the procedures and the conditions of such transfers. In conclusion, the overall MIH measured from routine data do not allow proper comparison between hospitals or the assessment of the quality of care and patient safety in the hospital. To do so, we should ideally have detailed clinical data on admission (e.g. type of admission, age of patient, sex, comorbidity, .... The MIH is however an important indicator to consider as a tool to detect potential  problems related to admission procedures and to suspect an area of "non-quality" in healthcare . The MIH is interesting for the patient and for the hospital because it serves the improvement of quality healthcare.

The Maternity Care Nurse Workforce in Rural U.S. Hospitals.

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Henning-Smith, Carrie; Almanza, Jennifer; Kozhimannil, Katy B

To describe the maternity care nurse staffing in rural U.S. hospitals and identify key challenges and opportunities in maintaining an adequate nursing workforce. Cross-sectional survey study. Maternity care units within rural hospitals in nine U.S. states. Maternity care unit managers. We calculated descriptive statistics to characterize the rural maternity care nursing workforce by hospital birth volume and nursing staff model. We used simple content analysis to analyze responses to open-ended questions and identified themes related to challenges and opportunities for maternity care nursing in rural hospitals. Of the 263 hospitals, 51% were low volume (maternity care nurses. They did, however, identify significant challenges related to recruiting nurses, maintaining adequate staffing during times of census variability, orienting and training nurses, and retaining experienced nurses. Rural maternity care unit managers recognize the importance of nursing and have varied staffing needs. Policy implementation and programmatic support to ameliorate challenges may help ensure that an adequate nursing staff can be maintained, even in small-volume rural hospitals. Copyright © 2017 AWHONN, the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pre-hospital Management of the Fractured Femur Using the ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Two aspects of the early management of the fractured femur are discussed: firstly the immediate treatment in the pre-hospital phase and secondly the transportation of this injury case over a long distance where necessary. In both instances there is considerable room for improvement, and this is discussed, particularly with ...

Analysis of hospitalization expenditures and influencing factors for inpatients with coronary heart disease in a tier-3 hospital in Xi'an, China: A retrospective study.

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Ding, Jing-Mei; Zhang, Xian-Zhi; Hu, Xue-Jun; Chen, Huo-Liang; Yu, Min

2017-12-01

The medical costs for inpatients with coronary heart disease (CHD) have risen to unprecedented levels, putting tremendous financial pressure on their families and the entire society. The objective of this study was to examine the actual direct medical costs of inpatients with CHD and to analyze the influencing factors of those costs, to provide advice on the prevention and control of high medical costs of patients with CHD. A retrospective descriptive analysis of hospitalization expenditures data examined 10,301 inpatients with coronary heart disease of a tier-3 hospital in Xi'an from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2015. The data included demographic information, the average length of stay, and different types of expenses incurred during the hospitalization period. The difference between different groups was analyzed using a univariate analysis, and the influencing factors of hospitalization expenditures were explored by the multiple linear stepwise regression analysis. The average age of these patients was 60.0 years old, the average length of stay was 4.0 days, and the majority were males (7172, 69.6%). The average hospitalization expenses were $6791.38 (3294.16-9, 732.59), and the top 3 expenses were medical consumables, operation fees, and drugs. The influencing factors of hospitalization expenditures included the length of stay, the number of times of admission, the type of medical insurance schemes, whether have a surgery or not, the gender, the age, and the marriage status. The inpatients with CHD in this tier-3 hospital were mostly over 45 years old. The average medical cost of males was much higher than that of females. Our findings suggest that the solution for tremendous hospitalization expenditures should be that more attention is paid to controlling the high expense of medical consumables and that the traditional method of reducing medical expenses by shortening the length of stay is still important in nowadays. Furthermore, the type of medical

[Trends in hospitalizations of patients with acute coronary syndrome and indicators of the atmospheric state in Moscow in 2009-2012].

Science.gov (United States)

Kozlovskaia, I L; Bulkina, O S; Lopukhova, V V; Kolmakova, T E; Karpov, Iu A; Starostin, I V; Baratashvili, V L; Rubinshtein, K G; Emelina, S V; Borovikov, V P

2014-01-01

To identify the meteorological factors or their combinations, which are most significant for the development of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in different seasons. A Statistica package was used to make an exploration analysis of the data of the A.S. Puchkov Central Emergency Medical Care Station on 63,412 admissions of patients diagnosed with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) to Moscow hospitals in 2009-2012 and those of the Hydrometeorology Center of Russia on weather conditions in the period under study. Among the 63,412 patients, there were more men than women (p < 0.000005). Two long frost periods and three long abnormal heat periods were recorded in 2009-2012. In summer, the number of patients with a prehospital diagnosis of AMI was an average 19-22% less than in the other seasons. There was no peak in the number of hospitalizations during the abnormally hot summer of 2010. Air temperature proved to be a factor that was most strongly associated with the trend in AMI hospitalizations in men (MS = 1011.52, MSor = 27.27; p < 0.00005) and women (MS = 895.36, MSor = 25.37; p < 0.00005). The number of hospitalizations was negatively associated with daily average temperature in its positive range. In summer, the interdaily temperature difference turned out to be statistically significant; the highest number of hospitalizations was noted when it grew 6 °C colder. On days off, the number of admitted patients was 25% less than that on weekdays. The trend in hospitalizations for a referral diagnosis of AMI has a significant seasonal component. Their number was minimal in summer, including in the abnormally hot summer of 2010. Air temperature is the most important factor. Positive temperature was found to be strongly negatively correlated with diagnosed AMI hospitalizations.

Hospital heterogeneity: what drives the quality of health care.

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Ali, Manhal; Salehnejad, Reza; Mansur, Mohaimen

2018-04-01

A major feature of health care systems is substantial variation in health care quality across hospitals. The quality of stroke care widely varies across NHS hospitals. We investigate factors that may explain variations in health care quality using measures of quality of stroke care. We combine NHS trust data from the National Sentinel Stroke Audit with other data sets from the Office for National Statistics, NHS and census data to capture hospitals' human and physical assets and organisational characteristics. We employ a class of non-parametric methods to explore the complex structure of the data and a set of correlated random effects models to identify key determinants of the quality of stroke care. The organisational quality of the process of stroke care appears as a fundamental driver of clinical quality of stroke care. There are rich complementarities amongst drivers of quality of stroke care. The findings strengthen previous research on managerial and organisational determinants of health care quality.

Longer distance from home to invasive centre is associated with lower rate of coronary angiographies following acute coronary syndrome

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hvelplund, Anders; Galatius, Søren; Madsen, Mette

Purpose: We studied the unselected population of all acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients of an entire nation in order to evaluate differences in coronary angiography (CAG) rate. Denmark (population 5.5 million) has a universal health insurance coverage system and uniform national guidelines...... for the treatment of ACS. There are 5 tertiary invasive centres performing CAG, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), 8 hospitals with diagnostic units performing CAG only, and a further 36 hospitals without these facilities receiving patients with ACS. We investigated...... in comparison to those living closest to the centres. Conclusion: Despite uniform national guidelines, patients hospitalised with a first acute ACS are treated with a less aggressive invasive diagnostic approach the farther away they live from an invasive centre. When planning the management of ACS patients...

Home care, hospitalizations and doctor visits

OpenAIRE

Gonçalves Judite; Weaver France

2014-01-01

This study estimates the effects of formal home care on hospitalizations and doctor visits. We compare the effects of medically- and non-medically-related home care and investigate heterogeneous effects by age group and informal care availability. Two-part models are estimated, using data from Switzerland. In this federal country, home care policy is decentralized into cantons (i.e. states). The endogeneity of home care is addressed by using instrumental variables, canton and time fixed effec...

The impact of place of enrollment and delay to reperfusion on 90-day post-infarction mortality in the ASSENT-4 PCI trial: assessment of the safety and efficacy of a new treatment strategy with percutaneous coronary intervention.

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