Evaluating the Effect of a COVID-19 Predictive Model to Facilitate Discharge: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: We previously developed and validated a predictive model to help clinicians identify hospitalized adults with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) who may be ready for discharge given their low risk of adverse events. Whether this algorithm can prompt more timely discharge for stable patients in practice is unknown. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study is to estimate the effect of displaying risk scores on length of stay (LOS). METHODS: We integrated model output into the electronic health record (EHR) at four hospitals in one health system by displaying a green/orange/red score indicating low/moderate/high-risk in a patient list column and a larger COVID-19 summary report visible for each patient. Display of the score was pseudo-randomized 1:1 into intervention and control arms using a patient identifier passed to the model execution code. Intervention effect was assessed by comparing LOS between intervention and control groups. Adverse safety outcomes of death, hospice, and re-presentation were tested separately and as a composite indicator. We tracked adoption and sustained use through daily counts of score displays. RESULTS: Enrolling 1,010 patients from May 15, 2020 to December 7, 2020, the trial found no detectable difference in LOS. The intervention had no impact on safety indicators of death, hospice or re-presentation after discharge. The scores were displayed consistently throughout the study period but the study lacks a causally linked process measure of provider actions based on the score. Secondary analysis revealed complex dynamics in LOS temporally, by primary symptom, and hospital location. CONCLUSION: An AI-based COVID-19 risk score displayed passively to clinicians during routine care of hospitalized adults with COVID-19 was safe but had no detectable impact on LOS. Health technology challenges such as insufficient adoption, nonuniform use, and provider trust compounded with temporal factors of the COVID-19 pandemic may have contributed to the null result. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04570488.

Smartphone-Delivered Progressive Muscle Relaxation for the Treatment of Migraine in Primary Care: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: Scalable, accessible forms of behavioral therapy for migraine prevention are needed. We assessed the feasibility and acceptability of progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) delivered by a smartphone application (app) in the Primary Care setting. METHODS: This pilot study was a non-blinded, randomized, parallel-arm controlled trial of adults with migraine and 4+ headache days/month. Eligible participants spoke English and owned a smartphone. All participants were given the RELAXaHEAD app which includes an electronic headache diary. Participants were randomized to receive 1 of the 2 versions of the app-one with PMR and the other without PMR. The primary outcomes were measures of feasibility (adherence to the intervention and diary entries during the 90-day interval) and acceptability (satisfaction levels). We conducted exploratory analyses to determine whether there was a change in Migraine Disability Assessment Scale (MIDAS) scores or a change in headache days. RESULTS: Of 139 participants (77 PMR, 62 control), 116 (83%) were female, mean age was 41.7 ± 12.8 years. Most patients 108/139 (78%) had moderate-severe disability. Using a 1-5 Likert scale, participants found the app easy to use (mean 4.2 ± 0.7) and stated that they would be happy to engage in the PMR intervention again (mean 4.3 ± 0.6). For the first 6 weeks, participants practiced PMR 2-4 days/week. Mean per session duration was 11.1 ± 8.3 minutes. Relative to the diary-only group, the PMR group showed a greater non-significant decline in mean MIDAS scores (-8.7 vs -22.7, P = .100) corresponding to a small-moderate mean effect size (Cohen's d = 0.38). CONCLUSION: Smartphone-delivered PMR may be an acceptable, accessible form of therapy for migraine. Mean effects show a small-moderate mean effect size in disability scores.

Integrating a diet quality screener into a cardiology practice: assessment of nutrition counseling, cardiometabolic risk factors and patient/provider satisfaction.

OBJECTIVE: We assessed factors related to the integration of an office-based diet quality screener: nutrition counselling, cardiometabolic risk factors and patient/physician satisfaction. METHODS: We evaluated the impact of a 10-item diet quality measure (self-rated diet quality question and a 9-item Mediterranean Diet Score (MDS)) prior to the cardiology visit on assessment of nutrition counselling, cardiometabolic risk factors and patient/provider satisfaction. Study staff trained the nine participating physicians on the purpose and use of the screener. To assess physician uptake of the diet quality screener, we reviewed all charts having a documented dietitian referral or visit and a 20% random sample of remaining participants that completed the screener at least once to determine the proportion of notes that referenced the diet quality screener and documented specific counselling based on the screener. RESULTS: Between December 2017 and August 2018, 865 patients completed the diet quality screener. Mean age was 59 (SD 16) years, 54% were male and mean body mass index was 27.4 (SD 6.0) kg/m2. Almost one-fifth (18.5%) of participants rated their diet as fair or poor, and mean MDS (range 0-9) was moderate (mean 5.6±1.8 SD). Physicians referred 22 patients (2.5%) to a dietitian. CONCLUSION: Integrating the screener into the electronic health record did not increase dietitian referrals, and improvements in screener scores were modest among the subset of patients completing multiple screeners. Future work could develop best practices for physicians in using diet quality screeners to allow for some degree of standardisation of nutrition referral and counselling received by the patients.

The Financial and Clinical Impact of an Electronic Health Record Integrated Pathway in Elective Colon Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) pathways have been shown to reduce length of stay, but there have been limited evaluations of novel electronic health record (EHR)-based pathways. Compliance with ERAS in real-world settings has been problematic. OBJECTIVE: This article evaluates a novel ERAS electronic pathway (E-Pathway) activity integrated with the EHR for patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study of surgical patients age ≥ 18 years hospitalized from March 1, 2013 to August 31, 2016. The primary cohort consisted of patients admitted for elective colon surgery. We also studied a control group of patients undergoing other elective procedures. The E-Pathway was implemented on March 2, 2015. The primary outcome was variable costs per case. Secondary outcomes were observed to expected length of stay and 30-day readmissions. RESULTS: We included 823 (470 and 353 in the pre- and postintervention, respectively) colon surgery patients and 3,415 (1,819 and 1,596 in the pre- and postintervention) surgical control patients in the study. Among the colon surgery cohort, there was statistically significant (p = 0.040) decrease in costs of 1.28% (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.06-2.48%) per surgical encounter per month over the 18-month postintervention period, amounting to a total savings of $2,730 per patient at the 1-year postintervention period. The surgical control group had a nonsignificant (p = 0.231) decrease in monthly costs of 0.57% (95% CI 1.51 to - 0.37%) postintervention. For the 30-day readmission rates, there were no statistically significant changes in either cohort. CONCLUSION: Our study is the first to report on the reduced costs after implementation of a novel sophisticated E-Pathway for ERAS. E-Pathways can be a powerful vehicle to support ERAS adoption.

Telemedicine Video Visits for patients receiving palliative care: A qualitative study.

In this needs assessment, gathered patient perceptions on how telemedicine video visits might influence their care. Patients in this study (n = 13) were all diagnosed with end-stage cancer and were receiving palliative care at an urban academic medical center. Interview themes addressed: 1. impact on patient's health management, 2. user experience, 3. technical issues and 4. cost and time. Ultimately, despite concerns over truncated physical exams and prescription limits, the majority of patients favored having the opportunity for telemedicine video visits, felt that the doctor-patient relationship would not suffer, had confidence in their or their surrogate's technical abilities to navigate the video visit, had privacy concerns on par with other technologies, had few cost concerns, and believed a video alternative to an in-person visit might increase access, save time as well as increase comfort and safety by avoiding a trip to the office. These results suggest potential for acceptance of video-based telemedicine by an urban population of oncology patients receiving palliative care.

Epidemiology of oral human papillomavirus infection.

OBJECTIVE: To describe what is known about the epidemiology of oral human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. METHODS: In this article we review current data on HPV prevalence, natural history, mode of acquisition, and risk factors for oral HPV infection. RESULTS & CONCLUSION: Over the past several years new studies have informed our understanding of oral HPV infection. These data suggest oral HPV prevalence is higher in men than women and support the sexual transmission of HPV to the mouth by oral sex. Data is emerging suggesting that most oral HPV infections usually clear within a year on and describing risk factors for prevalent and persistent infection. Recent data support likely efficacy of the HPV vaccine for oral HPV, suggesting vaccination may reduce risk of HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer.