NHAMCS Validation of Emergency Severity Index as an Indicator of Emergency Department Resource Utilization.

INTRODUCTION: Triage systems play a vital role in emergency department (ED) operations and can determine how well a given ED serves its local population. We sought to describe ED utilization patterns for different triage levels using the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS) database. METHODS: We conducted a multi-year secondary analysis of the NHAMCS database from 2009-2011. National visit estimates were made using standard methods in Analytics Software and Solutions (SAS, Cary, NC). We compared patients in the mid-urgency range in regard to ED lengths of stay, hospital admission rates, and numbers of tests and procedures in comparison to lower or higher acuity levels. RESULTS: We analyzed 100,962 emergency visits (representing 402,211,907 emergency visits nationwide). In 2011, patients classified as triage levels 1-3 had a higher number of diagnoses (5.5, 5.6 and 4.2, respectively) when compared to those classified as levels 4 and 5 (1.61 and 1.25). This group also underwent a higher number of procedures (1.0, 0.8 and 0.7, versus 0.4 and 0.4), had a higher ED length of stay (220, 280 and 237, vs. 157 and 135), and admission rates (32.2%, 32.3% and 15.5%, vs. 3.1% and 3.6%). CONCLUSION: Patients classified as mid-level (3) triage urgency require more resources and have higher indicators of acuity as those in triage levels 4 and 5. These patients' indicators are more similar to those classified as triage levels 1 and 2.

Noninvasive ventilation in severe acute asthma.

Noninvasive ventilation (NIV) in severe acute asthma is controversial but may benefit this population by preventing intubation. We report on a 35-year-old male asthma patient who presented to our emergency department via emergency medical services. The patient was responsive, diaphoretic, and breathing at 35 breaths/min on 100% oxygen with bag-mask assistance, with S(pO2) 88%, heart rate 110-120 beats/min, blood pressure 220/110 mm Hg, and temperature 35.8 °C. NIV at 12/5 cm H2O and FIO2 0.40 was applied, and albuterol at 40 mg/h was initiated. Admission arterial blood gas revealed a pH of 6.95, P(aCO2) 126 mm Hg, and P(aO2) 316 mm Hg. After 90 min of therapy, P(aCO2) was 63 mm Hg. Improvement continued, and NIV was stopped 4 h following presentation. NIV tolerance was supported with low doses of lorazepam. The patient was transferred to the ICU, moved to general care the next morning, and discharged 3 days later. We attribute our success to close monitoring in a critical care setting and the titration of lorazepam.

Systematic review and metasummary of attitudes toward research in emergency medical conditions.

Emergency departments are challenging research settings, where truly informed consent can be difficult to obtain. A deeper understanding of emergency medical patients' opinions about research is needed. We conducted a systematic review and meta-summary of quantitative and qualitative studies on which values, attitudes, or beliefs of emergent medical research participants influence research participation. We included studies of adults that investigated opinions toward emergency medicine research participation. We excluded studies focused on the association between demographics or consent document features and participation and those focused on non-emergency research. In August 2011, we searched the following databases: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Google Scholar, Scirus, PsycINFO, AgeLine and Global Health. Titles, abstracts and then full manuscripts were independently evaluated by two reviewers. Disagreements were resolved by consensus and adjudicated by a third author. Studies were evaluated for bias using standardised scores. We report themes associated with participation or refusal. Our initial search produced over 1800 articles. A total of 44 articles were extracted for full-manuscript analysis, and 14 were retained based on our eligibility criteria. Among factors favouring participation, altruism and personal health benefit had the highest frequency. Mistrust of researchers, feeling like a 'guinea pig' and risk were leading factors favouring refusal. Many studies noted limitations of informed consent processes in emergent conditions. We conclude that highlighting the benefits to the participant and society, mitigating risk and increasing public trust may increase research participation in emergency medical research. New methods for conducting informed consent in such studies are needed.

Perinatal implications of motor vehicle accident trauma during pregnancy: identifying populations at risk.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the association between restraint use, race, and perinatal outcome after motor vehicle accidents (MVAs) during pregnancy. STUDY DESIGN: The Duke Trauma Registry and medical records were searched for information on pregnant women at >14 weeks' gestation who were involved in an MVA and who received care through the Emergency Department and the Obstetric Units. Between January 1994 and December 31, 2010, 126 women were identified. Variables that were collected included type of trauma, gestational age at presentation, and delivery outcomes. A prognostic study was performed that evaluated the associations between maternal demographics, details of the accident that included restraint use, and maternal treatment that was related to the accident in relationship to perinatal outcome. RESULTS: There was no difference in the mean age or median gravidity or parity by race among pregnant women who were cared for after an MVA. There was no difference in mean age or racial distribution between women who were restrained compared with women who were unrestrained; unrestrained women were more likely to be nulliparous. Unrestrained women were more likely to require nonobstetric surgery that was related to the trauma. The overall rate of placental abruption was 6%. There were 6 intrauterine fetal deaths, 3 each in the unrestrained (25%) and restrained groups (3.5%; P = .018). Airbags deployed in 17 accidents. Among the 7 women with placenta abruption, 4 women (57%) experienced air bag deployment. CONCLUSION: Lack of restraint use during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of fetal death.

Dental visits to a North Carolina emergency department: a painful problem.

BACKGROUND: Emergency departments (EDs) act as the safety net and alternative care site for patients without insurance who have dental pain. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective chart review of visits to an urban teaching hospital ED over a 12-month period, looking at patients who presented with a chief complaint or ICD code indicating dental pain, toothache, or dental abscess. RESULTS: The number of visits to this ED by patients with a dental complaint was 1,013, representing approximately 1.3% of all visits to this ED. Dental patients had a mean age of 32 (+/- 13) years, and 60% of all dental visits were made by African Americans. Dental patients were more likely to be self-pay than all other ED patients (61% versus 22%, P < 0.001). At the vast majority of dental ED visits (97%), the patient was treated and discharged; at most visits (90%) no dental procedure was performed. ED treatment typically consisted of pain control and antibiotics; at 81% of visits, the patient received an opiate prescription on discharge, and at 69% of visits, the patient received an antibiotic prescription on discharge. LIMITATIONS: This retrospective chart review covered a limited period of time, included only patients at a large urban academic medical center, and did not incorporate follow-up analysis. CONCLUSION: Although they make up a small percentage of all ED visits, dental ED visits are more common among the uninsured, seldom result in definitive care or hospital admission, and often result in prescription of an opioid or antibiotic. These findings are cause for concern and have implications for public policy.

Analysis of traumatic injuries presenting to a referral hospital emergency department in Moshi, Tanzania.

BACKGROUND: Injuries represent a significant and growing public health concern in the developing world, yet their impact on patients and the emergency health-care system in the countries of East Africa has received limited attention. This study evaluates the magnitude and scope of injury related disorders in the population presenting to a referral hospital emergency department in northern Tanzania. METHODS: A retrospective chart review of patients presenting to the emergency department at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre was performed. A standardized data collection form was used for data abstraction from the emergency department logbook and the complete medical record for all injured patients. Patient demographics, mechanism of injury, location, type and outcomes were recorded. RESULTS: Ten thousand six hundred twenty-two patients presented to the emergency department for evaluation and treatment during the 7-month study period. One thousand two hundred twenty-four patients (11.5%) had injuries. Males and individuals aged 15 to 44 years were most frequently injured, representing 73.4% and 57.8%, respectively. Road traffic injuries were the most common mechanism of injury, representing 43.9% of injuries. Head injuries (36.5%) and extremity injuries (59.5%) were the most common location of injury. The majority of injured patients, 59.3%, were admitted from the emergency department to the hospital wards, and 5.6%, required admission to an intensive care unit. Death occurred in 5.4% of injured patients. CONCLUSIONS: These data give a detailed and more robust picture of the patient demographics, mechanisms of injury, types of injury and patient outcomes from similar resource-limited settings.

Exploring patterns of health service use in older emergency department patients.

OBJECTIVES: Study objectives were to identify groups of older patients with similar patterns of health care use in the 12 months preceding an index outpatient emergency department (ED) visit and to identify patient-level predictors of group membership. METHODS: Subjects were adults ≥ 65 years of age treated and released from an academic medical center ED. Latent cluster analysis (LCA) models were estimated to identify groups with similar numbers of primary care (PC), specialist, and outpatient ED visits and hospital days within 12 months preceding the index ED visit. RESULTS: In this sample (n = 308), five groups with distinct patterns of health service use emerged. Low Users (35%) had fewer visits of all types and fewer hospital days compared to sample means. Low Users were more likely to be female and had fewer chronic health conditions relative to the overall sample (p < 0.05). The ED to Supplement Primary Care Provider (PCP) (23%) group had more PCP visits, but also significantly more ED visits. Specialist Heavy (22%) group members had twice as many specialist visits, but no difference in PCP visits. Members of this class were more likely to be white and male (p < 0.05). High Users (15%) received more care in all categories and had more chronic baseline health conditions (p < 0.05) but no differences in demographic characteristics relative to the whole sample. The ED and Hospital as Substitution Care (6%) group had fewer PC and specialist visits, but more ED visits and hospital days. CONCLUSIONS: In this sample of older ED patients, five groups with distinct patterns of health service use were identified. Further study is needed to determine whether identification of these patient groups can add important information to existing risk-assessment methods.

Evidence-based perspectives on pay for performance and quality of patient care and outcomes in emergency medicine.

Pay for performance is gaining momentum as a means to improve the quality of clinical care. Recently, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has expanded pay for performance initiatives to incorporate 9 emergency care metrics, including indicators for cardiac, pneumonia, and stroke care. The American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) have published methodology for the selection and creation of performance measures for quantifying the quality of cardiovascular care. The purpose of this study is to grade each of the 9 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative emergency medicine process measures according to the ACC/AHA criteria related to clinical evidence (yes, no, indeterminate). Five of the 9 recently selected metrics in emergency medicine do not appear to meet all of the ACC/AHA criteria for measurement selection. Several of the metrics, including aspirin for acute myocardial infarction (mean hospital adherence 94.7%; SD 6.7%) and pulse oximetry for community-acquired pneumonia (mean 99.4%; SD 2.0%), already have high levels of performance nationally, which raises uncertainty about the overall cost-effectiveness of quality improvement interventions for these measures. Formal methodology needs to be established for future selection of performance measures for quality improvement programs in emergency care. These performance measures should focus on unique aspects of emergency and acute care, including recognition and treatment of time-sensitive life-threatening conditions, assessment of patients with undifferentiated signs and symptoms, and care of all-inclusive geographically based patient populations. In key emergency therapeutic areas, the evidence linking treatment and improved patient outcomes will require additional study before inclusion in pay for performance programs. New research initiatives are needed to assess the effect of timely administration of emergency department interventions on patient outcomes.