Factors that contribute to patient length of stay in the emergency department: A time in motion observational study.

OBJECTIVES: Increased Emergency Department length of stay impacts access to emergency care and is associated with increased patient morbidity, overcrowding, reduced patient and staff satisfaction. We sought to determine the contributing factors to increased length of stay in our mixed ED. METHODS: A real-time observational study was conducted at Wollongong Hospital over a continuous 72-h period. Times of intervention, assessment and treatment were recorded by dedicated emergency medical or nurse observers. The time from triage to each event was calculated and descriptive analyses performed. Free text comments were analysed using inductive content analysis. RESULTS: Data were collected on 381 of 389 eligible patients. The largest time delays were experienced by patients who required a CT, specialist review and/or an inpatient bed. Registrars and nurse practitioners were the most efficient in reaching a decision to admit or discharge. The time from triage to specialist review increased with the number requested (148 min for one, 224 min for two and 285 min for three). The longest length of stay was experienced by mental health and paediatric patients. CONCLUSIONS: The main delays contributing to ED length of stay were CT imaging and specialist reviews. Overcrowding in ED need targeted, site-specific interventions.

Playground injury prevention: the need for consistent and national implementation of Australian safety standards.

OBJECTIVES: Hospitalisation rates for injury, including at playgrounds, have not changed in the past decade. There are nine Australian Standards specific to playgrounds. The impact (if any) of these standards on playground injury resulting in hospitalisation is unknown. METHODS: Retrospective data for patients under 18 years presenting to emergency departments and/or admitted between October 2015 and December 2019 due to an injury documented as occurring at a playground were retrieved by the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District Planning, Information and Performance Department. Maintenance and Australian Standard (AS) compliance data for the 401 local playgrounds were requested from the four Local Governments in Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District. Descriptive statistics were used. RESULTS: A total of 548 children were treated in emergency departments and/or admitted following playground injury. There was an overall increase of 39.3% in playground injury across the study period, and expenditure rose from $43,478 in 2011 to $367,259 in 2019 (a 744.7% increase). CONCLUSIONS: Playground injury has not decreased in the Illawarra Shoalhaven. Data regarding maintenance and AS compliance are lacking. This is not unique to our region. IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH: Without a national approach to adequately resource and monitor playground injury, it is not possible to assess the impact of Australian Standards or any injury prevention program.

Implementation evaluation of a rapid response system in a regional emergency department: a dual-methods study using the behaviour change wheel.

BACKGROUND: Failure to recognise and respond to clinical deterioration is a major cause of high mortality events in emergency department (ED) patients. Whilst there is substantial evidence that rapid response teams reduce hospital mortality, unplanned intensive care admissions, and cardiac arrests on in-patient settings, the use of rapid response teams in the ED is variable with poor integration of care between emergency and specialty/intensive care teams. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate uptake and impact of a rapid response system on recognising and responding to deteriorating patients in the ED and identify implementation factors and strategies to optimise future implementation success. METHODS: A dual-methods design was used to evaluate an ED Clinical Emergency Response System (EDCERS) protocol implemented at a regional Australian ED in June 2019. A documentation audit was conducted on patients eligible for the EDCERS during the first 3 months of implementation. Quantitative data from documentation audit were used to measure uptake and impact of the protocol on escalation and response to patient deterioration. Facilitators and barriers to the EDCERS uptake were identified via key stakeholder engagement and consultation. An implementation plan was developed using the Behaviour Change Wheel for future implementation. RESULTS: The EDCERS was activated in 42 (53.1%) of 79 eligible patients. The specialty care team were more likely to respond when the EDCERS was activated than when there was no activation ([n = 40, 50.6%] v [n = 26, 32.9%], p = 0.01). Six facilitators and nine barriers to protocol uptake were identified. Twenty behaviour change techniques were selected and informed the development of a theory-informed implementation plan. CONCLUSION: Implementation of the EDCERS protocol resulted in high response rates from specialty and intensive care staff. However, overall uptake of the protocol by emergency staff was poor. This study highlights the importance of understanding facilitators and barriers to uptake prior to implementing a new intervention.

Retrospective study on the epidemiology of antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies-associated vasculitis in two Australian health districts.

BACKGROUND: Antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) is more prevalent in rural Australia compared with metropolitan areas, suggesting a role of environment in disease pathogenesis. However, the prevalence of environmental risk factors in Australian AAV patients has not been described. AIMS: To compare the incidence of AAV between two health districts (Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District (ISLHD), a mixed rural/metropolitan region, and South Eastern Sydney Local Health District (SESLHD), a metropolitan region) in Australia and its relationship to environmental exposures. METHODS: Cases of AAV from 2002 to 2017 were retrospectively identified from ISLHD and SESLHD using electronic medical records. Eligible participants were invited to complete a standardised questionnaire examining their exposure to silica, solvents, metal, dust, farming, gardening and sunlight. RESULTS: One hundred and fifty-six cases of AAV were identified from 2002 to 2017. A higher cumulative incidence of AAV was observed in the ISLHD (184.2 (95% confidence interval (CI) 143.6-232.7) per million) compared with SESLHD (102.6 (95% CI 82.1-126.8) per million). Over 50% of the cohort had high levels of silica and solvents exposure, based on self-reported questionnaires. There was no significant relationship between region and exposure to silica (P = 0.96), solvents (P = 0.44), metal (P = 0.33), dust (P = 0.25), farming (P = 0.90), gardening (P = 0.93) or sunlight (P = 0.55). CONCLUSIONS: We found a higher incidence of AAV in ISLHD compared with SESLHD with high levels of exposure to silica and solvents in both regions based on self-reported questionnaires. Prospective systematic collection of data, such as a registry of AAV, is warranted to further explore the relationship between environmental exposures and AAV.

Outcomes of COVID-19 in the community: A prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The literature indicates that patients who had previously had COVID-19 are reporting ongoing symptoms. The objective of this study was to examine ongoing symptoms, functional limitations and quality of life over time in a cohort of individuals who were deemed to have recovered. METHOD: This was a prospective observational study on biopsychosocial outcomes at enrolment and again one month later. RESULTS: In a cohort of 59 participants, ongoing symptoms were reported by 73% at 4.5 months (standard deviation = 1.4) post diagnosis, with 45% reporting difficulty with pre-illness activities of daily living. Of the 52 participants who completed the follow-up survey (mean 5.6 months post diagnosis), 42% reported ongoing symptoms, lower physical quality of life (12-Item Short Form Health Survey) and higher levels of anxiety, depression and stress (Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale). DISCUSSION: Ongoing symptoms such as fatigue, pain and limb weakness as well as functional impairment post initial diagnosis were common. Improved understanding of this cohort can assist general practitioners in providing care.

Development of an Early Activation Hip Fracture Care Bundle and Implementation Strategy to Improve Adherence to the National Hip Fracture Clinical Care Standard.

OBJECTIVE: To develop and implement a multidisciplinary early activation mechanism and bundle of care (eHIP) to improve adherence to ACSQHC standards in a regional trauma centre. METHODS: Barriers to implementation were categorised using the Theoretical Domains Framework, then linked to specific strategies guided by the Behaviour Change Wheel and Behaviour Change Technique Taxonomy (BCTT). The resulting implementation strategies were assessed using Affordable, Practical, Effective, Acceptable, had Side-effects (APEASE) criteria. RESULTS: Eighty-three barriers to implementation of the hip fracture care bundle were identified. The behaviour change wheel process resulted in the identification of 41 techniques to address these barriers. The predominant mechanisms to achieve this were development and implementation of 1) formal policy that outlines eHIP roles; 2) video promotion; 3) pager group; 4) fascia iliaca block enabling; 5) eMR modifications; 6) face-to-face reinforcement and modelling; 7) communication and prompts; 8) environmental restructuring. CONCLUSION: We applied behaviour change theory through a pragmatic evidence-based process. This resulted in a codesigned strategy to overcome staff and organisational barriers to the implementation of a multidisciplinary early activation mechanism and bundle of care (eHIP). Future work will include evaluation of the uptake and clinical impact of the care bundle.