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Background It is unknown whether post-discharge navigation enhances the impact of hospital-initiated addiction care. This study tested the incremental benefit of telephonic linkage to a post-discharge navigator for patients who received an addiction consultation during hospitalization. Methods A two-arm, randomized controlled trial of 395 hospitalized adults with substance use disorder who received an addiction consultation. The intervention group received post-discharge phone calls from a navigator to review the recommended treatment plan and address barriers to engagement on days 3, 7, 14, and 21. The primary outcome was days of alcohol or drug use in the past 30 assessed by Timeline Follow-back at 1 month. Results Follow-up assessment completion rates were 46% at 1 month, and 41%, at 2 months. At baseline, intervention and control groups did not differ in substance use patterns; 45% reported primary alcohol use, 43% drugs, and 12% both. Heroin was the most common drug. At baseline, mean days of past 30-day alcohol or drug use were 13.6 in the intervention and 14.9 in the control group. The median number of navigation calls completed was 3 out of 4. At 1 month, both groups reported less use (decrease of 4.8 in intervention vs. 4.2 days in control group, p = 0.49). There were no differences between groups at 2 months. Compared to controls, participants who received all four calls had a greater decrease in use with a mean 8.6 days decrease from baseline (difference of 4.4 days, p = 0.0009). Conclusion Post-discharge telephonic patient navigation did not further improve substance use outcomes following addiction consultation.

Background: Promising approaches for reduction of childhood obesity include interventions such as Connect for Health, a scalable, primary care-based intervention to improve family-centered outcomes for children ages 2-12 years. Substantial gaps remain in the adoption of proven-effective interventions particularly in settings that care for low-income children. Methods: We used the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research to examine contextual determinants of implementation of Connect for Health in four organizations that deliver primary care to low-income children in Boston, MA, Denver, CO, and Greenville, SC. The Connect for Health program includes (1) electronic health record (EHR)-based clinical decision support tools to guide clinicians; (2) family educational materials; and (3) text messages for parents to support behavior change. We used the RE-AIM framework to guide our mixed-methods evaluation. Using a quasi-experimental design, we will examine the effectiveness of stakeholder-informed strategies in supporting program adoption and child outcomes. At baseline, we abstracted EHR data from the organizations to describe characteristics of children ages 2-12 years with a BMI ≥ 85th percentile.Results: During the 15-month period prior to implementation, 26,161 children with a BMI ≥ 85th percentile ages 2-12 years were seen for a primary care visit. Across the organizations, 79% of children with a BMI ≥ 85th percentile had public insurance, 49% were Hispanic, and 18% were Black. Approximately 37% of children had a BMI ≥ 95th percentile and 15% had a BMI in the severe obesity category. Childhood obesity ICD-10 diagnostic codes were used more for children with obesity (44%) and severe obesity (60%) than children with overweight (17%); nutrition (7%) and physical activity (6%) counseling codes were seldom used. Referrals for weight management programs were less than 17% and less than 16% for nutrition services. Laboratory evaluations were ordered more often for children with obesity (39%) and severe obesity (64%) than children with overweight (29%)Discussion: A majority of children with overweight and obesity lacked recommended diagnosis codes, referrals, and laboratory evaluations for assessment and management of obesity and related co-morbidities. These findings suggest the need to augment current approaches to increase uptake of proven-effective weight management programs. Trial Registration: Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT04042493, Registered on August 2, 2019; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04042493

Diagnostic errors are common and are frequently the result of failures in our cognitive processes. This paper in the Annals Clinical Decision Making series discusses biases that predispose us to th...

Patients must be involved in weighing risks and benefits when deciding on their care, particularly when uncertainty exists regarding outcomes. This article in the Annals Clinical Decision Making se...

Diagnostic testing is an essential tool in clinical decision making. This article in the Annals Clinical Decision Making series reviews core principles underlying the approach to choosing and inter...

BACKGROUND: Opioid agonist therapy (OAT) has been shown to reduce mortality in patients with opioid use disorder (OUD), yet mortality in individuals receiving OAT remains higher than in an age- and gender-matched population. OBJECTIVE: To identify baseline risk factors in patients who engaged in buprenorphine treatment that are associated with this elevated risk of death. DESIGN: We performed a retrospective cohort study from January 1, 2007, to December 31, 2018, using a centralized clinical data registry within a multi-hospital health system in Boston, MA, USA. PARTICIPANTS: All adult patients who had ≥ 2 consecutive encounters with sublingual buprenorphine on the active medication list from January 1, 2007, to December 31, 2018. MAIN MEASURES: We abstracted several sociodemographic, clinical, and healthcare use characteristics from the clinical data registry. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality and the secondary outcome was opioid overdose-related mortality. We performed multivariable cox regression to identify baseline characteristics independently associated with these outcomes. KEY RESULTS: Of 5948 patients in the cohort, the majority were white (80.7%) and male (59.7%), with a mean age of 38.2 years. The all-cause mortality rate was 24.0 deaths per 1000 person-years. Baseline characteristics independently associated with an increased hazard of all-cause mortality included homelessness (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] = 1.39; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.09, 1.78), an opioid on the active medication list (aHR = 1.28; 95% CI = 1.08, 1.52), and entry into the cohort during an inpatient hospitalization (aHR = 1.43; 95% CI = 1.18, 1.73). Homelessness was also associated with an increased hazard of opioid overdose-related mortality (aHR = 1.77; 95% CI = 1.25, 2.50). CONCLUSIONS: We identified several novel and potentially modifiable predictors of mortality among patients engaging in buprenorphine treatment who remain at an increased risk of death compared with the general population. Understanding these risk factors can assist healthcare providers in risk stratification and inform the design of targeted interventions to improve outcomes in a high-risk patient population. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1007/s11606-020-05779-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Background Medical malpractice data can be leveraged to understand specialty-specific risk. Methods Malpractice claims were examined from the Comparative Benchmarking System (2007-2016), a national database containing > 30% of claims data in the United States. Claims were identified with either internal medicine or pulmonary/critical care (PCC) physicians as the primary provider involved in the harm. Claim characteristics were compared according to specialty and care setting (inpatient vs outpatient), and multiple regression analysis was performed to predict claim payment. Results Claims involving PCC physicians differed from those involving internal medicine physicians in terms of harm severity, allegation, final diagnosis, procedure involvement, payment rate, and contributing factors. The majority of claims involving PCC physicians resulted from inpatient care (63%), of which only 26% occurred delivering intensive care. Eighty-one percent were from harm events that resulted in death/permanent injury. The most common diagnosis was laceration during a procedure for inpatient claims (6%) and lung cancer for outpatient claims (28%). Thirty-one percent of claims overall involved procedures. Although only 26% were paid, the median indemnity per paid claim of $285,769 ranked PCC as the twelfth highest of 69 specialties. The two variables associated with indemnity payment were outpatient care (OR, 1.70; 95% CI, 1.01-2.86) and temporary harm (OR, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.15-0.87). Conclusions Malpractice claims involving PCC physicians were distinct from claims involving internal medicine physicians. Although only one-quarter of claims was paid, the indemnity per claim was high among specialties. Specialty-specific prevention strategies must be developed to mitigate both patient harm and provider malpractice risk.

Background: This document provides evidence-based clinical practice guidelines on the management of adult patients with community-acquired pneumonia. Methods: A multidisciplinary panel conducted pragmatic systematic reviews of the relevant research and applied Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation methodology for clinical recommendations. Results: The panel addressed 16 specific areas for recommendations spanning questions of diagnostic testing, determination of site of care, selection of initial empiric antibiotic therapy, and subsequent management decisions. Although some recommendations remain unchanged from the 2007 guideline, the availability of results from new therapeutic trials and epidemiological investigations led to revised recommendations for empiric treatment strategies and additional management decisions. Conclusions: The panel formulated and provided the rationale for recommendations on selected diagnostic and treatment strategies for adult patients with community-acquired pneumonia.

Background Whether gastroesophageal reflux (GER) or GER disease (GERD) causes chronic cough in children is controversial. Using the Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome (PICO) format, we undertook four systematic reviews. For children with chronic cough (> 4-weeks duration) and without underlying lung disease: (1) who do not have gastrointestinal GER symptoms, should empirical treatment for GERD be used? (2) with gastrointestinal GER symptoms, does treatment for GERD resolve the cough? (3) with or without gastrointestinal GER symptoms, what GER-based therapies should be used and for how long? (4) if GERD is suspected as the cause, what investigations and diagnostic criteria best determine GERD as the cause of the cough? Methods We used the CHEST Expert Cough Panel's protocol and American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST) methodological guidelines and GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) framework. Delphi methodology was used to obtain consensus. Results Few randomized controlled trials addressed the first two questions and none addressed the other two. The single meta-analysis (two randomized controlled trials) showed no significant difference between the groups (any intervention for GERD vs placebo for cough resolution; OR, 1.14; 95% CI, 0.45-2.93; P = .78). Proton pump inhibitors (vs placebo) caused increased serious adverse events. Qualitative data from existing CHEST cough systematic reviews were consistent with two international GERD guidelines. Conclusions The panelists endorsed that: (1) treatment(s) for GERD should not be used when there are no clinical features of GERD; and (2) pediatric GERD guidelines should be used to guide treatment and investigations.

Background Women in sub-Saharan Africa have the highest rates of morbidity and mortality during childbirth globally. Despite increases in facility-based childbirth, gaps in quality of care at facilities have limited reductions in maternal deaths. Infrequent physiologic monitoring of women around childbirth is a major gap in care that leads to delays in life-saving interventions for women experiencing complications. Methods We will conduct a type-2 hybrid effectiveness-implementation study over 12 months to evaluate using a wireless physiologic monitoring system to detect and alert clinicians of abnormal vital signs in women for 24 h after undergoing emergency cesarean delivery at a tertiary care facility in Uganda. We will provide physiologic data (heart rate, respiratory rate, temperature and blood pressure) to clinicians via a smartphone-based application with alert notifications if monitored women develop predefined abnormalities in monitored physiologic signs. We will alternate two-week intervention and control time periods where women and clinicians use the wireless monitoring system during intervention periods and current standard of care (i.e., manual vital sign measurement when clinically indicated) during control periods. Our primary outcome for effectiveness is a composite of severe maternal outcomes per World Health Organization criteria (e.g. death, cardiac arrest, jaundice, shock, prolonged unconsciousness, paralysis, hysterectomy). Secondary outcomes include maternal mortality rate, and case fatality rates for postpartum hemorrhage, hypertensive disorders, and sepsis. We will use the RE-AIM implementation framework to measure implementation metrics of the wireless physiologic system including Reach (proportion of eligible women monitored, length of time women monitored), Efficacy (proportion of women with monitoring according to Uganda Ministry of Health guidelines, number of appropriate alerts sent), Adoption (proportion of clinicians utilizing physiologic data per shift, clinical actions in response to alerts), Implementation (fidelity to monitoring protocol), Maintenance (sustainability of implementation over time). We will also perform in-depth qualitative interviews with up to 30 women and 30 clinicians participating in the study. Discussion This is the first hybrid-effectiveness study of wireless physiologic monitoring in an obstetric population. This study offers insights into use of wireless monitoring systems in low resource-settings, as well as normal and abnormal physiologic parameters among women delivering by cesarean. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04060667. Registered on 08/01/2019.

The authors apply principles for translating imprecision in diagnostic and therapeutic information into clinical decisions to address 3 ongoing areas of uncertainty related to diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of COVID-19. They briefly review the current state of knowledge, highlight the level of uncertainty, and then suggest a pathway forward for clinical decision making during the pandemic.

This cohort study assesses the risk of household transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and the associated risk factors among exposed household members.

BackgroundThe American Thoracic Society (ATS)/Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) Community-acquired Pneumonia (CAP) guidelines were developed using systematic reviews to inform every recommendation, as suggested by the Institute of Medicine Standards for Trustworthy Guidelines. Recent studies suggest that an expert consensus-based approach, called the Convergence of Opinion on Recommendations and Evidence (CORE) process, can produce recommendations that are concordant with recommendations informed by systematic reviews.PurposeThe goal of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of the CORE process had it been used to develop the ATS/IDSA CAP guidelines.MethodsExperts in CAP who were not on the guideline panel and had no knowledge of the guideline’s systematic reviews or recommendations were recruited to participate in the CORE process, addressing the same questions asked by the guideline panel. Recommendations derived from the CORE process were compared to the guideline recommendations. Concordance of the course of action, strength of recommendation, and quality of evidence were determined.ResultsUsing a threshold of 70% of experts selecting the same course of action to make a recommendation, the CORE process yielded a recommendation for 20 of 31 (65%) questions. Among the 20 CORE-derived recommendations, 19 (95%) were concordant with the guideline recommendations (kappa agreement 0.88, 95% CI .64–1.00). There was less agreement among the strength of recommendations (58%) and quality of evidence (42%).ConclusionsIf the CORE process had been used, 11 systematic reviews would have been necessary rather than 31, with minimal impact on the recommended courses of action.

Background Patients commonly present to primary care services with upper and lower respiratory tract infections, and guidelines to help physicians investigate and treat acute cough due to suspected pneumonia and influenza are needed. Methods A systematic search was carried out with eight patient, intervention, comparison, outcome questions related to acute cough due to suspected pneumonia or influenza. Results There was a lack of randomized controlled trials in the setting of outpatients presenting with acute cough due to suspected pneumonia or influenza who were not hospitalized. Both clinical suggestions and research recommendations were made on the evidence available and CHEST Expert Cough Panel advice. Conclusions For outpatient adults with acute cough due to suspected pneumonia, we suggest the following clinical symptoms and signs are suggestive of pneumonia: cough; dyspnea; pleural pain; sweating, fevers, or shivers; aches and pains; temperature ≥ 38°C; tachypnea; and new and localizing chest examination signs. Those suspected of having pneumonia should undergo chest radiography to improve diagnostic accuracy. Although the measurement of C-reactive protein levels strengthens both the diagnosis and exclusion of pneumonia, there was no added benefit of measuring procalcitonin levels in this setting. We suggest that there is no need for routine microbiological testing. We suggest the use of empiric antibiotics according to local and national guidelines when pneumonia is suspected in settings in which imaging cannot be performed. Where there is no clinical or radiographic evidence of pneumonia, we do not suggest the routine use of antibiotics. There is insufficient evidence to make recommendations for or against specific nonantibiotic, symptomatic therapies. Finally, for outpatient adults with acute cough and suspected influenza, we suggest that initiating antiviral treatment (according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advice) within 48 hours of symptoms could be associated with decreased antibiotic use and hospitalization and improved outcomes.

Deciding when recently published evidence should alter practice can be daunting. This article in the Annals Clinical Decision Making series discusses the care of a patient with a common problem and...

This paper in the Annals Clinical Decision Making series explains a practical approach to evaluating whether the conclusions of studies involving many patients or whole populations may be confident...

Background Acute bronchiolitis is common in young children, and some children develop chronic cough after their bronchiolitis. We thus undertook systematic reviews based on key questions (KQs) using the PICO (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome) format. The KQs were: Among children with chronic cough (> 4 weeks) after acute viral bronchiolitis, how effective are the following interventions in improving the resolution of cough?: (1) Antibiotics. If so what type and for how long? (2) Asthma medications (inhaled steroids, beta2 agonist, montelukast); and (3) Inhaled osmotic agents like hypertonic saline? Methods We used the CHEST expert cough panel's protocol and the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST) methodological guidelines and GRADE framework. Data from the systematic reviews in conjunction with patients' values and preferences and the clinical context were used to form these suggestions. Delphi methodology was used to obtain consensus. Results Several studies and systematic reviews on the efficacy of the three types of interventions listed in the introduction were found but no data were relevant to our KQs. Thus, no recommendations on using the interventions above could be formulated. Conclusions The panel made several consensus-based suggestions and identified directions for future studies to advance the field of managing chronic cough post-acute bronchiolitis in children.

BackgroundDespite potential respiratory virus transmission in pediatric clinics, little is known about the risk of healthcare-associated viral infections attributable to outpatient encounters. We evaluated whether exposure to a pediatric clinic visit was associated with subsequent influenza-like illness (ILI).MethodsUsing electronic health record data, we conducted a retrospective cohort study of all children aged 8 days after a non-ILI encounter.ResultsAmong 149987 children 8 days after a non-ILI visit during season 1 were 1.36 (95% confidence interval, 1.22–1.52) among children ≥2 years of age and 1.01 (95% confidence interval, 0.93–1.09) among children ConclusionsPediatric clinic visits during a respiratory virus season were significantly associated with an increased incidence of subsequent ILI among children aged 2 to 6 years but not among those aged

Alcohol and drug use results in substantial morbidity, mortality, and cost. Individuals with alcohol and drug use disorders are overrepresented in general medical settings. Hospital-based interventions offer an opportunity to engage with a vulnerable population that may not otherwise seek treatment. To determine whether inpatient addiction consultation improves substance use outcomes 1 month after discharge. Prospective quasi-experimental evaluation comparing 30-day post-discharge outcomes between participants who were and were not seen by an addiction consult team during hospitalization at an urban academic hospital. Three hundred ninety-nine hospitalized adults who screened as high risk for having an alcohol or drug use disorder or who were clinically identified by the primary nurse as having a substance use disorder. Addiction consultation from a multidisciplinary specialty team offering pharmacotherapy initiation, motivational counseling, treatment planning, and direct linkage to ongoing addiction treatment. Addiction Severity Index (ASI) composite score for alcohol and drug use and self-reported abstinence at 30 days post-discharge. Secondary outcomes included 90-day substance use measures and self-reported hospital and ED utilization. Among 265 participants with 30-day follow-up, a greater reduction in the ASI composite score for drug or alcohol use was seen in the intervention group than in the control group (mean ASI-alcohol decreased by 0.24 vs. 0.08, p

OBJECTIVE The HOSPITAL score has been widely validated and accurately identifies high-risk patients who may mostly benefit from transition care interventions. Although this score is easy to use, it has the potential to be simplified without impacting its performance. We aimed to validate a simplified version of the HOSPITAL score for predicting patients likely to be readmitted. DESIGN AND SETTING Retrospective study in 9 large hospitals across 4 countries, from January through December 2011. PARTICIPANTS We included all consecutively discharged medical patients. We excluded patients who died before discharge or were transferred to another acute care facility. MEASUREMENTS The primary outcome was any 30-day potentially avoidable readmission. We simplified the score as follows: (1) 'discharge from an oncology division' was replaced by 'cancer diagnosis or discharge from an oncology division'; (2) 'any procedure' was left out; (3) patients were categorised into two risk groups (unlikely and likely to be readmitted). The performance of the simplified HOSPITAL score was evaluated according to its overall accuracy, its discriminatory power and its calibration. RESULTS Thirty-day potentially avoidable readmission rate was 9.7% (n=11 307/117 065 patients discharged). Median of the simplified HOSPITAL score was 3 points (IQR 2-5). Overall accuracy was very good with a Brier score of 0.08 and discriminatory power remained good with a C-statistic of 0.69 (95% CI 0.68 to 0.69). The calibration was excellent when comparing the expected with the observed risk in the two risk categories. CONCLUSIONS The simplified HOSPITAL score has good performance for predicting 30-day readmission. Prognostic accuracy was similar to the original version, while its use is even easier. This simplified score may provide a good alternative to the original score depending on the setting.

Although pneumonia caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 is a prominent feature of COVID-19, clinicians must consider whether treatment for additional potential causes of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is appropriate. The cochairs of the recently released American Thoracic Society and Infectious Diseases Society of America Guideline for Treatment of Adults with CAP offer their interpretation of this guideline's application to the evaluation and treatment of patients with COVID-19.

Purpose of review The American Thoracic Society and Infectious Diseases Society of America recently released their joint guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of adults with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). The co-chairs of the guideline committee provide a summary of the guideline process, key recommendations from the new guideline and future directions for CAP research. Recent findings The guideline committee included 14 experts from the two societies. Sixteen questions for the guideline were selected using the PICO format. The GRADE approach was utilized to review the available evidence and generate recommendations. The recommendations included expanded microbiological testing for patients suspected of drug-resistant infections, empiric first-line therapy recommendations for outpatients and inpatients including use of beta-lactam monotherapy for uncomplicated outpatients, elimination of healthcare-associated pneumonia as a treatment category, and not recommending corticosteroids as routine adjunct therapy. Summary CAP is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Effective antibiotic therapy is available and remains largely empirical. New diagnostic tests and treatment options are emerging and will lead to guideline updates in the future.

Background Connect for Health is an evidence-based weight management program with clinical- and family-facing components for delivery in pediatric primary care for families of children ages 2 to 12 years. We used the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) to guide formative work prior to national implementation. The purpose of this study was to describe the process and results of stakeholder engagement and program adaptation. Methods We used mixed qualitative and quantitative methods to iteratively adapt and optimize the program by assessing needs and perspectives of clinicians and parents, as well as contextual barriers, facilitators, and organizational readiness for the uptake of the proposed program tools and implementation strategies. We conducted interviews with primary care clinicians from four health care organizations in Boston, MA; Denver, CO; and Greenville, SC, and used principles of immersion-crystallization for qualitative analyses. We also conducted surveys of parents of children with a body mass index ≥ 85th percentile. Results We reached thematic saturation after 52 clinician interviews. Emergent themes representing the CFIR domains of intervention characteristics, outer and inner setting, and process included (1) importance of evidence-based clinical decision support tools that integrate into the workflow and do not extend visit time, (2) developing resources that respond to family’s needs, (3) using multimodal delivery options for family resources, (4) addressing childhood obesity while balancing competing demands, (5) emphasizing patient care rather than documentation and establishing sustainability plans, and (6) offering multiple training methods that incorporate performance feedback. Of the parents surveyed (n = 400), approximately 50% were Spanish-speaking and over 75% reported an annual income < $50,000. Parents affirmed the importance of addressing weight management during well-child visits, being provided with referrals and resources, and offering multiple methods for resource delivery. Decisions about program modifications were made at the program and healthcare-system level and based on stakeholder engagement findings. Modifications included cultural, geographic, and target audience adaptations, as well as varied resource delivery options. Conclusions To ensure the fit between the Connect for Health program and national implementation settings, adaptations were systematically made through engagement of clinician and parent stakeholders to support adoption, sustainability, and health outcomes. Trial registration NCT04042493

BACKGROUND It is not known whether delivering inpatient care earlier to patients boarding in the emergency department (ED) by a hospitalist-led team can decrease length of stay (LOS). OBJECTIVE To study the association between care provided by a hospital medicine ED Boarder (EDB) service and LOS. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Retrospective cross-sectional study (July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2018) conducted at a single, large, urban academic medical center. Patients admitted to general medicine services from the ED were included. EDB patients were defined as those waiting for more than two hours for an inpatient bed. Patients were categorized as covered EDB, noncovered EDB, or nonboarder. INTERVENTION The hospital medicine team provided continuous care to covered EDB patients waiting for an inpatient bed. PRIMARY OUTCOME AND MEASURES The primary outcome was median hospital LOS defined as the time period from ED arrival to hospital departure. Secondary outcomes included ED LOS and 30-day ED readmission rate. RESULTS There were 8,776 covered EDB, 5,866 noncovered EDB, and 2,026 nonboarder patients. The EDB service covered 59.9% of eligible patients and 62.9% of total boarding hours. Median hospital LOS was 4.76 (interquartile range [IQR] 2.90-7.22) days for nonboarders, 4.92 (IQR 3.00-8.03) days for covered EDB patients, and 5.11 (IQR 3.16-8.34) days for noncovered EDB (P < .001). Median ED LOS for nonboarders was 5.6 (IQR 4.2-7.5) hours, 20.7 (IQR 15.8-24.9) hours for covered EDB, and 10.1 (IQR 7.9-13.8) hours for noncovered EDB (P < .001). There was no difference in 30-day ED readmission rates. CONCLUSION Admitted patients who were not boarders had the shortest LOS. Among boarded patients, coverage by a hospital medicine-led EDB service was associated with a reduced hospital LOS.

The quest to reduce costs and readmissions has given rise to system- and practice-level approaches to identifying and managing the care of high-cost, high-risk populations.1 Care management programs (CMPs) have been developed in US health systems to connect nurses, social workers, and/or other staff with patients to coordinate care, reduce utilization, and lower costs, but evidence of success in cost reduction is variable.2, 3 Early models featured registered nurses as care managers, although more recent reports show models led by social workers.4 We aimed to develop approaches to classifying models of care management in Medicare ACOs that included staffing, CMP process, and outcomes.

PURPOSE To identify patient-, provider-, and claim-related factors of medical malpractice claims in which physician trainees were directly involved in the harm events. METHOD The authors performed a case-control study using medical malpractice claims closed between 2012-2016 and contributed to the Comparative Benchmarking System database by teaching hospitals. Using the service extender flag, they classified claims as cases if physician trainees were directly involved in the harm events. They classified claims as controls if they were from the same facilities, but trainees were not directly involved in the harm events. They performed multivariable regression with predictor variables being patient and provider characteristics. The outcome was physician trainee involvement in harm events. RESULTS From the original pool of 30,973 claims, there were 581 cases and 2,610 controls. The majority of cases involved residents (471, 81%). Cases had a statistically significant higher rate of having a trainee named as defendants than controls (184, 32% vs 233, 9%; P < .001). The most common final diagnosis for cases was puncture or laceration during surgery (62, 11%). Inadequate supervision was a contributing factor in 140 (24%) cases overall, with the majority (104, 74%) of these claims being procedure related. Multivariable regression analysis revealed that trainees were most likely to be involved in harm events in specialties such as oral surgery/dentistry and obstetrics-gynecology (OR = 7.99, 95% CI 2.93, 21.83 and OR = 1.85, 95% CI 1.24, 2.66, respectively), when performing procedures (OR = 1.58, 95% CI 1.27, 1.96), or when delivering care in the emergency room (OR = 1.65, 95% CI 1.43, 1.91). CONCLUSIONS Among claims involving physician trainees, procedures were common and often associated with inadequate supervision. Training directors of surgical specialties can use this information to improve resident supervision policies. The goal is to reduce the likelihood of future harm events.

Multimorbidity is frequent and represents a significant burden for patients and healthcare systems. However, there are limited data on the most common combinations of comorbidities in multimorbid patients. We aimed to describe and quantify the most common combinations of comorbidities in multimorbid medical inpatients. We used a large retrospective cohort of adults discharged from the medical department of 11 hospitals across 3 countries (USA, Switzerland, and Israel) between 2010 and 2011. Diseases were classified into acute versus chronic. Chronic diseases were grouped into clinically meaningful categories of comorbidities. We identified the most prevalent combinations of comorbidities and compared the observed and expected prevalence of the combinations. We assessed the distribution of acute and chronic diseases and the median number of body systems in relationship to the total number of diseases. Eighty-six percent (n = 126,828/147,806) of the patients were multimorbid (≥ 2 chronic diseases), with a median of five chronic diseases; 13% of the patients had ≥ 10 chronic diseases. Among the most frequent combinations of comorbidities, the most prevalent comorbidity was chronic heart disease. Other high prevalent comorbidities included mood disorders, arthropathy and arthritis, and esophageal disorders. The ratio of chronic versus acute diseases was approximately 2:1. Multimorbidity affected almost 90% of patients, with a median of five chronic diseases. Over 10% had ≥ 10 chronic diseases. This identification and quantification of frequent combinations of comorbidities among multimorbid medical inpatients may increase awareness of what should be taken into account when treating such patients, a growth in the need for special care considerations.

Key Points Question What is the prevalence of angina among stable US outpatients with coronary artery disease (CAD)? Findings In a survey study of 1612 outpatient primary care patients with CAD in a large US integrated primary care network, 21.2% of surveyed patients reported experiencing angina at least once per month (daily or weekly, 12.5%; monthly, 8.7%). After multivariable adjustment, speaking a language other than Spanish or English, Black race, smoking, atrial fibrillation, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were associated with increased angina frequency. Meaning These findings suggest that angina is prevalent among US outpatients with CAD; proactive angina assessment in outpatient settings may identify patients with suboptimally controlled angina and may be associated with improved treatment and outcomes., This survey study examines the prevalence and frequency of angina among stable US outpatients with coronary artery disease., Importance Angina pectoris is associated with morbidity and mortality. Angina prevalence and frequency among contemporary US populations with coronary artery disease (CAD) remain incompletely defined. Objective To ascertain the angina prevalence and frequency among stable outpatients with CAD. Design, Setting, and Participants This cross-sectional survey study involved telephone-based administration of the Seattle Angina Questionnaire–7 (SAQ-7) between February 1, 2017, and July 31, 2017, to a nonconvenience sample of adults with established CAD who receive primary care through a large US integrated primary care network. Data analysis was performed from August 2017 to August 2019. Exposure SAQ-7 administration. Main Outcomes and Measures Angina prevalence and frequency were assessed using SAQ-7 question 2. Covariates associated with angina were assessed in univariable and multivariable regression. Results Of 4139 eligible patients, 1612 responded to the survey (response rate, 38.9%). The mean (SD) age of the respondents was 71.8 (11.0) years, 577 (35.8%) were women, 1447 (89.8%) spoke English, 147 (9.1%) spoke Spanish, 1336 (82.8%) were White, 76 (4.7%) were Black, 92 (5.7%) were Hispanic, 974 (60.4%) had Medicare, and 83 (5.2%) had Medicaid. Among respondents, 342 (21.2%) reported experiencing angina at least once monthly; among those, 201 (12.5%) reported daily or weekly angina, and 141 respondents (8.7%) reported monthly angina. The mean (SD) SAQ-7 score was 93.7 (13.7). After multivariable adjustment, speaking a language other than Spanish or English (odds ratio [OR], 5.07; 95% CI, 1.39-18.50), Black race (OR, 2.01; 95% CI, 1.08-3.75), current smoking (OR, 1.88; 95% CI, 1.27-2.78), former smoking (OR, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.13-2.51), atrial fibrillation (OR, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.02-2.26), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (OR, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.18-2.18) were associated with more frequent angina. Male sex (OR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.47-0.86), peripheral artery disease (OR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.44-0.90), and novel oral anticoagulant use (OR, 0.19; 95% CI, 0.08-0.48) were associated with less frequent angina. Conclusions and Relevance Among stable outpatients with CAD receiving primary care through an integrated primary care network, 21.2% of surveyed patients reported experiencing angina at least once monthly. Several objective demographic and clinical characteristics were associated with angina frequency. Proactive assessment of angina symptoms using validated assessment tools and estimation of patients at higher risk of suboptimally controlled angina may be associated with reduced morbidity.

Background Use of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) has been hypothesized to affect COVID-19 risk. Objective To examine the association between use of ACEI/ARB and household transmission of COVID-19. Methods We conducted a modified cohort study of household contacts of patients who tested positive for COVID-19 between March 4 and May 17, 2020 in a large Northeast US health system. Household members were identified by geocoding and full address matching with exclusion of addresses with >10 matched residents or known congregate living functions. Medication use, clinical conditions and sociodemographic characteristics were obtained from electronic medical record (EMR) data on cohort entry. Cohort members were followed for at least one month after exposure to determine who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. Mixed effects logistic regression and propensity score analyses were used to assess adjusted associations between medication use and testing positive. Results 1,499 of the 9,101 household contacts were taking an ACEI or an ARB. Probability of COVID-19 diagnosis during the study period was slightly higher among ACEI/ARB users in unadjusted analyses. However, ACEI/ARB users were older and more likely to have clinical comorbidities so that use of ACEI/ARB was associated with a decreased risk of being diagnosed with COVID-19 in mixed effect models (OR 0.60, 95% CI 0.44–0.81) or propensity score analyses (predicted probability 18.6% in ACEI/ARB users vs. 24.5% in non-users, p = 0.03). These associations were similar within age and comorbidity subgroups, including patients with documented hypertension, diabetes or cardiovascular disease, as well as when including other medications in the models. Conclusions In this observational study of household transmission, use of ACEIs or ARBs was associated with a decreased risk of being diagnosed with COVID-19. While causality cannot be inferred from these observational data, our results support current recommendations to continue ACEI/ARB in individuals at risk of COVID-19 exposure.

Study objective Clinical guidelines are known to be underused by practitioners. In response to the challenges of treating pain amid a prescription opioid epidemic, the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) published an evidence-based clinical policy for opioid prescribing in 2012. Evidence-based narratives, an effective method of communicating health information in a variety of settings, offer a novel strategy for disseminating guidelines to physicians and engaging providers with clinical evidence. We compare whether narrative vignettes embedded in the ACEP daily e-newsletter improved dissemination of the clinical policy to ACEP members, and engagement of members with the clinical policy, compared with traditional summary text. Methods A prospective randomized controlled study, titled Stories to Promote Information Using Narrative trial, was performed. Derived from qualitative interviews with 61 ACEP physicians, 4 narrative vignettes were selected and refined, using a consensus panel of clinical and implementation experts. All ACEP members were then block randomized by state of residence to receive alternative versions of a daily e-mailed newsletter for a total of 24 days during a 9-week period. Narrative newsletters contained a selection of vignettes that referenced opioid prescription dilemmas. Control newsletters contained a selection of descriptive text about the clinical policy, using length and appearance similar to that of the narrative vignettes. Embedded in the newsletters were Web links to the complete vignette or traditional summary text, as well as additional links to the full ACEP clinical policy and a Web site providing assistance with prescription drug monitoring program enrollment. The newsletters were otherwise identical. Outcomes measured were the percentage of subjects who visited any of the Web pages that contained additional guideline-related information and the odds of any unique physician visiting these Web pages during the study. Results There were 27,592 physicians randomized, and 21,226 received the newsletter during the study period. When each physician was counted once during the study period, there were 509 unique visitors in the narrative group and 173 unique visitors in the control group (4.8% versus 1.6%; difference 3.2%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.7% to 3.7%). There were 744 gross visits from the e-newsletter to any of the 3 Web pages in the narrative group compared with 248 in the control group (7.0% versus 2.3%; odds ratio 3.2; 95% CI 2.7 to 3.6). During the study, the odds ratio of any physician in the narrative group visiting one of the 3 informational Web sites compared with the control group was 3.1 (95% CI 2.6 to 3.6). Conclusion Among a national sample of emergency physicians, narrative vignettes outperformed traditional guideline text in promoting engagement with an evidence-based clinical guideline related to opioid prescriptions.

OBJECTIVETo determine the impact of total household decolonization with intranasal mupirocin and chlorhexidine gluconate body wash on recurrent methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection among subjects with MRSA skin and soft-tissue infection.DESIGNThree-arm nonmasked randomized controlled trial.SETTINGFive academic medical centers in Southeastern Pennsylvania.PARTICIPANTSAdults and children presenting to ambulatory care settings with community-onset MRSA skin and soft-tissue infection (ie, index cases) and their household members.INTERVENTIONEnrolled households were randomized to 1 of 3 intervention groups: (1) education on routine hygiene measures, (2) education plus decolonization without reminders (intranasal mupirocin ointment twice daily for 7 days and chlorhexidine gluconate on the first and last day), or (3) education plus decolonization with reminders, where subjects received daily telephone call or text message reminders.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURESOwing to small numbers of recurrent infections, this analysis focused on time to clearance of colonization in the index case.RESULTSOf 223 households, 73 were randomized to education-only, 76 to decolonization without reminders, 74 to decolonization with reminders. There was no significant difference in time to clearance of colonization between the education-only and decolonization groups (log-rank P=.768). In secondary analyses, compliance with decolonization was associated with decreased time to clearance (P=.018).CONCLUSIONSTotal household decolonization did not result in decreased time to clearance of MRSA colonization among adults and children with MRSA skin and soft-tissue infection. However, subjects who were compliant with the protocol had more rapid clearanceTrial registration. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00966446Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2016;1–8

Compared to chart review, a definition based on the International Classification of Disease, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) diagnosis code for healthcare-associated influenza-like illness (HA-ILI) among young children in a large pediatric network demonstrated high positive and negative predictive values. This finding suggests that electronic health record–based definitions for surveillance can accurately identify medically attended outpatient HA-ILI cases for research and surveillance.Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2016;1–4

Key Points Question What characteristics are associated with the online portal–based scheduling of medical visits? Findings In this cross-sectional study of 62 080 patients and 134 225 completed visits at 17 primary care practices within a large academic medical center, early adopters of direct scheduling were more often young, White, and commercially insured. Compared with visits scheduled by speaking with clinic staff in person or by telephone, directly scheduled visits were more likely to be with one’s own primary care physician. Meaning These findings suggest that direct scheduling may contribute to primary care continuity and that if greater adoption by younger, White, commercially insured patients persists, this service may widen socioeconomic disparities in primary care access., This cross-sectional study examines the patient and visit characteristics associated with online portal-based scheduling of medical visits., Importance Medical practices increasingly allow patients to schedule their own visits through online patient portals, yet little is known about who adopts direct scheduling or how this service is used. Objective To determine patient and visit characteristics associated with direct scheduling, visit patterns, and potential implications for access and continuity in the primary care setting. Design, Setting, and Participants This cross-sectional study used electronic health record (EHR) data from 17 adult primary care practices in a large academic medical center in the Boston, Massachusetts, area. Participants included patients 18 years or older who were attributed in the EHR to an active primary care physician at 1 of the included primary care practices, were enrolled in the patient portal, and had at least 1 visit to 1 of these practices between March 1, 2018, and March 1, 2019, the period of analysis. Data were analyzed from October 25, 2019, to April 14, 2020. Main Outcomes and Measures Adoption of direct scheduling, defined as at least 1 use during the study period. Usual scheduling was defined as scheduling with clinic staff by telephone or in person. Results We examined 134 225 completed visits by 62 080 patients (mean [SD] age, 51.1 [16.4] years, 37 793 [60.9%] women) attributed to 140 primary care physicians at 17 primary care practices. A total of 5020 patients (8.1% [95% CI, 7.9%-8.3%]) adopted direct scheduling, with an age range of 18 to 95 years. Compared with nonadopters in the same practices, adopters were younger (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] per additional year, 0.98 [95% CI, 0.98-0.99]) and were more likely to be White (AOR, 1.09 [95% CI, 1.01-1.17]) and commercially insured (AOR vs uninsured, 1.40 [95% CI, 1.11-1.76]) and to have more comorbidities (AOR per additional comorbidity, 1.07 [95% CI, 1.04-1.11]). Compared with usually scheduled visits, directly scheduled visits were more likely to be for general medical examinations (1979 visits [36.7%] vs 26 519 visits [21.9%]; P

Background: The role of hospital factors in the decision to transfer acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients is not clear. Objective: To determine whether hospital quality is associated with the transfer of stroke patients between 2 hospitals. Methods: Medicare claims data were used to identify AIS patients transferred between hospitals in the Northeast US from 2007-2011. We categorized hospitals as transferring hospitals (TH), retaining hospitals (RH), and accepting hospitals (AH) based on the largest proportion of AIS patient encounters that were transferred, retained, or accepted. All AHs participated in Get With The Guideline (GWTG)-Stroke, enabling the use of registry data to determine hospital performance by tPA use, composite quality measure score and door-to-needle (DTN) time for tPA. We identified connected TH-AH dyads as those with > 5 patients transferred annually and used logistic regression to identify hospital characteristics associated with the establishment of a given TH-AH connection. We fitted separate models for each measure of performance (rate of tPA use, GWTG composite quality measure and median DTN time); we also adjusted for driving distance between hospitals, AH stroke volume, and the number of hospitals in the AH’s referral region. Results: Of 394 Northeast hospitals, there were 136 THs, 241 RHs, and 17 AHs. The odds of an establishing an AH-TH connected dyad were influenced by many factors and increased when quality measure performance increased at the AH or decreased at the TH (Table). Conclusion: Among Northeast U.S. hospitals, we found that interfacility transfer destinations of choice were sensitive to differences in AH quality, with higher AH performance associated with increased likelihood of being a transfer destination. Further research is needed to better understand AIS transfer patterns in order to optimize the transfer system for maximal patient benefit in the future.

BACKGROUND: Components of substance use disorder (SUD) treatment have been shown to reduce inpatient and emergency department (ED) utilization. However, integrated treatment using pharmacotherapy and recovery coaches in primary care has not been studied. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether integrated addiction treatment in primary care reduces inpatient and ED utilization and improves outpatient engagement. DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study comparing patients in practices with and without integrated addiction treatment including pharmacotherapy and recovery coaching during a staggered roll-out period. PARTICIPANTS: A propensity score matched sample of 2706 adult primary care patients (1353 matched pairs from intervention and control practices) with a SUD diagnosis code, excluding cannabis or tobacco only, matched on baseline utilization. INTERVENTION: A multi-modal strategy that included forming interdisciplinary teams of local champions, access to addiction pharmacotherapy, counseling, and recovery coaching. Control practices could refer patients to an addiction treatment clinic offering pharmacotherapy and behavioral interventions. MAIN MEASURES: The number of inpatient admissions, hospital bed days, ED visits, and primary care visits. KEY RESULTS: During the follow-up period, there were fewer inpatient days among the intervention group (997 vs. 1096 days with a mean difference of 7.3 days per 100 patients, p = 0.03). The mean number of ED visits was lower for the intervention group (36.2 visits vs. 42.9 per 100 patients, p = 0.005). There was no difference in the mean number of hospitalizations. The mean number of primary care visits was higher for the intervention group (317 visits vs. 270 visits per 100 patients, p

Background Multimorbidity is associated with higher healthcare utilization; however, data exploring its association with readmission are scarce. We aimed to investigate which most important patterns of multimorbidity are associated with 30-day readmission. Methods We used a multinational retrospective cohort of 126,828 medical inpatients with multimorbidity defined as ≥2 chronic diseases. The primary and secondary outcomes were 30-day potentially avoidable readmission (PAR) and 30-day all-cause readmission (ACR), respectively. Only chronic diseases were included in the analyses. We presented the OR for readmission according to the number of diseases or body systems involved, and the combinations of diseases categories with the highest OR for readmission. Results Multimorbidity severity, assessed as number of chronic diseases or body systems involved, was strongly associated with PAR, and to a lesser extend with ACR. The strength of association steadily and linearly increased with each additional disease or body system involved. Patients with four body systems involved or nine diseases already had a more than doubled odds for PAR (OR 2.35, 95%CI 2.15–2.57, and OR 2.25, 95%CI 2.05–2.48, respectively). The combinations of diseases categories that were most strongly associated with PAR and ACR were chronic kidney disease with liver disease or chronic ulcer of skin, and hematological malignancy with esophageal disorders or mood disorders, respectively. Conclusions Readmission was associated with the number of chronic diseases or body systems involved and with specific combinations of diseases categories. The number of body systems involved may be a particularly interesting measure of the risk for readmission in multimorbid patients. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12889-019-7066-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Objectives There has been a rapid increase in the presence of illicitly manufactured fentanyl in the heroin drug supply. Buprenorphine is an effective treatment for heroin and prescription opioid use disorder; however, little is known about treatment outcomes among people using fentanyl. We compared 6-month treatment retention and opioid abstinence among people initiating buprenorphine treatment who had toxicology positive for heroin compared to fentanyl at baseline. Methods Retrospective cohort study of 251 adult patients initiating office-based buprenorphine treatment who had available toxicology testing across an academic health system between August 2016 and July 2017. Exposure was assessed at baseline before initiating buprenorphine and was categorized as negative toxicology (n = 184) versus fentanyl positive toxicology (n = 48) versus heroin positive toxicology (n = 19). Results Six-month treatment retention rates were not different between the fentanyl positive and heroin positive groups [38% (n = 18) vs 47% (n = 9); P = 0.58], or between the fentanyl positive and the negative toxicology group [38% (n = 18) vs 51% (n = 93); P = 0.14]. Opioid abstinence at 6 months among those who had testing did not differ between the fentanyl positive and the heroin positive group [55% (n = 6) vs 60% (n = 6); P = 0.99]. The fentanyl positive group had a lower abstinence rate at 6 months compared to those with negative toxicology at baseline [55% (n = 6) vs 93% (n = 63); P = 0.004]. Mean initial buprenophine dosage did not differ between groups. Conclusions Buprenorphine treatment retention and abstinence among those retained in treatment is not worse between people using fentanyl compared to heroin at treatment initiation. Both groups have lower abstinence rates at 6 months compared to individuals with negative toxicology at baseline. These findings suggest that people exposed to fentanyl still benefit from buprenorphine treatment.

Little is known about how hospitals are connected in the transfer of ischemic stroke (IS) patients. We aimed to describe differences in characteristics of transferred versus nontransferred patients and between transferring and receiving hospitals in the Northeastern United States, and to describe changes over time.We used Medicare claims data, and a subset linked with the Get with the Guidelines-Stroke registry from 2007 to 2011. Receiving hospitals were those with annual IS volume greater than or equal to 120 and greater than or equal to 15% received as transfers, and transferring hospitals were nonaccepting hospitals that transferred greater than or equal to 15% of their total (ED plus inpatient) IS patient discharges. A transferring-to-receiving hospital connection was identified if greater than or equal to 5 patients per year were shared. ArcGIS 10.3.1 was used for network visualization.Among 177,270 admissions to 402 Northeast hospitals, 6906 (3.9%) patients were transferred. Transferred patients were younger with more severe strokes (78 versus 81 years, P.001; National Institutes of Health Stroke Severity 7 versus 5, P.001), and were as likely to receive tissue plasminogen activator as nontransferred (P = .29). From 2007 to 2011, there were more patients transferred (960 [3%] to 1777 [6%], P.001), and more transferring hospitals (46 [12%] to 91 [24%], P.001), and receiving hospitals (6 [2%] to 16 [4%], P.001). Most transferring hospitals were exclusively connected to a single receiving hospital.From 2007 to 2011, hospitals in the United States Northeast became more connected in the care of IS patients, with increasing patient transfers and hospital connections. Yet most hospitals remained unconnected. Further characterization of this transfer network will be important for understanding and improving regional stroke systems of care.

IMPORTANCE: While the relationship between resident work hours and patient safety has been extensively studied, little research has evaluated the role of attending physician supervision on patient safety. OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of increased attending physician supervision on an inpatient resident general medical service on patient safety and educational outcomes. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This 9-month randomized clinical trial performed on an inpatient general medical service of a large academic medical center used a crossover design. Participants were clinical teaching attending physicians and residents in an internal medicine residency program. INTERVENTIONS: Twenty-two faculty provided either (1) increased direct supervision in which attending physicians joined work rounds on previously admitted patients or (2) standard supervision in which attending physicians were available but did not join work rounds. Each faculty member participated in both arms in random order. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The primary safety outcome was rate of medical errors. Resident education was evaluated via a time-motion study to assess resident participation on rounds and via surveys to measure resident and attending physician educational ratings. RESULTS: Of the 22 attending physicians, 8 (36%) were women, with 15 (68%) having more than 5 years of experience. A total of 1259 patients (5772 patient-days) were included in the analysis. The medical error rate was not significantly different between standard vs increased supervision (107.6; 95% CI, 85.8-133.7 vs 91.1; 95% CI, 76.9-104.0 per 1000 patient-days; P = .21). Time-motion analysis of 161 work rounds found no difference in mean length of time spent discussing established patients in the 2 models (202; 95% CI, 192-212 vs 202; 95% CI, 189-215 minutes; P = .99). Interns spoke less when an attending physician joined rounds (64; 95% CI, 60-68 vs 55; 95% CI, 49-60 minutes; P = .008). In surveys, interns reported feeling less efficient (41 [55%] vs 68 [73%]; P = .02) and less autonomous (53 [72%] vs 86 [91%]; P = .001) with an attending physician present and residents felt less autonomous (11 [58%] vs 30 [97%]; P

Background:Many experts believe that hospitals with more frequent readmissions provide lower-quality care, but little is known about how the preventability of readmissions might change over the postdischarge time frame. Objective:To determine whether readmissions within 7 days of discharge differ from those between 8 and 30 days after discharge with respect to preventability. Design:Prospective cohort study. Setting:10 academic medical centers in the United States. Patients:822 adults readmitted to a general medicine service. Measurements:For each readmission, 2 site-specific physician adjudicators used a structured survey instrument to determine whether it was preventable and measured other characteristics. Results:Overall, 36.2% of early readmissions versus 23.0% of late readmissions were preventable (median risk difference, 13.0 percentage points [interquartile range, 5.5 to 26.4 percentage points]). Hospitals were identified as better locations for preventing early readmissions (47.2% vs. 25.5%; median risk difference, 22.8 percentage points [interquartile range, 17.9 to 31.8 percentage points]), whereas outpatient clinics (15.2% vs. 6.6%; median risk difference, 10.0 percentage points [interquartile range, 4.6 to 12.2 percentage points]) and home (19.4% vs. 14.0%; median risk difference, 5.6 percentage points [interquartile range, -6.1 to 17.1 percentage points]) were better for preventing late readmissions. Limitation:Physician adjudicators were not blinded to readmission timing, community hospitals were not included in the study, and readmissions to nonstudy hospitals were not included in the results. Conclusion:Early readmissions were more likely to be preventable and amenable to hospital-based interventions. Late readmissions were less likely to be preventable and were more amenable to ambulatory and home-based interventions. Primary Funding Source:Association of American Medical Colleges.

Background— Candidates for cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) receive either a biventricular pacemaker or a biventricular pacemaker with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (CRT-D). Optimal device selection remains challenging because the benefit of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator therapy may not be uniform, particularly in patients at competing risk of nonsudden death. Methods and Results— In this serial cross-sectional study using the National Inpatient Sample database, we identified 311 086 admissions associated with CRT implant between 2006 to 2012. CRT-D was the most common device type (86.1%), including in patients ≥75 years of age with ≥5 Elixhauser comorbidities (75.5%). Multivariate predictors of CRT-D implant included demographic, clinical, and geographic factors: prior ventricular arrhythmia (rate ratio [RR], 1.14; 95% CI, 1.13–1.14), ischemic heart disease (RR, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.10–1.11), male sex (RR, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.09–1.10), black race (RR, 1.06; 95% CI: 1.04–1.07), and Northeast geographic region (RR, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.04–1.09). There was significant interhospital variation in the use of CRT-D (10–90 percentile range, 72.9%–98.0% CRT-D). Conclusions— The majority of patients in this contemporary US cohort underwent implantation of CRT-D. Predictors of CRT-D implant included demographic, clinical, and geographic factors. In patient subgroups predicted to have an attenuated benefit from implantable cardioverter-defibrillator therapy (older adults with multiple comorbidities), CRT-D remained the dominant device type. An improved understanding of the determinants of device selection may aid in decision making and ultimately better align patient risk with device benefit at the time of CRT implantation.