Achieving efficiency in crowded emergency departments: a research agenda

The Application of Data Envelopment Analysis to Emergency Departments and Management of Emergency Conditions: A Narrative Review

The healthcare industry is one application for data envelopment analysis (DEA) that can have significant benefits for standardizing health service delivery. This narrative review focuses on the application of DEA in emergency departments (EDs) and the management of emergency conditions such as acute ischemic stroke and acute myocardial infarction (AMI). This includes benchmarking the proportion of patients that receive treatment for these emergency conditions. The most frequent primary areas of study motivating work in DEA, EDs and management of emergency conditions including acute management of stroke are sorted into five distinct clusters in this study: (1) using basic DEA models for efficiency analysis in EDs, i.e., applying variable return to scale (VRS), or constant return to scale (CRS) to ED operations; (2) combining advanced and basic DEA approaches in EDs, i.e., applying super-efficiency with basic DEA or advanced DEA approaches such as additive model (ADD) and slack-based measurement (SBM) to clarify the dynamic aspects of ED efficiency throughout the duration of a first-aid program for AMI or heart attack; (3) applying DEA time series models in EDs like the early use of thrombolysis and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in AMI treatment, and endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) in acute ischemic stroke treatment, i.e., using window analysis and Malmquist productivity index (MPI) to benchmark the performance of EDs over time; (4) integrating other approaches with DEA in EDs, i.e., combining simulations, machine learning (ML), multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDM) by DEA to reduce patient waiting times, and futile transfers; and (5) applying various DEA models for the management of acute ischemic stroke, i.e., using DEA to increase the number of eligible acute ischemic stroke patients receiving EVT and other medical ischemic stroke treatment in the form of thrombolysis (alteplase and now Tenecteplase). We thoroughly assess the methodological basis of the papers, offering detailed explanations regarding the applied models, selected inputs and outputs, and all relevant methodologies. In conclusion, we explore several ways to enhance DEA's status, transforming it from a mere technical application into a strong methodology that can be utilized by healthcare managers and decision-makers.

A Quality Improvement Initiative: Using Lean Methodology to Improve Efficiency of the Morning Cycle Monitoring at an Ambulatory Academic Fertility Clinic

OBJECTIVE

Patients receiving fertility treatments require near-daily blood work and ultrasound for cycle monitoring. Patient volumes at an academic hospital-based ambulatory clinic were expected to increase with expanded provincial funding. The aim of this quality improvement project was for 85% of cycle monitoring patients to have a turnaround time (TAT) of 20 minutes or less from arrival until checkout.

METHODS

This is a time series study analyzed with statistical process control methodology. A baseline survey was conducted to understand patient priorities. Multiple site-specific change ideas were developed by front-line staff using lean methodology including standard processes, standard work, supportive tools, visual management, and staffing and scheduling to meet Takt time. Patient and staff satisfaction surveys were conducted after implementation (Canadian Task Force Classification II-2).

RESULTS

With the start of funding in December 2015 the clinic accommodated a 17% increase in daily patient volumes and increased the proportion of patients receiving education at each visit from 50% to 100%. Despite increased patient volumes and added education time, the control chart showed special cause variation with decreased TATs from 38.2 to 34.7 minutes. Patient surveys showed that their priorities were being met or exceeded, and all staff reported increased satisfaction with the new process.

CONCLUSION

By using lean methodology in an ambulatory fertility setting, the clinic was able to improve efficiency in the morning monitoring process to decrease patient TATs while accommodating increased patient volumes and improving the quality of patient care.

Absence of July Phenomenon in Acute Ischemic Stroke Care Quality and Outcomes

Background

Lower care quality and an increase in adverse outcomes as a result of new medical trainees is a concept well rooted in popular belief, termed the “July phenomenon.” Whether this phenomenon occurs in acute ischemic stroke has not been well studied.

Methods and Results

We analyzed data from patients admitted with ischemic stroke in 1625 hospitals participating in the Get With The Guidelines–Stroke program for the 5‐year period between January 2009 and December 2013. We compared acute stroke treatment processes and in‐hospitals outcomes among the 4 quarters (first quarter: July–September, last quarter: April–June) of the academic year. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to evaluate the relationship between academic year transition and processes measures. A total of 967 891 patients were included in the study. There was a statistically significant, but modest (<4 minutes or 5 percentage points) difference in distribution of or quality and clinical metrics including door‐to‐computerized tomography time, door‐to‐needle time, the proportion of patients with symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage within 36 hours of admission, and the proportion of patients who received defect‐free care in stroke performance measures among academic year quarters (P<0.0001). In multivariable analyses, there was no evidence that quarter 1 of the academic year was associated with lower quality of care or worse in‐hospital outcomes in teaching and nonteaching hospitals.

Conclusions

We found no evidence of the “July phenomenon” in patients with acute ischemic stroke among hospitals participating in the Get With The Guidelines–Stroke program.

Electronic health records, adoption, quality of care, legal and privacy issues and their implementation in emergency departments

Recently, the healthcare sector has shown a growing interest in information technologies. Two popular health IT (HIT) products are the electronic health record (EHR) and health information exchange (HIE) networks. The introduction of these tools is believed to improve care, but has also raised some important questions and legal and privacy issues. The implementation of these systems has not gone smoothly, and still faces some considerable barriers. This article reviews EHR and HIE to address these obstacles, and analyzes the current state of development and adoption in various countries around the world. Moreover, legal and ethical concerns that may be encountered by EHR users and purchasers are reviewed. Finally, links and interrelations between EHR and HIE and several quality of care issues in today's healthcare domain are examined with a focus on EHR and HIE in the emergency department (ED), whose unique characteristics makes it an environment in which the implementation of such technology may be a major contributor to health, but also faces substantial challenges. The paper ends with a discussion of specific policy implications and recommendations based on an examination of the current limitations of these systems.

The probability of patients being admitted from the emergency department is negatively correlated to in-hospital bed occupancy - a registry study

Background

The association between emergency department (ED) overcrowding and poor patient outcomes is well described, with recent work suggesting that the phenomenon causes delays in time-sensitive interventions, such as resuscitation. Even though most researchers agree on the fact that admitted patients boarding in the ED is a major contributing factor to ED overcrowding, little work explicitly addresses whether in-hospital occupancy is associated to the probability of patients being admitted from the ED. The objective of the present study is to investigate whether such an association exists.

Methods

Retrospective analysis of data on all ED visits to Helsingborg General Hospital in southern Sweden between January 1, 2011, and December 31, 2012, was undertaken. The fraction of admitted patients was calculated separately for strata of in-hospital occupancy <95%, 95–100%, 100–105%, and >105%. Multivariate models were constructed in an attempt to take confounding factors, e.g., presenting complaints, age, referral status, triage priority, and sex into account. Subgroup analysis was performed for each specialty unit within the ED.

Results

Overall, 118,668 visits were included. The total admitted fraction was 30.9%. For levels of in-hospital occupancy <95%, 95–100%, 100–105%, and >105% the admitted fractions were 31.5%, 30.9%, 29.9%, and 28.7%, respectively. After taking confounding factors into account, the odds ratio for admission were 0.88 (CI 0.84–0.93, P >0.001) for occupancy level 95–100%, 0.82 (CI 0.78–0.87, P >0.001) for occupancy level 100–105%, and 0.74 (CI 0.67–0.81, P >0.001) for occupancy level >105%, relative to the odds ratio for admission at occupancy level <95%. A similar pattern was observed upon subgroup analysis.

Conclusions

In-hospital occupancy was significantly associated with a decreased odds ratio for admission in the study population. One interpretation is that patients who would benefit from inpatient care instead received suboptimal care in outpatient settings at times of high in-hospital occupancy. A second interpretation is that physicians admit patients who could be managed safely in the outpatient setting, in times of good in-hospital bed availability. Physicians thereby expose patients to healthcare-associated infections and other hazards, in addition to consuming resources better needed by others.

Decreasing length of stay in the emergency department with a split emergency severity index 3 patient flow model

OBJECTIVES

There has been a steady increase in emergency department (ED) patient volume and wait times. The desire to maintain or decrease costs while improving throughput requires novel approaches to patient flow. The break-out session "Interventions to Improve the Timeliness of Emergency Care" at the June 2011 Academic Emergency Medicine consensus conference "Interventions to Assure Quality in the Crowded Emergency Department" posed the challenge for more research of the split Emergency Severity Index (ESI) 3 patient flow model. A split ESI 3 patient flow model divides high-variability ESI 3 patients from low-variability ESI 3 patients. The study objective was to determine the effect of implementing a split ESI 3 flow model has on patient length of stay (LOS) for discharged patients.

METHODS

This was a retrospective chart review at an urban academic ED seeing over 70,000 adult patients a year. Cases consisted of adults who presented from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. from June 1, 2011, to December 31, 2011, and were discharged. Controls were patients who presented on the same times and days, but in 2010. Visit descriptors included age, race, sex, ESI score, and first diagnosis. The first diagnosis was coded based on methods used by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality to codify International Classification of Diseases, ninth version, into disease groups. Linear models compared log-transformed LOS for cases and controls. A front-end ED redesign involved creating guidelines to split ESI 3 patients into low and high variability, a hybrid sort/triage registered nurse, an intake area consisting of an internal results waiting room, and a treatment area for patients after initial assessment. The previous low-acuity area (ESI 4s and 5s) began to see low-variability ESI 3 patients as well. This was done without additional beds. The intake area was staffed with an attending emergency physician (EP), a physician assistant (PA), three nurses, two medical technicians, and a scribe.

RESULTS

There was a 5.9% decrease, from 2.58 to 2.43 hours, in the geometric mean of LOS for discharged patients from 2010 to 2011 (95% confidence interval CI = 4.5% to 7.2%; 2010, n = 20,215; 2011, n = 20,653). Abdominal pain was the most common diagnostic grouping (2010, n = 2,484; 2011, n = 2,464) with a reduction in LOS of 12.9%, from 4.37 to 3.8 hours (95% CI = 10.3% to 15.3%).

CONCLUSIONS

A split ESI 3 patient flow model improves door-to-discharge LOS in the ED.

Executive summary: interventions to improve quality in the crowded emergency department

Emergency department (ED) crowding is a major public health problem in the United States, with increasing numbers of ED visits, longer lengths of stay in the ED, and the common practice of ED boarding. In the next several years, several measures of ED crowding will be assessed and reported on government websites. In addition, with the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), millions more Americans will have health care insurance, many of whom will choose the ED for their care. In June 2011, a consensus conference was conducted in Boston, Massachusetts, by the journal Academic Emergency Medicine entitled "Interventions to Assure Quality in the Crowded Emergency Department." The overall goal of the conference was to develop a series of research agendas to identify promising interventions to safeguard the quality of emergency care during crowded periods and to reduce ED crowding altogether through systemwide solutions. This was achieved through three objectives: 1) a review of interventions that have been implemented to reduce crowding and summarize the evidence of their effectiveness on the delivery of emergency care; 2) to identify strategies within or outside of the health care setting (i.e., policy, engineering, operations management, system design) that may help reduce crowding or improve the quality of emergency care provided during episodes of ED crowding; and 3) to identify the most appropriate design and analytic techniques for rigorously evaluating ED interventions designed to reduce crowding or improve the quality of emergency care provided during episodes of ED crowding. This article describes the background and rationale for the conference and highlights some of the discussions that occurred on the day of the conference. A series of manuscripts on the details of the conference is presented in this issue of Academic Emergency Medicine.