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O'Neill JC, Ashburn NP, Paradee BE, Snavely AC, Stopyra JP, Noe G, Mahler SA. Rural and socioeconomic differences in the effectiveness of the HEART Pathway accelerated diagnostic protocol. Acad Emerg Med 2023; 30:110-123. [PMID: 36527333 PMCID: PMC10009897 DOI: 10.1111/acem.14643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The HEART Pathway is a validated accelerated diagnostic protocol (ADP) for patients with possible acute coronary syndrome (ACS). This study aimed to compare the safety and effectiveness of the HEART Pathway based on patient rurality (rural vs. urban) or socioeconomic status (SES). METHODS We performed a preplanned subgroup analysis of the HEART Pathway Implementation Study. The primary outcomes were death or myocardial infarction (MI) and hospitalization at 30 days. Proportions were compared by SES and rurality with Fisher's exact tests. Logistic regression evaluated for interactions of ADP implementation with SES or rurality and changes in outcomes within subgroups. RESULTS Among 7245 patients with rurality and SES data, 39.9% (2887/7245) were rural and 22.2% were low SES (1607/7245). The HEART Pathway identified patients as low risk in 32.2% (818/2540) of urban versus 28.1% (425/1512) of rural patients (p = 0.007) and 34.0% (311/915) of low SES versus 29.7% (932/3137) high SES patients (p = 0.02). Among low-risk patients, 30-day death or MI occurred in 0.6% (5/818) of urban versus 0.2% (1/425) rural (p = 0.67) and 0.6% (2/311) with low SES versus 0.4% (4/932) high SES (p = 0.64). Following implementation, 30-day hospitalization was reduced by 7.7% in urban patients (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.76, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.66-0.87), 10.6% in low SES patients (aOR 0.68, 95% CI 0.54-0.86), and 4.5% in high SES patients (aOR 0.83, 95% CI 0.73-0.94). However, rural patients had a nonsignificant 3.3% reduction in hospitalizations. CONCLUSIONS HEART Pathway implementation decreased 30-day hospitalizations regardless of SES and for urban patients but not rural patients. The 30-day death or MI rate was similar among low-risk patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- James C O'Neill
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA
| | - Nicklaus P Ashburn
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA.,Section on Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA
| | - Brennan E Paradee
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA
| | - Anna C Snavely
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA.,Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA
| | - Jason P Stopyra
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA
| | - Greg Noe
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA
| | - Simon A Mahler
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA.,Department of Implementation Science, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA.,Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA
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Ashburn NP, Snavely AC, Paradee BE, O'Neill JC, Stopyra JP, Mahler SA. Age differences in the safety and effectiveness of the HEART Pathway accelerated diagnostic protocol for acute chest pain. J Am Geriatr Soc 2022; 70:2246-2257. [PMID: 35383887 PMCID: PMC9378522 DOI: 10.1111/jgs.17777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The HEART Pathway is a validated protocol for risk stratifying emergency department (ED) patients with possible acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Its performance in different age groups is unknown. The objective of this study is to evaluate its safety and effectiveness among older adults. METHODS A pre-planned subgroup analysis of the HEART Pathway implementation study was conducted. This prospective interrupted time series accrued adult ED patients with possible ACS who were without ST-elevation across three US sites from 11/2013-01/2016. After implementation, providers prospectively used the HEART Pathway to stratify patients as low-risk or non-low-risk. Patients were classified as older adults (≥65 years), middle-aged (46-64 years), and young (21-45 years). Primary safety and effectiveness outcomes were 30-day death or MI and hospitalization at 30 days, determined from health records, insurance claims, and death index data. Fisher's exact test compared low-risk proportions between groups. Sensitivity for 30-day death or MI and adjusted odds ratios (aORs) for hospitalization and objective cardiac testing were calculated. RESULTS The HEART Pathway implementation study accrued 8474 patients, of which 26.9% (2281/8474) were older adults, 45.5% (3862/8474) middle-aged, and 27.5% (2331/8474) were young. The HEART Pathway identified 7.4% (97/1303) of older adults, 32.0% (683/2131) of middle-aged, and 51.4% (681/1326) of young patients as low-risk (p < 0.001). The HEART Pathway was 98.8% (95% CI 97.1-100) sensitive for 30-day death or MI among older adults. Following implementation, the rate of 30-day hospitalization was similar among older adults (aOR 1.25, 95% CI 1.00-1.55) and cardiac testing increased (aOR 1.25, 95% CI 1.04-1.51). CONCLUSION The HEART Pathway identified fewer older adults as low-risk and did not decrease hospitalizations in this age group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicklaus P. Ashburn
- Department of Emergency MedicineWake Forest School of MedicineWinston‐SalemNorth CarolinaUSA,Section on Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal MedicineWake Forest School of MedicineWinston‐SalemNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Anna C. Snavely
- Department of Emergency MedicineWake Forest School of MedicineWinston‐SalemNorth CarolinaUSA,Department of Biostatistics and Data ScienceWake Forest School of MedicineWinston‐SalemNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Brennan E. Paradee
- Department of Emergency MedicineWake Forest School of MedicineWinston‐SalemNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - James C. O'Neill
- Department of Emergency MedicineWake Forest School of MedicineWinston‐SalemNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Jason P. Stopyra
- Department of Emergency MedicineWake Forest School of MedicineWinston‐SalemNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Simon A. Mahler
- Department of Emergency MedicineWake Forest School of MedicineWinston‐SalemNorth CarolinaUSA,Department of Epidemiology and PreventionWake Forest School of MedicineWinston‐SalemNorth CarolinaUSA,Department of Implementation ScienceWake Forest School of MedicineWinston‐SalemNorth CarolinaUSA
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Matuskowitz AJ, Hall JP, Gregoski MJ, Saef SH. Clinician Perception of Risk As a Barrier to Implementation of a High-sensitivity Troponin Accelerated Diagnostic Protocol. Crit Pathw Cardiol 2022; 21:73-76. [PMID: 35604774 PMCID: PMC10309064 DOI: 10.1097/hpc.0000000000000287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND To assess emergency department (ED) clinician perception of patient risk, we measured willingness to discharge patients categorized as increased risk by traditional risk stratification modalities for acute coronary syndrome but low risk by a validated high-sensitivity troponin accelerated diagnostic protocol (HST-ADP). METHODS This was a cross-sectional descriptive survey study distributed to ED clinicians at an urban academic medical center. Four clinical vignettes classified hypothetical patients as low risk for 30-day acute coronary syndrome according to the 0-/1-hour HST-ADP. Vignettes additionally identified patients with History, Electrocardiogram, Age, Risk factors, and initial Troponin (HEART) scores of 4 or 6 (2 cases each). One patient in each subset had preexisting coronary artery disease (CAD). ED clinicians self-reported willingness to discharge patients from the ED on a 10-point Likert scale. RESULTS Among 66 eligible participants, 36 (55%) participated in the survey. ED clinicians reported a mean willingness to discharge patients of 6.07 (95% confidence interval, 5.34-6.80). They reported higher mean willingness to discharge patients with HEART scores of 4 compared with those with HEART scores of 6 (mean difference, 3.61; 95% confidence interval, 2.19-5.03). There were no differences in willingness to discharge regarding presence or absence of CAD or between clinician types (attending, resident, advanced practice provider). CONCLUSIONS ED clinicians accustomed to the HEART Pathway demonstrated limited willingness to discharge patients from the ED categorized as moderate risk by the HEART score despite simultaneous classification as low risk by the 0-/1-hour HST-ADP. Willingness to discharge was higher with lower HEART scores but not affected by the presence of CAD and did not vary between clinician types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J Matuskowitz
- From the Department of Emergency Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
| | - John P Hall
- College of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
| | - Mathew J Gregoski
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
| | - Steven H Saef
- From the Department of Emergency Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
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Husain I, Mahler SA, Hiestand BC, Miller CD, Stopyra JP. The Impact of Accelerated Diagnostic Protocol Implementation on Chest Pain Observation Unit Utilization. Crit Pathw Cardiol 2022; 21:7-10. [PMID: 33534506 PMCID: PMC9014373 DOI: 10.1097/hpc.0000000000000254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Data evaluating the impact of the history, ECG, age, risk factors, and troponin (HEART) Pathway on observation unit (OU) use is limited. The objective of this study is to determine how HEART Pathway implementation affects OU use. METHODS An analysis of OU registry data from October 2012 to October 2016, 2 years before and after HEART Pathway implementation at an academic medical center, was conducted. Adult patients placed in the OU for chest pain were included. The proportion of patients placed in the OU chest pain protocol per total OU volume and hospitalization and myocardial infarction (MI) rates were determined. Proportions before versus after implementation were compared using χ2 tests and age was compared using a Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS During the study period, 1688 patients with chest pain before HEART Pathway implementation and 1692 after were included. The proportion of chest pain patients in the OU per total OU volume decreased following implementation from (57% [1688/2968] to 43.6% [1692/3882]; P < 0.001). Before HEART Pathway implementation, the hospitalization rate was 10.4% (175/1688) versus 12.4% (210/1692) after (P = 0.07). More patients were diagnosed with MI following implementation (0.8% [14/1665] vs. 2.0% [33/1686]; P = 0. 008). Median age was older postimplementation (52 years [IQR: 45-59 years] vs. 54 years [IQR: 48-64 years]; P < 0. 001). CONCLUSIONS HEART Pathway implementation resulted in management of higher risk patients in the OU. Following implementation, OU chest pain patients were older and were more likely to be hospitalized or diagnosed with MI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iltifat Husain
- From the Department of Emergency Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC
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Matuskowitz AJ, Obeid JS, Jennings L, Bayer RR, Ramakrishnan V, Schoepf UJ, Jauch EC. Feasibility and Impact of the Combined Application of Coronary CT Angiography With the HEART Pathway in Patients With Suspected Acute Coronary Syndrome. Crit Pathw Cardiol 2021; 20:185-191. [PMID: 33660627 PMCID: PMC8408286 DOI: 10.1097/hpc.0000000000000258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study examines the feasibility and utility of integrating coronary computed tomography angiography and the HEART Pathway into a novel accelerated diagnostic protocol-called HEART-CT-and assesses its impact as an optional interactive decision support tool (smart form) in the electronic health record. METHODS This was a retrospective observational study performed in 2 adult emergency departments (ED) among patients evaluated for suspected acute coronary syndrome. Primary outcomes included the rate of discharge from the ED following HEART-CT Smart Form use, 30-day major adverse cardiac events (MACE), and ED length of stay (LOS). Hypothesis-generating outcomes included the rate of Smart Form use by ED providers and whether adhering to the HEART-CT recommendations was associated with improved outcomes. RESULTS The study included 672 subjects, 78.1% of whom were discharged from the ED. HEART-CT identified 76.7% of patients with increased risk HEAR scores as safe for discharge. No patients identified as low risk by HEART-CT had MACE within 30 days. Total mean ED LOS was 4.6 hours. ED providers used the HEART-CT smart form in 19.7% of eligible patients. ED providers who followed the HEART-CT recommendations had 3.41 times higher odds of ED discharging patients with increased risk HEAR scores than nonadherent providers (95% CI, 2.20-5.27). CONCLUSIONS HEART-CT reclassified a large proportion of patients as safe for discharge, maintained a high sensitivity for detecting 30-day MACE, and had an acceptable ED LOS. Future studies should test the extent to which more automated clinical decision support improves provider adoption and clinical outcomes of HEART-CT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J. Matuskowitz
- From the Department of Emergency Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
| | - Jihad S. Obeid
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
| | - Lindsey Jennings
- From the Department of Emergency Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
| | - Richard R. Bayer
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
| | | | - U. Joseph Schoepf
- Division of Cardiovascular Imaging, Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
| | - Edward C. Jauch
- From the Department of Emergency Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
- Mission Research Institute, Mission Health, Asheville, NC
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Perera M, Aggarwal L, Scott IA, Logan B. Received care compared to ADP-guided care of patients admitted to hospital with chest pain of possible cardiac origin. Int J Gen Med 2018; 11:345-351. [PMID: 30214268 PMCID: PMC6128279 DOI: 10.2147/ijgm.s166570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose To assess the extent to which accelerated diagnostic protocols (ADPs), compared to traditional care, identify patients presenting to emergency departments (EDs) with chest pain who are at low cardiac risk and eligible for early ED discharge. Patients and methods Retrospective study of 290 patients admitted to hospital for further evaluation of chest pain following negative ED workup (no acute ischemic electrocardiogram [ECG] changes or elevation of initial serum troponin assay). Demographic data, serial ECG and troponin results, Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) score, cardiac investigations, and outcomes (confirmed acute coronary syndrome [ACS] at discharge and major adverse cardiac events [MACEs]) over 6 months of follow-up were analyzed. A validated ADP (ADAPT-ADP) was retrospectively applied to the cohort, and processes and outcomes of ADP-guided care were compared with those of care actually received. Results Patients had mean (±SD) TIMI score of 1.8 (±1.7); six (2.0%) patients were diagnosed with ACS at discharge. At 6 months, one patient (0.3%) re-presented with ACS and two (0.6%) died of non-coronary causes. The ADAPT-ADP defined 97 (33.4%) patients as being at low risk and eligible for early ED discharge, but who instead incurred mean hospital stay of 1.5 days, with 40.2% in telemetry beds, and 21.6% subject to non-invasive testing with only one positive result for coronary artery disease. None had a discharge diagnosis of ACS or developed MACE at 6 months. Conclusion Compared to traditional care, application of the ADAPT-ADP would have allowed one-third of chest pain patients with initially negative investigations in ED to have been safely discharged from ED.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Perera
- Medical Assessment and Planning Unit, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, QLS, Australia
| | - Leena Aggarwal
- Medical Assessment and Planning Unit, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, QLS, Australia
| | - Ian A Scott
- Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Epidemiology, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, QLS, Australia, .,School of Clinical Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLS, Australia,
| | - Bentley Logan
- Medical Assessment and Planning Unit, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, QLS, Australia
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Cullen L, Mueller C, Parsonage WA, Wildi K, Greenslade JH, Twerenbold R, Aldous S, Meller B, Tate JR, Reichlin T, Hammett CJ, Zellweger C, Ungerer JPJ, Rubini Gimenez M, Troughton R, Murray K, Brown AFT, Mueller M, George P, Mosimann T, Flaws DF, Reiter M, Lamanna A, Haaf P, Pemberton CJ, Richards AM, Chu K, Reid CM, Peacock WF, Jaffe AS, Florkowski C, Deely JM, Than M. Validation of high-sensitivity troponin I in a 2-hour diagnostic strategy to assess 30-day outcomes in emergency department patients with possible acute coronary syndrome. J Am Coll Cardiol 2013; 62:1242-1249. [PMID: 23583250 DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2013.02.078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 235] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2012] [Revised: 02/05/2013] [Accepted: 02/25/2013] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The study objective was to validate a new high-sensitivity troponin I (hs-TnI) assay in a clinical protocol for assessing patients who present to the emergency department with chest pain. BACKGROUND Protocols using sensitive troponin assays can accelerate the rule out of acute myocardial infarction in patients with low-risk (suspected) acute coronary syndrome (ACS). METHODS This study evaluated 2 prospective cohorts of patients in the emergency department with ACS in an accelerated diagnostic pathway integrating 0- and 2-h hs-TnI results, Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) risk scores, and electrocardiography. Strategies to identify low-risk patients incorporated TIMI risk scores= 0 or ≤ 1. The primary endpoint was a major adverse cardiac event (MACE) within 30 days. RESULTS In the primary cohort, 1,635 patients were recruited and had 30-day follow-up. A total of 247 patients (15.1%) had a MACE. The finding of no ischemic electrocardiogram and hs-TnI ≤ 26.2 ng/l with the TIMI = 0 and TIMI ≤ 1 pathways, respectively, classified 19.6% (n = 320) and 41.5% (n = 678) of these patients as low risk; 0% (n = 0) and 0.8% (n = 2) had a MACE, respectively. In the secondary cohort, 909 patients were recruited. A total of 156 patients (17.2%) had a MACE. The TIMI = 0 and TIMI ≤ 1 pathways classified 25.3% (n = 230) and 38.6% (n = 351), respectively, of these patients as low risk; 0% (n = 0) and 0.8% (n = 1) had a MACE, respectively. Sensitivity, specificity, and negative predictive value for TIMI = 0 in the primary cohort were 100% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 98.5% to 100%), 23.1% (95% CI: 20.9% to 25.3%), and 100% (95% CI: 98.8% to 100%), respectively. Sensitivity, specificity, and negative predictive value for TIMI ≤ 1 in the primary cohort were 99.2 (95% CI: 97.1 to 99.8), 48.7 (95% CI: 46.1 to 51.3), and 99.7 (95% CI: 98.9 to 99.9), respectively. Sensitivity, specificity, and negative value for TIMI ≤ 1 in the secondary cohort were 99.4% (95% CI: 96.5 to 100), 46.5% (95% CI: 42.9 to 50.1), and 99.7% (95% CI: 98.4 to 100), respectively. CONCLUSIONS An early-discharge strategy using an hs-TnI assay and TIMI score ≤ 1 had similar safety as previously reported, with the potential to decrease the observation periods and admissions for approximately 40% of patients with suspected ACS. (Advantageous Predictors of Acute Coronary Syndromes Evaluation [APACE] Study, NCT00470587; A 2 hr Accelerated Diagnostic Protocol to Assess patients with chest Pain symptoms using contemporary Troponins as the only biomarker [ADAPT]: a prospective observational validation study, ACTRN12611001069943).
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise Cullen
- Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Herston, Australia; Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia.
| | | | - William A Parsonage
- Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Herston, Australia; University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Karin Wildi
- University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jaimi H Greenslade
- Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Herston, Australia; Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia; University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | | | - Sally Aldous
- Christchurch Hospital, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | | | | | - Tobias Reichlin
- University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland; Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Anthony F T Brown
- Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Herston, Australia; University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | | | - Peter George
- Christchurch Hospital, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | | | | | | | - Arvin Lamanna
- Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Herston, Australia
| | - Philip Haaf
- University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Kevin Chu
- Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Herston, Australia; University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | | | | | | | | | - Joanne M Deely
- Canterbury District Health Board, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Martin Than
- Christchurch Hospital, Christchurch, New Zealand
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