Category Ranking

98%

Total Visits

921

Avg Visit Duration

2 minutes

Citations

20

Article Abstract

Background/aims: Subacute complex discharge units (CDUs) offer intermediary person-centred care between acute hospital and community services by providing specialised care for patients with complex medical and functional needs. However, several elements of clinical practice were affected during the COVID-19 pandemic. We aimed to determine the impact of several case mix factors on length of stay and how this impact changed across three phases: pre-COVID-19 (2019), during COVID-19 (2021) and late-stage COVID-19 (2023) in our Complex Discharge Unit.

Materials And Methods: Before collecting data, our institution's Research and Innovation Office approved the study (reference number: 8900, on the 23rd of May 2024). All patients (920) who were admitted to our 23-bed Complex Discharge Unit in 2019 (320 patients), 2021(205 patients) and 2023 (395 patients) were evaluated. Data was inspected visually, and variables that predicted length of stay were included in a Poisson regression model to predict the length of stay.

Results: An analysis of the relationship between year, age, medicolegal issues and length of stay, adjusting for several confounding variables (mobility status, healthcare-acquired infection, long-term care status, need for an increase in homecare package and need for a new homecare package) was carried out as there was an interaction. Charlson's Comorbidity (CCI) score and delirium were not predictive of length of stay. Medicolegal issues increased length of stay by a factor of 1.46 (95% CI 1.39-1.52, p < 0.001). For every 1-year increase in age, length of stay increased by a factor of 1.006 in 2019 (95% CI 1.004-1.01, p < 0.001), 0.988 in 2021 (95% CI 0.987-0.99, p < 0.001), and 1.004 in 2023 (95% CI 1.002-1.01, p < 0.001).

Discussion And Conclusion: Multimorbidity and delirium did not predict length of stay, while legal issues delayed discharges. On a unit with a baseline longer than average length of stay, there have been progressive improvements in length of stay over time, maybe hastened and retained from lessons learned from the pandemic.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11845-025-04072-6DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

length stay
24
complex discharge
16
impact case
8
case mix
8
mix factors
8
factors length
8
discharge unit
8
three phases
8
phases pre-covid-19
8
pre-covid-19 2019
8

Similar Publications

Introduction: Severe viral infections are common in patients requiring admission to intensive care units (ICU). Furthermore, these patients often have additional secondary or co-infections. Despite their prevalence, it remains uncertain to what extent those additional infections contribute to worse outcomes for patients with severe viral infections requiring ICU admission.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Remote ischaemic preconditioning (RIPC) which consists of repeated brief episodes of non-lethal limb ischaemia is associated with organ protection and improved clinical outcomes through complex pathophysiological pathways. The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the postoperative effects of RIPC in bowel recovery and surgical morbidity after colorectal surgery.

Methods: In strict adherence to the PRISMA guidelines, a systematic literature search was performed for studies comparing the postoperative effect RIPC in colorectal surgery.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Emergency departments have seen a steady increase in patients presenting with mental health and substance use disorders, leading to overcrowding, prolonged length of stay, patients leaving without being seen, and diminished staff satisfaction. To address these issues, a behavioral health psychiatric emergency department redesigned its triage process to include a fast-track protocol for low-complexity patients, eliminate treatment redundancies, and incorporate a provider in triage to improve patient outcomes and staff satisfaction.

Methods: Using the Plan-Do-Study-Act methodology, a revised triage process was implemented to streamline workflows and reduce waste.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: There is limited evidence to guide the use of enteral nutrition (EN) for children with bronchiolitis who received Humidified high flow nasal cannula (HHFNC) and often kept nil per mouth for aspiration and progression to mechanical ventilation risk.

Methods: This quality improvement project included children with bronchiolitis who were supported by HHFNC in the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU). An algorithm to increase EN use in those participants was created by stakeholders.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Proper risk stratification tools for patients with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (oHCM) undergoing septal myectomy are lacking. Our objective was to assess the predictive value of preoperative N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) on perioperative outcomes and late survival in patients with oHCM undergoing transaortic septal myectomy.

Methods: Between 2008 and 2021, 834 patients with preoperative NT-proBNP measurements underwent septal myectomy.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF