Background: In high-income countries, hospital length of stay after a normal birth has gradually decreased correspondingly to length of stay in care of other patients. A short stay provides a greater opportunity for autonomy and an increased sense of participation, but it may involve great challenges satisfying parental guidance as well as on the possibility of preventing, discovering, and treating neonatal medical conditions. Aim: This study evaluates postnatal care based on cost calculations, risk assessments, and parents’ satisfaction with care. Methods: Questionnaires were sent to 1 122 new mothers and her partner during 1998-1999. For the summary of utilization of health care services during the first 28 days postdelivery, the participants were linked with registry data from the hospital administration system for mothers and newborns (n= 773). The answers were also used to describe new parents’ experiences with postnatal care (n = 1 479). The costs for five postnatal care models were estimated, including three care options: Maternity Ward, Family Suite, and Early Discharge. Data about neonatal readmissions and death within 28 days was retrieved from the Swedish Medical Birth Register, the Swedish Hospital Discharge Registry, and the Swedish Cause-of-Death Register between 1999 and 2002 (n = 197 898). This data was related to data about postnatal follow-up practices from all 48 Swedish delivery wards. Results: The readmission rate for the mothers was similar among the various care options, and there was no difference in utilization of health care or breastfeeding outcome due to type of maternity care. As a proxy for morbidity, the readmission rate for the newborns was influenced by postdelivery follow-up routines as routine neonatal examination timing. Depending on the proportion of mothers receiving care at the Maternity Ward, the costs differed significantly between the various care models, while parents’ preferences complied with the cost-minimizing option Family Suite. Most mothers and fathers (70%) were satisfied with the overall impression of the postnatal care, but 72% were dissatisfied with at least one particular topic. A main finding was that the parents experienced a close emotional attachment, an affinity that was not always supported by the staff. The father was not treated as a principal character even though the parents wanted the father’s to be involved and recognized. Conclusions: Since the postnatal care options are not always the most cost minimizing and postnatal routines influence neonatal morbidity and parental satisfaction, the postnatal services need to be improved. Without increasing risks or costs, every postnatal care option ought to meet the families’ need for support, security, autonomy, and attachment with each other.

Thesis (Ph.D.) -- McMaster University, 2005. / "Health Research Methodology". Includes bibliographical references. Also available via World Wide Web.

O objetivo deste estudo foi a analise das readmissões no Sistema de Serviços Hospitalares no Brasil no ano de 2006, a partir do indivíduo internado. A base de dados foi organizada para analisar as internações em 2006 e as readmissões em até um ano após uma internação em 2006. Os dados iniciais ultrapassaram os 27 milhões de registros, oriundos dos sistemas de internações SUS (SIH), de internações não SUS (CIH) e do cadastro de serviços de saúde (CNES). A localização do indivíduo foi feita pelo método probabilístico de associações de registros (linkage) e, para a composição dos dados da internação, aplicaram-se algoritmos específicos aos dados de cobranças da internação. Foram analisadas 12.391.990 internações com ao menos um dia, no ano de 2006, e selecionados para o estudo 10.332.337 indivíduos, correspondente a 5,5% da população, com uma internação completa em 2006 e suas readmissões no período de 365 dias a contar da data de saída da admissão índice, totalizando 12.878.422 internações. O estudo possibilitou inferências sobre a qualidade dos sistemas de informação da assistência hospitalar no país. Nas internações de 2006, a taxa de internação, financiamento SUS e não SUS foi de 5,6 por 100 habitantes. As internações de financiamento SUS nas categorias analisadas apresentam o perfil semelhante ao do total de internações. Nas internações não SUS notam-se diferenças que delineiam as regiões em dois conjuntos. O primeiro formado pelo Norte, Nordeste e Centro-Oeste com baixa ocorrência de internações não SUS, mais jovens e idosos, e de indivíduos do sexo masculino em maiores proporções que no SUS. No segundo conjunto formado, Sudeste e Sul, verifica-se significativa participação do financiamento não SUS, mais de adultos e idosos. Ainda que com evidência limitada, este achado confirma a distribuição da população com planos de saúde. As internações não SUS com UTI estão ainda mais concentradas na região Sudeste, do que as internações não SUS em geral (80,1% x 67,9%). As internações e indivíduos, na análise das readmissões, de maneira geral apresentaram semelhante perfil com as internações de 2006. A proporção de readmitidos foi de 15,9% e de readmissões foi de 19,8%. O SUS foi responsável por 88,7% das internações selecionadas e foram identificados 3,3% de indivíduos que utilizaram os dois segmentos de financiamento. A natureza do método probabilístico, que encerra certo grau de imprecisão, a adoção de parâmetros conservadores a fim de se evitar a inclusão de falsos positivos, tanto quanto a subnotificação da CIH representam as possíveis limitações do estudo. O Sistema de Serviços Hospitalares no Brasil apresentou relevante taxa de readmissão, independente da fonte de financiamento e local de ocorrência, que aponta para a necessidade de estudos adicionais para se conhecerem os fatores contribuintes. Os dados de internações de financiamento não SUS coletados pelo CIH agregam informações relevantes para análise da assistência hospitalar no país. Os dados administrativos do SIH são válidos para análises de internações e os algoritmos de composição dos dados de internação, a partir da cobrança, aprimoram a análise do Sistema de Serviços Hospitalares no Brasil. / The objective of this study was to analyze readmissions on the System of Hospital Services in Brazil in the year of 2006, starting from the admitted subjects. The data base was organized to analyze the admissions in 2006 and the readmissions up to one year after the admission in 2006. The initial data were over 27 million registrations, from the systems of admissions SUS (SIH), non-SUS (CIH) and from the register of health services (CNES). The choice of the subject individual was by probabilistic method of associations of registrations (linkage) and, for the composition of the admission data, specific algorithms were applied to the data of the admission charging. A total of 12,391,990 admissions were analyzed with at least one day in the year of 2006 and 10,332,337 subjects were selected for the study, corresponding to 5.5% of the population, with a complete admission in 2006 and readmissions in a period of 365 days from the date of discharge of the admission index, a total of 12,878,422 admissions. The study made possible inferences about the quality of the systems of information on the hospital attendance in the country. On the admissions in 2006, the admission rate, SUS and non SUS financing was 5.6 for each 100 inhabitants. The admissions financed by SUS, in the analyzed categories, present a profile similar to the total of admissions. On the non-SUS admissions, we noticed differences that delineate the areas in two groups. The first composed by the North, Northeast and Center-West areas of Brazil, with low occurrence of SUS admissions, more young and elders, and male subjects in proportions higher than in SUS. In the second group, Southeast and South, we verified significant participation of the non- SUS financing, more adults and elders. Although with limited evidence, this discovery confirms the distribution of the population with healthcare plans. The non- SUS admissions with ICU are still more concentrated in the Southeast area than the non-SUS admissions in general (80.1% x 67.9%). The admissions and subjects, under the analysis of the readmissions, in a general way presented a profile similar to the admissions in 2006. The proportion of readmitted subjects was 15.9% and of readmissions was 19.8%. SUS was responsible for 88.7% of the selected admissions and we identified 3.3% of subjects that used both financing segments. The nature of the probabilistic method that contains certain imprecision degree, the adoption of conservative parameters in order to avoid the inclusion of false positive, and the subnotification of CIH represent possible limitations of this study. System of Hospital Services in Brazil presented important readmission rate, independently on the financing source and occurrence place, what points out to the need of additional studies to know the contributory factors. The data of non-SUS financing admissions collected by CIH join important information to the analysis of the hospital attendance in the country. The administrative data of SIH are valid for analyses of admissions and the algorithms of the admission data composition, starting from the charging, perfect the analysis of System of Hospital Services in Brazil.

In 2007, the Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS) released a guideline aimed at preventing complications of neonatal jaundice through universal screening and guidelines for follow-up and treatment. This thesis investigates the impact of implementation of the CPS guideline on health services utilization at a population level in Ontario. First, we surveyed all Ontario hospitals providing maternal-newborn services to determine if and when they had implemented universal bilirubin screening, and to gather information about the organization of services to provide follow-up and treatment, and about the factors that influenced screening implementation. Then we conducted two population-based cohort studies using linked administrative health data to evaluate the association between 1) the implementation of universal bilirubin screening and phototherapy use (during and following birth hospitalization) length of stay (LOS), jaundice-related emergency department (ED) visits and readmissions; and 2) universal bilirubin screening implementation and access to recommended follow-up care by socio-economic status (SES). By 2012, the majority of Ontario hospitals had implemented universal bilirubin screening. There is heterogeneity in how hospitals organize services, but a notable trend towards hospital-based post-discharge care. Screening was associated with an increase in phototherapy during hospitalization at birth (relative risk (RR) 1.32, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.09-1.59), and a decrease in jaundice-related ED visits (RR 0.79, 95% CI 0.64-0.96), but no statistically significant difference in phototherapy after discharge, length of stay, or jaundice-related readmissions after accounting for pre-existing temporal trends in healthcare service use and other patient socio-demographic and hospital characteristics. Implementation of the universal bilirubin screening in Ontario was associated with a modest increase in rates of early follow-up (adjusted RR 1.11, CI 1.0014-1.22, p=0.0468), but most babies were not seen within the recommended timeframe. Babies of lowest SES were least likely to receive recommended follow-up, and disparities in follow-up increased following universal bilirubin screening implementation. En 2007, la Société canadienne de pédiatrie (SCP) a publié une directive visant à la prévention des complications de l'ictère néonatal par le dépistage universel et des lignes directrices pour le suivi et le traitement. Cette thèse étudie l'impact de la mise en œuvre de la directive SCP sur l'utilisation des services de santé à niveau de population de l'Ontario. Tout d'abord, nous avons interrogé tous les hôpitaux de l'Ontario offrant des services de santé maternelle-nouveau-né afin de déterminer si et quand ils avaient mis en œuvre le dépistage universel de la bilirubine, et à recueillir des informations sur l'organisation des services pour assurer un suivi et de traitement, et sur les facteurs qui ont influencé la mise en œuvre de dépistage. Ensuite, nous avons mené deux études de cohorte basée sur la population à partir de données administratives sur la santé pour évaluer 1 ) l'association entre la mise en œuvre du dépistage de la bilirubine universel et la photothérapie utilisation lors de l'hospitalisation à la naissance, la photothérapie après avoir sortie de l'hôpital, la durée du séjour, le service des urgences liées à la jaunisse et des réadmissions liées à la jaunisse; et 2 ) l'association entre la mise en œuvre du dépistage universel et l'accès aux soins de suivi recommandés et si cela différait entre les quintiles de statut socioéconomique. En 2012, la majorité des hôpitaux de l'Ontario a mis en œuvre le dépistage universel de la bilirubine. Il existe une hétérogénéité de la façon dont les hôpitaux organisent des services, mais une tendance notable vers les soins post-décharge en milieu hospitalier. Le dépistage a été associé à une augmentation de la photothérapie pendant l'hospitalisation à la naissance (risque relatif (RR) de 1,32, intervalle de confiance 95 % (IC 95 %) de 1,09 à 1,59), et une diminution des visites à l'urgence liées à la jaunisse (RR 0,79, IC 95 % 0,64 à 0,96), mais aucune différence statistiquement significative dans la photothérapie après la sortie , la durée du séjour , ou réadmissions liées jaunisse - après comptabilisation des tendances temporelles pré- existants dans l'utilisation des services de soins de santé et d'autres caractéristiques socio- démographiques des patients et caractéristiques de l'hôpital. La mise en œuvre de le dépistage universel en Ontario a été associée à une légère augmentation des taux de suivi précoce (RR ajusté 1,11; IC de 1,0014 à 1,22; p = 0,0468), mais la plupart des bébés n'ont pas été vues dans les délais recommandés. Les bébés de statut socioéconomique faibles étaient moins susceptibles de recevoir de soins de suivi recommandés et les disparités dans le suivi ont augmenté suite à la mise en œuvre du dépistage universel de la bilirubine.

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the U.S. Acute myocardial infarction (AMI), with or without ST-segment elevation, is a common presentation of coronary heart disease and affected more than 800,000 American adults in 2010. The overall goal of this dissertation was to examine decade-long trends in the extent of delay in the receipt of a primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) among patients hospitalized with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), 30-day hospital readmission rates in patients having survived an AMI, and multiple decade long trends in 1-year post-hospital all-cause mortality, as well as factors associated with these outcomes, among patients hospitalized with AMI. Methods: Data from the Worcester Heart Attack Study, a population-based chronic disease surveillance project that has been carried out among adult residents of the Worcester, MA, metropolitan area, hospitalized with AMI on a biennial basis from 1975 through 2009 at all medical centers in central MA, were used for this dissertation. Results: Between 1999 and 2009, among patients hospitalized with STEMI, the likelihood of receiving a primary PCI within 90 minutes after emergency department arrival increased dramatically from 1999/2001 (11.6%) to 2007/2009 (70.5%). Between 1999 and 2009, among hospital survivors of an AMI, the 30-day all-cause rehospitalization rates decreased from 1999/2001 (20.3%) to 2007/2009 (16.7%). The overall cause-specific 30-day rehospitalization rates due to CVD, non-CVD, and AMI were 10.1%, 7.1%, and 1.8%, respectively, during the years under study. Between 1975 and 2009, among hospital survivors for a first AMI, the 1-year post-discharge mortality rates remained relatively stable from 1975-1984 (12.9%) to 1986-1997 (12.5%), but increased during 1999-2009 (15.8%). We identified several demographic, clinical and in-hospital treatment factors associated with an increased risk of failing to receive a primary PCI within 90 minutes after emergency department arrival, 30-day readmissions, and 1-year post-discharge mortality. Conclusions: Our findings can hopefully lead to the enhanced development of innovative, patient-centered, intervention strategies which can further improve the treatment and transitions of care, as well as short and long-term prognosis, of men and women hospitalized with AMI.

Background: Following passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010, 30-day hospital readmissions have come under greater scrutiny. Excess readmissions for certain medical conditions and procedures now result in penalizations on all Medicare reimbursements. We examined the risk factors, outcomes, and costs of 30-day readmissions after colorectal surgery (CRS). Methods: The University HealthSystem Consortium database was queried for adults (≥ 18 years) who underwent colorectal resection for cancer, diverticular disease, inflammatory bowel disease, or benign tumors between January 2008 and December 2011. Our outcomes of interest were readmission within 30-days of the patient’s index discharge, hospital readmission outcomes, and total direct hospital costs. Results: A total of 70,484 patients survived the index hospitalization after CRS during the years under study, 13.7% (9,632) of which were readmitted within 30 days of discharge. The strongest independent predictors of readmission were: LOS ≥4 days (OR 1.44; 95% CI 1.32-1.57), stoma (OR 1.53; 95% CI 1.45-1.61), and discharge to skilled nursing (OR 1.63; 95% CI 1.49-1.76) or rehabilitation facility (OR 2.93; 95% CI 2.54-3.40). Of those readmitted, half occurred within 7 days of the index admission, 13% required ICU care, 6% had a reoperation, and 2% died during the readmission stay. The median combined total direct hospital cost was over twice as high ($26,917 v. $13,817) for readmitted than for nonreadmitted patients. Conclusions: Readmissions following colorectal resection occur frequently and incur a significant financial burden on the healthcare system. Future studies aimed at targeted interventions for high-risk patients may reduce readmissions and curb escalating healthcare costs. Categorization: Outcomes research; Cost analysis; Colon and Rectal Surgery

The IDSA Community-Acquired Pneumonia (CAP) Guideline recommends ceftriaxone in combination with doxycycline as an alternative to combination therapy with ceftriaxone and azithromycin for non-intensive care unit (ICU) patients hospitalized with CAP. This is an attractive alternative regimen due to recent concerns of increased cardiovascular risk associated with azithromycin. The objective of this study was to compare the clinical outcomes of azithromycin and doxycycline each in combination with ceftriaxone for non-ICU Veterans hospitalized with CAP.

No / There are few data on the associations between anaemia, allogeneic blood transfusion (ABT), patient blood management, and outcome after arthroplasty in the UK. National agencies nevertheless instruct NHS Trusts to implement blood conservation measures including preoperative anaemia management. Internationally, blood management programmes show encouraging results. METHODS: We retrospectively audited 717 primary hip or knee arthroplasties in a UK general hospital and conducted regression analyses to identify outcome predictors. We used these data to modify previously published algorithms for UK practice and audited its introduction prospectively. The retrospective audit group served as a control. RESULTS: Preoperative haemoglobin (Hb) concentration predicted ABT (odds ratio 0.25 per 1 g dl(-1), P<0.001). It also predicted the length of stay (LOS, effect size -0.7 days per 1 g dl(-1), P=0.004) independently of ABT, including in non-anaemic patients. Patient blood management implementation was associated with lower ABT rates for hip (23-7%, P<0.001) and knee (7-0%, P=0.001) arthroplasty. LOS for total hip replacement and total knee replacement decreased from 6 (5-8) days to 5 (3-7) and 4 (3-6) days, respectively, after algorithm implementation (P<0.001). The all-cause re-admission rate within 90 days decreased from 13.5% (97/717) before to 8.2% (23/281) after algorithm implementation (P=0.02). CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that preoperative Hb predicts markers of arthroplasty outcome in UK practice. A systematic approach to optimize Hb mass before arthroplasty and limit Hb loss perioperatively was associated with improved outcome up to 90 days after discharge.