The effect of bedside presentations in the emergency department on patient satisfaction.
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ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Due to increasing time constraints, the use of bedside presentations in resident education has declined. We examined whether patient satisfaction in the emergency department is affected when first-year residents present at the bedside with attendings. METHODS: We performed an observational, prospective, nonblinded study in the emergency department of a military teaching hospital. We alternately assigned first-year residents to present a convenience sample of 248 patients to the attending physician at the patient's bedside or away from the patient. We measured patient satisfaction by using the Patient Satisfaction Questionaire-18 (PSQ-18), a validated survey instrument that utilizes a Likert scale, and additional nonvalidated survey questions involving Likert and visual analog scales. RESULTS: While the median PSQ-18 score of 74 (95% confidence interval [CI], 72-76) was higher for patient satisfaction when residents made bedside presentations than that for standard presentations, 72 (95% CI, 70-74), the difference did not reach statistical significance (P = .33). CONCLUSION: There was no significant difference in overall patient satisfaction between residents' bedside presentations and presentations to attendings away from the patient. Although not significant, the differences noted in PSQ-18 subscales of communication, general satisfaction, and interpersonal manner warrant further investigation. Patients did not appear to be uncomfortable with having their care discussed and with having subsequent resident education at the bedside. Future research on patient satisfaction after implementation of standardized bedside teaching techniques 5 help further elucidate this relationship.
Project description:ObjectivePatient satisfaction with HIV screening is crucial for sustainable implementation of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) HIV testing recommendations. This investigation assesses patient satisfaction with rapid HIV testing in the emergency department (ED) of an urban tertiary academic medical center.MethodsAfter receiving HIV test results, participants in the Universal Screening for HIV Infection in the Emergency Room (USHER) randomized controlled trial were offered a patient satisfaction survey. Questions concerned overall satisfaction with ED visit, time spent on primary medical problem, time spent on HIV testing, and test provider's ability to answer HIV-related questions. Responses were reported on a 4-point Likert scale, ranging from very dissatisfied to very satisfied (defined as optimal satisfaction).ResultsOf 4,860 USHER participants, 2,025 completed testing and were offered the survey: 1,616 (79.8%) completed the survey. Overall, 1,478 (91.5%) were very satisfied. Satisfaction was less than optimal for 34.5% (10 of 29) of participants with reactive results and for 7.5% (115 of 1,542) with nonreactive results. The independent factors associated with less than optimal satisfaction were reactive test result, aged 60 years or older, black race, Hispanic/Latino ethnicity, and testing by ED provider instead of HIV counselor.ConclusionMost participants were very satisfied with the ED-based rapid HIV testing program. Identification of independent factors that correlate with patient satisfaction will help guide best practices as EDs implement CDC recommendations. It is critical to better understand whether patients with reactive results were negatively affected by their results or truly had concerns about the testing process.
Project description:IntroductionMany emergency department (ED) patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE) who meet low-risk criteria may be eligible for a short length of stay (LOS) (<24 hours), with expedited discharge home either directly from the ED or after a brief observation or hospitalization. We describe the association between expedited discharge and site of discharge on care satisfaction and quality of life (QOL) among patients with low-risk PE (PE Severity Index [PESI] Classes I-III).MethodsThis phone survey was conducted from September 2014 through April 2015 as part of a retrospective cohort study across 21 community EDs in Northern California. We surveyed low-risk patients with acute PE, treated predominantly with enoxaparin bridging and warfarin. All eligible patients were called 2-8 weeks after their index ED visit. PE-specific, patient-satisfaction questions addressed overall care, discharge instruction clarity, and LOS. We scored physical and mental QOL using a modified version of the validated Short Form Health Survey. Satisfaction and QOL were compared by LOS. For those with expedited discharge, we compared responses by site of discharge: ED vs. hospital, which included ED-based observation units. We used chi-square and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests as indicated.ResultsSurvey response rate was 82.3% (424 of 515 eligible patients). Median age of respondents was 64 years; 47.4% were male. Of the 145 patients (34.2%) with a LOS<24 hours, 65 (44.8%) were discharged home from the ED. Of all patients, 89.6% were satisfied with their overall care and 94.1% found instructions clear. Sixty-six percent were satisfied with their LOS, whereas 17.5% would have preferred a shorter LOS and 16.5% a longer LOS. There were no significant differences in satisfaction between patients with LOS<24 hours vs. ≥24 hours (p>0.13 for all). Physical QOL scores were significantly higher for expedited-discharge patients (p=0.01). Patients with expedited discharge home from the ED vs. the hospital had no significant difference in satisfaction (p>0.20 for all) or QOL (p>0.19 for all).ConclusionED patients with low-risk PE reported high satisfaction with their care in follow-up surveys. Expedited discharge (<24 hours) and site of discharge were not associated with differences in patient satisfaction.
Project description:Previous research shows that surgeon-performed ultrasound for patients presenting with abdominal pain in the emergency department leads both to higher diagnostic accuracy and to other benefits. We have evaluated the level of patient satisfaction, health condition and further health care consumption after discharge from the emergency department.A total of 800 patients who attended the emergency department for abdominal pain were randomized to surgeon-performed ultrasound or not as a complement to standard examination. All patients were interviewed by telephone six weeks after the visit to the emergency department using a structured questionnaire including information about health condition, satisfaction and medical examinations. A regional health register was used to check health care consumption over two years and mortality was checked for in the personal data register.We found a higher self-rated patient satisfaction in the ultrasound group when leaving the emergency department. After six weeks the figures were equal. There were fewer patients in the ultrasound group with completed or planned complementary examinations after six weeks (31.1%) compared with the control group (41.4%), p=0.004. There was no difference found in the two-year health care consumption or mortality between the groups.For patients with acute abdominal pain, bedside ultrasound examination is related to higher satisfaction and decreased short-term health care consumption. No major effects were revealed when evaluating effects on a long-term basis, including mortality. The previously proven benefit together with the lack of adverse effects from the method makes ultrasound well worth considering for implementation in emergency departments.The study has been registered in ClinicalTrials.gov ID NCT00550511.
Project description:Infective endocarditis is a challenging diagnosis that is rarely made in the emergency department. As the use of focused emergency ultrasound expands into more applications, including advanced echocardiography, the diagnosis of infective endocarditis may be made earlier, potentially leading to more timely treatment. We report a case of an ill-appearing patient presenting to the emergency department with an indwelling central venous catheter, a cardiac murmur, and necrotic toes, who was diagnosed with a large tricuspid vegetation and prominent tricuspid regurgitation on bedside emergency ultrasound. A cardiologist-performed echocardiogram confirmed these findings during the patient's hospital admission.
Project description:BackgroundIn the spring of 2020, Italy experienced a significant reduction in the number of emergency department (ED) presentations during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. If ED access has an impact on patients' prognosis, such a reduction in ED presentations would be expected to correlate with a parallel increase in the mortality rate of the corresponding population. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of reduced ED presentations on the all-cause mortality of the general population.MethodsAbsolute and relative variation in ED accesses from March 1 to April 30 of both 2019 and 2020 in three hub hospitals in areas with different COVID-19 prevalence and age-standardized mortality data from January 1 to June 30 in 2019 and 2020 of the same areas were evaluated.ResultsDuring March and April 2020, ED consults were decreased of approximately 50% in all three hospitals, as compared with the same months in 2019. There was a marked increase in cumulative mortality in Milan (high SARS-CoV2 infection spread zone) compared with the same period in 2019. In the other two municipalities (Ferrara and Perugia), which had intermediate and low levels of infection spread, the mortality in 2020 was not substantially changed from that of 2019.ConclusionsTaking into account the increase in mortality due to SARS-CoV-2, reductions in ED access did not seem to affect death rates. If this finding will be confirmed, ED organization and access would need to be reconsidered.
Project description:ObjectiveWe estimate associations between emergency department (ED) diagnoses and suicide among youth to guide ED care.MethodThis ED-based case-control study used data from the Office of the Chief Coroner and all EDs in Ontario, Canada. Cases ( n = 697 males and n = 327 females) were aged 10 to 25 years who died by suicide in Ontario between April 2003 and March 2014, with an ED contact in the year before their death. Same-aged ED-based controls were selected during this time frame. Crude and adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated.ResultsAmong youth diagnosed with a mental health problem at their most recent ED contact (41.9% cases, 5% controls), suicide was elevated among nonfatal self-inflicted: 'other' injuries, including hanging, strangulation, and suffocation in both sexes (aORs > 14); cut/pierce injuries in males (aOR > 5); poisonings in both sexes (aORs > 2.2); and mood and psychotic disorders in males (aORs > 1.7). Among those remaining, 'undetermined' injuries and poisonings in both sexes (aORs > 5), 'unintentional' poisonings in males (aOR = 2.1), and assault in both sexes (aORs > 1.8) were significant. At least half of cases had ED contact within 106 days.ConclusionsThe results highlight the need for timely identification and treatment of mental health problems. Among those with an identified mental health problem, important targets for suicide prevention efforts are youth with self-harm and males with mood and psychotic disorders. Among others, youth with unintentional poisonings, undetermined events, and assaults should raise concern.
Project description:IntroductionPatient satisfaction is a key indicator of health care value and an increasingly important metric used to assess emergency physician performance and often reimbursement. To our knowledge, there is no standardized curriculum within emergency medicine (EM) residency programs that focuses on the patient experience in EM.MethodsOur novel resident curriculum is an organized approach to enhancing patient-centered care by optimizing the patient experience. It spans the academic year, with key topics organized into a quarterly time line. Topics include physician courtesy and respect, pain management, discussion of diagnostic and therapeutic interventions, timely communication, and delivery of quality care. Each quarter has three components: introduction/didactics, an interactive workshop, and stories and reflection. The instructional methods used include didactic lectures, role-playing, and group reflection and storytelling.ResultsOf 44 participants, 54.5% completed a preintervention survey, and 45.5% completed a postintervention survey. The surveys consisted of 5-point Likert scales measuring degree of agreement with statements that reflected desired behaviors and/or attitudes. On the postintervention survey, participants gave scores indicating general agreement with desired behaviors including sitting at the bedside, acknowledging all persons in the room, and giving an anticipated disposition, as well as with feeling more knowledgeable about patient satisfaction.DiscussionOur Satisfaction Academy has filled a significant gap related to enhancing the patient experience. This curriculum is generalizable to other EM residency programs, and the interactive peer-to-peer format is both engaging and customizable.
Project description:BackgroundIncreasingly, patient satisfaction scores are being used to assess emergency physicians. We sought to determine whether the patient satisfaction scores collected by our hospital system are lower for patients who are treated in the emergency department (ED) on night shifts as compared to those treated on day shifts.MethodsWe performed a cross-sectional analysis of patient satisfaction scores from three EDs in Florida. We obtained satisfaction data from NRC Health (the company that provides our surveys) using a random sample of 1,000 completed surveys from patients treated in 2022; we also performed manual chart review to obtain clinical data. The satisfaction surveys asked patients how likely they would be to recommend the facility (from 0-10). Patients who provided a score of 9 or 10 were considered "promoters." For our primary analysis, we compared the percentage of promoters for the day shift encounters (7 AM to 7 PM) to the night shift encounters (7 PM to 7 AM). We also performed a multivariable logistic regression analysis using several demographic and clinical variables to further assess the association between night shift arrival and satisfaction scores.ResultsOf the 1,000 surveys analyzed, 66.3% of patients arrived during the day shift, and 33.7% arrived during the night shift. Of those who arrived during the day shift, 525 (79.2%) were promoters compared to 228 (67.7%) of those who arrived during the night shift, a difference of 11.5% (95% confidence interval [CI] 5.7-17.4%), P < 0.001. On multivariable analysis, night shift arrival was associated with a lower chance of a patient being a promoter, with adjusted odds ratio 0.60 (95% CI 0.43-0.84), P = 0.003.ConclusionPatients who presented to the ED during the night shift were less likely to be promoters than patients who arrived during the day shift. Assessments of patient satisfaction data should account for time of visit and other facility-related and operational characteristics.
Project description:ObjectivesEmergency department (ED) crowding is an increasing problem associated with adverse patient outcomes. ED expansion is one method advocated to reduce ED crowding. The objective of this analysis was to determine the effect of ED expansion on measures of ED crowding.MethodsThis was a retrospective study using administrative data from two 11-month periods before and after the expansion of an ED from 33 to 53 adult beds in an academic medical center. ED volume, staffing, and hospital admission and occupancy data were obtained either from the electronic health record (EHR) or from administrative records. The primary outcome was the rate of patients who left without being treated (LWBT), and the secondary outcome was total ED boarding time for admitted patients. A multivariable robust linear regression model was used to determine whether ED expansion was associated with the outcome measures.ResultsThe mean (±SD) daily adult volume was 128 (±14) patients before expansion and 145 (±17) patients after. The percentage of patients who LWBT was unchanged: 9.0% before expansion versus 8.3% after expansion (difference = 0.6%, 95% confidence interval [CI] = -0.16% to 1.4%). Total ED boarding time increased from 160 to 180 hours/day (difference = 20 hours, 95% CI = 8 to 32 hours). After daily ED volume, low-acuity area volume, daily wait time, daily boarding hours, and nurse staffing were adjusted for, the percentage of patients who LWBT was not independently associated with ED expansion (p = 0.053). After ED admissions, ED intensive care unit (ICU) admissions, elective surgical admissions, hospital occupancy rate, ICU occupancy rate, and number of operational ICU beds were adjusted for, the increase in ED boarding hours was independently associated with the ED expansion (p = 0.005).ConclusionsAn increase in ED bed capacity was associated with no significant change in the percentage of patients who LWBT, but had an unintended consequence of an increase in ED boarding hours. ED expansion alone does not appear to be an adequate solution to ED crowding.
Project description:ObjectiveTo measure the level of patient satisfaction with an emergency department based chest pain assessment unit.DesignStructured patient satisfaction surveys.SettingInner city university hospital emergency department.Participants383 consecutive patients aged over 25 years with probable cardiac chest pain of less than 12 hours duration at moderate to low risk of acute myocardial infarction.InterventionTwo structured questionnaires-the first addressing satisfaction with different aspects of the health care process, the second designed to assess global satisfaction outcomes.Results274 patients (74%) fully or partly answered the first questionnaire. There were high levels of satisfaction with all process of care issues (waiting time, information, discussion, explanation, pain management, personal needs, family needs, and discharge preparation). Altogether 258 patients fully or partly answered the second questionnaire. Global satisfaction was high. Subgroup data analysis showed white patients significantly more satisfied than non-white patients (p<0.0001), and over 45s significantly more satisfied than under 45s (p<0.01). A number of issues were raised in the free comment section of the second questionnaire. The lack of a definitive diagnosis at discharge was a recurring theme.ConclusionChest pain assessment units are acceptable from a patient perspective.