BACKGROUND Obtaining accurate clinical information about recent acute care visits is extremely important for outpatient providers. However, documents used to communicate this information are often difficult to use. This puts patients at risk of adverse events. Elderly patients who are seen by more providers and have more care transitions are especially vulnerable. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to (1) identify the information about elderly patients’ recent acute care visits needed to coordinate their care, (2) use this information to assess discharge summaries, and (3) provide recommendations to help improve the quality of electronic health record (EHR)–generated discharge summaries, thereby increasing patient safety. METHODS A literature review, clinician interviews, and a survey of outpatient providers were used to identify and categorize data needed to coordinate care for recently discharged elderly patients. Based upon those data, 2 guidelines for creating useful discharge summaries were created. The new guidelines, along with 17 previously developed medical documentation usability heuristics, were applied to assess 4 simulated elderly patient discharge summaries. RESULTS The initial research effort yielded a list of 29 items that should always be included in elderly patient discharge summaries and a list of 7 “helpful, but not always necessary” items. Evaluation of 4 deidentified elderly patient discharge summaries revealed that none of the documents contained all 36 necessary items; between 14 and 18 were missing. The documents each had several other issues, and they differed significantly in organization, layout, and formatting. CONCLUSIONS Variations in content and structure of discharge summaries in the United States make them unnecessarily difficult to use. Standardization would benefit both patients, by lowering the risk of care transition–related adverse events, and outpatient providers, by helping reduce frustration that can contribute to burnout. In the short term, acute care providers can help improve the quality of their discharge summaries by working with EHR vendors to follow recommendations based upon this study. Meanwhile, additional human factors work should determine the most effective way to organize and present information in discharge summaries, to facilitate effective standardization.

Objective: It is unclear if additional computerized tomography (CT) imaging is warranted after injuries are identified on CT in blunt trauma patients. The objective of this study was to determine the incidence and significance of injuries identified on secondary CT imaging after identification of injuries on initial CTs in blunt trauma patients. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study at an academic Level 1 trauma center with a two-tiered trauma system. Inclusion criteria: age = 18, level 2 trauma activation, injury identified on initial CT, and secondary CTs ordered. Secondary injuries were categorized as resulting in: no changes, minor changes, or major changes in management. Results: 537 patients underwent 1179 initial CT scans which identified 744 injuries. There were 1094 secondary CTs which identified 143 additional injuries in 94 (18%) patients. 9 (1.7%) patients had at least one major management change and 64 (12%) had at least one minor management change. Rib fracture(s) was the most common injury on secondary scans [45/143 (32%)]. The major management changes were: tube thoracostomy for pneumothorax (4 patients), blood transfusion for hemoperitoneum (1 patient), surgery for acetabular fracture (1 patient), thoracolumbar brace for spine fracture (2 patients) and angiography for splenic injury (1 patient). Conclusion: While a significant proportion of patients (18%) had injuries on secondary CT, only 1.7% of patients had a resultant major management change. Future research is warranted to determine the need for additional CT imaging after an initial selective imaging strategy in blunt trauma patients. (c) 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Aims: Recent guidelines for management of cardiac arrest recommend chest compression rates of 100-120 compressions/min. However, animal studies have found cardiac output to increase with rates up to 150 compressions/min. The objective of this study was to test the association between chest compression rates during cardiopulmonary resuscitation for in -hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) and outcome. Methods: We conducted a prospective observational study at a single academic medical center. Inclusion criteria: age >= 18, IHCA, cardiopulmonary resuscitation performed. We analyzed chest compression rates measured by defibrillation electrodes, which recorded changes in thoracic impedance. The primary outcome was return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). We used multivariable logistic regression to determine odds ratios for ROSC by chest compression rate categories (100-120, 121-140, >140 compressions/min), adjusted for chest compression fraction (proportion of time chest compressions provided) and other known predictors of outcome. We set 100-120 compressions/min as the reference category for the multivariable model. Results: We enrolled 222 consecutive patients and found a mean chest compression rate of 139 +/- 15. Overall 53% achieved ROSC; among 100-120, 121-140, and >140 compressions/min, ROSC was 29%, 64%, and 49% respectively. A chest compression rate of 121-140 compressions/min had the greatest likelihood of ROSC, odds ratio 4.48 (95% CI 1.42-14.14). Conclusions: In this sample of adult IHCA patients, a chest compression rate of 121-140 compressions/min had the highest odds ratio of ROSC. Rates above the currently recommended 100-120 compressions/min may improve the chances of ROSC among IHCA patients. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Objective: The American Heart Association recently recommended regional cardiac resuscitation centers (CRCs) for post-resuscitation care following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). Our objective was to describe initial experience with CRC implementation.Methods: Prospective observational study of consecutive post-resuscitation patients transferred from community Emergency Departments (EDs) to a CRC over 9 months. Transfer criteria were: OHCA, return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), and comatose after ROSC. Incoming patients were received and stabilized in the ED of the CRC where advanced therapeutic hypothermia (TH) modalities were applied. Standardized post-resuscitation care included: ED evaluation for cardiac catheterization, TH (33-34 degrees C) for 24 h, 24 h/day critical care physician support, and evidence-based neurological prognostication. Prospective data collection utilized the Utstein template. The primary outcome was survival to hospital discharge with good neurological function [Cerebral Performance Category 1 or 2].Results: Twenty-seven patients transferred from 11 different hospitals were included. The majority (21/27 [78%]) had arrest characteristics suggesting poor prognosis for survival (i.e. asystole/pulseless electrical activity initial rhythm, absence of bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or an unwitnessed cardiac arrest). The median (IQR) time from transfer initiation to reaching TH target temperature was 7 (5-13) h. Ten (37%) patients survived to hospital discharge, and of these 9/10 (90% of survivors, 33% of all patients) had good neurological function.Conclusions: Despite a high proportion of patients with cardiac arrest characteristics suggesting poor prognosis for survival, we found that one-third of CRC transfers survived with good neurological function. Further research to determine if regional CRCs improve outcomes after cardiac arrest is warranted. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.