Quality Improvement Commons^™

Who Left The Hospital Against Medical Advice During The Early Covid-19 Pandemic?, Bryan Werner, Se Won Lee

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Background

Patients leaving against medical advice (AMA) presents a challenge to hospitals as they try to manage costs and improve patient outcomes in an ever-increasing competitive market. Investigating AMA discharges that occurred during the early COVID-19 pandemic presents a unique opportunity to better understand this phenomenon and be better prepared for the future.

Methods

This retrospective analysis of 34 379 patients from a nationwide private healthcare system across 20 states analyzed patients during the early stages of the pandemic who chose to leave against medical advice (AMA) after being admitted with COVID-19 infection and identified several patient characteristics associated with …

Case Report: The Challenge Of Balancing Stewardship And Advocacy, Samuel Thalathoti, Kishan Patel, James Espinosa, Alan Lucerna

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

We report a case of a 62-year-old female who presented with chief complaint of generalized weakness and was ultimately diagnosed with hypereosinophilia. This chief complaint is challenging for many EM physicians, and the differential diagnosis of generalized weakness is vast. Etiologies of generalized weakness in the adult population ranges from infection, dehydration, cardiovascular disease, to neurologic compromise. It is crucial for the Emergency Physician to put emphasis on proper history collection, detailed physical exam, and appropriate ancillary testing. In this case report we showcase the significance of the optimal evaluation of life-threatening disorders that presents as generalized weakness, as well …

Monitoring Concordance In The Management Of Transfusing Blood Components In Cirrhotic Patients For Paracentesis With Evidence-Based Guidelines, Joseph Kim, Gregory Moses

North Texas GME Research Forum 2023

Initiative to decrease unnecessary hemostatic agent transfusion in cirrhotic patients undergoing paracentesis: a resident-led approach quality improvement project to prevent transfusion overuse. Currently, there is no official guideline placed in the hospital for the administration of a hemostatic agent such as fresh frozen plasma in the setting of an elevated international normalized ratio, which paradoxically is an anticipated finding in cirrhotic patients. This process leads to unnecessarily prolonging the duration of the hospital course due to delays in performing the interventional procedures and interruptions in scheduling. The goal of this project is to educate and provide physicians with the most …

Post-Thrombotic Syndrome: Assessing Medical City Weatherford Resident Physicians’ Knowledge In Diagnosis, Treatment, And Prevention, Hiral Thakkar, Aaron Kolar

North Texas GME Research Forum 2023

Post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS) is a relatively understudied sequelae of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). PTS typically presents with similar signs and symptoms as chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) and treatment modalities also mirror each other with the use of compression therapy, emollients, and topical steroids. The contrast is PTS is a direct result of a DVT, and DVTs can be prevented. Thus, it is essential that physicians are able to differentiate and effectively treat both PTS and CVI. Since PTS is widely understudied, the goal of our project is educate residents and other medical professionals on the full scope of PTS including …

Decreasing Rate Of Clabsi At Medical City North Hills With Implementation Of A “Central Line Cart”, William Mangin, Hong Lou, David Maldonado

North Texas GME Research Forum 2023

Central line associated blood stream infections (CLABSI) impart both a significant increase in mortality but also a substantial financial burden onto hospitals. Several processes have been shown to reduce the rate of CLABSIs, most of which have already been implemented at Medical City North Hills (MCNH) Hospital. Key areas of improvement are in those of compliance; namely, the implementation of a dedicated central line cart and a reminder check list to help staff. The project involved implementation of a dedicated line cart at MCNH Hospital. The cart contains supplies for placement of central lines, including trialysis catheters, and arterial lines. …

Exploring Hapi Incidence In Patients Admitted Through The Ed: A Quality Improvement Initiative, Alexa L. Tietgens

DNP Projects

Each year in the U.S., pressure injuries, or PIs, are responsible for more than 60,000 patient deaths and billions of dollars’ worth of treatment costs. Research shows that roughly 95% of all PIs are preventable by following evidence-based practice guidelines which include early identification of patients at risk, frequent skin assessments, and implementation of prevention strategies. However, the ED environment creates unique risks for PI development due to the routine use of hard surfaces (i.e., stretchers, backboards, exam tables) and frequent hospital overcrowding. Although nurses play a pivotal role in PI prevention, frequent staffing shortages, high patient acuity levels, and …

Increasing Utilization Of The Fib-4 Score To Improve Appropriate Nafld Consultation, Fanny Stampfli Silva, Teayoung Kim, Omar Masarweh, Stephanie Lopez Orizondo, Mohammed Rahhal, Feras Al-Moussally

North Florida Division GME Research Day 2023

No abstract provided.

Improving Patient Knowledge On Exercise And Dietary Recommendations: Quality Improvement In An Outpatient Setting, Shannon Mcmenamin, Nicky Chopra

TriStar Division Research Day 2023

No abstract provided.

Improving The Blood Product Administration Process At Hca Florida Osceola Hospital, Kar Shun Constant Mak, Neha Meda, Natalia Tejada, Parasto Asnaashari, Joshua Sutarwan, Joshua Shultz, Maria Wallis-Crespo, Sarah Tinsley

North Florida Division GME Research Day 2023

No abstract provided.

Utility Of Daily Cbc In Hospitalized Patients, Lauren Howard, Kayla Engstrom, Aisha Khan, Andrew Vest, Carlos Vargas

Gulf Coast Division GME Research Day 2023

No abstract provided.

Appeal: Advocating Polst Education And Adherence At End Of Life, Carlo Reyes, Susan Hickman, Neil Gerts, Mandeep Sablok, Jasprit Takher

Far West Division GME Research Day 2023

No abstract provided.

Improving Nursing Staff And House Staff Communication Within A Technology Platform (Imobile), Raisa Anwer, Phuong Nguyen, Vidhi Patel, Nadine Bos

Capital Division GME Research Day 2023

No abstract provided.

Preventing Complications Of High Dose Steroids For Patients At The Orlando Va Healthcare System, Sriya Reddy, Sonia Alicea, Emmanuel Magsino, Alfredo Palomino Abella, Faris Abby Alamin, Ashwini Komarla

North Florida Division GME Research Day 2023

No abstract provided.

Quiet At Night: Decreasing The Number Of Overnight Calls By Rounding At Night, Neil Gerts, Trevor Owens, Preetivi Ellis, Jasprit Takher

Far West Division GME Research Day 2023

No abstract provided.

Management Of Opioid Use Disorder In Primary Care, Carolyn Jeffries

Capstone Showcase

The prevalence of opioid use disorder (OUD) in the United States, and worldwide, has drastically increased in the span of 2-3 years. OUD is considered chronic condition and as such requires routine care over a lifetime. This makes OUD patients excellent candidates to be managed by primary care providers (PCPs). This article discusses the various barriers to treatment of OUD in a primary care setting as well methods and models that aim to mitigate these barriers. We will also review how to take a detailed assessment of an OUD patient, mainstays of medication assisted treatment (MAT), and management of side …

Improving Communication Between Nurses & Residents At Hca Florida Osceola Hospital, Juan T. Del Calvo, Mehuliben Upadhyaya, Sathvik Saineni, Minh Anh Le, Awiss Shalhoub, Olga Karasik

North Florida Division GME Research Day 2023

No abstract provided.

Improving Use Of A Standardized Medical Icu Order Set, Ernesto Munoz-Pena, Sesha Sai Kanakamedala, Ramzy Daoud, Suhail Saad-Omer, Aarushi Varshney, Tristan Tanner, Alexander Kong, Joshua Shultz, Ashwini Komarla

North Florida Division GME Research Day 2023

No abstract provided.

Longitudinal Study On The Effects Of Implementing Continuous Glucose Monitoring For The Management Of Patients With Type-I And Type-Ii Diabetes Mellitus On Multiple Insulin Injections In An Internal Medicine Residency Clinic, Andrey Manov, Sukhjinder Chauhan, Gundip Dhillon, Athena Dhaliwal, Sabrina Antonio, Yema Jalal, Ashrita Donepudi, Jonathan Nazha, Melissa Banal, Joseph House

Far West Division GME Research Day 2023

No abstract provided.

Modified Early Warning Scoring (Mews) Versus Epic Deterioration Index (Edi): Battle Royale For Which Has The Best Patient Outcomes In The Inpatient Setting, Dirk A. Church

DNP Projects

Abstract

Background: The increased workload bedside nurses face today requires new tools to assist with the identification of deteriorating patients during hospitalization. The Modified Early Warning Score (MEWS) tool has formed the background of early warning tools. Newer, more complex tools, like Epic’s Deterioration Index (EDI), have been developed to identify patient deterioration earlier. There is lack of evidence in the literature comparing different early warning tools, implementation, and patient outcomes.

Objective: The purpose of the study was to examine models for EWS notification for RRT and patient outcomes between the use of the MEWS and EDI in an adult, …

The Role Of Telehealth In Reducing Hospital Readmissions For Heart Failure Patients, Tommy Lee Bratcher

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

Heart failure affects over six million people annually, and is expected to increase to over eight million by 2030. Over 60 million people live in the rural United States. Telehealth is a tool to improve access to care, provide early intervention, and follow up with patients within 48 hours of a hospital discharge. Utilizing Telehealth to conduct a medication reconciliation within 48 hours of discharge to address any medication errors or admission, and reinforce adherence is a way to improve access to care to those living in rural areas.

Going From An Academic Medical Center To A Community Hospital: Patient Experiences With Transfers, Alexander Kazberouk, Nicole Boyd, Sandra Oreper, Michael Chang, James D. Harrison, Priya A. Prasad, Ari Hoffman

Patient Experience Journal

Academic medical centers (AMCs) often operate at or near full capacity, which leads to delays in care while smaller community hospitals may have excess capacity. To address this issue and to match patient needs to care acuity, patients may be transferred from an AMC emergency department for direct admission to a community hospital. We aimed to explore the experiences and perspectives of patients who were transferred. We randomly selected patients transferred between February 2019 and February 2020. We conducted structured thirty-minute interviews containing fixed response and open-ended questions focusing on the transfer rationale and experience, care quality, and patient financial …

Optimizing Oxygen Therapy, Gizam Gokalp, Ramez Massoud, Jopher Bernal, Guru Chinnaraj, Michael Delzoppo, Nicole Brenner

North Florida Division GME Research Day 2022

No abstract available.

Physician And Patient Moves In The Hospital Do Not Move Patient Satisfaction: A Single-Center Retrospective Analysis, Basil George Verghese, Nagesh Jadhav, Walter A. Polashenski, Carl H. Reynolds

Advances in Clinical Medical Research and Healthcare Delivery

Background. Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) is a standardized survey for measuring patient's experiences at US hospitals. There is a shift towards geographically assigning patients and physicians. However, its impact on patient satisfaction scores has not been studied.

Objective: Examine the correlation between patient experience and overall hospital rating with the number of physicians seen and the number of times the patient was moved during a hospitalization.

Methods: A retrospective observational study was performed using select HCAHPS & Press Ganey survey questions to assess physician satisfaction scores and overall hospital rating and recommendation scores.

Results: There …

Implementation Of A Drive-Through Covid-19 Mass Vaccination Site: Experiences From Louvax–Broadbent In Louisville, Kentucky, Ruth Carrico, Sarah Beth Hartlage, Valenchia Brown Msn, Aprn, Fnp-C, Sarah M. Bishop, Luanne Didelot, William Hayden, Beverly Williams Coleman, Sarah Tan, Delanor Manson, Kellie Kane, Dawn Balcom, Paul Kern

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

Background: Response to the COVID-19 pandemic has required innovative approaches to vaccination, including methods to rapidly and safely immunize communities. A major challenge to such a response involved access to untapped healthcare worker resources. The Louisville, Kentucky, response involved the use of a large volunteer workforce to supplement local public health employees in planning and implementing a large-scale drive-through vaccination event. The objective of this manuscript was to outline processes involved in training a mass immunization workforce and implementating a large-scale COVID-19 community vaccination.

Approach: Competency-based and standardized training was provided for every volunteer before working their shift. Volunteers worked …

Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections: Patient Characteristics, Treatment, And Clinical Outcomes In One South Texas Acute Care Hospital, Kimberly A. Ambrosini, Jose Campo Maldonado

MEDI 9331 Scholarly Activities Clinical Years

Background: Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CA-UTIs) account for 40 percent of nosocomial infections worldwide. Their elimination is at the forefront of quality improvement in one South Texas acute care hospital.

Methods: Over a period of 6 months, five CA-UTIs occurred in one South Texas acute care hospital. These cases were identified via regular surveillance by Infection Prevention staff and the Laboratory Department of the hospital. This research reviews patient age, sex, length of stay, bacteria contracted, appropriate antibiotic use, patient characteristics, and overall outcomes.

Results: Between the months of July and December 2021, 5 CAUTIs were contracted. Patients …

Improving Recombinant Zoster Vaccination Rates In Patients Receiving Biologic Therapy In The Rheumatology Clinics At The Orlando Va Healthcare System, Kathlyn Camargo Macias, Taylor Kann, Marilyn Mosquera, Ravi Shahu Khal, Ashwini Komarla

North Florida Division GME Research Day 2022

No abstract available.

Perfecting The Art Of Consultation, Ana Ledo, Hannah Vansumeren, Aaron Verbeelen, Geover Virella, Anwar Alshaakh Moh'd Mari, Manuel Carrazana

North Florida Division GME Research Day 2022

No abstract available.

Improving Healthcare Team Recognition By Patients, Abhijit Marathe, Tin Pham, Semeon Tadesse, Franca Samoilovich, Manuel Egued, Joshua Shultz, Ashwini Komarla, Olga Karasik

North Florida Division GME Research Day 2022

No abstract available.

Increasing The Rate Of Pneumococcal Vaccination In Patients Over 65 At Hca Florida Osceola Primary Care, Ubaldo Gonzalez Morales, Muna Alhusban, Chelsea Guan, Natalia Cavin, Humeyra Dogan, Allison Ferrara

North Florida Division GME Research Day 2022

No abstract available.

Improving Code Status Discussion And Documentation For Patients 65 Years Or Older At Hca Fl Osceola Hospital, Taylor Murphy, Mark Duros, Faris Matanes, Keishla Garcia Fernandez, Raj Shah, Olga Karasik

North Florida Division GME Research Day 2022

No abstract available.