Identifying Appropriate Nursing Home Resources to Reduce Fall-Related Emergency Department Transfers.
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BORIS DOI
Publisher DOI
PubMed ID
35192846
Description
OBJECTIVES
To describe potentially avoidable fall-related transfers to the emergency department (ED), and to identify infrastructure, training needs, and resources deemed appropriate for implementation in nursing homes (NHs) to decrease fall-related transfers to EDs.
DESIGN
A multi-method design, including (1) in-depth case review by an expert panel, (2) structured discussion with NH stakeholders, and (3) appropriateness rating.
SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS
Fall-related transfers were identified from the prospective reporting of every unplanned hospital transfer occurring within 21 months, collected during the INTERCARE study in 11 Swiss NHs.
METHODS
Eighty-one fall-related transfers were rated for avoidability by a 2-round expert panel. NH stakeholders were consulted to discuss key implementable resources for NHs to mitigate potentially avoidable fall-related transfers. A questionnaire composed of 21 contextually adapted resources was sent to a larger group of stakeholders, to rate the appropriateness for implementation in NHs. χ2 tests were used to assess whether avoidability was associated with an ED visit and to describe transfers. The RAND/UCLA method for appropriateness was used to determine appropriate resources.
RESULTS
One of 4 fall-related transfers were rated as potentially avoidable. A positive association was found between an ED visit and a rating of avoidability (χ2 (1, N = 81) = 18.0, P < .001). Fourteen resources, including developing partnerships with outpatient clinics to access imaging services and strengthening geriatric expertise in nursing homes through clinical training and advanced nurse practitioners, were rated as appropriate by NH stakeholders for NH implementation to reduce potentially avoidable fall-related ED transfers.
CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS
Access to diagnostic equipment, geriatric expertise, and clinical training is essential to reduce fall-related potentially avoidable transfers from NHs. Implementing and supporting advanced practice nurses or nurses in extended roles provides NH directors, policymakers, and health care institutions with the possibility of re-engineering resources to limit unnecessary transfers, which are detrimental for resident quality of care and costly for the health system.
To describe potentially avoidable fall-related transfers to the emergency department (ED), and to identify infrastructure, training needs, and resources deemed appropriate for implementation in nursing homes (NHs) to decrease fall-related transfers to EDs.
DESIGN
A multi-method design, including (1) in-depth case review by an expert panel, (2) structured discussion with NH stakeholders, and (3) appropriateness rating.
SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS
Fall-related transfers were identified from the prospective reporting of every unplanned hospital transfer occurring within 21 months, collected during the INTERCARE study in 11 Swiss NHs.
METHODS
Eighty-one fall-related transfers were rated for avoidability by a 2-round expert panel. NH stakeholders were consulted to discuss key implementable resources for NHs to mitigate potentially avoidable fall-related transfers. A questionnaire composed of 21 contextually adapted resources was sent to a larger group of stakeholders, to rate the appropriateness for implementation in NHs. χ2 tests were used to assess whether avoidability was associated with an ED visit and to describe transfers. The RAND/UCLA method for appropriateness was used to determine appropriate resources.
RESULTS
One of 4 fall-related transfers were rated as potentially avoidable. A positive association was found between an ED visit and a rating of avoidability (χ2 (1, N = 81) = 18.0, P < .001). Fourteen resources, including developing partnerships with outpatient clinics to access imaging services and strengthening geriatric expertise in nursing homes through clinical training and advanced nurse practitioners, were rated as appropriate by NH stakeholders for NH implementation to reduce potentially avoidable fall-related ED transfers.
CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS
Access to diagnostic equipment, geriatric expertise, and clinical training is essential to reduce fall-related potentially avoidable transfers from NHs. Implementing and supporting advanced practice nurses or nurses in extended roles provides NH directors, policymakers, and health care institutions with the possibility of re-engineering resources to limit unnecessary transfers, which are detrimental for resident quality of care and costly for the health system.
Date of Publication
2022-08
Publication Type
Article
Keyword(s)
Emergency department transfers falls hospitalizations long-term care nursing homes potentially avoidable transfers
Language(s)
en
Contributor(s)
Guerbaai, Raphaëlle A | |
Kressig, Reto W | |
Zeller, Andreas | |
Tröger, Monika | |
Nickel, Christian H | |
Benkert, Brigitte | |
Wellens, Nathalie I H | |
Osińska, Magdalena | |
Zúñiga, Franziska |
Additional Credits
Series
Journal of the American Medical Directors Association
Publisher
Elsevier
ISSN
1538-9375
Access(Rights)
open.access