Browsing by Author "Simel, David L"

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    Improving Timely Resident Follow-Up and Communication of Results in Ambulatory Clinics Utilizing a Web-Based Audit and Feedback Module.
    (Journal of Graduate Medical Education, 2017-04) Boggan, Joel C; Swaminathan, Aparna; Thomas, Samantha; Simel, David L; Zaas, Aimee K; Bae, Jonathan G
    Failure to follow up and communicate test results to patients in outpatient settings may lead to diagnostic and therapeutic delays. Residents are less likely than attending physicians to report results to patients, and may face additional barriers to reporting, given competing clinical responsibilities.This study aimed to improve the rates of communicating test results to patients in resident ambulatory clinics.We performed an internal medicine, residency-wide, pre- and postintervention, quality improvement project using audit and feedback. Residents performed audits of ambulatory patients requiring laboratory or radiologic testing by means of a shared online interface. The intervention consisted of an educational module viewed with initial audits, development of a personalized improvement plan after Phase 1, and repeated real-time feedback of individual relative performance compared at clinic and program levels. Outcomes included results communicated within 14 days and prespecified "significant" results communicated within 72 hours.A total of 76 of 86 eligible residents (88%) reviewed 1713 individual ambulatory patients' charts in Phase 1, and 73 residents (85%) reviewed 1509 charts in Phase 2. Follow-up rates were higher in Phase 2 than Phase 1 for communicating results within 14 days and significant results within 72 hours (85% versus 78%, P < .001; and 82% versus 70%, P = .002, respectively). Communication of "significant" results was more likely to occur via telephone, compared with communication of nonsignificant results.Participation in a shared audit and feedback quality improvement project can improve rates of resident follow-up and communication of results, although communication gaps remained.
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    Multivariable risk scores for predicting short term outcomes for emergency department patients with unexplained syncope: a systematic review.
    (Academic emergency medicine : official journal of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, 2020-12-31) Sweanor, Rachel AL; Redelmeier, Robert J; Simel, David L; Albassam, Omar T; Shadowitz, Steven; Etchells, Edward E

    Objectives

    Emergency department patients with unexplained syncope are at risk of experiencing an adverse event within 30 days. Our objective was to systematically review the accuracy of multivariate risk stratification scores for identifying adult syncope patients at high and low risk of an adverse event over the next 30 days.

    Methods

    We conducted a systematic review of electronic databases (MEDLINE, Cochrane, Embase and CINAHL) from database creation until May 2020. We sought studies evaluating prediction scores of adults presenting to an emergency department with syncope. We included studies that followed patients for up to 30 days to identify adverse events such as death, myocardial infarction, stroke, or cardiac surgery. We only included studies with a blinded comparison between baseline clinical features and adverse events. We calculated likelihood ratios and confidence intervals.

    Results

    We screened 13,788 abstracts. We included 17 studies evaluating nine risk stratification scores on 24,234 patient visits, where 7.5% (95% CI 5.3-10%) experienced an adverse event. A Canadian Syncope Risk Score of 4 or more was associated with a high likelihood of an adverse event (LR score=4 or more 11 [95% CI 8.9-14). A Canadian Syncope Risk Score of 0 or less (LR Score = 0 or less 0.10 [95% CI 0.07-0.20]) was associated with a low likelihood of an adverse event. Other risk scores were not validated on an independent sample, had low positive likelihood ratios for identifying patients at high risk, or had high negative likelihood ratios for identifying patients at low risk.

    Conclusion

    Many risk stratification scores are not validated or not sufficiently accurate for clinical use. The Canadian Syncope Risk Score is an accurate validated prediction score for emergency department patients with unexplained syncope. Its impact on clinical decision making, admission rates, cost or outcomes of care is not known.