BackgroundSome patients experience a delayed discharge from the intensive care unit (ICU) where the intended and actual discharge times do not coincide. The clinical implications of this remain unclear.ObjectiveTo determine the incidence and duration of delayed ICU discharge, identify the reasons for delay and evaluate the clinical consequences.MethodsProspective multi-centre observational study involving five ICUs over a 3-month period. Delay in discharge was defined as >6 hours from the planned discharge time. The primary outcome measure was hospital length stay after ICU discharge decision. Secondary outcome measures included ICU discharge after-hours, incidence of delirium, survival to hospital discharge, discharge destination, the incidence of ICU acquired infections, revocation of ICU discharge decision, unplanned readmissions to ICU within 72 hours, review of patients admitting team after ICU discharge decision.ResultsA total of 955 out of 1118 patients discharged were included in analysis. 49.9% of the patients discharge was delayed. The most common reason (74%) for delay in discharge was non-availability of ward bed. The median duration of the delay was 24 hours. On univariable analysis, the duration of hospital stay from the time of ICU discharge decision was significantly higher in patients who had ICU discharge delay (Median days-5 vs 6; p = 0.003). After-hours discharge was higher in patients whose discharge was delayed (34% Vs 10%; p<0.001). There was no statistically significant difference in the other secondary outcomes analysed. Multivariable analysis adjusting for known confounders revealed delayed ICU discharge was independently associated with increased hospital length of stay.ConclusionHalf of all ICU patients experienced a delay in ICU discharge. Delayed discharge was associated with increased hospital length of stay.
Background: The present longitudinal study examined predictors of compulsive internet use and depression. Method: Adolescents, 21 males and 20 females, completed online questionnaires with a 12-month interval. Results: Social internet use (i.e., using instant messaging and social networks) was associated with decreased levels of depression. High support satisfaction, use of social networking, and instant messaging contributed to lower changes in compulsive Internet use. Conclusion: The effects of social internet use in combination with different psychosocial factors seem to have more positive effects than negative ones on change in depression and the development of compulsive internet use.
485 Background: In patients (pts) with muscle invasive bladder (MIBC) suitable for curative definitive chemoradiotherapy (CRT), we hypothesise that the addition of pembrolizumab may be safe and improve efficacy. A pre-planned safety analysis was performed after the first 10 of planned 30 pts were enrolled and completed treatment. Methods: Patients with maximally resected non-metastatic MIBC and ECOG 0-1, who desire bladder preservation or are ineligible for cystectomy were treated with 64Gy in 32 daily radiation fractions to the whole bladder alone over 6.5 weeks in combination with 6 concurrent doses of weekly cisplatin at 35mg/m2 IV. Pembrolizumab was commenced concurrently with radiation and given flat-dose 200mg IV q21 days for 7 doses. Surveillance cystoscopy, urine cytology and CT chest-abdomen-pelvis were performed 12 & 24 weeks post CRT. The primary endpoint is feasibility, defined by a satisfactory low rate of unacceptable toxicity of a) G3-4 non-urinary adverse events (AE) or b) failure of completion of planned CRT according to defined parameters. Secondary endpoints include complete cystoscopic response without metastatic disease at 12 & 24 weeks, loco-regional PFS, metastatic DFS, and overall survival. A 2-stage design was planned, with accrual to be halted if >5 of the first 10 pts experienced unacceptable toxicity up to 12 weeks post treatment. Results: All 10 pts completed the course of CRT and pembrolizumab without alteration in radiation dose or schedule. 1 patient had a dose of cisplatin withheld. 4/10 pts experienced G3-4 non-urinary adverse events within 12 weeks of completing treatment. One immune related AE interrupted pembrolizumab delivery (G2 nephritis). By week 24, 9/10 pts achieved a complete cystoscopic response to treatment post CRT and were free of distant metastatic disease. Conclusions: Interim results indicate that pembrolizumab and CRT shows satisfactory safety, and promising efficacy. There were no unexpected safety signals. Follow up of these and additional pts will better define the efficacy and safety of the combination. Enrolment is ongoing with 20 pts recruited out of a planned total of 30. Clinical trial information: NCT02662062.
Background: Adherence to evidence-based management is variable in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which leads to worse patient outcomes and higher healthcare utilization. Solutions include electronic systems to enhance care, but these have often been limited by lack of clinician design input, poor usability, and low perceived value. A cloud-based IBD-specific clinical management software-'Crohn's Colitis Care' (CCCare) was developed by Australia and New Zealand Inflammatory Bowel Disease Consortium clinicians and software developers to improve this. Methods: CCCare captures patient-reported disease activity and medical assessment, medication monitoring, cancer screening, preventative health, and facilitates communication with the IBD team and referring doctor. De-identified longitudinal data are stored separately in a clinical quality registry for research. CCCare was tested for feasibility and usability in routine clinical settings at two large Australian hospitals. Users' experience was evaluated with System Usability Scale (SUS). Value to clinicians and patients was assessed by qualitative feedback. Security was assessed by penetration testing. Results: Users (n ¼ 13; doctors, nurses, patients) reported good usability and learnability (mean SUS score 75 (range 50-95), sub-scores were 77 (50-94) and 68 (38-100), respectively). Patients reported better communication with clinical team and greater ability to track disease. Clinicians highlighted structured management plans, medication adherence, and centralised data repository as positive features. Penetration testing was passed successfully. Conclusions: Initial evaluation demonstrates CCCare is usable, secure, and valued in clinical use. It is designed to measure outcomes of clinical care, including efficacy, quality, cost, and complications for individuals, and to audit these at hospital and national level.
Business Process Re-engineering (BPR) inevitably involves change. However, modern business organizations are extremely complex. Setting improvement targets in BPR too high without considering the company's capability and its external and internal interactions will have little chance of achieving the set targets, which means project failure. Unfortunately, forecasting of the BPR outcomes is currently a wild guess to management. This paper describes a risk model that estimates a process improvement capability score and integrates with a performance effectiveness function to assess the likelihood of meeting performance gain targets from process improvement projects undertaken by companies. The risk assessment can assist management to set more realistic performance gain targets for process improvement projects with a better chance of success.
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