Faculty Bibliography

BACKGROUND:The assessment of clinical guideline adherence for the evaluation of pulmonary embolism (PE) via computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA) currently requires either labor-intensive, retrospective chart review or prospective collection of PE risk scores at the time of CTPA order. The recording of clinical data in a structured manner in the electronic health record (EHR) may make it possible to automate the calculation of a patient's PE risk classification and determine whether the CTPA order was guideline concordant. OBJECTIVES/OBJECTIVE:The objective of this study was to measure the performance of automated, structured-data-only versions of the Wells and revised Geneva risk scores in emergency department encounters during which a CTPA was ordered. The hypothesis was that such an automated method would classify a patient's PE risk with high accuracy compared to manual chart review. METHODS:We developed automated, structured-data-only versions of the Wells and revised Geneva risk scores to classify 212 emergency department (ED) encounters during which a CTPA was performed as "PE Likely" or "PE Unlikely." We then combined these classifications with D-dimer ordering data to assess each encounter as guideline concordant or discordant. The accuracy of these automated classifications and assessments of guideline concordance were determined by comparing them to classifications and concordance based on the complete Wells and revised Geneva scores derived via abstractor manual chart review. RESULTS:The automatically derived Wells and revised Geneva risk classifications were 91.5% and 92% accurate compared to the manually determined classifications, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between guideline adherence calculated by the automated scores as compared to manual chart review (Wells: 70.8 vs. 75%, p = 0.33 | Revised Geneva: 65.6 vs. 66%, p = 0.92). CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:The Wells and revised Geneva score risk classifications can be approximated with high accuracy using automated extraction of structured EHR data elements in patients who received a CTPA. Combining these automated scores with D-dimer ordering data allows for the automated assessment of clinical guideline adherence for CTPA ordering in the emergency department, without the burden of manual chart review.

BACKGROUND: Testing for venous thromboembolism (VTE) is associated with cost and risk to patients (e.g. radiation). To assess the appropriateness of imaging utilization at the provider level, it is important to know that provider's diagnostic yield (percentage of tests positive for the diagnostic entity of interest). However, determining diagnostic yield typically requires either time-consuming, manual review of radiology reports or the use of complex and/or proprietary natural language processing software. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were twofold: 1) to develop and implement a simple, user-configurable, and open-source natural language processing tool to classify radiology reports with high accuracy and 2) to use the results of the tool to design a provider-specific VTE imaging dashboard, consisting of both utilization rate and diagnostic yield. METHODS: Two physicians reviewed a training set of 400 lower extremity ultrasound (UTZ) and computed tomography pulmonary angiogram (CTPA) reports to understand the language used in VTE-positive and VTE-negative reports. The insights from this review informed the arguments to the five modifiable parameters of the NLP tool. A validation set of 2,000 studies was then independently classified by the reviewers and by the tool; the classifications were compared and the performance of the tool was calculated. RESULTS: The tool was highly accurate in classifying the presence and absence of VTE for both the UTZ (sensitivity 95.7%; 95% CI 91.5-99.8, specificity 100%; 95% CI 100-100) and CTPA reports (sensitivity 97.1%; 95% CI 94.3-99.9, specificity 98.6%; 95% CI 97.8-99.4). The diagnostic yield was then calculated at the individual provider level and the imaging dashboard was created. CONCLUSIONS: We have created a novel NLP tool designed for users without a background in computer programming, which has been used to classify venous thromboembolism reports with a high degree of accuracy. The tool is open-source and available for download at http://iturrate.com/simpleNLP. Results obtained using this tool can be applied to enhance quality by presenting information about utilization and yield to providers via an imaging dashboard.

Introduction/UNASSIGNED:Emergency department (ED) patient care often hinges on the result of a diagnostic test. Frequently there is a lag time between a test result becoming available for review and physician decision-making or disposition based on that result. We implemented a system that electronically alerts ED providers when test results are available for review via a smartphone- and smartwatch-push notification. We hypothesized this would reduce the time from result to clinical decision-making. Methods/UNASSIGNED:We retrospectively assessed the impact of the implementation of a push notification system at three EDs on time-to-disposition or time-to-follow-up order in six clinical scenarios of interest: chest radiograph (CXR) to disposition, basic metabolic panel (BMP) to disposition, urinalysis (UA) to disposition, respiratory pathogen panel (RPP) to disposition, hemoglobin (Hb) to blood transfusion order, and abnormal D-dimer to computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA) order. All ED patients during a one-year period of push-notification availability were included in the study. The primary outcome was median time in each scenario from result availability to either disposition order or defined follow-up order. The secondary outcome was the overall usage rate of the opt-in push notification system by providers. Results/UNASSIGNED:During the study period there were 6115 push notifications from 4183 ED encounters (2.7% of all encounters). Of the six clinical scenarios examined in this study, five were associated with a decrease in median time from test result availability to patient disposition or follow-up order when push notifications were employed: CXR to disposition, 80 minutes (interquartile range [IQR] 32-162 minutes) vs 56 minutes (IQR 18-141 minutes), difference 24 minutes (p<0.01); BMP to disposition, 128 minutes (IQR 62-225 minutes) vs 116 minutes (IQR 33-226 minutes), difference 12 minutes (p<0.01); UA to disposition, 105 minutes (IQR 43-200 minutes) vs 55 minutes (IQR 16-144 minutes), difference 50 minutes (p<0.01); RPP to disposition, 80 minutes (IQR 28-181 minutes) vs 37 minutes (IQR 10-116 minutes), difference 43 minutes (p<0.01); and D-dimer to CTPA, 14 minutes (IQR 6-30 minutes) vs 6 minutes (IQR 2.5-17.5 minutes), difference 8 minutes (p<0.01). The sixth scenario, Hb to blood transfusion (difference 19 minutes, p=0.73), did not meet statistical significance. Conclusion/UNASSIGNED:Implementation of a push notification system for test result availability in the ED was associated with a decrease in lag time between test result and physician decision-making in the examined clinical scenarios. Push notifications were used in only a minority of ED patient encounters.

STUDY OBJECTIVES/OBJECTIVE:Clinical demands in the emergency department (ED) may contribute to decision and attention fatigue as clinician time-on-shift increases, impacting patient care. Emergency department pharmacists review orders and intervene to correct problems related to safety and appropriateness. This study's objective was to evaluate and characterize the rate of pharmacist interventions on ED medication orders. We hypothesized that pharmacist interventions would increase with clinician time-on-shift. METHODS:We performed a retrospective study of 2 EDs within a single health system between January 2022 and November 2023. Medication and pharmacy intervention details were extracted and linked to clinician schedules, pharmacist schedules, and ED crowding scores. Mixed-effects logistic regression modeling identified factors associated with pharmacist interventions. RESULTS:Pharmacists intervened on 9,054 (1.5%) of 622,171 medication orders placed by 308 clinicians. Pharmacy intervention rate increased with clinician time-on-shift (odds ratio 1.04 for each hour; 95% confidence interval 1.03 to 1.05), with meaningful variation in this effect between individual clinicians. Stratified by clinician type (attendings, residents, or physician assistants) and shift timing (overnight versus daytime shifts), the association between time-on-shift and pharmacy intervention rate remained positive. Stratified by site (A versus B), the association was positive at site A but not at site B. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:The likelihood of orders requiring pharmacist interventions increased as ED clinicians' time-on-shift increased. This association was consistently observed across differing clinician types and shift timing, but variable across the 2 sites of the study. Clinical staffing models and quality of care could be improved by addressing stressors and fatigue accumulation informed by this analytical model.

BACKGROUND:Patients with frequent emergency department (ED) use often have poor connection to primary care, limiting access to preventive screening. Screening patients at risk for diabetes is essential to ensure early treatment via medication and lifestyle changes. While ED screening programs have shown success in diagnosing diabetes, it is unknown the impact on follow-up with subsequent care, and thus downstream patient outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of an emergency department (ED)-based diabetes screening program, assessing follow-up for subsequent management, if patients changed health behaviors or initiated medications, and barriers reported to follow-up if patients did not establish care. METHODS:Screening results and patient data from four ED sites of a health system were retrospectively collected; we then performed a phone-based survey of all patients diagnosed with diabetes via ED screening over one year. Patients were queried about diagnosis awareness, connection to follow-up or barriers to establishing care, and health behavior changes (diet, exercise, medications). RESULTS:Of 9,897 screened ED patients, 615 (6.2%) had diabetes. We surveyed 307 patients (50% response rate). Among newly diagnosed patients; 79% reported obtaining outpatient care, but only 46% recalled ED diagnosis. Health behavior changes included 65% reporting diet improvement, 35% increasing exercise, and 52% starting diabetes medication. Patients who failed to follow-up reported barriers including awareness of screening result, time/scheduling issues, and financial considerations. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:This study assesses the reported rate of outpatient care following diabetes diagnosis via an ED screening program and identifies barriers experienced by patients who did not obtain follow-up. Improved connections between screening programs and subsequent care are needed to improve outcomes.

OBJECTIVES/OBJECTIVE:Fentanyl test strips (FTS) have the potential to moderate drug use behavior amidst an unregulated drug supply, yet are underutilized in medical settings. We aimed to describe emergency department (ED) FTS distribution across a large NYC health system and examine characteristics associated with clinicians' ordering FTS compared with the current standard-of-care, take-home naloxone (THN), to identify opportunities to optimize FTS distribution. METHODS:We conducted a retrospective review of THN and FTS provision across a large urban health system in its first year of FTS distribution. We evaluated the demographic and clinical characteristics of visits in which clinicians ordered FTS, compared with THN only. RESULTS:From July 20, 2022 to July 20, 2023, 237 (of 423) clinicians ordered THN for 1279 unique individuals in 1376 eligible visits (436 with FTS, 940 without). In pairwise analysis, FTS receipt was associated with being male, younger, non-White, lacking commercial insurance; substance-related or overdose-related visit chief complaint or diagnosis, attending physician, and patient-directed discharge ( P <0.05 for each). In multivariable regression, higher odds of FTS receipt were associated with male gender (OR=2.4; 95% CI=1.8-3.5), a substance-related chief complaint (OR=2.0; 95% CI=1.2-3.2) or visit diagnosis (OR=5.5; 95% CI=3.8-8.0), and overdose visit diagnosis (OR=1.7; 95% CI=1.1-2.8). Lower odds of FTS receipt were associated with older age (OR=0.98; 95% CI=0.97-0.99), noncommunity hospital sites (OR=0.71; 95% CI=0.60-0.83), and non-attending clinicians (OR=0.83; 95% CI=0.69-0.98). CONCLUSIONS:Integrating FTS into an existing ED THN program was feasible without disrupting clinical workflow. ED encounters where FTS were dispensed differed significantly from THN-only, revealing opportunities to optimize FTS ordering.

Acute rheumatic fever (ARF) is an immune-mediated nonsuppurative complication of group A streptococcal (GAS) pharyngitis. Approximately 470,000 new cases of ARF occur annually, with a more significant disease burden in developing countries with higher rates of untreated or inadequately treated GAS infections. Globally, over 275,000 deaths yearly are attributed to rheumatic heart disease (RHD). The most significant contributors to the spread of GAS pharyngitis are household overcrowding, poor sanitation, and inadequate access to healthcare. The pathophysiology of ARF is characterized by an aberrant immune response to GAS infection triggered by molecular mimicry between GAS antigens and self-antigens. This immune response typically manifests 2 to 4 weeks after the initial GAS infection and may lead to the development of carditis, valvulitis, Sydenham chorea, subcutaneous nodules, erythema marginatum, and polyarthritis that is usually migratory. The severity and distribution of these manifestations vary significantly between individuals making the diagnosis of ARF challenging. Early recognition of ARF using the modified Jones criteria is essential in treating acute infection and preventing complications. A major long-term consequence is RHD, which carries significant morbidity and mortality.

INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND:Infestation with Pediculus species, or common lice, is frequently diagnosed in the emergency department (ED). Because lice ingest human blood, prolonged and heavy infestation can plausibly lead to iron deficiency anemia. Severe anemia attributable to lice infestation has infrequently been reported to date. Our objective in this study was to retrospectively review cases of lice-related anemia at a single public hospital to identify risk factors and associated demographic and clinical features of this disease process. METHODS:We screened the medical records for patients presenting to the ED of an urban public hospital between 2016-2024 for the diagnoses of lice infestation and severe anemia (hemoglobin < 7 grams per deciliter (g/dL). Cases were reviewed for clinical and demographic characteristics. RESULTS:A total of 932 patients were diagnosed with pediculosis infestation in the ED during the study period; 332 (35.6%) of those patients had a complete blood count obtained by the treating team. Thirty-seven cases of severe anemia were identified (3.9% of total pediculosis cases, 11.1% of those for whom a complete blood count was obtained); 84% were microcytic, indicating iron deficiency anemia. Twenty-five patients (68%) were undomiciled, and nine patients (24%) were shelter domiciled. Twenty-three patients (62%) had comorbid psychiatric diagnoses, and 21 (51%) had substance use disorders. The median hemoglobin was 4.4 g/dL (range 2.4-6.9 g/dL). Thirty patients (81%) were admitted to a medical floor and seven patients (19%) to an intensive care unit, each with a comorbid primary condition. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:In this cohort, anemia secondary to lice infestation was seen in patients with unstable housing, substance use disorders, and psychiatric disease. Most patients were hemodynamically stable, consistent with the proposed mechanism of chronic blood loss. The prevalence of this condition may be higher than previously noted among this vulnerable population. Emergency physicians should be aware of this rare but potentially serious disease process.

Introduction: Infestation with Pediculus species, or common lice, is frequently diagnosed in the emergency department (ED). Because lice ingest human blood, prolonged and heavy infestation can plausibly lead to iron deficiency anemia. Severe anemia attributable to lice infestation has infrequently been reported to date. Our objective in this study was to retrospectively review cases of lice-related anemia at a single public hospital to identify risk factors and associated demographic and clinical features of this disease process. Methods: We screened the medical records for patients presenting to the ED of an urban public hospital between 2016–2024 for the diagnoses of lice infestation and severe anemia (hemoglobin < 7 grams per deciliter (g/dL). Cases were reviewed for clinical and demographic characteristics. Results: A total of 932 patients were diagnosed with pediculosis infestation in the ED during the study period; 332 (35.6%) of those patients had a complete blood count obtained by the treating team. Thirty-seven cases of severe anemia were identified (3.9% of total pediculosis cases, 11.1% of those for whom a complete blood count was obtained); 84% were microcytic, indicating iron deficiency anemia. Twenty-five patients (68%) were undomiciled, and nine patients (24%) were shelter domiciled. Twenty-three patients (62%) had comorbid psychiatric diagnoses, and 21 (51%) had substance use disorders. The median hemoglobin was 4.4 g/dL (range 2.4-6.9 g/dL). Thirty patients (81%) were admitted to a medical floor and seven patients (19%) to an intensive care unit, each with a comorbid primary condition. Conclusion: In this cohort, anemia secondary to lice infestation was seen in patients with unstable housing, substance use disorders, and psychiatric disease. Most patients were hemodynamically stable, consistent with the proposed mechanism of chronic blood loss. The prevalence of this condition may be higher than previously noted among this vulnerable population. Emergency physicians should be aware of this rare but potentially serious disease process.

Background Emergency Department (ED) handoff to inpatient teams is a potential source of error. Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) has shown promise in succinctly summarizing large quantities of clinical data and may help improve Emergency Department (ED) handoff. Objectives Our objectives were to: 1) evaluate the accuracy, clinical utility, and safety of AI-generated ED-to-inpatient handoff summaries; 2) identify patient and visit characteristics influencing summary effectiveness; and 3) characterize potential error patterns to inform implementation strategies. Methods This exploratory study evaluated AI-generated handoff summaries at an urban academic ED (February-April 2024). A HIPAA-compliant GPT-4 model generated summaries aligned with the IPASS framework; ED providers assessed summary accuracy, usefulness, and safety through on-shift surveys. Results Among 50 cases, median quality and usefulness scores were 4/5 (SE = 0.13). Safety concerns arose in 6% of cases, with issues including data omissions and mischaracterizations. Consultation status significantly affected usefulness scores (p < 0.05). Omissions of relevant medications, laboratory results, and other essential detailss were noted (n=6), and EM clinicians disagreed with some AI characterizations of patient stability, vitals and workup (n=8). The most common response was positive impressions of the technology incorporated into the handoff process (n=11). Conclusions This exploratory provider-in-the-loop model demonstrated clinical acceptability and highlighted areas for refinement. Future studies should incorporate recipient perspectives and examine clinical outcomes to scale and optimize AI implementation.