Tiffany A. Radcliff

Extended-Care Programs for Weight Management in Rural Communities: The Treatment of Obesity in Underserved Rural Settings (TOURS) Randomized Trial

BACKGROUND Rural counties in the United States have higher rates of obesity, sedentary lifestyle, and associated chronic diseases than nonrural areas, yet the management of obesity in rural communities has received little attention from researchers. METHODS Obese women from rural communities who completed an initial 6-month weight-loss program at Cooperative Extension Service offices in 6 medically underserved rural counties (n = 234) were randomized to extended care or to an education control group. The extended-care programs entailed problem-solving counseling delivered in 26 biweekly sessions via telephone or face to face. Control group participants received 26 biweekly newsletters containing weight-control advice. RESULTS Mean weight at study entry was 96.4 kg. Mean weight loss during the initial 6-month intervention was 10.0 kg. One year after randomization, participants in the telephone and face-to-face extended-care programs regained less weight (mean [SE], 1.2 [0.7] and 1.2 [0.6] kg, respectively) than those in the education control group (3.7 [0.7] kg; P = .03 and .02, respectively). The beneficial effects of extended-care counseling were mediated by greater adherence to behavioral weight-management strategies, and cost analyses indicated that telephone counseling was less expensive than face-to-face intervention. CONCLUSIONS Extended care delivered either by telephone or in face-to-face sessions improved the 1-year maintenance of lost weight compared with education alone. Telephone counseling constitutes an effective and cost-efficient option for long-term weight management. Delivering lifestyle interventions via the existing infrastructure of the Cooperative Extension Service represents a viable means of adapting research for rural communities with limited access to preventive health services. Trial Registration clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00201006.

Patient Risk Factors, Operative Care, and Outcomes Among Older Community-Dwelling Male Veterans with Hip Fracture

BACKGROUND Although more than 1200 hip fracture repairs are performed in United States Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals annually, little is known about the relationship between perioperative care and short-term outcomes for veterans with hip fracture. The purpose of the present study was to test whether perioperative care impacts thirty-day outcomes, with patient characteristics being taken into account. METHODS A national sample of 5683 community-dwelling male veterans with an age of sixty-five years or older who had been hospitalized for the operative treatment of a hip fracture at one of 108 Veterans Administration hospitals between 1998 and 2003 was identified from the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program data set. Operative care characteristics were assessed in relation to thirty-day outcomes (mortality, complications, and readmission to a Veterans Administration facility for inpatient care). RESULTS A surgical delay of four days or more after admission was associated with a higher adjusted mortality risk (odds ratio, 1.29; 95% confidence interval, 1.02 to 1.61) but a reduced risk of readmission (odds ratio, 0.70; 95% confidence interval, 0.54 to 0.91). Compared with spinal or epidural anesthesia, general anesthesia was related to a significantly higher risk of both mortality (odds ratio, 1.27; 95% confidence interval, 1.01 to 1.55) and complications (odds ratio, 1.33; 95% confidence interval, 1.15 to 1.53). The type of procedure was not significantly associated with outcome after controlling for other variables in the model. However, a higher American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status Classification (ASA class) was associated with worse thirty-day outcomes. CONCLUSIONS In addition to recognizing the importance of patient-related factors, we identified operative factors that were related to thirty-day surgical outcomes. It will be important to investigate whether modifying operative factors, such as reducing surgical delays to less than four days, can directly improve the outcomes of hip fracture repair.

A Multifaceted Intervention to Implement Guidelines Improved Treatment of Nursing Home–Acquired Pneumonia in a State Veterans Home

OBJECTIVES: To assess the feasibility of a multifaceted strategy to translate evidence‐based guidelines for treating nursing home–acquired pneumonia (NHAP) into practice using a small intervention trial.

Extended Use of Urinary Catheters in Older Surgical Patients: A Patient Safety Problem?

OBJECTIVES To explore the relationship between the extended postoperative use of indwelling urinary catheters and outcomes for older patients who have undergone cardiac, vascular, gastrointestinal, or orthopedic surgery in skilled nursing facilities and to describe patient and hospital characteristics associated with the extended use of indwelling urinary catheters. DESIGN Retrospective cohort study. SETTING US acute care hospitals and skilled nursing facilities. PATIENTS A total of 170,791 Medicare patients aged 65 years or more who were admitted to skilled nursing facilities after discharge from a hospital with a primary diagnosis code indicating major cardiac, vascular, orthopedic, or gastrointestinal surgery in 2001. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Patient-specific 30-day rate of rehospitalization for urinary tract infection (UTI) and 30-day mortality rate, as well as the risk of having an indwelling urinary catheter at the time of admission to a skilled nursing facility. RESULTS A total of 39,282 (23.0%) of the postoperative patients discharged to skilled nursing facilities had indwelling urinary catheters. After adjusting for patient characteristics, the patients with catheters had greater odds of rehospitalization for UTI and death within 30 days than patients who did not have catheters. The adjusted odds ratios (aORs) for UTI ranged from 1.34 for patients who underwent gastrointestinal surgery (P<.001) to 1.85 for patients who underwent cardiac surgery (P<.001); the aORs for death ranged from 1.25 for cardiac surgery (P=.01) to 1.48 for orthopedic surgery (P=.002) and for gastrointestinal surgery (P<.001). After controlling for patient characteristics, hospitalization in the northeastern or southern regions of the United States was associated with a lower likelihood of having an indwelling urinary catheter, compared with hospitalization in the western region (P=.002 vs P=.03). CONCLUSIONS Extended postoperative use of indwelling urinary catheters is associated with poor outcomes for older patients. The likelihood of having an indwelling urinary catheter at the time of discharge after major surgery is strongly associated with a hospitals geographic region, which reflects a variation in practice that deserves further study.

Increased use of intramedullary nails for intertrochanteric proximal femoral fractures in veterans affairs hospitals: a comparative effectiveness study.

BACKGROUND Intramedullary nails for stabilizing intertrochanteric proximal femoral fractures have been available since the early 1990s. The nails are inserted percutaneously and have theoretical mechanical advantages over plates and screws, but they have not been demonstrated to improve patient outcomes. Still, use of intramedullary nails is becoming more common. The goal of this study was to examine trends in the use and associated outcomes of intramedullary nailing compared with sliding hip screws in Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals. METHODS Review of the VA Surgical Quality Improvement Program (VASQIP) data identified 5244 male patients in whom an intertrochanteric proximal femoral fracture had been treated in a VA hospital between 1998 and 2005. The overall sample was used to assess trends in device use, thirty-day mortality, thirty-day surgical complications, and one-year mortality. Next, propensity score matching methods were used to compare 1013 patients identified as having been treated with an intramedullary nail with 1013 patients who had a sliding-screw procedure. Multiple logistic regression models for the matched sample were used to calculate odds ratios for mortality and complications according to the choice of internal fracture fixation. RESULTS Use of intramedullary nails in VA facilities increased from 1998 through 2005 and varied by geographic region. Unadjusted mortality and complication percentages were similar for the two procedures, with approximately 8% of patients dying within thirty days after surgery, 28% dying within one year, and 19% having at least one perioperative complication. While the choice of an intramedullary nail or sliding-screw procedure was related to the geographic region, year of surgery, surgeon characteristics, and several patient characteristics, it was not associated with thirty-day outcomes in either the descriptive or the multiple regression analysis. CONCLUSIONS Intramedullary nail use increased from 1998 through 2005 but did not decrease perioperative mortality or comorbidity compared with standard plate-and-screw devices for patients treated for intertrochanteric proximal femoral fractures in VA facilities.

Improving Hip Fractures Outcomes for COPD Patients

Abstract Hip fractures in the elderly have high rates of mortality and perioperative complications. Both men and COPD patients have worse mortality and complications but this may be due to more co-morbid disease. We assessed mortality and complications in a large cohort (n = 12,646) of men undergoing hip fracture surgery within the Veterans Health Affairs (VHA) to define the association of COPD to these outcomes after adjusting for other key factors. We looked for opportunities to improve outcomes for COPD patients. Methods: Using the VA Surgical Quality Improvement Program (VASQIP), and administrative databases, we determined COPD status, types of co-morbid conditions and surgical factors, and compared these to outcomes of surgical complications, 30-day and one-year mortality for patients who underwent hip fracture repair during 1998 to 2005. Results: COPD was noted in 47% of the hip fracture patients studied. In 3,261 (26%) cases, the COPD was “severe: (indicated by functional disability, previous hospitalization for exacerbation, chronic drug treatment or record of FEV1 <75% predicted), and in 2,736 (21%) cases it was considered “mild” (any previous outpatient visit or hospitalization with a coded diagnosis of COPD). Severe COPD patients had one year mortality of 40.2% compared to 31.0% in mild COPD and 28.8% in non-COPD subjects. Current smoking, use of general anesthesia and delays to surgery were significant modifiable risk factors identified in adjusted models. Osteoporosis was known pre-fracture in only 3% of subjects. Conclusions: COPD was very common in male veterans with hip fractures and was associated with increased risk of death and complications. Increased use of regional anesthesia and urgent scheduling of hip fracture surgery may improve outcomes for patients with COPD. Osteoporosis was rarely identified preoperatively. Improving diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis in COPD patients could reduce the incidence of hip fractures.

Impact of a Multidisciplinary Intervention on Antibiotic Use for Nursing Home–Acquired Pneumonia

BACKGROUND Academic detailing in nursing homes (NHs) has been shown to improve drug use patterns and adherence to guidelines. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of a multidisciplinary intervention that included academic detailing on adherence to national nursing home-acquired pneumonia (NHAP) guidelines related to use of antibiotics. METHODS This quasi-experimental study evaluated the effects of a 2-year multifaceted and multidisciplinary intervention targeting implementation of national evidence-based guidelines for NHAP. Interventions took place in 8 NHs in Colorado; 8 NHs in Kansas and Missouri served as controls. Interventions included (1) educational sessions for nurses to improve recognition and timely treatment of NHAP symptoms and (2) academic detailing to clinicians by pharmacists regarding diagnostic and prescribing practices. Differences in antibiotic use between groups were compared after 2 intervention years relative to baseline. RESULTS A total of 549 episodes of NHAP were evaluated in the intervention group and 574 in the control group. Compared with baseline, 1 facility in the intervention group significantly improved in guideline adherence for optimal antibiotic use (P = 0.007), whereas no facilities in the control group improved. The mean adherence score for optimal antibiotic use in intervention NHs increased from 60% to 66%, whereas the control NHs increased from 32% to 39% (P = 0.3). Mean adherence to guidelines recommending antibiotic use within 4 hours of NHAP diagnosis increased from 57% to 75% in intervention NHs but decreased from 38% to 31% in control NHs (P = 0.0003 for difference). There was no difference between intervention and control NHs for guideline adherence regarding optimal duration of antibiotic use. CONCLUSIONS The ability of this multifaceted study to repeatedly remind nursing staff of the importance of timely antibiotic administration contrasts with its limited academic detailing interaction with clinicians. This difference within the intervention may explain the differential impact of the intervention on antibiotic guideline adherence.

Effects of health information exchange adoption on ambulatory testing rates

OBJECTIVE To determine the effects of the adoption of ambulatory electronic health information exchange (HIE) on rates of laboratory and radiology testing and allowable charges. DESIGN Claims data from the dominant health plan in Mesa County, Colorado, from 1 April 2005 to 31 December 2010 were matched to HIE adoption data on the provider level. Using mixed effects regression models with the quarter as the unit of analysis, the effect of HIE adoption on testing rates and associated charges was assessed. RESULTS Claims submitted by 306 providers in 69 practices for 34 818 patients were analyzed. The rate of testing per provider was expressed as tests per 1000 patients per quarter. For primary care providers, the rate of laboratory testing increased over the time span (baseline 1041 tests/1000 patients/quarter, increasing by 13.9 each quarter) and shifted downward with HIE adoption (downward shift of 83, p<0.01). A similar effect was found for specialist providers (baseline 718 tests/1000 patients/quarter, increasing by 19.1 each quarter, with HIE adoption associated with a downward shift of 119, p<0.01). Even so, imputed charges for laboratory tests did not shift downward significantly in either provider group, possibly due to the skewed nature of these data. For radiology testing, HIE adoption was not associated with significant changes in rates or imputed charges in either provider group. CONCLUSIONS Ambulatory HIE adoption is unlikely to produce significant direct savings through reductions in rates of testing. The economic benefits of HIE may reside instead in other downstream outcomes of better informed, higher quality care.

Comparing Costs of Telephone vs Face-to-Face Extended-Care Programs for the Management of Obesity in Rural Settings

BACKGROUND A major challenge after successful weight loss is continuing the behaviors required for long-term weight maintenance. This challenge can be exacerbated in rural areas with limited local support resources. OBJECTIVE This study describes and compares program costs and cost effectiveness for 12-month extended-care lifestyle maintenance programs after an initial 6-month weight-loss program. DESIGN We conducted a 1-year prospective randomized controlled clinical trial. PARTICIPANTS/SETTING The study included 215 female participants age 50 years or older from rural areas who completed an initial 6-month lifestyle program for weight loss. The study was conducted from June 1, 2003 to May 31, 2007. INTERVENTION The intervention was delivered through local Cooperative Extension Service offices in rural Florida. Participants were randomly assigned to a 12-month extended-care program using either individual telephone counseling (n=67), group face-to-face counseling (n=74), or a mail/control group (n=74). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Program delivery costs, weight loss, and self-reported health status were directly assessed through questionnaires and program activity logs. Costs were estimated across a range of enrollment sizes to allow inferences beyond the study sample. STATISTICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED Nonparametric and parametric tests of differences across groups for program outcomes were combined with direct program cost estimates and expected value calculations to determine which scales of operation favored alternative formats for lifestyle maintenance. RESULTS Median weight regain during the intervention year was 1.7 kg for participants in the face-to-face format, 2.1 kg for the telephone format, and 3.1 kg for the mail/control format. For a typical group size of 13 participants, the face-to-face format had higher fixed costs, which translated into higher overall program costs (

Patient-Centered Adherence Intervention After Acute Coronary Syndrome Hospitalization

420 per participant) when compared with individual telephone counseling (