Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39609721›Full record

ArticleBMC emergency medicine2024

Elderly patients re-transferred from long-term care hospitals to emergency departments within 48 h.

Tae Young Lee, Sung-Keun Ko, Seong Jung Kim, Jin-Hee Lee

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC emergency medicine, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Tae Young LeeNational Emergency Medical Center, National Medical Center, Jung‑gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4570-5867
Sung-Keun KoNational Emergency Medical Center, National Medical Center, Jung‑gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0549-2388
Seong Jung KimNational Emergency Medical Center, National Medical Center, Jung‑gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea. ksj@nmc.or.kr.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2935-5334
Jin-Hee LeeNational Emergency Medical Center, National Medical Center, Jung‑gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea. jhlee@nmc.or.kr.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2556-5484

Funding

National Medical Center, Korea NMC-2024-01-015
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND &

objectivesThe increasing proportion of elderly populations has led to a rise in chronic diseases and frequent transfers between long-term care hospitals (LTCHs) and emergency departments (EDs). This study investigates the patterns of risk factors of initial-transfers and subsequent re-transfers among patients aged 65 or older. Specifically, we focus on those re-transferred from LTCHs to EDs within 48 h of discharge, often without adequate treatment.

methodThis nationwide cross-sectional study used data from South Korea's National Emergency Department Information System (NEDIS) from January 1, 2017, to December 31, 2019. Patients aged 65 or older who were initially transferred from LTCHs to EDs and re-transferred within 48 h, were identified. Logistic regression was employed to analyze risk factors associated with re-transfers.

results140,282 elderly patients were identified as having been transferred from LTCHs to EDs. Of these, 38,180 patients received emergency care in the EDs and were discharged back to LTCHs. Among them, 679 patients were returned to LTCHs after receiving acute treatment but revisited the EDs within 48 h. Hospital ward admission rates were higher for re-transferred patients (71.3%) compared to initial transfers (42.1%, p < 0.0001). Risk factors for re-transfer included male, nighttime admissions, and longer ED stays (> 6 h). Tertiary hospitals showed higher re-transfer rates to other facilities (13.1%) than general hospitals (2.9%).

conclusionThis study reveals that many health outcomes worsen upon re-transfer compared to the initial-transfer. These findings underscore the need for a coordinated healthcare system that ensures elderly patients from long-term care facilities are initially sent to appropriate hospitals during the initial transfer, which could mitigate repeated ED visits and ensure timely care.

Indexed as

Emergency Service, HospitalLong-Term CarePatient TransferAgedAged, 80 and overCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMaleRepublic of KoreaRisk FactorsTime FactorsChronic disease managementElderly patientsEmergency departmentsInitial transferLong-term care hospitalRe-transfer

Identifiers

PMID39609721
PMCPMC11603895

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.