TY - JOUR

T1 - A retrospective study of seven-day consultant working: reductions in mortality and length of stay

AU - Leong, King Sun

AU - Titman, Andrew

AU - Brown, Mark

AU - Powell, Robyn

AU - Moore, Evan

AU - Bowen-Jones, David

PY - 2015

Y1 - 2015

N2 - Weekend admission is associated with higher in-hospital mortality than weekday admission. Whether providing enhanced weekend staffing for acute medical inpatient services reduces mortality or length of stay is unknown.METHODS: This paper describes a retrospective analysis of in-hospital mortality and length of stay before and after introduction of an enhanced, consultant-led weekend service in acute medicine in November 2012. In-hospital mortality was compared for matching admission calendar months before and after introduction of the new service, adjusted for case volume. Length of stay and 30-day postdischarge mortality were also compared; illness severity of patients admitted was assessed by cross-sectional acuity audits.RESULTS: Admission numbers increased from 6,304 (November 2011-July 2012) to 7,382 (November 2012-July 2013), with no change in acuity score in elderly medical patients but a small fall in younger patients. At the same time, however, a 57% increase in early-warning score triggered calls was seen in 2013 (410 calls vs 262 calls in 2012; p<0.01). Seven-day consultant working was associated with a reduction in in-hospital mortality from 11.4% to 8.8% (p<0.001). Mortality within 30 days of discharge fell from 2.4% to 2.0% (p=0.12). Length of stay fell by 1.9 days (95% CI 1.1-2.7; p=0.004) for elderly medicine wards and by 1.7 days (95% CI 0.8-2.6; p=0.008) for medical wards. Weekend discharges increased from general medical wards (from 13.6% to 18.8%, p<0.001) but did not increase from elderly medicine wards.CONCLUSIONS: Introduction of an enhanced, consultant-led model of working at weekends was associated with reduced in-hospital and 30-day post discharge mortality rates as well as reduced length of stay. These results require confirmation in rigorously designed prospective studies.

AB - Weekend admission is associated with higher in-hospital mortality than weekday admission. Whether providing enhanced weekend staffing for acute medical inpatient services reduces mortality or length of stay is unknown.METHODS: This paper describes a retrospective analysis of in-hospital mortality and length of stay before and after introduction of an enhanced, consultant-led weekend service in acute medicine in November 2012. In-hospital mortality was compared for matching admission calendar months before and after introduction of the new service, adjusted for case volume. Length of stay and 30-day postdischarge mortality were also compared; illness severity of patients admitted was assessed by cross-sectional acuity audits.RESULTS: Admission numbers increased from 6,304 (November 2011-July 2012) to 7,382 (November 2012-July 2013), with no change in acuity score in elderly medical patients but a small fall in younger patients. At the same time, however, a 57% increase in early-warning score triggered calls was seen in 2013 (410 calls vs 262 calls in 2012; p<0.01). Seven-day consultant working was associated with a reduction in in-hospital mortality from 11.4% to 8.8% (p<0.001). Mortality within 30 days of discharge fell from 2.4% to 2.0% (p=0.12). Length of stay fell by 1.9 days (95% CI 1.1-2.7; p=0.004) for elderly medicine wards and by 1.7 days (95% CI 0.8-2.6; p=0.008) for medical wards. Weekend discharges increased from general medical wards (from 13.6% to 18.8%, p<0.001) but did not increase from elderly medicine wards.CONCLUSIONS: Introduction of an enhanced, consultant-led model of working at weekends was associated with reduced in-hospital and 30-day post discharge mortality rates as well as reduced length of stay. These results require confirmation in rigorously designed prospective studies.

KW - in-hospital

KW - length of stay

KW - mortality

KW - 30 day mentality

U2 - 10.4997/JRCPE.2015.402

DO - 10.4997/JRCPE.2015.402

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 27070886

VL - 45

SP - 261

EP - 267

JO - The Journal of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh

JF - The Journal of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh

SN - 1478-2715

IS - 4

ER -