Ambulatory care-sensitive conditions: clinical outcomes and impact on intensive care unit resource use.
BACKGROUND
We identified risk factors and clinical outcomes associated with ambulatory care-sensitive conditions requiring intensive care unit (ICU) admission.


METHODS
This prospective cohort study included 4,144 patients admitted to the medical ICU of an urban teaching hospital during a 3-year period.


RESULTS
A total of 627 patients were classified as having ambulatory care-sensitive conditions (ie, potentially preventable ICU admissions). Black race, decreasing Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) score, younger age, female sex, and absence of immunodeficiency were independently associated with ambulatory care-sensitive conditions. Patients classified as having ambulatory care-sensitive conditions accounted for 2,006 ventilator days, 2,508 ICU days, and 5,392 hospital days. The hospital mortality rate was statistically lower for patients with ambulatory care-sensitive conditions than for patients without these conditions. Patients classified as having ambulatory care-sensitive conditions were also statistically more likely than other patients to lack health insurance and to sign out of the hospital against medical advice.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with ambulatory care-sensitive conditions account for a substantial portion of all admissions to the intensive care unit. These data suggest that interventions aimed at preventing such admissions could improve ICU bed use.
Burr
John
J
Pulmonary and Critical Care Division, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
Sherman
Glenda
G
Prentice
Donna
D
Hill
Cherie
C
Fraser
Victoria
V
Kollef
Marin H
MH
D018806:APACHE; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006295:Health Resources / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors