title: Relationship between input and output in acute medicine - secondary analysis of the Society for Acute Medicine's benchmarking audit 2013 (SAMBA '13).
abstract: The performance of acute medical units (AMUs) against published quality indicators is variable. We aimed to identify the impact of case-mix and unit resources on timely assessment and discharge of patients admitted to 43 AMUs on a single day in June 2013, as part of the Society for Acute Medicine's benchmarking audit 2013. Performance against quality indicators was at its worst in the early evening hours. Units admitting fewer than 40 patients performed better. Patients who were more frail, as measured by the Clinical Frailty Scale, were also more likely to have significant physiological abnormalities and a higher risk of death, as measured by the National Early Warning Score. Our analysis suggests that resource allocation at the front door is related to quality indicators. Teams will need strengthening in the evening hours and if looking after higher numbers of frail patients.
authors: Bangor University, School of Medical Sciences, Bangor, UK csubbe@hotmail.com.
authors: Christian P
authors: CP
authors: Subbe
authors: Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, Bodelwyddan, UK.
authors: Caroline
authors: C
authors: Burford
authors: Department of Research and Education in Emergency medicine, Nottingham University Hospitals Trust, Nottingham, UK.
authors: Ivan
authors: I
authors: Le Jeune
authors: St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK.
authors: Charlotte
authors: C
authors: Masterton-Smith
authors: Queen Elizabeth Hospital, South London Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK.
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Ward
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019985:Benchmarking; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D016330:Frail Elderly; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008485:Medical Audit; D008875:Middle Aged; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014218:Triage
keywords: Clinical Frailty Scale; NEWS; SAMBA ‘13; acute medical units; performance
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