bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
LO85: Unhelmeted injured cyclists in the emergency department: demographics, cycling behaviour, and attitudes towards helmet use
Authors: Friedman S. , Porplycia D. , Varriano B.
Published: May 2020

Introduction: We seek to characterize unhelmeted injured cyclists presenting to the emergency department (ED): demographics, cycling behaviour, and attitudes towards helmet use. Methods: This was a prospective cohort study in a downtown teaching hospital, from May 2016 - Sept 2019. Injured cyclists presenting to the ED were recruited if they were not wearing a helmet at time of injury and over age 18. Exclusion criteria included intoxication, inability to consent, or admission to hospital. A standardized survey was administered by a research coordinator. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data, and survey responses reported as percentages. Results: We surveyed a convenience sample of 68 unhelmeted injured cyclists (UICs) with mean age of 33.6 years (range 18 to 68, median 29.5 years). Ratio of males to females was 1:1. The majority of UICs cycled most days per week or every day in non-winter months (89.6 %, n = 60). Cycling in Toronto was perceived as somewhat dangerous (45.6%, n = 31) or very dangerous (5.9%, n = 4) by most, and very safe (2.94 %, n = 2) or somewhat safe (19.12%, n = 13) by few. Almost a third (29.4 %, n = 20) had been in a cycling accident in the prior year, some of these (15.0%, n = 3) prompting an ED visit. All cyclists were riding their personal bike (100 %, n = 68) at time of injury, and most (98.5%, n = 67) had planned to cycle when they departed home that day. Purpose of trip was primarily for commuting to work (50%, n = 34), social activities (19.1%, n = 13), school (7.4%, n = 5), and recreation (7.4%, n = 5). Bicycle helmet ownership was low (41.2 %, n = 28). UICs reported rarely (10.3%, n = 7) or never (64.7%, n = 44) wearing a helmet when cycling. Reported factors discouraging helmet use included inconvenience (33.8%, n = 23), lack of ownership (32.4%, n = 22), discomfort (29.4%, n = 20), and ‘messed hair’ (14.7%, n = 10). Few characterized helmets as unnecessary (10.3%, n = 7) or ineffective (1.5%, n = 1). The majority had a college diploma or more advanced education (77.9%, n = 53), and spoke English at home (85.3%, n = 58). Conclusion: Unhelmeted injured cyclists surveyed were frequent commuter cyclists who do not regard cycling as safe, yet choose not to wear helmets for reasons largely related to convenience rather than perceptions regarding safety or necessity. Initiatives to increase helmet use in this subgroup should address the reasons given for not wearing a helmet, potentially using principles of adult education and behavioral economics.
LO87: Influence of co-injuries on post-concussion symptoms after a mild traumatic brain injury
Authors: Ouellet V. , Boucher V. , Beauchamp F. , Neveu X. , Archambault P. , Berthelot S. , Chauny J. , de Guise E. , Émond M. , Frenette J. , Lang E. , Lee J. , Mercier É. , Moore L. , Ouellet M. , Perry J. , Le Sage N.
Published: May 2020

Introduction: Each year, 3/1000 Canadians sustain a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Many of those mTBI are accompanied by various co-injuries such as dislocations, sprains, fractures or internal injuries. A number of those patients, with or without co-injuries will suffer from persistent post-concussive symptoms (PPCS) more than 90 days post injury. However, little is known about the impact of co-injuries on mTBI outcome. This study aims to describe the impact of co-injuries on PPCS and on patient return to normal activities. Methods: This multicenter prospective cohort study took place in seven large Canadian Emergency Departments (ED). Inclusion criteria: patients aged ≥ 14 who had a documented mTBI that occurred within 24 hours of ED visit, with a Glasgow Coma Scale score of 13-15. Patients who were admitted following their ED visit or unable to consent were excluded. Clinical and sociodemographic information was collected during the initial ED visit. A research nurse then conducted three follow-up phone interviews at 7, 30 and 90 days post-injury, in which they assessed symptom evolution using the validated Rivermead Post-concussion Symptoms Questionnaire (RPQ). Adjusted risk ratios (RR) were calculated to estimate the influence of co-injuries. Results: A total of 1674 patients were included, of which 1023 (61.1%) had at least one co-injury. At 90 days, patients with co-injuries seemed to be at higher risk of having 3 symptoms ≥2 points according to the RPQ (RR: 1.28 95% CI 1.02-1.61) and of experiencing the following symptoms: dizziness (RR: 1.50 95% CI 1.03-2.20), fatigue (RR: 1.35 95% CI 1.05-1.74), headaches (RR: 1.53 95% CI 1.10-2.13), taking longer to think (RR: 1.50 95% CI 1.07-2.11) and feeling frustrated (RR: 1.45 95% CI 1.01-2.07). We also observed that patients with co-injuries were at higher risk of non-return to their normal activities (RR: 2.31 95% CI 1.37-3.90). Conclusion: Patients with co-injuries could be at higher risk of suffering from specific symptoms at 90 days post-injury and to be unable to return to normal activities 90 days post-injury. A better understanding of the impact of co-injuries on mTBI could improve patient management. However, further research is needed to determine if the differences shown in this study are due to the impact of co-injuries on mTBI recovery or to the co-injuries themselves.
LO92: The effect of prehospital intravenous fluids on mortality in trauma: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Davison M. , Schenk M. , Ohle R. , Savage D. , Scully J. , Regalado S. , Affleck A.
Published: May 2020

Introduction: Hemorrhage is the primary cause of death in 39% of trauma patients. In prehospital trauma management, there is debate over pursuing a ‘scoop-and-run’ approach versus early intravenous (IV) fluid therapy. We evaluated the literature regarding the effect of prehospital IV fluid therapy on mortality in adult trauma patients. Methods: A librarian-assisted search was conducted in PubMed, Medline and Embase. The population was adults with blunt and/or penetrating trauma. The intervention was total prehospital IV fluid volume 0-500 mL, and the control was prehospital fluid volume >500 mL. The outcome of interest was in-hospital mortality. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs), cohort and case-matched studies were included. Two reviewers used the Cochrane Risk of Bias (RoB) and Risk of Bias in Non-randomized Studies of Interventions (ROBINS-I) tools to evaluate biases, and kappa was calculated for inter-rater agreement. A summary relative risk (RR) of in-hospital mortality was calculated and heterogeneity (I2) analysis performed using RevMan 5 software. Results: Four RCT's and eleven observational studies were identified, with n = 15,448 patients. Two RCTs and four observational studies were excluded due to non-English language, and the location or volume of IV fluid administered, leaving eight studies with n = 4,568 patients. Inter-rater agreement was high with the ROBINS-I (unweighted κ=0.8841) and RoB tool (unweighted κ=0.8276). Two studies found decreased mortality, one found increased mortality, and five found no significant relationship to mortality with 0-500 mL prehospital IV fluid. The summary relative risk of mortality with 0-500 mL IV fluid compared to >500 mL IV fluid was not significant (RR = 0.98 [0.87, 1.11]). The heterogeneity for all studies was high (I2 = 84%), but was low (I2 = 0%) with removal of two studies. Conclusion: The majority of studies did not find a relationship between the volume of prehospital IV fluids and in-hospital mortality. Study heterogeneity was low except for two studies: this may be explained by mortality only being recorded at emergency department discharge in one study, and the high rate of penetrating gunshot and stabbing wounds in the other. There is a paucity of high-quality RCTs on the topic, and many studies are at significant risk of bias. Further research is needed to delineate the best approach to IV fluid therapy in adult trauma patients.
LO94: Evaluation of stroke and bleeding outcomes among patients managed in the emergency department for newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation
Authors: Niaz S. , Kirwan C. , Clayton N. , Mercuri M. , de Wit K.
Published: May 2020

Introduction: Atrial Fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia seen in patients presenting to the emergency department (ED). AF increases the risk of ischemic stroke which can be mitigated by anticoagulant prescription. National guidelines advise that emergency physicians initiate anticoagulation when AF is first diagnosed. We aimed to evaluate the 90-day incidence of stroke and major bleeding among emergency patients discharged home with a new diagnosis of AF. Methods: This was a health records review of patients diagnosed with AF in two EDs. We included patients ≥ age 18, with a new diagnosis of AF who were discharged from the ED, between 1st May 2014 and 1st May 2017. Using a structure review we collected data on CHADS65 and CHADS2 scores, contraindications to direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) prescription and initiation of anticoagulation in the ED. Patient charts were reviewed for the diagnosis of stroke, transient ischemic attack (TIA), ischemic gut, ischemic limb or other systemic embolism within 90 days of the index ED presentation. We extracted data on major bleeding events within 90 days, defined by the International Society of Thrombosis and Haemostasis criteria. All data were extracted in duplicate for validation. Results: We identified 399 patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria, median age 68 (IQR 57-79), 213 (53%) male. 11 patients were already prescribed an anticoagulant for another indication and 19 had a contraindication to prescription of a DOAC. 48/299 (16%) CHADS65 positive patients were initiated on an anticoagulant, 3 of whom had a contra-indication to initiation of anticoagulation in the ED (1 dual antiplatelet therapy, 2 liver cirrhosis). 1/100 CHADS65 negative patients was initiated on anticoagulation. The median CHADS2 score was 1 (IQR 0-2). Among the 49 patients initiated on anticoagulation, 3 patients had a stroke/TIA within 90 days, 6.1% (95% CI; 2.1-16.5%). There were no bleeding events 0.0% (95% CI; 0.0-7.3%). Among the 350 patients who were not initiated on anticoagulation in the ED, 4 patients had a stroke/TIA 1.1% (95% CI; 1.1-2.9%) within 90 days and 2 patients had a major bleeding event. Conclusion: Prescription of anticoagulation for new diagnoses of AF was under-utilized in these EDs. The 90-day stroke/TIA rate was high, even among those given an anticoagulant prescription in the ED. No patient had an anticoagulant-associated bleeding event.
MP05: Validation of the Canadian clinical practice guideline clinical decision aid for acute aortic syndrome
Authors: Paige B. , Maeng A. , Savage D. , Ohle R. , MA MBBCh
Published: May 2020

Introduction: Acute aortic syndrome (AAS) is a rare clinical syndrome with a high mortality encompassing acute aortic dissection, intramural hematoma and penetrating atherosclerotic ulcer. Up to 38% of cases are misdiagnosed on first presentation. There is a large variation in use of computed tomography to rule out AAS. The Canadian clinical practice guideline for the diagnosis of AAS was developed in order to reduce the frequency of misdiagnoses. As part of the guideline, a clinical decision aid was developed to facilitate clinician decision-making based on practice recommendations. Our objective was to validate the sensitivity of this clinical decision aid. Methods: Our validation cohort was recruited from a retrospective review of all cases of AAS diagnosed at three tertiary care emergency departments and one cardiac referral center from 2002-2019. Inclusion criteria: >18 years old, non-traumatic, symptoms <14 days and AAS confirmed on computed tomography, transesophageal echocardiography, intraoperatively or postmortem. The clinical decision aid assigns an overall score of 0-7 based on high risk pain features, risk factors, physical examination and clinical suspicion. Sensitivity with 95% confidence intervals are reported. Based on a national survey, a miss rate of <1% was predefined for the validation threshold. Results: Data was collected from 2002-2019 yielding 222 cases of AAS (mean age of 65 (SD 14.1) and 66.7% male). Kappa for data abstraction was 0.9. Of the 222 cases of AAS (type A = 125, type B = 95, IMH = 2), 35 (15.7%) were missed on initial assessment. Patients were risk stratified into low (score = 0, 2 (0.9%)) moderate (score = 1, 42 (18.9%)) and high risk (score ≥2,178 (80.2%)) groups. A score ≥1 had a sensitivity of 99.1% (95% CI 96.8-99.9%) in the detection of AAS. The clinical decision aid missed 0.9% (95% CI 0.3-3%) of cases. Conclusion: The Canadian clinical practice guideline's AAS clinical decision aid is a highly sensitive tool that uses readily available clinical information. Although the miss rate was <1%, the 95% confidence intervals crossed the predefined threshold. Further validation is needed in a larger population to ensure the miss rate is below an acceptable level.
MP14: Quantification of head-neck motion in trauma patients in the emergency department under spinal motion restriction: a prospective observational study
Authors: Kulas M. , Brueton-Campbell L. , Weldon E. , McDonald N. , Pryce R.
Published: May 2020

Introduction: This was a prospective observational study involving a convenience sample of low-risk trauma patients presenting to a Level 1 Trauma Centre under spinal motion restriction (SMR). To our knowledge no prior studies have objectively measured head-neck (H-N) motion in trauma patients with suspected spine injuries during emergency department (ED) care. The goal was to establish the feasibility of deploying non-invasive motion sensors on trauma patients in the ED and to provide initial estimates for H-N kinematics under SMR during different phases of treatment. Methods: Low-risk adult patients treated by Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service who sustained non-life threatening trauma with the potential for spine injury were eligible for inclusion. Participants received usual pre-hospital care; application of spine board and/or cervical collar, as determined by local practice protocol. Inertial measurement units (IMUs) were placed on participant's forehead, sternum and stretcher upon arrival to the ED. Data was collected during three phases of care: patient handling (log rolls, transfers, clothing removal); stretcher movement (to imaging, etc); stretcher stationary. IMUs were removed upon disposition decision by the attending physician. IMUs yielded data on H-N motion in terms of linear acceleration (resultant) and angular displacement (rotation + flexion-extension + side-flexion = total). Peak (M +/- SE) displacements and accelerations are reported, with comparisons across treatment phases using repeated measures ANOVA. Results: Eleven patients were enrolled in the study (age: 49 +/- 16 years; Injury Severity Score 13.4 +/- 9.9; female = 2). Substantial H-N motion was observed during ED care. Total H-N displacement (28.6 +/- 3.6 deg) and acceleration (7.8 +/- 1.0 m/s2) were higher during patient handling compared to stretcher moving (13.0 +/- 2.5 deg; 4.6 +/- 0.9 m/s2; p < .05) but not while the stretcher was stationary (18.9 +/- 3.4 deg; 5.4 +/- 1.2 m/s2; p > .06). Similar differences were detected for side-flexion and flexion-extension (p < .05), with peak displacements of 11.4+/-1.5 deg and 14.6 +/- 2.2 deg during patient handling, respectively. Conclusion: IMU use on trauma patients safely described H-N motion kinematics in a small sample of patients with different spectrums of illness during their care in the ED. Future studies utilizing IMUs could inform ED spine motion restriction protocols and compare movement of patients in specific subsets (intoxicated, spinal tenderness, injury severity etc.).
MP17: Evaluation of a national competency-based assessment system in emergency medicine: A CanDREAM study
Authors: Thoma B. , Hall A. , Clark K. , Meshkat N. , Cheung W. , Desaulniers P. , ffrench C. , Meiwald A. , Meyers C. , Patocka C. , Beatty L. , Chan T.
Published: May 2020

Introduction: In 2018, Canadian postgraduate specialist Emergency Medicine (EM) programs began implementing a competency-based medical education (CBME) assessment system. To support improvement of this assessment program, we sought to evaluate its short-term educational outcomes nationally and within individual programs. Methods: Program-level data from the 2018 resident cohort were amalgamated and analyzed. The number of Entrustable Professional Activity (EPA) assessments (overall and for each EPA) and the timing of resident promotion through program stages was compared between programs and to the guidelines provided by the national EM specialty committee. Total EPA observations from each program were correlated with the number of EM and pediatric EM rotations. Results: Data from 15 of 17 (88.2%) EM programs containing 9,842 EPA observations from 68 of the 77 (88.3%) Canadian EM specialist residents in the 2018 cohort were analyzed. The average number of EPAs observed per resident in each program varied from 92.5 to 229.6 and correlated strongly with the number of blocks spent on EM and pediatric EM (r = 0.83, p < 0.001). Relative to the guidelines outlined by the specialty committee, residents were promoted later than expected and with fewer EPA observations than suggested. Conclusion: We present a new approach to the amalgamation of national and program-level assessment data. There was demonstrable variation in both EPA-based assessment numbers and promotion timelines between programs and with national guidelines. This evaluation data will inform the revision of local programs and national guidelines and serve as a starting point for further reaching outcome evaluation. This process could be replicated by other national assessment programs.
MP21: Improving the relational aspects of trauma care through translational simulation
Authors: Purdy E. , Alexander C. , Matulich J. , Brazil V.
Published: May 2020

Introduction: Major trauma care is complex, and requires individuals and teams to perform together in time critical, high stakes situations. Scenario based simulation is well established as a strategy for trauma teamwork improvement, but its role in the relational and cultural aspects of trauma care is less well understood. Relational Coordination theory offers a framework though which we aimed to understand the impact of an established trauma simulation program Methods: We studied simulation activities using a narrative survey of trauma providers from anaesthesia, emergency medicine, medical imaging, surgery, trauma service, intensive care and pre-hospital providers at Gold Coast University Hospital, in conjunction with data from an ethnography. Data analysis was performed using a recursive approach - a simultaneous deductive approach using the relational coordination framework and an inductive analysis. Results: 95/480 (19.8%) staff completed free text survey questions on simulation. Deductive analysis of data from this narrative survey results using the RC framework domains identified examples of shared goals, shared knowledge, communication, and mutual respect. Two major themes from the inductive analysis – “Behaviour, process and system change”, and “Culture and relationships” - aligned closely with findings from the RC analysis, with additional themes of “Personal and team learning” and the “Impact of the simulation experience” identified. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that an established trauma simulation program can have a profound impact on the relational aspects of care and the development of a collaborative culture, with perceived tangible impacts on teamwork behaviours and institutional systems and processes. The RC framework – shared knowledge, shared goals and mutual respect in the context of communication that is timely, accurate, frequent and problem-solving based – can provide a common language for simulation educators to design and debrief simulation exercises that aim to have a translational impact.
MP22: Using galvanic skin response to identify resuscitation expertise in a pulmonary embolism simulation exercise
Authors: Belyea A. , Cofie N. , Dalgarno N. , Bruder E.
Published: May 2020

Introduction: As physicians gain expertise in clinical settings, they are able to handle progressively more information, in both complexity and magnitude, as an organized schema. Expert physicians then, will be more likely to function with less cognitive load —the amount of mental effort someone exerts within their short-term working memory. Expert physicians will also retain more working memory capacity to process information during medical emergencies than novice physicians. While a physician's ability to process medical information may have implications for handling medical emergencies, there is a paucity of empirical research examining the link between physicians’ expertise and biometric measures of cognitive load. Using galvanic skin response (GSR) as a surrogate measure of cognitive load, we assess whether average cognitive load differs significantly between expert and novice physicians in a pulmonary embolism simulation exercise. Methods: We analyzed GSR data (n = 39) from a 10-minute simulated pulmonary embolism exercise among 18 faculty physicians and 21 residents. Cluster and factor analyses were used to identify novice, intermediate, advanced, and expert physicians with based on participants’ GRS scores. One-way ANOVA was used to analyze group differences. Descriptive statistical techniques were also used to describe the distribution of GRS expertise by participants’ level of training. Results: Contrary to expectation, we found more than two groups of resuscitation expertise in the simulation exercise. Respectively, we identified 7.7% and 20.5% of participants as novice and expert physicians. About 36% of participants were classified as intermediate (35.9%) physicians while another 36% were classified as having an advanced (35.9%) expertise in resuscitation. All the novice physicians identified were found to be PGY1 and PGY2 resident residents. A third (33.3%) of faculty physicians and 9.5% of residents were identified as experts. As expected, average GSR score for experts (x¯ = 0.60μS, SD = 0.26) was significantly (F = 137.6, p < 0.001) lower than the average GSR for novices (x¯ = 5.55μS, SD = 0.99), intermediate (x¯ = 2.84 μS, SD = 0.40), and advanced (x¯ = 1.57 μS, SD = 0.28) physicians. Conclusion: GSR measures of cognitive load may be used to identify resuscitation expertise in managing pulmonary embolism and related medical conditions through simulation exercises.
MP23: Mixed methods analysis of an automated e-mail audit and feedback intervention for fostering emergency physician reflection
Authors: Kennedy W. , Andruchow D. , Dowling S. , Lonergan K. , Rich T. , Patocka C.
Published: May 2020

Innovation Concept: Emergency physicians (EP) rarely receive timely, iterative feedback on clinical performance that aids their reflective practice. The Calgary zone ED recently implemented a novel email-based alert system wherein an EP is notified when a patient whose ED care they were involved in is admitted to hospital within 72-hours of discharge from an index ED visit. Our study sought to evaluate the general acceptability of this form of audit and feedback and determine whether it encourages practice reflection. Methods: This mixed methods realist evaluation consisted of two sequential phases. An initial quantitative phase used data from our electronic health record and a survey to examine the general features and acceptability of 72-hour readmission alerts sent from May 2017-2018. A subsequent qualitative phase involved semi-structured interviews exploring the alert's role in greater depth. Quantitative data were summarized using descriptive statistics and qualitative data were analyzed using thematic and template analysis techniques. Results of both phases were used to guide construction of context-mechanism-outcome statements to refine our program theory. Curriculum, Tool, or Material: 4024 alerts were sent over a 1-year period, with each physician receiving approximately 17 alerts per year (Q1: 7, Q3: 25, IQR: 18). The top five CEDIS complaints on index presentations were abdominal pain, flank pain, shortness of breath, vomiting and/or nausea, and chest pain (cardiac features). The majority of re-admissions (78.6%) occurred within 48 hours after discharge. Immediate alert survey feedback provided by EP's noted that 52.65% (N = 471) of alerts were helpful. Thematic analysis of 17 semi-structured interviews suggests that the alert was generally acceptable to physicians, However, certain EPs were concerned that the alert impacted hire/fire decisions even when leadership didn't endorse this sentiment. Physicians who didn't believe alerts were involved in hire/fire decisions, described greater engagement in the reflective process. Conversely, physicians, who believed alerts were involved in hire/fire decisions, were more likely to defensively change their practice. Conclusion: Most EPs noted that timely notification of 72-hour readmissions made them more mindful of documenting discharge instructions. Our implementation of a 72- hour readmission alert was an acceptable format for audit and feedback and appeared to facilitate physician reflection under certain conditions.
MP28: Development and validation of a novel three-dimensional printed thorax model simulator for the simulation-based training of tube thoracostomy
Authors: Brannan V. , Dunne C. , Dubrowski A. , Parsons M.
Published: May 2020

Innovation Concept: High-acuity, low-occurrence (HALO) procedures require skilled performance as they treat life-threatening conditions and are associated with significant morbidity when performed incorrectly. Simulation has proven useful for deliberate practice in a low stake setting. Tube thoracostomy is amendable to this approach. Commercially available trainers exist but often have limited realism and are prohibitively expensive particularly to non-academic centers. Three-dimensional (3D) printing produces models suitable for simulation, but no current simulator has been developed and validated for tube thoracostomy. The aim of this study was to develop such, a 3D-printed low-fidelity simulator validated for the simulation-based instruction of tube thoracostomy. Methods: The development of the simulator followed an iterative design cycle with collaboration between a design team and an emergency medicine expert. Its validity (face and content) was tested through hands-on practice and surveys completed by 15 acute-care practitioners. Participants performed the procedure on the simulator and then provided feedback through a mixed quantitative/qualitative product evaluation survey on appearance, realism (face validity) and value in procedural training (content validity). Mean values for overall appearance and content validity as a training tool were 4/5 and 4.3/5 respectively. All respondents felt the model was a useful adjunct. All but one stated it was a good replacement for pre-existing trainers. Curriculum, Tool, or Material: The model was initially printed in three parts using an Ultimaker 3 and Axiom Airwolf Dual 3D-printer. The ribcage was created using polylactic acid with polyvinyl alcohol support material. Printed sections were bonded using glue at interfaces requiring no flexibility. Flexible joints were made of varying amounts of thermoplastic polyurethane and thermoplastic elastomer. Skin overlay for the whole model was created with a cut out area for replaceable sections that subjects would incise to insert the chest tube. Skin was casted using platinum cured silicone in a 3D-printed mold. Total cost of all materials was roughly 80 CAD. Conclusion: The simulator was found to be a useful adjunct for the simulation-based practice of tube thoracostomy. As well, users found the model anatomically realistic and avoided high-cost and ethical issues. Further research will focus on optimization based on feedback and development into a multi-functional simulator for other HALO procedures.
MP32: Using physician practice reports and feedback sessions to reduce low value care in bronchiolitis
Authors: Dowling S. , Gjata I. , Solbak N. , Weaver C. , Smart K. , Buna R. , Stang A.
Published: May 2020

Background: Despite strong evidence recommending supportive care as the mainstay of management for most infants with bronchiolitis, prior studies suggest that many of these patients receive low-value interventions. Providing clinicians with their practice reports and peer comparator data or an achievable benchmark of care (audit and feedback) has been shown to be an effective strategy to improve adherence to guidelines. Aim Statement: To decrease low-value care (use of any or all of chest radiographs, viral testing and salbutamol) in infants with bronchiolitis by delivering individual physician reports in addition to Group Facilitated Feedback Sessions (GFFS) to pediatric emergency physicians (PEPs). Measures & Design: Our cohort included 3,883 patients ≤12 months old that presented to two emergency departments with a diagnosis of bronchiolitis from April 1, 2013 to April 30, 2018. Using administrative data we captured baseline characteristics and interventions. Consenting PEPs received two audit and feedback (A&F) reports which included their individual and peer comparator data. Two multi-disciplinary GFFS (including inpatient pediatricians, nurse, learners and respiratory therapists) presented data and identified barriers and enablers of reducing low-value care. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients who received any low-value intervention, and was analyzed using statistical process control charts. Process measures (consent to obtain report, attendance and evaluations from the feedback session) and balancing measures were also captured. Evaluation/Results: 78% of PEPs consented to receive their A&F reports. Patient baseline characteristics were similar in the baseline (n = 3109) and intervention period (n = 774). Following the baseline physician reports and the GFFS, low-value care decreased from 42.6% to 27.1% (absolute difference: -15.5%; 95% confidence interval (CI): -19.8% to -11.2%) and 78.9% to 64.4% (absolute difference: -14.5%; 95% CI: -21.9% to -7.2%) in patients who were not admitted and admitted, respectively. Balancing measures such as ICU admission (absolute difference: -0.6%; 95%CI: -5.7% to 4.4%) and ED revisit within 72 hours (absolute difference: -0.1%; 95% CI: -3.1% to 3.0% non-admitted patients, 1.0%; 95% CI: -1.2% to 3.2% admitted patients) were unchanged. Discussion/Impact: The combination of audit and feedback and a GFFS significantly reduced low-value care for pediatric patients with bronchiolitis by PEP's.
MP37: Emergency department boarding of admitted oncology patients receiving chemotherapy
Authors: Grewal K. , McLeod S. , Sutradhar R. , Krzyzanowska M. , Borgundvaag B. , Atzema C.
Published: May 2020

Introduction: Emergency department (ED) boarding is associated with worse outcomes for critically ill patients. There have been mixed findings in other patient populations. The primary objective of this study was to examine predictors of prolonged ED boarding among cancer patients receiving chemotherapy who required hospital admission from the ED. Secondary objectives were to examine the association between prolonged ED boarding and in-hospital mortality, 30-day mortality, and hospital length of stay (LOS). Methods: Using administrative databases from Ontario, we identified adult (≥ 18 years) cancer patients who received chemotherapy within 30 days prior to a hospital admission from the ED between 2013 to 2017. ED boarding time was calculated as the time from the decision to admit the patient to when the patient physically left the ED. Prolonged ED boarding was defined as ≥ 8 hours. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine predictors of prolonged ED boarding and to determine if prolonged boarding was associated with mortality. Multivariable quantile regression was used to determine the association between prolonged boarding and hospital LOS. Results: 45,879 patients were included in the study. Median (interquartile range (IQR)) ED LOS of stay was 11.8 (7.0, 21.7) hours and median (IQR) ED boarding time was 4.2 (1.6, 14.2) hours. 17,053 (37.2%) patients had prolonged ED boarding. Severe ED crowding was the strongest predictor of prolonged ED boarding (odds ratio: 17.7, 95% CI: 15.0 to 20.9). Prolonged ED boarding was not associated with in-hospital mortality or 30-day mortality. Median hospital LOS was over 9 hours (p <0.0001) longer among patients with the longest ED boarding times. Conclusion: Severe ED crowding was associated with a significant increase in the odds of prolonged ED boarding. While our study demonstrated that prolonged boarding was not associated with increased mortality, further work is required to understand if ED boarding is associated with other adverse outcomes in this immunocompromised population.
MP45: What to do with #MeToo: pre and post presenting patterns of intimate partner violence
Authors: Sobiesiak A. , Muldoon K. , Shipeolu L. , Heimerl M. , Sampsel K.
Published: May 2020

Introduction: The #MeToo social media movement gained international status in October 2017 as millions disclosed experiences of sexual and intimate partner violence. People who experience violence from a former/current intimate partner may not present for care for many reasons, among them not knowing where to go for care, or not realizing they were experiencing abuse since the behavior was portrayed as ‘normal’. Empirical research identified increased police reporting, internet searches, and new workplace regulations on sexual assault/harassment after #MeToo. Less is known about how #MeToo has influenced hospital-based care, particularly among IPV cases. We aimed to investigate if the #MeToo social movement influenced patterns of IPV cases presenting for emergency care. Methods: This study took place at the Sexual Assault and Partner Abuse Care Program (SAPACP), within the Emergency Department of The Ottawa Hospital. Patients seen from November 1st, 2016 through to September 30th, 2017 was considered Pre-#MeToo and those seen November 1st, 2017 to September 30th, 2018 was considered Post-#MeToo. All patients seen in October 2017 were excluded. Analyses compare the proportion and characteristics of IPV cases seen Pre- and Post-#MeToo. Log-binomial regression models were used to calculate relative risk and 95% CI. Results: 890 cases were seen by the SAPACP during the total study period, of which 564 (63%) were IPV cases. 258 IPV cases were seen Pre-#MeToo and 306 IPV Post-#MeToo. The clinical presentation for IPV cases was similar between both periods where approximately 42% of IPV cases presented for sexual assault, 50% presented for physical assault. An increase in frequency and proportion of IPV cases was observed post-#MeToo. Post-#MeToo there were 48 additional cases of IPV, corresponding to almost a 20% increase in risk compared to the Pre-#MeToo period. (RR: 1.19, 95% CI: 1.07-1.31) Post-#MeToo, there were more presenting cases of IPV among male/trans cases (9 vs 26) and youth cases (82 vs 116). Conclusion: #MeToo is a powerful social movement that corresponded with a significant increase in IPV cases presenting for emergency care. While the assault characteristics among IPV cases remained similar, an important contribution of this research is the increase in youth, male/transgender patients who presented for care post-#MeToo. Continued investigations into pre- post-#MeToo trends is needed to understand more about the changing clinical population and to inform resource and service allocation.
MP47: Factors associated with preventable trauma death: a narrative review
Authors: Genois G. , Vlahovic I. , Moore L. , Beck B. , Blanchard P. , Émond M. , Mitra B. , Cameron P. , Nadeau A. , Mercier É.
Published: May 2020

Introduction: Trauma care is highly complex and prone to medical errors. Accordingly, several studies have identified adverse events and conditions leading to potentially preventable or preventable deaths. Depending on the availability of specialized trauma care and the trauma system organization, between 10 and 30% of trauma-related deaths worldwide could be preventable if optimal care was promptly delivered. This narrative review aims to identify the main determinants and areas for improvements associated with potentially preventable trauma mortality. Methods: A literature review was performed using Medline, Embase and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials from 1990 to a maximum of 6 months before submission for publication. Experimental or observational studies that have assessed determinants and areas for improvements that are associated with trauma death preventability were considered for inclusion. Two researchers independently selected eligible studies and extracted the relevant data. The main areas for improvements were classified using the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations patient event taxonomy. No statistical analyses were performed given the data heterogeneity. Results: From the 3647 individual titles obtained by the search strategy, a total of 37 studies were included. Each study included between 72 and 35311 trauma patients who had sustained mostly blunt trauma, frequently following a fall or a motor vehicle accident. Preventability assessment was performed for 17 to 2081 patients using either a single expert assessment (n = 2, 5,4%) or an expert panel review (n = 35, 94.6%). The definition of preventability and the taxonomy used varied greatly between the studies. The rate of potentially preventable or preventable death ranged from 2.4% to 76.5%. The most frequently reported areas for improvement were treatment delay, diagnosis accuracy to avoid missed or incorrect diagnosis and adverse events associated with the initial procedures performed. The risk of bias of the included studies was high for 32 studies because of the retrospective design and the panel review preventability assessment. Conclusion: Deaths occurring after a trauma remain often preventable. Included studies have used unstandardized definitions of a preventable death and various methodologies to perform the preventability assessment. The proportion of preventable or potentially preventable death reported in each study ranged from 2.4% to 76.5%. Delayed treatment, missed or incorrect initial diagnosis and adverse events following a procedure were commonly associated with preventable trauma deaths and could be targeted to develop quality improvement and monitoring projects.
MP48: Head computerized tomography overuse in adults with mild traumatic brain injury in a single Quebec emergency department
Authors: Thibault S. , Gélinas V. , Turcotte S. , Pépin A. , Renald R. , Le Sage N. , Plante P. , Witteman H. , Légaré F. , Sauvé L. , Gagnon M. , Archambault P.
Published: May 2020

Introduction: Choosing Wisely Canada has reported rates of unnecessary head computed tomography (CT) scans for low-risk mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) patients in Ontario and Alberta ranging from 14% to 46%. Local data for Quebec is currently not available. We sought to estimate the overuse of CT scans among adults with mTBI in the emergency department (ED) of a single level II trauma center in Quebec. Methods: We performed a retrospective chart review of adults who visited the ED of Hôtel-Dieu de Lévis from 04/01/2016 to 03/31/2017. Using an administrative database (Med-GPS, Montreal), we randomly sampled ED patients aged over 18 that had an initial Glasgow Coma Scale score of 13 to 15 and had suffered from a mTBI in the last 24 hours. We excluded patients with an unclear history of trauma, a bleeding disorder/anticoagulation, a history of seizure, any acute focal neurological deficit, a return visit for reassessment of the same injury, unstable vital signs, or a pregnancy. Data was extracted by two reviewers who analyzed separate charts. They used the Canadian CT Head Rule (CCHR) to determine relevance of CT scans. Overuse was determined if a patient without any high or medium risk CCHR criteria underwent a scan. A third reviewer verified a 10% random sample of the data extraction for each primary reviewer and inter-rater reliability was assessed using the kappa statistic. Results: From the 942 eligible mTBI patients, we randomly selected 418 patient charts to review, of which 217 met all inclusion and exclusion criteria (56% were men and the mean age was 48 years old (SD = 21)). Among included patients, 101 were determined as low risk. The overuse proportion was 26% (26/101), 95% CI [18-35]. Two CT scans were assessed as abnormal, but none revealed life-threatening injuries and only one was considered clinically significant with a subdural hematoma of 9 mm. Inter-rater reliability was substantial to perfect (kappa = 0.6 and 1.0) for each primary reviewer. Conclusion: We identified head CT scan overuse in this ED. This will support local quality improvement initiatives to reduce unnecessary head CT scans for adults with mTBI.
MP51: The relationship between entrustment scores in the simulated and workplace environments among emergency medicine residents
Authors: Prudhomme N. , O'Brien M. , McConnell M. , Dudek N. , Cheung W.
Published: May 2020

Introduction: The Emergency Medicine Specialty Committee of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) has specified that resuscitation Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) can be assessed in either the workplace or simulation environments; however, there is minimal evidence that such clinical performance correlates. We sought to determine the relationship between assessments in the workplace versus simulation environments among junior emergency medicine residents. Methods: We conducted a prospective observational study to compare workplace and simulation resuscitation performance among all first-year residents (n = 9) enrolled in the RCPSC-Emergency Medicine program at the University of Ottawa. All scores from Foundations EPA #1 (F1) were collected during the 2018-2019 academic year; this EPA focuses on initiating and assisting in the resuscitation of critically ill patients. Workplace performance was assessed by clinical supervisors by direct observation during clinical shifts. Simulation performance was assessed by trained simulation educators during regularly-scheduled sessions. We present descriptive statistics and within-subjects analyses of variance. Results: We collected a total of 104 workplace and 36 simulation assessments. Interobserver reliability of simulation assessments was high (ICC = 0.863). We observed no correlation between mean EPA scores assigned in the workplace and simulation environments (Spearman's rho=−0.092, p = 0.813). Scores in both environments improved significantly over time (F(1,8) = 18.79, p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.70), from 2.9(SD = 1.2) in months 1-4 to 3.5(0.2) in months 9-12 (p = 0.002). Workplace scores (3.4(0.1)) were consistently higher than simulation scores (2.9(0.2)) (F(1,8) = 7.16, p = 0.028, ηp2 = 0.47). Conclusion: We observed no correlation between EPA F1 ratings of resuscitation performance between the workplace and simulation environments. Further studies should seek to clarify this relationship to inform our ongoing use of simulation to assess clinical competence.
MP55: Reducing barriers to successful cardiac resuscitation: intervention in elementary schools
Authors: Blanchard P. , Gauvin V. , Marie-Pier L. , Péloquin F. , Bertrand I. , Mercier E.
Published: May 2020

Introduction: The incidence of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) in school is approximately 2.1 for 100,000 per year. Although rare, it is a devastating event for the local community. Schools with public access to automated external defibrillators (AED) and an emergency response plan have demonstrated increased survival rates of up to 70% for students who suffer cardiac arrest. Previous studies identified numerous barriers to successful cardiac resuscitation in public school systems. The main objectives of this study were to identify those barriers in the Quebec region elementary school system and to assess the impacts of an AED focused training session. Methods: A previously validated survey focused on the potential barriers to successful defibrillation in OHCA and on demographic variables was sent to 139 elementary schools. Later, 92 employees within three elementary schools who responded to the survey were evaluated before and after receiving training on the use of AED in a mock cardiac arrest scenario. The primary outcome was the time to first shock and the secondary outcomes included correct AED pad placement and safety of the procedure. Results: Survey response rate was 53%, which is comparable to previous studies assaying barriers to cardiac resuscitation in public school systems. 95% of school respondents reported the presence of an AED on the school premises but 46% stated that no formal AED training course was provided to employees. Out of the four schools who reported a previous OHCA, only one had access to an AED at the time of the event. Following focused AED training, 92% of school workers successfully completed a defibrillation sequence in a mock scenario, from 53% before (p < 0.001, McNemar test). The time to first shock went from 66 seconds (95% CI 63-70) to 47 seconds (95% CI 45-49; -29%, p < 0.001). Proper pad placement was the most problematic step for participants and personnel who reported previous training had better performance (OR 3.15, 95% CI 1.33-7.42, p = 0.009). Conclusion: Most elementary schools in the Quebec region have access to AEDs. However, inadequate AED training represents a significant barrier to successful defibrillation in the event of an OHCA. Our results showed that a simple focused AED training could improve the performance of school workers and optimize the chain of survival.
MP60: Application of routinely collected administrative data to track demographic and mental health characteristics of people experiencing homelessness
Authors: Burcul I. , Dai J. , Ma Z. , Jamani S. , Hossain R. , Strobel S.
Published: May 2020

Introduction: People experiencing homelessness have complex psychiatric and medical presentations, and have poor access to primary care. Thus, emergency departments (EDs) often become their main point of healthcare contact. Using routinely collected administrative data from EDs, we examine the ED utilization, health and reasons for presentations of people experiencing homelessness.. Methods: All routinely collected administrative health data from EDs located within Ontario, Canada from 2010-2017 were analyzed. Individuals experiencing homelessness were identified by a marker that was adopted in 2009 replacing their recorded postal code with an XX designation. Outcomes include number of unique patients, number of visits and repeat visits, CTAS scores, ambulance utilization, and type of ICD-10 presentation. Results: 640,897 visits to the ED over 10 years were made by 39,525 unique individuals experiencing homelessness. A visit to an ED by a homeless patient resulted in repeat presentation on the same day 5% of the time. The median repeat presentation to an ED was 14 days. In people experiencing homelessness, the most prevalent category of presentations were primary mental health diagnoses, accounting for 34.8% of visits (n = 223,392). Under mental health conditions, psychoactive substance use presentations made up more than 54% of the presentations (n = 121,112). Alcohol was by far the most common cause of substance use/induced disorders (n = 84,805). Conclusion: Applications of administrative data presents a novel method of measuring health and healthcare outcomes for marginalized populations. We found people experiencing homelessness are presenting to ED more frequently in Ontario, with significant mental health and addiction problems. Our study identifies several important health vulnerabilities within the population, which may serve as potential targets for future interventions.