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OBJECTIVES/SPECIFIC AIMS: Reducing radiologic exams has been a focus of cost reduction in healthcare systems. The utility and justification of obtaining cross-sectional imaging (PPCSI) before surgical intervention continues to be evaluated. For peripheral artery disease (PAD) consensus guidelines regarding PPCSI do not exist and may be influenced by patient complexity, variation of disease presentation, and physician preference. The objective of this study was to determine the utility of PPCSI before percutaneous PAD intervention. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: Patients receiving first-time endovascular revascularization procedure for PAD from 2013 to 2015 were evaluated for PPCSI done within 180 days prior to revascularization. Patient and physician demographics, perioperative characteristics, and disease distribution/severity were evaluated. The primary outcome was technical success defined as improving inflow and/or revascularization of the target outflow vessels to <50% stenosis. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Of the 348 patients who underwent an attempted revascularization procedure 159 (45.7%) patients underwent PPCSI, including 151 CTA and 8 MRA. Of these, 48% were ordered by the referring provider (84% at an outside institution), and 52% were ordered by the treating physician. PPCSI was performed a median of 26 days (IQR 9-53) prior to procedure. Individual vascular surgeon practice identified PPCSI rates ranging from 31% to 70%. On multivariate analysis chronic kidney disease (OR=0.35; CI 0.17–0.73) had the strongest effect against of PPCSI, and Inpatient/ED evaluation (OR=3.20; CI 1.58–6.50), aorto-iliac (OR=2.78; CI 1.46–5.29) and femoral-popliteal occlusions (OR=2.51; CI 1.38–4.55) most strongly predicted PPCSI. After excluding 31 diagnostic procedures, technical success did not differ between endovascular procedures with PPSCI (91.3%) or without PPCSI (85.6%), p=0.11. When analyzing 89 femoral-popliteal occlusions, technical success was higher with PPCSI (88%) compared to procedures without PPSCI (69%), p=0.026. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT: PPCSI use is influenced by inpatient status, chronic kidney disease, and anatomic consideration. PPCSI was not associated with overall technical success although it appeared beneficial for femoral-popliteal occlusions. Routine practices of ordering of PPCSI may not be warranted when considering technical success but may be important in treatment planning. Further studies are warranted to determine if radiation, cost, and contrast load justify PPCSI.
Evidence indicates that the positive effects of 2-year early intervention services for psychosis are not maintained after service withdrawal. Optimal duration of early intervention in sustaining initial improved outcomes remains to be determined.
To examine the sustainability of the positive effects of an extended, 3-year, early intervention programme for patients with first-episode psychosis (FEP) after transition to standard care.
A total of 160 patients, who had received a 2-year early intervention programme for FEP, were enrolled to a 12-month randomised-controlled trial (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01202357) comparing a 1-year extension of the early intervention (3-year specialised treatment) with step-down care (2-year specialised treatment). Participants were followed up and reassessed 2 and 3 years after inclusion to the trial.
There were no significant differences between the treatment groups in outcomes on functioning, symptom severity and service use during the post-trial follow-up period.
The therapeutic benefits achieved by the extended, 3-year early intervention were not sustainable after termination of the specialised service.
The empirical association between high hospital procedure volume and lower mortality rates has led to recommendations for the regionalization of complex surgical procedures. While regionalization may improve outcomes, it also reduces market competition, which has been found to lower prices and improve health care quality. This study estimates the potential net benefits of regionalizing the Whipple surgery for pancreatic cancer patients. We confirm that increased hospital volume and surgeon volume are associated with lower inpatient mortality rates. We then predict the price and outcome consequences of concentrating Whipple surgery at hospitals that perform at least two, four, and six procedures respectively per year. Our consumer surplus calculations suggest that regionalization can increase consumer surplus, but potential price increases extract over half of the value of reduced deaths from regionalization. We reach three conclusions. First, regionalization can increase consumer surplus, but the benefits may be substantially less than implied by examining only the outcome side of the equation. Second, modest changes in outcomes due to regionalization may lead to decreases in consumer surplus. Third, before any regionalization policy is implemented, a deep and precise understanding of the nature of both outcome/volume and price/competition relationships is needed.
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