COVID-19 Anosmia Reporting Tool: Initial Findings Kaye, Rachel; Chang, C W David; Kazahaya, Ken ...
Otolaryngology and head and neck surgery/Otolaryngology--head and neck surgery,
July 2020, Letnik:
163, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
There is accumulating anecdotal evidence that anosmia and dysgeusia are associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. To investigate their relationship to SARS-CoV2 infection, the American Academy of ...Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery developed the COVID-19 Anosmia Reporting Tool for Clinicians for the basis of this pilot study. This tool allows health care providers to confidentially submit cases of anosmia and dysgeusia related to COVID-19. We analyzed the first 237 entries, which revealed that anosmia was noted in 73% of patients prior to COVID-19 diagnosis and was the initial symptom in 26.6%. Some improvement was noted in 27% of patients, with a mean time to improvement of 7.2 days in this group (85% of this group improved within 10 days). Our findings suggest that anomia can be a presenting symptom of COVID-19, consistent with other emerging international reports. Anosmia may be critical in timely identification of individuals infected with SARS-CoV2 who may be unwittingly transmitting the virus.
Objective
Despite the implementation of advanced health care safety systems including checklists, preventable perioperative sentinel events continue to occur and cause patient harm, disability, and ...death. We report on findings relating to otolaryngology practices with surgical safety checklists, the scope of intraoperative sentinel events, and institutional and personal response to these events.
Study Design
Survey study.
Setting
Anonymous online survey of otolaryngologists.
Methods
Members of the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery were asked about intraoperative sentinel events, surgical safety checklist practices, fire safety, and the response to patient safety events.
Results
In total, 543 otolaryngologists responded to the survey (response rate 4.9% = 543/11,188). The use of surgical safety checklists was reported by 511 (98.6%) respondents. At least 1 patient safety event in the past 10 years was reported by 131 (25.2%) respondents; medication errors were the most commonly reported (66 12.7% respondents). Wrong site/patient/procedure events were reported by 38 (7.3%) respondents, retained surgical items by 33 (6.4%), and operating room fire by 18 (3.5%). Although 414 (79.9%) respondents felt that time-outs before the case have been the single most impactful checklist component to prevent serious patient safety events, several respondents also voiced frustrations with the administrative burden.
Conclusion
Surgical safety checklists are widely used in otolaryngology and are generally acknowledged as the most effective intervention to reduce patient safety events; nonetheless, intraoperative sentinel events do continue to occur. Understanding the scope, causes, and response to these events may help to prioritize resources to guide quality improvement initiatives in surgical safety practices.
Choosing wisely: our list Robertson, Peter J; Brereton, Jean M; Roberson, David W ...
Otolaryngology-head and neck surgery
148, Številka:
4
Journal Article
Recenzirano
In February 2013, the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) released its list of 5 recommendations of diagnostic and therapeutic interventions that physicians ...and patients should question, as part of the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Foundation's Choosing Wisely campaign. This commentary outlines the impetus for the AAO-HNSF to join the campaign, our list of 5 recommendations, how they were developed, and our future involvement with the campaign. The AAO-HNSF's 5 recommendations are (1) don't order a computed tomography (CT) scan of the head/brain for sudden hearing loss, (2) don't prescribe oral antibiotics for uncomplicated acute tympanostomy tube otorrhea, (3) don't prescribe oral antibiotics for uncomplicated acute external otitis, (4) don't routinely obtain radiographic imaging for patients who meet diagnostic criteria for uncomplicated acute rhinosinusitis, and (5) don't obtain CT or magnetic resonance imaging in patients with a primary complaint of hoarseness prior to examining the larynx.
Objective/Hypothesis
To report data on death or permanent disability after tonsillectomy.
Study Design
Electronic mail survey.
Methods
A 32‐question survey was disseminated via the American Academy ...of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery electronic newsletter. Recipients were queried regarding adverse events after tonsillectomy, capturing demographic data, risk factors, and detailed descriptions. Events were classified using a hierarchical taxonomy.
Results
A group of 552 respondents reported 51 instances of post‐tonsillectomy mortality, and four instances of anoxic brain injury. These events occurred in 38 children (71%), 15 adults (25%), and two patients of unstated age (4%). The events were classified as related to medication (22%), pulmonary/cardiorespiratory factors (20%), hemorrhage (16%), perioperative events (7%), progression of underlying disease (5%), or unexplained (31%). Of unexplained events, all but one occurred outside the hospital. One or more comorbidities were identified in 58% of patients, most often neurologic impairment (24%), obesity (18%), or cardiopulmonary compromise (15%). A preoperative diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea was not associated with increased risk of death or anoxic brain injury. Most events (55%) occurred within the first 2 postoperative days. Otolaryngologists who reported performing <200 tonsillectomies per year were more likely to report an event (P < .001).
Conclusions
This study, the largest collection of original reports of post‐tonsillectomy mortality to date, found that events unrelated to bleeding accounted for a preponderance of deaths and anoxic brain injury. Further research is needed to establish best practices for patient admission, monitoring, and pain management. Laryngoscope, 123:2544–2553, 2013
Level of Evidence
N/A.
To report data on death or permanent disability after tonsillectomy.
Electronic mail survey.
A 32-question survey was disseminated via the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery ...electronic newsletter. Recipients were queried regarding adverse events after tonsillectomy, capturing demographic data, risk factors, and detailed descriptions. Events were classified using a hierarchical taxonomy.
A group of 552 respondents reported 51 instances of post-tonsillectomy mortality, and four instances of anoxic brain injury. These events occurred in 38 children (71%), 15 adults (25%), and two patients of unstated age (4%). The events were classified as related to medication (22%), pulmonary/cardiorespiratory factors (20%), hemorrhage (16%), perioperative events (7%), progression of underlying disease (5%), or unexplained (31%). Of unexplained events, all but one occurred outside the hospital. One or more comorbidities were identified in 58% of patients, most often neurologic impairment (24%), obesity (18%), or cardiopulmonary compromise (15%). A preoperative diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea was not associated with increased risk of death or anoxic brain injury. Most events (55%) occurred within the first 2 postoperative days. Otolaryngologists who reported performing <200 tonsillectomies per year were more likely to report an event (P < .001).
This study, the largest collection of original reports of post-tonsillectomy mortality to date, found that events unrelated to bleeding accounted for a preponderance of deaths and anoxic brain injury. Further research is needed to establish best practices for patient admission, monitoring, and pain management.
N/A.
Objectives/Hypothesis:
To ascertain the surveillance and management practices for tracheotomy patients.
Study Design:
Survey of tracheotomy management.
Methods:
An electronically distributed ...26‐question survey was distributed under the auspices of the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Foundation.
Results:
There were 478 responses. The mean number of years in practice was 21.2 years (standard deviation SD, 11.0 years). Sixty‐five percent of respondents perform mainly adult tracheotomy. There is variation in surveillance patterns of immediate, postoperative, intermediate, and long‐term surveillance. On average, respondents follow a fresh tracheotomy daily for about 6 days, monthly for about 3 months, and long‐term surveillance every 4 months on average. Almost all respondents perform long‐term surveillance during routine tracheotomy changes; 61.4% perform this surveillance with an endoscope, and a minority rely on history and examination. The mean frequency of tracheotomy tube changes was 2 months (SD, 2.2 months; median, 1.1 month; range, 0.06–12 months). Two hundred sixty‐one respondents have or have used a decannulation algorithm. The vast majority, 96.2%, are comfortable with their current management practices. Over half of the respondents perceive value in a clinical practice guideline to help them with standardizing care, and 80% of respondents feel that it would assist other specialties in the care and surveillance of tracheotomy patients.
Conclusions:
There is marked variability in the surveillance and management of tracheotomy patients. There exists opportunity to improve care through standardization of surveillance and management of these patients. Laryngoscope, 122:46–50, 2012
Objectives/Hypothesis
To report otolaryngologists' reactions to errors and adverse events and determine if temporal changes in physician efforts to assume responsibility; ameliorate patients' ...conditions; or change personal, group‐wide, or hospital practices have occurred.
Study Design
Mixed‐methods analysis of survey entries detailing responses to errors and adverse events.
Methods
Members of the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery were asked to report errors or adverse events. Responses to open‐ and closed‐ended questions from a similar, previously distributed, anonymous national survey were included for analysis. Responses were enumerated and reported descriptively and then analyzed by reviewers using an interpretive phenomenological approach. Responses were compared to those from an identical survey distributed a decade prior.
Results
Otolaryngologists reported 226 adverse events. Responsibility was attributed to the physician surveyed in 74 cases (32.0%), to ancillary staff in 58 cases (25.1%), to consulting physicians in 24 cases (10.4%), and to trainees in 16 cases (6.9%). The undertaking of corrective actions was reported by 175 physicians (75.8%). These events led to changes in personal, group/departmental, and hospital practice in 78 (33.8%), 37 (16.0%), and 11 (4.8%) cases, respectively.
Conclusion
Following errors and adverse events, otolaryngologists continue to employ corrective actions to ameliorate harm. Responses are directed toward ameliorating the patient injury and also toward efforts to change personal practice and/or improve systems performance. Efforts to change personal practice are much more common than efforts to improve systems. Education about systems‐based change represents a large opportunity for improvement in our specialty.
Level of Evidence
N/A Laryngoscope, 126:1999–2002, 2016
Errors in otolaryngology revisited Shah, Rahul K; Boss, Emily F; Brereton, Jean ...
Otolaryngology-head and neck surgery,
20/May , Letnik:
150, Številka:
5
Journal Article
Recenzirano
A decade ago, a survey study identified areas of risk and proposed a classification schema for otolaryngology errors. The objective of the present study is to obtain current data for comparison using ...a similar methodology.
Survey study.
An anonymous online survey was distributed via the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) weekly email.
Members of the AAO-HNS were asked to describe any event in their practice that they felt should not have happened. Events were classified using the prior schema with minor modifications.
Of 681 respondents, 445 (66%) reported an event within the past 6 months, from which 222 reports were extracted. The mean age of the affected patients was 41 ± 24 years. An adverse consequence occurred in more than half of events, with corrective action taken in 82.8%. Of the respondents, 68% subsequently changed their practice patterns. The domains with the most reported errors were technical (27.9% of all events, 71% with major morbidity), administrative (12.2%, 3.7%), diagnostic testing (10.8%, 8.3%), and surgical planning (9.9%, 45.5%). There were 8 wrong-site surgeries, 23 cranial nerve injuries (91.3% major morbidity), and 9 errors during endoscopic sinus surgery (55.6% major morbidity). There were 4 deaths.
There has been disappointingly little overall change. Otolaryngologists remain vulnerable to errors and related adverse events. The domains with the greatest risk for error-related major morbidity have changed little and include errors in technical, administrative, diagnostic testing, surgical planning, and surgical equipment. Awareness of high-risk areas may help to focus preventive efforts in these domains.