Low-value injury admissions in an integrated Canadian trauma system: a
multicenter cohort study
Abstract
Background: Injury represents 260,000 hospitalisations and $27 billion
in healthcare costs each year in Canada. Evidence suggests that there is
significant variation in the prevalence of hospital admissions among ED
presentations between countries and providers but we lack data specific
to injury admissions. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of potentially
low-value injury admissions following injury in a Canadian provincial
trauma system, identify diagnostic groups contributing most to low-value
admissions and assess inter-hospital variation. Methods: We conducted a
retrospective multicenter cohort study based on all injury admissions in
the Québec trauma system (2013-2018). Using literature and expert
consultation, we developed criteria to identify potentially low-value
injury admissions. We used a multilevel logistic regression model to
evaluate inter-hospital variation in the prevalence of low-value injury
admissions with intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). We stratified
our analyses by age (1-15; 16-64; 65-74; 75+ years). Results: The
prevalence of low-value injury admissions was 16% (n=19,163) among all
patients, 26% (2136) in children, 11% (4695) in young adults and 19%
(12,345) in older adults. Diagnostic groups contributing most to
low-value admissions were mild traumatic brain injury in children (48%
of low-value pediatric injury admissions; n=922), superficial injuries
(14%, n=660) or minor spinal injuries (14%, n=634) in adults aged
16-64, and superficial injuries in adults aged 65+ (22%, n=2771). We
observed strong inter-hospital variation in the prevalence of low-value
injury admissions (ICC=37%). Conclusion: One out of six hospital
admissions following injury may be of low-value. Children with mild
traumatic brain injury and adults with superficial injuries could be
good targets for future research efforts seeking to reduce health care
services overuse. Inter-hospital variation indicates there may be an
opportunity to reduce low-value injury admissions with appropriate
interventions targeting modifications in care processes.