Value-based analysis of a Singaporean post-ED discharge support program for older adults

Objective: We evaluated the effectiveness of a post emergency department (ED) discharge intervention for frail, older adult patients in reducing hospital admissions. Methods: 9-month retrospective real-world evaluation of a quality improvement intervention comparing frail adults 65-years and older who received a post-ED discharge intervention program (SAFE-Lite) with those who were eligible but declined and received usual care instead. The primary outcomes were the differences in rates of first acute hospital admission at 30- and 60-days post-ED discharge. The difference in primary outcome between the two groups was compared using the Cox proportional hazards model. We report adjusted hazards ratios (HRs) with 95% CIs for age, gender, Triage Risk Screening Tool (TRST) scores, as well as baseline ED utilization and acute hospital admission rates in the past year. Results: There were 66 patients in the intervention group and 46 patients in the control group. There was no significant difference in risk of acute hospital admission at both 30 days (15 vs. 13%, HR = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.35–2.41) and 60 days (21 vs. 16%, HR = 0.97, 95% CI: 0.42–2.21) for the intervention and control groups. Conclusion: Compared to usual post-ED discharge care, SAFE-Lite showed no difference in reducing 30- and 60-day admissions of frail, older patients.