No abstract

Purpose To assess the clinical implementation and barriers to completing the 4AT for delirium in general medical and geriatric patients over 75 years upon admission to Wellington and Kenepuru Hospitals during the first eight months of 2017, 2018 and 2019. Methods Retrospective data from electronic health records were analysed using an explanatory-sequential mixed-methods approach. The initial quantitative phase measured doctors’ adherence to the 4AT and the rate of positive 4ATs (≥ 4). The subsequent qualitative phase identified doctors’ main reasons for omitting the 4AT through conventional content analysis. Results The quantitative population included 7799 acute admissions (mean age 84, 58.2% female). There was good clinical implementation of the 4AT, evidenced by an overall adherence rate of 83.2% and a rate of positive 4ATs of 14.8% that is in keeping with expected delirium rates in similar settings. The qualitative sample consisted of 875 acute admissions (mean age 84, 56.3% female) with documented reasons for omitting the 4AT. The main barriers to completing the 4AT were: reduced patient alertness, communication barriers (language, deafness, aphasia and dysarthria), prioritising patients’ wellness and comfort (addressing critical illnesses, symptoms, end-of-life issues and promoting sleep), pre-existing cognitive disorders, and unstructured delirium assessments. Conclusion Adherence to the 4AT was high and sustainable in both hospitals. Most barriers to completing the 4AT were potentially avoidable. Education about the 4AT in relation to these barriers may improve its implementation.

Long-term beta blockers were prescribed to 74 patients (82%). Side effects were intolerable in 6 (8%) and beta blockers were stopped. MPR was calculated in the remaining 68 patients over 151.7 patient years of follow-up. Median MPR was 0.79 (range 0-1.3). Suboptimal adherence (MPR<0.8) was recorded in 35 (51%). Seven patients (10%) never took up a prescription (MPR=0). Adequate adherence was present in 33 (49%), including 9 (13%) who had ideal adherence. Age, sex, clinical presentation, family history of sudden death, ethnicity and deprivation index did not predict adherence. Conclusion: Beta blocker adherence was suboptimal in half our patients with LQTS types 1 and 2. Risk factors for nonadherence could not be identified. Further research into betablocker adherence is vital in this high risk population.