Patient characteristics
| Variable | Pre-MOST implementation (n=39) | MOST implementation | Total (n=329) | P value* | |
| No MOST (n=79) | MOST (n=211) | ||||
| Age (years): mean (SD) | 74.1 (12.3) | 67.5 (12.4) | 74.4 (12.8) | 72.7 (12.9) | <0.01 |
| Gender (female: n (%) (% Female) | 22 (56.4) | 41 (51.9) | 113 (53.5) | 176 (53.5) | 0.90 |
| Charlson Comorbidity Index: mean (SD) | 2.87 (1.45) | 2.58 (1.18) | 4.01 (1.68) | 3.53 (1.69) | <0.01 |
| Admitting diagnosis: n (%) | |||||
| Cancer | 5 (12.8) | 6 (7.6) | 20 (9.5) | 31 (9.4) | |
| COPD | 2 (5.1) | 13 (16.5) | 38 (18.0) | 53 (16.1) | |
| Cirrhosis | 0 (0.0) | 2 (2.5) | 1 (0.5) | 3 (0.9) | |
| Congestive heart failure | 14 (35.9) | 23 (29.1) | 65 (30.8) | 102 (31.0) | <0.01 |
| Hypertension | 3 (7.7) | 11 (13.9) | 23 (10.9) | 37 (11.2) | |
| Osteoarthritis | 7 (17.9) | 12 (15.2) | 28 (13.3) | 47 (14.3) | |
| Other | 8 (20.5) | 12 (15.2) | 36 (17.1) | 56 (17.0) | |
| Admission unit: n (%) | |||||
| Critical care unit | 1 (2.6) | 3 (3.8) | 29 (13.7) | 33 (10.0) | <0.01 |
| Intensive care unit | 1 (2.6) | 1 (1.3) | 26 (12.3) | 28 (8.5) | |
| Medical | 16 (41.0) | 11 (13.9) | 55 (26.1) | 82 (24.9) | |
| Surgical | 21 (53.8) | 64 (81.0) | 101 (47.9) | 186 (56.5) | |
Other means fracture, bowel obstruction, appendicitis and diverticuliti.
*Indicates a three-way comparison.
COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; MOST, medical order scope of treatment.