Cardiac testing of Emergency Department patients with chest pain leads to increased revascularization without reduction in admissions for acute MI
Retrospective cohort study of ED patients presenting with chest pain but without evidence of ischemia, shows that non-invasive cardiac testing of these patients lead to more coronary angiograms (92.1 per 1,000 patients) within 30 days, but no significant reduction of admissions for acute MI at 1 year (remained 7.8 per 1,000 patients tested).
Citation: Sandhu AT, Heidenreich PA, Bhattacharya J, Bundorf MK. Cardiovascular Testing and Clinical Outcomes in Emergency Department Patients With Chest Pain. JAMA Intern Med. Published online 2017 June 26. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2017.2432.
Facebook star ratings and “likes” correlate with patient satisfaction scores
In a cross-sectional analysis of 136 New York State hospitals, the study found increased Facebook star ratings correlated (P less than .003) with overall increased HCAHPS (Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) score (21/23 HCAHPS). HCAHPS measures also positively correlated (P less than .05) with adjusted number of “likes” on Facebook but to a lesser degree (3/21 HCAHPS). Neither star ratings nor number of “likes” correlate with Medicare spending or 30-day all-cause readmission rate.
Citation: Campbell L, Yue L. Are Facebook user ratings associated with hospital cost, quality, and patient satisfaction? BMJ Qual Saf. 2017 July 19. doi:10.1136/bmjqs-2016-006291.
Candida auris remains an ongoing health care facility transmission risk
Multidrug-resistant fungus Candida auris is an emerging pathogen and a transmission risk across health care facilities. From June 2016 through May 2017, 77 cases of clinical infection have been reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from seven states, though most (90%) cases are clustered in the New York City metropolitan area. Most patients had multiple medical conditions and extensive health care facility exposure. The CDC recommends contact precautions, private rooming, daily and terminal cleaning with disinfectant active against Clostridium difficile spores, and notification to receiving health care facilities about C. auris colonization or infection on transfer to help reduce the spread of C. auris throughout the United States.
Citation: Tsay S, Welsh RM, Adams EH, et al. Notes from the Field: Ongoing Transmission of Candida auris in Health Care Facilities – United States, June 2016–May 2017. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2017;66:51415.