News
Hospital Medicine Events to Plan for in 2015
January 7, 2015
Get your calendars out now and plan for a successful 2015 with SHM and the hospital medicine movement. Leadership Academy Oct. 19-22, 2015 Every day, thousands of hospitalists are confronted with challenges that weren’t addressed in medical school.
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Society of Hospital Medicine’s Learning Portal, Toolkits Offer Educational Opportunities for Hospitalists
January 7, 2015
Hospitalists are good planners.
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Academic Hospitalist Groups Use Observation Status More Frequently
January 7, 2015
Insurers’ use of certain criteria to separate hospital stays into inpatient or observation status remains widespread. Observation status ensures provider reimbursement for hospitalizations deemed necessary by clinical judgment but not qualifying as inpatient care.
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Medical Consultants Provide Benefits for Hospitalized Surgical Patients
January 7, 2015
Clinical question: How are medical consultants used for hospitalized surgical patients, and how does this vary among regions and hospitals in the U.S.? Background: Reimbursement for surgical procedures is moving toward bundled payments, making it increasingly important to understand the use of re
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Fluid Resuscitation in Sepsis: Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis
January 7, 2015
Clinical question: Is there any difference between different resuscitative fluids (crystalloids or colloids) on mortality in critically ill sepsis patients? Background: Fluid resuscitation, in addition to antibiotics and source control, is a cornerstone of initial management of sepsis.
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Hip Fracture Adverse Outcomes Among Nursing Home Residents
January 7, 2015
Clinical question: What are the risk factors for mortality and functional decline following hip fracture among nursing home residents? Background: Little is known about the survival and functional outcomes of nursing home residents who sustain hip fracture.
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Post-Operative Pneumonia Reduced by Standardization in Noncritical Surgical Patients
January 7, 2015
Clinical question: What is the long-term effectiveness of a standardized pneumonia prevention program among surgical noncritical inpatients? Background: Few studies have focused on the prevention of post-operative pneumonia in non-mechanically ventilated patients.
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Aspirin vs. Anticoagulation for VTE Prevention in Lower Extremity Orthopedic Surgery
January 7, 2015
Clinical question: What are rates of venous thromboembolism (VTE) and bleeding among adult patients receiving aspirin versus anticoagulants after major lower extremity orthopedic surgery? Background: VTE is common after hip fracture surgery and elective total knee/hip arthroplasty.
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Depletive Fluid Management Strategy During Weaning from Mechanical Ventilation Can Lower VAP Rates
January 7, 2015
Clinical question: What is the benefit associated with a depletive fluid management strategy on ventilator-associated complication (VAC) and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) during weaning from mechanical ventilation? Background: VAP is common in the ICU.
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Limitations of Best Practice Alerts on Curbing Blood Transfusions
January 7, 2015
Clinical question: Why do providers continue to transfuse blood products outside of recommended guidelines, despite best practice alerts (BPAs)? Background: There is evidence that a restrictive approach to blood transfusion versus a liberal approach is beneficial in reducing cost, morbidity, and