Both sleep quantity and quality is disturbed in hospitalized patients
A cross-sectional, observational, single-day study of over 2,000 hospitalized patients showed that, on average, these patients received 83 minutes less sleep time than at home. Quality of sleep – as measured by the Consensus Sleep Diary (CSD) and the Dutch-Flemish Patient-Reported-Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Sleep Disturbance item bank – was also significantly disturbed. Sleep disruptions were most commonly caused by noise from other patients and by being awakened by hospital staff.
Citation: Wesselius H et al. Quality and quantity of sleep and factors associated with sleep disturbance in hospitalized patients. JAMA Intern Med. 2018 Jul 16. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2018.2669.
Health care costs and mortality improve in Medicare beneficiaries who receive transitional care management (TCM) service
In a retrospective cohort analysis of Medicare Fee-for-Service beneficiaries, the adjusted total Medicare costs (average, $3,358 vs. $3,033) and mortality (1.6% vs 1.0%) were higher among those beneficiaries who did not receive TCM services, compared with those who did receive TCM services, in the 31-60 days following an eligible discharge; however, use of this service by clinicians remained very low.
Citation: Bindman AB et al. Changes in health care costs and mortality associated with transitional care management services after a discharge among Medicare beneficiaries. JAMA Intern Med. 2018 Jul 30. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2018.2572.
Unsafe zolpidem use is common
In a review of the 2015 US Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, investigators found that up to 77% of patients prescribed zolpidem reported being prescribed longer durations and higher doses, as well as the drug being prescribed alongside other CNS depressants, despite known risks and recommended prescription and Food and Drug Administration guidelines.
Citation: Moore T et al. Assessment of patterns of potentially unsafe use of zolpidem. JAMA Intern Med. 2018 Jul 16. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2018.3031.
