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Effects of Low-Literacy Asthma Action Plans on Provider Counseling
February 22, 2016
Clinical question: Can physician counseling for asthma care be improved by using low-literacy asthma action plans? Background: Although asthma action plans are recommended for all children with asthma and have been associated with improved medication adherence, written asthma action plans are giv
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Medicaid Coverage Differs in Many States Opposed to Medicare
February 22, 2016
(Reuters Health) - Medicaid, the U.S.
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Dabigatran and Warfarin are Both Used for Stroke-prevention in Patients with AF but their Side effects Differ
February 19, 2016
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Dabigatran and warfarin offer similar stroke-prevention efficacy in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), but their side effect profiles differ, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis of real-world clinical practice. "There could be many reasons for the d
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Research Shows Antipsychotics Increase Type 2 Diabetes
February 18, 2016
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Type 2 diabetes risk appears to be increased in youth who are treated with antipsychotics, according to new research. "We believe that clinicians should take away from our study that type 2 diabetes is a risk when treating youth with antipsychotics, especially long-ter
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Dr. Hospitalist: Routine Provider Evaluations Are a Necessary, Valuable Tool
February 17, 2016
Dear Dr. Hospitalist: We have several physicians in our large academic group whom I hate to follow when picking up teams. There have only been a few situations when I thought there was a clear knowledge deficit, but the most irritating problem is that they don’t discharge patients.
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Stent-retriever Therapy Improves the Rate of Functional Independence for Acute Ischemic Patients
February 9, 2016
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Stent-retriever therapy for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke improves the rate of functional independence at 90 days, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis. Stent retrievers are deployed in an occluded vessel, temporarily expanded into the body of a
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Six Strategies to Help Hospitalists Improve Communication
February 8, 2016
As Karen Smith, MD, SFHM, chief of hospital medicine at Children’s National Health System in Washington, D.C., sees it, communication problems often arise at the first possible opportunity, when she’s trying to find out whom to call when she needs to inform a primary care physician or specialist abo
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An Early Invasive Strategy for Elderly with Myocardial Infraction is Promising
February 8, 2016
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - An early invasive strategy provides better outcomes than a conservative strategy in octogenarians with non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) or unstable angina, according to the After Eighty clinical trial. "Management of the very elderly with myocardial infar
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20-Year Rate for Kidney Stones Increased in Children, Adolescents, Females, Blacks
February 5, 2016
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Rates of kidney stones have increased substantially over the past 20 years, particularly among children, adolescents, females, and blacks, according to a population-based study in South Carolina. Historically, the highest rates of kidney stone disease have been in midd
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Adoption of Choosing Wisely Recommendations Slow to Catch On
February 1, 2016
Clinical question: Have the Choosing Wisely campaign recommendations led to changes in practice? Background: The Choosing Wisely campaign aims to reduce the incidence of low-value care by providing evidence-based recommendations for common clinical situations.