News
Easing the Grieving Process for Families of Patients Dying in the ICU
October 29, 2015
Clinical question: Can we dignify death in the ICU and ease the grieving process by soliciting wishes from patients, families, and care team members? Background: The death of the critically ill patient in the ICU can be dehumanizing and overwhelming for the patient’s family and friends, leading t
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Pediatric Trigger Tool Helps Identify Inpatient Pediatric Harm
October 29, 2015
Clinical question: Can a trigger tool identify harms for hospitalized children? Background: An estimated 400,000 people die annually in the United States as a result of hospital-associated harm.
News
Left Atrial Appendage Closure Favorable Over Warfarin for Atrial Fibrillation
October 29, 2015
Clinical question: Is there a favorable risk-benefit ratio for left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) compared to warfarin for prevention of stroke, systemic embolism, and cardiovascular death in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation? Background: LAAC with the WATCHMAN device was shown to be noninferior
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Thrombosis Management Demands Delicate, Balanced Approach
October 22, 2015
The delicate balance involved in providing hospitalized patients with needed anticoagulant, anti-platelet, and thrombolytic therapies for stroke and possible cardiac complications while minimizing bleed risks was explored by several speakers at the University of California San Francisco’s annual Man
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“Wish List” Outlines Patients’ Expectations for Hospital Stays, and Some Easy Fixes
October 20, 2015
Even before HCAHPS (Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems), hospital leaders and clinicians were striving to provide not only high quality care, but a place patients choose to meet their future healthcare needs.
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News
Urinalysis Is Reliable Infection Predictor in Infants
October 6, 2015
Clinical question: In infants younger than three months of age with bacteremic urinary tract infection (UTI), how sensitive and specific are urinalysis (UA) findings? Background: Infants are commonly hospitalized with UTIs. The gold standard for diagnosis is considered to be urine culture.
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High-Flow Nasal Oxygen Therapy Noninferior to BiPAP in Post-Operative Respiratory Failure
October 6, 2015
Clinical question: In post-operative cardiothoracic surgery patients, is high-flow nasal oxygen therapy inferior to BiPAP for resolution of acute respiratory failure? Background: Acute respiratory failure is common following cardiothoracic surgery, and noninvasive ventilation often is used to avo
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Supplemental Oxygen During STEMI Might Increase Myocardial Injury
October 6, 2015
Clinical question: Does routine oxygen supplementation in patients with STEMI increase myocardial injury? Background: Because of physiologic and clinical studies conducted before the era of acute coronary intervention, supplemental oxygen routinely is administered to patients with STEMI, regardle
News
Thrombectomy Within Eight Hours of Stroke Onset Reduces Post-Stroke Disability
October 6, 2015
Clinical question: Does thrombectomy, in conjunction with medical therapy, improve functional independence in patients with an acute proximal anterior stroke? Background: Revascularization of proximal anterior strokes with alteplase alone occurs less than 50% of the time.
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Interdisciplinary Team Care on General Medical Units Does Not Improve Patient Outcomes
October 6, 2015
Clinical question: Does interdisciplinary care on general medical wards improve patient outcomes? Background: Patients on general medical wards might experience errors and/or preventable deaths.
