News
Mortality, Readmission Rates Unchanged by Duty Hour Reforms
March 3, 2015
Clinical question: Did the 2011 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) duty hour reforms change mortality rates or readmission rates at teaching hospitals? Background: The 2011 ACGME duty hour reforms maintained the 80-hour weekly work limit for medical residents, decreased
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Children with Acute Hematogenous Osteomyelitis Have Similar Outcomes When Discharged with Oral Antibiotics versus Prolonged IV Antibiotics and Escape PICC Complications
March 3, 2015
Clinical question: After hospitalization for acute hematogenous osteomyelitis (AHOM), do children discharged with oral antibiotics have similar clinical outcomes compared to those discharged with home IV antibiotics? Background: AHOM occurs in one in 5,000 children yearly and makes up approximate
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Emergency Department Utilization May Be Lower for Attending-Only Physician Visits versus Supervised Visits
March 3, 2015
Clinical question: Does supervised learning in the ED lead to higher rates of resource utilization? Background: Care at academic medical centers might be more expensive than nonteaching hospitals because of the increased testing and resource utilization that occurs among learners.
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Physician Spending Habits During Residency Training Can Persist for Years
March 3, 2015
Clinical question: For primary care physicians (PCPs), does residency training area affect the pattern of physician spending after training is complete? Background: Regional and system-level variations in the intensity of medical services provided are common in the U.S.
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Malpractice Reform Does Not Change Physician Practice Patterns
March 3, 2015
Clinical question: Do malpractice reform policies shift physician practice patterns toward lower utilization of healthcare resources? Background: Physician-reported fears of lawsuits lead to defensive medicine practices, which contribute to high healthcare costs.
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Updated Guidelines for Management of Non-ST-Elevation Acute Coronary Syndrome
March 3, 2015
Clinical question: What is the recommended approach for management of non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS)? Background: This is the first comprehensive update from the American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology (AHA/ACC) on NSTE-ACS since 2007 and follows a focused u
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New Guidelines for Platelet Transfusions in Adults
March 3, 2015
Clinical question: What is the recommended approach to platelet transfusion in several common clinical scenarios? Background: The AABB (formerly American Association of Blood Banks) developed these guidelines from a recent systematic review on platelet transfusion. Synopsis: One strong recomme
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Shorter Treatment for Vertebral Osteomyelitis May Be as Effective as Longer Treatment
March 3, 2015
Clinical question: Is a six-week regimen of antibiotics as effective as a 12-week regimen in the treatment of vertebral osteomyelitis? Background: The optimal duration of antibiotic treatment for vertebral osteomyelitis is unknown.
News
Hospitals Launch Bedside Procedure Services
March 3, 2015
A dedicated procedure team or service can give hospitals needed expertise without requiring a one-size-fits-all approach.
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Clinical Images Capture Hospitalists’ Daily Rounds
March 3, 2015
EDITOR’S NOTE: Fourth in an occasional series of reviews of the Hospital Medicine: Current Concepts series by members of Team Hospitalist. [caption id="attachment_8317" align="alignright" width="300"] Left: Image of patient with rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis, case number 48.Right: Image of