News
Clostridium Difficile Infection Rates in the U.S. in 2011
June 8, 2015
Clinical question: What are the incidence, recurrence rate, and mortality rate of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) in the U.S.
News
CT Angiography Effect on Outcome for Patients with Symptomatic Chest Pain
June 8, 2015
Clinical question: Does CT angiography (CTA) improve clinical outcomes in patients with new-onset stable chest pain more than functional testing? Background: Chest pain is a common clinical problem, and multiple noninvasive tests are available to detect coronary artery disease (CAD).
News
Early Goal-Directed Therapy for Sepsis Offers No Benefit Over Usual Care
June 8, 2015
Background: Recent trials (ARISE, ProCESS) showed EGDT provided no mortality benefit over usual care. Questions remain about the effectiveness of intensive monitoring protocols, as well as the evolution of what constitutes usual care.
News
NSAID Use by Patients on Antithrombotic Therapy Has Bleeding, Cardiovascular Risks
June 8, 2015
Clinical question: Is there increased risk of bleeding or cardiovascular events when using NSAIDs while on antithrombotic therapy for secondary cardiovascular prevention? Background: NSAIDs are among the most commonly used medications, despite the fact that individual NSAIDs have been associated
News
Treatment of Patients with Atrial Fibrillation, Low CHA2DS2-VASc Scores
June 8, 2015
Clinical question: Is anticoagulation beneficial for patients with atrial fibrillation (Afib) and low CHA2DS2-VASc score (0 for men, 1 for women) or for those with one additional stroke risk factor? Background: Guidelines nearly universally recommend anticoagulation for patients with a CHA2DS2-VA
News
Research Review: Ticagrelor for Post-Myocardial Infarction
June 8, 2015
Clinical question: Is ticagrelor for secondary prevention indicated for more than one year after myocardial infarction (MI)? Background: The efficacy and safety of ticagrelor combined with low-dose aspirin more than one year after MI for secondary prevention has not previously been established.
Opinion
Standard Text Messaging for Smartphones Not HIPAA Compliant
June 1, 2015
[caption id="attachment_9892" align="alignright" width="275"] Image Credit: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM[/caption] Doctors were the first to begin using pagers and, along with drug dealers, appear to be the last to give them up.
News
Quality Data Dashboards Provide Performance Feedback to Physicians
June 1, 2015
A best-of-research plenary presentation at HM15 in National Harbor, Md., described a project to link physicians’ schedules to the electronic health record (EHR) in order to provide real-time, individualized performance feedback on key quality improvement and value metrics. The abstract’s lead aut
News
Why Physicians Override Best Practice Alerts
June 1, 2015
Research published earlier this year in the Journal of Hospital Medicine finds that rationales offered by physicians for overriding interruptive, computerized best practice alerts (BPAs) regarding whether or not to give blood transfusions vary widely, including specialty service protocolized behavio
News
Hospitals with Hotel-Like Amenities Don’t Improve Satisfaction Scores
June 1, 2015
Hospital design may not contribute to patients’ satisfaction with the care given by their hospital professionals, according to new research from Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, published in the Journal of Hospital Medicine.