Background: Communication breakdown plays a part in the majority of adverse events in healthcare. Physician to physician handoffs are particularly prone to communication errors, yet have been shown to be more complete when systematized according to a standardized bundle. However,  the degree to which individual elements of this bundle, including written versus verbal handoffs, contribute [...]

Background: Post-discharge follow-up appointments (PDFA) are an important component of care transitions. Many hospital medicine groups dedicate substantial time arranging these visits. In a one year retrospective analysis of patients discharged from our hospitalist service, the attendance rate for PDFA was only 46% and the no-show/same-day cancel (NS/SDC) rate was 36%. Detailed phone interviews of [...]

Background: Patient understanding of prescription medication regimens is an important aspect of health literacy and inpatient medication reconciliation. There is a lack of data regarding patient knowledge of their own outpatient prescription medications. This study evaluated the ability of patients admitted to a community hospital medicine service to provide, from memory, their preadmission prescription medication [...]

Background: Patient safety can be jeopardized if there is inadequate transitional care planning as patients move from the hospital to the outpatient setting. A reliable means for patients and their caregivers to reach a physician is crucial during this vulnerable period to ensure continuity of care. However, patients may be unsure who to contact after [...]

Background: Peripherally inserted center catheter (PICC) use is associated with many complications including thromboembolism. The role of pharmacological prophylaxis in prevention of PICC line related thromboembolism is controversial. In our study,we assessed the role of pharmacological prophylaxis in the prevention of PICC line related thromboembolic complication. Methods: We reviewed the electronic medical records in our center [...]

Background: Approximately 1-2% of the U.S. population gets community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) annually in the U.S. and CAP is associated with substantial mortality, morbidity and costs.  While the incidence of CAP is well-defined, the incidence of outpatients who fail antibiotics and eventually become hospitalized is less clear.  The objective of this study was to provide real-world [...]

Background:  By 2026 the number of prostate cancer survivors is expected to reach 4.5 million. Although the mortality from prostate cancer has been steadily decreasing, cancer survivors usually have poor outcomes compared to their peers without cancer. The majority of the cancer survivors are over the age of 70 and have progressive medical comorbidities. Identifying [...]

Background: Peripherally inserted peripheral catheter (PICC) use is associated with many complications including line related thromboembolism. Several studies and meta- analyses confirmed the increased risk to develop venous thromboembolism in non-O blood group patients. We wanted to assess the association between PICC line related thromboembolism and the ABO blood group. Methods: Our study sample consisted [...]

Background: Septic patients that require ICU level of care are treated empirically with vancomycin. Although this treatment is effective for MRSA infections, prolonged vancomycin exposure can cause nephrotoxicity and antibiotic resistance. A test to identify patients with a low risk for MRSA infection could facilitate early vancomycin discontinuation. In patients presenting with pneumonia, MRSA swabs [...]

Background: Reducing LOS promotes value, and when aligned with patient preferences, can improve care. Patients referred for palliative care (PC) generally have longer length of stay (LOS) due to their serious illness, multiple complex management issues, and the fact that long LOS is a reason for engaging a specialty PC team. The aim of this [...]