Background: Remote patient monitoring (RPM) is a promising new tool to monitor patients who have historically required observation visits in a hospital, or would have remained hospitalized longer if initiated at hospital discharge, and was widely used in the COVID-19 pandemic. We report the outcomes of hospital admission and urgent/emergent care service utilization in a [...]

Background: Remote patient monitoring (RPM) is a promising new tool to monitor patients who have historically required observation visits in a hospital, or would have remained hospitalized longer if initiated at hospital discharge, and was widely used in the COVID-19 pandemic. We report the outcomes of hospital admission and urgent/emergent care service utilization in a [...]

Background: Among patients undergoing cardiac surgery on cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), post-operative complications are common, occurring in up to 67% of patients, and significantly impact long-term outcomes. We conducted a Phase 2 clinical trial of RBT-1, a pharmacologic preconditioning drug, to assess cytoprotective biomarkers and clinical outcomes. Herein, we report our final results. Methods: This randomized, [...]

Background: Survivors of critical illness, such as acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) requiring invasive mechanical ventilatory support in an intensive care unit (ICU), commonly experience prolonged morbidity in multiple health domains: psychological distress, functional debility, cognitive impairment, and poorer quality of life. This resulting morbidity is now recognized broadly as post-intensive care syndrome (PICS). COVID-19 ICU survivors are at [...]

Background: Decision fatigue describes the erosion of decision making capacity as a consequence of the repeated acts of decision making. The phenomenon has been detected in ambulatory settings with higher rates of inappropriate antimicrobial and opiate prescribing and lower rates of cancer screening associated with appointments that occur later in the day. As hospital medicine [...]

Background: Sepsis and septic shock, critical health concerns in the U.S., demonstrate varied mortality rates across different racial groups. This study examines the impact of race on mortality and complications in septic shock, providing insights into healthcare disparities. Methods: Using data from the National Inpatient Sample database (2016-2020), this retrospective analysis included 2,789,890 patients with [...]

Background: Malnutrition, defined as deficiencies or excesses in nutrient intake, is associated with worse short and long-term outcomes compared to similar people without the diagnosis. The ASPEN or GLIM criteria are used to diagnose malnutrition, but these criteria are somewhat vague and measurement standards are typically not objective. The Inpatient Prospective Payment System considers severe [...]

Background: Heatstroke is a life-threatening condition representing the most severe manifestation of heat-related illnesses. It is characterized clinically by extremely elevated body temperature, neurologic dysfunction, and multiorgan failure. Unmitigated fossil fuel use is increasing global average temperatures, which may impact the incidence of heatstroke admissions. Vulnerability to heat-related illness varies within communities based on exposure [...]

Background: Black patients have been shown to have worse physical function, higher likelihood of developing mobility limitations and higher rates of mobility loss and functional decline. Despite these functional disadvantages, Black patients are less likely to receive acute and post-acute rehabilitation services. These disparities have been described in community-dwelling, ambulatory, and surgical populations, and social [...]

Background: Necrotizing fasciitis, a severe bacterial infection, poses significant health challenges with varied outcomes across different demographic groups. This study examines the gender and racial disparities in the incidence of complications, length of hospital stay, and healthcare costs associated with necrotizing fasciitis, focusing on key outcomes such as mortality, hemodialysis, hospital length of stay, and [...]