Background: Asthma disproportionately affects racial minorities and individuals of lower socioeconomic status (SES). The introduction of biologic therapies in 2015 provided new treatment options for managing severe asthma. This study investigates the impact of biologics on racial and SES disparities in asthma-related emergency care visits before and after 2015. Methods: Data from the National Health [...]

Background: Acute decompensated heart failure exacerbations remain a leading cause of morbidity and mortality and are associated with high rates of admissions and healthcare cost. Both the initial dose of intravenous (IV) diuretic and time to administration affect inpatient outcomes. Adequate diuresis prior to discharge is associated with a reduced likelihood of readmission. As part [...]

Background: Vanderbilt University Hospital continues to experience a capacity crisis, leading to a focus on strategies to improve patient flow and length of stay. Other institutions have demonstrated improved throughput by geographically cohorting patients and their respective care teams. Purpose: To reduce hospital length of stay and increase early discharges through the implementation of a [...]

Case Presentation: A 77-year-old male with a history of bladder cancer who had not seen a primary care physician in 11 years presented to the emergency department (ED) for progressive decline in his mental status over 4-6 weeks, with significant worsening starting one week before his ED assessment. Associated symptoms included fatigue, constipation, and decreased [...]

Case Presentation: Tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) is a potentially fatal complication usually seen in rapidly proliferating and chemo-sensitive malignancies like acute leukemia and lymphomas. (1-3) It is termed “spontaneous” (STLS) when TLS occurs without prior chemotherapy. (1) The incidence of STLS in solid tumors is infrequent/rare and can be fatal without early recognition and aggressive [...]