Background: Social isolation is associated with various adverse health outcomes, including an increased risk of chronic diseases, higher mortality rates, higher healthcare utilization, and costs. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine has identified social isolation as an emerging public health concern. However, there is limited data on the factors linked to perceived social [...]

Background: Healthcare networks not only address medical needs but also connect patients with critical social support services. Socioeconomic factors significantly influence both healthcare utilization and outcomes, and screening for health-related social needs (HRSN) has improved outcomes, particularly among at-risk patients (Hood 2016; Gulati 2024). Despite these benefits, widespread implementation lagged until January 2024, when the [...]

Background: Discharge delays are associated with excessive costs to healthcare systems and poor patient outcomes. We sought to identify perceived barriers to timely discharge within and outside the control of hospitalists from the multidisciplinary team pivotal to the discharge process, and if different professionals noted different barriers. Methods: In June 2024, we surveyed hospitalist physicians/advanced [...]

Background: Discharge planning is an important component of safe and efficient hospital care. While standardization of these practices can be useful, adopting general approaches may overlook important nuance for unique patient populations. In particular, we are interested in how patients who live in a baseline unsafe situation conceptualize a “safe” discharge plan. Thus, our study [...]

Background: For more than a decade, researchers and institutions have been exploring the phenomenon of “high utilizers” – a small percentage of the population that accounts for a disproportionate amount of healthcare spending, often through frequent and/or lengthy hospitalizations. There is very little information, however, on how this population’s needs affect those who provide care [...]

Background: The transition period from hospital to home is a critical phase in patient care. Inadequate transitions can lead to adverse events, readmissions, delays in care, increased healthcare expenses and increased morbidity and mortality. Individuals with diabetes are particularly susceptible to readmission, facing a significantly higher risk compared to those without the condition. Furthermore, diabetic [...]

Case Presentation: A 30 year old male presented to the emergency department one day after release from incarceration, seeking care for a testicular mass. He reported being evaluated six months prior, however had been unable to schedule a biopsy and oncology follow-up before incarceration. He reported an increasing size of the mass, with new and [...]