Background: The transition out of the hospital is a vulnerable time for patients and families and is ripe for physician training.  We implemented a discharge curriculum focusing on the competence of a ‘Safe and Effective Discharge (SAFE-D) From the Hospital’.  The primary objective for the SAFE-D innovation was to assess the usefulness of direct observation […]

Background: The discharge process is complex and high-risk. Clear and accurate communication between the physician or Advanced Practice Provider (providers), nurse, and patient are essential to ensure a safe and effective transition of care. Upon literature review, there have not been studies looking at interprofessional communication during the discharge process. Also, our institution (a large […]

Background: Teamwork is essential to providing safe, effective, patient-centered care. Prior research documented discrepancies in perceptions of teamwork and collaboration among nurses and physicians. However, prior studies have been limited to single sites and academic medical centers. Methods: We conducted surveys of healthcare professionals in 4 hospitals participating in the REdesigning SystEms to Improve Teamwork […]

Background: Observational studies suggest unanticipated ICU admissions or cardiac arrests are preceded by hours of unstable clinical signs and symptoms. Medical Emergency Teams (METs) are intended to treat these patients earlier, by identifying them through use of standardized clinical criteria. However, the prevalence of clinically unstable patients on general wards meeting these criteria is not […]

Background: Nurse-physician teamwork is a critical determinant of outcomes among hospitalized patients. Although improvement interventions have been designed for specific settings (eg, intensive care units and operating rooms), less attention has been given to nurse-physician teamwork in hospital medicine. Therefore, our goal was to assess the quality and effectiveness of interventions for improving nurse-physician teamwork […]

Background: Hospitalizations are disruptive, stressful, and costly for patients and families. Readmissions are costly for payers. Readmissions within 30 days occur in 13% of pediatric hospitalizations; prior studies estimate 30-day unplanned readmission rates to children’s hospitals at 6.5%.  However, estimates of unplanned readmission are based on non-validated algorithms developed by expert opinion to exclude planned […]

Case Presentation: A 21‐year‐old healthy woman presented with headache, vomiting, and difficulty following commands. She had no fever, rash, head injury, or recent illness. She has mild seasonal allergies. She worked outdoors as a summer camp counselor. She was afebrile and her other vital signs were normal. She appeared restless and distressed, opened her eyes […]

Background: Interprofessionalism is an increasingly important part of hospitalist clinical practice, allowing providers to maximize the breadth of care provided to patients. As a result, teaching Interprofessional (IP) skills has become an integral part of Undergraduate Medical Education (UME), as guided by the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) Core Competencies for Interprofessional Collaborative Practice . At […]

Background: COPD is the third leading cause of death and hospital readmissions. Inpatient care for patients with COPD exacerbations varies widely across the US which can lead to patients failing to receive recommended evaluation, treatment, education, and follow-up to reduce the likelihood of recurrent exacerbations and unnecessary acute care utilization. In an effort to innovate […]

Case Presentation: A 30‐year old woman presented to the emergency department with chest discomfort and shortness of breath along with heavy menstrual bleeding for 3 days. She noted a history of 2 late first (?) trimester fetal losses. Her laboratory studies were remarkable for hemoglobin of 6 g/dL, platelet count 90,000/mm3, which dropped to as […]