Background: Patient experience is increasingly recognized as a measure of healthcare quality and patient-centered care. However, there is insufficient understanding of patient expectations during hospitalization, and of how these are perceived by physicians, nurses, and administrators. The best way to apply the HCAHPS ratings remain elusive due to variability in practice environments, patient and clinician […]

Case Presentation: A 77‐year‐old obese white man presented with episodic dyspnea and chest tightness. He had similar symptoms several times in the past 12 months, resulting in multiple ED visits. A detailed review of systems revealed abdominal bloating, gas, and altered bowel habits (initially diarrhea and then constipation) for at least 2 years. Lately this […]

Background: Heart failure (HF) is a major cause of hospital readmissions and healthcare costs. HF patients have the highest rate of unexpected readmission of all diseases tracked by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), at 21.2% (1). HF prevalence is also projected to increase 46% from 2012 to 2030, with total costs rising […]