Background: HCAHPS is a nationally standardized, publically reported survey of patients’ perspective of healthcare. However, the effect of HCAHPS reporting on hospitals with baseline low versus baseline high patient satisfaction with physicians has not been studied.  Therefore, our objective was to compare the long-term changes in the patient satisfaction with physicians in hospitals with baseline […]

Background: When people with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) access the US healthcare system, a disparity is created, leading to worse outcomes and lower quality of care.1-5 In-person interpreters are essential in circumventing these disparities, yet pitfalls to collaboration between providers and interpreters persist.6-9 This study’s goal was to assess barriers and identify opportunities for intervention […]

Background: The social determinants of health (SDOH) are variable factors, including living conditions, employment environments, and social circumstances that influence peoples’ health and can cause health disparities in communities (WHO, 2019). Physicians recognize the importance of SDOH and understand that social factors impact the health outcomes of their patients; however, they may be hesitant to […]

Background: Diabetes mellitus type II, one of the most prevalent diseases amongst the U.S. population, is associated with significant comorbidities. Patients with uncontrolled diabetes are more prone to develop complications and have higher rates of morbidity and mortality compared with the general population. There have been a number of previous studies that have evaluated the […]

Background: Social isolation and loneliness (SI+L), two largely silent social determinants of health (SDOH), are associated with negative health outcomes such as the increased risk of cardiovascular disease, higher rates of depression, increased hospital readmissions, and increased use of healthcare services. SI+L are also common, with one in five US adults reporting feelings of SI […]

Case Presentation: A 66‐year‐old man without any medical history presented with fatigue, weight loss, and generalized abdominal pain for 3 months. Physical exam revealed splenomegaly. Labs disclosed hemoglobin of 8.0 g/dL and platelets of 79,000/μL. CAT scan of the abdomen showed splenomegaly and diffuse lymph node (LN) enlargement. An endoscopic biopsy of the porta hepatis […]

Case Presentation: A 62‐year‐old woman with a history of stage IIB squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix was treated with total abdominal hysterectomy–bilateral salpingo‐oophorectomy and chemoradiotherapy in 2003. In September 2011 the patient presented to our hospital with mild abdominal pain, jaundice, and weight loss of 3 months' duration. Laboratory results were significant for total […]

Background: As hospital length of stay has shortened from an average of 6.5 days in 2015 to 4.5 days in 2019 (1), there is increased urgency for providers to efficiently address inpatient needs and to shift diagnostic and therapeutic management to outpatient settings. Patients are faced with increased self-care burdens, often tasked to implement complex […]

Case Presentation: A 25-year-old female with a history of End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) due to Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) status post cadaveric kidney transplant one year ago presented with acute rejection of the transplanted kidney, likely due to medication non-compliance. Renal biopsy demonstrated that the kidney was no longer salvageable, and she was started […]