Background: Communication failures amongst interdisciplinary internal medicine (IM) teams occur often in the inpatient setting, which can inhibit mutual understanding of care plans, increase the potential for medical error, and contribute to patient dissatisfaction. Efforts to enhance interdisciplinary collaborative teamwork within inpatient IM teams highlighted a critical need to address concerns related to communication. Methods: [...]

Background: Electronic health applications that aim to share personalized medical information with patients are not frequently found in hospital settings. These inpatient applications can empower patients and caregivers to review and monitor their most updated medical information and improve communication between patients and their providers (such as clinicians, nurses, case managers etc.). However, these applications [...]

Background: Methylnaltrexone (MNTX) is a peripherally acting µ-opioid receptor antagonist indicated for opioid-induced constipation (OIC), which can be a serious consequence of opioid analgesia. We evaluated whether baseline osmotic agent (eg, milk of magnesia, polyethylene glycol, lactulose, sorbitol) or stimulant (eg, senna, bisacodyl) use affects the efficacy and safety of MNTX among a subgroup of [...]

Background: Despite its prevalence, constipation is frequently under-recognized and treated with ineffective agents in hospitalized older adults. Methods: An anonymous survey was distributed to physicians regarding constipation management in hospitalized older adults. Chi-square or Fisher’s exact, as appropriate, were used to explore associations between demographics and survey answers. T-test was used to compare groups on [...]

Background: Methylnaltrexone (MNTX) is a peripherally acting µ-opioid receptor antagonist indicated for opioid-induced constipation (OIC). We evaluated whether baseline use of laxatives, including stimulants, osmotic agents, stool softeners, or combinations thereof affects the efficacy and safety of MNTX. Methods: This post hoc analysis included pooled data from 2 multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo (PBO)-controlled, institutional review [...]

Background: Health research is rapidly evolving to include patient stakeholders (patients, families and caregivers) as active members of research teams. The proliferation of published frameworks describing the conceptual foundations underlying this engagement, and strategies detailing best practice activities to support this process has led to a diffusion of information. Therefore, the aims of this study [...]

Background: Almost three-quarters of hospitals with 50 or more beds have a palliative care program, and the percentage of annual hospital admissions receiving an initial palliative care consultation is more than 5%. Methylnaltrexone (MNTX) is a peripherally acting µ-opioid receptor antagonist indicated for opioid-induced constipation (OIC) in patients with advanced illness who are receiving palliative [...]

Background: Constipation is a common pediatric complaint and cause of abdominal pain in the pediatric age group. Management for constipation is generally completed in the outpatient setting, but many patients may require inpatient management after failure of outpatient therapy. Methods: We utilized data from the 2012 Kids’ Inpatient Database (KID), a nationally representative sample of [...]

Background: Written discharge instructions frequently lack guidance on how patients should address problems and questions that arise at home, and this represents an opportunity to enhance discharge safety and prevent readmissions. This study aimed to increase the number of discharge instructions that included anticipatory guidance and self-management among patients discharged from internal medicine teaching services [...]

Background: Constipation is commonly encountered in patients admitted to the hospital, with a variety of possible treatments to choose from. Docusate is often prescribed to treat constipation, though evidence suggests it is ineffective. Utilizing an ineffective medication adds to patients’ pill burden, health care costs, and may delay the use of effective medications with downstream [...]