Background: Frailty is linked to poor outcomes in older patients, especially those with multiple conditions. The electronic frailty index (eFI) is a validated tool based on the cumulative deficit model used to screen hospitalized patients at risk for poor outcomes1. The eFI relies on 35 ICD-10 codes associated with encounters across four domains (morbidity, sensory, [...]

Background: Preventive care is a crucial but underutilized component of optimal population health management. Of eligible patients, 69.0% have received pneumococcal vaccine, 24.1% zoster vaccine, and 30.0% hepatitis B vaccine. Cancer screening rates are similarly low, with 12.5% screened for lung cancer and 71.6% for colorectal cancer. Gaps in preventive care are even larger in [...]

Background: Early palliative care can be beneficial for patients and the health system alike. The principle of palliative care is to improve quality of life through patient-centric treatment goals and comfort measures. However, many patients are identified and receive palliative care in their last days of life where hospice is more appropriate. Hospitalists are routinely [...]

Background: Delirium is a prevalent and dangerous state of confusion that affects millions >65 years of age (1-3). Delirium is underdiagnosed and undertreated due to lack of effective screening methods (4, 5).  Undetected delirium in hospitalized elderly patients substantially increases mortality, length of stay, and post-discharge institutionalization rates (1-3). Beyond being a very dangerous condition [...]

Background: Disparities in screening mammography use persist among low-income women, even those who are insured, despite the proven mortality benefit. We evaluated the prevalence of breast cancer screening non-adherence among hospitalized women and their receptivity to inpatient screening mammography as a novel approach to increase breast cancer screening rate. Methods: A cross sectional study was [...]

Background: To evaluate prevalence of non-adherence to breast cancer screening guidelines after bedside educational intervention and informed individualized risk assessment score during an inpatient stay. Methods: A prospective intervention study was conducted among 507 cancer-free (except skin cancer) women aged 50-75 years hospitalized to a general medicine service. Study intervention included one-on-one bedside education via [...]

Background: As of April 2020, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends one-time Hepatitis C testing for all adults age 18 and over and all pregnant women during every pregnancy. Previous research shows that Emergency Departments (ED) are effective settings for screening and diagnosing individuals for Hepatitis C Virus (HCV). The purpose of this [...]

Background: Despite the proven mortality benefit of screening colonoscopy, approximately 27% of hospitalized women are non-adherent with colorectal cancer screening guidelines. Colonoscopy is the most frequently used test for colorectal cancer screening in US. Although Medicare and most insurance plans would cover screening colonoscopy, colorectal cancer screening has not been part of usual hospital care. [...]

Background: Food insecurity (FI), the lack of access to nutritious food to maintain an active lifestyle, is associated with poor health outcomes and morbidities in both children and adults. COVID-19 has exacerbated FI and disproportionately impacts communities of color and low-income households. Hospitalization can be an important time to address FI as a social determinant [...]

Background: There is an estimated 160,000 individuals that have been diagnosed with Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) in New Jersey. HCV is a well-known and widespread challenge to personal, societal, and governmental resources and ultimately, human life. Current guidelines from the USPSTF recommend offering a 1-time screening for HCV infection to adults born between 1945 and [...]