Background: The role of bedside ultrasound to evaluate traumatic cardiac injury and aortic aneurysm rupture is well established. However, there is a lack of robust data to support the accuracy of use of immediate ultrasonography procedures at the point of care to detect other cardiovascular conditions. Aim of this umbrella meta-analysis was to evaluate a [...]

Background: Appropriate documentation of Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) specificity is still a major documentation problem in most hospitals in the United States despite the frequent presence of Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialists (CDIs) to assist with chart reviews and appropriate documentation/coding.  We are a large hospitalist division providing care at 2 large tertiary care facilities in [...]

Background:  Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is one of the most popular tests in healthcare. Studies of Medicare beneficiaries for example have shown that each year approximately 20% undergo at least one TTE. Repeat TTE defined as TTE done within one year of a prior TTE represent 24-42% of all studies. In the present study we derive [...]