Journal of hospital medicine : an official publication of the Society of Hospital Medicine
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Hospital discharge summaries can provide valuable information to future providers and may help to prevent hospital readmissions. We sought to examine whether the number of days to complete hospital discharge summaries is associated with 30-day readmission rate. ⋯ Longer days to complete discharge summaries were associated with higher rates of all-cause hospital readmissions. Timely discharge summary completion time may be a quality indicator to evaluate current practice and as a potential strategy to improve patient outcomes. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2016;11:393-400. 2016 Society of Hospital Medicine.
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Review Meta Analysis
Effectiveness of rapid response teams on rates of in-hospital cardiopulmonary arrest and mortality: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
In 2004, the Institute for Healthcare Improvement's 100,000 Lives Campaign recommended that hospitals implement rapid response teams (RRTs) charged with identifying non-intensive care unit (ICU) patients at risk for rapid deterioration. Although RRTs are now in widespread use, there have been conflicting results regarding the impact of RRTs on hospital mortality and cardiopulmonary arrest. ⋯ Implementation of an RRT/MET is associated with a reduction in both hospital mortality and non-ICU cardiopulmonary arrests. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2016;11:438-445. © 2016 Society of Hospital Medicine.
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Although superficial thrombophlebitis (SVTE) is generally considered a benign, self-limited disease, accumulating evidence suggests that it often leads to more serious forms of venous thromboembolism. We reviewed the medical charts of 329 subjects with SVTE from the Cardiovascular Research Network Venous Thromboembolism cohort study to collect information on the acute treatment of SVTE and subsequent diagnosis of deep venous thrombosis within 1 year. All participants received care within Kaiser Permanente Northern California, a large, integrated healthcare delivery system. ⋯ In the year after SVTE diagnosis, 19 (5.8%) patients had a subsequent diagnosis of a deep venous thrombosis or pulmonary embolism. In conclusion, clinically significant venous thrombosis within a year after SVTE was uncommon in our study despite infrequent use of antithrombotic therapy. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2016;11:432-434. © 2016 Society of Hospital Medicine.