Journal of hospital medicine : an official publication of the Society of Hospital Medicine
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As hospitals shift away from pagers and towards secure text messaging systems (STMS), limited research exists on the drawbacks of such systems. Preliminary data show that introduction of STMS can lead to a dramatic increase in interruptions, which may contribute to medical errors. ⋯ Use of STMS in the hospital setting has many advantages as well as drawbacks. With appropriate guidelines and training designed to mitigate the drawbacks, STMS have the potential to be valuable means of communication for healthcare team members.
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Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) is ordered commonly among inpatients, but the possibility of nonthyroidal illness syndrome challenges interpretation. ⋯ Canadian experts agreed upon nine specific indications for ordering an inpatient TSH, with others requiring consideration of previous TSH measurement and clinical context.