Chest
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Inpatient VTE prophylaxis is underused. This study evaluated the effectiveness of the low-cost, multifaceted Australian National Inpatient Medication Chart (NIMC) intervention on improving the quality of VTE prophylaxis and reducing disease. The NIMC intervention incorporated (1) a VTE risk stratification and appropriate prophylaxis guidance tool, (2) a prophylaxis contraindication screening instrument, and (3) a prophylaxis prescription prompt. ⋯ The multifaceted NIMC intervention resulted in a sustained increase in appropriate and timely VTE prophylaxis in medical and surgical inpatients.
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The aim of this study was to characterize the practice of routinely obtaining tracheal aspirate cultures in children with tracheostomy tubes and to analyze the appropriateness of using this information to guide antibiotic selection for treatment of subsequent lower respiratory infections. ⋯ This study demonstrated that there are significant changes in bacteria or antibiotic sensitivity between consecutive tracheal cultures in children with tracheostomy tubes. Use of prior tracheal cultures from these children was of limited value for choosing empiric antibiotic therapy in treating acute lower respiratory exacerbations. Surveillance cultures, thus, are an unnecessary burden and expense of care.
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Comparative Study
Optical differentiation between malignant and benign lymphadenopathy by grey scale texture analysis of endobronchial ultrasound convex probe images.
Morphologic and sonographic features of endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) convex probe images are helpful in predicting metastatic lymph nodes. Grey scale texture analysis is a well-established methodology that has been applied to ultrasound images in other fields of medicine. The aim of this study was to determine if this methodology could differentiate between benign and malignant lymphadenopathy of EBUS images. ⋯ Grey scale texture analysis of EBUS convex probe images can be used to differentiate malignant and benign lymphadenopathy. Preliminary results are comparable to FDG-PET-CT scan.
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Patients with advanced illness often spend time in an ICU, while nearly one-third of patients with advanced cancer who receive Medicare die in hospitals, often with failed ICU care. For most, death occurs following the withdrawal or withholding of life-sustaining treatments. The integration of palliative care is essential for high-quality critical care. ⋯ Inadequate reimbursement for physician services may be a barrier to the optimal delivery of high-quality palliative care, including effective communication. Appropriate documentation of time spent integrating palliative and critical care for patients who are critically ill can be consistent with the Current Procedural Terminology codes (99291 and 99292) for critical care services. The purpose of this article is to help intensivists and other providers understand the circumstances in which integration of palliative and critical care meets the definition of critical care services for billing purposes.