Journal of general internal medicine
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Adequacy of hospital discharge summaries in documenting tests with pending results and outpatient follow-up providers.
Poor communication of tests whose results are pending at hospital discharge can lead to medical errors. ⋯ Discharge summaries are grossly inadequate at documenting both tests with pending results and the appropriate follow-up providers.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Electronic versus dictated hospital discharge summaries: a randomized controlled trial.
Patient care transitions are periods of enhanced risk. Discharge summaries have been used to communicate essential information between hospital-based physicians and primary care physicians (PCPs), and may reduce rates of adverse events after discharge. ⋯ An EDS program can be used by housestaff to more easily create hospital discharge summaries, and there was no difference in PCP satisfaction.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study
The effect of patient race and blood pressure control on patient-physician communication.
Racial disparities in hypertension control contribute to higher rates of cardiovascular mortality among blacks. Patient-physician communication quality is associated with better health outcomes, including blood pressure (BP) control. Both race/ethnicity and BP control may adversely affect communication. ⋯ This study reveals that patient race is associated with the quality of patient-physician communication to a greater extent than BP control. Interventions that improve patient-physician communication should be tested as a strategy to reduce racial disparities in hypertension care and outcomes.
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Physicians' experience with surrogate decision making for hospitalized adults.
Hospitalized patients frequently lack decision-making ability, yet little is known about physicians' approaches to surrogate decision making. ⋯ Surrogate decision making is common among hospitalized adults. Physician-surrogate decision making may be enhanced if patients discuss their preferences in advance and if physician contact with surrogate decision makers is facilitated.
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This review examines the results of randomized controlled trials in which behavioral weight loss interventions, used alone or with pharmacotherapy, were provided in primary care settings. ⋯ Current evidence does not support the use of low- to moderate-intensity physician counseling for obesity, by itself, to achieve clinically meaningful weight loss. PCP counseling plus pharmacotherapy, or intensive counseling (from a dietitian or nurse) plus meal replacements may help patients achieve this goal. Further research is needed on different models of managing obesity in primary care practice.