Journal of general internal medicine
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
The demand for oncology services in the United States (US) is increasing, whereas a shortage of oncologists looms. There is the need for a better understanding of the involvement of primary care physicians (PCPs) in cancer care. ⋯ PCPs across the US have an active role in cancer patient management. Determining the optimal interface between PCPs and oncologists in delivering and coordinating cancer care is an important area for future research.