Journal of hospital medicine : an official publication of the Society of Hospital Medicine
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Physical therapy (PT) appears beneficial for hospitalized patients. Little is known about PT practice patterns and costs across hospitals. ⋯ Both clinical (intensive care utilization and comorbidity status) and non-clinical (age, race, rurality, location) factors were associated with receiving PT. Within and between hospitals, there was high variability in the number and frequency of visits, and costs.
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People may use nonprescribed substances during an acute hospitalization. Hospital policies and responses can be stigmatizing, involve law enforcement, and lead to worse patient outcomes, including patient-directed discharge. In the United States, there is currently little data on hospital policies that address the use of substances during hospitalization. ⋯ Respondents identified policies at 21.8% of the institutions surveyed. Current responses to inpatient substance use vary, though most do not match what clinicians identify as an ideal response. Our results suggest that the use of nonprescribed substances during a hospitalization may be common, but a majority of hospitals likely do not have patient-centered policies to address this.
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Time spent awaiting discharge after the acute need for hospitalization has resolved is an important potential contributor to hospital length of stay (LOS). ⋯ Patients experience major discharge barriers in many US hospitals and spend prolonged time awaiting discharge, often for support needs that may be outside of clinician control.