Journal of hospital medicine : an official publication of the Society of Hospital Medicine
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Information on the prognostic utility of the admission complete blood count (CBC) and differential count is lacking. ⋯ Among patients admitted to Wishard Memorial Hospital, the presence of nucleated RBCs, burr cells, or absolute lymphocytosis at admission was each independently associated with a 3-fold increase in risk of death within 30 days of admission.
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There are no published studies of hospitalist comanagement of pediatric surgical patients. ⋯ The introduction of selective hospitalist comanagement of pediatric spinal fusion surgery patients was associated with significant decreases in LOS and variability in LOS.
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Discharge from the hospital is a critical transition point in a patient's care. Incomplete handoffs at discharge can lead to adverse events for patients and result in avoidable rehospitalization. Care transitions are especially important for elderly patients and other high-risk patients who have multiple comorbidities. Standardizing the elements of the discharge process may help to address the gaps in quality and safety that occur when patients transition from the hospital to an outpatient setting. ⋯ The development of content and process standards for discharge is the first step in improving the handoff of care from the inpatient to the posthospital setting. Refining this checklist for patients with specific diagnoses, in specific age categories, and with specific discharge destinations may further improve information transfer and ultimately affect patient outcomes.