Journal of hospital medicine : an official publication of the Society of Hospital Medicine
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Overuse of preoperative cardiac testing contributes to high healthcare costs and delayed surgeries. A large body of research has evaluated factors associated with variation in preoperative cardiac testing. However, patient, provider, and system-level factors associated with variation in testing have not been systematically studied. ⋯ There is significant interprovider and interhospital variation in preoperative cardiac testing, the correlates of which are not well-defined. Further work should aim to better understand these factors.
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Multicenter Study
De-implementing low-value continuous pulse oximetry practice in infants hospitalized with bronchiolitis: A multicentre qualitative study.
Clinical trial evidence supports the routine use of intermittent pulse oximetry in stabilized infants hospitalized with bronchiolitis. However, continuous pulse oximetry use is common. ⋯ Understanding professional roles, clarity around local practice standards and supporting families' understanding of pulse oximetry practice is essential for practice change. These findings may inform hospital quality improvement efforts to de-implement continuous monitoring in bronchiolitis hospital care.
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Antimicrobials are one of the most administered medications in hospitals. Thoughtful and rational antibiotic prescribing by clinicians are important in reducing the adverse effects to both the host that takes the antibiotic and also the individuals in the host's community. Principles informing antibiotic prescribing in the hospital are commonly rooted in misconceptions. We review 10 common myths associated with antibacterial usage in hospitalized patients and share contemporary evidence in hopes of enhancing evidence-informed practice in this patient care setting.
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Multicenter Study
Development and evaluation of best practice advisory alert for patient eligibility in a hospital-at-home program: A multicenter retrospective study.
Hospital-at-home (HaH) is a growing model of care that has been shown to improve patient outcomes, satisfaction, and cost-effectiveness. However, selecting appropriate patients for HaH is challenging, often requiring burdensome manual screening by clinicians. To facilitate HaH enrollment, electronic health record (EHR) tools such as best practice advisories (BPAs) can be used to alert providers of potential HaH candidates. ⋯ During the study period, 8962 notifications were triggered for 2847 patients. Providers opted to refer 711 (11.4%) of the total notifications linked to 324 unique patients. After review by the ACH clinical team, 31 of the 324 referrals (9.6%) met clinical and social criteria and were transferred to ACH. In multivariable analysis, Wisconsin nurses, physician assistants, and in-training personnel had lower odds of referring the patients to ACH when compared to attending physicians.
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Noise and light levels during hospitalizations can disrupt sleep and circadian health, resulting in worsened health outcomes. This study describes patterns of noise and light for inpatient children undergoing stem cell transplants. Objective meters tracked noise and light levels every minute for 6 months. ⋯ Over the 6-month period, the lowest overnight noise level recorded exceeded World Health Organization recommendations for sleep, with frequent spikes into ranges known to cause wakings. During the day, children were rarely exposed to light sufficient to preserve healthy circadian rhythms. Hospitals should address systematic environmental and workflow disruptors to improve the sleep and circadian health of patients, particularly those already at elevated risk for health morbidities.