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 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.