Journal of general internal medicine
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The effect of care by medical residents on hospital length of stay (LOS), indirect costs, and reimbursement was last examined across a range of illnesses in 1981; the issue has never been examined at a community hospital. We studied resource utilization and reimbursement at a community hospital in relation to the involvement of medical residents. ⋯ Resident care at our community teaching hospital was associated with significantly higher costs but also with higher payments and greater profitability.
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To describe how people with HIV understand and experience the problem of adhering to antiretroviral medication regimens. ⋯ Many people rationalize their difficulty in adhering to HIV treatment by deciding that the standard of adherence they can readily achieve is appropriate. Physicians should inquire about adherence-related behavior in specific detail, and ensure that patients understand the consequences of not meeting an appropriate standard.
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Multicenter Study
Prevalence and determinants of intimate partner abuse among public hospital primary care patients.
To determine the prevalence, sociodemographic determinants, and depression correlates of intimate partner abuse among an ethnically diverse population of women patients. ⋯ Because a substantial proportion of women patients in primary care settings are abused, screening for partner abuse and depression is indicated. In contrast to other studies, lower socioeconomic status was not associated with partner abuse history.
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Guidelines for oral anticoagulation after deep venous thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism (PE) have recommended that patients be anticoagulated for at least 3 months after hospital discharge. We sought to determine whether this recommendation was being followed and what patient characteristics predict a shorter than recommended duration of therapy. ⋯ Nearly a quarter of those anticoagulated following DVT or PE received therapy for less than the recommended length of time after hospital discharge, with African Americans more likely to have a shorter than recommended course of treatment. Further research is needed to evaluate the causes of shorter than recommended duration of therapy and racial disparities in anticoagulant use.