J Trauma
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Physician payment by Medicare is based on a Resource-Based Relative Value Scale (RBRVS). The Correct Coding Initiative (CCI) was introduced to counter unbundling by pairing component procedures with more comprehensive procedures. We hypothesized that Medicare's rebundling process ignored relative value concepts. ⋯ A relative value scale depends upon equity in value units. Disregarding RVUs when bundling services and procedures results in severe physician underpayment.
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The impact of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) on outcome seems to vary depending on the critically ill patients we analyze. Our objective, therefore, has been to evaluate the influence of VAP on the mortality and morbidity in patients with severe head injury (Glasgow Coma Scale score
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This study examined the hypothesis that patients on warfarin before sustaining orthopedic injuries will have increased morbidity and mortality compared with matched control patients not on warfarin. ⋯ Preinjury warfarin impacts outcomes of geriatric trauma patients sustaining orthopedic injuries.
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: Exposure to cold results in frostbite, superficial or deeper tissue damage. In severe frostbites, amputations are life-saving but diminish quality of life (QOL). ⋯ : Hospitalized cases of frostbite are rare. Anti-social behavior increases the risk in general, and patients present with complicated problems similar to those encountered in burns victims. We recommend that frostbite patients requiring hospital attendance are treated in specialized units, where sufficient expertise for acute as well as reconstructive surgery is available.