Southern medical journal
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Southern medical journal · Jan 2025
Linkage to Treatment and Recovery Support Services for Patients with a Substance Use Disorder: A Survey of Kentucky Physicians.
The purpose of this study was to survey current physicians in Kentucky to evaluate their management of patients with substance use disorder (SUD), with a focus on the identification of their referral methods for linkage to SUD treatment and recovery support services. ⋯ There are gaps in screening and linkage to care, especially in internal medicine and family medicine physicians. Work is necessary to increase screening, build provider capacity to treat, and increase knowledge of SUD treatment and recovery resources in Kentucky.
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Southern medical journal · Jan 2025
Untapped Resources? Engaging Junior Faculty with Advanced Career Training in Near-Peer Mentoring to Build Professional Identity.
Effective early mentoring is essential for propelling academic careers. There is a growing cohort of junior faculty with advanced skills in medical education and research; these individuals need both mentoring and the opportunity to take on mentorship roles. ⋯ By leveraging their unique skills as near-peer mentors, these individuals can build connections and reach career goals more cohesively and rapidly. In this perspective, we review the skills necessary for junior faculty with advanced career training to balance effectively the dual roles of mentee and near-peer mentor, as well as how departments can best support these unique new faculty members.
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Southern medical journal · Dec 2024
Multicenter Study Comparative StudyComparison of Standard and Extended Dexamethasone Duration on Mortality in Patients with Severe COVID-19.
Current guidelines recommend dexamethasone 6 mg/day for up to 10 days in patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) requiring supplemental oxygenation or mechanical ventilation. The practice has significant variation, however, and dexamethasone has been used for >10 days for many patients with severe COVID-19. The aim of this study was to assess the benefits and risks associated with standard versus extended use of dexamethasone in patients with severe COVID-19. ⋯ The results show that extended duration of dexamethasone compared with standard duration is associated with a significant increase in in-hospital mortality in patients with severe COVID-19. These findings need to be confirmed in well-designed and performed randomized controlled trials.
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Southern medical journal · Dec 2024
Reducing Unnecessary Laboratory Testing: A Quality Improvement Initiative at Wellstar Spalding Medical Center.
The healthcare industry is grappling with escalating expenses, partially attributed to the inefficient use of medical resources, particularly by ordering unnecessary laboratory tests. Such practices not only increase costs but also result in extended hospital stays, patient discomfort, and potential clinical complications such as iatrogenic anemia. Blood tests, although essential for guiding medical decisions, are associated with significant clinical and financial costs. This quality improvement project aimed to decrease unnecessary laboratory testing at Wellstar Spalding Medical Center, a community hospital with a newly established residency program. ⋯ Our project has yielded clinically and administratively meaningful results. We have seen a measurable decrease in costs and the prevention of unnecessary laboratory testing. If it also can be shown that we have prevented iatrogenic anemia, our project could be seen as enhancing the patient experience and reducing hospital length of stay. We also have raised awareness about high-value care and instilled clinical awareness among residents regarding ordering daily blood tests contributing to an improvement in patient care.
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This study used a qualitative research approach to grounded theory to identify factors that contributed to resident distress during 2021-2022 in multiple different specialties and at different postgraduate years of residency. By better understanding these contributors to distress, the aim was to inform the design of optimal interventions to reduce burnout and other emotional distress. ⋯ The findings of the grounded theory qualitative analysis were used to examine ways to better mitigate the sources of distress that the residents enrolled in this study described. As institutions strive to diminish distress among residents, they can consider opportunities to assess environmental factors and design targeted interventions for their institutions or programs.