SHM News

Nocturnists Daniele Olveczky, MD, MS, of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, and Eric Martin, MD, of the University of Colorado, provide insight and tips for tackling night shifts and avoiding burnout.

The Case A 62-year-old woman with a past medical history significant for metastatic adenocarcinoma of the lung presents to the ED with complaints of fever and shortness of breath. She has recently completed her first cycle of carboplatin, pemetrexed, and bevacizumab. Upon admission, she is found to have an absolute neutrophil count of 800 and... [Read More]

Clinical question: Does an early invasive strategy for acute coronary syndrome improve short-term outcomes? Bottom line: According to this real-world observational study, an early invasive strategy—coronary angiogram within 72 hours of presentation—is associated with lower risks of short-term cardiac death and rehospitalization for myocardial infarction (MI). However, this inference may not be valid because of... [Read More]

Nick Fitterman, MD, SFHM, vice chair of hospital medicine for the Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine in Hempstead, N.Y., and North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System in New Hyde Park, N.Y., discusses how hospital medicine factors into population health—where is the intersection and what is the hospitalist’s role?  

Movement is key to hospitalist Jaime Upegui, MD,  who says riding a motorcycle is a lot like yoga, “you have to focus on the moment, the task at hand.” Listen to more of our interview:

Listen to more of our interview on the GOP candidates with Robert Blendon, ScD, professor of health policy and political analysis at the Harvard School of Public Health and Harvard Kennedy School of Government in Cambridge, Mass.

Read more about provider risks from needlesticks.  

Highlights from the January 2016 issue of The Hospitalist feature Dr. Nick Fitterman on population health, Dr. Robert Blendon on how healthcare reform might impact the Republican primary race, and Dr. Jaime Upegui on living life to the fullest.

Population health focuses on the specific health needs of an individual within a defined population. “In order to truly measure a patient’s health outcomes and identify best practices, providers must evaluate a group of people with similar health needs,” explains Joseph Damore, vice president of population health management for Charlotte-N.C.-based Premier, Inc. “Once we understand... [Read More]

Population health—a movement to improve the health of an entire population—is a growing trend driven by the U.S. government. Many health systems are already on board, as healthcare shifts from a fee-for-service system to a value-based system. One group of Premier Health hospitals and health systems has been collaborating since 2011 to build capabilities to... [Read More]

One of the challenges a new academic hospitalist faces is trying to become a valued member of the teaching faculty. You are intent on becoming that next great attending you have always aspired to be; however, no one has clearly guided you on making this transition. In our experience, a handful of common teaching pitfalls... [Read More]

We’ve all seen hundreds of commercials from companies advertising products and services with a money-back guarantee. The Men’s Warehouse, for example, has been promising men across the globe for over a decade, “You’re going to like the way you look. I guarantee it!” But to date, no one has made such a “guarantee” in the... [Read More]

Hospitalist Jaime Upegui, MD, division president at Apogee Physicians in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, knows exactly what he wants to do when he retires years from now: sell everything he owns and ride his motorcycle around the world. So far, the 39-year-old physician leader has driven across the U.S. at least five times, including a 24-day,... [Read More]

Case A 45-year-old woman was admitted with choledocholithiasis. Two days prior, following endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), she had gone to the OR for cholecystectomy. The procedure was completed laparoscopically, though the surgeon reported a difficult dissection. The surgeon left a Blake drain in the gallbladder fossa, which initially contained punch-colored fluid. Today, there is bilious... [Read More]

Spending on care of hospitalized patients is expected to pass $1 trillion in 2015, a new high. Thomas Selden, PhD, of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality recently asked where that money is likely to go. The answer: private insurers. Dr. Selden and his colleagues report in Health Affairs this month that in 2012,... [Read More]

From care transitions to antibiotic stewardship, SHM members are making strides to improve the care of hospitalized patients, and we want to hear your success stories. That’s why we’ve made it easy for you to let SHM—and the social media world—know how you are improving patient care as part of healthcare’s fastest growing specialty. Share... [Read More]

Clinical question: What are criteria for appropriate and inappropriate use of PICCs? Background: PICCs are commonly used in medical care in a variety of clinical contexts; however, criteria defining the appropriate use of PICCs and practices related to PICC placement have not been previously established. Study design: A multispecialty panel classified indications for PICC use... [Read More]

Clinical question: What is the value of ultra-brief cognitive assessments in predicting hospital outcomes? Background: Cognitive assessment tools can be used to predict patient outcomes in the hospital setting. Physician time constraints limit use of longer traditional cognitive testing, and little is known about the effectiveness of ultra-brief (less than one minute) assessments and their... [Read More]