Patient Safety & Quality
Fluoroquinolone restriction to control fluoroquinolone-resistant Clostridium difficile
24 Jul, 2017 | 01:01h | UTCInvited Commentary: Fluoroquinolone restriction to control fluoroquinolone-resistant Clostridium difficile (free)
“Very important finding! Restricting fluoroquinolones more important than infection control measures to prevent CDI” (RT @sanjaysaint see Tweet)
Cardiovascular implantable electronic devices: a review of the dangers and difficulties in MR scanning and attempts to improve safety
23 Jul, 2017 | 16:22h | UTCSee article’s Algorithms and Protocols (free)
Commentary: Radiologists develop algorithm, contingency plan for MRI in pacemakers patients – Cardiovascular Business (free)
The Evolving Story of Overlapping Surgery
23 Jul, 2017 | 14:09h | UTCViewpoint: The Evolving Story of Overlapping Surgery – JAMA (free) (RT @pash22 see Tweet)
Commentary: 3 steps to restore patient trust in overlapping surgeries – FierceHealthcare (free)
This interesting viewpoint discusses the practice of scheduling overlapping surgeries, in which a qualified practitioner finishes noncritical parts of the first operation while the primary surgeon moves to the next surgery.
Effectiveness of Pharmacist Intervention to Reduce Medication Errors and Health-Care Resources Utilization After Transitions of Care
22 Jul, 2017 | 20:16h | UTCEffectiveness of Pharmacist Intervention to Reduce Medication Errors and Health-Care Resources Utilization After Transitions of Care: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials – Journal of Patient Safety (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Source: Hospital Medicine Virtual Journal Club (free resource to find articles of interest)
Pharmacist transition of care intervention seems to be an effective strategy to reduce medication errors after hospital discharge and to reduce subsequent emergency room visits.
Poor-Quality Medicine: A Global Pandemic
22 Jul, 2017 | 17:24h | UTCPoor-Quality Medicine: A Global Pandemic – Devex (free)
“Each year, the proliferation of substandard and falsified medicines puts the lives of millions of people – particularly those living in developing countries – at risk”
Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis in Major Orthopedic Surgery: Systematic Review Update
22 Jul, 2017 | 14:08h | UTCVenous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis in Major Orthopedic Surgery: Systematic Review Update. Comparative Effectiveness Review – Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (free report and summary)
See also: Executive summary (free PDF)
Source: ACP Journal Wise ($ resource to find articles of interest)
Comprehensive review on the evidence regarding thromboembolism prophylaxis in major orthopedic surgery.
Laminar airflow in surgery might not reduce surgical site infections
21 Jul, 2017 | 18:18h | UTCLaminar airflow in surgery might not reduce surgical site infections – NIHR Signal (free)
Original article: Effect of laminar airflow ventilation on surgical site infections: a systematic review and meta-analysis – The Lancet Infectious Diseases (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
The Aging Physician and the Medical Profession: A Review
21 Jul, 2017 | 00:25h | UTCThe Aging Physician and the Medical Profession: A Review – JAMA Sugery (free) (RT @EricTopol see Tweet)
Use of antibiotics during pregnancy and the risk of major congenital malformations
21 Jul, 2017 | 00:22h | UTCUse of antibiotics during pregnancy and the risk of major congenital malformations: A population based cohort study – British Journal of Pharmacology (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentary: New study finds link between certain antibiotics during pregnancy and risk for birth defects – News Medical (free)
Related article: Use of antibiotics during pregnancy and risk of spontaneous abortion – Canadian Medical Association Journal (free)
In this large cohort clindamycin, doxycycline, quinolones, macrolides, and phenoxymethylpenicillin were associated with congenital malformations. Amoxicillin, cephalosporins, and nitrofurantoin were not associated with birth defects.
Comprehensive geriatric assessment and optimization in vascular surgery
20 Jul, 2017 | 00:02h | UTCRandomized clinical trial of comprehensive geriatric assessment and optimization in vascular surgery – British Journal of Surgery (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Source: ACP Journal Club ($ resource to find articles of interest)
In this RCT, a comprehensive preoperative geriatric assessment and optimization before vascular surgery was associated with shorter length of hospital stay, lower incidence of complications, and patients were less likely to be discharged to a higher level of dependency.
Predicting all-cause risk of 30-day hospital readmission using artificial neural networks
18 Jul, 2017 | 23:01h | UTCPredicting all-cause risk of 30-day hospital readmission using artificial neural networks – PLOS One (free)
Source: Hospital Medicine Virtual Journal Club (free resource to find articles of interest)
Physicians need to openly discuss medical mistakes and near misses
16 Jul, 2017 | 23:48h | UTCOpinion: Physicians need to openly discuss medical mistakes and near misses – STAT News (free)
Threats to Information Security: Public Health Implications
16 Jul, 2017 | 13:58h | UTCPerspectives: Threats to Information Security: Public Health Implications – New England Journal of Medicine (free)
See related articles on Cybersecurity and Health in our June 8th issue (see #5)
Clinical Practice Guidelines for Enhanced Recovery After Colon and Rectal Surgery
16 Jul, 2017 | 12:41h | UTCSee other Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) Guidelines and Reviews in our collection and in the ERAS Society Website.
Non-health care facility medication errors resulting in serious medical outcomes
13 Jul, 2017 | 20:54h | UTCCommentary: More People Are Making Mistakes With Medicines At Home – NPR (free)
Are There Long-Term Risks to Egg Donors?
11 Jul, 2017 | 16:55h | UTCAre There Long-Term Risks to Egg Donors? – New York Times (10 articles per month are free)
Shared Decision Making: The Importance of Diagnosing Preferences
11 Jul, 2017 | 16:46h | UTCShared Decision Making: The Importance of Diagnosing Preferences – JAMA Internal Medicine (free)
Related: Editorial: Sharing Medicine – A JAMA Internal Medicine Series (free) AND Sharing as the Future of Medicine – JAMA Internal Medicine (free)
Association of delay of urgent or emergency surgery with mortality and use of health care resources
10 Jul, 2017 | 15:09h | UTCCommentary: Patients whose emergency surgery is delayed are at higher risk of death – Canadian Medical Association Journal, via EurekAlert (free)
Source: STAT News Newsletter
“Delayed operating room access for emergency surgery was associated with increased risk of inhospital mortality, longer length of stay and higher costs”.
Medication nonadherence may increase health care costs
8 Jul, 2017 | 20:19h | UTCLongitudinal Patterns of Medication Nonadherence and Associated Health Care Costs – Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentary: Taking medications as prescribed important to control health care costs – Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, via EurekAlert (free)
In this small study, patients with increasing nonadherence over time demonstrate more than a 3-fold increase in costs compared with adherent patients.
Pictograms, Units and Dosing Tools, and Parent Medication Errors
7 Jul, 2017 | 14:08h | UTCPictograms, Units and Dosing Tools, and Parent Medication Errors: A Randomized Study – Pediatrics (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentaries: Most Parents Give Kids Wrong Doses – MedPage Today (free registration required) AND Proper tools may help prevent medicine errors at home – Reuters (free)
Risk of death among users of Proton Pump Inhibitors
5 Jul, 2017 | 15:31h | UTCCommentaries: Proton pump inhibitors associated with raised mortality – OnMedica (free) AND Longtime use of heartburn drugs linked to increased risk of death – NewsMedical (free) AND People taking heartburn drugs could have higher risk of death, study claims – The Guardian (free) AND Some heartburn drugs linked with higher risk of death – CBS News (free) AND PPIs Linked to Higher Risk for Death – Medscape (free registration required)
In a large observational study, PPI use was associated with increased mortality (HR 1.25; CI 1.23 to 1.28). PPIs were also associated with increased risk compared to H2 blockers (HR 1.24; CI 1.21 to 1.27). See more on the trade-offs of PPI therapy in our July 3rd issue (see #10)
Common ED Medication Errors: Polypharmacy
4 Jul, 2017 | 21:17h | UTCCommon ED Medication Errors: Polypharmacy – emDocs (free)
Related: Current and future perspectives on the management of polypharmacy – BMC Family Practice (free)
Re-designing the pathway to surgery: better care and added value
3 Jul, 2017 | 17:16h | UTCRe-designing the pathway to surgery: better care and added value – Perioperative Medicine (free)
Source: Critical Care Reviews Newsletter
Redesigning Care for High-Cost, High-Risk Patients
3 Jul, 2017 | 13:36h | UTCRedesigning Care for High-Cost, High-Risk Patients – Harvard Business Review (a few articles per month are free) (RT @pash22 see Tweet)
Related: Designing a High-Performing Health Care System for Patients with Complex Needs: Ten Recommendations for Policymakers – The Commonwealth Fund (free) AND Caring for High-Need, High-Cost Patients — An Urgent Priority – New England Journal of Medicine (Free) AND Multimorbidity: clinical assessment and management – NICE Guideline (free) AND Multimorbidity in Older Adults with Cardiovascular Disease – American College of Cardiology, Latest in Cardiology (Free full text) AND Focusing on High-Cost Patients — The Key to Addressing High Costs? – NEJM Catalyst (free) AND Richard Smith: The challenge of high need, high cost patients – The BMJ Blogs (free) AND Playbook: Better Care for People with Complex Needs – Institute for Healthcare Improvement (free)
Delirium Prevention Strategies for Elderly Adults with Hip Fracture
30 Jun, 2017 | 15:18h | UTCSource: PracticalReviews ($)
See related article on the effect of multicomponent nonpharmacologic interventions to prevent delirium in abdominal surgery in our May 25th issue (see #5)
Delirium-friendly preprinted postoperative orders executed by regular nursing staff resulted in a significant reduction in postoperative delirium.