Pay to Play – Telehealth and Inappropriate Antibiotics
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Using online telemedicine platforms, the authors found that it was appallingly easy to rapidly obtain inappropriate antibiotic prescriptions for symptoms of viral URIs by paying a nominal fee. This highlights the need for increased education and regulations around inappropriate prescribing of antibiotics to safeguard the public and uphold good medical practices.
Source
Antibiotics on Demand: Advances in Asynchronous Telemedicine Call for Increased Antibiotic Surveillance. Clin Infect Dis. 2024 Feb 17;78(2):308-311. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciad472.
Inequities in Hallway Bed Placement
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In the absence of a standardized approach, patients placed in hallway beds were more likely to be male, have Medicaid/self-pay payer status, and elope in this single health system study.
Source
Inequities among patient placement in emergency department hallway treatment spaces. Am J Emerg Med. 2024 Feb;76:70-74. doi: 10.1016/j.ajem.2023.11.013. Epub 2023 Nov 11.
Comparing Intubation of Critically Ill Children between APRNs and Physicians
Dr. Amal Mattu and friends have a new video course you don't want to miss. Take a look!
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Review of tracheal intubations (TIs) performed in pediatric ICUs found advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) had a lower first attempt success compared to doctors and respiratory therapists.
Private Equity Acquisition May Be Dangerous for Patients
JournalFeed and Dr. Amal Mattu's Top Picks Video Series is LIVE!
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In a self-described “quasi-experimental” analysis of Medicare claims data, private equity owned hospitals were associated with a 25% increase in hospitalization-acquired adverse events when compared with non-private equity hospitals. Notably, there was a 27% increase in falls, a 38% increase in the volume of central line-associated infections, despite the placement of 16% fewer central lines, and a doubling of surgical site infections despite 8% fewer surgical procedures being performed (underpowered assertion).
Source
Changes in Hospital Adverse Events and Patient Outcomes Associated With Private Equity Acquisition. JAMA. 2023 Dec 26;330(24):2365-2375. doi: 10.1001/jama.2023.23147.
A Solution to Burnout – More Vacation?
Exciting news! JournalFeed and Dr. Amal Mattu's Top Picks Video Series is set to GO LIVE this week! It's free for Gold Spoon members or you can just get the video series. Watch this trailer and get excited!
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This survey of US physicians found taking more than 3 weeks of vacation per year was associated with lower rates of burnout, while spending 30 minutes or more per vacation day on patient-related work was associated with increased burnout.
Source
Vacation Days Taken, Work During Vacation, and Burnout Among US Physicians. JAMA Netw Open. 2024 Jan 2;7(1):e2351635. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.51635.
Making PROGRESS – Pediatric Emergencies and Healthcare Disparities
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This systematic review and meta-analysis identified multiple social determinants of health that were related to increased utilization of ED services by children from racial minority and lower socioeconomic status (SES) groups.
Source
Social Determinants of Health and Pediatric Emergency Department Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies. Ann Emerg Med. Published online December 6, 2023. doi:10.1016/j.annemergmed.2023.10.010
Does Contact Precaution for MRSA Really Matter?
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Contact precaution (CP) for patients with MRSA infection or colonization is listed as an "essential practice" for all U.S. hospitals, but should it be?
Experienced or Rusty? Physician Age and Patient Mortality
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Emergency physician (EP) advancing age was associated with higher 7-day patient mortality. This is a call to keep current with literature, clinical skills, and best practices.
Source
Association Between Emergency Physician's Age and Mortality of Medicare Patients Aged 65 to 89 Years After Emergency Department Visit. Ann Emerg Med. 2023 Sep;82(3):301-312. doi: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2023.02.010. Epub 2023 Mar 23.
Does a Gun Safety Video Make Kids Safer Around Actual Guns?
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Children who viewed a 1-minute firearm safety video exhibited safer behaviors around inert firearms staged in a playroom. With firearm-related deaths overtaking motor vehicles as the leading cause of US minor deaths, introducing children to firearm safety shows promise in addressing one dimension of this public health crisis.
Source
Effect of a Gun Safety Video on Children's Behavior Around Real Guns: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Pediatr. 2023 Sep 1;177(9):903-910. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2023.2397.
How to Prevent Nuclear War – You Have More Power than You Realize
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Through education and advocacy, we can reduce the risk of global nuclear conflict. You have more power to change the world than you might think.
Source
Reducing the Risks of Nuclear War-The Role of Health Professionals. JAMA. 2023 Aug 15;330(7):601-602. doi: 10.1001/jama.2023.14519.