March 2012


Photo by Deborah Gowen and Michael Ripca Model Remo Simone

Under the influence

Substance abuse isn't more common in physicians than in the general public, but it can be harder to spot. Learn what you can do if you think a colleague is affected.

Take the C-TraIn

Oregon Health ##amp; Science University helped improve transitions by paying community clinics to serve as medical homes for low-income patients.

Simple guidelines inform decisions about telemetry

A hospitalist's first instinct might be to order continuous cardiac monitoring for an ED patient with chest pain, but that could lead to inappropriate use of resources.

Parenteral iron for preoperative iron deficiency anemia: A safe choice?

Two experts provide a case-based look at the workup and management of iron deficiency anemia before surgery.

Discharge coordinator pleases patients, eases residents' burden

Massachusetts General Hospital smoothed the discharge process by having a nurse practitioner work with residents.

Embracing the spiritual

Most patients don't want their physicians to play God, but discussing God is another matter.

How hospitalists handle the history

The medical history is one of the three key components of every patient encounter.

Letter from the Editor

Some of this issue's topics include substance abuse in doctors, improved transitions of care, and appropriate use of telemetry.

A tour of old Parisian hospitals

Unlike most cities, Paris still aches with history and the medical memory of centuries.

Microscopic genes affected by macroeconomic events

Genes express themselves differently depending on environment, and how people access health care could determine how genes affect their health.

The apocalyptic hospitalist

A PubMed search for the phrase ##ldquo;end of the world##rdquo; had no matches, so we must make certain assumptions in this report.

MKSAP quiz on telemetry

These cases and commentary, which address telemetry, are excerpted from ACP's Medical Knowledge Self-Assessment Program (MKSAP15).

Recent Research

Autoimmune disorders and PE risk, perioperative therapy in patients with ICDs, and more.

In the News

ACP compiles list of unnecessary tests; chlorhexidine sponges could save money in the ICU.