April 2013


Illustration by Sarah Ferone

The prescription for pain management

Physicians can wield considerable influence to ease the suffering of patients in pain, starting with identifying the optimal drug and administering it before pain escalates.

Yes, sickle cell is a pain

For most patients, dealing with pain will be a temporary issue. For sickle cell patients, it's a lifetime struggle.

Be prepared: The ins and outs of serotonin syndrome

Hospitalists could go their whole career without ever seeing a case of serotonin syndrome, or they could already have had several patients suffering from mild to moderate serotonin toxicity and not have known.

EHRs: Don't forget to edit

Problems arise when physicians ##ldquo;copy forward##rdquo; information from a patient's previous visit but fail to review and update what they've copied.

Time to teach

Everybody believes somebody should do it, but nobody has the time to figure out whose job it is. Such is the problematic status of patient discharge education.

Catheter caps cut CLABSIs

NorthShore University HealthSystem in Illinois reduced its infection rate by 52%.

Documenting pain

Other than a patient abusing or illegally diverting medications, there are no excuses for failing to provide appropriate medications that will mitigate suffering.

The rights of patients vs. hospital employees

As doctors, our job is to do the best for our patients. We may not always like them or their opinions, but we have to learn to work around it, or refer them to someone who can.

Embracing humility

The author discusses why he believes humility is one of the key attributes of an excellent physician.

Unique aspect of internship involves learning to meet needs

An intern learns to balance patient needs with his own, following the guidance of senior residents and mentors.

Pimp my service

I should have been more nervous. Everyone else on the service was.

Letter from the Editor

This month's issue includes stories on pain management, sickle cell anemia, and EHRs.

Letter to the Editor

A reader responds to ACP Hospitalist's coverage of perioperative cancer care.

MKSAP quiz on sickle cell disease

These cases and commentary, which address sickle cell disease, are excerpted from ACP's Medical Knowledge Self-Assessment Program (MKSAP16).

New indication for apixaban, approvals of gastroenteritis test, diabetes drugs

Details on recalls, warnings, label changes and approvals.

Recent Research

Antiplatelets with dabigatran or warfarin, selective D-dimer for DVT, and more.

In the News

Readmissions data, use of ICUs for heart failure, and more.