March 27, 2024
A peek at your peers
A peer observation program offers lessons for both early-career and more experienced hospitalists.
Clarifying criteria for acute respiratory failure
The diagnosis of acute respiratory failure is one of those most commonly denied by payers, so understanding the current documentation criteria is crucial.
High-sensitivity troponin-based pathway safe, effective for chest pain patients without CAD
The American College of Cardiology expert consensus decision pathway for chest pain did not meet the criteria for safety among patients with known coronary artery disease (CAD), according to a study conducted in U.S. EDs.
Inappropriate CAP diagnosis common in hospitalized adults
A prospective cohort study of 48 hospitals in Michigan found that 12% of patients hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) appeared to have been diagnosed incorrectly and that of these, 87.6% received a full course of antibiotics.
Lower oxygen target led to better outcomes in ICU patients with COVID-19
Targeting an arterial pressure of oxygen of 60 mm Hg resulted in more days alive without life support within 90 days but no significant improvement in mortality compared to a target of 90 mm Hg, a trial in critically ill COVID-19 patients found.
Antipsychotic medications not effective in ICU patients with delirium
A systematic review and meta-analysis found no improvements in delirium- or coma-free days, mortality, duration of mechanical ventilation, or ICU or hospital length of stay in critically ill patients with delirium who received antipsychotics versus those who did not.