SM
November 2008
Top Docs
Meet our 2008 Top Hospitalists
The doctors recognized in ACP Hospitalist’s first annual Top Hospitalists issue include teachers, quality improvement gurus, researchers and bloggers. They’ve focused on improving geriatric care, growing hospital admissions, facilitating transitions of care and raising staff satisfaction. ACP Hospitalist’s editorial board members sifted through the nominations and narrowed the field down to 10 Top Hospitalists, who are profiled here.
November '08
Newman’s Notions
The hospitalized hospitalist
James S. Newman, FACP, recalls (somewhat fuzzily) his hip transplant
November '08
Letter from the Editor
November '08
Letters to the Editor
Caring for the indigent: readers respond
November '08
Write to the Editor
November '08
Patient Safety
Calling for backup before it’s needed
Hospitals tackle ‘failure to rescue’ errors
Failure to rescue, the failure to identify patients with critical abnormalities and provide the resources necessary to prevent harm, was one of the top three preventable errors found in hospitals in 2004-2006, accounting for 17% of total errors. Experts offer their solutions.
November '08
Rural Medicine
Windshield time and North Dakota nice
One of the country’s least populous states offers lessons for the rest
Despite having one of the country's lowest reimbursement rates, North Dakota offers above average scores on access, quality, utilization, equity and health outcomes in recent rankings.
November '08
Success Story
Risk-assessment tool makes sure clots are prevented
VTE prophylaxis flourishes at the University of California, San Diego
A hospitalist creates a program to teach VTE prophylaxis, and then teaches others to spread the word.
November '08
Technology
Closing the loop on medication errors
Barcode systems pose challenges as well as benefits
Barcodes were supposed to prevent problems, but instead, staff developed workarounds to speed care. Ferret out the problems before fatalities occur.
November '08
Q&A
Finding an algorithm for heart failure
William T. Abraham, FACP, discusses OPTIMIZE-HF trial
The OPTIMIZE-HF study showed which symptoms predicted likelihood of in-hospital mortality from decompensated congestive heart failure and what were the most important predictive factors. Now, there's an algorithm for stratifying patients.
November '08
Quality Corner
Measure of the month: Coronary artery disease
October '08
FDA Update
Monitor patients with hepatic impairment who take erlotinib
November '08
Clinical Medicine
Test yourself: Thromboembolism
November '08
Research News
Recent studies of note
November '08
In the News
AHRQ funds program to reduce ICU infections, and other medical updates
November '08
More from ACP Press
IM Essentials for Clerkship Students 2: Augment your learning with ACP's authoritative text and online supplemental resources.
Internal Medicine 2009
April 23-25, 2009 in Philadelphia
Attention Lab Owners:
Get Live Answers at a Price You Can Afford
MLE offers ACP members superior service, affordability, online options and other special features.