First, physicians were blamed for ordering too many CT scans, then it was writing too many opiate prescription. Are antibiotics prescriptions, the next thing that physicians will be under the gun. Recently the CDC came out and stated one if every three antibiotic prescriptions are unnecessary. Now, U.S. researchers are identifying bacteria that are resistant… Read More
Antibiotic resistance has been an issue for many years and multiple studies have shown that most cases of otitis media are viral. Sinusitis has also been shown to rarely benefit from antibiotics. This article examines the potential overprescription of antibiotics. The CDC believes at least one in every three antibiotic prescription may be unnecessary. This study examines the… Read More
This story from the May 2, 2016 Chicago Tribune discusses Eugene Litvak’s theory that managing the OR is the key to decreasing hospital overcrowding. The former Soviet mathematician and system engineer believes that managing the predictable nature of elective surgeries can better control the unpredictable nature of emergency medicine. Some hospitals have reportedly reaped millions of dollars… Read More
An article by Padma Gulur et al. in Pain Research and Treatment Volume 2015 (2015), Article ID 482081 looked at morphine and hydromorphone use. Hydromorphone (Dilaudid) is up to 7.5 times as potent as morphine and its use has dramatically increased in the past decade. This study has some great background information and resources which… Read More
A study in the May 2016 issue of Annals of Emergency Medicine looks at the issue of the ability to speak and understand English and 72 hour returns. The study concludes even with insurance status taken into account, whereas admission rates were unchanged, that people who don’t understand English are more likely to return to… Read More
It is not uncommon to hear about nurses going on strike however, we never hear of physicians going on strike. Physicians around the world are frustrated and many feel powerless. Many proponents say the only way for the healthcare system to actually be reformed is to have the physicians lead the change. Is a physician… Read More
Emergency physicians prescribe less than 5% of all opiate prescriptions in the United States. Furthermore, emergency physicians had the highest decrease (-8.9%) of all medical specialties in opiate prescriptions from 2010-2012. Although there is an opioid epidemic, the data shows that emergency physicians are part of the solution. Overall, opiate prescriptions increased by 11.7%… Read More
This is an interesting but somewhat confusing report on hospitalist compensation. Medscape’s Hospitalist Compensation Report describes the earnings, productivity statistics, and career satisfaction of these specialists. Source: Medscape Hospitalist Compensation Report 2016… Read More
Background: High-intensity telemedicine has been shown to reduce the need for emergency department (ED) care for older adult senior living community (SLC) residents with acute illnesses. We evaluated the effect of SLC engagement in the telemedicine program on ED use rates. Materials and Methods: We performed a secondary analysis of data from a prospective cohort… Read More
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