The Hospitalist

Article: ONLINE EXCLUSIVE: The Case Against a Common Denominator for Urinary Tract Infections

Beware the data in relation to their intended purpose, hospitalist-researcher says

Article: ONLINE EXCLUSIVE: Patient Engagement Critical

Patients, families must be engaged, empowered in med-rec process

Audio File: ONLINE EXCLUSIVE: Med-Rec Experts Discuss Prevention Strategies

Ted Tsomides discusses four elements that lead to med-rec confusion; Blake J. Lesselroth talks about EHRs and the “true record”

Audio File: ONLINE EXCLUSIVE: The Culture of Medicine Must Change, Watchdog Group Says

Kevin Kavanagh, MD, MS, FACS, director of Somerset, Ky.-based Health Watch USA, discusses the lingering difficulty in changing the culture of medicine to embrace such proven HAI interventions as basic hand hygiene and checklists

Article: A Winnable Battle

Hospitalists are well-positioned to lead measured, team approaches to snuff out common hospital-acquired infections

Article: Reconciliation Act

“Med rec” translates to effective communication at every transition of care; experts say hospitalists should own the initiative

Article: Six Ways You Can Help Reduce HAIs in Your Hospital

Hospitalists can help prevent hospital-acquired infections

In the Literature: In the Literature: The latest research you need to know

Procalcitonin-guided therapy decreases antimicrobial duration in ICU patients; High residual platelet reactivity increases risk of cardiovascular events among patients with acute coronary syndromes undergoing PCI; Conservative treatment of necrotizing pancreatitis is associated with improved outcomes; Cardiac MRI complements clinical findings in diagnosis of stress cardiomyopathy; Increased risk of potentially inadvertent medication discontinuation following acute-care hospitalization; Clinical exam...

Society Pages: Network Connection

Annual meeting is rich with opportunity to build new contacts, find resources

Society Pages: Policy Corner: An Inside Look at the Most Pressing Policy Issues

IOM report highlights health IT promise and problems

Society Pages: CODE-H: Optimize Revenue with Improved Coding Education

Short for “Coding Optimally by Documenting Effectively for Hospitalists,” CODE-H can improve the confidence that practice leaders and administrators have in their documentation and coding efforts through a comprehensive, eight-month program that includes webinars and a variety of other support resources.

Society Pages: Survey Insights: Peeking under the Hood of Academic HM

The 2011 State of Hospital Medicine report offers insights into the operation of academic hospital medicine practices and how they compare with their nonacademic peers.

On the Move: HM on the Move

Robert Wachter, MD, MHM; Maggie Shatilla, MD; Jeffrey Sperring, MD; Gunjana Bhandari, MD; Bert Puckett Wall, MD

In the Literature: Pediatric Readmissions Differ from Adult Readmissions

What is the epidemiology of 15-day readmissions to a children’s hospital?

Team Hospitalist Q&A: Pediatric Potential

Boston hospitalist foresees great change for growing field

Public Policy: Life in the Gap

2012 forecast: More coordinated, more accountable, more efficient care

Innovations: Proactive Approaches Can Mitigate Dangerous Transitions into Hospitals

Help stave off repeat hospital visits by engaging in frank discussions with the patient or nursing-home facility staff about the goals of care

Innovations: Professional Development Program Advances Hospitalist Leadership Skills

Emory School of Medicine’s Division of Hospital Medicine supports faculty development training in the areas of administrative leadership, quality improvement and research, and education and training

Innovations: Palliative Care ‘Report Card’ Released

Report counts proportion of each state’s hospitals with access to organized palliative-care programs

Innovations: IOM Report Outlines Health IT Concerns

The Institute of Medicine identifies potential harm that could stem from a digital healthcare system

Innovations: HM’s Role in Helping Hospitals Profit

Hospitalists can be at the forefront of the changes needed to reduce costs and improve profitability

Letters: Annals Study Might Not Cover All Situations

Letters: Specialization Teams Offer Providers Opportunity, Strengthen HM Group Integrity

Letters: Dedicated Texas Team Improves Quality of Care

President’s Column: Occupy SHM

You have a voice, so cast a vote for SHM’s board of directors

From the Editor’s Desk: I Resolve…

…to embrace children's books, Twitter, and Kim Kardashian

Practice Management: Reimbursement Readiness

Documentation improvement, regulatory acumen key maximization of Medicare dollars

Ask Dr. Hospitalist: Leadership, Experience, Quality Factor into HM Compensation Formula

How physician pay varies within a single site