Managing hospitalized hemodialysis patients: A guide for the non-nephrologist

In-hospital care of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients, on hemodialysis, is different from the general population in various aspects. Non-nephrologists do not typically receive specialized training to take care of these patients. However, in most circumstances, they serve as the primary attending for these patients in the hospital setting. There is paucity of the literature guiding non-nephrologists on this important issue. This article highlights the key management aspects of in-hospital care of these patients that all the non-nephrologists should know.     

An occult finding in heparin drip order set

Background: In 1998, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) noted that the American healthcare system had many problems. A major concern was the pervasiveness of medical errors. Electronic medical records (EMR) were introduced for myriad of reasons, one being to reduce these errors. Within the EMR, order sets have been shown to reduce variation in clinical practice and improve the quality of care. However, the lack of standardization in these sets enables peculiar orders, such as fecal occult blood test (FOBT) in the heparin drip order set at our hospital, to be surprisingly included. Our study was conducted to evaluate the consequences associated with having FOBT in this order set. Methods: A retrospective study of 898 adult hospitalized patients over a 6-month period, who had a heparin drip ordered at a single academic center, was conducted. The main focus of our study was the 130 patients for whom the FOBT was sent. Results: Fifteen percent (n = 130) of patients started on IV heparin had FOBT sent, of which 33 (25%) came back positive. Approximately one-third (36%) of the positive results were documented by a provider, either in a progress note or discharge summary. In eight instances of a positive FOBT (24%), the heparin drip was stopped. For 10 patients with a positive test (30%), gastroenterology was consulted, and 4 (12%) patients had inpatient endoscopy. Five patients with positive FOBT died while in the hospital (15%) as compared to seven patients (7%) in the negative FOBT group, p < 0.05. Conclusions: Most patients started on heparin did not have FOBT tested, and the results changed management infrequently, even when positive. The regular review of all order sets is imperative to ensure that they remain evidenced-based and sensible.     

A Comparison of Outpatient Healthcare Expenditures Between Public and Private Medical Institutions in Urban China: An Instrumental Variable Approach

The growth of healthcare expenditure provokes constant comments and discussions, as countries battle the issues on cost containment and cost effectiveness. Prior to 1978, medical institutions in China were either state‐owned or were collective public hospitals. Since 1978, China has been trying to rebuild its healthcare system, which was destroyed during the ‘cultural revolution’, allowing private medical institutions to deliver healthcare services. As a result, private medical institutions have grown from 0% to 28.57% between 1978 and 2010. In this context, we compare outpatient healthcare expenditures between public and private medical institutions. The central problem of this comparison is that the choice of medical institution is endogenous. So we apply an instrumental variable (IV) framework utilizing geographic information (whether the closest medical institution is private) as the instrument while controlling for severity of health and other relevant confounding factors. Using China's Urban Resident Basic Medical Insurance Survey 2008–2010, we found that there is no difference in expenditure between public and private medical institutions when IV framework is used. Our econometric tests suggest that our IV model is specified appropriately. However, the ordinary least square model, which is inconsistent in the presence of endogenous regressor(s), reveals that public medical institutions are more expensive. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Electronic Public Health Registry of Extensively Drug-Resistant Organisms,Illinois, USA

In response to clusters of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) in Illinois, USA, the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Chicago Prevention Epicenter launched a statewide Web-based registry designed for bidirectional data exchange among health care facilities. CRE occurrences are entered and searchable in the system, enabling interfacility communication of patient information. For rapid notification of facilities, admission feeds are automated. During the first 12 months of implementation (November 1, 2013–October 31, 2014), 1,557 CRE reports (≈4.3/day) were submitted from 115 acute care hospitals, 5 long-term acute care hospitals, 46 long-term care facilities, and 7 reference laboratories. Guided by a state and local public health task force of infection prevention specialists and microbiologists and a nonprofit informatics entity, Illinois Department of Public Health deployed a statewide registry of extensively drug-resistant organisms. The legal, technical, and collaborative underpinnings of the system enable rapid incorporation of other emerging organisms.     

医务人员突发生物事件知识认知调查

目的：了解某三级综合性医院的医务人员对突发生物事件相关知识的认知现状。方法采用自行设计的调查问卷,对医院不同科室的医务人员进行调查。结果医务人员对各类突发生物事件知识掌握程度不一;不同专业、职务、学历、年龄组的医务人员突发生物事件知识得分差异具有统计学意义（P＜0．05）。结论医务人员突发生物事件相关知识掌握情况不理想,应采取多途径、全员、多层次提高医务人员对突发生物事件相关知识的认知水平。     

医务社工介入突发公共事件的探讨与反思

上海外滩踩踏事件当中,本院医务社工第一时间介入,在整个救治过程当中,为协助伤病员救治、安抚陪伴者情绪、为医务人员提供情绪支持等,发挥了应有的作用,为救治工作创造了平稳有序的环境,凸显了社工服务的重要性和有效性。本文将对医务社工全程参与救助过程的活动实务进行分析,探讨医务社工在突发公共事件当中的作用与意义。     

系统仿真技术在医疗成本控制中的应用

目的探讨将系统仿真技术应用于医疗成本分析的方法。方法对无锡某医院妇科微波治疗室的工作流程进行调查,运用Med Model专业软件建立该治疗室现有工作流程的仿真模型,分析该治疗室医疗成本构成的特点,并在此基础上提出治疗室发展计划,进一步仿真模拟3种成本改进方案。结果在现行的资源分配模式下,微波治疗仪是医疗成本的最大构成部分,其次是护士成本,床位成本和床位消毒费均为相对不重要成本。改进方案通过增加患者收容、优化医疗成本构成,能有效降低人均医疗成本费用。结论运用系统仿真技术进行基于流程的医疗成本分析,能够更加精确地计算医院成本,并为管理者的决策制定提供可靠依据。