Michelle Knees, Sarah J Flynn, Esther Y Hsiang, Alan A Kubey
{"title":"Is secure messaging an effective tool for inpatient communication?","authors":"Michelle Knees, Sarah J Flynn, Esther Y Hsiang, Alan A Kubey","doi":"10.1002/jhm.70090","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jhm.70090","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Secure messaging platforms were designed to optimize healthcare communication by providing asynchronous, bidirectional, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-compliant text messaging options. Proponents argue that these platforms streamline workflows, foster coordination across multidisciplinary teams, and improve patient safety. However, critics highlight their potential to disrupt workflows through overwhelming message volumes and task interruptions, increased risk for miscommunication, and possible detrimental impacts on patient care. While secure messaging shows promise for modernizing hospital communication, it requires institutional guidelines and thoughtful use to mitigate inefficiencies and risks.</p>","PeriodicalId":94084,"journal":{"name":"Journal of hospital medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144176172","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Seonkyeong Yang, Anders Westanmo, Mark Bounthavong, Ronald Shorr, Haesuk Park, Weihsuan Lo-Ciganic, Muna Canales
{"title":"Hospitalization costs associated with as-needed blood pressure medication use in the Veterans Healthcare System.","authors":"Seonkyeong Yang, Anders Westanmo, Mark Bounthavong, Ronald Shorr, Haesuk Park, Weihsuan Lo-Ciganic, Muna Canales","doi":"10.1002/jhm.70089","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jhm.70089","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>As-needed blood pressure (BP) medication used to treat asymptomatic BP elevations in the hospital may be harmful. However, its association with hospitalization costs remains unknown. We conducted a retrospective cohort study with target trial emulation and propensity-score matching to compare the total and subtype hospitalization costs for those who received as-needed BP medication (YES) versus not (NO) during a Veterans Affairs hospital stay between October 1, 2015 and September 30, 2020. After matching (n = 25,455 per group), the as-needed YES group had a longer length of stay compared to the NO group. Hospitalizations in the YES group were associated with higher total and subtype hospitalization costs compared to the NO group. Similarly, individuals in the YES group had higher daily total hospital costs compared to the NO group, driven primarily by increased nursing and surgery costs. Our findings suggest that the expenditure implications of as-needed BP medication use merit further investigation.</p>","PeriodicalId":94084,"journal":{"name":"Journal of hospital medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144175686","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Next steps: Implications of proposed changes in federal Medicaid financing on hospital services for children.","authors":"Rachel Garfield","doi":"10.1002/jhm.70087","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jhm.70087","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":94084,"journal":{"name":"Journal of hospital medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144181001","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Amy Yu, Lauren McBeth, Claire Westcott, Stephanie Mueller, Mustafa Ozkaynak, Brooke Dorsey Holliman, Anna Maw, Jacinda Nicklas, Christine D Jones
{"title":"Overloaded: How task switching, information synthesis, and poor relational trust make interhospital transfers challenging.","authors":"Amy Yu, Lauren McBeth, Claire Westcott, Stephanie Mueller, Mustafa Ozkaynak, Brooke Dorsey Holliman, Anna Maw, Jacinda Nicklas, Christine D Jones","doi":"10.1002/jhm.70084","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jhm.70084","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Complex and inefficient information and task organization contribute to high cognitive load for clinicians in interhospital transfer (IHT) care. High cognitive load can lead to medical errors and clinician stress.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>Our study aims to highlight areas of high cognitive load experienced by hospital medicine physicians and advanced practice providers who care for IHT patients.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Descriptive qualitative study using 1-h semi-structured interviews with hospital medicine clinicians at an academic medical center. We conducted thematic analysis using a combined inductive and deductive coding approach until saturation was achieved.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We interviewed 30 hospital medicine clinicians including 17 physicians (57%) and 13 advanced practice providers (43%) with 1-18 years of experience (mean 5.7 years). Participants identified multiple contributors to cognitive load for clinicians involved in IHTs. Some of these contributors, such as case complexity and time constraints, were fixed, while others, such as task switching, information synthesis burdens, and poor relational trust were seen as potentially modifiable. Participants suggested that (1) creating a single IHT workflow to minimize distractions, (2) streamlining information presentation to optimize information synthesis, and (3) facilitating trust building between healthcare team members as potential solutions to reducing cognitive load.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Physicians and advanced practice providers at an academic medical center experienced increased cognitive load in IHTs when faced with frequent task switching, inefficient delivery of clinical information, and variable levels of trust between healthcare team members. Addressing cognitive load experienced by clinicians in IHTs may lead to safer IHT care and lower risk of clinician burnout.</p>","PeriodicalId":94084,"journal":{"name":"Journal of hospital medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144176110","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Clinical progress note: Phenobarbital in the treatment of alcohol withdrawal syndrome.","authors":"Thad E Abrams, Matthew V Ronan","doi":"10.1002/jhm.70088","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jhm.70088","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) is a common condition experienced by hospitalized patients. Practice patterns have evolved over time to include the use of phenobarbital, a barbiturate, as an adjunct to benzodiazepines or as an alternative monotherapy. The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) has recommended the use of phenobarbital in the management of AWS in certain clinical contexts. The current evidence base for the use of phenobarbital in AWS remains limited, though sufficient to demonstrate safety and efficacy as an alternative to benzodiazepines.</p>","PeriodicalId":94084,"journal":{"name":"Journal of hospital medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144180493","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Stephanie K Mueller, James D Harrison, Amy Yu, Caitlin Kelly, Luci K Leykum
{"title":"Re-envisioning interhospital transfer: A qualitative study exploring alternatives to transfer.","authors":"Stephanie K Mueller, James D Harrison, Amy Yu, Caitlin Kelly, Luci K Leykum","doi":"10.1002/jhm.70083","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jhm.70083","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Interhospital transfer (IHT, the transfer of patients between acute care hospitals) is often undertaken to provide patients with specialized care. However, mounting hospital capacity pressures suggest a need for re-envisioning IHT with consideration of alternatives to transfer in select patients.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a qualitative focus group study with key informants involved in IHT, including patient/family representatives, accepting and transferring clinicians, and hospital leadership. We used case examples of distinct IHT scenarios and a semi-structured focus group guide to explore aspects of the IHT process and potential alternative modalities of care. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis, with data coded into sub-themes and higher order themes until thematic saturation was achieved.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We conducted a total of 7 focus groups, involving 6 patient/family representatives, 12 accepting clinicians, 9 transferring clinicians, and 12 hospital leadership from 13 geographically diverse hospitals. Within the higher order theme of \"clinically appropriate alternatives to transfer,\" we identified several sub-themes, including transferring hospital support, ambulatory alternatives, and patient and organizational risks and benefits. Within the higher order theme of \"feasibility and barriers to identified alternatives\" we identified three sub-themes, including clinician unease about expansion of clinical scope, lack of healthcare infrastructure to support tele-health care, and limited outpatient capacity.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>In this qualitative study of key informants involved in IHT, we identified several viable alternatives to IHT and revealed potential barriers that could impede their widespread implementation. These insights provide optimal targets for advancing efforts to develop and operationalize new care models, re-envisioning IHT management.</p>","PeriodicalId":94084,"journal":{"name":"Journal of hospital medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144183412","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Team emotional intelligence matters for hospitalists: Unlocking a key driver for performance, learning, and well-being.","authors":"Justin J Choi","doi":"10.1002/jhm.70082","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jhm.70082","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":94084,"journal":{"name":"Journal of hospital medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144164307","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The influence of intergenerational trauma in families of Chinese descent on perceptions of microaggressions.","authors":"Lucy Cheng, Sonya Tang Girdwood","doi":"10.1002/jhm.70081","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jhm.70081","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":94084,"journal":{"name":"Journal of hospital medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144145270","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ariel Carpenter, Adolfo Molina, Mary Orr, Cassi Smola, Samantha Hanna, Chang L Wu, Dana Woodruff, Cindy Deerman, Erin E Shaughnessy
{"title":"Novel screening intervention to address food insecurity in hospitalized children.","authors":"Ariel Carpenter, Adolfo Molina, Mary Orr, Cassi Smola, Samantha Hanna, Chang L Wu, Dana Woodruff, Cindy Deerman, Erin E Shaughnessy","doi":"10.1002/jhm.70079","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jhm.70079","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Despite efforts to standardize and optimize screening of hospitalized children for food insecurity, rates of identified food insecurity (4.1%) remained far below the known community rate (18.3%-23.3%). We aimed to improve identification of food insecure families through a novel screening method, utilizing a nonclinical screener at a time uncoupled from admission. The positive food insecurity rate resulting from this screen closely approximated the community rate (18.1%). In addition, the novel screening method better identified Spanish speaking and Latino/Hispanic families with food insecurity, highlighting a disparity in the standard screening process.</p>","PeriodicalId":94084,"journal":{"name":"Journal of hospital medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144145268","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}