Can Electronic Alerts Help Identify Sepsis in Sick Children?

Can Electronic Alerts Help Identify Sepsis in Sick Children?

A two-step electronic alert system successfully reduced missed sepsis diagnoses in children by 76 percent. The new pediatric protocol, which incorporates the use of vital signs, risk factors, and a clinician's judgment,... read more

This Startup Could Revolutionize How We Fight Infectious Diseases

This Startup Could Revolutionize How We Fight Infectious Diseases

Karius Test has raised $50 million to develop a novel technology that can detect more than 1,000 infectious diseases, without requiring the usual trial-and-error tests. The test is expensive at $2,000, and is meant for use... read more

Delirium in Advanced Cancer Patients Worsens Survival

Delirium in Advanced Cancer Patients Worsens Survival

Patients with advanced cancer who arrived at the ED with delirium had increased rates of hospitalization and ICU admissions, as well as shorter survival rates, according to a study published in The Oncologist. Many patients... read more

Improving Long-Term Outcomes Research for ARF

Improving Long-Term Outcomes Research for ARF

Alison Turnbull, DVM, MPH, PhD discusses the heterogeneity in outcome measures in our field and the need for a Core Outcome Measurement Set (COMS) to standardize reporting of important outcomes. As part of the consensus process,... read more

Examining Mechanical Chest Compressions

Examining Mechanical Chest Compressions

Mechanical chest compression (CC) during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) with AutoPulse or LUCAS devices has not improved survival from cardiac arrest. Cohort studies suggest risk of excess damage. Therefore, Koster et... read more

The Science and Art of Pediatric Critical Care Nutrition

The Science and Art of Pediatric Critical Care Nutrition

Malnutrition is prevalent in the pediatric ICU population, and is associated with worse outcomes. Nutrition support teams, dedicated dietitians, and educational programs facilitate surveillance for existing malnutrition and... read more

Doctors frustrated that electronic records steal time from patients

Doctors frustrated that electronic records steal time from patients

Researchers asked doctors licensed to practice in Rhode Island the question: How does using an EHR affect your interaction with patients? They got an earful. Most who responded complained that electronic records undermined... read more

Patients with postoperative delirium more likely to suffer dementia

Patients with postoperative delirium more likely to suffer dementia

Delirium is common in elderly hospitalized patients, affecting an estimated 14 - 56% of patients. It frequently manifests as a sudden change in behavior, with patients suffering acute confusion, inattention, disorganized... read more

When Evidence Says No, but Doctors Say Yes

Long after research contradicts common medical practices, patients continue to demand them and physicians continue to deliver. The result is an epidemic of unnecessary and unhelpful treatments.... read more

How to Beat Burnout

How to Beat Burnout

Burnout takes a toll on physicians, their patients, and their practices. Short visits, complicated patients, lack of control, electronic health record stress, and poor work-home balance can lead to physicians leaving practices... read more

Targeted Temperature Management and Neurologic Outcome After Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest

Targeted Temperature Management and Neurologic Outcome After Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest

In this randomized clinical trial enrolling 355 adults with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, there was no significant difference in favorable neurologic outcome at 6 months for those treated for 48 hours (69%) vs 24 hours... read more

Enhancing the Usability of Systematic Reviews by Improving the Consideration and Description of Interventions

Enhancing the Usability of Systematic Reviews by Improving the Consideration and Description of Interventions

The importance of adequate intervention descriptions in minimizing research waste and improving research usability and reproducibility has gained attention in the past few years. Nearly all focus to date has been on intervention... read more

Web-based ICU Communication Improves Patient Experience and Outcomes

Researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) have developed a web-based program that uses team communication and engagement to improve patient experience and outcomes. The study enrolled 1,075 ICU patients and provided... read more

In Treating Sepsis, Questions About Timing and Mandates

In Treating Sepsis, Questions About Timing and Mandates

The question of whether Rory's Regulations save lives isn’t asked or answered in the recent study. Sepsis deaths were already decreasing in the United States before the mandate, and determining its contribution to... read more

Are We Creating Survivors or Victims in Critical Care?

Are We Creating Survivors or Victims in Critical Care?

Delivering targeted nutrition to improve outcomes. Over the last 10 years, we are proud of the fact we have finally begun to reduce in-hospital mortality following severe sepsis in some countries worldwide. Further, mortality... read more

Heart Rate Variability in Critical Care Medicine

Heart Rate Variability in Critical Care Medicine

Heart rate variability (HRV) has been used to assess cardiac autonomic activity in critically ill patients, driven by translational and biomarker research agendas. Several clinical and technical factors can interfere with... read more

High-Observation Protocol Cuts Length of Stay in Head

High-Observation Protocol Cuts Length of Stay in Head

A high-observation protocol (HOP) appears to optimize clinical care for patients with head and neck cancer undergoing primary surgery, according to a study published online June 20 in Head & Neck. The researchers found... read more