Two areas of the greatest healthcare expenditures and most rapid growth are diagnostic tests and imaging. Why do we over-order these tests? Think about your own decisions to order tests and view the presentation for more information. Objectives: List the…
Antiplatelet therapy is the cornerstone of secondary prevention of Stroke and TIA. But in contrast to acute coronary syndrome where patients get one year of aspirin plus clopidogrel, is there evidence of benefit for combination therapy after stroke/TIA? This article…
Methotrexate is the most common choice for disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) for rheumatoid arthritis. This prospective study assesses the effect of methotrexate on mortality in a cohort of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Some questions to consider while reviewing this article:…
High value care is not a distinct way of practicing medicine, but rather integrates with other aspects of contemporary practice. And thinking about medications from the perspective of high value care highlights these areas of overlap.
The optimal duration of antibiotic treatment for ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is not known. Shortening the course of therapy may help decrease antibiotic resistance and adverse effects of giving prolonged antibiotics. This study looks to establish that mortality and recurrent infections…
Anemia is a common complication of chronic kidney disease which is typically treated with recombinant human erythropoietin. However the ideal goal hemoglobin is not well established. This study looks to answer if a lower-goal hemoglobin CKD patients shows decreased adverse…
Sepsis continues to affect 1.5 million people and lead to 250,000 deaths in the U.S., according to the CDC. The CORTICUS study reviewed here (article below) is the landmark study evaluating the potential benefit of corticosteroids in septic patients. As…
Lung cancer continues to be the leading cause of cancer death, ahead of colorectal, breast, and prostate cancers. However, screening strategies have been comparatively limited. This landmark article demonstrates the use of low-dose CT to screen for lung cancer, and…
87% of unnecessary testing is done by physicians. But unnecessary services is just one component of the ballooning cost of healthcare in the US. Here, we illustrate the importance and context of healthcare costs and show how being cost-conscious can have an effect on how your care for patients who might require hospitalization for syncope and pneumonia.
Goals: