The Impact of COVID-19 on Rates of Pressure Injuries Among Hospitalized Patients across the US.

Objective: To determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on hospital-acquired pressure injury (HAPI) rates and composition of HAPI stages among hospitalized patients across the US.

Methods: Using encounter-level data from a nationwide healthcare insurance claims database, the authors conducted a retrospective cohort study and an interrupted time-series analysis to determine HAPI rates among hospitalized patients within 90 days of admission before (January 2018 to February 2020) and after (March 2020 to December 2020) the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Of 3,418,438 adult patients assessed for inclusion in the study, 1,750,494 met the inclusion criteria.

Association of bundled payments with spending, utilization, and quality for surgical conditions: A scoping review.

Objectives: To assess the body of literature examining episode-based bundled payment models effect on health care spending, utilization, and quality of care for surgical conditions.

Background Summary: Episode-based bundled payments were developed as a strategy to lower healthcare spending and improve coordination across phases of healthcare. Surgical conditions may be well-suited targets for bundled payments because they often have defined periods of care and widely variable healthcare spending.

Unmasked Neuropathic Pain After Neurectomy: A Case Series and Review of the Literature.

Localization of neuropathic pain to a specific peripheral nerve origin relies on patient history, physical examination, and nerve blocks. Neurectomy of the involved nerve(s) can successfully alleviate patients' pain. However, a subset of patients postoperatively describe persistent pain, but say that the pain "moved" to a new location (eg, from the dorsum of the foot to the lateral foot).

Increased Variation in Esophageal Cancer Treatment and Geographic Healthcare Disparity in Michigan.

Background: Regional variation in complex healthcare is shown to negatively impact health outcomes. We sought to characterize geographic variance in esophageal cancer operation in Michigan.

Study Design: Data for patients with locoregional esophageal cancer from the Michigan Cancer Surveillance Program from 2000 to 2013 was analyzed.

Variation in pre-operative insurance requirements for bariatric surgery.

Background: For patients who wish to undergo bariatric surgery, variation in pre-operative insurance requirements may represent inequity across insurance plan types. We conducted a cross-sectional assessment of the variation in pre-operative insurance requirements.

Methods: Original insurance policy documents for pre-operative requirements were obtained from bariatric surgery programs across the entire USA and online insurance portals.

The "Preparation for Shared Decision-Making" Tool for Women With Advanced Breast Cancer: Qualitative Validation Study.

Background: The range of decisions and considerations that women with advanced breast cancer (ABC) face can be overwhelming and difficult to manage. Research shows that most patients prefer a shared decision-making (SDM) approach as it provides them with the opportunity to be actively involved in their treatment decisions. The current engagement of these patients in their clinical decisions is suboptimal.

Introduction to the Best-Case/Worst-Case Framework Within Transplantation Surgery to Improve Decision-Making for Increased Risk Donor Organ Offers.

Public Health Service increased risk donor kidneys are discarded 50% more often than nonincreased risk donor kidneys despite equivalent patient and graft survival outcomes. Patient and provider biases as well as challenges in risk interpretation contribute to the underuse of increased risk donor organs. As the ultimate decision to accept or reject an increased risk donor organ results from the patient-provider conversation, there is an opportunity to improve this dialogue.

Fostering Passion and Skills in Surgical Research Across the Medical Education Continuum: The Transplant Research, Education, and Engagement Group.

Objective: We describe a multilevel, collaborative research group for trainees and faculty engaging in transplant surgery research within one institution.

Design: Transplant Research, Education, and Engagement (TREE) was designed to develop trainees' research skills and foster enthusiasm in transplant surgery along the educational continuum. Our research model intentionally empowers junior researchers, including undergraduates and medical students, to assume active roles on a range of research projects and contribute new ideas within a welcoming research and learning environment.

Personalizing Value in Cancer Care: The Case for Incorporating Patient Preferences Into Routine Clinical Decision Making.

Despite growing research demonstrating the potential for shared decision making (SDM) to improve health outcomes, patient preferences-including financial trade-offs-are still not routinely incorporated into health care decision making. As the US health care delivery system transitions to rewarding value-based care, the question of "value to whom?" assumes greater importance. To achieve the goals of value-based care, the patient voice must be incorporated into clinical decision making by embedding SDM as a routine part of clinical practice.

Inflammatory Effects of Blood-Air Interface in a Porcine Cardiopulmonary Bypass Model.

Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) causes a systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) associated with multiorgan injury. A model was developed to test whether a blood-air interface (BAI) in the CPB circuit causes blood element activation and inflammation. Ten healthy swine were placed on partial CPB for 2 hours via the cervical vessels and monitored for 96 hours postoperatively.