Comparison of Health Care Providers Attitudes and Beliefs Regarding Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol in the Management of Pain and Other Symptoms in Cancer Patients.

Medical marijuana (MM) and cannabidiol (CBD) have received increasing attention to manage pain and other symptoms even with limited scientific evidence. We examined the attitudes and beliefs of health care providers toward MM and CBD compared to standard treatments for cancer-associated pain and various symptoms. Two sets of anonymous surveys (MM and CBD) containing similar items were completed by clinicians of four symptom-focused specialties.

Hospitalization characteristics and outcomes of patients with cancer and COVID-19 at a comprehensive cancer center.

Purpose: Several studies have confirmed increased mortality among patients with both COVID-19 and cancer. It remains important to continue to report observations of morbidity and mortality from COVID-19 in this vulnerable population. The purpose of this study is to describe the hospitalization characteristics and outcomes of patients with both cancer and COVID-19 admitted to our comprehensive cancer center.

Comparison of LACE and HOSPITAL Readmission Risk Scores for CMS Target and Nontarget Conditions.

This study evaluated the utility and performance of the LACE index and HOSPITAL score with consideration of the type of diagnoses and assessed the accuracy of these models for predicting readmission risks in patient cohorts from 2 large academic medical centers. Admissions to 2 hospitals from 2011 to 2015, derived from the Vizient Clinical Data Base and regional health information exchange, were included in this study (291 886 encounters). Models were assessed using Bayesian information criterion and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve.

Derivation and Validation of the Cancer READMIT Score: A Readmission Risk Scoring System for Patients With Solid Tumor Malignancies.

Purpose: Readmissions for the medical treatment of cancer have traditionally been excluded from readmission measures under the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program. Patients with cancer often have higher readmission rates and may need heightened support to ensure effective care transitions after hospitalization. Estimating readmission risk before discharge may assist in discharge planning efforts and help promote care coordination at time of discharge.

Safety and efficacy of percutaneous transabdominal and transesophageal decompression gastric catheters for palliation of malignant bowel obstruction.

Purpose: To evaluate the safety and primary technical success rate of gastric decompression via percutaneous transabdominal gastrostomy (PTAG) or percutaneous transesophageal gastric (PTEG) catheter placement for management of malignant bowel obstruction (MBO). A secondary purpose was to evaluate the safety and success rate for PTAG catheter placement in patients with both MBO and ascites.

Methods: A single-institution retrospective review of 385 patients who underwent attempted decompression gastric catheter placement from March 2013 to August 2018 was performed.

Evaluation of Cancer Patients With Suspected Pulmonary Embolism: Performance of the American College of Physicians Guideline.

Background: Accurate risk stratification of pulmonary embolism (PE) can reduce unnecessary imaging. We investigated the extent to which the American College of Physicians (ACP) guideline for evaluation of patients with suspected PE could be applied to cancer patients in the emergency department of a comprehensive cancer center.

Materials And Methods: Data from cancer patients who underwent CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) between August 1, 2015, and October 31, 2015, were collected.

Demonstrating value: association of cost and quality outcomes with implementation of a value-driven oncology-hospitalist inpatient collaboration for patients with lung cancer.

The hospitalist model of care has gained favour in many hospital systems for the value, cost-effectiveness and quality of care that hospitalists provide. Hospitalists are experts in high-acuity medical problems of patients and they are intimately knowledgeable about hospital operations that enable efficiency of patient care. This results in tremendous cost-savings for institutions especially since hospitalists are also obligated to be involved in quality and practice improvement initiatives.

Unplanned 30-Day Readmissions in a General Internal Medicine Hospitalist Service at a Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Purpose: Hospital readmissions are considered by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid as a metric for quality of health care delivery. Robust data on the readmission profile of patients with cancer are currently insufficient to determine whether this measure is applicable to cancer hospitals as well. To address this knowledge gap, we estimated the unplanned readmission rate and identified factors influencing unplanned readmissions in a hospitalist service at a comprehensive cancer center.

Risk of oral and gastrointestinal mucosal injury among patients receiving selected targeted agents: a meta-analysis.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to estimate the risk and severity of oral and gastrointestinal mucosal toxicities associated with selected targeted agents.

Methods: We searched the English-language literature in February 2011 for reports of randomized clinical trials comparing a FDA-approved targeted agent to a standard of care regimens. Long-term follow-up and secondary reports of trials were excluded, leaving 85 studies for analysis.

Physical activity recommendation for hypertension management: does healthcare provider advice make a difference?

Background: Achieving normal blood pressure with antihypertensive medication remains an achievable goal for only approximately equal to 31% of hypertensive patients. Physical activity is a primary lifestyle measure required to lower blood pressure in hypertensive patients, and the US Preventative Services Task force (USPSTF) recommends counseling by health care providers to promote regular physical activity. Surveys of patients suggest, however, that few healthcare providers follow the USPSTF recommendation on physical activity counseling.

Lead poisoning in an adult: lead mobilization by pregnancy?

We report a case of acute lead poisoning in an adult female who had last been exposed to lead 7 years ago. She presented with abdominal pain, knee pain, and neurological symptoms, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and anemia with basophilic stippling and lead gum lines. Compared to during her recent pregnancy, her lead level had almost tripled in 5 months to 81 mcg/dL.