Human Factors Contributing to Infection Prevention in Outpatient Hemodialysis Centers: A Mixed Methods Study.

Rationale & Objective: Infection prevention efforts in dialysis centers can avert patient morbidity and mortality but are challenging to implement. The objective of this study was to better understand how the design of the work system might contribute to infection prevention in outpatient dialysis centers.

Study Design: Mixed methods, observational study.

Re-purposed drive-through vaccination set-up for Mpox, New York Metropolitan Area.

Background: This report details how one large medical center in the Metropolitan New York area re-purposed a drive-through COVID-19 vaccination structure to handle a surge in Mpox cases in July 2022.Methods/Results: Simultaneous to on-going COVID -19 vaccination and testing, Mpox vaccination was rolled out in the same drive through structure. More than 1,820 Jynneos (Smallpox and Monkeypox Vaccine, Live, Non-replicating) vaccine dosages were delivered subcutaneously and then intradermally to 1,123 individuals through the open window of their vehicles, averaging 8-10 patients an hour.

From Pandemic to Epidemic: Lessons Learned From COVID-19 Applied to Mpox Outbreak Response, Westchester County, Metropolitan New York.

The COVID-19 pandemic vaccination infrastructure was redeployed to address the Mpox epidemic. The Westchester County Department of Health coordinated an effective vaccine distribution, tracking, and data collection process with community partners with real-time feedback of operational challenges and updated public health directives. Westchester County, which comprises 9% of the New York State population, administered 24% (6770 doses) of JYNNEOS (smallpox and monkeypox vaccine) across the state.

Recurrent lactic acidosis and hypoglycemia with inadvertent metformin use: a case of look-alike pills.

Unlabelled: Metformin is recommended as the first-line agent for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Although this drug has a generally good safety profile, rare but potentially serious adverse effects may occur. Metformin-associated lactic acidosis, although very uncommon, carries a significant risk of mortality.

Dialysis Facility Safety: Processes and Opportunities.

Unintentional human errors are the source of most safety breaches in complex, high-risk environments. The environment of dialysis care is extremely complex. Dialysis patients have unique and changing physiology, and the processes required for their routine care involve numerous open-ended interfaces between providers and an assortment of technologically advanced equipment.

Risk factors for hemodialysis and mortality in patients with contrast-induced nephropathy.

The purpose of this study was to identify risk factors for renal failure requiring hemodialysis and mortality in patients who developed contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) after cardiac catheterization. Out of 13,742 patients who received cardiac catheterization at Westchester Medical Center/New York Medical College from 2005 to 2008, 268 patients (2%) with a discharge diagnosis of renal failure were screened for CIN. CIN was defined as either a >25% increase of the serum creatinine or an absolute increase in serum creatinine of 0.

Patient and facility safety in hemodialysis: opportunities and strategies to develop a culture of safety.

Patient safety is the foundation of high-quality health care. More than 350,000 patients receive dialysis in the United States, and the safety of their care is ultimately the responsibility of the facility medical director. The medical director must establish a culture of safety in the dialysis unit and lead the quality assessment and performance improvement process.

Mitigating contrast-induced acute kidney injury associated with cardiac catheterization.

Contrast-induced nephropathy, also referred to as contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CIAKI), is among the most common causes of AKI, especially in patients with underlying chronic kidney disease. In addition to the increased cost engendered by the development of CIAKI, several studies have suggested the occurrence of AKI after cardiac procedures is associated with an increase in both morbidity and mortality. This increase in morbidity and mortality occurs after both intravenous and intra-arterial studies.

Incidence of thromboembolic stroke and of major bleeding in patients with atrial fibrillation and chronic kidney disease treated with and without warfarin.

The objective was to investigate the incidence of thromboembolic stroke in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and atrial fibrillation (AF) treated with and without warfarin. We investigated the incidence of thromboembolic stroke and of major bleeding in 399 unselected patients with CKD and AF treated with warfarin to maintain an international normalized ratio (INR) between 2.0 and 3.

Prevalence of valve calcium and association of valve calcium with coronary artery disease, atherosclerotic vascular disease, and all-cause mortality in 137 patients undergoing hemodialysis for chronic renal failure.

Of 137 patients (mean age 63 years) who underwent hemodialysis for chronic renal failure, 65 (47%) had mitral valve calcium, mitral annular calcium, or aortic valve calcium. Thirty-eight of 65 patients (59%) who had valve calcium died at 3.5-year follow-up versus 21 of 72 patients (29%) who did not have valve calcium and who died at 4.

Chronic renal dysfunction as an independent risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease.

Cardiac disease is the leading cause of death in patients having end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Patients with ESRD have a higher risk for developing coronary artery disease (CAD) than one would estimate from the presence of traditional risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and cigarette smoking. Patients with milder forms of renal dysfunction who do not require dialysis also appear to have an increased risk for CAD.

Noninvasive interrogation of microvasculature for signs of endothelial dysfunction in patients with chronic renal failure.

Endothelial cell dysfunction (ECD) has been demonstrated in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) who have cardiovascular disease (CD) or diabetes mellitus (DM). While techniques to examine conduit arteries have been adapted to these patients, evaluation of microvascular function has lagged behind. Therefore, we used laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) and scanned laser Doppler imaging (LDI) to quantify parameters of the postocclusion reactive hyperemia and thermal hyperemic responses (local heating to 43 degrees C) in ESRD patients (n=63) and healthy individuals (n=33).