Analysis of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Outpatient Follow-Up.

Background: Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) remains a prevalent public health concern. Implementation of an mTBI guideline encouraged screening all patients at risk for mTBI, followed by outpatient follow-up in a "concussion clinic." This resulted in an increase in inpatient concussion evaluations, followed by high-volume referral to the concussion clinic.

Analysis of an American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma (ACS-COT) Approved Pilot Project: Increasing Provider Communication During Interhospital Transfer.

The American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma requires physician-to-physician communication prior to interhospital transfer. This requirement can be difficult to achieve in high-volume trauma centers. This pilot project utilizes trauma advanced practice providers (APPs) as the primary communicator, in lieu of the trauma surgeon, prior to interhospital transfer.

Using clinical analysis to classify 30-day trauma readmissions.

Background: Unplanned hospital readmissions are common across specialties. Descriptive readmission studies commonly query large administrative databases, which some speculate lack clinical granularity. This article provides the framework for a process improvement initiative aimed at identifying clinically meaningful reasons for trauma readmission.

Advanced Practice Nursing Committee on Process Improvement in Trauma: An Innovative Application of the Strong Model.

This article aims to summarize the successes and future implications for a nurse practitioner-driven committee on process improvement in trauma. The trauma nurse practitioner is uniquely positioned to recognize the need for clinical process improvement and enact change within the clinical setting. Application of the Strong Model of Advanced Practice proves to actively engage the trauma nurse practitioner in process improvement initiatives.

Uveitis in human immunodeficiency virus-infected persons with CD4+ T-lymphocyte count over 200 cells/mL.

Background: Introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy has altered the course of disease for persons infected with human immunodeficiency virus by elevating CD4+ T-lymphocyte levels. Changes in the spectrum of systemic diseases encountered in human immunodeficiency virus-positive individuals are reported in the general medical literature.

Design: Retrospective case series.

Detection of circulating Chlamydophila pneumoniae in patients with coronary artery disease and healthy control subjects.

Background: There is a long history of research suggesting that Chlamydophila pneumoniae is associated with coronary artery disease (CAD). C. pneumoniae in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) could serve as a risk factor for CAD if respiratory infection with C.

Use of decolonization to prevent staphylococcal infections in various healthcare settings: results of an Emerging Infections Network survey.

Less than 20% of infectious diseases consultants work in hospitals that routinely employ decolonization therapy for individuals with staphylococcal carriage undergoing elective surgical procedures or for infection control efforts to limit nosocomial transmission of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). However, infectious diseases consultants frequently encounter patients with recurrent MRSA furunculosis and attempt to decolonize them.