In-Person Education During the Early COVID-19 Pandemic at Wichita Collegiate School.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic forced most Kansas schools to adopt remote or hybrid learning in 2020-2021. Wichita Collegiate School proceeded with an in-person teaching model. The purpose of this study was to determine if in-person learning can be done safely during the COVID-19 pandemic prior to vaccine use.

Polymeric biomaterials for wound healing applications: a comprehensive review.

Chronic wounds have been a global health threat over the past few decades, requiring urgent medical and research attention. The factors delaying the wound-healing process include obesity, stress, microbial infection, aging, edema, inadequate nutrition, poor oxygenation, diabetes, and implant complications. Biomaterials are being developed and fabricated to accelerate the healing of chronic wounds, including hydrogels, nanofibrous, composite, foam, spongy, bilayered, and trilayered scaffolds.

The Emergent General Surgical Patient: Evaluation Patterns in the Emergency Department.

Introduction: Emergency general surgery patients represent a growing segment of general surgical admissions and national healthcare burden. A paucity of literature exists evaluating the work-up of these patients presenting to the Emergency Department (ED), particularly possible evaluation differentials between emergency physicians and physician assistants or advanced practice registered nurses (PA/ APRNs). The purpose of this study was to evaluate differences in ED work-up of general surgical patients between emergency physicians and PA/APRNs.

Causes of Anemia in Patients Seen in a Rural Community Hematology Clinic.

Introduction: Anemia is a common medical disorder seen in consultation by hematologists. This study was performed to determine the incidence of the etiologies causing anemia in patients referred to the hematologists at Tammy Walker Cancer Center (TWCC) in the rural Kansas community of Salina. An additional goal of the study was to compare the frequencies of different etiologies for anemia in this cohort of patients with those previously reported by four academic medical centers.

A Geo-Stratified Analysis of Associations Between Socio-Economic Factors and Diabetes Risk.

Introduction: In 2019, diabetes was the seventh leading cause of death in the United States. The association between diabetes risk and socio-economic factors in the U.S.

Treatment History as a Predictor for Change in Visual Acuity After Surgical Correction of Diabetic Retinal Traction Detachment.

Introduction: Tractional retinal detachment remains a leading cause of severe, persistent vision loss in those with diabetic retinopathy. The purpose of this study was to investigate factors in treatment history associated with outcomes of surgical repair for diabetic tractional retinal detachments.

Methods: A retrospective, cohort study design was used.

Perceived Barriers to Pediatric Clinical Trials Implementation: A Survey of Health Care Staff.

Introduction: Clinical trials are the gold standard for assessing the effectiveness and safety of treatments. The objective of this study was to assess provider opinions regarding implementing pediatric clinical trials in various practice settings across Kansas.

Methods: The study was completed within the Sunflower Pediatric Clinical Trials Research Extension (SPeCTRE), an affiliate of the IDeA States Pediatric Clinical Trials Network (ISPCTN).

An Overview of Tobacco Policies in Kansas Unified School Districts.

Introduction: In 2019, 25.8% of Kansas high school youth reported using any form of tobacco product. Schools can prevent and reduce youth tobacco use by adopting comprehensive tobacco policies, which include all tobacco products, on school grounds and at school-sponsored, off-campus events, for all individuals at all times, and integrate cessation services for students who violate the tobacco policy.

Pre-Hospital Spinal Immobilization: Neurological Outcomes for Spinal Motion Restriction Versus Spinal Immobilization.

Introduction: New recommendations for emergency medical services spinal precautions limit long spinal board use to extrication purposes only and are to be removed immediately. Outcomes for spinal motion restriction against spinal immobilization were studied.

Methods: A retrospective chart review of trauma patients was conducted over a six-month period at a level I trauma center.

Perceived Barriers to Clinical Trials Participation: A Survey of Pediatric Caregivers.

Introduction: Pediatric clinical trials are difficult to conduct, leading to off-label use of medication in children based on results of trials with adults. As a unique population, children deserve to have appropriately tested therapies. The purpose of this study was to evaluate pediatric caregivers' beliefs and perceived barriers to participation in clinical trials.

Improving Stewardship of Testing with EMR and Provider Phone Calls.

Introduction: Modern laboratory techniques cannot differentiate between colonization and infection; therefore, testing must be indicated clinically. To reduce hospital-onset of infections (HO-CDI), Ascension Via Christi Hospitals (AVCH) in Wichita intervened in three stages by introducing: 1) a testing algorithm; 2) an electronic medical record (EMR)-based decision support system to enforce said algorithm; and 3) phone calls from the infection prevention department to providers to discontinue tests not collected within 24 hours of the order. The goal of this study was to determine if these interventions improved the HO-CDI rate.

Comparing Sex-Specific Outcomes After Rotator Cuff Repair: A Meta-analysis.

Background: Rotator cuff repair (RCR) is a well-studied procedure. However, the impact of patient sex on outcomes after RCR has not been well studied.

Purpose: To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of sex-based differences in outcomes after RCR and to record what proportion of studies examined this as a primary or secondary purpose.

Eight-Year Investigation of the Impact of the Clerkship Administrator Certificate Program.

Introduction:  The roles and responsibilities of the administrative staff supporting required clinical medical student experiences have evolved. In 2004, the Association of American Medical Colleges Central Group on Educational Affairs (CGEA) offered for the first time the Clerkship Administrator Certificate Program. This program requires the completion of a series of workshops and a project and results in a certificate.

Assessing Family Medicine Physicians' Perceptions of Integrated Behavioral Health in a Primary Care Residency.

Background And Objectives: Physicians are increasingly confronted with patients' interrelated psychosocial and physiological issues. To assist physicians in managing the psychosocial needs of patients, integrated behavioral health (IBH) has become increasingly common. This study was completed in a large, Midwestern family medicine residency program where the authors sought to (1) identify physicians' perceptions of IBH implementation and areas of needed IBH improvement, and (2) recognize educational needs to be addressed when providing behavioral health training to resident physicians.

Gastrointestinal Conditions: Malabsorption Syndromes.

Malabsorption syndromes are a heterogenous group of conditions that can cause distressing gastrointestinal symptoms. Celiac disease is most common and is triggered by exposure to gluten. Tissue transglutaminase immunoglobulin A is the diagnostic test of choice; management is gluten avoidance.

Gastrointestinal Conditions: Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) comprise a group of conditions thought to be caused by a dysregulated host immune response to the gut microbiome. IBDs, which affect 1.3% of Americans, include Crohn disease (CD), ulcerative colitis (UC), and microscopic colitis.

Gastrointestinal Conditions: Colorectal Cancer Screening and Prevention.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third leading cause of cancer death in the United States. CRC screening reduces CRC deaths. Although the median age at diagnosis is 67 years, the incidence in younger individuals has been increasing, and younger patients are more likely to present with more advanced disease.

Gastrointestinal Conditions: Occult Gastrointestinal Bleeding.

Occult gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding is bleeding from the GI tract that is not noticeable to patients or physicians. Patients with unexplained anemia (ie, not attributable to another cause such as menstrual bleeding), particularly iron deficiency anemia, should be evaluated for occult GI bleeding. Similarly, if fecal blood is detected during routine colorectal cancer screening, an evaluation for occult bleeding is indicated.

Primary Repair, Reconstruction, and Suture Tape Augmentation All Provide Excellent Outcomes for Lateral Ligament Instability: A Systematic Review.

Purpose: To analyze the literature to compare outcomes and complications following primary lateral ankle ligament repair compared with lateral ankle ligament reconstruction and the suture tape augmentation in patients with lateral ankle instability.

Methods: Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) criteria, a systematic literature review using the PubMed/Ovid Medline database was performed (October 11, 1947, to October 1, 2019). Clinical trials that included all the following criteria were considered eligible; published in the English language; patients undergoing primary lateral ankle repair or reconstruction with/without autograft or allograft (anterior talofibular ligament, anterior talofibular ligament + calcaneofibular ligament) or suture tape augmentation; a follow-up at least 1 year; reported least 1 of the measured outcomes (The American Orthopaedic Foot Ankle Score, Karlsson Score, return to sport [RTS], complications, skin wound complications, reoperation).

Brief Mindfulness Intervention for Emotional Distress, Resilience, and Compassion in Family Physicians During COVID-19: A Pilot Study.

Background And Objective: There are high rates of professional burnout among family physicians and trainees. We undertook this study to investigate whether a brief mindfulness intervention could help manage burnout and improve well-being among family physicians in a residency program.

Methods: A total of 21 family physicians participated in a brief, 8-week mindfulness program.