LocumLife - January 2009 - (Page 5) INSIGHTS Stat! News locum tenens physicians can use IN BRIEF… Hospitalists offer solutions Researchers at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine have found that hospitalists can help streamline patient flow in emergency departments (ED) and assist hospitals in dealing with inpatient capacity problems. During a period in which hospitalist services were utilized, the number of patients increased 8.8%; length of time that ambulances had to be rerouted dropped 6%; and rerouting time stemming from too few ICU beds decreased 27%. Medical residents lack adequate rest to provide care and undergo training ccording to a report from the Institute of Medicine (IOM), medical residents are in need of designated sleep periods and closer monitoring of work hours to ensure patient safety and a better training atmosphere. The report highlights findings from a 15-month study—funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)—that assessed how shift lengths and level of rest affected residents’ ability to perform. Results of the study showed that residents are more prone to make errors when suffering from chronic fatigue. “The Institute of Medicine study provides the clear evidence to prove what we have long-believed is true— fatigue increases the chance for human error,” said Carolyn M. Clancy, MD, director of AHRQ. Under the present rules from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, residents can work a maximum of 80 hours per week and no more than 30 hours per shift. During a shift, each resident may see patients for 24 hours and receive training for the A E-prescribing benefits A recent study funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality determined that electronic prescribing could save $845,000 per 100,000 patients annually—even more if the practice is adopted on a wider scale. E-prescribing systems, which enable physicians to choose generic or less expensive medications, also have the ability to help prevent hazardous drug interactions and other health safety concerns. remaining 6 hours. Following the study, however, the IOM Committee is recommending that residents only see patients up to 16 hours. Afterward, they must sleep undisturbed for at least 5 hours then spend the rest of their 30-hour shifts with educational or transitional duties, not admitting new patients. Additional changes put forth in the IOM report, Resident Duty Hours: Enhancing Sleep, Supervision, and Safety, include: manageable on-call duties (no more than every third night); guaranteed respite (5 days per month); moonlighting limits (both internal and external stints must factor into weekly work maximum); and hospital-provided transportation for tired residents, among other recommendations. If these proposed changes are implemented, locum tenens physicians would have increased opportunities to provide coverage at academic medical centers nationwide. Also, residents limited in the amount of moonlighting permitted per week may want to take advantage of the breadth of opportunities offered through locum tenens contracts, enhancing their experience at facilities of differing acuity levels and patient populations. DID YOU KNOW… 10 Healthiest States: 1. Vermont 2. Hawaii 3. New Hampshire 4. Minnesota 5. Utah 6. Massachusetts 7. Connecticut 8. Idaho 9. Maine 10. Washington Source: Reuters Health. (2008, December 3). Vermont called healthiest U.S. state, Louisiana last. Medline Plus. Retrieved December 12, 2008, from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ news/fullstory_72337.html BOOKSHELF How to Use Herbs, Nutrients, and Yoga in Mental Health Care Richard P. Brown, MD; Patricia L Gerbarg, MD; and Philip R. Muskin, MD (2009/441 pages/$34.95/Hardcover/ISBN: 978-0-393-70525-6/W.W. Norton) In this new resource, three distinguished psychiatrists educate clinicians and consumers alike on the benefits of utilizing complementary and alternative medicine to treat mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, substance abuse, mood and memory issues, psychotic disorders, sexual dysfunction, and more. Using helpful features like case vignettes and summary tables, the authors explain how alternative measures involving herbs, vitamins, nutrients, and hormones can restore and enhance mind-body wellbeing. This guide is available through www.wwnorton.com. www.LocumLife.com JANUARY 2009 LocumLife 5 http://www.wwnorton.com http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSTRE4B276H20081203 http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSTRE4B276H20081203 http://www.LocumLife.com
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.