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The Impact of Hospitalists on Congestive Heart Failure
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| Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings. |
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The study assessing the impact of hospitalists on congestive heart failure found little difference between the patients treated by hospitalists compared with those treated by nonhospitalists.1 Only 2 parameters were thought noteworthy, yet even those were minor. Also, 87% of patients vs 94% having a measurement of left ventricular function, a slightly longer length of stay for major heart failure (but the same or less for minor, moderate, and severe categories), and no difference in hospital costs hardly demonstrates an advantage. More efficient discharge planning might easily eliminate the reduced hospital stay sometimes attributed to hopitalist care.
The study did not identify the professional cost of the care given, hence it remains unknown whether total health care costs between the 2 groups differed. Nor did the study address any difference in patient satisfaction or to what extent discharge instructions were actually followed.
Because the management of congestive heart failure in . . . [Full Text of this Article]
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