A Novel Tool for Predicting an Abnormal Echocardiogram in Patients with Pulmonary Embolism: The PEACE Score.

BACKGROUND: Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is an essential tool for risk-stratifying patients with pulmonary embolism (PE), but its availability is limited, often requiring hospitalization. Minimal research exists evaluating clinical and laboratory criteria to predict lack of abnormal TTE findings. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to identify predictors associated with abnormal TTE results in patients with PE to potentially identify those safe for early discharge. METHODS: In this retrospective study, we analyzed an existing database of patients with venous thromboembolism (VTE) at two academic emergency departments, including adult patients with confirmed PE who underwent TTE. The primary goal was to develop and validate a score predicting abnormal TTE, defined as presence of one of the following: right ventricle (RV) dilatation or hypokinesis, septal flattening, right heart thrombus in transit, or ejection fraction < 50%. Variables were demographic characteristics, symptoms, computed tomography (CT) RV strain, troponin T, and N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide (NTproBNP). Stepwise logistic regression was used to identify variables independently associated with abnormal TTE. Model discrimination was evaluated using area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic curve. A clinical prediction rule was developed. RESULTS: 530 of 2235 patients were included; 56% (297 of 530) had an abnormal TTE. The following six variables were independently associated with abnormal TTE: dyspnea, dizziness, troponin T ≥ 0.1 ng/mL, NTproBNP > 900 pg/mL, CT RV strain, and nonsubsegmental PE. A clinical prediction rule using these six criteria yielded scores between 0 and 7, performing well with AUC of 0.80 (95% CI 0.79-0.80). A score of 1 was 99.7% sensitive in identifying no abnormality. A score ≥ 5 was 98% specific for an abnormality. CONCLUSIONS: The PEACE (Pulmonary Embolism and Abnormal Cardiac Echocardiogram) criteria, composed of six variables, is highly effective in predicting abnormal TTE in patients with PE, potentially identifying who is safe for early discharge from the hospital.

Lung cancer screening program factors that influence psychosocial outcomes: A systematic review.

OBJECTIVES: Lung cancer screening (LCS) programs are being designed and implemented globally. Early data suggests that the psychosocial impacts of LCS are influenced by program factors, but evidence synthesis is needed. This systematic review aimed to elucidate the impact of service-level factors on psychosocial outcomes to inform optimal LCS program design and future implementation. METHODS: Four databases were searched from inception to July 2023. Inclusion criteria were full-text articles published in English that reported an association between any program factors and psychosocial outcomes experienced during LCS. Study quality was appraised, and findings were synthesised narratively. RESULTS: Thirty-two articles were included; 29 studies were assessed at high or moderate risk of bias. Study designs were RCT (n = 3), pre-post (n = 6), cross-sectional (n = 12), mixed-methods (n = 1), and qualitative (n = 10) studies, and conducted primarily in the USA (n = 25). Findings suggested that targeted interventions can improve smoking-related or decisional psychosocial outcomes (e.g., smoking cessation interventions increase readiness/motivation to quit) but impacts of interventions on other psychological outcomes were varied. There was limited evidence reporting association between service delivery components and psychological outcomes, and results suggested moderation by individual aspects (e.g., expectation of results, baseline anxiety). Opportunities for discussion were key in reducing psychological harm. CONCLUSIONS: Certain program factors are reportedly associated with psychosocial impacts of LCS, but study heterogeneity and quality necessitate more real-world studies. Future work should examine (a) implementation of targeted interventions and high-value discussion during LCS, and (b) optimal methods and timing of risk and result communication, to improve psychosocial outcomes while reducing time burden for clinicians.

Deoxycholic Acid for Dercum Disease: Repurposing a Cosmetic Agent to Treat a Rare Disease.

Dercum disease is a rare condition characterized by multiple painful fatty tumors distributed throughout the body. There currently are no US Food and Drug Administration-approved treatments for Dercum disease, and the treatments tried have shown little to no efficacy, leaving many patients with a profoundly negative impact on quality of life. We present a case series of 3 patients who were diagnosed with Dercum disease and were treated with deoxycholic acid (DCA), a therapy approved for adipolysis of submental fat. The patients experienced a reduction in tumor size with radiographic evidence as well as a notable reduction in symptoms.

Clinical utility of reproductive carrier screening for preconception and pregnant couples for multiple genetic conditions: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Many scientific societies have emphasized the importance of evaluating the clinical utility of reproductive carrier screening (RCS). This systematic review aims to assess the clinical utility of RCS and synthesize the outcomes in a meta-analysis. AREAS COVERED: A total of eleven studies were included. The number of conditions screened in the studies varied from three to 176 and led to the identification of one to 24 high-risk couples (HRCs) per 1,000 screened individuals. Pooled estimations were as follows: the prenatal diagnosis (PND) rate among pregnant HRCs 0.644 (95% CI = 0.364, 0.923), the termination rate among affected pregnancies 0.714 (95% CI = 0.524, 0.904), and the rate of in-vitro fertilization (IVF) with preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) 0.631 (95% CI = 0.538, 0.725). There is a statistically significant decrease in the rates of undertaking PND and termination as the number of screened conditions increases. Carriers of conditions classified as having a more severe impact were found to be more likely to choose termination or IVF with PGT. EXPERT OPINION: Our review suggests that the number and the severity of screened conditions can significantly impact HRCs' reproductive decisions. Future work needs to investigate the definition of clinical utility and the design of screening panels.

Delayed Diagnosis of Shoulder Septic Arthritis and Osteomyelitis During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Point-of-Care Ultrasound.

The diagnosis and treatment of septic arthritis are complex and require collaboration among multiple medical services, especially in the emergency department (ED). This case report highlights the difficulties in diagnosing shoulder septic arthritis, which is a rare condition in adults and can present with subtle symptoms. The patient was eventually diagnosed with septic arthritis of the left shoulder. However, the diagnosis was delayed due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on obtaining an outpatient MRI and a previous shoulder injury that added confusion. Delays in diagnosis and treatment can lead to a rapid destruction of the affected joint, causing significant morbidity and mortality. This case report also highlights the importance of alternative diagnostic tools, such as point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS), which is quick, inexpensive, and may lead to earlier detection of joint effusions and prompt arthrocentesis.

Association of Sonographic Sarcopenia and Falls in Older Adults Presenting to the Emergency Department.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To determine the association between point-of-care-ultrasonography (POCUS)-measured sarcopenia and grip strength, as well as the history of prior-year falls among older adults admitted to the emergency department observation unit (EDOU). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional observational study was conducted over 8 months at a large urban teaching hospital. A consecutive sample of patients who were 65 years or older and admitted to the EDOU were enrolled in the study. Using standardized techniques, trained research assistants and co-investigators measured patients' biceps brachii and thigh quadriceps muscles via a linear transducer. Grip strength was measured using a Jamar Hydraulic Hand Dynamometer. Participants were surveyed regarding their history of falls in the prior year. Logistic regression analyses assessed the relationship of sarcopenia and grip strength to a history of falls (the primary outcome). RESULTS: Among 199 participants (55% female), 46% reported falling in the prior year. The median biceps thickness was 2.22 cm with an Interquartile range [IQR] of 1.87-2.74, and the median thigh muscle thickness was 2.91 cm with an IQR of 2.40-3.49. A univariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated a correlation between higher thigh muscle thickness, normal grip strength, and history of prior-year falling, with an odds ratio [OR] of 0.67 (95% conference interval [95%CI] 0.47-0.95) and an OR of 0.51 (95%CI 0.29-0.91), respectively. In multivariate logistic regression, only higher thigh muscle thickness was correlated with a history of prior-year falls, with an OR of 0.59 (95% CI 0.38-0.91). CONCLUSIONS: POCUS-measured thigh muscle thickness has the potential to identify patients who have fallen and thus are at high risk for future falls.

A systematic review of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on breast cancer screening and diagnosis.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer care has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. This systematic review aims to describe the observed pandemic-related changes in clinical and health services outcomes for breast screening and diagnosis. METHODS: Seven databases (January 2020-March 2021) were searched to identify studies of breast cancer screening or diagnosis that reported observed outcomes before and related to the pandemic. Findings were presented using a descriptive and narrative approach. RESULTS: Seventy-four studies were included in this systematic review; all compared periods before and after (or fluctuations during) the pandemic. None were assessed as being at low risk of bias. A reduction in screening volumes during the pandemic was found with over half of studies reporting reductions of ≥49%. A majority (66%) of studies reported reductions of ≥25% in the number of breast cancer diagnoses, and there was a higher proportion of symptomatic than screen-detected cancers. The distribution of cancer stage at diagnosis during the pandemic showed lower proportions of early-stage (stage 0-1/I-II, or Tis and T1) and higher proportions of relatively more advanced cases than that in the pre-pandemic period, however population rates were generally not reported. CONCLUSIONS: Evidence of substantial reductions in screening volume and number of diagnosed breast cancers, and higher proportions of advanced stage cancer at diagnosis were found during the pandemic. However, these findings reflect short term outcomes, and higher-quality research examining the long-term impact of the pandemic is needed.

Minimising missed opportunities to promote and deliver immunization services to middle and older age adults: Can hospital-based programs be a solution?

BACKGROUND: There has been a recent recognized shift towards a whole-of-life or life-course approach to immunisation. However, coverage amongst at-risk adults for recommended vaccines continues to be suboptimal. This study examined the perceptions of middle and older aged Australian adults towards hospital-based immunization programs and their previous exposures to receiving vaccines via tertiary care. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with Australian adults 45 years and older in late 2019 to capture influenza and pneumococcal vaccine uptake, exposure to hospital-based immunization programs, missed opportunities to vaccinate and receptiveness towards the promotion and/or delivery of vaccines in the hospital setting. RESULTS: Only 13 respondents reported receiving a vaccine at hospital, yet 72.2% (931/1292) indicated that they were willing to be vaccinated in that setting. Amongst those who attended hospital during 2019 and were eligible for vaccination, 57.2% and 28.3% of respondents were not immunized for pneumococcal and influenza, respectively. Missed opportunities for both vaccines were significantly higher amongst those at low-risk for influenza (≤65 years (low-risk): 52.9%, ≤65 years (high-risk): 18.3%, >65 years: 15.1%; p < 0.001) and pneumococcal (≤65 years (low-risk): 79.1%, ≤65 years (high-risk): 52.4%, >65 years: 44%; p < 0.001). Among those with a missed opportunity for hospital-based vaccination, the most common reason for not getting immunized was a lack of recommendation. Most (86.4%) reported that their general practitioner was the person or group they trusted most to receive vaccine information from. CONCLUSIONS: The findings from this Australian study support international work that shows very low rates of opportunistic vaccination in hospitals despite national recommendations to vaccinate prior to discharge. Considering the need for high levels of uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine, hospitals may need to be considered to opportunistically capture those not accessing the vaccine in other settings.

Transperineal Ultrasound in the Diagnosis of Proctitis in the Emergency Department.

BACKGROUND: Patients with anorectal complaints commonly present to the emergency department (ED). In patients with prior history of pelvic radiation and those with risk factors for sexually transmitted infections, proctitis is frequently on the differential diagnosis. Computed tomography (CT) scans are frequently done in patients with atypical presentations and those with broader differential diagnoses. Although in cases with suspected uncomplicated proctitis, conducting a point-of-care transperineal ultrasound (TPUS) may provide sufficient data to confirm the diagnosis and ascertain a safe plan for outpatient management, thus limiting the need for CT scan, a frequent flow-limiting step in the ED. CASE REPORT: In this article, we present a brief case series of patients presenting to the ED with anorectal complaints in whom TPUS revealed circumferential symmetric rectal wall edema and pericolonic stranding suggestive of proctitis. History and subsequent imaging further supported these diagnoses; we also briefly detail the patients' clinical course and outcomes. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: We propose the use of TPUS as the screening imaging for anorectal pathologies and those with suspected proctitis to increase its use among emergency physicians. We review the main sonographic features of proctitis alongside reports from clinical cases, as well as the potential advantages of TPUS as a first-line imaging modality as compared with CT or magnetic resonance imaging. Although the complexities of anorectal anatomy can make TPUS a more difficult ultrasound modality to master, integrating TPUS into clinical practice will prove beneficial to both physician and patient.

Ultrasound-Guided Transgluteal Sciatic Nerve Block for Gluteal Procedural Analgesia.

BACKGROUND: Adequate analgesia is difficult to achieve in patients with an abscess requiring incision and drainage (I&D). There has been a recent increase in regional anesthesia use in the emergency department (ED) to aid in acute musculoskeletal pain relief. Specifically, transgluteal sciatic nerve (TGSN) block has been used as an adjunct treatment for certain chronic lumbar and lower extremity pain syndromes in the ED. CASE REPORT: A 21-year-old woman presented to the ED with a painful gluteal abscess. The pain was so severe that the patient barely tolerated light palpation to the abscess area. Using dynamic ultrasound guidance, a TGSN block was performed with significant pain reduction. Ultrasonographic confirmation of abscess was obtained followed by definitive I&D. She was discharged from the ED and her incision site was healing well at the time of follow-up. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: Abscess I&D is a common procedure in the ED. Procedural analgesia for I&D can be difficult to obtain. We describe the TGSN block as an additional analgesic option to be used for procedural analgesia. The use of regional anesthesia has the potential to decrease unwanted and at times dangerous side effects of opiate use and resource utilization of procedural sedation while optimizing patient comfort.

A review of hospital-based interventions to improve inpatient influenza vaccination uptake for high-risk adults.

BACKGROUND: Despite positive steps towards transforming immunisation understanding and practice to better incorporate adults, coverage, especially those at higher risk, is not where it should be. One way to increase uptake is to take advantage of environments outside of primary care which present easy opportunities for vaccination. This study provides a narrative review of hospital-based strategies in acute care settings aimed at improving influenza vaccination rates for adult inpatients. METHODS: A search was conducted using Scopus, Embase and PubMed databases for articles reporting on hospital-based interventions aimed at improving influenza vaccination for adults. Studies published in English were included and descriptively analysed. RESULTS: A total of 31 articles were included. Tested interventions included 7 standing order protocols (SOP); 4 reminders; 4 assessment/administration programs; 1 patient education program; 1 organisational-based program; 7 multi-component strategies and 8 studies comparing SOPs with other strategies. One article was included in both SOPs and reminders categories. Studies were published between 1983 and 2017 and conducted in the USA, Canada, or Australia. 18 studies reported statistical significance. Individually, each type of intervention showed success. SOPs were significantly more effective than other individual interventions, but multi-component interventions (which included an SOP) were more effective than SOPs alone. Three articles reported no significant increase in uptake attributed mainly to patient refusals, even with a strategy involving patient education. Only three studies tested provider-level strategies including hospital campaigns, hospital reward programs and interdepartmental competitions, and showed success. CONCLUSIONS: Hospital-based interventions are an effective means of improving opportunistic inpatient vaccination. Suggestions for future research include organisational or system-based interventions; qualitative review of barriers and enablers to inpatient vaccination programs; and re-examination of outpatient settings for vaccine delivery. Most studies were not randomised or controlled; therefore, we also recommend additional RCT studies to confirm existing findings on individual strategies.

The Pendulum Has Swung: How Do We Ensure a Life Course Approach to Immunisation in Australia?

Rather than concentrating primarily on children and adolescents, there has been a shift in the discourse around immunisation to encompass a whole-of-life approach. Despite this acknowledgement and ongoing high burdens of vaccine preventable diseases in adults, coverage for some adult risk groups remains sub-optimal. This study aimed to explore key informant's and stakeholder's perceptions of factors impacting provision of immunisation programs for Australian adults and to identify strategies to promote acceptance and uptake. Semi-structured telephone interviews were undertaken with people involved in adult immunisation program delivery, advocacy, policy or research between September 2020 and June 2021. Transcripts were inductively analysed, with the resulting themes categorised into the five influences on vaccination gaps that have informed program planning in other countries: Access, Affordability, Awareness, Acceptance and Activation. Participants spoke of improvements in the provision of vaccines to adults, however, ongoing challenges persisted. Participants agreed that the focus or emphasis of policies and the promotion/communication strategies has been on childhood vaccination in Australia, however there is a sense that the "pendulum has swung." These included understanding of eligibility amongst the Australian population and the reluctance of some health providers to dedicate time to exploring immunisation needs with adult patients. In comparison to the childhood vaccination program, there has been a lack of data available on coverage for adult vaccines on the national immunisation program. This has contributed to the ongoing challenges of identifying and promoting certain vaccines. At a government level, questions were raised about why the Australian government has never set an aspirational target for adult vaccination (i.e., influenza or pneumococcal) coverage. While significant improvements have been made in adult immunisation uptake, there are still gaps across the program. While the system remains under stress because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is not appropriate to implement any additional programs. There needs to be strong commitment to establish the value of adult vaccination in the eyes of community members, policy makers and healthcare professionals. Having a national adult immunisation strategic plan would help advance action.

An exploratory analysis for Lean and Six Sigma implementation in hospitals: Together is better?

BACKGROUND: Despite the increasing interest for Lean and Six Sigma implementations in hospitals, there has been little empirical evidence that goes beyond descriptive case studies to address the current status and the effectiveness of the implementations. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to explore existing patterns of Lean and Six Sigma implementation in U.S. hospitals and compare the performance of the different patterns. METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: We collected data from 215 U.S. hospitals via a survey that includes measurement items developed from related literature. Using the cross-sectional data, we conducted a cluster analysis, followed by t tests, chi-square tests, and regression analyses for cluster verification. RESULTS: The cluster analysis identifies two clusters, a Moderate Six Sigma group and a Lean Six Sigma group. Results show that the Lean Six Sigma group outperforms the Moderate Six Sigma group across many performance dimensions: responsiveness capability, patient safety, and possibly cost saving. In addition, the Lean Six Sigma group tends to be composed of larger, private teaching hospitals located in more urban areas, and they employ more resources for quality improvement. CONCLUSION: Our research contributes to the quality management literature by supporting the possible complementary relationship between Lean and Six Sigma in hospitals. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Our study encourages practitioners and managers to pay more attention to Lean implementation. Although Lean seems to be conducted in a limited fashion in many hospitals, it should be expanded and combined with Six Sigma for better results.

Leadership, safety climate, and continuous quality improvement: impact on process quality and patient safety.

BACKGROUND: Successful amelioration of medical errors represents a significant problem in the health care industry. There is a need for greater understanding of the factors that lead to improved process quality and patient safety outcomes in hospitals. PURPOSE: We present a research model that shows how transformational leadership, safety climate, and continuous quality improvement (CQI) initiatives are related to objective quality and patient safety outcome measures. METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: The proposed framework is tested using structural equation modeling, based on data collected for 204 hospitals, and supplemented with objective outcome data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. FINDINGS: The results provide empirical evidence that a safety climate, which is connected to the chief executive officer's transformational leadership style, is related to CQI initiatives, which are linked to improved process quality. A unique finding of this study is that, although CQI initiatives are positively associated with improved process quality, they are also associated with higher hospital-acquired condition rates, a measure of patient safety. Likewise, safety climate is directly related to improved patient safety outcomes. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The notion that patient safety climate and CQI initiatives are not interchangeable or universally beneficial is an important contribution to the literature. The results confirm the importance of using CQI to effectively enhance process quality in hospitals, and patient safety climate to improve patient safety outcomes. The overall pattern of findings suggests that simultaneous implementation of CQI initiatives and patient safety climate produces greater combined benefits.

Leadership, safety climate, and continuous quality improvement: impact on process quality and patient safety.

BACKGROUND: Successful amelioration of medical errors represents a significant problem in the health care industry. There is a need for greater understanding of the factors that lead to improved process quality and patient safety outcomes in hospitals. PURPOSE: We present a research model that shows how transformational leadership, safety climate, and continuous quality improvement (CQI) initiatives are related to objective quality and patient safety outcome measures. METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: The proposed framework is tested using structural equation modeling, based on data collected for 204 hospitals, and supplemented with objective outcome data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. FINDINGS: The results provide empirical evidence that a safety climate, which is connected to the chief executive officer's transformational leadership style, is related to CQI initiatives, which are linked to improved process quality. A unique finding of this study is that, although CQI initiatives are positively associated with improved process quality, they are also associated with higher hospital-acquired condition rates, a measure of patient safety. Likewise, safety climate is directly related to improved patient safety outcomes. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The notion that patient safety climate and CQI initiatives are not interchangeable or universally beneficial is an important contribution to the literature. The results confirm the importance of using CQI to effectively enhance process quality in hospitals, and patient safety climate to improve patient safety outcomes. The overall pattern of findings suggests that simultaneous implementation of CQI initiatives and patient safety climate produces greater combined benefits.

Knowledge management as a mediator for the efficacy of transformational leadership and quality management initiatives in U.S. health care.

BACKGROUND: The health care industry has become one of the largest sectors of the U.S. economy and provides the greatest job growth of any industry. With such growth, effective leadership, knowledge management, and quality programs can ameliorate patient safety outcomes and improve organizational performance. PURPOSES: This exploratory study examines the efficacy of transformational leadership, knowledge management, and quality initiatives, each of which has been proven effective in health care organizations. The literature has neglected the relationships among these three types of programs, although they are increasingly implemented simultaneously now. This research tests the degree to which knowledge management could act as a mediator of the effects transformational leadership and quality management have on organizational performance for hospitals. METHODOLOGY: Our survey of U.S. hospitals utilizes validated scales from the literature. By calling and e-mailing quality and other department directors, the data set includes responses from all 50 states in our sample of 370 U.S. hospitals. Statistical tests confirmed acceptable regional distribution, interrater reliability, and control variable characteristics for our sample. Structural equation modeling is used to test the research hypotheses. FINDINGS: These preliminary results reveal that transformational leadership and quality management improve knowledge management. In addition, transformational leadership is fully mediated by knowledge responsiveness and quality management is partially mediated by knowledge responsiveness for their effects on organizational performance. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: The unique contribution of this study includes the suggestion that greater transformational leadership skills are important for health care executives to motivate successful knowledge management initiatives. Secondly, continuous improvements in quality management programs have significant positive impacts on knowledge management and organizational outcomes in hospitals. Finally, successful knowledge management initiatives are more closely tied to patient and organizational outcomes through the enhancement of knowledge responsiveness than by knowledge acquisition and dissemination alone.

Pulsed oxidation and biological evolution in the Ediacaran Doushantuo Formation.

Recent geochemical data from Oman, Newfoundland, and the western United States suggest that long-term oxidation of Ediacaran oceans resulted in progressive depletion of a large dissolved organic carbon (DOC) reservoir and potentially triggered the radiation of acanthomorphic acritarchs, algae, macroscopic Ediacara organisms, and, subsequently, motile bilaterian animals. However, the hypothesized coupling between ocean oxidation and evolution is contingent on the reliability of continuous geochemical and paleontological data in individual sections and of intercontinental correlations. Here we report high-resolution geochemical data from the fossil-rich Doushantuo Formation (635-551 Ma) in South China that confirm trends from other broadly equivalent sections and highlight key features that have not been observed in most sections or have received little attention. First, samples from the lower Doushantuo Formation are characterized by remarkably stable delta(13)C(org) (carbon isotope composition of organic carbon) values but variable delta(34)S(CAS) (sulfur isotope composition of carbonate-associated sulfate) values, which are consistent with a large isotopically buffered DOC reservoir and relatively low sulfate concentrations. Second, there are three profound negative delta(13)C(carb) (carbon isotope composition of carbonate) excursions in the Ediacaran Period. The negative delta(13)C(carb) excursions in the middle and upper Doushantuo Formation record pulsed oxidation of the deep oceanic DOC reservoir. The oxidation events appear to be coupled with eukaryote diversity in the Doushantuo basin. Comparison with other early Ediacaran basins suggests spatial heterogeneity of eukaryote distribution and redox conditions. We hypothesize that the distribution of early Ediacaran eukaryotes likely tracked redox conditions and that only after approximately 551 Ma (when Ediacaran oceans were pervasively oxidized) did evolution of oxygen-requiring taxa reach global distribution.

Exploring strategies for reducing hospital errors.

The purpose of this study is to explore current strategies for reducing errors at U.S. hospitals. Reports by the Institute of Medicine highlight concerns about the staggering number of medical errors that occur in the U.S. healthcare system. These reports have exerted considerable pressure on hospitals to establish programs that reduce errors and improve patient safety. A previous research study identifies seven critical strategies for reducing hospital errors based on a case study of four Chicago-area hospitals. These strategies include (1) partnership with stakeholders, (2) reporting errors free of blame, (3) open discussion of errors, (4) cultural shift, (5) education and training, (6) statistical analysis of data, and (7) system redesign. This article reports the results of our nationwide survey of 525 hospitals. We examined the perceptions of healthcare quality directors about the importance of these seven patient safety strategies, the factors that act as barriers, the level of adoption of these strategies, and the benefits resulting from implementation of these strategies. Our results indicate that a considerable gap exists between current hospital practices and the perceived importance of various approaches to improving patient safety. Results of our regression analysis reveal that internal organizational barriers are associated with a larger gap between perceived importance and actual implementation. Moreover, the regression analysis also reveals that smaller gaps are associated with better error outcomes such as reduction in the frequency and severity of errors. The findings provide specific directions for enhancing patient safety programs at hospitals in the future.