Study characteristics | Studies, n(%)b |
---|---|
Country of research | Â |
   Canada | 2 (3.0) |
   United States | 63 (97.0) |
Research design | Â |
   Randomized or quasi-randomized controlled trial | 9 (13.8) |
   Interrupted time series | 1 (1.5) |
   Prospective cohort | 2 (3.1) |
   Retrospective cohort | 35 (53.8) |
   Before and after | 18 (27.7) |
Patient eligibility | Â |
   Adult patients only | 25 (38.5) |
   Paediatric patients only | 10 (15.4) |
   Older adult patients only (age ≥65 years) | 3 (4.6) |
   Medicare/Medicaid enrolment | 3 (4.6) |
   HMO/VA enrolment | 5 (7.7) |
Diagnostic/disease eligibility | Â |
   Asthma/bronchiolitis | 3 (4.6) |
   Chest pain | 6 (9.2) |
   Cancer/haematology | 2 (3.1) |
   Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease | 4 (6.2) |
   Community-acquired or bacterial pneumonia | 14 (21.5) |
   Gastrointestinal/digestive disorders | 8 (12.3) |
   Heart failure | 9 (13.8) |
   Human immunodeficiency virus | 1 (1.5) |
   Hypovolemia/dehydration | 2 (3.1) |
   Myocardial infarction | 2 (3.1) |
   Nutritional/metabolic disorders | 4 (6.2) |
   Orthopaedic and other surgical procedures | 9 (13.8) |
   Psychiatric illness/substance dependency | 2 (3.1) |
   Stroke | 4 (6.2) |
   Trauma | 2 (3.1) |
   Urinary tract infection | 4 (6.2) |
   Viral illness | 2 (3.1) |
Hospital type | Â |
   Teaching hospital | 54 (83.1) |
   Community/rural hospital | 11 (16.9) |
Location of care | Â |
   General medical/surgical service | 60 (92.3) |
   Chest pain observation unit | 2 (3.1) |
   Intensive care unit | 1 (1.5) |
   Medical short-stay observation unit | 1 (1.5) |
   Psychiatric unit | 1 (1.5) |
Hospitalist practice structureb | Â |
   Private hospitalists | 22 (33.8) |
   Nonacademic faculty hospitalists | 26 (40.0) |
   Academic hospitalist attending physicians | 33 (47.7) |
Mix of practice structures | Â |
Comparative practice structureb | Â |
   Community-based physicians | 34 (52.3) |
   Traditional academic attending physicians | 41 (63.1) |