Kari Oakes, PA-C

Sustained viral response (SVR) without resistance or safety issues was reported among chronic hepatitis B (HBV) patients taking tenofovir disopoxil fumarate (TDF) therapy over a 7-year period.

High medication adherence and sustained viral response (SVR) has been reported in hepatitis C (HCV) patients taking an interferon-free, short-duration, oral regimen of ribavirin (RBV) combined with 3 direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) that are currently in phase 2b/3 clinical trials.

Triple therapy consisting of a protease inhibitor combined with pegylated interferon alfa and ribavirin (PR) may increase sustained viral response (SVR12), but it may be more difficult to tolerate than PR therapy alone.

As the worldwide disease burden increases and the need for expanded access to care rises concomitantly, primary care clinics utilizing an interdisciplinary staffing model offer a promising alternative to treating patients with hepatitis C (HCV).

Watchful waiting in patients with chronic hepatitis C (HCV) genotype 1 infection may increase the number of advanced liver disease cases, according to a poster presented at the 2013 American Association for the Study of Liver Disease (AASLD) meeting held in Washington, DC.

Robert Wachter, MD, assured attendees at Hospital Medicine 2013 that trends point to the ongoing health of the profession of hospital medicine, even in the face of increasing pressures to provide more and more care in the outpatient setting.

The complex world of Medicare reimbursement is about to get even more complicated as CMS moves from a fee-for-service reimbursement plan to value-based payments.

Achieving safe, effective pain control for inpatients can challenge even experienced clinicians. Components of successful pain control include avoiding pain crises while still steering clear of respiratory depression, being confident with equianalgesic calculations, and transitioning to the outpatient setting.

Sorting through and demystifying the toolkit of antidepressants, anxiolytics, and other psychiatric medications available to hospital physicians.

Matthew Martinez, MD, FACC, discussed warfarin alternatives and newer mechanical and interventional strategies for the management of atrial fibrillation at Hospital Medicine 2013.

Researchers present surprising new data at Hospital Medicine 2013 about venous thromboembolism prophylaxis implementation, along with novel approaches to integrating primary care and hospital management of very ill patients.

Inpatient management of patients with increasingly virulent community acquired and nosocomial infections, ranging from bacteremia to C. difficile colitis, presents hospitalists with challenging choices.

Many accepted practices in hospital medicine, ranging from electrolyte management to the components of a syncope workup, may have scant or equivocal evidence to support their use.

Medication reconciliation at the time of admission as well as at patient discharge can prevent significant harm from adverse drug events, yet many providers feel they don't have time to take this important step.