Effect of sitting vs. standing on perception of provider time at bedside: a pilot study.

OBJECTIVE: Patients commonly perceive that a provider has spent more time at their bedside when the provider sits rather than stands. This study provides empirical evidence for this perception. METHODS: We conducted a prospective, randomized, controlled study with 120 adult post-operative inpatients admitted for elective spine surgery. The actual lengths of the interactions were compared to patients' estimations of the time of those interactions. RESULTS: Patients perceived the provider as present at their bedside longer when he sat, even though the actual time the physician spent at the bedside did not change significantly whether he sat or stood. Patients with whom the physician sat reported a more positive interaction and a better understanding of their condition. CONCLUSION: Simply sitting instead of standing at a patient's bedside can have a significant impact on patient satisfaction, patient compliance, and provider-patient rapport, all of which are known factors in decreased litigation, decreased lengths of stay, decreased costs, and improved clinical outcomes. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Any healthcare provider may have a positive effect on doctor-patient interaction by sitting as opposed to standing during a hospital follow-up visit.

Factors affecting hospital length of stay following anterior cervical discectomy and fusion.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. BACKGROUND: Several studies focus on the long-term results of anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) surgeries, but little information exists regarding how various patient-related, procedure-related, and payer-related variables may affect postoperative hospital length of stay (LOS). OBJECTIVE: To determine what factors, if any, contribute to increased hospital LOS in patients who have had an ACDF. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study of 108 consecutive patients who underwent elective ACDF at a Midwest academic medical center. Extensive preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative data were abstracted and analyzed to identify prognostic factors for an increased LOS. Multivariate analysis was performed to analyze the effects of patient and hospital characteristics on hospital LOS. RESULTS: 103 patients met inclusion and exclusion criteria. The mean LOS for patients undergoing ACDF was 1.98 (±1.6) days. Only 29% of patients had one level fused. The mean blood loss during surgery was 87.4 ± 99.6 mL. One subject lost 700 mL of blood. Complications, though rare, included uncontrolled postoperative pain (13%), cardiac (6%), pulmonary (4%), and urinary (3%). Covariates included in the final model were age, sex, cardiac complication, urinary complication, and pulmonary complication. Factors that contributed to increased LOS and their associated adjusted mean days were: ≥50 years of age (2.5 ± 1.2 days), female gender (2.3 ± 1.2 days), and three particular types of complications. The complications that had the largest effect on increased LOS from least to most severe were cardiac (3.5 ± 1.3 days), urinary (4.7 ± 1.3 days), and pulmonary (5.3 ± 1.3 days). CONCLUSIONS: The information presented in this study may be useful for patients, clinicians, and insurance companies, including precertification and case-management services. Our results can be instrumental in designing future prospective studies using more detailed analyses with more patients, more surgeons, and multiple institutions. [Table: see text].

Chondromyxoid fibroma of the upper thoracic spine in a 7-year-old patient. A case report and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: We report a case of a 7-year-old white female who presented with acute, progressive bilateral lower extremity weakness over 48 h. METHODS: Case report and presentation of clinical, radiological and pathological data on a single case of chondromyxoid fibroma (CMF) of the T2 vertebral body. RESULTS: Magnetic resonance imaging of the thoracic spine revealed an extensive mass invading the lamina of the second thoracic vertebra, causing extensive cord compression and progressive neurological deterioration. Surgical resection and pathologic study of the mass revealed a CMF. CONCLUSIONS: A thorough Medline search has revealed that only 25 cases of spinal CMF have been reported, making this lesion an extremely rare bone tumor.