Prevalence and predictors of online patient access to electronic medical records among patients with cancer.

2013 ◽  
Vol 31 (31_suppl) ◽  
pp. 35-35
Author(s):  
Andrew L Laccetti ◽  
Jingsheng Yan ◽  
Jennifer Cai ◽  
Samantha Gates ◽  
Yang Xie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Medical Center ◽  
Medical Advice ◽  
Cancer Center ◽  
Cancer Type ◽  
Patient Portal ◽  
Patient Access ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
Patient Reported ◽  
The Impact

35 Background: Although the impact of patient access to health records and providers has not been well studied in cancer populations, these applications are now widely employed at cancer centers nationwide. Understanding implications of this practice in cancer patients is critical as patient-reported symptoms may be more likely to represent medical emergencies and test results may be more likely to represent major clinical developments. Methods: Retrospective analysis of enrollment in and use of MyChart, an internet-based patient portal for the EPIC electronic medical record, among patients seen at the Harold C. Simmons Cancer Center at UT Southwestern Medical Center. Predictors of MyChart use were analyzed through univariate and multivariate regression models. Results: A total of 6,495 patients enrolled in MyChart (2006-2012). Mean age was 60 ± 13 years, and 67% were female. The number of patients enrolling per year increased more than five-fold - 181 in 2006 to 1,146 in 2012. The total number of MyChart log-ins was 707,746. Per patient, median total log-ins was 57 (range 1-10,347). In a multivariate model, increased MyChart use was associated with male gender (p=0.01) and with cancer type (p<0.001), with highest rates among patients with genitourinary and upper aerodigestive malignancies. The most common MyChart activities were review of laboratory and radiology results (35%), communicating with providers (34%) [including messaging (29%) and medical advice request (5%)], and appointment scheduling/canceling (18%). Eighty-nine percent of log-ins occurred Monday-Friday. Login-times were 8a-5p (72%), 5p-11p (17%), and 11p-8a (11%). Approximately 32% of messaging (40% of medical advice requests) occurred outside clinic hours. Conclusions: Patient use of an internet-based patient health portal at an NCI-designated cancer center increased dramatically in recent years. The most common activities were viewing of test results and messaging with providers. A substantial proportion of messaging, particularly advice requests, occurred outside clinic hours. Further study of this technology is needed to understand its impact on patient safety, patient/provider satisfaction, and quality of care.

The impact of COVID-19 on delivery of systemic anti-cancer treatment in urological cancer patients: A comparison with 2019 data from Guy’s Cancer Center.

2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. e17057-e17057
Author(s):  
Christina Karampera ◽  
Muhammad Khan ◽  
Beth Russell ◽  
Charlotte Moss ◽  
Maria J Monroy-Iglesias ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Severe Pneumonia ◽  
Patient Characteristics ◽  
Cancer Center ◽  
Cancer Type ◽  
Urological Cancer ◽  
Cancer Services ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact

e17057 Background: The provision of cancer services has been strongly impacted by the outbreak of SARS-CoV-2. Our Cancer Centre in South-East London treats approximately 8,800 patients annually and is one of the largest Comprehensive Cancer Centres in the UK. When dealing with the second wave of COVID-19, it is important to further evaluate the safety of cancer treatments whilst balancing the risks of COVID-19 infection and complications. Here, we report on the patient/tumour characteristics of those patients undergoing SACT for a urological cancer diagnosis during the first wave, so as to help establish clinical guidelines for the management of these patients in a SARS-CoV-2 epidemic. Methods: All urological cancer patients receiving at least one SACT between 1st March- 31st May 2020 (COVID-19 period) were compared to the same timeframe in 2019. SARS-CoV2 infection was defined as a positive RT-PCR test; patients with symptoms or radiological changes alone were excluded. As part of Guy’s Cancer Cohort, we collected information on demographics, and cancer type, stage, and treatment. Results: A total of 455 patients (305 prostate, 102 renal, 38 bladder, and 10 testicular) received SACT in 2020 as compared to 535 (353 prostate, 129 renal, 37 bladder, and 15 testicular) in 2019 (15% overall decline). Patient characteristics in terms of demographics were fairly comparable, with 10% female patients in 2019 and 9% in 2020; 49% aged 70+ vs 45%; and 77% in the low socio-economic category vs 78%. There was an increase in patients with stage 4 (89% vs 95% in 2020) and a slight change in distribution of SACT types (2019 vs 2020): chemotherapy (18% vs 14%), immunotherapy (7% vs 10%), biological or targeted (63% vs 66%), combination of biological/targeted (6% vs 5%), other combinations (5% vs 5%). The proportion of SACT delivered as part of radical treatment declined from 3% to 0.2% in 2020. A total of 5 patients (1%) developed COVID-19 (2 prostate, 2 renal, and 1 bladder). All were male and aged 60+; three had 2+ comorbidities. One patient was on immunotherapy and four on biological or targeted treatment. Four patients had severe pneumonia and one died of their COVID-19 (bladder cancer). Conclusions: Whilst there was a decline of number of patients receiving SACT during COVID-19, we were still able to provide a safe high-quality urological cancer SACT pathway during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, with very few COVID-19 positive patients. In a next step we will evaluate oncological outcomes at 6 months follow-up

scholarly journals 309. The Impact of Addiction Medicine Consultation on Discharges Against Medical Advice in Patients with Opioid Use Disorder and Staphylococcus Aureus Bacteremia

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S152-S152
Author(s):  
Stephanie Spivack ◽  
Daniel Mueller ◽  
Peter Axelrod ◽  
Joseph D’Orazio
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Patient Population ◽  
Medical Advice ◽  
Index Admission ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
Urban Hospital ◽  
Addiction Medicine ◽  
Against Medical Advice ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background People who inject drugs (PWID) are at risk for infectious complications of their injection practices, including Staphylococcus aureus (SA) bacteremia. Prolonged hospitalization is sometimes required; however, rates of discharges against medical advice (AMA) are elevated in this patient population. Inadequate control of pain and opioid withdrawal are commonly cited. Our aim was to assess the effectiveness of addiction medicine consultation for preventing AMA discharges. Methods We performed a retrospective chart review of adult PWID admitted to an urban hospital with SA bacteremia between August 2016 and May 2018. Demographics, HIV and HCV status, and presence or absence of addiction medicine consultation were recorded. We assessed whether discharges were planned or AMA; the number of hospitalizations at 30 days, 90 days, and 1 year from index admission; and death within one year. EpiInfo6 was used for data analysis. Results A total of 360 patients with SA bacteremia were reviewed. Of these, 101 reported intravenous opioid use at admission. Average age was 37 years, and 64% were male. HIV and HCV were present in 13% and 82% of patients, respectively. Addiction medicine was consulted on 29 patients. Of these, 4/29 (13.8%) left AMA, compared to 27/72 (37.5%) of patients without an addiction consult (RR = 0.3678 [95% CI = 0.1412 - 0.9583], p = 0.02). Patients receiving addiction medicine consultation averaged 0.17 readmissions within 30 days of their index admission, compared to 0.39 readmissions in the group without addiction medicine consult (p = 0.27). Readmissions at 90 days and 1 year were also lower but not statistically significant. At 1 year, 6 deaths were observed; 2 who had addiction medicine consultation and 4 who did not. Conclusion Consultation with an addiction medicine specialist significantly reduced the number of patients discharged AMA in a high-risk cohort of PWID presenting with SA bacteremia. Numerically fewer readmissions occurred after consultation, though this difference was not statistically significant. Mortality in both groups was low. There were high rates of HIV and HCV in this patient population, suggesting a particularly vulnerable patient population, which warrants further study. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

Assessing the impact of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting on patients’ quality of life: An Arabic version of the Functional Living Index-Emesis

2021 ◽  
pp. 107815522199844
Author(s):  
Abdullah M Alhammad ◽  
Nora Alkhudair ◽  
Rawan Alzaidi ◽  
Latifa S Almosabhi ◽  
Mohammad H Aljawadi
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Arabic Language ◽  
Nausea And Vomiting ◽  
Cancer Center ◽  
Arabic Version ◽  
Patient Reported ◽  
Arabic Speaking ◽  
The Impact

Introduction Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting is a serious complication of cancer treatment that compromises patients’ quality of life and treatment adherence, which necessitates regular assessment. Therefore, there is a need to assess patient-reported nausea and vomiting using a validated scale among Arabic speaking cancer patient population. The objective of this study was to translate and validate the Functional Living Index-Emesis (FLIE) instrument in Arabic, a patient-reported outcome measure designed to assess the influence of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting on patients’ quality of life. Methods Linguistic validation of an Arabic-language version was performed. The instrument was administered to cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy in a tertiary hospital's cancer center in Saudi Arabia. Results One-hundred cancer patients who received chemotherapy were enrolled. The participants’ mean age was 53.3 ± 14.9 years, and 50% were female. Half of the participants had a history of nausea and vomiting with previous chemotherapy. The Cronbach coefficient alpha for the FLIE was 0.9606 and 0.9736 for nausea and vomiting domains, respectively, which indicated an excellent reliability for the Arabic FLIE. The mean FLIE score was 110.9 ± 23.5, indicating no or minimal impact on daily life (NIDL). Conclusions The Arabic FLIE is a valid and reliable tool among the Arabic-speaking cancer population. Thus, the Arabic version of the FLIE will be a useful tool to assess the quality of life among Arabic speaking patients receiving chemotherapy. Additionally, the translated instrument will be a useful tool for future research studies to explore new antiemetic treatments among cancer patients.

scholarly journals A case report: Type II Abernethy malformation complicated with congenital polydactyly and enlargement of all cardiac chambers.

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheng Zhu ◽  
Min Wang ◽  
Qian Hao
Keyword(s):  
Congenital Malformations ◽  
Portacaval Anastomosis ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Abernethy Malformation ◽  
Form And Function ◽  
Laboratory Test Results ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
Patient Reported ◽  
And Function

Abstract Background: Abernethy malformation is a kind of congenital malformation of portal vein system caused by abnormal portacaval anastomosis. It can be in combination with other congenital malformations. The major therapy of Abernethy malformation is surgery. There has been a limited number of patients since the first patient reported, leading to a limited view towards this kind of disease until now.Results: In August 2018 we treated a patient diagnosed with typeII Abernethy malformation complicated with both congenital polydactyly and enlargement of all cardiac chambers, which is extremely rare and can be a supplementary to the existing cases. Besides, the low white blood cell and platelet, the arrested megakaryocytic maturation and the positive platelet autoantibody in serum may result in misdiagnosis as immune thrombocytopenia, so we analyze the differential points between these two diseases. We treated this patient with silybin orally and advised him to make follow-up visits because of his mild liver function disorder, normal cardiac function and no other malformations or complications complicated. At the latest follow-up, we knew the condition of the patient was generally satisfactory, whether in terms of laboratory test results or his daily life experience.Conclusions: Because of some changes of spleen in form and function secondary to Abernethy malformation, in some cases, this disease has similarities with a part of blood diseases, which we should take into consideration for differential diagnosis, especially when other congenital malformations are found in combination at the same time. This case also suggests that simply conservative treatment with regular follow-up visits can be suitable for certain patients.

scholarly journals SP9.1.1 The Impact of Anaesthetic Use on Healing in Sub-cutaneous Abscess Management: A Retrospective Before and After Cohort Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 108 (Supplement_7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannah Elkadi ◽  
Eleanor Dodd ◽  
Theodore Poulton ◽  
William Bolton ◽  
Joshua Burke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wound Healing ◽  
Local Anaesthetic ◽  
Surrogate Endpoints ◽  
Incision And Drainage ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Patient Reported ◽  
Before And After ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Aims Despite being the most common surgical procedure, there is wide variation that exists in the management of simple subcutaneous abscesses with no national guideline describing best practice. During the COVID-19 Pandemic national guidelines promoted the use of regional or local anaesthetic (LA) instead of general anaesthesia (GA) to avoid aerosol generating intubation associated with GA. This study aimed to assess the impact of anaesthetic choice in outcomes following incision and drainage of subcutaneous abscesses. Methods Two cohorts of patients undergoing abscess incision and drainage at St. James’ University Hospital Leeds were retrospectively identified over a 14-week period before and after the introduction of the new COVID-19 anaesthetic guidelines. Wound healing surrogate endpoints were used: i) total number of follow up appointments and ii) attendance to healthcare services after 30 days from I&D. Result 133 patients were included. Significantly more procedures were performed under LA after the intervention (84.1% vs 5.7%; p &lt; 0.0001) with a significant reduction in wound packing (68.3% vs 87.1%. p=0.00473). Follow up data found no significant difference in the average number of follow-up appointments (7.46 vs 5.11; p = 0.0731) and the number of patients who required ongoing treatment after 30 days (n = 14 vs n = 14, p = 0.921). Conclusion Drainage of simple subcutaneous abscess under 5 cm is safe under local anaesthetic with no significant difference in surrogate endpoints of wound healing observed in this patient cohort. Recurrent packing may not be required. Future work should explore patient reported measures such as pain management and the health economics of this intervention.

scholarly journals 845. Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Routine HIV Screening in an Emergency Department

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S513-S513
Author(s):  
Elizabeth A Aguilera ◽  
Gilhen Rodriguez ◽  
Gabriela P Del Bianco ◽  
Gloria Heresi ◽  
James Murphy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Screening Program ◽  
Medical Center ◽  
Hiv Infections ◽  
Hiv Screening ◽  
Opt Out ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
Confirmatory Tests ◽  
Routine Hiv Screening ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background The Emergency Department (ED) at Memorial Hermann Hospital (MHH) - Texas Medical Center (TMC), Houston, Texas has a long established screening program targeted at detection of HIV infections. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on this screening program is unknown. Methods The Routine HIV screening program includes opt-out testing of all adults 18 years and older with Glasgow score &gt; 9. HIV 4th generation Ag/Ab screening, with reflex to Gennius confirmatory tests are used. Pre-pandemic (March 2019 to February 2020) to Pandemic period (March 2020 to February 2021) intervals were compared. Results 72,929 patients visited MHH_ED during the pre-pandemic period and 57,128 in the pandemic period, a 22% decline. The number of patients tested for HIV pre-pandemic was 9433 and 6718 pandemic, a 29% decline. When the pandemic year was parsed into first and last 6 months interval and compared to similar intervals in the year pre pandemic, 39% followed by 16% declines in HIV testing were found. In total, 354 patients were HIV positives, 209, (59%) in the pre-pandemic and 145 (41%) in the pandemic period.The reduction in new HIV infections found was directly proportional to the decline in patients visiting the MHH-ED where the percent of patients HIV positive was constant across intervals (2.21% vs 2.26%). Demographic and outcome characteristics were constant across the compared intervals. Conclusion The COVID -19 pandemic reduced detection of new HIV infections by screening in direct proportion to the reduction in MHH-ED patient visits. The impact of COVID-19 pandemic decreased with duration of the pandemic. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

scholarly journals Lack of impact of nil-per-os (NPO) time on goal-directed fluid delivery in first case versus afternoon case starts: a retrospective cohort study

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Ryan Field ◽  
Tuan Mai ◽  
Samouel Hanna ◽  
Brian Harrington ◽  
Michael-David Calderon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Operating Room ◽  
Medical Center ◽  
Fluid Administration ◽  
Fluid Replacement ◽  
Primary Study ◽  
Start Time ◽  
Fluid Delivery ◽  
First Case ◽  
Patient Reported ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Goal Directed Fluid Therapy (GDFT) represents an objective fluid replacement algorithm. The effect of provider variability remains a confounder. Overhydration worsens perioperative morbidity and mortality; therefore, the impact of the calculated NPO deficit prior to the operating room may reach harm. Methods A retrospective single-institution study analyzed patients at UC Irvine Medical Center main operating rooms from September 1, 2013 through September 1, 2015 receiving GDFT. The primary study question asked if GDFT suggested different fluid delivery after different NPO periods, while reducing inter-provider variability. We created two patient groups distinguished by 0715 surgical start time or start time after 1200. We analyzed fluid administration totals with either a 1:1 crystalloid to colloid ratio or a 3:1 ratio. We performed direct group-wise testing on total administered volume expressed as total ml, total ml/hr., and total ml/kg/hr. between the first case start (AM) and afternoon case (PM) groups. A linear regression model included all baseline covariates that differed between groups as well as plausible confounding factors for differing fluid needs. Finally, we combined all patients from both groups, and created NPO time to total administered fluid scatterplots to assess the effect of patient-reported NPO time on fluid administration. Results Whether reported by total administered volume or net fluid volume, and whether we expressed the sum as ml, ml/hr., or ml/kg/hr., the AM group received more fluid on average than the PM group in all cases. In the general linear models, for all significant independent variables evaluated, AM vs PM case start did not reach significance in both cases at p = 0.64 and p = 0.19, respectively. In scatterplots of NPO time to fluid volumes, absolute adjusted and unadjusted R2 values are < 0.01 for each plot, indicating virtually non-existent correlations between uncorrected NPO time and fluid volumes measured. Conclusions This study showed NPO periods do not influence a patient’s volume status just prior to presentation to the operating room for surgical intervention. We hope this data will influence the practice of providers routinely replacing calculated NPO period volume deficit; particularly with those presenting with later surgical case start times.

Program development of a preceptor bootcamp for operational pharmacy preceptors

2020 ◽  
Vol 77 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S2-S7
Author(s):  
Devlin V Smith ◽  
Stefani Gautreaux ◽  
Alison M Gulbis ◽  
Jeffrey J Bruno ◽  
Kevin Garey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Survey Methodology ◽  
Medical Center ◽  
Academic Medical Center ◽  
Cancer Center ◽  
University Of Texas ◽  
Qualitative Feedback ◽  
Md Anderson ◽  
The University ◽  
Functional Areas ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Purpose To describe the development, design, and implementation of a pilot preceptor development bootcamp and feedback related to its feasibility and impact on operational pharmacy preceptors. Summary The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center designed and implemented a pilot preceptor development bootcamp for operational staff pharmacists serving as residency preceptors for longitudinal weekend staffing experiences. A systematic, multipronged approach was taken to identify preceptor development gaps and design a full-day bootcamp curriculum. The resultant curriculum was comprised of content in major functional areas including using the 4 preceptor roles, documenting performance, giving and receiving feedback, and dealing with difficult situations or learners. The impact of the pilot preceptor development bootcamp was assessed using survey methodology and qualitative feedback from debrief discussions. Conclusion Implementation of a pilot preceptor bootcamp program addressing major areas of precepting skill was well received, resulted in positive feedback from operational pharmacy preceptors, and was feasible to implement at a large academic medical center.

Disaster-related communication preferences of homeless and nonhomeless VA patients

2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alicia R. Gable, MPH ◽  
Claudia Der-Martirosian, PhD ◽  
Laura N. Pinnock, MSPH, PMP ◽  
Aram Dobalian, PhD, JD, MPH
Keyword(s):  
Natural Disasters ◽  
Medical Center ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Veterans Affairs ◽  
Communication Strategy ◽  
Communication Preferences ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
Communication Modes ◽  
The Impact ◽  
E Mail

Objective: To identify the communication preferences of homeless (H) and nonhomeless (NH) Veterans Affairs (VA) patients for receiving information about the impact of natural disasters on VA healthcare services. Design: Probability-based sampling design stratified on age categories, urban/rural, coastal/noncoastal, and homelessness. Setting: Northeast United States.Participants: Eligible NH and H participants included those who lived in and had at least one healthcare visit to a VA medical center/clinic in the region in the previous 24 months. Homeless participants included those receiving VA homeless services or having ICD9-CM V60.0 (Lack of Housing). 2,264/6,088 NH and 383/2,000 H completed the survey.Intervention: Cross-sectional, mixed-mode survey administered August-November 2015.Main Outcome Measures: Helpfulness of ten communication modes for receiving information about the impact of natural disasters on VA healthcare services.Results: Despite sociodemographic and health status differences, the top five communication modes rated extremely/very helpful were the same for both groups: telephone (76 percent H; 81 percent NH), TV (63 percent H; 60 percent NH), text (62 percent H; 50 percent NH), e-mail (56 percent H; 58 percent NH), radio (54 percent H; 47 percent NH). Newspaper and online modes (VA/other Web sites, Twitter, Facebook, MyHealtheVet) were rated substantially lower. Conclusions: H and NH patients prefer similar communication modes for receiving updates about the impact of natural disasters on VA healthcare services. Findings suggest that a multimodal communication strategy that incorporates phone, TV, text, e-mail, and radio will help Veterans Affairs (VA) reach its diverse patient population during natural disasters. Dissemination of messages via online modes, while rated less helpful, may augment the number of patients reached.

Impact of Safety Concerns of Erythropoiesis-Stimulating Agents (ESAs) and Regulatory Changes on the Use of ESAs and Red Blood Cell (RBC) Transfusions at a Comprehensive Cancer Center

Blood ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 112 (11) ◽  
pp. 1300-1300
Author(s):  
Saroj Vadhan-Raj ◽  
Victoria E. Hawkins ◽  
Xiao Zhou ◽  
Kurt Sizer ◽  
Lincy S. Lal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hematological Malignancies ◽  
Black Box ◽  
Comprehensive Cancer Center ◽  
Cancer Center ◽  
Safety Concerns ◽  
Regulatory Changes ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
Oncology Clinical Trials ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Safety signals raised in the recent oncology clinical trials have led to various regulatory restrictions including FDA black-box warning, National Coverage Determination (NCD), and updated ASCO/ASH guidelines in 2007. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of these changes on the utilization of ESAs and on transfusion (Tx) of RBCs in 2006 (prior to changes) and 2007. We identified the total number of unique patients that received any treatment including chemotherapy, radiation, transfusions, or any treatment in the out-patient and in-patient settings during this 2 year time period. All the data on the ESA doses dispensed by the hospital pharmacy and all the RBC transfusions dispensed by the Blood bank were also analyzed. The ESA units were calculated by converting 40,000 units of epoetin alfa or 100 mcg of darbepoetin alfa to one unit of ESA. When comparing 2007 to 2006, the number of patients that received ESAs decreased by 26% and the total ESA units decreased by 30%. The overall usage of ESAs decreased by 55%, from 2398 units in 1/2006 to 1080 units in 12/2007. However, the number of pts that received RBC transfusions increased only by 6% and the total number of RBC units transfused by 2% (from 38,218 units in 2006 to 38,948 units in 2007). The median Hgb on the day of transfusion was same for each year (Hgb 8.2 g/dL for both 2006 and 2007), suggesting that the lack of impact on RBC Tx may not be due to a change in Tx threshold. The total number of unique patients referred and treated at MDACC during 2007 (24,356) increased by 13% from 2006 (21,619), not accounting for a lack of impact on transfusions. We therefore examined Hgb at the initiation of ESAs in a subset of pts (n=212) that had not received ESA for at least 3 months. The median Hgb/HCT values at the initiation of ESAs were 9.5 g/dL/27.4. The most frequent utilization of ESAs and transfusions was in patients with hematological malignancies. Conclusion: These findings indicate that the recent ESA safety concerns and related regulatory changes have significantly affected the ESA utilization. The lack of significant impact of reduced ESA usage on RBC transfusions may be related to a lower Hgb threshold used at initiation of ESAs and/or the targeted patient population (less likely to respond) treated with ESAs. Further research is needed to establish the factors contributing to the lack of correlation and to optimize the use of ESAs.

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