Readings and Other Considerations

Books, articles and other worthy perspectives for your a review… 

Activism in Health Care and Science – I was recently introduced to 314 Action, a group of individuals from the STEM community who founded the organization with some other grassroots supporters and political activists who believe in science.  It is an organization that is committed to electing more STEM candidates to office, advocating for evidence-based policy solutions to issues like climate change, and fighting the recent attacks on science from the political community. In essence, their action statement is to elect more leaders who will use their training as STEM professionals to influence policy-making based on facts ranging from climate change to health care to gun violence.  The efforts are not limited to Washington, D.C. and include efforts focused on local and state legislatures as well. Through their efforts, they intend to leverage their network of pro-science advocates to organize and effect change in areas where science is being maligned or disputed. As a unified STEM and pro-science community, we can combat the all-too-common attacks on basic scientific understanding. This activism cuts to the very heart of health care.  Consider their efforts as you make your choices…

JAMA Releases Top 10 Articles of the Decade – There’s so much information being disseminated these days in medicine and health care that it’s hard to stay up to speed.  The JAMA Editors culled through the ones from their journal; however, and came up with a list.  Here you go and, the downloads are free, that way you can catch up:

§  The Third International Consensus Definitions for Sepsis and Septic Shock (Sepsis-3) – Mervyn Singer, MD, FRCP; Clifford S. Deutschman, MD, MS; Christopher Warren Seymour, MD, MSc; et al §  2014 Evidence-Based Guideline for the Management of High Blood Pressure in Adults: Report From the Panel Members Appointed to the Eighth Joint National Committee (JNC 8) – Paul A. James, MD; Suzanne Oparil, MD; Barry L. Carter, PharmD; et al §  Antibiotic Therapy vs Appendectomy for Treatment of Uncomplicated Acute Appendicitis: The APPAC Randomized Clinical Trial – Paulina Salminen, MD, PhD; Hannu Paajanen, MD, PhD; Tero Rautio, MD, PhD; et al §  Intensive vs Standard Blood Pressure Control and Cardiovascular Disease Outcomes in Adults Aged ≥75 Years: A Randomized Clinical Trial – Jeff D. Williamson, MD, MHS; Mark A. Supiano, MD; William B. Applegate, MD, MPH; et al for the SPRINT Research GroupAudio Interview: Intensive Blood Pressure Control in Adults Aged 75 Years or Older §  Development and Validation of a Deep Learning Algorithm for Detection of Diabetic Retinopathy in Retinal Fundus Photographs – Varun Gulshan, PhD; Lily Peng, MD, PhD; Marc Coram, PhD; et al §  United States Health Care Reform: Progress to Date and Next Steps – Barack Obama, JD §  Health Care Spending in the United States and Other High-Income Countries – Irene Papanicolas, PhD; Liana R. Woskie, MSc; Ashish K. Jha, MD, MPH Audio Interview: Health Care Spending in the United States and Other High-Income Countries §  The Association Between Income and Life Expectancy in the United States, 2001-2014 – Raj Chetty, PhD; Michael Stepner, BA; Sarah Abraham, BA; et al §  Eliminating Waste in US Health Care – Donald M. Berwick, MD, MPP; Andrew D. Hackbarth, MPhil Audio Interview: Association Between Income and Life Expectancy in the United States §  Silencing the Science on Gun Research – Arthur L. Kellermann, MD, MPH; Frederick P. Rivara, MD, MPH