Ascension - MD

Medical Resources

Lewis P. Gundry Health Sciences Library

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Email: stagneslibrary@ascension.org

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After Hours Access limited (door unlocks at 6:30AM weekdays) 

Librarian: Lucinda Bennett

Medical Databases & Platforms

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Mobile Apps

http://www.imedicalapps.com/

"iMedicalApps is the leading online publication for medical professionals, patients, and analysts interested in mobile medical technology and health care apps. Our physician editors lead a team of physicians, allied health professionals, medical trainees, and mHealth analysts in providing reviews, research, and commentary of mobile medical technology. Our publication is heavily based on our own experiences in the hospital and clinic setting."

 

http://www.medscape.com/public/iphone?src=emed-call

8,500+ prescription and OTC drugs, herbals, and supplements
6,200+ Reference articles for decision-making support
Clinical tools: drug interaction checker, calculators, and pill identifier
And more!

 

sanfordguide.com/coronavirus

"In the interest of providing the medical community with concise information about the rapidly changing SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 situation, Sanford Guide has made its resources related to the pandemic available without a digital subscription."
Access is available on the Web, on IPhone or IPad, and Android devices.

 

Access App

"Learn when you want, where you want, and how you want. Access is your personal medical resource library that makes studying easier and more efficient. Currently available in its preview phase, as early adopters, you have the opportunity to shape the future of optimized and personal medical education. Access personalizes and tailors your medical education experience, giving you the healthcare content you need, on the go, even when you’re offline."

Be sure to create an account on Access Medicine first (on a desktop) and then use those credentials to log into the app.

Open Access Journals & Other Resources

 

Inclusive Language & Mental Health Environments

Healthcare is an ever-changing and dynamic environment. It is important that providers in all fields learn the language and skills to compassionately care for patients of vast backgrounds and mental health status. The following PDFs are crafted by the American Hospital Association to help healthcare workers practice such language. Take a look and feel free to print, share and spread the word in your department.

Compassionate SUD Language

Culturally Aware Language

Mental Health Conditions

People First Language

PTSD Supportive Language

Suicide Destigmatizing Language

Medal - The Medical Algorithms Company

Check out the Medical Algorithms Project, now called Medal The Medical Algorithms Company. 

It has been around for over a decade, and has 1,000s of medical care algorithms for over 45 different specialties in medicine and nursing.  

It was developed by Dr. Sriram Iyengar, Ph.D., of the School of Health information Systems, University of Texas, Houston, and the Institute for Algorithmic Medicine.  For individuals, it is still freely accessible at the URL below. 

You will need to register to gain access; it has iOS and Android apps available. This is an evidence-based clinical decision support tool, with over 22,000 plus calculators and risk scores.  

Here is the URL below:

https://www.medicalalgorithms.com/ 

Top Medical Journals

Citation Matcher

Titles From Our Print Collection

Catalog: Search for Print Resources 

ABOG Recertification

Reading List for January 2025 is now available!

Access the electronic readings lists below. Note, there will be no August reading list. The Library will no longer be providing print copies of the articles, but we will announce the full reading lists here with live links to each citation. 

 

 

 

  • August 2025 Reading List - COMING SOON

 

The ACOG Practice Advisory linked below has been added to the 2023 MOC from ABOG in the Emerging Topics section:

Maternal Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccination

Articles of Interest - From our Subscriptions

Handoff Mnemonics Used in Perioperative Handoff Intervention Studies: A Systematic Review

 Patel, S. , Fuller, S. , Michael, M. , O’Hagan, E. , Lazzara, E. & Riesenberg, L. (2025). Handoff Mnemonics Used in Perioperative Handoff Intervention Studies: A Systematic Review. Anesthesia & Analgesia, 141 (3), 468-481. doi: 10.1213/ANE.0000000000007261.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Perioperative handoffs are known to present unique challenges to safe and effective patient care. Numerous national accrediting bodies have called for standardized, structured handoff processes. Handoff mnemonics provide a memory aid and standardized structure, as well as promote a shared mental model. We set out to identify perioperative handoff intervention studies that included a handoff mnemonic; critically assess process and patient outcome improvements that support specific mnemonics; and propose future recommendations.

METHODS:

We conducted a systematic review of the English language perioperative handoff intervention literature designed to identify handoff mnemonic interventions. A comprehensive protocol was developed and registered (CRD42022363615). Searches were conducted using PubMed, Scopus, ERIC (EBSCO), Education Full Text (EBSCO), EMBASE (Elsevier), and Cochrane (January 1, 2010 to May 31, 2022). Pairs of trained reviewers were involved in all phases of the search and extraction process.

RESULTS:

Thirty-seven articles with 23 unique mnemonics met the inclusion criteria. Most articles were published after 2015 (29/37; 78%). Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation (SBAR), and SBAR variants were used in over half of all studies (22/37; 59%), with 45% (10/22) reporting at least 1 statistically significant process improvement. Seventy percent of handoff mnemonics (26/37) were expanded into lists or checklists. Fifty-seven percent of studies (21/37) reported using an interdisciplinary/interprofessional team to develop the intervention. In 49% of all studies (18/37) at least 1 measurement tool was either previously published or the authors conducting some form of measurement tool validation. Forty-one percent of process measurement tools (11/27) had some form of validation. Although most studies used training/education as an implementation strategy (36/37; 97%), descriptions tended to be brief with few details and no study used interprofessional education. Twenty-seven percent of the identified studies (10/37) measured perception alone and 11% (4/37) measured patient outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS:

While the evidence supporting one handoff mnemonic over others is weak, SBAR/SBAR variants have been studied more often in the perioperative environment demonstrating some process improvements. A key finding is that 70% of included studies converted their handoff mnemonic to a list or checklist. Finally, given the essential nature of effective handoffs to perioperative patient safety, it is crucial that handoff interventions are well developed, implemented, and evaluated. We propose 8 recommendations for future perioperative handoff mnemonic clinical interventions and research.

 

Implications of the European Association for the Study of Obesity's New Framework Definition of Obesity: Prevalence and Association With All-Cause Mortality

 
Dicker, D. , Karpati, T. , Promislow, S. & Reges, O. (2025). Annals of Internal Medicine, 178 (8), 1065-1072. doi: 10.7326/ANNALS-24-02547.

 

Abstract

Background:

Background:

The European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO) recently introduced a new framework to define obesity that incorporates anthropometric measures beyond body mass index (BMI) and clinical comorbidities. However, this framework has not been validated.

Objective:

To describe the distribution of overweight and obesity and determine the prevalence of complications and association of obesity with all-cause mortality using BMI categories and the new EASO framework.

Design:

Cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis.

Setting:

NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) from 1999 to 2018 linked to mortality data.

Participants:

A representative sample of the adult population in the United States aged 18 to 79 years.

Measurements:

Obesity defined using BMI categories was compared with the new EASO definition.

Results:

The study population included 44 030 adults. On the basis of the new EASO definition, 18.8% of adults who were previously defined as overweight based on BMI alone were now considered persons with obesity (PWO). Similar mortality risk was found among the newly identified PWO and persons with normal weight (hazard ratio [HR], 0.98 [95% CI, 0.87 to 1.10]), whereas higher risk was seen among persons with BMI of 30 kg/m 2 or greater (HR, 1.19 [CI, 1.08 to 1.32]). However, when compared with persons with normal weight who did not have major morbidities, a higher risk was seen among the newly identified PWO (HR, 1.50 [CI, 1.20 to 1.88]), although this higher risk was no greater than the higher risk seen among persons with normal weight and comorbidities (HR, 1.74 [CI, 1.34 to 2.22]). Excess risk was seen among PWO compared with persons with overweight according to both the new EASO framework and the traditional BMI definition. The most prevalent complications among the newly identified PWO were hypertension (79.9%), arthritis (33.2%), diabetes (15.6%), and cardiovascular disease (10.5%).

Limitation:

Residual confounding; body weight assessed at a single time point.

Conclusion:

The new EASO framework may provide a more sensitive tool to diagnose obesity than the traditional BMI definition, but whether these newly identified adults with obesity would benefit comparably to obesity treatment as those traditionally included in treatment trials is uncertain.

Primary Funding Source:

Ariel University and the Holon Institute of Technology, Israel.

 

The European Association for the Study of Obesity recently introduced a new framework to define obesity that incorporates anthropometric measures beyond body mass index (BMI) and clinical comorbidities. However, this framework has not been validated. This study examines the risk for death of those newly diagnosed with obesity by this framework relative to those defined by BMI alone.

 

 

The American Cancer Society National Lung Cancer Roundtable strategic plan: Addressing planning for lung cancer interventions at the state and local level through the creation of the National Lung Cancer Roundtable Planning Tool

 Olson, J.M.G., Knight, J.R., Copeland, A.M., Ohlander, K.A., Bathje, K.H., Burson, H.C., Domingo, C.A., Durden, K.A., Dickson-Gavney, E., Hofmann, K.E., Mullett, T.W., Rosenthal, L.S., Kazerooni, E.A., Wood, D.E., & Smith, R.A. (2025, August 15). The American Cancer Society National Lung Cancer Roundtable strategic plan: Addressing planning for lung cancer interventions at the state and local level through the creation of the National Lung Cancer Roundtable Planning Tool. Cancer, 131(16), e35954. https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.35954

Abstract:

Background

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States, accounting for approximately 20% of cancer deaths nationwide. Despite national guidelines, uptake of lung cancer interventions varies across states because of differences in resources, insurance, policies, and infrastructure. Coalitions need a state-specific, web-based tool to develop targeted strategies. The American Cancer Society National Lung Cancer Roundtable recognized this gap and prioritized the development of a web-based State-Based Initiatives (SBI) Planning Tool to help coalitions personalize and streamline lung cancer efforts.

Methods

The SBI Task Group convened public health leaders, health care professionals, policymakers, and patient advocates to design a centralized, user-friendly tool. Inspired by the American Cancer Society National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable’s Guide to the Development of State-Level Colorectal Cancer Coalitions, the team iteratively refined the SBI Planning Tool through beta testing cycles, ensuring accessibility and relevance.

Results

The final SBI Planning Tool is a customizable, web-based platform in which coalitions develop action plans using state-specific data, interactive resources, and best practices. Key functionalities allow users to explore state-specific factors, such as existing lung cancer programs, coalition-building strategies, and policy environments, supporting a structured yet flexible approach to improving lung cancer outcomes.

Conclusions

The SBI Planning Tool represents a critical advancement in lung cancer control, offering an adaptable framework for states to strengthen their interventions based on real-world conditions. This tool equips state and local leaders with the resources needed to drive meaningful change, reduce disparities, and improve lung cancer prevention, screening, and treatment efforts nationwide.

 

 
 
 
 Mohr, N. , Tang, Y. , Gaieski, D. , Buckler, D. , Carr, B. & Zebrowski, A. (2025). Geographic Clusters in Sepsis Hospital Mortality and the Role of Targeted Regionalization. Critical Care Medicine, 53 (7), e1365-e1376. doi: 10.1097/CCM.0000000000006678.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:

 
Sepsis is a severe condition associated with high mortality, and hospital performance is variable. The objective of this study was to develop geospatial sepsis clusters, identify sources of variation between clusters, and test the hypothesis that redistributing sepsis patients from low-performing hospitals to higher-performing hospitals within a cluster will improve sepsis outcomes.

Design, Setting, and Patients:

We conducted a cohort study of age-qualifying Medicare beneficiaries using administrative claims data from 2013 to 2015. We calculated risk-standardized mortality for hospitals then used a clustering algorithm to define geospatial cluster boundaries based on care-seeking and interhospital transfer patterns. Finally, we used simulation to model the effect of reallocating sepsis patients to higher-performing hospitals within the same cluster.

Interventions:

None.

Measurements and Main Results:

We included 1,125,308 patients, and they were grouped into 222 regional clusters. High-performing clusters were located largely in the Midwest, and they tended to be in less urban regions with smaller hospitals. In our simulation, the most impactful strategy was reassigning cases from the lowest-performing hospital in a cluster to the highest-performing hospital in the cluster, which was predicted to prevent 1705 deaths per year in the United States. This aggregate benefit was lower than the 5702 deaths predicted from reducing mortality by 1% absolute in hospitals in the lower half of the performance distribution.

Conclusions:

Geospatial clusters provide insight into regional approaches to system-based acute care. In a simulation study, targeted sepsis regionalization appears less effective than local performance improvement in reducing preventable sepsis deaths.
 Atwani, R. , Robbins, L. , Saade, G. & Kawakita, T. (2025). Association of Maternity Care Deserts With Maternal and Pregnancy-Related Mortality. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 146 (2), 181-188. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000005976.
 

Abstract:

OBJECTIVE:

To evaluate the association between the level of maternity care access and maternal and pregnancy-related mortality.

METHODS:

This was a cross-sectional analysis of county-level data in the United States from January 2018 to December 2021. Using the level of maternity care access, we categorized counties into desert, low access, moderate access, and full access. The primary outcome of interest was maternal mortality rate per 100,000 live births. A secondary outcome was pregnancy-related mortality rate per 100,000 live births. Absolute risk differences and adjusted incidence rate ratios were calculated for maternal mortality and pregnancy-related mortality with multivariable negative binomial mixed-effects models.

RESULTS:

The study included 14,772,210 live births across four categories of maternity care access: desert (n=720,858), low access (n=708,668), moderate access (n=431,188), and full access (n=12,911,496). Desert counties compared with full-access counties had a significantly higher maternal mortality rate (32.25 vs 23.62; absolute risk difference 8.62 [95% CI, 4.63–12.61]; adjusted incidence rate ratio 1.36 [95% CI, 1.21–1.54]) and pregnancy-related mortality rate (43.82 vs 34.72; absolute risk difference 9.10 [95% CI, 4.28–13.93]; adjusted incidence rate ratio 1.26 [95% CI, 1.13–1.41]). Low-access counties showed no significant difference in maternal mortality rate (24.04 vs 23.62; absolute risk difference 0.41 [95% CI, −3.68 to 4.51]; adjusted incidence rate ratio 1.02 [95% CI, 0.86–1.21]) or pregnancy-related mortality rate (35.63 vs 34.72; absolute risk difference 0.91 [95% CI, −4.06 to 5.88]; adjusted incidence rate ratio 1.03 [95% CI, 0.89–1.18]). Similarly, moderate-access counties had no significant differences in maternal mortality rate (25.59 vs 23.62; absolute risk difference 1.96 [95% CI, −4.50 to 8.42]; adjusted incidence rate ratio 1.08 [95% CI, 0.84–1.40]) or pregnancy-related mortality rate (37.48 vs 34.72; absolute risk difference 2.76 [95% CI, −5.72 to 11.24]; adjusted incidence rate ratio 1.08 [95% CI, 0.86–1.36]).

CONCLUSION:

Residing in a maternity care desert is significantly associated with higher rates of maternal and pregnancy-related mortality.

 

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American Academy of Pediatrics Resources

As of November 2021, all publications via the AAP have been on a single platform All journals subscribed to by the Library will be housed on the following pages, which will be made available on the Library site:

Briggs

These helpful guides on how to access Briggs Drugs in Pregnancy have been shared by a fellow Ascension Librarian in Wisconsin.

How to get to Briggs Drugs in Pregnancy & Lactation through Lexicomp

Briggs Drugs in Pregnancy & Lactation – via LexiComp [Direct Link]

Guideline Resources

Academy Websites & Publisher's Open Access  

Official Government Guidelines

The US government's National Guideline Clearinghouse is a repository of US clinical practice guidelines as well as some international guidelines with the goal of improving patient safety standards and healthcare measures.  Click on the NGC links below to take you to the URLs, to the link for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and to the link to the US government site for the Preventive Taskforce guidelines.

Governments & Free Agency Websites

Blogs & Podcasts

  • Elsevier Clinical Insights
     
     
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    • "In “Not Otherwise Specified,” Dr. Lisa Rosenbaum, cardiologist and national correspondent for the New England Journal of Medicine, defies our sound-bite culture to go deep with some of medicine’s most innovative thinkers. Her guests’ stories and ideas about health care’s toughest challenges and greatest promise may change the way you think about medicine, health, and society."

MKSAP

Medical Knowledge Self-Assessment Program 19: Parts A & B now available for check-out!

Print copies of the latest Parts A & B are available for check-out in the Library Office - not in the stacks! MKSAP 18 IS in the stacks.

The borrowing time for each volume is 2 weeks. There is only a single copy of each volume so please be mindful of your due dates.

If you have a personal subscription to the online content of MKSAP, using the print resource as a supplement is an excellent way to diversify your study game.

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