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Journal Watch Hospital Medicine Top Stories of 2009

The Journal Watch Hospital Medicine editors and readers choose their favorite summaries from 2009.

This year, we are introducing a new feature: Journal Watch Hospital Medicine Top Stories. We compiled two lists, generated from two sources. First, our editors voted on the stories from this year that they felt had the greatest effect on the practice of hospital medicine to create the Editors' Choice list. Second, we looked to you, our readers, for the Readers' Choice Most Read Online list.

The most striking feature, when comparing the two lists, is the lack of overlap. In the Readers' Choice list, primary care seems to dominate, rather than a strict in-hospital focus. For example, the highest ranking summary, in which the absence of benefit for tight glucose control in patients with long-standing type 2 diabetes was discussed, received almost double the votes of its nearest competitor (that too, being about diabetes — a position statement on diabetes management). In contrast, the Editors' Choice list focused on inpatient topics, such as ICU management, perioperative medicine, and transitions of care. These data affirm to us that, although you undoubtedly want inpatient content, you also have a keen interest in articles that shape general medical practice.

We hope that you find these lists helpful as you reflect on the medical advances that have influenced your practice during the past year. If you have any comments, please let us know by sending e-mail to jwhm@mms.org, or by using our Reader Remarks feature to express your opinion on any individual summary on our site.

From our family to yours, best wishes for a happy and healthy New Year.

— Neil H. Winawer, MD, FHM

Published in Journal Watch Hospital Medicine December 28, 2009