Reducing unneeded lab work in the hospital setting is a monumental task. It is a kind of security blanket, and it is automated in many EMRs. For clinicians, seeing that lab values are stable can be a reassurance while waiting for treatment to take effect. And everyone has their story of the one patient for whom a change in routine daily labs prompted urgent intervention.

The CBC, ordered hundreds of millions of times a year in the US alone, typically reports 19 different values, some of which are redundant and inconsequential. These authors suggest three distinct CBCs. [Subscription Required]

A prospective cohort study of 629 patients with non-MRI-conditional ICDs from 2003 to 2013, including 813 MRIs, concludes that the devices continue to function properly after MRI.

This 33-year-old man reports no other symptoms, and he isn’t on any medication. Medical history is unremarkable. CBC and comprehensive profile are normal, as are serum alpha-fetoprotein and beta-HCG. CT scans reveal bulky diffuse adenopathy. A cervical node biopsy showed poorly differentiated carcinoma. What is the appropriate therapy?

OBR covers this New York Times opinion piece; many doctors are jumping on the bandwagon to point out where the cause of burnout truly lies.

The Cancer Moonshot aims to enhance the lives of individuals and families dealing with and surviving cancer, lower the death rate from cancer by at least 50% over the following 25 years, and ultimately put an end to cancer as we currently know it. In order to mobilize the federal government, the President established the first-ever Cancer Cabinet last year. He urged people, healthcare professionals, and leaders from various sectors to step up and take action in five key priority areas: (1) close the screening gap; (2) comprehend and address environmental exposure; (3) lessen the impact of preventable cancers; (4) bring cutting-edge research through the pipeline to patients and communities; and (5) support patients and their care. Here is the list of 13 more initiatives to go along with the already-introduced 25 programs, policies, and resources to address these five priority areas.