Sicker heart attack patients fare worse in July

NEW YORK, Nov 8:

Rumor has it the worst time  and place to be sick is in a teaching hospital in July, when new doctors-in-training enter the wards and others are promoted. A new study of heart attack patients shows this pattern of worse outcomes known as the “July effect” may indeed be true – but only for the sickest people. “Patients who are already at high risk of inpatient mortality – because of their age and other (co-existing) diseases – are likely the most to be affected by physician inexperience in July,” Dr. Anupam Jena told Reuters Health in an email. He led the research at Harvard Medical School in Boston. (agencies)