Both hospitals and physician practices are trying lots of different strategies to bridge the gap: beefing up discharge planning to ensure an appointment has been made before the patient leaves the hospital, having a nurse call home within a day or two of discharge, faxing an alert to the primary care office upon discharge.
Soba noodles are Japanese noodles that are made from buckwheat flour. The thickness of the noodles is easily comparable to that of spaghetti, and they can be served both hot or cold. Their nutty flavor works well as a base for stir-fries and salads.
If ramen is the pork-fat shock-and-awe of the noodle world, soba is what philosophers slurpâa simple buckwheat noodle, a cuisine of purity and contemplation. A soba restaurant's menu may include a tray of noodles served with tempura, or maybe a tangle bathed in a lean, coffee-dark duck broth, as austere as duck gets. But always, there will be an offering of plain soba, just-cooked, chilled cold, served with only a small cup of seasoned stock for dipping.